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dumbbitchenergy17 · 1 year ago

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Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 1

Chapter One: Solitude

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 6.7K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, blood and gore

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Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone; For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, But has trouble enough of its own …

The northern winds were unforgiving to the open area abandoned of life, well the whole world was abandoned from life following the Outbreak. Cordyceps that destroyed the world in a matter of hours, though you weren’t there on Outbreak day you had dealt with your fair share of infected. But the secluded area you had found and claimed as yours didn’t give much of the fungi-humans. Sure there were the stray infected that came from the distance but they dead, sniped from a distance before they could get anywhere close to your home. It wasn’t the infected you needed to worry about when you were truly far away from populated areas for cordyceps to spread…it was the people that would think like you. And that’s what you were worried about and it seemed like your luck in this remote area had finally run out.

Your last hunt tied to your pack your rifle slung over your shoulder as you make your way through the snow to the cabin. Two rabbits that you were glad to find in your traps, it would have been great to have deer. Just a few hours ago a herd of deer had come through here and you had wished you could find their location but you had to settle for the rabbit for dinner. Coming over the small hillside, the path from the thicker forest and home was so routine that you could do it with your eyes closed. Seeing the snow-capped cabin appear you smile under the scarf covering the lower half of your face, you can’t wait to be inside and warm by the fireplace. The horses outside your home have you frozen as you swing your rifle into your hands instantly on edge and wary. You were so stupid to look after your tracks, did someone see you when you were hunting and followed your trail back? They couldn’t have you switch hunting locations every day and the different trails back would confuse anyone who does not know the area. Drawing closer to your home and see only two horses tied to the fencing as they mull around giving you no attention. Circling the home to avoid the front door in case they are camping right there to blow your head off. Finding the back door silently creaking it open as your breath is silent and footsteps non-existence after years of learning to become invisible. You can hear things being moved around as you creep into your own home. Your rifle aimed at the doors you knew you had closed now open checking to make sure no one is hiding in them. The bedroom door swings open and you press yourself against the wall as you watch a man with his rifle slung over his shoulder come out and turn in the direction leading to the living room. Before he could get a step down the hall the cool metal pressed against his back has him frozen.

“Slowly slide the rifle off your shoulder,�� You growl and he slowly raises his hands and he lets the rifle slide off his shoulder and hit the ground.

“Tommy? Everything alright?” A man’s voice calls out and you press the barrel of your rifle into Tommy’s back.

“Walk.” You order as he keeps his hands raised and walks out towards the living room and you hear footsteps of the other man.

“Tommy? Did you hear what I sa-” “Keep your hands where I can see them or your buddy here gets it.” You say as you look at a younger man as he freezes with his rifle in his hand.

“Tomm-” “Jesse do as they say.” Tommy cuts off Jesse as the younger man nods.

“Rifle against the wall, finger off the trigger.” You say as Jesse slowly rests the rifle against the wall by the front door, “Same with the pistol and knife,” You say as he pulls the two both slowly out of his holsters and places them on the small table next to the door. “Sit.” You point at the couch in front of you and he slowly walks over there and takes a seat. One still holding the rifle you bring the other to the holster on the back of Tommy’s jeans pulling out the revolver opening the chamber emptying the bullets as they hit the floor, then you grab the hunting knife in his front pocket and put it in yours. Shoving the gun to his back to get him to move he too joins the younger boy on the couch the two with their hands up now defenseless with no weapons even their packs away from them. You could see both of their features, the older of the two with long black hair that was slightly pushed back from his face, and a decent mustache on his face, the younger boy with shaggy black hair as well that was hidden under a hat. They looked well fed while you had barely gotten by with the rations you have and the hunting. Their clothes as well looked clean, dusted with snow, but catered for their bodies while you wore a mismatch of different gendered clothes that you had to alter to adjust to yourself.

“Are there others with you two?” You ask your rifle aimed at the two as they look at you, they couldn’t see your features, a hat covers your hair, and the lower half of your face is hidden underneath the scarf that slightly muffles your voice but it’s filled with venom and lacks any hesitation to put a bullet in each of their heads.

“It’s just us,” The older man, Tommy speaks for the two, “We’re part of a community, lots of people, we have food, power, safety, if you want to come-”

“I’m not going fucking anywhere.” You say harshly your weapon more focused on the older man as he raises his hands higher to show he’s not going to try anything, “Does anyone else know about this place?” You demand and Tommy shakes his head.

“Only us, look we’ll get out of here and you’ll never see us again.” The man says and your silence only lets them brew with many questions and fears the main one being, are there leaving here alive? You should just kill them and end the discussion, how could you trust them that they weren’t going to come back? You would have to fucking leave and start all over again. You could head more north, hit Canada, and start over there. Your finger rests on the trigger as you stare at Tommy and you curse under your breath for what you were about to do.

“Get up.” You order as the two men stand and you usher them towards the front door that brings you out to the porch the sunset streaming an orange glow against the untouched snow. “If I see any of you or any of your people I won’t hesitate to fucking kill you.” You threaten as the men move to their horses, grabbing the hunting knife that was the man from your back pocket and chucking it as it lands in the snow before them.

“Best get moving, you don’t wanna be out in the dark here.” A mixture of a threat and advice as Tommy moves forward picking up the lone knife that is meant to protect the two men as they saddle up. Your weapon is still trained on the two as they take off and you make sure they are past the ridge waiting out there a full five minutes. You even climbed the hill rifle in hand expecting them to be waiting there to take you down but, you saw nothing but the tracks leading away and the empty plains and forest surrounding you.

Closing and locking the door you collect the new weapons resting your rifle on the coffee table as you take into account the equipment. They were of much better quality than the hunting rifle you called yours. It was here when you stumbled upon this place used to kill the previous owner you assumed he was tired of living in this fucked up world and wanted the easy way out. Your nerves felt heightened with that interaction, you can’t even remember the last time you saw a person though infected don’t count. Someone that speaks and has thoughts but can be manipulative and kill you if you let your guard down.

The night is eerie as you eat one of the rabbits the other gutted and strung to preserve for your next meal and use the fur for other uses. The rifle laid across your lap as you eye the front door, the back door of the home now barricaded by the old heavy bookshelf you pushed down the hall to block it. You hadn’t felt this on guard in months and maybe this is why people had appeared in your small sanctuary. You would rather deal with infected showing up here than actual people. Sleep wasn’t going to come to you your nerves were shot and the adrenaline from early kept you awake. Sitting on the couch silently waiting to take down whoever might try to get you until your lids grew heavy and your head slumped over sleep taking over.

The people of Jackson especially those who were close and dear to the Miller brother and the family and friends of the younger boy Jesse waited anxiously for their return. They were meant to return before sunset now dark and the older Miller brother paces the gate where he watched his brother leave. Joel was ready to steal a horse and go out and look for Tommy but here he was being stopped by his sister-in-law and his surrogate daughter.

“Jesse and him are alright Joel, there has to be a reason for them to be held back.” Maria tries to calm the quickly growing anxious brother her being better at hiding her fears of the location of her husband and the father of their child.

“They should have been here hours ago. Before sunset he said, it’s been three hours past that!” Joel didn’t mean to raise his voice but the nerves and fear of losing another member of his family to great for him. His hand clutches his watch the memories associated with it his only reminder of what he lost. Maria rests a hand on the man’s shoulder,

“He’ll be alright Joel, have faith in them. If they aren’t back in another hour I won’t stop you from going off and looking for him.” The leader of the community offers and the older man nods but before he can start coming up with a gameplan someone from the watch towers of the large gates calls out.

“They’re back!” Joel felt a sigh of relief leave his body and he could even see the woman release her own tension. He watches the gates open as the two men enter the town Joel instantly notices the lost weapons and their packs gone. He and Maria go over to Tommy as he slides off the horse letting it be taken away by a stablehand and Jesse is greeted by Ellie and one of her friends, Dina.

Maria hugs her husband her hands cupping the man’s face looking for any injuries, “Are you alright? What took you both so long.” She asks as Joel looks over his brother and he could see the thoughts running through his head.

“What did you see Tommy?” Joel asks and Tommy looks over at his brother and his hand reaches for the knife he was given.

“There’s someone out there!” Jesse says coming over to Ellie and Dina not far behind. Tommy gives the younger boy a look before sighing and nodding, “We were doing the normal patrols checking the towers and went a bit further and we found a cabin. Thought it was going to be deserted, maybe find some supplies or anything but it seemed we stumbled on someone’s home.” Tommy explains and Maria looks more frantically for any injuries but he waves her off.

“We’re fine, they only took our weapons and packs. Could have killed us but they let us go.” Tommy explains he could picture your eyes cold and expressive, but they seemed young but harden by the world around them all.

“So we go after them, we kick that guy’s ass, and get the gear back!” Ellie says and Tommy shakes his head same with his brother who gives a quick scold of her name.

“Told us if anyone of us shows up there again they wouldn’t hesitate to kill us, we just leave it. They stay where they are we keep away and that’s final.” Tommy explains and Maria nods.

“Come on it’s been a very stimulating day. I will let the council know of this so we can avoid that location on patrols.” Maria says and the people bid their goodnights as Jesse is brought home with his family Dina following with as the Millers plus Ellie stay together.

Joel looks over at his brother seeing the conflict in his eyes, “You alright there Tommy?” The man perks up before slowly nodding,

“Yeah...you know I offered them to come here…a lot safer than being out there all alone,” The man sighs scratching his cheek, “They said they were better off there.”

Joel nods patting his brother’s shoulder as they make their way to their respective homes, “Maybe it was for the best.” Tommy nods his hand grasping the hunting knife just remembering those eyes. He couldn’t shake the familiar feeling off them.

“Maybe..”

Weeks passed the winter was harsh for the people of Jackson but with the heated water and the power that was put through the community, they would push through. Both Miller brothers saddle up for their patrol ready to check on the communication towers with the large amount of snow that had come down on them this past week they needed to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary. On their horses just waiting for the earlier patrol to arrive so they can head off. Tommy and Joel turn to the gates as Jesse and William his most current pairing for patrols come flying in on horses.

“Tommy!”

Jesse yells coming beside the man on his horse, “I know you said to avoid the cabin and we did,” Jesse says trying to catch his breath as the older man tries to start scolding him when he heard about the cabin, “But from one of the trails you can see straight at it and it’s just cover in smoke…and there was blood everywhere.”

The four men went off after Jesse and William had cleared they were good to head out again and show them as the four horses raced through the snow, Tommy wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. You were a complete stranger, one that did almost kill them when they first met. But it was this gut feeling he couldn’t ignore as they reached the ridge and he sees the cabin, part of it has thick black smoke though it looks like nothing was on fire anymore.

“Stay alert,” Tommy warns all of them with their rifles or pistols as they depart from the horses. Moving towards the house the front porch steps is drenched in blood and the snow around it from the man dead on the steps a bullet obliterating his skull. Looking at the three other men signaling Jesse and William to check the back as he and Joel enter through the front. Once the two men disappeared around the wall he turns to his brother as the two stood on opposite sides of the door before they enter. The stench of death and the burning smell. Part of the roof was caved in smoking planks of wood leaving an open hole in the ceiling. They had to immediately climb over a body that is slumped over at a hatchet embedded in the man’s chest. The place was in a state of disaster a clear fight took place there. Furniture flipped, blood, and bulletholes everywhere. The couch Tommy remembers sitting at is flipped over and a man laying half on it and there are multiple stab wounds to his neck and chest area. A wheeze fills the air and the two men turn their weapons finding a woman against one of the walls her face sweaty from the clear blood loss she sustained from the knife still in her chest. Her eyes glazed over blood spilling freely from her mouth, “f…fuck..ing an..animal..” Her final words as she slumps over and the two men look more cautious. There’s no way you did all this. A thump comes from the bedroom as they turn to face the hallway, seeing the backdoor blocked by the large bookcase. Moving down checking each of the rooms leading there the violence only grew more. In the bathroom, a man lies in a puddle of blood his face caved in from the porcelain sink that is broken around him. Standing in front of the bedroom door Joel’s hand grabs the handle counting before pushing it open. He’s lucky he didn’t walk straight in as a bullet fires splintering the door and the wall between the two men.

