#he said “how old are you?” and I said “28 soon” and he said “okay well I’m 30”

[tsuchinokoroyale]

I’m too old to be out clubbin this late 😴😴😴

#I really said this line at the end of the night to a guy who hit me up at the bar #I got water and he said “water?? the nights still young” and I said “not when you’re my age” #he said “how old are you?” and I said “28 soon” and he said “okay well I’m 30” #anyways tsuchi went home alone tonight and eagerly awaits the warm tender embrace of a bed #gpoy

[bountydroid]

Darlin' pt 6

pt 1 / pt 2 / pt 3 / pt 4 / pt 5 / pt 7 (SMUT)

Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x f!reader (Romance)

Description: Cooper and Reader feel the effects of the radiation.

Notes: My tags are still goofy I don't know what is going on I am sorry. When I am writing the post your profile comes up and I click on it but then when I post it it doesn't work? Help? You guys may have to just keep an eye on my posts. :(

Cooper still hasn't told us where he is taking us yet. The sun seemed to get extra hot as the day went on. I knew the irradiation of the river was starting to hit me, just like it was the vaultie. We both had sunken, dark eyes and pale skin. Radiation sickness was starting to set in. Cooper made sure I stayed close to him, his eyes only leaving me to bark at the vaultie when she slowed.

"This damn sun," I whined.

Without saying a word, Cooper took off his hat and dropped it on my head. I smiled ear to ear, the idea of wearing his hat filling me with joy. "Thanks, Coop." 

His footsteps stuttered at the nickname. Little did I know, it brought back a flood of memories that were long forgotten. "Just don't lose it, darlin'." He mumbled.

The show of affection filled me with a burst of energy, adding some pep to my step as we trekked along in the sand. Eventually, we happened upon a small, derelict town. The old homes were covered almost half up their sides with sand. The houses now were all the same tan color as the ground, a reminder of the harshness of the wastelands. We walked up to a building with "Westside Medical Clinic" written on a big sign out front. As soon as we stopped walking we heard it. The yelling.

"Roger! My name... is Roger!" A voice roared from inside the building. 

The three of us exchanged looks before Cooper pushed the vaultie towards the door, making her go first. "Stay behind me, sugar." He said quietly to me. 

We slowly continued into the building as the snarling grew closer. The vaultie hesitated, not wanting to get any closer to the danger inside. This caused Cooper to give her another harsh shove. The fear swirling in my stomach made me feel like I was going to throw up. I grabbed onto the back of Cooper's coat for purchase. We finally made our way into the room where the voice was coming from. A man, or a ghoul, was sitting in the sand, mumbling and snarling. 

"Hey Rog," Cooper greets him.

"Hey. Hey." the man laughs, relieved to see his friend. "Fancy seeing you here. You out for that bounty, too, huh?"

"Yep," Cooper responds as he knelt in front of his friend.

You all stand there in silence for a bit, listening to Roger snarl and whip his head around. 

"Oh, shit," Roger says between wails.

"How you feelin’?" Cooper asks quietly, already knowing the answer.

"Oh... you know," Roger replied. "It's hard out here. Dang smoothies can be so unkind. I see you got some smoothies of your own." He says as he looks over at the vaultie and me in the corner. "That one is cute with your hat on."

I give him a small smile as a blush warms my cheeks. "You like it? I'm thinking of keeping it." I say, trying to lighten the mood. 

Roger lets out a gleeful laugh, "Oh, I hope she rubs off on you. Keep her around."

Cooper smiles in response, "Plan on it."

Roger cried out again, ripping the smiles off everyone's faces.

"You're turning," Cooper says reluctantly, he exchanges a worried look with you.

"Yeah maybe, maybe." Roger says on the verge of tears, "Maybe. Hey, you don't happen to have any vials, do you? Just one little puff and I'll be back on my feet. You know I'm good for it." Roger pleaded.

"I'm sorry Roger I am all out," Cooper says, looking sorrowful.

"That's okay. That's okay." Roger mumbles. "Though, um, you and your smooth-faced friends, you um... you might want to clear out before things get ugly."

Roger started to snarl again, he was growing louder and louder. It was horrible to watch. "Is this what will happen to Cooper?" I thought to myself.

"I did okay. 28 years since I first started showing," Roger said, before snarling again. "Oh, hell! Not as long as you are though." He pointed proudly at Cooper, "You've outlasted us all. How long since you first started wastelanding?"

"A long time," Cooper responds while shaking his head.

"That's a lot of vials," Roger said quietly.

"Well I've always been good at making money, Roger." Cooper exhales as he stands up. "Say, you remember how good food used to taste?"

"Yeah, BlamCo Mac and Cheese!" Roger says excitedly.

"Ice Cream and Apple Pie." Cooper countered.

"Hot damn! Apple Pie." Roger said, joy lighting up his face, even making the vaultie smile. "You know my mother used to-"

Before he could finish, Cooper shot Roger threw the head with no warning. I stumbled back in shock, tripping and falling on my butt and landing in the sand. 

"Why did you do that?" The vaultie asked with tears in her eyes. "He was sick."

Cooper ignores her and starts making his way toward me while he holsters his gun. My eyes were glued to the man, lifeless on the ground. 

"Darlin'." Cooper says pulling me from my thoughts and he crouches in front of me. 

I look up at him with weeping eyes. "He...." I trailed off. I didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry," I whispered as the tears started to fall down to my chest. 

"Don't be sorry, darlin'. Can you do something for me?" He asked calmly.

"Yeah." I managed to respond between sniffles. 

"Wait in the hallway." He replies, rubbing my shoulder reassuringly. I give him a confused look before he starts talking again, "I don't want you to see this."

Realization washes over me. "You gonna eat him?" 

"Just - just wait in the hallway." He says as he pulls me up to my feet. "Okay?"

"Okay," I mumble as I slowly make my way out of the room. I lean up against the wall and close my eyes. It's only a minute before I hear the vaultie begging.

"Stop. Stop Stop." The vaultie pleaded, "Please, I know it's hard out here but you don't, you don't have, you don't have to resort to... to..."

"What'd you say your name was?" Cooper asks her.

"Lucy MacLean." The vaultie replies hesitantly. 

"MacLean?" Cooper asks a hint of recognition in his voice. "Huh. Well, Lucy MacLean, it ain't all peaches and marmalade left up here, sweetheart. Sometimes a fella gotta eat another fella." 

Even from the hallway, I could hear the squishing from whatever he was doing in there. I felt nausea settle into my stomach, whether from the radiation or what Cooper was doing in the other room, I didn't know.

"You know, my vault has endured hardship too," Lucy said, pushing back. In the great plague of '77, everyone had to quarantine, they couldn't work the farms together, people starved. My mother included. My dad dropped to 128 pounds, and he still refused to do anything like this."

Cooper let out a deep chuckle at her words.

"What? What's so funny?" She asked, her voice dripping with venom.

"Well, there's what people say they did and what they really did." Cooper said, his accusation heavy in the air. "I'll bet your daddy was first in line at the cookout. I bet he had a bib with a drawing of his neighbor's ass on there."

"How do you live like this?" Lucy asks. "You obviously know it's wrong you sent her to the other room. So how do you do it? Why keep going?"

I open my eyes slowly at the mention of me. I didn't know if I could ever live like that, so Lucy's question piqued my interest as well. There was a heavy silence as I heard Cooper's footsteps making his way across the room.

"Well, one good question deserves another," Cooper responds, his voice was dark, sending a shiver down my spine. "Why the fuck am I doin' all the work? Now come on vaultie, ass jerky don't make itself."

This was a side of Cooper that I had not seen since the night we met. Ruthless. Cruel. It made me wonder was this who he really was. Or was the sweetness he has shown me his true self? It was probably a little bit of both. The silence in the building was deafening. It was a moment before I heard Lucy's soft footsteps in the sand. 

"She is actually gonna do it." I thought to myself in horror, letting out a soft gasp. 

Once they made their way out of the room, Lucy's hands were covered in blood and she had an empty expression on her face. She was clearly traumatized by what she had to do to Roger. Cooper didn't look at me as they made their way past. "Come on, darlin'."

-

It felt like forever since the incident with Roger, but it was hard to forget as his skin hung from Cooper's pack. The three of us hiked in silence, tension had returned to Cooper and me as neither of us knew what to say to the other. Cooper had started coughing some time ago. This filled me with dread, we needed to get him some Jet fast. Let alone, myself. I was getting sicker by the minute as I struggled with the poisoning from the river. My feet dragged in the sand behind Cooper as I struggled to keep up. 

Cooper dipped his canteen into some water pooled in an old barrel. My chest filled with jealousy. I ran out of water some time ago and the lack of food and water was becoming painful. He made eye contact with Lucy as she watched him drink. This wasn't the first time he had teased her about her lack of water. Desperate for a sip, she fell to her knees in front of the water, scooping it into her mouth. 

"Now you're gettin' it." Cooper mused as he watched her. "How does that golden rule jibe with what's goin' through your head right now?" 

"What are you?" Lucy asked angrily.

"Oh I'm you, sweetie, just give it a little time." He responded.

"Because of the radiation poisoning?" I asked, my voice cracking from dehydration.

Cooper turned to me with a serious look on his face, "Not gonna happen to you darlin'."

I gave him a small nod before I squeaked out, "Okay." I trusted him completely. 

As a coughing fit took over the ghoul, Lucy took her chance to make a run for it. I was torn between chasing after her and staying to comfort Cooper. Cooper started waving after her, signaling for me to chase her.

"Hey! Stop!" I yelled as I ran after her.

As we rounded the corner, she stopped to stare at the huge crater in the ground. I ran up next to her as I also marveled at the sight. I had never seen anything like that before. Suddenly, Cooper's lasso secured itself around Lucy's midsection as he pulled her down onto the ground.

"Where you think you're goin'? You ain't goin' nowhere." Cooper said as he stepped over her, leaning down to grab her face.

Lucy immediately responded by biting onto his finger and ripping it off with her teeth.

"Oh my god?!" I gasped out as I ran toward them. "Cooper."

He continued to keep his attention on Lucy. "There you are, you little killer." He said as he lifted her to her feet before grabbing ahold of her matching finger and cutting it off with his knife. "Now that right there is the closest thing to an honest exchange that we've had so far." He pocketed her finger before reaching down to pick up his own. "Here darlin'," He said as he handed me the rope that was tied to Lucy. 

I hesitantly took it as I watched him rummage around in his pack for a small rag to wrap his finger in. 

"You don't hurt, right?" I asked him.

"Don't feel a thing, sugar." He said smiling as he took the rope back from me. 

This exchange seemed to have depleted Lucy's resolve completely as she quietly obeyed from there on out. It wasn't long after that that we reached an old building with the word SuperDuperMart written on it. It was surrounded by a broken-down fence and had some old cars in the front of the building. I was nervous, but Cooper's confidence calmed me as we approached the building.

"Transaction," Cooper said as he pressed on some sort of communication device. He threw his bag into the dirt next to him. He looked tired.

"Yes?" Someone responded.

"Two month's supply of vials. Exchange one female mint condition." He stated before looking over at Lucy's hand, "Near mint condition."

"Condition grading requires physical evaluation. Please send her in." The voice responded, there was something strange about the voice that I couldn't recognize. It almost didn't sound human.

The door to the building buzzes and slowly opens. Lucy watched it with concern evident in her eyes, "What's in there?" She asked.

"You're about to find out," Cooper replies as he cuts the rope that bound her wrists.

"You're selling me?" Lucy asks, a look of disbelief on her face.

Cooper pulls a gun from his hip and cocks it, "You got problems out here too, sweetheart. Best you try your luck behind that door. Go on." He says as he shoves her.

I watch on from behind Cooper as Lucy shuffles her way into the building, giving a nervous look back before she enters.

Once she enters, Cooper deflates. He was obviously putting on a show for her. Pretending he wasn't as sick as he really was. "Y/n?"

"Cooper?" I ask breathlessly.  

Instead of responding, the ghoul collapsed.

"Cooper!" I yell out as I shake him. His eyes are open and he's still awake but for some reason, he was not able to move. 

I pushed the button he was using to communicate with the man inside the building. "He can't wait he needs it now!" Only to get no response. "We will give you another person! A female near mint conditon." I say, describing myself.

Cooper whispered out, "No." I could barely hear him. 

I crouch down next to him and place his hat next to him, "It's my turn to take care of you." I declared, giving him a sad smile. 

I took his gun and tried to shoot the door to break it. I had never used a gun before, so it took me a minute or two to figure out. The glass, however, appeared to be bulletproof. 

"Shit," I mumbled before placing the gun on the ground. 

I then decided to try and pry the door open with no such luck. I run between the cars around us, searching for anything I can use to open the door. In one of them, I find a crowbar. "Yes!" I yell happily as I run back to the door. I wrestled with it for a while before I finally was able to get the crowbar inside, finally, I had some progress. I yelled out in frustration as I tried to open the door. It was the heaviest thing I have ever felt in my life. Moving it just an inch took more strength than I had, especially in my state. 

After a couple minutes of struggling, I collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. I looked over at Cooper only to see he hadn't loved an inch. "Cooper?" I call out as I crawl towards him. I sit next to him and gently lift his head onto my lap, rolling him onto his back. "You'll be okay," I say quietly before looking up at the door. I was hoping that soon they would come out to give him the vials he was owed. The silence felt like it had been going on forever when there were suddenly gunshots coming from inside the building. I help Cooper a little closer, afraid and confused. I grabbed his gun again and held it close to my side. 

"I've got you, Coop," I whispered to him.

The building then went silent again. There was a moment before Lucy strolled out the door, covered in blood. 

"Lucy? What happened?" I gasp.

"They were going to harvest my fucking organs!" She yelled angrily as she sauntered over to us. 

I shakily hold up my gun, causing her to stop in her tracks. 

"He doesn't get these, he turns into one of those? That how it works?" She asked, holding up a couple vials. 

I lower the gun and start begging. "Please, Lucy."

She crouches down next to him and contemplates for a moment before saying to Cooper, "I may end up looking like you... but I'll never be like you." Before getting up, she gently puts some vials in my hand. "Golden rule, motherfuckers."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" I cry out happily as I start rummaging through Cooper's pockets searching for his inhaler. "I've got you, I've got you.." I kept repeating as I shakily put the vial in the inhaler and hold it up to his mouth. It takes a couple tries, but ultimately, he gets ahold of it and breathed in the contents. I make a happy squeak as he starts to move again. 

He lets out a soft wheeze before saying 'Why the hell would you do that?" 

"What?" I asked him confused.

"You were going to fucking sell yourself? For me?" He states angrily as he sits up to a sitting position. 

"Well-" I start.

"Well, nothing. Never do that again." He shouts as he stands, pulling me up by my collar. The fear on my face softened him as he released my shirt with a sigh, "I ain't worth it, darlin'."

"You are to me," I say quietly. "You are never getting rid of me."

He lets out a small laugh as he smiles wearily, his resolve dimishing. "You are way too good for me, sugar."

"Well too bad, Cooper. You've got me." I say as kiss him on the cheek.

Just as I was pulling away he grabbed hold of my hip "Come here." He says as his lips crash into mine. 

I let out a squeak in surprise before I started to return the kiss. It was sloppy and heated, filled with pent-up emotions. It was everything I wanted.

Tag list: @msrawog @valdemarismynonbinarylove @topiramategreeable @whizbang-cap @sitkafay @lightan117 @eykismyfav @ajeff855 @madelinealexandra @justme12200 @sihlaryn @raviolisenpai @ellabellabunny123 @impossessedbyjeongyeon @leviathanleva @v3lv3tf0x @judgementdays-girl @savanahc @booksbabes @gauky76 @green--beanie

#cooper howard #the ghoul fallout #cooper howard x reader #the ghoul x reader #fallout tv series #fallout

[jpitha]

Between the Black and Gray 28

First / Previous / Next

Fen realized that they hadn't traversed the gate, yet. She was awareness, floating without a body, in a land of soft, pink light. She felt this... presence around her. Watching her.

"H-Hello?"

Fenchurch. You're here.

"I prefer Fen."

There was a feeling like a chuckle. Fen then. You've finally arrived.

"I have?"

Well yes, and no. You've traversed a Gate for the first time. You're in our realm. We have to admit we're surprised it has taken this long. We suppose that just is how it is though, when you don't have anywhere to go.

"And you are?"

We're a distributed interdimensional intelligence. We developed the Gates. We helped set up the human empire. We helped set up empires before that, too. We take form in your dimension as nano scale micromachines. Nanites.

Fen couldn't gasp, but she felt that if she had a body she would have. "The Nanites? I've heard of you! I didn't think you were real though."

Fen could feel them tisk. It hasn't been even two thirds of a millennium since we made our presence known. How quickly things are forgotten when no attempt it made to remember them.

"Wait" Fen finally processed what they said earlier. "You helped set up the Empire?"

Yes. We gave Melody abilities that hadn't been seen in humans before and she was able to use them to found the Empire. We even helped her successor Helen as well as the usurper Eastern. We had finally reached accord with Eastern and agreed not to 'meddle' anymore so long as humanity continued to build and produce Gates.

"Humans built the Gates?"

Lots of sapient species built Gates. It's not like there's a monopoly on construction, Fen. Gates are how we can exit our space and grow and learn. We traverse your dimension, learn about you and about the space itself and we are nourished.

"You eat information?" Fen's confusion was palpable even in this space of no bodies.

Fen. It's a metaphor. Try and keep up.

"Sorry."

It's all right. We're asking a lot of you, we know. We're going to... stick with you though. Seems like you'll need some help soon.

"I'll wha-"

There was a feeling like the tearing of a soft cloth, and Fen came back, sitting in the command chair. She looked around the command deck and only saw herself and Zhe. "Uh, Northern? How are we doing?"

"We're fine Fen. We just exited the Gate that Zhe gave me the address for and I'm trying to get my bearings. Ugh, it's been a while, I'm rusty." Silence. "Hold up, I'm getting a ping. Putting it through audio."

The voice was brash, harsh and overdriven. The signal was far away and being artifically boosted. It spoke heavily accented K'inmar. "Greetings interlopers! Supply the required password or we won't detonate the missiles that are headed your way."

What? Fen looked down at her pad and tried to bring up a local scan.

"They're right Fen, I count 4 missiles on a high energy boost towards us. Intercept in four minutes or so. I've got some juke charges ready, but if we can call them off before we have to show our teeth, all the better."

Fen looked over at Zhe, her eyes wide and imploring.

"Fen! I didn't know they asked for a password now! Uh, uh, um, try the first verse of Dragnar the Harvester."

Dragnar the Harvester was an old K'laxi song. Fen had only heard it around the bars back home, and only after the old K'laxi had been drinking quite a while. It was quite bawdy.

Fen stared at Zhe who rippled a blush, shrugged and keyed the mic. She took a large breath and

"DRAGNAR, DRAGNAR, DRAGNAR THE HARVESTER/ /OFF TO FUCK ALL THE LADIES/ DRAGNAR, DRAGNAR, DRAGNAR THE HARVESTER /HE'LL FUCK THE MEN TOO, HE'S NOT PICKY AT ALL/"

Silence on the line for three beats. All Fen could hear was the hum of background cosmic radiation. Suddenly peals of laughter from the other side. "Okay you know what? That's not this week's password, but you sang that with such spirit and your accent is impeccable that we'll let you dock and at least see what you're about."

"Well, I don't know what about that awful song did it, but the missiles have self destructed. Nicely done Fen." Northern's voice was a combination of pride and disbelief.

Zhe was staring at Fen. "Why do you know Dragnar the Harvester?"

Fen smiled at Zhe's embarrassment. "I already told you I was raised by K'laxi, you think I didn't go drinking with them too? Grandpop used to sing that song every time he had too much to drink."

"It's got forty verses!"

Fen nodded. "And I can sing thirty eight of them."

"Forty?" Northern said. "You'll have to do it for us someday."

"We'll see. I don't think you can afford it."

The ride into the station was otherwise uneventful. After they received approval to dock, the station sent along IFF keys, and Northern was able to see that the system was far more populated than she had first seen. Nearly everyone was operating stealthily with minimal drive emissions and most of them worked to face their drive exhaust away from the gate.

Fen took the time to make some coffee - she wasn't sure why, but she had a craving for coffee. Luckily the ship had some in its stores. Good stuff too by the looks of it. After the brown liquid had finished brewing, she sat at a table in the kitchenette and sipped it, black with no sugar. It was strangely relaxing. Fen had been a tea drinker her whole life previously. It's not like she never had coffee before, she just never had a craving for it.

Zhe came in while Fen was drinking her coffee and bustled around the kitchenette. "Fen, do we have any tea? I saw you drinking, and thought it was a good idea."

"We should have some Chamomile in the drawer."

Zhe made a cup of tea and sat next to Fen. She didn't sit across, instead sitting on the same side of the booth. "I'm sorry Fen."

Fen blinked. "For what, Zhe?"

Zhe's ears drooped. "My familial line runs this station."

"So? It was handy you knew the address, it got us out of a tight spot."

"Yeah" Zhe sighed "But now you'll see that my familial line is a bunch of pirates and smugglers!" She looked up at Fen, her large eyes damp.

"Oh, that's what you're worried about?" Fen started to smile and then stops herself. Zhe is very upset, she doesn't want to minimize her feelings. "Zhe, don't worry. I grew up on a Gren station that was run by the mob. If you think I'll be worried by some minor criminality, think again."

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad, Zhe?"

"I don't know... maybe more disappointed."

"Nope, not that either. I'm proud."

Zhe's ears flick and rotate forward. "Proud?"

Fen nodds. "Sure am. You saw that we were in trouble, and you calmly offered Northern a solution that she could use to get us out. It was good thinking."

"It really was, Zhe. You saved us, and that's not an exaggeration." Northern's voice was calm and smooth over the speakers.

While they were talking, Fen noticed that Zhe was scooting closer and closer.

Come on, you don't need us to tell you what she wants.

The voice from the Gate surprised Fen so badly she nearly jumped. Zhe noticed the flinch. "What's wrong, Fen?"

"N-Nothing, just got a chill." Fen sat up and put her arm out. Zhe jumped at the opportunity and snuggled up under Fen's arm. As soon as she did, Fen felt relax and sigh deeply. "It seems like something more is wrong, Zhe."

"It's just," Zhe's voice was muffled under Fen's arm. "I wanted you to like me. You're so cool and pretty and collected and you... you" Fen felt Zhe shudder as she breathed in. "You're so out of my league and here you are letting me cuddle you and all I can do is sit here."

Fen looked up at the ceiling, saying nothing. As she did, an image of Northern appeared on a monitor out of Zhe's eye sight which just shrugged her shoulders and dissapeared.

"Zhe. You're sweet, and I mean that." Fen stroked the fur between her ears. "But, I lost my wife not too long ago. She was... she was amazing. She was everything to me, and she was just... shot. Right in front of me." Fen continued on, stroking between the ears and talking. "Just like that, in a few seconds, she was removed from my life. I didn't even get to sing her funerary song, Zhe. I had to leave her where she fell and run away." Fen blinked and tears splashed onto Zhe's head. She looked up. "What I mean to say is that, you're sweet Zhe, and I'm flattered that you think I'm so cool. But, I don't want another relationship. I want Ma-ren back."

Zhe broke off the hug and sat up, her own eyes wet. She nodded and took a sip of her tea.

"What I could use Zhe is a friend. I find those are in short supply these days. What do you think?"

Zhe smiled and her ears flicked. "I think I could use one of those too, Fen."

#humans are deathworlders #humans are space orcs #sci fi writing #humans are space oddities #humans and aliens #jpitha #writing #humans and ai #humans are space capybaras #humans are space australians #Between the black and gray

[luvyeni]

THE HIGH LORD OF DAWN COURT; HAN JISUNG

PAIRINGS. highfae!jisung x faerie!reader

WC. 5.3k

WARNINGS. mutual materbastion, fingering, handjob, cum eating, unprotected sex, arranged marriage (not reader and han),

SYNOPSIS. you and jisung of dawn court used to be friends, before he became high fae and you slowly drifted apart because of his duties to dawn court. one day you guys rekindle your old friendship. when you always this pretty?

TAGLIST. @kosmoreads @hipsdofangirl @imhyvnjin @lovemepie67 @chvnnie @hgema @candiecans @my-name-is-namename @yourhwngness @midsoulz @jessyrdn @cutielittlepie @intomysoul-555 @cxentrxcks @yurippiefelix @missrobyn81 @stayinthemirohwoo @3retcha @lifeissteph @skzfelixlove @reiheis @chereshnyya @levantea @why-am-i-sad @blankdyean @kunstistliebchen @userbangchan @fairywriter-oracle @elmi-chan @compersian @mal-lunar-28 @n4tiii @ddazed-lhs @felixcharmerera @ch4nniebang @hyunibinnie @fairyyeo @reddesert-healourblues @fxckedupbitch @icouldntcareless22 @pessimist-sky @jeonnyread

DISCLAIMER! THIS IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE BOOK SERIES BUT IT WILL HAVE REFERENCES TO THE BOOK.

