#but yeah i liked Carley and how she was put in. feel like she could have been used more but its cool

[simplelobster]

Ajin Week Day Seven:

Fruits Basket aka Fruity

I actually really liked Carley she was cool. Also yay i finally drew Izumi! Score for the woman lovers out there

OG image under cut:

[tuiccim]

Frozen

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Fem!Reader

Words: 1624

Warnings: Just tooth rotting fluff and a kid with a big mouth. 

Summary: Fluff. Your niece is spending the night at the tower and the two of you take over the movie room for a Frozen marathon. 

“Hey Carley.” You greet your best friend as you pick up your phone. 

“Hey sweetie. I have a huge favor to ask you.” Carley sounds nervous.

“Okay. What’s up?” You ask.

“Nina was supposed to spend the night with a friend but she’s got a virus and now Nina can’t go and she’s heartbroken. And… and I was supposed to have Nick over for dinner and some alone time tonight. Is there… I’m sorry, but is there any way she can spend the night with you? I know I’m asking a lot.” Carley was practically babbling. Nina is her 5 year old daughter and your “niece” whom you adore. 

“Hang on a second. Lemme check into it.” You had been heading for the common room in order to get some lunch and you were glad to find Steve and Bucky there. “Steve, Bucky, hey, would anyone have a problem if my five year old niece, Nina, spent the night and we took over the movie room?”

“You have a niece?” Bucky asks.

“She’s my best friend’s daughter.” You say.

“I don’t see that being a problem.” Steve smiles at you while Bucky nods. 

“Thanks, guys. Hey Carley. Yeah, I can do it. Lemme talk to her… Hey Ninabug!”

“Hey Aunt Y/N. I was supposed to spend the night with my friend but now I can’t!” Nina sounds on the verge of crying. 

“I’m so sorry, Ninabug! But I was hoping you could come spend the night with me at the tower. We can get pizza and popcorn and candy and take over the movie room to watch Frozen. How does that sound?”

“Can we watch Frozen and Frozen 2?” Nina asks.

“Yeah! I love Frozen 2.” 

“Will I get to meet Captain America?” She asks. 

You glance over at Steve and bite your lip. “Um, I can’t promise that but I’ll ask, okay?”

“He’s my favorite.” Nina says.

“Yeah, I know. Mine, too.” You smile and glance over at the guys sitting at the table. “I’ll pick you up at 4, okay? Lemme talk to mom.” You got back on the phone with Carley and cement plans.

After getting off the phone, you nervously walk back over to Steve, “Hey, um, Nina is a big fan of yours. She would love to meet you. She even has a Captain America stuffie that she sleeps with. Would you mind?”

“Uh, no, no, of course not. I’d be happy to meet her.” Steve says.

“Great! Thanks, Steve. See you guys later.” You are grinning widely as you leave. 

---

“She didn’t realize we could hear both sides of her conversation, did she?” Bucky smirks as Steve. 

“She’s just agreeing with her niece to make her happy.” Steve rolls his eyes.

“You’ve had a crush on her since she got here. Now, you know she feels the same.” Bucky winks.

“Her saying that doesn’t confirm anything.” Steve grouses. 

“The smile she had when she said it does.” Bucky elbows him. “Take a chance.”

Steve narrows his eyes at his friend, “Maybe.”

---

A quick trip to the grocery to get Nina’s favorite snacks and drinks, a sweep of your room to clean up, and it’s time to go get her. Nina is beyond excited She chatters the entire drive to the tower. You put her things in your bedroom and change her into her Frozen nightgown and slippers. She’s clutching her Captain America stuffie as you head to the movie room. 

“I’m going to order our pizza.” You say to Nina as you pull out your phone. 

“Don’t!” Comes from behind you. You turn to see Steve. 

“Hey! What do you mean?” You ask. 

“I, uh, I already took care of it.” He gives you a breathtaking smile and then kneels down to get on Nina’s level. “Hi Nina. I’m Steve.” 

“You’re Captain America!” Nina says. 

“That’s right. It’s nice to meet you.” He smiles at her. “I heard you were watching Frozen. I haven’t seen it yet. Would you mind if I join you?”

“Really?” Nina grins. “Did you hear that, Aunt Y/N? Captain wants to watch the movie with us!”

“Yeah. That’s really sweet of you, Steve.” You say as he stands to his full height.

“You don’t mind, do you?” He whispers. 

“No, of course not.” You smile. 

“Come on. I have a surprise.” Steve takes your’s and Nina’s hands and guides you all to the movie room. 

When you enter, your mouth drops. Spread across the coffee table is a buffet of pizza, popcorn, and assorted cups and bowls with the snacks you had purchased along with a selection of drinks. The couch in front of it is covered in blankets and pillows including some hanging from the ceiling creating a fort. 

“Wow!” Nina screeches. “A blanket fort! Look at all the food! Candy!”

“Steve! This is amazing!” You look at him and he is grinning at you. 

“You like it?” He asks. 

“I love it! This is so sweet. Nina will never forget this. Thank you.” You hug him, but quickly let go. “Sorry.” You say as your cheeks stain pink. 

“Hey, I don’t mind.” He smiles and moves to turn on the movie. 

Nina is bouncing on the couch. You go over to her. “Okay, young lady, we don’t jump on the furniture. Let’s eat, okay?”

“Okay!” Nina says as the movie starts. She eats, occasionally sneaking a piece of candy, and becomes enthralled in the movie almost immediately.

Nina is singing and dancing around to the songs when “Let It Go” comes on, “Aunt Y/N, I’m Anna and you’re Elsa, remember? You have to sing the song!”

You sing along all the while very aware of Steve next to you. When the song is over Steve is grinning at you. “I didn’t know you could sing.”

You put a hand on your face, laughing and embarrassed. “I can hold my own. Just wait, she’s gonna expect you to play Kristoff.”

True to form, when Kristoff sings, Nina runs to Steve to beg him to sing. Unfortunately, Steve doesn’t know the words but he dances around with Nina which makes her happy. The three of you laugh, sing, and dance through Frozen and Frozen 2. Nina is exhausted by the end of it. 

“Alright, Ninabug. Let’s go brush those teeth and I’ll sing you to sleep.” You say. 

“Do I have to? Can we watch it again?” She begs.

“Not tonight. Tell Steve good night.” You say.

“Good night, Captain!” Nina says looking up at her hero while clutching her stuffie. 

“Good night, my best girl.” He says squatting down to peck a kiss on her cheek. 

“I’ll clean all this up after she’s asleep. Thanks again, Steve.” You smile at him and he smiles back warmly. As you lead Nina back to your room, you wonder at Steve’s actions tonight. You’d had a crush on the supersoldier since you’d met him, but you were just an agent. There’s no reason for him to feel the same. Nina’s teeth are brushed and she’s sound asleep before you get through the second round of “All is Found.” 

You head back to the movie room to clean up the mess. Steve is still there pouring the snacks back into their packages with the credits playing in the background.

“Oh, Steve, I’ll clean this up. It was so sweet of you to do all of this.” You insist.

“I don’t mind.” Steve says. 

You reach to grab some of the snacks but Steve’s hand takes your own and he spins you before pulling you into his arms. 

“What are you doing?” You laugh.

“Dance with me?” He asks.

You nod looking up at him, swaying to the music playing against the credits. 

“Why did you do all this?” You work up the courage to ask him. 

He smiles down at you with a blush across his cheeks, “Thought I should prove myself as your favorite.”

“Oh, God, you heard that?” You blush furiously. 

“Supersoldier hearing.” He chuckles. 

“That’s so embarrassing.” You say. 

“I’m sorry, but I was glad I heard it. You’re my favorite, too.” He smiles down at you. 

Your brow furrows at his admission. “Me?”

“You.” He leans in and your lips meet. It’s a soft kiss and he pulls back after just a few seconds. 

You stare at him in shock for a moment. Then, putting your hands into his hair, you pull him down for a more thorough kiss. He complies immediately and his tongue darts out requesting entry. You open to him and he explores your mouth, pulling you flush against him. 

“Aunt Y/N, are you gonna marry him?” Nina’s voice breaks through your kiss induced haze.

You separate from Steve quickly. “Nina! You’re supposed to be in bed.”

“I woke up and you weren’t there.” Nina whines.

“I was cleaning up our mess.” You say. 

“No, you weren’t. You were kissing Captain America. That means you’re getting married, right? Anna kisses Kristoff and they’re getting married.” Nina says.

“N-no, Nina. We’re not getting married.” You chuckle and can’t look at Steve. “Come on, kiddo. Back to bed.” You take her hand.

“Wait, Nina.” Steve says. “I need your help.”

“What can I do, Captain?” She says wide-eyed. 

“Convince your aunt she should go on a date with me.” Steve smirks up at you. 

“She’ll go with you. She told mommy you were the hottest man alive.” Nina says with childlike innocence. 

“Nina!” You cover your face with both hands

“Well, she’s the most beautiful woman alive, so I guess we were made for each other.” Steve smiles up at you. “Tomorrow night?”

“Tomorrow night.” You nod with a smile before leading Nina back to your room. 

Masterlist

[outrebanx]

don’t feel

JJ Maybank x female reader

Masterlist

-- // part two // part three // part four

Summary: soulmate au with JJ where they can feel each other’s pain when in close proximity, but with both of them feeling a lot of pain, that connection seems to go almost unnoticed 

Word count: 2.2k

Warnings: angsty, abuse, mentions of abuse and injuries, swearing (i think thats it?)

——- I am in no way romanticising abuse if you have any issues with my writing pls message me

A/N: I decided to make this into a mini series as this was already getting pretty wordy and so this is basically the intro?? (not much JJ in it yet) Hope you enjoy and there’s probably some grammar errors so ignore them pls

(gif by @siriusscratch​ )

The kook life wasn’t all luxury all the time - your family had never been one of the richest and you didn’t exactly have the best home life either. Your parents had basically hated each other for as long as you could remember, always in some sort of argument or another, screaming across the house and shouting at all hours of the day and night.

This was something you had learnt to deal with though, what you still weren’t used to was them being violent - it had started off as a vase or plate thrown across the room around a year ago, but this had soon become fists being thrown instead, not only at each other, but they had turned on you and your younger sister as well.

Normally your escape was going to school, just being away from that toxic atmosphere did you a world of good, and after school you would take Grace, your younger sister, out for ice cream or to the beach. Anything to stay out of the house for a little bit longer.

Unfortunately, the school year was now over and the summer holidays had begun and even if the summer season was your favourite, you had been hating every second of it so far.

You had managed to stay in your bedroom for most of today, but were now beginning to get hungry so you knew you’d soon have to venture downstairs and hope that your parents were in an alright mood.

Your sister heard you begin to move down the stairs, popping her head out of her room she said, “Hey Y/N,”

“Hi Grace, you good?”

“Yeah I’m fine, are you getting some food?”

“I’m going to try to yes, I’m assuming you want some of the spoils?” You raised your eyebrow at her in question.

“Yes please,” she looked towards the floor, “I’m sorry I don’t want to go down there tonight, they were arguing when I got in from Carley’s and-“

You cut her off, stepping toward her and putting a strand of hair behind her ears, “hey don’t be sorry, you know I don’t want to risk you getting hurt, I’ll get you some water as well, okay?”

“Thank you, and Y/N, I don’t want you to get hurt either.”

You stepped away, ready to go back downstairs, “I know but I’m the older one and I will always protect you bub.”

With that you took a deep breath in, and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Luckily it was empty, so you quickly grabbed some bread and began making some sandwiches for you and your sister. Sandwiches were about as complex as you got when it came to making food but it would do.

You were about to head upstairs when your dad walked in, “Why haven’t I seen you all day?”

“Uh I’ve been busy,” you picked up the plates and tried to move past him, only for him to block your path, “excuse me please.”

“Your mother and I want to see you around the house more, you’re either out or in your room, is spending time with us so bad?”

“I don’t spend time with you because I’m busy Dad, don’t get offended.” As soon as the words were out of your mouth you regretted them, your dad’s face morphed into one of anger.

Before you could even react he brought his fist into your stomach, causing you to double over in pain, dropping the plates you were holding in the process.

“Now look what you’ve done!” He shouted at you, waving his hands at the mess on the floor.

Not wanting to upset him anymore you quickly grab a dustpan and brush and bent down to begin clearing it up when he delivers a vicious kick into your chest, you fall to the floor completely, struggling to breath. He kicks you again, this time the strength in his leg slams you into the cabinets behind you, you wince in pain, too winded to even breath properly, you refused to let the tears behind your eyes fall, from past experience you knew that crying in front of your dad was a bad idea as he viewed it as ’weak’ and it only made him angrier.

He stepped away, giving you room to stand back up, you tried not to grab your front in pain, even if it felt like your insides had been ripped apart and you knew the bruises were already forming and by this time tomorrow your stomach would be a pattern of purple and green bruises.

“I’m sorry honey, I don’t know what came over me.” He tried to reach out to you, but you only flinched away, not looking at him.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll clean this up, you go and have a lie down and I’ll see you later.”

You just nodded, still not wanting to make eye contact with him, and shuffled past him, your body shaking more and more with each step, and once you’d reached the first step, the tears slowly began falling down your face.

Your sister was stood at the top of the stairs, a single tear mark on her cheek as she took in your state, she held out her hand for you, leading you towards your room where you sat on your bed, drained and in pain and not wanting to speak.

Your sister had come back into your room with some cream for your side, but you still didn’t move.

“Y/N,” she moved to grab your hand, “I’m so sorry, I should’ve gone down with you.”

This shook the vacant look out of your eyes, squeezing her hand you said, “Absolutely not, I meant what I said earlier and it is more painful seeing you in pain than what I’m experiencing now.”

You lifted your shirt, revealing the swollen marks that would soon become bruises. Grace’s breath hitched in her throat, “Oh God, this is worse than I thought it was, do you think anything is broken?”

“No, it’s just bruises and anyway he only kicked me a few times today and kind of apologised which is better than most of the time.”

Grace went to say something but you held up your hand to stop her, “I’m not excusing his behaviour don’t worry, I’m just saying it could have been worse.”

“But it shouldn’t have to happen at all!” She had finished applying the cream and began pacing, “I know it happens more to you because you protect me but it disgusts me and I hate how it effects you, you almost become a shell of who you whenever this happens. You’re the best person I know and our fucking parents are destroying you every day!”

“Not so loud Grace.” You try to calm her down, but it only seems to make her angrier, even though she was only thirteen, she had already grown up so much due to what you’d both endured, and it honestly broke your heart.

“I want us to leave this place Y/N.” She turned to you, angry tears now rolling down her face.

You held out your arms for her and she moved over to you, snuggling into your embrace, careful not to hurt you.

“I promise one day we will get out of here but right now we can’t and we’re just going to have to live with it for a little while.”

You could feel her nod against your chest, she moved out of the hug slightly so she could look at you, “Do you want me to stay in here tonight?”

“Maybe, I haven’t decided yet, but first,” you stood up, wincing slightly at the movement, “We still need food, so do you want to sneak out to The Wreck?”

“Only if you’re up for it.”

“Of course I am, any chance to eat those fries I’m taking to be honest.” You smiled at her and luckily she let out a huff of laughter, lightening the mood between you.

“Okay then, which escape are we doing? 1 or 2?” She asked, reaching for a jumper in your wardrobe. Throughout the years, you had both created different codes for around your parents or ways to get out of the house, and at this point it was almost perfected.

You hold you chin in contemplation, “I was thinking one.”

“Interesting,” she clapped her hands together and headed towards your door to go to her room, “Okay I’ll see you at the car in 5 minutes.”

You nodded at her, and turned to the mirror quickly wiping away the mascara stains around your eyes and pulled a jumper on before heading over to your window and pulling it open.

You and Grace both had ways to get out of your bedrooms from your windows - yours was a wooden trellis for the roses and plants to climb up the side of the house, which you had perfected moving up and down on; hers was a small terrace over the outdoor seating area that she could jump to and then jump to the floor on. You never went on each other’s way out as neither of you wanted to risk it not holding both weights and your parents catch you, as this would probably result in at least one of you being sent to the hospital.

You struggled a little today due to your new injuries but still managed and once you had finished climbing down, you wiped your hands on your jeans, and headed to your car on the drive where your sister was already leaning against the passenger door.

You sat behind the wheel, started the engine and slowly pulled out of the drive.

Neither you or your sister spoke for a few minutes, enjoying the fact that you were out of the house and on your way to one of your favourite places on the island. The Wreck was mainly a touron and pogue institution, but you had always enjoyed going there, especially because you and Kiara got along well enough that it wasn’t the normal Kook vs Pogue fight whenever you went.

Grace reached to turn down the radio before looking at you, “Y/N.”

You glanced at her and raised your eyebrows, “Grace.”

“Do you know your soulmate yet?”

You cleared your throat, this topic always made you uncomfortable as the idea there was someone who, if they were near enough to you, could feel the pain you were in, not only made you sad but also anxious because by the time they work out who you are, they could resent you for the pain you had caused them even though it wasn’t your fault.

“No, I’m yet to see someone near me double over in pain when Mum or Dad have used me as a punching bag that day, so I’m starting to think they might not be on this fucking island.” `You didn’t mean for it to come out as bitchy as that and probably should have apologised but it was how you felt.

Your sister had pity in her eyes but didn’t say anything, instead just hummed to the song coming through the car speakers.

You stayed like that, listening to the music and not uttering any other words until you pulled up to the small car park outside the Wreck.

“Right, let’s go and get some food.” You said, opening the door to your car and heading into the restaurant.

Kie smiled at you in greeting before leading you and Grace over to a table at the back, away from most people.

You hit your hip on the table next to yours by accident, causing pain to flare up over your body, making the injuries you already had somehow feel even worse.

Grace had heard your intake of breath, and as you both sat down she looked at you, “Are you okay?”

“Yes I’m fine don’t worry, just being my clumsy self.”

She nodded and looked down at the menu in front of her, you didn’t need to look, you ordered the exact same thing every time, so instead you looked at the people who were sat in the restaurant.

It was past the peak dinnertime service so only a few tourons were in here, and there was Kiara’s little pogue group sat on a table in the opposite corner, all talking in hushed whispers. As you looked at them your head began to pound, like you’d been hit with a baseball bat repeatedly, you couldn’t help but grimace slightly.

You must have hit your head earlier when your dad sent you flying into the cabinets, and this was just a delayed reaction. You kept reassuring yourself this, especially when the blond boy, who you knew was called JJ, turned around, making eye contact with you through his swollen and bruised eyes. He raised his eyebrows quizzically, holding his side slightly, as if in pain.

It was all just a coincidence you thought, you dad had hurt you more than you realised earlier, and you hadn’t taken any painkillers.

You looked down at your menu, trying to escape the gaze of the blond boy, who you could feel was still looking at you.

Yeah it was just a coincidence.

Part two 

Tags: @jiaraendgame ( @teamnick​ i said i’d tag you in my next series hope you dont mind)

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Top 5 Reasons Lee was the Best

Lee Everett is one of my favorite playable protagonists in any game I’ve played. Weirdly enough, I feel like he is somehow super loved yet under appreciated?? because sure, everyone says that they love Lee and talk about how he was just the best but like.... most times, they rarely go into details of why they love him and think he’s the best. 

Well, with today’s list, I wanna go into details about why I think Lee was the best. I tried to stick to more non-determinant things, but plenty slipped through, soo... it’s fine. I just wanna talk about Lee and why I like him so much.  

Also just wanna say thanks to @pi-creates​ for helping me out with these Top 5′s once again! We discussed a lot of these points and it was a huge help! :D

5. Lee is just... so funny sometimes. 

Not gonna spend too much time on this one because it’s more of a minor reason why I think he’s the best compared to the others but...

Lee is hilarious.

Like, even from the beginning, Lee knows how to make me laugh with his little “I’d fill that teacup with some bourbon if I could” line, and the fact that he is constantly falling down. The poor guy has to have at least three concussions by the end of ep1 alone. 

Also, his flirting skills...? Amazing. I’ll never get over, “You’re small.” 

He just has such a strange sense of humor about him that feels very dad-like... which makes perfect sense, but y’know. But even when he isn’t even trying, he still manages to get a laugh outta me for being such a weirdo.

Who goes up to a fence, looks at it, and is just like, “Hmmmm. Pointy.” 

Even after he’s bit, he manages to get a few painful laughs outta me when talking with Ben... though that laughter quickly dies when we reach then end of ep5 but..... y’know. 

4. His willingness to help those who have wronged him. 

Larry is a garbage man-- I think the mass majority of us would agree to that. From the moment we meet him, he’s all huffy and puffy, accusing Duck of being bitten and wanting to throw him out while taunting Kenny. 

But, no matter what, Lee is always the one to help Lilly break into the pharmacy to get Larry his medication. Because really, Lee could’ve said “Nope, not doin’ any of this, someone else help the asshole,” but he doesn’t. 

This is just a bigger example of Lee going out of his way to help people, even if they shitheads like Larry. Hell, even after Lee gets them the pills, Larry gives him a big thank you by punching him in the face and leaving him for death. Lee can hold a grudge about this, or he can let it go and do his best to get along with Larry for the better of the group. 

Another example with trying to help Larry despite him being the worst is, of course-- the meat locker. Now, this is determinant, but I feel bringing it up is important. 

Lee choosing to help Larry, even though Larry was just taunting him minutes before and Kenny’s being a real shitbird, says a lot about him as a person. 

Another example of Lee willing to help others he may not get along with would be Kenny, depending on your choices. When Kenny’s going through the hardest day of his life, Lee can take it upon himself to take care of Duck and comfort Kenny. 

Shit, what about Lilly? After she kills Carley/Doug right in front of everyone, he can still take pity on her and not leave her at the side of the road. 

I think because I have a really hard time helping those who have wronged me, I can look at this as an admirable trait that I wish came easier to me, y’know? 

3. Mourning the deaths of people he barely knew/didn’t know at all. 

This is an interesting one that Pi brought up, but there are several points within S1 where Lee will take small moments to mourn the deaths of those he either barely knew, or didn’t know at all, showing he has it in him to be really empathetic to other people's struggles and sufferings. 

Like, think about the woman at the motor-inn, the one you can give the gun to. Lee will stay behind no matter what to be with her, and you can see it on his face. He didn’t know her, didn’t get her name or anything. 

In Jolene’s camp in ep2, when Lee looks into the tent, he can find a stuffed animal and a picture of Jolene and her daughter and again, you can see it all on his face. He gives a sigh, and a moment of silence for them. 

