#if I come up with anything Sam-like I’ll add it to the post for now it is what it is.

[babiebom]

Sdv Age and Height Headcanons

A/N: hi! It’s officially my birthday(the 15th) and I am now 23 :((((( I didn’t know what to post because everything is in the works right now but I wanted to post something to celebrate in a way so here!! Only base game stardew characters so no ridgeside or expanded. I do count Rasmodius/Marlon/Gunther/Morris as base game even though they’re expanded upon in mods. If anyone has questions for me (personal or about my fics or whatever) feel free to request or ask!!

Tw: none other than a mention of death in Shane’s part.

Sdv Masterlist

Sebastian

We always have to start with the loml (it tries to autocorrect loml to mommy and lonely btw)

I think he’s about 23-26 I think he has a degree in IT but I’m not sure. He has to be able to have graduated or taken classes or something.

I think he’s 5’10 at the shortest and 6’2 maybe 6’2 1/2 at the tallest.

Idk just seems tall to me because he’s lowkey intimidating.

Sam

Him and Abigail are in the same age range. I think they were born in the same year.

This means he is about 22-25 and his birthday occurs right after summer break(maybe I should do birthday headcanons?)

I think he is a very tall boy(keep in mind that I am short af so what I mean by very tall depends)

So maybe he is 5’10 at the shortest like Seb and 6’3 at the tallest.

I think him and Seb can be interchangeable when it comes to height? Both of them however come behind Harvey and Elliott but not by a lot.

Shane

The shortest bachelor for sure

I think he is very short and stocky he gives me big strong dad energy like your dads not the tallest but man is strong af.

So maybe 5’5-5’8? I mean 5’8 isnt short at all really but keep in mind I’m saying this is the tallest he can be, and the height really does make some guys seem really short when in reality they arent( also my phone tried to add king every time I typed short so there’s that)

Among the older bachelors so about 31-35?

I feel like that’s enough time to go from playing football(sorry gridball) in high school, getting a scholarship to play in college, dropping out to take care of his goddaughter when his friends die and becoming depressed.

He just seems like a 30 something year old going through the trenches :(.

Harvey

I think the oldest out of the bachelors and bachelorettes. He has gone to med school and that is I think at least like 4 years then 8 years? Unless I’m wrong lmao

So I think he would be around 35-38

He’s an older man that has spent his life helping people it’s so cute

He is on the taller side. In my mind he gives gentle giant vibes.

So 6’0 at the shortest and maybe 6’5 at the tallest. I think he towers over people but his posture is so bad that no one notices.

Alex

I think he is between the ass trio and Maru so 21-24

I think he graduated high school only a couple years prior to year one because of how passionate he is about gridball and how he thinks it’ll happen I don’t think anyone older would be like “someday I’ll go pro” they’d be crushed already

I think he is 6’0 exactly. He gives off 6 feet vibes like I can see that if he had a tinder profile it would 100 percent say “I’m 6’0 btw”

Elliott

I think he’s 34 exactly.

He seems like during his 20s he worked in the family business, he did what was told of him because he didn’t really know how to be an adult.

Then when he hit 30 he decided that he didn’t want anything to do with the family business and decided to move to Pelican Town to follow his dreams of writing.

He had enough money saved up to move and cut contact with his parents after they threatened to disown him because of him choosing to chase his dreams.

I think he is up there with Harvey as I’ve already said. I think they could be the same height range and who is taller is interchangeable.

So 6’0-6’5 really. Gives off hunk on the cover of a romance novel vibes.

Penny

I think she’s around 24-26. And I do think she has a teaching license and an education degree so this would give her enough time to have graduated and come back to Pelican Town after like a year of teaching in the city.

She seems sort of mature but immature at the same time, like immature when it comes to romance and dating, and sort of life but also she has the vibes of an introvert that was forced to mature quickly so she is good at making decisions, but at the same time her emotions are out of whack.

I think she’s a petite girl she doesn’t look very tall at all.

So I think she’s 5’2-5’5 I think for women to me 5’5 that’s the cap on people seeming short to me for women.

Abigail

Luckily I didn’t have to think about this too hard because I already answered this in one of my very first posts

I think she is 5’4 to 5’8 (sorry I’m American so 162 to 172 cm?)

She’s the first one I’m doing I’m not converting everyone but it’s like 2.5 cm per inch and 30.5 per foot

Her age is around 22-25 in year 1 I think. I know I’m my original Abigail headcanon I said oldest is 24 but I think 25 is okay.

She is amongst the youngest in her grade level during school years.

Haley

I think she’s on the younger side, like the same age range as Alex. Especially because she gives the vibes if she just graduated and hasn’t grown out of her mean girl/insecure personality

So she’s about 21-24

I think she’s similar to Abigail where she gives off like petite girl energy but also tall girl energy. Like I feel like she was a cheerleader and people always said that she could model so maybe she’s on the taller side

So maybe 5’4-5’7

Idk what it is about women that are 5’7 are specifically beautiful to me, they seem super tall but not so tall that it makes me feel like they’re a giant, their arms and legs are long idkidk.

Emily

She’s the older sister of Haley, and I think she’s pretty close to Shane and Gus so I think she’s on the older side

I also think that she could be the oldest out of all the bachelorettes.

So maybe 29-35

She seems a lot more mature than Haley, as well as understanding and confident in her life and her choices

As well as she doesn’t seem insecure or as if she’s weird at all like I think younger people are.

I think her height range is very small compared to the others like

She’s 5’5-5’6

She gives off the vibes for that like not too short not too tall just average.

Maru

In my opinion Maru is the youngest out of the bachelorettes AND bachelors because I think everyone is around the same age and she’s the younger sister of Sebastian who I think is closer to everyone else’s ages so it makes her younger.

I think she’s about 19-21

Like yes she’s working as a nurse, but it’s a small town and she’s an actual genius, I don’t think they care that she’s young. Besides Harvey handles everything on his own she mostly does paperwork and assistant stuff.

Her height has to be around like 5’2-5’4 I think she is a very small girl despite Robin and Demetrius being a little on the taller side.

Leah

I think she might be the second oldest out of the bachelorettes

Like her backstory is her working in a dead end job, she was in a longtime relationship and could’ve gotten married had she not decided to leave

So she’s about 27-31 she’s not the same age as Emily, but she does hang out with Elliott so I think she’s a little older.

I think she’s about 5’6 she makes me feel as if she’s about average in heigh because of how artistic she is I feel like anyone smaller would be very disadvantaged when carving or doing anything and so would someone taller.

Pierre

I think he would be about 5’9-5’11

Like he doesn’t seem too tall but he does give me taller side energy

Would probably tell people he’s 6 feet bc he gives me the vibes of someone who would because he wants to seem like he’s perfect.

I think he’s like 45-48

He is for sure older than Caroline especially because I believe he is into the traditional gender roles which means younger wife and older husband.

Caroline

Caroline I think is a very average woman. And not by looks because I think she actually would be quite attractive like I feel like she would be vERY beautiful.

I mean in terms of her body, she isn’t too big or too small, she didn’t have too much fat or too little her body is just average.

So I think she would be 5’4-5’6

I also think all of the moms are in a similar age range so she would be 44-47

Honestly with the way they’re designed I would’ve said 30s but that would make no sense if their kids are in the marrying age/having kids range.

Jodi

I think she is on the shorter side, she gives me short thicc mom energy. Especially because Kent is a military man.

So maybe 5’2-5’5 bc I think Kent towers over her and so does Sam. The kids did not get her genes because I do think Vincent would be quite tall when he is an adult.

I also think she would be like 43-46 she has a kid that’s an adult and a kid that’s a child so I think this age range would be more plausible for her to have had one kid young and the other one at an older age.

Kent

Is large and in charge like BIG MAN

So I think he must be 6’2-6’5

Like towers over most people and intimidates them based on size alone.

Similar age as Jodi. I think they probably were in the same grade in high school so same age 43-46

Vincent

Right now like as of year 1 would probably be tiny

Like people think he’s going to turn out like Jodi but would actually turn out to be like Kent and Sam and be huge.

So maybe like 3’10?

Kinda small for his age but not like super small?

He is probably 6 or 7 years old

So CUTEEEEEE

Evelyn

Granny Evelyn is probably TINY

Like I think she is 4’9

She’s so cute and small and was probably taller when she was younger

Also old as HELL from how she looks

So maybe from 80-95

Because she as well as George have to older than everyone on the older side.

George

Was probably on the taller side before he was wheelchair bound.

Probably 5’11 exactly like not super tall but tall enough.

Him and Evelyn have such a big height gap and it’s ADORABLE.

I think maybe 2 or 3 years older than Evelyn

83-98 so super old lmao

Pam

I think the oldest out of the parents

So maybe 49-54

She hates the fact that she’s on the older side out of the parents, especially because she isn’t really close to the others as much as she would like to be. She feels out of place among them.

I think she’s about 5’6 I can see her being VERY beautiful when she was younger, and she probably still has a nice body and face, especially if she stops drinking.

Lewis

His ass is probably in his 60s but sees himself as younger

I think 60s isn’t really old at all, like it’s still enough time to do different things.

But his glory days are over

Probably 5’9 like average height.

Clint

I think he might be younger than Emily. His crush seems very immature to me. And it makes him a little less incel-y but idk.

So maybe 27-30?

He’s definitely old enough to know not to act a fool but like it makes sense at this age that he’s an asshole after being rejected for so long y’know.

I think he’s maybe 5’9? Not too short but not too tall. Definitely thinks being taller could’ve helped his situation.

Gunther

I cannot tell anything about this man at ALL

He’s very mysterious

I think he is literally 40-59

Could literally be anywhere in that

He’s probably 5’10 too since I think he’s able to see something on the shelves, and he can see over the counter.

Gus

He’s on the older side. Idk if he has kids or anything, but he gives dad vibes

So maybe 50-59 not too old but like middle aged.

Very sweet and that’s what gives me the father vibes.

Also he doesn’t seem like a gossip but knows a lot which gives me that age range.

I think he’s either 5’6 or 6’3 nothing else. I think 5’6 is more likely though.

Demetrius

I think he is a little younger than Robin. It’s lowkey what makes him and Sebastian to be so bad at getting along.

So maybe 40-42?

Old enough to be a dad but not really old enough I guess.

I think he is VERY tall. Especially since in game it looks like he has a little height over Robin.

So 6’3 at the shortest? 6’5 at the most?

Robin

43-46

I think she had Sebastian at 20? Maybe younger but I think 20 is a good age. She was young and barely out of teenagedom that her parents were probably upset.

I think she’s a little tall but not too tall like 5’7

Very beautiful and her legs are longer than her torso but not in a tall SpongeBob vibe y’know.

Marlon

I think he’s in his 50s? So 50-60

I think he is younger than Lewis and that’s also why they can’t really get along other than Marnie.

Probably 5’10

Like tall enough that when fighting monsters he has no disadvantage but not so tall that he can’t get anything done.

Linus

He is also mysterious.

He looks old but at the same time he lives in nature and his looks probably don’t match his age.

So anywhere from 50-70?

Some 70 year olds look young and can move around and I don’t doubt that he is agile due to him being a nature man.

Leo

On the taller side of kids.

So sort of like 4’5 or almost 5’0

I think Leo is older than Jas and Vincent

But not too much older that it’s weird.

So maybe 10?

Marnie

I think she is on the older side. I don’t think that she is too old, for sure younger than Lewis

I think she’s like 50-56?

Young enough that Lewis wants to sleep with her for sure

Also young enough that she still hopes by some miracle that she has a child

I think she’s like 5’2-5’4

Rasmodius

I think he is either like super old like hundreds of years or like a mortal person old

So maybe like 60-70

Quite a bit older than Caroline and old enough that he has lived and seen some things

Like an affair and a divorce and losing everything

Probably 6’0 exactly ngl

Jas

Also on the smaller side, and will end up like 5’2 at most when she’s older

So like 3’7 first year she is a very small BABY

She’s also the same age as Vincent so 6 or 7

Willy

I think he is old but doesn’t look it

So in his 60s-70s

Has time to fish and perfect it has time to gain things and lose things

Has lived through a LOT

I think he is 5’5-5’9

A bit on the smaller side but y’know short kings exist.

[jvnkless]

I CAN ANSWER THIS!!!! somewhat.

depends on what you mean by “retro” since that term can fluctuate depending on the current era but lets say you’re thinking of “anything before 1999 plus maybe some stuff from the early 2000s”. (I am so sorry if this isn’t what you were thinking of but I AM STICKING TO MY GUNS!! And to generally what I know.)

Sam is…

- Half-Life 2. There’s a lot of songs on this soundtrack so I’ll give you the highlights. The Innsbruck Experiment, Brane Scan, Tracking Device,

- Couple of songs from the original Half-Life also fits a bit. Drums & Riffs & Electric Guitar Ambience come to mind.

Dean is…

- The original DOOM, baby! (Plus the second game) I Sawed The Demons, Intermission from Doom, Bye Bye American Pie, & Running From Evil are a couple of my personal picks for Dean.

- Some songs from the Wild Woody OST could also work for Dean, me thinks. Songs like Minotaur Maze, Meanie Technoweenie, and, hell, even the Title Screen are silly yet very Dean-like to me.

Cas is…

- Silent Hill 1 & 2. Okay, maybe not all the songs but some of them. Songs like Claw Finger, Tears Of…, Null Moon, & Alone In The Town give me that mysterious otherworldly yet melancholic feel that Cas has.

- Quick shoutouts to Overdose Delusion, RE4’s Save Room Theme, and this song from Yume Nikki that also give me similar Cas vibes.

Also as an aside, I think Cas would fucking LOVE Street Fighter 3’s soundtrack you don’t understand I feel so strongly about this. Cas canonically likes hip-hop & rap music he would love this soundtrack so much YOU CANT FIGHT ME ON THIS.

Jack is…

- As bizarre as this sounds, the LSD Dream Emulator soundtrack. There’s a strange otherworldly curiosity that comes off this soundtrack that I feel fits Jack perfectly within his different eras. That and I just think EDM & DNB in general fit Jack for some reason. Just trust me on this one.

- Yume Nikki’s soundtrack is also very Jack-like. Songs like Shield-Folk World, Famicon, & Toriningen Party stand out to me.

