#(i had a chest infection and didn’t want to give whatever had caused it to whoever was in the pharmacy. and i kept forgetting to ask anyone

[fingertipsmp3]

Not to be dramatic or anything (narrator: she’s being dramatic) but I think my doctor is trying to kill me

[forever-rogue]

Joel and Reader finding an abandoned baby and Joel is conflicted, part of him wants to give it to someone else, but the other part wants to raise it with reader

AN | Okay, but I really liked this concept!

Pairing | Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Warnings | Language

Word Count | 3.3k

Masterlist | Joel, Main

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The two of you were trekking through the woods, a tense silence between the two of you. You’d just had an argument which left neither of you feeling particularly good about what had been said. You wanted to try and settle down for a while, especially now that you had Ellie with the two of you and there was a good opportunity for you in Jackson; he was reluctant to get too comfortable in any one place. You didn’t blame him - it wasn’t easy for you either but you were willing to try.

You weren’t quite sure what to say now. All you knew was that you hated the idea that he was at you.

“Joel-”

“Shh,” he held up his arm in front of you, causing both of you to stop apparently. He held a finger to his lips as he looked around, eyes narrowed, “listen.”

You raised an eyebrow before trying to tune into what he was hearing. For a man with some hearing issues, he heard a lot more than you'd expect. Once you stilled, you heard the odd sound. Was that…crying?

"Joel?" you whispered, reaching for his wrist, "what is that?"

"I don't know," he didn't look at you but started walking to the source of the sound. His gun was at the ready as you fell into the step behind him.

He didn't stop until he was at the edge of the bushes near the clearing that had been up ahead. You swallowed thickly as he pushed through the brush, stopping as soon as he stepped into the clearing. You heard him inhale sharply as you almost tumbled after him. He easily wrapped an arm around your waist to help you up right.

He was staring at something on the ground and you followed his line of sight. You gasped just as he had as you saw the source of the sound. 

A baby.

"What the…" you trailed off as you pushed past Joel to get a better look at the small pastel pink bundle. 

While the poor thing was bundled up, you could see that it was a young baby, probably no more than a month or so old. Your instinct was to reach for it and pick it up, to shield it from the chill; at least it wasn't the dead of winter anymore so you had some hope that the baby would be okay.

"Stop," Joel reached out and grabbed your wrist, causing you to glare at him, "don't touch it."

"It's a baby, Joel," you snapped, "it's probably cold and hungry - someone clearly just left them there."

"It could be a set up or what if…" his mouth fell into a hard line as he shook his head. You pulled your hand out of his touch and picked up the baby, much to his chagrin.

"I'm not going to leave a baby out here," you hissed at him, clutching the small bundle to your chest, "whatever the reason they were left doesn't matter right now. And they're not infected - stop going to doomsday immediately."

"Look it over," his voice was gruff as you rolled your eyes at him. Fine. You were willing to give him that much. 

You sank onto your knees as you unwrapped the bundle and looked over the baby - a little girl. She was dressed in a thin onesie that you undid so you could check her over. She had big brown eyes and wisps of hair and chubby little cheeks, "she's okay. Just cold and hungry."

“You’re not seriously thinking about taking her back with us?” his eyes hardened as you looked at him in shock. You weren’t expecting him to welcome her with open arms, but you’d expected a little more compassion. This was Joel after all; he was rough around the edges but gentle and tender hearted. 

“I’m not leaving her behind,” you insisted, trying to remain as firm as you could, “no one gets left behind. That includes this innocent baby - she’ll die out here. We both know that.”

“What if someone comes back to look for her?” you both knew that was extremely unlikely, “what if they follow us?”

“Then they can come and find us and explain why they abandoned her in the first place,” you unzipped your jacket and put her inside to get her warm, zipping it just up enough so she wouldn’t be squeezed, “I’m not leaving her. That’s not negotiable. That’s not who we are, Joel.”

“Fine,” he held up his hands in mock surrender before taking a step back, “when this all turns to shit, don’t come running to me.”

“Joel.”

“Let’s get back,” he turned around without giving you another glance, “we’re already late.”

You were rooted in place as you watched him go, trying to fight back the tears that were pearling up. The baby cooed at you softly, looking at you with curious eyes which caused your heart to melt.

“It’ll be okay,” you whispered to her, “we’ll figure it all out.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You didn’t see much of Joel for the next couple of weeks. Which, to be quite honest, hurt a lot. You weren’t sure exactly what to call him; boyfriend felt too trivial and partner felt not enough. He was everything to you…so it cut like a knife when he made it a point to avoid you. And he couldn’t even lie about it - you’d seen him physically turn around and walk away when he’d spotted you somewhere. Several times. 

So while it sucked and you missed him desperately, you were focused on the baby that you’d come to have. You weren’t exactly sure what you’d call her in relation to either - but for the time being you’d settled on the name Olivia, or Ollie for short. 

Once she’d gotten checked out by one of the doctors back in Jackson, it was determined that she’d been about six weeks old and had likely been abandoned for most of the day before she was found. She was lucky that you’d stumbled across her when you did…or she might not have made it. 

You still weren’t exactly what you were going to do with her, but for now, you were keeping her. You’d never had much experience with babies or toddlers before the world arrived at its current state, and you definitely hadn’t expected the first opportunity to come along now. But somehow it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be and you sort of fell into it. 

You loved her, she’d won your heart from the first time you’d looked at her, and that was all that mattered. 

The rest would fall into place. Hopefully.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“What do you think?” you grinned at the baby swaddled to your chest as she babbled away happily, as though she understood what you were saying. You listened to her for a few moments before nodding in agreement, “you’re right. I’ll make pasta for dinner for myself and Ellie, and you’ll get a nice big bottle all to yourself.”

You couldn’t help beam at her as she smiled at you; you knew it probably wasn’t at you in particular but you liked the idea. Ellie hadn’t come by yet for dinner, but you knew she would soon; she was with you most evenings still. You felt bad for her in a way; with everything that had happened (or hadn’t rather) between you and Joel you felt like you were putting her through a divorce and forcing her to choose a side. But she didn’t view it that way…she was waiting for Joel to come to his senses. And you weren’t forcing her to pick either of you. 

You heard a knock on the front door of your small, but homey, little house, causing you to pick perk up. You dumped some pasta into the water, figuring it was Ellie being polite, “come on in, Ellie Bean!”

The door opened slowly and you didn’t pay it much attention until you realized that the girl was strangely quiet for once. You set down the wooden spoon before looking over and finding that it wasn’t Ellie that had come in at all. 

It was Joel.

“Oh,” was all you managed to say as you looked at him in surprise. He caught your eye and the two of you stared at each other silently for a few moments, “what are you doing here?”

His shoulder sagged in relief as he slowly made his way over to you, letting out a long sigh as he leaned against the counter. He decided that the fact that you didn’t flinch or scamper away was a good sign. The way you instinctively cradled your arm around the baby wasn’t lost on him. 

“I wanted to apologize,” he managed to choke out after a few moments, only the bubbling of the water filling the silence. You raised an eyebrow at him but he didn’t say anything further. 

“For what?” oh yeah. You weren’t going to let him get away with this one. He caught your eye and a frown tugged down the corners of his mouth, “hmm?”

“I’m sorry for the way I acted,” despite the fact that it was hard for him to admit he was wrong, he wasn’t going to lie to you. Not to you - the best thing in his life, “the things I said and did. I shouldn’t have done it. it wasn’t right.”

“Okay,” you nodded as you stirred the pasta, fast feeling stinging and prickling at the back of your eyes. The two of you were silent as he watched you drain the pasta and set it back on the stove, finishing it off with sauce and cheese. You grabbed two bowls of the cabinet, along with utensils as you divvied up the pasta and set it down at the kitchen table. He didn’t move, surprised - and yet entirely unsurprised - by the way you didn’t hesitate to show kindness, “come on. Let’s eat…I know you probably haven’t been taking care of yourself, love.”

“Why?” he sat down across from you, pulling the warm bowl closer, his growling stomach betraying him. You knew exactly what he meant.

“Because I love you - you’re my family,” you focused your attention on the bowl so you wouldn’t immediately cry and lose it, “and you don’t just throw that away. Not even if things get a little out of sync or whatever.”

“I was scared,” he finally admitted, causing you to pause as you looked over at him, “I am scared.”

"Joel," you reached across the table for his hand and gently put yours on top of his. You gave it a reassuring squeeze before offering him a small smile, "me too. It's okay to be scared - you just have to talk to me. That's all. We'll always figure it out together, my love."

"At first it was just because of the immediate threat - what if she was infected or it was just a trap?" he leaned back in chair as you nodded at him to go on. You'd listen to him forever if he needed you to, "but that quickly turned into a lot more. It was everything."

“I’m not going to pretend like I know how you’re feeling or what you’re doing through,” you whispered sweetly, causing him to nod, “but I do know that I love you and I want to be there for you no matter what. I want to help - if you’ll let me.”

“I want you,” he swallowed thickly, “I…I want to tell you everything.”

“Then please do. It doesn't have to be tonight or even all at once,” you promised, “however you want to. Okay?”

“Okay,” you offered him a small smile that he returned. He felt like he hadn’t smiled in weeks. 

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence as you ate, the only sounds filling the room were forks hitting the ceramic bowls and the occasional sound from Ollie. She'd fallen asleep, probably lulled to slumber from your movements. You weren't lost on the way Joel's eyes kept drifting back to her.

Once you'd finished eating, you put everything in the sink, unsure of what to say next. Joel filled in the gap.

"Can I hold her?"

Your mouth formed a small o in surprise as you tried to see if he was being serious. You hadn't quite expected that. After a moment of contemplating, you nodded and slowly started to unbundle the sleeping baby from your chest. Ollie didn't wake up, only making a few small sounds instead.

Joel took her gingerly from your arms, holding her in his own and cradled her to his chest. He was experienced - practiced - even though it had been a long time. 

You could see the emotions fighting on his features as he trailed a finger over her chubby cheek. You didn't want to interrupt the moment and instead sat back down. 

"She's beautiful," he whispered softly, "she reminds me a little of…Sarah. She had these chubby cheeks too and just a mop of dark brown hair. I was so scared when she was born, so scared that I would fuck it all up. But then I took one look at her and it just kinda all made sense. I fell in love with her."

"I can't even imagine the stress and the excitement," it wasn't often that he brought up his daughter, you knew it was hard for him…the pain he must have gone through was unfathomable. The fact that he trusted you with this resonated within your heart, "everything all at once."

"Yeah," he let out a small sound, "it felt like it happened all over again when my wife left. I was so angry and mad but then I realized I couldn't do that - I had my baby girl to take care of. And it ended up being us, just us, until…she died."

"Joel-"

"Let me say it," he insisted, his voice thick with tears, "I have to say it at some point. It'll never be easy, but it's the truth. And Sarah will always be my baby."

 "Always."

"When we found her," he looked down and inhaled sharply, "I got mad. Mad that someone had this child and then just felt her to die. Scared that something was wrong with her…scared that would happen. That if we took her I would cause something to happen to her. That she would end up with the same fate as Sarah...or Sam or Henry.”

"That wasn't your fault," tears had rolled down your cheeks by this point and you wanted to do nothing but hold him, "it was never your fault."

"I know…but it took myself a long time to accept that," he confessed, "I've been thinking a lot about it lately…about her."

Ollie opened her big brown eyes as she blinked at him before smiling happily. Joel returned the smile, gently bouncing her so she couldn't become upset. 

"I've been thinking a lot about Ellie too," he caught your eye and he noticed how your face lit up at the mention of the young girl, "how I was so reluctant to let her in at first. But she managed to do it, just like you did, and she's family. Even if I don't tell her, I hope she knows I love her like she was my own."

"Trust me," you laughed lightly, "she knows."

"I love you," he caught you so off guard that you just looked at him, opening and closing your mouth like a fish out of water. You knew he loved you - that had never been once been something you questioned. But he’d never said three little words out loud either, “I’m sorry I haven’t said it. But I-I hope that…you know.”

“I know,” your lips formed a pretty pout that he wanted to kiss away as you nodded at him, “I know, Joel. I love you too.”

“I’m sorry,” he cleared his throat and you shook your head, “I shouldn’t have treated you like I did. I thought that maybe…maybe avoiding the situation might make it go away.”

“And just how often does that work?” there was a teasing lilt to your voice that caused him to chuckled softly.

“I know, Instead all I did was manage to push you away,” he leaned back and sighed, “you didn’t deserve that.”

“I missed you,” it was a gentle confession that made his heart swell, “I was trying to figure out how to approach you…you beat me to it.”

“It was just getting my head on straight,” he paused for a moment and let out a huff of amusement, “and Ellie helped. Girl wouldn’t leave me alone, but she was right.”

“She often is….but don’t tell her that, lest it get in her head.”

“I’ve learned that much,” the two of you shared shy smiles that turned into a bit of tender laughter. The man in question watched you with a reverent gaze that made you want to melt into a puddle, “what did you decide to call her?”

“Olivia,” you grinned, “more commonly known as Ollie.”

“I like it,” he looked down at Olivia called Ollie and felt his heart constrict. She was already back asleep, “what are…what do you want to do with her?”

“Ahhh, yeah,” you shrugged, “that’s the question of the hour, isn’t it? I don’t know. I wish I did but…. It’s hard.” 

“Tell me,” he softly encouraged you.

“I’ve never had a kid before let alone a baby,” you stated, which he already knew, “I feel like I have no clue what I’m doing and don’t want to mess anything up. I want her to have all the best things. But at the same time…I don’t want to let her go. I’ve already grown pretty fond of her.”

“I think you’ve done a great job so far,” he insisted and you felt shy under his gaze, “there’s no manual for this - especially not in his world - you just learn. You fuck it up, but you learn and move on. What matters most is…”

“Love,” you finished for as he caught your eye and nodded, “but Joel…what about…fuck, I hate sounding so pathetic, but what us? I don’t want to lose you or have you feel like you need to be here because of her or have you not want to be here because of her.”

“You’re not going to lose me,” you knew from the look in his eye that he wasn’t kidding, “no matter what happens. I’m scared of all of this too, but I’m willing to try. If you want me to get on my knees and beg you for forgiveness, I will, baby.”

“Are you sure?” 

“I’m positive,” he looked down at Ollie before back at you, “let’s be scared together. I think we’ll figure it out. What do you say, sweetheart?”

“Okay,” you laughed through the tears that had rolled down your cheeks, brushing them away with the back of your hand, “okay. We’ll figure it out together.”

“Together,” you really liked the sound of that, “we’ll get through it all.”

Before you could say anything else, the door almost slammed open as Ellie barged in, “hello family! What’s new?”

You looked at Joel, who let out a signature dramatic sigh, before both of you looked at Ellie. 

“A lot,” Joel couldn’t even pretend to be annoyed and you knew that Ellie already knew Ellie what had happened, “come and sit down, kid.”

“About time,” she helped herself to food, “you’re meant to be together - took you long to figure that out!”

[emmawithtwoms]

Moving staircases

@wolfstarmicrofic day 12 - 696 words

Just as he thought he would have reached safety, Remus felt the stairs moving under his feet.

“Moony!”

Fucking moving staircases. 

“Moony, wait! Merlin, I’ve been trying to talk to you for the past ten minutes! Will you just stop running from me?”

“I’m not running”

“Oh so that was what? Walking rapidly?”

“Sirius, what do you want?”

The staircase was moving painstakingly slowly under their feet.

“I just wanna talk to you, you’ve been avoiding me for the past week! I wanna know what I did!”

“And then what, Sirius?! Pretend like nothing happened? Forget we talked about it like you do every single time? Act like you were drunk the night before just because you don’t want to face reality?!” 

“Moony…”

“Oh don’t ‘Moony’ me, asshole! Don’t pretend like you don’t know exactly what this is all about! Every single time you kiss me, and make me believe that finally, Finally you’re gonna do something about… about this! About us, about whatever the fuck is going on! But noooo. The great Sirius Black is too above feelings, too above ties to just fucking stop and realise how much he’s hurting other people! And I’m here like an idiot, falling for it every single time! Well, I’m tired, Sirius. I’m tired of being you fucking puppet, I’m tired of being you emotional punching bag, who you go to whenever the weight of hiding who you really are gets too much. I’m not gonna let you ruin me just because you’re too much of a coward to accept who you are.” 

“Remus, please. I-I didn’t mean to hurt you, I swear! It was never about you!” 

“Oh it wasn’t? Really? So why would you crawl back to me every time?”

“That’s not what I meant!” 

Sirius shot his hand up in an apologetic way

“I-I just don’t know how to deal with… this”

“With what, Sirius?” 

Did the fucking staircase stop?

“With you-Us! I don’t know what it means, I just know that when whatever it is gets too much, you’re the only person I want around! Moony I’m begging you to believe me! I never meant to hurt you.”

Remus could not stand to look at his face, even in the scene they were causing in the, fortunately, empty staircase, Sirius did not give any kind of answer to Remus, just more questions. 

“So I’m just a what? A distraction? A way to get some weight off your chest?”

“What? NO! Merlin Moony no, you’re more than that, you know it.”

“Do I? Realy? Then what am I, Sirius? I am tired of being your dirty little secret. I am tired of the glances, and the winks, and the flirting, and the secret hook ups that you never mention the following day!” 

“YOU’RE THE REASON I CANNOT STOP FAKING ANYMORE! Please Moony, I always thought I could have hanfìdled this… thing in me, but then you came along, and I knew I was done for. I cannot control myself when I see you. The thought of waking up and not being able to touch you, hold you, kiss you… I’m desolated Moony, I never meant to make you feel unworthy or dirty, it was all about me, I thought I was taunting you, infecting you with whatever I had, and the voices in my head made me feel disgusted with myself after every secret rendezvous. But the truth is that I want you, Moony, more than anything in the world, I’m begging you, just- just let me…” 

Sirius was gripping the marble handrail so hard that his knuckles were white, tears were starting to form in his eyes and he was gripping his chest with his left hand, desperate for Remus to just turn around and look at him. 

