#but I have a focus and I hope to share it someday.

[buubonita]

I generally have no problem if a writer wants to write Nightmare as someone who cares about others. Its okay. You should write for yourself, and its up to others if they like it or not.

But I'd rather see Nightmare struggle with his own nature in the process. Learning to be better must be a difficult path for him, and I've said before that his "wanting" would not be healthy because of what Nightmare embodies. He can't help but hurt others in his loving ways. And that's much more entertaining to read. How the others react to this attempt and how this could change their dynamic? Would this draw them all closer to each other? I'd dying to see it!

My problem with canon Nightmare is that while the concept is amazing, the execution is not of my liking, the creator said Nightmare is not a person like Dream, he is a THING that acts by nature.

And i have this in mind all the time because you can yet make him move and act conditioned by his nature and do a lot of more of the character by just being "oooh ohh he is so mean!!" Give him an identity to start with maybe? Give him motivations besides his survive? Yeah.

[anonymouscheeses]

A little fluffy angst for my chaggie heart. 🫶

Tried a new shading style, idk, im always experimenting 4 sum reson, but i like this one alot!! Wt do yall think?

Ive lost my hyperfixation in hazbin and this couple. For now i prt much just like chaggie. And i dont really have the dire passion that i once had. Maybe when season 2 comes out ill be all over it and have my hyperfixation once again. But right now im js kinda distancing myself from hazbin. Chaggie will always have a place in my heart and ill always love it for the healthiness and love they share and i hope someday ill have the same perfectly flawed relationship as them. For now thouh, im going to focus a bit more on my other interests, like Descendants: ror and Red Dead Redemption 2, and obviously INSIDE OUT 2!! I cant wait to show you guys art of my current fsvorites :>> 🫶🫶

Dont you worry though, im not going to stop makin art of Chaggie anytime soon! They just may be a little less frequent, but never once will i stop drawing my favorite babiesss!!

(Oh also arcane, whenever that comes out. I can just FEEL the hf rolling in once it releases. Mmm. Maybe not, i can never guess when i gain an interest 🤧)

[chestersturniolo]

𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘴

Matt Sturniolo x fem!reader

•the heart wrenching notion of right person, wrong time •

warnings; none apart from no happy ending!

••••••••

It was a cool evening, the kind where the air was crisp but not cold enough to make you shiver. You sat on the park bench, as the sun started to set. You could hear the soft rustle of leaves and the distant noise of the main streets, but all you could focus on was Matt sitting beside you.

Months had led up to this moment—months of late-night conversations, spontaneous adventures, and sharing parts of yourself you hadn’t shown anyone else. He was the kind of person who made you laugh without trying, who knew when to talk and when to simply sit in silence with you. And yet, here you were, on the verge of saying goodbye.

“Timing is such a cruel thing, isn’t it?” Matt said softly, breaking the stillness between you. His voice had that familiar warmth, but there was a heaviness to it now, a sadness.

You nodded, struggling to find words for a moment. "Yeah…it really is”

Matt turned to look at you, his blue eyes catching the last bits of sunlight. The conflict in them was clear—he wanted this as much as you did, but there was something bigger, something neither of you could change. “If things were different—if we’d met just a year from now, maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation”

You swallowed the lump in your throat. “I’ve thought about that a lot too. But it’s not a year from now…It’s now…”

Matt looked down at his hands, his fingers tracing the edge of the bench. “I can’t ask you to wait for me. It’s not fair. My career... this move... it’s going to change everything, and I don’t even know what that looks like for me yet. I don’t want to drag you into something uncertain”

He was leaving to pursue his youtube career with his brothers in LA — a dream opportunity, something he’d worked so hard for. You were proud of him, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. The timing, as always, was off. The universe had a funny way of bringing people together just to pull them apart again.

“I don’t want to hold you back, either” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “You deserve this, Matt. And I... I have things I need to figure out too”

It wasn’t a lie. You had your own ambitions, your own dreams you were chasing. But that didn’t change the fact that, right now, sitting next to him, you wished things were different. You wished the rest of the world would stop for a while, so the two of you could just exist here, without all the complications.

Matt sighed and leaned back, looking up at the sky. “You know what’s funny? I’ve never felt more connected to someone than I do with you. But life… life just won’t wait”

You turned to him, heart aching. “What if we’re making a mistake? What if we’re letting something slip away that could’ve been—”

He cut you off gently. “No, don’t think like that. What we have... it’s real. But sometimes love isn’t enough to change the timing of things. Maybe we’re supposed to meet again when the time is right”

The words stung, even though you knew they were true. Maybe it wasn’t forever. Maybe someday, when your paths crossed again, things would fall into place. But right now, you were at a crossroads, and you couldn’t walk the same path.

You reached out, taking his hand in yours. His fingers laced with yours, and you sat like that for a long moment, neither of you wanting to let go.

“When you leave tomorrow...” you started, your voice trembling.

“When I leave tomorrow, it doesn’t change what we had” he finished for you. 

The tears you’d been holding back finally slipped down your cheek, but you quickly wiped them away, not wanting him to see. “Do you think we’ll find our way back to each other someday?”

Matt smiled, but it was a sad smile. “I really hope so sweetheart….but if we don’t, at least we’ll know that for a while, we found something extraordinary , something real… eachother”

You nodded, knowing this moment would stay with you no matter what the future held.

As the sun disappeared completely behind the horizon, you knew it was time. Time to let go, even though it felt impossible.

The silence between you grew heavy. Matt glanced at you, his eyes searching yours for a moment,as tears started brimming in his own.

He leaned in slowly ,placing his lips into yours, soft and tender, a kiss that held everything you couldn’t say. It was a kiss filled with goodbye, with love, with all the moments you’d shared and the ones you would never have. Time seemed to stop around you, and for that brief moment, nothing else existed. Just the two of you.

When he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours, and you could feel his breath against your skin. His hand cupped your face gently, thumb brushing away the tear that had slipped down your cheek.

“I love you—” he whispered, his voice trembling. 

“—I love you with my whole heart”

Your chest tightened, the weight of those words sinking into you. You felt it too, every ounce of what he was saying. “I love you too”

But you both knew love wasn’t enough to change what was happening next.

Matt hesitantly stood up, offering his hand. With a small sigh you wrap your hand around his, pulling yourself up.

He pulled you close, kissing you one last time, the taste of salty tears from both of you lingering.

You both slowly pulled away,

“I’m going to miss you” you whispered.

Matt squeezed your hand gently before letting go. “I’m going to miss you too-“ be breathed, trying his hardest to hold back his tears, but failing miserably as they continued to fall. 

“-Maybe in another life,huh?” he sniffled.

You left out a soft sob at his words, tears streaming uncontrollably. Your bring your hand up to your chest, laying it comfortingly over your aching heart. 

All you could muster was a small nod 

“Another life” you whisper.

You both stood for a moment, just looking at eachother. Trying to memorise every detail. 

Matt placed his hand on your cheek, before leaning forward, placing a lingering kiss to your forehead. He pulls away, as his thumb brushes back and forth. His teary eyes met yours, both of you silently saying goodbye. It was too painful to say out loud. You both knew it, and you knew eachother knew it. So you stood silently, letting your gazes say it all. 

Matt slowly started walking backwards, his eyes still locked to yours, with a small smile and sniffle, he turned around. 

As he started walking away from you, you couldn’t hold back the sobs, wrapping your arms around yourself as a form of faux comfort.

Matt stops in his tracks, the sound of your cries ripping his heart to shreds. He stands still, his back still facing you.

“Don’t look back Matt” you call out, voice trembling. 

He stayed paused, for what felt like an eternity. You could see the tension in his shoulders, the conflict in his stance. But finally, he took a deep breath and hesitantly continued walking, each step heavy with finality. You watched as his silhouette got smaller , and eventually disappeared into the dark, carrying your heart with him. 

••••••••••••

A/N; i’m actually distraught after writing that wtf😭 probably the saddest thing i’ve written and i hate it but love it at the same time. thankyou for reading loves!!

- 𝑺𝒂𝒈𝒆 ♡

MASTERLIST

taglist;

@sturnobsessedwh0re @nayveetbhh @phone4pills @demzzz @dripgodnay

@sturniooolos @monroesturnns @mattsbitchh @slutforsturnioloss @pvssychicken @tsturniolo4 

@brianna-grace12 @blahbel668 @stvrlighht @witchofthehour 

[justmymindandstuff]

welcome home soldier -Robb Stark x WifeReader

summary: Your husband Robb Stark defeats the Lannister army in the Battle of the Whispering Wood. His first real battle. But the only thing he could think about was you and that he might never see you again. You gladly welcome him back into your arms.

words: 3.160

warnings: angst, talk about battles, blood and death, smut, MDNI (18+)

a/n: Robb Stark lives rentfree in my head. I will never get over him// English is not my first language //no beta// A03

Hope you like it

requests are open // main-masterlist // GoT-masterlist

Restlessly, you pace back and forth in your tent. Hot anxiety burns into your stomach and does not let you rest for a single second.

"Lady Stark. You should get some sleep," your guard sounds a bit concerned while his watchful gaze never leaves you.

"I will sleep when my lord husband is back beside me," you snap at him.

Robb hat left twenty-five men here with you. To protect you and bring you back to Winterfell, if something happened to him. Just the thought that he might die brings tears to your eyes.

Was the kiss you gave him before he rode into battle the last one you will ever share? Was it the last time you saw his blue eyes? Was it the last time you heard his warm voice? "I will be back soon, my sweet girl." Gods, please bring him back to me. You chew on your bloody nail bed as you pace back and forth. You listen outside. Waiting for war drums or the trumpeting of a horn that announces their return. The sun is slowly rising again, and the fear within you grows with each passing minute.

Is it normal for it to take so long? Should you have heard something? Is Robb still alive? You wish you had an answer to at least one of these questions. But this is Robb's first real battle. This is the real war. With real consequences. And the real death.

As you took Robb as your husband at Goodswood and he draped the cloak around your shoulders, you never thought you would someday be sitting in a war camp waiting for him to return from battle.

He will come back, won't he? The thought makes you feel sick. You stop, take a deep breath, and sink to your knees. You close your eyes and begin a new round of prayers to the old gods. If you just pray desperately enough, they must listen, right? There are no weirwood trees here, how can the gods hear you if they have no ears here? You shake off the thought and focus on your prayer.

But it doesn't take long before you hear loud shouts from outside. Immediately, you are on your feet and running.

"Lady Stark, we don't know…." your guard tries to hold you back, but you pay him no mind and storm into the cold morning. The sunlight briefly blinds you, but after you blink you see the Stark banners on the horizon, drawing closer. They are back.

But has Robb returned with them?

The army is approaching quickly and you now recognize the faces of the banner bearers, but you pay them no attention. You just want to see Robb's face. Your eyes search over the front row of men. You see Grey Wind and at his side, Robb. Your gaze meets his a wave of relief washes over you and tears of joy streaming down your cheeks. You close your eyes for a moment and send a prayer of thanks to all the gods of this world.

The noise around you swells as the soldiers stream into the camp. But you ignore them all, your gaze fixed on Robb. He recognizes you and his lips curl into a smile. You run towards Robb. He dismounts his horse, the mud splattering lightly over his boots as he lands on the ground. When you reach him, you crash into his arms. His Armor feels cold and hard, the dirt and dust clinging to him ruin your dress, b ut it doesn't matter to you. Robb's arms wrap around you in a bone-crushing embrace as he pulls you close. You snuggle into him. He smells of sweat, blood, and death, but you don't care.

"Hello my sweet girl," he whispers into your hair. When you hear his warm voice a shiver runs through your bod, and you let out a relieved sob. "hey hey hey." he slightly moves away from you to look you in the face. "Don't cry."

Your gaze sweeps over his face, it's a bit dirty, there's a scratch above his eyebrow but otherwise you can't see any injuries.

"You are alive," you say. "You've come back. Are you hurt?"

He laughs softly. "Yes, I have come back. I will always come back to you.” Robb gently wipes the tears from your cheek. “Just a few bruises.” He lets his hand rest on your cheek and leans down to you. His lips meet yours, the kiss tasting slightly salty from your tears. You are surprised by the intensity of the kiss. You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him close to you. Breathless you pull away from each other after a moment and Robb leans his forehead against yours. His eyes never leave yours.

"I was so scared for you," you whisper.

"I was scared too," he whispers so softly that you can barely understand him.

You reach for his hand and only now notice that he is slightly trembling. He closes his fingers around yours. You notice how tears gather in his eyes, but he blinks them away. He can not cry here. Not in front of his men. You scratch the sweaty curls in his neck to calm him down a bit.

"Do I get a welcome kiss too?" Theon's voice pulls you both out of your little world. You look over at him, he also seems exhausted but uninjured.

"Gladly, if you're ready to take my husband's sword through your heart afterwards," you reply to him with a slight smile. You are glad that he is unharmed. You release Robb and pull Theon into an embrace. "It's nice to see you."

