#I SAID I WAS GONNA DO JUST THE COLORS. THEN IT LOOKED DOGSHIT WITHOUT SOME SHADING

[diathadevil]

Day 4 - Line Without a Hook

Oh, baby, I am a wreck when I'm without you, I need you here to stay.

Got my Mermaid AU back for this prompt teehee.

[abundanceofnots]

a little (just under 2k) playground scene with Lip and Ian as dads, as per @pink--and--white's request. i apologize to all actual parents in advance.

“How the fuck did we get here?” Lip asks through a huff of incredulous laughter.

Ian shades his eyes from the sun, turning to his older brother with a look of mock concern. “Your memory that bad already, old man? We drove here.”

It earns him a stinging smack on his thigh.

“Asshole,” Lip retorts back. “You know what I mean.”

Ian’s eyes flit back to the scene before them. “Yeah, I do,” he confirms a beat later, his voice more earnest this time.

This, by far, isn’t a new feeling. Lip’s had the exact same thought pass through his mind countless times in recent years, always in a momentary flash of warmth that filled up his whole chest. It happens all the more often now over the most mundane shit, though.

The first time was, probably, when Freddie was born. Then Ian got married, and Al came along, and Liam got to a good school—and after that followed every other quiet (not literally) evening when the whole family gathered up in the kitchen.

In those instants, Lip would stall himself for just a second, getting lost in the overwhelming sounds and visuals, and think, what the fuck.

He’s getting soft. That’s it, most likely. He’s getting soft and sentimental, going on with his extremely unexceptional life, wondering how in the hell did a piece of shit like himself get so lucky, and slowly becomes someone he’d gladly punch in the face not too long ago.

It hits him hard again, this strange sense of pride and wonder, as he sits next to his baby brother on a bench overlooking a kids’ playground.

This one’s the real deal. Everything here is child-proof and clean, with no syringe or dogshit in sight. Frank or some random homeless guy aren’t lying in a drunken coma by the swing sets. There’s not even one bullet hole in the slide. And maybe it’s not so hard to admit that this is actually pretty nice. That this is them now.

Still, the whole thing is, without a doubt, totally ridiculous. Here they are, Lip and Ian—the college dropout and the ex-con, the true sons of the South Side—sneakily munching on their kids’ packed afternoon snacks.

“Dumb luck, I guess,” Ian answers Lip’s question after some musing and takes a sip from Toe’s pink-colored juice box.

Lip hmms before he bites into a baby carrot. “For us, or them?”

“For us. Definitely.”

They’re just two regular dads who carry around lunchboxes and always have a wet wipe or a pack of tissues at hand, ready to blow noses and wipe off residue chocolate from chins and hands. There aren’t enough words in the English language that would describe how incredibly ridiculous this is, because once upon a time, not too long ago, still, Ian wore a jumpsuit with Dav on the nametag and believed this was it for him, and Lip thought the only way to get through life was by drinking himself through the ordeal.

How the fuck did they get here?

“Freddie! Hey, Freddie!” Lip calls out to his oldest, who hangs upside down from the monkey bars, effectively ignoring him. “Fred!” he tries again with an annoyed sigh, and the boy finally remembers how his ears work. “Can you help your cousin on the slide?”

“Okay!”

With a swift motion, Freddie pulls himself up again to grab hold of a bar, unhooking his knees in the process, and jumps down into the sand with practiced ease. He then immediately gets into a run, coming behind the red-headed girl in black overalls who’s been trying to climb the gentle ramp on her own.

“What was that about?” Ian inquires amusedly.

“Early puberty, I think. He doesn’t want us to call him Freddie anymore. It’s Fred. No Fredster, no Fredtastic, definitely no Fredosaurus. Just Fred. Apparently, I went to bed, and my son turned into a middle-aged man overnight.”

“Oof. That’s rough.”

“Yeah. The next thing I know, he’s gonna get a neck tattoo and his first STI. Al, buddy!” His younger son Alvin, at least, seems to have no trouble with hearing. “You need help? Want me to push you?”

“No, I’m good!” the blond kid shouts back from the swing, and to prove his point, he pushes himself harder off the ground to gain momentum.

Lip scratches his forehead. “They don’t need me anymore,” he comments darkly. “I am officially a bother.”

“You’ve always been a bother,” Ian notes before he stuffs his mouth full of grapes. “Come on, Lip. Freddie’s eight. He’s not exactly packing his bags to leave home. He’s still very much a daddy’s boy.”

“I don’t know, man. When I remember what I was already doing when I was his age….”

“Yeah, but that’s different. They’re not like us. They don’t need to be, and that’s a good thing.”

Ian’s right, but the concept of normal as something desirable, something he doesn’t necessarily need to rebel against, is something Lip may never fully come to grasps with. And neither does Ian, even if he says otherwise.

“We might be getting a dog,” Lip says after a while, pausing before he sinks his teeth into a cheese stick.

“No way!” Ian smirks at him. “Look at you, perfect American family and shit.”

Lip snorts at that. He and Tami are pretty damn far from perfect. “You not thinking about getting a pet? A friendly rottweiler for Mickey, perhaps?”

“No. First, I gotta talk him into having another kid.”

That takes Lip by surprise. He knows Ian absolutely adores his little girl, his mini ginger twin that everyone got to call Toe, short for Tomato, but he also knows the whole story behind how she came to be.

“Oh, yeah? You’d like another?”

“Yeah,” Ian admits, and as his eyes drop to his lap where his fingers fiddle with a paper straw, Lip realizes he sounds ashamed about it.

“Not as easy as poking holes in condoms with you guys, huh?” he jokes to release the sudden tension.

“Hah. No.”

“You told Mickey yet?”

Meeting his brother’s eyes again, Ian gives a noncommittal shrug. “I hinted.”

From experience, Lip knows that hinting in Ian’s case almost exclusively means Mickey is fully aware of his intentions and just chooses to ignore them before Ian confronts him head-on.

“Hopefully, you’ll have another girl,” he tells Ian after a quiet moment filled with children’s high-pitched screams and the steady screeching of a swing set. “It’s a lot more physical with boys. These two are already fighting like we used to.”

“Doesn’t really matter when you’re raising a Milkovich,” Ian remarks before yelling: “Hey, Toe? You wanna have a sip of your juice for me?”

The girl waves at them eagerly as she slides down the bendy chute. Getting to a run right as her feet touch the ground, she comes to a jolty halt in front of them, taking a good, hard look at the juice box as if only now realizing what’s expected of her.

“No, thank you,” Toe then peeps and skips off again.

“Polite,” Lip appraises.

Ian gives a low chuckle. “Fuckin’ weird, huh?”

“With Mickey as her dad? A little.”

They watch the kids play for a few minutes. Ian offers to exchange a cheese stick for three grapes, and Lip negotiates it up to five before agreeing.

“You think he’d be against it? Having another kid?” he asks Ian mid-chew.

“I mean, I wouldn’t blame him, after all the shit with Terry. Maybe with a second kid, he’d think there’d be twice the damage he could do. Dunno,” Ian surmises uncertainly. “I know how hard it was for him to even want a kid, and I get why he was scared. Don’t get me wrong, I’m shitting myself every day when I think of the ways I could fuck this up. But he’s a great dad. You saw him with Toe. She’s obsessed with him. The way she laughs at everything he says makes you think he invented comedy or something.”

Lip’s aware that their conversation turned sort of serious once again, but he can’t help not breaking into a smile. “Sounds like you’re kinda jealous of your husband there, Ian.”

“Oh, I hate his guts,” his brother confirms, only partially kidding. “I’m a fun dad, too, you know.” As if on cue, a figure coming their way catches his attention, and Ian nods to where his daughter’s playing, telling Lip: “Okay, watch this.”

Mickey gestures at Freddie with a finger to his lips, coming around the slide just in time to catch his daughter in his arms with a victorious roar.

“Daddy!” Toe announces the good news to everyone around with a loud squeal.

Ian gives his brother a pointed look.

“Fuck, man,” Lip huffs with mock seriousness. “You tellin’ me she loves her dad? What a nightmare.”

“Yo, lunch ladies.” Mickey suddenly approaches them with Toe at his hip. “How ’bout less chit-chatting and more kid-watching? Think I’d remember if I left my kid with a giant fuckin’ bruise on her forehead this morning.”

“Yeah. She’s had a bit of a scuffle with Alvin earlier,” Ian says, reaching out to soothingly rub Toe’s calf as if said scuffle and the tears it brought weren’t already long forgotten.

