* I BLAME THE WORLD.

edward cullen, harry osborn, neil perry, & jason dean affiliated with ivycovehq

[suspiriums]

𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦𝐬,  a  mumu  blog  for ivycovehq,  written  by  𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐲 , 𝟐𝟔 ,  𝐬𝐡𝐞  /  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 .

𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐒𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍   ⸻    intro , threads ,  has memories.

𝐄𝐃𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍   ⸻    intro , threads ,  has memories.

𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐋 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘   ⸻    intro , threads ,  has no memories.

𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 " 𝐉𝐃 " 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐍   ⸻    intro , threads ,  has no memories.

[seccndchances]

"the moment you guys figure it out, I have to meet him." mj pursed her lips to the side, already thinking of what she'd ask Steve. The way her friend spoke of the other, she already could tell he was good for them but she still wanted to see her for herself. Harry deserved happiness and she hoped Steve truly knew that. She took her friends hands and squeezed them tight. "I'll fight that voice in your head if you need me too, until all you hear in your head is my voice reminding you that you deserve every ounce of love and happiness you can soak up from this world and every other one out there." She promised with a fierceness behind it that could rival most. She knew how bad that inner voice could get and she would always remind harry that they were never in this fight alone. "I don't really understand it either, but if they don't remember.. we will figure out a way to jog their memories.. it would hardly be the hardest feat either of us have accomplished in our life times." mj promised giving his hands another squeeze. "Whatever comes next, know we still have each other and i'm not going anywhere. Everything else we will take on as it comes."

[suspiriums]

" as long as you promise not to scare him away with stories about how much of an asshole i used to be, i'd be happy to introduce you two. " it surprised harry how easily the words fell from their mouth, how genuine they sounded. it was probably the only actually healthy relationship he'd ever had. mj's praises caused his cheeks to redden, but he quickly downplayed them. " you can't say all of that to me and not let me say it back. you, mary jane watson, also deserve happiness and love, and i'll kick anyone's ass if they try to hurt you. " they attempted to match her ferocity, brows raised to show he was being serious.

it was strange to say they'd survived even weirder things before ivy cove, but it was true. new york city had become a mecca for superheroes and supervillains. " you have a point, " they affirmed. " hopefully there aren't any green goblins lurking around this place. " the name drop made harry shiver despite being the one to say it, but he meant it. even though ivy cove seemed to have its own share of creatures, he had yet to see any from their reality.

[bluefl4mes]

was steve pushing his luck ? maybe. he knew this , but he couldn't stop. if there was a chance that harry was going to walk out of his life right then and there , steve wasn't going to hold back — he'd say what he needed to say and show harry how much he loves him. the past few weeks had already been tough enough as it was. not only were their plans put on hold , but time apart was almost painful. but that had always been part of steve's problem. he was independent in instances such as being able to live on his own without his parents or fighting monsters , but when it came to the people he held close , he was so ridiculously dependent.

being apart felt wrong , but at least it wasn't completely over. steve could fool himself into thinking things could be okay. why the hell didn't he just go to sleep at a normal hour like a normal person ? but the problem was : he'd still get up for harry all the same. which led them right back to where they were.

" i don't know , " steve admitted with a sigh. it was all just a little too overwhelming to say the least. new york city was never something steve thought was in the cards for him. neither was following any form of busy schedule. " i don't know , harry , okay ? but i — i'd at least try to make it work. because i'm always happy when i'm with you. " he hoped that didn't sound as pathetic as it sounded in his mind , but it was the truth and now ? he had to go all in with the honesty now.

" do you want to be with me ? " steve asked , turning to face harry head on. he could swear his hands were shaking a little , but he ignored that and could only hope it wasn't too noticeable , which he was sure it wasn't. hopefully. " for however long we're here — or if we have to make plans in new york city. or somewhere else. or anything the future holds. do you — would you want to be with me ? "

[suspiriums]

brick by brick, steve was pulling down the walls harry thought he had so perfectly built, and it was incredibly frustrating. he was a stubborn man raised by perhaps the most stubborn man in the world, and while every instinct in his brain was screaming at him to leave, he found himself physically unable to move. as if he was planted in place, unwilling to actually end things between them despite his best intentions.

harry supposed an ' i don't know ' was better than a no, but it still wasn't exactly comforting. couldn't steve see the heartbreak he was trying to spare them ? walking away now would be far easier than it would be once they were back in their own worlds. " steve . . . " harry's voice sounded almost pained. it was always going to be far more complicated than just wanting to be together, but what was the point in lying anymore ? so he took a deep breath and answered.