"What a happy little family you Starks are." at the mocking voice of Jaime Lannister you flinch. You look at the Kingslayer, who is being led through the camp in chains. He looks miserable and defeated. Only the arrogant smile of the golden lion who not so long ago rode through the gates of Winterfell has remained.

"Lock him away." Robb uses his Lord Stark voice as he gives his command and his men drag the prisoner away.

"You have captured the kingslaye,” you say incredulously.

"Yes." Robbs hand finds yours again and he pulls you a little closer to his side.

"What do you plan to do with him?" you ask. Robb's jaw tightens slightly. He would love to chop off his head, you know that. But he can't do that. Not as long as the Lannisters have Ned, Sansa, and Arya as hostages.

"I don't know yet," Robb replies quietly.

"Let's think about it later. Now you need a bath and sleep.” you order, trying to adopt his commanding tone.

"As you command, sweet girl. But first I have to make sure the Kingslayer is well guarded. Can you do me a favor?”

“Everything.” you answer.

“Please make sure that the injured are adequately cared for."

"Of course." you say, squeezing his hand and standing on you tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips. You turn to leave and your hand slips out of his. You immediately notice how you are getting a little restless again. But you straighten your shoulders. He is Lord Stark and you must be Lady Stark now.

"Grey Wind." you hear Robb behind you and the next moment the Direwolf presses his wet, warm snout into your palm. Flanked by the wolf, you get to work.

When you later return to your tent with Grey Wind at your side, the camp has gotten a little quieter. You feel the sleepless night catching up on you.

Robb has taken off his armor, his curls are still a little damp from his bath. When you enter, he looks up. His eyes look tired, but he still smiles at you. Grey Wind's large body scurries past you as the wolf lies down on his blanket next to the entrance. You walk the few steps to Robb. On the way you take a cup of wine and hand it to him. You notice how his whole body slightly trembles as the tension of the battle finally falls away from him and he finds a bit of peace. He takes a few deep breaths and drowns his cup.

"Your guard said you haven't slept." it's not a reproach, he sounds a bit worried.

"Did you really think I could find sleep while you ride into battle?"

"Don't you have any faith in my war skills, wife?" he asks with a slight smile.

"The greatest faith my dear husband" you reply. "But I have only contempt for our enemies and fear that they will take you away from me."

Robb reaches for your hips and pulls you closer to him. You place your hand on his chest, you can feel his heartbeat. Nothing ever made you happier than the steady pounding in his chest.

"No one can ever take me away from you," he says his voice trembling slightly. It sounds like a promise. But you know that he might not be able to keep that promise. From his look, you can see that he knows it too. Tears well up in your eyes.

"I was so scared," you whisper softly.

"I know. I was scared too." Robb buries his face in the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent. You snuggle into his arms. "The kingslayer. He screamed for me and slaughtered our men in the process. I thought for a moment he would reach me, and then I could only think that I would never see you again." his voice trembles slightly. You dig your fingers into the fabric of his shirt. You never want to let him go. "The fear almost paralyzed me."

Fear grips you again and you have to press yourself closer to him. "I want to go home." you whisper. You wish to return behind the safe walls of Winterfell. Back with your family.

"Me too. We will win this war and then we will go home and never travel south again.”

You nod. "That's a good plan." your voice still trembles.

You just stand there for a moment in your embrace. You let it sink in that Robb really has come back. He survived this battle. You don't want to think that it was just one of many. Now you want to enjoy that your husband has come back to you. Robb's warm breath on your neck tickles lightly.

When you suddenly feel his lips on your skin, you shudder. Robb's grip on your hip tightens slightly as his lips kiss their way up your neck. You tilt your head slightly to the side and close your eyes. He kisses from your neck to your cheek and then your lips. The passion, longing, and desire in his kiss surprise you and ignite a hot fire in your lower abdomen. The fatigue is gone. Your lips move in sync with his. You press yourself closer to him. A hot shiver runs through your entire body.

Breathless, you part your lips from each other again. Robb leans his forehead against yours. Your gaze meets his. His hand glides up over your hip. His knuckles glide over the side of your breast, over your collarbone and up your neck. Then he places his warm hand on your cheek.

"I need you." he whispers.

Instead of answering him, you lean forward and place your lips back on his. Your hands begin to unbutton his shirt. As your fingers caress his chest, he moans into the kiss. His fingers unfasten the clasp of your cloak and it slides from your shoulders. Robb breaks the kiss, places his hands back on your hips, and turns you around.

Immediately, he begins to untie the strings of your dress. He is skilled at it, you notice how the dress loosens. Robb's lips find your neck again. This time, you can't suppress a soft gasp. You lean against him. You feel his body heat on your back. Robb pulls the dress over your shoulders and you slip out of the sleeves. Immediately Robb's lips attack the newly exposed skin. He pushes his hips slightly forward, and you feel his hardness against your butt. In your lower abdomen, a pleasant throbbing spreads. All the fear, the uncertainty, and the panic flow out of you and are replaced by desire. You pull at the skirt and the dress slides down your body so that you are left standing there in your white undergarment. It is made of thick wool to keep you warm and not particularly sexy. You turn in Robb's arms, catch his lips in a brief kiss, and then tug at his shirt. Robb raises his arms and you pull the shirt over his head. He tosses it carelessly into a corner.

You examine Robb's bare chest. Apart from a few bruises and scratches he really seems to be uninjured. You send another thanks to the gods. Then you look into Robb's face. His eyes are on you.

"I told you, just a few bruises." He kisses your forehead. "You are beautiful," he says before taking a step back. Robb extends his hand to you. You reach for it and let yourself be helped out of the dress. He kisses your hand. Then he gently pulls you closer to him. Your lips find each other again as your hand rests on the back of his neck and begins to caress his curls. "I'm so lucky that such a beautiful woman is waiting for me at home," he whispers against your lips. You apply gentle pressure to his chest so that he has to take a step towards the bed.

Robb's lips curl into a smile as he pulls back a bit from you. "Eager sweet wife." But then he reaches for you and lifts you in a swift turn. He takes the few steps to the bed and sets you back on your feet. You feel the edge of the bed in the back of your knee.

Robb quickly sheds the rest of his clothes while you slip out of your underwear and boots. You let yourself fall backward onto the soft covers, and in the next moment, Robb is above you.

You open your legs for him while your arms wrap around his neck. He supports himself with one arm next to your head. Your lips meet in a passionate kiss. You feel as if your entire body is on fire. You lean into his warm body, wanting to feel every inch of his skin on yours. Robbs kisses along your neck while his cock rubs between your wet folds. You let out a soft moan. Robb's hand wanders over your body, your breasts, and then rests on your hip. He gently pushes you back into the soft furs.

"Fuck," Robb curses softly against your neck. His voice heavy with his northern accent. His tip rubs over your clit, your fingernails lightly scratch over the skin on your neck, leaving red stripes.

"Please, Robb," you moan and in the next moment he sinks completely into you with one thrust.

Your wet warmth envelops him. You both moan. You wrap your legs around his hips and push yourself forward to bring him even closer to you. Robb's body trembles and you feel his breath on your neck. Gently, you tug at his curls, making him look at you.

His eyes shine with warmth and love. His gaze sends a warm shiver down your body and makes your heart beat faster.

You lean up and your lips meet again. Robb pushes his hips back a little and starts to move. You move your hips in sync with his. Feel him deep inside you. Robb intertwines your hands on the pillow. You notice a pleasant tension building up inside you. Your other hand rests on his muscular shoulder. You feel that even now he is still not close enough. You never want to let him go again. Here he is safe. His deep thrusts make you moan again. Robb kisses your cheeks and then looks into your eyes.

"Please never leave me again," you say softly. His thrusts become slower, he hardly moves inside you anymore, and this fullness makes your toes curl.

Robb smiles sadly and then gently kisses your lips. "I will always come back home to you," he whispers. His eyes find yours, and after a brief moment, you nod slightly. you press your calves slightly into his lower back, making him thrust into you a little faster again. Robb moans. Hearing those sounds from him makes your lower abdomen flutter.

Robb picks up a faster rhythm again. His lips wander back to your neck and with his next thrust, he bites. Your scream of his name is so loud that you are sure the guards outside have heard you.

"The whole time out there I could only think about coming back to you. To feel you in my arms again.” He kisses the bitemark gently. "Wanting to kiss you. I cursed myself for not kissing you enough.” his words are followed by a passionate kiss on your lips. Your legs tremble slightly. "To be able to feel you around me again." his lips wander to your ear.

Robb lets his hand wander from your hip between your bodies and he begins to draw circles over clit. You lean into his hand, feeling yourself start to pulse around his member. He gasps, and his hot breath tickles your neck. You can't focus on anything else but Robb. He picks up a faster rhythm. You match your movements to his. Your bodies tremble together. Your orgasm washes over you, and as you clench around Robb, he follows you and comes. Your name falls from his lips like a prayer as he gently thrusts his hips a few more times. A shiver spreads across your entire body, and you let out a soft moan. Robb lets his weight sink a little further onto you, and you wrap your arms around him.

After a moment you notice how your breath and heartbeat slowly begin to calm down again. Robb sits up a bit and wants to roll off you. But you press your crossed legs together behind his back so that he falls back onto you again. He laughs warmly.

"Don't go away." you whisper and start to scratch his neck again. Robb's cock twitches slightly inside you.

"I'm not going anywhere." Robb buries his nose in the crook of your neck as he shifts his weight slightly, so you are not crushed by his weight. He distributes gentle kisses on the skin of your neck, and you sigh contentedly. You close your eyes and wish that the war, the soldiers and the whole world out there to disappear. You want to live forever with Robb in this moment.

[jinkicake]

After A Long Night... 

He returns home to you. 

Diluc, Kaeya, Ayato, Xiao x Reader

A/N: I originally wrote this for my beloved Kaeya and then i did the same for Xiao and then Diluc and surprise, Ayato. Anyway,,,, i need fluff and all things sweet. forgive me! this might be my fav fluff... i think im getting better at it! 

