#baby come hooooooome

[moth-murdock]

try not to cry challenge day one:

HORRIBLE HUMILIATING FAILURE

Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson Daredevil (2015-2018)

[passionfruitmango]

SHIPPED!!! SHIPPED!!!!

FATE has smiled upon me!!!

I have completed a /PURCHASE/ and it IS ON ITS WAY TO ME I AM SO EXCITED I COULD CRY

I missed out on that strawberry swirl 2005 furby (would've been super sentimental as it was the first I had as a kiddo), well RIGHT as I was going to put in an offer on one from a different seller, I got an offer from a seller on a SLIGHTLY different 2005 furby and tbh I think this is even better because she's brand new to me, and BRAND NEW IN BOX, STRAWBERRY MILK BABY IS COMING HOOOOOOOME 😭😭😭💖💖💖

My first 2005 as an adult, I can't wait to free my lil sweet potato baby!!! I might even wrap it for the whole inner child healing experience 🥰

[happybyjin]

4 months something days for my babies to come hooooooome

[littlegermanboy]

every day life becomes more and more bleak for raine enjoyers

[failfemme]

tomorrow: go to the museum!!! do some studies!!! take it as slow as you want!!! go to petsmart for cat things!!!! eat dinner!!!! obtain cat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[svnflowervol666]

Uncertainty (Frat boy!Harry Styles x fem!Reader)

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: Frat boy!Harry, use of alcohol, mentions of sexual assault, Harry being a sweet angel because I can’t picture him being anything else.

Author’s Note: Another request that waranted its own post! I wrote this one with a bit of a possibilty for continuation (if anyone is interested??) Anyways, thank you the anon for the request! Frat boy!Harry makes my heart scream. Let me know what else you’d like for me to crank out for you lovelies! Take care and tpwk.

Of all places Harry had expected to bump into her outside of class, his frat house on a Friday night was definitely at the bottom of the list. One minute, he was taking shots of tequila with his bed buds in the dining room and the next, he found his whole world coming to a halt when he saw her work her way through the sweaty, intoxicated crowd and move towards the kitchen for a drink. He swore the music stopped and everything around him had ceased to exist in the moment he saw her throw her head back in laughter at something her friend said, exposing her neck and chest to the open air.

“Who’s she?” one of his fraternity brothers asked with a nudge to Harry’s shoulder, clearly aware that Harry had temporarily abandoned the conversation he was having to gawk at the party’s newest arrival.

Harry snapped out of his daze in which he was staring at her bare legs that shimmered in the dim light of the frat house due to her lotion and a thin veil of sweat to see his brother staring at him as if he was the dumbest man alive.

“Hmm? Oh, her?” Harry pointed towards the girl in question with the neck of the beer bottle he had been nursing on all night.

“I sit by her in calculus... Just didn’t think I’d ever see her ‘round here is all.”

The boy standing beside Harry nodded hesitantly, though he was far too intoxicated to press him any further. Harry would never admit it to anyone as long as he lived, but he had quite the soft spot for this girl. He had no explanation for the way he felt inside when she smiled at him every time she took her seat before class. He had no explanation for how bummed he was when she’d skip a day, or how relieved he was when she’d burst into the room late with a large iced coffee in her hands. He used any and every excuse he could to get her to talk to him, to say anything to him in that voice of hers that he found to be sickly sweet.

But she didn’t run with the people that he ran with. She didn’t spend every weekend blackout drunk and wake up in a stranger’s bed that she knew she’d never see again. She was shy and quiet for the most part and was very much the polar opposite of everyone Harry went for both in terms of friendships and in one night stands. Which was exactly why Harry could never figure out what it was that he wanted from her. Did he want to shag her a few times and then pretend as if she never existed? Did he just want to be her friend that he could lay around with and watch stupid romantic comedies on Netflix with? Did he want to, dare he say it, date her? Take her out for nice dinners and fall asleep holding her in his arms? He didn’t know the answer to any of those questions. She was simply different than all of the people Harry had associated himself with in college. And Harry, as scared as he was to say or even think it, liked that.

One might think that now would be the perfect opportunity for Harry to get to know this girl that he had been tied up over for the past several months given that she was attending a party at his own frat house, but he couldn’t bring himself to approach her. Instead, he drowned his feelings in shots of bitter liquor and half-assed games of beer pong. He figured that whatever had enticed her to come to this party certainly didn’t involve him, and it was best that he kept his distance. She’d passed by him a few times to refill the red, plastic cup she clutched like an accessory, but she never once looked his way.

Several hours had passed since her arrival and Harry, being the heavy partier that he was, had almost completely forgotten about her. The bass-heavy music pumped through his veins along with the icy burn of whatever he was drinking at the moment, and he was too preoccupied with the tiny blonde grinding her backside against his front to remember that she was even present at this party. He had forgotten she existed. That was until he broke away from the buzzing bodies and lager-soaked living room floor to use the restroom.

The downstairs powder room was always taken, so he opted for the one upstairs where all of the bedrooms were. When he pushed open the door, he was greeted by quite the debacle. His blood ran cold and every bit of alochol that worked to keep him at a happy buzz had left his system. The girl from his math class was there, and she was perched on the lip of the bathtub with her arms crossed. She was there, in his bathroom, but she was not alone.

“C’mon, sexy,” the inebriated, smelly man beside her pleaded, “Just come back to my room for a bit. Promise I’ll make you feel good.”

“I don’t want toooooo,” she slurred her words and pouted as if she were a temperamental toddler.

Had Harry not immediately recognized what was going on, he would have thought it was quite adorable.

“Yes, you do, baby. C’mon, it’s just right around the corner,” Harry’s fellow fraternity brother nagged.

He tried to pull her up by her limp arm, but she was dead weight against the porcelain tub, clearly too drunk to be going back to anyone’s bedroom with anyone and certainly not with a man Harry knew for a fact that she had never seen before in her life. The sight of what was going on made Harry sick to his stomach and the hairs on his neck stand up. He knew he had to intervene before this man could take her any further.

“Hey, man,” Harry commanded the attention of his disgusting, vile frat brother that he wanted nothing more than to punch square in between his eyes, “Ye’ ex was lookin’ for ye’ in the backyard. Seemed pretty pissed.”

Harry didn’t even know who his ex was, nor did he know whether or not she was even at the party, but he prayed that his lie was enough to make him leave before Harry had to handle him more aggressively.

“Fuck,” the man hissed to himself before making a beeline out of the cramped bathroom and towards the stairs as if he wasn’t just attempting to drag an almost lifeless girl back to his room.

“Hey,” Harry’s tone was much softer when he bent down to her level and spoke to the girl from his math class, “You alright?”

“No,” she grumbled, “I really want some chips.”

This made Harry scoff and the tiniest of smiles creep onto his lips. At least she was so far gone that the events that unfolded in the bathroom just now had failed to resonate with her.

“Waaaaait a minute,” she paused, “I know you. You’re Henry,” she jabbed her finger against Harry’s chest.

“I know you, too, Y/N,” Harry played along, ignoring the fact that he called her Henry as he inspected her body for her purse, which was, thankfully, still wrapped around her torso.

He dug around the small, black bag for her cell phone, which he, unfortunately, found out had no battery left.

“Do ye’ know where your friend is?” he enunciated slowly and assertively to her a bit like one would if they were talking to a baby.

The girl with smudged mascara under her eyes shrugged her shoulders and sighed.

“I saw her taking shots with some guy named Michael...or was it Matthew... and then I think she went off with some guy from her econ class. Or maybe it was the girl from her Women’s Studies class. I don’t really know,” the girl whined as if thinking too hard about where her friend had gone was giving her a headache.

“Was someone supposed to come get ye’?” Harry pressed her further.

“She was supposed to drive!” Y/N exclaimed, realizing now the predicament she was in.

Harry couldn’t believe how shitty of a friend this girl had. Not only had she disregarded her role as the designated driver, but she’d left her completely alone and drunk off her ass to fend for herself. The thought of what would have happened to her had Harry not miraculously stumbled into the bathroom made his skin crawl.

“Okay then,” he stood up from where he was squatted and outstretched his arms towards her, “Up. Let’s go. I’ll take ye’ home. Ye’ don’t need t’ be here anymore.”

“I don’t wanna go hooooooome. I wanna stay hereeee” the intoxicated girl shook her legs against the tub.

Any other girl and Harry would have just left her be, but he felt something inside of him that compelled him to take care of this girl and see to it himself that she made it home safe and unharmed. He couldn’t bear to think of waking up the next morning and having to listen to one of his fraternity brother’s brag about how good of a shag she was or about how embarrassing it was for her to be that drunk at a party.

“What if I take ye’ t’ get chips on the way?”

//

After about 20 minutes of trying to pressing Y/N to get her to tell him where she lived, Harry was finally able to find her apartment building. He took her through a drive-thru in the sketchy part of town because it was the last place open and he had promised the girl some chips and he was a man of his word. He was reluctant on doing so, seeing as he didn’t want to make this situation any weirder than it already was (him driving home the girl he sat beside in Calculus and only talked to for the duration of the 3 hours per week that they were in class who just so happened to be drunk out of her mind), but his hesitancy quickly left his system when her eyes lit up upon taking a greasy, brown bag filled with the salty snack from his hands.

“You’re my hero, Harry,” Y/N fake-cried (or maybe she was actually crying, Harry wasn’t sure at this point nor would he have been surprised).

“Look at us. Math buddies. Hangin’ out together. Who woulda thought,” she giggled as she stuffed a crispy potato past her lips that were covered in her smudged lipstick. 

Harry chuckled to himself, unsure of what to say to Y/N. He opted to continue driving her home in silence while she munched on her late night snack and sipped on her small cup of water that he insisted she drink all of. She didn’t say anything else either, to which Harry was thankful for.

It took Y/N a bit longer than usual to clank her fingers around her bag to retrieve her keyring, and even longer to figure out which key was the key that would let her into her locked apartment. Harry had done far more than anyone would have, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling like he couldn’t leave her side until she was sleeping peacefully in her bed.

He walked her through her apartment and to her bedroom with one hand hovering over the small of her back in case she lost her balance. Harry wasn’t sure what he’d ever pictured her room to look like, but it suited her, he thought to himself. He noticed some vinyl records in the corner of some of his favorite artists, ones that his friends always made fun of him for listening to. It was a bit messy; there were a few piles of clothes discarded on her floor, but having grown up with his mum and sister his whole life, it led him to believe she had probably been frantic trying to find something to wear to the party at his frat house and just neglected to pick up her mess before she left.

“Ye’ want to take ye’ dress off or somethin’?” Harry asked her.

“Harry, I am NOT having sex with you,” Y/N mumbled as she plopped down onto her fluffy bed.

“‘s not wha’ I meant. Where are do you keep ye’ pajamas? That dress is gonna leave ya sore in the mornin’ if ye’ sleep in it.”

Seeming content with his answer, she tilted her head in the direction of her dresser.

“Middle drawer.”

Harry left her side for a split second while he rifled through her clothes and returned with an oversized university t-shirt that Harry also owned himself. He unfolded it and laid it in her lap.

“NO peeking,” the girl insisted, to which Harry held his hands up in surrender and turned his back to face the corner of her room.

He could hear her struggling to get out of her clothes, but he didn’t dare spin back around in the chance that he saw her undressing and it caused any more strain in their already confusing arrangement. His mind was already flooded with how awkard it would be in the morning when she woke up and realized he had been inside of her home. How she would react when she saw him in class on Monday and whether or not she would yell at him for crossing the line. Really, all he wanted was to make sure she was alright.

Harry was pulled from his thoughts when Y/N called his name in that voice that he adored so much.

“I’m stuck.”

“Can I turn around and help ye’?” Harry treaded lightly.

“Pleaaaaase,” she slurred.

Harry was greeted by the sight of Y/N tangled up in the straps of her dress, not even having been able to pull it over her body. He couldn’t even count the number of times he’d undressed women in the past and how it came as second nature to him when fooling around, but this time, he was beyond nervous. His fingers hesitated to even graze over her bare skin, to untangle her arms from the complicated fabric that trapped her. She was wearing a mismatched bra and underwear, which seemed very much like Y/N’s personality, he thought to himself. Of course, he wasn’t going to deny that she looked incredible underneath her clothes and he wished he was seeing her like this under different circumstances, but that wasn’t what mattered now.

Trying his hardest not to stare, he quickly guided Y/N’s head through the hole of the t-shirt and helped her put her arms through to avoid her getting stuck in her own clothes again. The material fell down below her thighs, so that only the very bottom of her bum was visible to him. God, she looked beautiful.

“Harry,” she whispered to him, as if she were afraid someone would overhear.

“Yes?”

“Why are you being so nice to me? Is it because I help you in Calculus all of the time?”

“I’m actually not tha’ bad at Calculus, Y/N,” Harry snickered to himself as he searched around her bed for her cell phone charger, “’M quite good at it, really.”

“Then why do you always ask me about the homework every time I come in?” she pushed as she watched him pull her phone out of her bag once more and plug it up to the power source.

“Don’t know,” Harry shrugged, “Just like talking to ye’ I guess.”

“Okayyyyyyyyyyyy. If it’s not that, then why are you here? We’re not friends.”

She was still far too intoxicated to comprehend exactly what was going on right now, but the fact that she was starting to sober up and form cohesive sentences was making Harry antsy. 

He figured he had overstayed his welcome and that it was time to bug off before she started to ask anymore questions. That, and he wasn’t sure he was able to answer any more of her questions.

“Just didn’t feel like waking up t’ ye’ passed out in my bathroom floor is all. I’m gonna go now, do ye’ want me to get ye’ anything?” Harry lied as he swiped his thumbs under her eyelashes to wipe away the black smudges under her eyes the best that he could.

“Nope,” she responded with a pop of her lips before crawling back into the comfort of her bed.

She seemed to fall asleep almost immediately, to which Harry took that as his cue to leave. He backed out quietly, shutting the door behind him and tip-toeing down her hallway. He knew it was weird to rummage through her kitchen, but he felt compelled to make sure she would be taken care of when she woke in the morning. 

Harry discarded the wrapper from their little chip excersion into her bin, and filled up a glass of water and placed it on her counter. On his first try, he’d managed to find her medicine cabinet and sat a bottle of pain reliever beside the cup, knowing good and well that she’d need a handful of the small pills when she got up. 

He decided to check on her one last time before he buggered off for real this time, wanting to double check that she hadn’t choked on her own vomit and died whilst he was in her kitchen snooping about. She probably fine and dead to the world by now, but he wanted one last look at her before he went.

As he’d expected, she was perfectly fine. Her hair was tangled all around her head in a messy nest and small, adorable little snores left her parted lips as she slept. He could just barely make out her underwear-clad bum sticking out from the blanket, in which Harry found to be heart-warming for some reason. The girl that had taunted his brain for months and was seemingly untouchable to him looked so incredibly human at this moment.

Running a ringed hand through his now greasy, chocolate curls, he felt his mission was complete and left her alone to sleep and locked her door on his way out. It made Harry’s heart twinge knowing he’d most likely never see her like this again.

When Y/N woke the next day (very well into the afternoon, might she add), she felt strange. She was struggling to remember exactly what happened to her last night having just woken up, but what she did know that she had a headache from hell. 

As she drug herself out of bed to do the only thing she knew for certain would cure her hangover which was cook a large breakfast for only herself, she noticed a glass of water and pain medicine sitting on her counter by her coffee pot. The events of last night were murky, and she barely remembered what happened after her fourth drink, but she was almost positive she now recalled someone else being in her apartment with her.

She was uncertain, but had an inkling that, for some reason, it was the boy she sat beside in Calculus.

[vannahfanfics]

Christmas Morning

Category: Family Fluff/Romantic Fluff

Fandom: Naruto

Characters: Sakura Uchiha, Sarada Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha

Sakura awoke to the shrill screaming of her daughter.

“Mommy! Mommy! It's Christmas!” the little girl shrieked with delight as she threw open the woman's bedroom door and ran over the carpeted flooring to vault her six-year-old body into the queen-sized bed. Squealing loudly, she crawled onto Sakura's stomach and bounced up and down, pushing into her chest as she demanded for her mother to awaken to share in the magic that was Christmas morning. Sakura groaned as she was so unceremoniously ripped from sweet sleep, swatting tiredly at her daughter while she mumbled incomprehensibly. She caught Sarada's short black hair before her hand flopped uselessly down against the comforter. “Mommy! Wake up!” she demanded once more.

“I’m up. I’m up,” Sakura mumbled as she finally rose into consciousness and sat up, sweeping her unruly pink hair behind her ears and smiling sleepily down at her elated daughter. “Shall we video call your Daddy before we start opening presents?” she offered, and Sarada gasped in delight.

“Yes! Yes! I’ll call him! I’ll call him!” she cried as she leaned over the edge of the bed to grab Sakura's smartphone while the young woman yawned and attempted to chase the sleep away. As the dial tone rang, Sarada giggled and snuggled into her mother so that both of their faces were captured in the large phone screen. After a few rings, the video suddenly kicked into life to reveal the face of Sakura's husband, Sasuke, who was a secret agent for the government and was currently deployed halfway across the world guarding some important figure or another. It was similar to being in the military, because he was gone half the year and could never talk much about what he was doing, but Sakura loved him no less. He was doing what made him happy, and so she supported him fully. “Hello, Daddy!” Sarada cried joyfully.

“Hey,” Sasuke smiled warmly as he was greeted with the faces of his daughter and his loving wife. “You’re up bright and early,” he mused with a raised eyebrow. To him, it was early evening.

“Sarada is very ready to open her Christmas presents,” Sakura mused as she wrapped an arm around her small child and nuzzled her affectionately, giving her a few kisses on the cheek. Sarada squealed and wriggled in her grasp, giggling as she begged her mother to stop showering her with affection.

“Daddy! Will you watch me open my presents?” Sarada asked hopefully, her black eyes sparkling behind small red-rimmed glasses. Sasuke pretended to think about it, but the smile hiding in the shadow of his expression indicated to Sakura that he had intended all week to be there when his little girl got to experience Christmas Day. “Please, Daddy?” she begged, batting her eyes at him.

“Hmm, I suppose so. I have time,” he consented, and in her excitement she snatched the phone away and hopped off the bed, promptly taking off out of the room and down the hall with elated laughing.