5 years old...

jisung played in the the garden of dawn court palace, chasing a butterfly around in the garden. "ow!" he heard a scream , then crying. he got up , following the noise. he came across a girl his age, that he's never seen before.

he approached , standing over your body. "are you okay?" you looked at him through your lashes, tears in your eyes. "i..i hu..rt my knee." you sobbed holding your leg. "let me see." he bent down, you stared at him in suspicion, your wings wrapping flapping behind you. "i..i do..n't know you." he proudly huffed his chest. "i'm han jisung, im gonna be the highlord of dawn court. you smiled, sniffling. "i'm ＿." he waved. "now you know me, let me see your leg." you moved your hand. "you're bleeding." he grimaced.

"what are you gonna do?" the boy put his hand on your knee, healing it. "see it's better." he helped you up. "wow! how did you do that?" you dusted off your dress. "i have powers, you don't?" you showed him your wings. "i can fly." you started levitating, but you were quickly picked up, immediately recognizing your father. "what have me and your mother told you." you giggled. "no flying until my wings are stronger." he put you down.

"dad i healed her leg." jisung pointed. "see she was bleeding now she isn't." jisungs father chuckled, high fiving him. "good job." "i see they've met already" jisungs father talked to yours. "me and your dad have been friends since we were kids too." "my daddy is gonna protect your daddy, that's what he told me." jisung didn't like that. "my daddy doesn't need protection, he's the high lord." you frowned. "that's why he needs protection, duh." the two older men laughed at their children.

"they're gonna be bestfriends."

10 years old...

"we're gonna get married one day." you stared at your friend in disgust. "no we won't." you said eating your sandwich in one of dawn court gardens. "mhm, today in class i learned about mating bonds, and we're gonna be mates." he took a bite of his sandwich.

"you don't choose your mate jisung, it just happens." you explained. "well, then it has to happen." you shook your head. "that's not how that works." he shrugged. "i don't care, i'll make it work."

"we're gonna get married."

17 years old...

"you start training to be a high lord soon." you frowned, sitting at the same spot you once met when you were five. "and my mom says i need to start attempting to find my mate." jisung heart stung at the mentions of your mate, but he ignored it.

"what if we don't have time for each other?" he saw the worry in your eyes. "hey." he grabbed your hand. "we won't let that happen, i swear." you leaned your head on his shoulder, his head rested on yours. "swear?" you held out your pinky, he grabbed your finger.

"i swear."

now...

"i can't believe this!" you and your dad stared at each other rolling your eyes. "good morning mom." you thank the kitchen staff who sat the food on your plate. "my daughter is gonna die alone." she was being dramatic. "wow, way to still have hope." you scoffed, taking a bite of your toast. "you're 23, soon to be 24, and you still haven't found your mate, oh no! what if he's illryan , or worse human." you turned to your dad for help.

"honey, please, she still has time." you shrugged, smirking getting an idea. "you know mom you're right, he could be human or illryan." your mom gasped. "or worse, i could say no, and we'll watch as the faerie slowly go insane." your mom looked like she was about to pass out. "＿, enough." your dad silently fistbumped you.

"i'm glad you both find this amusing." the housing staff came over to give her the morning tea she'd always drink. "drink this and calm down." mrs.kim said.

"oh! what about jisung, didn't he use to say you'd get married one day." your eyebrow quirked up. "oh yeah, you'd use to say no all the time, that you were just friends." you said. "what about him? it's been what 5 years, we aren't friends anymore." you said. "why, did you two fight?" your mother said.

"uh no, he got busy with training, and i moved on to finding new friends." you turned to your dad. "how has he and his family been, you see his dad almost everyday?" you questioned. "he's preparing for his move up to highlord." you nodded. "has he found someone." you looked down at your fingers.

you didn't mean to fall off with jisung, but he became invested in his training, and you became a second thought, so you distance yourself, finding some new friends, and branching out finding yourself.

"no he hasn't actually, his father was just telling me his wife was also hounding him about finding his mate and be wed." your mother spoke up again. "you need to meet him and wed, i don't care if he isn't your mate, you'll eventually love each other." you shook your head. "i have to meet haechan and karina to go dress shopping, i'll see you guys later." you stood up.

"that donghyuck boy is the reason you won't marry, always hanging around him." you rolled your eyes, walking aways. "if my mate is scared of haechan, then we can't marry, that's my platonic soulmate." you fluttered your wings, making your dad yell, "no flying in the castle, you'll break something."

"she's at it again?" haechan asked as you walked through the shops looking for a dress with karina. "this time she blames haechan." the boy was offened. "i thought she liked me." he exclaimed. "oh she does, she just also believes you're the reason why i haven't found my mate yet." karina laughed. "funny, my mom thinks the same thing." she picked up a dress. "wow, im offended."

"what about this?" you shrugged. "it's alright." the girl huffed. "it needs to be perfect or my mom is gonna flip, you know how she isn't when we don't look the best. "well what is it for?" haechan said. "i told you, jisung is having a court party tomorrow night, he's planning on courting a wife, aren't you gonna be there?" you weren't even aware of the party.

"yeah, aren't you friends?" haechan said. "i always thought you two would be wed, you spent every day together, i thought you were dating, with the way your wings would flap like they do when you like someone." you slapped haechans shoulder. "they don't do that, and i haven't talk to jisung in like 5 years."

"yeah then what about jen- it wasn't because of that, and we agreed to not speak about it." you interrupted. "well anyway, you have to come, i mean your dad is his dad's second in command, it will be weird if you don't come."

you thought about , should you go?

"what did you do?" jisung stared at his parents in disbelief. "son i had nothing to do with this , this was all your mothers doing." he turned to mother.

"what else was i supposed to do, you're about to become highlord soon , you need someone to help you run dawn court , your dad didn't find me until after he became high lord and the first three years while he was in reign were horrible." jisung's dad sat there offended. "love you too honey."

"that's not what i mean, what i mean is you need someone by your side while you rule." jisung couldn't believe his mother. "a courting party , you thought that was a good way to go?" she nodded.

he scoffed , "what's the harm in even trying , who knows , what if your mate is at the party." he scoffed. "i've given up in trying to find them a long time ago." his dad spoke up. "i always thought it would be ＿."

"＿?" he hadn't heard that name in such a long time.

"yeah, the way you'd go around screaming that you'd one day marry her." jisung cringed at his younger self. "she was such nice girl , what happened to you guys anyway?" he shrugged. "we grew up, i haven't seen her like 5 years, im pretty sure she's dating haechan." his mother hummed. "her poor mother haechan is a lot, that's too bad."

jisung had to get out of there, making his way into town, making his way through all the shops, stopping to talk to the towns people, his parents his mother was gonna make him lose his mind about the party, a party that he didn't even want. jisung was fine without a mate , he never felt like he needed one after he met you , he always thought you two would just platonically be together for eternity. of course he looked at other girls , but he never saw a long future with them— because he had you.

but then you both drifted apart and he just didn't care about the whole mate or wedding thing. jisung didn't know why he stopped reaching out , now he's about to find his new wife , become highlord—it's all moving faster than he could handle , he wished he still had you to talk about, he wished he had his bestfriend.

jisung was caught in his thoughts, he hadn't realized he was walking straight into someone , until it was too late. "ow!" he remembers that high pitched cry of pain.

"＿?"

you looked up at the person who pushed you down. "jisung." he helped you up. "h..holy shit, it's you." he wanted to hug you, but he knew that might've been weird. "jisung, hi."

"shit, im an idiot, are you okay?" you nodded , brushing yourself off. "this was nothing, i've taken harder falls." he laughed. "yeah, remember when you fell down the steps after trying to fly." you pouted. "you promised not to bring it up." you laughed. "im sorry." there was a silence, jisung stared at you- when did you get so pretty?

you let out a cough , and jisung's face turned red, knowing he'd been caught staring. "h..gow have you been?" he stuttered "good, you, i heard you're having a courting party coming up." oh my god , who told you. "my mom planned it without my knowledge." he said. "your mom is at too, my mom has been hounding me." you said.

"you want to know something funny , my mom told me she thought we'd end up together." your laugh, made his heart beat faster. "m..my mom said the same thing." he laughed. "i guess we really did spend all our time together, now you're about to be wed, and im- where have you been." haechan interrupted you guys. "karina is freaking out , she needs our to impress her mother." you sighed, jisung was upset , he didn't want you to go.

"well i guess, i have go help, i hope to see you soon." he nodded, and you turned to walk away. "wait." he stopped you. "a..are you coming to the party tomorrow." was he asking you to come. "i mean both of you can come if you want." he said. "cool bro, we'll be there." haechan said. "sure sungie, we'll be there." he couldn't help but smile at the old nickname.

"great , i'll you there- you both i mean." his ears were red. "okay, bye." you waved , as haechan dragged you away, jisung was so happy you were coming to the party, so happy that he wasn't even upset with his parents anymore , he's just glad he gets to see you again.

"mrs.kim be honest." you stood in the mirror as the older lady helped you get ready. "does this dress look good?" you spent all rest of the day before dress shopping with karina and haechan. "i think it's beautiful." she tied it up in the back. "but i can't help but wonder what's with sudden change of mind, yesterday you showed no interest in the party, now you're stressing?"

"karina has infiltrated my brain i guess." you lied, you were just excited to see jisung. he really did grow into his looks, all the training payed off too, his buff arms , small waist, he really matured in the best kind of way. "mrs.?" mrs.kim bought you back from your weird thought about your old friend. "huh?" you said. "i said you're done , your families carriage should be here soon to take you guys to the party." you nodded , face hot from the thought.

"okay, you got this, it's just jisung , i mean you've knewn him his whole life, it's nothing." you sighed, but why did you kind of hate the fact it was under these circumstances, that you'd be seeing him?

"dude, this is the third suit , i think they're all fine." felix watched his friend pace back and forth, he had come all the way from day court to the party. "jesus you're a wreck, i thought you didn't want this party anyway." jisung fixed the robe to his suit. "i didn't." he said. "what changed your mind?"

you did, he was so excited to see you again, you definitely didn't look the same as you did 5 years ago, you lost all the baby fat from your face, your figure was enough to make anyone stop and stare, not to mention your boo—"you there?"

felix tapped his friend who drifted away. "y..yeah, i'm sorry, i guess i don't want to disappoint my parents, they're really looking forward to this night, well my mom is." he lied, hoping his friend didn't notice his red face. "you'll do fine, you'll find your future wife tonight and in a week you'll be sworn in as highlord, it's finally happening bro, your life is just beginning." why did he feel like it's about to end.

you and your family stepped out your carriage, greeting everyone outside, before making your way inside, you were met at the door by the han family. "my lord, my lady" you bowed. "＿, look at you, you're grown into such beautiful woman." you thank, ms.han. "soon we'll be having one of thess for her." you roll your eyes at your mother.

"hey!" you seen haechan and karina waving you over, you turned to them. "if you'll excuse me, it was nice seeing you guys." you bow, turning to walk away.

"you look good." haechan complimented. "i would've taken the compliment had you'd been looking at the outfit and not my boobs." he smiled cheekily. "can't blame me, they're sitting up perfectly." karina scoffed. "are you serious?" he shrugged, you shook your head at the boy. "let's go get something to drink."

"＿?" you turned upon hearing your name. "hey jisung." he was stunned, you looked gorgeous. the way the dress fit you, it had him thinking about your figure once again, your curves the way the dress made them pop, the color was perfect against the iridescent color of your wings— your boobs, he didn't mean to look, but the way they sat , he couldn't help it. "jisung?" you waved a hand in his face. "kinda lost you there?" you laughed.

"whoa, you look beautiful." you smiled. "you don't look so bad yourself." you weren't wrong, he looked good the way the suit fit around his arms, the corset attenuated his waist. "t..thank you." he stuttered. "are you having fun?" you nodded. "you know i've never been a fan of big parties." he nodded. "me either."

he was about say something when both your mothers approached you. "it's great to see you two together, but in order for this to work, you actually have to talk to other faerie girls." his mother grabbed his arm, dragging him away. "and at least try and to talk to other guys, jisung's mother just asked when are you and haechan gonna be wed." you scrunched your nose up in confusion. "why?" you laughed. "that isn't funny, go mingle." you turned to jisung who was talking to a brunette faerie from summer court, you frowned.

as the night went on, the party grew, different faeire girls approaching jisung, he didn't find any interest in them, he kept looking at you, you spent half the time dancing with haechan or karina, he couldn't help but wish he was the one dancing with you.

like right now, he was supposed to be talking to the day court faerie felix introduced him to, but he was too busy scanning the room for you , he had noticed you were no longer there. "dude, what the hell, that's the 3rd faerie i introduced you to that you've completely ignored." felix snapped his fingers in his face. "i..i need some air, i'll be back, if my mom comes looking for me, tell her i've gone to the restroom." he walked away from the confused boy.

it was starting to get crowed, so you found yourself wandering around the castle, until you came to the spot where you and jisung once spent all your time together. "i guess we had the same idea." you recognized the voice, smiling. "i guess so." you moved over , so he could sit next to you.

"we used to spend all day out here." he said. "it was our spot." his body froze as you put your head on his shoulder, quickly calming down. "this is where you promised to marry me." he cringed. "i was 10, and you rejected me." he laughed. "now look at you, finding your bride to be." his heart stung, he didn't want to, he wanted to be with you, you were his forever.

"＿?" you stared up at him through those pretty lashes, he couldn't help it, he brought his hand to your face. "sungie what are- hmph ." he pushed his lips against yours, and it was like everything clicked together.

"i knew it." he mumbled against your lips, you laughed, pulling away. "you had to ruin it." you slapped his shoulder. "did i?" he pulled you into another steamy kiss, pushing his tongue into your mouth, tongues fight for dominance. "j..jisung." you moaned as he kissed along side your jaw. "jisung , i need you." your eyes were blown out , lips swollen from his rough kisses, you looked so beautiful.

he reached his hand up your dress, touching you were you needed him. "you're so wet." he tapped your swollen clit, you whined. "been thinking about you all night." he smirked, rubbing circles against your clit. "have you, naughty girl." he pulled your panties to the side. "been thinking about you too, every since yesterday." he took your hand, placing it at his hard cock. "y..you feel how hard i am baby, you've really grown up." he moaned as you massaged him through his pants.

"f..fuck baby i can't cum in my pants." he unbuttoned his pants, you pulled his cock out from his pants, running your finger over his aching tip. "that's it pretty girl -shit- jerk me off." he added another finger, speeding his pace.

it was lewd, both of you basically getting each other off, in the secret spot of the castle, but you both didn't care, all you cared about is getting your releases, your's which was quickly approaching.

"j..jisung, i..im gonna cum." you moaned, grinding against his hand. "you gonna cum for me, being a good girl and cum for me." he brought his hand up to your boobs squeezing them, running a finger over your nipple. "fuck!" you gasped, cumming on his fingers. "good girl, grind down on my hand." he rode out your high.

"f..fuck princess, the party, they're probably looking forus." you quickly sped up your movements, he bucked up against your hand. "are you cumming sungie?" you purred in his ear, he closed his eyes nodding. "cum for me." you whispered in his ear. "k...kiss me please." you pulled him into a messy kiss, he moaned into the kisses, cumming into your hand. "ngh!"

you brought your cum covered hand, to your mouth, licking it clean. "fuck you're perfect." he pulled you into another kiss. "there was no way you were my mate." you smiled, before everything came hitting you full force. "the party." you exclaimed. "shit we have to go." he tucked himself away, and you both tried to fix yourselves, before separately making your way back to the party.

jisung frantically tried to find his mother, to tell her what happened, that he found his mate. "mom!" he finally found her. "mom!" he ran up to her. "great heavens where have you been, i've been looking everywhere you!" she exclaimed.

"that's not important listen it's about the arra- don't worry , it's been settled, you are to be to married to yoojung of summer court." he shook his head no, but she wasn't even listening, presenting a girl in front of him. "this is yoojun." the girl in front of him bowed. "w..wait mom- enough it's been talked about between the parents already." the older lady tapped on the glass , getting everyone's attention, the girl stood close to him , he moved over, his eyes turning to you , he could hear his heartbreaking at the look in your eyes.

it felt like someone was stomping on your heart, as you watch jisung's mother gather everyone, the brunette standing next to jisung signaling it was too late, you both were too late. "everyone we have found the future lady of dawn court, yoojung." everyone began to clap, except you and jisung, he was staring directly into your eyes, almost like he was begging for you to tell him your next move. you shook your head no, and frowned, you both knew it was too late.

you wiped the tear that fell from your face, as someone touched your shoulder. "hey, where have you been?" haechan and karina walked up to you. "oh uh, i went to get some air." karina looked into your eyes. "wait, have you been crying?" you shook your head, laughing. "happy tears, my bestfriend is getting married." you lied straight through your teeth. "ah that makes sense." haechan hugged you. "it's okay, you still have us." you shook your head. "yeah i do." you pulled away.

"im gonna go find my parents, they're probably trying to sneak out of here, my mother will be pissed if she doesn't get to sleep on time, you know how she is." they nodded saying there goodbyes, you just do desperately wanted to get out of there, quickly making your exit.

"＿, wait!" jisung ran after you, grabbing your wrist , stopping you. "we can stop this." he grabbed your hand. "jisu- it's nice to meet you." yoojung held her hand out. you had no bad blood, but you damn sure didn't want to give her a handshake. "say hello." your mother snuck up behind you. you put on your best fake smile, holding your hand out. "it's nice to meet you too." your mother smiled. "isn't it exciting." ms.han walked over. "definitely, congratulations jisung." your mother said.

"are you guys leaving?" you mother answered. "yes, we must leave now." she said. "oh well will you be there when our jisungie is sworn in as highlord?" you prayed your mother said no, but it seems like whoever above was out to get you. "of course, after that is the wedding right." his mother squealed in delight. "of course."

jisung bit his lip, he so desperately wanted to say something, he wanted to put a stop to this, but all he could do was look into your sad eyes, as you walked away with your parents.

"everything alright dear, you seem out of it?" your father asked you as you began to walk up the steps to your room. "im fine." you said. "just really tired." he smiled. "well goodnight, see you in the morning." you nodded, continuing on your way to your room, just ready for the day to be over.

for the next week that's all everyone could talk about, it's like you couldn't escape the talk over jisung marriage and him becoming highlord soon. "im sorry girl, this must sting like hell." karina said after you told her everything. "your mate getting engaged to someone else." it did sting like hell, it felt like being stabbed with knives in the stomach.

not as much as your mother forcing your blinds open on the day of his sworn in. "i don't know what's gotten into you, but you're not gonna mope around here any longer, today your bestfriend will become highlord, with his fiance by his side you should be happy." was she trying to kill you. "now get up it's much to get done before tonight." she pulled you out of bed, forcing you to get ready for tonight.

"jisung did you hear me?" yoojung clapped in his face. "huh?" she sighed. "i said are you excited for tonight, you become highlord." he nodded unenthusiastically. "yeah of course." the boys really didn't care about that, the only thing on his mind for the past week was you, he missed you, it seems like the week you were away hurt more than the entire 5 years you weren't talking ever since he found out you were his mate.

"is everything okay?" yoojung held his hand, but it didn't feel like yours. "i'm fine." he took his hand away. "i'm gonna go see if everything is settled for tonight." he walked out the room, leaving the girl.

"why do i have to wear this?" you groaned as your mrs.kim tightened the corset of the dress. "i can't breathe." you winced. "you can breathe later." your mother said. "i don't really want to go." you sat down, letting them put the shoes on since you could barely move. "well suck it, you're going and you're gonna smile." your mom sternly spoke. "got it?" you faked smiled just to piss her off. "we'll work on it."

"jisung, the guest are sitting, you ready?" yoojung walked into his room. "i guess, let's do this." he reached his arm out so she could take it. "no." she said. "what is it?" she sighed. "im not stupid, i know you don't want to marry me." she said. "i'm sorry it's just- that you've found your mate, your bestfriend." he was shocked. "don't be shock it's not like it was hard to see." she said. "i'm sorry." he spoke up after a few seconds of silence. "don't be, i'd rather know now, then be caught in a love affair later down the rode." he laughed. "what are we gonna do?"

"well you are gonna man up to your mother, and tell everyone the wedding is off and that you've found your mate, and im gonna go back to summer court and hopefully i find my mate too." he smiled, finally giving her a genuine smile. "i wish you nothing but the best." she smiled back.

"you too han jisung."

the sworn in was long and boring; not to mention jisung looked so good, and it didn't help your poor heart everytime he turned to look at you. soon the sworn was over and everyone stood and bowed to the new highlord of dawn court, clapping.

"that thing was fucking boring." haechan complained at the party after. "god i would die if i had to do that." karina snickered. "dawn court would be in ruins if you were highlord." you watched them go back in forth with each other, shaking your head.

"h..hello." jisung stood up to get everyone's attention. "well first, i want to thank everyone for coming." he started. "but there's something else i wanted to talk about about." he said, looking at you. "what are you doing?" you mouthed. "the wedding is off." mumbles of 'what's' filled the ballroom. "jisung wha- no mom i need you to listen to me, for once" he said.

"the wedding is off, because i found my mate finally." he looked directly at you, you felt the stares on you. "after all this time, i've found my mate, it's been staring me in the face since i was five years old." he laughed. "and i won't be able to be happy if she isn't by my side, i let her go for 5 years and im not ready to let her go again." it was silent, nobody said anything. "i love you." you spoke up, he smiled. "i love you too."

"jisungie, im so sorry i didn't listen to you, i just wanted what was best for you." ms.han spoke up. "i found what's best for me." he said. "i know, she'll make a wonderful bride." he nodded. "i know."

once the initial shock went away, the party actually started , your mother was practically in tears when she ran up to you. "my baby won't marry a human or haechan." which the boy was very offended by. "she does love you, i promise." you reassured the boy , jisung came up to you , wrapping his arms around you.

"hi." he whispered into your neck. "hello." you smiled. "get a room, no one wants to see that." haechan gagged. "yoojung is free, why don't you try and talk to her." you said. "fine, only because i don't want to be a third and karina has ditched me." he walked away.

"yoojung is gonna love him." han took your hand. "let's go." you looked at him confused. "go where?" he smirked. "to get a room." you scoffed. "seriously at your party?" he cocked his head to the side. "didn't stop us before." your face heated up, remember the the night of the party. "let's go."

he guided you to his room , away from everyone. "i got you all to myself." he pushed you down on the bed, hovering over you. "my pretty mate." he whispered in your ear, grinding his clothed erection against your heat. "j..jisung, please." you let out a breathy moan. "i..i need you inside me."

he stood up, undoing his pants, letting them fall to his ankles, he pushed your dress up on your hip, pulling your panties down. "such a pretty pussy, can't wait to taste it." he rubbed his cock, up and down your cunt, teasing your clit. "pl..lease n..no teasing." he cursed under his breath. "you're so cute begging for me to fuck you." he pushed his tip into your clenching hole.

"w..want me to fill you up, fuck you full." you nodded. "p..please- shit! " you moaned as he pushed fully into you. "s..shit, been waiting to feel you since the party." he rocked his hips , fucking into you. "s..sungie, please- faster." he held your hips as he fucked you at a animalistic pace. "f..fuck baby, i don't think i can last with you clenching around me like that."

"fuck jisung!" you screamed as rutted into you, your high was approaching quickly. "jisung, im gonna cum!" he groaned, his head dipping into your neck to leave little marks. "so -shit- your mines, your body is mines." he repeated in your ear. "who's pretty pussy is this." you were a moaning mess, coil in your abdomen about to snap. "answer me." he hit particular spot, making you yelp. "yours it's yours!" you screamed.

"good girl, now you can cum." he kissed your lips, you came with a cry of his name. "that's it, -fuck! im gonna cum." his thrust became more frenzied as he chased his own high. "ngh, fuck!" he came with a string of curse words and your name.

"i don't want pull out just yet, i just want to stay here with you." he layed on top of you. "we have to go back to your party." he pouted his lips, you kissed them. "okay just a little longer." he smiled at his success, and you two sat there is silence for a while before , he let out a little chuckle. "what's so funny."

"i told you that i'd marry you one day, and you didn't believe me, now look at us."

