#I'm tryna get back in the swing of things

[itslilacmoon]

reflecting

[shouyuus]

okay so what about vi as a parent…

send me vi thirsts and i'll give u my hand in marriage

OKAYYYYYYYY LOOK. we are tryna hURT today huh. no alright tho like it would depend on the kid. i deeply believe that vi as a girl!mom vs a boy!mom would be SO dif. (girl!mom vi under the cut)

bc like consider. boy!mom vi - always down to toss a ball around, always down to play wrestle and get down and dirty, gets too carried away playing all the time, youve DEF come home to the house just like an absolute WRECK of feathers and cut up paper and like the bedsheets stripped and flung over the dining chairs, ur son standing on top of the dining table as vi pretends to be "breaching the fortress" and they both freeze when you clear ur throat like "uhm... what's this now?"

vi looks at you with those big athena eyes of hers like "oH! welcome back baby! uh this is --" and ur son leaps down and throws himself at ur waist like, "momma said that if we take the bedsheets we can make a castle and a mote!" and vi glares but withers a little when you hitch an eyebrow in her direction "she DID, did she?"

"she also said that REAL knights definitely use rolling pins as -"

"OKAY kiddo -- ahaha, what did i say about spilling national secrets hm?"

ur son just looks confused for a second, swinging off your arm, "but -- but you said mummy's the princess and all this is for her!"

vi sputters for a solid three seconds before sighing and you laugh, picking up your son and pressing a kiss to his cheek, "aww, so this is all for me?" he giggles, nodding, throwing his arms around your neck.

vi chuckles, looking sheepish and rubbing the back of her neck.

"yep!" your son pulls back with a bright grin, "momma said that because we both love you most, we have to protect you with all our mights!"

you laugh, softening as you put your son down. "she said that, did she?" he nods fervently even as vi groans, running a hand over her face, her cheeks a deep maroon.

"well, since you both love me so much -- you wouldn't mind helping clean up the castle before the evening feast, would you?"

"feast?" they both look up, eyes bright.

you hold up the large bag of takeout and they both whoop, vi tugging you in for a long kiss, laughing when she pulls away.

"y'know. you really are... everything."

---

BUT NOW CONSIDER. girl!mom vi. who would be sweetest, most protective, bc you've seen her as a big sister to basically all the kids in zaun, and her own daughter???? she'd do anything for her. to the point where you sometimes have to remind her not to be too much, to let your daughter stumble sometimes, to make mistakes bc that's how you learn.

"but -- god. i'm just so terrified --"

"yeah, welcome to being a parent," you say, nosing into her cheek one night as you watch your daughter sleep, curled up on the bed between the pair of you, snoring slightly as she sleeps.

vi reaches down to run a hand through her hair, curling a strand around a finger, her eyes so soft it almost breaks your heart.

"yeah i know but..." vi's voice is tender, " thought having a little sister was bad..."

you laugh softly, pressing a kiss to vi's cheek.

"let's not jinx this."

vi's lips twitch, but her gaze stays warm. she pulls you into her side.

"you're gonna have to tie me up in the basement once she starts dating."

you snort, "tie you up? please. i'll have to call in favors with both jayce and mel -- maybe they've got something stocked up that'll keep you restrained but i know ropes aren't gonna do jack shit."

vi chuckles before her expression changes.

"promise me... things will be okay."

"hey -- look at me." you cup her cheek; she turns, her eyes a thunder-struck sea, the edge of the world on a rainy day.

"it'll be okay," you say, pressing your foreheads.

"thanks, cupcake. i love you."

you smile, tugging vi in for a kiss.

"yeah. i know. i love you too."

[unknownati]

x. bonnet

a/n: lost my bonnet (rip to my braids) and it inspired me

*a lil sum from my drafts while i force this christmas fic into existence and slooowly chip away at these reqs 😪 and i have since found it if you are wondering

warnings/tags: black!gn!reader, bonnet can be switched out for a durag, silk scarf, etc i js didnt know how to type that lol, ekko's kinda sassy 🤔, bickering but not arguing, fluff...question mark, what is this kind of thing called, rochelle and julius from everybody hates chris kinda relationship, shitty ending idc wrote this at 1am with a t-shirt on my head,

_______________________________________________

a cabinet door slams shut a few rooms over from ekko's workbench, his body jolting at the suddenness of the sound.

"where is this bonnet!?" you shout, clad in your nighttime attire of a t-shirt and sweatpants. this isn't a question new to ekko, you have this problem once every couple of months.

to say you were tired was an understatement. but you'd be damned if you spent hours in that chair getting your hair done just to have it get messed up in one night just because you couldn't protect it. and you've been searching for this thing for 30 whole minutes.

your footsteps stomped around the place, items clattering as you toss them around in wild abandonment in search of this godforsaken bonnet.

"did you check the bathroom?" ekko calls, raising his glass of water to his lips as you pace by his room.

"yes! three times. and even then, i never leave it in there, i always leave it in the same—" a pillow gets thrown off of your bed. nothing. "—exact—" you toss the sheets up. nothing. "—place. i don't get it!"

"then i don't know, baby."

"well, i know i didn't just grow two legs and walk on up out of here!"

ekko scoffs, making a weak attempt at showing empathy. "you have so many bonnets, just wear a different one."

"i can't. that's the only one that doesn't fly off my head while i'm sleeping."

he's amazed at your ability to be so stubborn at the smallest situation. to him, this is nothing but a 'throw something else on your head and call it a day' type of solution.

"can you check your workroom?"

"do you sleep in my workroom?" words full of sarcasm that make your brows somehow furrow even deeper.

"ekko, don't get smart with me."

he sighs, making a half hearted peek around his area. nothing. a shrug. "nothing here."

you keep searching around, looking in the most nonsensical areas for this piece of fabric. under the kitchen sink, IN the kitchen sink, in the shower, in your shoes, ekko's laundry basket, nothing.

you're beginning to just accept defeat, sighing in frustration as you trudge your way back to bed. you pass by ekko's workroom, eyes peeking between the small crack in the door.

pink satin.

atop ekko's head.

"i know you fuckin' lying—"

you swing open the door, snatching it off of his head. white locs fall loose, framing his face. your hand clutches your hip as you wave the bonnet in his face. "ekko, what is this?" you interrogated, an obvious rhetorical question that he didn't have an answer to.

ekko bares his teeth, shoulders pulling into a shrug. he completely forgot that he just...threw it on his head a few hours ago before he started working since he couldn't find a hair tie. "...damn, how'd that get there?"

you close your eyes. two deep breaths. in, out. in out. the second one steadier than the first.

now, usually you were very patient. you understood; things happen. but this? this was your breaking point for the week.

your fingers find the shell of his ear. the sting shoots through the cartilage, skin at his temple pulled taut. he's wincing, sucking air in through his teeth.

"it's like you're trying to test me, huh?

"baby, i'm sorry—" he unintentionally tries giving you his signature puppy-dog eyes. you only tug harder.

"sorry does not cut it. i've been looking for this for 30 minutes, 30! i'm tired as hell, i'm tryna sleep, and here you are playing like shit is sweet!"

...ekko didn't touch that bonnet after that.

[donutz]

Dogday “x” reader

Summary||Not romantic, at all, but you do give DogDay his legs back ^_^

Going over to the eerie hall, you see a bunch of cells.

Spooky..

I hear.. footsteps? No, not Catnap’s. It’s someone else.

Considering this absolutely terrifying place, something’s gonna pop out at me. Alright before I almost get murdered I’m gonna go to that area that I didn’t check out.

Oh. They’re fading away.

I see a room. With a big paw in the middle. Well, like a paw pillow. You think this is where Catnap sleeps? There’s little Smiling Critters. 

Cute. I just realized how adorable that is. Catnap sleepin here while little critters are above him. He’s still just a kitty.

Like 10 years ago..

Anyways I’m gonna go back.

I hear footsteps.. Again?

I go over to the last row a cells and— HOLY—

��You… You’re Poppy’s angel”.

I don’t want to exaggerate, but my mouth was WIDEE open. But I closed my mouth because that was pretty rude to do.

“Come to save us”.

I wanna do something but I’ll let him talk, not for long though, I can’t let DogDay be in anymore pain.

“Nothing left to save, not here”...

Lies, I could save you right now!!

“You’re in Catnap’s home, angel”.

Alright I’m done with you talking. I start, luckily since I used to mess with the toys, getting out my tools to start working.

Well, I find the sharpest one so I can cut the belts holding him up.

“Their home”.

“A million pairs of—”

I take one big swing at all of the belts, and fortunately they all snap! Of course I caught DogDay in time.

“I’m gonna make sure you’re okay, puppy.” I declare, not joking. Like 100%, DogDay is not dyin’ on me.

“But Angel I’ll only slow you down—”

“Lies”.

“The only thing I need to worry about is getting you safe, not you ‘slowing me down’!” I tried to sound a lot less annoyed, I’m not, at all. But I don’t want DogDay to burden himself even more.

I was also running from a bunch of small demons so yeah.

They were chasin’ me like they were tryna eat me alive!

No pun intended.

While I was speed crouchin’ through, there was little critters on the right side of me— I kicked them.

“Sorry little one!” I apologized, I didn’t feel fully bad but I still do because y’know! They’re still— a little bit like the bigger, original critters!

Barely.

Even though they kicked the smaller critters, they still apologized.. They really are an angel.

Finally making it out, I see three colored slides. I made a quick decision and decided to slide down the middle one.

Luckily that was the right one.

“Keep going angel, you’re doing good”..

DogDay is by far the best dog I’ve ever known.

I quickly switched my green hand to my purple hand and used the jump pad—

“Hold on”!

We made it on the platform and thankfully a metal door shut behind us, cutting off the smaller critters.

I pressed the button so we could go up, and waited.

“Angel, that was amazing! But why would you save me?” Wouldn’t it have been better if they left?

“Because I don’t want you to die. Plus, you didn’t slow me down. Also are you okay? Y’know, because of how much I was moving..?

“I'm alright Angel, are you”?

“I am completely fine! Physically”!

I gave him a smile, a real smile. Just so he doesn't think I'm lying.

“Plus, I'm really happy that I was able to get you outta there.”

Now, I just need to get the parts to rebuild him. I 100% do not mind doing that.

After some time, you were able to find a somewhat safe spot that was found by Poppy and Kissy.

And yes, you held DogDay the whole time. Like a little kid holding their stuffy.

You placed DogDay on the ground, he held himself up with his arms so you didn't need to worry too much.

“This might take a while, but the result will be worth it. Or not, depends on your opinion”.

“You reattaching my lower body will be worth it no matter how long it will take”.

I was a little surprised that he said that— he's still outgoing and kind after all these years…

I lifted my head and saw that he had a genuine smile— of course, I smiled back.

After— about two and a half hours I was done. My back is kinda sore but that doesn't matter.

“Okay, you wanna try sitting up”?

.

.

.

“Dog—”

There were visible stars in his eyes.

He was in awe because of my work, and gave me a hug. A really big hug.

“Thank you, Angel”...

“You've done so much for me, how could I ever repay you”...

While he was hugging you he stood up at the same time.

Omg he can walk!! I mean stand.

And Jesus he was tall, not 6’2 type stuff but he was like— 5’0! That's tall for a ‘toy’.

I hugged him back and we were there for a while.

I completely forgot he asked me something.

“Oh! Uhh, you do not need to repay me. But your way of repaying me is just being alive”.

“Promise”?

“... I promise Angel”.

[the-dumpster-fire-of-life]

East Side

When I Was Young, I fell In Love

Bill could always remember the day he met you. Love at first sight was how he would always remember it from then on.

From years on he would remember sitting next to you on those old playground swings, no friends except his older brother by ten minutes, Tom.