" yeah. yeah . . . i do. it's just not that easy. " it was becoming increasingly more difficult for harry to maintain eye contact, eyes occasionally wandering across the room before landing back on steve. maybe what they had was worth whatever heartbreak might ensue. " but if you're saying you're still willing to try, maybe . . . maybe i can be, too. "

[wastelcndbby]

lisa laughed. maybe she did say it a bit too casually, but she couldn’t find it in herself to be so upset about it. “well, i can’t change the past, and i’ve been gifted a new future. not a whole lot to be upset about.” she shrugged. she hadn’t meant to startle the other or make them uncomfortable, but that was simply the way things were.

something about the other though…maybe it was the question, maybe it was the way he remarked upon their world, but she got the sense he wasn’t from this time either. “1400s, wallachia specifically, or as people today know as romania.” she explained. maybe it was too much to assume or ask, but lisa was a curious creature by nature, and she really couldn’t resist asking. “and you? i take it you are also not from ivy cove….”

[suspiriums]

while he'd normally assume he was in the presence of another vampire, edward hesitated to do so. other supernatural beings he never even knew existed were making themselves known throughout town. regardless of her species, it had already been established that neither of them were from the current century, so he opted to tell the truth. " i'm originally from chicago, though it's been a long time since i've visited. " if she truly was from the 1400s, then surely the 1900s wouldn't be all too shocking. " i lived through an influenza that killed many people. it's been over a century since i became . . . like this, " he remarked, not yet willing to disclose exactly what had happened to him, but still wanting to let her know that she wasn't alone. " allow me to be the first to welcome you to the twenty-first century. "

[bluefl4mes]

steve was impulsive. not always , but when it came to matters of the heart , his relationships and friendships , he was. as soon as harry's hand pulled away , he regretted what he'd said. wait , no , come back. i didn't mean it , you know i didn't mean it. instead , he kept his mouth shut and brought his hands to rest on the couch next to where he sat. it probably looked borderline sad and pathetic. he was only snapped out of his thoughts when harry continued , reminding steve that they were indeed in the middle of a conversation , if it could even be called that. if harry was going to break up with him , then do it already.

" — yes. i ... if i had the choice , i'd choose here in a heartbeat. " steve would always have a soft spot for hawkins , but as the town he remembered growing up , not the one overrun with monsters. perhaps it was selfish of him , because he did leave people he cared about behind. if he ever went back , it'd be for them , he supposed. but some of those he cared about were here already , so he would only hope everyone would get the chance to get away from hawkins eventually.

" but on the chance that we ... get out , " he started , pausing shortly at how strange that sounded. get out made it seem like they were trapped here , but here had been nothing but ... a nice change of pace. a breath of fresh air. " even if we do , i want us to be together. " was he getting too clingy ? " you're the best thing that's ever happened to me , harry , and i — i don't want to lose you. "

[suspiriums]

this was not at all how he'd planned for this conversation to go. harry was supposed to show up, apologize for the mess they'd found themselves in, and leave steve sooner rather than later. he knew it would only be more painful to separate the longer they waited, so he'd spent weeks working himself up to it. did he want to break up ? no. but he couldn't risk steve becoming too involved in his life. it would only lead to heartbreak for both of them.

but all of these plans had been made without even an ounce of consideration for steve and his feelings. knowing that steve didn't actually want to return to hawkins . . . changed things. and it seemed like he was willing to fight for their relationship, for them — and honestly, it was super hot. harry's resolve had grown weaker throughout the duration of their conversation, and he was finally letting himself imagine what life together, outside of ivy cove, could be like. nobody had ever loved harry osborn as much as steve harrington did, and it took until now for harry to let himself believe it.

" but would you come with me ? to new york ? or around the world whenever my schedule demands it ? " he felt guilty even asking, but steve was actually pushing back. he wasn't letting harry leave that easily. " and would you be happy ? " his voice had grown hoarse with emotion. things were never going to be easy for them once they stepped into the real world. they'd be watched, followed, and judged. the osborn heir just hadn't let himself consider that somebody might still choose to stay.

