#and please don’t mistake this to mean that i don’t think eddie’s shadow wasn’t in this a little bit | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ofstarsandvibranium · 2 years

Note

If we could have another part of the Eddie fic where they finally talk and we get resolution my little heart loves angst but oof it’s hurting

Only if you want to of course!

Part 1 | Part 2

You and Malcolm were the only people working at the diner tonight. It was late, most people were asleep by now. Despite you being tired throughout these shifts, you were thankful you could get some reading and drawing done.

You had your headphones on, listening to a Madonna cassette table when someone sat at the counter right in front of you. You looked up to see Eddie staring at you expectantly. You peeled off your headphones and gave him a neutral expression, “What can I get for you?”

“Double bacon cheeseburger and a Neapolitan milkshake.”

“Sure,” you write down the order and place it at the window for Malcolm to get started on it.

You collected your things and placed them to the side. Eddie spoke up again, “Can we talk?”

You sighed and looked at him with your arms crossed over your chest, “About?”

“Gee, I don’t know, maybe the fact that you’ve avoided for about two months?”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Bullshit, faerie. I’ve asked around and people have said you’ve been holed up at your place for the most part. If you’re not here working, you’re at home.”

“So?”

“So, you could’ve been out with me! Going to my gigs, shadowing my campaigns-“

“That’s not my job anymore, Eddie. You have a girlfriend now who can do all that.”

“Had.”

“Huh?”

“I had a girlfriend. Not anymore.”

“Oh. Sorry, I guess.”

He shrugged, “It’s whatever.”

“Thought she was the love of your life?”

“Was wrong,” he murmured.

You cleared your throat and stood up straight, “I’ll get started on your shake.”

As you scooped the ice cream and produced the shake, you thought about how Eddie would come here often to bother you as you worked. You’d help him with his campaigns or song lyrics. You shook your head, mentally scolding yourself for thinking about those good times.

You went back to Eddie, who pulled out his campaign notebook, “Here’s your shake.” You couldn’t help but let curiosity get the best of you and asked about his campaign. Eddie immediately lit up and began rambling about what’s happened recently in the campaign.

You listened intently, occasionally interrupting to ask questions or provide suggestions. Eddie’s burger eventually arrived and you were going to let him eat in peace, but he insisted you stayed beside him. In between bites, Eddie would continue to talk to you and it felt like how it was before.

After Eddie finished his meal, there was a lull of silence between you two. Eddie looked up at you, sincerity in his eyes, “I really missed you, Faerie. I-I really don’t know what I did to make you feel like you needed to distance away from me, but I’m sorry. Whatever it is, I’m sorry and I really miss you. Can-Can we please just get back to how things were before?”

You let out a deep breath, “I don’t think we can, Eddie.”

“Why? I mean, we basically were acting like how things were before. Why-“

“Because I’m in love with you.”

Eddie gulped, “What?”

“That night of your gig, when you were dedicating your last song to the ‘love of your life’, I thought it was for me. I thought you were confessing your love for me and then turns out you weren’t and it crushed me. I just-I can’t do this with you if I’m still in love with you. I need to move on from you before we can be friends again.”

Eddie stood up from his seat, “What if I don’t want you to move on from me?”

“What do you mean?”

“What if-What if I want you to be in love with me because…because I’m in love with you too?”

You shook your head, “Eddie, you were just dating Julie-“

“And that was a mistake. She was a mistake. I thought she was the person I’ve always dreamed about, the person who truly understood me, but she wasn’t. You are. You know me inside and out. And you even loved me despite all my fuck ups. Faerie, I’m in love with you.”

You shook your head again, “It’s not that simple, Eddie. You can’t just confess your love to me and expect me to fall right into your arms.”

“What do I need to do? Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

You sighed, “Give me time and space. I realized I didn’t know who I was without you and I need to figure out how to be my own person without you.”

“Sure. Yeah. Time and space. Anything else?”

“Woo me.”

“Woo you?” He looked at you confused.

You nodded, “Yup. I want to be swept off my feet. If you really love me like you say you do, Eddie Munson, then you gotta put the effort in to make it all work out.”

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll try my best.”

“Do or do not, there is no try,” you quoted Yoda before gathering Eddie’s empty plate and cup and putting it in the kitchen.

Eddie chuckled to himself and mumbled to himself, “God, I love her.”

#eddie munson x reader

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luv-eddiediaz · 3 years

Text

Where You Scars Meet Mine

"Let me see it,” Buck whispered, and caught Eddie by the wrist as he passed by him to get another beer from the fridge.

"You wanna be more specific?"

"You know what I'm talking about,” and yea, Eddie knew exactly what Buck was talking about.

"You've seen it."

"Not for a long time. Not up close. And today - today, I need to see it."

"Buck -"

"I won't push you, but… Please?"

"Okay."

Eddie stood between Buck's open legs where they dangled off the counter. He undid the buttons of his shirt, and let it fall open before he slipped his arms out. He's still in his A shirt, but the scars were visible anyway.

Buck stared at the raised flesh. It wasn’t as ugly as the last time he saw it, when it was fresh and healing. Now, it was just a pale, discolored bump of skin, slightly out of place where the rest of him shimmered like a golden relic.

Eddie's breath caught in his throat as he watched Buck's hand reach out from where it lay at his side. His fingers were steady, but cold as they ghosted over it. He was gentle as his fingers walked the circumference, because Buck was always so fucking gentle; too afraid that all those feelings he felt would hurt someone if he ever let them out. Sometimes Eddie wanted to scream at him, tell him to just fucking say it already - put them both out of their damn misery, but Eddie too was gentle, and he too knew it was better to keep it to himself, lest he wanted to get hurt again. Because, maybe his body had scars, but his heart was marred with so many more.

"We never talked about it," Buck said.

And no, they hadn't. They opted for a different approach to processing their shared trauma in the dark shadows of one of those nights Buck still slept on Eddie's couch, when their hearts were still supposed to belong to someone else. They leaned into the love they'd built up for so long, but rather than claim it for what it was, they labeled it desire; mistake, and they didn't talk about that either.

"What's there to talk about?" Eddie shivered as the pads of Buck's fingers pressed firmly on the knot of scar tissue.

"You were shot. Again." He turned his attention to Eddie's other shoulder, the other scar that reminded him, not how precious his own life was, but other people's. Buck followed the same path along the raised edges, a little more jagged than the other, a little more permanently pink - the anger and chaos of war more evident than the sterility of a hospital.

"And overall, it was the third time you almost died."

"I kept track."

Buck's chuckle was dark, and it only scared Eddie because he'd never heard him sound like that before.

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me, but it happened. I survived. What good is talking about it going to do? What good is reliving the moment I lost someone I was supposed to protect, or the moments I thought I might abandon my son the same way his mother did? What sort of healing is meant to happen if I blab on and on about -" Eddie's voice cracked, and Buck looked away from his scars for the first time, and into his eyes. He knew they were glossy, and that they threatened to spill over with tears, and he didn't want Buck to see, but he couldn't bring himself to look away from his comforting worry.

"About?" Buck asked, gently.

"About how, in Afghanistan, I was supposed to get shot at, and as a firefighter, I might be trapped in a dangerous situation, but I'm not supposed to be shot in the middle of the day, on a busy street. Not when I'm trying to help someone, not in front of" - his voice broke again, and Buck's hand was suddenly warm against his cheek, catching the tears that began to fall.

"And I think sometimes, how many more times is this going to happen? How many more scars will I bear before the universe finally gets me?"

"The universe is going to get us all eventually, and I'm going to love each and every scar it leaves on you until then."

"Fuck, don't say that."

"Why not? It's true. And I don't just mean the ones you can see," Buck raked his fingers through Eddie's hair, "the ones in here too; and here," his other hand came to rest where Eddie's heart beat loudly in his chest.

"Buck, please -" Eddie begged for the sweet torture of Buck's touch to stop before it completely ripped him apart at the seams and saw everything he kept hidden away inside.

"Are you in love with me?" Buck asked.

Too late.

His voice was soft, but the words ricocheted against the walls of the loft; another bullet meant just for Eddie.

"I - you know the answer to that question, Buck. You have to know."

"I think I know. I know that one night late last year, I was pretty damn certain, but then...we didn't talk about that. You swept it under your rug, and I let it go."

"We decided together it was a mistake."

"But you still broke up with your girlfriend. And then I broke up with mine, and I thought - I thought maybe we were done being so afraid of each other."

Eddie scoffed, "I'm not afraid of you."

"Well, I'm afraid of you. Of the way you make me feel, how I think I've made you feel. It fucking terrifies me."

It was too much. Eddie's head spun, and his wounds pulsed with phantom pain in sympathy. He felt himself start to panic, to look for an exit out of where he was caged by Buck's body, so he could run.

Buck looked at him for a long second, and then he removed his hand from Eddie's chest, and parted his legs just enough to let Eddie feel like he could breathe.

"It's okay," Buck said, "if you're not ready. And I've obviously had too much to drink, and it was already a heavy day, so, why don't I go sleep this off, and maybe in the morning you can forgive me, huh?"

"Buck -"

"Nope. In the morning." He gently pushed at Eddie's shoulders to back him away, and then jumped down. He handed Eddie his shirt from the floor, "blankets, pillows - behind the couch. Goodnight, Eddie."

"Buck -"

"Goodnight, Eddie."

He watched Buck retreat upstairs, missing one or two along the way, and all Eddie could think as he stood alone now, in that kitchen was what the fuck?

It was a heavy day, yes, and Eddie expected they would both drink a little too much,and Buck would wanna talk, because talking helped Buck,and Eddie was more than prepared to listen, but Buck knew, almost too intimately well, that Eddie found comfort in doing rather than speaking.

So, for him to push Eddie like that; he just didn't know why.

Eddie made up a bed on the couch, and tried to find sleep with Buck snoring above him. Maybe Buck was as tired as Eddie was; wanted this whole crazy thing that spun around them like a whirling dervish to just stop and stand still. Maybe he was trying to do exactly what Eddie wanted him to do all along.

Eddie pushed back the covers and padded gently up the stairs. He stopped when he got to the top, watched Buck, wrapped in just his t-shirt and shorts turn onto his side, and open his eyes.

"Fucks sake, Eds,” he said into the dark, “what are you just standing there like a damn ghost for?"

He pulled back the covers to invite Eddie to crawl in next to him, and Eddie did.

"I am in love with you,” he said to Buck, “and what I'm afraid of is that it's just not enough. That I'm not enough for you."

Buck propped himself up on his elbows, and looked down at Eddie, "you are enough," Eddie looked away from Buck's hot gaze, but Buck caught him by the chin with his thumb, "Eddie, you are enough. For me. Okay?"

Eddie nodded against the pillow and tried to choke back his urge to cry yet again, but there was no sense, not when Buck's touch was so soft against the stubble that lined his jawline, not when he whispered, I'm in love with you, too, and kissed Eddie's ear like a precious gift.

"I already know you're strong, so you don't always have to be with me."

"Yea, okay."

Buck laid his head on Eddie's shoulder, and circled the hard bone of the other with his finger, avoiding the scar this time.

"Buck?"

"Hmmm?"

