#I have been meaning to draw her for a Long While and it was a delightful experience

[organic-bloodbath]

Hiiiiiiii. Could you do a Salesman fic?

I would love to see one where his usual calm and powerful energy is lost around the reader, as he's just enamoured with her. Like no shame, he is down bad and the reader is just flustered and lowkey confused cause they haven't known each other for long.

Idk if this makes any sense to you (up to you if you make it smut i don't really mind)

Teach Ddakji to me

The Salesman x American!Reader

Summary: You play Ddakji with a man at a subway station, but the game brings you two much closer than either of you were prepared to.

A/N: I'm not sure how well i was able to follow the request of how he behaves around the reader but this is what i got ;-; hope you still like 🫶🏻 (i'm so deep in love with this psycho i've been giggling during every other paragraph)

♡♡

You rushed down the stairs in the subway station, only one minute until your train was going to leave. You weren't going to make it, but you had to try.

The doors were closing right in front of you and you wanted to scream and let out several different curses, but you didn't want to draw attention on yourself. Your day at the college lectures had just ended and all you wanted to do was to get home, have a dinner and rest.

You heard noise behind a corner, as if someone was slamming something on the floor. You went to see what was going on out of curiosity.

Two men were standing there, the other one tall and dressed in a grey suit, the other one a lot shorter and dressed in a simple hoodie and loose jeans, a worn out cap covering his messy black hair. Suddenly, the man in the suit slapped the other so hard on the face that the man's head turned to the right.

They slammed blue and red squares on top of each other over and over again, and it ended in the man in the suit slapping the other almost every time. Once in a while he handed to the man what looked like a bill of money. You had never seen anything like that happen anywhere and were confused.

You got a notification on your phone, a text message from your classmate.

"Join us for studying and then a dinner? A new restaurant opened nearby, we'll go and try it tonight," she messaged.

"Another day, i don't feel like going out tonight," you replied, getting a thumbs up emoji as a respond.

You put your phone in your pocket and turned around, almost having a heart attack and jumping a step back when you saw the man in the suit standing mere inches away from you, looking down at you with a slight smirk.

"Enjoyed the show, i hope?" he asked and your eyes widened. Fuck, he had noticed you stalking the two of them.

"Yea, um, sure," you said awkwardly. "Though i didn't know what it was, really."

Seeing his face now closer and him staring at you with his dark eyes made your heart beating faster and it wasn't only because of him scaring you for appearing out of nowhere. He was extremely handsome and the way he looked at you made you blush.

"You haven't heard of Ddakji?" he asked, but didn't seem surprised since he figured you weren't local by the looks of you. "It's a Korean game, want me to show you?"

"Sure," you said, nothing else to do than wait anyway. The man took the squares in his hands and offered you to choose one. You took the red one.

He explained the rules to you, it was simple. You only had to hit your square on the blue one and make it turn around, the upper side facing the floor.

It sounded simple but you were hesitant if you were actually able to do it. You threw it on the floor, aiming at the blue square, but it didn't move even an inch in any direction. You let out a frustrated groan.

"It's okay, very few people succeed on their first try," he said in a comforting tone and took a step closer to you, standing right in front of you. "But do you know what losing means to you, hm?"

You had a very good guess after seeing him and the other man play just a while ago.

"You're gonna slap me?" you asked with a grimace.

He smiled. Without a word, you felt a painful sting on your left cheek when he slapped you, not going any easier on you just because you were a woman.

"Jesus Christ!" you gasped and held your hand on your cheek which was definitely going to have a red mark later. You had never been slapped on your face and it hurt more than you thought it would hurt.

"My turn then," he said and grabbed his blue square from the floor. He slammed it on top of your red square and it immediately jumped in the air and landed on its other side on the floor.

He looked at you with the same smirk again.

"So what happens when you win?" you asked, crossing your arms. If you continued this game much longer, your face would be completely covered in bruises and you'd have a lot of explaining to do to your classmates.

"I get to use your body again," he said with a confident tone.

You closed your eyes and prepared for another slap, hoping that it would be the other one this time because your left cheek still hurt. When you felt a touch on your left cheek, you automatically winced a little bit.

But it wasn't a slap, it was a tender kiss. You opened your eyes when he had already leaned away and you saw a glimpse of kindness in his eyes this time. You felt your cheeks warming up and tried to avoid eye contact for a moment.

"Your turn," he said.

Your hand was shaking when you lifted the red square from the floor. You wanted to succeed, you had never been good at losing in anything, it was always about to start to piss you off if you didn't start winning too.

"Do you want me to help you?" he asked. You looked at him and soon he was right behind you, keeping an eye contact with you when he put his left hand on your waist and his right one to hold your hand which was holding the square. "Is this okay?"

He didn't put too much pressure on holding you, making sure that you gave him a permission for that. You suddenly couldn't get words out of your mouth, so you just nodded and swallowed the lump in your throat. He held you tighter now and instructed how it was supposed to be done. You had to have more force when you would slam the square down.

"Spread your legs a little bit," he whispered.

"What?" you gasped in shock.

"To get a better and more firm position when you throw it," he explained, his breath hot in your ear.

"Oh," you said, cheeks burning even more. You hadn't realized you were standing almost like a stick. He guided your hand up in the air in a correct position.

"Remember to let go of it at the correct moment, i'm going to aim it for you, okay?" he said and you nodded, now much more nervous than you would have been if you did this alone.

With this help, the blue square flew into the air and landed on its other side easily. You were excited of the victory, even though it was for his help, and a wide smile spread on your face.

To be honest, for a second you wished you would have failed on purpose, just to get his hands on you again - you didn't even care if it was a slap, kiss or something else.

He let go of you and you turned around to face him, already missing his touch.

"There you go," he said with a proud expression on his face. "Now, you can choose what to do to me."

You didn't hesitate for even a second longer, you immediately slapped him on his left cheek as hard as you could. However, you knew you didn't have as much as strength in your body as he did, so the slap must have stinged a lot less. His head didn't move even an inch and he only smiled.

Right then, the train you had been waiting for arrived and you took your bag from the ground. You weren't going to miss this train just because of wanting to have another round of Ddakji with this stranger.

He offered you money, worth of 100 dollars, and put them in your hand, closing your fist around the bill. You were about to refuse but he wasn't having it.

"Treat yourself a nice dinner tonight," he said. When you didn't answer, he nodded towards the train which was about to leave soon, with or without you.

"Thank you," you said. "Um, bye."

You made it into the train just in time and when you looked back at the spot where that man had just been, he was already gone.

♡♡

The salesman didn't want you to leave. He was absolutely mesmerized by you, you were the most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on. Your perfume and the smell of your shampoo still lingered in his nose, even after you weren't there anymore.

He would have wanted to ask you to stay, but he couldn't find the correct words and you were in a hurry to catch your train.

He hadn't felt like this of a woman in a long time and he wanted to find you again. To hold you again.

He didn't understand how you could have made this big of an impact on him in only under 10 minutes, but all he knew was that he needed to get to know you better.

♡♡

The next day, you arrived to the class and sat next to your friend.

"Oh my god, what happened to your face?" she gasped in shock.

Yes, there was a visible red mark on your cheek and you didn't have anything at home to cover it. You didn't really use any makeup either except mascara.

"Oh um," you started, trying to find some excuse. "It's my allergies and acne." You didn't have any allergies and hadn't had acne since you were 15. But you couldn't tell her the truth, atleast now that you didn't have time to talk much since the class was about to start.

And what were you going to say to her? A stranger in the subway station slapped you and you enjoyed it?

The teacher arrived and the noise of the door slamming closed interrupted your friend who was about to say something to interview you further.

♡♡

You walked down the subway station stairs again on your way home, just like yesterday. You had your headphones on, listening to random metal songs on Spotify and were texting your mum who catched up with you twice a week how you were doing. You were supposed to have a video call later today but she apparently had to work extra tonight, she was a nurse.

When you had reached the bottom of the stairs, you bumped into something and almost tripped back but managed to keep your balance. You looked up and saw the same man in the suit as yesterday, staring down at you with a smile.

"Hello," he greeted, not moving anywhere.

"Hello," you repeated and lifted your eyebrows, taking of your headphones. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," he said without thinking.

"Me? Why? How did you know i would be here?"

"I didn't. I only figured you might have the same daily routine and took a chance," he explained.

"Why did you want to see me?" you asked, confused but feeling butterflies in your stomach.

"I didn't have a chance to ask for your phone number yesterday," he said. "And i'd like to take you out."

"Take me out you mean murder or dinner?"

"The second option. I already finished the first task earlier," he said with a smile. Handsome and with a sense of humor.

"Fine, where did you plan to take me?"

"Anywhere you want. Are you hungry?"

"You don't even know my name," you pointed out.

"You can tell me your name and all about you on our date," he smiled.

"Aren't you straightforward," you chuckled. "Are you going to teach me Ddakji again?"

"If you wish so," he said.

You bit your lip, not sure if you should go somewhere with this stranger or not. You hadn't been asked for a dinner at a subway station before, though, so you could write it on your bucketlist and cross it out.

"Okay."

♡♡

He had taken you to a lovely dinner to enjoy local foods you had never eaten before. You rarely tried any new foods, always sticking on the ones you already knew you'd like, but now you had tried something different and loved it.

Now, you were in a park, nobody else in sight. It was already dark and you knew you had to go home soon if you wanted to get enough sleep.

You held the red square in your hand once again and aimed for slamming the blue around finally on your own.

Again, you weren't able to hit it. But you hadn't even tried properly and weren't mad about it.

"Damn it," you mumbled.

"You'll get there," he smirked, stepping closer to you.

He lifted your chin with his finger.

"Close your eyes."

You did as told and waited for the worst option, squeezing your eyes shut tightly.

You felt his lips press on yours, taking you into a slow kiss. He broke the kiss but didn't let go of your chin

"Do i have to play another round of Ddakji to do that again?"

You smiled and stepped on your tiptoes to reach him better, cupped his face and pulled him in a proper, deeper kiss. He instantly wrapped his arms around your waist to press your body against him tighter.

"Just so you know, i don't sleep with men on our first date," you said when the kiss was over, his hands wandering around your back they had almost reached your ass.

He moved his left hand to the back of your neck, keeping the right one on your lower back. He pushed his fingers through your hair, softly massaging your scalp.

"What is it about you that makes me so drawn to you?" he whispered, and you didn't know if the question was for you or just for himself. "Only two days and you've managed to make me absolutely addicted to you."

He pushed a strand of your hair behind your ear, and you felt blush creeping on its way to your cheeks.

He eventually walked you back home like a gentleman, not allowing you to walk anywhere at this hour. He had to make sure you got back home safely.

"Will i see you again tomorrow?" he asked before you managed to leave, gently holding your wrist.

"I have to study, i've fallen behind in couple of courses so i need to catch up," you said and his face fell a little bit. Surely he had other things to do in his life besides seeing you. "Are you free this weekend?"

His face lighted up again for your suggestion.

"For you, of course," he said and brought your hand towards his face, planting a kiss on your knuckles. "Goodnight, Y/N."

You went inside your apartment and silently closed the door, trying to do everything as quietly as you could, but then the lights were turned on.

"Okay who the HELL is that man, Y/N?!" your roommate shouted at you, making you jump and almost have a heart attack. It was so late you thought she was already sleeping, she was the type to be in bed by 8pm and asleep by 9pm.

"Um, well I-"

"That is the most gorgeous man i've ever seen," she said, still speaking loudly, and stepped closer to you and pointed you with her finger. "How couldn't you tell me you were dating a new man?"

"Well i only met him a while ago," you admitted.

"Still?!" she shouted. "You know i like boy talk and you never talk about your dating life! Oh my god, have you finally downloaded Tinder or something?"

"Ew, no," you shook your head.

"You're right, there's no way men THAT hot would still be on Tinder and not married," she said and then gasped. "Girl, he's not married, is he?"

"I sure hope he's not," you said and for a moment you were afraid he might be married. I mean, how could he still be single? Your friend always talked so much that you started to doubt everything you previously knew.

"Wait a minute, i'll get us some popcorn and then you're gonna spill everything," she said and without another word, she was already in the kitchen.

And you did tell her everything because my god you needed to talk to someone about him.

♡♡

A few days and several text conversations later, you were in his hotel room, and he pressed you against the wall, his right hand leaning on the wall right by your head.

He lifted your head by his forefinger on your chin to make you look straight into your eyes.

"How long are you going to stay in Korea?" he asked.

"What, are you going to ask me to move in with you or something? Plan a summer wedding?" you joked.

"If you want to," he said with a serious face and you truly wasn't sure if he was serious or joking. You hadn't yet found a difference between the two.

"Wait what?"

You hadn't dated any Korean men before so you weren't sure how fast they progressed in the dating life. Would it be normal to propose on the first week or ask to move in? Surely not.

He smiled. "I only ask because i don't want to have you only for a short while," he said and let his fingers wander around your shoulder, sending goosebumps all over your body.

"Well, i'll be here for atleast another 5 months," you told him and then pouted. "So, no summer wedding?"

"I'd have to buy a ring first," he smirked.

"It better be a real diamond too then," you chuckled, having seen the stacks of money he had carried with him, and pulled him into another kiss.

He was soon kissing your neck, leaving a mark on your skin, until your stomach growled and interrupted him.

"When was the last time you ate?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "I thought you had eaten before you came here."

"Well, it's been a while i suppose," you said, not really remembering anymore when the last time was.

He stepped away from you and pulled out his phone.

"What are you doing?"

"We're ordering food," he said. "What would you like to eat?"

He ordered Chinese food for you and ate it on the bed while watching some brainless comedy movie.