“Fuck..” A very feminine voice groans as an item is dropped and the two men enter finding the destruction of the room. Two bodies are dead one at the foot of the bed and the other on the bed his blood soaking the sheets. On the floor in the corner with a clear shot to whoever enters the room. Tommy hadn’t known what his almost killer plus savior had looked like, everything was hidden by heavy winter clothes, and the only thing to show were your eyes and parts of your brows. He had truly thought you were a man. But with minimal layers, this fight probably happened when you were home, he’s staring at a girl…a very young girl for the fact. But also the fact he thought he was staring at a carbon copy of the man beside him looking exactly in shock and confusion as his brother.

You see two men before you one you recognize as the man you let go, Trevor or whatever the fuck his name was. The other next to him you’ve never seen but the two did look like similar brothers maybe. The revolver is aimed at the Travis guy you do know and you see the older man raise his rifle at you while the man with the gun pointed at him makes no move with his own. “I fucking told you I would kill you if I saw you again.” You hiss trying to shift your weight letting a hiss from the burning pain in your side. Thomas looks down at your side and sees your hand pressed against it blood soaking the fabric.

“You’re hurt.” He takes a step forward and your finger rests on the trigger while the other man has a clear shot at you, “Drop the gun girl.” The older man hisses and you barely glance at him as you speak.

“You’re in my fucking house dickwad don’t tell me shit.” You say before you open the chamber showing there are no bullets left, “If you’re here to get your shit back, it’s all gone or used to kill this fuckers.” You wave the empty gun to show the damaged room and the two bodies that are with you.

“Like I said before, get the fuck out of here and let me die in peace. Better yet toss me a bullet and let me finish the job.” You spat leaning your head back against the wall, waiting to hear them leave or maybe give you a way to bite the bullet. A sudden rise in pain as a pair of hands clutch your wound and your eyes widen as you look at Tristian put his hands on your wound with what looks like actual bandages.

“What the fuck?! Get…the fuck…of me!” You hiss trying to push him off as he only puts more pressure on your wound. “Should’ve fucking…killed you!”

“Shut up, tryin’ save your damn life.” He says as you glare right back at him, “Joel get the horses she’s coming back to Jackson.”

“No, I’m not!” “Tommy?!” You and this Joel guy yell at the same time as Tommy continues putting pressure on your wound as you struggle more against him, “How do you know if she’s not infected?”

“Do I look fucking infected dumbass?” You say and the man glares at you, “Watch your mouth kid.” Joel glares at you and you glare right back.

“Suck my dic-” “Hey!”

Tommy yells silencing the two of you. “You’re fucking bleeding from your side, so it’s either we leave you and maybe the guys you killed have buddies that come after you and you figure out if you can take them,” He says giving you a look, “Or you can come back to Jackson and stay alive. Your choice.” Tommy looks at you as you’re silent.

“Get the fucking horse, Joel.” You spat and Tommy sighs in relief as the older man glares at you, “You don’t tell me shit.” “Think I just fucking did.”

“Jesus Christ! Stop talking either of you,” Tommy says shutting you both up as your glares both enough to kill the other if looks could kill, “Joel please get the horses.” The man gives one last look before heading out of the room. Tommy looks back at you looking at your wound. You would get better treatment when they return but this would be the best he could give you. Tommy helps you to your feet and you groan in pain your hand pressing to your stomach he has one of your arms thrown over his shoulder as he starts leading you out of the room.

You’re semi-dressed for the weather not as good as he would like it but he grabbed a coat by the doorway slinging it over your shoulders to give you some warmth. The frigid air and brightness of the snow reflect off the snow as you move past the body at the doorway and the steps seeing the four horses as Joel holds two of them and two other men are standing there one you recognize from before as he watches you.

“The fuck you looking at.” You growl as the boy and the man snaps their gaze away from you as Tommy curses under his breath.

“Maria’s gonna kill me.” He could already think of the fight that is going to happen when he gets back. They already had to deal with Ellie and the sailor of a mouth she has plus the intensity of Joel but it seemed like you were both of them put together and then times that by twenty. Reaching the horse Tommy climbs on first before reaching for your free hand as he pulls you up as you groan in pain your teeth grinding trying to muffle your sounds of pain. You felt breathless and out of energy from just that, Tommy has one hold of your arm to his front while your other holds your wound. “Alright let’s go!” He yells and the horses take off as your face presses against his back trying to focus on your breathing. In for five…hold for four…out for five. Repeat. It was the only thing you could focus on as the world around you blurred. Leaving your destroyed sanctuary behind to wherever Jackson is.

The ride is intense each bump in the road makes you grip the man’s hand hard as a flash of white light covers your vision. You weren’t sure how long you were awake or did you daze, until you found hear Tommy in front of your speaking but everything sounded underwater. “The gates are just ahead kid. Hold out just a bit.”

A garble of words is slurred back to him as he spurs the horse faster and he squeezes your hand in reassurance though he only feels your cold ungloved hand. They reach the gates as they open, Jesse, William, and Joel coming off their horses quickly while Tommy slows down. “We’re here kid, you’re gonna be alright.” He says when he feels your grip on his hand weaken before he turns seeing you slipping off the horse your eyes rolled back.

“Joel!” He yells to his brother grabbing your shirt to try to stop your fall but your sleeve rips. His brother comes at the right moment to catch the top half of your body and the two of you hit the ground your head protected from the ground. Tommy is off the horse before the two of you as Maria and others quickly join seeing the patrol returned with an addition.

“Christ Tommy. What the hell did you do?!” Maria yells as her husband presses his hands onto your side as he shouts out for the town doctor. “I’ll explain everything once she’s tended to.” He says and he sees your eyes slowly flutter open and he’s drawn back to you.

“Hey, kid keep those eyes open. I’m getting you help. Just need you awake..umm, tell me the year? You got a name kid?” He promises as you look at him in pain as he waits for a name. “bite…me.” You say before darkness quickly takes over as you hear a final curse.

You felt rested which was weird and the pain in your side was less of a constant screaming pain to a dull feeling. Shifting feeling the slight comfort of a mattress as you slowly blink your eyes open and you hear shuffling coming from the other side of the room. What looks like a younger-looking lady as she goes through cabinets before she comes over to a metal tray in her hand she places it on a small medical table she doesn’t seem to notice your conscious staring. Where the fuck were you…you remember the cabin..the fight...then it was a blur you remember voices and someone holding you but you weren’t sure what was real or not. You see the lady pick up a needle filling it with something and she turns away from the briefest of seconds and you strike. Snatching the metal tray you swing it as it collides with her head and she drops to the ground. Moving off the bed you bring your hand to your shirt lifting it and see a clean bandage covering your side instead of the old cloth ones you were forced to work with. A groan from the injured woman makes you move. Reaching the doorway you snatch the coat off the rack and the cold air sends a shiver down your body. Slipping your arms in the thicker coat flipping the hood over your head. Taking in your surroundings seeing people milling about though you avoid their gazes. You take in the streets, no run-down buildings…or ration lines. This wasn’t the QZ this didn’t even look like a Fedra run area. You almost stopped to take in the large pine tree covered in lights of a collage of colors and the top of a large star. What the hell was this place?

“What do you mean she got out?” A voice yells out and you quickly lean against a wall to make yourself unnoticeable. From your peripheral, you could see two men walking frantically down the street as they stop a bit before you.

“Look Claire said she wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon, and I was going to ask Jesse to keep an eye on her. Didn’t expect her to wake up and give the poor girl a concussion!” The familiar voice says as you see the man with long black hair rack his fingers through the tendrils in stress. The other man with shorter brown hair that was greying and a salt-and-pepper beard. His hands are on his hips as he shakes his head.

“Okay we watch the gates, she would only head for the exits if she plans on running. Have everyone on the alert, we don’t know if she might try to cause harm to anyone here.” The man says,

“Joel she’s a kid, not some rabid animal.” The younger man says and the older one, Joel crosses his arms with a glare on his face, “Tommy you saw that cabin, she did that herself and already seems to be proving us right.” Joel says and you try moving past them just act casual and keep heading down the main road. If you can get to a gate before they can spread the news you’ll be home free.

You had only made the mistake of glancing back at the pair making direct eye contact with Joel as he is mid-sentence before he stops his eyes widened seeing you staring back at him a few feet away from him. You’re just a few seconds short of dodging him as a strong hand grips your wrist before you can run. Your hand whips out a large crack filling the air as it makes contact with his face. Joel stumbles back clutching his nose with a curse as you dart, racing through the streets shoving past people as they yell at your retreating figure and you can hear the chase behind you. Sprinting into what looks like a hall, multiple pairs of eyes meeting yours as you bust through the doors looking like a madman before sprinting towards the large double doors that lead to the kitchen. You hear the doors open as Tommy and Joel yell at you to stop. The kitchen is busy as you shove past people looking back and seeing the two in the room with you. Seeing a tower of crates filled with plates. You grab them pulling them as you run past they crash to the floor stopping the two men in their tracks. Seeing the emergency exit sign you break through reaching outside as you sprint through the snow-filled streets. Lungs on fire, your side burning as you slide in the snow picking yourself up as you turn the corner and see the sign Rancher Street. Spotting the first house you see sprinting up the porch your hand grabs the door ready to break it down when it swings open as you tumble inside. Slamming the door behind you catching your breath as you survey the home. It looks like a normal home, clean but cluttered showing it was lived in. Your mind already running on the ruthless fighter side you had to protect all these years.

“Joel?” A girl’s voice calls out from upstairs as you freeze, “You home already old man.” The sarcasm in her voice as you see a girl bound down the stairs expecting the gruff older man but sees a girl slightly older still covered in blood and grime. The two of you stare at each other and her hand slowly moves to her pocket but you strike first. Your fist slams against her face stars filling the girl’s eyes as she pulls out the switchblade trying to stab at you but you grab her wrist as she pushes forward with a yell. The blade slashes out catching you in your face as the two of you collide against a table it moving with force. She puts her weight as she tries to bring the knife through your chest it digging into your skin and gritting your teeth in pain, Holding her back with one hand the other scrambles behind you, your fingers brushing against a glass vase curling around it and slamming it against the girl’s face. She cries out pulling back as the shards create scratches as you tackle her to the ground she lets out a gasp the wind knocked out. Seizing the weapon a struggle as the roles are reversed and the blade inches closer to her neck.

The main door kicks open and Joel and Tommy heard a scream coming from down the street from his own home. Rage fills the older man seeing the stranger pinning down his injured daughter with a knife dangerously close to her. Grabbing you by the hair ripping an animalistic shriek as he throws you into the wall. The knife flies from your hand when you hit the corner of the wall, your back seizes and you feel a rip in your side. A hand grabs your throat pulling you to stand as you try to fight back but your legs are pinned the same with your arms held in his tight grasp that would bruise in his free hand that is choking you out.

“Joel!” The two voices behind him yell out as he pins this teen to the wall ready to finish her off for daring to assault Ellie. “Joel stop I’m fine!” The younger girl calls out despite the scrapes and quickly forming bruises but was more worried about the man choking the life out of the girl.

“Joel.” Tommy's warning voice as the red filter in front of him begins to fade as he’s left staring at a young girl her teeth barred her face slightly red from the lack of oxygen. He steps back and you drop to the ground gasping for air your hand lightly touches your throat. Your other hand lifts your shirt cursing under your breath seeing the popped stitches bleeding through the bandage. “Up kid.” You hear Tommy say as you glare at him before spitting at his feet. The man sighs as the door opens revealing there are two more men. Your body reacts trying to run but Joel still bleeding from the nose but which had started to clot up grabs you by the arm as the two men grab you by each arm.

“Fuck you.” You snarl as you thrash in the men’s arms as they pull you out of the house, people from other houses family of all ages watch the event as you bare your teeth at them as they pull their children closer to them in fear. You are silent letting them force walk slash drag you to what you find out is their town jail.

The place was empty probably not needing any use until now, you’re thrown into a cell as the door close. There’s a concrete bench/bed built into the wall and nothing else as you shove yourself into a corner giving them no other way to come at you. The only passage of time is the small window high up on the wall and the bleeding from your side that was once a spilling red to now clotted up with the bandage. The small wound on your chest had stopped bleeding and didn’t need any treatment. They didn’t seem to think to leave someone to watch confident nothing would happen and you had to admit they were right. No amount of jumping for the window that you knew you couldn’t squeeze your body through or shaking the metal door hoping it was not fully locked. The cold room comforted you as you picked at the blood and dirt from under your nails when you heard the sound of footsteps.