"Let me see yours."

Buck pushed the covers down all the way, and Eddie dropped to his knees on the side of the bed. It was dark, but Eddie found the line that drew up from his ankle past where Eddie wouldn't touch - not tonight, but he did press a soft kiss to it before he got back in the bed, and settled into Buck's arms.

Maybe they were too broken to ever truly be put together, but maybe, as long as one had the other, they didn't need to be as whole as they thought they did. It was enough that they loved the ugly, torn and frayed pieces just as they were.

#buddie fanfic #911 fox #eddie diaz #evan buckley #eddie's scars #just a little something #buck's scar too

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woodchoc-magnum · 3 years

Text

9-1-1 4x04 Reaction

Spoilers under the cut

Buddie for comfort:

Saving the parents for last because jesus fucking christ that’s a rant, and also, I’m functioning on very little sleep so this may be completely disjointed and rambly:

I am in love with Buck and Eddie trying to solve the crime together and I wish they would re-film that scene without face masks

Because they so would be into true crime, like Eddie pretends to be cool but he’s a secret nerd, and he loves to nerd out with Buck, so it makes total sense that they watch crime documentaries together like COME ON

I’m incorporating this into a fic somehow

May Grant the 911 operator 🔥🔥🔥

Gratuitous shirtlessness in the form of Albert and Chimney, thank you very much 911

Albert fucking RUNNING AWAY FROM CHIMNEY 10/10 comedy

And then Chimney RUNNING AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE TEAM 10/10 comedy as well

Albert throwing a whole wheel of brie into the oven? Like just throwing it in there? Literally just throwing it in there

I don’t know why they added that in but I’m not mad at it

Chimney making friends with the mad bomber after the preview was like “IS CHIMNEY GONNA DIE????” no he’s gonna make a new friend and then brain him with an oxygen tank duh

Well, I guess it’s about that time to talk about the worst parents in the show, so here we go:

Some of this is gonna be speculation because obviously we don’t know how this all played out, but we can make some guesses. My theory is that Daniel the dead brother died... perhaps saving Buck when he was only very little, hence Buck not remembering it, and his parents... asking Maddie not to tell him?

What even the FUCK though

Why would you ask your NINE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO LIE TO HER LITTLE BROTHER ABOUT THEIR OTHER BROTHER WHO DIED

And how the hell do you cover something like that up? Did they simply move away from friends and family so no one would ever talk about it? Did they box up all the pictures and memories and everything and just... fucking... MOVE ON? Or not move on, because they have obviously never forgiven Buck for whatever the hell happened.

Okay, this is my speculation:

The parents are somehow responsible - for example, an accidental drowning (I don’t think this is what happened, this is just an example). So hypothetically, they’re at the beach, and Buck is a toddler, and the parents aren’t paying attention and he wanders into the sea and gets swept out; Daniel comes to his rescue and dies in the act of saving him (this thing happens in Australia all the time, hence why I’m using it as an example - swim between the flags, gang!).

So then you have the parents who are ultimately responsible for not paying attention, you have the unavoidable tragedy of one of the children dying, and the way they coped with this terrible tragedy was to place the blame on Buck (even though it wasn’t his fault, at all) and pretend that Daniel had simply never existed.

This means that Buck spends his life living in the shadow of the older brother who was glorified, who died saving him, and Buck has no idea why he can never please his parents and why they don’t love him. This is why they’re checked out as parents, because one of their kids died, and instead of seeking therapy, they decided to live a lie and blame their son for something he had no fucking control over.

So setting all that aside, let’s talk about these two absolute fucking pieces of shit.

They’ve alienated their children so much that both of them are absolutely terrified when they turn up. Buck is petrified. He’s spent his whole life never living up to their expectations, never feeling good enough, or worthy enough, constantly being put down - no wonder he ran away to California to put some distance between them. And he’s finally in a good place, going through therapy, dealing with his issues, and now bam - his parents are back in town to screw up all of his hard work.

And Maddie’s just as freaked out, because she’s trying to protect Buck from them. I feel like she has good intentions but her mistake is wanting Buck to have a relationship with people who don’t necessarily want to have a relationship with him, and for telling them about him being in therapy (which I still don’t understand, but I guess maybe the next episode will reveal the answer). To be clear, I don’t think Maddie is wrong for having kept this secret. She was manipulated into it by her parents when she was only a child, and that is not her fault, at all. She’s been told she’s doing the right thing and she hasn’t questioned it, but now, she is.

And, importantly - if her parents were checked out mentally and emotionally, she had to do a lot of the heavy-lifting and parenting when it came to Buck, when she was just a little girl herself. Maddie is the reason Buck is as wonderful as he is - she raised him.

Now, back to the pieces of shit:

They didn’t like Doug, so they washed their hands of Maddie, even though they lived in the same fucking town. So she was getting beaten up by her absolute monster of a husband, and ending up in hospital, and they were doing fucking nothing to intervene or help her.

THEY DIDN’T EVEN GO TO HER WEDDING. THEY SHOWED HER NO SUPPORT AT ALL. LIKE I CANNOT. All because they DISAGREED? SHE’S STILL YOUR DAUGHTER, like oh my god, I can’t even.

She had to flee across the country to Buck in California to finally escape him, because their parents didn’t care enough to help. Motherfuckers.

And then the whole “we don’t do hospitals” - bitch, they are your fucking CHILDREN. If your CHILDREN are in hospital, you are supposed to CARE. Buck got crushed by a ladder truck, he had an embolism and nearly died, he went through a tsunami and NOTHING? Nada? Maddie had to kill her husband after he nearly killed her, and NOTHING? Buck had to call to tell them what had happened!

And then to start crying and asking "I don’t know what you expected us to do?” - like, bitch, FUCKING ANYTHING?

I mean

I cannot with these people

What kind of white WASP-y nonsense is this

Let me tell the story of when I had appendicitis - I was taken to the hospital by my friend at night, my mum lives two hours away - when she found out that it was appendicitis and I’d be going in for surgery, she jumped in the car in the middle of the night and drove two hours to be with me, and I was a grown-ass woman at the time. It is not normal for parents not to care when their children are sick/injured/being beaten almost to death by their abusive husbands/getting crushed by a ladder truck. You mean to tell me that the footage of the crowd lifting the truck off their son didn’t go viral? That they didn’t see that?

Fuckers.

You don’t like something so you just bury your head in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist? Your kids aren’t perfect so you just wash your hands of them? Their problems don’t matter, not when it’s all about you?

Narcissists.

Blaming the kids for everything, manipulating Maddie into doing their bidding - and still manipulating her as an adult, by bringing her gifts and driving across the country and being all, “we want to be grandparents!” after everything? After letting her husband nearly kill her and blaming her for having bad taste in men? FUCKKKKKK

And the fucking BABY BOX. Do not even get me started on how ANGRY I WAS.

Like, I have friends with kids (I have cats, personally) so I know that they’re busy, but to not have anything, as if he’s just not worth it.

Like I can’t

It breaks my heart to think about his face, and the realisation setting in... to know that your parents don’t love you? To have lived with that your whole life? It’s so fucking gutting.

Like, obviously I am extra emotional because I’m running on empty today, but god damn this episode just came along and punched me right in the face.

Also, I’m making a BIG CALL, they’re going to use the song ‘Daniel’ by Elton John in the next episode:

Daniel my brother you are older than me Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal? Your eyes have died, but you see more than I Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky

100% they’re using that song, I’m calling it now, and if they don’t, it is a wasted opportunity.

Okay, let’s end on a good note, because this has been a rant:

Eddie’s open concern for Buck; the fact that Buck tells Eddie about his therapy, that he feels comfortable opening up to him - that Eddie was there, watching Buck beat the shit out of the boxing bag and listening to him, and taking his side and reassuring him... that is next level shit and I am here for it.

I am not here for the return of Ana in the next few episodes but that’s a future rant

Hopes for Buck Begins:

That the firefam - his real family - will rally around him, and that Buck and Maddie will take a united stand against their parents and tell them to get the fuck out of their lives.

Also I kinda want Bobby to meet the Buckley’s? Just... for him to be horrified, I guess? I don’t know, but I want Bobby to meet them and understand how awful they are and offer Buck some comfort as his surrogate father.

I would like Buck to be hugged by someone who loves him, please, because he needs it.

And selfishly, I want some kind of Buck, Eddie and Christopher scene, because they are also his family. Everyone in this show has their little family unit, and Eddie and Christopher are Buck’s.

Ana be damned

#911 reaction #911 spoilers #911 season 4 #a rant to end all rants #i have a lot of feelings about how awful the buckley parents are #and i ranted about them in here

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chalcid · 3 years

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9: Follow the Swords (Disappear

I was solid, again, I think. The world still resembled an abstract painting I made in third grade, but I staggered to my feet. Wild Magic was like the worst amusement park ride ever, but it has sure helped me appreciate the feeling of my boots on the ground.

As the world began to stop swirling and churning before my eyes, I could make out Edonia and Kev.

"You weren't there before," I think Edonia said. It was hard to tell in this dreamy state.

"Hey guys," I said weakly "So, I just had a really bizarre encounter with the guitarist from Thordis's band and I think we're supposed to follow the swords."

"Swords?" Kev asked "A guitarist? What?"

"Hang on," Edonia said "How do we know you're the real Merika?"

"Test me."

"How do you classify any objects you find when you're not sure where it's from or what it is."

"Usually by whatever's going on in my life at the time, along with relevant information, like the School Dance Vase or the Unit 3 half a pot," I replied.

"It's her," Edonia said to Kev.

Kev hugged me tightly. "I'm glad you are okay."

"Me too," I replied.

"Look," Kev said "Swords. We should follow those right?"

"Yeah," I confirmed.

Swords, heavily rusted from who knows how many years of rain were stuck blade first into the ground like they were garden lights. It was almost annoying how painfully obvious it was.

We had wandered the woods for several hours. I was absolutely soaked to the bone, although the rain had stopped. Curse my arrogance. Umbrellas, as it turned out, were not for the weak but for the clever, and oh, what a fool I was.

"Kev," I said, "If anyone ever offers to teleport you with Wild Magic, ask them for a map instead."

"I will."

We plodded on a bit longer.

"End of the line," Edonia said, holding her arm out to bring us to a halt. "There are no more swords."

I glanced at the swords, and then glanced up. There was a curtain of ivy concealing the ruins at the end of the path.

"Open the ivy-curtain," I mumbled, sitting down on a tree stump. "I need to sit for a moment."

"Okay," Edonia said. She glanced at me, and then at the ivy-curtain. "You don't think that the... the spirit who told you all this was lying? This could very well be a trap."

"I know them," I said "I mean, I met them once, and they didn't say anything to me, but they seem cool."

"Did they ask for something in return?" Edonia fretted "What did you promise them?"

"Just that I would buy them some coffee. They get to choose when and where, though."

Edonia relaxed "Then we probably won't die walking into here. You two wait here, I'll scout ahead."

She parted the ivy-curtain and disappeared inside.

"It's past my bedtime," Kev said, moving to stand beside me. "Our family must be super worried."

I chuckled bitterly "You're a good kid, Kev. I'm so sorry I dragged you all the way out here."