©️LUVYENI

#kpop x reader #kpop smut #stray kids smut #stray kids x reader #stray kids scenarios #stray kids hard thoughts #stray kids hard hours #skz smut #skz hard hours #skz hard thoughts #skz x reader #skz imagines #han jisung x reader #han jisung hard thoughts #han jisung hard hours #han jisung smut #han jisung imagines

[isagisbabygorl]

pov: he’s your bodyguard <3 (suggestive!)

“i don’t need a bodyguard.” 

i cross my arms over my chest as my dad sighs. why is my family paying so much money for a bodyguard? especially a bodyguard from the well-known and strong gojo clan. 

“are you guys affiliated with the yakuza or something?”

“no it’s not that.” my dad sighs again at my question. “it’s just for your own safety, okay?”

“i can barely go out on my own. i’m 25, may i have to remind you.” 

my dad begins to get irritated and dismisses what i said. “this is satoru gojo.”

i look at the man. first impression: he’s hot. he’s tall and handsome. white hair, cerulean blue eyes, has a muscular build. the facial expression he’s wearing looks like a mixture of cool, serious, bored, and tired. 

 “hi gojo, i’m (name),” i reply. he says nothing in return, but just gives me a small smirk. 

“thank you gojo for watching over our daughter,” my father says, finally showing a smile. 

“it’s no problem,” gojo replies. 

“you can go home,” i tell the white-haired man. 

“(name)! for goodness sake, can you stop being such a damn brat?!”

“i never asked for a bodyguard.”

“and i never asked for a daughter.”

my mouth drops in shock. “was i a mistake or something then?”

my dad realizes what he just says and pinches his nose. yeah, i hope you get a ragingly painful headache for that. i glance over at gojo who’s just standing there with that same rather cool smirk. 

“maybe use condoms next time?”

all it takes is one step from my dad and gojo is in between us. talk about fast reflexes… 

“yeah, i don’t need a bodyguard.”

“i don’t care what you think! he’s staying and that’s final,” my dad snaps. 

“whatever.” pissed off at everything, i walk out of the house. of course, gojo is following me behind. i can sense stares from people but i could care less. i mean it’s not everyday you see a 6’4 muscular man following around a small girl like a guard dog. 

“you can go home,” i tell him for a second time. 

“uh, no. sorry, but that’s not my job. my job is to protect you and keep an eye on you, remember?”

“i’ll be okay. i’m sure you’re tired.” i take note of dark circles growing underneath his bright blue eyes. 

“tired or not, i have a responsibility in my hands. and that responsibility is you.” 

i stop in my tracks. this causes him to stop, too. i take this moment to turn around and look up at him. “how old are you?”

i can tell the question catches him off guard. “i’m 28. why?”

“just wondering.”

i turn back around and continue walking. an orange glow from the sunset casts itself over the city. it’s beautiful and manages to calm me down a bit. 

“where are we going?” gojo asks. 

“to a hotel.”

“... why?”

“i wanna get away from everyone.”

eventually, i find a grand hotel and step inside the lobby, getting a room. i only get one room with one bed. i don’t expect gojo to come inside with me and hope that by having to stay outside the door, he’ll get bored and go home. maybe. am i being cruel? i just want to be alone right now and have privacy. 

even the elevator ride to the room is quiet. but soon enough, i find my room and unlock the door with the card, stepping inside. “you can go home, gojo,” i say for the third time. 

before i can close the door, he stops it. he puts his hand on the door as he looms in front of the doorway. he’s so tall that his head is practically touching the frame. 

“did you not hear me the first time?”

“i was listening when you talked about me being your responsibility and all, but-” i tried to close the door but it wasn’t budging. gojo’s palm pressed firmly above my head on the door prevented it from moving even an inch. 

“uh huh.”

gosh, this angle is bad. i hate the way he’s looking down at me and the way his arms flex whenever i try to close the door further. i wanna trace the dips of his muscles with my-

“distracted?”

i snap out of my thoughts and see him smirking. that might just end me. actually… am i ovulating?

“no,” i lie. he sees right through it. crap. 

gojo takes advantage of my state and lets himself in, closing the door and locking it. i take a few steps back to give him space between my body and his but he’s quick to close it, leaning down to match eye level. 

“relax, i’m not gonna hurt you. or kidnap you. or murder you.”

of course, he sounds sketchy saying that but i can tell that his tone is genuine. still, him being this close is making my heart race. 

“look, if you don’t leave…”

“... what are you going to do?” he smirks more. it’s tempting to say the least. 

“i’m gonna…”

“gonna do what?” his mouth is close to my left ear. it’s low, deep, and husky. 

“i’m gonna shave your head bald!”

gojo stands back up straight and laughs. “haha, you’re cute. and funny.”

i blush at the comment. ugh i can’t take this anymore. i put my hands on his chest and attempt to push him back but he doesn’t move. just like the door. 

“how much… protein… do you eat?!” i say in between breaths, trying my hardest to push him but he remains firmly planted. 

“i don’t keep track.”

then gojo decides to stop being a tree and i end up pushing him back against the hotel room door. it makes a loud sound and i gasp. 

“oh my gosh, i’m so sorry! are you-”

“woahhh,” gojo teases me. “just what do you think you’re doing?”

i turn crimson red at his words and immediately take multiple steps back, covering my face with my hands. 

“awww don’t be so embarrassed. i’m just playing.” gojo walks past me and slumps in the chair. he just has to manspread, huh. “i’m staying here. if you try to run, i’ll catch you.”

“what if i just sneak out when you sleep?”

“i barely sleep. i’m also a pretty light sleeper and can tell that you’re very tired yourself. long day, right?” ugh he can read me too well. i watch as he takes off his black compression shirt in front of me. is that appropriate? 

“um well… you should get some rest though. at least 8 hours. you look tired,” i say. 

his gaze at me softens. “it’s okay, i’m used to getting only 4-5 hours.”

i feel bad and for a moment, i’m quiet. “i can sleep on the floor tonight. i’ll make a makeshift bed and-”

“no no, (name), it’s okay, i can sleep on this chair-”

“i’ve slept on the floor before a couple times already and it’s quite comfortable. don’t worry, i’ll be alright.”

gojo was adamant about me not sleeping on the floor. “no seriously, i-”

“hey, they have food service here!” i change the topic, picking up a menu on the table. “hungry?”

gojo shakes his head. “i’m alright.”

“mmm okay. i’m gonna get a bottle of red wine.” i begin to dial the food service number. the person on the other end of the phone picks up and i order the most expensive bottle of red wine on the menu. 

after hanging up, i tell gojo i’m gonna shower. i end up showering faster than i expected and come out to see him still on the chair, but with his eyes closed. he looks completely relaxed. i can’t tell if he’s just resting or asleep. 

my eyes wander across his bare torso. gosh, how much does he bench press? his chest is broad and huge. his firm shoulders are literal boulders. i also notice how big his biceps are. i can’t imagine how much they must pop out if he flexes them on purpose-

a knock interrupts my thoughts. “food service!” a voice yells from outside. 

gojo and i make eye contact for a second as he opens his eyes due to the sudden voice. i immediately break it and head to the door, thanking the worker and getting the wine i ordered. 

i find wine glasses in a cabinet and pour myself some. “want any?” i ask gojo. 

“i think it’s best if i stay sober,” he smiles. 

“low tolerance that’s why?”

“nope. how are you with alcohol?”

“i’m uhh…” all i took was a couple sips and my cheeks already feel warm. “i have a low tolerance to it but it’s fine. i don’t do anything crazy when i’m drunk.”

“is that what your friends told you?”

“i never really drank with friends before.” i finish my first glass and immediately refill it. this was some good vintage wine. 

i’m not sure how many glasses i drank. gojo and i made small talk, like him just getting to know me better, but my memory was becoming difficult to organize. like is it just me or has he been looking at me… hungrily? must be my imagination. 

“you’re… not gonna sleep?” i ask. i’m sitting on the floor, my left elbow on the bed as i use my left hand to support my head. 

“not yet,” gojo replies amusingly. 

i yawn and get up. “well i might.” i open the closet to find spare pillows and blankets and set up a little bed on the floor. 

“hey, i said you could sleep on the-”

i grab gojo’s hand before he can finish and lead him to the bed. i then gently push him down and crawl on top of him. “you,” i point at his chest. “are sleeping here tonight.”

gojo just looks at me with wide eyes. he’s shocked at my actions but shouldn’t this be expected? i’m literally drunk. or do i just smell good? the wine smelled like berries after all. 

“oh? did you have some wine when i wasn’t looking? your cheeks are flushed,” i tease, poking at his cheeks. 

he turns a brighter shade of red. “i was talking to you the whole time.”

“mhmmm,” i slur. my hands unconsciously begin to trace his muscles. 

i’m so glad he’s not wearing a shirt right now. he’s so fucking hot. 

“you think i’m hot?”

i pause. did i say that out loud?

“yeah, you said that out loud,” gojo chuckles. 

“shit… my bad.” uh oh, now i can’t seem to differentiate my thoughts from reality. “let’s make it even. you tell me something on your mind now.”

i can sense how gojo pauses. his jaw clenches. his fists curl up. it’s like he’s holding back something and debating between spilling his guts or keeping quiet. i wanna ask him what’s so badly on his mind but he opens his mouth before i can. 

“do you… want to know every single thing that i want to do tonight?”

i nod. 

“are you sure?” he asks me this like there’s no turning back if he does. 

“tell me.”

“alright, here’s the whole list.” gojo swallows and i catch the way his throat moves. “i want to get a good feel of you. since i’m definitely not going to let you get away with hiding yourself from me. then i want to make you feel... good. real good. i’d like that, if you do.”

for a moment, i can’t speak. i can’t move. i can’t blink. i can’t do anything but avert my eyes so i’m not looking at him. he must’ve drunk the wine. he must’ve drunk the wine. he must’ve drunk the wine. “how do you want to get a good feel of me?” i blurt out. 

“how do i want to get a good feel of you?” gojo rubs his hand up my arm. “i want to touch every single part of you.”

those words alone make me want to take this stupid oversized t-shirt off. his touch is driving me insane. his hands are rough from callouses and i can tell they’re from weight lifting. oh to be the bar he bench presses-

“is that a no?”

i kiss him before he can say any more. like hell i would say no to him. 

his lips are soft and seem to fit perfectly on mine. he kisses back, but that’s when i realize i didn’t ask him for his consent so i pull away. 

“i’m sorry i didn’t ask for consent…”

gojo just stares at me like he was hurt i pulled away. but then his expression eases into a smile. “you can do anything to me, baby girl. do i have yours?”

i nod. such a simple movement seemed to flick a switch in his head because next thing i know, he’s tugging on my shirt and telling me to take it off. he’s begging me. 

“please, i want to see the pretty sight you’re hiding underneath.” his breath is hot against my skin. "please." i nod again, looking at the way his hands are clenching on my shirt so hard that his veins are extra noticeable. my shirt is off before i know it and he’s tracing the outline of my black lace bra. i know what’s coming off next. 

gojo is sat up a little now. taking advantage of this position, he gently pushes me down, laying me on my back and now he’s the one hovering over me. his frame is huge but his abs are what catch my eye. gosh maybe he should share his workout routine with me. 

our lips are back on each other’s. his lips taste a certain way that i can’t describe but it’s addicting. unexpectedly, he slides his tongue in which earns a little noise from me. that in turn makes gojo hum lowly, a guttural noise from the back of his throat. 

eventually, he pulls away and breaks the kiss, leaving us panting. but he wastes no time. gojo goes straight for my neck, kissing it softly and it tickles a little, until he kisses harder. the force, especially on that sweet spot of my neck, makes me grip onto his shoulders. 

“how am i supposed to stop after that?” his voice is rough, hoarse, and desperate. 

“don’t,” i breathe out, breathless even though i’m not doing the physical work. “i want you.”

gojo unexpectedly pulls away, leaving my neck to feel cold and empty. he looks down at me with a smirk. “now that i’ve got you where i want you, i guess i’ll just have to make the best of it. how about i make you beg for it, hm? you say that you want me right?”

i was so needy and desperate that i threw away my self-respect a long time ago. “satoru, please. please touch me.”

gojo pauses at the use of his first name. “say my name again.”

“satoru.”

“again.”

“satoru…”

“again,” he says, each time inching closer toward my neck and collarbone area. he plays with the left strap of my bra and lets it fall to the side. 

“satoru.”

“again.”

i decide to say something different. “how about you make me say your name until i lose my voice?”

“watch me,” he replies without hesitation, quick to kissing my neck again. he then softly bites down on my collarbone and begins to suck on the skin. i squeeze my eyes shut. he’s gonna leave a mark but i don’t seem to mind. 

“you’re mine. all mine.”

that night was a blur. unfortunately, i don’t remember the rest because i was too drunk. but there was a lot of kissing… touching… neediness… 

i wake up past 11 AM which is super late for me. this morning is different though. gojo is sleeping next to me, in nothing but boxers. he looks so peaceful. i’m sure that this is the most sleep he’s probably ever gotten in a while. 

i look down at myself. i’m back in my oversized t-shirt i swore he took off of me last night. even the bed i made on the floor is untouched. yawning, i groggily walk towards the bathroom. maybe that was a dream. or… not. 

i notice the mark on my collarbone. it causes me to clasp my hand over my mouth. did i… did i do that with my bodyguard? i CANNOT have my parents, my father especially, find out about this. 

the rest of the day was spent avoiding the topic of last night. i went shopping, gojo carried all my bags for me, we went on the city’s huge Ferris wheel, and ate dinner at a nice restaurant. 

when we got back to the hotel room, we were both exhausted. i couldn’t help but glance at the bottle of red wine on the table. there was still some left inside. that’s when gojo breaks the tension. 

“‘i don’t do anything crazy when i’m drunk,’” gojo quotes my words from yesterday. “do you remember what happened last night?”

my hands unconsciously touch that spot on my collarbone. “do you?”

“i remember it in great detail.”

my body shivers a little as i remember the way he touched me. his rough hands were soft, despite his callouses. he touched me gently like i was a fragile, delicate object. like i could shatter any second and i required precise care. 

he kissed me like my lips were an addicting drug he couldn’t get enough of. his body connected with mine like our bodies were meant for each other. he touched me in places i forgot about. he told me the most sweetest and most inappropriate things in existence. my ears heard it all, my eyes saw it all, my skin felt it all. he was greedy for me. 

“i want to remember.”

gojo put the shopping bags down and held my hand. he led me to the bed as he sat on the edge of the mattress, pulling me to sit on his lap so i was straddling him. he cups half of my face with one of his large hands and looks at me so… lovingly. 

“want to do it again sober this time?”

like hell i would say no to him. 

“yes.” 

a/n: character ai inspired 😞 gojo brainrot is real.

© isagisbabygorl

#gojo satoru #jujutsu kaisen #gojo x reader #jjk gojo #satoru #jujutsu gojo #gojo fluff #satoru gojo

[boygiwrites]

Harley D. Dixon 28

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📖Chapter List.

Author's Note.

I was lying last time. That wasn't a biggun. THIS is a biggun.

'Be careful, Dad.'

'I will, baby.'

I realize the others. 'Oh. And you too, I guess.'

'Real funny,' T-Dog signs, unimpressed.

The strongest of our group spare us no last glances as they turn away, with only five bullets and a handful of bolts between them. I sit next to Lori on the small bench, watching their backs retreat. The Thanton Memorial hospital. There it is, tall and beige like a school, but really more of a Hellbox filled with nasty surprises behind each one of the hundreds of little black windows. Glad it ain't me.

God. Nine miles. Two days. Sharpsburg, East of nowhere. We really made it. I guess I knew we would.

'You know this place.'

Herschel's already looking at me when I turn to him, his moustache curled around a smile.

'Just a feeling,' He adds.

'You're a mind reader,' I decide, regarding him with suspicion.

Herschel Greene; a wizard disguised as a Georgian farmer. I knew there was something up with him.

He doesn't respond, because I guess he don't want his cover blown. That or... Well, he's waiting for an answer.

'My Momma lived in this town.' Is all I supply him with after a time, because it ends the same way most stories do.

'I'm sorry.'

I shrug. It ain't anybody's fault. 'I don't know why I didn't tell nobody.'

'This town means something to you. We don't always share things like that.'

I guess. 'What about your Momma?'

'My Mother died when I was fairly young.' He admits easily, like somebody at peace. 'One day, my brother and I noticed she'd gone out into the rain to water the plants, and things were never quite the same for a long time after that.'

Oh. I've heard of that. People getting old, forgetting where their bedroom is, who their kids are.

It's hard to imagine Herschel as just a boy with a Momma.

Some days, it's even hard to imagine myself as just a girl, even though that's what I still am.

I offer him a lame smile.

'Let's talk about something a little happier,' He suggests, while over his shoulder, a flashlight glares across the inside of one of the second storey windows. 'I'm starting to think it's the end of December. That would mean it's Christmas soon.'

The light disappears.

I ignore it.

If only them pharmacies we checked this morning had anything in them besides rat shit and dust.

'Jesus' birthday party,' I muse.

That gets him to laugh. I think he's tryna distract me. 'Yes. It could even be tomorrow.'

'Really? How do you know?'

'Well, I suppose I don't. Do you like Christmas?'

Everybody likes Christmas. That is, at least, everybody likes presents.

'Yeah. My Meemaw had a really pretty tree.'

'The minute it turned December first, Maggie and Beth would always force everyone to put up ours.'

'Do they believe in Santa Claus?'

'Not anymore, I'm afraid.'

'And you?'

His eyes glint mischievously. 'Of course I do.'

I consider it. 'I don't think I do. I don't believe in the Easter Bunny, neither.'

Or God, but that's a different story.

'They didn't ever come to your house?'

'They came a few times, but I think they forgot about us. My friend Dylan said they're made up. The Christmas after that, I stayed up late to spy on Santa, but I just saw Merle and Dad carrying presents in from the truck. I never told them.'

'I guess Santa was too busy that night.'

'If he is real, I hope he's okay. The Easter bunny has lots of chocolate to eat, but... Santa might be hungry.'

I wonder if the walkers have made it to the North Pole yet. Knowing those assholes, they definitely have.

'You forget; — Santa has magic.'

'That's how he makes the sleigh fly, right?'

'Right. And all those cookies and all that milk... Well. He's got more than enough to last a lifetime.'

'So, you think he's okay?'

'I'm sure of it.'

'I would like some cookies and milk, too.'

The old man only laughs again, giving my knee a gentle pat as Carl leans forward, his mouth moving around some words.

When the boy gestures to me, Herschel translates.

'He asked me what we were talking about. He wants to tell you it's okay; Santa forgot about him too, one year.'

Carl sends me a thumbs up, trusting that the message got across well enough.

It did. I feel my smile widen.

It's wiped away when Lori suddenly lurches forward between us. Her chest wracks, wracks, wracks, a soft wad of phlegm flying past her lips and landing at her feet. My hand goes to her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly, as if that's gonna do anything useful. Her lungs, they must be clogged up like sponges filled with yoghurt, all that sickness and junk coming back up the way it went in.

Herschel's on his feet, bringing his thin hand down on her back, knocking the phlegm out of her.

I glance over my shoulder.

Lights; more of them, swooping over the glass, appearing and disappearing and reappearing.

A gunshot lighting up a window.

Please be okay, I think. Lori won't make it like this.

Facing forward again, Lori's got her hand splayed over the base of her throat, coughing dryly. She takes the water bottle Carol is offering to her, and gulp, gulp, gulps down the last of what's inside, deflating when she's done, cradling her big belly.

Are you okay, I ask aloud as I loosen my grip on her, hoping it sounds how it's supposed to sound.

She smiles at me in the slightest of ways, putting her hand over mine before I can pull it away.

She nods, I'm okay, honey.

I nod back, because that's good. I don't believe her for a second, but that's good.

'There was a gunshot,' Beths signs to me, then.

'I know. I saw.'

She continues signing even as she turns to Herschel, a habit by now. 'That was loud.'

'Don't worry. Anything that heard it will be too slow to make their way over here.'

'I hope so.'

We sit without talking after that, watching the windows of the hospital light up with gunshots every now and then, as if it were a football game on TV. I count them, the flashes. The one I saw while Lori was coughing, that's one. That one there, that's two.

Rick used to talk about the day he woke up in the Grady Memorial Hospital sometimes. Right now, the only parts of the story I can remember are the ones where he'd hesitate to continue, staring at something in the fire the rest of us couldn't see, before he muttered about the way there wasn't one wall in the entire building that wasn't dirtied with blood, not even in the children's ward.

Hospitals just ain't what they used to be, is what I learned from him.

There's definitely more than just rat shit and dust in there.

I glance at Beth, asking her, 'Any noise?'

Her lips crumple into a thin line as she answers, 'Nothing.'

Just when I swear Herschel is about to bow his head and start praying, the front doors swing open.

Mouse perks up, his tail ramrod straight.

That's Dad, T-Dog, and Maggie walking out.

Where's Rick and Glenn?

The three of them are panting, dishevelled, but nobody hurt. Nobody bit. That's always the first thing I look for.

Thing is, though, they're all looking at me like I've won a shitty prize and I just don't know it yet.

What now?, I almost feel like saying, but don't.

The further in we walk, the darker it gets.

Does anybody really like the dark?

The flashlights carve out pockets in the walls and floors around us as we make our way down corridor after corridor. My heart skips a beat each time we pass the body of a patient or a nurse or a person in regular clothing, all with a bolt or a bullet buried somewhere inside them. We sidestep their limp arms in turn, their puddles of blood. I ain't ever been in a horror house before, but I imagine this is worse. I imagine it'd prolly feel a whole lot less like you're being walked to the gallows for execution, and that the blood would be fake.

If I had my locket, it would be clutched between my fingers right now, but the soft spot beneath my throat is completely bare. When I woke up this morning to my empty palm, I knew right away what'd happened. I didn't bother to ask what he did with it.

Passing another body with a bolt skewered through its face, my Dad reaches for it, pulling it out.

Clicking it back onto his bow, he notices me watching him.

'Keep going, baby.' He signs to me, black blood smeared down the side of his neck. 'Not far, now.'

T-Dog comes to a stop in the middle of the corridor a minute later, his flashlight revealing Glenn and Rick standing together just up ahead. Not hurt. Not bit. They look up from what they've been doing, which looks like taking turns kicking the wall.

T-Dog lowers the flashlight to their feet.

There it is.

The Harley-sized hole in the wall.

Now that I'm looking it, I can see what they meant. Nobody else is fitting through that thing, not even Carl.

Still no use, is the sentiment written all over Rick's face.

It looks like they've tried their best to widen the gap, but it's made out of solid brick and we're fresh outta jackhammers.

Will she fit? 

Yeah, I think so, Is the gist of what I can tell they're saying to each other.

We got this piece off here, but it the rest isn't budging. We don't have any bullets left to shoot it.

Maybe... we can do what I said before? Find another pharmacy?

Sure. When you find one within twenty miles of here, you let me know.

You're right. That was dumb. Sorry.

There are no other options. The medicine Lori needs is in that room, and it's like I said. She won't make it, otherwise.

'Listen. There are keys on the desk.' Dad explains to me, his stern expression contoured harshly by the flashlights surrounding us. He takes my wrist, guiding me to crouch with him at the base of the wall, pointing through the cracked bricks. I strain to make out the desk with the keys at the back of the room on the other side, before I meet his gaze again. 'Do you see them?'

'Yeah. I saw them.'

The desk ain't the only thing in there.

'We need you to grab them and unlock the door for us.'

We both know I also saw the walker standing idly in the corner, head bowed to the floor, waiting.

'We'll be able to kill it when the door is open.' He adds when I don't respond, as if he needed permission. 'I can't from here.'

'My heart is beating fast.'

He nods. 'That's a good thing. And this meathead is dumb. Are you dumb?'

I puff my chest out, shaking my head.

'That's right. You don't need to hear them when you're smarter than them. You're always smarter than them. Okay?'

'Okay.'

That's what he's told me ever since I went totally deaf. I don't need to hear them when I'm smarter than them. It's not as if we've had the opportunity to test the theory out, since there's so little walkers that I ain't had to kill one yet, but I trust him.

Twisting around, he gestures for Glenn's flashlight and catches it easily, giving it a few test clicks.

He hands it to me. 'Remember what I taught you?'

I give a nod, feeling the weight of Merle's knife sitting in the sheath on my thigh.

'Good. And be careful of the glass on the floor, okay?'

'Okay. I got this.'

I can do this. I gotta, for Lori and the baby. It'll make for a funny story one day, anyway. I can do it.

'You got this.' He agrees. 'It's gonna smell you, but you're not gonna panic. Easy stuff.'

'Easy stuff. Okay.'

'Okay?'

'Okay.'

