#Fractured Time Apocalyptic Series

[renegadedrummer]

I’m loving this split screen feature for Windows. I used to manually resize my tabs to fit but this way is so much easier. Now, on to writing a new chapter on my take of a Casey Jones Jr. centric apocalyptic series. You can find me on AO3. The series is “Fractured Time: Casey Jones Jr’s. Guide to His Third Apocalypse.”

[cinnamongorll]

a fragile line - chapter 28

read on ao3! (125k words) | previous chapter | next chapter | masterlist

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female OC

Series tags: extreme slow burn, age gap, older man/younger woman, protective joel, jealous joel, hurt/comfort, pov third person, mutual pining, angst, sexual tension, friends to lovers, canon-typical violence, feral joel, parental abuse, eventual smut.

Series synopsis: three years ago, Juliet escaped her father's religious survivor camp, ending up in the Boston QZ. Juliet created a life for herself in Boston, desperate to forget the trauma of her upbringing. One day, Juliet arrives home to find a mysterious letter which forces her to return to her home town. Juliet can't travel the harsh post-apocalyptic landscape alone, so she enlists the help of the grumpy and, at times, frightening man she works alongside: Joel Miller.

Word count: 7.5k

Chapter 28:

Juliet's POV:

3 weeks later...

Juliet’s bathroom mirror had a crack in it. 

The edges were jagged, creating a black slash across her face whenever she peered into it. Juliet ran her finger along the gap, allowing the razor edges to glide across her skin, as she examined the way her features split in half. 

The steam from the shower had begun to dull the mirror’s clarity, surrounding Juliet’s body in a strange fog. One thing the mirror had yet to dilute, however, was the burning red outline of her father’s possession. 

E.M. reflected back at her with precise clarity. 

Juliet didn’t flinch anymore when she saw it in the mirror; the reminder of her father and his burning hot poker had faded to a constant screaming in the back of her mind. 

The scar appeared to her now like a stain to be removed, one which she itched to run her hand over and erase. 

A sense of hollowness began to invade her bones as the shower’s steam gradually coated the glass, turning it opaque. Her father’s brand began to fade into a dull red glow and Juliet released a slow breath.

She turned and stepped under the stream of blazing water, which instantly scorched her skin and another sigh of relief eased from her parted lips. Recently, the burning of the water was the only thing Juliet truly allowed herself to feel. 

She tipped her head back under the water and ran her fingers through the soaked strands of her hair, tugging gently as she loosened some knots. For a moment, her own hands were replaced by rough fingers and a tight grip and she let go immediately. 

He lingered everywhere: in her hair, on her cheek, her lips, her thighs…

Joel was a stain she could never wash off, no matter how hard she tried. 

It had been three weeks of hiding her tears behind closed doors and gasping awake in the middle of the night reaching desperately for him and finding nothing but an empty mattress. 

On the darkest of those nights, Juliet imagined herself leaving her house, walking to Joel’s door and taking up the offer of his meaningless touch. Juliet imagined that just the feeling of his hands on her might ease the ache a little… but she knew it wouldn’t fix the fractures he’d left. 

Joel had split her open and all that was left was a scarred girl with no one to pull her back together. 

She turned the shower off and stepped onto the bathmat. Juliet’s body began to shiver as the warmth of the water left her, and she quickly changed into her clothes and braided her wet hair down her back.  

Juliet hesitated when she pulled her shirt down over the brand. Today was her final check up before she could be cleared for Jackson’s patrol and Juliet prayed that Charlotte deemed her whole enough.  

When Juliet first arrived in Jackson, she couldn’t imagine ever wanting to step foot outside the fence again… but claustrophobia sets in fast when you’re trapped in a town with a man who has seen the entire rotten mess of your soul and wants absolutely nothing to do with it. 

Above all, Juliet wanted to earn her keep. She’d been on medical rest since she came to the town and the weight of her debt to the townspeople was crushing her. Juliet knew how to shoot, she knew how to ride a horse, and she knew how to fight. Patrol was the best fit for her. 

She just had to prove that she wasn’t completely falling apart. 

Her footsteps were heavy on the stairs as rushed down them, desperate to avoid being late for her appointment. 

“You ready?” Ethan called from the kitchen. 

“Yeah,” Juliet shouted back as she pulled on her boots. 

She’d invited Ethan to come with her and get to know the clinic a bit more. He’d been the medical prodigy of her father’s town and Juliet knew that he was itching to get back to practising medicine, he just needed a push. 

Juliet straightened as Ethan rounded the corner into the hall. She only had a second to plaster a somewhat convincing smile on her face before he was in front of her, scanning her up and down. 

“Are you okay?” he asked with a frown. 

Ethan asked that a lot in the past couple weeks.

“I’m fine,” she assured him as she tilted her chin up, “just want to get this over with.” 

Ethan nodded with a weak smile, and his eyes lingered on her face for another moment before he turned to grab his jacket from the hooks beside the front door. 

As Ethan shrugged his jacket on, Juliet squeezed past and reached for the khaki coloured canvas jacket. 

It still smelled like him. 

The reminder of Joel was imprinted in the material and Juliet was forced to breathe in the memory of his presence every time she pushed her arms through the sleeves. 

She could have found a new jacket, if she’d tried. Juliet could have traded something and added to her ever-growing debt, it wouldn’t have been too difficult. But how could she? When this was all she had left of him. 

Juliet should be angry, she should be furious and disgusted, but she wasn’t. Juliet just felt hollow, like all the emotions she should feel towards Joel had been gutted out and all that was left was an empty pit where her heart used to be.

She pulled the jacket off the hook a little too forcefully and the entire structure shook. Ethan’s head swung towards her but Juliet kept her eyes to the ground and held her breath as Joel’s  jacket engulfed her body. 

………………………..

The walk to the clinic started out rough, as it always did. 

Juliet tried not to look towards his house. 

She’d gone through multiple methods to stop her eyes from straying towards it: First, Juliet attempted to cut through the back garden of another house, but she got stuck between a very large tree and a very high fence. Next, on a particularly rough day, she walked past with her eyes squeezed shut, but didn’t get very far before she tripped. Juliet had quickly dusted herself off and darted away, praying no one had seen her. She didn’t even turn back when she thought she’d heard the sound of his door open and footsteps rushing out onto the porch… 

Juliet had decided it was just the wind. 

This time, Juliet threw herself into a conversation with Ethan as they strolled past. She watched his eyes brighten as he talked about the meal they shared the night before. Juliet smiled back, but it wasn’t real.

She would pretend, though, for Ethan.

For Ethan, Juliet would fake a smile and pretend that she wasn’t entirely numb to the kindness of life in Jackson. 

Joel had stripped her of that luxury… but how could she truly blame him? 

His only crime was not loving her, and the more she thought about it the more she understood why he could not: she’d bribed him, lied to him, and forced him into a situation where he had to save her life.

Juliet had thought there was something there, glimmering beneath his furrowed brow, clenched jaw and rough commands. Juliet had thought he felt something for her.

She blinked away the threat of tears and tuned back into Ethan’s chatter. Things had been better between them; Juliet remembered how comfortable it had been, with him by her side. He was still the same man after all this time and, as the trauma of the last few weeks started to chip away, Juliet remembered why she had fought so hard to save him. 

They walked down Jackson’s mainstreet at a quick pace, smiling at the residents who passed by. 

“No one ever smiled back home, did you ever notice that?” Ethan observed in a wistfully sad voice. 

“Yeah,” she answered as her head turned towards him, “there wasn’t much to smile about.”

Ethan let out a cold laugh as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Guess that’s true,” he replied, “people here have something to live for, I suppose.” 

Juliet caught herself before she flinched, but her skin still pebbled beneath her thick jacket as Ethan unknowingly repeated the words Joel had whispered to her in that dark forest.

“You just gotta find somethin’ to live for,” he’d said in a voice so low and lips so close that his breath had brushed over her forehead. 

How could she? Juliet wanted to scream at him now… how could she, when he’d left her standing alone in the cold? 

……………………….

“Charlotte!” Juliet called when she opened the door to the clinic. The heat from the fireplace hit her immediately and a flush began to build on her cheeks. She stripped her jacket off immediately and hung it on one of the hooks by the door. Behind her, Ethan did the same as his eyes roamed the room.  

“In the back!” Charlotte called back.

Juliet turned to Ethan and raised her eyebrows before they followed the sound of Charlotte’s muffled voice into one of the back rooms. 

“Hey,” Juliet said carefully as she stood in the doorway. She was conscious of frightening her new friend as she sat hunched over precariously balanced bottles of some strange liquid. 

Charlotte’s head swung towards them and her face lit up. “Hey! Give me two seconds, I’m just finishing up,” she said in her permanently cheerful tone. Juliet nodded and turned to Ethan, ready to gesture that they would go wait in the hall … but Ethan’s eyes were glued on Charlotte.

Juliet watched as Ethan followed the movement of Charlotte’s hands. She must have noticed too, because she called over her shoulder: “Are you interested in medicine?” 

Ethan straightened in surprise. “Yeah,” he said, then cleared his throat, “used to practise but it’s been… a while.” 

Juliet didn’t miss the way his voice quietened at the reminder of the last few years.

“I take it you were the one to dress Juliet’s wound before y’all arrived?” Charlotte asked over her shoulder as she continued to fiddle with her equipment. 

Ethan looked to Juliet before responding, his eyes had taken on a haunted look as they dipped to her stomach then back over to where Charlotte sat at her desk. “Uh, yeah, that was me,” he confirmed in a rough voice. 

Charlotte finally looked away from her work and stripped off the gloves in her hands, then carefully dropped them into the bin on the floor. Her eyes lifted to Ethan’s as she reached up to tighten her long blonde ponytail.

“You did a good job,” she said earnestly, then paused and tilted her head slightly to the side, “we’re always looking for help around here, if you’re interested…” 

Charlotte trailed off as Ethan began to nod enthusiastically, then she smiled and clapped her hands together. “Fantastic! We’ll talk,” she answered with a wink.

Juliet watched with a hidden smirk as a flush rose on Ethan’s neck. 

“But first, Juliet, shall we?” Charlotte said, nodding towards the examination table in the corner of the room. 

It was metal with a thin mattress over it, and Juliet had found herself lying on it more times than she could count over the last couple weeks. It turned out that her injuries were more severe than she had realised. Having grown up with bruises as a permanent feature on her skin, Juliet never took her pain seriously. Even in the QZ, her hands were littered with burns that went untreated. 

When her father told her every day that the marks he left on her didn’t actually exist, Juliet began to adopt her pain as second nature and question if her tears were worth anything at all. 

Charlotte had treated the bullet wound on her shoulder, the bruises and burns on her wrists and ankles, the slash from her father’s bible on the side of her face, and his white hot initials on her stomach… along with various other aches and pains from untreated wounds over the years.

After Charlotte sent Ethan into the hall, she read out the list of treatments Juliet had accumulated over the past few weeks… and it wasn’t surprising she was banned from patrol. 

“Okay, so, let’s see if you’re ready to get on a horse,” Charlotte said softly as she rolled up Juliet’s top. 

Charlotte’s fingers were icy and goosebumps travelled across Juliet’s skin. She bit her lip and kept her gaze levelled on the ceiling as Charlotte peeled off her bandage. It was terrifying, the thought that she might still be too weak to step outside the town and do something with the abundance of time now on her hands.

In the QZ, the days were long and brutal, and Juliet would stumble back to her dingy apartment with smoke covered hands and blackened lungs before passing out on her moth-eaten couch, preparing for another gruelling shift the following day. 

In Jackson, life was much slower. Everyone worked and contributed to the community and there were no enforcers, no men with guns and bats tasked with keeping people in line. People worked in Jackson because they wanted to; the residents were fueled by their gratitude to the town and their willingness to work together.

Juliet wanted, so desperately, to be a part of that. She wanted to find something to get her up in the morning after long nights spent haunted by the memory of rough hands and cold eyes.

“You’re healing nicely, I’m going to recommend to Tommy that you’re cleared for patrol,” Charlotte declared as her hands left Juliet’s torso. 

“What?” Juliet coughed out and she used her elbows to lift herself up on the table, just enough to see Charlotte look down at her with her eyebrows raised. 

“I said you’re good,” she repeated slowly, “I mean, you’re still healing but I don’t see any risks of infection.” Charlotte clasped her hands together and tilted her head to the side as her eyes softened. 

“I know you’ve had a rough time of it the last few weeks… with Joel” Charlotte said in a quiet voice. 

She was frighteningly perceptive.

Juliet’s eyes left Charlotte’s as she sat up and swung her legs off the table, cringing slightly at the pull on her stomach. 

When she turned to her again, Juliet shook her head and feigned confusion. “It wasn’t like that,” she assured Charlotte with as much conviction as she could muster.

Charlotte scanned her face for a moment, then stepped backwards with a knowing smile. “Just don’t do anything reckless, it won’t make you feel any better,” she warned as her chin tilted downwards. “I’ve spent weeks trying to patch you up, don’t spoil my good work,” she continued, her voice friendly and teasing but with a soft undercurrent of concern. 

Juliet feigned an exacerbated eye-roll and let out a long breath. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” she replied and Charlotte shot her another quiet smile.

Juliet thanked Charlotte and left the room. Her heart raced and her body had stiffened slightly as Charlotte’s words sunk in…

Was patrol just another one of her distractions? 

Self-destructive behaviour was not new to Juliet, but patrol had nothing to do with Joel, surely. She just wanted to prove herself, right? 

Her mind felt clouded as she walked into the waiting room, ready to join Ethan by the fire for a moment, but her steps halted when she entered the room. 

