#and after that conversation with SOPHIA i think he’s only now picking up the pieces | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lunajay33 · 2 months

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New World🍂Part.5

Summary:The farm is starting to feel like home but will it stay that way, will Daryl stay true to his word and stop ignoring you? Will your relationship take the next step?

Part.4

•Masterlist•

You’ve been at the farm for about a week now and it’s been going along as good as it can, you’ve gotten pretty close with Maggie, finally having a girl you can have a conversation with that feels like you’ve known her for years, sure the other woman of the group were nice but Maggie felt like a long lost friend

You both were picking some eggs from the coop for breakfast

“So how are things with Glenn?” You asked seeing her stop for a moment making you internally laugh

“What do you mean?”

“Oh come on I see the way you guys sneak off, he’s a good guy he’ll treat you well” you said putting another egg in your basket

“I don’t know it’s going fine, daddy thinks it’s a bad idea but I’m grown and I don’t wanna stay away”

“We don’t know how much time we have left now, dive into it, if we’re going out we might as well have fun”

“Well speaking of how are you and Daryl? He never wanted to leave your side when you were shot”

“We are good, I know he’s stressed from not finding Sophia yet, I’m trying to cheer him up when he comes back every evening but I don’t know how, I’ve tried comforting him but it doesn’t seem to work”

“Hmmmm….how far have you both gone?” She asked making you choke in shock

“Umm we’ve only had a few quick kisses”

“Come with me” we brought the eggs to the house and she brought me up to her room

She rummaged through her drawers and pulled out a blue piece of clothing, throwing it at me

“Here I’m sure this’ll cheer him up for sure” you held it up and it was a skimpy langerie set

“Maggie I can’t wear this that’s so embarrasing”

“What was it you said to me earlier? If we’re going out might as well have some fun” she smirked

Damn she threw that right back at me

“Do you really think he’ll like it? How do I even start something?”

“Wait are you a virgin?”

“I mean….yes I’ve honestly been waiting for him but now I’m inexperienced and don’t know what to do”

“Just tonight have this on before he comes back and after he’s relaxed a bit maybe just start pretending to change and see what he says”

“Hmmm okay I’ll try, god I’m nervous”

“It’ll be fine if he loves you he’ll love this”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were in yours and Daryl’s tent when you heard the zipper open showing Daryl all hot and sweaty

“Hey D, how did today go?” You asked as he sat on the bed/cott that Hershel gave you since you shouldn’t sleep on the ground while healing

He wrapped his hands around your legs and pulled you into him sighing

“Not that good huh?” You asked running your hands through his hair

He didn’t answer he just wanted to feel you and have some peace for a second, you stood there for what had to be atleast 20 minutes of him just holding you before he looked up at you and sitting back

“How’re you feelin? Have ya changed yer bandage yet today?” He asked lifting your shirt

This was your chance

“Not yet, do you wanna help me?” He usually helped you change it before bed but still didn’t hurt to ask

He grunted in agreement, you would usually just lift your shirt a bit but screw it, you pulled the shirt completely off and dropped it to the ground, when he looked back at you from getting the supplies his face was hard to read and the insecurities were sinking in

“Is it not good? Too much?” You asked nervous

He shock his head ogling your body

“Perfect, damn woman, where’d ya get this?” He asked going to unbutton your pants

He pulled them down as you stepped out and he laid his hands on your hips

“Maggie, she said it might help you unwind” you smiled as you sat on his lap both legs on the side of his

“She ain’t wrong”

He flipped you over still gentle of you wind and laid you on the bed hovering over you, you pushed his vest back helping him strip but he was hesitant about removing his shirt and you knew why

“We can wait d, it’s okay”

He sighed and threw his shirt to the pile followed by his pants

“I wanna feel ya” he groaned as you traced your hand down his chest to his clothed dick

“I need you Daryl please”

The evening was filled with gentle touches, loud moans and words of praise

He laid back next to you huffing in air, looking at your body, reddened and shaking from the multiple rounds cause this man has the stamina of a god

“God Daryl that was definitely better than my vibrator” you said looking at him as he laughed, he wrapped his arm over your hip rubbing up and down your back

“I forgot to change yer bandage” he said sitting up as he pulled on some boxers and started to change the bandage

As he was tapeing it back up you ran your hand against his cheek

“I love you Daryl Dixon” you said softly as he looked back up at you

“Love ya too peach” he whispered as you safe his skin redden

He climbed back in bed and pulled a blanket over you both and you both fell asleep

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You woke the next day, Daryl was already gone looking for Sophia like he did every morning, you got ready and made you way to the house, seeing Maggie she ran up to you excited

“How did last night go?” She asked

“Your plan worked amazing, I can’t believe he’s mine, after all this time being my best friend he’s finally mine” you both squealed in excitement like you were teenage girls

“Ya we know it went well, thought a cat was dying out there” Shane said making everyone laugh

“Oh shut it let the girl be happy” Lori said

Ahh everyone knew now but what could you do? You weren’t exactly quiet but since you and Daryl are camped farther out you thought it would be fine but oh well

You helped Lori and Maggie around the house and farm for the day helping relax your mind but every now and then you’d think about Daryl out there….alone

“WALKER” you heard Andrea screaming outside

You ran out seeing Rick Glenn and Shane running out into the field then that’s when Andrea’s gun went off, you had a gut feeling something was wrong and so and behold the guys were screaming to stop

You ran out after them to see Daryl all bloody and muddy, weak

“Oh my god”

“We gotta get him to Hershel” Rick said and Shane and him picked him up

You sat on the bed as Hershel stitched him up and bandaged his head

“What happened D?” You asked worried

“I thought I’d find er, got er doll, then the damm horse bucked me off down a hill, arrow went threw me” he said tired as Hershel finished stitching him up

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there next time I’m going out with you”

“Nah, don’t want ya out there, can’t lose ya too” you understood his concern and didn’t wanna push him right now

“Well I mean we have matching scars now” you said making Hershel chuckle

“Is it okay if I stay here with him tonight Hershel?”

“It’s no problem dear” he said smiling as he left the room letting you both have some alone time

You laid infront of him pulling the blanket up over him

“Do you need anything?”

“Nah…..just stay with me”

You both fell asleep having a quick name, god knows he needed it, you woke up some time later when Carol brought in some supper for you both, as you were eating you remembered some news Maggie told you

“Guess what I found out today?”

“Hmm?”

“Loris pregnant”

“Serious?” He asked looking at you with a raised eyebrow

“Ya Maggie told me, her and Glenn went out yesterday with Glenn and got her some stuff that’s how she found out”

“Hmmm not a great time”

“Ya I guess, but I mean haven’t you ever thought about having kids maybe this baby will lighten things up”

“Nah never thought ‘bout it”

“Really? Never ever thought of a little Daryl running around?”

“Never saw a point, having to deal with Merle it never gave me a chance to think bout it” it was a bit sad to you but it’s not like you wanted kids now, all you needed was Daryl honestly

“Ya want kids?” He asked taking a drink of water

“As a kid and teen I thought about it, maybe have two, dark hair…..blue eyes but that’s not that big of a deal now, it’s not safe and it’s scary to be pregnant even scarier without a doctor” you said setting both your plates aside now that you were done

“What ya’ve been wanting kids with me that long” he smirked

“Stop you’re embarrassing me, as long as I have you Daryl I don’t need all that” you said wiping off the food off his mouth you found adorable

You spent the night cuddled together

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been a week again since Daryl incident and things were getting tense between Shane and dale that’s how you all got to be outside the barn full of walkers, gun in hands

—///—///—///—///—

Part.6<-

DUN DUN DUN

Taglist: @thebadbatch2022 @writer-ann-artist @ghostboneswrites @deansapplepie

#daryl dixion imagine #twd daryl #daryl dixon #twd fanfiction #twd x reader #twd fluff #twd rick #twd michonne #twd negan #daryl dixon fluff #daryl x you #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon smut #daryl dixon twd

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biaswreckingfics · 2 years

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Hiding in the Woods - A Blurred Lines Short Story

Word Count: 1.2k

Genre: essentially a crack fic

Check out the completed series here!

Sophia silently watches as Sunwoo leads you out of the cabin. The nervousness on your face would've been comical if she didn't feel so bad for why it was there. Earlier, while the two of you were shopping, it killed Sophia to let you wallow in self-doubt. She wanted to reassure you so badly but knew if she kept talking, the secret would come spilling out of her mouth. She had no choice but to let you carry on in confusion.

Looking across the cabin, she catches Chanhee's eyes, and they share a smile of relief. They did it. Somehow, some way, Sunwoo's secret remained as just that. Now, it was all up to him. Oh, she hopes you'll love everything about the surprise.

"Where are they going?" Eric comes up, and asks before shoving a piece of cake in his mouth.

"Sunwoo planned a surprise for her," she says happily. "He's gonna tell her he loves her."

Eric stops chewing in surprise. "Well, I'll be damned."

Sophia sighs. "At least swallow your food before talking."

Eric mumbles an apology as Hyunjae walks up, overhearing your conversation. "What kind of surprise?"

While Sophia fills him in, others wander over to listen, and soon everyone knows what's going on. Now that the surprise is taking place, it's a relief to be able to talk about it.

"Is that why you were staring at me strangely when we came in here?" Sangyeon's girlfriend asks him.

Sangyeon gives her a sheepish expression. "I was trying to get you to go along with it. Plus, now we get cake."

"Cake," Eric nodded while finishing his last bite.

Sophia turns to ask Chanhee a question when she spots Hyunjae creeping toward the door.

"You better not be doing what I think you're gonna do," she warns him, causing the rest of the group to notice.

Hyunjae faces her with an innocent expression. "I was just going to go check on the fire. Make sure it's still going… and stuff."

Eric places his plate on the table behind him and skips out of her reach before she can grab him. "I'll help you! You know, in case you hurt yourself… checking the fire."

Hyunjae looks at him like he's an idiot before the two of them fly out of the cabin. Sophia takes a deep breath and immediately follows them. If they even think about ruining this moment, Sophia will castrate them both. Boyfriend or not.

As soon as she's outside, she sees they're already halfway across the yard. Doing her best whisper-yell, she threatens, "If the two of you don't get back in that cabin, I will end you!"

They both ignore her and close in on the path to the clearing. Sophia picks up her pace, noticing footsteps behind her. She glances back to see Sangyeon rushing after them. Grateful for the help, she feels a renewed sense of purpose until her gaze travels beyond him. Her steps nearly falter. The whole damn squad is following them.

Sophia nearly whines in frustration. They're all too nosey for their own good! They either want to see the surprise that thee Kim Sunwoo has planned, or they want to see how the nosey ones screw up and ruin it, but Sophia refuses to let that happen.

She darts down the trail, trying to be quiet, so you and Sunwoo don't worry that you're about to be attacked by a wild animal or something. She only hopes the others have the same courtesy, but she won't hold her breath.

As she approaches the lit-up clearing, she slows to a stop and squints to find Eric and Hyunjae. Once she spots them off the trail and in the actual woods, she wants to cuss, but she keeps it together. Mostly.

They don't even look at her as she tries to quietly creep through the bushes and leaves. They're too focused on the two of you. Once she reaches the pair, she smacks them lightly on the back of the head.

"If I step on anything poisonous, I swear on everything -"

"You'll end us. We know," Eric interrupts. "Just watch where you step."

Sophia resists the urge to smack him again and makes room as the rest of the troops arrive. Hyunjae snickers when he sees everyone behind him, while a couple of the others grumble about being in the woods right now. At least they'll all be going down together, she thinks before focusing on you.

This is her first chance to see the setup Sunwoo managed to put together, and she is beyond impressed. The boy continuously surprises her, but she couldn't be happier to see the changes in him. To see him be so willing to give her best friend the world. It's all she can ask for.

The two of you are sitting next to each other on a blanket. You're looking down at Sunwoo's hands, mumbling something that none of them can hear. Sunwoo is watching you like you hold the entire world in your hands. Sophia's stomach flips in anticipation. You guys are so cute!

"Can anybody hear what they're saying?"

"I'm trying to read their lips, but I'm just now realizing how horrible I am at it," Changmin answers Juyeon.

"How long are they going to be out here?" Kevin asks while swinging his hand in front of his face. "There are bugs everywhere!"

Sophia shoots him a glare. "None of you should be out here anyways, so you deserve the bugs in your face."

"You're out here too," he protests.

"To stop these two idiots from ruining this!"

Eric shoots her a disbelieving look, and she ignores him. Okay. So, she's curious too, but she really did have pure intentions when she came out here!

"Why is he getting on his knees like that?" Hyunjae asks a little too loudly before whipping around to Sophia. "He's not proposing is he?"

"Why would he be proposing? They're not even dating," Sangyeon exasperatedly asks him.

"Is she crying?" Jacob asks before Hyunjae can respond. When Sunwoo leans forward to kiss you on the forehead, he "awes" along with Kevin.

When the two of you kiss, none of them can hold themselves back. A couple of them cheer, some yell encouragements, and then all freeze when they see you break apart and realize they've outed themselves.

Eric knowing the jig is up, yells, "Are you guys together now?"

"Did he propose?" Hyunjae joins in, gasping in pain when Sophia hits him. He throws a glare back at her. "It's a valid question!"

"No, it's not."

Suddenly, Sunwoo's voice reaches their ears, and they all freeze. "If all of you aren't gone in the next thirty -"

That's all Sophia needs to hear. She pushes Sangyeon to get him out of the way, but he doesn't budge. They all stay to listen to Sunwoo's threat until they realize he's threatening to make them all go bald. Then, it's like someone told them the forest is on fire. They shove each other out of the way and race back to the path and the cabin.

Sophia smiles when she hears the two of you laughing.

#blurred lines #the boyz au #the boyz series #the boyz scenarios #the boyz stories #the boyz fic #the boyz fanfic #the boyz ff #the boyz imagines #sunwoo fanfic #sunwoo fic #sunwoo fluff #sunwoo au #sunwoo series #sunwoo scenarios #the boyz drabbles

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prettyboybuckley · 1 year

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Fuck it Friday

tagged by @swiftiediaz 💕 Sooooo since I finished the sequel to my high on you fic, I figured I'd give you all a little something to tide you over until I manage to edit the thing and it's ready for posting. The "fuck it" part is how long of a snippet you're getting lol 🥰

He lets himself into the house with his key and immediately hears the raised voices coming from the kitchen, only slightly muffled by the closed door. For a moment, Buck stands frozen in place, picking up bits and pieces of the conversation.

Ramon's voice raises above it all, but Eddie's is close behind in volume, Helena only coming in here and there. He closes the front door quietly, tiptoeing up the stairs and cringing when he forgets about the creaky step two-thirds of the way up.

Sophia's door is closed as well and he knocks before entering anyway. She isn't wearing her headphones like he expected but from the look on her face, he can see that she isn't enjoying what is going on downstairs.

"Hey," he says, toeing off his sneakers and dropping down next to her on the bed, forcing Sophia to scoot over and make space for him. "Everything okay?"

"They've been going at it for ages now," she replies with a sigh, resting her head against the wall before tilting it to look at him. "I was there at first, but I left when it kind of... escalated."

As often as he is here, over the past few years Buck has witnessed the occasional altercation between one of the siblings and their parents or between the siblings themselves. This is definitely one of the more intense kind.

"What's it about?"

She shrugs.

"Something about putting in more effort to build a future or something. They aren't happy he still hasn't found a job, which is bullshit because he's been trying and we all know that he's perfectly capable. Those recruiters are just bullshit," she says.

"That doesn't sounds like something they'd get into such a screaming match over."

Sophia chuckles humorlessly, shaking her head, and she rubs a hand down her face.

"No, no it's not. Mom said something about a wife and kids or something, and Eddie kind of dropped a bomb."

Buck's heartbeat immediately starts rising, and he hopes that he isn't too obvious when he asks: "What kind of bomb?"

"Apparently he's been dating some guy," Sophia replies. "I don't know, he was pretty vague about it, but as much as I think it was to rile them up, I'm pretty sure it's true."

"Didn't think your parents would make such a big deal out of something like that."

Sure, the Diazes are Catholics, and especially Ramon is a little old-fashioned, but they never behaved any differently after finding out about Buck's bisexuality. Helena had even asked if his parents knew and said that if it ever became a problem, he would always be welcome.

Buck knew that Eddie wasn't out to his family, of course, but it always felt like that was rather because he didn't see the point than that he was actively hiding.

"I don't think it's about him being gay - or bi, I guess?" Sophia muses. "I mean, you know how much mom wants grandkids, but... I don't know, I think it was more the heat of the moment that made it a problem, and the idea that he's been hiding it all this time?"

Honesty is important in the Diaz household, Buck knows that much. Always has been. The "why didn't you tell us sooner" question would have been asked regardless of the situation, and this was not the optimal scenario.

"How do you feel about it?" he asks, tone careful because he isn't sure what to expect.

Another shrug from Sophia. "I mean, he's my big brother. Drives me crazy sometimes, but I love him. Doesn't matter much if he dates a guy or a girl, I just want him to be happy."

Downstairs a door slams, followed by the front door, and they both flinch. The rumbling sound of Eddie's car starting in the driveway makes it all the way up to Sophia's room and Buck holds his breath as they listen to it drive away.

The doors slam another time, and Buck has a feeling that it's Ramon leaving this time.

tagging @holdmygum @rogerzsteven @monsterrae1 @buddierights @elvensorceress @princessfbi @honestlydarkprincess @bigfootsmom @brassm @alyxmastershipper

#gary writes #fuck it friday #buddie #buddie wip

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extasiswings · 3 years

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15 + buddie

15. "Shouldn't you be with her?" On ao3 here.

When Eddie is eleven, his class gets a new student. Her name is Maria Esparza and her family is from Arizona. She has dark curls that look like they would be soft to touch and a smattering of freckles across her nose and she’s so smart—always reading and forever raising her hand in class, always with the right answers—but she never acts stuck up about it.

He thinks she’s beautiful and when he gets home from the first day of school he promptly announces that he’s in love. He doesn’t understand why his mother laughs or why Sophia rolls her eyes and calls him an idiot when he’s perfectly serious.

He’s in love, he insists, and goes on believing it for three whole weeks until he gets up the courage to give Maria a flower at recess and she looks at him like he has two heads. The rejection smarts for a couple of days, but then he’s fine. So, he figures...maybe it wasn’t love after all.

Eddie is fifteen when he finds his eyes slipping too frequently to Diego Reed in autoshop, lingering on the other boy’s long, dexterous fingers, his forearms, the sharp edge of his jaw. Eddie can’t explain it, he just knows those stolen glances make him squirm, make him flush, make him feel too warm and like his very skin is too tight.

Diego steals Eddie’s first kiss two weeks before winter break, pushes him up against the back wall of the shop where they’re hidden by a truck and licks into his mouth with a confidence that Eddie can’t imagine ever having when he himself can’t even figure out what to do with his hands. But it makes his knees weak and leaves him breathless and panting when Diego pulls away with a smirk and tells him not to say anything.

It’s not love—for one thing, Eddie knows he’s not supposed to love boys, and for another, the only time he suggests it might be anything at all, Diego gives him the same look Maria had once upon a time and walks away—but it’s nothing he’s ever felt before. The next year, Angelica Phelan asks him to go to the winter formal and he gets to second base in the science lab when they slip away from the chaperones. It’s different from kissing Diego. But it’s just as good, he enjoys it just as much, and part of him is…relieved.

He doesn’t think about that too much.

Eddie is eighteen when he’s not watching where he’s going and runs directly into his future on the sidewalk. Thankfully, the only casualty is Shannon’s coffee, and after she snaps at him for not paying attention and he offers to replace her drink—well. They close down the coffee shop, emerging, startled, from conversation only when interrupted by a mildly disgruntled employee trying to lock up. Eddie walks home in a daze, Shannon’s phone number burning a hole in his pocket, and he’s simultaneously elated and terrified because it’s never been so easy being with someone, he’s never felt so seen so quickly. He’s old enough to realize that love at first sight is bullshit, but he thinks he could fall very fast.

He’s right.

They take things slow because Eddie wants to do things right, doesn’t want to risk confusing love with the heady cocktail of teenage hormones and sex. So he knows by the time he does fall into bed with her, eight months in, that he’s in love. Really in love, thinking about the future in love, factoring her into the mix when he thinks about what the hell he’s going to do with his life in love.

And then Shannon gets pregnant. And it’s too soon, he loves her but it’s too soon, and he’s terrified all over again—

He loves her though. He loves her. And she’s pregnant so—they get married. He wants to do the right thing.

At their wedding the readings are selections from Song of Songs and Corinthians.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud....Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...

With all due respect to St. Paul, Eddie doesn’t think he knew what the hell he was talking about. Or at least, maybe he did, but he was being pretty damn aspirational and left out a few things.

Because after the wedding…after the wedding, Eddie learns a lot more about love.

Love is beautiful, yes. But love is also…trying to do the right thing and fucking up. Love is fighting and knowing exactly what to say to cut the deepest and not always holding back. Love is forgiving, but after a point finding it difficult to forget.

Or maybe that’s not love, maybe that’s just marriage. Maybe it’s a little of both. Because love endures—sure. Love endured with Shannon even when trust was nonexistent, when their marriage was fractured, shattered pieces strewn across the floor ready to draw blood if either of them tried to pick them up.

Love isn’t enough. That’s what Eddie knows. Or maybe it is, maybe love would have been enough to fix what was broken if it hadn’t been his. Shannon’s gone, so they’ll never be able to have that conversation. He’ll never know the answer.

Love endures. Eddie kind of wishes it didn’t. It would make a lot of things a lot easier.

But…it’s fine. He’s fine. Shannon dies and he locks that piece of himself away and has no plans to ever fall in love again.

Then again, God has a funny sense of humor and never seems to resist an opportunity to be an asshole, so of course…he does. Slowly. Quietly. The threads slipping through the cracks in his walls so carefully that he doesn’t even notice until they’re twined around his heart, unspooling through his blood, through his veins with every pulse. Eddie doesn’t notice.

And then he gets shot and it’s like being hit by lightning, an electric shock of clarity down his spine, rooting him in place as he meets Buck’s eyes.

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

***

Eddie despises recovery.

He’s never been good at being still, at being useless, at being left alone with nothing but his own head. And maybe he’s not entirely alone—he has Christopher, after all, and Christopher is understandably a little clingy now that he’s home from the hospital—but Christopher sleeps and has play dates and spends time in his room and just in general isn’t in Eddie’s space every second of every day.

And then there’s Buck. Buck who offered to keep staying on the couch to take care of everything they needed when Eddie came home from the hospital. Buck who Eddie sent home to his own bed with promises to call if he needed help because having Buck so close after Eddie’s little realization was stirring him up, making everything a million times more difficult in his head. Buck’s still over frequently, but it’s less dangerous if he’s not staying overnight, if Eddie can’t wake up and be tempted to walk out to the living room and pull Buck into his bed. Not for anything sexual—he’s on too many medications and too immobilized for that even if it was remotely a good idea—but to be held. To feel wanted. To feel safe.

He knows Buck probably wouldn’t say no, wouldn’t think anything of it except that maybe he’s a little raw and fragile, which he is. Which is exactly why he can’t ask. So. Removing the temptation it is.

But. Being left alone with his own head is a terrible idea. He’s in pain because he lowered the doses of his pain meds so he would stop worrying about developing any dependency. He can’t sleep without waking up with screams trapped behind his teeth and the smell of blood and gunpowder in his nose. And he can’t stop thinking about Buck. About being in love with Buck. About wanting Buck. About whether he could ever have him or whether he’ll ever be okay enough to be in a relationship. About whether Buck could ever want him back or if he’ll ever feel safe enough to risk their friendship by even asking.

He broke up with Ana the second he was able to figure out how to do it without feeling like a complete dick. But he hasn’t told Buck that. He doesn’t know why.

And then there’s—

The key turns in the lock and Eddie starts, looking up from his place on the couch. Christopher is with his abuela for the night, and he didn’t expect—

“Hey,” Buck calls, stepping through the door. “I brought dinner.”

Eddie stares.

“What are you doing here?” He asks, before he can stop himself. “Shouldn’t you be with Taylor?”

—Taylor. Buck and Taylor. Which, Buck waited weeks to tell him about, hedging about why he wanted to know if it was okay to invite her to Eddie’s welcome home party. Which, Buck only did admit to when Eddie called one night at 2AM and Taylor answered Buck’s phone.

Eddie clears his throat, the question sounding a little too sharp and accusatory to his ears.

“I just meant,” he adds, softening, “I thought you said you had a date tonight.”