- Quick shoutouts to Use-Picnic, Shop ‘til You Drop & Spunky. Also the Zombies Ate My Neighbors OST idk it’s funny & kinda Jack-like what do you want from me. ALSO KIRBY… FUCK.

What retro video game soundtracks would you give each of team free will?

I...am the wrong person for this ask. I cannot even begin to tell you how wrong I am for this ask.

Pass to moots.

[jupitersmoon167]

hey… about that cod x marvel crossover…….

— 🎨

🎨 anon, this was my genuine reaction seeing this:

Oh boy, where do I even begin?

Okay, so I have a few ideas plot wise, both of which have to involve extreme detailing, cause in my mind I (unfortunately) can’t just smush these two fandoms together just for the hell of it. It’s gotta make sense.

And as much as I’m into incorporating the CoD:MW timeline into the MCU timeline, that’s just not as fun. So, what better way of introducing these two fandoms than thru ✨multiverse✨shenanigans?

Fair warning, I’m also incorporating aspects from the comics (in regards to Marvel) and weaving some of that into a MCU AU/canon divergence of sorts. But overall, incursions play a big role in both of my ideas. It just depends on when it occurs.

Regardless of the plot, it’ll be set Pre MWII CoD wise and Post Endgame MCU wise (we’ll just ignore the obvious yearly difference)

Regarding the MCU, there’ll be a bit of canon divergence:

- Tony doesn’t die at the end of Endgame (but he’s retired)

- Steve doesn’t fuck off to the past and stays in the present (he’s also retired and works more behind the scenes when necessary, so Sam is still Captain America)

- The ending from Far From Home doesn’t happen (I also may just scrap the events from that film entirely for reasons I can explain later)

- Secret Invasion doesn’t happen (cause let’s face it that show was an absolute dumpster fire, and I think the Taskforce would already have enough to deal with besides a terror organization consisting of shapeshifting aliens).

And depending on whether I add a certain OC (one that I’ve already introduced in the past), the story would start off Post The Marvels due to one component that was introduced in that film (a gold star to anyone who can guess what that component is).

ENOUGH EXPOSOTION

Let’s get into the plots!

My first idea was this:

So do you remember in the Hawkeye show that stuff from the Avengers Compound was stolen after it was bombed and being sold on the black market? Well after that fiasco, Clint would make Sam, Bucky and the others aware of this so they can keep an eye out for anything shady. Fast forward, and the team (thru some sort of means) finds out that some of that stuff, whether it be Stark tech, confiscated tech from the Battle of New York/Thanos’ Attack on Earth, magical artifacts, whatever it may be, has been sent to another universe. And so, to risk the event of an incursion, they travel to that universe to get all of it back.

My second idea would be a sort of Secret Wars/Battleworld type scenario where the CoD:MW and MCU universes sort of just, merge out of the blue. One moment they’re their own universes, next thing you know, an incursion like event occurs, but rather than one or both universes being destroyed, they just merge together. People from the CoD universe suddenly wake up to find that superheroes exists, gods and aliens are real, half the population was dead for a few years before coming back, and there’s apparently the corpse of a giant celestial being who emerged from the Earth’s crust now just sitting in the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, everyone from the MCU timeline is like “fuck it, this might as well happen”.

Regardless, the Avengers cross paths with TF141 (whether it be accidentally or deliberately) and shenanigans occur.

I’ve got a lot more I can share, but this is already long enough 😅

I also might reveal details on how I think the Avengers would interact with the TF141 and the dynamics between the canon characters and my OC’s (both of which I’ll make character profiles on eventually when I’m not so busy with college classes).

Speaking of college, it’s nearly 6am as I’m writing this and I have class in a few hours 💀 so imma head to bed

[demons-and-demigods]

Demons and Demigods Part Six: Tartarus

Edit 4/12/24: okay so I might come back to this part and rewrite it at some point. I'll make a second post for that just to keep this one around bc i do like it, i just think it could be More lol

Alright, so this part is gonna be part hand-wavey transitions part written scene. I didn't want to split it up, so you'll just have to bear with me here for this one. This part also features dark!percy and, you know, The Horrors. Let me know if you want any warnings added to this one and I'll add them.

They get to Rome, split up to do their things, find Nico, fight the twins, Annabeth finds the Athena Parthenos, etc. Sam and Dean are stuck in Mystery Spot the same day Percabeth falls into Tartarus. And because demigods are ~weird~ they can all sense that something is off each repeat (especially because Percy and Annabeth seem Extra Off), and the Wednesday that Dean dies and then stays dead for four months is really fucking weird bc the demigods are just like, they know that nothing they do now is gonna stick they can feel it and Gaea and the Giants have like, stopped pulling shit so they’re just like wtf is going on. Then the world resets again and Percabeth has just fallen into Tartarus and off we go to continue the story. The demigods can sense that whatever was going on is over now and they hustle to get back to work.  

Percabeth did not get reset because Tartarus works different and is beyond the reach and powers of a trickster (even if said trickster is actually the archangel Gabriel in disguise) so they were falling for longer than is canon and then spent a lot longer down there than in canon bc I’m a sadist <3 so the Percy and Annabeth that the rest of the seven interacted with on each reset were just illusions repeating canned lines.

(I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is my au and I can fuck with the timelines if I want to, so I am. Does it make sense? No. Do I care? Also no. I'm just having fun, don't think about any of it too hard.)

Now begins The Horrors.

Percabeth is in Tartarus dealing with The Horrors for like, a year. Between the topside Mystery Spot resets not affecting the Pit and time working differently down there anyway, it’s a long ass time for them. Tartarus is Large, it takes a long time to traverse its expanse. They suffer through drinking the fire water and trying desperately to stay alive to make it to the Doors. It’s been months and they’ve both started to lose themselves a little to the nature of the Pit. Percy is a little more vicious when cutting down monsters, Annabeth is a little slower to reign him in. It’s . . . almost easier down there. It’s all cut a dry. It’s just kill or be killed. It’s us or them. There is nothing but fight and kill and stay alive and always keep moving. It’s simple.  

Bob shows up and it’s a reminder that there’s more out there, a reminder of who they were and what they’re fighting for when they had begun to forget that there had ever been anything other than Hell. They regain a little bit of who they were before the Fall.  

The arai fuck shit up real bad lmao. They fight and get cursed and then Annabeth is blinded and she can’t find Percy and Percy is enraged. He stops caring about anything but getting to her, he doesn’t care about all the curses he is taking on, he can’t feel the pain of them anymore. The arai fall all around him with every swing of his sword. The curses pile up and still he doesn’t stop. They mean nothing in the face of his rage and desperation to get back to Annabeth’s side.  

And then it happens. He cuts down an arai and then he’s on the ground. Annabeth is still calling for him and the arai are laughing at him. The curse of Phineas, they cackle. A slow, painful death for the son of Poseidon who has caused so much suffering and pain; it is fitting.  

Percy is in unbearable pain; his blood is boiling in his veins and his skin is sloughing off his bones. His head is pounding and throbbing and he thinks it might explode. His muscles are burning and tearing themselves apart as his bones liquify. He knows that he is dying and fears that he won’t. Still he tries to get up, tries to stand and continue fighting. He refuses to go out without a fight, and he refuses to leave Annabeth to suffer the nightmares of this place alone.  

He manages to get back to his feet, although he has no idea how, and he has not the strength to lift his sword, barely the strength to grip it. And so he lunges, ripping the arai apart with hands and teeth as he burns, everything burning burning burning. But Annabeth is always just out of reach and his strength cannot last forever. He goes down. His vision is fading and he can’t tell if he’s breathing, he’s not even sure he has lungs to breathe with anymore. With the last of his strength he turns his gaze to the vaguely silver outline of where Bob is standing off to the side and prays. He begs with the shredded remains of his deteriorating mind for Bob to keep Annabeth safe. He apologizes for never visiting, for being a bad friend.  

And then the lights go out and Percy knows that this is it. He has a moment to wonder if his soul will remain trapped in Tartarus for all eternity or if it will manage to escape. With his luck, he doubts it.  

Bob moves, then. He clears away the arai and grabs Annabeth before she walks off the cliff. He heals her and carries her over to where Percy is lying still on the ground. Annabeth begs Bob to help him, cradles him in her arms and tells him that he can’t die, he can’t leave her to find the Doors alone, she needs him. Bob tries to heal him.  

Percy is a gruesome sight. He’s bleeding from a hundred different wounds, one of his legs looks broken and there is bone sticking out of his arm. He’s covered in blood and bruises and burns and he’s far too cold.  

Bob manages to fix most of the wounds and heals the broken bones. But the gorgon’s blood poison is beyond his abilities to take care of. They head to Damasen’s.  

Annabeth is wary, but desperate, and Bob is holding Percy so she had no choice but to follow.  

Damasen helps them, albeit reluctantly. Percy slowly gets better. Annabeth is thankful for the weeks of rest they get at Damasen’s hut while Percy recovers. Eventually, however, Percy is as healed as he is going to get in Tartarus, where the very air they breathe is slowly killing them, and they need to move on.  

It’s slow progress, heading towards the lady Bob says can help them with the death mist stuff, but they make it. Bob couldn’t come with them all the way, but he promised to meet them afterwards.  

And then Misery herself shows up and she is going to kill them. After everything else they’ve been through, after everything else they’ve done to get this far, they’re going to die at the hands of a sniveling, whining old hag? No.  

Percy is angry. He is furious. He wrests control of the poison from her and reverses its flow. He grabs hold of her tears and snot and saliva and forces it back, making her sob harder and it only gives him more to work with. Annabeth stands back and watches.  

Percy sees just how much misery Misery can take. She is begging him to let her go and he can’t help but laugh. It’s pitiful, how quickly she’s given in, given up. That cracked glass orb somewhere in the core of him shatters. And all of a sudden, he can feel. He can sense the congestion rattling in her lungs and the ichor pumping through her veins.  

He wants to grab hold of it, grab hold of everything in her and make her scream. He wants to make her feel even a fraction of the pain that he and Annabeth have had to endure down here.  

But then Annabeth’s ghoulish hand is on his arm and he turns to look at her and her eyes are sharp, even from beneath the guise of the death mist, and she shakes her head. He tilts his, asking, are you sure? He can kill this goddess, he is suddenly certain of this fact, and he would, if Annabeth told him to. She shakes her head again.  

He clears a path and lets Misery go.  

Nyx is frightening, yes, but Percy can feel the ichor in her veins just as easily as he could in Misery’s. He is not as afraid as he knows he should be.  

They survive the House of Night and make it to the other side intact.  

Percy can sense Annabeth’s heart pounding as they run, can feel her blood pumping and it makes his head throb, but they don’t have time for him to think about it, so he shoves it to the back of his mind and carries on.  

They meet up with Bob. Percy can almost hear the ichor in his veins and he can sense every movement Bob is about to make, can feel his muscles tense and stretch.  

They make it to the Doors and Percy can hardly think over the sound of all the blood pumping within the horde of monsters before them. It echoes in his head, gallons of blood and ichor roaring in his ears. He stumbles and Annabeth catches him. He can’t hear her worried questions over the pounding in his head.  

He gets it under control.  

They make it to the Doors and cut one chain. They fight. Tartarus himself appears.  

Percy drops his sword. He claps his hands over his ears and screams. He can feel it now, the body of Tartarus coming to life beneath their feet; the rivers of the Underworld flow through his veins, monsters writhe around in pustules on his skin. They stand atop the thunderous beating of his massive heart.  

Percy can feel it all and he can feel his mind begin to fray at the immensity of it, at the truth of the Pit. Mortal minds were not meant to bear this reality.  

Annabeth is kneeling in front of him (he doesn’t remember hitting the ground) and her hands are covering his over his ears and she’s trying to talk to him but all he can hear is the rushing of the rivers beneath Tartarus’ skin. Bob is fighting off monsters and his brothers as the manifestation of Tartarus watches from the sidelines. Damasen is there (when did he get here? Percy’s mind is fracturing, he can’t think straight, he can’t keep track of what’s going on) and Percy blinks and Damasen has thrown himself at Tartarus and Annabeth is trying to haul him into the Doors.  

Percy tries to speak but he can’t seem to make his voice work. They need to stay, to help their friends. They can’t leave Bob and Damasen behind.  

Annabeth is crying.  

Percy reaches up to wipe the tears from her cheeks and tries to focus only on her, tries to block out the body of Tartarus and the horde of monsters.  

Suddenly, Bob is there, scooping them up and depositing them in the elevator. “The button must be held for twelve minutes or else the Doors will open and you will die, trapped within whatever lies between here and the surface.”  

Annabeth tries to protest. Percy can barely make out what Bob is saying.  

“I will hold the button,” Bob says. “Thank you, friends, for giving us hope.” He glances over his shoulder at where Damasen and his drakon are holding off the tide of monsters and trying to keep Tartarus at bay. “We will do this for you, and we are honored to. You must hold the Doors closed on your side. They do not like the living and will try to spit you out.”  

Bob presses the button and the Doors begin to slide closed. “Please tell the sun and stars I say hello,” he says with a soft smile, and the Doors shut.  

It’s a long, long ride back to the surface. Annabeth and Percy throw their shoulders into the Doors, fighting to keep them closed. Annabeth sobs, but Percy still isn’t quite all there.  

The longer they’re in the elevator and the farther they get from the Pit, the more Percy begins to come back to himself. Annabeth watches the awareness slowly return to his eyes and his face crumple with despair as he regains his mind and can finally make sense of what just happened.  

They mourn, but they keep the Doors closed.  

Above, the whole thing with Pasiphae and Clytius is happening. The Doors ding. Leo throws a screwdriver to hit the button.  

The Doors slide open.  

Percy and Annabeth tumble out, still clinging to each other even as they collapse.  

They look dead.  

Clytius uses them to speak and everyone is pissed off, then Hazel and Hecate kill him <3  

Percy and Annabeth are alive, but only just. And they’re out. Nico and Hazel kneel on either side of them. Nico reaches out to clutch at the tattered remains of Percy’s shirt and Hazel grabs hold of Annabeth’s wrist.  

The others gather around and hold hands. Nico and Hazel shadow travel them all out of there.  

In the light, it’s worse.  