Slowly, oh so slowly, Remus turned to stare into Sirius’s eyes, red rimmed hazel staring into stormy gray.

“No more secrets, Padfoot. No more pretending and no more girls. If you want me, you have me, but you gotta take all of me.”

“Yes, yes Moony, everything, please.” 

And as Remus finally got close to Sirius, the boys could feel the staircase reaching the other landing.

[j0elmill3r]

Man, I Hate Golf.

Pairing - Joel Miller x Daughter!reader

Summary - Joel has a newfound hate for golf after Abby leaves him traumatized.

Warnings - Major character death, violence, sad Joel, diverges from canon, spoilers for the last of us part 2

Word Count - 1.4k

A/N - I am...so sorry for this, this could be sadder than my previous fics.

Joel Miller Masterlist

You knew this was too good to be true, things had been going too smoothly since you and your dad had joined your uncle Tommy - Joel having stopped talking to Ellie after their argument. You'd saved a girl younger than you - Abby, her name was - from a horde of infected. You were freezing, the blizzard that had swept through Jackson drastically lowering your body heat, your dad had given you his jacket to try and keep you warm - Even though you were now in your late twenties, Joel was still hellbent on looking after you as though you were still a small child.

You should have trusted your gut instinct, which had told you to take all of Abby's group out. They had acted as though they knew your father and uncle, which then resulted in your leg being shot, and Joel and Tommy both being knocked out.

"Y/N Miller," Abby seethed, crouching down in front of you as she held her gun. You struggled in the grasp of the two men holding you against the window, but you wouldn't have been able to move very much, the makeshift tourniquet tied around the gunshot wound on your leg seriously restricted your movement. You couldn't quite make out the girls face, the place was dark and grim, illuminated by the white glow of the snow outside.

"Do I know you?" You asked her through heaving breaths, your chest rising and falling as you gritted your teeth in pain. She shook her head, you could see tears in her eyes as you looked over her face - Shit. You did know her. Abby Anderson.

Ellie, the hospital, your dad killing the doctors before they could kill Ellie. They were fireflies.

You remembered now. You let out a sigh as you shook your head, giving her a hard glare as your dad and uncle Tommy started to wake up. "Why don't you just give me whatever speech you've been planning and get it over with?" You said, your gaze hardening on the girl in front of you. You let out a scream of pain as they tightened the tourniquet around your leg, the two men beside you letting go of your arms as they fell limply to your sides. The two men moved over to where Joel and Tommy were slowly waking up, they held them back, rendering them unable to move in their tight grip.

You watched in slight fear as she raised a golf club, but you stayed composed, even if you couldn't see how panicked your dad now was. Joel feared for not only his and his brother's lives, but now yours - He knew the girls cause, and you didn't have anything to do with it, it was him that she wanted, not you.

"You stupid bitch," Abby spat at you, pointing the golf club she held tight in her hands at your head. "You don't get to rush this." She told you harshly, giving you no time to react before she swung the golf club at your head, a sickening crack echoing throughout the room as you crumpled to the floor with a pained groan. You couldn't feel your legs any more, and everything felt all muffled, both your sight and hearing.

"No!" Joel cried out, trying to get out of the man who held him's grasp. No. This wasn't happening. You didn't hear your dad and uncle Tommy screaming out for you to keep your eyes open, you were tired. "I'll fucking kill you!" Joel yelled at the women who stood over your limp self, the only showing that you were still alive being your shallow breathing, and your eyes lazily looking up to meet his. Joel could tell that you were tired, watching as your eyes lethargically rolled around, a lazy smile on your face as you met your dad's eyes.

Why was he crying?

You were no longer aware of your situation, your brain slowly shutting down due to the strong blow that had been delivered to your skull.

"Pin him down," Abby ordered, watching as they moved Joel to be laying on his front, kneeling on his neck to make him watch. He felt tears rising as he realised you weren't getting out of this, your blood splattered across the window where you were once kneeling. "I wanna make him watch." She spat, looking down at Joel in spite before she turned back to you, gripping the golf club in her hands tightly.

"No, Y/N, baby, please get up," Joel pleaded with you, he knew that you still had to be in there, despite the blood seeping out from the crack in your skull. "Y/N fucking get up." He cried, now begging you to get up. "Please stop, don't do this, it's not her you want." Joel was no longer begging you, but begging Abby, who held your fate in her hands in the form of a golf club.

Joel's begging fell on deaf ears, as he watched Abby swing her golf club down on your head.

Cracking your skull open with a sickening crunch, which echoed throughout the room - feeling deafening towards your father, it was all he heard, over, and over, and over again.

"No!" He cried, not realising that Tommy had yelled out at the same time at the death of his niece. Joel struggled in the grasps of the men holding him down, watching as your blood dripped from the club "I'm gonna fucking kill you," Joel threatened throughout his sobs, ignoring the man that came towards him, a gun pointed at his head. He just stared at you - laying there, bloodied and lifeless - As if trying to will you to wake up. Everything became muffled to Joel as he continued sobbing, mourning the death of his youngest daughter. He gave one last look towards the woman who had so brutally ended your life, before he was kicked in the face, everything turning to black once more.

He woke up to shaking, his eyes opening to make out the blurry face of his brother, who's face was marked with tear stains after witnessing your traumatizing death.

"Joel," Tommy watched as his older brother finally came around, once more looking over at you. Tommy had moved you away from the pool of your own blood, trying to trick Joel into thinking it wasn't as bad as it looked, going as far to manoeuvre your head to hide the hole in your skull. "Come on, we should go." He advised, helping his brother stand as he limped over to you. Joel held your hand gently, fearing that if he held you too tightly then you would turn to dust - Even though no matter how gently he held your hand, your blood still coated his. Gently, Joel picked your lifeless self up, the way he did when you were a young child at the start of the outbreak.

"I wanna take her back, bury her in Jackson," Joel spoke quietly as he studied your face, stained with blood. Tommy nodded in understanding, he knew Joel had taken Sarah's death badly, but now you were gone too, so he was unsure of how Joel would handle your death. He watched as Joel let out an angry heave. "And them I am gonna kill, every single one of those girls friends, and save her for last."

Tommy couldn't say he had ever been particularly scared of his older brother, but this, this was Joel at his most unhinged. He knew that Joel wouldn't stop until he avenged your death, and that he wouldn't take any prisoners in his quest to avenge you - He would also, show no hesitation in his violence in dealing with them. If they wanted to make your death a brutal one, he could double it.

And make sure it was painful.

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[goodday-goodmorn]

Not used to posting things so fast- But the brain worms have infected me and @auspicioustidings concepts give me life. Once again- another from them, i felt contractually obligated to write this because my auntie is in Vegas for her birthday right now.

The concept in question

Not the after effects of waking up- but rather the proposal itself. This one’s short cause i pumped it out real quick. Just a little dabble.

————————

Ah Vegas. City of love. Wait no that was Paris- city of… sin? Well that sounded too much like a trashy YA romance novel for your tastes so- Vegas, City of…

Vegas: City!

God maybe you should lay off the M and M’s. Lavender and Bright cyan blue little things from the M and M factory are making you really taste the rainbow. Shit that was skittles catchphrase wasn’t it? Actually- did M and M’s even have a catchphrase other than the sexy brown M and M? Though that was less a phrase more a person. Er- candy. Chocolate.

Pah! You should have never gone to the M and M factory. Stupid little chocolate candy is making you think far more than you can handle right now.

Seriously it’s messing with your head. You’d better get rid of them.

You throw your M and M factory bag onto the floor, watching all the candies scatter the pavement in an explosion of color. That's why the pretty colors are so dangerous and not sold in the normal packs. They make people all loopy. Cause there’s no other reason you would be so outta sorts.

Except maybe the daiquiri you’d had. And the Manhattan. And those shots. And whatever that weird drink in a glowing lightbulb was.

Okay maybe it wasn’t the M and M’s.

Which means you just threw them out for nothing oh no! 20 dollars down the drain. And your M and M’s!

You whine mournfully over the loss, sinking to the ground dramatically and cradling one of the cyan shelled candies close.

“Is everything all… right?”

You barely register the voice- British and a bit rugged- before you are drunkenly rambling out-

“No- i thought my M and M’s were evil but they weren’t and i killed them for nothing!” You cry out, the words making you even more emotional, you pathetically sob, holding the cyan candy in your palms to your chest.

“Come back! Liveee please. Papa didn’t mean it i swear, i didn’t know what i was saying- you got me all tongue tied!”

“Hey-“

Oh british man has a very nice voice, so smooth and gentle, more than you were expecting.

“It’s alright love. We can get you some more candies.”

You sniffle.

“R-really?”

He smiles like some sort of teddy bear. Gentle and soft.

“Yes really. Just gotta get you back to wherever you’re stayin at first. It’s dangerous for a pretty girl to be on the street like this.”

You nod sollumly. “For the m and m’s yeah. Hard shells- but thin. Can’t be carrying em’ out in the cold. Poor little fellows can’t stand it.”

“Think you should be worrying about yourself first love.”

He really does look a teddy bear when he smiles. A very warm and cuddly teddy bear. Very warm. And you are oh so cold. Maybe…

“…maybe i’m and M and M.”

You mumble with a little frown, looking away from his oh so pretty eyes to instead stare at the cracked M and M in your hand.

He chuckles, it’s a nice sound.

“Com’re lovely. You’re shiverin.”

He held you up and you cling to him naturally. To your disappointment and utter display he is not as soft as a Teddy bear. Such false advertising. When you burry your head in his chest, while warm and soothing- it is firm with muscle. Hard just like his arms and co-

“Not exactly what i meant by that sweetheart.”

He’s pushing you away! Away from the warmth.

“No, I'm an M and M- gotta be warm or else I'll crack! Do you want me to die?”You whine out trying to stay close but he’s very strong, holding you firmly away from his toned chest.

(And raging boner. Not that you noticed it.)

“I know, I know- here. I’ll give you my coat.”

He wraps you up in his thick but soft coat and you relax immediately, snuggling into the fabric. With your eyes closed you hear the rumble of his chuckle.

“There’s a girl. Nice and warm now?”

You nod, making a drowsy and soft little “Yup.”

“Good. Now come’on. You know where's your hotel at?”

“Huh? We can’t go there! We gotta get more M and M’s first. Silly.”

“Right, course. Silly me.”

You giggle a bit hysterical. He agrees with you so easily, letting you link arms with him and walking you to the M and M factory. He’s so silly. With his cozy coat and koala-esc smile and pretty eyes and rumbly voice and-

“I think m’ in love with you.” You slur out, gazing at him with half lidded eyes.

“Shouldn’t say stuff like that sweetheart. Might give a guy ideas.”

Ah Ideas, you’ve got a lot of ideas. So many fun ones- but mostly one that you blurt out after he gently pushed your hand away when you tried to pay for your new M and M’s.

“I think I wanna kiss you.”

Price pauses as he tugs you outside the shop. Looks down at you, clinging to his arm, wrapped up in his coat; with the sweetest face and clearly wasted out of your mind. Price isn’t a good man. A good man would have called you a cab to get you back to your hotel. Would have asked if you had any friends to get you there. Would have gently told you to go to the stupid M and M factory another time.

He’s not a good man but even Price isn’t fucked up enough to take advantage of a pretty drunk girl. Even if his self control is wilting the more time he spends around the mess that is you.

He shakes his head with a little sigh, leaning down close to you and mumbling.

“S’ not a good idea to kiss strangers love.”

“So then marry me and we won’t be strangers.”

…Self control John. Self control.

“Will you marry me please?”

You plead with the teddy bear man, he’s just so cozy and pretty you can’t help it. You wanna kiss him soooo bad but he’s right you can’t kiss a stranger! But if he was your husband then it would be perfectly acceptable. And you are an ordained minister technically so it all works out!

Price looks at you, your pleading eyes, your softness, you wrapped up in his coat and clinging to his arm. Pretty little thing.

…He deserves to let his self control slip just this once right?

[dylan-o-yumm]

Little Moments (Part 2)

It's finally here! Im so sorry for the wait but you have all been very lovely and patient, I hope you enjoy the second and final part of Little Moments. Feedback is ALWAYS welcome! AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/46338547/chapters/122848546

Warnings: Talk of trauma and PTSD, talk of break-in’s, reader is done with Leon’s shit, SMUT, unprotected sex, cream pie, kitchen sex 

Word Count: 9k

Part 1, Part 2

“I don’t think I’m ready to share everything…”

“That’s okay, dear. Just say whatever you’re willing to say. This is a place to share and cast judgment aside. You’re safe here.” An elderly woman smiled at you comfortingly, her wrinkled hands shaking as they held onto her cane. Her eyes weren’t the only ones on you, there were men and women all sitting in a circle, every one of you sitting on a cold grey chair.

You were in a rather spacious room, it was well lit and the children’s drawings taped to the walls brought a comforting vibe to the space. However, the air conditioning made the room a few degrees too cold, causing goosebumps to rise on your skin as you hugged yourself and looked at a spot on the floor as everyone else’s eyes remained on you.

You swallowed your nerves and cleared your throat.

“I went on a vacation to Spain a few months ago,” you started, releasing a shaky breath and rubbing your arm to rid your skin of the little bumps. “On my second day there, I was kidnapped. I was… held hostage in this small house that reeked of rotting… fruit.” That was a lie, it smelled of rotting flesh but you couldn’t say that to a bunch of small town people who were comfortable living in ignorance. You couldn’t blame them for living that way though. Ignorance is bliss.

“I managed to escape after three days, and hid inside a barn for about… just over twenty-four hours I think. There were people everywhere, but I stayed hidden because I was so scared of what they would do to me if they found me,” you stared through the floor now, becoming distant as the memories plagued your mind.

You couldn’t share too much. Perhaps you had already shared too much. People couldn’t know about all the horrors, the monsters, the infections, the mutations. But did that mean you had to bottle everything up for the rest of your life and slowly turn yourself crazy? Wondering if what happened back then was actually real or if you just made it all up in your head. Having no outlet…

“Whatever… Long story short, I obviously survived and got out of there…” you wouldn’t be here to tell the tale otherwise. You didn’t want to speak any more about what you went through, all these people needed to know was that you had a traumatic vacation. They couldn’t know about Ashley or Leon or Ada. You got as much off of your chest as need be, and now you could openly talk about your feelings, right? — Which is what you had come here for.

“I still feel like I’m there, though.”

No one interrupted you, giving you the floor to say whatever you needed or wanted. That was what this place was for, to open up about things you couldn’t open up about to family or friends. Other people who understood what it might feel like. Maybe not fighting against monsters and mutated people, but they knew the struggles that came afterwards. The trauma, the PTSD. All the people sitting in a circle with you had trauma of their own, and they were all dealing with it somehow.

They were brave for being here and opening up. So why didn’t you feel brave?

“I'm constantly on edge. I'm scared of the dark again, to the point where I need to turn on all the lights in my home- so I'm pretty sure I’m building up one hell of an electricity bill…” you scoffed lightly but no one else found it humorous. Some people slowly nodded along, knowing almost exactly how you felt.

“Whenever I do manage to sleep — which is very rare these days— I have these horrible nightmares where I’ll wake up screaming and thrashing in my bed… I’ve actually worried my neighbors a few times,” you remember the first time it happened. Police had knocked on your door and asked if you were okay. They then came into your home and searched around, no matter how many times you said you were fine and no one else was in the house with you. Having the police check the house however, did bring some comfort.

A few nights later it happened again, but instead of the police, it was your neighbor. They asked if you were okay and you apologized profusely for waking them up a second time. They seemed nice and understanding enough. Until the fifth time when they knocked on your door and tiredly begged you to get help.

Today was your first day out of the house in weeks.

Your eyes stung with tears yet to be shed.

“I feel like I’m losing my mind… I don’t want to live like this. I just want to know when it’ll get better.” A broken, half amused, wet sob escaped past your lips which brought you back to the room you were in. Everyone’s eyes on you started to feel so much heavier and unsettling. You couldn’t help but shrink back into your seat and avoid eye contact with every one of them.

“It does get better. The healing process is different for everyone, dear,” the old woman spoke up again, her smile was sad but comforting. You wanted a hug from her. You were able to meet her gaze for a short moment before looking at, and keeping your eyes fixed on the bottom of her cane. “I hope you’re very proud of yourself for all that you have survived. I know we are all proud of you… isn’t that right, everyone?”

The people around you murmured soft encouragements and nodded in agreement.

—————————————————————

You were emotionally drained on your walk back home, being so lost in your own head that you barely remembered walking at all. First you were at group therapy, and suddenly you were back home, standing in your driveway. You had headphones in your ears but there was no music playing, no podcast, just the sound of silence — blocking out noise of cars passing by or people chatting or birds chirping. Nice and quiet.

You liked the quiet when you weren’t inside your home. When you were inside your home the silence gave you time to think, to be alone with your thoughts. You didn’t like being inside your home anymore. It was too isolating. You didn’t like being alone, you didn’t like being so on edge all the time, thinking there were monsters hiding in every shadow. Yet when you were inside your home, it was hard to leave it.

You stood on your driveway, staring at your home. You were stalling, you didn’t want to go inside just yet. You wanted to stand out in the sun for a moment longer, and feel safe a moment longer. It was an odd sensation to feel safe on the street, but not inside your own home. Maybe something to do with enclosed spaces?

Thankfully you remained outside for a moment longer, or you would have missed the shadow of, what seemed to be, a person walking past your kitchen window. It was brief and you wanted to play it off as your mind just playing tricks on you. Maybe a bird flew past and you mistook it for something else? Maybe the curtains on your kitchen window caught the wind? But no… the uneasy feeling in your stomach was enough to know…

To know that someone was inside your house.

