#also two fics in less than a week
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That Unwanted Animal
18+
Homelander x Soulmate!reader
You donât love Homelander. Even when he looks like everything youâve ever wanted.
Loosely based on this post from @blindmagdalena
His t-shirt is soft under your hands as you cling to him. The baseball cap shields his features from you as presses you against the alley wall. The blue fabric rubs against your cheek as he thrusts up into you. The both of you avoid eye contact and as you bury your face into his shoulder, the scent of his cologne nearly chokes you. You thought it would be easier like this. Youâd believed that maybe without the suit you could pretend your âloverâ was a normal man. Maybe the two of you had met at a bar, or a doctorâs office, or while walking dogs in the park. You could have been an ordinary couple with a soulmate story fit for a Hallmark movie.
But a change of clothes canât distract you from the fact that this man, your soulmate, is the very man youâve dedicated your life to bringing down. Itâs a sick joke, isnât it? You love your team. Hughie is always there with a shoulder to cry on. M.M. gives good advice. Frenchie and Kimiko have become almost like siblings to you. Even Butcher you hold fondness for, as infuriated as he often makes you. Theyâre your family and yet youâre here fucking enemy #1 in a filthy alley and heâs going to make you come.
You bite his shoulder to keep from crying out as he effortlessly holds you up. It would be easier if he was bad in bed. The soulmate bond would still suck ass, but at least you wouldnât derive pleasure from it. He came so fast the first time you fucked him that youâd initially been relieved. It had been perfect until heâd spread your legs to lap his own come from you until youâd shuddered helplessly against his tongue. Youâd gone home and cried after, despite the pleasure still pulsing warmly through your veins.
You canât even say it isnât consensual. Your bond causes you to ache for him viscerally. Hell, this time you sought him out. He didnât even protest when you laid out your terms. He had seemed more amused than anything. When he showed up wearing civilian clothing like you demanded, you almost turned him away with tears pricking at your eyes.
He looks soft, human, like someone you could love, a real soulmate. Even as he pumps into you, the peek of blond sticking out from beneath the cap makes you ridiculously endeared against your will. If only he was anyone elseâŚ
Soulmates have always been romanticized to a ridiculous degree, despite everyone knowing a story of some person who is enslaved by their mark instead of liberated. There are many things that can tie two souls together besides love. Yet everyone still longs for the day they find their match, in hopes of the happiest of endings. You had been no different.
You whine and clench around him as he angles himself differently, his cock sliding even deeper into you until it feels like you're choking on it. Your mark burns and the empty pit in your stomach that lingers in his absence is washed away with each heated pulse. The nausea of being away from him finally subsides with each brush of your skin against his. He sighs happily into your hair, as the same sense of belonging envelopes him. This feels right and it makes you want to scream.
âMine,â he growls against your temple.
âYours,â your bond answers for you.
You only ever fuck him in comfortless places.
Your heels dig into his ass and you rock yourself into his thrusts. He nips at your ear gentlyâŚaffectionately. He canât distinguish between true love and the oppressive obsession that comes with a mate. You donât love him. Things would be easier if you did.
Why couldnât he be anybody else?
âIs this good?â He asks needily. He can sense your distraction. He wants to be good for you. He wants to please you. You flutter around him and one hand strokes the back of his neck tenderly despite the mental torment that youâre facing. No one has ever been so attentive during sex before. He makes you feel cherished. Even when you beg for him to make it hurt, he refuses. The same hands that have commited endless cruelties hold you like something rare and precious.
You donât answer and you can feel his petulant frown against your skin as he waits for feedback.
He adjusts you effortlessly in his grip so he can stroke you exactly the way heâs learned you like it. You whine desperately as you leak all over his fingers and drip onto the ground below. He sighs at the feeling.
âI love you so much.â He whispers intimately into your ear. His sincerity makes you want to weep. âYouâre everything I ever wanted.â
It doesnât matter how many times you rebuke him or refuse his offer to take you home with him. He still believes that you feel the same. He believes that one day heâll find you soaking wet at his penthouse door, having run across the city in the pouring rain to him, confessing how much it hurt to push him away. He wants the satisfaction of knowing that you abandoned your team from sheer want of him. He thinks of your situation as a romantic comedy that hasnât hit the emotional climax yet.
Itâs pathetic and delusional and you hate how close you know you are to fulfilling it. You donât love himâŚbut you know you could.
Despite how hard you try to resist, you come hard and you sob into his neck at the intensity of it. He whispers sweet nothings into your ear as he rubs you through it. You kiss him to shut him up and he groans into your mouth as he releases inside you. He kisses you back desperately, seeking whatever crumbs of affection you let yourself give him, using them as proof to fuel his delusional fantasies.
Once youâve both ridden out your respective orgasms, he finally pulls back to look at you. The softness in his eyes belongs to a kinder man. Your stomach flips. His cap has been knocked slightly askew and he looks human. He frowns slightly and the hand he was using to bring you pleasure brushes something off your cheek.
âYouâre crying.â He remarks, hand now cupping your cheek as his thumb strokes your skin in an attempt to comfort you. You want him to be rude to you the way he is to everyone else. You want him to mock you and make crass disrespectful remarks. You open your mouth to reply and a broken sob comes out. He hushes you softly and leans down to kiss the tears that roll down your cheeks
âI love you.â You confess finally, the truth is bitter and shameful in your mouth. Youâve finally stopped lying to yourself
âYou say that every time. Are you actually going to follow through or are you going to deny yourself some more?â He asks dryly, cocking his head at you. His grip flexes as he continues to press you against the wall.
You both know the answer. Just like you both know that one day the answer will be different.
Your team better succeed before then.
#homelander#homelander x reader#x reader#soulmates#this was supposed to be pwp but I made it sad#also two fics in less than a week#WHO AM I???#no plot spoilers for s4
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pinesconers. for my x files au.
#i am. indecisive#but i am sooooo excited for this au#like. i may be less than two weeks away from posting my first new fic in like two years#i might look for beta readers first tho. idk iâve never done that but. i feel like i should. feedback good#x files au#pinescone#dipper pines#wirt otgw#over the garden wall#gravity falls#pinescone x files au#poll!#once this has an official name iâll tag it with that. once you guys choose the name for me that is xoxo#shutupmac#also sorry none of these tags are intelligible or funny i donât have the energy to mask rn đđđ#a liar a lullaby au
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thinking about matchablossom feeling vaguely ill
#they make me#insane#um also it has been less than two weeks and my phone is really autofilling with their ship name#the hold they have on me. it is insane#multiple playlists multiple fics a pinterest board and so many ao3 bookmarks#i have so many headcanons#sk8 the infinity#matchablossom
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Could you do the word âhugâ for the ask game? =D
Time wrapped his arms around Malon in a tight hug, hands gently coming to rest on her ever-growing belly. Malon carefully adjusted his hands as he closed his eye and held her close, waiting, concentrating. A faint movement rippled under his left hand as their baby shifted, and he didnât even try to stop the joyful tears rolling down his face as love and gratitude filled his heart.
#ask game#3 sentence fic#SilvrAsh writes#lovely webhead!#not me realizing that my kid is turning five in less than two weeks#then shamelessly projecting an actual experience we had while pregnant with her onto the only established couple in LU#also#fluffvember#because I'm pretty sure this counts#linked universe#linkeduniverse#lu time#lu malon
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accountability post!!!!!!!!!! (in no particular order)
write 300+ words (that's how much i wrote yesterday and it's a much more realistic goal than 500 or 1000 given what i'm working on and i always like a goal where i am more likely to overperform than underperform lol)
edit #18 whumptober gifs (typo) â
make arcarm gifs â
ď¸
make phoomvicha gifs â
ď¸
make #19 whumptober gifs â
ď¸
answer asks â
ď¸
let's goooooooooooo
#i know that seems like a lot of gifs#but i've imported all the frames and that is frankly the hardest/longest/most arduous part#outside of sharpening (which i don't always do esp with big sets) and making sure they're under 10 mb lol#i have a new export default that helps without making them look like ass though#i think 1000 words a day isn't going to be as hard for the fic that i'm going to be working on#because it's wholly new and i can bounce around a little more and work on multiple chapters at the same time#since i'm not going to start posting until i'm at AT LEAST 30k#and the actual total will be anywhere between 50k to 100k#YEAH...........#it might just be 30k because there are some chapters that i haven't really plotted out yet#and i don't even know if we need All of them#without spoiling it's a parallel narrative and i haven't decided if i actually want it to go back and forth between narratives EACH chapter#so if i don't do that there might be less chapters#but also some chapters might be longer because of that? so who knows#however as an aside i'm going out of town for two weeks so i might not be able to write as much then. sigh#again though i think i'm going to be writing more than a thousand words every day because i can follow the inspiration#and work on any chapter i want if i get stuck#rum.txt
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several days and 15 thousand words later, i am relieved to report that the suffocating urge to Write Something has been sated and no longer has me in a chokehold
#Seven.txt#writing stuff#thinking of that post thatâs like âu Have To make art or all the ideas stay stuck in ur brain and make u sickâ bc yeah thats been the vibe#wish i wasnât so all or nothing about it tho. but alas. iâm that way with everything in my life#i either expect 10k in a day from myself or i donât write at all for weeks. or months :)#and my average pace is about 500 words per hour. so u can see. how that might be a problem. given how many hours are in a day.#and thatâs obviously not sustainable. but idk if itâs adhd or what but itâs So hard to quickly start and stop tasks just Whenever#i struggle to be one of those ppl that can consistently write like. 500 words a day every day and then wow! soon you have a whole novel#nah. once i get myself in the Zone then iâm Goinâ and i canât stop until iâm Done or i collapse from ignoring my bodyâs needs lmao#itâs something i should make an effort to do though bc iâd love to be consistently chipping away at things instead of working in bursts#anyways this is a lotta negative self-commentary for what is actually a Positive post! bc yay!! i wrote a thing!! Two things actually!!! đ#i got the follow-up to last yearâs Matt oneshot done And i wrote the next chapter of Heaven in Hiding after uh. a year and some months#i wanted to blow the dust off the olâ keyboard by starting with writing some less. uh. high-stakes(?) stuff#not that i didnât put my all into writing them. i always do. just that ik theyâll have less of an audience so ill cringe less if they suck#so then i can hopefully do justice to the [N]MbD stuff that iâll be putting out next! ehehe *rubbing my hands together* Finally#the next two [N]MbD fics r already written but the first little one needs a final edit#and then the Big one for. uh. someone (u kno who u r) needs a bit of rewriting i think. i wanna make it Better#so release schedule will be 1. Matt ⢠2. HiH Ch.3 ⢠3. [N]MbD small fic ⢠4. [N]MbD Big fic#then iâm gonna write a lil Boothill comfort oneshot. then iâll edit/maybe rewrite and post that Dew (Ghost) OCD comfort oneshot#i âalso wanna keep writing the last couple chapters of HiH before i unintentionally abandon it again#and after/amidst all that maybe iâll manage to get ES Ch.6 written and posted before the end of the year đ#anyways ik iâve made posts like this before. talking abt all these Plans of mine. and most of those things r Still stuck in the pipeline#so donât put too much stock into this plan. i could have another Bad couple of months and get None of it done#but god i sure fucking hope not. iâd really like to cling to my creativity. if for no other reason than that it makes me happy
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I really don't want to be annoying but when is the next glass princess update coming?
Have a nice day btw đđ
itâll come once i write it
#if youâre a new follower then please note i rlly donât post consistently#at ALL lmao one of my fics was on a hiatus for a year (pomegranate ink readers you are godâs strongest soldiers)#it takes me about a day or two to write a chapter and i post that same day so i cannot say in advance when iâll next update#i also write if/when i feel like it and for the fics i have inspiration for at the moment#and i have a real life too which is always my number one priority#ik i was posting pretty frequently for tgp for a while but i do not have that time and drive atm#i wrote over 100k words in less than a month for that fic#if i only updated once a week then thatâs about 18 weeks or roughly 4 months of chapters#sorry for the rant and anon iâm glad you enjoy the story sm but#getting this type of ask frequently for a story that was updated literally less than two weeks ago is tiring#answered asks
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Love fictional doctors who are bad patients. They know exactly why they shouldnât be [doing thing] so soon after [major medical event], they intimately understand the risks, they just donât care.
#read a fic recently where Law almost died bc he used his devil fruit power for two consecutive hours to keep him and Luffy from drowning#and Chopper was like ok now DONT MAKE ANY ROOMS FOR AT LEAST. IDK. TWO WEEKS and Law was like k and then made a Room less than a day later#SPOILER: it did not feel good#this post also inspired by the massive amount of house md I was somehow allowed to watch in middle school
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re: this post and its tags:
[racism mention, extremely violent fatphobia after the cut cw]
eight is a really interesting character--much more so than the writers intended him to be, tbh--and it's a real shame that both the authors' racism and the fandom's behavior drove me away from getting invested in him for so long.
the racism i was just like 'wow this is beyond me to even begin to unpack at this point in time. jesus.' but also. the entire fandom using their love for them as a reason to make endless rabid hate posts about your fave, in many of which they fantasize about 'slitting open the fat bastard's belly and gutting him like a pig,' and getting dozens of notes for it will put you off a character a little bit. just slightly đ¤
#LL tag#the salt files#fatphobia cw#gore cw#it is really fucking bad be warned lmao#LL number five#LL number eight#there were other reasons including 'hit saturation point with navrina within a week of joining the fandom'#'and it took years before it wasn't in Near Every Single Post and Fic; five hate aside but also in a large majority of the five hate'#but uhhhhh those were two of the biggest ones lmao#like i still don't know how far i am equipped to unpack his deal because of the landfill-sized can of worms that is#everything to do with the vish/nu natio/nalists. because holy shit lmao#but it is at least less general sense of Wow This is More Racist Than I Know How to Even Begin to Put Into Words these days#and also he has more parallels/foils with five than they meant him to tbh#let him get past the stage of 'i feel guilty for tricking people into revering and dying for me because i was lonely'#'and then abandoning them'#and then hit 'holy shit i was pressured; manipulated; adultified; and dehumanized'#'by being used as a figurehead for an extremist right-wing terrorist organization'#which like. i don't know how to tell these authors that making your main rep for brown people a religious terrorist organization#is still maybe a little bit deeply fuckin racist even if you go It's Okay They're Our Buddies!#and in fact the way it plays out is kind of a hundred times worse than if they hadn't#i can't accurately say i wish they had gone into it either way because jesus christ with these people can you imagine lmfao#but like. still#racism cw#LL crit tag
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not 2 brag (absolutely bragging) but I select great names for my fanfics. I always sit down like 'ooooh nooooo I don't know what to name itttt' and then think about it a while and put down something that SLAPS
#levi.txt#I'm just happy about it#I posted a couple fics this week bc I'm in procrastination inspiration overdrive where writing editing and polishing 7k+ words of fic#is less scary than picking a paper out for a 10 minute work presentation#but anyway every time I open my ao3 I'm just like DAMN#THOSE ARE SOME PUNCHY NAMES#my two favorites atm are#Tethers in the Wake#and#(Can't) Cut the Lifeline#They're just so snappy and evocative#I'm so clever and also so cool and you can't forget exceptionally humble#anyway#[thinks about all the work I DIDN'T do this week and makes a sound that shatters every car windshield in a 30 mile radius]
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Hey to all my fanfic girlies, beware:
#archive of our own#ao3#fanfiction#also do these hackers know how people comment on fics they like#cause I donât think they understand the intricacies of ao3 etiquette enough to possibly sound like a non-bot#this wasnât even on the fic I posted less than two weeks ago. itâs the rising sun revolution one#which was posted in march
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ANGEL â SAM WINCHESTER.