Reyna and Coach Hedge meet them on the hilltop and freeze. Hedge starts cursing up a storm and Reyna chokes back bile. Leo turns around and throws up. Frank gags. Hazel sobs and Nico feels like he can’t breathe. Piper turns and buries her head in Jason’s chest. He wraps his arms around her tightly but can’t bring himself to look away from Percy and Annabeth.  

They’re horrifyingly thin, emaciated. The tattered remnants of their clothes hang off their skeletal frames. Their skin was pale and sallow, their cheeks sunken. Their chests rattled with each shallow, labored breath. They were covered in cuts and bruises, weeping lacerations and half-healed scabs littering their skin beneath layers of dirt and grime and other nasty substances.  

The others wondered just how long Percy and Annabeth had been down there.  

Jason gently lifts Percy into his arms and flies him to the ship, Frank right behind him as a dragon with Annabeth carefully cradled in his claws.  

Reyna, Hedge, and Nico leave with the Athena Parthenos.  

Percy and Annabeth are settled in two beds in the small infirmary on the Argo II to rest. No one knows when (if) they’ll wake up. Someone is always with them, though. Be it Hazel gently wiping the grime from their skin or Piper carefully cleaning their wounds, Jason dribbling nectar between their cracked lips or Frank doing some physical therapy exercises to try and keep their muscles from atrophying any further.  

The boat was quiet and tense, everyone waiting with bated breath for Percy and Annabeth to wake up.  

And eventually, they did. 

[bugthebugsblog]

hey everyone! i’ve been feeling a lot of negativity in the fandom lately and wanted to make a quick appreciation post especially for some of the ask blogs that we have now! excuse me if i miss any, and if i do please let me know and i’ll add it on :D

1. @jalph-speaks i may be a little biased on this one because mack is the mod, but i’ve always enjoyed how the storyline of this blog keeps so many people invested. it’s without a doubt one of my favourite ask blogs in the fandom, truly a godsend

2. @adventures-of-maurice another one of my favourite ask blogs in the fandom. i love the storyline with the ring and with maurice and sam’s past friendship.

3. @wavesovergraves i LOVE this blog so much, kara (the mod) is so sweet and the art is amazing. i love the way she writes all the characters and how we interact with them in return.

4. @ask-the-feral-boys i love how this blog is based on the island, and how each of the boys can respond to our asks. i think it’s really smart how it’s been confirmed that the boys think the asks are just voices in the head. it makes a lot of sense with how they’re mental states have to be declining over time on the island

5. @thief-and-bloody-swine this blog is run by two wonderful artists, i literally cant get over how amazing both of their art styles are plus i always love high school au’s with the boys

6. @naval-officer-x-parachute-man i don’t even have to say anything. this ship is literally GENIUS.

7. @lotf-dance-au HDHRHRHRHHRHR THIS MIGHT BE MY FAVOUROTE ASK BLOG IM NGL i LOVE seeing the art of the boys dancing it’s just sO GOOD

8. @ask-lotf-high another amazing high school au with some amazing creators. i love seeing the art on this blog, it’s just beautiful

9. @lord-of-the-clue i’m personally getting to help with this blog along with mack and kara and it’s been so much fun. coming up with the lore and the different relationships has been awesome, so i wanna thank these two especially for letting me help with this

10. @ask-the-lotf-boys this is another au with the boys on the island. it just recently got started and i’m already in love with it. i love the overall vibe of the au and i love how it’s centered around the hunters

11. @lord-of-the-mermaids this also recently just got started and it’s already so cool???? i never thought of an au like this but i’m enjoying reading some of the asks so much

12. @lord-of-the-summer-camp this is another really cool concept!! i love how so many creators are coming up with these ideas and giving the rest of the fandom an oppourtunity to interact with them

13. @lovely-dead-children this is another blog where i really love the overall vibe, it’s got a very cool aesthetic and i always love post-island aus

14. @ask-lotf-simon this is my own blog (my bad 🤭🤭) but we always need a lil self appreciation 😤😤💪 it’s the first lotf au ask blog ive done and ive already gotten a lot of asks and it’s really great that people are showing interest

anyways, i know that i kinda ended up rambling but i’m just really passionate about all these blogs. i think it’s important that we show these creators support because they’re making all this effort to make this fandom a better place for all of us!

[jess-moloney-malarkey]

Long anon from the 13th & 17th back. I’ll just sign off with “🖤” from now on so I don’t have to announce that. 😂

The nut jobs (one anon) over on the other blog are bent outta shape over if Jamie will post something for Sam’s birthday today. Like it’s really not that serious.

I wouldn’t hold my breath on Jamie (or Jess for that matter) posting for Sam’s birthday. Jamie didn’t last year and no one was torn up about it. Him not sharing a story wouldn’t “be a big sign things are not OK” as the anon said. I’ve literally never in 20 some odd years said “happy birthday” to my sibling online, yet always called them to say it. I don’t think it’s an issue. I don’t think it’d be “worrying” as the hate blog replied either. I’d start worrying if March fifth comes and it’s silence from him. If he’s silent on his sober date, then we should be more worried than we already are.

Also 👏👏👏 for you on handling yourself with the other blog today. I personally have sent her multiple asks about different things knowing they’re not her opinion and she doesn’t publish them. Some not even too far off from her opinion. Maybe her blog started as genuine concerns for Jamie, but it’s a hate blog that she gets off on the power trip from. She talks a lot about Jess being a narcissist, but narcissists get off on being in power and feeling superior. Both of which we know the woman behind the hate blog does.

As I’ve sent you before, I’m not a Jess stan. Plenty of things don’t add up with her. But, the hate blog comes up with the most heinous stuff that then trickles through the fandom because so many people take her word as law. She spends the majority of her days “researching” and trying to debunk whatever she hyper-fixates on with Jess. The obsession couldn’t be any clearer.

The nonalcoholic drinks thing has gotten way too big. I genuinely don’t think the hate blog’s been a fan of Jamie for longer than Stranger Things because I think majority of people in his fandom have known for years that he’s drank nonalcoholic drinks. Long before Jess, Ruby and Matilda. Hard to argue the man’s been so heavily influenced by three (not counting Lily) girlfriends that they somehow force him to drink nonalcoholic drinks that MAY have small traces of alcohol. Also love that you pointed out multiple people have always drank alcohol around him including his family. They literally always have. A point I brought up to the hate blog that she never published. Some recovering alcoholics don’t find it triggering and he obviously doesn’t. Jamie’s a grown man. He knows his limits.

Sorry I always send long asks.

— 🖤

Hello again! No worries about the long asks!

They also were so hung up on the fact that on Jamie's birthday, Sam wasn't seated DIRECTLY next to Jamie at that party lol. Which, the party itself was a whole other big thing for them that I'm not even going to get into... But anyway, their fixation on social media posts is wild. As if there's only one way for people to communicate and it's through Instagram stories. Jess is always damned if she posts anything, damned if she doesn't post something. If Jamie posts, it's either a cry for help or because Jess forced him to post something. If he doesn't post, Jess is holding his socials hostage and isolating him. There's no pleasing them.

The obsession is astounding though, for sure. Imagine what they could accomplish if they spent this same amount of time on something actually productive.

It feels like they're not even a fan of Jamie really. They just have such a negative view of him in this shadow of Jess.

[mischiefxmuses]

Okay so mini event - My Bloody Valentines Day plotting/starter call. 

In this post I’ll lay out who they are paired with (will be updated on the 3rd when the random pairings get done). Pre paired plots are being discussed but this is sort of how they are reacting the the event and the magic. (I will add fc in case they are a doppleganger for plots.) Plot ideas are not the only plots. They are just ideas. 

(death, violence, flashing gif, weapons, blood, fire tw)

Like for plotting

comment for starter (with the muse you’d like the starter for)

if there is a line through it that means that plot has been filled.

Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower) - Random Pairing with Sharon Carter (4/4) - Eddie, Daniela, Eleven, Stitch

Henry will fully embrace the magic and the chaos. He will not try and fight it. If anything he will lean into the feeling of anger and aggression. He thrives on chaos. He will not be helping, he will add fuel to the fire. He has no interest in his date anyway. Why not make their life hell?

plot ideas: someone to cause chaos with, he is likely to unalive someone or injure someone, minor injuries

Angel (David Corenswet) - Paired with Buffy (1/4) - Buffy

Imagine soulless angel, this will likely be him but he will be fighting it tooth and nail. The episode where he is tormented by visions of his victims. He will be on constant battle with himself. He won’t be fully soulless but it will be a fight between the two. Angel vs. Angelus. He will try to help those who need him while wanting to stay away from Buffy to not hurt her. He does not want to even come close to hurting her or risking her. He would chain himself up before he let himself near her. But he is very susceptible to magic.

plot ideas: helping him to stay away from buffy, someone he might bite or hurt in his rage, minor/major injuries, a full on fight, someone he saves

Billy Loomis (Thomas Doherty) - Random Pairing with Na Ji Na (1/4) - Josh 

Oh you’re not ready for this little shit. He’s embracing the chaos. He has a history for trying to murder partners so why not now? He is embracing ghostface, will probably wear the mask and just go nuts. He doesn’t care. (Except Sam. If he catches wind that she’s been hurt then he will lose it even more.) Its almost like the purge for him. 

plot ideas: minor/major injuries, someone he kills or hurts, any sort of victim, chaos buddies. 

Charles Xavier (James Mccavoy) - Paired with Ororo (1/4) - Elliot 

What if Charles was a villain. Bloody dangerous this man. He will have moments of clarity and not wanting to do what he is doing because he is strong. He might be the only one of mine to be able to snap himself out of it. But have a bit of villain charles first. In those moments of clarity he will help if possible. But he might switch quickly back to villain with his abilities being so in tune with everyone else.

plot ideas: minor injuries. someone who gets injured by him, someone who is with him when he snaps back and forth, someone keeping him away from Ororo. 

Cleo Mckinnon (Claire Holt) - Paired with Thor (0/4)

Cleo is not winning a fight against the god of thunder. Even with the magic she is smarter than that. So she might try and outwit him. She will not be fully bad, knowing that she does not want to hurt him. She will want to stay away from him as to protect them both. She doesn’t think she’d be strong enough to fight it. 

plot ideas: minor/major injuries, people she helps, people to keep her away from thor, death eaters she might join up with and cause a little chaos, doppleganger plots

Cordelia Goode (Jessica Chastain) - Paired with Alastor (0/4)

Supreme Witch Bitch. Magic that makes her a killer, not great. She’s got so much power at her command that if she thinks she wants to do something she will. She is likely to be hyper aware that she doesn’t want to hurt Alastor but it will be heart vs. mind. The magic of the event has her mind but in her heart she won’t want to harm Alastor. She will be very unpredictable. 

plot ideas: minor/major injuries, people she helps, someone she might ask to lock her up to keep her from Alastor, jessica chastain doppleganger plots

Dream (Tom Sturrige) - Randomly paired with Max Lightwood (1/4) - Max

If he is randomly paired, good luck. The king of dreams is not someone you want hunting you or trying to unalive you. He will be very susceptible to the magic. He will try to help others but will hyper fixate on his goal. 

If he isn’t. Then he will helping those who need him where possible. He could easily say he’s not getting involved in human affairs but with all the chaos and pain happening he would feel obligated. 

plot ideas: Minor injuries, unaliving someone, protecting people, he can send muses into a sleep if they don’t want to kill their partner 

Fleur Delacour Weasley (Amanda Seyfried) - Not affected - (1/4) - Vic

Her and Bill are going to try and stay out of it. Stay at home. Lock the door and not get involved. But of course she will be worried for her children. Worried about how long it will be like this. What is happening.

plot ideas: offering refuge for someone, helping someone, helping her look for he children, getting caught in crossfire 

Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) - Paired with Will Graham (0/4)

Galadriel has been toying the line between good and evil for a while now. So this is what she might look like if she had agreed to be at Sauron’s side. She will be fighting hard against it. With all her will and might to not hurt someone she cares about. But she might be pushed over the edge into villain Galadriel. 

plot ideas: someone to lock her up to prevent her from hurting will on her request, someone she helps protect, bad influences 

Harwin Strong (Colin O’Donoghue) - Paired with Rhaenrya Targaryen (0/4)

Harwin would fall on his own sword before hurting Rhaenyra. So he will be doing everything he can to fight it. Knowing how aggressive he can be and his skill set. He will be fighting the magic with every fibre of his being. He does not want to hurt them.

plot ideas: someone he asks to lock him up to not hurt anyone, someone he saves, someone he asks to kill him or knock him out so he can’t hurt rhaenyra

Hunter (Jason Momoa) - Paired with Rowena Ravenclaw (3/4) Heron, Rowena. Helena

Hunter has been trained to kill, what if order 66 had worked on him and he just became a ruthless fighter. Emotionless and set on one goal. “Good Soldiers follow orders.” He has a good hard and will have moments of clarity and fighting back but he will be very soldier on mission most of the time. 

plot ideas: adelaide kane doppleganger plot, minor injuries, someone he gets into a fight with, someone he saves (he is still a good person just has a mission), someone who joins him on his mission

Iorveth (Austin Butler) - Random pairing with Luke Skywalker (1/4) - Luke Skywalker

There was a reason that Iorveth was feared back at home. Because he can be ruthless and uncaring. If he has his heart set on something he intends to see it through and it is very hard to waver him from his path. It takes a lot of convincing. Lethal. 

plot ideas: someone he saves, someone who joins him on his hunt, minor injury, someone he injures 

Jorah Mormont (Aaron Tveit) - Paired with Daeneyrs Targaryen (0/4)

Like Harwin, Jorah’s loyalty is so strong that in moments of clarity he would want to take himself out in order to protect his queen. He will try and help people where he can. Wanting to stay away from Daenerys. He will be looking for Drogon as well to make sure he is safe.

plot ideas: Someone he asks to kill him or severely injure him to protect daenerys, minor/major injury, someone he helps and protects, someone helping him to find his son

Kirby Reed (Penelope Mitchell) - Paired with Randy Meeks (2/4) - Randy, Jill

What if Kirby had picked up the ghostface mask? She is going to lose touch with the kind and lovable kirby and be incredibly dangerous. All bets are off. She is set on Randy needing to die. She will see it through. Don’t get in her way. Final girl. Done. She does still have her medical training so can help people.