"Hi."

Bill looked up, seeing your expantant smile. He could only return with confusion as he felt something fester in his chest.

"I'm (Name)."

He would remember your name for years on, saying it in his sleep and his wedding vows.

We Used To Hold Hands, Man, That Was Enough

"Your hands are nice."

Bill giggled at your words, sitting next to you in the small flower bed in the school courtyard, waiting for your parents to pick you up.

Then We Grew Up, Started To Touch

You sat across from Bill on the couch, leaning closer to one another at a mere fourteen years old.

Your lips were locked with his, deeming and experimental kiss as you both wanted to give each other your first kisses instead of someone else.

Bill's hand went up to your waist, pulling you closer to him as you both broke away for air only to come back for more.

Used To Kiss Underneath The Light On The Back Of The Bus

You leaned your head onto Bill's shoulder on the tour bus, watching the trees flying by.

Bill held your hand in his as you lulled off to sleep, pecking the crown of your head.

You looked up at him through half lidded and sleepy eyes, smiling tiredly as Bill smiled back before locking lips with you under the glow of the back of the bus.

Oh, No, Your Daddy Didn't Like Me Much

"How many times do I have to say, kid, get lost." Your dad scoffed, holding the door open barely as he saw Bill standing on your porch.

You watched from the hall, locking eyes with Bill as he could see your sadness from there.

"Oh, come on, sir! I love your daughter! I swear!" Bill didn't stop, pleading with your father for one chance.

Didn't Believe Me When I said You Were The One

"I don't believe you, Bill." Your father shook his head, a rock in Bill's way to you.

"You think I don't know your kind? Some 'rocker' tryna sleep with my kid?" Your father scoffed once more, about to close the door but Bill held it open abruptly.

Bill looked at your father with wide eyes, barely believing he did it but there was no backing down now.

"Please! I'm not trying to hurt her, I love your daughter!" Bill couldn't say anything else, looking at you with bare tears in his eyes.

"Sorry kid, answer no." Your father said simply, stern and strong before he pulled the door to a close.

Bill was left there for a moment, staring down at his feet with the closed door in front off him.

It didn't take long for him to need to walk off the porch, hands in his jacket pockets before he stopped just in front of the lawn at a tapping sound.

"Bill!"

Bill's head shot up at the familiar and harsh whisper, looking up to see you in your bedroom window.

"I'll meet you later! Be quiet!" You smiled, reassuring Bill in a whisper before your father called you, and with one last smile, you disappeared.

Bill stood for a moment, hope sparking once more in his chest before his face bloomed into a smile, jogging off to his house to get his things.

But Everyday She Found Her Way Out Of The Window To Sneak Out Late

"I'm coming!" You hissed out in a harsh whisper, throwing your legs over the window sill with an expectant Bill waiting below.

"Come on, before your dad kills me!" Your boyfriend laughed, matching your smile as he helped you down by your waist.

"Go, go, go!" You laughed, adrenaline filling your veins as Bill matched your laughter, dragged along with you as your dad and mother's room light lit up as you two ran into the night.

She Used To Meet Me On The East Side

Bill sat in the old recording studio, freshly eighteen and single without you, barely words through the early years of the 2000's.

Until you walked back into his life.

"You look like shit."

Bill froze, hands stopping and completely still on the spinning chair he sat upon at the familiar voice filled with the same love and teasing he remembered.

Bill finally looked up, eyes wide and searching before his eyes fell upon your dazzling smile as he remembered, older and more mature, still as beautiful as the day he left.

"(Name)?" Bill muttered, a smile breaking onto his face as you laughed, nodding and opening your arms.

Bill didn't waste a moment, getting up so fast the chair knocked over, lifting you up off the ground as he hugged you around your waist.

You laughed, yelling as he did so and wrapping your legs around his waist and arms around his neck.

You pushed the hair out of his face as you finally stole a kiss you waited forever for.

In The City Where The Sun Don't Set

You laid nuzzled into Bill's side in the meadows grass, the sun never seeming to fully settle behind you guys as Bill held you.

Bill wouldn't let go, stealing kiss after kiss to makeup for the years behind you guys.

And Everyday You Know That We Ride Through The Backstreets In A Blue Corvette

"You're crazy!" You yelled, head out the window and laughed as Bill laughed along, the empty street in the middle of nowhere as he pushed the gas.

"You were the one who wanted to do this!" Bill protested along, barely missing a bush.

"Yeah, because you guys did this before in an episode! But I just remembered that it was Tom and Georg…"

"I was there too!" Bill yelled out.

"You won a go-kart race!" You yelled back, smacking his hand.

"Still counts!"

And You Know That I Just Wanna Leave Tonight

"Will you come with me?" Bill could barely hear his small voice over the fear of being shut down.

"To LA?" You asked, sitting next to him on the bed as he ran his thumb over the back of your hand in his house, the house he and Tom no longer felt safer in, much less the country.

"We can't stay here. Fans break in, they stole our shit, they're threatening you." Bill listed off, the fear evident in his voice as he looked into your eyes.

"So, yes, to LA. Will you come with me?" Bill said, completely serious and genuine as his eyes practically begged.

You stared into Bill's eyes for a moment, going over it before you came to a conclusion.

You left to be with him.

What's stopping you from leaving with him?

"...okay."

"...alright. lets- let's go."

We Can Go Anywhere We Want

It was almost a ritual, sitting next to Bill with your head on his shoulder no matter in what type of moving vehicle.

This time it was in a plane, watching your old home country disappear from under you as you took off.

But all that Bill could think was how lucky he was.

His hand in yours, your head against his shoulder and his lips kissing the crown of your head, leaving once more to stay with you.

Drive Down To The Coast, Jump In The Seats

"Bill!" You laughed, jumping into the open roofed Corvette that was parked on the beach in the middle of the night.

"What was that?" Bill laughed as you settled into the seat, feet bare and in your swimsuit as you smelled of the coast.

"The Pelicans! They're after me!" You laughed hysterically, Bill's eyes widening in horror and amusement as he finally spotted them.

"Why?!" Bill exclaimed, starting the car as fast as he could.

"I fed them and they want more!"

"There's fifty signs not to for that exact reason!"

My Love Is Yours If You're Willing To Take It

"You're leaving though." You mumbled out sadly, against Bill's chest on the trunk of his car as he broke the news of the tour when you guys were just fifteen, years before.

"I know. I'm sorry…" Bill couldn't help but apologize again for the next time you lost count. Everything to be with you was going down the drain to his career.

But he had to go.

"It's okay. Got to love you while you were here." You sniffled, wiping your tears as you placed your chin on his shoulder, smiling sadly up at him.

"You'll keep all my love, I know you will." Bill smiled back sadly, pushing back a tendril that fell in front of your face.

"...take mine with you?" You said, mumbling out as Bill nodded, kissing your temple with his arm around your shoulder.

"Of course, I'd never leave it behind." Bill laughed softly, his fingers running through the ends of your hair as he kept your legs in his lap.

"Not even when you find someone new?" You joked almost, but Bill shook his head immediately, massaging your thigh before he punched it playfully.

"There'll never be someone new. Can't be after there's already you."

Give Me Your Heart Cause I Ain't Gonna Break It

Bill held your hand with one of his with his other on your waist, relishing in the sound of your laughter as he spun you in the hotel room.

You laughed, tripping over your own feet as he yelped while laughing even more, catching you into his chest as you two collided into a pile of limbs on the floor.

As Bill held you in his arms on the floor with a smile, he couldn't help but admire and share a kid with so much love in his eyes

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

@billsjum6ie @bigbootahjudy @ilovebill-and-gustav @r3dheadedw0rld @kiwitsune @V4mpyboyy @novaaisstupid @billybabeskaulitz @yas-v @iischafer @dilfverz @ahswhore0 @graciegizmo3184 @sweetpuffy12 @80s-tingz @ryiana @yuriayato5 @bunnysenpai31 @banshailey @bellastoner420 @victryzvv9 @stxngnr @killed-kiss @stilesandjames @m00nzyblogs @sylisan @lyzit @trixiekaulitz @laylasbunbunny @5hyslv7 @limaswife

[rogue-durin-16]

HEAD-TO-HEAD (part II/?)

Summary: Joe thought she was pretty. Had he just said that, things might have been different for them. Maybe they wouldn't have gone head-to-head at each other for three years like it was a contest.

Pairing: Joseph Liebgott x Reader

Genre: angst splattered with fluff/rivals to lovers

Tags:

Head-to-head: @derersketnoget

Band Of Brothers: @fernando-jpg @chubbypotatoepie @tvserie-s-world @clumsy-wonderland @lordndsaviorwinters

Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog @amourtentiaa @comfort-reads

Warnings: language, mild allusions to violence? Idk this is surprisingly mild (for now lol)

A/N: in case you couldn't tell, this chapter came out of the notes I had written down for "Poison In Your Coffee". It's one of the snippets I was DYING to flesh out, so here's to a little self-indulgence from time to time. Enjoy<3

Head-to-head masterlist

Band of Brothers masterlist

Rogue-durin-16 masterlist

I noticed.

My eyes didn't miss Liebgott's rushed half turn when we were dismissed after our Friday night march. It stood out to me; he didn't wait for anyone, not even Grant or Tipper.

I figured he was just eager to get to the barracks after a long day and didn't think much of it.

At least until our Commanding Officers retreated each to their own quarters, and Talbert hurried to fall into step with Luz, a few feet ahead of me and Shifty. I didn't catch much, but the hushed words 'beaten up' from Tab and 'again' from Luz as the latter tentatively explored the faces surrounding them stirred suspicion in me.

"George." Calling his name was enough to make the two of them slow their pace with mildly concerned faces, allowing me and Shifty to join them.

"You were marching with Liebgott, right?" I nodded in response to Luz's question, Talbert's inquisitive gaze on me. "You saw where he went?"

"Looked like he was headed to the barracks." The way both men scanned the moving crowd of soldiers made me become unsure of my own reply.

"He took a turn." Shifty corrected me, motioning ahead of us before taking off his helmet. "Second on the left."

"What the fuck's his game?" George complained, swinging his rifle over his shoulder. "Malark— hey," he stepped in the ginger's way, making Penkala, Muck and More come to a confused halt. "Mind helping us out?"

"What's wrong?"

"Liebgott's at it again." Tab finally disclosed the obvious, making all of us let out different levels of desperate groans and sighs. "If Lip finds out—"

"Is he tryna get himself kicked out of the Airborne?" Don rhetorically inquired with raised brows. "Where'd he go?"

"Shifty says he turned left. Y/n says the barracks."

More's eyes pivoted from Luz to me. "The barracks? Really?"

"I'm not his babysitter, Alton." I spat, taking off my own helmet to hold it under my arm. "I don't know where the fuck he went."

"Weren't you two marching together?" Muck echoed George's question whilst gesturing at Perconte to join us.

"In case none of you noticed, we don't have the smoothest conversations." I retorted. Just like Talbert was growing tired of covering for Liebgott in front of the other Sergeants, I was growing tired of getting the third degree everytime he disappeared.

"This about Joe?" Perconte chirped in, and without missing a beat, his thumb pointed behind him. "He was in a rush to get to A Company's area."

A flash of realization flashed across George's face, the back of his hand nudging Talbert. "What's his name? Bailey?"

Oh. That one asshole from Able. The one who was double Liebgott's size. Taking a peek among the group sufficed to let me know we all were on the same page.

"To hell with getting kicked out," I blurted out, worry seeping through my words. "he's gonna get himself killed."

"He's an idiot."

Penkala's words were followed by Don's decisive steps. "C'mon, we're no help here."

"Wait," I took a hold of George's sleeve. "you're gonna go to Able's barracks?"

"Got a better idea?"