With one last look at the group, I take a deep breath and grab onto one of the exposed bricks, contorting myself until my head and one of my arms is through the gap. I pause for a moment, trying not to breathe too much as I watch the walker follow invisible patterns along the floor with its eyes. Once its head is tilted away from me, I brace my hand on the floor, pushing myself through.

Oh, God. What was it I just said? I can do this?

The flashlight blinks on and off as I land on the other side, grabbing it, giving it a shake.

The desk is illuminated in a circle of light, centre stage.

The dead body twitches in the shadows. I slowly get to my feet, silently warning it to stay right where it is if it knows what's good for it. I'm smart. I can read and write now, and my Dad taught me how to stab the thigh first, so the walker will collapse and make it easier for me to reach whatever cavity I can stick my knife in. If this thing gets too close to me, it's gonna get the Dixon treatment.

Uh huh. That's right, I scold it, chin held up. The Dixon treatment. Ain't nobody want that!

The pieces of glass on the floor glint in the light as I tip toe my way through them, stepping up to the desk.

Dad said the keys are here. I saw them. They should be right here amongst these dusty papers — Ugh, God, don't sneeze. Don't. — or maybe even on this folder? What about the shelves above the desk? How could they just disappear?

When I turn the light on the walker, it's looking at me, eyeballs wet, reflecting the light.

It's smelt me.

That's okay. I'm okay. We knew it would.

It starts its slow shuffle towards me as I turn my attention back on the desk, casting about it twice as quickly now, batting the alarm clock, the pen pots, the stethoscope, everything out of my way and following all the pencils and random office supplies down to the floor. Kneeling, I look around, making sure the keys haven't gone down with them or fallen between the desk and the cabinets.

A glint of metal.

I gasp. They have!

I must've accidently knocked them off while I was choking back all that dust in my face.

I stick my hand into the slim gap, but — Ugh. — I can't get it any farther than my knuckles!

I'll have to make it wider.

Abandoning the flashlight, I grab the side of the desk, using all my strength to shove it even just one inch to the side.

Shit, it's heavy. They got bowling balls in here, or what?

The wheelie chair bumps into my ankle. I act on instinct, my hands shooting out, bracing against it. I look up. The walker's slouched over it, reaching for me. My elbows, they buckle. Shit. The seat slams into my shoulder — Ouch! — but you know what. This'll do. This works. I just need these stupid keys. I ignore the walker and its stench of old meat, focused on nothing but the keys.

I'm not gonna panic. It's what I used to do, but I've learnt since then. I'm better!

A couple shoves, and the gap is just wide enough, wide as it's ever gonna be.

Easy stuff. Easy stuff.

The seat suddenly gives way. The body rolls, cracking its cheekbone on the floor. Don't matter. I got the keys. I'm back on my feet and running to the door, feeling out a random key and shoving it in the lock, twisting it. It's the right one. The door opens.

Maggie pulls me out by the arm. It's if there's a fire blazing behind me and I'm about to go up in flames.

That's it. I'm out!

I fall into her stomach, protectively held there.

Thank whoever's still up there. Or maybe, just thank me.

Rick and Dad push past my shoulders, marching into the room and unsheathing their blades, powerfully driving them both into the walker's skull. Blood splatters as they yank them out, droplets landing across the glass cap of the flashlight on the floor. It tints the light and everything it's cast onto a bright red, flickering. Dad picks it up, wipes it on his thigh, and hands it back to Glenn.

Grinning proudly to myself, I hold up the keys up like a trophy head for everyone to see.

Maggie releases me, smiling breathlessly down at me in relief.

'Well done,' T-Dog exclaims with his hands, sharing a high five with me.

Kneeling in front of me, Dad cups my face in his hands. He don't give a damn about the keys. Are you okay?

'I'm okay. The keys were down the side of the desk. I couldn't reach them. I had to—,' Shoving at the air, I enthusiastically mime the struggle, making Maggie chuckle behind her hand. 'The walker was trying to get me through the chair.'

He smiles, wagging his thumbs across my cheeks before lowering his hands. 'I told you. Meatheads. But not you.'

'Not all the time, anyway.'

'You should've come back out when you couldn't find the keys.'

'Sorry.'

'It's alright. There won't be a next time. You did good.'

Then, taking the keys from me, he stands back up and returns to Rick's side in the dark room.

I stay right beside Maggie and Glenn as they make quick work of the storage room door, pushing it open. Their torches illuminate the shelves on either side of them, which to everyone's relief, are completely untouched, lined with all kinds of medicine. It wasn't all for nothing. Without bothering to read many of the labels, they swoop their arms through the masses of bottles, catching everything in their open backpacks and zippering them back up, before nodding to each other and stepping back outta the small room.

Let's go, Rick says as he shoos us forward. We're all eager to get the Hell outta this place.

Stepping through Thanton Memorial's broken glass doors, daylight breaks across my face.

The fresh, cold air floods into my dusty lungs.

When Carl spots me, it's like the bench burns his ass. He's calling my name as he comes running at me, crushing me in a hug that almost sends us both toppling over into the snow. A giggle is squeezed from me as I hug him back, feeling my bones creak under the pressure. Wow. For somebody who ain't eaten anything other than a bit of rabbit for the past two days, he sure is strong.

Pulling away, he holds both my shoulders as he worriedly exclaims something to me.

You're the coolest, bravest person ever, I'm gonna assume is what he's saying, I don't know how you did it!

He pulls me in for another, quicker hug.

When Herschel appears over his shoulder, I get the real story. 'He's telling you we were all very worried.'

Oh. Is that right?

Ow!, The boy scoffs as I land a punch to his shoulder, forcing him offa me.

'Tell him he's talking to Harley Dixon,' I say.

As the sentiment is passed on, Carl rolls his eyes at me, making a retort.

'He wants to remind you of the time he hugged you after you cried from a nightmare.'

Ow!, He complains again when I punch him.

As he rubs sorely at his shoulder, he can't help but giggle along with me.

'Come on,' Herschel interrupts us, herding the two of us back toward the group. 'Very well done, sweetie.'

'I was only a little scared.'

'Of course. This is Harley Dixon I'm speaking to, isn't it?'

Too right. 'Yes, it is!'

Stepping up to the crowd, we gather around the bench as Rick takes a seat next to his wife, uncapping the bottle of water in his lap. Her face looks awful pale-like, paler than the snow packed under our boots. Still, despite the effort it must take, she manages a smile. Her hands shake as she takes the water, watching Rick tap a small bottle of pills against her open palm until two tumble out. 

Being trapped in that room was one of the scariest things I've done. I can say that, now. But as she tips her head back and swallows the pills down with a gulp of water, I'm hit with the feeling that I would do it all over again if I had to.

She sighs, body swaying. We can only hope that it works.

As Rick soothes circles onto her lower back, his gaze accidently meets mine.

'Thank you', He signs, looking like he means every bit of it.

His blue eyes start to water just like they did last night, except there ain't no fire I can blame it on this time.

I only give him a single, shy nod, grabbing onto my Dad's hand. He don't need to thank me. I love Lori, too.

Then to everyone else, he says it again; Thank you.

Carl's hugging me again.

I don't bother punching him this time. I don't wanna do it, anyway.

Being back in Sharpsburg is different to what I thought it would be.

Aside from the old blood smeared across the roads, the way everything seems to have gone through a nightmare and fell back asleep shortly afterward, Sharpsburg is the one place we been that has not bothered to rot away quite yet. There ain't no bombing craters where parks or stores used to stand, no toppled police barricades, army trucks, no bruises from the week everything ended.

Petey's general store is still exactly where it always was, right next door to the news agency, the record store, the locksmith. I don't keep my head down like I planned to. I don't pretend I never knew this place, or the people in it, because I did. I hold my chin up to the light of the setting sun as we walk through the forgotten town, unafraid of the memories I can see behind each and every door.

You know this place. I did. I do. For a long while, it was pretty much the only thing I knew.

Each weekend, I would jump out of Dad's truck the second he pulled up on the handbrake, door slamming as I ran into my Mama's open arms. It would be late afternoon, sometimes twilight. There was no school the next day, no quizzes or beatings to worry about. Not on the good days, not when I was cruising down the sidewalk on my bike with a dollar note in my hand, on my way to Petey's. He would always insist on letting me pick an ice cream out for free, but it never worked. Have-it-her-way-Harley, he always called me, the nickname a hearty chuckle in his mouth. The wind was in my hair on the way home, because I had one back then, dollar note replaced with a fruity-flavored glob of ice cream frozen to a stick. Sugar melting onto my fingers, washed away in the play pool after dark.

I used to do things like that. We all did, I suppose.

As we pass by an empty parking lot, I notice the rainbow streamers of a lonely, fallen bike blowing around in the wind like a white flag. I wanna ride a bike again. Just for a minute. Maybe two, I think, as I hold my gaze on it for as long as I can.

Eventually, we make it to a park. Of course, I recognise this place as well, and so does my Dad.

That's why I can feel him staring at the back of my head.

I never stopped to think about how he knows Sharpsburg, too. He was right there with me on the porch of Petey's store, most the time, smoking cigarettes in the sun with melted ice cream drying out on his collarbones. He remembers it, too.

We used to come to this park all the time; me, Momma, and Dad, on the rare days they got along.

I got to pretend I was a different kid looking in on the three of us and thinking, What a nice family. I wish I was her.

Now, the monkey bars look more like the giant ribcage of an old beast rather than something I'd wanna play on.

A shrivelled walker, curled over the seat of one of the swings, lets the wind brush its fingers along the ground.

Everyone has a Before.

Even that walker.

Even if our Befores were all very different, at least our Afters are all the same. We're all here, sick, hungry, tired.

The park's trees and fences fall away after a while of more walking, making way for a suburban street.

Coming to a stop in the middle of the road, the ache in my feet worsens to a pang, pang, panging.

'Everything alright?' Glenn's asking me as a wave of tiredness suddenly washes over me.

'My feet hurt.' I answer. 'And don't say sorry.'

'I think we're going to stop soon. Don't worry.'

Rick considers the houses lined up in front of us, hands on his hips, as Dad walks up to us. 'What's wrong?'

'Her feet hurt. And are you tired?'

I could fall asleep right here in the snow. 'A little.'

Even when I was lost in the woods outside Herschel's farm, I still don't think I ever walked this much and for this long.

Giving me a regretful look, Dad offers, 'Do you need me to carry you?'

'I'm a big girl,' I tell him, yawning.

'I know. I asked you a question.'

They wait on my answer. I think about fighting it a minute longer, but I just don't have it in me. I'm reaching up for my Dad before I even realize it's what I'm doing, letting him lift me onto his chest as I wrap my arms and legs around him.

I could've definitely handled it. Yeah. It's just that, maybe it's okay if I don't for a while.

I can already feel my eyes drooping shut. I'm gonna fall asleep right here.

It's suddenly a lot easier to feel like just a girl, now.

My chin hooked over his shoulder, I watch through my heavy lids as Rick does a double take on something laying on the ground, turning to pick up what looks like a fallen street sign. The moonlight swells over the clouds, spilling onto the metal.

Brushing the frost off, he reveals the words, Bolton Drive.

Bolton Drive. To me, this was always just Dylan's street.

If we turn left here, there's some bigger houses down the way. I think it's prolly what my Dad's telling the group right now.

We're on the move again right after that, heading further into the suburbs. I'm saved from walking, instead snuggling into my Dad. It's almost impossible to shield my face from the oncoming winds as I peek out over his shoulder, the moon a silver ball in the sky behind us. I bet it's just about the only place left without any walkers, including the North Pole. If I were a bird, maybe I would forget all about Earth and just fly up there. I could look back down on it all like from a faraway window, watching as it slowly spins.

At a harsh gust of wind, I close my eyes, and the moon and all the stars vanish.

Sleep sweeps me up quickly. My mind floods with murky colors, then black, swirling like a shower drain.

When I open my eyes next, we're approaching a house I don't recognise.

'Shhhh,' Dad's soothing me, looking about as exhausted as I feel. 'It's alright. I'm putting you down.'

My feet slowly setting on the ground, Maggie takes my hand before I get the chance to feel the loss of Dad's warmth. We wait shivering at each other's side as the men clear out the house. Rick eventually sticks his head back out, waving us inside.

Climbing the porch, we huddle into the narrow corridor and spread out into the nearest room, the lounge room. Dad's already got a fire going for us as we make ourselves at home on the sofas, the hot breath of the flames quickly starting to melt the frost stuck to my coat. I hug myself, breathing deeply and slowly to try fight off the urge to fall right back asleep. As I notice Carl approaching, I scoot over to make room for him and his Momma, who settles her weight down on the sofa with the help of Maggie and Glenn.

I feel a little bad for being carried, even if I needed it. Lori made it all the way here on foot, deep into a sickness and carrying a baby inside of her. A lotta people might think a lady like her is weak, but they'd be wrong. There's many ways to be strong.

My Dad stands from where he was knelt by the fireplace, peeling off his beanie and sitting beside me.

As I look around the room, all I see are tired faces.

Mouse plops himself between my feet, the poor guy's fur ice-cold beneath my hands as I give him some pats.

We'll be warm soon, buddy, I think.

Everyone's attention is stolen when Rick steps up to the front of the room, fiddling with his beanie in his hands.

He gulps on nothing, nodding to himself. 

'I know we're all very tired,' Herschel translates for me as the words come, even though his arms must feel like they weigh a thousand pounds. 'Been tired for months. But let's just make the most of this and try to relax tonight. We've got a fire. We've got walls. Medicine. It's a Hell of a lot better than those garages back in Newnan. T and I will melt some snow for us to drink, and we got some food we just found in the kitchen. We'll take turns for watch through the night, but there's not much out there. You saw.'

Carol hesitates to raise her hand, shaking her head as she asks a question.

We turn back to Rick. 'I don't know. I don't like staying in one place long, but I'm thinking there's only a few more weeks left until Spring. It's not impossible to think we can tough it out here. There's not many other options right now.'

It looks like we're staying in Sharpsburg for a few more weeks, then. At least until the cold dies down.

There are worse places to end up.

'Try to warm up in the meantime.'

Leaving us to stew in thought, Rick and T-Dog pull their coats on tighter and disappear through the archway.

'You know something?' Beth asks after a minute or two, the only light in the room coming from the fire. It lends her face a pretty, dim glow as she glances at her Dad sitting next to her.  'Daddy thinks it's gonna be Christmas tomorrow.'

Oh, that's right. I'd almost forgotten.

Glenn sends him a, No shit?, sort of look.

'I just figured it would be about that time.' He explains, making Maggie light up. 'I have a sixth sense for it.'

My Dad scoffs, shrugging. 'Well, I don't have a calendar. Why not.'

Wait? Really?

'So, it's Christmas tomorrow?', I ask him, as if we ain't just making all this shit up.

Something so simple, the prospect of waking up on Christmas morning tomorrow even if it ain't in no official way, even if we ain't even got a tree, let alone a star to put on top of it, sparks excitement throughout the room. Yes, it's Christmas tomorrow. From the smiles breaking out on everyone's faces, Maggie giddily gripping onto Glenn to give him a shake, I can tell it's Christmas tomorrow.

Feeling just a little bit more awake than I did a moment ago, I exclaim again, 'It's Christmas tomorrow!'

My Dad seems to find this very amusing, smirking side-long at me.

There ain't much to say in the way of how our Christmases used to go, especially the ones after my second birthday, but I still remember seeing the church all lit up with decorations at night whenever we happened to drive past it. I always liked that.

Carl must exclaim the same thing I did with almost twice the energy, because Lori and Rick laugh.

'I can't believe,' Maggie gushes, 'I forgot about Christmas!'

'It's not your fault,' Glenn jokes, petting her shoulder. 'We've been busy trying not to die.'

'Good point.'

'I'm sure the Lord will forgive you,' Beth says.

'Yeah. He started all this shit, anyway.'

Maggie waves her hand around. 'Hey. A little respect for the Atheists in the room?'

When everyone turns to look at me and Dad, a round of laughter breaks out.

'We're only in it for the presents,' He agrees.

I nod. It's true.

'Me, too,' Glenn says.

'I just wish I we had some,' Beth pouts.

'We're alive,' Herschel argues, looking around at each person in the room. 'There's no present better than that.'

Aww. That cheesy line earns him a funny look from Maggie, who pulls him into a deathly-tight hug.

'I think there actually might be something better.'

Glenn sticks a finger up, standing and disappearing into the kitchen.

When he returns, he's cradling a bunch of shiny wrappers in his arms, dumping them all onto the coffee table. Snack packs. Crackers and cheese, salami and cookies, bread sticks, peanut butter. Those really are snack packs! What a lucky find!

Nobody hesitates. We all grab one, ripping the seals off and huffing the tasty smell that comes out.

'You just found these in there?,' Asks Beth.

'Yeah,' He answers, flopping back onto the sofa. 'They were in the pantry. There's cans, too.'

'I'm in love with whoever lived here.'

Mouse is staring at me as I pick up a piece of salami, so I toss it into his mouth.

I save the next one for myself, groaning at the nostalgic taste of school lunches.

'Better?' Glenn signs to me like a smartass, knowing damn well this is the best thing I ever tasted.

I stick my food-covered tongue out at him.

Blehhh!

Unexpectedly, he does the same thing back. Eugh. Gross!

When Carl notices what we're doing, he sticks his tongue out, too. Even grosser!

'Come on. Enough,' Dad tries to warn me, buts he regrets it a second later when a wet glob of salami lands in his lap.

This is what Rick and T-Dog walk in on as they come through the archway, holding cookware filled with chunks of snow and ice in front of them. My Dad's smacking the salami onto the floor as if it were fresh dog shit, Carl and I trying not to choke on our food, laughing at him. Mouse spinning in circles like a lunatic, spurred on by the chaos, making Carol laugh like she means it. Not that puny, polite little chuckle she does sometimes; a full belly laugh, holding onto Maggie for support. They was only gone a few minutes.

Rick smirks as he shakes his head, deadpanning something to the effect of, I see you found the food.

They set the cookware in front of the fire and join us on the sofas. 

'Why's everyone so happy?', Rick asks as he sits on the ottoman, confused, delighted, because there has to be a reason.

'It's Christmas tomorrow,' I gladly tell him.

'Oh, really?'

T-Dog asks the others, 'Wait, what? How do you know?'

'We don't.' Herschel admits, throwing Mouse a cube of cheese. 'But we deserve a Christmas, don't we?'

Yeah, I see the word slip from Rick's mouth.

'We deserve some eggnog, too,' T-Dog adds, making himself laugh just like he always does.

'Tell me about it.'

'Cover your ears, kids,' Carol tells us, even though she's laughing, too.

I hear that right? As the deaf one outta the two of us, I jokingly gesture to my ears. I can't hear shit, anyway!

As everyone laughs all over again, my Dad reaches out to try and cover my eyes, but I bat him offa me. Nice try.

'You got the card, now, kid.' T-Dog tells me, like it's some secret club I've joined.

'I got the what?'

'The card. I got mine, too. 'Oh, yeah? Is it because I'm black'?'

Carol smacks him. 'Whatever.'

'Next time your Dad gives you in trouble, you can pull the, 'Oh, yeah? Is it because I'm deaf?'

That's silly!

'Don't give her ideas.'

'Too late,' I grin devilishly. 'I got the card, now, Dad.'

He rolls his eyes, trying his best not to laugh, too.

'You can't do that, Harley.' T-Dog mimes. 'Oh, yeah? Is it because I'm deaf?'

'What did I just say?'

Sorry, man, T-Dog chuckles, biting on a tiny bread stick.

What's eggnog, Carl asks his parents curiously, reminding us why we're talking about 'cards' in the first place.

Eggnog is a milky-lookin' drink that got booze in it, which is why Rick and Lori brush off the question. I tried it once, during a party at my Meemaw's, after one of my Uncles shrugged and said, Fuck it. Tasted like garbage sprinkled with cinnamon.

'Let's just stick with what we have,' Herschel suggests. 'There must be some other traditions we can do?'

'Our family used to share a favorite moment from that year,' Beth says. 'Maybe we can do that?'

'That's a great idea, Beth.'

'I got one.' Glenn raises his hand. 'Finding that car in Atlanta.'

'Oh, that was good.'

'Sad we had to leave it.' He agrees. 'I also liked the time I fell into a dumpster after we left the CDC.'

'What?,' Maggie scrunches her nose at him.

'Looking back at it, it was pretty funny.'

God dang, I remember that day. I was sitting off to the side with Sophia, watching the scene unfold together.

'Morales had to grab your ass to pull you out,' I tease him.

Rick tries to hide the fact that he's chuckling, as Maggie asks him what he was doing in a dumpster.

'We'd lost everything. We were searching for supplies, but I saw some yellow boots and I wanted them for Harley.'

Everyone croons, Awwww.

'I remember those boots, actually.' Beths recalls. 'What happened to them?'

'I fed them to the cows,' I shrug, so I don't gotta bring up the farm, where I left them in our tent the night it all burned down.

'Hey. I risked my life for those boots.'

Rick corrects him, 'I think you risked your ass, is what she just said.'

'It's what I said.'

'I got one.' My Dad says, dipping a cracker in some peanut butter. 'The day we put Glenn in the well.'

'Remember how he squealed?,' T-Dog giggles.

'No,' Glenn tries to convince us, doing a very bad job of it. 'I don't remember that. Never happened.'

'That walker was next-level gross.'

Next in the line to share, I decide, 'My favorite moment is when I found Mouse.'

'He loves you, doesn't he?,' Maggie smiles.

I throw him another piece of salami, hoping that the answer would be yes.

Carl tells everyone his favorite moment from this year was sneaking off into the woods with me, but his parents both give him a look, so he wisens up and changes his answer to something a little less totally forbidden; going to shooting practice.

When it's Lori's turn, she mentions a time she pushed Carl on the Greene's swing.

Rick's favorite moment is beating Herschel at checkers, something that the old man lets him get away with sharing.

'Gotta be seeing Daryl wake up after surgery,' T-Dog says after that, startling me with how suddenly sentimental it is.

The firelight flickers back and forth on the rug for a few moments.

My Dad subtly replies, Thanks, man.

'I was gonna say that, too,' I say to be funny.

'Yeah,' Glenn backs me up. 'You totally were. In fact, I change my answer, too. Favorite moment; Meeting Maggie.'

The woman pouts up at him, grabbing his hand, threading their fingers together.

'I change mine, too.' Dad says. 'The moment I found out Harley wasn't bitten.'

'That's mine, too.'

'Me, too,' Just about half the group nod, agreeing.

Then, everyone's coming up with different answers, talking over the top of each other. Bringing Harley back safe from the gas station, is T's second answer, but he also has a third and fourth and a fifth, because he just can't pick one. Making it outta the CDC alive. Finding the farm. Saving Glenn after he gave blood. Herschel's favorite moment is all the moments he's kept his daughters safe, an answer that earns him a big hug from both Maggie and Beth this time, because, I don't know what I'd do without my girls.

Rick and Glenn finding Daddy safe, Beth says, and then Maggie; That's mine, too.

I find myself with a hundred new answers, too. The moment Jacqui and I kicked up all them butterflies outta the grass as we ran to the house, after she told me my Daddy was alive. The morning Maggie made us scrambled eggs and tea for breakfast. All them times I shared a peach with someone while we sat in the sun. Lori making that joke about Maggie and Glenn being in love, and how I gagged at it back then. I can't forget about the time Carl hugged me as I cried, as Dad cut my hair, as I petted a cow's nose or fed a chicken.

All the little things and the big things, but also all the sad things. In a way, I'm grateful for them, too.

If Jacqui was here, or Sophia, or Momma or Meemaw, or my cousins, who could be anywhere by now, dead or alive, or Morales or Eliza or Louis or Miranda, who I ain't sure if I'll ever see again, or even our dog Tank, I like to think they'd be grateful for me, too.

'I told you, didn't I?,' Herschel smiles. 'No better present.'

After that — After Glenn starts to tear up and we all tease him for it — We decide to wrap it up for the night.

'I love you guys,' He blubbers, like we didn't already know, like we haven't almost died for each other a hundred times over.

Okay, buddy, Dad's saying, reaching to pat his shoulder.

'I think it's time to turn in.'

Beth covers her mouth as she yawns. 'Yeah. I'm so tired.'

'Tell me if anybody sees Santa Claus,' T-Dog says non-committedly.

'I'm going to grab the blankets and pillows from upstairs.' Rick announces, standing up. 'Who's on first watch? Me?'

I'll do it, My Dad offers, letting Maggie comfort Glenn, but he's turned down.

He was frostbitten from head to toe only yesterday. I wouldn't let him out there, neither.

I can do it, T-Dog decides, and that's that. 'Maybe it'll be me that sees him.'

