#but she’s in the living room and I’m in the bedroom

[pinkslipxox]

Wifey:

Summary: You loose your wedding ring and Billie comforts you

Warnings: fluff 💝

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You’ve looked everywhere.

The bedroom, the living room, the kitchen, you even looked in Billie’s small at-home studio. No matter how high and low you search, you just can’t seem to find it. You’re not sure how you’ve lost it or when, and your frustration and anxiety grows with each passing second as you continue to turn the house upside down to find your wedding ring.

Guilt starts to build up inside you as you realize that Billie will be home any minute, and still no sign of your ring. How could you be so careless? It isn’t just a ring, if anything it is a symbol of Billie’s love and devotion to you, and you can’t bear the thought of seeing her reaction when she sees that you don’t have it on. You need to find it— you must.

“Where is it?!” you groan in frustration as tears begin to swell in your eyes. “Fuck!”

Suddenly, the garage door opens. You freeze in place at the realization that your wife has returned home. And you still haven’t found your ring. You have to tell her, you know you do, but that is the last thing you want to do.

“Honey! I’m home!” Billie’s teasing voice echoes the house and you take a deep breath before meeting her at the entrance.

“Hi, Billie,” you greet as sweetly as you can manage with a smile, your heart pounding against your chest.

Billie smiles, her arms reaching out to you, and she wraps you in a tight, warm embrace. “Hey, my love! I’ve missed you so much. How was your day?”

“It was great!” you chirp, and you can’t help but feel a pang of guilt hit your chest. “How was yours?”

“It was good. Tiring, though,” she replies with a chuckle as she pulls you in close, your hips touching hers. “But being home with my beautiful wife again makes it all worth it.”

It takes everything in you to not burst into tears right then and there. Billie lightly grips your chin and then molds her soft lips with yours into a sweet kiss. You melt into her, forgetting about the ring, your focus now on your wife. Billie deepens the kiss, her grip tighter around your waist as she cradles the back of your head. You can’t help but sigh blissfully, making Billie smirk against your lips, the kiss growing more passionate, hungry almost.

“Billie…” you moan as her lips travel down your neck, your eyes fluttering closed.

“Let’s take this to the bedroom, shall we?” Billie murmurs against your skin and you instantly nod. Her hand slips into yours. The one where your ring is supposed to be. And you hold your breath when she brings it up with a curious expression on her beautiful face.

“You’re not wearing your ring,” she observes, and you bite your lower lip. “Why?”

“Billie… I-I…” you stammer, your nerves getting the best of you. “I-I’m so sorry…”

“Sorry for what?” Billie presses, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. “Y/N?”

With a sob, you hold onto Billie tightly, hiding your face in the crook of her neck. Your wife doesn’t hesitate to comfort you.

“Hey, hey…” Billie soothes, rubbing your back. “Please don’t cry, Y/N. What’s wrong?”

When you don’t answer, Billie pulls away slightly. She grips your chin, forcing you to look at her, and you’re met with her ocean blue eyes, full of concern. Her expression is stern but you can still see the tenderness in it.

“Y/N Y/M/N O’Connell, tell me what’s wrong,” Billie demands, her voice soft yet firm, locking her ocean blue eyes with yours.

“I-I lost my wedding ring! I can’t find it anywhere! I… I… I’m so sorry! Please don’t be mad at me…” you ramble, and Billie instantly softens as she pulls you into her arms again.

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m not mad,” Billie reassures you, kissing the top of your head.

“Promise?” You just have to be sure.

Billie chuckles softly. “Of course. I could never be mad at my girl. Ever.”

“But what do we do now?” you ask, pulling away slightly to look at her.

“We buy you a new one. Whichever one you like,” she promises and kisses your forehead.

“I just feel so bad for loosing it. You picked it out just for me, and…” you sniffle but Billie gently shushes you.

“It’s okay, Y/N. These things happen. I was honestly more worried by how upset you were.” She takes your hands in hers, squeezing them gently. “Accidents happen. You loosing your ring doesn’t make me look at you differently or love you any less. Understand, pretty girl?”

“Yes,” you say softly. “I love you, Billie.”

“I love you, too, Mrs. O’Connell,” Billie hums and connects her lips with yours again.

Relief washes over you.

You have the best wife in the world.

[whereianonymouslypostfics]

Remiss

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x reader

Word count: ~2.2k

Summary: Clearing the air

A/N: Filling plot holes?