Oh, the woman that Kenny wants to leave alone while they’re on a run to the drug store? This one is determinant, but if Lee chooses to shoot her, he does so to put her out of her misery-- he doesn’t want her to suffer anymore than she has to just so that they can grab an extra candy bar or two. 

Another big one would be the boy in the attic. Y’know, that chilling scene of the boy who starved to death/died of dehydration, became a walker, and then couldn’t even walk because he was so weak? Yeah, that one-- Lee carries that boy out to the yard and gives him a proper burial. He didn’t have to, but he did. 

Hell, he even mourns Brie when talking to Vernon in ep4, and that Anna woman that you see on the tapes after it’s revealed that she’s pregnant and has to give up her baby. 

Oh, and Chuck in the sewers? That one you can’t skip, and no matter what, Lee will stop and tell Chuck that he deserved better. 

Last example, but the dead couple in ep5-- this is one that everyone stands around in silence because it really is a chilling sight. 

This to me just shows a lot about Lee, especially in a setting where it’s easy for these characters to gloss over the deaths of those they didn’t know or to let others hurt for their benefit [y’know... Kenny with the bitten woman]. I’m sure there are even more examples, but I do have three other things to cover.

2. Taking responsibility for Clementine.

Okay, these last two are to be expected, but we’re gonna talk about them anyway. 

Listen, when Lee found Clementine alone at her house after she saved him from walker Sandra, he didn’t have to take her with him. He could’ve left her behind so that she didn’t “weigh him down” or “become a burden” since y’know, having a child in your care isn’t easy. 

But Lee didn’t do that. She saved his life, and he knows her parents are dead and not coming back. There wasn’t even a doubt in his mind-- he was taking this girl with him to ensure her safety. If he hadn’t, she could’ve ended up just like the boy in the attic, or worse. 

I also love that moment when they’re leaving the house and Clementine takes his hand. It’s sweet and shows us that they’re in this together now, and when Clementine shares her fears of leaving, he reassures her that he won’t leave her alone. 

Lee does his absolute best to care for her and give her what she needs. Hell, you can play as Scumbag Lee and most times, that doesn’t even matter-- he still expresses his care for her. 

Like... I don’t think game would work if the relationship between Lee and Clementine didn’t work, y’know? It’s strong and one of my favorite parts of S1 when I go back to it. I love seeing them grow from Lee being Clementine’s protector to Lee teaching her to survive and protect herself. 

Again, he didn’t have to do any of that. He could’ve pawned her off onto to anyone at the motor inn and called it a day, but he didn’t, and I love that about him. 

Lee goes through so much for a child that isn’t even his blood, but considers family nonetheless... which brings us to #1... 

1. Saving Clementine from the Stranger despite being bitten by a walker. 

Sigh.

Okay. I’m sure you’re tired of me saying this but... after Clementine is kidnapped by the Stranger and bitten by a walker, he could’ve given up. He didn’t have to go after Clementine-- he’s bit, he’s dying... he’s not gonna survive this, so why bother?

Because even though Lee knows he’s not going to survive the bite, he’s going to use the last of his time and energy to ensure that Clementine is safe. He’s gonna do whatever it takes to get Clementine the away from that madman who took her, make sure she remembers everything he taught her, make sure she’s armed, and make sure she knows where to go after he dies. 

Again, Lee didn’t have to go through this. He fought like hell and suffered plenty in making it to her. His last moments were agony for him, I’m sure. 

But he did it and you can tell he has no regrets because Clementine’s alive and going to make it. 

And y’know... that last damn scene in ep5 is just... a lot. 

I love it but I also hate it, and I believe I’ve mentioned this before but I’ve come to really love the ending where Clementine leaves Lee to turn. I know everyone gets upset because that means Lee will become a walker and [?] Everyone HATED that... but, I dunno... it shows something about Lee when you pick that choice. He’s more concerned about her than himself, y’know? Don’t waste the bullet, don’t risk the noise, don’t force her to physically kill him, let her walk away so she can remember her for what he was and not what he’s going to turn into... it’s reeeeal bittersweet. 

Then, of course, you can do the other choice and have Clementine shoot Lee which is just as great at making me cry, soo... thanks. 

Lee just goes through so much during this game-- he gets a second chance and everything he did, he did to ensure Clementine and his group’s survival and just... what a man. 

Lee Everett, you are the best and I love you. 

---

Honorable Mentions

-Not dropping Ben. Again, determinant, but I love a Lee who doesn’t drop children to their death because the mustache said so.  -Struggles with doors. Relatable.  -Is voiced by Dave Fennoy who gives a fantastic performance.  -Awkward flirt. Again, relatable. 

---

So what do you think? Do you agree with these reasons, or do you have any to add? Lemme know, it’s always fun to have character discussions. 

Have any suggestions for future T5F’s? Feel free to send ‘em in! :D

Next week’s T5F Top 5 GOOD Things About Season Two

[comingtothetree23]

Pillow fight!

Paring: Peter Parker x reader

warnings: Swearing, Tiktok.

Words: 0.6K

I saw this Tiktok about a pillow fight and thought it was cute. Here it is :D

"(Y/n) stop, this is a bad idea." your friend, Carley sighed heavily as you grabbed two pillows. You told her you wanted to make a TikTok so you had an idea. 

"C'mon, you know it'll be funny." You smirked as you pointed at her with the pillows. You walked through the store looking for a good spot to hit someone without seriously hurting them.

"you're gonna make someone mad." Carley sighed as she followed you. You looked over at her with a smirk before silently handing her your phone to record. She rolled her eyes but held it.

"Yea, cause I'll win." You gave a thumbs-up as she hit record. You stood in front of an aisle and saw two boys walked toward you, too engrossed in their conversation to see you. 

"I still can't believe his name wasn't Yoda-" oh, star wars nerd, nice. You looked and made eye contact with the brown-eyed boy, his hair had brown curls, and wore an adorable sweater.

"Pillow fight!" You cut him off as you gave the boy the pillow and imminently started hitting him with it. The strange thing was, he fought you back. Your friend watched and burst out laughing as she recorded you two fighting around the store. 

You let out a small giggle as he bounced on his feet like a video game character. You ran up to him and hit him with the pillow on his back making him laugh, oh shit, he had a good laugh. 

This continued on for minutes and you knew damn well the TikTok ended by now but you were having too much fun. You could see from the corner of your eye Carley giggling as she typed, she's posting the TikTok. Alright. 

The boy landed a good hit on the top of your head and you got a good hit on his side as your friends started cheering.

"Go, Peter! Win!" His friend cheered for him from his spot in the aisle, he hasn't moved since your hit Peter. Aw, wait, his name is Peter. 

"Go (Y/n)!" Your friend clapped as she bounced on her feet. Them cheering made people look over and silently judge you guys from afar. It wasn't long until a worker saw what was happening.

"E-Excuse me?" A woman walked over making you and Peter stop mid-hit, "Can you two please uh, stop doing...whatever you're doing?" You smiled sheepishly making Peter's pillow and hiding it behind your back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah we'll stop. Right?" You nudged Peter gently making him nod his head with blushy cheeks. The worker smiled for a moment before walking off. You let out a small sigh before holding your hand out for him to shake.

"(Y/n) (L/n)." You smiled as he shook your head, "Carley Shay." You pointed your thumb to your friend behind you. Peter looked at you for a moment with this weird look before smiling softly.

"Peter Parker." You already knew that but act like you didn't, "Ned Leeds." he pointed over to his friend who was still laughing from what he saw, "uh, N-Nice to meet you too." 

"Um, see ya around." You nodded at him before walked off. You stopped when you noticed Carley wasn't with you, you look to see her talking to Ned and Peter. You frowned before she came running toward you with a smirk, "Uhhh, what was that about?" You wondered

"Oh, it was nothing." She shrugged before handing your phone back to you. You forgot you gave it to her, you shrugged as you put it away.

~

You smiled as you looked through the comments of the Tiktok your friend posted without you, rude. You laughed as you read some comments, a lot of them were how it was either funny or cute. Until you read one.

'Is this a gen z love story in the making??' 

You let out a loud laugh as you liked the comment before screenshotting it. You smirked slyly as you sent the screenshot to the new number on your phone.

'Hey Peter, How you feel about this?'

[ericsonclan]

Here’s The Story…

Summary: Lee and Carley set up a dinner for their kids to meet.

Word Count: 3390

Read on AO3:

Lee felt his nerves rise with each passing second. His feet paced back and forth as he waited for the roast to finish in the oven. Turning on the oven light he leaned forward to watch the meat sizzling away in the oven. It sure is taking its sweet time. Lee turned off the oven light again. He would just have to be patient. But he couldn’t help it. He wanted it to be perfect. It needed to be perfect.

Today was the day that his sons would meet Carley along with her three daughters. He knew that they were less than excited about it. After all, it had always just been the four of them so even the idea of change made them nervous. Not to mention that it wasn’t just one new person but four. Lee looked up at the clock and felt his heart tighten; he didn’t realize that it was that late already. He really needed to start getting ready.

“This is so fucking stupid,” Mitch grumbled while he threw on one of his nicer shirts. It was only to appease his dad and stop Aasim from bothering him about how they should wear nice clothes for a good first impression.

“Come on, Mitch, I’m sure they’re going to be nice,” Marlon fidgeted with one of the buttons on his shirt, clearly nervous about meeting them.

“I just can’t believe we had to clean the whole house for one dinner,” Mitch slammed his dresser shut and fell back onto his bed. “The house wasn’t even that messy.”

“Oh yeah, because I’m sure they would love to step over your dirty socks and Marlon’s crushed soda cans,” Aasim looked towards his eldest brother who let out an annoyed groan and rolled over on his bed.

“Shut up, they could just deal with it. It’s not like we’ll see them again.” Mitch’s voice sounded muffled against his bed.

“I don’t know, dad seems pretty serious about her,” Marlon walked over, picking up a basketball. “I think that this could be more than just a one time meeting.”

“Doubt it,” Mitch looked up at his younger brother and the basketball in his hands. A small smile appeared on his face. “Wanna shoot some hoops before dinner?”

Marlon’s eyes brightened at the suggestion. “Yeah!” He turned towards the youngest of the three who was busy putting a belt on. “How about it, Aasim? You game?”

Aasim looked up from his task before shaking his head. “No, I’m going to check with dad to see if he needs any help. He looked like he was really panicking in the kitchen earlier.”

Mitch scoffed, putting on his sneakers before opening the bedroom door. “Whatever, suit yourself. Let’s go, Marlon.”

“Right.”

Aasim watched as his two older brothers ran outside before he finished buckling his belt. Just when he had finished he heard his father’s voice call out from the kitchen.

“Hey, could one of you boys watch the roast for a minute?” Lee’s voice sounded really tense. Aasim took a deep breath. This was going to be a long dinner.

----

“So? Are you excited?” Renata kicked her legs playfully while she lay on her bed, a huge grin on her face.

“I don’t know,” Clementine whispered from the top of the bunk bed. “Mom seems really nervous about making sure that this dinner goes well. I’m not sure about it… she said that he had three sons, right? Do you think they’re going to be nice?”

“Of course! I mean I hope so,” Renata turned her body so she could look up at her younger sister. “Worse case we just have an awkward dinner but great food and a few laughs.”

“You’re not planning to pull any pranks, right?” Prisha looked down at her sister with her hands on her hips. “We promised Mom we would be on our best behavior.”

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” Renata looked at her older sister with a playful wink.

“Don’t,” Prisha warned before she started playing with her braid. Her hands had been fidgeting with it constantly throughout the day.

“It’s going to be okay, Prisha,” Clementine’s arms dangled from the bunk bed as she looked at her sister with a reassuring smile. Prisha looked at her sister and gave a shaky breath.

“I know, it’s just…” Prisha paused. She didn’t want to finish the sentence.

Renata and Clementine looked at each other; they knew what their older sister was going to say. It had always just been the four of them through thick and thin. So what had changed that made their mom not feel like it was enough anymore? They could tell that it had been weighing heavily on Prisha’s mind over the last few days ever since their mom had brought up the dinner.

Suddenly the oven’s timer went off, causing Renata to jump off of her bed and scurry down the hallway. “The pie!” Renata’s cheery voice echoed through the house. She quickly grabbed two oven mitts and proceeded to open the oven door, causing her face to get overwhelmed by the heat from it. Carefully she obtained the pie. The boysenberries’ juices seeped from inside, covering the crust with the dark purple.

“That looks great!”

Renata looked back to see her mom standing in the entrance way with a proud smile.

“Thanks! I think it’s some of the best work yet!” Renata smiled back at Carley who walked forward and placed a kiss on the top of Renata’s head.

“I’m sure everyone will love it,” Carley focused back on the task that she had been working on, slowly putting on a pair of earrings.

“How are your sisters doing? Are they almost ready?”

“Yep! We’re all good to go!” Renata’s bright smile seemed to comfort her mom as her shoulders relaxed slightly.

“That’s good. I’m going to double check that I have everything. Can you let your sisters know that we’re leaving?”

Renata nodded before wrapping the pie in some tinfoil so it stayed warm and placing it in a heat-proof bag. “Prisha! Clem! It’s time to go!” she called out to them, cupping her hands around her mouth.

The bedroom door opened with the sound of frantic footsteps. Prisha and Clementine appeared in the kitchen to help get the dessert in the car and make sure they were ready. Carley got in the driver’s seat and looked back at her three daughters who sat in the back of the car.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll love them.” Carley looked back at her three daughters with a warm smile. They all still looked really nervous, except for Renata who seemed even more bubbly than usual. With that Carley started the car and the four of them were off to dinner.

----

Lee paced back and forth again. He couldn’t help it. This was a big deal. His eyes looked back at the dining room table that was placed with eight plates. He’d had to go out and buy some more silverware and such just for this occasion. It looks good, right? Lee looked back at his three sons who were sitting on the couch. Mitch and Marlon both had huge pit stains from playing basketball outside. He knew they were nervous about meeting the new people, but now they were super sweaty and there was no time to change.

“They’re here,” Marlon motioned towards the front where they could see the four of them making their way up to the front door. Lee ran over with an excited albeit nervous smile as he opened the door, not giving Carley time to ring the doorbell.

“Hi there, find the place okay?” Lee leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on Carley’s lips.

“Hi, Lee! Yeah, thanks for sending the directions,” Carley replied, walking through with her daughters when Lee moved back from the door. The three girls shuffled inside. Mitch looked up from the couch to see what they looked like.

On the left was the tallest of the three girls, an Indian girl with a long black braid which she seemed to be focusing all her attention on. She looked to be maybe a year older at most from Mitch. In the middle was a Hispanic girl with her hair pulled together in a messy bun on the side of her head. She was easily the happiest of all the kids to be here. Her dark brown eyes seemed to dance with excitement while a bright smile pulled on her lips. Lastly the girl on the right had golden brown eyes that seemed to be searching the room, her brown curly hair swaying when she shifted the weight on her legs.

“Oh! Let me introduce you to my sons!” Lee’s voice caused Mitch to turn his attention towards his dad who seemed super happy about this whole dinner. “This is my oldest son who’s twelve. His name is Mitch,” Mitch gave a half-committed nod before looking away. “Then there in the middle is Marlon,” Marlon gave a small wave then looked away; he was getting overwhelmed by everything. “Then lastly this is Aasim, my youngest,” Aasim looked up and gave a small smile.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Carley gave a soft smile over in their direction. “I’ve heard so much about you from your father,” The three boys’ eyes widened at that statement. Each of them looked at each other. This really was a serious relationship then. Their dad had dated before, but it never seemed to get this far.

“These are my three daughters,” Carley walked over to stand by them. “Prisha is my oldest, she’s thirteen,” She gave Prisha a quick side hug. Prisha mustered up a smile, looking up at her mom before looking over at the three boys. “Then there is my middle daughter, Renata,” Renata flashed a huge grin and waved over at the others. “Then Clementine.” Clementine gave a small nod.

“Hello,” Clementine whispered then moved closer towards Renata.

“I’m glad I’m finally able to meet you. I’ve heard so many good things about you three.”

Prisha’s eyes moved up to look at Lee. It almost seemed like she was searching his face to see if he was being sincere, while Renata and Clementine seemed happier at his statement.

“Carley, if you could help me in the kitchen. Dinner is going to be ready soon,” Lee shared a look with Carley who seemed to immediately get the idea.

“Of course, I can take the pie, Prisha,” Carley’s voice was soft and comforting, but Prisha still seemed nervous about giving her mom the pie and letting her leave.

“OK,” Prisha whispered, letting go of the pie and watching as her mom disappeared into the kitchen with Lee.

The room was instantly filled with an awkward tension. Both sides seemed unwilling to make the first move for small talk. Renata was the first to speak.

“Where’s your bathroom?”

The three boys looked surprised by her question before Marlon got up.

“It’s just past the dining room. I can show you if you like?” Marlon moved forward, stopping in front of the three girls.

“Thanks!” Renata skipped forward, turning back to give her sisters a thumbs up and a mischievous smile on her face. She then looked back at Marlon. Prisha and Clementine shared a worried look, both because now it was just the two of them and Renata was clearly up to something.

“So, your name’s Marlon?” Renata asked, striding forward while Marlon awkwardly walked beside her.

“That’s right, and your name’s Renata?”

“Yep! I like your hair, you look like a cool rat!” Renata’s statement was meant to be a compliment, but it seemed to hurt Marlon’s feelings.

“Oh, umm, thanks,” He stopped in his tracks, gesturing towards the door. “Here it is,”

“Thanks,” Renata slipped into the bathroom.

----

Prisha looked over at the two boys that were left. This was so awkward.

“So,” Aasim’s voice drew her attention. “Got any favorite subjects in school?” He was trying his best to start up some sort of small talk because his brother seemed unwilling to.

“I like history,” Clementine’s quiet voice seemed unusually loud thanks to the awkward silence. Aasim’s eyes seemed to light up at her statement. “I do too!” Aasim jumped up to his feet, excited to find another history lover. “I think it’s super cool!”

Mitch laughed at his excitement. “It’s not as cool as science. You don’t get to blow shit up in history class.”

“You shouldn’t be able to in science class either,” Prisha stated simply, which made Mitch’s frown deepen.

“Whatever,” he huffed in annoyance.

“What about you?” Aasim looked at Prisha.

Prisha thought about the question for a minute. “I don’t know. I don’t think I really have one.”

“Prisha’s super smart,” Clementine added proudly. “She gets straight A’s all the time.” Clementine’s expression changed when she saw Aasim look upset by the statement.

“I get straight A’s too,” Aasim crossed his arms, staring at Prisha with judgement which she quickly returned. It almost felt like neither of them could accept that the other Indian kid was also smart. Prisha always had been really proud of her intelligence, but it seemed like she was holding it up even higher than usual. Clementine looked at the pair with concern when Marlon returned.

“I’m back,” he awkwardly announced, proceeding to sit back down on the couch. He looked over at Mitch who seemed pissed then at Aasim who was staring daggers at Prisha. Just what the hell had happened in the five minutes he was gone? Clearing his throat, he tried to divert the negative emotions with another ice breaker. “So…. do you like sports?”

“No,” Prisha stated before looking back at Aasim.

“I do,” Clementine’s smile grew. “I really like soccer!”

“Oh, that’s cool!” Marlon shifted in his spot. “I really like basketball! We even have a basketball hoop!”

Clementine seemed excited by the news which made Marlon happy. Suddenly Renata appeared back by her sisters’ side.

“Dinner’s ready!” Lee called out from the kitchen. The kids looked at each other before walking over to the dinner table.

“Renata, you didn’t do anything, did you?” Prisha looked over at her sister who gave a playful smile. “Because if you did, mom will get upset. You promised to be on your best behavior.”

Renata’s eyes suddenly widened before she ran forward. Mitch and Aasim had already taken their spots on the right side of the table and Lee and Carley had placed down the food and were sitting at the heads of the table. Marlon was about to sit down when Renata barreled past him and took his seat.

“Renata, what-” Carley’s sentence was cut off when Renata had sat down and a loud fart emitted from her seat.

“Oops, guess I’m just nervous,” Renata gave a sheepish smile to her mom while Prisha shook her head in disapproval. Prisha took her seat across from Aasim while Clem sat across from Mitch, leaving Marlon who awkwardly made his way over and sat in between the two of them. The dinner table was quiet for the first few minutes as everyone was served some roast and potatoes.

“I hope it’s alright,” Lee placed another cut of meat on a plate before handing it off to be passed down.

“It looks amazing,” Carley looked over at Lee with a loving smile. The kids remained quiet at that. “So, Mitch, tell me a bit about yourself.”

Mitch looked up with his mouth full of food at Carley’s voice. He chewed for a bit before swallowing. For some reason he felt on edge about her question. It felt like it was some sort of test. Mitch looked over at the girls who were watching him. Renata’s gaze seemed to be burning a hole into him. I’ll show them.

“I’m super strong. Check it!” He grabbed a nearby spoon with a smirk. Holding onto the two sides, he proceeded to try and bend it. Mitch grunted while he struggled against the spoon. What the fuck is up with this spoon?!?  Mitch tried for a few seconds before snatching one of the candles instead which he easily broke.  “Boom! Triceps!” He tossed forward the candle and leaned back in his chair.

“Good one, Mitch,” Lee said with a chuckle before clearing his throat. “Clem, what about you? Any interests?”

Clementine glanced up from her plate. Shifting around in her seat, she placed down her fork.

“I umm… like collecting animal skulls.”

Mitch’s eyes widened at that, a  smile appearing on his face. “That’s so badass!”

Clementine looked up at him, a small smile playing on her lips. “Thanks,”

“I baked the pie!” Renata butted in. “I’m a baker!” Her voice cracked near the end of her declaration.

“Oh, wow!” Lee flashed a warm smile. “I’m sure it’s going to be delicious. I’ve never been much of a baker myself. You gotta give me some tips.”

Renata’s eyes practically sparkled with happiness.

Carley shared a smile with Lee before she noticed that Prisha was barely eating; instead her focus seemed to be shifting between studying Aasim and Lee. “Prisha?” Carley’s voice snapped Prisha out her thoughts. “Why don’t you share a bit about yourself.”

Prisha looked towards her mom. Why was she so insistent? Why were both her and Lee like this? She looked over at Lee. What made him so special? Her eyes traveled back to Aasim.

“I’m the top of my class,” Prisha said with a level of pride in her voice, glaring back at Aasim.

“That’s ama-”

“Funny, I’m the top of my class too. Isn’t that right, Dad?” Aasim looked over at Lee who looked utterly confused by this fight that seemed to have broken out between his son and Prisha while he was in the kitchen.