plot ideas: someone who gets in her way, someone to pair up with, someone she helps, penelope mitchell doppleganger plots

Loki Laufeyson (Tom Hiddleston) - Paired with Diana Prince (2/4) - Diana, Natasha

One thing to say about Loki is he is very goal orientated. He cares about Diana a lot and lost her once, unsure he can bare it again. But he does not want to be controlled by anyone or anything ever again after what Thanos did to him. He will be fighting the magic tooth and nail. Will he succumb to the magic and be a killer once again or does Loki get to be a hero? 

plot ideas: someone he helps, he can create an illusion of someone’s victim that they can ‘kill’?, someone to help him stay away from Diana, someone he might hurt on accident in one of his switches

Xavier Thorpe (Grant Gustin) - Paired with Wednesday Addams (0/4)

Its a game right? Trying to kill your date? It’s just sort of how it works with Wednesday right? To him its a game. Like tag almost. He wants to win the game. His paintings are coming to life around him because of the lack of control he has over his abilities

plot ideas: people he convinces to join in on the game to find wednesday, someone hurt by one of his paintings coming to life, jenna ortega dopplegangers, grant gustin dopplegangers

Peter Hale (Ben Barnes) - Paired with Beverly Marsh (2/4) - Beverly, Tatum

Peter Hale is one dangerous son of a bitch. The last thing he wants to do is to hurt Bev. But he will almost be full werewolf mode a lot of the time. He will want to be kept away from her because he knows if he is allowed near her he will kill her. And he cannot do that, no matter how much the magic makes him want to. Be ready for fights with him because he will fight back even if he has asked to be kept away from Beverly the magic will make him fight to get at her. 

plot ideas: someone who chains him up to stay away from beverly, someone he unalives in his rage, minor/major injuries, abigail cowen dopplegangers, an alpha he unalives and becomes an alpha

Rabastan Lestrange (Daniel Gillies) - Paired with Cissy Black (0/4)

Bash is evil, straight up he will fight anyone. But he refuses to hurt Cissy. He promised himself that he would never let any harm come to her and if he is that danger he will do what he can to remove himself. He might try and distract himself by causing chaos elsewhere but he will be dangerous, hoping that violence elsewhere might prevent him from wanting to hurt the woman he loves. 

plot ideas: someone who locks him up to prevent him from hurting cissy, someone to cause chaos to distract him, someone he injures/unalives, major/minor injuries, someone he tortures

Satine Kryze (Nicole Kidman) - Paired with Obi Wan Kenobi (0/4)

So long pacifist Satine. She has gone fully back to her youth of being a mandalorian fighter. The one who got the job done. She will be dangerous, there was a reason she put down her blaster and became a politician because when she fired her blaster, someone died. It is mind vs heart again. She could never imagine wanted to hurt her dearest friend. So she will do what she can to stay away from him because she has a good heart. 

plot ideas: someone she requests to keep her away from Obi Wan, someone she helps, someone she over refuge too, someone she injures, minor/major injuries

Silco (Tom Ellis) - Paired with Sarra Palpatine (2/4) Gwen, Jinx

Silco does not want to go after Sarra, surprisingly he quite enjoys her company and does not want her dead. But the magic... he will be fighting back as much as possible to not hurt her. He knows how dangerous he can be when he is set on a goal and will see it through. He will be fighting tooth and nail to not hurt her, that anger might lash out at others though. He doesn’t want to be a villain. He will also be looking for Jinx and Tyler. Make sure she is alright and safe. And to make sure Tyler is alright. 

plot ideas: someone he requests to lock him up, someone he injures, someone he helps, someone who helps him look for his daughter, someone he lashes out at

Sion Val Palpatine (Brenton Thwaites) - Paired with Ciri (2/4) Samara, Sarra

He is my sweet boy!! Stop hurting my sweet boy!! Sion has a good heart, he doesn’t want to hurt anyone but he also is Cosinga’s son and Sheev’s little brother meaning he has the capacity for a lot of anger and aggression. He will have moments of clarity in his rage where he will be completely broken and scared of himself. He does not want to hurt Ciri, he likes her. But he is also worried about losing a sibling again with everything happening. 

plot ideas: florence pugh dopplegangers, someone who finds a very injured sion, someone he helps, someone who is with him when he snaps in and out of it, someone who saves him

Tenel Ka Djo (Katherine Mcnamara) - Paired with Jacen Solo (0/4)

What if Tenel Ka Djo went sith? That is it really. She still has a good heart but she is a fighter. She will not let anyone get in the way of her making sure her daughter is alright (if she cannot find her she might be convinced that its Caedus in front of her and not Jacen who did something to Allana). She will help others still but might be quite set on not letting Caedus hurt her family again. 

plot ideas: someone who helps her look for Allana, Jacob Elordi Dopplegangers, minor/major injuries, someone she helps

Thea Queen (Willa Holland) - Randomly Paired with lillian deville (0/4) 

She was bloodthirsty once, she will be bloodthirsty again. She doesn’t care about her partner, they have to die. It’s that simple in her mind and she will see it through. She might cause some trouble along the way but no one tells her what to do. 

plot ideas: someone who causes a little chaos  with her, willa holland doppleganger plot, someone she saves, someone she hurts, minor/major injury

Toothless (Joseph Quinn) Not participating 

 Thank goodness he’s not because he could be very dangerous if put into a position where his instinct was back on to just kill. So he will be helping others. Using his powers to protect. He will also be looking for his daughter and Light to make sure they are okay. 

Plot ideas: joseph quinn doppleganger plots, minor injuries, someone he saves, someone who helps him look for his family, someone he offers refuge too

Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalorta) - Paired with Geralt of Rivia - (2/4) - Ciri, Geralt 

Yen has just got Geralt back. She does not want to hurt him so she will do what she can to stay away from him, she will be constantly fluctuating between control and wanting to kill Geralt especially when around him. She does have a good heart and does want to help instead of destroy. But if she loses herself completely it could end with a lot of fire. 

plot ideas: someone she saves, someone she hurts, minor/major injury, a member of the white house she is protecting, 

Ygritte (Lindsey Morgan) - Paired with Jon Snow (1/4) - Jon

She loves Jon, of course she does but she is aggressive and a fighter. She will fall victim to the magic easily and just want to hunt Jon down. Her hunter instincts will take over and she will be goal orientated. Causing some chaos and destruction in her way. 

plot ideas: someone she saves, someone to cause chaos with her, minor/major injury, someone to help her hunt

[demenior]

i'm sorry, SAMNADO??? all i can think of is a sharknado but it is full of sams

Check my list of current wips here and send me a title and I’ll post a bit or share some details about it.

You're not that far off lmao. Sam's on a mission, blowing into town and on the hunt for some answers.

(everyone in this scene is from season 8)

--

Sam’s not going to get anywhere if Stan is going to be difficult. The humidity covers the brief drop in temperature as Sam sends out a little point of energy from his demonic garden. For old times’ sake, he reforms it into the shape of a snake.

Easy enough to slither under Stan’s defenses, and find an opening that Sam can push into. Sam waits, lets his energy cut into Stan’s aura enough to burrow in like an infection, before he asks.

“So why Bandera?”

Easy enough now, to open the cut and push the hostility back, to let Stan’s love for Amelia bleed through. It overcomes his wariness and makes him drop his guard. If there’s one thing Sam’s learned, magic or not, it’s always easiest to manipulate someone when they’re friendly with you. 

[paragraphs cuts for length]

“The last time you talked— did she sound… off?” Sam asks.

“Did she sound like she was about to disappear?” Stan clarifies. His shoulders come up like he’s ready for a fight. The barbed wire in his soul starts coiling up again.

“I want to help,” Sam insists, “I don’t believe in coincidence, but there has to be a reason I’m here now. The police aren’t helping, so let me help find her.”

“She has a husband,” Stan reminds him, tone as heavy as a door being closed.

“She’s missing,” Sam stresses, and he needs a push of legitimacy so he adds, “my brother’s— Cas, he, uh, he’s a journalist. He’s good at finding people. And putting shit together. We can help.”

Stan must be at the end of his rope, because he stops fighting. He drops his shoulders. His barbed wire aura grows slack again. Sam’s infection can keep spreading, searching for the right hold to give Sam enough persuasion over Stan.

“They live in town?” Sam pushes.

Stan shakes his head, “No, no. A little out— closer to the falls. I can, I can take you there in the morning. I’ve been staying at the motel, for the wifi. And so she can call me, you know, when…”

Sam nods along, “Yeah. Okay. And you don’t— do you think she left? Or…”

The paper cup crumples in Stan’s hands. Old coffee spills over onto the table, “I don’t know,” he confesses, “I don’t know where my daughter is, or if something awful has happened. Don’s with her, and I have to hope for the best. Cause I don’t— I don’t know what to do if…”

“We’re gonna find her,” Sam promises, “now, can I grab her address? For Cas. I’ll get him to start doing some research on the area, to see if anything comes up, okay?”

Stan is hesitant— guys like him like keeping their information close. Sam gives him a small nudge, just a gentle click of his tongue, one note, to help push him. His infection, the invasive species, slithers deeper into Stan’s aura. It’s not elegant, but it will work. Sam’s got a hold on him.

“Of course,” Stan agrees, “whatever you need.”

Dean and Cas join them with fresh coffees for everyone, and food. They’ve been eating buc-ees jerky and trail mix for hours, so a warm veggie burger is the best thing Sam’s eaten all day. Dean doles out the food and drinks while Sam catches them up with the conversation and Cas’ new career as a journalist.

Cas immediately crawls out of his body to inspect Sam’s work. He’s always curious about Sam’s powers— Sam weaves and sings like a maniac, as Cas has described, but it’s because he’s a human with grace who leaned angel singing from a demon. So far Sam thinks he’s doing okay.

“A journalist?” Dean repeats, and glares at Sam before putting on his charming smile, “yeah, yeah. Cas is a total nerd. Loves getting into the details of stuff. I always thought he should be like, a detective, for how nosy he is. If there’s anything weird, Cas will find out. Isn’t that right, Cas? Cas?”

Cas is too absorbed in Sam’s spell, and forgets to animate his vessel. Sam spins his energy into a snake head, to leap out of Stan’s aura and snap at him.

The vessel blinks in surprise. The head moves, but Cas doesn’t move any of the limbs. It’s kinda funny how he thinks he can pass as a person.

“Sorry. I am… tired,” Cas lies.

Outside of the vessel, Sam sees Cas’ form spin like a funnel cloud. He’s not happy about the jump scare.

“Tired, but you’re used to running on coffee,” Dean leads.

“Of course,” Cas agrees, “I love coffee.”

He takes a sip and immediately grimaces. Cas shoots Dean a betrayed look.

“No! Don’t spit it out!” Dean orders. Cas swallows like he's drinking battery acid.

“There’s no love in this,” Cas whines.

Dean rolls his eyes, but takes Cas’ coffee from him, “Yeah, yeah. Cream and sugar, coming up.”

At Stan’s incredulous look, Cas calmly explains, “Most food is only palatable if Dean adds some love to it.”

“Anything else you can tell us?” Sam prompts Stan, “did Amelia mention anything about neighbors? Coworkers? Any new friends or people she didn’t like?”

Sam twists his snake, pushing deeper into Stan. He’s so close to getting him to unlock. Stan takes a second to talk, blinking slowly and staring into space.

“Well, uh, like I said earlier, the house is far… remote. Neighbors are pretty far…” Stan trails off.

Cas’ funnel cloud spins closer to ruffle Sam’s hair with a low bass tone, just a warning bite, that makes Sam’s foot cramp and his demonic garden shrink back into his skin. His hold on his infection slips, and Cas yanks it out like he’s sucking up instant noodles. Sam glares at Cas’ vessel, only to find Cas is glaring back at him. Sam must have done something wrong.

Stan gives his head a small shake.

“Did you just get into town?” Stan wonders, sounding more awake.

[use-your-telescope]

So I wanted to take a second to share my gratitude for the kind words and positive response to the snippet I shared yesterday - I had no idea what to expect when I hit “post” and the fact that even one person was like “hell yeah I’m interested” was more than I anticipated? It was definitely a big reassurance to know this story that I’ve obsessed over for a year and a half at this point might be enjoyed by more than just myself…

Although I should confess that there is a solid amount of angst in the fic (at a few points it gets pretty heavy) and I might have misled by starting with a funny scene. I’m going to share a few more snippets in the coming days so stay tuned… Maybe at some point I’ll share a snippet from a heavier scene to balance things out 😅

Anyways, among the responses, I was asked if I have a tag list — I didn’t before, but now I do! I added the folks who replied/reblogged and requested to be added, but if you want to be added and didn’t previously say so just send me an ask and I’ll add you.

In addition, I thought it might be fun to open up for fic requests! I’m most comfortable writing Loki, and I’m more than willing to give Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson a try (I’ve never written from their perspective but the two are fairly present in my long fic). Genre-wise, I’m open to anything but I would say my specialties are fluff, hurt/comfort, angst, and whump. I’m happy to give smut a shot, but I haven’t written that much smut in my life so I don’t want to make any promises that it would be good 😅 😅 if there’s a quote, a song, a scenario - whatever tickles your fancy! - feel free to send it my way and I’ll see what I can do!

Tagging the folks who have mentioned wanting to be added to a tag list: @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @thedistractedagglomeration @lokisgoodgirl @simplyholl @mochie85 @coldnique @lokixryss @gigglingtigger @cheekyscamp

[1d1195]

Bestie genuinely I love your series!! Of course if YOU need the break to keep your sanity then please do so! I think you know by now I’ll love and gobble up anything you put out!

Teenagers are a whole specialty that I fear I’m not equipped yet HAHAH but yes I would love to share anything that comes into my head!! Also bestie update on that hot TA… this man came to class a bit late and Sam he had his shirt unbuttoned in way where there was so much skin?! Like my mind was going a bit crazy 😭

You’re so real for saying that about your mom lol I’m kinda the same now with my mom, like I just need an opinion sometimes 😭 and not you loving turtle necks all of a sudden hahah but I support a hair change if it’s something you genuinely want and not because people say you need it!!

Yes I do remember!! I’m also so in love with the moon too so I’ve definitely seen posts like that! But like bestie photos truly can’t ever capture the true beauty and essence of anything so like you’re just too powerful for a camera!!

