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importantstudentbusinessspy-blog · 2 days ago

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That's the Job

Pairing: Bob Floyd x (f) reader.

Tags: friends to lovers, fluff, smut, angst, betrayal, emotions, anxiety, heartbreak, workplace romance, coworkers to lovers, confessions, oral(f receiving), fingering.

Snippet:

You choked on the next words, eyes blurry now. "I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know it’d hit me like that."

He took another step. "So you left?"

"Wouldn't you? I mean—wouldn’t anyone?"

"And you lied." his voice took a tone of hurt.

☆☆☆☆☆

A week has passed since the nighmarish incident. That day, all staff at Top Gun were informed, as is protocol, of the crash that resulted from a sudden birdstrike during field training, nearly taking the lives of two pilots. Both of whom had been close friends of yours.

Thankfully, both Natasha and Bob survived. Although, they and Coyote were rushed to the hospital for urgent care and testing.

But part of your job description as a rookie R&D Analyst was to assess post-mortems, and when you got your eyes on the images of jet – completely destroyed and burned, your mind flooded with awful hypothetical images.

They were lucky – you realized. Because one minute longer, one detail off, and they could have been gone. He could have been gone. For good.

Images flashed in your mind. Blood and lifeless brown eyes...

Your chest hurt.

Before anyone in the office could notice, you turned away from your computer screen – leaving the images of the destroyed jet on display – and strode out of the room.

☆☆☆☆☆

Engineers — even brilliant ones — didn't go into a job expecting to confront the potential violent death of the people they worked with. It’s not part of their emotional framework. So as a young adult that was new to the field, watching Bob and Phoenix nearly die did something to your brain. Making it scramble for control. And the easiest way it could think to do that was Distance. Detachment. You never wanted to feel that way again.

Prior to the crash, you had been assigned a project; a request to improve the laser nav systems, submitted by Lt. Robert Floyd. You and the WSO had gotten along extremely well, right off the bat. He didn't discard your ideas like many members of your own team did, and you were extremely impressed by his expertise as a Weapons Systems Officer and overall badass.

And he was kind. He often came across as technical and serious, but you found yourself inspired by his dedication to his job.

He was also... distracting.

When you two worked together when you just couldn't help a glance over at him. You tended to linger. On his lips pressing together when he would concentrate. On the movement of his arms – muscular under his uniform, muscular from days of training out in the sun as he disassembled and assembked the machine you were working on. On the gentle hums he would make when you had suggested an idea and the way he would listen with the most intense gaze, afraid to miss a drtail. On the way, his hair was a curly blonde mess falling into his forehead after a long day of training – the only time he could come and assist you with the project.

And what's worse? He was brilliant! He knew his stuff almost too well. Every observation, every test, and every note was detailed to near obsession.

You pointed it out once.

It had been when he had disasembled the laser chamber, displaying each piece on the desk and labeling them to perfect accuracy.

"I didnt know pilots knew so much about the cogs and gears of the weapons systems." You had murmured, not thinking much of it.

"I'm a Weapons Systemd Officer." He leveled you with a smirk.

Your face must have gone red, because his smirk widened into a laugh.

He offered you his hand as if to introduce himself. "Hi im Bob. It’s my job to use the systems in combat. If it fails, I take the hit."

"Sorry! I didn't mean it like that." You had rushed out.

He shook his head. "Dont apologize, I get that a lot. Just know I’m not just here to press buttons and look good in a uniform.” He winked, a rare gesture from him, and it was enough to ease a smile out of you.

Alright, so he was smart, beautiful, snarky, and also a badass. Great.

You always looked forward to interacting with the aviators, but it was different with him. It made you giddy. And you often had to remind yourself to be professional.

Annoyingly, thoughts of him would often cut into your personal life. At the gym, you motivated yourself with memories of him doing push-ups with his fellow flyers on the concrete. Sweaty and tired but still determined, and God damned resilient. With your friends, you'd re-told some of you work stories, which mostly involved him. And when you were by yourself...

That aside, you two had even made great progress on your project to improve the laser systems. In fact, the day of the bird strike, Bob was testing out a new fix you two had come up with.

Now, it had been destroyed along with the rest of the plane. And what's worse, you were pretty sure what you did next was going to hurt him even more

Because that evening, after you dried yor tears in the bathroom and got your breathing under control, you requested to be reassigned from working with Bob on the project.

☆☆☆☆☆

You went through the next days on autopilot, burying yourself in your work. Your new projects were dull, but dull meant safe. Your coworkers helped. They joked, they complained, they distracted you. They left at reasonable hours.

The aviators were all back at the academy, too busy pushing their bodies past the edge of human capability. Their breaks were short, their evenings longer. You barely passed them in the halls, and you were grateful for it.

Occasionally, the uncomfortable conversation you'd had with Bob would replay in your head.

On the day he was discharged from the Military Hospital, it was 18:05 when Bob strode through the metal doors of the hangar. Boots, cargo pants, white shirt — the usual. He carried his tablet under one arm, his dog tags tapping softly against his chest.

“We lost the prototype with the last jet, so we’re back to square one,” he said as he walked up to your table. "We gotta move fast to catch up—"

He paused.

You were perched on the edge of the desk, your work bag at your side. Not unusual in itself — end of the day and all — but you weren’t unpacking, rearranging, or reviewing notes. You were just sitting there. Like you were done.

His expression shifted. "Are you going somewhere?"

You stood, shouldering your bag. Just say it, you told yourself. Be professional. Clean cut.

"Lieutenant," you said, voice steady, "it’s been an honor working with you. But I’m stepping away from the project."

He blinked. "...Can I ask why?"

You hesitated. He was waiting — not with anger or even with disappointment, just that open Bob-ness that made it worse somehow. So trusting.

"I’m just not interested in the project anymore," you said quickly, like ripping off a band-aid.

There was a beat of silence.

"That’s… sudden," he said slowly.

You looked away.

Then, he spoke up softly. "Was it something I did?"

Your stomach twisted. "No," you answered too fast. "Not at all. It’s not you."

"I thought we worked well together," he said, softer now. "Didn’t we?"

"We did." You adjusted the strap on your shoulder. "This isn’t personal. I just… want to try something else."

He nodded, but not like someone who believed you. More like someone who was trying really hard not to push.

"Well," he said, clearing his throat and standing straighter. "Good luck with whatever’s next."

You nodded and offered a tight smile. "You too."

You'd jerk back and shake your head as if trying to force the thought away willingly.

☆☆☆☆☆

You’d stayed late in your cubicle, distracted by some calibration notes. You barely registered the footsteps in the hallway until a shadow fell over your desk.

"Hey."

You looked up.

He stood in the doorway, uniform loose on his frame, dark bags under his eyes, stubble on his chin, his dog tags still.

Iceman's funeral was mere days ago. It had really hit the aviator's morale. The death of a legend. Someone who'd been a mentor to them.

One hand clutched the strap of his bag like it was the only thing grounding him.

"I’m flying out tomorrow," he said.

You blinked. " …you were picked."

An unsettling feeling began to grow in your stomach. Either anxiety. Or fear for his safety. You weren't sure at the moment.

"Phoenix and I." He nodded. "With Mav."

"Congratulations." Your throat closed. You set your pen down, bracing your hands on the desk to stop their tremble. "Who else?"

"Rooster. Payback. Fanboy."

You nodded slowly.

Then, your voice caught as you said. "Be careful."

He didn't react. Almost as if deliberately. At first, it looked like he was ready to keav, but then his gaze was back on you.

"You know," He took a small step forward. "I asked Phoenix and Hangman about you."

You raised your brow, unsure where he was going with that.

He took another step, coming closer. "Figured maybe you needed space. But… turns out they haven’t heard from you either. None of us have."

You backed up just a little until the edge of the desk pressed into your hip. "You were all busy."

"Oh, we’d have made time." He paused — not hurt, just searching. The rest of his sentence was implied in his furrowwed brow. And you know it.

It was true. Being one of the youngest recruits, you were closer in age with the mission candidates and have grown quite close with all of them through your work. And you've been avoiding them like the plague in hopes you wouldn't have to see any of them possibly die...

"See…" Bob cleared his throat. "I was going crazy, trying to figure out what we did wrong. Thought maybe I’d said something. Maybe come off too strong."

You didn’t allow yourself to speak. How could you explain leaving them in a way that didn't make you sound childish?

"I saw you nearly die and it fucked me up. But since you do this for a living and something... worse could happen, I'm scared of what it would do to me, so the less we interact the better."

Yeah, good luck with that.

His voice softened. "And then I realized. It was that day. Wasn’t it?"

You inhaled sharply, eyes stinging.

He stepped closer. Not enough to crowd you, but enough to make you feel him. "The crash."

You looked down. "You nearly died, Bob."

"But we didn’t."

"But you still could have!" Your voice cracked. "And what if you... don't walk away next time?"

His tone lowered, serious. "That’s the job."

"Well, I don’t do what you do!" You sniffled. "I haven’t had friends die mid-air or disappear off the radar. I'm not used to this. I'm not wired for it. And hearing you drop like that—seeing what was left of the plane... if you were still inside—"

You choked on the next words, eyes blurry now. "I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know it’d hit me like that."

He took another step. "So you left?"

"Wouldn't you? I mean—wouldn’t anyone?"

You found yourself wondering this to no end for the past says.

"And you lied." his voice was hurt now.

You flinched.

But he didn't fill the silence, waiting for you to speak.

"I didn’t want to tell you because…" you swallowed. "Because if I said it out loud, it’d mean I couldn’t handle it. That I’m not strong enough for this. For any of this.”

That I don't belong here. At the dream job I've had since I first picked up a physics textbook back in elementary school.

Silence. A breathless, raw silence that pulsed between you like static.

Deep, beautiful brown eyes searched your face. He was so close bow. “You think I don’t get scared too?”

You swallowed hard.

His hand brushed your cheek. Barely there. And still, you felt it like lightning.

He leaned in — close enough you could see the pale gold of his lashes that brushed his cheeks.

Then he stopped. Right there. Inches away. His breath uneven.

"I want to," he whispered.

Your breath caught. You looked up at him, eyes glossy. For a second, he leaned in — the moment hanging in the air like a held breath.

Your eyes held his, steady now.

The words were on the tip of your tongue.

If you're going to kiss me... you'd better come back.

He hesitated, then stepped back. A full, aching step. "This isn't right."

Your chest squeezed. He was walking away and taking his warmth with him and what if he wasn't coming back.

Timidly, your hands moved from their place behind you and grasped as his uniform, and you brought your lips to his.

He gasped. The soft intake of hair brushing your lips. Then his arms wrapped around your waste and tightened, pulling you into himself.

He deepened the kiss. Lips possessive over yours, brushing in a slow but powerful movement that barely gave you a chance to take a breath as he took a step forward. Your back was against your desk.

Capable hands brushed over your body, as if memorizing it.

You wondered if he was thinking the same thing you were. What if this was the first and last time?

Sometimes, his timid demeanor made it easy to forget he was an battle-hardened soldier, a fact that was very evident now by the way he lifted you up with ease and held you like you weighed nothing.

He groaned against your mouth, his glasses brushing your nose.

"Its not fair to do this." His tone was quiet but hard.

With a sinking feeling, you nodded, agreeing. But as your harms began to lower from around his neck, he began to kiss down your throat, not as keen on stopping as you thought he was. Each brush of his lips or his tongue on your sensitive neck sent you gasping arching into him.

Thank god you'd stayed late and most people had gone home for the day.

Your fingers curled into his dirty blonde locks, also attempting to memorise the feel of him.

"M-maybe we should stop?" You stammered.

"Yeah," he nodded, though his fingers were undoing the buttons of your long-sleeved shirt, pulling it out of your skirt. "After, we'll stop."

You couldnt help but giggle, then shudder against the cold air hitting your skin all at once. Hed gently pushed you to lay down with your back to the desk.

Most of your shirt was still mostly on, only open at the front. His movement was slow and deliberate, lowering your bra straps and cups like he was disassembling a machine. Then he took your breasts hin his hands and rolled his thumbs over your nipples.

Your breath caught as pleasure shot through your beasts and you moaned before your could stop yourself. He lowered his mouth on yours to remind you to be quiet.

You felt one of his hands traver down from your breast to the hem of your skirt, fingers brushing the inside of your thigh, making you shake. He pulled your panties aside and slid his finger into your heat.

"Oh fuck," he was struggling to keep quiet too.

You could feel how slick you were, how easily he could slide his digit in and around your pussy, spreading your slick around and over your clit.

You looked up at him, as your chest still rose and fell with his stimulation of your left nipple. Bob had his lower lip between his teeth, eyes scanning your face and body, committing them to memory.

Then he lowered to his knees. Your hand flew to cover your mouth as you felt his tongue join his fingers. "Bob!"

You were getting very close.