“Umm…” Lee scratched the back of his head. “That is true.’

Aasim’s bright smile seemed to tick Prisha off more.

“I don’t know if this is as cool as baking or collecting skulls or being smart, but I play the guitar,” Marlon looked over at Carley who seemed genuinely surprised and impressed by that. Marlon looked away with a small smile.

“That’s really cool, Marlon. Maybe after dinner you can play something for us,” Carley leaned forward with a kind smile. Marlon looked shocked by the suggestion. He had thought that she wouldn’t care.

“Okay,” Marlon responded before chugging the rest of his drink.

The dinner continued on much the same. Carley and Lee continued to try and learn more about the other’s kids. Each time that they shared it seemed like their fondness for the children grew even when they were being a bit much. The kids all seemed to still be on edge about the whole thing, but slowly they calmed down a bit, each of them getting invested in some of the similar hobbies or traits of the other kids. The conversations continued into dessert that was interrupted here and there with compliments on the pie which Renata ate up, her ego growing with each comment.

Soon dessert had been demolished and the table became quiet again. Lee looked over at Carley, a silent conversation playing out between them. Even with all the bumps along tonight’s meal, they still felt like it was the right time to bring it up. Lee cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to him.

“So, first of all I just want to thank you three for coming over and spending some time here. I loved hearing from all of you,” he smiled at the girls before continuing. “Me and your mom wanted to have this dinner so that everyone got to meet each other, but it was also for another reason.”

All the kids’ faces scrunched up in confusion at his statement.

“You see, umm…” Lee tried to figure out the right words.

“Lee and I are engaged,” Carley finished her fiance’s sentence. Lee gave an appreciative smile over towards her which she returned. The smiles quickly disappeared when a glass hit the floor. Prisha’s hand hovered in the air, a look of utter disbelief on her face. Lee and Carley looked around at the other kids who all seemed to hold the same expression. All of them remained silent, unable to believe the news.

[purplesurveys]

986

Are you currently learning from anyone how to play any instruments? Nope. I’ve never been musically-inclined and it’s always been impossible for me to pick up skills in any instrument, even if we had music classes in my old school from first grade all the way up to senior year. 

Are you one of those people who always tend to think critically in issues? Yes. Sometimes my emotions would want to take over, but at the end I always prefer to be skeptical, ask a lot of questions, and see all sides in an issue. I feel like critical thinking is such a big part of the degree I took up anyway, especially with all the hullabaloo about fake news and which news sources to trust, so...

Do you know anyone who is overly flirty with people? Girl or a boy? I can remember a few girls from my high school but they could have changed within the last four years. I remember several girls and boys from college, too. 

When was the last time you had any kind of pork? What kind was it? Last night. Pork belly.

Are you someone who normally eats a full breakfast every single morning? No, not normally. If I wake up feeling a little better than usual I’ll go downstairs and get some bread and eggs, but most of the time I skip all meals except dinner.

Do you believe vampires are real? No.

Are you someone who has to hide the things you like around friends? Sometimes, just because I genuinely want to keep some things that I enjoy to myself. I also have some interests that are a little uncommon and simply won’t make for a productive or fun conversation, like wrestling, so I don’t raise topics like those around my friends. ‘Hide’ is a little harsh, though...my friends certainly don’t make me feel like I have to hide my true self. At the end of the day I just like keeping quiet about my interests and letting others have the spotlight.

Have you ever been to a porn website? Were you addicted to it afterwards? Yeah since middle school lol. I still remember how big of a sin it had felt when I typed in a URL for the very first time. Anyway, I wouldn’t say I was ever a porn addict but I did have phases where I’d watch nearly everyday, and then stop for months, and then repeat the habit again.

What is the most disgusting thing you think the opposite sex can do? Cat-calling is one of them < Jesus, I remember how catcalling was such a pre-Covid norm...one of the very few reasons why I’m glad to be staying at home.

Would you rather be able to teleport or freeze time? Which one seems best? Teleport. I don’t think freezing time will help me especially if it’s to be stuck in a happier moment; I’ll have to unfreeze in the end anyway, and it’s just a sucky truth that I have no control over. I feel that teleporting has a lot more uses, like skipping traffic lol.

Have you seen the movie Twister? Did the tornadoes look real to you? I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of it. The only Twister that comes to mind is the party game.

Have you actually been through a devastating natural disaster before? We always get devastating hurricanes a few times a year but my family and our home has always been on the fortunate side since my parents made sure we relocated somewhere that wasn’t prone to floods. The old house we used to live in, though, is super vulnerable to typhoons and it has definitely flooded all the way up to the ceiling there before. It’s a big reason why we moved.

Did your mom ever fix your eggs and bacon into a smiley face as a kid? I wasn’t fed bacon as a kid, so I guess not.

What fast food place, in your opinion, has the best french fries? Jollibee, and this is a hill I would happily die on.

Do you believe one day aliens might take over the planet Earth? No. I like to hold out belief for aliens, but I wouldn’t want to immediately assume that they would be the colonizer type.

Are you someone who always looks for sales when you go shopping somewhere? I don’t actively seek them out, but if I spot an item I like that’s on sale then I’m more likely to buy them and just consider it my lucky day, heh.

Are you constantly re-arranging your bedroom? Or do you not like change? I only do once every few years. The last time I did was a couple of weeks ago; the last time before that was 4-5 years ago.

Who would you consider the best teen actor or actress out there now? The only one I could think of is Jacob Tremblay, but I’ve only ever seen him in Room and that movie’s five years old now. Oh but Iain Armitage is amazing too.

When did you last cuddle up next to someone and watch a movie? Start of the year would be my best guess.

Where would people most likely find you out on the weekends? Just home, unless my family or friends made plans to go out. For the most part though, I like catching up on rest after a week of school/work.

Do you like the school you attend or is it just pretty bland to you? I loved my university. The atmosphere there felt extremely freeing and nobody gave a shit about what anyone wore, what pronouns people prefer for themselves, etc. It was such a beautiful place to explore and figure myself out in the last four years.

Do you remember when they used to actually throw candy out at parades? I don’t think I’ve been to a parade.

What is your favorite childhood memory? Who did you share this with? Playing outside nearly every afternoon, then going home for dinner and alternating between Nickelodeon, Disney, and Cartoon Network because our favorite programs were all over those three channels. I shared these with my neighbors (for playing outside), and then with my siblings and cousins (for watching TV).

Are there any windows open in your house right now? Which ones, if so? A couple of my windows are open to let some of the cold air in.

Is it currently your favorite season? If not what is your favorite? Yes, I love the rainy season. I haven’t had to worry about sweating these days which makes life a lot less annoying.

Do you like soda pop? If so, which is your favorite and least favorite? Don’t those two words refer to the same thing? Lol but I don’t drink soda. I’ve tried so many times to get into it but it’s always felt like putting my tongue and throat on fire.

Does it bother you when people burp around you or do you do it too? I do it around family and close friends. They can burp around me too. Personally, I only find burping gross if it’s strangers that I catch doing it.

Do you have any siblings you’re embarrassed of being related to? A little bit but it’s whatever.

Which noises do you currently hear right now? Can you control those? There’s a Good Mythical Morning video from my phone, the fan whirring behind me, and a dog barking somewhere outside. The only noise I can’t control is the dog, because they aren’t mine and I don’t know which house they’re from.

What is one thing you’ve never understood throughout your life? Catcalling. Like, why?

When you see an old person do you think ‘sweet’ or ‘creepy?’ For the most part, neither. I’ve thought ‘sweet’ or ‘creepy’ about old people in the past, but they have to be doing something to cause me to feel that way.

What is it that makes old women want so many cats in their life? Company, I’m guessing. But I don’t think it’s fair to generalize old women lol.

How many times a day do you wash your face? Do you wash it really good? Once, when I take my daily shower. I’ve always had clear skin so I don’t like washing it too hard, or too much, or using products on my face. Just a few splashes of water have worked fine for my face in the last 22 years.

Would you consider yourself to have a boring life or a really exciting one? I’d say it’s generally exciting right now because a lot of changes are happening and I’m finally out of school and pursuing real jobs and everything, but Covid has definitely given it a boring turn.

Do you ever talk to people you met online through webcam? Or is that weird? I’ve only done so with Carley. It’s not weird if you’re already close.

Who was the last person you kissed and why did you kiss this person? Gab. She was leaving.

How many fish have you owned in your lifetime, so far? Did they all die? We were allowed to own a lot of goldfish when we were kids but yeah, they’re all dead now.

If you were to get drunk right now, how would you most likely act? Cry, drunk text the wrong person, try to take the rest of this survey drunk.

How many people have you kissed in your lifetime so far? Who were they? One.

Are you going to post this on a social networking site after you take it? Yeah, that has always been the point of this Tumblr.

Is there something people in general do that bothers you a lot? This only applies to Christians, but being jerks and going back to their old ways immediately after attending church. I have never understood that, and never will. Like, why even attend???? What is your point of being there??

Has anything supernatural ever happened to you? What were these events? Nothing like seeing ghosts or whatever but I’ve had some odd premonitions before, especially on the day my grandfather died.

How many concerts have you seen so far in life? Were they good ones? I’ve gone to a lot of local gigs that feature popular local acts; the best ones I saw were Ysanygo, The Ransom Collective, and BP Valenzuela (who I’ve seen thrice, aaaahhhh). Foreign acts I’ve watched are Coldplay, One Direction (kind of twice, but it’s a long story), and Paramore (twice). I don’t remember disliking a singer or band that I’ve seen perform.

Do you like doing anything your friends wouldn’t expect you to do? Doing surveys is probs on top of that list, ha.

Can you sing very well or are you considerably tone deaf? I’m not tone-deaf, but I don’t have a talent in singing.

Do you ever look back on the past years and wish you could go back? Yes.

When will the next time be you’ll talk to the cousin you’re closest to? I have no clue. Christmas is my best guess.

Are you really into vintage things? Have you ever been into that stuff? Not so much, but investing on a turntable is consistently on my mind as I’ve always had a dream of collecting vinyl records.

When was the last time you bought new sheets for your bed? It’s been a while. Can’t remember.

[yellowsugarwords]

Headcanons about the reader giving a birthday presents to season 1 characters on their birthday? (Let’s imagine that characters like Molly & Chuck stayed for longer)

omg ;-; I miss these guys

Lee: Lee would want something for Clementine, no question. A toy, some food, some new clothes. So, giving Clementine a new, clean doll was all Lee could’ve asked for. “Thank you for that,” he’d say, setting a thankful palm against their shoulder. ���You’ve made our days.” Seeing the way Lee beamed watching Clementine play and hug the doll, they knew he was telling the truth.

Clementine: Clementine would want a new dress seeing as her current one is getting all ratty. Getting one, her eyes would widen. “You remembered my birthday!” He’d gawk. She smiled, holding the dress and feeling how soft it was. She scurried off to change into it immediately, and she loved how it looked. People always caught her staring in mirrors or windows, studying her reflection, smiling as she ran her fingers over the fabric.

Kenny: A new gun would give Kenny all the comfort he’d need, so getting one made his eyes widen. “Where did you get this?” He didn’t bother elaborating, he’d just chuckle and smirk. “Thanks,” he’d say, dipping into ruffle their hair. “I’m not gonna ask any questions. I’m gonna take it.” He’d pocket it, loving the feeling of having a weapon on him again. He walked around with such confidence and pride after that.

Katjaa: Being given a new sweater was a relief. “Thank you,” she said softly, cheeks bright and hopeful as she gave them a quick hug. “It’s starting to get cold, and I get chilly so easily.” She wore it every day, and always took great care when washing it. Kenny would be equally as thankful, happy to see his wife smiling and content again.

Duck: They’d give duck a busted-up - but still whole - action figure. “Wow!” Duck gawked. He’d say thank you, but was in such a rush to go and play with it that it came out winded and soft as he was already running away. His parents thought the gift was the sweetest thing.

Doug: Doug would want something to occupy his time, so getting a deck of cards made his eyes light up. “No way!” He’d laugh, accepting them and flipping them through his fingers. He didn’t care that some were missing; he could still work with it. “This is amazing!” He’d say, cheeks packed with joy. “Wanna play something? How about war?” It was the best gift Doug could’ve asked for. He smiled about the sweet gesture all day and night, especially when he was teaching the kids how to play with him.

Carley: A notebook and pen. Carley’s eyes would widen. “For me?” She could hardly believe and couldn’t stop smiling. “This is so sweet. I can’t believe you remembered.” She’d been eager to find a new journal; a place to document her swarming, clustered thoughts. It was the best gift she could’ve asked for. “I can’t wait to start filling it tonight.”

Lilly: Lilly would appreciate a type of weapon - preferably a high-tech switchblade. When she’d get it, her eyes would widen. “Shit,” she’d breathe. “This is amazing.” She’d smile their way. “Thanks.” She tried to keep her stoic, professional attitude, but the fact that they’d remembered her birthday without checking was wonderfully kind.

Larry: Larry would want a gun or a knife. Getting it, he’d laugh. “Hell yeah,” he’d smile, twirling it in his hands and admiring it. “Finally I have some arms. Thanks.” He’d say, smacking their arm in glee. Then, he’d part to fiddle with his new weapon. Everyone else witnessing the gift’s opening was terrified.

Ben: Ben wanted something that would give him hope, so being gifted a small good luck charm made him smile. It was a ceramic ladybug, broken off of a pin of some kind. “Ladybugs are good luck,” they’d say. Ben would beam, thinking it was the cutest and sweetest gift. “Thank you.” he’d beam, touching it to his chest before putting it in his pocket. “I’ll carry it everywhere.” He’d give them an awkward, quick hug, but knew the gift was irreplaceable. It truly brought him peace and warmth.

Christa: Christa would want something practical, like fabric. Getting some made her smile. “I can work with this,” she’d say, examining it, feeling just how soft it was. Clothes, wraps, things to keep food warm. “Thank you for this. This is a really wonderful gift.” She wrapped them in a soft, warm, meaningful hug. “The first thing I’m making is a sweater for you.” She’d say, both of them beaming.

Omid: Omid would want something goofy and fun, like a rubbed duck. Getting one, he’d beam and give a toothy, excited grin. “Thank God, I was getting so bored during bath time.” Chrsta thought it was the dorkiest thing, but still found it cute. “I’m gonna go play with him right now.” He’d tease, scurrying away. Christa would laugh and roll her eyes.

Molly: Molly wanted something to revamp WEAPON. A cloth for polishing was a gift. Her eyes would widen. “Oh shit,” she’d gawk. “Yes, this is perfect.” She’d smirk, slapping their shoulder and grinning their way. “Thanks for this. This is gonna make getting the rust and blood off a lot easier.” Then, she’d happily trot away to give it a test.

Chuck: Chuck would want a swiss army knife, or a multipurpose tool. Getting one, he’d smirk. “You know me well, kid.” He’d say, smirking and twirling it in  and through his fingers. “Thanks for this. It’s gonna come in handy.” Really, he thought people had forgotten his birthday well before the apocalypse had even started. He’d mentioned his birthday in casual passing weeks ago. It filled his heart with peace.

[mydarlingvioletine]

Just a Puppy Crush - Chapter 8

Ship(s): Clementine/Violet Media: The Walking Dead Game (Season 4)

Clementine set up Brody and Louis in the guest room just beside her own room. Louis had plopped himself down onto a big, comfy chair. The kind Violet definitely recognized from her grandparents house. The one with the lever on the side where you could flatten it out, and kick up the footrest.

        Brody turned down Louis’ attempts to cuddle, and threw herself down on the couch, curling up like a cat. Knees nuzzled up to her chin, she only took up one cushion.

It was a really cute habit that completely threw Violet off guard the first time they had a sleepover.

         Violet unrolled her sleeping bag, and went to set it on the ground when Clementine stopped her, frowning.

“I’m not letting you on the floor, Vi.” Clem insisted, swiftly pulling the clumsy blonde behind her, into her room. Clementine knelt down, and pulled the covers back from her bed. “You take my bed, I’ll take the chair.”

       Violet’s gaze landed on the corner chair, stiff and uncomfortably vertical. Her back ached just at the sight of it. “It doesn’t.. look very comfortable.”

Clem nodded, shyly ducking her head as she attempted to sprawl herself out on the chair, bending herself uncomfortably. “It’s Lee’s old crossword puzzle chair.. We brought it all the way from Montana just for Carley to buy him a brand new one. We’ve been keeping it because James said he’d take it in his new apartment.”

       “I’m not letting you sleep on that thing. Scooch over, I’ll sleep here.” Violet attempted to lug her away from the chair, but Clementine was solid, eyes glinted with amusement as Violet tried and failed to lift her up.

“Your spine’s already at a 70 degree angle. No way I’m pushing you over the edge.” Clem teased, causing Violet to straighten her posture involuntarily.

           “Is not!”

“Is too. I’m the daughter of a math teacher, I know my shit.” Clementine giggled, happily staring up at a pouting Violet.

      Violet rolled her eyes, defiantly crossing her arms across her chest. “Clem, I’d feel really fucking bad if you had to sleep there. Take the bed.”

Clementine’s phone buzzed noisily against her dresser, and she picked it up.

            New Message from Beautiful Best Friend.

       When the fuck did Louis have time to change his name across her phone? Sneaky bastard.

          [BBF] Cut the bullshit and share the damn bed.

Clementine rolled her eyes, hearing the muffled giggles from the other side of the thin walls. Vi cocked her head at the laughter, oblivious.

       “How about this?” Clementine proposed, rising to her feet. “We both sleep on my bed and nobody has to suffer at the hands of this chair. Or should I say.. the arms of this chair.”

Violet couldn’t hold back a little snort laugh at the joke, one that sent Clem’s heart to her throat.

       “Yeah, okay,” Violet feigned an attitude like she was being held against her will, trying to hide her nervous excitement from sharing a bed with Clementine. “You’re not a blanket hogger, are you? Louis always pulls that shit.”

Clem shook her head, a careful grin on her face as she tucked herself under the covers, back against the wall. “I guess you’ll find out.”

         Violet groaned, tugging the knitted blanket Brody had made for Clem close to her. After turning to her side and attempting to make herself comfortable, she sat up abruptly.

“You okay?” Clementine asked, a yawn straining her husky voice.

      “Just not really used to sleeping like this, I guess.” Violet admitted, arms uncomfortably held to her sides. Clem responded by pulling the sheets back, and patting a spot closer to her.

“There’s some give in the middle of the bed, since I usually sleep there. It kinda molds around you. Try that spot.”

        Violet swallowed hard, lips pressed tightly together as she inched herself closer to the center. Some give was an understatement. She slumped into the mold Clementine’s body left, hands instinctively across her chest.

The snug fit of the mattress around her brought a sense of warm and safety, and she let out a content hum. Clementine pursed her lips, trying desperately to hold back the smile that crept over her lips, while looking down at Violet, as comfortable and secure as she’d ever seen her.

      She fit. In her spot on mattress, on the cork board, in Clementine’s life, in their family dynamic. In everything Clem was never able to tell there was something missing, it changed in an instant when she saw the warm, woodsy green eyes. Then on, she was fucked.

Acting on its own volition, her hand reached out from under her pillow, lightly brushing a blonde stray piece of hair strewn across Violet’s forehead, gently tucking it behind her ear.

       Violet’s eyes opened, her cheeks red and her expression panicked at the contact. The evidence was there, Clem’s hand still rested by her face. On impulse, Clementine raised her finger and bopped her nose.

“Um, gotcha.” Clementine squeaked, before turning so she faced the wall, burying her face in her pillow.

                Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

She felt a shift in the weight beside her, and froze up, eyes wide as Violet sat up beside her.

        Clementine’s veins ran ice cold at the feeling of Violet leaning over her, then a quick motion sent her heart into overdrive.

“Boop! Gotcha back.” Violet giggled, pressing her finger gently against the tip of Clementine’s nose before settling back down into the pile of blankets that had accumulated.

       A sense of relief washed over her, and Clementine shifted onto her back, staring up at the stars above her. Stickers of constellations that created a little galaxy on the ceiling.

Violet’s eyes shifted towards them as well, and she stretched her arm out, pointing at the collection of stars directly above their heads.

       “Oh, sweet. Didn’t notice that.” Violet mused, letting her eyes trace across the patterns of the stars.

“Carley and Lee put them up back when we first moved here. My old room had a skylight, and the first couple of nights, I really missed it. So they set this up for me,” Clementine smiled up at the stars, the ends of her lips pulling upwards in a lopsided manner. “Well, Carley did. Lee isn’t that good with... gravity.”

        A giggle escaped Violet’s lips as she tried to imagine Mr. Everett cursing and getting upset at a task such as menial as putting stickers on the wall. Geometric proofs? No biggie. A little home renovation project? Fuck no.

“Did I tell you about the time we went to a water park and he spent like a minute looking directly at a huge puddle, then slipped in it?” Clem snorted, a tired and rasp embedded in her voice.

       Violet raised her arm and pointed up at an amalgamation of stars, pursing her lips while trying to make something out of it. “It’s a sheep.”

“Oh, it kinda does look like a sheep,” Clementine noted, looking at the stars above her head in a different light. Violet had that effect on her, with every new perspective that Vi would point out to her. Now, Clem couldn’t see the blob of stars as anything other than a sheep. “Up in the corner, there’s a spider.”

       Violet gasped, tugging the blankets over her head with more urgency than Clem’s ever seen in her. “A star spider, not a real one.”

The blonde girl’s wide green eyes peeked over the blanket, gaze darting nervously from Clementine to the corner.

       “I can’t believe you accused me of being a blanket hog.” Clem teased, as Violet wrapped the blanket around her like a tight cocoon.

Violet scoffed and rolled her eyes, but couldn’t cover the smile that tugged at her lips or the pink that colored her cheeks. “Shush.”

        Their gazes returned to the wall, two pairs of eyes eagerly scanning to make something out of nothing, an excuse to keep hearing each other’s voices. To make the other one laugh.

“Oh, there’s a mushroom!” Violet chirped up, gently turning over to Clementine when she didn’t get a response. “Do you see it?”

      Her breathing even, like a melody Louis played on the piano. Her eyes gently closed, hushed and still.

Once Violet was sure that Clementine was asleep, she felt around for her bag at the base of the bed. Grasping the familiar leather, she opened the pouch, and quietly pulled out her stuffed bunny. A sense of tranquility washed over her as she held the soft plush in her arms, stroking the matted fur.

              “Aw, cute.”