"Maybe." I mused about it for an instant before striding back. "You guys be careful."

"You're not coming?"

"I'm gonna try the smarter option for a change." I replied to Don's baffled question in a slightly louder pitch before rushing to the Winters' quarters.

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

Word had spread faster than a forest fire over the weekend about the incident that never happened.

By the time our friends had found Liebgott on that Friday night, he was being led back into the camp —along with Bailey and three other men from A Company— by Winters, Able's First Lieutenant and a couple of privates who happened to be on patrol duty that night.

The eight boys who had gone looking for him hadn't said a word about what they knew, or how they thought the event had unfolded for Liebgott to come back to his barracks in one piece and with nothing to say.

He didn't get to leave the camp that weekend.

None of the men disclosed anything, yet somehow rumors still ran around; whether or not they carried my name in them was up in the air. Of course, it mattered little to Liebgott, who more often than not found a way to tie things back to me.

This time, though, he happened to be right.

JOE'S P. O. V.

It wasn't the violent swing of the mess hall's door that brought some of the men's attention to me, it was the fact that I stood still at the entrance, scanning the place with intent and how I zeroed in on her before making a beeline across between the packed tables.

"You couldn't mind your own business, could you?!" I didn't need to call out her name for Y/n to look up from her breakfast. The way my hands slammed her table as I leaned on across from it made her jump on her seat.

"I don't know what you're talking about." It was barely a mumble and she was trying to make it sound like a careless response.

"Cut the act. You reported me off camp." I looked away with a bitter sneer at her discomfort, my voice loud enough to draw unwanted attention. "Got my weekend pass yanked because you couldn't help being a prissy."

She shifted in place, trying not to look around too much as she struggled to stay composed. "Maybe you shouldn't have been sneaking around where you don't belong."

"That’s rich, coming from you." I snapped, leaning in for only her and the ones close to hear. "I didn’t think you'd stoop to snitching, Y/l/n."

A part of me had expected to be wrong, so when she struggled to even meet my glare and her voice turned quieter, the anger brewing inside me bubbled to the surface.

"It’s not like you didn’t bring this on yourself." She made an effort to gain control in our conversation, but her fidgeting was giving her away. "Maybe you should think twice before picking fights with people twice your size."

Wait, what?

"How the hell did you know about that?"

"You're not exactly quiet." It was an instant, almost unnoticeable, but she averted her eyes. "Don't you think?"

With suspicion, I followed her sight and found Talbert who, unlike the rest of our nosy company-mates, seemed more interested in his breakfast than in the confrontation I was provoking. "You kiddin' me?"

Another hit to the wooden table on my part visibly shook her, and it dawned on me that she wasn't only uncomfortable— she was uneasy.

"What? You want a thank you?"

"I wanted to have breakfast in peace." She snapped, her emotions tilting more towards anger now.

"And I wanted my weekend pass. Go cry about it."

She jolted up and mirrored my stance. The soldiers around her moved away as if being too close to us would get them caught in the crossfire.

"Don't worry. Next time I'll let them take a swing at you." It took longer than she would have liked for her usual temperament to start up. "See if I care."

"That's what you should've done, instead of tampering with someone else's business."

She squinted at me with an irritation that reflected mine. "I think you're just mad someone had to bail you out of trouble."

"And I think you don't know how to stay in your goddamn lane." She had that piercing look in her eyes; the one that only showed up when I had her on the ropes. "I didn't ask for your help."

"Okay, you got your little moment," She grabbed her tray, threw a leg over the bench she had been sitting on. "now leave me the fuck alone."

I scoffed and, unwilling to let her walk away for whatever reason I myself didn't fully understand, I stalked around the table, only to be stopped by Toye's arm, lazily raised to block my path.

"why don't you sit down, alright?" His raspy voice sounded tired.

"Yeah, knock it off, Joe." Malarkey jumped it, a mild concerned on his demeanor.

"Piss off." I countered, smacking Joe's hand away and resuming my walk.

By the time I reached her, the tray had already been returned to its place and she was about to exit the mess hall.

I huffed, trailing behind her. "You don't get to walk away on me—"

The words were knocked off me when she halted dead in her tracks, did a half turn and took a step forward. "After the bullshit you just pulled," her index finger dug into my chest. "I get to do whatever I want." I opened my mouth but no retort came out of it before she clapped back, as if she was reading my mind. "You don't need my help. Noted. I'll make sure to remember that next time you get a whole squad running around to stop you from getting beaten up."

"I didn't say—"

"That you needed their help either, yeah. You're such a tough guy, aren't you?" Unlike me, she wasn't rising her voice, which was just as infuriating to me as the bite in her sentences. "You're a fucking idiot, that's what you are."

I didn't have the chance to follow her out; Lieutenant Winters crossed paths with her, getting a quiet salute from a flustered Y/n before his inquisitive, unreadable gaze fell on me.

"Liebgott." It was a warning disguised as a greeting. I wasn't that stupid.

"Sir." I repeated Y/n's salute and took Winters arched brow as a cue to sit down at the nearby table.

Guarnere, having breakfast by my side, muttered something under his breath after giving me a side glance.

"What?"

"C'mon Joe," Luz sighed, turning from an adjacent table to make eye contact with me. "You really think you would've won that fight?"

"She made you a favor." Smokey clarified.

"She's got no right to make that call." I grumbled, stealing a bite from Perconte's plate, earning a muffled complaint from him.

"Jesus Christ, Lieb." Muck complained, shaking his head. "Bailey could deck you any day. She's looking out for you. We're looking out for you."

"Yeah, can you think about the rest of us for once?" I rolled my eyes at Luz's tell-off. "You know the amount of crap we'd get from Sobel if he ever finds out?"

"Alright, that's enough." I dismissed them with a grimace. "I get it. 'M sorry for the trouble. Jesus."

"Good." Penkala nodded, pointing at the door. "Now apologize to Y/n."

"Don't hold your breath, Penk." I retorted before standing up to grab a proper breakfast for myself before drill training.

Maybe the boys were right and I did owe her an apology. Not that she would ever get it, though.

[letitiaslabyrinth]

TRUST IN HER

warnings: riri gets a lil jealous sometimes. its outta love though. a lil bit of drinking/"clubbing". riri is ready to fight for you. comfort (thats towards the end tho so) paring: Riri x you word count: 720 a/n: i might start only writing short stuff from now on just cause they easier tbh cs ion like writing sumn and it takes me like two weeks to finish not proof read

Riri loved you. You knew she loved you. Half the time, she let jealousy speak for her instead of her words. But, she knew when to let things go and when to act on them. She knows you, you know her. She trusts you, you trust her with your life.

"Where you going?" Riri asks, leaning on the door frame to you guys' bedroom.

You look at her through your vanity mirror, hiding your smile. "Out, baby. Shuri's having a lil get-together later and she invited me."

"So, ion get no invite?"

"No, because then you'll get jealous and fight somebody if they stare at me for too long or some shit."

"There's somethin' wrong with that now?"

You chuckle and finish putting your lashes on. "Yes, Rianna."

"Rianna?" She moves closer. "That's my name now?"

"I'm not callin' you Riri when you tryna play wit me." You put your lipgloss on and look at yourself in the mirror. You look good and you know it.

"You look good, mama," Riri says, coming behind you and kissing your head. "You sure you don't want me coming with you?"

"So you can beat the hell outta some nigga that look at me the wrong way?" You laugh, "Nah, Ion want no drama tonight, but if you promise to behave then you can come with me."

You see her smile. "Aight, I'ma behave."

"Good." She kisses your cheek and goes to the bathroom to get ready.

You take your shot, making sure it was your last because you didn't wanna be drunk, before looking over at Riri. "Baby, I'ma go find Shuri, alright? You good on your own?" 

"I'm good, mama." You smile and kiss her lips before leaving.

Riri watches you walk away and orders herself another drink. She sees wondering eyes but she keeps her cool. She's dressed in an all-white suit, she's not about to mess it up over some bitches who can't keep they eyes to themselves. 

Riri sees you a few minutes later, sitting in a booth with Shuri and a few of your other friends. She doesn't interrupt. She knows you're here for Shuri so she lets you be. That is until she sees a dude sitting next to you. 

He's too close.

Riri drinks slowly, her eyes trained on you. Who does this guy think he is? I mean, Riri can practically hear him from the bar. He's loud. She knows you're overwhelmed but when you need her, you'll tell her. She knows that. You won't speak up for yourself and Shuri and your girlfriends were tipsy. 

Riri sees you looking around and finishes her drink fully. You're looking for her. She gets up and walks over to the booth. She looks at him. "You always this close to women you don't know?" She can see the relief in your face.

"I'm just tryna have a good time. You got an issue with that?" He's trying to be dominant, sitting up in his seat.

It takes all of Riri's self-control to not punch him square in his dumb ass face. "She's my girl. You too close for my liking."

He laughs. "So you insecure?"

You could see that Riri was about to swing so you got up and held her hand in yours. "Let's go, Ri." Riri nods and puts her hand on your back as the two of you walk out.

"You good?" Her voice is soft. She sounds worried.

"He didn't do anything, Ri," You say, "You didn't give him the chance to. Thank you for that."

"I've got you, baby."

Riri drives the two of you home. She saw that you were a little out of it since the party so she set you a bath and brought you chocolates. She washes your hair for you, knowing how it can sometimes help you unwind after a rough day/night.

She puts on your favorite show when you’re out and the two of you wear your favorite matching PJs. Her hands stayed in your hair, scratching your scalp softly.

You fell asleep pretty quickly after that. You felt safe with Riri. She always made you feel safe, you were thankful for that.

"I'm never gonna let anything bad happen to you," She whispers in your hair. "I love you so much."

[bluejay-the-geek]

DC characters/moments as Tortured Poets Department songs/lyrics bc i have a light concussion and am very bored (in the album's chronological order)

(disclaimer before someone is triggered- some of the lyrics are taken out of context or interpreted differently than what they actually mean. this is just for fun don't come for me. also this gets pretty angsty towards the end so proceed with caution)

"I was supposed to be sent away, But they forgot to come and get me"- tim drake very obviously bc neglecting parents/boarding school

"I love you, it's ruining my life"- early harleen quinzel about joker

"My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys"- the whole song is just harley quinn idc (pre-harlivy of course)

"Now I'm down bad, cryin' at the gym"- nightwing def cried at the gym at some point

"I stopped tryna make him laugh, stopped tryna drill the safe"- dick grayson about bruce after moving out of wayne manor

"You swore that you loved me, but where were the clues? I died on the altar waitin' for the proof, You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days"- remember the whole selena leaving bruce at the alter thing? yeah

"I'd rather burn my whole life down, Than listen to one more second of all this bitchin' and moanin', I'll tell you something 'bout my good name, It's mine alone to disgrace"- I'm just getting red hood vibes from this no specific reason

"Now, pretty baby, I'm runnin' back home to you, Fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to"- almost every gotham rouge to batman right after escaping arkham/prison. especially joker, catwoman and riddler lol

"At the park where we used to sit on children's swings, Wearing imaginary rings"- this one specific panel of tim and steph

"And this city reeks of driving myself crazy"- everyone who's ever been to gotham

"All my girls got their lace and their crimes, And your cheating husband disappeared, well, No one asks any questions here"- it's giving gotham city sirens

"Am I allowed to cry?"- maybe it's just me but i thought about clark kent discovering he had different biological parents and grieving about them even though the parents that actually raised him are alive and well

"So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream, "Who's afraid of little old me?", You should be" red hood's debut

"The scandal was contained, The bullet had just grazed, At all costs, keep your good name, You don't get to tell me you feel bad"- jason todd about the whole making batman choose between him and joker at the end of under the red hood

"You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me"- this is 100% Bane bc he was born and grew up in prison for a crime he didn't even do!! also cassandra cain and damian wayne

(^this is actually the lyric that inspired this entire post lol)

"You caged me and then you called me crazy, I am what I am 'cause you trained me, So who's afraid of me? Who's afraid of little old me?"- kind of a stretch but remember that time they put jason in arkham?