"I didn't want you to be lost and far away from home all alone," Kev said, touching my arm.

"I should have been firmer. I should have lied," I buried my head in my hands "I do reckless, stupid stuff all the time and everyone's used to me just... running off. Disappearing. I shouldn't have let you come with me."

"You'd be out here with just Edonia," Kev argued.

"So what? Eddy is an absolute wizard and she knows all kinds of cool things and she's got her life put together."

"You're my sister," Kev said "Sisters are there for each other, right?"

I sighed deeply "This isn't you keeping me out of trouble. This is me dragging you right into it."

Kev didn't answer that.

Edonia poked her head out of the ivy "Okay, it's safe."

"Wait," I said "What did I get you for your last birthday?"

"A pocket watch from an Asterellan shipwreck with amethysts," Edonia replied.

"Okay, it's her," I said mostly to myself. "Let's go check out these ruins already.

I pulled open the ivy curtain "After you,"

Something echoed back "No, after you."

The ruins were absolutely creepy. I mean, the whole woods were creepy, sure, but the village was a completely different kind of creepy. I expected it to be like the rest of the woods with the black and red trees and bones and swords and things whispering about you in the shadows.

Here, there was grass, good old green grass poking up from the dirt. The trees were cleared in an almost perfect circle. The actual village had been sunk into the mud, leaving only the crooked tops of the buildings. The only structure left untouched was a tower on the opposite side of the woods.

"I don't think we should try and go into any of the houses," I informed Edonia. She nodded in agreement.

"Anything interesting has got to be covered in mud," Edonia sighed "If it wasn't so dangerous, maybe we could excavate the place, but..."

"Let the past be buried this time. Cheer up, there might be something cool in the tower," I said. I paused "Actually, everyone, take a turn-back-check. It's here, we saw it," I fumbled with my phone and snapped a few pictures "And now we have photos. So, at this point, it technically wouldn't be a loss if we went home."

"Let's check out the tower and then head home," Edonia said "This is the only chance to explore here we've got."

I glanced up at the stars in the sky "We could come back when it's daytime."

"No, we should see this through," Kev said.

"Curses. I hate it when I'm the sensible one. Alright, let's go check out this tower, but there has to be something cool I can bring home or I'm going to scream."

"Sounds fair," Edonia said "Just don't scream while we're here, or the Calandra Deer might mistake you for a mate."

The thought generated a large amount of yikes.

Runes were gouged in the tower's wood. I squinted at them. Yep, that wasn't written in a language I could understand. They did look vaguely similar to the runes on Deyanira's skin, though. The same language maybe? I took a picture.

Edonia pushed the door open, and we stepped into the tower. She turned on her flashlight and begun swinging the light back and forth.

"Wait," I said.

She froze.

"Up and to the right a little."

The light hit a mural. I took a picture.

"The Calandra Deer," Kev said, touching the paint carefully "And the village."

It was a gruesome painting. People screaming. Blood everywhere. Calandra Deer with arms and legs in their mouths. But...

"Did someone just... stop and paint everything in detail while everyone else was packing up," I questioned. "Edonia, to the right, please."

Another mural. Fire raining from the sky while ships sailed away. The castle looked like the old Mariveyan one in pictures, but the Bazflamep flag was raised. Ships were sailing away.

"This would be the war," I said.

"But that would have been hundreds of years after anyone lived here," Edonia said. The light fell on the third mural.

"And I have no idea what this is," I declared.

There were a group of singers in a circle, heads bowed. In the background, there were more people playing instruments, a couple with swords, and plenty of people using various water magics. A stormy sea with waves ten times as tall as them, at least. And a water demon with a crown and some sort of weird blue lightning.

Wait. That wasn't lightning, it was the barrier.

The barrier cracking.

"This is weird," I announced "How could anyone have known anyone about this."

"Let's search the place," Edonia suggested. "Maybe the resident kept a diary?"

She shone the flashlight around the room, while Kev and I checked under things and on top of things.

"Nothing in here," Kev declared.

"Let's check upstairs then," Edonia decided.

"Watch your step," I warned Kev "Old staircase are rarely stable."

Luckily, we made it up the steps without incident. And... jackpot! A desk.

"Logical place to keep a diary, right," I said, gesturing to the desk.

"Maybe a bit obvious," Kev said skeptically.

"Maybe. But let's check anyway," I said.

Edonia passed Kev the flashlight and opened the drawers. "Nothing... wait, no, I spoke too soon," she pulled out a book and held it aloft like a divine scroll of knowledge. "This is it. I hope."

Something thumped, and we all jumped.

"Hey, let's get out of here," Kev suggested.

"Fully agreed," I said. I glanced at a table "Ooh, shiny. Could I take this with me?" I asked, pocketing a ring of some sort.

"Sure. Let's just get home. My family must be terribly worried," Edonia fretted.

"Ours too," Kev said.

We all glanced at each other. There was another thump.

We sprinted for the door, slammed it shut, and raced back into the woods proper. The heavy rain had returned, so did my terror.

"Keep the flashlight on," I suggested "Maybe it could scare off predators? We could link hands, too, so as not to get separated again."

"Smart," Kev said.

I grabbed Edonia's hand and Kev grabbed mine and we all stumbled through the woods until we found a road.

"Oh thank the stars," Edonia said, collapsing into the roadside grass. "I'm never doing that again. But we've got the diary, and we can read it together tomorrow after school."

"Sounds great," I said, patting the pocket with the diary and the ring to make sure they were still there. "I'm going to call a ride home."

I dialed Uncle Decimus. He picked up almost immediately.

"Merika? Are you hurt? It's two in the morning, what happened?"

"Uncle Decimus, I'm somewhere outside Bramble Woods. I'm not sure where. I need a ride, but I'm not alone."

"What?" he exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, that came out confusing. I set out on what I thought would be a fun adventure in the rain this afternoon and then it went downhill. My friends and I, we found the road though. We're scared, please come and get us."

"I'm on my way," he declared.

"Okay, Uncle Decimus is coming to pick us up," I announced "Let's just sit tight for now."

It started raining even harder. Kev whistled quietly to herself. I vaguely recognized the tune as a theme song to something Lawrence watched.

I spotted a car zooming down the road at ten above the speed limit and pointed "I think that's him!"

The driver rolled down the window, and it was, in fact, Uncle Decimus.

"Merika," he shouted.

I waved, and he parked the car next to us. "Oh, you girls look so pale... No wait, you might just be naturally pasty, but Merika, you shouldn't be that color. You're halfway dead."

He paused his speech to embrace me only to pull away and mutter something like "So cold."

"Thank you, Mr. Saltwaters," Edonia said politely.

"Yeah, thanks," Kev piped up.

Uncle Decimus rubbed his eyes and stared at her "You're a child. Why is this child accompanying you on a dangerous quest."

"She invoked my emotional weakness and I couldn't say no," I mumbled "Never again."

"Never again is right. Get in the car, kids, I'll take you wherever you need to go."

"Thank you," Edonia said again. She glanced at me "Should we test to make sure it's really him?"

"Nah," I decided "He didn't come from the woods."

"What?" Uncle Decimus asked.

"Wild magic," I spread my arms "It's real. I'll tell you more about it on the ride home."

Uncle Decimus opened the the door, and Edonia and Kev moved the window shield to squeeze into the backseat.

I plopped down next to them, and to home we rode.

#writing #wip disappear

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sirsharp-a · 4 years

Text

Do As He Says. ❜

Summary: Never be afraid again. Recall that you can make even God quiver. Warnings: None. Parts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 ( here! )

_____ 【 🞮 】 _____

The words hung heavily in the air for what felt like eons.

Maybe I misjudged this entire thing. Maybe I was about to do something reckless. No matter how much chaos the rogue hybrid had caused, did he really deserve to die for it? And more importantly, even if he did deserve death, did an innocent woman like Grace Adler deserve the same? She’d already made it clear that she was willing to follow him if he vanished. The deity wasn’t used to feeling this unsure… but he knew that such purposeful violence went against his moral code. He certainly wouldn’t have entertained the idea of it had he not thought it was necessary.

“What…?” Grace asked softly, as if holding her breath, blue eyes shimmering with tears. They made the God feel ashamed. How could he cause her such pain? Sure, he had his reasons-- good ones at that-- but now that he was looking at her and not the source of his frustration, he couldn’t quite believe how overzealous he had become.

Killing Edgar… yes, undeniably, it would solve problems, but it’s wrong. Inhumane, even in spite of all he’s done. And this poor lady… how could I frighten her so?

“It feels like YOU don’t see the big picture.”

Perhaps I don’t.

“... the things you said moved me,” Raku admitted, form now tiny and timid. “Something must be done, Grace, but perhaps I… made a mistake. I was… under the impression that nobody would notice. It seems that Edgar means a lot to you.”

“I love him,” she said through clenched teeth, her hands curled tight in the lapels of his jacket. “Y-You’re God… why else would I do all I could to oppose you if not for that?”

She was far from foolish. She knew that Edgar had been reanimated as a lye for some reason - and that whatever the reason was, it wasn’t a good one - but she didn’t care. Whatever he had done back then, in his past life, didn’t concern her. She hadn’t even been alive then. His sins had not touched her. Regardless of what lurked beneath his surface, she was quite certain that her opinion of him would not change.

Shakily, she raised a hand to wipe at her eyes, trying to find refuge in the gentle grip on her waist. Meekly: “... what else can you do?”

The God shuffled on his feet momentarily, thinking it through. There are things I can do. I cannot change the course of the universe, but I can work around it. But does this creature deserve it, truly...? Is my pity for her clouding my judgement?

"Edgar is currently living on a borrowed clock. Taking him off of said clock is the way to fix the imbalance. Death, unfortunately, is the most logical answer. But sustained life… that is also an option."

"S… Sustained…?" "Mm. Immortality. That would have similar effects to death."

"B-But… how? That doesn't make sense. Those options are opposites. And we... we're already immortal."

Raku shook his head gently. "You are circumstantially ageless. If a hunter comes along with a gun and shoots you, you die. Why else do you not want wars to break out? Because lyes fight to the death. People die. Your people die."

She hesitated slightly, then nodded in understanding. He was right. It was precisely the reason that even somebody as loose a canon as Edgar retreated when dangerous weapons entered the picture; they could kill him. At any point, just like anybody else, he could die.

"Making it so that Edgar is unable to die renders the concept of time obsolete. A life without end cannot be finished, therefore his pre-determined purpose as a hybrid no longer applies. It is a loophole, at best, but it will technically work. It is more a burden on the conscience than it is on the universe."

Fuck your conscience, Edgar thought bitterly to himself. He was too smart to say anything, knew all too well that he was walking a thin line between life and death. If he chose to speak now, it could wind up costing him dearly. He had had enough shame for one night, being forced to his knees like a subservient dog, faced with the knowledge that he would die alone and unknown. At this point, he'd do anything to escape such a cold fate.