The sound of Clementine’s faint whisper stopped her in her tracks, grip tightening on the bunny. She went to pull it into her blanket cocoon, but Clem had sat up, her eyes on it.

            “What’s it’s name?”

Violet’s posture stiffened at the sensation of Clementine brushing against her, slouching her arm around the rigid blonde’s shoulder.

      “Um.. Thumper.” Violet admitted sheepishly, running her fingers along the plushie. “My grandma gave it to me when I was born. Can’t sleep without it.”

Clementine’s expression turned solemn, as she reached under her pillow, revealing the stained, worn old hat that had been resting on her dresser previously. “I... can definitely relate to that.”

        Violet quizzically glanced at her, watching as Clem held the brim of her hat with a tight grip, eyes focused on the tear at one of the seams.

“It was my biological dad’s,” Clementine clarified, setting it on her lap. “It’s too old to wear anymore, but I like keeping it near me when I can.”

        With a grim nod, Violet leaned on her shoulder, her emerald green eyes piercing through Clementine. “It’s nice. Having something to anchor yourself with.”

Clementine pursed her lips together, with a quick nod. She set the baseball cap on the corner of her bed, it’s presence giving her the confidence she needed for her next statement.

         “Violet, I-“ Clem managed to sputter before a soft snore cut her off. She hesitantly glanced down at a passed out Violet, a puddle of drool forming on her pillow. Her grip on the plush had loosened, and it sat comfortably in the crook of her arms. Slow, deep breaths that made her lanky body rise and fall, her eyebrows furrowing and twitching occasionally.

With a sigh, Clementine lowered herself back down, turning herself back towards the wall. “Goodnight, Vi.” She whispered over her shoulder, before wrapping her arms around her own pillow, hugging it tightly to her chest.

         The rest of the night was silent, other than the occasional flickering of the porch light and the raindrops that hit the roof. That and the soft, slight snore that came from Violet, and the sound of crickets in the distance.

[hollandroos]

The Price We Pay | Four

Summary: A one night stand was all it took for your entire life to change. You're shoved into unknown territory, agreeing to fake date the prince long enough for his parents and the media to get off of his back only there are a few issues... one of them being that you really can’t stand each other.

Series Masterlist

Words: 4.2K

Warnings: None!

Moodboard by @marvelousxtsh

-

“I thought I told you just to dress casually?” You taunt.

Tom steps out of the car– the passenger seat to be correct because after half an hour of back and forth you finally made him agree to drive, claiming it’d be a waste of time to get a driver. Though a part of you wondered when the last time he drove was and if it’d be safe.

But you were still alive, even after the painfully awkward drive between games of Ispy.

He shrugs, brown curls slicked around. “I wanted to make a good first impression.”

“Tom, sweatpants and a hoodie would have been fine. You could scare them off in that.”

His eyes widen, immediately going to stare down at his outfit– maybe it was a little over the top but truth be told he had no idea about your family and where they came from. He feared underdressing and hadn’t debated overdressing in the slightest.

“Fuck, really?”

You tug him forward by the front of his coat, pulling it off of his shoulders. Beneath was a white dress shirt tucked into his pants and you undid the top button, puffing out the collars. You throw the jacket into the front seat of the car and Tom grimaced at the way the material creased, buttons knocking against the dash.

“That’s a little better, you look good like this.” You felt a little proud and he smiles, glancing around for cameras but he finds none– in fact, he finds no one. Your childhood home really was in the middle of nowhere. “Just c’mon, and remember to relax, my family is nowhere as intense as yours.”

God, were you going to kill him–

He shoves the thoughts to the back of his brain. “S-should I hold your hand?”

“Yeah, we want to pull this off don’t we?”

He takes your hand into his own, intertwining your fingers together. The action was probably the closest you’d been since that night and it bought Tom a sense of comfort, reminding him that he wasn’t alone in this– so he began rubbing his thumb over your knuckles.

“Oh yeah, by the way, I have four siblings.”

Maybe you should’ve told him soon– about Kenny who was only a year younger then you and Carley who was eighteen, then there was Louis and Marcus who were fifteen. But Tom never asked.

Four? Tom had none.

He stands startled. “What–”

“Y/N!” A shrill voice calls and you smile at the two twins that raced towards you, one with ponytails and the other a set of muddy shorts.

They were loud and extremely clingy. Personal space didn’t exist and showers were the enemy– even after a day of helping in the backyard.

You turn to Tom and give him a lopsided smile, small crinkles forming beneath your eyes. And rather sarcastically, you kneel. “Welcome to my life, your majesty.”

-

From there, Tom watched you interact with your four siblings, each of a different age except the twins with completely different personalities. You were right, they were loud and it came as a shock to him.

But he sort of liked it.

The prince was used to hundreds of hallways, the only noise being his own two feet padding against the marble ground as well as his men or the grandfather clocks singing a chorus every hour. Here, you had to speak up to be heard and shout across the table which at the palace would’ve been considered rude– here it was the only way to get your thoughts out.

Louis and Marcus had easily gravitated towards Tom and Carley had clearly tried to suck up the prince and he found it amusing. He allowed them to play around in the fairly expensive ride and even gave each of your siblings a box of chocolates as a ‘hey, I’m suddenly dating your sister please like me’ gift.

Kenny didn’t trust the man one bit.

But he watched you interact with each of the kids like they were your own and he briefly remembered you mentioning the hours you’d spend taking care of them when your mum was at work, making their favourite lunches and playing games to pass the hours.

It was a softer side he was pleased to see.

He watched you smile, corners of your lips turning upwards as they fill you in on everything you’d missed like Kenny moving jobs and their science project at school.

Tom had never had that, the comfort of another sibling. From an early age, he was in the classroom learning how to be a prince– the best kind of prince in fact. He wasn’t learning how to balance books on his head but laws at the age of nine. He had maids and cooks and teachers and busy parents that never ceased to forget about his existence.

But it doesn’t take him long of sitting around an overly crowded family table, much smaller then his own for him to realise that someone was missing.

“Where’s your mum?”

You leave the other kids to discuss whose turn it was to do dishes, ignoring your own stomach rumbling. “Right about now she’ll be at work but she’ll be back by dinner to meet my handsome boyfriend, she’s very excited.” You watch his face change. “Yes, Thomas, the people here do have to work long hours to get by.”

“I knew that! I did, I just thought they finished around three you know…” He feels a wave of awkwardness wash over him and fiddles with his fingers. “I don’t think your brother likes me very much.” He nods towards Kenny.

And of course, you being as uncaring as you turned straight to your younger brother. “Ken, what do you think of Tom?”

His face hardens. “I’m undecided.”

The comment makes Tom tense and if his heart wasn’t pounding before then it most definitely was now. He couldn’t put his finger on why he felt so nervous about this. If anything he must’ve been more nervous then you when you met his parents but he wasn’t sure because to this point in time, you’d done a beyond amazing at keeping your feelings hidden.

Tom felt like he’d barely peeled back one layer of many.

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.” You try, taking his hand into your own and giving it a squeeze once more. “The others love you.”

It was a small action but one that made Tom’s heart run miles.

“Tom!” Carley says, staring between the two of you. She interrupts your small– barely there but there nonetheless moment. “Did you know that you’re the first boy she’s bought home in… probably forever?”

Toms' eyes widen, finding your suddenly fearful gaze. “Really?”

“Okay that’s not true–” You tense, sending her a threatening glare. But your sister only shrugs, a teasing smile making way on her face. She knew what she was doing and you hated it.

“We all didn’t think this day would come but here it is.”

Your grit your teeth and unknowingly squeeze Toms hand a little harder. He notices. “This is why I didn’t fuckin–”

“Tell me more, I want to know all about Y/N.” Tom interrupts, feeling your grip loosen. “What was she like as a child? did she listen at school?”

-

After half an hour of hearing all about your interest without your consent, your siblings all decided to scatter. Some went off to play with friends, some went to their room to do homework and one of them was apparently working out.

You didn’t know when your sister got so productive.

You and Tom wondered around the property, introducing him to your long missed farm animals. You watched his face change to disgust as he stepped over manure and puddles, nearly laughing at the way he seemed nearly unsure of every single step.

Of course, there were animals at the castle but nothing like this.

He didn’t tend to go around to the pens but seeing the pigs at yours– leaning down to pet them and nearly being shoved back when they rammed into his legs was surprising but made him laugh nonetheless.

And the cows– he loved the cows. There were two of them, Betsy and Bucky and without hesitation he pets the both of them.

“Originally we were going to sell them to the slaughterhouse but we grew too attached, mostly me but the younger ones did too of course and we managed to convince mum to keep them. So now they’re like our pets.” You smile, running a hand over Betsy's back.

Bucky moos at Tom.

“They’re adorable.” He smiles, stepping in what was either mud or cow manure. Tom only screws his face up for a second but quickly gets over himself. He had promised to give this a try and he wasn’t regretting it yet. “Do you have chickens?”

“Lots of them. When we were kids it’d be a race to see who could get the eggs first.” You smile at the memory.

“And here I thought you were a towns girl but you’re really a country girl at heart.”

“And here I thought you were an asshole prince, I guess only one of us was right with our assumptions.” You smile cheekily.

The two of you continue to walk around the place slowly, making sure to take it everything from the surprisingly blue sky to the grass that flattened beneath your feet with every step and the smell– because the smell wasn’t the best but the amazement in his eyes was definitely worth something.

“We haven’t actually had a proper moment to talk.” He mutters, stuffing his hands into his pant pockets. “I mean there was that first night, we were drunk. Then we were rushed then my parents were involved.”

“Have we not?”

“Nope.” Tom shakes his head, the two of you continue to walk around the property. “I hope you know that I appreciate what you’re doing for me. Seriously– it means a lot. I know it probably wasn’t easy to give up work and going from being… you, to headlining the papers.”

“Work was easy to give up, my boss is an ass and it really wasn’t easy have those out there.” You laugh, shaking your head. “Are you going soft on me?”

“I’ve always been soft, you just push my limits.” Tom teases, taking his hands out of his pockets.

You snort. “I do?”

He ignores the moment his hand brushes against yours.

“You have attitude, you’re feisty, no one’s ever spoken to me the way you do before and it’s– it’s different.” He shrugs, voice reaching a new pitch.

“I’m just real, Tom. I’m not going to start kissing your feet or beg you to love me. You’re a man with a crown and that crown means barely anything to me.”

“You see me as a person.” He highlights.

“You are a person. A person that annoys me to an extent.”

You come across the mud puddles you used to push your siblings into when you were a kid.

“Why do I annoy you so much?”

You don’t have an answer to his question at that moment.

So you shove him.

You watch him hit the ground with a gentle thud, mud splattering up and staining the end of your pants but he looked worse.

“Are you fucking serious?” He hisses.

You cover your mouth, trying to prevent him from seeing the smile that took place and the giggles that threatened to spill. You didn’t even care about how threatening his words sounded.

He looked a right mess. Mud stained Toms pants and right up to his waist, hands planted in the mud were a sticky brown and the frown on his face only topped it off. Dirt clung to his coffee brown curls.

You didn’t even take a second to think about how expensive his clothes were before you threw him into the giant puddle of mud or how long it’d take to clean his outfit, you purely focused on the amusement you felt the moment he hit the mud and the look of pure shock and disgust on his face when he realised that he was now coated in the mess.

“This isn’t funny!” He snaps, screwing his nose up at the god awful smell. “Get me the hell out of here or I swear–”

Tom stops, cutting himself off as he sees you clutching your stomach, laughs slipping from your lips. He watches the way your eyes screw shut, strands of hair falling over your face as you lean forward to grip the post for support and you hurl over just enough to take hold of your lower stomach.

“You just– you look so funny right now. You got such a shock too oh my god.” The words came out between laughs and gasps for air, there was even a single tear.

Then he had an idea– one that he knew could either get him into trouble or extend the fun and of course, Tom wanted to extend the fun.

“Can you help me out?”

He sticks a muddy hand out and you wipe a stray tear away, still trying to get your breathing back as you clasp your hand in his. All you thought he was going to do was push himself up, not pull you in.

“Tom–”

Then you were in the mud too, landing right on top of him. Your hands sunk into the muck which was anything but warm, coating themselves in the dirt before a heavy gasp left your lips, spots of mud decorating your cheeks.

Your laughs stopped, mouth falling open and shut like a fish as you took in the sight of your clothes lathered in ick and it stunk– dear god it stunk but not even a second later you took a hand full of dirt and dropped it on Toms clothed chest, turning the white tee a deeper shade of brown. You shouldn’t have been surprised and if you were watching instead of laughing then you would’ve seen him pull you in.

Still, the thought doesn’t plague your mind for too long because seconds later your hands are back in the mud collecting another handful.

“You’ve started a war you won’t win.” He threatens, a smirk forming on his features. Dirt sits at the corner of his mouth.

“Try me, Holland.”

He dumped mud directly on top of your head, strands of hair now highlighted the same colour of the muck you were still sitting in, back coated too from rolling off of him. Instead of getting annoyed, your chest erupted in giggles.

You felt like a child again, throwing mud back and forth with your siblings when your parents weren’t watching and Tom felt like… he felt like a different person. Because the prince would never do something this dirty just for fun.

With mud slathered all over his hands, Tom places one hand on your cheek gently creating a handprint on your face. You were both covered in the stuff. Your clothing may as well be thrown out and your hair would need some serious care but the smile on both of your faces was enough for it to be worth it.

The sun beat down on the two of you as you continued to layer each other in mother nature's gift, screwing your noses up at the sight of each other but that didn’t stop you.

Tom felt his cheeks flush at the sight of you so carefree but doubted it was noticeable beneath the mud. He basked in your giggles, the way your eyes squeezed shut as you wiped any dirt away from your eyes. You were happy and so was he.

There was no camera flashing or expectations to be held. It was just the two of you like it had been the first night and Tom had to stop and realise- this was the girl he’d spent the night with, giggling over glasses of wine and cheap alcohol.

It was carefree, bittersweet.

Then you were sitting there, both winding down and panting, the odd laugh still slicing through the silence and neither of you could even think about what you’d be going back to tomorrow. The next news line or obstacle you’d have to overcome was forgotten.

“What do we do now?” You sigh, taking in the site of both you and Tom covered head to toe in mud. If your mother were home, she would have lost it with both of you. You’d both be in the corner.

You looked the same way you smelt.

Tom screws his nose up, trying not to laugh at the sight of you with mud prints on both cheeks. “We smell disgusting.”

“Come on, we’ll use the shower before my family gets home– and not together!” You offer, beginning to force yourself out of the muck, noticing how his face changed from suggestive to blunt.

He felt something new.

“Damn it,” Tom mutters under his breath, fighting to urge to pull you back in. He didn’t want to go too far. “It was worth a shot.”

“Keep trying, maybe one day you’ll get there.”

That newfound feeling was hope.

-

The shower was… difficult to say the least.

You had to stand and watch the clear water turn a sickly shade of brown as it hit the floor and ran down the drain, clumps of dirt and shreds of grass following closely behind. It made you grimace but lathering yourself in the coconut scented soap and finally feeling clean again was worth it.

You step out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped just above your breasts and hair down naturally wet after the shower.

Tom glances up once– only once, then he directed his gaze back down to the book he was reading. It was clearly one from your bookshelf and by the looks of things he looked pretty into it, or at least he was pretending to be.

Your bookshelf was full and he wondered if you’d ever actually read a single one of them or if they were just for display.

It wasn’t the book in hand that shocked you but the fact that he wasn’t staring you down, his eyes weren’t filled with a certain hunger and instead they were focused on the pages of the teen romance novel. He was showing basic respect and it shocked you.

“Aren’t going to look? I’m practically naked?” You taunt, reaching into one of your draws. The plush, white towel rides up your thighs.

He shakes his head, keeping his eyes on the pages. “I’m not that bad, you know?” Tom chuckles. His hair was still wet from his own shower, hanging over his forehead in unkempt curls, wet and a darker shade then normal.

“I had a hunch,” You shrug. “Just a little bit surprised is all.”

He wore your brother's clothes, simply a plain grey tee and jeans and you’d admit that you thought he looked better in actual colours but he also looked good in the more– normal, everyday clothing.

And actually seeing him fitting in with your family made your heart flutter, stomach twisting and churning.

It actually felt weird to see a boy in your childhood bedroom– a boy that was used to so much more then a shoebox-sized room and a single bed. He was probably shocked by the little amount of furniture because of course you didn’t have a three-person couch in the corner or your own fireplace for when it got really cold.

But he did fit in, you knew that much.

You duck into the bathroom to throw your clothes on and put your hair up in the towel to dry it off, not wanting to deal with pesky drops of water running down the back of your neck and walk back into your bedroom. He was still in the same place.

“My family should be back soon and we could get going if you want?” You offer, tugging the oversized shirt down your thighs.

Tom glances up, placing the book down beside him. “Why don’t we take your mother's offer and stay the night? I mean I can take the couch and we can just head back tomorrow. It’s what? Half five anyway and the ride back would easily take an hour.”

“Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Yeah, if you want to that is.”

You furrow your brows, silently pleased that he had put that offer on the table. You had missed your family and staying a night would do you good. Maybe it’d do Tom some good too.

“Okay, Romeo, we’ll stay here tonight and be on the road by eight tomorrow?”

“Eight sounds good.” He smiles innocently, legs folded on the bed crisscross and you notice a scarred line down one of his temples beneath the light, a little imperfection that you wouldn’t have normally noticed.

There were those few exterior imperfections that you’d picked up on like that scar and his eyebrow– the one that was a little wonky compared to the other and his height you’d picked up on. He seemed to want to be taller then he was.

But you didn’t have an issue with any of it.

Of course you had your own flaws too and even thinking about them made you want to duck cover and hide. But Tom was slowly picking up on them. He’d be lying if he said he minded.

That night Tom slept on the couch in the living room with a selection of sheets over the top of him and a woollen duvet. For someone who had never slept on a couch in his life, he slept like a baby and you? You spent a solid hour staring at the ceiling before finally drifting off.

Tom felt a sense of comfort, draped in not only the blankets but a sense of comfort. He didn’t worry that people were watching him– attempting to pry out a secret or expose him to the world and he slept soundly that night.

-

It was a seven am wake up.

The sun streamed through the thin blinds, pulling Tom from a rather deep sleep and quite literally, forcing him out of bed. He wouldn’t admit that he fell from the bed with a tumble, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

He neatly folded the blankets given and straightened out the pillows, making the place look presentable and sat and waited for you to come in. He flicked through papers, tried out different seating positions tried to force him back to sleep before he heard the living room door open and stumbled up, turning to see you looking beyond tired– he feared to ask why.

You grumbled a good morning, hugging the fuzzy robe to your chest and trudged to the kitchen. Tom followed loosely behind much like a lost puppy.

“So, the plan today? We leave at around eight and you dropping me straight home? Because I’m tired and don’t feel like dressing up for your parents again– as fun as it was prancing around in a dress last time.” You laugh lightly, voice slightly raspy.

But Tom doesn’t mind it.

“Yeah I can drop you straight home, we can try and avoid the paps but there is something I need to ask.”

For some reason he felt nervous to ask, utterly unsure as to what your answer would be. Of course you’d only known each other for just over a week but the media had suspected around a month or more.

And as a royal things were expected to move fast.

Then your mother walks in.

“Morning you two.”

Your mum sounds as tired as ever, the bags under her eyes evident and hair thrown around messily– much like yours. She wasn’t cherry, never being a morning person but you knew that she was happy to have you back even if it was just for one night.

Tom tenses.

“Morning Ms. Y/L/N, how’d you sleep?” Tom wraps his arms around your waist as he asks the question, pulling your back flush against his chest making you too look like a real couple. You tensed at the sudden physical act of affection, nearly dropping the butter knife but don’t.

It wasn’t the question he wanted to ask but It was one that made him look respectful. You feel his lips ghosting across your temple and for a moment bask in his gentle touch.

“Not well, Marcus kept me up in the night again.” She sighs, “I did sleep a little better though knowing that my daughter was back under my roof.”

You smile, though deep down you felt bad about the lie that you were carrying out. “You know you can come and visit me anytime you need to get away? I’m sure Kenny wouldn’t mind looking after the younger ones for a night or two.”

You’d completely forgotten about Toms question.

“You know I couldn’t, sweetheart, not when you’re finally really starting to live. You have a boyfriend now! And a prince too, that’s incredible.”

You feel a pang of guilt, the product of lying to the women that raised you and only manage to smile awkwardly. So you turn to Tom, craning your neck.

“Oh hey, what did you want to ask me?” You divert attention from her recent comment, feeling a stomach ache coming on.

He blinks a few times, feeling your mums warm gaze on the pair of you. “There’s a gala… yeah, a gala next week and I was wondering if you’d like to come as my date–fake date of course!”

You smile and take hold of his clasped hands– it added to the act. “As long as Harrison does my outfit again then I’m game.”

A gala meant being out in public with Tom as his girlfriend.