His mouth began to move your your folds. Kissing you, licking, sucking your clit. He added another finger inside you, curving and making you buck your hips.

Your hands grasped the edge of your desk. Everything he was doing was sending waves of pleasure through your body. Palm still over your mouth, you bit your finger to stop the moans slipping out.

Then, as if he sensed you were there, he sped up his mouth and fingers.

Oh god.

You couldnt stop panting loudly as you reached your orgasm. Hips shuddering and bucking against him, you fingers grasped hus hair, needing him closer.

His mouth was on you throughout. Still leaving slow, gentle kisses on your poor, sensitive cunt as you came down from the high.

Standing up, he cupped the nape of your neck and brought you up to taste yourself on his lips.

He kissed you for a long time. You don't know how long.

"I had to." He said against your mouth. "I had to know what you tasted like."

The words made your breath catch. "Promise me you'll come back," your voice broke.

He hid his face in the crook of your neck. "I can’t promise that," his voice barely audible in your ear.

You nodded, even though it cracked something in you.

Bob lingered in the doorway. Just before he turned, he looked back over his shoulder.

"Oh — by the way… the laser nav works perfectly." A faint smile. "We fixed it."

And then he was gone.

☆☆☆☆☆

#top gun x reader #top gun smut #top gun fanfiction #top gun #top gun maverick #top gun imagine #top gun incorrect quotes #top gun bob floyd #top gun bob #bob floyd x y/n #bob floyd x you #bob floyd imagine #bob floyd x reader #bob floyd fluff #lewis pullman

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married-to-google-translater · 15 hours ago

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Wedding headcanons with Viltrum Mark

Mark wouldn't understand much about people's traditions and customs.

Things would be done so differently in Viltrum.

Choosing a partner is a necessity for survival.

You would have to be patient and explain things to him.

At first, he just wants to run away and get married and make your union official.

However, if the wedding was important to you, he would listen.

Even if he accidentally sees you for the first time in a wedding dress/suit, he would just want to marry you right then and there

You would take primary responsibility for wedding planning.

The most important thing is that this wedding was right for both of you.

Of course, this would also mean cutting out "unnecessary" traditions.

Mark wouldn't want to be separated from you before the ceremony.

A cake war with viltrumite wouldn't be a good idea either.

Yeah, I don't think this needs to be explained any better…

Any war with Viltrum is not a good idea.

Mark, however, would enjoy other traditions.

He would even stay on the ground during the wedding waltz.

This would be rare because Mark seems to avoid walking as much as possible.

Although the wedding is wonderful, Mark would like to focus on what is most important, your future together.

#invincible #invincible x reader #invincible x you #viltrum mark #viltrum mark x reader #viltrumite mark #viltrumite mark x reader #viltrum invincible #viltrumite invincible #invincible hc #invincible headcanons #invincible imagine #mark Grayson #mark grayson x reader #mark grayson x you #mark grayson headcanons #mark grayson hc #invincible mark grayson #mark grayson invincible

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atoastbw · 2 days ago

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Not sure if anybody else has brought this up before, but during the Suchdol siege, Henry can have this conversation with Hans: (minor spoilers for the final act of the game)

This is a sweet conversation on its own, but what stood out to me is how Hans compares Henry to Alexander the Great. Because yes, while Hans is simply teasing Henry on his excitement about being appointed a commander, I think it's a lot more interesting when you realise that it's Hans who shares far more similarities with Alexander.

(Forgive me for any inaccuracies, though I have an avid obsession with ancient Greek mythology and history, there are still gaps in my knowledge)

Both Alexander and the real Jan Ptáček:

came into power when they were young: Alexander inherited the Macedonian throne at 20, Ptáček became the official lord of his estates at ~24 years old.

died young: Alexander died at 32, Ptáček at 31

have only one known (surviving + legitimate) son and heir: Alexander III for Alexander, Hynce/Hynek for Ptáček

More importantly, in game, Hans and Henry's relationship reflects that of Alexander and Hephaestion.

Hephaestion was Alexander's second-in-command, advisor, confidant, and most crucially, his closest friend, there by Alexander's side through both personal matters and his renowned military career. And when Hephaestion died, Alexander fell into a horrible grief, failing to take proper care of himself while still ordering a grand funeral for his companion.

While it is still debated whether or not their relationship was also romantic in nature, there is no doubt that they shared an immensely deep bond, one that has been noted multiple times across various historical records. What has also been recorded is Alexander's worship of the mythical hero Achilles from Homer's Illiad, with him likely having compared himself and Hephaestion to Achilles and Patroclus, one of Greek mythology's greatest lovers (yes, I know that this too is also debated and can depend on the translation, but come on, how are they "just really close friends"?).

Like Alexander and Hephaestion after them, Achilles and Patroclus were inseperable. Tragically, Achilles's grief over Patroclus's death is well-known, so consumed by it that his continued fighting in the Trojan War was mostly driven by revenge, which culminates in him dragging the corpse of Hector (Patroclus's killer) around the city of Troy for days in pure rage while also refusing to give up Patroclus's body to be prepared for his funeral rites. Life imitates art, and the similarities are clear.

All of this is to say that, going back to KCD2, Hans mentioning Alexander the Great likely means that he's aware of Hephaestion, and by extension Achilles and Patroclus too, if not through Alexander then through an education in Classical literature. Furthermore, we all know by now how he later brings up the tale of Galehaut and Lancelot to use as a metaphor for how he sees his relationship with Henry (which happens regardless of if the player chooses to pursue him romantically or not).

So imagine Hans, who knows all these tragic stories yet can only watch as the lives of him and his closest (and perhaps only) friend play out in a similar fashion, one of war and untimely death. Being one of two souls brought together only to become cosmically and inexplicably intertwined, yet faced with the horrifying but very real possibility of your other half dying much too soon, leaving you behind to somehow continue living in their absence. As Madeline Miller wrote in The Song of Achilles, "And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone."

It is no wonder then, that Hans confesses his feelings for Henry before the latter goes on his life-or-death mission - they've grown so close over a relatively short period and Hans has seen Henry put his life on the line far too many times. He needs Henry to know how much his death would break him, and why exactly it is so. Even if it could cost him their friendship, he needs Henry to know how much he cares, how much he feels for him, because despite seeing how this story often ends, he's hoping that theirs will be different.

Maybe, just maybe, unlike Achilles and Alexander and Galehut, his love will be enough to keep his other half alive, enough to bring Henry back to his arms, safe and sound for another day.

(Of course, I could just be misinterpreting all of this because of my shipper lens, but I feel that the choice of having Hans use Alexander the Great as a point of reference was intentional beyond him being a famous wartime strategist. The fact that this was kept behind a skill check on scholarship feels like an bonus easter egg too, as if it's saying that you as the player should also have certain knowledge to understand the different layers to it.)

#kingdom come deliverance #kcd2 #kcd #kcd2 spoilers #hansry #henry of skalitz #hans capon

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forestshadow-wolf · 2 days ago

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Soap doesn't know what his damage is sometimes. It's not even a half conscious thought. The words just fly out of his mouth with a blazing need to come out on top, no costs spared. It's was just a trivial argument about their ability to work together.

"This is why you should have stayed in the desert." Soap hissed. The words like a slippery eel between his fingers, impossible to grip onto. He knew immediately that he had gone entirely too far. In not so few words He'd just told Ghost he wished he hadn't survived his worst trauma. It wasn't true. He didn't want that. He hadn't even realized he'd said the words until after they were put of his mouth.

They both freeze hearing Soap's words. Immediately soap wants to back peddle, to take it back, to say he didn't mean it. But that feels like it would just make it worse. Somehow drive the nail even deeper. Rend his words even harder.

So instead he sews his mouth shut, proverbially, and waits for Ghost to... to say something just as hurtful back, to punch him square in the jaw and not let up, to to to do something to make him hurt. And it's times like these that soap thinks all he knows is pain, giving, taking, and every angle except relief, doesn't know how to stop it or sooth it, can only ever make it worse.

#el rambles #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #ghostsoap #soapghost #call of duty #cod #cod mw2

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heartofbusan · 11 hours ago

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"We", "Us", "Our". Joint gifts together. Joint enlistment. Joint discharge. Where do you go from this point? If not together? How do you go from establishing yourself as a unit in every way, back to "bros" or maybe even with other people? Good luck dethatching from ech other at this point, if that is something y'all thinking of, cause I don't see it lasting. Not with Jk's heart eyes from the moment he left that car, throughout their discharge speech and through that entire live. Yeah, not gonna happen and esp not after all the intimate TMI they been spilling. They survived the war and come this far to go back. I think the only place to go from here is forward and never look back. There is nothing else left to say or do.

How can something so mundane as the word 'we' hold so much meaning? Especially considering they've come as a package of 7 for ten years. The weaving in of Jimin into the blanket of Jungkook's life so far has been so gradually and steady, that it probably doesn't feel strange for them anymore. Using We to mean us. A couple.

You know what I appreciate so so so much? What I think Jikook should get more credit for? The allowance for vulnerability. The ability to know what you need to feel safe and comfortable, and the confidence to make that happen for yourself. They knew they needed to be a 'we', a pair. They knew what people would say when they decided to enlist together, what the haters would assume. All those things happened, came to pass and worse... Yet, they said 'f*ck all y'all', we are doing this together.

Because we need to.

And it showed! It paid off. Jimin depended on JK, and then JK depended on Jimin. They leaned into the other, I guess, simply because they needed to. *profuse weeping*

They really said:

'You ask I deliver.'

'I have a need. I know you will provide.'

Honestly, they've long since been codependent. Seeking the others' eyes for reassurance when facing a challenge, big or small. Looking for comfort in a glance, a hand to the neck, a nod.

Now, having faced this enormous challenge together for 18 months, signed, sealed, delivered, they've become that pile of rocks Jungkook assembled so prettily. Strong, stable, and ripe for so many more wishes to be bestowed upon.

#jikook #kookmin #kookoo san and mimi #sol asks

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ashthesalamipiece · 15 hours ago

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Hiii this one might be a bit different and long, but could I request one of Katsuki who's a famous singer, and a reader who is a fan that has alwaya shown up to his showa without fail. He starts to look forward to seeing her every time. One day, she doesn't show up for 3 shows in a row, and he decides to look for her and finds out she has a chronic illness and has been in the hospital because her body is getting weaker? His music was everything to her and helped her through her illness. She has a risky surgery coming up that could help her live longer, and he tells her that she has to live so he can ask her out. She successfully goes through the surgery, and Katsuki is there for her through it all, even singing to her during her recovery. Once they get together, He writes an entire album about her and dedicates it to her in his next concert, the first concert she is able to attend again since her health started declining. She is now in a wheelchair because of her health, but Katsuki loves her as she is and is happy to have met her. Sorry if it's a bit long!

“Always”

You were always there.

Every show.

He’d scan the crowd without meaning to, eyes sweeping past the bright lights and noise until they landed on you—your gentle smile, the handmade sign you always waved, and that quiet, hopeful glow in your eyes that felt like home even from the stage.

He didn’t know your name. But he knew you.

The girl in the third row. The one who sang every lyric like it meant something.

---

And then one day… you weren’t there.

Not at Tokyo.

Not at Osaka.

Not at Fukuoka.

Three shows in a row.

And it hurt more than it should have.

“Hey, have you seen—” he started asking the staff. No one knew your name. Just vague things.

“She’s the quiet one, right? Always in the same spot?”

“She hasn’t bought tickets lately, actually.”

“She was at like, every show. Kinda hard to miss her.”

Katsuki’s chest felt tight.

So he did what most people wouldn’t expect him to do.

He looked for you.

---

When he found you, it was in a hospital room.

White sheets. Machines that beeped. Tubes. And you—smaller than he remembered, skin a little paler, eyes dimmer but still… still holding on.

You looked up in surprise when the door opened.

“K-Katsuki…?”

He wasn’t sure whether to curse or cry.

You tried to sit up and winced. He was by your side in seconds.

“You idiot,” he muttered, voice rough. “You should’ve told someone.”

You gave a breathy laugh. “I didn’t know you’d notice I was gone.”

“Of course I noticed. You think I sing to a million people every night and still manage to find your face in the crowd by accident?”

You looked like you might cry, but he leaned in closer.

“What’s wrong?” he asked quietly.

“My condition’s worsening,” you said softly. “Chronic illness. It's been getting harder the past year. The doctors are trying something new, but there’s a surgery coming up. High risk. Could help me live longer, but…”

“But it’s risky.”

You nodded.

He looked at you for a long time. Then—quietly—he reached out and took your hand.

“Then you better survive it.”

Your lips trembled. “Katsuki…”

“Because when you get out of here,” he said, his voice low and sure, “I’m asking you out. And I don’t take rejection well, so you don’t get to die on me.”

You blinked, stunned��and then laughed, for real this time, tears in your eyes.