“The hell’s he doin’ fightin’ someone half his size?!”

“She started it!” Lip counters weakly.

“Okay.” Mickey’s mouth hangs open for a minute before he finds his figurative footing again. “I guess she had her reasons for that. And you should teach your kids to not fight dirty.”

“I go play now,” Toe informs him then, putting a stop to his rant and his bad mood in one go.

“Yeah! You do that!” Mickey replies as he puts her down, matching her level of enthusiasm. She heads for the extensive pirate-ship-like construction this time, watchful cousin Freddie already on her heels, and Mickey drops heavily next to his husband, letting out a prolonged groan into his hands.

“Tough day?” Ian asks needlessly.

“Igor’s a fuckin’ idiot.”

“Told you he was.”

“And I agree, so drop it, a’ight? Hey, by the way.”

“Hey,” Ian echoes before they exchange a quick kiss.

Mickey notices the juice in his hands then and perks up. “That raspberry?” he checks after he’s already snagged the box for himself, taking loud slurps from it to get every last drop. He finishes off with a belch. “Fuckin’ love raspberry.”

Lip finds that anything he’d say at that moment would only spoil the natural fucking beauty of it, so he just appreciates with a private snicker.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Toe yells from the top of one of the pirate ship’s smaller slides. “Come play!”

Mickey pats at Ian’s thigh. “That’s on you, man. I’m beat.”

Putting his fun-dad face on, Ian heaves himself up without a complaint. “Hey, jellybean! Do you think your dad can fit on the slide, too?”

Toe shakes her head vehemently, giggling as she watches Ian jog toward her. “No, daddy! No! No!”

“What, you don’t think I can?” Ian asks again, halfway through his climb up on the board. “Well, take off your socks now because they might get blown off! I’mma fit!”

“Daddy!” Toe howls with laughter as he bumps his head on one of the low railings.

Beside Lip, Mickey imitates the reaction, both his hand and the phone he’s holding with it to record a video visibly shaking. When he notices Lip staring, his grin falters a little.

“These two jokers,” Mickey complains after he ends the recording. “She always laughs at everything he does like he invented comedy or some shit.”

Lip answers with a knowing smile, his chest feeling full of warmth.

Seriously, how the fuck did they get here?

[inkribbon796]

Dr. Strangelove and Ticking Timebombs Ch. 2: Slippery Fingers

Summary: A strange container, strange meet-ups and zero coincidences.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3

When the heroes got to the warehouse, they were stopped by the bomb squad and several individuals in full hazmat gear walking around. Abe was sitting on a bench and rubbing his temples, Oliver was standing next to him. His vape in his hand.

Which surprised Logan because Oliver usually didn’t travel this far from the base.

“What happened, did the situation get worse?” Logan asked.

“You could say that,” Abe rubbed his face and stood up. “I was planning on showing you what was in that container in person, but Bing was in some camera feed and he called Brighton’s Health and Safety, and they came with fucking hazmat suits. Then he came in and started clearing people out.”

“Why?” Logan asked in confusion.

“Lo,” Bing shot out of the closest electrical panel, “there you are. An’ Marvin, perfect, I was about ta call you.”[1]

“Yeh wanted me an’ Logic?”[2] Marvin asked in confusion.

“Yeah,” Bing answered. “So you can’t go inta the warehouse, they’re still sortin’ out the pitchblende an’ findin’ what else got contaminated.”[3]

“Excuse me, did you say “pitchblende” why is that here?” Logan demanded.

“What’s pitchblende?” Tommy asked

“It’s a radioactive ore,” Logan explained. “Uranium-235 and Uranium-238 can both be synthesized from the ore to build nuclear reactors, but why is it here?”

“Why are you guys here then?” Silver asked.

“Well the ship’s manifesto caused some red flags to get raised,” Abe answered. “Some good Samaritan called the cops and pulled the container to the side. But instead of there being people in the cargo, there were some crates. And one of them was a lead box full of what Bing identified as pitchblende. He was watching us through some camera because he was bored, or some shit. And I’m glad he did because he saw what was in the box when my partner lifted some of it out and he cleared all of us out instantly. He was looking out for us.”

“Do we know where this shipment was supposed to go after it reached port?” Logan asked.

“Apparently a truck was supposed ta[4] come fer[5] it last night,” Bing answered. “But they pulled the container an’[6] no one saw a truck pull up fer[5] it. So I bet it scared ‘em[7] off.”

“I believe you might be right,” Logan decided. Then he looked at Abe. “Was there a name orva destination?”

“Just a name, a Tuberculosis Gadget,” Abe read with the type of smile he usually had just before he hit someone . . . typically that someone was Wilford. “I’ve seen some bad fake names, but this one is pretty up there.”

“Tuberc—” Tommy repeated in recognition.

Which immediately got Abe and Logan’s attention.

“That name ring a bell, kid?” Abe asked.

“I’m not a kid,” Tommy shot back.

“Whatever big guy,” Abe rolled his eyes. “Do you know the name or not?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know why it would show up here,” Tommy shrugged. “Don’t know what Tubs would want with somethin[8] radioactive. He’s a lawyer, not some crazy maniac.”

“Does he have other aliases, do you know this individual’s name?” Logan demanded.

Tommy hesitated for a second before he opened his mouth, but Ghostbur had started glancing around, half bored and half unable to put his concentration on any one thing for too long.

As the other heroes were trying to get information from Tommy, Ghostbur spotted two people off in the distance, watching them. He was so excited he spoke without thinking. “Tubbo? Hey Big Man, look, it’s Tubbo and Jack.”

The heroes looked at the two people just inside the cordoned off area. One was a man with a shaved head and red and blue glasses, the other was a much shorter man with a fluffy vest and brown hair that covered his eyes and most of the burns on his face. The second figure had a set of curled goat horns coming from his forehead.

“Tubbo?” Logan repeated in surprise, recognizing the burns.

Abe startled a bit, “Excuse me, but this is an active crime scene investigation, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Ghostbur, what are you doin’[9] here?” Tubbo asked before his eyes scanned the crowd before he just stared at Tommy. “Tommy, why the fuck are you workin’[10] with these assholes?”

Tommy sputtered in surprise, as the other heroes braced to intervene, “I am not some common pleb named “Tommy” or some such shit.”

“Tommy, don’t be a fuckin’[11] idiot,” Tubbo shouted. “I know it’s you, I’ve known you fer[5] fuckin’[11] years. You’ve only covered half yer damn face, an’[6] you didn’t even try to even talk deeper at the very least. You’re shit at hidin’[12] yer[13] identity.”

Tommy paused for a second or two, then said in a deeper voice, “I am not Tommy.”

“That’s worse, mate,” Jack Manifold told him, rolling his eyes behind his 3D-colored glasses. “Please use yer[13] normal voice. That one’s just complete dogshit.”

“Well fuck you too,” Tommy scowled, his tone a touch quieter.

Logan’s head was spinning, unable to reconcile the young man at the bed and breakfast who loved bees, with this same young man arguing in front of him. His whole body felt on edge. “Did you order this shipment?”

“Yer[14] gonna half to be specific,” Tubbo asked with a smile. “I order a lot ‘a[15] things.”

Jack looked at the amount of heroes, “Maybe we should just—”

“Save it, you can go, but I’m not goin’[16] anywhere,” Tubbo warned with almost an angry growl to his voice.

“This is an investigation, you can’t just be here,” Silver warned.

“Were you here to pick up a shipment from dock 14?” Logan asked.

“The one with my new smoke detectors an’[6] lanterns?” Tubbo smiled.

The other heroes were confused, but Abe and the androids weren’t.

“That’s not the only thing in there you sick fuck,” Abe spat.

“So it is yours?” Logan reeled a bit, Tubbo’s smile didn’t drop. “I don’t understand, you own a bed and breakfast, what on Earth do you want with Uranitie?”

“Ehhh, science marches on, big guy,” Tubbo shrugged.

“This not just for the sake of science,” Logan rebutted, a desperate tone to his voice. “This is a potential ecological and natural disaster waiting to happen. What do you intend for these items?”

Tubbo’s answer was given with terrifying calm, “To prove a point, really.”

“Ta[4] us?” Marvin gestured to them. “We get it, yeh[17] wanna be some big scary threat. We’ve faced worse.”

“Nah,” Tubbo dismissed. “You’re still human. Don’t care what you think ‘a[15] me.”