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

Kili wasn't overly sure if he believed him, but that was the other man's business and not his. Besides, he didn't even trust his own mind right now, it was just making him paranoid about everything. "It is" it was why he had come here, though it seemed others were also looking for an escape as well. He couldn't blame them, the town seemed so claustrophobic right now but how could he ever explain his problem? "Best place to skip stones I suppose. Useful when you're trying to think. Plus when it gets dark, the stars look incredible".

[suspiriums]

leaning back against a tree, edward stood in silence for several moments to watch the horizon. it wasn't fully dark yet, but the sun would be setting soon. " you get a great view of ursa major every now and then, " he affirmed. bending down to grab a stone, edward skillfully tossed it into the water, watching as it bounced across the water until it finally sunk. the strong force with which the rock was thrown would be noticeable to anyone, but edward wasn't particularly worried this man would be all that alarmed by it, especially with how crazy the past few months had been. " not bad, " he commented after, gaze still fixated on the expanse of water in front of them.

[inheritedcreatures]

where: is there a hospital in this town idk

tags: @ivycovestarters

jem was the sort of tired that he could feel way deep down in his bones. his extremely poor, aching bones. having just gotten off his shift, he was still donning his scrubs and in the process of attempting to make his way home when he smacked directly into another person. lost in thought - mostly about what lond of food he had waiting at home - jem hadn't even see the person walking his direction.

" shit, i'm sorry. " he tried to reach out and grab them before they fell. " i really have to pay more attention. sorry. "

[suspiriums]

it wasn't the first time jd found himself in need of a bandage ( and perhaps a few stitches ) at a job, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. the cut he'd accidentally given his finger that morning required more than a band-aid, so it didn't come as a surprise when the nurse told him he'd need to take a few days off work to let his finger heal. he had just stepped out of the bathroom and was searching for an exit when he felt a body collide with his, though their reaction time was fast enough that he didn't have time to trip or fall over. " yeah, you probably should, " jd mumbled, half - joking as he straightened himself up. " especially as an employee, " he added upon looking up and noticing the other's attire. " but i'll be nice this time and not tell on you if you show me how the hell to get out of this place. "

[illsfates]

he  had  turned  to  leave,  though  entirely  hesitant  on  doing  so.  a  longing  glance,  a  tug  at  his  heart  in  a  way  that  had  lain  dormant  for  years.  the  surrealism  of  it  all  was  overwhelming,  but  todd  had  completely  shut  it  down  to  nothing  more  than   a  complete  coincidence.  how  else  to  explain  it?  people  looked  like  other  people  all  the  time,  typically  there  should  be  at  least  five  other  people  out  in  the  world  that  could  hold  a  resemble  to  neil  perry.  how  lucky  they  were.  his  heel  had  nearly  turned  when  the  man  approached  him  again,  todd  froze  at  the  introduction.  unable  to  squeak  out  a  response  before  neil  is  leaving.  todd  was  quiet,  subdued,  every  bone  in  his  body  pleaded  with  him  to  maintain  that  belief  of  coincidences.  any  other  time,  perhaps  he  would  have  listened.  instead  todd  hastened  his  pace,  a  bleering  look  of  panic  present  as  he  raced  towards  the  checkouts.  "wait  –  wait,  please  wait."  it  sounded  insane,  todd  knew  this,  but  he  blurted  it  regardless.  "  neil  perry?"

[suspiriums]

they were scanning a book when they unexpectedly heard a voice behind them. when neil turned around to see who it belonged to, he was surprised but happy to find it was his newest friend once again. todd. but before he could say anything, todd gave him a look that sent a shiver down his spine. he looked desperate, or worried. like whatever he was about to say was incredibly important. " uh, yes ? " neil replied, somewhat awkwardly but with a smile on their face nonetheless. assuming it must be somebody who knew him from his acting gigs, neil finished scanning the book and tucked it beneath his arm before fully turning to face the other. " have you seen any of my shows ? most people remember me as puck when we performed midsummer a couple years back. " that period of his life held some of his fondest memories, and he was excited that somebody actually knew him by name and not as puck — the role that he was most well-known for around town.

[ofcelestialstories]

.｡.:*☆ When hearing the voice, Gwen stopped in her movements. It should not have surprised her, really. She had been talking loud enough for anyone in the gym to hear, after all. But it had felt good. Just like letting out her anger on this punching bag, instead of anyone innocent.

"Oh yeah, I do have that impression too," She panted, blindly reaching for her water bottle. "Almost as if they are so careless to believ nothing shady is actually going on in this place...."