“I promise I’ll try.”

“You better. I’m already writing songs about you.”

---

You made it.

The surgery was long, terrifying—but it worked.

Katsuki was there the whole time. In the waiting room. In your recovery. In the quiet moments, holding your hand. Singing to you with nothing but his voice and his heart.

He even brought you snippets of songs on his phone, holding it to your ear while you healed.

“I’m calling the album Always,” he said. “Because you always showed up for me. Now I’m showing up for you.”

---

Six months later…

Your first concert since everything.

You rolled into the arena in your wheelchair, heart pounding, escorted backstage by his team who now knew you by name.

When the show started, he walked out onto stage in front of tens of thousands—but looked directly at you.

“This one,” he said into the mic, “is for the girl who saved my voice before she ever said a word to me.”

The crowd went quiet.

“She was always there. Every night. Until she couldn’t be. And even when life hit her hard, she still fought like hell to come back.”

He turned to you.

“You’re my always. This whole album’s yours.”

And then he sang.

And you cried.

And when the lights dimmed and the final note hit, Katsuki Bakugo left his mic behind and jogged straight down into the crowd—straight to you—and kissed you like the world finally made sense again.

---

And he stayed.

Through the pain.

Through the joy.

Through every day after.

---

Because you were always there.

Now it was his turn.

And he would be there—

Always.

#my hero academia #mha x reader #bhna #reader #fluff #bakugou katsuki #bakugo #bakugo katsuki x reader #bakugo x reader

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flicklikesstuff · 1 hour ago

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I agree ☝️

I don’t think Royalberry exactly hates him at all. In fact, I hc that he hates on himself for even thinking the situation is unfair to begin with.

He grew up relatively more privileged, didn’t he? Why should he be feeling upset towards another cookie who had to literally fight for his survival? If anything, Wildberry deserves the treatment more than he does.

But he also can’t help but wishing that his mother would turn to him in the same way too

Royalberry is already a cookie who places others’ feelings before himself, so I doubt there’s any actual bad blood between the two.

Wildberry in turn, I hc refuses to confirm a mother-son relationship between him and Holly out of guilt. Hence why he calls her “Queen Mother” “Your majesty” or emphasising that he’s just doing his duties as her bodyguard and nothing more. (Which hurts me even more because he already feels like not belonging in the Hollyberrian kingdom due to his dislike of parties)

There’s tension there, definitely. Just not in an aggressive way. Which means all the more reason for Holly to finally pleeaase get her sht together

Do you guys ever think that when Hollyberry saw Wildberry as a little homeless orphan, she saw that his circumstances were a product of her shortcomings?

I’m not entirely sure how he ended up like that, but could it be he lost his home and family because of the aftermath of the Dark Flour war? To beasts in the Forest? Maybe dragon attacks? Whatever it was, did Hollyberry take it as her own fault she can’t do enough for her subjects?

That this poor, starving kid had to struggle to survive in the streets because she couldn’t do enough? That his first instinct was to challenge and hit strangers because he thought he needed to?

Maybe that’s why she took him in as her own. As a way to make up for what she deemed as her own fault.

Despite all that, she still fled and was mostly absent to her family. She left her duties to cookies that were probs barely in their mid-20s. (Even before that, Royalberry looked too young to be handling royal stuff while Hollyberry was drinking. He also begged for her to stop ughhh my poor child-).

Not only that, Wildberry must’ve been barely an adult when she left. And that was the time dragons started terrorising the kingdom. He was a knight with minimal experience. Do you ever think he had to handle the destruction the large flying beasts had caused despite that? Something that must’ve been so overwhelming for someone as young as him?

Did he blame himself for not being able to prevent Tiger Lily’s kidnapping? But at least he was present, right? Hollyberry couldn’t even do the bare minimum of being there for her granddaughters.

GUYS-

Do you think that after the incident where Wild sacrificed himself to save her, did it struck Hollyberry that this was the scenario all along? That all this time, she had left young cookies to carry the burden and pain alone in exchange for escapism? That all this time, not only Wildberry, but also her royal family, were left to suffer what she might’ve been capable to handle if only she was just there in time?

I’m still ill on how she was begging him to be okay. (Listen to the Korean dubbing because her English VA isnt available, she’s so heartbroken 😭)

She had already failed him by leaving him with heavy responsibility back in the kingdom when that responsibility should’ve been hers. Because she had been so careless and desperate to run.

“Please, please, please don’t crumble on me because of my own failures.”

Little did Holly know that it’s one of Wildberry’s best changes in his life to have her take him in. Because now he has a purpose and something worth fighting for. That she had practically saved his life before and he looks up to her even though she may be frustrating at times.

This was just never known to Hollyberry because Wild isn’t the type of guy to openly communicate with other cookies.

…………

UHM, NO. THAT IS YOUR KID. “My friend” MY ASS.

But still, do you think that the way Hollyberry addresses him as her friend, is the same way that Wildberry uses formal titles for her as a way to distance themselves?

That Hollyberry felt like she didn’t deserve the title of a maternal figure so she just doesn’t?

And that maybe it’s Wildberry’s attempt to not only dissociate from the hurt of feeling like a parental figure was gone in his life for a time period again, but also because he feels that Holly’s main priority should be reconnecting with her real family.

That an apology isn’t obligated to be given to him because he’s biologically not her kid and he’d feel guilty to be taking away what should’ve been Royalberry’s relationship with his mom?

#deserves a reblog #I think about them too much #crk headcanons #hollyberry cookie #wildberry cookie #royalberry cookie #crk #cookie run kingdom

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allthenobodypplfics · 1 day ago

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I'll Crawl Home to Her (Chapter 2)

Fandom: Bucky Barnes (from the MCU)

Pairing: Soft Dark!Bucky x Female Reader

Rating: Explicit

Words: 4.9k

Summary: You and Bucky are in love, but Bucky comes from the wrong side of town. Your family doesn’t want you two together and they will stop at nothing to tear you two apart. Bucky will stop at nothing to be with you. This is my entry for @saiyanprincessswanie’s Missy’s Writing Challenge. Thanks to @tricksterhidds for beta-reading!

Chosen Prompts: Biker AU, Forbidden Love, “I wish I could just hold you one more time,” and “I will always find my way back to you.”

Warnings: Soft!Bucky becomes Dark!Bucky, angst, fluff, smut (consensual, breast play, fingering, p in v sex, oral f receiving, unprotected sex), violence, killing, descriptions of death (minor character death, temporary character death, Bucky and Reader both survive), bigotry, toxic family, slight horror themes.

Series Masterlist || Main Masterlist

Read on AO3

You and Bucky were walking hand in hand on an unmarked trail in the woods that only Bucky knew.

“There’s this clearing with an amazin’ view of the lake. I don’t think anybody knows about it except me!” Bucky proudly announced as he playfully swung your arm. His other hand held a picnic basket that he prepared so you two could have lunch.

When you reached your destination, you cooed, “Ooh! Well, will you look at that! Now that is beautiful.”

You took a few steps away from Bucky to get a better view. You were in an area where the trees parted at a grassy clearing. The sun shone down on the lake, making it shimmer like there were millions of floating diamonds in the water. A nice breeze kept you from getting too warm.

“Not as beautiful as you,” Bucky smugly declared, a shit-eating expression upon his face.

“Oh, you,” you scoffed fondly, a smile tugging at your lips, “you think you’re so smooth.”

Bucky chuckled and began to lay out the picnic blanket.

“Come on, I’ve made us sandwiches,” he said as he sat down on the blanket and patted the space next to him.

You lowered yourself and sat down as gracefully as you could, but then ended up sitting crossed-leg as that was most comfortable on the ground, which caused your dress to ride up. Bucky didn’t notice your lack of couth, nor would he care if he did, but he did try to subtly eye your naked thigh.

He cleared his throat and opened the picnic basket, plucking a wrapped sandwich from its contents.

“Here ya go,” he said as he handed it to you.

“Thank you,” you said as you eagerly took a large bite. “Mm, it’s good!”

Bucky grinned and leaned over to kiss the crumb off the corner of your lips, then he bit into his own sandwich. You ate in companionable silence, mustering the confidence to ask Bucky a question that had been lingering in your mind ever since you met him.

Finally, after the both of you had finished your sandwiches, you said, “They keep sayin’ that you come from the wrong side of town, but there isn’t a wrong side of town. You live right at the outskirts, away from everybody else, but there’s nothin’ wrong about that.”

Bucky looked at you, surprise flickering across his face. You realized you didn’t actually ask a question, but Bucky understood you wanted answers anyway.

“‘Wrong side of town,’” he scoffed. “They don’t mean this town, baby. Me and my ma? We’re not from here. We immigrated here when I was a kid. Dunno what happened to my father, he was never in the picture.”

Realization dawned on you as you uttered, “Oh…”

Awkward silence filled the air. Bucky tilted his head and cupped your cheek. “You still love me, baby?” he asked, his voice soft with a hint of apprehension.

Your eyes widened as you quickly said, “Of course, I love you, Bucky! I won’t stop loving you because of that. I love you. Forever.”

Bucky smiled and his eyes twinkled.

“Forever?” he repeated.

“Forever,” you firmly nodded. “And all these damn bigots can go die in a fire!”

Bucky laughed, his nose scrunching in his amusement, as he pulled you up into his lap and kissed you. What started out as a chaste kiss ended up more as he groaned and licked at your lips, asking for permission. You gave it to him as you opened your mouth and he slid his tongue against yours. His hands were rubbing your back and one snaked down to gently grope at your ass. You whimpered as you felt his length begin to harden underneath you, and he started to slowly push your skirt up to your hips.

You parted from him with a gasp, “Bucky!”

“It’s okay, baby,” Bucky breathed, “I just wanna touch you a little.”

“Bucky, we’re in public…” you whined.

“And nobody knows how to get here except me. Don’t worry, no one will see.”

“But─oh!” your words were cut off when Bucky brusquely pushed your panties to the side and pressed his finger against your clit.

You bit your lip as you tried to stifle the pathetic sounds of your desire.

“It’s okay,” Bucky muttered as he kissed your jaw and down your neck, rubbing slow circles against your bundle of nerves. “No one can hear you; you can let it out.”

He pulled at the top of your dress until one of your breasts spilled out. Staring at your tit, he moaned as he swiped his tongue across his lips, then he leaned forward to lay wet kisses on the flesh while avoiding the nipple. He was whispering against you but you couldn’t understand his words as you were under his thrall. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, one hand placed at the back of his head, and arched your back, pressing your breast harder against him in a silent plea.

He obliged and flicked at your nipple with the tip of his tongue until it hardened, then he wrapped his lips around the nub and his cheeks hollowed as he sucked. You whimpered as you ground your hips against his hand, seeking more of his touch.

Bucky continued to thumb your clit as he wiggled his index at your hole. There was the smallest hint of resistance right near the entrance before he coaxed out your natural lubrication and he slid his finger in with a soft squelch.

You moaned and grabbed onto his shirt, fisting the fabric in your hands. He slowly pumped his finger, curling it ever so slightly to just barely brush against the sweet spot inside. When he felt your walls begin to tighten, he pushed in a second finger. You jumped and cried out; it didn’t hurt, it just surprised you. You felt the smirk of his lips against your nipple as he sucked just a little harder and then released you with a soft pop. He pulled at your dress until your other breast fell out and he swallowed thickly at the sight.

He pumped harder and faster, digging his fingertips into your sweet spot. He watched you with rapt attention, mouth hanging open slightly, his eyes darting from the ecstasy painted over your face to the jiggling of your tits due to his movements between your legs. Every so often he would lean forward to give your pebbled nubs a kiss, a suck, or a nip. His spittle dripped down the rounded flesh.

Bucky watched you with half-lidded eyes and he hissed between his teeth when you suddenly arched your back and began to tremble violently. You gasped and held your breath for a moment before coming so hard that your scream echoed across the clearing and down the lake, even spooking the nearby birds as they cheeped and flew away in fright. You immediately slapped your hand across your mouth and smothered a giggling fit. Bucky laughed softly and brushed his lips against your cheeks. His touch slowed in you but continued to leisurely curl his fingers in and out, drawing out your orgasm as much as possible.

"I liked that," he said, voice low and teasing, still laced with amusement.

He pulled your hand away from your mouth and kissed your lips wetly a few times, finally pulling out of you. He made sure you were watching when he sucked his fingers clean. You blushed and tipped your head down to his chest shyly.

Bucky adjusted your panties and fixed your top as he murmured, “Let’s go home.”

“But I don’t wanna go home…” you pouted as you looked back to his face.

Bucky chuckled, “I meant my home. Come home with me.”

“Okay,” you nodded as you easily agreed.

Hours later, the both of you lay naked, sweaty, and contently exhausted in Bucky’s bed. Your head was on his chest as he wrapped one arm around you.