Then he gestured to Logan, “I meant ta[4] them.”

“Me?” Logan scoffed in disbelief as the pads of his fingers tapped once to his chest. “I thought you proved your point more than effectively at your establishment. But clearly I was gravely misinformed about your character.”

“I meant demons in general,” Tubbo dismissed. “Don’t take it personally. Although speaking ‘a[15] you, how lifelike are yer[13] little arms because the one that liked spiders had a whole personality an’[6] everythin’[15]. Did you give him that or is he naturally that skiddish. Hope it’s the second one because that’s seriously fucked up, dude.”

“The—” Logan felt alarm pass through him, he hadn’t been aware that Virgil and Tubbo had done more than look at each other across the game room of the bed and breakfast. “When did you speak with him?”

Tubo’s entire demeanor seemed to change. “The purple one? Can you not see everythin’[18] the others do?”

The skin and hair on Logan’s body stood on end, as if one current was going through him, “I think you must have confused me with someone else.”

“That depends on if you’re still the one who said you liked my bees,” Tubbo asked.

“I don’t think it wise of me to give my identity to you,” Logan warned.

Tubbo nodded, “Then tell yer[13] boss that Dream wants to speak to him. Has fer[5] a while now, we just haven’t been able to get past his door guards.”

Tubbo and Jack then looked up at something.

“Well, I think you’ve all made yer[13] point clear so you win an’[6] get to keep my stuff,” Tubbo shrugged. “G.G, we’ll just be off then.”

“No wait a second,” Abe ordered as Jack and Tubbo pulled out some green eye orbs and were already turning.

“Give me those!” Marvin yelled as the heroes raced forward. The orbs went sailing as Silver and Marvin raced for the two of them. Marvin grabbed onto Tubbo’s arm. “Yer not goin’ anywhere yeh—”[19]

The eyes opened and Silver flew back in surprise but Marvin didn’t and felt something rip Tubbo right out of his grasp.

Marvin screamed in pain as all of his fingers broke and the two people were gone.

“Fook!”[20] Marvin shouted in pain, holding his hand. “Motherfooker!”[21]

“Marv,” Silver began. “I’ll call the docs.”

Marvin screamed as he tried to keep his fingers still. “No, I’ll go after, we need ta[4] find these guys.”

“****!”[22] Bing cursed. “When did someone ****[20] with the cameras?”

“What?” Abe shouted and raced back into the warehouse. Logan was already on the phone with Henrik for Marvin.

Tommy and Ethan were a bit torn on who to go with for a bit but he shouted for Tommy to start getting into communication with Jackie and the other heroes.

Bing and Oliver were faster into the warehouse, keeping Abe out until they were sure it was clear. When the two androids got inside they saw several agents and hazmat workers lying dead around the facility. Arrows sticking out of some of them, bullet holes in others, and one or two of them had three lined up puncture wounds like they’d been stabbed with a trident or a multiple-pronged weapon like it.

Besides the dead people, the boxes were all missing. There were a few stray smoke detectors and a lantern or two that had been thrown by the wayside and were probably broken. But the lead boxes were gone, as were the box of magical crate

Bing tested the radioactive signature on the air and still found it slightly contaminated and therefore unsafe.

“Hey Bing,” Oliver messaged the other android.

“Yeah?” Bing replied as he was messaging Abe and giving him pictures and a report of the situation.

“Found something,” Oliver held up a small box that had come from the crate of magical supplies. Bing took a few pictures of it before opening the box and found that someone from the investigation team had already started labeling it. It was full of chunks of raw coconut.

“Weird,” Bing commented, taking more pictures and then placing the box in a radioactive-leak proof container so they could decontaminate it later.

They had missing radioactive material to find.

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

Accessibility Translations:

1. there you are. And Marvin, perfect, I was about to call you.

2. You wanted me and Logic?

3. So you can’t go into the warehouse, they’re still sorting out the pitchblende and finding what else got contaminated

4. to

5. for

6. and

7. them

8. something

9. doing

10. working

11. fucking

12. hiding

13. your

14. You’re

15. of

16. going

17. you

18. everything

19. You’re not going anywhere you—

20. Fuck!

21. Motherfucker!

22. Shit!

[artificialqueens]

After the World Ends (Sashea/Biadore/Witney) - Veronica

A/N: AFTER THE WORLD ENDS, AKA PORN IN THE WOODS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the beautiful and talented @missdandee !! You know I love you when I agree to write something that involves Biadore. ;P I hope your birthday is amazing, my love!!!

Summary: Post-apocalypse lesbian AU featuring Sashea, Witney, and Biadore.

For clarity and to explain the pronoun choices: Sasha is DFAB genderqueer (they/them pronouns), Willam is a trans woman, and the rest of the cast is cis female.

Trigger warnings: some potentially transphobic discussion/language involving sexual awkwardness, a panic attack, guns/weapons, hunting a wild turkey, and discussion war, gay conversion therapy, and the downfall of America at the hands of the Trump Administration

(Also: Thank you SO MUCH to @spokywrites for being my beta savior, and to additional beta help from @wednesdayangeline and @ironrescue - was the lovely person to for include me in this celebration!)

2027 SOUTHERN APPALACHIA THE AREA FORMERLY KNOWN AS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

“Remember glitter nail polish?” Adore asked. She stopped and looked carefully to her left and right. Coast clear. She moved forward, clearing a path for Courtney to follow.

“That was the best!” Courtney sighed, a slight skip to her step. “Remember clean underwear?”

“Distantly, yeah,” Adore said, laughing. “Remember Ariana Grande?”

“God, I loved her so much. She’s probably dead now, huh?”

“Probably.”

“That’s a shame.” Courtney kicked a rock.

“Remember Christmas lights?” Adore asked.

Then before Courtney could open her mouth to reply, she elbowed her arm, silencing her as she drew back her bow and arrow. The ugly, feathery little fucker was close, and fat. If it wasn’t for the tree she’d have a clear shot. She waited, hoping he’d take a few more steps, so that she could really nail him. Just a tiny…bit…farther…Adore let the arrow spring free, and it pierced him right in the neck. Bullseye. She strode forward to finish the job, pulling the arrow out and twisting his neck with a crack.

Courtney trailed behind, wincing slightly. Almost two years of this, not to mention seeing her dad do it while they were still safe in the shelter - but she could never get used to the carnage. She examined one of the trees, saw some moss that might be useful, began to scrape it off with her pocketknife.

“Don’t worry Court, he lived a good life. And now he’ll provide us with some much needed sustenance.”

“Mmmhmm,” Courtney said, then glanced over her shoulder at Adore, pulling feathers off the disgusting creature by the handful. “Remember soy?”

Adore chuckled, “Now that, I don’t miss…”

***

“Hey,” Sasha said softly, and Shea turned around, a big smile lighting up her face.

“You’re finished already?!” Shea wrapped her arms around Sasha’s waist, pulling them to the floor.

“No fish today…again…”

Shea laughed gleefully. Only she could be delighted by the idea of Sasha’s repeated failure to procure any protein for them. “Baby. There’s never any fish. But it’s so fucking adorable the way you keep trying.”

Feigning offense, Sasha tossed their red hair and scoffed. “Excuse me, ma’am, I caught one…like a month ago, so…”

“That’s right, I’m sorry, you’re right. You’re amazing and perfect and the world’s greatest fisher…person…” Shea teased, pressing a kiss against Sasha’s throat.

Sasha giggled, exclaiming, “Exactly!” and running a hand down Shea’s arm, eyes falling closed as the warmth of her lips traveled down their neck to their collarbone.

Shea smiled, raked her nails up Sasha’s thighs, pushing them open so that she could crawl between them, hovering over them tauntingly.

“Shea…” A soft gasp left their lips as Shea’s hands trailed up and down their body, mouth pressed to their stomach, then lower…

“Tell me what you want…” Shea whispered, fingers toying with the fly on Sasha’s shorts, breath now hot on her thigh.

Sasha arched up. “Don’t stop…” they whispered, gazing at her, grey-blue eyes dreamy, eyelashes fluttering.

“Ugh,” came a voice from behind, and they both turned to see Willam, her face scrunched up in disgust. “You guys are the worst. The world’s ended, how can you be so goddamn happy? Stop being gross.” As she walked past them, she nudged Sasha with the toe of her boot for good measure.

