#and ellie might not be the best for dealing with His either

[mx-paint]

The thing about Riley in terms of Ellie and her own trust issues and character is that everything that Is Ellie would never have been possible without Riley.

Riley was the first person that Ellie loved, her first crush, her roommate, her best friend. She was also the first person to leave without saying anything, not even telling Ellie anything about it. Riley unintentionally gave her that bit of guilt and trauma that she was so easy to be left behind (which I think is a big reason the dlc/episode is titled in such a way, to symbolize not only Ellie's feelings and emotions, but also her first home that she can never go back to, of Many what ifs that could have happened if that night, or any other night before or after that, had went differently). Riley is also the person that matters to also (unintentionally) put it into her head that she doesn't belong anywhere, that she wouldn't know what it was like to have someone love her like Riley's parents had unconditionally loved her.

Joel is the first person to treat her in such a way without thought. Just within hours of meeting each other, he kills someone for her, someone that he knew and was friends with, because he was going to kill her, and he feels the same fear and anger he felt when Sarah had also been shot so carelessly by someone unwilling to listen. He drags her along if he has to to keep her alive, does what he can to make sure she's safe and warm and fed.

So, naturally, when the next person who she comes to trust again that isn't dead says he wants to leave her? Well, originally, she runs. But, here, she stays, but the reactions are the same; He's the first person to treat her like a kid, to protect her by practically ripping people apart for trying to hurt her, and he's the first person to not leave. That means everything to Ellie, it's everything she's ever wanted, to not be alone, or alone with someone she can't feel safe with. Of course she's going to be angry and upset!

But all of this makes Maria's talk with Ellie that much...More. The only people that can actually harm you aren't the raiders or soldiers that want to kill you (or Worse), but the people that you trust.

[flamingpudding]

I had a crack idea that I was thinking of so you know in Dan is Klarion au I was imagining a au based off of that one where all of Danny's children are Klarion is like the robin thing for Batman it started off with Danielle when nabu insulted Danny as the Ghost King and Balance

Ever since Ellie decided that she needed to get back in blood so she made the chaotic antihero Klarion and and her suppose it familiar 'cat' Teekl the way to help out her mother and mess with Dr Fate/Nabu Teekl is actually a bear with an illusion on that makes him look like a cat in the human's eyes

Whatever since the anti-hero Klarion in The Phantom family has been passed down each of them giving their own flair to the persona of Klarion with a different animal every time that they had pretending to be a cat

Tell her to finally passed on to Dan it is an honorary sibling thing each of them has their own antihero name once they passed down the title of Klarion

Diana's query and takes after his father's style of dressing and his tickle is a phoenix

First of Thanks for the Ask! Inspirational as always! Helps with my writers block [insert awkward laugh]

Either way because this is split in two asks... you get two version! One focused on how it started and the other on the reveal! Though the might be some little Shorts... Also there is something really funny to me about a giant bear letting Illusionen into a cat... So Enjoy!

(BTW still thinking over the other ask... and working on it don't worry!)

------------------

Ellie huffed as Danny reprimanded her for her actions. She just huffed crossing her arms. She was just helping Danny. Her mom got a lot on his shoulders and she as the sort of oldest saw that the best. Sure technically Dan was older then her but, he shrunk down to kid level again and now she was the oldest.

Well if she ignored her other brothers but they were only saved recently and still in treatment with Frostbite. So she was the oldest. End of story.

"Ellie you can't just go off like that you know that messing with an Ancient is not-"

"Mom, That Nabu-Guy was being a pain in the a- " - "Ellie!" - "A PAIN, babbling on to much about Order here Order there. How keeping Balance means keeping Order and bla bla bla!" She cut in stopping her mom before he could go on another rant about the Ancients, she needed to treat with respect.

"He doesn't respect you, the Ancient of Balance! You are the literal Symbol of Balance between Life and Death! Aside from being the Ghost King. So of course I had to mess with the one HE mentors!" Ellie added huffing as she crossed her arms.

Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ellie, you created an entire alternate persona!"

"Yea so?"

"You used an illusion spell on Fluffels!"

"And? Any good Anit-Hero needs a Mascot." Ellie shrugged once more looking up at her mom before looking over to Fluffels, her pet ghost grizzly that was pretty much double maybe even tripple her size and the fluffiest ghost grizzly you could find in the entire Ghost Zone, and the cutest.

Danny on the other hand groaned, wondering if he had done anything wrong while raising Danielle. Sure he had been a teen himself but good damit why the hell did Ellie decided messing with the Ancient of Order or rather his mentee was a good idea. "I am calling Jazz! You can explain to her what you were thinking!"

He was definitely to overworked and stressed to deal with Ellies mischievousness right now. Well she did call her alternate persona Klarion, Lord of Chaos. Nope! He was not dealing with this right now, so Danny did the sanest thing he could think of. Turning on his heel and walking away. Where to? Who cares maybe he would check in with his old man Clockwork and see what Ellie had actually been up to, instead of just reading through Nabu's complains.

Ellie on the other hand blinked watching her mom leave before calling after him. "Does that mean I have to stop, being Klarion?"

"Mom?!"

"MOM!"

------------------

"Well hello my lovely Amadillos! Long time not seen!"

Ellie shouted cheerfully as she twirled into appearing hair styled into a horn like form, black suit and she might have over done it a little with the black eyeliner but hey it was an iconic look wasn't it. She smirked as Fluffles growled which translated into a meow for the mortals before her thank to the illusion spell.

The mortal teen looked up at her surprised as she floated down her hand glowing with red ectoplasm (a color change from her usual green ectoplasm that had taken a while to learn from Pandora). Young Justice was currently transporting something of interest to her. Well of Interest for the Justice League, really but Doctor Fate was involved which meant Nabu was involved, which naturally meant she would get involved. It didn't hurt that she would also get to try to try some new tricks.

"You got something interesting there... and I want that." She grinned. Ellie didn't give them long before she acted using the new tricks she had learned.

"Woah! Hey there, watch the pointy and sharp thowies!" She laughed making a quick shield as she blocked some batarangs and arrows before blinking.

"Hey they look different. Robin, did you change equipment? Did you get a new haircut too?" She asked curious but didn't really receive an answer as they ignored her questions and shouted something about distracting her while the others continue the transportation. Still she bend down to pick one of them up twirling it between her fingers. "What gives didn't they have a different design before?"

In hindsight it was probably not a good idea to just abandon her original goal but Robin was making her curious. And she could always find a different way to mess with Nabu. Her mom had given her an indirect okay years ago anyway.

"Teekl!" She called out and only her eyes could see how Fluffles jumped at the call growling in response as he swatted away some of the more annoying Young Justice kids. To the mortals it probably looked like Teekl was using ectoplasm, or well magic, in their eyes.

She used that change to go up into Robins face smirking widely as she looked at the other more closely, trying to get a read on him. "You are different! You aren't the same Robin I meet before!"

She ducked in time avoid Superboy as she hopped back excited with a new idea for her family.

But first she would have to deal with the little chaos and mischief she was creating.

------------------

".....and that is how I learned that the Robin title is getting passed down. So I was thinking of doing the same!" Ellie broadly stated looking at all her younger siblings before her. "We all get pretty annoyed with the way Nabu treats Mom so there always has to be a Lord of Chaos to 'balance' Nabu out!"

She grinned at her siblings expecting the same kind of excitement she had and they didn't disappoint. Danny had been there for all of them, even going so far as in to find a way with Clockwork to save some of their lives. So of course they all would jump at the change to mess with the one Ancient that was badmouthing their Mother just because Balance didn't entitle Order the way they wanted.

After all Chaos was needed to Balance Order out.

This was going to be fun...

[Follow up part Linked here]

[forever-rogue]

Hi! so i've kinda had the worst past couple of days in a long time and I have a joel request of him just trying to cheer you up in his own grumpy old man way where its not really working but he's trying his best + maybe some Ellie enjoying how shit he is at it. Thank you :)

AN | Joel being soft for reader and only reader 🥰 

Pairing | Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Warnings | Language, Mention of Injury (mild, nondescript but mentions blood)

Word Count | 2.2k

Masterlist | Joel, Main

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Joel Miller was a hard man. The years and circumstances had done that to him. Every year, with every little thing that had happened he'd retreated further into himself and became a shadow of himself. 

But then had slowly he'd come more out of his shell, more alive again. He'd never again be the same man from before the Outbreak, but he could be happy again. It was something he'd thought was impossible but he was gradually beginning to believe was obtainable. It had all started with Ellie; he might have been her savior but he was every bit her savior as well. 

And there was you. You had caused him to feel a hundred thousand emotions he thought he'd long buried and forgotten. He just wasn't quite sure how to approach that just yet. But he did what he could and tried to show his affection in his very own Joel way.

Ellie might have teased him about it, but he did his best. Even if you didn't notice, that was okay. He just wanted to make sure you were happy and to put a smile on your face.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

But right now there was no smile on your face. You'd gotten to the cafeteria and were on the hunt for some cookies. You were definitely in the midst of some pms and the cravings had hit. All you wanted now was something sweet. Your tummy had decided that it was chocolate chip cookies you were after. 

Unfortunately, there weren't any to be found. You had been positive that Vickie had baked some but they were either nonexistent or already all gone. You snooped around the counter and eventually found an empty tray that had suspiciously cookie-like crumbs on it.

"Animals," you sighed softly. People always descended on sweets first. You should have gone in the morning rather than waiting for the afternoon, "not a single cookie left."

You felt prickling at the back of your eyes, which you knew, realistically, was a dramatic reaction. But hey - hormones were weird and cravings happened.

Joel happened to walk in and noticed you staring dismally at the empty counter. A deep frown was tugging on your features, setting your mouth in a pretty little pout. He loathed seeing you upset. He was at your side in an instant.

"Everything alright?"

"No - yes," you shrugged as you turned to look at him. He still managed to make you weak in the knees despite how often you'd seen him. He was handsome in a roguish way and he'd always been kind to you, "its nothing."

"Don't look like nothin'," of course he wasn't going to let it go. You knew him better than that by now, "you look upset."

"It's noth - it's silly and you're going to laugh at me," your face burned under his intense gaze; you felt so vulnerable.

"Never," and that was a promise.

"I just really wanted some chocolate chip cookies," you confessed, so quietly that he almost wasn't sure he'd heard you. Then you noticed the way the corner of his mouth twitched into a small smile, "I know it's stupid! It's just that I've got pms and it's making me want something sweet. I was looking forward to some cookies."

"Oh," you didn't have your cookies and were upset. By proxy, Joel was now upset. His brows furrowed as a heavy sigh escaped your lips, "I'm sorry they didn't have your cookies. And that you're dealing with your…monthly stuff."

"Yeah," you sighed softly, "me too. But I'll just find something else. Thanks for listening to me complain."

"It ain't complaining," he hesitantly reached over and gave your shoulder a gentle squeeze. You tried - unsuccessfully - to ignore the tingles that surged through your veins, "I'm sure you'll find something sweet."

"Thanks Joel," you offered him a small smile, "you're very kind."

You brushed past him, giving a last little parting wave as you headed outside. Joel watched you go, a plan already forming in his mind. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It was evening before you returned home, deciding that it was time for a hot shower and then into bed with a book. You were starting to feel crummy and hoped this would help. 

But when you got home, you were greeted by a delicious smell that made you stop in your tracks. You hadn't cooked or baked anything…you'd guard went up as you walked into the kitchen.

On the table there was a huge, fresh plate of cookies. You couldn't hold back your squeal of delight as you padded over to them and eagerly grabbed one and stuffed it into your mouth. The idea that it could have been a trap hadn't even crossed your kind. 

There was no note or anything, but you knew exactly who these were from. 

Joel Miller. 

Your heart felt it could burst from sheer happiness. You were going to find later and thank him; this was one of the nicest things anyone had done for you in a long time.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It had been a few weeks since Joel had made you cookies. You still hadn't managed to properly thank him; every time you saw him he appeared to be busy or disappeared within the blink of an eye.

One day you'd do something special for him. 

That day just wasn't going to be today. You were leaving the sheepish enclosure after feeding the small herd, as it was your designated day to do so. You'd been so preoccupied with playing with them that you weren't paying much attention to the closing of the gate. 

Not until you have a piece of rogue wire scrape down your arm. A sound of surprise escaped your lips as you looked at your arm to find it bleeding.

"Oh," you stared at it until you heard a pair of hasty footsteps stop in front of you.

"What happened?" you looked up to find Joel watching you with concern etched all over his face. He reached for your wrist, hesitantly at first but when you didn't flinch away, he wrapped his fingers around your wrist and gently pulled your arm towards him, "you're bleeding."

"I scratched my arm," you looked towards the fence, as though realization suddenly dawned on you. You swore that your arm started to hurt even more, "it hurts."

"I know baby, I know," he didn't seem to have a clue as to what he had said but it was definitely not lost on you. You watched him intently, unable to contain the wild thumping of your heart as he looked you over, "let's go and this cleaned up, okay?"

"Okay," you agreed softly, trying to hold back your sniffles, "okay."

He reached for your hand on the opposite arm and tenderly took it in his hand, leading you over to his place. You'd been to his house before on several occasions but something about this felt so different.

Joel was quiet as he took you upstairs to the bathroom, motioning for you to sit on the side of the tub. He made quick work of getting all his supplies together and then patching up your wound. Not that it was much, it probably looked worse than it really was, but you appreciated him nonetheless.

"It might sting a little, okay?" He grabbed the alcohol and started to clean the scratch and you tried not to hiss at the pain but you knew it was written all over your face, "almost done. It'll feel better soon."

You nodded in understanding as he dabbed some ointment onto your arm before wrapping the wound up so it would stay clean. It was over before you knew it and you were almost sad that it was done. That meant his hands weren't going to be on yours anymore. 

He patted your knee when he was done and stood back up. You looked at him with such wide, soft eyes that Joel had struggled to hold back from kissing you. Damn.

"Thank you," your voice was soft and all he could manage in response was a nod of his head. It was then that you had remembered you still had something else to thank him for, "oh! Before I forget - thank you for the cookies. They were delicious."

"H-how did you know it was me?" his cheeks flushed pink as you beamed at him.

"It wasn't hard to put two and two together," you insisted, "I complained about not having cookies and suddenly there's a plate waiting at home? Come on, Joel. You made that almost too easy! But they were also delicious."

"I'm glad you liked them," he whispered softly, "and I'm glad your arm is okay."

"Me too," you smiled up at him, "all thanks to you, Joel Miller."