Or… something was inside your house.

Your blood ran cold and your heart started beating rapidly inside your chest— if you were to look down you would have seen the thump thump thump of it hitting against your chest hard and frightfully. You needed to go inside and neutralize the threat, that’s what Leon would do, and that’s what you needed to do. The thought of calling the police hadn’t even entered your mind but you didn’t want to wait around for them anyway. Who knew what that thing was doing in your house. How long they had been inside there for.

Had they been in there before you left for group therapy?

That thought terrified you.

What if they had been hiding somewhere while you were inside? Watching you while you watched tv, while you slept, while you ate and showered. While you were vulnerable... Surely you would have known right? You would have heard something, smelled something. If it were a monster, you would most likely be dead by now.

You needed to stop thinking about ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ and actually do something. You needed to take back your home.

You crouched down and grabbed the closest item to you, which was a solar powered garden light that was stabbed into the dirt — pointy and sharp, a good enough weapon to stab monsters with. Now you just had to sneak inside somehow without getting caught. To be light on your feet and keep your shaky breaths subtle and, preferably, silent.

Thankfully the front door was unlocked, so opening the door quietly only took patience and a steady hand. You were concerned however, because you really thought you had locked the door on your way out. How did this intruder get inside your home? The thought that they had been inside your house all along really started to weigh on you and stress you out even more than you already were.

Slowly and gently opening the front door, you left it open behind you as you carefully stepped inside the house. You raised your arm, pointing the end of the garden lamp up and ready to strike or stab whatever was inside your home, whatever was stupid enough to think you wouldn’t put up a fight… To be honest you didn't know until this very moment that you would put up a fight. You figured you were the cower and hide type, but perhaps the horrors of Spain prepared you for moments like these.

One foot in front of the other, you made your way down the hall and away from the entrance of your house, staying on your tippy toes and being cautious of your weight placement. All it took was one wrong step and your position would be discovered by the enemy. And it just so happened to be your luck that, even though your steps were light and careful, one wrong step on one particularly loose floorboard had you almost crying as panic came over you.

You winced and moved your foot off of the squeaky floorboard, knowing not to step there again. However you didn't know if you had already been found, you couldn't see or hear anyone so maybe you were in luck? Or maybe there was a deaf monster lurking about. You remember Leon telling you about Lickers and the Garradors who were blind but had sharp hearing skills. Maybe there were some monsters that couldn't hear well but could… see through walls or smell you from a mile away?

No.

You still had the element of surprise to your advantage, you just needed to be more careful.

It only took you a few more careful steps until you were in the kitchen, which is where you saw the intruder through the window. You held your weapon tightly in both your hands now, preparing to strike down or lunge forward into a body that could and would probably kill you. But not before you put a couple holes in them.

The floorboards creaked again, but this time, not under your weight.

You yelled and swung your weapon as a figure made its way into your peripherals. You aimed to plunge the sharp spike into the skull of your intruder, however, your arms were unable to come all the way down, something blocking you from eliminating the threat. Your wrists were caught in a strong grip. A strong hand, a male hand, holding you tight and bruising your skin.

The hand pinched and twisted, angling your hands at an awkward angle. You held onto your weapon for dear life but the hand simply twisted your wrists even more until you were forced to drop it and wince in pain. The weapon clattered to the floor noisily and you gasped as you tried to twist your hands back the right way. You needed to get out of this and fight and scream and make a scene so that hopefully your neighbors would call the police. But right before your lips parted, a scream building up in your belly, your eyes met his…

“I knew you were here but I couldn’t pinpoint where. Keeping the front door open was a smart move — the sound from outside muffled your noises,” Leon quipped, his eyes squinting slightly as he cracked his neck.

You were completely stunned. Calmer now that you weren’t fearing for your life, but stunned nonetheless. What the hell was Leon doing in your house? How did he get into your house? He probably knew how to lockpick but all you had seen him do was kick down doors with his own damn feet. And you don’t remember seeing any boot prints on your door.

“You didn’t want to call out to me and let me know you were here?! I was just at a fucking PTSD therapy circle thing! Now is not the time to be scaring me like this!” You yanked your hands out of his grip and angrily took a step back away from him.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, though he didn’t sound disingenuous. It had been a few months since you had last seen Leon. His hair was still straight and styled in a way that shaped his face nicely, his eyes were the same deep blue you loved to swim in, his brow was a little more tense than you remembered. However the main difference was the slight prickly stubble on his face. It made him look more mature, more jagged, more hardened.

You huffed, hands on your hips, glaring at him. You gave yourself a moment to calm your racing heart, to get out of your fight or flight mode.

“Why are you here? I thought I’d never see you again,” you couldn’t help your snippy and impatient tone. You had said goodbye to Leon, you had prepared to never see him again, to move on and find someone new. You had almost stopped thinking about him and pining over him and now here he was standing in your kitchen? Uninvited?

“I just… had to make sure you were okay,” He answered a little bashfully, forcing himself to hold eye contact with you but you could tell he was a little nervous and maybe even embarrassed.

“Why would I not be okay?”

“Well, you live alone for starters,” he stated bluntly and gestured loosely around the room as if to say ‘I don’t see anyone else here to keep an eye on you.’

“Thanks. I'm aware,” you sassed, rolling your eyes as if he were just rubbing it in your face that you were single and living alone. Did he live with someone? He was single… right? He wouldn’t have kissed you back at the hotel if he had someone at home waiting for him. Leon was a loyal guy, it didn’t take a genius to figure that out.

Why did you care though? You had your chance and he was the one that walked away from you. You didn’t think you did anything wrong to make him walk away, so maybe he just wasn’t into you like that. Maybe you were a lousy kisser and he didn’t have the heart to tell you. Maybe he was holding out for Ada.

“You’re not happy to see me,” he stated. It wasn’t a question.

“You shouldn’t be here, Leon!” You snapped, your eyebrows raising into your hairline, pleading with him to understand where you were coming from — how confused you were and how painful this would turn out to be. You had just gotten over him, and now he was back? Which could only mean you would have to get over him all over again. “When you dropped me back off here all those months ago, and you turned around and left, that was meant to be the last time I saw you!”

“I thought you’d be happy? Especially after how we left things at the—“

“Don’t even get me started on the hotel room incident.” You quickly cut him off, hands on your hips and a sour expression on your face. He looked so innocently confused, maybe even a little hurt. His eyes weren’t very expressive, he was rather good at hiding his emotions, though if you looked close enough, you could see right through him.

“That makes it sound like it was an accident,” his brows pinched together and you hated that you thought he looked cute.

“Wasn’t it?” You shrugged, having an expectant look on your face. You wouldn’t be disappointed again, you couldn’t be. It was too hard getting over him the first time, you couldn’t do it again. Not now, not when you had finally started trying to do better for yourself.

Leon was silent for a moment.

“I don’t know.” He finally answered, quiet and dejected.

It hurt.

Knowing that he might say it was a mistake, might consider it to be a mistake. It wasn’t like you two slept together, it was just some kissing, and hugging… and sleeping, but no sex. It was a gentle, tender moment between two lost souls who just survived something that might as well have been out of a horror film. You needed Leon at that moment and you thought he needed you too, but maybe it really was just a big mistake— something that would only hurt your feelings again and again and again.

At least with Leon, he knew your pain and you knew his. Maybe not all of it, but you were bonded through trauma. It wasn’t like you could date any random person and expect them to deal with all your baggage that you carried off that damn island with you. Leon at least had the same type of baggage as you so there was an unspoken understanding between the two of you, something that no one else could have with you.

But you couldn’t fool yourself. It wasn’t meant to be, and even Leon knew that.

You swallowed the lump in your throat and forced down the burning sensation that lingered behind your eyes, threatening to bring the tears. You would be an immovable rock, staring down Leon Kennedy where he stood.

“Why are you here, Leon?” You asked once again... slower and quieter, but more firmly this time. He would not feel welcome here and you would make sure of it. It was for your own good.

“I kept having this dream— nightmare.” He forced the words out like he was ashamed to admit he had any nightmares at all, but you’d be more concerned if he didn’t, given his line of work. You can’t see all that horrible shit and then come out perfectly fine on the other side. You weren’t okay and you had experienced, maybe a quarter, of what Leon himself had gone through. “You were all alone here, and… I had to make sure you were okay.” He continued.

“A nightmare?” You asked skeptically, wondering why that meant he would want to come here. So you continued, “about me?”

He nodded his head. “You were hurt. Needed me,” he stood stiffly, trying to remain cool, calm and collected, but whatever he dreamt about had clearly shaken him. You could see the nightmare playing behind his eyes, the way his eyes felt muted and dulled, and his features slackened as if just the memory alone took all the energy from him.

Whatever he had dreamt about you, it was enough to make him worried. So worried that he would drop everything and come all the way here, on his day off, just to see you. So worried that he couldn’t even tell you the details of said nightmare. He knew it was just a nightmare and that you were safe… He wasn’t here for you, he was here for himself. To ease his own fears. At least you knew he cared for you somewhat.

You decided not to press him about what happened in said nightmare, you weren’t sure you wanted to know anyway.

“How’d you get inside?”

“I remembered where you kept your spare key,” he responded, a little life coming back to his face, obviously glad for the topic change. And his answer relieved you, knowing that there wasn’t a smashed window somewhere or a faulty lock on one of your doors. You thought about moving the spare key from under the doormat but then, how would Leon find his way back inside then? That was, if he was even planning on coming back.

Did you want him to come back?

Him being here was already confusing your mind and your heart.

“How did you get here?” You continued questioning him.

“I rode here. Motorbike,” he gestured outside with a faint tilt of his head. You looked out the kitchen window and sure enough, there on the side of the street curb was a sleek, black motorcycle with a black helmet dangling off the handlebar. You scoffed at the thought of him riding all the way over to your home on a motorbike — however then you realized you didn’t even know where he lived, so maybe he was rather close by and the ride was shorter than you were expecting? You just assumed Leon was too far out of your grasp, physically and emotionally.

“Is that meant to impress me? Mr. Leon Kennedy rides a motorbike?” You turned back to him and cocked an eyebrow. He was subtle in the way he was smirking, his eyes constantly on you and watching your reaction, even when you turned to take one last glance at the bike sitting on your curb.

“Is it working?”

“No.” Yes.

“Then no.”

You huffed, looking down at your shoes for a moment to take your eyes off of his gorgeous blue ones. You really had a weakness for them, if anyone could resist their charm, you’d think them psychopathic.

“Did you check in on Ashley too?” You asked, feeling a pang of jealousy at the thought of him going to check in on her before he came to check on you, but you didn’t let it show on your face.

“Ashley has bodyguards.” So that was a no, you gathered. He only came here to check in on you? No one else?

“Is that why you’re here…? To be my bodyguard?” You questioned, crossing your arms over your chest and tilting your head, trying to maintain your minimal patience attitude.

“No. I wish I could, but I can’t.” He scoffed and your heart cracked a little, not because you wanted a bodyguard but because his words echoed in your head. They had been echoing in your head for the last few months.

“There it is again. ‘I can’t.’” You scoffed back at him.

“Again? What do you mean?” His brows pinched together in confusion.

“Back at the hotel. While Ashley was showering. You know, before the incident. You told me you can’t… Can't what, Leon?” You reminded him, staring deep into his soul and knowing you were making him uncomfortable by putting him on the spot, but you didn’t care. He made you uncomfortable by breaking into your house unannounced, so if he wanted to do that, you would pay him back by grilling him for the answers to the question that you had been pondering for months now.

He sighed and his posture sagged, your words immediately took ten years off of his life. He had an answer but he didn’t know how to say it, it was complicated— everything about his life was complicated.

You stood there staring at him for a few long seconds before he finally spoke up.

“You know what.” He told you in a quiet but stern voice.

“I wanna hear you say it.” You quickly retorted. Because after all these months of pondering, you had a good idea of what he had meant back then. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out, Leon was a selfless guy. And he had been acting selfless for as long as you’d known him, except for today. It wasn’t very selfless of him to come see you.

So he didn’t say anything, he didn’t respond to you, but he didn't have to.  

You signed.

“It’s my choice, you know.” You folded your arms over your chest and told him blatantly how it was.

“Don’t these things usually need two people to be in agreement?” He sassed.

“It is my choice,” you stopped him from talking, not wanting to hear his witty remarks and cheesy one liners. “If I want to sit and worry for weeks or months while you’re away on a mission, that’s my choice. If I want to put my life in danger just because I want to be around you more, that is my choice.” You explained angrily, wanting him to either get it through his thick skull or to leave your home.

He huffed a short, heavy breath, resting his hands on the kitchen counter as he leaned forward and dropped his head down, his chin almost touching his chest. “You don’t even know me.” He sounded sad, and you realized that he probably felt like a lot of people didn't really know him. He was never in one place for too long, he didn't seem like the kind of guy to have friends outside of work, only because his life was his work. No one knew Leon personally.

“I know enough.”

“No. You don’t. I'm just some guy who saved your ass. Ever heard of trauma bonding? It’s when you-“

“I know what trauma bonding is!” You quickly cut him off, knowing that what he was saying could potentially be true – you did experience a lot of trauma alongside him. But it felt like more than just a trauma bond… Though how could you ever truly know? “I haven't known you for a long time but I don’t need to… You’re gentle and kind. You made Ashley and I feel so safe. You put our safety above all else.”

“It was my job-“

“I saw the way you spoke to Ashley after she attacked you. When she was scared of hurting you again. I saw how much you hated seeing her in pain when we were in Luis’ lab, how you held her hand through it all, even though you were seconds away from being infected yourself… Forget the fact that you saved our lives. I’m focused on the little moments. The moments where you weren't just doing your job.”

“I can’t…” he refused to meet your gaze but you didn’t give him the chance to shut down. Not yet. You stepped closer to him.

“When Luis died. You lit a cigarette for him. You comforted him in his last moments even though he was a pain in the ass… You also ended Krauser’s suffering. You didn’t care about how it would affect you, you just knew that you had to be the one to do it. And even though he kidnapped Ashley and he tried to kill us multiple times… I believe you when you say he was a good man. Because I trust you, Leon.”

He was still quiet, refusing to look at you but you could see his face, see the way he took in your words and the way his body relaxed slightly. Maybe it was all obvious to you, how good he was, but that didn’t mean he didn’t need to hear it.

“I’m never going to have a decent night's sleep again because of all the shit I've seen, but if you told me you needed me to go back to that village for whatever reason. I would do it in a heartbeat. I would do it… all over again. I’d do it for you.”

“I would never ask that of you,” he whispered, finally looking up to give you a shy glance through his hair.

“That’s all you got from my speech?” You cocked your hip and frowned.

“No. I just… I don’t want you getting hurt.” He turned his body to you completely now, one hand resting on the countertop while the other hung by his side, itching to reach out and grab you. You stepped to him again, holding eye contact even when you could tell he was feeling flustered and embarrassed. Your chest was close to pressing against his.

“It’s my choice. Hurt me.” You whispered back.

His eyes remained on yours, you could see every emotion running through his mind, every thought, every feeling. He was fighting with himself for the first second — trying to convince himself out of whatever it was you were trying to get him to do. Trying to convince himself that he should just leave your home, he checked in on you just like he intended to, you were fine and safe. He could leave now.

However, his mind wasn’t as strong as his heart was.

Like two lions lunging at one another, you and Leon pounced at the same time. His hands grabbed your face and your hands buried themselves in his dirty blond hair as your faces squished together. Teeth clacking against teeth, nose pressing against nose, trying to bury your way into each other's skin.

His lips were on yours but the both of you were pressing so hard into each other, you could only feel your top lip being sandwiched in between your gums and his lips. So hard that your lips swelled almost immediately, as did his. Not that you had a chance to look in a mirror or even part from him long enough to see just how swollen his lips were, as you were too busy pushing him back into the kitchen counter while toeing your shoes and socks off.

His back bumped into the counter and something clattered onto the ground, you didn’t take a moment to care what it was, even if it was your most prized possession, you couldn’t care at that moment. Leon’s hands remained on your face, holding you softly and sweetly no matter how hard his lips pressed against yours, but you wanted him to touch you elsewhere.

Instead of using your words, your hands slid out from his hair and down his neck, over his pectorals and down to the hem of his shirt. You kissed him a moment longer before slowly pulling it up, holding your lips against his for as long as you possibly could until the hem of his shirt had been lifted up to his chin, which meant you had to pull away to take it off.

Finally now you could get a look at his puffy lips, his flushed face, his lust-filled eyes. The both of you panting heavily to catch your breath as you lifted his shirt off of him and discarded it on the floor. Your hands immediately touched his warm skin, feeling the curves and definition of his abs. He was hairless, smooth and a little shiny from the thin layer of sweat he was building up, but you couldn’t take your eyes off of the v-line dipping into his jeans.

Leon’s hands came back to your face, gently cupping your cheeks and brushing your hair behind your ear. Your eyes were torn off of his body and pulled back up to meet his gaze. Panting softly now, having filled your lungs with enough air, you reached up and took his left hand in your right. His eyes watched his hand as you moved it off of your face and down past your neck. Your eyes however, remained on his.

His hand flattened out once you guided him to your chest, though where you wanted him to tear your clothes off or grope you mercilessly… he instead paused for a moment to feel your racing heartbeat. His lips parted and he breathed out softly but just heavily enough for you to feel his breath on your skin.

“Leon?”

“Are you sure about this?”

You huffed, tilting your head to the side disappointedly. His self doubt was not going to ruin this moment. You took his hand, peeling it off of your chest and bringing his open palm to your lips where you gave him a soft yet lingering kiss. His eyes softened at the gesture and you could make out a hint of a smile on his face before you then guided his hand back down to your chest, over your right breast.

His hand slowly closed around the clothed mound and squeezed softly. “I guess that answers that question.”