Please remember to reblog or send me an ask telling me what you thought of this chapter!! One reblog goes a long way :-)

PART 5

Everything tags: @cosmetologynerd @holland-ish @smexylemony @thewiseandfree @zendayacolemen @dej-okay @hollandsletters @ive-got-some-lies-to-tell @liz-gayllen @marvelismylifffe @lovelyh0lland @tomhollandandmarvelsworld @woah-jess @southsidefandoms @justannothermonday @its-claire-louise @sophiatomlinson23 @mockingjaygirl1221 @joyfullyjenny @damnhisfaceisliketheskyatnight  @bride-of-loki-odinson @in-the-corner-coffee-please @futuremrsb-r-main @spideyyypeter @saturn-aka-six @c0prolalia @buckykinz @ashtonsbandannas @dennasaur @amyyleblanc1999 @fnosidam @randomfangirl1701@maybeandperhaps @acciorinn @marvel-language @micki-smiles @justmesadgirl @converseskyline @niall2017 @gavemylifetotomholland @tomuchmarvel @leslieandjensen @painted-soulss @practicallylivesonline @mischiefmanaged49 @its-the-unknownspidey @holyrose96 @for-my-mind @mlxbm @erindillon11 @captainbuckyy @shawnandhisroses @converseskyline @smitten0-0kitten @parkeroos @whileinparis @unicornio-vomita-mierdas @draqcnheartstrinq @rainyboo-posts @mikalaka @petxrpxrker @tony-starks-ego @thedaydreamingwriter @peter-quackson @kateelyse96 @lesbian-jesus-jr @wheresmyquill @elyshugh @hollanderheart @tomshufflepuff @marvelismylifffe @tomsh0lland @obsessed-fandoms @girl-in-the-chair @trashqueenbitch @dramatic-and-young @honey-honey-5644 @parkerluvs @chingonaconcha @captainbuckyy @jes-sica1 @tomsfireheart @Rainbow-marvel @spideysimpossiblegirl @spideys-gurl @thomasstanley-holland @mlxbm @ixchel-9275 @parkerssweb @peter-parkersbb @tom-hollands-eyelash @starlightfound @vldlvj  @paradoxparker @lustfulcry  @mlxbm @musiclover1263 @justatheatredork @peterparkerscamera @fandomnerdsarecool @thequeensardine @cutesy-angst @httplayer @mischiefmanaged49 @loca-lola @softboyparkerr @desir-ae @dangerousluv1 @t-hotland @laucontrerasv @peter-parkersbb @whatdafricklefrackle @thatblondebelgiangirl @fairydustparker @they-call-me-le @jamiemac26 @nephalem67 @underoos-tom @quaxon-holland @lovelyspidey @no-shxt-sherl @xlatinaaxx @starlightfound @mikexpeter @moonandstars-xo @httpmcrvel @evelyn120700 @fromheroestodust @hollandfieldblurbs @ghostlypandacolorpersona @spazclaiire @curlyhairedparker @josierosie @unicornio-vomita-mierdas @icondy @euphoricholland @desir-ae @lovelyspidey @thelazypangolin @ameeravioli @ramen-tically @mellifluous-tom @mrs-webslinger @krazykiara @scottyisthatyou

The price we pay: @ambiibambi24 @thiccholland01 @writingisamood @mountainsforwords @joyfullyje @sithskywalkers @youhavemyfantasticbeasts @ohmyquackson @nerfariousporpoises @httplayer @myhopeisinfinite @omfgitscindyy @hollandfieldblurbs @incandescentflor @mlxbm @thescarsweleave @justmesadgirl @dramatic-and-young @thescarsweleave @ramen-tically @a--smallgirlinabigworld @spacedoutsher @thiccholland01 @in-the-potterhead-know @marvelousxtsh @popluckbih @ctrlyouthmendes @vldlvj @peruvian-bae @heaveninholland @jld20047 @nikkipea @darlingtommy @everythingeverywherelistening @darlingtommy  @sebastianlover14 @lesbian-jesus-jr @thestoryofsj @sebastianlover14 @growingthornz @reblogsfics

[shipppersrus]

In Another Life- Clementine AU

So I clearly have a death wish writing two stories at once, but what the hell! Enjoy!

Prologue

“9-1-1 what’s your emergency?”

“Help! Please send an ambulance there was a car crash on I-95! The car flipped over!”

“Okay sir, please stay calm-“

“Oh my god! There’s a little girl!” He drops the phone on the ground and runs to the car.

“Sir?.... sir?.... Please hang on and wait till someone gets there! Hello… sir!”

The storm raged on in the cold empty town, it rained hard and long throughout rural Georgia. The man stepped out the car and put his hood on, he walked into Red’s Diner and headed for a booth in the corner. It was quiet for the most part nothing but truck drivers, waitresses, static from the old tv and light country jams playing in the back.

A woman searched through the jukeboxes playlist before noticing the man in the corner. The server brought him some coffee, as she watched him intently, she believed it was him, he was the her guy.

She headed to the table and sat across from him, he watched her hesitantly and pulled out her notebook and pen.

“The names Carley, I’m assuming you’re Lee, right?” She didn’t make eye contact until she finished writing.

“Yeah, that’s me.” He continues to drink his coffee.

“You have quite an interesting story, I’m glad you called me back to meet, it’s about time we heard your perspective of the story.” She sat her notebook down and set up her recorder.

“Yeah, something about the message you left me told me you’re a no bullshit kind of girl.” He sipped his coffee.

“No bullshit kind of woman.” She smirked at him as she took in his appearance. “Alright so I want all the details, don’t leave anything out. I’m also great at detecting bullshit so don’t try it, now tell me the everything from the beginning.” She leaned in closer and he began.

He stood in the mirror and watched himself as he put on the nicest suit he owned. He added a bit of cologne to his collar and his wrist before officially tying his tie. Before he could get deep into though he saw himself in the mirror, and man did he look good. His phone started ringing and he went to answer it.

“Baby, where are you the event is starting soon.” His wife told him. He could hear the impatience in her voice.

“I’m coming honey, I’m almost there.” Lee grabbed his coat and keys as he headed out.

“Lee Everett, are you just now leaving the house?” He could feel the argument forming and quickly approaching.

“Honey I will be there before the event starts, I promise.”

“You better. Look I want us to work, for things to get better… just get here before the events starts.” Her voice got a bit softer.

“I will. I love you.” He held his breath, waiting to hear the words back.

“Yeah… baby, I love you too, just hurry.” She rushed him off the phone and hung up. His head was hung low as he felt defeated. His marriage was crumbling before his eyes and it felt like there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Lee headed out the house and hopped into his car, setting out for the governors ball. His wife job consist of a lot of traveling while he worked as a history professor for the University of Georgia. He played The Temptations as he steadily rolled through traffic before hopping onto the highway. He checked the time 7:45pm, he had 15 minutes to get there before he’d be hearing her mouth all night. “15 minutes, no problem” he thought out loud as he turned the music up just a bit louder. As he shifted to face the road, everything in front of him flashed before his eyes. A couple of cars in front of him skirted and he joined the notion and watched a collision before his eyes. One car even flipped over and was hanging off the highway bridge. People stopped and got out there cars to see the horror in front of them. He looked around and saw no one making an effort to call the cops, so he did. He watched the car teeter back and forth as it hung rearing at the edge of the highway. As he called he couldn’t take his eyes off the wreckage.

“9-1-1 what’s your emergency?”

“Help! Please send an ambulance there was a car crash on I-95! The car flipped over!”

“Okay sir, please stay calm-“

“Oh my gosh! There’s a little girl!” He drops the phone on the ground and runs to the car.

“Sir?.... sir?.... Please hang on and wait till someone gets there! Hello… sir!”

Lee ran towards the car as he frantically searched for a way to save the little girl in the back. Everyone took their phones out as they watched the scene go down, only one other man came out to help rather than watch. The other man held the car down as Lee reached in for the girl, she was frightened and in shock.

“Hey sweetie, I know this is scary but you have to take my hand so I can get you out of this mess.” He reached out for her but she didn’t move.

“My… my parents.” She pointed to the body in the windshield and the empty driver's seat. The sight made him want to throw up, but he knew he had another objective.

“I know sweet pea it’s going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He reached a little further in as the car teetered once more.

“Promise.” She asked.

“I promise.” He told her. He reached in almost touching her hand but the car teetered once more.

“I’m scared.” She retreated.

“Hey! Guy! I can’t hold this shit for much longer.” The man with the mustache yelled.

“I’m working on it!” Lee yelled back.

“Well work faster!” He retorted.

“Alright honey, I’m going to need you to take my hand so I can pull you out before this thing falls over.” Lee told the girl softly.

“No! No! No!” She covered her eyes.

“I know you’re scared, I’ve been scared before, and every time I get scared I breathe and I push through it.” Lee was very gentle though in this moment he was scared for his life. The little girl took a deep breath and reached for Lee’s hand. She almost was able to reach until she was pulled back.

“I’m stuck!” She tried not to freak out.

“I got you! Don’t panic just breathe.” He reached in and wiggled the seatbelt. If this car goes down, he’s going down with it. He got the seatbelt unlatched and pulled the girl out as they tumbled to the ground. The man and the few other people that helped let go of the car as it teetered more and slid down further. The little girl held onto to the man for dear life as she weeped. “I got you sweetpea, I got you.” He held her until the police and ambulance made it, they tried to take the little girl but she panicked during their attempts.

“It’s okay, the nice people just want to make sure you’re okay.” He comforted the little girl. She let go to get checked out but continued to hold his hand. “It’s okay. I’m standing right here, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The sun had set and Lee completely lost track of time. He went to go check his phone when he saw that he has 12 missed calls from his wife, it was better to not call her back right now, today was stressful enough. The little girl quickly came darting back to Lee and held onto him as the medical help tried to take her away. The man that helped with the wreckage also approached them.

“What you did there was very noble man, I don’t think most would of done what you did.” The man shook his hand.

“I’m sure they would of. She’s a little girl, I couldn’t let her go down like that.” Lee told him.

“Well you deserve a medal or something, how about buy you a drink sometime. My wife and kid are in the car, but here's my information, let me know when you want to use it.” The mustache man put his hand on Lee’s shoulder.

“Thanks man, what’s your name.” Lee put the paper in his pocket.

“It’s Kenny. Call anytime, I’m a commercial fisherman so I’m up and about all throughout the day and night. Have a good one!” Kenny walked away and headed out.

Lee bent down to the girls level and held her.

“Please don’t leave me alone again.” She cried. “Those people tried to take me away.”

“Alright. I won’t honey.” He rubbed her back. “What’s your name?”

“Clementine, it’s Clementine.” She looked up to him.

“Alright Clementine, i'll stay right by your side.”

The ambulance tried very hard to split the two up but Clementine was very adamant about sticking with Lee, so they headed to the hospital. She got checked up and she was fine besides a few cuts and bruises. The doctor Hershel pulled Lee aside to chat about his relation with the girl before turning it over to CPS. The CPS lady Bonnie couldn’t find any other relatives that would take Clementine in, so she was officially an orphan. Lee immediately signed on to be a foster parent until further notice. Bonnie normally wasn’t supposed to do this but made sure to help Lee in his case. Though he couldn’t take her home that night, she promised he could see her tomorrow and they could check out his place and do a background check to see if he was suitable to watch a child.

Lee finally headed home after a crazy day promising himself to check on Clementine tomorrow morning. He knew he needed to prepare his home for her, for a kid, and yet the idea of raising a kid wasn’t nearly as scary as the fight he was preparing to have with his wife. He pulled into the driveway and headed into the lavish home, it was not made for a kid. He walked through the garage and into the house and he was ready to hear it.

“Oh thank God!” She ran up to him and hugged him. “Are you okay?” She started checking him.

“I’m fine, wait… how do you know what happened.” Lee was completely taken off guard.

“I was completely livid when you didn’t show up tonight, but when you weren’t answering my calls I got worried, then I saw the news. You saved that little girl! They had a video and everything, i'm just glad you’re okay.” She hugged him once more.

“Speaking of the little girl-“ She cut him off.

“Let’s get you out of those clothes, then we can talk.” She led him to their room and he started to change seeing a bloodstain on his white shirt giving him flashbacks of the previous incidences.

“What I wanted to talk to you about.” She started to kiss him hinting at what she wanted, but he knew what was more important. “That little girl… I’m her foster parent for now, of course until I can adopt her.”

“Excuse me, what!” The woman bounced back completely. “You signed up to foster a child! Before talking to me about it first!”

“It was in the moment, she had nowhere to go and I couldn’t let her fall into the system Elaine.” Lee got up to keep changing.

“Lee this is not an environment for children, we have glass everywhere and-“

“The only reason we bought this house is so we can have children!” Lee snapped a little.

“Lee you know I can’t.” She turned away from him.

“No, you can, you just don’t want to.” Lee started to get frustrated. “Before we got married you knew how bad I wanted children, then when I wanted to try you changed your mind. Elaine I’m working with you as best I can. Look this is something new and I think it could help us-“

“Bringing a child into the equation is not going to help us Lee!”

“Can we just try? Look if it doesn’t work out we are only fostering her, and if it does then we may actually have a family.” Lee pleaded.

“I thought we already were one.” She stormed into the bathroom.

“Elaine…”

“Okay Lee, I’ll try, but not for you, for that little girl.” She climbed into bed.

The next day came and Lee woke up extra early to do anything he could to make Clementine more comfortable and kid-proof the house. Around 8am Elaine and him headed to go pick her up. When they got to the foster house she stayed at, her face immediately lit up at the sight of Lee.

“Lee!” She beamed and ran to him. “The lady said that I can live with you, but I had to wait till today.”

“Yeah sweet pea you’re coming with us, this is my wife Elaine.” Lee introduces the two.

“Hi Clementine.” She shook the little girls hand.

A year had past and Lee and Clementine had only gotten closer, her taking up most of his free time. Bonnie has checked their place and throughout her visits it got more and more kid friendly. Elaine and Lee only grew more distant though, anytime Lee wanted to do something for or with her she never reciprocated, all she did was keep herself busy hardly even establishing a relationship with Clementine. Clementine was able to go to her parents funeral and even got to keep the cremations, it was hard for her but she only took a few things from her old house that could be in memory of them such as: her dads lucky cap, her walkie-talkies, a necklace that was her mother’s, and other small Knick knacks. She started to see a therapist and seemed better and better as time went on, as she stayed in school and even started to play softball. When the time came for Lee and Elaine to decide if they were going to adopt Clementine, Elaine couldn’t say no, she saw how happy Clem made Lee and knew it was the best thing for them.

Lee finally got the adoption papers back to confirm her adoption, and Lee wanted to make it an extra special night. He set up reservations for a really nice restaurant and even bought Clementine a pretty dress. Lee picked her up from school and headed home when he saw a car in the driveway that he’d never seen before. He was very suspicious but didn’t want to alarm Clementine.

“Who’s car is that?” Clementine caught on, she was a smart girl.

“I don’t know Sweetpea, but stay in the car I’m going to go find out.” Lee parked the car on the street and got out. “Hey lock the door and don’t open for anyone, okay?”

“Okay.” She did exactly what she was asked.

Lee walked inside and quietly crept up the stairs. It didn’t seem like anything was taken, but he did notice his wife’s keys. He continued up when he heard noises coming from his bedroom, he busted the door open to see Elaine and Senator Macintosh active in his bed.

“Lee!” Elaine coward as Macintosh hopped of the bed and tried to put his pants on quick. A rage took over Lee and he blacked out as he grabbed the man and started beating him senselessly. Elaine tried to stop him, but couldn’t.

“Lee!” A scared Clementine yelled from the door, which snapped him out of it. He got up from on top of the man and turned to her.

“Clementine.” She looked scared and stared at the blood dripping from his knuckles. He wiped his knuckles on his jeans and bent down to her level. “I’m sorry you has to see that, what happened to waiting in the car?”

“I got scared you didn’t come back for a long time.”

“I’m sorry I scared you honey.” She hugged him as she tried not to look at the man bloody in the corner.

“Lee-“ He immediately shout daggers Elaine’s way.

“You did this.” He picked up Clementine and led her out the room as they headed to the car and sat there. Lee didn’t know his fate but still wanted to give Clementine her gift.

“ I had a surprise for you today.” Lee looked at Clementine.

“Wha-what was it?” She looked at him. He handed her the box with a ribbon on out with a card.

“We got the adoption papers back and it was official that you’re an Everett, If you still want to be?”

“I do.” She didn’t hesitate as she cried and gave Lee a hug. “The man in there… was he bad?”

“Yeah Clem, yeah he was.”

“Oh.” She sat there quietly for a little. She started to unwrap the present and saw a very pretty dress. “Thank you Lee! Do you think it would look good with my hat?” She beamed.

“I think it would look great with your hat.” Lee half smiled to her.

The police and ambulance came and let’s say this was all over the news. Lee got arrested and the Senator was taken in an ambulance, luckily he lived and though he wanted to press charges due to the situation he wouldn’t to save face though not much of it was saved not to mention Lee was the man that saved a little girl from dying so for the Senator it was a losing battle.

Lee and Elaine ended up splitting, it was too much to stay there so Lee decided it was time for a change. He packed up and headed to Macon so that he could be closer to his parents and siblings. Though it was hard for Lee in the beginning it got better, a lot better. Elaine may now have been Clem’s legal mother but the two didn’t have a relationship, Lee asked nothing from her; after all she didn’t want a kid in the first place. Macon became home again and Lee was once again close with his family again, even finally accepted Kenny’s drink establishing a friendship with the man as well.

“There you have it Carley, did I bullshit?” Lee questioned.

“Not that I can tell.” She finished writing and stopped recording.

“Okay, now I have one off the record question… wanna do dinner sometime?” Lee asked.

“I don’t mix business and pleasure.” Carley smiled and started packing up her things. “But for you, I guess I can make an exception. You have my number, you know where to find me.” She walked away leaving Lee at Red’s Diner, he liked her, a lot.

Chapter 1

[simplyserens]

new upcoming artist nova castillo just released an unexpected album entitled ‘beginner’s luck’ when asked about she said, ❝beginner’s luck is just what it sounds like, i’m lucky enough to have the people and platform that i do. the album doesn’t have a theme, but each song has it’s own message. most of them are about my boyfriend apollo.❞ apollo walsh? and nova castillo? we thought they were strictly platonic? guess things change. when asked about signing with a record label she said this,  ❝i’m new to this whole scene, so i haven’t really had time to find a label, but when i do i’d hope it’s one that suit my personality. until then i have to remember that beginner’s luck is just that.❞ she had no further comment.

( most of the songs suppossed to be about @theocannon are now about @norightwcy because of their pr relationship )

track list:

1: born to die                       11: summertime sadness 2: off to the races                12: this is what makes us girls  3: blue jeans                       13: without you 4: video games                   14: lolita 5: diet mountain dew          15: lucky ones  6: national anthem              16: ride   7: dark paradise                  17: american   8: radio                                18: cola    9: carmen                            19: body electric    10: million dollar man          20: blue velvet   

deluxe edition bonus tracks:

21: gods & monsters          23: bel air 22: yayo                             24: burning desire

track list:

01: born to die – ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝can you make it feel like home, if I tell you you're mine? it's like I told you, honey. don't make me sad, don't make me cry. sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough, i don't know why. keep making me laugh – let's go get high. the road is long, we carry on. try to have fun in the meantime. come and take a walk on the wild side. let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain. you like your girls insane. choose your last words, this is the last time 'cause you and I, we were born to die.❞ 

02: off to the races – ( about her ex-boyfriend from highschool )  ❝but he’s got a soul as sweet as blood red jam. and he shows me, he knows me, every inch of my tar black soul. he doesn't mind i have a flat broke-down life, in fact, he says he thinks it's what he might like about me. admires me, the way i roll like a rolling stone. likes to watch me in the glass room, bathroom. Chateau Marmont, slipping on my red dress, putting on my makeup. glass room, perfume, cognac, lilac fumes. says it feels like heaven to him.❞ 

03: blue jeans – ( @theocannon​ ) @norightwcy ❝blue jeans, white shirt, walked into the room, you know you make my eyes burn, it was like James Dean for sure. you're so fresh to death and sick as cancer. you were sorta punk rock, i grew up on pop. you fit me better than my favorite sweater, and I know that love is mean, and love hurts, but i still remember that day we met in December, oh baby. i will love you 'til the end of time, i would wait a million years, promise you'll remember that you're mine. baby, can you see through the tears? love you more than those bitches before. say you'll remember, say you'll remember. oh baby, ooh, I will love you 'til the end of time ❞ 

04: video games – ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝it's you, it's you, it's all for you, everything i do. i tell you all the time, Heaven is a place on earth with you. tell me all the things you wanna do, i heard that you like the bad girls. honey, is that true? it's better than i ever even knew, they say that the world was built for two. only worth living if somebody is loving you, and baby, now you do.❞ 

05: diet mountain dew – ( @ofcdean ) ❝diet mountain dew, baby, new york city, never was there ever a girl so pretty. do you think we’ll be in love forever? do you think we’ll be in love? diet mountain dew, baby, new york city. can we get it now, low down and gritty? do you think we’ll be in love forever? do you think we’ll be in love? baby, put on heart-shaped sunglasses. 'cause we gonna take a ride, i’m not gonna listen to what the past says. i’ve been waiting up all night.❞ 

06: national anthem – ( @theocannon ) ❝i'm your national anthem, god, you're so handsome. take me to the Hamptons, Bugatti Veyron. he loves to romance 'em, reckless abandon, holding me for ransom, upper echelon. he says to be cool, but I don't know how yet. wind in my hair, hand on the back of my neck i said, "can we party later on?", he said, "yes, yes, yes...".❞ 

07: dark paradise – ( a song about carley ) ❝and there's no remedy for memory, your face is like a melody, it won't leave my head. your soul is haunting me, and telling me that everything is fine. but i wish i was dead ( dead, like you ) every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise. no one compares to you, i'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side.❞ 

08: radio – ( for everyone who only likes her because she’s famous ) ❝now my life is sweet like cinnamon like a fucking dream i'm living in. baby, love me 'cause i'm playing on the radio. ( how do you like me now? ) lick me up and take me like a vitamin 'cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh, yeah. baby, love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio ( how do you like me now? ) american dreams came true somehow, i swore I'd chase 'em 'til I was dead. i heard the streets were paved with gold, that's what my father said.❞ 

09: carmen – ( a song about her addiction ) ❝darling, darling, doesn't have a problem lying to herself, 'cause her liquor's top shelf. it's alarming, honestly, how charming she can be. fooling everyone, telling them she's having fun, she says, "you don't want to be like me, don't wanna see all the things I've seen." i'm dying, i'm dying, she says, "you don't want to get this way, famous and dumb at an early age" lying, I'm lying. the boys, the girls, they all like carmen she gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes. she laughs like God. her mind's like a diamond, audiotune lies, she's still shining like lightning, woah, white lightning.❞ 

10: million dollar man – ( another song about her ex from high school ) ❝you said I was the most exotic flower, holding me tight in our final hour. i don't know how you convince them and get them, boy, i don't know what you do, it's unbelievable. and i don't know how you get over, get over. someone as dangerous, tainted, and flawed as you. one for the money, two for the show. i love you, honey; i'm ready, i'm ready to go. how did you get that way? i don't know. you're screwed up and brilliant. you look like a million dollar man, so why is my heart broke?❞ 

11: summertime sadness – ( @ofcdean & @theocannon​ ) ❝kiss me hard before you go. summertime sadness, i just wanted you to know, that baby, you're the best. i got that summertime, summertime sadness. s-s-summertime, summertime sadness. got that summertime, summertime sadness.❞ 

12: this is what makes us girls – ( @ofcimani & their degrassi days ) ❝remember how we used to party up all night? sneaking out and looking for a taste of real life, drinking in the big city firelight ( Pabst Blue Ribbon on ice. ) sweet sixteen, and we had arrived, walking down the streets as they whistle, "hi, hi!" stealin' police cars with the senior guys, teachers said we'd never make it out alive. there she was, my new best friend. high heels in her hand, swayin' in the wind. while she starts to cry, mascara running down her little Bambi eyes, "nova, how I hate those guys".❞ 

