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strangersteddierthings · 1 year

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[To read on Ao3]

It's Saturday evening and Steve is annoyed. He doesn't understand why everyone won't just stop asking if he wants to talk.

It'll be better for you to get it out of your system, Steve. (Nancy) Talking these things through really helped me, Steve. (Max) You know we're here for you, don't you, Steve? (Dustin) If anyone understands, it's us. Me. You know that, right, Steve? (Robin)

Isn't he allowed to have one damn secret to himself!? Robin did almost get him to crack because out of everyone, Robin would understand his ridiculous, almost overwhelming crush on Eddie Munson.

He's not keeping it a secret because he's embarrassed of his crush, but because he's afraid of rejection for the first time ever. Based on past experience, Steve has always been the one doing the rejecting. In fact, Steve would argue he's never been rejected before. Nancy and he broke up, and breaking up doesn't count as rejection. It's just a change in feelings. And Robin didn't reject him because she had told a half truth when they thought they were gonna die, and then came out to him when he confessed, and rejection also doesn't count if you were never a romantic option to begin with.

Eddie is the first crush he's had (that he's willing to, eventually, act upon) that he's uncertain about. Eddie flirts with him, sure, but he also flirts with Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, and Argyle. He doesn't shy away from Steve's touch, but he rarely initiates it himself. Everything Steve tries to test, to gauge Eddie's interest, just falls flat, or doesn't work, or isn't enough to show if Eddie likes him romantically or as a friend.

Anyway, it's Saturday evening and Steve is annoyed. Annoyed because he knows that waiting for him at his own house is an ambush (an intervention, they'd called it) from his own supposed friends. Steve had just listened to them plan the whole thing over the walkie talkie.

When Steve pulls into his driveway, he's a little impressed at that fact nothing looks off. There are no extra cars, no bikes scattered across the lawn. The house looks dark, even.

When he goes for the door, it's unlocked, though, which is the dead giveaway. Steve sighs heavily before letting himself in. He doesn't bother to flick on the light in the foyer, just shrugging out of the Family Video vest and toeing off his shoes, leaving both in a pile by the door before squinting into the house.

It is dark, but he can make out irregular shapes, lightly illuminated by the light from the backyard coming through the large windows on the far wall. It looks like they've rearranged his furniture. He also hears the slight creak of the floorboards, from the kitchen. That would be Lucas, who Steve knows has been tasked with sneaking around and making sure Steve can't just bolt back out the front door (like he's ever actually run away from a confrontation).

They were very thorough with the planning. Steve knows where a majority of people are lurking, cutting him off from 'fleeing'. Lucas in the kitchen, to cut him off from the front door. El at the top of the stairs so he can't hide in his room. Argyle stationed in the hall that leads to the garage. Everyone else scatted throughout the living and dining room.

Might as well get this over with.

Steve makes it about halfway to the living room before a single floor lamp lights up. It illuminates Robin, who has turned his father's favorite chair around to face the front door instead of the TV, arm still up from where she'd twisted the nob on the lamp. "Steve. We need to talk."

"Buckley," Steve answers, calm as he can manage, surveying the room. Everyone else is just out of the line of light from this ancient lamp. He wonders how they managed that. Still. He knows they're here, so with as much confidence as he can muster, he looked directly at an out of place shadow and hopes he's right as he says, "you want to talk, too, I suppose?"

"How-" it's Dustin's voice that starts to speak and is quickly cut off with a smacking sound. Steve's willing to bet it's Max or Erica who slaps a hand over Dustin's mouth to keep him quit.

"Okay, so Dustin's here, too," Robin says, trying to regain control of the ambush but Steve's not having it.

He puts his hands on his hips and says in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the quiet house, "And Lucas, sneaking though the kitchen to the door. Argyle in the hallway, El upstairs. The rest of you are here, too. I heard the whole thing on the walkie."

"What! You were supposed to be at work!" Dustin yelps as almost every light flicks on at once. Each light switch has a person stationed at it. Steve can now see Jonathan and Nancy to his right, Dustin, Max, and Mike also to the right, but further into the living room. To the left, Argyle has made his was from the hallway, and Eddie (Jesus fuck, only this group of assholes bring his crush to the intervention about refusing to talk about his crush! (not that they know about the crush)), Erica and Will mirror the position of the others, almost against the wall to stay out of the light from the windows. He hears the stairs creak as El makes her way down.

"I was. It was slow. I got the walkie from my trunk to ask someone to save me from boredom just in time to hear your scheming," says Steve.

"We aren't scheming, Steve," Robin says, standing from the chair now and stepping closer. "We're worried. You don't talk to us."

"I talk to, like, almost all of you every day!"

"Not about important things!"

"I happen to think that discussing the newest releases is important. Tells me a lot about all of your guys' terrible taste in movies."

"Steve!" Nancy steps in now, "this is serious."

"It's really not. You are all making a big deal about this and it's not!" Steve says.

"Why are you keeping this from us?" Max pipes up, "if you can't talk to us about this, then who can you? We understand."

"Look, I know we've all experienced this.... issue, at some point, but that's doesn't mean I want to talk to any of you about it-"

"Issue he says! You can't even say it," Robin challenges him, matching his hands on hip stance, mirroring him.

Steve closes his eyes and takes a deep breath through his nose. This is getting ridiculous. Of course, he can't say it! He's barely gotten through his sexuality crisis and hasn't even come out to Robin yet! He wants to, really, but... "Listen. I appreciate that you are all so invested in this, but you need- sorry, no. I need you to let me do this at my own pace."

"It's been since '83! How much longer do you need!?" Dustin is looking at him like he's grown a second head and that-

What. Wait. What? Steve's brain screeched to a halt. "What."

"What what?" Dustin raises his hands, confused. "You need to talk to someone about what we all went though. The Upside Down! We all talk to you, but you don't talk to any of us and bottling it up isn't healthy."

Steve's arms go limp at his sides and all he can do is blink. They aren't- they don't think- Steve's brain hasn't restarted yet, which is what he blames for what leaves his mouth next. "Wait. This isn't about my crush on Eddie?"

A clatter and the sound of glass breaking, accompanied by Eddie's voice cursing follows that. Steve looked over to see that Eddie seems to have fallen back against the wall he was near, knocking a picture from the wall in the process. He's staring at Steve, though, eyes owlish and he looks like he's about to either faint or run away.

Steve's gut twists because neither of those were the reaction he'd hoped for (but they are the reactions he most expected).

"Your WHAT," Robin screeches and that brings Steve back to his brain.

Oh.

Oh fuck.

He just. He just came out to everyone, all at once, in his living room. This is fine, this is fine. He can deal with this. The room and everyone (oh God, everyone) in it fades away as Steve puts one palm flat on his own chest, focuses on feeling his own touch, on the rise and fall of his chest, trying to remember how he draws breath usually. Normally he can pull himself back this way but it's so much, too much, everyone is watching him-

"Steve. Hand," El's voice is distant but he obeys, hand going out on instinct. El takes it and he feels someone else breathing deep. "Follow. In. In. In. In. Hold. Out. Out. Out. Out. Again. In-" El repeats and repeats, counting each second with a word, and slowly she comes into view, her hand held over his on Lucas' chest. El talks him through it as Lucas demonstrates because it's hard to give instruction and breathe at the same time. This is not the first time El's helped him through a panic attack, but it's usually Hopper who has to demonstrate the breathing for him.

She stops when he calms, allows him to pull his hand away from Lucas but not her own hand. She brings her other to clasp around his, holding his one hand with both of hers.

"Thank you," he whispers.

She gives him a nod, face still serious as she stands next to him.

Steve takes in his surroundings. His panic attack wasn't too long, thankfully, but enough that everyone has moved. He seeks out Eddie subconsciously and finds he's relieved to see that he's taken a seat on the couch, Will next to him all but tucked into his side. No one left, and Steve's glad for that, but they all look so uncertain and off kilter now, scattered across the living room. Robin is a few steps closer than she was before and looks like she wants to finish stepping forward, but not sure if she should.

"Um, thank you guys, for not freaking out while I was freaking out," Steve says, reaching out his other hand to Robin. She takes it and he pulls her into a half hug. "So, uhh, I thought I knew what this was about but guess I didn't."

"Of all the things to think we'd stage an intervention for, having a crush on Ed-someone is certainly not that high on our priority list," Robin snorts from where she's buried her head in his shoulder.

"Well, it makes sense now that it's not about- Maria said I should have talked to you guys sooner, like individually, but too late I guess."

"Who the fuck is Maria!?"

"Language, Henderson," Steve snaps on instinct. "She's my therapist."

For the second time tonight, Robin says, "your WHAT?"

"Therapist?" Steve repeats, but it sounds like a question even to himself because he's almost afraid there's a wrong answer here.

"I didn't know you were seeing a therapist, Steve," Nancy says, voice gentle in a way Nancy's voice really isn't usually. "Do you talk about- I don't know how to phrase this without prying."

Steve rescues her from the awkwardness of having to ask. "She knows about the Upside Down. Dr Owens introduced her after Starcourt. Why are you surprised by this?"

"Because we didn't know," says Dustin.

"I see Maria every Tuesday. How did you not know?" Steve asks.

"What do you mean how did we not know!?" Dustin shouts.

"Can you not shout at me?" Steve sighs. He needs to sit down, so he does. Just drops there, dragging Robin and El with him. Neither complains, though. "I've been going to therapy every Tuesday since '83. I guess it just became part of my schedule, so I don't think about it. And I did, like, actively hide I was seeing a therapist that first year so guess that was habit."

"Is this why you don't talk to us?" Robin's voice is quiet.

"Well, yeah. I didn't realize it was affecting you all so much that I didn't. I thought- I am talking about it. I told Maria about a nightmare I had just last week, I'm not bottling it all up," Steve reassures, "You all talk to me. I didn't wanna create some like, trauma loop where we just talk about how awful it was back and forth and never get, like, closure with it, so I didn't share back. I've just been trying to do for you guys what Maria does for me, but I'm not, like, qualified."

"We could all use some therapy," Nancy says in what seems to be a rather agreeable voice for the tone of the room currently, "but why were you the only one offered help after Starcourt?"

"Oh. Well. It was less Dr Owens offering Maria's service, and more my mom barely refraining from murdering Owens on the spot until he gave into every demand she had. Which, being fair to Owens, he was more than willing to help to begin with."

"Your mom spoke to Owens?" Jonathan speaks for the first time.

"Oh. Wow," Steve blinks, feeling a bit thrown. There's so much he's unintentionally hid from his friends, things that could have been helping them (like them talking to Maria instead of him, have any of them even been offered therapy?) but he's also realizing that they've made an awful lot of assumptions about him without talking to him. "So, wait, I need to know something. How did this come to happen?" He half-heartedly waves towards everything around him with the arm he has half wrapped around Robin.

"The intervention?" Max asks.

"Sorta? No. I get why you thought you needed to intervene, but I don't understand why you came to that conclusion without like, asking me things? All of you were like talk to us Steve we can help Steve we understand Steve but how did it not occure to any of you that I might already be talking to someone?"

It seems the only one brave enough to answer is the person who has known Steve the least, because Argyle says, "far as they could tell, who would you talk to that's not them, bro? Like, you come home to a big empty house. On bad days, Nancy can still cuddle up to her mom and just be held even though Mrs. Wheeler doesn't know what's up, but you're like, alone."

"I-what? What's the implication there?"

"Steve, we can count on one hand the number of times you've ever spoken about your parents," Nancy says, "I guess we all came to the conclusion that you were... you felt like you had to be alone in dealing with the trauma, like you're alone in this house. I mean, we dated for a year and a half, and I never even met your parents."

That's true, but it's because his parents were going through a rough patch and trying to work through his dad's... problem while also working on a big deal for the company. Steve's not going to pretend he knows how his dad's business works but it involves a lot of meetings in cities bigger than Hawkins. "You all mock me for being a rich kid, and then act... what, surprised that my parents actually have to run the company they own?"

"No. The only things you've ever told me about your parents was that your dad was an asshole and that you didn't want them to find out about beer at a party you threw!"

Well. That does paint his dad in a real bad light. "Well, I was younger and stupider when I said those things!"

"When the Russians drugged you, you made a comment. Something about only doing marijuana, dad," Robin says softly from his side. "it's kinda easy to draw the conclusion that your relationship with your parents might be negative at worst, absent at best."

Steve retracts his arm from around Robin, suddenly cold on the inside. He gently shakes off El as well and shoves off the ground so he's standing again, taking three steps back to be able to see everyone at a quick glance around. "I think it's best if we stop this here. I can't- I'm gonna say some shit I'll regret otherwise."

"Steve-"

"Robin," Steve cuts her off, feeling the need to defend his parents, who he loves so fucking much, from his friends. Anger rolls tight under his skin but he doesn't want to give in, so he goes cold instead. "I call my mom every night. They have a mobile phone my dad pays way too much for, so they can know I'm still alive no matter where they have to be currently. My parents are absent," he spits the word like venom, "because I begged them to leave after Starcourt and the only reason they didn't drag me out of here with them kicking and screaming is because I was 18 and legally, they couldn't! That's the only real fight I've ever had with my mom, you know. I told them they had to go because Hawkins is fucking cursed and I couldn't protect all of you and them and-" Steve clamps his mouth shut, swallows down the words. He's going to have to talk to Maria about his hero complex again (he thought he was getting better). No one says a thing in the silence, even though they all look like they want to. Steve takes a deep breath, trying to calm. "I'm going to go call my parents, because they're gonna start to worry, because they do that, if I don't call soon. Let yourselves out like you let yourselves in."