An odd look passes over Buck’s face.

“Isabel called me,” he replies. “She said you were by yourself, asked if I would check on you. We rescheduled, it’s fine.”

Eddie nods once and pulls the couch throw tighter around his shoulders with his good arm. A petty, possessive piece of him is pleased. That Buck’s there. That Buck would drop everything for him.

He’s always been wary of Taylor. Even way back when they first met and she was prowling around the station filming everyone and flirting with Buck. But now? Now he’s jealous, his stomach twisting at the very reminder that she has Buck the way Eddie wants him.

But at the same time…he hates that. Hates the jealousy, hates feeling possessive. Because what claim does he have over Buck’s affections? None. Especially not when he can’t even admit to loving him outside his head.

He hates it because he knows that more than anything, Buck deserves to be happy. And maybe Eddie could make him happy, but—

Even if Buck felt the same—and Eddie isn’t convinced of that, doesn’t have the arrogance to assume—what right does he have to say please, to say wait, to ask Buck to put his life on hold indefinitely while Eddie sorts through the tangled mess in his head in the hope that one day he’ll finally be ready? He can’t be that selfish. Especially not with Buck.

Buck deserves to be happy. Even if that’s with Taylor Kelly. Even if it means Eddie loses him.

He doesn’t get to be jealous.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Eddie replies quietly. “I’m fine.”

Buck sets the bag in his arms down on the coffee table.

“You don’t look fine,” he points out. “Actually, you look like shit. Isabel was right to call me.”

“I’m fine,” Eddie repeats. His heart pangs at the concern in Buck’s eyes. “Really, it’s okay—you should—you should—”

Go. Call Taylor back. Enjoy your date.

He wants to do the right thing. He really does. But the rest of the words refuse to leave his throat.

Buck shakes his head anyway. “I’m not going anywhere,” he insists. “So tell me what’s going on. How can I help?”

Eddie bites his lip. Drags his hand over his jaw before making a face. The messy, overgrown scruff is itchy and difficult to manage on his own, and the foreignness of it doesn’t help him feel grounded in his own body when he wakes up gasping in the middle of the night.

“It’s stupid,” he says.

“I’m sure it’s not,” Buck replies. “And I’m here, so you might as well just talk.”

I’m in love with you, Eddie thinks. And I can’t sleep. And I can’t shave. And everything hurts. And I just want to stop being afraid—

He swallows. He can’t say all of that. He can’t blow everything up that way.

So, he picks the easiest one.

“I can’t shave with my left hand and it’s driving me insane.”

Buck blinks. Then he laughs as the worry in his brow smooths out.

“That’s it?” He asks. “Well, that’s easy. I can do that. Come on.”

And that’s how Eddie winds up sitting on the bathroom counter with shaving cream all over his face while Buck wets a razor and steps between his legs.

His breath catches.

“You good?” Buck asks, his voice low. His eyes are soft and focused, and Eddie almost regrets everything because the proximity—god, the proximity. He’s been so cold since the shooting and Buck is so warm, heat spreading through Eddie’s body from every discrete point of contact. Buck tips his chin back and Eddie lets his eyes slip closed.

“Yeah,” he breathes. “I’m good.”

The razor drags along his skin. Neither of them say a word, the main sound in the room the drip of the faucet when Buck rinses the razor between passes. They’ve always been physical with each other, but this sort of thing is new. Intimate.

Eddie aches.

His eyes open a crack to watch. Buck’s lower lip is caught between his teeth, and having every ounce of that focus on him is…intoxicating.

I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you.

Buck steps in closer, Eddie’s legs spread ever so slightly wider. A spark of heat flashes through him and he inhales sharply—Buck’s startled enough that his hand slips and the razor nicks Eddie’s jaw.

“Shit,” Buck swears. The razor clatters into the sink. “Shit. I’m sorry.”

Eddie opens his eyes the rest of the way. “It’s fine,” he assures. “What, you think I’ve never cut myself shaving before? It’s still better than I would have managed myself.”

“I’m—” Buck looks stricken, his fingers reaching out to gently cradle Eddie’s jaw only for him to snatch them back almost instantly, the tip of one faintly smeared with blood. His hand trembles.

“Buck,” Eddie says quietly. Buck’s eyes are fixed on the red smear and Eddie is sent back—

Watching his blood splash across Buck’s face and not realizing at first that it was his. Being half-delirious on the way to the hospital worrying that Buck had been hurt—

All this time, Buck’s been moving forward, pushing ahead, for Christopher, for him, for everyone, and Eddie knew he wasn’t entirely okay, knew he was fucked up from the moment in the hospital when he said I think it would have been better if I was the one who got shot, but since Eddie’s been home, Buck has seemed…better.

Maybe not. Maybe he’s been struggling to pretend as much as Eddie has.

Eddie twists around to grab the towel draped over the faucet and wets it enough to wash the rest of the shaving cream off his face, feels the sting of soap and water in the cut. And then he reaches out to grab Buck’s hand, wiping the blood off of his finger.

There’s something profane about blood staining skin. And something sacred in the act of washing it clean.

Eddie wonders if anyone helped Buck wash his blood off when he was in surgery. Taylor, maybe.

But no, that doesn’t feel right.

Buck probably did it himself. Alone.

“Hey.” Eddie squeezes Buck’s fingers. When Buck doesn’t look at him, he reaches out and curls his hand around the side of Buck’s neck, tips Buck’s chin up with his thumb to force him to meet his eyes. “Hey. It’s okay. I’m okay. No harm done.”

Buck breathes out shakily. His throat works, his face passes through a million stages—finally, his hands fall to the counter on either side of Eddie’s hips and his forehead drops to Eddie’s good shoulder. Eddie lets his hand slip around to the back of Buck’s neck, his fingers combing up through the short hairs there. He turns his head and he’s close enough to kiss the side of Buck’s, but he holds off. It feels like it would be too much. Too much when Buck doesn’t know how he really feels, what he really wants. But even just this—the closeness, the touch—is good. Needed. A balm to the itch under his skin.

When Buck turns his face into Eddie’s neck and inhales, Eddie thinks maybe Buck might need this just as badly.

“I’m okay,” he repeats, closing his eyes again as his fingers comb through Buck’s hair. “We’re okay. We’re okay.”

They stay like that for a long time. Buck’s phone rings out once, but neither of them moves to answer it. Eventually, Buck lifts his head and clears his throat roughly as he steps back.

Eddie’s hand falls away from Buck’s neck. He feels the absence keenly.

“You good?” He asks. Buck nods. His eyes are red.

“Yeah,” Buck replies. He pauses. Shakes his head. “No. But—can we just—can I just finish this for now? I want to finish this.”

Eddie watches him for a moment. Wets his lips. Then finally nods and passes over the shaving cream again.

“Sure,” he says. “I trust you.”

I love you.

Maybe…maybe eventually he’ll be braver. Maybe eventually, both of them will be free at the same time and he’ll be whole and healed, or at least something closer to it than he is now. Maybe eventually…love will be enough. Maybe.

For now, he has this.

#chapel writes #eddie diaz #buddie #buddie fic #prompt fill #911 fic

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sincerelyella · 3 years

Text

She Ain’t Me Part 2

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Pairing: Liam x MC (Ella); mentions of maybe Liam x Olivia; maybe Drake x MC (MAYBE)

Song Inspiration: She Ain’t Me by Sophia Scott

Summary: TRR during the homecoming ball, Olivia and Ella still get close on the engagement tour but Liv loves Liam, and she’s told him several times. What happens when his guard is down?

Catch up here if you missed part 1

A/N: Part 2 because I got a lot of requests for it, hopefully I didn’t mess it up too much LOL

Thank you @alyssalauren @burnsoslow @ofpixelsandscribbles for prereading and your suggestions and edits to this mess, I love you guyssss!

Warnings: TW: angst; adult language; TW: gun violence; some kinda love triangle (square?) thing I guess

Words: 2635

Olivia sucked in a breath. “Then be with me.”

Liam opened his eyes and turned to his oldest friend. “Liv …”

“What?” Her heart was beating a thousand miles a minute as she arched her brow.

“Liv, y-you know I don’t-”

Her hand shot out so fast and smacked him in the back of the head; Liam didn’t even flinch. “Stop being a dumbass.”

“Olivia!” Liam’s hand went to the back of his head and rubbed the sting away. “What the fuck?”

Liv blurted out what she really wanted, more than anything in this entire world. But it was stupid and fleeting. She knows Liam loves Ella Brooks.

The more Olivia thought about it, the more she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this man was meant to be with the woman of his dreams. Not me. “Drake worked his ass off to protect her,” Olivia said in a calm voice, even though everything inside her wasn’t calm. It was stormy, dark, and bleeding, but she pushed on. “He found Tariq that night trying to put his hands on Ella,” she watched Liam’s jaw clench. “He was the one that fought him and told him to leave.” Liam’s nostrils flared, his eyes clouded in anger. “And he didn’t tell you how he felt because you had enough shit going on being engaged to that two-bit blonde devil, Liam. Should he have told you? Yes,” Liv nodded and turned to stare at the setting sun, orange and yellow hues now a sliver in the now almost dark sky. “But when would have been an ... appropriate time to tell your best friend that you’re in love with the same woman?” Olivia slid her eyes back to Liam’s and held his gaze. “Do you think it’s easy for us?”

Regret flashed in Liam’s sky blue eyes as he stared into emerald ones. He slipped his hands inside his pockets and let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “I …” his voice hitched and he swallowed quickly. “I’m sorry, Olivia,” Liam shook his head and turned to look at the doors to the ballroom. He could see Ella trying to peek through the windows to get a glimpse of him. “I may have … overreacted.”

“Understatement of the year,” Liv arched her brow at him with her signature smirk.

“Thank you.”

Olivia tilted her head slightly. “For?”

“Knocking some sense into me … quite literally,” he chuckled and then winced as he put his hand where she smacked him.

“Anytime,” she smiled, although it didn’t reach her eyes.

An awkward silence settled between them for a moment before Liam cleared his throat. “Did you mean what you said? Or was that something you did to get my attention?”

Olivia walked towards the balcony and leaned her elbows onto it. “Maybe a little of both.”

“I’m sor-”

“Liam,” she turned around quickly to face him. “Don’t.”

He opened his mouth to respond and Olivia held up a hand. “I don’t want or need your apologies, Liam. We’ve been friends since we were children and you were always straightforward about your … lack of romantic feelings.” She picked an imaginary piece of lint on her fire-red sequined gown. “You were honest from the beginning. I don’t need you to feel sorry for me, I’m a big girl.”

Liam knew when it was pointless to argue so he just smiled. “Would you mind bringing Drake out here please?”

She nodded and hastily made her way inside the ballroom. Ella, Drake, and Maxwell immediately ran towards the fiery redhead.

“Liv!” “Is everything okay now?” “Where is he?”

“Drake,” she gestured towards the balcony doors. “You’re up.”

Ella’s bottom lip quivered and she bit down on it to keep from crying. No one noticed but Olivia.

“Maxwell, please grab Ella something to drink. A fruity one” - Olivia waved her hand in the air - “with some glitter or some shit.”

Max grinned and ran towards the bar, Drake ran a shaky hand through his already tousled brown hair and turned to make his way outside. When they were alone, Olivia grabbed Ella’s elbow and gently pulled her to the corner of the ballroom.

Ella began to babble. “Liv, I need to go, I have to check on-”

“You’ll stay put, Ella, this is a conversation for those two and those two alone.”

The queen-to-be nodded in agreement but said nothing.

“I, uh …” Olivia pulled her lips between her teeth as she glanced down at the floor then back up at her friend. “Ella, I need to apologize to you.”

Ella’s eyes widened in surprise.

Liv waved her hand up in a circle. “Spare me the looks, please.” Ella and Olivia had grown close over the engagement tour, much to Liv’s dismay. She used to look at Ella as an American dolt that had no clue about Cordonian traditions, who stole her childhood love out from under her. But over months of being on the tour, they had to work together to figure out the plot against them and … Ella didn’t take any of her shit, and she respected that. “I want to apologize because-”

“You’re in love with Liam?” Ella smirked.

“In short, yes,” she nodded.

“You’ve known him almost his entire life, Liv,” her brows rounded as she took in her friend. “I don’t blame you for loving him.”

It was Olivia’s turn to look surprised.

“He’s the kindest person” - Ella let out a sigh - “anyone has probably ever met and he loves hard. Plus, he’s really easy on the eyes so I don’t blame you at all.”

Liv chuckled. “I’m working on it, it’s just really difficult to … see you two together.”

“I understand,” Ella pulled the Scarlet Duchess into her arms for a hug despite her protests. “Shut up, Liv, friends hug.”

Olivia squeezed Ella into a hug and then pulled away with a sigh. “I think maybe … after the wedding … I just take a small break.”

“I understand,” she let out her own sigh and swallowed the lump that was in her throat. “How pissed …” Ella looked up at the ceiling and waved her hand over her eyes to keep the tears from falling. “Was he really mad about-”

“He was pissed, yes,” Liv knew what she was asking. “Did you kiss him?” Her arms were folded across her chest.

“Who? Drake? No! Of course not!”

“Did you sleep with him?”

“Olivia!”

“Did you give him any reason to pursue you, Ella?”

“No,” Ella shook her head vehemently. “I told him that I love Liam. I only see Drake as a friend; I love him like a brother.”

“Then this isn’t on you and you let those two hash it out between them.”

On the balcony

Drake opened the door and shut it quietly. He had no idea what to expect from this conversation with Liam. This was about his fiancé for crying out loud. He was in love with Liam’s fiancé and if the roles were reversed, he’d be fucking pissed off too.

“Drake.”

He looked up to see Liam standing against the balcony, hands in his pockets, legs crossed at the ankles.

“Hey, Li.”

Liam pushed himself off of the cool cement and made his way towards him. “Tell me when this all started.”

His voice was calm as he spoke and it threw Drake off. He was expecting a coldness, anger, anything but this. But he went along with it and cleared his throat before speaking, choosing his words wisely. “Well, uh … I’d probably say the very beginning, on the plane back home from New York; there was a moment in Lythikos” - Drake shook his head - “But I didn’t realize anything until Applewood.”

Liam clenched his jaw and his hands fisted in his pockets. “What happened?” He croaked out and then he cleared his own throat. “What went on in Lythikos? Did you … did you two-” He couldn’t even say it out loud as he let out a breath, his chest burning. He and Ella were together intimately for the first time that night in Lythikos during the social season and if something happened with her and Drake as well …

“No!” Drake blurted out, his head shaking so fast that he got dizzy. “We’ve never … never, ever, Liam.”

Relief flooded Liam’s handsome face.

“You … you really thought I’d do that to you? That she would do that to you?” Drake stuck his thumb out and gestured towards the ballroom at Ella.

“No,” Liam answered honestly. “But my mind was going a thousand miles-a-minute and for a little bit I had no clue what to think.”

Drake's eyebrows rounded. “Nothing happened with us … romantically. On our way back from New York, I was telling her she didn’t belong, that people would be shitty to her. She put me in my place. Ever since then, she’s made me eat my words. In Lythikos,” Drake rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the roughness of his stubble from the day. “Olivia was giving me shit about Savannah leaving …”

Liam gave his friend a concerned look, knowing.

“Ella jumped in and told her to shut the fuck up before she stabs her with the fork she’s currently eating with” - despite his dissipating anger, Liam started to chuckle, interrupting the story. Drake looked up, surprised, then started to laugh with him - “El goes right back to … eating her fruit tart … looking at Olivia … with that fucking smirk.” The two continued to laugh, Liam knowing exactly the smirk Drake was talking about and also knowing the Scarlet Duchess and how she probably had no comeback.

When the two had calmed down, Liam wiping some moisture from his eyes from cracking up, Drake continued with his recount of the day in Lythikos. “Something inside me just … I don’t know how to say it,” he frantically thought of the words to describe what he was feeling. “No one besides you and Savannah had ever stood up for me before and it made me feel …”

“Like she cared about you,” Liam finished for him.

Drake nodded. “Then we watched the meteor shower together outside and I told her about Sav.”

Liam chewed on the inside of his cheek. “And Applewood?”

“After seeing the fear in her eyes that night, Tariq’s fucking hands on her, I just … felt this rage” - both men sucked in an angered breath - “A rage I’d never felt before over a woman and I realized then that I’d do anything and everything to protect her. To make sure no harm came to her, and …”

“You realized you were in love with her,” Liam said quietly, finally understanding.

Drake stared at Liam’s shoes for a moment then looked up to meet his best friend’s gaze. “Yes.”

“I …” Liam paused for a moment, making sure these were the words he wanted to say. “I understand why you fell for her.”

Drake looked at him, surprised.

“She’s fierce, intelligent, loving, beautiful” - Liam’s eyes slid towards the balcony doors and saw his fiancé sneaking glances at him from inside - “and loyal. I want to apologize and to thank you.”

Drake’s face went from surprise and contorted to confusion. “I’m sorry, you what?”

Liam nodded. “I overreacted and quickly jumped to conclusions without giving it careful thought. I just ... wish you would have told me when you realized you loved her, Drake, it took me by surprise, that’s all. And thank you for always being there to protect her,” Liam sucked in a breath. “I wasn’t there,” he whispered. “I wasn’t there in Applewood and what if …”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself, Liam!” Drake’s voice was raised. “We can’t think like that, if nobody was there to step in …” he closed his eyes to contain his temper. “We can’t go there. One of us was, and that’s all that matters.”

Liam nodded.

“And you’re right, I should have told you the minute I realized my feelings,” he agreed as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’m so sorry for that. I told her about my feelings in Applewood when she helped me with my bruises. She told me that she’s here for you and that she’s in love with you” - Drake closed his eyes briefly then opened them to look at his brother - “and that I should tell you how I felt.”

Neither man said anything for a moment, the only sounds that filled the night air were crickets, the leaves rustling in the wind, and an owl in the distance.

“You’re a lucky man, Liam,” Drake whispered.

“I know.” The young king took a shaky breath in and let it out slowly. He knew he was, and he knew how difficult it must be for his best friend to watch the woman he was in love with being engaged to someone else.

“Are we going to be okay?”

Liam looked over at his best friend of a decade, his brother, and smiled. “Yes, but” - his smile faded - “I don’t want this to be difficult for you. You have to watch Ella and me-”

“I’m fine, Li.”

“Don’t do that,” Liam said sternly. “I know it would kill me inside if the roles were reversed.”

“Of course it’s painful but it’s you and Brooks,” Drake said as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb before looking back at Liam. “Who else is going to watch your backs? Bastien? Beaumont?!” He flung his arm back towards the ballroom in disgust.

Liam chuckled. “Just know that I would understand if you needed … time.”

“I appreciate that, but I don’t want or need time. My place is here, watching over you two. Making sure Beaumont doesn’t accidentally light the palace on fire or some shit.”

The two men hugged and pulled away, patting each other’s shoulders.

“I wanted to speak with Ella-”

“Yeah,” Drake sighed. “She’s been trying to be sneaky, walking past the door almost the whole time we’ve been out here.”

Liam chuckled. “Alright my friend, let’s head back in.”

The two slipped back into the ballroom and the lights went out.

“What in the-” Drake growled.

Gunshots sounded in the air. “Everyone shut the fuck up and get on the ground!”

“Ella!” Liam’s voice boomed over the screams. “ELLA!”

“We’ll find her, Li,” Drake’s eyes had adjusted to the darkness but could only make out shadows of people running frantically in every direction.

The lights turned back on and both men turned to see Ella with one of the assassins, his arm around her waist, Glock pressed to her temple. “Ahh, King Liam. Perfect setting don’t you think? I can kill your bride” - he ran the side of his gun against Ella’s face and she struggled to get away - “Or I can kill you.” Another assassin appeared from behind the first one with his assault rifle pointed at Liam.

“Let her go and take me instead,” he commanded.

“Liam!” Ella choked out, her cheeks streaked with tears, her eyes pleading. “Don’t!”

“Where are you going, sweetie?” Assassin number one cooed as she struggled against his grasp. He raised his firearm and hit her over the head with it.

“Ella!” Drake and Liam yelled out as she lay limp in the man’s arms.

“Take her!” He hissed at assassin number two. Ella was removed from the ballroom as Liam and Drake watched helplessly. “Stay!” The man commanded as he pointed his gun at the two of them. “You’ll hear my demands in a few hours.”

The assassin leader turned and left with a loud cackle. The other assassins with their rifles pointed at Drake and Liam backed out of the room one by one until the deafening silence was almost too much to bear.

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libraryofloveletters · 3 years

Text

Misplaced Promises

Eddie Diaz x Sister!Reader

Warnings: sibling arguing, general protectiveness, a few swear words and that’s it I think ?

Category: angst/fluff

Word Count: 3.6k

Author’s Note: This one mostly focuses how Eddie tries his best to keep promises he makes and be a good brother but he keeps fucking up. I also tried my best for this to follow a timeline and make it make sense with canon but idk, I made shit up go with it. //

----

14 years old // 19 years old.

The 2 of you were 5 years apart but you were attached at the hip. Eddie was your big brother, the guy you looked up to the most, the person you went to when you didn’t know what to do. You had 2 sisters but what you and Eddie had was different. Sophia and Adriana were the two older ones, they stuck together and they included you but it wasn't the same.

The day before Eddie announced that he enlisted, he had been quiet, shifty and weird all day. He avoided you at all costs. You needed him to look over a project for you - seeing that you ended up with the same English teacher he had in high school but he kept coming up with excuses as to why he couldn't help you.

“Running to the store to pick up something for mom, I'll check when I get back”

“Going to play some ball with the guys, remind me when I get back”

“Gonna shower, I'll do it after”

“Let me go see Shan for a bit, I'll check it when I come home”

Excuse after excuse, he was up to something and knew you would be able to tell so he ignored you at all costs. The next morning at breakfast, he announced that he was enlisting, Shannon was at breakfast too and she didn’t seem shocked at all.

Your father asked him why, your mother began crying and your sisters wished him good luck and hoped that he would be safe. You on the other hand, had your eyes glued to Shannon.

“You knew?” your question directed straight at her.

She nodded, “he told me last night”

“Huh,” you scoff, getting up. “you told her before you told us ?” looking towards your brother.

“y/n, don’t” his look pleading you not to start and you didn’t, simply walking away and going to your bedroom. You can hear bits of the conversation from your room, Eddie telling your parents that he’s only going to do one tour just until he finds what he really wants to do.

It was a while before someone came looking for you and no surprise, it was Eddie.

“Can I check the paper for you now?” he sticks his head in from the doorway, waiting for your answer- his way of hoping that you’d talk to him.

“Sure” nodding toward the computer on the desk. Eddie made himself comfortable in the chair and began going over the paper. The keyboard clicking as he edited the paper and your sighing were the only sounds to be heard.

Everyone had been dealing with the news differently. Your father had turned to whatever project he was building in the backyard, your mother had stepped out- probably to go to the store to get stuff to make one last proper meal for him before he left and your sisters seemed to be handling it well, you could hear them bickering in the hallway over who would get his room as they passed by.

It’s not that they didn’t love him, they just had a different version of the world and of love.

The whole family did.

Sophia and Adriana were the first two, all the love and support of your parents was what they basked in.

Eddie was the only boy, automatically gaining him an in as a mama’s boy and his father’s only son, someone to show off- he was their pride and joy.

That left you, not that they loved you any less because they ‘love all their children the same’ but you never got the parental love and affection that your siblings did. Your parents were busy working and now that you were in high school and capable of looking after yourself, you saw them even less. Eddie had always been there, at the recitals, school concerts, whenever you learnt a new trick and was looking for someone to show, he was there.

In some way, Eddie raised you more than your parents did.

That’s why you couldn’t wrap your head around it.

“Couldn't just find a job here like every other lost kid after high school ? You had to go sign up to get yourself killed?” sitting up, you look towards him.

Eddie sighed, leaning back into the chair and looking at you. He looked sad, almost hurt. “I didn’t ‘sign up to get myself killed’” he tells you, “I can’t sit around watching Soph and Adriana get their lives together meanwhile I'm still living with mom and dad and I have no idea what to do”

“So what? you take a little longer to get your life together, that’s not the end of the world.”

“I’m supposed to know what I want to do, I've been out of high school for a year and a half. Most people have already moved out of their parents’ houses”

“God you’re so stupid” you groan, falling back onto the bed.

“Excuse me?” he looks at you, obviously offended. You get up off the end, pacing the room for a moment, trying to gather your thoughts.