You nuzzled your forehead against Bucky’s neck as you asked, “Have you ever been in love?”

“Why, yes,” Bucky replied with a charming glint in his eye, “In fact, I’m in love right now, with you, the girl of my dreams.”

“No, not me, silly,” you giggled. “Before me.”

Bucky breathed, “No, there was nobody else before you.”

“Oh, bull,” you snorted incredulously. “You had plenty of girls before me.”

“Oh, now, don’t say it like that. Sure, I was with other girls before. And sure, I treated them nice because my ma didn’t raise a cad, but I didn’t… well, I didn’t love any of them. I cared about them, but I didn’t love them. I didn’t love anyone else besides my ma until I found you.”

“Really?” You lifted your head to meet Bucky’s gaze. “Not a single other person before me besides your ma?”

“Really. Not a single one.” Bucky’s expression was so soft, you wanted to cry.

Bucky suddenly sat up and pulled you along with him. The intensity shining in his eyes started you.

“Baby, I love you,” he stated, voice full of conviction. “There’s nobody I’ve ever loved before you, and there won’t ever be anybody after you. No matter what happens, no matter who tries to come between us, no matter how hard they try, nothin’ can keep me from you. I will always find my way back to you.”

Tears filled your eyes and your voice wobbled as you said, “You promise?”

Bucky reached for your hand, holding it tightly between both of his.

“I promise,” he said, firm and unwavering, like a vow carved in stone.

Weeks later, Bucky continued to be a constant in your life. Your father started to get wind of you seeing a boy, but he, like Dean, didn’t know which boy. Your father had been hinting at wanting to meet him and see what kind of man he was, but you kept playing dumb. Arvin kept his mouth shut and pretended he had no idea what was going on.

You slipped out of the house one early Sunday morning to surprise Bucky at his home on his day off, carrying a homemade loaf of pound cake that you baked the night before and had to hide so your family didn’t scarf it down like they never ate anything in their entire lives. Having no car of your own and not wanting to piss Dean off by borrowing his without asking, you hopped on the bus going towards the edge of town, and then walked that one mile to Bucky’s isolated house.

Slightly out of breath, you rapped on the door. It swung open to reveal Bucky, his eyes widening in surprise. Your eyes drifted down his torso. He was shirtless, his hair and skin a bit damp from a recent shower giving him a fresh, crisp scent that lingered in the air. Faded blue jeans clung to his hips, held up by a weathered brown belt, and his feet were bare. You openly admired the view.

“Hey, baby!” he beamed as he drew you into his arms. “What’re you doin’ here so early? Thought I was goin’ to pick you up later.”

“I couldn’t wait,” you said as you pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Bucky dipped his head, burying his face into your hair, and inhaled.

“You smell nice,” he said, his voice muffled against you.

You laughed, “No, you smell nice. I smell like sweat.”

“It’s nice,” he insisted. “Come in.” He gently pulled you through the threshold as he closed the door behind you, then he had you in his arms again, peppering your lips and jaw with a series of kisses.

You giggled and held him for a few moments before softly nudging him away. He dramatically pouted.

You snorted, but then held up a bag.

“I made you a pound cake,” you announced, trying to appease him.

Bucky grinned, “Aw, baby, thank you!”

Later on, with Bucky dressed and half the pound cake eaten, he pulled you into the kitchen and sat you down at the small dining nook as he prepared lunch. He lit two candles at the center of the table and placed a tiny glass vase beside them with a single rose brightening the space. You watched him work, your elbow resting on the table and your chin propped in your hand.

“I love a man who can cook,” you dreamily sighed.

Bucky glanced back at you and looked extremely proud of himself. He placed a plate in front of you, it was a simple dish, but the warmth and care he’d put into it made it seem like the most extravagant meal you had ever tasted.

“Thank you, Bucky, this is lovely!” you gushed.

Bucky’s smile widened as he slid into the seat across from you.

“You’re welcome, baby,” he said, satisfaction in his voice. “I’m real happy you like it.”

You ate together in cozy silence. The clink of silverware and the faint whirr of the oscillating fan were the only sounds between you.

As the meal neared its end, Bucky leaned back slightly, eyes fixed on his plate for a moment before he looked up at you.

“I’m gonna have enough money soon, baby,” he said, his voice low but steady.

You tilted your head in confused curiosity. “Enough money for what?”

“Enough to leave this place,” Bucky said, his voice laced with determination. “I’ll sell my shop, sell my house; sell it all.”

You raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at your lips. “Your bike too?” you asked, voice teasing.

“No, not my bike,” he huffed, shaking his head with a smirk, “never my bike.”

You leaned in, laughter dancing in your voice. “Your leather jacket?”

He paused, then he sighed with mock resignation, “Okay, maybe I won’t sell it all.”

You chuckled, “Not everythin’ then, huh?” Then, more softly, you added, “Ya gonna leave?”

“That’s right,” he nodded. “I’m gonna get out of this cold ass town.”

“Yeah?” you whispered, trying to hide your sadness. You didn’t blame him for wanting to leave. No one here ever treated him right.

“Yeah. And I’m gonna take you with me.”

He pulled a velvet box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. You gasped, covering your mouth with your hand, as he opened the box and presented you with a gold ring with a single glimmering diamond.

Bucky cleared his throat and nervously said, “Baby… will you do me the honor-”

“Yes!” you shrieked as you fell towards him and threw your arms around his neck.

He laughed as he lost his balance and you both tumbled to the kitchen floor. You smothered him with kisses, leaving your lipstick print all over his face.

Your happiness about the engagement could not be soured, despite your family’s objections. You knew you’d have to tell them about Bucky now that you’d accepted his proposal. You expected some pushback. Hell, you expected a lot of nasty pushback from your father, and he didn’t disappoint.

“You any idea how bad this makes me look?” your father raged. “The mayor’s daughter fuckin’ around with some piss poor gas-huffin’ road scum?”

“‘Piss poor,’” you scoffed. “Daddy, he owns his own business. And what does it matter how much someone has? That’s not what’s important!”

“I don’t give a damn! No daughter of mine is goin’ to get wit’ an oil rat from the boondocks!”

“Yeah, well, maybe I don’t wanna be your daughter no more,” you spat.

“The fuck you say to me?”

Dean winced, “Kid, maybe you should re-think-”

“I said what I said, daddy!” you snapped, ignoring Dean. “I love him, and I’m gonna be with him. We’re gonna get married and we’re gonna leave this dumb fuckin’ town. Bucky and I’ll be together forever!”

Your father’s face turned a red so deep, it was almost purple. He howled, “No, you ain’t, girl!”

You bristled and turned, your skirt fluttering in your haste to run out the door.

“I said, ‘no, you ain’t!’ You get back here, right now!”

You ignored him as you ran right into Bucky’s awaiting arms, his crooked smile firmly in place as he leaned in to kiss your forehead. He quickly helped you slip your arms into his leather jacket, settling it over your shoulders. You hopped onto the back of his bike and he fired up the engine, the roar of it filling the air. You two peeled away, helmets forgotten in your haste to leave, but you weren’t afraid. No one could ride a bike like Bucky could, and you had never felt safer than behind him with your arms around his waist, the wind whipping around your hair. You squealed in delight as he hit the throttle and sped into the night.

The next few days were the happiest you had ever been. You moved in with Bucky, although you left all your things behind in your old family home. You and Bucky went out to town, not deliberately showing off the engagement ring wrapped around your finger, but the nosy people definitely noticed. You two picked out a simple tea-length white dress. Bucky was going to get an actual suit, something he had never worn before in his entire life, but you insisted he just get a nice pair of trousers and a neat button-up shirt. You wanted him to wear his leather jacket with that outfit. It was iconic on him, and you never wanted that to change.

If you thought girls whispered about you and Bucky before, well, now the entire town was talking about you two, but you didn’t care. You and Bucky were planning to leave real soon because you both had a feeling that no judge would marry you, not with your father still in office. Bucky was in the middle of haggling for a truck that could carry his bike in the back, along with some luggage. You were going to go north, maybe the next state, or even one more – where no one would know of Bucky, or you, or your father. Where the both of you could start anew and live happily with each other as husband and wife. Bucky already sold his shop, he just needed to find a buyer for his house, but if no one wanted it by the end of the week, then he would abandon it and you two would leave for a better life.

But then it all came crashing down. You and Bucky were jolted awake in the middle of the night. There was no warning. Neither of you heard them coming; neither of you were prepared. You never imagined your father would go this far, but he did. You were yanked out of bed and restrained as chaos unfolded. A group of at least eight men, one crooked sheriff, and his equally dirty deputies swarmed Bucky. They pummeled him, fists and boots raining down upon him as you screamed, helpless and hysterical.

Now, Bucky was a fighter. He fought his entire life and won every fight, but he had never had to fight more than three men at a time, and not in the dead of night where they blinded him with flashlights. He couldn’t see the fists coming from every direction. He managed to get a few good hits, a couple of wet cracking sounds suggested that Bucky broke a few noses or some bones, but for the most part, he didn’t stand a chance. Eventually, he fell, and the both of you were dragged outside.

Under the moonlight and flashlights, you could see your father and Arvin waiting outside. Arvin looked sad and uncomfortable; your father looked smug and vindicated.

“You fuckin’ bastard!” you shrieked as you lunged at him.

A pair of arms held you back and the voice of your older brother sounded at the back of your head. “Calm down, kid!”

“Dean!” You struggled in his grasp and elbowed him in the stomach. He grunted but didn’t retaliate. “How could you?!”

Your father shoved Arvin towards you as he ordered, “Go help your brother!”

Arvin sheepishly did as he was told, guilt flickering in his expression as he took his place in holding you back. Dean released you and made his way to join the group that had Bucky shoved down to his knees. Bucky’s shoulders were slumped for a few moments before he straightened his back and glared at the men clustering around him, but especially at your father. A gash that carved across Bucky’s eyebrow steadily oozed, blood trickling down the curve of his face. The eye beneath was almost swollen shut, the skin bruised and dark. His bottom lip was split down the middle, blood also seeped down his chin. One side of his face was also swollen, the skin stretched tight across the puffiness.

Bucky leaned forward slightly and spat blood across your father’s fancy leather shoes; then he sat back and smirked at him with smug satisfaction.

Your father snarled before backhanding Bucky across his cheek. Bucky barely flinched.

“Take care of him,” your father ordered, jerking his chin towards Bucky.

The sheriff stepped forward and Bucky glanced at him with scornful contempt. Bucky’s attention immediately snapped back to you, his eyes were wide and burning with urgency.

“I’ll come back to you, baby, I promise,” his voice trembled as he swore his oath to you. “I’ll find you again. I love you.”

A sudden explosion shattered the air, loud and sharp like a crack of thunder. You sucked in a ragged gasp, held it for a heartbeat, and then released a guttural wail as you sank to your knees. Clawing at the dirt, you dragged yourself towards the prone body.

“Bucky!” You howled as you fell against him. You grabbed at the chest of his shirt and yanked, trying to pull him up. “Bucky, please!”

He didn’t answer. Bucky’s unblinking eyes began to cloud over, his mouth slack, and blood pooled beneath his head. You pressed your hand against the wound, hoping to stop the bleeding, to save him, to do something, but it was in foolish vain as you felt the gaping hole in his skull leak viscerally into your palm.

“No…” you wept, “no!”

You shook his body. He didn’t react. You felt hands grab at you and heave you to your feet. “No!” you screeched as you reached for him, but he didn’t reach back. “Bucky!”

“Stop it, girl!” the sound of your father’s hoarse voice snapped. “You know that boy ain’t right! This is all your fault. This didn’t have to happen. You should’ve listened and stopped seein’ him, and now he’s dead and that’s on you.”

You bawled, “Let me go, y’all are fuckin’ crazy sons of bitches!” as you reeled back and elbowed Arvin holding you. Like Dean, he also grunted and didn’t retaliate.

“Hey!” Your father barked. “You remember who you’re talkin’ to!” He took a step toward you and stabbed a finger in your direction.

“Take your sister home,” he continued. “We’ll deal with this good for nothin’ body.”

You got dragged away by your younger brother. Arvin muttered, “I’m sorry, sis…”

You didn’t even hear him as you whimpered, “Bucky…”

A bunch of men in sheriff’s uniforms, including Dean who couldn’t look at you, moved in on his body and blocked your view of him. Their figures blurred as your eyes flooded with more tears.

“I ain’t tellin’ you where he’s buried, kid,” your older brother snarled.

“It’s been days, Dean, I need to know!” you cried. “I gotta say goodbye!”

“You already said your goodbyes that night.”

“You bastard!”

“Hey!”

“You assholes formed a lynch mob and killed him! You murdered him in cold blood right in front of me!”