"But I must warn you, Grace…" Raku began, tone ice-cold and serious. "It is a very dangerous concept. He may escape death but he will never escape pain. And you… you will remain as you are. If you die, he is destined to continue alone. He cannot follow you." The explanation was grave, as dreary as rainfall at a funeral, and he fumbled none with his words as he did with his fingers. Floating gently: "Immortality is often used as a punishment too, you know. The absence of an end is sometimes enough to drive somebody insane. How did Valor put it… 'the journey to death is the point of our being'? Not having a reprieve from the burdens of life can be far more incapacitating than--"

"Stop," Grace interjected firmly. Her nails were digging into her arms, body trembling lightly. After a few seconds of tense silence: "Please, I know that you're … trying to be honest with me, and to help, but… I don't care about any of that. At least this way, there's a chance for us to be happy. There's a chance for things to remain stable, better for everybody." She hesitated briefly before finishing her thoughts. "... I can help carry his burdens. I can’t do anything for a dead man.

The deity stared for a few seconds, then nodded in understanding. Her love for him is crystal-clear. It would be insane to look at her and see anything else. She would do anything to stay with him, and she would walk to the ends of the realm to salvage what she thinks she has with him.

Is that what your past wives thought of you too? That you were a good man? Did they not ‘deserve’ it?

Perhaps a sadness you cannot escape is a more fitting punishment after all. When your guilt catches up with you, there will be nothing you can do.

Though he didn't comment on it, he made a vow to watch over them closely. He could only do so much to intervene-- he couldn't control anybody's will, nor could he meddle with affairs that did not concern him-- but he'd make it a point to watch them from the shadows sometimes. There was no way he was granting Edgar a reprieve from the grave without making sure that the one who had appealed for it was safe. If anything, this proved Grace's formidable character to him and little else.

“... very well.” He watched the pair observe him as he ascended a short ways into the air, short form glowing the same ghostly white that his weapon had before Grace had forced it back into its metaphorical sheath. “I do not like to kill. I want that to be clear. I would only ever bet on death if I thought there was no other way.” His eyes turned to Grace, head gesturing to the space beside her. “Please step aside.”

The scout was clearly reluctant to leave Edgar’s side. For several seconds, she remained clinging to him, eyeing the deity with evident distrust. Though she didn’t want to complicate the situation further, she was hesitant to place faith in a creature that had been so bent on killing her lover just minutes before. Just because she seemed to have gotten through to him didn’t mean that he wasn’t trying to appease her-- to get her out of the way so that he could finish the brutal deed--

“Grace,” Edgar uttered softly, earning her attention quickly. He could see it in her face… that frazzled fear; her attempt to look strong, even though she looked broken. I hate that look for you. I want you together. I want you to be you. His hand touched her shoulder tentatively. “... do it. Do as he says. I want to stay with you.”

“... I--”

“It’s alright,” he insisted, a meek smile shaping his lips. “It’s alright.”

Somewhat pacified, she did as she was told. Watching with mounting anxiety as a pale light began to surround the God once more, she fell a little further back, valuing her safety. He wouldn’t kill Eddie now, she told herself firmly, he wouldn’t. A strange incantation reached her ears, though she knew not of the words spoken. A different language, a tongue she could never imagine nor understand, like age-old Latin that had been rendered long dead.

For just a brief moment, her world flashed a piercing white, pain exploding behind her eyes. Her arms shielded her gaze, a quiet whimper leaving her without much thought. When she opened them again, she looked for him, searching desperately for his outline in the fading static, eyes still adjusting to the light

Edgar was gone.

Evidently confused, heart constricting painfully as the empty space registered in her brain, she looked up at Raku with a helpless sort of desperation, eyes wide and heartbroken. “... where is he?” It was asked softly, as if he she hardly dared to utter it at all. When Raku looked down at her, it was with a hooded gaze.

You didn’t. You didn’t. You WOULDN’T...!

It felt as if all the strength she once possessed had left her, arms floppy, knees glued to the ground, eyes wet--

“ ... where’s my Eddie?”

#🞮 — i am the lie that you adore. ❜ ( edgar. )#🞮 — you're nothing if you're just another. ❜ ( grace. )#🞮 — welcome to my world﹐take a look around. ❜ ( main. )#🞮 — ask me to stay﹐i would be charmed to. ❜ ( ic. )#narrative *#drabble *#/ FUC K ! ME ! UUUUUUUUPPPPP!!!!

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nicpotyedki · 6 years

Text

Celestial Waterfall

English is not my native language, sorry for all mistakes! Please, be forgiving! I do my best! It’s my first fanfic in the fandom and probably last one (I think comic are better for me but I wanted to try fanfic anyway). The story is short, uncomplicated and the plot is simple. Look at it with a pinch of salt and try to have fun! Feel free to write your opinion if you want! And thanks for reading!

Thank you for request, @eene-fangirl! ~~ ^^

It was the middle of summer. A very hot summer. Usually at this time of year Peach Greek was vibrant. But not today. Anyone who was outside the house could swear that the temperature exceeded 200 degrees Celsius. Even the water in the pools was so hot that it resembled a Jacuzzi. Kevin wandered around the garbage dump to find entertainment. Among the used old and nothing worth of trash, you can sometimes find real treasures here. He knew it well. He once found a broken bike pump, which, thanks to the help of his father, worked today as new or at least medium-used. Kevin saw in the heap of old boxes a metal pipe that looked like a bicycle's steering wheel. He immediately extracted the metal part from under the rubbish heap. However, it turned out that it wasn’t steering, or any other part of the bicycle. Kevin paused for a moment, turning a strange metal object in his hands. It looked very familiar. He was sure that he already saw it already. Sure! It's a garden tool for watering the lawn. Through small openings, water flowed under great pressure like in a fountain. The perfect thing for today's weather. It looks like the garden hose is broken, but it's not a big problem. Kevin contentedly cleared his find. Suddenly, he heard someone shout behind his back.

- Don't dare to touch it! It belongs to me!

It was Eddy's voice. Kevin looked at the pile of broken furniture, at the top of which stood Eddy with rage in his eyes.

- “To me”? - Kevin mocked. – Get lost, Dork! I found it first!

- This zone belongs to us! - Eddy jumped and stood opposite Kevin.

- There are no zones here, Dork. And I won’t give it to you because I need it. Air conditioning broke down in my house. - Kevin tried to settle the dispute peacefully, but eventually waved his hand. – No matter. I have to go. Bye.

He grabbed the equipment carefully so as not to stain his blouse and he turned towards the exit. But Eddy grabbed the garden tool and yanked it.

- I don’t care, Kevin! You will have to pay me to use it!

They both pulled with all their strength, and none of them had any intention of resigning. Finally Kevin shouted:

- Enough! Stop it, Dork!! Let's deal with it like men! - Eddy blinked a bit confused.

- …What? What do you mean? No negotiations. This… this “Celestial Waterfall” belongs to me!

Kevin pushed Eddy away and proudly tensed his chest.

- Let's play a small beach ball game. The winner takes this miracle. - Kevin rested the trophy on his shoulder.

- It's a provocation, right? - Eddy smirked.

- It’s a challenge! - Kevin gave him a lofty look. - Tomorrow. In the afternoon. You and your team. On the beach. And if you really want your Niagara, don’t forget to bring luck with you, Dork.

- I happen to be in a generous mood and I will grant your boon. You will need more luck, anyway.

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

The next day, they both appeared on the beach with their teams. Kevin’s team consisted of all kids of Cul-De-Sac. The promise of winning a waterfall on this hot day was enough to motivate everyone to take part in the game. Kankers joined Eds’s team. It wasn’t difficult to encourage them, because Eds's visit made them very happy, and the opportunity to compete was something they could not give up apsolutely. The sun was still high in the sky when Kevin appeared on the beach with a large sports bag on his shoulder and a volleyball ball. Everyone was already there, and the atmosphere of competition was strongly felt in both teams.

- Your presence here is proof that you want to compromise yourself. - Eddy took off his sunglasses when he saw Kevin. - Where's the trophy, cheat?

- Word has been said! - Kevin threw his bag on the sand. - The winner takes the bag along with its contents!

- And there's a fountain inside, right? - Jimmy beamed at the thought of it.

- “Waterfall” - Sara corrected him. - That's what Kevin claims in any case. - She added with some doubt.

- How did you manage to put a See cascade in such a small Tasche? - Rolf lifted the black bag gently in disbelief.

- Hey! - Kevin shouted and snatched the trophy from him. – Not now! We will enjoy it when we win!

- Kevin, is the water in this waterfall pleasantly cool? - Nazz asked, whose forelock was already stuck to her forehead because of the sweat.

- And is it enough for all of us? – Jimmy asked.

- I've already told you! All in good time! We’ll win the match first! - Kevin replied impatiently, irritated a bit by the constant questions.

- I’m afraid that you’ll have to pour money to enjoy our miracle of nature. - Eddy put his arm around Jimmy with a sly smile. - Although only winners have the right to use the “Celestial Waterfall” but we’ll give you the opportunity to take advantage of our prize for the appropriate payment.

- Eddy… - Edd began with some anxiety. - According to my superficial calculations, this bag can accommodate 6 liters of water, so it’s impossible to have a waterfall inside.

- Wait for the win, Sockhead! - Eddy rubbed his hands. - It will be a hit of the summer season and a good profit.

Everyone took their part of the pitch, and after a while the game began. Kevin and Eddy stood under the net, exchanging rival looks. However, the atmosphere of competition could be felt not only between team leaders. Nazz felt like at home. Fiercely and with a certain dedication she bounces every ball. It didn’t matter to her that she had fallen on the hot sand that was sticking to her sweaty body and getting caught in her hair. Kevin honored every bounced ball with a triumphant exclamation. Sarah constantly reprimanded Rolf, who couldn't quite understand the rules of the game, and his throws were so strong that each time the ball was out of the pitch. Due to not very nice comments directed towards Rolf, Sarah usually missed her balls, which additionally brought the nervous atmosphere in her team and the atmosphere of joy in the opponent's team. The situation was saved by Jonny, who to everyone's surprise knew the many tricks that Plank told him. However, the weak Jimmy felt pain at every stroke of the ball, and his well-groomed and delicate hands suffered so much. At one point Nazz, wanting to hit the ball, fell into Jimmy with impetus and drove him into the sand. Jimmy's mouth was full of sand and his orthodontic appliance contorted. For this reason, he was forced to leave the playing field, which resulted in one player missing from the Kevin team. It seemed, however, that only now the odds in both teams were equal, because despite the fact that the composition of Eddy's team consisted of six people, in fact Edd was a ghost player. Traumatic fear of balls made Double D avoid every ball that flew in his direction. He usually turned away or covered himself with his hands to protect his face and head. In addition, the persistent sun stung Ed's skin like a pins, which made both teams nervous with his groans. It seemed that Ed didn’t quite understand what was going on around him because he was only standing in the spot letting the ball bounce off his head. However, it gave great results so nobody in his team really didn't mind it. Kankers absolutely did not care about the rules of the game and often bend the rules, laughing aloud at the same time. Only Eddy tried to protect the team's honor by proving that a small man can cast a big shadow. Despite his short height, he jumped very high, and that allowed him to defend almost every ball. However, the most joy was given him by points scored by his team in a dishonest way.