SUMMARY â sam starts to grow fond of an angel. they have grown more comfortable around each other, and tensions run high when dean leaves for a bar.
WARNINGS â no plot all porn... 18+, softdom!sam, unprotected sex, p in v, oral, f!receiving, unexperienced!reader, angel!reader, LOTS of praise, biting, creampie, mentions of religion, sam's a sweetheart. he's also a freak.
WC â 4.3k. i got carried away.
A/N â i feel like i'm going to hell just from the warnings alone. i erm. i don't even know. shout out the two people who asked to get tagged in this đ first ever smut fic, if you hate i'll probably delete my account. i am not editing 4.3k words btw. i'm lazy.
angels weren't supposed to enjoy the feeling of a human. that much was well known.
and when you came from heaven to assist castiel in whatever the hell it was that he was doing, that was repeated to you over and over again. these 'humans', they weren't important. your only job was to make sure sam winchester didn't get hurt. that was all this was supposed to be. a casual round of protecting the winchesters.
you didn't understand human norms, and at first, sam didn't like you. you didn't take personally, of course, because, well, sam hated any angel at first. castiel quickly explained to you about the brother's and how you'd be spending more time with them while he awaited directions. honestly, you couldn't care less about either of the brothers, too. they were hunters, and you were an angel. you weren't supposed to mix anyway.
sam winchester was more interesting than his older and shorter brother, though. sam was thoughtful and a lot more curious about you than he let on at first. as you spent more time 'watching' over him, you realized he enjoyed asking you questions about heaven, and the angels, and about castiel. and you tried to answer them to the best of your ability.
sam was more open to learning about you than dean, and he was more considerate when it came to teaching you knew things. slowly, he started defending you against dean's antics, and he learned about how curious you were, too.
he spent many late nights awake with you, struggling with his insomnia. you made it much more enjoyable. on the off chance that he did get some sleep, he'd wake up to you in the bunker, lounging and reading one of his books. as soon as you saw him awake, you'd pounce on him, eager to talk all about it.
sam found you endearing in the same way you found him intriguing. you both taught each other different things. he taught you about different emotions and how to communicate them to him. he showed you his favorite movies. he told you about his time in standford and about how he was studying law. you taught him about the bible, about praying and how you'd always come if he prayed for you. you taught him about heaven and hell, and angels and everything in between.
eventually, you two become friends, as much as younger sam would have hated to admit that. he showed you what friendship was and what it was like to worry about someone more than yourself. he explained to you what love was and about heartbreak. sam watched as you turned from this unemotional, blunt angel into a person, crafted by the things you loved.
you two kissed about six months after hunting with him. you were unexerienced, and painfully so, and your first kiss was nothing but giggles and awkward stares. the second, third, and fourth ones weren't any better. sam was ridiculously dotting and patient, and even though you were an angel and didn't understand what a relationship was, you still tried for him, and he loved you for it.
after a week of sneaky kisses and rushing into each other's rooms once dean fell asleep, you seemed to have gotten the hang of it. you and sam hadn't done anything remotely sexual other than a few hands-under-the-bra's and one /bad/ attempt at a handjob. sam was enthralled in watching you become more confident and learning how to touch him the way that he liked and how to kiss him properly. so he didn't mind taking things slow.
you two agreed to not have sex yet, partially because to you, it was a sin, and partially because you didn't know what you were doing. sam had no issue waiting. that was, until tonight.
you don't even remember how this happened, honestly â the lingering touches became more frequent, more needy, and at some point, sam had slipped you out of your shirt and bra. you'd barely even made it to his room /thank god for dean being out at a bar tonight/, before he was kissing you, his lips hiding something more intense tonight.
you wouldn't have protested anyways, but as soon as your shirt was gone, sam was all over you.
"i know it feels dirty, honey. but it's not. i wouldn't lie to you." sam hums against your throat, kissing the soft skin. when he talks like that, all low and soothing, you might just believe anything he says. he pulls back to look at your concerned expression, and his smile softens.
his movement stills, and you frown, almost wishing sam would convince you to do more. that feeling in your stomach, the one that felt close to nausea, started to feel nice. and you craved more of it. you craved more of sam.
although his desire outweighed his guilt for ruining the purity of an angel like this, sam still sat up for a moment, his hazel eyes practically begging you. he was nothing, if not a gentleman. "do you want this?" sam asks, hushed and spoken like a prayer, and you think you might get sent to hell just from how he's looking at you.
sam's hair is a ruffled mess, and his long sleeve black shirt was rolled up to his elbows. his carhartt jacket had long been discarded by you, tossed somewhere into the dark abyss that was the dingy, horribly lit motel room. he looks beautiful.
"i do, sammy, butâ" you breathe out shakily. before you can finish answering, his hands are on your hips, tugging you closer to him. you're both standing up, his large hands moving up your skirt to trail up your sides. sam can feel your back arch against his hands slightly, and it's taking everything in him to not lose his resolve.
san, who previously said he was okay with waiting, felt like a selfish man tonight. he could honestly care less about your innocence right now. what he did care about was you, though. sam knew that if you wanted him to continue, he wouldn't be able to stop.
"but what?" sam mumbled, his fingertips digging against your hips. his erection was pressed dangerously against your thigh. he shifted you until you were pressed against him â he knew what he was doing and the effect it was having on you. you didn't answer and could only grumble a complaint out.
"just needa taste you, honey. we don't have to go all the way if you don't want to." sam's words are a contradiction to how he was staring at you. "although, i have thought about doing more." he hums, and he has a slight shit eating grin on his face. it's sort of surprising that this is your sweet sammy.
you're conflictedâ this is wrong. sinful. but there was a bubbling heat in your stomach, and you wanted nothing more than to make sam feel good. maybe a part of being human was indulging in your sins. you pout at him slightly, and sam has to stop himself from moving his hips up against you. he doesn't just want this, he needs this. he needs to corrupt you, to ruin your innocence until all you can think about is him.
"fine. be gentle, though, sam. i mean it." you relent, although you didn't need much convincing. honestly, if he tried to pull off of you, you'd be the one begging him to touch you and not the other way around.
"oh, fuckâ" sam groans, and he almost instantly falls to his knees. his hands are tugging off your jeans faster than you can process. "you don't know how long i've wanted this." his tone makes you feel dirty, and you can't help when your brows crumple into a slight glare. you didn't know what he was doing, but you wanted him to hurry it up.
you help him kick your jeans off around your ankles and step out of them. you're left in your cotton panties, and for some reason, it turns sam on more to know you weren't planning for this. honestly, neither was he.
"leave these on." two fingers slip underneath the elastic by your thigh, tugging them and letting them go, the fabric snapping against your skin. the action makes you suck in a breath. sam's lips make their way to your upper thighs, sucking and kissing at the sensitive skin. it's not enough, and he knows that. he's driving you crazy on purpose to see you squirm for him.
"samâ" you chastise, like a scold, your hand running through his hair and tugging on it gently, trying to bring your hips closer to him. sam fucking moans. he moans at getting his hair pulled, and it makes your brows crease in bewilderment. /you would definitely be keeping that in mind./
sam looks up at you with those same puppydog eyes, and you swear you're going to burst into literal flames and have your wings removed instantly. "needa taste my girl's pussy. y'gonna let me?" sam says softly, his voice muffled by your thigh, gently biting on a spot. when you whimper, he pulls back to kiss at the forming bruise, his hands massaging at the fat of your ass.
truth be told, you'd probably let him fold into a pretzel at this point, but you didn't want to stroke his massive ego.
the noise you make is answer enough, and sam deftly pulls your panties to the side. his hand brings yours to hold them. he needs *both* hands for devouring you. sam's two middle fingers move to collect your slick from your folds, and you shiver. his brows raise, and he smiles again. "you're soaked, baby. you really want me that bad?" he asks, and you're nodding quickly.
sam can't hold back when you look this pretty above him. you can feel his breath against you. even just looking at you bare in front of him is enough to make him want to cum in his fucking jeans.
he flattens his tongue against you, and your hips stutter against his mouth. you've never felt anything like this before. you can feel sam's grin against your cunt, his hands cupping into your ass and pulling your hips further into his mouth.
seeing such a large man, especially one like sam, at his knees, lapping at your pussy like a fucking starved manâ it makes your head fuzzy.
without warning, his middle finger slips into you. your hands move to his hair to steady yourself, massaging at the brown strands, pushing some from off his sticky forehead. the concentration on his face is almost cute, but it soon becomes too hard to keep your eyes open.
another finger slips past your folds, and you're mouthing his name like a prayer. his fingers are rocking into you at a slow speed, but his mouthâ it was fucking dirty, the way he'd suck on your clit, only pulling away to breathe. everytime he pulled away, a string of saliva followed, connected between you two. his chin was slick with your arousal, his chest panting with heavy breaths. and then he was right back to devouring you.
maybe sam winchester was the devil.
your hands tug on his hair slightly, and sam groans against you. the heat in your stomach was building and sam was near drunk on your pussy. when he looked up at you with those hazel eyes, you moaned, your thighs tremoring.
"samâ sam, it feels too good... pleaseâ" you breathed out, panting too now, and sam didn't relent, no matter how hard you were tugging at his hair. his hand was holding your hip hard not daring to let you squirm away from him. indents of his fingertips would ruin your pretty skin by the morning. you had to shy away from his intense gaze.
sam pulled away, still fucking his fingers into you. "eyes on me, baby." he mumbled, before sinking flush against your clit again. you listened, although your face was an embarrassing hue of pink. sam was just as loud and needy, if not worse than you. everytime your thighs clenched around him, or you tugged on his hair, profanities and groans slipped from his lips. he needed you.
sam kept his tongue latched onto you, his eyes showing that he was as desperate as you were to make you cum. the noises he was making were filth, soft grunts and groans, all muffled by your puffy pussy. when your eyes flickered down, you noticed that one of his hands were palming himself through his jeans.
with every shake and spasm, it was like sam knew you were close. he was using his hands to rock your hips more onto his tongue, your weight practically suffocating him. sam would gladly die a happy man in between your folds, if it meant getting to look up at your beautiful face contorting in pleasure. his chest swells at the fact that he is the one who gets to touch you like this.
that feeling returned as quickly as it left, and soon you were cumming on his face, your legs shaking as he kept his fingers curled into your folds. that was probably the best thing you'd felt since coming to earth. sam pressed a kiss to your overstimulated clit, before kissing up your stomach, your breasts, collarbone, and finally standing to his full height over you.
"how was that?" sam asks, licking the wetness off his fingers. as much as he wanted to ruin you, he also wanted to make sure you were comfortable.
heavy pants still wracked both of your bodies, your thighs aching and barely able to hold your own weight. he had the audacity to ask that after making you feel things you hadn't felt in your centuries alive? in between deep breaths, you shot him a slight glare.
"what do you think?" you tutted, puffing his lips out in that gorgeous pout that made sam was to kiss you stupid, holding onto his biceps so you didn't lose balance.
sam grins in response, his hands moving to your bare hips, pressing you into him. his cock was fucking painfully hard and he had to refrain from rutting against you. "i need to fuck you, honey." fuck sam and his beautiful eyes, pleading at you. his hand leads your to palm him from over his jeans, and he moans softly, so prettily.
you were conflicted. you knew his cock would feel so much better than his fingers, but this was wrong. "sammyâ" you say in the same chastising voice that drives him insane.
"please, let me fuck you. need to feel you around my dick. fuck, doesn't even have to be all the way." sam pleads, and you have a hard time saying no to that. he was practically begging you. you sigh at how weak you were for this man. "please fuck me, sam."
sam eyes widen slightly, and he can't help his grin as he pushes you back against the bed. his eyes stay on you as he pulls his shirt off, discarding it across the motel floor along with all of yours. you can't help but stare at him. all tanned, scarred, and bruised, despite being young. it was so different compared to your imperfect skin, free of any blemishes or let alone scars.
sam's tantalizingly slow as he takes off his belt, followed by his jeans. he's fucking huge. that much you can tell by his bulge alone. your eyes widen slightly when he strips his boxers off.
he wanted to take his time with you, to treat you like the goddamn angel you were, to wrack every noise he can from your lips. but, sam was impatient as hell. and he was really, really hard.
"you're beautiful." sam coos, caging you in between his much larger frame. there is a shine in his gaze, so soft and loving, that it almost makes you feel queasy. he's not doing this because he's bored or because he wants to get off. sam's doing this because you're his world.
"you're alright." you respond, not able to hold back the giggle that escaped your lips afterward, especially when you felt sam's annoyed sigh against the crook of your neck. you can feel his irritated grin. sam fell in love with that devilish laugh of yours, and he found it endearing that even during this, he could make you sound like that.
it was such a sharp contrast from how emotionless and... awkwardâ you first were when you met the winchester brothers. sam has loved watching you adapt this sassy personality, loved eyeing you while you admire new things, hearing the way your voice heightened whenever you laughed, the way you took over parts of his and dean's own quirks and personalities.
"just alright? you wound me, angel."
this time, you rolled your eyes. you turn your head to the side to press your lips against the mole below his right eye. "you're beautiful too, sammy. you already know that." you huff out, your tone unmistakably soft. sam scoffed, nipping at her neck slightly. it was nice to hear that from you, regardless of what he thought about himself.
unfortunately for you, the compliment rushes to sam's head. he sits up slightly, his cock pressed against your lower stomach, a hand brushing over your cheek, moving your fanned hair out of your face. "are you sure you're okay with this? we can stopâ i'll put on a movie, and we can forgetâ"
you interrupt sam's worries by pressing a kiss to his palm. "yes sam, i'm sure. please." and that small act of intimacy followed by your voice pleading for him was enough reassurance for sam. no need to tell him twice.
sam pumps himself a few times, his eyes not once leaving yours. "scoot your hips up for me, honey." you oblige, and you can feel his cock pressed against your clothed entrance. the sight leaves nothing for the imagination and sam sighs as his fingers pulls your panties down to your ankles.
sam looks like he's in fucking heaven, his lips parted and staring at you bare in front of him. his thumb habitually moves to your clit, rubbing soft circles against it just to watch you squirm under him.