“Just because you’re lost doesn't mean you sign up for the fricking army! Eddie, you could die” your voice breaks at the end of the sentence. Then and only then did Eddie really see how upset you were, you really thought he could die- yes there was that possibility but he knew that when he signed up. He gets up off the chair, you were now facing the window, not wanting him to see the tears that were forming. His hand resting gently on your shoulder.

“I’m not gonna die” he whispers, pulling your shoulder towards him which caused you to turn. “You better not, I'll kill you”

“But I'll be de-” “shut up” you give him a look, he chuckles and pulls you in for a hug. “I promise I'll come home, who else is going to keep you in check?” he teased which earned him a smack to the side, “more like who’s gonna keep you in check” you rebutted, a smile on your face now. Eddie kissed the top of your head, his cheek now resting atop of head - abuela’s words ringing in his head.

“Don’t make promises you can't keep Edmundo”

She had scolded him for promising to give his sister her candy back after he knew he was going to eat it (and he did, but that’s besides the point)

He promised to come home but he didn’t know if he would.

17 years old // 22 years old

“We’re having a baby!” Eddie’s arm around Shannon as they announce the second piece of exciting news for that evening to the family.

Eddie had finally returned from his first tour with the announcement that he and Shannon were getting married all while they were expecting as well. Your parents were the first up to go congratulate the love birds, your sisters are next and you follow last. Hugging Shannon who was already beaming with happiness and then your brother who hugs you for a second longer than needed, whispering that he wants to talk to you afterwards. Humming, you step back and go to help your mother set up for dinner.

The rest of the evening is spent talking about when the baby is arriving, the plans for the wedding and whatever other exciting things are happening for them at that moment. You tuned out about halfway through the conversation, only replying with the simplest answers to make it seem like you were actually listening.

Your sisters, mother and Shannon were in the kitchen all gossiping and making plans for the wedding. A big church wedding, ‘do it right’ as your mother would say because ‘if you do it right the first time, you don’t need to do it again.’

The whole big wedding thing was a scam- a pile of bullshit that you wanted no part of. Don’t let that fool you, you were beyond happy for your brother, becoming a husband and a father- those were things the two of you used to joke about, thinking that it was such a long time from then yet here you are.

The door slammed as it shut, Eddie sitting beside you on the porch. He set a bottle on the step beside you. You glance at the bottle and then at him, brows furrowed.

“Thought you could use a drink after all the exciting news” he hums, taking a sip out of his own bottle.

You let out a dry chuckle, taking a sip yourself. “Yeah, congrats dude. Husband and baby daddy in one go ? You got the guys around here beat” jokingly nudging him with your shoulder. Eddie laughs, “yeah.” the word kind of trailed off, there was more to the answer than he was letting on.

“What's wrong ?”

“Are you really happy for me ?” he turns to you, “I know you weren't exactly happy when I left, especially that I told Shannon first. I just.. you’re my little sister and it means so much that you’re on board with everything-” your hand rests on his.

“You always were kind of an idiot huh?” you pat his hand, Eddie looking clearly offended again. “Of course I'm happy for you. You’re my brother and no matter how much we fight, there’s no way I wouldn't be there for you. Eddie, you’re going to be an amazing dad, you know that right ?”

“Yeah ? You think so ?”

“Mhm hm, know how I know?”

“Do tell”

“Because you raised me and I turned out just fine” you smiled and so did Eddie, shaking his head.

23 years old // 28 years old

Eddie’s place was covered in boxes, the fight with your parents was the last button to be pushed. He packed up the remnants of his life in El Paso and was on his way out to the door.

Christopher was sitting on the couch, his favourite show on tv as you were packing up the last of the dishes in the kitchen. Eddie had just stepped back in after taking some boxes out to the truck. You leant against the counter, looking at him. He knew you weren't the biggest fan of his plan but you supported him nonetheless because that’s what siblings do.

“What? Why do you keep staring ?” he snapped.

“Jesus, who pissed in your coffee?” rolling your eyes at your brother.

“Sorry, I'm just ready to get out of here” he tosses a few things into a box. There had been unspoken words between the two of you since he mentioned that he wanted to move. You didn’t say anything, just listened and helped pack boxes but all of that stops now.

“Are you sure this is the smartest thing?”

“What do you mean?” he stops what he was doing and turns his attention to you.

“I know mom and dad were in the wrong for asking- telling you that Chris should move in with them, that’s bullshit. He’s not their kid, he’s your kid but why are you running Eddie ? You have family there besides them, Sophia and Adriana and me. I’m here Eddie, I've always been here, helping you with Chris since Shannon left.”

“That’s exactly the point, Shannon left. She upped and left us y/n, left me to raise Chris by myself.”

“So did you.” you tell him what you had been waiting to tell him since Christoper was a baby.

“What the hell are you talking about?” the anger visible on his face.

“You left. You upped and left Shannon when she needed you the most, she needed a partner that was here and not thousands of miles away. She just had a baby- your baby and you left her to go to the fucking desert! you risked your life for what ?! you had a family Eddie! You promised just one tour but you just had to go back, you had a family that needed you!”

“Exactly! I had a family that needed me! That’s why I left, I had to provide for them.”

“Don’t give me that shit. You wanna know why mom and dad walk all over you when it comes to raising Chris ? Because you left! You fucking left when the mother of your child, your wife and your child needed you! He needed a father and you left Eddie! Do you know what that does to a child?!”

“Don’t tell me how to raise my child and you sure as hell don't get a say in where my marriage went wrong!” the two of you stood in the kitchen shouting at each other.

The things you said were nothing but what you felt was the truth - he did leave Shannon after she had Chris, when she needed him to be there. You weren't siding with her but you weren't picking up for him either- someone had to let him straight and your parents would never dare say the things you would say to him. Although they didn’t like his approach to raising Christoper, they would never say that because Eddie was their son. They much rather half ass suggest things and beat around the bush than tell Eddie straight what they felt.

The rest of the night was quiet, nothing left to be said between the two of you. Tucking Chris into bed one last time before they leave, you spend the night because you promised Chris you’d be there when they left.

The morning comes and Eddie is quiet, no surprise there. Chris is attached to your hip and the 2 of you stood outside the house, saying goodbye. You crouch down in front of your nephew, “will you come visit?” he asks you sweetly, your heart breaks a little knowing that you won’t be visiting anytime soon but you put on a smile for him. “Of course, only if we stay up late and eat all the candy we can find” you tickle his side, earning a full belly laugh- your favourite sound.

“I love you always, you know that right ?” you look up at the little boy who's nodding. “I love you” he smiles, his finger tapping your nose, yours comes up to mirror his action.

“Okay, give me a big hug and you be good for your dad, he’s a good guy. He just bugs out sometimes” you hug Christoper, his arms wrapped around your neck as you pick him up, carrying him to the trunk.

Eddie comes out just as you’re putting Chris in. He hands you the keys to the house as he checks to make sure Chris is buckled in properly.

The two of you standing there awkwardly before Eddie mumbles bye and walks around the truck. Stepping back, you watch as they pull you, Christoper waving to you from the window.

25 years old // 30 years old

El Paso had treated you well, growing up there and going to school but you needed a change now. Applying to teaching jobs all over the country, you hear back from two- one is Minnesota and one in LA but you couldn't handle the cold so LA it was.

The staff at the school were sweet and welcoming, you had arrived just in time for the new school year. The woman at the front desk was asking you some standard questions when she came across your name on the form.

“Miss, is it l/n or Diaz for your last name ? You have both listed here” she looks to you for an answer. You stared at the paper in front of you- l/n was your mother’s last name and Diaz was your father’s. All your legal documents had Diaz on it but you weren’t sure if you wanted to go by it or not, maybe make something for yourself with the Diaz family name attached to you.

“Miss ?” She asked again, looking at you.

“Diaz. Y/n Diaz is fine”

Classes start and you’re getting settled in nicely, there’s still some shuffling around in terms of students and you get a finalized class list at the end of the week. Not really looking over it, you set it on the desk until the next morning when you say hello to your new class.

You begin writing your name on the board as the children set in.

Ms. Diaz in big bold letters.

“Hey! We have the same last name!” a little boy calls out- voice almost identical to your Chris’ voice.

Turning, there he was sitting n the middle of the class, your nephew Christopher - except no one knows he’s your nephew nor did he seem to remember that you were his aunt. 5 years without a phone call or a visit is a long time, you wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't remember you and he doesn’t. You treat him as you would treat the rest of your students.

The end of the day rolls around, Chris is the last student waiting with you. It was getting a bit chilly so the two of you headed into the classroom. Christoper tells you about his dad- unknowing to him that Eddie is your brother and talks about how he’s a firefighter and all the cool things he got to do when he visited the station.

A blonde man, tall and built in stature comes running into your classroom. “Chris! Buddy!” he heads over to the boy, giving him a hug. “Buck!” the boy smiles, returning the gesture. It was obvious that he knew Chris, the man noticed you watching them.

“Hi, I'm Ms. Diaz, y/n. Christopher’s teacher” you introduce yourself. The man smiles, “I'm Buck, I work with Christopher’s dad”

“He sent you to pick up Chris ?”

“Oh no, he's parking, I just came in to find him because we didn’t see anyone outside. Sorry about that, work ran late” he apologizes.

“No worries, Chris is a great kid. oh buddy, I was supposed to give you a sticker for your work today hold on” you leave Chris and Buck by the door as you go back to your desk, looking for a sticker sheet. When you returned, Eddie was there with Buck, both men had their backs turned to you.

“Yeah! She has the same last name as us dad, there is she” the boy smiled, waving at you. “Ms. Diaz!” he shouts as you make your way over. You don't look at the men instead you step past them, crouching down in front of Chris showing him the sticker sheet.

“Which one would you like?” showing him the sheet, Christopher picks out a little green star with a smiley face on it. Peeling it from the sheet, you stick it on his shirt.

“Can dad and Buck have matching ones too ?” he asks sweetly and who were you to turn down such a cute face.

“Of course,” smiling at him, you stand and turn to Buck. “Can I ?” he nods, watching as you repeat the process and stick the green star to his shirt.

When it comes Eddie’s turn, you can feel Buck’s eyes on you and you see him move to Eddie as well. As for Eddie himself, his eyes were wide, he hadn't spoken to you in almost 5 years and his parents refused to tell him anything other than ‘she’s fine’ when he asked. You didn’t ask him, you just stuck the sticker on him, on his forehead to be exact.

Eddie pulled you in for a hug, a well needed yet weird one. Buck and Chris are whispering behind the two of you.

“I’m sorry” Eddie whispers, his arms still around you.

“I’m the one that said all that shit” you tell him, he shakes his head and lets you go.

“You were right. I’m sorry. I know sorry isn't going to fix it but you’re here and I- I just wanna fix things. I miss my sister and I know Chris misses his aunt”

“Yeah, you’re an ass but you’re still my brother. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try”

Buck goes “oh” behind you, you’re now standing beside Eddie- arms folded and brows furrowed, the same expression on both of you.

“Yeah, I see it now” Buck mumbles, “I’m starving, what’s for dinner ?” he asks, him and Chris walking towards the door together.

You and Eddie follow them out, “why don't you join us for dinner ?” Eddie turns to you, you give him a look. “I can’t crash your time with your boyfriend, y’all are probably-” “my what ?” once again, Eddie had a stupid look on his face.

“So you’re telling me that wonderful human ball of joy isn't your boyfriend ?” looking at your brother, the stupid look still on his face.

“No, why would you think that ?” hearing the genuine confusion in his voice, you laugh.

“No reason, but if you’re not gonna date him, I might.” Giving your brother a smile, his head tilts and a look you know all too well on his face.

“Don’t” his finger pointed at you, you were now biting back a laugh.

“Hey Buck!” you shout, running towards him, Eddie running behind you and shouting for you to stop.

Things were going to fall back into place pretty easily.

-----

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travellvogue · 4 years

Text

“Daddy, can you dress up with us?”- Trent Alexander-Arnold

Halloweek Imagines- Day 3:

The Halloween celebrations had certainly become more exaggerated since the two of you had kids, trick or treating wasn’t necessarily something the kids cared about- especially since they hardly had any sweets or chocolate anyway- but it was more the costumes, the dressing up, and pumpkin carving they cared about. So it was no surprise that your three babies had spent the day telling you all about their plans for their costumes, giggling to yourself as they mention being pieces of cheese… literal cheese… with their faces painted yellow.

You can still hear them chatting away between themselves upstairs in the playroom, your eldest, Cairo, taking charge of the situation as Jackson- his younger brother- chirps in. And your youngest, Sophia, doesn’t entirely have much of a say in the situation- she’d just started walking and only about blubber out a ‘mumma’ and ‘dadda’ when being persuaded with food.

Trent’s car pulls into the driveway whilst you make dinner, instantly smiling at the sight of him walking towards the door, you craved this time of the evening, when he was home for the night, the kids always so excited to see daddy after he’d been at training all day.

“Hi baby” he whispers, the kids were too caught up in discussing Halloween costumes that they hadn’t heard the key be pushed through the door, Trent taking the opportunity of peace and quiet to pay attention to his wife.

There’s a thick smell of spaghetti bolognese lingering in the air- his favourite- humming at the smell as he puts his bags down and tip toes into the kitchen.

“How was training?” your bum taps against the counter, Trent pushing your body so you’re trapped between his own and the cold surface, having no other choice than to look up at him and press your lips against his puckered ones. He tasted like coffee, he usually does these days, at the beginning of your relationship he was never an avid coffee drinker, but with Captaining one of the biggest teams in the world and parenting three kids, sometimes a little caffeine boost was needed.

“Was good” he hums against your mouth, since there were no nosy kids asking for your attention he took the opportunity to snake his hands down your back and to the mound of your ass, giving it a good squeeze. “Missed ya” his head buried against your neck, inviting you to play with his curls. You hum in response, as much as you love that he’s living his dream, it would be nice to spend more time with him on a daily basis, especially now you have to share his attention with three mini-me’s you’d created together.

“The kids have missed ya” you whisper, feeling him pull away slightly so he can look you in the eye. ‘Fall in love with someone's eyes, they never change’ his mother had told him, and god was she right, every time he caught the glimmer of yours he felt himself falling in love with you all over again. Sometimes he’d wonder if this was all a dream, seven years of marriage and three beautiful and healthy kids, he really couldn’t ask for more of a perfect life.

“They’ve been planning out their Halloween costumes” you smile, watching his eyebrows raise in interest. Nodding towards the kitchen island where paper and crayons scatter across the shiny marble counter.

“Princesses huh?” he smiles, flicking through the drawings the kids had done of themselves in pretty dresses and fitting prompts for their characters. The little frog next to Cairo’s drawing of himself hinting that he might want to go as Princess Tiana- not a surprise when he’d made mummy and daddy watch the movie over and over again.

“Mhm... be grateful, this morning they wanted to go as pieces of cheese” you laugh.

“Well they’d make grate pieces of cheese... get it?” he wiggles his eyebrows at the poor pun, watching you roll your eyes once the mess of a joke registers, the Dad-jokes had been out in full force recently.

“Daddyyyy” the two of you smile at the sound of the boys running down the stairs, Cairo holding Sophia as best as he could, her little legs dangling in the air, Trent quickly scooping her up and into her arms for a more comfy hold, her little blabbers and giggles making him coo at her.

“Hi boys” Trent cheers, “Mummy was just showing me your costumes!” he explains, excitement washing over their bodies all over again at the mention of the topic. Cairo claps his hands and climbs up onto the bar stool next to his dad, grabbing at his picture.

“We’re going to be princess daddy” he says proudly making your heart burst with joy. “I’m being Tiana… see there, with the green dress and froggy” he points out the details of his drawing, Trent nodding along patiently despite Jackson tugging at his leg ready to show daddy his drawing, and Soph pulling at the collar of his top- patience is a virtue when it comes to having three young kids.

“That looks great buddy, and who’s J gonna be?” Trent asks, you have to help Jackson onto the other barstool, he didn’t quite have the height to get up independently.

“Snow whiteeee!” Jackson cheers, waving the paper in the air. Soph’s little chubby hands reaching forward and grabbing the air to try and grasp at it. “And daddy guess what…!” he waits for Trent to show enthusiasm in his next piece of information.

“What? You’re gonna give me a poisonous apple?” Trent asks, Sophia giggling along in his lap as he bounces her on his knee.

“No silly” Jackson tuts, “That’s the witch, I’m snow white” Trent sighs in realisation at his mistake, looking over to you as you share a look, finding it funny how bosy the kids can get. “The d- d-” at his young age he struggles with the next word, you have to help him out and say ‘dwarfs’ so he can copy you. “Yeah, them” he nods, “They are gonna be the doggies!” he cheers, Trent let’s out a laugh, of course they were, any opportunity the kids got to dress the poor dogs in costumes, they grasped with both hands.

“And mummy’s okay with this?” Trent raises his eyebrows at you, wondering if you’d agreed to let the kids have creative freedom when dressing up the dogs. You giggle and shrug your shoulders, as long as the dogs weren’t in any harm or discomfort you didn’t mind.

“Tell daddy who you’re gonna be Soph” Cairo coos, it was cute to see him acting so grown up when it comes to his sister. Trent had certainly raised your boys to be very protective of their sister. Sophia simply coos and giggles in response, sucking on her fist and bouncing on Trent’s lap. You make a face at your youngest as you whisper “Moana!”. Trent smiles at the idea of your little girl dressed up in her Moana outfit.

“Soph can you say: I am Moanaaaa” Trent sings, lifting her up into the air, your two boys finding it hilarious as they giggle and sing along to the movies most infamous song.

“Daddy?” Cairo hums, nervously fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt, Trent turns his attention to your first born, waiting for him to continue. “Can you dress up with us?” you smile at his question, and when you look to Trent, your smile only grows. Within a heartbeat he’s answering; “Of course I can buddy… pick me a princess and I’ll dress up with you”.

***

The costume discussion continues throughout the whole of dinner, spaghetti eventually turning cold on the kids plates, their conversation about dress colours, shoes, props and face paint seemed far more interesting than actually eating their food. Your two boys discussing who Trent could go as, right now it seemed a battle between Cinderella and Aurora- seeming to love the idea of dressing daddy in a mermaid's tail. All you and Trent can do is smile and laugh at their excitement.

Bath time was the same, poor Sophia sat clueless in the bath with her brothers whilst they decorated her head with mounds of bubbles, telling you they were giving her ‘moana hair’. Even up until bedtime they were discussing October thirty-first, their bedtime story was of course a Halloween themed one, the three of them cuddled up in their pyjamas with mini-illustrated pumpkins on them. “I love you daddy, you’re going to look beautiful as a princess” Jackson whispers gently, Trent tucking him into bed and gently kissing his head, inhaling the familiar scent of his baby, the two of you had certainly done a great job raising them.

By the time you and Trent get into bed you're exhausted from the endless Halloween discussions. “I wonder what their dressing up as” Trent teases making you giggle, snuggling up close to him as he wraps an arm tightly around you.

“I love you so much, you have no idea” you whisper. He smiles at your words, and as he lays back and closes his eyes and hums “I think the ring on your finger and the three kids give me an idea

#trent alexander arnold #trent alexander arnold imagines #trent alexander arnold one shot #daddy trent #trent alexander arnold blurb #liverpool fc #england nt #halloweek

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thewalkingdead-fan101 · 3 years

Text

In this hell Daryl Dixon X Reader part 11/??

Hey everyone! So I have been feeling really guilty about leaving it so long between updates, so I have written and decided to post chapter 11 for you! I really hope that you guys enjoy this chapter! :)

Warnings- Blood, Gore, General walking dead depictions, slow burn, swearing.

Daryl let go of my hand and stalked back to the cottage, picking up his crossbow, putting it over his shoulder he walked back to me and took my hand, leading the way back to camp.

Shadows were beginning to cover the ground as the sun set, I looked over to Daryl, the golden hues illuminating his face. He looks over to me as I smile, giving me a questioning look before we both faced forward again. “Ya’ always staring.” Daryl mumbled. “It’s not my fault you look good..” I responded, looking back to him, watching as a small blush rose on his cheeks. “Shut up.” He shook his head. I stopped walking, Daryl walking forward only to stop as I resisted the pull. He turned around, taking two short steps and stopping. “What? Are ya’ ok?” He asked, his hands making their way to my abdomen, in a sense to protect his unborn baby. My heart swelled at his action, placing my hands over his own. “Im okay, little bean is okay.” I spoke softly, pausing as he looked up. “Are you?” I asked. “What do ya’ mean?” He asked, head slightly tilting down to meet my eyes. “I mean are you okay? You searched for Sophia… You did more for Carol and that little girl than anyone else in the group.” I paused, taking a breath as his eyes softened. “Ain’t my kid. Did what I had to.” He avoided my eyes. “I saw your face when she walked out of that barn, you can’t tell me that you weren’t affected by it.” “I searched every day for that little girl! Took a bullet and an arrow!” He started, dropping his hands from my stomach, taking a step back. “What? Ya’ want me to tell ya’ I had a soft spot for the girl?” “Daryl..” I began. “I did.” He paused, turning away, to turn back around just as quick. “I had a soft spot for the girl, She reminded me of myself when I was a kid!” He raised his voice, eyes slightly watering as he spoke. “I looked for her every damned day, cause no-one looked for me!” Words were caught in my throat as tears welled in my eyes. I walked forward and grabbed him, my arms around his neck as I wrapped him into a hug. His head fell onto my shoulder and his arms wrapped around my waist. Daryl’s body softly shook as he cried into my shoulder. The sounds of his soft sobs bringing my own tears to the surface. “It’s okay. I got you.” I whispered, pulling him tighter into my body. Daryl responded by bringing my body closer to his. He pulled away, and shook his head, running his hand over his face. “I’m gonna head back.” He motioned to the run down cottage. “Daryl, come to the house, have some dinner.” “Nah. Not hungry. I need to be alone.” “Don’t isolate yourself.” I tried to talk to him. “I’ll come to bed later.” He muttered, walking away. I watched as Daryl walked back the way we came from, into the dark night that had taken over the sunset. I closed my eyes and took a small breath, before making my way to the house.

I opened the screen door, running into Andrea and Shane who were both coming down from upstairs. “Hey, any progress with Beth?” I asked, my hands crossing over my chest gently. “Still the same as before.” Andrea nodded. “Dinners about done, Come eat.” Shane pointed towards the dining room. I nodded and walked over to where the others all sat, taking the empty seat next to Carl. “They should've been back by now.” Andrea stated.

“Yeah. They just got holed up somewhere.” Shane paused, sitting at the head of the table. “We'll, we'll head out first thing in the morning.” Shane cleared his throat thanking Patricia who had placed the plate of green beans on the table.

“Welcome.” She said softly, moving behind Carol who had just handed a basket of bread to Andrea.

I Iook up and over to Shane as he spoke to Carl.

“Carl, I want you to keep your head up, okay? Your old man, he's the toughest son of a-“

“No cussing in the house.” Patricia quickly cut him off.

“Sorry.” Shane looked down briefly. Maggie had taken the head of the table next to me, I placed my hand on hers and smiled softly at her. “Lori, dinner.” Carol called out to the Staircase.”

“She's not in there.” Maggie spoke, standing slightly.

“Where is she?” Dale was quick to ask. We all sat in silence, looking at each other for an answer.

“Carl, when's the last time you saw your mom?”

“This afternoon.”

“She was worried about Rick, asked me to look in in Carl.” Andrea spoke, gaining all of our attention.

“She went after them?”

“She didn't say that.” I looked at Shane, I could see the wheels turning in his brain.

“Nobody panic. Gotta be around here somewhere.” He said, standing abruptly.

Carl stood, following him, the rest of the group standing to search. Patricia stayed seated, watching as everyone left. “Thank you Patricia, but I should-“ “Go, it’s okay.” She nodded. I gently pushed the chair out and followed after the others. Maggie went upstairs and searched the floor. “She isn’t here.” She called out. “Okay, I’ll let them know. Thanks Maggie.” I called back. I opened the door and watched out for the others. I watched as Carol walked towards the small fire that Daryl had lit, hoping that neither of them would say something to hurt the other.

I checked her tent, finding no one, so I ran across the field to where the cars were kept, noticing Maggies car missing. I sighed and made my way over to Dale by the RV. “Any luck?” He asked poking his head out of the door. “Nothing, I take it-“ “Nothing.” He confirmed, looking out to see Andrea walking over to us. She shook her head as she got closer. Shane walked toward us and motioned for us all to meet him. I looked at the others and we all moved to him.

“She's not at the barn.” Shane spoke.

“I checked the yards.” T-dog shook his head.

“Well, where is she?” Carl asked, stepping forward.

Footsteps approached from the left and I turned my head to see Carol.