WC - 2.2k

~~~

Diluc R.

When it comes to his everyday life, Diluc doesn’t regret it very much. The young tycoon owner knows exactly what role he has to play and what needs to get done. 

Despite his strong resolve and fortitude, it still physically pains his sensitive heart to be away from you. 

Diluc knows how lucky he is to have you, he’s aware of the fact all too well. He cherishes you and loves you day in and day out, spoiling you rotten in the hopes that his actions will convey his own intimate feelings for you. Somedays he worries that his double life will be too much for your kind soul to handle. 

If you were to disappear from his life, the winery owner fears he would never see light in his own dark world again. 

He tries his best to return from his nightly missions at a reasonable time, just when the moon is descending from its peak position. There is nothing more Diluc looks forward to than you asleep in his bed. Knowing that he gets to hold you in his arms and rest is what gets the man through each day. 

Although he can’t stand the teasing from his brother, Diluc is a sap for you and everyone knows it. He’s not ashamed of it. 

His love for you is what carries him quietly through the house once he locks the main doors of the large home. Diluc checks to make sure all doors and windows are locked before quietly taking off his external accessories, hanging them by the door to his office, and then finally making his way to your shared bedroom. 

At the sight of you asleep in his bed, messily splayed out (because you can never get comfortable without him), Diluc sighs. He tugs at the loose ponytail holding his hair up and lets his fiery strands run freely against his back. Most nights, he would brush his hair and maybe apply some oil to the ends but all Diluc can focus on now is you. 

He happily sneaks under the covers and carefully presses his body into yours. The way you melt into his embrace is almost instant. Diluc softly kisses your temple before moving his arm to wrap around your waist. Gently, he squeezes you in his hold and runs his nose along your jaw. 

“My love,” He can’t help but murmur against your skin, sometimes it becomes too hard to fight the hold you have over him. However, the moment you begin to stir, Diluc freezes. There’s nothing he hates more than waking you up, knowing how highly you value your sleep. It’s as if an internal alarm is ringing in his mind and Diluc all but holds his breath as your fingers tighten against his hold. 

“Diluc?” Your sleepy tone melts into a whine as you shift and turn on your side to press your face into his chest. “When did you get back?”

The large man couldn’t pretend to be asleep even if he tried. 

Diluc kisses your temple again. 

“Not too long ago,” His comforting voice, deep and kind nearly lulls you back to sleep. It’s hard fighting fatigue when you’re in his arms. “go back to bed.” When you look up at him and Diluc sees the pout on your face, he doesn’t hesitate to kiss it off. 

“We can talk in the morning, dearest. I promise.”

Kaeya A.

Most nights, Kaeya prefers a drink. He often works late and into the evening so one of the only things that provide him with a sense of pleasure is the tart fruity taste of wine on his tongue. 

Every night before he sets out in search of a bar, he finds his way back home to you. Regardless of his alcoholic desires, there’s something special about sharing extra time with you in the evening. Sometimes, the captain finds himself skipping the drinks and staying inside to enjoy your loving embrace. 

Tonight is no different than his other nights. Kaeya is caught up in work, having to check through documents and give them a seal of approval, and he finishes his tasks late. It’s nearly so late that the bars are almost closed and the moon is high up in the night sky. 

For once, closed bars are not a concern to Kaeya because when he is most exhausted he always searches for you. He always returns to you.

“Oh, my love,” Kaeya’s quiet coo does not reach your ears from where he stands in the doorway to your apartment. The cavalry captain is extremely careful as he maneuvers the space and makes sure to be extremely quiet as he shuts and locks the door. He slips off his shoes and places his keys on a hook against the wall before making his way over to you. 

Kaeya loves to watch you sleep. You’re completely angelic and the sight always makes him feel as if he has been punched in the gut, he’s absolutely winded by your beauty every single time. He can’t help but reach out and brush his cold knuckles against your soft cheek. 

In the morning, he’ll have to chide you for falling asleep at the table but he knows this wouldn’t have happened if he came home earlier. It’s more his fault than it is yours, he can never find a flaw in you. In his eyes, you can do no wrong.

Keeping his touch light and soft, Kaeya cups your shoulders before leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead. His lips turn incredibly warm at the feeling of your skin and Kaeya attempts to fight off the flush he is feeling. You aren’t even awake and you’re still making the man flustered. 

When you lightly begin to stir in your sleep, Kaeya only places more kisses along your face. He pecks your cheek and then your nose before gracing your forehead again. 

“Hello, angel,” He whispers against your temple before leaving his lips glued to the spot. You grumble at him, just as he expected, before trying to rub the sleep from your eyes. 

“Kaeya,” Your quiet whisper makes his heart skip a beat and any fatigue he was feeling earlier in the night is nearly washed away by your voice. The way your eyes flicker over his features, darting from his eye to his lips makes the captain burn up inside. You’ve always been so shy with him. “how was work?”

“Dull, boring, slow.” He answers as he gently tugs on your wrist, pulling you up from your chair. There is no fight in you as Kaeya leads you toward your bedroom. “However, I did hear new speculations about Donna’s love life. Lisa spoils me whenever I drop off a book on time, would you like to hear about it?”

By the knowing smile on your face, as you fall into bed with Kaeya in hot pursuit, it’s going to be another evening where you both talk through the night. 

K. Ayato

Ayato hates being away from you. He detests impending work and having to be locked away in his office for days on end, running on little sleep, just to see that deadlines are met. The thought of you alone in your shared room with your lone futon spread on the floor makes his heart ache.

For the last couple of days, Ayato has been in a time crunch. He has to get some official documents between two clans under wraps before their political marriage or the entire relationship will be in shambles. The task itself is not hard but, it is incredibly tedious.

When all Ayato wants to do is spend some time with his beloved, small pesky tasks become the bane of his existence.

“Would you like some tea, my lord?” Thoma’s gentle knock on the sliding door reminds Ayato to stay focused, that he still has work to finish.

“There is no need for that, Thoma. I’m almost finished up, please get some rest.”

As Thoma excuses himself for the evening, the head of the Kamisato clan smiles knowing that he can continue working at night knowing he has such formidable people beside him. Ayato thumbs through the documents again and mulls over the agreements two more times. He ensures that each of the bargains balances out the other before stacking the papers in a neat pile.

One more time, he will go over each and make sure that they’re in proper order and format.

When the mind-numbing task is complete, Ayato places the documents in the bin on his desk for it to be carried out in the morning. He stands tall from his low workstation and stretches until a satisfying pop reaches his ears.

It’s now early in the morning with the sun sure to rise in just another few hours. Ayato wastes no time in making a quick trip to your bedroom. He is silent in his steps as he presses against the hardwood of the floors and slides open your door.

He could almost sigh at the sight of you curled up and deep in sleep. Ayato makes quick work of closing the door and then kneels beside you, he lifts your hands up to his face so that he can kiss the inside of your wrist. In his own way, it’s like a silent apology for making you spend the last few nights alone.

Ayato doesn’t even bother himself with getting into his own futon, neatly made and laid out since earlier in the night. He settles in right beside you and squeezes into the tight space. With his long arms, he wraps them around your torso before tracing your hip.

Kiss after kiss, he places soft pecks of his lips underneath your ear. He doesn’t mean to wake you and he certainly doesn’t want to but, he just can’t keep his hands off of you.

Luckily for him, you are a heavy sleeper.

Fatigue finds the commissioner easily and he shuts his eyes to try and catch a break from the feeling. In your touch, Ayato finds himself at ease. Relaxation is of second nature to him and it is all because of you.

“Thank you, darling,” He sweetly kisses your ear before melting into the sheets, slumber is sure to find him just as it had found you.

Xiao

Xiao doesn’t often feel fatigued. There are some nights when he almost wishes something new would happen in his monotonous battle of protecting Liyue but, he doesn’t get tired of it. 

Well, in the past, Xiao did not get burned out so easily.

The adeptus thinks you’re partly to blame if he could ever find a fault in your character. You’ve got him in some sort of routine. 

In the past, Xiao would stay out until the sun came up patrolling one area before moving on to another. It was a cycle that he would consistently keep up with day in and day out. 

The schedule he has now is a little different. Instead of clashing with hostile creatures throughout the night, he finds himself before your door once the moon peaks past the highest point in the starry sky. Xiao is still adamant about protecting Liyue but, he also prides himself on making you happy too. 

He doesn’t understand why his heart tugs in his chest at a certain point during the night every single day. It’s a tug that demands him to return home, to find his spot in your bed and hold you in his arms until you stir awake and kiss his fingers. 

Xiao melts whenever you pamper him, it makes him feel less alone. 

Like most nights since your entry into his life, tonight is not so different. Xiao finishes his duties once the moon reaches high into the sky and when his heart starts to become impatient, he finds himself outside of your window with simple teleportation.  

The adeptus tries to remember that he has a key and walks around to your door to quietly unlock your apartment. He places his staff beside your coat rack and takes off his shoes, dropping his mask on the nearby table, after he locks the door and ensures that it is shut. Your apartment is small and cozy and Xiao focused his eyes on you as soon as he walks into your bedroom. 

It’s not a surprise that you’re asleep, but Xiao softly gasps when he reaches the foot of your bed. Whenever he is in your presence the eternal ache that he feels starts to dull. The sharp pain in the ends of his fingertips and the tips of his ears become numb. For a mortal, Xiao considers you to be quite special. 

He doesn’t say anything as he softly gets into your bed and gently lifts up the covers to get beside you. The adeptus can’t help himself from touching you as soon as you are within his reach. Almost immediately, Xiao wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you into his chest. He remains quiet as he buries his face into your neck but, his heart leaps at the feeling of your stirring awake. 

The man hates to wake you, he truly does, but the feeling of your hand reaching for his own is something Xiao will never get tired of. 

“Welcome home,” Your sleepy tone and sweet whisper keep him grounded and alive each day. The way you kiss his knuckles soothes all the aches the adeptus has ever felt. “I missed you.”

[strawberrystepmom]

izuku x f!reader. reader is referred to as wife, he is referred to as husband, reader has a defined and briefly mentioned career. wife guy deku compilation indeed.

Hey, have you seen this?

Your screen lights up with a text message from one of your closest friends, another message with a link to a video following quickly after and you tilt your head to the side at your desk reading the title of the video.

“Deku Wife Guy Compilation”

It makes you chuckle to see these terms stitched together, something that would probably not make much sense to your blissfully offline-as-he-can-be husband, but you understand what it means and press the link to open the video. It takes a moment to load and you jiggle your foot impatiently as it does, abandoning what you were last working on to focus as he comes onto the rectangle screen.

“My wife is the best,” filters through your phone speakers as clear as day and you smile despite yourself, the familiar butterflies you get every time you look at him blooming beneath your ribs.

“First of all, I want to thank my wife.”

“My wife is the true savior in our household, she’s a doctor…”

“My beautiful ____, my wife, my heart.”

“None of this would be possible without my wife so please give her a hand.”

It’s a three minute video stitching together every time he has mentioned you in victory speeches and press interviews and the like and it makes you wonder what people could be saying. You’re no stranger to running into the stray hater online yet you scroll down to the comments section, eyes widening when you see it filled with nothing but admiration for the strong foundation of love your marriage is built upon.

iluvchargebolt: man, i hope i’m loved like this someday :’)

momospantyliner: The way his eyes light up when he says her name at 0:48…beautiful.

Allmightisalright07: Reminds me of how i used to talk about my wife when she was still with us. They are certainly soulmates.

In comparison to other comment sections you’ve scanned in the past, this one makes you feel very warm in comparison and you feel the need to look away after being perceived by so many people who don’t even know you. Izuku’s love is so evident for you even strangers see it from a mile away, they can hear it in the soft way his tongue caresses your name like he’s kissing you every time he says it.

You put your phone down and turn back to your work, letting the video play over the speaker just to hear his voice when your screen lights up again and vibrates on top of your desk. Another text from the same friend, another link.

There are 10 of these omg

Another link pops up on your screen in a blue bubble, this time to a playlist containing videos in the same fashion as the first. Deku Wifeguy Compilation 1-10. Giggling to yourself, you press play and let the playlist run, each video growing in length with the shortest at 3 minutes and the longest at just over 10, your eyes widening realizing that he loves you so much there are videos worth of him simply stating it over and over and over again.

The same compulsion that led you to check the comments section on the first video takes over and you decide to pause the playlist and read, scanning the comments for anything you could potentially use as fodder to be angry about later.

shotopleasereturnmycalls: damn…i really am single.

Redriotsarmpithair9680: Love like this is rare. So glad our beacon of hope has a safe place to land after he’s done keeping us safe <3

You don’t dare to go any further lest you do see something you won’t like, keeping the video paused and locking your phone to set it aside and reflect. It’s strange to live a life so public and private all at once, hiding some parts and sharing the others, but you’re grateful the most consistent thing about Izuku is that he has never wanted to do anything but shine his light on you, to make you the spotlight of his world and everything about him.