He couldn't find it within himself to muster up even a single word, too afraid he might spill his innermost secrets. Instead he brushed his knuckles along your cheek ever so gently.

He didn't have to say anything, not really. Everything between the two of you was loud and clear. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You hadn't been sick in a long time and realized it wasn't something you missed. When it came around, you were really down and out. 

Like right now. You caught something but from who or what you had no clue. 

You did know however that you felt and looked like absolute garbage and had no energy either. So you did all that you could - stay in bed and rest.

But you were hungry and thirsty but didn't have it within yourself to actually get up to take care of yourself.

When you heard someone knocking at the door all you managed to do was shout in response, "its open!"

A moment passed before the door was actually opened and you heard a pair of tentative footsteps. You listened to their path until they stopped in front of your bedroom.

You rolled onto your back and looked up, finding Joel standing there and holding several bags of supplies. He hated seeing you like this; you hated him seeing you like this too. 

"What're you doing here?" you asked softly as he cleared his throat nervously, "Joel?"

"Maria told me you weren't feeling well," he said gruffly, "I came to take care of you."

"'m sick," you coughed lightly as he grimaced, "don't want you to get sick too."

"I don't care," he insisted in a tone that suggested it was pointless to argue, "I'm here to take care of you. You realize I'm not just leaving, right?"

"Of course I do," you sat up as he hesitantly came over and sat at the edge of your bed, "you're a stubborn man, Joel Miller."

"I've heard that a time or two," he snorted in amusement, "and much, much worse."

"Hmm," you laughed lightly as you leaned against your pillows, "what if you get sick?"

"I won't."

"If you did," you pressed further, "would you let me take care of you?"

He paused for a moment before nodding. He knew that you were just as stubborn as him, "I would."

"Good," you paused for a moment before a serious look crossed your features, "can I ask you something, Joel?"

"Anything," he insisted softly, his voice dropping to a tone that seemed to be reserved just for you.

"You’re always so nice to me,” you tried to ignore the fact that warmth was rising in your face, enough that you were sure you could fry an egg on it, “but…”

“But…” he echoed, reaching over and brushing your hair out of your face before feeling your forehead, “but what?” 

“It’s me,” you waved your hand around, “you’re always like this with me. But not anyone else. I don’t think so anyway.”

“You’re right,” he confirmed, his simple and sure answer coughing your brain to scramble, “the kid keeps saying I’m sweet on you. She’s not wrong.”

“Oh,” you hadn’t quite processed the weight of his words…not until, “oh.”

“Mhmm,” Joel didn’t necessarily have a way with words, but he didn’t need to when his actions spoke so loudly. You smiled at him and he felt like he was the one that was going to melt into a puddle, “have you eaten?”

“No,” you admitted sheepishly, “too tired.”

“Well then,” he stood up, hands on his hips, “I’ll go and make some soup. Okay?”

“Okay,” yeah. You could definitely get used to this. He grabbed the bags with groceries and supplies before turning to head to the kitchen. But you could let him go just yet, “Joel?”

He turned around and raised an eyebrow, “yes?”

“Me too,” you was the only thing you could get out. Judging from the way his face lit up, you knew he knew what you were trying to say. 

“I’ll be back,” he promised, “get some rest in the meantime.”

“Okay.”

[eff4freddie]

After She Left | Eight

Words: 4.5k

The morning after the night before breaks over you and Joel. You reach a breaking point of sorts. You do your best to mend bridges with Ellie, while a dangerous plot unfolds in Jackson.

Chapter warnings: Angst, mostly

A/N: Thank you for your support of this series, as always. Joel will soften up, he's just getting used to community and wanting someone again. We see a little more of his POV while we're also finding out a little more about what Shauna's planning. Or are we...

Seven | Series Masterlist | Nine

You woke with a start, a dream of your parents calling for you ripping you from sleep. You were in your bed, and you couldn’t remember getting there. You let your mind travel to the night before, with Joel’s head between your legs as he brought you to aching release. You remembered pulling him up your body, resting with his head on your belly as you ran your hands through his hair. He’d been a heavy warmth blanketing you. His weight on your body must have lulled you into sleep.

You glanced behind you. The pillows bore an indent, the blanket was in disarray. Did he carry you up here, tuck you in, lie down beside you? You only remember a feeling of contentment, of peace. You think you might have a faint memory of warm breath on the nape of your neck, of arms wrapped around your middle. You can’t be sure you’re not imagining it, your mind manufacturing it to keep you safe.

The sheets smell faintly of pine, and of citrus. But it could be that you carry the scent of him on your skin. But there’s something else now, something wafting up the stairs. You could swear it’s almost like…bacon. You wipe the sleep from your eyes.

Joel stands at your stove, breaking eggs into your skillet. Beside him he browns toast on the hob. Bacon spits fat in the pan on the other burner. He’s concentrating, making sure nothing burns. He hears you pull your rickety old chair out from the table, and stiffens, a tic in the muscles over his shoulder blades, a twitch of his forearm as he scrambles the eggs.

‘What’s cookin’ good lookin’?’ you asked, trying to make light of the situation, trying to settle the nerves in your belly.

‘Was never good at poachin’,’ he said to you, not turning around.

‘Always thought that was too fancy, just for show-offs,’ you consoled him. He huffed out a laugh.

‘Was surprised you had the bacon,’ he said. He turned the heat off the stove, assembling the breakfast on two plates. ‘Figured you for a vegetarian type.’

You weren’t sure if you should be offended. If it was a compliment. If he was calling you soft.

‘I was for a few weeks when I was 14,’ you conceded, and he smiled down at the plates in his hands.

‘What stopped ya?’

‘Mom took us to KFC for my sister’s birthday,’ you said, smiling at the memory. You’d gone on the insistence that you would only order fries, and had walked out of there with a 14 piece bucket. You weren’t as strong as you are now.

Joel put the bacon and eggs down in front of you, kicking out his chair and sitting beside you.

‘Clever woman,’ he said, and you grinned.

‘She knew me so well.’

You looked down at your plate. The bacon was perfect. You swallowed, a little ashamed that your mouth was watering.

‘Thank you,’ you said, and he smiled, seemingly genuinely pleased. Then his smile faltered a little, and you watched his face cloud over.

‘Figured I could try and be…I haven’t been good to ya.’ You wanted to disagree with him, wanted to brush away the feeling so that you wouldn’t have to deal with it, either. You bit down the urge to shy away from it. ‘S’just been so weird, all of this. I ain’t prepared for it.’

‘So, these are sorry eggs?’ you asked, smiling at him, but feeling your mouth tug down when he didn’t meet your gaze. He’d gone quiet, his face turning serious, apologetic.

‘Maybe they are. But mostly just didn’t want ya hungry.’

‘Joel…’ you said, and you trailed off, because he was looking at you with warmth in his eyes again, genuine affection, and it stopped your brain short.

You fell into a companionable silence, gazing at each other. The morning light caught some of the greys in his hair, making him look just a little rusted, a little ethereal. If cameras were still a thing you wanted one for this moment.

‘Things’ve been hard, and I know that I…I guess I tried to keep you out of it,’ he said.

You nodded, knowing this was the case. Having always known, because it was your first instinct, too.

‘Joel it’s hard to ignore that want to protect yourself,’ you said. You wanted to reach out and take his hand, warm it in yours for a second, because he was looking serious again, maybe even a little sad. He set his gaze on yours again, but you felt something heavy land with a thump in your chest. You wanted to hold onto the moment, freeze time for a second before he dropped whatever he was about to, and you couldn’t even as much as you longed for it.

He cleared his throat, and you felt yourself brace. 

‘Can’t do that again,’ he said, gesturing to your living room, to the scene of the crime. The eggs were growing cold, congealing on the plate.

Suddenly, it was really fucking early. Suddenly, you were tired.

‘Joel what the fuck?’ you asked, pushing your plate away and watching him wince. ‘You make me eggs so you can let me down easy?’

There was a pun in there, somewhere. Something about eggs over easy. You’d think of it later, and it would bring you no joy.

He put his fork down face up on the plate, the way your mom always used to hate when you did it. You fought the urge to reach over and set it correctly.

‘I’m trying to be kind about it,’ he said. ‘I ain’t been kind and I ain’t proud of it.’

‘You assume I want that to happen again,’ you said, trying to sound incredulous but hearing how tight your voice sounded, that it carried the jangle of your nerves. He looked at you, big brown eyes over saddled brows. There wasn’t any point pretending, but you wanted to, anyway.

‘Things are complicated with Shauna,’ he said, and you grimaced.

‘What was that last night?’ you asked, after a while. You knew what it was for you. You wanted to know if he would say it. That he wanted you. That it was something, even though he was now trying to choke the life out of it. That you weren’t imagining it. That he felt it, somewhere, too.

He lifted his hand and placed it gently down on yours, rubbing your knuckles with his thumb. His skin was rough on yours, but warm in the chill of the morning.

You realised you’d hit your limit. Finally, finally.

‘I think you should go, actually,’ you said, standing up from the table and carrying your untouched plate to the sink. Your tummy swirled. You weren’t sure if you’d ever be hungry again.

You wondered whether it was better to let him see you cry. You could head out the back door to the porch so that he wouldn’t see. Or you could spin around, stride out back to your bedroom, let him look at what he’d done to you. You stood, paralysed with indecision, your back to him. You heard him let out a long sigh.

‘Teach, I…’

‘Don’t,’ you said, and you were starting to choke up, knew that pretty soon you weren’t going to have a choice at all.

‘Will you still teach Ellie?’ he asked, and you felt a little flare of fury just below your ribcage.

‘So long as you can keep your tongue out of my cunt.’

For a long moment there was no movement at all in your kitchen. You weren’t sure either of you took in a single breath. You knew when you weren’t so angry you would regret it, but in that moment, you just couldn’t bring yourself to.

You heard his steps as he retreated down the hall and out the front door. You weren’t sure how you’d even begin to explain yourself to Rose.

--

Joel didn’t see you for days. When you didn’t show for your Sunday shift on the wall he spoke to Billy, tried to act casual about it, but couldn’t hide the way his face fell when Billy informed him you’d asked for a few weeks off.

He wanted to tell you that he’d realised the eggs were a mistake, borne out of shame and a sleep deprivation, that he’d spent the whole night awake after he carried you, snoring softly into his neck, up to your bed. That he’d held you as your eyes fluttered in dreams, thought back to all the awful shit he’d said to ya, to the way he’d shut you down when you’d asked him about Sarah, about Shauna. He’d not been able to stand the idea that all of that poison, all of that darkness, could cloud over your sun. He’d wanted it as clean and as uncomplicated as you could get at the end of the world. Hearing her name in your mouth had twisted something in him, something ugly and snarling and wrong. He didn’t have a name for it. But he let it take the wheel.

But then even as he’d held you he’d found himself thinking of Shauna, tucked up in the half-dark in Tommy’s garage. Felt the pull in his gut carrying him back twenty years. He had been, maybe still even was, her husband. All of the feelings were gone, he knew that, but also knew it wasn’t just about that, that he had a responsibility to her, that she had given him his little girl. Maybe she’d been right when she’d said she was still a Miller. Technically, at least.

Joel had been mean to you, dismissive and hard, and he owed you better but he owed the same to Shauna. He had owed it to her since he was 22, since his little girl emerged screaming into the world, and then later, when she slipped out of it.

You didn’t give up on family. You kept going. For family.

So it was that he took the sounds of your gasps and the feel of your hands in his hair, of the soft swell of your skin on his cheek as he rested his head on your belly, the heat of your body as he held you against him, took them and wrapped them up in newspaper and string, stored them in the attic of his mind, behind boxes of old clothing and Sarah’s soccer trophies, behind the hopes he ever had for himself, for something like a future with you.

Shauna was saying something to him, and he tuned back in just in time to make it look like he’d been listening the whole time.

‘Don’t you agree?’ she asked him, and he hummed a little as if he was thinking about it. She had brought the map over and spread it out over his kitchen table, her marker in her hand as she drew lines across the border of the wall. ‘We could go all the way up to the base of the mountain, but there’s no point doing that, because there’s no extra resources there. If we head west towards the planes we’ve got a better chance of…’

‘Mountains bring shelter, bring protection,’ Joel said, scratching at his beard. ‘People can’t come over ‘em without us knowing.’

‘But there’s no advantage, no gaining ground.’

‘The advantage is safety,’ Joel reminded her, feeling a little irritated by her tone. He wasn’t even sure why she was telling him all this, anyway.

‘West by the river means…’

‘Means people travelling in from the water, and on foot. Means trying to protect a whole other side of the town.’

‘Joel, you’re not thinking strategic.’

‘I am thinking of the men and women in this town, and the children, Shauna, who need protecting.’

He wasn’t sure why he put such a heavy emphasis on children. He had a suspicion.

‘Steve and Wren think that this is the right…’

‘Don’t give a rat’s shit what Steve and Wren think, and neither will Town Council.’

‘They’ve got some good ideas.’

‘Maybe so, but they ain’t been here more than thirty seconds.’

‘So, we have to squander the advantage until they’ve done their time?’

‘Why are we even havin’ this conversation, Shauna? You know I ain’t on council.’

Shauna stared at him for a moment, her jaw clenched as she thought. She was frustrated, Joel could see it all over her face, in the way she was hunched over the table, up on her elbows with her hair trailing over the map.

‘I thought you’d come and vouch for me, for this,’ she said, gesturing again to the western end of the river. Joel scoffed, then realised she was serious. He shifted in his chair.

‘Ain’t my battle,’ he said, and watched as she straightened up, crossing her arms over her chest. He braced himself for the fight. Some things, even twenty-five years gone, never changed.

‘When did you get so…passive?’ she asked, spitting it at him, hoping it would rankle him like it used to.

‘Got old, Shauna. So did you,’ he answered back, simply. He watched her breathe hard and fast through her nose. He almost remembered when he thought it was cute. When they were both a little younger, and he was a lot dumber.

‘Joel, you don’t realise how much of a leader you are. People follow you, they always have.’

‘I ain’t fixin’ to lead anyone anywhere,’ he said, and she sighed.

‘That’s exactly my point! You could, but you don’t. Joel, you could really help people…Tommy looks up to you, and then he can get in Maria’s ear…’

‘Oh, I’m your attack dog, huh?’ he said, standing. ‘You just point and tell me where to shoot?’

Shauna backed back a little, and he watched as she recalibrated. She put her hands up, holding her head down in supplication.

‘OK, Joel, m’sorry,’ she started, but Joel was tired, and he was still wondering if you were ever going to speak to him again, if he’d ever be able to eat eggs and bacon with a clear conscience.