“Hey! Sarada!” Sakura laughed as her daughter absconded with her phone, throwing the covers off herself and sliding out of bed. She made no hurry to go after her, however, just slid her feet into her slippers and grabbed the bathrobe hanging off the bedroom door and wrapped it around herself. She shuffled down the hall as she followed Sarada's happy chatter, and the woman caught wisps of conversation drifting down the hall from the living room. While she waited for her mother, the little girl was describing the experience of decorating the Christmas tree to her absent father. They had shown him the day they had put it up, but the little girl had seemed to forget about it in all the commotion.

After getting a cup of coffee, Sakura strode into the living room to see her daughter sitting at the base of the tree positively bursting with excitement. “Okay! Are we ready?” the housewife smiled as she settled herself into an armchair, crossing her legs and holding her cup of coffee close, waking up as she breathed in the fumes of the hearty drink.

“Okay! Daddy, watch!” Sarada grinned as she propped up the phone so that he could see both of them and still had a prime view of his daughter opening presents. Sarada naturally dragged over the largest one first and began tearing eagerly into the wrapping paper. “Whoa! A dollhouse!” she cried as the toy contained inside was revealed, and she hopped up and down excitedly as she ran around the massive constriction to fully appreciate the large house. “It has a mommy, and a daddy, and a daughter, just like us! Plus a dog! Mommy, can we get a dog?”

“Maybe for your birthday,” Sakura laughed and waved a hand dismissively. “Keep opening them!” she commanded, and the young girl eagerly complied. Sarada pushed the dollhouse to one corner before tearing into more presents. She unearthed a new dress and promptly stripped down to her little pink undies to slip on the dress and do a fashion walk for her chuckling parents, the tag still flopping about as she pranced around. She soon paired it with a new pair of little flats and a bow. She tore into another box to find a storybook, and flipped it open to start reading it until her parents reminded her of the task at hand. She tossed the book aside to resume plundering her presents.

“Daddy, look! Isn’t this teddy bear cute?” Sarada asked as she held up her new stuffed animal.

“Very cute,” he confirmed with an amused smile. He was leaned back against a bed with one hand behind his back, watching his daughter happily. I wish he could be here, Sakura lamented silently. Even though he looked happy, she could tell that he was pained at being unable to be with his daughter on Christmas. As Sarada begged for her attention, she was dragged back to the present to act extremely excited over the pair of funny socks that Santa had brought her. Sarada had made her way through quite a chunk of the gifts now, and wrapping paper and ribbon and bows were strewn across the living room floor. As she paraded around, the paper crumpled beneath her feet. The doting parents watched her unwrap more clothes and toys before she was finally finished and settled down to play with her things. Sakura set the empty coffee cup down on the coffee table and stood up, walking across the room to bend down and retrieve the phone. She swept her hair behind her ear as she straightened up, smiling now that she had a minute alone with her husband.

“Another great year,” she murmured as she walked into the adjoining kitchen. “… I wish you could be here, honey,” she sighed after a moment. It wasn’t often that she allowed the loneliness to show. Usually it was times like these, when they should be together as a family. She knew Sasuke did what he had to, but even though she accepted it, it hurt no less when he was gone.

“I know,” he sighed deeply, and the hurt showed on his expression despite his normally guarded emotions. As she gazed at him, she cocked her head to the side slightly as she realized he had seemed to have switched from a bed to a couch, and he was lying on his back so she couldn’t really analyze it too much.  It was a strange-looking couch, made of some gray material, but before she could inquire she heard raucous knocking at the door. “Lemme guess. Naruto?” Sasuke smirked as he heard the unmistakable sound of his best friend. Even in knocking, the yellow-haired man was boisterous.

“Sakuraaaaaa~” she heard him calling impatiently at the front door.

“The one and only,” Sakura laughed as she walked out of the kitchen to greet their mutual friend. It had become a sort of odd tradition for Naruto and Sasuke's families to spend Christmas together. Sarada joined her mother in the entryway, holding her new teddy bear and bouncing up and down on her heels as she prepared to greet the man she regarded as an uncle. Sakura smiled as she opened the door, and her daughter immediately jumped at Naruto's legs.

“Uncle Naruto!” Sarada squealed happily, and the tall man laughed and leaned down to give the girl a bear hug.

“Hey, Sarada! Wow! Look at that teddy bear! It's awesome!” he beamed as she displayed it proudly for him to see. He straightened back up once he was done doting on the little girl, who had moved on to show off her teddy to an only mildly interested Boruto. “Hey, Sakura,” he smiled and leaned forward to give her a one-armed hug and a friendly kiss on the cheek.

“Merry Christmas!” Hinata, his pretty wife and another one of their childhood friends, smiled warmly and looked down at their one-year-old baby, Hinawari, before grabbing her hand and waving it in greeting. “Say hello, Himawari,” she chuckled.

“Morning, guys. Say hello to Sasuke!” Sakura beamed and held up the phone to the family, who all waved happily- except for Naruto, who whined loudly and grabbed the phone so only he was in the phone screen.

“Sasukeeeee! Come hooooooome! I miss youuuuuu!” he whined miserably before Sakura wrenched the phone back with a pout.

“Are you his wife all of a sudden?” she huffed and looked back at the screen. Sasuke looked half-amused and half-annoyed.

“Really, you should have expected him to act like that. He’s always been such a girl,” he smirked up at her.

“Can we eat now? I’m hungry!” Boruto whined and tugged on the hem of his mother's dress. As per tradition, Naruto, his wife, and his children always came over to Sakura's house and she cooked breakfast for them. I had started back when it was only the original trio, mostly because Naruto was broke and lonely back in the day, and it had just stuck. “I want waffles!”

“You’ll get your waffles,” Naruto laughed. “First though, we have to give Sakura and Sarada their present,” he added with a sudden mischievous grin, and Sakura's expression turned to confusion while Sarada, the innocent child that she was, was just excited to be getting another gift.

“What? Naruto, we never get each other presents anymore,” she blinked and looked down at the video screen to see if her husband had been in on the plan only to find that the call had ended. Perplexed, she looked at Naruto for explanation, but movement in the driveway caught her eye and she peered over Naruto's shoulder. The phone fell from her hand as it rose to her mouth, and she was barely aware of Naruto fumbling to catch it as she watched the back door of his car open and her husband climb out.

“Jeez. I thought I was never gonna get out of there. Do you know how uncomfortable it is laying in the back of one of those things?” he complained nonchalantly as he rubbed his neck, but the smile of happiness was clear on his face.

“Daddy!” Sarada screamed and roughly shoved Boruto aside as she made a mad dash for her father, her teddy bear swinging from her hands as she dashed down the driveway. Sasuke laughed and crouched down to embrace his daughter, pulling her into his arms and swinging her around.

“Ah, there's my girl. You’ve gotten taller, haven't you?” he grinned as he swept a few black strands of hair from her face.

“Uh-huh! Taller than Boruto!” she confirmed happily.

“Not true!” the aforementioned boy whined from his comfy spot on the concrete. As he held his daughter, Sasuke's dark eyes fell on his wife, who was still standing in shock in the doorway. Once those eyes fell on her, she suddenly stirred into motion, like a robot suddenly brought to life. She tried to stifle a sob as she moved past Naruto and Hinata to approach her husband, but failed miserably and began to cry. She was just so happy. He had been gone for months, and now he was here, so suddenly, and it was just too much.

“S-Sasuke,” she stammered pitifully. Only this man can make me blubber like a fool, she thought dryly as he slid his free arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to kiss her forehead.

“Merry Christmas, honey,” he murmured against her skin, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

“I can't believe you and Naruto conspired like this. You big meanie,” she mumbled as she buried her face into his broad chest, breathing in the scent of him that she had missed, savoring his mere presence.

“Hey, I went to great lengths to pull this off. I’m rather proud of myself. Do you know how much I had to threaten Naruto to keep his big mouth shut?” Sasuke laughed as he held her, and Sakura could not help but release a half-laugh, half-sob of her own.

“Heyyyy!” Naruto whined from the threshold of the door. “I'm not that bad!”

“Yeah you are, Dad,” his son refuted, and the older man hung his head in shame at being so bluntly called out by his six-year-old. Hinata chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder, watching the touching scene with a smile.

“I’m so happy,” Sakura whispered as she wrapped her arms around her beloved husband, holding him tightly. She knew that sooner or later she would have to let him go again, but until that time, she was going to keep him as close as possible.

“Is it time for waffles now?” Sarada asked suddenly, making them all break into a fit of laughter. Sasuke set her down and she ran back into the house with the Uzumakis in tow, while her parents lingered out in the driveway for a brief moment of privacy. Sakura gazed up at her husband as he swept her hair from her face.

“So? Good gift?” he smirked down at her jokingly.

“Every moment I have with you is a gift,” she responded lovingly, then stood up on her tip-toes to lightly kiss him.

And I treasure every one.

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to support me on Ko-fi or peruse my Table of Contents!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters or canon events presented in this story.

[sampaii-ca]

Everyday Fiends (Klance Drabble)

Everyday adventures in the life of two demon boyfriends and their three headed dog.

“What the hell!” The man looked down at his suit, scalding hot coffee seeping into his crisp white shirt and all over his shoes.

Keith snickered behind his hand, looking at the man. “Is that the best you got?”

Lance flashed him a wolfish grin, “You KNOW I can do better than that. That was just a warm up.” He laced his fingers together and stretched his arms out in front, rolling his neck to get the mock kinks out.

With a flick of his finger, the skirt of the girl standing in line at the coffee shop, flew up and over her face. A high pitched shriek rang throughout the shop. Lance shot Keith a wink and he rolled his eyes.

“Only you enjoyed that one. And it was still lame.” Keith muttered under his breath.

“Aww is my baby jealous?” Lance wriggled his eyebrows at him, leaning over the small table they were sitting at. “Don’t worry babe, I only have eyes for you.” His eyes closed as his lips drifted towards Keith’s, but before they touched, Keith snapped his fingers and he was suddenly falling out of his chair, it being swept out from under him. Lance let out a yelp as he landed on his ass. The few people in the shop turned to look at them.

Keith couldn’t hold in his laughter anymore and let slip the most undignified snort. Hiding his face behind his hands. Little short snorts escaping as he tried to control his breathing. “Y-your face!” Tears were prickling at his eyes and he wiped them away with the back of his hand.

“Owwww BABE!” Lance scowled at him from the floor, “That hurt!”

“You’re such a baby.” Keith stood up and walked around the table, holding out his hand to help Lance up.

Lance pouted but took the offering, Keith pulled him up on his feet and Lance immediately draped himself over Keith’s back, putting as much of his weight on him.

“Oof, you’re heavy.”

“Ya, well, I’m injured Keith. INJURED...cuz my boyfriend is an ass.”

“Heh, ya but you love this ass.”

Lance reached down and gave him a little pinch. “I DO love this ass.”

Snorting in response, Keith grabbed his hand and they walked out of the cafe into the late afternoon sun.

“What should we get for dinner tonight?”

“Hmm I’m kind of feeling Thai.” Lance wrapped his arms around Keith from behind, kissing the side of his neck.

“Lance.”

“What?”

Keith leveled him with The Look, “You know what.”

“You love Thai! Why can’t we get some?”

“Babe, you literally breathed fire from the spiciness of your curry and ended up setting the table cloth on fire last time we were there. I’m pretty sure they unofficially banned us from their restaurant. We’re also lucky no one saw the fire come out of your mouth.”

Lance grunted, “Worth it, that curry was sooooo good. I love it spicy! Can’t we just order out then, you can go pick it up so they won’t have to see me.” He started to run his hands along Keith’s sides, sliding under his shirt.

Despite running at a warmer temperature naturally, Lance’s touch sent goosebumps across his skin.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll head there now but you need to take Kosmo on a walk when you get home.”

“Deal!” Lance loved Kosmo so this was an easy trade off.

At the next corner they stopped, Lance held Keith’s face between his palms and he pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. Then he turned Keith around and smacked his ass so hard it echoed throughout the intersection and took off running towards their home. “See you later babe!”

Keith was momentarily stunned but regained his senses when he started to feel a dull throb coming from his ass cheek. “That little fucker…” he mumbled under his breath and started to walk in the opposite direction towards the restaurant.

Lance skipped up the steps to their front door with a grin on his face. He shook his hand out to get the feeling back into it, a slight stinging sensation spread through it from slapping Keith’s ass so hard.

Hehe, worth it!

“Ooooo Kosmoooo! I’m hooooooome!”

Not two seconds after he threw his keys on the entryway table, a giant blue/black blur of fluff barreled into him. Almost knocking him over.

“Hey buddy.” He wheezed out. Kosmo started licking his face, all three tongues spreading slobber up his face and into his hair.

“Hahahah ok ok! Stop stop! Please!” He pried Kosmo from his face, it was a little difficult when there were three heads attacking him at once.

Eventually Kosmo stopped and hopped off Lance, sitting beside the coat rack where his harness hung.

“You want to go on a walk?” Kosmo’s ears perked up and his tail started to wag faster.

“I bet you do. Yesss who’s a good boy!” Lance scratched behind one set of ears and dropped a kiss on each snout.

He grabbed the harness from the coat hanger and wrapped it around Kosmo’s body. The leather was worn and faded from many outings in the sun and rain but the runes etched into it were still there. A friend had come up with a spell to camouflage Kosmo’s two extra heads while he wore the harness. Humans weren’t accustomed to seeing a Cerberus walking casually down the street so they had to hide his two extra heads somehow. To them he just looked like a normal Husky when wearing the harness.

The harness also helped “ground” Kosmo so he couldn’t teleport while they were out in public. They learned their lesson when he was a puppy and couldn’t control his jumps every time he got excited. Pretty sure that’s why their neighbor hated them, Kosmo kept teleporting into his backyard and eating his flowers.

A year later, multiple apologies to the neighbor and after a lot of training, Kosmo only ever teleported when called or told to.

Heading outside, they followed their usual route around the neighborhood. Making a stop in the local park. It was a beautiful day, a few families playing lawn games or just chatting while sitting on the grass.

Lance sat down on a bench, Kosmo by his side watching a family nearby throw a frisbee around. The frisbee ended up at Lance’s feet and a young boy jogged over to retrieve it.

“Sorry about that.” The boy said as he jogged up.

“No problem.” Lance bent down to pick up the frisbee and handed it to him.

“Thanks.” The boy glanced at Kosmo, “Is this your dog?” Lance nodded in response.

“Cool, can I pet him?”

Lance chuckled and Kosmo’s ears perked up. “Ya, go ahead. He loves behind the ear scratches.”

The boy beamed and began cooing at Kosmo and scratching behind his ears like Lance said and Kosmo’s tongue immediately lolled out and his eyes shut in pure bliss.

“He’s a Husky right?”

“Ya, a rare breed you could say.”

The boy looked at Lance in confusion but didn’t say anything because Kosmo abruptly turned his head, ears turned forward towards a tree a ways away from the bench.

“Hmm—“, seeing the boy’s confusion, Lance looked to Kosmo just as he took off into a sprint. Unfortunately, the clasp underneath the harness snapped under the force of Lance still holding onto the leash, breaking the concealment spell hiding his true appearance. And in his excitement, Kosmo teleported across to the tree and started chasing a squirrel with all three heads shimmering into existence, out for all to see.

Lance was stunned into a stupor but was jerked back into his body when the boy screamed and started pointing frantically towards Kosmo, running in circles around the trunk of the tree, barking up at the squirrel who had taken refuge in the branches.

“Uhhhhhhhh--GOTTA GO!! BYEEEEE!!” Lance sprinted towards Kosmo, leash and harness still in hand and practically tackled Kosmo to the ground trying to get the harness back on. Both rolling around in the grass, Lance getting smacked in the face with Kosmo’s paw (or maybe it was his tail) a few times When that failed, he did the only thing he could think of.

“Take us home Kosmo.” He whispered in the wolf’s ear. There was a tingle along his skin, a crackle of electricity in the air and in a flash they were gone.

The hardwood floor met the back of Lance’s head with a loud thump as he landed, Kosmo landing right on top of him. Knocking the breath from his lungs.

A soft whoosh of air escaped, “Bud--dy..I’m gunna need you to get off.” Trying to push against Kosmo was like trying to move a small car, especially when three large wet tongues started licking all over his face.

Lance accepted his fate of not getting up anytime soon and just laid there on the floor giggling, giving Kosmo’s scratches to wherever he could reach.

A few moments later, keys were jingling in the lock and Keith stepped through the door, carrying multiple bags of food.

Kosmo immediately raised his heads and bounded towards Keith, kicking the breathe from Lance’s lungs for the second time.

Kosmo collided with Keith’s legs. “Whoa! Hey there boy!” Keith held the bags of food above his head so Kosmo couldn’t reach them. “Lance? Lance where are you?” He rounded the corner into the kitchen and saw Lance sprawled out on the tile.

He set the food down on the counter and peered at Lance from above, “Whatcha doin on the floor babe?”

“O you know, just inspecting the tile.”

Keith snorted and began to pull plates and silverware out. “Did you guys go on a W-A-L-K?”

“Ooooo ya we did. Boy do I have a story to tell you.”

Keith’s mouth tilled up into a charming smirk. “Do tell.”

Lance picked himself off the floor and dusted his pants off. Feeling the excess slobber on his face, he swiped if off with his sleeve.

"Well, lets just say we need to find a new park to go to.”

I'm going to make this a series, already have an idea for the second chapter :3

[althaiareads]

This was incredible, I loved it.

Thoughts and brain dump below.

You stare into his eyes and want to argue, you want to yell at him for wanting to risk his life like this, for wanting you to take Sam away without leaving with him, but…you don’t. You trust him and understand this one need, you give in for him, for the love you already harbor.

HENRY!!! I know what's coming, but I don't want it to happen.

“Come close and I’ll shoot him,” you threaten all of them. “Your revenge can’t mean more than your man’s life now does it?” You taunt Kathleen with a sly smirk.

HELL YEAH! Get him, babe. Fuck Kathleen. I love how good Sunny is at fighting and just staying alive, in general.

Henry doesn’t seem to understand though, so you point to the door again. But nothing.

My sweet, sweet, boy, never getting the hint. Why is he so clueless lmao.

“Please,” you cut him off and press your finger against his lips. “Don’t talk about my dad,” you whisper and giggle. “Not right now.”

Istg, I love him so much. Baby, learn to read the room. He's never been able to do it.

Henry’s gone. He’s gone just like Sam. They’re both gone….Henry’s gone….

FOR A MINUTE THERE I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU PLANNED ON SAVING HIM.