Oh girl this is where we differ because I am a late sleeper if I am allowed!! 10 am for me is a good time to wake up if I don’t have anything to do lol but yeah this is the first time where I have a Monday off and Friday! Though Fridays are a bit more busy for me still lol

Anyways my week was so fucking tiring omg😭 I am SO tired idk if it’s a combo of physically being tired or socially lol also that 3 hour class I had… hell omg lol nothing super special happened and the weekend so far has just been me trying to recharge lol how was your week? Anything fun for the weekend? Is there a new book bf??

Okay now for my thoughts on honey… BESTIE WTF THE HONEY ENDING WAS SO PERFECT!!! Don’t even get me started omg😭😭 honestly thank fuck Cece was unharmed!!! Was so scared for her being in that closet!! And omg the whole sequence of her hallucinating harry and his voice saying sweet things to her to get out omg😭😭😭Sam that was such a good detail to add!!! It was giving the suspense that I needed!! Like in my head that was their soulmate bond connecting them ESPECIALLY WHEN HE FUCKING FOUND HER OUTSIDE😭😭😭 loved that Harry sobbed in the back seat on the way to the hospital because I can’t help but to love when men suffer 😌 now… BESTIE LITERALLY WAS NOT EXPECTING TO GET TO SEE CECE CALL HER MAMA IN THIS😭😭😭 I GASPED!!! In my heart I knew Cece would call her that but i genuinely didn’t think we would get it in the final part!! And omg I loved it because she truly is a mother to her 😭 and the love confession😭😭 Sam it was so them!! Idk I love how Harry said it and his little speech omg😭 HIM SAYING OUR BABY😭😭😭and I loved her talk with Niall! It really did give her the reassurance that she needed and it was so nice to see them interact like that! SAM THE ENDING WAS SO GOOD!!! I can see now why it was so hard for you to let them go because I’m having trouble too😭 This was such a good story like the twist at the end you gave was so prefect and it really got them to a point to confess their love for each other😭😭 you did amazing Sam!!!!

Hope your week was good and sending you so much love!!! Missed you lots!-💜

I don't want to say I never intend to write a series, but I kind of don't. It usually happens because I can't stop yapping so I gotta make a second (3rd, 4th, ... nth) part.

WHAT WAS THE REASON. THAT'S SO UNFAIR TO YOUR EDUCATION. How are you supposed to focus?! Alright I'm envisioning jealous mc trying to figure out why he's all unbuttoned but she can't say anything but even if she could she's all tongue tied about seeing his skin and tattoos. My best friend and I used to CRY about Harry's state of undress during interviews when he was into wearing button downs and sheer shirts that covered half a nipple at most.

I like the morning. It's usually quiet. Don't get me wrong I like the night too (see: the moon again). I just get so sleepy once the sun goes down 😭 Most people I surround myself with are mid-morning people and so I always get time to myself when I wake up earlier which as an introvert I really appreciate. I hope I don't sound judgy! I'm often envious of people who sleep late. I LOVE sleeping I don't get enough of it honestly. I've been trying to prioritize it for myself this school year but I get that revenge bedtime procrastination thing? I want to stay up late to do something I like after doing everything I'm supposed to all day. So I end up exhausted until the weekend until I can catch up.

No new book bf 😭 maybe this week. I read one chapter of my book and I think I'm getting a neighbors trope 😍 I should have read, but I didn't use all of my time weekend time wisely. I procrastinated lesson planning again but I got on a bit of a motivation kick and I only have two more lessons for this unit God bless. I wrote check-in updates for both Mon/Thurs. Keeping them a surprise 😊 I also did some more online retail therapy 😁 Old Navy Super Cash really gets me every time. Nothing particularly fun this weekend I got a wee bit sick. The last week of Sept/beginning of Oct is like my yearly cold. I know that elementary kids are sick all the time, but I thought my high schoolers would know how to blow their noses and use hand sanitizer and shit 🙄

I'm sorry you're so tired but I'm glad you're getting to recharge. That's always a good use of a weekend. SUCKS that the 3 hour class was hell. I was really hoping it would be interesting so it wouldn't drag. Maybe it'll get better over the term? 🤞

Oh yes, I wasn't going to torture a baby 😭 I'm not THAT insane 😂 I seriously thought the hallucination was going to be stupid as fuck so I'm glad it didn't seem that way after all. I also love a suffering man 🤭 I love making Harry cry (so maybe I am THAT insane?) I'm so glad you loved it. I'm slowly getting over them now that you've all read the final part. I'm hoping I can move in my new faves into position soon 🥰 let's hope I can stay on one storyline (and that I finish these two lessons so I can write after work!)

LOVE YOU! 💕

xoxo

[questinwitchface]

So I have about 45 WIPs right now (about 30 of them are technically fully written, just awaiting that final editing pass and post). So I apologize if my answer gets long, but there are a couple I wanted to talk about because they're close to being done and should be posted soonish (like within the next couple months).

First, the thing I'm probably most excited about: my 31 Days of Halloween event! Around the end of March, I enlisted the help of my beta reader, a friend, and my partner to help me come up with a list of Halloween-related prompts to write fics for, and every day in October, I'll be posting a new fic until Halloween arrives. The fics are mostly SamBucky with some other ships. I'll be sharing more about it as October gets closer, sorry I can't really share more right now. I don't want to confuse people into thinking this is a fan event or something when it's really just a personal challenge for myself.

Second, Sam's Birthday Fic! I started writing this fic back in 2022, and I FINALLY finished the first draft of it a couple days ago. It takes place in the Sappy Names Universe, but it's a standalone fic, so you don't have to read "Pet Names" or "Sam and Bucky Discover that KYJ Is a Thing" in order to read this one. Basically, the plot is that Bucky takes Sam on a vacation to a remote cabin to celebrate his birthday, and spends the entire time spoiling Sam so much. It's so much fluff, and I'm hoping I'll actually manage to post it by the end of this month, but I still need to go back and add the sex scenes, and of course, there's the beta reading process and all, so I may not get there in time, but I'm hopeful. Here's a snippet:

Sam is exhausted from the amazing sex and probably a little from the travel today as well. “You thinking about dinner?” Bucky asks before pressing a kiss to Sam’s shoulder. “I’m not thinking of anything,” Sam answers. Bucky grins. “Good.” Sam laughs. There was a time he’d be embarrassed admitting how good Bucky had made him feel, but that time is long past. “Yeah,” he agrees. Sam shifts, lying on his back, and Bucky follows, rolling on top of Sam, his head on Sam’s chest. “I love you, Sammy,” Bucky murmurs before dropping a kiss to the center of Sam’s chest. Sam smiles. “I know. I love you, too.” Bucky nuzzles his face into Sam’s chest, so it’s kind of muffled when he answers, “I know.” They lie like that for a moment. Then Sam sighs. “I guess we should think about dinner.” “You’re tired,” Bucky says, looking up at Sam’s face. “I’ll get dinner ready. You can just rest on the couch down there. Put on some show.” Sam’s smile widens to a grin. “Season three of Beach House Bachelors?” Bucky sighs a long-suffering sigh, but it’s more for show than it used to be. He’d gotten pretty attached to one of the season three bachelors, Kenny. He swears it’s because Kenny has pretty eyes and has an interest in art, but Sam has seen the look on Bucky’s face whenever Kenny is on screen and shirtless. “Yeah, that’s fine,” Bucky agrees. He drops one more kiss to the center of Sam’s chest and then hauls himself up and off of Sam. Sam stretches and then crawls out of bed himself. Sam finds underwear quickly, and he turns in time to see Bucky holding a T-shirt. “Leave your shirt off,” Sam says while he slips on a pair of comfy sweatpants. Bucky turns back to him, frowning. “Why?” Sam grins. “Because you’re sexy with your shirt off,” he answers. Then he puts on an old T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. “But you’re wearing a shirt,” Bucky says, his frown turning just this side of pouty. “That’s no fair.” Sam steps close, sliding his hands up Bucky’s chest. “Look, if you want to tell me not to wear a shirt on your birthday, I’ll gladly do that for you.” Bucky grins. “Yeah?” Sam nods, keeping his expression serious. “Yeah. If you’ll wander around shirtless on my birthday.”

Third, The Grease AU! I've written a SamBucky, Sharon/Natasha, Kate/Yelena/Joaquin, Steve/Thor Grease AU, and the first draft has been complete for months, just waiting on beta readers to get back to me with feedback so I can get the revision process started. Tbh, this one isn't meant to be taken too seriously, it's meant to just be a fun fic for me because Grease is a comfort movie, and these are a few of my comfort ships. Idk if I'll even actually post this one because I feel like people expect more "serious" works from me, and this one is just silly. Idk. Here's a snippet from the "First Day of School" chapter:

When lunchtime rolls around, Thor, Sharon, and Loki claim their usual table outside. Thor grins at Sharon. “Did you see Bucky in English class?” he asks, raising his eyebrows in a sort of faux-innocent expression. “He’s looking pretty good this year, isn’t he?” Sharon scoffs. “That’s ancient history,” she says firmly. “Well, history often repeats itself,” Loki needles before taking a bite of their macaroni. Sharon glares at them for a moment. “Did you see anyone interesting, or have you been around with everyone already?” “Been around with everyone already,” Loki answers shamelessly with a small frown. Then they look at Thor. “Maybe this is the year you finally get with Steve, huh?” Thor sighs. “Maybe.” “Hey everyone!” Joaquín says, coming up to the table with Sam on his heels. “This is Sam Wilson, he just moved here. Sam, these are the Pink Ladies. This is Thor, and that’s Loki, and this is Sharon.” “It’s nice to meet you all,” Sam says with a smile. Sharon looks Sam up and down, her expression unimpressed. “Charmed,” she says flatly. Thor scoots down the bench so that Sam and Joaquín can sit. “So how was your summer, Sam?” Thor asks. Before Sam can answer, there’s a commotion from nearby. Sharon glances over her shoulder and then groans. A moment later, Scott appears next to her. “Hi!” he greets with a huge grin. “You’ll never guess what just happened!” “Probably not,” Sharon says flatly. “They just posted the ballot options for student council, and guess who’s up for vice president?” Scott asks. Sharon glances at Loki. “You didn’t tell me you were running for student council.” Scott’s face falls. “Oh, I’m not running,” Loki says, wrinkling their nose. “Besides, if I ever did, I’d be going for president.” “That’s true,” Thor agrees. Then he grins and shares a look with Joaquín. “Can you imagine Loki as student council president?” “My first order of business would be addressing the restrictive nature of our dress codes,” Loki announces.

Hello Sambucky fandom. I'm too tired to write anything myself so I want to hear all about your favorite WIPs or recent fics you want to talk about. Taglines, synopsis, excerpts, anything you want. I'm craving some sambucky tonight (and every night) and bite sized chunks are about all I can manage right now

[snappleapple]

their favorite types of kisses

people in this - dream, georgenotfound, sapnap, wilbur, punz, jschlatt, awesamdude, quackity

headcanon!

the most disgusting fluff i’ve ever written

warning - cursing, i think that’s all but if there is more please do not hesitate to tell me :)

word count - 2k

a/n: okay okay, i might’ve lied earlier about that being my last post but this was short and easy to make which is why i would like to feed my readers this early haha. anyways, enjoy and please disregard the errors in this post, i hate proof reading anything lol. also, i’ve been very indecisive on the title and i might change it later and ooh, my masterlist will be made soon. i’ve just been feeling very unproductive these days. also, please put in requests, i am so bored and dumb therefore there are no ideas in this brain. and if you’d like a part 2, i might add more people for the part 2!anyways, peace!

dream -

i get the feeling that dream’s favorite type of kisses would be cheek kisses

he just likes to watch as you struggle to reach his height

“aw look at those little legs do their thing.”

ends up with you not giving him his kiss

and mans becomes SO pouty

“y/n…come on. don’t be this way.” :(

if you don’t kiss him on the cheek, will also become SO clingy and whiny

“why won’t you KISS ME!”

clenches his fists and stomps away like a teenage girl during puberty

slamming the door to your room

so then you have to go and give him all the kisses he wants

his face is slammed into your pillow

you sit on the side of the bed and pet his hair

leading him to stare up at you with puppy dog eyes

“i will give you all the kisses you want. so stop being so pouty, you big baby.”

will literally leave zero feet of space between you and him

taps his cheek to tell you he wants kisses

when you go on dates, will literally make you stand on your tippy toes to get his kisses

does not bend down at all and actually lifts his head higher to tease you

in other words, clingy but rude hoe

george -

george is a classic romantic

he loves just lip kisses

pecks or lingering ones

he doesn’t care

mans don’t need too many kisses

nor does he need to be too clingy

total opposite of dream and sapnap *ahem clingy ahem*

if he wants a kiss,

he will come over to you and get it

doesn’t get pouty if you’re busy

just waits patiently

doesn’t enjoy it when you interrupt him when he’s streaming so you do your own thing

when you’re watching a movie with him,

he will literally only stare at you with his cute smile

and listen to your every criticism of the movie

he likes to just peck your lips whenever he feels like it

and you’re just not surprised anymore

just likes to stare at your lips whenever you talk

overall, is very sweet but not to an extent with showing affection

sapnap -

omg

sapnap just vibes with neck kisses

it tickles his neck and he loves them

giggles when you pepper kisses along his neck and flushes a deep red

“y/n. stop.” giggles between each word

but when you do, becomes the saddest person in the whole world

“i was joking.” :(

when he’s streaming and he begins to miss you

would leave his room and find you just to get a kiss

just like dream, would get angry if you give him no kisses

“GIVE ME KISSIES!”

very amusing for you

and you love to tease him

“i don’t want to give you kissies.”

continues to stare at you with a large frown until you give in and give him kissies

lsg supremacy but i’ll get into this later hehe

you better give him kisses or you’ll be dealing with a very sad sapnap

sadnap :(

wilbur -

wilbur, wilbur, wilbur

what can i even say

total nose kiss guy

i bet he’ll boop your nose twenty four seven

asks stupid questions just to get your attention

“y/n?”

“yes wilbur?”

“is a hotdog a sandwich?”

“why-“

“boop.”