‘You go and speak to Town Council, you do whatever you gotta do, I don’t care,’ he said, moving towards the door but stopping short when Shauna got in front of him.

‘M’just trying to do what’s right for the community,’ she said, and he studied her for a second. He could see the way she used to charm him, how it might have worked back in the day, but bits of him were sealed off tight now, welded shut from the loss and the terrors in the dark. He didn’t want her in his house anymore.

‘Go, Shauna,’ he said, quietly. He watched her eyes travel to his mouth, her lips parting slightly as she gasped a little. When they were kids she used to like it when he bossed her around a little. If he was honest with himself, and he rarely was, he liked doing it.

He watched her eyes study him for a second, cataloguing his skin.

‘Joel…’ she started, taking a step forward, and he held his hand up to brace against her.

‘Go,’ he said, and meant it. Meant it as he remembered the heat of your skin under his hands, the way your cunt glistened for him as he spread you out on the couch, your little snuffled snores as he held you safe between your sheets. Meant it as he sent you away, pushed you back, the crash of two worlds too cacophonous even for his half-deaf ears.

She took a step back again, then another, until she was hovering by the kitchen door.

‘Will you at least come to the meeting?’ she asked.

‘Ain’t a member, Shauna, ain’t no place for me there.’

‘You could come with me, though, I mean. You don’t have to present alongside me, just…be there for moral support, I guess.’

He didn’t have to think hard.

‘Go fight ya battles, Shauna,’ he said. ‘You picked ‘em, you fight ‘em.’

--

Ellie had the wisdom not to expect that you would come to their place for tutoring, and so she took to hanging back with at the end of the school day, straightening chairs and helping you wipe the board clean, until you walked together back down the path to your house. You were surprised by how much you wanted to make it up to her, having nearly abandoned her, wondering what you were thinking throwing away your friendship with her over grumpy pants Joel. Gorgeous, grumpy, mercurial Joel.

You knew she was smart enough to know that something had happened, maybe that something had changed. If she’d asked you, you wouldn’t have been able to put it into words. Just that you knew you needed to keep your distance, properly and actually, this time. That Joel hadn’t come knocking again any night since that morning in your kitchen, and that actually if he had you probably wouldn’t let him in.

‘It’s coming up on summer,’ Ellie said, as she walked beside you. The sun was warm, still putting out heat despite the relatively late hour of the afternoon, and you were starting to feel sweat stick your shirt to the back of your neck.

Summer was a tricky thing in an apocalypse. Even up in the mountains the sun could be trouble, the heat sneaking up on the older folks and the children, sunburn a genuine issue now that all the SPF had long expired. Everyone wore long shirts and just suffered through the heat regardless. In July the town almost stopped at lunchtime, the residents resorting to keeping to the relative comfort of indoors.

‘Been wondering what I’ll do,’ she said, and you nodded at her, lost in thought.

‘With your time off, you mean?’

‘Summer break,’ she said. You weren’t sure why but you had wanted to maintain the tradition, even if it was just so that you could take some time off from the kids for a while. It felt unnatural to be teaching in the middle of summer, when the kids stared out the window at the breeze in the trees and dreamt of plunging into the river. You had only tried it one year, the first year you opened the little school, and you had made it three weeks into June before you gave up and told the kids not to come back ‘til the leaves turned.

‘What would you like to do?’ you asked, and she shrugged.

‘Been a while since I got out of the walls,’ she said, and you laughed a little.

‘Ellie, there’s no way on Earth Joel will let you daytrip out there. It’s not safe.’

‘Maybe it’s not about him letting me,’ she said, and you smiled indulgently at her.

‘It is, though, at least for another few years.’ She went quiet, considering this. ‘What about the stables? How are you with horses?’

‘That new guy is down there most days,’ she said, and this was enough explanation.

‘Mmm,’ you hummed in agreement. ‘What’s Dina planning?’

You tried not to smile as you saw the pink spread across Ellie’s cheeks.

‘Uhhh…’ she stuttered, as you arrived at your front gate. You let her off the hook.

‘Ok, time for some more work,’ you said, and she rolled her eyes.

You had been worried that it would feel different. That being at your place, that having tried to break away from your tutoring with her just to give yourself some space from Joel, that Ellie knew he’d had to come asking, that she would be hurt or resentful or not want to see you anymore off her own bat. But you realised the more you got to know her Ellie was both blessed and cursed with low expectations. She’d been let down, hurt, enough times that it didn’t seem to make a dint anymore. You hated it for her, even if you admired the resilience it bestowed upon her.

‘We doing trigeography?’ she asked.

‘Trig…onometry,’ you clarified.

‘Whatever,’ she said. ‘It’s math.’

You set her up at your kitchen table, thinking for a moment about all the moments you’d shared with this girl in similar domestic settings. You supposed there was a comfort to it, a warmth.

‘Joels’ quiet,’ Ellie volunteered, as she fought every cell in her body to care about finding x.

‘Oh?’ you said, and you wondered how you could tell her you didn’t want to talk about it without making her feel shut down.

‘Mmhmm, kind of…not grumpy? It’s weird.’

‘That doesn’t sound like him, that’s true,’ you said, grinning a little.

‘Like he doesn’t even have the energy to be grumpy, he’s just…blah.’

You wanted to say you knew the feeling well, wanted to ask her for more details, figure out if he was missing you because fuck knows he would never actually say it out loud.

‘Is it over?’ she asked, and she was so small, then, quiet and staring down at her paper because you realised she was too nervous to look up.

‘I…’ you considered lying to her, considered pretending there was nothing to even be over. But you knew she was smarter than that, knew that she knew you well enough now that she could tell when you were lying. ‘I think it might be,’ you said, after a while. ‘I don’t know that it really ever got the oxygen it needed, but I think now it definitely won’t.’

‘Because of Shauna,’ Ellie clarified, and you kind of shrugged. ‘I don’t trust her,’ she said.

‘I think…things changed for him when she arrived, but that’s not her fault,’ you supplied.

‘You’re too nice,’ Ellie said, calm but devastating in her honesty as always. You looked at her, properly, for the first time in a while.

‘You know, he’s never going to…just because she’s here and all those memories of Sarah…you’ll always be his daughter. You know that, right?’

She was scribbling circles in the margins of her workbook. She didn’t say yes or no. You knew you couldn’t promise anything, not with Joel so unpredictable, but you knew how much he loved her, how much he went through every day to keep her safe.

You thought for a second. No, you couldn’t promise her what Joel would or wouldn’t do. But you could do something better.

‘Ellie, look at me,’ you said, and she finally raised her eyes to yours, surprised by the seriousness of your tone. ‘You might be young but you and I, I feel like we click, right?’ you said, and you were relieved when she nodded at you, owlish eyes watching you carefully. ‘I know things were a bit wobbly before, and I’m so sorry about that, I really am. I need you to know I’m always going to care about you, and I will always be there if you need me, and I know Joel’s…Joel...so just know that I’m…me. And I’m here for you. I am.’

Ellie stared at you, unblinking for a second. You could see she was uncomfortable, that the sincerity wasn’t familiar to her. You shared the feeling, holding firm in the face of it for this teenage girl you suddenly realised you had more than an affinity with, that you had genuine affection for, too.

‘Ok,’ she said, eventually. You knew her well enough to know she was fighting off the urge to make a joke of it.

‘Ok,’ you said, a little relieved the moment was over. She went back to her paper, then snapped her gaze back to yours.

‘You wouldn’t lie to me, right?’ she asked you, and you shook your head.

‘No, of course not,’ you said. She considered this, studying you in that way she had. ‘Do you think I’ve lied to you about something?’ you asked.

‘No, not you,’ she said, plainly, finding x by taking out her marker and circling it right there on the page.

--

Joel didn’t much care for politics. He didn’t have the patience for it, always considered himself too impatient, too pragmatic. If there was something that needed doing he’d just do it, and he wasn’t all that fussed about how people felt about it. So it was that he admired Tommy, although Joel knew Maria had a lot to do with it. Even though he knew Shauna was giving him a run for his money, even though he knew she would persist with whatever the hell she wanted until she eventually got it, he admired the fortitude of his brother and his brother’s wife. His sister in law. Whatever you wanted to call it.

It was another warm night, and he sat out on his porch rocking gently in the breeze. Out here the light wasn’t too good, probably not good enough for whittling, and he told himself that was why he held the knife still in his hands, unable to think of what to make. Ellie was too old for this stuff now, and he knew that from when Sarah grew out of it. The first thing he’d ever whittled Sarah was a butterfly, a clumsy looking thing that she’d loved anyway, in that way little girls love anything their daddies make just for them, and she took out her paints and gave it colours over its wings, reds and purples and blues that caught the light when she put it on her dresser by the window.

Joel swallowed. He hadn’t thought about that butterfly in decades, but now he could feel the weight of it in palm clear as day, could see Sarah holding it aloft in the air as she ‘flew’ with it across the living room, up over the couch and towards the top of the dinner table until he caught her and pulled her back down.

He closed his eyes. He couldn’t do another butterfly. He just hoped you weren’t planning on teachin’ any insects for the next little while.

He heard footsteps approaching, and he set his knife down.

‘Joel…’ Shauna almost whimpered, and he closed his eyes, sighing a little while he enjoyed his last few seconds of peace.

‘Here,’ he called to her as she appeared at the top step, huffing a little, out of breath, and when she didn’t speak he looked at her, properly. He realised she was scared, eyes locked on his like she was pleading with him for somethin’. He felt a bolt up his spine.

‘What…?’ he asked, already standing from his chair, walking over to her and steadying her with his hands.

‘I don’t…I didn’t want to say anything,’ she said, ‘I didn’t think I should. I wasn’t sure.’

‘What are you talkin’ about?’

‘It’s just…you have to promise me, that if things go bad…that you’ll…that I can be safe with you, Joel, please.’

She was trembling, her face contorted in worry.

‘Tell me what’s goin’ on, then we can figure out who’s safe with who,’ he said.

‘Joel they’re planning an attack,’ she rushed out, her eyes wide and darting over his face. ‘Tonight maybe. Tomorrow, I’m not sure. Steve and Wren…they never wanted to expand just wanted the map of the place, made me get it for them. I had to, I didn’t think I could say no, not when…Joel, they’re dangerous men.’

He immediately thought of you, raising his head in the direction of your house as if he could smell danger curling its way down the street.

‘What are they planning, Shauna?’ he asked, and she swallowed, hard, tears forming in her eyes. ‘Explosion, the mess hall’ she said. It was nearing dinner, half the town would be there. He didn’t know where Ellie was, assumed she was with you, hoped to all the gods he could think of he was right. All he could think was get to his girls, get to his girls. Shauna was still talking, grasping at his arms now. He forced himself to concentrate. ‘The gas line, Joel. It’s above the street, and it runs right down the middle of the mess hall.’

Taglist (as always lemme know if you wanna jump on):

@harriedandharassed

@vickie5446

@kaseyconnour

@orcasoul

@missladym1981

@spacesoutdaydreamer

@tangled-tumbler-blog-blog

@fancyyoouu

@anoverwhelmingdin

@millersamour

@delicatetrashtree

@wand-erer5

@somedayheaven

[phantom-dc]

A deal with the Ghost King

First previous AO3

It's been 2 months since the Justice League summoned the Ghost King.

The League was having another meeting about it. Other then Batman none had noticed any sign of its precense. Constantine hadn't found any trace of the King outside of Gotham, leading to the conclusion that whatever had happened occured in Batmans territory. He and his Robins had searched all over Gotham to see if anything strange was going on. Even Red Hood checked his area, though he had seemed preoccupied. Still, nothing had stood out to them. That was when Shazam mentioned reality itself might have changed.

That had sparked a whole new debate. According to Constantine it was certainly possible. The Ghost King has many powerfull subjects, and near-godlike allies as wel. If the ghost of Kronos had aided him time itself could have been altered. If something like that did happen, only someone outside of their reality would be able to tell the difference. That had sparked an idea in Batman. The camera's inside the meeting hall had become useless, but the ones outside it could still work! He quickly made his way to the security station to acces the cameta feeds of that day. A few closest to the meeting hall had still been static, but he found what he was looking for: Jason, leaving the waiting room and heading for the meeting hall, only to return a few minutes later. When Batman comes back to the rest of the League he immediatly aprooaches the Flash. 'Why didn't you interrogate Red Hood?' Flash admits he finds Red Hood kinda scary. 'He's a Bat with guns, B! I figured since everyone else hadn't seen anything he hadn't either, so I went to ask the others.' Batman puts Flash monitor duty as punishment and turns to Constantine. 'Gather everything you need to detect a change in reality you can and anything that might help us track the Ghost King and meet me in Gotham. I'm going to talk to Hood. Meeting's adjourned.'

Getting out of the Zeta-tube and stepping into the Bat-Cave, Bruce rubs his eyes in annoyance. All this time, Jason was the one with awnsers. As he walks to the Batmobile, Alfred asks him where he is headed. When Bruce tells him needs to talk to Jason, Alfred reminds him that they are having dinner today. He assumes Bruce forgot? Bruce sighs. That's right, Jason was here for dinner, for- Alfred cuts him off. 'Master Jason is introducing us to his boyfriend today. You are already quite late, but not to worry. I have already told him you had a meeting that ran late. Everyone has been making up for your abcense in the meantime. Dinner is about to be served, so whatever you need to discuss with Master Jason will have to wait until Mr. Fenton leaves. Bruce relents. Perhaps he will find a moment alone to grill Jason for awnsers. In the meantime he will put on his best Brucie Wayne face and meet their guest.

By the time Bruce had managed to get out of the Batsuit and get to the dinner hall, Alfred was already serving the plates. Bruce apologizes for running late and spots their guest. A young man with black hair and blue eyes, with a lean build and shorter than expected. He introduced himself as Danny Fenton, and was polite yet friendly. As expected of someone meeting their lovers parents, though something seemed off. He had expected someone more... dangerous. He brushed it off. Perhaps he was projecting his own tastes on Jason, if Talia and Selina were any indicators. While everyone was sitting down, Bruce asked Dick to distract Danny after dinner, he needs to talk to Jason about a case. Dick says he'll do what he can, but Danny proved pretty clingy. They haven't left eachothers side since they got here.

