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magnoliabutters · 1 year

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• HOW'S THIS GONNA PLAY OUT? •

pairing: modern-au!steddie, eddie munson x steve harrington

summary: truth, dare, or drink with the fruity four? it’s all fun and games until someone gets dared to kiss the other…

warnings: 18+ content, adult language; best friends to lovers, angst, slow burn, mutual pining, hot and heavy make out sesh, drinking, discussing of past trauma, canon divergence, season 4 mini-spoilers, etc.

word count: ~5.8k

inspired by: @batboysxprompts steddie flash event, theme of bats

reblogs, comments, & thoughts are greatly appreciated! 🧡🦇

note: i had so much fun writing this up, thank you thank you for the prompt! happy to be a part of it! and i hope you enjoy reading! i have also linked some music below, i encourage you to listen while you read at a specific part (you'll know when).

“Eddie, you seriously can’t expect us to believe you ran into Cate Blanchett at some grocery store,” Robin grumbles through a laugh. Eddie sits up from the couch. His back straight as his brows pull forward. His legs fully man-spread as he turns towards his friend to his right. His face serious, stern. “Uh, yeah, I can. ‘Cause it’s the truth,” he says sarcastically, blowing out a sigh of disbelief. His feelings slightly hurt upon hearing his friends’ reactions.

Steve laughs, staring at the boy. Nancy giggles in the corner, hiding behind her hand anytime a chuckle was louder than intended. “It was a grocery store when we went on tour with the Coffin in Chicago,” Eddie continues. His voice gradually becoming more stressed as he looks around a room of distrustful faces.

“I don’t know, Munson,” Steve says, taking a sharp breath through gritted teeth. “Do you even know who Cate is? I didn’t pin you as an Ocean’s 8 kind of guy.” Eddie scoffs, before shaking his head and taking a swig of his beer. His opened hands swaying back and forth as his lips tighten into an even thinner line. “You mean Lady Galadriel? Yeah, I’ve heard of her,” he states flatly.

Nancy and Robin chuckle as they exchange taunting looks. “Har har,” Eddie says with a melancholy attitude. “Let’s all laugh at the freak, huh?” Steve lands a flat hand against his shoulder, shaking Eddie’s pitiful shrug. Nancy tightens her lip, pinning her chin to her chest. Robin is slow to notice the social cues flying through the air, but she bit off her smile watching Nancy.

“Relax, Munson,” Steve soothes, putting his other hand on Eddie’s shoulders. He shakes him side to side, pulling a smirk across his face. Eddie often feels comfort in Steve’s embrace. “I mean, you did win two truths and a lie,” Steve adds with an impressed expression. The girls quickly nod and agree with him, making red run through Eddie’s cheeks.

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” Eddie mumbles under his breath. Steve pulls his hands from his shoulders with a smile. A nice, firm pat against his upper back before returning to his elbows against his knees as he leans forward. “Maybe we should change it up,” Nancy suggests with a shrug. “Yeah,” Robin agrees as she pulls her apple watch to her face. “It’s already midnight and I’m barely past tipsy.”

Steve peers around his living room. Nancy is dressed like a crazy scientist. Robin’s living her Indiana Jones dream. Eddie wears a wizard hat, but other than that is wearing his usual attire. While Steve rests back in his ironic bat costume. He is the happiest he could be in this moment.

Almost like clock work, the Halloween party started to die down and make its way over to its next location, Alex’s basement. The Harrington’s was always the first spot in the party brigade, and he prefers it that way. He loves that special moment when all those random, careless people disappear and the truest stay behind. Luckily for him, that meant Robin, Nancy, and Eddie. Now, he could really have fun.

“Thanks for hosting, Harrington,” a random person from college mumbles before slamming the front door behind him. Steve throws his hand up, two fingers waving as he gestures goodbye without turning his head. He settles into the love seat across from the couch. His heels landing against the coffee table. “Ah, just us girls,” he sighs with relief.

“Okay, okay,” Steve starts, pushing his hand through his hair. “What about a good old game of truth, dare, or drink?” Nancy’s lips immediately pull to their sides. A hesitant face surely to follow. “What in the hell is truth, dare, or drink?” she asks quietly. Eddie laughs, finally falling back onto the couch cushions again. “I thought you were the smart one,” he starts. “Wanna take a guess, Wheeler?” he asks, leaning closer to the girls. His teeth slightly biting the tip of his tongue.

Nancy rolls her eyes, all in good fun, as she leans back with arms crossed against her chest. Eddie pulls back with a smirk, acknowledging that she didn’t bite back like usual. “It’s basically truth or dare but if you don’t want to answer the question OR you don’t want to do the dare,” Robin trails off. She makes a click with the side of her tongue as she looks down towards the bottle of scotch between the four.

“Okay,” Nancy starts before bringing a red solo cup to her smiling lips. “So who’s going first?” Her big blue eyes peering over the white lip of the plastic. Eddie excitedly rubs his palms together with a huge maniacal laugh. Steve smiles, doting his eyes towards Robin, who meets him halfway. He always enjoyed the small glimpses into the childish Eddie he knows and loves, and sometimes envies. Robin immediately recognizes this, as the two have some weird psychic twin connection. A large amount of words can be communicated between them with only a look.

Robin’s brows perk as her tongue slides across before a bite upon her lip. Steve huffs before solemnly placing his hand up to volunteer. “Alright, and who’s doing the asking?” he inquires through a chuckle. “Hm, I can go first,” Nancy whispers coyly. A curl of his lips shows his acceptance of her challenge. He nods for her to proceed.

“Steve, truth or dare?” Nancy asks, sucking her tongue against her cheek. Steve pretends to consider it, humming as his index finger taps against his chin lightly. “You’re not going to be too mean to me, are you, Nance?” he asks with a flirtatious grin. Nancy shrugs, her mouth tight as she enjoys the anticipation.

Steve cocks his head to the right. His shoulders hugging his ears. “Let’s do truth,” he whispers. Elation floods through Nancy’s pupils as a growing smirk appears between her cheeks. “What is your favorite position?” Robin lets out a scoff of disbelief. Her shoulder bumping playfully against Eddie’s. His ringed hand immediately cups his mouth. A clear smack heard throughout the Harrington house.

Abruptly, Eddie’s shock drops. His brows furrow as he looks between his two friends. “Wait, shouldn’t you already know that, Wheeler?” he asks, pursing his lips and squinting his eyes. Both Nancy and Robin give him a death stare that immediately forces his hands straight into the air. Steve smirks slyly. “No, she wouldn’t know,” he says, providing a reassuring nod towards his ex-girlfriend. “We’ve both grown since we were last with each other.”

The group finds itself silent. Eddie resting back against the couch, still on edge and with eyes that travel between each of his friends. Nancy and Steve are holding some sweet nostalgic moment, staring at each other. Robin’s lip rises on one side as disgust becomes apparent on her face.

“So, you drinking or truthin’,” Robin says impatiently. Her hands waving before her as her wide eyes bare holes into Steve’s face. “Truth,” he says as he finally pulls away from Nancy’s gaze. “Big fan of reverse cowgirl,” he starts, as he leans back into the loveseat. He relaxes, putting his hands behind his head. “I’m an ass man after all.” Eddie laughs, making hoots and hollers to encourage his “ass man” status.

“That was a good one, Nance,” Robin shared with a nod. “Okay, Steve. Pick someone.” Steve’s chin lifts. His eyes to the ceiling as he exaggerates his thinking, despite absolutely knowing who he was going to ask. “Edward Munson,” he says, annunciating each syllable. Eddie jumps in his seat, pressing his hand against his chest in surprise. “Truth or dare?” Steve asks lightly, leaning in to grab his cup from the table. He takes a sip while staring down at the man before him.

“Well, I sure as shit know you're going to be an ass,” Eddie starts, shaking his head. “Dare.” Steve nods slowly. The edges of his mouth pull down as he is impressed with Munson’s sixth sense. He ponders over a dare. How do you dare someone who practically does anything and everything he wants? Who has no problem breaking social norms and laughs while sharing the tale?

Steve had to come up with something to make him want to drink. “Hm,” he starts. “I dare you to give Robin a lap dance.” Robin’s entire body language perks up as a big old smile fills her face. She sits up and scoots the edge of the couch. Her hands lightly patting against the tops of her thighs. Nancy giggles, “Oh, that’s dirty, Steve.”

Eddie bites his lip upon hearing the dare. He nods his head slowly while he mauls over the idea. “How long?” he asks with his eyes glued to the scotch between them. “For a song,” Steve responds with a smirk. “You choose.” Eddie nods again, more feverishly this time as he considers the dare. He speeds up as though he’s egging himself on. “If I take another shot, I’m gonna die,” he mutters under his breath.

Suddenly, he stands up and smacks his hand out in front of Robin. “Your phone, madam,” he demands. “Oui, monsieur,” she says all giddy. She plops her smart phone into his hand. He pulls up Spotify and quickly chooses his song. He is strategic as he decides on a song that is both danceable, makes him feel sexy, and is rather short. He connects Robin’s phone to Harrington’s Bluetooth surround sound.

As the drum and guitar start a rather recognizable beat, Eddie shakes out his hands. He takes his curly hair out from his messy bun and taps his feet to the beat. Song 2 by Blur blasts through the speakers. Steve originally intended for the dare to be a laughable joke, but now he is mesmerized by the scene before him. He enjoys the way his curls bounce against his shoulders.

At the first “Woohoo,” Eddie harshly bangs his curls before Robin. She giggles in surprise, not expecting his sudden fit of head banging. Her shocked and smiling face turns to both Steve and Nancy. Eddie continues to sing along with the chorus, hyping himself up.

Without any warning, he jumps and lands his knees on the sides of Robin’s thighs. She screams in excitement and shock as he lands harshly against her thighs. Soon, her screams turn into encouraging yes’s as she watches him loosen up before her very eyes.

Along with each strong beat of the song, Eddie grinds against Robin’s thighs. His hands tuck at ends of his shirt, ripping it over his torso. Steve sinks into his seat. His palm covering his mouth, which undeniably hides a smile. His pupils innately expanding at the sight.

Eddie’s closed hands dance near his head as he digs his hip bones into Robin’s. Her laughter encourages him. He couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone else. Robin is the one he could let loose with the most, knowing she’ll always be there the next day no matter what he shares about himself. He hopes to get to that level of trust with Steve one day.

The guitar finally drops and the song is over. Eddie hops up from Robin’s lap. His chest slightly glossed from sweat. Robin starts a rather enthused round of applause as Eddie instinctually begins to bow. “Honestly, I thought the song was a bit short but I loved it,” she chuckles out. “Ten out of ten,” she says with all ten of her digits up in the sky, before they turn into a pair of solid thumbs up.

Eddie flips his curled hair, gathering it up and quickly placing it into the messy bun he’s known for. Steve can’t stop his eyes from raking over Eddie’s body. He was jealous of how his body moved, how it was shaped. He also caught himself wishing he could touch it. That bare skin. Down to the lines that lead to his hips.