“Kid-”

“No! You took him from me! For what? Just because we loved each other? You tell me where he’s buried, Dean! Tell me! You give this to me! Tell me where you’ve buried the love of my life…” The franticness of your voice died down as you broke into defeated sobs. Your shoulders sagged and your head fell, eyes locked on the floor as you wiped at your nose with the back of your hand.

Dean stared at you with a softened expression, showing something akin to sympathy. He sighed, “An unmarked grave in the woods, five miles west of where he died, under a hollow tree.”

You turned and walked away silently. You wouldn’t thank him.

You took the bus to the edge of town, then hiked the familiar path toward Bucky’s house. Once you reached his porch, you veered west. It took you a while to find it, but found it you did, and you kneeled by the mound of loose dirt about a foot away from a hollow tree. You didn’t know what to say, so you said nothing. You just sat on your knees and placed a hand on top of the mound, the hand that still wore your engagement ring. You burst into tears and wept.

“I’m so sorry, Bucky,” you finally choked out. “It’s because of me. This happened because of me. You didn’t deserve any of this. I miss you so much. I wish I could just hold you one more time.”

You crumbled and touched your forehead to the earth and sobbed bitterly. You stayed like that for a long time, enough that the sun dimmed into afternoon light. You decided you needed to leave before it got dark, or else you risked getting lost in the woods once you couldn't see. You sighed, wiped the wetness and dirt from your face, stood to your feet, and made your way back.

You didn’t go home to your family. You didn't think you would ever go back to them. You went back to Bucky’s house. His leather jacket was still draped over the couch, as if he would be back any moment to put it on. You tugged his leather jacket over your torso, went into his bedroom to lie down in his bed, and you cried until you fell asleep.

It had been a few weeks. Bucky’s house became your house. You went back to your home a few times when you knew your family wouldn’t be there to collect some things. The town folk went about their days none the wiser; most looked at you with pity, assuming that Bucky had left you. You didn’t have the energy to tell them any different. Dean and Arvin came by a few times, trying to placate you, and asked you to go home with them. You refused every time. Your father never bothered to show his face, being too proud and stubborn to bother, assuming it would only be a matter of time before you would come to your senses.

Dean came by with groceries a few times too, although you still had your bookkeeping job and could afford to take care of yourself. It was just cumbersome to get to and from town because of all that hiking to take the bus, and you didn’t know how to ride Bucky’s bike. You could use the money Bucky had from selling his shop to buy a car, but you didn’t feel right touching his funds. You still cried yourself to sleep every night, clinging to Bucky’s jacket like your life depended on it. You were grateful that it still smelled like him, but it was beginning to fade and your heart was breaking even more.

One night, a massive thunderstorm descended, as if the sky itself had turned against the town. Rain slammed the rooftops like angry fists, and lightning flared in ghostly flashes. Thunder cracked overhead, loud enough to rattle your bones, and the wind screamed through the trees like it was alive and furious. You couldn’t remember ever experiencing such a terrible storm before, and it was scaring you.

You lay in bed and tried to sleep, but the storm woke you every few minutes. As you drifted in and out of restless dozing, your eyes gritty with exhaustion, you thought you heard something outside. It didn’t sound like something a storm should make. You blinked hard and sat up, listening closely. You could hear the front door open and close. Your eyes widened and you gulped; your chest tightened as panic seized you. It could be anyone. If you were lucky, it was Dean, or Arvin, or even your father. If you were unlucky, it was a robber, a killer, the corrupt sheriff, or one of his deputies coming to finish the job.

You silently stepped out of bed and padded barefoot across the room. You grabbed Bucky’s wrench, the heaviest one you found that you kept close in his home ever since that night he was taken from you. You quietly opened the door and peered down the hall. You saw a large figure cast in the shadows standing in the middle of the living room. You almost screamed, but kept it together. The figure’s body language looked almost confused as rainwater dripped from his form and splashed softly onto the hardwood floor.

You swallowed your fear as you announced, “Whoever you are, I suggest you turn around and leave right now! I’ve gotta weapon and I know how to use it!”

You could see the figure turn his head towards you. He just stood there, not saying anything for a few moments. Finally, in a soft, dazed voice, he said, “Baby?”

Author's Note: Don't worry! Bucky's back! And... better than ever...?

Series Masterlist || Main Masterlist

Read on AO3

#missy's writing challenge #sebastian stan #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky fanfic #sebastian stan fanfic #mcu #marvel #dark!bucky barnes #soft!bucky barnes #soft dark!bucky barnes #bucky x female reader #bucky barnes x female reader #dark bucky barnes #soft bucky barnes #soft dark bucky barnes #allthenobodyppl writes

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liberalk1tsch · 2 days ago

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Do you think Katniss would have won without the love story? Or to broaden it without Peeta if he wasn’t reaped?

this is such a fun what-if and honestly i think it’s really a toss-up. katniss is obviously skilled and clever enough to win the games, but the odds — as usual — were absolutely not in her favour, and peeta’s involvement tilted the scale. a world where he’s her fellow tribute but not in love with her is especially interesting, because i do think they still would’ve allied. if anything, they’d probably work together better without all the secrecy and weird tension early on. peeta wouldn’t feel like he had to keep things hidden to protect her from his feelings, and katniss wouldn’t be so paranoid about his intentions. she’d probably trust him more quickly.

but if they’re more openly allied, they’re automatically a bigger threat to the careers. and unlike katniss, peeta’s not a tree climber — he’s slower, heavier, and more visible — so they’d be vulnerable. they’d also lack the audience’s emotional investment in their “star crossed lovers” gimmick, which means less sponsor money, less help from haymitch, and most importantly: no burn ointment for katniss. if she doesn’t get that medicine, it’s entirely possible she ends up the one dying in a cave of sepsis instead of peeta.

if we’re talking no peeta at all — like he never gets reaped — it’s harder to say. katniss is incredibly pragmatic when it comes to survival, especially if it means getting back to prim (unless it involves someone she’s emotionally attached to). as long as her district partner isn’t gale, she’s unlikely to hesitate much if it comes down to killing them. but she really struggles to come off likable to sponsors on her own, so again, she’s got fewer resources. plus there’s no one to protect her from the careers, both in terms of redirecting them away from her and literally saving her life when she’s tripping on tracker jacker venom.

so yeah. could she have won? maybe. if it was merely skilled based? probably. would she have? without peeta — especially without the romance angle — it’s a lot more up in the air imo

#thanks for the ask!#katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #everlark #thg #the hunger games

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damn-stark · 7 hours ago

Text

Chapter 16 Intertwined, sewn together

Final chapter of Tragedy at the Miller’s

A/N- We’re on the last chapter!! 😩 I am moving forward past episode 7 using GAME CONTENT SO BEWARE!!

Warning- Fluff, ANGST, swearing, talks of weapons, death and blood, MAJOR SPOILERS for season 2 AND GAME, Remember this is a rewrite not an AU, so the major stuff that happens in the show will happen here :)

Pairing- Joel Miller x daughter!reader (platonic of course :), OC x Fem!reader

Episode- I am using content from the game

————

*14 YEARS AGO*

Here you are, covered in blood, and sitting in the living room of your childhood home with your head hanging low and your knees pressed to your chest.

You then see him walking in so you sit upright, expecting to get in trouble for running off on your own and being found in a room littered with clickers you killed. You meet your uncle's glowering gaze and wait for him to unleash his anger with sharp words, but it’s your 16th birthday, you’re in your childhood home, and you’re looking at him with this…look…so tender and so dull, and so close to breaking that he can't muster of a single sharp word.

Instead, he looks for the sun but finds you looking at him like you would look at your dad when the world was sane; like he is life itself, and in doing so, at that moment, he knows that you’re more intertwined than he thought.

He never let himself admit it. You were never his. You were always Joel’s most precious possession, but now, as you look at him like he’s life itself, you are his. He is a father and you are his daughter, and he knows that what you need is not sharp words, but comfort.

“You came,” you say in a broken whisper and watch him sit beside you.

“Of course,” he retorts right away.

“I’m worth,” your voice breaks and you look down at a picture of you, Sarah, and your dad. “I’m worth something aren’t I?” You ask and once again look at him with the same look as before.

“‘Course,” your uncle quickly reassures you. “You are worth…more than…life,” he trails off in a whisper that you barely hear, but you catch it nonetheless and nod in comprehension.

“I’m…good, aren’t I? I was good wasn’t I? I-I tried. I really did.”

“What do you mean?” He probes.

You wipe your tears away and explain the reasoning behind your questions. “Why did he leave? Why didn’t he come with us? With me?”

Your uncle lets out a deep breath and puts his head back against the couch, but keeps his eyes on you. “I don’t know,” he says. “Sarah’s death. All this…it changed him.”

You nod slowly and press the picture against your chest. “I’ll show him,” you say confidently with tears running down your cheeks. “I’ll show him I don’t need him to survive. I’ll live long. I’ll live a long and good life. Even through all this.”

Your uncle smiles at you with admiration as you look back at the picture with sparks of determination twinkling in your eyes that let him see it.

Maybe because this new dream is all he wants for you, but he sees your future here and there, that long and good life. And he will do anything to make sure you’ll have it.

——

*NOW. SEATTLE*

“Sunny,” Tommy whispers as he sees you laying limply on the ground with blood spilling out from your wound, leading him to think the worst, but hoping he’s not right. Thus, he calls out in another whisper.

“Baby…” he trails off and keeps watching you, hoping you’ll move, but you remain flat on the ground.

“Stop hiding!” Abby sneers, breaking him from his stupor and reminding him where he is, so he looks up and catches Abby pointing her gun at the edge of the desk where Ellie is hiding again thanks to you. She then quickly hits the trigger, but carves a hole on the edge of the dark, closing in on Ellie, but not hitting her, so she starts moving away from him in search of Ellie.

However, this time before she can shoot again, with a shot of adrenaline caused by rage as he looks at the woman who’s brought him nothing but misery, Tommy forces himself on his feet even if his ribs burn, and catches Abby off guard by grabbing her gun and trying to yank it away.

Albeit Abby grips onto the gun with a vice-like grip and accidentally shoots at the air a couple of times as she challenges Tommy for full control of her gun.

Ellie catches the power struggle so she quickly slips away to the auditorium whilst the young bald boy that came with Abby interferes.

“Let her go!” The boy exclaims, and before Tommy knows it, an arrow goes through his thigh, making him yelp and falter, and letting Abby swing her body around to throw Tommy three hard and sharp punches across his face and one on his throat.

Overcome with pain and the inability to catch a breath, Tommy lets go of the gun and falls on his knees, letting Abby and the bald boy chase after Ellie, leaving behind Tommy, Jesse’s lifeless body, and you.

And as much Tommy did care for Jesse, the young man doesn’t even cross his mind, he wants to go after Ellie to help her, but with the arrow pierced in his leg, and his ribs broken or bruised, he’s left invalid. He’s actually succumbed to the thought that he’s going to die, so there’s nothing he can do for Ellie as much as he wants to. You on the other hand.

Once he’s able to catch his breath again, even through his writhing pain, he musters the strength to clutch the ground and drag his body toward you ready to accept death.

However, once he manages to reach you, he realizes that your chest is not still, it’s rising and falling. You’re alive. The bullet just grazed you, leaving your face pampered in blood and you in such a terrifying death-like state, but you’re alive.

You’re alive.

“Oh thank god,” Tommy cries as he lets his forehead fall on yours as he’s overcome with relief.

There have been many close calls. Many times where he feared for your life, but no moment was more terrifying and real than this moment because, for a few minutes, he thought you were really dead. He had already felt the world come crumbling down and accepted death if that’s what fate wanted from him, but your heart is beating, and you’re breathing, so his world is whole again and he forsakes death as he finds meaning in the world again.

If only he could heal you, but he’s still writhing in pain and invalid. He can’t do anything but lay helplessly beside you and wait.

——

*1 YEAR LATER. JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING*

“There. Just there. Put the flowers there.”

Theo rests the flowers next to the mug filled with hot plain black coffee, and just over a patch of dirt where the grass is thinner than the rest because not long ago you buried your dad's watch where it belongs. With him.

“Me,” Theo pats his chest and then points to the hot mug of coffee, making you chuckle.

“Here’s your juice,” you let him know and grab the cup off the ground to pass it over to him.

“Why don’t you tell Grandpa what we’re going to have for breakfast today, hm?” You suggest, making the little boy purse his lips and tap his chin as he thinks for a moment before he blurts.

“Pancakes!” Theo exclaims. “Juice!”

You smile and Apollo lies on his side. “Is that all? How about scrambled eggs? Or fruit?”

Theo grabs his juice and takes a long drink before he leans toward his dad. “No. Juice.”

Apollo scoffs with amusement. “Well then, but don't reach for my fruit when you want some. You stick with your juice.”

Theo clinks his dad's cup of juice and then lets his cup go to grab Apollo’s since he had only taken a sip and Theo's cup wasn’t as full anymore.