The converstation the group was having before Bruce arrived picked back up. 'Damian, you're going to love Ellie. She is such a troublemaker, I have no doubt you'll get along great!' Jason was gushing about Danny's little sister. Bruce was suprised that Jason had already met Danny's family. 'Well, we have been dating for 2 months, but we just clicked so well! And Danny had already been singing her praises, I just had to meet her!' 2 months? Bruce had been so preoccupied with his case that he had missed this for that long? Duke asks how Danny and Jason met. Danny doesn't look like the type to hang around Crime Alley? Jason says they met at work. Danny tells them he'd been called to get rid of a big rock that was becoming a hazard. 'Oh, so you work in excavation? Did it have anything to do with that new soupkitchen you were talking about, Jason?' Jason starts saying no, when he gets interrupted:

'B, THE GHOST KING IS IN GOTHAM RIGHT NOW! IF WE HURRY WE MIGHT-.' Contantine had burst into the room, when he stopped dead in his tracks, dropping half the stuff he was carrying. 'You, uh... already found him?' Bruce is confused, when suddenly Danny waves at Constantine. 'Hiya Connie! How've you been? Need me to get rid of another rock for you?' Realization hits Bruce hard: this 'Danny' is the Ghost King!?! He immediatly stands up, battle ready. He needs to protect his family from this threat! Dick is confused, what is going on? Before Bruce can explain, Jason cuts in: 'I was about to tell you. When I said 'work', I meant Hero work. We met during that asteroid-incident in the Watchtower. The League needed Danny to get rid of it, but things got complicated and they left him to figure out what to do next. That's when we met, and-' Duke interrupts him: 'Wait, you're that Ghost King Bruce been worrying about? He's been pulling his hair out for months straight! You just disapeared on them!' Danny huffs. 'Well, if they hadn't been so rude as to ditch me I might've stuck around to chat. Besides, they took forever! If Jason hadn't come along and made a deal with me I might not have made it in time!' That snaps Bruce back in reality. He immediatly turns to Jason: 'What did you give him?' Jason is suprised at the sudden question. 'What do you mean?' Constantine is about to lose it. 'You made a deal with the Ghost King! What did you offer him? Servitude? Your first-born? YOUR SOUL?' Danny gets a mischevous grin. 'Oh, he offered me something much more valuable.' Constantine is freaking out: ' WHAT COULD BE WORTH MORE THAN THE 8 BILLION SOULS YOU WERE GOING YO GET!?!'

'A date~!'

After that all hell broke loose. Bruce slumped down on his chair as 2 months worth of stress was released. Tim and Duke were freaking out that apearantly the League hadn't told anyone the world had been in danger. Cass held back Damian as he was trying to attack the 'Pit demon' that had seduced his brother. Dick held his head in his hands, realizing that Jason now had ammo to be absolutly insufferable. Jason was indeed thinking of all the ways he could milk this, and Alfred was trying to get Contantine concious again after he had fainted. During all this, Danny knew:

'Best. Deal. Ever.'

THE END

[archiveikemen]

'Villain Wants To Bother The Little Robin' Story Event: Chapter 1

Jude Jazza & Ellis Twilight Route

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection. I do not own any of the original content. Please support CYBIRD by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

❥･• Warnings and FAQ

Victor: Kate… will you play the role of Her Majesty the Queen?

Kate: … It’s for a mission, right? Please tell me the details.

Victor: Ahh, what a quick response! You’ve grown so much as a fairytale writer, I… I…!

Victor: Emotional moment aside, you’re right, it’s for a mission.

Victor: An American ambassador is coming for a visit. According to our intel, there is word that he is planning an assassination attempt.

Kate: That’s a very serious issue… and therefore, I will be a stand-in for Her Majesty?

Victor: Yes. Jude and Ellis will be your bodyguards.

Kate: Why the two of them specifically…?

(Apart from Ellis, I don't think Jude would want to be “my bodyguard”.)

Victor: They’re experienced in handling violent situations. Should the ambassador carry out the assassination attempt, I believe they will be able to deal with it well!

(... They do seem capable of handling such situations smoothly…)

Kate: What exactly should I do as Her Majesty?

Victor: You will be receiving gifts, and have dinner at the evening banquet.

Victor: Basically, you only have to graciously accept the gifts presented to you.

Victor: The ministers will be present as well, so it’s OK for you to leave the complicated conversations to them.

Kate: Simply put, I just have to dress as Her Majesty and sit there… am I right to say that?

Victor: Yes! Her Majesty prefers to be quiet, so it’ll be alright if you remain silent.

Victor: Your voice sounds different from Her Majesty’s, which might raise suspicion. The two of them will follow up accordingly.

Victor: I understand that asking you to be a decoy is a difficult request… but you’re the only person who understands the situation enough to do so.

Victor: Will you accept the task?

(This proves that he trusts me as a fairytale writer. Moreover, Her Majesty's life is at stake here.)

Kate: Yes, I’ll do my best.

(Jude is a sadist who finds joy in tormenting others.)

(If I become indebted to him, there’s no knowing what he’ll demand for as payment. I can't afford any slip ups.)

(Ellis is kind and will do anything to make other people happy, but…)

(Because he will really do “anything”, I have to be careful so that he won't go overboard.)

(At any rate, in order to ensure that this mission will be successful without any troubles, I shall focus only on being a stand-in for Her Majesty.)

Kate: Victor, could you tell me more about Her Majesty's mannerisms? Such as her habits or anything that makes her unique.

Victor: …

Victor: Of course. I’ll tell you as much as I can.

After receiving some acting tips from Victor, I holed myself up in the library.

I wanted to learn a little bit about the royal family, the names and faces of the ministers, and the history of America and England…

…

(In the end, it feels like the more I study, the more overwhelmed I feel about my lack of knowledge. It made me feel more hopeless…)

I wore a crown, a veil that covered my face up to my chin, a pair of shoes to disguise my height, and an elegant gown.

I was already feeling defeated.

Jude: You fell asleep in the library, commoner.

Ellis: I’m glad you didn't catch a cold.

Kate: …!

Jude and Ellis stood on either side of me, laughing as if they had read my mind.

Kate: By any chance, was it… the two of you who covered me with a blanket?

Ellis: Yeah. Because you looked cold.

Kate: Thanks, Ellis.

Ellis: Jude pushed you back upright when you were about to slip off the table… with his knee.

Jude: That was because you were a hindrance.

Kate: Kicking a sleeping lady…

Jude: Calling some kid who played sleeping beauty in the library a “lady”? Don’t make me laugh.

Jude: You must’ve been working that little commoner brain of yours in your own way. How great.

Ellis: Mm-hmm. You’re studying hard to pull off pretending to be Her Majesty. You’re very great.

The former was entirely sarcasm, while the latter was a genuine and innocent compliment.

My facial muscles were confused about what facial expression to make.

(A- Anyway…)

Kate: I’ll be under your care for the next two days.

Jude: Decoy means someone who’s willing to die in another person’s place. Long story short, it’ll cost you your life.

Jude: … As long as the assassins are dealt with, it doesn't matter even if you die. Peace of cake.

Ellis: Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.

Ellis: I’m no good at politics and diplomacy… but I’m good at sensing when there are knives and bullets coming my way.

Ellis: I’ll do my best to support you so won’t have a hard time.

Kate: I… I’ll do my best too.

If Jude were something that’s tongue burning spicy, then Ellis would be sweet as sugar.

Being stuck in between time gave my heart no time to calm down.

(I wonder how Ellis is working for Jude.)

(Even though Jude isn’t the type of person to let people come close to him, he always has Ellis by his side.)

I remembered hearing that they worked together because of a contract.

(What on earth does that contract entail…?)

Jude: A commoner posing as the Queen will be easily exposed and gotten rid off.

Kate: Will Jude be able to do well as the Queen’s bodyguard with that sort of attitude and manner of speech?

Ellis: Jude is surprisingly capable of proper behaviour in public.

Jude: You might not know this, but this guy is crazy.

Kate: In what way…?

Ellis: Who knows? :)

Jude: You’ll find out soon enough.

(Are you saying that Ellis is no better at being a bodyguard than you? … Seems to me that it's the other way around.)

Ellis: … Hey, Jude, Kate.

Jude: Ah?

Kate: Yes?

Ellis: I have a suggestion—

Ellis: Let’s make a deal whereby if we succeed in this mission without having our identities exposed, we’ll fulfil one request from each other… what do you think?

(Fulfil each other's requests after completing the mission?)

Jude: What’s with that meaningless suggestion?

Ellis: I’m thinking of how to make this mission more enjoyable for Kate.

Ellis: What do you think…?

(So that’s what Ellis is thinking…)

I realised that since this morning, I had been unknowingly weighed down by the burden of wearing the crown.

(... Ellis is really good at telling how someone is feeling.)

Kate: Thank you, Ellis. We’ll do that!

Ellis: Fufu, then it’s decided.

(... Hm? But I heard him say “each other”...)

(I’ll have to grant requests from Jude and Ellis…)

Jude: … Just endure it as much as possible. I’ll be watching you make a fool of yourself while thinking of what “request” I’ll make you fulfil.

Ellis: Me too, I’ll be… thinking about what “request” will make you happy.

Seeing the two very different smiles, my facial muscles were once again unsure about what facial expression to make.

...

Chamberlain: The ambassador from America, Abel Edmund, has arrived.

The chamberlain loudly announced the ambassador's arrival, and the door to the audience hall opened slowly.

(... It’s happening.)

Jude and Ellis stood on guard behind me.

“Why did Her Majesty choose to be guarded by two unknown men, instead of the royal guards?” When I first entered the hall, I could hear the ministers whispering amongst themselves, however…

(Just one glare from Jude made their complaining cease immediately.)

(When Ellis smiled at them, the number of insolent stares decreased as well.)

(With the two of them around, my life will definitely not be in danger… it’ll be alright.)

I straightened my back and lifted my chin, fixing my posture according to what I learnt from Victor.

(I must focus on maintaining a regal attitude while acting as Her Majesty in front of the ambassador.)

Abel: I am greatly honoured to have been given the privilege of an audience with Your Majesty!

The ambassador was a man with teeth that glimmered in the light, and a smile as bright as the sun.

(Wow… he’s more frank than I thought.)

Maintaining my majesty, I nodded silently in response to his greeting.

Ellis: He looks lively.

Jude: Even if he keeps quiet, his face makes a heck lot of noise.

(P- Please don’t make me laugh!)

The point-blank commentary coming from the two of them standing behind me clearly stated their impressions of him.

Abel enthusiastically presented the various items he had brought with him as tribute.

(Even with a veil on, these items are dazzling…)

Once again, I felt overwhelmed by Her Majesty's power and influence as proven by the extravagance of the treasures gifted to her.

Abel: We have here an extremely rare avian species boasting feathers with vibrant colours. Its beauty is further enhanced by the magnificent sight of its outstretched wings.

Abel took a large bird resembling a parrot from its cage,

Abel: Please, have a look— ah!?

The parrot suddenly lifted its head and flew out of Abel’s hand.

(It’s coming this way!?)

Jude • Ellis: —!

[bluerosefox]

[2023 Prompt List 1][Previous] [2023 Prompt List 2][Here] [2023 Prompt List 3][Next]

|The MANY Bloodlines of Constantine (Its by pure dumb luck Danny is crowned Ghost King before his 18th, because he learns his biodad had sold his soul, its void now, and not just his but also his half-siblings as well... Constantine is getting decked.)  (Psst read the reblogs, everyone had fun adding to this one) |Daughter of Phantom, Lady Gotham. (Lady Gotham, is Danny Phantom’s daughter) |No Longer In Service (Ghost King Danny has an idea how to get summoners to stop summoning him) |Overdue Payments (Ghost King Danny finds Ra’s al ghul’s overdue payments and a request to repossess it) |For Them (Danny uses his ice to save Dani (Ellie) from melting and does so in front of one Dr. Victor Fries, aka Mr. Freeze) |In A Single Night (Vlad is taken down by either Selina or Tim in a single night due to being a creepy creep) |Assassin Heir? Crime Fighting Furry? NOPE NO THANK YOU! (Danny wakes up in a DC version of himself and tries to nope out of the Assassin lifestyle and avoid becoming a crime fighter. Now if only the others understood that) |Playing Dead AU (Danny is the dead body for those Murder Mystery parties and gets a gig for the Gotham elite. I strongly suggest reading the reblogs, they get amazing for this) |Of Godsons, Fruitloops, and Lois ‘I will drag all secrets out into the sun’ Lane (Lois Lane is Danny’s only godparent, Vlad better watch out) |Recluse Owner, Bookshelf Gremlin, and the Cute Cafe Guy (Danny and Dani have to leave their home dimension behind and decide to open a cafe with Ghostwriter whose been wanting a way to get new books without having to go out and deal with people. Jason is sus of the new bookstore that opened up overnight) (Very hinted Dead on Main) |Cujo is.... Trying (Danny gets hurt, Cujo and him are yeeted into the Gotham, and Cujo... Cujo is trying to do his best even as he’s chased after a sword wielding bird boy)  |Tim, buddy, what do you mean you might had accidentally made a Love Child?! (Danny learns is the love child clone? of Tim and Kon that Tim accidentally made during his bad year of losing everything and Danny gets deaged and tossed back into his home dimension. It was due to Clockwork that he never noticed the life he created (cause villain Tim timeline was nearly on set) but finds out what he created when said love child shows up at a Gala wandering around just after he announced he’s dating Kon) (a TimxKon story where they try to raise their clone love child) |Bellatrix Star ( a TaliaxDanny idea. Queen Talia and Ghost King Danny) |Joker Messed Around and Found Freaking Out. (Joker messed with the wrong person when he took a visiting class hostage) |Fenton Ethics and Test Tube Babies (Jazz and Danny aren’t Fenton’s but are half-siblings and cousins (basically same mom, different dad’s)...The Fenton’s have some... questionable ethics and moral) |Timelines, Red Robins, and Kings (dont ask about the title, it was only thing I can think of) (Tim crashes in on Danny’s ghost King lesson’s during his Red Robin run. Clockwork is excited for this timeline cause he gets to have some fun) |Beloved Beyond Time (Due to weird time-traveling, Ghost Prince Danny is summoned and mistaken as King by the LoA. There he meets a smitten young Damian al Ghul who proclaims they will marry... Later Danny finds himself cornered by a year older Damian when he returns to his own time) |Over Tea (Gotham gets a sudden and strange weather that shakes it to its core. The Batfam is trying to find the source, meanwhile a young Ghost King and Lady Gotham are discussing things over tea. |Good Doggos Give Hope! (A self-indulgant idea of Cujo wanting to help his fav ghost boy and meeting a very special ring wearing Corgi) |Taking a Chance (Good!Mom Talia! DannyxTalia (Royal Errors) and half-siblings Damian and Ellie (Danielle). Talia discovers Ra’s future he set out for Damian and is at the ends of her ropes, she is given a chance to leave in the form of a cryptic time being. Meanwhile Danny needs someone to become Danielle’s mother before she completely destabilizes)

[straightbaittournament]

may the best bait win! propaganda under the cut:

alec and ellie:

They're your classic workplace enemies to lovers. Alec takes the job that Ellie was meant for, they're forced to work together on a devastating murder case, they bond. Over three series Alec becomes more human and lets his walls down around Ellie, and she begins to respect and trust him as a colleague and as a friend. Its a Big Deal when they hug. In most cases, especially when it's an m/f detective duo, they would end up together. But yet. Thee David Tennant and Olivia Coleman did not even have an aborted kiss or feelings confession. Neither of them end up with anyone else but they don't hint at anything at the end either. Queer Ally of all time David Tennant does straightbait ironically.

oscar and andre:

Okay, so this might sound kind of weird but bear with me because I really think they should count. Oscar was afab but her father gave her a boy's name and raised her as a boy (by 18th century standards) because sexism and he had 5 daughters and decided she was going to be a son because they were a noble family and he wanted a son to become a high ranking military official because they're rich so they can just do that. Oscar joins the army and becomes Marie-Antoinette's personal guard. Her and childhood best friend Andre are very close through out the series (he supports her throughout the many scandals that she has to deal with because she works for the royal family) and at the end of the series it is revealed that they are in love, but they are both killed in the war before they can actually get together. The dying before they can be together might fall into the buried straights category but they relationship also has really queer energy because throughout the series it becomes apparent that Oscar usually Does Not Vibe with only the gender she assigned at birth. She sometimes refers to herself as a woman, sometimes refers to herself as a man, but her attitude is usually basically 'I'm a man, I'm a woman, I'm both, I'm neither, stop asking'. So I think they should count as straightbait because we find out that Oscar is nonbinary and Andre loves her no matter what her gender is (and then they die before they can get together).

