#anyway this is too big and too complicated in my head but i wanna dissect it like a bug yknow

[bidaryl]

time travel fix it au's are done to death in this fandom but also they're my favourite thing in the world so au where the entire show happens as is and it's heartbreaking and inspiring etc but then. restart button. waking back up at the start of the end except only the people that lived remember

wanna think about what would happen when daryl and carol wake up at camp, remembering everything that happened; carol stronger, knowing in her gut that everything that she remembers is real, and daryl fucking terrified, because if everything in his head actually happened, then what the fuck is this

wanna think about a rick dragging a hostile merle and a wide-eyed glenn back to camp, memories completely intact, and running to reunite with his family. not letting daryl go and hugging carol so so so tight, collapsing to the ground with carl in his arms

wanna think about them dragging the atlanta group to the farm, maggie leaving the front porch light on for them, and everyone reuniting. rick seeing hershel again, daryl seeing beth, carol pulling sophia close, and maggie being unable to even breath, looking at glenn

wanna think about them tossing up whether to even go to the prison, but they met important people there, and alexandria's a long way, and if they're gonna survive this time–if they're gonna live–they're gonna do it right

so they go to the prison so they can figure out their next step, and michonne's there and waiting, andre on her hip, and they deal with the governor before the governor deals with them, and sasha and tyresse finally show up, they find the prisoners, and then one day they get a knock on the front gate, and it's negan

negan showing up, no baseball bat in hand but his leather jacket still in place, a sick but alive lucille by his side, laura and doctor franklin behind him, and all he's got to say is at the end of the world, i know which side i wanna be on

the fallout of that, of maggie being against it, of rick never having gotten to see negan at the end, not knowing the choices he made, the good and the bad. daryl and carol looking at glenn, seeing him alive and in love and having no memory of his last moments, and never wanting anything to ruin that, but negan saved judiths life, helped save all their lives. he chose, in the end, and now it's their turn

wanna think about a future where beth doesn't die, but they go on a rescue mission to get noah anyway. a future where tara turns up with her niece, led by eugene with abraham and rosita following right behind him

wanna think about how they'd handle terminus, how they'd handle the claimers. wanna think about them trying to find father gabriel, except gabe made it the first time around, and he wasn't wasting his second chance. he saved his flock, and he led them to alexandria, and he's waiting

wanna think of connie's group searching for hilltop. not finding maggie, or alden, but finding jesus. wanna think about lydia, being a fucking child, and watching her mother kill her dad, and remembering aaron telling her how loved she was

wanna think of the growing pains of them being able to save so many more family members this time, but god, a larger group is harder to keep alive

daryl trying to run interference with merle and everyone else, getting the jack of it one day and telling him he's already mourned him once, and he won't again. if merle wants to stay–to live–then it's up to him. daryl's not gonna babysit him anymore

rick trying to find his footing between lori and shane and judith, with carl, with michonne and andre. michonne looking at a weak but alive lori grimes holding a screaming and crying newborn in her arms, and knowing that she's never gonna be her daughter the way she was before, but knowing she'll always be something to her

carol struggling to be the mother sophia needs her to be, emotions too sharp and constantly fucking terrified. doesn't know how to hold onto someone like that anymore, either gripping too tight or not at all

maggie trying to exist in a world where she has everyone she's ever loved back, so close and so fucking dear, except it cost her her son. not knowing if she'll ever get him back at all. doesn't know how to live with the grief of losing someone she never technically had in this world

they make it to alexandria and it's aaron opening the gate for them, waiting to welcome them home

[urlocalfrogmammy]

i’ll see you at the movies—george luz

inspired by

a dark night in a camp mackall cinema leads to george luz and y/n making a promise they intend to keep

tik tok pulled thru w this song. it just screams george luz at me. warnings: my love of vintage movies and film studies are really apparent. word count 1.3k of pure george luz floof

it was the march of 1943, and toccoa felt a lifetime ago. camp mackall was the closest thing to luxury you had experienced since before you'd left home, especially in comparison to fort benning. fort benning made toccoa feel like a spa holiday. thudding your kit onto the closest cot you could, you flung yourself onto it. "tired?" perconte asked, quirking a smile.

"you have no idea frank. no idea."

"hey guys!" hoobler rushed in, "you'll never guess what they've got! heated showers!" you couldn't help but grin at hoob's childlike wonder.

mackall had one thing that stood out the most to you, and your boyfriend. it had a cinema. your love of movies had bonded you with george luz from the first mention of john wayne. you'd spent hours together that night, chatting about movies and chain smoking in the PX tent. soon it became a weekly occurrence. the men all prayed to all that is holy that the pair of you would just admit you were in love. christmas day 1942, luz held a piece of mistletoe over your head (god knows where from) and you finally sealed lips. the relationship was open between the men, but you kept it discreet with the officers, god forbid sobel ever found out. the pair of you held back on the PDA and the officers would turn a blind eye to it.

even the food was better than anything in the other camps. the mess hall was busy with people enjoying it. "so fellas, and lady," skip always made an entrance, "how are we finding mackall?"

"it's better than benning." malarkey's opinion was muffled by the potato in his mouth.