Warnings: fluff, some angst, alcohol, a trip down memory lane, hurt/comfort

Wanda and the pets were asleep by the time you arrived home. The dogs were where they usually stayed, downstairs, while Fletcher was probably in your spot. Specifically on your pillow. This was only allowed when you weren’t home which for the first time in a while, you weren’t when the time to go to bed rolled around. 

It was almost 2 in the morning when you stumble through the front door. You’d left your car with Pietro because you had gotten a lot drunker than you anticipated. He’d called you a cab home and cleared it with security so Wanda wouldn’t be woken up by their call to alert her of your arrival. Still, you worry that she’ll find out pretty quickly because you trip over your feet as you hurry to turn off the alarm that starts to chirp annoyingly.

You curse as you shut the door and flip on the light long enough to punch in the code that’s been most recently committed to memory. Wanda insists on changing it twice a year, and although it’s a pain in the ass, you go along with it. 

You sigh in relief when the chirping stops and you turn around to make sure that you locked the front door. Once you confirm this you go to turn off the light, but the sight of your dogs makes you jump nearly a foot in the air. You curse and fall back against the door in surprise. Your hand goes to your racing heart as the duo shoot you matching expectant looks.

“Shit!” 

They don’t seem to realize that they scared the shit out of you, and they come up to you for their pets with wagging tails. You take a moment to scratch them both before you grab your phone and turn on the flashlight with a sigh. 

“Okay puppies. I’m gonna bed. Goodnight.” 

You make the treacherous journey to the living room and up the stairs to your bedroom in the near darkness. You don’t notice Rogue trailing behind you until you start to push open the door to the bedroom. You turn off the flashlight so you don’t wake up your wife, but now you also can barely see anything. 

You’re too tired to bother changing clothes before falling into bed, and you stifle a yawn as you smile at the sight of your wife. When you realize that she’s not alone you nearly roll your eyes. 

“Fletcher…”

The tabby is unsurprisingly curled up against your wife’s stomach, and you at least take comfort in the fact that she’s not on your side of the bed. You step out of your shoes and drop your bag on the floor with a quiet thud. Neither of them realize you’ve arrived until you fall on top of the bed with a relieved sigh. You groan under your breath, and bury your face into your pillow. You miss Wanda groan as she stirs at the bed sinking under your weight. She opens her eyes and the first thing she sees is her cat stretching in front of her as she purrs furiously. After she’s offered her a quick scratch, her attention moves to where you’re still lying face down on your pillow trying to sleep off your night. 

“Y/n?” 

Wanda had expected you back a bit earlier, but she supposes she can’t be too surprised that you were delayed. You were hanging out with her brother and he was nothing if not unpredictable. She realizes quickly that you must have had a lot to drink because when she sits up slightly to check on you. The smell of booze is enough to wake her up a bit more and she reaches out for you when you only groan in response.

“Rough night?” 

Wanda reminds herself to yell at her brother later for being an enabler, but she’s quickly distracted when you roll over onto your back. You’re frowning but she doesn’t get to ask what’s on your mind before you turn toward her and Fletcher with a sigh. 

“Have I told you…that I love you…a lot?” 

Wanda’s eyes widen as she looks at you, or rather your silhouette with a smile. She sees you reach out, but she’s surprised when you stop short and scratch Fletcher instead. It’s almost as if you knew she would move, and you close the distance between you and your wife as soon as the tabby’s gone. 

Wanda shrugs as she watches her cat jump off the bed and head for the door where she notices Rogue is now lying down.

“On occasion.” 

Wanda feels more than sees you nod before she lowers herself back down to the bed beside you. She ignores the smell of alcohol as she rests her head on your shoulder. She’s glad that you’re back. She’d missed you earlier and it was always easier for her to sleep with you beside her. You breathe out a sigh before muttering into your wife’s hair.

“Good. I’m glad.” 

Wanda frowns at your tone and how even half asleep it’s enough for her to realize that something was bothering you. Its too dark for her to see your expression, so she does the next best thing to try and figure out what’s on your mind. 

“Y/n, is something wrong?” 

She can’t help but run through the possibilities and she pulls back from you to try and get a better read on your mood. You don’t make it easy as you shake your head before reaching out for your wife. You run a hand up her waist to her back and finally to her hair where you start to play with a few strands that have escaped her ponytail. 

“No, no. I..I just wa-wanted you to know is all.” 