[sixthwater]

Hello! Due to a change in my life I've become quite busy, but I'll try and get some pacs out every once in a while. Also working on a few projects (with and without people), so look out for that! I've wanted to do this one for some weeks now, but it's just short messages that your guides or angels wanted to deliver to you, pretty straight-forward haha.

(Left → Right / Pile 1 → Pile 4)

Decks Used: Trickster's Journey, Tarot Familiars, Arcana of Astrology, featuring Sea Melodies & Language of Flowers

Disclaimer | Pinned | Tip Jar | Paid Readings

Pile One

Cards: X of Cups, The Lovers, Trickster Rx, II of Wands, IV of Swords, Ace of Wands, Ascendant, Pallas Athena

I can’t ignore the song that popped up. It reminded me of fan-art that a friend made decades ago for hxh; it was for the chimera ant arc from Killua’s ‘perspective’ and how, despite how much pain each side was going through, he would stay by his side as long as he could.

This pull is hinting at you being in a position of looking at your life and the possibilities ahead of you, but not authentically. Resembles someone quadruple checking their path or getting someone to tell them what to do with their life. The message here is not ‘just go out and live your life’ — while that is inherently true, it’s more along the lines to have a breather and take it day by day. They want you to find yourself, and through finding yourself you will find your path. I don’t know why I keep wanting to bring in The Magician, but this pile has undercurrents of its energy as well. It’s not so much manifestation, but it’s not giving up on your dreams or your desires — they’re on pause until you can figure yourself out. I wanted to cry as soon as Shake It Out started playing, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a lot of pent up frustration here. There is a rebirth coming for you guys, the timeline is going to be different for all of you. However you cant be born anew if you aren’t being authentic. Some advice/help might come from friends and family, but it’s all about exploring externally and internally. You might have been searching for this for quite some time...and honestly no amount of astrology or pick a cards will give you a definite answer, but spending time with yourself and figuring out what brings you joy will give you the direction that you need. You might be annoyed hearing this, but don’t rush the process and enjoy the ride, Sure Fire Winners is your end result after this frustrating trip.

Songs: Figure 8 – Ellie Goulding, Twin Machines – DBMK, What We Life For – American Authors, Shake It Out – Florence + The Machine

Pile Two

Cards: Death, VII of Wands, Wheel, III of Coins, Queen of Cups, VII of Wands, Eros, Pallas Athena, Third House

Interesting set of cards. I’m also having difficult describing your energy. You’re not being stubborn or combative, but you feel like people aren’t giving you the time of day or listening to you, which causes you to be stubborn or a solitary individual which makes people believe you’re not co-operative — is the best way I can describe it. A little of it feels reminiscent of being a push-over, but that’s sprinkled in?

Regardless, good news is on the way, but you have to meet it halfway. This is a learning experience for you, whatever it might be (work or higher learning). It’s definitely one of those lessons that will keep repeating until you learn it, so pay attention when it pops up. You need to sort what topics or issues you legitimately care about and refuse to budge on, and what can be sacrificed. This is a key element when working with others, because it’s a quality that is often balanced when dealing with others. People seek you out because you bring something to the table for them, but if you’re going to be stubborn or not shine to the point that they can simply find anyone, then you lose out. That’s where your double Seven of Wands comes in. This could manifest in people either questioning why they’re working with you, commissioning you, or you not budging for what you want to keep within a project. This could also be you proving some people wrong? Either way, it’s a message to stand your ground and not be overwhelmed by those trying to knock you down. There’s also a high chance that there will be a nurturing mentor to help you through this or they will give you some advice that you’ll carry with you long after this. With the owl staring at me on the Queen of Cups I’m moved to think this’ll be a figure that comes in. I think they’ll probably remind you of third house themes which is to balance listening as much as you’re talking. Sometimes what you’re so frustrated by or trying to figure out will be answered before you even have to ask it. Or maybe someone has a good idea that you haven’t thought of and you should give it a shot before brushing it off. The main message here is collaboration and working with people, knowing when to stand up for things and to just let things go, and becoming a new person after this. The skeleton in Death is holding an old skull and even on the Seven of Wands it’s a little chick that just hatched; there’s a lot of beginnings after this uncomfortable period but you will learn a lot about yourself and possibly learn a lot of new skills! (From all the songs, maybe this is your first job?)

Songs: Something Good Can Work – Two Door Cinema Club, It’s Time – Imagine Dragons

Pile Three

Cards: X of Swords, Page of Swords Rx, X of Wheel Rx, Empress Rx, Queen of Wands Rx, VII of Wands Rx, The Sun Rx, Mars, Waning Gibbous Moon, Eighth House

It’s pretty obvious where you are right now, so I’m not going to get into it — I don’t believe you want me rehashing it either. You are being urged to rebuild your confidence little by little and push for what you want in your situation. I think a good portion of this though is sharing how you feel. Being comfortable with expressing your emotions or your darker issues with others instead of trying to hold onto all of this. It doesn’t feel like a shadow trait, more like bad news/a situation, but you need to lean on someone to help you. I’ve been re-watching Regular Show and this is similar to the episode where Skips was ignoring his stress killing him and everyone had to force him to deal with it and let them help. Usually I see The Sun reversed as shining too bright to the point of exhaustion or just being a little gloomy but it’s resembling The Star reversed, which worries me. You just need to take it slow and work on yourself, but absolutely you need to rely on others and don’t feel like you’re too much or you’re not meeting standards that society or you set for yourself. We all need breaks or we all get tired, it’s impossible to be in top shape all the time, so give yourself some time to get back up there. Yes, sitting in your sadness is not helpful, but you need to be able to go through it’s motions so you know what you’re purging in the first place. I’m going to pull some more clear advice/upbeat cards for you guys:

Reflect, Optimism, Azalea, Jonquil

Reflect: Peer into the endless ocean and see what peers back  Optimism: After each rainstorm, there will be clear skies  Azalea, Temperance: Find balance and be centered  Jonquil, Power: Take hold of what you know is yours

Songs: Fall to Pieces – Avril Lavigne, Love Die Young – Eric Nam, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Grip! – Every Little Thing

Pile Four

Cards: VI of Wands, Strength Rx, IV of Wands, VII of Cups Rx, King of Pentacles, The Hierophant, Solar Eclipse, Chiron, Leo

Experiencing impostor syndrome right now, or not wanting the spotlight on you despite...accomplishing something worth celebrating honestly. I’m weirdly taking strength quite literally, like feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders and being crushed by it. The imagery looks as such and its between two celebratory cards — or ones that can show being celebrated or being in high regards in immediate surroundings. I know you want to, but don’t run back to a ‘shell’ or what’s safe. Try and make new safe spaces or make a routine to soothe yourself, because you should embrace your wins and take pride in what you did. I don’t know what you guys did, but more opportunities are coming your way, so embrace the new and change. It might keep coming or it might just be some fun new experiences for this time in your life. Make sure to tread carefully and whatever you say yes to; you want to say yes to. Don’t just agree to whatever. There are signs of looking for a community or mentor to lean on or stick by, and it’s encouraged as well. There’s a mix of taking on this new energy because it’ll be good for you or your future (experiences or just in general), and grounding yourself because you’re in a flight reflex right now. This might be due to a past scar, because the wolves look as if they’re protecting something but ready to hurt me, and I love wolves as well as this card. Either way, you should be celebrating with everyone else the milestone you accomplished, being mindful of your next steps, being open to change, and I’m wishing you the best.

Songs: When the Levee Breaks – A Perfect Circle, Raging (ft. Kodaline) – Kygo, Have Faith In Me – A Day To Remember

[nanograms]

Malleus x Ellis - A Trip To Disneyland

@starry-night-rose enjoy

——————————————————————————

“Beloved, this place is quite loud. Are you sure that this is a suitable place for us to share time together romantically? I fear I may scare some of the smaller child of man..”

Malleus looked around anxiously on the floor. Human families and their kids run around and stare at him in gape. Some kids even said ‘Wow! Look at his horns,’ and ‘Do you think he’s part of the attractions?’ and ‘are we allowed to ask him for pictures?’. Oh if only they knew.

Ellis’s home was nothing like Twisted wonderland. No magic, fae, or beastmen roam this realm. Perhaps this is what perked his interest when she asked him to go to this ‘magical’ place called ‘Disneyland’. Of course, Ellis had to explain to him that no, there was no magic in Disneyland.

Ground rules needed to be set before entering the Dark Mirror. No using magic, dress casually, and absolutely no threatening the staff or anyone in general. No matter how rude these child of men are, they cannot find out that Malleus is some kind of dragon fae from another universe.

Ellis reassured him that everything was going to be okay, and that he didn't need to worry about anything. A sweet smile and a gentle squeeze to his hand was all he needed to feel better. Malleus bent down and kissed her forehead before arriving for their first ride.

The line was long and the sun was bearing down on the two of them. Mostly Malleus because he was taller than the rest. His brows furrowed. Perhaps if these child of men knew who he was, he and Ellis wouldn’t have to wait so long to get to the front of the line. Then again, he prioritized Ellis’s happiness over his own selfish desires.

——————————————————————————

What was 30 minutes felt like an hour to Malleus. The sun beaming down on the two of them didn’t make it easier. Ellis didn’t look too happy about the hot weather, so Malleus did his best to cover her with his shade.

“My Dearest Treasure, I think it might be too tall for the ride..”

Malleus pointed to the tunnel that he thought was going to be an issue, but Ellis reassured him that he’ll be fine. Her words were kind, but it didn’t quell the unease in his stomach.

“These attractions are so strange. You mean to tell me that this was made not by magic and simply steel beams and sometimes wood? How fascinating.”

Ellis grinned. And did her best to explain how these things worked. Although the people around them gave them strange looks, she couldn’t have cared less.

——————————————————————————

Perhaps the roller coaster was a bit of a mistake. Malleus’s horns had scratched the interior of the tunnel’s roof. Although only the paint came off, Malleus noticed how the tip of his horns got noticeably more rounded than sharp.

Malleus looked like a kicked puppy the moment Ellis had to fork over money to pay for the damages. Ellis insisted that it wasn’t a big deal and that they could still enjoy themselves here while Malleus insisted that he pay her back with gold and diamonds.

The loud noise was presumably bothersome to Ellis as they continued on their date. Malleus opted for a noise canceling spell on the people around them, but Ellis shook her head and put in some orange cylinder shaped styrofoam in her ears to block out the noise.

The ice cream here was like no other. It was in many funny shapes and sizes. His favorite has to be the Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwich.

“Ellis, why is this particular ice cream shaped like that of a rodent? It is not very accurate of a mouse either. The eyes are unrealistic and-”

Ellis listened to Malleus’s rant of how the depictions of the mouse on the ice cream sandwich was not accurate at all. It was actually quite amusing to watch the ice cream sandwich melt in his hand and drip down onto the pavement.

——————————————————————————

The sun was setting when the couple were on the ferris wheel. This was one of Malleus’s favorite rides. It was slow, romantic, and he had a moment with Ellis alone to just talk. Malleus took a particularly fond interest in the castle of Disneyland, asking if any royalty lived there. He might’ve also made a comment of how one day after graduation Ellis shall live in the castle back at Briar Valley. Ellis had to do a double take on that. She wasn’t complaining though.

After getting off of the ferris wheel, they decided to stay long enough for the fireworks. It was mostly Ellis’s idea. They can deal with Sebek’s yelling of her not bringing ‘Waka-sama’ back after 8:30 PM later.

The fireworks were loud but beautiful. Malleus’s eyes sparked in the darkness. Ellis’s eyes trained on his beautiful built figure rather than the exploding gunpowder that fired up in the sky. Malleus teased Ellis once he caught her staring.

“Does my Dearest Treasure prefer to partake in looking at me than at the fireworks in the night sky?” Malleus chuckled when she got all flustered. He continued talking after giving Ellis a loving kiss. “It’s all right, Love, I know that you are fond of the beautiful things that are in this world and I’m glad to be the one that has your attention for the night.”

[alarrytale]

What’s your thoughts on Harry’s friends (xnder, jff, kd, brd, other managers) with who we see he hangs out the most? Do you think they are his only friends? I personally think he really considers most of them his friends and tries to spend time with them but their friendships also feel so insincere.

Hi, anon!

I think it's murky. I think H doesn’t have many real close friends, who are friends with him for the right reasons. I think he's got a handful of childhood friends (for example Johnny and Ellis), and i think he's got people who he's become familiar with due to work or having to spend a lot of time around them (the ones you mentioned). I think he's mostly too busy to make many new real friends, friends who likes him for more than his fame and his connections. I think Harry connects easily with almost anybody, but it's not deep friendship. I think his best friend is Louis and he takes up most of his time and attention.

