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#Lori's Brain Friends
softstuffs · 2 years
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Them 💚💜🤍. L -> R ='s Pigeon, Quail, and Dove. AJ oc's :D
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They're all siblings from the same litter =]
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ssoft-boness · 2 years
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Lyric doodlezzzz
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pretty-red-garnet · 5 months
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Brothers
Daryl Dixon x fem! Reader • Quarry • Fluff
This took so long and I am not happy with it at all. I am so sorry to the anon who requested this! I don’t know what’s gotten into me, I just could not figure out what to write for this request. Again, so sorry. I hope to get back into writing more soon!
Part 2
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     Chaos. Everything was complete chaos. Gunshots, groans of walkers, the kids screaming in panic, Shane shouting orders. A rifle thrown in your hands, fingers trembling as you took shots, walkers falling to the ground. Lori, Carol, and the two kids were hustled into the RV, and you stood guard by the door.
     Rick and the group came back from Atlanta suddenly, yelling and shouting and putting more guns in more people hands. Your eyes kept flicking to your brother, Shane, as he took down geeks. Everything was going so fast and your head was spinning.
     And then, silence. It was eerie, how so much panic and chaos could turn quiet so shortly. The once bustling camp enjoying a fish fry now was now nearly half the size. The earth beneath your feet was covered in blood, some red and fresh from the people, some was almost back, the walker blood.
     Andrea dropped down to her sister and let out a cry, and that's when you finally turned away, opening the door to the RV and letting them know it was clear. A hand dropped to your shoulder and you flinched, the tips of your fingers brushed the knife at your waist before you realized.
     "You good?" Shane asks, and you give him a jerky nod. He pats your shoulder once more and parts from you. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding and survey the camp.
     There's bodies everywhere, both human and undead. You can't stand looking at it, you can't stand Andrea's cries as the background noise. You turn on your heel and begin walking away, towards the woods. Maybe it wasn't safest, but you needed a breather away from everything. They were beginning to stab the brains of the dead, and you couldn't watch them put down the people you once considered friends.
     You sit heavily on a overturned tree, the rifle you swung on your back makes a metallic noise when it hits the wood. You sigh, bringing your elbows to rest on your knees as you bury your face in your hands.
     You're only alone for a moment before you hear footsteps and you shoot your head up, heart racing and eyes glancing about before you spot Daryl. You huff out a breath and take your eyes off him, hastily brushing a stray tear from your cheek.
     "You're getting sloppy, heard you from a mile away," you tease, your voice teary. Daryl scoffs and plunks himself down on the trunk beside you.
     "Didn't wanna scare you." You nod, because you knew he had purposely made himself known. You'd been hunting with the archer enough times to know he was never sloppy.
     "Did my brother send you?" You ask, still staring down at your shoes out of embarrassment that he'd seen you like this. All teary eyed and pathetic looking.
     "Nah, too busy starin' at Lori and Rick," he says. It's your turn to scoff now. "You alright?"
     "Yeah," you answer, risking a little glance at the man beside you. He was biting his lip in a way that made you believe he was worried, so you force a little smile. He doesn't look convinced.
     "No Merle?" You ask. Daryl shakes his head, breaking his gaze from yours. "I'm sorry." Daryl throws you a little glare out the corner of his eye, but it lacks any sort of real anger. "I am."
     "Sure," he says, sarcastically. You narrow your eyes and bump his shoulder with yours.
     "Ok, I know me and him weren't exactly besties," your emphasis on the word makes Daryl give you an exasperated look. You just smile. "But I can still be sorry, I know how much you care about him." Daryl hums. "Besides, I don't think anything will take down that man. I'm sure he's fine."
     "Yeah, probably," he says with a huff of air escaping his lips. You're both quiet for a moment, and Daryl eyes you worriedly. "You sure you're alright?"
     "Yeah," you say with a shrug. "Just... worried. About everything."
     "I get that." You get silent again, and Daryl starts to bite and pick at the skin on his thumb. "But you don't gotta be."
     "I don't?" You ask, brows pulled forward and looking at Daryl intently. "Why's that?" Daryl shrugs and decides that the ground is more interesting than looking at you.
     "'Cause I'll always look out for you," he answers, quietly. You smile and place your hand on Daryl's shoulder in a gentle manner. He flinches just a bit before turning his blue eyes to you. He has a soft expression on his face, the one that's reserved for only you
     "Thank you," you say, in a sincere and soft way Daryl's never heard directed at him before. He nods, shakily. "I'll always look out for you, too."
     "I know," he answers, standing up. "Come on, ain't safe out here."
     You aren't completely sure when the unlikely friendship of you and Daryl began. A cop and a loud, brash redneck wasn't exactly an expected duo. Although, you do know a much different Daryl than most. A much kinder, softer version of himself, one he keeps locked behind a very tall, very solid wall.
     You're sure the only reason Daryl has shown this side of himself to you was because you're the only one to treat him like a person, not like some ticking time bomb. Not like some untamed animal or uncontrollable being, just a person. You had shown him a kindness he wasn't used to, and even after a few attempts at keeping you at arms length, you're closer than ever with the man.
You’d admit that maybe your feelings for the man weren’t completely platonic. But that’s to be expected considering you spend so much time with him. He’d taught you some hunting tips, so you hunted with him most days. All that time together, it wasn’t a complete surprise that a little crush would form.
Daryl leads you back to your tent, avoiding the mess of the dead loved ones. It seems most have agreed major cleanup can wait until morning, and have returned to their reserved tents. Dale stayed on watch, mostly for Andrea's sake, just incase she wouldn't be strong enough to take out Amy, you assume.
Daryl lingers at the opening of your tent. You have a unsure, nervous look to you. Your hands wring and fumble with themselves, and your bottom lip in firmly in place between your teeth. He's not fond of your anxious presence.
"I don't want to be alone," you whisper. You grimace, eyes screwing shut briefly before they open again. "Sorry, that makes me sound so pathetic." You let out a breath of air that's supposed to resemble a laugh, but it falls short. "I'll be ok, I'm not even really alone anyway. Shane's tent is right next to mine—"
"Wanna stay with me?" Daryl asks, before he can even think. The words just escape him, embarrass him, and he's about to take it back before you answer.
"Would you mind?" Daryl wants to say absolutely not, of course he doesn't, but what comes out is a grunt and a shake of his head accompanied by a shrug. Daryl turns towards his tent and juts his chin at it.
"Come on." You follow behind him to his tent. His and Merle's are beside each other, both farther from everyone else's tents. They have their own small fire pit and some tree stumps for chairs. Not far behind is a string of cans, a perimeter for the campsite.
Daryl leads you into his tent, holding the flap open for you to climb in behind him. It's small inside, some clothes and spare bolts for his crossbow laying about. A thick blanket is splayed out to act as a barrier from the hard ground. It's Daryl's turn to be nervous and fumbling, watching you take in the small space.
"Cozy," you say with a smile, laying down on the blanket. Daryl hesitates, sitting near the closed entrance and as far as possible from you. You frown. "Lay down. There's room for both of us." You pat the spot on the blanket beside you.
Daryl's eyes flick from yours to the space beside you. He eventually obeys after seeing your unrelenting gaze and lays down beside you, kicking off his boots and keeping them close.
You watch as Daryl does so. His muscles are tense, even as he lays down. He's stiff as a board, arms crossed on his chest as he stares up at the ceiling of the tent. He's ridged, and you feel the tension radiate off his body in waves.
"Am I making you nervous?" You ask, a teasing tone to your voice. It’s mostly to cover up your own anxiety over being so close to him. Daryl scoffs and turns his face away from you.
"Yeah, right." You laugh softly, and Daryl feels a smile twitch at his own lips at the sound. "Just ain't used to sharin' the covers, better not be a blanket hog."
"I'm not, I promise."
It gets quiet, both just laying beside each other, sleep not catching up with either. The gears in your head spin at a million miles a minute, and Daryl glances at you every few minutes, his own thoughts racing, until finally, you speak.
"Do you ever think..." you pause, and Daryl watches you carefully. "That you just aren't good enough? No matter what you do?" Daryl's brows furrow. Where did that come from?
"Plenty," he replies. "Have I ever thought you weren't good enough? Nah, never." Daryl adjusts so his arm is resting behind his head, he keeps his gaze straight to the ceiling even as he feels your eyes burn into him. "Where's this comin' from?"
"I don't know." You shrug. "Been thinking about it a lot lately. About if something happens and I can't save Shane, or Carl. You." Daryl's heart flips.
     "Took out a lot of walkers today," Daryl says. "I think you'd be right there if anyone needs your help."
     "I'm not strong enough."
     "Stop," Daryl snaps, he whips his eyes to yours.
     "I'm not. I'm not my brother, and I'm not like you or Rick. I'm not strong, I'm not meant for this." Your voice grows weaker as you go on.
     "You're a cop, you helped people, right? You took out, what? Ten walkers all on your own? I saw you." You let out a humorless laugh, tears spring at your eyes.
     "The only reason I became a cop was because Shane did," you admit. "I felt like I had to follow him, to do something."
     "Don't matter." Daryl's brows furrow. He isn't sure where this is all coming from. Sure, he'd seen you seemed to always be behind Shane, following whatever he said to do. It bugged him a little, how he always bosses you around. He didn't think it ever bothered you.
     "It does matter," you say with a scoff and sit up. Daryl follows, slowly sitting up next to you. "I was never meant for it. I could barely even take statements sometimes without wanting to cry."
     "Just means you care 'bout people." You shrug.
     "It means I'm weak." Daryl shakes his head and nudges you with his elbow.
     "Ain't weak. And you ain't pathetic, neither." You hang your head.
     "I wish I was like Shane, he's strong, he helps people."
     "Yeah, well I like you just like this," Daryl admits, even as he feels his face heat up.
     "Yeah?" You finally smile, shyly, turning your head just slightly to peek at Daryl. Daryl clears his throat and lays down, turning his back to you.
     "Ain't saying it again. Go to sleep." You laugh, actually laugh, and lay down.
     "I like you just how you are too, Daryl," you mumble, before sleep finally overtakes you.
Everyone is up early the next morning, you suspect nobody really slept. You had kept waking up every hour, and Daryl was still up staring at the ceiling when you'd glance at him. Footsteps and movement around the camp began right when the sun came up, and you and Daryl followed right after.
Everyone is bustling around now, burning the walkers and burying the dead, as Glenn had insisted. It isn't long before panic shouting is heard from Jacqui.
"Jim got bit! Jim's bit!"
Even more panic, angry shouting from Daryl, and arguing ensues. Daryl wants to kill Jim right then and there— which earned him quite the glare form you— thankfully it quieted him down a little. Rick wants to head to the CDC for a potential cure, and your brother is adamant Fort Benning would be the best bet. You were little ways away from their discussion, chatting with Carl.
"Y/N, what do you think?" Shane asks, suddenly. You sigh and take a few steps closer, away from Carl. You were hoping they would just figure it out and leave you out of it.
"Well," you begin, and Shane's slight narrow of his eyes doesn't go unnoticed. He wants you to go along with him. "I'm sure if there's a cure, Fort Benning would know. They are military, must have doctors."
Daryl scoffs, and you glance to him in surprise. He holds your gaze, but you can't place his expression. Your brows knit in confusion.
"There you have it, Rick," Shane says cockily, breaking you from your trance. You look away from Daryl.
You walk away, leaving the boys to argue further. You honestly don't care where you end up. From the looks of the city, there's nowhere safe, not the CDC, and not Fort Benning. It doesn't matter to you where they decide to go.
"Hey," Shane says, approaching you where you're taking down your tent. You drop the pole you're holding and stand up straight. Shane has a pissed off look on his face.
"CDC then?" You ask. His expression darkens.
"You could've had my back a little," he whispers angrily, getting closer to you. You turn away to hide your rolling eyes. You return to your task.
"I don't care where we go, Shane. It's all the same to me." He grabs your upper arm, not tight enough to hurt, but it's enough to pull your attention back to him.
"Yeah, as long as you get to follow your boyfriend, right?" You narrow your eyes, reeling away from Shane slightly out of shock. His face is close to yours. "Saw you come out of Dixon's tent this morning."
"So what, Shane," you say, yanking your arm from his grasp. "You aren't my father." He exhales heavily through his nose.
"Stay the hell away from that guy," Shane demands, his finger coming up to point at your face. You set your jaw, a fist balls at your side, and you smack his hand away from you. And then, for maybe the first time ever, you don't just do whatever your big brother tells you to.
"Leave me the fuck alone, Shane."
You drop down heavily into the truck's car seat. Daryl glimpses at you from the drivers seat, and he looks at you questionably. You don't say anything, instead glaring out the passenger window so viscously, Daryl's surprised it doesn't shatter.
"You ain't goin' with Shane?" He asks. You scoff.
"No," you answer, shortly. Daryl shrugs, mumbling an 'ok' and starting the engine. He takes off towards the CDC, and you continue your angered glare.
"So, you got your own opinion on this whole thing, or do you always just follow along with whatever your brother says?" Daryl suddenly asks, making you whip your eyes to him. He's staring straight to the road, and you scoff loudly.
"Oh, that's really something coming from you," you say sarcastically, letting out a sharp laugh. "You followed your brother around like a lost puppy, but I'm the one always going along with my brother? Bullshit."
You regret bringing up Merle as soon as you finished your sentence, but anger is clouding your judgment. Your frustration at Shane mixed with Daryl's unwarranted comment is just about too much to handle.
     Although you feel a twinge of guilt, Daryl's comment was ridiculous coming from him. He always would follow his brother around, do whatever he said to do. He never even seemed to care whenever Merle went on racist, sexist, something just plain mean tangents, even if Daryl never agreed or joined.