“She asked Daryl to go into town. Must've gone herself.” She said.

Carl placed a hadn’t over his mouth and whimpered. I knelt down, and pulled him to me. “Hey, it’s okay.. come here.” I hugged him, he pulled away and stormed off.

“Hey. Carl.” Andrea called after him. “The Sable is gone.” I spoke. “What?” Andrea questioned.

“Maggie’s car.” Shane took a step towards Dale.

“Did you know about this?” He asked.

“No.” He shook his head.

“Look, just- did she take a gun?” He asked Dale.

“I don't know.” He paused. Shane shook his head and stalked over to his car. “I wouldn't let her go out there alone.” Dale called. Shane slammed the door shut and started the car, picking up more speed as he left.

Carl watched as he stood between the house and the camp. I made my way over to the boy and placed my hand on his shoulder. “Hey, let’s go eat. Yeah?” I asked as he looked up. “Do you think my mom is okay?” “Yeah. I think she just got a little worried. I bet that both your mom and dad are on their way back here now.” I smiled wrapping my arm around his shoulder walking with him to the house. Patricia was waiting on the porch as Carl and I made our way up the steps. “I served your plate for you.” She smiled down to Carl. He looked up at me. “Go on, i’ll be there in a minute.” I nodded towards the door. He went inside. “Did you find her?” She asked, watching as the group all made their way back to the house.

“She went after them.” I shook my head softly. “Without telling anyone? Do you think she is okay?” She asked me. “I sure hope so. For Carls sake.” I nodded, opening the door and joining Carl at the table, Patricia following in pursuit. “Eat up buddy.” I smiled, messing up his hair. “Hey!” He pouted. “Eat.” I laughed softly. “That goes for you too.” Patricia smiled, setting a plate in front of me. “Oh thank you, I could-“ I looked up only to be met with a warning glare from Patricia as she sat across from me. I heard the door open, Dale walked in and sat across from Carl again and Andrea sat next to Dale. Soon after they walked in, so did Carol and T-dog. We all ate our meals in silence, until Carl spoke up. “So, when you have the baby, what will you name it?” He looked over to me. I looked up from my plate to be met with everyone’s eyes. “I, I uh, I haven’t really thought about names.” I smiled pausing. “And it wouldn’t be up to me only, I mean id have to talk to Daryl and see if he had anything special to put in there.” I smiled at the young boy. “Can I make a suggestion?” He asked. “Of course, I’ll hold it close to my heart.” I smiled softly at the boy. “I think if it’s a boy you should name it Carl.” He smiled. “Oh yeah? Carl?” I asked with a chuckle. “Yeah Carl! It’d be Carl and Little Carl for life.” “I honestly don’t think we would be able to handle two Carl’s.” I laughed. “Okay, so not Carl. What about Otis?” He asked. I looked up at Patricia who stopped eating, she had looked at Carl with soft eyes. “Because Otis is a nice name, and he saved my life.” He finished with confidence. Carl looked up and met her eye. “Im sorry.” He looked down. “No, don’t be sorry sweetheart, that’s really sweet.” Patricia smiled, moving to hug the boy. Patricia moved back to her seat and continued to eat, listening to the conversation. “Well, we don’t really know if it’s going to be a boy Carl.” Andrea spoke up. “Okay, well, if it’s a Girl what about Carla? Or Carly?” He asked a wide grin on his face. “Carla?” “Carly?” Andrea and I asked at the same time. “Yeah! That way there can be two Carls.” “You are a piece of work, you know that?” I asked laughing with him. “So (Y/n), do you know anything about the baby?” Dale asked.

“Um yeah, Ive been reading this book that Shane found on a run.” I smiled. “What does it say?” Andrea asked. “We don’t have to talk about the baby guys.” I smiled, looking at my half empty plate. “We want to, beats eating in silence.” T-dog answered, putting his fork to his mouth. “Okay.” I smiled. “So I calculated it and im roughly nine weeks and five days now… The book says that the baby is the size of a green olive right about now.” I smiled. “How big is that?” Carl asked.

Jimmy left the dining room and walked out with a small jar. Placing it onto the table in front of Carl. “What are those?” He asked. “They are green olives bud.” Jimmy smiled.

Carl picked up the jar and examined it closely. “Woah.. The baby is tiny!” He exclaimed looking at my stomach and then back to the jar. The group laughed at Carl’s reaction. Jimmy took the jar back to the kitchen and smiled at us. “Im gonna go and be with Beth, Let me know when Hershel is back.” He smiled, taking his plate to the sink and heading upstairs. “Can you feel it move?” Carl asked, looking at my abdomen. “Not yet, It’s still too for that.” Dale answered his question.

“How has the morning sickness been?” Patricia asked, joining the conversation. “It is still there for the most part, I mean like, the nauseous feeling is still there all the time, but I don’t throw up much.” I looked over to see Carl with his nose scrunched up. “Okay guys, I feel like that’s enough baby talk for now.” I chuckled, rubbing Carls shoulder. Once everyone finished eating their dinner, I stood up and collected the plates. “Oh no, I can do them.” Patricia stood trying to stop me. “No Patricia, you cooked, and you helped Carol, the least I can do is the dishes.” I smiled, moving into the kitchen, running the sink water, filling the tub. I grabbed the sponge and began to scrub and scour the dishes, sitting them in the dish rack when I cleaned them. I moved to put the next plate on the rack to see the first missing, looking back I see carl with a dish towel drying it. “You don’t have to help Carl.” “I know. But I like talking to you. You’re like the cool Aunt.” “Oh.” I chuckled. “We both know that id be the coolest.” I joked. As we washed and dried the dishes Carl and I continued to playfully banter, laughing by the end of it. I packed away the dishes with Carl and brung him in for a side hug. “(Y/n)?” “Yeah?” I asked, looking down. “Can you get that book? The baby one?” He looked up. “Yeah, why?” I asked smiling at him. “I want to learn.” “Oh, I think your mom should talk-“ “please I just want to learn about the baby so I can help you.” He pleaded. “Oh honey, you don’t have to.” “I want to.” He smiled. “Okay, well, stay here. I’ll be right back.” I smiled as I sat him on one of the lounges. I Walked to my tent, to be met with an empty patch of grass. I looked around to see that the only tent that was missing was mine and Daryl’s. I sighed softly, a small smile on my face as I walked over to the small fire. As I’d thought, Daryl had taken his time alone to move our stuff away from the others. I noticed the two silhouettes by the fire, and the closer I got, the louder the voices got. “I’m not gonna let you pull away. You've earned your place.” Carol spoke softly.

“If you spent half your time minding your daughters business instead of sticking your nose in everybody else's, she'd still be alive!” He raised his vice at her.

“Go ahead.” She nodded.

“Go ahead and what?” He paused. “I mean just go! I don't want you here!” He pointed, turning around. “You're a real piece of work, lady.”He turned back to her and pointed in her face. “What, are you gonna make this about my daddy or some crap like that? Pfft! Man, you don’t know Jack.” He paused again. “You're afraid. You're afraid. 'Cause you're all alone. You got no husband, no daughter. You don't know what to do with yourself. You ain't my problem!” He looked away. “Sophia wasn't mine! All you had to do was keep an eye on her!” He yelled at her, moving closer as she flinched slightly. The two stared at each other before Carol left, heading to the house. Daryl sat by his fire, poking it with a stick, looking up when he felt my presence. “What do ya’ want?” He asked, poking the fire harder than before. “Nothing Daryl, nothing at all.” I mumbled, walking to the tent. “What are ya’ doing?” “I’m just getting my book. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked.

“You said earlier that you wanted to be alone.” I paused looking over to where Carol left.

“I heard what you said to Carol.”

“And?”

“And I think that you need to apologise. You were harsh. She just lost her daughter. She doesn’t need to be reminded that she is alone.”

“I was too harsh?” He scoffed.

“Guess what, In this world you have to be harsh sunshine. That’s how I know that I’ll make it, will you?” He asked stepping toward me.

“What does that mean Daryl?” I challenge.

“It means ya’ soft princess. You won’t make it, not without someone there to save your ass.”

“Screw you Dixon.” I shook my head and walked back to the house, blood boiling.

“In this world you have to be harsh sunshine.” I mocked as I walked up to the door.

Patricia was sitting on the lounge just looking at her hands, with nothing to do.

“Hey, Patricia, I’m so sorry to ask, but could I stay in here tonight? I’ll sleep on the lounge if I have to.

“Honey, you can stay as long as you like!” She nodded and ran to the linen cupboard, pulling out a blanket for me to use later.

“Thank you!” I smiled softly.

I could hear an engine, so I walk outside, turning my head to see Shane return. “Shane’s back!” I called out opening the door and walking outside. Carl was the first to run out of the house, grabbing my hand and dragging me closer to the car. We stopped two metres away and watched as Shane opened his door, stepping out as the passenger door opened. Lori stepped out, holding a cloth to her head. “Oh my god, are you all right? What happened?” Andrea asked.

“I was in an accident.”

“She was attacked.” Both Lori and Shane answered as Shane and Andrea tried to touch her.

“I’m fine, I'm fine.” She argued pushing their hands away, pausing.

“I really am. Where's Rick?” Lori asked looking down. Shane took a few steps forward and turned to look at Lori. Lori looked up and at the group as we stayed silent. “They're not back? Where are they?” She asked looking over to Shane.

“Look, I had to get you back here.” Shane began. Dale and I shared a look, looking over to where Lori was standing.

“You asshole.” She sneered, walking over to him, pushing him harshly away as he grabbed her wrists.

“Lori!” He tried to calm her down.

“He's my husband!” She grunted pushing him off of her.

“Lori, I will go after him. I will find him. Hey!” He paused. Shane looked around momentarily, before looking back at Lori. “Now look, first things first, I gotta- I gotta look after you. I gotta make sure the baby's all right, okay?” He tried to diffuse the situation. The tension in the air, doing the exact opposite as the others started between the two. Carl dropped my hand and moved forward, looking up at his mother.

“You're having a baby?” He paused “Why didn't you tell me?” He asked. I looked over to my brother who had closed his eyes and shook his head, leaning down onto the hood of his car. “Come on. Let's make sure you're all right.” Dale spoke, putting his hand on Lori’s shoulder.

“Come on.” Andrea followed the others to the house. I stayed behind and watched my brother who was now staring at the hood. “Shane.” “Don’t.” “Don’t what?” “Don’t say whatever bullshit it is you’re going to say. I thought he knew.” “You shouldn’t have brung it up in the first place. She was outed before she told anyone, hell, I only knew because of Maggie.” He looked up. “It’s a long story and it’s irrelevant. Why did you lie to her?”

Shane pushed himself off of the hood. “I lied to her to get her back here.” He pointed to the ground. “She was walking along the road, I thought she was a walker!” “What?” “I came across the car, all smashed up, two dead walkers. Hell I thought the worst.” “When I saw her I ran to her, she wanted to walk to get to them so I told her they were home. I made sure she was safe, not out there chasing ghosts.” “Chasing ghosts?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “Look I don’t know if they’re dead or if they’re alive, but I wasn’t letting her go out to find them in the worse case scenario.” “I get that, but you should’ve told her the truth Shane. I know that it would’ve been more arguing, but she would’ve come around.” I stated, turning and making my way to the house.

I made my way up to Beth’s room and stroked her hair. “Hey honey.” I looked down at her.” “They’re going to be back with your dad real soon okay.” “Thank you.”

I looked over to where Maggie stood by the door. “Dale and Lori are in there.” She nodded to the next room. “Thank you.” I softly nodded as I stopped stroking Beths hair.

I watched from the doorway as Dale handed her a Cloth. “Thank you.” She whispered, putting it on her forehead. “Hey. I am so sorry that I left without telling you.” Lori looked at Carl.

“It's okay. I wasn't scared.” He paused. “When's dad getting back?” He looked up.

“Let's hope soon.” She nodded, looking down and patting his knee.

“I wanna be there when you tell him about the baby.”

“Oh, love, he already knows. We were just trying to find the right time to tell you.”

“Is it a boy or a girl?” He asked.

“Well, we won't know that until it's born.” She shook her head.

“Will I be able to feel it?” He asked gently touching her belly.

“Not for a while.” Lori shook her head softly, looking up and noticing me. She smiled softly as I walked further into the room and sat next to Carl. “You must have a lot of questions, huh? We never had the talk. I guess we forgot.” She chuckled. Carl looked past Lori and over to Dale

“Don't look at me. That's your father's job.” He shook his head.

“If the baby's a girl, can we name her Sophia?” He looked up at Lori. We all stayed silent, Lori unsure of how to answer.

“Hey, dude.” Shane spoke up from the doorway.

Dale stood, as Shane took a step into the room. “Hey, I'm sorry, bud. Okay? I thought you knew.” He shook his head, leaning against the door. “Big brother Carl. Pretty cool, huh?” He smiled, flicking his hat.

“I say that's very cool.” He laughed with the boy. Lori was avoiding looking at Shane. Not that I blame her. “You- you mind if I talk to your mom a sec? Hmm?” Shane asked Carl.

“How about a little later, after she's had some rest? Andrea asked, looking over to Shane.

“Lori, I had to get you back here. You wouldn't have come otherwise. How about you- how about you just hear me out, please?” He pleaded softly, walking over and leaning against the back of the three seater.

“Okay. Give me a minute.” Lori whispered, rubbing Carls back. Carl nodded.

“Thanks, bud.” Shane said patting his shoulder. Carl stood up and left, Dale and Andrea following. I looked between the two, standing and leaving. I made my way to the front porch, to see Carl sitting on the step. I smiled softly and sat with him.

“Congratulations big brother.”I smiled, wrapping my arm around his shoulder. “Thank you.” He smiled leaning into me. “So, are you prepared to be the babysitter of not only one baby, but two?” I asked as I gently squeezed him. “Im not a baby-sitter.” He scrunched his nose up. “Okay, well what about designated diaper changer.” “Ew no!” He laughed. “Okay, okay. How about, coolest big brother and coolest cousin?” “Cousin?” He asked looking up at me. “Well, you are family.” I shrugged, a small smile on my face as his eyes softly sparkled. The door behind me opened, and Shane stormed out, stopping when he realised that Carl and I were there.

“Hey bud, your Mom’s free.” He smiled down at him. “Okay!” “Goodnight dude.” Shane nodded at him, patting his hat. “Night Shane!” He called out as Shane made his way towards his tent. The door opened again, and Lori stepped out, taking a seat on the opposite side of Carl. “Mom! (Y/n) said I can be her baby’s cousin!” “Thats so cool!” She smiled at his excitement. Lori looked out over the field, sighing before looking back to Carl. “It’s getting late, let’s get you to bed.” Lori sighed. “Mom-“ “Please, no arguing Carl..” “What about Dad?” “I’ll wake you up as soon as he gets back, I promise. Say goodnight.” Lori spoke softly. Carl pushed himself off the stairs, turning to me and hugging me. “Goodnight (Y/n/n).” “Goodnight Carl.” Lori stood up, heading off with her son. “Lori.” I called out, standing up.. “Can we talk?” She looked down to Carl and nodded. “Go on, i’ll be there in a minute.” She leant down and kissed his head. Lori and I both walked towards the other meeting in the middle. “What’s wrong honey?” She asked looking into me eyes. “When you told me Daryl needed me, what did you mean?” “He needed you to talk to him.” “Did he? Or did you?” I asked. She opened her mouth to speak. “I understand that you’re worried about Rick, but that doesn’t mean you can go out on a damn rescue mission!” “Not you too.” She sighed. “I need you on my side.” “On your side? Lori, I have only ever been on your side! I’m drawing the line after this though! Do you have any idea how stupid that was?!” I asked gesturing to the road. “Anything could’ve happened! And something did! You had a car accident! You’re lucky! It could’ve been much worse that what it was.” “Not to mention the walkers Shane told me he saw.” “I dealt with them.” “Yeah but what if there were more of them? What then Lori? What if you were bit? What if you died in that accident? You didn’t think! And to not tell anyone and to go alone?” I asked, turning around, not being able to look at her. “I asked Daryl to go after Rick.” She defended herself. “Oh, I know you did.” I snapped, turning to look at her again. Lori’s gaze fell to the ground as I made eye contact with her. “He isn’t a search and rescue dog.” “Honey-“ “No, let me finish.” I cut her off, holding my hand up. “Daryl is just as valuable as any other member of this group. He isn’t expendable.” “Honey, I swear that isn’t what I-“ “How could you call him selfish? After everything that he went through looking for Sophia.” “Look I get that you’re upset, but (Y/n)-“ “Upset? You think I’m upset? Im not upset Lori, I’m Angry.” “To you Daryl might not mean anything, but to me… to me Daryl means everything.” I paused.

I sighed, placing a hand over my forehead. “I don’t think of him-“ “No, you don’t think of him at all Lori.” “You say he is selfish, but you are the one that is selfish, because no matter what is happening around you, you always seem to make it about yourself.” I finished walking into the house before looking back to her from the door. “Goodnight Lori.” I shut the door behind me.

The night was long. The only sound filling the room was the slow ticking of the clock, which had seemed like it got louder with each repetitive tick. I rolled from my back over to my side, finding the portrait of a woman from what looked like the late 1930’s, early 1940’s more interesting than the same water spot on the ceiling that I’d been staring at over the last three hours. ‘It means ya’ soft princess.’ ‘I know that I’ll make it, will you?’

Daryl’s words continued to float through my mind, which seemed to be fighting with itself. I softly pushed the blanket from my body, sitting up on the lounge, placing my feet on the hardwood floor. Resting my elbows on my knees, I placed my head in my hands, my fingers resting against my temples. I glanced up at the clock which read 3:42. The more I try to push out thoughts of him, the more they fight to invade my mind. I miss him. I miss being next to him, Sharing those little intimate moments. It’s true when they say that nothing makes a room feel emptier than wanting someone in it. I sigh, standing and moving gently through the rooms, stopping at the kitchen sink, grabbing a glass and getting water from the faucet. I turned the tap off, moving the glass to my lips, looking out of the window, the faint movement of the trees in the breeze. Maybe that’s what I need… Some air.

I washed the glass and sat it on the drainer, reaching for the towel and wiping it down, packing it away. I made my way out of the front door, softly closing it behind me, walking to the railing, crossing my arms over the wooden rail, leaning on it, pulling my thin cardigan closer to my body. I glanced around the property, noticing the orange flames still burning in the distance. I studied the small camp where my tent was, trying to see where Daryl was. My eyes moved to movement by the tree on the left of the fire, a dark silhouette leaning against the tree, staring at the house. Even in the dark I could tell it was him, after months of studying him, months of being with him.

My mind tends to calm down more the longer I look at him. The figure moved from the tree and started to move towards the house. I watched intently as he neared the house, heart racing as he stopped int front of the railing. Daryl stared at me for a moment, waiting to see what I was going to do. Staying silent, I slightly nodded at the man. He cleared his throat, looking down. “I can’t sleep without ya’.” He mumbled. “Come back.” He nodded to the tent. I remained quiet as I thought about the two options. I could go back inside and fight myself to goto sleep, or I could go back to the tent, and instantly fall asleep next to the one person who means the most. I took a step back, moving towards the door, going inside, quickly folding the blanket and sitting it on the arm rest and grabbing my boots, turning and heading back to the porch. I opened the door and noticed Daryl, walking back to his- our, little camp. As soon as my feet touched the ground I began to run after him, slamming into his back, wrapping my arms around his torso and pressing my face into his back. I felt him tense under my touch but slowly relax when he realised it was me. He stopped walking and turned himself around in my arms and hugged me, his head resting on my own, breathing in. “Come on.” He whispered, grabbing hold of my hadn’t and leading me back to the camp. He put the fire out and entered the little tent, dragging me into it behind him, laying down and pulling me against his chest, covering Gus both with the blankets.

We both settled in quite quickly, the warmth of his body next to mine letting the feel of utter content slip over me.

“Hey Daryl.” “Yeah?” “Ill make it.” I whispered. “I know.” He responded kissing the top of my head, leaning back on his arm.

The next morning I awoke, Daryl, surprisingly still asleep, holding onto me. I moved out of his grasp, and smiled down at him as he rolled over onto his stomach, resting his head on his arm. I got dressed quickly, pulling a shirt over my head, looking down as I heard Daryl stir. “I like ya’ better without it.” He smirked, looking up at me. “You like me better when I wear nothing.” “Get to it then.” he sat up. “Not now.” I chuckled putting my boots on. “I’m going to check on Beth, see if Maggie and Patricia need anything.” He nodded, moving to grab his own boots. I leant down to kiss him, my hands brushing against his stubbled cheeks as he grunted into the kiss. “Hurry up and go.” He muttered gently. “Ouch.” I sarcastically chuckled. “If you don’t go now, ya’ gonna be staying.” He warned. “Okay, I get it.” I shook my head, walking out of the tent. I walked to the house, running into Andrea on the way. “Morning.” She smiled. “Morning.” I nodded. “Checking up on Beth too?” “Yeah, I just want to try to be as much help as I can be.” I smiled softly as we walked up the front steps. We walked inside and both made our way upstairs, entering the room Beth was in. Maggie was sat on the end of the bed, her hand softly running Beth’s calve. Patricia taking her temperature. “How is she?” Andrea asked.

“Dehydrated.” Patricia paused, looking up from Beth. “I’ll set up an IV. Best I can do without Hershel.” She sighed, turning to leave the room.

“Hey.” Maggie whispered moving up the bed to be closer to her sister.

“Can I get you anything?” Andrea asked her, sitting at the end of the bed.

“Nah, I just wish my dad was here.” Maggie looked up at her, looking between the two of us.

“She'll be okay. You just need to be strong for her.” “Maggie, she will be okay.” I agreed with Andrea.

“I was just reminding her about- never mind.” Maggie smiled softly shaking her head.

“No no. We’d love to hear.” I smiled.

“My dad would die if he heard this. My first summer back from college,I drove home, dumped my stuff off, went straight out to the stable for a ride. My family comes back from church and Beth grabs my things and starts unpacking my stuff upstairs.” She begins, a smile never leaving her face.

“That's sweet.”

“Yeah, until this one here starts rifling through my backpack.” She pauses briefly. “She finds this little plastic container with these pink and green candies inside. She didn't even know I was on the pill. She was so freaked out by the idea of me, boys and sex that she runs outside and chucks them in the duck pond.” She continues, water beginning to pool on her lower lash line. “And I ride up, I see this,I'm screaming. She's crying and Shawn runs outside ,thinks one of us is drowning. Soon as he figures out what's going on, the jerk busts out laughing so loud that my horse rears up and gets mud all over the three of us.” She chuckles softly. “My dad comes out, ‘what the heck is going on out here?!’ And she turns around, bats her eyelids and says, ‘we're just swimming, daddy.’ In her Sunday dress, all covered in snot and mud.”

“Rick and Glenn will get your dad back.” Andrea nodded.

“Glenn's a good guy.” Maggie nodded, brushing back Beth’s hair.

Andrea and I both nodded. “Yeah. He is.” Andrea stood up and smiled. “I’m going to go with Shane, see if anyone else wants to go find them.” “Okay.” I nodded.

Andrea left, leaving the two of us to talk. “What happened after that?” “What?” She asked looking up. “What happened after your daddy found you all at the duck pond?” “Oh, uh.” She chuckled softly. “Daddy, always melted for Beth. So when she batted those pretty little eyes, he wasn’t mad. He looked at us all, shook his head and went back inside. Shawn pushed me into the pond, I was screaming at him and then Beth pushed him in after me. After he hits the water Beth jumped in after us. We were all laughing and just splashing each other. Then Annette comes running out, screaming, ‘Beth! Beth! Not in that dress!’.” She chuckled looking down at Beth. “Sometimes, talking helps Maggie. It might seem useless, but if you talk to her it could help.”

She nodded, looking down at her sister a small smile on her face. “Do you mind?” She looked up. “Not at all, If you need anything let me know.” I smiled patting her shoulder and leaving the room. I walked downstairs, leaving the house as I went to see if anyone needed any help. “Hey T!” I called out as I walked towards, him. “Hey, what’s up?” “Need a hand? Anything I can do?” I asked. “Nah we’re alright.” “Need an extra pair of eyes?” I asked. “Not yours.” I heard a voice behind me. I spun around to see Shane walking towards the car, throwing the sheriff duffle into the trunk. “Oh come on-“ “He’s right, you ain’t coming.” Daryl drawled out. I turned to see him prepared to go out. “Guys.” Andrea spoke up as the familiar red wagon came down the drive, towards the house. We all ran to catch up with the car as it stopped. Rick stepping out of the drivers door. Carl running past everyone to get to his father. “Dad!” He smiled. “You're okay.” Maggie sighed relieved, running to Glenn, leaving Hershel standing there looking back at the two. “Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery.” Hershel called as he walked to the house.