He doesn't quite stomp his way to the kitchen phone, but it's a close call. He could go up to the master bedroom and call privately but a part of him wants them to hear this conversation as they leave. He yanks the phone off the receiver a bit harder then needed and punches in the phone number he's got memorized now. It rings twice.

"Oh Steve, I was just starting to worry!"

"Hi mom. No need to worry. I'm, well, I'm not fine right now, but it's not any Upside Down nonsense."

"Oh, honey, do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not, uh, not right now. I just wanted to hear your voice. To tell you I love you, and I miss you. Dad, too," as Steve speaks he hears the sounds of movement, of shuffling down the hallway and the front door. Resolutely, he keeps his back to the kitchen entrance.

"We love and miss you, too."

"When will you guys be able to come visit?"

"Honey, do you need us? We can be on a plane in a few hours."

Steve smiles at that, and hopes she can hear it in his voice, "no. But, uhh, I wouldn't mind seeing you guys sometime soon."

"We'll make it happen. Hey, how about we have that barbeque you mentioned before. We'd like to be able to meet the people keeping you safe. I do wish the Byers still lived in town, I'd love to catch up with Joyce".

"Oh! I can't believe I didn't tell you! The Byer's are moving back. Oh God! Mom! Hopper's not dead!"

There's a fumbling noise, like perhaps his mom dropped the phone. Some staticky noise, shuffling sounds, and his father's voices comes through the phone, "Steve, your mother looks pretty pale, kiddo. What did you just tell her?"

"Jim Hopper's alive and kicking. The Starcourt Russians kidnapped him apparently."

A deep sigh and then his dad says, "We'll be home in two days, okay kiddo? Gonna want a full explanation of that, but I've got to go, your mom's going to faint -sit down, Stephanie- We love you."

"Love you, too."

Steve hangs up and turns around to see El, Will, and Eddie still lingering by the kitchen entrance. He's not as angry on the inside anymore, and it helps that these three didn't really pipe in and call his parents terrible people who don't love him. (okay, so he's putting words into everyone's mouths, Maria will frown at him hard when he talks about this, but he's going to allow himself to be a little petty right now).

"I am sorry for being part of this," El says, "I do not want you mad at me."

"Never, El," Steve strides forwards, easily pulling El into a hug. She's probably just worried for him because everyone else was worried, and not because she has some idea about what his parents are like. Honestly, El's probably never even thought out Steve's parents even once. "I'm not really mad at anyone. Just... frustrated, and upset, perhaps. We'll all make amends tomorrow, I'm sure."

El releases him after a moment and before she's even fully out of his arms, Will is pulling him into a hug just as deep. Steve's not sure why, he and Will aren't particularly close, but Will clings to him and makes this soft, sob noise as he presses his face into Steve's shoulder, and Steve's wrapping his arms around him on instinct, "Oh, hey baby Byers, it's all good."

Will shakes his head no and just sobs for a moment. Steve lets him, rubs his back after a moment, trying to be soothing. It's a long hug but not awkward. Finally Will pulls back, swiping at his eye with both his hands. "I- thank you, Steve."

Steve is bewildered by that, and it must show on his face, because he hears Eddie try and hide a laugh behind a cough. Steve says, "you're welcome?"

Will doesn't clarify. He just steps back and El takes his hand easily, and the siblings leave, presumably to climb into the back of someone's waiting car.

Which leaves him alone in his house with Eddie.

Eddie, who knows about his crush now because Steve blurted it out loud for everyone to hear.

"I'll leave if you want me to," Eddie says, like he can read Steve's mind, even as he leans against the counter next to him like he plans to stay, "but I- I don't wanna start throwing everyone else under the bus, but I really just thought this was a case of Hero Complex where you think you're only good for getting between us and danger and that we were all gonna try and like, show you how important you are to us all so you'd open up to us. I didn't even think about, like, your parents."

Steve believes that, so he huffs a dry laugh, "yeah. I'm sure you're idea of my parents are snotty rich people who look down on everyone."

Eddie's got the decency to be embarrassed about that truth, if his red face is anything to go on. "Sure, but like, I thought the same thing about you and that turned out to be wrong, so I can admit that. Also, I thought you were an asshole who always got what they wanted, and that's not really a bad parent trait, y'know? Caring about what your kid wants."

"Well, thanks for admitting to it, man."

Eddie nods, then looks away, towards the door. "Do you- should I leave? Do you even want me hear?"

Did he? "Yeah, I want you here. I kinda want Robin, too. I shouldn't have kicked everyone out like that."

"No dude, that was fair. But, uh, I can go chase down Nancy's car and see if Robin will return with me."

Steve does laugh, then, "no. We're so codependent as it is. I just... Robin's been here when I've called my mom. She's here all the time. I don't understand how she just... never picked up on it."

"You always call from the kitchen phone, or do you make it a private conversation? 'Cause Buckley and you are stupidly codependent, but if something's meant to be private, I doubt she's going to be eavesdropping on you."

That's true. And Steve knows he's being irrational. He never said anything, he knows he never even talks about his parents, that they're so rarely even in Hawkins these days, it isn't a farfetched idea to assume it's because he doesn't love them, or they don't' love him. That doesn't stop the hurt he feels for his parents. And a little for himself because, yeah, he never said anything, but also, they never asked.

They see their parents every day, have left their parents in the dark about the truth for reasons Steve doesn't agree with, but he'll never argue that choice with them, never assume they have a bad relationships with their parents for it.

"I had to tell my parents," Steve says, because he and Eddie are just standing in his kitchen in silence and he's thinking these things anyway. Might as well think out loud, "when Billy punched me unconscious and I woke up in my own damn car being driven by Max I just- what if I hadn't made it home to them? What if Billy had hit me one too many times, had beaten me to death? My mom was pacing the living room with worry when I did finally get home. They were supposed to already be on a plane to I don't even know where, but she was so worried about me that she stayed. She didn't even know about the Upside Down. Didn't know how close she'd come to losing me."

Eddie doesn't say anything, but he moves closer, to lean against the kitchen island, across from Steve.

"She was so fucking terrified when she saw me. Wanted to know who did it, what happened, where I'd been- she's never had to patch up anyone after getting a beating, so she tried to usher me back outside, to the car, a hospital I guess, but the thought of leaving the house was so overwhelming. After everything that just happened? I wanted to be home.

"I think she caught on to that. Instead, she pulled me into the bathroom and did her best to clean me up. I tried my hardest to hold it together but she- my mom just took my face in her hands, so gently, afraid to hurt me more," Steve mimics the motion, holding his hands out in front of him like he's cupping a face, "and just said you can tell me what happened, honey. No matter what it is. I love you so much. and I just- I broke down." Steve stops, sucking in a deep breath because just the memory of that night brings back the emotions. His mother's fear for his life. Her love for him.

"I told her everything. Just started talking and couldn't stop. And when I was done, a crying mess on the bathroom floor, she just... just sunk down beside me and held me as I cried. And the craziest part of all, she believed me. The next morning, when I thought for sure she was going to ask what kinda drugs I took to come up with that story, instead, she asked me if she could call Hopper. Wanted to talk to another adult about it," Steve swipes at his eyes, getting misty at the memories before continuing, "the only reason they aren't here right now is because I basically begged them to leave. To go grow their company, I'd said. I'd be here, and I promised to call every night, so they know I'm safe."

"Is that why you've never redecorated?" Eddie asks, out of left field, "'cause having their things around reminds you of them?"

Steve shrugs because he's not sure. "They told me I could change whatever. Make this house your own home, Steve my dad had said but, it's always felt like home, y'know?"

Eddie nods. "Not even a little tempted to change the wallpaper in your room? 'Cause it's pretty fuckin' atrocious man."

That makes Steve bark out a laugh, "ok, yeah, that's just me being lazy."

"Well, if you ever want help removing that wallpaper, count me in. The sooner, the better. How you can stand to look at it, and with those matching curtains, yikes," Eddie is grinning at him and Steve sees what he's doing. Distracting him from the heavy topic. Steve appreciates it. "I won't be caught dead in there until you change it."

"Oh? Hoping to be in my room sometime soon, Eddie?" Steve asks, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, I did kinda just learn that my crush has a crush on me, so maybe I was hoping," Eddie gives a shrug, aiming to sound indifferent and aloof, Steve thinks, but he can see the grin Eddie's trying to fight from forming on his face, and the way his hand has gone to his hair, pulling some strands to hide that grin behind.

Something sweet and happy spreads through Steve's entire body. Steve opens his mouth to say something, he's not sure, but what comes out instead is a big yawn.

"Alright, bedtime for you I think," Eddie says.

Steve nods, because he is tired. The rollercoaster of emotions and events have worn him down. "You wanna stay over and watch terrible movies until we fall asleep?"

Eddie looks delighted to have been asked.

Today was a shitshow, and Steve knows he'll need to reach out to everyone and talk. Individually, because he's not sure he can handle everyone all at once again. But he needs them to know he was just angry and doesn't hate them all or something.

Tomorrow's got promise, though, so that's good enough.

#steddie #in which i ask myself #what if steve has good parents #who care SO MUCH #and they got him a good therapist and helped him through the upside down shit #and they're only gone because steve begged them to leave #and the only thing that keeps them away is a nightly phone call letting them know everythings fine #to make this work in canon steve called his parents that night after finding eddie and lied to them #saying he was going camping with friends for a week so he wouldn't be calling until then #he hasnt told them the full truth of sping break '86 yet #my fic

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krakenattack · 5 months

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Mild spoiler for The Last Graduate ahead, but:

Having just reread the whole series, I love how at odds El and the Scholomance are. Like, El's pessimism is a great way of making your narrator unreliable, since El is sometimes right and sometimes wrong always expecting the worst response from everyone around her(a thought worthy of another entire post), but it becomes very funny once she realizes that part of the problem at school is that she can't do small spells? Like, she spends the whole first book being like 'this school is the devil tempting me to evil, it wants me to become a maleficier, I can't even ask for a simple cleaning spell without getting horrible spells for summoning mortal flames and enslaving an army of people, I hate it', and meanwhile the Scholomance is flipping frantically through its catalogue of spells gathered over thousands of years, desperately trying to find a spell in a language El knows that she can also cast with her affinity for working incredibly large and powerful spells. El's over here driving a bulldozer and saying, 'I would like to build a Jenga tower' and the Scholomance is looking at her with the weary despair of a preschool teacher knowing they're going to be suffering through a temper tantrum soon but unable to stop it.

El, a furious teenager who doesn't know as much as she thinks she does: I don't wanna summon a mortal flame! I want my room clean!

The Scholomance, a giant building that cleans its own hallways, floors, dishes and various and assorted other workings with mortal flame: Why is this child testing me

Also hilarious in retrospect is El's blithe statement in the first book about how no one would ever give her that much mana to do these high volume spells bc mana isn't free or easy to acquire and so the school is clearly telling her to turn maleficier and kill her fellow students all while Orion is humming to himself as he kills mals and dumps oodles and oodles of mana into the New York power sharers.

El "I'd rather die than ask for help" Higgins: I won't do these spells bc no one will give me mana

The Scholomance, as loudly as a building who may or may not be partially sentient and who can't speak human languages: Wow, those sure are some HIGH MANA VOLUME spells you got there! If only there was SOMEONE around who would be able to provide you with a NIGH LIMITLESS FLOW OF MANA so that you'd be able to cast them!

Orion: :)

El: *hisses like a feral cat*

Orion: :(

The Scholomance: oh my freaking god

Hilarious. Top tier humor.

#the scholomance #a deadly education #the last graduate #naomi novik #I also truly believe that the scholance was trying to prep El for her future by giving her those spells #she ends up being able to use her knowledge of several of those spells to useful and non-malicious effects in the last two books #but it's funny to imagine a very tired scholomance trying to find enough complex and high mana-cost spells #to placate the bewildering moral whims of this angry wizard child

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thefirstlioveyou · 2 months

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What will Mike and Will's S5 Fight Be About?

Shawn Levy basically confirme/implied another angsty Byler fight for S5.

But, what will it be about? Some think it'll be about the painting, but personally, I don't think so at all. I believe the fight will be about Mike's internalized homophobia; Mike will be afraid to romantically be with Will and it hurts Will.

First off, I don't think Mike would be mad for him hiding his feelings or lying about the painting. The sole purpose of the painting lie is to open a gate way to Mike knowing how Will feels about him. It's a set up. Why would he be mad that it was Will who thought those amazing things about him? He's in love with Will.

Now, let's see the common traits that all Byler fights have:

miscommunication, but they both want the same thing

is about their relationship

mike projecting

happens pretty early on, episodes 3-4

triggered by a shift in their relationship/mike doing something

they are alone

It's pretty predictable that S5 will focus on Mike's feelings for Will and be in Will's position this time. He's gonna be a yearning, gay mess! However, it doesn't make sense to copy every little thing as that wouldn't bring anything new to the table. It would quite frankly feel lazy and boring.

I actually believe they will be honest about how they feel episodes 3-4 (after Mike discovers the truth about the painting, what would be the shift in their relationship), and it will be a very angsty scene rather than a happily-ever-after moment (for now). Here's how I picture it: Will wants a relationship with Mike, Mike wants one too, but he's reluctant to because of the shame and bit of denial still lingering.