     But still, Merle was his brother, no matter how awful, that you understood more than anything. Shane was one to ruffle a few feathers too, and you understand better than anyone how oppressive it can be to forever be in the shadow of an older brother. Never getting your own opinion, or word in, forever just following along.
     "You're right," Daryl says. You turn your head to him quickly in surprise. He doesn't face you, his eyes looking at the road in front of him. "I've always gone along with Merle, no matter how shitty he was, or what trouble I'd get in."
     "You're right, too," you admit with a loud sigh, your anger fizzling at Daryl’s sincere tone. "I've never really done, hell, even said what I've wanted. I always just followed what Shane's doing."
“Think it’s about damn time we do what we wanna do,” Daryl says, after a few moments pause.
“Yeah, yeah you’re right!” You exclaim, smiling brightly. “Screw Shane!” Daryl laughs, and you turn your head to fully look at him.
He’s biting at the skin on his thumb, and he gives you a small, crooked grin when he notices your eyes on him. The sun cascading through the window of the truck makes him glow, and you can’t help but think that he looks just beautiful. His bright blue eyes sparking, how his light brown hair looks almost blonde in the yellow light. You’d never noticed just how handsome he is.
“The hell you starin’ at?” He asks suddenly. Your face flushes violently at being caught ogling, and you whip your face towards the window.
“Nothing,” you fumble out, he just hums an unconvinced noise of acknowledgment.
You bite your lip harshly to stop the grin that threatens to split your lips. You sneakily take another glimpse at Daryl, taking in his calm expression, the way his eyes narrow to block out the brightness from the sun.
Maybe it was just a crush, or maybe you’re head over heels in love with him. It doesn’t matter now. All you know is that Daryl understands you like no one ever has, and you aren’t letting that go any time soon.
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starshipsofstarlord · 7 months
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Sleepless
Summary -> On the farm, you struggle to fall asleep due to all the things that you know that surround you, from the walkers in the barn to Shane. The only thing that can make you feel any comfort is Daryl (1.4k)
Warnings -> harassment, angst, fluff, manipulation, mention of death, fighting, swearing
daryl dixon / norman reedus works masterlist
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No matter how many times you had attempted to fall asleep, it was nearly impossible. You and the group that you had found in Atlanta had set up camp on the Greene's farm, everything seemed too good to be true, and that is exactly what it was.
Glenn had told you about the captive walkers that were held up in the barn, and it was only a matter of time until Shane with his explosive temper took control of the situation. It was better when you didn't know about the holding cell for the dead, but there was nothing that you could do to erase the cursed knowledge from your brain.
It was easier to stay awake, and so you sat beside the small fire that was throwing heat at you, whilst your comrades had already retreated to their tents. The snap of a twig alerted your ears to the presence of another, and instantaneously you were on defence, grasping your knife from the loop of your weaponry belt in the grip of your hand.
A part of you hoped that it was Daryl whom had been so cooped up with finding the whereabouts of Sophia, which made yo love him even more, however your luck dwindled when you saw who it was.
It was a boulder of a man that had changed a lot from the time that you had met him, his eyes were dark and dangerous as he headed towards you, some kind of intent in his unfaltering steps.
"Couldn't sleep either?" You asked Shane, loosening your grip on the sharp object in your hand but refusing to let it go. He grunted a reply and a stiff nod in relation to your enquiry, sitting close next to you, which made your bones stiffen. Since his best friend Rick Grimes had made a return into his life, it was as though a switch had been switched in that mind of his.
You tried not to think of his tale of how Otis had supposedly sacrificed himself either, as you among others had suspicions that he hadn't quite told you all the truth. "Something like that." He spoke. You'd never had much interaction with the man since he founded the old camp for you and the other survivors, unless you were killing walkers together or occasionally assigned to check the perimeter, however Daryl had always reminded you to be careful.
Shane may have been on the same journey as the rest of you, but he'd become more damaged through your journey to live so far. "At least there's some stars to watch, I loved looking up at them as a kid. Now the worlds gone to shit, but that is one of the only things that has't changed." It felt strange having a conversation so light hearted with the man, but it was just to bide time in your eyes until morning arose.
"Can't say the same about your taste in men - after all you're dating that redneck that is lost in the thought that he'll actually find the girl out there. I'm sure before all this you had some kind of self respect." He scoffed, which. Only made you shoot a glare at him which was equally matched with one of his own. But you knew not to retaliate, for your own protection, not after how he had hurt Lori as she had told you in secrecy.
"I think I'm tired after all." You gritted out from behind your teeth, going to stand until Shane followed you, grasping your elbow with a vice grip that would no doubt leave a bruise upon your flesh. "Shame, let go. This isn't you." This was exactly him, the cold shell of a person that he had become from the horrible things that he had bore and witnessed. Your voice had been sharp, a warning if he knew what was best for him. He'd always been smart with his sneaky actions, but the bitter scent of whisky that blew in your face told you that he wasn't in his usual solitary mind.
"Why should I? So you can go back to a man that you're too good for and cares more about a child and his dead brother than you?" That was the last straw, you couldn't let him wrap your mind in a bubble of lies about Daryl for a single second, so you raised your right hand and butted him in the nose with the dull end of your knife, causing the man to stumble back. But he still refused to retract his hand, he pulled you closer, snarling in your face.
"Shane, stop!" You yelled, hoping that someone would hear you. As he dragged you back towards the fire that now felt anything but warm to you, you rammed your boot into his shin, taking his moment of weakness to raise your blade against his throat, taking advantage of his vulnerable and slightly bent form. "You really think that doing your own thing, causing conflict and rumours is the right thing. Then shame on you. You threaten me, or slander my man again, I'll feed you to the walkers in that barn myself."
With that he finally released you, feeling an inkling of regret for the first time in months, allowing you to stroll away and back to your tent. No one had heard you, Daryl was out cold, no doubt exhausted from his endless searching. Maybe he really did care about the dead and lost more than he did you, you zipped the tent up, careful as to not wake the man in your blankets, as you curled up in the corner and rested your head upon your knees, allowing the tears to fall behind the barricade of your legs.
But even if Daryl were tired, and he hadn't heard your loud words to Shane, as it had been farther out by the cars, he definitely heard your broken sobs that you attempted to mute. He shuffled in the sleeping bag, sitting up right and searching his surroundings, until his eyes finally landed on you. In a panicked haze he slipped beside you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and pulled your head up so he could see your face. "Wha' happened?" He asked, desperately wanting to find the reason behind your pain.
"Shane, he-he.." Oh god no, Daryl thought. His blue orbs ran all over you until he saw the sore spot between your upper and lower arm, anger fuelling him into an awakened state. "He grabbed me, and I was this close to slitting his throat. I was okay with doing it, I just didn't want us to get kicked out from here - we'd die out there. And I don't want to die but Shane's gonna kill all of us." Daryl held you rather than hunting down the man that had caused you so much sorrow, as much as he wanted to, you were more important.
"Look a' me. You didn't do anything wrong, you defended yourself," he tucked your hair behind your ear, pressing a kiss to your forehead, "we should tell Rick in the morning. He's a loose cannon and if he's coming after our own, it's not just that barn we have to be wary of." That damn barn was the last of your worries now, you were turning on each other, stupidly enough when you'd found a place safer than others to reside in. "And I'll deal with Shane. No one touches ma girl." He stated, seriousness underlaying his tone.
"I love you Daryl." You hiccuped, brushing the droplets from beneath your eyes, desperately looking up at him. Everything Shane said was a lie, it was just another one of his many ploys to have everyone under his thumb, just like how he persuaded Andrea to stand beside him in some of his brash decisions. He fed off her pain from losing Amy, and he was a wolf in sheep's clothing, prowling around and hunting for his next prey. Tonight it so happened to be you.
"Love you more." He leant down, smouldering your lips with his own, gently cupping your face. "We'll get Herschel to check your arm when he's awake, right now you need to rest. And if you want to sit outside and look at the stars, you wake me, ya got it?" You nodded, laying your head on his chest and the rest of your body weight atop of him, until you finally drifted off. And for once you didn't have a nightmare, instead you saw nothing, which was a blessing in disguise, the real blessing however were that you and Daryl were still alive, and you had each other for as long as you both breathed.
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lunajay33 · 2 months
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Not Enough?💔
Summary: you and Carl try and make friends and Ron gets jealous and says cruel things about you, will Carl protect you?
•Masterlist•
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You’ve been friends with Carl since well forever, you were Shane’s daughter and when the apocalypse hit he took care of you Lori and Carl, and you’ve been inseparable from Carl since everything went awry
When your dad died you went into a deep depression but Carl was there he brought you back from that ache black pit of despair, and you did the same for him when he had to kill his mom
But now you were all finally in a safe place, well as safe as things could get in a world where there were brain dead people trying to rip your flesh to shreds
Everyone had stayed in two houses next door to eachother, you chose to stay with Daryl, Rick michonne Judith and Carl in the first house you all stayed in as the others moved over to the other house
You were sitting in your room, which was right next to carls when there was a knock
“Come in”
The door opened and it was Carl
“Hey wanna go talk to some of the kids of the town, try and fit in a bit” he asked leaning against the frame
“Sure” you said as you got up and you both left the house
You were walking around town when you saw a few of them you learned to be Ron, Enid and some others
“Hey guys, mind if we join?” Carl asked as we approached
“Sure we were just talking about our first kisses” Enid said laughing
You sat down with them as they continued around the small circle until it got to you
“Well aren’t you gonna tell us?” Ron asked kinda pushy
“Ummm” you looked at Carl nervous so he spoke for you
“We were each others first kiss, I mean we’ve known eachother since birth it was bound to happen” he said laughing off the jitters
You and Carl weren’t offical, you guys never discussed anything but you both knew there were feelings, strong feelings between eachother that ran deep
You both looked at Ron as he scoffed he looked disgusted but honestly kinda jealous for some reason
“Really? You kissed her, even in the apocalypse that’s pretty desperate” your chest felt tight at his words
“What the hell do you mean?” Carl asked you could hear in his tone he was fuming
“Dude come on, she’s not easy to look at, Enid is way prettier” Ron said laughing right at you
You got up and ran back to the house sitting on the porch, that heavy feeling weighing on your chest as you felt that burning in your throat rising as you tried to hold back the tears that inevitably fell down your checks……and they kept coming
You had never really been insecure, growing up with Carl and his reassuring words and the sweet people you grew up around made you feel good, made you feel like you were enough but that all changed when you came to Alexandria
You saw the way Enid looked at Carl and that’s how you started to compare yourself to her, the way she looked, her nose, her body it all came like a blow to you since you never really experienced envy before
As you were deep in that mind numbing toxic state Carl came up to you on the porch stairs as sat beside you as he rubbed your back soothingly
“He’s an ass, don’t listen to him, he’s just jealous”
“Jealous? Jealous of what, he’s right Enid is way better why waste your time with me” you sighed as you looked up at Carl
His heart broke seeing your red puffy face
“Y/n what are you talking about you’re beautiful, you know you’re the only one for me, with your h/c, and your gorgeous e/c eyes, and how you’ve always been my number one supporter through everything”
“Really?”
“Of course I…..I love you y/n, more than anything so stop worrying no one can compare to you” he said brushing you hair back behind your ear
Your heart speed up feeling like it was gonna burst
“I love you too Carl, always”
After that you slowly realized you’re beautiful in your own way and stopped comparing yourself to Enid, and Carl made sure to show you how beautiful you really are
—///—///—///—///—///—
How did you guys like this story, I’m new to doing stories for Carl for lmk!!:)
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fangirldreams101 · 5 months
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Coming Home pt. 7
DBF! Daryl, Rick, Shane & Negan x Reader
TW: Severe age-gap w/ older men, smut, consensual sex, handjobs/fingering, groping, some aggression, alcohol usage, piv (unwrapped, reader is on pill though), mentions of r*pe and m*rder (nothing actually happens though), goes from fluff to angst to smut, you chose the enter this emotional rollercoaster, they may be hot but they are hot with feelings, dub-con (technically consent is given, but its morally grey), oral (fem receiving)
Chapter Index
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Throughout the rest of Negan's stay, you both became rather close. You gave him a proper tour of the small town you now called home and showed him all your favorite spots. He took you out on a few dates behind your dad's back, you both enjoying your time together. He loved to treat you after fucking your brains out, having you walk around without any panties so he could pull you into a dark corner and fuck you against the wall. He devoured every part of you that he could, it was like he wanted to memorize your body for when he would have to go back home. You had zero unrealistic expectations about your relationship, you were both just there for a good time until Negan had to fly back to Washington. He might not choose to take the job and you were not planning on getting tied down when you just started college anyway. But although you two were on the same page, it looked like some others did not get the memo.
Daryl shared what he saw the night of your birthday with Rick and Shane. Shane was just mad that someone got to you first, but Rick and Daryl were furious. How dare some dumb shit come in and fuck you when they couldn't? And then they had to see Negan parade you around like he just won himself the prized pony at the town fair. You were too innocent, too good for a man like Negan. Sure, they didn't know a thing about him, but they were more than certain they could treat you a million times better than he ever could. So they attempted to hatch various little schemes to make Negan look bad. However, none of them made it past the drawing board. The saying, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend,' did not apply at all to them. They would end up bickering amongst themselves and not a single plan came to fruition.
Any semblance of a truce between the three of them broke one fateful night.
Your dad was out drinking with some coworkers and you were at home, working on schoolwork. Suddenly, you heard the doorbell ring. Cautiously, you crept down the stairs and looked through the peep hole to find out who it was. It was Rick, bloodshot eyes and messed up hair. You quickly unlocked and opened the door, worried about his mental state.
"Hey is everything ok," you questioned, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
His head shot up at the sound of your voice, clearly not expecting you to be the one to answer the door.