“Oh wow,” Apollo mumbles as you giggle. “What about your mama, are you gonna let her have some or are you gonna drink it all yourself.”

Theo exhales deeply before he pushes himself up and approaches you to offer you some. “Juice?”

You grin at your son and take his cup. “Oh well if you’re offerin’.” You say and finish his drink, making his eyes widen and his jaw slowly drop.

“No!” He whines and falls to the ground. “No!”

You sigh and cup his cheek, making him peek over at you and pout.

“Sorry.” You tease with a smile. “Your sibling was thirsty. They told me to drink all of your juice! They said, "Drink all of Teddy’s juice!” You mock in a faux baby voice before you pull your hand away to then surprise him by tickling his tummy.

Theo loses all of his anger and giggles at the action. When you pull your hand away he then crawls to you to try and tickle you, but all he does is wipe his fingers on your belly.

Not like it matters though because you still laugh for him. Which only makes him laugh harder until he hears your stomach growl and stops with horror as he thinks that it’s the five-month-old baby in your belly.

“Oh no. It wants you next.” You tease and quickly throw your arms around him to pull him toward you to press multiple kisses on his cheek to make him believe you’re going to eat him and make him fall into a fit of laughter.

When you pull away and he slowly comes to a stop you interject. “Why don’t you say goodbye to Grandpa and tell him you’ll come back soon?”

Theo turns towards your dad's tombstone and waves. “Bye, Pa!”

You smile and press a tender kiss on his cheek before you let him go to approach your dad's tombstone and pour the coffee out from his mug on the same spot on the ground as always. You then stay crouched in front of the tombstone and whisper. “Bye, Daddy I’ll see you tomorrow.”

You then kiss the top of your fingers and press it on the surface of his tombstone before you get up and join Apollo and Theo by the horses.

“Why don’t you invite your dad over for breakfast?” You tell Apollo as you ascend your horse. “We’re gonna pass by anyway on our way home.”

“Oh, yeah,” Apollo says with a faint smile. “That’d be nice. You might as well invite your uncle and his family over then. We always tend to make more pancakes than we need anyway. I think it’ll be nice. Spontaneous, but nice.”

You nod in agreement. “It’s still early too,” you add. “So I think we should catch them before they eat. Good idea, my love.”

He grins cheekily and shrugs. “Why, thanks babe. It came to me. Just now. Thanks to you actually, so, great idea.”

You flash him a smirk. “Thanks.”

You both share one more smile before you then move on and return to the safety of the town, crossing with no trouble, just gaining more hunger.

You’ll have to invite everyone quickly so you can go home and start breakfast as soon as possible. This new baby has made you eat more and think you'll starve if you're not eating often. You didn't have this problem when you were expecting Theo, the experience with him was different, kinder in a sense, so you try to quickly put the horses away.

When you eventually make it outside you expect to meet up with Apollo and Theo waiting for you, but instead, you’re welcomed with a surprising visitor.

“Ellie!” You exclaim, grabbing her attention before you run over to her with a beaming grin and searching eyes.

Albeit you don’t spot who you’re looking for so your smile falters. “Where’s Dina and the baby?” You ask, making Ellie hesitate to answer, so you look back at her and see that her gaze is lost on the blind eye and the curved scar on the left side of your face that the bullet graze left last year in Seattle. A parting gift if you may.

Ellie always seems to get lost on the scars on your face. Every time without a fault you catch her glancing at them when she visits. At first, it would annoy you mostly because you hated the curved scar and the fact that you couldn’t see out of one eye, but after a while. When you at last got used to your scars, you realized that Ellie only stared out of guilt.

She should realise though that she didn’t force you to try and defend her. You choose to do it, so there’s nothing she should be guilty about. You’ve tried to make her understand multiple times already, but doesn’t seem to get it.

“Ellie,” you press and snap her out of her stupor. “Did Dina and JJ come? Where are they?”

Ellie draws out a small breath before she points towards the gate. “They stayed home…it’s just me,” she says and averts her eyes right away. “I just ran into Apollo and Teddy. Apollo said to tell you that you could head home and get started on breakfast. He’ll take care of the other things.”

You hum and nod in comprehension. “Okay, great, I'm starving. I’m assuming you’re coming over then? We’re makin’ pancakes.”

Ellie nods faintly as she only spares you a glance before she starts following you as you lead the way home, wondering why she came alone when she always travels in a group with Dina and her son, JJ. They’ve been inseparable since Dina had the baby. Wherever one is the other one is not far behind, like a shadow. Which is why it’s odd that Ellie came alone especially since she and Dina live outside of Jackson now. They’re more prone to traveling to town together.

“How come you’re here alone?” You can’t help but wonder, making Ellie finally glance at you for longer than a second.

“Why? Am I not enough for you anymore?”

You scoff. “You are, but it's just odd to see you without Dina and the baby now.”

Ellie laughs breathlessly as if strained and offers you a response. “Dina…didn’t feel like coming. That’s all, so you’re stuck with just me.”

You nudge her. “Well, I don’t mind.”

Ellie offers you a faint smile which also looks strained, so rather than feeling relieved that your curiosity was answered, you’re left more curious and worried.

“How’s JJ?” You ask with a smile.

“Good,” she says and nods. “Yeah, he’s good. Only getting bigger.”

“Good. That’s how it should be.”

You look at her with a smile and a need to share about your own growing bundle of joy, but you hold back on it for now in hopes she’ll be in better spirits later on.

Until then you make it home without much conversation. Ellie makes it hard with her look of doom and gloom. It makes you wonder if she and Dina got into a fight.

What other reason would have her here with such a long frown on her face and a completely distant look that makes her look like she’s miles away rather than next to you.

You almost don’t ask if something's up. You want to let her bring it up because you know she will, but you can’t help it. You get home and while you’re starting breakfast it’s too quiet and tense. You have to probe.

“Okay, what’s up? What’s wrong with you? Why are you here?”

Ellie looks offended. “Do I have to have a reason to come visit alone?”

You shake your head and point the spatula at her. “No, but ever since I saw you I've noticed you carrying this face that’s telling me something’s wrong, so speak before people get here.”

Ellie holds your gaze for a moment before she sighs as she realizes you have her cornered. There’s no more avoiding the subject. Thus she takes just a couple of seconds to herself to exhale deeply and fiddle with her fingers before she parts her lips to speak what’s gnawing at her. “I found Abby.”

You scoff in disbelief and look at her as if she’s joking. “What?” You quip with a smile.

Ellie nods stiffly. “For a couple of months now I've been secretly looking for Abby and finally after months, I know where she is. She’s in California.”

Your amusement completely disappears and you look at her with a deadpanned face, making Ellie that more nervous.

“No, that’s impossible. It could be anyone,” you argue, but Ellie quickly shakes her head and finally there’s a spirit in her that’s been missing since you came across her.

“But it’s not. It’s Abby. She was traveling with a skinny boy with scars on his face. It’s her. She’s in California and I mapped it out. Everything is already planned and packed. If we leave today we can catch up to her in a couple of weeks. It’ll just be us and Tommy.”

“No,” you mutter, but she doesn’t catch your response.

“We could get there even quicker and catch her completely off guard and it’s not like she has a city to hide in. She’s vulnerable. This is our chance—”

“I said no,” you sneer, making her cut off her excited rambling as she hears the tone of your voice.

“What?” She quips as she looks at you confused. “What do you mean no? She escaped last time—”

“No, we barely escaped with our lives last year,” you blurt and turn the stove off in a fury to put all your attention on her. “I lost my ability to see out of one eye. My uncle struggles to walk, Dina got shot in the shoulder and almost got her throat sliced, and you almost died on multiple occasions while Jesse wasn’t so lucky. So no Ellie.”

She shakes her head in disbelief while also looking at you like you offended her. “So it’s that simple huh? Let a year pass by and you forget what she did to your dad?! To Jesse?!”

You shake your head. “No you don’t get to bring up Jesse because this is not who it’s about and you know that, so leave him out of it. This is about you not being able to let revenge go. Let it go, Ellie. You killed Nora, Owen, and Mel. You said you could let Abby go, so please,” you say softer now as you’re begging her. “Please let this go. You’re alive. You have a family. Enjoy your life. Please, you deserve it.”

“And Joel deserved to live just like Abby deserves to die. I won’t get to enjoy my life until I see her dead. If you don’t care, I do and we will do this without you.” She spats, expecting you to be in distress, but you hold her gaze with tears welling in your eyes and determination burning within.

“No.” You spat and shake your head. “You will do this alone. My uncle will not be going with you. He is not risking his life and neither am I, and I assume that’s why Dina is not here either.” You say and swallow thickly as she bats her eyes in disbelief.

“I went to Seattle to help you,” you continue. “I will not go after you to California and I mean that, so don’t be expectin’ anyone to surprise you. If you do this. You do this alone.”

Tears well in Ellie’s eyes and she backs up and nods slowly comprehension. Your heart tears in two, but you mean every word and not only because you’re pregnant, but because you are choosing to be selfish. You’re moving on and you don’t want to die.

“I’m not stopping you,” you add with a quiver in your voice. “If you want to leave, leave, but just tell me this. Is that what he would want?”

Ellie swallows thickly and stands still for a moment before she nods stiffly. “It’s what he deserves…don’t worry though. I don’t need you. I didn’t have you before. I can do just fine without you now.”

Tears slip out of your eyes and you whisper. “There will always be a place in my house for you, so after your revenge has come to an end and you make your way back home…I’ll be here.”

Ellie scoffs and shoves past you to stomp over to her backpack by the entrance. You follow her to the door and tell her one last thing. “I love you, Ellie. Remember that.”

Ellie doesn’t stop, she puts on her backpack and storms away, leaving you stranded at the entrance of your house with tears streaming down your face and a broken heart.

——

*LATER*

“Okay, he also suggested Orpheus,” Apollo shares as he has his ear pressed against your belly. “He was supposedly a legendary musician and poet who could charm both humans and animals with his music.”

You scoff softly and shake your head. “I am not naming my son Orpheus. It’s too complicated. They’ll laugh at him.”

“Yeah, okay then what about Phoebus? Which means bright or pure and it's a name used to refer to the god Apollo.”

You smile faintly and nod. “That’s a lot better,” you whisper in such a breathless way that it catches Apollo’s attention and makes him change the subject.

“I’m sure Ellie will make it.”

You nod. “That’s what I’m hoping for, but I just don’t get why she had to leave. I should be asking why she can’t move on, but I know grief just like I know how it feels like to be abandoned…And even so, seeing her leave hurt just as much as it did when my dad left…” you trail off and Apollo sits up and looks at you with a tender and apologetic look.

“You tried,” Apollo offers consolation. “That’s the best thing you could do. You can’t help her if she doesn’t want to be helped,” he says and cups your cheek to caress your face before he presses a gentle kiss on your forehead.

“She’ll come back. He did,” he assures you, making you smile and nod in comprehension before you touch your belly and add to the grim conversation.

“I’ll have to tell my uncle about Ellie leaving. He’ll probably be upset, but what can he do? He’ll get himself killed with his injured leg slowing him down.”

Apollo nods. “He’ll have to understand this is something Ellie has to do alone,” he says which gets you quite annoyed, but he’s also right.

Nevertheless, a knock raps on the door and Apollo is quick to go answer it, leaving you to be consumed by thoughts of Ellie. There’s no last-minute debate about going, you’re just worried about her life.

Are you doomed to repeat the past and now worry about her just like you worried about your dad?

It seems so…

Alas, you don’t get to worry for too long because the sight of your uncle Tommy trailing behind Dina with her son JJ, surprises you.

“Dina?” You ask with a faint smile as you get off the couch. “Uncle Tommy?”

Said man offers you a strained smile and Dina gives you a tightlipped smile before she approaches you to greet you with a brief embrace before she grabs your arm and grins as she pulls back to look down at your belly hidden behind your baggy sweater.

“How far along?” She asks with a small glint in her eyes.

“5 months,” you let her know. “We were gonna tell ya, I swear. We were just waitin’ for it to reach five months.”

Dina chuckles. “You’re good. I should’ve noticed.”

You shrug. “You’re a busy mom. Maybe next time.” You say and wink at her before you take her baby from her arms to greet him too.

“Hello, little cowboy. You’re gettin’ so big, and lookin’ so much like your dad,” you tell the baby who has no idea what you’re saying. He just enjoys being carried.

“Tea? Cookies?” Apollo offers your guests as they remain standing up. “A seat? I’m sorry we don’t have anything ready.”

“It’s okay,” Dina assures him. “I don’t want anything.”

Your uncle nods after her and adds on. “Yeah, I’m okay too. I'm sorry we dropped in on ya at night. I just needed to come and tell yall somethin’.”