Abruptly you pick your phone up and slide the screen upward, the messages app filling your screen. You click out of the thread with your friend and into the one with Izuku and you type out three simple words, the ones that you feel all day every day.

You: I love you.

Miles away, he looks down at his phone screen and snaps a quick picture of himself grinning, scrunching his nose, freckles barely visible thanks to the low light and bad angle but it’s all him - silly and sweet and sincere. He sends it off with the three simple words he feels about you in return, all day every day.

Izuku: I love you too, my perfect wife.

[spookshollow]

My Sweet Siren

Every time I would just listen to old songs I always get some inspiration to write for Sanji I just don't know why!😅 anyway this is set during the Baratie and the reader is a singer there, anyway hope you enjoy! Certain things are changed to make it fitted in the story

Masterlist

Vinsmoke Sanji x Reader

(Y/N) the most beautiful singer of the Baratie, to Sanji's eyes she's the best thing of the Baratie, it's the only time he enjoys being a waiter cause he could listen to her sing and be mesmerised by her beauty,

Whenever it was closing time he always wanted to talk to her, to be near her but she was always gone before he could talk to her.

You always enjoy singing, you love the attention that you got, but you loved the attention more when Sanji was watching you, butterflies begin to form in your stomach whenever you would see Sanji standing near the stage watching you give a performance of a lifetime,

Zeff sees the way you two would look at each other, and he often just rolled his eyes and scoff, he always thinks that it was completely ridiculous,

It was one of those nights when you were about to preform, as Sanji was arguing with Zeff once again, he stormed out of the kitchen pissed off but his anger quickly fade when he had seen you, looking beautiful as always about to preform,

Will I Always Be Your Sweetheart?

Will I Be The Girl For You?

Will You Promise All Your Love To Me

As I Promise Mine To You?

Sanji smiled as he walked up to a table with new guests that had come to the Baratie, "hello welcome to our shitty restaurant where the only thing is good is our singer, my name is Sanji what can I get you?"

As Sanji taking the new people's orders, you can't help but look over at him, as you sing your heart out, the green hair man took note of you looking over at Sanji and pointed it out at the waiter, "it seems she really likes you waiter?" He glared at him for a moment before glancing over seeing (Y/N) looking directly at Sanji,

Will I Always Be Your Sweetheart?

Starting Now Until The End?

Will You Always Stay Close By My Side,

And On You Can I Depend?

You winked at him, in which he smirk up at you before returning his focus on the guest telling them he will get their food right away, he walked passed you as you felt your cheeks go red when he smiled softly at you, completely entrance by you,

And As Time Goes On And On,

Will We Laugh And Still Have Fun?

Will You Ways Be Sweet As They Are,

And Will I Be Your Only One?

Sanji walked back from the kitchen with the food that is for the guest, they thanked him and he went to a corner near a the stage watching you sing, it has always been like this way, but Sanji really want to talk to you, but with this job takes so much of his time he could never get a chance to,

Will I Always Be Your Sweetheart,

Will We Share All Things In Life?

Will You Always Love Me Faithfully,

Will I Someday Be Your Wife?

Just then completely drunken Pirates started whistling and becoming rowdy, annoying Sanji very much, knowing when they get so rowdy like this, fights will start, (Y/N) knows this and started to feel uncomfortable but continued on singing the final lyrics knowing she must finish her song,

Will I Always Be Your Sweetheart,

Will We Share All Things In Life?

Will You Always Love Me Faithfully,

Will I Someday Be Your Wife?

Please Don't Ever Stop Loving Me,

Let's Be Sweethearts All Through Life!

"I'll be your sweetheart honey if you give me a chance" (Y/N) yelped when one of the pirates start grabbing her dress, Sanji ran up to the pirates kicked him so hard he landed ontop of a dinning table, breaking it completely in half,

"Do not touch the lady" he gritted his teeth looking at the other pirates to see who wants to go first, the man in the straw hat looked in surprise, "he is a good fighter"

Just then another pirate try to charge at Sanji, but he was no match against Sanji and his kicks, as the guy fall across the floor, holding his side in pain, "anyone else wants to face me?" The rest of the drunken pirates scatter away, carrying away the two injured men with them, Sanji looked up to you and got up on the stage, he had his hand around your waist and the other on the cheek softly caressing your cheek, "are you okay?" He whispered softly you replied with a smile and a nodded,

He was slightly relieved you were fine, placing a sweet kiss upon your head, just then Zeff called out as Sanji looked over to see him standing there next to the broken tables, "what's all this boy?" He shouted in anger, Sanji sighted in annoyances and (Y/N) couldn't help but giggled quickly planting a kiss on Sanji's lips, surprising him, "I'll wait for you at the kitchen tonight" and you quickly scurried away, passing the new guest,

"That Waiter sure is a good fighter miss" you looked over at the man in the straw hat smiling towards him, "well that's Sanji, he is the best fighter of the Baratie"

[steakout-05]

i have an interesting little piece of Star Trek TNG media to share today, it's pretty obscure and i've seen literally no discussion of it online at all. my dad is a really big fan of Star Trek, especially Star Trek TNG, and he has this DVD box set of season 1 of the show. it was released around 2002-2003 and it's this big bulky gray capsule box that contains a foldable disc sleeve thing, and most importantly, a little pamphlet that holds descriptions for the main characters of the series. it's a really neat little piece of media, but what i want to focus on is how it describes Data, because i think it's very interesting.

(apologies for the glare)

"Data - A unique and super-intelligent android, Data was created by the genius Dr Noonien Soong to be as human as possible. However, powerful though as his positronic brain might be, Data is unable to comprehend emotion."

the language it uses to describe Data and his relationship with emotions is really intriguing to me. it doesn't say he cannot feel emotions, but rather than he can't comprehend them. it's pretty commonly agreed on in the Star Trek fandom that Data can absolutely feel emotions, but he just can't process or express them in a human-like way. the show is not very good at convincing people that Data is an unfeeling automaton, lol. he definitely feels things, but he's convinced that he can't because he doesn't feel things like a human does. i feel like this pamphlet corroborates that in a way. just,, the language of "unable to comprehend" rather then "unable to feel" comes off as a very deliberate choice with this in mind. characters in the show, including Data himself, will always say that he cannot feel emotions first and foremost, and it feels significant to me that a piece of official media would instead focus more on Data having trouble comprehending emotion. comprehending something and feeling something are two very different things. i feel like this is important.

i'll try to see if i can get the whole pamphlet scanned and uploaded online. again, it's quite an obscure piece of media and i can't seem to find it anywhere. i don't know if i'll be able to account for pamphlets that were released with dvds of the later seasons as i think we only have the season 1 box from this set. i hope they all get found and scanned someday!!

[readychilledwine]

The Prettiest Fuck You

Summary - After the birth of Rhysand and Feyre's 3rd child, Tamlin sends a coded message with the help of his mate

Warnings - slight jealously, mentions of breeding, little IC slander, Tamlin is in a goofy mood

Prompt Day 3 - Mate/Flower Language

A/N - just a short little silly for @tamlinweek I'm so excited for the masterlist for today to pop up. I'm going to eat it all up. I fell in love with the idea of a fuck you bouquet after several reddit posts and a few on here, and Tamlin would seriously love to send one. I just know it.

Tamlin Masterlist

You blinked at Tamlin as you looked over the list of flowers that he had given you. Fox glove, yellow roses and carnations, Cyprus, babies breath, and marigolds?

Insincerity, congratulations, disappointment, death, and jealousy? You put the list down on your work table, silently hoping it would somehow magically disappear under the thousands of stems and ribbons from all the arrangements you had worked in today. “Tamlin-”

“Just do it.” He tucked your hair behind your ear and kissed your nose, trying to convince you with that signature smile.

“Tam-” You wanted to object to what the bouquet said, even if you would be able to make it absolutely stunning.

“It's fine.��� Both hands were on your face as he kissed you softly.

“Ta-”

“It will look beautiful. You make everything so beautiful, dearest.” You couldn't help the soft smile. His words were not a lie. You were the most sought-after florist to the 7 courts for a reason.

You shook it off, focuing again. “Tamlin, this is-”

“Perfect to congratulate them with!” He walked away from you, chuckling as he did. You had little choice. It was a done discussion.

Your mate wasn't a bitter male all the time. Life shined in those bright green eyes, and they were always full of wonder, amazement, love, joy. But the Lord and Lady of Night announcing the birth of their 3rd child and waiting for the praise and attention that was bound to come with it? That made Tamlin bitter, sick, angry.

He had been too stuck in himself, too trapped in years of trauma, to offer Feyre the life he had offered you. One safe from any duties you did not want. One safe from politics. One where you were free to give him a child at any point. One where a family was wanted, but in due time, instead of an expectation to prove your court was moving on.

You were not Tamlin's symbolic incubator. Your womb was not meant to be used to send a message. You were his wife, his love, the one he showered in red roses and baby's breath, a sign of his eternal love and devotion. You two would have children someday. You would have an army if he'd allow it. But for now, until this lingering bitterness passed, you two would just continue to learn and grow together.

You went back to the task at hand

Gathering the buds he had requested and inspecting each and every single one to ensure its perfection and beauty. If you were going to do this. You were going to do it so well that Rhysand would not come mist your mate and then trap you in that damned Stone City. Tamlin learned through you to speak through flowers when they were sent as gifts or placed in his home. He had learned to say congratulations, to say his sympathy, to say his love, to show support. He had learned a new form of expression through you, and as intricately laced and weaved the flowers he had picked into an arrangement, you realized you thought him too well.

The flowers were beautiful, varying shades of yellows, oranges, whites, reds, and you had mixed your favorite feather-like greens in. It seemed so innocent to anyone who didn't know what the flowers symbolized, the language they spoke. It said “Fuck you and die,” in the most beautiful way possible.

You signed as you picked the vase, enchanting everything to last and stamping the card with the sign of the Spring Court, a rose and thorns. You sent it, hugging yourself slightly before walking into your shared room. it was quiet behind that door, and when you opened it, you could not help but to smile.

Centered on your vanity sat a bouquet of White tulips, red roses, and red spider lily. You knew immediately who they were from, who had made the arrangement, and who may be missing her favorite flowers from her garden.

It was stunning. Shades of red and white mixed with greenery that it was so perfectly balanced. It was huge, occupying most of the corner it sat on. He had surrounded it with poetry and chocolates. "Tam," you took one of those soft roses in your hands, smelling that familiar scent and sighing so happily.

You jumped as arms went around your waist, and kiss was placed to the side of your head. “How did it turn out?” His voice was laced with pride over his own creation.

��Gorgeous. I wouldn't make it any other way. Regardless of what you wanted it to say.”

“Elain lives in Day now, right?” You hummed and nodded. “But she will come visit them, won't she?”

“Of course.”

“Perfect. Perfect. And how about your flowers? How did they turn out?” Your mate, so handsome and strong, tended to need those compliments, and you were eager to hand him praise.

You turned into him, pressing a soft kiss on his lips. “So beautiful. Thank you for including Spider Lilies. This has to be the most stunning arrangement you've made so far." You touched the spider lily, fingers lingering on the off shoots as you did.

“Growth and new beginnings,” he whispered the meaning to you and watched as you nodded, looking up at him through watering eyes.

“And purity and true love.”

“To symbolize us, y/n.”

“To symbolize us,” you repeated.

Rhysand placed the bouquet from Spring centered on his table. He always admired y/n's work. Yes, Elain did wonderful things with flowers, but centuries of practice and studying had allowed you to create masterpieces with the blink of an eye. He smiled before walking away. Leaving a stunned Elain and Lucien to silently laugh.

Her mate leaned into her ear, red hair falling over her shoulder. “He really out did himself with this one.”

Elain had tears forming, “She made it so beautiful.”

“Do we tell him?”

“No,” Elain fixed the flowers from where they had been resting on Rhysand's chest. “Let Tam have this. I have enjoyed him alive lately. His gardens are exquisite."

"You're exquisite," Lucien squeezed the now supple hips of his mate, loving their new plush. "We should really visit soon."

"We should."

General Taglist:

@hnyclover @glitterypirateduck @slytherinindisguise @mischiefmanagers @bloodicka @starsinyourseyes @the-sweet-psycho @mariahoedt @rinalouu @sarawritestories @starryhiraeth @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @cumuluscranium @loneliestluvr @eternallyelvish @azrielsmate3 @daughterofthemoons-stuff @meritxellao @aria-chikage @hungryforbatboys @lilah-asteria

[bcolfanfic]

¹⁰⁾ a dingy truck stop after ten hours on the road

bucky x buck x josie road trip vibes

(-: had fun with this

/ / /

"Papa," Josie said, pushing her foot against the back of the passenger seat where John was sat. Gale looked in the rearview mirror, offering a gentle chiding for kicking the seat- his husband tilting his head back to look at her.

"Hm baby?"

"Why aren’t we goin’ to Wis-con-sin in an airplane?"

John hoped she never grew out of the way she sounded out long words. And shared her current sentiment.

He laughed lightly to himself, reaching across the console to massage the back of Gale’s neck. "That's a question for daddy to answer I think,"

"Because daddy is trying to save us some money."

John hummed- half because he found Gale’s playful indignant tone with him endearing, and half because he knew the real reason.

“She had a hard time on the plane last time, don’t wanna put her through that again.” He’d said across the kitchen table from him when they sat down to hash everything out.

And it wasn’t an off base assertion- their trip to New York six months ago had been somewhat of a disaster in regards to the travel aspect. He wasn’t exactly itching to relive it either- and dreaded seeing his daughter upset. But there was a flip side.