"sam, quit being a damn tease." you frown and wiggle your hips into his more. his gaze is making you shy, something you didn't know was even possible as an angel.
"innocent angel, my ass." sam mumbles under his breath, but he obliges, lining up his cock to you. he collects your slick with his tip, dragging the wetness over your already overstimulated clit. sam rubs it against your folds a few times, before pressing only about halfway in. the moan that leaves your lips is heavenly, so much so that sam's head has to fall to your shoulder and bites it softly so he doesn't cum too fast like a damn high schooler.
"you're so fucking tight, shitâ" sam groans and it's so dirty coming from him. he's usually so sweet to you, so hearing this is different. and arousing. but different. you'd expect this talk out of dean, not sam.
sam really wished he would've slept around a little more in college now because it was taking far too much concentration to not finish already.
"need to fuck you, baby. please." sam all but whimpers out. all of your beliefs, your nightly prayers, all of it was gone the second you felt him inside of you. you can only nod in response, your hands tugging at his waist to come closer to you.
sam stills, looking at you for a moment like he can't believe you want this. and slowly, he pushes in all the way, and you both share a pornographic moan.
sam is quiet as he lets you adjust to his size. he wasn't one to toot his own horn, but he was pretty big. and even though your vessel wasn't a virgin, mentally, you still were. sam had a mantra of things going through his head â the main ones being: please don't cum, please don't cum, please don't cum. don't say i love you. don't move too fast yet. let her adjust.
sam leans down to kiss your forehead. "good?" he hums.
you nod again. "hurts a little." and sam is nothing but patient, kissing each of your temples before brushing your hair away.
"i promise you're doing so good. it's gonna hurt for a moment. it'll feel better soon. just relax." sam murmured against your shoulder, his lips sighing down towards your collarbone. "gonna move now, sweet girl." calloused palms are pressing your thighs to your chest. he leans down enough so you can hold on to his shoulders if you need.
with one hand still on the back of your leg, and the other one cupping one of your breasts, he pulls out almost all the way before rocking in slowly. your eyes screwing shut from pleasure is enough to test the waters with a more heavy thrust. "that's it, baby. look at youâ" sam groans, his fingertips digging into your skin. his eyes were glued to where his cock was entering you rhythmically, and god, he could get addicted to that sight. sam could fucking see where the tip of his cock was pressing into your belly. his palm moved over it, adding slight pressure to your lower pelvis. the feeling made him groan out your name softly. he was just as loud as you were. "so beautiful."
part of you wanted sam to shut up so you could focus on the feeling of your walls fluttering around his cock, but the other half of you enjoyed the flithy words leaving his flushed lips.
"oh, fuck. sammy, 's too muchâ" you whimpered out, your hand squeezing his biceps. your legs wrapped around his waist to bring him closer, the balls of your heels digging against his ass. sam think he likes that you're not very vocal. it makes every beg, every moan that much more special to him. he was the only one who got to see his angel falling apart like this.
everything about sam is fucking massive, from his height, to his sheer size difference over you. it shouldn't have been shocking that his dick was huge too, but you felt it now. you felt every single inch, stretching you out, your arousal slipping down his shaft. sam's thrusts grew more feverish, his shaggy brown bangs falling into his face as his head fell forward slightly. "i know you can handle it baby." he grunted in response to your plea, hazel eyes fucked out with lust.
that feeling in your lower belly returned, and now, at least, you know what it meant. it was overwhelming, but not enough for you. your hand reached for sam's hand, guiding it to you clit. sam thought that was the hottest thing he'd ever fucking seen, and shuddered slightly. "you wanna cum around my cock? is that it, sweetheart?" sam asks, a small, contemplating smile on his lips.
you're writhing under his cock, your back arching off the bed, his thumb rubbing soft circles around your nub. you tap his bicep in warning of your approaching orgasm, but he doesn't stop. he doesn't slow down either. in fact, he ruts his hips faster. the feeling of you clenching around his dick is enough to send him over the edge, too. he's biting down hard on his cheek to stop himself from cumming before you. he wants, needs to see you cum first, before he can.
your face contorts into pleasure, and you cum hard, sam still fucking you through your orgasm. he groans and his eyes close when he watches you making a mess all over him. "thaaat's it. that's my girl." he encourages, the feeling of your walls clenching around him tipping him over the edge. "fuck. gonna fill you up." he grunts against your shoulder, his hips stuttering slightly and you moan as you feel his cock twitch inside you, before you feel cum spurt into your cunt.
sam pulls out a moment after, his eyes blown out when he watches his spend leak from your pulsating hole. he uses two fingers to spread it around over your folds. once he's satisfied with his handiwork, he slumps down into the bed next to you.
you're still a panting, sighing mess. you feel your legs twitch occasionally, and you're finally coming to your senses. you were just fucked stupid by your best friend. a human.
"jesus, sam. is this really what humans are doing?" you ask, out of genuine curiosity, and sam pinches your side with a slight laugh. he looks spent, almost as bad as you. his head falls to your shoulder, pressing his lips to the soft skin present.
"the lucky ones, yeah." sam huffs in amusement. "you're okay, right? i didn't hurt you, or pressure you or anything?" his voice is a little persistent, worried, already overthinking like he wasn't just inside of you.
"'course not. that was amazing. i think i'd go to hell if it meant having sex everydayâ i see why castiel was encouraging me into trying this." you tilt your head to the side, and sam raises an eyebrow. he didn't even dare ask what odd things castiel told you about. nor did he want to know. he couldn't see castiel doing anyone without scaring them away with his bluntness first.
sam chooses to ignore that, leaning over to pepper kisses onto your cheeks, nose, and forehead. anywhere you'll let him at this point. "you did amazing. absolutely drained me. y'sure you haven't done that before?" he teases, and you roll your eyes at him. your eyes watched him with concern when sam stood.
"alright, crazy girl. let's get you cleaned up."
#sam winchester x reader#sam winchester#supernatural#dean winchester#dean winchester smut#sam winchester smut
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I just had to spend 10 minutes scrolling through King's wiki page basically bc I forgot pretty much every detail about that bitch đ
#and i needed some of his backstory info for TWO fics#anyway guess who's gonna finally be getting back into writing fics?#this bitch#except starting next month for camp nano bc i got orientation coming up in a lil less than a week and i need to focus on that rn#but still!#Eternal gonna be a priority#with the 3000 year constant rewrite next#+ the prompts i still havent written#but mainly eternal!#I miss my baby#And i missed the 2 year anniversary of that fic so :(#im also probably gonna spend the last couple days of june binging the anime to remember some details bc while some things are different#others are pretty similar#and i need to refamiliarize myself with the nnt universe#its been so long since i actually interacted with any canon or fandom content for it#which is a shame#amber's shit you can ignore
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A MISJUDGMENT
pairing. tyler owens x fem!reader
summary. when kate drags you back to the home for a one-week stint to help out one of her old friends, you meet tyler owens. the uncouth cowboy and his reckless actions when dealing with something as dangerous as tornados almost instantly prick your nerves until you realize maybe there's more to the cowboy than meets the eye.
warnings. description of tornados, a curse word or two, slightly inaccurate meteorological info, reader is from the midwest.
word count. 2k || masterlist
a.n. did not expect my other fic to get so much love!! sending kisses to everyone who sent me such nice words <3 and I am having a ball with all of the wonderful requests I'm getting!!
The difference between the Oklahoma and New York was more jarring than you remembered. The wide-open skies and fields that stretched for miles were a distantly familiar sight as you stepped out of the truck. You had grown up in the Midwest, smack dab in the middle of tornado alley, which meant your youth was spent listening to your cautious mother warn you every tornado season of the dangers the storms posed so youâd always be prepared when worst came to worst. Youâd hunkered down more time than you could count in your storm cellar, listening to doors rattling and the radio speak. Your father was less cautious; he enjoyed watching the storms roll in on the front porch as he listened to the distant hum of sirens.Â
Youâd never been a fan of storms, not like your father. They made you nervous; the unpredictably and devastating destruction wasnât something you found fascinating enough to chase.
Moving to New York was a culture shock but you were lucky enough to score to a job working in tandem with someone who also grew up in tornado alley. You and Kate quickly became friends, bonding over your upbringing and knowledge of the weather. She had opened up to you about her storm-chasing days, all ending with the tragedy that took the lives of three people she loved. Her story only cemented your opinion of storm chasing; it was too risky. But she had suckered you in with your love for the science behind weather, and the next thing you know you were in Oklahoma with Kate and a friend of hers on a one-week mission.
You stuck back with the team in charge of reading the data the chasers collected. Your apprehension wasnât thwarted by Kateâs reassurance, but youâd always known her to be smart and she knew those storms better than anyone. Your distaste for storm chasers was not because of those there for the science of it all, but rather those who did it for the thrill.Â
Tyler Owens was exactly the kind of person you expected to drive into tornados with no regard for the danger. What he was doing, from what you gathered from Javiâs brief explanation, was for entertainment and the excitement of facing down peril, laughing in the face of it.Â
You stretched in the nighttime air as Kate closed the truck door behind her and turned to you with the same unsure smile sheâd been carrying around since you arrived in Oklahoma. You could tell her feelings were mixed about being back there, but you also saw the spark of enjoyment she was slowly relighting.Â
âIâll go check us in,â Kate said, gesturing to the front office of the motel before she took off. You leaned against the side of Javiâs truck, yawning and taking in the scene of more storm chasers lounging around the motelâs lot, enjoying each otherâs company as you all waited for another storm to pop up amidst the outbreak.Â
The sound of boots under gravel approached you, belonging to none other than Tyler Owens himself. âHow âya holding up, city girl?â he said.Â
He introduced himself to you and Kate when you first arrived with Javi, meeting his team and the other groups of chasers who were all gunning after the same storm. She had told him the two of you were in from New York for the week, and he assumed that meant you both were born and raised there. Maybe you had lost your Midwest twang during your stay, but no matter how far you moved away, a piece of you would always remain there.Â
âJust fine, thank you,â you replied. His team had set up not far from where you two stood; they all seemed busy working on their equipment, but their work was often cut by howls of laughter. They seemed to be enjoying themselves more than Javiâs team was. Theyâd all split up into separate rooms for the night, so theyâd be ready to leave first thing in the morning.Â
He rested his arm against the bed of the truck, making himself comfortable as he too looked out across the lot at the people. âIâve always wanted to visit New York City,â he said, surprising you. That seemed like the last place someone like him wanted to go. âWhatâs it like?âÂ
You shrugged. âA lot different than this.â You looked upwards at the sky, seeing stars blinking back at you. The skies were never that dark in New York City, but the towering buildings made for a cool scene too. âI havenât lived there too long, though. Iâm still figuring it out.â You were still trying to gauge if you liked it more than home. You liked the hustle and bustle most of the time, but being back under starry skies and open plains, you had to admit you missed it a little.Â
âReally?â he furrowed his brows. âWhereâd you move from?âÂ
âKansas.âÂ
He smiled in disbelief. âWell, Iâll be damned. City girlâs not actually a city girl after all.âÂ
âIâm full of surprises.âÂ
âIâm seeinâ that.â Tyler was quiet for a moment before he asked, âDo you miss it?âÂ
You werenât sure why he asked or why he seemed to care, but you answered regardless. âSometimes. Not so much the storms though.âÂ
He laughed. âYet, youâre out here storm chasing anyway?âÂ
âIâm just here to help my friend; their business is to help people. That kind of storm chasing I can get behind, I guess. Yours on the other handâŚâ You trailed off, and he scoffed in mock offense.Â
âMy kind of business is to face my fears.âÂ
It was your turn to scoff. âBy putting yourself and your friends in danger forâŚwhat, exactly? Your internet audience? I know plenty of people like you from back home. Youâre reckless and irresponsible.â You saw Kate waving you down by the stairs of the motel, flashing a set of room keys in the air. You said nothing more to Tyler, didnât even give him a chance to defend himself, before you walked off and into your room for the night
Youâd seen devastation before following a tornado, but it was still a harrowing sight. Homes flattened, family belongings flung miles away, and people left hurt in the ruins of their town. You, Kate, and all of Javiâs team arrived just as the storm subsided and the damage was fresh as wounds many of the townspeople bared. You wasted no time going around to help people; Kate did the same.Â
An old woman sat in her front yard, carefully cradling windchimes in her arms. âAre you all right?â you asked, kneeling down in the wet grass in front of her. She looked up slightly startled but smiled kindly as she shook her head. âOh, no. Iâm just fine, dear, thank you.âÂ
âHere you go, Ms. Riley,â a familiar voice sounded from behind you. You turned your head just as Tyler appeared, holding a small box in one hand and a little kitten in the other. The woman, Ms. Riley, gasped and sat her windchimes back on the grass. She took the kitten, teary-eyed, as it purred. âThereâs food there too. Make sure you eat, and if you need more my teamâs got a table set up just down the road, all right?âÂ
âThank you,â she said.Â
Tyler said nothing to you as he began to walk away, but you followed him, not catching up with him until he was at a little table surrounded by his team. They had a stack of brown boxes they were handing out, filled with sandwiches one of the members was making quickly. They also handed out bottles of water to the line of people who had just been affected by the storm.Â
One of his team members smiled at you, holding out a box of food. âYou hungry?â they asked, but you shook your head.Â
âNo. These people need it, but thanks.âÂ
You werenât sure for a moment that Tyler was going to say a word to you. You hadnât left your last conversation on the nicest note, only to find him and his team working hard to help the ravaged neighborhood.Â
But he turned toward you for a moment, looking a little conflicted. âAt least take a water,â he said before looking at another member of his team. âLily, can you take some boxes up the road? Thereâre some people who can make it all the way down here.â She nodded, filling her arms with the boxes before she took off.