As understanding as one can be in this situation, it's also hurtful to hear on the receiving end. I can imagine it makes Will very upset. After so long of waiting for Mike, waiting to see if his feelings could be reciprocated, he finally gets it but doesn't get to keep it because of the shame Mike feels. Will does indeed feel like a mistake for his sexuality but, as he also states, Mike makes him feel otherwise. So, if he heard the same person that makes him feel better for who he is, say he's wrong for being the same thing he is.... that would HURT Will terribly. In Will's eyes, he will truthfully believe Mike doesn't want him, even if in Mike's POV, he wants nothing more than Will. This is where the miscommunication comes in play.

This is a real thing that happens in many Queer relationships even to today, when one is ready and the other is not yet. There is no bad guy (unless cheating, abuse, etc is involved of course) in these type of situations. You can sympathize with both sides... Which makes this a perfect fight to watch as the audience; it wouldn't make you hate either of the characters.

Some people say Mike’s accepted his sexuality by the end of S4, but I feel like if he did, it wouldn’t really be a good set up for him to be Vecna’d in S5. His struggle with who he is and his relationship with El is crucial to S5. If we keep Mike struggling with his sexuality and his trauma regarding El, this gives a purpose for him to be Vecna'd, which is the perfect way to explain a lot of his character the past seasons. Similar to how Max escaped Vecna the first time, Mike would do something similar (with the help of others, of course). He will have to accept the mistakes he's made, accept past events that were out of his control and accept who he is, or let himself die. Rather than focus so much on saving others or being needed to others, he must save himself now, for himself. He has to finally believe he is the heart. Finally confronting and accepting what he can't change will bring his character and his relationships to a full circle. It would explain his dynamic with El and Will the whole series. He will finally have the self-confidence he lost.

As much as people want Byler to have an established relationship in S5, I don't think that's likely. With a fight already implied to happen again (most likely early on), it wouldn't make much sense? They're a slow burn on top of that... The season is building up to them being together, it's not them already together (at least I don't think so).

The writers can obviously find a different route, but I feel like this would work and fit well. It would save Mike's character perfectly and it connects with the Mike being vecna'd, or at least in danger, theories; It gives it more purpose.

I just can't really imagine what else the fight would be about. It has to be about their relationship and it has to be about it changing in some way. Mike's weird behavior still needs to be explained... so I would think the fight has to be connected to the reason for that behavior. The fight would then be about his internalized homophobia. And if it is, it has to be explicitly about it, not just subtext like S3 fight.

Rather than “It’s not my fault you don’t like girls” and insulting Will, Mike straight up will have to be like, “I’m scared, what if this is wrong? I don’t know how to do this.” “This isn’t right.” This time Mike will be direct how he feels about HIMSELF, but Will would still be hurt because this is the same guy that made him feel better for being Gay…

If this is how the fight plays out, lord hold me because I won’t survive it😭😭😭

#writing this in one go with no revision #byler #mike wheeler #will byers #stranger things

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mcyt-trios · 7 months

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PROPAGANDA:

3 Heart Trio:

theyre soo silly theyre just silly little guys who do things like mining an entire chunk in the center of the server's spawn for their own entertainment and to annoy everyone else

They are PATHETIC. They are ANNOYING. They are PERFECT. They are playing on three hearts and they die so much. They have a specialized raid platform that is NOT a raid farm. They are a team against exploits! Their base has 3 hearts above it representing them

these guys decided to put love and fun above all on the killing-lying server. while watching other teams betray and fall apart they have stuck with each other till the very last day of the server and never doubted one another. they worked like a clockwork, they knew they could only rely on themselves and at the end of the day, they didnt mind that it was that way

these guys got the short end of the stick time and time again throughout all of lifesteal s4, they were the targets of so many traps and attacks for no reason other than they were weak and always around. and despite it all they never wanted revenge and never held grudges! they cared about fun and friendship more than anything else, and while all the other teams ended up falling apart or betraying each other, these three stuck together from start to end. they didn't care about how many hearts they had, how much gear they had, or how powerful they were, because in the end all they needed was each other <3 i miss them so bad btw

Witch Coven:

they are sooooooooo theyre 2 competent people + one not as competent person but if u dont clap and cheer fer her theyll blow you up and kill you

They’re from a surpreme witch competition where the goal is to win against everyone melee, yet they managed to forge a friendship regardless of them being competitors! Scott and Cleo are arguably the most powerful of the witches, and they took Elouise, who was super insecure and self depreciated about her own talents and worth under their wings and bolstered her up to her full potential! With their guidance and support she learned to grow more confident in her own abilities leading to her being right up there with the other two as one of the strongest witches! They also formed as a sassy little friend group who snarks and sasses the other witches, especially their, like, “main rival”. So they also just have that *vibe* of this really bad ass group ala mean girls, but less mean to everyone and more focused on their “rivals” and “enemies”. Cleo could literally freeze time for those around her, Scott essentially got the power of a lich, and el could blind people! They are all super powerful, work really well together and are all around a wonderful group! Also the queerness. We love an LGBTQ+ friend group haha

#mcyt-trios #mcyt trio bracket #polls #round 2

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crappymixtape · 1 year

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endless summer

steve’s pool is always full during the indiana summers and he loves his friends, but he just wants you • *18+ only | ( 2.8k, smut, fluff, friends to lovers, steve x you, steve x reader )

E N D L E S S S U M M E R 🎶 i would die 4 u, art school girlfriend

“Hey, hey. None of that shit in my pool!” Steve was standing on the deck with a hand on his hip, arm waving about as he yelled at Dustin and Lucas who were dragging a half-empty pizza box closer to the edge of the pool.

“We’re hungry!” Dustin protested indignantly.

“Yeah, so hungry,” Lucas added, still dragging along the pizza box slowly as if Steve wouldn’t catch him.

“No, no, no. Get that outta here,” Steve was already around the other side of the pool and snatching the box away from Lucas’ grabby hands, tossing it up onto the patio table. “Children,” he shook his head at both younger boys.

Whatever, was mumbled back to Steve followed by a couple of hidden middle fingers, but the heat was enough to stall any real arguing and before long everyone slipped back into the cool water, lazily floating in the hot Indiana summer.

No one knew what day of the week it was, you only knew when you had to work next – not today – and time didn’t matter. All anyone wanted to do was spend time with each other, normal time, not running-away-from-flesh-eating-bats-time, and it felt perfect. You wished you could stay like this forever.

Stretched out on a lounger, you were the picture of summer wearing a tangerine bikini, a stolen pair of Steve’s aviators, and camped out next to a cooler full of beer and Coke. Whenever you felt your skin protesting against the sun you’d jump into the pool to cool off, but hurried right back to your chair after.

Dustin, Lucas, Mike and Will had spent most of the day trying to shove Max and El in the water, but were thwarted almost every time. I mean, c’mon, it’s El. Like she could’t sense it? Robin and Eddie found their little patch of shade under the only tree in the backyard and passed a joint back and forth until their eyes were glassy and heavy, lips permanently curved into lazy smiles. And Steve? Well. What Steve wanted to be doing and what he was actually doing were two very different things.

He couldn’t help his lifeguard instincts around the pool, sniping at the kids over all kinds of shit – out of love, obviously – but every single time he turned away it was to look at you.

You. Wearing his sunglasses. Your tangerine bikini hugging your curves just right, not leaving much to the imagination. The scent of your coconut sunscreen and citrus shampoo mixed with chlorine and Cherry Coke teasing him every time he walked by, it was almost painful.

Then, finally, the others hauled themselves out of the pool, tired from the heat and shoving each around and playing chicken and summer. You grinned watching as Mike and Lucas both sleepily settled their heads into El’s and Max’s laps atop their towels. Dustin and Will were off talking about Suzie and their next D&D campaign. And Robin and Eddie…well. They were there, but not there, and Steve had picked up the pool net to scoop out the few stray bits of crap the others had dragged into the water.

God. It was like he existed for summer. Like he was made for it. His skin all golden, kissed by the sun and dotted in freckles. Hair, just a touch lighter than it was in the winter, hanging across his dewy forehead. The muscles in his arms tensing and relaxing as he pushed and pulled the pool net through the water. Turquoise swim shorts dripping water, plip plip plip on the patio, clinging to his legs. Sunglasses perched on his head so that he couldn’t hide it if he snuck glances of you over there wearing his aviators.

You could feel his gaze wander up your long legs, your thighs, the soft curve of your hips, that damn tangerine top. And when you lifted a hand to take off your glasses, the grin you gave him was almost cruel. “Looking for something, Harrington?” you called across the patio.

Despite his tanned skin, the flush that rose in his cheeks could be seen from where you were sitting. “What?” fell out of his mouth, dumb in the summer sun, and he propped himself up against the pool skimmer, clearly caught. But then he recovered, just so very Steve. “Just admiring the view,” he gave you a grin of his own and it was your turn to blush.

Biting in your lower lip you put his aviators aside and smirked. “Nice day, hm?” you snarked, swinging your legs over the side of the lounger to stand.

“Oh, definitely a heat advisory in effect,” Steve teased back, discarding the skimmer on the patio at his feet, finally unable to keep himself away from you any longer.

Walking with a purpose he closed the gap between the two of you and took your face in his hands and pressed a heady kiss to your mouth, catching your lower lip between his. You tasted like popsicles and Cherry Coke.

“What was that for?” you murmured against his lips, his hands still holding onto your cheeks as your hands wandered up to rest on his chest.

“For not eating pizza in the pool,” he grinned against you as he went in for another kiss and then leaned in close, his lips to your ear, “I forgot something inside.”

It was so hot, the sun beating down on both of you, but you shivered at his words as goosebumps trailed along your neck. Laughing you tilted your head so that you could meet his gaze and when your eyes met your grin softened and fell. Steve’s eyes. Deep pools of caramel swimming with tiny flecks of hazel and gold. Long brown lashes sweeping his cheeks. Steve. He only had eyes for you.

“I’ll come with you,” your voice was barely above a whisper as you felt a heat rising in your core that had absolutely nothing to do with the hot Indiana sun, and without hesitation his hand was tangling with yours, pulling you through the slider door and up the stairs.

Steve kicked the door shut as you both tumbled into his room and he caught your lips in another kiss before pressing more down your jaw, your neck, to the little hollow behind your ear.

It was hot, the air in his room upstairs was warm and thick and his hands were everywhere all at once. Wandering across the small of your back, trailing the length of your arms, tugging your hips into his. It all made you dizzy, but you kept up.

Wrapping your hands around the back of his neck, you spun him around and pushed him down onto his bed. His eyes went wide for a split second, surprised at the show of confidence, but he came back down from it and grinned up at you. “So damn pretty,” he murmured and you knew he meant it.

“I could say the same to you,” you purred before diving down against him, your bodies finally pressing together, skin meeting skin around your bikini and his trunks. It felt electric. You’d both wanted nothing more after watching each other in the heat, dripping with the glittering turquoise of the pool, longing to look, to touch, to feel.

A groan escaped him as you trailed kisses along his shoulder and up against his stubbled jaw before settling your mouth on his, lightly pulling on his lower lip.

“Been wanting to do this all day,” he mumbled, fingers fumbling with the tie of your top, cinched snug against your body. As it came undone it fell down onto his chest and he stopped short, hands holding onto your waist for dear life. He looked at you like you were the only thing that existed in that moment. You were the only thing that existed in that moment. “Damn,” it was almost reverent, in awe of you. Every curve, every dip, the very softness of you.

Giving him a small smile you leaned down, brushing your lips against his ear, and simply whispered his name. Pulling back the look you gave him shattered any kind of control he’d been grasping onto and he loosed a heavy breath.

In one fell swoop Steve lifted you off of him easily, tossing you down on the bed before bringing his needy mouth to your sun kissed skin again, body meeting yours. You could feel him against you, could feel much he wanted you, and the heat pooling between your legs told you you wanted him just as much.

Steve bit your shoulder gently and he smirked when you sucked in a gasp. “Shit,” you hissed, half laughing half moaning at the kisses he started trailing down your chest and along the soft curve of your breasts.

His face moved down your body, mouth touching every bit of you he could, and then he paused and flicked his eyes up to look at you. “What?” his tongue ran along his lower lip as he grinned, knowing full well what he was doing to you.

Brow furrowing you propped yourself up on your elbows and opened your mouth to reply, but it promptly clamped shut when he slipped his mouth over your nipple, eliciting another moan from your lips. Your head fell back against the sheets as your hands moved to tangle in his hair. “Want you,” was all you could manage, your lips parted as your breath hitched in your throat.

“I know,” Steve’s voice was low, rough, and the grin he’d given you was long gone, pupils blown wide – fuck, he wanted you too. He pushed himself up for only as long as it took to yank his trunks off, his fingers deftly untying your bikini bottoms before tugging them out from under your ass and throwing them unceremoniously to the floor.

Standing at the edge of the bed he stopped and took in the vision you were, all soft curves and tan lines and freckles. Coconut sunscreen and cherry red lips. He leaned forward and ran his hands up your calves, hooking his palms behind your knees, and pulled you to the edge of the bed as he knelt down. Steve couldn’t take his eyes away from yours even as his hands moved to spread your legs apart, thumbs pressing into your thighs.