[suspiriums]

to say harry was frustrated with what appeared to be an overall lack of effort to figure out whatever the hell was going on was an understatement. " maybe the police and city officials are in on it. it sure looks that way, at least. " shoving the earphones back into his pocket, harry slowly rose to his feet. " all i know is that i don't trust anything about this town. what reason do we have to ? " he asked rhetorically, reaching for his own water bottle.

[bluefl4mes]

steve was starting to get a tad impatient , not something that normally happened , especially when it came to harry. " well , joke's on you because i think you're the best person ever. " but did what he think really matter in this situation ? it didn't seem like it , especially the more time that passed. it seemed like harry had already made up his mind and steve was only feeling defeated. he was starting to see a pattern. every time he opened up to someone , it came back to bite him in the ass. and he was always the common denominator so he couldn't even blame anyone else. at this point , he was starting to feel like he was meant to be alone.

despite being the hopeless romantic he was , steve harrington didn't fall in love easily. his last relationship ( now that he remembered it ) had only ended because it was the right thing to do. but in this instance , it felt different. ending things with harry just felt plain wrong. maybe it was time to get off his ass and fight for what he thought was right. but part of him also just wanted to retreat.

" stop. don't call me that. " even though it felt nice. " i don't know if you've noticed , harry , but we're not in new york city. we're here. in ivy cove. and who the hell knows when we're leaving. " maybe harry had a point , thinking of the future. but apparently , they didn't share the same vision anymore. " but hey , if you're in such a rush to leave m— , " he cut himself off before he could say me and started again. " — if you're in such a rush to leave , then yeah. i guess we're not going to work out. sucks because i was thinking this — us — was better than anything hawkins had to offer. at least worth trying. but i guess new york city's just more exciting. "

[suspiriums]

" shut up, " harry said with an eyeroll, playful despite the gravity of the conversation they were having. steve's personality meshed so well with his because of how different they were. despite his public persona, harry often became so lost in his own mind that he'd forget to enjoy the little things in life. walks in the park together. dates night at their favorite diner. cracking jokes whenever it began to feel tense. it was something harry appreciated about their relationship — and one of the many things he was certain he'd miss.

ouch. he'd already lost pet name privileges. pulling his hand away and crossing his arms over his chest, harry took a moment to contemplate exactly what steve was implying. somehow, it hadn't even crossed harry's mind that he could accept his current situation and not rush back to his real life. he simply wasn't wired to think that way. " are you saying you'd prefer living here over hawkins ? " it was a question he wasn't willing to address himself because the answer was obvious. ivy cove had teased him by showing him what a normal, fulfilling life could look like. it showed him what it was like to be happy.

but it was time to accept the reality of the situation. they would, hopefully, be able to leave ivy cove someday ; it was only a matter of time. " i've already told you, i don't want to leave, i — " say it. why couldn't he just say it ? " i just need to go home, steve. and i don't want to ask you to leave your entire life — both of them, actually — behind for me. " harry still didn't know a lot about steve's life in hawkins, but he saw how deeply he cared for the friends he had back home. it was something they shared in common.

" do you still . . . " a soft sigh fell from his lips. " would you still even want to be with me once we make it out here ? "

[seccndchances]

"Harold Osborn, I better not hear you ever say anything like that ever again." Mj's mouth fell partially open at his comment. "Anyone would be grateful to have you in their life because you are a fucking prize." She insisted. MJ took her phone back and smiled so brightly at the picture. A small reminder that though a lot has happened, neither of them drastically changed. They were still best friends. "You deserve to be happy and have a person that makes you happy, if Steve is that person for you-- don't give up because you think that he deserves better, because you deserve it all.." MJ made note of the codes in her phone, "Got it. Let's hope our spidey friends aren't like some of the people in town and don't remember us.." MJ hadn't given in much thought, but part of her knew it would hurt her heart if either Gwen or Peter didn't remember her. They both played such big parts in her life, it would be strange to just treat them like strangers. "God, I missed you Har. I really did."

[suspiriums]

the way mj immediately came to his defense made harry's smile widen. she had been there with him through his highs and lows. truthfully, she was one of the very few people he actually trusted. before his time in ivy cove, harry often took their friendship for granted. his newfound perspective made their reunion all the more sentimental. " i think you two would get along, " he remarked with a small shrug. " he's . . . honestly, he's probably the best person i've ever met. but there's something in my head, some voice, that's always telling me i don't deserve it. " not even needing to mention whose voice it was because mj would already know.