This still sounded too ominous for Wanda’s liking and she reaches out for you. She catches your chin and pulls you closer so she can kiss you. She catches you by surprise but you lean into the kiss and hold your wife like you’re afraid that she’ll leave. When Wanda breaks away, she doesn’t go far, and she rests her head on your shoulder as she wraps her arms around you.

“I love you too, you know that right?” 

You don’t hesitate to nod as you turn your head again before you’re lying on your back. You feel your head spin and you briefly regret drinking so much as you think about what you and Pietro talked about tonight. It started off innocent enough with who he was dating and how Wanda was handling staying at home this week. Then it turned to darker thoughts and somehow you’d had a conversation about your least favorite person. 

Wanda watches as you become lost in thought, and she can’t help but worry that something happened tonight. She considers reaching out to her brother, but luckily you don’t leave her hanging for too long. That said, you don’t really clarify much for her with what you say next. 

“I was just talking to Piet, and he reminded me that I didn’t say it enough.” 

Wanda misunderstands and she’s immediately on edge at the idea of her brother saying something like this to you. She is definitely going to yell at him tomorrow.

“He said that? That’s not true, detka. You tell me all the time.” 

Your brow furrows in confusion as you turn to see your wife looks a little ticked. You squeeze her hand before shaking your head with another sigh. You need to drink water, and take a shower, but you have something you need to say first. 

“Not like that. He wasn’t giving me a hard time. I just…”

You trail off as you consider the years you’ve spent with Wanda. All of the struggles and drama that you dealt with as a result of agreeing to be with your wife. You had doubted the decision some. You couldn’t lie and say that the idea of committing to the uncertainty and danger of being with Wanda wasn’t intimidating. That said, you honestly can only think of a handful of instances over the past 5 years that really made you second-guess your decision.

That said, you know that none of this was something that you could have predicted. No matter how much training, how many resources, and friends you have, you can’t be protected from everything. This is something that you and Pietro talked about tonight, and the conversation turned a lot more emotional than you’d been prepared for. 

“Do you remember the day we got married?”

Wanda finally sits all the way up and reaches for the lamp on her bedside table. She can’t stand to continue this conversation in the dark because she can’t tell what you’re feeling. You flinch slightly, but don’t protest as Wanda turns on the light before flopping back down beside you. 

“Yes, of course I do.” 

You seem to accept this answer but are still lost in your jumbled thoughts that you’re currently failing to organize. You shouldn’t have tried to start this conversation while drunk, but now you had no choice. You are sure that Wanda won’t let you just drop it. The look on her face tells you that much. 

You close your eyes before you imagine your wedding day. It was wonderful and you were stressed but in the best kind of way. You’d gotten to marry the love of your life with your closest friends by your side. You’d been so happy and a little naïve if you were being honest. You thought that not much would change, or at least not much that mattered, but it didn’t take you long to figure out how wrong you were.

“I told you I loved you then too, right?” 

Suddenly your wife is hovering over you and you see her concerned look before her question registers. Your arms suddenly feel like lead as you try to reach up and take your wife’s face in your hand.

“You’re worrying me, love. What’s on your mind?” 

You wonder how you can tell Wanda that you love your life with her. You’re so glad that you married her, and you don’t know how to tell her this. You’ve loved the life that you’ve had together, but it hasn’t always been a bed of roses. You have lost count of how many times you’ve been terrified, threatened, or hurt by someone who wanted to get something from your wife. Whether it was money, cooperation, or revenge, you had found yourself on the receiving end of their efforts too many times. You smile as you brush her hair behind her ears and confuse your wife in the same breath.

“Tonight, I just thought about all that we’ve gone through. The struggles, the enemies, all of the challenges we’ve faced.” 

Wanda had not been expecting this, and she can’t hide her surprise as she frowns in confusion. She had expected her brother to be lewd and inappropriate, so this trip down memory lane was a shock. She doesn’t get to ask why you and Pietro talked about this at all before you drop your hands to her shoulders. You push her enough for her to get the hint, and she moves so she can help you sit up. You groan as you lie back against your pillow and reach out for her hand. You play with the ring on her finger for a few seconds before you finally clue Wanda in. 

“It just made me realize that I never told you how it all made me feel. I hate that you probably blamed yourself when it wasn’t your fault. I just…tonight we talked about Vision, and it made me realize that other than bitching about him, I don’t know if I told you that I really didn’t blame anyone but him, Strucker, and Rumlow.” 