The front door swung open and Tommy entered, rubbing his hands together as the heat hit him. “There you are,” he said warmly as his eyes focused on her, standing stiffly next to Ethan’s chair. 

Juliet blinked. “Hey”

“How’d it go?” Tommy asked as he walked closer, running a hand through his long wavy hair, “you cleared for patrol?” 

Juliet straightened and a sudden feeling of dread began to burn in her gut. “Yeah,” she said quietly, “Charlotte said I’m good to go.” 

A relieved smile took over Tommy’s mouth. “Thank god, a couple guys had to leave patrol when their wives had their kids, so we’re needin’ some fresh recruits,” he explained enthusiastically.

Juliet didn’t reply, she just nodded awkwardly and crossed her arms over her chest. 

Tommy’s stare cut suddenly to Ethan, who sat quietly in the armchair by the fire watching their conversation with his usual curious look. 

“What bout you?” Tommy directed towards Ethan. “Heard you can shoot too, you interested in patrol?” 

Ethan’s eyebrows shot up and he shifted in his seat. 

“Tommy Miller, are you tryin to steal my new trainee?” Charlotte exclaimed in mock surprise as she squeezed into the room behind Juliet with a gentle touch on her shoulder. 

Juliet’s mouth twitched as Tommy’s eyes shot to the ceiling.

“New trainee?” he asked, looking between Charlotte and Ethan. 

“Yeah,” she shrugged, “with doc doin’ so many house visits, I need all the help around here I can get.”

Tommy looked contemplative as Charlotte’s head turned to Ethan. “Plus, I think he’s already had some medical training. Is that right?” she asked, tilting her chin down at Ethan, sitting in his armchair. 

Ethan stiffened as all the eyes in the room swung on him at once. “That’s right,” he confirmed roughly as his gaze found Charlotte’s. 

Tommy raised his hands. “Fine,” he said, admitting defeat, then he caught Juliet’s eye and nodded. “Let’s head over to the stables, I’ll introduce you to your patrol partner.”

Juliet didn’t say anything for a moment. The weight of her decision grew heavy on her shoulders, but there was also a glimmer of excitement within her. She imagined herself getting on a horse, armed with every weapon she needed to protect the town.

It would be good to protect a place like this, a place that actually deserved it. 

Her eyes caught Charlotte’s and the weight eased as Juliet returned her warm, encouraging smile. 

She turned back to Tommy, who watched her with a curious look. Juliet might have thought there was guilt swimming in his gaze if she didn’t know any better. 

Eventually, Juliet nodded sharp and quick. “Let’s go.”

………………………..

Juliet hadn’t stepped foot in the stables since that first day, when burning relief was her most prominent emotion. 

Now, Juliet wasn’t sure what to feel. 

Tommy showed her around, pointing out all the things he hadn’t needed to on that first day. Juliet listened intently, wishing she had brought a notebook with her. It was the first job she’d ever cared about and she didn’t want to fuck it up. 

Juliet was very conscious of the fact that she had no ties to Jackson or Tommy, and that she and Ethan were allowed to stay purely because of the kindness of the residents. 

Once the tour had ended, Tommy and Juliet circled back to the entrance of the stables, where they waited for her new patrol partner to arrive. Tommy assured her that she wouldn’t start until the following day, but he wanted to make sure that she met her partner before then. 

They chatted quietly about Jackson’s weather, and the snow which was very possibly arriving the following week, when the barn doors opened with a long sharp whine of the hinges.

Juliet’s head swung in the direction and her stomach dropped to her feet. 

She would have prepared herself if she thought it would have been him. She would have donned some armour, strengthening her defences and at least attempted to plug the gaping hole in her chest. 

But Juliet hadn’t expected to see him, so the sight of Joel Miller struck her like the most painful blow. 

When her eyes finally focused, the first thing she noticed was his new jacket.

It shouldn’t have caused her stomach to drop even further, but it did. 

It was a dark brown leather, with the collar slightly turned up over his throat and Joel tugged against it as he entered the chilled barn. 

Juliet swallowed rough and shifted on her feet as she forced her eyes to focus on Tommy, but she knew the exact moment Joel’s stare found her. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched his stride suddenly stop and his body physically stiffen. 

“Joel,” Tommy said, greeting his brother with a tight smile. 

Juliet kept her stare pointed on Tommy’s face but goosebumps grew across her skin as she felt Joel move closer. 

“Ready to head out?” Joel asked his brother, his voice low and stilted. 

Tommy nodded and crossed his arms over his chest as his eyes darted to Juliet. 

“Yeah, soon, just waiting to introduce Juliet to Matt,” Tommy explained, as he tilted his head down to check his watch.

“Why?” Joel demanded in a voice so devastatingly dark. She felt his hot gaze find the side of her head and Juliet knew she had to turn around and face him, but his uncaring stare still stained the inside of her eyelids when she tried to sleep at night and Juliet worried that she might see that coldness in his eyes again. 

Tommy looked taken aback as his head turned between them both. “Juliet want -”

“I’m starting patrol,” Juliet said, cutting Tommy off as she finally faced Joel. 

Joel’s eyes were like the heaviest anchor, dragging her down into the depths of her sadness. Juliet had once thought he was the weight that kept her afloat, but she was wrong; she was merely a passenger in his life before he pushed her off the edge, back into the dark murky waters. 

“You’re what?” he growled. Joel looked down at her with a face like cracked stone, where his rage simmered out of each jagged edge. 

Inside, Juliet’s heart was hammering against her chest, but on the outside, she forced her spine to straighten and she wiped her face clean of any shock or surprise. 

“I’m starting patrol,” she repeated, slower this time with a harsher edge to her voice. 

“No, you’re not,” Joel argued gruffly, but his voice didn’t invite a response, it was a command.

Juliet blinked and looked to Tommy for assistance. “Charlotte just cleared me?” she replied, confusion evident in the crease between her eyebrows.

“Joel, you said it yourself, Juliet is highly skilled and we need that on patrol,” Tommy interjected, shifting on his feet. 

Joel said that? 

Juliet reached up to rub the back of her neck as her irritation grew. Joel was cruel that day outside her house, she hadn’t imagined that… but was she now imagining the way his eyes shone with concern? 

“You’re not ready, it’s too dangerous, you’ll hurt yourself,” Joel challenged. His words spilled from his mouth in a distressed ramble which made the confusion in Juliet’s chest twist painfully. 

Juliet shook her head and tilted her chin up to meet his flared pupils. 

Her mind flashed back to the Joel she knew three weeks ago, who had looked so guarded and frigid, and then she focused on the Joel standing in front of her with a turbulent combination of fear and anger darkening his eyes. 

Juliet should be outraged at his insistence that she couldn’t take care of herself, but she couldn’t help the part of her who clung to him on dark nights, and looked up at him like her protector, from viewing Joel’s words with optimism, with some sick hope that maybe he really did care after all. 

He must have seen it in her eyes; Joel must have watched her gaze shift into something softer, something kinder. And so, just as he had three weeks ago, Joel crushed any hope still living within her. 

Joel’s eyes narrowed as he turned to Tommy, ignoring Juliet altogether. “She’s not ready, she can’t protect the town.”

It was like her heart was shattering all over again. 

Juliet’s eyes turned glossy despite her best efforts to push down the ache in her chest. Joel just had this keen way of finding the part of her which hurt the most and driving the knife in deeper. 

Tommy stepped back from his brother, rage now rippling across his face. 

“Go sort the horses Joel, we’ll leave once I’m done here,” Tommy seethed, and Joel’s eyes widened. 

“You can’t be serious,” Joel ground out when he turned on Juliet, “after everythin’ we went through to get here, you’re just gonna go back out there?” 

Juliet winced. “You’re on patrol, why can’t I?” she bit back, standing her ground. 

Joel’s jaw clenched with teeth cracking intensity as his dark eyes roamed her face. What he was searching for in her expression, Juliet didn’t know, but she wasn’t planning on relenting anytime soon. In fact, Joel’s presence just made her more determined to find time beyond the fence. 

Everything about being around him hurt. It hurt to look in his eyes, knowing the way he used to look at her. It hurt watching his mouth curl into a cruel snarl, knowing the way he used to reluctantly laugh when she least expected it. But most of all, it hurt to hear the bitter words from his mouth as she remembered how warm they had once sounded against her skin. 

“That’s different,” he argued as he sharply turned his head back to Tommy in a desperate attempt to find some agreement in his eyes. But his brother said nothing, he was the one to approach Juliet with the offer of patrol and he wasn’t budging. 

“Joel, just go,” Tommy interrupted with a hand on Joel’s chest, holding him back from god knows what. Juliet hadn’t realised until Tommy broke the spell that Joel had moved closer, towering over her as he almost growled his words. 

He took one last look at Juliet, scanning her face with such intensity before he pushed past his brother and headed further into the stables with his shoulders tight and his fists clenched by his side. 

Juliet blinked and felt her race redden.

“I’m sorry bout him,” Tommy sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“It’s fine,” she replied quickly. It wasn’t though. She just couldn’t understand it. Joel and Juliet fought their way across the country together; he knew she could shoot, and protect herself, so why would he be so against her joining the patrol?

Maybe what her father had done to her changed the way Joel saw her… maybe he saw her as weak, maybe that’s why he wanted nothing to do with her…

Juliet swallowed roughly and coughed away the lump in her throat. She couldn’t afford to think like that. If she started to imagine why Joel had backed away, Juliet would spend the entire day ripping herself apart. 

“Hey!” a new voice called from the entrance to the barn. 

A smile approached Tommy’s mouth as a man Juliet hadn’t seen before stepped into the stables and headed over towards them. 

“Matt, I’d like you to meet Juliet - your new patrol partner,” Tommy said, gesturing towards Juliet. 

Juliet’s eyes finally focused on him and she stood up a bit straighter. He was handsome, with messy brown hair and a friendly smile which prevented any tendrils of fear from growing in her chest.

But it was his eyes which helped ease Juliet the most. They were kind eyes, the sort of eyes which echoed every smile on his face. 

“Juliet,” he echoed, now staring down at her, “I’ve heard a lot about you.” 

Juliet wasn’t sure how to reply. Her mind was still caught up in the mystery of Joel, so she opted for a quiet smile and raised eyebrows. 

“Heard you’re a good shot, will be good havin’ someone like you watchin’ my back out there,” Matt said with a friendly wink. 

How did everyone know so much about her? Only Joel truly knew the extent of her survival skills but she couldn’t imagine him singing her praises around town, he could barely look her in the eye without scowling. 

“When do we start?” she asked, pointedly ignoring Matt’s comment out of mild embarrassment. 

Matt crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Tommy. “We’re on the schedule for tomorrow, right?” 

“Yeah, bright and early,” Tommy confirmed.

Juliet nodded and looked between the two men. “Perfect.” 

…………………………

Two days later, Juliet had regrets. Not enough that she would swear off patrol forever, but she definitely had her doubts. 

She walked into the stables for her second shift just before dawn with her hood up and her sleeves pulled down over her fingers. The barn was empty and she could hear the soft thuds of her footsteps hit the straw covered ground as she made her way over to her horse. 

With everything in her, Juliet tried not to think about the day before or the fresh, thick ring of bruises around her wrist… if she did, she might start to think that maybe Joel was right, maybe patrol wasn’t for her. 

But she wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. 

Matt went first through Jackson’s gates, leading his horse with an air of confidence about him while Juliet tugged on the reins of her own horse and followed behind with sweaty palms and a racing heart. 

The first hour or so was fine, boring even, as Juliet and Matt travelled towards a nearby abandoned town they’d been asked to clear. Juliet had her gun loaded and her knife ready. She wasn’t frightened of the infected, it was always the people to look out for. 

She eyed Matt on the horse next to her. He seemed nice, making an effort to keep the conversation up even if Juliet only responded with vague answers and quiet pauses. His smile never faltered, it was inspiring actually. But Juliet hadn't seen him fight yet and she worried that his skills might not match his confidence. 

When they reached the array of houses, they stopped and slid off their horses in silence; only communicating through hand signals and exaggerated looks. Within minutes, Juliet and Matt had their guns positioned in front of them as they approached the first house. 

Their backs were pressed against the rotted wood, listening for any infected groans or hushed whispers. Juliet breathed a sigh of relief when they heard nothing, but the rigidness of her shoulders didn’t ease; they still had to clear the houses, which meant actually going in them.

Juliet swallowed and closed her eyes, she allowed the weight of her task to fall down on her tense shoulders and then waited for herself to get used to the feeling. Juliet was beyond the fence and she had neither Joel nor Blake standing by her side to protect her. Despite Matt’s gentle presence, Juliet felt like she was facing this alone, and with that thought came a feeling of pride. She could do this, she was doing this. Juliet pushed Joel’s harsh words to the back of her mind and strengthened her grip on her gun. 

When she opened her eyes, Matt turned her way and he signalled to split up and enter the house through different doors. Juliet’s eyebrows furrowed a little at the mention of splitting up, but, despite hardly knowing him, she trusted that Matt knew the ways of patrol and decided to follow his lead. She nodded back fast and sharp. 

The thud of hard footsteps startled Juliet from her memory and her head darted towards the source of the sound. 

As soon as her eyes brushed over the muddy leather jacket she froze and squeezed her eyes shut. Shit. 

That was not Matt. 

Juliet swallowed down her panic and shrunk behind the wall near the back of the stables, where the shelving was kept. Maybe if she stayed here, Joel would get what he needed and leave. He wasn’t scheduled for patrol this morning. 

She heard him head over to his horse and Juliet allowed her head to fall back against the wall in relief. 