" what do we do if they don't ? i don't understand how only some of us remember how things used to be. " although life in ivy cove had been peaceful, harry was still glad to have regained their memories. even though it had caused quite a bit of tension in his personal life. " i'm scared to let you out of my sight, " he admitted with a chuckle, " but i feel better knowing i have your number. i missed you, too. i missed all of you. " it was a good sign that he'd managed to run into mj, but he worried if they'd ever find the rest of their friends, or if their friends would even remember them.

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

Like most days recently, Kili had found himself by the lake. He didn't really feel that drawn to it, just that it was calmer there then anywhere else in town. At this point he didn't know what else to do, he didn't really understand the thoughts in his head anymore, and he wasn't sure he wanted to either. Instead he was opting to skim stones on the water, mindless perhaps, but it was a nice distraction.

Hearing footsteps, he shook his head, trying to focus on reality. He could hardly admit that his mind felt between this world and a dream. "It's a beautiful evening, didn't think anyone else would come up here though" he said aloud, hoping it seemed normal enough. "I mean, I don't mind, just surprised" so much for seeming normal.

@ivycovestarters

[suspiriums]

ever since regaining his memories, edward had noticed an influx of people along his hunting path. he didn't usually stop — in fact, he almost always just sped past them fast enough to go unnoticed, but after coming to a stop near the lake, he heard a voice calling out to him. eyes lingered on the deer he'd spotted a couple hundred feet away in the woods as he addressed the man. " i enjoy the tranquility. " edward slowly approached the other, hands shoved his pockets. " it's peaceful. " finally drawing his attention away from his future meal, the vampire stared out at the lake, giving himself a moment to take in his surroundings. " what brings you here ? "

[castlescrvmbling-deactivated202]

any and all hope steve had when harry first came over soon dissipated. maybe he was being dramatic , but he thought harry was different. he thought they were different , that they could get through anything and everything. even after everything that had happened with the mayor and their memories , he still held onto the hope. until tonight. until just twenty seconds ago , basically. he didn't want to argue with harry. he never wanted to and tonight was no different. so he sat back and nodded along to what he was saying. and with every word , steve could swear his heart was breaking more and more. yeah , he was being dramatic.

if he wasn't confused before , he was definitely confused now. steve was tired. he didn't know where they stood and harry wasn't helping. showing up at his place at three in the morning , adding to the hope steve had , only to crush it down. " you're kind of giving me mixed signals here. " harry had said he didn't want to break up , so why did it feel like that was exactly where this was heading ?

steve let a small breath escape as harry's hand rested on his. it was comfortable , a reminder of what they had , but it still felt different. and there it was. new york city. hawkins. two different worlds. right. they were no longer ' harry osborn and steve harrington of ivy cove ' anymore , they were ' harry osborn of new york city ' and ' steve harrington of hawkins ' now. there was no way harry could've known steve hated that idea , that he never wanted to go back. but maybe that was just who he was. steve harrington , destined for the small town of hawkins.

he opened his mouth , trying to force anything to come out. i want to be part of your world. i want to be with you. but maybe that would be selfish of him. " i'm not. too good. i've done my fair share of shit in the past , okay ? whoever you are. whoever the real you is. why won't you give me the chance to love him ? " maybe he could understand things were different and they'd have to find their footing again , but what he didn't understand was why everything they had could now just be ... gone. within the blink of an eye. " i want to get to know the real you. i love loving you. but if that's not enough , then — where do we go from here ? "

[suspiriums]

it wasn't his intention to send mixed signals, but he understood why it would come across that way. steve was one of the best people he'd ever met, and he wished they could stay in ivy cove together forever. but he knew better. it was only a matter of time before harry finally found his father or a way out of ivy cove. he wanted nothing more than to take steve with him — to enjoy the comfort and love that steve brought into his life. but it felt selfish to do so, and in his own twisted way of thinking, harry believed the only way to protect steve was to leave him.

harry osborn was too arrogant to realize that what he'd done was make the choice for steve. his mind was already made long before he stepped inside of the familiar apartment. " i'm not . . . " harry sighed, using the hand that wasn't on top of steve's to run his fingers through his hair, " i'm not a good person, okay ? i'm a fucking mess, actually. " any frustration in his voice fell flat, his words coming across more defeated than anything.

finally turning to face his boyfriend, harry let out a resigned sigh and leaned back against the couch. " can't you see i'm trying to spare you ? " he gave a bitter chuckle but used the moment to lace their fingers together, clinging to steve's touch. " darling, do you honestly think you'd be happy in the city ? hiding from paparazzi, fighting for your privacy, surrounded by fake people ? and it isn't like i can move to hawkins. " not wanting to deliberate beyond that, harry shook his head. " and even if we did try long distance . . . do you think we'd survive it ? " if somebody had asked him two months ago, harry would've said yes in a heartbeat. but their circumstances were so different now that it felt impossible to make any promises. there were too many uncertainties.