Shea collapsed, burying her face in Sasha’s lap, sticking her middle finger in the air. “Get fucked, Belli,” Shea replied, voice muffled by Sasha’s thighs, which she proceeded to rub her cheeks against, savoring the softness of her girlfriend’s smooth skin.

Willam let out an aggrieved groan, collapsing onto her own sleeping mat. “By who?! You two whores only have eyes for each other, and Bianca…I mean I’m not saying she’s a TERF, but…you know. She’s not exactly open-minded. Especially now, when I look like…” Willam trailed off with a shrug.

Sasha propped themself up on their elbows and turned their head, somewhat sympathetic to Willam’s dilemma. It had been over four years since even the underground shitty hormones ran out. Six years since the good stuff. Willam was a tough bitch, but Sasha couldn’t imagine the emotional trauma of watching her body regress back to what it was pre-transition. In an act of pure solidarity, they’d procured about 10 years worth of razors for her back in Jackson - a small thing, but at least it was something. Even Bianca treated the razors like her first born child - no man nor razor left behind, no matter where they went. But regardless of the constant shaving and the attempt at eye makeup…Sasha could see why Willam felt the way she did. She looked different from how she used to. Different from how she felt inside.

Sasha held Shea tighter, stroking her hair, feeling both fortunate and guilty. What right did they have to be ‘so goddamn happy’ when the world had literally come to an end for so many -  for people they loved, for millions of innocent lives? When there was no way to know when, or if, there would ever be peace again?

“I miss Alaska,” Willam muttered, more to herself than anyone else, punching her pillow down and sighing.

Sasha reached up and touched Willam’s hand. “We all do,” they said softly, but Willam slapped their hand away and started stomping off.

“Oh, shut the fuck up. I don’t need your pity, bitch-”

“That’s not what I-”

Shea sat up. “Don’t fucking call them a bitch-”

“Don’t tell me what to-”

The bickering was interrupted by Bianca running in breathlessly. “Hey! I need backup! There’s some shit going down in the eastern woods. Hurry!”

Without a word, all three girls jumped to attention, grabbing their weapons and following Bianca down the narrow passageway.

***

“What was that?” Adore hissed, and Courtney flattened herself against the tree, listening carefully. She’d clearly heard it too, based on the intense expression on her face, chest rising and falling rapidly.

Adore crept forward slowly, brandishing her gun, staying low to the ground as she approached the clearing, trying to shield her eyes to see the large hill where the noise had come from. Courtney was so close behind her that she could feel a strap from her heavy backpack dangling on her arm.

“WHO THE FUCK IS THERE!?” yelled a hoarse voice, and suddenly they were surrounded, as the hill looming on the other side of the narrow clearing turned into a fortress, covered in multiple armed soldiers. Their only protection the sparse trees and low shrubs at the edge of the forest.

“Fuck!” Adore should have known. Why hadn’t she stayed in the denser woods, where they would be covered, protected? Why had she taken this risk, just to make a campfire easier? Lazy, stupid, thoughtless-

“ANSWER! HANDS UP, WEAPONS DOWN! THIS IS NOT A MOTHERFUCKING GAME!”

“Wait a second…” Courtney said, face screwed up in a way that terrified Adore. Because it meant she was about to do something incredibly, insanely… “Bianca?!”

“WHO WANTS TO KNOW?!”

Courtney tossed her gun and backpack to the ground and held up her hands, stepping into the clearing.

“Courtney, what the fucking fuck!?” Adore cried.

“Bianca, it’s Courtney, from…from A.Y.S.O. soccer, in New Orleans!” she called, voice wavering only slightly. She realized too late how ridiculous it all sounded, and closed her eyes briefly. “Do you…do you remember me?” She raised her eyes up to the girl on the boulder, the one who was pointing a large assault weapon down at her. God, she fucking hoped she was right. But that voice. Those eyes. It had to be her.

“Bitch, I’ve known a lot of blondes over the years. You’re gonna have to be more fucking specific!” she leveled her gun.

Fuck fuck fuck, Adore thought, gritting her teeth. Her eyes flickered to the other girls - she counted four total, all partially obscured by rocks and two of them heavily backlit. If Courtney’s instincts were wrong here, they were good as dead.

Courtney took a tiny step forward and one of the girls popped out from behind a tree. She was tall and statuesque, wild honey-colored curls falling over her shoulders. Her weapon pointed directly at Courtney’s head as she began to speak again. “It was…we were like 9 or 10, I think. I…our jerseys were blue and when we had to choose a team name, this one kid suggested the Tigers and you called her a retard and you got in trouble.”

Adore could swear she heard a soft chuckle from the other side of the clearing. But the weapons stayed up, so Courtney kept talking, desperately trying to conjure up memories of this soccer team from a lifetime ago.

“Um…our…coach was named Steve. Your…cleats had purple laces and I thought they were really cool. Once I gave you a vegan cookie that my mom made and you said it tasted like dogshit.” Courtney swallowed as she racked her brain for more details, but came up blank. When none of the weapons lowered, she glanced back at Adore, an apologetic look on her face. We’re screwed, it said. Tears brimmed in her green eyes. “I really thought it was her,” she whispered.

After a long heated moment, Bianca put down her gun and beckoned her forward. “The coach’s name was Sam, you fucking idiot!” she called down, a smirk on her face causing familiar dimples to appear in her cheeks.

Sasha breathed out a sigh of relief as the pretty blonde covered her face with her hands. They were not in the mood for a bloodbath today. Shea sensed their anxiety dissipate, and slung an arm around their shoulders, kissing their forehead reassuringly and gesturing to Bianca that they’d stay on their side. You never know - these girls might not be alone after all.

Willam strolled over to Bianca, pointing out the scowling brunette still crouching next to Courtney in the bushes. “Who’s that bitch?” she asked.

“I’ll find out. Stay alert,” Bianca replied, watching Courtney bicker with the other girl. She narrowed her eyes, wondering how the fuck the bougie little pigtailed princess she remembered from years ago - the one who shrieked every time the soccer ball got too close to her, who chattered nonstop about rainbows and pop stars and bounced around on the balls of her feet like a fairy, turned into a toned, dirt-covered road warrior. Who, granted, surrendered after .5 seconds of a stand-off, so maybe she hadn’t changed much after all.

Willam stood beside Bianca, watching them closely, muttering, “Fuck…”

Bianca’s thoughts exactly. Even covered in grime, these girls were both stunning. Courtney in that obvious way, with a heart-shaped face, long wavy blonde hair, lean body and hooded green eyes. But there was something about the willowy brunette, with her pouty lips and big angry blue eyes, that intrigued Bianca.

“I’m calling the blonde,” Willam said suddenly, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

“You’re calling her?” Bianca asked.

“Yeah, she’s fuckin’ hot. You can have the bratty one stomping her feet. You like a challenge,” Willam replied with a wink.

Bianca laughed. There was time to fight this battle later. If necessary.

*

“Adooore, come on, put down the gun, let’s go!” Courtney’s eyes shone with happiness, hopped up on adrenaline.

“I have a bad feeling about this. We’re outnumbered. They aren’t gonna shoot now, so let’s just go. We’ve got provisions, we don’t need them.”

“Please, Adore. At the very least, we’ll have a few hours of conversation with someone besides each other.”

“You just want to get laid.” Adore shook her head, rolling her eyes and looking up at the ledge, where Bianca was holding up her hands questioningly, wondering what was taking them so long.

“And you don’t?” Courtney raised an eyebrow.

Adore scoffed. “It’s not exactly my highest priority.”

“Yeah. I know. Probably because you don’t know any better.” Courtney turned away, picking up her backpack and gun, muttering, “Useless virgin, ruining everything…”

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” Courtney sang, turning back around, batting her lashes innocently, giving Adore her biggest puppy eyes.

“Ughhhh, fine. But you owe me.”

A big smile broke out on Courtney’s face as she bent down to pick up her backpack and began crossing the narrow field. “I know, bunny. But I’ve already offered and you always turn me down, so…”

“Oh my god, you’re sick. Please stop.”

Courtney giggled, already giddy with hope.

“Hey!” Bianca called as the girls climbed the hill. “Point those guns at the ground, ladies!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Courtney panted, flashing an infectious grin up at Bianca and reaching out her hand. Bianca pulled her up over the ledge.

Adore rolled her eyes, reluctantly accepting a hand from Willam.

“Jesus Christ, B! What are the odds?!” Courtney cried, throwing her arms around Bianca’s neck, clinging tightly like her life depended on it. Which, to be fair, it did a little.