You smiled, a soft chuckle coming out your nose before your hand stopped guiding him and instead went back to burying itself in his soft hair. His face remained quite red as he watched what his own hand was doing, massaging and rubbing your breast with soft, gentle fingers. You couldn’t help but find it so endearing, the fact that you told him to hurt you and yet his touch had never been gentler.

“Are you a virgin?” The words slipped out of your mouth before you could stop them, a teasing smirk unable to while itself off your lips.

“What? No. I just… We’re in the kitchen, I’m not sure w-“ you cut him off instantly with a scoff, smacking his hand away from you playfully and turning your back to him. He was worried that he had offended you or hurt you somehow, but he watched as you jumped up onto the kitchen counter, sitting down with your legs spread the perfect amount for him to come stand in between.

He didn’t move just yet as he continued watching you. Your hands grabbed the hem of your own shirt and pulled it up and over your head, tossing it on top of Leon’s shirt that was also discarded on the floor. The sunset behind you, streaming in through the open window, surrounded you and made your body glow. Leon finally moved forward and took his place between your open legs.

“I don’t have to tell you what to do, do I?” You teased him a little more and his eyes had never looked so young and innocent. It was incredibly hard to believe that this man had killed a whole village full of zombies. Yet here he was, pressing against you, his jeans tight and his zipper digging into his groin painfully. He shook his head no, to answer your rhetorical question, but his hands finally started moving again.

Starting on your thighs, his hands slid upwards, his thumbs coming incredibly close to where you throbbed and craved his touch. But his hands followed the round of your hips and settled on the waistband of your pants. His forehead rested against yours as he looked down, watching as he tugged the fabric down.

“Lift your hips,” he told you and you obeyed, leaning back on your hands and raising your pelvis as Leon slid your pants down your thighs. They stopped around your ankles but Leon didn’t want to bend down and leave your space for even a moment. So you watched and gasped as his boot came down between your ankles and stomped the material down in one swift motion, having them off your body and on the floor in an instant, but something about the action made your body even more tingly.

Left in nothing but your panties and your bra, Leon looked down at you and admired your body while your hands grabbed at his belt and loosened his pants. Once he was free enough that the zipper was no longer digging into him, he stopped you from what you were doing and suddenly captured both your wrists in his firm grip.

“Leon? I’m sorry, am I moving too fast or something?” You worried yourself for a moment but Leon settled your fears with his lips on yours. His kisses were remaining hard and rough, but everything else about him was gentle and loving. Your eyes fluttered shut and his grasp on your wrists lessened a little, but he pushed forward with his lips until you were about to fall backwards out the window, only he released your hands in time for you to place them behind your back and save yourself.

“Stay like this,” he whispered, and you realised he had just done that on purpose. He wanted you to lean back and take what he gave you, he wanted your hands behind your back and no longer focusing on him. He wanted you to relax and enjoy yourself.

His hand started on your stomach, thumb stroking your skin and following the dip of your navel. You watched his hand, lips parted and a soft gasp escaped your mouth. He was barely touching you but he had already set your skin ablaze.

Your heart started pounding faster and faster as Leon’s hand lowered down to your panties, sliding over the top of the fabric and settling between your thighs. The subtle touch over your clit had you jolting and bucking your hips, desperate for more of his touch.

His eyes met yours for a short moment, making sure you were okay, before his fingers slipped your panties to the side and started stroking your wet folds with his knuckle.

Your head tilted back and you sighed, turning into liquid under his touch. He watched you with hungry eyes, continuing to stroke your slick folds until his finger was covered in your fluids, lubricating him enough for the tip of his finger to dance around your hole. You bit your lip and lifted your head back up to watch as he, ever so slowly, sunk the tip of his index finger inside your tight walls.

“Oh fuck,” you moaned breathily as you spread your legs open even wider. Leon slid his finger in until the heel of his palm was flush against your clit, curling his index finger to find the soft and spongy spot inside you that had your toes curling. He was slow and deliberate with his movements, keeping his finger inside while doing a come hither motion, making you wetter and wetter until a second digit prodded at your hole.

“You feel good,” he whispered breathily while watching his own fingers slide inside you and coax out your arousal, completely transfixed on the sight while you laid back and enjoyed what he was doing to you.

“It’ll feel better when you use your dick—“

“Shhh… we’re going slow. I’m gonna make sure you’re ready first… I’m not going to hurt you,” he promised, leaning in and pressing his nose to the space just below your ear, breathing in the scent of your shampoo and body wash as he closed his eyes and melted into you. His lips were next to touch your skin, leaving soft open mouthed kisses against your neck while he continued to finger you nice and slowly.

His breath was warm against your skin, and his lips were soft like pillows. He had you shuddering and whimpering when he added his tongue into the mix. He started out with gentle kisses where the tip of his tongue lightly teased your skin, moving around to find the part of your neck that had you giving him the best reactions. Once your breathing got heavier, he flattened his tongue and licked a long, slow stripe up to your ear before nibbling your earlobe into his mouth and sucking softly.

You couldn’t help but dig your heels into the counter to pull your body onto Leon’s fingers more, doing your best to grind against his palm as you got completely lost in your pleasure. Your walls fluttered around his two fingers as he thrusted them into you and curled them just right, you wanted more though. You wanted him to roughly fuck you with his fingers, to plunge as many fingers as he wanted into you while the sound of squelching filled the room. But he was so gentle instead, so soft and sweet.

His free hand that had been gripping your waist moved around to the small of your back. He trailed his palm up your spine slowly until his fingers skilfully unclasped your bra in one swift movement. He quickly tore the fabric off of your chest, freeing you from your bra so your breasts were on full display for him. That was a little rougher than he had previously been and you’d be lying if you said it didn’t make your cunt clamp down hard on his fingers.

Leon pulled back from his assault on your neck and ear to get a nice long look at you, admiring your breasts and pert nipples. “Fuck,” he sighed and you blushed under his gaze, but he soon had you moaning and panting once again as his head dived down to press kisses along the curve of your breasts before latching his mouth onto your right nipple.

And it was then that he finally started fingering you with a bit more force and speed. With his tongue swirling around your hardened nub and his fingers fucking into your tightness, you held back a squeal as your legs instinctively shut and clamped around his arm. He didn’t care much however, as he was strong enough to continue the work with his fingers, speeding up more and more and more until you had to squeeze your eyes shut and your whole body tensed up.

“Leo-fuck! Slow d-down! Fuck fuck fuck!” Your whole body curled up as Leon continued finger fucking you at such speeds your mind had completely gone blank. Your hands left the kitchen counter and had wrapped your arms around his neck, forcing his face to be trapped against your breasts. He growled against your skin and you fought the urge to kick your legs and accidentally hurt him as a wave of boiling hot pleasure waved over your whole body. Starting at your stomach and then spreading outwards to the rest of your limbs.

You came with a grunt, almost sounding angry because how dare he be so fucking good at that. How dare he make you feel so fucking good before you had even dared to touch him, before you had even seen his body. You came and he still had his pants on. How dare he!

Though you didn’t have much time to calm down from your first orgasm or to even cuss him out for his stupidly skilled fingers, before he was slipping his fingers out of you and fumbling with his belt to lower his pants.

He let out a choked sigh as he revealed himself, the cool air kissing the hot, angry skin of his cock as it sprung free and slapped against his lower stomach. The tip just reached his belly button and smeared a little mess of precum across his navel which almost had you salivating and spreading your legs even wider like a needy pornstar.

You watched as he grabbed himself, using his wet fingers — wet with your cum, to lubricate himself. You could watch his hands move and stroke himself for years, he was clearly a little shy doing so in front of you, but you were far too excited to feel him inside of you that you had no room for embarrassment at the moment.

“You comfy there?” He asked, one hand stroking his cock while the other reached out and squeezed your inner thigh.

“Yes. I mean no, but if you make me wait any longer we’re going to have a problem,” you huff desperately, and he either didn't much care for your comfort or he saw the way your cunt was throbbing and weeping, begging to be stuffed, because he didn’t bother suggesting you move to a more comfortable spot. Instead he fought a smirk and cocked his head.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lining himself up with your needy hole, he rubbed against you a little, feeling the tip of his cock catch on your opening. His hands then took your hips and he pulled you onto him instead of pushing himself into you.

He stretched you open nice and slowly, pulling silent moans from you as your lips fell open and your head tilted back. He wasn’t too thick that it hurt— or maybe he had just prepared you really well, which of course he did. He definitely wasn’t thin either though. The more he slid inside you, the more full you felt, like he was morphing your insides to the exact shape of him.

Your elbows, which were propping you up on the counter were sore and red and your tailbone could have been better, but that was all a problem for later. Right now, Leon was reaching balls deep inside you and his needy, shy expression as he held in his desperation to moan aloud, was far more enticing to pay attention to than any kind of pain your body was in.

Your legs wrapped around his waist, keeping him trapped deep inside you for the time being. You could feel him pulsing, feel him twitching. Though he could also definitely feel you pulsing and twitching too, as your walls gripped him and begged him not to leave. He didn’t look like he wanted to leave, not as he brought his lips to the curve of your collarbone and left featherlight kisses on your skin.

Slowly, he pulled out. And slowly, he pushed back in.

Though with each new thrust, he gained a little more speed and force. Each clap of skin against skin became louder and quicker in succession. Like a round of applause slowly ramping up after a moving performance. He soon found his preferred pace and stuck with it, needing to pull back from your collarbone so he could get a good look at your face to make sure you were enjoying yourself.

Your eyes were mostly black, no colour in them as your pupils had blown wide in lust. You always thought that you’d be more excited watching what was going on, getting to look down and watch as Leon impales you on his cock, or watch the way the muscles in his arms contract and shift as he grips you and guides your hips. However, you couldn’t take your eyes off of his. And he seemed to have the same problem.

Locked in a stare, you could see every emotion he was feeling, as he could see every emotion you were feeling. You could see how his eyebrows crinkled slightly, how his lips refused to touch as little moans and whimpers escaped him. But you could also see how he looked at you, how you knew he never ever wanted to hurt you. How he was scared to lose you.

His eyes had never been so expressive.

You lifted yourself up enough to shake your arms out a little, having lost feeling in them since resting on them. But the moment they came down on Leon’s shoulders, he was all you could feel. And thankfully, he seemed to read your mind as his hands scooped you off of the counter and held you against his body. You could feel more of him, get more contact this way. You could feel his warmth and smell his musk. He could hold you like this.

However, he was a few steps ahead of you. Holding you snuggly so as not to hurt you as he lowered you down onto the kitchen floor, he hoisted one of your legs up, high up so that when he slid back into you, you’d feel every inch, every vein, every twitch and muscle spasm.

You cried out, arching your back both from the feeling of him massaging your insides and the cool tiles of the kitchen floor pressing against your skin. You gripped at his back and shoulders desperately while he panted and whimpered into your neck. You could tell he was clenching his jaw when you heard him moan softly. Knowing your body made him feel so good made you feel even better.

“I’m so close, Leon. Don’t stop,” you whisper to him and he makes sure to keep doing exactly what he’s doing. He massages your insides and the tip of his cock continues to brush against your g-spot, and not that you need any added pleasure to help you reach the finish line, but his pelvis rubbing against yours and just barely creating friction for your clit makes it all the better.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he grunts back, his hands in your hair, gripping and caressing your locks. He doesn’t warn you when he’s about to cum but the surprise is what sends you over the edge.

He moans quietly but that only makes him sound more delicious as his hips stutter and his balls tighten. You feel each pump of his cock as thick ropes of cum paint your insides, leaving you feeling even more full and warm than before, which you didn’t know was even possible. He doesn’t stop moving though, knowing he came before you did, he doesn’t give up. But you’re cumming right there a second after him anyway.

You held your breath as electricity spread throughout your body. Your thighs tense and stiff as they twitched and shook, your backside clenched, your lips parted wide as you moaned loudly. You couldn’t see anything but white light as Leon continued thrusting slowly, rocking his hips against yours. He was watching your expressions closely, listening to the beautiful sounds you made. He wanted to see you like this again and again and again.

Your eyes closed and you let out a shaky breath finally, getting your breathing back to normal as the energy in your body slowly fizzled out. The pleasure felt like it lasted hours before it finally began to lessen, leaving you a puddle on your kitchen floor as Leon held you in his arms. The ground was cold and unpleasant but you wanted to stay here forever. With Leon.

“Oh my god…” you breathed out, reopening your eyes to look up at the man who just turned you into putty.

“Not God. That was all me,” Leon quipped lamely with a wink, which, to your annoyance, had you smiling widely and chuckling at his dumb joke. He wasn’t usually cocky and full of himself like that, but hearing him say something so corny made you somehow fall for him even more. Or maybe you were just biased after that amazing orgasm.

You rolled your eyes and playfully swatted his upper arm, to which he smiled back at you, clearly proud of himself as he rolled off of you and slipped out of you. You sighed at the feeling of being empty now and brought your knees together, feeling your mixed climaxes oozing out of you and down your backside where it inevitably dirtied the kitchen floor. Leon rolled over onto the floor beside you, his hand finding yours and softly intertwining your fingers together.

“Haven’t done that in a long while,” he breathed out as you both looked up at the ceiling. “Glad it was with you.”

Your heart fluttered at his words but you also felt a pit growing in your stomach. Was this just a casual one time thing for him? Were you just the closest person around for him to stick his dick in?

No. You saw the look in his eyes while he was with you. That was more than just casual sex that he could have had with anyone. He wanted it to be you, and you wanted it to be him. You weren’t sure if you believed in fate but this felt like it needed to happen. Not one moment felt like a mistake.

Was this love?

Love is complicated and messy but also beautiful, warm and safe. And you never felt safer than when Leon was by your side. Leon himself was complicated and messy, you knew it would be a long twisted road to get to your destination with him. There were no detours, no straight roads to where you wanted to go, but you were okay with that. It made the end goal more rewarding.

What was the end goal though? Getting married? Having kids? Sharing a house together? Apparently you weren’t even sure about the destination. But that didn’t matter.

“Will you stay?” You asked softly, staring at the ceiling, holding your breath as you waited for his reply. This would determine everything, wouldn’t it?

“If that’s what you want.” Leon nodded, turning his gaze to your face, he admired you for a brief moment before you turned to look at him as well. You brought your interlocked hands to your chest, pressing the back of his palm against where your heart would be.

“Are you dumb? Of course I want you to stay.” You frowned softly and squeezed his hand desperately, as if you were determined to never let him go. Like concrete welding you together forever.

He remained facing you but his eyes lowered to your intertwined hands, watching while he felt your heart beating against the back of his hand. How fast, how strong, how scared it was.

“I don’t want to make any promises that I can’t keep. My job, it will always be an issue. No matter what kind of relationship you want to have with me… But I will try. I’ll try my best to be here for you.” He was determined. And that was all you could ask for.

“For us,” you smiled softly, rolling onto your side to get closer to him. Your lips found his and you kissed as the sun set. Hours ticked by spent in each other's embrace, holding one another, sharing the same space, loving each other.

Love is messy and complicated. But the little moments like these make it all worth it.

[nobedofroses]

December 10th

pairing: Joel Miller x reader

warnings: fluff, v soft

words: 1.1k

a/n: this one was prompted by the lovely @terryboot (little reminder that holiday/winter blurb requests are open this month 👀) wherein you and Joel are domestic

more Joel, Full List

🌨️🌨️🌨️

In Jackson, there were very few chances for injury. Occasionally during patrols if people came across infected there could be injuries from the quick pursuit, from falling or pulling a muscle. No bites or scratches in a long time, luckily. And sometimes other jobs would cause minor injuries too: a burn while cooking, a bruise from an animal, etc. But mostly it was the kids getting little scrapes and bruises from playing, which was a comforting and happy thought, reminding all of you that had grown up before of what a childhood was supposed to be. 

Which was what made Joel so grumpy when he sprained his ankle and was laid up for at least two weeks, as per the medic’s orders. 

“It’s like I’m a fucking child,” he had complained when he was first told, making the medic laugh, a woman named Jackie that you had met before for help with a rash which had come from the goat milk’s soap. Apparently you were allergic. 

“Plenty of adults get sma— mild injuries as well,” Jackie replied, catching herself on the word, correctly guessing that Joel would not like the word, “small.” 

“Yeah? Do they get ‘em walking across the fucking sidewalk?” he muttered. 

“Maybe we’ll have to ask about putting out sand earlier this year,” you suggested. “Last year, things didn’t get this icy until around Christmas.” 

Joel had no reply to that, laying his head back on the pillows you had set up for him. You rolled your eyes fondly and shared a glance with Jackie. 

“I’ll leave you two to it, just remember the RICE method and you’ll be fine. I’ll be back in a week,” Jackie said and then you showed her out of the house. 

When you got back to the room, Joel was still laying back but his eyes were open and he was watching you. You went over to him and brushed his hair away from his eyes gently, “Do you want me to stay here while you’re healing?” 

“You don’t have to do that,” Joel said, and you were a little surprised it wasn’t an outright no. In the time that the two of you had been doing… whatever it was the two of you were doing, he had never come this close to admitting that he needed someone else’s help. 

You decided to push your luck a little, try to get him to admit that he did in fact want you to stay, “Well, you could just rely on Ellie’s help for everything, I guess.” 

Joel processed what that would mean, how much shit Ellie would give him for every little thing, and he shook his head once, saying in a quiet, slightly pleading, voice, “Stay.” 

Your chest grew warm at just the one word and you nodded, bending down to kiss his temple and tuck the blanket around him better. “Why don’t you take a nap? I’ll go get something for dinner. I’ll have it ready by the time Ellie’s home and you’re awake.” 

___

About two hours later, Ellie came banging into the kitchen through the back door and you intercepted her. 