“So next time we go out east we’re gonna drive for two days?” John asked softly as he leaned back in his chair. “Gotta push her a little Gale, it’ll get better the more she does it.”

Gale chewed on his lip, digging the ball of his foot into the kitchen floor. “Only one day of drivin’ to get to Wisconsin.” He said after a minute, looking at something on his laptop. “And it’d be cheaper than three plane tickets.”

So John let him have this, under the agreement that he’d be quite a bit more hard pressed to road trip to New York.

Josie tossed the topic as quickly as she’d raised it, leaning forward to get as close to them as she could from her seat.

"Didja know I'm gonna be six soon?"

"I sure did,” Gale said, tapping his fingers on that steering wheel. “You makin' any big plans?"

"Mhm.” She replied, dropping back against her seat to look out the window. “Gonna go to coll-ege."

John didn’t know if he liked the sound of that so soon, and saw what looked like the same thought cross over Gale’s face. He chuckled, lifting his eyes towards her in the mirror.

"Already? What are you gonna study peanut?"

"Ummmm," Josie started, tilting her head. "Horses, and and rabbits, and birds,"

"You know Uncle Rosie knows a lot about birds, you should talk to him about that." John said, glancing back towards Gale- concerned when he noticed that he seemed deflated.

By the end of the hour the five-year-old had chatterboxed herself right to sleep, John reaching over to give Gale's thigh a little squeeze.

"You okay? We can switch off at the next rest stop,"

Gale didn’t say anything for a minute, taking a little breath in like he always did when he was trying not to cry.

"She's gonna go to college someday, gonna leave," He said, voice wobbly.

John moved his hand back to the nape of his neck, rubbing his thumb there in a circle.

”Well she's not goin' when she's six at least." He said lightly, his own emotions about the reality of what awaited them in about twelve years starting to coil in his throat.

Gale went quiet again, for so long that John moved his hand to reach forward and turn the radio back on.

Until Gale broke the silence.

"I want another one."

John stopped mid-motion, his eyes widening as he glanced at the small blue screen of the radio display. He leaned back slowly in his seat, feeling his husband's eyes on him.

"You do?"

Gale’s nod in affirmation answered that.

It wasn’t something John was opposed to- he’d had his own moments of thinking about it, and almost bringing it up to Gale himself.

There was just a piece to it all that he felt less certain about.

"You thinkin’ of doing it the same way as last time, or,” He started, and the way Gale’s eyes seemed to focus on the road ahead gave him a feeling as to where his answer was headed.

“I- y’ know, maybe I just,” He started. “We missed so much.”

And there it was- the same stipulation that kept John up at night if he let him.

On the one hand, embarrassingly, the thought of an infant- of being responsible for someone from scratch like that, terrified him.

But on the other, every little thing he realized they missed out on with Josie made his heart ache. Having about seven photos from the first four years of their daughter’s life just wasn’t how it was supposed to be- he thought on occasion.

Before he could find the words to respond to Gale they were pulling into a rest stop- and suddenly feeling suffocated in the car, John couldn't get out fast enough.

Opening the back door, he gently shook Josie's foot to rouse her from sleep. She groaned when she realized she was being woken up, moving away from him with a huff.

"I know sweetheart," He said softly, undoing her seatbelt and helping her down. "Go can right back to sleep in a minute."

The rest stop was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the fluorescents that were on their last leg overhead. When Josie had washed her hands and they were about to head back out, she stopped- sleepy head drooping against the back of John's legs.

Obliging to her wordless ask- he scooped her up, pausing for a moment to brush the hair out of her face.

He ran the back of his hand along her cheek, it hitting him suddenly that she looked closer to her sixth birthday than she had before. Looked less like the little baby faced four-year-old that became his daughter overnight- and more like a big kid in a way that made a lump form in his throat.

When he made it back to the car with her Gale wasn’t in the driver's seat anymore. He was standing outside it, phone to his face- looking pale.

John got Josie back into her car seat and shut the door before circling back around the front of the car to him.

"Thank you Natalie- okay, John's here, I'm gonna call you back."

Natalie, John thought, and froze. The only Natalie they knew was their social worker from Josie's adoption.

"Why's Natalie calling?" He blurted out the second Gale hung up.

Dragging a hand over his face and pushing it through his hair, Gale tried to steady his breath. But his bottom lip trembled, John feeling more nauseas with every second that it took him to start talking.

When he finally did talk, the words that left his mouth made him sick all the same.

"Josie's mom had another baby- another one she can't keep."

"What?"

The utterance flew out of his mouth before he could form a more coherent response, and he felt his own eyes widen.

They'd never had any contact with the woman since her rights had been terminated by the time they were in Josie's life. The last they'd been told, over a year ago now, was that she was facing child neglect charges.

Despite his efforts to focus, he struggled to fully comprehend Gale's words as he continued to talk.

"Natalie said she called us first because we have Josie. The baby came early, he’s got- she said he’s stable now but-”

"We're turnin' around, right?"John interjected, feeling like it wasn't even a question he needed to ask given the conversation they'd been having all of ten fucking minutes ago.

Gale paused like he was waiting for John to take it back.

But when he didn't, he nodded- pinching the bridge of his nose as he did. "Yeah- yeah of course we're turning around."

[coldxperience]

☀︎ Lan Sizhui names etymology

Here's a complete post on the etymology of our lovely Sizuhi's various names. I've always appreciated how authors would give out names that fit their characters so well, which is why I chose to share this.

Both Lan Wangji & Wei Wuxian's are already up on my profile. ▷ MDZS Home Page

Birth Name - Lan/Wen Yuan

Lan 藍 (lán) – blue In Chinese, Lan 藍 is literally blue.

Wen 温 (wēn) – lukewarm

Yuan 愿 / 苑 (yuàn) 愿 – honest, hope/desire 苑 – park & emperor's garden

Sizhui’s other name bestowed by LWJ, Yuan (愿), means ‘hope’. Just like how he saw Weiying again shortly after meeting A-Yuan, maybe he’s also hoping for the moment that familiar voice will beckon his name once more. His name as a Wen is also Yuan, though written as 苑, meaning ‘emperor’s garden’. In the past, the imperial family built gardens for pleasure, to escape from the rigid rules and etiquette of the palace and worldly matters. It was also built to impress.

I think how this is juxtaposed against the Burial Mounds, an unliveable place that WWX and the Wens worked hard to make into not only a habitable but enjoyable living space, away from the perceptions and condemnation of the outside world. A little piece of heaven from the barbaric world, just like the imperial gardens. It was here that WWX found a sliver of hope – the author used 神清气爽 (‘refreshed, invigorated’) to describe his feelings after the Wens held a dinner to thank him. It was here that he began to question if walking on a ‘single-plank bridge to darkness’ will be dark after all. It was also here that he could focus on demonic cultivation and his inventions in peace, eventually becoming the revered Yiling Patriarch.

Courtesy Name - Lan Sizhui

Shizhui 思追 (sīzhuī) – to recollect and long for

Sizhui, his courtesy name or zi, derives from a rhyming couplet from the author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu herself. “思君不可追，念君何时归” (sī jūn bù kě zhuī, niàn jūn hé shí guī) translates to ‘yearning for but cannot chase after you, longing for someday when you will return’.

Let’s not forget that Sizhui is a love letter between LWJ and WWX. Aside from the pair of rabbits, perfume sachet, copies of Lan Sect scriptures and the Chinese peonies, Sizhui is the last ‘thing’ under LWJ’s protection who symbolises their shared memories, having been brought up for more than three years by WWX. Though Sizhui himself did not remember his life as a Wen after his illness, it’s inevitable that whenever LWJ looked at him, he would have been reminded of his mental turmoil during WWX’s seclusion at the Burial Mounds – his inability to stand by his side and yearning for bringing him back to the Cloud Recesses. Raising Sizhui as a lineal descendant was intentional – he could not save WWX but at least he could save his ‘son’.

Author Note: I am not an expert in Chinese at all, English isn't my native language either - I hope everything is correct.

▷ MDZS Home Page

[ completed ; 09/08/2024]

★ ⁺. ໒꒰ྀི｡- ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১ ૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა ˖⁺‧₊˚

[dolcid]

Cute Little Ferret Boy ▪︎ Harry Potter

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Harry's Twin Sister! Slytherin!Reader

Summary: When Draco is turned into a Ferret, his S/O is there to help him out.

Warnings: established relationship, tad bit of violence if you count Moody turning Draco into a ferret violence lol, canon divergence, bullying maybe? nothing else??? Idk, lmk if I'm missing anything

A/N: was inspired by this post lol

~

Sitting at a bench in the courtyard of Hogwarts, you were finishing up your charms homework. Draco was there too, sitting in a tree for merlin knows what. He always made sure he had an eye on you somehow. He'd never be too far away, as he wanted to be sure no one was messing with you. Since you were the twin of the famous Harry Potter, a lot of the students at hogwarts loved to tease you for it. Draco had been one of them too at a point in time, but once he realized you two had more in common than anyone he's ever met at the school, he fell in love. Apologizing for his actions, Draco was simply whipped by you. Now he was the one defending you from those teases, even from your brother and his friends. Harry may have been your twin, but that didn't mean you got along. Ever since you came to Hogwarts all the attention was on him, and he enjoyed it. Never once sparing you a glance. His ego was certainly fueled by the fact that he had friends, got good grades, was in Gryffindor, and wasn't affected by all the trauma you both shared. You were happy he wasn't affected by it like you were, but also envious of his ability to overcome it so easily. It wasn't that easy for you, which is why you were here now. In Slytherin, had no friends, struggled with all classes and was merely the "Girl Who Cried" most people didn't even bother to learn your name, only knowing you as Potter's twin sister. It was dreadful really. But Draco made up for the lack of normalcy you wanted. Needed. You'd pray that Harry would see you as a person someday too.

Shaking your head, you attempt to bring your thoughts back to the charms homework you were struggling with. But it was to no avail, you couldn't focus with so many students bristling about. And to make it worse, your brother and his friends just walked in. You visibly tense, not going unnoticed by Draco, who swiftly drops from the tree he was perched in and made his way over to you, not before motioning to his friends to watch your brother. He knew how you felt about Harry. How he never stood up for you like a sibling should. Placing a gentle hand on your shoulder, Draco smiles down at you gently.

"How's the homework coming along?" He asks, voice soft and friendly, a voice only you heard. You smiled up at him, sighing and placing your quill down.

"Could be better," you grovel, blowing a stray hair out of your face. Draco smirks, teasingly.

"I told you, you could ask me for help darling," he says, swiftly sliding into the seat beside you. You groan.

"I know, I just wanted to try on my own first." Draco rubs your lower back encouragedly.

"I'm proud of you for trying,"

As Draco places a gentle kiss to your temple, rustling is heard coming your way. You both look up to see Harry, looking awfully mad.

"Can I help you Potter?" Draco asked, his hand finding yours. You tensed once more, hating the feeling of Harry's eyes on you.

"Yeah, you can stay away from my sister!"

Oh boy you thought. Harry always made sure to harass Draco when he was with you, always putting on a show for the other mindless students that watched. He didn't care truly, you could tell by his eyes. He only wanted to provoke Draco, hoping he would do something stupid and get detention, or worse. Expelled.

You breathe in sharply, staring down at your homework as Draco rolls eyes pale eyes.

"Oh now you care?" Draco sighs audibly.

"We've been over this Potter, you can't make me stop seeing your sister. You're lucky to even call yourself her brother," Draco argued, his hand squeezing yours gently. Harry visibly grew angrier, causing both you and Draco to stand off the bench. This wasn't good...

Draco protectively pulled you against him, sneering at Harry as he got closer.

"Stay back if you know what's good for you, Potter." Draco threatened. Harry merely chuckled.

"If I did what was good for me, my sister would be out of the picture. She's merely a bother, a nobody," Harry spoke, a smirk present on his face.

The next few moments seemed to have stilled, as if somebody had casted a time slowing charm. Draco pulled out his wand, Harry following suit. You panicked and attempted to stop Draco, but before you could, a spell flew at Draco, seemingly turning him into the small white blonde ferret now on the ground beside you.

Suddenly professor Moody emerged from a corridor, his wand aimed at your boyfriend.

"Stop!" You tried to reason, but your wails were thrown to deaf ears. Harry smiled mischievously as Moody started to toss the ferret around in the air, nearly shoving him down his friends pants before you intervened.

"I said Stop!" You shouted, grabbing the ferret and the attention of everyone around you. You panicked again however, quickly turning on your heels and running into the castle, the ferret still in your arms. You made it to the slytherin common room before you attempted to catch your breath, hoping you were far away enough that no one had followed you. Your attention was soon turned to the small ferret in your arms, or more so your boyfriend. You sighed gently and held him close, apologizing to him softly. The ferret squeaked and seemingly understood you, his nose nuzzling into your cheek. You smiled and brushed your hand threw his hair.

"Let's hope this spell wears off soon hm?" You spoke, giggling as the ferret tickled your neck.

Entering the common room, you immediately went to Draco's dorm, as it was where you two would spend most of your time together. Mostly to keep out of the public's eye. It was basically your room at this point too, you slept there, kept clothes there, did homework there, etc. It was bigger than your actual dorm too so that was a plus.

Sitting on your shared bed, you set the ferret down gently, watching as he looked at you curiously. You hesitantly pull out your wand, looking it over before turning to him.

"I don't know if I can help you, I don't want to hurt you," the ferret squeaked, running into your lap.

"Is that a no?" You laughed.

"Maybe we should just wait it out, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something bad happened to you." You spoke, shuddering at the thought. Staring at him fondly, you began to pet him again, finally being able to get a good look at him.

"I must say, you are awfully cute for a ferret," you tease, the ferret merely sighing in response. You giggle and continue to pet him, laying back onto the bed and lying him beside you, on your pillow.