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)- again the whole song is harley about joker

"Your arson's match, your somber eyes, And I'll still see it until I die, You're the loss of my life"- bruce about jason. out of all the robins that died, jason's death hit him the hardest. even now when bruce sees red hood, he still sees that happy little kid that he lost

"I can read your mind, "She's having the time of her life", There in her glittering prime, The lights refract sequin stars off her silhouette every night, I can show you lies"- bc we all know Nightwing is always dying on the inside, and it was very true in the discowing era bc it was right after he left the manor

"'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit"- jason pre-bruce

"I'm so obsessed with him, but he avoids me like the plague"- ok so we got joker about batman, cupid about green arrow, hush about bruce wayne... and a bunch of others but it's too many to write lol

"And you deserve prison, but you won't get time"- fucking tarantula that bitch

"The smallest man who ever lived"- the atom! not any of the messages in the song tho ofc he's just very small

"What if I told you I'm back? The hospital was a drag, Worst sleep that I ever had, I circled you on a map ,I haven't come around in so long, But I'm coming back so strong"- joker to batman after escaping arkham again

"I haven't come around in so long, But I'm making a comeback to where I belong"- jason coming back to protect crime alley after being away from gotham for years after his resurrection

"Even if it's handcuffed, I'm leavin' here with you"- batman and catwoman<3

I Hate It Here- imagine the whole song as homeless jason todd taking shelter in the library💔

"I built a legacy that you can't undo, But when I count the scars, there's a moment of truth, That there wouldn't be this if there hadn't been you"- bruce built a legacy as batman, and created a huge family he loves, and it hurts to think about but he wouldn't have any of it if joe chill hadn't murdered his parents

"Please, I've been on my knees, Change the prophecy, Don't want money, Just someone who wants my company"- kid bruce grew up all alone in a huge mansion, but he'd give all his billions away in a heartbeat if he could change his parent's fate

"So, they killed Cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst"- ok so you might think i chose cassandra cain for this only bc of the name, BUT- cass notices things others don't (like cassandra the prophet...), bc of her skills and abilities she is feared the most (Ik the song said "she feared" not "she is feared" but idc lol). like if someone knew so much about you just by looking you'd think she's some kind of a witch too

Peter- picture this: jason had a childhood friend back at crime alley. he left to live in wayne manor and become robin, and said goodbye to his old friend, promising they'd reunite again in the future. 3 years pass and his friend reads an article about jason's death. now listen to the song and try not to cry (if someone writes that fic send me the link IMMEDIATELY this has been haunting me) here's the link to the song with lyrics bc ik you're too lazy to look it up. also jason's middle name is peter:)

"Splendidly selfish, charmingly helpless, Excellent fun 'til you get to know her"- brucie wayne vs batman

"Started with a kiss, "Oh, we must stop meeting like this" But it always ends up with a town car speeding, Out the drive one evening"- catwoman and batman of course<3 the town car is the batmobile speeding out the batcave to catch catwoman (to arrest her or make out with her? probs both)

Robin- ofc we have to go robins for robin! imo that's bruce to dick and jason's robins, and dick to damian when he was his robin. dick and jason- despite the hard times they went through that led to them becoming robins, they were still mostly happy curious kids that run around covered in mud while bruce tried (unsuccessfully) to maintain the innocence they had left. as for damian- it's more of a stretch than the other 2 bc he had no childlike innocence before robin, but dick tried his hardest to extract the child that was hidden inside the ruthless assassin the league created, finally allowing him to experience normal kid things. idk

"He said, "I'm not a donor but, I'd give you my heart if you needed it", She rolled her eyes and said, "You're a professional""-to me this is clark kent completely in love and lois with her sass

"And at last, She knew what the agony had been for"- almost every hero. they suffer, they sacrifice, they fight, and sometimes they want to give up- but at the end of the day, they save lives, so it's all worth it

and that's it folks! feel free to add more/share your insights!!

sorry for any spelling/grammer mistakes, English isn't my first language plus like the title said i had a minor head injury a few days ago and I'm tired soI'm not proofreading this bc I'm going to sleep rn goodnight to all✌️

[boygiwrites]

Harley D. Dixon 30

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📖Chapter List.

Hours later, the rays of sunlight shrink back behind the barred windows, making way for night.

"Let's do the dishes, kids," Lori says to me and Carl after dinner has ended, swinging her leg over the bench.

As everybody disperses from the tables and starts heading back to their cells, I grab my dirty bowl. "Okay, Lori."

"Yes, Mom."

The soapy water in the wash bucket sloshes around my wrists as I scrub the grease outta the plastic bowl, shaking the droplets from it and throwing it in the clean pile. This ain't how I would'a spent my free time if I had the choice, but it ain't so bad.

Thoughts of Dad cross my mind as I grab another bowl and plunge it beneath the suds, thumbing the gunk out. He's the one that caught dinner for us tonight while he was out on his impromptu walk. A fat possum and an even fatter rabbit, courtesy of Mouse. He would'a had to leave the prison to find them animals, which is not where he said he was gonna go, but we ain't bothering him about it. It's best not to, when it comes to my Dad. It only ever ends up making things worse, and I'd say things is worse enough already. He'll come around.

Standing elbow to elbow with me, Lori stops her light humming as Herschel approaches our makeshift kitchen.

He's about to add his bowl to the pile when Lori flicks some water at him.

"I don't think so, Mister Greene." She warns him, ever the mother hen. "The time for that has come and gone. Kitchen is closed."

Chuckling, the old man placates, "Yes, Ma'am. I can see who runs this operation. Don't worry, I'll wash it."

"I'm only kidding," She relaxes, tryna take the bowl from him, but he just rolls up his sleeves. "We can do it."

"No, no. I insist, darlin'." He smiles. "I'm used to a little elbow grease."

She relents, "If you say so."

"I wasn't kidding," Carl jokes, giggling a little when both Lori and I flick the water at him this time. "What? I wasn't."

"Silly boy," His Momma weakly scolds. "Don't get distracted."

As we work together in silence, Herschel seems to forget that he only had one bowl to clean, or maybe he just really likes washing dishes. I try to keep up, but I can't stop my eyes from drifting to Lori's belly every now and then, as if it's a zit I'm supposed to pretend I don't notice. I guess I'm just worried. I heard some women die when they give birth, either from pushing the baby out or not being able to.

"Hey, Mom?" Carl lilts after a few minutes, pulling me outta my own head. "Can I go with everyone else tomorrow?"

His Momma quirks a brow. "Everyone else?"

"Yeah," He continues like it's nothing, like he's talking about the weather. "To find the cafeteria and the infirmary."

It had to happen at some point. It feels like asking the adults if we can get in on one of their crusades has become a daily ritual for us. What Carl's talking about sounds a lot more exciting than washing dishes, which is what we're supposed to want to help with. You can't really die doing this, unless you're the world's biggest idiot, but they can't baby-proof everything. We need to grow up at some point.

Not wanting to be left out of the action, I add, "I wanna go, too, Lori. Can we?"

"Um," She scoffs as she glances knowingly at Herschel, instantly squashing all my hopes. "I don't think so."

Carl's face scrunches up in annoyance. "Wh—? Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack."

"Harley. Carl," Herschel patiently asks, "Just how many times do you plan on setting yourself up for the same answer?"

"Maybe later," I put on my best adult-voice, because he's right. I do know the answer. "Not right now, kids. Blah, blah."

"I understand where you're both coming from," He says, "But when we set a boundary, it's usually for a very good reason."

My Uncle Merle used to make me apologise to him three times whenever I went in his room, and I never saw much reason in that.

Whatever. I ask, "But, when is later?"

"When you're grown," Lori answers.

What? When we're grown? That's forever away!

"Well, what was the point of Dad teaching us to shoot, then?" Carl throws his hands up. "And Daryl teaching us knife skills?"

"Carl, it's—"

"To defend yourselves," My Dad's voice suddenly rumbles off the concrete walls around us, and I swear the room shrinks a little. The light from the electric lamp illuminates his brooding face as he stalks closer, squinting at me and Carl. "Y'all think it's fun?"

"N-No," Carl argues, making sure to look my Dad in the eye. "We just wanna help you guys, Daryl."

"Yeah, Dad," I agree. "He ain't lyin'."

"Yeah? And what kinda help is a thirteen-year-old and a nine-year-old gonna be to us when shit hits the fan, huh?"

"Shit hit the fan at Thanton Memorial," Carl smugs. "Needed her help then, didn't you?"

"If I have to hear about that goddamn hospital one more time—," Dad grumbles to himself, rubbing his forehead as he takes a seat. Dragging his hand down his cheek, he levels us with the same glare, one that almost turns the water cold. "That was different."

Feeling like I'm missing out on some big secret, I ask him, "How?"

They needed my help — Lori and the baby needed my help — and I was eight years old back then and I still did it.

"Well, you was there, wasn't ya?" He jokes flatly. "There weren't no other choice. We were on our last leg."

"S'that really it?"

"Please don't gimme bullshit, girl. You really think I'd'a sent'chu in there if there was another way? Ya think Rick would'a?"

"Listen, honey, I've thanked you countless times," Lori puts her hand on my shoulder. "Rick and Carl? They have, too. That was a very brave thing you did for us, but it doesn't mean that we should be throwing you into every dangerous situation because of it."

I shrug her off. "I'on wanna be thanked. I'on care about that! I'm— I— I can be helpful!"

"No," Dad impatiently explains, gratin' on my last nerve, just like I'm gratin' on his. "Ya can't."

"Daryl," Herschel warns.

He ignores him. "You wanna help? Sure. Done. Help me skin dinner tomorrow, but don't ask me about stuff like this."

"I can help with stuff like this." I know I can. He knows I can. Everybody knows I can. "Carl, too. We'll listen real good."

"Why don't'chu just listen now?"

"'Cause it ain't fair."

What if somebody needs my help again, and I ain't there? What if somebody dies, and I could'a done something to stop it, even if it was just something simple, like spotting a walker before anybody else did, or lending them one of my bullets when they run out?

He chuckles, not amused in the slightest. "It ain't fair yer Daddy don't want'chu to die?"

"What? I ain't gonna di—," I force out a sigh, so harsh; some of the pearly bubbles below me disappear. "I just wanna help."

"Nowadays," Lori says gently, "Those are the same things. Okay?"

I feel like I could disappear with a simple huff of air, too. "No, it ain't. We're all still here."

Not all of us, Nobody says.

I know it's not safe out there. Not many places left are, but I hate having a knife, and a gun, and two hands and a brain, and not being able to do nothin' with any of them. I don't wanna wait for danger to find me until I can fight back. Why can't I land the first punch?

I wanna be out there. I wanna be where it's most important, killing them that wanna kill us. Not just doing dishes.

"Are we really gonna go over this again?" My Dad says tiredly, looking straight at me. "Really, baby?"

I don't get what he means. "What?"

"Think."

He can't be talking about the hospital. Does he mean—? I think he means the farm. Yeah. He's got the same look on his face as he did when he found out I snuck into the shed last year, not caring that Jim might'a hurt me, or tried to kill me. I think I wanted it. It was after Shane and Sophia died, and everything felt pointless, like somehow even the smallest blade of grass was plotting against us.

Is he really asking me this right now? It ain't like that again. I don't wanna die. I just wanna help!

Even if those are the same things nowadays, I'on care.