But his face drops as he involuntarily touches two fingers to Eddie’s side. Eddie jumps at the unexpected sensation. “Dude, did you get another tattoo?” Steve asks as he looks up to Eddie. “Oh yeah,” he laughs. “Pretty sick, huh?” He curls his torso to look at the tattoo just below the left side of his rib cage. A gnarly demented tattoo of a rose who’s stem eventually turns into barbed wire rests upon his skin.

Steve pulls back, laying against the back of the loveseat once more. His mouth squished to the side of his cheek. His arms crossed over his chest. “So you went through with it, huh,” he expresses carelessly. Eddie shrugs, letting out a breathy sigh. “I just kept looking at ‘em,” he starts as he raises his hands before slapping them against his thighs. Robin’s brows pull perplexed, until the light bulb turns on in her head reminding her of Eddie’s newly covered scars.

“I mean, you know,” Eddie adds, gesturing towards Steve. “It’s not easy getting a daily reminder of the day you almost died.” Steve nods, keeping his eyes down. He knows exactly what he means, but unsteadiness resides in his chest. He isn’t sure why, but the thought of Eddie erasing his scars was hurtful. Those scars were the very reason he and Eddie stayed connected after everything happened. That is what they built their strong, yet co-dependent friendship on. What does it mean if those scars are gone? Will they be able to find anything else in common between them?

Nancy adds to the silence. She notices the sudden shift in Steve’s demeanor. “So, Eddie, who’re you picking?” His head picks up from analyzing his new tattoo. Another childish and boasting smile upon his mouth. “Hm? Well, it’s between the two of you, right?” he says as he crashes back onto the couch, landing against Robin’s shoulder. He curls his head back, looking at her upside down. “Buckley,” he says in a sing songy voice. “Truth or dare?”

Robin smiles, shrugging him off. Eddie falls against the other side of the cushion with all the exaggeration he could muster. “Truth,” she states, mimicking his singing tone. His eyes widen and a large smile spreads across his face. “Oh no,” she whispers under her breath. She most definitely chose wrong. “Why haven’t you put the moves on Vicki yet?” Eddie says with a raise of his brow. He turns to look at the others, nodding and gesturing for their encouragement. Steve nods and shrugs, acknowledging that it was, in fact, a good question. Nancy sinks into her cushion, sipping against her cup and hiding behind its rim.

With a deep sigh, Robin sits up and shoots Eddie an annoyed look. “I’m taking it slow,” she mutters half-heartedly. A brisk tsk, tsk, tsk falls from his lips. “You remember the rules, don’t you, Buckley?” he starts, as he leans back and holds his arm atop the couch’s cushions. “The truth,” he starts, “or the bottle.” His hands raise as he shrugs. “I don’t make the rules.” Robin shoots him a quick, sharp look for calling her out on her shit. She rolls her eyes and scoffs. “Fuck it,” she smiles as she reaches for the neck of the bottle.

Eddie and Steve laugh as they clap excitedly. Robin’s brows pull together as she places the mouth of the bottle against her lips. A disgusted expression fills her face as she pulls away from the scotch. “Shit, god,” she spits before dropping it harshly against the coffee table. Steve quickly puts his hands out to catch the liquor if it were to fall over. “That’s it, Robs,” Eddie laughs. “Fuck the truth.” Robin slowly turns towards him. Her ‘oh, no you didn’t’ face on full display. “Alright Munson,” she says with a nod. “Payback.”

Robin takes a slow breath as she adjusts her hair out of her face. Her cheeks flustering with crimson as the alcohol hits her system. “Nance,” she starts. “Truth or dare?” Nancy smiles at the sight of the tipsy friend before her. “Dare,” she says courageously, knowing that Robin wouldn’t set her up to fail. Robin peers around the room. “Hm, I dare you to,” she trails off. Her eyes sinking into the coffee table as she drowns in thought. “Ah! I dare you to kiss someone here,” she says as she points between the two boys.

Steve and Eddie instantly jump up to the idea. Their relaxed bodies now straight, stiff, and narrow. Steve runs fingers through his hair as Eddie bounces his brows at the girl. Nancy’s mouth pulls down as she looks over her options. Steve or Eddie or … Nancy stands, directing all eyes on her. Steve licks his lips as he watches the beautiful girl adjust her nervous stance. But all he can do is just watch as she walks towards Robin.

Robin’s big blue eyes staring right into Nancy’s. Not at all considering the possibility of Nancy choosing to kiss her. She lands upon her knees between Robin’s legs. Those innocent eyes peering up at her. Nancy’s hand slowly floats to Robin’s cheek. She pulls her in, closing her eyes, and lands her lips against hers gently. Eddie is biting against his rings and knuckles as he watches in absolute infatuation of the scene unfolding before him. He crosses his legs instinctually. Steve’s mouth, the exact opposite, as it hangs open and loose.

Nancy is the first to pull away. Her eyes slowly opening as Robin’s lashes remain fluttering. Her lips still pursed. A blush raises to Nancy’s cheeks as she rests back onto her seat. “Robin,” she asks softly. Robin hums dizzily, slowly opening her eyes. A smile beaming on her face. “Truth or dare?” Robin, drunkenly replies, “Hm? Oh, yes - erm - truth.”

Nancy giggles, before placing a gentle hand to Robin’s knee, attempting to ground her. Fortunately, it seems to have worked. “What did you think of us all when we first met?” she asks innocently. Robin lets out a clear lip trill. “Oh shit,” she bursts into a fit of nervous laughter. She sinks back into the couch’s cushions. Eddie smirks, scoffing. “Oh I gotta hear this,” he says, jumping closer to Robin’s side.

“Okay, okay,” Robin announces, effortlessly bouncing back from the shock of the question. “I’m gonna answer but I’m going to make it short.” Nancy pouts, while Steve throws his hands up in frustration. “Hey! At least I’m answering,” she yells.

Robin adjusts her sit so she can stare into those chocolate eyes of Eddie’s. “A weirdo,” she starts, but immediately explains herself in a hasty fashion. “But-but you know that being a ‘wierdo’ is a term of endearment for me.” Eddie laughs, nodding as he sucks his tongue to the inside of his cheek. “Okay, Buckley, noted,” he taunts. “Just as long as you know you’re a weirdo too.” He shoots her a smile which is quickly returned. She always enjoyed Eddie’s company, knowing that she had another atypical beside her.

Robin turns to Steve. The words quickly fall from her mouth without hesitation. “Dingus.” Steve gasps, exaggerating as all hell, as he watches Robin switch over to Nancy. “Nancy,” she says with affection. “I was worried about you. I thought you’d hated me.” Nancy’s face becomes sad as she lets out a soft “aw.” “But when I finally got to know you, I could see what Steve saw in you and now you’re one of my closest friends.” Nancy’s frown immediately turns upside down as she reaches towards her gal pal with open arms. “Ugh, you’re one of my closest friends too!” she whines as the two sway side to side in their hug.

Eddie coughs heavily to evoke his classic cop deep voice. “Break it up, love birds,” he says under the guise of his hand. Steve laughs, throwing his head back. He always could count on Eddie to say the things he only thought about. He loved that about the man. Nancy pulls away, looking at Eddie with a goofy grin. “You’re so funny, Eds,” Nancy mumbles sarcastically.

Robin sharply turns to Eddie. Her middle finger up with a snarky grin. “You know what, you just reminded me. Payback’s a bitch,” she starts. A smirk pulling at the side of her lips. “Truth or dare, Munson,” she says in an eery tone. Eddie leans back from her ghostly fingers with a chuckle. “Do your worst Buckley,” he taunts. “Dare.” The smirk continues to pull on Robin’s face. She gets exactly what she wanted.

“Seven minutes in heaven,” Robin announces. She looks around the room and notes a two paneled door by the entryway. “There,” she points. “With,” she trails off. She keeps her eyes set on Eddie’s. His taunting smile pursing his lips. “Dingus,” she lets slip out of her mouth. Nancy’s jaw drops as she slowly turns to Steve’s bright red face. Robin enjoys watching the blood drain from Eddie’s cheeks. She is shocked that he didn’t see this coming, but she doesn’t let it show. “And you know the rules, you don’t get to leave until you hook up.” Robin immediately turns her pointer finger to both of her boys. Her eyes narrowing as she makes a stern face. “Honor system.”

Eddie’s eyes fall upon his rings. His fingers twist them as he considers the path ahead. He would be lying if he said he never thought about Steve’s lips. How they looked so soft. How they plump up every time he’s excited. He would be lying if he said he never thought about why they call him “Hair-ington.” Those brunette waves that bring an abundance of joy to his heart. An ambiguous line of desperately wanting the hair for himself and wanting to run his fingers through its strands. He wants to make Steve feel good, but he only considered the idea of blurring the lines of friendship in the dark of his room.

Steve, on the other hand, was trying to decipher whether or not he was having a heart attack. His heart most definitely fell to the pit of his stomach upon hearing the dare. His eyes fall before him, widening as the seconds pass by. He couldn’t help but think if Robin did this on purpose. There had been a few times the two were smoking and the idea of feeling different things for Eddie came up. He could never say exactly what things or what feelings. He told her in confidence, absolute confidence. Steve knew if this was her plan that she did it with good intent, but that didn’t change the pain emanating from his chest.

Eddie raises his eyes to Robin. Her smile falls as she recognizes the genuine worry in his eyes, as opposed to the amusing stress she was expecting. “Steve,” he whispers before slowly turning towards the boy. Steve raises his head. His lips form into a straight line. “Your call, dude,” Steve says, struggling to come off as casual. “The scotch isn’t that bad,” Robin adds. Her eyes now encouraging, trying to give him the out that his body language craved for.

With the slightest side smile and a sigh, Eddie nods and accepts his fate. “I said I wouldn’t drink anymore tonight,” he shares. It’s the truth. He did have work early in the morning after all. He was already pushing it with exhaustion. He did not need to add a hangover and a migraine to the 8-hour shift. “Let’s go Harrington,” he says as he stands and makes his way towards the closet.

Steve notices that Eddie has yet to make eye contact with him. The red flushing his cheeks as watches his bare back walk toward the front closet. One stray curl falling between his shoulder blades. His heart no longer rests in his stomach. His heart beats, harshly, against his rib cage. He struggles to swallow the sudden amount of saliva resting on his tongue. A rough clearing of his throat and he stands. He throws a furious look at Robin, who’s already sinking in her seat with regret.

Eddie opens one of the closet doors. His ringed hand tight against the knob. He finally turns back and looks at Steve. Comfort rushes his system as he watches his friend nervously crack his knuckles. His chin pinned to his chest as he walks towards him. “You ready for this,” he says softly. Steve looks up, taking a deep breath. He catches a glimpse of Eddie’s bicep. Why is it so flexed holding the door? Why did it excite him? He nods, pulls the overhead light’s string, and walks into the roomy space, terrified of the next seven minutes.

Robin slowly approaches. She sucks in her lips in an awkward fashion. “Seven minutes,” she says softly. Regret filled in her face. Eddie smirks, solemnly, as he looks down at his watch. 12:57 am. “Gotcha,” he nods as he closes the door behind him.