BUT YOU JUST MADE IT EVEN MORE HEARTBREAKING!!

He’s gone and there’s nothing you can do about it. Again. Someone else is gone and you can’t do anything about it. So you close your eyes and cry against him out of defeat, heartbreak, and agony.

Okay, was the Sarah parallel necessary? Not only did you break my heart, you managed to stomp on it, put it in a blender, add my tears, some of my blood and made a smoothie of my pain.

“You’re going to dump another one of your burdens on uncle Tommy? Just like you did me?”

“Yes,” you scoff. “But I still needed my dad….” Your voice quivers. “And…you still left…Why? W-was it because I…was never good enough for you? I’m sorry….I’m sorry I wasn’t the perfect daughter, I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough then. I’m sorry I wasn’t worthy enough for you to stay with me, for you to take me with you.” You sniffle and wipe away your tears. “I'm sorry I wasn't important enough for you to call me throughout all those years. I waited,“

I can't keep doing this. Remember the smoothie? SOMEHOW IT WASN'T ENOUGH BECAUSE WHAT IS THIS, BABE?

“The Smiths,” you mention and open the box to insert the cassette. “Very good band.”

I said I love the Smiths.

Haha, nice.

“We might have to wait to find the Fireflies.”

Ellie looks back with slight concern and presses. “Why?”

You look down at the snow you’re walking over and smirk. “Well it’s not summer yet.” You look up at her and shoot her a smile.

The puns were absolutely horrible. And they might be the only reason why i forgive the pain you've put me through. I was having the time of my life reading them, lmao.

“She said that the lights are the souls of the departed…ancestors, those….” You swallow thickly and feel your eyes and throat begin to sting. “You lost.”

Aaaaand, we're back to the pain.

But that's so beautiful. It's always been one of my favourite myths surrounding northern lights.

If seeing Sarah again would make him happy you’d do it. Anger and resentment aside, you’d do it….

“Yeah,” he scoffs and grows cocky. “I knew you were coming, so I was like, I’m going to grow it for her since I know she likes it that way.”

What is that melody? Who is this man? Am I going to like him?

Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

As you held him, as you cried into his shoulder, you felt finally home, secured. This was home. Him. Uncle Tommy. For so long he was all you had after your dad left, for so long even when your dad was there he was the light that didn’t flicker away. He was the hope you almost lost. He was home, just as much as you were his.

MY HOOOOOOOME.

Sorry for the long post. I love this story so much!!! You broke my heart and then put a little band-aid on it. I'm very excited to see what happens next.

Chapter 3 I’d make a deal with god

Chapter 3 of Tragedy at the Miller’s

A/N- I hope you guys like the chapter

Warning- ANGST, violence, death and blood, swearing, long chapter, some fluff :)

Pairing- Joel Miller x daughter!reader, Henry x Fem!reader

Episode- 1x05-1x06 (only the beginning)

(If you want to be tagged let me know!)

————

The street was quiet. And as far as views go, it was the same way as it was in the tunnel, dark and eerie.

The stars overhead were tempting to admire, you felt grateful that you were out of the humid tunnel and breathing fresh air, but the cul-de-sac was too quiet, and you weren’t actually across the river yet. You knew better than to get your hopes up too soon; just like most of what you’ve learned from life, you learned that the hard way.

Yet it seems Henry and Sam don’t quite get that.

Then again how could they know? The farthest they’ve gone out of the city is being in that forest. They only know a small part of what the world is like.

“No,” Henry breaks the silence you had purposely left as you tried to make your way to the bridge. “No one is here. No one’s gonna be here because my plan worked.”

Your dad scoffs in annoyance, “so much goddamn talkin’.”

You look back at Henry over your shoulder and add on too. “We’re not across the river yet, let’s wait to celebrate then.”

“I’m just saying,” Henry continues smugly. “I delivered.”

You smirk faintly and roll your eyes to look back ahead.

“Make this right,” he points out. “Go down the street, embankment behind the last house, and we’re out.”

“So we cross the river and then what?” Ellie asks. “Where ya gonna go?”

You glance over at your dad, and even if it hasn’t been discussed you know that there’s no option but to travel home together now.

At least you hope that’s what he’s thinkin’ too.

“We’re going to Wyoming,” you share and blink to look at your dad for reassurance. “We can go together.”

But as expected when your dad meets your gaze he remains nonchalant. He then peers back at Henry though, and seems to look…unsure. “How about we cross the river and then talk.”

You swallow thickly and look back ahead. Would this really be it?

Ellie notices his look, he reads him like you do and comments on the matter. “Don’t worry he’ll give in. Trust me.”

Trust her?

How long have they been together?

“This is how it goes?” Ellie continues. “He’s like, No, Ellie,” she begins to mock him in a deep voice, causing you to blink in disbelief before you peer back at her. “Never, ever, ever happening.”

Regardless of what uneasiness you felt by his lack of agreeance, what jealousy just sparked, you can’t help but grin in amusement at her teasing.

“And then I’m like,” Ellie continues in her normal voice. “I’m gonna ask you a million more times. And he’s like—”

Before she can finish what she’s saying, she’s suddenly interrupted by the sound of a gunshot whizzing past your ear, and hitting the ground inches away from you.

“Fuck!” Ellie screams, while you cover your ear and throw yourself to the ground, losing that smile.

“Move, move!” Your dad yells and proceeds to grab your arm to yank you off the ground, and push you and Ellie behind a rusted car.

“Y/N,” you hear Henry from the ear that’s not currently ringing. “Are you okay? Did it hit you?”

You groan and shake your head. “No…no,” you pant. “Just went past me.”

“Where fuck is that coming from—”

“Shut up,” your dad cuts Henry off now.

You pull your hand away from your ear as the ringing begins to fade, and look over at your dad peeking past the top of the hood. A gunshot then breaks a car window though, so he ducks his head back down.

“How many?” You ask him.

Your dad shakes his head. “One, I think. I can’t be sure, not from here.”

You swallow thickly and snatch your rifle off your shoulder. You try to suggest a risky idea that comes to mind, but then another gunshot goes off and a hand wraps around your wrist instead.

“Shit,” Henry panics and looks away from the shooter to try and move with Sam at his other hand. “Alright, fuck. Let’s move. Let’s go.”

Without hesitance you yank your arm back and grab his wrist instead to pull him back down. “I’m not leaving my dad. And you can’t just get up like that or you’ll get shot,” you scold him as kindly as you can sound. “Stay down.” You then snap your eyes to your dad and share the idea you had in mind. “I can shoot them, I just need a distraction so he doesn’t end up shooting me.”

A bullet hits the car you’re behind, and your dad lets his gaze linger on you as he thinks about the plan you shared.

You want him to say yes so he’d see that you’re capable, that you’ve changed from that little girl he saw last time, years ago.

However, he shakes his head and sighs.

“Dad—”

“I’ll go,” he cuts you off before you can argue. “You two stay here.” He directs to Ellie and yourself.

“What?” Ellie asks in confusion.

He turns to face Ellie now. “If you don’t move, he’s not gonna hit you,” he tells her, and then looks to you. “I’m gonna go around, try to get in the house through the back, and then I’ll take him out.”

You shake your head and protest. “If you go out there, he’s gonna kill you.”

“It’s dark and he has shit aim. Nobody’s gonna kill me. Besides, I ain’t putting you at risk.”

“You just said—”

“Y/N,” he cuts you off sharply. “Do you trust me?”

You lower your shoulders from their tense position, you let your face soften from its hardened state and nod softly without as much as thinking about it.

Your dad proceeds to pull his gun out and looks to Ellie to speak to her. “If anything happens you stick with her, got it?”

Ellie glances at you and hesitates before returning her gaze to him and nodding in comprehension. After that your dad proceeds to scurry away through the cover of night, making the person in that house try to follow him with their gun to try and shoot him.

And now, while the person is distracted you lift your head over the car's hood to finally take a peek yourself. That’s when you catch only one light reflecting from a window before the bullet hits the ground in front of the car. You proceed to look around at the other houses to see if there were more, but your dad was right it seems to be just one in the house straight ahead.

Just one. Your dad will be fine.

You duck back behind the car and wait. Wait in anticipation. You hold onto your pendant around your neck and wait. A few more bullets go off and hit the objects around you, you wait for them to reload and shoot again, but a longer silence follows now, letting you guess that your dad might have reached the shooter now.

You slowly lift your head and peek out, and luckily this time you see no more reflection. Yet you can’t be assured that your dad has gotten to him, not until you can see him up there giving you all a sign.

However, a few seconds pass of more silence and he doesn’t give you any. Instead you hear one gunshot echo, it doesn’t hit anything nearby it just echoes, meaning one of two things; your dad shot the shooter, or the shooter shot your dad.

You can’t think of losing him just as you reunited, so you’ll go with he’s the one that shot the shooter first.

“It seems your dad got him,” Henry interjects.

You stop fiddling with the pendant and meet his gaze with hope. “Yeah,” you whisper. “I think so too. Let’s just wait until he gives a sign though.”

Henry nods in agreement, and silence follows again. Albeit the silence breaks soon thereafter with a distant scream from your dad. “Run!”

You blink in confusion, and hang your rifle over your shoulder again as you slowly push yourself up to try and get a view of him.

“Run!” Your dad yells again.

Why is he saying that?

And only seconds later is when you begin to hear the distant sounds of engines running. When you snap your eyes ahead you notice headlights down the street, getting larger the closer they get, and brighter as more than one begins to appear.

“Go! Go, go!” You bellow to the group, and push Ellie in front of you so she can get ahead of you so can you run behind her, Henry and Sam.

The closer the leading car gets, the more you hear metal clashing as cars blocking the street get shoved aside. Bullets ring against metal too as your dad tries to shoot the driver of the moving truck, and as Ellie tries to shoot back aimlessly.

You want to shoot at the driver too to at least get that car off your trail, but when you hit the trigger you come out empty since you haven’t given Henry his empty pistol back.

“Fuck,” you grumble. “Fuck. Fuck.”

As Henry and Sam get ahead faster, you mindlessly begin to run past Ellie to try and reach the other end of the street. However, it’s at that moment that you begin to get ahead that you suddenly hear glass clash, brakes then screech before you hear a crash through one of the wooden houses.

You try to look back at the sight, you try to look back even when you hear multiple cars brake behind you, even if it’s one thing you didn’t like to do while running away from dangerous shit, but you remember Ellie had fallen behind, so you look. That’s when you see her on the ground, and multiple people climbing out of their cars.

It’s a fucking risk to go back especially since they all have guns, but you can’t leave her behind, not even if you feel a smidge of jealousy towards her. Maybe giving her the slight cold shoulder is something that you can live with, but leaving her behind is something that would haunt you, so you quickly turn back around on your heels and sprint towards her.

She catches you running at her as she remains stunned on the ground and her eyes brighten before she pushes herself up and then runs at you.

“Come on!” You yell at her. “Come on!”

Ellie quickens her pace as best as she can, and just as you throw your hand out to reach for hers suddenly an explosion goes off at your side, and the force throws you both to the ground.

“Fuck,” you cough out seconds later, and flutter your eyes open, catching a bright raging light now brighten the street. “Fuck.” You snap your head up and see Ellie moving slightly. That fills you with relief over the fact that she isn’t badly hurt. Or at least that’s what it seems like.

“Ellie,” you call out between pants. “Ellie, are you—”

Before you can finish your question though, hands get slapped around your arms and begin to yank off the ground.

“Come on, come on,” someone muffles.

You snap your head back in a panic, but thankfully only see Henry.

“You’re not hurt?” He asks.

You shake your head and get up to your feet. “No, no, I’m okay. Go, help Ellie.”

Henry nods and leaves your side to run to Ellie while you run to Sam behind a car.

“Are you okay?” Sam immediately signs to you worringly once you’re ducked close to him.

You nod quickly and redirect his question. “You okay?”

Sam nods, and both of your gazes lift as Henry and Ellie join you ducked behind the car.

“You okay?” You ask Ellie as she fixes herself between Sam and you.

She nods and mumbles, “yeah.”

Multiple footsteps now step closer, and commands get thrown out that make you stiffen. “He’s up there! Two and two! Around the back, take him out!”

“Fuck!” You hiss. There’s no way to take them out without getting caught or leaving yourself vulnerable. Fuck.

“Dead end, Henry!” You hear a woman shout—Kathleen most likely. “Gonna step out? Save us some time?”

Henry of course doesn’t answer, so Kathleen continues.

“No? That’s alright. Doesn’t matter.”

You rest your head against the car and try to think of some plan to get out of this position. Yet, Henry then interjects. “I’ll come out!”

You quickly snap your head over to him and shake it in protest. “No,” you whisper. “No, Henry no.”

Said man meets your gaze and lets his eyes linger on you. “Just let the girl and kids go!” He shouts.

You keep shaking your head in hopes he’d change his mind.

“No,” Kathleen retorts. “Sorry. The little girl is with the man who killed Bryan. And Sam, and the other girl, well they’re with you.”

You shift your eyes away and scoff.

What the fuck?! What the fuck is her problem? Wanting to kill you, you understand, but the kids?

“You don’t understand!” Henry rebuttals.

But Kathleen doesn’t listen. “But I do,” she counters. “I know why you did what you did. But did you ever stop to think that maybe he was supposed to die?”

What the hell?

You shake your head and curl your lip in anger and disgust.

“He’s just a fucking kid!” Henry yells back.

“Well, kids die, Henry,” Kathleen says without an ounce of sympathy in her tone. “They die all the time. You think the whole world revolves around him? That he’s worth everything? Well, this is what happens when you fuck with fate.”

“Get ready to take him and run,” Henry blurts at you quietly.

You look over at him and see him looking at you. “No,” you rebuttal. “No.”

“Y/N,” he insists. “Yes.”

You try to look angry at his stupid choice, but instead you look hurt.

“Henry,” you whisper, but he then cups your cheek and cuts you off.

“Please. Do it.”

You stare into his eyes and want to argue, you want to yell at him for wanting to risk his life like this, for wanting you to take Sam away without leaving with him, but…you don’t. You trust him and understand this one need, you give in for him, for the love you already harbor.

“Fine,” you whisper and look over at Sam, noticing Ellie take his hand for you.

“It’s time, Henry,” Kathleen interjects. “Enough!”

You look back at Henry and meet his gaze, seeing him hesitate for a few seconds. So you reach for his trembling hand and give it a gentle squeeze. He proceeds to let his eyes linger in your hurt gaze for a moment longer before he averts his gaze, and puts his head back to pant and then whisper to himself, “okay,” before he stands up and raises his hands while he slowly steps towards the aggressor.

“It ends the way it ends,” Kathleen says after a few seconds of silence, and cocks her gun before she shouts another command. “Grab the girl he’s with too, I want him to see her die.”

You gasp and freeze since you know she only means you.

“No!” Henry shouts. “Wait, no! Not her! She had nothing to do with it! It was just me!”

Footsteps begin to approach, and your heart begins to race, your hands begin to shake, but you put on a brave face and roll your eyes to the side to glare at the rugged man approaching you.

“Touch them and I’ll kill you,” you grimace.

The man tries to grab you, but you stand up by yourself and step away from him. “Don’t you dare,” you snap and raise your hands.

“Come on,” the man orders and points the gun forward.

“No,” Kathleen adds now as you get forced to stand by Henry. “She might have not had anything to do with it, but you care about her.”

You drift your eyes to Henry, and end up meeting his angry and worried gaze.

“It’s okay,” you mouth to him with an assuring look and smile. “It’s okay.” You drift your gaze back to Kathleen and shoot her an unbothered glare.

There’s only one man next to you, the others are standing a bit too far to react too fast. They wouldn’t let one of their own die would they? They cared so much about the one person your dad killed, so….

Quickly before anyone can react to you, you fist your left hand, and quickly swing your fist up to punch the man’s forearm to make his aim fall from your head.

“Wait!” you hear Kathleen yell as guns point at you now.

You then quickly spin around and ram your fist in his throat to leave him incapacitated while you snatch his gun from him, and then use your foot to swing it under him to sweep him off the floor.

When the guy hits the ground you instantly point his gun at his head, and step on the back of his hand before slowly glaring up at Kathleen.

She looks stunned, so you take this time to look over at Henry, catching his own shocked and awed look.

“Come close and I’ll shoot him,” you threaten all of them. “Your revenge can’t mean more than your man’s life now does it?” You taunt Kathleen with a sly smirk.

Kathleen moves her gun to point at you and parts her lips to say something, but she then cuts herself off as the sound of rubble and creaking metal steals everyone’s attention, including Henry’s and yours.

At first it doesn’t seem like much, just the ground beneath the truck crumbling due to the explosion. But it’s from that same hole that the truck falls into that lets out the sound of distant groaning and growling. Infected….

You remove your foot off the man under you and help up so he can run away. You then snap your head over to Henry, and he meets your gaze to share a knowing look since no one can deny the sounds.

Yet before either of you can run away dozens, no, hundreds of infected climb out from the ground and don’t waste a second to charge at everyone that is formed in front of the hole. They all try to shoot at the runners and the clickers that charge at them, but there’s too many, too many overwhelm them immediately—It’s so many of them climbing out of the ground.

You’ve seen hordes before, you’ve run from dozens of infected before, but never like this, never from one’s running out of a fire pit as if they were spawn out of hell.

The sight freezes you out of fear, leaves you vulnerable, until Henry runs at you now that the men focused their attention away from him and you, and breaks you from your stupor.

“Come on!” He yells, and you both run to the kids still ducked behind the car.

“You have my gun, I have the man’s,” you tell Henry as you duck and hide with the kids. “Take Sam and go, I’ll take Ellie and be right behind you.”

Shooters approach the car you’re hidden behind and begin shooting at infected climbing on the car. More fall at your side as bullets come from the house where your dad is in. And before long, as more infected approach, you all bolt away from behind the car to run to your dad.

However, more infected swarm the area and get in your way, so you lose sight of Henry and Sam quickly as they don’t stop running. You on the other hand use the man’s gun and shoot at the clickers and runners that charge at Ellie and you.

“Go!” You yell at Ellie. “Go, I have you covered!”

Ellie runs on ahead, and you kill any threats that are near her. Once there’s no infected ahead of you, you follow after Ellie as she runs towards a van nearby that has a window slightly opened.

A clicker closeby hears her running footsteps however and tries to charge at her, but you quickly stop in your steps to shoot it and then move the aim to shoot the other infected that can be a possible threat.