His fingers swept inward, slipping against the slick between your legs and you saw his eyes flutter closed for a second as he touched you, felt you, jaw clenching as he groaned, “So wet baby, is that for me?”

“Mhmm,” your mumbled yes was tangled up with another moan as he slipped first one finger then two inside of you, his thumb taking up a slow, languid pace as it traced circles over your clit. Steve was so good to you. Took care of you. You came first, always.

He easily found a rhythm as his fingers slipped in and out, in and out, in and out. It was wrecking you and as he picked up the pace your whimpers grew to moans despite biting down on your bottom lip. “You’re so good, baby,” he pressed kisses to your inner thigh, “Want you to come for me.”

Your heart was fluttering in your chest, like a hummingbird caught in your ribcage, frantic and seeking release. One hand still tangled in his hair, the other desperately clinging onto a fistful of sheets as you felt yourself racing closer to the edge. He made you feel so good, his fingers were so good, but he was too far away. You wanted him on you, crushing into you, fucking you.

“Steve,” breathless you begged, “Need you.” And he slowed, knowing exactly what you wanted. What you needed.

“Yeah, okay baby,” he reassured you, climbing over the top of you as he fumbled in his nightstand drawer and grabbed a condom, tearing the foil between his teeth and thumb. Kneeling with a leg on either side of your hips he slid it over his length, pumping his hand up and down a few times before fitting himself between your legs. You were so wet, sweet like honey, and his heart was pounding in his chest when he looked up into your eyes.

He slowly eased himself into you, feeling how tight you were on him, and he let out a groan. “Jesus Christ,” his eyes squeezed shut as he bottomed out, you felt so fucking good, but he quickly opened them again to look down at you. “Okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” you felt your body slowly relax as you adjusted to the way he filled you, letting out a sigh, the most perfect melody to his ears, “M’okay.”

ALifting a hand to gently brush your hair away from your dewy forehead he took you in. “So pretty,” he whispered, "So damn beautiful." And then started rocking into you, your hips rising to meet him with each thrust. Slow at first, his forehead falling down to meet yours, one hand holding him over you as the other tangled your fingers with his.

“Oh shit,” Steve hissed as he picked up the pace, both of you panting with the effort as you pushed each other closer and closer to your breaking point. You looked up at him as he fucked into you, his pretty lips parted as he sucked in breaths, moving faster and faster chasing his high.

Letting your hand go he moved his fingers back down to your clit and moved them in slick, heavy circles and the moan you loosed then almost shattered him. “Oh–oh god, Steve, I’m gon-gonna come,” you were gasping for air, as the movements of his fingers grew messy and faster, wanting you to find release before he did, your name leaving his lips over and over like a prayer. And then something in you snapped and your hips bucked heavy against his, your hand flying up to hold onto his bicep like a lifeline as each wave of your climax washed over you.

“Fuck, me too, so close,” Steve’s face almost looked pained as his movements grew hurried and uneven, and then finally his rhythm broke too and his lips parted as his breath hitched in his throat. He finished fast as you clenched around him, guiding him up and over the edge and slowly he rocked his hips to a stand still, both of you messy and sweaty and wrecked.

Letting his head fall forward Steve buried his face in you, pressing light kisses to your collarbone, the crook of your neck, your cheek. He smirked, exhaustion creeping over both of you, and brought his lips to yours, “It’s that damn bikini.”

Laughing you slowly moved to cup his face in your hands and shook your head. “Mental note to wear it more often,” your own little grin tugged up at the corners of you lips as you pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Steve laughed, but it was cut short as he eased out of you and collapsed onto the bed next to you, the fan on the ceiling pushing the warm, thick, summer air around his room. Resting your head on his chest as he settled, you listened to his heartbeat thud, thud, thud against your ear, your breathing slowly evening out along with his.

He ran his fingers through your hair idly, humming low and content, and kissed the top of your head. “So–” he started, voice tired and gravely, but happy, “I…I wanted to tell you that…uh, what I mean is…shit.”

“What is it?” propping yourself up against his chest you looked at him, concern knitting your brow together.

He caught the worry in your eyes and quickly shook his head, his hand finding yours and turning it over to press a kiss to your palm. “No, no nothing bad!” he reassured you quickly, his cheeks flushing pink. “I just,” he sighed, an uncharacteristically nervous laugh escaping him, “I just wanted to tell you I love yo–”

“Steve!”

“It wasn’t my fault–”

“Mike told me to–”

“I did not!”

Voices carried up through the open window cutting Steve off and he jammed his tongue into his cheek. Someone was gonna get it.

“Oh my god, are you kidding me?” irritation gave Steve a second wind and he crossed the room so fast you couldn’t help laughing as you watched his bare ass stop at the window sill. “I’m a little busy here!” he yelled down at the boys, but then you saw his expression change. “Wait, who the hell got pizza in the pool??”

Quiet. Then a barrage of voices.

“Dustin was hungry–”

“I told him it wasn’t allowed, Steve–”

“You know how he is!”

“They’re all lying, Steve!”

Putting both hands over his face he groaned, loud and exaggerated, before letting them drop to his sides. He thought for a moment, then decided he didn’t care and threw his hands up in defeat.

“You know what? You figure it out,” he shouted back down at them and then pulled the sheer curtains shut before coming back to bed.

Laughing he tossed the sheet over both of you, pulling you in close, smiling against your skin, his hands holding you soft and gentle and then he finally whispered against your ear what it was he was trying to tell you all that time.

I love you.

crappymixtape™ • steve harrington masterlist // stranger things masterlist

#steve harrington smut #smut #is it hot in here or is it just steve #brb melting #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #steve harrington #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x fem #steve stranger things #steve x you #steve x reader

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anonymousewrites · 1 month

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Burden of Truth (Book 1) Prologue

Father Figure! Marc Spector x Teen! Reader

Father Figure! Steven Grant x Teen! Reader

Mother Figure! Layla El-Faouly x Teen! Reader

Prologue: On the Precipice

Summary: In 2018, (Y/N) discovers grief as people turn to dust and the world turns to chaos.

Mouse Note: Welcome to Burden of Truth! Kind of a rough beginning, but, hey, how else do you become an Avatar to a god? Anyways, housekeeping: This is a platonic fic, so anyone who suggests anything inappropriate between an adult and minor will be blocked and deleted. That's pretty much it, but I wanted to make it clear. As for the actual fic, there aren't any warnings other than the violence that Marvel shows. I'm really excited to share this series! Please feel free to comment since I'm always up to answering questions and replying to comments. Plus it makes me keep writing. Without further ado, though, please enjoy!

2018…

(Y/N) gasped for breath, but their lungs refused to bring in the air they needed. Every limb ached, and their heart beat against their chest. It stuttered, refusing to work correctly. The edges of (Y/N)’s visions blurred to black.

Everything had gone wrong. They had thought this summer would be a beautiful one, traveling with their parents. Egypt was lovely, and (Y/N) liked to listen to their parents—anthropology and history professors—tell them about the rich history and culture of the country.

Plus, they were far away from New York where strange aliens had recently attacked and fought Iron Man and a strange wizard. They were safe with their family and free to enjoy themself.

And then people turned to dust.

Screams echoed as loved ones disappeared before people’s very eyes. Cars crashed without drivers. Buses overturned and threw out people and sand. Cries went out as crashes sent metal through limbs—through torsos.

Through (Y/N)’s torso.

(Y/N) couldn’t even move to cover their chest as it bled. They didn’t try to. They knew they were dying. They didn’t want to (gods, please, no, I don’t want this I don’t want this) but they were.

And they couldn’t even reach out to hold their mom and dad’s hands. (Y/N) felt like a child again, but unlike nightmares, they couldn’t run to their parents’ arms to feel safe. Even if they could, the chill of death had already taken their parents’ warmth and comfort.

(Y/N) wished they’d all turned to dust. This was violent, painful, agonizing. Their parents had laid beside them in distress, calling out for help and rescue, dying. No one had come.

And now (Y/N) was alone—the world hadn’t even been kind enough to let them die before their parents.

This was just so wrong. Unfair. Unjust.

“It is unjust.” A calm voice spoke.

(Y/N) didn’t move. They couldn’t, and they were already dying. Their situation couldn’t get worse.

“I can feel your pain.”

This time, a woman, taller than humanely possible, appeared in their line of sight. She knelt among the dust and bodies of the bus and gazed at (Y/N).

She was Egyptian, dressed in a red gown, and wore an intricate necklace of gold and turquoise. Multicolored Sleeves swept out with her arms like wings. Silky black hair fell around her shoulders, and her eyes were lined in kohl. An ostrich feather stood in a circlet and swayed in the wind.

(Y/N)’s eyes landed on the feather, and something in their chest pulled towards it.

The woman tilted her head and watched them in assessment. “You sense the truth.”

“Who…” (Y/N)’s hoarse voice died.

“I am the goddess Ma’at.” The wind whipped around her as she spoke. “I am in search of a guardian. To uphold justice in the face of wrongdoing. To protect harmony from discord. To defend truth from falsehood.”

(Y/N) coughed, and Ma’at tilted her head.

“I can see the truth in your heart. You want justice for everyone who suffers like you,” said Ma’at. She leaned in. “Pledge yourself to me, pledge yourself to the truth, and I will give you the life to do so.”

(Y/N) looked into Ma’at’s eyes and summoned all their strength left.

“Yes.”

2023…

(Y/N) crouched on the roof and dropped onto the balcony below them. The house around them was quiet. The security guards were clueless to their approach, which was just fine. They didn’t want any attention.

(Y/N) opened the sliding door of the balcony and slipped into the display room. They glanced around themself in distaste. None of the artifacts in glass cases belonged to the owner of this house. He’d “acquired” them in the aftermath of the Blip left countries in disarray, just so like many others.

After the return of the Blipped, the problem of stolen artifacts had only gotten worse since the chaos had begun again, letting more people profit off the displaced people and their possessions.

(Y/N) had spent years repatriating the stolen relics from the aftermath of the Blip. This man, Mr. Medrano, was among the worst offenders. He lied about his findings as an “archaeologist” and stole what he needed for glory. And along the way, he removed any competition. A thief, a liar, and a killer. Medrano was a man who brought injustice of all kinds to the world.

And that was precisely what (Y/N) stood against—what Ma’at stood against.

(Y/N) stopped in front of a case of Egyptian artifacts. Their eyes scanned the contents for the relic they were supposed to bring back to Egypt (send back, really, by way of another person. (Y/N) was still just a teenager, so they couldn’t send it back themself without raising suspicions. Luckily, putting something in a hidden box and not showing their face did the trick).

(Y/N) frowned. The hieroglyphic tablet of Tethering wasn’t on the wall. It seemed they were later than expected, and Medrano had begun to work on translation.

Which means it’ll be in his office.

(Y/N) went to the door of the display room and peeked outside. No light, no movement. They moved into the hall and crept down towards the room at the other side of the house. Making sure their gloves were on—no sense leaving fingerprints—(Y/N) reached out and felt the door handle.

The door was unlocked.

Gently, (Y/N) opened it.

Shick!

(Y/N)’s eyes widened, and they took a step back. A man in a white, bandage-like suit stood above Medrano. He pulled two crescent-shaped blades from his chest, and Medrano’s body slumped to the ground. The man paused and looked towards the door, the moon sighting the crescent-illusion in his hood and the symbol on the forehead and chest.

“There wasn’t supposed to be anyone here,” said the man, but (Y/N) felt in their heart that he wasn’t speaking to them.

“Does it matter? Your job is to punish the wrongdoers in this mansion.”

(Y/N) blinked as they heard a voice echo from behind them. It was a god’s voice. Not Ma’at, no, but most definitely a deity.

“I won’t hurt a kid, Khonshu,” snapped the avatar, and his hood folded back.

(Y/N) turned around and found themself staring up (really up) at a half-man, half-bird skeleton in white wrappings. This was Khonshu.

“I’m not a wrongdoer,” said (Y/N) to Khonshu, holding up their hands. “I’m, uh, an Avatar.”

At that, Khonshu and man stopped.

“You can see him?” said the man, frowning warily.

“I’m the Avatar of Ma’at,” said (Y/N). They shifted. They weren’t used to saying that. “She’s the goddess of truth.” They could see the “truth” of the world more than others, and that included the gods that walked among them.

“That ostrich is interfering with my work,” said Khonshu, irritated.

“You are the one who is not supposed to interfere with human business,” said Ma’at’s calm voice, and (Y/N) glanced at the office’s large window to find her sitting on the sill.

Khonshu’s avatar looked at the window but saw nothing. “Is another god here?”

(Y/N) nodded sharply. This was a little too much. They were used to working by themself.

“You are doing the exact same thing,” said Khonshu.

“I am returning artifacts to our people,” said Ma’at. “I am not interfering in human life more than that.” She glanced at Medrano’s body. “Unlike some.”

Khonshu tsked. “I am delivering justice.”

“A type, yes,” said Ma’at.

“Ma’at,” said (Y/N) quietly. “I’m going to take the tablet..”

“Go ahead, (Y/N),” said Ma’at. “Khonshu will not harm you. You have done no wrong.”

“They interfered with my work,” said Khonshu.

“Irritating is not wrongdoing,” said Ma’at.

(Y/N) decided to leave before the gods continued to argue. It made them uncomfortable. Then again, a lot of interaction did. (Y/N) hadn’t really gotten to slow down and make friends after 2018, so they’d grown used to their own company (or Ma’at’s). Everything else was business, and anything more was out of their realm of understanding.