Wanda rocks back in surprise at your words and her mouth falls open but she can’t manage any sort of verbal response. She’s not sure how you know that she’s been harboring resentment toward herself for this since it happened. She supposes you just know her really well, but she still doesn’t understand why it came up tonight. Maybe she’s thinking too much into it. Alcohol eliminates most rational thought, doesn’t it?

“So that’s all I really wanted to say, Wands. I don’t love you any less or blame you for anything that happened to me.” 

Wanda feels tears stinging her eyes and she can’t help but lean forward and kiss you again. She ignores the taste of tequila, which explains a lot, as she allows herself to feel relief at your words. She didn’t realize how much guilt she’d been carrying with her, and despite knowing it will never completely leave her, she feels much lighter. 

“Y/n, I—”

“I’d even go through all of it again, if it meant ending up here with you. Sorry—I didn’t mean to. Interrupt.” 

Wanda smiles at your flushed face and kisses your cheek before pulling you into a hug. It’s a little awkward, so she crawls into your lap so she can bring you even closer. Her smile widens when she hears you sigh in relief. 

“I love you, detka. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” 

As you hold your wife in your arms, you’re certain you can say the same. There’s really no telling where you’d be if it wasn’t for Wanda. If you hadn’t met her after your awful physics lecture you likely never would have crossed paths. You tighten your hold on your wife as you try to push this thought from your mind. You don’t want to think about being anywhere but here.

“Me neither, Wands.” 

Masterlist

[himbo-ford-pines]

Hello stanbel shippers I’m here to f e e d you. This is for a fic trade with @baddog-nobiting !! They ordered something pretty yummy and cute and uhhhhh yeah 🙈🥵👉👈 here u go babe

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“Mabel, the remote.” Stan grunted, pointing at it across the room while doinh his best not to move from his spot in the worn recliner.

Mabel got up from her spot and grabbed it. “You have to say please, Grunkle Stan, we talked about this.” She stood in front of the tv and crossed her arms.

Stanley scowled. “Mabel, it’s my house. My cable, that I pay for. Hand it over.” He held out his hand, looking at her with his infamous “no buts” expression.

She huffed and climbed into his lap, pouting at him and giving him her best doe-eyed baby girl look. “Well can I at least sit up here with you?” The gears were turning in her head. She would get a please out of him whether he liked it or not.

“Course sweetie.” He kissed her hair and plucked the remote out of her hand, noting the (slightly smudged and fingerprinted) rainbow nail polish on her fingers. “I like your nails. You gonna do mine?” He joked, pinching her side.

“When you ask me politely.” She crossed her arms defiantly.

He rolled his eyes and changed the channel, pulling his girl closer to his body. He kept a firm hand on her hip.

After a few minutes, he began tugging at her skirt, nuzzling and mouthing at her neck and jaw.

She laid her head back, baring her neck to him and humming happily. His hand started to snake into her star-printed panties and she grabbed his wrist. He looked at her in surprise. “What? Not in the mood tonight pumpkin?”

“You didn’t ask, Grunkle Stan.” She grinned innocently at him, showing off her rainbow braces that matched her rainbow nails.

“I never ask.” He teased. “I’m your Grunkle, I don’t have to.” He started to rub over her crotch. “Besides, you’re sitting here soaking wet, princess. Why don’t you let me fix it.” He started trying to get into her underwear again and she leaned down and bit him solidly. He pulled back, rubbing spit his forearm. “Ow, seriously? Fine, then you can just sit there.” He adjusted so his hard cock that sat tenting his boxers was pressing right down the middle of her ass and they sat in silence like that for a while, watching tv until Mabel fell asleep. When Stanley noticed, he picked her up and carried her to bed, muttering about having to take care of himself.

He was irritable the next day, scowling while he made breakfast. Stanford came in from a long night downstairs to refill his coffee. “Good morning.” He kissed the back of Stanley’s neck and wrapped an arm around him, resting his large hand on his brother’s chest. “What’s wrong? You’re burning your pancakes.”

Stan cursed and shut off the stove. “…. Mabel wouldn’t put out last night.”

“That’s what you’re pissed about? She has a right to say no.”

“It’s not that. She didn’t say no. She… said I had to ‘ask politely’. You know, say please.”