[ofcelestialstories]

@ivycovestarters

.｡.:*☆ Gwen was sure beating up this poor punching bag would not exactly make her feel better. And yet, she was here. It was for sure better than punching a real person somewhere. Even when this person was a villain. Whatever would make her feel less... stuck. Less helpless. Because this was even worse than when she'd ben pulled into the same universe as Miles. Back then, Gwen at least had some sort of mission. Here, she had nothing.

“How do you think it is possible that I forgot so many important things in my life?” She asked the bag with a frown. “Why can we not leave Ivy Cove, even if we want, and…. who is even responsible for this all?”

[suspiriums]

harry was sprawled out on his back, body drenched in sweat after an intense workout on the bench press. exerting all his energy into something was the only thing keeping him sane lately, so he figured he ought to find a healthy way of doing so. the old him would've turned to booze and partying, but oh well.

as soon as he sat up to finish his session, earbuds falling down onto his lap, he heard someone across the room speak. anger was evident in her tone, and he was always selfishly glad to find other people to commiserate with. " i've been asking the same things for weeks now, " he shrugged and stood up, using a towel to wipe the sweat off his forehead. " and i have a feeling nobody is even trying to find the answers for them. "

[illsfates]

"it's  really  nothing  special."  todd  insisted,  never  one  to  completely  sell  himself  with  success.  not  that  attempts  had  ever  really  been  made,  he  was  content  with  the  sales  that  had  been  made,  it  had  never  been  something  for fame.  it  was  an  outlet.  one  that  he  had  spent  years  finally  allowing  residence  of.  "a  few  poems  here  and  there,  the  first  one  did  quote  well  so  i  submitted  the  second  a  year  after."  his  eyes  have  finally,  out  of  desperate  pleas,  averted  from  staring  directly  at  the painfully  identical  clone  before  him.  he  had  taken  the  phone,  plugging  in  his  number  with  a  contact  name todd  anderson  (library)  and  returned  it.  praying  to  any  god  above  that  his  shaking  hands  were  not  as  noticeable  as  todd  found  them  to  be.  "don't  hesitate  to  call,  i  never  have  anything  really  going  on."

[suspiriums]

they may have only known for a few minutes, but neil had a strong feeling the poet before him was downplaying his own talent, as many artists did. " it's still really cool that you're published. you'll have to let me read some of your writing someday. " someday. given their current environment, their time together was fleeting, but it was exciting to think they might see each other again sometime. though, neil had never been that good at picking up on signals. " todd, huh ? " they asked immediately upon retrieving their phone, biting back a smile. " alright, todd. i look forward to seeing you again sometime. " it wasn't until he had started to walk away that neil thought to formally introduce himself. it was probably important that his newest friend know his name. " oh ! by the way, " he was only a few steps away and turned back around to face todd, " my name is neil. " with that, he turned on his heels once again and headed for a checkout kiosk.

[seccndchances]

Mj listened to his every word, a bright smile on her face. If anyone deserved a normal fake life in her eyes it was Harry. "I do feel the need to compliment the casual look on you, it kind of reminds me of when we were younger." times were much simpler then, she was grateful when those memories returned. "Oh--.." Mj understood complicated relationships, "Need me to talk with him?" She offered with a joking raise of her brow. "I've been told I can be quite persuasive." At his comment about her own past. "Well, I was an orphan--- Mom didn't want to be a mom." She rubbed her side arm, her smile faltering a bit. "So I bounced around the system until I met Henry-- he gave me a chance and brought me into his family." Mj smiled fondly on the memory she now wasn't quite sure ever actually happened. "I got another sister, I think Gayle would like Nancy." she often wondered what Gayle would make of all this. "I'm taking online classes for Journalism so I can work and manage school. " At the comment of Peter fighting a manticore, Mj shook her head at the thought. Last thing they needed was to add a spider-manticore into the team or worse a spider-dragon. She took their phone, dialing her number. She angled the camera up and posed for a quick selfie holding up a half of heart for her contact picture. She texted herself so she could save their number as well and held her phone toward the other. "Add a personality pic, and it sounds like a plan... who knows who we might run into. Better to keep each other informed. Especially if we see either of our daddy-dearests."