(Y/N) opened their bag and slipped the wrapped tablet carefully from the table inside. They looked decidedly away from Medrano’s body, glanced at Khonshu’s avatar, and left the room.

If that’s what Avatars and gods outside of themself and Ma’at were like, (Y/N) didn’t want to meet them.

2025…

“(Y/N).”

The now-seventeen-year-old raised their eyes from the book they were reading. “Yes, Ma’at?”

“I have an important job for you.”

(Y/N) frowned. Ma’at never described anything as “important.” Necessary? Yes. Important? No. Everything was equally pertinent to upholding justice and order to Ma’at.

“I need you to retrieve a scarab.”

“Who stole it?” asked (Y/N).

“You are.”

(Y/N) looked at Ma’at in surprise. “What?” Ma’at disliked any injustice or unlawful actions.

“You are stealing the scarab of Ammit,” said Ma’at.

Ammit.

Ammit ruled the scales in the Judgement of the Dead. Ma’at was the Feather of Truth against which human hearts were weighed. One had abandoned true justice; one continued to defend it.

And (Y/N) was stuck in the middle with the burden to protect the truth of it all.

Taglist:

@jaytheaceenby

@severussimp

@dmitrytherat

@slytherinroyalty16

@grippleback-galaxy

@alexpangender

@thewittyfanficreader

@aew-kun-age-regression

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cosmicstarlatte · 1 year

Text

Mexican Restaurant (Obey Me!)

━━━━━━━━━━ ✦ ━━━━━━━━━━

You and the brothers got hungry and end up at an authentic hole-in-the wall Mexican restaurant. They decide to put their spanish to the test.

»Characters: Demon Bros

»Tags: Bilingual (Spanish/English) Bulleted style fic, Gender Neutral, Pathetic Lucifer lmao

»Note: Sorry if the grammar/spelling is off. Ye ye, I'm Mexican but my spanish is okay at most. 💀

Lucifer:

"Es picante? Lo quiero ordenar." (It's spicy? I want to order it.)

Ordered first

He didn't want you to translate for him

He wanted to use his limited Spanish to impress you

Wouldn't stop smirking since he felt like he was quite impressive

Until Mammon took over

Bitterly ate his enchiladas

He didn't understand what guapo (handsome) meant but heard it frequently in his direction

His pride wouldn't let him ask you

Sulked for the rest of the night

You asked if he was okay

"Si."

Mammon:

" Y esto cuanto cuesta? QUE!? " (And this is how much? WHAT!?)

Yeah he picked up *some* Spanish due to possible illegal activities

Took advantage of the free chips and salsa

Ordered steak fajitas

Sung and danced with the band

Yeah he was kind of drunk

Wore the title of "El Mamon" proudly without knowing it can be translated to "Idiot" in Spanish

"No te preocupes, yo te cuido" (Dont worry I'll take care of you)

Got his and your meals taken care of by the end of the night

The people hope to see El Mamon [affectionate] again, he's always welcome

Levi:

"Hola! Mi nombre es Leviathan!" (Hello! My name is Leviathan!)

Wanted to impress you so he refused to have you help him

Just pointed at something at the menu

"Por favor!" (Please!)

"El especial es muy picante...seguro que lo quieres? '...si!?' " (The special is very spicy...are you sure you want it? ...yes!?)

Was confused when they brought a crowd with his food

Held back his tears while he ate El Diablo Fuerte burrito challenge

"Mm..so...good..."

Passed out after saying that

For once, Levi's embarrassing scene made Lucifer feel better

Satan:

"Si, tamales por favor." (Yes, tamales please.)

Also a little fluent but not like Mammon

Practiced his Spanish with you, it was pretty cute tbh

Could practically eat from Lucifer's bitter energy alone

Learned to flirt with you in spanish

Took a chance and danced with you

Smirked at Lucifer while dancing

Asmo:

"Hola!" (Hello!)

Only the most basic of Spanish words

Wasn't shy to admit he needed help with the menu so you sat very close and translated

Worked extremely well in his favor

Levi shot daggers at him while Lucifer continued sulking

Ordered a carne asada quesadilla platter

Posted an unconscious Levi on DevilSnap

Him and Mammon made the place livelier than usual

Ended up dancing and flirting with the server

Got his entire meal for free

Beel:

"Dame todo. 'Que?' Todo." (Give me everything. 'What?' Everything.)

Ron Swanson™️ energy

It's the only Spanish he ever needs when ordering so he gets by every time

Happily shared a little bit of everything with you

Upset that Belphie got in the way of spoon feeding you some churro ice cream

Finished Levi's burrito with ease

Asked the server for seconds

His bill paid for the restaurants rent for the month

Got a little jealous of everyone dancing with you

Yes he made his move and got his chance

Was the one to carry Levi back to the hotel

Belphie:

"Ayudame?" (Help me?)

Can actually navigate the menu on his own

He's use to it because of Beel

Wanted the same experience you gave Asmo

Which he got (much to Lucifers dismay)

But he ordered himself when the server came

"Horchata y birria tacos por favor." (Horchata and birria tacos please.)

Horchatas his favorite drink. I will die on this hill

You asked "Belphie do you actually know some spanish?"

" I just said I needed help. I never said I didn't know."

Was the one to tell Mammon to call himself El Mamon

Lucifer and Levi lost this one. 😔 What adventure will we go on next? 🤭

⬦You might also like: Coconut︱Devil-Mart⭐︱Waffle House︱You ARE The Father

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me shitpost #obey me headcanons #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me reader insert #obey me gn!mc #obey me gn!reader #obey me humor #crossposted on ao3 #◇˖・ﾟ— › cosmic obey me . ⊹#shitpostcifer

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miniwheat77 · 1 year

Text

Tough. (Captain Price x Reader.)

!CW! NSFW, angst, violence, reader gets tortured, forgive me for leaving you on a cliffhanger :)))

(Summary): 141 takes a liking to you after seeing what a badass you are.

The first time you ever met Captain Price, Laswell was introducing you to him.

You were beyond shy and stuttered a little when you talked and he decided you weren’t quite fit for the team he was searching to build.

Sure, it bothered you a little bit but that wasn’t anything you weren’t used to. You were used to getting people picked over you, there wasn’t much you could do about it.

But when she recommended you for the task force after he'd convinced her to allow him to, and he reluctantly gave in, he had no idea what was in store. He was under the impression you were some shy sweet girl that would cave under pressure, but he was soon going to find out just what you were about.

When you joined, you adjusted pretty well. You were quiet and Price kept you as a back up for the most park but during the mission of locating El Sin Nombre, they needed all hands on deck. You were trying to sneak through the house to keep eyes on Soap. You couldn’t blend in as well as Alejandro because you were a woman, and there weren’t many women around here. Only Valeria as far as you could tell.

You were caught by a man and had been beaten pretty badly and tied to a chair. In an upper level room. Your radio was dark for about twenty minutes, the longest 20 minutes Captain Price had lived through. They picked up your radio, taunting Captain Price. “Got your sweet girl ay.” Price shakes his head when there’s a voice across the radio.

“Price, they’ve got Y/N- hijo de puta-“ Price hears Alejandro groan. “She couldn’t hide as well because she’s a woman.” He says.

“She’s not very cooperative.” He hears a loud crack followed by a scream from you. Flinching as he heard it. You weren’t who he would prefer to get captured. You were so shy and seemed so scared. He was worried you would cave and tell these people more information than they needed to know.

“I got this pretty girl here ah? Would be shame if I were to cut her up. Anyone on the other line?” Price stays quiet. “I know there's someone on the other line. Or she wouldn't have the radio. Talk!” He hears a scream come from you and he jumps slightly. Price can’t see it, but the man wraps a wire around the radio, holding the button down before setting it on a table besides you. “You can do all you want. But I’m not telling you a goddamn thing.” You growl. Hearing this takes Captain Price completely off guard. He hasn’t heard you speak like that. “Shut the fuck up.” He growls. Followed by a slap he hears through the radio. “You don’t wanna talk little girl?” He laughs. “You’re a bad girl, and you don’t wanna know what I do to and girls ah?” He pushes his hand up your thigh. He can hear you hiss through the radio. “You dug your fucking grave.” You laugh, spitting blood in his face, “now die in it.”

Another slap. Followed by a few more. Than, he draws a knife.

Captain Price lines up his shot through a window, finally crawling around enough to get a good shot. He’s watching the man slice at your arms with a knife, flinching every time he did so. He could still hear you taunting him each time he pressed at you. "Tell me what you know." He says, lining the knife up with your wrist. Price sees you lean forward, smiling an evil smile. "Fuck. You." But you wouldn’t budge. You flinched each time he made a cut on you, but you wouldn't cave. “You’ve got one more chance little girl. Tell me what you know.” Price watches the smile form on your face. He presses the knife to your throat, and you his ass he starts to cut through your skin. “How does it make you feel ah?” He hears your voice. Everyone could hear what was going on from the radio. “What? How does what feel?” You spit blood from your mouth, teeth turning pink with blood. An evil smile playing at your lips. “How does it feel to know my pretty face is gonna be the last thing you ever see?” You smirk up at him, looking up through your eyelashes at him. Captain Price can't help but feel attraction for you. You were a complete badass. The man looks confused, his face dropping, but he’d realized too late. When Price takes the shot, it’s quick and the man falls to the floor immediately. He sees you hold your head back, laughing. Your nose was steadily bleeding. He sees you grit your teeth, yanking on the zip tie and freeing your hands. You rush to pick the radio up and hide before anyone else comes in. He smiles to himself. “Nice shot, Captain.” He hears your low voice through the radio.

“Just keep out of sight for now, sweetheart.” He mumbles.

———

When the operation is finished and Graves turned, everyone met back at Alejandro’s safe house. Price hadn’t heard from you. He wondered if you were hurt or dead somewhere. But you were sitting at a table, spinning a knife around in your hand. “Y/N.” He smiles. “Captain.” You’ve got dried blood on your face from where your nose had bled. Around your mouth. Mainly on your wrists were deep gashes, but you'd bandaged them up for the most part. The one on your neck was bandaged as well. It most likely needed medical attention.

“You made it out okay, was worried about you.” He pats your back. “Ah. I’m alright. They can’t kill me that easy. I had Ghosts help anyways.” You nod to ghost, “how bad did he hurt you ah?” He pinches your chin between his thumb and the top of his index finger tilting your head to the side. “Just some cuts and bruises.” Price notices a couple of your fingernails are missing. “Jesus. When did he have time to tear your fingernails off?" He asks, grasping your hand. “That 20 minutes I was dark. But it’s alright, I’ve been through worse.” You smile, “I don’t know what this new personality of yours is, but I like it.”

“It’s the one that blocks out trauma. The best one I got.” You salute with 2 of your fingers as he goes to walk away. He’s laughing, deep down wondering how you could endure all of that. He really thought you’d be the first to cave. But he guesses he was mistaken about you.

———

After Commander Graves had been killed, each of you had returned to a base to stay there. Looking for more information. Trying to find anything you could get your hands on.

You’d healed up a little bit but the wounds were still fresh. Price called a meeting and everyone was sitting around the large dark oak table. Price smiles at you. “Man that guy really did a number on ya Sergeant.” You shrug your shoulders. Your lips were split in a few different places, blackened eye. Gashes on your wirsts and missing fingernails. Couple bruised ribs that had you wheezing even, but you were still going strong. “Did anyone else miss this side of Y/N where she’s a complete badass and not some shy little cupcake, or was that just me?” Soap nudges you. “Nah we all missed it. And to think, Price passed you up on the first operation. We coulda used her help Cap. We got our asses beat.” Gaz smirks, Price rolls his eyes. “Not my fault she’s more resilient than you, Garrick.” Price is slick with a reply and everyone collectively lets out an “oooooh.”

“Guys guys.. it’s alright. You can just admit that you needed me. It’s totally fine that I'm the most valuable member of the team.” You smirk. “Oh come on now.” Soap says, nudging you. The rest roll their eyes. After Price explains the next mission, searching for Makarov. How long the task force would be staying in this military base until any information was found at all. Keeping this base secure.

Price was sitting at a table in the lunch room, glass of Whisky sitting in front of him, cigar at his lips. “Dude. Have you guys seen Y/N without her gear on?” Gaz says, walking into the room. Soap and Ghost look up, he grasps the attention of a few other men. “No, why?” Gaz motions to the hallway, quickly sitting across from Soap and Ghost. All eyes are on the doorway as you walk in, oblivious. You stop in your tracks as you realize all eyes are on you. “Uh.. is something wrong?” You ask. After a moment of silence, Gaz breaks it. “Oh no just.. on edge since the mission you know.” Gaz says nervously, turning back to the table. Sending a wink to Soap. Everyone goes back to what they’re doing. Price chuckles to himself. You’ve got on a fairly tight black v-neck. Your wounds had healed into small scars. You had your shirt tucked into your cargo pants, boots tight around your ankles. You grasp a bottle of water before walking back out of the room. “See what I mean?” Gaz laughs, “yeah she’s.. damn. Her body is nice as hell.” Soap smiles.

For the next couple days, it’s all Price hears about. How hot you were. He thought maybe they were just touch starved but that wasn’t it, even he couldn’t deny it. You were an attractive woman and even he lost a little bit of sleep over it, thinking about you.