That's a better reason to die, anyway — Because of them I still got, instead of them I already lost. That's exactly how Morales died, fending off a hoard of walkers from our camp, and how Merle and Shane died, protecting me. Everybody wants to be a hero.

Realizing what he's tryna play at, I throw the wet bowl down. "Are you pullin' my fuckin' leg right now?"

"Language," Lori hisses as it rolls across the floor.

"Fuck you," I snarl. She couldn't stop me even if she tried. "I ain't done nothin' wrong. Goodnight!"

As I jump down from the bench and storm toward the cell hall, Carl gets one last word in with the adults before turning away and running after me. I ignore a concerned glance from Maggie and Glenn, heading straight into our cell and climbing into my bunk.

"This is stupid," I complain to nobody, crossing my arms over my chest. "Treatin' us like we'on know how to fight."

Carl flops down on his mattress. "I know!"

I gotta calm down. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and feel the air fill my lungs, then let it all out again. Some of my anger escapes with it, leaving me to slump against the wall, glaring at my Dad through the wall and hoping he can feel it on his skin.

"Just 'cause I'm nine," I say, the edge to my voice suddenly gone, "Don't mean I'm useless."

I promised Carl this place would work out — I'm holding myself to that, but I can't do it like this.

"Hey. You're not useless," The boy argues, frowning at me like I've just cursed his entire family. "You help me all the time."

Sure. "With what?"

"I don't know... You shared those beans with me this morning?"

It's hard not to roll my eyes. I was thinking more along the lines of — Well, actually, I don't know what I was hoping to hear.

"Thanks," I say, anyway. "You help me, too."

"Good."

"Knock, knock?"

When I glance up at the doorway, I see Herschel approaching us, and just the sight of him calms me down a little.

"Cooled off, yet?" He asks, seeming to find us a little amusing, for whatever reason.

"Kinda," I say.

"You two have always been a pair of hot heads, haven't you?" He smiles. "My, you've got fire in your hearts, that's for sure."

"Kinda," I say again, even though the better answer would be, Absolutely.

I brace myself for Herschel to break out into a pep talk of sorts. You should listen to your father, or something like that. You kids don't know how good you've got it. I ain't sure I wanna hear it right now, but I ain't mean enough to tell him to go away.

"We all have a role," Is all he says instead, like it should mean something to us, and walks away.

But it doesn't, so I pull the covers over myself and stuff my hearing aids under the pillow.

'Goodnight,' Carl signs from down below as I get comfortable.

'Goodnight.'

Closing my eyes, I try and focus on how lucky I am to be sleeping in a bed for the first time in half a year, before I'm drifting off.

"You won't be needing that," Rick says the next morning, taking the helmet from his son's hands.

Pouting, the boy lets him.

"Don't worry, Grimes." My Dad sneaks a glance at me. "They already got that run-down last night."

Sure did, I think. I can't wait for the scolding he's gonna give me once they make it back.

As they continue to get organised, Maggie tightens the straps of her Dad's thick vest, helping him fit into it. He don't look like any SWAT officer I ever imagined, with his thin, white hair pulled back into a ponytail, the softness in his gaze as he watches his eldest daughter. All I have to do is remember the night the herd came down on the farm and he was right there with us in the fray, shotgun cocked.

I know he can handle himself, but I don't think I'm the only one that would rather he be relaxing somewhere.

If he's allowed to go, why ain't me and Carl?

It's best not think about it too hard, otherwise I might just start up another argument right here and now.

Rick tosses the helmet aside into a nearby pile of trash. "Great. Let's go."

Maggie secures the last strap, smiling weakly up at her Dad and patting his chest. "There ya go, Daddy."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

The group wordlessly file out of the cell hall together, Carl stepping up to the gate and closing it behind them.

"Come on," Carol says once they're out of sight, "Let's do something while we wait."

Carl shrugs. "Like what?"

"I think this place could use a clean," She suggests, looking around at all the gross shit on the floor. "Don't you?"

He cringes. "I used to get paid pocket money for stuff like this, you know."

Without waiting for an answer, the woman just titters and walks off in the direction of the maintenance cupboard, grabbing some broomsticks and dust pans out of it and handing them to us, a dreadfully chipper look on her face. "We're far past pocket money, sweetie."

"If bosses don't pay they workers," I tell her, feeling a little smart, "I heard they go to prison."

"I'm already there," She reminds me.

Remembering all the cells and bars around us, I go, "Oh."

"So dramatic, the pair of you." She chirps, full of energy. "Come on. No time like the present."

"What's that mean?" Carl asks as she chooses an area to start sweeping.

"It means, 'Get your little butts over here before I start swinging this thing around'!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Beth and Lori join us after a few minutes, grabbing some more broomsticks and getting to work sweeping the debris.

"Hey, Harley?"

After half the cellblock has been cleaned, I look up from the end of my broomstick. "Yeah?"

Lori points at the bin. "Take this outside, please?"

"Sure thing." I prop the broomstick up against the wall and walk over to her, lifting the plastic bag outta the bin.

Carol glances over her shoulder at me. "Just put it in that dumpster out there."

"I got it."

Tying the handles into a knot, the same way I'd tie my laces, I carry the bag outta the call hall and down the dark corridor, elbowing the door open. Sunlight peels over the metal, blinding me as I step outside and hop down the concrete steps.

As I pass the fence, the walkers on the other side take turns groaning at me like I'm a celebrity.

Blowing a wet raspberry at them, I throw the bag into the dumpster.

It lands with a soft rustle.

As I make my way back to the prison, I try to take comfort in the fact that Rick, my Dad, and everybody else that went into the Sharpsburg hospital managed to clear it out without getting hurt or bitten, but that doesn't mean it's gonna be the same inside the prison.

Pushing past the door and letting it creak shut behind me, my footsteps echo around me as I walk.

Anything could happen in there, and Carl and I are doing Spring cleaning in the cellblock, safe and sound. It ain't fair.

I can't believe you'd bring that up again, I argue to my Dad in my head, because I always seem to do that after the fact, when it don't even count, I don't care what Lori says. It ain't like that anymore. I don't wanna die. You think you know everything?

I'm your father, I imagine he'd tell me, You think that counts for nothin'?

"I'on care if you're the King of England," I mutter to myself as I turn into the cell block. "I just wanna help."

I'm lingering there on the concrete platform without even realizing it, lost in thought, staring at nothing.

SLAM.

I flinch.

The door crashes into the wall.

Maggie's hair whips around as she cries out, "He's losin' too much blood!"

"Open the gate!" Rick shouts.

"Help us!"

Did she just say, Losing blood?

I run up to the railing, grab it, look at the whole thing unfold below. Did I walk into the wrong building? The group flood into the dinner hall without any warning at all, screaming, Help us, The gate, Open the gate, because somebody's hurt. I already know it. There's the sound of metal clattering against the floor — Wheels — Those are the wheels of a cart being pushed through the crowd, and the body laying on top of it — White hair, black vest — that's Herschel. And that's just the thing. He's a limp body, leaking blood onto the floor.

My skin goes ice-cold at the sight, like I've been dunked in a lake, and that's how I know I'm not dreaming.

Another group of people stroll into the cellblock after them — All strangers, dressed in blue jumpsuits.

Who the Hell are they?

"Help us!"

Carl opens the gate for them. I push myself off and go running after them, ignoring the strangers. They don't matter.

Carol drops her broomstick. "Oh, my God!"

"Daddy!" Beth shrieks. "Daddy, no!"

"Is that—?!"

"Is he dead?" I shout. Everyone's pressed tightly around the cart. All I see are elbows and sweating bodies and lots of blood. I can't get in. I want to see Herschel. My voice don't even sound like my own, echoing in the tall ceiling with all the others. "Is he dead?!"

"Baby, get back," My Dad warns, "Get back!"

"Is he dead?!"

"No! Get back!"

"In that cell!"

"Turn! Turn it!" Glenn shouts, making a sharp turn into an empty cell with the cart, narrowly avoiding a crash. "Come on!"

I'm on their heels like flies on shit, no matter what Dad says. I'm not in the habit of listening much lately, anyway. Slipping past the doorway, I push my way to the front, and it's instant, they way I wish I hadn't. Herschel's face is blanched, wet and pale like a under-boiled egg, and his pantleg is empty from the knee down. That's impossible, I think, but it don't change what I'm seeing.

His leg. His leg, it's— It's gone?

"Get him on the bed," Rick fusses, Carol stealing a rag from the bedside and wrapping it around the butchered stump.

"Did you cut it off?" Lori frantically asks.

Cut it off?! Why would she ask that?

"Yeah."

Oh, God. I ain't never heard of anybody gettin' they limbs cut off, except maybe a pig or a deer, but they ain't alive when it happens. That's— That's just wrong. That's all types of wrong. We need our legs. Rick cut it off? Can people live without a leg?

As Beth reaches for Herschel, I panic, "Dad?"

"He got bit," He explains, before he heads outta the cell with his crossbow drawn. I think of the strangers, but only for a second.

"Ready?" Rick braces his hands under Herschel's body. "One, two three! Lift!"

I hug Beth's arm as they haul her Daddy onto the bed, shouting at each other to grab towels, blankets, rags, anything. Her skin is slippery with his blood, red and warm and terrible, but I don't let go and neither does she. Herschel got bit. It had to be somebody.

The blood just keeps pouring and pouring, soaking into the mattress until it can't hold any more.

I watch it pool into a fat bead like an expensive ink, spill, and splatter onto the floor.

Please, no, I think, Herschel can't die. What about the soybeans? We have to grow the soybeans.

"He's gonna die," Beth's moaning. "He's gonna die."

"No, no, no, sweetie," Lori soothes her, hugging the girl's head to her chest like a Momma would. "He's gonna be okay."

Rick asks Carol, "You think you can stabilize him?"

"I need to keep his leg elevated. Get some pillows!"

"He's already bled through the sheets," Maggie shudders.

"We can burn the wound to clot the blood," Glenn thinks aloud, and he's not bluffing, not at all. "I can start a fire."

"Please don't do this," Beth begs.

Carol takes some more rags from Carl, stuffing them on top of all the others. They only stay white for a moment. "No. The shock would kill him. It’s not gonna stop the arteries from bleeding. We need to keep it dressed and let it heal on its own."

"Did you manage to find the infirmary?" Lori asks them. "Whatever's in there, he's gonna need it."

"No." Rick rakes a hand through his greasy hair. "We hardly made it to the cafeteria as it was."

A voice booms from around the corner.

"I go where I damn well please!"

"Who are they?"

"Other survivors. Prisoners," Rick explains, taking a step backward outta the cell. "It's alright. Stay put. Glenn?"

The man looks up from all the blood on the floor, grimy streaks down his face, like tear tracks through dirt.

"Do not leave his side." He insists. "If he dies, you need to be there for that."

You understand what I'm saying?, Are the words that hang in the air.

Glenn's taken aback for a moment, because Rick means that he might have to murder Herschel, but then he nods.

"I got it," He promises, tender.

"I can bring T in here if—"

"I got it."

Slowly, Rick nods, glancing between us all.

The smell of blood only becomes stronger when he leaves. I didn't even know we had this much of it. How's it all fit?

"It's okay," Lori says again. Beth pulls away from me and curls into the woman's side, hugging her waist. "Shh, honey."

I stand there, my hands sticky with nothing to hold onto.

It all happened so fast. It always does.

One minute, I was sweeping the floor and worrying about stupid things like arguments, and the next, Herschel is just a body, losing too much blood. I wish I could do more, but it sounds like we've done all we can for him with what we've got right now. Maybe a better thing to wish for would be for him to get his leg back, or for me to have been able to do something to stop this. Was it possible?

It's selfish to think that they didn't try their best to keep him safe, that somehow, I could do better, but it's worse to think that this happened for no good reason at all beside bad luck. I can fight walkers, but I can't fight bad luck. I don't think anybody can.