He didn't say anything which made you uneasy, so you lied about the whereabouts of your dad, "Were you looking for my dad? I can call him if you'd like."
He just stood there, looking at you. Honestly, it freaked you out, murder and rape statistics where the culprit is someone you know flashed through your head as you began to slowly backtrack on your words.
"How about you give me a second and I get my dad. He's upstairs, but it'll only take a second-," you began but Rick suddenly collapsed to his knees.
"Jesus! Rick, what's wrong," you cry out, running to his side.
His hands shoot out, pulling you into a rough kiss. Your body stills in shock, before struggling and pushing him away.
‘HEY," you yell, before softening your voice, "You are not in your right mind right now. Either you calm down and speak, or you leave."
Rick's bloodshot eyes began to tear up and you never thought you would see the day the man would be so vulnerable like this.
"Lori's takin' the kids," he shakily breathed out.
"Oh fuck," you gasped, "Oh god, Rick, I'm so sorry."
He buried his face into his hands and began to sob. Wrapping your arms around him, you pulled him into the house and led him to a couch. You sat down next to him, pulling a blanket over his shoulders as the poor man broke down. You just held him, allowing him to cry out all his frustrations onto your shoulder.
After a while, his cries slowed to a stop and he pulled away. You offered him some napkins to wipe his face and he did so.
You both sat in silence for a bit before you broke it, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not much to talk about," his voice was rough, guarded, as if he was disappointed in himself for letting you see him like this.
"Is there anything you would like me to do," you asked, your voice kind and gentle, and completely undeserving of the storm running through his head.
"Can I kiss ya," he asked.
"Rick...," you said hesitantly, "You didn't want anything to do with me before and I'm worried that you'll regret it if you do something now. I don't want to take advantage of what you're feeling right now.“
He leaned close to you, eyes pleading, "I swear 'm not gonna regret it. I need ya, darlin'. Please."
He leaned in and pressed his swollen lips to yours. You didn't kiss back but after a moment of him running his fingers into your hair, mumbling words of praise and desire, you gave in.
"As long as you are sure," you said between his kisses.
"'m sure, 'm so sure. Wanted ya for so long, darlin'. Ya got no idea, how hard its been," he groaned out.
"Woah, there cowboy, I got a bedroom y'know," you gave a small smile, pulling Rick up and walking him up to your room.
As soon as the door was closed, he was on you like an animal. Desperate kisses placed against your neck and hands wandering all over your body. You moaned in response, your own hands tugging at the buttons on his shirt. Prying your clothes off each other, you take a moment to appreciate the handsome man on top of you. He pressed himself into your neck growling at the sight of Negan's marks littering your body. He begins to suck and bite over them, as if he was trying to cover up any evidence that Negan had you. Your naked bodies tumbled onto the bed, hands groping and pulling at each others' flesh. Rick lifted your hips, moving down your body, placing kisses as he went.
You offered to take care of him instead, but he looked up at you with his big eyes and pleaded to let him do this. With a nod of confirmation, he dug his face into you, eating you out like a man starved. Low groans of appreciation left his lips, his eyes closing in bliss as he licked a long stripe up your lips. He began to suckle on your clit, causing you to flail at the pleasure. You panted and moaned loudly, Rick having to force your hips down lest you accidently kick him. You reached your peak quickly, waves of pleasure crashing over you but Rick turned it into a tsunami as he continued to finger your slick folds and circle your clit with his mouth.
"Rick, 's too much," you moaned out at the overstimulation, trying to push him away.
He looked like a man possessed, like not a single word you were saying was getting through to him. As you tried to move away, his grip on your hips tightened, leaving marks as he just tugged you ever closer to his face. He kept mumbling incoherent words, you only picking up, "so pretty," "all mine," and, "waited so long." The desperate, sinful phrases he uttered sent vibrations through you, reaching another crescendo as you came again.
"Rick," you cried out in a long-drawn out moan, "Please."
The man blinks, looking like he fell out of a trance. He pulls away, allowing you to slump down in relief.
"'m sorry, darlin'," he said, wiping the glisten off of his face, "You just tasted so good."
"It's okay," you panted, still trying to catch your breath.
Rick takes that as his cue to continue, and he surges forward, spreading your legs and rubbing the tip of his cock between your folds.
"Wai- oh," you moan out as Rick plunges into you with one hard thrust.
He's girthy, stretching you out despite all of the wetness on you. It takes your breath away, but feels amazing and you cling onto his shoulders, pulling him close.
Without hesitation, Rick begins to move, thrusting in and out of you at a harsh pace. Once again, he acts like a man possessed, violently humping you. He bites and sucks on your breasts, pinching and pulling on your nipples. He switches from thrusting to giving shallow thrusts while grinding against your clit. It's like he is trying to be as deep inside of you as he can. He halts his assault on your breasts, and wraps his arms around you, pulling you as close as possible.
In return, you wraps your legs around his hips, helping him reach deeper inside of you. You both moan out sweet nothings, words of empty affection and desire. Eventually, Rick grunts, pushing in deep and stilling, as white hot ribbons pulse out and line your walls.
As soon as he feels that every drop is in you, he slowly pulls out before quickly plugging you up with his fingers, causing you to cry out. He moves his head back down again, lapping at you while his fingers push his cum deeper inside. He tastes the mixture of you both and it makes him happy to know that there is such physical evidence of you together. You cry out one last time, lurching upwards as Rick helps you ride out your high. He finally pulls away completely and you let out a small laugh in absolute disbelief of how good that was.
"That good, huh, darlin'," Rick grinned and you nodded, reaching down to pull him in for a kiss.
You both relaxed into the bed, giddy and cuddled up next to each other.
After a bit of peace, you looked up at him, "Are you feeling better?"
He smiled, leaning down and kissing your forehead, "Much."
"Thank you," he murmured into your hair and you smiled, "Anytime."
The serenity you both created was broken by the sound of the door to the house closing and your dad's voice booming out, "Hi! I'm home!"
Whatever little pocket of peace, the temporary paradise you bestowed upon each other, was shattered with those three words. Rick rolled away from you like a man on fire, dropping to the ground in an effort to scramble for his clothes.
"Fuck," you whispered and the man muttered unholy mantras under his breath as he struggled to put his clothes on.
You put on a nightgown you owned and a robe, "Calm down. He doesn't come into my room without knocking and you left nothing downstairs that would be evidence you were here. You're going to have to wait for him to go to his room before you can slip out the door anyway."
You heard your dad call for you again as his footsteps were heard coming up the stairs and down the hall towards your room. You and Rick looked at each other in a panic.
"I can jump outta the window, a fracture never hurt nobody," he said, already pulling at the window.
Your dad knocked on the door, "Sweetie? Everything okay? Just got back from hanging with the guys."
You signaled to Rick to stop moving and to stay quiet, before calling back out to him, "Yeah everything's good! Just woke up from a nap is all! I'll be down in a sec!"
Your dad yawned, "No worries! Take your time too, think Imma take a shower 'n freshen up."
You could hear him move away from your door and towards the bathroom. Neither you nor Rick moved a hair until the sounds of the water rushing caused you to both sag in relief.
"Were you really about to jump out the window, just to avoid him," you quipped, quirking an eyebrow.
Rick did not look amused, "I really don't want to hurt him."
You put your hands up in a surrendering motion, you really didn't want to redo this conversation again, "Okay, okay. Let's get you out of here."
You poked your head out of the room, double checking that the coast was clear and then motioned for Rick to follow you. You guys climbed down the stairs and reached the front door. You both went out onto the porch and he began to move away.
Quickly, you grasped onto his arm, "You're not going to start treating me coldly again, are you?"
"Pretty sure it was you doin' that, darlin'," he chuckled, but stopped seeing your expression.
"You know what I mean," you pouted.
Rick sighed, before reaching down and pecking you on the head, "I do. And I won't."
You gave a bright smile, practically blinding him. Leaning up on your tiptoes, you planted a sweet kiss on his lips.
"I look forward to seein' you around, then."
Rick nodded, a slight blush covering his face, "Wouldn't miss it for the world, darlin'."
He stepped away, turning to watch you reenter the house before going back on his way home. Life kept draining him, but you kept him going like a solar-powered battery.
Next up:
"YOU DID WHAT TO MY KID?" Your dad roared.
Taglist:
@eternalrose81 @belaballs @lonely-girl2423 @thewitchesofart @theoraekenslover @raininhell @juleshaters @blackvelveteen1339
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thosewildcharms · 20 days
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Your rhetorical questions have lit up my brain lol like what if Rick had met Michonne and Andre first instead of Morgan and Duane? 🤯 But anyway on a separate note, it’s so wild to see Rick and Shane’s first scene and Rick laughing along to Shane’s mysoginistic weird ass rant in light of who he is now. He really was just some emotionally repressed small town guy, And while Lori telling Rick “I wonder if you even care about us” in front of Carl was horrible, I wonder what Rick could’ve done or not done that would make her feel that way? And Shane said women’s problem is they don’t know how to turn off a light switch, to which Rick says part of the problem is he’s the one who’s leaving light switches on; I hate to be missing something that’s probably obvious but what did he mean with that?
oh that's a great idea for an AU anon. your mind!
this got long because who am i, so under a read more it goes.
maybe i got my rickgirl blinders on and am giving him too much credit but i thought rick was laughing at least somewhat incredulously at shane's speech (he was at the very least shaking his head a lot until the very end) but yes present-day rick would probably not have entertained that quite so much lol. but to kind of go along with that, my interpretation of light switch thing was rick kind of dismissing shane's, as you pointed out, misogynistic joke by saying he's the one with the issue turning off lights, and also to shift the conversation into the Actual Problems he and lori are having. also in retrospect it kinda feels like the show was lowkey already telling us lori and shane were more suited for each other than lori and rick but i could be reading into that. but listen metaphors have a habit of flying right over my (probably) autistic little head so i could also be missing some hidden meaning there.
as for the fight with lori, there's a flashback (i think in season 2?) where lori is talking to a friend about that same fight and she admits that she was the one who was being the asshole and how she got even more pissed off over how even-tempered and reasonable he was in response. from rick's perspective, he said he would try to talk about his feelings only for it to seem like lori didn't actually want to hear them after all. honestly i think they were just fundamentally incompatible, as we saw over and over in seasons 1 and 2. it wasn't anyone's fault, and their fights probably escalated because they didn't even know how to argue the way the other person wanted them to.
and not to constantly compare rick/lori to richonne, but rick similarly almost never yells or gets mean the few times we see him and michonne argue. the couple of times he did in towl were such an anomaly it set off alarm bells for michonne that something was really wrong with him (and also the situation was just objectively insane). but michonne and rick know how to disagree without getting ugly, and she certainly never has to try to provoke him into communicating because they have a fundamental understanding of each other that rick and lori never had. for sure rick learned from his mistakes with lori but i don't think the rick who was with lori was an entirely different person who said horrible things to his wife. he couldn't express himself the way we see he can with michonne because he just didn't have that type of connection with lori. and to be fair, lori didn't feel that with rick either, and again, that's okay. they probably should have just called it quits well before rick got shot. @cantstayawaycani and @jonesywrites go into this far more eloquently than I did here in their very excellent towl season 1 reaction video that you should definitely watch, because it's wonderful from start to finish.
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yevmarie · 2 months
Text
Light My Fire | Chapter 7
Masterlist
< Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 >
Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Female Reader
Word count: 2.3k
Pronouns: you, she/her
Warnings: angst, mentions of depression, swearing, mentions of physical abuse towards other people, detailed description of typical TWD violence, differences from the main plot may occur, bad English (not my first language).
Taglist: @your-shifting-gurl @bae-live-0 @richardsamboramylove55 @deansapplepie @snailss @denisecabrera @dreamtofus @duckybird101
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You were sitting near the tent, trying to occupy your mind with the book you had taken at the beginning of the outbreak when you left home. The novel was so good that you binge-read it after Rick got to the hospital. That was the only thing that distracted you somehow, almost the cure for the hours spent crying after calls with Lori, who always said the doctor's forecast had been discouraging.
Now, everything was different. Although you reunited with your friend, other things were bothering you. Thoughts rushed after every sentence being read.
Is Merle alive? Will the group come back? Should I tell everything to Rick? But that fucker Shane almost killed me today. Shit! The neck hurts so much I'd probably have bruises forming a 'necklace' in a day. Shane is scaring the hell out of me. Why is he doing that to me? Did I deserve it after all my love given to him? I think I deserve just nothing good. If any good is even left in this world…
You cursed to yourself, noticing that familiar Depression FM finding the 'right' radio wave in your mind. The host today is so cruel; he plays that shitty song with the lyrics derived from your brain. And that fucking cassette tape is broken, repeating every verse again and again. You knew what to do in such cases.
"Ms. Y/LN, there's one technique that helps to get rid of repetitive unhealthy thoughts. But it needs practice as any of them. So close your eyes and imagine a bus stop, some familiar one to you. Perhaps near your work. This must be the place you know well to add realism to your brain."
You put the book aside and leaned back on the tree to relax your body. You closed your eyes, took a deep breath, and imagined the bus stop near your office. This is a busy street full of office workers fussing around and cars honking.
"Good. Now imagine the bus you are waiting for."
You are standing in your uncomfortable office outfit, praying to catch the bus quicker and get home. And here it is!
"When it arrives, come up to it."
You make several steps, slightly losing balance as some teenage girl pushes you, aiming to get in faster than you to take a seat.
"The doors are opening, and you get in but notice one unpleasant thing… The people inside only talk about you. About your insecurities. They literally repeat your thoughts out loud, saying them to you in your face."
"You don't deserve love," an old grumpy lady says, looking at you with side eyes.