When the movie had ended, he went to the bathroom, leaving you to lay on the bed and making you to fall in your thoughts alone.

You had been in a relationship twice in your life, and in neither of them your relationship had moved on this fast. I mean, you weren't in an official relationship, you had been just barely hooking up, but the way he talked about you only knowing you for a few days wasn't something you had been used to at all.

In the U.S., it took guys several weeks to make any progress in relationships, atleast what you had seen and gone through.

Maybe you should slow down a little, take a step back and see what he really wants from you.

By the time he came back from the bathroom, you had fallen asleep. You looked so peaceful in your sleep, so beautiful even with your messy hair all over the pillow.

He came closer to you and pulled a blanket over you, the edge almost reaching your jaw. You stirred in your sleep, turning to lay on your side, but didn't show any signs of waking up.

He laid himself on the bed next to you and just looked at your sleeping figure for several minutes. He was afraid of getting attached to a woman so fast, in so little time, but he couldn't help it.

To him you were perfect, and he wanted to know everything about you that there was to know.

♡♡

A/N: If you want a part 2, please leave any requests you might have, i'm not sure where to go with this 🫶🏻❤️💙

[rosedustdreams]

Hey! I’ve been reading your Walker works and I need more from you lovely!

Would it be alright if I asked for a Walker x Reader where they do an interview together and he keeps being so obvious about his feelings for her? And like after the interview goes live, a bunch of fans make ship edits, and basically they’re just never beating the dating allegations?

If not it’s quite alright!! Just keep up the amazing work lovely!!

Not So Subtle

You weren’t nervous, not exactly. It was just a press interview, something you’d done countless times before. Still, being paired with Walker for this particular one had your pulse doing somersaults. Not because of the cameras or the audience, but because Walker couldn’t help himself when it came to you.

As the two of you settled into the studio chairs, the host greeted the audience with her signature enthusiasm, introducing you both and hyping up the upcoming season of the Percy Jackson show.

“So,” the host began, her grin playful, “you two have been spending a lot of time together on set. How’s that been?”

Walker immediately leaned forward, his elbow resting casually on his knee. “It’s been amazing,” he said, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. “I mean, how could it not be? She’s kind of the best.”

Your face heated up, and you laughed nervously, trying to brush it off. “We have a great cast dynamic,” you said, keeping your tone light.

The host raised an eyebrow, clearly catching the subtle tension. “I see,” she said, drawing out the words. “And Walker, I have to ask—there’s a lot of buzz about how much you hype her up in interviews. Care to explain?”

Walker grinned, completely unbothered. “What can I say? She’s insanely talented. And hilarious. And, you know, just… easy to be around.”

You shot him a look, but he just shrugged, his grin turning slightly mischievous.

The host smirked, clearly loving every second of it. “Interesting. And what about you?” she asked, turning to you. “What’s it like working with Walker?”

“Oh, he’s great,” you said, doing your best to stay professional. “Super dedicated, really supportive. Definitely keeps things fun on set.”

“Fun how?” the host pressed, her tone teasing.

Walker jumped in before you could answer. “She’s laughing at me half the time,” he said, his tone playful. “I’m basically just a walking joke to her.”

“That’s not true!” you protested, laughing despite yourself.

“Oh, so you don’t think I’m funny?” he teased, leaning a little closer.

“I think you’re plenty funny,” you said, rolling your eyes.

The host looked between the two of you, her smile widening. “Okay, okay. I think I’m starting to see why fans love you two so much. The chemistry is very real.”

You both froze for half a second before laughing it off, though you could feel your cheeks heating up.

The rest of the interview passed in a blur, with Walker continuing to find small ways to tease you, compliment you, and generally make it impossible for you to escape the growing attention. By the time it ended, you were both smiling, though for very different reasons.

When the interview went live, it didn’t take long for the internet to explode. Within hours, TikTok was flooded with clips of the two of you, complete with dramatic zoom-ins, captions like "Walker is DOWN BAD," and edits set to romantic songs.

One particular video caught your attention: a slowed-down clip of Walker staring at you while you spoke, set to the lyrics of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” The caption read, “The way he looks at her 😭 they’re not beating the dating allegations fr.”

You groaned, burying your face in your hands. “This is bad.”

Walker, who was sitting across from you in the trailer, leaned over to peek at your phone. When he saw the video, he just laughed.

“I mean,” he said, grinning, “it’s not that bad.”

You shot him a look. “Walker, they think we’re dating.”

He shrugged, utterly unfazed. “So?”

“So?” you repeated, incredulous. “You don’t care?”

“Not really,” he said, his tone casual. Then, after a beat, he added, ��Unless… you do?”

Your breath hitched, and you looked away, suddenly very interested in the floor. “I just don’t want things to get weird.”

Walker tilted his head, his grin softening into something gentler. “It wouldn’t be weird. At least, not for me.”

You looked up, meeting his gaze. There was something in his eyes—something warm and steady and entirely too honest.

“Walker,” you began, but he cut you off with a small smile.

“Hey, relax,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “We don’t have to figure it out right now. But just so you know…” His smile turned playful again. “I’m not in a hurry to beat those allegations.”

Your cheeks burned, and you groaned again, but this time, there was a smile tugging at your lips.

Because maybe, just maybe, you weren’t in a hurry either.

A/N:i love this request so much thank u for requesting

Tags: @izzystylinson, @sophand4n4, @kaiwrites092, @shellsarepretty, @cheoriemoawa, @prettiesteyess,  @vintagewntr10, @hecallmebigpurrr420, @killualovbot, 

[rhiannonsknife]

hii!! i know you are busy with the but im a cheerleader nat fic, but do you think you might maybe write more for Lottie?

also thoughts on meangirl Lottie.. i feel like when she first meets someone she can be a little guarded, wanting to keep her image so when you call her out on her bs she feels attacked and then starts a rivalry between the two.. anyways to summarise meanlottie tension with the new girl on the team when Lottie takes it too far and says something really mean at a party and new girl storms off but Lottie finds her and shows her how much she DOESNT hate her because shes actually a softie but she kind of treats new girl as a punching bag bc shes new and called her out

Im genuinely so sorry if this doesnt make sense i am so bad at explaining but i have a vision i swear😔

🫎 anon :)

i love this idea so much 🫎 anon!! hopefully i got your vision here!!

lottie matthews, you should’ve realized sooner, is untouchable.

at least, that’s how she wants people to perceive her.

everyone on the team knows better than to test lottie; even jackie, the whs’ golden girl in her own right, lets her have her moments.

you, on the other hand? you’re new. maybe that’s why you didn’t seem to get the memo right from the beginning.

it starts small enough: a subtle jab at practice, a teasing remark about your form, the kind of thing that could be dismissed as playful banter if not for the smug tone in lottie’s voice. and then there are the looks: the way her dark eyes flick over you during drills, sizing you up for reasons you can’t seem to wrap your head around.

it doesn’t take long for you to call her out.

“got something to say, matthews?” you ask one day, sharp enough to draw a few surprised glances from your teammates.

for a second, lottie looks genuinely caught off guard. and then her mask slips back into place, her lips curving into that insufferably confident smile. “i’m just looking out for the team,” she says. “can’t have the new girl slowing us down.”

from that moment on, it’s war between you.

lottie calls you out for each fumbled pass in practice. in the locker room, she’s leaning against the row of lockers closest to yours, waiting for you to pass to call out a snarky comment. and even during team meetings, when you make a suggestion about changing up a play, lottie scoffs. “sure,” she says, leaning back in her chair. “let’s just toss out what’s been working because you think you know better!”

things only reach a breaking point weeks later, at one of the parties.

you don’t even remember what starts it: some offhand comment about your outfit, maybe, or the way you’ve been talking to nat a little too long for lottie’s liking. either way, her words hit harder this time, meaner than usual.

“god, you’re so desperate to fit in,” she says suddenly “it’s pathetic!”

the words land like a slap, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

for a second, all you can do is stare at her, your chest tight and your pulse pounding in your ears. lottie doesn’t look away. she stands her ground, her arms still crossed over her chest.

nat shifts beside you, clearly uncomfortable, but she doesn’t intervene. no one does.

you don’t trust yourself to speak, not when your voice feels like it might crack and give her the satisfaction she’s so clearly looking for. instead, you turn on your heel and push through the crowd, ignoring the whispers as you walk out.

lottie finds you a little while later, sitting on the back steps of the house with your head in your hands. you don’t hear her approach until she’s right beside you and says: “i shouldn’t have said that,”

you flinch, whipping around to face her. “what do you want, lottie?” you snap. “haven’t you done enough for one night?”

her usually upright posture falters as she stuffs her hands into the pockets of her jacket, her gaze flicking between you and the ground. “i didn’t mean it,” lottie says, quieter this time. “i just…i don’t know.” she sighs, running a hand through her hair. “you get under my skin!”

you let out a bitter laugh. “glad i could be of service then”

“that’s not-” lottie cuts herself off. “i’m not good at this, okay? you called me out, and i didn’t know how to deal with it, so i pushed back. too hard. i know that.”

when you look up, you’re surprised to see something raw in her expression. regret.

“i don’t hate you,” she says finally, her voice soft but insistent. “i don’t even think i dislike you, if i’m being honest. i just…i don’t know how to handle you!”

before you can respond, lottie crouches in front of you, close enough that you can see the faint flush on her cheeks. “you’re not pathetic,” she murmurs. “far from it. and i’m sorry if i made you feel like you were!”

you’re unsure how to process the vulnerability she’s laying bare. this isn’t the untouchable, put-together lottie you’ve come to know. this is someone softer, someone who’s trying, even if she doesn’t quite know how.

lottie seems to take your lack of an answer as a bad sign, her lips pressing into a thin line. “let me make it up to you,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “please.”

[yessirplease69]

❝Above The Clouds & Among The Stars❞

Synopsis: Moments belonging to the relationship between you and your childhood friend, which has evolved over time. Caleb still believes that hiding his feelings from you is the most suitable choice.

✈ Content: caleb x fem reader, caleb headcanons, nsfw, explict sexual content, suggestive (mature content), drama, angst, fluff, reader being slow for not realizing how caleb is in love with her, caleb being so loving, caleb being possessive, reader is a virgin, the final part maybe happens just before the explosion?, there are many references that are found in the history of the game.

✈ Word Count: 4K

♫ Caleb playlist on Spotify: here.

a\n: ✎─ It's been so long since I posted here, finally college gave me a break. I wrote this while listening to ♫ Tinashe - Cold Sweat ♫ 50 Cent - Just a Lil Bit ♫ so you guys could say these songs were playing on the radio in the garage (spoiler lol). I feel like he would listen to songs like 50 Cent's, it really fits his style... Hope u enjoy it!

Caleb, during his high school years, is part of one of the senior classes and he has been assigned the role of class monitor for Physical Education. Although he is not in the same section as you, his role is incorporated into your core subjects, which means you encounter him more frequently in the gymnasium or in other sports areas. Occasionally, you bump into each other in the hallways, despite both of your schedules being different.

Caleb, who is always looking after you, ensures that you have all the necessary items for school, helping you choose the appropriate gym clothes for physical exercises and new supplies. This includes preparing breakfast for you and his Gran, washing an apple, and packaging it perfectly for you to take for a snack. He always wears a radiant smile on his face as he takes the strap of your bag to secure it on his left shoulder, since his right shoulder is occupied by his backpack. Caleb never allows you to take it back, as it is difficult to go against the strength of this man, who stands at 6 feet 3 inches tall, and you simply have to accept this, even if you grumble from the passenger seat of his car all the way to the school entrance.

Caleb, who has always been so affectionate only with you, is constantly touching your arms, back, cheeks, waist, and tenderly kissing your hands, even making random drawings on their palms while he is captivated by you as you excitedly share about your day. He is the type who loves physical touch and believes it creates a connection between souls because he loves you so deeply that it hurts, and this man feels that pain when he touches you. Most of the time, it is an innocent affection, and he just wants to have you close, as it is not possible to have more than that.

Caleb, who sees you growing physically and mentally with each passing day, becomes possessive and jealous of anyone who looks at you in a way that only he is allowed to. Every night before going to bed, you have conversations about boys, hoping to hear the same response come from his lips: "Don't trust those guys, pip-squeak. You still don't get how they can be mean and shady." However, with all the strength he has left, he tries to ignore it all and pretend that it does not affect him, especially since it should not interfere with your romantic or sexual life... Oh, in a rather convenient way, he will interfere with that.

Caleb, who has a toned and defined body since he exercises a lot to maintain it and prepare for when he becomes a fighter pilot in Deepspace Aviation. This boy is huge (in every sense), looks like a fridge with a chest and back as solid as iron, and he always fears breaking you when you are in his arms of pure muscle. It is inevitable not to notice teenage girls from different grades drooling when he is exposing his defined torso while walking out of the boy's locker room with the other guys. Your friends often ask you for his number, and you do not understand why you are making a sour face at them while a strange feeling hits you.

Caleb, who is naturally very skilled at winning plush toys from the claw machine. He has left his entire collection for you, however, it is still likely to find a single cute and fuzzy stuffed animal in his room, comfortably sitting on the dresser next to his bed. He always thinks of you whenever he looks at it.

Caleb, who is fucking other girls while thinking of you. It is obvious, he is an 18-year-old teenager in the process of development, and it is not possible to confront testosterone because he needs to satisfy the urges that puberty presented to him. However, he cannot remove you, your scent, or your beautiful body from his mind, and even less can he touch you as he desires because he is afraid of breaking the bond you both formed in childhood. Thus, releasing this carnal desire while he is burying his cock in some pussy out there is all he can do or imagine.