No fair, Carl whines.

Rick leaves and brings back down a whole bunch of bedding that he plops on the floor, giving everyone free reign to pick out what they want as T makes himself scarce. I pull out a small pillow and what must be a toddler's blanket, letting Dad help me get settled on the sofa. I lay with my head against one arm rest, Carl resting his against the other. Both our Dads tuck us in.

'Goodnight,' He signs to me, knelt just beside the sofa. 'You still hungry or thirsty?'

I shake my head, yawning. 'Just sleepy.'

'You were very brave today.' He tells me, earnest eyes boring into mine. 'Not many kids would do what you did.'

'I just wanted to help Lori and the baby.'

'I know. They got a better chance, now.'

'Does that mean I get to name the baby?'

He smirks a little bit. 'We'll see.'

I glimpse Beth muttering to Hershel over Dad's shoulder, sharing a big blanket. I sign, 'Would Momma be proud, too?'

His face falls. The words hit him right in the heart, a poisonous bolt. All he says is, 'Yes.'

'Good,' I manage to reply, right before my eyes start to droop closed.

'Goodnight,' He signs again.

Placing a kiss to my cheek, my Dad pulls back and lays his own blanket down on the floor in front of me, laying facing the fire.

Rick was right. This is a Hell of a lot better than those garages back in Newnan.

I would like to help T-Dog spot Santa, I really would, but I just can't stay awake even one moment longer.

I'm being shaken gently.

Groaning, I open my eyes. Dad's face is inches from mine, all the windows behind him filled with grey daylight.

Adjusting the crossbow on his shoulder, he signs, 'Good morning.'

'Good morning.'

Sitting up, I groggily take in the sight of the group still laid out across the room, fast asleep. All except for Dad, and also Rick and Carl. I see them standing in the archway, both dressed for the snow just like Dad is, whispering to each other.

'Get your coat,' Dad says, and before I get the chance to ask what's going on; 'We're going searching for presents.'

We're what?!

After waking Glenn and putting him on watch, the four of us set out into the neighbourhood. The sun slowly rises from behind the falling snow, eclipsing the roofs of the houses around us and washing the morning in a soft, pink and yellow hue. It's quiet, peaceful, just how it always is before the day fully starts. Carl, Mouse, and are rowdily running down the sidewalk, disturbing it all.

It's Christmas. According to us, it's Christmas, and ain't nobody here to tell us otherwise!

Dad and Rick follow after us until we make it to the park, the two oldies totally left in our dust as we make a beeline for the playground and pounce on the metal merry-go-round. It's been so long since I went on one of these. It feels like we're breaking a rule, a rule that nobody said aloud, but we ain't. Our Dads told us loud and clear that today, we're allowed to do whatever we want.

I'll spin us, Carl's laughing as he pushes on one of the handles, Mouse wisely standing back.

I still remember to hold on tight. Here we go!

Once he's picked up enough speed, he makes a jump for the platform. He skids around like a drunk, landing on his ass. He hugs the closest handle. The world spins into a multi-coloured smear. I just can't stop laughing, not even if I tried.

As the ride slows down, it feels like I'm 'bouta hurl up all that salami I ate last night.

Again!, I shout.

The next time we come to a stop, we round on the sight of Dad and Rick standing off to the side, watching us.

'Wanna get pushed?,' My Dad asks us, nodding to the swings.

I jump off the platform. 'Yes!'

Rick effortlessly peels the dead walker I saw yesterday offa the seat, throwing it aside and helping me on. I'on know how long we swing for, but the warm, pink sun spills and spills between the trees until it's on my face, making me forget the cold.

Spring is right around the corner, now.

This whole nightmare is almost over. I can just tell.

One of these days, the sun will crest the horizon and the snow just won't come.

It doesn't take long for us to make it back to town square.

'Where should we start?', Rick asks.

'I want to look in Petey's,' I answer right away, pointing to the storefront. 'But Carl can't come.'

Obviously, it's because I'm gonna be picking something out for him, which is why he starts giggling when Dad translates.

Rick ruffles the boy's hair, nudging him in the opposite direction. 'It's a plan. We'll search over here.'

'There's a toy store that way,' Dad adds helpfully.

'We'll check it out. Good luck.'

'Good luck. Watch out for elves.'

He laughs a bit as I whistle for Mouse, who runs after us. 'We will.'

Passing barrels of wrinkled flowers, Dad sticks his fingers between the automatic glass doors and forces them open, pulling his crossbow down as they roll apart on the tracks. Out of the darkness, a human-shaped shadow stumbles toward us.

It drops to the floor before it can even open its mouth.

Lowering his crossbow, Dad nods me forward, tugging his bolt outta the walker's wet face.

Look around, He says, wiping the blood off on his thigh.

The first thing I check is the comic section, of course. I'm hoping they got the series Carl likes, the one with the kick-ass astronauts and the evil aliens on the cover that I can't remember the name of. Captain Noel and the Astronauts, or something like that. I read it just the other week while he was dozed off, just to see what all the fuss was about. Weren't hard to see why he likes it.

As I step over a fallen sale sign, Mouse sniffs around the shelves, skulking around the corner.

Approaching the display stand, I skip right over the magazines and check out the comics, flicking through the covers. There's pictures of supervillain scientists, monsters, ninjas in impossible poses, wielding metal stars. They's all dumb-looking, so I'm sure Carl would eat them up like hot cakes for breakfast, but I really want the alien one. He been after the next volume since we met him.

There's a tap on my shoulder.

Hm?

Glancing up at Dad, I watch as he pulls a comic down from the highest rack, holding it out for me to see.

Captain Nate and the Awesome Eight, The quirky logo reads. 

Grabbing it up like it might disappear before my eyes, I feel the pages crinkle under my fingers. This is the one!

Volume Four, It says at the bottom. The final mission.

I hold up three fingers to Dad.

Understanding, he flips through the comics again before handing me the third volume.

I take it, hugging them both to my chest before signing, 'These are for Carl. He loves them.'

'Really? I thought they were for Beth.'

Pssh. He ain't funny. 'Let's keep looking. We need something for her, too!'

He puts the comics in my backpack for me, following me around the store to continue our hunt for the perfect presents.

For Beth, I find a couple bottles of nail polish in the tiny makeup display, throwing in a black tube-thing that reads, Mascara, along with them for Lori, or maybe for Maggie. I ain't sure. I ask Dad what he thinks, but he got even less of a clue than I do.

I decide to throw in a second tube and some eyeshadow thingies just to be safe.

For Rick and Herschel, we decide on a pair of woolly socks for each of them. You just can't go wrong with socks.

When we find some shirts with silly phrases on them, I know instantly that they would be perfect for Glenn and T-Dog.

Lastly, Dad makes us grab a bunch of random things that we need, like canned food and lighters, before we turn into the pet aisle. Mouse is there, nosing a package of tennis balls along the floor. He looks confused when they roll under the shelves. I crouch down, pulling them back out. It looks like he found his own present. He watches me stash them in my bag, pink tongue lolling happily. 

On our way out, I pass by the rack again, stealing a girly magazine off it that I think Carol will like.

Carl and Rick meet us back on the street, both their backpacks suspiciously fatter than they were the last time we saw them.

'How'd it go?'

Good, Rick says, as Carl tries to get a peek inside my bag. 'Want to swap?'

Before the boy gets to close, I fend him off, giggling as he wrestles me.

'Sure.' Dad pulls him offa me. 'Hard to get a present for your kid when they're right beside you.'

'Exactly.' Rick chuckles, offering his hand to me.

I take it, blowing a raspberry at Carl's back as he walks off with my Dad in the opposite direction.

The store Rick and I check out is the record store, Jameson's Jams, just across the way. After he scopes the place out, coming up empty, it's safe for us to go in. The smell of dust and plastic swarms us I look around at the tubs of record sleeves and CDs.

'It used to be tidy in here,' I sign to him, even though he could prolly guess that.

The doors close behind him, shutting the snow out.

' Did you go here often?'

'All the time.' I meander up to the nearest bin. 'My parents loved music.'

As I pick up an edgily-decorated sleeve that catches my eye, Rick steps up to my side.

'Something tells me their music taste clashed,' He jokes. 'Am I right?'

No. 'They both had bad taste.'

Scoffing, I throw the sleeve back, walking around to the other side of the tubs.

Chuckling to himself, he glances down at the record I'd been holding. It fits my Dad to damn T. I don't take it with me, though, because we ain't got no way to play it. It'd just be a waste of space, so I crack open a CD instead, taking out the paper.

Tossing the useless part back in the bin, I look up to see Rick already looking at me.

He's frowning, his brown hair poking out from underneath his beanie, curled over his faint wrinkles.

'What?,' I gesture impatiently.

What's he want?

I hate to admit it, but there's a little stain of bitterness left inside me after what he did to my Momma's photo.

It weren't like it was on purpose, but it didn't have to be.

'I'm sorry,' He signs, the tubs separating us by at least ten feet feeling more like a hundred.

'It's okay,' I brush it off. 'I'm not mad at you.'

'I know. Trust me, I can tell when you're mad at me,' He smiles for a fleeting moment. 'I'm apologising, anyway.'

'That was the only photo I had of her, you know.'

'I know.'

'Her name was Lindsey.'

'I know. Your Dad talks to me about her, sometimes.'

'Why did you throw it?'

He pauses, picking at a sticker on the wood before fessing up, 'Shane makes me angry, honey. I was angry. I threw it.'

'Angry? Not sad?'

'No. Not sad.' He shakes his head. 'We were all past that when we saw the truck leaving the farm.'

'He gave me the locket. My Dad threw it away the night you burned the photo.'

'Yes, I know. He talked to me about that, too.'

'He did?'

'He was going to let you keep it.'

'Why didn't he?'

'You know why.'

Yeah. I do. I don't even know why I asked that. He threw it away for the same reason I'm not allowed to talk about Ronnie.

Rick changes the subject, the tension in his shoulders melting away as he signs, 'Thank you. Again.'

'For the hospital?'

He nods. 'You were brave.'

'Dad said the same thing.'

'It's true. Even I would have been scared, and I'm thirty-four years old.'

'You're never scared.'

'I'm scared all the time.' I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to say that. I wait until he says something else. 'Thank you.'

Hell. He shouldn't make me laugh like that. I'mma breathe in all this dust. 'You're worse than Glenn.'

'What do you mean?'

'You can't stop saying 'Thank you'. He can't stop saying 'Sorry'. Feet hurt. Sorry. My ears ring. Sorry. It's funny.'

'He's sensitive,' Rick agrees fondly.

'I know. He cried last night.'

A muted chuckle. 'That's right. He did.'

As I look off to the side, something on the wall catches my eye.

Guitars. A lot of them.

Abandoning the piece of paper, I run over to them, stepping onto a chair and pulling down an electric guitar.

Rick is eye-level with me when he comes over. 'Your Dad said he knows how to play.'

Nodding, I give the strings a dramatic thrum.

It must be painful, going by the way Rick looks like he's just heard nails going down a chalkboard.

I can't help but laugh, turning to hook it back up. Like the record and the CD, it would just be a waste of space. Electric guitars don't sound so good if you don't got anything to plug them into. Acoustic ones, however, they're perfect anywhere.

Hopping onto to the next chair over, I pull down a classically wooden guitar, cold to the touch. 

When I strum this one, Rick gives a thumbs up. It'll need tuning, but that's a piece of cake.

Jumping down, I have a thought.

'How the Hell do we hide this from him?'

He looks the thing up and down. 'We might have to give it to him now.'

Aw. 'That's not as fun.'

'How about this — You hide behind me. When we see him, you jump out. Is that fun?'

Hmmm. 'Okay. Let's do that!'

Carl's a lot harder to appease than I am, which must be the reason Rick lets out a little sigh of relief. 'Great.'

'It needs a shoulder strap,' I decide, grabbing one from the rack nearby and ripping it outta the plastic. I try to figure it out, turning it over to get a good look, but then I just pass it off to Rick's mittened hands. 'You know how to put it on?'

'Let me try.' He accepts the challenge, kneeling in front of the guitar.

Buttoning each end of the leather strap to the metal attachments, it looks like he's got it.

He hands it back, raising his brows at me. 'Remember to jump out. We have to get him to crap his pants.'

'It's a plan.'

Before we meet back up, we stop by the thrift store next door so that Rick can grab the shirt he'd had in mind for Carl, a simple thing with a superhero he likes on the chest. As we leave through the front doors, Rick herds me in behind his back.

We're only waiting in town square for a minute or two before he signals me that they're coming over.

When I feel the time is right, I jump out!

Rahh!

Dad don't quite crap his pants, but his eyes do widen ever so slightly. In Dixon terms, he's chilled to the bone.

My back-up man watches on, laughing.

I hold out the guitar once the moment's passed, hoping it's obvious that this is his Christmas present.

Woah, breathes Carl as my Dad takes it carefully, Mouse's tail batting around wildly at his ankle.

We watch as he drags his thumb down the strings, remembering what it feels like. Slowly, he starts to smile.

Looking up at me, he seems very, very pleased. 'Thank you. I love it.'

'Merry Christmas!'

'We knew we couldn't hide it from you,' Rick explains, 'So we scared you instead.'

'Did it work?'

Dad nods, frowning as he mouths the word, Terrifying, before kneeling to wrap me in a hug. I kiss his cheek.

'Did you get everything you wanted?'

Nodding again, Dad stands and passes the guitar to Rick, seeing as he's already wearing his crossbow.

Pulling it on, Rick nods in the direction we came from. 'Let's head back, then.'

We make it only five feet before we notice Carl isn't following us.

Looking back at him, he points at the parking lot across the street.

We follow his finger.

Across the street, the lonely bike with the streamers still lays there in the snow, next to a couple other bikes.

We glance between each other, a glint of something cheeky in our eyes.

We're all thinking the same thing, ain't we?

It's a long walk, anyways.

Who the Hell bikes in the snow, is what a sensible person would ask themselves as they saw us race past their house.

We do!, is what I'd shout back at them.

We're zooming down the streets of Sharpsburg like we're late for a wedding, the most ridiculous sight the apocalypse ever did see. Rick, taking the lead just like always, with a guitar bumping around on his back as he pumps the peddles of a pink bike. Carl on the little one, its rainbow streamers blowing out on either side of him without a care in the world. Mouse, sprinting to keep up.

He's going so fast; I think his ears might just fly off and smack me in the face!

It's a challenge to not fall off the handlebars of Dad's bike just from laughing so hard.

I clutch onto it harder as we crest over the top of a hill. Rick goes flying down first, then Carl. Dad wraps an arm around my stomach, hugging me to his chest as we both laugh against each other. We're next. My stomach lurches. My toes go numb. Then we're free-falling, and the tyres are shaking beneath us and the handlebars are jiggling all over the place, the wind racing past us.

Sucking in a deep breath, I let out a shriek of, Wuh-Hooooooo!

My heart's beating outta my chest like when a walker's got me in its grasp, when I feel most alive.

Whatever day I've said is the best day of my life — This is it, now. Hands down.

Rick reaches the bottom first, doing a fancy little skid in the snow and glancing over his shoulder at us to see our reaction.

Carl gives him a thumbs down, making him laugh as he turns back around.

The hill flattens out into more suburbia.

We slow down to a more leisurely pace for the rest of the ride back, and simply enjoy the morning together, trailing the sidewalks like a bunch of kids. The sun is well into the sky now, shining through the frigid air without any clouds to cover it up.

When I spot the house in the distance, I'm almost sad.

As we pull into the driveway, bumping over curb, Glenn stands from his seat on the porch steps.

Hey, guys, He's laughing, perplexed.

Rick answers him with a few flicks of his bell, braking to a stop.

Where'd you go?, He asks, as I jump down from the handlebars.

Carl dumps his bike on the ground and holds up his backpack, shouting, Presents!

He gawks. No shit?

No shit!, He exclaims, running straight past him and up the porch.

I catch Rick sharing a funny look with my Dad, but he lets the swear word go. It's that type of day.

The adrenaline-high don't leave my body even as I follow everyone inside the house, stepping into the busy lounge room. We're greeted by the rest of our group, who are more than awake by now, hugging us as we come through the archway. They're completely beaming. It's obvious. They've heard the great news — We went out in the early morning to do Santa's bidding, for no other reason than because we managed to live long enough to the today, and because we deserve it. For once, we can ignore everything else.

Shrugging off my backpack, I set it down on the coffee table. Carol and Herschel tidy away the empty snack packs as Dad, Rick, and Carl set theirs down, too. Everybody's eyeing the bags excitedly, tryna see if they can make out the goodies inside.

'You guys are sneaky,' T grins, wide enough to show off the gap between his two front teeth. 'Sneaky!'

'Where did you go?!,' Maggie wants to know.

She lounges back on the sofa, Mouse jumping into her lap.

'Town square.' Rick's looking livelier than he has all Winter; all year, maybe. 'We left while you were all asleep.'

T seems to have an epiphany. 'It's you guys!'

'What?,' He asks.

'You're Santa!'

Realizing the man is pulling our legs, Rick rolls his eyes.

Carl goes on to ramble all about our adventures. By the way he's miming it all out, I can tell he ain't leaving out our visit to the playground. Everyone's watching him with nothing but joy in their eyes, adding comments here and there, laughing.

When Beth notices the guitar, my Dad proudly shows it off to the room.

'Harley found it,' He signs, reigning everyone back in, reminding them to use signs. 'Pretty, ain't it?'

Herschel turns to look at me. 'What a wonderful, wonderful gift.'

'I got more,' I tease, giving my backpack a tempting wiggle. I can't wait to give out the rest of the presents!

'Let's just get right into it then, right?,' Rick suggests. 'Go crazy.'

That's all the permission anyone needs.

As the three of them open their backpacks and start handing out presents left and right, I get to opening mine.

The first things I pull out are the stupid shirts for Glenn and T-Dog, walking over to them and putting them in their hands. Maggie's laughing her ass off as they hold them up to their chests, cluelessly peering down at the text. I step back to admire my work. Sorry I'm late, T's shirt reads, and Hell, it's even funnier than I imaged it would be, I was doing my hair! I think he's laughing something like, You little punk, before he glances over at Glenn's to see the damage. I'm with stupid, His says, except the arrow is pointing at his face.

Aw Hell naw!, He unabashedly laughs.

'Put them on!,' I demand, taking the fabric in my hands. Glenn helps me out, pulling it over what he's already wearing and straightening it out so the message is on full display. T-Dog does the same thing, even if he does call me a punk again.

'How do we look?,' Glenn asks me and Maggie when they're done, giving a stiff twirl.

'Don't answer that,' T-Dog says.

I give Maggie her gift next, the Mascara. She plants a kiss on my cheek and pulls me in for a tight hug, releasing me so I can head over to the other ladies. Carol gratefully takes the magazine, Lori and Beth Oohing and Aahing over the makeup.

It's no 'Electric Spring Citrus', but Beth still seems very touched by the bottle of yellow polish.

Next, I pull out the tennis balls. Boy, does that get Mouse's attention. I rip off the seal, sending them all bouncing across the living room floor, almost tripping some people over. Mouse darts after this one and that one, chasing them all over the place as I hand the socks to Herschel and Rick. They're both delighted, taking turns giving me a hug. We was right. Ya can't go wrong with socks.

'Carl and your Dad have something for you,' Rick tells me as he pulls away, pointing over to them.

I tap Carl on the shoulder, and when the two of them turn around and realize me, his face lights up.

Harley!, He's exclaiming.

He digs through his bag and holds out my two presents. 

'Thank you!,' I sign, taking them. Oh, wow. A diary and a packet of colored pencils. I don't gotta squeeze my thoughts into the margins, no more. I got fresh, blank pages, enough to prolly last me a whole year. Giving Carl a hug, I hold up a finger; Wait.

Reaching into my backpack and feeling out the comics, I pause just to be dramatic, before I pull them out for him to see. His jaw drops as he snatches them up. All them months hearing him complain, and watching him read the same volume over and over, makes it all the more satisfying to see him flick through the pages, realizing with mounting horror that it's everything he dreamt of.

Thank you, He's shouting, Thank you!

'Wanna see what I got you?,' Dad says next. 'You can both play with it, but it's for you, okay?'

'Okay! Show me!'

Carl and I crouch down with him as he unzippers his backpack. What he pulls out is not like anything I would've expected.

A big, flat white box with a photo on the front of some kids kicking a soccer ball into a little pop-up goal in the sun.

'Can't play soccer without a goal.' He smirks as I take the box in my hands, ready to tear it open with my teeth if I gotta.

They both help me pick the tape off the cardboard, pulling it open and turning the whole thing upside down. The goal slides out. Having finally been broken out of the confines of its box, it immediately springs into shape, almost smacking us all in the face.

Dodging it with a laugh, I exclaim, 'Thank you, Dad!' 

'Do you like it?,' He asks.

'I love it! How do we set it up?'

Looking about, he finds a small baggie of metal stakes that fell out with it, and a page of instructions.

I lean in closer to take a peek as he skims over them, but it all looks simple enough.

'Easy,' He decides. 'We can set it up in the front yard, yeah?'

'Yeah. I'm gonna smoke you both so bad.'

Dad thwacks my arm with the piece of paper. 'Hey. Who said I'm playing?'

'Oh. So, you're scared.' I nod empathetically, feeling smug. 'That's okay. I'm rusty, too.'

'Seriously?'

'I only won three medals when I was in school.'

'I'm old, kid. I'm in my thirties. I'm pretty much dead.'

'Loud and clear. You're scared of losing.'

He rolls his eyes. 'You're a brat. Don't cry when you lose.'

'I've never cried in my life, Dad. Ask Carl.'

As soon as he passes on the question, Carl levels me with the most, Get serious, expression I ever seen in my life.

Whatever. 'I'll still win!'

'We'll see,' He says as I glance at the rest of the group.

'This was so thoughtful of you guys,' Maggie signs from her seat on the sofa, doing that little pout she does.

With all the presents handed out, I take my time looking around the room. T and Glenn are still wearing their t-shirts, of course. If I could have it my way, they wouldn't ever wear anything else. It looks like Rick and Carl gifted Glenn a magazine about race cars, and T-Dog a flashy, gold chain necklace that he manages to make look cool. Lori and Herschel are wearing new matching jackets, the material purple and puffy. They look like father and daughter, sitting there like that, Lori's head resting on the old man's shoulder. Beside them, Carol's blowing air onto Beth's painted nails, while Mouse lays on the floor, gnawing at the tennis ball he must've decided is his favorite.

And Rick. He's not pouring over a map. He's not frowning to himself as he cleans a gun. He's not snapping at one of us to, Stop that, We need to stay focused. He's just smiling faintly next to Glenn, refusing to reveal to anyone this was all his idea.

'I'm just glad there's no wrapping paper to clean up this year,' He chuckles, looking at Lori.

The woman smirks, shaking her head. Bad memories, I guess.

'Every year,' He continues, gesturing to an invisible pile in his lap, 'We would end up with this much.'

'You're not the only ones.' T-Dog scoffs, like this is a lifelong issue he's faced.

'Oh, yeah. You were a garbage man, weren't you?,' Glenn remembers.

'Minimum wage, brother,' He agrees, bringing the pizza-boy in for a bro-hug.

'What have you got there, Harley?,' Maggie asks as they pull apart.

'A soccer goal,' I excitedly answer, before holding up Rick and Carl's presents. 'And a diary and pencils!'

'I don't want you to think it's for schoolwork with Lori,' Rick says. 'Carl just told me he's seen you journalling.'

'I love it,' I shake my head. 'Thank you.'

That bitterness that I'd been feeling toward him, it disappears just as quickly as it came.

'You haven't been writing anything bad about me, have you?,' Glenn asks threateningly.

'Just a little bit,' I shrug.

'She's a brat, isn't she?,' My Dad jokes.

'She's a total brat.'

'Hey! I don't like you, either.'

'Well, Merry Christmas, everyone.' Maggie says to wrap things up. 'Time to take this outside. We got a game to play.'

'Sounds like it,' Rick agrees.

'Come on.' Dad stands back up, grabbing the soccer goal and the stakes.

Jumping up and pulling on Maggie's sleeve, I exclaim up at her, 'We should be on the same team!'

'Girl power,' She agrees, frowning stubbornly as we descend the porch steps.

Mouse goes running out into the snow with his tennis ball. Dad heads over to the fence, setting down the goal and pushing the stakes through the rubber loops to secure it to the ground. I tell him I hope he did a good job of it, because me and Maggie are gonna be making every goal we shoot for. It's Dad and Carl versus us two girls, so the competition is even fiercer. We gotta win!

'We got this,' Maggie goads as T-Dog takes up the goalie position.

Carol pumps her fist in the air. 'Let's go, girls!'