“Slim to none,” Bianca replied with a laugh. “And how dare you forget coach Sam.”

“That was a real dick move you pulled,” Adore said, crossing her arms .

“Yeah, well, I’m a dick.” Bianca flashed her dimples. “Bianca. And you are…”

“That’s is my cousin, Adore,” Courtney said. “She’s cute, huh?”

“She’s alright. Interesting name,” Bianca said, smirking into her pretty blue eyes.

“Go fuck yourself,” Adore snapped.

“Adore, be nice, Jesus!” Courtney cried. “I’m sorry,” she said to Bianca. “She’s a little wound up.”

“It’s cool,” Bianca said, eyes still locked with Adore’s. “I’m not afraid of her.” Her arm tightened around Courtney’s waist and she kissed the blonde gently on the cheek, ignoring Willam glaring over her shoulder. “So what have you been up to since A.Y.S.O?”

“Oh, you know, just like…travel, leisure, hiding in bunkers, living in the woods, general merriment…the usual.” Courtney fluttered her lashes. “You?”

“Spent a few years in one of Pence’s ‘Pray the Gay Away’ camps for wayward youth. That’s where I met these lovely people. This is Willam, by the way.”

Courtney turned to Willam, “Oh god, that sounds awful. Hi…”

“It wasn’t so bad,” Willam replied, lifting one eyebrow flirtatiously. “The orgies didn’t suck.”

Courtney giggled, a dazzling smile spreading across her face as her green eyes swept up and down Willam’s body. “Sorry I missed that, then.”

Willam smirked back at her, holding her gaze as Shea and Sasha walked up to join them. “That makes two of us…”

After a moment, something dawned on Courtney and she looked around the group. “Um…okay this might be a weird question, but…how the hell do you all look so clean? I am suddenly really aware of how filthy I am.”

“Filthy…” Willam echoed with a sassy wink.

Bianca smiled. “There’s a creek in the back. You want me to show you?”

“Fuck, yes! Can we wash our clothes there too?”

“Sure. Actually, Willam is the laundry expert. She may even have some clean things for you to borrow in the meantime.”

Courtney’s mouth dropped open in delight. “I was literally fantasizing earlier about clean underwear, holy shit…Adore! Did you hear that?!”

“Yeah, I heard. Can you chill please?” Adore shook her head.

“No, I will not, this is the best thing that’s happened since we found that burned out 7-11 last year!” Courtney wrapped her arms around Adore’s shoulders. “Smile, bunnyface.”

Bianca turned to Sasha and cleared her throat. “Do you mind taking over as lookout while Willam and I take our…uh…guests, to the creek?”

“Sure,” Sasha agreed.

“This way, ladies,” Bianca said, gesturing for Courtney and Adore to follow her.

“So…you guys have just been wandering in the wilderness, huh?” Willam asked. “That sounds thrilling.”

“Yeah, but Adore’s no fun,” Courtney said, and affected a high-pitched voice, saying, “Courtney, get away, we’re related.”

“We are related, you perv,” Adore said.

Courtney rolled her eyes. “I know, dude, but like, we are living in desperate times here. Sometimes you just wanna fuck something that’s not your own hand.”

“You’re being really a lot right now,” Adore said.

“Well did you hear the news? Clean water! I think this calls for a song!” Courtney said, and started to skip. “How did that one go, that my mom loved? Leeeeet the river run! Let all the dreeeeamers wake the naaaation! Coooooome, the New Jeruuuusaleeem!”

“Jesus. I don’t know whether I want to slap her or fuck her,” Willam muttered, hoisting her gun over her shoulder. Bianca laughed.

Courtney tossed a sultry look over her shoulder, fluttering her lashes. “Who said you have to choose? We’re coming to the edge, running on the water, coming through the fog-”

Adore rolled her eyes. “Sorry about her. She’ll calm down after an hour or so.”

Willam laughed. “Oh, I hope not!”

***

“So here are some things you guys can wear for now, while I’m washing your stuff…” Willam dumped a pile of spare clothes by the creek. “They aren’t very glamorous, but I’m sure you’ll make it work.”

“Thanks,” Courtney said, peeling off her top, feet already plunged into the cool, refreshing water. “Hey Adore, why don’t you show Bianca what you caught this morning?

“What? No!” Adore crossed her arms, emerging from behind a tree, wrapped in a blanket, her clothes in her arms. Courtney rolled her eyes at her cousin’s prudishness.

“Yes! They’re being really nice to us, we should share.” She undid her shorts and wriggled out of them, then stood for a moment in her bra and panties, looking at Willam. “Undergarments, too?” she asked coyly.

“Whatever you want me to get clean,” Willam replied, eyes glued to her body.

Courtney turned around, pulling her hair on top of her head, asking, “Help?”

Willam smirked, unhooking her bra for her, fingers lingering on her skin for a moment, before murmuring softly in her ear, “Need help with the panties, too?”

Courtney smiled, sliding her underwear slowly down her hips, making sure to put on a show as she bent down to pick them up. “Here you go. Thanks.”

“Mmm, dirty underpants. My favorite.” Willam gathered the clothes with Adore’s as Courtney waded into the water, turning around again to make sure her tits were on full display as she floated backwards, closing her eyes happily.

“Water’s nice, huh Court?” Bianca asked. She glanced over as at Adore, who was still standing on the shore, arms crossed.

“It’s perfect!” the blonde sang, then, “Adore, seriously, show her. Unless you want to show her later, alone…”

“Courtney…” Adore growled.

“Adore…” Courtney mocked.

Adore groaned, unzipping her backpack in frustration. “Fine!”

“I mean, we don’t have much,” Courtney explained, “But Adore is a really good hunter, and she caught a turkey this morning. We were looking for somewhere to roast him, so-”

“Holy shit, seriously? It’s been ages since we had meat. That’s awesome. Good going…what’s your name again?” Bianca’s dark eyes sparkled.

Adore grit her teeth as the other girls laughed, barely paying attention to their conversation, just fuming at Bianca and her smug face, her stupid dimples. And Courtney flirting up a storm, happy as a lark, tits still out for all the world to see.

“Adore, what are you waiting for? Drop the towel and get in! The water is amaaaazing!”

Bianca put a hand on Adore’s shoulder. “I’ll give you guys some privacy. Why don’t you come find me when you’re out and dressed and we can roast up your little friend?”

“Bianca, you’re not coming in with us?” Courtney pouted, batting her lashes.

“We don’t usually go in more than one at a time. Safety thing. Gotta always be ready for defense. Willam’s just down there, in shouting distance, if you need anything.”

“Alright, we’ll miss you…Right, Adore?”

“Will you stop?” Adore sighed.

Bianca laughed. “Don’t worry, Adore, I know she’s full of shit. See you later.”

Once she was gone, and with Willam safely downriver, Adore finally began to remove her clothes, wading into the water after Courtney.

“Well,” Courtney said, “I hope you’re happy. I mean, she’s totally your type.”

“Courtney, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Baby, come on. I saw those pictures you used to keep on your phone, in the before time, when we had phones.” Courtney sank down into the water, eyes dancing with glee. “You were all about tits and ass.”

Adore scowled at her, trying not to laugh.

“Don’t give me that look. And don’t tell me you haven’t noticed,” Courtney giggled, miming generous tits with her hands. Adore lunged at her in the water, dunking her, causing her to shriek with laughter.

***

“Thanks for the clothes. What do you think?”

Willam looked up from the boulders, where she was spreading out the girls’ clothing to dry, weighing them down with stones, to see Courtney, dressed in the loaner clothes. An oversized tank top, no bra, tied at the waist, and some ratty old cargo shorts that were falling off her slender hips. Her blonde hair framed her face in wet, wavy locks. Willam grinned. “Not bad. Do you feel…fresh?”

“As a daisy.”

Willam nodded as Courtney walked over to her, sliding her arms around her shoulders.

“So…not to be crude or anything, but…you’re super hot, and it’s been a really long time, and I’d like to fuck you. Cool?”

Willam gripped her waist, fingers digging into the soft skin. “Well, I don’t know, all this romance, I’m overcome…”

Courtney narrowed her green eyes, launching herself at the taller girl, crashing their lips together in a hungry, desperate kiss, pulling her to the ground, climbing into her lap as she quickly removed her top. Managing to maintain an air of both dominance and utter neediness, clawing desperately at her clothes as their tongues tangled together. Courtney had a deep, primal craving to feel her skin - the beating heart of another human pressed up against hers.