“Are you hurt?” Lori asked, checking her husband who was just as quick to check her out.

“No, but what happened to you?” He asked.

“I was in a car accident.” She looked down.

“Accident? How?” He asked.

“I went looking for you.”

“Snuck out on her own. Brought her back.” Shane and Lori answered Simultaneously “Are you crazy? You could've-“

T-Dog stepped forward, pointing to the car. “Who the hell is that?”

“That's Randall.” Glenn nodded at the younger boy with a red make shift blindfold. We all moved closer to the car, only for Daryl to grab my hand and pull me back, shaking his head softly at me.

Rick and Glenn carried the boy to the shed where Patricia and Hershel had began to set up and operating table for the boy. “Everyone in the house, we need to talk.” Rick called out.

We all met in the Greene’s dining room, some of us sitting, others standing.

“We couldn't just leave him behind. He would've bled out, if he lived that long.” Rick stated resting his leg on the dining chair.

“It's gotten bad in town.” Glenn stated looking at his hands, avoiding Maggie.

“What do we do with him?” Andrea asked. The room was quiet, save the sound of the back door opening.

“I repaired his calf muscle as best I can, but he'll probably have nerve damage. Won't be on his feet for at least a week.” Hershel spoke as he walked into the room, wiping his hands on a hand towel.

“When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way.” Rick nodded.

“Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?” Andrea asked. Daryl walked in, a small nod toward Carol and leaning against the wall next to the window sill I was sitting on.

“He'll have a fighting chance.” Rick tried.

“Just gonna let him go? He knows where we are.” Shane answered.

“He was blindfolded the whole way here. He's not a threat.” Rick tried to get his point across.

“Not a threat. How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage, but they just ain't gonna come looking?” Shane shook his head.

“They left him for dead. No one is looking.” Rick glared at him.

“We should still post a guard.” T-dog suggested.

“He's out cold right now, will be for hours.” Hershel stated.

“You know what? I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy.” Shane scoffed moving around the table. i went to stand up to stop Shane, only to be met with Daryls arm as he held it out in front of me, keeping me next to him. “Look at this, folks- we back in fantasyland.” Shane stated, walking towards the door.

“You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all- this is my farm. Now I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favour- keep your mouth shut.” Hershel spoke, following Shane. Shane stared at Hershel and stayed silent, sighing and walking away after a moment. “We're not gonna do anything about it today. Let's just cool off.” Rick stated as everyone started to leave the room.

I could tell by now that the next week, was going to be a long week.

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stardust-walker · 3 years

Text

High Hopes

word count: 3979

Chapters: 1

A week went by in the blink of an eye. It felt like it had dragged on at the same time. The group they were with was larger than Dove had expected it to be. There were about 40 of them, give or take a few. Dove hated it. Sure, some of the people were nice but some of them were people that she generally tried to avoid when not somewhere like where she worked...or used to work, rather. Still, it wasn't that she minded the people they were around at all as long as they contributed and minded their business.

She was used to seeing people like Merle Dixon, methed out of their minds and in for a 72 hour psych eval, strolling out the door after they had kicked it out of their system only to come back a few weeks later most times. Dove was sure she actually had seen Merle like that before but she wasn't about to mention that to him.

"How's your cheek feeling," Carol broke the silence as the two of them walked down to the water, each of them carrying a load of laundry in their arms.

"It's fine. Just stings a little when I touch it is all," Dove cleared her throat. She'd been trying not to think about how the bruise was probably fading, most likely an ugly yellow color by now. "I could ask you the same thing." She hadn't meant it to come out as mean as it did but she noticed the older woman almost flinch at the harshness of her words. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that." Dove shook her head and gripped the load of laundry she was holding a little tighter.

Carol held her head a up a little higher as she fell into step next to the younger woman. "You're right. You shouldn't have." Dove didn't know what to say. There was probably nothing she could say, after all. She'd made the decision on her own to set up her tent a short distance away from her sister and brother-in-law. If she'd been closer, it definitely would have caused a scene if it were more accessible for her to run to her sister's aid. It had happened before and it would probably happen again.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little..."

"Tense. We all are." Carol shook her head as they stepped through the trees into the small clearing where a small group of other women sat, all doing the same thing they were about to do.

"This is just fucking prehistoric," Dove snorted and shook her head. They had talked about this when more people started filtering in. They definitely had to be careful about other people coming into camp. Some of them could be dangerous. Uncertain times meant that people might come a little more unhinged than they might normally. Most of the other women seemed alright, for the most part. Jacqui was kind, definitely opinionated and observant. Amy and her sister Andrea kept mostly to themselves but seemed pretty nice for the most part. Carol seemed to have really clicked with Lori and Dove found herself not minding the other woman. She'd heard bits and pieces about her husband, Rick, and it made her heart break for Lori and Carl.

Dove had kept her distance from most of the men. Dale seemed pretty nosey, especially when it came to matters like the bruise on her face when he'd first shown up to the camp with Amy and Andrea. Shane had taken over as leader right away. No one seemed to want to question a cop's authority even in what might be the end of the world. Glenn was sweet; she was pretty sure he'd delivered her a pizza a few times when she was late night cramming for college but she didn't want to ask. Even though she didn't want to be around Merle, or his brother by extension, she didn't mind them coming around in the group. They were contributing to feeding the group, after all. Dove was pretty sure they were holding out on some of their hunt, but could she really blame them? Ed had almost lost his mind over Carol offering Lori some of his food on the highway.

In spite of their faults, the Dixons had actually managed to enlighten the people around the campfire on the first night they'd joined them. "Shoot em. Right in the damn head. One of them comes at you, you take the fucking shot. Ain't nobody there anymore." The tone of the younger Dixon had actually made Dove shudder. He was dead serious, there was no doubt about that. Then Merle had called him a fucking buzzkill.

It wasn't hard to notice their sibling dynamic wasn't exactly the healthiest. Maybe her relationship with Carol wasn't the healthiest either. She was a therapist, not a god. "Time to put the mask on," Dove mumbled, causing Carol to let out a quiet laugh as Amy turned and waved at them.

"Hey guys! We thought you were about to ditch out on laundry duty," Amy beamed at them.

"And miss out on some quiet time? Wouldn't miss it for the world," Carol replied brightly as she walked up and sat her and Ed's basket of laundry between her and Jacqui. Damn, she's good at this.

"I mean, I wish it was more like sitting in a laundry mat relaxing instead of manual labor, but I can't complain. I'd rather be doing this than sitting up there debating about what's more important to grab on a run to the city." Dove rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner and Jacqui laughed.

"Were they arguing about what's more important, toilet paper or batteries for the flashlights again?" Jacqui raised an eyebrow and Dove nodded.

"Please, tell me you'll talk some sense into these men on the run if they ever let anyone else go. I mean hell, grab both. I'd say they're both priorities. The campfire is nice every night but once it gets dark? Hell, it's like we walked into fucking Deliverance territory out here." Dove finished by whistling a part of 'Dueling Banjos'. Carol swatted at her with one of her shirts as she went to dip it in the water.

"You stop that." Carol shook her head in an attempt to seem disapproving, but she let out a quiet laugh. Andrea and Amy were laughing next to Dove.

"You think this was what people did when they had to wash clothes together before washing machines and stuff," Amy broke the silence a few minutes later.

Dove wiped the back of her hand across her forehead and moved her hair out of her field of vision. "You mean sweat to death?"

"Give themselves back problems?" Jacqui added before she nodded at the other women. "Probably."

"Probably complained about their husbands too," Andrea added with a subtle look towards Carol. Dove straightened up, ready to say something to the other woman about minding her business when a branch cracked in the woods behind them.

Everyone straightened up at this and Dove reached for the knife she had set next to her basket of laundry on reflex. She overextended herself, not realizing how far it was from her in her panicked state and fell to her knees, fingers closed around the handle of the knife as two figures stepped out from the trees.

Jacqui let out an annoyed sounding sigh as she lowered her own weapon, not bothering to hide the fact she rolled her eyes. Andrea scowled at the two men as Amy attempted to look composed even though Dove was sure she'd heard her panic too.

Carol looked the most shaken up of all of them and Dove couldn't blame her for that. It was what her home had created for her. Instant panic at the thought of the person stepping into their conversation being Ed.

Dove stood up slowly, throwing her knife back into the dirt as she brushed her knees off. "Jesus Christ, Merle. You're lucky none of us had a gun. Would've blown your head off," She grumbled as she turned her back to the older man, heart still racing at the potential of one of those walkers coming out of the woods at them.

"Oh do you think one of you would have, Birdie?" Merle didn't bother to hide his amusement. Dove turned slightly and flipped him off.

"Leave us alone, Merle. Can't you see we're workin' here?"

"Dove..." Carol tugged at her arm and Dove relented, picking up another shirt as she sat half turned towards the woods now.

"Well, shit. We just came to tell you lovely ladies that we hunted squirrel for dinner later. But if you're gonna be ungrateful about it then, shit."

Andrea frowned. Amy tried her best to hide the fact that she was disgusted at the fact that they were having to eat 'little woodland creatures' again. Dove had heard her complaining about it a few nights ago.

"Not being ungrateful, Merle. Just prefer you call me by my name is all," Dove rolled her eyes.

"Oh I'll call your name..." Merle was for sure going to say something that would make Dove want to go for her knife again when Jacqui cut him off.

"Will you be skinning them then? We'll cook them, so long as you do that." Dove shot Jacqui a quick look, trying to convey some kind of thank you without any words.

"I'll do it," a different voice spoke and the two set of sisters turned back to the hunters.

Dove raised an eyebrow slightly. They'd all barely heard Daryl speak since the first night when they were talking about walkers and Chupacabras. He seemed to let Merle do all the talking; or maybe Merle let himself do all the talking.

" Thank you," Carol nodded at him and turned back to the laundry. Ed would be mad if they were gone too long like they were last time.

"Yeah, thanks Daryl." Dove said as the two brothers turned to march back off towards their own campsite. Merle kept walking, the others kept washing their laundry, but Dove didn't miss the fact that Daryl turned slightly and nodded at her in recognition.

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

Dove was always good at keeping herself busy The only way she kept track of days was after she happened to find her planner in her bag as she was looking for clean clothes. That was how she came to realize that three weeks had passed so quickly. How had they been out here for a month at this point? She couldn't imagine how bored the kids around the camp felt and that was when she decided how she would spend the rest of her evening.

Dove sat in one of the folding chairs with a look of concentration on her face. Dark eyebrows furrowed, lips pursed as she glanced up and then back down at her hands again. "Got it," she said so suddenly that Sophia jumped a little in the chair across from her. Carl leaned forward in anticipation as a smug smile appeared on Dove's face. "Got any eights?" She sounded so sure of herself.

"Hm...go fish!" Sophia said brightly after a few seconds.

"Ah hell," Dove grumbled. She didn't miss the sideways look that Carol shot her when she swore. "Alright, Carl. Don't let me down, buddy."

The little boy shrugged, a smile on his face. "Go fish."

"Ah, double hell," Dove almost shouted, much to the amusement of her niece and the little boy.

"Children, that's enough of that," Dale chuckled as he walked past them towards the campfire, "besides I think dinner's ready anyways."

Before Dove could say anything else, the two children jumped to their feet. Sophia following close behind Carl as the two of them ran off to join their mothers near the fire. "Fine! Y'all were a bunch of cheaters anyway," Dove called jokingly after the children and she heard Glenn let out a laugh.

"How can someone cheat at go fish?" Glenn inquired as Dove strolled over behind Dale, who was shaking his head at the younger woman.

"Well, Glenn," Dove sighed as she sat down next to the Asian man, "You can have an eight in your hand and not give it to someone when they call it. Ain't that a good example, Carl?" She turned to look at the boy and waved a finger at him disapprovingly.

Lori ruffled Carl's hair as Glenn let out a quiet laugh. Dale shook his head as he started passing around one of the paper plates that was piled up with meat. "Well, it should be reassuring that fish isn't on the menu for tonight," the older man said which caused Amy to giggle.

"It smells good," Sophia piped up from the spot on Dove's left as the plate got passed to her. Dove shared a look with Carol before her gaze shifted up slightly. Ed didn't eat with the group, but still he lurked there like an albatross around her sister's neck. Carol forced a smile as she handed a piece of the currently unidentified meat to the little girl before passing it on.

It was actually peaceful that night as everyone sat around the fire. It was clear to Dove that most of the men, Shane and the Dixons especially, seemed to still be on high alert. However, the quiet was welcome.

"Ya know, I gotta say. This is probably the best thing I've eaten in almost a month," Shane chuckled as he moved to run a hand through his hair. The group nodded in agreement, a few mumbled 'Thank you's being uttered as everyone gradually finished up their meals.

"Yeah, rabbit is a little more tender than squirrel," Merle Dixon announced loudly as he threw a small bone into the fire.

Sophia let out a little squeak from next to Dove and the dark haired woman moved to put an arm around her niece as Carol brushed Sophia's hair back. "No, no, Soph. I'm sure Merle's just joking." Dove shot a dark look across the fire at the older man. She momentarily thought about jumping over the fire and punching him right in the mouth. The thought would have to be enough for her for today, though. Ed mumbled something from behind Carol, but she was grateful that her sister seemed to ignore it.

"A very mean joke, but I'm sure he's joking," Carol whispered as she pressed a kiss to her young daughter's forehead.

Dove still rubbed the little girl's arm in a comforting manner, her gaze shifted to the other man across the fire from her. Daryl looked miserable as ever but she locked eyes for a split second before he stared back into the fire.

"Yeah, Sophia, I'm sure he just cooked up Daryl's Chupacabra," Morales smirked from beside his wife. The laughter wasn't so quiet now as almost everyone around the fire struggled for a moment to hold in their laughter before Merle let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. Knee slap right along with it.

"You hear that, baby brother? You'd know all about that Mexican goat sucker, wouldn't you," Merle shoved Daryl's arm roughly.

Sophia shifted uncomfortably in her mother's arms, but a small smile was on her face. Lori rolled her eyes disapprovingly. "Are we really going to bring that up again? You gave the kids nightmares with that story..."

"Mom," Carl hissed through gritted teeth, "I didn't have nightmares, I swear." There were scattered chuckles around the fire this time. Shane reached over and ruffled the young boys hair, though this only caused the scowl to deepen on Carl's face.

"Yeah, I don't know why y'all try to make fun of that story, either. There's a lot scarier things out there than a Chupacabra," Dove announced to the fire. She couldn't stop the smirk that crept onto her face when most of the attention shifted to her.

"Dove's right. The walkers..." Amy frowned and leaned closer to her older sister.

Dove shook her head quickly, a hand ran through her dark hair. "Nah, I don't mean the walkers. I mean the wendigos," she stated matter-of-factly, "which, hell, might mean the walkers for all we know."

Ed snorted from behind her, "You sure you were workin' in that psych ward and not a patient there? I mean, you were not around enough to be in the loony bin," Ed kicked at the dirt by his feet.

Dove sneered at her brother-in-law, "You know what..."

"Yeah I thought you were a psych doctor, not a psycho doctor," Merle snickered as he leaned forward in his chair.

"You know what, to you too, Merle Dixon," Dove turned again, a finger pointed at the older man. "I wouldn't make fun of things that you don't have knowledge of! The mind is a powerful thing. Chupacabras might not have been real once, but they might as well be now. There were these monks who practiced this super deep thought...meditation shit, you know? People said that if they focused hard enough on something in their heads, they could make it real. I mean that's the basics of it, but if enough people believed in it, they could make it real." Dove noticed now that most of the attention was shifting from her to Merle. Daryl, however, seemed to have finally moved his focus from the fire right to her.

"Sounds like psycho bullshit to me," Merle leaned back in the folding chair he was sat on, arms folded across his chest.

"Call it psycho bullshit all you want," Dove shrugged her shoulders, "but wendigos seem pretty damn real to me right about now." After a few moments of silence, it was Carl who spoke up.

"What's a wendigo," the quiet little voice spoke up from where he was perched at his mother's feet. Carol narrowed her eyes at her sister, their eyes locked for a moment before Dove looked away. There was movement next to her as Carol stood up, taking Sophia with her. "Thanks for the food. Night. C'mon, Sophia," Carol's voice was quiet as she placed a hand on Dove's shoulder for a moment before moving to usher the young girl off to bed. Dove thought she heard Sophia say something in protest but she didn't come back to the fire.

Dove cleared her throat and shook her head. "Well, Carl. I'll tell you." Dove looked at her feet for a moment before she turned her attention to the little boy, a reassuring smile on her face. She was going to tell this story now, even if just to spite Merle Dixon and Ed Peletier. "You see, back in the olden days, they used to tell stories to people in order to keep them from doing bad things." That was probably the easiest way to explain that to people, especially with children present. "There were these people called the Algonquians," Dove started.

"This is some of that featherhead bullshit. I should've known," Merle snarked.

"No one's making you listen, son," Dale said in a tone that was probably meant to be warning.

"If you don't want to hear the story, why don't you just wander off back to your tent and hope the Chupacabra doesn't get you," Jacqui piped up from the right side of Dale.

"Go on, Sawyer. I wanna hear the rest of it," a quiet voice spoke up. Maybe it was the fact that Jim, who barely spoke, actually said something to her that made her want to continue.

Dove narrowed her eyes slightly, "Anyways, yes they were a Native American tribe. Someplaces in Canada too, I think. There was this story about this trapper from Alberta, I think his name was...Swift something. His family was starving and one of his kids ended up dead."

"What happened to them," Andrea questioned.

"Well...by the time they found them, the guy had killed and ate the rest of his family that was still alive." There were murmured comments of disgust and horror from around the fire. Carl stared up at his mom with wide eyes for a moment before trying to seem like he had some composure. "But mostly, wendigos are seen as these supernatural beings. Cannibals. It was something they used to keep people from eating each other when they were starving in the winter. Legend said that whenever someone resorted to cannibalism, they would never be full again. They would just keep eating and eating. Never stopping. Constantly searching for new victims." Dove finished with a sinister tone.

"Well shit," Merle uttered from across the fire.

"And you know what their favorite food was?" Dove continued in a quiet tone, eyes flicking quickly from one person around the fire to another. "They especially liked to eat....little boys!" She almost shouted as she jumped slightly in Carl's direction.

Laughter echoed around the campfire, Lori shook her head as she tried to suppress a laugh. Carl was trying to look like he hadn't clung to Shane's arm for a split second, a nervous laugh escaped his lips.

"Nah, I'm just joking. What they really have a taste for is bald rednecks," Dove smirked as she reached over to ruffle Carl's hair. She thought she saw a smile for a split second across Daryl's face before Merle flipped her off.

Dove was tempted to say something else, but the smug look stayed on her face as Shane cleared his throat. "As much as I love campfire story time," Shane gave Dove a look that caused her to simply shrug her shoulders, "I think we should all be getting to bed. Especially the little ones."

"Sure thing, Deputy D-" Merle began.

Andrea cut him off by jumping up from her seat. "Right well, night everyone."

Everyone said their goodnights as they began to trickle off to their respective tents. Merle and Daryl were some of the first ones to leave, not surprising anyone.

"Nighty night, Merle. Don't let the walkers bite," Dove called to the retreating backs of the hunters.

Lori shoved her shoulder slightly as she laughed quietly, "God, you're bad."

"Ah he can take it," Dove shrugged her shoulders.

"Night, Lori." Dove turned on her heel after a few minutes of helping clean up around the fire and started off towards her own tent. As she ducked into the tent, she hoped that sleep would come easier tonight. All she could do was listen to the quiet arguments from the tent closest to hers. She waited for a moment and, just like the past few nights, her tent unzipped.

"Dovey, are you sleepin'?" Sophia's voice, groggy and half asleep sounding, came from the flap of the tent.

"Not yet, bug. C'mon. You can stay with me again," she moved around in an attempt to make room in her sleeping bag for her niece.

Sophia shuffled over and once they were all settled, she yawned "Can you tell me a nice story to help me sleep?"

Dove flinched as she heard Ed shout something from a little farther away, followed by an unsettling quiet. "I sure can. You want me to make up one about Princess Sophia?" Dove tried to hide the stress in her voice. Her hands shook as she stroked her niece's hair.

Sophia nodded slightly, probably already starting to nod off in the safety of another tent. "Alright, there once was a beautiful princess named Sophia. She lived in a big castle in the mountains with her mommy and her auntie where everyone was always happy and she got to eat cupcakes whenever she wanted...." Dove continued the story until Sophia nodded off, the story made little sense by that point as Dove allowed herself to finally fall into a restful sleep.

@crossbowking

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon imagine #daryl dixon fanfic #daryl dixon fanfiction #Daryl DIxon fic #daryl #daryl x reader #the walking dead #the walking dead fanfiction #the walking dead fanfic #twd fanfic #twd fanfiction #carol peletier #daryl x oc #daryl dixon x oc #merle dixon #my writing

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silverhandsass · 3 years

Text

Can You Feel The Sun (Pt.4)

Things are finally coming together y'all OwO

— SPOILER ALERT - this is post-game stuff, read at your own risk —

Read on Ao3

— — — — —

Johnny is not here.

He was never here.

So for the entire year that she had been focusing on getting her own shit back in order, Johnny was—

"I thought you didn't need permission, Alt! You said there would be no point in talking to the souls before you took them all away, how could you leave him—"

"I did not leave him." The urgency and strictness of her voice shot a spike of ice into Val's chest. "He remained in Mikoshi too long."

"What does that even mean? Why did he stay there?" Val asked, stepping closer to Alt—if that even helped, she didn't know.

"You should see for yourself," Alt replied, then waved her hands in a wide arc around her.

Suddenly, the pixels and blocks that formulated the cyberspace around them both began to shift and change. The blue tinge came back as she realized a familiar setting had been made. The table and booth at Tom's diner.

"Wait..."

Then, beside it, Johnny's car appeared. The doors were opened and the back of it had sunk low to the ground. There were the sounds of voices talking and laughing; no words to be heard but the voices echoed eerily like a memory. It was when they leaned against the back of his car and talked, one of their many sweet moments shared by flipping off the corpos of the world.

More of these spots began to appear nearby; the couch and bed of her apartment, the rollercoaster cart with only a fraction of the rails showing, the Pistis Sophia, the place where they bonded at the oil fields, Kerry's couch and the Seamurai, and finally...

The piers.

As Valerie approached them, she could see that on one of the docks, a faint silhouette of Johnny appeared. She kicked into a sprint to get to him, only for Alt to call out to her.

"He is not truly there." Val's approach slowed to a brisk walk and Alt continued. "These are the places he wished to see one last time before coming with me. A few minutes, he said. He stayed long enough for days to pass in the real world. Then, he was gone."

"What..." Val turned to face her. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"An outside force of Netrunners accessed Arasaka's systems. Either they were hired, or they were a separate faction. They were peering inside Mikoshi. They found me, and they found Johnny. It was easier to take him—he did not know how to defend himself within cyberspace. They tried to take me, so I left."

"You left?" V spat, "How could you fucking leave him like that?"

"I could not risk them seizing control of me or gaining access to beyond the Blackwall. Mikoshi needed to be shut down. It provided an ample distraction for me to leave. They could not find me this way," she explained.

"You didn't even fight? You could have helped him, you could have saved him," V argued.

"He would have been used as bait, and there was nothing to save. I would not blindly rush into a situation I know nothing about without first considering all its aspects. That, V, is where the human factor comes in." Alt did not need to say it, but V understood her meaning clearly. She was also talking about V's visit to the Blackwall.

"He trusted you. We both did," V spat.

"I was ready to take him. He was not ready to leave. I told him of the risks. He did not listen. Much like you," she reminded.

"So if-if he's not here," Val took a staggered breath. "Where is he?"

"I do not know," Alt replied.

"How could you not know?" Val gestured her arms wildly. "You are one of the most powerful entities in cyberspace, how could you not know?"

"They did not march into Mikoshi announcing their presence. They snuck in, shrouded by ICE. They were careful and prepared. I could not place their location or identity before I left."

This could not be happening. Valerie took a few steps back and she shook her head before running both hands through her hair. Not only was Johnny nowhere to be seen, but he was missing. Was there even anything of him left? Had he been chipped into some other gonk's head? Did that gonk die? Did he die? Was he well and truly gone? Or was he still stored away somewhere in another briefcase, left dormant and alone?