Steve takes a sharp breath as an disingenuous smile sprawls across his face. “Alright, Munson,” he starts. A peculiar excitement clear within his voice. “How’s this gonna play out?” Eddie turns around from closing the door. He immediately notes the fake energy floating above Steve’s head. “We can just lie,” he suggests, despite the words paining his heart.

Steve was surprised by the sudden drop of his stomach. His chest spreading tightness like wildfire. He didn’t want that, not at all. In this moment, he realizes he wanted Eddie. He wanted to kiss him. To know him as more than a friend. Immediately, he is struck with the thought of them holding hands. His arms around him. His head upon his chest, snuggling in the late of night. All it took was the possibility of a kiss being ripped from his hands to acknowledge the reality that has been screaming at him since he first saw the boy.

But he also cannot escape the associated fear. Steve has never once felt this way about any guy. A boy labeled the “freak of Hawkins.” Someone Steve thought he would never connect with. Never be friends with. And yet, one simple introduction from his unexpected best friend and he is set for life. Another unexpected best friend and heart eyes for all of eternity.

On the other hand, the words fell out of Eddie’s mouth and he wished he could quickly pick them all up. Regret filled his body. He wanted nothing more than to kiss Steve. He has been thinking about it for weeks on end. Anytime the gang got together, he struggled to pull his eyes from his lips. He struggled not to ogle at his hair, at those sweet honey eyes.

As much as he wanted all of him, Eddie wanted Steve to be comfortable more than anything. It is upsetting to see Steve place a strong facade between them, but Eddie understands. He thought they were closer than that, but then again they’ve never been put in a situation like this before.

Steve is quick to drop his overwhelming feelings. He does what he does best. He starts a fight, breaking all ties to the sensitive strings of his heart. “Why did you really cover up your scars?” Eddie is thrown off by the sudden shift in energy. His brows push together as he looks at the boy before him in astonishment. “I told you, because I couldn’t help looking at them every day,” he answers with a bit of a snarky attitude.

“Those scars meant something,” Steve says with his eyes to his feet. He instantly regrets picking a fight in such a small space. Where can he escape now? He still has at least 5 minutes. “All they meant were painful memories that I’d like to forget,” Eddie whispers. He looks at Steve in confusion. “Those bats brought us together and you just erased them, like that,” Steve mutters with a snap of his fingers. His head springs up as disappointment rings true upon his face.

“They didn’t bring us together,” Eddie says slowly. “Henderson did.” Steve shakes his head, blowing out a raspberry in response to Eddie’s recollection. “We could have easily dropped each other after Vecna,” he states matter of factly. Eddie winces at the name. His body being rushed by a sudden and short lasting wave of shock. “We only stayed together because we were both healing from bites.”

Eddie scoffs, his mind reeling. “Are you seriously telling me that you think we bonded over our fucking demobat wounds?” He throws his hands in the air. “How about the fact that we almost died together? How about the fact that we make a great team? That despite our first impressions, we have some common ground on favorite movies.” Now it was Steve’s turn to wince. He has never seen Eddie so upset.

“You fucking showed up dressed like a bat,” Eddie continues. “And I get it, you deal with your trauma through humor but guess what, Harrington? I don’t!” His body becomes more energized. His emotions, reactions, movements are more fulfilled and loud. He rips his shirt up, exposing the freshly covered scar. “This is how I deal with it. I get rid of it,” he says, poking harshly at his skin. “When I looked at my scar, all I saw was that sky lighting up red. I see that tornado of bats raining around me. I see my entire life flash before my eyes because I was convinced that that was it for me.” He adds softly under his breath, "Until you saved me."

Eddie throws his shirt down. He points a firm finger to Steve’s face. His poor, horrified, regretful face. “No, I don’t see you when I look at my scars. I don’t see this shit as the only thing that brought us together,” he continues. “You know what I think about? I think about us laughing our asses off at the stupidities of Ridgemont High. I think about us throwing popcorn everywhere ‘cause of all those Critters jump scares.”

Steve’s brow lifts as confidence fills his chest. At the very least, Eddie acknowledges the strong friendship between them. It is NOT one sided. There is so much more than just these scars that connect them. How could he be so stupid? So dumb-witted? He gets so lost in thought that he almost misses the next words out of Eddie’s mouth. “You are my best friend. I love you, man,” he mutters under his breath. “I think I did from the moment I saw you.”

Steve is pulled from his thoughts. His eyes widen as his puffy lower lip slightly separates from his top. Eddie loves his classic dumbfounded look. “You love me?” he whispers. “Yeah, I do. Take that however you want, but it’s the truth and I’m tired of pretending that it isn’t,” he says, chewing on his lip. His strong boisterous confidence almost had Steve fooled, but he knew Eddie too much to know that he was just a ball of nerves across from him.

As the silence fills, Eddie’s energy starts to fall. His smile dwindling to nothing. He pulls his lips into a straight line as he shakes his head. His eyes to the ground. “I-I just meant as friends-,” he attempts to backtrack but Steve crashes against his perfect lips. Eddie stumbles back into hanged coats that soften his fall against the closet’s wall. Steve’s hand presses against his cheek. His fingers entangling with the curly locks of hair. It is softer than he imagined.

Eddie immediately returns the favor. Without pulling from the kiss, he pushes off the wall and pins Steve against the opposite. His hand traveling around his hip, digging underneath his shirt. His warm hand against the soft tingly skin of Steve. He moans ever so slightly into the kiss, opening his lips slightly. Steve takes the opportunity and slowly swishes his tongue against his lips. Eddie bites into the kiss, welcoming his advances, and pulls his closer into his chest.

The passion between them was unimaginable. It was reckless and beautiful. It was water taking absolutely forever to finally boil. But now that it’s boiled, it will never stop. The two knew it, almost immediately. Just like when they saw each other for the first time. This is forever. This is meant to be. This is destined, written in their stars.

Steve entangles his fingers within the back of Eddie’s hair. His other hand pressing firmly against the small of his back. Eddie’s fingernails dig into his hip bones, leaving little half moon indents that he plans to kiss later. Involuntarily, he presses deeply against Steve’s thighs. His hips slowly rutting against him as the kisses become more hot and heavy. Both of their minds bursting with dopamine.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Eddie pulls away only to stop the beating. However, Steve puts his thumb to his lips. He wipes away salvia with a smile on his face. The moment has passed. Nonchalantly, Eddie twists his wrist to show Steve the time. “1:04 am, right on the dot,” Steve confirms. “We did it,” Eddie adds breathlessly. Steve runs a hand through his hair, shooting glances at the closet’s door. “Guess you don’t have to drink after all,” he says while grabbing the knob.

Quickly, Eddie places his palm gently upon the back of Steve’s hand. Their eyes slowly trail up towards each other. “What’s the plan, Harrington? We talking about this or pretending it never happened?” Eddie asks, pulling away. The side of Steve’s smile raises as he slowly shakes his head. “Oh, we’re talking about this,” he shares. “Just not with Buckley around.” Eddie lets out a small, but loud laugh. “I agree,” he murmurs.

With both boys smiling, Steve slowly turns the knob to open the door. He whispers, “Hello?” as his eyes desperately look for Robin. She is prone to hiding and popping out for a scare so Steve is always on edge. As he carefully walks down the hall and to the living room, he stops sharply. Eddie’s analyzing eyes don’t realize and he bumps heavily against Steve’s back. Steve shushes him, while raising his arms up to keep him from moving forward.

Just before the two of them is a hot and heavy hook up between Nancy and Robin.

Eddie cups his face with widening eyes as Steve turns to him with a finger pressed against his lips. “Go back to the closet,” he whispers. The two boys quietly rush back in, slowly closing the door behind them. “What’s the plan, Munson?” Steve asks with a smile. “I say, Buckley can come find us,” he answers with a bounce to his brow. With a smile, Steve crashes his lips against Eddie. His arms wrapped around his waist as Eddie’s arms loosely circle his neck. The two are happily in love and happily aware of each other’s love. Best friends turned lovers. Meant to be.

note: thank you for reading! what did you think? does anyone want to see from robin and nancy's pov?

thank you thank you! reblogs, comments, & thoughts are greatly appreciated! 🦇

• impromptu prompts •

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bad-surprise · 8 months

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⭐️directors commentary of your choice please?

i held onto this for a minute because i knew i wanted to wait until the fic was complete (same for museum, that’s sitting in my inbox for now)

apologies in advance, this is a long one.

but i thought you might

haladriel modern au | E | 135.4k | 26/26

but i thought you might (bitym) began as a promptfill i posted on december 9th, 2022— the day i created my fandom twitter account.

at very basic level, bitym is a story about purity culture and the impact it has on those who grow up within it, even if they believe they never bought into the conditioning. it taught me that i love writing about sex— particularly deeply psychological sex scenes that reveal new info about the characters and their relationship, motivations, and overall dynamic.

it really only exists because my husband had covid that week, and because i was exposed but tested negative we were isolating separately. i had a lot of time to fill and spent a lot of it daydreaming, listening to music, and writing little bits of a story in my notes app. there was a very clear moment where hal’s voice just clicked for me and the first chapter came together from there. chapters 1, 2, the last half of 4, and 5 were all written first, back when i thought it would be an 8k one shot. i still have the draft of this, along with another one shot version of it.

it was inspired by memories of high school, particularly one off-campus lunch senior year where a friend confessed that she and her boyfriend had sex and she enjoyed it and didn’t know what to do with that. i believe my response was “i’m pretty sure you’re supposed to like it,” but she started crying. hal and gal’s high school is largely based on the private religious school i attended, and when i imagine their campus, that’s the image in my mind.

i really struggled to find a title, and sort of impulsively chose a line from home by daughter because i thought that song captured the right vibe.

personally, the story only becomes something i’m not embarrassed by around chapter 6. i knew what i was writing towards at that point but only in vague terms. going back into hal’s pov there for the first time since chapter 2 really clarified things for me. i’m not proud of it until chapter 10.

note: spoilers for the entirety of but i thought you might below.

many of my favorite elements were happy accidents, including the introduction of luthien, the two year time jump in chapter 11, the entire diner scene, and hal going to therapy. in conversations with my husband, i was adamant for so long that bitym!hal would never go to therapy. i underestimated what he would be willing to do for gal.

i didn’t really know the ending until around march, and a key aspect of it changed while drafting the penultimate chapter. the original ending i had in mind was incredibly dark, much closer to the shark in your water. it was initially going to be a story about hal thinking he was free from the religious conditioning but turning out to be just as toxic as fin, and galadriel coming to terms with being trapped. i was terrified when this changed and so so scared that hal would lose empathy from readers because of what he did, but ultimately that doesn’t seem to have happened.

the process of writing felt like constant excavation. i felt my way through the story intuitively, with a very flexible list of some plot points in my mind, but i was pretty much flying blind here. i’m so glad it worked out alright in the end.

easter eggs/random bits of info

references

“but they say you have the voice of an angel” is a reference to the music of the ainur

many celebrian moments were inspired by tiktoks and reddit posts.