“I’ll open the door for you!” Ellie yells back as she approaches the car.

You watch her get inside through the window, and immediately more infected try to reach her through the windows; they pound and claw. You clear as many of them as you can until your bullets run out and you have no choice but to throw the gun out and use your own rifle.

Yet that has few bullets in it too, luckily your dad helps you take out as many as he can around the car and you, while Ellie crawls to the door to try and open it for you from the inside. And when you turn to grab the door handle, suddenly a stalker tackles you down to the ground.

“Oof.” You breathe out as you slam to the ground, and end up losing your gun.

The stalker tries to bite down at you, but you quickly throw your head to the side, and throw your hands up to keep it away. You want to kick it back and use your knife, but then a bullet goes through its head and it falls limb, letting you crawl back away from its corpse. You then look up at the window and give your dad a thankful nod.

He nods back, so after that, before more infected come and swarm you, you get up and find your gun first, before you face the car to get Ellie.

Neverthless, at that moment as you turn you notice a different kind of infected. It’s larger than others, tall, and plump. It has fungus coming out of its head like a clicker, but this one also has fungus growing out of its entire body. It’s…terrifying. It’s fucking horrifying, but you don’t freeze this time, you can’t. You just push its presence to the back of your head and face the car again. That’s when you see a child clicker climb in the same car Ellie is hiding in.

You know your dad has you covered from any infected around you, so you quickly throw the door open and hastily help Ellie out of the car as the clicker flips over the seats to try and reach her.

“Come on!” You urge her after you close the car door. “We’re almost there!” You grab her wrist to run towards your dad together, but she quickly stops you and points out.

“It’s Sam and Henry!”

You follow where she points to, and see the both of them under a car trying to kick away the clickers that are trying to grab them. However, there’s too many infected in your way, too many for you and Ellie to take down without getting swarmed….

Wait! That’s right...

You look up at your dad at the same time Ellie does, and you both speechlessly ask him to cover you with your looks alone.

He’s hesitant at first, but he gives you both an assuring nod, letting you both then run towards Henry and Sam.

“You help Sam, I’ll get the one on Henry!” You tell Ellie as you maneuver past bodies of the infected your dad was killing in your path.

“Okay, yeah!” She replies through pants.

You narrow your eyes on the clicker that has Henry by his feet, ignoring the car that races past behind you and quickening your pace to get closer.

Just as you approach Henry, the clicker drags him out of hiding, it wants to bite him, but you quickly lift your rifle and shoot it right in its head, killing it.

“Come on,” you tell Henry urgently as you help him to his feet. “You’re okay,” you assure him before you turn on your heels, noticing Ellie managed to get the clicker off Sam, but she can’t stab her knife deep enough to kill it. So you lift your gun and help her kill it, letting her then help Sam off the ground.

“Go, go!” You yell at everyone.

Quickly, before more infected can come towards you, you all bolt towards the house your dad is inside of. You climb up the yard hand in hand with Henry, you’re close to getting out, but then Kathleen stops you all.

“Stop!”

Henry pushes you all back behind him to block you all from her gun, but you still raise your rifle to try and use your last bullet on her.

Albeit that’s when you notice the child clicker from before sneaking up from behind her, and lower your gun instead. Kathleen blinks in confusion, and follows everyone’s line of gaze. But, she notices the clicker too late and it tackles her to the ground before she can react.

It hits her repeatedly, and overpowers her, all she can do is scream.

As bad as she was, that fate is still horrible.

“This way now!” You hear your dad yell, breaking everyone from their shock. You then look over at him in shock and watch him pushing Ellie and Sam towards the bridge just behind the houses.

“Move!” He yells and turns you around so you can keep moving behind Henry. He follows last, making sure no one or nothing follows you from the bloodbath that was now the cul-de-sac.

——

*LATER*

“Pew…pew. As the Raven 01 approaches the red planet….”

You put the paper your food was wrapped in down and drag your feet back against your chest to continue listening to Ellie reading with Sam.

Compared to all the terrified screams, all the infected growling and groaning, all the gunshots, and burning flames that had filled your ears on your way to the motel, listening to her read in the silence of night was calming and peaceful.

“You think they’ll be okay?” Henry asks out loud, breaking the silence that was between him, your dad and you.

“Yeah,” your dad nods. “I think.”

You hug your legs and look over at him as he continues.

“It’s easier when you’re a kid anyway….” He pauses and glances at you before looking at Henry. “You don’t have anybody else relying on you. That’s the hard part.”

Being scared isn’t easy, not knowing how to help because you’re young isn't easy, but he’s also right.

“Well,” Henry interjects. “I guess we’re doing a good job then.”

Your dad nods softly in agreement, and you can’t help but smile down at your knees since they seem to be getting along more now.

“What’s that comic book say?” Your dad asks. “Endure and survive?”

You lift your gaze to look at the Savage Starlight comic book Sam and Ellie are reading, and scoff softly before you nod. “Endure and survive,” you repeat.

“That shits redundant,” Henry retorts, making you smile in amusement.

“Yeah,” your dad agrees. “It’s not great.”

You shake your head and laugh softly. “No.”

Savage Starlight was a comic book you often saw lying around, but you never got into them so much. You always enjoyed more of uh…romance, some horror, thrillers, comedy, and fantasy.

“Look, Henry,” you hear your dad continue, making you snap your eyes to him and sit up as you’re filled with curiosity. “I don’t know exactly how I’m gettin’ to Wyoming. I’m probably walkin’. But you know if you want to.”

Your smile grows wider, and your gaze grows softer as you understand your fathers invitation to Henry.

“Yeah,” Henry agrees. “Yeah. Yeah, I think it’d be nice for Sam to have a friend. I’ll tell him in the morning. New day, new start.”

You’re filled with joy now, and that fear of rejection washes away….

At least you hope your dad is also referring to you.

“What about me?” You interject to double check. Even if you might know the answer.

Your dads eyes snap to you and he scoffs before he retorts. “How do you think we’re getting there?”

You smirk and then glance at Henry sitting on a table beside you to share a soft smile with him.

“I don’t why you had to ask,” your dad mumbles.

You then look at the kids, and notice Sam fiddling with the pendant you had given him.

“Just makin’ sure,” you say and drag your legs down. “Maybe y’all wanted to leave me behind….” Wait…you catch that comment the moment it comes out. It’s wrong…it seems like a jab directed to your dad, but you didn’t mean it that way.

You snap your eyes over to him in hopes he didn’t take it that way, but you can’t tell, he’s looking away, his lips are formed in the same serious line. Fuck. Fuck….

Let’s just hope he didn’t take it badly.

You swallow thickly and look ahead, noticing Henry in the room with the kids, and Sam still holding the pendant. So choosing to just brush off your concern so as to not overthink about it, you get up and walk in the room, seeing Sam walk to the other bed now.

“Goodnight,” you sign to him as he notices you walk in.

He offers you a faint smile and redirects your comment. “Goodnight.”

Henry walks back in the room, and before you can follow him you check on Sam since he was holding the pendant. “Are you feeling okay?” You question him.

Sam nods in assurance, but you can notice his frown and a…sad look in his eyes.

“Are you sure?” You press.

Sam nods again. Perhaps it was just the events of tonight then.

“Okay,” you continue to sign to him. “No story tonight?”

Sam shakes his head. “Tomorrow,” he signs back.

You smile and nod in agreement. “Sounds good,” you sign. “Goodnight.”

Sam offers you a faint smile as a response, and before you can leave the room you glance over at Ellie and offer her a very faint smile that’s a bit forced. Maybe she’ll grow on you soon enough. Once your dad explains why they’re traveling together. Hopefully.

Anyway, once you close the room door behind you, rather than sitting back down, and since there was no other room in this curtain room you’re camping in. And since you don’t want your dad hearing your conversation with Henry, you meet your partner's gaze and point to the exit.

Henry doesn’t seem to understand though, so you point to the door again. But nothing.

You roll your eyes and just break the silence. “I’m going to get some fresh air before bed.” You nod slowly, and before anyone can say anything you make sure you have your knife with you before you walk over to the door, and push the table that’s blocking the exit to the side before walking out. Hopefully, Henry understands, and hopefully your dad doesn’t walk out. As funny as that would be, it’s not who you want to talk to.

Regardless, as you wait you lean against the railing and look up at the shining stars painted on the night sky. You smile up at them and watch them twinkle. The door opens, and you quickly peer back, seeing Henry walk out. Thankfully.

“Hey,” you greet him in a whisper.

He closes the door and walks to your side first before returning a greeting. “Hey.”

You look back at the sky and continue to watch the stars. “You know there’s a way to navigate around using the stars.” You share with him.

Henry hums. “I didn’t know,” he says. “Do you know how to?”

You nod and drop your gaze to look at him, noticing he was already looking at you. “Yeah, I do,” you admit.

Henry smiles and scoffs. “Of course you do.”

You laugh softly. “Well it’s kind of convient you know, very helpful..”

“Is that why you like to stare at them all the time?” He asks.

You let out a small breath and shake your head. “No. I just like to watch them, it’s fascinating really; space, all of it.”

Henry hums and averts his gaze, he grabs the rusted railing and brings a short silence.

You notice his smile faltering, so you quickly probe. “What is it?”

Henry gently hits the wood and lifts his gaze to meet yours. “Thank you,” he says. Again. “What you did back there, to that guy…” he swallows thickly and goes shy. “No one has ever done that before. You know usually when things go down like that people scatter to protect themselves…I’m guilty of that, but you…” he pauses and his eyes soften, whilst you now feel caught by surprise. “…you stuck around all three times,” Henry continues. “You shouldn't have, but you did, and you saved me and Sam. Thank you.”

Your smile widens and trembles, and your heart races inside your chest, but you grab his hand and offer him a soft look. “You were worth it,” you redirect sweetly. “All of it. And when it’s worth it there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect the ones I love.”

Henry looks caught off guard for a few seconds, but he quickly manages to shoot you a smile before he cups your cheek to pull you in for a kiss. A sweet and passionate one that makes you wrap your arms around his neck. That lets you move in sync with another, and makes you press yourself against the wall next to the door.

Henry seems to be taken back by your passion, but he just smiles and goes with it, letting himself get swept up by you. The only reason you pull back is to catch your breath.

“You know I think you were right,” he says between pants. “I think your dad—”

“Please,” you cut him off and press your finger against his lips. “Don’t talk about my dad,” you whisper and giggle. “Not right now.”

Henry snorts and nods. “Right,” he mumbles, letting you drop your hand back to your side—“but we should get some sleep, I imagine we have a long day of walking tomorrow.”

You smile sweetly and lean in to whisper against his lips. “Yeah I know, but why not stay out here a while longer, hm? Maybe find a more discreet place to go take this further.”

Henry gapes and blinks rapidly. “I,” he breathes out and shakes his head.

You grin and cup his jaw. “It’s okay if you don’t want to,” you assure him. “I’m fine just being with you here.”

Henry shakes his head again and quickly throws out his response, “No I want to, I do. Do you?”

You grin softly and press your hand against his chest, feeling his heart racing.

“Don’t worry,” you assure him as you hold his gaze. “You’ll be okay. You’re with me.” You pull back, and drop your hand to your side to grab his, and pull him down the stairs with you. “Come on!” You grin happily.

——

*THE NEXT DAY*

“Sarah,” you whisper and slowly walk further inside her dark room.

She hums and shifts on her bed. “Hm?”

“I'm scared,” you whisper. “There’s something in my room.”

Her bed creaks and thanks to the moonlight reflecting inside through her window by her bed, you see her sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “Okay,” she mumbles and slides over to the other side of her bed. “Come on.”

You smile with relief and run over to the bed to climb on and lay beside her.

“What was in your room?” She asks as she lays her head back down on the pillow.

You pull the blankets over you and flip to your side to face her. “A…monster, I think.”

She smiles weakly and wraps her arm around you. “Maybe you just heard dad snoring.” She mumbles.

You sigh unsurely and watch her close her eyes to try and drift back to sleep.

“Do you want me to tell you a story?” She asks quietly.

You perk up and grin softly. “Just one,” you agree.

“Okay, well—”

“Ahh! Ahhh!”

Suddenly the dream you were having is interrupted coldly by the sound of distressed yelling that makes you gasp, and sit right up out of instinct.

However, it’s as you sit up that the door is slammed open and Ellie is thrown to the floor by….by Sam growling, groaning, and snapping his teeth as he tries to claw at her. She tries to push him off, but she can’t fight him. Or she really doesn’t want to…

But why?

Why?

Why is he acting so violent, why is he trying to bite her? Why is making those noises?

You sit there wide eyed, frozen by horrifying fear that inside, deep inside your heart you understand why it grows so furiously. You can identify what those sounds coming out of Sam mean, you’ve heard them what feels like all your life. You know…But you don’t want to accept it. You don’t want to accept his sudden fate.

He’s so young, so innocent, so sweet and kind. It can’t…it can’t be true. It can’t be happening again…

He can’t…

“Nope, nope, nope,” you hear Henry repeat, and when you look up you see him on his feet, pointing your dads own gun at him as he slowly stands up.

“Joel!” Ellie cries out.

Sam is going to bite her…he’s going to bite her…

You try to reach for your own knife since you know you’re out of bullets. You want to help her before it takes her too…you want to help your dad and Henry, but you can’t move a muscle, your fear paralyzes you as well as your denial.

You can only keep watching…just like when…Sarah died. You can only watch.

Henry shoots at your dad, you can hear the bullet, and his yell even after you cover your ears. You can feel it carve the ground, but that still doesn’t make you move.

“Joel!” Ellie cries again as Sam doesn’t stop.

He’s going to bite her. Sam he’s…

And suddenly there’s another gunshot, but this time rather than feeling it hit the ground, you hear a thump, and then silence. Deafening silence.

Finally as Sam stays still on the floor, you slowly get up and take a step towards him. You notice the dark blood spilling out and staining the ground, you still wait…You wait for him to get up. He has to. It can’t be happening again…he couldn’t have turned. He has to wake up.

You slowly put your hands down. “Sam?” You call out quietly even though you know he wouldn't have heard you either way, it’s just a desperate attempt.

“Ellie,” you hear your dad call as the girl sits there in disbelief at what just happened. “Are you okay?” You hear him ask her.

You worry if she’s bit, you want to ask if she’s okay too, but all you can focus on is Sam, you wait if he’ll move at least his chest to show he’s breathing.

Your dad tries to move toward Ellie, but he comes to a quick stop as Henry points his gun at him. He’s just shocked, that’s it.

Thinking he won’t do anything to you, you take another step towards Sam.

However, that's when you hear an abrupt stop. “No…don’t.”

You snap your gleaming eyes towards Henry, and see him pointing his gun at you now. Your dad quickly notices his new aim, and slowly puts his arm across you to try and shield you.

Henry’s just shocked. He’s just…shocked.

“Easy, easy, easy,” your dad tries to calm Henry down whilst he puts his hands out to try and grab the gun in Henry’s hand.

“Henry,” you call out quietly.

Said man's eyes drift to you, and tears immediately fill his eyes at the sight of you. “What did I do?” He asks you.

You try to tell him that he helped Ellie, that his brother was going to hurt her, but you can’t…you can’t muster a single word since you’re still in denial yourself.

“What did I do?” Henry asks again and keeps his gun pointed at you. “What-what-what did I do?” His eyes drift to his brother still on the floor, and you follow his line of gaze, realizing now—no, accepting at that moment as he lay still, as more blood spilled out of him, that Sam was gone.

It hits you like a bullet to the flesh, so suddenly. The realization shakes your entire core, making that painful anguish that you had pushed back bust through that shield of denial.

He’s gone. Sam’s gone. He was infected and now he’s gone.

“Sam?” The sound of Henry’s broken voice snaps your watery gaze back to him.

“Henry, gimme the gun?” Your dad pleads softly.

“Henry,” you call out quietly through tears. “Henry, please.”

Said man’s eyes drift to you and your dad, but he then focuses solely on you.

“Gimme the gun,” your dad continues to say. “Gimme the gun.”

“Henry,” you interject in a brittle voice, and take a step towards him to try and take the gun. “Just give me the gun, okay? Let’s talk.”

Henry holds your gaze for a moment and blinks before looking at Sam again. And finally he begins to lower his hand.

You try to encourage him, “yeah just—” but you cut yourself off immedietly as you see him move his hand to now point the gun at himself instead. You know what he intends to do, you yell at him to stop, but a gunshot goes off, causing you to quickly cover your ears. Yet you still hear a loud thump hit the floor.

Now…you just stand there, looking at the now empty space where Henry had one stood. You stand there frozen and quiet. You stand there panting, and with dry eyes.

Your dad stands before you, he talks to you, you see his mouth moving, but you don’t register his muffles that go through your covered ears because you can’t accept this now. If you keep looking at the wall, it’s like nothing ever happened. If you keep your eyes on the wall you won’t have to accept it, if you stand here time will stop….

You hoped anyway. You wished.

“Y/N! Look at me, baby,” you hear your dad yell at you, making you snap your eyes to him before you slowly drift your eyes down to see….

Oh god.

Oh god….

You drop your hands from your ears, and gasp as it feels like the air in your lungs is knocked out of you at the sight of his lifeless body, at the feeling of realization slamming into you, piercing your very heart now and shattering it and your entire being.

Henry’s gone. He’s gone just like Sam. They’re both gone….Henry’s gone….

But maybe…

“Henry?” You call out desperately as you watch him, hoping he’ll wake up. “Henry?” You call out again and step away from your dad to walk to Henry. “Henry, please,” your voice quivers as he remains unresponsive.

“Henry,” you mewl and fall on your knees beside him, on the pool of blood that now surrounds his upper body. “Henry.” You whisper and slowly reach for him to turn him face up. That’s when you see his lifeless eyes, the blood that now stains his face, and the tear stains on his cheeks. And it hits you again, but now it’s more powerful, more painful.

“No,” you cry and shake your head. “No, please Henry,” you sob and cradle his face for a moment before you cradle his body. “No, no….” You drop your forehead on his and shakily gasp for air as you can’t stop crying. “Please…please…someone help me….Henry…don’t do this to me, please.”

A hand falls on your shoulders, making you gasp and look back.

“Y/N,” your dad whispers.

“Daddy,” you mutter, “you have to help me. Please. Please.”

“Oh baby…”

You shake your head as he cradles your face in his hands.

“Dad,” you cry out desperately. “Please!”

He shakes his head, and tears fill his eyes only because he sees the heartbreak in your eyes as you hold your partner's dead body in your arms.