13: without you –  ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝everything i want, i have. money, notoriety, and rivieras. i even think i found love in the flashbulbs of the pretty cameras. pretty cameras, pretty cameras. am I glamorous? tell me, am I glamorous? hello? hello? ca-can you hear me? i can be your china doll if you want to see me fall. boy, you're so dope, your love is deadly. tell me life is beautiful, they all think I have it all. but i've nothing without you. all my dreams and all the lights mean nothing without you. we were two kids just tryin' to get out, lived on the dark side of the American dream. we would dance all night, play our music loud, but when we grew up, nothing was what it seemed.❞ 

14: lolita – ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝would you be mine? would you be my baby tonight? could be kissing my fruit punch lips in the bright sunshine. 'cause I like you quite a lot, everything you got, don't you know it's you that I adore?❞ 

15: lucky ones – ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝let's get out of this city, baby, we're on fire. everyone around here seems to be going down, down, down. if you stick with me, i can take you higher, and higher. it feels like all of our friends are lost, nobody's found, found, found. i got so scared, i thought no one could save me, you came along, scooped me up like a baby. every now and then, the stars align, boy and girl meet by the great design. could it be that you and me are the lucky ones? everybody told me love was blind, then i saw your face, and you blew my mind. finally, you and me are the lucky ones this time.❞ 

16: ride  – ( about her partying habits ) ❝i hear the birds on the summer breeze, i drive fast, I am alone at midnight. been trying hard not to get into trouble, but I, I've got a war in my mind so, i just ride, just ride, i just ride, i just ride. dying young and playing hard, that's the way my father made his life an art. drink all day and we talk 'til dark. that’s the way the road dogs do it, light ‘til dark.❞ 

17: american – ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝you make me crazy, you make me wild. just like a baby, spin me 'round like a child. your skin so golden brown. be young, be dope, be proud, like an American. ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh.❞ 

18: cola – ( @ofcdean & @theocannon​ ) ❝ah, he's in the sky with diamonds and he’s making me crazy ( i come alive, alive. ) all he wants to do is party with his pretty baby. come on baby, let’s ride we can escape to the great sunshine.❞

19: body electric – ( @theocannon & carley ) ❝my clothes still smell like you, all the photographs say you're still young. i pretend i'm not hurt and go about the world like I'm having fun.❞

20: blue velvet – ( carley ) ❝blue velvet, but in my heart there'll always be. precious and warm a memory, through the years...and I still can see blue velvet through my tears.❞

bonus tracks:

21: gods & monsters – ( yet another song about her partying habits ) ❝you got that medicine i need. fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly, put your hands on my waist, do it softly. me and him, we don’t get along, so now I sing. no one’s gonna take my soul away, i’m living like Jim Morrison. headed towards a fucked up holiday. motel sprees, sprees and I’m singing, "fuck yeah, give it to me, this is Heaven, what I truly want." it's innocence lost, innocence lost. in the land of gods and monsters, i was an angel, looking to get fucked hard like a groupie incognito, posing as a real singer. life imitates art.❞

22: yayo – ( a song about her ex from highschool...again ) ❝hello, heaven, you are a tunnel lined with yellow lights, on a dark night ( dark night ) yayo, yeah you, yayo.❞

23: bel air – ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝roses, Bel Air, take me there. i've been waiting to meet you. palm trees in the light, i can see late at night, darling, i’m waiting to greet you. come to me, baby. spotlight, bad baby, you've got a flair. for the violentest kind of love anywhere out there. mon amour, sweet child of mine, you're divine. didn't anyone ever tell you it's okay to shine?❞

24: burning desire – ( @theocannon ) @norightwcy ❝every saturday night, i get dressed up to ride for you, baby. cruising down the street on broadway and main just for you, baby. i drive fast, wind in my hair, i push it to the limits cause i just don't care. you ask me where i've been, i been everywhere. but I don't want to be nowhere but here. ( come on, tell me boy ) i've got a burning desire for you, baby. ( i've got a burning desire, come on, tell me boy ) i've got a burning desire for you, baby. ( i've got a burning desire, come on, tell me boy ) i drive fast, wind in my hair, i push it to the limits cause i just don't care ( don't care ) i've got a burning desire for you, baby. ( i've got a burning desire ).❞

[clementineviolet]

My TWDG: TFS Predictions

THIS IS IT, LADS. The final season starts next week and I wanted to put all my predictions into one post so I can look back once this whole crazy ride is over and see how much I guessed correctly. This post will heavily reference the leaked achievements for season 4, which are potentially huge spoilers, and the leaked episode names. This post does not reference other leaked information obtained from datamining the PC demo. 

I’m gonna go episode by episode, and then do general predictions! PSA - I’m not sure whether the achievement descriptions are real, or even whether the achievements for the later episodes will remain the same. I think in TWDG S2 the achievements were released before an episode was released, so Telltale likely created achievements after finishing episodes rather than the other way around as is the case here. Just a warning that the achievements for future episodes might change!

Episode 1: Done Running

Right off the bat, I enjoy how Telltale decided to split achievements into acts (which everyone earns by playing an entire episode) and into episode achievements (which are earned by finding unique stuff/doing certain actions within the episode). It really encourages players to replay the game in order to get achievements and I really like it! I also love how the achievement for placing all of the collectibles goes with the theme of “Home” that Telltale said would be the main theme of this season. 

Episode 1 seems pretty standard at the beginning - Clem and AJ crash the car, the boarding school kids save Clem and AJ, Clem and AJ begin to learn about and make friends with the boarding school kids. I hope that dinner provides the opportunity for a hub area where Clem has the chance to speak with everyone and ask them questions about their life; I also think this is where the card game will happen? Or after dinner. In general, based on the fact that a lot of the trailer features Clem listening and responding to Marlon/Violet/Louis speak, I hope that these are hub areas! Kind of confused where a piñata comes in but it’s all gucci. It also seems they go hunting? And CLEM CAN TICKLE AJ??????!!!!! This episode seems to bring in a lot of character-building content which I LOVE. Also Clem will have the option of overcoming her fear of dogs (or there will be no option...I’m fine either way) by interacting with Rosie, that good girl, who might save her/AJ from a walker. 

As for the second part of the episode, where shit seems to hit the fan, I think that the main conflict in this season will be between the boarding school kids and an opposing group of adults (including that man who is smoking in the trailer). The opposing group sabotaged the traps Violet is talking about; I assume that Violet and Clem go on to gather supplies/scout/steal supplies from the group (probably without Clem knowing the full truth about the adult group) and Violet finds that several of the traps have been messed with. I think that Marlon is having a breakdown at the end of the trailer because, perhaps like Ben in s1e4, he made a deal with the opposing group maybe to protect the kids but in reality more kids are dying? Or some other horrible side effect occurs. At the end of the episode, they might learn of an incoming attack or walker horde or something. 

I don’t think this episode will have a returning character. In true TWDG tradition (...based off of one season), they might save that for episode 2. 

Episode 2: Broken Toys

CLEM AND HER FRIENDS DO SHROOMS. This is my only prediction

JK LOL based off of “Old Ghost,” I’m 10000% certain a returning character will pop up here. I’m 99.9% sure it’s Lilly, which will be GREAT. If Lilly returns, Clem can reveal that Ben indeed was a traitor (if Carley died, Clem also says she was innocent and Lilly SHOULD FEEL FUCKING GUILTY; if Doug died, Lilly’s like “shouldn’t have missed dammit’ or something similar). I also hope Clem can reveal what happened to Ben, Kenny, and Lee. If Lee left her behind, she won’t have particularly nice feelings towards him which will piss me off because YOU KILLED HIS ALMOST-GIRLFRIEND GOD DAMMIT. But Imma assume that Lilly if she returns is the leader or at least a powerful member of the adult group

NOW HERE’S WHERE IT GETS JUICY. ROMANTIC INTEREST TIME. 

I’m gonna guess that Violet, Louis, and Marlon are potential romantic interests. The actions you take might lead you to form a stronger relationship with one character over the others. For example, actions that support Marlon’s leadership could make you closer to Marlon, actions that are more lone-wolf-ish or survivalist could make you closer to Violet, actions that are loyal/creative/funny could make you closer to Louis. Clem then has the choice of either keeping the relationship platonic or pursuing the relationship romantically. 

I already know who I’m going for obviously, unless something horrible fucking happens

SHE LITERALLY LOOKS LIKE THE LOVE INTEREST IN AN ANIME. SHE LITERALLY LOOKS LIKE CHLOE PRICE IN LIS BEFORE THE STORM. FUCK YEAH I’M GONNA ROMANCE HER IF I HAVE THE CHANCE

My second choice is Louis obviously. LIKE LOOK AT HIM, CLEM, AND AJ AT THE TABLE THAT’S SO CUTE

Louis might try and teach AJ or Clem how to play the piano, maybe only if he’s a romantic interest. There will be a dancing scene to Louis playing the piano where Clem can choose to dance with her romantic interest. 

Some drama will go down at the end of the episode. The boarding school is threatened probably by an attack GASP

Episode 3: Suffer the Children

Penultimate episodes are where shit gets real. Let’s do this shit. 

I’m scared that Rosie will die because of the first achievement ;___; 

Flashback time!!! Possible flashback to s1e2, the horrifying St. John’s farm of cannibal bitches! Very important episode for both Clementine and Lilly, obviously. I hope that if Lilly returns, the player is able to choose whether Lee helped Kenny kill Larry or helped Lilly try and revive Larry because I can’t believe that choice was left off of the story generator. 

I think that Clem and possibly/probably other members of the boarding school group will be taken prisoner or held somewhere for a number of days. At the end of the episode, based on the “Leader” achievement for Act Three, Clem will emerge the leader of the boarding school kids. Or this could be referring to Marlon, but I think Marlon will be a determinant character personally. 

Episode 4: Take Us Back 

If shit was real last episode, shit is the realest this episode with its many throwbacks to season 1. The amount of achievements scares me but I think it has to do with the fact that this episode is likely far from done, let alone fully conceptualized. I think that something will happen to Clem. I am NOT SURE WHAT. It would be cruel irony to have Clem get bitten like Lee, but to successfully cut off whatever limb was bitten. I really really REALLY don’t want her to die, obviously. 

The “came full circle” and “Final Lesson” thing feels like it’s implying that AJ will be the teacher/protector and Clem will be the student/protected. Which terrifies me. And I heard someone theorize that we might play this episode (or at least part of this episode) as AJ, based off of the “Found Clem’s hat” achievement. Which would be interesting but also kind of disappointing and mostly terrifying? NOT SURE. 

Here are some possible endings - 

1) Boarding school is saved, Clem and AJ have a home. The romantic interest/best pal is still alive. Pigs are able to fly 

2) Boarding school is destroyed, Clem and AJ will never have a home but at least they have each other? 

3) Clem dies, AJ is taken in by someone else (the remaining boarding school kids? perhaps Lilly? perhaps Christa if she ever returns?) or goes on his own. 

4) AJ dies, Clem is fucking depressed

5) Clem lives but decides to leave AJ with others who are able to protect him more? Doesn’t really make sense to me

The fact that this shit is ending just.....god 

General (mostly Character) Predictions

Christa’s fate is resolved... please

Tenn will become more of a major character than Marlon

Marlon, Louis, and Violet are all determinant. Or fuck it, their all (including Tenn, AJ) determinant, THIS IS THE FINAL SEASON 

Violet is a hard shell on the outside but a marshmallow on the inside 

Tenn got his burn from something involving the opposing adult group. 

Tenn and AJ become close friends. Or AJ and Louis. WHY NOT BOTH 

Marlon will have a dark side. Go evil. Or die so Clem can be the leader haha (I LIKE HIM I JUST THINK THIS MIGHT HAPPEN) 

Will we finally learn Clem’s last name? Who knows

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Top 5 Best Executed Deaths

A few weeks ago, I did a list talking about the Top 5 Character Deaths That Made Me Side-Eye the Writers and I thought it was only fair that I talk about some of the character deaths that I thought were actually done well. So consider this like a companion to that list. 

Like I said in that T5F, this is TWDG, a game series all about people surviving in a world overrun by zombies. Naturally, characters are going to die. Some of these characters get pretty shitty deaths that only happened to fill a quota, some had effort and thought put into them and how they were going to effect the story and remaining characters. These are deaths that served their purpose, progressed the story, or are an understandable conclusion to a character’s arc. 

Do keep in mind that when I say that I enjoy the way these were done/handled/portrayed/whatever, this isn’t me taking joy outta watching these deaths play out. Hell, I kinda hate most of the deaths on this list, but just because I don’t want this character to die or I wish they stuck around longer doesn’t mean I can’t recognize when it’s executed well, y’know? 

5. Larry and the meat locker incident

So.... Larry’s an asshole, y’know? He made it on another T5F because he sucks. No one likes Larry. 

He treats Lee like garbage, treats his own daughter terribly, and is overall just a piece of shit. That being said, he played his role well. He did what he needed to do which was be a antagonistic character within the group who posed a threat to Lee by threatening to expose his past. He creates a lot of tension within the group, he puts all this pressure on Lilly, you can’t even attempt to show any kindness to him because he doesn’t care about anyone but himself and Lilly. 

That being said.... his death scene is pretty good. Y’know, you play through ep2 for the first time and you’ve just discovered that these people are cannibals and they have you locked in a fucking meat locker so they can butcher you later, and Larry is freakin’ the fuck out because he’s pissed. Lilly is sick in the corner, Kenny is desperately trying to find a way out because they have his family, and Clementine is terrified, and Lee is just waking up. 

You go over and try to calm Larry down because he’s pounding at the door and this dude.... this bastard has the gall to be like “Fuck you, you must really hate me! I’m plannin’ on bein’ around waaaaaay after you’re dead! I’ll be the one to put you down!”

Then he has a heart attack. 

And you’re stuck in this meat locker with him. You don’t know if he’s alive or not-- Kenny immediately deems him dead, Lilly is desperately trying to resuscitate him, and they’re both yelling at you. You gotta decide if you’re gonna help Lilly try to bring him back, or if you’re gonna help Kenny make sure he doesn’t turn. 

Not matter what you do, Kenny smashes Larry’s head in with a damn saltlick because I guess he missed the opening of the episode where they remind you that your actions have consequences. 

Larry’s death has lasting effects on your relationships with both Lilly and Kenny, though more so Kenny since no matter what, Lilly loses it a little and ends up murdering Carley/Doug and leaving the group. But boy, Kenny will never forget the time you didn’t wanna play hero with him and smash a guys head in right in front of his daughter. 

It’s a damn good scene, I gotta hand it to ‘em. I hate Larry and I can’t say I miss him, but I can definitely see both sides of the argument on what to do there. Plus it’s... I dunno, a creative death? and I kinda like that? No one else is out here getting their heads done in with a saltlick, y’know? 

Anyway, Larry sucks but his death? Well done. 

4.  Minerva and the tragic showdown on the bridge

Oh man, I really am digging my own grave with the Minnie crowd lately, huh? Ah well, I’m sure it’s fine. 

Listen...okay, look. I have a lot of feelings about the bridge scene. On one hand, I hate it. On the other hand, I kind of love it? 

Like, does it piss me off that Tenn dies here because I trust AJ? Yep. Do I still wish they had maybe put Lilly here so that she could actually do her job as a villain? Sure. Does it upset me that AJ ends up shooting his best friend in order to save Louis? Totally. Does it annoy me that Minerva just won’t fucking die even though I shot her and the walkers keep nom noming her? Absolutely. 

That being said, I can’t pretend that Minerva’s death isn’t pretty great.... which I know will upset the Minnie crowd who always talk about how it’s bullshit she died here and she deserved a redemption arc... but lemme explain. 

Looking at the game itself, the text and story progression, Minerva was never going to get that. She was never set up as someone we were gonna “fix” or as someone who would have a change of heart and switch to our side. From the moment we meet her, she’s too far gone. The delta have their claws sunk deep within her, they brainwashed her, forced her to murder her own sister, and she has completely given up. She never expresses any desire to go back to the school. Nope, the delta is her home now. Her family. And it’s tragic. She and Sophie proof of what would happen to the Ericson crew if the delta go ahold of them-- “which twin will you be?” y’know? 

She fucks us over instead of actually helping us, we escape, the boat explodes, but Minerva doesn’t go down with the boat. Nope, she makes it to land and well... she fucking loses it. She sees her delta family get taken out by walkers and she goes nuts with her gun and gets half of her face chewed off by a walker.

So yeah..... she’s dead. Almost. They try to act like we’re supposed to believe that she’s really dead after she gets surrounded by walkers and throws the grenade at Clementine and all that but c’mon.... unless I see a body or a walker version, I don’t believe shit. 

Which brings me to the bridge.... there’s a lot of dread building up to Minerva’s final appearance, and you just hear her singing the damn song and bringing a bunch of walkers with her. Not to mention that she already looks dead. She looks like a walker who can talk, and not gonna lie, I like it. It’s freaky and sad and fucked up and adds so much to her character at this point. I mean, she’s here to kill Tenn so that they can all be a family again. She’s smiling and relieved that she’s dying and boy she just can’t wait to take Tenn with her and it’s not great.

She’s here to die and to take someone down with her, and she’s not leaving until she does. Hell, if she can take Clementine out, that’s just a bonus at this point. 

ALSO can’t forget that if AJ does shoot and kill Tenn, Minerva is still alive as she’s being eaten by walkers and she looks so damn happy as she reaches out and says, “Yes, come with me...” 

Like..... it’s so fucked, and I hate that I love it. From a storytelling standpoint, it’s a fitting death to conclude Minerva’s character and it impacts everyone there in more ways than one. 

3. Duck and incredible emotional impact

Oh, Duck... poor, poor Duck. 

This one has stuck with me and I hate it. I was never one of those players who hated Duck from the beginning. It’s interesting to go back and see how people reacted to him in the first couple episodes because a lot of them didn’t like him. They found Duck to be annoying, loud, stupid, and would even wonder “yeesh, when can I kill this kid?” 

Which is yikes but not gonna get into that right now. 

But from my understanding, Telltale got wind of this and knowing they were gonna kill him off, were like “Okay, y’all dumb, so here--” and they added in that little segment with Detective Duck where he helps Lee figure out what’s been going on with the stole meds. It’s a cute scene where we get to hang out with Duck and he proves that he’s not stupid, he’s just... y’know, a child. 

Then the motor inn gets attacked, shit goes down after they escape, and it’s revealed that Duck was bitten. 

Oh man, let me tell you about emotional impact both on the characters and the player because wow. 

Duck’s death is slow, drawn out...and since it’s early in the series, there’s a lot of denial, mostly from Kenny. They find the train and Kenny fixates on it because to him, if he gets it working and they can just get away, Duck can recover. Duck isn’t like the others, he’s just a little sick and everyone is making a big fuss about it. 

Then you have Katjaa, who starts out in that denial stage but she moves into acceptance a lot quicker than Kenny does and well.... that might be because she made up her mind about what she was going to do, which that is a whole other layer of fucking despair to this situation. 

They also do something that I like with Kenny by adding that depth of him believing he had something like this coming after what happened at Hershel’s farm. Y’know, when he grabbed Duck and took off, leaving Shawn to die? Yeah that. 

He’s been so adamant about protecting his family to the point where he doesn’t have anything for the rest of the group, aside from Lee if he helps kill Larry. He did what he could to keep his wife and child safe and in the end, it didn’t matter. Duck still got bit, and now everything is shit. 

Then when you thought it couldn’t hurt even more, you find Katjaa dead in the woods and you still have to take care of Duck, whether you have Lee shoot him or have Kenny do it, or even just leave him to turn. Either way.... Duck’s death is just one big ol’ despairing oof.

It’s really good, guys. The music, dialogue, scenery, the pain....They really nailed Duck’s death in such an emotional way and it doesn’t just end there. This sticks with Kenny all the way through S2 and changes him as a character. It impacted Clementine and Lee greatly because this kickstarted Chuck telling them that Clem would end up just like Duck if things didn’t change. 

S1 just... knew how to kill off its characters... well, for the most part. 

2. Marlon and the death that had to happen whether we like it or not

Sigh.... okay. 

So... Marlon. Lemme tell you some things about Marlon’s death. 

First, I hate it. Nothing new there. If you know anything about me, you know that I am vocal in my desire for the Marlon redemption arc, for the “Marlon lives” AU’s and the “Marlon lives longer but dies differently” AU’s. I like Marlon as a character, I find him to be a fascinating character study. Ray Chase’s performance as Marlon brings so much personality and I love it.  So naturally, I wanted more of him in TFS. 

Here’s the thing. I may want all of those things, I may take a lot of joy from discussing these ideas with you guys and coming up with different scenarios,  theories, AU’s about him, and I’ll always be the first one to be like “I hate that Marlon dies in ep1, I wish AJ hadn’t shot him! Woulda liked for him to stick around longer!” 

But with the story TFS is trying to tell, Marlon has to die. AJ has to shoot him. I don’t like it, you don’t like it, no one likes it.... but that’s just how it is. 

Marlon is presented to us as this chill and genuine guy trying to keep his group safe and together. He feels the pressure of being responsible for all the lives in this school and that’s a lot to put on a teen growing up in the apocalypse. 

Then we learn that hey, the twins didn’t die. No, last year they ran into Abel and Marlon made a deal with him where he traded the twins in order to save himself, Brody, and the rest of the school. He wanted to plan a rescue mission, but he was too scared, so he and Brody kept it to themselves. They made up a story about the twins dying and moved on, but that continued to weigh down on them. 

Then Abel comes back, Brody freaks out, tells Clementine the truth, and Marlon hits her so hard that it kills her. 

And it gets worse. 

You go through the whole confrontation with Marlon trying to cover his ass and blame Clementine for Brody’s murder, he’s waving AJ’s gun around and threatening to shoot Clem while everyone is gathered around watching. It’s raining, it’s super dramatic and tense and I love it. 

In the end, Marlon gives up and he just wants to leave. Let him become a bad memory, he’ll never come back, just let him go. 

Then AJ shoots him in the head unprompted. He just.... he just does it and then wonders why everyone is looking at him like he’s a murder baby. 

Marlon’s death is crucial, not just to kickstart the plot but also for AJ’s character arc. His death affects everyone in that school. It makes Clementine question herself and if she’s raising AJ right, it breaks Louis’ heart, it pisses off Mitch, it sets Violet off on her bullshit. Everyone is hurting and confused because they don’t know what to do. Marlon is dead and AJ, this tiny toddler, was the one who pulled the trigger. 