You take a step further, aiming for the part of the bus with fewer people, finding a man wearing total black: a leather jacket, jeans, massive boots, and bike gloves. He is saying nothing to you. He's not even looking at you, listening to whatever music is playing in his earphones.
"Love? Don't be ridiculous," the teenage girl who had pushed you before chuckled. "She just deserves nothing good."
Another step up to the man when he finally turns to you. Pale blue eyes, three-day stubble, a bit outgrown haircut, two cute moles on the face, one above his thin lips. Although his frame is wide and the outfit is brutal, he doesn't seem like that. He's calm.
"Daryl?" you whispered, standing up too close to him, the haunting scent mixed of his cologne, leather, and tobacco hitting your brain, sending waves of excitement through your veins.
"Yeah, talking about Daryl," a clerk sitting near you, reading a newspaper, caught your attention, "He thinks you are useless."
"Reckless," a woman cooing to her baby corrected the clerk.
"He talks to you out of pity," another voice said.
"He's not interested in you," added yet another.
All the hurtful voices meshed together, making your tears swell in your eyes. Daryl took off his earphones and passed them to you. You plugged them in and heard… Nothing! Except the silent echo of your heartbeat. You noticed people were still talking to you but couldn't hear them. Daryl cupped your face with his calloused, warm palms, still looking into your eyes. His gaze was calm, gentle, and loving. He leaned closer, narrowing the space between your faces, looking down at your lips; his breath tickled your sences as you savored the moment with anticipation.
"Ms. Y/LN, after hearing everything the passengers have told you, would you get off the bus?"
"No," you whispered, closing your eyes and feeling Daryl's lips touching yours in a sensual kiss.
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FUCK!
You opened your eyes and threw the book away towards the tent.
"So, have I fallen for Daryl?" you asked yourself, desperately sighing, as surely daydreaming about the hunter wasn't planned, when suddenly you saw a familiar woman figure approaching you - Lori.
"Y/N, can I ask you to look after Carl and Sofia?" the woman's expression was concerned, obviously stressed out by something. You only nodded in consent, not wishing to talk, and stood up to go for the children. But your hope of no dialogue with the woman was dispelled in a second when she gently grabbed your forearm.
"We need to talk, Y/N."
"Enough talking for me today," you mumbled and stepped forward but were stopped again by Lori's touch.
"Please," she begged sincerely. "I… I'm really sorry for all that," her voice shaky. "I didn't know you still had feelings for him."
"You never asked," your response was just a guillotine, cutting off all potential reasoning.
"If you had only told me before… Perhaps I'd still be devastated, but I knew you were fair to me. And after some time, I'd accept it," you looked at your crying former friend and felt the pain hit your chest.
"Look, I'm not aiming to hurt you. Just trust me, it doesn't bring me any satisfaction. I'm not a monster. I just want to let you know I've always expected some tricks from Shane but not from you. Because you know what? I've always thought friendship is stronger. Love just comes and goes. But you betrayed me."
"Okay, okay," Lori nodded, sobbing, and was going to walk away, but you stepped aside and appeared on her way.
"I could overcome it and forgive you one day. But if Rick doesn't… He just doesn't deserve all of this."
"He'll never know," her answer outraged you. She was so sure you wouldn't tell Rick.
And honestly, she was right and wrong at the same time by saying this. You face the dilemma of telling Rick everything you know and destroying his family and friendship with Shane. Or you just step back and lose another close person like Rick because you'd not be able to even look into his eyes and act like everything is going fine and finally betray him by keeping silent. You didn't know what to do, and this tortured you.
"Then I'll just be nice to you for the love of Rick and Carl. I can't offer more; I'm sorry," you turned around and walked toward the campfire, leaving Lori alone. "I'll look after Carl and Sofia." 
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Hours later, when you were spending time with the children, the camp was shocked by another event: Shane beat up Ed after he hit Carol. You felt sorry for the woman and reasoned her to have her rest, though you had planned otherwise before, and took your duty to help in the kitchen and stew the squirrels for the group. 
It was getting darker; the group was having dinner, but no one returned from the run to Atlanta. You saved the portions for the men and started cleaning the place you called the kitchen. You couldn't have your rest; otherwise, you would go crazy. Or eat as the food stuck in your throat again. Your nerves were being torn to shreds. 
But Amy's wrenching scream cut off the silence you mistakenly considered agonizing.
"Walkers!" people yelled. 
The chaos burst in seconds, resulting in fussing, cries, and shooting. The latter bothered you the most as it was uncontrollable, and you were scared to take a slug. You ran to the table and took a knife, scanning the situation around. Lori and Carl were hiding behind shooting Shane; that's good. You were looking for Carol and Sofia, who were near Shane as well but were more vulnerable to attack. 
You were going to run to them but heard upcoming rasps just near yourself. Turning around, you stabbed the walker's head, hearing the gut-wrenching sound of tearing skin and breaking skull. The blood spraying on your face and the smell almost made you vomit. The body fell on the ground when another walker approached you, snapping its teeth and stretching its arms to you. You kicked it in the chest so you had more space for maneuvering, swaying your arm holding the knife to damage the skull of the lying dead. 
You stood up, taking a deep breath and wiping the sweat off your forehead. Other shooting noises were reaching the camp. You heard Rick's voice calling his family when you fell, being pushed down to the ground. Your chest took a pasting by falling flat on the ground, and the air from your lungs was beaten away. You realized the snapping teeth were inches from your skin, so at least you needed to push it away from you to kill, but the body was so heavy you couldn't make a move. 
Suddenly, you felt the weight above was lifted from you, thrown somewhere away, and shot, so you jumped out of your skin, instinctively closing your ears. Then, your body was lifted easily as if you were a featherweight. An arm tugs around you, pushing your back into someone's body. 
"Ya okay?" you know this gruff voice.
You quickly nodded and squizzed his forearm, thanking god Daryl returned to the camp. 
"Stay behind; it's clear there," the archer freed you from his hug and continued shooting the dead. 
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Several minutes passed when the last walker was down. You were panting, trying to catch your breath, and dropped to your knees as your muscles were aching. You looked back and saw Rick hugging his family. Carol and her daughter were safe, but the field around the camp was covered with dead flesh — the bitter payment for your close people to be alive. 
"Y/N," you heard Rick approaching you, helping you stand up, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," you nodded, standing up, but your legs were wobbling, so the sheriff had to help you keep your balance by holding you by your back.
"Where's Merle?" 
"He escaped, but we couldn't find either him or his body."
The hope died in your eyes, turning your gaze to as black as night. 
"Y/N, can you tell me something?"
"Hm?" you hummed, fluttering your eyes open as if you were returning from a trance. 
"Did Merle and you..?" 
"No," you cut short his question and were trying to walk away, but Rick stopped you, standing next to you, gently holding your shoulders. 
"Is it because of Daryl?" by an odd coincidence, the name mentioned made you stiffen so that Rick's touch read your tensity.
"What do you mean?" 
"Do you like him?" 
You stiffened even more, and the opportunity to lie about something faded. Considering you were talking to the sheriff, who was too good at reading people. Furthermore, when they were close ones. 
"No. We just became friends," you put his arm aside, hinting you'd like to walk away. This dialogue was leading to some strange course. "Rick, I wanna sleep, let's talk tomorrow, okay?" 
Your friend nodded and stared after you walking away. 
"So, why do you sleep in Daryl's tent?" you stopped and turned around to the man. 
"Because you got back, and there's not enough space for four of us."
"You had already moved to Dixons. There was no stuff of yours. Or you are a medium." 
"Rick, is it cross-examining?"
"I just wonder why you behave so strangely. If you like some of the brothers, it changes everything. I'll insist on searching. If you don't have feelings but still hang out with them when your family is here. Then I assume you'd had some fighting with Lori and…"
"Hey man," Shane appeared out of nowhere, approaching Rick. "Let's discuss our plans for tomorrow. We need to do something with the bodies." 
You mentally thanked your ex and quickly walked to the tent. Getting inside of it, you noticed the archer was already sleeping. Perhaps he was so tired he didn't give a damn where he was going. And at least it's his tent. You grabbed your blanket to move to Merle's, but Daryl's voice stopped you.
"Ain't sleeping. Get inside. It's better to stick together if another horde is coming. Not gonna touch ya," the hunter's sleeping voice made some magic to you as you got in and laid down back to him without hesitation. You covered yourself with the blanket, but it was too much already as you were flushed red, and all your blood was running in hot impulses through your body.
"Is it okay?" Daryl wanted to reassure himself you were fine with this. 
"Yeah," you replied. 
"So, if Rick noticed, then when will you accept you have fallen for Daryl, Y/N?" you told yourself and shut your eyes tightly as if it would help you fall asleep faster.
< Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 >
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ghostboneswrites2 · 2 months
Text
A Mess || Part 5
New account! @ghostbones was banned! Transferring everything here starting with this series since it was the most popular!
Summary: Grief and a blend of confusing emotions overcomes you. It takes a while but you overcome it, with the help of one of Daryl's signature, oh-so-comforting pep talks (/s). Daryl takes some advice from Carol and executes it poorly, to say the least.
18+ MDNI || WARNINGS: profanity, descriptions of grief / loss, Daryl is kinda dumb
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        There was a loud ringing in your ears. After everything that had happened -- the fire, the walkers, the agonized screams, the rotting stench -- nothing could have prepared you for those words.
        "I killed my best friend for you people."
        Shane was indeed a hotheaded ass-wipe. His behavior had only grown more erratic in the last few weeks. But still, those words knocked the breath out of you. It was like Rick's voice reached inside your head and plucked every single thought out of your brain. There wasn't a single one flowing, only the image of Shane's dead body lying in the grass somewhere. 
        The man who you'd been with since you had just got out of high school. He paid for everything. He clothed you, fed you, held you at night, planted sweet kisses all over you when you were ad at him because he knew you couldn't resist his apologies. Surely that man was dead long before he was killed. The man Rick killed hurt you in more ways than one, both emotionally and physically. 
        What were you feeling? Why? How were you supposed to cope? You wished Rick would have just lied. A walker got him, maybe even a wild boar. But this? It was too much.
        You looked catatonic to everyone around you, sitting in some stone ruins around a campfire. You were off to the side, too far to enjoy the heat of the flame. The cold didn't even seem to phase you. The others were grumbling about whether or not to keep following Rick but you were in another world, another dimension.
        You weren't mourning, or maybe you were? Could you even feel anything? You ripped your eyes away from the random stone you had been mindlessly fixated on and looked over the remaining survivors from the farm. Most of them just looked bewildered and traumatized. Daryl was sitting by Carol talking about something, though he'd sneak a glance your way every now and then. Lori was cradling Carl. She didn't take the news so well either, though it seemed to be for different reasons.
        You took in a deep breath, the kind that filled your lungs so much it hurt, and pushed it back out. You couldn't feel anything inside. Outside was all a blur. How were you supposed to feel? You life had been uprooted and changed overnight, and somehow this just seemed to do that all over again.
        Rick crouched in front of you, gaging your state as he handed you a jacket. "It's getting cold." He told you.
        You slowly accepted the jacket and stared him in the eyes. He seemed regretful and angry. You were sure he didn't want to do what he did. Shane had a way of pushing people until they tipped over the edge and shattered on the ground. 
        "Yeah." You croaked.
        "I'm sorry." Rick said. "I didn't want to do it, but he was gonna kill me first."
        You gulped. You believed him, but it was hard to talk to him.
        "Okay." You nodded. He nodded back and stood up.
        You slid the jacket on over your thin tee. It didn't seem to make a difference. Warm or cold, day or night, awake or asleep, the days blended together from that point forward and it all felt the same. You didn't know what to call it. A depression?  A loss of direction? A disconnect? Dissociation?
        Weeks went by on the road. Most people didn't speak to you, and if they did there was an annoying sympathetic tone behind it. You hated it. You weren't a widow. It was over before it ended.
        Then the prison came along. It wasn't so hard to take it for yourselves, though couple of people were lost along the way. When Lori died, Rick checked out. Beth usually took over with Judith. You distanced yourself from the little thing. You were supposed to have one, once upon a time, in another life. 
        As the days got warmer, you felt more alive. One day in particular you felt a wave of relief was over you. It was refreshing, even if you couldn't pinpoint the source. You got out of bed that day and went straight out to the courtyard. There, when you found a corner to yourself where nobody could bother you, you laid flat out on the grass and stared up at the sky. Thin, wispy clouds fluttered over an otherwise clear blue canvas. The grass smelled sweat, even if it was itchy underneath you. Occasionally you'd see a little bug speed over or a bird flapping up high. Somehow things felt peaceful, a much needed juxtaposition to the previously dreary days and nights painted in gray.
        "Hey." That familiar rasp sounded from above your head. You looked upward, Daryl's figure towering over you.
        "Hey." You said. Your voice sounded sweet and calm, though still a bit melancholy. It was better, to him, than the empty monotone way you had been speaking, when you did speak.
        "'M goin' on a run. Comin'?"
        "Okay." Was all you said. You pushed yourself up off the ground and onto your feet. He handed you a bag with some basic supplies for a day trip. When you had the straps secured over your shouldered he offered you a knife and a gun and led you to the gates.
        Carl, the now motherless child, pulled the gates open and shut them behind you both. He took you in a car to the nearest town, pulling straight up to a small store. He turned off the car but he didn't get out. Instead he looked you over, chewing at his cheeks as he sifted through the sea of thoughts in his head to find the right words.
        "Y'alright?" He finally asked. He hadn't spoken to you much since the farm fell. He thought you'd need space to grieve and process, and you did, but he also just didn't know how to be there for you in a time like that. He was too checked out himself.
        "I'm alive." You shrugged, eyes fixated on the dash. It seemed to become a habit nowadays, never really focusing on one thing or another. Your stare was always blank and it never focused on anything or anyone, just whatever blank space was between them and you.