Looking up seeing Tommy leaning against the back wall and a woman with dark skin pulls up a chair from the wall and takes a seat. Folding her hands in front of her as she looks at you seeing the cut on your face from the girl’s knife and the quickly forming bruise around your neck. “You’re lucky Joel didn’t shoot you back there.” The woman says and you roll your eyes looking away from her.

“Yeah let me go thank him for almost suffocating me instead of shooting me.” You spat before leaning, “Here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna open this cell and fuck off.”

“You don’t get to make the decision here.” You shot up grabbing the bars your face pressed against the bars.

“Open this fucking door!” The bars rattle with your pulling as the woman makes no reaction to the murderous look on your face.

“Did you tell anyone about us?” She says as you push back, “Fuck you.”

“You’re just increasing your stay here with the backtalk. Now did you tell anyone about this place?” The woman questions.

“I didn’t tell anyone shit! There’s fucking no one to tell.” You yell throwing your hands up in the air as she watches you before speaking up again.

“How old are you,” “85.” You say not to give up any information as she gives you a look.

“What’s your name?” “Princess fucking Diana.” You spat and she smirks as she leans back crossing her arms.

“How about this, you tell me what I want to know, and I’ll tell you what you need to know,” She offers as you lean against the wall across from her. “Okay, my name is Maria Miller, and this is my husband Tommy.” She points to Tommy who is behind her. “Now you. What’s your name?” You’re silent before offering your name,

“Y/n.”

Maria nods, glad to at least get something, “Nice to meet you Y/n. How long have you been living in that cabin?”

You shrug flexing the bruised knuckles from your fight earlier, “ I don’t know…’bout a year now. Now you answer my questions.” She shakes her head,

“I only have one last question. You have absolutely no one going to look for you. No parents…family..anyone that might be coming for you.” She says and she notices the sudden frown that appears on your face and the loss of snark and bite at the mention of parents. It was the small crack in the harsh mask you put it but the topic seemed to strike hard and strike deep.

“No.” Your voice is rough your body still your hands balled in fists, “No one’s coming.” Your gaze avoidant you felt uncomfortable and embarrassed as if the truth of a lack of parents would make the older woman laugh at you. It made your skin crawl with how easily it affected you feeling the little girl crawling to come out but you shove it away the harsh look covers your face. “Can I ask my fucking questions now?” You ask and Maria nods waving her hand for you to speak.

“Why did you even bring me? Let me leave. I didn’t ask for your fucking help. You don’t even have to give me anything just let me go back to the cabin and you’ll never see me again.” You say, just have them point you in the direction of your home and you’ll make it on foot. You felt uneasy here, these people were clean and fed, and they looked normal, unlike yourself and the people you’ve seen in your lifetime. Maria is silent before she sighs shaking her head,

“I can’t do that.” You step close to the bars as she speaks, “Those raiders are part of a larger group, they’ve probably been following you for days before they decided to strike. Coming here there is the possibility they might come after you in revenge. You already know too much about Jackson and we can’t risk you revealing anything about this place.” She stands as your hands grasp the bars.

“None of them are gonna come after me! I told you what you wanted to know! Let me the fuck out!” You yell as she looks at you the rage written across your face, “You fucking told me you’d let me go!” Maria moves towards the door her husband following behind her as you shake the bars screaming at them, “You fucking bastards! Let me out of here! You can’t fucking do this! Let me go! Fucking let me go!” The two leave as you move back against the corner sliding down to the ground, holding your head in your hands.

Your luck had run out and you had no idea what you were going to do to get out of this one.

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thatdeadaquarius · 11 months ago

Text

Genshin SAGAU/Isekai Fanfic - A Player's Possessions, Chapter 2

You can still control your characters! ...by possessing them. 👻

(Ao3 only, we've had too many technical difficulties over here at thatdeadaquarius.tumblr.com 🙄)

Yep, this gif is definitely this fics energy, yep uh huh. /s

☆

Sun: Gender Neutral Reader (you/they/them)

Orbit: Ao3 Fanfic, Chapter 2

Stars: Eremites, Sumeru's Fungi/creatures, Collei, Tighnari, Forest Rangers, Alhaitham, others mentioned.

Comets & Meteors: Content Warnings: _ &

Trigger Warnings: _

☆

Safe Travels Friends!

💀♒️

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

♡ MY beloveds :) ♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks / @devilangel657 / @esthelily / @justinsomniachild / @nanithefuck

@justlostintheinternet / @assassinsnake101 /@sun-wokung / @prettybbychim / @time-shardz / @jingliuu / @aquallys / @kiraisastay / @bk-4-trash-fire / @rocketstyx / @i-have-a-lot-of-ocs / @perfectroadstudenthumanoid / @hypostatic-oath / @help-whatdoimakemyusername / @odevote118 / @vxsire / @cumbermovels / @horologiumwise / @mmeat / @whatamidoing89 / @mabvo / @andromeda-gay

If your @/ didnt work, IDK why :(

Maybe make sure ur a "searchable blog" and u gave me ur main blog and not a secondary one??

#genshin sagau #sagau #genshin isekai #genshin imagines #genshin impact #genshin impact sagau #genshin x reader #genshin sagau possession au #genshin possession au #sagau possession au #gender neutral reader #genshin isekai possession au #aqua fanfics #standalone post #going feral

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hiro--aoki · 3 months ago

Text

TWD X TUMBLR Chapter One: Where The Story Starts

TW: No trigger warnings out of the usual twd stuff, you know the drill

A/n: and. here. we. go.

Next Chapter

“Hello? Hello, can anyone hear my voice? Over”

Everyone’s heads turn towards the radio. There hasn’t been a transmission since they bombed Atlanta. Everyone rushes over, Amy getting there first, dropping the sticks she had gathered for the fire.

She grabs the radio with a shaky hand, nearly dropping it, “Hey. Hello?”

“Can anyone hear my voice?” The person on the other end continues.

“Yes, you’re coming through. I can hear your voice. Over.” She says, excitement filling her voice.

“If anyone reads, please respond.” The voice continues.

People start to crowd around Amy and the radio. Her faces falls, as she realises, she isn’t coming through to the person.

“Broadcasting on emergency channel. Will be approaching Atlanta on highway 85. If anybody reads, please respond.”

“We’re just outside the city- “But Amy’s interrupted by radio static.

“Damn it.” She mutters, “Hello? Hello? He couldn’t hear me; I couldn’t warn him.”

“Try to raise him again,” Dale offers, “C’mon son, you know best how to work this thing.”

Dale gestures to Shane. Shane slams his hatchet down onto the wooden log the radio is resting on, before kneeling and taking the radio from Amy’s hand.

“Hello, hello. Is the person who called still on the air?”

Everyone listens for a moment, only to hear static yet again.

“This is officer Shane Walsh, responding to person unknown, please respond.”

Another moment of nothing before Shane puts down the radio, “He’s gone.”

Lori breaks the silence, “There are others, it’s not just us.”

“We knew there would be, right?” Shane replies, “That’s why we left the C.B. on.”

“Lot of good it’s been doing. I’ve been saying for a week, we ought to put signs up on 85 and warn people away from the city.” Lori points out.

“She’s not wrong, Shane.” Lily calls out from her spot with Carl, Kayden and Delilah.

“Folks got no idea what they’re getting into.” Amy adds.

“Well,” Shane says as he stands, “We haven’t had time.”

“I think we need to make time.” Lori says, firmer than before.

“That’s a luxury we can’t afford. We are surviving here; we are day to day.”

“And who the hell would you propose we send?” Dale asks, trying to calm the atmosphere.

“I’ll go. Give me a vehicle.” Lori says countering again.

“I’ll come too.” Lily adds.

“And me!” Delilah demands.

“Nobody goes anywhere alone, and I’m not letting you take two children as support.” Shane answers, leaving no room for arguments.

Lori stays silent for a minute, before mumbling a “Yes sir,” as she walks back to her tent.

Carl goes to follow, holding Kayden’s hand, bringing her too.

“Hey, hey, hey, take a seat kiddos. You’re alright, c’mon.” Shane stops them.

Carl and Kayden stand there for a minute, before Carl continues walking ignoring Shane’s command. Lily follows, stopping them.

“Kay, can you help ‘Lilah, sort the firewood?” She asks.

Kayden nods and runs over to Delilah who is sorting through the sticks Amy had found, as Delilah explains which ones are good to burn, and which ones aren’t.

“Mom?” Carl calls out to Lori.

Shane walks out of the tent first, “Sup, buddy, she’s in there, go on.”

As Shane walks away, he passes Lily who mumbles, “I’m not a kid.”

“Hey,” Lori says to Carl, “I don’t want you or Lily to worry, mama’s not going anywhere, okay?”

Carl nods, with his innocent grin.

“Go finish your chores.” She smiles.

“Okay.” He waddles off to help Delilah and Kayden.

_______Later That Day_______

Amy, followed by Delilah, carries a bucket of fungi to Lori.

“Get a lot?” Lori queries.

“How do we know if they’re poison?” Amy asks as she tips the bucket towards Lori to show her the contents.

Lori holds out a bowl, and Amy tips them in.

“Uh, there’s only one sure way I know of.” Lori says, as she starts to fumble around with a mushroom.

Delilah lifts one to her mouth.

“Don’t.” Lori warns.

Amy crouches down next to the fire, “Ask Shane when he gets back?”

“Yeah.” Lori stands, picking up the bucket.

As she starts to walk to the forest, she calls out to Dale, “Dale. I’m headin’ out.”

She then turns to Carl, “Sweetheart, I want you to stay where Dale or Lily can see you, okay?”

“Yes, mom.” Carl says as he continues to play with Kayden.

“You too! Don’t wander too far; stay within shouting distance, and if you see anything, holler. Okay?” Dale says, his protectiveness showing through his tone of voice.

“Yes mom.” Lori mumbles sarcastically as she walks into the forest.

After she disappears into the forest, Lily calls out to Carl, Kayden, Sophia and Delilah.

“Do you guys wanna hear a story?”

This excites them easily, even Delilah, and they all scramble to sit in front of her.

“Have you heard the story of the big bad wolf and the three little pigs?”

“This story again? You told this one a few nights ago. I came here for energy, creativity, a masterpiece, if you will. This is why Glenn is our story teller. Get your mind in the game, Lils.” Delilah complains.

“You got a better idea, ‘Mrs Rhee’?” Lily asks, with a grin.

“What about a story about a dinosaur?” Carl asks.

“In outer space.” Kayden adds.

“And maker the dinosaur a fairy warrior princess!” Delilah smiles.

_______Meanwhile_______

Rick climbs out of the tank, pushing and shooting walkers away, while he follows the instructions the two voices over the radio had said.

He quickly finds the alley, seeing something moving, points his gun up.

“Woah! Not dead! Not dead!” The Korean says.

“C’mon, hurry.” The lady says.

All three run down the alley to a ladder. The lady climbs up first, then the guy.

“What are you doing?!” Hurry up!” The man hisses at Rick.

The walkers below growl and grunt as they climb higher onto the building.

The three of them reach a ledge. They lean against the railing as they catch their breathe.

“Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood. You the new sheriff?” The mystery man asks, taking in Rick’s uniform, “Come riding in to clean up the town?”

“Wasn’t my intention-“

“Yeah whatever.” The lady interrupts.

“Well, yee haw, you’re still a dumbass.” The man adds.

There’s another moment of silence before Rick offers the man his hand, “Rick. Thanks.”

The man looks at his hand for a second before shaking it, “Glenn, you’re welcome.”

Rick then offers his hand to the lady.

She shakes his hand, “Artemis.”

“Oh no,” Glenn says, as he peers over the railing at the walkers, who are blocking one two ways off the balcony.

The three of them glance up at the ladder that takes them further up the building.

“Bright side: it’ll be the fall that kills us.” Glenn says.

This earns a look from Rick.

“He’s a glass half full kinda guy.” Artemis chuckles.

This time, Glenn climbs up the ladder first, then Artemis, and finally, after stealing a glance at the decaying nightmares, Rick.