There was quiet for a moment before Ford laughed loudly and let go of him. “You know, I was gonna take care of that grouchy attitude but… I think I’m with our great niece on this one.” He smirked in satisfaction when Stan blinked.

“Wha- fine! I don’t need you, I have old righty here!” He held up his right hand. “And he never says no!” He huffed and started breakfast over, and Ford left the kitchen snickering.

Needless to say, Stan’s hand didn’t do the trick, it didn’t even touch the carnal need in his pants. He sighed and trudged into the living room after trying to finish in his bedroom for the last hour, pausing at the sight of the kids playing video games in their underwear. His cock twitched. Goddammit. “Okay, shoo. Get.” He started waving them out of the living room. “Go hit each other with sticks or whatever it is you do.” He plopped down in his chair, eyeing them both. “Why the hell are you naked anyway?”

“We’re not naked, and it’s like a bajillion degrees in here dude.” Dipper crossed his arms. “Can we please turn the AC up?”

“When you start-“

“Paying the electric bill, I know I know.” The tween rolled his eyes. “Come on Mabel, let’s go to the creek.” They ran upstairs to get their bathing suits on and Stan leaned back, reaching into his pants to try again to rub one out. By the time they came downstairs he was sweaty and irritated, watching tv with an insipid look on his face. Dipper yelled up to Mabel that he would race her outside and he bolted through the living room without a second glance at Stan.

“That’s not fair, I’m still tying my swimsuit!” She whined at her brother as she followed him down. Stan looked up, taking in the young girl in her fucking red and white polka dot bikini. God. Dammit. he grabbed her wrist as she ran by.

“Hey! I’m gonna lose!”

“Please.” He muttered through grit teeth.

Mabel blinked at him then squealed and grinned. “Say it again!”

“Oh come on!”

“Do iiiiiit.”

“…..” he sighed heavily. “Please Mabel; please, please, please.”

“Please… what?” She bit her lip, still grinning. She was eating this up.

“God- please get your hands dirty for me.” He covered his face with one hand, bright red.

“Okay! Since you asked sooo nicely.” She kissed his cheek and got on her knees on the carpet in front of him, before wrapping both her hands around his cock and squeezing. He moaned lowly, leaning his head back. “Fuck… thank you…”

“You’re learning so fast Grunkle Stan.” She kissed the tip of his cock before going down on him.

[nonbinairyboi]

Nothing Left - Chapter 1

Fic Summary: You hadn’t spoken in years. Technically, you had the ability to, though as the years wore on, you weren’t so sure. You’d settled in Jackson over a year ago and now it was fall again. You are drawn towards Ellie and her ‘not-dad’, but you had always assumed any relationships deeper than surface level were beyond you at this point.

Chapter Summary: As fall fully starts, you make new connections in Jackson.

Pairing: Joel Miller x nonbinary!Reader/OC (afab, short hair, has multiple nicknames but none are their name)

Word Count: ~2.5k

Series Warnings: This is my first fanfic and I plan to go into some dark stuff including some in-depth discussion of SA that was done to the main character (not by Joel) and the mental impact it has. I am unsure if I will be writing smut as I never have before but I will update the warnings if that changes. There definitely will be allusions to smut if nothing else, so MINORS DNI!

Chapter Warnings: Slight reference to general depression and anxiety? misgendering. Idk guys I’m just working through some stuff.

Read on AO3 here

Chapter 1

It was one of those fall days that taunted you. Your toes froze in your socks as you pulled on your sweater and some boots. You lifted the collar of your shirt above your chin and trapped it there between your lips. The gesture soothed you as you tucked your chin to your chest and braced yourself against the wind that would inevitably hit you as you opened your door. 

Your house sat on the edge of town, beyond the original gated community of Jackson. A small one story house that you often thought would have been billed as a detached condo. You wondered if the previous tenants had glared with envy at the bigger houses nearby, but for you it was perfect. The compactness felt cozy and safe after the time you had spent getting here. The sprawling land had demons lying in wait. From your living room, you had a view of the majority of the place here. Sitting on your couch, facing the small tv, you could see the kitchen to your left and the doors to both bedrooms on your right. The peak of the bathroom at the edge of your vision if you leaned over a bit.

The only room you couldn’t see was the laundry room tucked behind the kitchen with the door to the back. A place you hid when the walls felt too far away, no longer cradling you with their comfort. And when that didn’t work, you pulled down the stairs from the ceiling and crawled into the attic crawlspace, closing the hatch behind you so you could envelop yourself with the only truly dark place in your space. The only place where outside light could not reach. Where no one could accidentally catch a glimpse of you behind a curtain. A place where you could take a break from being perceived. 