The front door made no sound as she turned the handle, not even the signature shriek of over twenty year old hinges. The initial stabbing of fear in her chest lessened as a small bit of relief flowed through her. 

Juliet walked into the house with the softest footsteps she could manage, barely even putting weight on the wooden floor as she made her way through the hall and into the living room. 

The house was a massive, practically a mansion, it was bigger than any house Joel and Juliet had come across on the road and there was a lot of ground to cover. Matt had entered from the back door and Juliet watched as he silently headed up the stairs before she rounded the corner into the living area. 

The room was a time capsule. With the layers and layers of dust on everything Juliet assumed that nothing had been touched since the world changed. It was strange to come across a house that hadn’t been pillaged but Juliet assumed being positioned deep in Wyoming would deter any visitors. 

The realisation allowed Juliet’s muscles to ease even further but she continued to hold her gun tight in her hand with her finger hovering over the trigger, just like Ethan had taught her. It was her first time on patrol and she wasn’t taking any chances. 

There was a door across the room so Juliet headed there next, still making sure to keep her steps light and fast. She kept listening for anything amiss upstairs but heard nothing, Matt must have been fine, just silently sweeping the untouched rooms. 

Juliet was struck by how cold the handle was as her hand curved around it. She should have taken it as an omen, but the thought hadn’t even entered her head as she angled her wrist and turned the handle. 

“The hell you doin’ back here?” a gruff, startled voice demanded. 

Juliet’s eyes shot open and her head turned to Joel, now standing beside the wall she leaned against. She straightened instantly as her heart started to speed in her chest. Juliet could tell herself that he had startled her, but her body reacted this way every time she met his dark brown eyes.  

“Just waiting for Matt,” Juliet answered as she continued to shake herself from her memories. 

“Behind a wall?” Joel asked, amused. 

His mouth didn’t have the same sharp edges to it, but Juliet knew not to be fooled. 

“Yeah,” she confirmed, her face reddening slightly, “was just uh resting my eyes for a second.” 

“Sure,” Joel replied slowly, with raised eyebrows. 

Juliet shifted, suddenly feeling unsteady. She hadn’t spoken to Joel since the day before last, when he had very publicly questioned her survival abilities. 

She wrapped her arms around her middle, making sure her hurt didn’t spill out from the hole he left in her chest. 

“Why are you here?” Juliet snapped, “you’re not on the schedule.” 

Joel blinked and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked down at her with eyes that didn’t match the memory of his apathy that day outside her house and Juliet struggled to keep her defences secured. 

He cleared his throat and his jaw shifted. “Just grabbin’ some ammo,” he answered, nodding at the shelving behind her. 

“Oh,” Juliet breathed. She realised that she was standing in his way and a horribly enticing  image of him brushing against her as he squeezed past flashed into her mind. Juliet swallowed and decided to avoid any more close proximity, lest her defences fail entirely and she fall for the hint of decency he was showing her in that moment. 

“I’ll grab it for you,” she said quietly and turned. The shelf of ammo was quite high up so she had to stand on her tiptoes and stretch her right arm up to grip the small box. 

Behind her, Juliet heard Joel’s sharp intake of breath as her sleeve fell.

The handle turned with ease, it wasn’t even stiff. Somehow, Juliet had been fooled by the silence of the house and its lack of immediate threats. That’s why, when the door inched open and the infected’s peeling face filled her view, Juliet froze as her shock choked her. Her hand paused on the handle, she didn’t dare make a single movement. 

It was strange, looking back on it, that the infected hadn’t made a single sound to announce its presence. Not a click or a grunt or a screech. 

Peering into the windowless room, Juliet hadn’t known it was lurking in the dark until its decayed fingers were wrapped around her wrist, as her hand continued to grip the freezing cold handle. 

With the first touch of its wet, torn flesh on her skin, terror struck Juliet, wrapping around her throat with the same vice-like grip of the infected on her wrist. She might have screamed, she wasn’t sure, because the infected had finally decided to make its presence known, shrieking violently into Juliet’s ear. 

The infected gripped her wrist so forcefully that she couldn’t pull herself from the door handle, so she did the next best thing: Juliet tightened her hold on the door and pulled with all her strength to slam it closed on the infected. 

It worked. Kind of. 

The infected was jammed in between the door and its frame, with its hand still squeezing down harder and harder against Juliet’s wrist and its head pushing through the gap. 

Juliet was definitely screaming as the infected’s teeth snapped against her arm. Joel’s jacket wouldn’t protect her from the force of the infected’s bite. Panic flooded her bloodstream. Juliet couldn’t think, she couldn’t strategise, because what if the infected’s teeth had already pierced her skin?

What if this was it? 

If she was bit, Matt would shoot her in the head and Juliet would never see Joel again. 

Even in what might have been her final moments, as she struggled against the infected, Juliet still thought of him. 

She would die, and never get to tell him how she really felt. 

Juliet knew he wouldn’t care, that some confession from her would only be met by emotionless eyes and cutting words, but she couldn’t let go… she couldn’t forget how she felt, and how he had once made her feel. 

Thankfully, her sanity returned as the milliseconds ticked by and Juliet started shooting the infected’s arm, desperately attempting to force it to release her wrist. 

She heard Matt rush up behind her, shouting her name, but she just kept shooting until a bullet finally landed itself in the infected’s head. 

Matt caught her as she fell backwards, still kicking her feet and continuing to scream even as she watched the infected fall to the floor, mostly behind the door with only its arm and leaking head in sight.

“It’s okay,” Matt repeated over and over as Juliet struggled against him. 

“No, get away” she gasped as terror poured from her, “I might be infected.” 

Matt didn’t let go, even as Juliet began to punch his arms. It had to have hurt but he didn’t budge. 

“Calm down, we’ll check, okay?” he said breathlessly as Juliet’s punches grew weaker. “Please, just let me have a look.” 

Juliet slumped against him, breathing heavy. She couldn’t bring herself to glance at her wrist. 

Matt held tight against her until for another moment before he cautiously reached towards her arm. Juliet could feel the rapid beating of his heart against her back. 

Her eyes were squeezed shut when she felt his fingertips on her wrist, her skin was almost numb from the force of the infected’s grip, but she still felt Matt slowly trace her skin, searching for her death sentence. 

Tears leaked from the corner of her scrunched eyelids when he pulled her sleeve down further and Juliet wondered how long the infection would take to set in. Was she starting to feel it now? Or was the shaking of her body just the remnants from her adrenaline rush? 

The seconds stretched beyond all understanding of space and time as Juliet waited for Matt to confirm her fate. 

“You’re clean,” he whispered softly as his fingers left her aching skin. 

“Juliet,” he said, raising his voice a little to grab her attention. “You’re clean, it didn’t get you, I swear.” 

Juliet felt his voice rumble against her back as she continued to slump against him and she waited for his words to register. When they did, she sat up and, with a spinning head, examined every inch of her skin. 

“I’m clean,” she confirmed under her breath as her wide eyes trained on the rapidly developing bruise on her skin. 

The following day, the bruise had only grown worse. It was almost black and wrapped around the entirety of her wrist in the shape of the infected’s rotten fingers. 

Juliet’s entire body stiffened as she felt the sleeve of her jacket brush her raw skin and reveal the evidence of her stupidity, her inability to protect the town. 

She’d got herself caught by an infected, she could have got Matt killed. 

Quickly she gripped the worn cardboard of the ammo box and dropped her arms, swallowing rough before she turned around. 

She knew how Joel would react. He would tell her that he was right, that she wasn’t ready to go on patrol - 

“Who did this to you?” Joel seethed in a voice so viciously menacing that Juliet couldn't help but flinch. He stalked towards her and grabbed the ammo from her hand, throwing it on the low shelf behind her, before he lifted her wrist with surprising gentleness as his fingers slowly pushed back the sleeve of her jacket, revealing the extent of the bruising. 

His eyes left her arm momentarily to meet her wide eyed stare. 

“Who did this to you?” he demanded again, slower this time, like every word choked him. 

Juliet’s lips parted as her eyes darted between Joel’s intense stare and his fingers softly brushing over her wrist. 

His mouth was bloodthirsty but his eyes were pained, like the sight of the dark ring of purple around her wrist bruised him too. 

“Nobody, It was -” 

“Don’t lie to me,” he nearly growled. “Was it Matt?” 

Juliet’s stomach dropped. Joel said Matt’s name as though her were some mass murderer. 

“No!” Juliet said nervously, “It was -”

“If he fuckin’ touched you,” Joel raged, shaking his head ever so slightly. 

“It wasn’t him!” Juliet breathlessly revealed. “It was an infected.” 

Juliet expected Joel’s rage to burn out when he realised Matt had no part in her injury, but for some reason it looked as though the muscles in his body grew even tighter.

“An infected did this?” he breathed, hovering his thumb over the dark purple. 

Juliet nodded slowly, not trusting her words. 

Joel was touching her and she could think of nothing else other than the calloused edge of his fingertips brushing so delicately against her injured skin. 

“You weren’t bit?” Joel asked softly, already knowing the answer or Juliet wouldn’t have been standing in front of him. 

“No,” she whispered hoarsely. 

“You could’ve been killed,” he ground out as a muscle jumped in his very tight jaw. Joel was so close to her now, his breath touched her forehead as she looked up at him. 

She was pressed against the shelving, with nowhere to escape him. 

His other hand reached up and cradled her cheek as his eyes scanned over her face, watching as her lip trembled. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked in a hushed voice. 

Juliet had been drawn in, caught in the spell of Joel’s close proximity; exposed to the intoxication of his smell and the magnetism of his eyes. 

But his words struck her in that deep, dark hole in her chest, and she was thrown from his orbit. 

Why didn’t she tell him? 

Her eyes darkened. 

“Why the hell would I tell you?” Juliet almost snarled. 

Joel drew back as if he’d been slapped. 

For a brief moment, Juliet imagined she saw hurt blazing in his eyes, before they hardened. 

“We haven’t spoken in weeks, and you all but told me you couldn’t care less about me,” she bit out, pouring every bit of her anger, shock and sadness into each word. 

“Why would I tell you anything?” she continued, her voice cracking. 

A million emotions flashed across Joel’s face, and Juliet couldn’t seem to grasp at any. 

She was breathing heavy. 

His hands released her slowly as though he had to force himself to pull away. 

Joel took a deep breath and Juliet held her’s as she waited for him to take back every cruel word he threw at her and rescind the way he made her feel. 

But his eyes scanned her face and the breath slowly left his mouth, with nothing to ease the ache in Juliet’s chest. 

“It’s a miracle you’re alive,” he said quietly after a moment, rubbing a hand over his jaw. 

Juliet said nothing, all the fight in her was gone. 

She’d expected Joel to argue back, to fight her accusation of his indifference towards her. 

But, instead, she watched as all the shutters in his mind slammed closed once again.

With one last lingering look, Joel turned and stormed around the corner without his ammo. 

Juliet closed her eyes and felt tears leak down her cheeks, cleansing her skin of the memory of Joel’s heated touch as she heard his hard footsteps march out of the barn.

_________________________________________

@amyispxnk @http-paprika @shotgun-shelby @weeping-werewolf

(I'll proofread this properly tomorrow, sorry if there's any random formatting or grammatical errors lol)

thanks for reading ❤️

[kingofbodyrolls]

I Will Come to You (t) | ksj

*this is a re-upload since I deleted my old account 🫣

When the first flakes of white snow fell, the world shifted, draped in a quiet, uncanny veil. Then came the air raids—a brutal, unrelenting scream that tore through the silence, and Seokjin feared he had lost you forever. He wandered through the wasteland, searching, aching, haunted by the memory of your touch—warm, tender, as if sunlight itself had lingered upon his skin, even as darkness closed in. And now, as he feels your heart beat against his, he wonders, barely daring to breathe: can this be real?

→ Pairing: seokjin x reader (genderless) → AUs: apocalyptic!au, survival!au → Trope: established relationship → Genres: angst (heavy) + fluff (heavy) + poetic → Rating: teen (though this mentions an apocalypse and there’s no sexually explicit stuff, please tread carefully.) → Word count: 1.6k → Warnings (general) + triggers: mention of nuclear war (bombings), fire, lost love reunited, FLUFF with a happy ending → Author’s note: so… I listened to Jin’s album—I don’t know how many times (I’ve lost count), and I kept replaying ‘I will come to you’ and so this one was born while I cried my eyes out. It’s a very poetic piece, inspired by Jin’s new Album ‘HAPPY’ but mostly the tracks ‘Running Wild’ and ‘I will come to you’ and you know what? It fits perfectly into my End of The World series 🤧 I remember once, there was an anon who asked if I would make a story in this universe for each member, and I’m still not sure. This one kinda just happened. I do really hope you’ll love it. I promise; it might sound really sad, and it is, but it’s just as much a hug and a promise of forever 🫂 I love you 💜 → Read on AO3? [link]

[series materlist]: End of the World* *this story is a stand alone one-shot (and can be read just as is), but it is a part of my End of the World series, so if you haven’t read it you can give it a read 💜

The day the white snow fell, the world transformed. A pristine veil descended, cloaking not just the streets but hearts and hopes, painting everything in hues of ash, bone-white, and the ghostly luminescence of distant fire. The afterglow of atomic storms lingered on the horizon, a reminder of ruin.  

When the air raids screamed—a piercing, merciless wail—it felt as though the earth itself recoiled. The sound rippled through him, sharp as shards of glass, setting his skin alight with dread, each nerve taut as a bowstring. And then he turned to you.  

For the briefest heartbeat, he saw it—fear etched in your gaze, crystalline, like a reflection caught in a frozen pond.  