Taglist:

@kookiekult @smutinlove @far-cry-from-finality @zomb-1-egutzz @shadowybasementmiracle @vaniniweenie

@frankcastleautism @hisdahlia @carlslvr @zzombiegirl @lunarnightt @carlmipololo @herrera2k @txrasbae @sleep-queen

#the walking dead #twd #twd x tumblr #artemis everdeen #lily grimes #delilah walsh #kayden walsh

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starmendotnet · 5 months ago

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RETURN OF THE EARTHBOUND FUNKTASTIC GAMEPLAY SUMMER

Hello everyone! It is with GREAT ENTHUSIASM that we would like to announce the:

But first… what IS a Funktastic Gameplay Summer?

Us Starmen.Netters are bringing back a long-beloved sitewide tradition! The Earthbound Funktastic Gameplay Summer is an event that dates back to 2001, wherein the community collectively plays through EarthBound over the course of several “Gameplay Points” (GPPs). Everyone is encouraged to play along, and our team of stream hosts will be broadcasting their own gameplay on the StarmanClub Twitch channel. In addition, we will be celebrating MOTHER’s 35th and Earthbound’s 30th anniversary!

Maybe it’s been a minute since you’ve returned to the game. Maybe you’ve never played before! The idea is to get fans, new and old, engaging with Earthbound. With introduction out of the way, let’s move on to the deets:

THE SUBMISSIONS

An integral part of Starmen history is fan submissions, where the community creates fanart about the stream events, and just EB in general. As per usual, here are the categories:

Categories!

Writing: Stories, poems, theories… if you wrote it, it belongs here! Handart: Charcoal, paintings, sculptures… if you made it with your hands, it belongs here! Compart: Digital illustrations, 3D models, pixel art… if you made it with a computer, it belongs here! AudioViz: Music, videos, fangames… if it pertains to audio/visuals, it belongs here!

Prizes!

Winners will receive shiny badges on the forum to show off their mastery of Earthbound funk, as well as forum ranks and avatars!

Of course, opening up the floor to fanworks doesn’t come without its fair share of ground rules. Don’t worry though, it’s pretty simple stuff.

Rules!

Submissions must be related to Earthbound/the Funktastic Gameplay streams

If your submission contains content that would require a trigger warning (violence, sensitive subject matters, etc.) please put it in a spoiler box with a warning.

You may submit as many pieces to one category as you like, but only one can place

You may submit to as many categories as you like

Any submission must’ve been made for this event. No previous works!

THE STREAM SCHEDULE

Keep an eye out in our Event forum for the schedule drop, but livestreams won't be the only thing we've got going on!

THE ADDITIONAL EVENTS

If you can’t catch the streams, don’t worry! The streams are only a small part of our summer programming. In addition, there will be other events to keep the party goin’! These being:

Eagleland Scrapbook (July 15th – August 24th):

Get your cameras out and your bug spray on! This summer, we’re running a collaborative photo book! At the end of the event, your photos will be assembled into a digital booklet for your viewing pleasure. So, where to start? Well, we’re limiting subjects to four categories; birds, flora, fungi, and insects.

A couple notes; you’re more than free to submit multiple photos if you’d like, and there is no judgment on the quality of the photos. Just try your best to keep the camera as focused on the subject as possible. The event ends on August 24th, so get snapping! And most of all, have fun!

EB No Natsumatsuri (August 1st – August 24th):

Our highly calibrated MoonWatch Radar indicates that activity coming from the Annual Gift Man’s base is already approaching usual December levels, and climbing! That can only mean EB no Matsuri has come early, and that can only mean one thing: time to prepare a feast for the Gift Man’s arrival! The beloved Starmen.Net tradition returns, but in a brand new form! Instead of gift giving, we would like to encourage everyone to come up with or find a MOTHER-series themed recipe, make it, and share the recipe and pictures of your delicious dish with everyone! It’s a virtual potluck, and everyone’s invited. (Can’t think of what to make? Make Your Favorite Food, of course, whatever it is!)

And now for our final announcement at this time… prepare yourselves for something very special!

A NEW AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITY

This message is brought to you by PorcBanc™

The savvy investors over at PorcBanc™ have very graciously offered all Starmen.Net members EXCLUSIVE and PRIVILEGED access to a cutting edge, Earthbound-themed surprise to our Funktastic Gameplay Summer events! A special surprise will be released to the public on July 21st, 2024. Be sure to stay tuned for more details on all your favourite Starmen.Net media channels! Remember folks:

“With PorcBanc™, we guarantee profits HAM over fist!”

Guarantees or promises made by PorcBanc and its affiliated subsidiaries are intended for marketing purposes only and do not hold any legal value.

An event™ by PorcBanc™

#earthbound #fanart #EBFGPS #funfest #summer #MOTHER 2 #forum events

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panakinthedisco · 5 months ago

Text

As the world lay in shambles by the sudden outbreak of a disease called cordyceps brain infection, society is broken, the government is on the rubble where a world became lawless and violent. But even chaos is prevalent, some are persistent to find a vaccine, though it is deemed impossible and hopeless due to the overwhelming mutation.

Kannika Suriya-Neuman, the only child of two known Medical professors took part with the cause - becoming the first pioneers who tried to find the vaccine, ten years after the outbreak. With her parents, Phillip Neuman and Anna Suriya, the tumultuous journey to find a cure becomes, metaphorically speaking, the search for a holy grail that can end the virus once and for all. Their team that consisted of surviving doctors and medicine majors from different prestigious universities across America took part in a seemingly impossible cause.

Even though there is progress, a group of syndicates that are formed has other things in mind. For years living in a world without law or governance, the idea to take power in a lawless country will be gone if a vaccine is created. The Citadel whose ideology is protecting the society they created is now in a threat to the vaccine so they did the unthinkable, pulverize the whole operation.

By the massacre of Kannika's colleagues along with her mother who sacrificed her life by saving people, the search for the cure becomes thin up until a revolutionary group by the name The Fireflies steps in to protect the remaining survivors.

But the quest of the cure becomes hopeless for another ten years. Kannika, now thirty eight years old, is beginning to believe that the world she's living in is going to rot along with the decaying corpses of the clickers and runners. Until, Marlene, one of The Fireflies, tells her about a young girl who might be the answer to the prolonged cure.

Hope begins to shine in the horizon as Kannika sets the journey to find the young girl who is said to be immune from the virus. In between crossroads and that small hope that she hid in her heart, a man with a cold heart comes to her with tenderness and begs to be indulged by that love that he couldn't even remember. Kannika finds herself with Joel Miller, a man whose life is enveloped in regrets and sadness. But Kannika is in thin ice as Joel would take a bullet for the young girl that he grows to love as his own child.

A child over the future of many generations.

While for Kannika with a gun in her hand pointing to her lover, she silently hopes from the darkest corner of her mind that Joel should've pulled the trigger.

pairings: joel miller x original character / original characters x canon characters

warnings: major character deaths (oop!), smut, violence, brief mentions of SA (will state in the chapter) and gore.

author's notes: this is a slowburn romance for kannika and joel. also, as much i want to make this as a reader x joel, kannika neuman has a special in my heart soooooo sorry y'all! this fic will stick to some parts of the canon (series and video game) but act one and act two is full canon divergence. basically making my own lore.

other notes: most of the graphics of this fic are made by me unless its stated.

translated version/s: i've got a spanish translation for this fic in wattpad. you can check it out in here [CLICK HERE]

collateral damage gif banner: made by @alderaandors <3

AVAILABLE ON WATTPAD & AO3

ACT ONE | INFERNO (sets in ten years after outbreak)

001 . . . . fungi

002 . . . . sense of normalcy

003 . . . . happy anniversary!

004 . . . . breaking dawn

005 . . . . the holy grail

006 . . . . alternate universe

007 . . . . i am, i am, i am

008 . . . . all things must pass

009 . . . . sense of kindness

010 . . . . whiskey and fate

011 . . . . machiavellian

012 . . . . a little light

013 . . . . tortured soul

014 . . . . the punisher

015 . . . . not now, not ever

ACT TWO | PURGATORIO (sets in eleven years after outbreak)

016 . . . . a path ahead

017 . . .. happiness is a warm gun

ACT THREE | PARADISO (sets in twenty years after outbreak)

SEE BELOW THE SPOTIFY PLAYLISTS OR YOU CAN VISIT MY ACCOUNT.

☆ MASTERLIST | NAVIGATION | SOCIALS | SIGN OFF BANNER MADE BY. @ALDERAANDORS ☆

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everyones-fangirl · 7 months ago

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Delectable Little Pet

Warnings: 18+ This will be about after ascension Astarion so expect some extreme dark romance and future triggers. This chapter does contain descriptions of death.

Word Count: 3,810

Chapter 1

Cassara

Naivety. It’s a word I grew extremely familiar with, especially after I left home. At home, I was considered unruly, a brat, and much worse. In my village, however, I was practically royalty, being the heiress and daughter of two extremely powerful wood elves. My father was a magnificent protector, a master of the forest and its creatures, while my mother excelled in healing, her touch capable of mending the deepest wounds. With those two traits, our family quickly became the cornerstone of our small community, a haven for refugees seeking shelter from the ravages of war and strife. We built our enclave from the ground up, nestled deep within the ancient forests of Faerûn. Our village was a hidden gem, a sanctuary cradled in the embrace of towering trees and verdant foliage. The canopy above was so dense that sunlight filtered through in a mosaic of green and gold, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. Our homes were seamlessly integrated into the natural landscape, crafted from living wood that bent and shaped itself to our needs under the guidance of skilled elven artisans. Vines and flowering plants wove through the walls, creating a sense of harmony and unity with the forest.

The heart of the village was a large, open clearing where a majestic oak tree stood, its branches spreading wide to form a natural pavilion. This ancient tree, known as the Heartwood, was a symbol of our community’s strength and resilience. It was here that we gathered for celebrations, council meetings, and communal meals. Around the base of the Heartwood, a series of interconnected platforms and walkways, built into the trees themselves, created a multi-level village that felt like an extension of the forest.

Our village was a place of perpetual twilight, the thick canopy above allowing only the gentlest rays of the sun to reach us. Bioluminescent fungi and magical lanterns provided a soft, ethereal glow at night, bathing the village in a serene, otherworldly light. The air was always fresh, filled with the scent of pine, wildflowers, and the occasional hint of woodsmoke from our hearths. A crystal-clear stream meandered through the village, its waters sparkling as they caught the light. Bridges of woven vines arched gracefully over the stream, connecting different parts of the village. Children often played by its banks, their laughter mingling with the gentle babble of the water. Our homes, though simple, were beautiful and functional. Each dwelling was uniquely designed to blend with the surrounding trees, with balconies and windows that opened to the forest. Inside, they were cozy and warm, filled with handcrafted furniture and adorned with tapestries depicting scenes of elven lore and history.

The training grounds were on the outskirts of the village, a series of clearings where the young warriors practiced under the watchful eyes of seasoned fighters. Nearby, the healing huts stood as a testament to my mother’s prowess, filled with the rich, heady scent of herbs and the gentle hum of restorative magic.

Gardens and orchards were scattered throughout the village, providing fresh produce and herbs. These plots were tended with care, using ancient techniques that ensured the land was never overworked and always remained bountiful. The village’s self-sufficiency was a point of pride, and everyone contributed to its upkeep in some way.

Our sanctuary, while idyllic, was not without its defenses. Hidden watchtowers were strategically placed around the perimeter, and secret paths known only to our people allowed for swift movement through the forest. My father’s bond with the forest animals ensured that we were always aware of any approaching danger. In this tranquil setting, it was easy to forget the outside world’s turmoil. Yet, for me, the village was both a haven and a cage, its serene beauty a constant reminder of the freedom I yearned for but was denied. Word of our sanctuary spread far and wide, drawing elves from distant lands to our secluded spot.

My father, with his uncanny bond with animals, led our defenses, commanding both the beasts of the forest and the brave men who trained from a young age to protect our home. The forest itself seemed to come alive at his command, a living barrier against any who threatened us. Meanwhile, the women, myself included, took on the roles of caregivers and teachers. Domestic duties occupied most of our time, but the most thrilling moments were those spent mending the injured warriors who returned from battle. I especially enjoyed hearing their stories, even as a youngling. Their tales of bravery and danger, of distant lands and fierce battles, filled my imagination with visions of a world beyond our forest. Each scar carried a story, each wound a testament to the harsh realities outside our sanctuary. It was through these stories that I began to understand the true meaning of courage and sacrifice, and yet, it was also through these stories that I learned the extent of my own sheltered ignorance. My world was safe, my life blessed with the privileges of my heritage, but beyond the trees, a far harsher reality awaited—a reality I was yet to fully comprehend.