“the last person i dated was awful” from chapter 17 (i think?) is the only morgoth reference in the whole fic. i debated including him but it ultimately felt like too much work to add it in and i don’t think the story needed it.

when hal’s telling galadriel how he lost his virginity, he says “she had a boyfriend anyway”. this is a reference to the song sex by the 1975.

in chapter 18, the event the girls go to is a reference to revolve tour (the girls who get it, get it)

the conversation hal and gal have about the differences in sex ed for girls and guys at their school is intended to slightly reference “then why is it not gone from here?” in the show, which is largely how it felt for me to leave evangelicalism before recovering from a lot of the related trauma. i didn’t believe it anymore, so why was it still strangling me all the fucking time?

depression as anger turned inward comes from my therapist, who knows i used it in this fic.

takes 20 attempts for halbrand to get the ring right because 3 rings for the eleven kings + 7 for the dwarf lords + 9 for mortal men = 19 before he forges the one.

hal is an aeronautical engineer working in the defense sector. this is a reference to some legendarium stuff around sauron in numenor.

writing process + personal shit:

in the first draft, hal was morgoth’s son and there was a plot point involving the theft of the silmarils.

the nursing student line in chapter 1 is based on some people i knew at university.

i am too embarrassed to read chapters 2 and 3. like i just want to curl up and hide whenever i think about either of those chapters, i think they’re terrible.

there are many “deleted scenes” from bitym that just didn’t fit into the narrative in the end, so they live in the unused scenes folder in my scrivener project. one of these scenes— a description of hal’s apartment— actually ended up being used for museum, and another scene i deleted was reworked for chapter 7 of shark.

i wrote the infamous chapter 5 car scene in the middle of the night, during what felt like a dissociative state, because i knew if i wasn’t exhausted my inner critic would start shame spiraling due to my own religious upbringing.

every single purity culture experience in the text, with the exception of chastity club and the purity pledge, is something that actually happened in my life. the only reason i didn’t do a purity pledge is because i missed youth group that week.

“they cannot convince her she’s sinned” is 100% from my own experience of being surprised by my complete lack of guilt lol.

i really want to have a longer convo about the consent stuff in it because i’m fascinated by some of the responses i got to the chapter 5 car scene. some people were really angry with me for it, which was interesting bc i really had the archive warning on there because of the birth control tampering.

i fucked up the time skip in chapter 11 and added an extra year. this changed the story dramatically (and is why the ending ultimately changed) but i prefer the way it turned out. i also fucked up the age gap between fin and gal, and don’t ask me what grade celebrian is in bc basically i cannot do math to save my life.

i find it really interesting how many readers seem to think galadriel’s POV chapters are more reliable than hal’s, because i definitely see it the opposite way.

i get super nervous about the references to their jobs because i’m terrified of getting something wrong but definitely don’t know the ins and outs. i do research, but i still feel super inadequate there, which is why you never see her at work and only see him at work twice.

chapter 13 (diner scene) was so difficult to plan, but once i decided to use those two songs, it became fairly straightforward. it’s one of my favorite chapters in the entire story.

you probably know this by now if you’ve read chapter 25, but their first kiss being in a closet was 100% deliberate.

i’m so so proud of the sequence with the pregnancy tests in chapter 15.

i decided celebrian would be in this while writing chapter 6.

the drive home from the bachelorette party was written about five days after i started working on bitym.

i knew as soon as chapter 6 that hal would wait until celebrian was born to tell galadriel that he loved her, but holy shit it was so difficult to wait that long.

the scene I’m most proud of is the opening to chapter 23.

misc. in universe info:

the night out with elrond and miriel in chapter 22 stresses me out so much bc gal doesn’t understand what she’s doing and it’s such a horrible position for hal to be in, seeing how she’s basically asking him to come out to her before he’s ready. this all happens only a few days before galadriel leaves for the first time.

hal doesn’t know that galadriel doesn’t think they’re a couple until B+L’s wedding. his response when she tries to bring it up earlier is because he’s worried officially defining it its going to either set him up for failure, or scare her off completely, but in his mind, they were basically together together as soon as he said “yeah, i think i’ll keep you” in chapter 5.

there are subtextual references to substance use issues in hal’s family. this is why he doesn’t drink much or do drugs— though by his 32nd birthday his attitude is a bit more relaxed, considering that their second child is conceived while both of them are drunk lol

in chapter 12, galadriel left her car in accessory for too long and the battery died. hal is fully aware of this and totally could’ve just jumped her battery but he missed her and wanted an excuse to spend time with her.

galadriel’s apprehension about motherhood doesn’t come from a lack of interest altogether, but because the only model she’s really had is one of 100% loss of identity, which is something she’s not willing to do. initially, i planned on this being her ultimate fate and good lord i’m so happy i didn’t go there.

i’m very careful in hal’s therapy sessions to have him refer to “people” he’s dated/slept with, rather than “women.”

galadriel’s friends 100% thought she was sleeping with hal AND celeborn in high school, hence their confusion at her response to finding out they were sexually active then.

hal’s parents aren’t actually homophobic or biphobic, they just didn’t know how to handle that situation and so they sort of pretended it didn’t happen. and if you want to know what happened, it’s just your usual homophobic bullying— the boy he liked turned on him to avoid being a target himself.

hal has had panic attacks his entire life but wasn’t diagnosed with panic disorder until shortly before galadriel moved out for real. he’s very resistant to using rescue meds and thinks he should just be able to tough it out.

they split bills proportionally based on income, with hal contributing 66% and gal 34% around the time of celebrian’s birth. galadriel doesn’t know much about hal’s finances until they buy the house.

i loved seeing how responses to amarie changed as she challenged expectations in the later timeline. i feel really bad for her— it’s implied in the final chapter that she married fin when she was 20 and he was 24, and she dropped out of college as a result. what they’re struggling with by the end is the fact that she wants to finish her degree and has made peace with the fact that they don’t have kids— more of that will be in peppermint for sure.

another aspect in the background that i knew about but decided against mentioning is that celebrian was born just before covid, which is a huge part of why they fell out with galadriel’s family. hal’s health anxiety meant nobody was getting anywhere near his baby and they were not feeling that at all. this might come up a little in peppermint, we’ll see. i doubt i would directly mention covid, just the fact that both of them were working from home for a large part of celebrian’s first few months.

celebrian’s first word was fuck. hal insists it doesn’t count. gal disagrees.

both hal and gal can be read as neurodivergent. it’s revealed in peppermint that celebrian does have adhd. hal also can be read as meeting the diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder— that was unintentional but i think it makes a lot of sense.

significant influences on bitym

films/tv

like crazy

normal people

about time

saved

couples therapy

the worst person in the world

before midnight

lady bird

500 days of summer

non-fiction

leaving the fold: a guide for former fundamentalists and others leaving their religion by marlene winell

complex ptsd: from surviving to thriving by pete walker

hold me tight by sue johnson

adult children of emotionally immature parents by lindsay c. gibson

three women by lisa taddeo

fiction

normal people by sally rooney

beautiful world where are you? by sally rooney

little rabbit by alyssa songsiridej

the unbearable lightness of being by milan kundera

atonement by ian mcewan

musical theater

the last five years

spring awakening

once

my favorite lines

Fighting is foreplay, so they never fight fair. Grievances are grenades, painstakingly primed for maximum impact. If the situation escalates to all-out warfare, consequences take a brutal turn. All hope of a ceasefire hangs on her eventual surrender to submission. — chapter 8

“Stop fucking running from what you want,” he murmurs, slipping his free hand beneath her shoulders, golden hair tangled around his wrist and laced between his fingers as they sink into her skin. “You’re not scared of me, you’re scared of yourself.” The words sear into her with the precision of a cautery pen, burning through any vestiges of self-denial still humming in her mind, loosening each thought at the root. — chapter 10

Galadriel murmured the words over and over again, whispering them against his lips, pressing them into his mouth, until the taste of each syllable was as familiar to him as the salt of her tears. — chapter 11

“Deciding to leave is very different from deciding to not love you anymore.” — chapter 13

If Galadriel is sunlight, Celebrian is made from the stars. — chapter 21

“I’d be first in line at the gates of hell,” Hal says slowly, with all the steadfast solemnity of a vow or a prayer, “if it meant I could keep this beautiful fucking life of ours for just a little longer.” — chapter 25

“You can stop beating yourself up for this shit, honey.” Hal’s thumb brushes her temple. “It’s not on you to fix something you didn’t fucking break.” — chapter 26

Maybe Hal was right. Maybe these moments only matter because of their fleeting, ephemeral nature. Maybe that overwhelming ache she once believed would shatter her served as a method to hollow out space for feeling to inhabit— this precious alloy of quiet contentment and contagious joy, irresistible wonder and the recalcitrance of love, all bound together by a strand of defiant hope. — chapter 26

“I might never be able to heal the parts of you— of us, of our family, our life— that I’ve broken. But you have my word, Galadriel,” his voice drops, each syllable low and firm, carrying the weight of an oath, “I will keep trying— until my last fucking breath, until the end of the goddamn world.” — chapter 26

that was probably a lot more than anyone wanted to know haha, so i’ll stop myself there. this fic means so fucking much to me and i’m so so proud of it. i never thought i’d be capable of writing anything like it and it’s so overwhelming in the best way to know that it means a lot to other people too.

hopefully this answered a lot of questions, but my ask box is open for anything at all— i could talk about concepts in and the process of writing bitym for days (i’m usually holding back bc i don’t want to be annoying) so please feel free to reach out with whatever.

and again, thank you all for everything. you’re amazing.

#answered #my fics: bitym #my fics: but i thought you might #fanfic directors commentary #poeticmemory

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mischiefxmuses · 6 months

Text

hwevent16: closed random starter for @lcngliive (Galadriel x Sarra)

prompt: Characters hear the voices of their loved ones calling for help within thick, thorned corn stalks. The further they push in the sharper the plants become and the louder the voices sound.

"I've done this before... this maze will have to do better." Galadriel's jaw clenched. Halbrand had already pulled this sort of trick on her as she heard her brother calling for help. She knew darkness was she saw it and her eyes glowed for a moment, letting the dark magic be more visible to her. "If you hear voices ignore them. They are not real. There is dark all around."

#galadriel & interactions #sarrareply #sarraxgaladrielthread01 #hwevent16

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lathalea · 1 year

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I just had a random thought about Celeborn and Galadriel asking you to have their baby. Since Galadriel is past child rearing age and they would like to have another child. So they choose you because, they think that you have all the perfect characteristics.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: Lathalea is very busy at the moment so she outsourced the task of replying to this ask to one of the Erebor scribes, Gunnhildr, daughter of Lynd. This Dwarf lady was recommended by none other than His Majesty Thorin Oakenshield Himself. That being said, Lathalea does not assume any responsibility for the contents of the following message. You have been warned.