Caleb, who never walks around the house without a shirt on because he would not want to make you uncomfortable, and It is not necessary for Grandma to correct him for such a lack of manners, since his well-being is what matters most to him. But, on a weekend morning when the ladies of the house were still in bed, Caleb didn’t mind not having to put on anything right after he took a shower. Coincidentally, you had woken up quite early and caught him nearly naked in the kitchen preparing your favorite meal, with the poor boy displaying a surprised expression when you harshly told him to cover the visible marks left by feminine nails on his back. He never imagined that you had cultivated a feeling like jealousy before beginning to act roughly with him for the rest of the week.

Caleb, who splashes water on you while you are washing the dishes, and it is hard to explain at what moment the scenario turned into a war. The scene repeats when you are enjoying the summer by the pool, and the atmosphere shifts when Caleb ceases to laugh and gazes at you with a different intention in his eyes. You observe the dark-haired boy approaching, unaware that he is gripping the edge of the pool to contain the desire to kiss you.

Caleb, who maintains a very healthy routine at home and school, where you can always find him doing push-ups on the floor or running on the grass of the football field. You are seated in the bleachers with the girls when he notices your presence from miles away, and the way he flashes the purest smile while waving in your direction leaves you feeling confusingly irritated at the moment you see your friends fanning themselves and sighing loudly in unison like bitches in heat. You will blame him for making you feel this way or create reasons for it, using your anger to write unflattering things about him in your facade account book. This silly guy is completely oblivious to these details, you are ignoring him so that he follows you down the hallway, questioning what might have happened. Heaven, he is playing your game and blaming himself too, until you relent upon noticing his face marked by puppy-dog eyes.

Caleb, who is such a respectful boy, walking down the hallway and noticing that you had forgotten to close the bathroom door while you are showering. He is simply closing it slowly, intending to prevent you from being startled or thinking that he is a pervert. Not that he is not.

Caleb, who begins his training as a pilot at Skyhaven, makes a promise to take you to the clouds as soon as he returned home during his military leave. It was a summer afternoon when he wrapped his pinky finger around yours, and the casual conversation about the planes he mastered made you sigh with shining eyes. After all, who could be better than him to make you fly in the sky? Besides his incredible piloting skills and placing your safety first, this man has the power to manipulate gravity. If you were ever flying over Linkon City and were about to fall to the ground, he would use his abilities to maintain control and balance until landing. This man would never let you fall in life.

Caleb, who is automatically attracted to you and it does not require much effort on your part unlike other women. It seems that he becomes more enchanted when you compliment the delicious flavor of the meals he prepares. It is always a new achievement when you are humming and squinting your eyes with his food in your mouth. It means he is feeding you well, a task of the day completed.

Caleb, who allows you to sleep in his bed, with him, on rainy days with intense thunderstorms. You fall asleep together, your head resting on his chest as he holds you tightly while raindrops patter against the window. If he has an obligation the next morning, you will find breakfast laid out on the sheets along with a note that has a good morning message filled with childish and silly drawings. But if he does not have any other engagements, you will wake up to a kiss on your forehead or a teasing pinch on your cheek. Even when Caleb is away, he will leave the door to his room open just so you can rest there whenever you wish. You would not mention it, but you often spend more time in his room than in your own. His scent is everywhere, and when your nose detects it, only then do you feel comfortable enough to be lulled into sleep.

Caleb, who practices combat moves with you whenever he is home after being away for an extended period. Despite having become a Hunter, your fighting skills still need further refinement. And seriously, he is an excellent teacher, it is no surprise that he received praise during his time as a class monitor in high school. This man is calm and highly experienced, he will teach you each movement correctly, and as a diligent tutor, he will explain countless times, regardless of how many times you stumble and fall onto him until you successfully land a hit. You can feel the tension in his triceps as they constrict around your neck in a rear naked choke. "One wrong move and your enemy could end your life just like that." His breath caresses your neck, and he remains in that position for a few seconds as he analyzes how your body is reacting pressed against his. The grip becomes weaker, your blood circulation stabilizing, and there is an indication in your reaction that your oxygen has been lost, even though he did not apply much pressure to your neck. "Someone here needs to step it up, or else you're not getting any of Caleb's decorated cookies!"

Caleb, who tries not to look when you are doing a squat exercise in front of him, feels his cheeks flush pink every time your knees bend, presenting an indecent view of you. Fortunately, this man is very composed and will act as if nothing has happened, hence, you will see Caleb turning his head to another corner while he coughs awkwardly. He condemns himself for having such thoughts about you, and motivated by this fact, he feels the need to avoid you, using this justification in his mind to hang out with his friends instead. He needs a distraction. Yet there you are, calling him with a sweet and pleading voice, hoping to get help with your homework or to fix the bathroom socket so you can use it. How can he say no?

Caleb, who has no idea how he has made you feel attracted to him, your childhood friend, as you have labeled him. He has at least noticed how you hold your gaze on his violet eyes for a bit longer, the way your chest rises when your breathing becomes frantic, how your voice suddenly trembles, or how your body responds when he is too close. This charming individual is putting you in the palm of his hand; he does not tire of teasing you by pressing you against the refrigerator when he finds you wandering the kitchen late at night, solitary and restless, nibbling on something. Sometimes, it is not even intentional, you know, it is simply the seductive nature that Caleb possesses.

✈✈✈

The smell of gasoline mixed with grease is overwhelming and nearly clogs your nose as soon as you set foot in the large garage at home, the reason for the odor justified upon finding Caleb sitting in one of the old armchairs, deeply focused on fixing what appeared to be a car part. The radio is active on the Linkon City FM station, the device accompanying several tools scattered on the table. This place has been transformed into the man's personal space, as more airplane and car-related items are found on the shelves. Grandma and you now refer to it as Caleb's garage.

"Aren't you going to join us at the table for lunch?" Your voice is demanding as you lean half of your body against the doorframe, arms crossed while questioning the man, who does not look at you. His car is parked on the other side of the area, and you notice that the hood is open.

"Just give me a few more minutes and I'll finish up here." He finally responds to you, still immersed in the work that his hands are performing. The old white tank top that clings to his torso bears dark stains that reveal the product used, and your eyes complete their inspection of the mess displayed on Caleb's pants and across the skin of his arms.

"Busy playing with your toys, huh?" Feeling curious, you approach the Lamborghini to see what is demanding so much of the man's attention. A smile adorns his lips, and you hear a low laugh resonating in the Caleb's throat. He leans forward, rifling through the box on the floor filled with equipment. 

"Aaand... clean girls can’t come in here." Caleb studies you from head to toe for a moment, the tease playing on his lips with a smile, which broadens when he sees you roll your eyes.

"Before I leave, I'm telling you not to touch me with that dirty hand, Caleb." Your teasing retorts against him. "Go take a shower before sitting at the table, 'kay?"

"C'omon. My hand isn't even dirty, bossy brat." The tip of his boot hits the floor, driven by the beat of the music that starts playing from the device. He is moving the toolbox aside after grabbing what he wanted. "I'm gonna do a test and jump on your bed to stain your pretty white sheets."

"Pfft! You." One of your fingers is pointing towards his serene smile, which conceals all the little mischiefs. You watch him twirl a heavy object between his fingers, disregarding how you have placed your hands on your hips while gazing deeply at him.

"Stay away from the sharp tools, I'm telling you too for the twentieth time this week." He makes it very clear to you, despite not giving a firm look to affirm his words. Caleb do not want to witness the scene of you slipping in the puddle of gasoline that had formed on the floor and hitting your head against one of the saws and axes attached to the wall.

And, oh, you are doing everything except listening to him. That is why he feels you are about to do something reckless as your hand approaches the sharp edge of the object. Before the tip of your finger fully touched it, an unnatural force exerted itself upon your palm, pushing it away. You shot a piercing glance at the man seated, intending for it to penetrate him like the blade you were willing to touch.

"You're so stubborn." Caleb is staring at you, remarkably calm, the fringe of his hair falling over his eyes like a waterfall. His lips are curved in frustration as he holds an open hand in the air. His Evol is still controlling you, the vibration of that power surrounding your skin due to gravity.

"Why are you like this?! I can totally resonate with that!"

"Your powers aren't strong enough for that yet, pip-squeak." You can hear the sound of his sigh, and he is prepared to dismiss any complaints you may have. "I'm just protecting you from your own innocence. It's for your own good."

"I don't need your protection." The conviction carries your voice like a powerful weapon. And you are aiming it at him, more than ever as that manipulative pressure finally releases from your hand. Caleb was gentle in using just a little strength, with no intention of hurting you.

"You don't need it?" The way Caleb has spoken so sarcastically yet with a certain conviction has left you immobilzed in place, and he was no longer using his power over you. There is a feeling of rage consuming you as you clench your fists and grind your teeth at finding him so perplexed by your behavior.

"Yeah, I'm done." Your breath quickens as you take rapid, unexpected steps toward the man. He watches your movements intently until you push his shoulders, and his back is hitting the upholstery. Strands of hair on Caleb's forehead are ruffled by the impact, and his face bears a tightly clenched jaw as he watches, frozen, while you ascend onto the chair and rest your knees on either side of his thighs.

You need not check to know that your clothing has been ruined by a bit of grease. However, the thought quickly disappears when you are approached by Caleb's fixed gaze, the overhead perspective providing a perfect angle to see the top of his chest escaping from his tank top. The shiny necklace you gave him glistens in contrast to the light, and your attempt to divert your gaze toward it proves futile.

"I don't need you treating me like a kid. Not anyone." Your mouth commands your attitude, and the dark-haired man follows each of its movements. You appear too serious, which influences his features as he raises his chin in a sign of dominance. "You idiot."

"Watch you mouth." He is reprimanding you, his tone of voice shifting to a deeper harmony. His occupied hand releases the metal piece into the air, and it makes a violent noise when it hits the ground. Suddenly, you notice his eyes darken as he closely scrutinizes your reaction, and now his fingers are pressing against your wrists. You cannot just sit on him like that, in that position, like it's no big deal. "Don't you know how to treat your elders right anymore, brat?"

"Stop!" You spit, attempting not to show your vulnerable side whenever you are around him. "Is that all I mean to you, yeah? Just a helpless brat. "For a moment, your heart aches with guilt for behaving insensitively while you find so much love in his warm gaze directed at you. This is further compounded by a small streak of black grease on his cheek, which makes him even more endearing.

"Hey silly girl, what are you talking about?" A laugh escapes his lips, and you are unsure if it was meant to sound innocent or somewhat foolish coming from him. However, as a habit, this man tries to lighten the mood of the situation, even when it leaves you feeling awkward. He wonders why on earth you have been so rude to him lately. He understands this whole independence thing you are going through, but he is beginning to lose the patience that has remained intact for years. After all, he has always done everything for you, indulging you with good things and ensuring your protection, yet you repay him in this manner.

"You don’t know?!" The walls tremble as you laugh ironically, the closeness of your faces does not intimidate him. "I hate... how you still see me as your little girl, and not as a woman." You hiss when you realize that you spoke those words too loudly, and you are failing to remove his hands from your skin, which are beginning to burn your very being.

"What?!" He cannot help but shake his head, incredulous at your words. Your breathless breaths are intertwined in the space, which suddenly becomes suffocating.

You look so beautiful sitting on his lap, that he thinks he could get used to the view. Caleb is clenching his fist tightly against the seat, trying to prevent himself from touching the accessible and more sinful areas of your body on top of him.

"Do you want me to show you how I can see you as a woman?"

There is a silence enveloping you and him, but the beat of the music becomes increasingly captivating in the background. You are still recovering from the weight of the double entendre posed to you. A tension saturates the air in more palpable forms, Caleb's gaze appearing indecisive between your enticing lips and the way your beautiful tits move as your breathing grows irregular. The manner in which his violet eyes encompass your entire body is so alluring, and you find yourself questioning why you had not noticed this much earlier.

"Yes." The whisper slips from your lips almost like a secret, yet you show no fear of proving the consequences of your bold action. You are venturing into uncharted territory, tampering with danger. The boy growls sensually in response, a primal sound that reveals the how much he desires you as a woman.

He believes he can no longer endure hiding all these feelings any longer, and this man swears by his soul that if it were not for his self-control, he would throw you beneath him into that old armchair and position you to make love to him. He would not release your wrists while possessing you as his own. Caleb imagines how he would start to move his hips in a slow and tender way, just as a princess like you deserves, but then he would take you with such brutality, and you would accept him, his size, so perfectly inside you. The noise of the slaps on your ass and the sounds of wet sex would be louder than the music playing in the room. And he would keep repeatedly going in and out even if Grandma upstairs was disturbed by the depraved noises coming from your mouth. This man would make you scream in that garage until the sun sets, depending on your cardio endurance. It is okay, he has been letting you scream all the time with him lately, so it is only fair to leave you voiceless.

"Please." Your pleas are persistent, the throbbing pain in the center of your legs making your hips roll almost automatically and slowly on his groin. And it was possible to watch Caleb flying to the sky and seeing stars while he releases your wrists to grip your waist, commanding you to stop these movements. Because his big cock is hard right under you, Jesus. He would go crazy in this place and would take you to sin with him, a single slip could change everything. What would you think of him after this fateful decision? Your sweet purity going down the drain like this...

Caleb is thinking about how you are still not ready, watching you gazing innocently at him, unaware of the many desires and darker thoughts hidden within those purple orbs. You would not be able to handle all the things he wishes to do with you. Therefore, all he does at this moment is close his eyes tightly and take a deep breath in unison.