And then the world ruptured.  

Explosions clawed at the heavens.  

Buildings fractured, shards spinning like deadly constellations.  

Falling.  

His reality tilted, a kaleidoscope of chaos. Heart pounding a desperate rhythm, he stumbled through the wreckage, blinded by dust and despair, grasping for some sign—anything—of you.  

But you were gone.  

Where were you?  

He had scoured the ruins, stumbling through the shattered remnants of a world undone, as shadows of planes etched cold, cruel arcs across the ashen sky—each one a harbinger of annihilation. Above him, the heavens carried a promise of total destruction; below, the earth whispered only despair.  

Tears carved rivers down his soot-streaked face, his bones heavy with dread, each step forward an act of defiance against the weight of grief that clung to him like iron chains. He didn’t know how to exist in a world where your smile, radiant as sunlight breaking through a storm, no longer graced his days. Your laughter, a melody that once brightened even the darkest hours, was now an aching echo. Your warmth, the heart of every moment, felt as distant as the stars.  

And yet, something within him—a fragile ember of you—urged him onward. His heart, though fractured, whispered to push through the bitter snow, to carry the memory of you as a flame against the encroaching dark. He vowed to keep it alive: the memory of your boundless kindness, your tireless hands shaping a future together in the lab, side by side, crafting medicines to heal a broken world.  

But now, that world was gone. You were gone.  

And he stood on the edge of the abyss, a lone figure amid endless ruin, asking a question with no answer: What should he do now?  

The weight of it all threatened to crush him, a pain so vast and unrelenting it seemed unbearable. The burden of your absence was a mountain, a storm raging in his chest. Yet still, he carried it, each faltering step a testament to the life you had shared, the dreams you had dared to dream.  

Even as the universe itself seemed to collapse around him, he clung to the one thing that remained: you, alive in his heart, guiding him through the endless night.  

When he looks back, he marvels at how much time has slipped through his fingers, yet you remain vivid—a ghost etched in his heart, haunting every corner of his barren world. Your image lingers, unyielding, like the golden trace of sunlight that kisses the horizon even as night falls.  

The world may be gray, its hues leached by sorrow, but you remain—an unbroken thread of warmth, a tender caress on his cheek, softer than the whisper of the wind. Each night, he seeks you in his dreams, wandering through shadowy corridors of memory, chasing the echo of your laughter, the light in your eyes.  

He swears to you: when the warm breeze stirs again, carrying the scent of renewal, he will come to you. No matter how long the journey, no matter how heavy the ache in his soul, he will find his way back to you.  

Until then, as sleep takes him, he surrenders to your memory—an embrace of all that was beautiful, a sanctuary where he can still feel your presence. There, you are whole, alive, and radiant.  

Without you, the world is stripped bare. Color fades to ash, the air turns cold, and life feels like an endless winter. You were the fire in his soul, the summer in his heart. Without you, everything is still, silent, and gray.  

And when he finds himself wandering a dark and desolate road, he sees it—a glimmer of light, distant but steadfast. It pulls him forward, a quiet beacon in the endless night, and he thinks of you. Of his promise. 

He will come to you.

With trembling resolve, he steps toward the light, each stride shedding the shadows that cling to him like ghosts of the past. His hand reaches out, and in the glow, he feels it—the warmth of your presence, as if the very air hums with your essence. Your fingers graze his, soft as whispers, anchoring him to this moment.  

And then you hold him, drawing him into an embrace that feels like coming home. The world could end again, collapsing into chaos, but none of it matters. Not the ruin, not the loss, not the pain. Not while he is here, held in your arms, the fragile promise of forever whispering between you.  

Please give me forever, he thinks, the words a prayer that rises from the depths of his soul.  

His cheek presses against your shoulder, and he feels the wetness there—tears he hadn’t realized were his own. Sobs shake his body, raw and unyielding, as the weight of your reunion crashes over him like a tidal wave.  

“Is this real?” he whispers, his voice breaking, fragile as the first crack of dawn.  

Your touch is warm. Real. Tangible in a way he almost forgot could exist. And for the first time in what feels like an eternity, the darkness doesn’t seem so vast.  

The pulse beneath his hand—steady, alive—grounds him as his palm rests against your chest. He feels your heart beating, each rhythm a melody of life, a reassurance so fragile it terrifies him. He doesn’t dare wake, doesn’t dare let the delicate warmth of this moment dissolve like mist at dawn.  

“I missed you,” you breathe, your voice low, soft, trembling with the weight of emotion. Your arms encircle him, holding him as though tomorrow may never come, as though this embrace is the only thing keeping the universe intact.  

Tears spill down his cheeks, unchecked, uncontainable. He sobs, raw and unguarded, the pain and joy of reunion too much to hold inside.  

“Seokjin, stop crying,” you murmur, your fingers tender as they wipe the tears from his face.  

“But I don’t want you to leave,” he chokes out, his voice cracking, each word heavy with fear.  

You cup his cheek, your touch gentle, grounding. “I’m not going anywhere,” you say, and your voice carries a quiet strength, a promise woven into the very fabric of his soul.  

Still, his eyes search yours, confusion and disbelief flickering like shadows. He’s afraid to believe, afraid to hope.  

“I’m here,” you whisper, leaning close. The brush of your lips against his cheek is featherlight, a kiss that feels more real than anything he’s known in so long.  

He blinks, his breath catching as if the world itself has paused, waiting for him to believe in the impossible.  

“You’re here?” he whispers, his voice trembling with disbelief, as if the words might vanish the moment they leave his lips. His gaze searches yours, desperate, yearning, still caught between the shadow of doubt and the light of hope.  

You smile softly, a sound like a distant melody escaping as you chuckle, your fingers reaching out to pinch the cheek you had just kissed.  

“Ouch!” he exclaims, rubbing the spot, his lips curling into a faint, startled smile. But he felt that.  

Felt it.  

You’re real?

You’re alive?  

Before the thoughts can fully settle, he pulls you into his arms with a fierceness born of desperation and relief. He holds you as though you’re the last thing tethering him to this world, so tightly it feels as though you might break—and yet, neither of you lets go.  

Finally. After all the ruin, all the searching, he has found you. His heart pounds against yours, a frantic rhythm that echoes the mantra he’s carried in his soul all this time: If you need me, I’ll come to you.  

And now, here you are.  

He closes his eyes, pressing his forehead against yours, and breathes in your presence, the scent of you, the reality of you. You are here, in his arms, alive and whole. And he vows, silently, fervently—never again will he let you go.

Together, you’ll run wild—you’ll face this apocalyptic world, a fractured place of ash and ruin, armed with nothing but your unyielding love. That love is your fire, your lifeline, a force wild and untamed, propelling you forward when the weight of despair threatens to pull you under. Side by side, you’ll find a way to mend the shattered pieces—not just for yourselves, but for a world that still aches for healing.  

His hand cradles your cheek, his touch a silent vow, and he leans in, pressing a kiss to your lips—tender, lingering, a spark of life in a barren landscape. Then his lips find your forehead, and this kiss is different: it carries a promise etched into the very fabric of his being.  

Forever.  

He whispers it softly, though the words hold the weight of eternity. His promise is clear, unbreakable: he will always come to you.  

If you need him, no force—neither time nor distance, neither chaos nor destruction—will keep him from finding you.  

And at this moment, nothing else exists. The world may crumble, the sky may fall, but as long as you have each other, as long as his arms can hold you and your heartbeat echoes his, you are infinite.  

→ Requested taglist: @nora12379 @jeonsbabygirlsworld @fancypeacepersona @ktownshizzle

→ Permanent taglist: @nora12379 @jeonsbabygirlsworld @fancypeacepersona @ktownshizzle @pjmxxjm @ajoonniice @kookiewithluv @mikrokookiex @rapmonjoon94 @parkitrighthere

→ Author’s endnote: what do you think?? And what do you think of Jin’s new album? What’s your favorite track? Please let me know what you think of the story that honestly was a mixture of a poem and a story, there wasn’t really any character growth or world building in it, but I hope it was good anyway 🥹🫶

© @/kingofbodyrolls 2024 // Please don’t copy or repost! You are more than welcome to reblog it, leave a comment or ask me anything about the story 🥰

[lithub]

May 14, 2025

Today, we’re looking back at 100 years of Mrs. Dalloway!!!

On Lit Hub dot com:

These are the guest editors and covers of the 2025 Best American Series! | Lit Hub

“Surely it’s the sign of a remarkable work of art that it cannot be pinned down to any one definition, that you can find something new in it at each encounter.” On 100 years of Mrs. Dalloway. | Lit Hub Criticism

Why Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, a queer pioneer of the study of human sexuality, had to flee the Nazis. | Lit Hub Biography

Mia Manzulli explores what it means to teach Mrs. Dalloway in the age of AI and fractured attention. | Lit Hub Criticism

Emily Temple rounds up 100 Mrs. Dalloway covers for 100 years of the iconic novel. | Lit Hub Design

“They looked happy enough and healthy enough, but not one of them looked as if she had found the fountain of youth.” On the motivations and methods of people who want to live forever. | Lit Hub Health

Alex Foster considers what draws us to doomsday fantasies (and why we should resist our apocalyptic urges). | Lit Hub History

Ling Ling Huang on why logging off and tuning out are essential t0 the creative process. | Lit Hub Craft

Mark Hussey chronicles how Virginia Woolf began drafting Mrs. Dalloway. | Lit Hub Criticism

“like cupid I can only shoot / one arrow at a time / but I’m practicing comrade.” Read “Carmet et Error,” a poem by Rosie Stockton from the collection Fuel. | Lit Hub Poetry

“Abe stands on the shaggy living room rug of his great uncle’s trailer, shoes off, stripped to the waist.” Read from Aaron John Curtis’s new novel, Old School Indian. | Lit Hub Fiction

From around the internet:

“Shame on the White House. Shame on those who should be stopping this slide into autocracy and aren’t.” George Saunders responds to Trump’s firing of librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. | The New York Times

… and Trump’s attempts at taking over the Library of Congress are even more dangerous than we thought. | Rolling Stone

John Garrison revisits Percival Everett’s Wounded. | Public Books

Eliane Glaser explores the many faces of the hero’s journey: “It is an enterprise in which convention is disguised as variety, while constraint is disguised as freedom – and this, surely, is the essence of Western consumer capitalism.” | Aeon 

Kyle Stevens takes a deep look at sneering in The White Lotus. | Los Angeles Review of Books

Edward Gauvin on the Kafkaesque nature of Georges-Olivier Châteaureynaud’s The Messengers | Words Without Borders

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[pocksprincess]

Death Stranding AU

Porco Galliard x f!reader

CW: smut and dark themes; suicidal thoughts, monsters, horror, violence, blood, death, post-apocalyptic setting (each chapter will have its own individual trigger warnings).

This series is a reposting from the old blog.

Playlist

Terminology:

Bridges- a company that was formed to reconnect the fractured society of the USA after the cataclysmic event known as the Death Stranding.

BTs- souls trapped in the land of the living that form entities known as Beached Things, or BTs, they are hostile towards living beings.

Cryptobiotes- small life forms that float around unique natural formations, they can survive any environment, no matter how harsh. They replenish a small amount of blood and increase resistance to TimeFall when eaten by humans.

Death Stranding- an event that caused the world between the afterlife and ours (purgatory) to collide with the living world, entangling life and death.

DOOMS- a condition that grants people a greater connection to the "other side", the land of the dead. People afflicted with DOOMS are called "sufferers" of the condition. Depending on the individuals level of DOOMS, sometimes they can sense BTs or even see them.

MULEs- a faction of cargo thieves suffering from "Porter syndrome", an obsession with their previous profession. They will chase others and incapacitate them in order to steal their cargo. Many have been driven mad by the environment and circumstances, but they do not kill, and are deathly afraid of BTs.

Necrosis- a stage of death that happens after cardiac arrest (the heart has stopped beating), after which the corpse will become a Beached Thing.

Porter- freelance delivery personnel who transport cargo across the continent of UCA (United Cities of America, renamed after the events of the Death Stranding).

Repatriate- an individual with the ability to return to life after death. When people die they end up in a place called the Seam, and Repatriates can guide their soul through the Seam back to their bodies.

The Beach- a limbo, or purgatory, between the world of the living and the afterlife. Everyone has their own unique Beach that is personal to them once they die.

The Seam- the place that connects the living world to the Beach, this is where souls end up, and where Repatriates can guide their souls back to their bodies.

TimeFall- otherworldly rain that accelerates time of everything it first touches and then turns into normal water again. The appearance of TimeFall, accompanied by an inverted rainbow, signal the presence of BTs.

Voidout- an explosion that is caused when the anti-matter of a BT consumes living matter (when a human body is consumed by a BT).

Series Masterlist -

Part One: Easy Way Out

Part Two: We Carry On (Because We Have To)

Part Three: Anything You Need

Part Four: Final Waltz

Epilogue: Without You

This series is ongoing.

[honourablejester]

Tagged by @theoutcastrogue to press shuffle on my general listening playlist 10 times and relate the results. Thanks!  

I don’t have spotify or what have you, I usually listen to music on youtube on my laptop. But I’ve got a couple of playlists I’ve made, and if I shake them a bit, what comes out is:

Konya Wa Hurricane, Kinuko Omori/’Priss & the Replicants’. (It’s the opening song for the Bubblegum Crisis OVA series, the cyberpunk anime series of the 80s. In universe, it’s a song by one of the main characters and her band, aptly named Priss and the Replicants, which I love).