When Glenn takes my wrist in his hand, I flinch, meeting his soft gaze. He's blurry. I think I've started to cry.

Gently, he asks me, "Are you okay?"

"N-No." I glance at the old man's face again. It looks like he's sleeping, like it doesn't hurt. "He's— He's not well."

"No," He agrees. "But we're—. I'm gonna take care of him."

"Please don't kill him," I ask him nicely, as if good manners are what's stopping him. "I— I don't think I want you to kill him."

"I know. It's gonna be okay," He pulls me in for a hug, repeating the same thing to Maggie over my head. "It's gonna be okay."

Wrapping my arms around him, I hold on tight and only let one tear slip from my waterline before I squeeze my eyes closed.

The soybeans. All I can think of are the fucking soybeans.

As he pulls away, I wipe my arm across my face.

"Sorry."

Dixons don't cry, my family always said — among other things.

I'on want anybody to think I've given up on Herschel. That's not it at all.

"It's okay to cry," Glenn's reassuring me, but I'm already pushing past Maggie and turning outta the cell.

The commotion coming from the dinner hall is a good distraction. I let it lure me over to the gate as I force myself to suck up the tears, sniffling away the last of my sadness. I grip onto the metal bars and peep around the wall, tryna make sense of what's going on.

"How many of you in there?" A scary-looking man I've never met asks Rick. Shit. He's pointin' a revolver at him.

Our leader doesn't flinch. "Too many for you to handle."

The prisoners stare him down, face to face with Rick's cool demeanour and the bowman behind him, glaring down his sights.

People. Those are people.

We ain't seen anybody else for months, and I imagine they ain't seen any, either.

I don't have to know much about these guys to tell they ain't no friends of ours. The shortest man curls his fingers into fists at his sides, shifting on his feet like an antsy chihuahua ready to pounce. He ain't look like all that much compared to the monster of a man behind him, who's as tall as a fridge, and just as stocky. I bet he got put in here for cracking someone's head open like a coconut just because they looked at him funny. Then there's a lamer-looking pair. A man that looks a bit like the small one, and a blonde with a country-moustache.

The scary man with the curly hair, who I think is their leader, stands at the front of their small group.

"You guys rob a bank or somethin'?" He asks superstitiously, adjusting his grip on the gun. "Why don't you take him to a hospital?"

Dad and Rick share a cutting glance with each other without even moving their heads, one that says a million words.

A bank?

A hospital?

What's that clown talking about?

We ain't robbed no damn bank.

I remember on the first day of all this, everybody in our hometown flocked to the supermarket as if there was a sale on, and while they was stealing cash outta the registers, Dad and Merle was stealing food. Nobody wants money. Not like they used to.

Rick turns looks back at the prisoners. "How long have you been locked in that cafeteria?"

The scary man shrugs, a twitchy movement. "Goin' on a year."

"A riot broke out," The big man adds. "Never seen anything like it."

"Attica on speed, man," The white one agrees in an accent like mine and Dad's.

"Ever heard about dudes goin' cannibal? Dying, coming back to life? Crazy."

"One guard looked out for us. Locked us up in the cafeteria. Told us to sit tight, and threw me this piece," The leader explains, gesturing with his gun and taking a pause before he admits, sounding almost embarrassed about it, "Said he’d be right back."

"That was two-hundred-ninety-two days ago," His friend says.

The blonde helpfully adds, "Ninety-four, according to my—"

"Shut up!"

Closing his mouth, he pouts sadly at his feet.

"We were thinking that the army or the national guard should be showing up any day now."

It begins to add up. This is awkward. These men have no idea what lays beyond the walls of this prison, do they? I can see it on their faces, that they think a phone would still work if they were to pick one up, that half the population of America ain't dead, and that neither are their families, or whoever else they left behind. I almost feel bad for them, like when I'm looking at an animal I'm about to shoot.

They couldn't guess the shit we been through if they tried. Things we seen, they prolly ain't even had nightmares of. In my life before, I never dreamt of no walking corpse with its guts hangin' out, no girl stumbling out from a barn, no lady being eaten alive.

"There is no army," Rick tell them, his voice flat, uncaring. He would know. We all would.

Not sounding so scary anymore, their leader stammers, "What do you mean?"

"There's no government," He continues. Their faces fall and fall and fall with each admission. "No hospitals. No police."

I guess it does sound kinda scary when ya say it out loud.

"It's all gone."

After a beat of silence, the blonde one asks, "Are you for real, Mister?"

"Serious."

"What about my Moms?" The big man despairs, frowning at the floor.

Your Moms is dead, Is what I'd tell him. All the Mommas are. Except for Lori.

"My kids. My old lady. Yo," The man beside him steps forward. If he wasn't wearing a prison uniform, he could be any old Joe at a bus stop or a gas station, asking for the kindness of a stranger. "You got a phone or something, so we can call our families?"

"You just don't get it, do ya?" My Dad rasps.

"No phones," Rick doubles down. "No computers. Far as we can tell, whole world's ended. Every last bit of it. It's gone."

There's something a bit sad about watching it dawn on them.

Dad lowers his crossbow.

These people are having the worst day of their lives, and that's saying a lot, considerin' they was locked in a cafeteria for a year.

"Ain't no way," The leader breathes.

Rick shrugs. "See for yourselves."

They hesitate. I wouldn't wanna see it, either. It's a lot better in here, where the sun is dim but the blood is old.

"Okay," He eventually lowers his weapon, too. "Show us."

As the prisoners are herded into the corridor, I let my hands slip from the gate, wondering what's gonna happen to 'em. They can't stay with us. That's for sure. The last person we let stay with us ended up with his neck broke, swinging from the end of a noose.

Looking away, I head in the direction of the bathrooms so I can wash up before my skin is stained forever.

"If we get him through this," Carol's saying as I stop by Herschel's cell. "We'll—"

"When we get him through this," Lori corrects.

"We'll need crutches."

"Right now, we could use some antibiotics." She grabs another rag. "Pain killers. Some sterile gauze. We need that infirmary."

"If there’s one, we’ll find it," Carol reassures her as she joins her on the floor. "You gotta be worried sick about delivering the baby."

She fixes Carol with a plain look and squares her shoulders, making herself look as strong as she can.

"Look at me," She says, her pretty face covered in sweat and muck. "I look worried?"

A little.

Carol considers her for a moment. "I think you look disgusting."

Soft laughter fills the cell.

"So do you," She says, before focusing her attention back on the old man. "We'll get through this."

The faucet squeaks as I turn it off.

The rust-colored water swirls and dribbles down the sides of the dirty porcelain, snaking into the plug hole. I've had a lotta different people's and animal's blood on me in my short time alive, but it's never felt quite this awful when I've washed it off afterwards.

Flexing my clean fingers a few times, I look up through my lashes, staring into the cracked mirror on the wall.

My face is a color-by-numbers, shattered into a million little pieces all stuck together, glinting under the florescent lights.

Even like this, I can make out the stump of my ear peeking out from under my hair. I always can. It's hard to believe what Carl said last night about me not being useless, when that's exactly how I feel right now. Maybe Dad was right — I'm no hero. Just nine.

Stepping outta the bathroom and into the corridor, I almost jump outta my skin at the sound of a voice.

"There you are."

Whipping around, I feel myself relax when I realize it's just Carl. "Oh. What is it?"

He wastes no time asking me, "You heard them talking before, right?"

"Who?"

"Carol and my Mom," He explains, keeping his voice low. Uh, oh. He's cooking something up. "About the infirmary."

Yeah, I heard. "They said we need crutches and ant- anto- antob—?"

"Antibiotics." He agrees helpfully. "Yeah. I was thinking you and me could go and get them together."

"What?"

"It's okay if you don't wanna come, but you know I'd keep you safe," He says reassuringly, glancing over his shoulder to make sure nobody's there. "The others are all waiting for Rick and your Dad to do it, but they're too busy and we're running out of time."

Wanting to help when the adults were gonna be right there beside us was one thing, but going alone?

It seems the silence has spoken for me, because he feels the need to add, "I know where it is. There's a map."

Part of me wants to push past Carl and tattle to Glenn about all of this. It would be the right thing to do, and I'm sure it's what my Dad would want, but the other part of me, the one that feels small and puny but is actually the biggest part of me, wants to tell Carl to count me in. We would be helping Herschel by bringing back those supplies. Helping everyone. Ain't that everything I been wanting?

"Are you sure you know where it is?" I caution, 'cause I know I'm gonna say yes to him. "Like, exactly where?"

There's a reason we're thinking about doing this in the first place. Those corridors ain't the safest place to wonder around in.

He nods. "We go straight, right, left, left, right, and it'll be on our left."

That means absolutely nothing to me, but I believe him. "You know we're gonna get in big trouble."

"Yeah. But I'd rather get in trouble than sit here and do nothing," He shrugs. "Like I said, I won't be mad if you wanna stay."

He makes a good point. "I'm in."

"Awesome." The boy nods back down the corridor. "We need to go grab some stuff first."

I follow him into the cell hall and wait outside one of the rooms we're using as storage as he ducks through the doorway, stealing an empty bag and a flashlight from underneath the bottom bunk, before he reappears at my side again. "Good to go."

Hauling the bag over his shoulder, he leads me to the exit door and pushes on the metal bar.

Darkness stretches out on the other side.

We glance at each other.

Like Carol said — No time like the present.

With one last look at the back of Glenn's head, I step into the corridor just as he starts to turn around.

The door closes behind us.

I strain to make out his silhouette as he beats the head of the flashlight into his hand. Smack, smack. The floor and the walls suddenly blink into existence, the cone of light barely reaching into the depths of the corridor as it groans at us in warning.

"Stay behind me," He whispers bravely, before walking ahead of me and drawing his gun. "Let's go."

"I think Glenn saw us," I warn him, making sure not to lag behind. "He turned around."

"Don't worry. We'll be quick."

He pounces around the corner, training his gun's sights on something a few feet taller than him.

The empty, THUNK, of his silencer sounds out as I step up to his side.

A walker's legs fold in half, collapsing to the floor.

Letting out a sigh, he lowers his gun as the blood begins to spill out of its head. "That was some good aim, huh?"

"Good job, but keep goin', please," I complain, giving his back a bit of a shove.

"Sorry," He whispers as he steps over the body. "I just haven't practiced in a while."

We round the next corner, scaring off a couple cockroaches and sending them scampering under a metal door. I'm glad Carl remembers which route to take. It's impossible for me to know where I'm really going without the sun to use as a compass. All these dirty walls are starting to look the same to me, and I can't remember whether the turn we just took was a left, or a right, or something else entirely.

"We're not lost, are we?" I ask him as we make another turn, noticing a spray-painted arrow on the wall.

"We're not lost," Carl answers boredly. "It's just up here."

"Okay. You ain't painted these arrows, did you?" I wonder, even though I know that makes no sense.

"What? No—."

Without any warning, I bump into his back.

The corridor is blocked by a bunch of walkers. Oh. Shit. That's too many to take on. They turn their heads to check us out like owls in the dark as they stand there without much purpose, knocking shoulders with each other. The closest one takes a step toward us, with its knee hanging out from a rip in its jumpsuit, as Carl spots a door to our right, pointing at it and hissing something like, In there.

Pushing it open and slipping inside, Carl quickly shuts it behind us before any of the walkers can get in.

"Well, we can't go that way," He sighs as he pulls away, already looking for another way out.

"What happened to your good aim just now?" I tease as they start pawing against the door.

"Shut up." His eyes light up when he spots something. "There!"

He runs up to a set of double doors blocked by a fallen cabinet and grabs onto one of the handles, grunting as he pulls on it.