“Joel’s asleep on the couch, hun, can you stay in here until dinner’s ready?” you asked, finishing up the ham, cheese, and lettuce sandwiches you were making. If you were cooking at home instead of eating at the cantina, you made simple fare so as to not waste electricity or fuel. 

“No he’s not, what are you hiding?” Ellie asked with a laugh, heading towards the living room. 

You caught her gently around the arm and shushed her, “He is, you can look if you want, but be quiet please.” 

Ellie tiptoed exaggeratedly, but you could see the curiosity on her face. She returned ten seconds later with a straight face, “What’s wrong?” 

“Oh, honey, nothing’s wrong,” you hurried to say, remembering that because of their history, the sight of Joel vulnerable must’ve been terrifying for her. “He sprained his ankle, so he just has to stay off of it and get rest.” 

“Sprained his ankle, huh?” Ellie asked, the grin on her face very close to evil. 

“C’mon, you can’t torture him. Well, not too much,” you amended when you saw the incredulous look on her face. “Besides, he sprained it when he was bringing me coffee this morning, so he was being sweet.” 

“Yeah, to you. I didn’t get any coffee,” Ellie pointed out, making it clear that him being sweet to you did not preclude him from any teasing on her end. “Anyway, I don’t know why you even go back to your place at night, you should just stay over. Not like I don’t know what you’re up to.” 

The tips of your ears grew hot as you turned from Ellie so she wouldn’t see your embarrassed face as you said, “If we’re too loud—” 

“No, I don’t hear you, thank fuck, I’m just not five years old. I know that you’re dating or whatever and I know what people do when they date or whatever.” 

You smiled at that, put at ease that if nothing else, you and Joel weren’t too loud when you had sex. “You know, if you ever want to talk about you dating or whatever, you can always talk to me. And then I can talk to him.” 

Ellie gave you a small smile and then grabbed a completed sandwich and an apple, mumbling, “Yeah, cool.” 

Happy with where this conversation ended up, you started to head into the living room to wake Joel when you remembered you hadn’t told her, “And actually, I’ll be staying here while Joel recuperates, so I hope you meant it when you said I should just stay here.” 

You heard Ellie’s little chuckle and quiet, “I did,” as you passed into the other room. Joel was awake on the couch, but looked freshly so, still blinking heavily, but he hummed when he saw you. 

“I take it the terror is back and— it’s time for dinner,” Joel mumbled, yawning halfway through. 

Smiling, you touched his cheek, rubbing your thumb over it gently and saying, “Yeah, but you can keep sleeping if you want to. Ellie and I can entertain ourselves.” 

“I don’t doubt that, but I doubt she can do so quietly enough for me to keep sleeping,” Joel said and you tilted your head in agreement. He grabbed your hand and pulled you to sit next to his hip on the edge of the couch, “You tell her you’re stayin’ for a while?” 

You nodded and tried to keep from smiling too wide, being too excited about her acceptance of you, “Yeah, she um, she seems kinda happy about it.” 

Joel’s mouth quirked up as he said, “Course she is. Anybody’d be happy to have you, sweetheart.” 

It was implied, not explicit, Joel’s sentiment, his own happiness at you staying at his place, playing some kind of house together with Ellie. But that’s all you needed, and this time you couldn’t help your grin.

🌨️🌨️🌨️

[ladykailitha]

In the Midnight Hour Part 11

And now we get to the healing and the ending. There are 13 parts in total. I am currently working on a Valentine’s day fic, but after that I fully plan to get back to the other two WIPs.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10  

*

Steve woke up first. He saw Dustin and Wayne looking down at him, relief flooding every inch of their bodies.

“Is everyone okay?” he rasped.

Wayne let out a watery chuckle. “Eddie’s still in surgery. They’re trying to save his fingers and vocal cords. The bite on his throat was the deepest and whatever it was that happened when you changed him back, caused a lot of damage. He has two gashes on his back from where the wings were and tips of his fingers were broken.”

Steve let out a distressed cry. “What if he can’t play guitar or sing ever again? It would kill him.”

Dustin and Wayne shared a glance. They both had similar thoughts.

“He’s alive,” Wayne assured him. “That’s the important part right now. Don’t worry about anything else.

Just then Eddie was wheeled back into the room. He was on his side and they could see the heavy bandages on his throat, back and fingers.

The surgeon came in behind the nurses wheeling Eddie in. As the nurses began to hook Eddie up to the machines, the doctor came up to Wayne.

“If you’d step with me out into the hallway,” the doctor began, “I’ll go over with you how the surgery went.”

Wayne looked at Steve and Dustin and shook his head. “They’re Eddie’s family, too. You can say whatever you want in front of them.”

The doctor eyed Steve skeptically. He could believe that Dustin could be a younger brother, but everyone knew who Steve Harrington was. Not because of his family, but by how much time he had spent in that hospital in the last three years.

The doctor met Wayne’s steely gaze head on, but folded first. It wasn’t any of his business if Wayne Munson declared him family.

“Right,” the doctor began. “The surgeries on his back and fingers went fine. The gashes were clean, as were the breaks on his fingers. He should get full range of motion back in his hands in no time at all.”

All three of them let out a sigh of relief.

“And his throat?” Steve asked timidly.

“That’s the hard part,” the doctor said. “We won’t know how successful we were until he wakes up. We did everything we could, the best that we could. All we can do now is wait.”

A nurse came up to him with a different file and the doctor traded Eddie’s file for the new one.

“And since you’re awake, now, Mr Harrington,” the doctor said coldly, “we should talk about your injuries.”

Steve winced. “What’s the prognosis, doc?”

“You are a modern miracle,” the doctor said flatly. “You should, for all intents and purposes, be dead.”

Wayne and Dustin looked over at Steve in shock.

“Let’s see,” the doctor said lifting up the first page and flipping through what looked to be several pages of x-rays and other medical jargon. “The gash on your chest and stomach is infected and we are currently pumping you with enough antibiotics to knock out a horse and yet...” He waved to Steve’s wakefulness.

Steve blushed.

“We reopened them and sewed them shut properly so that they will heal correctly,” the doctor continued, giving Steve the stink-eye. “You had a lot of minor abrasions that didn’t require stitches, but they have been cleaned, disinfected, and bandaged.”

“That’s good then,” Dustin said feeling relieved.

“Oh all that’s fine,” the doctor intoned. “It was the CT scan of his head, that really stumped every neurologist and neurosurgeon that looked at it. Son, are you aware how many concussions you’ve had?”

Steve looked up and began to count on his fingers when he started running out of fingers on the one hand the doctor stopped him, waving his hands dramatically.

“Enough!” the doctor cried. “One is too many, Mr Harrington! You have had more concussions than the average professional football player in ten years of playing, in the last four years.”

Steve dropped his head and hunched his shoulders. “I know.”

“You going to have to start seeing a neurologist and taking medications for your migraines and other head related issues. I’ve set up for hearing and eye tests in the next couple of days and then going forward you will have to take those tests every six months to make sure we catch any problems that may crop up due to the trauma.”

Steve nodded. Wayne took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“We’ll get through this,” he murmured.

“Hell, yeah,” Dustin said.

“Just one more thing,” the doctor said. “You’re parents were notified as next of kin.”

Steve and Wayne shared a nervous glance.

“They could not be reached,” the doctor continued, “so I had an orderly try and run them down.”

Steve grimaced. “They hadn’t called in awhile,” he admitted shyly.

“He was able to track them to New York where they had been living for the last two years,” the doctor said.

Steve’s eyes went wide as he leaned forward. “Excuse me? Living?”

The doctor nodded. “Your journalist friend did some further research, and found that they had listed the house in Hawkins as their secondary home.”

Steve’s lip quivered and he bit it to fight back the tears. “Why? Why didn’t they say something?”

The doctor shook his head. “Your friend is looking into it, but there is some suggestion they have even signed the house you currently reside over to you a year ago.”

“What?!” Dustin screeched. “A year ago!”

Steve frowned. “I‒I vaguely remembering getting something in the mail after the mall burned down, but I was so out of it...”

“The people currently paying for your care have told me to inform you that they are taking care of everything and to just relax,” the doctor said, sound sympathetic for the first time. “Rest up, Mr Harrington. It looks as though you have a long road ahead of you.”

The doctor left leaving behind a stunned trio.

“I haven’t gotten anything from them in over a year,” Steve said, as he choked back a sob. “I was getting really worried when I couldn’t reach them. I thought something had happened to them. Maybe that would have been better than to be completely abandoned and discarded like an ill-fitting sweater.”

“We’ll get this sorted out,” Wayne said. “I’ll talk to Owens and find out what’s being done. And by the time you’re out of here, it’ll be all sorted.”

He stood up and gave Steve’s shoulder a squeeze. He walked over to Eddie’s bed side and knelt down so they were face to face. “Hey, sweetheart,” he whispered. “I don’t know if you can hear me right now, but I need to know how much I love you and that you have to wake up. Not for me, though I wouldn’t mind. Steve’s going to need you now more than ever.”

He smoothed Eddie hair and brushed it gently out of his face. He kissed Eddie’s forehead and stood back up.

“Dustin, let me know if anything changes with Eddie,” he said turning to the younger boy. “And Steve, make sure if you need anything you let someone know right away.”

Steve nodded. He looked down at his hands and sighed. “There is one thing, sir.”

Wayne smiled softly. “What’s that?”

“Can‒can the two beds be brought closer together?” he asked shyly.

“I can ask.”

Steve gulped. “Thanks.”

“Take care,” Wayne murmured.

*

The two beds were pushed closer together. Just far enough apart that a nurse could squeeze through to look at Eddie’s machines and make adjustments as needed.

On the third day, Eddie opened his eyes.

“Wayne...” he whisper shouted getting the man’s attention.

Wayne’s eyes snapped to Eddie’s now opened eyes. “Eddie!” He jumped up and tapped the nurse call button. “Hang on, son. I’ve got nurses on the way.”

Eddie nodded.

The nurses came pouring in and made adjustments, got Eddie some water, and lifted the bed to a more upright position. They made sure he was comfortable before they left him alone.

“What’s wrong with my voice?” Eddie asked.

Wayne smiled sadly. “We don’t know. The doctors did everything they could. You could get it back, but it will take time.”

Eddie’s hand went up to his throat. “And if I don’t get back?”

“Then we learn sign language,” Steve said. “And you’ll still be able to talk a mile a minute, if not faster, being able to use your hands.”

“But‒” Eddie whispered. D&D, his band. Sign language was great for every day, but what about the things he loved...

Steve reached out and grabbed his hand. “We’ll figure it out.”

Eddie looked into Steve’s eyes and found hope there. “Okay...”

“In the mean time,” Wayne said pulling out pad of paper and a pen. “Use this to keep you from hurting your throat further.”

Eddie nodded, taking them both in one hand so he wouldn’t have to let go of Steve’s hand.

“Maybe for D&D, if you end up not being able to speak,” Steve said with a grin, “I’ll be your interpreter. That will really freak out your club.”

Eddie let out a little wheeze and then in big bold letters wrote with the pen in his fist like a toddler, “DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH!!!!!!!”

The doctor chose that moment to come in. “Mr Munson, it’s good to see you awake.”

Eddie smiled and waved.

“I’m sure by now you have noticed your voice is rough at the moment,” the doctor continued.

Eddie rolled his eyes and wrote: “It’s not just rough, it’s fucking gone!”

The doctor frowned and got out a pen light to look at Eddie’s throat. “Everything seems fine. It’s most likely due to non-use. I will get a speech therapist in here by later today and see if we can get you back to your chatty self in no time at all.”

Steve was practically bouncing in his bed. “You see, Eddie? Everything’s going to be just fine!”

Eddie blushed.

Wayne stood up. “I’m going to go let everyone know you’re awake.”

Eddie waved and Steve smiled.

Eddie let his hair fall in front of his face and wrote: “You kissed me.”

Steve laughed. “I did tell you I wanted to weeks ago.”

Eddie shoved his hair into his mouth. “I felt your love for me down there.”

Steve’s smile turned fond. “Yeah. Did you know about your uncle’s powers?”

Eddie shook his head and wrote: “Not really. Suspected something might be up when he always seemed able to suss out my moods, but no.”

“The only ones that seemed to understand what he was, was El and Will,” Steve said. “The two munchkins you haven’t met yet.”

Eddie’s shoulders shook, indicating his silent laughter. “Just how many children do you have?”

“All total?” Steve asked with a grin. “Seven. Just don’t tell their parents.” He winked at Eddie.

Eddie turned the page, having already filled the first one. “Seven? How the hell did you get seven kids? Did you kidnap them?”

Steve laughed. “No. The original four were Lucas, Will, Mike, and Dustin. Then El got added. Then Max and Erica the following year.”

“That’s a lot,” Eddie wrote.

“I would do anything for them,” Steve said softly.

“How did you know to use Wayne’s powers to make Vecna vulnerable?” Eddie wrote after a moment or two.

Steve grinned. “It was something your uncle said actually.”

“What’s that?” Wayne asked from the doorway.

Eddie wrote: “Hey that’s what I was going to say write!”

Wayne chuckled and moved to sit back down in the chair he vacated.

“You said that if you didn’t have a tight grasp on your powers that you would probably floor Hawkins with your love for Eddie,” Steve explained.

“And if I could do that without control,” Wayne agreed, “imagine what I could do with it completely controlled. You did a good job, son.”

Steve blushed. “I had help. You, El, Hopper, Eddie...” He glanced over at the other boy and then ducked his head.

“Yes, but you were able to put all the pieces together and come up with a plan,” Wayne said.

“You make me sound like Capt. Hannibal from ‘A-Team’,” Steve said shyly.

Wayne laughed. “You would be a fan of that one.” He clapped Eddie’s shoulder gently. “Rest up, everyone wants to see you.”

Eddie nodded. He couldn’t believe Steve had actually done it. Killed Vecna, destroyed the Upside Down, and saved him. His own personal hero. And as he closed his eyes, he dreamed of a life he never thought he could ever have.

Part 12  Part 13

Tag List:  @swimmingbirdrunningrock @panicatthediaz @renaissan-vvitch@grtwdsmwhr  @chaoticlovingdreamer  @savory-babby @thequeenrainacorn @anzelsilver @estrellami-1 @steddieassheg0es @currently-steddiebrainrot @gregre369 @steddie-there @clumsywriter @babbler1202

[writing--whore]

The Art of Survival - Chapter Two

Pairing: Luis Serra x Reader (set in The Hunger Games)

Chapter summary: When the Reader is stung by trackerjackers, mutant wasps who cause their victims to hallucinate, she is placed in a vulnerable position where anything could happen to her. When Luis finds her staggering through the woods, will he be a friend or foe???

Word count: 3k

Warnings: graphic depiction of violence (some of the violence is committed against you), hallucinations.

A/N: lmk if you want me to give a list of all of the Spanish translations?? But I will say that conejita = little bunny.

Part One - Part Two

Several days into the games, Luis had managed to set up shelter in a hidden cave. He kept away from people for the most part, only venturing out to forage for food. He’d only run into another person once.

He was exploring the terrain outside his cave when he heard a twig snap uncomfortably close behind him. 

A contestant raised a sharpened tree branch to stab him and, as Luis turned, the shiv pierced his shoulder. Pain burst through him but he’d experienced far worse. 

Coming at him with nothing but a shiv had been a foolish move. In a heartbeat, Luis trapped the contestant in a headlock. The constant wriggled, panting as he tried to pry Luis’ hands off. With a twist of his hands, the contestant’s thick neck cracked. The contestant’s limbs went still and Luis threw them to the floor. 

He cursed as he made his way back to the cave. The wound itself wouldn’t do much to weaken him. But he was certainly going to get an infection. 

He ran his hand through his hair. The odds of him winning against the strongest opponents here were slim. The odds were even smaller now he would have to fight them through a fever. 

The sun was beginning to set when he returned to his cave. He prayed to whatever God was listening that all of the opponents could just kill each other while he hid here. But he knew that would never happen. Only the most vicious opponents would be left standing and they would find him. With an infection, he stood no chance. 

Some sort of God answered his prayers. A thud sounded outside his cave and, pipe in hand, he went to investigate. It was a package from his sponsor. He ripped it open to find medical supplies. He could fall to his knees with relief. 

As he poured rubbing alcohol down over his wound, he silently thanked Ada. He almost dropped the bottle when music blared outside. It was time to announce the fallen tributes. 

The loud music wasn’t the reason why his whole body went taught, his hands slightly trembling. It was because he was waiting to see her face light up in the night sky among the other dead tributes. His chest wound tighter with each face, sure that the next one would be hers. 

The projector shut off. He released a shuddering breath. She wasn’t dead yet. But that didn’t make him feel any better. 

He wondered how scared she was right now, fighting for her life day after day. Time moved so slowly here. 

Maybe he should have left her to die on the first day. Then she wouldn’t have had to suffer. 

He didn't even know her, he thought - angry at himself for placing so much emotional importance on a stranger. But she was more than a stranger, she represented innocence, something he had lost years ago. He hated to see it being taken from her. 

No, seeing her face light up among the night stars would be a mercy. If by some miracle, she survived, that meant he would have to kill her himself. 

He prayed there could be a version of events where he didn’t have to see her face again. 