I think Tomo Campbell, Cal Aurand, Nick Grimshaw (despite the pr deal) and Matt Irwin might be examples of real friendship he's made while famous. Despite our dislike i think he's close to Ben W*nston and JC too, but i see them both dumping him as soon as he's not beneficial to them anymore. Many of the people H hangs around are just not great people. They are blowing smoke up his ass for their own benefit. It's sad.

I hope he's keeping work and friendship seperate. He's their employer first and formost and they work for him. They are work colleagues and there shouldn't be an even power balance between them like there should be in a friendship. He shouldn't treat them as such either, or he'll get taken advantage of and they'll get lazy. I would love for him to make new real friends outside the merry band of yes men as i call them. I think it's hard for Harry to find the time, and to trust people enough that they are befriending him for the right reasons. I do think he's too close to his employees in many ways that is not good. But since he's a person full of secrets them being under NDAs and familiar to him must be part of the reason why he's friends with them. I hope he sees the friendships for what they are though. We can only hope.

[bookishnights03]

Spear of the sea serpent

Word count: 1105

Warnings: none

Elyssa Mournblaze, earned her name as one of the most feared rulers of the Obsidian Sea.

After returning to the place she'd sworn to never see again, and having to deal with resurfaced feelings as well as meeting a charming prince; who seems vaguely familiar Elyssa experiences an emotion she hasn't felt in a while.

Fear.

When Elyssa's secrets are threatened to be revealed, she does what she does best.

She protects her family. Even if the action might cause a second war.

One she is confident she will win.

This is a rough draft of a story I began writing about a year ago on wattpad, but I wanted to give it a try on here as well. Let me know how I did?

Fear. Ice cold fear. It overpowered every fleeting thought that ran though my head as I watched the man beat the young woman in front of me.

I wanted to scream at him to stop, to tell him to spear her and kill me instead, but the words choked in my throat as I watched his bloody hands assault her.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The sound echoed throughout the hallway.

When he gripped the hilt of his sword, the feeling of fear intensified so much that my stomach clenched hard, making me double over in pain. Tears filled my vision, but I squeezed them shut, willing them not to fall. When I finally opened my eyes, I saw the woman turned towards me, her pained gaze watching me silently.

At that moment, I finally managed to squeeze a word out of my mouth. But it only came out as a whisper, but by then it was too late.

"Elia."

~ 18 years later ~

Thunder sounded above, and the scent of rain intensified, but neither of those things altered my steps. It was the beginning of rainfall season, not that it rained often on the tropical island, but when it did, the islands surrounding the Blackwitch Isles would have storms for days on end.

The sea below, usually bright sparkling water, had turned into a clear grey. The relentless waves crushed into the high wall which acted as a barrier between the sea and the castle grounds. Not far ahead, a ship could be seen approaching the island. I stood soundlessly, the cold wind wiping against my frame as I waited for the vessel to approach the cave which was on the far left of the island where it would reside with the other ships.

Soon people started to departed the vessel, the boxes they carried spilling with trading goods. I observed from above as guards shouted orders, their bodies covered in black armour. Rain stared to pelt down, making the masses of people move faster.

I could feel it soaking my skin though my dress, the coolness of it would have left me shivering if I wasn't boiling.

Not long after the ship was directed into the cave, leaving me staring at the crushing waves once again. The rain poured heavily with each minute that passed and lightning clapped above, lighting the sky for a moment.

I tilted my head back, allowing the rain fall onto my face, attempting to ease the distressed feeling that had been eating at me.

I had awoken to the feeling of my stomach knotting in the early hours of the morning, my intuition screaming that something was amiss. 

I knew that either something had happened, or bad news had awaited me.

The sound of hooves trotting on stone could be heard above the pouring rain, breaking my train of thought. I turned to face my new company, raising a dyed brown eyebrow.

A familiar figure disembarked the horse, his armour sleek with rainwater. I watched as he took of his helmet, letting his dark hair pour over his broad shoulders. I stiffened when I noticed the sheet of paper in this hand.

Rayden brought this letter to me. Must be important f he didn't wait for me to return.

The captain of my army approached me warily, making me stiffen as I note his expression. Rayden bowed before me and I nodded my head in greeting.

"My lady." he murmured in greeting, once he straightened to his full height. "Captain Ellis." I replied, my voice sounding like the perfect picture of calm unlike the emotional hurricane within me.

My lover stared at me for a moment, trying to read my expression, but my mask didn't slip. He let out a breath before silently stretching his hand that held the letter.

I took it from him gently, my stomach clenching into a knot when I took in the torn gold lion seal in the front. I took in a breath and opened the cracked seal.

Lady Elyssa of House Ranleigh 

Greetings from King Joffrey. I would like to personally invite you to my engagement to Lady Margaery of house Tyrell.

The wedding ceremony will take place before the new moon.

It would be an honour if you would attend.

King Joffrey of House Baratheon.

My eyes scanned the words over and over again, my unease becoming fury which began to burn within me. Arrogant, treacherous, unprincipled- 

"Elyssa," Rayden said as he interrupted my train of insults, but stopped when he noticed my expression. Clearly my perfectly controlled face has slipped into a scowl. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

"You've had time to reflect on this, what's your thoughts on this?" I asked, my voice trembling with barely contained range. 

He's shoulder lifted in a half shrug, his eyes reflecting pity. I hated that look. "It might not be the worst idea to go," he began. At my darkening expression he held up his hands in protest.

"Perhaps you've put it off for too long, but if you told them to their face that you do not want to mix your affairs with theirs, then perhaps they will take a hint and leave us all alone." He stated in a calm manner, though his expression held one of hesitance.

I knew he hated the idea as much as I did, but he was right. Maybe being blunt might work this time around. Rayden lowered his hands, and curled them around mine.

"Maybe show them why they should have killed you all those years ago." He whispered, pulling my hands to his mouth in a gentle kiss. My lips quirked up at the familiar gesture, but I remained silent.

Kings Landing will get what they asked for, if they want to meet Elyssa Mournblaze and want to find out why my reputation was so gruesome, who am I to refuse?

"Am I right to assume that Orion and you have already spoken concerning the matter?" I ask, pulling my hands free and walking to the path that leads back towards the castle.

Orion-my hand- had probably told Rayden to escort me out of the pouring rain as well as deliver the letter. Orion was known to be one that would kill two birds with one stone. The cunning little bastard.

Rayden replied with an affirmative behind me, probably mounting his horse. It was not too long before his horse was in front of me, his hand outstretched for me to climb on behind him. I accepted and he gently lifted me on securely behind him.

[marlowe1-blog]

"A Young Girl" by Kathy Acker (High Risk)

So that's what all the fuss is about!

I never liked Kathy Acker. I suspect it might have been timing. I either read her too early, before I wanted to read experimental novels or too late when the "cool" books of my college years were a little embarrassing. I saw her interview William S. Burroughs and she seemed cool but she wasn't writing anything that I liked.

Until I read this story and holy fuck this is amazing. This is raw and crazy and moves along at a speedy clip. It has all the misogyny of a Burroughs book but with Acker, you know she's depicting the nasty and angry mediocre men that she's been dealing with. So it's like Andrea Dworkin writing about her experiences with abuse and her assumption about hateful men but without the essayist need to tell you what it means.

This is also a very 80s story in all the worst/best ways. Think Brett Easton Ellis without the smug cocaine stuff. Think the anger of AIDS victims knowing that the government is fucking them over. They aren't going to be singing on tables. They are living in the poorest neighborhoods but they aren't upset when the homeless people tell them to fuck off.

The young girl is being traded off between Mayor ______ and her dad. And who are we kidding, the mayor is obviously Koch who let the city go to Hell and bitched about graffiti. He wasn't the outright gentrification force of Giuliani kicking everyone out of their homes, but he was pushing for the gentrification process that Giuliani would complete. Also Koch was the gay mayor who hid his homosexuality and let the AIDS crisis get just as bad as the Reagan administration.

So it's the mayor and the artist fighting over this girl as she's watching and hearing them all be fucking horrible. The artist is the MALE artist who gets away with hurting women in the name of art. I'm thinking about Roman Polanski but there are so many of them in the world. And of course, he's one of those guys that fucks any woman he wants but if his wife steps out, he's violently divorcing her.

So the ending? The ending has the mayor helping the artist realize his vision of painting a dead or dying girl that looks like her daughter. The mayor claims that he found a corpse in the morgue but he just gets the daughter and ties her up in a car and sets it on fire. And her dad just draws and sketches and doesn't give a shit if it's her. She keeps saying that he doesn't see her, but more likely he sees her and doesn't care.

But the homeless rebel and she gets out and fuck those two.

I guess it's cool that Kathy Acker isn't immune to the happy ending. We've been dragging through the shit.

The one this this reminds me of is the Red Riding Quartet which is all about murder, murdering women, rape and violence with shitty protagonists doing stream of conscious vicious talk. Only the fact that a woman is writing it and the woman doesn't get sacrificed to the plot makes all the difference. I am reading Nineteen Seventy Seven and I love the way it's written but i hate myself for liking it. No such self-loathing with Kathy Acker.

[orleans-jester]

Frank and Delta might as well have just adopted the kid. He wasn’t just some employee. They didn’t think about Chip this much when he was rebuilding their tower. They didn’t think about Victor this much and he was their damn doctor, always coming through with stitches when Frank inevitably popped his or needed them in a spot where he couldn’t get them himself.

No anaesthetic, of course.

There wasn’t room in his mind to think about Silas as well. As interesting as he could be, he seemed very … high-maintenance. He had been spoiled with attention, even if his father had left him with someone else. Frank wasn’t that fond of high-maintenance people. He’d be making that clear to Silas in time.

They would be having a conversation about this, no doubt about it. But that was for another time, once they both had time to think of what to best do with the situation. Frank wasn’t going to take this hastily. Bringing another person into their outer circle was a big deal - let alone their inner. But that was for another time. There were other new things that were coming into their lives that weren’t hanging on a hook waiting.

An island goddamn circus, hiding in their waters. Frank smirked as he thought about it. “At least we know it’s there now,” He spoke deeply into Delta’s hair. Those curls that he would have pulled as a little boy to try to get her attention, he absolutely knew that he would have. Even now, they were so irresistible. “The question is - how far do you want your borders of feral to go?”

One thing that he knew was that Ellie and Babyface weren’t going to be leaving Feral too quickly. They knew about this spot out there, this island circus. There was something there that was important for them to go to. And Frank was determined to find out exactly what it was, since it was floating out there, so close to their domain. He didn’t yet know that Oogie had something to do with it but that was just going to make him more motivated to do something. What, exactly, he didn’t know. But he wasn’t letting Oogie have anything on this side. She was granted - no, she was GIFTED goddamn Halloween town, which by all rights could have been his and Delta’s. It was in his blood. It should have been his goddamn inheritance after everything that he had been through with his father. But he washed his hands of it. This - he might not, exactly.

But she was right. As always. A party was in motion. One that turned out bigger than either of them had expected.

He, however, made no motion to move right then. He stood there, his short hair which was slightly longer than usual, spiked back and black with ink - broken pens, for a darker look rather than the spray on fake hair-dye shit to really get the look that he was going for - was slightly blowing in the chill October wind, and his arms were still around his girl, holding her close on that wall, looking out. It had all ended here once. A glorious day.

Romeo and Juliet never made it back to each other. Adam and Eve. Antony and Cleopatra. Paris and Helen. But they did. They died, all those feet down there, life take away from them by their own actions, but breathed back through her magic and through her determination. When he had watched her sleep, all that time ago, in his bed, while he sat on an arm chair and kept watch through the night like she had asked him too, after turning up out of the blue, had he thought that he would die for this acid girl? It hadn’t been out of the realm of possibility then. And he would do it again, if only to enjoy a slice of the afterlife with her before she would be gone, back on earth once more. And someone would be there to bring him back, whether it was Victor or someone else. Delta would force the doctor to share the knowledge, just to keep bringing Frank back, again and again. He always won. That’s how he saw it.

But when they jumped that first time, without trembling fear, they didn’t know they were coming back. And it had still felt like a win.

A smirk, a small chuckle.

“Now why should you ever apologize for that?”

His hands went to his hips and the moment that his long fingers settled there, his lips were against hers in a kiss that made his body feel like it was back in hell, igniting, burning from the inside out. Like he had eaten all of her acid. His grip tightened, pulling her much smaller frame against him, tongue exploring into her mouth. His hands didn’t stay still for long, going up her back and into her hair, pulling on it just enough to cause tension on the root. “You sure you want it slow?” He asked, pulling her head back, a thin line of saliva connecting them.

--

Figaro was being a major baby, need a diaper, need to be tucked in, need some juice and a nap because they loved their dad. There had never been a period of resentment like other teens and their fathers. Maybe it was because he was so old. Maybe it was because he had always made it clear that just because their parents had given them up, didn’t mean that they weren’t wanted. Gepetto had picked Figaro. Gepetto had wanted Figaro. Gepetto had never regretted that adoption decision once.

And Figaro had taken Gep’s death hard. Hid it with humour, but blamed them-self. Survivor’s Guilt. It was a real and horrendous thing that could make even the strongest minds spin. Willem - he had been gone during the first waves. He didn’t have to see Gepetto turn pale and lifeless and stumble out of the door with his robe half-undone, the belt of it trailing on the ground, the dolls confused - seeing his moving body but not feeling him there anymore. Figaro saw it. And it had haunted them more than anything Halloweentown had thrown at them.

Gepetto had been their person since before they knew what a person was.

Figaro wiped their cheeks obnoxiously with the back of their hands, and then wiped those on a tablecloth nearby. Then decided fuck it, and picked it up and blew their nose with it, like the way that Hugo had with Maleficent’s dress back at Bastien and Maddy’s wedding. Luckily Delta wasn’t around for that one.

Willem was more than welcome to do a lot of the talking after that, just adding in little bits like - “That fairy dude looked like a legit Targaryan, dad. Like hair so bright, Barbie would be jealous.” “You wouldn’t believe how hairy animals are when you’re small like that. Brings more meaning to hair of the dog, if you know what I mean.”

And Gepetto was an eager audience. Oohing. Aahing. Throwing his hands up in surprise. His deeply-lined face held a motley of expressions, each one blending into the next, listening to this delightful, magical tale of pixie hollow. “That’s my Figaro,” He said, proudly, and then looked back to Willem. “And that’s my boy! Adventures in whole different worlds, what a thing, what a thing!”