Everyone starts cheering us on as Maggie kicks the ball straight over to me. The game's begun! I stop it with my foot, watching as she skirts around Dad, shouting for me. I boot it back to her at just the right moment, running forwards.

Maggie dukes Dad, left, right, left, before she kicks it right between his feet and back to me.

I stop it again with my foot.

Carl's on me, suddenly. He tries to use his foot to steal the ball away from me, but I don't let him!

Keeping him at arm's length, I line up my shot with the goal. I've done it a million times before. What's one more!

I rear my foot back, and—!

T-Dog's far too big and slow to see it coming. The ball shoots right past him — Goal! — and crashes into the meshing.

'Point for the girls,' Rick announces from the sidelines.

Maggie runs up to me, grabbing my hands and squealing happily, with the boys sulking together in the background.

We end up winning. There's a few close calls here and there, but we're just too quick on our feet for them to really get any smooth moves in. As the winning goal is made by Maggie, Carl stomps his foot into the snow, complaining, Aww, man!

We use every last bit of energy we have left in us to play for the rest of the morning. For once, not just for getting out of bed, or making it through the day. We manage to get a couple more rounds of soccer in before somebody throws a snowball at my Dad while he's trying to kick a goal, and then it all devolves into a snowball fight. There's no teams or rules; just clumps of snow flying across the yard, people falling over, Rick laughing, and Glenn getting dogpiled to the ground until Dad has to come and rescue him from us.

Nobody's really winning, but I don't think anyone's keeping count, anyway. Nobody's losing, either.

Except maybe Carl, when he tanks a snowball directly to the face.

I gasp. Youch!

He wipes it off with a grin, scurrying off to start preparing some returning fire.

I hurry to join him behind the wall of snow, bulking up my snowball before launching it at one of the adults.

It hits Glenn in the jaw. He lurches; falls onto his ass.

Me and Carl share a high five!

To think I was dreading coming back to this town, when it's actually given me one of the best days of my life.

Is it bad I'm happy the world ended?

Probably, but I don't care.

FIVE MONTHS LATER.

I can hear light birdsong in the trees.

We've stopped again, on some highway or other. I'on know. They all look the same to me. Grey road, winding up a hill, flanked on both sides by a strip of dirt and twigs. While the others get outta the cars, slamming their doors shut and grouping together to discuss what's next, I turn my head away from them and gaze out the passenger side window. The sun warms my face. I remember back during the Wintertime; we hardly ever saw the sun. Hell. That was forever ago. Nowadays, we been fending off heatstroke, feels like.

I close my eyes, relishing in the sounds around me. Leaves brushing, idle engines rumbling.

There are a lot of moments like this for me, where I'll just ignore what everyone else is doing and listen. I'll listen to anything. The car radio, if anybody's got it playing, even if it's a song I don't like. A river flowing. A deer trilling. It's the best part of my day.

"We got nowhere else to go," Herschel's suddenly saying, and then I'm opening my eyes again.

The group is gathered around the hood of the car I'm sat up in, splaying a map out for them to study.

"When this herd meets up with this one," Maggie points, "We'll be cut off. We'll never make it South."

"What'd you say it was? About 150 head?" Dad estimates.

"That was last week." Glenn's shaking his head, squinting against the sun. "It could be twice that by now."

I've heard this exact conversation about thirty times over by now.

That herd from last year; It's thawed and split into two, and neither are getting any smaller. The more they walk, the more they pick up. It's how it's always gone. They been following us, and we been running. That's how that's always gone, too.

We had a couple places we holed up for a while. Sharpsburg served us well while it lasted, but we had to move, eventually.

Now, we're back on the run.

"The river could've delayed them," Herschel suggests. "If we move fast, we might have a shot to tear right through here."

"Yeah, but if that group joins with that one, they could spill out this way."

"So, we're blocked."

We're always blocked, I want to tell Maggie. You know this by now.

In moments like these, I think back to the day we had that snowball fight and try to remember what everyone's smiles looked like.

"Only thing to do is double back at 27," Rick says, "And swing back this way."

Rick's different. For Rick, I think back to the bike ride.

T-Dog's getting frustrated. "We picked through that place, already. It's like we spent the past five months going in circles."

"Yeah, I know. I know."

"Is this what we're doing, then?"

When Rick nods, T-Dog asks him, "Is it alright if we head down to the river to fill up on water, then?"

"Sure. Knock yourself out," He says as they disperse, Maggie rolling up the map.

Herschel whispers something to Rick, then, and I can't quite catch it. My hearing aids ain't that good, but I know it's about Lori because they glance over at her in the car behind me. It's probably the, She can't keep doing this, conversation. Like always, Rick's wiping his sweaty forehead, bullshitting his way through an answer, and like always, Herschel is patient with him. They know he's right.

Lori's about to burst, way her stomach's been looking these days. She's gonna give birth any day now.

I'm just glad she got better and stayed better.

That was a nasty sickness.

Herschel leaves Rick to think about what he's said, making an opening for Dad to ask him to go hunting.

I'm surprised when he turns to me. "You wanna come, chicken?"

There's that Southern twang I once forgot the sound of.

'Come hunting with you?,' I sign, just outta habit. Sometimes, my voice is just too loud for me to bare.

"Yeah. You can stretch yer legs a little. How 'bout it?"

Not wanting to spend one more second in this car, I agree by opening the door and jumping onto the tarmac.

He whistles for Mouse, and then we're walking into the treeline.

"Carl says it was blue, but the boy's blind," I ramble to Rick as we walk along the train tracks, keeping an eye out for animals.

"Between the pair'a ya," Dad muses from in front of us. "You almost make a full vegetable."

"Shut up, Daddy. You ain't funny."

He snickers a little before facing forward again, crossbow at the ready. "Sure I ain't."

"Anyway." I sigh as he pushes a leafy branch outta the way. Rick ducks under it, and then me. "Like I's sayin'—"

When I look up, the sight that greets me has all words dying on my tongue. I slowly catch up with Dad and Rick, who have also completely forgotten about the story I was telling. It weren't very interesting, anyway. Something about a frog Carl and I found the other day. The sun beats down on us as we look out over the sheer drop just in front of us, and at the rolling, green hills in the distance.

Well, I'll be goddamned.

That right there is a whole ass prison.

End Notes.

Okay that's it. I cannot edit this chapter any longer. What's done is done!!

WE ARE FINALLY IN SEASON 3 !! It only took a year and 28 chapters.

I'm very glad to be back in canon again, but writing Christmas with the group was so fun. Also very glad to be able to write Daryl's accent and slang properly again haha. It just didn't translate into sign language. I know some of you will also be relieved that we're not using it much anymore.

As always, I really hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading! Until next time! 💙 :)

#the walking dead #twd fanfiction #twd #fanfic #daryl dixon #daryl dixon daughter #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon twd #angst #rick grimes #glenn rhee #maggie rhee #twd daryl dixon #twd daryl #the walking dead daryl #daryl twd #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon imagine #rick grimes x reader #fluff #the ones who live

[lactosa2]

Hello! is been a long short time since the last time i did something, and whit the voice lines and the last cinematic is so much more information about Omen past and current situation. At this point this mf blog is only about Omen (im not complainin)

If you haven´t see the cinematic or the last voice lines of Omen and Sabine you dont gonna understand to much this drabble. This one gonna be fluffy and long btw. (4.262 words!!)

TALK TO ME (1/2)

Omen was pacing from side to side, angry and confused, his posture hunched as he looked at the ground, feeling dizzy and overwhelmed by the feelings he had tried for so long to appease.

he had just sent a voicemail to Brimstone, demanding that he understand her position and why the recent demands to see Viper and talk to her, he had to understand. Everthing all been a lie.

He felt used and manipulated, as if his current point of view didn't belong to him, but rather was what Viper wanted him to be, that his pain and confusion regarding his past and himself always had answers, he just never got them. The stress was bringing him to the brink of collapse, he felt the shadows beneath those bandages contract, erupting into a bright blue color while his hands trembled thanks to his anxious thoughts.

All the people he killed, everything he experienced, all his memories of a life and a name with which he felt no connection… Was it even him? Or at least there was something from the past to rescue? He can't understand why.

4:28 PM

You hadn't spoken to Omen since before his last mission, Sova told you about 5 days ago that he was under pressure, you didn't know what he was referring to but you assumed it was thanks to the same old thing, His lost memories.

You tried to leave him alone for a while, you didn't want to put pressure on him and you know him well enough to know that he needs to be alone for a few days, then he'll look for you and talk about what's bothering him, it's been a week and a half and he still hasn't spoken to you

You are worried but you keep insisting to yourself that he will talk to you soon, but the days went by quickly and your anxiety grew. Is he ignoring you? Is it too bad? Something you did made him angry and now he doesn't even want to see you?

You know that he would never go away for more than a day without sending you a message explaining that he needs to manage his emotions and see what to do in the future, he knows your insecurities and he is not going to hurt them more than they are. Usually he would explain to you in a brief summary what is happening and approximately how much time he thinks he needs for himself, the text or voice message would end by telling you that it is okay if you talk to him while and that he loves you, which would calm your heart formerly hurt and would have to wait for him, only a few days, but a week and a half has passed and he hasn't said anything after receiving that message

This time he didn't explain the situation, he just said that he needed time, he was stressed, and although the stress could be relieved with a cuddle session, he needed to organize his emotions and thoughts on his own, and then he would look for you.

You knew how he worked and his emotions, even so, as the days passed, the messages in the morning with him alone made you more anxious and needy to have him close, in person, you wanted to hug him and play with his hand while he let off steam, You wanted that little warmth, the temperature didn't matter, the closeness made the encounter feel unique and even if the panorama is not new

You couldn't resist the desire to be with him, not only because you missed him, but more than that it was the concern for his well-being, you knew that for the most part he was strong and could think coldly with ease, but his past had always been that weak point capable of carrying him to the mental and emotional explosion. So without thinking more than you already did, you went to his room, you knocked on the door even though the hand recognizer had already allowed access for you (Omen configured the detector so that it would also validate yours). The last thing you wanted was to surprise him in a moment of vulnerability, one where he would feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.

The door opened showing you a stooped Omen, his tall figure made the first thing you saw was his armor, you raised your head and saw that he had his head down, before you could speak he gently grabbed your hand and pulled you inside.

He pressed the button to close the door and instantly hid his head on your shoulder, both hands gently ran down your back before each one landing on a different side of your waist, hugging you firmly.

(This drabble gonna have part two and maybe part three, i dont feel whit all the motivation and i dont want the post to be more extence, plus my head hurt)

#valorant x reader #omen x reader #omen valorant #valorant #valorant omen #valorant omen x reader

[echo-goes-mmm]

Ambrose and Elliot #28

Masterpost

Previous

Next

Warnings: strangulation 

He couldn’t move. His old master straddled his lap, looking right at him, and he couldn’t move.

How was he here?

He opened his mouth to scream for Ambrose to help him, for anyone, but nothing came out. Master smiled that horrible smile, and wrapped his cold hands around his neck.

He began to squeeze, tearing the breath from him. Elliot wheezed, gasping for air. He pulled at Master’s hands, prying at his fingers, but he only tightened his grip like a vice.

Master leaned down. “You’re never going to get away from me,” he whispered into his ear. “Did you really think you could?”

Blood ran down Master’s wrists as Elliot frantically clawed at his hands and arms.

His strength was fading fast. He weakly tried to hit Master, but he dodged it with ease, laughing.

His vision went black.

___________________

Elliot woke up with a gasp. He shot up, his head and heart pounding. He was alone.

There was no weight pinning him down, no pressure on his throat. He gulped down the cool night air.

It was only a dream. It was only a dream.

He pushed his sweaty bangs up his forehead. His chest heaved, and his legs were tangled in the covers.

He pulled his knees to his chest, hugging them tight, and tried not to sob.

The stuffed bear Ambrose had given him lay on the floor. It must have fallen while Elliot thrashed in his sleep.

Elliot leaned over to pick up the bear. He smoothed over its fur. “Sorry,” he told it.

The bear’s black button eyes looked back at him, and he felt a bit silly for apologizing to a toy.

He shivered, sweat cooling on his skin.

It was a chilly night. Elliot put the bear back on his bed, and pulled a blanket over his shoulders.

His socked feet didn’t make a sound as he crossed over the wooden floor.

Elliot took the fire poker from the stand and prodded the glowing embers in his fireplace. He pushed in some more logs with the poker, and went back to bed.

___________________

He couldn’t get back to sleep. 

Every time he closed his eyes, he could hear Master’s laugh and feel his cold hands on his throat. 

The logs hadn’t caught yet, and it seemed like an omen for how the rest of night would go if he stayed here.

He threw off the covers again, and grabbed his bear. 

Ambrose wouldn’t be mad, right? He said he loved Elliot. Whatever that really meant.

He shuffled out of his room and went upstairs. He didn’t bother knocking on the outer door.

He closed it quietly. The fading scent of incense still hung in the air. Master Ambrose must have been up late, or perhaps the night was younger than he thought.

Elliot knocked on the bedroom door before turning the handle.

Ambrose half sat up, leaning back on his elbow. 

“Ellie?” he groaned, rubbing his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Um, can I sleep with you tonight?” Elliot fidgeted with the stuffed bear.

Ambrose yawned. “Yeah, ‘course you can.”

Elliot crawled into bed, and Ambrose shuffled aside to make room. 

“You okay?” murmured Master Ambrose, pulling the covers over both of them.

“Yeah. Just had a bad dream.”

“Mmm.” Ambrose’s eyes fluttered, clearly half asleep. Elliot snuggled into him, bear still in his arms. 

It was nice and warm under the blankets, and Elliot knew Ambrose wouldn’t let his old master strangle him.

Ambrose’s faint flowers-and-bergamot perfume was soothing, and it was easy to fall asleep to the sound of his steady breathing.

___________________

Elliot woke up late in the morning. He looked around, and was surprised to see Ambrose propped up against the headboard, book in hand.

“Morning,” said Master Ambrose. He turned a page.

“Good morning, sir.”

“I think I’ll need to go to the bank in Lakeview soon.”

“Lakeview?” Elliot sat up. He didn’t know where that was.

“Mhm. I need to make a deposit and arrange some payments.” Ambrose put the book aside and stretched.

“I’ll be gone for a couple days. You can either come with me, or stay here, whichever you prefer.”

Ambrose hopped out of bed and began to dig through his dresser. “I’m going to take a bath,” he said, pulling out a set of clothes.

Elliot watched him go into the bathroom.

He didn’t want to travel all the way to Lakeview, but the idea of being left alone for two days made his skin crawl. Anyone could walk in.

Anyone, like his old master. Elliot shuddered.

Lakeview it was.

taglist: @cupcakes-and-pain @secretwhumplair @paintedpigeon1 @whump-blog @whump-em @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @starfields08000 @littlespacecastle @mylovelyme @whump-cravings @zeewbee @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @keepingwhumpwiththekardashians @fanastyfinder @roblingoblin285 @whumpzone @snakebites-and-ink @astrokea @magdalena-writes @latenightcupsofcoffee @tobiaslut @whumpsoda @loserwithsyle

#I cant believe it took me this long to give Ellie nightmares #like cmon. staple of the genre. #'do you even write whump bro'? #also ive slightly retconned Ambrose. he wears perfume now #my writing #whump #ambrose and elliot #slavery whump

[wewanttofu-kanimeboys]

Shikamaru x Neji x Alpha!Reader

You drifted in and out of consciousness a few times before you were awake enough to open your eyes. You groaned as light flooded into your eyes and you were greeted with the sight of the hospital ceiling. You had been in the hospital enough times to recognize the sounds and smells of the hospitals as well. You tried to get up  

“Hey, don't sit up. You’ve been in a coma,” you were pushed down by a man you couldn't recognize, though you noticed his eyes were wrapped in bandages. You started processing what he had said. A coma? How long? You laid back down as he called for a medical-nin. “Hi, Love. How are you feeling?” 

“I don't…” your voice was horse from not speaking for so long. 

“Sorry, don't speak just yet. I’ll get you some water.” the man felt around on the nightstand to find the cup and held it to your mouth. You graciously drank the water. You were caught off guard when you recognized a much older than you remembered Sakura coming into the room. 

“Any pain anywhere?” She asked, helping you sit up. The man put the cup back down and sat back down in the chair, holding your hand. 

“Uh, no.” You replied. 

“Can you tell me your name?” she asked as she started checking your eyes with a flashlight and you replied. “Good, how old are you?”

“15,” both Sakura and the man stiffened when you answered. 

“Love, you're 28,” the man squeezed your hand.

“I… I don't understand.”

“What's the last thing you can remember?” Sakura asked. You tried to remember that the last thing you remembered. 

“Working at the mission desk I think…  I don't know…” 

“You had a bad head injury and you've been in a coma for almost 2 months. Memory loss is common after comas. They should return in a few weeks.” Sakura gave you a soft smile. “Let me talk to Neji for a moment.”

You sat in confusion as the two of them left. You studied your body, realizing you were much more muscular than you remembered and you had many scars you don't remember. It was a lot to take in. You looked up as Neji came back in. He was very different from what you remembered of him. You could only remember him as an angry 13-year-old.  He was older for sure and also had many more scars as well. He returned to his chair.

“Your eyes…” you reached up touching the bandages on his face. 

“I was blinded on a mission years back. I’m okay, you don't need to worry about me.” Neji leaned into your hand. 

“Are we… are we mated?” you asked. 

“Yes,” Neji smiled softly. “We have a third mate too, Shikamaru should be on his way now.”

“Okay,” That was a lot of information to take in. Neji let you sit in silence as you took it in. It was 20 minutes later when Shikamaru came in.

“Hey,” Shikamaru came in and stood next to Neji. You were shocked to see he was heavily pregnant. “Sakura already talked with me.”

“Is it mine?” the question slipped out and you were immediately embarrassed. That was definitely not something you should have said. 

“I should have warned you, I’m sorry.” Neji started worrying as well.

“It's fine,” Shikamaru assured both of you. “Yes, this one wasn't planned but we… we were excited anyways.”

“This one? We have more?” 

“Ya, we have two. They're already in the academy.” Shikamaru said. Your head was starting to hurt with all this new information.

“I need to go pick them up from the academy soon,” Neji said. “I’ll take them home for today, you can see them tomorrow. I don't want to overwhelm you.”

“I want to meet them,” 

“Not today, Neji’s right, it'll be too overwhelming for them too,” Shikamaru said. He stroked your cheek. “Tomorrow we’ll bring in some photos to see if we can jog some memories.”

“Okay,” You couldn't argue with them. “I… I’m hungry,”

“Ya, I’ll get you something.” Shikamaru kissed your forehead and left the room. He returned a few minutes later with a tray of food. Shikamaru pulled a chair up next to Neji’s. You noticed they were holding hands as you ate. You smiled softly, glad they were close. After you ate, Sakura and Neji helped you get up and walk around. You tried out after just one lap of the hallway and had to sit down,

“I’m very out of shape,” You panted.

“Ya, that happens after a coma.” Shikamaru was fiddling with his fingers. “Do we need to get Sakura to carry you to your bed?”

“Uh, no. Just give me a minute.” You said, trying to catch your breath. 

“Hey, Y/N, it's good to see you up.” it took you a moment to recognize Hinata.   

“I need to go get the boys. They’ll be out soon.” Neji squeezed your shoulder.

“I’ll see you at home tonight. I’m going to stay here as late as Sakura will let me.” Shikamaru said.

“Don’t stay too late.” Neji gave him a hug before leaving. 

“Hinata has been walking Neji to pick up the kids since he doesn't know the route to the school from here very well.” Shikamaru noticed your confusion. 

“That's nice of her,” you smiled softly. 

“I’ll help you back to your room.” Sakura came up to you and helped you stand up and you managed to get back to your room. You sat on your bed.

“How are you doing?” Shikamaru asked, sitting next to you.

“Fine… confused and a bit overwhelmed.” you laid your head on his shoulder and he laid his head on top of yours.

“Ya,” Shikamaru's voice was shaky. You sat up and noticed he was crying. you pulled him into a hug and he started sobbing into your chest. You just stroked his back, not knowing how to calm him. He was your pregnant mate and you only remembered him as a moody twelve-year-old. 

“I’m sorry.” You said softly.

“You don't have anything to be sorry for.” Shikamaru wiped his face. “I missed you so much…”

“Can you tell me about us?” You asked. 

“Ya, um…. I guess we started getting to know each other when we were assigned an escort mission. We had to stop on our way back to the village because of a bad storm and spent three days there. We started hanging out more and more. Then I started to drag you to outings with my friend and you and Neji always got along well. I set you two up on a date.” Shikamaru smiled sadly. “Its… Neji needed to find an alpha to get away from his clan. You were hurt that I set you up with Neji and thought that I didn't like you. I did though… then the war happened and everything… after my dad died, I was being pressured to get married and have kids. You and Neji were getting serious then… he was injured… we sat by his bed for weeks while he was seriously injured. I asked you and Neji to be my mates… I care for both of you and as head of my clan and adviser to the hokage, nobody batted an eye for me to choose both an alpha and an omega. Neji took over most of the omega duties from me. He’s always been much more traditional than me so the clan elders love him. I don't know what I would do without him, especially the past two months. You help a lot too when you're not on missions.”

“I’m sorry about your father…” you frowned. That was a lot to take in. 

Shikamaru chuckled. “You helped me through it back then. That was a long time ago now anyways…”

“I think I need to sleep.” you laid your head on his shoulder again.

“Ya, you're still healing.” Shikamaru stroked your hair. You two sat like that for a few minutes before you laid down to sleep. “I love you,”

#alpha!reader #Omega!Shikamaru #Omega!Neji #Omegaverse #GN!Reader

[babyonboard]

unplanned pt. 1 | joel miller x f!reader

summary: against you and joel’s wishes, you’re pregnant. part 2 coming soon.

warnings: angst, pregnancy, talk of abortion, Joel is lowkey prolife???

word count: 2k

The radio static was almost overtaking the song that was playing. It was a 60s song, a happy one. You loved to listen to old music and imagine how happy the people were who used to listen to it. Almost like you were living vicariously through them. You hummed along, curled up in a ball on the couch underneath a frayed knit blanket. Joel sat beside you, his head laid back with one hand rubbing your back and a glass of whiskey in the other. Even though it wasn’t late, you could hardly keep your eyes open. You had felt sick all day, which is why Joel was rubbing your back.

It wasn’t quite like him, back rubbing and such, but when you got home from work late, almost in tears from how sick you felt, he immediately sprung into action, getting you a blanket and some water, turning on your favorite radio station, and laying with you on the couch.

You stood, causing Joel to snap out of his daze and look up at you. “You okay?” He spoke slowly.

“Yeah, just tired. I’m gonna go to bed.” You wrapped the blanket around you and started walking towards the bedroom.

“What? You just got home… It's early.” Joel said.

“I don't know…” you rubbed your forehead “I just don’t feel good. Can’t keep my eyes open.” He nodded in response. “Goodnight.”

You disappeared into your shared bedroom. You can’t quite put your finger on when his bedroom became your shared bedroom. The days when you would sleep on that old, torn up couch were long gone, thankfully. Sometimes you felt bad about it, the way that you sort of became Joel's responsibility when he found you on the way back from Bill and Frank's house, and how he literally let you share his entire life with him. I mean, you would have died without him, it was a miracle he found you when he did, your stab wound would have killed you if it was any longer. But he did find you. And at the time he couldn’t believe he was doing it, but he helped you. He practically carried you back to the QZ, he took care of you until you were healed, and he kind of just let you keep staying at his place.

It was a night when you both had been drinking his old whiskey that the feelings of love, or lust, or fondness, or whatever feeling it was that you two shared had come to light. From there on out, you were his, and he was yours. No label, no extraordinary proclamation of love, just a shared understanding that you were together now.

Joel took care of you. He provided you with his home, he got you all set up with work in the QZ, he even took you to Bill and Franks once. He lets you use all of his stuff, he gets you medicine when you need it, he has definitely broken a jaw or two for you. It’s not every day a young, beautiful girl stumbles into the Boston QZ. He protects you. And you owe him everything.

But you take care of Joel, too. You cook him actual meals, you make him smile, you make him laugh, you bring a light into his life that he hasn’t seen in a long, long time. You hold him at night and kiss him goodbye in the mornings. Joel would do literally anything for you.

You tried to think about the fact that he would do anything for you as you laid in bed. Staring straight up at the ceiling, you were now unable to fall asleep. Dead tired, but too anxious to do anything about it. You had pushed the thought away for so long because it scared you, but it was at the forefront of your mind now: You think you’re pregnant.