From the beginning, we’re told that AJ is always listening, watching, and what we do will affect him for better or worse.... and maybe you don’t think much when you tell him to always aim for them head, but when he says exactly what you taught him after murdering Marlon...? Yeah, you’re sitting there like “Well, fuck.” 

But if this didn’t happen, if AJ didn’t kill Marlon, then.... there’s not a lot left. Sure the raiders are still coming, but AJ no longer has to go through what he has to or realize how much he hurt everyone. He’s no longer on that path that made him such an interesting and layered character. 

Sure, you coulda made him shoot someone else, but the fact that it was Marlon is what made it impactful.

Ugh, it’s good and I hate it. I hate it so much. 

1. Lee and the death that broke all our hearts

.......Just-

-y’know?

What else is there to say?

Well, alright, I’ll explain. 

We play as Lee in S1, we go on this whole journey with him and develop him as a character, establish relationships, and care for Clementine. He’s a great character. I did a list on why he’s great, too, if you wanna check that out but all you really need to know is that we all loved Lee.

Lee’s got a lot of baggage, given that he was on his way to prison for murdering the dude who was sleeping with his wife. But then the apocalypse happened and he got a second chance to do some good... or I guess bad? if you do a scumbag Lee run? 

Anyway-- no matter what, he cares for Clementine and it’s nice to see them bond over the course of the season... so when shit hits the fan and Clementine gets kidnapped by the Stranger, we’re just as upset as Lee is.

Then Lee gets bit.... and we realize that even though he’s our playable protagonist, he was never safe either. He gets bit and I can still remember the feeling of like... a bowling ball dropping in my stomach and my heart hurting because no... no, no, not Lee. I basically became Kenny like “No, he’s different! Lee isn’t gonna die! Being bit doesn’t mean death!” and while that is technically true.... had to face it: Lee’s going to die by the end of the season. 

Ep5 of S1 is a whole journey... We’re dealing with trying to save Clementine while seeing Lee get worse and worse-- he’s passing out, he’s growing paler and slower and it’s hard to watch. You maybe get a little bit of hope if you decide to cut his arm off, but that’s just... it’s too late for that. 

Not only is he fighting this, but then you got Ben who gets impaled and Kenny “dies” putting him outta his misery and Lee’s powerless to do anything. So great, that sucks. 

But at least he’s got Christa and Omid.... until they get separated at the Marsh House and Lee’s gotta get through a herd of them by himself. 

This slow burn is so good. His condition gets progressively worse but he’s so determined to get to Clem that it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t have time to think about what is inevitably going to happen to him, even if the player does. 

And just.... the final scene... y’know, the actual death scene? 

It’s so good. It’s a beautiful, emotional punch in the face. Like, way to end your game like this... Lee is trapped her with Clementine and he can’t walk, he can’t get up no matter how much Clementine begs him to try, he just- he can’t. He knows it’s all over for him and so he has her handcuff him to this heater so that no matter what, he can’t hurt her and just.... their final moments together where Lee is minutes away from death but is struggling to tell her as much as he can and I’m crying.

Then of course, the final choice-- Do you shoot Lee, or do you leave him to turn?

Both ending hurt my soul, but they’re both great in different ways. Shooting him is so heartbreaking... seeing little Clem sobbing as she points the gun at him and closes her eyes, then it cuts to black as the shot rings out and you hear Lee’s final breath....

BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE LEAVE HIM ENDING WHICH-

Lee manages to tell her more when you choose not to shoot him, but just watching Clementine get to the door and her little “don’t go” before Lee closes his eyes and falls over limp... falls over dead, I just--

Ouch... I am applauding this through my ugly sobs. 

It’s the best death in the series. It has everything and then some- emotional impact, works to progress the story and characters, amazing dialogue and performances.... It still gets me to this day. 

---

Honorable Mentions

-Mark’s death technically happens off screen, but I mean, c’mon... Mark wasn’t the most compelling character, but everyone remembers what happened to him. Everyone remembers walker Mark. What happened to him showed us just how fucked the St Johns were and it’s excellent.  -Brody’s death is pretty good, too.  -Abel’s death is an interesting one. He’s a garbage can, but they managed to humanize him just a bit by the way he hands his soon-to-be demise.  -Badger when Conrad kills him. It’s super good.  -I’m looking over this list now and it’s kinda funny that not a single S2 death made it here... it’s almost like all the character death that happened there was because a quota needed to be filled and who cares about complex character development when you got Kenny and nothing really matters I guess... ugh. The best deaths would probably be Carver, and Kenny when you shoot him but they’re not good enough to be in a top 5 so.... good job.

---

So... that was fun. What do you guys think? Do you agree with my choices or nah? Do you have a favorite death I didn’t list that you thought was well executed? Let me know, I’m curious. 

Have any suggestions for future T5F’s? Feel free to send ‘em in! :D

---

Next week’s T5F

[sharonitwd]

Bedside Manor, CHP: 21

It only gets much worse

AO3 Link

It took longer than Kenny would have liked to pry Sharon from the walker child, she begged for more time with Fivel though her voice never raised above a whisper as if all of her energy had been drained the moment she stepped in to the room. However the boy showed no recollection nor hesitance to try to bite either of them.

Once Kenny pinned Fivel down and Sharon had both hands off him she finally gave up, suddenly compliant as her fingers were no longer being pulled from the child’s arms. She backed away until her back hit the bedside table, her figure shrinking in the corner.

Carley, hearing the commotion, quickly swung the door open with her gun in hand. She had to do double takes of every detail in the room, shocked to see such a young child squirming under Kenny’s shoe and Sharon hiding herself in the corner.

“What’s going on?”

Kenny’s tongue caught in his throat as he tried to find a way to explain the situation calmly, or even think of what to do next. Instead they stood in silence as the walker’s growling and Sharon’s heavy breathing became the only noise in the room.

After far too long Kenny finally found the words, delivering it monotonously. “Carley, I need you to go and make sure the kids stay in the living room, far from the stairs. I’ll be down in a minute.”

Carley’s feet planted in the spot. With the walker child, Kenny’s sorrowful eyes, and Sharon’s light sobbing she didn’t know what to make of the situation.  All it took was one more pleading look, a sign that Kenny hasn't lost his mind, a sign that he is serious. Make sure the kids stay in the living room.

Once alone Sharon lowered her hands until both were limp on the ground, no longer ashamed of her messy tear stained face. She looked to Kenny then to the walker, her chin trembled as she tried to speak free of cracks and squeaks.

“His name is Fivel.”

Kenny looked down to Fivel still under his shoe, the walker instincts driving the boy to claw and find a way to eat the man above him.

“I knew him since he was a month old, baby sat him since he was five, helped him with English homework. He trained his dog not to get too close to me, he knew I was scared of dogs.”

“Sharon...”

“He starved to death.” Her eyes slowly drifted to the scratch marks the dresser made on the hardwood floor. “I think he moved Lisa’s wardrobe over to the door and when he realized no one was coming for him he. . . he was too weak to move it back. I could hardly move it. No one made it back. Their cars aren't in the driveway, her last bottle of medication is still on her desk, everything else is ransacked.”

Suddenly Sharon’s head shot up, she spun her body around to face the bedside table and pull open the drawer.

“Sharon-”

She rifled through and pulled out what she was looking for, a pocket knife. Turning back around she stood on wobbly legs, unfolding the smooth metal from the wooden grip and staring at the walker still pinned to the ground.

Although she had the weapon in position she didn’t move from the spot, the blade drawn with no intention of actually going through with the deed.

“Hey.” Kenny’s voice neared a whisper. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I can do this.” Sharon had hoped she had no more tears left. “I can do this.”

“You shouldn't have to. I couldn't. . . when Katjaa. . .” He sighed. “Lee did it for me so I wouldn't have to, I can do this for you.”

“But I can.” Sharon pleaded, her voice cracking. “I can.”

“I believe you, I do. You can do this, and you don't have to.” He held his hand out. “Give me the knife, Sharon.”

Sharon finally looked back up to him looking for any hesitancy or doubt, a sign that she should do it instead, an excuse to be strong.

She handed over the knife.

Kenny and Lee dusted off their hands and shared equally grim looks, they had exchanged no words during the burial, wishing to get the deed done quickly and rush back inside. Though, now that they have reached the door they needed to pause, take a breath before seeing everyone else again.

A moment of uninterrupted silence for Fivel.

With one last approving nod Lee open the door.

Once the men came back inside Christa and Ben walked away from their injured companions, meeting in the dining room. Carley came back from upstairs, she quickly returned when she saw they were waiting for her.

“So the house is clear.” Christa crossed her arms, this time not from contempt but to hold herself, she hated seeing that young boy even for the few seconds she did. “Are you two going to head out?”

“Yeah, y'all remember the plan?”

“The Wright Square” Christa nodded. “Sharon pointed it out on the map back on the train, we can figure out how to get there from here.”

“How long should we wait?” Carley asked.

“As long as you can.” Kenny said, raising his hands to his hips. “If all goes well we will only be gone for an hour or two.”

“And if everything goes to hell, you should stay at the park until you only have a day worth of rations.” Lee said. “This whole town seems to be picked clean, there’s no use to stay here and starve.”

Carley nodded. “Sharon’s bag has most of the rations, we can count all of what's left while you are gone.”

“Good idea.” Lee said. “You should divvy it up while you are at it, make sure everybody has a little bit in their bags in case you get separated.”

“Actually,” Kenny interjected. “Carley, I want you to watch the house while we’re gone, you’re the best shot and I trust your to watch over everyone. I want Ben to help Christa split up the supplies.”

“Yeah, okay.” Ben smiled. “I can do that.”

"While you're out there, try looking for antibiotics or at least pain killers." Christa said. "If you get the time to."

The men nodded, before they started to gear up to leave Carley stood at the backdoor, peeking out to check for walkers, then turning back so get Lee’s attention. “When you're done I want to talk to you.”

Lee nodded. He checked his gun to make sure it’s loaded and tightened the holster on his belt, he noticed it was loose during the walk from the train though didn’t have the time to fix it until now. Before leaving he said his goodbyes to Clementine and asked her to stay here and be brave while he is gone, promising he’ll be back soon.

Kenny said the same to his son, glad to see Duck and Clementine quickly head off to explore the house once he said one final goodbye, though as they reached the stairs he frowned and turned towards the door that had just clicked shut.

He rushed over and opened it, startling Carley and Lee.

“Sorry, I know you two wanted a moment before we leave but I just gotta ask you-” He shut the door behind him before continuing. “To keep a close eye on Sharon.”

Carley and Lee hesitated, the latter speaking up after they exchanged looks. “Ken, that little boy we buried. . . I’m guessing she knew him?”

“He was Lisa’s brother, yeah.”

“Damn.” Lee shook his head.

“Right now I'm scared she's going to do something while we're gone. Just. . . just check up on her now and then, I'd appreciate it.” Kenny wanted to say more, instead he disappeared behind the back gate with his rifle in his hands.

“Damn.” Lee repeated, returning his attention to Carley. “Anyway, what did you want to talk about?”

Carley’s eyes shot wide open, suddenly remembering what she needed to say, the confidence she built vanished with Kenny slamming the door open. Her heart skipped beats as she took in a breath, she could feel her skin pale and something on her arm burned.

“You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She lied, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Stay safe out there, I don't know what we would do if you got hurt out there.”

Lee grinned. “You mean: you don't know what you would do.”

The cold feeling in her skin turned to heat. “I'm not going to deny that, I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here.” Her demeanor turned serious though the blush on her face stayed. “Get back here as soon as possible.”

Lee inched closer. “Is that an order?”

Carley closed the gap between them, nearly cutting Lee off as their lips met. This time Lee was prepared, not standing in shock like he did back at the Inn. He leaned in, easing her down off of her tiptoes.

Just as the kiss started she felt a cold shiver down her spine, a reminder. She broke off and looked away, Lee’s eyes on her almost hurt. She quickly regained her composure and confidence, for his sake.

“Yes.”

When Carley stepped back inside Ben asked her to come with him upstairs to grab Sharon’s bag, as he is too nervous to go up there alone. She agreed as long as he just takes the bag and goes back down, claiming she needs to talk to her alone for a little bit.

As they reach the second staircase they heard talking from above, light and calm voices. From here they couldn’t distinguish one from the other, for all they knew Sharon was talking to herself up there. With Ben right behind her they silently ascended, craning their necks to see inside the partly open door before opening it fully.

On the floor where only moments ago Sharon was sobbing while holding Fivel now sat the same young woman, this time smiling while holding a stack of papers in her hand, Clementine and Duck peered over her shoulder to look at their old drawings. With each picture the kids would point and comment on it, one Duck claimed that he didn't see how a drawing of a dog is a goat, then was even more confused when Clementine said it is a dog.

When Sharon switched to the next drawing she noticed Carley and Ben watching over them. When they didn’t speak she neatly folded the papers and put it all back in her bag, the kids whined about their distraction being disrupted but didn’t ask any questions.

Sharon spoke first. “The kids told me Kenny and Lee left.”

Carley nodded. “Before he left Kenny said we should divide the food between our bags, in case we get separated. If you’re alright with it, Ben is going to take it downstairs to count.”

Sharon stood with her backpack in her hands and reached her arm to Ben, who still stood on the staircase. Ben grabbed on, his heart squeezing as she didn’t let go, forcing him to make eye contact. Sharon darted her eyes to the bag then back to him, ending the moment with a curt nod, hoping he would understand what she wanted him to do without saying it out loud.

He seemed to get what she meant and timidly walked down the stairs, still recovering from the mix of social anxiety and not being able to stay and talk to his friend, his friend who has grown distant ever since leaving the inn.

As he left he could hear Carley speaking. “I was hoping to talk to you about something else.”

When reaching the bottom of the stairs he found the bathroom and set the bag on the counter, without hesitation he looked through each pocket to find anything that Christa or anybody else that may pass by shouldn't see.

The notebook that had her plans of running away from the Motor Inn, the handfuls of white handkerchiefs that came from a restaurant Lee and Kenny never scavenged near, a pill bottle that he figured wasn’t enough to trade to the bandits, and the shirts she would use to stop the cans from clanking together.

He stuffed everything he could in the smallest pocket upfront where she had her personal items. The one thing he noticed missing was the unicorn pajamas, though figured she had them on her as she never goes anywhere without it.

By the time he left the bathroom the kids had left the attic and now sat in the bay window just outside the office, talking quietly. It was odd to see Duck whispering, he usually never cared how loud he was even when they were out on the road. They even stopped when they saw Ben was staring at them, though continued when he turned away.

Ben was surprised Christa had already spread out her belongings on the dining room table. As he set Sharon’s heavy bag down he noticed Carley’s backpack and the shoulder bag he shared with Travis sat just under the table.

“Travis said to go ahead and pull everything out of your bag.” Christa said, gesturing to the two bags. “I wanted to wait until you got here.”

“Thanks.” He smiled, pushing Sharon’s bag closer to her. “You can take everything out aside from the front pocket, that’s all Sharon’s things.”

Christa took the bag and respected their privacy, taking only the food and supplies out from the large pocket. When everything had been pulled out Ben and Carley’s bag had been emptied.

“Have you ever done this before?” She asked, inspecting one of the bottles of water.

“No, Lilly- um. . .” Ben hesitated, blinking away the sudden wetness in his eyes. “We had someone else do it for us.”

“Alright then, we’re doing this my way.” She looked again to the jumbled pile of supplies. “First, we organize.”

As they sorted Christa remained patient with him, even as he asked which pile beans go in to, then if chili counts as beans, then if re-fried beans counted as beans, then if tomatoes go in the fruit or veggie pile. She didn’t raise her voice though remained nearly stoic, only ever cracking a smile at seeing certain food items.

They were so focused on their task they didn't even notice Clementine and Duck leaving through the backdoor.

In the end they had a pile for supplies, anything inedible, canned meat, canned fruits/veggies, dry packets, leftovers, and anything unlabeled.

“Now that we’re sorted we need to list it down.” Christa pulled a notebook from her bag and turned to a blank page. “I need you to read to me the brand name, the calorie count, and the expiration date, if it has one.”

Ben complied, starting with the dry packets and compared it to the water bottles, they didn’t have enough water to make every packet meaning they would need to boil rainwater. The protein bars are the most valuable as they hold more variety of nutrition than anything else on the table, those were moved far from the rest of the food.

“So, uh.” Ben turned the can in his hand. “Are you and Omid married or just. . . together?”

Christa eyed him from above her notebook, enjoying how panicked the boy looked when she did. “Together.”

Ben pressed his lips together and focused all attention to the can in front of him, he couldn’t find an expiration date. As he grabbed the next can Christa sighed.

“He was going to propose at the end our trip.”

“Oh.” Ben set the can down and brought up a new one, reading the brand name out then spinning it to look for the calories. “Did he propose anyways? I mean, your trip didn’t really ‘end’.”

“No.” Christa quickly glanced over to where Omid rested. “I found the ring in his bag.”

“Oh man.” Ben smiled wide. “Does he know you know?”

“He better.” Christa didn’t take her eyes off the couch. “Once I found it I was the one that proposed.”

“You proposed with his own ring?”

“At the time I was positive we weren’t going to live to see the next day. I figured if he still had the ring after all we’d been through he still wanted to propose, and what’s more romantic than a near death experience?”

“You got that right, babe.” Omid piped up, sitting up to see her from over the couch. “I don’t want to interrupt, but I’m not feeling too good and Travis is, uh. . .”

Christa quickly set the notebook on the table and rushed to their side.

Clementine huffed, standing up from her spot on the rug.

“Go downstairs and stay with Christa.” Sharon said, trying to get a response out of the little girl. “Let me know if Travis needs help, okay?”

Clem nodded slowly and followed Duck down the stairs, vanishing from view as Sharon shut the door behind her.

Now alone in the room Carley didn’t speak, lips pursed as she tried to think of what to say. This is odd coming from her, Carley was usually the one that said whatever came to her mind, so often that Lilly and Kenny hardly listened to her. Silent and thinking wasn’t a good sign coming from her.

Finally she spoke. “Are you okay?”

Sharon turned away, picking up her pajama pants from the ground. “What do you need?”

“Sharon, Kenny told me about the boy being Lisa’s little brother.” This obviously wasn’t what she wanted to talk about, the quick mention of Fivel sent a pulsing sensation around the room. “If you want to talk about it I’m here for you, just because we’re not at the inn anymore doesn’t mean we can’t talk.”

“I know.” She nodded. “I can’t, Carley I. . .” Sharon started to pace, mumbling the startings of sentences, after the third time she reached the bed she sat on it, the wood creaking with the sudden weight shift.

Sharon wrapped the pajama pants around her neck like a scarf, just the closeness of the fabric slowed her beating heart and calmed the shifting room. Carley slowly stepped closer, the sun reflecting off her pale clammy skin was enough distraction for Sharon to focus on to avoid talking about Lisa.

“Actually. . .” Deep breath. “You’re looking kinda pale, are you okay?”

Now that Sharon had asked, Carley wanted dodge the question but the urge to blurt out what’s wrong became overbearing. She had always been patient with Carley, answering her knock on the wall when she needed to share nightmares whenever she was awake. Now that she is suffering she deserves to be heard, she should feel that she can share her grief.

She mentioned her pale skin. “That’s just it. . .”

Carley rehearses what she wants to say in her head, trying to find a way to let her on slowly. She sits on the bed, far enough away so their knees don’t touch.

“I’m sorry to do this to you, when I was going to tell Lee I panicked but this isn’t something I can hold from him, he deserves to know and so does everyone else.”

“Carley?”

“God, I think I’m going to throw up.”

As Carley’s hands fell from her mouth and rested on her stomach Sharon got an idea. Flashes of the baby boy she took care of, the little boy she was going to raise, baby that died under her care.

“No. . .” Sharon inched away. “Carley are you. . .”

Carley looked away, only confirming the thought in Sharon’s mind. The scars on her arms began to itch.

“Pregnant?”

“What?!” Carley’s shoulders quickly dropped. “No, no, I’m not pregnant I-”

“Oh-thank-god.” Sharon’s heart raced, the brief panic of having a baby in the group still fresh in her mind as she thought about the possibility of that happening, as they have two couples in the group now.

Carley waited for Sharon to calm herself, even following along in the deep breaths to calm her own beating heart.

“I’m sorry, as you were saying?” Sharon asked, anxiety still rumbling in her stomach.

“This is worse than a baby, Sharon.”

Carley returned her hands to her stomach, this time Sharon noticed she had unzipped her jacket, hand hovering over a red spot that bled through her green top. Painfully she separated the cloth from the wound, lifting it up fully to expose the torn skin.

“I got this back at the church.”

The attic dropped a few degrees in temperature, a cold chill sprouting goosebumps over Sharon’s skin. Light replaced the room around them.

How did this happen?

How could she have stopped this?

“When Ben ran away from protecting Clem-”

Ben ran past Sharon, gun in hand, away from the little girl that needed his help. Clementine’s two protectors ran to her aid; Carley carved a path through dead walkers to reach the child quickly, Lee wasn’t as good a shot.

“I tried to hold all the walkers off but they were all coming towards me.”

Ben tried to run past Sharon, she grabbed his wrist and forced him to stop, a shout, a demand. Clementine’s three protectors ran to her aid; Carley carved a path through dead walkers to reach the child quickly, Lee wasn’t as good a shot, Ben was never good at shooting.

“One almost grabbed Clem so I put myself in the way.”

Ben tried to run past Sharon, she grabbed his wrist and forced him to stop, a shout, a demand, someone to lean on. Clementine’s four protectors ran to her aid; Carley carved a path through dead walkers to reach the child quickly, Lee wasn’t as good a shot, Ben was never good at shooting, Sharon only had arrows. Behind her Duck was left to fend for himself, Kenny was overpowered.

“After seeing Kat go through it I. . .”

With a blink Travis was in front of her, bleeding from his shoulder, being pushed inside the RV. To her right Lee was shooting both walkers and bandits, desperately trying to rescue Clem, Duck, and Katjaa. Clementine ran to safety, a walker pinned Kat to the ground.

“I’m so scared.”

Travis was pushed inside the RV, Lee was desperately trying to rescue Clem, Duck, and Katjaa. Sharon rushed to help, bullets flew from all directions, all she has is a screwdriver.

“Sharon I’m so scared.”

Ben ran past Sharon, she grabbed his wrist and forced the gun from his fingers. The heavy object now rested in her hands, finger on the trigger, lining the sights, a bleeding stomach, on the ground, alone.

“I don’t want to die.”