But today was not a day to hide. Today was a day to be seen and work until you hit your limit. Early October meant planting winter wheat in large quantities, and with the chill this morning you worried Jackson had started too late this year, that the ground wouldn’t be moist enough. 

With a thermos of hot tea clutched in your hands, you trudged towards the field where you’d be working for the day nodding and turning the corners of your lips up to show your dimples as you passed town residents, keeping your mouth clamped over the hem of your collar.

“Hey!” You heard from behind you. You turned around and smiled genuinely, your lips letting go of the hem of your shirt and letting it fall back in place to your neck. Maria was one of the few people who didn’t call you by your nickname, as if she was holding out hope that your mouth would open one day and your name would come out singing to the tip of your tongue. She was one of your closest friends, but you didn’t know if that counted for much if you never spoke. She most definitely had closer friends than you. Ones who responded to her and kept a conversation going. But you were still grateful for her. For this place.

“I was hoping to catch you before you started.” She smiled at you, warm and comforting. You lifted your head slightly in question. “I encouraged Ellie to come out today and to find you when she did.” Maria informed you.

You nodded, a little puzzled. It must have shown on your face as Maria quickly added “I think it would do her good to have something to occupy her mind. She seems to be withdrawing a bit lately. I know you don’t know her well, but I think she might like working next to you.”

You offered a small smile and nod in return, happy that she had thought highly enough of you to tell Ellie about you. 

When Tommy’s brother had come to Jackson last spring with a reserved girl trailing behind him, it had been the talk of the town. Maria had told you of his short visit in the winter and how it had unsettled her. She would invite you over for tea and confess her anxieties to you. How she was intimidated by the possibility of Joel’s influence over Tommy’s life. How she worried that she had pushed too hard and that Tommy would resent her if Joel never made it back. 

Once he returned, Maria seemed to have settled a bit. Less wary. She had her own things to worry about after all, having given birth a few weeks before they showed up. A beautiful baby boy whose plump cheeks made your heart ache.

You had had limited interaction with Joel and Ellie thus far. Your paths rarely naturally crossed. Nervousness curled in your abdominal muscles. You liked Ellie. She made you smile when you saw her antics from afar. But you hadn’t been around someone that young in a long time, and you worried that you wouldn’t connect. You let out a soft chuckle at the thought that, despite the clickers wandering beyond the walls of Jackson, your biggest stressor was if a 15 year old would think you were cool enough. 

Maria brow pulled together slightly when you chuckled, as if she was trying to see through your forehead to your brain to decipher what had elicited the reaction. She smiled strangely and lifted her hand in a wave as she walked away. You lifted yours in return and headed to the back gate that led to the crops, nodding at the guard who unlocked the gate for you. The newer outer fence that surrounded the farmland glistened in the sun despite the chilling wind.

You let out a slow breath to clear your head and focus on the task at hand, grabbing a garden rake and walking to the farthest edge of the field marked for the planting of the wheat. You had already methodically weeded the area with the help of others over the past week. You set to work working the earth under your rake, warming yourself up with your movement. Right when you were about to consider switching tasks, you heard a voice hesitantly call out your moniker. “Gabby?”

It was always jarring to hear the feminine moniker the town had given you. Without the ability to communicate in-depth concepts, you had mostly just had to grin and bear the assumptions. You still winced every time someone referred to you as ‘she’ but you reminded yourself that you were alive so you should just move on at this point.

You lifted your head and shielded your face with your hand against the sun to see Ellie’s figure tentatively make its way over to you. You tried to put on a welcoming smile and waved with the hand that had been covering your eyes. When she got over to you, she paused, unsure of what to do. “Do I need one of those?” She asked, pointing at your rake. You shrugged. You couldn’t tell if she actually wanted to help or was here out of obligation. For the first time in years, you wished that you could speak up and assure her that she didn’t need to do anything if she didn’t want to. You wouldn’t tell on her. You would just work next to her if she sat against the fence and let her be.

Ellie squinted at you, as if trying to decipher your meaning. “I’ll go get one I guess.” She said after a moment. “Don’t we need seeds too?” She asked. You nodded with a smirk and pointed towards the shed at the other edge of the field, where you could just make out a few figures moving around. She looked back at you and rolled her eyes playfully. “Wish I’d known that before I made my way over here. You couldn’t have left a note or something? Yelled? Waved your arms around or something to stop me from walking over here?”