The match was fierce, but the teams went head-to-head. It was a tie. Everyone was sweaty, tired and burnt by the sun when the leaders finally ordered a break. Sarah and Jimmy immediately ran to cool off in the lake. Edd rubbed all sunscreen into his skin. Kevin and Eddy were breathing hard and rubbing sweat from their faces, but they were still giving each other a hostile look.

- What shameful fouls! - Eddy labored for a lofty look, but the sun was blinding him.

- It's not art to be good when it's cheated. - Kevin gasped with difficulty.

- Do yourself a favor and give back what belongs to us. - Lee interjected. Fatigue was barely visible on her.

- We also want to collect our payment. – May gracefully arched and blinked toward Ed who, if not the fact that he was already wet, would sweat immediately.

- It was me who found the waterfall and regardless of everything it belongs to me. - Kevin was clearly nervous. – And I proposed this match just to bring you down a peg, Dork! – Kevin shouted.

- Hey, guys, stop it immediately. It’s just fun. - Nazz tried to calm down the situation, but there was no doubt that she also wanted to win.

- You should choose words better, Kev! – Eddy said with satisfaction. - Because it looks like you're making a fool of yourself by your rashness.

- The break is over!! - Kevin turned red on his face. – Team, get out of the water and return to the playing field!! In a jiffy!!

Everyone was lumbering and not willingly returned to their playgrounds.

- Sarah, I am tired already. I can’t wait to chill in our waterfall. - Jimmy has sunk in dreams.

- There is no problem, Jimmy! - Proudly shouted Eddy. - Just don’t forget the wallet!

- Eddy! - Edd was clearly annoyed with the whole situation. – Don’t you think that charging for such basic and necessary raw material as water is at least a lack of tact, in fact I would say ...?

- GUYS! - Kevin could not stand it. – It’s a tie! This is the decisive ball! Rolf! Where are you?! - Kevin was furious to see an empty seat on the pitch.

- So, I found this waterfall… suposlly. - Rolf held the garden tool that was previously in Kevin's bag.

- Rolf, you silly! - Nazz snorted with sincere laughter. – It’s not a waterfall! It's a piece of scrap metal!

- Rolf, what are you doing? – Kevin didn’t have the strength for it all anymore. – Not yet! We need to get one more point, but this is a pure formality.

- Rolf wanted to find only a Flasche of Wasser in the Tasche, but he found something that he remembers ding to his Nana’s Tracker. – He tried to justify himself.

- One moment! What's that supposed to mean? - Sara became nervous.

- Where’s “Waterfall”? - Nazz was clearly worried.

- Plank says it’s a trash! - Jonny shouted.

- Not exactly. - Edd noticed. - It seems to be an old sprinkler.

- I feel cheated! - Jimmy was in despair.

- Rolf sacrificed all Tag to play your comic Spiel while he should cut the sheep. - Rolf dropped the sprinkler into the sand.

- We all played in this murderous heat to win a waterfall! Kevin, how could you?! – Nazz couldn’t believe it.

- What a misery! Play it yourself! - Sarah shouted furiously.

- Why is fate so perverse? - Jimmy whined.

- Eddy! - Edd crossed his arms over his chest. He intended to give a sermon, but for lack of strength he gave up. He just sighed. - What did I expect?

- Not nice, my dear! - Ed waved reproachfully his finger, but he didn’t really look angry.

- Hey, sweety! - Kankers stood in front of him.

- It's time for our payment. - Lee gently smiled.

Eddy was confused, not only by directness of Lee, but also by the reactions of Double D and Ed.

- Wait! The payment is only valid for the won match. We haven’t won anything yet. - Eddy tried to get out of this situation somehow.

- Rolf’s got enough of your muddle. - Rolf got angry. - Rolf returns to the farm! It's time to drink Ruebe juice and feed Huehner!

- Chickens!! Ed goes with Rolf! – Ed was immediately happy.

- At least DU are useful, gross Ed! – Rolf smiled.

Ed eagerly ran after Rolf, without turning to his team.

- Kevin, it was really mean! - Sweaty and furious Nazz shouted. She grabbed her beach bag, then without turning back to him she called. – You are so childish!

When she went away her sunglasses fell out. May noticed it. She grabbed it and ran after Nazz.

- Hey, Blonde! You lost something!

- Oh, thank you! - Nazz turned and took her property. - I'm so silly. - She tried to calm down.

- Wow! - May screamed when she saw Nazz’s hand. - You have so beautiful nails! They have such a lovely color!

- It's the color from the new collection! – Nazz was pleased to hear such a compliment. – My own mix! I have it with me if you want to try it. If you love nail polishes then come with me. At home I mix and test new colors. - Conversation with May clearly calmed her emotions.

Meanwhile, the rest of Kankers didn’t bother with Eds anymore too. Marie was charmed by Jonny's tactics and tricks that’s why Plank agreed to show her some tricks. Lee said that the guys are liars and pigs with which Sarah immediately agreed. That's why they left the beach in their company. They also found many common features and themes. It turned out that both of them aren’t very well liked in their environment due to their temperament and determined nature.

Jimmy, at the sight of sunburned back of Edd, immediately offered him his sunscreen cream and a cold drink at his home. Edd was really grateful to him, but Jimmy understood him well because he also had a delicate skin that would give him a lot of trouble on sunny days.

Soon only Kevin and Eddy were left on the beach. Both were confused and embarrassed by the situation. Eddy tried to keep a stony face, and Kevin just sighed.

- Maybe… - Kevin finally began. – Nazz was right?

- Yeah. - Eddy nodded without looking at him. – Where’s your team? - he asked with a mockery in his voice.

- There where is yours, Dork. - Kevin replied with no idea how to react to the existing state of affairs.

There was a moment of silence that no one had the courage to break. Eventually, Kevin broke through.

- It's late. I promised my father that I would help him clean up the garage. I have to go. – Kevin said still feeling stupid. – Take “Waterfall”, I mean… sprinkler. I won’t have time to use it anyway and…

- No, YOU take it! - Eddy suddenly interrupted him, and he was ashamed that he care so much for such stupidity like an old sprinkler. - Your air conditioning is broken and I… I have a lot of other ideas. - He smiled trying to look proud and confident. - Why do I need an old sprinkler?

- Right! - Kevin smiled uncertainly. - If you want, you can borrow it at any time. - he laid his hand gently on his shoulder, fearing he would be pushed away and he smiled honestly.

- You can count on it, Kev! - Eddy carelessly put his arm around him. – Listen! Let's make a party in my garden! You’ll take a “Waterfall” and we’ll invite everyone to the Waterparty!

- Hey, that’s sound like a great idea, D-.. Eddy! - Kevin returned the embrace. – I feel that it’ll be great fun!

THE END <3

#EEnE fandom #ed edd n eddy #ed edd n eddy fanfiction #eene requests #eene-fangirl

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glorifiedgpjfic · 6 years

Text

Glorified G- Chapter 36

A/N TW: sexual assault (nothing happens but I just want to make anyone who might be triggered by it aware that it is mentioned in this chapter) I hope you enjoy, feel free to leave feedback

Joanne debated what to do, she didn’t know her way around well enough to sneak down alleys and run from whoever was following her, she didn’t want to continue walking to the hotel and them to know where she was staying, the best option she could think of was to flash her gun and badge which were in her handbag in an attempt to scare them off,

“Whoever is following me I strongly suggest that you stop, right fucking now.” She said aloud to no one, slowly she turned around to see a figure emerging from the shadows she let out a breath of relief, “Matthew what the fuck?” Matthew let out a chuckle before approaching Jo,

“I didn’t mean to scare ya.” He offered Jo a smile that seemed familiar but she couldn’t place where she’d seen it before she returned the smile and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, “You’re something else Joanne.” He said with an unnerving smile, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other,

“I wouldn’t say that.” She said not breaking eye contact,

“But that’s the thing, you’re not like any other woman I’ve ever met- you’re sexy without even trying,” He took a step towards Jo and she subtly moved back, trying to keep the safe space of three feet between them, he moved closer again and she stepped backwards again- only this time she slammed against a wall, she let out a quiet hiss at the sudden contact, “Your friend Casey thought I was interested in her, she was wrong- its you I want.” He closed the space between the two of them and placed a hand at either side of Jo’s head, she knew what he was doing- establishing his power, if he made Jo feel small he would keep control of the situation- little did he realise that Jo wasn’t about to give him all of the power,

“What do you want?” She asked her voice stayed level and calm but there was an air of authority in her words,

“You.”

The setting at Discovery Park and Eddie sat alone, watching the sunset- he allowed himself to be transported to another time, he closed his eyes and pictured Joanne sitting beside him- her eyes watching him, their hands intertwined. He looked out to the sunset again and realised that he could imagine Jo all he wanted but it wouldn’t change anything- they needed to talk, at this point, he would do anything to be with her again, he’d take it back, he’d give everything up to be with her. The time he spent at studio seemed dull without Jo sitting on the sofa smiling at him, he loved music - he loved the band, it was his life, but he was willing to give it up for Jo - of course she’d never ask that of him, but if it came to it he would do it without a second thought.

“I have a boyfriend,” Jo stated, a shiver ran up her spine and she felt although she was going to vomit,

“He isn’t here, it’s just you and I now, Jo. I know that this is what you want- I saw how you looked at me in the bar, and how you wrapped your lips around your beer bottle, you want me and I want you.” Jo placed two hands on his chest and pushed him, hard.

“Listen to me Matthew, I am a federal agent I swear to god if you do not let me go I will arrest you right here and now and throw you into the nearest fucking cell.” He frowned at her,

“Ohhh, I get it - we’re roleplaying,” He said before pushing Jo back against the wall his hands began to reach for her top,

“Matthew, get off me now.” She ordered, he ignored her and began fumbling at his belt, if Jo didn’t act fast this was going to escalate, she froze for a moment before the adrenaline pumping through her veins sprung her into action, she brought her knee up quick to his groin Matthew doubled over which allowed her to push him down, she pushed him but to her surprise he didn’t fall, he actually stood up-

“Oh, you just made a big mistake Jo.” He grabbed her by the wrists and pinned her face first against the cold brick wall, he brought his face to her ear and began biting her ear and neck,

“Get the fuck off me you sicko!” She screamed, hoping someone would be walking or would hear her cries for help, Matthew’s calloused hands roamed up and down her torso almost reaching her chest, another surge of adrenaline gave Jo the strength to push back against the wall, she jolted her head to the right and headbutted Matthew in the jaw, this stunned him and he stepped back. This new space allowed Jo to spin around and deliver a swift kick to his groin again, this time he fell to the floor cursing at Jo she reached to the back of her jeans where there would normally be a pair of handcuffs, but of course she didn’t have any because she was off work-

“Bollocks,” Jo muttered to herself, Matthew seemed although he was about to get up so in a moment of panic Jo fled. She could deal with getting the scumbag arrested at a later date, she needed to get to the safety of her hotel room.

The following morning Jo tracked down Casey and told her about Matthew the previous night, Casey told Jo that he was a regular at the bar they went to so tonight they could go and arrest him, tonight they’d be prepared. The briefing flew by and soon enough Jo and Casey were preparing to arrest Matthew and Jo found herself panicking she didn’t think she could face him again, last night could’ve ended so much worse and she almost froze- it was a natural reaction the fight or flight instinct, Jo almost didn’t fight though and she knew that the trauma of it would’ve changed her forever.