One final meeting after Price had spoken to Laswell, and an entire plan was in place.

You looked down at the ground, thousands of feet in the air but actively descending. When the Chopper finally hits the ground, everyone jumps out. “Alright. He’s middle eastern, dark hair, darker complexion. Goes by Dmitri Kstuv. Do NOT kill him, we need him.” Price orders. Everyone nods their head. “Y/N.” He tilts his head to the side and you follow him. Everyone splitting off and going their own directions. You and Price were dressed in Ghillie suits, you’d be covering Ghost, he’d be covering Soap as they made their way through the compound. It was in the dead of night, that's how you were going to get away with it. The chopper dropped all of you off a few miles away which meant you’d have to walk pretty far, but you couldn’t get caught. Ghost and Soap moved in quickly but stealthily and you and Price walked together quietly, until you’d found the perfect area to set up. Once you're both in place, lying down on the ground next to each other in a very hidden spot, even in the night.

"Heading into the building now."

"Southeast doors, two of them. I got right, you take left." He breathes. You line up your shot, taking him out, Price firing immediately after you. Both of them fall down, and you line up, looking for more. Each of you take out the men, watching over Soap and Ghost.

"We no longer have eyes boys. Outside is clear, you're on your own for the inside." Price says into the radio. He lifts himself up, leaning up against a rock he had perched next to. "You know, you're all I hear about." Price smirks. You can't see it too well because it's dark but you can hear it in his voice that he's smiling. "What? In a good way I hope." You laugh quietly. "You've got most of the men around here in a death grip for some reason." He laughs. "All they talk about is how attractive you are." You scoff. "What the hell?" You laugh. "Yeah. You should hear the banter between them when you aren't around." You laugh. "That.. somehow does not make me feel very good." You laugh. "I don't let them say anything too bad sweetheart. Just figured I'd give you some ammo against them." He laughs. "Well. I appreciate it." You smile. "You got your eyes on anyone here?"

"Uh... not exactly supposed to have relations in the military." You blush. Price rolls his eyes. "Yeah right, everyone does. Who is it? I can tell you're thinking of someone."

"That's classified sir." you laugh. "I'll find out. One way other another, I know absolutely everything.” He shrugs. "Yeah well. I'm gonna test your patience because I'm the most secretive person you'll ever meet. Besides, you’re getting into the drama a lot for being a captain.” You smirk. He laughs. "Oh Cmon. I gotta have fun sometimes right? You don't interact with any of them very well. The only person you even seem to talk to is..." he takes a long pause. "Me." He starts laughing at your silence, your inability to answer him because there's no way you could deny it after being confronted with it. "Shit.. it's me isn't it?" He smiles. "Ah.. they'd be so disappointed if they ever found that out." He smirks. "Yeah whatever." You laugh. "Sweetheart you aren't even denying it." You roll you eyes. "Yeah, like I don't see the glances and shit you all take at me, I see that shit." You smile. He tips his head back with a laugh. "Yeah? Can you blame me? I mean... on the outside. You're this sweet little innocent looking girl who could sweettalk her way out of a gunfight. On the inside you're some badass who can take a beating like I've never seen and still smile in the end. Not only that but.. goddamn you are sexy." He smiles. "Are you sure this is a conversation I'm supposed to be having with my Captain?" You blush, trying to hide your embarrassment. "Probably not, but no one else is here to hear it, so really." He takes a drag off of the Cigar he had lit at some point. "It's like it never really even happened." He smirks.

---

For a couple weeks, the tension with him was insane. Anytime he passed you in the barracks, he was sending you smirks and winks. You always just rolled your eyes and shook your head as he did it. There was even once you and him were the final 2 in the conference room after a meeting and he was sitting next to you. He stood up and said. "M'gonna move over here, can't trust myself to keep my hands off of you."

You were so nervous but the way he made you feel on the inside was something so foreign. You couldn't help but love the way it made you feel.

You're relaxing, head tipped back to wash the soap from your hair, eyes shut. You're the only woman currently on base, so you had the women's showers to yourself. You loved that. But, you didn't love it now, hearing creaking, like someone had opened the door.

You frown, moving away from the stream. Cold air nipping at your skin. "Hello?" You ask. Getting no answer. You peek from the shower down the hallway and see nothing. Chalking it up to your imagination. You shut the shower off, spinning to grab your towel but noticing it was gone. You frown. "Looking for this?" your heart nearly jumps out of your skin, you whirl around. Captain Price is standing in the doorway of the shower you're in. You scramble to cover yourself. Noticing he's got no shirt on. Bare feet, no hat. The only thing he had on were his cream colored cargo pants and his belt. "What the hell, Captain." You shiver at the cold. "Thought I'd come pay my pretty girl a visit ah?" He passes you your towel and you take it, quickly wrapping it around yourself. He takes a step toward you, and you take one back. He sees the way he intimidates you, and it only fuels his fantasies further. He keeps stepping toward you until your back is flush against the cold white tile wall. "Do you want me to get out?" He rests his forearm above your head, leaning into you. Head tilted down to look into your eyes. You take a second to reply, looking down at his bare chest. Running your tongue along your bottom lip. "No." you look through your eyelashes up at him. "Still worried though, got your towel on." He smiles, crossing his arms. You grasp the top of it, pulling it loose and letting it fall by your feet. He smiles, leaning into you further.

"That's a good girl."

#call of duty mw2 #soap mw2 #cod mw2 #ghost mw2 #captain john price #price mw2 #alejandro mw2 #captain price #johnny soap mactavish #mw2 smut

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artiststarme · 1 year

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Sneaky, Like a Ninja

Kind of a part 2 to this post based on a comment from @doubleb11. I hope you guys like it and please leave your thoughts in the comments!

Now with a third and final part!

~*~*~*~

Living with Hopper, Joyce, and the kids while he recovered was great. Steve woke up every morning to breakfast before work, even if it was usually a disgustingly sweet Triple-Decker Eggo Extravaganza. He and the kids were bonding and the stilted conversations with Jonathan had lost their awkwardness. Even Joyce was starting to come around to Steve and was involving him in conversations instead of speaking around him. Things were good.

What Steve didn’t appreciate was his midnight curfew or the rule that the door had to stay open three inches when all he wanted to do was make out with his boyfriend. He didn’t want Hopper glaring into his borrowed bedroom while he tried to “talk” with Eddie. I mean, anything more than a cautious peck was enough for Hopper to barge in with threats.

These rules were grating on Steve’s nerves. For most of his childhood and all of his teenage years, Steve has been on his own. He made his own rules and could do almost whatever he wanted without repercussions since his parents were always out of town. So, living with other people and being expected to follow arbitrary rules fitted to a ten year old girl was significantly impacting his sense of independence.

What choice did he have other than sneaking out? His head was fine, the mild concussion symptoms had long since dissipated but Hopper was unwilling to concede and if Steve didn’t have a fulfilling make out session with Eddie at least every other day, he was going to die. Luckily for Steve, he was somewhat of a ninja.

So on a night that Hopper and Joyce both went to sleep early and Jonathan was out of the house working late, Steve snuck out. Honestly, it was easier than he had anticipated. He wiggled through the bedroom window, flopped ungracefully onto the hard earth while making sure not to hit his head, and waited a moment. When none of the house lights turned on and everyone remained silent in sleep, Steve grabbed Will’s bike and took off towards the trailer park. The ride was smooth and there was no one out at that time of night, it made the ride peaceful in a way that Steve hadn’t before considered. When he got to the Munson trailer, Eddie pulled him to his bedroom for cuddles and kisses. It had been far too long for both of them despite it being only a little over a week. Steve bragged to Eddie about how he was ‘sneaky, like a ninja’ and he kissed him to his heart’s content. He could get used to this.

Early the next morning, Eddie drove him back to the Byers’ and dropped him off a few houses down. He did not want Hopper to see him dropping off his son so early, thank you very much.

Steve gave him a kiss goodbye and carefully snuck back into the house. He was quietly closing the window behind him when he heard a throat clear.

Steve jumped and turned around to face an unimpressed Jonathan. “Dude, what the hell! You should be asleep right now!”

Jonathan’s look only got blanker, “so should you. Where were you?”

“I was with Eddie, so what?” Steve did not want to talk about his sexual escapades to his pseudo step-brother/ex-girlfriend’s ex.

“Steve, what would’ve happened if Hop had noticed you missing?”

“He wouldn’t have, okay. I’m sneaky! It’s fine, he's not going to find out,” Steve assured him.

“Alright, if you’re sure, just be careful,” Jonathan warned before clapping his shoulder and walking away.

It was fine, Steve was practically a ninja with how sneaky he could be. No one else would find out.

His attempts to sneak out were successful the next several times. He would just use the bedroom window and off he went. However, on this particular night, when he crawled back into his room after spending a few hours with Eddie, Will and El were standing in front of the bed waiting for him like the twins from The Shining.

“Son of a bitch!” Steve exclaimed and jerked back into the wall in surprise. He hadn’t expected the kids to notice his absence considering both of them were supposed to be asleep. “What the hell are you doing in here?”

“We were looking for you. What are you doing?” Will asked him. Steve didn’t know how to break it to him that he was sneaking out to make out with his beloved dungeon master so he stayed quiet.

“Steve, are you okay? Should I get my dad?” El asked him, she seemed genuinely worried about him which made his heart hurt.

“No! Do not get Hopper! Look guys, I was just going out to get some air. Everything is fine.”

“Why did you not use the door? Why the window?” El asked.

“Were you sneaking out?” Will asked him.

“Okay, you need to tone down the accusations, kid. I was not sneaking out. Why would I even do that?” Steve asked him.

“To see Eddie?” Will’s eyebrows raised for emphasis and Steve just stared at him.

“Oh,” El nodded sagely. “You do not like the three inch rule. I did not either.”

“Wow! Hey,” Steve exclaimed, waving his hands. “You’re a kid, you shouldn’t be doing anything behind closed doors. Me though? I’m an adult. Also, it’s none of your business! Go to bed, weirdos!”

They each narrowed their eyes at him in tandem which kind of creeped him out but they filed out of the room regardless. Jesus Christ, Steve couldn’t wait to get back home to the empty house and parents that didn’t care what he was doing.

When he tried to sneak out again the next night, he ran into a snag. Apparently, Will and El did not appreciate his methods of escape via bedroom window and had glued it shut. No amount of gently frantic jimmying could force it open. Son of a bitch!

The next few days Steve tried increasingly creative ways of sneakily escaping the house. He jumped through Will’s window one day, he left the back door propped open slightly to avoid the creaking sound later, he even constructed a fake body out of pillows and stayed out all night!

When it was finally time to return home after Hopper kidnapped him, he could only breathe a sigh of relief. The Hopper-Byers were a caring bunch but the stress was starting to build up. Hopper gave him a ride back to his house and stopped him just as he was about to walk away from the cruiser.

“Hey kid?”

“Yeah,” Steve looked back at him in askance. He better not try to talk him into going back because he already had a movie night with Eddie and Robin planned at his place.

“Next time, go through the front door. It doesn’t creak like the one in the back or stick like that bedroom window. Alright?” Hopper’s voice was void of emotion but his eyes looked amused.

“You knew?!” Steve screamed.

“Of course I knew, I’m the chief of police. You think anything happens around here that I’m not aware of?” The teasing tone dropped from his voice but he continued. “Tell Munson that he better stop defiling my son or we’re going to have words. Capiche?”

“Jesus Christ, Hop,” he muttered. His voice was kind of strangled and he cleared his throat as he started walking away. “I got it! Go be the chief of police and stop embarrassing me. Bye dad!”

He shut the door behind him and leaned his head against it. So much for being sneaky like a ninja.

Permanent Tag List: @doubleb11 @nburkhardt @zerokrox-blog @newtstabber @i-less-than-three-you @carlyv @pyrohonk @straight4joekeery @trippypancakes @conversesweetheart @estrellami-1 @suddenlyinlove @yikes-a-bee @swimmingbirdrunningrock @perseus-notjackson @anaibis @merricatty @maya-custodios-dionach @grtwdsmwhr @manda-panda-monium @lumoschild @goodolefashionedloverboi @mentallyundone @awkwardgravity1 @anzelsilver @ghosttotheparty @jestyzesty @gregre369 @mysticcrownshipper

#Hopper almost starts crying when he calls him dad #He still threatens Eddie the next time he sees him for letting Steve sneak out #Whenever Steve spends the night at the Hopper-Byers he has to abide by the three inch rule #stranger things #steddie #fanfic #steve harrington #eddie munson #chief hopper #eleven hopper #will byers #joyce byers #jonathan byers

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supercorpkid · 2 months

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Powergirl Should Die

Supergirl. Powergirl. B!D. Kara Danvers x BabyDanvers!Reader, Alex Danvers x BabyDanvers!Reader, Lena Luthor, Winn Schott.

Word Count: 2550.

Porwergirl should die. Someone should kill her.

The suit is skin tight, it clings so forcefully onto you as if it's trying to become part of you. But this other skin, just simply doesn’t fit right over your bones.

There is a huge House of El crest over your chest, in its golden glory. It weighs down on your skin, heavy and sacred. It should help you feel at ease. It doesn’t. It feels like it’s burning your skin like a branding iron.

Kryptonian?

Yes.

Super powers?

Yes.

You’re a superhero. Next, please!