"Here. Let me help," I offer, pressing my shoulder against the cabinet.

We push and pull until the first door is no longer blocked, and—

"Harley, watch out!"

The door slams into my side. I'm almost knocked off balance as something stumbles through and grabs me by the arm. I shriek, looking up into the back of a walker's throat. Fuck. I try to wrestle free of it, reaching for the hilt of Merle's knife on my thigh.

As soon as I wrap my fingers around it, the walker is suddenly rammed into the door, as if hit by a car. 

THUD!

I stumble backwards, dropping the knife to the floor.

Glenn pulls his blade free from the walker's ear.

The body slides down the door, leaving behind a long smear of blood, before collapsing onto the floor.

My heart pounds as I catch my breath.

Holy shit!

When I look up at Glenn, he's already frowning angrily at us. "What the Hell are you guys doing?"

"We—," I ain't quite sure what to say. I knew he saw us. "We were just—"

"It's no big deal," Carl tries to convince him. "I kept us safe. I killed a walker!"

Glenn gestures to the body. "Well, you didn't kill this one, Carl. What would've happened if I wasn't here?"

We don't need to say it. I would've ended up like Herschel.

Sensing that I really messed up this time, that I can't just argue my way outta this or angrily throw something across the room and walk away from it, I say nothing. This is all too similar to the day Carl and I snuck into the woods and came back only to get berated by our parents for doing something so completely stupid, that we might have even gotten ourselves hurt, or bitten, or maybe even killed.

"You know what? It doesn't really matter," Glenn sighs impatiently, shaking his head at us like we're a couple of gross stains on the bottom of his boot, before he picks my knife up off the floor. "You're here to get to the infirmary, right? That's what the bag is for?"

"We're really close," Carl nods as he hands the knife back to me. "It's just around the cor—"

"Yeah, I know where it is," He cuts him off. "Listen, we're here now, okay? We're gonna go there together and then we have to get back to the cell block. I had to leave Maggie in charge of Herschel to come after you guys. You know what that means, right?"

"Well... We didn't think you would," I explain meekly, even though I know he's right. It doesn't really matter.

"You're lucky I did," He retorts, and he's right again.

Whatever scolding we was gonna get for back-chatting last night just got a whole lot worse. God damn it.

"We're wasting time." He holds the door open for us. "Come on. Let's make this quick."

Stepping into the corridor, I mutter, "Sorry, Glenn."

His expression doesn't change. "Save that for your Dad."

Why do bad ideas always seem good at first?

End notes.

I hope you enjoyed reading!

Carl and Harley are just two dumb kids with too much passion. If I was looking after them, I think I'd have to put each of them in one of those backpacks with the leashes on them 😭

And Herschel ☹️

Let me know what you thought of this chapter! See you in the next one! 🤠

@poetoflawed

[themissingnumbers]

[@blue-tearss - previously, yet again.]

WARNING: At this point this entire thing is getting pretty intense in general. Warning for descriptions and illustrations of gore (specifically face and eye trauma), and a general emphasis on horror.

As the knife comes down upon him, Red does not fight back.

Red takes it.

Each swing. Each cut. Each slash.

over and over and over and over and over and

Biting pain.

The burn of an old blade.

It stings. Gods, it stings.

But to hurt is to be alive. To bleed is to be real.

He's something that is living.

Even if 'something' is not human.

Even though he's not sure what it could be anymore.

So he lets the knife glide through his skin.

Lets himself be flayed and mangled and marred.

Lets the blood flow from his wounds, and from his throat.

Because he knows it, sees it, tastes it in Blue's code.

How familiar this dying face is to him.

It makes it all the more hilarious.

Red's face, shoulders, and chest are a sanguine mess of ragged lacerations, staining the front of his shirt with the hue of a dark, dull purple, colored like rotten blood from a lifeless body. Even through the blue dye in the air, he refuses to be colored like everything else- colors of the Missing One prevailing, even with the lack of the man's typical palette corruption.

As if in tandem with the sudden absence of those horrible flickering bars that typically crawl across Red's skin and hair, Glitch City... calms. The mass eating at Blue relents when his assault ends. There's a distinct heaviness to the air, though. Each piece of the world that craved to rip and tear and consume, now twitching, bubbling, boiling underneath them. A dreadful kind of suspense.

A predator waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.

It is waiting.

Red runs a hand down his face, over flesh marred beyond recognition, fingers tracing the dips and exposed muscle even though it burns more and more under the contact.

A single in-tact eye burns into the other.

Somehow, he still.

fucking.

SMILES.

"Y'know, I never thought I'd end up on the receiving end," he croaks, voice half-drowned by the blood that flows freely into his mouth.

"I'd always wondered what the motherfucker upstairs had been through. Thanks for giving me something educational to take from this, pal."

He spits his words at the other, underlined by the awful wet noises of viscera catching in his throat.

He steps forward, aiming to meet the other in the middle. Blue can see him trembling, shaky, unsteady on his feet- it hurts, oh Gods it hurts. It hurts more than he can describe. This pain is unfamiliar. Even if he welcomes the lack of numbness, it still hurts. It hurts. Each step he takes is more and more akin to a shambling corpse, a zombie freshly risen and struggling to hold itself upright. It hurts. It hurts.

"It's a little funny how you say you're not desperate while tryna hack me to pieces, y'know," he continues, voice growing all the raspier.

Frankly, he should be impossible to understand at this point. But there's something supplemental under his gargled mutterings- whispers on whispers from every side, quiet, but just loud enough to make each and every word clear.

"Whaddya think, that I'm stupid, or are you just in denial that badly...? I mean, when I get bored, I don't go out of my way to slaughter some doppelganger of the guy I hate most, in th' boring ol' way I did it every time before... Where's the fun in doin' something different if ya go about it the exact same, huh? You're BORED, but you aren't lookin' to change a single fuckin' thing, just attacking some pooooor defenselesss motherfucker that ya don't even know anything 'bout, don't got any grudges t' hold against...

But heyyy, heheh, it's allll in a place where your actions don't matter, cus it ain't even yyour world, must be sooo much easier, no aftermath t' worry about, that must be what yyYOU think, hhahaha..."

As he goes on, each word is more drawn out, quieter and quieter and weaker and weaker, yet biting with a sharpness that stabs deeper than Blue's blade. He babbles and slurs as if drunk- probably going delirious from the blood loss.

But he keeps chuckling, low, soft, and quiet. Barely a giggle under his breath...

Until it begins to crescendo.

Laughter slowly rising, Red tilts his head back, until he's thrown himself into a loud fit of cackling, RIGHT in the other's face, 'til he's wheezing, barely able to BREATHE through his manic laughter, 'til he looks like he could fall backwards if he doesn't catch his breath.

Suddenly, he snaps his head forward- and there IS an audible snap, like bones loudly clicking into place in a single grotesque movement- bringing himself eye to eye with the other. Sickly dull purples flicker into that distinct violent RED with a flare of corruption, cutting through everything with a vivid, bloody color.

"This place is HELL," he snarls, suddenly speaking clear as day, the amusement still glimmering in his one good eye, "but you fail to understand something important; this is MY Hell. And 'infested?' Does not even BEGIN to describe it."

His hand surges forward, grabbing Blue's knife-wielding hand by the wrist. His nails dig in, his fist closes around Blue's, forcing the other to tighten his grip on the handle. Red blood, running down his arm and to his hand in a deluge, mixes with blue, running and swirling together like mismatched paints dropped into a sick palette.

"What happened to MY Blue? You're asking the wrong question. Didn't anyone tell you to do your research before traveling, buddy? You should be asking what happened to ME. Because BLUE is free. BLUE is exactly where he is supposed to be. Far, far away from HERE. Living. Breathing. S A F E. I wouldn't wish him here for ANYTHING- shit, I wouldn't wish this on ANYONE. In fact, I genuinely feel fucking BAD that YOU managed to stumble into this shithole, y'know? You're tryin' awful hard to kill my pity, but I really am giving you the benefit of the doubt for how STUPID you're acting."

His hold on Blue's hand strengthens. With a harsh pull, and a grip threatening to either draw blood or break bone, he wrenches the other's fist down-

Forcing him to point the blade directly at his stomach.

He leaves the tip of the knife digging through his shirt and poking his flesh, only just gently enough to avoid breaking skin.

"But lookie here, yeah? Check THIS out, hahaha! If you're ACTUALLY as bored as you say, you must REALLY wanna see something new, right? If you wanna keep using me as your new punching-bag motherfucking PLAYTHING... Start HERE, would you? I bet you'll LOVE what happens next."

In a staggered motion, he releases Blue's hand where he left it. Knife still pointed forward, straight at Red's guts, but now with the freedom to let the other decide his next move.

"Still, though... Hey, let me be CIVIL and give you some actual advice," he continues, and he's heaving again, struggling with every breath, excess blood spilling from between his teeth. The surge of strength falters, and he slumps forward, putting one hand over his chest, gripping his shirt until his knuckles go white. His other hand lingers, the one he'd grabbed Blue with, shaking worse and worse with each passing moment. Red feels sick, his heart and a dozen other horrific things brewing inside of him pounding faster and faster against his ribs, restless and angry, ready to explode out of that cage of bone, simmering just below the surface. It's a nauseating feeling that's synchronized with the greater behavior of Glitch City, all while he struggles to stay awake and keep his mind clear.

"If you have ANY sense of self preservation still about you..." he drawls with an uneasy laugh, eye unfocused as he tries to stare at Blue, "then I suggest y'put that fucking thing away and start looking for an exit before shit gets REALLY ugly. But whatever ya do next, well... it's up to you...!"

Even with his lips tattered, torn off his face, Blue can feel how Red's grin widens.

"Just don't say I never warned you."

[vamprnce]

tryna get back into the swing of things so here's some Nel's from last night 😌

(also the outfit on the left is from a comm drawn by @mustasekittens !! I'm obsessed w it still ngl)

[jodjuya]

goaded into slaying the last Jedi masters on Dantooine

Kreia asks if I feel better now

No I do the fuck not feel any better!

I didn't want this! I didn't want any of this! I just wanted to be left alone! I only wanted enough power to force people to leave me alone!

Kreia flips out at me, saying I failed everything and didn't learn anything and that I'm the fuckup to end all fuckups, fuck you fuck you fuck you

Blasts me with an energy beam and leaves me for dead

What the actual fuck, you wrinkly old riddle-spewing witch?!?!

You force yourself into my life, force me to dance to your beck and call while never not speaking in cryptic riddles, and now this shit?!

I'm gonna kill you myself, regardless of how much that will kill me in the process!!!

Get back to the ship

Tryna meditate to calm down enough to think clearly

Visas swings by, is horny on main, and throws herself at me

Tell her "no". Obviously I have more important things to worry about right now than indulging your femme fatale nonsense

She will NOT take "no" for an answer.

Have to tell her to fuck off three separate goddamn times before she finally sulks off

GOD FUCKING DAMN YOU, VISAS, KEEP IT IN YOUR FUCKING PANTS BEFORE I DEFENESTRATE YOU OUT THE FUCKING AIRLOCK IN THE MIDDLE OF HYPERSPACE!!!!!!!!

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY EYES IS NO EXCUSE TO NOT LEARN TO READ! THE! FUCKING! ROOM!!!!!

[romanstheory]

I'm The One a Jey Uso Fic pt 1/?