Jo and Casey didn’t bother to get changed out of their suits, they’d told John about their plan and he had told them that he’d be looking for them if they weren’t back within an hour. The two entered the bar and spotted Matthew almost instantly, he was standing beside another man who was more muscle than anything else,

“Shit if this turns ugly we’re screwed look at that guy,” Jo whispered to Casey,

“Honestly Jo, fuck it- let’s arrest this ass wipe- if we get any trouble we flash the guns and we can leave.”

The two agents approached the two men with confidence in their stride, Casey tapped Matthew on his shoulder which caused him to turn and look at the two when he saw Jo his face grew drained of all colour, Jo and Casey held their badges up to his face before Casey read him his rights,

“Matthew, you are under arrest for attempted rape and for the assault of a federal officer. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court. With these rights in mind, are you still willing to talk with me about the charges against you?” Jo was quick to snap the handcuffs on his wrists, he avoided eye contact and looked at the floor his friend simply stood there with his jaw on the floor,

“Matthew man, what the fuck? Why would you? Jesus dude that fucked up!” He stared at his friend with confusion, “I’m so sorry that he’s done this, I’m so sorry.” Jo shook her head to the friend,

“Dude, it’s not your fault- hopefully, some time in a cell will teach him his lesson. Has he done this before that you’re aware of?” The guy shook his head,

“No never.” Arresting Matthew brought Jo a tiny bit of relief and closure because had he done what he did to someone who didn’t fight the aftermath for the victim and their family would be devastating, she felt happy to take one more sicko off the streets.

Jo’s flight was early the following morning and she was going to be glad to be back home, she decided that given the events she needed to see Eddie, or at least talk to him- she needed her best friend and despite everything that was still Eddie. She arrived back in Seattle around half past two, except it was really eleven in Seattle - fucking time zones. She called a cab to her apartment and as she pulled up onto the street she saw a figure sitting on the step, a smile crept onto her face, Eddie was waiting for her, as the cab drew closer to her apartment she realised that it wasn’t Eddie waiting for her, this was someone Jo was most definitely not ready to face. Theo.

The butterflies that had formed expecting Eddie quickly subsided and were replaced with a feeling of utter dread. She got out of the cab and dragged her suitcase behind her, she got to the step where Theo sat,

“Move.” He stood up and moved from the step allowing Jo to walk straight past him, she opened the door and walked in quickly slamming it shut behind her, out of the corner of her eye she saw it creep open, “Fuck off. Don’t you fucking dare come into my home Theo.” She growled as she made herself some coffee, Theo ignored her and let himself in, “Theo I swear to fucking God-”

“I need your help.” He spoke barely above a whisper his strong accent made Jo’s seem barely there,

“Of course you do.” Jo spat, her voice laced with venom,

“Please, Jojo. I need help.” Finally, Jo turned to face him, he had not changed at all. His dark hair still looked although his mum had put a bowl on it and hacked away leaving it looking a mess, his brown eyes still held a glimmer of warmth in them, he hadn’t aged a day. “I need some money after you left I started gambling- there are people coming after me, people that I owe money to. Please give me my share of the inheritance.” Jo could’ve slapped him into another dimension,

“You son of a bitch! You are not entitled to anything from me or my fucking grandma.” Jo paused for a second, “Wait if you’re in debt how the fuck did you afford a plane ticket from London to fucking Seattle, do you think I’m fucking dumb?”

Eddie dragged himself to the coffee shop that sells the really good coffee that Jo loves, her flight was due to be back in around eleven, he wanted to be there waiting for her with coffee. The queue was really long and Eddie fell a half hour behind schedule, when he got to Joanne’s place he heard shouting from inside, so instead of walking straight in he paused for a second,

“Do you think I’m fucking dumb?” He’d never heard Joanne sound so angry and cold, he grew more curious about who was in there with her,

“No not at all Jo- but you owe me money!” Eddie heard the sound of a coffee mug being slammed on the table,

“I don’t owe you anything! It’s not my fault you got into gambling because I chose not to stay with you! You can’t manipulate me anymore!” Jo’s voice almost cracked and Eddie heard her cover it up with a cough,

“You’re all wrong Jojo, of course, I still can, you still know that you mean nothing to no one, so you’re gonna give me my money and then I’ll be on my way.” Something inside Eddie snapped and he burst through the door, Jo’s eyes met his and all she saw was anger, Eddie looked over to the piece of shit that was standing at the other side of the kitchen, without another thought Eddie practically charged at him- fists flying.

Jo froze in place watching as Eddie knocked Theo to the floor, punching him in the face,

“Shit shit shit. Eddie no!” She called, she ran over and attempted to drag Eddie off Theo, “Eddie! Let it go!” She yelled, nothing happened, so she pushed Eddie and he lost his balance slightly, Theo went to throw a punch but Jo caught his fist, “Theo. Get the fuck out of my fucking house. And don’t ever, ever come back!” Theo ran out of the door with his tail between his legs, Jo crouched down beside Eddie and took his hand in hers it was cut and bleeding, “Oh, Eddie.” She whispered, she planted a gentle kiss on his head before disappearing to get the first aid kit, she sat down beside him and took his hand again, “I’m sorry this is gonna sting.” She murmured before gently rubbing an alcohol wipe over his knuckles, Eddie winced and pulled his hand away, “I’m sorry.” Jo repeated, she grabbed his hand, “Squeeze my hand when it hurts, I need to do this I’m sorry.” She wiped his knuckles again with the wipe and Eddie squeezed her hand tightly, Jo grabbed a bandage and wrapped it around his hand, he watched her as she finished bandaging his hand, he watched as she slowly brought her hand to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on it, “I’m so sorry Eddie,” She whispered and he shook his head,

“Jo I’m fine.” She looked at him and looked angry for a split second,

“Eddie, you can’t go around punching people! You could get arrested for assault! And that would ruin everything you’ve got going for yourself!” He looked at her and smiled slightly,

“I know, but I hate him.” He mumbled like a child getting scolded,

“You’ve never met him,” Jo replied with a small smile,

“He hurt you, I instantly hate anyone that hurts you.”

“Well, you’d hate a dude called Matthew.” Jo thought aloud, which caused Eddie to question what happened she managed to tell him everything without breaking down, once she’d finished Eddie cradled her in his arms and she let her walls down.

Eddie didn’t speak as she cried he just held her and played with her hair, she clung onto his shirt as she cried refusing to let go of him,

“Oh Jo, I’m so sorry.” He murmured, as he held her he thought about how much he would love to get rid of her pain, he’d never known one person have so much shit in their lives, better yet he’d never known a person have so much shit and not let it make them into a bitter miserable soul. Despite everything Jo was still caring and kind, Eddie had never seen her act coldly until today with Theo, but that was a valid reason - she was always a ray of light and never failed to brighten his day, as cheesy as it was, she really was the light of his life, he wanted to tell her this but he couldn’t face any more rejection from her- so, for now, he’d be happy just to hold her.

#eddie vedder #Eddie Vedder Fanfic #eddie vedder fanfiction #grunge fanfiction #grunge fanfic #Pearl Jam #pearl jam fanfic #pearl jam fanfiction #jeff ament #mike mccready #stone gossard #dave abbruzzese

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somedayking-a · 7 years

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some raised antari au for @oflegendaries bc i luv 2 suffer

it happens quickly, the way it always does. one day, there’s vortalis and holland ; the next, there’s astrid and athos dane. and holland. they don’t kill him, which would strike holland as a stupid move if he wasn’t bound and chained and utterly unable to call on the magic that has always been there ever since alox held a knife to his throat and holland shattered him in stone across the floor. this magic is mine, he’d said. it’s still his, still there, but it doesn’t come when he reaches for it, bound somewhere in the dark. in london, those seeking power kill to take it, but the danes are clever. they are good, holland learns, at taking power and keeping it, holding it close, hovering somewhere between dead and alive. those standing in their way, they kill ; but the strongest power, the biggest threats, those they string up and dangle at arm’s length.

there are two ways holland’s power stops being a threat: they kill him, or they control his magic themselves. there’s only so much power you can take from a dead man, bleeding him dry until you’re left with a corpse icing over in the palace courtyard. but a man in chains, brimming with potential he’s unable to use, bound to obey another’s word - that man still has limits but the danes know how to hold the balance, keeping him alive and taking everything by force.

so between one visit and another, grey london to red to white, holland stops being a knight and instead becomes a slave. it’s a subtle change, from a distance. not many have ever been close enough to see it. astrid and athos delight in it. london goes on as it always has, spilling blood for blood and power that will never be enough. somewhere in the middle of it all, the grey london antari ascends the palace steps.

“come,” says athos, voice smooth as silk, turning holland’s stomach. “show our visitor in.”

he does.

surely lila can see the difference, must know it the second she sets eyes on him. small girl, young, too clever and perceptive by half ; holland wonders if the king would have sent her had he known vortalis no longer sits on the throne, known who he was sending lila to. the magic-less crown covets its antari like a prize, and its communications with red london and his. holland doesn’t think they would be so eager to throw it away.

but george iii can’t know yet, because holland hasn’t set foot in lila’s london in months, communication almost to a standstill. if that had worried lila before, she doesn’t show it. she doesn’t show worry now, if she feels it, but waits until she reaches the top of the steps before saying “you look like hell.”

she’s not expecting to see him. it’s been years since holland and vortalis gave up on trying to escort the foreign ambassador where she’s supposed to go. lila has, since her first visit, developed a habit of appearing unannounced and unseen, something holland suspects initially had more to do with not knowing where one spot in her own london led to in his than a show of independence -- but that, too. astrid and athos won’t take kindly to it. they don’t take kindly to anything, but anything beyond their control is taken there by force, inexperienced antari child or not. i don’t trust things, astrid sometimes tells him, unless they belong to me. better lila should be escorted as a visitor than masquerading as an equal.

“where’s vortalis?” she asks, brusque and too perceptive still.

holland inclines his head. “dead.”

dead with twin sadists on the throne, which holland is wise enough not to say out loud. the king and queen have made a point of being in the hall together, whether to intimidate or merely from horrible curiosity at this familiar magic from another world, he isn’t sure. so young, he can almost hear astrid’s whisper on the air, though she hasn’t spoken. unmarked. untested. and athos, their voices like an eddy in holland’s mind: i wonder how far she bends before she breaks.

pushing the thoughts from his mind, the white london antari takes his place in the shadows.

trains his eyes on the far wall, not on the exchange taking place in the middle of the room. holland’s awfully good at disappearing, for as long as the danes will allow. lila can find him, though. she’s had months of practice, sharp gaze to rival his own. her eyes keep flicking to him even as the king is talking, as the queen toys idly with an empty glass.

the light dances wickedly off the surface, and despite his best efforts, holland sees it, like he’s supposed to. no, he thinks, not tonight, letting none of it show on his face. eyes on the wall, eyes on the wall, eyes on the wall--

“come here.”

the wave of athos’ hand is lazy, but the command is undeniable. good at hiding for as long as the king will let him. holland walks forwards, silent footsteps that could have marked a predator, but the predators sit upon the throne. in the danes’ london, shadows and silence only ever mark prey.