Now, listen here, Anonymous Elf! Do you really, REALLLLY think that a Dwarf would be a perfect choice of a surrogate parent for those two pointy-eared treehuggers? Pah! We have our own fertility problems, thank you very much! Even if such a thing would be possible between a Child of Illuvatar and a Child of Mahal (blessed be his hammer!😏), how would you expect me to go about it? I need a drink! What?! Why is this bottle empty already? I need to check in the cellar…

I hear Elves are not overly fond of Dwarven hair. Should I shave off my luscious beard (or, Mahal forbid, my leg hair!) in order not to offend the delicate elven sensibilities? Disgusting! What a dishonor! Would I be expected to lay down, close my eyes and think of sweaty blacksmiths while the great Lord Celeborn himself does the deed? He has no beard to speak of, I saw his portrait once! What would I hold on to while… No, I can’t even think about it! And I can’t even imagine what would his wife do then, sit next to us and discuss the weather? Preposterous! Truly! Where’s that ale barrel… ah, here it is. 🍻

And what would happen next? Even if this was possible, I bet the Elves would probably keep me on some salad and grass diet for ages! Uuugh! No pork legs, no bacon, no venison until the babe comes into the world! And no ale to speak of! That IS simply a cruel thing to ask of a Dwarf! I need my winter (and summer) fat! And my daily portion of giggle juice! I do not intend to be stuck in some fancy Elven home above ground and spend days filled with boredom, ugh! I wonder if that wine would go well with ale, let me see… 🍷

I do not care how wise and beautiful Lady Galadriel is and what a honor it would be for someone (someone else than me, of course) to serve her and her husband this way! If she is indeed past childbearing age, I am certain she can find dozens of fair Elf-maids interested in fulfilling their wishes! And women of Men, too! As a Dwarf-woman, I have a reputation to withhold! What if I want to marry one day and have tiny pebbles? Do you not know of Dwarven customs? We wed once in our lives, if we wish to (some of us prefer to focus on our chosen craft). We believe that there is only one spouse for us because Mahal the Great made us from two pieces of the same stone. Only then do we join in body and spirit.

Now, how am I supposed to find my One if there are two married elves and a pointy-eared babe in my past? My future husband or wife would die of laughter or embarrassment (or both)! Thank Mahal it will not be our great king, Thorin II Oakenshield, because he would be hit by apoplexy on the spot! Not that I am thinking of his majestic person, his skill with a sword, or his strong arms in a marital context, oh no. I know my place, I am a simple scribe… A scribe who is very fond of this red wine. And ale. And… 200-year-old whiskey? Who left this bottle here? Well, then. I need to make sure that it is not spoiled, right? Let me pour just one finger of this amber goodness… Or, well, make it two… Three. Mmmm, that’s better.

Where was I? Ah, Elves. No hair. Salad. Babies. No sharp axes or swords. No week-long feasts. Yuck. Oh, and tons of diapers for the nearest 100 years or whatever until the babe learns how to walk. Ttthank you, An-anonymous Elf, for your thoughtsss, but no thank you. I’d r-rrather… keep on d-drinking.

*hic* *hic* *hic*

May your ears be green and your leaves pointy (or was it the other way around?),

Gunnhildr, daughter of Lynd

Drat, I have run out of liquor. I blame the Elves! 🍃

#ask box #lathalea speaks #or rather #gunnhildr writes #some completely anonymous dwarf straight from Erebor #thorin's scribe #the hobbit #thorin's ask box

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tolkien-feels · 1 year

Note

For the ask game. Galadriel?

Oh, I was actually hoping someone would ask about her!

Sexuality Headcanon: Queer. She will not be taking any questions at this moment, thank you.

Gender Headcanon: Enby. She reads more clearly as enby to elves than to other races, but her identity is very firmly non-binary regardless. She also uses feminine and masculine language for herself pretty interchangeably, though with a mild preference towards feminine most (but not all) of the time. This is one of the very few gender headcanons I have that I'm so passionate about I struggle to headcanon any other possibility

A ship I have with said character: Celeborn, and their romance is extremely underrated. I've mentioned this elsewhere but I also headcanon she and Celeborn have functionally a qp relationship with Celebrimbor, but that's not how any of the three would describe it. These are the major ones, but I tend to be easy to sell on Galadriel ships for some reason, so there are many others I've been persuaded to like under different circumstances

A BROTP I have with said character: The White Council. Her family in general (including the one she got through Celebrian, of course, which includes all of Elrond's found family). Doriath's royal family.

A NOTP I have with said character: None? None I can think of.

A random headcanon: She absolutely hates shoes. No, it's not an elven thing, it's an "I learned to walk on the beach as a child, and spent many formative years walking barefoot on grass in Doriath, so every time I have to wear shoes I want to strangle someone because I associate shoes with several places I actively dislike" thing

General Opinion over said character: I love her!! I would fight Tolkien over the late attempts to make her morally unimpeachable - I love Galadriel for how difficult she is. Even by LotR, I still headcanon Boromir's read on her isn't entirely wrong - she's come a long way but she's not entirely a harmless, benevolent lady, and will never be

#ask game

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thessaliah · 2 years

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The episode left clear that he’s Sauron more than ever, but how? First, him wanting to get into Numenorian guild is weird for Sauron, the Maia, who was even more knowledgeable than Celebrimbor. And you can expect Sauron to stay in Numenor with Pharazon and increase his influence while the Queen is away, but he's going in Middle Earth to help elves because?

Just one phrase: "I'm sorry for your brother and everything." Now what is suspicious about this sentence? Hint: look up what's the difference between sorry for vs sorry about.

Also, you're assuming Sauron desires that right now. Meanwhile, IMO, he honestly wishes to be left alone and start over somewhere quietly. I remind you Sauron spent centuries away from Middle Earth trying to be a good boy and starting over even if he refused the Valar's judgment (and Tolkien affirmed it again in his letters). I don't think Halbrand is Annatar Sauron, or Tar-Mairon Sauron (yet), as I suspected at first, I think he's this unexplored repentant Sauron who just wanna be good and runs from his 'destiny.' But we know he exists, Tolkien didn’t say what he did, so Halbrand can be his identity in this stage. That he emphasizes Galadriel will hate him if she knew the truth, makes it super obvious who he truly is. She wouldn't cast him away for some sin in name of survival. Galadriel just can't conceive Sauron could have good in him, or desires redemption, that's why she's blind to his guise. She sensed he was probably trouble as Annatar because he had malicious intentions then. And still didn't push to expel him as much as she should.

They are basically smashing together all timeline. Or else we wouldn't have Elendil and co in a period no rings were forged with Sauron MIA for ages. They are upping the drama, otherwise they wouldn’t have built a personal relationship between them. It would not make sense for the fallout. I think (at this moment) Halbrand honestly wishes to do good, and it’ll have terrible consequences because most likely the mcguffin sword will get some mechanism that will activate with him near and would turn the Southlands into Mordor.

Why would a random man of the Southlands, heir or not, there's no organized education there: move smoothly in court better than Galadriel, knew how to forge better than Numeronians, defeat a group of Numeronians (the strongest Men) with ease? Think about it. How could a low man do that? It's like if a random silvan elf can beat a group of noldor.

#ask #come on anon #the rings of power #sauron #halbrand

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marietheran · 2 months

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I feel like I completely don't remember my reaction to my very first reading of the Silm which is sad... I know I was 11 and I read it all in a day or two, with no apparent difficulty, or even need to refer to the family trees at the back. But the only thing I actually remember, is opening the book at random in the library and reading the scene between Sauron and Gorlim, right up to "'but I shall bring you to Eilinel'; and they slew Gorlim cruelly"... (I guess it was a lucky moment to stumble on, because I already knew one of the characters...)

I remember, back when we were discussing the Hobbit in class the year before, one of the girls mentioned the beginning of the Silm and Christian influence on the legendarium (to this day I don't remember who that was and don't know whether she had actually already read it or been told by an older sibling/cousin or what). And I remember putting Tolkien away for a year after a weird dream that I decided meant I shouldn't read it; and then the holidays at the beach with my cousins a year or two later, when I elected to reread LoTR after all, and had the cousin nearest in age, a boy who had just gotten into Tolkien that year, summarise the Silm (which I had forgotten a lot of) over the course of a restaurant meal. I still wonder what the thoughts of everyone sitting around us must have been.

I remember long talks about the Legendarium between us, late in the evening when we should have been in bed (oh, for so many reasons, that was the best week in my entire life, but those conversations were one of them). I remember saying that I didn't like the sound of the names Tolkien gave the Valar (my cousin disagreed and today-me is inclined to do so too). I remember, it took me until Galadriel's song in Lothlorien on my LoTR reread to get that Elbereth means the same person as Varda, and my utter surprise when I realised (but my cousin was also surprised when I showed him). And I remember the way I made the Tale of Beren and Luthien my aesthetic and the love of my life (hah) so utterly in the following months as only a thirteen year old can... I remember holding the library copy of the Silm for half a dozen months before my mother bought me my own, in English.

But I do not remember my first reactions when reading my now-favourite book.

#putting it here and not on sideblog because it's more like personal rambling #...#I have to tell you more about that one holiday because it literally was the best moment in my life so far #I should tell you more about my cousins too #therese rambles #original post #the professor's mythopoeia #Silmarillion

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blcodyhell · 25 days

Text

Random Galadriel moments: 61/?

#lotr #lotredit #tlotrgifs #lotrdaily #tolkien #tolkienedit #tolkiensource #sourcetolkien #galadriel #galadrieledit #cairparavelguest #mine #random galadriel moments

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gwaedhannen · 5 months

Text

Some random author notes about Kill the flame

The whole fic was written in an afternoon and it shows.

I don't necessarily think this is how late-Third Age Galadriel always thinks of her family (especially the Feanorians), but when she allows herself to miss them, she really misses them.

I follow the "G&C fucked off to Eriador sometime in the 1st Age" canon, most likely shortly after Finrod's death. They showed up again a few years into the War of Wrath at a suitably dramatic moment to bail her father out. As juicy as the idea of her being present in Doriath and therefore on the losing side of all three Kinslayings is, I feel like she would've tried to confront the Feanorians in the Second Kinslaying instead of fleeing, and would've likely died there.

The names used are somewhat arbitrary, but the ones I imagine Galadriel using for her brothers/cousins by the late Third Age (having mostly heard their names in the context of history). Hence Arakáno instead of Argon since he died before they met any Sindar, but the rest are in Sindarin, and Finrod instead of Ingoldo since that's what he's known by in all the histories/songs/etc.

Ar-Feiniel instead of Aredhel is completely vibes though.

Am I doing "read more" breaks right

"I always tried to make Lothlórien a place you would love." probably made more sense when I was trying to contrast Lothlórien with Nan Elmoth as a "forest of light" vs "forest of darkness". But I couldn't get a good way to word the Nan Elmoth reference so it was cut. Honestly I don't really think this line is terribly accurate; Lothlórien feels like it's too "tame" for my impression of Aredhel's character.

Angrod isn't really an ass, he just has a tendency to laugh at other peoples' minor mishaps and doesn't know when to shut up. Except when explaining to the local king why you're here from Valinor, of course.

I really didn't want to make another candle/moth reference for Aegnnor, so instead I made up the part about him saving Galadriel on the Helcaraxë for this fic. Maybe one day I'll write it. Something about Galadriel's cold fury towards the Feanorians for their betrayal causing a spiritual positive feedback loop.