For a few brief moments, Willam was so wrapped up in lust, in the perfect senseless feeling of being wanted, that she forgot to be self-conscious. When Courtney ripped off her shirt and tugged at her bra, she forgot to care that her tits we no longer full and perky – not like they used to be. Her mind was blank of everything except Courtney’s hands, her tongue, the grinding in her lap, hands pulling at the fly of her shorts. 

“Wait!” she finally broke the spell, breathless.

Courtney looked up, cheeks flushed, pupils blown out. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not…I mean…I…” Willam panicked, searching for the right words. “How long is a really long time?” she finally asked. Deflection. That was safe.

Courtney gulped. “Um…why do you…?”

“I just…maybe we should slow down a little?” Willam said.

“Are you trying to kill me?” Courtney asked.

Willam laughed, leaning forward to kiss her neck, sucking gently on her pulse point until she heard a breathy whimper. 

“Maybe I want to be in charge…” She trailed her fingers down Courtney’s collarbone, then began to toy gently with the stiff nub of her nipple.

Courtney’s heart beat wildly, hips rolling, arching against Willam as sparks raced through her body. She felt weak and dizzy, offering no resistance as Willam laid her down on her back and began to trail wet, warm kisses down her torso. A tongue circled her nipples, hands slid her shorts off without even bothering to open them. Willam’s tangled curls spilled over her shoulders, brushing against Courtney’s sensitive skin as a hot mouth pressed against her inner thigh. 

She flung a leg over Willam’s shoulder, desperate for more, her voice a whine as she breathed, “Please…please…”

Willam hovered over her with a devious gleam in her eyes, slowly licking her lips, causing the anticipation to build painfully in Courtney’s belly. Her fingers skated lightly over Courtney’s wet skin as the blonde buried her hands deep into her hair. When she finally lowered her head, let her tongue make contact with the girl’s swollen clit, her head was yanked forward. The bold impatience made Willam chuckle and as a reward, she sucked on her, causing Courtney to moan, grinding against her tongue. As she continued to work Courtney into a frenzy, thighs pressed to her ears drowned out the increasingly urgent sounds of her moaning.

“Oh god…” Courtney remembered having been sexually active once, enthusiastically so. But this…this was different. She felt cosmically alive, the cells of her body vibrating in tune with the stars and yet rooted in the earth, her back pressed to the rocks, heels digging into Willam’s back, the warmth of her mouth, the softness of her hands, the surprising tenderness of her touch, all of it wrapping Courtney in a cloud of desire for more. She arched up again as Willam made her way up her torso again, finding her lips. She plunged a tongue onto Willam’s mouth, wanting to taste what she’d tasted, enjoying the weight of her body pressing down.

Willam explored Courtney’s mouth with her tongue, hands wandering over her body. She had a brief flash of guilt, remembering Alaska, how it had never been like this with her. But that was their agreement, so to speak. They’d been best friends. Sisters. They knew, deep down, that if they weren’t trapped together in this godforsaken war-torn hellscape, that they wouldn’t have been together, not like that. But that was okay. It still meant something. It was still good to have someone; someone who cared, who made her laugh until her sides hurt, someone who could get her off in a pinch – if that’s what the moment called for. But now, looking at Courtney, panting, whimpering, Willam felt wanted in way that she hadn’t for the longest time.

“You’re so beautiful,” Courtney said, arching against her, hands gripping her ass.

Beautiful? Willam couldn’t help chuckling. She didn’t feel beautiful. The only thing she felt was terrified as nimble fingers began to open her fly.

“What’s the matter?” Courtney asked, eyes wide. Willam had pushed her hands away without even realizing it.

“Uh, I…” Willam rolled off of her, breathing hard. “I’m sorry.”

Courtney sat up, cleared her throat. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just…you know I’m trans, right? Like, I mean I think it’s pretty obvious, but-”

“I didn’t really-”

“Don’t bullshit me here, you’re making it worse.”

“Okay, yeah. I assumed so.”

Willam nodded. “Right. So. I don’t look like you, down there.”

“So?”

“Well…is that okay with you? I mean it sort of makes scissoring a distant fantasy,” Willam said, forcing a laugh.

Courtney put a hand on her face, kissed her cheek softly. 

“I really like you, Willam. I really…I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but…god, I want you.”

Willam swallowed. She looked into Courtney’s eyes, nodding slightly, and moved her hands to her shorts, hands shaking. Courtney caressed the side of her face, kissing her temple, soothing her frayed nerves, moving one hand to help Willam slide her shorts down her legs.

After another soft kiss, Courtney swung a leg over, straddling Willam, hands on her shoulders, leaning forward. She began rolling her hips, slowly, bending down to tangle their tongues together. Willam threaded her hands into Courtney’s hair, pushing the wet strands away from her face. She could feel herself getting hard against the other girl, and when Courtney broke the kiss, moving down her neck and chest, hooking two fingers into her panties, she looked up at Willam, waiting for confirmation. 

“Is this okay?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.” Willam lay back, shutting her eyes, as Courtney slid her underwear slowly down her legs, and then felt soft, delicate hands caressing her thighs, a gentle kiss placed just inside her knee. Hands slid up, holding her hips now. She could feel hot breath against her. She opened her eyes.

“Hey,” Courtney said, with a soft smile.

“Hi,” Willam replied shyly.

“You’re beautiful.”

Willam’s heart began to beat faster as Courtney began to trail her fingers over her, kissing her, licking her. Tasting her. She arched up, digging her fingers into Courtney’s shoulders. This wasn’t just oral sex. Courtney wasn’t just sucking her, trying to make her come. She was discovering her. And somehow, it made Willam’s anxiety fade away. It made her feel, maybe more than ever before, like a woman, the way this part of her, this part she’d always been so disconnected from, was being handled, cradled, treasured.

Courtney swirled her tongue around her, hummed against her, nuzzled her face into her skin. She stirred something so deep, so primal, that Willam’s instincts took over and she forgot to feel anything but pure, ecstatic lust. Willam reached down and gripped Courtney’s face, dragging her into a kiss, crushing their lips together, kissing her over and over. Courtney’s thighs squeezed Willam’s hips, surprisingly strong, a smile on her face as she arched forward.

Willam wrapped her arms around Courtney’s waist, whispering in her ear. “I want you. Can we…?”

“Yes, yes!” Courtney’s body was trembling in anticipation as she raised up onto her knees, guiding Willam inside, inhaling sharply. Once she was sitting down firmly, she leaned forward, tits brushing against Willam’s, hips rocking slowly as she adjusted to the fullness inside of her, trying to find the right angle.

Digging her nails into her palms to control herself, Willam choked out, “You good?” She didn’t want to move too quickly, but fuck. Courtney was so hot and wet, so perfectly soft. Willam felt possessed, feeling an urge to flip her over and jackhammer away. This need was the bane of her fucking existence.

As if reading Willam’s mind, Courtney began to roll her hips faster, her whimpers getting louder as she raked her nails against Willam’s skin. 

“Oh, god,” she moaned, throwing her head back.

Willam thrust up into her, lips pressed against her sweaty neck. She slid her hands up, thumbs rubbing against her nipples, earning a rapturous cry.

“Harder, please…”

“Fuck yeah,” Willam giggled, rolling her over, pushing one of her legs back and pumping harder, her only guide Courtney’s desperate cries for more, the nails in her back.

Courtney gripped her ass, her only anchor to the physical world, as orgasms ripped through her body, spasms curling her toes, over and over. She gasped for air as if she’d been drowning, hips still twitching, pulsing, and then she felt Willam come, the warmth a surprise.

They lay together for a few moments, Willam breathing into the crook of Courtney’s neck, Courtney’s hands resting on the small of Willam’s back, before Willam lifted her head to look into Courtney’s eyes, giving her a wicked smirk. 

“You’re gonna need another dip in the water. Look at you…” She began to pull leaves from Courtney’s hair.

Courtney giggled. “I don’t care. That was amazing. God, you are so…” She pressed her lips against Willam’s, kissing her tenderly. “And I honestly don’t know what you were worried about. I’ve been fucked by a strap-on, and this was a million times better.”

Willam chuckled. “Uh…thanks, I think?”

“Was that offensive?”

“Probably, but I don’t really care, because you’re too goddamn cute.” Willam pinched her thigh, easing out and resting a head on her shoulder.