Kara stands tall next to you, hand on your shoulder. “Would you look at that,” your sister smiles brightly at you. “Mother and father would be so proud of you, mini me.”

Kara has called you that your whole life, but you never felt so little as you do right now. You've also never felt so much like Kara. Crumpled up inside this supersuit to fit someone else’s dream. You don’t think your parents would be very proud of you now.

“Kara, this feels odd.” You try to lift the suit from your skin, that is so snuggled up it barely leaves you room to breathe. “I-I look like you.”

“I know!” She proudly squeaks. “I asked Winn to only change the colors. How do you feel about the white, red and blue?”

“Like a walking American flag.” You wince at the thought. You like the white, it’s a little more sober than the blue in Kara's suit, it also reminds you of the vest you used to wear back in Krypton. The red cape feels like they've ripped a piece of Kara’s and placed it on your back. The high blue boots are uncomfortable and the matching gloves are just plain stupid.

“You certainly don’t look like one.” Alex chimes in from behind you, and you turn around, sick of the sight of you in the mirror. “Honestly sis, I like this suit. I think it might be even better than Kara’s.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, mine has history.”

“Yours is a copy of Superman’s.”

“That’s what I mean, history.”

You watch your sister’s bickering with faint attention because they both would never say how ridiculous you look with this dull, hideous, comical outfit.

But it didn’t matter how foolish you looked, or how stupid you felt. There was no way out of this. Kara said you looked perfect and Alex agreed. J’onn, who’s been the closest thing to a father to you on this planet, gave you a stiff smile when asked what he thought. He could read your mind, remember? That’s what he thought about it. And Winn was just over the moon with his creation. No way out. From that day on, you’re Powergirl.

It hasn’t been long since you started being Powergirl. You’re still not the most prominent face of the Supers, thank God for that. You do the easy jobs while Kara takes on the real bad guys. You follow her lead. Obey to what Alex tells you to do over the comm that is permanently stuck in your ear. As if you couldn’t hear her from miles and miles away.

But with every passing day, it becomes even more obvious to you that you were really not cut out for this superhero life. Not good at it. Not happy with it. Not fit for it.

The very opposite of Kara, actually. Because Kara fits everywhere and with everyone. She fits perfectly in her suit, with her alias. Perfectly at her job at CatCo, as a news reporter. And ever since she landed on Earth she created her perfect family, story, life on this planet.

You, on the other hand, wish everyday you were still at Krypton. You are well aware that if you stayed behind, that if your parents hadn't made Kara snuggle your smaller form against her own body on that pod, you would have exploded. You wouldn't be alive today. And you wish people knew you don't want to be dead, you just wish your planet hadn't exploded in the first place.

Sure Kara feels the same. Yet she makes a name for herself and gives back to this planet that took you both in so willingly, that gave you both powers because of its sun. Kara is just different.

"Mother would want us to use our powers for good." She would whisper to you in the dark, whenever the Danvers would tell you to not use your powers. Whenever they asked you to fit in completely. "Father spent so much time trying to stop our planet from deteriorating, don't you think that if he had powers he would use them to make that happen?"

She would ask you questions that didn't feel like questions. That required no answers at all. Kara would tell you what she knew about them, use them as arguments to explain to you (convince even) why you had to become a superhero too.

And you would lay there in the dark, after your sister was asleep, looking at the long dead stars, and wondering whether she was right. Whether that was your parents' plans all along or just a sad coincidence.

"Powergirl." You hear Kara's voice early in the morning while you're still trying to brew yourself a cup of coffee. "I need you for a second."

"It's too early in the morning and I have to get ready for work." You press on your comm to answer. "Can't you deal with it alone?"

"Hm, no. I need you to come here now."

You let out a huge sigh, trying to ease your own mind. Coffee will wait, you guess. You're out of your pj's, into your suit, and out of the house in a blur. You stop next to Kara while she stares at a billboard.

"What?" You can't help the harshness of your tone as you see no emergency around her.

Kara says nothing. Only points at the billboard and you finally take note of it. Written in large red colors, the sentence: Powergirl should die.

Huh.

"It seems that you have an enemy." Kara says when time enough has passed for you to read the sentence over a few times. "Don't worry, we'll catch them."

Cute. It's your first thought. It's almost like someone wrote you a love letter, au contraire.

Kara makes an effort to tear it all down, destroy the billboard before anyone sees it. You don't help her, stuck inside your own mind, replaying the words in your head.

"No need to worry." She assures you, hand on your shoulder to get you out of your trance. "No one will do you any harm, mini me. I'd never let anyone hurt you."

"Thanks, Kar." You look at your watch on your wrist. "Work calls." And so you fly home.

You try to lodge that sentence in the back of your mind. You don't wanna seem stressed out, even though you are. But showing how actually worried you are about it, and with the fact that someone is coming for you, it's inconceivable.

Kara would worry. Alex would stress. Ooof, you can see it all playing out. Sleepovers and excuses for you to miss work and hang at the DEO headquarters so they can keep an eye on you, until you're feeling suffocated.

No, no. You can't go through that. It's been a while since you and your sisters shared a bedroom. You don't think you three can do that again now that you're grown ups.

It happens again. You don't see it, but you hear the agents commenting about it, a couple days later. They get muted the second you fly in the DEO, which is not only annoying but foolish. You do have super hearing after all.

"So, where was it this time?" You ask Alex, while she tries to avoid looking at you.

"Where's what?" She tries, and you furrow your brows.

"Winn, put it on the monitor." You ask coming closer. Winn looks at Alex as if asking for permission, but you don't give her time to deny him. "Come on, I heard the agents. I'm still Kryptonian even if I'm not a Super."

Winn huffs. "On the tallest building of National City." The photo goes up on the large TV in front of you, and you swallow deep.

Powergirl should die.

"Y/N," Alex talks in a low tone so the agents around can't hear her. "it's not personal."

"Looks personal." You cross your arms, turning your back at the TV. "Someone wanting me dead sounds like it's as personal as it can get."

"Supergirl is looking into it, I promise we'll catch whoever did this."

"Alex, please." You pass her on your way to the training room. "You know damn well my favorite thing about you is that you don't lie."

"You've lost too many punching bags." You hear a voice behind your back, and you breathe deep before turning around.

"Just training a little." You look at the number of destroyed bags by your feet and decide that it's true, there's too many, even though that's what they're here for.

"Alex told me about the message." Kara approaches you slowly, trying to test the territory. She can see your distress, but doesn't know the extent of it. And she won't, because you're definitely going to fake it.

"Yeah, tall building. They got the writing off quickly, though. So no major problems."

"Honey," Kara's voice is even sweeter now, if that's possible. "I'll catch them. I'll be patrolling tonight. No one's coming for you."

"I'm not worried." You smile at your lie, or half of lie for what it's worth. Knowing that Kara will be patrolling the city helps. You know your sister would never let anything bad happen to you. And it's very unlikely that anyone on this planet could easily defeat two Kryptonians.

Kara also smiles, and brings you into her arms for a hug. And you breathe out, calmer. Kara's arms have kept you safe from many perils. Spaceship lost in space, new planet, new school, new job. Surely she can keep you safe again.

You don't feel safe, though, when you wake up to a familiar voice far away. You rub the sleep from your eyes, well awake, paying close attention to a conversation you weren't invited to be a part of.

"Alex, I went around the city, there's no new wri-"

"Kara? What was that?"

There it was, in big red letters the sentence that has been haunting you for days. Powergirl should die. And under it new words' been added, someone should kill her.

"I found new writing." Kara's voice comes a second later. "It's worse this time."

"Take a picture so we can compare the handwriting and get back here."

"I have to clean this up." But before Kara even has the chance to, you're flying next to her in front of the L Corp building. "Y/N! What are you doing here?"

You move closer to the building to investigate. The ink is still wet, it wasn't done too long ago. You look around trying to find cameras. It's Lena's building, you're sure there are cameras everywhere. You spot one with a direct view.

"Mini me-" Kara tries.

"Go to work Supergirl, I'll deal with this. Someone wanting me dead is my problem." It's always been your problem, you are aware. But Kara promised you, you had nothing to worry about. Promised she would patrol the city. Promised she would protect you. And yet, here it is, in big block red letters.

"But-"

"I got it, Kara. Can you just believe in me?"

"Y/N, you know I do. I just wanna help."

"I don't need help." You clench your jaw, tired of being treated like a little girl. Like a mini Kara instead of your own person. "I'm Kryptonian too."

Cheap shot? Maybe. Definitely. You throw it, anyway.

You clean the writing then fly home to suit up. You can't face Lena without it. Another secret that only makes you hate your secret identity as hard. Lying to your friends, sneaking out, it's all stressing and there's literally no reward high enough worth of all this.

"Lena."

"Oh shit." Lena's hand goes to her chest after her obvious scare. You can hear her heart almost beating out of her chest. "It's too early for bad news, Powergirl."

"Trust me, I agree with that." You breathe out, trying to give her a smile. It comes out flat. "I was wondering if I could look into one of your surveillance cameras. There was some writing on this building this morning, I would very much like to know who's responsible."

"Writing? I - I didn't see anything when I came in."

"Good. I cleaned it as fast as possible." You point at her computer and she breathes deep as if she is agreeing with you.

It doesn't take long for the images to be up, and you two to be carefully reversing the filming until Lena sees you and Kara flying in front of it, and read the words herself. She looks up to you and quirks up an eyebrow, in question.

"Currently unsure if someone is threatening me or if this is just general knowledge being passed on."

"People don't want you dead, you're a superhero!" Lena argues. "Maybe Lex, but he's currently serving his time."

"Clearly not everyone agrees with you." You point back at the words on her computer.

"It's awful." She admits, even though she doesn't fully trust you or Kara yet. "Wait, wait. There."

You can't see a thing. One minute is there, the other isn't. You slow down the images, trying to see any detail. Lena soon takes over and slows down as much as she can. That's when you see it, just a tiny flash of red. You hold your breath. Thankfully, Lena hasn't noticed it.

"How's this possible? There's no one."

"Seems that I'll have to patrol the city myself tonight." You're almost leaving Lena's office when you turn around one more time. "Thank you for your help, Ms. Luthor."

"I was barely of any help at all." Lena points at the computer as proof and you give her a smile.

"Au contraire, darling. You showed me everything I needed to see." You wink at her, then fly out.

You march inside the DEO, positive on your plan. No one is talking you out of it, that's for sure.

Winn tries to argue that it is illogical for you to just give yourself to your enemy. He gets ignored. Alex argues that as a DEO agent she can't let you do this, and as your older sister she would be insane to leave you alone in this situation. You don't budge. Kara pulls out the big guns, her promise to mother and father, her duty as your protector, how you're the only connection she still has with Krypton, her love for you and so on. Her cries fall on deaf ears.

So at night, you fly around National City watching and studying everyone in it, even though you know you should only be looking for one person. One person with superspeed, a red cape and a big motive.

#supergirl #kara danvers #lena luthor #kara x reader #reader insert #baby danvers #alex danvers #alex x reader #powergirl #supergirl imagine

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heyitspersephone · 6 months

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Thinking about stranger things again now that the strikes are over and how, narratively, it would be way, WAY cooler to have Mike get Vecna’d instead of Will in s5

It’s just something about the way Mike’s trauma is never addressed or handled in any way?? Like, he hugs his mom twice and then when he was depressed in season 2 and 4 nobody did anything (his parents scolded him for his behavior in s2 ig but that’s not support). His best friend went missing leaving from his house, he watched his body get pulled from the quarry, watched El (in his eyes) kill herself stopping the demogorgon, watched Will be possessed, saw Bob die, was in Star Court when everything went down, saw Billy die, had his best friend move away, was SHOT AT (and really too few people talk about the shooting in Cali bc omg??), buried a body, and watched the apocalypse start. And that’s just off the top of my head.

(And yes I’m aware that the other characters (especially Will) are traumatized too but I will get to my point in a second just hold on)

The plot is geared towards this idea that Will and Henry have to have some big face off (and they should, in my opinion, but I don’t think it should be in a possession, or at least not the the Vecna kind of possession, yk?) but that makes it all the better, writing wise, to have mike be the one in danger. Will was helpless and hiding in s1, I think Will should get his big strong moments in s5 where he gets to be the hero of the story.

It would just be a lot more fun to work with Mike being Vecna’d than Will, because what are we going to bring up with Will’s visions? His dad? His sexuality? The events of s1 from his perspective? It would be cool to see, for sure, but we already know most of that. Mike, on the other hand, has a number of untapped things, like jumping off the quarry, why he’s so hesitant to tell El he loves her, how someone who was smart and kind enough to take El in in s1 and come up with the spy and sauna plans in s2 and s3 could turn into the oblivious asshole that he was in s3 and s4 (he needs therapy, ik, I still love his character but I want to explore the reasons he went from his s2 characterization to his s3 one)

It would be a very interesting parallel, I think, to explore Mike’s thought processes in this way, especially with all of Mike’s repression business (bc whether you ship byler or milkvan he is repressing his feelings HARD. Like, beyond his inability to say I love you there’s the fact that he doesn’t bring up the apparent many times he called pre-s4 during the Rink O Mania fight?? That literally would’ve absolved him of guilt in that argument since he WAS reaching out to Will the whole time? Hellooooo????).