My parents were no help preparing me for the real world, steadfast in their refusal to let any woman train, especially their very own daughter. They believed that a woman's place was in the home, tending to domestic duties and healing, not out in the wild learning to wield magic or weapons. Their overprotectiveness stifled my spirit, and my mischief around the forest was my way of retaliating for not being allowed to learn how to do more with my magic than heal. Even as a child, my mischief in the village was legendary. The elders would often shake their heads and mutter about my antics, but secretly, I think even they were amused. My favorite pastime was sneaking into the armory, where I would borrow—without permission, of course—my father's weapons. The sight of a small girl attempting to wield a bow twice her size was enough to cause both laughter and mild panic among the guards.

Then there was the time I decided to "improve" the herbal mixtures in the healing hut. I had observed my mother blending potions so often that I was certain I could do it too. The result was a concoction that turned a patient's skin a brilliant shade of green. Luckily, it was a temporary effect, but my mother made sure I spent the next month sorting herbs as penance. I also had a penchant for leading my friends on daring escapades into the deeper parts of the forest. We would play hide and seek among the ancient trees, their branches twisting into natural labyrinths. My companions were often in awe of how I seemed to know the forest as well as my own home. However, our adventures frequently ended with a search party sent out to find us when we failed to return by nightfall. The relief of the adults was always quickly replaced by stern lectures and extra chores.

One of my more infamous pranks involved the village's festival preparations. I convinced a group of younger children that the decorations would look better if we "borrowed" some of the shimmering scales from the forest's sacred dragon statue. The elders were not amused when they found their revered monument looking rather bare, and the ensuing task of reapplying the scales was a tedious one. Despite the trouble I caused, my mischief was never born of malice. I was simply a child seeking adventure and excitement in a world that often seemed too small for my imagination. Each escapade, each prank, was a lesson in disguise, shaping me into the person I would become—restless, curious, and always eager to push the boundaries of what was possible.

My defiance began to crystallize into a plan. I managed to manipulate one of the younger warriors around my age, a boy named Aric, into showing me fighting styles and magic. Aric was a kind soul, eager to share his knowledge and excited by the prospect of a secret training partner. Under the cover of darkness, we would sneak away to hidden glades where the moonlight filtered through the ancient trees, casting ethereal shadows on our training grounds. Aric taught me how to channel my magic into offensive spells, how to hold a sword, and the basics of combat stances. Each lesson was a thrilling defiance of the rules, a secret rebellion against my parents' constraints. However, our clandestine sessions did not go unnoticed forever. One fateful night, we were ambushed by a patrol led by my father himself. The look of betrayal and fury in his eyes is something I will never forget. Aric was immediately dragged away, and despite my pleas and protests, my father decreed that he was to have no further contact with me. My heart broke as I watched Aric disappear into the darkness, his eyes filled with regret and apology.

My father’s punishment was swift and severe. He made sure Aric would never speak to me again, assigning him to a remote outpost on the very edge of our territory. I was confined to the village, my freedoms curtailed even further. The lessons Aric had imparted to me were now my only connection to the world of combat and magic that I so desperately yearned to master. My defiance had been met with harsh consequences, but it only fueled my determination to find a way to break free from the suffocating expectations placed upon me. I spent my days dreaming of escape, my nights planning how to continue my training in secret. Each act of rebellion, each small victory in my clandestine practice, was a step closer to the independence I craved. My parents had tried to shield me from the dangers of the real world, but in doing so, they had only ignited a fire within me—a fire that would one day lead me far beyond the confines of our forest home.

But if only I knew how hot fire burned and how quickly everything could be taken away. If only I had understood the weight of my wishes, the peril of yearning for freedom without comprehending the price. How could I have possibly foreseen that one mistake would cast me into the clutches of a bloodthirsty monster, reducing me to the status of his slave? What surprised me most of all were the dark desires he dug from deep within my subconscious, desires I tried my best to bury and ignore.

The day of my downfall began like any other. I was practicing my secret spells in a secluded part of the forest, a hidden glade I had discovered weeks earlier. It seemed a perfect spot for my training, untouched and silent, surrounded by ancient trees whose leaves whispered secrets in the breeze. But I did not realize that my presence had triggered an ancient trap, a warding spell set to alert the dark creatures lurking in the shadows.

I was deep in concentration, channeling my energy into a swirling orb of light, when a sudden chill ran down my spine. The atmosphere shifted, the once serene glade now thick with a foreboding presence. Before I could react, they were upon me—dark, hulking figures emerging from the shadows. Their eyes glowed like embers, and their snarls echoed through the glade. They moved with unnerving speed, their claws extended and teeth bared, reflecting the dim light in sharp, menacing glints. My heart pounded, but I forced myself to stand firm, summoning the defensive spells Aric had taught me.

The first monster lunged, its claws slashing through the air. I barely managed to conjure a shield of shimmering light in time. The impact sent vibrations up my arms, and the force of the blow pushed me back a step. I retaliated with a burst of flames, the fire erupting from my hands and searing the air between us. The monster recoiled, its fur singed, but another quickly took its place, closing in with terrifying ferocity.

Lightning crackled from my fingertips, striking one of the creatures square in the chest. It howled in pain, but the sound was quickly drowned out by the growls of the others. They surrounded me, a circle of malevolence and fury. I spun around, casting spells in every direction—flames, bolts of energy, gusts of wind—but there were too many. For every monster I struck down, two more seemed to take its place. Their claws raked across my skin, drawing blood and shredding my clothes. Pain shot through me, but I couldn’t afford to falter. I drew upon every ounce of magic within me, forming a vortex of energy that pushed the creatures back momentarily. The air crackled with power, the glade illuminated by the glow of my magic. Yet, their relentless assault continued.

Realizing I was outmatched, I turned to run, my heart hammering in my chest. Branches and low-hanging bushes seemed to conspire against me, tearing at my skin and clothes, slowing my escape. I could hear the creatures behind me, their breath hot on my heels, their snarls filling the air with dread. Panic surged, my steps faltering as I glanced back. That was my mistake. I tripped over a hidden root, the ground rushing up to meet me. Pain exploded through my body as I tumbled down a steep hill, branches and rocks bruising and cutting me. The world became a chaotic blur of green and brown before everything went painfully black. When I came to, dried blood crusted the right side of my forehead and face, and my head throbbed with a relentless ache. I was face down at the bottom of a large drop-off, and it was a miracle I was even alive. Night had fallen, casting the forest in deep shadows, and there was no telling how long I had been unconscious. Slowly, I stumbled to my feet, the world spinning around me as I made my way back up the hill. Every step was a struggle, my limbs heavy and uncooperative. As I reached the top, the first thing that hit my senses was the smell. Smoke mixed with the acrid stench of what I now know was burning flesh, a scent so vile it made me gag. Then I saw it—the sight of a blazing inferno in the middle of the night, flames licking the sky like the fiery fingers of some malevolent deity.

Panic surged through me, and I broke into a run, my legs barely holding me upright. As I neared the village, the oppressive heat of the flames pressed against my skin, stinging my eyes and filling my lungs with smoke. The once serene and harmonious village was now a scene of chaos and destruction. The towering trees that had sheltered us were now engulfed in flames, their branches crackling and collapsing under the intense heat. I fell to my knees as I reached the clearing where my home sat ablaze. The silence was deafening. I briefly wondered why I didn’t hear any screams, why I saw no one running around in frantic desperation. The homes, once seamlessly integrated into the forest, were now little more than skeletal remains, their living wood structures consumed by fire. The bioluminescent fungi and magical lanterns that had once bathed the village in a soft, ethereal glow were now reduced to molten globs, their light extinguished.

Then I saw them—charcoaled bodies lying in the burnt grass, twisted in grotesque shapes. The air was thick with the sickening scent of burning flesh, and my stomach churned. Horror gripped me, cold and unrelenting. I could feel the malevolent magical essence that had assaulted me in the glade, lingering in the air like a toxic miasma. It clung to the ruins of my home, a dark signature of the evil that had visited our sanctuary. I stumbled forward, my legs barely carrying me, as I tried to comprehend the magnitude of the devastation. The Heartwood tree, once the proud symbol of our community, was now a towering inferno, its majestic branches consumed by fire. The gardens and orchards that had provided us with fresh produce were now blackened and barren, their plants reduced to ash.

I crawled through the ashes, my hands and knees blackened with soot, my mind numb with shock. The destruction was total. Every structure, every tree, every piece of the life I had known was reduced to smoldering ruin. I reached for one of the bodies, my fingers trembling, but recoiled at the sight of its blackened, unrecognizable form. The training grounds, once a place of discipline and learning, were now a battlefield of charred remains. The healing huts, filled with the rich, heady scent of herbs and the gentle hum of restorative magic, were now silent, their contents burned beyond recognition. In that moment, the weight of my wishes crashed down upon me. My desire for freedom, my defiance, had led to this. Everything I had ever known and loved was gone, taken from me in the span of a single night. The beautiful, harmonious village that had been my home was now a nightmare of flames and death. And as the reality of my loss settled in, a new fear took root—fear of the unknown future, of the bloodthirsty monster who now awaited me, and of the dark desires he had already begun to unearth within my soul.

There I lay, unrelentingly coughing on the smoke that filled the air around me. Each breath was a battle, the acrid fumes searing my throat and lungs. The heat from the dying fires pressed against my skin, a constant reminder of the devastation surrounding me. I curled in on myself, clutching my knees to my chest, the world reduced to a blur of pain and grief. Tears streamed down my soot-streaked face, cutting clean paths through the grime. I wanted the earth to take me too. I wished for it to open up and swallow me whole, to end this nightmare. The weight of loss pressed down on me, a suffocating shroud of despair. My eyes closed as I prayed to whoever would listen—any deity, any spirit, anyone who could end my suffering. I begged for them to take me instead, to reunite me with my family and friends, to free me from this agony. But the night passed slowly, each minute an eternity. My prayers went unanswered, the silence around me as cold and unfeeling as the ashes beneath me. As the first light of dawn pierced the smoky haze, the reality of my solitude settled in. The village, once a bustling sanctuary, was now a graveyard of charred remains and smoldering ruins. I stirred, my body stiff and aching from the night spent on the ground. As I came to, the morning light revealed the full extent of the devastation. The trees that had once formed a protective canopy over our village were now blackened husks, their branches like skeletal fingers reaching towards the sky. The stream that had meandered through the village, its waters once crystal clear, was now choked with ash and debris.

The silence was overwhelming. No birds sang, no insects buzzed, and the only sound was the faint crackling of the dying fires. I pushed myself to my feet, swaying unsteadily, my legs weak and trembling. My dress, once a symbol of the elegance and grace of my wood elf heritage, was now in tatters. It hung from my frame in ragged strips, torn and dirtied beyond recognition. The delicate leaf patterns, painstakingly embroidered with silver thread, were obscured by soot and grime. The rich, emerald green fabric, which had shimmered like the forest canopy in the sunlight, was now dull and stained with blood and ash. The sleeves were shredded, leaving my arms exposed and covered in cuts and bruises. The bodice, which had once fitted snugly, was ripped at the seams, barely clinging to my shoulders. The skirt, designed to flow gracefully with each step, was now a torn mess, the hemline uneven and frayed. Large gashes revealed glimpses of my scratched and bruised legs, evidence of my desperate flight through the underbrush.

As I moved, the remnants of the dress rustled softly, a sad echo of its former beauty. The once soft and comforting fabric now chafed against my skin, each movement reminding me of the chaos and violence that had led to this moment. It was a far cry from the elegant attire I had worn with pride, now reduced to a pitiable state by the night's horrors. Each step through the village was a journey through a memory turned nightmare. I passed the remnants of homes, their walls crumbled and burnt. The once lush gardens were now barren patches of scorched earth. I stumbled upon the Heartwood tree, its massive trunk split and charred, the symbol of our strength and unity reduced to ruin. My heart ached at the sight, a fresh wave of sorrow crashing over me. I sank to my knees, my fingers digging into the ash-covered ground. The faces of my family and friends, their laughter and warmth, haunted me, now nothing more than ghosts in a destroyed paradise. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, its light harsh and unyielding, I realized the truth. No one was coming to save me. The world outside our village had always been a mystery to me, a place of unknown dangers and uncertainties. Now, it was my only option. I had to leave, to find a way to survive in a world that had already shown me its cruelty. I gathered what little strength I had left, my determination hardening like the cooling embers around me. I would not let my family’s memory fade into nothingness. I would find a way to honor them, to fight against the darkness that had taken them from me. My journey was just beginning, and though the path ahead was shrouded in uncertainty, I knew I could not give up.