Galadriel doesn't know what to say to Finrod in part because I sure as hell don't know what she'd say to Finrod. The line about the Ring of Barahir at least manages to date the fic to between Aragorn's first trip to Lothlórien and the fall of Sauron.

If it wasn't obvious, "mountains" and "empty hill" refer to Tirion, and "sea" and "blooded sands" to Alqualondë. I figure the finarfinians and fingolfinians did a fair bit of back-and-forth'ing due to their families' close bond.

Why should Angrod Aegnor and Maedhros be the only ones who'd follow Fingon anywhere? I recall a post somewhere about how it's his death, even more than the slaughter of the Nirnaeth, which seals the Noldor's fate. Without him, the survivors lose all Estel. Turgon and Orodreth stop listening to Ulmo, and the Feanorians turn against other elves.

No I don't know why Galadriel blames Curufin for sending Finrod to die more than Celegorm. I already had Celegorm's line so instead Curufin gets to kill Galathil for the symmetry.

Ambarussa's lines took the longest to think of. Some inspiration from this Polutrope post, especially lightly-toasted Amrod, and them driving the Third Kinslaying.

The madness/truth Amras discovered? Moments after he kills Dior, the corpse hops back up, declares "I'm fucking done with this shitty-ass 'bittersweet' narrative, we're going to a romcom" (paraphrased), and walks through a wall. He grabs his sons on the way out of this pataphysical layer.

Maglor is probably still alive somewhere so "[Finwë's] final heir in Middle-Earth" is an exaggeration. And of course there's Elrond and his kids, but shh.

#silmarillion #the silmarillion #lotr #tolkien #silm fic #galadriel #house of finwe #stormthinken

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technoturian · 2 years

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i don't think i have the energy to give TROP a chance but is is weird that it doesn't sit right with me that (supposedly) galadriel's "terrible and beautiful as the dawn" speech is (supposedly) just because sauron said it? and not of her own imagination ??idk

I feel the same way! I think it was pure laziness on their part, they thought "If we change everything about this story but just include a few ripped off lines every episode, it'll still "feel" like Tolkien, it'll still appease those stupid nerds." They underestimate every faction of their audience with the writing, so of course they think the depth of respect the diehard fan contingent deserves is the Captain America iunderstoodthatreference.gif

But the end result is so terrible for their own story because they've just flattened thousands of years of character growth for their own characters. In their AU of Middle Earth, every important LotR character is just kind of copying their most important and insightful moments from random harfoots, side characters, or, y'know, Sauron, all of whom they met centuries ago. They've had no level of insight since then. They have no opinions. They're just parrots.

The idea that Galadriel wanted power and was ambitious and saw that in herself and tested herself and won was basically her defining moment in the movies (I haven't read the books). But now she's just parroting what an abusive incel said to her to try to seduce her??? Okay. Way to make it all about a man I guess. 🤷‍♀️

#Anti Rings of Power #Anti The Rings of Power #Anti RoP #Anti TRoP #Anti Saurondriel #I can't believe I even have to write that last tag

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laoih · 2 years

Text

Middle-earth without Tolkien

Review of "The Rings of Power": Episode 1 & 2

I am a big fan of Tolkien's writings and the fictional world he had created. If you try to sell me a show that is supposed to be "true to Tolkien" and that is supposedly set in Middle-earth and uses the names of his characters and locations, I'm going to have expectations.

Unfortunately, in the first two episodes they were not met. While the show looks decent and could be an okay-ish start for an original show, at this point it does not work as an adaptation of Tolkien's writings at all.

Spoiler warnings for the 1st & 2nd episode under the cut.

The Production

Nice sets, overall good VFX and music

Let me start by saying that overall, the look of the show is mostly fine. This is especially true in regards to the sets and most of the visual effects: Moria looked impressive, Lindon has a few nice shots and the landscape shots are, of course, also beautiful. We also get some great VFX shots in the intro and whenever they introduce new locations. The music was good as well – for the most parts it was fitting for the atmosphere of the scene and was not distracting. However, I wouldn't say that it was anything special – only in seaso 2 I found one moment where the music really stood out for me.

Questionable character design

I wasn't a fan of the character designs when the casting and later the designs were announced, and this hasn't really changed:

Among the Elves, Galadriel's casting is probably the best of them, but the choices for her costumes are strange at times. Gil-galad is completely miscast in my opinion, and his golden costume just looks bad, especially the fabric. Elrond doesn't look the Elvish part, and especially his costume in Moria doesn't look good. Celebrimbor is way too old, and no acting can change that. And the fact that they make him walk from Ost-in-Edhil to Moria in his long robes is ridiculous. For Arondir, and other Elves, it's little details that sometimes just don't work or that are irritating – like the fact that most Elf-women besides Galadriel seemed to be veiled. And then there is, of course, the fact that all male Elves but Gil-galad have short hair, and I think this is a really really bad decision. Give the Elves their long hair back! Also, what's up with the Roman style of the Elves?

Among the Dwarves, things look a little bit better: Durin IV looks decent for a Dwarf, and most other Dwarves that we see look Dwarvish enough. But of course there is the issue of Disa, who according to Tolkien should also have a beard - which she doesn't. Her costume also looks not really Dwarvish at all. But since she is basically only in one scene in these two episodes, this can be overlooked.

For Men, the character designs are mostly okay – although Bronwyn sticks out in so far that she seems to be the only clean person in her entire village. The Harfoots have overall mostly fitting costumes, but the random plants in their give un unnecessary primitive impression.

Acting

The acting is overall decent – there is rarely a case where the acting feels off or pulls you out of the show. However, in these first two performances there wasn't really anything impressive to see either.

My favourite performance is probably Roberto Aramayo – his acting is charming, his line delivery is good and he displays the most interesting emotions. Especially in combination with Durin IV it's an enjoyable performance to watch. Notable is also Markella Kavenagh as Nori, who brings a lot of heart into her role.

My least favourite performance is probably Ismael Cruz Cordova as Arondir, who seems to have the same facial expression throughout the two episodes.

Writing

The writing and directing is, together with the weak character design, the weakest part of these two episodes so far, but unfortunately it's also the most important part:

The story and character treatment has many issues I will describe further below. The dialogue feels clunky at times, especially when its Elves talking. While I understand that they tried to give the Elves a certain way of speaking that probably tries to mimic Tolkien's beautiful prose, it sometimes tries too hard and too much. The best example is probably the following excerpt:

" Do you know why a ship floats and a stone cannot? Because the stone sees only downward. The darkness of the water is vast and irresistible. The ship feels the darkness as well, striving moment by moment to master her and pull her under. But the ship has a secret. For unlike the stone, her gaze is not downward but up. Fixed upon the light that guides her, whispering of grander things than darkness ever knew." – The Rings of Power, Episode 1

There are also times where it works, but the times it doesn't are more memorable because I had to stop and go back once or twice to understand what they tried to say in their convoluted way.

And last but not least: language. Something that should be vital to any series that tries to tackle Tolkien, yet here we are in a series with some really basic mistakes: we see at least two instances between Elves where they switch to Elvish for a couple of lines and then go back to seaking English. ... why? Aren't they normally speaking Elvish and it was just translated to English for the viewer? Apparently not. Then why are they speaking English anyway? Did anyone even thing about this? Why is this not addressed when it's hinted at?

More details about the writing I will discuss in the story section.

The Story

The Intro

The intro of the show takes about 8 minutes of the first episodes, and it was my first big disappointment. While it works as a short summary of the history and gives a good insight into Galadriel's current situation, it is also filled with small details that are simply frustrating for me as a fan of Tolkien's writings.

There is, once again, the repurposing of character lines right at the beginning of the show: "Nothing is evil in the beginning" is said by Galadriel as the first line of the first episode, yet it is Elrond's line in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. And so far, this line stands without connection at the beginning and there is no follow up to it.

The first scene we see is Galadriel getting bullied by other Elf-children. The first of those children to speak sounds rather like Draco Malfoy than an Elf-child. It kind of sets the tone of how the Elves will be portrayed in these two episodes (and possibly in the whole first season).

Galadriel's conversation with her brother not only is written with weird metaphors (see above), it's also is illogical at times. "I won't always be here to speak them to you", her brother says to Galadriel, and she is surprised. In a voice over she than explains that they had no word for death – but then why does her brother believe he won't always be there? There are other instances like this, so I want to mention this one as an example.

The plot of the First Age is very quickly summaries with a few sentence. It's not very accurate, so not going too much into details is probably the best. The visuals combine several images that could belong to various different battles: the War or Wrath, the Dagor Bragollach, and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. There are some really impressive shots here, but half of them had already revealed by the teasers. Since there is not really much more there, I think it was a mistake to use them in the teaser.

There is a shot of Galadriel on the battlefield after the battle is over, and she just wearing a delicate white dress while walking through the mud. It's a distracting in this moment because all I could think about was "who on earth picks clothes like these to go to a lost battlefield..."

After the intro part, the episode then transitions to the main storylines of these two episodes, starting with:

Amazon's Galadriel and her quest for revenge

Galadriel's storyline is probably the most frustrating to watch, because out of the four storylines it's one of the two where the character names actually come from Tolkien.

However, there is not much else left that could be attributed to Tolkien beside the names. Amazon's Galadriel shows neither the greatness nor the nobility nor the ambition nor the wisdom that were central to Tolkien's Galadriel. Instead she is brash, inconsiderate and driven by revenge.

She spends the 1st episode as the Cassandra in the story - warning everyone of Sauron's return, but nobody seems to listen. But there is never a good reason given as to why everyone ignores her – instead, apparently most Elves have forgotten the pain of the past, Galadriel's men think it's too dangerous to search any further in the North, Elrond has no better reason than Gil-galad-said-so, Gil-galad actually knows Galadriel is right but apparently prefers to deny reality.

This leads to Galadriel basically getting shipped of into the West against her will – massively breaking the lore because it ignores the Ban of the Valar completely. Seeing the ship almost reaching Valinor wasn't as impressive for me as the creators probably would have liked, because it's not earned: in Tolkien's Middle-earth, sailing West is a personal choice, it's not something any Elven-king can hand out as a gift or keep from any Elf. It certainly shouldn't be used to remove the uncomfortable political opposition. It has no emotional weight because while the no-name-Elves in the background are all very happy, Galadriel obviously doesn't want to be there. Which is why she eventually decides to turn back by jumping into the sea. This decision is absolutely nonsenical, because anyone with half a brain would then expect to drown and die. This storyline may be impressive visually, but it's purely build on dump decisions by Gil-galad (+Elrond) and Galadriel.

Galadriel of course doesn't die, most of the 2nd episode she spends with not drowing, and during that she gets aquaintend with the human man Halbrand. About Halbrand there is not much to say yet – this episode mainly brings these two characters together for further story development in the following episodes. The other humans in these scenes are quickly forgotten, and only used for a quick example of human racism against Elves.