You shrugged again and your smirk grew. Just as she was about to turn around, you exaggeratedly waved your arms and pointed frantically at the shed. She looked back and forth between you and the shed slowly before letting out a surprised peal of laughter at your display. “Oh you’re funny. No one said you were funny.” She chuckled again as she turned around, practically skipping away.

You wondered what people did say about you. What assumptions were made about you due to your silence. You looked down at the ground and tried to push it to the back of your mind. 

By the time Ellie made her way back, a few others had started to occupy the area around you, each taking their own space in small plots. You showed Ellie how to sow the seeds and the amount of space to leave between them. In turn, she rambled to you about her life and how stupid it was that she had to attend school.

“I bet YOU would hate it if there were zombies outside and you still had to go to math.” You smirked at her antics as you took a break with your tea. It grounded you to hear about teenagers struggles with boredom. 

Ellie popped up from her spot on the ground. “Can I ask you something? How do people know your name if you don’t talk?”

Your gaze shifted up towards her face. You had been intrigued by Ellie since she arrived. You liked her spirit. You got the sense that she wouldn’t take shit. Staring into her curious eyes, you felt that despite being a little under 40 years younger than you, she might stick up for you and understand you better than most people here.

You were shocked that for the second time that day you wished your body would let you communicate. It had been so long since you ran into frustration with it. You didn’t even feel the motivation most of the time anymore besides the few basic ASL signs that  you had slowly taught the community. You felt your eyes get involuntarily wet and the inside of your nose sting.

Luckily, Eugene had overheard the conversation and came to your rescue.

“That isn’t that one’s name. It’s just a dumb joke really” he stated bluntly. 

Ellie scrunched up her nose. “A joke?”

“You know what the gift of gab means?” Eugene asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ellie’s eyebrows drew together as she tried to think hard. “Is that a euphemism?” She asked after a moment. You coughed in surprise, regretting taking a sip of tea as it shot out your nose, burning in multiple ways.

“Jesus kid, no!” Eugene said quickly. “Someone with the gift of gab speaks all fancy and nice all the time. It was someone’s joke about how much this one talks all the time.”

Ellie  studied you with her eyebrows still together for a moment. “Do you like that?” She asked.

You looked between Eugene and Ellie for a moment before deciding that the best approach was a small smile and shrug. Having two people staring at you with their full attention felt overwhelming.

Eugene broke the silence. “I call that one Charlie cause it made ‘em smile once when I was trying out different names for them.”

Ellie considered it for a second before agreeing “you seem more like a Charlie”

Your small smile grew on your face and you glanced gratefully at Eugene.

Eugene may be gruff, but he always made you feel at home in an odd way. He had never tried to get anything out of you. He also consistently used gender neutral language for you, although you couldn’t tell if it was on purpose. 

He had knocked on your door your second week here, when you were more skittish and overwhelmed as people introduced themselves.

When you had opened the door, he had held up a joint and a box of matches to you without speaking. You had ended up on your back steps smoking. He had introduced himself and talked a little after a while, but you had both mostly stared at the stars as you passed the joint back and forth. Ever since, you had had a standing appointment on Thursdays. 

He didn’t treat you differently despite how odd you must seem, and you were eternally grateful for it. 

The rest of the day went smoothly as you finished planting the crops. By the end of it, you wished you had taken off your sweater because you were sweating in the direct sunlight, despite your fingertips feeling frozen solid.

As you finished, you followed Ellie to put back your supplies. Her ‘not-dad’, Joel, was standing just inside the back gate as you re-entered together. His shoulders seemed to relax a bit as he spotted Ellie next to you.

You had always found him striking, in the most basic sense of the word. He had a striking stare, a striking jaw, a striking nose… You blinked hard. Where did that come from? 

What you had found most intriguing had always been the open emotion behind his eyes when he looked at Ellie, contrasted with the hardened expression that his face returned to whenever he caught anyone else’s eye.

“Have you just been waiting there all morning without helping?” Ellie asked incredulously.

“I was at a meetin’ in town with Tommy and thought I should help you home since I know first hand how good your sense of direction is,” Joel quipped back.

“Pffft,” she said, rolling her eyes with her whole head as she turned to you, “Bye Charlie! I’ll see you around. You’re not such bad company, you know.” Ellie exclaimed as she started walking away.