"No." His raspy tone conveys much about his arduous battle against these desires thus far. Your eyes instinctively close when his lips draw near, you emit a soft moan as you feel them brush against yours. The man is aware that once he begins to kiss you, he would be unable to stop. It is a torment to realize that you are unprepared to be wholly his, in body and soul. He requires you to have conviction in your actions before engaging in any recklessness, as both of you must be ready for that.

Then the place becomes cold as he crawls out of the seat, silently distancing himself from you while wearing a sad countenance. His eyes convey loneliness and melancholy, even as he closes the door behind him. You notice that your skin has been marked by the grease and his hands, it may take some time for you to forget the feeling of them on your body.

[daryltwdixon]

Summary: The maintenance tunnels through the next stretch of the journey are waterlogged and crawling with infected, each step more precarious than the last. When the path ahead crumbles beneath you, survival becomes much more difficult than any infected could've prepared you for.

a/n: game canon!

The other side of the building spits you out into darkness. A tunnel. Not just any tunnel—one meant for maintenance or work crews, a massive ramp leading up to a narrow service ledge while the road below is littered with rusted-out cars. A semi truck sits sideways in the middle of the passage, jackknifed, blocking nearly everything.

Almost like it’s keeping something in.

Then, the echoes start. A familiar, inhuman clicking.

“Guns out,” Joel orders quietly.

Your hand grips your bow tighter as you step forward, stringing an arrow. “Isn’t there another way?” you whisper.

Joel exhales sharply. “Wish there was. But the other option’s cutting through buildings, and those’re worse. Could collapse on us, or be crawlin’ with infected.”

Your pulse kicks up at that. “Well, the latter is already waiting for us. What if—”

“No other way, hon. I’m sorry.” His voice is quiet, regretful but firm.

You breathe in, steady yourself. “Okay.”

“This time’s gonna be different. I just know.” Ellie’s voice is hushed but firm as you creep forward.

You glance at her. “What do you mean?”

She grips her pistol, staring ahead with a stubborn set to her jaw. “The Fireflies are going to be there. I can feel it.”

You study her, taking in the bruises, the cuts—small wounds healed over, but ones that go deeper than skin.

“Yeah,” you murmur. “Yeah, maybe.”

“There’s no halfway with this,” Ellie says, shaking her head.

“I know—”

“Well, I ain’t leavin’ without either of you,” Joel cuts in, his voice edged with quiet finality. “So let’s get this done and get out in one piece, yeah?”

You and Ellie both nod. Conversation’s over. Time to move.

You scale the truck, hands gripping rusted metal. The top gives you a vantage point—and an even worse view of what’s ahead.

Clickers dot the road below, their bodies slumped but twitching, caught between dormancy and movement. A few runners pace along the broken pavement, overgrown with thick vegetation. But the worst part? The PPE gear. Thick, old military uniforms still cling to some of them, fused into the fungus that overtakes their flesh. Whatever’s been lurking here has been here a long time.

“Shit,” you breathe, pulling back your bow.

Joel’s hand finds yours, pressing it down before you can loose the arrow. “Wait.” His voice is barely audible. “Think we can sneak through the right. Walkway cuts deeper in—keeps us off the main road.”

You follow his gaze to the narrow work path carved into the wall. It’s tight. Dangerous. But avoiding the open street means avoiding most of the infected.

“And you think, by some miracle, we could make it past all these guys?” you whisper, disbelief laced in your voice.

Joel gives you a look. “Alright. What about this—take out the three closest on the right, clear the path. The bow’s quiet enough. Shouldn’t stir the others.”

“But the runners—”

“We hide. Take ‘em if we have to.” His voice is unwavering. “Clickers are worse. You know that.”

He’s right. Your nerves are fraying, but you exhale and nod.

You notch an arrow and draw, locking onto a slumbering Clicker. The cord strains under your fingers as you inhale—then release.

A clean hit. The Clicker drops, a grotesque thud against pavement.

Joel nods. “That’s my girl.” His voice is low, approving. Something warm, something sharp, flickers in your chest at the words. But there’s no time to dwell.

You loose two more arrows, each finding its mark. The path is clear enough. Time to move.

Joel looks at Ellie, his voice like iron. “From this point forward—we are silent. Not quiet. Silent.”

His expression is grim, his eyes dark. The weight of what’s ahead presses against your ribs.

A chorus of guttural, broken sounds echoes through the tunnel, the wet gurgle of something that should be dead but refuses to be. One of the infected—draped in an old military hazmat suit—shuffles near the center of the road, its body twisted with thick fungal growths. The mold plates its shoulders, its helmet half-shattered and overtaken with hardened spores. That thing isn’t dying easy.

Then—

Crunch.

Your breath seizes as your boot presses into shattered glass. A sound like a gunshot in the stillness.

A runner’s head snaps up.

Joel mutters a curse, reaching for something—his hand finds a chunk of concrete. He weighs it for half a second before hurling it toward the far side of the tunnel.

The sound explodes against the wall.

A chain reaction. The Clickers screech, the runners jolt toward the noise, frenzied and desperate.

“Go,” Joel breathes.

You move, slipping down the truck and into the narrow work tunnel, Ellie close behind. The distant echoes of the infected fill the air, but at least their attention is elsewhere. At least for now.

The damp air of the tunnel clings to your skin, thick with mildew and something stale—something rotten. Your breath is shallow as you press forward, every step careful, deliberate.

Every so often, an infected appears in your path. You take them down in silence, the wet crunch of your knife the only sound before they collapse into the darkness. The deeper you go, the worse it gets.

Water seeps in, creeping up your boots, numbing your feet with every step. The last storm must have flooded through here, leaving behind ankle-deep pools of murky, freezing water. The infected wade through it, their movements sluggish and bodies half-rotted from the moisture. You hear them before you see them—water sloshing, their slow, gurgling breaths. You take them out clean, one by one.

It isn’t long before rusted-out buses block your way, forcing you to climb over them, maneuvering through the tight spaces until—

A dead end.

The water stretches out in front of you, dark and stagnant, too deep to see the bottom.

“Watch your step—that water’s deep,” Joel warns.

Ellie grins. “Hey, that’s something we can do! Once we’re done with all this, I mean.”

“What’s that?”

“You can teach me how to swim.”

You snort. “Guess he’ll be teaching both of us.”

Joel rolls his eyes. “Oh, for Christ’s sake. Not you too.”

“All I had in Mass was creeks, and they didn’t require much,” you shrug. “So…yeah. Not a swimmer.”

“Two damn peas in a pod,” Joel grumbles, before stepping forward and dropping into the water. He disappears beneath the surface.

A second passes. Then another.

Your stomach knots. He should’ve come up by now.

“Here,” Ellie whispers, tugging at your sleeve. “This way.”

She points toward the trucks ahead, where a ladder sits perched on top of one.

A splash echoes from the other side.

“I’m over here!” Joel’s voice cuts through the tunnel.

Relief floods through you.

“Can you grab the ladder?” you call.

A beat. Then, “Yeah.”

You listen as his body breaks the surface, the sound of him scaling metal filling the air before—there. He appears, gripping the ladder, positioning it so it drops onto your side.

“Stick to the edge,” he instructs, eyes locked on you. “It’s shallow.”

You wade in, cold sinking into your bones, before grabbing onto the ladder and pulling yourself up. Ellie follows. Joel takes your hand when you reach the top, steadying you.

“Thanks,” you murmur.

He nods once before jumping down onto the overgrown pavement below. You and Ellie follow, slipping through a rusted side gate and into a maintenance tunnel.

It’s worse in here. Dark, waterlogged, the air thick with decay.

Then, after what feels like an eternity, light.

It spills through cracks in the ceiling, casting eerie beams through the mist. It almost makes it feel safe. Almost.

The sound of rushing water grows louder.

You make your way back toward the highway—what’s left of it.

A deep ravine has carved its way through the road. Water rushes through it in a violent current, the remains of eighteen-wheelers and heavy vehicles jammed in like debris from a shipwreck.

Joel surveys it, then exhales sharply. “Lemme go first. Follow my lead.”

“Right behind you,” Ellie answers.

You watch as he steps onto a truck bed, arms outstretched for balance, before moving to the next. You and Ellie follow, mirroring his movements.

The metal creaks underfoot. Rust flakes away with every step.

Ahead, Joel reaches a gap between two truck beds—too far to step. Without hesitation, he jumps, landing smoothly before turning back to you.

“Come on.” He holds out his arms.

You hesitate, staring at the gap. “You sure?”

“I got you,” he says, voice steady.

You glance at Ellie, then swallow your nerves, shifting on the balls of your feet. “Okay,” you mutter. “If I don’t make it, El—well, nice knowin’ ya.”

Ellie smirks. “It’s been real.”

You inhale sharply, then take off. The truck bed rattles beneath your weight as you push off, heart lurching as you fly through open air. For a split second, you think you’re not gonna make it. Then—Joel’s hands catch you, steadying you as your boots hit metal.

“See?” he murmurs. “Didn’t even need me.”

You huff, shaking your head. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s keep moving.”

Ellie follows, making the jump with ease while you and Joel holds your arms out for her just in case. “Looks like we’re stuck with you for another day!” she grins.

“Looks like it,” you chuckle.

You step forward, landing onto a bus turned topside. An ominous groan shudders through the vehicle.

“Oh, shit,” Ellie breathes, crouching low for balance.

Joel’s head snaps toward you, “Get off this thing. NOW.” He shoves you forward, the urgency in his voice spiking fear in your veins.

You scramble to the edge, grabbing onto the work ramp just as the bus shifts beneath you.

Ellie follows, hoisting herself up, Joel right behind her but hasn’t grabbed on yet.

The second Joel’s hands grip the ledge, the bus gives one final, violent lurch.

Metal screeches, the sound tearing through the tunnel like a scream.

Joel’s balance wavers—

And then he’s gone.

He plunges backward, arms grasping for something, anything, before the water swallows him whole.

“JOEL!”

Your scream is lost in the roar of rushing water. You move without thinking, sprinting along the edge of the work ramp, eyes locked on his form as it’s wrenched away. He’s being pulled under, sucked into the submerged bus, his body disappearing beneath the churning waves.

You run alongside it, Ellie at your heels, breathless, terrified. The current is merciless, dragging him deeper into the bus. 

Suddenly, the bus slams into an abandoned eighteen-wheeler, the impact rattling through your bones. It’s your only chance.

“Careful!” Ellie shouts as you leap onto the wreckage. The metal groans beneath you, shifting under your weight, but you don’t hesitate. You scramble toward the back of the bus, where the water churns violently, white-capped and surging.

“He’s there!” you yell, pointing.

Through the murky, distorted windows, you see him. Joel’s head breaks the surface inside, gasping, hands searching for something to grab onto.

You drop to your knees and dig your fingers under the bus doors, straining against the weight of water pressing against them. You pull with everything you have, but they don’t budge.

“Shit, shit, come on—”

“Move!” Ellie shouts, and then she’s kicking, boot slamming into the glass with every ounce of strength she has. The window spiderwebs, cracks fracturing through the surface.

Joel is getting closer.

Another kick. A fracture. Another.

The doors buckle.

The bus lurches, the rushing water too strong and the force of the current yanks the door open.

And then, you’re thrown over, airborne.

You don’t even have time to scream before you’re hitting the water.

One second, you’re gasping for breath, the next, the world is nothing but frigid darkness, swallowing you whole. The water is like a vice, crushing against your chest, pressing in on all sides as it yanks you deeper. Your backpack drags at you like a weight, anchoring you down while the current tosses you like a rag doll. Your limbs are sluggish, the cold eating at your muscles as you try to kick, to swim, to get your bearings, but there’s nothing to hold onto—nothing but water, water, water.

Ellie is just a blur above you, arms flailing, trying to fight her way to the surface. You try to reach for her, but the current is relentless, pulling you further apart. You can’t tell which way is up anymore. The tunnel’s dim light flickers in warped, shifting patterns, and somewhere in the chaos, you catch a glimpse of Joel. He’s fighting against the current, pushing toward you with all the strength he has, hand outstretched. You try to kick, to push toward him, but the weight of your pack is too much, dragging you further into the depths. Your fingers claw at the straps, desperate to get free, but you’re moving too slow, too weak, lungs screaming for oxygen.

Your chest seizes, the burning in your ribs unbearable. Your body is begging you to breathe, to open your mouth and suck in air that isn’t there. Your mind knows what happens next, but instinct is louder, your throat tightening, panic clawing at your skull. Joel is still there, so damn close, but your vision is going dark, your limbs numb, the sound of the rushing water growing distant, swallowed by the black creeping at the edges of your sight.

He’s reaching for you.

But your fingers won’t move.

Your lungs feel like they’re collapsing and then–

The world disappears.

[waynes-multiverse]

The Exit Strategy – Part 4

Summary: Russell is ready to hang it all up and retire, open up a brewery, and enjoy the rest of his civilian life. However, there’s one important thing missing before he can take the big plunge. Luckily, he knows just the right person to help him find it.

Pairing: Russell Shaw x Female!Reader

Warnings: 18+, language, fluff, some angst & feels, family secrets, spy stuff, a bit of spiciness

Word Count: 6.5k

A/N: Welcome back, friends! We're diving a bit into Shaw family secrets this week – fully Wayne's version, though. While I did read the books, there's no major spoilers**, so don't you worry. I just played with an idea here 🤓 I also won't be fully diving into the Shaw family life, but some things are heavily hinted to be... fishy here 👀 Enjoy & let me know what you think! 🤍

**There's a small part where Russell tells Colter about their parents. It's mentioned in the books that their mother was a psychiatrist. I took that and ran with it 🤷‍♀️

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Part 4: This Is Not an Exit

“You’ve been walking down memory lane a lot tonight,” you teased with a nudge of his ribs, still tightly cuddled in his warm embrace in the freezing basement.