You were quiet for a moment, staring at Tyler as he and his team came up with a plan to help and feed as many people as they could before night fell. You felt a complicated set of feelings topple over you. And as Tyler started to walk away, you surged forward and grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around.Â
âWhat can I do to help?âÂ
Together, you and Tyler spent the rest of the afternoon helping members of the neighborhood find their lost belongings and connected anyone with injuries to the EMTs working overtime. It wasnât until the sun started to set that you took a break, finding a blown-away lawn chair that was still usable to sit on. All day you had eaten your judgment and first impression of Tyler and his team. Maybe they all were reckless and a little irresponsible in their storm-chasing, but they were doing just as Kate was, helping people, just differently. He and his team apparently did that often and were some of the first responders to the damage the tornados they chased caused. You had overheard Lily tell Kate they used the money from their t-shirt sales to buy food for victims of the storm.Â
âHey,â Tyler greeted, approaching you with two boxes of food. âHere.â He handed onto to you before he found a seat and pulled it up beside you.Â
You thanked him before the two of you ate in silence for a little while. Some of the debris had been picked up, but the wrecked houses haunted the street. Youâd been lucky enough to never lose your home turning a storm, but you knew too many people who had. It was terrible. That was why you had gotten a metrology degree. You had witnessed the devastation storms brought and even though you were trapped behind a computer most days, your goal was to help improve warning systems for all kinds of disasters and ensure that people knew the best way to prepare for them, but it wasnât foolproof. Sometimes all there was to do was help pick up the pieces in the wake.Â
âI think I misjudged you,â you said, breaking the silence.Â
âYeah?â He smiled slightly, his face warmly illuminated by the ironically beautiful sunset. âAre you taking back the reckless and irresponsible comment?âÂ
âNo.â You smiled too. âBut maybe thatâs not such a bad thing. You guys did a good thing here, helping these people.âÂ
Maybe there was more to him than you had originally believed.Â
âItâs all a part of the job,â he said, a bit too casually for all of the work they actually did to help; one could say he was humble about it, which confused you even more. From the second he climbed out of his truck the first time you saw him, you were so sure you knew exactly the kind of guy he was.Â
âYou arenât exactly how I expected you to do,â you said, honestly.Â
He seemed to take that in stride, smirking at you bright enough to bring heat to your face. âWell, if you stick around, you might even get to like me.âÂ
You laughed. âDonât push your luck, cowboy.â But you had a feeling he right be right. The week wasnât over yet; you still had time to figure out exactly who Tyler Owens was.Â
#twisters 2024#twisters#tyler owens#tyler owens x reader#tyler owens x you#daisy edgar jones#twisters fanfic#glen powell#kate carter
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"Did the love affair maim you too?" | Part ii
Joel Miller xf!reader
part one | next part
chapter summary: After getting back his memories, Joel and you slipped away again.
word count: 15,3k (yes, it's longer than the first chapter)
warnings: angst, perhaps fluff, mentions of death, mentions of blood, and more angst, you will find out why Joel is mean in this chapter. I know I'm a teacher, but I didn't proofread, so I apologize for any mistake. paragraphs in italics indicate flashbacks.
a/n: Hello! The awaited part 2 of this story is here! I want to say thank you for the amount of love the previous part received, it was so nice to see all your reactions to this one! It was also my first fic reaching 1k> in less than a week and was overwhelming (positively). THIS IS NOT THE LAST PART, so stay tuned for the next! Reblogs and comments are always appreciated! happy reading and PLEASE tell me what you think. đ
dividers by @/saradika-graphics
For a mere second of time, wanting was enough for you. In a harsh reality where a tender love couldnât be part of the writing pages of a tragedy that had changed the plans destiny had for humanity, even a simple glimpse of a spark was enough to initiate the fire.
Finding a reason to wake up was enough. Joel was enough for you, even when it was a path with not a clear ending.
A lie.
A maim affair engulfed in fire burning your lungs.
A tragedy.
You looked up from your work as you sensed people entering at the place, your eyes meeting Joelâs for the first time. His expression was hard, his eyes narrowed as he sized you up. He didnât say anything at first, just watched you with a guarded look that made you feel like you were being evaluated.
âCan I help you?â you asked, trying to keep your voice steady under his intense gaze.
âShe needs that looked at,â he said, his tone brusque as he gestured to Ellieâs arm.
You nodded, motioning for Ellie to sit down. As you began to clean the wound, you could feel Joelâs eyes on you, watching your every move. It was as if he was waiting for you to make a mistake, to prove that you didnât belong there.
âSo, youâre infamous nurseâ Joel said after a moment, his voice still cool and distant.
You looked up from your work, meeting Joelâs eyes briefly before returning your focus to Ellieâs wound. His words hung in the air, a subtle challenge beneath the surface.
âInfamous?â you repeated, trying to keep your tone neutral. âI didnât know I had a reputation.â
Joel shrugged, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his gaze never leaving you. âSmall town. People talk.â
You nodded, understanding that this was as much about sizing you up as it was about Ellieâs injury. Youâd heard about Joelâeveryone in Jackson had. He was a protector, a survivor, and not someone who trusted easily.
âIâm just here to help,â you said, keeping your voice steady as you wrapped Ellieâs arm with a bandage. âThatâs all.â
Ellie, sensing the tension, glanced between the two of you, her eyes wide. âSheâs okay, Joel,â she said, trying to ease the atmosphere. âItâs just a scratch.â
Joel didnât respond to Ellie; his focus remained on you. There was something in his eyesâa guardedness, a wariness that told you he was waiting for you to prove yourself, or perhaps waiting for you to slip up.
âIâve been in Jackson for a few daysâ you continued, finishing up with Ellieâs bandage. âJust trying to do my part.â
âEveryoneâs got a part to play,â Joel said, his tone still clipped. âJust make sure you know yours.â
You felt the sting of his words but didnât let it show. Instead, you nodded, stepping back as Ellie hopped off the table.
âThanks,â Ellie said, giving you a small smile.
âYouâre welcome,â you replied, managing a smile in return.
Joel pushed off the wall, his eyes still on you as he motioned for Ellie to follow him. âLetâs go,â he said, his voice softening slightly when he spoke to her.
As they walked towards the door, Joel paused for a brief moment, his hand resting on the doorknob. He turned back, his eyes meeting yours once more. There was something in his gaze, something more than just suspicion. It was as if he was searching for something in you, trying to read who you really were beneath the surface.
For a second, the hardened lines of his face softened, but just as quickly, the guarded expression returned. Without another word, he turned away and led Ellie out of the infirmary, the door closing behind them with a quiet thud.
You felt like breathing again.
By the moment you had reached your house, the sun had barely risen, casting a pale light over the quiet settlement. A few people were starting their duties as you walked with dried tears on your face, just wanting not to be perceive and being able to take a shower and follow your routine as you always used to die it since your arrival, but the ache was bigger than your wiliness and you ended up lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, the horror on Joelâs face kept replaying in your mind. The heartbreak was raw and overwhelming, making it hard to breathe, let alone face the day.
You didnât even notice you had fallen sleep until a knock came at your door, it took a moment for you to register the sound. You dragged yourself out of bed, wiping at your newly fresh tears from your eyes and trying to compose yourself as best as you could.
Opening the door, you found Maria standing there, her expression concerned. âHey,â she said softly, her eyes scanning your face. âRamirez told me you didnât show up at the infirmary this morning. Thought Iâd check on you.â
You forced a weak smile, stepping aside to let her in. âThanks, Maria. I just... fell asleepâ
Maria nodded, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. She glanced around, taking in the disarray before turning back to you. âYou donât look like youâve slept much.â
âI had a pretty good sleepâ you said, voice breaking at how you so could still picturing Joelâs eyes looking at you with adoration last night âBut morning cameâ you said, voice breaking âJoel got his memory back.â
Maria's eyes widened with concern and understanding. She moved closer, gently placing a hand on your arm. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry.â
You nodded, tears welling up in your eyes again. "He doesn't remember loving me, Maria. He thinks I took advantage of him. He hates me."
Maria's expression softened, and she pulled you into a comforting hug. "I can't imagine how painful that must be for you. But you didn't take advantage of him. You both shared something real, even if he doesn't remember it now."
You clung to her, "I don't know what to do. I feel so lost right now."
Maria pulled back slightly, looking into your eyes. "Take it one step at a time. Give yourself permission to feel what you're feeling. And remember, you have people here who care about you. You don't have to go through this alone."
You nodded, trying to find some comfort in her words. "Thanks, Maria. I just... I don't know how to face him now."
Maria squeezed your hand reassuringly. "You don't have to figure it all out today. Take some time for yourself. Maybe stay away from the infirmary for a today? give yourself a break."
You sighed, feeling lost. "Yeah, maybe that's a good idea."
Maria smiled softly. "We'll figure this out together, okay? You're stronger than you think, and you have a lot of people who care about you."
You managed a small smile. "Thanks.â
She nodded, giving you another comforting squeeze before standing up. "I'll check in on you later, alright? And if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
As she left, you felt a small sense of humiliation, as if what had just happened was just a small piece of gossip to feed a community.
You stare at the wall for a minute, getting your stuff together. If you could get over what happened before arriving to Jackson, you could follow your life. Thatâs what you were making yourself believe.
So, you changed into new clothes, placing Joelâs shirt under your bed to not having sight of it again. And with a deep breath you left your house, walking to de infirmary to get your job done.
A broken heart wasnât really a big issue in an already broken world. Â
As you walked to the infirmary, the weight of the morning's events lingered in your chest. The usual bustle of the settlement seemed distant, like a muted backdrop to your internal turmoil. Every step felt heavy, but you kept moving, determined to focus on your responsibilities and find some semblance of normalcy.
Upon arriving at the infirmary, you were greeted by the familiar soft hum of activity. People glanced at you with curiosity, but no one asked any questions. You were grateful for their unspoken understanding, and you quickly immersed yourself in your tasks, finding solace in the routine.
Hours passed in a blur of tending to some Jackson residents, organizing supplies, and ensuring everything was in order. The work kept your mind occupied, though it couldn't completely drown out the ache in your heart.
As the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the room, you felt a tap on your shoulder. Turning around, you saw Maria standing there, her expression gentle yet firm.
"Hey," she said, her voice soft but steady. "How are you holding up?"
You managed a small, tired smile. "I'm getting by. Staying busy helps."
Maria nodded, understanding in her eyes. "I'm glad you're here. I just wanted to check in and see if you needed anything."
You shook your head. "I donât want to talk. Itâs overâ you said, avoiding her gaze.
She placed a reassuring hand on your arm. "I know you said you don't want to talk, but I'm here if you change your mind," she said softly. "Sometimes it helps to just let it out."
You looked at her, the pain still fresh in your eyes. "Thanks, Maria. Maybe... maybe later. I just need some time now."
She nodded, respecting your need for space. "Take all the time you need. Just remember, we're here for you."
You closed your eyes, taking a deep breath, a bit of rage simmered.
âYou all were the ones who told me to go for it. You told me Joel was in love for me and him recovering his memory wouldnât break what was there, but this morning he treated me like a whore and broke my heart.â
Maria's eyes filled with sympathy and regret. "I know, and I'm so sorry for what you're going through. We all believed it would be different. Joel... he's complicated. The things he's been through have left deep scars. But that doesn't excuse how he treated you."
You took a shaky breath, the pain still fresh and raw. "I just don't understand how it could change so quickly. One moment, we were so happy, and the next... he hates me."
Maria reached out, placing a comforting hand on your arm. "Joel's been through a lot, and sometimes people lash out when they're scared or confused. But that doesn't make it any easier for you. You deserve better than that."
You nodded, tears welling up again. "I just wanted to be happy. I thought we could be happy together."
Maria's grip tightened slightly, a gesture of support. "You will be happy again. It might not feel like it now, but you will. You're strong, and you have people who care about you. We'll get through this together."
Maria gave your arm one last reassuring squeeze before stepping back. You watched her leave, feeling of sorrow. The pain was still there, but you knew it would take time, but you also knew you wouldn't have to face it alone.
Later that evening, the emotional turmoil still roiling within you, you decided to head to the bar. You hoped the familiar atmosphere and a drink might help numb the pain, even if just for a little while. As you pushed open the door, the hum of conversations and the clinking of glasses filled the air, a stark contrast to the quiet despair you felt inside.
You made your way to the bar, trying to avoid looking around too much, but it was impossible not to notice Joel sitting at a table in the corner. His arm was wrapped around Lori, and they were laughing together, looking every bit like a happy couple. The sight hit you like a punch to the gut, the wound from the morningâs confrontation ripping open all over again.
Taking a deep breath, you walked up to the bar and ordered a drink, trying to keep your hands from shaking as you waited, Rick, the bartender, sensing your mood offered a small smile.
âWhatâs wrong with your face, darling?â he asked, concerned on his eyes.
You graced him with a small, tired smile at the question. âJust a rough day,â you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.
He nodded understandingly, setting your drink in front of you. âWell, hereâs something to help take the edge off. If you need anything, just let me know.â
âThanks,â you said, taking a sip of the drink. The warmth of the alcohol spread through you, momentarily dulling the pain.
As you sat there, trying to lose yourself in the comforting anonymity of the bar, you couldnât help but glance back at Joel and Lori. Their laughter and closeness were a stark contrast to the emptiness you felt. You turned away quickly, not wanting to see any more.
âIs it Joel?â Rick asked gently, his voice cutting through your thoughts.
You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak without breaking down.
He sighed sympathetically, shaking his head. âLove can be a real mess sometimes.â
You chuckled bitterly. âYeah, tell me about it.â
The bartender gave you a knowing look. âItâll get better, you know. It might not seem like it now, but time has a way of healing these things.â
You took another sip of your drink, hoping he was right. âI hope so.â
âIf you need anything, just ask me, okay?â he said, smiling at you before going back to his task.
You took another sip of your drink, hoping he was right. âI hope so.â
You nodded, trying to muster a smile in return. As the Rick moved away, you felt the weight of the day pressing down on you again. Lost in thought, you barely noticed the person sitting next to you until you felt their presence.
Turning slightly, you saw Joel, his expression unreadable. Your heart skipped a beat, a mix of emotions surging through you, all the pain, anger, and a lingering trace of love.
Perhaps he was here to apologize.
Joel cleared his throat, looking almost as uncomfortable as you felt. âHey,â he said softly, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.
You stared at him, trying to gauge his intentions. âHey,â you replied, your voice strained.
Joel shifted in his seat, glancing at the drink in front of you. âI didnât expect to see you here.â
You shrugged, not trusting yourself to say much more. The sight of him so close, the contrast memories of his tender touch last night and the harsh words from the morning still fresh, made it hard to breathe.
He took a deep breath, his eyes finally meeting yours. âLook, about this morningâŚI was asking myself if I should let my door open tonight for you to come in the lure or something?â
The laugh he made after that cracked your already broken heart. The sound was harsh, cruel, and it cut through you like a knife. Your eyes widened in disbelief, and you felt your entire body tense.