“He’s gone,” your dad says.

No.

No.

No…

You pull your face away from your dads hold to look back at Henry, and lay your head on his chest.

He’s gone and there’s nothing you can do about it. Again. Someone else is gone and you can’t do anything about it. So you close your eyes and cry against him out of defeat, heartbreak, and agony.

“We can bury them,” your dad says softly. “Come on.”

Slowly he takes his body from you, and you let him, and just sit there. He takes Sam’s body soon thereafter, you can’t tell when, time just loses meaning, it all blends together.

Eventually you make it outside to where your dad and Ellie had buried Henry and Sam. You don’t know how, or when exactly you walked out, but feel the chilly breeze of the morning hit you, you feel the brightness burn your retinas for a moment until you grow accustomed to the brightness.

You see them no longer, only dirt over two unmarked graves. You feel only tears roll down your cheeks, and that agony in your heart as you realize you’ll never see them again, you won’t go to Jackson together.

You sit between their graves and just lose your gaze on the grass brushing against the wind. You sit there cold and hopeless. You sit there even as Ellie puts Sam’s board down on his grave, as you hear her speak to your dad once she’s up and behind you.

“Which ways west?” She asks.

There’s silence before there’s retreating footsteps. You were moving on, you had to, there was no one else to wait for now, there was no one else to go with now.

“Y/N,” your dad breaks the silence. “I have to tell you something…”

You keep your eyes lost on the grass, and wait for him to continue.

“Ellie…she’s immune…”

Is this some joke? Some sick fucking joke?

You gasp and peer at him over your shoulder to shoot him a disgusted glare.

“Dont,” you croak because of all of your crying. “Don’t fucking joke.”

He stands there with a serious, deadpanned look on his face. “I’m not,” he assures you. “It’s true, I saw her get bit and she didn’t turn. Do you really think I would joke about that?”

You blink in disbelief and look back at the grass ahead of you.

Joining the fireflies built a hope in you that maybe there was a chance for the world to get better. It was hard not to believe what they believed in, for a hope for humanity. A hope that could’ve saved so many lost friends…that could’ve saved Sam. So hearing this now coming out of your dads lips isn’t completely unbelievable, not to you.

“That’s why I need to take her to your uncle Tommy,” he continues. “So he can take her to the Fireflies.”

So he? He?

As if a bucket of cold water had just been dumped on you, now you’re hit with a cold reminder, your anger towards your father. Those words he just spoke trigger it, the heartbreak you bear now only fuels it, blinding you with rage.

“So what?” You scoff, and stand up to spin around and face him with that burning anger in your watery eyes. “You’re going to dump another one of your burdens on uncle Tommy? Just like you did me?”

Your dad shakes his head and mutters out, “you’re just upset. Let’s go, we can talk about it later.”

You shake your head and step towards him to continue. “I have every right to be upset! I have every right to be mad at you, you left me,” you whisper and feel angry tears now roll down your cheeks. “You…you!” You cry out and hit his chest.

“Y/N,” he mutters and averts his gaze.

You swallow back the thick lump that grows in your throat and spat back. “Why? Hm? All I ever did was love you, even if you were mean—”

“I kept you alive,” he cuts you off bluntly with his eyes barely on you.

“Yes,” you scoff. “But I still needed my dad….” Your voice quivers. “And…you still left…Why? W-was it because I…was never good enough for you? I’m sorry….I’m sorry I wasn’t the perfect daughter, I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough then. I’m sorry I wasn’t worthy enough for you to stay with me, for you to take me with you.” You sniffle and wipe away your tears. “I'm sorry I wasn't important enough for you to call me throughout all those years. I waited,“ you mumble. “I did. But no.” You shake your head and wipe your tears away.

“I just hope you don’t hurt that girl the same you did me,” you continue. “I hope she’s the daughter I never was for you.” You scoff and hit your hands against your thighs.

“No, don’t say that,” he interjects. “And don’t pit your anger against her.”

You let out a shaky sigh and tilt your head down slightly as you keep your eyes on him. “I’ll take you to uncle Tommy,” you add bluntly. “But that’s it. I’m done with you after that.” You shove past him and pick up your backpack and rifle off the floor. You make it to the street but stop to add one more thing as you see Ellie a few feet away waiting for you and your dad to catch up.

“I won’t pit my anger against her. I just hope you do better.”

——

*A MONTH LATER*

It was quiet. Not outside; you can hear the birds chirping their morning song as the sun slowly rises, you can hear Ellie shuffling on the ground restlessly. It’s quiet inside your mind.

At first, those first few days after, your mind raced with different possibilities, denial, different outcomes…hopes. It was loud with anger, but now it’s quiet. Now as you hold the cold gold sun pin in your fingers your mind is just absolutely quiet, all there is is a picture of him, Henry, in your head.

There’s a coldness in your heart. Another gap missing that he and Sam left. It makes those nights you had to sleep, sleepless, restless. Like now. Your dad let you sleep, but you couldn’t keep your eyes closed, you couldn’t get that….that scene of a month ago out of your head. Everytime you close your eyes you see Henry and Sam, see them lying on the ground with blood around them. Their deaths replay in your head over and over again until you open your eyes. So it’s easier just to stay awake and study the sun pin in the silence….

Then again it’s not so quiet outside….Ellie keeps moving. You flip to your other side and the first thing that you notice is your dad passed out…

What a damn good watchman. Old man.

Pft.

You drift your eyes across from you and see Ellie has her back turned to you. She’s still for like a minute before she moves again.

Maybe she’s thinking about them too? Because she can’t be asleep with all that moving.

You haven’t talked to her since it happened—no, lies you did but it was just like a few words, “do you want some of my food?” “Do you want to help me keep watch?”. She was always eager for both, but beside that nothing else was said. And you do know what grief is, you know how it feels, she may not have known them long, but Sam and her still bonded, their deaths were still…impactful…

It’s not like your dad has talked about it anyway. It’s not like he would.

“Hey,” you whisper and stretch your foot out to tap her. “Are you awake?”

There’s a second of silence before Ellie slowly looks back and looks a bit disbelieved. “Yes,” she mutters.

You spare one glance at your dad to make sure he’s still sleeping before you continue. “Do you want to go for a walk? He passed out.”

Ellie pulls down her sweater and looks down to see for herself before she meets your gaze and answers hesitantly. “Sure.”

You smile softly and tuck the pin in your pocket before you get up, and very carefully grab your backpack and gun off the ground. Ellie grabs her gun and leaves her backpack where it is. As you head out she just does one more double take to make sure your dad is still sleeping, before she runs over to catch up to you heading to the windmill that’s across the small abandoned farmhouse you were camping at for the night.

“So,” Ellie rolls out with a slow head nod. “Can I hold your gun?”

You hold onto your backpack strap and look over at her with slight curiosity. “Do you know how to use it?” You ask her.

Ellie shakes her head. “I can be taught though.”

You hum and look back at the windmill you're walking to and give her a proposition. “How about you can keep watch through the scope. Feel the weight first.”

“It’s better than nothing,” she groans.

You scoff softly in amusement and open the wooden door to let her walk in first, before you close the door and follow her up the creaky wooden stairs against the wall, until you reach a platform that’s put against the window that overlooks what was once a secluded farm.

“Here,” you interject, and put your gun down to sit on your knees so you can take off your poncho and lay it on the dirty ground. “You can sit there.” You then proceed to take off your jacket and lay it over your spot. “And I’ll sit here.” You mumble and sit back down.

Ellie looks down and hesitates. “We’re already dirty anyway.”

You shrug. “But now you won’t be cold, and you’ll be comfy.” You click your tongue.

Ellie spares you a quick glance before she sits, she wants to reach for your gun, but she suddenly stops and goes wide eyed.

“Oh my god,” she gasps and crawls closer to you. “You have tattoos! No way!” She grins and studies the tattoos on your arm. “That’s so cool.”

You smile softly, and turn your body so she can see the crescent moon tattoo shaped from curved lines; it almost looks like it was a smoke moon. She then hovers her fingers over the small stars that are scattered around the area, and then looks down at the falling angel woman. But lastly she takes her time on one in particular, a small one on your forearm.

“What’s this?” She asks and points to it.

You look down and giggle. “What did you think it is?”

Ellie scoffs and smirks. “A dick?”

You smirk. “It’s supposed to be a middle finger. My uncle Tommy and I got drunk for my 21st birthday. He wanted to give me a tattoo so he drew a hand giving the middle finger, but he, uh,” you snort. “Failed, so now I will always have a little dick tattoo.”

Ellie snickers and sits back down with your rifle in hand.

You move your arm and twist your body to show her the back tattoo. “I also have this one.” You point out.

Ellie shifts back around, and you give her a few seconds before you turn to sit back.

“That’s so cool!” She says with a smile. “I want one.”

You glance over the golden grass and smile softly. “My friend, she does tattoos. Perhaps when you’re older she can do something on you. Just don’t get it while drunk.”

“Why stars and a moon?” Ellie probes.

You shrug softly. “I liked it, and I like the Galaxy, the moon, everything.”

Ellie turns her head, and you see a wider smile. “Really? That's nice, I do too. Or more the aspect of going to space.”

You grin and look at her. “Really? That’d be cool. Like, uh,” you snap your fingers until you remember the name. “Like Sally Ride.”

Ellie's eyes go wider. “Yes!” She exclaims. “Exactly like her! Like if I could choose a way to die, I would die up there in space, after I flew up there of course.”

“Of course,” you mumble and stare up at the sweet colored sky as the sun slowly overtakes the night sky. “I mean it would be a very cool way to die. No oxygen, but a view of earth and the vacuum of space.”

Ellie follows your line of gaze and smiles softly as she nods slowly. “Yeah,” she whispers.

Silence follows after that. Deafening, but peaceful silence.

Yet that peace soon begins to turn to gloom the more the sun rises and you remember why you’re here.

“Do you,” you interject, but pause to look down at your fingers not covered by your gloves. “Do you want to talk about what happened last month?” You can’t even mention their names. Not yet. Not without it aching.

Ellie drops her gaze to focus on the fields of grass, and lets out a deep exhale before she shakes her head. “No…not really. Not yet.”

You hum softly. “That’s alright,” you assure her. “Well I’m here, you know, 24/7. If you want to talk.”

It may not be a lot to offer, but it’s those very words that meant a lot to you when you were told them by your uncle, Maria, or your friends. Yes, you haven’t been the most welcoming, or the nicest person with her, but at first you were slightly jealous, then you were too sad, but after that argument with your dad that jealousy had faded. Call it pettiness or what not, but you’re here now, and hope that at least she knows she can talk about her feelings with you and not have to hide them or brush them off.

He’d do that.

Nevertheless, there’s a brief moment of quiet before Ellie mutters in a serious tone. “Here in this windmill? Because that’s sort of inconvenient.”

You snort and break into a chuckle for the first time in a month. “You know what I meant fucker,” you mutter between laughs.

Ellie smiles proudly and nods.

Silence comes back as you keep watch, your smiles fade, but she soon interrupts. “You know I did have this problem last night actually.”

Your brows slowly furrow and you look at her with concern.

“I just stayed up all night wondering where the sun went…then it dawned on me.”

Your face slowly falls, and she looks over at you with a very proud smile. You let a second pass before you burst out laughing at her joke. She soon joins in and you’re both too lost laughing until your stomachs hurt.

When you’ve somewhat calmed down you add one you remember. “Okay, okay.” You clear your throat. “I walked into my sister's room and tripped on a bra…it was a booby trap.” You smirk.

Ellie shakes her head and laughs harder. “That was stupid.”

You nod and once again begin to laugh along with her, not realizing in that moment as you were both distracted that your dad was now inside the windmill lost listening in to the both of you.

When your laughs die down you take advantage of this moment and pull your backpack to your lap to unzip it, and pull out an additional Walkman. “I feel like you’ll enjoy this,” you tell her and then search your backpack for a specific cassette.

Ellie slowly puts down the rifle and watches you pull out a small plastic box.

“The Smiths,” you mention and open the box to insert the cassette. “Very good band.” You smile and hand her the Walkman. “Listen to it when you can, or when you can’t sleep. Just don’t lose the cassette ‘kay? It’s my friends.”

Ellie hesitantly takes the Walkman and headphones. “Are you sure?” She asks quietly.

You nod. “I have my own. I had that as a spare, but you can keep it. When you’re done with that album, let me know, I can give you more music to listen to while we find more.”

Ellie slowly smiles softly, and meets your gaze. “Thanks.” She whispers.

You offer her a smile, and don’t realize that for that moment sharing your music as Sarah once did with you, laughing with Ellie felt the best you’ve felt in a long time; you didn’t feel sad, or angry. You felt good, at peace, and a sense of familiarity you haven’t felt in years.

——

*2 MONTHS LATER*

Winter has fully embraced the earth, providing some sense of what month it can be. Between Kansas City and here you’ve lost track of the days. You know with every feeling in you that Jackson is only a couple days out.

Seeing Maria, your uncle Tommy, your friends, and your house is only a couple days out. Finally!

“You don’t seriously believe them,” Ellie remarks as she stomps out of the cabin of this old couple living a quiet life in the middle of nowhere.

Which honestly isn’t half bad. You only wish to grow old like them and live with….with someone…

“They’ve lived here a long time,” your dad rebuttals as he leads the way off the property. He then stops and looks back as he hears only one pair of footsteps following him.

You then proceed to stop too and glance back, catching Ellie robbing one of the rabbits that the man that had found you killed.

“Put that back,” he tells her and then continues to lead the way.

“What about you, y/n, I mean you’ve lived around here,” Ellie pulls you into the conversation.

You scoff softly and wait for her to catch up. “Well all I’ll say is that it’s a bunch of superstition, okay?” You tell her without giving away too much of what awaits beyond the River. “There’s no River of death, nothin’.”

“So they don’t know anything?” She points out and falls beside you, letting you finally continue to follow your dad. “Because they’ve also never heard of the Fireflies.”

“It’s hard to hear much living so secluded,” you explain and look ahead, catching in that moment your dad stops and leans against a wooden pole.

Is he really that scared of some fear the old couple have? Because it’s only to scare people away, it isn’t true.

Is he still tired? He’s panting.

“Joel? Joel?” Ellie calls out, and shares a slightly concerned and confused look with you before she walks over to him, while you watch him with higher concern that freezes you a bit.

“Joel, are you okay?” She asks and gets closer to him as he stays leaning against the pole. “Joel?”

“Shut up,” he quips at her.

You blink and snap out of your stupor to make your way to him too. “Dad,” you call out.

“Holy shit, are you dying?” Ellie remarks, making that fear you didn’t feel before spark now at the sound of her words, even if he shakes his head.

Is it his heart? He is old now.

What if it is his heart?

“Dad?” You call out and walk past Ellie to look at his face, noticing his eyes are closed and his hand is in a tight fist. It’s like he’s in pain…

“I’m okay,” he mutters breathlessly.

You know you haven’t talked much in the past three months, your anger is still pretty alive and heightened to the point you can’t hold his gaze sometimes for more than a few seconds. But he still is your dad, and you still do very much love him…more than anything. It’s just hard being with him right now. It’s hard.

“Okay, okay,” he keeps repeating, and you grow more concerned.

“Okay, are you okay? It doesn’t sound like you are,” Ellie keeps panicking.

“I’m fine.”

“But are you because just a reminder that if you’re dead, I’m fucked—”

“Ellie,” you warn, and step closer to him. You feel like freezing, like covering your ears at the sight of his trouble, but you muster the strength to carefully grab his arm, and call to him again. “Daddy.”

As if snapped back to reality by your touch, and your voice so close, he snaps his eyes to you and calms his breathing immediately.

“Are you okay?” You ask him.

He swallows thickly and holds your gaze for a moment before he snaps back. “I said I’m fine.”

Huh. You pull your hand away and nod. “Okay.”

“It’s just the cold air all of a sudden,” he explains what can be true, but what sounds like bullshit.

“All right,” Ellie says and continues to walk ahead. “Uh, so let’s go and find Tommy and the Fireflies.”

You linger your gaze on your dad for a few more seconds as you try to find some sort of symptom. But he did brush Ellie and you off harshly so, instead you leave him be and follow after Ellie.

“It’s gonna be easy,” Ellie adds and almost trips going up the snowy hill. “All we have to do is cross the River of Death.”

You roll your eyes at the fact that she’s believing it so easily, but still don’t try to correct anyone. Instead you comment on something to lighten the mood.

“We might have to wait to find the Fireflies.”

Ellie looks back with slight concern and presses. “Why?”

You look down at the snow you’re walking over and smirk. “Well it’s not summer yet.” You look up at her and shoot her a smile.

Ellie rolls her eyes and looks back. “That was stupid,” she remarks as she hides her amused smile.

“You liked it,” you mutter and pull on your backpack straps to tighten them. “You know it.”

“Maybe I can laugh at all your jokes if you teach me what you did back there, to that guy in Kansas City a few months ago,” she says.

She saw that?

You let out a soft sigh, and brush away what threatens to resurface about Sam and Henry to solely focus on what she wants. “Well, one, you don’t gotta pretend to like my jokes to get something out of me. You could've just asked.”

Ellie shrugs. “I ask Joel to teach me stuff and he says no,” she argues. “I thought you’d be the same.”

You scoff. “Well no, I ain't. And two, always read the room, Kathleen prided herself on loyalty, she wasn’t going to risk letting me kill the guy. I knew that so I acted,” you share your technique.

“Uh, huh,” Ellie notes everything down mentally.

“Two, body stance, look at how they’re standing, how tight their finger is on the trigger, if it’s too tight you’ll get shot at that moment,” you continue. “Three, act fast, hit the weak points to paralyze them. Men, the groin is a good one, for both men and women, throat, eyes, knees, temple, nose, jaw and shins. And then get them to the ground, or your stance of choice to threaten them. But always make sure they can’t and aren’t reaching for any weapons, okay? You’ll lose the higher ground if they do.”

Ellie looks over her shoulder, showing off her little smirk. “Okay, got that, but now what about a physical demonstration?” She asks.

You nod. “Sure, once we find somewhere to camp.”

Ellie shoots you a partial grin and nods in comprehension. “Cool.” She looks back ahead. “Your joke was stupid by the way.”

You snicker and run up to catch up to her. “Yeah. How about yours, Will Livingston, huh?”