“did you just say boop while you booped my nose?”

if he’s streaming and you bring him a snack

he will hold your face still and leave kisses on your nose

not too clingy but not too distant

likes to be just right with you

if its snowy outside and your noses get red

makes dumb jokes about he is rudolph and you’re mrs. rudolph

just a lot of smooches from wilby

takes you to a lot of hidden cafes in the city

and while you read, he balances his head on his palm, staring at you in admiration

if you’re insecure about your nose, you legit can’t be around wilbur because he will go on a tangent about how beautiful it is

substantially, soft boy hours all day bro, besides when he gets mad then you leave the hormonal man tf alone

punz -

i don’t see a lot of punz on tumblr so here we go

punz loves hand kisses

not to an extent where he has a hand fetish

god no but just like

when your holding hands, he’ll occasionally pull your hand up to his lips and leave a kiss

lots of hand holding

and i mean lots

constantly gets mad fun of for being a simp but ignores those comments because he genuinely loves you so much

likes it when you play with his hair and messing it up

also likes to compare hand sizes with you

always has a hand on your thigh or your hand in his whenever he is driving somewhere with you

even when you go on dates, always holding hands

no matter how sweaty your hand gets, he will hold on

sometimes if he holds on for too long, you have to tell him to let go

“punz, my hand is super sweaty. lets take a break from the hand holding.”

would flat out decline so you would have to pry your hand out of his

he would also love it when you would kiss his hand

makes him feel all polite and precious LOL

would also wrap his pinky along yours when you walk together

he once came with you to a family gathering for christmas and was so SHY

shy boy held your hand for security while your younger siblings made fun of you

afterwards, when you were under a mistletoe, he kisses you on the lips before kissing you on his favorite part of your body,

your hand

c!jschlatt -

jschlatt is a whole mess

the first time you met, he confessed that he would hate you for as long as you lived because you made fun of his boots

now he says he still strongly dislikes you but you’re more tolerable

doesn’t like it when you make him soft and HATES it when he blushes

“why must you do this to me, mother nature?”

also “hates” it when you even touch him because he “hates” you

when he actually confessed to you that he liked you with his grumpy usual grandpa voice,

you kissed him on his forehead, after he bent down of course

he is an actual giant and threatens to squash you like an ant if he feels the need to

is an absolute monster to you but loves it when you kiss his forehead because it makes him feel secure and loved

likes to watch the wind blow through your hair and mess it up but gives you his hat because he like you being “all pretty and shit”

gets SUPER jealous when you hug children

like for example, when you went over to a family gathering at his house, his cousins came up to hug you

and when you let go of the child, the man child comes and lugs you over his shoulder

gets yelled at by his mom and gives her a sheepish smile before rolling his eyes and throwing you down on the sofa set next to him

his mom doesn’t approve of the way he treats you but you tell her its fine because he’s cute

when you are far from any type of civilization or in the safety and solitude of your own home, he wants kisses on the forehead

pointing up to it and bending down so you could reach it

“y/n, i only love you because of your forehead kisses.”

“you only love me for my kisses?” :(

“mhm.”

actually feels slightly bad

“and because of your personality.”

“thank you-“

“shut up. we don’t talk about this.”

in conclusion, give him his forehead kisses or perish

awesamdude -

sam just adores it when you give him jawline kisses

not because it’s basically the only place you could reach but because it’s a sweet gesture

sam is all about sweetness

i mean have you even seen this man on his stream

he likes to watch you while you have conversations with your friends

not in a creepy way but more like an adoring way

cause man does he love you

i mean not only does he love you but his whole family does

and when you’re alone with sam, you love to bury him underneath all of your love

“i love you sam!”

“no i love you more y/n!”

“NO i LOVE you more!”

“NO i LOVE you MORE!”

“SAM NO. I LOVE YOU MORE!”

“okay thank you sweet pea.”

leaving you a bit confused but happy that he accepts your love

when you cuddle, omg

he never stops peppering kisses all over your face and vice versa because your relationship is disgustingly fluffy

when he lends you one of his sweatshirts, you sure as hell better wear that shit out or else (i am leaving a blank threat here)

sam loves technology but you guys sort of have a system

a system that involves mailing each other love letters rather than texting them

you guys also go on a ton of walks just about anywhere

hand holding is mandatory even though you probably look like a child compared to him

just give sam lots of love and in return, you’ll receive lots of love

quackity -

mans cannot leave you tf alone

likes to do ANYTHING freaky around you

“i will follow you to the ends of the earth, mi amor.” or

“ayy, back off.” if anyone gets too close to you

messes with you twenty four seven and makes it his job to drive you insane

plays horror games at two in the morning for fun

and when he gets scared, hides in the safety of your arms

“mi amor. i’m scared.”

“shut the fuck up and sleep, alex.”

“okay.” shuts up quickly and snuggles deeper into the crook of your neck

loves you so deeply but HATES your cat

“look at that little dumb thing stare at me. you got a problem bro?”

your cat also HATES alex

scratches him all the time and hisses at him

if you think sapnap is babie, wait till you meet alex

“y/n he bit me!”

when you glance down, you don’t even see a scratch

“kiss my boo boo.”

wtf

“what boo boo? there’s nothing there.”

gasps as if you offended him

“this boo boo that your el demonio did to me.”

this man will do anything to get boo boo kisses

istg, you once found him provoking your cat to get some scratches

in alex’s mind, ouchies = kisses from y/n

always has ouchies from god knows where and shows it to you

even though you find it annoying at first, you grow used to it and it sorta becomes your thing with alex

alex is babie and you need to take good care of him :)

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - November 26th

 Welcome back! I spent a few blissful days off work with the kids and reading between writing, so check out the list and be sure to drop your fic authors a kudos or comment!

***Marks my recent favorites 

~*~

C.A.T. by Becci_chan

“What do you have in mind?” Steve asked and Clint’s grin never meant anything good.

“C.A.T.”

“Cat?”

“No, C.A.T. - Captain America Trivia,” he clarified and looked at Tony, awfully pleased with the acronym he had come up with.

Fight me, Date me by himboplantdad

This is literally just a happy, fluffy one shot I made so I can get back into fanfic writing. Tony and Steve fight. And then, somehow, things turn a little sweeter.

It's simple and not meant to really go anywhere, but if it does well then I might add more just because? Either way, thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

will you still want me (when i'm nothing new) by meidui

It's the night of their wedding rehearsal dinner and Tony doesn't love his aging. Steve does.

your eyes look like coming home by ArabellaAM

To this day, Steve still remembers his first thought —the first thing he yearned for— when he woke up in the 21st Century. He still hadn’t found out he was in the future; he hadn’t processed that what had once been his present was now the past. He hadn’t even started grappling with the alien concept that what he had never expected to live to see had become his present.

Even before any of those thoughts appeared on his mind, a more simple, instinctive one had shone brightly.

He just wanted to return home.

Or, where steve wants to return home, only to finally realize he's already there.

eyes closed forever to find you by meidui (orphan_account)

It can’t all be pain, but so what if it was? The hurt always felt a little like love anyway, when it came from Steve.

everybody needs some affection by meidui

It's for Steve's sake, Tony tells himself as he befriends Bucky. (But then it isn't.)

Just This Once by DobbyRocksSocks

Steve’s coughing up flower petals, and Tony just wants to know who they’re for.

Magnetic North by msermesth 

Tony joins Steve on his post-Secret Empire road-trip-slash-pity-party.

Turns out the road home is paved with a lot of arguments and sex.

Don't Be Afraid To Look by VenomousSoliloquy

Steve is a super soldier, it shouldn’t be so easy for Tony to move him across the room. Yet, with surprising speed and grace, he’s forced back, Tony’s hands on his biceps until finally he’s pinned against the wall. Steve barely remembers to breathe as Tony leans in, seeming to scent at his neck, and then he feels the lightest prick of something sharp against his pulse point, before Tony is leaning back. Leering at him with blown, dark eyes. There's a hunger there.

Tony parts his lips to drag in a breath and that’s when he sees them, the sharp points of what can only be fangs glistening just beneath his upper lip. Looking dangerous and lethal at the same moment that they look fantastically tantalizing. It’s a shock when the realizations fully hit him.

Tony is a vampire.

And Steve?

Steve is achingly hard.

And Time Can Do So Much by JenTheSweetie

"I really shouldn’t be talking to a figment of my imagination,” Steve said. “Sam would be reading me the riot act. I can hear him now. Therapy works wonders, you know.”

“Sounds like Wilson,” Tony agreed. “And therapy does work wonders. You might want to look into it, once it becomes a thing in a couple of years.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Steve said.

 A few years after Steve moved permanently back in time, he started having conversations with Tony again.

A Meeting of Minds by Nix (CrimsonQuills)

As it turns out, the Extremis hadn't quite finished rewriting Tony's brain. The only potential fix has...consequences.

monsters of sea & sky by Areiton

Tony remembers this: the beginning, when he swam through oceans deep and unsullied and Steve walked the new earth, his steps shaking the foundations.

Tony remembers this: a boy with wings flying too high, and crashing down while he watched, helpless to do anything but hide him from the gods.

Tony remembers this: a snow frosted lake and the Changeling who walked through court and watched him with bright wanting eyes.

Tony remembers this: the high seas and bloody tides and a pirate’s smile, watching him from the ship’s deck.

Tony remembers this: a war that shook the world, and a boy who should never have been there and diving, diving ,diving, too far.

Steve remembers--nothing. But his shoulders itch like wings should fill them and the world feels too small for everything he believes, and there’s a man with a shark sharp smile and predatory eyes and Steve wants to lose himself in them.

Over the eons--they were monsters and myth and men, but more than anything--they have loved each other.

-

Five times Tony tried to save Steve. And one time Steve saves Tony. With a monstrous and reincarnated twist.

Drawn together by Lacerta

'why America?'

Steve was actually proud of the pseudonym's meaning, but whenever he tried to explain it out loud, it sounded infantile.

'You're gonna laugh.'

The response came faster than Steve managed to type his next message.

'promise im not'

'It's because whole America, if not the world, should thank Tony Stark for what he did, and my graffiti is a way of showing him that America really is grateful.'

Out of Order by elwenyere

After Tony and Steve hook up in the Tower elevator, both of them are totally cool with keeping it casual. Totally, totally cool.

hey there demons, it's me... ya boi by starksnack 

this week on buzzfeed unsolved tony and steve investigate four haunted locations, and maybe find more than just ghosts.

Maybe This Time by msermesth 

Tony’s better now. You can even say he’s superior. But all the money, alcohol, and sex can’t stop the incursions, and when his world is destroyed, he ends up on an earth ten years younger than his own.

One where Steve goes by the name of Nomad.

If there’s one thing Steve’s good at, it’s reminding him of what really matters, and maybe that makes Nomad the person Tony needs if he's going to save the universe.

[lilalbatross]

Right okay so I yelled about it a couple days ago but here’s some actual semi-coherent thoughts about AFC Richmond’s roster, positions, formations, etc.

I just want to say off the jump that the show is definitely playing fast and loose with the actual football, which makes sense cause it’s at the heart of the show but it’s definitely not the point of it. A lot of this info is cobbled together from background details like the whiteboards, lockers for certain names and numbers, and me just pausing and squinting at whoever seems to actually be on the field. A lot of this is open to interpretation, and I’m sure others will interpret differently

Having said all that, let’s get into it. Rest of the post is under the cut cause this will not be concise.

Let’s start with our roster. This includes every name I’ve caught from both seasons, hence why Roy and Jan Maas are both listed. 18 and 23 have also had multiple names with those numbers.

For roster purposes, pro teams list players as goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. I’ll do the same and add a fifth category I’m calling IDFK cause I haven’t been able to match a position to some of the background guys.

So here’s our starting point. I would expect the IDFK guys to be fairly evenly split among the positions (most rosters have about 4 GKs because the position is both crucial and dangerous, f in the chat for O’Brien’s butt).

You’ll notice that a lot of our prominent players are mids. This doesn’t really mean anything. I just think it’s neat. I’ll get into centre mids vs wings in a second, but for the most part those guys (Colin, Sam, Richard, Moe, Roy) are Richmond’s starting line in the midfield.

Now then. Let’s look at an actual formation. We’ll start with the first one I could find, which is 1x07’s formation.

The names being cut off are Canterbury next to Isaac, C. Hughes on left wing next to Rosenfeldt, and S. Obisanya perfectly hidden by Beard’s arm.

When describing a formation, you list it from defense to forward and don’t include the keeper cause they’re a given. Therefore, this formation is known as a 4-5-1. Alternatively, you can read the midfield a little differently to differentiate that Roy’s the lone defensive mid, and call this a 4-1-4-1. There’s nothing too out-there about this formation. Watford FC’s run a variation of it in the Premier League this season (scroll down a bit and hit the line-ups tab). You’ll see a formation like this at all levels, from kids to national teams, though it has fallen out of fashion in recent years.

This just a solid, balanced formation. The point of a formation like this is to control the midfield and cut off the other team’s passing lines, to make it harder for them to move the ball up to their strikers. Four defenders for a solid back line, with two centre backs to lock down the area in front of your box and cover for each other while supporting their fullbacks on the outside. One defensive mid (Roy) and two attacking mids to control the centre and build attacking opportunities, without leaving the defense totally in the lurch on a counterattack.

You’ll notice that Rojas is all by his lonesome as a solo striker. The risk with a formation like this is that the striker gets isolated if people aren’t pushing up on the attack, leaving the forward with nobody to create chances with or nobody to pull the other team’s defense away.

That’s why Sam and Colin are crucial in a formation like this. Those boys are gonna fucking run. In a 4-5-1, the wingers need to be making runs to support their striker, put pressure on the defense, and try to create openings to score. They also need to make sure they’re coming back to help defend, otherwise the other team’s going to walk right up their open wing. Colin and Sam’s game would be 90 minutes of wind sprints. I’ve played a little bit of wing in a formation like this. Your legs are jelly by the end.

Now then, next one. This is from 1x10 vs Man City, and we actually get both teams’ formations this time. (Brendan Hunt I swear to god I need you to give me a board like this every time please I’m begging)

This will look pretty similar to the 4-5-1. This is a 4-2-3-1, and it’s a very popular formation. Here’s Man United running it this season, and if you flip through other games you’ll find a lot more examples.