With a final, lingering glance at the ruins of my home, I turned and began to walk. The forest, once a place of safety and comfort, was now a daunting wilderness. Each step was heavy with grief, but also with a growing resolve. I would survive. I would find the monster responsible for this, and I would make him pay. My destiny lay beyond the ashes of my past, in the unknown world that awaited me. As I moved forward, the first rays of sunlight broke through the canopy, casting a hopeful glow on the path ahead. Despite the overwhelming loss, a spark of determination ignited within me. This was not the end—it was the beginning of a new chapter. And I would face it with all the strength and resilience my parents had instilled in me.

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primalsouls · 1 year ago

Text

Inner Visions

can you tell what's happening?

nothing's ever what it seems

tighnari x gn!reader pt.2

theme: general

warnings: ooc Tighnari?, kinda heavy dialogues, not much but please lmk if you find anything triggering or need a warning for.

summary: Tighnari's life was safe but appreciation wasn't shown. Forgetting the new fungi, his attention moves on to an individual who claims they can see the future, which he finds to be impossible to do. No one can really see the future.

notes: outfit look because i suck at description lmao it took me a while to get this done lol. it is currently 2:00am and i work at 8am xD .... oh gosh. anyway, here is Inner Visions pt 2! would try to work on pt 3 this week or next. please enjoy and lmk what you think in the comments. the characters might be a bit ooc but that's due to me not playing the game for a long while haha. anyway, please have fun!

pt. 1

✿ some reader info ✿

has a third eye - uses to see future visions when activated, atm the third eye is ◉ᵕ◉.... third eye is the closed one haha...

a "deity" - doesn't have a region to rule nor followers to guide

third eye makes them lose energy, making them be tired easily, sleeps regains their energy/power back

wields a polearm mainly but can use more than one weapon - hand-to-hand combat mostly preferred

Kunishiko is the name I used for Wanderer haha.

more will be added once i remember haha

⌑ reblogs & feedback are appreciated here! ⌑

"That's impossible." Were the first words Tighnari spoke right after (Name) introduced themselves. The atmosphere felt thick but he wasn't sure if it was the horrendous smell of the fungi or the deep unsettling gut feeling built within the depths of his stomach. It was confusing. How was it possible for someone to see the future? What if they followed him here instead and lied about such nonsense? But if that were the case, he would have known by the sounds of their footsteps his long ears would have picked up or Iraj would have let him know there was someone behind him from the get go. Actually, how didn't his ears pick up any sound from them? Tighnari looked around. There wasn't any other entrance nearby other than the one he came from.

"I'm a light walker." (Name) answered without hearing the ranger's worried questions. Their voice caught his ears, his eyes snapped back on their figure. "You're thinking how I got here. I didn't follow you. I just saw in my visions that someone was going to die in this cave by eating a deadly mushroom. I was actually heading my way to Sumeru City. This place was just on my path there and before I could continue on, I got a flash of someone with fox-like features about to commit a stupid move."

Tighnari frowned, his bow lowered by his side. He still kept his stance up, not fully trusting (Name) yet. And they could see it in his eyes. Such pretty serious eyes. (Name) figured there was no use to continue staying in the cavern with the forest watcher. They had done their good deed for the day, there was no point in trying to prove themselves to someone. Especially when they had someone else in the city waiting for them.

"Believe me or not, take what you can from this encounter. It's not like I've expected for anyone to believe or know about me. Though, as much as I'd like to stay and chit chat with a pretty fox like you, I have to go." (Name) said as they turned on their heel, but they didn't miss the chance to see the light pink blush decorated the fox-hybrid's cheeks. Raising the hood over their head, the stranger began to walk away.

Tighnari stood there, watching their figure distances as they walked out of the cave. Bow in hands. His heart was still racing from the earlier attack—or in their case, help—(Name) caused by the use of their polearm. Letting his weapon disintegrate as he put it away behind him, Tighnari quickly climbed out of the cave. There were too many questions in his mind. The new fungi was long forgotten the moment he set his eyes on the other. Maybe they hadn't gotten too far. His ears stood on high alert for their footsteps but nothing was able to be picked up. When he reached the entrance of the cavern, Tighnari turned to Iraj.

"Iraj!" The ranger called out, hurriedly making his way towards the startled man.

"Oh, Master Tighnari! What's wrong? You looked as if you saw a ghost." Iraj said as he walked towards the dendro user. Tighnari glanced around the area for any sign of (Name).

"I hope I didn't." He said, panting under his breath. "Have you seen someone just walk out? A hooded individual with a trident?" Iraj shook his head, a look of confusion on his face.

"No, sir. No one has walked in nor walked out." The ranger said. Tighnari frowned. How was that possible? Then how was (Name) able to pass Iraj with being seen?

"I see…" His brain tried to wreck any other entrance of the cave. There was the first Southern opening just where Iraj guarded. Above them to the right was both the second southern entrance and the first northern one. But the northern opening belongs to another cavern just above the one they stood at. Maybe they came from the second way in. Though they would have been too late to stop him if they took that way in. "What are they?" He asked himself, looking back at the cave before he scanned his surroundings once more.

"Was someone in there, Master Tighnari?" Iraj asked, concern laced in his tone. The fox-hybrid scratched the back of his head, unsure what to say.

"No, um, forget it… I'm gonna leave my stuff behind there. Need to go to the city." He said. Before the ranger could say anything to stop him, Tighnari already headed on his way to Sumeru City. It was the destination they mentioned they needed to reach afterall. Who knows, maybe he would be able to catch them before they reach the city's walls.

"So, who are we meeting again, Nahida?" Paimon asked, looking down at the dendro archon with a tilt of her head. The duo were called by Nahida at the Sanctuary of Surasthana for a small meetup. They were notified by Katherine at the Guild when they went up to report their last commission. The small archon requested their presence at the sanctuary. And there they were, the archon catching them up with her latest commission.

Nahida smiled, looking up at the floating girl. "(Name). They are an old acquaintance of mine. I found out about them when I was searching for some more information about Aether's sister through memories in Irminsul Tree. There was a hidden ley line that held some unusual information about (Name). I figured with their help, maybe we could learn more about your sister." Nahida explained, turning her gaze on the puzzled traveler.

Help them learn more about his sister? Could this (Name) person have anything to do with Lumine? What could their relationship with his sister be? So many questions ran through his mind, but he won't let this opportunity slip away from his fingers. "I hope they can be of any help. Thank you, Nahida." Aether said, a kind smile crossing his face. Nahida beamed with a nod, turning her small body towards the door.

"Then let's go. They should arrive here in no time." Nahida said.

"Wait, what about Kunishiko?" Paimon asked.

Nahida giggled. "He's studying with someone right now."

The pair raised a brow. That was a first. Usually he wasn't the type to study with someone. Dismissing the whereabouts of the Wanderer, the trio descended their way to the entrance of Sumeru City. Nahida looked forward to meeting her old friend. She was grateful they managed to reach out. Hopefully there was no trouble heading their way. She didn't want anything to ruin their rekindle meeting and friendship.

Tighnari frowned. He stood at the entrance of Sumeru City but found no sight of (Name). Did they lie to him? Did they also see in the future that he was going to follow them? A scoff of a laugh left his lips. There was no such thing as future visions.

"Who would have known you would be a stalker." That alluring voice! Tighnari turned to the source. There they were, standing near the Guild with their arms crossed over their chest, the hood down to their shoulders. Registering the words from the other, Tighnari scoffed.

"I didn't stalk. I-I… I—well—I…" Why was it difficult to think of a lie? "I've… came to pick up some new materials. Yes, new materials. Since the ones I had were destroyed." Tighnari eyed the individual with a glare.

(Name) smirked, a shrug being delivered at the fennec fox. "Sounds like it could be partially true, but we both know why you came here, cutie." Their words made Tighnari do a double take, a huff leaving his lips. Another blush colored his cheeks from the endearment they used. Before he could continue the banter, another voice popped out.

"Tighnari!? What are you doing here?" Turning to the owner of the high-pitched voice, the young man noticed the traveler and the other two make their way to the Guild. Paimon flew over to him, standing between him and (Name). "Do you know them?" She asked, glancing between the two. Tighnari kept quiet, unsure what to say until Nahida took account of their behaviors.

She turned to the individual, a polite smile on her face. "You must be (Name), right?" She asked. Earning a nod, Nahida clapped her hands. "I don't know if you remember me but I'm Nahida! The dendro archon of Sumeru. It is a pleasure to meet up with you again, (Name)." The archon asked. Hearing her introduction, Tighnari frowned.

"I'm sorry but you guys know them?"

"Only Nahida does! We're just meeting them now, too. They're here to help Aether learn more about his sister's whereabouts." Paimon explained with a nod towards Tighnari. "Have you met them before, Tighnari?"

"We met at a cave today. Poor fox was about to meet the stars so soon." (Name) said with a cheeky smile. They received a glare from him.

"I've almost eaten a new mushroom found within the caves of Gandha Hill. Fortunately, (Name) was there to stop me." Tighnari admitted, a look of embarrassment on his face. (Name) chuckled.

Nahida looked at the vision user. "Why don't you join us then? We would love to have more extra hands to help, I'm sure (Name) wouldn't mind." She offered. They shook their head, silently agreeing they truly didn't mind his presence. Paimon and Aether agreed excitedly as well. It would be a good chance to catch up with Tighnari. The fennec fox hesitated in his answer, sparing a glance at (Name) who only sent him a wink. Huffing a sigh, Tighnari agreed to come along. With his positive response, Nahida guided the group to the Lambad's Tavern. Today's reunion meeting was going to be interesting.

#genshin impact #x reader #x gender neutral reader #genshin impact x reader #x male reader #genshin impact x male reader #tighnari x reader #tighnari x gender neutral reader #x female reader #genshin impact x gender neutral reader #genshin impact x female reader #tighnari x female reader #tighnari x male reader #tighnari #primal writes

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ephemerensis · 2 years ago

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Here You’re Safe // Joel Miller x GN! Reader

another platonic gender neutral dad joel moment. TRIGGER WARNING DEATH like of a major character please proceed with caution !!! anyways this took me so long skkshd and the ending is rushed and rlly bad im sorry its 2 am :/ not proofread ALSO!! if i published a poetry book would yall read it :/

—

“Anything bad down there?” Ellie jutted a finger towards an empty hall, lined with lockers.

Outside, the wind screamed its grievances, making the old building creak whenever a particularly cruel gust swept by. It was winter in the middle of the country, and as much as the three of you adored the idea of camping outside, the snow violently pouring from the skies argued otherwise.

Thankfully, Joel found a school building nearby before the storm. A high school, it looked like. On the way in, you saw traces of the treacherous cordyceps roots intertwining through the doorway and walls. But you didn’t have much of a choice with the weather, and they were dry. Hardly anyone lived in the area to get infected anyways, and winter seemed to slow them down; the infected. Not the fungi itself. It grew just fine. Thrived even, in colder climates.

“Just you.” You bit back a chortle as Ellie scrunched her nose, almost peeved.

“You know that joke gets fucking old, Joel. I’m not even in there yet.”

The burly man just shrugged, adjusting his rifle strap as he slowed his steps to a halt, “isn’t a joke.”

“He can’t help it, he’s like eighty. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” You shrugged your pack off your shoulders, setting it on the floor to get situated for the time being. The man just grunted in response, glancing around the building before taking a seat at one of the long tables that littered the room. They were askew; clearly a struggle took place there sometime, but judging by the copious amount of dust that coated the place it couldn’t have been all too recent. Joel was sure it was clear, otherwise they would’ve heard you by now. The school wasn’t all that large after all.