âYou think this is funny?â you asked, your voice barely above a whisper, trembling with hurt and anger. âYou think what happened between us is something to joke about?â
Joelâs laughter died on his lips as he saw the hurt and anger in your eyes. âI- â
âWhat did you mean? you interrupted, your voice rising despite your efforts to keep it steady. âBecause it sure as hell feels like youâre entertaining yourself by making jokes right now.â
Joel's face twisted into a bitter expression. âWhat do you expect me to say? That I suddenly remember everything and I'm head over heels for you? Life doesn't work that way, princessâ
Your heart sank further, the cruelty of his words stinging more than you wanted âYou donât have to be cruel to be funny, Joel. You could at least try to understand what Iâm going through.â
He leaned back, crossing his arms defensively. âUnderstand what? That youâre upset because you tried to rewrite a history that doesnât exist between us? Iâm sorry, but I canât change how I feelâor donât feel.â
You shook your head, feeling an anger bubbling within you. âYou donât get it.â You said, simply. Taking a seat on the stool, again.
Joelâs expression hardened. âYouâre too busy living in a fantasy to see that whatever you think happened between us is over. I donât remember it, and I donât care to. Move on.â
You looked at him, fighting the tears. âI will move on from you. Youâre not that important.â You looked towards the direction he had come from, not breaking the façade. You immediately spotted Lori who seemed amused at Joels treating you badly. âGo back to your woman, Millerâ
Joelâs jaw tightened at your words, and he leaned in closer, his voice low and laced with anger. âYou know what? I will. At least she knows where we stand. Unlike you, clinging to some fantasy that never existed.â
Your vision blurred with anger and hurt as you stared at him. âYou really think youâre better than me.â
He smirked, a cruel glint in his eyes. âIâm done with your drama.â
The words hit you like a slap, and before you could stop yourself, you balled your hand into a fist and swung at him. The punch landed squarely on his jaw, causing him to stagger back, a look of shock and pain flashing across his face.
The bar fell silent as everyone turned to witness the commotion. Joel touched his jaw, his eyes narrowing as he looked at you, anger and something elseâsomething more vulnerableâflickering in his gaze.
âDonât you ever talk to me like that againâ you spat, your voice trembling with the intensity of your emotions. âYou are the worst mistake Iâve done here.â
Joel's eyes blazed with a mix of anger and shock, but he didnât say anything. You could see his jaw clenching, and the vulnerability in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold, hardened look. The silence in the bar was deafening, every eye on you.
You didnât wait for his response. You turned on your heel and marched towards the door, your heart pounding in your chest. The weight of your emotions threatened to overwhelm you, but you refused to let Joel see you break down.
As you pushed the door open, the cool night air hit your face, offering a small respite from the intensity of the bar. You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself, but the tears you had been holding back finally spilled over. You wiped them away angrily, not wanting to show any more weakness.
As you stormed out into the night, the tears mingling with the cool air, you heard the door swing open behind you. Heavy footsteps quickly followed, and you knew who it was before you even turned around.
"Hey," Tommy called out, his voice filled with concern. "Wait up."
You spun around to face him, your anger and hurt bubbling over. "What do you want, Tommy?" you snapped, your voice trembling with emotion. "Did you come to see the fallout of your brother's words?"
Tommy stopped a few feet away, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "I came to check on you," he said softly. "I saw what happened in there. Are you okay?"
You laughed bitterly, the sound harsh and broken. "Do I look okay to you, Tommy? Your brother just ripped my dignity there?â
Tommy's eyes were filled with sympathy. "I know Joel can be a real asshole sometimes. But he's just confused. This whole memory thing has messed with his head."
You shook your head, the tears streaming down your face. "No, Tommy. This isn't his memory. He doesn't care about me. He never did. He never willâ
Tommy took a step closer, his expression pained. "That's not true. I know my brother, and I know he cared about you. He's just scared. He doesn't know how to handle this."
You scoffed, the anger boiling over. âCare about me?â you laughed. âHe was just dumfounded. What you saw inside is the real him.â
Tommy's face twisted with concern, his eyes pleading for you to understand. âLook, I know it seems like that right now, but Joelâs been through a lot. This memory thing has him all messed up.â
You shook your head, your voice trembling. âNo, Tommy. You didnât hear the things he said. He thinks I took advantage of him. He doesnât remember any of the good times, any of the moments we shared. He just sees me as some... some opportunist.â
Tommy sighed deeply, rubbing the back of his neck. âI donât know what to say. Joelâs always been stubborn, and this whole situation is making it worse. But youâre not alone in this. We all care about you.â
âCaring about me doesn't fix what he did," you said, your voice breaking. "He treated me like I was nothing.â
âI get it. I really do,â Tommy replied, his voice softening. âJust... give it time. Maybe things will get clearer.â
âTime wonât change what he said. It wonât change how he made me feel,â you replied, the bitterness in your voice evident.
Tommy opened his mouth to speak but then closed it, realizing there were no words that could ease your pain. He took a step back, giving you space. âIâm here if you need me. Just remember that.â
âI donât need the baby miller protecting me.â You spoke. âFrom now on, Iâm just the nurse and if you need me patrolling, I donât want Joel near me.â
Tommy's face fell slightly, but he nodded, understanding the gravity of your words. "Alright. I'll make sure to arrange things so you don't have to cross paths with him."
You could see the concern in his eyes, but you didn't have the energy to address it. "Thank you," you said, your voice hollow. "I need to be alone now."
Tommy hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Take care of yourself, alright?" He turned and walked back towards the bar, leaving you standing alone in the quiet night.
As you watched him go, you felt a mixture of relief and sadness. The night air was cool against your skin, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside you. You wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to find some semblance of comfort.
Turning away from the bar, you started walking, not sure where you were heading but knowing you needed to move. Each step felt heavy, but you forced yourself to keep going. You would find a way to heal, even if it felt impossible right now.
One step at a time, you told yourself again. One step at a time.
Week one.
You had promised yourself to not having. And Joel had had started to have punctuating headaches.
When he arrived, he noticed another guy standing where you used to be. The unfamiliar face caught him off guard, and a sense of unease settled in his stomach.
"Where's the nurse?" Joel asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
The new guy, a young man with sandy hair and a nervous demeanor, looked up from his preparations. "She asked to be reassigned. Said she didn't want to do patrols anymore."
Joel's heart sank. "Did she say why?"
Before the guy could answer, Tommy walked over, overhearing the conversation. "I'll take it from here," Tommy said, looking at the new guy, who nodded and walked away.
Joel turned to Tommy, his expression a mix of confusion and worry. "What's going on, Tommy? Why'd she ask to be reassigned?"
Tommy sighed, crossing his arms. "She didn't want to be around you, Joel.â
Joel felt a pang of guilt and frustration. "I didn't mean for things to get this bad. I was just... I was trying to deal with everything, I think I handled it wrong."
Tommy nodded. "Yeah, you did. And now sheâs moving on as you asked her to.â
Joel's chest tightened at Tommy's words. "I didn't think she'd actually wasâŚI- I thought sheâd... I donât know, understand.â
"Understand what, Joel?" Tommy asked, his tone sharper than usual. "That you were scared and hurt, so you took it out on her? You made your bed, now youâve gotta lie in it."
Joel ran a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of his mistakes. âOkay whatâs so wrong? Since when she is in love with me?â
âDid you know she was the one who brought you back here when you feel and hit your head so hard you forgot about her? Or about all this past year?â Tommy said exasperated, âShe was there for you every single day and man, she was scared of letting you in because she knew all this was going to happen.â
Joel's mind reeled as Tommy's words sank in. "She brought me back?" he echoed, a wave of guilt washing over him.
"Yeah," Tommy said, his voice heavy with frustration. "She did everything for you. Every single day. And you just pushed her away like she meant nothing."
Joel felt his heart constrict. He had been so consumed by his own confusion and pain that he hadnât stopped to consider what she had gone through. "I didn't know. I didn't remember."
"Thatâs the point, Joel. You didn't remember, and instead of trying to understand, you lashed out at her."
Joel nodded slowly, trying to absorb the pieces of new information.
"You can't just fix this with a few words, Joel.â Tommy added, as if he had just read his brotherâs mine. âShe had gone through much already.â
âWhat do you mean by that?â Joel asked, concern came from nowhere.
Tommy sighed deeply, looking away for a moment before meeting Joel's gaze again. "She went through hell before she even got here, Joel.â
Tommyâs words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of unspoken pain. Joel's brow furrowed as he tried to grasp what his brother was saying.
"What do you mean?" Joel asked, his voice low and hesitant, the concern now unmistakable.
Tommy looked at him for a long moment, as if debating whether to reveal something he wasnât sure Joel was ready to hear. Finally, he sighed, his expression softening with a mix of empathy and frustration.
"She was on her own for a long time before she found Jackson," Tommy began, his tone measured. "Lost her family, everyone she ever cared about. Saw things that would break most people. But she survived. She made it here, and despite everything, she decided to stay and help us. She didnât have to, but she did. And when you came back hurt and lost, she put everything into helping you, even though she knew it was a risk."
Joel felt a lump forming in his throat as Tommy spoke. He had been so wrapped up in his own struggles that he hadnât seen the depth of what she had endured.
"And you," Tommy continued, his voice thick with emotion, "you were her last straw, Joel. She let her guard down for you, and you crushed her.
Joelâs heart ached at Tommyâs words. He felt the sting of regret deep in his chest, knowing that he had only added to her pain.
"Tommy, I..." Joel started, but the words failed him. What could he say that would make any of this right?
"You need to understand something, Joel," Tommy said, his voice firm but not unkind. "Sheâs not just some woman whoâs here to patch us up and send us on our way. Sheâs a survivor, just like us. And she deserves a hell of a lot better than what you gave her."
Joel nodded, feeling the full weight of his actions pressing down on him. He realized now just how much he had taken for granted, how much he had failed to see.
That same afternoon, the weight of his guilt and determination pressing heavily on his chest, Joel made his way to the infirmary. He had rehearsed what he would say a hundred times in his head, but the closer he got, the more uncertain he felt. He needed to talk to you, to apologize, to start making things right.
When he arrived, he hesitated at the door, taking a deep breath before pushing it open. The familiar smell of antiseptic and the soft hum of activity greeted him as he stepped inside.
You were at the far end of the room, organizing supplies and preparing to leave for the day. Your back was turned to him, and for a moment, he just stood there, unsure of how to start. But then you sensed his presence and turned around, your eyes meeting his.
For a brief second, something flickered in your gazeârecognition, maybe even surpriseâbut it was quickly replaced by a cold, distant expression.
"Hey," Joel said, his voice sounding more tentative than he intended.
You didnât respond right away. Instead, you continued with what you were doing, organizing a stack of medical supplies. It was clear you were trying to keep busy, to avoid engaging with him.
"Can we talk?" Joel asked, taking a cautious step closer.
You paused, your hands stilling for a moment before you turned to face him fully. Your expression was unreadable, your eyes guarded. "I'm busy, Joel," you said, your tone clipped and distant.
Joel felt a pang in his chest at your coldness, but he knew he deserved it. "I know. I just... I wanted to apologize. For everything. I know I hurt you, and Iâm sorry."
You looked at him for a long moment, your expression hard. "I donât need your apologies," you replied, your voice steady but laced with an edge of bitterness. "Whatâs done is done."
Joel swallowed, feeling the sting of your words. "I understand that, but I still want to make things right. I want to try."
You shook your head, a small, bitter smile tugging at the corner of your lips. "You canât just fix this with a few words, Joel. You made it clear how you felt. I was so pathetic for seeking tender love in a world like this, and I was so pathetic for accepting it from you."
Joel flinched at your words, the harsh truth of them cutting deep. He opened his mouth to respond, to say somethingâanythingâthat might reach you, but you were already moving past him, grabbing your coat and heading for the door.
"Wait," he said, reaching out to stop you, but you brushed past him without a second glance.
"Iâm done with this conversation, Joel," you said over your shoulder, your voice cold and final. "If you have something to say, save it for someone who cares or maybe for when you fuck Lori.â
For a long moment, he didnât move, his heart pounding in his chest as he replayed the conversation in his head. The way you looked at himâso detached, so unlike the sweet person you wereâshattered any remaining hope he had of mending things between you. Joel clenched his fists frustration welling up inside him.
And with that, you were gone, leaving Joel standing in the infirmary, the empty room echoing with the silence of everything left unsaid.
Week two.
The distance between you and Joel grew even wider. You kept yourself busy with your duties at the infirmary, throwing yourself into work to avoid thinking about him. Jackson was large enough that it wasnât hard to avoid each other, especially since you made a point to steer clear of any places where you might run into him.
Joel, on the other hand, wasnât faring as well. The days felt like they were dragging on, each one heavier than the last. The guilt and the lingering regret of how things had ended between you, was starting to take a toll on him. He found it harder to concentrate on anything, his mind constantly wandering back to you, replaying your last conversation over and over again.
Things hadnât started bad between the both of you. There was a time, not too long ago, when things between you and Joel had been differentâbetter. When you first arrived in Jackson. He was wary, of course, just as everyone. People with big walls up for protecting the same from the dangers from the outside.
Initially, he had kept his distance, observing you with a cautious eye. But as days turned into weeks, something shifted. Youâd taken on the role of a nurse with a quiet determination, and your compassion and dedication gradually began to break through the walls Joel had built around himself.
There was one particular evening when you both found yourselves at a small community gathering. It was one of those special moments for people to unwind and reconnect. Joel, usually reserved and gruff, had shown up with Ellie in tow, and you were surprised to find him engaging in casual conversation, a rare sight indeed.
You and Joel had ended up chatting while sitting around a makeshift bonfire. The conversation had started with practical mattersâhow best to handle a certain type of injury or a recommendation for new suppliesâbut soon it evolved into more personal topics. Joel had shared stories from his past life, and you found yourself opening up about your own one.
The old versions of two people trapped in the endless tragedy
The atmosphere was relaxed, and for the first time, you saw a different side of Joel.
Joel was seated across from you, a relaxed look on his face that you rarely saw. His eyes, usually so guarded, were softer tonight. Ellie was nearby, occupied with a makeshift game sheâd crafted from scavenged materials.
âSo, you actually went through all that trouble for a single, mediocre meal?â you asked, chuckling at Joelâs tale of a particularly botched cooking attempt.
Joel grinned, a rare and genuine smile that lit up his face. âYouâd be surprised what we went through to get even a half-decent meal back then. We were pretty desperate.â
You laughed, shaking your head. âI canât imagine. Iâm just grateful for what weâve got now, even if itâs not gourmet.â
Joel nodded in agreement. âYeah, things are better here. A lot better than they were.â
There was a comfortable silence between you, punctuated only by the crackling of the fire. You glanced at Joel, noticing how his eyes softened as he spoke. âIâm glad youâre here. Itâs nice to have someone who understands what itâs like out there.â
Joel met your gaze, his expression sincere. âAnd Iâm glad youâre here too. Youâve done a lot for everyone. For Ellie, especially.â
For Joel, dealing with all of this started to become unbearable the moment migraines hit. They had started as a dull ache, a constant pressure in his head that he could push through if he focused hard enough. But as the days went on, the pain intensified, becoming sharp and unrelenting. The pounding in his skull would come in waves, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. He tried to hide it at first, not wanting anyone to see him weak, but it wasnât long before people began to notice.