“I do have a question…promise me you won’t think I’m like…a total moron.”

“I can’t promise that,” Willam replied.

“Right.” Courtney sighed. “Um…like…do I need to be worried, about…you know…I mean…”

“I’m pretty sure I’m clean, and you are a moron. You ask this question BEFORE you fuck someone, genius.” Willam grinned.

“No. I mean. Good. And right. But…uh…I mean, like…what about pregnancy?”

“I can’t get pregnant,” Willam said.

“Yeah, thanks.” Courtney rolled her eyes. “I’m serious.”

Willam thought for a minute. “Shit.”

“Right.”

“I mean, safe sex used to be kind of a given, but then we ran out of condoms…”

“Right.” Courtney could feel her heart start to hammer in her chest.

“I was on HRT for a good five years, so probably not. I mean, that stuff supposedly has long-lasting effects, even though nothing is…”

“Okay. Okay, that’s…”

“Look, I wouldn’t worry. I’m sorry, I just, I wasn’t thinking about-”

“No, I know, me neither. I was sort of caught up in the moment, and you’re…I mean you’re a woman. I didn’t…” She reached for her shirt, trying to breathe, slipping it on slowly.

“It would be a cute baby,” Willam offered cheerfully.

Courtney buried her face in her hands. “Oh god, oh…” She took a shaky breath.

“I’m kidding. I’m sorry. What…what can I do?”

“Nothing, I’m just…um…having a little…a little trouble breathing.”

***

Shea gazed out over the treeline, shielding her eyes from the harsh afternoon sun. She heard a small sigh and turned around, hands on her hips.

“You’re obsessing.”

“I’m not,” Sasha countered immediately.

“You are. I can tell.”

“No. I’m not. I’m just…thinking.”

“Obsessing.”

Sasha sighed. “Semantics, Shea. You say obsessing, I say…thinking. Pontificating…”

“About?” Shea asked, hands circling Sasha’s slim waist, lips grazing their ear.

“It’s gonna annoy you.”

Shea kissed Sasha’s pulse point, running a hand up their arm. 

“I’m used to you annoying me.”

Sasha shivered, felt themself melt against Shea’s gentle touch, her plush lips. “It’s…it’s about what Willam said…”

“That bullshit about how we shouldn’t be happy?”

“…Maybe?”

Shea sighed.

“I warned you,” Sasha said softly.

“You think this is my ideal life? Let me tell you something…I’m not a fucking country girl. Okay? This is not what I imagined for myself when I was a child daydreaming about my goddamn future. But here we are. So…guess what? I’m clinging to every shred of fucking happiness that we can wring out of every day, alright? Because we have no idea how long it’ll last. So…tell me exactly what’s wrong with that?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that…” Sasha admitted.

“No. And in fact, that might be the only way that our lives can have any meaning at all. Is to not give up. To have some fucking dignity, right now, today.”

“But what about the resistance? We left-”

“There’s no more resistance, Sasha! Okay? You think I’d have left my brother, and my home, and everyone, if there was something left to fight for? Something to fight against? The only thing back there right now, is ashes. And we were lucky, you know? Some cities got nuked. So…yeah, maybe someday the resistance will rise up again but for now, staying alive is our resistance mission.”

“How will we know? When it’s time to ‘rise up again’?”

“Word will spread. It always does. Word got around before cell phones and the post office and it will get around again. Trust me. So we’ve gotta stay strong and we’ve gotta stay sane, and we’ve gotta…enjoy the moments we can, while we can. But…babe…” Shea took Sasha’s face in her hands, eyes pleading. “I am begging you…”

“Yes?” Sasha asked softly.

“Don’t leave me.”

Sasha smiled. “Shea, I’m not going anywhere, why would you think-”

“No. I mean.” Shea closed her eyes briefly and then began speaking again. “In your mind. Don’t waste the time we have worrying about this stuff. Please.”

Sasha touched Shea’s lips with their fingers, tracing her mouth, listening to her heart beating. “I’ll do my best.”

“And don’t worry about Willam. Okay? Willam is a fucking survivor. She’s probably having a threesome with those new girls at this very moment.”

Sasha laughed. “I certainly hope so.”

“Oh you do, do you?” Shea responded cheekily, raising her eyebrow.

“Well, you know, I mean…for Willam’s sake. She deserves it!” Sasha said, batting their eyelashes innocently.

“Right, right…for Willam.” Shea pulled Sasha into her lap. “Nothing to do with your filthy mind, imagining some kind of sexy bathtime action with those girls.”

“Wha…?” Sasha laughed, giggling as Shea peppered their neck with kisses. “I’m not imagining anything! You brought it up…”

“Yeah, and I know you. I’ve seen your exes. You’d love to watch those pretty little Barbie-looking girls frolicking in the water. Wouldn’t you?” Shea challenged.

“Omigod…” Sasha pushed Shea onto the ground, pinning her shoulders down and climbing on top of her. “Well, you’re right about one thing.”

“What’s that?”

Sasha bent down, placing a soft, teasing kiss against Shea’s plush mouth, then whispered, “I love pretty girls…” They kissed her again, harder this time, slipping a hand under her top. “Only the prettiest do it for me…”

“We’re supposed to be on lookout duty…” Shea smirked up at them.

“Oh, I know,” Sasha replied. “This is incredibly negligent.”

“Exactly. And if you think you can get out of trouble by buttering me up with flattery and - oh!” Shea dug her nails into Sasha’s shoulders, the pressure of their hips holding her down, feathery light touches sending shivers down her spine.

“Not working, huh?” Sasha asked, lips brushing against her pulse point. “What a shame…”

“Not in the slightest,” Shea panted hoarsely, shutting her eyes, arching upward. “But keep going, I could maybe…come around…”

***

Bianca assessed the slim harvest they’d reaped from the garden that morning, sighing as she carefully removed the heads from the carrots, glancing over at Adore by the campfire.

“Just so you know, you totally saved us today. We don’t have much else to eat, unfortunately. I know you’re not super excited that Courtney’s making you share, but we’re all gonna be very fucking grateful, so…thanks.”

Adore shrugged, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Eh, I can catch another one. It was more the principle of sharing that I was opposed to.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, Courtney was being so…like…I dunno. Weak.”

Bianca laughed. “She did immediately surrender. Not much of a soldier.”

“You’d be surprised, actually.”

“Oh yeah?”

“We’ve had a few stand-offs. She doesn’t love to kill, but she can do it.” Adore poked the turkey, watching the sparks arc into the air.

“Good to know.”

After a few moments of silence, Adore cleared her throat. “Um…so…”

“Yes?”

She took a deep breath, looking up at Bianca. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but…what was that camp really like? I assume the orgy comment was bullshit.”

“Uh, yeah. Well. It was kind of like…2 parts prison, 3 parts basic training, with a healthy portion of experimental mental hospital. Pretty hellish, basically. But we got off easy. The boys had it a lot worse, from what we’ve heard.”

“How old were you?” Adore asked.

“Eighteen.”

“I’m so sorry.” Adore shook her head.

Bianca shrugged, expression still nonchalant. “Yeah, well. It is what it is. I take it you guys slipped under the radar?”

“Not Courtney. She got taken in for questioning. Unlawful internet activity. But apparently there’s a loophole in the system where if you blow the guy doing your assessment, they deem you straight enough to pass inspection.”

Bianca laughed. “I did not know about that loophole. I still would have failed but…”

“Yeah, me too,” Adore smirked. “But yeah, I wasn’t even out yet, at the time. I mean I knew, I guess…but I was too scared to say anything. The only person I told was Courtney. And she told me to keep my mouth shut.”

“Smart.”

“It’s so weird, though. I have an aunt who’s gay. Was, gay. And I remember going to her wedding. I must have been like 11 years old. And it was like…this great day. Everyone was so happy. And then by the time I was 14, I was recognizing what these feelings were, and everyone is talking about a threat to public safety, and conversion therapy, and I was just like…what happened?”

“It was never about gay people,” Bianca said. “It was about control. They could divide and conquer with this shit. LGBT, Muslim, Black, Brown…that was the first wave. Then it was Asian, Native American, Welfare recipients, socialists, atheists, the elderly, disabled, Jews, feminists, Catholics, the last thing I heard was “deviant Christians” for people that were like, Episcopalians and Methodists… They did it so fast and to so many groups, that it effectively killed the resistance before it started. So now they have their country back. And from what I’ve heard, they’re even worse off there than we are here.”