"Why don't we just sleep it off? That'll certainly make it wear off sooner," the ferret seemed to agree, curling up on himself and nustling into your neck.

"I agree." You laugh, taking off your circular glasses and setting them on the dresser nearby.

"I love you Draco, have sweet little ferret dreams," you tease one last time, placing a soft kiss to his head.

When you awoke, it was dark out and the room was cold. You shivered, attempting to curl in on yourself but stopped when you felt a hand on your waist. Remembering the events from earlier, you rubbed the crust from your eyes and turned around, seeing a mop of blonde hair, and his familiar black and green robes. You breathed out a sigh of relief, thankful to see the spell had warn off. Even though Draco was still asleep, you couldn't help but wrap your arms around him, relieved to have his safe, warm, comforting presence back. He woke and automatically hugged back, as if his body knew what to do. He then stilled, flexing his hands. He opened his eyes and inspected himself, sighing in relief as well. Before you could say anything however, Draco had his lips on yours, scrambling any sort of thought you had. He pulled back and rested his forehead to yours.

"That's for saving me. Thank you darling,"

He kissed you once more, his hand pulling you by the waist, closer to him.

"You saved me too, thank you Draco. I love you."

A/N: soooooo what do you think? Lol. I always have a hard time writing x readers for some reason, but I actually had fun this time. Lmao. Reblogs appreciated, and please, let me know your thoughts! <3

[casinoroyale]

Hi everyone!! Theseus cquackity viceduo zombur revivebur here.

This blog has seen several hiatuses (my bad seriously my bad), and bouts of irregular posting. So I'm sure people who regularly check it have noticed that we (Fiona @quackbur and I) haven't been posting daily anymore and haven't for a bit now. So below the cut I'm gonna talk more about that, and our plans for this blog going forward

For starters, I love roleplaying on this blog so much, as does my cohost Fiona @quackbur. Fiona has done so, so much writing for this and I feel kind of bad for taking her credit over the past two or so years, so props to her for being such a good sport and for everything she's done. This blog wouldn't exist without the shared passion she had for it.

To get sappy, I love the friends I've made in bedrockverse, they remain some of my best and closest companions. I would not trade the times I've spent with them for the world. Beau, Holly & co, Met & Co, and Thunderbottles are some of the loveliest, most supportive, and insanely talented people I have ever had the pleasure of writing with and meeting.

This includes people who aren't part of the bedrockverse that I've written with!! Shoutout to Javi anonymous-jey casino-duckling, TGM the-g-m duckofthelaw, and AD anonymous-dentist therealnoodleman. It was so much fun bringing all the quackverses together, and I respect all of you so much as writers.

AND that also includes EVERYONE who has interacted with her!!!!!!!!!! Everyone who has sent asks (thank you so much, sorry we're terrible at replying), reblogged threads, commented, posted/liveblogged, DREW FAN ART (BLOWS OUR MINDS. THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH INCREDIBLE ART CREATED, WE CANNOT THANK ALL OF YOU ENOUGH), even just liked a thread, thank you. Seriously, it has meant a lot to us to be part of this community, and have so many people enjoy this blog. Insert Pitbull image happy you enjoyed.

So, going forward it would make us really happy if you all pictured casinoroyale as happy. He has songbird-sunrise, goofygoop, and a nation full of citizens that she loves. She babysits for tubbolul and latenightmining, and terrorizes rp!emduo not infrequently. All we really wanted was to bring c!quackity to a happy place and I feel we've done that. Of course he still has shit days, as a ptsd baddie, but the good days are more common. And if we never get to it (though I hope someday we do, maybe in the form of a collaborative one-shot or fic) know that casinoroyale and songbird-sunrise DO eventually get [REDACTED]. And one of them DOES get [REDACTED]. That was always the plan! Yay! [REDACTED]!

Not to say that we don't have more arcs planned for this blog, because we do! I just don't know when/if/how they'll ever get written, especially because a lot of my friends have moved on from their rp blogs as well. But I really do still feel happy with where he's at and happy with everything I've done. This is a project I'm really, really proud of and I will always look back on fondly.

None of this means that I'm not interested in c!Quackity or DSMP as a whole anymore, either. Actually that couldn't be further from the truth. But now I'd like to be able to focus on fics, and other forms of writing, which I've been doing more recently :D actually, you can read a short one shot I posted for exile's anniversary HERE

If you've made it this far into this long, sappy post, THANKS!!!!!! The TLDR; this blog is on an indefinite hiatus, and won't be returning to its formal glory, and that's okay. We had a really good run. Now, off we go to other things

[samsheughan]

Confession I guess?

I figured it's time I was honest with y'all. (below the cut; feel free to skip if it's not your preferred cuppa)

I know I don't owe anyone an explanation of any kind, but as I've always said and stood by, I hold what audience I have with the highest regard and respect and I feel y'all deserve more from me than just the occasional "thanks for reading!" you know?

That being said, I want to let everyone know that, it's official: I am writing an original novel that I do plan to have published as soon as possible. I am planning on this novel being a trilogy of sorts, so there will be multiple books coming from me! :D

I have been writing fanfiction since I was 12 years old. What started on a floppy disk has flourished into a passion that I will always be proud of and grateful for. Writing fanfiction has spared my life more than once, and in the process of writing fanfiction, I have made friends that I know I will have for the rest of my life. I am so SO so grateful to y'all.

However, as time has gone on, and especially in the last few years or so, writing fanfiction felt more like an obligation rather than the hobby it's supposed to be. And that's no fun. But trying to bridge the gap between fanfiction and actual fiction (aka, the kind you can get paid for) has also been a struggle. I had a hard time trying to detach the ideas I had for fics from their respective fandoms and convert them into something that could be an original novel.

I have tried to adapt some of my more popular fanfiction stories into original ones, but a lot of the fandoms I've been in just don't make that an easy prospect (even my Modern AUs are hard to adapt since what makes them Modern AUs is deeply embedded in their respective fandom). But lately, the fog from that cloud seems to have lifted, and I am currently working on the manuscript for my very first novel!

All that aside, you might be wondering: "but Liz! You promised us you'd finished your fic! You promised, you promised, you promised!!" And you're right. I did promise. A promise I still intend to fulfill. I am a woman of my word. Sutures will be finished.

Someday.

But the timeline for that finale is now offcially on an indefinite hiatus. I could wake up tomorrow morning and finish it all and then post it that evening. Or it could be 10 years before I'm able to get back to it. Who can say? I sure as hell cannot. And while I hope I won't have to make y'all wait that long, like Claire, I have a glass face and cannot lie. But I also have to live in reality: I am my family's primary breadwinner. We are all disabled in some form and I am no longer capable of working outside our home. Wolf hasn't been for some time, so us staying home with The Pup just makes more sense now that we have officially pulled him from public school to homeschool him ourselves. Doing something working from home is now my chief focus, and I have to do what I need to do to facilitate that. We are good for the time being though (so much so that I closed the gfm I started a few months ago, so thank you to everyone who helped us out in our time of need 💜)

It has been a lifelong dream of mine to become a published author. A writer of love stories, in every romance genre I can get my wee fingers on! xD I am now in a position to chase that exact dream, and I cannot wait to be able to share what I've been doing!

To the Outlander fandom: my heart is yours from the moment I saw y'all. You've held my spirit with your two hands, and kept it safe (hey, jammf would be proud of me for channeling him here, be quiet :P) I have had many ups and downs with fandoms but I am eternally grateful for the love and appreciation this fandom has showered me with and I hope y'all will continue to stick around to see what else I got up my sleeve!

Stay tuned! Good shit is coming xx

[missmugiwara]

Now There's an Idea

Summary: gn!reader x Rengoku. You talk to Rengoku about your love life. Warning: None! Just some cuteness. I hope you like flirting! Note: I had way too much fun with this! Please enjoy!

It was late out.

A yawn escaped your lips as you rested your arm on the hilt of your blade. There was a full moon, a gentle warmth in the humid summer air, and crickets chirped somewhere far off in the distance. Mid-yawn, your gaze wandered over to the man with you on this fine night. Rengoku was quiet, an ever-present smirk on his face while his arms were crossed against his broad chest. He hadn't let out any indication of being tired, and here you were yawning. While on patrol. While waiting for a report from scouts sent ahead earlier in the day. There was a possibility that a particularly strong demon was in the area, and so the master sent two of his finest hashira: Rengoku and you.

It wasn't unusual that you two were paired together. In fact, it happened often enough where you could affectionately say Rengoku's presence made you quite comfortable. Any mission that he was joining you on instantly made you feel giddy. The flame hashira was just so kind. When you first met him he was quite intimidating with his bright, sun-like eyes and loud nature, but after getting to know him he was extremely charming. You were thankful for the friendly relationship that developed and for how easy it was to speak to him about nearly anything.

So seated on a rooftop, you swung you legs over the side and kicked them back and forth out of boredom. You looked up at the moon and softly hummed a song while your eyes became lidded. You had been thinking a lot about life lately, particularly romance.

It was starting to get difficult lately.

What exactly? It had been a long time since you were wooed and had a proper date. It seemed that every time you finished one mission, exhausted and burnt out, another one came up. Constantly on the move, never getting the chance to try and find a special someone. The feeling of being held in someone's arms, to have butterflies in your stomach, to have one's lips against yours - you sighed dreamily at the moon in yearning.

"Kyojuro, you ever think about getting married someday?"

As soon as those words left your mouth, it was instant regret. It had slipped out without thought. Eyes widened in embarrassment, cheeks blossomed into heat, and immediately you turned to see if his expression changed at all. Surprisingly it didn't, but what was even more concerning now was trying to read his face and determine if you had crossed a line. That was kind of personal information to ask, but… Rengoku was yours. Well, uh, your friend! Friend! Was there really any reason to be so bothered asking that to a friend? Besides, upon further thought, was he even the marrying type? He seemed like he would focus on his career first.

Rengoku closed his yellow and red eyes. The proud smirk still played at his lips, and he tilted his chin downward.

"Yes."

He answered softly. You twitched in response as another heat erupted onto your face. Oh, Rengoku's response was unexpected! It reminded you that he too was just a normal person like anybody else. And it revealed that Rengoku was not the type of man consumed with his work.

"And what about you, my dear?"

Those words echoed in your ears. Your heart thumped against your chest. This sensation was new. My dear. You never really paid attention to that until now. Why was that? Your friendship with the flame hashira was strong, and he called you that for years out of endearment. He never did it out of flirtation nor ever expected any cute names in return. Moreso, you were surprised he didn't rebuttle and ask why would you want to know. Perhaps asking that wasn't as personal as it seemed, especially with the connection you two shared. It was only fair you answered back honestly. He deserved it.

"I… I do." you smiled gently and locked eyes with him, "I want to fall in love."

It was so easy to share something so intimate with him. His presence alone just made you become honest to a fault. Plus, he would never laugh at you for this.

Rengoku beamed with a slight pink blush, "That's wonderful!"

You smiled back at him cutely. You took a pause to rub the back of your head bashfully and laughed, "But… I'm afraid I'll never meet anyone with how hard I work! I barely get the time to go on dates anymore."

The blonde and red-haired man took a moment to think. He stared at you with a light smile. "You could meet plenty of people! How about someone in the corps?"

Lips pursed in thought, you blinked before looking up into the sky in a reflective manner. "Someone from the corps? Well, I never thought about that before. I guess I could… but I don't know…"

It was interesting that Rengoku mentioned potentially dating a coworker. That seemed like it could get awkward if the relationship went sour. It also seemed strange for someone of his character to suggest this. Rengoku shuffled in his seat, seeming to understand your hesitation. He uncrossed his arms and then his legs, swinging them over the side of the roof to mirror your position. The smile on his face somehow changed into something a little bit more enticing.

"How about… a hashira?"

The air stilled.

Rengoku blushed. You blushed. You completely froze on the spot at what Rengoku was implying. Did he… maybe mean himself? Was he flirting? Your lips parted out of shock. Somehow in this state, you whipped your gaze to him. Eyes still widened, lips still parted. An intense staredown bewteen a smirking, proud hashira and a stunned, flustered one. Rengoku's eyes were lidded, and the expression he wore was quite alluring. Another pause was shared, before you realized you kept him waiting.

In that instance, your eyes softened. You had maybe thought about him like that a few times before, and… dating Rengoku sounded very pleasing. He would make an excellent partner. He was truly handsome. And strong. And kind. That longing gaze in your eyes matched his, and you could have sworn you saw his throat bob when you gave him such a lascivious look that was aimed at his lips. Gently, you gripped the side of the roof in your hands.

"You know… I wouldn't mind that."

Hopefully the lusty, breathy tone in your voice was enough, enough to tell Rengoku that you might possibly know he was referring to himself. It was not in his nature to dance around in conversations and to be more straightforward - but this was kind of cute. He was an unexpected flirt. But you wanted to play it safe, after all. He was your friend.

Other times… he was so much more.

Perhaps you should have been more forward like how Rengoku usually was. Or perhaps, he already understood what you admitted. The look he gave you then could only make you spiral even further.

Rengoku's lips curled upward into a delectable smirk.

"Hmm. I see."

[b1xi]

𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥

Glenn rhee x reader