Galadriel is not the only mischaracterised Tolkien character here: with Gil-galad it's even worse. He is one of the biggest disappointments because he is an unsatisfying combination of being miscast, having a flawed character design and being written completely unsympathetically: Amazon's Gil-galad is a it patronising, lets Elrond write his speaches, and ignores Galadriel's warnings even though he knows she is right. The idea of trying to pretend the thing he doesn't want to be true will go away simply by ignoring it is directly contradicting Tolkien's writings, since there Gil-galad was one of the first to notice the growing shadow, and one of the first who tried to do something against it. I truly hate Amazon's portrayal of this character so far.

Other little things that caught my attention:

Climbing ice mountains with metal gloves is a stupid idea.

The fight scene against the snow troll is really really bad, especially because it seems to be so easy for Galadriel, and everyone else is just standing around doing nothing.

I'm curious what Galadriel's plan would have been if they would have found Sauron at some point during that mission. Did she plan to fight him one-on-one? If he had Orcs with him, would his not-so-merry band of Elves be enough to take them on?

All in all, this plotline was frustrating and dumb in the first episode, and got boring in the second one.

Amazon's Elrond and the Dwarves

Amazon's Elrond, as mentioned above, has the advantage of an endearing performance by the actor, but he simply is not convincing as an Elf – or as Tolkien's Elrond at this point in time.

Watching his scenes with Galadriel was frustrating because although they claim to be friends they don't really seem to understand each other at all. Elrond seems to act, more or less, on behalf of Gil-galad, which Galadriel resents. She is unkind in these conversations, and Elrond deliberately ignores that her concerns are valid - Galadriel has found some proof for her claims after all. And since I'm not a fan of Amazon's Gil-galad, I dislike the scenes of Elrond with him as well.

A recurring element here is also the attitude of the Elves – Elrond is not included in a council meeting because it's "Elf-lords only". ...who among the Eldar would refuse to count the immortal son of Eärendil, grandson of King Dior, great-grandson of King Turgon, among the Elf-lords? That's just absurd, but continues what was shown right at the start of the intro: the Elves as stuck-up bullies.

Elrond becomes a lot more interesting once he is in the company of the Dwarves. For me, his relationship with Durin IV was the only emotional storyline that really interested me and that felt like there was actually some depths to these characters. Incidentally, the issue of the Elvish immortality compared to the rather short life of a Dwarf (250 years on average, according to Tolkien) is one of the few moments where the show actually picks up on a Tolkien-related storyline. Had something like this story been front and center I would have been much more invested in the this two-parter. While the initial refusal of Durin IV to speak with Elrond and the following Rite are a bit cringe, the scenes that follow work quite well.

Durin IV and Disa are used well in this context. Durin III, while looking very Dwarvish, is less welcome because he really shouldn't be there without breaking another part of Tolkien's lore. But who is counting anymore at this point, I guess...? What is not clear is why Elrond ignored Durin IV. I mean, surely he got an invetation to Durin IV's marriage or the birth of his children. Even if time feels a bit different to Elrond, he still should know about the importance of such occations and that one can't just come a coupld of years later to them?

For this storyline I also have to quickly mention Celebrimbor. He is not well casted in my eyes because he simply does not look the Elf-part at all. And apparently Celebrimbor is aware of that: he has decided that he quickly has to build a large tower, until spring, because apparently he has no time left to be patient for no further explained reasons? If there is peace now, why can't Gil-galad's Elves help? Shouldn't Celebrimbor be a Lord in his own right in Eregion? What are all his Elves doing? WHAT ARE THE GWAITH-I-MÍRDAIN DOING? Anyway, Celebrimbor and Elrond seem to walk from Ost-in-Edhil all the way to Moria on foot, and Celebrimbor still wears his long costume and that's just funny to me. So far nothing that they have done with this character works for me.

Some little notes:

Fëanor's hammer in this series looks like a toy. Please don't show or mention it again.

The close-up reaction shots of the Dwarves during the Sigin-tarâg are just really uncomfortable to watch. This is one of the times where the editing draws attention to itself – and this is always a negative thing.

Overall, this is the storyline that works best in these two episodes. It's not ideal by any means, but at least it has a bit potential. Just keep Elrond away from Gil-galad and never show Celebrimbor again...

Arondir and Bronwn

Arondir, Bronwyn and Theo are one of the two storylines that have no foundation in Tolkien's writings at all so far. The characters are an Amazon invention, the location where the story is set is only vaguely defined, and the story itself is going nowhere known so far. It is most likely a setup for something bigger, but at the moment this part of the series is among the most boring parts to watch.

Arondir is the most uninteresting character to me, thanks to the writing and acting. His romance with Bronwyn hasn't had much chance to be developed and their scenes together show them mostly in a state of awkwardness or miscommunication. Nothing there makes me invested in their relationship.

Arondir's plotline mostly seems to emphasis once more that Elves are stuck-up bullies. So these human people have lived there for 1000 years, peacefully, but the Elves still keep a military presences there because they don't trust them? How lovely. There is a scene between Arondir and another Elf that tries to reinforce just how badly the Elves think of these people. "The blood of those who stood with Morgoth still darkens their veins", this Elf says, and that they had to be watched over not because of what their ancestors did but "because of who they still are" and "be grateful that you need never see them again". OKAY, WE GET IT. This scene is horribly forced and annoying exposition, because there is no need to tell Arondir this if he has been stationed there for 79 years. Take your indoctrination somewhere else please.

The humans on the other hand call Arondir "knife-ears", which is also racist but probably understandable after 1000 years or mistrust and control because of the ancestor's crimes. It's not very fitting for Arondir though, his ears are barely pointy...

Anyway. The Elves here also pretend everything is okay now, everything evil has somehow vanished despite there being signs that it's just around the corner, and it makes everyone look stupid. Before declaring peace on earth, maybe check around the next corner?

Some other little things that annoyed me:

When Arondir comes into the village, he has his hood so deep drawn in his face that it's hard to see how he can see where he's going. It looks ridiculous, put the hood further back, please.

Arondir has been promoted as a Silvan elf, yet he is under the command of the High King of the Noldor? How? Why? Since when did Gil-galad's kingdom ever go past the Misty Mountains in the East or the Isen in the South. Surely not as far as East of the Sea of Núrnen. Why did the show make Arondir a Silvan Elf and then just ignore a majority of the Silvan culture? Silvan Elves didn't want to get involved with the Noldor, they stayed in their own little corners.

Bronwyn has a Cassandra moment in the 2nd episode, similar to Galadriel in the 1st episode. I think it would have been better if Theo had been the one to do it this time, because now it just feels a bit obvious in regards to what the message is supposed to be...

The cut from when Bronwyn kills the Orc to where she slams the head of the Orc on the table is really really bad.

There is more, but I have to stop somewhere. Theo could also be discussed, but frankly there is not much to say about him aside from the fact that Orcs digging tunnels under his house sounds like mice to him, and that he found a sword and is possibly being possessed at the end? Either way, I can't bring myself to care for the boy.

Nori and Meteor Man

The storyline that is probably furthest away from Tolkien's 2nd Age is the HobbitsHarfoots storyline (trying to convince anyone that Harfoots aren't Hobbits is laughable, so let's just note that they are Hobbits. At least they are not yet in Eriador but somewhere in Rhovanion).

The focus is on Nori, a HobbitHarfoot with an Elvish name. The scenes with her and her family and friends are charming in a way, but I also don't have much to say about it because while watching it I mostly wondered where the point of all this was.

The point comes in form of Meteor Man at the end of the first episode: Nori finds him and decides to take care of him, and from then on her storyline becomes less interesting. Her interaction with Meteor Man is simply not particulary interesting, because Meteor Man himself is not particually interesting at this moment. It's a setup for something further down the line, and for itself it doesn't add much to the current state of the story.

As Nori and her friend correctly notice: Meteor Man can neither be Man nor Elf, so he'll most likely be one of the Maiar – probably Gandalf or another of of the Istari, or Sauron – depending on which plottwist route the showrunner will take. Coming as a meteor breaks the lore once more, no matter who it is, so that's annoying. And since we won't get any solution to this riddle any time soon I lost interest in that plotline half into the second episode.

Two small notes:

I quite liked the music that played when Nori first hid Meteor Man and explained to her friend why she was doing it.

In that scene there is the other small hint at a motif from Tolkien: Nori says she somehow knows that this is supposed to happen and that she is supposed to take care of Meteor Man. This is an echo of Gandalf's words to Frodo: "I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker. In which case you also were meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought." Which makes the idea that this Meteor Man is Gandalf much more likely.

One question that remains for me when it comes to Nori: her father was hurt wenn he fell, so they said he wouldn't be able to migrate. But in the next scene that we see the HobbitsHarfoots in, Nori says that they'll soon migrate, so... what's with the father now? Is he healed? Did I miss something?

Pacing & story coherence

The show juggles with four storylines in these two episodes, and often a single episode suffers when it is split between more than two storylines: as a result not enough time is spent on each single storyline. Because of this the pacing is usually not that great – while the eisode jumps form storyline to storyline, the viewer has to follow constantly with their attention and emotional investment, and usually that doesn't really work. Whenever the viewer has gotten used to and invested in a storyline, the episode is already heading to the next part.

Another issue with the pacing is the fact that for all of the storylines these two episodes were mostly setup. But there are only eight episodes in this season, so 25% of the season are already spent on setup. At this rate, I'm curious how they want to get to the Last Alliance in five seasons without rushing it, but maybe they'll speed things up in the next episodes.

Conclusion

As an adaptation of Tolkien's stories, these first two episodes completely failed. As a story set in Middle-earth, these first two episodes also fail because they keep ignoring some of the most basic elements of Tolkien's worldbuilding. Of course is can and most likely will change in future episodes or seasons, but we'll see to which extend and in which quality.

As a fantasy series, it's not completely bad, but it's lacking a lot. The pretty visuals can't hide the fact that the characterisations and the overall writing is unconvincing, at times dumb and at other times boring. So far there is nothing smart or subtle about this show.

Most frustrating is the portrayal of the Elvish characters, and the Elves as a people in general. While the Amazon oirignal plotlines my not be particulary interesting, at least they can't get as many things wrong as the Galadriel or Elrond storyline.

Overall it was a disappointing start for this series, both as a show supposedly related to Tolkien's work and as its own work.