“Haven’t you?”

“No, I have,” you admitted with a melancholic sigh. “Maybe we should stop dwelling on the past so much. Think more about the future…”

Russell scoffed a small chuckle. “Dory said something similar not that long ago. Actually the reason why I came here.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, his fingers absently drawing circles on your arm. “I think it’s time we retire, sweetheart. I mean, after everything we’ve been through, I think we deserve to, right? You know, sometimes I wake up in the morning, and I’m surprised we’re even still here, considering how many war zones we’ve been in.”

“Well, you know what they say – beware the old soldier because he’s old for a reason,” you said with a smile.

“Yeah, think I might be getting a little too old…” Russell chucked lightly, running a hand through his long hair. “So? What d’you think? One last hurrah, and then we hang this up? I was thinking maybe we could open up a brewery, you know? A family place. Bet the kids would love it.”

“Sounds nice,” you said with a yearning smile. You wanted all of that and more. “I’d love to retire with you.”

“But?”

You laughed slightly at his anticipating look. “But I don’t think you can yet.”

His eyebrows drew together till they met above the bridge of his freckled nose. “What d’you mean? I just told you I’m ready.”

“You say you are, but you aren’t,” you replied like the annoying Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. “Have you solved the murder yet?”

Russell licked his lips, which was his telltale sign that you caught him there. After all, you knew him better than anyone in this world – knowing when he needed to be pushed and shoved was part of it.

“No, but I don’t need to anymore. Look, the only reason I wanted to solve it was because I thought I had to prove my innocence to Colter. And well, turns out I didn’t. He believed me anyways, so…”

“That wasn’t the only reason,” you reminded him with a scrutinizing look.

“Maybe, but like I said – Dory thinks we should keep all this bullshit in the past, and after the last three years, I’m starting to agree with her,” Russell said, dragging a hand over his face.

“Look, if that’s what you want–”

“It’s what I want,” he assured you and placed a hand on your thigh, gently squeezing it. “Having my little brother and sister back is enough. I don’t need more. Nothing good ever comes from being greedy.”

You nodded in understanding, clearing your throat. “Still, in the name of our deal to always be honest, I kinda have to confess something.”

Rising from your seat, you dusted off your awful, flowery skirt and wandered to the wall safe once more, retrieving a thick folder from it. You took your place next to Russell again, his questioning eyes meeting yours as you handed him your research.

“When you didn’t come back after a year or so, I started looking into it as well. Might have done a full deep-dive,” you admitted with a bite of your lip.

Russell shot you a chiding look, shaking his head, but most of all, he was worried. “I told you to leave it alone. You don’t know what sorta people we’re dealing with here, but we do know they’re dangerous.”

“I know. I just wanted to help. Figured I could speed it along. I do have more access than you,” you countered softly. “I’m sorry, okay? But I was careful. I promise.”

“Good,” he said and looked at you, interlacing your fingers with his. “‘Cause the last thing I want is losing you over this bullshit, too.”

Nodding, you squeezed his hand in reassurance. “There’s something you should know, though.” He raised his brow anew – you’d always been full of surprises. Life certainly had never been boring. “Someone accessed the files after me.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know. Definitely had a higher clearance than me, though,” you replied.

Russell threw his arms up, and you could see he was getting more upset again. “See? This is what I’m talking about! The whole point of us separating was to keep you and the kids away from it. Otherwise, we could’ve just stayed together, and I could’ve joined Horizon anyways.”

“I know that, too,” you said remorsefully. “But don’t worry. I wasn’t followed, and no one ever came after me. I made sure of it. It’s been two years now. They probably figured it was nothing after I didn’t reach out to you straight away.”

“Still… I don’t want you involved, alright?”

“What about Colter? Doesn’t he want to know? He doesn’t strike me as someone who just lets things go,” you noted observantly.

Russell clicked his tongue – a sign of defeat. “He isn’t, but he’s not gonna find anything either. I mean, the only reason I know is because you were so relentless and kept digging.”

“You haven’t told him what we found out?”

Russell licked his lips and admitted quietly, “No. I don’t think it does anyone any good to keep looking into this.”

Leaning forward and hugging your knees, your head bobbed pensively. “I thought you guys talked about what happened?”

“We did. Kinda… It’s complicated,” he stated, swallowing. “Dory was easy, you know? I guess she never really believed it… But it took a while till Colter even picked up the phone, let alone answered a goddamn text message. Had to get a little annoying.”

You smirked. “Well, you’re good at that. That’s how you won me over.”

“By being persistent?”

“Exactly. Like a tardigrade.” You grinned. “I mean, you kind of are doing it now again, too.”

He chuckled quietly. “Yeah, guess so.”

“Is that why you haven’t told him about me and the kids? Because you’re not sure about him yet?”

“Partially, yeah,” he admitted. “I guess I wanted to protect you. And maybe myself a little, too… Not sure I’m ready for those two worlds to meet yet, you know? I mean, you and the kids are the best things that ever happened to me, and when I look at Colter or Dory, I’m sometimes reminded of the worst things in my life.”

“What about your mother?”

Russell let out an exhaustive sigh that was half amused. “Geez, you haven’t changed a bit. You still ask the most uncomfortable questions possible.”

You laughed a little. “Gathering intelligence in uncomfortable ways is kind of my job, Shaw.”

“Yup, and no one’s better at it than you, sweetheart,” Russell quipped.

“So I’m guessing it’s a no on Mommie Dearest?”

Russell licked his lips, shaking his head. “I don’t wanna see her. Mostly because I don’t even know what to fucking say anymore,” he said. “I don’t want her to meet the kids either.”

“It’s okay,” you assured him and took his hand in yours. “It’s your choice, Russ. We go at your pace, alright?”

“Thank you.” Russell brought your intertwined hands to his lips, kissing the back of your hand before he looked at you deeply, a smile dancing across his plump lips. “I love you.”

You mirrored his smile, your heart fluttering like a wild butterfly in your chest. “I love you, too.”

“I’ll tell them – Dory and Colter. I want this to work,” he promised. “Just… after we finish this. I want him to have a clear head. I prefer not to get him killed, you know?”

“I get it. I thought the same thing when I first met you, too,” you joked, patting his chest. “But you brought him into this. It’s kinda on you.”

Russell scratched his bearded chin. “Yeah, but I didn’t exactly know what I’d bring him into.”

“Didn’t you, though?”

Amused, Russell bobbed his head. “Yeah, maybe I did,” he acknowledged. “You know, when Manny called me–”

Your eyes widened. “Manny called you?”

Russell blinked at you, brow creased in confusion. “Yeah, why?”

“That motherfucker…”

Furiously, you stomped to the desk and grabbed the radio. “Drone-5. This is Queen Bee-1. Report to Hive.”

The static of the radio cracked almost instantly, as if the idiot had been waiting all night for this call. “Yo, Queen Bee-1. How’s my boy?” Manny’s laugh echoed through the basement.

Russell’s glowing cheeks reached his eyes when he heard his friend’s voice. He’d known the guy almost as long as Doug.

“You’re the one who fucking told him?!” you yelled into the radio, almost crushing the device in your hand.

“To be fair, I told him not to engage with tango,” Manny sheepishly replied.

“Ha-ha, funny. Fuck you,” you huffed and tossed Russ the walkie-talkie. He caught it with one hand.

His boyish grin widened as he pushed the button. “You know, Drone-5, you could’ve told me you were actually working this thing.”

“Aw, you know I can’t do that. But I guess congrats on crashing another operation. You’re Worker Bee-3 now. Old habits die hard, huh?” Manny chuckled.

“Yeah, I guess…” Russell replied with a lighthearted chuckle, but his teeth tugged pensively at his lips.

“Great to have you back, brother. Hope this works out for you. See you on the other side, man. Oh, and could you move like three feet to the left and turn the washer off? We can barely hear and see you guys, and Drone-2 just ran out to grab popco–”

“No, absolutely not. Out,” you snapped as you grabbed the radio from Russ. He laughed as you put it furiously back on the desk. You knew what you had signed up for, but you still deserved some privacy. Annoyed, you took off your cross necklace – another bug – and settled down beside him again.

“What did he say when he called you?”

“Nothing much, really. Just told me your coordinates and that you like to pick up your mail at three o’clock at the local post office,” Russell replied.

You shook your head, smiling. “Well, he always loved you, so…” You started to chew on your lower lip, the anxiety in your belly returning. For the sake of your mind and heart, you had to make sure Russell was fully back, and this wasn’t just a fluke. “You know, I worry sometimes that if you don’t face this thing with your family, you’ll always feel this way. I mean, after Lewis was born–”

“I know.” Russell nodded, swallowing thickly. He saw the worry shimmering in your eyes, and it cracked his heart a little. “I know I kinda lost it there. Took me by surprise, too. Trust me. Figured I had dealt with all that shit already, you know? But I guess seeing you with him and feeling all that love myself, I just-… I don’t know. I don’t know how she could do it… Ashton was one thing, but she just stood by. And I don’t even know what the hell she was up to while he took us out into those woods…” He shook his head as if to rattle the answer out of his brain. “And then when we found out you were pregnant again… I mean, I’d barely held it together with Lewis. Everything just became a blur. I couldn’t think straight anymore, and I worried all the time I’d be like them…”

“I tried to help,” you said softly.

“I know you did. Guess this was just something I had to figure out on my own,” he replied with a beat shrug.

“How’s your vision now? Still blurry?”

“Clearer than ever.” A smile flickered alive on his lips, green eyes boring into yours as he leaned in and kissed you slowly like he meant every word. Blowing a raspberry, he then turned his attention to the file in his lap. “So, what am I gonna find in there?”

“Honestly, nothing we haven’t already puzzled together,” you replied, teeth gnawing on your bottom lip. “But I found a couple of names associated with your parents. Thought maybe you could look at them and see if you recognize the person you saw in the woods.”

“I already know where this is going…”

“Russ, please, just–”

Russell interrupted you, placing a soothing palm on your thigh that curbed your enthusiasm. “I’ll think about it, alright?”

Satisfied, you raised two placating hands. “All I was asking…”

“How was the lasagna?”

After four hours in the basement, you and Russell quietly treaded up the stairs a few minutes after midnight, finding Colter in the kitchen, eating leftovers out of the ceramic form in the warm glow of the stove light. Tom, on the other hand, had passed out on the couch, only the blue flickers of the TV and the soft noises of a peaceful nature documentary filling the silence of the dark living room.

“Excellent,” Colter stated, swallowing down a mouthful of lasagna before speaking. “I told Tom he should be a chef in a restaurant or something.”

Russell’s brow knitted in doubt. “Really? Lemme try.”

“You just ate two entire bags of junk. You can’t still be hungry,” you argued with a giggle, shaking your head.

“It’s lasagna,” Russell said simply, grabbed a fork from the drawer, and dove right in.

That man would eat anything. You’d seen him do it, too. He didn’t even go hungry when he was lost in a desert.

“Wow, that is good,” Russell announced his judgement with a full mouth. “Maybe we should hire Tom for the brewery, huh?”

“I’m guessing this means you two talked?” Colter asked with a carefully arched brow.

“Hmm. I don’t know,” Russell mused in jest. “What d’you say, sweetheart? You taking me back?”

You rolled your eyes at his antics. “Guess I have to. God knows returning you is impossible.”

Russell laughed and slung an arm around your waist, pulling you closer. He kissed your temple.

But then you noticed Colter’s smile falter, his brows creasing in question. “Is your hair different?”

“Shit!”

Wide-eyed, you bolted back down the creaking stairs to the basement, hearing Russell’s laughter fill the kitchen.

“Was she wearing a wig? And her eyes too, right?” Puzzled, Colter tried to piece it all together. He had already figured by your extensive vocabulary of swear words that you might be a better match for his older brother than he had initially surmised.

“Yup, all fake, man,” Russell confirmed and smirked. “Still think she’s not my type yet?”

“No, I can see it now,” Colter admitted, chuckling. “So, you guys are good?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Russell nodded and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, swallowing.

Colter’s smile widened, filling the older Shaw’s stomach with more guilt. “That’s great. Happy for you, man. Guess that means you’re retiring now, huh?”

Russell scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, we’ll see. Always depends on what the wife decides, you know?”

Yup, he sprinkled that important bit of information into a joke. Then, he watched his little brother take a stumped step back, brow furrowing and unfurrowing and then furrowing again.

“Wha-, wife?”

Russell produced a popping sound with his lips like the noise of a bottle when the cork was pulled. Welp, this bottle was surely open now.

“Yup, got married in Thailand in 2011,” he added another helpful tidbit of information, but Colter’s jaw dislodged all the same.

“Alright, got this all figured out,” you said, sauntering back into the kitchen with a pastel pink towel wrapped around your head and a matching bathrobe. You’d just grabbed them from the dryer, the fluffy material still cozily warm. It was the best option, considering you didn’t want to mess around with your wig as well after popping the lenses back in had already cost you most of your patience. In your little bubble of bliss, you hadn’t instantly noticed the brothers staring at you. But once you did, your brows morphed into a frown. “What’s going on?”

“You two are married?” Colter asked, a pointed finger flicking from Russell to you.

You threw your arms up, looking at your husband. “I was gone for five minutes! What happened to telling him after the operation?”

Russell offered you a sheepish shrug. “Well, this old soldier’s getting weak too, apparently.”

“He said it like a joke…” Colter mumbled, still in the middle of processing this new revelation. His older, estranged-but-now-less-strange brother had a wife. A family. Friends. And he knew none of it. What else was there? Kids?

“Yeah, he does that...” You shot your husband a scolding sideways look. “Should I leave you two alone for this?” you then offered, hoping the answer was a goddamn yes.