Heâd find himself gripping the edges of tables or leaning against walls to steady himself, his vision blurring as the pain surged through him. He hadnât had migraines like this in years, not since the early days when the world had first gone to hell. But these were different, more intense, and he couldnât shake the feeling that they were somehow connected to something else.
Maybe someone, his thoughts screamed.
Tommy noticed too, of course. He had been keeping a close eye on his brother ever since the confrontation in the infirmary, and it didnât take long for him to realize that something was wrong.
Joel had just returned from patrol; his face pale and his movements unsteady. As he walked through the door of the house, he winced, his hand pressing against his temple. The migraine had hit him hard, and he was struggling to keep it together.
Tommy was already in the kitchen, grabbing a drink when he noticed Joelâs distress. He set the cup down, crossing the room quickly. âYou okay, Joel?â he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Joel tried to force a casual shrug, but the pain in his head made it difficult. âYeah, justââ He hesitated, trying to find a plausible excuse. ââjust got a bit of a headache. My new patrol partnerâs been causing me more stress than usual. You know how it is.â
Tommy raised an eyebrow, skeptical. âYour new partner? Weâve only had him for a few days. Doesnât seem like heâd cause this much trouble.â
Joel rubbed his temples more vigorously, trying to stave off the waves of pain. âItâs been rougher than I expected, okay? Just one of those days.â
Tommy didnât look convinced, but he didnât push the issue further. âAlright, if you say so. But if this keeps up, you should get it checked out. Donât let it go too long.â
Joel nodded, grateful for Tommyâs concern but unwilling to admit the full extent of his struggle. âYeah, Iâll be fine. Just need to rest.â
Joel couldnât even convince himself. He just didnât find strength to face you.
That evening, the bar was lively, filled with the hum of conversation and laughter. Joel sat at a corner table with Lori, Tommy, and Maria. He was trying to focus on the conversation, but the throbbing pain in his head made it difficult. Lori, noticing his discomfort, kept a concerned eye on him, occasionally reaching out to touch his arm reassuringly.
As you walked in, the barâs ambient noise seemed to momentarily quieten, and Joelâs gaze instinctively shifted toward you. You moved with purpose, but your demeanor was cold and distant. Tommy and Maria spotted you first and greeted you warmly.
âHey, itâs good to see you,â Tommy said, waving you over.
Maria offered a friendly smile. âYeah, come join us.â
You returned their greetings with a nod, but when your eyes met Joelâs, you turned your attention elsewhere, ignoring him completely. Joel shifted in his seat, trying to hide his discomfort, but the strain was visible in the tense lines of his face.
Lori noticed the awkwardness and frowned. âYou could at least hide you jealously and stop being a mean bitchâ she said to you, loud enough for everyone around to shut.
The barâs noise seemed to drop as Lori's words cut through the air. You felt every eye on you as the tension escalated.
You turned to Lori, your face hardening. âIâm not here to entertain you or play nice.â
Loriâs face flushed with anger. âWell, if you canât be civil, then maybe you shouldnât be here at all.â
Joel, trying to defuse the situation, interjected, âLori, thatâs enough.â His voice was strained, both from the growing migraine and the emotional weight of the confrontation. âWe donât need to make this any worse.â
âNo! Iâm tired of this bitch being a pain to us just because you donât love her backâ she continued, calling you out.
Joelâs face tightened with a mix of frustration and pain. âLori, seriously, stop. This isnât helping anyone.â
You stood tall, your voice icy as you spoke. âI donât need a lecture from you or anyone else. Iâve been nothing but professional, and thisââ you gestured between yourself and Joel, ââis a personal matter. Iâm done being the target of everyoneâs frustration.â
Joelâs gaze wavered, his eyes reflecting the hurt from your words. âYou donât have to be like this.â
âNo,â you snapped, âI donât have to be here at all. If you want to know why Iâm acting this way, itâs because I donât want to be around someone who canât see my worth.â Your voice cracked with emotion. âYou can keep Joel. I donât want a man who canât appreciate me.â
You sighed, taking a deep breath. âIâm so done with all your pity because the man Iâm in love with doesnât remember loving me. But life moves on, and so do I. Iâm done being the center of anyoneâs misplaced sympathy.â You sighed a little, embarrassment creeping up your body âIâm just- I want you all to stop talking about me as if Iâm a broken little girl, please.â
With a final, resolute glance at the group and the rest of people inside, you turned and walked out of the bar. The door swung shut behind you, the muffled noise of the bar fading as you stepped into the night.
Joel froze there, the harsh sting of your words lingering.
The man Iâm in love with.
Why did you even love him?
Joelâs heart pounded in his chest as he processed your words. The sting of your rejection mixed with the searing pain in his head, making it hard to think clearly. He stood frozen for a moment, watching you leave, his mind racing with regret and confusion.
After a few seconds, he shook himself out of his daze. He could feel Loriâs eyes on him, her frustration still palpable. Ignoring her, Joel pushed himself up from the barstool, his movements tense and hurried.
âSorry, I need to go,â he muttered, his voice rough and distant. He didnât wait for a response and headed for the door. As he stepped outside, the cool night air hit him, offering a brief reprieve from the oppressive atmosphere of the bar.
Joel saw you standing just outside the bar, leaning against the wall with your arms crossed tightly over your chest. The cool night air seemed to accentuate the solitude you radiated, and the flickering streetlight cast uneven shadows over your face. Joelâs heart ached as he approached, the intensity of his migraine fading into the background compared to the weight of his regret.
He stopped a few feet away, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Hey," he said, his voice rough but gentle. "I didn't mean to... to make things worse tonight."
You looked up, your eyes meeting his. They were red-rimmed, a sign of the emotional toll the evening had taken. "What do you want, Joel?" Your voice was quiet but edged with defiance.
Joel shifted uncomfortably, the words coming out in a rush. "I know I screwed up. I know I canât undo whatâs been done. But I want you to know that Iâm sorry. I was a damn fool, and I didnât see how much you were hurting."
You shook your head, looking away. "Itâs too late for apologies. You made your choices."
âI know,â Joel admitted, his voice heavy with sorrow.
âGo back inside to your womanâ you said, voice steady yet the truth of the words cut your throat.
Joel looked at you, his eyes filled with an aching with regret and yearning. He could feel the pounding in his head lessen, as if your presence, though tense and fraught with pain, was soothing the storm within him.
He swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. "I don't want to go back inside. I came out here to talk to you. I need to explainâ"
You cut him off, your voice colder now. "I donât want explanations, Joel. I want you to be honest with yourself and with me."
Joel's expression faltered, his usual resolve wavering under the weight of his migraine and the emotional strain. "I don't know what to say," he admitted quietly. "Every time I try to make things right, I just seem to make it worse."
"Look," Joel said, taking a step closer, though he kept a respectful distance. "I know I canât fix everything right now, and I know Iâve hurt you more than I ever intended. But if there's any chance at all to mend things, I want to try. I need to try."
You glanced at him, feeling the strange mix of emotions. His presence, his apology, even his struggle, created a confusing pull. You nodded, not trusting your voice.
"Just... take things slow," you said finally, your voice softening slightly. "Show me, donât just tell me."
You gave him one last, lingering look before turning away, the night air feeling strangely lighter as you walked back toward your house. Joel watched you go, a fragile sense of relief mingled with the lingering weight of his migraine.
Joel nodded, his heart aching.
Week three
The situation between you and Joel remained tense and unresolved. Despite the brief moment outside the bar, there was still an emotional chasm between you two. Meanwhile, Joel's migraines continued to worsen, each one more debilitating than the last. The pain had become a constant companion, gnawing at him, making it difficult to focus on anything else.
Tommy had been watching his brother closely, his concern growing with each passing day. He had noticed how Joel winced at the slightest noise, how he gripped the edges of tables to steady himself, and how he often retreated to dark corners to try and alleviate the pain. Tommy knew something had to give, and he wasn't sure how much longer Joel could keep this up, especially with patrols still on the agenda.
During the morning, as the patrol assignments were being handed out, Tommy pulled Joel aside. âYou sure youâre up for this?â he asked, his voice laced with concern. âThese migraines⌠theyâre getting worse, Joel.â
Joel nodded, though the movement sent a sharp pain through his temples. âIâll be fine,â he muttered, not wanting to admit how bad things had really gotten. âJust need to keep moving, keep my mind off it.â
Tommy sighed, not entirely convinced. âAlright, but Iâm pairing you up with someone who wonât hesitate to call for backup if things go south.â
Joel raised an eyebrow, wondering who Tommy had in mind. His answer came when you walked into the room, your expression unreadable as you glanced at Tommy, then at Joel.
âYouâre on patrol with Joel today,â Tommy said, his tone firm, leaving no room for argument. âConsider it part of the consequences for that little outburst at the bar the other night.â
You opened your mouth to respond, but then closed it, seemingly deciding against saying anything. Instead, you simply nodded, surprising both Tommy and Joel.
Due to your situation with Joel, you would have argued, pushed back, but you didnât. Whether it was out of a sense of duty, or because you had your own reasons for going along with the assignment, neither man could tell.
Joel looked at you, his expression hard to read. He wasnât sure what to expect, but he knew that this patrol was going to be anything but ordinary. The tension between you two was palpable, and the fact that you hadnât fought the assignment left him uneasy.
As the two of you geared up and headed out, the silence between you was thick, neither of you willing to break it first. The path ahead was familiar, but the atmosphere was charged with unresolved emotions and the weight of things left unsaid.
As you and Joel prepared to head out for patrol, Tommy pulled you aside, his expression serious. âListen, I know things are tense between you two, but if Joel starts feeling bad, you come back immediately. No heroics, no pushing through it. Understood?â
You nodded, not meeting Tommyâs eyes. âUnderstood,â you replied, your tone neutral. The truth was, you didnât know how you felt about being on patrol with Joel, but you werenât going to argue with Tommyâs orders.
Tommy looked at you for a moment, as if he wanted to say more, but he held back. Instead, he just gave you a small nod before turning back to Joel, who was adjusting his gear a few feet away.
Joel caught Tommyâs eye, and there was a silent exchange between the brothersâTommyâs concern evident, and Joelâs stubborn determination clear.
Once outside the gates, the silence stretched between you and Joel, heavy and uncomfortable. The forest around you was quiet, the only sound was the crunch of your boots on the dirt path. You kept your eyes ahead, focused on the task at hand, but you couldnât help but be aware of Joelâs presence beside you.
As you walked, you noticed something strange. Joel, who had been rubbing his temples and wincing in pain earlier, seemed to be a bit more at ease. The tight lines of pain on his face had softened, and he wasnât clutching his head like he usually did.
You didnât want to think too much about it, but you couldnât help but wonder if your presence had something to do with it.
Joel, too, was aware of the change. He had been bracing himself for another wave of pain, expecting the migraine to hit hard as it had been for days now. But instead, he felt⌠better. The pain was still there, lurking in the background, but it was muted, manageable. And the only thing that had changed was that you were with him.
As you continued walking, the strange shift in the atmosphere didnât go unnoticed. Joel glanced at you every now and then, his brow furrowing slightly, as if he was trying to figure out what had changed. You kept your focus straight ahead, but the weight of the unspoken tension between you two was hard to ignore.
After a while, you slowed down and finally came to a stop, gesturing for Joel to halt as well. Without saying anything, you walked over to your horse and untied a small bouquet of flowers that had been carefully wrapped and secured to the saddle.
Joel watched, puzzled, as you held the bouquet tightly in your hand. "Just... just wait for me here for a bit," you said quietly, your voice barely above a whisper. There was a softness to your tone that caught Joel off guard, and he nodded, sensing that whatever you were about to do was important.
You walked a short distance off the path, through the dense trees and underbrush, until you reached a small clearing. The air was still, and the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
Joel stayed where he was, leaning against his horse, but his eyes followed you, curiosity and concern mingling in his expression.
In the clearing, you knelt down beside a small, unmarked grave, the earth slightly raised from where you had buried your boyfriend two years ago.
You placed the bouquet gently on the grave, your fingers lingering for a moment on the petals. Your heart ached with the familiar pang of loss, the pain of carrying love for someone who was no longer here. It was a pain you had learned to carry with you, but it never really went away.
As you knelt there, a few silent tears slipped down your cheeks, and you quickly wiped them away. This was a private moment, one you hadnât shared with anyone, not even Joel. He had no idea about the depth of your loss, about the man you had loved and lost before arriving in Jackson.
When you finally stood up and turned back toward the path, Joel was still waiting, his expression unreadable. You walked back to him in silence, feeling the weight of your emotions pressing down on you.
"You alright?" he asked, his voice soft as his eyes studied your expression.
You didnât answer right away, your fingers brushing lightly against your jacket. Finally, you spoke, your voice barely above a whisper. "This is where I buried him. My fiancĂŠ."
Joelâs heart sank as he remembered the voice of Tommy telling him some things he didnât even remember about you. And now seeing you here, in this quiet, sacred place, made the weight of your grief all the more real.
"I didnât know," Joel said, his voice laced with regret. He felt a pang of guilt for not being there for you when you had gone through this, for not understanding just how much you had carried with you all this time. "Iâm sorry."
You nodded slowly, still staring at the grave. "Itâs been a long time since Iâve come here. I didnât think Iâd be able to handle it, but⌠I guess I needed to say goodbye again. Properly."
Joel stepped closer, his presence a comforting warmth at your side. He didnât know what to say, but he knew he needed to be there, to offer whatever solace he could.
"He was a good man," you continued, your voice stronger now. "He was kind, patient, everything I could have asked for. But this world⌠it takes everything good and leaves you with nothing but memories."
Joel clenched his jaw, feeling the familiar ache of loss that never truly went away. He knew all too well the pain of losing someone you loved, the emptiness that followed, the way it changed you forever.
"He deserved better," you said, your voice cracking slightly. "He deserved a future, a life. But instead⌠he got this."
Joel rested his hand gently on your shoulder. "Iâm sorry," he repeated, the words feeling inadequate but all he could offer.
But instead of finding solace in his touch, you flinched, the weight of everything crashing down on you all at once. The grief, the anger, the overwhelming sense of lossâit all came flooding back, and you couldnât handle it, not right now.