“Oh, it feels like you’re trying to turn me into a ginger with all this blood rushing into my head,” They said, blushing at all the kind things that Willem was saying, and of course their father’s praise at all. “But hand me some ranch cause I’m eating it all up,” They laughed, wiping away the last few tears that had escaped.

And then they turned it around. “And you would not BELIEVE how much Willem has expanded your business, like, he’s got clients everywhere, and he’s got this one in particular who we can’t go into details about, like almost NDA level secrecy but man, dad, this is a wet dream of a client and Willem has been impressing the pantaloons off of him. We picked the right one, for sure,” They said, taking credit as if it had been entirely their idea for Willem to become an apprentice.

Silas was left behind with no accomidations. A worm on a hook. It was an inspiring notion for him. Call it method artwork.

Frank and Delta were always thinking about the Hunch. Who needed a kid when they had a Hunch. They already had to Hunchproof their castle. Who needed more responsibilities? Delta considered themselves very thoughtful making all such accomidations. Hell, she even kept a cathedral staff just for her bell ringing Hunch to accomodate him in her Feral city when she knows damn well she's never going to church service. They also had near a Hunch's family which included the Murder Mouse and an invisi-popping-spawn, a Mad Doctor and his Igor-like GhostDogBoy, a bear, a Christmas elf, an army of dark fae soldiers, a pirate-fairy-puppeteer, a beast scribe, and zombies? She really hoped she left enough people in the city for the Hunch to stop depressing about the city, the city, the city, his streets, his streets, his streets. They were her streets, but she did try to accomidate his delusions and keep him happy. Frank even started letting randos in for decoration if they could pass his games. In Delta's mind all to keep the Hunch feeling like he had a broke ass city to squalor in. Oh yes, they accomidated. The question was did she really want a surgical torture artist that wanted to push familial lines on her? Might actually be fun if she could get him to shut the Hell up on command. Jenner was fun.

They weren't family. That's what was getting under her skin. If she really believed that then why did she continue to call Chernabog, Uncle Jenner? The ache in her chest was extreme because that man was around more than her own mother growing up, even her own father. These were the sorts of emotions she was being confronted with now. Kuzco had all his nannies like TSG. Delta had Jenner, just Jenner and well Diablo of course. She kept that man around her neck same as she wore the necklace of Frank's blood.

Now his flesh and blood walked into her home. This was Clopin deciding to fight for his grandchildren he never knew when he knew they were choosing wrong or were an unlikable person. At what point do you say no more? At what point do you hang on a little longer to hope things will change? Or we love you but we can't be involved and close the door? Where is the line drawn? Is there ever redemption once a door is closed? Can it reopen? Delta wasn't convinced that redemption was a real word. She only knew she was tired of emotions she couldn't control, like feeling obligation to the attachment of Uncle Jenner. She wanted to put this one in it's place and make an example of it. But, every time her hasty thoughts started to send to Frank to just end him and fuck it all, she'd back out. Nevermind. She couldn't do it. She wasn't ready. The fucker was right. There was some kind of string there and she was pissed about it.

Delta leaned against Frank's middle as her own personal sanctuary. The way he'd scratch at her upper back she'd scratch under his shirt at his lower back reaching up as much as she could. She knew every scar without looking, every flap of different cadaver skin she watched Dr. Frankenstein piece back together after his jump. Every time she felt the seams of them she could recall the pull of the strings and the anticipation wondering, holding onto hope that he'd be brought back to her. The determination, tired nights, relentless pushing until the doctor got it right. That's why every touch was so soothing. It would bring her back to that space where it worked, where Frank breathed again. Reunited. There was no way she was letting him stay in Hell without her. Everything about touching his uneven skin brought her peace. They were in control even when things were out of control.

Island circus? "Okay? That's... that might be a new one on me."

She was a teenager when all this started with Frank. 50 years in Hell didn't exactly give her superior knowledge of Earth. She knew a lot more about the ins and outs of Nola just by being Maleficent and King Triton's daughter, not to mention running with the Merry Men, and being the acid rogue she was. But, being so young didn't mean she knew everything even in criminal loops. It was so long ago. Nola had a Hell of a lot of hidden spaces before Feral. It wasn't ringing a bell for her right off the bat.

"I'll think about it later. I'm trying to have a party here." Delta insisted with a bit of a sigh feeling annoyed.

"Hope they packed ice skates." Delta was still thinking about what fools the pair were taking off in Triton's boat without a word first, or gas. Delta was hardly concerned about a boat she never used. If anything after the Silas incident the longer she thought about it they made her laugh knowing Elsa and the Hunch's plan for the beach to surprise Maddy after the party. All she was thinking was good luck getting back. Not her problem. It made her smirk for some reason as she looked up at Frank from her lower stature.

"Mmmm." Then she relaxed again against him. "Just a little longer." The longer she felt his skin the more she was able to recalibrate and tune the fact Silas ever threw her off out. Maybe she really did need to be more like Kuzco and just throw people out windows when they threw off her groove. She'd think about that one later too. Nah, though she did admire his foregoing of consequential foresight then she'd miss out on all of Frank's torturing of the idiots that dared.

Recollections of all Frank had done to others on her behalf started to rotate through her mind. From pranks to all out gruesome torture and those images and expressions on his face while he did them or revealed them to her anticipating her reaction was getting her wet right there as she relaxed. The way she was touching him started to grip and squeeze more. She took deeper breaths of him and buried her face more against his middle. She opened her eyes almost like a way to tune it out thinking she needed to get back to the party. But, she opened them to see the wall she jumped over only for him to take that final leap and this involuntary groan sighed out as she bit down against the fabric of his shirt. She tried to steady her breath. A few breaking thoughts got in about wanting to get back to her party. She'd put so much work into planning it and she was missing it. But the feeling of her partner's body or image of his proud face after pain or even euphoric face while on his hooks kept her clutching.

Eventually her brain kicked in and her demanding nature took over. But, with all the conflict in her head she said, "I'm sorry but you're just going to have to fuck me over this wall. Like now. Like right now." She smacked her hand on the top of the stone. "My wall. Your wall. Our fucking wall. I want fucked on it good and hard. Just a quickie. Sorry but like that's what I need. You. Right now. This wall. Just go hard till I can't fucking think and then I want to go back to our god damn fucking party."

---

Geppetto had been checking in. Willem turned to look at Figaro the second he said it. That was the sort of confirmation they could take with them after today.

"That's... good to know, Sir."

Figaro was crying.

Willem started to take this in.

There was a little 'Woah' inside his secret self as he noticed. He didn't say that out loud, but damn. Willem and Smalls were close but that didn't mean they still didn't have a way of challenging even him with emotional confusion. They were both hot messes in their own ways just trying to navigate the uncharted seas of life. Will saw them that way. But seeing Figaro cry was rarity. This was the real stuff. It was a moment like that too that made him feel even more connected because of sameness. As much as people need to celebrate differences there is a true and real power in finding a level of same in other people and they both felt it about Geppetto.

Delta wanted to get back to her party but she was probably glad she was missing all the sappy moments like this her guests were going through. She mostly planned on dancing, hearing head gossip, getting wasted, and telling everyone to go home when she got bored of them. Maybe by the time she got back to the ballroom everyone would be back to that.

Willem had gone from about to run off from his date and the whole ball being super happy. Flying happy thoughts enough to make any pirate soar without wings. It was better than a Meet N Greet on a reunion tour of a favorite band. This was life, and belief confirming, sense of self confirming stuff having Gepetto show up and validate him. Willem always needed a father's validation and encouragement. They all got cut from it right when they were at a pinnacle of life's transitions.

Willem hugged, and squeezed, and side hugged, and front hugged, and arm leaned, and kept talking big with his hands more animated than ever. Those Hook traits in him were telling all the big whoppers that Gepetto had missed. But, since he knew Gep had been looking in on them he'd keep saying, "or maybe you saw this but Oh oh oh and-" and then continue his stories. He talked about how many card packs Hansel has now, the touch ups to paint on his mask, would go on about dresses he'd hemmed for certain dolls. He'd point at Small's Bon Jovi ankle and go on and on and cleaning day and getting the plunger stuck on the wall. He left out the part about how important it was to get it off because it covered up one of Hansel's spy holes, but something told him Gep just might already know what's going on behind Funky Town's walls. He'd pull Smalls into every tale encouraging them to add in.

He especially went to town when he carried on about the tales of Small's heroics in Pixie Hollow and Pan's Labyrinth with him and Nebby. He put them on a pedastal painting pictures of them in vivid detail story stretching the fun about his person practically skiing through blizzards in horror masks and ambushing enemies with only the hint of warning, that second of Vader breath through latex before pouncing like Figaro was the perfect predator. A vision. A prize. A glory to behold.

"An honor to fight and adventure with. That's what they are. This one."

Willem's date Nutmeg was still in the ballroom buzzing around somewhere. She was watching, but she held back. He'd already told her he intended to head out and then settled in elsewhere. She reserved judgement for now. At this point she'd learned Will was not always what he seemed, and not quite an open book, but she noticed. He and Figaro did save Neverland after all. She was the independant sort and decided to mingle more with dark fae and Merry Men.

[starfiresyugiohocs]

6, 32 and 38 for Starcrossedshipping; 2, 13 and 39 for Shieldshipping?

Oooo you got it bud thank you for the ask!!!

6. When did they realize they loved each other?

For Bakura, he's known for millennia. He fell in love with her past life, Kema, when they were young, and fell harder when they reconnected after he finds her at the palace. When he saw her as Kat, seeing her alive and happy and still at her core the woman he fell in love with, it just all fell back into place.

For Kat, while she definitely has a crush on him, doesn't really remember their past life together -- she might get a brief memory like how Seto will of his past life -- but she feels in her heart she knows him on a level she can't put into words. The romantic attraction is there and it just deepends in their time together. She realizes it's love I wanna say around Battle City, but she doesn't admit it to him until the following arc, the Camelot arc I'm creating.

32. How do they resolve their arguments?

I want it to be said that the majority of any argument that they have is a result of Bakura and his bullshit shenanigans that stresses her out and the little punk smirks about it. The other reason they'll have an argument is he's being a bit overprotective, because he's lost Kat once, he can't lose her again (and then this bitch proceeds to get sent to the Shadow Realm during Battle City and then get her soul stolen during Waking the Dragons).

It depends on the argument. Kat is very big into talking things out and trying to find a way for them both to do better from there on out. Bakura can't always go for growth, as, again, he's a 3000 year old vengeful spirit that can be stuck in his ways (especially when you're sharing a room with the embodiment of all darkness), but he does go out of his way to make it up to her when he's hurt her and he does make an attempt to do better.

Having some down time to just cuddle up together after is also nice for them because it lets them unwind from the harsher emotions they'll feel from an argument and show they still care about each other.

38. What was their most memorable date?

They actually have some really good dates (and some crazy ass adventures they also jokingly refer to as dates) but the most memorable one comes shortly before Millennium World transpires.

Bakura knew that it was drawing close to when the Pharaoh would have to face his memories and he knows what will come of it. While there's the night before they fly off to Egypt that happens, there's a date at least a couple weeks before that.

Him and Kat go all around town on little adventures, rolling a dice on her phone to decide what direction they'll walk towards to find places to go have mini adventures in -- shops, places to eat, what have you. They ended it off with driving to the lake outside of town and going to watch a meteor shower and a midnight swim. It was just something that was all them, and a memory he could hold onto before everything goes to hell.

2. Any sleep habits either had to get used to?

Honestly? It was mostly just sleeping next to someone; especially with Rishid, because he's not as used to waking up in the middle of the night to someone cuddling with him/sprawled out over him. But it's something that he very quickly comes to love. They both also have to deal with each other's long hair though in the middle of the night, just faces full of hair, rip.

13. Which member steals borrows the other ones clothing?

Maddox loves Rishid's outfits and they always smell like him, those are his now. Rishid does not mind one bit though, he thinks his husband looks great in his clothes. He evens it out by stealing all of Maddox's favorite mugs.

39. What other couple would your otp get along with the best?

Listen. LISTEN. Them and fortuitshipping (@kohakuhime) are usually the go to double dates. Hell, Maddox is the number one ride or die shipper for Ellie and Raphael, he wants them together so much. That's his cousin and his best friend, he loves them.

I think also naturally they get along really well with the sunflowership babs bc yeah that's Ishizu and Nana who doesn't? And I think they'd do really well with Mai and Joey too because Joey and Rishid are buds and Mai and Maddox are constantly looking for any reason to be gossipy bitches together.

[something-tofightfor]

I really enjoyed this and here’s why: 

1. Joel’s grumpy and gruff and practical -  but even he would have a breaking point when it comes to someone that he’s been traveling with. We see this with Ellie, and we now see it with Reader in this story. He wouldn’t cause unnecessary suffering just because he didn’t want someone to see a weakness, so aside from him being concerned that she’s not letting HIM get any sleep, he instinctually knows that she’s cold and in pain, and acts. 

2. Joel might act impulsively a lot of the time when it comes to protecting people and getting things done, but that won’t always translate over to being impulsive when it comes to his emotions in terms of a relationship. They’ve been traveling together for months, and slowly, over time, have gotten to know each other. Yes, them hooking up happens suddenly in this piece, but it wasn’t sudden in terms of the time that they’ve spent together. They had time to build a basis for this and ensure that it wasn’t going to impact the way that they work together to survive. 

3. Joel caring for Ellie the way that he does - and giving her the blanket - is the catalyst for this night, but at the same time it’s not like he did it on purpose because he knew it would lead to this. It’s another example of things just happening as they do in this post-apocalyptic world, and in this case, they work out for the best.  This night is something that they both wanted, even if they didn’t want to admit it or give it much thought, and you can tell that it’s going to change the dynamic moving forward - hopefully for the better. 

4. I like the idea of Joel caring for this wound of hers in the first place - not only would having him around make the whole experience easier, but I’m sure he’s had much more experience taking care of things like that than she has, even though they’ve both been through a lot. So he removed the bullet and cauterized the wound, and probably kept a pretty close eye on her while it healed, too - and that says a great deal about what he really is as a man. Yes, it was for his and Ellie’s sake - someone sick and loud and in pain could have attracted way too much attention - but I know a part of him was also worried about the health and well-being of this person that he’d gotten to know over the previous couple months. 

And now he knows how to make it feel better, even if it’s only a warm washcloth and a little pressure. 

5. I also think that the way he speaks here - matter of fact and short sentences, trying to keep all emotion out of it even when what he’s implying is really emotional is on point for him. He’s honest and blunt. He’s quick to respond - and that shows that he respects her and her presence. 