“Whatever,” piped Ellie, rolling her eyes. She reached for your sleeve, tugging you towards the hall. “Cmon! I wanna explore a little!” Giggling, you let her lead you off, throwing a glance back to Joel before the two of you rounded the corner. His brows were deep set, almost furrowed above his eyes, as they usually were; but he looked about as relaxed as you imagined the man could manage.

“Hey!” he called after you. “It’s mostly dry, but you watch your step, understand? Haven’t cleared it completely.”

The two of you hardly heard him, though, distracted instead by the rows of little blue locked cabinets you’d only read about in passing. A lot of the world before was a wonder after growing up in the QZ. It felt like rediscovering a myth.

“This is so fucking cool!” Ellie ran her hand along a row of them, rattling the metal doors against their frame. It was a wonder they weren’t rusted after all these years, but they seemed almost untouched if not a little dusty.

“Didn’t you go to high school? In the QZ?” You didn’t get to. Before Joel and Tess you were a well kept secret, and after that didn’t change much either. They’d let you out as you pleased after awhile but you never went to school; ‘don’t need to be feeding you FEDRA propaganda,’ so they homeschooled you instead. Mostly Tess. Joel quipped in every now and then but he didn’t usually have the best wisdom to impart onto you. Aside from bedtime novels, that was always his specialty.

“Yeah but it was tiny. Just a gym and some classrooms.” Ellie had her head under a drinking fountain, staring at the pipes as she mashed the button. “This stuff is so metal, literally. It’s like your own little room at school!” Abandoning the fountain when no water emerged, she turned her attention back to the paint chipped lockers, “you think they left shit in here?”

“Like corny love letters maybe,” you tugged on one of locks to test it. It didn’t budge, as you’d assumed. Thoughts of life before were so enigmatic. They were more scared of the math test next class then when their next meal was gonna be. It almost made you jealous. It would if they weren’t probably dead. Better to grow up in hell then suddenly get thrust into it.

Behind you, metal squeaked as Ellie got one of them open, “Oh shit! Wait wait wait, Y/N check me out!” You turned around, lips pursed together in a crooked smile when you saw her. She’d found someone’s baseball cap and sunnies. Ellie flipped the bill back and slipped the sunglasses on, forcing a deeper voice as she swaggered in your direction. “Yooo what’s up bro, you going to my place tonight? Throwing a huge party!”

She pressed her hand into the locker, beside your head, leaning in. The moment your eyes locked eyes behind her darkened frames you both burst into laughter. Shaking your head, you took on a dumb expression before replicating her tone, “man, is Britney gonna be there? She’s a total babe!”

Ellie snorted, sending you both into another fit of toe curling laughter. It was all so absurd. You pushed off the locker when you’d regained your bearings, walking backwards as you tugged on the locks to see if any would pop.

“Is that really how they talked back then?”

Ellie shrugged, tugging on locks on the opposite wall as the two of you ventured forth. “Gotta be, that’s how it is in books.”

One of the locks you tugged on gave way, making you grin as you pried it open. Pulling out a binder, you thumbed through the pages before a little booklet caught your attention.

“Here, catch!” She caught it with ease as you tossed the comic book over.

“No way! Batman!” Ellie flipped through the pages with fervor, pausing in her pursuit down the hall. You, however, continued slowly wandering backwards.

You giggled, shaking your head at her glee.

A sickening crunch wiped the smile off your face.

Ellie gasped, staring at you with wide eyes as you muffled a scream. Looking down towards the source of the noise, you see it.

The semblance of a hand disintegrated under your foot. The body it belonged to seemingly dried out long ago, pressed flat against the wall of lockers it clung to.

The both of you stared a moment, as you slowly backed away in relief. Until you saw the tendrils lurking in the undergrowth, reaching towards you. Worse still, the rumbling sound that suddenly emerged from the upper floor made you blood run cold.

Shit.

Ellie saw it too, bolting first but you were quick to follow.

“Joel!” You called, turning the corner, almost colliding with him. “We have to run!”

“Y/N! Ellie! What’s going on?” The man was already ready, bags slung over his shoulder with a look of bewilderment embedded on his features.

Ellie pushed Joel forward, “Not fucking dry!” The three of you ran, making your way back the way you came. The thundering sounds of footsteps hitting hardwood grew nearer. Joel lead the way, rounding every corner with his shotgun raised.

“Why didn’t they hear us when we came in?” You choked out in a panicked whisper. Normally they came bolting at any noise you offered.

“It’s winter, were probably huddled to keep the hosts alive. Mushrooms can take the cold, but the bodies can’t.” Joel whispered back. The timbre in his voice was almost enough to soothe you, he sounded more tired than distressed as he pressed on.

“What do we do?” Ellie piped.

“Gotta get outta here first.” The three of you cleared another corner, sprinting down a hall. A violent thud against one of the classroom doors made you lose your footing, sending you plummeting towards the ground. You gasped as three runners pounded aggressively against the door, piling and clawing at the ancient thing long enough for the rusted hinges to give way.

“Shit!” Somewhere out of the corner of your eye you see Ellie pull out a knife as the three infected tumbled forward. They piled on top of each other, all scrambling to gain their footing and lunge at the nearest person in the room; you. You shuffled panickedly backwards, working to get up and kick the topmost one off your leg.

Ellie stabs one in the head, making the arm fall limp and successively freeing you. You managed to stand upright, the other two still clawing but trapped under the weight of the first. Joel fires a bullet, ceasing another one’s movement as they three of you back away from them.

Before he can shoot the third, the rumbling gets louder.

You’re all sprinting before you can fully gain your bearings. The burn in your lungs was starting to settle in, but the echos of clicks and groans mixed with the pummeling of foot steps filling the halls kept you motivated. Your heart beat so quickly in your chest, you thought it might burst out.

The doors leading out were in sight, though. The wind that bashed against it was less than inviting, but beyond that— the worn mahogany didn’t budge when you shoved. Ellie reached it first, nearly falling as she bodied the double doors. The snow must’ve piled up outside.

A glance and a nod were all you needed before the three of you charged against it unanimously. Once. The doors shook and the sound resounded, seemingly worsening the agitation of the horde heading your way. A second charge made it squeak open, the biting wind flaying your skin as it made contact. The first of the infected rounded the corner, running at you full force before you’d managed a third charge against the doors.

They burst open, giving way to a powerful gust that hit you like a wall. Joel made sure you both got out before he followed, pressing against the wind to get away.

The infected fared worse. Clickers wouldn’t be able to hear with all this noise, and runners couldn’t manage to fight the wind. Most of then fell behind, the few that persisted did so slowly; sinking perpetually deeper in the plush snow in their pursuit.

Fighting against the biting currents of the frigid wind, the three of you paved a way into the tree line. Immersed in forest, the storm felt better. The trees blocked off some of the wind to an extent, and as far as you were concerned no infected seemed to have tagged along thus far.

The ache in your bones was starting to settle as the storm did. You were deep in the woods by then, no sense of direction or time— but with the way the moon hung so high in the sky it couldn’t have been close to daybreak. Joel slowed to a halt, nodding at both of you before you and Ellie breathed a collective sigh.

Ellie dropped her bag to the ground, almost falling over. Your knees felt a surge of weakness too. The snow looked so soft you could sleep in it. You bent forward, heaving, hands on your knees. If you were born before the whole thing went down the cardio alone would’ve been enough to kill you, it was much better to be born into the apocalypse, you decided.

Thankfully you didn’t leave too much behind. A sleeping bag and more cans of food than you would’ve liked were lost, but you’d find more food and you had two sleeping bags still.

Everything settled enough for you to hear again. Between gasps of breath you could hear the crickets chirping. It was almost tranquil.

Ellie seemed the first to recover, standing up and stretching her arms overhead before stilling. She stared ahead at nothing in particular, cogs processing the monstrosity you’d just escaped.

“That was fucking brutal.”

You looked up to offer a laugh. Her dry humor in times like these were enough to send you into orbit sometimes; but that was when you saw it.

The lone stalker that lurched for her before you could yell a warning. Before you could think you reacted. Grabbing Ellie by her collar, you yanked her forward and out of its path.

Instead, if collided with your arms pushing against its chest with all the force you had left in you to muster. It was stronger, of course, knocking you down almost immediately as it clawed at you. You screamed as it opened its mouth, long tendrils extending themselves towards you, wriggling morosely.

Ellie was still in the thralls of scrambling up, but Joel took notice. A well aimed bullet made it collapse. Joel rushed to help haul it off you as you screamed from the pure terror and adrenaline coursing through your veins, clamoring as far away from it as your shaken body could manage.

He looked at you with a concern you hardly recognized, not that you even looked to see it. Everyone was still a moment until Ellie said your name.

“Y/N…” she said it uncharacteristically nervously, a shaky finger pointed towards the shining red that stained the snow beneath your palm.

You raised your hand to your face, barely able to see in the moonlight, but the indentations of teeth on your marred flesh was unmistakable.

Ironically, your veins felt icier than the frost covered leaves as you stared at it; shell shocked.

This was never supposed to happen. You’d always made it through before, why now? Not you. It could never have been you.

Ellie fell to her knees, fists bunching the fabric of your shirt as she shook you, tears in her eyes threatening to fall. “Y/N what the fuck! Why’d you do that!”

“No. No no no,” you murmured.

“I’m immune!” She was screaming at you now. “I’m fucking immune! I would’ve been—“

The older man cut her off, pushing her hands off you but not with more force than was enough to make her release her grip. He looked at you with the same shock that gripped your eyes. His hands hovered you, hesitant, but the gentle movement broke your stupor. Looking up at him you quivered under the weight of it all, “Joel.”

He looked at you with something you couldn’t quite grasp. It was pity and shock and hurt and all of it but none of it. Somewhere in the confines of his empathy and loving was a deep rooted instinct to compartmentalize. What was done was done. But you needed him now. The bullet was shot, but the dust hadn’t settled.

“Joel, I’m so scared.” Tears were already streaming, and you knew he couldn’t do anything about it; both of you knew. But as his weighty arms wrapped taut around your shoulders, it was good enough a cure. You inhaled, letting his familiar burnt wood settle in your lungs as it’d done a thousand times before.

“Shh, shh. I know baby, I know.” His hand pat rhythmically against your spine.

It’s over. It’s really over.

That’s all you could think. Behind Joel, Ellie just stared silently. It wasn’t out of anger or guilt or even pity. None of these things ever seemed real, and the three of you had been doing this together for so long. You’d survived so much of it all, and she was the cure. The hopeless, helpless cure. What else could she do?

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay. You’re okay.” Joel wasn’t one to sugarcoat or lie. So often he said so little, every morsel of information or sentimentality you could pry from him felt more satisfying than a warm shower on a cold day. Maybe it wasn’t because he didn’t know what else to say. You were in hysterics and at the end after all.

But it felt true.

Your hand throbbed, but not more than the feeling of the ache in your bones— something you’d gotten used to after years of running. The air was stiller than it was before, it didn’t hold the bite of bitter wind it had moments earlier. In fact, after all the snow, it felt clear and crisp in your lungs. The birds cooed their grievances to the world overhead, never ceasing their song even in the middle of night. And the stars were so beautifully bright, it was enough to feel enveloped. Here, in this moment, in Joel’s arms, you were okay.

He’d only pulled you closer, almost swaying you with him as he kept the rhythm of his hand against your spine. You could hear how fast his heartbeat, “You remember that toy rabbit you had as a kid? What was his name? Pete? Peter?”

“Percy,” you whispered after a while. Rabbit was a strong word to describe it. It might’ve looked like one before, but by time it got to you it was anything but. Discarded and trampled on as people rampaged out of cities and infectious conjunctions. It was a mottled gray little thing, with an ear and both eyes missing. The other ear consistently found itself, for the better half of five years, securely grasped in your little hands. Regardless, you loved it. You named it the way you would’ve named a real rabbit, if you could’ve had one before all this. You held it the way you would imagine your parents held you, before all this.

“Yeah that’s right,” his chest vibrated against the side of your face as he chuckled. “You used to carry him everywhere, didn’t you? Thought you were gonna kill me when I took him to wash. Would holler bloody murder, it was a wonder the neighbors never complained.”

The wind settled earlier with the storm, and eventually so did the pace of your heartbeat. You smiled at the memory, strangely bashful. It’s almost an insult to Joel and Tess to say Percy was all you had. They gave you food, shelter, company on some days. But for the first few years he was all you had. He was promised and he was yours. Percy was the first you could ever call your own. It felt often like he was all you had. Especially on nights when the two of them were on runs, and the Fireflies would stir fights against FEDRA outside. Percy shielded you from the sounds of gunshot then.