âDonât touch me, okay?â you said, your voice trembling as you pulled away from him, putting a small but significant distance between you. You didnât want to hurt him, but you needed space, needed to breathe without feeling like you were suffocating under the weight of your emotions.
Joel froze, his hand lingering in the air for a moment before he slowly lowered it, the rejection hitting him harder than he expected. He swallowed, trying to push down the rising tide of guilt and pain that your words had stirred up.
âOkay,â he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He knew better than to push, knew that you needed time to process everything on your own. But it didnât stop the sting of your words from cutting deep, reminding him of all the ways he had failed before, all the ways he had let the people he cared about slip through his fingers.
âPeter was the only man who deserved my love,â you said, your voice laced with a mix of bitterness and sorrow. The truth of it stung, cutting through the air like a blade. You didnât mean to be cruel, but the words slipped out before you could stop them, a reflection of the turmoil swirling inside you.
Joel swallowed hard, the hurt in his eyes evident as he processed what you had just said. He knew you were grieving, that you were speaking from a place of pain, but it didnât make the words any easier to hear. For a moment, he didnât know how to respond, his mind reeling from the sudden shift between you.
âI get it,â he finally said, his voice tight with emotion. âYou loved him. And he was⌠he was a good man. Better than me.â
He looked away, unable to meet your gaze, feeling the weight of his own inadequacies bearing down on him.
 âYes, he wasâ you said without a doubt. âAnd that killed him.â
Joelâs heart clenched at your words, the blunt truth of them landing like a blow. He kept his eyes fixed on the ground, the weight of your statement pressing down on him. The silence between you grew thicker, charged with the grief and anger that neither of you could fully express.
âHe and I had a kidâ you confessed, you heart clenched at the memory of that little boy you took care of for five years of your life.
Joelâs head snapped up at your confession, his eyes widening in shock. The weight of what you had just revealed hit him hard, leaving him momentarily speechless.
âHe and I⌠we had a kid,â you repeated, your voice trembling as you forced the words out. Your heart ached at the memory of the little boy you had taken care of, loved, for five years of your life. The pain of losing him, of losing the family you had built, was still fresh, a wound that hadnât even begun to heal.
Joelâs expression softened, the anger and frustration that had been simmering beneath the surface giving way to something deeperâcompassion, understanding, and an overwhelming sense of sorrow for everything you had lost. He could see the pain etched into your features, the way your shoulders slumped under the weight of your grief, and it broke something inside him.
âIâm so sorry,â he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He didnât know what else to say.
Tears welled up in your eyes, and you quickly wiped them away, not wanting to break down in front of him. âHis name was Sam,â you continued, your voice barely above a whisper. âHe was just a baby when we found him, abandoned⌠we took him in, raised him as our own. And then, one dayâ you sobbed, âThey killed himâŚThose fucking soldiers killed him.â
âPeter and I had planned on how leaving all behind, he had hear about Jackson from a friend, and then he trusted the wrong people.â
Joelâs breath caught in his throat as he listened to you, the horror and anguish in your voice cutting through him like a knife. He could see the pain etched deeply into your features, the way your body trembled with the force of your grief. The image of what you had enduredâlosing not just your partner but the child you had raised together, taken away in such a cruel and senseless wayâwas almost too much to bear.
âThey killed him,â you repeated, your voice thick with emotion as tears streamed down your face. âThey took everything from me⌠from us. We just wanted to be safe, to give him a life that meant something. But those soldiers⌠they didnât care. They saw us as a threat, as nothing more than collateral damage.â
Joelâs fists clenched at his sides, anger surging through him at the thought of what had been done to you and your family. He knew the kind of world you were living in, where trust was a dangerous thing, and hope could be ripped away in an instant. But knowing it didnât make it any easier to accept.
âIâm so sorry,â Joel murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He wanted to say more, to find the right words to ease your pain, but everything felt inadequate in the face of such a profound loss.
You took a shaky breath, trying to steady yourself as you continued. âPeter and I⌠we had it all planned out. We were going to leave everything behind, start over in Jackson. He had heard about it from a friend, and it seemed like the only chance we had. But⌠he trusted the wrong people.â
Your voice broke again, the sobs coming harder now as you relived the nightmare. âThey promised us safe passage, said theyâd get us out. But it was a trap. They turned us over to the soldiers, and Sam⌠he didnât stand a chance. He was just a little boy. He didnât even know what was happeningâŚâ
Joel felt a lump in his throat, his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him as he watched you unravel before him.
Without thinking, Joel stepped closer, pulling you into his arms and holding you tightly against him. He didnât say anything, didnât try to offer empty words of consolation. He just held you, letting you cry against his chest, his hand gently stroking your back in an attempt to soothe you.
The world had gone eerily quiet after the gunfire ceased, the only sounds left were your ragged breaths and the distant cries of crows circling overhead. You could still feel the heat from Peterâs body fading beneath your hands, his blood soaking into the earth beneath him. The image of his lifeless eyes, staring blankly up at the sky, was seared into your mind, a horrific reminder that he was gone, that the man you loved, the father of your child, was never coming back.
You had been too stunned to cry, too numb to feel anything beyond the cold realization that you were alone.
Hours seemed to pass in a blur before you finally forced yourself to move. You couldnât stay there, not with Peterâs body cooling beside you, not with the knowledge that those men might come back to finish what they started. So, you rose on shaky legs, your heart pounding in your chest, and stumbled away from the scene of the massacre, your mind numb as you left him behind.
The sun had begun to set by the time you found the old cabin, hidden deep within the woods. It was small, decrepit, with broken windows and a door that hung askew on its hinges, but it was shelter, and that was all that mattered. You pushed open the door and stepped inside, the musty smell of decay filling your nostrils as you surveyed the dark, empty space.
It felt wrong to be alive, to still be breathing when Peter wasnât, when Sam wasnât. But survival was instinctual, and something inside you kept pushing you forward, kept you searching for a way to stay alive, even when all you wanted was to curl up and disappear.
You sank to the floor, your back pressed against the rough wooden wall as the tears finally began to fall. They came slowly at first, like a trickle, but soon they turned into gut-wrenching sobs that echoed through the empty cabin. You clutched your knees to your chest, rocking back and forth as the storm outside began to roll in.
The wind picked up, howling through the trees and rattling the cabinâs fragile walls. Rain began to pour in heavy sheets, drumming against the roof and leaking through the cracks, pooling on the floor around you. Lightning flashed, illuminating the dark interior in brief, blinding bursts, and the thunder that followed was so loud it shook the very foundation of the cabin.
You were alone for the first time in years, truly, devastatingly alone. The weight of that realization crushed you, making it hard to breathe, hard to think of anything other than the emptiness that stretched out before you. The storm outside mirrored the chaos inside you, the violence of it a reflection of the torment that raged in your heart.
Maria and a group of people found you two days later
And you had become terrified of storms ever since. Â
You stiffened in Joelâs arms, the overwhelming flood of emotions too much. You couldnât let yourself be comforted, couldnât let someone else get close, not after everything youâd lost. The fear of opening up, of allowing yourself to be vulnerable again, was suffocating.
âDonât,â you whispered, your voice cracking as you stepped back, pulling away from him. âDonât touch me.â
Joelâs arms fell to his sides, the rejection clear in his eyes as he took a step back, giving you the space you needed. The hurt in his expression was evident, but he didnât push, didnât try to reach out for you again.
âYou just feel pity because you see me as a broken dollâ you said.
Joelâs expression tightened, his brow furrowing as your words cut through the air like a knife. He opened his mouth to respond but closed it again, clearly struggling with how to convey what he was feeling. The accusation hung between you, heavy and bitter, and the silence that followed felt suffocating.
âI donâtââ Joel started, his voice low and rough. He took a breath, trying to gather his thoughts, but the hurt in his eyes was unmistakable. âI donât see you that way.â
âThen why are you here, Joel?â you demanded, your voice rising with the pent-up frustration and pain. âWhy are you trying so hard to be⌠whatever this is? You didnât care before, but now you do because Iâm broken?â
âHow were you so sweet to everyone after what happened?â he finally asked, his voice tinged with a mix of confusion and a hint of disbelief. It was as if he couldnât comprehend how you managed to keep going, how you could still find kindness within you after everything youâd endured.
You looked at him, your expression softened by the lingering sadness, but there was a strength behind your eyes, a resilience that had kept you moving forward. âBecause I didnât lose them because of you all,â you said quietly, your voice steady despite the pain that laced your words. âI wasnât going to become angry at the people who gave me another chance.â
The truth of your statement hung in the air, a stark contrast to the turmoil you felt inside. You had chosen to protect the small bit of humanity you had left, to hold onto the kindness that others had shown you when you needed it most. But that didnât mean the anger, the grief, or the pain had disappearedâit was still there, buried deep, threatening to consume you if you let it.
Joel looked down, his shoulders sagging slightly as he absorbed what you said. He understood the weight of guilt, the way it could twist inside you, making you question everything. He had carried his own burden of guilt for years, but hearing you speak those words, seeing the strength it took for you to hold onto the good in the face of so much loss, it humbled him.
âIâm sorry,â he said again, the words barely above a whisper. âI wish I could take it all back, change what happened. What I did to you and how I treated you the morning you woke up in my bedâ he sighed, âSorry for not remember what happened between usâ
You looked at him, your eyes filled with a quiet, resigned sadness. âIt doesnât change anything, Joel. Itâs done. I canât change the past either.â
Joelâs shoulders slumped, the weight of your words settling heavily on him. The finality in your voice, the distance between you, made him feel even more lost, and he turned away, the ache of regret and loss deepening with each step he took.
Joel walked away, his steps heavy and deliberate. The weight of your words hung over him, a constant reminder of the things he couldnât change, the pain he had caused. Each step felt like a step further from any hope of repairing what had been broken.
You watched him go, the solitude of the moment pressing in around you. The quiet was suffocating, filled with the echoes of the past and the weight of unspoken words. You turned back toward the grave, the memories of what you had lost mingling with the present pain.
A simple affair, torturing you.
+
Grieving the death and grieving the living were taking a tool on you.
Week four
A week had passed since that tense confrontation. The days had been a blur of activity and emotional exhaustion, the storm within you a constant companion. The quiet conversations with others and the daily routines in Jackson offered little distraction from the lingering sadness, but they kept you moving forward, one step at a time.
Everyone could say than a simply affair would dissipate with the time, that each week would make you unlove Joel, but you couldnât take a complete distance from your lingering feelings.
And Joel? Joel had kept his distance, following your request for space. His presence was felt in the background, a reminder of the unresolved tension and the feelings that had been left hanging in the air. You had seen him around, in passing, but there was an unspoken agreement that he would not intrude upon your space.
He couldnât bear to face you.
One morning, as you prepared for another day at the infirmary due to Tommyâs request, you found yourself in the familiar surroundings of the clinic. The routine was a small comfort amidst the chaos of your emotions. The soft hum of medical equipment and the scent of antiseptic filled the air, offering a sense of order and control.
As you were organizing supplies and checking on your patients, a familiar voice broke through the calm. âHey.â
You looked up from your tasks to see Joel standing in the doorway, his expression a mix of hesitation and resolve. He seemed slightly out of place in the clinical setting, but there was a determined look in his eyes.
âJoel,â you greeted, your voice steady but tinged with surprise. âWhat are you doing here?â
Joel took a step inside, his gaze scanning the room before settling on you.
âIâve been trying to find the right time to give this to you,â Joel said, his voice a bit rough, as if he was struggling to find the right words.
Curiosity mingled with the apprehension you felt. âWhat is it?â
Joel took a deep breath, stepping closer but still maintaining a respectful distance. âItâs a little something I thought might help. I know it doesnât fix anything, but I wanted to offer it to you anyway.â
You hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take the package from him. It was small and wrapped simply, the gesture surprisingly thoughtful given the circumstances. You carefully unwrapped it, revealing a worn leather-bound journal. The cover was embossed with a delicate pattern, and as you opened it, you found pages filled with blank lines, waiting for your thoughts and feelings.
âYou can write on it,â Joel said softly. âAnd I thought maybe, if you wanted to, this could be a place for you to put everything thatâs been on your mind. Itâs not much, but I thought it might help.â
The gesture was unexpected, and as you looked up at Joel, you could see the genuine care in his eyes. It was a small attempt to bridge the gap between you, to offer something meaningful despite the unresolved pain.
You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of gratitude and sadness. âThank you,â you said quietly, your voice almost choked with emotion. âItâs⌠thoughtful.â
Joel nodded, a small, almost relieved smile touching his lips. âI hope it helps, even just a little.â
There was a moment of silence between you, the weight of the past week settling in the air. Joelâs eyes searched yours, looking for any sign of the connection that had once been there, while you felt the tug of conflicting emotionsâappreciation for the gesture, but also the lingering pain of his actions.
âHow are your migraines doing?â You asked.
Joel looked slightly taken aback by your question, the personal nature of it a stark contrast to the more distant conversation that had been unfolding. He studied your face for a moment, perhaps surprised by your concern.
âTheyâre getting worse every day,â he admitted, his voice carrying a weight of weariness. âBut today, Iâm feeling a bit better. Itâs been rough, though. The migraines have been relentless.â
You felt a rush of blood to your cheeks, concern and embarrassment at the question. âTommy mentioned it,â you said quickly, wanting to clarify your source of information. âI justâwell, I wanted to know how youâre doing.â
Joel nodded, his eyes softening slightly. âThanks for asking. It means a lot. Itâs been tough, but Iâm managing.â
The vulnerability in his admission made you feel a pang of empathy. It was hard to see him struggling, especially when you had your own unresolved feelings and painful memories.
âWell, Iâm glad youâre having a better moment today,â you said, your voice steadying as you tried to offer some comfort.
Joelâs expression grew more thoughtful, and he gave a small, appreciative smile. âYeah, Iâm holding onto that. Thanks for checking in.â
The silence between you was charged with unspoken emotions. You both stood there, the weight of your recent conversations lingering in the air. Joel looked like he was about to say something else, but instead, he gave a nod and started to walk away.
âTake care,â you called after him, the words carrying a genuine warmth despite the emotional distance that remained between you.
You had settled onto a barstool, a glass of whiskey in hand. The amber liquid was smooth and comforting, its warmth spreading through you as you took a sip. The effects of the alcohol were starting to take hold, making everything feel just a little more relaxed, a little more bearable.
Joel was at the bar, nursing a drink of his own. He hadnât been particularly social that night, just sitting in his usual spot, lost in his thoughts. As the evening wore on and you became tipsier, you found yourself drawn to him, the comfort of familiarity outweighing the shyness that normally kept you at a distance.