        "That ain't what I mean."
        "What do you want me to say? I'm here. I'm fine." You insisted.
        "No ya ain't"
        You pressed your lips together and nodded.
        "I don't know." You answered truthfully. "Feels wrong to be sad and it feels wrong to move on."
        "Yeah." He nodded. "It ain't wrong to do neither."
        "I just don't know what to do with myself." You mumbled. "I try to make myself useful but Rick can barely look me in the eyes to give me a job on any given day. Everyone else looks at me like an injured puppy."
        "They don't know what to say. That's all." He assured you.
        "Well neither the fuck do I." 
        "Ya just can't let yourself die with him." He said. "It's okay that ya loved him. It's okay that ya hated him too."
----
        Another sleepless night tormented you. Instead of flopping around in bed and probably keeping the surrounding cell dwellers awake all night you decided to go walk around the courtyard. It had to be better than the alternative, right? 
        The stars were so bright nowadays. You spent a lot of nights staring up at them with wonder. One of the few things that were actually better after the end of the world.
        "Need a smoke?" Daryl offered. You jumped. You didn't even hear him walk up. Good thing he wasn't a walker or you'd be done for.
        "Not a smoker." You declined.
        "Me neither." He said sarcastically as he lit his own. You huffed a little laugh and shook your head, looking back up to the stars. 
        "The little dipper's out tonight." You said.
        "What about the big one?"
        "I dunno." You shrugged. "I'm sure it's up there somewhere."
        "How do you even find shit like that? Just looks like a bunch o' holes poked in a box."
        "It's the only one I know." You admitted. "For all I know, that's the big one and I've never seen the little one."
        "Waste o' time." He said. 
        "Stars are pretty. So are clouds."
        "Clouds?" He tilted his head.
        "Yeah. You know, like when the sun starts to set and they turn pink and orange? It looks like a painting. Life imitates art, and all."
        "Thought that was the other way around." He commented. You shrugged.
        "All about perspective, I suppose."
        "Nah, it ain't. Life just is what it is." He shook his head. "Can't get caught up with philosophy and lookin' for a deeper meanin'."
        "Actualism is no fun, Daryl. Humor me." You rolled your eyes.
        "Alright." He nodded. "What about the walkers?""
        "What about them?"
        "Life imitates art. What the hell are them things imitatin'?"
        "That's death." You corrected. "Death imitating life."
        "Right." He scoffed, flicking the ash of his cigarette as he took another drag. You sighed.
        "I'm not saying everything happens for a reason, or that terrible things have some kind of deeper reason or symbolism." You shook your head. "I just don't see the problem with searching for the beauty in the little things."
        "Everything ain't beautiful." He said.
        "No, everything isn't. But some things are. Like Beth's voice and her blonde hair, or the bright green leaves in the trees, or the way the vines grow over old houses, or the way Maggie's face lights up when she sees Glenn, or..." You thought for a moment. "Or even you, Daryl."
        He pushed his eyebrows together and chuckled.
        "Now you're just talkin' out your ass."
        "No." You shook your head. "You have pretty eyes."
        "You hittin' on me, girl?"
        "I'm not not hitting on you."
        "I ain't rebound dick, remember?"
        "I'm a widow now, asshole. You don't rebound from that. You just move on."
        "So, that's what I am? Your next move?" He asked.
        "No. Don't be so black-and-white. I just like you. That's all. You're not a rebound or the next square on a checker board. Plus, that'd be too easy. I play chess. Not checkers." You winked as you took his cigarette and stole the last drag before tossing the butt away.
        "Those things'll kill ya." He glared.
        "So will the sun in large doses." You reasoned.
        "Yeah, you ain't gotta worry 'bout that. You see less sun than my bare ass." He teased.
        "And your neck's redder than my blood, bow-boy." You retorted.
        "It's bowman." He corrected.
        "Tomato, to-mah-to." You waved him off. 
        "You got a real slick mouth, ya know that?"
----
        The next morning was especially sweltering. Not a cloud in the sky, only a blazing yellow sphere and the ring of cicadas.
        "So, how's (Y/N)?" Carol asked Daryl as they walked the perimeter of the fences. "I saw you two talking last night." Daryl gave her a questioning look. "I was on watch." She clarified. He nodded.
        "She'll be alright."
        "Losin' a husband's hard." Carol sympathized. "Even when they didn't deserve you."
        "You think you could move on from Ed?" He asked.
        "I don't know." She pondered. "I mean, eventually I guess. Can't picture myself getting that attached so easily. Not with things how they are."
        "Mm." Daryl hummed thoughtfully.
        "Why? She got her eyes on someone?" Carol pressed.
        "Nah." He shook his head, then he shrugged. "I mean, maybe. I dunno."
        "Well what did she say?"
        "Just that... It's stupid."
        "Tell me." She chuckled, pushing her shoulder into his arm playfully.
        "She... said I got pretty eyes."
        Carol raised her eyebrows.
        "And what did you say?"
        "Wha'd'ya mean?"
        "I mean what did you say to that?"
        "Asked her if she was hittin' on me." He said. She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, laughing under her breath. "What?" He asked.
        "Come on. You can't be that clueless. You really have no game?" She chuckled. 
        "Don't need no game." He said. "She don't want that. She's just workin' through shit."
        "You're a lost cause." She laughed. "Please tell me you at least said something nice."
        Daryl was silent. Had he said anything nice? Sure he did. He was always nice to you, at least most of the time.
        "Jesus." Carol sighed. "Good luck."
        With that, she patted him on the shoulder and walked away. He leaned on the interior fence and watched her go. As he looked around the courtyard her noticed you working on the exterior fence, stabbing walkers with a broken rake handle.
        With little extra thought, he strode over to the first gate and walked between the fences to where you worked.
        "Hey." He said. You paused and wiped the sweat from your forehead, squinting in the bright sunlight.
        "Hey." You said breathlessly. "What's up?"
        "Nothin'." He shrugged. He swayed his weight from one foot to the other anxiously. What had he come over to say? Right, something nice. He looked around for some sort of inspiration. "I, uh, like your...."
        You gave him some time to spit it out but he ultimately choked up. You raised your eyebrows. "My..?"
        "Your, uh... your shoes."
        He wanted to crawl into a hole. Shoes? Really? He was never taking Carol's advice again.
        You glanced down at your dirty boots. They were caked in mud and gore and God knows what else.
        "My shoes." You repeated slowly. "Thanks?"
        "Uh-huh." He gulped with a little nod. "I gotta.." He trailed off, pointing back to the prison as if referring to some imaginary duty he needed to fulfill. You narrowed your eyes a little as he turned around and stalked away with haste. You shook your head and went back to impaling skulls. You had no idea what that was about, nor did you intend on trying to decipher it at that moment.
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augustsprincess · 9 months
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Will Shaw x reader Drabble
Imagine you lose your virginity to Will Shaw. You're head over heels for him, but you never see him again. He never comes back. You wait for hours, and nothing. The next few days he disappears and all people will tell you is he took a high end important job in the big city.
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It's been 13 years and you've dated, you've tried. But nobody has your heart like Will did. In an attempt to cheer you up your friend invites you to a huge party, an old friend owns the manor she tells you. She tells you to find a guy and have some fun.
But when you turn a corner in the main hall to see Will, in a well tailored suit with facial hair you're glued to the spot. You think you're seeing things, maybe it's not him. But his face is so familiar. He turns and sees you and his face lights up.
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"Y/N?!" He bellows out to you as he storms over. Determined to not have your heart broken by the same man you rush off back the way you came, trying hard to ignore the man who runs after you.
He finally gets you to slow down by grabbing your wrist and yanking you to a halt, pulling your body flush against his, facing you. You plead with him to let go but he won't.
"I've missed you so much, you've no idea."
"Don't do that!" You retort.
"Don't do what?"
"That! Don't lie to me! You broke my heart, Will!"
"August. It's August now....and I didn't break your heart, you broke mine when you never came back."
"Aug-what?! You're the one who never came back! I waited for you for two hours."
"Wait, slow down. You were still there when I left? But-" Will or, August..slows down as he thinks.
"Yes I was still there, why would I have left?" You ask, face flushed with frustration and tears threatening to spill.
"But...she said you'd left. That you didn't want to see me. That we'd made a mistake." He finally released your wrist and lets you go as he stares at his feet.
"Who said that to you?" You were outraged. You couldn't tell if he was telling you the truth.
"Lori. Your friend Lori. She said you'd told her to tell me you'd left...did you not- were you really still there? And I left you?"
"She was never my friend, Will."
"August." He corrected, his face flinching at the name.
"S-sorry, Aug- oh whatever your name is doesn't matter. I never said that, I loved you with all my heart. And then I never saw you again." You start to step away from him slowly, struggling to digest the new information he'd given you.
"You loved me?" He whispered. You notice how rapid his breathing becomes after those words are said. You're about to walk away from him but his hand cups your face, his thumb wiping away a loose tear you hadn't noticed. You visibly flinch. He was the last one to touch you so Intimately all those years ago. It felt alien. But it didn't feel wrong.
"I still love you." He whispers quietly, as if he was afraid the universe would hear and take you away from him again. "Please don't leave. Don't leave me."
You feel yourself falling again. Your mind tells you to leave, protect your heart and don't let this man break you again. But your heart is oh-so forgiving.
He leans down, reaching for your lips with his own. And you willingly close your eyes and let him kiss you.
You allow yourself to smile as you pull away from each other.
"Take her." August says clearly. You give him a puzzled look before letting out a loud cry as you're grabbed from behind by two large men. All you remember is the smile on his face and the smell of the cloth that covered you before you fell unconscious.
-
You awake in a daze before the memories come rushing back, you sit upright sending your brain spiralling at the speed, but before you can jump out of the large bed you're in you're held down.
August is sat beside you with a small smile, holding your hands down. He hushes you gently as you cry, confused and terrified. This man was not the Will you knew.
"It'll be okay, shhh. I'm here. I'm sorry, there was no other way. You belong to me. With me. Here. You'll want for nothing, I promise. It'll take time but you'll get used to it. I've already brought your dress. The wedding is in a month's time." He continues to shush you as panic fills your body. He was insane. But why were you so unafraid of him? You'd wanted him back in your life for 13 years. Once again your brain wanted to protect you, but your heart was in charge now. And it belonged to August. To Will. To this man by your side.
You began to calm down as you made a decision.
"I love you, Will." You announced with a smile. The man pushes you down with the weight of his body in an unruly kiss and as you break away his fist tightens around your neck.
"Don't Use. That name." It was a warning. A final one. One last kiss as an apology has you forgiving him one more time.
Will was dead, but August was right in front of you and you didn't care how much he'd changed. You were finally his.
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hutchersonsgurl · 4 months
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Somethin about you Shane Walsh x reader
Paring yn greene with shane walsh
Synopsis you and Shane were together before the world fell and now you are meeting again when it ended. So now that the world has fallen you do everything in your power to protect your daughter
Special thanks to my bb @taylormarieee
⚠️ warnings blood smut 18+ graphic violence MDNI.
Word count:
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🥀Shane was the type of person where you can look at him and he'll either break your heart or fulfill it. You were one of those people who tried to guess. And believe it or not, the guess you made was completely wrong. He fulfilled your life with love. He didn't break it until later. Now the end of the world has happened and you could only imagine if he's either alive or one of these brain-dead zombies. 🥀
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You were outside milking the cows when your dad came outside to tell you that your daughter Faith had woken up you walk into the house as you pick Faith up you hear screaming coming from outside you walk outside the front door to see two people you never thought you'd see again
"Rick? Carl? Oh my God what happened?" you ask
"He's been shot, please help us," Rick says shaking
You don't even see who's running in the background you tell your dad to help Carl
You gave Faith to Beth to watch her as you helped your dad get Carl stable you walked Rick out of the room to go sit down
*Maggie goes out to find lori to bring her to the farm*
"Here you go," you say as you hand Rick something to drink
As you stand up you see Shane standing in the doorway
"Holy sh--------" Shane says as he sees you
You walk away to go check on Maggie Beth and your daughter
You hear Shane and Rick talking as you walk into your bedroom
You pick up Faith from the bed and you walk out to see what is going on in the living room Otis your dad and Rick are talking
"What's going on? "You ask
"I need a respirator to be able to do surgery on Carl "your dad says
"What do we do? "You ask
The old high school they should have supplies there Otis says
"Well I said leave the rest to me is it to late to take that back?" Shane says jokingly
I'll go with you I know my way around you otis says
"Are you sure?" Shane asks
"We can talk about this till the sun comes up or we can get it done right quick" Otis says
"I'd take right quick" Shane says
"I'm coming with you two" you say going to your room for your stuff
"Honey why won't you let the boys handle it" your dad says
"No dad they'll need back up and like momma always said never let a man do a female's job" you said
You walk over to maggie who's holding Faith "mommy is gonna be right back I'm gonna help some friends okay?" You say as you give your daughter a kiss on the cheek
You give your dad a kiss on the cheek and hug him as you turn around you see shane staring at Faith like he knows something
I can't thank y'all enough rick says
No problem rick you know I always have your and Carl's back
"Honestly yn you really don't have to go "lori say as she comes up behind rick
"I got this lori and If you could help keep an on faith that would be great " you say
"Of course lori says as she hugs you"
The three of you head outside and get into the truck
"Are you sure about this?" Shane asks
"Of course I am I ain't no damsel in destress" you say as you roll your eyes
"You two know each other? "Otis asks
"Yeah this is my ex boyfriend remember"? You ask
"Oh the dude who couldn't keep it in his pan- oops sorry" Otis says as he continues to drive
"You know something about you seems different yn" Shane says
"What's different besides the fact I ain't waiting on you to change" you respond back
The rest of the drive was quiet until you guys reached the high school
You open the door to get out grabbing your knife from your back pocket
"Yn you really should stay behind us" Shane says
"I'm good I can handle myself thank you" you say
"You really are your mother's daughter "Otis says
As you start to walk towards the back door you notice that there's two walkers hanging by the door
"Yn wai---" Shane says as he cuts off to chase after you
You walk up to one of the walkers and kick one in the knee and and stab it in the back of the head same with the other one
"Holy shit you took down two walkers "Shane says in shock
"Told you I can handle myself" you say as you walk into the school
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Part 2 coming soon
Not edited
Lemme know what y'all think
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softstuffs · 2 years
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Made these refs for Artfight ! 'v'
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tbmunson · 10 months
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Escape - Gareth Emerson x Reader pt.2
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Summary: You attend Corroded Coffin's practice and feelings are confessed.