“And I was just visiting him so we came together,” Dina continues after your uncle, letting you immediately assume what this is about.

“Okay,” you roll out and take a seat with JJ in your arms. “Sit then. Please.”

Apollo returns to his spot next to you while both of your guests take a seat across from you, bringing a thick tension into the room. One that neither of them dares to break right away, so you cross that threshold with your assumption.

“Is this about Ellie?”

Dina drops her gaze and your uncle Tommy looks at you slightly surprised.

“She came before breakfast,” you share and make your uncle confused. “Is this what this is about?”

Dina nods and her voice breaks. “Yes. She left at dawn.”

You sigh deeply and your uncle interjects. “She came and you didn’t tell me?” He directs at you, making you rebuttal swiftly.

“Yes. I didn't tell you because you would've just done something stupid and you can't afford doing something stupid. Not with your leg being the way it is.”

Your uncle is caught by surprise, but he can’t deny that you're right so he just nods stiffly as he takes that jab.

“Besides, I didn't want you to go,” you say bluntly. “I couldn't stop her, but I could stop you.”

Your uncle holds your gaze with soft disbelief and you continue trying to explain the reason behind your secrecy.

“We almost lost our lives last time. I don’t want to go through that again and risk losing you. It’s selfish but I’ve lost too much. Besides, Benji and Maria don’t deserve that either. If Ellie wants to take this trip…she has to do it alone. We can’t help her anymore.”

Your uncle draws out a deep breath and adds quietly, “But he would still fight for her. We have to do the same.”

Your breathing staggers but you don’t hesitate. “No. Not this time. Not us. Not anymore. This is her fight. Not ours.”

Your uncle gulps but doesn’t say anything in return. He doesn’t get up abruptly. He just sits there thinking, so you move on and part your lips to offer Dina some consolation and advice, but she interjects first.

“I get that you don’t want to risk your lives for Abby. I don’t either, but you have to try and get her back,” she commands. “She’ll listen to you. Please go get her back,” Dina pleads with her eyes glossy and her fierce command faltering.

“You’re pregnant,” she adds. “But he can go. He has to.”

You swallow thickly and you unshamefully shake your head. “I’m sorry, Dina, but no. My uncle has a hard time walkin’ and I only have one working eye. We went after her to Seattle, but this is one of those trips that we have to be selfish about, remember?”

Dina looks at you and your uncle distraught and in disbelief and as much as she wants to forget what you told her last year. Those words have stuck to her and it’s what kept her from going with Ellie. It’s what keeps her from fighting back.

“I know how you must feel,” you offer her words of comfort. “And I just want to say you did nothing wrong. She still loves you, I know that, and I know that it’s not easy knowing she left, but we can’t help them if they don’t want to be helped. We have to let time mend her broken heart. She’ll find herself again.”

Your uncle nods in agreement and pats her arm as she starts to cry.

“Why don’t you and JJ stay,” Apollo offers the crying girl. “It’s already dark and it’ll do you good to be surrounded by people instead of being all alone so far away.”

With the hope that you’d offer just that, Dina accepts your husband's offer. “Okay,” she mutters. “Thank you.”

You offer her a faint and pitiful smile before you catch your uncle standing from his chair.

“Ima head home now, okay? Goodnight Dina. Goodnight Apollo.” He offers them his goodbye, making you hand the baby to Apollo to be able to see your uncle out.

“I am sorry for not telling you that she came,” you tell him as you walk with him to the door. “And making that decision for you, but we both know when it’s not something is not worth our lives. I gave her a choice and she made it. We have to wait now for her to come back.”

Your uncle keeps his head down before he confesses to you. “Maria and Benji said that the next time I left, it had to be with them and as much as I want my son to be exposed to the world, you suffered so much on the road. I want him to know better…besides, had she come to me, I wouldn't have wanted you to go either.”

You scoff and quip. “What a pair huh?”

You stop by the door and before he opens it he looks back. “She’ll be okay. He was, and everything she knows about survivin’ comes from him, so be assured that she will make it back.”

You look at him feeling reassured and nod in comprehension as if his words were a guarantee.

“You and little Jolene have a good night now,” he says sweetly as he leans in to caress your belly and then press a kiss on your cheek.

“Goodnight Uncle Tommy,” you say back and give his cheek a little peck before you caress his cheek and then pull away.

Your uncle proceeds to open the front door and before he walks out, he adds some last words of comfort. “She’ll be okay. She’s a survivor.”

You draw in a deep breath and nod along. “Yeah. She is,” You agree and watch him walk out before you close the door behind him and stay by the door to whisper to yourself about the same matter.

“She’s a survivor,” you repeat to yourself and leave it at that. There’s no changing your mind. There’s no crying and asking yourself why.

You won’t ever stop worrying, but you have faith she’ll survive just like your dad did, so you make your peace with that faith.

——

*15 YEARS LATER*

Life is beautiful. There are dark times, hard losses, and horror, but if you had given in to your darkest desires and ended your life 16 years ago, you wouldn’t be where you are.

As terrifying as the cordyceps get as they mutate year after year, and little by little, life and the human race are stronger than that. If you had ended your life you wouldn’t live to see Jackson Hole get rid of its walls and trade with settlements nearby, other cities, and even states as you’ve only gained more knowledge on how to kill the infected and gained more control over them instead of living in fear under their reign.

You also definitely wouldn’t have gotten to build your family more beautiful than it was those years ago.

Had someone asked you how you saw your life, you wouldn’t have pictured the life you’re living now because you didn’t picture a thing besides your dad’s embrace and your sister's presence and your need to be amongst them, but now that you’re living your life, you can’t help but count your blessings when you remember those dark times. Every single one of them that you were gifted over the long years of your life.

You know your dad would have loved every aspect of your life and that’s what keeps you trying to make it much more beautiful.

“Okay ready…slow and easy,” you coo before you display a neat trick on horseback. “Just like that. Now you try.”

There, under the evening sun, your 15-year-old daughter graces you with a beaming grin that can warm anyone like a thousand suns.

Your uncle Tommy says whereas your smile can brighten someone's day or an entire dark room, your daughter's smile can warm anyone’s heart, and it couldn’t be more true.

“Like that?” Your daughter asks for reassurance after she attempted to mirror your actions.

“A little sloppy but you got the hang of it,” you praise her as you lean back on your horse. “That’s why…”

“We practice,” she continues for you, making you nod slowly in agreement.

“Well, I will say you’re a much better teacher than Daddy is,” she says, making you smirk smugly.

“Oh, I know.” You giggle. “Poor soul tries his best, but that’s why he’s not the one teachin’ anything.”

Your daughter giggles. “He's good at leading a town, but not teaching. I mean he speaks in technical terms. And I just—None of us get it.” She says and laughs, making you laugh along with her.

“I saw the picture examples,” you bring up, making her laugh harder. “They were very good pictures.”

“I think the best thing is when he does the sound effects,” she adds.

“Yes! Yes!” You exclaim and clap. “He’s like you just gotta ‘fwosh!’ So I gotta give him props for being funny.”

Your daughter smiles brighter and just as she turns away her smile slowly falls and her eyes squint on something behind you.

You peer over your shoulder and in a cloud of dust comes the man you’re talking about as if you summoned him.

“Oh no, he musta heard,” your daughter says and turns her horse to try and stop laughing while you turn to face Apollo with your hand over your eyes to watch him get closer until he finally reaches you and your daughter.

“Hey,” you greet happily.

“Hey,” he says back with a cheeky smile that hides something, but before you can probe about what it is or why he came to you, his attention drifts to your daughter.

“Why are you laughing over there?” He queries, making you smirk down at your reins before you look back at him and brush it off for her.

“We were just gossiping about girl stuff.”

Apollo seems skeptical but he lets it go, letting you press him next. “What brought you over here? Where’s Teddy?”

Apollo sighs and smiles softly at his hands before he meets your gaze. “Tommy is here,” he says, causing a smile to slowly tug on your face.

“Really? Why didn’t he come then? We’re still not done here.”

“He’s brought a visitor,” Apollo continues to share, piquing your curiosity.

“Oh?” You mouth and try to get an answer from Apollo, but you can’t figure out anything out from his smile alone. You just see how incredibly sexy he looks in the evening sun.

Maybe you’re just biased but he’s only gotten sexier the older he gets. He knows that and you’re always proud to tell him.

“Who is it?” Your daughter probes for you, but Apollo doesn’t even give his daughter a hint. He just points back toward the direction your house is in.

“We have to go back to see.” He teases, making you scoff.

“Alright, I’ll bite,” you say and tighten your grip around your reins. “Let’s go then.”

Before Apollo can turn his horse to follow you back home, he addresses his daughter. “Why don’t you finish bringing the animals in? Catch up after.”

“Really?” She asks with enthusiasm as she’s given a taste of independence.

Apollo nods. “You have your gun?” He asks her and she immediately nods so he adds on. “Is it loaded?”

“Yes, Daddy it is,” she assures him quickly so he can hurry and leave with you.

“Remember—”

“Yeah,” she cuts him off. “Leave the animals and go back home if I see anything, but I’ll be fine. We haven’t been alerted of any sightings.”

Apollo scoffs with a small smile decorating his lips. “Alright, alright.”

“Here,” you interject now and take your walkie off your belt loop to throw it at her, making her catch it.

“Just in case,” you add, making her nod rapidly.

After that, with that last piece of reassurance, Apollo finally moves out of his spot and has his horse turn to face the way home.

“And tell Theo not to come! I can do it on my own!” Your daughter lets you both know, making Apollo offer her a comprehensive thumbs up before you head home.

About halfway into your trip back home though, you begin to tease your husband. “Is this just an excuse to steal me away?”

Apollo glances at you and smirks. “I wish it was the case,” he says. “But no. Not this time. Besides, Teddy has also chastised me for leaving him all the work to pursue you.”

You chuckle. “Ah yes, he’s strict. I think he takes after Maria. I get to work with the easier of the two. She’s a lot more flexible and turns a blind eye.”

“We’ll have to trade partners then,” Apollo jokes, making you giggle before you fall back to thinking about what he’s keeping from you.

“So who is it?” You ask. “Is it…Benji? It’s been a while since we’ve seen him.”

Apollo shakes his head and stays being cheeky. “Nope, just wait.”

“Pft. Boo.” You quip and don’t bother wasting your breath asking him to give his surprise away because he won’t break. He likes the rush of seeing you surprised and telling you would only ruin it, or so he says.

Either way, you get nothing from him so you ride on completely clueless and curious. You have half the mind to race him there but you’re also nervous to know so you just keep at a steady pace since he doesn’t seem to be in a rush.

Maybe it’s Dina?

It wouldn’t be much of a surprise considering you see her and JJ often, but it would be nice.

Maybe it’s a present for you?! You’d like that.

Or maybe…well who the fuck knows.

All you do know is that the closer you get home, the more nervous you get. To the point your whole body is tense and you feel like throwing up. When you reach home you grip onto your reins so hard your nails begin to dig into your palms and your heart beats so fast your ribs hurt.

You almost try to leave to rejoin your daughter, but you stay on track and eventually round the corner, seeing her there on your driveway on top of a horse.

You can’t believe it. Your eyes must be deceiving you.

It must be a hallucination…

But it’s not, it’s really her. It’s Ellie.

It’s been so long that you don’t know whether to run up to her or gawk.

She…looks older. Her hair is longer of course. She dons light wrinkles, of course, but it doesn’t make her look old at all.

She also didn’t get taller of course, and she’s still petite.

“Surprise,” Apollo breaks you from your stupor, making you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding before you look at him with a slow-building grin.

“It's Ellie,” he finally reveals teasingly and you just giggle nervously before you look back at Ellie and get off your horse to continue staring. One, because she’s getting off her own horse, and two, because you can’t believe it.

You’ve dreamt of seeing her so many times, but you always pictured the same girl you saw 15 years ago. You clung onto that last image that when you look at her now, 15 years feels like you’ve lived a century without her. It’s like when you saw your dad again after years. You can’t…process what you’re seeing, or who you’re seeing, you just know that you run up to her and grab her shoulders to study her from up close.

Even then, you still can't believe it.

“Hey,” she says in a voice that almost sounds the same, but after 15 years, her voice also gives away her age.

“It's me,” you whisper and continue to share your name, making her scoff in amusement before she nods.

“Yeah, I know,” she says and you laugh nervously again before you can’t help yourself and throw your arms around for an embrace.

“Ellie,” you whisper softly. “It's been so long,” you trail off and can’t help but cry softly before you look over at your aged uncle and catch the tender and loving smile on his face that makes him look like he just achieved a lifelong dream.

“I’m sorry,” she says back as she stands in your embrace with her hands at her sides.

It’s only when you start to pull away that she hugs you back and keeps you against her for a while longer.

Nothing is said between each other this time. You just bask in the moment and let your minds comprehend that the image you had of each other has changed.