#LOTR ROP #LOTR TROP #The Rings of Power #LOTR #LOTR on prime #Amazon LOTR #lotr rop review #TROP spoilers #my stuff

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ragnarlothcat · 2 years

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1/? Is anyone else OBSESSED with the idea of Eldritch Horror Anakin?? Like even to other force users he’s considered uncanny because he’s so immensely powerful in the force? It’s as if while others have a connection to the force, he is part of the force itself. (Listen i don’t even know if that makes sense. No one come at me with “that’s not how the force works!”. I am not clearly not well versed in SW/force lore. I am here for the vibes ONLY!!!) Also combining this with a/b/o (because what’s

2/? better than one trope?? Two tropes!). So consider this: 18 year old padawan anakin who’s on the brink of presenting gets separated from Obi wan on a mission & cornered by the bad guys (who are they? Idk! Remember: vibes only 😎), and the stress/fear triggers his first heat. Anakin’s hands are shaking so much he can’t even wield his lightsaber without of cutting off one of his own limbs. These guys think they’ve gotten hold of some weak omega Jedi (cos in every universe there’s

3/? discrimination apparently!) only for the temperature to drop, clouds start gathering & darkening as if there’s an impending storm& it’s almost as if anakin becomes possessed by something. He stops shaking &is suddenly so still & at this point the bad guys are like: we have made a mistake. There’s something not right here. Please tell me youre a lord of the rings fan cos you know when Galadriel goes dark mode when Frodo offers her the ring? (Begging you to google the scene on YouTube if you

4/? don’t), well that’s the sight Obi wan is greeted with once he skids around the corner. All anakin’s attackers are suspended in the air in a chokehold; an unnatural wind whipping around anakin, glowing with this unnatural light while all other colour has seeped from his body & his voice distorted as he asks: “you think me weak?” (Anakin deserves some lines as dramatic as the ones vader is always coming out with). It takes Obiwan shouting anakin’s name to break him out of the trance he’s in,&

5/5 the bad guys drop to the ground unconscious as does anakin. & it’s at this moment Obi wan truly realizes just how powerful anakin is& how out of his league he is… also what’s not to love about Obi wan being the only one to truly be able to get through to a creature as powerful as anakin? Anakin with everyone else: 😡 Versus Anakin with Obi wan: 🥰

You've come to the right place for vibes only, and I love these vibes!!! Eldritch Anakin is exactly my cup of tea, let this magic force baby be uncanny and unsettling sometimes, he's earned it!

And these two tropes: yes very good. Because these random criminals would think they've caught Anakin when he's at his most vulnerable, but they are mistaken! I have indeed seen Lord of the Rings many (many) times and YES spooky Galadriel Anakin. With the voice and the wind and the glowing (love a glowing boy).

And yes to Obi-Wan being the only one to get through to him 🥺 I love this whole thing, thank you for sharing! I love a super powerful Anakin and an impressed Obi-Wan, who will take his eldritch boy home and give him all the kisses and cuddles (I assume).

#asks #anon #eldritch anakin #poor obi-wan trained this guy too #tiny baby anakin was probably a bit terrifying too #sometimes the light bends around your 9 year old apprentice #obi-wan will simply have to adapt and overcome

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i-did-not-mean-to · 2 years

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I-did-not-mean-to, how are you?

are your may requests still open? what about commuter au with lift engineer with I can stay long I just had to see you

If you are comfortable, basically elevator sex 👀

with any elf of your choice 💕

Hello anon, I'm okay...(fell down the Silm rabbit-hole tbh)

But, anyway...Here's your ficlet, sorry for the delay :(

I made it a little spicy, so be advised :D

Words: 1,8 k

Warnings: NSFW, SMUT!!!, Haldir is an idiot lol

It was a spur of the moment decision that would not look good on your résumé at all were it ever found out, but the opportunity was too good to let it pass.

You were not stalking him, certainly not, but you just so happened to know that Haldir got out of the subway almost every day around 7:37 and then took the elevator up to the street in which his workplace – he was no less than the head of security of Lórien Inc. – was situated.

This sliver of information had been betrayed by the badge – neatly tucked into the back pocket of his jeans – rather than by his own confession though, and a pang of bad conscience hit you as you watched the monitor on which he had just appeared intently.

From this moment onward, it would be a game of chance and probability, you told yourself warningly; to your surprise and his bad luck, he got into the small cabin alone – a rarity at this time of day – and, as soon as the doors had closed in screeching protest, you turned off the current, effectively trapping it midway.

Maybe, you had scheduled your inspection – completely above board for you truly were a lift engineer, not that he’d ever asked about what it was you did for a living – so that you might get a glimpse of the man you had invited to your flat a few nights ago and who had simply vanished before breakfast.

It had not even been a random fling in a bar either; you had known him from sight and always thought that he was very handsome even if a little too serious.

That night though, after a few glasses, he had smiled at you and one thing had led to another; you had been happy and elated to have taken that first step, only to know the rudest awakening of your life when he had snuck out before you had even awoken.

The disappointment and the sting of rejection had not sat comfortably, and – shrugging helplessly at the subway employee – you set out to confront Haldir about it.

Haldir looked at his watch again; he was not the type of man to suffer from nerves easily, but he was alone in the cabin, and he was not sure how long he could be stuck before anyone even noticed that he was missing.

The city was cut-throat, and Galadriel was not in the office on this day, so it was rather improbable that anyone would so much as bat an eye at one of the elevators malfunctioning; they’d simply take another one.

Likewise, people at work would surmise that he had finally taken their advice not to come in so early only to sit around making other people nervous by watching them like a hawk when there was no threat on the horizon.

Always better than to be locked in with a hysterical or claustrophobic person, he thought, for Haldir was only too aware of the fact that he was not good at talking to people and even less at assuaging their fears and doubts.

This almost laughable shortcoming was the very reason he had ruined his chances with a woman he had truly enjoyed; like an idiot, he had lain awake for an hour, careful not to stare at her while she slept, before giving up on finding the right words to express how much he had savoured their time together.

Finally, he had stolen away like a thief in the night, and he hated himself for it because he had seen potential in the way they had just clicked; she didn’t mind his taciturn spells and the sex had been beyond amazing.

As per usual though, Haldir had found a way to ruin every chance at bliss thrown his way and he was painfully aware of it as the recollection of the minutes spent in her arms kept haunting every step he took.

When a grinding, screeching noise resounded, his head snapped up in alarm only to be presented with an oddly familiar, very shapely behind and a pair of long legs dangling from the opening in the ceiling of the small cabin.

“I can’t stay long, I just had to see you!”

Oh, he knew that voice; he had heard that voice moan his name until it melted into a puddle of vague vowels; his heart stopped.

“What are you doing here?”

He looked utterly baffled and – had he not been so blindingly handsome in his three-piece suit – you would have fully relished that moment of triumph, but – as you really didn’t have much time before your little manoeuvre became highly suspicious – you simply placed both of your hands flat against his chest and gave him a hard shove.

“You could have been courteous enough to say goodbye, don’t you think?” you growled, trying not to be swayed by the earnest regret and guilt in his deep eyes that made you feel like you could see the sky despite being surrounded by sterile steel walls on all sides.

“I didn’t know how,” he muttered.

“Was I that awful? Did it really mean that little?” you spat at the same time, biting back the clichéd ‘I thought you were different’ even though it was on the tip of your tongue.

“No,” he interrupted you in a hard tone, pushing back against your hands as if he was eager to feel your warmth seep through the elegant fabrics, “I simply didn’t know what to say to you, and the more I thought about it, the less I found the right words. It was wrong of me, forgive me!”

You had expected everything: mockery, denial, even feigned anger or outright dismissal, but you were unprepared to deal with the wounded expression of knocked pride writ plain on the delicate but strong features of his marble face.

“Show me then,” you demanded when you realised that – even now – he would not go on; his jaw was set and trembling under the strain of preventing incautious words from tumbling out haphazardly.

Before you could brace, he had pounced on you like a big, sleek cat, his strong arms wrapping around your middle and his lips shifting frantically from your neck to your lips and back.

“I wanted to stay,” he breathed against your skin, “but I couldn’t face you. A woman like you deserves better words than I could come up with in that moment.” You could imagine him – lying awake, ruminating, chewing the words that dripped one by one from his dazed brain into his mouth – and the very thought fired up your hunger; maybe, you had literally fucked his brains out.

Time was ticking, but by now, you didn’t even care about it anymore because his hands slid under the stiff fabric of your professionally demure skirt to grab your ass passionately as he pushed you up against the cold cabin wall.

“I’ve thought about you though, all the time,” he confessed breathlessly before his lips plundered yours once more, despair and boundless greed making his movements slightly less controlled than you remembered. Already, you could feel the solid ridge of his erection dig against your most sensitive flesh through the paper-thin silk of your sinfully impractical underwear and you moaned into his mouth to keep him going.

“You deserve so much better,” he moaned, pulsing against you as if unaware of the layers of clothing preventing any actual penetration, “but God, how I missed you.”

Encouraged by his self-forgotten passion, you tugged his shirt out of the trousers and undid as many buttons as you could to slide your own hands under the fabric and across the expanse of his chest – heaving with lust – while his fingers pushed your panties aside to plunge into the waiting heat of your arousal.

“Do you…” he asked as if the slick proof coating his fingers were not convincing enough and groaned when you pushed against his searching fingers shamelessly.

“Make haste,” you begged, driven by an urgency that was only partially due to the employee waiting for your return patiently.

He undid his zipper one-handedly and before you could drive him on any further, he had pushed inside you, holding you up with his other arm.

Your mouth roamed hungrily across every inch of skin you could reach while he pounded into you, making the whole cabin rock with the intensity of all the sensations and emotions he could not put into words.

Sinking your teeth into his shoulder to stifle the moans and whimpers as he but grazed all those spots you wanted him to touch you in at his leisure, you cursed the fact that you were in a semi-public space and that you had no time nor inclination to spread out on the dirty floor of a subway elevator for him to feast on you as you both deserved.

It was a short but intense intermezzo that left your legs trembling as you adjusted your clothes as best you could while he rested his forehead against your shoulder in a rare display of vulnerability.

This was not how he had imagined his commute to work, and the intensity of the unexpected climax left him disoriented and sluggish when he needed to be completely focused for work.

“I have to return,” you said after clearing your throat.

“I want you still,” he replied as if he had not heard you, “I want to make you scream. Loudly.”

Not a man of many words indeed, you thought, and a feline grin stretched your generous mouth into a feast he could not resist, kissing you once more as if his life depended on it.

“You know where I live, huh?” you smiled as he gave you a boost to get you out of the cabin again, peppering small, titillating kisses into the back of your knee joints adoringly.

“I’ll be there,” he promised, already making plans to send one of his employees to buy champagne and chocolate as another wordless form of apology.

“I’m counting on it, Haldir,” you laughed, “because this? It’s not over.”

Spreading your legs one last time to give him a preview of what awaited him at the end of the day, you made your way back to the office of the subway where you proudly announced that all was in order.

“Yes, I’ve heard that you had to adjust some things,” the employee nodded sagely, and you bit back a snort, “we are truly lucky that you were here to fix it right away. Poor chap who was trapped.”

“Oh, he was a proper soldier,” you replied in a light tone, “I think he’ll be alright.”

And with a cheery wave, you signed the papers, and were on your way to start your actual work – and there was a lot of it on this day – that had to be completed before you would see your renegade lover again.

So, there we are...I love my anons (how are you doing dears?) but it makes me kind of nervous to write spice for them 🙈

Either way, @fellowshipofthefics here's another one for the May Challenge :D

Lots of love from me...

@shalini I hope you'll find this and like it :(

#fanfiction #fotfics may challenge #fotfics #Haldir x reader #haldir of lothlorien #Modern!AU #Lift engineer #Commuter AU #SPICE #*NSFW #*SMUT #lemons in a lift

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