A 4-2-3-1 runs two defensive mids and one attacking mid, opposite of the 4-5-1. The wingers play a little higher to support the striker, and the attacking mid (Bumbercatch here) is intended to be a bit of a playmaker. The defensive mids reinforce the D. You play this formation when you need a solid defense and expect to get most of your chances on counterattacks. Because you have 3 mids playing a little higher, the transition to offense can be quick if you can get the ball out of your end. One of the weaknesses can be the gap that develops in the midfield, so you need your defensive mids to push up and close this space. I see that as a potential reason why they’ve moved Colin in from the wing.

In terms of the actual roster, Dixon’s off the injured list from 1x07 and in for Goodman, and Winchester’s in for Reynolds. Richard’s on the left wing for Colin, who becomes one of our two defensive mids along with Shannon, and then Moe as attacking mid. Rosenfeldt and of course Roy are sitting (Roy subs in for Shannon at half).

I think they’re running a 4-2-3-1 both as an answer to what they expect from Man City, but also to compensate for sitting Roy. In 1x01, Beard calls Roy a box-to-box midfielder. What he means is that Roy is a solid all-arounder. He’s a force on the attack alongside the strikers, but he also comes back deep to support the D and make things difficult for the other team. He’s a workhorse of a player, so pulling him might require a more defensive shift to compensate.

As an aside, this is the match where Ted asks the linesman to explain the offside rules after a Richmond player gets called offside. It’s specifically Winchester who gets called offside. Look at the formation. My man is a centre back with Isaac. What the cinnamon toast fuck was he doing all the way up there. This is what I mean when I say they’re playing fast and loose with some of the football aspects. For Winchester to be offside, he must be so absurdly out of position that it would make more sense for him to be playing defense for the other team. (I think this is mostly a writing oversight and they should have just used another name in the line but still very funny to me)

I also just want to quickly point out Man City’s formation. They’re running a 4-3-3. Jamie has a few lines where he mentions a manager named “Pep” at Man City. He’s talking about Pep Guardiola, the real-life manager of Man City. The 4-3-3 is a go-to for him. If you catch a Man City game this season, this is most likely what you’re gonna see. This formation is versatile and aggressive (particularly on counterattacks). It’s about holding possession, with the mids moving as a unit to set up series of short passes that open holes in the other team’s defense. If the mids are coordinated, this becomes a very defensively solid formation with lots of attacking power. Don’t think of a 4-3-3 as two wings and a centre mid, because that isn’t what it is at all.

Now then, on to season 2. First, I can’t find any FUCKING WHITEBOARDS. First one I found is in 2x08 (hey again Man City), and even then, it’s a play diagram rather than an actual roster. Anyway, here you go.

Now that we’ve reunited the two aces, we’re switching things up a bit. This looks like another 4-2-3-1 but it’s actually a messily drawn 4-4-2. They run the exact same formation for the False Nine in 2x12 (you get glimpses at halftime) but every screenshot I could get was ass so we’re gonna use this one instead. Colin and Richard have swapped again (Colin’s on the left in every formation this is why I say he’s left-footed), and Jamie’s up front with Dani. We have a pair of centre mids, rather than a trio of attacking/defensive mids like the other formations. I also finally got my confirmation that Jan Maas is a centre back! Couldn’t figure out if he was that or centre mid cause the game scenes are shot cinematographically rather than for any sort of…football comprehension.

This is specifically a flat 4-4-2 (vs the 4-4-2 diamond Roy wants to run with his girls team). It’s a versatile formation that trades a bit of defensive power for a stronger attack (Southampton’s running it this season if you wanna see it in action). Compared to a 4-2-3-1 they ran in 1x10, the 4-4-2 puts more pressure on the centre backs because they don’t have that pair of defensive mids supporting them. Jan and Isaac have to be physical and on it at all times to call out holes and get their teammates to fill the gaps. But you have the advantage of a pair of strikers who can play off each other and work in tandem, with Sam and Colin forcing defenders to come wide to cover them on the wings.

I think this is a spectacularly bad choice against Man City’s 4-3-3. Because the mids in a 4-3-3 work as a unit, Moe and Richard are always going to be outnumbered 3-2 in the middle of the field. Man City will have an easier time controlling the centre and holding possession because a Richmond player will have to come out of position to mark the extra man. Obviously Richmond primarily got their asses kicked for story reasons but uh…yeah I think they got their asses kicked for coaching reasons too.

Okay I’m coming up on 2000 words so I should probably stop now. I didn’t really get into the specifics of individual players. I can try to come up with something coherent for some of them, but there isn’t much to go on even more prominent players like Moe and Richard.

Anyways, I hope this was helpful and not endlessly boring. And please for the love of god let me know if you’re able to snag a clear look at a whiteboard I didn’t catch. I’m dying out here, man.

[althaiareads]

This was incredible, I loved it.

Thoughts and brain dump below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BUT YOU JUST MADE IT EVEN MORE HEARTBREAKING!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

I said I love the Smiths.

Haha, nice.

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

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

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

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

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

Aaaaand, we're back to the pain.

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

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

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

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

Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

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

MY HOOOOOOOME.

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

Chapter 3 I’d make a deal with god

Chapter 3 of Tragedy at the Miller’s

A/N- I hope you guys like the chapter

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

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

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

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

————

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trust her?

How long have they been together?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Where fuck is that coming from—”

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

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

“How many?” You ask him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

However, he shakes his head and sighs.

“Dad—”

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

“What?” Ellie asks in confusion.

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

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

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

“You just said—”

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

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

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

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

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

Just one. Your dad will be fine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Run!” Your dad yells again.

Why is he saying that?

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

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

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

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

“Fuck,” you grumble. “Fuck. Fuck.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Come on, come on,” someone muffles.

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

“You’re not hurt?” He asks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

She nods and mumbles, “yeah.”

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

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

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

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

“No? That’s alright. Doesn’t matter.”

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

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

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

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

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

You shift your eyes away and scoff.

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

“You don’t understand!” Henry rebuttals.

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

What the hell?

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

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

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

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

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

“Y/N,” he insists. “Yes.”

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

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

“Please. Do it.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“It’s Sam and Henry!”

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

Wait! That’s right...

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

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

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

“Okay, yeah!” She replies through pants.

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

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

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

“Go, go!” You yell at everyone.

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

“Stop!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

——

*LATER*

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

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

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

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

“Yeah,” your dad nods. “I think.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Are you sure?” You press.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Hey,” you greet him in a whisper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

——

*THE NEXT DAY*

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

She hums and shifts on her bed. “Hm?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Okay, well—”

“Ahh! Ahhh!”

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

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

But why?

Why?

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

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

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

He can’t…

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

“Joel!” Ellie cries out.

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

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

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

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

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

He’s going to bite her. Sam he’s…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Henry,” you call out quietly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You hoped anyway. You wished.

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

Oh god.

Oh god….

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

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

But maybe…

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

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

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

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

“Y/N,” your dad whispers.

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

“Oh baby…”

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

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

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

“He’s gone,” your dad says.

No.

No.

No…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Which ways west?” She asks.

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

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

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

“Ellie…she’s immune…”

Is this some joke? Some sick fucking joke?

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

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

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

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

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

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

So he? He?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

——

*A MONTH LATER*

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

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

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

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

What a damn good watchman. Old man.

Pft.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ellie scoffs and smirks. “A dick?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Why stars and a moon?” Ellie probes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Silence follows after that. Deafening, but peaceful silence.

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

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

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

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

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

He’d do that.

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

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

Ellie smiles proudly and nods.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

——

*2 MONTHS LATER*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is he still tired? He’s panting.

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

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

“Shut up,” he quips at her.

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

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

Is it his heart? He is old now.

What if it is his heart?

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

“I’m okay,” he mutters breathlessly.

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

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

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

“I’m fine.”

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

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

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

“Are you okay?” You ask him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She saw that?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Ellie,” your dad mutters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I like that one,” Ellie whispers.

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

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

Impossible….maybe a sore neck…

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

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

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

“No.” He shakes his head.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Okay?” You hear your dad say.

“Then what? Like, what do we do?”

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

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

That’s an interesting question.

You glance over at your dad and wait.

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

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

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

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

“Sheep. I would raise sheep.”

You glance down at the fire and smile softly.

“Sheep,” Ellie whispers.

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

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

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

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

“What about you, y/n?” Ellie asks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yes.

“Sally Ride,” your dad guesses correctly.

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

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

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

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

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

“I tried,” she says. “With Sam.”

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

“Tried what?” Your dad probes.

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

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

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

They hope….you hope too.

For him. For Sam.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

——

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

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

What was his reason? Grief?

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

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

Or was it fear? Just cause?

Did you do something wrong?

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

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

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

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

What an old man.

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

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

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

“Y/N,” your dad scolds you.

You just shrug and brush him off.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You wake me up next time.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I’ve tried that! It doesn’t work!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Hey!” You exclaim and look back.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Huh,” your dad breathes out.

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

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

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

“What’s the dressin’?” Ellie asks.

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

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

You hum in agreement and think about it now too.

“Still interested, though.” Ellie adds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Yeah.” You mutter. “We will.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Drop the guns!” The man yells again.

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

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

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

You smile with relief, and offer him a nod.

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

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

“You been near infected?” He asks.

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

“There’s no infected out here.”

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

Then who’s whining behind you?

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

You swallow thickly and glance over at Ellie.

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

Fuck.

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

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

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

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

“Now her,” they point to Ellie.

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

He must truly care about her….

Fuck.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You laugh and nod. “Not plannin’ to.”

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

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

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

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

“Are you?” She asks.

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

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

“Hey!” You hear Ellie exclaim with concern.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He hums and begins to rub your back, he lets you bask in his embrace until you’re the one that wants to let go.

“You grew out your hair,” you point out with a smile and brush back the ends of his hair. “I like it.”

You begin to turn to face your dad and Ellie, but he turns with you to keep holding your gaze with a soft look that matches yours.

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

You roll your eyes, but keep your smile as you walk past him to face your dad and Ellie now.

“They’re okay,” you assure the group. “They’re with me. That man is,” you exhale and share a glance with Maria. “My dad, Joel, the girl is Ellie.”

Slowly they both put their hands down, but the guns remain pointed.

“You vouch for them?” The guy asks you.

You glance at him and meet his gaze to nod. “Yep.”

The guy nods in comprehension and lowers his gun, letting the others do the same.

“Let’s get them on some horses and get them inside,” the guy instructs.

You glance at Ellie and your dad once before you turn on your heels to follow Maria.

“That’s your dad?” Apollo asks quietly beside you as he makes his horse, and his dog Achilles follows him as you all head home. “Are you gonna present me or what?”

“Shut up, Apollo,” you snap back and nudge him.

Apollo laughs and looks back. “I kinda see it between him and Tommy.”

You giggle. “Well they are brothers. You and Atlas look alike for that same reason.”

“You and your sister didn't look alike,” Apollo quickly rebuttals.

You huff out. “‘Cause we were half sisters, duh, do you want it explained to you how that works? Mama,” you look at Maria up on her horse now. “You want to explain to Apollo how that works.”

“Don’t be an ass,” Apollo retorts and nudges you.

You giggle, and notice Maria smirk.

Not so long after that Ellie, your dad, and you are whisked to some horses, finally being able to rest your feet and not have to walk the rest of the way to Jackson. You come to recognize most of the rangers who had given you that cold welcome, and greet all those you knew and that knew you.

You weren’t inside the walls yet, you haven’t seen your uncle yet, but you did feel more safe now, more comforted now that you aren’t out in the open. Now that you’re only minutes from home.

“I can’t wait to share the hell I’ve been through these past two years,” you interject on your way home. “You guys won’t fucking believe it.”

Apollo glances over at you and narrows his gaze to quip. “Maybe.” He licks his lips and looks serious. “You should tell it in the form of a play, hm?”

He’s making fun of you, funny.

“Yeah,” you go along with him. “The adventures of y/n Miller, one woman show, the musical.” You smirk and bounce your eyebrows.

“Who would play you?” He counters. “‘Cause,” he says and sucks in air through his teeth. “I hate to break it to you, but singing isn’t for you, you can play the guitar, but it’s singing that just….” He shakes his head.

You drop your jaw, peel your eyes wide as if suddenly hit with excitement, and snap your fingers to share your thought. “I have the best idea. Maybe…your mom can do it?”

Apollo goes serious, and you stifle your laugh as you grin at him.

“Can I get a bump?” You tease him and stick your fist out at your other side to offer Ellie a fistbump since she’s riding beside you.

Ellie’s confused at first, but she doesn’t leave you hanging. Apollo shakes his head with a frown, so you now offer him your fist.

“Come on,” you encourage him. “Don’t leave me hanging, it was funny.” You giggle.

Apollo rolls his eyes but very lightly hits your fist. “Only because you’re back,” he mutters.

You shrug sweetly and shoot him a sweet smile.

“It was a lame joke,” Ellie mutters.

You roll your eyes to her and sigh. “Well, I think it works,” you assure yourself. “It was good at the moment.” You flash her a smile.

Jackson isn’t far now, you all make it there quickly by horse. That wooden wall comes to view soon, and after being gone for so long, it’s such a heavenly sight. What once felt like a trapdoor, what once felt like a cage is now nothing but paradise. Walking in was such a fucking relief too. There was instant comfort in all the buildings, some that have had some tweaks and others that remain the same.

“Welcome back home,” Maria tells you as the gates close behind you.

You shoot her a smile and continue to look around at all the people, and then focus on the Christmas decorations, letting you know come up to date with what month it was; December! It’s almost Christmas!

Yet, even as happy as you feel, there’s a sadness that stabs your heart, that reminds you of that pain…

Henry and Sam should be here. They should’ve made it this far, they should’ve seen all this. You promised them…

“Y/N?!”

You snap away from your thoughts and look behind you where the call had come from, that’s when you see another familiar face, a close friend from your firefly days, and Apollo’s younger brother.

You turn your frown the other way around so they won’t worry. “Atlas!” You call out and climb off the horse, letting the man behind you take it for you.

“I knew it was you!” Atlas exclaims as you both run to meet halfway in an embrace. “Holy fuck!” He chuckles. “Fuck! I thought you were dead!”