[suspiriums]

" you know, i'm kind of a fan of it myself. thanks, " they accepted the compliment, blushing ever so slightly. though he wouldn't be this open with most people, mj was one of the few people harry osborn genuinely trusted. " i can't believe i'm saying this, but the problem is that he deserves better than me. " it seemed that even though they both had happier fake lives, neither of them were perfect. harry still faced some similar struggles but also felt like a different person now, as though they were changed by the experience. " i'm happy for you. truly. you deserve a happy life. "

harry waited until the camera was pointing at him to replicate mary jane's pose, holding up the remaining half of the heart with a grin. it was cringy, obviously, but also one of the only things that had brought him any happiness lately. " here, " they handed back her phone and took a look at their own. " we can use ' code red ' if we see either of them, " he agreed with a nod of his head. " and code spidey if we find anything . . . weird. "

[castlescrvmbling-deactivated202]

steve could deal with interdimensional monsters with a swing of a baseball bat with nails coming out of it. he'd run head first into danger if it meant saving someone he loved and cared about. but the one thing he never dealt well with was rejection. when it came to his heart , he had no idea how to deal with it. high school years spent walking those damn hallways as king steve , ultimately putting walls up , pretending not to care about anything and everything.

it wasn't real. it wasn't real ? he felt his breath get caught in his throat for a hot second , feeling the wind get kicked out of him , but he tried to recover without making it noticeable. alright , he'd admit that thought did cross his mind once when his memories first came back , but since then ? no , he'd talked himself into believing what they had was real. so to hear harry say that hurt. this was someone he cared about deeply , someone he would've bet everything on.

" i do know you. " his voice was getting louder. he attempted to stay calm and collected , but he had to get his point across. " and even if there are parts of you i don't , why can't you tell me ? why does it have to be all or nothing ? " the plate of food was now long forgotten on the table , becoming cold again. his head was currently swimming at everything that was being exchanged.

" help me ? you're not helping me. how is ... how is this helping me ? " he normally wasn't this open. high school steve probably would've just taken it and ran away. he knew harry was dealing with his own things , but why couldn't steve be part of that picture anymore ? he didn't understand. " i don't resent you. i wouldn't ever. " he stood by what he said. " but if you're going to walk away from me — us ? don't pretend like you're doing it for me because you're not. is that ... is that why you're here ? to end things ? you couldn't have waited until tomorrow ? "

[suspiriums]

this was not how he anticipated their conversation going. harry wasn't prepared for steve to react this way. the entire dynamic between them had shifted. why couldn't he understand ? harry wanted to spare steve the stress of being in the spotlight. of dating somebody whose reputation was so tainted by his party boy days. of being analyzed by the public for the rest of his life against his will. it wasn't a life he deserved. no — steve deserved the life they thought they had in ivy cove. a relationship with someone who wasn't so damaged.

" because — " he began, sighing as spoke, " you won't love the real me. " there it was. the truth that harry had been too afraid to say until the heat of the moment tore it out of him. he simply wasn't somebody to settle down and build a life with. as much as he now realized he wanted it . . . it wasn't realistic. when his father passed, oscorp would be on his shoulders. he refused to pass any of the weight onto steve.

frustration only grew the longer they went. misunderstanding each other and refusing to concede. their love for each other was obvious, maybe even palpable, but harry was too afraid to address it. he couldn't let his heart rule him ; he knew better. he just wasn't sure how else to explain that continuing a relationship would only lead to disaster. that his life, his responsibilities, were impossible to live with.

" no ! " harry exclaimed, a stern shake of his head. " i didn't come here to break up with you. shit, steve. it's the last thing i want to do. " his voice became quieter as he spoke. he wasn't used to this. being vulnerable in front of somebody was terrifying, but for some reason he trusted this man with his life. their relationship, real or not, had a lasting affect on him. " of course i still want to be with you. i wish i could stay here with you forever. " finally closing the distance between them, harry reached out and rested his hand on top of steve's. a simple gesture, but it tingled where their skin met. " but i have to go back to new york, and you need to go to hawkins. you don't belong in my world. you're too good. "