V was just starting to lose herself in those thoughts when Alt's form shifted once more, moving closer and hovering.

"You must leave, now," she demanded.

"Wh—" V looked up, "Alt you have to help me, this is... It's Johnny. It's Johnny."

"I cannot help you. You have been careless in your methods of reaching beyond the Blackwall that you did not think about your way back. You left the pathway open for anything to pass through, making it easy for anyone to reach this place—to reach me. But while I was able to shut it momentarily, shortly after your arrival, it will not hold if I do not shut it down properly. Leaving it open is dangerous and staying here will kill you. You must leave."

As she stepped backward toward the wall, Val looked around at the various locations that had been made around her, as though she was trying to commit what Johnny had done to memory. She looked for his silhouette once again but it was nowhere to be found. "Can't I stay just a bit longer?"

"You are still tethered to your body through the connection of the external rig. You must leave now before the wall is sealed for good. You are asking too much of your human body by staying here longer than you should. If you do not leave now, it will soon cease to be your choice."

V cast one last glance at her surroundings, beginning to pant as she approached the wall. She looked up at the AI once last time and gave her a small dip of her chin. "Goodbye, Alt."

"Goodbye, V."

She reached out her hand and placed it flat upon the beaming red surface of the Blackwall, feeling her surroundings fall apart. She had barely any time to register the change before she felt her existence yanked—tugged hard in such a way that all simulations of air escaped her lungs.

Her vision fell away pixel by pixel until it was all to bright, bright, bright.

Cold. Fuck. It was still too cold. She forgot about the damn ice and the water and—fuck, fuck, fuck!

Launching herself into a seated position, V gasped for air and felt her body shiver and shake. She soon felt Dakota's hands upon her as the cable was disconnected from her port. A second pair of hands joined in as both Panam and Dakota helped V out of the tub. They were both speaking rather loudly, saying things, but she could not hear them clearly just yet. Her mind was still catching up with her, not only trying to piece together what she had heard, but attempting to snap back to reality.

Then, the tears came.

—

"What the hell were you thinking? You didn't even tell me your plan, you didn't even ask me what I thought, you just went right on in there and went ahead, which—" Panam pointed at Dakota, "—we're gonna have a long discussion about, by the way!" She then brought her hands down on her thighs as she bent down a little to meet V's eyes. "What the fuck, Val?"

V had been sitting on the same cot that she'd usually commandeer whenever she got back to camp. She had a thick synth wool blanket wrapped around her to keep her warm and she made a point to avoid eye contact with anyone for the start of the whole conversation.

It wasn't even a conversation, it was a scolding.

"What if you died?" Panam argued, "What if suddenly I got the news that hey, that fucking gonk of yours walked into an ice bath and melted anyway! All under your nose! What then?"

She did have a point.

"I know, Panam, I..." V sighed heavily. "I know. And I'm sorry. It was... It had to be done."

"Why? What the fuck did you need to do that you couldn't talk to me about? You know I'm ready to help you, you just had to ask," she said as she knelt before her, shifting a bit closer.

"You wouldn't have agreed to this."

"Why?" she prodded.

"Because I had to see him."

There it was. The look of realization. Val had mentioned the man that was the very reason they had to charge into Arasaka in the first place. She had insisted before that it would have been just as much her fault as it was Johnny's, but Panam was fine with just blaming him. Particularly for the number of people they lost that day.

"And? Was it worth it?" Panam asked. "Did you find him?"

V watched the frayed ends of the blanket as she fiddled with them, picking apart loose threads. "No, I didn't."

"What?" Dakota blinked, stepping forward. "I thought you said he was beyond the Blackwall. We used your—" she paused, "—those memories."

"Apparently he never left Mikoshi and someone pulled him out," Val replied, her voice slowly beginning to crack a little as she faced that truth. "He's gone."

"But... we can find him, right?" Panam frowned.

"No, we can't," V finally looked up, and Panam's expression fell.

V had been entirely monotone the moment she began speaking after the tub. Both her mind and her body were still in shock by the events and the revelation. An entire year had passed since they parted ways, he could be anywhere by now.

"Fuck that, there's gotta be a way," Panam countered.

"Nothing short of walking right into Arasaka again to figure out what happened a year ago. Something I'll have to do alone, and it would be suicide."

"Okay, if you mention doing anything 'alone' one more time, I'm going to kick your ass," Panam warned.

"I'm never taking you back there, Panam. None of you, not after everything that happened," after all the lives that were taken. There was an uncomfortable silence between them as understanding fell into place.

Before anyone could keep talking, Panam stood up and then promptly wrapped her arms around V. She then pulled away but kept a hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure this out, we'll figure something out that works... If he's out there, then he needs you."

"Didn't think you'd want to go looking for him," V admitted, looking up.

"That's because you need him too."

Well then.

"Get some rest, V. I'll yell at you some more when you can yell back," Panam told her, a faint smile showing that it was merely a joke.

It was one that V certainly appreciated. She nodded and mumbled a thank you to both of them before they left. Slowly lowering herself onto the cot, she tried to clear her mind and get some of that rest she truly needed. Instead of wondering how she could possibly find him and hoping for the chance that he might still be out there somewhere, that he could be saved, Val shut her eyes and cried herself to sleep.

—

A few mumbles and wisps of words escaped past his lips, but beyond that, the man remained still. It was impressive that he continued to fight hard for consciousness when science itself was working against every muscle in his body. Bryce was uncertain how long they could keep this up, but it was necessary in order to keep the man sane. After all, one doesn't normally come back from the dead after around fifty years.

Still, it had been two weeks since their last conversation. He was not going to be happy about that, about being put down for such long periods at a time. After his general volatility, it was hard to predict how much time would have been enough.

They only had one shot at this.

The doors opened behind him and a set of heavy steps approached. Then, a clearing of a throat caught his attention, finally. "Had a ping in the net today regarding that friend we've been looking for. You'll never guess where."

Bryce blinked and finally looked away from Silverhand's body, turning to Tommy. He was holding out a datapad for him, one that he took without delay and began to read. The corners of his lips quirked up as he realized what that Merc had been up to. He shook his head and pressed the top of the datapad to his lips, glancing back down at Johnny.

The man was on the brink of his daze, nearing the time for his next dose. He continued to let out a few mumbles and sighs here and there, as though he was awake but not quite present.

"Go," Bryce ordered, handing the datapad back to Tommy. "Do what you can."

"How much do you want me to say?" he asked.

"As much as you need to, but nothing about him," Bryce reminded. As Tommy nodded and left the room, he turned back toward Johnny and leaned in just in time for his injection. "Your old pal's been causing some trouble again, Silverhand..." he chuckled. He could have sworn Johnny's eyes moved to him when he spoke those words, but it was hard to tell past the fluttering eyelids. Finally, Johnny drifted back into deep sleep and Bryce sighed, pushing away from the bed.

"Get ready to bring him back soon," he ordered the nearest doctor. "We're going to need him ready to talk."

—

Find the Merc.

That friend we've been looking for.

Your old pal.

What were they up to? What were they on about? Johnny had just been able to start hearing things a bit more clearly when he felt the Propofol coursing through his system, when he felt himself sink once more.

Find the Merc.

No. It couldn't be.

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jovialyouthmusic · 3 years

Text

Double Trouble

Bastien’s foster parents come to meet the twins, and he receives a gift that brings back painful memories...

Word count 2774

A/N You may need a tissue at hand for this one, Bastien is reduced to tears himself. There are a few Greek words here, but I’ve tried to make them obvious or translated immediately afterwards. My favourite was the word for grandmother, which is pronounced ‘ya ya’. You may notice I’ve chickened out from writing a chapter devoted to their wedding - at least for now...

5 Parents, old and new...

‘They’re here – the guards at the gate just rang through’ Bastien announced. Sophia cast an eye around the apartment to check all was spick and span.

‘Does it look right?’ she queried. ‘If it’s too tidy it will look like we’re not taking enough time with the twins, but if it’s untidy it looks like we can’t cope.’ Bastien walked over to her and kissed her forehead.

‘Don’t worry, theà mou’ he soothed ‘Althea will understand. She’s fostered plenty of babies as well as older children. She knows a little disorder isn’t a bad sign’

‘Did you ever get drafted in to looking after any younger ones?’ she asked.

‘One or two, but she never left me alone with them. Being totally responsible for small babies is a task for an adult.’ He went to the door just as a wail started up on the baby monitor. Sophia grimaced.

‘They certainly have a good sense of timing’ she said ‘I’ll go and see who it is and what they need.’

‘I’ll go down and greet our visitors. Don’t be worried about feeding them, they wouldn’t bat an eyelid, but if you want to stay private, stay in the nursery and I’ll check with you.’ He kissed her again and went to greet his foster parents, there to see the twins for the first time.

They lived only a few hours drive away in Greece but said they’d wait until the couple had settled into parenthood. Sophia’s parents had booked their flight from the Channel Islands and would be there the next month. If it hadn’t been for various video calls, her mother might well have demanded that she and Bob move lock stock and barrel to Cordonia, but Sophia had told them they weren’t sure they would be staying in the tiny European country for good. She had received a job offer from Edinburgh and had deferred it until the twins were older, and there was a lot of support at the Palace. They didn’t have to worry about cooking, laundry or cleaning, and Hana had volunteered to help too. She had experience with Savannah’s children, and would most likely go on to help the Queen when she gave birth to the heir.

She went into the nursery to discover that Theo needed a nappy change, and she was in time to get that done before his wailing woke his sister, who was a determined and deep sleeper. Changing him was an easy task compared to his sisters indignation at being messed around.

As she worked, she remembered that the last time she’d seen her own parents was at their wedding. It was a small affair, and her mind went further back to when they’d discussed getting married, some time after Bastien had proposed. They were taking a break at the villa in Greece that Costa and Althea owned, this time entirely on their own. They lay out in the sun after a swim in the clear blue sea.

‘Mum asked me when we’re getting married.’ Sophia said, reaching for a cool drink.

‘Then we should probably set a date’ Bastien replied. ‘That is, if you think we should do it’

‘It’s odd’ she said ‘I like the idea, but we’ve made our commitment to each other already. I don’t need a ceremony to know we intend to be together for the rest of our lives’

‘But perhaps other people have to acknowledge it’ Bastien pointed out ‘Plus it’s better legally, if anything should happen to one of us’

‘I could never understand my friends who started planning their weddings when they were teens’ she had said. ‘My best friend had a scrapbook and she’d collect pictures of dresses, think about venues and colour schemes and so on. I don’t think she cared who she married, and she expected it to happen before she was twenty’

‘How did that turn out?’

‘She did actually find a really nice guy to marry, but she was the original Bridezilla. He got fed up with her tantrums and stood her up at the altar – or in her case, at the beach. In Jamaica. He’d never even got on the plane to go there. Her family and friends had a wonderful holiday, but she spent the whole time crying and cursing him until one of the waiters caught her eye’ Bastien sucked his breath in between his teeth.

‘Did that put you off, theà mou?’

‘Just a little. But my wedding day wasn’t the apex of my expectations. I wanted to find someone to share my life with – and I have’

‘So what do you think we should do? What do you want?’

‘I don’t want a big wedding. A registry office would do – and a minimum of guests. In fact, just you, me and a witness would be enough. But my mother would never forgive me’

‘May I make a suggestion, then?’

‘’Of course, Bas. Fire away’

‘Why don’t we get married in Guernsey? That would please Edith, and it would keep the guest list down. We could always have a reception back here after a short honeymoon’

‘That might work. Wouldn’t Costa and Althea want to come to the wedding though?’

‘Hmmm. They’d understand if I told them we’d want to keep it small’

‘We, Bas? Are you happy with that?’

‘I think the same as you. It’s a formality – a legal piece of paper. It doesn’t compare to what we already have together. I’m happy to do whatever you want’

‘Well aren’t we a pair’ she had laughed ‘The reluctant bride and groom’

‘But enthusiastic lovers’ he joked, and swooped down on her, kissing her and picking her up to carry her inside.

So it was that they travelled to the tiny island where they had a small ceremony at the registry office with a reception at a four star hotel, arranged by her father. Some of his work colleagues attended as many of them had been impromptu Uncles when she was growing up, and a few of her school friends went too. Drake went as Bastien’s best man and representative of the Crown, being the third party in King Brad’s Cordonian marriage. It had been decided that he and Lucy would not attend, to keep the wedding low key. They had a short honeymoon on one of the smaller islands, and on their return King Brad had insisted on a lavish reception party in the Palace Ballroom. He had flown the happy couple back for the occasion in the Royal jet along with Bob and Edith.

After that, they had briefly discussed having children and decided to try as soon as they could, due to their age. Bastien had visited a sperm bank when he had a vasectomy on joining the Guard, and they were advised to try using that whilst waiting for his medical procedure to heal and his count to go up. Despite being told it would most likely take a few tries, the very first treatment worked, and Sophia had to defer taking up a job offer at Edinburgh University.

As she buttoned up Theo’s romper suit she heard the apartment door close and there was the babble of conversation in the main room.

‘You don’t look hungry, little man’ she cooed to the baby ‘Come and meet your pappous and giagià’ She picked him up, peeking into Beatrice’s cot, but she slept soundly. She resolved to come back for her, to keep the twins in synch with their naps. She had barely entered the lounge before Althea had plucked Theo from her arms with cries of delight.

‘Oh, mikros’ little one she gushed ‘I giagiá sou eínai edó’ your grandmother is here ‘Aren’t you such a delicious creature, I could eat you all up’ She turned to her husband ‘See how he looks like his father’ Costa nodded gravely, pursing his lips.

‘He does’ he said shortly, leaning over to appraise the baby. He looked up at Sophia.

‘And here is his mitera’ he smiled, and walked over to kiss her cheek. Althea only had eyes for Theo, rocking him and speaking in rapid Greek. Theo was mesmerised and gazed at her, entranced. ‘You look well, Sophia’ he said ‘I hope our Antras is looking after you and his mikra’

‘He’s very attentive. It’s good to see you, Costa. I hope the journey was okay’

‘It was very quiet – when Althea fell asleep’ he said, dropping his voice to a stage whisper.

‘You think I don’t hear you, old man?’ Althea cried ‘You’re lucky I’m holding our foster grandson. And where is his sister?’

‘I’ll get her’ Sophia said.

‘Let me come with you.’ Costa offered, and she led the way.

‘I’m sorry you can’t stay with us’ Sophia said as they went. ‘As you see, our spare room is occupied.’

‘Don’t worry my dear’ Costa boomed in his deep voice. ‘I know better than anyone how tiring Althea is to have around. We won’t stay long, we have friends to visit in the Capitol.’ As they entered the nursery Beatrice was stirring. Costa made a cooing noise as soon as he saw her.

‘Oh mikros – little princess.’ he clucked ‘Here, come to Pappous.’ and leaned over the cot, tenderly picking her up. Sophia held her breath, not knowing how she would react. She made little squeaking noises as she woke, her eyes opening to an unfamiliar face. She squinted and opened her mouth to protest but the sound of his voice lulled her as he crooned to her. He turned to Sophia.

‘They are both so dark.’ he said, referring to the shock of black hair that both children sported. ‘Your lovely blonde hair has not come through.’

‘It’s only natural.’ she smiled ‘We knew they would probably take after Bastien.’ They returned to the lounge, where Althea declared she would have to split in two in order to make the most of the babies. Costa stood facing her, and they rocked and sang to them together, doing a little dance. Bastien looked over at Sophia, whose face had lit up with joy to see the charming interaction. Theo gazed at his entertainers with fascination while Beatrice made odd little expressions and noises, waving her little starfish fingers randomly.

‘This one is musical, see?’ Althea said ‘She has a sense of rhythm. She will be a great singer or a concert pianist, just you see.’ Costa laughed.

‘Theodore is quiet and stoic like his father. Perhaps he too will be Captain of the Guard’

‘It’s a dangerous job, Pateràs. I wouldn’t wish it on him.’ Bastien commented. At that moment Beatrice decided she’d had enough of being joggled about and started to grizzle.

‘Your little princess needs her materà.’ Costa said, handing her over carefully. She made a face as if she was searching for a nipple.

‘Do you mind…?’ Sophia asked.

‘Go right ahead, I may never have fed one myself, but I would have if I could.’ Althea replied, so Sophia settled down to nurse. Theo remained in Althea’s arms, sucking his fingers and gazing back at her. ‘You need your strength, Sophia, so I brought some food for you.’ Althea sat close to her. ‘I know the palace kitchens cook for you, but I don’t think they make proper Greek food. It’s like medicine – my pastitsio will cure anything, and my moussaka would satisfy a giant.’ She nodded toward Bastien’s broad frame ‘Even our àntras there. How do you think he grew to be such a mountain of a man?’ Bastien rolled his eyes.

‘I think we might have to get a freezer of our own to store all the food Althea brought for us.’ he said drily. She turned toward him.

‘Look in the cooler bag – there’s Greek salad and dolmades and olives, and bread I baked this morning.’ Bastien shook his head, smiling.

‘You shouldn’t have, Althea’ he laughed ‘But it’s very welcome’

Before too long the dining table was set with a Greek feast, and Costa sat with Beatrice resting on his chest, making little circles on her back to bring up any wind, and Bastien had given him a napkin in case of accidents. Sophia sat nursing Theo, and Althea hovered over her with a plate full of finger food.

‘Eat, eat’ Althea urged her ‘The babies will grow fast. Start getting bigger clothes for them, you will see’ Soon it was Bastien holding Beatrice to wind her while Sophia sat at the table to eat, and Althea fussed with plates and food as if she was the host, not her foster son and partner.

At last they had done justice to the food, and Costa was the one to wash the plates while Althea played with Theo.

‘Oh, I almost forgot.’ she said suddenly, addressing Bastien. ‘I brought you something.’

‘Althea…’ he protested, but she had already handed the baby to Sophia and was rummaging in a bag. She brought out a small package and handed it over. Bastien took it curiously, and carefully unwrapped it. It was a small piece of fabric – a flowered pattern with a satin edge. He stared at it for a moment, and Sophia was shocked to see his eyes watering, hand resting on his cheek in shock.

‘Materà.’ he said, choking with emotion, struggling to keep his composure ‘I didn’t know you still had this.’ Althea went to him and put her hand on his arm. He grabbed it and kissed her fingers, tears running down his cheeks.

‘We found it when we cleared out some old boxes. I knew you’d want it.’ Her usual brusque tone was soft and tender.

‘I thought – I thought it was lost’ Bastien choked. Sophia was baffled, and she suddenly found Costa at her elbow, patting her arm. She put her hand on his, looking up in query. He spoke quietly as Bastien covered his face, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

‘It’s from a dress that his mother wore.’ he said in a low tone. ‘He kept it under his pillow until it got lost – we’re not sure exactly when. It’s the only thing that belonged to her that he had.’ Sophia already knew that Bastien had been fostered when his mother had become a drug addict and died tragically when he was a teenager.

Bastien got to his feet and shakily left the room. Costa went on to tell her that Althea had made the keepsake for him and quietly left it in his room when he was a surly and unruly teenager. They had noticed an improvement in his behaviour soon after, even though he had never acknowledged her kind action.

‘Go, he needs you.’ Althea said softly ‘The twins will be fine with us.’ Sophia handed Beatrice to her and got to her feet to follow him to the bedroom, where he sat holding the piece of fabric, tears still silently flowing down his cheeks. She sat next to him and handed him a tissue. He slowly calmed and mopped his eyes, taking a shaky breath.

‘I hated her when I was younger.’ he said hoarsely ‘But later on I realised it was a sickness that changed her, bad people who made her make the wrong choices. She never meant to hurt me.’ He turned the fabric over in his hands. ‘I wish every day she’d been stronger, been around to meet you. Now I feel as if she’s here.’ She took his hand and squeezed it.

‘She’d have been proud of you, I’m sure. I’m only just starting to understand what it’s like being a mother. I know if anyone tried to hurt our babies, I’d go out of my mind.’ He nodded.

‘Not everyone can cope with being a parent, even with the best intentions.’

‘You never had any doubt about whether you’d be a good father?’ she asked gently.

‘Of course I did, but I had Costa and Jackson to emulate’ He blew his nose. ‘And you had good examples, so I never had any doubt about you.’

‘Althea should have been more sensitive.’ Bastien smiled weakly, his eyes red but dry.

‘It’s okay Sophia, it needed to be done. They’re here to look after the twins while I process it’ He took her hand and squeezed it ‘and while you support me. It was a good time to do it’ He got up and held out his hand. ‘Speaking of which, we should get back before they need a nappy change’

‘Something tells me that wouldn’t phase either of them’ she smiled, and rose to embrace him and kiss his cheek.

@sirbeepsalot @katedrakeohd @fluffyfirewhiskey @kingliam2019 @rainbowsinthestorm @camillemontespan @texaskitten30 @bascmve01 @nomadics-stuff

#trr bastien #bastien lykel #Bastien x OC #sophia x bastien #bastien x sophia #double trouble

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backtothestart02 · 3 years

Text

Untitled | Original Fiction

A/N: Just a little something I wrote up for a short story contest that I ended up backing out of. It was supposed to be set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world and involve a heart-shaped locket in some way. Enjoy and let me know what you think or if it piqued your interest at all.

...

“It’s hot today.”

She leaned against the dusty stone of the ancient castle and watched the old rickety door of the shed in the distance as it slapped against its frame. It was a miracle the shed was still in one piece. It probably wouldn’t last much longer, not with how many storms had been rolling through lately.

Aliana lifted her head to the ceiling of the room she was in – the only room in this place that still had a ceiling intact. The crows were back. She could hear them moving on the roof. One wrong step and they’d probably fall through.

She’d have to find a new hideaway spot. The storms had been taking down all her treasure troves lately. It was only a matter of time before she lost this one too.

She fiddled with the heart-shaped locket around her neck. It had become a habit, playing with it and not taking it off to look inside.

Her sister, Sophia, had given it to her before she left the year before. Off on an adventure, away from their loveless parents and the society bearing down on them every day to be perfect or die trying. It was a wasteland that they lived in, full of greed and death and violence. If you weren’t in power your life was a ticking time bomb.

Sophia couldn’t stand it. That’s why she left.

She’d wanted to take Aliana with her, but at the time her younger sister had rose-colored glasses on, still seeing their mother as a saint and their father as a noble warrior.

Things had since changed. Not that it mattered. Rumor had it Sophia was dead. Their parents didn’t care. They’d written her off the second she walked out the door. It had taken Aliana a while to realize that. Now it was too late.

Click. Click. Caw!

Aliana gasped, her eyes going wide as she witnessed the crow falling through the weak roof and falling to the dirty floor. She watched with curiosity as it struggled to come to grips with what had happened. Inevitably it righted itself though and flew out through the glassless window, circling back to the roof, and more careful about where it stepped that second time around.

Sun now streamed directly from above in a crooked circle. Aliana stepped forward, inserted her hand into the yellow light, creating a shadow on the floor. She opened and closed her hand, the way she and Sophia used to do right before bed with candlelight. She giggled quietly, then THFWAM!

Out of nowhere a wooden arrow flew through the room and headed straight for her! If she hadn’t heard the flapping noise as it whirred past the raggedy curtains on the far side of the room, she hardly would’ve moved in time.

“Ah!”

She ducked hurriedly, staying low to the ground amid soft-covered boxes and trinkets, trying to catch sight of who had walked in on her and tried to take her life.

“Who is it? Who’s there?”

A young boy walked into the room. Soon she saw him in the light. She saw him bend down to pick something up, and then gasped, her hand flinging to her chest when she realized it was her locket that had fallen off when she’d sought a hideaway.

“Give it back!” she cried.

“Come out, and I’ll think about it.”

He laughed, and she hated how she was too afraid to claw her way out for her most precious possession.

“Put away your bow and arrow first.”

He rolled his eyes and reluctantly she peeled back the fabric under which she had hid.

“You’re a pretty girl,” he said, and she couldn’t tell if he was lying or not. “What are you doing with such an old, dirty locket?”

“My sister gave it to me,” she snapped, and stepped the three long strides it took to reach him and take her necklace back. She quickly put the necklace back around her neck. “Why did you shoot at me?”

“I thought you were a burglar.”

“Me? What would I steal? And… do you live here?”

He eyed her suspiciously, as if unsure how much she really deserved to know.

Finally, he said, “Yes, I always have.”

“I’ve never seen you.”

“I’ve seen you.”

“Is that why you shot at me?”

“Like, I said, I thought you were a burglar.”

“After all this time?” she asked.

He ignored her and instead walked into the light, then looked up and saw the beaks of two crows chattering away on top of the roof.