Too many of his prayers had been answered and now his luck had run out; he had ventured outside to collect some water from the stream when he heard a shriek that cut to his very core. Dread gripped him by the throat. He recognised that scream.

~~~

Y/N had not been entirely honest when she’d told the adjudicators and fellow contestants that she possessed no skills. She wanted to keep some tricks up her sleeve, thinking it would give her an advantage if she was underestimated. 

Crime rates were high in district 2 and she had taught herself how to fight with a knife, and even how to throw them. Although, she was sure throwing knives at a wooden target was much different to lodging them into a flesh. She was yet to find out for certain. Her sponsor had sent her a set of knives but her instincts kept choosing flight over fight. 

Her second talent was her knowledge of animals, it calmed her to read about them. And so she elected to sleep beneath a trackerjack nest, knowing how to be around them without disturbing them and hoping the sight of one would deter opponents from approaching. 

Approaching voices startled her away. A group of contestants caught sight of her and instantly sped towards her. 

She surprised herself by how quickly she reacted. She hurled a knife at the nest and rolled away. The nest hurtled through the air and crashed to the floor. Angry trackerjackers fled from their home and swarmed the group of contestants. They screamed and tried to swat the mutant wasps away. Y/N took this as her opportunity to run. 

The trackerjackers’ stingers jabbed every inch of the group's exposed skin. Through gritted teeth, one of the girls nocked an arrow. She wasn’t going to let Y/N get away unscathed. With shaking hands, she released it into the air. 

Letting out a cry, Y/N keeled over onto her knees. The arrow had lodged in the back of her leg. A second sting stabbed her in the neck, this one from a trackerjacker. 

The archer wasn’t done yet. Now that Y/N was an unmoving target, she aimed a second arrow straight at Y/N’s back, knowing it would pierce her heart. A trackerjacker stung her in the eye and she screamed as she released the arrow. 

Tears burst free from Y/N’s eyes as the arrow sliced into her thigh. She had never felt pain like this before. Even through the shock, she could feel the pain pulse through the tendons in her legs with an indescribable fire. But she couldn’t afford to be weak, she needed to keep moving before she got stung or shot at again. 

She pushed herself to her feet with gritted teeth. The arrow heads carved deeper into her flesh with each step. 

A second trackerjacker stabbed her in the arm, and then a third. She cursed under her breath and picked up her pace, tears streaming freely down her cheeks, brows drawing down in agony.

She had already known it was likely the trackerjackers would turn on her if she were to set them on her opponents. It was the best plan she could come up with. She had known their venom would cause her to hallucinate. She just hadn’t planned on there being arrows lodged into her leg at the same time. And despite having days to think about what her plan would be if she were to get stung and start hallucinating, she hadn’t managed to come up with anything better than fleeing to safety and praying she didn’t run into anyone. 

The greens of the forest grew more vivid, the first sign that the hallucinations were kicking in. She would have thought it looked beautiful if she wasn’t in so much danger. She glanced over her shoulder to find that none of her attackers were pursuing her. That was something at least.

She slowed down and leaned against a rock for a moment. She couldn’t keep walking with long arrow shafts dangling from her leg, slowing her down. And God forbid what would happen if she were to fall onto her back. Before the hallucinations got worse, she needed to snap the end of the arrows off. 

With a deep, strained breath, she took hold of the first one and snapped it in half. The force reverberated through her leg and she bit her lip to keep from making too much noise. 

Fractals and strange blobs started to fill her vision as she took hold of the second arrow. She didn’t think she could handle anymore pain but it was necessary. 

She took a few more deep breaths to steady her shaking hands. This snap was clumsier than the last, driving the arrowhead deeper. She wasn’t able to stop the cry that left her lips this time. 

The world started to turn and twist around her. Hallucinations mixed with an overwhelming amount of pain was not a fun combination. Blood gushed in great waterfalls down her legs and she prayed she didn’t pass out from blood loss. 

Part of her wanted to give up but she steeled herself. Pushing away from the rock, she stumbled onwards. She needed to put a bit more distance between herself and the group that had ambushed her, if any of them had survived the swarm of trackerjackers. 

Voices murmured in the distance behind her. She kept whipping her head behind herself and kept finding nothing. There was no way of knowing whether it was real or imagined. She quickened her pace regardless. One benefit of the trackerjacker poison was that the pain in her leg was starting to give way, she could hardly feel her body anymore, it was almost as if she was floating. 

But then the voices sounded like they were coming from in front of her. She paused. No, they were coming from all around her, she was surrounded. She held a knife out in defence. 

The voices turned to laughter. Then someone touched her shoulder. She spun around to find nothing but the air. Fuck. She was so vulnerable like this, not being able to discern reality. 

Her vision grew blurry at the edges and she tried to blink it away to no avail. She spun slowly in a circle, not wanting to take the chance that the laughter wasn’t a hallucination. Somehow everything seemed to slow, moving at half the speed it should, the leaves leaving trails of motion as she spun. Then everything suddenly changed into 2x speed as the trees zoomed past her and she lost balance, her feet falling out from under her. 

Strong hands caught her, keeping her from hitting the ground. Those hands were most certainly real. 

She screamed and thrashed but the hands kept a firm grip on her, caging her in close to her attacker’s body.

“Keep your voice down.” A male voice instructed. 

At the mercy of this man, she was almost certainly dead. All that she could do now was alert others of the location of this man and doom him too. And so she screamed again. 

“Hijo de puta.” He muttered under his breath and clamped a hand over her mouth. 

Her eyes shot open wide. This was it. She was about to be murdered. Panic drowned her brain but she had the sense to at least try to pull his hands away from her. That’s when she remembered she was holding a knife. The venom was making her body feel weird - liquidy -; she could hardly tell where her body ended and his began. But she gave it her best shot, wildly driving the knife behind herself. 

When the hands loosened from her and he exclaimed, “Mierda”, she knew she’d done the trick. 

She staggered forwards on her gelatinous legs but a hand clutched her wrist. She whirled around to face him and her breath caught in her throat when she saw who it was. It was the man who had attacked those district 9 kids, he was back to finish the job. 

She tried to twist her hand to stab him in the wrist but he squeezed hard and she dropped the knife to the forest floor. 

Her body shook hard in tandem with her racing heart. He was among the list of contestants she was most afraid of. 

“If you could just calm down for un momento, I am trying to help you.” 

Help her? Why would anyone want to help her? This was a trick. 

She tried to pry his hand off her, digging her feet into the dirt as she pulled. 

He sighed and easily grabbed her other wrist. She gasped and knew she was well and truly helpless.

He caught sight of her dilated pupils; he had been fairly certain that she was hallucinating when he’d found her spinning around in a circle for a good few minutes but getting a good look at her confirmed his suspicions. 

“You’re hallucinating, my friend, and you’re badly injured. Stop fighting and let me help you.”

He called her his friend? This had to be a trap. Her worst fear had been dying but when humans were trapped in an arena together with no laws, she started to realise worse things could happen to her than death. 

The edges of her vision went from blurry to dark, leaving nothing but Luis’ face. She could physically feel the poison gripping her harder, shuddering through her veins. It was scrambling her thoughts. For a moment, she forgot her situation, she forgot her fear. Her mouth hung slightly agape as she stared at the man in front of her. She marvelled at how beautiful his face was, how strong his body was. Her thoughts snapped back to reality when she remembered strong equals dangerous. 

Her legs spurred back into action, trying to push away from him, trying to kick at his legs. But her legs gave out from under her. His strong arms kept her upright. 

“Dios mios.” He exclaimed at her unrelenting fight. “I am not your enemy, conejita.” 

Coming to terms with the fact that she wasn't going to trust him, he would have to change his tactics.  Now that she’d repeatedly alerted others of their location, they couldn’t waste another second. 

“I am sorry about this.” He said as he gently let her drop to the floor. 

With deft fingers, he ripped some fabric from his shirt and tied it around her mouth just as she was about to let out another scream.

“I am very, very sorry.” He said again, guilt pooling in his abdomen. 

With a grunt, he lifted her up and threw her around his shoulders so the side of her body was pressed against his neck, her head was dangling over one shoulder and her legs were dangling over the other. He wrapped his hand around the back of her legs, careful to avoid the arrow heads, and clasped her wrists in the other. He trudged as quickly as he could back to his cave, praying he was fast enough to evade any pursuers. 

The trackerjacker poison made her limbs absolutely useless. She was helpless prey. But all the while, she let out muffled screams, it was all she could muster and she wasn’t ready to give up, even as her heavy eyelids started to droop and everything went dark. 

When she opened her eyes again, she was lying on a cave floor with a handsome stranger kneeling in front of her. She stared at him blankly, unable to piece together what was going on. 

“I’m sorry I had to carry you here. But I promise I’m here to help you. Run if you want but I have this.” He held up his medical supplies. “And I intend on patching you up.”

She looked down at the arrowheads jutting out of her leg. Her eyebrows pulled down. How did that happen? And why couldn’t she feel a thing?

“Just don’t scream, okay? For the love of God, I’m fairly fond of this hideout.”

His hand seemed to glide through the air in slow motion as he reached to pull the gag off her mouth. She hadn’t even realised it was there. 

When she made no attempt to scream, he sighed with relief. 

“Okay, excelente.”

Her bleary eyes focused on his face. God, he was absolutely beautiful. Misty grey eyes, a strong nose, sharp cheekbones and perfect stubble. She wanted to reach out and stroke his face.

“I’m going to take these out of your legs now, okay? It’s going to hurt like hell but I need you to be quiet for me, do you think you can do that?”

She didn’t reply. His words were meaningless, she was fully entranced by his murky, almond-shaped eyes. 

He waved a hand in front of her face. 

“Huh?” She asked.

“Listen carefully, conejita, you are injured. I am going to help you. It will hurt but you will be able to take it. I just need you to make as little noise as possible, okay?”

“I’m injured?” She drawled.

“Si, mi amiga.” 

He could facepalm but admittedly, there was something cute about her delirium, or at least it was much more preferable to when she was trying to stab him. 

“Can you hold my hand?” 

“Si.”

She gripped his warm hand as he gripped the first arrowhead and started to drag it out. A strange sensation rippled through her body. It wasn’t painful perse, just deeply uncomfortable. 

“You’re doing so well.” He praised, his words causing something strange to flutter in her abdomen. 

The second arrow was a breeze now she knew what to expect. Her eyelids grew heavy again. She barely felt a thing as he disinfected the wounds and wrapped a bandage around them.

He lightly slapped her leg when he was done. “You’re all patched up now. You can rest here tonight, sleep the poison off.”

She’d been poisoned? But she felt fine, euphoric even.

“Whatever you say, handsome.” She giggled. 

That comment caught him off guard and he blamed her words on the poison. He just shook his head and laughed it off. 

She watched with excitement as he removed his jacket and was disappointed when he simply rolled it up and placed it underneath her head as a pillow. 

“Sleep well, conejita.” 

His words gave her permission to let go, and she fell into the black nothingness of exhaustion. 

━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━

I'm gonna tag some people who might be interested. Lmk if you want to be removed or added from this tag list! :3

Tag list: @asdfav @aguamarinee @freshlemontea @heydreamchild

[insert-cephalopod-joke]

Part Three- New Moon

“C’mon, we’re gonna be late!”

“Love, we’re leaving thirty minutes early, I hardly think we’ll be late”

“Yeah, but if we leave now then we can take the scenic route and arrive just in time!”

“The scenic route?”

“Y’know… through those sketchy alleys and whatnot! They got the nice graffiti”

“Er… eh, whatever makes you happy”

It had been a while since the return of Commander Tartar, about two years at least. Despite its physical form being destroyed, there were still some remnants of its code causing havoc in the metro. However, it was weak enough for Squidbeak to handle while Milo was in recovery.

It was a rough start getting used to not having his legs working at one hundred percent like they used to. After all, his main strength as an agent was his Olympic-level speed and athleticism. Without his legs, who was he now? There were many days and nights he could not even bother to get out of bed, and if he did, he would be crying on the couch. Since Hyousuke used to use a wheelchair, Milo was lent it until he could find one he liked… but he didn’t want to find a wheelchair, he wanted to walk again. Hyousuke understood his feelings better than anyone else could, really. After all, when he lost his legs all those years ago, he wanted nothing more than for them to regenerate so he could get back to his agent duties, despite doctors telling him repeatedly that infection left his legs incapable of regeneration. But Hyousuke knew that Milo didn’t need a success story to give him hope then, he just needed time to process.

Then, one fateful day while taking a stroll outside, Milo saw it. There was a turf war match, but one inkling in particular caught his interest. She zipped past all her opponents, splatting them with ease just like he used to be able to. Except… she was in a wheelchair. This wheelchair was different from Hyousuke’s; it was sleek, it had a weapon attached to it to allow free use of the hands to steer, and despite the inkling being unable to go into swim form she was able to get back all the ink she lost slinging shots back at her foes. Maybe there's hope for me after all, Milo thought to himself.

And so, Milo finally gave in to Hyousuke’s gentle yet repeated attempts for Milo to visit the prosthetics shop that he got his legs repaired at. Despite his new change of tune at the time, Milo couldn’t get over the fact that there was still a faint pit in his stomach.

What if I can’t find a wheelchair that works for me? What if it’s really expensive?

Milo then saw Hyousuke’s expression upon entering the building, and figured if he trusted this place, then they have to be good.

“Oh hey, welcome back Hyou! Broke your legs again already?”

In front of them stood an Octoling, likely in her early twenties. She wore a dirty pair of overalls covered in various patches, and sported the Octarian military haircut despite very clearly no longer serving Octavio.

“No… not here for myself today”

“I see I see… so the sad sap in the hospital chair then! I wasn’t gonna comment on it but if you’re here to get a new one… it’s about time, pal!”

Hyou let out an amused sigh, then gestured to the woman in from of them.

“This is Pomme, one of the owners of the store. Pomme, this is Milo”

“Ah! *The* Milo! It’s an honor, truly”

Milo gave her a strange look before mustering a response.

“You know me from the metro, I’m assuming?”

“Nah, your man just talks about you a lot. Maybe too much. Really, is there anything else in your life you can talk about? Like that scar!”

“Pomme, be nice to our regulars. We don’t get much business as it is…”

From the back room emerged a sea angel, just as tall and intimidating as the rest. This one, however, did not have a varsity jacket like the others, but rather a simple black shirt and a crossbody bag strewn across his chest. In his hands was a handmade “catalog” labeled “wheelchair models.”

“Heard you were here for a wheelchair, so I figured it’d be good to bring this from the back. Take your time to pick one you like, and then we’ll get your measurements and other preferences”

“Um… t-thanks”

It took a few days to build the new wheelchair, but once it was ready it was life changing. It took some time to get used to the weapon aspect of the wheelchair, but once he got the hang of it, Milo was back to his old self again. It felt more of an extension of himself than a bulky means of transport. More importantly, he could get back to doing what he loved.

Milo was finally able to rejoin his Turf War team and get back to being an agent again, both things that he missed dearly. His friends and coworkers really couldn’t be happier to have him back. Of course, he made sure to keep up therapy since there were still some lingering doubts of self worth. Other than that, life was looking pretty good now.

Now in the present, Milo was as cheery as ever, if not more so. He also got more in touch with the daredevil side of him, mostly by trying to find different ways to maneuver stairs in a wheelchair. Ramps may be fun to roll down, but there’s nothing quite like the thrill of the “bumpy terrain.” At least today he took a break from his “experiments” to take the ramp with Hyou. Today was extra special, as today was Beatrix’s eighteenth birthday.

Beatrix had invited her coworkers to come to her home turf to celebrate. She figured their appearance would distract her mother from actually celebrating her birthday, something she was embarrassed about due to how large salmonid birthday celebrations could be. In salmonid birthday celebrations, they don’t have cake, so Callie had tasked Milo and Hyousuke to pick up one she ordered before they arrived.

“Hopefully she enjoys the cake”

“Of course she will! Its got flames n stuff! And.. is that monster truck edible”

“N-no. Definitely not and please do not try”

“You think I’d take away Bea’s chance to eat macroplastic?!”

“Macroplastic??”

Hyou couldn’t contain his laughter at the comment, now being stopped in his tracks to clutch his stomach. Milo smiled, treasuring the moment.

“I love you, Uke”

“I.. love you too. What makes you say that?”

“Nothin much. Just grateful for being alive, I guess”

Shortly they arrived at the Salmonid clan’s place of residence, a small area near some small desert mountains. Near the entrance were Liam, Beatrix, Marie, and Callie, with all but Marie excitedly waving in their direction.

“I am glad you made it, sir! I-I mean… Captain. Sorry”

“Y-you’re fine”

“Psh, what am I, a roach?”

“Just for that reference I once again do not understand, I am not glad that you are here”

Milo let out an exaggerated gasp, before the two shared a laugh.

“Happy birthday, Three Junior”

“Hah, thanks”

At that moment, Beatrix spotted the cake box in Milo’s hands, peering slightly through the transparent plastic window.

“Is the truck edible?”

“Yeh”

“N-No!!”

[countrymusiclover]

50 - What Being Left Out Causes

Part 51

Family is More than Blood

@secretdreamlandmentality

Missy’s pov

Grabbing a hold of the football when it hit my chest I smiled in the direction of Ethan and MG. We had gone out here after school since we all agreed we could be friends or date, not worrying about what Dr. Saltzman wanted us to do. "Dang you boys might be giving me trouble.” 

“Don’t worry, Missy. You would be running circles around us both in other situations.” Ethan chuckles standing by MG. 

I smiled, enjoying the feeling that had happened between the three of us. My phone started ringing in my jacket so I placed it up to my ear hearing my father’s name. “Melissa, I need you back at the school immediately!”

“Woah dad. Slow down. What are you yelling about?” I asked him, hearing the panic in his raised voice. 

MG vamped over to my side. “Everything okay?” 

“You’re sisters are bloody idiots for bringing Landon back. Your mother took her magic back but she hasn’t woken up. So I need you back at the school now!” Shrugging my shoulders to my vampire friend while my father declared to me. 