“Course eventually you outgrew him; which was never bad! Used to get jealous of how often you’d hug it and not your old man.” He sounded wistful. You calmed down enough to pull back, now suffering from a bout of hiccups and sniffles as you tried to regain your bearings. Joel didn’t let you go, though. You stayed in his arms. You couldn’t bring yourself to respond, offering a small smile in its place.

How could he be jealous of a silly little rabbit? Percy was all you thought you had then. But you knew better. Joel was all you had ever. He was all you would ever have again.

“Then there was that kid, down the street. Darwin or something?”

Damian. An awkward, lanky, 8 year old boy, with sand colored hair that never lay flat and a tooth that was perpetually missing. Of course, you were 9 at the time and you didn’t want to play with “little kids.”

Joel really sucked with names. You knew that. He was getting on in his years, but even when he was younger— they never stuck for him. People were untrustworthy and irrelevant, it was hard to want to try. So it meant a lot anyways when he halfway blundered the names of your childhood acquaintances. To you what was so fleeting was important enough for him to commit to memory, as cold as he could be. You never thought he’d cared so much.

“Brought you sidewalk daisies for months! Damn near ripped his head off, was about fed up with his yapping and stammering around you.” You smiled at that. Damian’s crush on you was so annoying then, but sometimes on longer days you’d wished someone would love you with the same persistence— even if it was a silly boy a year younger than you. “But you were always pretty, anyone could see it. No one will ever be good enough, though. Or, would be.”

Joel said the last part almost as a whisper. It felt like a death sentence, though you all knew there was no hope for you. A silence settled over your heads, you could feel it in your lungs as you inhaled the air that felt so crisp and clean and clear. Lungs that were still alive and well.

It would be dawn soon. And they had to go. The world was cold and bitter; they needed to get to shelter and then continue to their agenda. They. Joel and Ellie.

And when they went your lungs would still work, and you still breathe in clean crisp air. But they wouldn’t be breathing for you.

So, pulling far enough away from Joel to look him in the eyes you plead wordlessly. They darted between his, begging him to understand their request and praying for him to accept it.

It took a moment, confusion crossed his face before it dawned on him. Though he should’ve known what you wanted.

He shook his head, holding your gaze. It was a cruel thing to ask. To want. How could he when he raised you? When he loved you?

But you just nodded. He had to. It was all you wanted. So the two of you just looked at each other and pleaded. You knew you were going to win. Joel always yielded for you.

Your eyes shifted for a moment to lock with Ellie’s, offering her a small smile. She looked confused, looking between you and Joel as the pieces started to fall into place.

You looked back to Joel again, wrapping your arms around him and hugging him for the last time. Your eyes fell shut and you felt him squeeze you back. It was so warm here.

“Love you, Dad.”

You were safe here.

And that’s the last thing you knew before he pulled the trigger.

—

likes and reblogs appreciated !!

#joel miller x reader #tlou angst #angst #tlou fanfiction #ellie x reader #joel miller comfort #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x gender neutral reader #joel miller x male reader

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rc-catalog · 5 months ago

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delimeful · 2 years ago

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carry them home (4)

warnings: magical oaths, mentions of past harm/captivity, mentions of murder, canon-typical remus behavior, lmk if i'm missing any

His declaration, predictably, sparked an entirely new argument.

Logan had wasted a few moments trying to call Janus’s bluff, and then, once it became clear that a Deal was absolutely not happening, he had been promptly dragged into the brewing argument.

Patton was vehemently against murder, and the fire sprite seemed to be tentatively backing him up. Logan was clearly weighing the benefits and the risks, his clear irritation with Janus seemingly warring with the fallout of going against Patton’s wishes. Vee appeared to be holding up the pro-murder side of the argument through sheer force of loathing.

Nobody had asked Remus for his opinion, presumably because the answer was extremely obvious. The kid was still leaning obnoxiously on Janus, watching the debate like a tennis match and nodding faux-wisely every once in a while.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to look the other way while your companions are distracted?” Janus asked dryly, tilting his head slightly to see that the hands on him were utterly caked in dirt.

“And miss the opportunity to see how many ghoul fungi I could grow out of your corpse? You ask too much of me,” Remus replied, tilting Janus back slightly so he could peer upside down at his face.

Startlingly, underneath the errant patches of lichen and mold, the changeling’s face bore a remarkable resemblance to the fire sprite.

Rather than comment on it, Janus rolled his eyes. “At least grow edible ones. Waste not, want not, as the conscientious say.”

Remus blinked, and the edges of his smile grew sharper with delight. “Any corpse mushrooms are edible if you're not a coward!”

Janus hummed in agreement. “And if you don’t mind becoming a corpse yourself.”

Those mismatched eyes vanished, and there was a nasally laugh, as though he’d thrown his head back to cackle. “You’re awfully relaxed for a guy we might pull all the guts out of!”

Part of that was the lingering effect of the trance, as well as the theory that if he planned an escape too actively, he might send the soothsayer into another foretelling episode.

(It was strange. Normally, involuntary visions of the future were triggered by impending danger, but Janus hadn’t had any harmful intentions while pondering escape.)

Of course, he wasn’t about to tell them that.

“There’s no point to mindlessly panicking,” Janus said instead. “Besides, as far as captors go, I’ve had much crueler ones.”

“Are you sure? We’re literally trying to decide if I get to mulch your body!” Remus informed him cheerily. His sharp-toothed little grin was practically designed to incite terror; Janus felt a small surge of fondness despite himself.

“Indeed, but a few of you don’t seem to want me dead, so my statement stands.”

“‘A few’ is generous,” Vee muttered, and then ducked away from Patton’s puppy dog eyes.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong!” Patton insisted. Generally speaking, that wasn’t remotely true, but Janus wasn’t about to correct him. “We shouldn’t hurt innocents!”

“Patton, we have to focus on keeping ourselves safe,” Logan tried, a sort of halfheartedness to the words, as though he already knew they wouldn’t sway the other fae.

“What’s an epic voyage without a few struggles?” the fire sprite countered. “This serpentine stranger may have some tricks up his sleeve, but a hero such as myself will valiantly protect you all from any threat he may pose!”

Vee scoffed. “Ro, you can’t even protect us from your twin’s bad singing.”

Ro gasped, placing an affronted hand to his chest, but before they could return to bickering, Logan mantled his wings in an unspoken demand for attention.

“If we aren’t killing him—,” he pointedly ignored the groan from Vee, “—we need an alternative method of ensuring he won’t hurt anyone.”

“Remove his arms!” Remus offered helpfully. Patton winced, and Logan sighed.

“Physical restraints seem to be effective enough for the moment. Our primary concern should be countering whatever method the human used to break free of my trance.”

“Or,” Janus interjected mildly, “we could skip the mind magic entirely, and negotiate instead.”

“Right, because you’re so trustworthy,” Vee snapped. He’d started aggressively pacing at some point during the discussion, his shoulders hunched inward.

The kid made an astute point, as inconvenient as it was.

“I’m not the one who chose to be dragged out here and interrogated,” Janus said, tone only slightly snippy. “However, I would be willing to swear a blood oath, if that is what’s required to ease your minds.”

All of the kids turned to him with wide-eyed surprise, though Vee snapped back into anger within moments.

“You don’t get to put any of us under oath—,” he started, edging in front of the others with bared teeth.

“I would be the sworn party,” Janus interrupted, heroically resisting the urge to sigh at the assumption.

Another beat of silence, though Remus and Ro seemed more bemused than anything.

“You’d rather subject yourself to a blood oath than a Deal?” Logan asked, his expression shifting to something more pensive as he studied Janus. “Have you… been under oath, before?”

Janus resisted a dry laugh. “I have,” he understated.

“But blood oaths hurt!” Patton chimed in, still looking far too worried on behalf of a relative stranger.

He was well aware. “The pain is only debilitating if I actively act against the agreed terms. As long as I am guaranteed my safe release by the end of the oath, I am willing to endure the side effects.”

Vee had gone quiet, watching him intently with those tar pit eyes.

“Alright,” Logan said, and settled into a neat, cross-legged sit in front of Janus. “Let’s negotiate.”

—

The agreement ended up being relatively straightforward, for how long-winded their discussion was.

Janus had agreed not to harm, or plan to cause harm to, any of the kids. He’d agreed to offer his honest knowledge on not only the movement of the Guard, but any relevant matters that could aid their journey. He’d agreed to follow the orders of whoever was currently assigned as his watcher, but only that designated person.

He’d insisted on that wording, having already picked up on the frequent bickering that went on between the kids. Being subject to one highly-opinionated child at a time was manageable. Being subject to magically compelled orders from all five of them was a recipe for disaster.

In exchange, he would not be killed, and he would part ways peacefully with the gaggle of infants after the oath period— a completed moon’s cycle— had passed.

He had spent so much time weaving loopholes into his requirements and playing innocent as Logan caught and unraveled the vast majority of them, that he hadn’t actually realized how heavily skewed against him the deal was until the oath was already being made.

That was what he got for indulging in bad habits, he supposed. A necessary evil, as he doubted the children would have trusted his word if he’d simply stated what he meant outright.

They had good instincts— it was always better to be watching for the trap— but in the end, they were still young. Rooting out Janus’s double-meaning machinations had successfully distracted them from including the conditions Janus wanted to avoid-- one that would force him to tell them anything about his own person, for example.

(Really, his highly suspect background aside, it was none of their business.)

He didn’t bother trying anything during the ritual swearing itself, both because Vee was watching him like a starved hawk, and because he wasn’t a fool that meddled with the processes of blood magic.

The heavy, dull ache of a blood oath settled onto Janus like an old jacket draped over his shoulders. He hadn’t missed it. Still, it was leagues better than making a Deal.

Five gazes watched him with varying levels of curiosity and wariness, as though waiting to see if he would spontaneously combust under the force of the oath.

Janus pushed down the stress that always accompanied arrangements like these, reminding himself that he was in the here and now. As far as captors he’d been magically bound to went, he’d endured far worse for far longer.

It would only be a month. They were children. This would likely be the easiest trip he’d ever made under blood oath.

“My first piece of advice,” he offered with a winsome smirk, “would be to move eastward. Odds are good that your encounter with the shopkeep will linger in her mind enough to mention it to the Guard, and I assume we’ll want to be well ahead of any scouting parties sent off the way I led you out of town.”

Vee crossed his arms, scowling. “We’re not going to find Sanctuary in the east. It’s in the mountains.”

“I’m not giving you information on how to get to Sanctuary, the place that isn’t real. I’m telling you how to not get caught by hunters,” Janus replied, saccharine-sweet.

Vee hissed petulantly.

“Ooh, ooh!” Remus waved his hand around wildly. “We could always go with my plan and immolate the Guard! I always wanted to go out in a blaze of gory glory.”

Patton chuckled nervously. “Immolate? I think I’d prefer we get moving immoearly to avoid the Guard instead!”

Remus booed. Ro also booed, but it seemed to be more about the pun than denial of mauling.

“Patton is correct. We don’t want to be caught unaware, particularly at nightfall,” Logan said, folding up his map after adding a few careful notations to it. “The human’s advice is sound— for the short-term, Vee. We can worry about Sanctuary once we’re out of immediate danger.”

With a decisive nod, he shifted back to his feet, and everyone dispersed as though on cue, hurrying to grab the supplies and belongings scattered about the clearing.

Having left all his belongings at home pre-abduction, Janus leaned back against a tree, grimacing as the bark pressed into his wrists. He really would have to convince them to retie his hands in front of him, he was going to be entirely useless like this.

Patton would be the easiest to convince, though he doubted that Logan would assign anyone but himself to watch Janus for the first few days—

“Vee! You’ve got the human. Keep an eye on him.”

Or maybe the siren trusted the others more than Janus had originally thought.

...Or cared less about Janus's survival than he'd originally assumed.

Vee returned Janus’s mocking smile from earlier, a silent promise that the changeling was going to enjoy making life harder for him.

So much for an easy journey.

#sanders sides fic #fae au #ts janus #ts remus #ts logan #ts roman #ts patton #ts virgil #my writing #carry them home #cth #writing

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