"anything's better than benning. i never wanna see another frying pan again!" you laughed at george's reference and squeezed his knee under the table. he smiled at this affectionate gesture, placing his hand over yours. "it's got a cinema," you piped up, "i'm glad of that." the men all murmured an agreement, george especially. you were both beyond excited. now you could both could go see some movies, some fresh meat for the pair of you to dissect.

a few weeks passed. you'd practice field exercises, none of which had ended well. sobel trued his best, you'd give him that, but his best wasn't good enough. there was a universal feeling between enlisted men and officers alike. you wouldn't last five minutes out there with him in charge. finally you were lay on your cot, on your belly with your eyes closed, when you felt the mattress sink. two of luz's knees were straddling you and he leaned down. "they're playing a new movie tomorrow. it's got rita hayworth in it. and fred astaire."

"yeah?" you mumbled, too lazy to move now that you were nearly asleep.

"yeah." george kissed the shell of your ear.

"sounds good, baby." you lifted your head slightly and patted george's arm before thudding back down and enjoying the feeling of a bed. you couldn't help but smile as you felt him hop down, and crouch next to your bed. "not even a sneaky goodnight kiss?" he asked, fake pouting. you complied, pecking him on the lips and he grinned at you wildly. "sweet dreams, angel."

you spent a whole day training. jumps were getting more and more complicated, with rifles and other small arms. when you got back, however, that's when the real shock came. everyone was a victim. sobel had raided everything, and confiscated anything he considered contraband. the barracks were trashed, sheets turned over, footlockers open and emptied. all your letters were gone. sighing, you slammed the lid of your footlocker down and felt like screaming. "you too?" george asked, crouching down next to you.

"yeah. every single goddamn letter. how the fuck is that contraband?"

"sobel's... he likes asserting his power doesn't he? he can scream at us all he likes now, and it doesn't work. he's gotta find new tactics." you were on the verge of tears. "cmon. let's go outside huh?"

outside the barracks, you could slip behind them and gain a little privacy. you stood together, george's arm around your waist, smoking together in silence. he rubbed circles into your hips gently and you rested your head on his shoulder. "what's the film george?"

"you were never lovelier." he said, blowing smoke out of his mouth. smirking, he leaned down and crooned: "you are always lovely y/n!" you smacked his arm playfully, stroked his face, and gave him a peck on the lips. his warm brown eyes spoke of his love for you, without him having to open his mouth. "i'm sad he took away my letters." you nuzzled into his neck. "i miss home."

"we all do." there was nothing more george could say to comfort you, you knew that, so he instead pulled you into his chest for a hug.

the cinema was packed, but george managed to snag you both a seat at the back. you sat between him and sergeant lipton, he gave you a warm smile and a gentle hello as you sat down. george grasped you hand tightly in the dark. as the film started rolling, you could feel the excitement building up in you, and in george. you were a far cry happier than you were before you'd sat down.

"that was a good movie." bill lit up a cigarette and nodded in contentment.

"that was an amazing movie!" george smiled, arm over your shoulder.

"i'd kill to be as pretty as rita hayworth."

"aw, baby, you're a thousand times more beautiful that she could ever be!" george pinched your cheek and joe toye pretended to gag, asking you both to get a room.

"you're all just jealous because your girl isn't as smart as mine!"

bill chuckled, "she ain't that smart."

"oh yeah? y/n, baby, tell them about mr acuña."

"he is disgustingly misogynistic, manipulative, stubborn, and controlling!" you turned around and started to jump where you stood, "but film recognizes he is a problematic character, even if he never receives any kind of comeuppance for his terrible behavior! that's important! the film uses mr acuña to teach us that even if how we treat people doesn't lead to a punishment it doesn't mean it isn't wrong!" huffing after losing all your breath, you watched as the men started at you in amazement. "that's what i think anyway."

"that's my girl!" george shouted proudly.

the PX tent was where it really got good. both tipsy and excited, you and george were swinging round the dance floor singing the shorty george. “good people i'm telling you!"

"that the shorty george is the dance to do!" the pair of you started to wildly dance, you trying to tap dance like rita hayworth did, george tipping his garrison cap like fred astaire. the men cheered and clapped at this performance, finding it almost as amusing as the film itself. george swung you around and you squealed in utter delight. you were intoxicated, not by alcohol, but by george luz.

the alcohol did get to your heads though. stumbling down the dirt track, back to the barracks, you stopped to stare up at the sky. “what is it baby?” george slurred, grasping onto your jacket. “look! the stars! the cosmos! the world... it’s so big!” you laughed manically. george pulled you flush to him and grinned. “yeah, it is! one day baby... no listen... one day, when you come back to rhode island with me—”

“if i come back to—”

“when! baby this isn’t a negotiable. but i’m gonna take you to every damn cinema in the state! and... and... yeah!”

“and... i’ll kiss you in every one!” he leaned in and pulled you into a kiss. it was sloppy, but the love and affection you held for each other was poured into it. george’s hands rested on your cheeks, yours on his shoulders. “i love you.” those three words slipped out your mouth before you could stop them. george just pulled away properly and smiled. “i love you too baby.”