She snickers and shrugs, bringing silence that follows the three of you for a while. You just walk, walk and walk for miles, down hills, up them, past dryer terrain and even snowier ground. Past a horizon of the setting sun, and under clear skies. All up until you reach a valley that overlooks the river the couple had mentioned on the map your dad insists on carrying even if they have you guiding the way

“The River of Death,” Ellie comments. “Scary.”

“Don’t start,“ your dad warns her bluntly.

You on the other hand watch the distant running river and sigh with relief. You’re almost home.

“It’s too close to dark,” your dad mentions. “There’s some caves along the river. We’ll set up camp there, cross in the mornin’.”

“Good,” Ellie says. “I'm starving. Should’ve stolen two rabbits.”

“We can get our own rabbits,” your dad counters.

You scoff at his comment, and see him give you a side eye.

“You gonna teach me how?” Ellie asks with hope.

Only to be shot down by your dad. “Just keep movin’.”

“Y/N?” Ellie now drifts her question to you.

You look over at her and think for a few seconds before nodding. “Sure let's just get more bullets first, or maybe a bow and arrow.”

Ellie snaps her eyes to your dad and shoots him a smirk. “See,” she quips. “Someone’s nice.” And then she proceeds to continue walking.

You scoff and roll your eyes before you also proceed to continue walking even more. Luckily this time you don’t end up walking far, your dad finds a cave somewhat deep in the woods to set up your last camp.

As always you’re all quick to eat as that’s what you’re looking forward to the most throughout the long days of walking, and avoiding danger. As always it’s quiet between you and him. He doesn’t attempt to talk to you, nor do you attempt to talk to him. Something stands in the way now, a tension…a fear that runs in the both of you.

The one thing that fills the awkward and tension filled silence is Ellie.

“Oh my god!” She exclaims and jumps off her seat to run off towards the giant rock in front of the cave.

“Ellie,” your dad mutters.

You look up from your food and see the sky beginning to glow as it fills with beautiful dancing colors of bright green, and hints of purple light. Northern lights.

You smile softly and shove the last bit of food in your mouth before you follow Ellie towards the rock to get a better view of them from the top.

“Beautiful huh? You know why they happen?” You ask Ellie as you sit beside her on the rock.

Ellie keeps her head up to continue admiring the dancing hues, and shakes her head. “Do you?” She redirects.

You hum and nod. “I read it in a book once, it happens when charged particles collide with gasses in Earth's upper atmosphere. Those collisions then produce tiny flashes that fill the sky with colorful light.”

Ellie looks down and meets your gaze. “Hm, interesting.” She says sincerely with a soft smile as she looks up again.

“There’s a lot of lore behind them, different beliefs,” you add quietly. “Some people think of them as bad omen, others as positive….what really stuck with me is this one belief I got told once by an old lady in Jackson…” you pause and slowly look down at your hands as that sadness, that grief, that agony, presents itself in you again after having pushed it away all day.

“She said that the lights are the souls of the departed…ancestors, those….” You swallow thickly and feel your eyes and throat begin to sting. “You lost.” You reach in your pocket and pull out the sun pin you kept inside, you fiddle with it and watch it reflect the lights that dance above.

“I like that one,” Ellie whispers.

You nod as your eyes fill with tears. “Me too.” You let out a deep sigh and flicker your eyes up to watch the sky again, to admire its beauty.

Ellie and you stay up there, basking in the lights and the silence until your dad whistles and cuts in. “Come down from there. Y’all gonna break your necks.”

Impossible….maybe a sore neck…

Regardless you both climb down and huddle back near the fire.

“Ah,” Ellie interjects. “Can I have some?”

You put the pin away and glance over at your dad, noticing the flask of alcohol in his hand.

“No.” He shakes his head.

“What?” Ellie argues. “Just to warm up. C’mon.”

Your dad rolls his eyes slightly but gives in, making you pass the flask to Ellie.

“Thanks,” she mutters, and looks at the metal flask for a second before raising it up as a speechless cheers.

You think she’d hesitate to take a sip, but she takes the drink without a fight.

Honestly, it’s very funny. Especially when she pulls it down and scrunches her face in disgust.

“Yep,” she groans. “Still gross.” She nudges it to you now. “Sip?”

You look at it and shake your head. “I’m fine. Thanks.” You grab the flask and hand it back to your dad.

“So I’ve been thinking,” Ellie continues to fill the silence.

“Hm?” You probe curiously, and press your hands down on the cold ground to lean back.

“Let’s say we find the Fireflies,” she says, “it all works, they draw my blood and put it through some of their fancy machines and make a cure.”

“Okay?” You hear your dad say.

“Then what? Like, what do we do?”

“Oh, it’s we?” Your dad retorts, kind of rudely may you add.

“Okay,” Ellie corrects herself. “Fine. Whatever. You. You can do anything you want. Where are you going? What are you doing?”

That’s an interesting question.

You glance over at your dad and wait.

“It’s never been an option,” he answers and looks up to the sky as he clears his throat. “Maybe,” he sighs. “An old farmhouse, some land, a ranch.”

He’s said that once, when you were young, he said he was working to get one, that you could all have all the free space you wanted, you could have horses, sheep, dogs, cats and goats. He’d said that once he’s old Sarah and you could live with him to take care of him and the animals. He always liked to talk about it.

Of course that was pre outbreak. You never heard that dream after. It’s nice that it hasn’t changed.

“Cool,” Ellie comments, but you can’t tell if she’s teasing him or actually interested. “What kind?”

“Sheep. I would raise sheep.”

You glance down at the fire and smile softly.

“Sheep,” Ellie whispers.

“They’re quiet,” your dad adds, making you snort softly. “Do what they’re told.”

You stifle your laugh and glance over at Ellie since you know it’s a jab at her.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ellie gets it. “Okay. So, just you and a buncha sheep. Romantic.”

You smile and spare your dad one teasing glance. He feels your gaze, he sees your smile finally directed at him after three months, and sighs softly.

“What about you, y/n?” Ellie asks.

You glance at her and then watch the dancing lights in the sky. “Well when I was young I wanted to be a performer like Britney Spears.” You grin proudly.

“Who?” Ellie queries, but you don’t have time to answer since you continue.

“But now I want to become a movie star,” you smirk and look down at her. “An actress who stars in big movies. Like Halle Berry, Kate Winslet, Kristen Dunst, Uma Thurman, Winona Ryder, and my favorite, and my idol, Audrey Hepburn.” You beam at her and nod slowly.

Ellie squints and shakes her head. “I’ve heard of none of them.”

“You will soon enough, and you’ll know my name as well. Y/N Miller,” you throw your hands up in the air and glance at your dad with that grin, noticing him listening with intent and the corner of his lips slightly raised. “Famous movie star. Survivalist. And the most talented and prettiest.”

Ellie snorts and nods along again. “I actually think that’s pretty cool. I mean you’ll probably be the only one, but it’s nice.”

“Thank you,” you beam at her and put your hands down. “I won’t forget to mention you in my speech when I win my Oscar.” You wink and then press her now. “What about you? Where are you gonna go?”

Ellie gently punches her legs and looks up. “It’s probably because I grew up in the QZ. Behind you, there’s ocean, and ahead of you, there’s a wall.” She looks down between you and your dad. “Nowhere else to look but up. I read everything I could in the school library. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell. But you know who my favorite is?”

Yes.

“Sally Ride,” your dad guesses correctly.

“Sally fuckin’ Ride!” She whispers excitedly. “Best astronaut name ever.”

You smile softly and in admiration. Silence follows, and her own smile fades, her gaze gets lost ahead of her, and you sense sorrow.

“It’ll work, right?” She then asks, making your smile fall. “The vaccine?”

You sigh and sit up to drag your legs against your chest, and hug them tightly.

“It’s a little late to start wonderin’” your dad retorts.

“I tried,” she says. “With Sam.”

Your frown immediately deepens, and your heart begins to sink.

“Tried what?” Your dad probes.

“I knew he was infected,” Ellie answers, and you see her glance at you. “I rubbed some of my blood into his bite. I know. I know it was stupid. But I…I wanted to save him.”

Your eyes water again, that anguish crawls back up, and memories haunt you.

“Well, I reckon it’s a lot more complicated than that,” your dad tells her. “Marlene, she’s a lotta things, but she’s no fool. If she says they can do it, they can do it.”

They hope….you hope too.

For him. For Sam.

After that silence returns, which is abruptly interrupted. “Who wants to take first watch and second watch?” Ellie asks to change the subject.

You part your lips to volunteer, but your dad quickly interrupts before you can.

“I’ll do both. you girls should get some sleep.”

You snap your eyes to him and get ready to argue, but once again he beats you to it.

“Y/N, it’s okay, I can do it. Tomorrow we’ll be with Tommy, and I can sleep then.”

You hesitate for a moment but you know you’ll get nowhere, so you give in.

“Dream of sheep ranches on the moon,” he adds as you and Ellie grab your sleeping bags.

“I will,” Ellie agrees. And you just scoff softly and leave it at that.

——

Sleep comes, but you don’t last long, eventually the nightmares take over; the same ones from the past three months, and all you can do is stay up to avoid seeing all of it. It would make a boring and long night, but you find yourself entertained by watching your dad.

He sits against the cave wall, he watches the sky, he watches the dark shadows in the forest, and occasionally he glances over to watch you and Ellie sleep. He seems to be looking for something, a sign of life. Once he finds it he’d look away and go back to keeping watch. That’s when your head spins and you begin to wonder why he left you?

What was his reason? Grief?

Because you feel it, you understand it. Perhaps not before, not the moment you lost Sarah, but after losing Henry?

That need to just go away, to cave into yourself, to hide and never come out? To…not keep going, to just end it as it seems like life has little meaning? You understand that. You want to do it everyday. Is that why?

Or was it fear? Just cause?

Did you do something wrong?

Or were you not enough? Were you not…her?

If you could, you'd bring her back to him. If somehow there was a chance, you would. You’d bring back Sam and Henry. Even if it meant you’d be gone forever, you’d do it.

If seeing Sarah again would make him happy you’d do it. Anger and resentment aside, you’d do it….

Nevertheless…as you’re caught up in your own thoughts, he ends up passing out.

What an old man.

To keep him that way so he can get the rest he needs you get up and keep watch for him. Ellie soon joins you and you let sleep as you both keep watch while the sun rises again, and the day turns bright.

During your watch you taught Ellie the move she wanted to learn; which she learns fast and gets very happy about. You talked about stupid stuff, and then watched some more until he woke up abruptly.

“Still mumbling in your sleep,” Ellie comments as he looks up panicked. “We woke up early. You were passed out, so we took second watch.”

“Y/N,” your dad scolds you.

You just shrug and brush him off.

“You gotta wake me up if that happens,” he rebuttals and gets up. “You can’t do things like this, Ellie.”

“But I can,” she counters sassily. “‘Cause I just did. Besides, y/n was with me the entire time.”

“She’s older, she knows stuff,” he quickly snaps back. “She’s not responsible for you, I am, okay?”

“Then don’t fall asleep,” she sasses him. “We were quiet, We checked our six, we looked for tracks, we found the high ground, and we kept watch,” she assures him as he gets near. “like you and she taught me too. And y/n let me hold the gun the entire time.” She quips and shares a proud glance with you. “What can I say, man? I'm a natural.”

“Uh-huh,” he nods. “Give her the gun.”

Ellie sighs and turns to hand you back your gun. You then proceed to hang it around your shoulder, and listen to him direct her a comment.

“You wake me up next time.”

“Yes, sir,” Ellie agrees. “But only if y/n is not here.” She shoots him a smile.

Your dad rolls his eyes and groans. “Fine,” he says in defeat. “C’mon pack up, let’s get goin’.”

As usual the day consists of endless fucking walking which was getting more annoying the closer you were to home. It’s like a fucking dread. And today it seemed colder out—but that’s probably due to the falling snow and the winder winds.

Once you assure Ellie and your dad that River is safe to cross, you make it to the other side and put your mask up over half of your face, you put your hood over your head to block out the cold and keep as warm as you can.

The closer you got home, the more the grounds seemed familiar, the more your excitement rose. That becomes especially so as you get close to the dam.

“We’re almost there,” you squeal. “We’re almost home.” You quicken your pace, but look back as you the sound of Ellie blowing out air catches your attention. “Whatcha doin’?”

“I’m learning how to whistle,” she explains as she catches both you and your dad looking back at her now.

“You don’t know how to whistle?” Your dad queries.

Ellie pulls her hand out of her mouth to rebuttal. “Does it sound like I know how to whistle?”

“No,” you retort and look back ahead. “Just put your lips together and blow.

“I’ve tried that! It doesn’t work!”

You smirk and do it yourself before you look back at her to do it again.

Ellie shoots you a pointed glare and drops her hand to her side. “Well now you're just showing off,” she spats. “No one likes a show off.”

You smirk and counter. “Everyone likes me, so I guess it’s wrong.”

Ellie scoffs. “Have you ever heard of the word humble? Won’t hurt to know its definition.”

You grin and look ahead. “I do know it actually.” You whistle one more to piss her off.

This time she doesn’t retort back, instead you suddenly feel a snowball hit your back.

“Hey!” You exclaim and look back.

Ellie shoots you a smirk. “Show off,” she quips without shame.

You let out a small huff and stop walking to bend down and make a snowball. Ellie knows what you’re going to do and begins to walk back with a grin.

“Don’t,” she laughs and puts her hand out.

“Whistle,” you say. “And I won’t throw it. Oh wait,” you snicker. “You can’t.”

Ellie quickly bends down and collects a snowball, causing you guys to stay at a standstill to wait who’d throw it first.

“Throw it and I’ll push you in,” she threatens.

You begin to walk back and taunt her again with a whistle.

“Fucker!” Ellie runs and throws it, but you manage to turn out of the way, and it ends up hitting the back of your dads legs.

Ellie’s eyes go wide, and you and her stifle your laughs as he stops and looks back.

“It was me,” she admits with a smirk, and you let your snowball fall, and snicker.

Your dad looks between the two of you, he lets his gaze linger without saying anything. And when he does break his gaze away it’s to glance down at his wrist for a second before he lifts his eyes and lets out a deep annoyed sigh. “Enough foolin’ around, let’s go.” He grumbles and turns to continue on ahead, causing you guys to follow after him now.

“You guys should teach me how to hunt. Like, seriously,” Ellie says.

“Huh,” your dad breathes out.

“Huh,” Ellie mocks. “Like she’s a girl. she can’t handle it.”

“You can handle the shootin’” you assure her.

“Not so sure about the dressin’?” Your dad adds on to your comment.

“What’s the dressin’?” Ellie asks.

You look over at her and explain it to her. “It’s when you take the guts out.”

Ellie nods as she falls behind. “Oh, yeah. Why do they call it dressing? It’s like, you should call it undressing ‘cause it is. It’s like undressing from the inside.”

You hum in agreement and think about it now too.

“Still interested, though.” Ellie adds.

“I told you,” you tell her and grin as you see glimpses of the dam coming up. “Let’s just get more bullets, and we can do it.” You then run up ahead and stop at the top of the hill that overlooks the running water that goes through the dam.

Ellie and your dad catch up, and Ellie of course adds something to specialize the moment. “Dam.”

You and your dad share a judgmental gaze before he retorts for you. “You’re no Will Livingston.”

“Yeah, yeah, but who is?” She rebuttals. “So that made electricity?”

“Yeah,” your dad answers her. “Don’t ask me. I don’t have a clue.”

You smile wider and linger in your spot for a moment before you continue walking.

“You know, you could’ve just made something up,” Ellie interjects as they both follow you now whilst you try hard not to just run home out of pure joy. “I would’ve believed you.”

“You know,” you add on as you walk down, past the dam. “The dam still provides electricity. I’ve been told how, but I forgot, but there is light in Jackson, trust me.”

“Huh,” Ellie huffs out. “Well we're almost there aren’t we? We’ll see.”

“Yeah.” You mutter. “We will.”

Once you make it down you each step makes your heart beat pick up, each other footstep makes you wary since you know that the rangers out on pontrol should probably be approaching. It’s rare that they’d miss spotting the three of you.

“Look at that River,” Ellie points out. “It’s crazy blue. Hey, Joel, what if this is the River of Death?”

You hear him stop, so you stop even with your anticipation to get home, and wait for them. You watch him pull out his map to check what you’ve already pointed out.

“We’re close,” you break the silence. “Let’s go.”

As you take a few steps ahead, you come to a quick halt as the sound of horses neighing, their running footsteps steal your attention.

Your dad takes Ellie’s hand and tries to run away, while you stay in place and watch multiple people surround you, stopping Ellie and your dad right by you.

“Get behind me,” you hear your dad tell Ellie, before he grabs your hand and tries to pull you behind him too.

However, you slip your hand away and step forward again. You’re not scared, you recognize this tactic, you know the protocol, you know it’s them.

“We ain’t lookin’ for any trouble,” your dad interjects to try to ease the tension. “We’re just passin’ through.”

You glance around at all of them, all the faces of the people that surround the three of you. Since they all have hats, and masks over their faces it’s hard to identify who’s who. You doubt much has changed as far as routines go, maybe some people have been added here and there, but it should be the same otherwise. They might recognize you and ease the tension.

Albeit just as you lower your hand to take off your mask all guns point at you

“Keep your hands up!” The man at front yells.

“Yes,” you mutter and search the crowd again for Maria, she usually likes to patrol at the gate.

Behind you a dog begins to whine; maybe it’s the alert dog…fuck that’s right. Fuck.

“Drop the guns!” The man yells again.

You snap your gaze to your dad and give him an assuring nod before you both pull your guns off your shoulders, and place them on the ground. When you’re lifting your arms again is when you reach for your mask and pull it off, you then lift your hand further and pull off your hood, finally revealing your face to those ahead of you.

Again you search the crowd and behind the man you spot her, Maria. Her eyes land on you too and you see her ease her shoulders.

The man ahead lowers his gun slightly and squints his gaze slightly. “Holy shit,” he mutters. “The child protege returns.” He scoffs and glances back, you follow his line of gaze and see Maria getting off her horse, she lowers her mask and her eyes soften—“welcome home, Sunny.”

You smile with relief, and offer him a nod.

“You’re gonna have to stay there girl,” he adds. “You know the rules.”

You nod and look at Ellie and your dad. “It’s okay,” you mutter and keep your hands at your side.

“You been near infected?” He asks.

You shake your head and try to answer, but your dad beats you to it.

“There’s no infected out here.”