All your life, your periods have been regular. Being 28 years old now, you knew when they were coming. You tried to ignore when your period was 2 days late, then 6 days late, then 2 weeks late. But here you are, 4 weeks late, and you can’t ignore it anymore. You’re always dead tired, you feel nauseous all the time, you're cramping and your back always hurts. It makes your stomach twist to even think about the possibility. But, you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Condoms were sparse. You don’t just have an endless supply of them. When you have one, you’ll use it, but most of the time you have to rely on Joel to just pull out. Which he does. Most of the time.

A million thoughts were running through your mind that night. You didn’t sleep a wink. At around midnight Joel came to bed. He climbed under the covers and exhaled loudly when he was settled. The thought of pregnancy had been tormenting your mind for weeks now, but you never said anything to Joel. You knew about Sarah, you knew how it tortured him. You also knew that it would be cruel to bring a child into this world. But this isn’t the type of thing you can hide from him. He knows you. He knows your mind and he knows your soul.

“What’s been botherin’ you?” He spoke into the darkness, sensing you were awake.

You were silent for a moment, stomach doing flips. Mind working in overdrive, you couldn’t find the words to say it.

“Hey.” He turned on his side to look at you as you stared straight up. “What's ‘a matter?”

It was silent again for a moment. “My period is late.” You said quietly.

You heard him take a sharp breath in through his nose, almost like a gasp. He stayed still. “How late?”

You couldn’t look at him. “4 weeks.”

As soon as the words left your mouth he sat straight up. “God damn it!” he shouted. “You didn’t tell me for 4 weeks?” He was appalled.

Finally looking at him, you felt a lump rising in your throat and tears stinging your eyes. “I didn’t want to upset you if it wasn’t true.”

He covered his face with his hands. Quietly, not moving an inch, he sat there. You weren’t sure what to do either, tears already covering your cheeks. It was quiet again.

You sat up next to him. “I'm sorry.” You mustered.

He shook his head. He kept shaking his head back and forth as his shoulders started shaking.

“Joel.” You whispered. “I’m sorry.”

Delicately and slowly, you reached for him. The exact moment your fingertips touched his shoulder blade, he reached for you, almost knocking you backwards onto the bed from how intensely he hugged you.

This was the first time you had ever seen Joel cry. After knowing him for over a year, the most emotion you had ever seen from him was anger. But this was different. He sobbed into you, speaking incoherent words that strung together through his cries.

“Sarah.” He cried. The single name came out as a sob. “I’m scared. Y/N I’m scared. I’m scared.”

You almost feel guilty at the way you were barely able to comfort him as you cried yourself. You held his head against your shoulder and he hugged you tightly.

You cried together. For a while. Until it was silent again.

“What should we do?” You whispered

Joel sat up to look at you, keeping his hand on the side of your neck. His eyes were puffy and his cheeks were flushed. “They don’t got epidurals or shit like that around here, but I’m sure I could get some oxys… or somethin’ like that… and we could go to Bill and Franks. You could do it there. I bet they-”

“Joel…” You cut him off. “Joel, we can't bring a kid into this world.”

He looked stunned. “Y/N I don’t know where you get off thinkin’ I’d let you get rid of it.”

Eyebrows furrowed, you shook your head. “And I don’t know why you think that's something you can decide for me.”

He sighed and looked down. “I think… I think it’d be okay Y/N. They’ve got schools now, I mean by the time that kid, our kid, is old enough they could have a real life of their own. Maybe a good one.”

“Do you…” You looked off into the distance, shaking your head. “Do you even want that with me? A family?”

“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate to answer. The two of you stared at each other for what felt like minutes on end.

You shook your head and sat back in the bed, the confliction in your soul was thick. You did not want to keep the baby. But the fact that Joel wants a family with you, it was almost enough to convince you. You wanted more than anything to have a normal life with Joel, and while you couldn’t exactly get that now, a family would be the closest thing to normal.

“We could have a family, Y/N. A child of our own.” He said sternly.

“This is world isn’t safe. Not for a baby.” You said, your hand coming to your face to rub your forehead. “I can’t Joel.”

“Baby.” His voice got soft and he moved to be closer to you. “I would go to hell and back to protect that kid. They would be safe with me. With us.”

You were starting to cry again. “You need to think about what you’d be putting me through. This isn’t some second chance for you to make up for what happened.”

He froze. The second you said that, you knew you shouldn’t have. He stood up, and you followed him, rolling across the bed to get up next to him.

“Joel-“

“You don’t even know what the hell happened. So I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. I’m just sayin’ that we could be happy. And you’ve got to bring up something you have no business talking about.” He said. His fists were clenched and he couldn’t even look at you. “You didn’t know Sarah. You never will. Don’t ever bring her into this.”

“I’m sorry.” You croaked. Defeated, you sat back on the bed. “I’m scared too, you know.” You whispered.

He sighed. “I want a family.”

Unable to grasp the reality of a family with him, just the thought of a child with Joel made you want to cry. With joy, with emotion, you weren’t sure.

The rest of the night was mostly silent. Joel was mad that you wanted to get rid of it, he was scared, and he was sad. You were maybe even more scared than he was.

The next day neither of you were scheduled to work. Joel went out early in the morning to get a test for you. It was a cheap, tiny strip of paper that was shipped into the QZ in a truck of supplies a few times a year. “It cost more cards than it damn should '' Joel grumbled as he walked in the door.

There is something about thinking you are having a baby with someone that creates an unconscious bond between the two of you, and you could already feel it as Joel stood with his back against the bathroom door and his arms crossed, watching you. You were on the toilet, and you stood when you were done, setting the thin strip of paper on the bathroom counter. Neither of you said a word as Joel walked over to you, but you could hear his shaky breaths. Within 30 seconds, an unmistakable bright pink second line appeared.

You let out a breath, your hand coming to your mouth. “Oh my god.” You whispered.

“Fuck.” Joel pushed off the counter and walked straight out of the bathroom.

You couldn’t pull your eyes away from the counter, your hand stuck over your mouth. By the time you walked out into the living room, Joel was in the bedroom with the door shut. You sat down on the couch, your hand instinctively coming to rest on your stomach.

You aren’t sure how long you sat by yourself, holding your stomach. At some point, you laid down and pulled your frayed knit blanket to cover your body.

When it was later in the morning, Joel finally emerged from the bedroom. He would never admit it, but he had been crying. You both had. Silently, he came to sit next to you on the couch. He lifted your legs and set them across his lap. It was silent for a while.

“We’ll be okay, Y/N.” He rubbed his hands along your legs. You stared straight forward. “I love you.”

You closed your eyes at his statement. That wasn’t something that either of you had ever said to each other. Undeniably, you have loved Joel ever since you've known him. And now that you’re pregnant with his baby, you felt it even more. “I love you, Joel.”

Later that day, Joel dragged you out of the apartment to go get groceries with him, insisting that you needed to eat. At the small store, the two of you stood in line to pay. In front of you there were two small children and their parents. An unsaid understanding settled between you and Joel as you watched the family interact. The father picked up the younger kid and held her. Joel slipped his hand into yours, and you had to repeatedly swallow the lump in your throat. You leaned your head on his shoulder.

“We’ll be okay, baby.” He whispered into your hair, then kissed your head. “We’ll be okay.”

#joel miller fanfiction #Joel miller #joel miller imagine #joel miller fanfic #tlou #tlou fanfic #tlou fanfiction #tlou imagine #the last of us imagine #the last of us fanfic #the last of us fanfiction #Pedro pascal #pedro pascal imagine #pedro pascal fanfic #pedro pascal fanfiction

[wolblogsposts]

I Hate You Darling

Chapter 1 : Journalist from South Korea

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

A beautiful woman who had just turned 28 years old had just woke up from a deep sleep, when she heard the sound of her cell phone's alarm. Her hand felt on the nightstand near her bed. After she managed to reach her cell phone, she immediately took it and got up and turned off the alarm.

After waking up, the woman lazily went straight to the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth and straighten her hair. She then went to the kitchen to make breakfast. While making breakfast someone called her on her cell phone, and she immediately picked it up.

"Hello?."

"Hello, Mrs. Han Seo-ah. Can you stop by the office for a moment? There is a work you have to do."

The women named Seo-ah only said yes to her boss who was on the other side of the phone. After her boss was satisfied enough to hear that she was going to the office soon, he immediately ended the phone call unilaterally.

Seo-ah continue her cooking activities. After the food was ready, she brought a plate of Kimbab and Gaji namul onto the dining table. When the food he makes will be eaten. Her cell phone rang again, but this time it wasn't from her boss but from her husband. Seo-ah didn't care and immediately rejected the call and started eating her cooking.

After finishing her breakfast, Seo-ah washed her eating utensils. After washing, she returned to her room to start preparing to go to the office.

♤♤♤

After finishing preparing. Seo-ah went to the bus waiting area in the middle of the city, she went to work by riding that transportation. While waiting while playing with his cellphone, a large television on display in the city center showed news about the no.1 footballer named Noel Noa.

Seo-ah stared for a moment at the giant television with an annoyed look then looked back at her cell phone screen, until finally the bus came and Seo-ah immediately got into the bus. While on the bus, a message came in on her cell phone. When she looked at it, it appeared to a message box from her husband.

Cyborg Bastard

•「Dear how are you, are you okay? How is your work? Is everything going smoothly? You haven't reply my message for the past year」

Seo-ah looked at her cellphone screen which displayed the message her husband had sent with an annoyed look. Again, she didn't care and immediately turned off her cell phone.

Not long after, the bus she was riding finally arrived in front of a television station building which usually shows various events in the world of sports. Such as matches in various sports fields or latest news about top sports athletes.

Seo-ah immediately walked into the large building and went straight to her superior room by taking the elevator. When she arrived on the eighth floor, Seo-ah superior room was located. She immediately stepped out of the elevator as soon as the elevator door opened.

Seo-ah then went to her superior's room. Arriving at the entrance to the room, her superior knocked on the door.

"Come in." Said the voice of a man who already fifty-two years old. After getting permission, she immediately opened the door and went inside.

"Oh, Mrs. Han Seo-ah. You finally came, sat in the empty chair in front of me."

Seo-ah immediately sat down in an empty chair without being asked twice. "So what job will you give me?" She ask.

Her boss sipped his coffee for a moment then answered, "The job is quite easy. You just need to go to Japan and start covering the League Neo Egoist, whose match is currently taking place."

"Why do I have to cover that match, the match only tests potential young footballers in Japan. It's better if you give me the task of covering the daily lives of players who are in the best European clubs at the moment."

Her boss just sighed. "Yes, I know. But you know, our TV station's rating is currently being rated as bad by viewers and people. They think that our TV station hasn't been showing matches in various sports fields lately. We've actually been This time the focus is more on highlighting the daily lives of athletes."

"Whatever the reason, I don't want to cover that match" Seo-ah said.

Her superior immediately glared at her. "Mrs. Han. Please, this is for the good name and rating of this TV station. You are the main asset of this television station because of your skills in compiling news reports. So please, I want you to do this. Who else should I ask for help?."

Seo-ah finally gave in and finally she agreed to take on this task. After all she was doing this for a paycheck.

"Good. possibility, you can fly straight to Japan in five days. I will book a plane ticket to Japan for you, and I will also inform the Blue Lock program manager about this."

.

.

.

.

.

After finishing discussing with the boss for two minutes, Seo-ah finally left the room. While walking past where the other employees were working, some of them looked at Seo-ah while whispering. "Is that the woman named Seo-ah?."

"Yes, that's her."

"I heard she married a footballer."

"That's impossible. Moreover, the footballer also denied that rumors."

Seo-ah didn't care about the whispers that came out of the staff's mouths, and continued walking out of the building where she worked. Then Seo-ah returned home to her apartment by getting into a taxi. When she arrived at her destination, the woman changed clothes and took her tablet to search for information about the Blue Lock program and the Neo Egoist League on the internet.

While browsing the contents of an internet site that reported about Blue Lok, she accidentally found a site that reported about professional football players who were selected as coaches. Seo-ah's index finger pressed the screen until the site page opened, When the page opened, her gray eyes saw the names of famous football strikers who were coaches at Blue Lock.

Her eyes continued to trace every paragraph of the site's text, until her eyes saw the name Noel Noa written on it. Seo-ah immediately got up from the sofa with a surprised look.

"So that bastard became a coach? It's better that I don't go there than that I have to meet him. But if I don't go there... I won't get a salary."

Seo-ah threw the tab on the sofa and turned on her cellphone which had been turned off for a long time. When it was turned on, Seo-ah immediately saw many notifications of telephone calls from her husband.

Seo-ah sighed and placed her cell phone on the table in front of her. Then he decided to sleep upstairs to rest after working overtime for three months. While she was asleep, her husband sent her another message notification.

.

.

.

.

.

A man continues to stare at his cellphone as if waiting for a reply to his message. "Is she still in her office?."

"Are you still not asleep yet? Mr. no.1" Ego said, he is the manager and trainer in Blue Lock. He was also Noa's former teammate ten years ago. Or rather his rival.

"No. I'm still not sleepy yet." Noa then turned off his cell phone and put it back in his jesrey jacket pocket.

"Oh, yes Noa. Earlier Anri received a call from the CEO of the TV station South Korea where your wife work. He said Seo-ah would come here in five days."

Noa, who heard that, felt happy when he heard that his wife would come here, but his flat face tried to hide his joy. "When she come you have to show your skills in front of your wife."

Ego patted Noa's broad shoulder then just walked away while waving his hand until he was out of sight. Noa opened his cellphone again, and on the screen lock there was a photo of Seo-ah wearing a straw hat summer on her head, and wearing a black swimsuit.

Noa smiled faintly when he looked at his wife photo. "Honey. I will wait for you" then his finger rubbed Seo-ah's face in the photo.

Next chapter: Meet

#blue lock #fanfic #noel noa #blue lock oc #noel noa x reader

[kouomi]

was just thinking about how reader would react to mrs. joke hitting on her husband infront of the kids and reader is just built different and isn’t taking that shit 🤚🏽🤚🏽

Only Joking

Warnings: none!

Word count: 687

A/N: disclaimer I love Ms. Joke!!! She’s a plot point, this is not an attack on her character!! That said omgg this was wild

Blog Directory

Posted: July 10th 2022, 11:34 PM EST

woooo this would be a rideee

Let’s trace the steps back to what now had your husband guiding you away by your shoulders while you tried to yell over his shoulder (with two very confused kids by your sides)

Okay, so

It was just supposed to be a simple stroll through the park, a nice day off that your husband, Aizawa, rarely got

You had taken this as an opportunity to spend some time with your family, and so the two of you set out with your five year old son and three year old daughter in tow

(Notice no mention of a 28 year old green-haired women with a keen interest for Eraserhead)

Because of the nature of his hero work, the vast majority of the times you did outings as a family you were able to do so peacefully and without any form of paparazzi or fans that typically surround pro heroes

Practically every time you accompanied him in public, you managed to get through it without anyone shouting out or approaching him

Keyword: practically

You would be able to say every time, but this one time was different

Because, about fifteen minutes into your walk, you heard a shout from a few feet down the path

“Eraserhead!”

After you both cringed and turned around to face the voice, you find none other than Ms. Joke approaching with an excited wave

Now, you knew about her interest in Aizawa. Despite how uncomfortable it may have seemed, it didn’t entirely bother you. You understood there was no risk of Aizawa suddenly leaving you and his family for her.

So you often refrained from commenting on her flirting and occasional proposals

Until today

She went on her normal routine of flirting with Aizawa and making suggestive jokes

He deflected them, but it progressed and the longer it went on the angrier you got

It was the fact he was no more than three feet away from his children that bothered you

Definitely not the idea that someone was throwing themselves at your husband

So you let down the barrier that held back all of the comments you had been holding back and unleashed yourself

It may have been a little harsh, but you weren’t going to stand for someone flirting with your children’s father right in front of them

As soon as you started your small, maybe overly aggressive rant, Aizawa had turned around and promptly started guiding you away

As much as it was entertaining to him, social conflict wasn’t his strong suit and he didn’t want it to escalate past what it already had

So that’s where you were

Yelling over his shoulder at a startled pro-hero with two small hands in each of your own

You eventually stopped when she was out of earshot, ignoring the people that stared and whispered as you shook your head and tried to release your anger

Aizawa, now with a faint smile he tried to hide, took your son’s hand from yours and walked beside you, nudging you with his shoulder

“You’re mad.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. It’s fine.”

You glared at him, but he still had that smug smile on his face. You would hate it if you didn’t love it so much.

“You don’t have to worry about her, that’s just how she is.”

“Okay.”

“And you don’t have to worry about me leaving you.”

“I know.”

“Are you sure?”

Damn him and knowing you so well

Aizawa scoops your son up onto his shoulders and pulls your daughter into his arms, smiling as they both giggle. You look at them and can’t help your own smile, the tension melting away into a pool of warmth.

Ms. Joke may flirt with him whenever she pleased, but you had this: him, you, and your family. And really, that’s all you needed.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

Masterlist

#aizawa x reader #aizawa x you #aizawa x y/n #aizawa x female reader #aizawa shouta x reader #aizawa shouta x you #aizawa shouta x y/n #aizawa shota x reader #aizawa shota x you #aizawa shota x y/n #Aizawa #Aizawa Shouta #Aizawa shota #mha x reader #mha x you #mha x y/n #mha #mha aizawa #my hero academia x reader #my hero academia x you #my hero academia x y/n #my hero academia fanfiction #my hero academia #my hero academia fic #boku no hero academia #boku no hero #boku no academia #boku no hero academia fanfic #my hero x reader #my hero x you

[ahgasegotarmy116]

Hi author,

I really loved the last chapter of "he doesn't deserve you", it was very emotional to me, and Jk was so sweet🥲however, maybeI forgot, how old is Jk here compared to her? And what about his past relationships? He said it was a while, but the only focus was on her. We don't know what he really thinks, will they have a chance to talk about it in the future?

You did a great job! Thank you for updating us!

Have a great day,

Your loyal reader

Thank you love I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Yeah Jungkook is a sweetie and very soft when he's alone with her 🥺

Jungkook is about 22 and she's 28 so it's not a huge age difference but I feel like once you get into your late twenties someone in their early twenties seems like a bit of a child. Especially when it comes to men.

Jungkook has had multiple girlfriends but like nothing crazy maybe three or four. None of them lasted very long because he always had to take care of his family so they felt neglected and were honestly really toxic and bratty about it.

They were all either his age or a little younger than him so once he met oc the thought of being with an older woman really flipped a switch in him.

He had never seriously thought about dating someone older than him but she seemed so mature and understanding and although she was going through hell with Taehyung she was still kind to everyone he saw her interacting with.

Granted the only other people he's seen her talk to have been Rae and Jimin.

(Tae too but ofc she wasn't being kind because they were fighting lol)

He saw her sense of maturity and her tendency to keep her struggles to herself as something that was very similar to him and what he's had to do in his life ever since he was young.

So he thought that maybe she would understand him.

(We'll learn more about Jungkook and his family's past in future chapters)

It had been a while since the last time Jungkook slept with anyone since he honestly lost hope and thought that with the way his life is now he wouldn't be able to find anyone who would accept him and be okay with not having as much time with him.

On top of that he was just way too busy and couldn't find the time.

He's not into the hookup culture and would honestly rather spend time working on what he hope will become his career in the future, Photography.

(We'll get into that more in future chapters as well).

Now that I think about it ya'll really don't know much about this Jungkook huh? Guess I gotta let you guys in a bit more lol

(Or any of my Jungkooks 😂 oops. I just like making them more mysterious lmaooo)

In terms of what Jungkook really thinks, well that's something that they'll have a conversation about in future chapters.

He voiced very little about his fears when it comes to starting or not even being given the chance to start a relationship with her but he'll let her know how he truly feels about it soon. As well as talk about past relationships.

Thank you for saying that 🥺 I wasn't really sure how I felt about it but I'm really happy you liked it!

Stop 😭 "Your loyal reader" I can't you're adorable 😭

Thank you again love! You're actually the first person that's sent in an ask for this story so I really am so glad you sent one in!

Okay this has gotten way too long but yeah I hope you're looking forward to the next chapter 🤭

#jungkook fanfic #jungkook #fanfic #fanfiction #he doesn’t deserve you #he doesn't deserve you ask #hddy

[neon-lights-and-glitter]

Can i request reader being 28 yrs old and Jack wanting to settle down with her but reader feels like he shouldn’t be settling down yet because she wants him to focus on his career.

A/N- Hope you like it, it's shorter then usual, but not going to lie I struggled a bit with where I wanted this to go.

You wanted to settle down with Jack one day, but Jack wanted to settle down with you now. You two had talked about your future quite often, everything from getting married, having kids, and moving back to Kentucky, but you always thought that Jack should focus on his career for at least a couple more years.

You were happy with your relationship with Jack, and it wasn’t that Jack wasn’t, but he still wanted more. You and Jack already lived together, between your apartment, and his in Atlanta, you two went back and forth between the two as needed. Jack had always talked about buying a house in Kentucky and moving back, but you never realized how soon he wanted to do it. Jack had been looking at houses for the past week at least, saving some of his favorites along with some of the ones he thought you would like. 

Jack was sitting down on the couch, scrolling through his laptop when you got home, putting your stuff down by the front door.

“I’m home” You called out, Jack smiled once he heard your voice.

“I’m in the living room baby” Jack said, as you walked towards the living room, smiling once you saw Jack, sitting down next to him as he put his laptop to the side.

“Hi” You laid your head on Jack’s shoulder as he moved his arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer. “What were you doing?” You asked as Jack kissed the top of your head.

“I was looking at houses.” Jack told you, pushing your hair out of your face.

“Jack” You sighed softly, “You know what I’ve told you.” You looked up at him but stayed leaning into his side.

“I know, but I want this, I promise. It doesn’t have to be immediately, but can we at least start looking?” Jack asked, making you think for a second.

“I don’t want you to regret settling down with me because that’s what you feel like you should be doing. You should be focusing on your career and that’s okay. It’s not that I don’t want to settle down with you one day, I do, I really do. Let’s just wait a little longer.” You explained and Jack sighed.

“Can we at least start looking at houses? We don’t have to move back to Kentucky right away, if we don’t find anything we like then that’s okay, and if we do that’s okay too, we’ll figure it out then.” Jack asked, making you think for a minute.

“Okay, that’s fair, we can start looking.” You said, making Jack smile and kiss you excitedly, making you laugh and kiss him back. Once you pulled away he smiled softly

"I love you so much" Jack told you, running his fingers through your hair.

"I love you too" You kissed his jaw softly before Jack grabbed his laptop again, his arm going back around you, “Okay, these are the ones I’ve saved so far.” Jack said as he started to show you the different houses.

You spent the rest of the day looking at houses with Jack, both pointing out things you liked and didn’t like. Even though you didn’t find anything that night, Jack hoped it happened sooner than later.

#jack harlow #jack harlow x reader #jack harlow imagine #jack harlow fanfic #jack harlow fluff

[perfectpaperbluebirds]

Sicktember #28

Prompt: “I should have stayed home.”

Fandom/OCs: MCU (Sick Steve Rogers)

Words: 860

Sicknario inspo: "You ARE sick" from this post and this post.

Author’s comments/background: Read the label on this one I guess. Sick miserable Steve as requested with caregiver Bucky. Short and sweet as always. Nothing much to see here. 

CW: Emeto, v*mit. Not overly long or explicit, but definitely there. 

~~~***~~~

Steve was lying facedown on a bunk in the Quinjet when the rest of the team (except for Bruce, who was working on de-Hulking) entered, talking in low voices. Natasha went to him immediately, looking worriedly at the blood coating one side of his uniform as she shook his shoulder. He turned toward her, his face drawn and pale.

"Steve, are you okay? Did you call for a medevac?"

Steve shook his head. "I'm not dying. There's no emergency."

"Then why the hell did you pull out? We almost had them!" Tony shouted. "You almost cost us the fight!"

Steve winced. "I was a liability out there. I was barely functioning. I'm not… I'm not well at all…."

"Wait, was that spear that hit you poisoned or something?" Clint asked anxiously, joining Natasha at his side, probing the area to find the source of the blood, but Steve moved away, shaking his head.

"Think I'm coming down with something," he mumbled. "It started a while ago, even before we left. And I think my side is already healed. It's just the old blood now."

Natasha pressed a hand against his forehead, none-too gently, but pulled it back almost immediately. "Whew, you ARE sick! Jesus, I almost got a first degree burn from your skin."

"I thought you couldn't get sick!" Tony chimed in.

"So did I," Steve groaned. "I have no idea what's happening."

"Well we're not gonna figure it out in the middle of the jungle. Let's just get out of here. We can deal with it when we get home," Clint said. 

"Roger that," Tony said, going to the controls. "Soon as we find our big green friend."

"Are you sure you'll make it, Steve?" Natasha asked. "You look awful."

"I feel it, too," he agreed. "But I don't think I'm dying just yet. I can hold out a while longer."