“Why would you? You’re family, right?” Colter retorted with a dry smile and a sharp look.

You pursed your lips. While you could see some similarities between the brothers, you took note of one big difference: Russell wasn’t as sarcastic and sharp-tongued. Probably because Russell had always been more concerned with what he should, would, or could share with people in an overthinking loop, while his younger brother seemed obviously free of that burden.

“Don’t take it out on her,” Russell stepped in gently, which really was a warning. “She didn’t know about any of this. Kinda pushed her into it.”

“Seems to be your style,” Colter scoffed.

“Can’t work for the CIA without going through a baptism of fire, little brother,” Russell said simply, giving an unapologetic shrug of his shoulders.

“Why would you not tell me?” Colter stared at him, his look a mix of reproach and agitation.

“Look, you weren’t exactly welcoming during our first meeting,” Russell argued with a bit of bark in his deep voice, although confrontation was probably not the best approach. But why should he always have to take the blame for everything? He’d already done that for more than two decades.

“That was months ago,” Colter countered, scowling. “I’d like to think I’ve come around since then… Coulda told me after we saved Doug.”

Russell let out a small sigh of defeat, rolling his eyes back slightly. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “No, yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry, man, alright?” he apologized earnestly.

With a questioning brow, you carefully nudged your husband’s arm. “What happened to Doug? Is he alright?”

“Yeah, uh, he went to work for Horizon with me. I’ll tell you later, okay?” Russell replied, his voice a lot quieter as if sharing a secret, and if Horizon was involved he probably was.

“Is Tracy okay?”

“She’s fine. Little shook up. You should probably give her a call. Smooth things out,” Russell told you.

Tracy thought you worked in marketing at some company for the government. Whenever you, Russell, and Doug were stuck on a mission, the boys made you call her to “smooth things out” – aka reassuring her everything was certainly fine with her husband and he wasn't in any danger at all. They’d once made you call her from a Black Hawk. The noise had been fun to explain away – you’d told her you were picking up a client from a helicopter pad.

Colter chewed on the insides of his cheeks. “So she knows Doug, too?”

Russell nodded. “Yeah, me and Doug were mostly Delta, but SAD liked to borrow us from time to time. We ran in her team for quite a while. She was actually the one who recruited me.”

At his little wink your way, you smiled. He’d come along way from the sweet boy you had once teased like a special-forces-trained kindergartner.

“Listen, things were obviously a little complicated between me and her the last few years,” Russell (under)stated. “But I’ve brought you here for a reason, okay? Figured it’s time you meet your sister-in-law.”

Eyes drifting from you to Russell, Colter pursed his lips – a tell he shared with his brother.

“Are you mad? I can’t tell.” Frowning, Russell tilted his head.

“No,” you absentmindedly replied for Colter, who gave you a curious look but steered his attention back to Russell.

“No,” the younger Shaw repeated your assumption. “I mean, not more than I was before, you know?”

Russell’s creases only deepened. “No, I don’t know.”

“He means he’s indifferent about knowing or not knowing we’re married because he’s already pissed about not knowing about my existence in general,” you explained.

“Ah. Your nerd is showing, sweetheart,” Russell teased you with a smile that made your heart melt.

“Dory would like her,” Colter commented like the thought had just popped into his head – something else he didn’t share with his brother.

You’d always wondered about the youngest Shaw of the three. Russell could never tell you much about Dory. His memory had been one of a smart and feisty nine-year-old, not a young woman and physics professor.

Thumbing at you, Russell cocked a brow at his brother. “Is she right, though?”

“Spot on, actually.” Colter’s tongue poked his cheek, his gaze flickering with a hint of astonishment and new-found respect for you. “And I guess I’m not really mad either way. Just… surprising, you know? I should’ve asked. That’s on me.”

Russell seemed more than a little baffled to hear this, considering he had to pause to find an appropriate response. “No, uh, we’re good. I could’ve just told you, anyways.”

“Yeah, no, that’s alright.” Colter swallowed, sending his older brother a smile of forgiveness. “Honestly, I was glad to hear you weren’t alone all this time, so…”

Russell’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he pushed down the lump in his throat. With a nod, he averted his green eyes to the kitchen floor. “Thanks, man. Appreciate it.”

“Aw, aren’t you guys adorable,” you teased.

Colter wanted to retort something dry-witted, but Russell held up a warning finger. “Ah – wait for it… Trust me. She’s not done.”

“You girls need tissues or a tampon, maybe?”

“Oh, Dory would definitely like her,” Colter repeated his earlier statement with an amused grin.

Russell, on the other hand, shot you a pointed look, but that had barely ever stopped you before. “Okay, you can lay down. You don’t have to give him the initiation. No hazing my little brother,” he ordered you sternly, and you stifled a snort. “And no one better kidnaps him tonight and puts a bag over his head, alright? I don’t wanna pick him up beaten and bloody from some warehouse tomorrow morning.”

“Hm, what?” Colter’s brow furrowed. For the first time, you could see slight panic spread in his pupils.

Who was hazing who now?

You rolled your eyes in feigned annoyance. “Fine, we’ll leave him alone,” you acted your capitulation.

The younger Shaw blinked at you. “Thank you?”

“Should we at least tell him about the other thing while we’re at it?” you asked Russell with a suggestive look.

Thoughtfully, he paused for a beat, then clicked his tongue. “No, I got it from here. It’s getting late. We’ve been here long enough,” he decided. “This is less becoming a friendly ‘welcome-to -the-neighborhood’ dinner and more starting to look like an orgy to the neighbors. Especially since you’ve put on the robe.”

“It just came from the dryer. Look, it’s so soft and warm,” you argued, pouting, your palms caressing the fluffy material on your arms.

“Uh-huh.”

The little bob of his Adam’s apple made you grin slyly. The way his jaw ticked and his pupils widened with a primal hunger, you could tell he wanted to tear that robe right off of you. The thought caused a shudder to run down your spine.

“What, uh, other thing do you have to tell me?” Colter asked and smiled expectantly, tapping his fingers on the the counter.

Russell, however, grabbed his arm and dragged his curious little brother toward the exit. “I’ll tell you in the car,” he said and thumbed to the front door behind his shoulder. “Wait outside. Gimme five minutes, alright?”

Wordlessly, Colter nodded without argument, gave you a quick goodbye-wave of his hand, and strolled leisurely back to his car as if he knew exactly what his older brother intended to do.

As expected, Russell impatiently conquered your lips, roughly pressing you against the foyer’s wall, your arms draping around his neck.

“What’s the bedroom situation in this place?” he asked between kisses.

“First floor, west side, third window from the right. I’ll leave it unlatched,” you replied, smiling against his lips. “Tom’s always sleeping on the couch. Part of our cover is going to marriage counseling with Pastor Jeff, which happens to work out great for us.”

You exhaled a shuddered breath when one of his hands wandered past the robe and splayed warm against your ribcage, just underneath your breast. His thumb fought an itch to get closer.

“Wouldn’t do that, baby,” you murmured into his ear with an amused smirk. “That boner’s not gonna go away in five minutes.”

“Mmm, I know,” he groaned and dropped his head between your boobs, lips pressing a chaste kiss to your collarbone. If he continued on with this, your arousal would surely streak down your bare thighs soon. Luckily, he had mercy on the both of you. “I’ll talk to him and then come back, okay?”

You nodded with a smile. He kissed your lips, then your forehead, and then disappeared through the door with the same cometary velocity he had entered your vision.

And all you could do was hope you’d see him one more time in your life.

“So?”

4.3 seconds after Colter killed the engine of his pickup in a spot a block away to the west side of your house – as per Russell’s very specific instruction – he stared scrutinizingly at his older brother.

Impatience was also a family trait – one even their father had despised.

“Look, uhm, there’s no easy way to break the news…”

“Is this about you having two kids?”

When Russell’s eyes met Colter’s, he didn’t recognize any anger, hurt or resentment in them – just pure slyness. At least that was good news. His little brother was just going to be annoying about this whole thing.

“Yeah, remember those five minutes you left me alone in the car? I called Bobby. Had him check some things out for me. Wasn’t easy to find. I’ll give you that…”

As expected, Colter was going to be a smartass about it. He figured it out on his own. He won the game.

“Hmm.” Russell pursed his lips, nodding. “You do know the CIA is on your guy’s ass now, right? Shouldn’t have done it in their perimeter, man. Manny’s probably all over this by now…”

Then his brow knit as if the thought of his old friend had provoked an idea, his head tilting with narrowed eyes at the air vents on the dashboard. How long had that car been parked outside and out of sight again?

Like a game of Operation, Russell then used thumb and pointer finger as his tweezers to retrieve a tiny bug – the spy kind.

“Gotcha,” Russell muttered, smirking. He then held the bug close to the speakers of the radio before turning up the volume to its highest setting – only for a second. He switched the radio off, rolled down the window, and threw the unwanted listening device onto the pavement. “That should teach ‘em a lesson…”

Colter cocked an incredulous brow at his brother. “They bugged my car?”

“Oh, trust me, they bug anything they can get their greedy little hands on,” Russell retorted. “Would probably check for a tracker underneath, too.”

“Great, thanks,” Colter huffed wryly.

“Hey, you wanted in. That’s what they do,” Russell reminded him, shrugging, but there was a smile of amusement on his lips.

Colter only bobbed his head. “So, you and her? You guys are good now? Just like that? Seemed… easy. Sorta…”

Russell chuckled lightly, brushing a hand through his beard. He knew his relationship with you was unconventional, but it had always worked for you and him.

“Me and Y/N have a deal, you know? It’s not all black and white. I mean, we became aware a long time ago that the two of us operate in a lot of gray zones. But, uh, we always know we can rely on each other, you know? Doesn’t matter if we’ve been separated by time or space,” Russell explained to the best of his abilities.

“So what happened?” Colter prompted with the same amount of confusion. “Why did you guys split up? I saw on the birth certificate your daughter was only two years old. I mean, did you-… did you even know?”

Russell inhaled deeply, nodding. “I knew she was pregnant. When she told me back then, I-…” He paused, licking his lips. It wasn’t something he had ever talked about with anyone before – not even you. “Well, shortly after that, I had a breakdown and I-… I almost hurt her.” He choked on the words, fighting the sting in his eyes.

He’d tried so hard to forget, wasn’t even sure he had ever really apologized for it to you because he so badly didn’t want it to exist that he’d tried to wish it out of literal existence, and hence, never really blamed you for leaving like you did. He understood. In fact, he had even wished you’d leave. He had convinced himself you’d be better off without him – something he still believed to be true – but he also knew he wasn’t better off without you.

He’d been lost and alone. And maybe, he was being selfish by crashing back into your life now. Or Dory’s. And Colter’s.

“I mean, nothing ever really bad happened. It’s just-… That night I came scarily close,” Russell confessed, swallowing thickly. He still hated himself for that night and everything that followed. “It’s like a switch flipped, you know? I couldn’t do anything against it… And Lewis saw parts of it, and I was already impatient with him and short with her the weeks before, so I just left that night and disappeared for two months. Volunteered for some mission. Figured it was best for everybody.”

It’s better off if he never comes back…

Russell licked his chapped lips. The next part was the hardest.

“When I got back, she told me she got a job offer in another country, and that she would be taking it and taking Lewis with her. She wanted me to use the time to… I don’t know… solve this, I guess.” He let out a humorless scoff at the painful memory.

Russell hadn’t seen it at first, maybe because he hadn’t wanted to, his anger and pain blurring the truth. After his son had been born, Russell knew you could see him struggling, so you started digging deeper into his family and what really happened. And when you’d found something – Horizon – you’d told him you could infiltrate. Naturally, Russell had passed a hard no – it had been a five-hour long fight, but he'd emerged victoriously by the end. So, you’d told him he should do it, but he didn’t want to leave you, and he didn’t want to endanger and jeopardize his family.

He’d told he was fine, but he wasn’t. It kept gnawing on him – and gnawing and gnawing and gnawing… till you eventually pulled the plug and ended his suffering.

“I was exhausted, so I told her we’d talk about it in the morning. When I woke up, they were gone. Didn’t even notice she’d already packed.”

Colter was silent for a beat. “Was it PTSD or something?”

“Or somethin’,” replied Russell.

“But you’re good now?” Colter checked with a warily raised brow.

“Guess so…”

Truthfully, Russell didn’t know if he was or wasn’t. He’d tried hard to figure out what it was exactly that had set him off that night and fix it, but he didn’t know if that feeling would ever disappear for good. He just knew he had never felt that way again since then. But could he guarantee it would never come back?

He didn’t know.

“Look, all I know is, seeing you and Dory again helped, so…” Russell twitched his shoulders and sighed. He didn’t know what else to say, how to explain it better, but Colter seemed to understand anyway, reading between the lines.

Russell worried he’d be like their father.

“I think I get it.” The younger Shaw nodded and licked his lips. “You know, you’re not crazy like Dad was, Russ. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re crazy in your own way, but I wouldn’t worry about the other stuff.”

“Well, thanks,” Russell said, not convinced but appreciative of the vote of confidence. “Makes at least one of us…”

“I-, uh, I noticed their names,” Colter then said and clarified, “Lewis and Amelia. Like explorers. Like us.”

“Ah.” Russell smacked his lips and brushed it off, “Wasn’t really my idea. I told Y/N that story once. Guess she took a liking to it..”

“Are you, you know, gonna tell Mom?”

Russell was almost surprised by the question. The brothers had barely talked about their mother since they’d reconnected. Considering Colter had never brought her up again after their first meeting, Russell figured there was a reason for that – and he thought he probably knew the reason, too.