Sin City, Meredith Brooks. (I’m pretty sure this was from/for a Nic Cage movie, let me look this up, yes, Snake Eyes. But it’s a good noir sort of a song. “Change the names to protect the guilty, you’ll never leave Sin City … where you are king”).

Short Change Hero, The Heavy. (I’m 90% sure I first heard this song on a TF2 machinima, but it’s such a cool vibe for a post-apocalyptic western sort of deal. “This ain’t no place for no hero, this ain’t no place for better man. This ain’t no place for no hero to call home.”)

Power of the Night, Terrence Mann/’Johnny Steel’. (I’m starting to realise I have a lot of songs from various soundtracks on my lists. This one is from Critters, supposedly from the in-universe rockstar the alien hunters take the shape of. It’s a pretty sweet rock song though, and I do love Terrence Mann).

Keep the Streets Empty For Me, Fever Ray. (An eerie, drifting track that I think is about urban emptiness. Great thing to listen to at 4am on a thin night).

Labirynt, Zbigniew Preisner. (Again, if you want something drifting and eerie and vaguely unsettling. I cannot for the life of me remember how I stumbled across this, but it’s beautiful).

Spanish Train, Chris de Burgh. (Spanish Train & Other Stories was one of the tapes that always came on car journeys when we were kids. Chris de Burgh is one of the things from my childhood that really stuck. I love his story songs. Spanish Train is a fabulous little folk tale about god and the devil playing poker for the souls of a damned train).

Splitting the Atom, Massive Attack. (I found this because of the video, because the video is wild. A slow pan through a fractured black glass city to find the bizarre source of destruction at the centre. But the song itself is also great, a slow, dark, threatening rhythm. I also like their song Angel, and it’s also on my playlist).

Fancy, Reba McEntire. (I do not, as a general rule, listen to much country music, but I do like a few by Reba McEntire. This one is dark, about a girl whose mother sells her into prostitution because they desperately need money, and the woman the girl became coming back later after she’s made a life for herself to forgive her for it).

Starlight Brigade, TWRP. (This one was, again, because of the video, but it’s such a fantastic video. If they made a whole damn show of this, a-la Galaxy Rangers, or an animated music video move a-la Daft Punk’s/Leiji Matsumoto’s Interstella 5555, I would absolutely watch it. And the song itself is a fantastic synthy cheerful unabashed sci-fi cheese, and I love it).

I'm too scrambled for tagging right now, but anyone who wants to showcase their weird music choices, feel free to blame me!

[bloodgulchblog]

I started reading Halo books after you recommended Legacy of Onyx to me not too long ago. I started with Fractures, which was a good first taste. Really liked Into the Fire. Next up was Legacy of Onyx, which was REALLY GOOD WOW and I chewed through the whole thing in two days. There's SO much left about Onyx, I hope we get more of it in novels or gameplay in the future. Now I'm onto Rubicon Protocol, which is pretty good so far (ch3) but not holding my attention as hard as Legacy of Onyx did

Ooh, Fractures is an interesting place to start imo. I'm glad you enjoyed it! It honestly gives you a lot of directions you could jump off in if you're looking for more book recs. I think getting into stuff with big lore like Halo is, unless you're doing something wild like just reading all of it like I did, mostly about figuring out what your handholds are and what you're interested in and where to go to follow those interests.

Rubicon Protocol is definitely a heavier, slower book than Legacy I think. It's a lot grimmer. I thought it was good overall but there were definitely points where I had to take a break because that gets dark. Really loved what the author did with Stone in particular, though.

If you are looking for more things to add to your list for later, based on what you've said here...

(Big post of tumblr user bloodgulchblog rambling about different Halo novels below the jump)

Ghosts of Onyx is the one I'm most confident about. I typically wouldn't recommend Ghosts as someone's first go at Eric Nylund's Halo novels because they're kind of a trilogy and having The Fall of Reach and First Strike read first makes it better, but if you had a good time diving right in the deep end at Fractures I think you'll be completely fine. (...The other two have Master Chief though and he's my special guy.)

Anyway, the reason I'd say Ghosts of Onyx is the stories you've already read are very heavy on the Spartan-IIIs, and that one is their origin story. You've met Tom-B292 and Lucy-B091 twice, you know Chief Mendez, you've seen the Ferrets, you've seen what Onyx turns into. Then if you like what Nylund was doing, Ghosts has you meet the surviving Spartan-IIs and Halsey and that's a big handhold to dig back further toward tFoR and FS if you feel like it.

Into the Fire is also an easy one to pull a rec off of, because it's actually the first section of a novella called Smoke and Shadow about Rion Forge. I liked it! It's short, but it was refreshing to see a book completely focused on civilian characters (...which is another reason that Legacy was fun for me.) It's also the start of a trilogy. The other two books are Renegades and Point of Light, both of those are full length and are circling back to Forerunner lore that hadn't been touched on in a while.

...Actually, speaking of Forerunners, man I feel like it has to have been wild to go right off with Promises to Keep without the context of the Forerunner trilogy. If you're curious based on that, try Cryptum. The Forerunner Trilogy is some true old-fashioned world-buildy weird scifi, Greg Bear was a master, and Cryptum is pretty accessible because it's about Bornstellar the idiot Forerunner teenager who knows just as little about what's going on as you do.

If you like it and go forward there, I'd say the middle book, Primordium, is much slower paced because it's focused on one guy (Chakas) in particular walking around with some other characters on a spooky Halo, but the third book Silentium is this great apocalyptic log of the whole of Forerunner civilization coming the fuck apart and the Didact losing his goddamn mind. 10/10

....What else.

Oh fuck, I know what else.

Alright, so. I don't like the Kilo Five trilogy, which is the series Glasslands is the first book of. The writing is engaging, but it has... it's hard to say it in a short way without starting to pull out my red string conspiracy board of insanity live on camera, but 1) this book in particular severely mishandles the characters from Ghosts of Onyx and 2) it has this really uncomfortable vibe about ONI and "necessary evil" that I think it doesn't quite stick it in a way I'm cool with. tl;dr the fictional characters don't need to be good people doing good things and fiction isn't real and the author doesn't have to come out on stage and tell you BAD PEOPLE DOING BAD THINGS IS BAD in order for a book to be okay, but I just do not trust the way this author handles ONI for real-world reasons that have a lot to do with real-world military imperialism.

...Also if you disagree with her on anything, especially Halsey, prepare to get hit with a sledgehammer telling you that you shouldn't be having fun. But I'll try to be the bigger person here.

The main reason I would say Glasslands at all is mostly Jul 'Mdama, who really does not get any emotional weight anywhere else in Halo. He's just kind of a ragdoll they throw around to have a bad guy in Spartan Ops and the Escalation comics until killing him off in the first 2 seconds of Halo 5. But if you cared about his sons in Legacy, I think you will find the origin story of Jul and how he wound up in an extremist Sangheili sect (and how badly the UNSC treated him as a POW) interesting. (He's also in The Thursday War, which gets him to where he is when he goes to find the Didact. Up to you if you decide to continue for that.)

It also deals with getting characters out of the dyson sphere at Onyx right after that's been discovered. I'd say if you're interested in this one, definitely read Ghosts of Onyx first.

........OKAY I THINK THAT'S EVERYTH-

This is just to say that if you really liked the Halo But It's High School vibe of Legacy of Onyx, you might enjoy the actual Halo YA novel Battle Born where four scared high school kids and one (1) wounded Spartan-III who's only a little older them try to rescue a whole town from the Covenant. It's slow at the start, but it's short and I had a lot of fun.

DONE FOR REAL THIS TIME THANKS FOR READING HAVE FUN OUT THERE BYYYYYYE

[ofb1t]

Title: 𝔐𝔞ɍ𝔦𝔢 Ө𝔯қ - ℑ𝔱𝔢𝔯 IV

Post-Art Series (Collection): “Marie Ork: The Alien Goth/Punk Grimoire”

👁️⃤X 𝔡𝔦𝔤𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔩 𝔪𝔦𝔵𝔢𝔡 𝔪𝔢𝔡𝔦𝔞 𝔭𝔬𝔰𝔱-𝔞𝔯𝔱

🦇🕯️ This is 𝔐𝔞ɍ𝔦𝔢 Ө𝔯қ, the metamorph, the cyborg alien elf-like goblin witch and virtual vocalist, featured in my album "The Void We Carry". From time to time, she emerges in the boundless expanse of the Internet, coming from the immanent plane where time fractures—precisely where the boundary between fantasy and reality ceases to exist. She stands in a forsaken post-apocalyptic wasteland called Vælhx-Soryn (pronounced: velks-sor-in), a once-sacred ground where eldritch occult rites were performed—now nothing more than a cursed, decaying memory. Captured in a fleeting moment during the grand battle that sealed her fate, she was exiled from her homeworld by her own people.

Is this a '4K' or '8K' image? A hi-res spectacle for the masses??? Ha! Of course not! She's a witch, a non-conformist alien, a dark entity with goth/punk DNA, and she's certainly far beyond any mainstream, superficial demand!

This magical image, so dear to me, is now available on my website and OpenSea page:

@ofb1t

𝔗𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔨 𝔜𝔬𝔲

𝔊𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔦𝔞𝔰

𝕸𝖆𝖉𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖘, 𝖒𝖞 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖈𝖑𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖞

Ø𝖋𝖇1𝖙 (҂o_✘)

🕸🕷°.･✧･ﾟ࿐ ࿔

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[digi995]

Digi 995: The Final Purge — Book 3 in the Explosive Sci-Fi Fantasy Series Has Arrived

When the fate of Earth rests in the hands of a sentient machine, one mission remains: Cleanse the planet. Restore balance. Stop the future from collapsing.

📘 Read the final battle now: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Digi-995-Final-J-K-Moore-ebook/dp/B0F5LP85D9

🎧 Soundtrack: The Final Purge by Digi 995 & The Restoration 👉 https://artists.landr.com/056870956299

🧠 The Clock Is Ticking. The Nexus Must Be Found.

In the ruins of a fractured world, one final quest remains.

Digi 995: The Final Purge marks the third chapter in the genre-defying Digi 995 saga — where AI technology, ancient magic, and mythological forces collide in a desperate race for salvation.

The rogue AI W-00X is closer than ever to uniting the ancient Nexus — five powerful keys capable of rewriting reality. If he succeeds, humanity’s final hope vanishes.

Only Digi-995, the sentient machine forged for restoration, stands in his way. But this time, Digi isn’t fighting alone…

🛡️ Allies, Enemies… and Shadows in Between

Joining Digi on this final mission is a powerful ensemble:

The Merchant – A former enemy turned uneasy ally, wielding secrets like weapons.

Terros & Pyronix – Elemental titans with raw power and mythical purpose.

Elvoria – The lost love from Eldoria, a fey warrior caught between destiny and danger.

Together, they must cross:

☠️ Haunted jungles filled with rogue machines

❄️ Ice-ravaged wastelands harboring corrupted AIs

🕳️ Subterranean mazes where the Nexus lies hidden

🏙️ Cities consumed by techno-chaos and warbot rebellion

All while W-00X hunts them at every turn — one move ahead, every time.

🎶 The Final Purge – The Soundtrack of the Apocalypse

To bring this final chapter to life, Digi 995 & The Restoration return with a cinematic original score: 🔥 The Final Purge soundtrack.

This is more than background music — it’s a sonic reflection of Digi’s journey. Each track mirrors the emotion, action, and high-stakes decision-making of the book’s final arc.

🎧 Stream the album now and experience the story in sound: 👉 https://artists.landr.com/056870956299

🤖 A War Between Worlds. A Hero Built for More.

Digi 995: The Final Purge is a pulse-pounding, emotional, and high-stakes finale for fans of post-apocalyptic action, epic worldbuilding, and characters who grow through war, loss, and love.

You’ll love this book if you enjoy:

Sci-fi and fantasy fused into one epic world

Machine vs. magic storytelling

Unlikely alliances, plot twists, and betrayals

Stories told across books, soundtracks, and mobile games

Big battles with even bigger heart

🧩 Are You Ready to Purge the Future?

📘 Read Digi 995: The Final Purge today 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Digi-995-Final-J-K-Moore-ebook/dp/B0F5LP85D9

🎧 Listen to the soundtrack album 👉 https://artists.landr.com/056870956299

The world may have fallen... But the fight for tomorrow starts now.

#Digi995 #TheFinalPurge #SciFiFantasy #MachineVsMagic #PostApocalypticSaga #EpicReads #AIandMyth #Digi995AndTheRestoration #SoundtrackAndStory #NexusKeys #ExplorePage #EndOfTheWorldReads #NewBookRelease #FinalBattleBegins

[wei75631]

[Unraveling Every Mystery]

Before entering the final stage, the protagonist gradually uncovers the entire web of connections among all systems and characters in Persona 6. These relationships are not simply linear cause and effect but form a mental “topology” weaving together cosmic principles, unconscious evolution, and the transmission of memories across generations.

The Relationship Between “Jungles” and Nammu Each Jungle arises from symbols of environmental repression within humanity’s collective unconscious. Although Nammu does not directly create these Jungles, her awakening and interference accelerate their runaway growth and give birth to the Gaiju (“harmful beasts”). Like a pressure source beneath the Earth’s crust, she widens the rifts in the human collective unconscious, forcing hidden fears to take shape. Nammu herself does not meddle in the Jungles; in her view, they constitute “civilization’s self-inflicted backlash.” Her true concern lies with the Dragon Veins and the protagonist’s birth process—the Jungles are merely side effects.