“The hell there ain’t,” the guy spats back and whistles, making a dog from ahead of you bark as he’s brought over.

Then who’s whining behind you?

“Last chance for a bullet. If you’ve been infected, he will smell it and he will rip you up.”

You swallow thickly and glance over at Ellie.

Usually the dog only detects active cordyceps, hers is…dormant considering it hasn’t spread? Or is it active?

Fuck.

The dog is let go from its leash and he first begins to walk to your dad. He first smells him to make sure, and once he smells nothing he jumps up and gives the all clear. After that the dog walks over to you, he smells your feet and your legs, before jumps on you and gives you the all clear.

“Good boy,” you coo at him and scratch him behind the ears.

The dog happily wags his tail before getting on all fours to walk back to his handler.

“Like I said, we’ll just move on,” your dad interjects. But it’s not that easy, they still need to make sure Ellie is clear. You can’t move otherwise, not even to greet Maria that is itching to meet up with you as much as you are to meet up with her.

“Now her,” they point to Ellie.

Your heart begins to race, and your mind begins to race faster. The dog begins to growl as he creeps towards her, so you look at your dad to see what he’d do, but you see that he’s frozen…he’s…frozen.

He must truly care about her….

Fuck.

You step back and face Ellie, and she looks over at you at that moment too to express her concern since your dad wouldn’t turn to face her.

“It's okay,” you mouth to her as the dog gets closer. “It’s okay.” You discreetly reach your fingers for your holstered gun. If the dog does detect the cordyceps then you’ll have to…wound it so he doesn’t hurt her, they’ll all probably hate you for it, but you can’t let her die.

The dog gets closer, he smells her for a few seconds before he looks up at her. You hold your breath and clench your jaw.

Ellie glances at you again, and you step forward, but the dog then barks and jumps on her, giving the all clear, and letting you relax and exhale deeply.

“Hi,” Ellie giggles and crouches down to pet the dog and let him lick her. “Hi!”

Now that he isn’t going to kill her, you look at the guy for the okay.

He catches you and points to Maria with his eyes. You immediately beam as your eyes begin to sting, and don’t wait a moment longer to break into a run towards her, meeting her halfway.

“Oh god,” she whispers as she throws her arms around you. “You’re here. You’ve been gone too long.”

You nod and ball up the material of her jacket in your fists as you nuzzle your head against her shoulder.

“I’m home,” your voice quivers, forgetting those you came with as you’re basked by the joy, and warmth of being in her arms again. It’s why you miss the curious stare of your dad, the confusion that grows within him, whilst Ellie begins to feel a spark of something deep within her, something she hasn’t felt about you before, jealousy…not for what you might have with Maria, but over how she holds you and what it can mean.

Sure at first she was slightly jealous of you, of how your father showed you affection, but that soon disappeared, quickly actually; the moment she saw you take down that man. And now after 3 months, after witnessing what happened 3 months ago together. After 2 months of you teaching her things she didn't know, things she wanted to know, now after having someone to talk to, someone to laugh with. Now after finally having another woman to bond with her instead of just your dad. After having no one but you and your dad, she’s grown quite attached to you too.

She knew you were heading home to your family, but something in her hoped you wouldn't be so overjoyed, she didn’t want you to stay with them. She wanted just you, your dad, and her. Even if she noticed how you and your dad barely even talked at the moment.

“You’re never leaving,” Maria says and rests her chin on your head. “You understand that?”

You laugh and nod. “Not plannin’ to.”

Maria tightens her hold around you for one more lingering second before she pulls back to grab your shoulders and look at you in the face, to see the happy tears that roll down your cheeks.

“Tommy is going to freak out,” she says with a happy smile. “I was so worried,” she sighs and caresses your cheeks as she looks deep into your eyes.

You try to hide it well, the sadness brought by your still very much active grief, but can she tell in this small interaction?

“I’m home now,” you assure her. “I’m okay.”

“Are you?” She asks.

You nod and offer her a brighter smile. “I…am.”

She hums, and caresses your chin once more before letting you go, and letting you turn to introduce who you’re here with now that you remember that you’re still surrounded. But before you can, a big red bloodhound comes running at you and tackles you to the ground with all its force to start licking you, and whining out of joy.

“Hey!” You hear Ellie exclaim with concern.

“Ahh,” you groan and keep tilting your head away so you wouldn’t be licked in your mouth. “That’s a good boy, Achilles,” you tell him. “I missed you too man, but you’re heavy.”

“Maybe he’ll help you get cleaned up,” you hear someone say as they approach you. “Achilles, get off her man.”

The dog does as he’s told, letting someone else come to view as they stand above you now, blocking the natural bright light that almost blinds you, but shines around his head like he’s some majestic being.

“Fuck,” he gasps and throws his hand out to offer it to you.

As if it can be possible you grin brighter at the sight of his familiar soft brown eyes that gleam with happiness, and his beaming smile that spreads on his square jaw. You take his hand and let him help you off the ground, you stay there in front of each of other for a lingering moment just staring at one another with longing that comes rushing back at you—you also notice he doesn’t seem to aged much, he looks pretty much the same, except for his hair, it’s longer, fluffier, and no longer shaven.

It looks good that way. It’s nice to see him again. seeing your best friend since you joined the fireflies years ago brings even more ease to your wounded heart. It makes you excited, so much so that you squeal before you throw your arms around his neck.

“Jesus,” he mutters as he holds onto you. “I knew you’d make it.” He nuzzles his head against your shoulder, and you close your eyes to nuzzle your face against him.

“I’m finally home,” you whisper as if you can’t believe it.

He hums and begins to rub your back, he lets you bask in his embrace until you’re the one that wants to let go.

“You grew out your hair,” you point out with a smile and brush back the ends of his hair. “I like it.”

You begin to turn to face your dad and Ellie, but he turns with you to keep holding your gaze with a soft look that matches yours.

“Yeah,” he scoffs and grows cocky. “I knew you were coming, so I was like, I’m going to grow it for her since I know she likes it that way.”

You roll your eyes, but keep your smile as you walk past him to face your dad and Ellie now.

“They’re okay,” you assure the group. “They’re with me. That man is,” you exhale and share a glance with Maria. “My dad, Joel, the girl is Ellie.”

Slowly they both put their hands down, but the guns remain pointed.

“You vouch for them?” The guy asks you.

You glance at him and meet his gaze to nod. “Yep.”

The guy nods in comprehension and lowers his gun, letting the others do the same.

“Let’s get them on some horses and get them inside,” the guy instructs.

You glance at Ellie and your dad once before you turn on your heels to follow Maria.

“That’s your dad?” Apollo asks quietly beside you as he makes his horse, and his dog Achilles follows him as you all head home. “Are you gonna present me or what?”

“Shut up, Apollo,” you snap back and nudge him.

Apollo laughs and looks back. “I kinda see it between him and Tommy.”

You giggle. “Well they are brothers. You and Atlas look alike for that same reason.”

“You and your sister didn't look alike,” Apollo quickly rebuttals.

You huff out. “‘Cause we were half sisters, duh, do you want it explained to you how that works? Mama,” you look at Maria up on her horse now. “You want to explain to Apollo how that works.”

“Don’t be an ass,” Apollo retorts and nudges you.

You giggle, and notice Maria smirk.

Not so long after that Ellie, your dad, and you are whisked to some horses, finally being able to rest your feet and not have to walk the rest of the way to Jackson. You come to recognize most of the rangers who had given you that cold welcome, and greet all those you knew and that knew you.

You weren’t inside the walls yet, you haven’t seen your uncle yet, but you did feel more safe now, more comforted now that you aren’t out in the open. Now that you’re only minutes from home.

“I can’t wait to share the hell I’ve been through these past two years,” you interject on your way home. “You guys won’t fucking believe it.”

Apollo glances over at you and narrows his gaze to quip. “Maybe.” He licks his lips and looks serious. “You should tell it in the form of a play, hm?”

He’s making fun of you, funny.

“Yeah,” you go along with him. “The adventures of y/n Miller, one woman show, the musical.” You smirk and bounce your eyebrows.

“Who would play you?” He counters. “‘Cause,” he says and sucks in air through his teeth. “I hate to break it to you, but singing isn’t for you, you can play the guitar, but it’s singing that just….” He shakes his head.

You drop your jaw, peel your eyes wide as if suddenly hit with excitement, and snap your fingers to share your thought. “I have the best idea. Maybe…your mom can do it?”

Apollo goes serious, and you stifle your laugh as you grin at him.

“Can I get a bump?” You tease him and stick your fist out at your other side to offer Ellie a fistbump since she’s riding beside you.

Ellie’s confused at first, but she doesn’t leave you hanging. Apollo shakes his head with a frown, so you now offer him your fist.

“Come on,” you encourage him. “Don’t leave me hanging, it was funny.” You giggle.

Apollo rolls his eyes but very lightly hits your fist. “Only because you’re back,” he mutters.

You shrug sweetly and shoot him a sweet smile.

“It was a lame joke,” Ellie mutters.

You roll your eyes to her and sigh. “Well, I think it works,” you assure yourself. “It was good at the moment.” You flash her a smile.

Jackson isn’t far now, you all make it there quickly by horse. That wooden wall comes to view soon, and after being gone for so long, it’s such a heavenly sight. What once felt like a trapdoor, what once felt like a cage is now nothing but paradise. Walking in was such a fucking relief too. There was instant comfort in all the buildings, some that have had some tweaks and others that remain the same.

“Welcome back home,” Maria tells you as the gates close behind you.

You shoot her a smile and continue to look around at all the people, and then focus on the Christmas decorations, letting you know come up to date with what month it was; December! It’s almost Christmas!

Yet, even as happy as you feel, there’s a sadness that stabs your heart, that reminds you of that pain…

Henry and Sam should be here. They should’ve made it this far, they should’ve seen all this. You promised them…

“Y/N?!”

You snap away from your thoughts and look behind you where the call had come from, that’s when you see another familiar face, a close friend from your firefly days, and Apollo’s younger brother.

You turn your frown the other way around so they won’t worry. “Atlas!” You call out and climb off the horse, letting the man behind you take it for you.

“I knew it was you!” Atlas exclaims as you both run to meet halfway in an embrace. “Holy fuck!” He chuckles. “Fuck! I thought you were dead!”

You laugh softly and pat his back. “I made it, like I said I would.”

He smiles and caresses the back of your neck with his soft hands. “We missed you. Home wasn’t the same without you.”

You pull back and offer him a happy smile. “You haven’t aged,” you point out.

“Nah,” he winks. “Just got more handsome.”

You scrunch your nose in disgust and pull away from him completely.

Atlas smirks and glances at the pair you came in with as they walk away further in town. “You’ve brought company.”

You nod and turn to walk after them now, seeing Apollo approach on foot. “Yeah, that’s my dad,” you let Atlas know.

Atlas snaps his head to you and furrows his thick dark eyebrows. “No fucking way. Like, your dad, dad?”

Why are they so in disbelief that he’s your dad? Is there something you’re missing?

“Yeah.” You nod and scoff. “Him.” You let out a sigh and watch Apollo fall by your other side now. “I’ve got a question,” you abruptly change the subject as curiosity grows. “Are you still with redhead Jessica?”

Atlas begins to snicker, but Apollo answers before his brother can blurt the news.

“We broke up.”

You perk up instantly.

“Yeah,” Atlas bounces off his brother's announcement. “She cheated on him.” He smirks.

What a relief…not the cheating part.

Well…kinda…

“Yeah,” Apollo sighs as he shoots his brother a glare. “It happened like a year ago.”

You smile and let him see it. “Bad news, told ya.”

“Whatever,” Apollo retorts.

“Atlas! You rangle up stragglers?!” You hear a woman shout.

Apollo and you snap your heads to the side, seeing Atlas spin around to walk backwards so he can look at the young girls that had spoken to him.

“Yep!” Atlas lies. “Bad ones too! I spotted them myself, kept them from getting shot.”

You and Apollo share an amused and judgemental look before continuing to watch Atlas, noticing at that moment a pile of shit that one of the horses dropped just now; and Atlas was walking right towards it.

“A thousand that he steps in it,” you offer Apollo.

Your friend scoffs and shakes his head. “No need, he’s going to step in it.”

You both snicker and watch Atlas continue to walk back.

“Let’s meet later while everyone is at the movies, I’ll tell you all about it, and my recent patrol!”

The girls giggle and nod. “Let’s do it!” One of the girls accepts.

Atlas shoots them a wink, and as he does he runs into the pile of hot horse shit.

Without looking, as if you hadn’t ever left, Apollo and you share a proud highfive at his brother's carelessness.

“Oh man!” Atlas exclaims. “What the hell?!”

“Y/N?!” Someone yells, this one more familiar and soothing than before.

You snap your eyes ahead, and there in the middle of the crowd that had greeted you outside the gates, beside your dad, is your uncle Tommy.

“Uncle Tommy!” You call back with instant tears filling your eyes as you’re slammed with unmeasurable relief, more bliss than you’ve felt since you saw your dad for the first time.

Your uncle Tommy smiles softly and without hesitation, before wasting another second you both break through barriers of space to collide, to throw your arms around one another and hold each other.

“Oh, babygirl,” he whispers as he caresses your back, and holds you in his arms tightly as if he would lose you if his hold was too loose.

“Uncle Tommy,” you cry after not being able to hold it any longer.

“Oh,” he breathes out. “My sweet Sunny.”

As you held him, as you cried into his shoulder, you felt finally home, secured. This was home. Him. Uncle Tommy. For so long he was all you had after your dad left, for so long even when your dad was there he was the light that didn’t flicker away. He was the hope you almost lost. He was home, just as much as you were his.

Yes, as you hugged him, as you held him close you did notice the faint look of hurt in your dads eyes as he saw the interaction, it hurt you seeing it. But isn’t this what he wanted when he left you? When he drove you away? When you weren’t enough for him?

When you weren’t enough for him to stay and be your dad?

.

Tagged- @slut-f0r-u @star-wars-lover @traceylader @givemylovetoall @itzagothamcitysiren @sammy-13 @beloved-reblogger @emiriia @rues-daya @sunfairyy @littleshadow17 @mcu-starwars @bigtuffswordboy @riaqiax @dheet @queenofthekill @joliettes @d4rno @dgraysonss @rana030 @punisherinthealps @pedropascalluvr41 @ahoyyharrington @beaniebeensbaby201@maeneedsabreak@maelartasch@adristyles@daughterofthequeen @alastorhazbin @ririvilliams @khaylin27

[slushybug]

baby come hooooooome

[fallingforholland]

Haircuts and Happy endings

Pairing: Harry Holland x Reader

Warnings: none

Summary: The reader decides to donate her lovely long locks to charity. But how will her boyfriend, Harry, react?

A/N: so this is my first ever fanfic. Let me know what you think!

*******************************************************************************************You and Harry had been dating for a while. He loved everything about you. The way your face looked when you laughed at his stupid jokes. The way you posed when he pointed his camera at you. The way you treated his family like your own. But he’d be lying if he said that he didn’t love your hair the most. There was just something about the way your (Y/H/C) looked, even just thrown up in a messy bun.

“You’re gonna what now?” Harry questioned, confused.

“Harry, honey, calm down. It’s just a haircut. And it’s for a good cause.” You tried to calm him down.

“But, babe, I love your hair the way it is. I don’t want it to change” Harry mumbled, pouting

“Harry, are you really pouting right now?” You walked up to him and put your hands on his cheeks, making him look at you. “I’m still gonna be me. I’m still the girl you love. If you really don’t want me to do this I won’t. But you know why this means so much to me.”

“God, what did I do to deserve a girl as good as you. I’m just being a big baby. Can I come with you.” He perked up

“Nope.” You shook your head

“Why not”

“Because, I want it to be a surprise!” You said, bouncing on the balls of your feet with excitement.

“You’re such a child” harry said, rolling his eyes.

************************{time skip to after the hair cut}*********************************

You tug down your hat, making sure that it covers all your hair, then you open the door to your apartment. Harry is sitting on the edge of the couch.

“Honey, I’m hooooooome.” You called

Harry jumped off the couch and practically leaped over to you. He reached for the hat, but you grabbed his hands to stop him.

“Uh uh uh. Close your eyes.” You grabbed his hands in yours and held them there.

“Ugh, fine” he squeezed his eyes shut. You slowly let go of his hands then pulled the hat off. You quickly fixed your hair then said “alright, open sesame”

His eyes flew open. His hands immediately went to your hair and slowly ran through the now ridiculously short hair. Your eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of your boyfriends' hands in your hair. You kissed him gently on the lips. Instinctively, his hands went from your hair to your waist and held you close. You pulled away from him and he leaned his forehead against yours.

“So do you like it?” You innocently looked at him.

“No babe. I love it.” He said with a smirk then kissed you again. With more passion than the last.

[whysojiminimnida]

Baby came hooooooome 😍🥰😍🥰😍

Oh, come let us adore him, etc.

JM on IG 17 June 2022

So, JM’s back on IG.

[evanstandefensesquad-blog]

Paper Moon Part 16

MB - @thecountessakasha - back again. I hope you’re ready for Part 16! There’s no smut, it’s literally all fluff, so apologies in advance.

I’m going to tag a couple people who I’ve told about this and my really special love who keeps betaing this for me @evansscruff - thank you, darling.

A/N: Bucky and Steve end up at a venue that has a 40s night and meet an OFC, Melissa Rose, a singer in a local club. They both are smitten by her, and start to vie for her affections. They end up finding out more about themselves in the process.

This honestly started out as maybe a one shot but as I got going, I decided it’ll be chapters. How many? No frigging idea. This is my absolute first time writing a fic of any sort and yes I did base the OFC on myself. I hope y'all enjoy.

Word count: 4100+ because I am a wordy bitch.

Warnings: FLUFF to the Goddamn max. Gonna rot your teeth. Panic attack. Oh, and cussing. Like always.

STEVE’S POV

Holy shit, I am so nervous. OK. OK, Steve. Calm down. It’s your birthday, it’s your party. It’ll be fine.

I’m pacing around my bedroom, wringing my hands. Tonight’s the night I tell Melissa and Bucky about what I’ve gotten for them. I love them. They love me. So why am I on pins and needles? I just want them to be happy. But this is huge. The three of us living together.

We practically do anyway. Whenever I’m not out on missions, I’m there with them at the apartment. I don’t think there’s been a night Bucky’s spent at the tower since the fateful day we took the big leap into this relationship.