Warnings: Talks about diet, talks about absentee parents... A little steam but not much, yet.
Word Count: 5,619
Notes: Honestly this is less slow burn than I intended, but we're not there yet. Thank you guys for your patience in my writing. I'm a perfectionist and I like to make sure everything is done right
Taglist: @depressedacidtest @nana90azevedo @alanamarie @lizzziekatt and of course @ashes-writing Bestie you are the love of my life. Thank you so much for always being there and helping me. You're amazing.
1 / 2 / 3
Once you’d gotten up to your room last night you did as you promised and called Gareth. Though it had been a short conversation, you learned a little more about him, like he actually enjoyed watching his sisters and he volunteers to watch them on Friday’s because, and you quote, “I’m their best friend, they don’t need some random teen that doesn’t know or care about them to watch them.” That line made you smile a little.
Gareth picked up on how much you enjoyed watching his sisters too and that made it harder to convince himself that you were too opposite and it would never work. Once he hung the phone up by the kitchen door he went up to his room to get ready for bed. His eyes went immediately to the pile of clothes at the end of his bed. More specifically, the pale pink bra. He stood frozen in the doorway of the room, just looking at it. Many thoughts raced through his head, the most prominent being you’d been in his shirt without a bra on for the last hour and a half, as if his previous fantasy needed anymore fuel. He let out a shaky breath and stepped over to the heap, debating on what to do with it. The perv in his brain told him to pick it up, keep it, and never give it back. You left it after all. The rational part told him to fold your shirt, put it in his chair, and hide the bra under it so he wasn’t tempted to let the perv part win.
He went with the second option, although the feeling of the silk and lace between his fingers had the perv side going insane. He still put the bra into the folded cotton and went to bed.
Gareth was woken by the sound of knocking on his bedroom door. He knew his parents took his sisters to Lori’s gymnastics competition in Indianapolis so he wasn’t sure who it could be. “Yeah?” He called out, which was answered by the door swinging open and a smug looking Eddie walking in.
“How was your date, Emerson?” He quirked a brow as he walked across the room to sit in the chair.
“Whoa! Don’t sit there!” Gareth jumped up and made it over to the chair to move your clothes from it.
“I sit on your clothes all the time in that chair.” Eddie rolled his eyes at his friend and finally sat down.
Gareth settled at the end of his bed and held the neatly folded fabric up. “Not mine.”
Eddie’s brows raised but what dropped his jaw was the bra falling out of the cotton. “Dude! Did you guys..?”
Gareth scrambled and grabbed the item in question before shoving it under his comforter. “No! No, we didn’t. She uh, she helped give the girls a bath and got splashed. I gave her one of my shirts.” And he knew he shouldn’t have said it because as soon as the words left his mouth Eddie’s face split into the biggest grin Gareth had ever seen.
“You gave her the Crue shirt, didn’t you?”
Gareth turned so red that he was practically glowing like the neon signs around town.
“Didn’t you?” Eddie prodded, leaning closer with the most shit-eating grin he’d ever had.
“Stop talking, Ed.”
“I knew it!” Eddie yelled as he pointed and pushed himself back into the chair excitedly, his boot clad feet stomping the floor repeatedly.
“Fuck off. Where are Jeff and Grant? Aren’t we supposed to be practicing?” Gareth stood and walked over to his closet.
“We’re supposed to be practicing at 12. It’s 11.” Eddie pointed to the alarm clock on his side table.
Gareth groaned and flopped back onto the bed. “Then why are you here?”
“Gareth, I'm nosy. And more than that, I like to prove I’m right. I told a certain someone we were practicing today and that she should come by.”
As if on cue the doorbell rang, signaling someone’s arrival.
“I hate you.” Gareth grumbled, getting out of bed again. He opened the door and just about had to pick his jaw up from the floor.
You stood there in the shirt he’d given you last night, only now there was a knot tied in it just above your belly button. You’d paired it with a pair of jean shorts that were cut dangerously high and a pair of white sneakers. What caught his attention the most was the red plaid bandana wrapped around your head to keep the baby hairs that fell out of your bun at bay. It was the same red plaid of his battle vest. “Morning, sleepy head.” You smiled, lightly glossed lips shining in the sun.
“Morning.” He replied almost breathlessly.
Eddie came up behind him and smirked. “Nice shirt, short stuff.”
You beamed and looked down. “Thanks. Gareth let me borrow it. My mom won’t let me have one because Crue is ‘unholy’ or some shit.”
Gareth couldn’t see your eyes roll due to the sunglasses on your face, but he knew they had by the tone in your voice. “You actually listen to them?” He was surprised to say the least.
“There’s a lot that you don’t know about me. I’m more than short skirts and pom poms.” You reached out and patted his chest as you stepped into the house, brushing your body with his as you did so.
Gareth tried, he really did, to keep himself at bay. He was unsuccessful. “I need to go shower. Eddie, entertain, please.” He was pleading, which gave Eddie an ungodly amount of satisfaction.
“Yeah, of course.” Eddie’s face was taken over by a shit-eating grin.
Gareth groaned and walked away. He regretted giving you the shirt and even more so, asking Eddie to hang out with you because who knew what he was going to say.
“Eddie, what am I doing here so early? He obviously just woke up.” You asked as you settled onto the sofa.
Eddie shrugged, sprawling himself over the recliner. “Figured I’d give you two some extra time together. Get to know each other more, for the project, of course.”
You knew he was lying, or at least not telling you the full truth. You thought about calling him out on it, but you also didn’t want to be wrong, let alone have Gareth hear that you liked him. “Thanks, buddy.” You replied sarcastically, rolling your eyes.
The two of you sat silent for no more than a minute before you spoke again.
“Can we smoke later?”
“The Princess of Hawkins partakes in the devil’s tobacco?” Eddie raised a brow at you, honestly stunned at the request.
You laughed and shook your head. “Never have, but I think it’ll be fun. I hear it lets your true self out and I kind of want a reason to get some heavy shit off of my chest.”
“Gonna let your secrets spill, Princess?”
“I don’t have secrets, just things not everyone knows.” You replied, picking at your nails before looking up to Eddie’s smirking face. “Grow up Munson. You’re not right about everything, okay?”
“But I’m right about this.” He replied, pushing himself to stand so he could walk into the kitchen. “Can I get you a drink?”
You rolled your eyes and got up to follow him. “You’re smug, you know that?”
He laughed as he grabbed two cups from the cabinet. “I can afford to be smug, Sweetheart.”
“Just don’t say anything else about it.” You rested your elbows on the counter and watched Eddie scoop the ice into the cups.
“So, I’m right and I can’t say anything about it.” He pretended to think hard about it before speaking again. “Fine, but you're both stupid and blind.”
“You really know how to make a woman swoon, don’t you Munson.” You pushed off of the counter and grabbed one of the cups. “It’ll happen if and when it’s supposed to. Don’t meddle in it.”
“I won’t, but it’s so obvious, just so you know.”
“What’s obvious?” Gareth walked into the kitchen scrubbing his head with a faded blue towel.
Eddie glanced at you before looking at Gareth. “The Princess's crush.”
“Munson.” You glared at him, eyes squinted in a way that dared him to say another word.
Gareth nodded and walked through to drop the towel in the laundry room, leaving you to glare at Eddie until he returned. “Well, that’s her business.”
“See!” You more or less yelled, glad Gareth wasn’t going to press for details.
Eddie rolled his eyes and jumped up on the counter as he mumbled something about “blind and delusional” under his breath.
It was your turn, again, to roll your eyes.
Gareth walked back out and rested against the counter as he looked between the two of you. “Well it looks like you two had a great time. Scowling is usually a good sign right?”
You couldn’t help but laugh, frown turning up into a smile and eyes lighting up. “Yeah, absolutely. He just thinks he’s right all the time.”
“Oh, I know exactly what you mean, Doll.” Gareth chuckled, sending you a smile that made you melt.
Before anything else could be said the front door swung open and the two other members of Hawkins most metal band walked in.
“My men! We ready to get started?” Eddie asked, drawing all of the attention to himself.
Grant and Jeff share a confused look which made you laugh a little. It was obvious that they hadn’t expected you to be sitting on the kitchen island with Gareth leaning next to you.
Gareth, who gained bravery by his friends' presence, pushed himself up and rested his hand on your thigh. “Ready?” He asked, giving it a quick squeeze.
You swallowed down the whimper you wanted to let out and nodded.
Gareth gave you another squeeze before offering you a hand to help you down, which you took before mumbling a small “Thank you” to him. He rested his hand on the small of your back to lead you to the detached garage where their practice was held. “There’s a couch if you wanna sit.” He nodded to the old floral couch that had no doubt been in the house previously.
“Thanks, Gare.” You smiled as you stepped away from him. You settled onto the couch as he and the boys took their places to start practice. You watched Gareth twirl the drumstick in his hand and subconsciously squeezed your thighs together, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Eddie.
“So I think we can start with the cover of Live Wire. Yeah?” Eddie looked around as the boys nodded in response.
You loved that song, it was the one you played and danced to alone every time your parents were out. You bobbed your head and mouthed the words along with Eddie but your eyes stayed on Gareth, watching the sweat glisten off of his cheeks and nose and how his hair bounced as he headbanged along.
Gareth felt your eyes on him the whole time which encouraged him to do his best to impress you, making this one of the best practices they’d had in a while.
Once practice was over and they started packing up Eddie watched Gareth walk over to the couch, pick your feet up and sit with your feet in his lap. Gareth rested his hand on your shin, rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin. “I think you’re our good luck charm, Princess. These fools haven’t made it through a practice without a fuck up in weeks.” Eddie smirked, carefully carrying his guitar case out of the garage.
“I’d be happy to watch you guys anytime.” You replied before turning your attention to Gareth. “You were amazing, Gare. Watching you is fun, the way you get so into it. Like nothing else matters. That’s passion.” You wanted to tell him how attractive it was, but you held off on that for the moment.
“Thanks. I love it. It gets the emotions I don’t know how to express out in the open somehow.” He squeezed your leg, something you could get used to for sure.
You giggled and sat up to scoot closer with your legs still over his lap. “That’s really deep. I’m glad you have a way to express everything on the inside. It gives me an idea for our project.”
“Yeah? What’s that?” He reached over with his other hand and tucked a loose hair behind your ear.
“Well, I think most people are going to just do something that shows the other person. I think we should do ours to show we’re the same, but we present differently. Like on the outside you’re this scary metal head that’s into the dark and scary stuff and doesn’t care about anything but on the inside you’re sweet and funny and caring. And I’m the opposite. On the outside I’m all sunshine and rainbows and happiness but on the inside I like all the same dark and scary stuff you do. So I propose that we do paintings. Mine for you would be dark around the edges and as it fades into the middle it gets lighter and happier. And yours for me is the opposite. I’ll be all dark on the inside but it gets lighter and brighter as you go out.” You explained, waving your hands and changing your face in ways that Gareth thought was absolutely adorable.
“That sounds really great. We could do actual rainbows for the color and fade it all into each other and use the whole scale from lighter pastel shades to the darker ones.” He replied, hand resting on the side of your thigh close to your knee, far enough down to be respectful.
You squealed and threw your arms around him. “That’s genius. I was thinking we would just use our favorite colors but that gives it so much more depth! Like every color provokes an emotion and no one feels the same all the time. I just know ours is going to be the best.” You hadn’t even realized that in the process of hugging him you had drug yourself more into his lap, in turn making his hand slide up your thigh. When you did realize it, you made no move to separate or create any kind of distance.
Gareth didn’t either, he instead looped his free arm around your back to keep you close. “You’re the genius, Doll. You came up with the idea, I just built on it.”
You looked up at him and smiled before resting your head on his shoulder. “Stop it. I’m not good at taking compliments.” You mumbled before hiding your face in his neck.
He chuckled and rested his head on yours. “Hey, the truth is the truth.” It’s all he could think to say that wasn’t over stepping any imaginary boundaries that might be set.
The two of you were so wrapped up in each other that you didn’t notice Natalie’s car driving by or the way she was watching you cuddle up to Gareth. But Eddie noticed. And he watched her drive by, flipping her off when she noticed him. 
“Well, Princess, looks like your cheer buddies are gonna hate you on Monday.” He stated as he walked into the garage, seeing what Natalie must have seen to cause the twisted look on her face.
You lifted your head and dragged one of your arms from around Gareth’s neck. “Fuck ‘em. There’s five weeks left in the school year and I’ll never see those uppity bitches again.” You replied with yet another roll of your eyes. It was one of the habits you’d picked up from the cheer team and the only one you didn’t mind. Attitude could be a great asset.
“Whoa, Princess, those are some really mean words. Didn’t know you were so angry.” Eddie teased lightly.
“I’m just sick of being told what I can and can’t do. Who I can and can’t hang out with.” You sighed, resting your head once again on Gareth’s shoulder.