You just smirked as Joel looked at you for a moment before turning and following her.

“I thought her name was Gabby” you heard him mutter to Ellie.

“You don’t know everything then, do you?” Ellie replied, turning left towards town.

“It's right.” Joel replied with a straight face, turning right and leaving Ellie to scramble behind him.

“I know that, I just thought we were grabbing food in town since we both know how much of a cook you are…” Ellie responded as their voices faded down the street.

You stood for a moment, an unknown feeling crawling like tendrils up your body as you considered the events of the morning.

It had felt… different. For the first time in a long time.

You jumped as a hand clapped on your shoulder and you turned and flinched to see Eugene behind you.

He looked at you slightly apologetically after seeing your reaction. “See you tomorrow if you aren’t too popular for me by then.” He said as he continued on his way.

You weren’t sure the last time you had exercised the muscles on your face that much in one day as you smirked again, following him towards where most of the houses were located.

Maybe there was hope. Maybe your mind would be as quiet as your voice tonight.

[probablypettingacat]

Few things in life are worse than specifically wanting and cooking a food to help feel better during covid, and not being able to taste it

[merildae]

Having set up my new apartment, I think I am realizing I have built for myself everything my 16year old self ever wanted.

I have a cool customized bedroom where I can

•Listen to any music I want on my radio or record player

• Read all my favorite books I’ve curated in a pretty bookcase

• Make any kind of art I want at my home studio

• A closet full of cool clothes that reflects who I am

My pantry is full of food that I like and doesn’t have a lock

I live close by to my gym and I’m the most fit and healthy I’ve ever been in my life

I’m out as trans and I’m 9 months into medically transitioning

I have a really cool job at a museum

I show my art at a gallery

I have freinds

And I have firm boundaries with my family and finally privacy and safety from their control etc etc

I think my recent birthday, this move, and Mother’s Day put me in a reflective mood and realizing I’ve made for myself a life that I used to think I could never have as a teen and I’m like safe from the hell that was my childhood home..

It’s a weird feeling. A good place to be at 28 though I think. I feel like I’ve rescued my hopeless suicidal 16 year old self

[nightmareonpeachstreet]

Sometimes u just gotta find things to distract you from Arlecchino until she comes out

Like decorating your teapot to be a family home for Arle, her wife Furina and their 3 kids, Lyney Lynette and Freminet

[bastardbvby]

guys. i’ve reached a new level of crazy from my client’s mom that always sleeps in like guys i’m sitting here jaw to the floor in awe right now at this current situation

[fingertipsmp3]

I’m always so fascinated by people’s bad roommate stories. I’m not sure I’ll ever live with someone I haven’t vetted extensively beforehand ever again

[si0writes]

Guys I fucking got Covid 😭😭😭 can’t go into work til next Thursday at the earliest now unless I test negative before then. I thought my last paycheck was fucked but this next one is gonna be so much fucking worse. and to think last night was when I decided to complain to my manager about me not getting enough hours only for my body to do this 💀

[weirdo09]

who needs kids to pick on them when you already have a built in bully?

[figuerockfaeth]

I NEED TO MOVE OUT NOOWWWWWWW

[elliesbelle]

my gf and i are literally down the hall from each other and we can literally see each other, but instead we’re sending voice memos instead of actually talking or texting shdjfjfjfjvjvm

[seilon]

just wrote like three paragraphs ranting about my living situation and deleted it just know I am going insane and i hate it here and I need to live by my fucking self or I am going to absolutely fucking lose it

[sharkieboi]

Sansa had a great time visiting my parents’ for Christmas, everyone loved her so much and she was so calm and content the entire time. we especially did great in the car and she was so unbothered!

totally comfy with the travel home and the dogs, and we took a nap together this morning and she cuddled right in! so happy with her this whole trip, everyone was so enchanted by her and she wasn’t stressed at all 💙

[gwyoi]

I have a new issue with cricket. She’s doing good at not pawing at the door anymore but she yells at the door and the window so much now. Im 90% sure it’s because there is a stray outside because when she’s in my room she doesn’t yell nearly as much. it’s gotten to the point where her meows wake me up in the middle of the night because she wants so see the stray so I have to keep her in my room so she doesn’t smell or see the other cat (and that usually does the trick because she chills out after that)…… but now I’m like should I keep her in my room every night?? idk