Russell scoffed a chuckle and looked at his little brother with an almost incredulous look. “I think you can guess the answer to that one,” he replied and figured it said enough. “Did you tell her I came back?”

Colter pursed his lips, and Russell took it as a sign of admission. So his mother knew. Great…

“Sorta,” Colter admitted hesitantly.

“What d’she say?” Russell almost smiled out of amusement. He already knew the answer, but his brother still seemed reluctant. “C’mon, you can tell me. I’m not gonna be butthurt after twenty years…”

“She told me to ignore you,” Colter finally confessed, but the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. They had ever since his mother said them, but even more so now that he knew his brother – and parts of the truth.

“Hmm,” Russell hummed with tight lips and ground his jaw.

Granted, the confession stung more than Russell would ever be willing to admit. The tiny, naive part inside of him had constructed a hopeless fantasy of his mother having a sudden change of heart over the last two decades and happily welcoming her firstborn back. Apparently, not a thing had changed, though, and he cursed himself for feeling disheartened.

“But I actually haven’t talked to her in a while now,” Colter added with a small shrug, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

“Huh, really?”

“Yeah, uh, and when I did, I didn’t exactly tell her I didn’t take her advice, you know? So…”

“Why not?” Russell’s brow furrowed a little more as he analyzed each word, simultaneously realizing why he had been so reluctant to share his life with Colter before – his subconscious had been afraid his alienated little brother would report back to the mothership.

Colter’s lips pursed. “Because I disagree.”

“Ah.”

Colter chewed on his lower lip. “Look, I know you and Dory wanna keep all of this in the past and play family – and trust me, I want that too,” he assured, but his heart was beating fast in his chest. “But I need to know, man. I need to know why she lied about this for twenty years and, you know, did all of this,” he insisted, and yet, Russell could tell he wasn’t done. He might have broken the dam. “She did it to you. I mean, aren’t you mad?”

“Of course I’m mad,” the older Shaw admitted, but there was no fire behind his words.

“Then why are you so calm?”

Amused, Russell chuckled, shrugging. “Probably ‘cause I’ve been dealing with this a lot longer than you, little brother.”

“So, what are we gonna do now?”

“We ain’t gonna do anything,” Russell clarified, his voice stern. He’d die to protect his family, you and the kids, and do anything in his power to keep you out of it, but Colter was a grown-up – a free agent. If he didn’t want to listen, Russell couldn’t force him. “Look, you wanna find out, you go find out. And if you do find something and need help, you call. But I can’t be involved in this,” he explained, his firm expression morphing into something more vulnerable and sincere. “And frankly, I don’t care that much. You, me, Dory, Y/N, the kids – that’s all that matters, trust me. You’re not gonna feel better or more… whole after finding those answers.”

“How do you know? Do you know what really happened?” Colter instantly asked, and Russell knew in that moment, it’d be hopeless. His brother wouldn’t stop till he found it – forever restless.

“No, I told you. I don’t,” Russell repeated, and while he didn’t know everything, he omitted that he knew something.

“What about Y/N?”

Russell froze at the bare mention of your name, his protective instincts kicking in. “Leave her out of this,” he all but snarled.

But Colter didn’t think about stopping. “Did you ever ask her? I mean, she’s CIA. She could probably find out something, right?”

“Yeah, I asked her once, alright? Was a long time ago,” Russell admitted, sighing. The intended lie would stick better if there was some truth to it – you had taught him that.

“C’mon, Russ… And?” Colter impatiently threw his arms up, brow raising higher and higher as he waited for an answer.

“She never found anything,” Russell said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

This time, it wasn’t just an omission. It was a blatant lie.

“I think whatever Dad was involved in – or both of ‘em – was just some activist shit. I don’t think the government cares.” Lie. “We both know he had a mental thing. Paranoid, probably schizophrenic… I mean, Mom used to pump him full of meds sometimes when he got too out of hand.” Truth. He then stole a glance at his little brother and saw the confusion shimmering on his face. Russell scoffed. “You didn’t know that, did you?”

Quietly, Colter shook his head.

“Well, you were a kid,” Russell said and hoped it would curb the blow slightly, although he knew better than that. “He always took something as far back as I can remember. She used to prepare his pills every evening after you and Dory went to bed. But when we moved to the cabin, he started refusing to take them. Said they made him ‘not clear-headed enough.’ Kinda ironic,” he shared and snorted. “When it got too bad, though, she’d still crush ‘em into his food.”

Colter took everything in with a nod but didn’t say anything more.

“You good over there?” Russell checked after a full minute had passed.

“Yeah,” Colter said and even tried to form a reassuring smile before the attempt failed. Instead, he swallowed. “Just a lot, you know? I didn’t know. I mean, I had some idea, but not-… not that.”

“Yeah, I figured,” Russell said, his voice almost a whisper in the silence of the night. “Like I said, you were a kid…”

When Russell finally left the car to sneak back to you, his shoulders felt a little lighter and his heart a little calmer. He might just float through that unlatched window tonight.

The bad news was, though, he might not be able to retire just yet.

Part 5: This Is a Start – FEBRUARY 7

Honestly, I should've called this chapter "Heart-to-Heart Part II" 😂 I'll see you for the finale next week, but as you know, it's not the end for them – only just the beginning 😉

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[lgvalenzuela]

Second part, this turned out to be a bigger project (?) than expected.

Errr sorry

Some people were left trapped in the Crossroads, after the Eluvians shut down. The search for Rook had them so preoccupied they hadn't even had the time to take care of them, but with luck, at least one of them would be a healer. With the world in such turmoil they couldn't waste time letting Rook recuperate normally.

Davrin wished there was another way, any other. That he could take his friend to stroll through Arlathan again, that he could hear Lyra talk with Assan as they took some of that tea. But there was no time.

Davrin and Taash asked any mage they found, there weren't many but at least one of them should be a mildly competent healer.

They found the children near Dock Town’s Eluvian. Leah Hawke, the little dragon, had her hand on it, hoping with all her might it might open any minute now. Anything to go back and help, she couldn't just stay put doing nothing. But Dorian forced her hand, he shoved her through the Eluvian unexpectedly.

Leto Hawke came from Rivain, his confrontation with Isabela wasn't as forceful. But both of the twins ended up stranded aimless in the Crossroads. Leto held his bag close, they had worked so hard on…

He was the first to see them, Davrin and Taash looked worried and in a hurry. Leto put his hand on her sister’s shoulder. Leah turned to them, her tired expression mixing with a bit of relief and a bit of concern:

“Leah!” they shouted, Assan run to her, tucking at her dress

They called for her specifically, which didn't particularly help with the stress. Davrin approached her directly explaining their predicament as succinctly as he could. While Taash noted Leto’s presence with a sigh:

“Oh this is great, I was worried about you guys” they said

“Come on, you too? Didn't you start fighting dragons when you were fourteen or something?” commented Leto, pointing

“Yep, you have to he at least fourteen”

“That's bullshit and you know it”

They managed to draw a smile on his face, which was a relief because he didn't know how long it had been since he last smiled at that point.

Leah was nodding along with Davrin's explanation, looking more and more worried by the second:

“In that case, take me to the Lighthouse then, quickly” she said with a dignified pose

She always said she was a better necromancer than a healer, but she hadn't failed them before:

“Leah, Neve will want to know about Livia” said Davrin on their way to the Lighthouse

“Lady Mercar…” Leah tried to think of the last time she saw her “Minrathous is in such disarray, I can't- I can't quite place last time I saw her. But she's with the other Shadow Dragons…I think she's okay”

“Let's hope so, Neve has lost enough already” scoffed Taash, looking at the ground

Leah played with her fingers nervously, exchanging glances between the floor and Davrin:

“I- Lyra is in Minrathous too…”

She might as well just hold his heart in her hand and squeezed it, with what that single phrase did to it.

He had about a million questions, and he wanted none of them answered. Why was she bringing that up? Was she about to give him bad news? He loved Lyra's strength but it was one archer against an ancient mage with the power of a god.

Assan was smarter than him at that moment, he heard Lyra’s name and rubbed his break against Leah’s hand. She smiled softly:

“She's alive boy, she wasn't even hurt last time I saw her”

He sighed loudly and Taash gave him a friendly punch on his arm. Couldn't help but feel a little tinge of guilt, everyone was coming back. Everyone except Harding.

There was no time to think about that, if Lyra was in Minrathous there could only be one explanation:

“That means Solas-”

Leah nodded solemnly:

“He's there too”

—----------------------------------------

They found Neve and Emmrich pacing back and forth in the library, they stayed close but left some room for the lovers to reunite, or maybe that just was a lie they told themselves.

Seeing the twins must have lifted a great weight off their shoulders, they ran to them, making sure they were okay. Emmrich hadn't gotten letters from Leah in a while, and was obviously worried about his little friend. He asked about Dorian, which Leag shocked off her head. She didn't know what to say.

As expected Neve asked about Livia, looking down at Leah's inconclusive answer:

“I'm sure she's alright Neve” Emmrich placed a hand on her back “You know she's a strong woman, and she knows how to survive”

“I want to believe you, but-”

“There's no time, Solas is in Minrathous” stated Davrin cuttingly

Horror washed over Neve and Emmrich's faces, of course he was. If Elgar'nan was there, and Solas hated him as much as Rook stated:

“Then the Shadows-” Neve started with fear

“He's helping them!” finished Leah quickly, before the fear escalated

Neve seemed taken aback by that, but if that was the case. It bought them some time:

“If we know anything is that we can't trust Solas' help” remarked Davrin “But we know we can trust Rook. We got him back. We'll get Bellara. Neve you're getting Livia and your city. And I'm getting Lyra”

Neve scoffed with a little smirk, of course Lyra was there too:

“Of course we are” said Emmrich with optimism

“We are a bunch of idiots” she said “Come on Leah, Rook really needs to see a good healer”

—------------------------------------------------------

The way they approached Taash' room, one would've said they were going to their execution. The state they found Finn in had rattled them more than they expected.

After everything, what if this was what finally broke him?

Davrin was the only one brave enough to open the door. Finn turned to them with a sweet and calming smile, and every worry they might have had washed away:

“Hey guys” he said

All of this, and he still just smiled. And they already knew, he did that not because he wasn't afraid, but so they wouldn't be.

And damn that charm of his, worked every time.

Lucanis was faithfully at his side, holding his hand. Maybe the most relaxed they've ever seen him:

“It's so good to see you…” continued Rook

His voice sounded hoarse and weak, Leah approached him as Emmrich sent Manfred to fetch some water and bread.

“Come on, it's good to see you” Davrin sat by the side of the bed while Leah did her magic

“I was worried…something had happened to you guys…”

“You really say that, like you weren't the one missing” said Neve

“Bellara is also missing…” Rook looked down

“We'll get her, like we got you” Davrin stroked his shoulder reassuringly

Rook snorted softly, the healing was already giving him a more alive tint to his skin.

“A little bird told me you saved my life” Rook smirked, his friend gave him a light scoff

“Just followed whatever he was doing” he said pointing to Lucanis “And the mages closed your wound, so”

“I know, I know” he laughed, looked up to Lucanis “This is how you finally kiss me”

“I'll make it up to you” he said, with melancholy

“I know” he smiled sweetly and Lucanis couldn't help but reciprocate

Manfred brought the food as Leah was finishing. Happily chanting Rook's name (well, nickname)

“Rook have you…” started Leah

“Yeah…I can't see anymore”

Leah clenched her fists. Folding her skirt in a cold fury.

“I should've done more. My brother... Or my father…”

“Hey, I got this from an old friend… Don't carry my mistakes, sometimes things like this happen, and it will be okay”

Rook looked down, he tried not losing his smile for as long as he could.

“I have to go to the infirmary, could you come with me?”

—------------------------------------------------------

He held Varric's coat, close to his heart. He had already cried, he had already said goodbye. So he was not breaking down again, or at least not for now.

“Rook?”

“All this time… I don't know how Solas did it but I've been seeing Varric this whole time”

Silence fell through the room, with horrified looks. Only Neve broke it.

“Blood magic” she said “I should've… Rook we thought you knew”

“Yes, of course. I'm not blaming you. It's just… was there a funeral? Anything? Did I forget that too?”

Neve shacked her head, she looked at the twins.

“There was a celebration on Kirkwall but… sorry we didn't tell you Rook”

“Again, it's not your fault. Solas was manipulating my mind…” he got his hair off his face, Lucanis put his hand on his arm. If anyone knew how that felt it was definitely him “I will… when all of this is over” he sighed “I was too afraid to ask… but you look so frazzled, how long have I been out?”

Emmrich and Neve looked at each other. Taash looked down, frowning.

Davrin put his hand on his shoulder:

“About three weeks”

Rook clicked his tongue. His mind racing, already making plans.

He held Lucanis' hand, still on his arm.

“In that time… do we know where Elgar'nan is? Solas?”

“They're in Minrathous” answered Neve

“Damn it, like Minrathous haven't had enough” Rook sighed “Alright, let's put everything in order, we need to leave as soon as possible”

“Rook, you must know, the Eluvians shut down after-” started Emmrich

“Have you talked to the Caretaker?”

“We've tried reaching out to them but-”

“Very well” Rook rolled up his sleeves “They'll answer to me”

He walked out of the infirmary with determination.

—------------------------------------------------------

Lucanis made some cioccolata calda for the children, as a thank you for helping Finn. And because this must be hurting them the hardest, them and every other child caught up in any of these wars. And they were from Ferelden, and mages, so they knew something about war.

Leto placed his backpack on the kitchen table, opening it slowly:

“Come on, it's safe here” he said

“Are you talking to your backpack?” asked Lucanis, approaching him

“More or less”

“He has some precious cargo” Leah looked in there

Leto had been with the Lord of Fortune for a year, so he expected jewels of treasure. But the first thing he saw were two cats.