Word count: 6987

Warninig: Blood, deaths, violence, bad words, use of weapons

Previous Chapter /Next chapter

You let out a low groan, rubbing your eyes with fatigue as you tried to shake off the sleep. The pain in your back was intense, a result of an uncomfortable night. The rain that had relentlessly fallen the night before had turned the floor of the tent into cold, wet mud, and the constant patter of drops against the canvas roof had kept you awake. However, to your relief, Alice hadn't been disturbed by the noise. She was still sleeping peacefully on your chest, her small body curled up against you in the sling that held her.

You got up carefully, trying not to wake her while adjusting the sling to ensure she remained secure. With one hand, you gathered your hair into an improvised bun, the mess reflecting how exhausted you felt.

As you stepped outside the tent, the cool morning air greeted you. "Good morning," you greeted Rick, who was emerging from the tent he shared with Lori and Carl. He nodded in your direction, responding with a smile. Everyone was tired, but the dawn always brought a slight sense of relief.

Your gaze swept over the camp, looking for something to focus on, some purpose to distract you from the weariness. It was then that your eyes landed on Glenn, watching Morales and Jim, the three of them focused on the red sports car they had recovered the day before.

You moved a little closer, observing the scene unfolding in front of you. You couldn’t help but notice the look of disappointment on Glenn’s face as the other two men, Morales and Jim, dismantled important parts from the sports car. They were removing pieces to use for Dale’s RV, something necessary but clearly bothering Glenn. Rick also approached, instantly picking up on his friend’s dismay.

“They're like vultures,” Glenn muttered, his tone laden with sarcasm and frustration as he watched Morales effortlessly pull one of the car’s tires off. “Go ahead, take it all apart.”

The weight of disappointment was evident, and though he tried to mask it with humor, it wasn’t hard to see that he felt defeated.

Dale, aware of the situation, tried to ease things. “We need the fuel for the generators,” he explained in his slow, measured tone, giving Glenn a light pat on the shoulder to emphasize the need to prioritize the group’s well-being. “Without power, we won’t have light. I’m sorry, Glenn.”

“We can get another one,” you said softly, hoping to offer some comfort. Your tone was calm, almost hopeful. Glenn, with a small, forced smile, nodded, acknowledging the attempt to cheer him up.

Rick, always pragmatic, tried to lighten the situation with his own touch of optimism. “She’s right,” he said, looking at Glenn firmly. “Maybe we’ll steal another one someday. You never know what we’ll run into.”

He gave him a few pats on the back before moving on. You stayed by Glenn’s side for a few more moments, sharing the silence.

Glenn, breaking the quiet, finally turned to you, his gaze soft but curious. “Did you sleep well?” he asked, his eyes searching yours as if, for a moment, he wanted to set his mind away from the car problems and focus on something simpler—on you.

You shrugged, trying to soften the response you knew you’d give. “I tried, but last night’s rain made it hard to rest. Alice, luckily, didn’t seem to notice,” you said, with a small smile as you glanced down at the little one, who was still sleeping peacefully in the sling.

Glenn nodded slowly, his eyes settling on the baby before a warm, genuine smile formed on his face. “I see,” he replied, his tone low and comforting. Tenderly, he let his finger brush against Alice’s tiny hand.

Alice’s little hand stirred under Glenn’s gentle touch, and both of you shared a fleeting smile, the kind that comes from a moment of calm amid the chaos. However, the tranquility shattered in an instant when a piercing scream broke through the silence that had covered the camp like a fragile layer of security. Immediately, everyone turned toward the source of the sound, their bodies tense and alert.

“Stay here,” Glenn said firmly, his gaze filled with worry before rushing to follow the rest of the group. His departure left a void around you, but you didn’t move immediately. You were used to those kinds of orders, yet the uncertainty grew in your chest.

Before you could decide whether to follow him or not, you felt a firm hand on your arm. It was Dale, coming down from the RV, his usual serious expression now more urgent. “Stay,” he ordered, his voice harsher than usual, while adjusting his grip on the axe he was holding. Without another word, he headed toward where the others were already gathering.

“Shit,” you muttered under your breath, frustrated but with no alternatives. Slowly, you began walking toward where Andrea and Amy were standing, watching from a distance. Their faces reflected the same unease you were feeling.

When you arrived, you joined them, and from that vantage point, you could see how the situation was unfolding. Carl, Sophia, and Morales' kids were crying, their small figures trembling as they clung to their mothers’ clothes. The women comforted them as best they could, though their own eyes were filled with terror. Meanwhile, the men of the camp formed a circle, weapons in hand, surrounding something you couldn’t quite see from your position.

The unmistakable sound of a growl confirmed your suspicions: a walker. How the hell had one of them gotten inside the camp? The mere fact that one of those things had crossed the barriers they believed to be safe made your stomach churn. You pressed your lips together, wishing you could see better, wishing you could do something more than just watch. But for now, all you could do was wait and trust that the others would take care of the threat.

Then, a familiar sensation interrupted your thoughts. Alice was starting to stir in the sling, and a look of discomfort appeared on her little face, accompanied by an unmistakable smell. A smell that, in any other situation, would have made you laugh, but now only drew a resigned sigh from you.

“Ugh, Alice...” you muttered, grimacing as you shook your head slightly. You knew what was coming, and though you couldn’t blame her—she was just a baby, after all—the task ahead wasn’t pleasant. “Again? Really?”

You looked around with a mix of frustration and resignation, as if the chaos outside and the chaos of changing a diaper were part of the same endless nightmare. But there was no choice. Even though the world around you was falling apart, even though the dead walked among the living, life carried on with its small needs, even in the apocalypse. Alice needed to be taken care of, and you were all she had at that moment.

You quickly searched for a spot where you could take care of the situation, finding a small corner far enough from the central tension of the camp. You carefully knelt down, unfastening the sling and placing Alice on an improvised blanket you carried in your backpack.

"Alright, ready," you whispered with a smile as you finished settling her, gently brushing her soft brown hair. Her little hands moved restlessly, and with a loving gesture, you held her face to look at her. "Are you hungry? Let’s get your bottle ready," you said in a soft tone.

Immersed in that small, private world you had created with Alice, you didn’t pay attention to what was happening just a few meters away. You didn’t bother to look when the shouting grew louder, nor when the sound of a fight began to echo through the camp. You already knew, almost without having to see it, that Rick and Daryl were clashing. Daryl had been beside himself since finding out what happened to Merle, furious that they had left him behind in the city, handcuffed to a pipe on that rooftop. What he wasn’t sharing was the reason: deep down, you believed Merle deserved it. After all, he was a dangerous idiot, and you could still feel the faint sting on your cheek, the ghost of the slap he’d given you before they left him behind.

Rick, as always, had given in to Lori’s insistence, who had practically demanded that he promise Daryl they would go back to Atlanta to search for Merle. It was a near-suicidal mission, and most of the group knew it. But, as expected, some reluctantly offered their help, knowing that refusing wouldn’t change anything. Glenn was one of them, and that stirred a pang of frustration and worry in you. You knew he couldn’t say no, that his nature made him too noble to refuse Rick, even if it meant putting his life in danger.

You walked over to Glenn, who had his back to you, focused on packing a few things into his bag: a water bottle, a flashlight, basic but essential items for such a risky mission. You watched in silence for a moment, feeling the weight of worry pressing on your chest. You knew that, even though he didn’t want to, Glenn always ended up volunteering in situations like this. He couldn’t help it; his nobility and sense of responsibility pushed him to put himself in danger time and time again.

“You couldn’t say no,” you finally said, breaking the silence as you stepped closer to him.

Glenn turned to look at you, with an expression that confirmed what you already knew: he was exhausted, not just physically, but emotionally. The burden of always being the one who helps, the one who sacrifices, was starting to weigh on him. His eyes, though filled with determination, showed a shadow of defeat, as if deep down, he knew what you feared.

You sighed, and almost without realizing it, you murmured to yourself, "My sweet boy can’t say no."

You instantly scolded yourself for what you had said. Not because you didn’t feel it, but because you didn’t want those emotions to get in the way at that moment. There was too much at stake. But despite your best efforts, the affection you felt for Glenn was evident in every word you spoke.

"You know you don’t have to do this," you said louder, stepping closer to him and placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Rick can find another way, you don’t have to put yourself in danger every time someone asks you to."

Glenn gave a small smile, a mix of resignation and sadness. "I’d like to stay, believe me," he said, his voice soft but hesitant. "But I already promised Rick I would go." His attempt to justify his decision only heightened the frustration you felt. Seeing the frown on your face and the anger in your expression, he tried to sound more convincing, though you knew even he doubted his own words.

"Don’t worry," he continued, softening his tone and meeting your gaze. "I’ll be fine. We’ve done this before, remember? It won’t be any different."

"I’ll come back," Glenn insisted, with a firmness meant to reassure you. His eyes locked onto yours, as if he wanted his words to sink into every last one of your doubts. "I’ll be okay, I promise. I won’t keep doing these things if I know they make you feel like this."

"Glenn Rhee, don’t play with me," you responded in a softer tone, though still carrying a hint of disbelief. What he said comforted you, though a part of you remained skeptical. You hadn’t noticed how close you were now. Barely a foot of space separated your bodies, the tension palpable in the air, vibrating between the two of you.

"I never would," Glenn murmured, his voice low and sincere, filled with an unspoken promise. The silence that followed was intense, charged with something you couldn’t quite describe, a mix of worry and something deeper you didn’t dare name. The world around you seemed to shrink to that small shared space, until Rick’s voice broke the bubble that had formed.

"Glenn!" Rick’s shout snapped him out of the trance. Glenn pulled away, a bit reluctantly, letting out one last sigh before turning back to you.

"Take care," he said quickly, throwing you one last affectionate look before heading toward Rick and the rest of the group waiting for him.

You watched him walk away, feeling a strange emptiness in your chest. You couldn’t help but worry, but you forced yourself to trust his words. You sighed again and looked around, searching for Alice, who was in Amy’s arms. The blonde was gently rocking her while the baby played with her hair, smiling innocently.

“Y/N!” Jacqui’s voice called you from a distance as she and the other women headed toward the quarry. “We’re going to wash some clothes, do you want to join us?”

“Sure, give me a moment, I’ll catch up,” you replied with a smile, feeling grateful for the distraction. Gently, you took Alice from Amy’s arms, making sure she was comfortable in her carrier before stepping into your tent. You quickly searched for your dirty clothes and Alice’s. Then, after a brief moment of reflection, you decided you could also take a couple of Glenn’s items. You didn’t think he would mind, and after all, the poor guy already smelled.

You sat on a dry rock next to the water source, beginning to separate the clothes you would wash first. You were so focused on scrubbing the dirty garments that you barely paid attention to the conversation forming among the other women. The effort felt exhausting; you weren’t used to handwashing, and household chores had never been your strong suit, considering the long hours you used to spend at work. An internal laugh made you think, I’m definitely not wife material.

“I’m seriously starting to doubt that this is fun,” Andrea commented, holding a basket of clothes next to Jacqui, her eyes filled with frustration.

“Why do we have to do the maid’s work?” Jacqui complained, indignantly.

“It’s not that hard to understand,” you replied without looking up, your hands submerging another garment in the soapy bucket of water. “The men are so stupid they can’t even take care of themselves.”

Andrea’s dry laugh and Jacqui’s nod confirmed that you weren’t the only one sharing that sentiment.

“Didn’t you hear? The world has ended,” Amy chimed in with a touch of sarcasm, her expression ironic as she shook out a wet garment.

Before you could respond, you felt Carol’s gaze on you, her soft voice breaking your concentration. “Are you okay?” she asked, noticing the frown you had been wearing without realizing it. Her tone was warm, filled with that maternal concern she usually showed everyone.

You shook your head lightly and wiped your forehead, which was starting to glisten with a layer of sweat under the relentless sun. “Yeah, I’m fine,” you replied with a smile that tried to seem casual. “Just battling this stain,” you added with a light laugh, rubbing your hands on your waist while glancing quickly at Alice, who was still playing peacefully on the blanket.

Amy, who hadn’t stopped watching you, let out a comment laden with complicity, glancing sideways at her sister before smiling. “He’ll be fine, he’ll come back,” she said in a tone meant to be reassuring but that held a spark of mischief. It took you a moment to process what she was talking about until you realized she was referring to Glenn. Just thinking of him made the heat of the sun feel trivial compared to the blush that started creeping up your cheeks.

“I’m not worried,” you blurted out without thinking too much, even though you knew it was a blatant lie. You weren’t sure why you denied it so firmly, but the idea of everyone noticing how much you cared about Glenn made you feel vulnerable, as if you were somehow exposing a part of yourself that you had kept locked away.

“Sure, sure,” Jacqui replied, her tone clearly indicating that she didn’t believe you at all. “But I saw you arguing with him before he decided to head back to the city. You looked more than just concerned.”

“We were just talking,” you insisted, scrubbing one of Glenn’s shirts between your hands harder than necessary, as if that could erase both the conversation and the feelings you were trying to hide.

“You talk too closely to be just friends,” Carol teased, a mischievous smile forming on her face.