“Why do you come here?” he asked, at last.

She followed him, then came to a stop and shrugged.

“Why do you stay?”

CAW!

Without warning the two crows moved on top of the roof and created a bigger hole, falling down into the castle’s interior.

“Ah!” Aliana jumped back.

The boy looked at her curiously. She watched, awestruck as the crows righted themselves once more and then sat one on each of the boy’s shoulders.

“You wouldn’t survive in the wild,” he said simply, disdain in his eyes.

She pouted.

“Well, you won’t survive here much longer with his place falling apart.”

Done with the conversation, she clutched at her necklace and started to walk past him.

“And just who or what would take me down?” he dared, just as she was about to enter the grand staircase.

Aliana licked her lips and looked over her shoulder. She saw the sun melt away as a cool breeze whipped through the open windows. Then she locked eyes with the strange boy.

“The storms,” she said, and disappeared into the shadows.

#fiction #original fiction #backtothestart02 fiction #dystopia #post-apocalyptic #heart-shaped locket

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captain-s-rogers · 4 years

Text

Have A Little Faith In Me

(gif credit to the creator)

Part Two

Master List

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC // Clint Barton x OFC Word Count: 2,090 Warnings: none? A/N: Here’s the second part of the rewrite of my first ever Marvel series! Special thanks to the best bestie in the world, @arrowsandmixtapes , for making sure all of my work isn’t absolute garbage! If you want to be added to my tag list please let me know! Feedback is cool :)

The few days that passed before Steve called to arrange their date were nearly torturous. Sophia checked her phone every few minutes, tried to keep as many calls to her office phone as she could, and wondered how a dance and a drink had left such an impact on her.

When Steve did finally call, the both of them agreed not to wait any longer; they scheduled the date for that very evening. Steve suggested a restaurant in Little Italy, and Sophia quickly agreed. She was familiar with the place and simply thinking of the menu had her mouth watering.

“I really need to go shopping,” Sophia groaned, falling back onto her bed next to where Lucy was seated. Sophia had just torn through her entire wardrobe and, no matter what Lucy told her would be pretty and perfect, not one outfit seemed right to Sophia.

Lucy got up and surveyed the contents of her friend’s closet. She chuckled, “You don’t need to go shopping, you just need to breathe. You’re nervous and excited, so nothing looks right. Tell me again, where are you going?”

“Luciano’s, in Little Italy? You went there with me once before, that time Mom came into the city for her birthday. It’s small but not necessarily casual dining. Remember, she had too many glasses of wine that night and kept calling you Luciano? She couldn’t believe you wouldn’t tell her you had a restaurant named after you.”

Lucy remembered, and she giggled at the memory as she thumbed through the dresses in Sophia’s closet. After a brief consideration, she pulled out a green skater dress and a cropped black cardigan. She put them on a hanger together and held the outfit up for Sophia to see.

“He’s tall, so you can get away with pairing this with those cute black pumps I’m always trying to steal,” Lucy noted. “And this shade of green always compliments your complexion.”

“That. Is. Perfect! I can’t believe you managed to find something in all that mess.” She took the dress and sweater from her friend and immediately stripped of her comfy clothes so she could get dressed for her date.

“Well,” Lucy replied, reaching to put the hanger back in a free space on the rod, “I do know you pretty well, and I’m not freaking out at the moment.”Lucy winked at her friend, then left Sophia alone to finish getting ready.

It took another hour or so, but Sophia was finally dressed, hair and makeup done. She had decided Lucy was right about shoes and had slid her feet into her favorite pair of black pumps. Once she had packed a few essentials into the clutch that complemented her outfit, she let Lucy know she was headed to meet Steve.

“I won’t be out too late, promise.”

Lucy laughed. “Let’s hope you are. Have fun, be safe!”

The cab ride from their shared apartment in Manhattan to the agreed upon restaurant in Little Italy was nearly thirty minutes, and Sophia was brimming with excitement. Her nerves were as active as ever; her hand shook when she handed the driver a few bills for fare plus a decent tip.

After working her way through the crowd at the front of the restaurant, Sophia approached the hostess.

“I’m meeting someone, we have a reservation.” She tried to ignore the way her heart fluttered at the idea of giving someone’s name besides Lucy’s or her own. “Rogers, party of two.”

The hostess reviewed the reservation list and nodded. She plucked two menus from a nearby basket and smiled at Sophia.

“Of course, we have your table waiting. Follow me, right this way.”

The table was in the middle of the restaurant, but still spaced out enough from the others that they would be able to hold a conversation easily enough without the background noise making it difficult. Two taper candles in pretty holders were lit on either side of a votive of flowers in the middle of the table.

The waiter was quick to approach; Sophia let him know that she was waiting for her date.

“He shouldn’t be too far behind, though.” She glanced at the drinks section of the menu. “Would it be all right if I ordered a glass of wine while I wait?”

“Yes, of course. What would you like?”

Sophia gave the young man her wine order, then sat back to peruse the food options and wait for Steve to arrive.

Choosing black dress pants and a pale, blue button down shirt had been easy for Steve when it came to dressing for his date with Sophia. The black pants seemed appropriate for the occasion and venue, and he knew that the blue shirt would bring out his eyes. The tie, on the other hand, was the tough choice. He had narrowed it down to three, holding each one up in front of him, eventually narrowing the choice down to two. Before he could eliminate another choice, a knock sounded loudly from his apartment door. With a frustrated sigh, Steve tossed the ties on his bed and headed to answer the door. Hopefully it was some kid selling candy he could toss a five dollar bill at and go back to his ties.

The knocking persisted, even as he walked toward the door. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”

He was ready to give the visitor the brushoff, as he was already running a few minutes later than he would have liked, but he stopped abruptly when he saw S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury standing in the hallway.

“How often do you make house calls?” Steve quipped.

Fury walked into the apartment without waiting for an invitation. “When someone isn’t answering their phone, a house call sometimes becomes necessary.”

Steve groaned. He had left his phone on the kitchen table while ironing his shirt earlier, and hadn’t thought about it again -- he was too distracted thinking of Sophia.

“Yeah, I was ironing a shirt and --”

“Suit up, Cap. We need you.” Fury’s interruption didn’t leave much room for argument or discussion, but that hadn’t stopped Steve before.

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Are you sure you need me? I’m all for answering the call of duty, sir, but I kind of -- I have a date.”

The reason for his hesitancy seemed weak, even to his own ears, once it was out in the open. He was Captain America, after all. The mission should have been his priority.

“The head of the UN has been taken hostage in Russia, so unfortunately, your love connection is going to have to be put on hold. This is time sensitive, Captain.”

Steve went to the kitchen for his phone, but Fury stood in his path. Like a bothered teenager, Steve rolled his eyes, remembered who he was and what he stood for, and went for his suit and shield.

Thirty minutes had passed, and there was still no sign of Steve. Sophia checked her phone, disappointed that she had no messages waiting to tell her what might be holding him up. She ordered another glass of wine and waited, answering some work emails from her mobile, hoping Steve would come and interrupt her.

“Is your other party still on his way, miss? Would you like to go ahead and order?”

This was the third time the waiter had asked. She checked the time to see she had been sitting here alone for an hour now, no word from Steve. Apparently, she had been stood up. She ordered another glass of wine, a double order of garlic knots to go, then paid her check and caught a taxi home.

She had been excited and nervous on the way to Luciano’s, but now Sophia felt irate and hurt. Steve had seemed so eager to go out with her after they danced -- hell, even when they had talked to set up the date earlier that day -- she was baffled by the fact that he hadn’t shown up. She wondered silently if she should have waited a little longer, but told herself not to be silly. She’d waited an hour. That was plenty long enough. If Steve Rogers was the kind of man who played a woman and set a date without the intention of showing up, Sophia decided she was better off.

When she finally returned home, all Sophia wanted to do was have a few glasses of wine, take a hot bath, and go to bed. She sighed as she let herself into the apartment; no doubt Lucy would still be awake and have a lot of questions about her night.

“Brought home garlic knots,” Sophia announced, setting the box on the coffee table in front of where her friend sat on the couch.

“Yum,” Lucy said, perking up at just the smell. She immediately got into the box, picking up one of the knots and tearing a piece off. “Delicious.”

Sophia smiled. “I thought you’d like them.”

“You’re home way earlier than I thought,” Lucy frowned. “Ooh, did he turn out to be a dud? Did the conversation suck? Is he just good looks with nothing to back them up?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Sophia sighed, toeing off her shoes, “he never showed.”

“You’re kidding!” Lucy exclaimed, tiny crumbs of garlic knot sputtering out with her surprise. She covered her mouth and apologized. Shaking her head, she reached for another garlic knot. “You know what, Soph, fuck that guy. He clearly doesn’t deserve you. If he knew --”

“Luce, I love you, and I appreciate the my-best-friend-deserves-the-world sentiments, but right now I only want to have some wine, take a long, hot bath, and go to bed.”

“Soph...”

“Really, I’ll be fine. It’s not the first time I’ve been stood up, I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

“I know, but this guy is -- he’s, like, stupidly handsome.”

“Lucy.”

The other girl winced. “Sorry, you’re right. I’ll shut up about it. Go get your bath ready, I’ll open a bottle of wine.”

The mission to save the head of the UN was flawlessly accomplished. Steve had gotten the man out of the hostage situation safely, sat tiredly through the debriefing at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters and was now finally back home. He peeled out of his suit, set his shield against the wall, and turned to retrieve some pajama pants and a t-shirt from his dresser. He saw the shirt and pants and two ties discarded on his bed and sighed to himself. One victory, one loss for the night. Good thing he didn’t need much sleep at this point; he wasn’t going to get any.

He went to the refrigerator for a drink and spotted his phone on the table. He was still getting used to the device, which was likely why he hadn’t thought much of its absence while he was getting dressed, and why calling Sophia hadn’t been his first thought coming into the apartment. Not to mention, every clock in the house was telling him it was after three in the morning; calling now would be unwelcomed for a number of reasons, he was sure.

“Should have just called her anyway,” Steve sighed, wishing he hadn’t obeyed that part of Fury’s orders.

But, if it was this hour, maybe she was sleeping and wouldn’t answer. With a fervent hope that her voicemail would pick up and he wouldn’t bother her while she was sleeping, Steve found Sophia’s number in his contacts. He pressed the green button to make the call, letting out a relieved whoosh of breath when her voicemail picked up after a few rings.

“Sophia, it’s Steve. Steve Rogers. I’m so sorry about not making our date tonight. Something important came up, and I couldn’t get out of it. I swear, I wouldn’t have gone if it wasn’t an emergency. Is there any way you’d want to reschedule? I would still love to take you out. Just give me a call back and let me know either way. It’s Steve, by the way, not sure if I mentioned that. Right, okay.”

He hit the red button to end the call and tossed the phone away. The voicemail was a feeble attempt to get her to talk to him, and Steve could only hope that she would at least agree to talk to him so he could do a better job of apologizing when he wasn’t a couple hours out from a mission and his mind wasn’t so worn out.

@arrowsandmixtapes @the-murder-strut-murdered-me @growningupgeek @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan @captain-rogers-beard @kitkatd7 @patzammit @sagechanoafterdark @what-is-your-plan-today

#steve rogers #clint barton #steve rogers fanfic #clint barton fanfic

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rachelkaser · 3 years

Text

Stay Golden Sunday: Big Daddy’s Little Lady

Blanche’s father returns with a new fiancée who’s younger than his daughter. Dorothy and Rose write the world’s greatest song about Miami.

Picture It...

Sophia is skimming the obituaries for recent deaths to see if there are any widowers she can pick up for a date, to Dorothy’s disapproval. Rose enters, excited about a songwriting contest. It’s for a song about Miami, and there’s a $10,000 prize pool for the winner. Rose wants to enter, saying she’s written songs before, but Dorothy swiftly realizes her lyric-writing abilities are lacking. She offers her own experience poetry-writing and they agree to write up the song together. Blanche enters the kitchen just in time to get a phone call from her father. He’s apparently got a surprise for Blanche and is coming that weekend to reveal it.

DOROTHY: We could be the next Rodgers and Hammerstein! The next Simon and Garfunkel! The next-- ROSE: Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop! DOROTHY: ...I don’t think i could get my hand that far up your dress. But I’ll tell you, for $10,000 I’d be willing to give it a shot.

Rose and Dorothy are working at a piano in the living room (how they got a piano isn’t really explained), testing to see how Dorothy’s lyrics and Rose’s tune go together. The music is good, but requires messing with the lyrics. The two quickly get into a dispute over the word “thrice” and are forced to take a break. Dorothy says there are some words, such as “intrauterine” that don’t belong in a song (not that it stops Rose from trying). Blanche enters, as her father is about to arrive.

Mr. Hollingsworth arrives and delivers yet more compliments to both his daughter and to Sophia. (Sophia: “Get out the boots. He’s back.”) He tells Blanche that he’s met a widow named Margaret Spencer and they’ve been seeing each other for some time. Blanche wants to meet her, and Big Daddy reveals his surprise: He and Margaret are getting married. Blanche shrieks in glee and offers to throw the wedding herself, to which Big Daddy agrees.

youtube

Rose and Dorothy are trying out their latest composition before Blanche, and it’s going well until Blanche points out that the lyrics “M-I-A-M-I spells Miami Beach” aren’t accurate. Rose and Dorothy bicker about it, with Dorothy challenging Rose to come up with a rhyme for “Miami,” and Rose coming up with salami, pronounced “sah-lammy.” Blanche leaves the room to go prepare for the wedding caterer to arrive. There’s a ring at the bell, and Dorothy answers to admit a beautiful redhead, in her 40s at the oldest, who introduces herself as Margaret Spencer.

Rose, Dorothy, and Blanche, who enters at that moment, are surprised that Big Daddy’s squeeze is so young and attractive. Margaret attempts to make polite conversation with Blanche, who starts making barbed remarks about how young Margaret is. Coincidentally Big Daddy arrives and Dorothy and Rose quickly usher Margaret out to the lanai before the fireworks start. Blanche tells Big Daddy that she thinks Margaret is a “gold-digging hussy” and he’s making a fool of himself. Offended, Big Daddy takes Margaret and leaves, saying he’ll cut Blanche off if she can’t respect his decisions.

ROSE: Sometimes two people who seem to have the least in common turn out to be the most in love. That was certainly the case with Ollie Nofstetlermeyer and Molly Jane Doe. BLANCHE: “Ollie and Molly?” Must we take yet another trip to Petticoat Junction?

Later that night, Dorothy and Rose are having songwriter’s block and meet with Sophia in the kitchen for cheesecake. Blanche, still stressed about the situation with her father, enters and asks for a piece. They try to tell her that it’s not that bad, and older men frequently date younger women. Rose tells a St. Olaf story to prove her point about how love has no boundaries -- and it’s not anyone’s business. Blanche protests that it’s her business and decides to go confront them at their hotel. As she leaves, she drops a line that gets Dorothy and Rose’s creative juices flowing.

Blanche arrives at the hotel and asks to talk to her father. She tells him that she understands how being older and being a widower, he must be lonely, but doesn’t understand why he wants to marry such a younger woman. Big Daddy responds that it’s very difficult to watch the person you love die, and to find love again. Blanche thinks he means her mother, but he was actually referring to Margaret, whose first husband died years earlier after a long illness.

BLANCHE: Sophia, you know people in their 70s and 80s can have great sex. SOPHIA: Yeah, with people in their 70s and 80s. Put me in a bedroom with Tom Cruise, and you’d be peeling me off the ceiling.

Blanche, stunned at this news, apologizes for being so protective of her father. He says he and Margaret still want her blessing, and Margaret returns just then. Blanche tells Margaret that she’s glad they both want the best for Big Daddy and welcomes the other woman into her family. They hug as Big Daddy looks on with a smile. Sometime later, Blanche shows Sophia a postcard from the honeymoon, and Sophia congratulates her on handling it well.

Rose and Dorothy return from the songwriting contest looking glum. Blanche asks how they did, and they say they came in second place. But they don’t have anything to show for it, and they were treated rudely while at the contest. Blanche asks to hear their song, and they put up a token resistance before running over to the keyboard. We close out the episode with the best musical moment of the entire series.

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“Rose, play or die.”

Big Daddy returns just a few episodes after he made his first appearance, played by David Wayne following the death of Murray Hamilton. His decisions continue to be a bit questionable, but his decision to marry a gorgeous redhead half his age is a bit more understandable than his decision to try and hack it as a singer. However, his story is completely eclipsed by the songwriting part of the episode. But more on that in a moment.

ROSE: [telling a St. Olaf story] A lot people don’t know this, but the family drama Hey, That’s My Tractor got its start right there. DOROTHY: Wasn’t the musical version called Hey Hey, That’s My Tractor?

Blanche learns the same lesson this episode that she did in the previous episode Big Daddy was in (and that Rose learned when her mother was visiting), which is basically, “Don’t treat your parent like a child who needs correcting just because they make choices with which you don’t agree.” It’s getting a little repetitive, but to give her the benefit of the doubt, I do think Big Daddy's behavior is a little more worrying than Alma Lindstrom’s was.

Big Daddy’s been very blithe about his lifestyle choices in both episodes, and I don’t know if it’s just the inherent privilege of being a rich, older man that he doesn’t seem to realize how unusual his actions are. Starting a country-western singing career in your 80s and selling all your property to do it is worrying no matter which way you slice it. And while marrying a beautiful younger woman isn’t as bad, the fact that he says he didn’t tell Blanche because, “I didn’t think age mattered to you,” is either extremely naïve or nakedly manipulative, with his previous behavior making me lean towards the former.

BLANCHE: Rose, Dorothy, smell me! DOROTHY: I only do that with the milk, Blanche, you know the rules.

I’m all in favor of loving whoever makes you happy, but let’s be honest: Marrying a woman younger than your adult daughter, no matter how much you might genuinely love her (the wife, I mean), is unusual and not always indicative of a healthy partnership. Not telling your daughter about it and then acting shocked when she finds out and assumes the younger woman is taking advantage is the epitome of head-in-sandedness (I used to call this “ostriching,” but fun fact: Burying their heads is not a thing ostriches actually do).

I’ve learned via my usual sources that this episode originally featured much more dialogue from Margaret Spencer. Lots of Big Daddy’s dialogue was originally hers, or at least so actress Sondra Currie tells it (her friends said the finished episode features so much of the back of her head she might as well be auditioning for a shampoo commercial). I wonder if some of the lines, such as Margaret’s backstory about her late husband or the assertion that age doesn’t matter to her and Big Daddy, would have sounded better coming from her. I suppose we’ll never know.

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Unfortunately for Big Daddy, we’re now 2-for-2 on episodes featuring him where the B-plot is significantly more interesting than the A-plot in which he features. Dorothy and Rose writing a song together and performing several iterations of it throughout the episode is just the best thing. The fact that this part of the episode is so memorable is why I feel comfortable giving it five slices even when I’m not crazy about the Big Daddy storyline.

Watching Dorothy and Rose clash over the piano is just perfect writing, and even their “bad” songs are better than a lot of other songs I’ve heard. I honestly can’t come up with anything else to say about it -- if you’ve seen the episode you know why every single part of the episode as it relates to their songwriting is solid gold and needs no introduction. Everything from “intrauterine” to “salamee” is worth a laugh, and the final song is a banger and I will fight anyone who says differently.

DOROTHY: You know, Rose, I have to confess I dabbled a little in poetry-writing in high school. ROSE: Oh, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of tall girls who couldn’t get dates wrote poetry in high school. [...] ROSE: Blanche, Dorothy and I have decided to enter a songwriting contest together! BLANCHE: Oh, now that sounds like fun! You know, I always wanted to write a song, but it’s kinda like writing poetry, which I was never any good at. Only the tall girls who couldn’t get dates ever seemed to be good at poetry.

Though they should have won the contest, I’m glad they didn’t win, because apparently part of the prize was having your picture taken with Anita Bryant -- who is infamously against gay rights and has campaigned to have them either revoked or not put in place at all, so fuck her. She also berated her granddaughter, Sarah Green, when she came out as gay, saying that homosexuality is a “delusion invented by the devil.” So again, fuck her. Fuck her in particular.

I’m a little disappointed Sophia didn’t have much to do this episode. It’s always a shame when the episode doesn’t give a lot of screentime. She’s only got two minor scenes related to trying to pick up dates from recently widowed men, which is fairly banal as far as humor goes, even if it does provide a counterpoint to Big Daddy dating a much-younger widow. Kind of makes me wonder why Big Daddy didn’t try dating Sophia since he always seems so impressed with her, though Sophia’s complete lack of patience with all things Southern would have quickly put an end to that.

Episode rating: 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰 (five cheesecake slices out of five)

Favorite part of the episode:

Once more, for the road:

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#golden girls #stay golden #stay golden sunday #s05e06 #picture it #dorothy zbornak #blanche devereaux #rose nylund #sophia petrillo

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xsixxx · 4 years

Text

Bad Influence - Chapter 11

Word Count - 5.4K

Authors Note - It's been a while! 👋🏻 About 4 months I think 😬 If there are any Bad Influence fans actually left out there, I'm so sorry & I love you. I had a really fuckin shitty last few months of 2019 & because of that, I kinda stopped doing the stuff I enjoy, writing this fanfic & using this blog being one of them.

Then I tried to come back before I was ready 😂 I wrote this chapter out about 2 months ago, but never bothered to post it bcos I didn't care enough about it. But I've recently returned to it, rewrote it & remembered why I fuckin love writing this fanfic. So I'm super excited to post this chapter & I hope you don't all hate it after how long it's been 😂 It's a bit rough bcos I'm getting back into it & I'm kinda rusty!

I love you guys for baring with me, I can't wait to get back into writing this fic for you 🖤

Warnings - Um, the f word is used in like every sentence oops, some implied smut when Nikki is remembering (choking trigger warning), I guess 'violence' but not really violence???, a whole lot of angst & a teeny bit of fluff at the end

Tags - @cruecifymesixx @freddiessmallnipples @queen-crue @scarecrowmax @lovesick-heart0 @littlesunnymoon @80sheart-strings @cranberrirolls @inthebackofmycarlaytheirbodies @versnatasha @zoenicolesetser @crazysaladchopshop @ggorehorror @lunamadhatter99 @justtryingtoovercome @chaoticvybe @you-know-im-a-dreamer @eightiesrockbaby @valentines-in-london @xrosegoldwolfx @fupatroopaa @lilypetite88 @this-blog-must-be-the-place @ashleecrue @lauravic @dark-princess99 @unknownoblivion @mgkobsessed @antheasnow @rockaholi @nassauartist @sparxx27

(there's one bit where Nikki is glaring across the bar at a character & this gif is spot on)

*Nikkis POV*

I drummed my fingers to the sound of a guitar as I watched Mick do his thing through the glass of the recording booth, his fingers working magic as he played the riff to Looks That Kill.

Fuck, that weird little guy could play.

“Nikki, this song is gonna fucking kill!” Tommy yelled enthusiastically, beating his drumsticks on the arm of the battered couch his was lounging on.

I smiled weakly back at him, my nerves keeping me from matching his excitement. “I hope so,” I mumbled. I look around the studio, basking in the enormity of where we were right now. Mötley was recording their second album & my nerves were shot. It had to be perfect. It had to do well.

“Stop stressing man, everyone’s gonna fucking freak over this album, I just know it!” He replied, smiling encouragingly, his usual Tommy level of positivity feeling sickeningly sweet, but still, I nodded at him gratefully. “So we hitting up The Whisky or what tonight boys?” He continued, addressing Vince as well as me, who was pouting on the couch next to him.

I chuckled without amusement, shaking my head. “Fuck no, not a chance I’m going in there yet.”

Tommy scowled at me. “Sixx, come on dude, you cant avoid the place forever. Plus, she might not even be working tonight!”

“I’m not risking it! I’m not gonna be able to enjoy the night if she’s there, judging my every fucking move, you know how she is.” I replied, rolling my eyes.

“So you’ve still not talked to her since..” Tommy trailed off, awkwardly. But Vince happily picked up from where he’d left off.

“Since you lead her on, fucked her & then blew her off?” He snapped arrogantly, instantly causing my jaw to tense.

“Don’t fucking start with me, Vinny. I’m not in the mood.”

“Oh, you mean you don't wanna hear about what a dick you were? What a surprise.” The sarcasm thick in his voice.

I slammed my hand down on the recording table & stood up sharply. “The fuck is your problem, man?” I snarled, his attitude & the mounting stress from the album mixing together to create a dangerous cocktail of anger & belligerence.