You laugh softly and pat his back. “I made it, like I said I would.”

He smiles and caresses the back of your neck with his soft hands. “We missed you. Home wasn’t the same without you.”

You pull back and offer him a happy smile. “You haven’t aged,” you point out.

“Nah,” he winks. “Just got more handsome.”

You scrunch your nose in disgust and pull away from him completely.

Atlas smirks and glances at the pair you came in with as they walk away further in town. “You’ve brought company.”

You nod and turn to walk after them now, seeing Apollo approach on foot. “Yeah, that’s my dad,” you let Atlas know.

Atlas snaps his head to you and furrows his thick dark eyebrows. “No fucking way. Like, your dad, dad?”

Why are they so in disbelief that he’s your dad? Is there something you’re missing?

“Yeah.” You nod and scoff. “Him.” You let out a sigh and watch Apollo fall by your other side now. “I’ve got a question,” you abruptly change the subject as curiosity grows. “Are you still with redhead Jessica?”

Atlas begins to snicker, but Apollo answers before his brother can blurt the news.

“We broke up.”

You perk up instantly.

“Yeah,” Atlas bounces off his brother's announcement. “She cheated on him.” He smirks.

What a relief…not the cheating part.

Well…kinda…

“Yeah,” Apollo sighs as he shoots his brother a glare. “It happened like a year ago.”

You smile and let him see it. “Bad news, told ya.”

“Whatever,” Apollo retorts.

“Atlas! You rangle up stragglers?!” You hear a woman shout.

Apollo and you snap your heads to the side, seeing Atlas spin around to walk backwards so he can look at the young girls that had spoken to him.

“Yep!” Atlas lies. “Bad ones too! I spotted them myself, kept them from getting shot.”

You and Apollo share an amused and judgemental look before continuing to watch Atlas, noticing at that moment a pile of shit that one of the horses dropped just now; and Atlas was walking right towards it.

“A thousand that he steps in it,” you offer Apollo.

Your friend scoffs and shakes his head. “No need, he’s going to step in it.”

You both snicker and watch Atlas continue to walk back.

“Let’s meet later while everyone is at the movies, I’ll tell you all about it, and my recent patrol!”

The girls giggle and nod. “Let’s do it!” One of the girls accepts.

Atlas shoots them a wink, and as he does he runs into the pile of hot horse shit.

Without looking, as if you hadn’t ever left, Apollo and you share a proud highfive at his brother's carelessness.

“Oh man!” Atlas exclaims. “What the hell?!”

“Y/N?!” Someone yells, this one more familiar and soothing than before.

You snap your eyes ahead, and there in the middle of the crowd that had greeted you outside the gates, beside your dad, is your uncle Tommy.

“Uncle Tommy!” You call back with instant tears filling your eyes as you’re slammed with unmeasurable relief, more bliss than you’ve felt since you saw your dad for the first time.

Your uncle Tommy smiles softly and without hesitation, before wasting another second you both break through barriers of space to collide, to throw your arms around one another and hold each other.

“Oh, babygirl,” he whispers as he caresses your back, and holds you in his arms tightly as if he would lose you if his hold was too loose.

“Uncle Tommy,” you cry after not being able to hold it any longer.

“Oh,” he breathes out. “My sweet Sunny.”

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

Yes, as you hugged him, as you held him close you did notice the faint look of hurt in your dads eyes as he saw the interaction, it hurt you seeing it. But isn’t this what he wanted when he left you? When he drove you away? When you weren’t enough for him?

When you weren’t enough for him to stay and be your dad?

.

Tagged- @slut-f0r-u @star-wars-lover @traceylader @givemylovetoall @itzagothamcitysiren @sammy-13 @beloved-reblogger @emiriia @rues-daya @sunfairyy @littleshadow17 @mcu-starwars @bigtuffswordboy @riaqiax @dheet @queenofthekill @joliettes @d4rno @dgraysonss @rana030 @punisherinthealps @pedropascalluvr41 @ahoyyharrington @beaniebeensbaby201@maeneedsabreak@maelartasch@adristyles@daughterofthequeen @alastorhazbin @ririvilliams @khaylin27

[thelazyhermits]

Another cute Twst related idea came to mind that I wanted to write out, so I’ll put it underneath the cut.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Crowley isn’t too generous with the allowance he provides Yuu/Grim, so as a result, Yuu often has to work at the Mostro Lounge and the Mystery Shop in order to ensure there’s enough money to satisfy Grim’s ravenous appetite.

Because money isn’t really a luxury, Yuu has to pick and choose what her funds can be spent on, and in the end, most of the money goes toward purchasing food while the rest covers any other little necessities. 

As a result, because this isn’t deemed a high priority by her, Yuu’s wardrobe is very small and mostly consists of the clothes she arrived at TW in, her school uniform, school gym clothes, and the Heartslabyul outfit she got during Book 1.

In addition to that, Sam helps her out by providing a few extra sets of clothes and puts it on Crowley’s bill once Crewel brings up the subject to him since Crewel was unimpressed with the clothes she came to TW in and wasn’t expecting Crowley to do his part lol

Still, overall, Yuu doesn’t have a lot of clothes to her name, which doesn’t particularly bother her. As long as she has clothes to wear at school, clothes she can wear around the dorm, and clothes to sleep in, then she’s satisfied. 

Not everyone feels that way, however. 

That’s why, after they become friends, Jack goes through his closet and takes out anything that’s too small for him and puts it all in a box that he then gives to Yuu, with the claim that he doesn’t want clothes he can no longer wear to take up room in his closet. 

Jack also adds that he doesn’t want to bother bringing them back home, especially when his younger siblings are way too short to be able to wear them anytime soon.

Once she hears that, Yuu feels better about accepting the clothes since, while she appreciates the gesture, she’d feel bad taking something for free that could potentially be used by someone else in his family.

Because Jack is so tall and buff, all his clothes are super big on Yuu, but she doesn’t mind at all since she likes baggy clothes. Plus, they’re all really soft and comfortable because Jack takes good care of his clothes.

So, thanks to Jack, Yuu now has a coat that she can use for the upcoming winter season. The rest of the clothes she got are basically sportswear since that’s usually the kind of clothing he wears. 

All in all, Yuu is extremely happy about this surprise gift and is quick to hug and praise Jack who says she’s making a big deal over nothing. He’s just getting rid of clothes he doesn’t need anymore, that’s all. 

He tries to play it cool, but it’s obvious just from looking at his wagging tail that he’s glad that Yuu’s so happy with his gift. 

Yuu makes sure to prepare a nice treat for him to properly express her gratitude since it really means a lot to her that he was being so considerate of her. She’s not used to someone caring enough that they’d want to do something like this for her, so it makes her really happy. 

Not everyone is as happy about this as she is, however.

Even though he would never admit it in a million years, Ace gets a little jealous over the fact that Yuu’s wearing Jack’s clothes, even though she’s been friends with him longer.

Deuce is also a little jealous, but he’s mostly upset with himself for not coming up with the same idea Jack did sooner. He’s known for a while that Yuu can’t afford a lot, so as her best friend, he should’ve offered to give her things of his that he doesn’t technically need.

That’s why, after they find out about the clothes Yuu got from Jack, Ace and Deuce both rummage through their closets to see if they have anything they no longer want that they can give her.

After all, unlike Jack, Yuu’s two best friends are actually around the same height as her, so surely, she would love clothes from them way better than what she got from her “favorite son” lol 😂

In the end, Ace and Deuce are together able to collect a few pairs of t-shirts and pants that they no longer have an interest in wearing, and they pass them along to Yuu.

Before Yuu can protest, Ace claims that the clothes he’s giving away are clothes his relatives picked out for him that really don’t suit his style, but he packed them just in case. 

In Deuce’s case, he ended up overpacking due to his excitement about going to NRC and somehow ended up including some of his older clothes that he has had for a while, so he’s actually been wondering what to do with the clothes that can’t properly fit in his closet, especially since he has no interest in wearing them anymore. 

And these technically aren’t lies. The guys just aren’t willing to admit that the sole force driving them is that they want Yuu to have some of their clothes.

Yuu can naturally see right through them since she has known them long enough to always be able to get a good read on them. However, since she can tell they aren’t lying about no longer needing the clothes, Yuu gratefully accepts them and makes sure to properly give them a reward after Ace cheekily asks for one, which Deuce scolds him for.

I love the idea of things just taking off from there with all the other Twst guys eventually finding out about the clothes Yuu received after they become friends with her and wanting to give her some too.

This would only apply to the guys who are her height or taller since smaller clothes obviously wouldn’t do her any good, so Riddle, Epel, Ruggie, Kalim, and Lilia wouldn’t be a part of this equation lol

(Kalim had wanted to buy a whole store’s worth of clothes for Yuu, but Jamil thankfully talked him out of it and made sure Kalim understood that Yuu didn’t want to be treated like a charity case. The only reason she’s accepting the guys’ clothes is because the guys don’t really need them anymore.)

Obviously, Ortho wouldn’t have anything to give either, because of his height and the fact that he doesn’t wear regular human clothes. However, he is the one who gives something on Idia’s behalf by giving Yuu some of Idia’s old hoodies that are just taking up space in his room, which Ortho’s been trying to get him to get rid of for a while now. 

Idia naturally wasn’t too fond of this idea cause the idea of a girl wearing his old clothes was super embarrassing and something only normies did, but because he can never turn Ortho down when Ortho’s being particularly stubborn, he reluctantly agreed.

For Idia’s sake, Yuu makes sure to never wear those super comfortable hoodies when she’s hanging out with him, out of fear that he’ll combust on the spot lol

Leona would be another guy who doesn’t give Yuu any clothes because all his old clothes end up going to Ruggie when he no longer wants them. Leona had made the offer, though, but Yuu insisted that she’d be fine and that she’d rather those clothes go to Ruggie, especially since, at this point, she’s not really short on clothing anymore. 

Vil is unsurprisingly not a huge fan of this whole idea since Yuu should be wearing clothes that fit her frame and definitely not hand-me-downs. Does she want to just throw her public image completely down the drain?

However, at the same time, he also realizes that her money situation really does not give her a lot of options. Plus, she mostly just wears the hand-me-downs when she’s at the dorm and on the rare occasion she heads into town.

Even so, the fashion expert is irked all the same, so the only thing he can think of to rectify this situation is by being the person who actually gives her nice clothes that she wouldn’t be ashamed of wearing in public. (not that any of the clothes she was given ever made her feel that way lol)

So, what Vil does is whenever he’s given clothing samples to try on that he’s allowed to keep, he’ll have the ones he’s not personally interested in keeping that he thinks would suit Yuu tailored to match her size and then gives them to her, telling her that refusing them isn’t an option.

Those are the clothes Yuu feels the guiltiest about accepting since they’re so nice, the complete opposite of what she’s used to wearing, but once she’s assured that the clothes were given to Vil for free and tailored for free and that he really has no interest in keeping them, Yuu accepts the gift. 

Unlike Vil, Rook thinks there’s a beauty in Yuu wearing clothes that were gifted to her out of love/kindness, especially when she looks so happy wearing those clothes, but for Vil’s sake, he tries looking for clothes he no longer needs that are nice enough that Vil would approve of them lol

Once he finds out about the clothing situation, Floyd immediately wants to join in on the fun and gives Yuu a shirt with an eel on it cause he thought it’d be funny to see her wearing this huge shirt, especially when it’s clear that it came from him.

I could also see Floyd getting her a cheap shrimp shirt or a hoodie that makes her look like a shrimp cause he’d get such a big kick out of it. Yuu would accept the exasperating presents since she knows there’s no arguing with Floyd and she doesn’t want his money to go to waste. 

Meanwhile, Jade gives her an old jacket of his that’s just perfect for mountain climbing. Hint, hint 😂

Since he doesn’t want to be outdone by the Tweels, Azul also gets involved. I could see him giving her clothes that were basically gag gifts from the Tweels, ergo clothes he’d never wear in public, like a t-shirt with an octopus pun on it lol

Yuu’s likely on the same wavelength as the Tweels when it comes to funny shirts, so I imagine her absolutely loving the clothes Azul gives her, which he absolutely does not understand but hey, at least, she’s happy lol

Jamil would likely give Yuu any old hoodies that he no longer wears as well as any old winter gear that he has conveniently chosen to replace.

Cater thinks the whole idea is adorable and wants to make a fashion show out of it for Magicam, but thankfully, he gets talked out of the idea by Trey. However, Cater does make sure to take pictures of Yuu anytime he sees her wearing the super cool and trendy t-shirts that he has outgrown.

Since he’s a hat guy, I see Trey giving Yuu any winter hats or beanies he no longer wears. He would also give her an old apron and a pair of oven mitts that he no longer uses since he got new ones, but he kept the old ones since they were still in good shape and it felt wasteful to just throw them away. 

(Technically, all the short guys could go this route and try to find old things they have that would be useful to Yuu. I feel like Riddle would want to since he doesn’t want to be the odd man out thanks to his height. Epel would probably feel the same way lol

Meanwhile, Kalim’s wondering if his super expensive jewelry would work as a gift, so Jamil has to spend a while convincing him that it won’t 😂)

When Lilia eventually finds out about this amusing situation, he eagerly tells Malleus that he should get in on the fun since he and Yuu are such good friends, so he helps Malleus look through his close which leads to them eventually finding a dragon shirt that Lilia once gave Malleus as a gag gift that Malleus never actually wore lol

Yuu absolutely loves it cause it’s got a cute dragon on it. Because it’s so huge, it becomes a night shirt. 

Lilia gets the rest of the Diasomnia boys in on this too, so Silver, who’s the closest in height to Yuu, picks out a few things he no longer wears that he thinks she might like.

Sebek makes a fuss about the whole thing, especially when he hears that Yuu’s getting a shirt from Malleus, but because Lilia insisted, he finds a shirt he’s outgrown and gives it to Yuu like the others.

Deep down, Sebek didn’t really hate the idea and was glad that he could help out with Yuu’s wardrobe situation. He would never admit it though lol

Also, I definitely see Yuu eventually ending up with variations of the dorm uniforms, not always the full ensembles, like the suit she got from Cater in Book 1, but she’ll always get something to wear that represents each of the dorms.

So, thanks to her friends, clothing is something that Yuu does not have to worry about anymore haha