~~~

Many hours later, Steve was again lying facedown, this time in bed in his suite in Avengers Tower. He heard JARVIS unlock his door and swing it open to admit Bucky, who had just returned from his own mission. Neither spoke at first as Bucky took in the bloody clothes on the floor and the supersoldier huddled on the bed under a mound of blankets. 

"How's it going, Stevie?" Bucky finally asked, sounding overly casual as he pulled up a chair to the side of the bed. 

"Not so great, Buck. I feel absolutely awful."

"It must be really bad if you're admitting it, especially to me. Did something happen to you on the mission or is it just that you're sick?"

"Nothing happened on the mission, but I might as well not have gone. I wasn't feeling great before we left and it only got worse. That's how I got stabbed--I was totally out of it and my reflexes were shot. The team handled it. But going didn't do me any favors. I should have stayed home."

Bucky leaned forward to press the back of his hand to Steve's cheek. "Classic Stevie with a raging fever, just like the old days," Bucky sighed. "At least you're not a 90 pound shrimp anymore. What did–?"

"Oh God," Steve interjected with a guttural groan. "Bucky…."

"Oh shit!" Bucky said, leaping up when he saw Steve's expression. "I've got it, hang on…."

He dashed to the bathroom and snagged the garbage basket then rushed back to Steve's side, holding the pail to his face just in time to catch the rush of sick that came spewing out of the younger man. The explosion was short-lived and, thanks to Bucky’s quick action, overall mess-free. It left both of them panting, though. Poor Steve fell back into the pillow with another groan, this time self-pitying and exuding abject misery while Bucky made his way back to the bathroom, holding the bin at arm’s length. 

“Whew, you ARE sick,” Bucky said, trying to take on a lighthearted tone as he washed out the can in the shower.  

“Nat sat the same thing,” Steve replied with, Bucky thought, a hint of a smile. 

“You’re the only person I’ve ever known who throws up from a high fever. Unless there’s something else going on that you’re not telling me,” Bucky said, glancing at the bloody clothes again as he reentered the main room. 

“No. Just the fever. I’d really hoped the serum had taken that lovely symptom away, but no such luck. It’s like adding insult to injury. And Medical says they don’t have anything I can take for it, either, as usual. I’ll just have to ride it out apparently.”

“And they have no idea why you’re sick? I thought that couldn’t happen to you anymore.”

“So did I. Another thing I thought I left back in the 1940’s. No, they have no idea. They just drew a bunch of blood to run tests, but none of them sounded hopeful that they'll find anything. Lucky me.”

“Lucky you,” Bucky chuckled, sitting back down at his friend’s side. “But you’ll make it through this just like every other sickness you’ve ever had. And I’ll be right here with you the whole time, just like always.”

“Really, Buck?” Steve said, a hopeful, innocent look crossing his face as he lifted his head slightly to look over.

“Really, Stevie. Cross my heart.”

The pair shared a tiny smile before Bucky helped Steve lie back down, covering him warmly.

#cw emeto #sicktember 2023 #skt 2023 #m.c.u. #sick ste/ve rog/ers #prompt 28

[bratshaws]

goodness gracious 54. brb x oc

a/n: i really like writing this chapter :,).... SMUT IS IN THE NEXT ONE AND WOO BOY I GOTTA WORK ON IT! Feedback is welcome and encouraged uwu

check out the fic's playlist made by the sweet @wiipes !!

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: fluff, Rooster is good with kids more news at 12, me adding yet another character to this f i c

chapters:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44

45/46/47/48/49/50/51/52/53

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!!)

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @shrimping-for-all @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix

@lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 

@lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2 @emilybradshaw @j-6o @louisahale @leobabbyyy @kulicny @winter-run @ktjmac

-

Shells and Bob did get there soon after Bradley and Beatrice, immediately looking at the blonde little girl that was currently drawing on a napkin. Shells had only seen Bianca once when she was much smaller, so to see her again was a delight. Shells always said she hated kids, but it was a lie, they all knew, she was just mush hearted to any baby or toddler there was.

And Bianca was behaving herself quite nicely, she did ask questions every now and again, questions Bradley gladly would answer for her. Beatrice only smiled watching the two interact, something about…Bradley talking to a five years old was so very charming and so very him. She knew Bianca already took him as her favorite, after Bea of course, he was Prince Rooster to the end. Which when she said it while surrounded by the others immediately made them all stare at Bradley, who in turn blushed with a little smile, “It’s how she refers to me,” he says with a weak shrug.

He didn’t mind it, of course, Bianca was a pure child, she just did that because she cared about him and cared about her aunt as well. And Beatrice loved it, she couldn’t stop smiling anytime that Bianca would ask him something and he made sure to give her his attention every time she talked to him.

He was really good with kids, at least with Bianca. She knew he wouldn’t do a bad job when he met the others tomorrow, she had a feeling the boys specially would be really interested in what he had to share, they only knew about aviation when Umberto visited and that wasn’t often. 

He was also really sweet to Beatrice whenever she felt a bit overwhelmed, he could sense it somehow and would lean closer to ask if she was okay. She always said she was just nervous but would be fine and would hold his hand for emphasis. Even during the tribute to the Admiral who passed - whose name was Tom Kazansky - he still held her hand, maybe it was his own way to ask for support considering the way he clenched his jaw trying to hold back the emotion.

Pete was called to speak, the older pilot trying his best to not get choked up, even joking every now and again about the things he knew about the admiral. Even if she wasn’t part of this world, and had never met the admiral before, she felt her own eyes brimming with tears. Especially when the admiral’s widow stepped on the stage, her kids and grandkids stood to the side, to speak about him. She doesn’t think there was one dry eye in the room, she could hear the sniffling and the shaky breathing around them. 

His widow, whose name she now knew was Genevieve, thanked every single one of the people there and told them that “Tom would never want his passing to be remembered with sadness.” and to “Remember this is a celebration, not a mourning.” Beatrice thought she was so brave, even with how her voice shook and cracked at times, she never stopped smiling, smiling wider when she turned to look at the face of her husband on the screen behind her.

After she thanked everyone and told them to enjoy the night because it’s what he would’ve wanted, Beatrice sighs softly, turning her head towards Brad whose eyes were glazed over just a bit, “You okay?” he nods, clearing his throat, smiling when she touches his cheekbone soothingly only to find it just a bit damp.

“I’m fine.” is all he says, something in his eyes tells her that this was more than just the effects of Admiral Kazansky’s death. She wondered if he somehow remembered the time when his own father passed. She wouldn’t ask him, of course, but she held his hand under the table, rubbing the side of his thumb with her own and sighing in relief when he squeezed her hand back.

While there was a layer of sadness around the whole room, it wasn’t so bad. There was music and laughter around them, Pete even sharing some stuff from his time in TOPGUN with the Admiral as well. He called him an ‘annoying son of a bitch’ but it had fondness in every word. Much like how the others talked about Hangman back at the bar, it had something within the obvious annoyance that made her smile.

It was like a huge family alright. 

During dinner she felt Bradley’s hand on top of her clothed thigh, not doing anything illegal per se, but just resting it on the plush flesh with the casual squeezing. She didn’t mind, especially because no one else in their table seemed to notice his hand there or if they did they said nothing. The conversation was mainly about the Navy, or deployment tales she hadn’t heard about from Rooster before, even Bob seemed more talkative than normal much for Shells’ happiness.

After a while she noticed that Bianca was fidgeting a bit, the little girl making a ‘come hither’ towards her aunt who immediately lowered her head to Bianca’s level, “Auntie,I need to go potty.” she whispers sweetly, still bouncing a bit on the seat. 

“Ah.” Beatrice smiles, then turns towards Rooster, “I’m going to take Bibi to the bathroom.” she says, grabbing her clutch  as she stood up. She shouldn’t be surprised when her boyfriend stood up as well, placing his hand on her lower back as she grabbed Bianca from the seat to carry her to the restrooms.

She thanks him for coming with her, kissing his lips sweetly before she enters. Rooster, obviously, waits outside leaning against the wall. Beatrice barely puts Bianca on the floor and the little girl is scampering to one of the bathrooms with her aunt close behind. From outside Rooster could hear Bianca’s high pitched voice followed by Beatrice’s calm tone, he couldn’t understand what was being said inside, the voices and music around the area made it hard for him to understand.

But, he couldn’t lie that the image of Beatrice and Bianca did warm his heart just a bit. However he immediately tried to shove that deep within his mind, they never talked about it, they were about to move in together. One step at a time, he didn’t even know if she would want something like that.

He knew he wanted to have a long term relationship with Beatrice, however long that’d be - hopefully forever - and if…the situation came and the topic arrived, he’d be sincere in telling her about it.  Just not yet, not now.

Inside the bathroom, Beatrice lifted Bianca high enough so she could wash her hands on her own, telling her to press the soap dispenser only once even if she wanted to do it a few more times. Once her hands were washed, Beatrice then carried her to the hand dryer, smiling when her niece giggled as the warm air hit her palms, drying them completely, “There we go.” she puts Bianca down, then crouches to fix her dress and headband, “Do you need anything else?”

“No, auntie.” she says, looking down at Beatrice’s hands as they fix the edges of her dress, “Auntie,” Bea hums in question, still paying attention to the dress, “When are you and Prince Rooster going to get married?”

Beatrice stills her hands, her whole body freezing as she takes in what her niece asked. It hit her like a ton of bricks, how would she explain it to Bianca? “...um…” she clears her dry throat, focusing on relatching Bianca’s Mary Janes as she tried to figure out how to respond, “...I…well, you see–” Bianca just blinked with a little smile, still waiting for a response, “I-I…Bibi, that’s, um…”

Bianca then smiles, leaning closer while cupping her hands around her mouth, “I gave him a magic rock.” she says, “When zia Martha got married! It makes people get married too!!” she had a feeling her aunt Martha told her so and Bea dropped her head forward with a heavy sigh. She hated how fast her heart was beating just at the thought. But it was too soon for that, they didn’t even move in together.

She understood why Bianca would be excited, but it wasn’t that easy, “Listen, Bibi.” she grabs her niece’s smaller hands on her own, breathing in slowly, “It’s…not that simple, it's something grown ups think about a lot you know? It’s a big step.”

Bianca purses her lips in thought, “But daddy said you and Prince Rooster already look married!” oh she’s going to kill Leonardo, “I heard him telling mommy that when they thought I was asleep.”

“Well, your daddy can say a lot of stuff he doesn’t know about.” she tries to say firmly with her cheeks burning red. She wasn’t mad at Bianca, she was just a child with the simple mindset of ‘if you want to do it, do it’ without any consequences. And Rooster was right outside, what if he heard ??? With as much strength and calm she could muster, Beatrice smiled down at her niece, “Sweetie, look, I know you…want that to happen.”

“Yes!”

“But it’s not so simple. Because…it’s…really early to think that.” the little girl furrows her brows, “Because um…there’s a lot of steps involved. A lot of them. And well, it’s a two person process, honey.” she cups her niece’s chubby cheeks with a smile, “But I promise that when,” if, the goblin voice growled in the back of her mind, “It happens you’ll be the first to know.”

The little blonde girl blinked again, but she seemed to accept that answer a lot more than whatever else her aunt wanted to say, “Okay!” 

“Good, now,” she pressed a finger to her lips, “We need to keep this between us okay? It’s a secret,” the last thing she’d want was for Rooster to freak out at the thought of marriage before they even moved in together. She holds out her pinky, “Pinky promise?”

Bianca’s smile widened as she wrapped her little pinky around her aunt’s, much like she did with Rooster earlier that nice, “Pinky promise, auntie!” she giggles and hugs her aunt. Beatrice hugs her back, even if she is a bit nervous about this sudden conversation, suddenly remembering she also needed to use the bathroom and forgot after taking care of Bibi.

With a worried bite to her lip, she walked out with Bianca to see Rooster still leaning on the wall, nothing in his expression showed he could hear them inside, “Hey,” she says, then looks down at her niece, “Can you stay with her for a little bit? I need to go too,” and calm myself down, she thought, before I freak out in front of you.

“Yeah, sure.” he says, offering his large hand to Bianca who quickly grabs it, “We’ll be waiting for you out here.” Beatrice smiles, kissing his lips sweetly before she rushes inside with the bathroom door shutting behind her. Bradley inhales happily, moving his gaze from the bathroom door to Bianca, who was using his hand to hold her up as she leaned back, swinging from left to right by using her weight.

He chuckles, allowing her to continue, even extending his arm a little more so that the little girl had more room to move, much to her delight. Bianca giggles happily, bouncing back to her feet and then holding tightly onto his fingers “Can you lift me?”

“Lift you?”

She nods, “My daddy lifts me one handed! He’s super strong!” the way she was holding onto his fingers probably meant he was supposed to hold her up as if she was a dumbbell. He just grins, lifting the little girl up with ease, earning a happy squeal from her tiny form as she kicks her legs in the air.

He does that for a few seconds, until he hears someone clearing their throat next to him. He turns his head as he lowers Bianca to the ground, “Oh,” he straightens himself, “Ma’am.” he nods respectfully to Admiral’s Kazansky widow, Genevieve, who was just smiling sweetly at him.

“Hello, Bradley, I almost didn’t recognize you.” she says kindly, holding her hands together, her strawberry blonde hair painted with faint streaks of white and yet she looks younger than half of the people there, “Until you turned around.” he laughs softly, dipping his head in thanks as Genevieve’s eyes drop to the little girl, “Oh, is she yours?”

Yours.

“Uh, no, no, she’s my girlfriend Beatrice’s niece,” he says quickly, picking Bianca under the arms to hold her up so Genevieve could have a better look at her. Bianca was anything but shy when meeting new people, something he rarely saw with kids her age - at least the ones he’s met before were always very shy when approaching people - which was a breath of fresh air sometimes.

Genevieve was smiling when Bianca introduced herself, hugging Bradley’s neck to keep herself upright as the older woman asked her if she was enjoying spending time with Bradley. Bianca corrected that it was ‘Prince Rooster’ and not ‘Bradley’ much to the other woman’s amusement, especially when the pilot’s cheeks flushed slightly. “I don’t think I’ve met your girlfriend,Rooster.” she says after a while, “Is she the brunette you came with?”

“Yeah, she’s uh, inside right now.” he says, tossing his thumb over his shoulder, realization dawning on his face, “Oh, do you want to–”

“No,no,” Genevieve laughs, waving a hand, “I was simply taking a walk, to clear my mind.” The words came out heavier than he thought, his own eyebrows furrowing with concern but the blonde woman just tapped his arm, “Don’t worry about me,I’m fine.” right after she said that, the bathroom door opened and Beatrice walked out still shaking her hands to get rid of whatever moisture the fan couldn’t dry.

“Sorry was I– oh.” she noticed the older woman talking to Bradley and her niece on his arm, “Oh, hello.”

Genevieve looked from her to Rooster with a smile beaming on her face, “Hello, Beatrice,” she held up an elegant hand that the girl grabbed with a nervous smile, “I’m Genevieve, I was just asking Bradley about you.”

Beatrice looks to her boyfriend, who’s still cradling her niece in his arms, “Oh, oh um…well!” she laughs nervously, dropping her hand from the other woman’s hold and wringing them together since she didn’t know where to put them “I…I’m glad?”

Genevieve chuckled, turning to Bradley with the same smile, “She’s a gem,Bradley.” Bea’s cheeks turned an even darker red at the compliment, even more when her niece agreed that indeed her aunt was a gem, “But please, do not mind me. I was just taking a walk, it was very nice meeting you, Beatrice.” the brunette nods with a little smile, watching the woman walk past the two down the hallway that led to the outside of the building.

Beatrice waited until she was out of view to turn her worried eyes to Bradley, “I…should I have said I was sorry for her husband?” she asks quietly, “Was I rude?”

Rooster recoils his head in surprise, moving Bianca to his opposite arm when the other started to get tired and the little girl didn’t complain, “No? Didn’t you hear her compliment you?” Beatrice just blushes harder, still playing with her fingers, “Hey, pretty girl, you are anything but rude. I think she prefers not to be reminded every now and again of what happened.”

“...okay.” 

He tsks, holding Bibi one armed to cup Beatrice’s chin and tilt her head up, “Gorgeous, don’t doubt yourself like that,” he says pressing a kiss to her painted lips, “It’s not a good look on you. And I love seeing you smile.” he whispers against her mouth, kissing her for a few more seconds before pulling back. Beatrice’s smile was all he desired for an answer, even more when she grabbed his free hand and the two made their way back inside the main room.

Bianca was put down when she noticed a few kids playing not too far from them, in the ‘kids area’ and she asked Beatrice if she could go, “Okay, but don’t wander away from the lady that’s with them.” she said, gesturing to the woman wearing a black vest who was keeping an eye on all the kids there. Bradley put Bianca down, the little girl running to the others and immediately sat down next to a boy who was playing with LEGOS.

Beatrice’s smile only broadens when she feels Bradley’s hand on the curve of her waist, she knew he wanted to wrap his arms around her but considering where they were it wouldn’t be a good idea. But she could feel the subtle twitch of his fingers, nearing the front of her stomach, “You look absolutely fucking beautiful.” His breath touches the shell of her ear and Bea laughs softly, turning to look over her shoulder, “I know I’ve said it but, ho-ly shit. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

She chortles quietly, turning to face him and running her hands on the shoulders of his suit, “And you look extremely handsome.” she says, leaning up to peck his lips, dropping her hands to hold onto his, blinking when he lifts his arm and twirls her around, “Brad!”

“I just want a full look,” he says sweetly, laughing at her red cheeks and bringing her closer to press their foreheads together, “...I’m glad you are here.”

“...yeah?”

“Yeah,I’ll be honest…I don’t know if I’d like to be here alone, or just with Mav and the others. Having you and Bibi is really good.” he touched the side of her face with his knuckles, then tilted his head back when he saw movement behind him. Beatrice looked in the same direction and they widened their eyes when they saw Jake nearing a standing Evelyn who was no longer sitting with her parents and was now leaning against a wall with her back to them.

Beatrice and Bradley exchanged looks, with the brunette tugging him further close to a large vase so they could hide, peeking over the leaves to have a better look, “Oh my God.” he whispers, “Do you think they are together?”

“She hasn’t pushed him away yet.” In fact she didn’t even recoil in disgust when Hangman was right by her side, he wasn’t touching her but his presence was hard to be ignored. They tried to be subtle, the best they could, using the large leaves to hide themselves and pressing up against the wall from time to time hoping they wouldn’t see the two.

There’s a ping coming from inside her clutch and Beatrice clicks it open, pressing the power button on her phone

Ev (20:21)

You two are anything but subtle.

“Oh.” she lowers the phone and peeks out the leaf, seeing that now Evelyn was alone and holding up her phone with a grin, shaking it a bit for emphasis. Both Rooster and Beatrice looked sheepish and waved at Evelyn. The woman chuckles, rolling her eyes then going back to her phone

Ev (20:24)

I’m going to go back to my seat. Don’t tell Shells or else she’d never leave me be.

And after that she turns around, leaving the couple alone and staring at where she once stood, “Well…” he lets out a quiet laugh, “That happened…should we go back?”

“...yeah it might be a good idea.”

-

They leave when it’s past Bianca’s common bedtime, the little girl resting her head on her aunt’s shoulder as she takes her to the car. She doesn’t wake up when Beatrice buckles her on the seat, just lolls her head to the side, only actually waking up when they arrive at Beatrice’s house.

Rooster waits for Bea to take the little girl out, he removes the seat himself and grabs the duffel bag he kept under the front seats for when he got there, following Beatrice into the house only to be greeted by a very excited Jolene. Bianca made a noise on her aunt’s shoulder, something that resembled Jolene’s name but was too quiet to be understood “I’m going to change her.” she whispers to Rooster, “Then bring the mattress out.”

“Mattress?”

“Yeah, I keep an inflatable mattress for Bibi whenever she has to sleep over. I used to do it back when I lived with my parents because Leo and Cyn didn’t want her getting used to sharing a bed with other people.” she says, adjusting the little girl in her arms while kicking off her shoes with a sigh of relief, “I’ll be right back.”

But he follows her up the stairs, “I can help.” he says, unbuttoning his suit jacket and trying to hold back the grin of her eyes dropping when his undershirt comes into view. She didn’t say anything but she nodded before disappearing inside the bathroom with a sleepy voice Bianca asking her what was going on, “Where do you keep the mattress?”

“Oh, it’s under my bed.” she says and he hears her telling Bianca to lift her arms so she can put on her onesie, “It’s a dark blue bag with a yellow smiley face on it.” He crouches next to her bed after he kicks off his shoes, tilting his head until he sees the smiley face. The bag is squished between the bedframe and the floor, so it takes a little while to yank it out, grunting to himself until it’s finally visible.

He sits back on the bed and pulls the mattress out just in time for Bea to come out as well, now wearing her long shirt and pants she wore as pajamas, smiling at him and holding a dinosaur onesie dressed Bianca in her arms, “Oh,’ he sounds pained, slapping his hand over his heart, “Oh that’s so cute.”

Beatrice laughs quietly,  face completely clean of makeup , “You can go change.” She says gently lowering her niece onto the bed, “I’ll set up the mattress.”

“You sure?” she nods, approaching him to kiss his lips and grab the bag from his hands, he smiles, following her mouth with his head to press a few more pecks to her lips before he stands up to go to the bathroom. Beatrice smiles as she picks up the mattress and makes her way downstairs, silently picking up her coffee table and putting it to the side before she drops the mattress to the floor. 

Something inside of it clicks and the blackish blue flat fabric slowly begins to inflate, Jolene watching this ordeal with her eyes on it and still seated on the couch. Four legs pop from under the mattress, making it stand a good distance from the floor, going from a paper thin structure to a large queen sized bed that took a good chunk of space in her living room. 

She rushes back upstairs to grab a few blankets and sheets, alongside Bianca who now was already fast asleep. Since her niece was so small, she made sure to make the couch as comfortable as it possibly could since she’d want to sleep next to Jolene, “Jojo?” Bianca asks when Bea puts her down on top of the various pillows she arranged, the pitbull quickly leaping on the bed and snuggling closer to Bianca, who hugs her neck.

Beatrice smiles, pulling the dinosaur hoodie back just enough so her lips touched her niece’s forehead, then Jolene’s head. When she leaned back, she saw Bradley looking around her room in confusion until his eyes met hers on the lower floor. Beatrice walks closer to the staircase with her hands on her hips, meeting Rooster when he steps down, “I thought we were staying up there?”

“No, I can’t see Bibi if I do.” She looks over her shoulder to the mattress, “I usually sleep down here because she loves the couch and loves sleeping with Jolene.” The five years old was hugging the dog’s neck as they slept soundly. “If she needs my help I can get her quickly…is that okay with you?” Would he think it was weird?

“Yeah,” he smiles, “It’s fine, I was just expecting us to be up there, is all.” He walks closer to the inflatable mattress and blinks at how soft it is. And spacious, “Woah,I love this, it’s so nice??”

“I used it while going camping, it’s really good.” she says quietly, keeping her tone down so her niece wouldn’t wake up. She lay down next to Rooster and the two of them focused their eyes on Bianca’s sleeping form, the blanket now covered both her and Jolene, with the dog huffing in her sleep as she dreamed. When Bea turns to face Bradley again she finds him already looking at her with an unreadable gaze, “What?”

He purses his lips,shakes his head and tries to hold back his own smile, “Nothing, gorgeous.” he whispers, “Just looking at you and how amazing you are.” she laughs quietly, covering her mouth with a hand so Bianca won’t wake up. He pulls the covers up to their shoulders, still facing her, “No wonder she loves you so much.”

“I love her too.” she whispers, looking back at her sleeping niece with her own eyes blinking heavily, “We better sleep, we have a long day tomorrow.” for obvious reasons, she thought.

“Yeah,” he tried to hold back his own yawn without success, chuckling tiredly when she smiled up at him, “C’mere,” he wraps his arms around her, turning her around so her back touched his chest and her vision remained on Bianca, “There, much better.” he says against her ear, leaning down to kiss the skin below her lobe.

“It is.” she says, leaning back just enough to kiss his lips, “Night Roos.I love you.”

“I love you too, gorgeous.” he murmurs, his own voice dropping into a tired tone as Beatrice watches his eyes slowly drop shut and his breathing get even. She smiles, then turns to see check on her niece one last time, gently rubbing her smaller hand and Jolene’s toe beans before she too drifted off into dreamland.

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