“You don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be, Doll.” He pulled you the rest of the way into his lap and held you as the other two members joined you in the garage.
“What’s the plan for the rest of the day?” Jeff asked, stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.
“My parents will be getting home with the girls soon. They’re gonna throw a fit to show me the routines so I’m stuck here. You guys are welcome to stay and hang though.” Gareth said, resting his chin on your head. The scent of your shampoo was intoxicating to him.
Grant and Jeff shared a look. 
“Yeah I think we’ll go hit up the mall for a little bit and come back later. You coming, Ed?” Grant asked as Jeff fished the car keys from his pocket.
“Yeah, but we’ll come back for Princess’s first smoke sesh tonight.” Eddie said as he reached out to flip the hoop in your ear.
You raised your hand and flipped him off, which caused Gareth to laugh a little.
“Sounds good.” Gareth then looked down at you. “You staying or going?”
“I’ll stay. I’d love to see the girls and we can start on the project since we have an idea.” You replied with a smile before turning your attention to the other guys. “You guys are really great, by the way. Like I know the people I hang out with are assholes to you so I’m thankful you didn’t just write me off with them.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. You stopped them from coming after us more times than we can count. We knew you weren’t like them.” Jeff said, twirling the keys around his finger.
“Yeah, you hung with who you did for survival. It’s not like you were the one chasing the freshmen down in your car.” Grant stated, which caught your attention.
“I’m sorry, what? Who chased them down in their car?”
The guys shared a look, one that said he probably shouldn’t have said that. “Jason, Andy, and I think Tiffany and Natalie were in Jason’s Jeep last week and the freshmen were biking home.”
You nodded, deep in thought about what exactly you would say come Monday morning practice. None of it was pretty.
“I think on that note, we’re gonna head out.” Eddie clapped his hand over Grant’s shoulder and the three of them walked off towards Jeff’s car.
“You didn’t tell me about that.” You said softly, turning to look at Gareth.
“I know, but the kids didn’t want anyone to know. It hasn’t happened again, and if it had I promise I would have told you. The kids were embarrassed, I think.”
You nodded and moved to stand, only Gareth’s grip on your hips tightened and he pulled you back down, making you giggle a bit. ”Gare, we gotta go get the painting stuff.”
His arms wrapped around you, keeping you pressed to him. “I know, but this is really comfortable.”
You couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, Eddie had been right. Maybe Gareth did like you. Maybe it would be okay that you liked him. You laughed when he buried his face into your neck and relaxed into him.
The two of you stayed like that for a moment, thoughts buzzing around your heads about the other.
You ran your hand down his arm before you slipped your fingers through his. “You know once the girls get here we aren’t going to be able to go.” You hummed into his ear as you squeezed his hand in yours.
“I know. They’re gonna take you away from me.” He mumbled into your neck. He felt the way your lips morphed into a smile against his ear. “But I bet you like them more, huh? It’s not like you cut up my food for me last night.” He teased, snuggling into you a bit more.
His voice vibrated against the sensitive part of your neck causing you to sucks in a fast breath, which he didn’t miss. “I would have fed it to you if you'd have asked.” You moved so your lips were against his ear. “I’d do anything if you asked.” You smiled, hoping more now than ever that Eddie was right and not just saying it.
Gareth picked his head up and looked down at you. “All I have to do is ask, hm?”
You nodded and opened your mouth to reply, only to be cut off by the sound of a car coming into the driveway. “Well, looks like we missed our opportunity for a quick escape.” You chuckled, moving just enough to get off of his lap and settle next to him. You didn’t miss the pout on his face when you moved.
He laughed at the joke and watched the girls run from the car, yelling about how Lori’s team won their division and showing off her sash.
“Ooh! You look fancy with that, girly. Why don’t you show me your favorite trick!” You beamed at them.
Lori took her sash off and handed it to you before showing you back walkover.
“Wow! That was perfect, baby doll! What about you, lil bit? Are you in gymnastics?”
Clara perked up at her new nickname and nodded before she did a cartwheel.
“You guys are so good. You’re way better than I was at that age.” You smiled as they climbed onto the couch.
Gareth watched you with pure adoration.
“Can you do tricks?” Clara asked, looking up from her spot on your leg.
You smiled and tucked a loose hair behind her ear. “I actually can. I do gymnastics on Mondays and Wednesdays after school. It helps with cheerleading.” You replied, watching the girls' faces light up.
“Can you show us something? Please!” Lori asked, latching onto your hand.
As much as you would have loved to, the jean shorts you were wearing were so tight, you thought you wouldn’t be able to move properly. “I can’t right now because I’m not wearing the right clothes, baby doll. But when Gareth and I get back from the supply store, I’ll show you a few things. I promise.” You held up your pinky to her.
She wrapped hers around yours and smiled. “Okay!”
Gareth slipped his hand behind your back and rubbed his thumb up and down the exposed skin between the shirt and your shorts. “Why don’t you guys let us go ahead and go so we can come back faster? Huh?”
“Okay bubby!” Clara said, sliding down from your lap and reaching out for her sister's hand, which Lori took.
“We’ll see you guys in a little bit!” You called after the girls as they made their way inside.
Gareth, against his better judgment, wrapped his arms around you and settled his chin onto your shoulder. “You’re so great with them. They love you.” He said in a low voice that sent chills down your body, which he noticed and smirked at.
“I love them too. They’re the sweetest kids.” You replied, resting your hand on his.
“I love them, but I can’t wait to have my own, you know?” His hand subconsciously rested on your stomach for a moment as he pulled his hands back.
You watched him stand up, lost for words for a moment as images of Gareth and your kids playing in the yard swam through your head. “You want a big family?” You asked, taking his hand that was waiting.
He nodded, letting you pull yourself up. “Yeah, four or five, maybe more. There’s just something about taking care of another person, showing them how to be people that gets me.” He looked down at you, a soft smile on his face. “What about you?”
You nodded, resting your hands on his shoulders to keep yourself up. “Yeah, I want a huge family and a job so I’ll always be around. My parents are always gone on business and I never get to see them.” You explain, with a bit of a somber look.
“You’re going to be an amazing mother one day. Any kid would be lucky to have you, Doll.” Gareth instinctively wrapped his arms around your body and rocked you a bit.
You buried your face into his neck and fought the urge to kiss the skin under your lips. “Thanks, Gare.” You slowly pulled away from him and smiled. “You ready to go?” You asked as you gripped his hand in yours.
“Yeah, Doll. Let’s go.”
***
Once the two of you finished gathering the supplies you decided to go back to your place to paint since it would be quiet.
“So, the spare office is my studio. Upstairs, end of the hall to the left.” You said as you opened the door. “I’ll grab us some snacks and bring them up.” You smiled as he looked around.
“I’ll go get set up. See you in a bit.” He almost stepped up to kiss the top of your head, but he caught himself. He went up the stairs and into the room you’d directed him to. Paintings and drawings hung around the room. He took time looking at each one, stopping on a pencil drawing of him. He smiled, knowing that you’d looked at him long enough to draw him.
You made your way into the room with a tray of small sandwiches, grapes, and a sleeve of Oreos. “It’s probably not the best combo, but it makes my brain work.” You followed his eyes and blushed. “Oh, um…”
Gareth turned and smiled at you. “It’s really good. When did you do it?” He reached out and took the tray for you.
“Last year, chemistry. I finished an exam early and the way the light was hitting you was perfect. I’m sorry if that’s creepy.” You cringed a bit, clutching the Oreos tighter.
“It looks great. You got my good angle.” He said, looking over at you.
“Thank you.” Your voice was small, timid.
“What’s wrong?” He stepped over and put his hands on your upper arms.
You scanned the floor and shrugged. “I guess I’m just not used to people telling me my art looks good. When I was a kid I’d show my parents and their response was usually ‘That’s nice honey.’ and then they would go back to whatever they were doing. It’s just different I guess?” You explained, bringing your eyes to finally meet his. “Plus, I don’t want you to think I’m some weirdo for drawing you.”
Gareth couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped at your last comment. “I’m flattered you decided to draw me. You have a real talent for this stuff, Doll. You just have to find the right people to appreciate it.”
You smiled up at him and wrapped your arms around his neck. “Thank you.” Everything inside of you was telling you to kiss him, but you stopped yourself.
“Any time, sweet thing.” He couldn’t have stayed like that for hours, your body pressed against his, your scent lingering around him.
“C’mon, let's get started on these canvases.” You smiled as you hesitantly pulled back.
He nodded and let go of you to empty the bags filled with tubes of paint, brushes, and palettes.
“Do you mind if I put on some music? It helps me focus.” You looked over at him from next to the small stereo.
“Yeah, go ahead.” He was organizing the tubes so that it matched the color wheel, making it easier to grab what was needed. He was a little shocked when Quiet Riot started playing through the speaker. “She just keeps getting better and better.” He mumbled as he watched you bob your head to the beat as you began setting up the canvases on easels.
“Come on, feel the noise. Girls, rock your boys. We’ll get wild wild wild.” You sang under your breath as you measured the canvas, looking for the exact middle. When you marked it, you worked your way around making lines that lead from the middle to the edge, to make sure the brush stroked wouldn’t look wonky and crooked. When the lines were done you grabbed an Oreo and marked where the colors would fade into one another and transition from darker to lighter.
Gareth sat back and watched you, deciding that he would marry you on the spot if you would have asked. The focus on your face, the attention to detail, the mumbling of one of his favorite bands, even the Oreo that was between your lips and you figured your next mark, it was all driving him crazy in the best way.
“Do you want me to mark yours too?” You asked, peering over at him to see him leaned against the desk with his arms folded over his chest, eyes on you.
“Uh, yeah, if you want. It’ll probably be better, like if we want them the same, you know?” He was nervous that you’d just caught him staring, you didn’t seem to mind as you agreed and went to work on the second canvas, following the marks from your own.
Once you’d finished you walked over to the desk and grabbed one of the sandwiches. “Lunch break, then we’ll get started.
Gareth chucked and grabbed one of his own. “Good, I thought you were just going to have Oreo’s for lunch.”
You laughed and shrugged. “Wouldn’t have been the first time. My diet isn’t the best.” You replied with a smile.
“Mine either. Honestly, last night was going to be pizza, not that Benny’s is any healthier, but that’s on you.” He joked, making you roll your eyes.
“Fine, next time I’ll bring salad and water.” You replied with a teasing smile.
Next time. You wanted there to be a next time. “You can bring whatever you want as long as you come back.” He replied before popping a grape into his mouth.
“I’ll come back anytime you want me to.” You don’t know what made you brave enough to say it. Maybe it was the fact that it was just the two of you, or maybe it was because you were tired of keeping your feelings at bay and you just wanted to know how he felt.
“You could live there if you wanted to, I wouldn’t mind. I know the girls wouldn’t either.” He reached over and grabbed your hand, which you took and let him pull you close.
“You mean that?”
“Yeah, Doll. Can I be honest with you?”
You nodded and looked up at him.
“I like you. A lot. I have for a really long time. I’m sorry if that makes this weird.”  He looked down at your hands that were intertwined with his.
You smiled and let go of his hands, which scared him until he felt your hands on the side of his face. “Thank god. I was gonna go crazy if you didn’t feel the same way.”
His eyes darted up, looking at you, trying to figure out if this was some joke. “Are you serious?”
You rolled your eyes and pulled him to you. “I’m serious.” You whispered, your lips brushing over his.
He grabbed your hips and pressed his lips to yours, savoring the feeling of the kiss along with your hands slipping down his neck and around him, bringing him closer to you.
You felt his tongue lick across your bottom lip, prompting you to open your mouth at the same time his hands slid around your hips and settled into the back pockets of your jean shorts. You whined into his mouth when he squeezed the fat of your ass.
He pressed kisses down your jaw and onto your neck before latching on at the base and leaving a mark that wouldn’t be easily hidden.
“What are you doing?” You asked, words coming out in a rushed breath.
“Making sure everyone knows your mine.” He answered as he pulled back to examine the mark.
You reached up and smiled when your fingers slid over the tinder part. “I thought they would get it when they saw me kissing you in the halls, but I can go for this too.” You giggled, letting that hang drop down to his chest, the other arm was still hooked behind his neck.
“Yeah? So you wanna be my girl, officially?” His hands migrated from your pockets to your sides, thumb running over the exposed skin. 
You nodded and moved to stand on your tiptoes to give his nose a kiss. “Yeah, I do. I always have.” You replied.
“Honestly, I didn’t think that I’d thank Mr. Greely for anything, but I think he deserves a gift or something.” Gareth stated, taking your hand from his chest and slipping his fingers between yours.
“Yeah, I think he does.” You smiled, laughing as Gareth used his hold on your hand to spin you around. “What are you doing?”
“Just seeing what my girl looks like all the way around.” He answered, scanning over you with a satisfied smile.
“Your girl. I like the way that sounds.” Your hand rested on his hip and your eyes flickered between him and your hand. “We would get started, yeah?”
Gareth nodded, mouth gaping open. He was shocked when you pulled away and walked over to the canvas. “Oh, right. Yeah. Let’s do… that.” He took a few deep breaths and followed you to his so you could explain your vision for the pieces.