“Wow, I didn’t expect that comment from you,” you shot back with a smile, trying to divert the topic. Then, in a playful gesture, you splashed a bit of water at her. “We’re just friends, nothing more,” you added, though the word “friends” tasted bitter in your mouth. The relationship between you and Glenn had become trapped in that label, and it was starting to smell like something unresolved, something neither of you was ready to confront.

“I miss my washing machine,” Carol sighed, exhausted, letting a wet shirt drop onto the pile of clothes.

“I miss my Mercedes and the GPS navigation,” Andrea commented as she meticulously brushed the clothes spread over her lap. Her tone was light, but the gleam in her eyes showed a palpable nostalgia.

“And I miss my double-filter coffee maker,” Jacqui added with a smile, “with the built-in grinder, of course.”

“My computer… and text messages,” Amy interjected, frowning as she helplessly regarded the garment she had been scrubbing for what felt like an eternity.

“I miss my air conditioning and a decent bed,” you sighed emphatically. You weren’t lying; your back was a battlefield of cramps, and the relentless heat made every day feel longer than the last. It was incredible how the basics had become luxuries.

The conversation took an unexpected turn when Andrea, without warning, blurted out, “I miss my vibrator.”

The silence that followed was brief but palpable, before everyone exchanged surprised glances and then burst into laughter.

“So do I,” Carol added casually, which unleashed even more laughter, this time louder and more liberating. It was a moment of respite amidst the storm, a small flicker of humanity in a world that tried to steal it from you every day.

The atmosphere turned dense in an instant when Ed, with his cigarette hanging from his lips, approached the group. The environment, which had just moments ago been filled with laughter, was now heavy with palpable discomfort. Quick glances were exchanged among the women; the tension was evident.

“What’s so funny?” he asked in his brusque tone, his gaze heavy with disdain as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. Carol flinched slightly, and the discomfort on her face was impossible to ignore.

“We were just sharing war stories, Ed,” Andrea joked, trying to dissipate the tension. Though her words had a light tone, it was easy to see how tense she was. Carol, for her part, seemed increasingly uncomfortable, her posture shrinking with each passing second.

“Is there a problem, Ed?” Andrea’s patience was starting to wear thin, her tone sharper, almost defiant.

“It’s none of your business,” Ed replied with disdain, pulling the cigarette from his mouth and looking at her coldly. “You should focus on your work. This isn’t a comedy club.”

The coldness of his words ignited a spark within you, and before you could stop yourself, you retorted, “You’d better focus on shutting your mouth or I’ll kick your fat ass.” Your words came out with more venom than you intended, but you didn’t regret it. You held your gaze steady on him, challenging him to say more.

Seizing your intervention, Andrea stood up and walked toward Ed with a wet piece of clothing in her hand. “Listen, if you don’t like how we wash the clothes, then go wash them yourself.” She thrust the garment toward him with evident disdain, but Ed, instead of taking it, roughly tossed it aside.

“It’s not my job,” he replied, unfazed, taking another drag of his cigarette as if nothing had happened.

“Andrea, don’t do it,” Amy tried to intervene, her voice filled with concern.

“What is your job, Ed?” Andrea shot back, her patience exhausted. “Sitting on your ass and smoking cigarettes?”

Ed’s face twisted into a sneer of contempt. “I don’t have to listen to a stuck-up, arrogant bitch,” he responded aggressively. Then, his gaze turned toward Carol, who remained motionless, fear reflected in her eyes. “You, come with me,” he ordered in a rude tone, raising his voice. Carol hesitated, but fear paralyzed her.

You couldn’t just stand by. You stepped closer to her, gently taking her wrist in an attempt to stop her. “You don’t have to go anywhere, Carol.”

“Leave her alone, Ed,” Andrea interjected, placing herself between them.

Ed ignored the challenge. “That’s none of your business. Come with me!” His voice rose even further, and the tension in the air became almost unbearable.

Carol looked at you, her face pale and her eyes filled with unshed tears. “Please, Y/N, it doesn’t matter,” she whispered, her voice so fragile that you felt your heart break a little. You understood her fear. It was a cycle she couldn’t escape from alone.

Ed turned to Andrea, his face filled with fury. “Don’t think I won’t hit you too, just because you’re a college bitch.”

Andrea looked at him, offended, but before she could respond, Jacqui intervened, crossing her arms firmly. “Are you going to bruise your wife again, Ed?” Her voice resonated with authority. “We saw it. We know what you do.”

That was enough to unleash chaos. In a matter of seconds, everything turned into a struggle. Ed, in his frustration, slapped Carol when they tried to stop him. It all happened so quickly that you could barely react, but before things escalated further, Shane appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed Ed by the shirt, lifting him with a strength that seemed almost superhuman, and threw him to the ground.

“If you ever touch your wife, your daughter, or anyone in this camp again, I won’t hold back, you hear me?” Shane’s voice was a palpable threat as his fist collided repeatedly with Ed’s face. Blood and blows filled the air, and Ed’s body lay on the ground, bloodied and defeated.

The crowd fell silent, except for Carol’s sobs. Shane stood up, breathing heavily, and shot one last warning glance at Ed.

After all the commotion, you returned to the camp with heavy steps. The air felt denser than usual, but you tried to shake off the bad taste of what had happened. As you hung the wet clothes on the line, you made sure the wind wouldn’t carry them away.

When you finished, you headed to your tent, relieved to escape the lingering tension in the camp. You sighed as you picked up Alice in your arms. “Alright, little one, you’re going to have to learn to walk soon. You’re getting heavier every day,” you joked, stretching your sore back from the day’s work.

Alice, with her little bright eyes filled with determination, tried to stand up. She leaned against your legs, her tiny hands gripping your pants, but after a wobble, she ended up sitting back down on the ground. You let out a soft laugh at the sight of her; her surprised expression was adorable.

“It’s okay, sweetie, we’ll try again,” you said gently, leaning down to help her up once more. You took her small hands and patiently guided her, holding her steady as she attempted to straighten up on her wobbly feet. Her little eyes sparkled with concentration, her lips pursed in an expression that, despite her young age, conveyed a mix of frustration and determination.

“That’s it, come on... slowly,” you murmured as she, with your support, managed to stand for a few seconds. You felt her strength, small but growing, as she tried to take a step. Every advancement, no matter how minor, filled you with pride. But on her second step, her legs buckled again, and she fell gently onto her bottom, this time letting out a light giggle that was contagious.

–––––––––––––––––––––

The cold night air seeped between your bare arms, prickling your skin as you stared restlessly at the embers of the fire. The wind played with your hair, a dark strand tickling your cheek before you brushed it away with a distracted gesture. Your leg wouldn’t stop bouncing, reflecting the agitation you felt deep within. Glenn and the others had not returned yet, and the weight of uncertainty was consuming you.

You tried to calm yourself, but negative thoughts relentlessly assailed your mind, showing you a myriad of scenarios in which things could go wrong. Each image was worse than the last, each one a reminder of how fragile the lives of those you loved had become. You hugged yourself, trying to protect not only from the cold but from the storm of emotions attacking you from within. Alice wasn’t with you; she had fallen asleep much earlier than usual, and Dale, in a kind gesture, had allowed you to lay her down in the RV for her safety, so you could get close if anything happened.

You let the conversations around the fire wash over you, although you didn’t participate much. You had never been one to talk a lot, and even less so now. You preferred to listen, to observe. It was something you did better than speaking: reading between the lines, understanding without needing to say too much.

“Where are you going?” you heard Andrea ask, her tone casual but filled with curiosity. Amy, her sister, had quietly gotten up.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” the young blonde replied softly, with a shy smile. “Gosh, a girl tries to be discreet…” she chided her sister with a hint of embarrassment as she made her way toward the RV.

Not long passed before a blood-curdling scream shattered the tranquility of the camp. The conversation halted abruptly, and everyone turned toward the source of the sound. What you saw paralyzed your heart: a walker had caught Amy and was sinking its teeth into her arm, eliciting screams of pain that seemed to echo throughout the camp. Chaos erupted like a storm. More walkers emerged from the shadows, moving slowly but with an insatiable hunger. Panic spread among everyone. Mothers instinctively shielded their children, while the others hurried to grab any weapon they had on hand to defend themselves.

Shane, with the skill of a soldier, began to shoot, taking down one walker after another that approached dangerously. Your heart raced wildly. You cursed yourself for leaving your weapon inside the tent. As you tried to back away to safety, you tripped over a rock and fell backward. The gravel scraped your skin, but you had no time to worry about the pain. One of the walkers lunged at you, and in a desperate move, you grabbed a wooden stick and drove it into its head, watching as the lifeless body fell beside you.

You breathed heavily as you got back up, the only thought in your mind being Alice. You had to reach her; you had to make sure she was safe. You fought your way through the chaos, taking down two walkers that were too close to the vehicle’s door. The dark blood of one splattered your neck, and the disgust almost made you vomit, but there was no time for that. You stopped abruptly when your eyes met a horrifying scene: another walker had reached Amy and was viciously biting her neck. Blood gushed out, splattering the ground and clothes, as Amy fell to the ground.

Andrea screamed heartbreakingly, unable to process what was happening as she held the bleeding body of her sister. The sound of Alice’s cries grew louder, increasingly desperate, and your ears began to buzz. It felt like everything slowed down, each second weighing like an eternity. Your instinct screamed at you to run to your baby, to protect her at any cost, but the horror of what you were witnessing kept you anchored in place, as if your body couldn’t move.

A scream jolted you from your reverie. "Watch out!" The warning came just in time. As you turned, a walker lunged at you, its empty eyes and decaying flesh hanging from its face. Instinct took over; you gripped the wooden stick with both hands, even as splinters dug painfully into your skin. You didn’t think, you just acted. The blow was brutal, striking directly at the walker’s head. You felt the resistance of the rotting flesh give way as the wood pierced through the skull. The body collapsed at your feet, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze.

Without wasting any more time, you ran toward the RV. The interior was dark, but you didn’t stop. You knew exactly where you had to go. You walked quickly to the small room at the back, your heart pounding so hard it felt like it would explode in your chest. With trembling hands, you pushed aside the curtain, revealing Alice. Her face was red, drenched in tears, and her arms reached out to you as soon as she saw you.

You scooped her up in your arms with a tenderness that contradicted the chaos outside. Your body shook, adrenaline and fear battling for control, but you sank to the floor, leaning your back against the wall, trying to find a breath amid the panic. Alice continued to cry, her small body shaking with sobs, and everything in you wanted to calm her, to protect her from this terrifying world that had become more dangerous with every passing second.

“Shh… I’m here, sweetheart, mommy’s here,” you whispered as you cradled her against your chest. The words slipped from your lips, automatic, a desperate attempt to soothe her, to soothe yourself. “Everything will be alright, baby. Everything will be alright.” But the sounds of screams and gunfire outside made it hard to believe. You knew the words were empty in that moment, but you repeated them, hoping they could offer some comfort, if not for her, at least for you.

The cries of Andrea, the thunder of Shane’s gunfire, and the growls of walkers continued to echo, but in that small corner of the RV, you tried to create a bubble of calm for Alice. You pressed her small body against yours, the warmth of her soft skin offering you a small ray of hope amid the despair. You couldn’t lose control, not when she needed you so much.

Tears began to fall uncontrollably, hot and heavy, as fear consumed you completely. Each sob was a reflection of the desperation you were trying to hold at bay, but you couldn’t anymore. Everything was crumbling around you. You didn’t know to whom you were praying, whether to some god that could still hear you or simply to hope itself, but you wanted the horror to end. You were so scared, so exhausted, that the simple act of breathing felt like an impossible task.

Gradually, the sounds from outside began to fade, the noise of the struggle transforming into the crunch of footsteps on the ground. Footsteps you didn’t recognize. Your heart raced again, and your mind imagined the worst: maybe everyone was dead, and you were the only survivor, doomed to face the world alone with Alice in your arms.

Your body tensed as you heard someone approaching the RV. The small room, which just minutes before had been a refuge, now felt like a death trap. You desperately searched for something to defend yourself with, anything that could help you protect Alice. But there was nothing. You were helpless, alone, and fear surged over you once more.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the doorway, and for a moment, your soul seemed to leave your body. But then you saw clearly: it was Glenn. It was him, and his gaze reflected both relief and concern.

“Are you okay? Were you bitten?” His voice was filled with urgency as he knelt in front of you, his hands searching for your face, touching it gently. His thumb wiped away a tear rolling down your cheek, his gesture so full of tenderness that it broke the last barrier you had built to keep yourself strong.

“Please respond… talk to me,” he insisted, his voice nearly breaking. His eyes searched yours desperately, trying to ensure that you were truly alright.

You couldn’t speak. The words lodged in your throat, choked by fear and relief. All you could do was nod weakly before collapsing into his arms. You surrendered to his embrace like a frightened child, your body shaking uncontrollably as you sobbed against his chest. Glenn held you tightly, as if he were the only thing keeping you connected to reality amid the nightmare.

"I'm here. You're safe," he whispered softly as he held you tighter, his arms wrapping around your body with a care that almost made you crumble further. His warmth, his presence, provided you with a small anchor in the chaos. Though the world remained a terrifying place, in that moment, in Glenn's arms, you found a glimmer of safety.

As Alice, in your arms, slowly calmed down, her breathing syncing with yours, you realized that, at least for now, you had survived.