You slid off your stool and made your way over to Joel, the room spinning slightly as you approached him. âHey,â you said, your voice a bit louder than intended, carrying the cheerful buzz of someone whoâd had a few too many drinks. âMind if I join you?â
Joel looked up from his glass, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. âSure, have a seat,â he replied, gesturing to the empty stool next to him.
You plopped down beside him, the warmth of his presence surprisingly comforting. âYou know,â you said, leaning in slightly and grinning, âI donât think Iâve ever seen you in here this early before. Youâre usually so⌠serious.â
Joel chuckled softly, the sound of a low rumble that was both soothing and grounding. âYeah, I guess I am. Just needed a drink tonight.â
In the afternoon, the usually calm atmosphere of the infirmary was disrupted by the sound of the door swinging open with a sense of urgency. Joel stumbled inside, his face pale and etched with pain. He moved slowly, his usual steady gait faltering under the weight of his unbearable migraines.
You looked up from your work, your heart sinking at the sight of him. He was clearly in distress, his eyes squeezed shut as if trying to shut out the world. You quickly set aside what you were doing and hurried over to him.
âWhat do you want?â you asked, intending to sound too rude.
âIââ Joel started, but the words were interrupted by a sharp grimace of pain. âI canât take it anymore. The migraines⌠theyâre just too much.â
âFrom one to ten? How much is the pain?â you asked.
âWhatâs that bullshit?â He cried out.
You took a deep breath, trying to keep your own frustration in check. Despite the roughness of Joelâs response, you could see that he was in genuine distress, and you needed to get a handle on his pain level to help him effectively.
âItâs just a way to measure how bad the pain is,â you explained, your voice firm but compassionate. âOn a scale from one to ten, where one is no pain and ten is the worst pain, youâve ever felt, where are you right now?â
Joel clenched his teeth, his face twisted with agony as he tried to focus. âItâs⌠itâs an eight,â he finally managed to say through gritted teeth.
He had saved that ten.
 The ten was the amount of pain he had when he lost Sarah.
A ten was the pain his heart felt when he looked at you from the distance.
You nodded, quickly assessing the situation. âAlright, Iâm going to get you something stronger for the pain. Try to sit down and breathe slowly. Iâll be right back.â
As you hurried to prepare a stronger medication, you felt the weight of the past few weeks pressing heavily on you. The bitterness in your words and his pain seemed to intertwine, creating a tense atmosphere that was hard to ignore. But your focus remained on getting Joel the relief he needed.
You quickly gathered the necessary medication and made your way back to Joel, who had seated himself on one of the examination tables. As you approached, you noticed his breathing was uneven, and his eyes were squeezed shut as if he was trying to block out the pain and your presence.
"Let me check your head," you said softly, your voice gentle despite the tension that hung between you. "I need to make sure there's nothing else going on."
Joel nodded slightly, his face still contorted in discomfort. As you leaned in to examine his head, your proximity made his breath catch in his lungs. The closeness between you seemed to amplify the charged atmosphere, making the air around you feel heavy.
You carefully placed your hands on his temples, your touch light but firm as you assessed his condition. Joel's breath became shallow and uneven, a sign that he was acutely aware of your closeness. He tensed under your touch, the intensity of his pain mixed with the vulnerability of the moment.
"How's that feel?" you asked, trying to keep your voice steady as you moved your fingers over his forehead and the sides of his head.
Joel swallowed hard, his eyes still closed as he tried to focus on your touch rather than the pain. "Feels⌠a bit better," he managed to say, though his voice was strained. "Just⌠donât know if I can handle this much longer."
You gave a reassuring nod, trying to offer comfort despite the lingering tension. "You're doing great. The medication should help soon. Just hang in there a little longer."
You both could feel your breathing mingling together, the agony of the closeness taking everything from you.
Joel closed his eyes for a bit, feeling you scent and your fingertips on his temples. In the haze of his agony, there were fleeting glimpses of a night that felt both distant and achingly familiar. He remembered the warmth of your touch, the softness of your lips against his. The kiss you had shared the night before he got his memory back began to resurface, bringing with it a surge of emotions he had long tried to bury.
The kiss had been tender. Joel could almost feel the echo of that moment now, a soft, lingering taste of intimacy that was both comforting and heartbreaking.
He remembered the way you had looked at him, the way your eyes had softened with unspoken words. The image of your face, so close to his, the way you had smiled before the kiss, replayed in his mind with a clarity that cut through the pain. It was as if your closeness was pulling these memories to the surface, forcing him to confront them once more.
Joelâs breath caught as he recalled the warmth of your lips, the way it had felt to hold you close. It was a vivid contrast to the overwhelming pain he was experiencing now, and it made him realize just how much he had missed and lost. The memory of that kiss, the feeling of being connected to you, made his heart ache with a mix of longing and regret.
He let out a slow, shaky breath, trying to ground himself in the present while the memories swirled around him. As much as the past few weeks had been a struggle, this moment of closeness with you was stirring up feelings he had tried to keep buried. Joelâs eyes opened slightly, looking at you with a vulnerability that he hadnât shown before.
âSunâŚâ he started, his voice barely above a whisper.
The sound of "Sun" coming from his lips felt almost foreign, yet deeply familiar. It was a term of endearment he had used before his memory loss, one that had held a special place between you two.
âSunâŚâ he repeated, the word carrying tenderness and longing.
Your heart skipped a beat, the nickname a bittersweet reminder of the bond you had shared. It was a small yet significant piece of the past surfacing, offering a glimmer of connection despite everything that had happened.
You felt a rush of conflicting emotions, the glimmer of hope mingling with a deep-seated fear of revisiting old wounds. The nickname, the touch, the faint echo of past affectionâit all stirred up feelings you weren't sure you were ready to confront.
Taking a steadying breath, you stepped back, your hand moving quickly to hand him the medication. âHere,â you said, your voice steady as you handed him the small packet of pills. âThis should help with the pain. You should head home and rest.â
Joel looked up at you, a flicker of understanding and disappointment in his eyes. He could sense the shift in your demeanor, the way you were putting distance between you both. âYou sure you donât need any help?â he asked, his voice laced with concern.
You shook your head, forcing a smile that didnât quite reach your eyes. âNo, Iâm fine. Just⌠please, go home. A storm is coming, and you should get back before it hits.â
Joel hesitated for a moment longer, but the look in your eyes told him that you needed space, that pushing further would only cause more pain. With a reluctant nod, he took the medication and turned to leave, his steps heavy with the weight of what was left unsaid.
As he walked out of the infirmary, you watched him go, the storm outside a stark parallel to the storm brewing inside you. You closed your eyes for a moment, trying to steady yourself against the wave of emotions that threatened to overwhelm you. The fleeting connection, the memories stirred upâit was all too much to handle right now.
You were a bit tipsy, the effects of the whiskey making your steps a little unsteady. Joel walked beside you, his presence a steady anchor amidst the haze of your inebriation. You were both quiet, the conversation from the bar having dwindled into comfortable silence.
As you approached your house, you turned to him, a small, tipsy smile playing on your lips. The intimacy of the evening and the warmth of his proximity were too comforting to ignore. Without thinking, you leaned in and pressed a soft, lingering kiss against his lips. The action was impulsive, driven by a mix of affection and the blurred boundaries of alcohol.
Joel's reaction was immediate. He responded to the kiss, his arms finding their way around you as he deepened the connection. There was a brief moment where the world seemed to hold its breath, the kiss a sweet and tender promise of something more.
When you finally pulled back, your faces were flushed, and you looked at him with a mixture of uncertainty and contentment. Joelâs eyes were filled with a mix of surprise and warmth, the kiss having ignited something within him that he hadnât anticipated.
âGood night, Joel,â you murmured, your voice soft and slightly slurred as you turned to go inside.
Joel watched you enter your house, his thoughts swirling in the wake of the kiss. He felt a strange blend of hope and confusion, uncertain about what the kiss meant for both of you. But the feelings were there, undeniable and strong.
The morning light streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow in your bedroom. You woke up with a throbbing headache, the remnants of last night a blurry haze. As you shuffled through your routine, the details of the previous evening remained frustratingly out of reach. The bar, the tipsy laughter, Joel walking you homeâthese were fragments, but the kiss itself was a complete blank.
When you encountered Joel later that day, you greeted him cheerfully, assuming nothing out of the ordinary had happened. âHey, Joel. Howâs it going?â
Joelâs response was curt, his eyes avoiding yours. âHey. Iâm alright.â
You noticed the shift in his demeanor, the coldness in his tone. It was as if he was keeping you at arm's length, his usual warmth replaced with a frigid distance. You tried to brush it off, attributing it to a possible bad mood or personal issue.
Joel had resolved never to bring up the kiss, his feelings of hurt and confusion simmering beneath the surface. Heâd come to see the incident as a miscommunication, a misunderstanding that heâd decided to keep buried rather than confront. The bitterness of feeling forgotten and dismissed had solidified into a quiet, unspoken rift between you.
Joel found himself unable to shake the feeling of the day's events. The migraine had ebbed slightly during the patrol, but as soon as he was back in his house, the pain returned, gnawing at him with a persistent, dull ache.
The house was quiet, save for the steady patter of rain against the windows. The storm outside was fierce, the wind howling and the rain pouring down in relentless sheets. Joelâs mood matched the tempest outsideâstormy, unsettled.
As he was trying to organize his gear and get ready for bed, his eyes fell upon something on a chair near the door. It was the blouse you had lost that morning when he pushed you away from him, a soft, familiar fabric that he recognized immediately. He picked it up, holding it gently, and his mind replayed that morning events.
Joel held the blouse up to his face, breathing in deeply. The scent was faint but unmistakableâa mix of the outdoors, a hint of your perfume, and something more personal, something that reminded him of you. As the scent reached his senses, it hit him with a wave of emotions he hadnât fully processed until now. He felt a rush of regret and longing. The migraine that had been a constant presence in his head now seemed to fade slightly as he held the blouse. The emotional weight of his actions, the pain he had caused you, and the gulf that had grown between you all came rushing back
You sat in the dimly lit living room of your small house, wrapped in a blanket, trying to find some semblance of comfort amidst the chaos outside. The storm had intensified, the wind howling and the rain slashing against the windows with a ferocity that made the walls tremble. Every rumble of thunder and flash of lightning felt like a jolt to your already frayed nerves.
You tried to focus on somethingâanythingâto distract yourself from the fear that had settled deep in your chest. The living room was sparsely decorated, the bare walls and simple furnishings reflecting the practical, no-frills life you had tried to build for yourself. But tonight, it all seemed cold and empty, unable to offer you the comfort you so desperately needed.
You glanced at the clock. It was well past midnight, and sleep was elusive. The noise of the storm outside seemed to drown out any thoughts of rest. You wrapped your arms tightly around yourself, trying to stave off the chill that had little to do with the temperature and everything to do with the lonely feeling that had enveloped you.
As you huddled on the couch, the flashes of lightning illuminated the room in brief, stark bursts. Each flash cast eerie shadows on the walls, making the storm outside feel even more menacing. You found yourself jumping at every crack of thunder, your heart racing with each one.
Part of you wanted to reach out to someone, but who? The distance between you and Joel felt insurmountable, and you had made it clear that you wanted to be left alone.
The living room was filled with the sound of the storm, punctuated only by your occasional sighs and the rustling of the blanket around you. You tried to focus on breathing deeply, calming yourself in the midst of the chaos. But as the storm raged on, so did the turmoil within you.
It was during a particularly intense flash of lightning that you heard a knock on the door. Your heart leaped into your throat, and you froze. Another knock, louder this time, followed by a faint call. âItâs Joel. Can I come in?â
The voice was muffled by the storm, but it was unmistakable. Your emotions were a whirlwind of confusion and surprise. You hesitated, wondering why he would come here, why he would seek you out now, but the desperation in his voice made you move towards the door.
You opened it cautiously, the cold wind rushing in and mingling with the warmth of the living room. Joel stood there, drenched from the rain, his face lined with worry and a mixture of other emotions that you couldnât quite place.
âJoel,â you said, barely above a whisper. âWhat are you doing here?â
He looked at you with an expression that was a mix of regret, concern, and something softer that you couldnât quite define.
Words werenât need for moments like these. Two hearts beating as the silence felt like freedom of the remised prisoner love victim of the passage of time, the destiny or perhaps the fate of cursing spells.
It was there for you to see it and it was there for him to see it, but blindness was his curse. Not remembering was his curse. Joel wasnât incapable of loving someone, but he was terrified of the pieces of the old him coming to the present where losing people was a daily occurrence.
Joel was terrified of loving and losing the last flame of goodness left in this mad world that had tainted people, but you. There was a pure innocence in your eyes, in your actions and in your kindness and he had come to face his old him through you, the old him that had died with his daughter years ago.
Joelâs gaze lingered on you, his eyes reflecting the soft light from the flickering candles. His voice was a murmur, almost lost in the howling of the storm outside. âYouâre afraid of storms.â, he said quietly, his voice low and gentle. It wasnât a question. He was stating a fact, something you had confessed to him when the love affair between you was burning.Â
You looked at him, the realization dawning on you like the slow break of dawn. âYou remember.â You whispered.
And you could only hear the steady beat of your own heart and the sound of Joelâs breathing.
I tagged everyone interested in part 2 but I couldn't tag everyone because all got mixed () if you don't want to be tagged you can tell me, if you want to be tagged, you can also tell me
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#joel miller x reader#joel miller x you#joel miller x y/n#joel miller fanfiction#joel miller x f!reader#pedro pascal character fanfiction#joel miller series#the last of us fanfiction#joel miller#joel miller imagine#joel miller angst#tlou fanfiction#joel the last of us#joel x reader#Joel Miller#pedro pascal x reader#pedro pascal fanfiction#the last of us#pedro pascal imagine#pedro pascal
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thinking about my dean bails and gets a cabin in maine post-canon fic. yeah
#not that i actually have anything written for it#but yeah heâs suddenly like. oh wait the grief is unbearable and i hardly recognize the life around me .#time to go live a secluded life in a cabin !#but itâs like. heâs not actually secluded heâs secluded for like two weeks until heâs like. i forgot i actually hate being alone#he visits the local town frequently and helps out when he can. but he still does actually spend a lot of time alone but that sucks less now#he obviously still misses cas. heâs always going to miss cas. but somehow being by himself is better than being around everyone except for#the one person he wants to be with#so itâs like. he actually learns to not vehemently hate being alone because thereâs people There and he can Reach Them but also.#he doesnât attach himself to everyone he meets like fuckin clingwrap because heâs not terrified of them just leaving him#also he still like. contacts his family but itâs not like anyoneâs visiting anyone. at least not until later in the fic yk#sorry idk where iâm even going w this
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