Sharon lunged so suddenly Carley flinched, the movement scared both of them. She continued, this time the movement being natural, pulling Carley in a hug. They both relaxed in to the contact, the closeness of another human being enough comfort to pull them from loosing their minds.

“I don’t want to die.”

Sharon nodded, letting her know she was heard. Her eyes drifted around the room, focusing on the familiar room, particularly the pictures of Lisa on her vanity.

“I’m sorry.”

The pictures seemed to be the only bright thing in the room, everything else was disorderly and dusty, the room didn’t smell like her anymore. Lisa would have spent all of a manic episode cleaning it.

Sharon shook her head. “Don’t say sorry.”

If she were here. She won’t ever be. She’ll never be.

“But I am.” Carley pushed herself from the hug. “With all that you’re going through right now, you don’t need me throwing all my problems at you.”

With Carley now forcing her to make eye contact, Sharon realized she has hardly listened to a word she had said, instead focusing on Lisa. A dying woman is confiding in her, a friend is needing her support, and she isn’t listening.

Why is she thinking about Lisa?

What has turned her to be so selfish that she can’t think of anything but her girlfriend?

Sharon couldn’t save Carley, and now she’s trying to focus on anything but her.

Lisa wasn’t there when she had nightmares, Carley was. Lisa wasn’t there to support her, Carey was. Lisa only seemed to show when she felt like it, appearing around the inn at seemingly random intervals. Carley has supported her since they met and she’s APOLOGIZING?

“No.”

Carley is here, but not for long. She deserves better than how she’s been treated.

“No?”

She doesn’t have to feel bad about needing support. She shouldn’t say sorry for dying, this isn’t her fault. It’s Sharon’s.

“This is important, you don’t have to apologize to me.”

Sharon’s problems are nothing right now, Carley is going through the worst moment in her life and she is scared, she doesn’t need to hear about Sharon’s problems, she shouldn’t be wasting her time with Lisa.

“I’m with you, I’m here for whatever you need.”

“We’ll both be going through a hard time, then.” She tried to laugh, but it only escaped her lips as a sigh. “I just hope Lee gets back soon, before I. . . before I turn.”

Sharon wished she had said these things sooner, but instead she was focusing on how much she missed Lisa. Who else has she treated this way? She thought back to how she treated Ben back at the inn, how he was nearing panic attacks and she’d distance herself so she wouldn’t have to deal with him.

“I have to tell the group.” Carley straightened her back and wiped the tears from her face. “They need to know.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know.” Sharon nodded. “I’ll be right there with you.”

Carley smiled, thankful for the support. They stood and took a few more moments just breathing and gaining composure. Carley didn’t feel better taking deeper breaths though she needed to get this over with quickly.

When they left the room they were surprised to see Christa and Ben at the bottom step, both with wide eyes.

“Oh, hey.” Christa’s hand left the handrail. “The kids aren’t up there, are they?”

Sharon and Carley looked to each other and shook their heads. “What do you mean?” Carley said, needing to cough to clear her throat.

Christa paced to the guardrail to look to the ground floor, then turned back to face the others. “We had to move Travis and Omid upstairs, they weren’t feeling good and needed somewhere more comfortable to rest. We were going to have the kids help us but they aren’t anywhere downstairs.”

Carley struggled to take the last steps down from Lisa’s room, Sharon’s concern for the children momentarily distracted her from her friend’s illness, she left Carley behind to get closer to Christa.

“I haven’t seen them since Ben took my bag, did you check outside?”

“We checked the backyard but there’s still too many walkers in the front to open the door-”

Ben yelped, falling to the ground as he tried to catch Carley, her full weight heavier than he could carry as she collapsed on top of him.

“Are you sure this is safe?”

Clem squinted at the boy behind her, finger to her lips to keep him quiet. “Not really, but if we’re fast and quiet they won’t notice us.”

Duck looked around him, the street they stood on didn’t have any walkers like the one outside the mansion, he thought about how easy it was to slip through the bars of the fence and avoid them entirely. If they could do that, what stops the walkers?

“Are you sure?”

Clem tried not to focus on the dead body they passed, hoping that meant they were going the right direction. “Walkers are dumb and we’re not.”

Duck opened his mouth to say something, pausing as he thought about what Sharon had said to him earlier. She sounded so sincere but he still had trouble believing her. When they stayed at the inn his mom started teaching him things, when she said he is smart he knew she was right, she was the one involved in it.

The road they stood on looked the same as the one they were just on, turning around he realized he had no idea where the mansion is. They could be back at Macon again and he’d have no idea.

“I don’t even know where we’re going, maybe I’m as dumb as a walker.”

Clem looked up at him first rolling her eyes dramatically, her frown deepened at seeing him frowning, he didn’t even turn to look at her when she looked at him.

“Duck I mean it.” She said, speaking a little bit louder when he didn’t respond. “Walkers are really dumb and we’re both smarter than them.”

Duck still didn’t react to what she said, the two walking in silence for a whole ten seconds before Duck changed the subject. “I once saw one fall down a bunch of stairs.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he fell on his face a bunch of times.”

Clem pursed her lips. “When?”

“Uh, this morning.”

“I didn’t see it.”

“You weren’t looking.”

“Yeah I was.”

“Not where I was looking.”

“Did the walker see us?”

“I don’t know.”

Clem hummed, deciding to focus on where they are rather than talk with Duck. Thinking back to the roads they’ve been taking she figured she could find her way back easily, since Duck won’t be any help.

She remembered Kenny and Lee pointing this direction a lot, so they have to be going the right way, and the sign on the light pole sign that said, “Bull Ramp to River Street” helped a lot, though she has no idea what a ‘Bull Ramp’ is.

Clem wrung her hands at the building lined hill, the street was lumpy from the large rocks that Duck jumped on as they walked down it, the cement in between the rocks didn’t make it easier to walk on. She tried not to feel so nervous, just down the street is the water, and there’s no walkers.

Once they reached the bottom Duck peered over the railing, watching the water. On their left are more buildings and on the right is more walking.

“If we can’t find them here we’ll go back.” She sighed.

Duck seemed to ignore her, opting to balance himself on the metal rails in the middle of the street. She rolled her eyes.

“Lee and your dad are going to be around here so we need to pay attention.”

Duck nodded and crouched down with a mean look in his eyes, he looked ready to attack something.

“What are you doing?”

He dropped the mean look. “This is what people do when they sneak around, I’ve seen it in movies.”

Clem wanted to say more but shook her head instead, walking normally while Duck attempted an action roll forward.

“Duck, can you take this seriously?”

“Sorry.” As Duck stood his eyes went wide.

Clem followed his eyes, her jaw dropping at the sight of a red hooded figure tackling Lee to the ground only a few blocks ahead.

[ericsonclan]

Down The Chimney Like Ol’ Saint Nick

Summary: A heated debate between the Everett siblings break out about Santa causing them to take their arguments to the next level...

Word Count: 3228

Read on AO3:

“Santa is totally real!” Renata slammed her hands on the table, causing the Christmas cookies on the tippy top of the plate to fall over.

“Please,” Prisha picked up the fallen treats and placed them back on the plate. “You still believe he exists at your age?”

“Yeah,” Renata huffed and sat back down in her chair. “And Clem does too! Right?” Renata looked over at her younger sister who was nibbling on a cookie. Clementine glanced up from her snack and gave a short nod.

“Yeah, Santa exists.” Her answer made the eldest sister groan in annoyance. Prisha pressed a hand to her temple.

“You two are nearing highschool and you still believe that an old beard man sneaks down our chimney and gives those gifts to us?”

“Not all the gifts.” Renata shook her head. “Just the ones that say they’re from good ol’ Saint Nick.”

“Yeah,” Clementine grabbed another cookie, taking a sip of milk before taking a large bite out of the sweet. “The ones labeled from us were obviously bought by us.”

Prisha let her head fall onto the table. Renata and Clementine shared a look then glanced back at their oldest sibling.

“Mom believes,”

Renata’s statement made Prisha’s head shoot up. “No way. Mother is far smarter than that.”

Clementine’s eyes narrowed. “Are you calling us dumb then?”

The realization made Prisha hold up her hands defensively. “Now wait-”

“She did!” Renata shook her head. “ I can’t believe our own sister thinks we’re just a bunch of dumbasses.”

“Who’s a bunch of dumbasses?” Marlon strolled forward, a happy smile on his face as he sat down beside Renata.

“Prisha said we’re stupid.” Clementine answered her stepbrother's question, making him pause for a second while he was grabbing a cookie.

She did?” Mitch’s voice drew the siblings’ attention to the doorway where Aasim and Mitch were making their way into the kitchen. “Sounds like Prisha.” The brunette smirked and took a spot beside the sister he had just insulted.

“I did no such thing!” Prisha looked annoyed by her sibling’s words.

“But you implied it,” Renata pointed at Prisha with a cookie.

“Why would you imply that they’re stupid?” Aasim took a spot by Clementine and moved to pour himself a glass of milk.

“Because they believe in Santa,” Prisha replied before downing the rest of her milk.

“You believe in Santa too!” Marlon asked, cookie crumbs flying out of his mouth that hung slightly ajar. The blond’s eyes shone with excitement at the news.

“Yep! We are believers!” Renata smiled proudly at her brother. “Unlike that one over there. I think her name was Pushy or something.”

“It’s Prisha,” The eldest sister snapped. “Stop trying to provoke me.”

Mitch gave a snort. “You believe in him too?”

“Yeah,” Renata leaned back. “What, you don’t believe in jolly old Saint Nick?”

“No! That would be stupid,” Mitch paused when he noticed that Clementine looked slightly hurt by that. “Wait, Clem, do you believe in him too?” Clementine gave a nod. “Growing up in the foster system I didn’t really get anything except once a year when I would get a gift from Santa. Even after I got adopted, I’d get a gift in the same wrapping paper and written in Santa’s handwriting.”

Prisha and Mitch were quiet, neither wanting to point out that most likely it was that Carley had continued on that Christmas tradition for Clementine, most likely in hopes that her daughter could hold onto a piece of Christmas magic when so many other parts of childhood innocence were taken from her.

“Well, logic seems to lean towards disproving his existence,” Aasim placed a hand on his chin. “How could a man with that body type fit into every single chimney? Chimney designs change over the years and there are many different sizes.” The brother snatched a cookie, breaking off a corner and tossing it in his mouth.

“With magic, duh.” Renata took two cookies and shoved them in her mouth.

“Yeah, there’s a ton of things that science can’t explain that still happen in the world,” Marlon added, making Renata smile over at her brother.

“Regardless, one thing that can’t possibly be achievable is how he can go across the world in one evening stopping at each house and giving personalized gifts.” Prisha leaned on her elbows and looked at her sister. “Care to explain that one?”

Renata opened her mouth but before she could speak Prisha added one more thing. “And don’t say magic.”

“It’s the miracle of Christmas,” Clementine crossed her arms. “Miracles happen every year.” Marlon and Renata nodded in agreement of their youngest sibling’s statement.

Mitch rolled his eyes. “There’s no fucking way.”

“Oh yeah?” Marlon looked over at his brother. “Dad believes and he’s the smartest guy we know.”

“That’s not true,” Aasim tutted and shook his head. This argument continued for some time. Each side of the argument brought new information into the mix while the six siblings continued to eat the cookies. After a while the cookies were demolished and the milk jug empty but both sides were still heated as ever about the conversation, neither willing to back down from their stance on the subject.

“Fine, I guess there’s only one way to prove it!” Marlon stood up from his spot at the table. “I’m gonna go down the chimney in Dad’s Santa suit!”

“The mere fact that Dad has a fat Santa suit proves he doesn’t exist!” Aasim pressed his hands on the table.

“He just wants to cosplay as Santa.” Renata shot back. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to dress up as the coolest dude in the world!”

“Why would an old as balls man be the coolest dude in the world?” Mitch quirked an eyebrow, a smirk plain on his face.

“Because he gives gifts to all the little boys and girls of the world!” Clementine leaned back in her chair. “He even gives us gifts too.”

“Fine, put on the suit and climb down the chimney.” Prisha let out a tired sigh. “It will prove nothing.”

“You’re just scared because when we prove we’re right you won’t have a leg to stand on,” Marlon’s words seem to light a fire in the three siblings who were opposed to the belief in Santa.

“That won’t prove shit!” Mitch jumped up from his spot. “It’s easy to go down a chimney. The hard part is climbing back up! I’m gonna prove Santa couldn’t do it.”

The six siblings all silently stared at each other. A weird tension danced in the air around them when suddenly Renata made the first move. Throwing a used napkin at Mitch as a distraction, she began sprinting and laughing as she disappeared from the kitchen and sprinted down a hall. The five siblings looked confused by the action until their lovable, bubbly sister returned.

“Marlon,’ Renata whispered “Where’s the Santa suit.”

Her question made Marlon and Mitch’s eyes grow large. The pair of brothers shared a look then started fighting to get out of the kitchen first. There was only one Santa fat suit but two challengers. Whoever got to the suit first would have the advantage.

“Dad’s study!” Marlon called out as he held Mitch in a headlock which he easily got out of. Mitch tried to pants Marlon in revenge. Clementine, Prisha and Aasim watched in curious silence as their brothers fought each other while Renata hopped this way and that to find the suit.

After a few minutes she returned, barely able to hold the massive costume in her arms, with a bright smile on her face. “Ready to become Santa, Marlon?”

“Hell yeah!” Marlon ran over and Renata and Clementine helped their brother get in the suit.

“This isn’t fair,” Mitch complained as he frowned at Marlon who had donned the Santa fat suit and white beard.

“Why don’t you just make your own if it's that important?” Aasim got up to stretch his arms.

“Yeah, it’s not like this will prove anything,” Prisha rose up from her spot as well.

“Did you guys hear that?’ Renata had a smug expression on her face. “It sounds like the ghost of Christmas Bore.”

Prisha’s lips tightened when she heard the insult. She had had enough of her sister’s remarks. “Fine, we’ll play your stupid little game!” She glared at Renata who looked rather pleased with herself. “Mitch, there are some pillows we can use to imitate the fat suit.”

“I can grab Dad’s red bathrobe too!” Aasim offered and soon the trio was off to create their own Santa suit. When they returned they began to work on stuffing pillows into the bathrobe as Mitch smiled confidently at Marlon who returned the smile in kind.

“Alright,” Clementine moved forward. “We have our two Santas. Mitch will try to climb up the chimney and Marlon will try to go down the chimney.”

“Two Santas enter the ring, only one leaves!” Renata declared grandly. Within seconds the siblings were off to the chimney to prove that their side was right.

------

Carley could feel a slight chill run down her spine as a gentle winter wind blew past her. She made a little sound in reaction to the cold, causing her husband to pause.

“You alright, Car?” Lee looked over with a concerned expression.

“I’m fine, Lee. Just a little cold,” Carley replied with a smile.

“Well, let’s finish up this walk and get back home for some nice hot cocoa by the fireplace.” Lee’s offer made Carley’s smile grow.

“I’d like that,” She gave Lee’s hand a small squeeze and the two continued to walk back to their house hand in hand. “Think the kids behaved?”

“Well, considering that we haven’t heard news of a fire or an explosion going off, I’d say we’re in the clear.” Lee smiled playfully over at his wife.

“If that did happen, it would be because of your sons.”

“ My sons?” Lee stopped for a second. “What happened to saying they were our sons?” “They’re only your sons when they get in trouble,” Carley answered with a teasing expression.

“Oh yeah? Well let’s hope the house is in one piece when we get back. I’m sure the kids had their fair share of mischief.” Carley gave a good-natured chuckle. “With our kids there’s never a boring day.”

“That’s the truth,” Lee stopped in his tracks; they were only a few houses away from their own. A nervousness overtook his face, giving Carley pause.

“Is everything alright, Lee?”

“Hmmm,” Lee looked up. “Oh yeah. It’s just...” He used his free hand to rummage around in his winter coat. After a few seconds he pulled out a sprig of mistletoe and held it above their heads. “I thought it wouldn’t be Christmas without mistletoe and you know how wild the house can get.”

Carley smiled lovingly at her husband then leaned forward, capturing his lips in a warm, soft kiss. Lee’s eyes closed and he deepened the kiss, his gloved hands gently cupping Carley’s face. The two pulled apart and stared deeply into each other’s eyes. Both of them had huge grins on their faces when suddenly they heard a voice call out to them.

“Mom! Dad!” Renata scampered forward and fell into a pile of snow a few feet away from her parents. Lee and Carley immediately ran over to their daughter.

“Renata, what happened?’ Carley asked with concern. She and Lee began to slowly help guide her back onto her feet.

Renata shook off the snow from her face and winter coat. “Marlon got his ass stuck in the chimney! Oh, and Mitch got stuck too! But not his ass, he got his face, or more like his upper body, stuck in the chimney too!”

Renata’s words made Lee and Carley share a worried look before following their daughter who continued to skid and slip as she led the way. When they got in view of the house they saw Marlon in a Santa suit on the top of the chimney. His face was red and his butt was firmly planted in the hole of the chimney, causing his legs to be stuck in an awkward upward position. Aasim and Prisha were pulling desperately on their brother’s arms but it seemed to do little to help.

“Renata, where’s Mitch?” Lee looked towards his daughter who pulled her attention away from the rather funny sight.

“I’ll show you,” Renata grabbed her dad’s hand and guided him towards the front door.

“I’ll help Marlon,” Carley called out to her husband then strode towards the ladder that had been set up by her kids. When she reached the ladder she could hear the conversation being shared between Prisha and Aasim. She began to climb until they were in view.

“I argue that the best course of action would be for one of us to pull while the other tries to unwedge him.” Aasim offered.

Prisha shook her head. “I disagree. I figure that if we pull at a certain angle that will give Marlon enough of an opening to get himself out of the chimney.”

“G-G-Guys,” Marlon’s teeth chattered. “Can we try one now then if that doesn’t work do the other?” He gave a few sneezes, each one making his head fly forward with the force of it.

“I agree with Marlon,” The sudden appearance of their mother’s voice made the three kids’ eyes widen in alarm. “I want to hear the whole story afterwards,” Carley began to make her way onto the roof. “But first let’s get your brother out of there.” Prisha and Aasim both moved forward to help their mother. Aasim steaded the ladder as she stepped off while Prisha gave her mom a hand up.

“Thank you,” Carley smiled at her kids before looking at where Marlon was stuck, a small frown pulling on the corner of her lips. This was going to be quite the challenge.

------

“Clem! I got Dad!” Renata exclaimed, making the youngest of the siblings glance up from her task of trying to pull Mitch out of the chimney. Her hands were wrapped around his waist.

“Looks like you got yourself in quite the pickle, son.” Lee couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. His son was stuck in the chimney in a red bathrobe that was filled to the brim with pillows, his butt prominently sticking out

“It’s not funny, Dad.” Mitch grumbled. “It’s really tight in here!”

“Alright,” Lee strolled forward and observed the situation for a minute. There was a solution that could potentially work if all the pieces fit. “Clementine, could you fit in that spot of the chimney?” Lee pointed at the small gap in the opening between Mitch and the chimney. Clementine looked confused for a second but then started to get the idea.

“Yeah, I think I can, Lee,” Clementine squatted and shimmied her way into the spot.

“Okay, I’m going to need you to undo the bathrobe belt and start getting the pillows out.”

“Okay,” Clementine’s voice was slightly muffled but she got started. Renata scampered forward and began to help from the outside, taking the pillows from her little sister and tossing them back until enough were gone and Mitch was free. He fell backwards, landing hard on his butt. Mitch blinked wildly, his face covered in a fine layer of soot. Renata, Clem and Lee all shared a look before starting to laugh which made Mitch’s face turn down into a deep frown.

“Whatever, I-” Mitch paused, his nose scrunching up before he let out a plethora of sneezes. Clouds of soot danced in the air from the force of the sneezes.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” Lee helped up his son and walked him over to the bathroom to get all the soot off his face and hair.

It took a couple of minutes but by the time they were done Carley had successfully gotten Marlon out and she and the other kids were back in the house. Once the whole family was gathered around Carley spoke up.

“Now who’s going to tell me what happened here?”

“We were trying to prove Santa was real,” Renata answered. “Even though some who shall remain nameless don't believe,” Renata shot a stink eye over to Aasim and Prisha who looked done with their sister.

“How does going into the chimney prove Santa is real?” Lee looked around at his kids.

“Because Santa does it,” Clementine stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“But both Marlon and me got stuck so that proves that Santa isn’t real.” Mitch smiled proudly over his siblings.

“No!” Renata shook her head wildly. “That doesn’t prove anything!”

The six siblings got into another heated debate when Carley spoke up.

“Alright, enough. No more arguing about this and never do something like this again. You could’ve gotten seriously hurt.” Their mother’s words caused all the siblings to stop in their bickering.

“Your mother is right,” Lee took a step forward. “It was stupid thing to do. You could’ve fallen, or inhaled ashes or could’ve frozen out there. I-” Lee stopped when he noticed his son’s condition. Marlon stood there, his nose scrunched before he began to sneeze again and again until he nearly fell over from the force of one. His body began to shiver violently, causing his parents’ faces to grow worried.

“We need to get you warmed up right away. Prisha, Aasim, why don’t you help your father make some tea.”

The two siblings nodded in understanding and disappeared into the kitchen with Lee.

“Clem, Renata could you grab all the blankets you can find?  We need to get everyone warmed up.”

“You got it!’ Renata grabbed Clementine’s hand and sprinted off in search of blankets. Carley helped Marlon over to the couch and double checked that Mitch was okay. Renata and Clem soon returned with blankets.

“Brother!” Renata jumped and outstretched her arms with the blanket, wrapping Marlon in a warm hug. “Clem, join us!”

Clementine nodded and started tossing blankets all over the couch then scooted close to Marlon who gave a small, appreciative smile. Lee returned next with Prisha and Aasim in tow with a ton of tea. Once that was settled Prisha and Aasim with insistence from their parents got under the blankets as well. Renata draped herself over Prisha’s lap and had her legs on Marlon’s lap to make sure her body heat was distributed equally. Lee sat beside Aasim and shared a blanket with him while Carley went to the other side and sat between a few of her kids to warm them up.

“How does ordering pizza sound for dinner?’ Lee asked and was met with excited applause. He reached in his pocket and got out his phone, placing the order which was quite hectic as each kid tried to butt in with their own perfect pizza plan. But soon that was done and the family continued to snuggle under the blankets and drink their tea. Carley and Lee shared a look. To think their kids got in this much mischief over a simple question. Still, it all turned out okay. But it seemed like the mystery of whether Santa was real or not would have to just remain just that. - a mystery.