“My problem?” He questioned, standing up to meet my stare. “My problem is you Sixx. Beths a good fucking girl, what you did was real messed up, I should fucking floor you again for how you treated her. You owe the chick an apology at the goddamn least.” He spat, his anger in Beths defence honourable, but fucking irritating.

I chuckled arrogantly at his misplaced valiance. “Give it up the knight in shining armour act Vinny, I didn’t see you rushing to commit to her when she was getting your dick wet.”

I saw the danger flash in his eyes as he took a warning step towards me. “I didn’t fuck her & leave either.” He hissed, the venom in his voice palpable.

“Aw, did I upset your girlfriend?” I joked patronisingly, very aware that I was pushing it too far, but yet I couldn’t help myself, Vince acting all high & mighty was really starting to piss me off.

Vinces eyes narrowed sharply & I saw his hands ball into fists at his side. “Like I said, she’s a good girl. She didn’t deserve that.” He said through his teeth, the strain to keep calm evident in his voice.

I smirked at him amused, looking him up & down. “Whatcha gonna do Vince? Hit me again? Defend her honour? She’s a chick dude & a stuck up one at that. And she ditched your ass if you remember, you should be thanking me.” I laughed, shrugging.

“You know what Sixx, you’re an asshole. You know as well as I do that Beth isn’t another fucking groupie to this band. Nah, I didn’t wanna date her, but I like her- We all like her.” He corrected himself quickly.

“Vinny’s right man, I’m not taking sides, but Beths cool & I kinda do like having her around!” Tommy piped up, nodding.

“Fuck off T-Bone, you only want her around because you know as soon as she goes, so does your uptight piece of ass.” I shot at him, my frustration with the pair of them growing at a dangerous rate.

“Dude c’mon, there’s no need..”

I cut Tommy off viciously. “What the fuck has happened to this band?!” I shouted, shoving Vince out of my face. “Since when do we give this much of a fuck about chicks?! Look at where we are?!” I gestured around the recording studio. Mick had stopped playing & had casually lit a cigarette as he watched us bickering through the sound-proof glass. “This is what’s important. Now I’m going for a fucking smoke, this conversation is done & when I come back in we’re gonna record a fucking album, got it?!”

I barged out of the studio, flicked open my lighter & sparked up my cigarette, leaning back against the wall as I took in a shaky drag, my anger still surface level. I exhaled & closed my eyes, feeling the May sun warm my face & start to melt my mood away.

What was everyone’s fuckin’ obsession with this girl?!

Yeah she was cool, but she’s still a chick. And chicks = trouble.

I let my mind wander back to the look she gave me as she lay beneath me, my hand around her throat as she came undone & smirked to myself as I lifted the cigarette back to my smug lips. She was so worth the chase.

But Christ, I’m supposed to feel bad because I don’t want all that cutesy shit afterwards? No. Beth knew me, we’d had enough arguments about the kinda guy I am, she did this to herself. Not my fault that she thought she meant anything more to me than any one of those other girls. She was a fuck. A good fuck. But a fuck nonetheless.

I took another drag as the image of Beth sat in her bed with that stung look on her face snuck its way involuntarily into my mind. I could see those hurt tears & hear her bitter words ordering me to leave. I couldn’t help the pang of guilt in my stomach that accompanied the image.

She’s a fuckin’ chick, Nikki. Chicks = trouble, I recited to myself, rubbing my face roughly with my hands, almost in hope that I could scrub away the memory of her pained face. Get over it man, it’s done.

I sharply exhaled the last of my smoke before throwing it aggressively to the floor, somehow more frustrated than I was before.

Time to go record a fuckin’ album.

*Later*

*Beths POV*

I smoothed out the material of the tiny black dress I was wearing as I pouted my lips at my reflection in the mirror, appreciating the sight of myself all dolled up & ready to forget all about Nikki fucking Sixx.

I flashed an all too familiar looking smirk at myself before I spun around of my sky high heels & strutted out of the ladies bathroom & back over to Sophia who was waiting at the bar, two drinks in hand. She winked at me as I got closer, holding out one of the glasses for me to take.

“Girl, you look unreal! If we weren’t here trying to pull for you, I’d take you home right now,” she laughed, nudging me & winking again.

I let out a laugh as I took a swipe at her arm, “I am not here trying to pull!” I insisted, not even managing to fool myself. It’d been a little over a week since I went from the all time high of fucking Nikki to the crashing low of realising I meant nothing to him in a matter of minutes & I’d laid around feeling sorry for myself ever since. Well, not tonight. I was gonna find a guy & I was gonna remind myself what a goddamn catch I am.

“Oh Beth, there’s a reason you’re wearing that dress tonight & girl, it ain’t for the coverage,” she giggled as I took another playful swipe. “Hey, there’s no judgements here! I’d want a good lay after the emotional rollercoaster that has been Nikki Sixx!”

I raised my eyebrows at her as she quickly mimed locking her lips. “Sorry, sorry, we don’t mention that name, my bad.”

I shook my head. “It’s fine, I’m over it,” I lied. “But, if a cute guy wants to buy me a drink & maybe show me a good time, I’m not gonna say no.” I shrugged as we both burst into a fit of giggles, before I took a long sip of the very strong cocktail.

“Well that sounds like my queue.” Came a smooth voice from behind me. I turned to face the handsome stranger who was stood leaning casually against the bar, eyebrow cocked as his eyes scanned up & down my body, drinking in the sight of me. “You have excellent timing.” I blushed, appreciating his good looks right back. He was classically good looking, with blonde hair & a chiselled jaw, dressed smart in a shirt that hugged his toned physique & muscular arms just enough to spark a little intrigue as to what lay underneath. He was the exact opposite to Nikki in every physical way. Where Nikki was unruly & unkept, this guy was clean shaven & well groomed. He wore no leather or studs & his smile was friendly & genuine, not smug & he wasn’t dripping in arrogance.

“I’m Daniel.” He introduced himself, holding out a hand for me to shake. I looked into his electric blue eyes & blushed once again.

“Beth, it’s nice to meet you.” I replied as smoothly as I could.

“& I’m Sophia, but I guess no-one asked,” she piped up mockingly, winking at me. “Now Dan, unless you’ve got a cute, single friend for me, I’m gonna get outta your way & go for a dance.” Soph smirked, grabbing her drinking & flouncing off towards the dance floor, blowing us a kiss as she did.

We both let out a laugh. “She seems great,” Daniel said as I nodded, taking a sip of my drink. “She mentioned something about an emotion rollercoaster though? I hope I’m not stepping on anyone’s toes?” He queried.

I swallowed my drink before letting out a little laugh. “Not at all, there are no toes to be stepping on, don’t worry.”

“Well good, I’m glad. I’m surprised though, a gorgeous girl like you doesn’t have a man. You’re sure there’s no-one, because you seem way too good to be true!” He flirted, as I laughed

“Oh you’re smooth.” I teased, “but no, there’s absolutely no-one.” I answered, pushing any & all thoughts & feelings I might have towards Nikki Sixx out of my mind.

*Little later*

“Wow, so you’re a doctor?” I asked, impressed.

Daniel laughed, shaking his head. “I wish! I’m a med student currently, but that’s the hope one day.”

“What made you wanna get into medicine then?”

He paused for a second, his warm smile faltering for a brief moment & I sensed his hesitation to answer. “I, um, lost my dad when I was younger. Spent a lot of time in hospitals with him when he got sick. I remember watching all these doctors around me taking care of people, helping, curing.. They seemed like superheroes to me back then. After we lost my dad, I knew I wanted to help people, be one of those people that kids could look up to in the same way I did, yanno?”

I nodded, smiling at his compassion & genuineness.

“Sorry, bit heavy for a first meet, I know.” He laughed awkwardly.

“Not at all!” I replied, “I asked the question, you just answered it honestly, I appreciate that.”

As Daniel carried on talking about his studies, I couldn’t help but admire him. THIS was the kinda guy I was supposed to end up with. Smart, hot as hell, a brilliant career ahead of him, goals, aspirations.. He was exactly the kinda man I could take home to my father. Daniel was everything I should want & he was actually interested in me.

And yet, I still felt that unwanted & yet infuriatingly all-to-familiar flame ignite the second I heard his voice drift over from the bar.

“Jack & coke please darlin’.”

Nikkis voice hit me like a slap in the face & rush desire all at once & I immediately froze, my body unsure how to react to my contrasting emotions.

“Are you ok?” Daniel asked, reaching out & touching my arm, concern written across his face. I flinched as his touch, still lost somewhere in Nikkis voice, & snatched my arm away instinctively.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ Started Daniel, his concern look now laced with panic.

“N-no, its fine honestly, its not you, its just..” I drifted off, briefly glancing behind me, trying to pin a location on the voice. My eyes caught sight of the four of them standing at the bar, waiting on their drinks. Nikki was dressed in his usual leather trousers, torn at the knees, & combat boots & a torn up shirt. His hair almost appeared messier than usual & he had a cigarette hanging from his lips. He couldn’t have been more different from the sharp, handsome man sat opposite me.

Daniel followed my line of sight & spotted the literal motley crew. Nikki was already hitting on the bar maid, distracting her whilst Tommy & Vince reached over & stole a bottle from behind the bar; all whilst Mick stood by, watching disapprovingly & swigging from his trademark flask.

“You know them?” Daniel asked hesitantly.

“Nope.” I replied bluntly, snapping back to reality & turning back to him. “I fancy getting out of here though, you wanna head back to mine, continue the drinking there?”

Daniel looked a little taken a back at the upfront offer as I stood up & downed the last of my drink, but I was fairly certain he wouldn’t refuse. I didn’t care either way at this point, I just needed out of here.

“Um sure-“

“Great, I’ll go find Sophia..”

“She’s over there, talking to those guys you apparently don’t know.” Dan stated, his tone now flat & a little judgemental as he raised an eyebrow at me.

“Look, Daniel, I don’t wanna get into it, but its better we just leave.” I said, hoping to avoid any questions, but his face was growing more unimpressed by the second. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you Dan, ok? But I can’t be here right now, so I gotta go. I’d, um, I’d like you to join me.. If you want to, of course. I mean, you don’t have to..” I mumbled, suddenly very aware & embarrassed by how he must be viewing me in that moment.

I saw his eyes narrow at my discomfort &, I’m assuming against his better judgement, he nodded & stood up to join me. “I’m not sure what’s happening here, but I’ve enjoyed getting to know you too & maybe you could fill me in on why you’re running away over that drink at yours?” He asked, a little suspicious but friendly. I nodded, giving him a small smile.

We started towards the exit when I felt a pair of hands snake around my waist & lift me excitedly into the air. I squealed in shock & suprise as Tommy span me around before placing me back on my feet.

“Beth! I cant believe you guys are here, what’re the chances? Soph said you came here to avoid us & we came here because Sixx wanted to avoid you! How fuckin’ funny is that?” He said, roaring with laughter, his hand resting on his stomach as he struggled to regain control on his amusement.

“Tommy.” I said sternly, shooting him a look that told him to shut the hell up. He quickly stood up straight, coughing a little to hide his laughter, before glancing over towards Daniel.

“Hey, who’s this? I’m Tommy dude, how ya doing?” He said, offering out his hand enthusiastically.

“Daniel, I’m good man, how’re you?” He answered, accepting the handshake hesitantly.

“I’m good? Hey, you wanna come meet the rest of the guys?” Tommy offered enthusiastically, without a second thought as to why that might not be such a good idea.

“Actually T-Bone, we’re just heading out.” I replied sharply, giving him another warning look.

“Ok, ok,” he laughed, holding his hands up in defeat as he got the hint. “It was nice to meet you man!” Tommy smiled at Dan, who nodded awkwardly back to him before T-Bone practically bounced back over to the bar.

“Don’t know them huh?” Daniel asked, his voice oozing with sarcasm suddenly, making me cringe.

“I’m sorry, they’re just.. A lot, ok?” I tried to explain, frustrated, mainly with myself.

“What’s the deal with this one?” Asked Dan, gesturing towards Nikki, who was leaning against the bar, sipping on his Jack & coke, his eyes fixed coldly on he two of us.

“That’s the, um.. Emotional rollercoaster.” I answered sheepishly, coughing to distract from my amounting discomfort, whilst simultaneously avoiding the eyes of both Nikki & Dan.

“Right.. Well, your rollercoaster is on his way over here.”

Fuck.

I glanced up to see Nikki, in all his arrogance, strolling towards us, his usual smirk fixed in place.

“I’m so sorry for whatever he says.” I quickly whispered to Dan, before Nikki came to a stop in front of us. I watched his eyes scan up & down Daniel, obvious sizing him up without an ounce of subtlety, before he turned his attention to me.

“Leaving without introducing us, Lizzy?” He drawled, the pretension thick in his voice.

“Yes Nikki, I am. So if you’d like to move-“

He cut me off, his focus back on Daniel. “I’m Nikki Sixx,” he stated, without the courtesy of a handshake.

“Daniel,” Dan replied, flatly, seemingly glad there was no extended hand to shake.

“And how do you know the lovely Lizzy here, Dan?” Nikki asked, his smirk never once faltering.

“We just met tonight, but we’re justing heading back to hers, if you don’t mind.” Dan replied simply, taking my hand.

“Oh but you see, I do mind.” Nikki stated bluntly, his smile as wide as it was dark as he side stepped back in front of Dan who had tried to manoeuvre round him. “Lizzy here is what we like to call a groupie & we,” he gestured towards the rest of the band behind him, “don’t particularly like sharing.”

“Oh fuck you, Sixx.” I scoffed, my face growing hot with a mix of anger & embarrassment. I turned to look at Dan, cringing at his raised eyebrow & gave him an apologetic look. “Don’t listen to him, he’s just being an asshole, I’m not a groupie.”

“Really?!” Nikki replied, dragging out the word dramatically as his shit eating grin somehow managed to grow wider. “Because I remember fucking you about a week ago & my boy Vince over there,” he pointed to at the very pissed off looking lead singer, “swears he remembers fucking you not long before that? Or are with both mistaken? I mean, there are a lot of you girls, you do all kinda look the same.. Feel the same too.” He chuckled darkly, shooting me a sly look. I glared at him with an expression so deadly that dared him to carry on. He rose to the challenge. “I tell you what though buddy,” Nikki continued, leaning into Dan so he was speaking into his ear, but just loud enough for me to catch what he was saying, “if you’re heading back to hers you’re in for a treat. She’s got the mouth of a motherfuckin’ Angel.” He finished, glancing over at me & winking. I was prepared to fly at him in a blind rage, fists balled, ready to wipe that smug smile off of his face permanently, when Dan spoke up, in a voice so peaceful & gentle, that it made his words seem somehow harsher.

“You are an arrogant piece of shit. I’ve been sat with this girl for the last hour & I spend a minute in your presence & it’s immediately clear to me that she’s way too good for you. But I’m sure she’ll realise that in her own time.” Daniel turned back to me, his expression stoney & irritated, but I could swear there was a hint of sympathy in his eyes. “If you ever get off of this rollercoaster doll, you know where you can find me.” He said, letting go of my hand as he stepped around the unmoving Nikki.

“Daniel, wait..” I caught him by the arm & quickly stepped in his path, stopping him.

“Beth, you seem like a great girl & I don’t think I’ve ever hit it off so quickly with someone like I have with you. But it’s obvious you have something with that guy & I’m not really interested in competing with him for your attention.”

I nodded slowly, knowing his words were fair. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. And I mean it, if you decide to get off the rollercoaster.. I can probably offer you a slightly calmer ride. A carousel maybe?” Dan winked, laughing as I let out a light giggle. His blue eyes focused on mine, sending a surge of electricity through my body that momentarily extinguished the flame that Nikki somehow always managed to light. I lifted my lips & placed them softly on Daniels for the briefest second, before pulling away.

“Thank you.” I whispered.

His eyes lingered on my lips for a second, silently asking for more, before he came back to reality & gave me a genuine smile. “It was nice to meet you Beth. I do hope I get to see you again”, he nodded, before kissing my cheek & heading for the door.

I stood still for a second, gathering my thoughts & regaining my composure, before walking towards the bar where the Crüe & Sophia were stood, trying to act as if they hadn’t been watching.

I had barely made it over to them before Nikki was straight in there with his sly comments, immediately trying to get under my skin.

“Aw was Prince Charming not happy to hear the Princess was actually a band slu-“

Nikki didn’t get the chance to finish his insult. He was silenced by the remainder of my drink soaking him as I threw it at him furiously, dousing his arrogance with my cocktail.

“That is for thinking you have any right to chase away a good guy just because your petty, selfish ass is jealous.” I spat. “And this..”

The loud crack of my hand slapping him sharply across the face echoed around the bar, followed by the whooping of Vince & Tommy. I even caught a glimpse of Mick smirking.

Nikki recoiled, his hand flying to his crimson cheek, shock & fury on his face. But his rage couldn’t match mine. I grabbed his face roughly, my hand cupping his chin & cheeks, forcing him to meet my wrathful glare.

“That is for fucking me & leaving me like I was one of your whores.” I seethed, my voice quiet & dangerous.

Nikkis face went from white hot anger to an ice cold stare in an instant as he straightened up, pushing me off of him as he did. He took a step towards me, but I didn’t move an inch. I was way too fucking angry to back down.

“Listen Princess, you’re fucking lucky I’m not a bad guy-“ he began, but my sharp laugh rang loud, cutting him off.

“Not a bad guy?! Nikki, are you really that delusional?! You’ve done nothing but purposely fuck with my head from the day I met you. You’ve insulted me, dragged me down to your level, used me, screwed my chances with two different guys & for what?!” I screamed, tears threatening to form. “No, you know what?! You're fucking lucky Sixx, I’m not gonna do this here. I’m done. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

I span around, ready to make my dramatic exit, when I came face to face with a very happy looking band manager, Doc. He clearly couldn’t care less about our drama as he marched over to us like nothing was happening.

“Bartender, a round of shots for these boys & their girlfriends. We need to celebrate;”

“The fuck are you talking about Doc?” Snapped Nikki, his eyes still fixed on me.

“Boys, you’re in!" He announced, unable to hide his obvious pleased-with-himself smirk "I've just been told that Mötley Crüe have been offered a last minute slot to play alongside the likes of Judas Priest, Scorpions, Van Halen & The Prince of fucking Darkness, Ozzy fucking Osbourne at the US Festival on Memorial Day weekend!” Doc exclaimed, laughing as the band began shouting & whooping, looking disbelieved & excited as hell. Choruses of “are you serious?!” & “you’re fucking kidding!” we’re passed between them as Doc reassured them that they were on their way up.

In that moment, watching these guys I’d grown to love over the last couple of years get the break they worked so hard for, I couldn’t be mad. I watched as Tommy jumped on Nikkis back, Vince hugged Doc & Mick silently smirked to himself. They deserved this.

Doc handed me & Sophia a shot as we congratulated them all, although I couldn’t quite bring myself to share my enthusiasm with Nikki. But he was too busy to notice as he held up his shot glass in a toast.

“To us! We’ve got an old man, a kid drummer, a cover band singer & a fucking run away. Win it all or loose it all, we’re Mötley fucking Crue!” He yelled, his excitement & energy almost infectious, as much as I wanted to hate him.

“To you guys!” Sophia cheered, laughing as we all downed our shots.

“Let’s get another round in, we’re celebrating! And pour one for yourself gorgeous.” Vince called to the barmaid who was more than happy to oblige, blushing as he winked at her, turning on the Vince Neil charm that would assure she’d be going home with him at the end of the night. I remember that well, I chuckled to myself.

The atmosphere of the night had changed so dramatically from what it was 10 minutes previously, everyone’s anger & awkwardness forgotten in the wake of such elating news. I looked around all the happy faces; Vince flirting with the bar maid, Tommy all over a giggling Sophia, Mick & Doc eagerly discussing set lists & felt an overwhelming sense of misplacement. After all that had happened, I just couldn’t bring myself to match their enthusiasm, not tonight.

I noticed Nikki's gaze focused on me, his face betraying his now obvious guilt as he watched me stand alone, uncomfortable & upset. His sudden success had clearly snapped him out of his petty, jealous mood.

Uninterested in an apology from him, I let my eyes continue to scan the room, looking anywhere but at him, when Sophia glanced over, catching my eye & gestured for me to join in. I forced my best smile as I walked over to her & Tommy.

“Take another shot Reynolds!” Tommy shouted, pushing a shot glass of mysterious liquid at me. I laughed politely as I shook my head.

“Thanks, but no thanks T-Bone. I think I’m actually gonna shoot yanno, I’m getting pretty tired.” I lied.

“Beth, don’t leave, please?” Tommy pleaded, his face suddenly serious, moving away from Soph & towards me.

“T-Bone, it’s not a big deal honestly, you guys enjoy your celebrations!”

“Just talk to him. I know the fucker doesn’t deserve it, Beth, I know. But he cares for you more than you think, I promise. We all do.” He added, placing his hand in mine & giving it a squeeze as he flashed me a goofy half smile.

I gave him a half smile & squeezed his hand back. “I know Tommy & I love you guys, I really do. But I can’t be around him, its.. it’s too hard.” I muttered back, so quietly it was almost inaudible above the music playing in the bar. But Tommy caught it.

“You care for him too, don’t you?” He asked, just as quietly.

I nodded, my eyes filling with tears. “God knows why T-Bone, he’s made it clear he doesn’t care about me. I’m just another girl he fucked.” I sniffed, furiously wiping away my tears before anyone noticed.

“Beth, Sixx is a dick. I’ve watched him fuck over chick after chick who was convinced they’d tame him & he tosses them without a second thought. But not you. I don’t know what the fuck goes on in Nikkis head, but that fucker cares about you. So please, don’t ditch us all just because you think he doesn’t.”

“I’m sorry Tom, I know he’s your friend & you wanna see the best in him, but you’re wrong. Nikki Sixx only cares about himself.” I replied, straightening my posture & regaining my composure. I pulled Tommy into a tight hug & congratulated him again. “I’ll see ya around T-Bone, I’m sure.” I winked, gesturing towards Sophia.

He laughed, “I’ll look after her.”

I blew him a kiss before heading towards the door, not wanting to disturb anyone else’s night with my drama.

“Lizzy, wait up.” I heard Nikkis voice call. I closed my eyes briefly, choosing whether to stop or keep going. I chose the latter & walked swiftly out of the door, pretending I hadn’t heard.

But my ignorance was in vain & he was right behind me, following suit out of the bar.

“Nikki please, just go back-“

My sentence was cut short by his lips crashing onto mine. I froze, feeling anger, lust & passion sweep through my body as my brain tried to compute the correct emotional response. I pushed him away sharply, deciding anger overwhelmed any feelings I had towards him.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?! Are you asking for another slap?!”

“Lizzy, I’m sorry ok?” He blurted out, clearly uncomfortable with apologies.

“You’re sorry?! Oh, well that makes everything ok then.” I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at him.

“I know ok, I fucked up. I’ve been a dick to you & I’m sorry. I just, I don’t know how to do this shit.” He mumbled, running his hands through his tangled hair.

“Do what, Sixx?” My frustration mounting with his half-assed apology.

“I don’t fucking do.. This.” He gestured between the two of us, struggling to find his words.

I sighed with exasperation. “What is this Nikki? Is this an apology or what, because honestly there isn’t much you can say right now, just let me go home.” I finished, turning to leave, but he caught hold of my hand, pulling me into him. He placed his hand gently under my chin, bringing my face up to his.

“I don’t do this, ok? I don’t do feelings or relationships, fuck, I won’t even sleep with a girl twice.” He laughed, before clearing his throat when he saw my unamused expression. “Lizzy, I am sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I got pissed as hell when I saw you with that fucking pretty boy, I snapped.. I don't know, I guess I was kinda jealous.. I do care about you.”

I scoffed. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it.”

“I do, Lizzy. But listening to you telling me why I’m a bad guy, all the shit I’ve done to you, you’re right. And I’m sorry. Just, please don’t leave. Come celebrate with us, we all want you here. I want you here.. You’ve been with us from the start, it wouldn’t feel the same without you. You mean a lot to me... Um, to us. You mean a lot to us.” He corrected.

I looked into his green eyes & saw the sincerity, noted the lack of arrogance in his voice & the absence of his usual smug smile. I so badly wanted to give into him. I wanted to taste his kiss again, melt against him like I always do. I wanted to take his hand & go back inside, enjoy the night with the band, drink, have fun & fall into bed with him when the night was over.

But I’d fell for Nikkis sweeter side before, I knew how the night would end. He’d leave afterwards & I’d be hurt all over again. And I wasn’t gonna let that happen.

“No Nikki, I’m sorry.”

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