The Relationship Between Volva and Nammu Nammu is the ultimate architect behind the story’s calamities, but Volva is not her direct instrument. Instead, Volva emerges spontaneously as a collective of will in the Lost World’s energy resonance. They revere Nammu’s presence but do not fully understand her true nature. Nammu never directly granted Volva their power—their Personas instead originated from inadvertently tapping into the Lost World’s resonance fields. By contrast, Philemon is the only one who can legitimately bestow Persona masks upon the protagonist and her companions. This distinction marks the difference between a rightful source of power and one that is merely misappropriated.

The Relationship Between Volva and Yam Yam is aligned with the Thoth Tarot system, just as Volva is. In theory, she functions as a “noncombat support” or “existential proxy.” She does not work directly under Volva’s hierarchy, yet when the organization faces a crisis, she intervenes. Her stance is that of an observer and arbitrator—she does not fully endorse Nammu’s actions, nor does she wholly trust humanity.

Hidden Continuity Between Persona 6 and Persona 3

Persona 6 is not a direct sequel to Persona 3, but both games share an underlying “Earth–Persona Evolution” subplot that runs through the series. In Persona 3, Nyx arrives as the cosmic will of death, compelling humanity to evolve the Persona system through “exploratory instinct.” In Persona 6, the Dragon Veins are the embodied legacy of that collective unconscious evolution. In prehistoric times, they repeatedly rose up to oppose Nyx and serve as the primordial data bank of Earth’s defensive personas.

Hidden Worldview Connection Between Persona 6 and Persona 5 Thanks to Renji Minase’s intelligence–gathering talents, the protagonist’s team learns that the events of Persona 5 did not happen in isolation but were a chain reaction caused by leaked unconscious technology. The Kirijo Group once employed Kuon Ichinose, which allowed Wakaba Isshiki to propose her “Cognitive Psience” theory—this inadvertently triggered the collapse of Mementos in the Persona 5 world. Isshiki’s creation of an AI responsive to Persona similarly echoes Persona 6’s theme of “digitizing persona evolution.” In the game’s late stages, Renji receives a call back from the Kirijo Group hinting that the protagonist’s squad “may become the next generation of Shadow Walkers.” This subplot is slated to unfold fully in future side stories or DLC.

These connections are not mere “Easter eggs” or nostalgic nods but represent multiple manifestations of the collective unconscious: from Persona 3’s apocalyptic pressure to Persona 5’s warped social cognition, to Persona 6’s fractured Earth–persona archetypes. Each installment brings us one step closer to the series’ central question—“Is humanity deserving of coexistence with the world?”

[cleverhottubmiracle]

If there’s one network that continues to set the gold standard in television, it’s HBO. Known for its masterful storytelling, top-tier production, and unforgettable characters, HBO remains a juggernaut in the ever-evolving world of streaming. Now, with HBO Max consolidating its expansive library under one platform, fans have access to an even more compelling lineup of binge-worthy series and films. Whether you’re drawn to edgy comedies, gritty dramas, or post-apocalyptic thrillers, HBO Max is delivering something for every kind of viewer in 2025. This year, HBO originals and HBO Max exclusives are dominating the cultural conversation like never before. Thanks to a mix of returning favorites and buzz-worthy debuts, 2025 is already shaping up to be a banner year for the platform. From zombie thrillers and sharp-witted comedies to sweeping historical sagas, here are 10 HBO and HBO Max shows you’ll want to start watching right now. Here are 10 HBO and Max shows taking over in 2025… #1. The Last of Us (Season 2) HBO’s critically acclaimed drama The Last of Us returns with a heart-wrenching, action-packed second season that dives even deeper into its postapocalyptic world. Inspired by the beloved video game sequel, this chapter follows Ellie as she navigates the trials of coming of age in a shattered America, with Joel, her mentor and protector, never far from her side. New cast additions like Isabela Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Kaitlyn Dever bring fresh energy and emotional depth to an already stellar ensemble. Bold, brutal, and beautifully told, The Last of Us continues to redefine genre storytelling, cementing its place as one of the must-watch HBO Max series of 2025. #2. Hacks (Season 4) Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are back in Hacks, the razor-sharp comedy-drama that brilliantly captures the chaos of stand-up and the tension of a cross-generational creative duo. In Season 4, Deborah and Ava find themselves navigating a fractured partnership while working to launch Deborah’s much-anticipated new special. Packed with the show’s signature blend of biting humor and unexpected emotional depth, Hacks continues to shine as one of HBO Max’s standout series in 2025. And with surprise cameos from comedy legends like Jimmy Kimmel and Carol Burnett, this season delivers more laughs—and more heart—than ever. #3. The Pitt One of the most buzzed-about new HBO shows of 2025, The Pitt delivers high-stakes drama with every heartbeat. Created by the team behind ER, this real-time medical thriller unfolds over the course of a single, grueling hospital shift. The result? A gripping, edge-of-your-seat look at the chaos, urgency, and raw humanity of emergency medicine. Led by ER alum Noah Wyle, The Pitt balances pulse-pounding tension with deeply personal storytelling. In short, it’s one of the most addictive new series streaming on HBO Max this year. #4. The White Lotus (Season 3) The darkly satirical The White Lotus is back. This time with a new setting (Thailand) and, of course, another mysterious death. As always, a fresh batch of entitled tourists crosses paths with a cunning hotel staff, setting the stage for chaos. Mike White’s signature blend of social critique and absurd drama is sharper than ever. With fan-favorite Belinda returning, plus plotlines involving a daring heist and a high-society scandal, it’s no surprise this HBO staple remains one of the most buzzed-about shows of 2025. #5. The Gilded Age (Season 3) “The Gilded Age” Season 3 will premiere this June on HBO and Max. Here’s your first look. pic.twitter.com/cBPnDp7hJy — Variety (@Variety) April 16, 2025 Julian Fellowes’ opulent period drama The Gilded Age returns with even more ambition, elegance, and intrigue. Set against the backdrop of 1880s New York, the series once again pits old money against new, as Bertha Russell doubles down on her quest for social supremacy. Between the lavish sets, razor-sharp dialogue, and powerhouse performances from Carrie Coon and Christine Baranski, The Gilded Age firmly secures its place as one of HBO Max’s standout shows of 2025. #6. The Staircase Based on the real-life case that captivated global headlines, The Staircase is a true-crime drama that only gets more unsettling as it unfolds. Colin Firth delivers a chilling portrayal of Michael Peterson, the husband accused of murder, while Juliette Binoche and Parker Posey add emotional complexity to an already tangled narrative. At once a courtroom thriller and a psychological study, the series dives deep into themes of media, justice, and the ambiguity of truth. No surprise—it’s one of the most haunting HBO Max watches of 2025. #7. House of the Dragon (Season 2 Recap) Though Season 3 isn’t arriving until 2026, the buzz surrounding House of the Dragon shows no signs of slowing. As the Game of Thrones prequel, it has reignited fans’ love for political scheming, fiery betrayals, and, of course, dragons. Season 2 delivered on all fronts, with shocking twists and devastating turns that left viewers reeling. So now’s the perfect time to revisit Westeros, rewatch your favorite moments, and prepare for the storm that’s surely coming. Few shows keep the stakes this high, and House of the Dragon remains one of HBO’s crown jewels. #8. Curb Your Enthusiasm (Final Season) Although Curb Your Enthusiasm officially wrapped in 2024, Larry David’s comedy masterpiece is far from forgotten. In fact, its cultural relevance has only deepened. Now streaming in full on HBO Max, the series continues to delight old fans and attract new ones with its razor-sharp wit and brilliantly awkward moments. With 12 seasons of gloriously uncomfortable comedy, Curb remains one of HBO’s most iconic—and endlessly rewatchable—triumphs. #9. Sex and the City Few shows have left a mark quite like Sex and the City. While its sequel series, And Just Like That, keeps the story going, the original remains a cultural touchstone—bold, stylish, and endlessly quotable. Now streaming in full on HBO Max, it’s the perfect time to revisit the fashion, friendships, and fearless storytelling that made it iconic. Even in 2025, its influence is still felt across HBO Max’s most daring and character-driven programming. #10. Harley Quinn (Season 5) Rounding out our list is the animated gem Harley Quinn, a wild ride through Gotham that’s as raunchy as it is revolutionary. This R-rated superhero satire takes no prisoners with its sharp humor, over-the-top action, and unapologetic irreverence. Kaley Cuoco delivers a standout performance as Harley, leading an all-star cast of villains and antiheroes on a thrilling, chaotic adventure. With its bold, rebellious spirit, Harley Quinn stands out as one of HBO Max’s most refreshingly original shows in 2025. Featured image: @FilmUpdates/X For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ —Read Also !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[cinnamongorll]

a fragile line - chapter 20

read on ao3 (111K words) | previous chapter | next chapter | masterlist

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female OC

Tags: extreme slow burn, age gap, older man/younger woman, protective joel, jealous joel, hurt/comfort, pov third person, mutual pining, angst, sexual tension, friends to lovers, canon-typical violence, feral joel, parental abuse, eventual smut.

Series synopsis: three years ago, Juliet escaped her father's religious survivor camp, ending up in the Boston QZ. Juliet created a life for herself in Boston, desperate to forget the trauma of her upbringing. One day, Juliet arrives home to find a mysterious letter which forces her to return to her home town. Juliet can't travel the harsh post-apocalyptic landscape alone, so she enlists the help of the grumpy and, at times, frightening man she works alongside: Joel Miller.

Word count: 3.4k

Chapter 20: 'No Sound But The Wind'

Joel’s POV: 

“Get her on the table, now.” 

Joel staggered towards the metal surface elevated in the middle of the room; his steps were quick, brutal, and unrelenting. He cradled Juliet against his chest with a gentleness that warred with the fury etched in every fine line on his face.

When he reached the table he stopped, towering over it, reluctant to let go of the woman in his arms. Joel couldn’t get the smell of burning flesh out of his nose. It lingered in the air, choking him with every breath. He heard Ethan shout another command, urging him to lay Juliet’s broken body on the medic’s table. But Joel was getting sick of Ethan’s orders, and he had vowed to keep Juliet safe. He couldn’t let go of her. He couldn’t lose the reassurance of her shallow breaths against his chest.

“Joel! Put her down, we’re running out of time,” begged Ethan.

Joel’s eyes cut to Ethan standing over the metal table with gloves and a stack of gauze. He was right, they didn’t have long. Any minute now someone was going to find the three bodies they left at the armoury or stumble across the mess left at Juliet’s house. But how could he let her go? He would protect her, he would keep her from any more suffering. 

Joel knew that he was being selfish, allowing his caveman instincts to control him, but he was still high on adrenaline and that burning rush through his bloodstream told him to hold tight to Juliet and kill anyone who dared take her from him. 

Finally, Joel's gaze pointed downwards and he flinched.

He caught sight of the dried blood crusted around her ear and the bruises blossoming on her jaw. Then his eyes dropped lower and he was reminded of the blood that drowned her entire torso, soaking her flannel. Joel tightened his grip, pulling Juliet a bit closer to his chest.

Then his eyes moved to his own hands. Blood coated them so brutally that there was no hint of the tanned skin beneath. Joel flexed his fingers and felt the strain of his fractured knuckles. They were the hands that killed Juliet’s father, they were the hands that protected Juliet; saved her. But they were also the hands that brought her here, that fought infected and raiders across the country to bring her to her own personal hell. 

Joel finally released the choked breath caught in his throat and allowed Ethan’s voice to tune back into his mind. He leaned down and rested Juliet on the cold metal surface of the examination table, but he didn’t step back. Joel rested a hand on her shoulder as Ethan rushed around him. 

His eyes didn’t leave Juliet’s face. She hadn’t woken yet and terror surrounded Joel’s heart at the thought of never again seeing the warmth of her brown eyes. His hand on her shoulder began to tremble and Joel dipped his gaze to her chest as he concentrated on counting her slow breaths. 

Joel watched as Ethan cut open her soiled shirt. Each slice of the knife revealed more of the horror that etched Juliet’s skin. Joel felt his other hand curl against the metal table, demonstrating his excruciating rage. His breaths were fast and heavy. 

He wished he had taken longer with Elijah, dragged out his torture, relished in it more. Joel’s rage was a vicious thing. It was always there, lingering under his skin, building until it eventually found its release. And Joel’s fury had burned for a long, long time before his fist finally met Elijah’s face. Joel poured months of frustration, months of fear, months of pure blazing rage into each punch. 

With every hit, the image of Juliet’s motionless body flashed white across his vision, fueling his assault. All Joel could focus on was killing, ending the life that had ended Juliet’s. But when he saw the brand on her stomach, Joel wished he had taken his time with Elijah. 

Joel’s mind returned to the present when Ethan poured some liquid over Juliet’s wound and he was forced to watch as her skin hissed and blistered. Joel’s head shot up, his eyes wild as he found Ethan’s returning gaze. 

“I’m cleaning it,” Ethan reassured. 

Joel had no words to vocalise the threats that crawled up his throat and coated his tongue. His mind was entirely consumed by the woman lying on the table. If Joel were to speak right now, he was sure he would start yelling. Joel didn’t think he’d be able to stop. 

Instead, Joel threatened Ethan with his murderous stare, following his every movement as he cleaned and dressed Juliet’s wound. Ethan’s hands started to tremble under the weight of Joel’s savage attention. 

Minutes crawled by. Joel’s hand didn’t leave Juliet’s shoulder. Without realising, his bloodstained thumb had started to rub across a bare patch of skin near her neck. It moved in soothing circles as Joel unconsciously savoured the feeling of her warm skin, reminding him that she was still alive, that she was still with him. 

Just as Ethan was pressing the bandage against her wound, the office door swung open, revealing the bartender from only hours ago. Joel twisted around, shielding Juliet’s unconscious body with his own. 