To Ellie, you’ve aged gracefully. She’s seen people the same age as you and they look ten years older than they are because of the environment you live in, but you don’t seem to have been touched by any of it. You look good. Happy and full of life with the only painful reminder of a hard life being the light scar below your cloudy blind eye. A wound that stayed with you permanently because of her.

Albeit unlike 15 years ago, this time she can finally look at it without guilt or shame. That's why Ellie looks you in the eyes when you pull back and offers you the same, awkward small smile.

“I’m glad you’re here,” you break the silence, making her breath hitch.

You then raise your hands but have your hands hover over her cheeks as you study her from up close. “You’re old you old fuck,” you tease and finally make a grin spread on her lips.

“Right back at you, and you, Apollo,” she jabs at your husband, making him gasp and touch his chest with disbelief.

You giggle and then glance at your Theo and immediately grow ecstatic. “Ellie!” You exclaim and go over to Theo to grab his arm and pull him toward Ellie. “You remember Teddy don’t you?”

Ellie nods with a smile. “Yeah, Tommy introduced us while we were waiting for you.”

You grin and proudly pat your son's shoulders. “You say hi?”

Theo scoffs. “‘Course.”

“Good. She used to take care of you when you were a baby,” you remind him, making Ellie interject with a sly smile.

“Tommy covered all that and Teddy already laid it on me. Just like Maria did,” she shares making you pass your son a scolding look.

“It’s okay,” Ellie defends him. “I deserved it and he was not as harsh as Maria was.”

You sigh and smack him gently. “Still. He shouldn’t have done it.”

Theo raises his hands and offers Ellie a cheeky smile. “Sorry. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Likewise,” she says and studies Theo for a moment before she looks over at Apollo and smiles wider. “He looks like you. You just have Miller eyes,” she directs back at your son.

“Observant,” he quips and flashes her a warmer smile and becomes nicer. “You’re staying, right? I have some things I need to finish, but I’ll you see later?”

Ellie looks to you and you answer for her. “She’s stayin’ so go on and finish your chores.”

Theo gives Ellie one last smile before he turns away and wraps his arm around your uncle. “Come on old man. Help me with what I’m doing.”

Both men leave and Apollo lingers behind to address Ellie. “It’s nice seeing you, Ellie. You’ve been missed,” he says with a smile before he looks at you. “I’ll let you have a moment to yourselves. Hollar if you need anything. I’ll be inside.”

“Okay, thank you darlin’,” you say and wave at him, earning a wave back and a small air kiss before he walks off and leaves you and Ellie truly alone.

“It’s nice to see you and Apollo are still together,” Ellie says, making you turn to face her again. “I had no doubt about it, but it’s still nice seeing you working together just as before.”

“Well,” you add. “We’ve had our obstacles but yeah, we’re still going strong. I couldn’t imagine my life without him.”

Ellie nods in comprehension so you probe. “You, do you have a partner?”

“Yeah…I do,” she shares, piquing your interest. “We have not gone as long as you and Apollo, but yeah she’s special. She stayed in town to let me have a moment with you.”

“Good,” you tell her proudly. “I’m glad. I was worried that you wouldn’t find someone else after Dina.”

Ellie’s eyebrows furrow and she sighs deeply before she parts her lips. “Well it was hard for a while, but it was not just because of her. For a while, I thought it was, but it was actually just me. My trauma.”

You hum and immediately query with concern. “But you’re happy now?”

Ellie holds your gaze and nods without hesitation. “I am. With time I learned how to be happy again. I wasn’t before. I-I realized that. I was faking so much, but after…after all of it, with time, I,” she pauses and takes a deep breath. “I hurt less and less until the pain was a memory and I could look back at my time with Joel and smile.” She says with tears welled in her eyes.

You nod in comprehension and close the gap again to grab her shoulder with a faint smile. “That’s all I wanted for you. I’m sorry I couldn’t see it. I’m sorry we couldn’t heal together.”

“You tried,” she assures you. “But I was too far gone that I couldn’t truly accept it.”

You look deep into her eyes and laugh softly. “Well look at you, sounding all wise.”

Ellie rolls her eyes but can’t help her smirk. “Yeah well, it’s been 15 years.”

You agree with a click of your tongue before you step back and point at your house. “Wanna head inside? I’ll give you a tour and maybe then you can show me if you still have those guitar skills of yours. I have a nice fire pit in the back. It’s really pretty at this time of day.”

“Yeah.” Ellie nods as she puts her hands on her hips just like she would before. “Sure.”

You smile teasingly before you lead the way inside, showing her every room on the first floor and telling her when you moved, and memories you recall of when you were restoring your house with your family. Eventually, you make it upstairs and she sees the pictures that were at your dad's house all those years ago hanging from your wall now accompanying new ones.

One picture in particular catches her eye because she sees your daughter. The same one Tommy had told her about on the rare occasions they talked.

“You have…a daughter?” Ellie asks as you lead her to the last room just down the hall.

“Yeah,” you let her know with a proud smile. “She’s fifteen. She should be home soon, we were roundin’ up the animals when you got here so she stayed to finish the job. She was eager to do it alone.”

“I remember fifteen," she muses. “I would beg Joel to let me go out on patrol or at least let me go shooting by myself.”

You chuckle. “Yeah, my dad was overly protective. It was a recipe for disaster. That’s why I trust my kids to be able to handle all that. We can’t change our world and I'd doom them if I shielded them.”

Ellie hums. “That's why I turned to you and Tommy to rebel. It’s good your kids don’t have to do that.”

“Tell me about it,” you throw over your shoulder before you open the door to the last room and welcome her to a room that holds the stuff that she left behind in the farmhouse that she once shared with Dina and JJ. And it's all like she remembers it, albeit none of her stuff is old and crumbling. They show signs that they’ve been preserved. Every single thing.

“I meant it,” you mutter as you linger by the door as Ellie makes her way into the warm and bright room—“you’ll always have a place in my house. I love you.”

Ellie stops by the guitar your dad hand-made for her 15th birthday and strums the strings with her fingers, noticing that it’s in perfect tune.

“I guess that answers why this shit is all here,” she mutters as she remains in front of the guitar.

You make your way in and stop when your shadow is cast over her. “I’m sorry I let fifteen years pass. At first, I was hurt that you left. I have my pride and you wounded it by reminding me about the pain I felt when my dad left.”

Ellie hears your shaky words and stands up to face you with her face already expressing shame.

“Because it did hurt,” you confess. “Seeing you leave, but I should have reached out after it passed. Instead, I let you have too much time just like I did with my dad hoping that would please you. I’m sorry.”

Ellie swallows thickly and slowly grabs your hand to assure you. “I’m sorry too. I was too stubborn and ashamed to come back.”

You shake your head and probe. “Ashamed? Why? You didn’t do anything.”

“No I did,” she argues. “I let Abby go. For a long time, I was ashamed to face you knowing I let her go. I left everything behind to go kill her, but I let her go and I couldn’t face anyone knowing that.”

You wrap your hand around hers and offer her a sweet smile. “You did the right thing. Do you know that now?”

Ellie nods, making you smile softly before you continue about something else. “I think we could go on and on about all the things we’re sorry for, so I just want you to know that I want you to still be part of my family. I still love you just as much as I did fifteen years ago.”

Ellie drops her gaze and sniffles before she faces you with her eyes gleaming with tears. “I would like that,” her voice quivers. “I…love you too.”

You smile at her again and then give her a quick embrace before you go and pick up her guitar to hand it to her. “Show me how good you’ve gotten.”

Ellie grabs the guitar and follows you out of the room, but when you reach your guitar in your second living room she speaks up about what she’s been hiding from you. “I can’t play.”

“What?” You retort and look back, catching her showing off her hand that’s missing two fingers. “Oh,” you gasp. “Well with that attitude you’ll sour the mood. Do you know how to play with the other hand?”

She shakes her head so you quip. “Well, there’s your solution.”

Ellie scoffs with a teasing smile and holds the guitar close to her. She’s about to say something else, but then someone comes into the house and approaches the second living room. Expecting Apollo to walk in, Ellie is surprised when she sees your daughter walking in.

“Mama,” your daughter announces her presence, making you beam at her before you rush to her side to grab her shoulders in the same way you grabbed Theo.

“Ellie, this is my daughter, Jolene. Jo-jo, this is Ellie,” you introduce them, making Jolene immediately greet Ellie with a sweet smile as she also extends her hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Ellie shakes Jolene’s hand and smiles at her with slight awe. “You,” she interjects and pauses as if her breath was stolen. “You look just like him.”

Jolene smiles brightly at you before she offers that same smile to Ellie.

“I’m sorry,” Ellie tells your daughter as she stands back. “You just really reminded me of him. Your grandpa.”

“I wish I could’ve met him,” Jolene says. “Everyone speaks so highly of him.”

“Trust me, he would’ve loved to meet you too. He did not mess about Teddy. He would’ve loved you just as much,” Ellie muses as if trying to summon him here.

“That’s good to hear.”

Ellie hums in response and then offers Jolene her guitar. “Do you play?”

Jolene shakes her head. “No, I’m not good at it, you see. Teddy is the musician. Not me. My Mama plays though. She’s good. I like to hear her play.”

“Me too,” Ellie says with a smile whilst Jolene turns to face you with a grin.

“Will you play Mama? I’m done with chores and Daddy says he doesn’t need help in the kitchen.”

“Oh, darlin’ I'm way ahead of you. Come on,” you urge and grab this guitar before you lead the group outside around the fire pit that’s in the middle of your well-cared-for yard decorated by all different kinds of flowers. All of which are precious to you. You make that known before you light the fire pit and start to play.

And just like you said, the backyard is beautiful in the evening as the sun is setting over the horizon, and the fireflies dance along the yard looking like little stars have fallen from the sky to enjoy your music.

Eventually, your son joins you around the fire, and with him comes Maria, and Ellie’s partner after Tommy and Teddy went to pick them up in town.

“Has your ‘Mama’,” Ellie mocks what the kids call you. “Told you who you’re named after?” Ellie asks Theo, making said boy roll his eyes and grumbles.

“Yes. It’s embarrassing.”

Ellie snorts and chuckles while Maria jumps in your defense. “I think it’s cute.”

“Who is he named after?” Ellie's partner asks.

“A character from the book Little Women,” you share proudly. “It’s my favorite book so I named him after a male character from it.”

“Ah. That is cute,” she backs you up which only makes you smile wider.

“Dinners ready!” Apollo announces as he and your uncle finish putting things down on a long table they placed outside. “Come eat!”

Everyone around the fire pit gets up to head to the long table and as Ellie starts to walk away, your daughter Jolene falls by her side.

“You’re staying for dinner right?” She asks her, making Ellie glance at her and be taken back a little by her similarities to your dad.

“Yeah, I am. You and your brother asked the same thing, you know?”

“Well, yeah, we’ve been wanting to meet you,” Jolene tells her sweetly before she catches up to said brother to sit beside him around the table.

“You told the kids about me?” Ellie asks you, so you take your turn to smile sweetly at her.

“‘Course. Almost every day. Just like how I talk to them about Sarah and my dad.”

You smile at her one more time before you part ways to sit at the end of the table next to Apollo and your kids while Ellie takes a seat at the side of the table with her partner, and your uncle and Maria sit on the other end, filling all the chairs that had been put around the table.

There are some people missing from the table. A couple of them won’t ever make it, but you know that one day you will be able to sit with them again.

As for now though, you’re not deprived of a thing. You smile and laugh with your Uncle, Maria, and your kids, Theo and Jolene. You share flirty and affectionate looks with your husband Apollo, and share and listen to stories that Ellie tells or that you and her share, making the moment a happy one. A memorable one, and a dream that you’ve finally got to make true.

A/N- I'm sorry it had come to an end, but there was no point in waiting. With that said, thank you, thank you for all the love you give this story and have given it. Thank you to those who came back and those who started following it this year! I truly appreciate every single one of you. Thank you <3

Tagged- @slut-f0r-u @star-wars-lover @maplecohen @givemylovetoall @itzagothamcitysiren @sammy-13 @beloved-reblogger @emiriia @rues-daya @sunfairyy @littleshadow17 @mcu-starwars @bigtuffswordboy @riaqiax @dheet @queenofthekill @joliettes @d4rno @hardbeingcasual @rana030 @pedropascalluvr41 @ahoyyharrington @beaniebeensbaby201 @maeneedsabreak @maelartasch @adristyles @daughterofthequeen @alastorhazbin @sunsumonner @khaylin27 @hypatia93 @hummusxx @v4mpyk1tten @1donoow @your-shifting-gurl @g4ns3y @izzzzy-the-amazing @aphr0d1teh @lovelyygirl8 @ivy-taylorsversion @mmkkzz @avitute @fuckmebobboys @kitdjarin1 @barnes70stark

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