Running my freehand through my hair I attempted to reply the best I could. “I’ll be there as fast as I can. Well save her like always.” 

“Missy, is everything okay?” Ethan walked over picking up the football off the turf that I had dropped focusing on my conversation with my father. 

I paused to find the best response. “My mom is in some trouble because of my sisters.” 

“Then let’s go help her.” Ethan piped up. 

Raising a hand I stopped him before he could say anything more and I knew that MG would agree with me on this. He may know the truth but he doesn’t know how to help my mom, especially when it comes to magic. “Ethan, I think I can handle this. You and MG can just hang out until I get back.”

“Okay, just be careful M & M.” Ethan hugged me and I hugged him. 

“Watch out for him, Milton.” I nodded and MG nodded in agreement watching me vamp off away from them. Skidding my feet on the front doorstep of the Salvatore School I pushed the door opened heading upstairs hearing yelling that could only belong to my father. 

“Do you have any idea of what you have done to your mother? She wasn’t taking her magic for a reason and she probably wouldn’t if you hadn’t been trying to get yourselves killed!” 

Hope began speaking towards him. “You would have done whatever it took to save mom. Screw the consequences for the others around you.”

“And Hope didn’t think it would go as bad. It was mom’s choice to step in.” Alina said behind her sister, even though the werewitch knew that it was mostly her older sister’s fault. 

Our father ran a hand harshly down his face. “You’re mother and I will always react when you kids are getting yourselves in trouble. Dark magic is very dangerous from my experience with your mother. You could’ve died.” 

“Josie and I stepped in so Lizzie and Hope wouldn’t die.” Alina snapped in defense. 

Dad growled. “You shouldn't have even been doing the spell in the first place.” 

“Mom didn't die, dad!” Hope raised her voice at him. 

Our father vamped in front of our sister pushing her into the wall. “She's not woken up! What do you call that, Hope? She is immortal and one of the most powerful creatures in the world but she hasn’t woken up yet!’ 

“Ug dad!” Hope winced under his harsh grip. 

Shifting my gaze around the room I finally landed my focus on our mother. She was laying on the large king size bed in the center of the bedroom.  “Mom! What did you guys do to her?” I gasped vamping over to her bedside. 

“We didn't make her take her magic back!” Hope snapped at my question. 

Alina glared at her sister with golden werewolf eyes. “Shut up Hope!” 

“They brought that Phoenix boy back from the prison world forgetting that it was filled with dark magic. But you’ve sister here refused to stop the spell when it started infecting them and the Saltzman twins. The magic is now inside of your mother including her own which she wasn't comfortable taking back yet.” Our father declared still holding Hope against the hardwood wall in the corner. 

She attempted to get out of his grasp. “Like I said we didn't tell her to come rescue us!” 

“Just be quiet, Hope.” 

She tried to say something back but I stopped her. “Missy, I-” 

“Silencio.” Snapping my fingers she shut her mouth and tried talking but the spell prevented her. “Dad, who do we call to help us?” 

He released his grip on my older sister turning to face me. “I don't know, sweetheart.” 

“Freya or Davina?” Alina questions. 

Whipping my head around I raised my index finger to the open bedroom door. “Yeah no shit Sherlock. You know what how about you and Hope just leave!” I wasn’t normally angry about things but I was getting pissed with them. 

“Missy, what have we done to you?” My twin asked me. 

Shoving my fangs out of my mouth I snarled at my siblings. Over the top infuriated them for doing this to our mother and also for not telling me. “You didn't tell me what you were up to and like dad said you forced mom to put herself in danger. So just get out of here. I don't want to see you two right now!” Alina and Hope looked at one another before they left the room together. 

Waving my hand the bedroom door slammed shut by my magic with my father lightly chuckling. “I must say I am impressed, Melissa. I knew you had anger in you somewhere.” 

“Thanks I guess. I'm just upset they left me out and now she's in trouble and we don't know how to help her.” 

Dad came over sitting across from me on the bed. “When you're sister was under a coma after fighting Josie she had difficulty facing the fact. It was a battle of the mind.” 

“So what does that mean for mom?” I raised a brow at my father. 

He lifted his gaze to meet mine, answering back. “It means I think we need to give your Uncle Elijah a call.” 

Unknown to either of them MG and Ethan were sitting out in his truck in the Mystic High School parking lot just talking. Ethan pulled out an old radio scanner looking at the vampire. “I found one of my moms old police scanners. I thought we could use this instead of just waiting around not knowing where something bad will happen.” 

“That’s cool, E. But you know we can just hang out.” MG shrugged his shoulders. 

The human sat the scanner box in his lap. “And we are. But we should be ready for when you face off against the ultimate bad guy or girl.” 

“You don’t have to worry about being ready, Ethan.” 

Ethan sighed heavily. “Yeah that's what Missy says…which means to basically sit on the sidelines.” 

“That isn't what I'm saying.” MG raised his hands out in front of him in surrender. “I just mean we can just hang out and be friends. Rather than spending all our time waiting for something serious to happen in Mystic Falls.” 

Ethan shifts in the driver's seat of his truck. “Speaking of Missy could you help me with something regarding her?” 

“Sure. What do you need help with, E?” The vampire perked up seeing the conversation take a different turn. 

Sadly the hops disappeared from his face when the human responded to his offer. “I was hoping you could help me convince her to turn me into a vampire.” MG had nothing to say for he had lost any idea of what to say back in response. He only could sit and think that Missy wouldn't care for the confrontation later on. 

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[kmenkea]

Bloodlust - Part 6

Summary: "Leeith felt so small upon looking at the fierce eyes of valsharess Lyneerlay and so, so miniscule, compared to bright red eyes that stared from even higher than the throne."

"No matter what you say, no matter what you will do, everything that befell you, was caused by your actions. Be a man and accept the consequences.” She chuckled.

A/N: A shorter "bonus" chapter going on the backstory for Leeith. Originally it was supposed to be part of a much longer chapter, but I decided to cut it in two for ease of reading. I will most probably post part 7 soon, which will be much beefier.

Word count: 2k

Read on AO3

The days flew by in almost an instant. The blighted village was safe. So was the cave north of it, after the gnoll infestation was taken care of; Wakueen’s rest instead was burnt to a crisp because of some drows apparently, but not Leeith herself. The fact that there were still flaming fists alive, meant that whoever did this, wasn’t exactly Lolth’s chosen warrior. But among all the rubble and blood, they did find a small treasure: leather drow armour. It had some light scratching and it was faded, but it was comfortable and well fitting as ever. 

The situation at camp wasn’t half as good. Wyll’s patron, a whole fucking devil, showed up. Mizora or whatever her name was, wanting to show off how much more powerful than lowly mortals she was. The drow's patreon was surely a thousand times more powerful than this overgrown imp and she would have easily banished her back to the hells.

But Leeith wasn't. Not yet anyway. She played nice, mediated with her, hiding her disgust. Mizora left without too much trouble, only deciding to give wyll the look of a tiefling. 

They took care of the Zhentarim cove: it’s not like she wanted to kill all of them, but apparently returning their little bottle without the heavy chest was some kind of sin for them and they decided to attack first. It was just a bottle, why were they being so annoying with it? Maybe one day she’d know. She looted everything around, the slave they kept ran away before she could drag him to camp, but in exchange for the man, she found something much more interesting: behind an illusory wall - badly constructed, since she easily saw it wobble around - there was a lift, sinking deep in the underdark. 

The drow’s eyes shot open with glee and a giant smile was impressed on her face when she breathed in that still, cold air. She could hear the rush of the river below her, the critters hiding behind the rocks, the cry of monsters from the depths below her. She couldn't care about what her friends were saying behind her, too enthralled by her home. Right, her friends. The look on their faces was anything but joyful. Shadowheart was holding up a torch just to be able to see and even Karlach and Astarion had trouble in the deep darkness of her home. She heard another monster cry, close to where they stood and sighed. 

“Uh, lets just go back. You aren’t ready.” Said Leeith, defeated and homesick. Her words were met with general relief, which only stung harder. 

“Oh thank gods. I didn’t get infected by a mindflayer to see the sun just to die in this horrible cave.” He was the first to go back to the lift. 

“This place is creepier than the hells: I feel like a bunch of insects are crawling all over my skin.” The tiefling made a weird finger gesture, imitating a spider walk.

“I have to say, I do enjoy the darkness here, but I would rather not become a giant spider’s dinner.” The cleric followed everyone back on the lift. Leeith, her heart shattered in a million pieces by everyone’s comments on her motherland, looked over all of them. 

“Surface weeklings.” She got on the lift and activated it. “Maybe staying down here a bit would make you grow a spine.” She muttered, sulking in a corner away from everyone. 

Her mood that day was foul and only grew worse. She didn’t mind so much that her friends despised the Underdark - she wasn’t expecting anything different - but she was so close to being in her world again, where her eyes didn’t burn because of the sun and where her goddess’ strength was greatest. Maybe she could have found a drow city and returned to her queen. The valsharess would have certainly been able to remove her parasite: she had alliances with a mind flayer colony, they would have been able to help her. Lolth be graced, Leeith was the negotiator of that alliance, even the mind flayers knew her enough to help her without express command of the matrons. 

She wasn’t so foolish as to think she could travel through the underdark alone, especially since her home was almost to the other side of Faerun, if the tree huggers’ maps were to be trusted. She needed someone's help, instead there she was, among people who all hated her or cowards afraid of a few spiders. 

None of them new what absolute dread was. They didn’t know what it was like to wake and feel a god’s eyes on them, gnawing at their soul and weighing it down below the ground. They didn’t know what it was like to kneel every night in front of the goddess their parents rejected and beg for her forgiveness, and claw at their own flesh and wish for their parents death, to purify themselves of traitor's blood. They don’t know the look her parents gave her when she decided to escape and return to "serve the spider bitch like a slave for the rest of her life". 

Leeith didn't know who or what protected her during that forced, mad march towards the closest drow city. She was barely sixteen at the time, basically an infant by drow conventions, she didn't know how to use magic nor a sword. Lolth must have watched over her and protected her. Her divine Valsharess listened to her prayers and sent a caravan of soldiers in her path. They wanted to kill her there and get rid of a possible traitor or spy, but the spider queen had gifted her with a tongue of gold. So the soldiers listen to her story of a great danger that would soon befall the queen matron of their city, that Leeith had run all the way to meet them just to warn them of the danger and that she needed to be brought to the queen. 

The soldiers, believing her because of her fervour, allowed the young drow to travel with them and ascend the steps of the palace and kneel in front of the throne of Lyneerlay Xyltin, one of the great matrons of T'lindhet, the one who wielded true power in the city. 

Leeith was on her knees, begging to be cleansed of her family’s sins, to be readmitted among the people blessed by the great Goddess. She promised eternal loyalty and servitude to the matron, in exchange for being able to worship in peace, no matter how low her rank. The queen rested in her chair and everyone could feel a great presence enveloping the room. Leeith felt so small upon looking at the fierce eyes of valsharess Lyneerlay and so, so miniscule, compared to bright red eyes that stared from even higher than the throne. 

The soldiers that rescued the young drow were condemned to death for believing the lies of traitor and putting the matron’s life in danger. They were made to kneel, right there, on that expensive, embroidered carpet, while the personal guard of the matron held their head up to expose their necks. The sacrificial dagger was put in Leeith’s hand. That was her first taste of blood. That was the first time others looked at her terrified, begging to be spared before their voice fell silent, in a gurgle of blood. At the time, she cried, her hand was shaking while cutting their flesh, but her Queens were watching and she couldn’t fail them if she wanted to survive. She had to obey.

And now, sitting in front of the fire, she was far from them. They would have punished her like any traitor that had run away. She didn’t know if her heart was about to stop or if it was just beating too fast; she was terrified. 

What she certainly didn’t need to see now, was the wizard, coming to the campfire sheepishly. 

“Good evening, Leeith. I have- something to ask of you.” His complexion was pale and his jaw clenched hard, as if he was struggling with something within him. 

“Now it’s not a good time, wizard.” She glared at him through the fire, trying to keep her voice from shaking. 

“I can see that, but this is a matter of utmost importance. Please, I just ask for a moment of your time.” He motioned towards his tent, wanting to speak privately. With a groan, the drow stood up. Her legs felt weak. She had to breathe and calm down. Breathe and calm down. She followed him. 

He was fidgety and afraid when he started speaking, wanting to tell the drow a story. She didn’t amuse him: the man had been way too secretive for too long, but still requested things from her, giving nothing in return, not even his supposed strong magical abilities. She requested just the truth and to be quick about it. And so started a story of a powerful boy who fell in love with a goddess, how he was her chosen one for his powerful magic, until she got bored. The guy could not stop showing off even now that he was begging for help. He was supposed to kneel before her, kiss her feet and plead, especially after almost dying at the toll house. Especially after failing to win back his divine lover and cursing himself with magic way too powerful to be controlled by mortal hands. He couldn’t help but stroke his ego, and that was his weakness to bear. 

Leeith took a few steps back, straightening her back. She held his gaze, silent. The wizard trembled in front of her as she gave one little smile, filled with malice and venom. The fear she had for her life before returning to Lolth; the fear she still felt when her Queens, the mortal and the divine, glanced down upon her to free her of her traitorous blood. It all reflected on the lowly man in front of her. There was only one way to really intimidate someone and that was to know first hand what true terror felt like. He looked so small before, smaller than she was compared to her Valsharessen.

“You will pack up your stuff during this night and by tomorrow morning, you will be gone.” The drow wasn’t going to risk hers and everyone’s life for a man who couldn’t fight. 

“I- please you don’t understand. This orb, it will level down all-” His voice was shaky, but the drow wouldn’t listen to his little cries now, after lying to her for so many weeks about such a danger. 

“I do not care, Gale. Know that all that will come to you is just your fault. No matter what you say, no matter what you will do, everything that befell you, was caused by your actions. Be a man and accept the consequences.” She chuckled. “You’re such a powerful and learned wizard. I am a lowly warlock, why are you asking for my help? I’m sure you can fix it, cheer up.” 

“I, well. I realise I’m not welcome here. If that’s what you think it’s best, then so be it.” He took it rather graciously. “Maybe I’ll find a mind flyer hive and blow myself there. That would be helpful, I’m sure.” He tried smiling, but under the proud façade, his soul was shivering, knowing these were going to be his last days. His pain did put a smile in Leeith’s face, a genuine one. Suddenly her mood improved and she almost felt compassionate. He reached in her pocket for a small ring. It was glowing with magic. 

“Here, a little treat for the road, Gale. It’s been a pleasure knowing you, shame it had to end on this note.” She flicked the ring off her fingers and it hit his chest. The wizard clenched his lips, holding back tears and kneeled to recover it. 

The drow went to sleep that night with her heart a little lighter, dreaming of the day she would recount all of this to her queen and her band in the underdark.

[josieblueart]

Day 1-injection

OH ENTITY™ WE’RE REALLY IN IT NOW

~💉~

This was it.

The man in rags stumbled into the abandoned building, serum in hand. There were more of those flowers, but he barely took notice of it. He was tired, so tired. It was nigh impossible to keep going, every moment was filled with hurting and fatigue.

Any moment, he could collapse onto the floor, but he continued on. Now, he had what he hoped was the cure to it all.

Inside the syringe was a glowing, orange liquid. Breathing heavily, he stared into the liquid. It was either the cure, or a poison that would finally end his misery. Worst case scenario, it would do nothing, and he’d have to continue living in this hell. Perhaps death would be kinder than life.

He tightened his grip, before stabbing the syringe into his chest. Pushing down the plunger, he prayed for a quick release.

Instead, a wave of pain rushed through his body mere moments after it entered his body.

It was as if his veins, lungs, face, everything had been filled with magma. His entire body was burning from the inside, and it hurt. The worst of the pain was in his head. His face felt like it was melting, it hurt so much. All the pain caused him to screech inhumanly, clasping his aching face. Yet, it only made it worse, the action causing the burning liquid to crawl up his throat.

Stumbling backwards and uncovering his face, he saw his hands were covered in orange, vein-like markings. Still, it was the least of his concerns, it hurt so much.

The cracking of bones quickly filled his ears, joining the groans of pain. He could feel his form being stretched ever unevenly, yet something on his back was forming, weighing him down. In his hands, something was digging its way out. As he hunched down further, the appendage was freed from its prison.

Another finger, one on each hand. They were deformed, but were still able to be moved. It was horrifying, yet the sight was quickly forgotten by the blazing pain in his mouth.

From the depths of his throat, the orange serum ejected itself through his mouth and onto his jaw. It was burning, his body had become an inferno. He felt his jaw falling lower and lower, becoming harder to keep it shut, not like he wanted to imprison the burning substance to allow it to damage him further.

The growth on his back, which was an afterthought until now, was finally too much to hold up, and he collapsed onto his knees. Was this how he would die? Was this his punishment for all the pain he caused?

Still, he accepted it. He wished to die, only then would the pain and hunger cease.

As if his infected form heard his wishes, the fire in his body started to cool down. The pain was still there, but it was more of an afterimage of what once was. As he looked upon himself, a growing despair joined the infestation within his body.

Mutated was the only word that came to his foggy mind.

He was uncontrollably drooling out saliva, which had become colored in orange. His jaw had become nothing but a long, loose piece of flesh that could only move slightly. Orange tumors covered his body, something he didn’t even notice until now.

He could feel his mind gradually slipping from him, clouded by the horrible desire to feel the burning in his veins once more. All the while, a voice spoke out to him.

“Ease yourself, Talbot. I can fulfill your desires.”

Whatever remained of Talbot inside the distorted mind, it listened intently.