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mamawasatesttube · 9 months
Note
i would like 2 hear more about the timkon wedding pretty please
i talked abt timkon wedding ideas once here! some other thoughts, building off all that:
they are incredibly giddy all throughout the ceremony. bouncing on their feet keep grinning at each other and everything.
their vows are riddled with inside jokes and silliness as well as heartfelt sappy sentiment. tim is like "btw this is the abridged version. i wrote the rest down in a letter you can read later i just can't actually say it all out loud in front of an audience" and kon gets this biiig ol smile and goes "awww. you looove me." and tim just stares at him like. "yeah. that's. that's the point. that's why we're here kon"
kon wears a beautiful lacy white dress. ma, lori, cissie, and bart came with to help him pick it out; lori declared that if tim's first sight of kon in it didn't leave him stunned speechless, she'd call the wedding off bc no one who deserves kon would be capable of coherent thought seeing him in it <3
(not to worry. they do the private lil first look with the photographers and tim takes one look at kon and gets so excited that he has to turn around with a giant giddy grin and just flap his hands at the air for a minute out of sheer joy before he can actually face him. kon is so endeared by this and also delighted by tim's delight at seeing him AND by how pretty tim looks in his tux that he almost starts floating. they're both a bit of a mess.)
(tim is wearing a really pretty tux btw. later, at the reception, when he shrugs off his jacket and rolls up his sleeve bc they're dancing, kon cannot stop staring.)
dick is ofc tim's best man. this bears reiterating
cassie either is kon's best butch or the officiant ♥ if she's officiating, bart's kon's best man.
tim gets choked up during their first non-choreographed slow dance. he doesn't cry often, but the overwhelming joy of the fact that they made it, they're alive and they've grown up and they're here and they're married, and all their friends and family are here with them, just slams into him like a freight train as kon twirls him around.
he hasn't cried in so long that his chest gets tight and his throat closes up and his eyes start prickling and his first thought isn't "oh i'm crying" but "oh fuck did someone poison my champagne?!" before he realizes.
kon notices his heart rate spike a little and then sees him wiping at his eyes and just. "you just freaked out about crying and thought you, like, got poisoned or something. didn't you." bc he knows exactly how tim's brain works
and then kon (radiant, holding him, his husband, in a wedding dress, beautiful, holding him, his husband!!!) is laughing at him and they're pressed together and tim can feel it in his chest and. well. now hes crying harder while batting kon on the shoulder like shut up!! shut up!!
kon (a very good husband) whisks him away after that song ends to go hide in a private lil alcove somewhere so he can just hug tim and let him sniffle it out for a few minutes. all their friends tease about them sneaking off to make out but it's actually just kon being very considerate of his overstimulated hubby-wubby who is not used to processing such intense emotions on the spot. he needs a minute to cling and let it all wash over him and then he's like okay. okay okay im good now im normal
and then they make out. obviously.
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dyns33 · 4 months
Text
All fine
I'm still not done with Shane.
I did a little Reader!Rick x Shane, even if I already wrote something a bit similar.
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"I know. It's fine."
It had taken a long time for Shane to come to Y/N, his eyes indicating that he was finally ready to tell her the truth.
Before, they had been very happy.
They had met at work, at the Atlanta police station, first forced to work together despite their differences, then becoming friends, lovers, then married.
When Y/N had taken a bullet, Shane's face was the last thing she saw before losing consciousness.
"No. Baby, no. Shh. Shh, shh, shh. You stay with me, okay ? It's okay, you stay with me. You're not leaving me. I love you, baby. Stay with me. No, stay with me ! Y/N !”
What happened next, Y/N still didn't fully understand today. She had been taken to the hospital, and Shane had come to see her every day while she was in a coma, and then the dead started walking.
The first thing her husband had wanted to do was go get her, not caring about the chaos and danger. But Y/N hadn't woken up, and moving her would mean killing her, so Shane had barricaded the door so she wouldn't be eaten in her sleep and left, crying.
According to him, he had been a coward. An asshole. He should have stayed in the room with her, until the end, so they could die together, or he should have been there when she finally opened her eyes.
But he was afraid. He didn't want to die.
He had found a group of survivors, including his best friend Rick's wife and son, who had not survived.
Shane had never looked at Lori before. He had always seen Rick's wife, nothing else, and he didn't look at other women since he was married anyway. He wasn’t really looking at her now, even though he thought Y/N was dead. He just felt alone and hopeless.
When Y/N had arrived at camp, it had been over a month since the apocalypse had started, and two weeks since he had been secretly sleeping with Lori.
She didn't want others to know, especially her son, because they would ask too many questions. He didn't want the others to know because he was ashamed. He felt like he was abandoning Y/N again. The fact that she was alive didn't help.
Oh, he was happy she came back. He had kissed her again and again without being able to stop, crying like a baby, refusing to let go and apologizing.
"Everything is fine." she told him, without knowing what he was really talking about.
Nothing more happened with Lori after her return. It wasn't a problem, she wasn't jealous, her son was her priority, and Shane continued to do everything to protect them.
Strangely, it was Andrea who was less accepting of the situation. Not only had she guessed what their leader was doing in secret, waiting to be able to taste him when Lori had finally thrown him away, but she found him too nice, too gentle, since his wife had returned.
"You seemed to have more balls before, but I guess she's the one calling the shots in the couple."
"You know what ? Yeah, exactly." Shane muttered, standing very close to her. "She's the one who decides. She's always been the brains of our duo, and I the muscles. She says, I do."
“And you don’t mind being a good doggie ?”
"Don't think I'm a good doggie. I bite when necessary, and take care of problems without her needing to know."
The threat was clear enough, and Andrea seemed to calm down for a time. Her remarks hadn't managed to disturb Shane, but it was true that the dynamic of their relationship had always been complicated, at work and at home.
Very dependent, very possessive, very jealous, Shane always needed to receive Y/N's approval, to know that she was proud, to feel her eyes on him.
He had done some bad things since the end of the world, but one was worse than the others, and he didn't dare admit it to her, too afraid of losing her.
When he finally found the courage, it had been almost four months, they had found refuge on a farm, and Lori was pregnant.
“I made a huge mistake…” he began, sitting down next to her during her shift. "I thought you were dead. I really thought you were dead."
"I know."
"No, listen. I really need to tell you…"
"Shane. I know. It's okay."
One of the reasons he fell in love with Y/N was because of her intelligence. Her ability to deduce things, which helped her a lot to understand him when he wasn't able to speak.
She had noticed his behavior, Lori's behavior. She had seen the signs. And on top of that, Andrea had spoken to her.
Y/N had known for weeks, saying nothing, waiting for him to come to her. And now that it was done, she promised him that everything was okay, touching his back and smiling.
"… No."
"What no ?"
"No !" he repeated, jumping out of his chair, suddenly furious. "Everything's not okay ! You should yell at me ! Hit me ! You can't act like you don't care ! I cheated on you, dammit !"
“Calm down, please.”
"Hit me ! Insult me ! Do something !"
“Shane…” Y/N sighed as she tried to touch his cheek, continuing to respond with gentleness instead of the violence he expected, that he demanded.
If she had done that to him, he would have gone crazy. He would have killed the guy, and he would have wanted to hurt her, and since he loved her too much for that, Shane would have hurt others, himself, before doing something really stupid.
He had thought she would react the same way, and like when she returned, he was not relieved that he had been wrong.
"You don't fucking care !"
"I do care ! I understand."
"You understand ?! You were rotting in a hospital room for a few days and I was already taking off her panties !"
"You were desperate ! You were alone ! It doesn't feel good, I wish it didn't happen, that we were together, that you didn't touch her, but it happened, I understand why, I love you and I don't want you to torture yourself about it anymore !'
Yes, Y/N had always been the brains of their relationship, and the heart, and everything in between. Shane just felt like an idiot who was lucky to have her, completely clueless as to why she was with him.
Before, she had forgiven him for a lot of things, the outings in bars, the fights, the fits of jealousy. He wasn't perfect, but she accepted him.
Nothing forced her to stay with him, now that society was in pieces, their rings no longer meant anything, and he had clearly proven himself to be nothing but a cowardly bastard.
Despite this, she had chosen him. He had been her first thought, her goal, and she had returned to him without the slightest hesitation, not suspecting what he had done.
“I abandoned you…” he sobbed, falling to his knees. “I let you get shot, I left you in that hospital, I cheated on you…”
"None of this is your fault. Nothing. You were there to help me, you closed the hospital door. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't done that. You held on because she comforted you, otherwise I would have found a group that would have told me you were dead.”
"I'm too cowardly to die."
"Stop it. Please stop. You've been upset for weeks, I see the look in your eyes. Sometimes… Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't have been easier if you'd left the door open."
"Don't say that !" he yelled, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I love you ! I love you so much…I don't want to lose you…"
"I'm here. I love you too. Shane, I love you more than anything. It's okay." Y/N said, kissing him tenderly, pulling him into her arms, like she did after every pointless argument.
"She is pregnant."
"I know. It's okay. We're together, everything's okay."
The world was still shit, and it didn't seem like a quick fix could be found, but Shane decided that as always, he just had to listen to his wife and she would know what to do.
And if that wasn't the case, he would fix the problem without her knowing, and it would be all fine.
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mytrouvailles · 5 months
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night in the woods is such an important game for me and i can’t ever explain as in depth as i want to but i just replayed it for the seventh year in a row so here we go
mae’s from a small town, a poor town. she’s got her close knit friends. and everyone else has got this perception of her that they’ve attached to her since she was young. lots of people bringing up her past and not even opening their minds to the fact that she may have changed, it’s just a bunch of no one’s forgotten who you are or what you did, you know. people that never even knew mae in the past, like lori m., know about what she did. it’s small town talk, and small town talk always moves around in ways you never want it to.
it takes forever in the game for mae to finally open up about why she left college, and it’s because of exactly what the small town folk have assumed of her: she hasn’t changed. she still has this illness and she represses it because that’s what she’s told to do, rather than process it, work through it like selmers says to. she represses it so deeply that we, the player, spend the entire game wondering what our character is going through. we see mae’s thoughts and feelings and what she says and doesn’t say to people, and yet she never mentions how difficult it is for her to feel alright, even internally. and it’s so devastating to have a repressed illness that you’ve shown so many clear signs of, one that you’ve been taught to ignore until your wires snap. one that takes so hard of a toll on your well-being, makes it impossible to do what seems so easy for others. and it’s so real.
i think that’s what i love most and identify most with this game, is that it’s real. from mae’s repressed mental illnesses to gregg’s insecurities with himself to bea’s losses and angus’ abusive home life, it’s real. there are people out there with lives exactly like these.
i’m from a small town, a poor town. i’ve known people like mae, gregg, and bea, and angus. i’ve known kids that were neglected, abused, ignored. i’ve known shoplifters and people that armed themselves on the street and who’ve lost their loved ones at the worst of times. i personally was not the kindest or well-behaved teenager, and i’ve watched the same people i was with then either grow into redeemable people or get themselves into something irreversible. and just like in the game, people act like they’ve forgotten about all of that. that’s small town polite right there. something happened and the signs were there, it was all the talk for a while. our moms told us not to talk to you. and suddenly you’re told to get over it without any sort of diagnosis, an answer. and everyone passes over it, even your closest friends, as if they have blocked it out of their brains for the convenience of not dealing with it. until you drown in it, and something else happens.
i’m in college now, and every time i visit home i get this feeling, one that nothing changed but yet everything did. i see someone i know with every step i take. some will serve me at the restaurant i go to eat at to catch up with my family. some will be greeting me at the only grocery store in town. some will have passed away and some will have been arrested. my high school friends have grown up, they’ve either worked or graduated college or are nearing there, they’ve set themselves up with full time careers and plans and relationships. and yet i feel as though i’ve regressed in life, i’ve decided to go to school for even longer to prevent growing up. i stayed here and got older, while you went off and stayed the same.
and it’s one thing to feel like you’ve made it no where compared to your lowest point, but it’s another to still have doubts of yourself after you’ve become a better person. you can move away, make new friends, find a loving relationship. you can start on a completely clear slate, but at the end of everything, it’s nothing but a facade if you don’t truly feel redeemable in your heart. you question how you deserve something so good, how you possibly could be seen and loved by people who know what you are, when you don’t even know yourself. i’m a good person, right? i have really up up days and really down down days, and i don’t know which it is until it’s over sometimes.
mae has no idea what she is, what her point is, there’s nothing but holding on to what she thinks is herself and her friends and her world, which is realistically so much different than how she sees it. gregg knows what he is, he knows what he was and what he wants to be. he knows that there are parts of himself that get in the way of truly believing he is good. i think that mae is in some sort of denial about learning who she is in her early adult life, constantly looking back at the past and pretending that things aren’t different when they are. where gregg is growing into himself, coming to terms with commitment and responsibility and making up for the reckless person he once was. still fearing to regress back into his more careless self, and destroy those expectations of maturity when mae is around.
throughout my seventh play-through, i found myself relating to mae and gregg more than any other characters. i have a feeling that as i have grown up, moved away, started taking care of myself as an adult, i see more and feel more for what mae and gregg each go through. mae is unhealthily attached to her hometown because attempting to start new had regressed her mental state. gregg seems to be doing all he can to get out of town, move away and start fresh. i believe that mae and gregg had grown up in their own fucked up ways, yet they have discovered opposite, personal reasons for moving past it all. they represent something that one person could always experience; they could ache for and return to familiarity, whether it’s real or not. but they could also beg and work for change. these are two feelings that i hold deep in my chest, and some days i feel one or the other, or both.
a small hometown is a bittersweet experience; it can leave you with a sense of safety, community, and flexible routine. but it can also be despicable, it can be suffocating, it can be nothing but another town, another mass of people to live far away from. mae and gregg represent this spectrum, from enjoying staying in one place to doing anything to get away from it. their reasons and their fears and their feelings are so real.
i am a woman in her 20s, who has always grown up with a complicated relationship with her hometown. i’ve never played a game that has ever hit me this hard, nor stuck with me for this long. i make it a point to replay it every year because it helps. i realize something new about these characters, i identify more with their experiences. it’s comforting, and it’s healing.
so when i tell people about this game, and i talk about getting a tattoo from it and they look at me like i’m crazy, i understand that they’ll never know why.
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