“holland,” athos begins, turning his head only slightly. if holland had less practice with masks, keeping fear and pain and weakness at bay, he would shiver. the king rarely addresses him by name ; the fact that it’s for lila’s benefit escapes nobody. “kneel.”

that’s when he knows, for certain, that astrid and athos saw her looking. he didn’t expect them not to. people only make the mistake of taking their gaze from the king and queen once. they’re good at finding power, holding it close, twisting it, and athos has just found where to point the knife. he is about to make a display of it.

it’s entertainment and a show of power. which antari they’re trying to impress this on, holland isn’t sure. it serves for them both.

holland kneels.

he doesn’t cry out when athos takes a fistful of dark hair and yanks back, forcing his eyes to the ceiling. astrid presses a knife into his hand, and he doesn’t push her away. every nerve in his body is singing danger, every muscle tensed to flee from being so close. he won’t flee, of course. he’ll do exactly as he’s told.

no-one suffers as beautifully as you.

don’t stop don’t think don’t fight don’t resist just do--

he raises the edge of cool metal to his throat ( athos’ voice never raising to a shout, doesn’t have to, holland is bound to obey a whisper if it pleases ) and draws blood. it’s not deep - athos isn’t trying to kill him, isn’t even trying to leave a scar, and that should be worse because it means he’s in no hurry. a hundred ways to make holland suffer before the sun sets and he’s only beginning.

“give me the knife,” says astrid, and as he holds it out, his eyes drop just enough to catch lila. paler than she was a moment ago, hands balled into fists, she takes one step forward and then another. holland can’t say anything, isn’t stupid enough for that, but he can feel the danes watching her ( astrid running a finger along the flat of the blade, bringing blood to her lips like paint ), wanting her to try.

he meets her eyes, narrowing his own just enough to say don’t. for a minute, he thinks she will anyway. it’s a look she’s seen from him a hundred times before, with less at stake, one she’s dismissed as many times as followed. but she pauses, and athos lets go of his hair, pushing him forward, and by the time holland’s righted himself, lila still hasn’t moved. she’s staring at the king and queen as if imagining how their bones would look as finely-carved pieces of jewellery, and surely they can see, but she hasn’t moved.

astrid only gives her a cool look. “you know your way home.”

run along there.

“i rather want to play with that one,” she says, when lila is gone. “shall we have her back, brother?”

“another time,” says athos, and his eyes drift, properly now, to holland. “as for you--”

( they see.

they saw.

it’s the first time athos reapplies the curse, in the event you feel your loyalties wavering, and it hurts as badly as the first time all those months ago, as deeply as it will every time for the next seven years.

i will kill you one day, holland thinks, and keeps his face as blank as he knows how through the bone-deep terror and the pain. i will have you suffer. )

the next time lila comes back, holland doesn’t meet her eyes, watches somewhere a careful amount behind her. “athos or astrid?”

“astrid,” lila says, lips twisting into something grim. “i hope you’ll tell the king i haven’t forgotten him.”

the words sound too much like a warning, like a challenge - it’s another seven years before holland will see it met.

#oflegendaries #shades of magic spoilers /#raised antari au.#@ y'all if i miss any tags pls tell me ok #blood /#enslavement /#i feel like i need a general tag that's just #'the dane twins are here'#oflegendaries ; lila.#writing tag.#idk if this is a necessary tag or not but #torture /#jic

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altusfl · 6 years

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8. Lead up to the 1985 season --- Hadhazy’s State of the League Report

Here is the Peter Hadhazy 1985 pre-season “State of the league” report for Commissioner Harry Usher from this alternate reality.

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Michigan

The 1983 Panthers are a favorite to return to the championship game with a healthy Anthony Carter. Michigan is a totally different team when he is on the field. He is the best in the USFL. He distorts the game. I understand why they wanted to look at QB Whit Taylor. He could be the starter there in a few years. He has a live arm and quick feet but he needs a few years. Right now all of his passes are shot out of his arm like a gun. He has no finesse to his passing. Still he is generally fairly accurate and his work is a net positive. Al Taubman is one of the league’s richest owners and has proven he will take annual losses to bring Michigan a winner. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Philadelphia

The best team in the league through the first few seasons. Good leadership all the way through. Chuck Fusina is a tremendous winner and may be the second or third best QB in the league. You have to play your best to beat Philadelphia. The Stars expect a major attendance bump this year with a league championship trophy in tow. They are a machine grinding out good play after good play. They hope to average 40,000 this season. A favorite to return to the championship game. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Pittsburgh

Eddie DeBartalo Sr. Is hoping for a much stronger team this year under incoming coach Hank Burroughs. I am not convinced. I think he blew it last year by firing Joe Pendry too early. Pittsburgh didn’t profit from having an interim coach. Pendry was building a very good framework of a team in RB Mike Rozier, QB Glenn Carano, WR Greg Anderson, WR Jackie Flowers, LT Don Maggs, DE Sam Clancy, DE Doug Hollie, and CB Jerry Holmes. I think they would have won 3 more games last year if they kept him all season. It is a minority opinion, but he might have saved his job. I think Pendry’s biggest mistake was sending the plays in with receivers. Literally only Anderson, Flowers, and their backs could catch. Taking a good WR off the field to send in a play was killing them. Plus Rozier looked worn out or maybe injured. He should be better this year, but all of that put a lot of pressure on Carano. Carano is a very solid looking starting QB. He looks like a good leader on the field who understands the game. I think he knew exactly why things didn’t work. He needed more receivers. I think he may be as good as Stoudt if the team is managed to his skillset. Every time you change coaches, the areas that work are at risk to be disassembled. I worry that Burroughs will gut the offense or mismanage it. This team could really use a fast, competent 3rd receiver, a TE who can catch, maybe some OL help, some DT help, a MLB, some DB help. There is high end talent on the roster here and there, but the roster is spotty and the rest of the division is tough. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Miami

Woody Wiser has taken the former Federals by the horns. He appears ready to aggressively rebuild that into a winning franchise. Howard Schnellenburger is immensely popular Miami and it runs under the radar that the Miami Hurricanes have some of the best young collegiate talent in the country. Schnellenburger has hired the Tampa Bay Bucanneer’s Ken Herock to be the General Manager so this team will draft well. With Miami as one of their territorial assignments, it is highly likely that the Spirit will pile up talent from that roster. The Federals took a step back in their second year because most of the veterans on their defense didn’t come back. I think former owner Bernhard made two huge mistakes by 1) putting all of his eggs in the Reggie Collier basket. That guy can only be passable in a really limited system, and 2) by firing Jauch after the first game. While this team is exceedingly young, I think a veteran coach would have won 6-7 games with this roster, which isn’t a great total, but 3-4 more wins has a cash value in terms of turnout. On the positive side, there are good pieces here. QB Mike Hohensee, RB Curtis Bledsoe, WR Joey Walters, WR Ricky Simmons, WR Mike Harris, WR Greg Taylor, PR/KR Eric Robinson, G Ed Felton, CB Jeff Brown, SS Victor Jackson, FS Mike Guess are all quality players in their roles. They also have a handful of promising defensive linemen. They could really use a FB who won’t fumble, a quality second RB who also doesn’t fumble, maybe a top notch DL, better LBs, and another CB. It is a young team. Their best days are ahead for this franchise. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Jacksonville

Fred Bullard had one of the best expansion plans we have seen. He has a quality Stadium and has engaged the fans. While I am not sold on their head coach, Lindy Infante, Bullard’s Bulls seem like they’re likely to be around for the long haul. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. STABLE.

Tampa Bay

John Bassett’s Tampa Bay Bandits are among the gold standard of teams in the USFL in terms of both on the field competitiveness and strong fan support. Bassett’s health obviously puts a major cloud over this franchise however it seems like minority owner Donald Dizney is readying to assume a majority ownership role and has the means to do it. SPRING ADVOCATE. Assuming Dizney buys…. STABLE.

New Jersey

Walt Michaels is a quality coach and the Generals are very competitive on the field behind Herschel Walker and Brian Sipe. Attendance his never been a problem in New Jersey. The biggest question in New Jersey is how Donald Trump is going to deal with the fact that the league has decided not to move to a fall schedule. I think it is highly likely the Trump will sell the team after the conclusion of the lawsuit vs the NFL ….but thankfully not a moment before. (Please see my attached profile on Stephen Ross.) WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. FALL ADVOCATE. STABLE…For now.

Denver

Doug Spedding bought one of the best attended teams in the league and a division leader and has proceeded to see that team collapse after the loss of QB Craig Penrose. They have a good running game and a solid defense. Spedding seems willing to spend. Hiring Mouse Davis was a potentially exciting move for the fans that would have paid off immensely if they had landed Neil Lomax, but now may create a little attendance problems as Davis seems not inclined to value former Bronchos. (I write that, but currently they have a very competitive offer out to Denver’s former starting QB Steve DeBerg…) Davis seems primed to gut the roster and change quarterbacks and that could really hurt attendance if they don’t land DeBerg. Davis appears to have no interest in last year’s starter veteran Craig Penrose, who is polished and I thought was quite solid, but I guess he doesn’t fit the offense. (Penrose is a former NCAA single season passing leader out of Sand Diego State under Don Coryell protege Claude Gilbert). I felt Morton gambled away his job by trying to develop rookie QB Ken Hobart instead of just playing Penrose. I also thought he made a strategic mistake not giving the ball to HB Harry Sydney more. Denver should have made the playoffs last year and I think you can lay the fault mostly at the foot of Morton although trading those linebackers wasn’t smart. They were still a very solid team. Davis has expressed an interest in confident but inaccurate Blitz quarterback Vince Evans, if DeBerg turns them down. It may make sense to grease the skids on a trade there. If he can develop Evans, it could be very exciting to watch. Attendance should bounce back strongly as the shadow of the move to a fall schedule was severely damaging local support. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

New Orleans

The Breakers have been at the top of the second tier on the league for the first two years but now the guy who drove them there, QB Johnnie Walton has retired. Joe Carnizario appears to be a motivated owner willing to spend money but this team is hurting for a new quarterback. They have an exceptional Head Coach who is great with QBs and he just hired Stanford’s offensive Coordinator Jim Fassel who is also good with QBs. Right now they have Doug Woodward who looked great in 1983 and pretty bad in 1984 and Matt Robinson who struggled in Jacksonville last year. It would be in the league’s best interest to see if a quarterback with area ties like Oklahoma quarterback Doug Williams, Arizona quarterback Allen Risher, or Miami QB Reggie Collier could end up in New Orleans. Carnizario is infatuated with the talent of Collier, but Coury really wants to try to lure Archie Manning out of retirement, so they are working on that. I am not sure they will succeed in signing Manning. The fan base is rabid enough to really take off if a local hero QB was placed in the city. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY. SPRING ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Birmingham

Marvin Warner looks very stable as an owner. With Jim Smith, Joe Cribbs, Cliff Stoudt and a very sturdy defense, Birmingham looks like a team that will compete at the highest level every year. The fan support is still not quite what you’d like given the quality of the team, but it’s sufficient. FALL ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Memphis

Ownership is not a problem in Memphis. The team spends money at adequate levels and looks stable. On the field Pepper Rodgers’ teams are competitive. Fan support is about what you’d expect, middle of the pack. WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE SALARY? FALL ADVOCATE. STABLE.