“All I need of you is a few tasks you must complete.”

A small, almost imperceptible creak from the other side of the building signified another presence had entered.

“Bring them to me, and I shall give you your reason for life.”

A second voice spoke out to the hunched over figure. “Hey! Are you alright?”

“Have them fear your name. The Blight, that shall be your identity.”

It lifted its head, before turning to the figure. As it screeched, the last remaining bits of Talbot Grimes disappeared, replaced by a hollow shell.

“Bring them to me.”

[sleepy-penmarks]

Whatever it is, get rid of it. Mom’s voice buzzed somewhere in the back of my head. I could almost put my palm there and scratch it away if I wanted to. I could feel her hands on my shoulders still, the throbbing in my chest giving way to fear and then – nothing. Almost as suddenly as it had arrived, I could feel the anger ebbing from my blood. Get rid of it. Now.

This time, there’s nothing stopping me. “Yeah?” I whispered to the hulking mass in front of me. I was sitting up in bed, still infected with post-wake-up annoyance. My voice left my throat in the shape of a dagger – sharp, quick, precise. More of all of those things than I meant. “Well, d’you have a plan? ‘Cause I sure don’t.”

The monster slid out from under my bed, nose twitching, fangs clenched together. Matted yellow fur, bloodred eyes, forked tongue. Claws that I knew could split me open if I so much as breathed wrong. Scraping up my floor as he pulled himself out, even as retracted as they were.

“No,” the thing huffed, standing to face me and sending a loud creak down the floorboards. I shushed him in a quick hiss, praying that Mom didn’t hear the noise. “But,” he continued, “anything is better than this.”

I sighed. He just stared at me, red eyes darting around my face, then widening more and tilting into pity. He was probably looking for my fear. For something to pity. For something. Everyone seemed to need something from me, didn’t they?

I got out of bed to stand and face him, stopping just short of stomping my feet. “It’s not that simple,” I said, raising my voice despite myself. “It’s not that easy–”

“Adley.”

I stopped. The fight left my bones in an instant – a softer instant, softer than any defeat I’d felt before. 

The monster tilted his head. “That’s your name, isn’t it?”

“I…” I sat on my bed, glancing towards the decal on my bedroom wall that said otherwise. My mom had stuck it on my bedroom wall five years ago, when I hadn’t given my discomfort in the mirror much thought. Nowadays, she still pointed to it in our arguments. “Yeah. It is.” 

Slowly, the monster sat down next to me. His fur brushed against my arm. He felt just like the teddy bear I had when I was younger. With a pang of guilt, I remembered the nightmare that came on my worst nights, the one that made him. The teddy bear would hold the anger I couldn’t, hold it and gather it until it lost its teddy-bear shape. Then, it would grow claws, its fur would tangle, its eyes would turn red until I couldn’t even look at it anymore. 

Then, one night, this monster had appeared under my bed, still standing there after all the times I pinched myself. It wasn’t the fur that had scared me. It wasn’t the eyes, or the claws, or the forked tongue. It was the recognition – the feeling that for the first time, I was staring at a reflection that worked. 

Get rid of it, Mom would say during my rampages, stepping on ceramic shards to dig her nails into my shoulders, my cheeks. Get rid of this monster inside you. Whatever is making you mad, get rid of it. Now.

The teddy bear went in the dumpster. Then went the clothes, and then my old name. I’d done what I was asked, and now, only she remained. Mom, and this house, and everything. There was so much. 

“I haven’t heard anyone say it,” I muttered. “My name.”

The monster sighed. “I know.” 

The night was quiet. I sat in it, relishing in this one second, wishing it could loop itself over and over again. Letting my name hang in the air.

“Did I hurt you?” I asked. “Am I a monster?”

He shook his head. “No,” he said. “Everything went as it should. You’re just a kid. We take turns holding what we can.” Then, he laid a paw on my back. “Your anger and pain – they’re here for a reason. I’m made to hold this much. But not you.” 

I thought of the bag I’d fantasized of packing, of the fresh air that waited far away from this town. I thought of Mom, sleeping downstairs, unaware of what was going through my head. I thought of how she’d search the house, crying, yelling names that weren’t mine and insults that weren’t me. And then, what she wouldn’t do, slumping onto the couch with nothing but heavy limbs and regret. Alone. 

“I can’t do it.” I knew that this wasn’t how it was supposed to work. I wasn’t supposed to give myself up like this. But I knew that this was the truth that I’d been holding – the most painful one, the one that sat right next to the few spaces I could carve out for myself, shaking its head. “I can’t just leave.”

The monster nodded. “I know.”

I finally looked up at him. The eyes that I once thought the color of blood shone more like a campfire. A rage dampened down into something more like warmth. “So what do I do?”

His voice was barely audible. “Whatever you do,” he said slowly, “I am always with you, Adley.”

The night was still quiet. Neither the moon, nor the stars, nor the neighbor’s houses had anything more to say. We all just let the name hang in the air.

Now in your mid teens, you forgot all about the monster under your bed. One night though, it wakes you up saying “You’re not safe. You need to get out of here”

[p-taryn-dactyl]

Would love to see Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) comforting the reader after the reader is injured.

a/n: hii!! Thank you so much for this request! Also, i know i haven’t been gone too long from writing but this felt like an accomplishment to me and i am so proud i wrote it! Enjoy! word count: 908 warning(s): mentions of blood and injury

a simple disagreement

The cold metal walls of the secret passageways supported you as you dragged yourself through the halls, desperate to reach Jean, who was in the med bay. Your side pinched with every step and you had to grit your teeth in an attempt to not yell out. Stray drops of blood marked the path you had taken, your hands only doing so much to keep pressure on your wound. Finally, you reached the doors of the lab, using what little strength you had left to push them open. The red head spun around at the sudden intrusion, expecting Logan - therefore wearing a stern expression. But once she saw you, her face melted into one of worry and something darker.

“Y/N? What the hell?” She rushed towards you, arms outward as you collapsed against her, her white shirt stained red.

“I had a disagreement.” You murmured out quietly as you drifted into sleep, your body exhausted from the pain and exertion you had put it through.

—————————————————————————————————

When you woke up, you were in bed, warm covers tucked tightly around you. You sat up, wincing at the dull pain in your abdomen. A light brush of your fingers told you that you had received stitches and proper bandages. You also noticed you had been changed into soft pajamas, the dirty cloth of your uniform no longer sticking to your skin.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” the gruff voice of Logan threw you off as your head snapped to the corner of the room, where Wolverine sat, arms crossed over his chest as a cigar hung out of his lips, “Jean asked me to watch over you while she took care of something. She’ll be back soon, hopefully.”

You nodded awkwardly at the man, who scratched at his sideburns before letting out a cloud of smoke. You were close friends with Logan but you definitely didn’t expect for him to be the first thing you saw when you woke up. Soft footsteps echoed outside the door and soon Jean was gently looking in, her eyes softening when she saw you were awake. Logan grunted, standing up and nodding at the telepath before he walked away, sending you a look before he walked away. Jean came to sit on the edge of the bed, placing her hand on your forehead, checking your temperature. You noticed she was wearing her mission suit, her hair pulled back and small scratches just above her eyebrow.

“Whatever disagreement you had, you have a small infection, which is causing your slight fever. I gave you a few stitches but you’ll need to stay in bed for the following weeks.”

Protesting, you leaned forward, trying to reason with your girlfriend when an icy tendril of pain licked up your spine, causing you to fall backwards. Tears welled up in your eyes as the adrenaline from before finally wore off, the pain of having something impale you wracking your body. Jean noticed your distressed state and was quick to run into the bathroom to change out of her suit, donning a tank top and some sweat pants. She curled up next to you in bed, careful of your side, maneuvering your head so it rested on her shoulder. She pressed a kiss into your hair as you carefully snuggled against her, leaning her cheek against the top of your head.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Her voice was soft yet held a darker, more protective tone. You brushed it off, shrugging before giving Jean the short version of the mission’s events.

“I was supposed to rescue a young mutant boy who was being exploited by his family for money, a simple farmer family shouldn’t of caused me so much trouble but,” you gestured to your stomach, “obviously they did. The uncle didn’t like that I was taking his nephew and before I could get out of the way, he shanked me with a goddamn gardening fork. Thankfully, I got Samuel out of the way but…” you sighed, remembering the hateful look on the man’s face as he stalked closer to you, gardening tool in hand, prepared to finish the job. Samuel, the mutant boy, thankfully had the ability to speak to animals, and kindly asked one of their prized hogs to run his uncle into the ground. You didn’t remember much after that, cornfields and flying, cold metal walls and collapsing into Jean’s arms. And by how Jean’s arms were tightening around you now, you knew she had seen the painful montage in your mind. She nuzzled your temple with her nose, making you giggle. Jean’s nose was always freezing, just like her hands.

“I’m proud of you for saving that boy, Y/N, I’m sorry that imbecile hurt you.”

You smiled appreciatively, resting your chin on Jean as you shuffled to practically sit on her lap.

“He’ll do great here, Y/N, I mean come on, he’s already made a hoard of pigs go NASCAR on his uncle.”

Jean’s attempt to make you laugh worked, and soon you were wheezing in pain, shrugging off Jean’s concerned look.

“Dr. Grey, you’re supposed to be overseeing my recovery, not making it your mission to pop my stitches!” you grumbled out, your girlfriend’s chest rumbling behind you as she laughed. Silence stretched between you as your eyelids grew heavy once more. Jean smiled when she felt your body relax, your breaths evening as you fell into a peaceful slumber.

a/n: i hope this was okay?? It’s my first time writing for Jean and since ive loved her since the very first X-men movie (that i saw) i hope i did alright. Thank you for reading 💕

[haikyuu-boys-headcanons]

𝙷𝙰𝙸𝙺𝚈𝚄𝚄 𝙱𝙾𝚈𝚂 - 𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙰𝚁𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝙴𝚇 𝙼𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚂

hehe, i’m back at it again with one of these long ass posts but this idea’s literally been in my head all day long so here you go !! obvious nsfw warning :)

tw: this whole post is just nsfw and embarrassing to read so read at your own risk >:)

𝙳𝙰𝙸𝙲𝙷𝙸 » during a super intense and loud session, his voice cracked as he asked you “does that feel goOD- good baby?” to this day, he still prays that you couldn’t hear him over the sound of your own moans

𝚂𝚄𝙶𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙰 » you were riding him and he went to slap your ass, but something went wrong either because you were riding too quickly or he was shaking too much, boy ended up slapping himself in the balls. you’ve never heard that boy scream that loud in your life

𝙰𝚂𝙰𝙷𝙸 » literally pulled out in the middle of sex to get up and rush to the corner of his room to flip around his childhood teddy bears. your just laying there with your tiddies and coochie out waiting for asahi to shield the eyes of mr. wiggles

𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙰𝙺𝙰 » you two were having pretty intense shower sex until tanaka did the number one thing your not supposed to do during shower sex; this muthafucker slipped while holding you. long story short, y’all were okay but just ended up having nasty shower floor sex??

𝙽𝙸𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙾𝚈𝙰 » this tiny ass 5′2 man was unconsciously humping your leg while you were both asleep?? his presumably pleasurable wet dream had turned into a sudden nightmare when you literally had to KICK him off you to stop the humping. bad nishinoya, bad!

𝙺𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚈𝙰𝙼𝙰 » came WAYYY too early inside you, but he was too embarrassed to say anything so he just... kept going. sadly, no one had warned kageyama of the intense effects of overstimulation. he was shaking and whimpering so badly behind you to the point where you had to ask him to pull out and bring him a glass of water to calm down

𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙰𝚃𝙰 » the first time you squirted on him, he just blatantly asked you these exact few words that left you feeling mortified: “did you just piss on me?” nuh uh hinata, this water fountain ain’t yours to drown in anymore >:( 

𝚃𝚂𝚄𝙺𝙸𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙼𝙰 » kei was hitting it from the back pretty hard this time, so hard that you were suddenly... on an angle? suddenly, now you two were much closer to the floor than before. the bed ended up collapsing, yes literally collapsing due to kei’s powerful thrusts. worst part is, nobody got to finish since kei dragged you to ikea to grumpily buy a new bedframe. but hey, he bought you ikea meatballs; that shit hits so different

𝚈𝙰𝙼𝙰𝙶𝚄𝙲𝙷𝙸 » one super duper intense night, he passed out the SECOND he came. no matter how much you flicked the temple of his forehead, yamaguchi was dead asleep. you had to literally slap him awake to get him to clean up, you ain’t risking a ranky stanky UTI puthy in the morning

𝙾𝙸𝙺𝙰𝚆𝙰 » kept calling himself a sex machine during the act. i don’t know if it was due to the 6 tequila shots he had beforehand or just his inner ego revealing, whatever it was it was about to make your pussy close

𝙸𝚆𝙰𝚉𝚄𝙼𝙸 » this one time, he kept going in at a weird angle which caused you to repeatedly queef for 7 minutes straight. every time you told him to pull out and go in properly, he laughed and kept going in at that one weird angle!! was your embarrassment a turn on for him?? maybe!! but were you mortified? absolutely!!

𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚃𝚂𝚄𝙽 » i’m sorry to have to be the one to announce this, but this man had the worst case of full blown bush you’ve ever seen. like, he didn’t even try to manscape or anything at all. you ended up begging him to trim just a tiny bit because you weren’t gonna risk choking on a pube whilst your going down on him

𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙸 » rubbed your left labia thinking it was your clit. and he kept doing that. the whole. fucking. time. even when you subtly moved his fingers towards your clit, he just kept going back to the left lip.

𝙺𝚄𝙽𝙸𝙼𝙸 » had the most dry and dull dirty talk you’ve ever heard. like, it’s not even dirty talk at this point; it’s just clean talk. there’s no passion when he talks! he uses the same tone he would use for anyone else at any other moment. to paint the picture, imagine riding kunimi and he’s just there with a furrowed expression like “yup, that feels really good”

𝙺𝚈𝙾𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙸 » tried to pull one of those unexpected anal scenes that he saw from a porno, without telling you beforehand. life lesson here; if you party at shit's house, don't be surprised if shit's at the party

𝙺𝚄𝚁𝙾𝙾 » you two were looking to get a little more kinky in terms of BDSM, so kuroo watched like 30 tutorials on youtube on how to safely tie you up so you won’t fall or anything. this bitch ended up tying rope knots that were practically impossible to undo, which resulted in you hanging from the ceiling for approximately 2 hours pussy-ass naked while kuroo tried to cut you down with a kitchen knife

𝙺𝙴𝙽𝙼𝙰 » wanted to spice things up with some dirty talk, like the real nasty talk they use in pornos but not the normal pornos; the shitty company ones with horrific acting. he really ended up announcing that he was going to “fuck your fucking fanny off, you twat”

𝙻𝙴𝚅 » got super excited while he was opening the lube since he hadn’t gotten to fuck you in a WHILE, which resulted the lube leaked everywhere and a giant 6′5 man slipping and hitting his head on the bed frame. worst part is; he had to go to the ER with a hard on that refused to go away

𝙱𝙾𝙺𝚄𝚃𝙾 » speaking of boners that wouldn’t go away, let’s not forget that one time bokuto took two viagras when you texted him to come over for a special occasion. he horribly misinterpreted the ‘special occasion’ text, because he showed up to your house with a huge buldge in his pants as your parents stand before him holding anniversary cards, completely horrified

𝙰𝙺𝙰𝙰𝚂𝙷𝙸 » wanted to make valentines day sex as romantic as he could, so he did the classic lighting candles and giving roses. everything was beautiful, until he accidently knocked one of the bigger candles over during missionary. this not only caused a huge ass fire in your bedroom, but he came right as the fire began to spread. boy was debating on whether his orgasm was to die for or not

𝙺𝙾𝙽𝙾𝙷𝙰 » had a nose bleed when he was going down on you and you both were immediately horrified, you thinking it was your period and him thinking he just ate coochie blood. yet as you went to go clean up, you realized his face had much more blood on it than your coochie did. to this day, he still blames it on your period 

𝚄𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙹𝙸𝙼𝙰 » threw you onto the bed and your head went through the wall. he didn’t even bother to ask you if you were okay, he just sighed and went “well, now i have to make a call to the construction guy. excuse me” and he left you and your concussed ass head sit there once again, pussy ass naked

𝚃𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙾𝚄 » during a blowjob, he held your head down right as he was coming causing the cum to shoot up your throat and somehow pour out of your nose. by the time he pulled out, he could barely breath from laughing at you. sure, the classic ‘milk shooting out of nose’ thing was funny at first until you got a sinus infection and had to breath out of your mouth for the next three days

𝚂𝙴𝙼𝙸 » always insists having sex in the most inconvenient places?? like he would pull you to side while grocery shopping and start grinding up against you as you pick which brand of cheese would be better??

𝙶𝙾𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙺𝙸 » he kept getting frustrated that his bangs were clouding his field of vision, so he irritably grabbed a hair tie and frantically tied up the sides of his bangs while he was fucking you. you immediately burst out laughing since he looked exactly like boo from monsters inc. 

𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚄𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙼𝙰 » got so drunk that he ended up fucking the couch. like he was just there on top of you, and his dick was just sliding between the folds of the leather couch. you decided to let him finish like that

𝚂𝙰𝙺𝚄𝚂𝙰 » had a really bad reaction to one of the products he used while shaving and ended up getting super irritated down there so he kept having to pull out in-between thrusts to itch his crotch. to make things worse, you joking suggested that he looked like he had syphilis and he got so disgusted at the idea of that thought that he literally had to pull out and take a breather 

𝙾𝚂𝙰𝙼𝚄 » drizzled ‘warm’ chocolate down your chest and was about to seductively lick it off until you screamed in pain and horror as the chocolate was literally burning your skin off. osamu panicked, obviously not knowing what to do if chocolate was burning his partners skin off so he just... frantically licked it off. you still had to go to the ER afterwards to get treated for mild burns

𝙰𝚂𝚃𝚄𝙼𝚄 » didn’t know what a hymen was until the first time he tried to have sex with you. no matter how much he tried to shove his schlong in, it really just wasn’t working + “yer puss is broken”

𝚂𝚄𝙽𝙰 » pinched your nipples so fucking hard to the point where you started crying. he thoughts these were tears of pleasure until you literally had to kick him off you. but hey, he gave you ice for your sore nipples and mcdonalds! what more could a girl possibly want :)

uh the end lol

also, this idea was inspired by the first haikyuu headcanon i ever read, “awkward sex moments” by @bbytetsu <3