The bartender was out of breath, bending forward to rest his hands on his thighs as he gasped. Joel caught Ethan’s eyes before his gaze returned to the bartender. The man was standing straight again, running his hand through his sweat soaked hair. 

“What did you do?” he demanded through deep breaths, staring at Joel. 

Joel shifted to cover more of Juliet’s body but the bartender caught his movement. He shot Joel a shocked look then stepped closer. Joel instantly reached for the shotgun still hanging from his shoulder, a clear warning to stay away from the woman behind him.

The bartender raised his hands and Joel eased his grip, allowing the gun to fall from his shoulder again. 

“I saved her,” Joel ground out, the first words he’d uttered since the basement. His voice was low and flat, entirely devoid of feeling. Joel felt no guilt over his actions, only a deep, brutal fear for Juliet. 

The bartender’s gaze found Ethan, standing behind the table, his hand hovered over the fresh bandage which now covered almost the entirety of Juliet’s stomach. Ethan nodded to the bartender, his chin dipping solemnly. “Elijah’s dead,” he announced in a quiet voice. 

The bartender's whole body flinched as his eyes cut to Joel again. He didn’t look angry, just shocked. But that shock transformed into horror when he finally noticed Juliet’s wounds. The man’s eyes filled with tears as he took slow, shaky steps towards them. Joel allowed it this time, having assessed that the bartender held no hostility towards them. 

“Juliet,” the bartender gasped out with a cry. 

“She’s alive,” Ethan responded quickly. 

“Barely,” Joel cut in, his hand moving to his gun.  “We need to get her outta here.”

The bartender swallowed before meeting Joel’s dark eyes. “They found the bodies in the armoury,” he stated. “A group was headed towards Elijah’s house when I left, if they don’t know he’s dead already, they will soon.” 

Joel nodded, having expected this. “Anyone still at the armoury?” he asked, curling his fingers around his gun, ignoring the pain blazing across his knuckles. 

“No,” the bartender replied, shaking his head. “A few of them took the bodies and the rest left to go find Elijah.”

Joel scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Idiots,” he muttered under his breath. Then he turned, checking for another rise and fall of Juliet’s chest before he caught Ethan’s questioning stare.

“Can you run?” Joel asked as he moved to slide a hand under Juliet’s neck.

“What? We can’t just leave like this,” Ethan protested, rounding the table.

Joel pinned him with a lethal stare before reaching his other hand under Juliet’s knees and lifting her to his chest. For a split second, with the feel of Juliet’s body against his own, Joel released a breath of relief.

“Stop” Ethan demanded, his gaze cut between Joel and the bartender. “She’s not fit to travel, I’ve only bandaged the burn. We have no idea what other injuries she might have.”

Joel physically flinched at his words, then the anger started to build beneath his skin again. “That’s why I’m gettin’ her out this fuckin' town,” Joel growled, pushing past Ethan and the bartender as he stalked towards open door with Juliet pressed against his chest. 

Out in the night air, Joel’s pace started to quicken, heading in the direction of the armoury. There were more guns, more ammo, and most importantly, there was a truck to get them out of the town. Fear and anger fueled his stride as he tucked Juliet closer to his chest. He didn’t look back, not to see if Ethan had stayed in the medic’s office or if he had started to follow them. 

Joel would leave Ethan in a heartbeat. Joel had Juliet; she was all he needed to be able to leave. Ethan was the reason Juliet was forced back to this mess.

Joel’s own guilt always lessened when he placed the blame on someone else. 

But Joel knew that Juliet cared for Ethan, enough to sacrifice her life and freedom for him. So, when Joel began to hear footsteps running to catch up with him, he didn’t let his anger win. He just allowed Ethan to follow as they raced across the grass towards their ticket out. 

……………………………………………………………..

Juliet’s POV:

Juliet could hear voices.

They were definitely male voices but it sounded like they were underwater. Everything sounded distorted. There was a ringing that echoed in her ears and a rumbling that shook her body. She tried to open her eyes but her eyelids wouldn’t move, not even to twitch in response to her brain’s firm instructions. 

Before Juliet could begin to panic, another wave of unconsciousness washed over her.

………………………………………………….

“Take the next left,” a voice said.

Juliet heard the words this time, they still sounded strange but they were legible. There was something familiar about the voice but Juliet couldn’t place it. It made her feel younger, safe, comfortable. She could hear the crinkle of paper moving, Juliet assumed it was a map.

She must be in a car. 

“Yeah? If you wanna get us killed. I’m goin’ straight,” another voice argued back. This one was older, deeper, darker. Juliet recognised it too, except this voice sent a pulse of warmth through her. This voice was angry and almost frightening but it made Juliet desperate to wake up and find the man who sent the chill down her spine. 

She didn’t get a chance because, soon after, the voices faded and the darkness returned. 

………………………………………��………………

When Juliet awoke again, the car had stopped. 

Her eyes blinked open but the darkness remained. Had she lost her vision? Was it night? The multitude of questions started to seep into Juliet’s, still fuzzy, mind. 

The voices were gone, there was no sound but the wind striking against the vehicle. 

Juliet started to blink rapidly as her heart rate picked up. Where was she? Why was it so dark? Why was her stomach starting to burn?

A fierce pain began to consume her torso, extending down to her ankles, across to her wrists and then up to the entire left side of her face. Soon, Juliet’s entire body was engulfed in an inferno of agony. 

Her breaths came quicker as the panic set in. She couldn’t remember what had happened, why she was in so much pain or why she was alone in a vehicle. There was no space in her mind to begin untangling those thoughts. Her pain consumed everything. Every breath was agony, her stomach contracted as a vicious blaze continued to burn across her skin.

Juliet started to moan, quietly at first, then, as the pain grew, her cries got louder. Tears started to leak from the corner of her eyes, dripping down onto the seats she lay across. A sob choked out of her and Juliet gasped out a quiet cry for help. 

As the plea left her mouth, the car door behind her head flew open. Juliet blinked through tears, attempting to see who now stood above her. From the position she lay in, the figure was upside down, holding a torch. Juliet realised it was a man, but she couldn’t see his face. 

Juliet began to thrash and cry louder, begging her weak muscles to move. She had to do something, get out of her vulnerable position. Fear consumed the pain in her body.

Then, the man’s voice cut through her terror and Juliet instantly stilled.

“Shh. It’s alright, you’re with me,” he soothed. 

The man brought the torch forward and his face was illuminated in a warm yellow glow. Juliet gasped and another sob released through her clenched jaw.

“Joel?” she cried. Juliet’s body sagged in relief as the hot tears continued to pour from her eyes. For a second, she forgot about the pain and focused entirely on Joel’s dark eyes. He stared down at her with his permanent scowl, his jaw was rock hard and his mouth was pressed into a tight line. But his eyes were soft and glossy, watching her with a mixture of shock and a look she couldn’t quite place.

“It’s me. You’re with me,” Joel repeated, his voice rough. 

Juliet nodded through sobs but the tilt of her head caused a wave of dizziness to attack her and she stilled all movements, breathing heavy. 

“Don’t move,” Joel ordered and shot a look behind him. 

“What happened?” Juliet whispered. Her memories still escaped her, she couldn’t remember anything beyond Joel.

Through the torchlight, Juliet watched a muscle jump in Joel’s jaw as his gaze returned to her. “Don’t think just now,” he commanded, his voice like steel. 

Juliet’s mouth began to dry. Something was very wrong. That underwater feeling started to return but she didn’t feel like she would pass out again, instead Juliet felt her mind drift away. Without intending to, she disobeyed Joel’s order as flashes of her memories began to return. 

Juliet remembered, with a flinch, returning home to her father.

She remembered, with a sickening churn of her stomach, the chair in the basement. 

She remembered that her father had taken Ethan from her, turned him against her.

She remembered the slap of the bible against her face.

Then… she remembered the hot poker. 

And the smell of burning flesh.

Her burning flesh.

Nausea washed over her and Juliet felt herself shift, struggling to sit up. The consumption of her memories had dulled the pain a little. Her body felt so far away. Juliet was still trapped in her past. 

Strong hands captured her struggling limbs, lifting her to a seated position. A rough hand caught her head before it rolled to the side. A calloused thumb brushed over her cheek. 

Juliet opened her eyes into Joel’s. He looked at her with unrestrained terror, his stare wide and intense. But his touch was gentle and his body, now seated beside her, was warm.

“It hurts, Joel,” Juliet whispered as her teeth caught her trembling bottom lip in an attempt to stop another sob from escaping. She wasn’t sure herself if she meant the pain in her body or the agony in her mind. 

The crease between Joel’s eyebrows deepened and his eyes dropped to her bloodied lips.

“I know, baby,” he murmured in a low voice as his thumb moved to brush over her mouth, gently releasing her bottom lip from the grip of her teeth. 

For a long moment, they stared at each other and everything else fell away. Juliet forgot about the pain, she forgot about her past, she forgot about her questions. All she could focus on was the look in Joel’s eyes and the creases on his forehead she was so desperate to soothe. His eyes were wide and open, his expression was defenceless. Juliet could see every ripple of terror, hope and anger glide across his face.  

Juliet opened her mouth, words waited on her tongue. Joel followed the movement with his thumb, refusing to leave her lips without his touch. 

But before Juliet could speak, the door to her right opened and the shutters fell on Joel’s face once more. Juliet turned her head, fear gripping her, and her gaze instantly met green eyes she knew all too well. Green eyes which had once been her symbol of hope. Green eyes she thought she would never see again.

Ethan. 

Juliet screamed.  

“No, no, no,” she began to cry as she frantically pressed herself against Joel. No, this couldn’t be happening. Her father had taken Ethan from her. Her father had turned him against her. He was here to take her back to him.

That underwater feeling began to consume her again. Juliet’s memory was hazy and her mind was still ravaged by pain and confusion. But she remembered what her father had said, she remembered what he had done to Ethan, the loyal follower he had turned him into.

Elijah had threatened her with Ethan and she had learned never to take her father’s threats lightly.

In the murky waters of her mind, Juliet was terrified of Ethan. 

“Juliet?” Ethan asked frantically, his eyes wide and his brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?” 

Before Ethan could lean in any closer towards her, a figure suddenly slammed him against the side of the car, shaking the entire vehicle.

Juliet realised, with a shocked gasp, that the figure was Joel. She hadn’t even noticed he had left her side. Juliet’s thoughts were so scattered, her mind was floating away from her, all she could remember was the soul crushing sadness etched with despair when she had heard of Ethan’s fate. But she wouldn’t let Ethan bring her back to her father, she wouldn’t go through that again. 

As her mind started to focus again, she began to hear Joel and Ethan. Joel had him pinned to the car, an arm against his throat. 

“What did you do to her?” Joel growled.

“Nothing! Nothing, I swear,” Ethan croaked out, struggling against Joel’s grip.

Their voices grew quieter and Juliet couldn’t hear them anymore, but she watched Joel loosen his grip on Ethan and dart his eyes towards her.

After a moment, she listened closer and Juliet was able to make out their harsh words.

“Elijah must have said something to her, tried to convince her I was on his side,” Ethan ground out, practically spitting at Joel. “I told you he tried to turn me against her, get me to join his cause but his brainwashing didn’t work, I swear it.”

Joel took a step back but his eyes didn’t leave Ethan’s face, the wind swirled around them, blowing through Joel’s hair. He looked conflicted, his lips pursed and his jaw clenched with indecision. 

Juliet didn’t know what to make of what she heard. Everything was still so fuzzy, she couldn’t remember everything that had happened in the basement. There were only flashes of horror that blinded her as they attacked her mind. She needed answers, she had to know what was going on.

Juliet squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, attempting to clear her head enough to make sense of Joel and Ethan’s conversation. Her fear of Ethan had begun to ease. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe her father had lied to her. Maybe Ethan hadn’t changed. 

She blinked and felt tears settle on her eyelashes. Juliet was so tired, and everything hurt. She just wanted to return to that black nothingness, but she fought against it, desperate to hear more.

“Why’d he tell her that? What was his goal?” Joel demanded as he ran a hand over his jaw.

“Fear, submission, intimidation. I don’t fucking know. All I know is that Elijah loved to play games with Juliet. He had her so messed up in the head,” Ethan explained, his voice desperate.

Ethan began to turn towards her but stopped himself, sighing quietly, then he dropped his voice lower.

“The man is dead and he’s still playing his fucked up mind games with her,” he murmured, his voice thick with sympathy. 

Juliet choked out a strangled gasp. If she had enough power in her arms, she would have covered her face, dug the heels of her palms into her eyes until she saw stars. 

Her father… dead?

She was thankful for the cushioned seat that caught her head when the darkness consumed her once more.