6. And the sex is a little rough and rushed, but it works. It works because they’re taking advantage of the time they have and the situation they find themselves in. It’s meaningful in ways that neither of them are ready to talk about, and despite the fact that this is the first time, I don’t think it will be the last.  There’s nothing overly romantic about it, either; on the surface level, it’s just sex and relief, but with the history that these two have (even brief) it changes things. 

7. Thank you for addressing the fact that an unplanned pregnancy in this situation wouldn’t be glamorous or the right call. Thank you for specifying that they both know that unprotected sex without pulling out is a really bad call - especially for people like them. I hope they’re more careful in the future - but I understand why in this case it was impossible to react in time. I don’t blame them.

8. Ellie’s reaction is spot on. She’s so observant and would 100% have noticed that Joel was looking at this woman more often than not - and she would have picked up on the unspoken things that were going on between them. But I like that she waited to say something until this morning. I like that she kept it to herself until the right moment. 

When (if) you continue this, I’m really interested in reading more about how they met and how they got to know each other. I’m curious to know when in the TLOU timeline this takes place, because you said Ellie was 15, but they already would have been back in Jackson at that point ... so is this an AU? Are they not going to Jackson? Is the place you mention that they’re looking to settle in somewhere different?  

Thank you for sharing this! 

Whatever Helps You Sleep

Joel Miller x f!reader

Summary: It's a restless night for you and the nomad you've been tied to in search of a new place to call home.

Rating: E

Word Count: 2.8k

Content: unprotected p in v sex, fingering, creampie in a post-apocalyptic world like morons, so much desperation, Joel Miller being a grumpy but standup guy

Everything hurt. All the fucking time. 

Every joint throbbed, the balls and socket grinding and scraping, each taut fiber threading beneath your skin begging for any release of the eternal tension that had settled in over two decades ago, the cold you’d still not gotten used to amplifying the ache as you laid on the rickety old mattress on the floor. The springs jutting into your back certainly didn’t help, nor did the sounds in the distance too far away to identify. The knots in your stomach mimicked the ones that had settled into each muscle, your teeth chattering against the chill of the fall night. 

“Why you twitchin’ like that?” Joel. 

The man you now traveled with had found you holed up alone in a building, your fingers trembling on a rifle that looked too big in your hands and eyes wide enough to display the fear that had consumed your every waking minute clear as day. The loss of your group at the hand of bandits had left you alone and unfit to travel the infected-swarmed lands around you. You’d accepted your fate to starve to death or put a bullet in your own brain should you get a bite. While you hadn’t been the weakest link on your team, you couldn’t go it solo. But Joel and his 15-year-old girl, Ellie had come bursting through in search of supplies and while he’d made you beg for your life with the cold metal of his revolver pressed to your temple, he let you keep it, offering safe passage through to the next habitable town. 

That was months ago.

“Sorry,” you mumbled at his complaint, you hadn’t even realized you’d been doing it. 

“What hurts?” he asked, that gravelly voice heavy with exhaustion, or maybe exasperation. 

“I’m fine.”

“Then stop movin' so damn much.”

Easier said than done. That rhythmic movement was the only thing easing the pain and keeping you even slightly warm, your subconscious searching for relief here in a rare quiet moment. An old bullet wound in your hip always flared up when the temperature got too low, paired with years of unrest and panic, comfort was nothing but a forgotten memory. 

“You’re makin’ the floor seem like a better option,” he grunted again, guilt joining the churning turmoil in your gut.

“I’m sorry.”

“You cold?”

Yes. Yes, you were fucking cold. It had to be no more than 40 degrees and all you had was a pair of jeans worn thin as the tissue paper that had gone extinct far too soon and a flannel that barely reached your wrists. You were freezing. 

“I said I’m fine,” you snapped back, thankful Joel had given Ellie the bedroom to sleep in, she needed the rest away from the bickering.

“I know what you said,” he retorted, “but you ain’t good at lying.”

He had you there. Especially when your dishonesty manifested in a hunt for solace from perpetual agony. 

“Is it your hip?” He knew. He’d pulled the bullet out and cauterized it not even two months into your time with them. Your piercing wails as the searing hot metal had seared at your flesh still haunted your nightmares, the smell burned into your nose, and Joel’s apologetic fretting at the time was the most unguarded you’d ever seen him. For a moment he made you think he actually cared.

“Yeah,” you muttered, arguing was fruitless.

“Undo your jeans.” What did he say? “Get some heat and pressure on it.”

In the search for any form of reprieve, you did as he asked. He’d gotten up, you could hear water sloshing and the click of the propane heating plate you’d used to warm your dinner, his heavy boots thudding above your head before his weight dipped the mattress again. 

“May I?” His tone was gentle and quiet—wary—and you nodded.

Joel was an attractive man, and not just by today’s standards but by general ones. Tall, broad, and sun-goldened skin, his hair and beard graying faster than they should beneath the weight he carried. Despite his hulking frame and aloof demeanor, there was a grace to him; you hated admitting to yourself that should he ever ask, you’d be more than willing to offer yourself up. You’d done well to repress the urges you first felt walking behind him and watching his wide shoulders sway and his competence around weapons and foraging alike, but every so often they crept back, usually on nights like this where you begged for a sliver of respite. 

A warm, wet cloth pressed against the hideous scar marring the side of your hip, a loud sigh whooshing from your lips. It did feel nice. The heat washed down to your numb toes, his large palm holding pressure down that did alleviate enough of the misery that owned you to let you settle, your knees no longer rubbing together in search of comfort. 

“You’re freezing,” he noted, and you bit back the retort on your tongue teasing him for pointing out the obvious, “I gave Ellie the blanket, all I got is a coat.”

“It’s fine,” you lied again, the heel of his palm pressing down and drawing a relieved cry from your parted lips as your cheeks heated in embarrassment. 

He did it again, massaging out the rigidity holding you hostage, the muscle loosening beneath his weight, trigger points releasing as he pressed them against the bones of your pelvis. When the rag had cooled, you expected him to roll over and try to sleep again, but a large hand swallowed you whole as he continued, now skin on skin, the sensation sending a forbidden surge between your thighs. This time, your teeth sunk into your lower lip in lieu of allowing the traitorous whines from breaking free. He’d gotten closer at some point, you could feel the heat radiating off of his body, your resolve holding strong enough to resist closing the remaining distance between you. 

“Why didn’t you leave me with that group a few months back?” you finally asked, the question had been burning in your mind since he’d refused to let you stay with a small civilization you’d found. It had been your original agreement after all. 

“Didn’t trust ‘em,” he answered quietly, his fingers continuing to knead into your flesh, “I have enough trouble sleepin’.”

That was as heartfelt as Joel Miller was going to get tonight. 

Callouses met scar tissue as you melted into the lumps in the surface molding around you now, his trigger finger finding a new skill as he soothed you to enough comfort to have your eyelids fluttering closed. The cold still nipped at your toes and nose, your body trembling as a result despite the searing hot palm on your skin. But at least the pain had receded enough.

“Scootch on back,” he murmured, tugging on you lightly in what resembled more of an offer than an instruction, but it was one you couldn’t refuse. 

Within seconds you were no longer yearning for the scratchy wool blanket Joel kept folded in his pack, his chest firm against your back, knees locked behind yours, and a heavy hand on your lower stomach the only source of warmth you needed. You sought more, closing what little distance remained between you as he shifted to allow you the space to do so, your smaller frame fitting easily in the stretch of his chest. 

“Now will you stop fidgetin’?” The husky tone he spoke with was softer than the first, less perturbed, his fingers still brushing through the open waistband of your jeans. 

It was mortifying but practically instinctual the way you pressed your backside against him, hoping his fingers would slip lower, breach the fraying waistband of the panties you’d cycled through for too many years. He stiffened slightly as you repeated the motion, desperate as lust took control, you could feel it in the way his bicep flexed on your arm and his palm pressed slightly tighter. The proximity allowed you to vibrate with the repressed groan he kept trapped in his chest, your brain too fogged from the scent of dirt and gunpowder clinging to his skin and the way his beard caught on your hair as he shifted, pressing his growing bulge against you lightly. 

“Joel…” It fell pathetically from your lips, whining and dazed as your stomach tensed at his offer to give what you’d so ardently desired. 

He clicked his tongue. “Why d’you gotta say it like that?”

“Please.”

Whatever control he’d been gripping like the barrel of his shotgun fell away, his hand leaving your abdomen to sting in the stark temperature change and pinch your chin, turning your face towards his own. You could barely see him in the dark, but the vulnerability swimming in his eyes glowed in the faint moonlight seeping in from the window. Did you take this plunge? There was no going back. Not for you. When you parted ways—and you knew you would—what happened then? Would you get over him? This man that saved your life more times than you could count with your fingers and toes, fed you before himself, and fought the battles you couldn’t. In a world as broken as this, Joel Miller stood alone.

His kiss was timid, testing the limits and giving you enough time to change your mind here and now before it escalated. Always the gentleman. But when you pulled his bottom lip between your own deepening what he’d begun, it took seconds for his tongue to dart into your waiting mouth and unleash a dam of pent-up attraction and need. 

The fervor you accepted his affections with only fueled the embering fire, his growl of appreciation echoing in your mouth as your fingers thread into his hair to pull him closer, the grayed locks softer than you expected. You didn’t know what to expect from him, was he generous or selfish? Greedy or giving? The question was answered as his weathered fingers slowly slid down your torso, palming roughly at your breasts as he kissed you still before slipping them beneath the final barrier and cupped at your mound, his middle slowly dragging through your slit.

“Jesus Christ,” he marveled at the slick that had accumulated, your lips brushing through the whiskers on his jaw as you spread your thighs wider to grant him access.

No time was wasted, too much had already and that was being made very clear by the sopping mess between your thighs and the franticness Joel’s belt and jeans were undone to relieve the pressure on the effect you had over him. His middle digit found your clit, circling slowly while he enjoyed the way your back was arching and the subdued whimpers ever so faintly evident in your panting breath. His hair was still knotted in your grasp and you greedily tugged his lips back to yours, sloppily kissing him as you let the heat coursing through you take control, losing your inhibitions and enjoying this long-awaited moment.

Your gluttonous body welcomed him eagerly when he dragged lower and slid inside your waiting channel, his hand clamping over your mouth just in time to muffle the wanton cry that finally broke free. The way he shushed you only made it worse, your body bucking down against his hand impatient for more. Slipping his ring finger in stretched you even further, his pace increasing as you writhed in his hold, your breath hot on his palm as it puffed out in blissful little gusts. 

“Warmin’ up?” he cooed gruffly, his tone hinting at cocky as you cried out again, his fingers scratching at the rough patch deep inside of blackening what little your vision could see.

You were teetering on the edge, your body rocking on the precipice before his thumb pressed down on your buzzing bundle of nerves and sent you rappelling down into euphoria. White hot heat banished the last of the cold that lingered, your hairline damp as your shirt clung to the sweat pouring down your back. 

“That’s it, sweetheart,” he soothed, continuing gentler now as you spasmed in his arms, “That felt good, didn’t it?”

All you could muster was a nod, the hand that was still lightly covering your mouth gripping your chin and directing your mouth to his again, his tongue probing into your parted lips as you collected enough coherence to kiss him lazily in return. 

“Your turn,” you breathed, a crooked smirk twitching as he pulled your jeans down to the middle of your thighs, shifting enough to free himself from his loosened garments. 

“You tell me if it ain’t right,” he instructed, nuzzling his nose behind your ear as the head of his cock slipped between your folds, pushing into you slowly as he sighed in contentment.

It was right. It was so fucking right you instinctually fucked yourself back, sheathing him completely in one swift movement. He was long and thick, stretching you past where any other had gotten you, your body molding around him as if it had been waiting for him to make it whole. A hand on your hip kept you still had he began to gently rut into you, acclimating to the feeling of being immersed in a woman’s warm, wet heat in an effort to not cut this shorter than it already probably would be. You were impossibly full, it had been a long time since you’d trusted anyone enough for this, your fingers no match for what he could do and the way he made you feel.

“Shit, you feel good,” he purred in that Texan accent that made you swoon, “You okay?”

“Uh-huh,” you gasped, your fingers returning to his hair to cradle him close.

The pace picked up, his hand on your hip sliding back between your thighs as he thrust harder and faster chasing a high he hadn’t felt in years. You wanted more, wanted to give him more, and as he began to lose control your body began to drift from your side to your stomach, his arms working to brace himself over your prone form as you lifted your hips slightly into the air to feel every punch of his hips on yours. Your ass rippled against his force, his grunts fueling the second wave crashing against your lower abdomen, the pressure building rapidly as he fucked into you like a man starved. The crook of your arm caught your sounds as he sought relief in you, the only thing keeping you in place were his hands as your knees slipped on the bare surface of the mattress you were pressed into. 

“Fuckin’ hell,” he mewled, slamming you back onto his length as he surged forward, every inch of him buried deep in your cunt until you were strangling him as you came again, him following not long behind.

When he finally stilled you could feel him spurting thick and hot inside of you, your pussy still twitching around him as your shaky legs burned from the exertion. As he pulled out you whined in protest at the loss, your body collapsing down as he reached for a rag and began wiping what was leaking from between your legs. 

“Shouldn’t have done that,” he griped as another glob dripped free, “Got carried away.”

“Timing should work in our favor,” you eased, your cycle still the only normal thing left in this God-forsaken world and he grunted in acknowledgment, his brow relaxing from its concerned grimace. 

“We should get some sleep.”

You nodded, watching him carefully as he settled back down on his back, his head turning to peer at you and finding your wide-eyed anticipation staring back at him. With a chuckle he opened his right arm out welcoming you onto his chest, a gesture you scampered to take before he changed his mind. You tucked yourself into the space between his neck and jaw, your arm draping over his middle as he wrapped you up tight. It didn’t take long to fall asleep. 

When you woke the next morning he was already up, repacking up and readying for another day on the road to nowhere. 

“We’re headin’ down to settle somewhere,” he sounded from the corner, his gaze remaining locked on his open pack, “figured you could get your fresh start there.”

“With you?” you asked timidly, your voice still heavy with sleep after the best night of rest you’d had in years.

“I don’t see why not.”

Ellie’s arrival into the kitchen you and Joel had slept in cut your conversation short, her always perceptive eyes flicking from you to Joel on the other side of the room. 

“Did you two finally seal the deal?” the teenager asked nonchalantly, both your faces falling in horror. You thought you’d been quiet. “What? Don’t worry, my innocent eyes and ears were spared if you did. You’ve just…never smiled at her when she’s actually looking.”

In reality... I'd like to make this a series. I quite like them. So, let me know if you're interested lol.