A fluffy light brown cat with a sort of squished face, they had seen before, it was Leah's cat Prince. The other cat, a dark brown cat with golden eyes they had never seen:

“Come on Prince, you have to come out” asked Leah trying to reach for Prince but he retreated

“They're intimidated by the Fade” explained Leto

“Professor, do you think you can help us?” asked Leah, looking at Emmrich

“Oh I'm not sure, animals have never been my area of expertise” but he approached them either way

“There's something in here that we really need to get to Rook” explained Leto

Davrin looked inside at the cats, and placed some treats on Leto’s hand:

“Honestly, in my experience every creature can be bribed with food”

“I'll trust the monster hunter”

The twins got their little creatures out of the bag slowly. Assan and Manfred seemed especially curious about the little cats and approached them slowly. Meeting a big feathery cat and a walking skeleton did not help the poor creatures calm their nerves. Neve had to hold the cats while Leah got her father's skull out.

She sighed:

“It's in good condition, that's good. I don't know what I would've done if anything happened to it”

“Have a little faith, that's our dad I wouldn't let anything happen to it”

“Not on purpose…”

“Ouch…”

There was only one more thing inside. It was indeed intended just for Rook, a token of appreciation from good friends.

The rest couldn't help but smile as they saw it.

—------------------------------------------------------

Rook came later, and everyone scattered to get ready for battle. Somehow he had done it, he talked with the Caretaker, got the Eluvians running again and got messengers for their allies. They would be there as soon as they were able.

Everyone explained what they knew as best they could, gave him the false lyrium dagger. And scattered to prepare for battle. Rook took a moment to speak to each of them, but they mostly just wanted him to rest as much as he could before they had to leave.

When he walked to what was now his room he was exhausted, and he knew he wouldn't get much time to rest before all of this. He saw a backpack on the floor, but dismissed it. Just a little time to rest before… he lied down for a bit.

“I can't believe we found you…”

He opened his eyes, Lucanis walking through the door. He couldn't help but be relieved to see him, hear his voice again.

Until he saw his face, eyes glittering trying not to shed tears.

He could feel it himself, the urge to cry. He wanted to reach him in any way, to touch him. But he felt unable to move:

“Yeah…” he muttered softly “I'm quite surprised myself…”

“I thought I'd never see you again” his voice trembled as it broke Finn's heart even more

“I know… everything… everything that happened. I don't know how to feel…”

Lucanis kneeled before him, offering his hands to his love, as Finn took them he smiled. He gazed at him, stroking his hands with care:

“I do… I know exactly how to feel…”

Finn could feel devotion in every word, he caressed Lucanis' face. They savoured every moment, gaze, and touch like it was their last because it might be. Because they had given up before they ever met, that they might find someone that would look at them the way they looked at each other.

Gentle, Lucanis placed a kiss on Finn's lips. He looked a little surprised but relieved, he held his face as if he was his whole world. He giggled quietly.

“You lied to me…”

“When?”

“When you said a first kiss tasted like honey… you taste like coffee…”

Lucanis chuckled:

“Lucanis?”

“Finn…”

“Please don't leave…”

“Never”

Finn guided him to an embrace, he kissed him again, giving his lover the time he needed to savour it this time. He didn't have to be nervous anymore, not with him. He should've know, Finn really saw him.

“Please tell me this is really happening, tell me you're here… tell me I'm here…”

“You’re here Finn… you're really here…”

“Promise?”

“I swear…”

—------------------------------------------------------

“You didn't open the bag” said Lucanis putting backs his armour

“Should I?”

“Yes, the contents are for you”

“Well in that case”

Lucanis gave him the backpack and Rooked looked inside.

The cloth was a beautiful deep purple with some lavender tailoring in the back with the shape of wings, like a Crow, or maybe just like Lucanis. It was slick but protective, with plenty of places to store extra daggers, with leather gloves and boots. It came from some good tailors in Antiva, he recognized that familiar smell Zevran talked about so long ago.

The armour was familiar, carved in a beautiful bronze. The chestplate were definitely Griffons, engraved by the Grey Wardens. He recognized the elven engraved as a message “In war, Victory. In peace, vigilance. In death sacrifice” A Grey Warden, and an elf, like Davrin.

They made the gauntlets to look like bracelets, each of them with gorgeous markings. To honor his history, what he had lived, and what they had lost. Mournwatch ideals, like Emmrich and him came to understand together.

The Shadow Dragons gave him a leather corset, tailored in Tevinter’s fashion. With bags so he could store maybe a book but probably some sets of explosives and potions. And a place for the lyrium dagger. They didn't forget him, like he never forgot their suffering and Neve's.

The Lords of Fortune made sure to include jewelry for him, from the treasures he had helped them gain with all those dragon battles. Taash had personally saved some dragon scales for him that they turned into necklaces.

He found two elven relics, he investigated them for a second to discover two magical weapons. A sword and a shield. Shining with a bluish tinge, like Bellara's bow.

And broach, with lyrium engraved on it, a rune. Made in Kal Sharok, in the shape of the Cousland shield. Harding probably gave them the idea long ago, a taste of home.

He couldn't even believe all of this was for him, but it was crystal clear. Everything was tailored specifically for him, he held the items close before Lucanis helped him get ready.

He started as a simple Grey Warden, but maybe he had become something more. With everyone else. And he had to honor the implicit promise he had made to these people, his friends and his allies.

To protect them, as best he could.

And maybe even save the world, or maybe just one person.

Lucanis stood by his side, always, his right eye. And they went to honor the promise.

—------------------------------------------------------

Lyra stood there frozen…

She stared at the mirror…

But couldn't recognize herself anymore.

In the Absence of Everything

I'm very happy to share my first gift fic for my graphics challenge! Thank you @lgvalenzuela (whose commissions are open) for the beautiful art you did for the contest! Here is your angst Post-Tearstone fallout where Davrin and Lucanis try to pick up the pieces. Click here to see it on AO3 Preview under the cut:

Davrin had carved Lace, taking the time to capture the embroidery on her armor best he could. Debated giving it to Taash but hung onto it in his uncertainty. Bellara had been next, and Davrin would kill Elgar’nan for that, personally. Rook, he did again, capturing him in his Warden armor, placing it next to the others.

Lyra’s was the hardest. Every time he started, he couldn’t get it quite right. It had turned into an obsession when he wasn’t around the others. This time, he got almost to the end, eyes burning as he got to her face. His hand cut too deep and he growled, throwing the carving into the fire and going to bed. Assan chirped and climbed onto his chest, weighing him down, trying to urge him to sleep. Davrin smiled and stroked a finger down his beak, humming to calm him.

Something about it worked, and the griffon closed his eyes. Davrin followed him soon after, if only for a little while. 

[egophiliac]

I got a really tough question.

What’s your favorite Twst event of ALL TIME?

I like Harveston

this truly is the hardest question. :( but after much consideration, I think Endless Halloween Night wins out for me, because it's nonstop Characters Being Silly the whole way through. the whole thing is just lots of these little dorks having the most ridiculous interactions, which is always my favorite! and of course the big twist is SO delightfully stupid and doubles down SO hard that it becomes AMAZING and I 100% unironically adore it. AND it's Halloween! everyone is in their cute little costumes and having a spooky adventure! it's great!

however, I am ALSO a big fan of the Harveston event! how can I not be! everyone is wearing comfy winter outfits and getting along really weirdly well with Epel's grandma and he's getting a little worried about that! my terrible loud son sews a plush squirrel and then gives it a silly little nickname and refuses to leave it behind when it breaks! the ending shot with the sled! I LOVE IT.

obviously we need the best of both worlds now

[chiropteracupola]

Since you have made a gown for me / Among the summer flowers / So I will make a suit for thee / Among the winter showers...

@grirnoires' oc cegerni!

[moeblob]

I'm on an OC kick and also super indecisive so I spun a wheel (thank you for choosing for me, RNG).

Ricardo is a body guard and is bffs with Marlo. Ricardo's current job is watching after a celebrity's daughter who the public doesn't know even exists. She's just a teenage girl vibing with her mom and getting texts and calls from her dad (who loves her a whole lot and keeps her out of the spotlight very purposefully) and has this bodyguard and his weird friend. Marlo is just vibing with his best friend.

(Also Marlo would absolutely laugh if he heard Ricardo say "someone called me eye candy and it wasn't you and now I think you should call me that")

[haliaiii]

Finally made oc profiles !! Featuring basic info plus their cell phone model, I decided to make the graphic design a bit fancier and I like this format so I might keep it for the others

[harvestmoth]

idk. scribbling

[headfullof-ideas]

Allllrighty, a long needed to be finished art piece that is now finished! And it isn’t even anything too fancy, it’s just the Nektons in my Httyd AU.

Will Nekton is the patriarch of this oddball family, descending from a lost culture known as Lemuria, myths and legends regailing Leviathan sized dragons from the deep ocean, and multiple devices that seemed to work through magical means with the science that went into them. Despite Will’s passion to discover the lost secrets of his forgotten culture, he’s a devoted husband and father to his wife and daughter, and an expert seaman. Will does everything he can to support his family, and protect them from the multiple threats they find themselves facing, from mysterious orders devoted to the same civilization Will is, to numerous sea-faring pirates that travel the sea looking for easy targets, and even wild dragons that aren’t prone to human kindness. Will is steadfast though, and welcoming to any that come within his families embrace, though his soft spot for children is somewhat influenced by the trauma of losing his and his wife’s second child several years ago. Will has complicated feelings about the Archipelago, due to the rumors that come from there, the Raiders his family encountered, and the fact that it’s the resting place of their lost newborn. Among the rumors from the Archipelago, there are new rumors of Dragon Riders within their seas. Will and his family haven’t actually seen any of these so called Dragon Riders themselves, and he’s unsure about whether the connected rumors that the riders are Dragon Trappers make them any better.

Kaiko Nekton is from further east than the rest of her family, born and raised in one of the outer Caldera’s that house different factions of the widespread Defender’s of the Wing. Trained as a Defender herself, Kaiko moved to a Caldera further toward what is known as the Savage, or Ignorant Archipelago, where rumors of Dragon Raids make their way to the rest of the world past a fog bank. Though she served as a dutiful Defender for some years, Kaiko eventually left to marry Will and later have their daughter Fontaine. Kaiko now works as a Dragoncologist, documenting as many dragons as possible, hoping to share the knowledge of dragon’s and the way they really work with people that may not know much about them. Kaiko has made herself a number of enemies however, the biggest being a certain Viggo Grimborn, who disrupts her work constantly to fuel his Dragon Trapping business. Kaiko tries not to dwell on the Archipelago and its rumors too much, thinking about that region of the world eventually leading to the reminder that it’s where she lost a baby. Kaiko doesn’t know what to think about Dragon Trappers riding dragons, and she’s skeptical that the trappers even are riding dragons. But with how many people are saying there are Dragon Riders out there now, she has no other reason to assume that the rumors are true.

Fontaine Nekton is the Nekton’s daughter, and only living child. Fontaine loves her life at sea, swimming amongst the dragons and with her family, but she does sometimes wish they spent more time on land so she can hang out with her friends more often. Fontaine is a huge fan of learning about other cultures, especially the kinds of music that they have. She loves going to festivals and listening to the songs of all the areas her family visits, and sometimes looks to the dragons flying into the air and wonders what it would be like to fly. The Order of the Guardians of Lemuria are frustrating, her estranged cousin even more so, especially when rumors of giant dragons hiding in the sea start to circulate her family’s inner circle and the markets they frequent. Fontaine didn’t know she had a little brother until she was about thirteen, and often watches the siblings she knows and wonders what it’d be like if they hadn’t lost him to some far off corner of the world. She’s skeptical about the rumors coming from the Traders that venture into the Archipelago, about Dragon Raids every night for the last three hundred years. And she’s unsure about the rumors circulating of Dragon Riders, especially when she hears rumors about two different groups; one composed of Dragon Trappers and one composed of kids her own age.

The Nektons are still a sea faring family, though instead of a submarine, they travel on a slightly larger than usual ship, still known as the Aronnax. And because they’re the Nektons, I gave them wetsuits, though they look a bit different than they do in the show. While Ant and the Dragon Riders are dealing with all of their stuff, the Nektons are dealing with some of the early stuff that happens in the show behind the scenes. Some of the show will be kept for its own season in RTTE, but some stuff Ant isn’t there for. The introduction of the Guardians, the Pirates, Alpheus, and the Monumentials for example. I drew a comic about it already, but Ant ends up arriving about three to four years late or so to his own show, and has to speed run all the lore to catch up with everyone else before continuing.

Anyways, some closeups, because I like to do them. Tap the pictures for better quality, and also have a closeup of the writing I added, as the words are kind of small

[deadrocks]

Torn because I want to commiserate a bit about the end of Dragon Age as a series, but I don't want to hit any "if you criticized Veilguard or didn't buy it, this is *your* fault" -style posts. Maybe there aren't any, but I'm not feeling inclined to go find out.

[arolesbianism]

Finallly got around to properly designing Demonstrator! She’s silly

[gingergari]

you know how the song goes

notes under the cut bc ik my handwriting is atrocious

- All [Peaches] can use magic!

- Range in height (6’1”-4’8”)

- 100% and Super Crown are 6’1”, hmm is 5’10”, 👀 is 5’8”, toad is 4’8”

- fae!Peach can grow healing mushrooms in her hair

- normal, super, ultra on good days (1ups last resort)

- fae Peach was not always a fae ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

- toad!Peach uses Super Crown maybe in diplomacy?