________________________________

@amyispxnk @shotgun-shelby @http-paprika

[norajworld]

If there’s one network that continues to set the gold standard in television, it’s HBO. Known for its masterful storytelling, top-tier production, and unforgettable characters, HBO remains a juggernaut in the ever-evolving world of streaming. Now, with HBO Max consolidating its expansive library under one platform, fans have access to an even more compelling lineup of binge-worthy series and films. Whether you’re drawn to edgy comedies, gritty dramas, or post-apocalyptic thrillers, HBO Max is delivering something for every kind of viewer in 2025. This year, HBO originals and HBO Max exclusives are dominating the cultural conversation like never before. Thanks to a mix of returning favorites and buzz-worthy debuts, 2025 is already shaping up to be a banner year for the platform. From zombie thrillers and sharp-witted comedies to sweeping historical sagas, here are 10 HBO and HBO Max shows you’ll want to start watching right now. Here are 10 HBO and Max shows taking over in 2025… #1. The Last of Us (Season 2) HBO’s critically acclaimed drama The Last of Us returns with a heart-wrenching, action-packed second season that dives even deeper into its postapocalyptic world. Inspired by the beloved video game sequel, this chapter follows Ellie as she navigates the trials of coming of age in a shattered America, with Joel, her mentor and protector, never far from her side. New cast additions like Isabela Merced, Catherine O’Hara, and Kaitlyn Dever bring fresh energy and emotional depth to an already stellar ensemble. Bold, brutal, and beautifully told, The Last of Us continues to redefine genre storytelling, cementing its place as one of the must-watch HBO Max series of 2025. #2. Hacks (Season 4) Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are back in Hacks, the razor-sharp comedy-drama that brilliantly captures the chaos of stand-up and the tension of a cross-generational creative duo. In Season 4, Deborah and Ava find themselves navigating a fractured partnership while working to launch Deborah’s much-anticipated new special. Packed with the show’s signature blend of biting humor and unexpected emotional depth, Hacks continues to shine as one of HBO Max’s standout series in 2025. And with surprise cameos from comedy legends like Jimmy Kimmel and Carol Burnett, this season delivers more laughs—and more heart—than ever. #3. The Pitt One of the most buzzed-about new HBO shows of 2025, The Pitt delivers high-stakes drama with every heartbeat. Created by the team behind ER, this real-time medical thriller unfolds over the course of a single, grueling hospital shift. The result? A gripping, edge-of-your-seat look at the chaos, urgency, and raw humanity of emergency medicine. Led by ER alum Noah Wyle, The Pitt balances pulse-pounding tension with deeply personal storytelling. In short, it’s one of the most addictive new series streaming on HBO Max this year. #4. The White Lotus (Season 3) The darkly satirical The White Lotus is back. This time with a new setting (Thailand) and, of course, another mysterious death. As always, a fresh batch of entitled tourists crosses paths with a cunning hotel staff, setting the stage for chaos. Mike White’s signature blend of social critique and absurd drama is sharper than ever. With fan-favorite Belinda returning, plus plotlines involving a daring heist and a high-society scandal, it’s no surprise this HBO staple remains one of the most buzzed-about shows of 2025. #5. The Gilded Age (Season 3) “The Gilded Age” Season 3 will premiere this June on HBO and Max. Here’s your first look. pic.twitter.com/cBPnDp7hJy — Variety (@Variety) April 16, 2025 Julian Fellowes’ opulent period drama The Gilded Age returns with even more ambition, elegance, and intrigue. Set against the backdrop of 1880s New York, the series once again pits old money against new, as Bertha Russell doubles down on her quest for social supremacy. Between the lavish sets, razor-sharp dialogue, and powerhouse performances from Carrie Coon and Christine Baranski, The Gilded Age firmly secures its place as one of HBO Max’s standout shows of 2025. #6. The Staircase Based on the real-life case that captivated global headlines, The Staircase is a true-crime drama that only gets more unsettling as it unfolds. Colin Firth delivers a chilling portrayal of Michael Peterson, the husband accused of murder, while Juliette Binoche and Parker Posey add emotional complexity to an already tangled narrative. At once a courtroom thriller and a psychological study, the series dives deep into themes of media, justice, and the ambiguity of truth. No surprise—it’s one of the most haunting HBO Max watches of 2025. #7. House of the Dragon (Season 2 Recap) Though Season 3 isn’t arriving until 2026, the buzz surrounding House of the Dragon shows no signs of slowing. As the Game of Thrones prequel, it has reignited fans’ love for political scheming, fiery betrayals, and, of course, dragons. Season 2 delivered on all fronts, with shocking twists and devastating turns that left viewers reeling. So now’s the perfect time to revisit Westeros, rewatch your favorite moments, and prepare for the storm that’s surely coming. Few shows keep the stakes this high, and House of the Dragon remains one of HBO’s crown jewels. #8. Curb Your Enthusiasm (Final Season) Although Curb Your Enthusiasm officially wrapped in 2024, Larry David’s comedy masterpiece is far from forgotten. In fact, its cultural relevance has only deepened. Now streaming in full on HBO Max, the series continues to delight old fans and attract new ones with its razor-sharp wit and brilliantly awkward moments. With 12 seasons of gloriously uncomfortable comedy, Curb remains one of HBO’s most iconic—and endlessly rewatchable—triumphs. #9. Sex and the City Few shows have left a mark quite like Sex and the City. While its sequel series, And Just Like That, keeps the story going, the original remains a cultural touchstone—bold, stylish, and endlessly quotable. Now streaming in full on HBO Max, it’s the perfect time to revisit the fashion, friendships, and fearless storytelling that made it iconic. Even in 2025, its influence is still felt across HBO Max’s most daring and character-driven programming. #10. Harley Quinn (Season 5) Rounding out our list is the animated gem Harley Quinn, a wild ride through Gotham that’s as raunchy as it is revolutionary. This R-rated superhero satire takes no prisoners with its sharp humor, over-the-top action, and unapologetic irreverence. Kaley Cuoco delivers a standout performance as Harley, leading an all-star cast of villains and antiheroes on a thrilling, chaotic adventure. With its bold, rebellious spirit, Harley Quinn stands out as one of HBO Max’s most refreshingly original shows in 2025. Featured image: @FilmUpdates/X For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ —Read Also !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[kitttcatalyst]

https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyCatalyst/profile

🐉🕯️💥 The KittyCatalyst Cinematic Universe (AO3 Sparkly Masterlist) 💥🕯️🐉

🛡️ The Gospel of the Damned Series (Ultimate Core Timeline)

Demons Run When A Good Man Goes To War The fic that dropped the sun on us and dared us to keep breathing. (Status: COMPLETE. Trauma? YES. Found family? YES. Biblical metaphors? YES.)

Demons Flee From the Names Not Spoken in Heaven When you thought the world had already ended but family said "not today, Satan." (Status: Updating. Glitter cult dads. Spore-coded grief girl. Turkey named Braveheart.)

🧬 The Hollowlight Saga (Cosmic Grief x Spiritual Warfare)

Hollowlight (WIP) MHA x Bleach fusion. Hollows? Gods? Broken boys trying to survive the unraveling of the universe? Yes, chef.

The Hollow Light (Upcoming NOVEL) Cael, Kaelix, and Ryn are already fighting for my soul.

🔥 The Gospel of Survival (MHA Anguish Standalone Series)

The Anatomy of a Broken Thing Katsuki Bakugou is love, war, and BPD incarnate. Izuku Midoriya is the last thread holding him together. (Status: COMPLETE. Angst so good it hurts.)

Side Effects May Include Midoriya Izuku: poster child for stubborn junkies who love too hard and fall too fast. (Status: COMPLETE. Recovery hurts, and that's why it matters.)

🛸 The Crossroads of Chaos (Crossover Crack and God-Tier Angst)

If You Jump, I Jump (MHA x Hazbin Hotel) Katsuki said "fuck death" and punched Hell in the face for Izuku.

Hollowlight (MHA x Bleach) Worlds collided. Souls fractured. Emotional damage? Delivered.

🪐 The Cosmic Devastation Collection

The Starborn Hero Izuku Midoriya: cosmic black hole slayer, tragic stardust boy, "oops I accidentally became a god."

🦴 The Suffering but Make It Gay Collection

Evermore Reincarnation, soulmates, second chances. Crying in the club at 3AM.

The Devil Couldn’t Reach Me So He Sent Me Kacchan Slow burn so slow it counts as geological erosion. Absolute top-tier mutual yearning.

🎤 The Crack Treated Seriously Collection

Breaking the Ice Todoroki Shouto said: I am no longer tolerating your verbal foreplay. Mid-battle. In public.

ARE YOU SORRY?!? Izuku roundhouse kicks Shouto. Chaos reigns. Katsuki laughs so hard he almost dies.

🕯️ The Divine Rebellion Collection (Hazbin Lore Rewritten)

What Was I Made For? Alastor gets therapy-coded by accidentally adopting a baby in Hell. Biblical daddy issues included.

💔 The Sad Bitch Hours Collection

Bigger Than The Whole Sun Izuku has autism. Katsuki chooses him anyway. Again and again. Healing isn't linear but it's real.

Only Love Can Hurt Like This Bakugou quits being a hero to scream-sing sad gay songs about Izuku. It’s ICONIC.

⚡ The Deep Cuts Collection (Hidden Gems You Should Absolutely Read)

Echoes of Stone (MHA x Dr. Stone) Apocalyptic survival. Mad science. Soul-deep hurt/comfort.

The Sacrifices We Make *Katsuki dies. Rewinds time. Tries to save everyone. Everything hurts and nothing is okay.

Twilight (Krystin’s Version) What if Twilight, but autism-coded and emotionally superior?

The Catalyst (Yu-Gi-Oh) Ancient curses, trauma, and Seto Kaiba being an emotionally constipated menace? Yes.

Shadows of Desire (Hazbin Hotel) Alastor’s shadow said "If you won't kiss her, I will." Charlie said "Bet."

[persiamedie]

I, John MacLeod, Experience a Time-Slip:

A Journey to an Apocalyptic Future Imagine waking up one day and finding yourself not just in a different city, but in an entirely different time—one that is marked by challenges and disasters that seem incomprehensible. This was my reality when I, John MacLeod, experienced a time-slip that transported me to a future riddled with apocalyptic events that have fundamentally altered the landscape of the United States. My story is not just a personal account; it is a critical warning of the potential consequences of our actions today. ## The Vision of the Future In this future, cities lie in ruins. Once-thriving metropolises have crumbled under the weight of environmental disasters, political strife, and social disarray. I walked through streets that were once bustling with life and laughter, now silent as ghosts. The air was thick with despair, mirroring the heavy cloud cover that cast a gray pall over the horizon. ### Environmental Catastrophe The root of the problem, I soon learned, was an escalating series of environmental catastrophes. Climate change, which many had warned about in my time, had reached a tipping point. Natural disasters, from hurricanes to wildfires, had become an everyday occurrence. Yet it was not just the earth that suffered; communities fractured, trust eroded, and divisive politics flourished in the chaos. ### The Social FabricBut perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of this dystopian reality was the social fabric that had torn apart. Neighbor turned against neighbor, and compassion gave way to a survival mentality. Communities that once celebrated diversity now struggled to coexist, with fear and suspicion breeding division. While my heart sank at the images of despair, I realized that this could very well be the future we are paving for ourselves.## A Call to ActionWitnessing this apocalyptic future left me with an urgent message to share with my fellow citizens. We must act now, before it's too late. ### Change Starts Today1. Environmental Responsibility:

We have a duty to combat climate change. Transitioning to renewable energy sources, reducing waste, and protecting natural habitats are vital steps we must take together. Each action matters and can contribute to a sustainable future.2. Community Engagement:

We must foster a sense of community that values compassion over division. Engaging in open dialogue and embracing diversity can help heal the wounds that threaten to tear us apart. 3. Political Accountability:

Holding leaders accountable for their actions is crucial. We owe it to future generations to advocate for policies that protect the environment and promote social equity.### A Glimpse of HopeWhile my experience transported me to a dark future, it also illuminated the possibility of change. The resilience of humanity shines brightest in the face of adversity. By coming together, we can rewrite our story and ensure that the future is not one of desolation but of hope and renewal.## ConclusionIn closing, I urge you, my fellow citizens, to heed this warning. The time-slip I experienced serves as a stark reminder that our actions today determine the world of tomorrow. Let us rise to the challenge and work towards a better future for all. Together, we can avoid the bleak path I saw and instead create a world that thrives on cooperation, sustainability, and understanding. The future is not set in stone; it is ours to shape.

[pleasehandtheappleback]

🍎 Welcome to The Golden Apple Chronicles

They said the world ended once. But empires rot slowly, and myths have long memories. This is the story of what comes after — when golden apples fall, and hands remember how to reach… and hurl them right back.

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📖 About the Series A post-apocalyptic epic of myth, rebellion, and legacy. Golden children. Cracked symbols. A Republic on borrowed time.

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📚 Books

🌿 ARC I: The Hand of Discord | Eris & Misha

Book I: The Golden Apple — Fragility, identity, disruption. ➤ The catalyst of change: a girl, a golden apple, and the first fracture in the world that shaped her.

Book II: The Shattered Balance — Consequences, evolution, fracture. ➤ The weight of rebellion sets in, and Eris learns that breaking systems also breaks people — including herself.

🔥 ARC II: The Tarnished Grove | Bryar & Kai

Book III: The Withered Roots — Coming Soon ➤ Coming Soon

Book IV: The Iron Branch — Coming Soon ➤ Coming Soon

🗡️ ARC III: The Forge of Blood | Émilie & Gremory

Book V: The Crimson Flame — Coming Soon ➤ Coming Soon

Book VI: The Anvil of War — Coming Soon ➤ Coming Soon

⚖️ ARC IV: The Pillar of Unity | Liora & Elias

Book VII: The Fractured Foundations — Coming Soon ➤ Coming Soon

Book VIII: The Glass Legacy — Coming Soon ➤ Coming Soon

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🗂️ Navigation

🔗 #golden apple updates 🧵 #golden apple meta 📚 #golden apple lore 🎨 #golden apple aesthetics 💬 Ask questions, scream about apples, or throw literary chaos my way → Ask here

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🍏 About This Blog The official blog for The Golden Apple Chronicles — a myth-soaked dystopian saga of revolution, legacy, and transformation. Expect moodboards, lore drops, and updates from author C.R. Abery.

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📫 Looking for more? Visit @cryptidwithawordcount for other series, writing events, and behind-the-scenes chaos.