Warnings : Language, Fighting, Violence

Word Count: 842

18 +

loosely based on this interaction (it'll make sense I swear)

"Fuck you Solo! You just costed me the NXT Women's championship" I bark at Solo as I storm through the backstage area. Solo rolls his eyes "Nah you costed you that title" He replied in a monotone voice. I turn around quickly "If you wouldn't have got involved I would be champion right now! FUCK YOU!" I scream again. "If I didn't get involved yo ass would be on a stretcher" Solo responds. Who does he think he is? I carry this tag team! ME! Not him! If it wasn't for me he would have been forgotten about. "I don't ever want to see you again, and if I do I'll make it my business to be a fucking problem" I bark, getting in his face this time. He clenches his jaw, ready to throw punches with me. He knew none of these men here could ever scare me, if he wanted to at it I was fully willing knowing I could hold my own.

"Woahhhh woah woah woah" I hear his brother scream as they run towards us seconds from scrapping. "Let's not do all that now" Jimmy says putting an arm between the two of us. "You're lucky" I say, my eyes piercing through Solo "Remember what I said. I am your worst nightmare now". I push through the twins leaving them both dumbfounded. Jey's eyes lingered on me longer than the other two. My rage did something for me. "You good uce?" Jimmy says tapping Jey. "Yeah..... Yeah I'm good. She's crazy as hell though. You almost got whooped on Solo" Jey chuckles. Solo huffs loudly and they all walk away.

Years pass by, Solo joined forces with his brothers and cousin to form the bloodline. His brothers eventually break free leaving him alone to be the heavy for his cousin. I dominate NXT and now it's my turn, and what do you know..... I'm the number one draft pick for Smackdown and tonight is my debut. Solo and Roman are in the ring, Roman is giving a promo when I walk up to tech and demand my music play...... I'm debuting RIGHT NOW. Multiple superstars attempt to stop me, I blow passed them as the sound of my music echos through the arena. I storm out, the crowd is roaring. Solo has a look of rage and confusion on his face while Roman is completely stunned.

I demand a mic and it's given to me swiftly. I meet Solo with an intense stare down, Paul Heyman and Roman are at a loss for words. No woman had ever been ballsy enough to do this to Solo before. I smile at Solo "Long time no see" I tease "You look TERRIBLE by the way". The crowd begins taunting him. "Remember how I said I would be a fucking problem?" I continue. I get in Solo's face, just like I did the last time I saw him. Tension is high, I want to rip his throat out and I know he wants to do the same to me. Just as Roman exist the ring I swing on Solo, prompting The Usos to come sprinting out. I expect them to attack me, I mean I did just deck their brother. They detain solo, throwing him out of the ring where Roman forces him to leave.

I stand in the middle of the ring with Jimmy and Jey to either side of me. "You chose your side! Remember that" Solo barks. "And you just got yo ass beat" Jimmy cackles. Jey is trying to stay focused but I catch him peering over at me. Back stage I'm met by welcomes and words of affirmation for coming in with a bang. "So I guess you with us now" Jey says grinning. "If it means I get to hit Solo again then sure" I say giggling. "Let me uh get your bag for you" Jey offers. "Oh come ON uce you gotta have better game than that" Jimmy teases "Let me get your bags for you" Jimmy says mocking Jey. "Man I'm tryna be a gentleman unlike you" Jey says grabbing my bags.

"Well uh my wife is at home" Jimmy cackles "I'm playin i'm playin". We pack our things up into the car and head to the hotel we'll be staying at until our flight in the morning. We arrive, the boys already have rooms booked so I need to book mine. "I'm sorry we're all full for the night" The front desk attendant says. I sigh loudly and rub my temples. "You can just share Jey's room" Jimmy says looking at him and then me before grabbing his bag and walking down the hall, chuckling to himself. I see what he's trying to do, Jimmy is the locker room cupid...... Or so he thinks. "I...... I can take the couch you take the bed" Jey stumbles over his words. "Well.... we're room mates tonight I guess. I hope you don't snore" I say as the two of us walk to our room.

[merowkittie]

Hiii! This is only like my second time requesting anything so idek if I’m doing it right but I was hoping you could do smth where the reader is an editor? Maybe w/ miles but anyone is fine. Idk if that’s weird but yeah 😭 thanksss 🫶🏾

Miles Morales x Editor!Reader

I originally was writing a fic but it turned out shit, so I turned it into a HC list/fic.. and It also turned out shit 😭 i hope you enjoy it a bit though!

Warnings: mentions of injury and violence / r and miles bickering / r gets caught up in miles' spider-man stuff / r being a littleee bit of a stalker.. / not proofread / probably won’t make sense towards the end because I finsihed this at 3 am / I think that's it

Ok now.. this is a bit complicated since you have a very important job. You're an editor/photographer for the weekly newspaper in NYC. Which means... you have to give the people what they want, and that also means making your best friend sound like a maniac.

Miles knows you're an editor, it's not a secret you keep, or a thing you try to hide. He also knows that you have to take pictures of him.

"Miles, I need photos of you! Well.. not you, you, spider-man you." You said to him one evening when he swung you around New York for a date. (He didn't want to, it was your idea and he knew how excited you got whenever he did this.)

He'd stare at you like you were crazy and you'd talk for a minute about why.

"Well.. as long as you get my good side. Don't make me sound crazy either!"

You two spent the rest of the day after that taking photos and catching up about stuff that happened at school that miles missed.

Some of the photos turned out shit because he kept posing towards the camera when they're supposed to be off guard and while he's swinging or in action.

Though, one thing he told you was not to get involved when he was defending the city, minor or major.

"Alright.. but listen, don't try to put yourself in danger for a couple of photos. If you're anywhere near me when I'm actually in action on patrol, go home. You know I always meet you there, cariño."

He'd be very serious, which is rare between you two. It's always giggles and jokes.

Miles does not want you caught up in his hero life.

The photos you took prove to be good because you're printing them editing them and the papers sell like crazy.

Though, your boss tells you that he wants more. The photos are now boring and don't prove that he is crazy.

your boss is the crazy one.

"Sir.. I don't mean to go against you, but I wouldn't incriminate him. He's a hero to many of us here! Don't you think you're thinking a bit, dare I say, wrongly of him?"

There was a silence before he nodded his head slightly.

"Should I fire you right now?"

Let's just say that you're now on your way to film Miles in action.

Yes! This was incredibly stupid but... it would be awesome to see him yk..

You found him stopping a robbery at a bodega and took some shots of him without him knowing.

You pretty much followed him around as he was on patrol.

How?

Life 360 ;p

A boom sounded across Brooklyn and from where you and Miles were, it was pretty far.

He took off swinging and you stood there for a second thinking how you were supposed to get there in time.

You stole someone's skateboard.

Though, by the time you got there he was already fighting.. a man? A rhino..? What the fuck.

Miles was on it's back getting swung around yelling insults.

"Dude! How'd you get like this? I'm tryna get like you! I'm talking about muscle by the way.. not your face."

You snapped a couple of photos of the scene then, the Rhino guy threw him into a car. Ouch.

You were looking back at your film and realized that some of the photos were blurry and weren't focusing properly on them both.

You got closer

Which was your first mistake.

Your second was not realizing you accidentally turned your flash on when you thought you were adjusting your brightness of the photos.

That Rhino noticed you and so did Miles, whose masked eyes went wide.

And guess who noticed that? That fucking rhino.

He started to walk towards you and when you started backing up he went on all fours after you.

"I promise I'm not as entertaining as the spider! Leave me the fuck alone!" You squealed as you pushed past people and held your camera tight.

"I like when they run."

To not make this too long let’s just say miles successfully left the police a gift (rhino)

You got an ear full after

“What I did i say about that?? It hasn’t even been like.. a full week since we had that conversation!”

“I know, I know! But my boss said I haadddd to! And by the way you looked awesome, look at those photos.”

You two argued for a bit but he has still a bit upset at what you did.

You apologized by cleaning up his injuries and giving him kisses.

You stayed with him that night and he held you extra tight.

This didn’t turn out good at all but I wanted to finish this request because it’s long overdue 🙏

[toujokaname]

Game master / Episode 10

Author: Akira

Characters: Hiiro, HiMERU, Kohaku, Aira

"What it is ain't important; what's important is that the characters move in pursuit of its existence."

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[ Read on my site for a better viewing experience using Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Location: Secluded Village

At the same time. A corner of Amagi Village, the starting point of the test of courage.

Hiiro: Now, let's go over the showdown details again.

It's the fourth match in Matrix, a test of courage.

HiMERU: Right. It's not overly intricate, though. It appears we're in for a literal test of courage.

Kohaku: It's my first time doin' somethin' like a test of courage. It's excitin'~♪

Aira: Kohakucchi can be so innocent sometimes... Cute.

But just the idea of trying out a test of courage in an eerie backward village gives me the creeps.

Hiiro: Again, I wish you'd stop calling someone's hometown a backward village.

As I keep repeating, my hometown is normal.

Well, but, I've been away from here for a while too. It wouldn't be surprising if the "common sense" has changed, so we shouldn't let our guard down, I guess?

Moreover, "this place" seems to be slightly different from the hometown I'm familiar with.

Kohaku: What the heck's with ya, sayin' something so scary. Looks like the test of courage's already in full swing, huh ♪

HiMERU: You seem strangely enthusiastic, Oukawa. Even though we've participated in similar projects before?

Since it's not the first time, is there really a need to get so worked up?

Kohaku: That was an escape game, this here's a test of courage. It's different.

HiMERU: Rather, Oukawa, weren't you supposed to be scared of ghosts? Why do you seem so excited?

Kohaku: It's fun to be scared, right? Ain't that what a test of courage's about?

Aira: I kinda get it... Even though it scares me, sometimes I watch horror movies or go into haunted houses at theme parks.

I always regret it afterward, though.

Hiiro: Well, enjoying fear and thrills in safe circumstances is a hobby I'm aware of.

When humans feel fear, their brains secrete chemicals to alleviate it. It seems some become dependent on the pleasure of easing that tension.

Aira: Hiro-kun, seriously, where do you pick up stuff like that from?

Hiiro: Mainly from books and the internet. For that matter, how come Aira doesn't know anything even though he lives in such an information-rich environment?

Aira: I-I know a lot of things? I'm literally the one always teaching Hiro-kun, who's eternally clueless?

Kohaku: Hehe. Rabu-han, seems you're pretty sassy when Hiiro-han's around.

In front of me, you're always such an innocent, good boy... But even so, this side of Rabu-han's rather captivatin', too ♪

Aira: Ugguh?! It's Hiro-kun's fault! You totally blew my cover in front of Kohakucchi?!

Hiiro: I won't take the blame for that, okay...?

HiMERU: Fufu. Well, let's get back to the topic, shall we? HiMERU apologizes for derailing the conversation, Hiiro-san.

Hiiro: Huh? It didn't seem like HiMERU-san was the one who derailed it... Oh well.

Umm. I don't have any experience with tests of courage either, so I can't speak as if I understand very much, but here goes.

Representatives from each of our units will follow a set route around the Amagi Village.

It seems that the final destination is a certain mansion deep inside the village.

While pressing seals on stamp cards placed along the route, we'll obtain a "treasure" at the final destination.

That's about the gist of it.

Aira: It sounds kinda mysterious, but what's this treasure?

Hiiro: Well... I think it's just a MacGuffin, so we don't have to worry too much about it.

Aira: M-Macffi...n? What's that? A new type of snack?

HiMERU: No one was talking about muffins.

Kohaku: It's a term used in filmmakin'. It refers to somethin' the characters are tryna achieve.

It's only a motive or goal to drive the characters. In practice, anythin' works.

It might be treasure, a briefcase brimmin' with cash, or even somethin' as abstract as a position of power.

What it is ain't important; what's important is that the characters move in pursuit of its existence.

[ ☆ ]

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[flippythegodzilla]

Haii!! :3

So I'm tryna get back into the swing of things when it comes to drawing so I've decided tomorrow I will binge read your fic and after each chapter I will doodle a scene I liked!! Just letting you know 👍

I… I think I would die? Of happiness

Thank you for the warning