Houston

Houston’s trio of owners look fairly stable, if a bit disorganized, but I am concerned that they’re not investing enough in promotion. It seems like they assume the presence of Jim Kelly will sell tickets in Houston. Houston has always been a tough market for a pro team. Hopefully with the fall business in the rearview there will be a late surge in season ticket sales. On the field, the Gamblers look like a competitor with great star power. FALL ADVOCATE. I am going to say STABLE, but not as much as I expected…..

Oklahoma

It seems like there’s a fair bit of misinformation here. Tulsa Stadium seats 40,000 which is perfect for a USFL team, not too small as advertised by William Tatham Jr., but it appears inadequate parking may have been more of a problem than inadequate stadium capacity. The attendance average and fan support looked amazing for a first-year team that endured horrible rainy weather and finished with an 8 game losing streak, but those numbers may also be overstated guesstimates, making it tough to judge this as a market. The business base to support a pro team long-term does not appear to be there in Tulsa, but my gut feeling is Tulsa could be an acceptable site for a couple of seasons and that Oklahoma has a good basis of a team and strong fan support. The Tathams have a deal to play their games at OU’s Stadium in Norman until a stadium is built in Oklahoma City (there is apparently some solid discussion of that) but per the fall vote meeting, it appears that the Tathum’s would rather be a lot closer to their home base in California and are looking at working a merger deal with Arizona or Oakland. On the field, the Outlaws overachieved in the first half of the season and underachieved in the second. There is a fair sprinkling of nice talents there, but the roster is maybe 12-15 deep. Probably the least depth in the league. They have nice talents on special teams as well as at some spots. QB Doug Williams, WR Al Williams, TE Ron Wheeler, DE Curtis Anderson, OLB Dewey McClain, ILB Terry Beeson, FS Kevin Middleton and NT Bob Nelson are plus starters or better. They just have glaring holes. They need a possession receiver, a couple OLs, DL help, a SS, maybe some CB help and some depth. I know the book on them is that they couldn’t run the ball, but I don’t think that was accurate. I think from Outlaws coach Woody Widenhoffer, bought into 30 year old RB and fellow ex-Steeler Sidney Thorton too hard. Thorton was done and they stayed with him for too much of the season. And then they panicked and they just threw the ball too much for the rest of the season. I think they have 4 good young runners in FBs Ted Sample and Derek Hughes and HBs Andrew Lazarus and Ernest Anderson. Anderson in particular impressed me. He’s out of OSU (so he is marketable) and was the team’s leading rusher after only playing in the last 6 games. There was not a lot of money on the roster. I might have given Woody Widenhoffer another season or looked for a replacement off his staff. There is a basis for a solid team here long term. While chasing small markets is silly, The Outlaws appears salvageable. FALL ADVOCATE. AT RISK.

Oakland

Tad Taube appears to be running on fumes. He was supposed to be a minority owner of the Invaders with Jim Joseph and it appears he is now financially over extended. I think he voted for the fall because he is in a financially desperate place. He is making bad decisions with that in mind. Charlie Sumner was someone you didn’t have to hire and frankly the team might take a step back under him as new coaches often run off a few players to show the rest of the team that the coach has power. Chuck Hutchison was fantastic and earned the job, but Taube panicked and hired Sumner way before the season ended, blocking the easy, cheap, and smart move. In season hires, before you see what your interim coach can do, often seem to be horrible moves. Hutchison was the Director of Player Personnel and stepped in and used the players properly. The Invaders are a mentally tough team with 500 or better talent. They have good leaders. They have good talent on their special teams and starters QB Fred Besana, RB Eric Jordan, WR Fred Banks, TE Brian Williams, DB Marcus Quinn are all at LEAST second tier stars and after watching last season, I think the other 10 starters on their defense are all solid or better starters when coached properly. Jordan and Besana are both seriously underrated. Jordan runs a 4.4 and displayed a thorough understanding of how to maximize his talent in different running situations. He is really, really good. He can be useful against any defense because he sets up and follows his blockers and isn’t a one trick pony. He is a highly developed runner who happens to run a 4.4. Besana is a little too wound up inside his head, but he is the right kind of competitive. He gets on jags where he completes just about every pass. He is a polished passer who throws a very catchable ball. He knows exactly how and when to lob a pass on a particular route. His biggest problem is one of his positives.... he will take a shot to make a play more often than he should. He doesn’t have a sense on when to quit on a play. That will end up costing him. I think If their offensive line could keep Besana upright and he worked on that, they might be a legit contender. (They gave up 69 sacks last year, although the line did play better under Hutchison and some of the sacks were Besana’s fault for not throwing the ball away.) The fan support in Oakland is very solid and ticket sales appear to be rebounding after the vote. FALL ADVOCATE. AT RISK.

San Antonio

San Antonio is a train wreck. On the field they are very well coached and the team is well constructed, especially defensively, but the good stops there. The McKenzie Group thinks this franchise is ready to fail and I agree. I have been told by several people that Magnes’ finances were crushed by the drop in oil prices. He is one of our weaker owners today, but don’t get caught up in the dogpile to dismiss him as hopeless. ��He could get better. I just don’t think he has the money now to overcome his growth curve to become a solid owner and I don’t think there are replacement owners in San Antonio. That is a problem. The local media and government hate him. The fans are mixed. The local military love the Gunslingers, but there is a large contingent of San Antonio fans who were fans of the minor league Toros who are slow to embrace the Gunslingers. This fanbase is not big enough to endure that as well as media indifference/antagonism. In addition, Alamo Stadium is incapable of seating a 25,000+ weekly USFL audience. That is a real bottom-line fact. Like the Boston version of the Breakers, this team is 100% destined to lose money next season due to insufficient stadium capacity. Magnes was going to pay to expand the stadium, but I doubt the money is there now. On top of that, Magnes has a reputation down here for sueing people when he doesn’t get his way, so tread carefully with the idea of taking away his franchise outright. My gut feeling is that Magnes as an owner is survivable, the defensive unit is cohesive and should be kept together in some way if possible, but in no uncertain terms, San Antonio should not have a USFL team next year. SPRING ADVOCATE. FOLD.

Arizona

Ted Diethrich seems almost done with the USFL. It seems like he is hurting for money and behind on his bills. His jury rigged sale of the Chicago franchise fell through, wrecking his finances. The league took over Chicago until Einhorn bought the franchise at a discount. The decision to sell to Einhorn got the league owners off the hook for Chicago, but it also deprived Diethich of his $7 Million sales price entirely. I think there is a compelling argument that, at minimum, the money the league owners got from Einhorn should be given to Deithrich. The league took over the team as the idea of an owner owning two teams is counter intuitive, but in doing that we severed Deithrich’s ability to get paid. Then we sold it at a discount to get out and to recoup losses. We liquidated what probably should have been his asset to liquidate. I get that he more or less forced the league owners into a corner to accept that deal and that the league told Diethrich he was SOL, but this stinks of letting your money get mad. Plus it doesn’t show loyalty. The reason Diethrich was in Chicago in the first place was to help the league land that initial TV contract. The Wranglers may collapse if a merger partner is not found. My two cents is that the league needs to take a look at this situation (re: bailout). The Wranglers, Stars, and Panthers are the league’s 3 elite teams. George Allen has been one of the main faces of the league. Letting the Wranglers collapse after a title run and Allen leave the league would undermine the credibility of the league almost as much as allowing the Blitz/Wranglers trade in the first place. I think the league may want to consider assuming as much as $4M of the Wrangler’s debt in order to keep the Wranglers intact, Dietrich in charge, and Allen in the league. I think we should just pay it off out of the rescue fund but a loan may be more palatable to the other owners. I am thinking a loan that we forgive down the road. Maybe pry some young superfluous talent away like Tim Spencer, Thom Thayer, Alan Risher as well as a couple early picks away as a bailout cost/ admission of fault on the Hoffman deal/Salary reduction strategy. It may light the other owners on fire to save Diethrich after the Hoffman deal, but I think it is worth it to the long term interest of the league. SPRING ADVOCATE. AT RISK.

Los Angeles

An $11 Million team cap was ridiculous for a team with holes, but LA has a ton of talent. They signed 7 guys who the NFL had rated as first round picks. Most positions have young talent among the best in the league in their starting lineups and the depth on this team is stupid. I mean financially irresponsible stupid. Los Angeles had about 8 running backs who could run for over 500 yards a year for most USFL teams. Some weeding out had/has to occur. Steve Young is a gamer. JoJo Townsell is an emerging WR. In addition to the 3 high profile young offensive linemen, Lee Williams, Eddie Weaver, George Achica are 3 of the best young DLs in the league and the fourth, Fletcher Jenkins, isn’t bad either! He is another All-American. Williams may be the 2nd best pure pass rusher in the league. Like the Wranglers, LA has significantly more high end talent and depth than most USFL teams. I firmly believe the league could reduce the LA payroll in half to make the team sellable and bringing the talent base in line with other USFL teams, while still have a good team of popular stars that fans of LA would still enjoy. AT RISK.

Chicago

Obviously we’re going to fold this team but I think some analysis is necessary. The fans were pissed when we replaced one of the three best teams in the league with a gutted version of the worst. I think it’s probably good for the fans of Chicago and the USFL to have a season apart. Plus, Einhorn is pissed after the vote. He has no desire to play in the spring AT ALL, not just 1985. I think it would be in the League’s best interest to purchase the franchise back from him at his investment cost and sell it to someone else down the road. The talent on the roster is much better than advertised. Bill Polian has done a really good job of building up the talent. Someone needs to hire this guy. He’s fantastic. The Blitz has a pretty good offensive line talent, special teams, and several other players who could contribute to a winning team. It isn’t a sexy team in any way, but it is kind of a shame to just disperse these players randomly. In addition to the OL, QB Vince Evans, RBs Larry Canada , Vegas Ferguson, WR Marcus Anderson, Kris Haines, TE Mark Keel, DL Ken Times, Mark Taylor, and Mike Morgan are all good players. FOLD.

Final recommendations

Keep the league as large as possible. 16 is ideal, 14 or 15 is OK.

Bailout LA and Arizona, reallocating some of their young talent. Teams with winning records should be able to bid draft picks and money to land those players. The others should be reallocated to teams with losing records. (The logic being we can’t wait for organic improvement through the draft. Teams have one to one and a half seasons to become competitive before the fans tune out.)

Contract Chicago & San Antonio. (Would recommend active reallocation of players by the league office rather than a reallocation draft to lift the basement of the league. This would allow us to work with the GMs and get players on teams that really want them or can really use them.)

Find a few more owners/investors to save Oakland, LA, and Arizona.

I think there might be an owner for the Outlaws in Oklahoma. I’m going out to Oklahoma to look into this and will get back to you in a week.

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