Anyways, this all brings me to my main point: Vecna targets isolation as much as he targets trauma and guilt. The whole party was traumatized by the events in s1, s2, and s3, but Max was the one targeted. Plus, Henry went for Fred, Chrissy, and Patrick (I think his name was Patrick) instead of going for the perceivably easy targets that the mcs would make (ik narratively that would’ve made it more boring but shhh), so why Max and those three specifically? They were isolated. Lucas and Erica have each other, Dustin goes to Steve and Robin, Will and El have each other and Jonathan and Joyce, Nancy probably goes to Jonathan, and who does Mike go to?

No one. And don’t say Nancy because if those two have heart to hearts then I’m the next coming of Christ. Max separated herself from the Party in the aftermath of her grief and guilt over Billy, and it feels quite obvious that Mike was doing the same (like I said, he has repression issues). So Mike is traumatized, alone, and guilty (be it Will getting taken from Mike’s house, losing El in front of him multiple times, the many deaths he has witnessed, or the internalized homophobia angle), which makes him more of a target than Will, in my opinion (or at least an easier one, especially given his tendency to put himself on the line during fights (quarry, most of s2, s3 mindflayer fight), which would set him up on the suicidal ideation path)

Furthermore, as I’ve seen a few other people point out (and I can’t find the posts but one of them had eight screenshots of the various moments), Mike is always the one getting in the way, so it would be a strategic move for Henry to target him to get him out of the picture. Mike was the one that found El and got her involved in saving Will s1, he was the one who came up with the spy plan and called out the ambush in s2, he was the one to monologue Will out of his possession s2, he was the one with the sauna plan for Billy in s3, he was the one trying to help El get the strength to fight s4 (even if the monologue sucked ass it’s the intention that counts). As much as people like to hate on Mike, he is in the leader position most of the time when the party is grouped up (barring his mental health struggles slowing that down beginning of s3 and throughout s4, but he’s still capable of it). He’s the idea man, and he’s the one whose character’s foundations were built on the desire to keep his friends safe, so it would be a very fun plot line to watch him be the one targeted in s5. Like Will said, as lovestruck and cheesy as he was, Mike is the heart of the party when he’s on his A-game, so Henry should 100% be trying to keep him in the issues he’s been struggling with.

Obviously, Will and El are the Targets with a capital T for Henry since they’re the ones that got away or whatever, but I think Mike is a weakness of Will’s (and El’s tbh but also I think they need to have separate character arcs and I don’t exactly ship milkvan) that should be exploited.

TL;DR: Mike should get Vecna’d instead of Will in s5 because it would make sense in lore and be a very cool way to resolve his character arc

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givehimthemedicine · 6 months

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how 4 sets the scene for Blind Max

another reason I suspect she'll have a blindness arc continuing into/through 5 is that I've been thinking about how Max's season 4, from its very first to very last second, lays groundwork de-prioritizing sense of sight for her and often shifting importance onto hearing.

on the surface, this is all just aspects of her depression/curse experience this season, but it all has the side effect of helping prepare her for blindness.

let's go:

do you wanna hear about the deal that I'm making? 🎵

Max's s4 begins with her shutting out the world around her to focus on her music all the time,

and that's before it's revealed to be a very literal lifeline. the special power of music here places enormous importance on sense of hearing (which has also benefitted Will, Victor, and the other Pennhurst inmates)

(deaf Vecna victim: "guess I'll die")

Lucas's basketball game

Max not wanting to attend the game was about not wanting to be seen by Lucas, rather than not wanting to see Lucas. she has no problem seeing Lucas - check out those heart eyes at the pep rally but only when he isn't looking.

she doesn't not care about him. she's just hiding from him.

so they could easily have established Max secretly caring via a scene where she does attend, watching but staying out of sight. maybe it turns out she refused his ticket because she actually already had one. or maybe she gets a ride from Eddie and gets to the gym and reaches for a door handle and hesitates and goes home instead.

instead they chose for her to keep tabs on Lucas without seeing the game at all, by listening instead. (looked upon by a poster with giant eyes lol)

not only tasty as a foreshadow, but a great little touch to set up Max knowing that her connection/enjoyment of her friends and awareness of what's going on doesn't depend solely on her ability to see.

bonus: her only line in that scene? "alright, I hear you" (because that dog barks)

shutting her eyes

Vecna doesn't blind his victims (well. not at the beginning) but instead forces visions upon them, so instead of their actual surroundings they see horrifying things, both literally and in a depression-metaphor way.

anyway, how does Max escape Vecna in DB? she shuts her eyes to the darkness he's forcing her to see, and focuses on the light - the love of her friends - which she knows to be the truth.

that worked the first time, and it worked again to escape the Creel house vision.

where it failed was at the snow ball, I think because Vecna got too much in her head by talking to her, and she couldn't concentrate. (the other two times he didn't talk to her while she was trying to hide in her memories, but this time he won't shut up).

after that, she seems to have given up on shutting her eyes, maybe because Vecna has figured out to target her hearing. because at the next attempt, her eyes stay wide open, and I think she would've been killed except for El interrupting. the third time, her eyes stayed open and she was killed.

avoiding eye contact

4 Max carries on a considerable chunk of her conversations staring off to the side, especially when the topic is herself.

not that this is unique to season 4 or to Max - people just tend to avoid eye contact when uncomfortable. for example, Max barely looks at Lucas throughout the s2 heart to heart on the bus either. this is just part of Sadie's portrayal of Uncomfortable Vulnerable Max, and Max is just that way a whole lot more in 4 than in prior seasons due to being depressed.

still, the end result is Max having her most important conversations with limited visual emotional cues from the other person - a trend that will obviously continue if she's blind.

relatedly, Max was able to deliver two deeply emotional and personal monologues (a supremely uncomfortable task for her) no doubt aided by the fact that her audience wasn't there to make eye contact with:

and like I've talked about before, right after her first Vecna survival, Max grabs and holds Lucas, and hears/responds to him, but it always struck me as weird that at NO point in this scene does she look at anyone:

hm.

relying on her friends' sight

thanks to the visions, Max is starting to find her sense of sight unreliable. so although nothing is currently wrong with her eyes, this puts her in a position where she's already learning to stop relying solely on her own sight, and to consult with her friends and listen to what they say they're seeing when she's unsure.

which she'll be doing a lot more of if she's blind.

not to mention the big plan with Lucas - his whole job is to keep an eye on her and "call in Kate Bush" when it gets too dangerous. so, literally trusting her life to his sight and her hearing.

losing her sight

in the end of course we arrive at literal blindness. Max can't see or feel anything but apparently can hear Lucas.

not sure what to make of potential paralysis (I don't think they'd both permanently blind and paralyze her) but that's where we stand now - with hearing as Max's last known working sense.

which is why we end on Lucas reading to her in hopes that she can hear it. if Max does wake up blind, you can bet that being read to will become one of her primary sources of entertainment. I could totally imagine Max not being ready to withstand a lot of heavy personal conversation, but still wanting to take comfort in her friends' voices.

anyway. losing her sight would be devastating of course, but I like that they've had Max placing major value on her hearing while she still has her sight instead of leaving the entirety of the conversation for when she's blind. and I like that they've had Max already start learning to trust those around her for support.

#max mayfield #blind max mayfield #character analysis #here's how El can still read Max a WW comic in 5 #givehimthemedicine analysis #analysis #mine #long post

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archiveikemen · 10 months

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'Absolutely Obedient Maid' Collection Event: Elbert

I do not own any of the Ikemen Series content being uploaded on this blog, everything belongs to CYBIRD. Please support them by playing their games and buying stories. Not 100% accurate, expect mistakes.

read this before interacting with my posts

Victor: I haven’t been seeing El at mealtime recently.

Alfons: Now that you've mentioned it, that’s right. I saw him nibbling on a small piece of bread at a strange time and eating a single leaf of lettuce the other day.

Alfons: But that’s all he ate. He doesn't eat a lot, he’s like a little bird.

Roger: With how little he’s been eating, he might be found dead in his room one day.

Kate: You’re kidding, right? It’s inauspicious to say that someone will die.

Alfons: Yes… El has always had a small appetite, so this is nothing unusual about him.

Alfons: If he keeps this up, it won’t be surprising to find him dead eventually.

Kate: That’s…

(It’s true that Elbert usually eats in very small portions.)

I thought that it was definitely due to the heavy feelings he was carrying.

(... This is worrying me.)

Roger: If you’re so worried about him, why don’t you go take care of the little bird, young lady?

Kate: What!?

Victor: Having Kate take care of Elbert? Hmm…

Victor: That’s a brilliant idea! The “Elbert’s Personal Maid Project”!

Alfons: You’re so awful at naming things, I feel like I’m going to cry.

(This just turned into something very absurd…)

…

Elbert: You’re my personal maid…?

Kate: Yes… I’ll do my best.

Elbert’s long eyelashes fluttered as he blinked. He was dragged into the garden by Victor.

(His beauty is breathtaking as always… no, that’s not what I’m here for.)

Kate: Please tell me what you’d like to do today, Sir Elbert.

(Although I became a maid on a whim… I was really worried about him.)

(So I’ll do whatever I can to help him.)

...

Kate: I prepared a meal for you. Here, please enjoy your meal.

Elbert: … You brought that all the way out here for me?

On the table set up in the gazebo, there was bread and soup in portions smaller than the usual.

Kate: I thought that a change in scenery would help improve your appetite.

Kate: But it’s alright if you don’t feel like eating.

Elbert: … Even if you went through the trouble of preparing the food for me?

(When someone finds it difficult and painful to eat…)

(Saying things like “please eat” to them can give them an additional burden.)

Even though you did it out of kindness, they’ll still feel guilty about not being able to do as you asked them to.

Kate: All I want is for you to get through today without worrying about too many things.

Kate: And I’ll eat the leftovers if there are any, so you don't have to worry about that.

Elbert: …

I smiled at Elbert who remained silent for a while.

Elbert: If I see you eating the food and enjoying it… it might give me an appetite.

He muttered under his breath.

Kate: Eh? But there's only enough food for you, Sir Elbert.

Elbert: It’s fine… eat my food. … This is an order from your master.

(...!?)

His command that sounded like a sweet whisper made my heart race.

(I didn't think he would make use of my declaration to be his maid…)

Kate: I- I understand… in that case, please excuse me.

I took a seat on a chair facing him.

Elbert: …

His ocean blue eyes resembling a pair of jewels were fixed on me, it was hard to not get nervous.

(I need to look like I’m enjoying the food… but that feels impossible.)

(Forget that he’s watching me. Focus on the food…)

I drank a spoon of the soup, careful not to take too much.

Kate: Mm…! It’s delicious.

The soup was so delicious that it felt as if it had relieved all the tension.

(The chef is amazing… I want another taste.)

Kate: … How do you feel? Has your appetite improved?

When I looked up at Elbert, he was staring at the soup in my spoon instead of the one in the bowl in front of him.

Elbert: I want you to feed me.

Kate: Huh…?

Elbert: … Feed me.

(Is this also an order…?)

Kate: Erm… here you go…

Elbert: Mm…

Elbert’s long eyelashes lowered as he put his lips on the spoon.

(I’m feeding Elbert soup…)

It wasn't anything wrong, but I still felt rather uneasy.

I watched him drink up the soup with his beautifully shaped lips, then withdrew the spoon.

Kate: How is it?

Elbert: … It’s delicious.

Kate: … That’s good.

I heaved a sigh of relief.

(If his appetite has been improved, that means he can finish the rest of the food on his own, right?)

That was what I thought, so I reached out to hand him the spoon…

But for some reason, I suddenly found it difficult to let go of the situation where I needed to serve Elbert as my master.

Kate: … Would you like me to feed you the rest of the food as well?

Those words slipped out of my mouth.

Elbert: …

I was overcome with embarrassment upon seeing Elbert stunned by my question.

(Why did I say that…!)

Kate: I’m just kidding, please forget I said that.

Elbert: … You say you're kidding, but it looked like you were about to feed me.

Kate: Wha…

Elbert didn’t mean that in a teasing manner, he genuinely thought that way.

My embarrassment increased tenfold and my face grew hot.

Kate: T-That’s not it, I…

Elbert: … I, too, think that I’ll be able to stomach more food if you feed me.

Kate: Huh!?

Elbert: Will you feed me if I order you to?

His words left me stunned.

(It’s good that he’s eating, and on top of that I’m his maid for today.)

(I don't have a reason to refuse his request.)

Kate: … No, you don’t have to order me to.

Kate: I’ll do as you wish, Master.

...

— In the end, Elbert finished all the food that was prepared for him.

(It wasn’t a lot of food, but I didn’t expect him to finish it…)

Kate: So you *can* eat this much.

Elbert: … Honestly, it was quite painful.

Kate: Huh!?

(Oh no, was I torturing him…!?)

Kate: U-Uhm, do you need medicine for your gut…? Ah, we ran out of water. I’ll go get more!

I stood up in a hurry and was about to leave when he suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist.

Kate: S-Sir Elbert…!?

Elbert: You don't have to.

Elbert: You don’t have to because… can you stay with me a little longer?

He pulled me closer to him and rested his forehead on my abdomen like he was seeking comfort from me. It made my heart hurt.

(If staying by Elbert’s side can help lighten the emotional load in his heart…)

Kate: Alright… I’ll stay here with you.

There was no fooling myself, I was enjoying serving him as a maid, so much that my heart was pounding wildly in my chest—.

I gently stroked his beautiful golden hair with my fingertips.

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