Adore laughed. “I mean of course. A police state of only straight white evangelical Christians? Sounds fucking horrible.”

“I heard that there’s a place in Texas where you can get over the border. But that may just be a rumor.”

“We heard that too! That where we’re heading. It’s supposed to be in Big Bend National Park. The problem is, once you get past Louisiana, there’s like a thousand miles of wasteland to cross. So…I dunno. Courtney’s all gung ho about it but…”

“It’s a long shot.”

“Yeah.”

Bianca gazed at her for a few moments, a little sad to see such a defeated look in those beautiful eyes. “Well, you know. Long shot doesn’t mean impossible. Dare to dream, little one.”

Adore chuckled. “Little one? I’m not that much younger than you, you know.”

Bianca grinned, dimples deep in her cheeks. “I know. But a few years can be a lot. I mean when I came out, Obama was still president.”

“Wow. You are old. Tell me more about the before times, grandma.”

“Shut up.”

“No, seriously, did you ride a horse and buggy to the gay bars, back in the olden times?” Adore smirked at her.

“Actually, the gay bars all got shut down by the time I was 17, you little shithead.”

“Well…when I was 17, I was living in a bomb shelter with my aunt, uncle, and a cousin who wouldn’t stop humping my leg.”

“Boo freaking hoo!” Bianca barked. “At least your cousin is hot!”

“How come nobody here thinks that incest is a problem?!” Adore laughed.

“Welcome to the South,” Bianca said, shrugging. “That smells fucking delicious, by the way. I think we should just eat the whole thing ourselves, like lay into it caveman style; fuck everyone else.”

“Party.” Adore’s eyes glittered conspiratorially, locked with Bianca’s.

“B! Are you with Adore?!” Willam’s voice cut through the quiet woods, waking Bianca out of her daze, running through a crop of trees, up to the campfire.

“Yeah, what do you-”

“It’s Courtney, she’s kind of…uh…freaking out…” Willam shifted, eyes darting around, unsure of herself. She looked both scared and a little guilty.

“Where is she?!” Adore asked, jumping up and following Willam back through the woods, Bianca at her heels. They found Courtney by the creek, curled up on the ground, her head on her knees.

She looked up at Adore, face streaked with tears, choking out, “I-I’m s-sorry, I…”

Adore knelt down, putting her hands gently on her cousin’s cheeks, brushing away her tears. “Baby, it’s okay. You’re gonna be okay. Do you feel my hands?” Courtney nodded. “Good, that’s good. Now try to-”

Bianca came up behind her. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“She’s having a panic attack, back off,” Adore said.

“I will not. And that’s not how you deal with a panic attack in the woods.”

“Oh yeah? You have a better method?”

“Sure do!” Bianca replied, stepping closer.

Adore looked at Courtney, who was attempting another breath, gasping, and then back at Bianca. She nodded, crawling backwards to allow Bianca to look into Courtney’s eyes.

After a beat, Bianca grabbed Courtney by the shoulders and lifted her up, practically flinging her small body against a tree. Adore’s mouth opened in shock, and she lunged forward, but Willam held her back.

“Listen up, princess,” Bianca growled in Courtney’s face. “There’s a camp 30 miles south of here. A bunch of greasy, nasty motherfuckers. You know how much shit they’d trade for a hot piece of ass like you? And if you can’t fight, if you’re gonna crack under pressure like this, for whatever reason, and I don’t really give a shit what your reason is…well then all the nice cute memories of my purple shoelaces are sure as fuck not gonna save you. You follow me?”

Courtney nodded slowly.

“Good. Great. So I’m gonna let go, and you’re gonna take a few deep breaths, and then you’re gonna remember that while you’re here, you are a fucking soldier. And if you can’t be a soldier, then you’re a commodity. It’s that goddamn simple.” Bianca let go and Courtney gulped a few breaths. “There you go.”

Courtney wiped her eyes, then looked at Bianca again, saying simply. “Thanks.”

Adore wrenched her arms out of Willam’s grasp, finally free to go hug her cousin. “Are you okay, babe?”

Courtney shook her off lightly, aware that this moment was still a test. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She looked at Willam, who was hovering nearby uncertainly. “I should get something to drink. And a belt. Can we…?”

Willam smiled, relieved, and held out her hand. “Come on.”

Adore watched them walk towards the water in one direction, while Bianca turned and walked in the other, back to the campfire to check on the turkey. She waited a few moments and then stormed after the older girl.

“What the fuck was that?”

Bianca rolled her eyes. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“You acted like it was her fault! Like she had a fucking choice about it! Newsflash, she doesn’t!”

“She forgot where she was.”

“So fucking what?!” This girl really was the worst. What a bitch. Adore glared at her, arms crossed, eyes blazing with anger.

Bianca tried to ignore her, messing with the campfire, but something about her expression made her deeply uncomfortable. “I didn’t…it’s not like I was going to follow through on the threat. She just…she can’t forget where we are. It’s not like it was before. It’s not safe here, to…to be in that head space, where you can just freak out with no consequences. If that happens during an ambush, she’d be dead. We need to remember that everything here is life or death. We can’t…we can’t get all cozy and start letting our feelings get in the way of survival. Or we’re all fucked.” Bianca swallowed, realized that she was rambling, and grew self-conscious. Those eyes, still staring at her, piercing her soul. “Whatever, it’s not like I have to justify myself to you,” she finished, looking away.

Adore swallowed. Because suddenly Bianca didn’t seem all that mean or powerful or scary. She just seemed like a girl. Afraid. Lost. Doing her best. Adore slowly walked forward, stood close enough to Bianca to realize, for the first time, that she was taller than the older girl. She continued to stare down at her for a few heated moments, until Bianca looked back up, eyes so dark they were nearly black meeting hers. Heart racing, Adore took a finger and tilted Bianca’s chin forward, meeting her lips in a soft, tentative kiss.

Bianca responded just as tentatively, hands wrapping loosely around Adore’s waist, lips pressing against hers, trying not to scare her off by moaning when the brunette’s hands tugged at her hair, then drifted down to wander over her body.

Feeling slightly bolder now, Bianca pulled her closer, tongue massaging hers softly as Adore’s hands groped for her tits. She slid her fingers lower, cupping her round ass, as Adore let out a breathy whimper, then quickly pulled away, catching her breath. “Um. We should…finish cooking.”

“Alright.”

Adore bit her lip, suppressing a smile. She looked up at Bianca again, a little chagrined, clearing her throat. “Well, the good news is, I’m now confirmed gay.”

Bianca chuckled. “Congratulations. And the bad news?”

“Who said there was bad news?”

***

“Feeling better?” Willam asked, tucking a strand of hair behind Courtney’s ear, fingers lingering gently on her cheek.

“Much. Thanks.” Courtney sighed. “Sorry for all that. I don’t know why I…it wasn’t about you. I mean not…you know.”

“I know.”

“Having a baby would be the worst thing. I mean we remember what it was like before, when things were good. Or at least…better. Freedom and choices and-and libraries. I mean remember dancing? Remember Taco Trucks? Remember Netflix, and like, Olympic figure skating?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“So, I can’t. Have a baby. Because I can’t look at a baby every day knowing that their future is this fucking shit. It would break my heart.”

“You’re not as dumb as you look,” Willam said, studying Courtney’s pretty face.

“Yeah…” Courtney agreed, sighing slightly. “Sometimes I wish I was, though. It would make all of this…a lot easier.”

A dry laugh escaped Willam’s throat. “Ain’t that the fuckin’ truth…” She reached over, gently linked her pinky with Courtney’s.

“I really am sorry-” Courtney started again.

Willam cut her off. “Shut up, okay? Just…shut up. We’re good.”

Courtney nodded, moving closer to Willam on the boulder, pressing their arms together. “Good.”

***

Courtney strolled over to the campfire, putting her arms around Adore from behind, face pressed to her back. “Hey, bunny.”

Adore turned around and hugged her fiercely. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Adore buried her face in Courtney’s hair, holding her tight, then whispered in her ear, “You were right, by the way.”

“About what?” Courtney murmured back.

Looking around to make sure no one was in earshot, Adore giggled and said, “Her tits. They are amazing.”

Courtney pulled back to look at Adore’s face, her mouth open in delight. “You slut!” She clapped her hands and dissolved into giggles, throwing her arms around Adore’s waist. “I’m so proud…”

Adore laughed. “Shut up…”