Tony wanted a lavish affair tonight, so I’m in my blue tuxedo. As I finish with the buttons on my shirt, I feel my nervous tics start up: pacing. Brushing my hair to the side. Overthinking.

Neither Melissa nor Bucky are here. They’re both at her place, getting ready. She asked me to come over after I was done so that she could spend a little time with only us before the big shindig.

Grabbing the gift Bucky and I have for her and the one that I have for the pair, I head out to the elevator practically running over Natasha in the process and dropping the packages she had beautifully wrapped for us.

“Damn, I’m sorry Nat,” I mutter bending down to pick them up. She’s just standing there laughing at me.

“Jesus, Rogers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous. Not even on your first date out of the ice.”

The boxes tremble in my hands. “Nat, this is a big deal. What if they say no? Well, I mean, Bucky probably won’t, but Melissa might. It was so hard on us, on her especially, when everything became public. What if she decides that this step is a step too far? That it’s all too much for her? I don’t think I can handle that kind of rejection.” I drop my eyes to the packages that I’m trying desperately not to crush in my large hands as my nerves begin to get the better of me.

Nat watches me, gauging her words carefully. She places a hand on my wrist, her voice soft. “Steve. It’s going to be fine. She loves you. She loves Bucky. She loves you both so deeply it’s honestly awe inspiring. I’ve never seen a woman with more capacity to love than her. You know she would do anything for you, right? For both of you. For either of you. She’s sacrificed so much to take a chance on a scary thing just to experience the love that you give back to her. To experience more love than she’s ever had in her entire life. Trust in that. Trust in the love you three share. You’ve got no reason to doubt her. She’s stuck with you this far. She’s not going anywhere.”

My eyes fill with tears at her words. I quickly swipe the cresting drops away from my face and nod. “You’re right. You’re right. It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be perfect.”

“Of course it is, old man.” The redhead’s hand smacks me on the shoulder as she laughs. “You’d better get going if you’re gonna head over there before the party starts.”

I give her a quick hug, “Thanks, Nat. And thanks for being such a good friend to her. She really loves you.”

“And I love her. And if you hurt her, either of you, I’ll hurt you.” She winks and disappears.

Damn, she’s scary when she wants to be. I love how protective she is of Melissa, though. It puts me at ease. If Bucky or I can’t be around, Melissa will be well looked after.

I gather myself, grab my jacket, tuck the boxes under my arm and head out of the tower on the way to Melissa’s place. With a spring in my step I reach the club, using my keys to slip in the front door. The owner is there, taking inventory behind the bar and he calls out to me. “Hey there Captain Rogers. Happy birthday! Thanks for the invite to the party tonight. I’ve always wanted to see the place.” He chuckles nervously and I reach out to shake his hand.

“It was absolutely no trouble. You’ve been wonderful to Melissa, wonderful to us. You’re more than welcome anytime, Johnny.” I give him a little salute as I head upstairs and he relaxes a little and gets back to his counting.

I reach the top step and make my way into the apartment. Tossing my keys into the bowl set upon the table by the door, I yell, “Honeys, I’m hooooooome!”

There’s a groan from the kitchen, and I turn to see Melissa rolling her eyes at me. “You are such a dork, Steven.” She shakes her head as she walks over to meet me.

As I take in the vision before me, I’m overcome. “My god you look incredible, Maîtresse.” She’s wearing a dress I’ve never seen-a dazzling, shimmering red floor length piece, tight around the bosom, dipping low in front and hugging her curves before flaring out at the hem. There’s a long slit up her right thigh, and the straps of the dress are thin spaghetti style. It shimmers in the light. She’s a little taller tonight because of the silver, strappy heels she’s wearing.

She stops and twirls around, her dark silver laced waves bouncing around her shoulders, “You really think so? It’s not too much? I don’t want to take any attention away from you, lover. It’s your party, after all.” She gives a small scoff, rolling her eyes.

I reach out for her hands, pulling her to me. I slide my fingers up her arms and over her shoulders, tracing the lines of her tattoos, fingertips sliding up her neck. She gives a soft moan at my touch, and I lean down to brush my lips against her jaw, “Oh, Melissa. When will you learn that you deserve the spotlight that you’re made for it?”

Her breath hitches as she melts at my words. She pulls me into a deep, lingering kiss, as her hands slide up and into the hair at the back of my neck. We’re getting lost in each other when we hear a voice. “Oh ho, starting without me, are we?”

Melissa and I giggle, smiling against each others mouths, and leave little soft kisses behind. She turns to look at the source of the voice. “Now, now, baby boy. Don’t get your boxers in a twist.”

Bucky looks devastatingly handsome in his black tux. He’s let his hair grow back out because Melissa likes it longer and it’s pulled back in a loose ponytail. There’s a smirk plastered on his face and he walks over to the pair of us with his characteristic swagger, “Then maybe you two should give me a kiss so’s I don’t feel left out.”

She snorts softly and pulls him down to her mouth roughly, claiming him with a searing kiss before releasing him so I can do the same. As he and I swirl our tongues around each other’s she murmurs, “Happy now, beloved?”

Bucky hums softly against my lips and nods, “Oh yeah. Definitely.”

She smacks him on the ass, which surprises him and causes him to yelp. “Now behave, brat. It’s Steve’s day.”

He rubs a hand over the cheek she swatted with a pout on his lips. “Yes ma'am.”

Melissa grabs my hand and Bucky’s metal one and tugs us over toward the living room. “Alright boys. Enough playing around. We don’t have a lot of time before we need to head to the tower and I have something I want to give the both of you.”

Bucky and I look at each other with matching surprised expressions as we sit down on the sofa together.

She disappears down the hall toward the bedroom. “Melissa. It’s Steve’s birthday, why did you get me something?” Bucky calls after her.

“Hush yer mouth, baby boy. You deserve a present, too.” she intones as she re-emerges holding two small boxes, one red and one blue.

Her small hands thrust the boxes at us, Bucky receiving the red one as I get the blue. She’s staring at us, wide eyed, looking nervous as she chews on her bottom lip. “Well, go on. Open ‘em up.”

We tear into the small packages then open the boxes. Inside each is a bracelet, small, made of what looks to be titanium. The one in Bucky’s box is black. Mine is brushed silver. Simple, yet very lovely. Next to each one, nestled in the cotton padding is a tiny screwdriver.

“I know neither of you are big on jewelry. But I really wanted to get you both something that you could keep with you. I wanted something small so that you could wear it with your uniforms and such. And I thought rings were too presumptive.” Melissa’s face colors brightly and she looks away from us.

She clears her throat, “So, I thought these would work. They’re low profile and being titanium they’ll hold up to wear and tear.” Her brows knit and she pauses a moment before continuing, “They’re also symbolic. Of me claiming the two of you as my own.”

We look at each other then back to her, smiles gracing both of our faces. “Beloved, I’m honored. Truth be told you, claimed me the night we met. I love you with all that I am.” Bucky holds the bracelet out to her with the screwdriver. “Please, Angel. I’m yours.”

Her small fingers shake as she opens the bracelet, then turns it to show him. “I’ve had them engraved. Bucky, you’re the light in the dark. You bring my nights back from the brink. You’re My Moon. Yours says Ma Lune.” She slides the small piece of metal around his right wrist and closes the latch by tightening the screw. Once she’s done, she kisses the palm of his hand.

“Steve, you are the brightest star I’ve ever known. You give your life and warmth to all those around you. You make me bloom. You’re My Sun. Yours says Mon Soleil.” With her fingers still shaking, she repeats the actions with my right wrist, sealing it with a kiss on my palm.

I cup her cheek and brush my thumb across the bone, “Maîtresse, I’ve been yours from the first night we spent together running the streets of the city without a care in the world. I fell so hard for you that night, I knew I could never look back. I love you more than life.” I pull her into my lap, kissing her hotly.

Bucky slides in next to us and starts kissing her shoulder. Melissa laughs softly against my mouth as his lips tickle her skin. “Now, now boys. We can’t be late for the party.”

He and I both groan in resignation, knowing she’s right. Besides, we still have to give her our present. “Fine, fine, doll. But Bucky and I have a gift for you as well.”

Her mouth drops open and she shakes her head, “You shouldn’t have gotten me anything, mes amours. I don’t need anything other than you two.”

I slide her off my lap and plop her onto Bucky’s so I can get up and grab the boxes I brought with me. His brows knit seeing two instead of one and I grin broadly at him.

The bigger one wrapped in matte black paper I set on the table. Handing her the long slender box wrapped in beautiful silver paper, I nod to her, “This is from me and Buck. We really hope you like it.”

BUCKY’S POV

I’m grinning from ear to ear as she holds the gift in her hand. She keeps shaking her head, “You boys really shouldn’t have gotten me anything. This is Steve’s special day, not mine.”

“Sugar, you got me a present today, too. So you’re not playing by the rules either.” I click my tongue at her.

She rolls her eyes as Steve laughs, “Alright fine!” Her fingers tear at the paper and when she reaches the box she opens it slowly, as if it contained something that might jump out and bite her. Finally she opens the box and gasps, her eyes meeting mine then Steve’s.

Melissa’s voice comes out nearly a whisper, “Oh my god, boys. This is… wow.” Her small fingers pluck the pretty, delicate chain and the dog tags out of the pile of cotton. “Are these…?”

“The originals? Oh yes. But we did have them plated in platinum so they would be more durable, and let’s be honest, prettier.” Steve is rubbing her arm lovingly as we watch tears gather in her eyes.

“This is so thoughtful and special. I am… I can’t believe you would give these to me.” The tears break through her lashes and drop onto her cheeks.

I reach out and brush them away. “Don’t cry, Angel. We thought it would make you happy. You understand what they mean more than anyone else would. How special it would be for you to wear one of each of ours. I already wear one of his and he wears one of mine. Now you get the other half. As it should be.”

She’s trembling as she unclasps the chain and lets Steve put it around her neck and refasten it for her. Once on, they rest just above her glorious breasts. Of course I noticed that. I’m old, not dead. And have you seen her? Jesus…

“My cup runneth over…” Melissa flings her arms around my neck, kissing me messily, full of the love she constantly shows us. She shifts on my lap to pull Steve into the same kind of kiss. She’s still choking back little sobs of happy tears when Steve pulls away.

“Since we’re doing the gift giving now, I have something else.” He reaches over to grab the other package he brought. “This is for the both of you.”

She and I turn to each other and she gestures for me to open it. I tear the paper off revealing a thin black box. Opening it, I see one of Steve’s sketchbooks. I immediately look up at him and he’s blushing brightly, “I… I’ve been drawing you two. That book is full of nothing but you and Melissa. Together and separately.”

Melissa takes the book out of the box and starts to flip through it. “Oh, Steven. These are beautiful.” She runs her fingers over a drawing of me, lounging on the sofa, and giggles. “Your natural habitat, baby boy.”

“Ha, ha. Very funny.” I roll my eyes and turn a couple pages. Here I see Melissa and myself in our little park, hidden from the world by our hoodies and baggy clothes and sunglasses. “Stevie, these are perfect. God, you are so talented. If you ever give up the shield you can open your own gallery. Speaking of which….” I glance at Melissa and she nods. I lift her up off of my lap and set her back on her feet while I go get the huge basket we’ve put together for him.

Steve’s eyes widen when he sees me come back in. “What did you two do?” Grinning, I set the basket down on the coffee table in front of him.

“Well, the first thing we did is clear out that far corner of the living room.” Steve’s eyes follow Melissa’s finger as she points over to the far side of the room. “You need a studio, so this is the best we could do for now. That’s your space. And to fill it, we got all these supplies for you.”

I pick up the basket once more and shove it at him. He’s stunned silent. I hear Melissa start to giggle softly as he finally takes it from me. “You two…” He shakes his head and starts to dig through the goodies. “You’re too good to me.”

“Steve, you deserve this and more. So much more.” I snatch the card out of the basket and slide it into his hand as I kiss the back of his neck. “This is from me, with a little help from Natalia and Tony.”

He opens the envelope and removes the card. Inside are the special tickets Natalia had printed up, and as he reads them over he gasps softly.

“Bucky, Oh my god. This is amazing!” He leans over and shows them to Melissa who whispers, “Wow.”

“It’s tomorrow night. Tony says even if a mission comes up, you’re off.” I’m beaming at him as he closes the gap between us, pulling me into his arms, wrapping me up tightly. We hug, just enjoying the feeling of each other as Melissa watches, her teeth pressed into her lower lip as the corners of her mouth curl into a soft smile.

Steve moves his hands to cup my jaw, “I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening than in the Museum of Modern Art with the two people I love more than life. Thank you, Buck.”

MELISSA’S POV

I cannot even express the joy and love I feel in this moment. Who knew I could ever be this happy? I certainly never believed I deserved it. But they’ve proven me wrong. And the continue to do so every day.

As Steve pulls away from Bucky he grabs my hand in his. He looks as if he wants to say something, but scared to do so.

“Steven, lover, what’s wrong?” I brush my thumb across the back of his hand watching his expression. He’s obviously fighting with himself in his head. My eyes shift to Bucky’s and I raise my shoulders a little as we exchange confused glances.

Steve clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck- a sign that he’s nervous. His cheeks color and he stammers out, “Guys, I… I’m real grateful you did all of this, working to provide me a makeshift studio here so that I could be with you more.”

“It was nothing, Steve. I wish we could have done more. I wish there was another room here, you could have it for your own.” I raise his hand to my cheek, letting him form his palm to it as I nuzzle into his touch. My fingers trace delicately on his wrist.

Bucky chuffs out, “Yeah, babe. We want you to be comfortable when you’re drawing, creating. To have everything here, organized so you can easily find what you need. We know how happy it makes you. We just wanted to facilitate that.”

He’s starting to pace now, pulling away from us both and shoves his hands in his pants pockets. I hear a jingle, like keys, and if I hear it I know Bucky does, too.

“Honey lamb, what is it? What’s wrong?” I watch Steve closely and his actions are starting to make me nervous. I move over to him placing my hands on his chest to stop his movements. “Spit it out, Steven.” My voice comes out a bit lower and more stern than I intended it to, but he needs the firmness.

He looks at me, beautiful blue eyes swimming with adoration. “I love you, Melissa. I love you and Bucky more than I have ever loved anyone or anything in this world. I want nothing more than to live the rest of my life making the both of you happy.”

“We love you, too, babe. So much. More than life.” Bucky reaches out and takes one of Steve’s hands in his. Steve’s other hand reaches into his pocket pulling out two little shield shaped key chains, two keys dangling from each one. He places one in my hand and one in Bucky’s.

I’m gawking wide eyed at the one in my hand, Bucky’s doing the same. After a moment we look at each other then gaze at Steve waiting for his explanation.

He laughs softly, awkwardly before finally taking a deep breath and releasing it in words. “IkindasortaboughtusabrownstoneinBrooklyn…”

“Wait. What the fuck did you just say?” I look at the keys in my hand and jingle them a little. The noise seems to wake him slightly and he sighs.

“I bought us a brownstone. A whole brownstone. I’ve had it renovated into a single dwelling. It’s in Brooklyn. It’s for the three of us to make a life in.” Steve sinks onto the sofa, his nerves getting the better of him. He watches us stand there, gaping like fish.

Bucky is the first to speak. “Stevie. Wow.” He immediately moves to Steve’s side and sits beside him. Bucky pulls Steve’s chin and makes him turn his head. “Baby, that’s incredible. I couldn’t be happier than I am right now.” He leans in and captures Steve’s lips with his own with a soft, precious kiss.

I’m nervously shifting from foot to foot as I stay rooted in place, still in shock. I keep fingering the keys in my hand and finally the boys realize I’ve not said anything.

“Doll? Are you alright?” Steve’s brows are pressed together in concern. His voice lowers, nearly shifting to Captain mode. “Melissa.” His voice cracks. “Say something. Please.”

Bucky reaches out for me, gesturing for me to come over. But I can’t. I can’t seem to move. Something’s wrong. My head… my chest. He’s instantly on his feet and so is Steve. My two giant bookends.

Bucky know. He knows. The panic attack is on me. Steve realizes it now, and they both stand coming over to me. I start panting and the hand with the keys goes to my chest. Bucky leans down and starts to murmur softly, “Angel. Take my hands.”

I hear him, I do. But it’s like a buzzing in my ears. He brings his hands to my arms and slowly runs them down the length before grasping my hands in his. Focus on his hands. Bucky’s hands. I grip them tight, squishing the keys between my flesh and his metal. They stab me and that brings me around to the present. My eyes snap to his, wide, and he’s grinning. “There she is. Hi, babydoll.”

He scoops me up and sits back on the sofa with me in his lap. In a flash, Steve is there beside us. His hands tentatively stroke my shoulders and when I moan a little he seems to relax and massage them in earnest. “You scared us, love.” Bucky’s hands find purchase on my hips.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I don’t know why your gift, your huge, incredible gift set me off. I guess maybe…” I shake my head and close my eyes before I stammer, “I.. I d-don’t deserve you.”

Steves hands move to my cheeks and he pulls my gaze to his, “You deserve the world for how you’ve grounded me, made me happy, given me a life, a real life. But for now, a brownstone in Brooklyn where the three of us can be together is going to have to suffice.” He leans in and kisses the tip of my nose. “The world will come, Madame Rose. I’ll make sure of it.”

I giggle at the kiss and Bucky’s hands squeeze my hips, “Guys, we’ve got to get this show on the road. We can’t have the birthday boy be late for his own party.”

Steve and I snort together and l lean back to kiss Bucky’s lips before rising from his lap. He groans at the loss of contact for a second and I laugh, “You’ll have me in your lap again soon enough, babyboy. We’ll need to properly celebrate The Captain’s birthday later tonight, after all.”

I feel Steve’s hands grab my waist yanking me to where he’s still seated and I stand between his legs looking down on him. He’s grinning like an idiot, that Goddamn big goofy smile he wears when he’s happy beyond words. “God I love you, Melissa.”

My small hands cup his jaw as I press a soft, sweet kiss to his perfect, plump mouth. “I love you, too, Steven.” my hand shoots out, grabbing Bucky by his collar and pulling him to me before placing my lips against his, “And you, James. I love you, too.”

They both rise now and I straighten my dress, mess with my hair in the mirror above the entry table, open my clutch and drop the keys to the brownstone and the apartment inside. They meet me at the door as I’m opening it and suddenly I feel a smack on both my ass cheeks. I yelp, “What the-!” They’re both laughing as they shuffle me out the door.

The death of me.

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