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savage-rhi · 4 months ago

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Duality

Chapter 6: The Escape I

Summary: Sawyer Kiddo has walked a razor's edge as a hacktivist for several years, driven by the loss of her family in the Raccoon City incident. Haunted by past choices and fueled with desire for vigilante justice, Sawyer's work takes an unexpected turn when she ventures to Spain and crosses paths with Luis Serra—a man with blood on his hands long thought to be dead. Together they unravel a web of corruption and face an impending bioterror threat, fighting not only monsters but also the darker elements of their humanity. As they delve deeper into each other's pasts and the conspiracy at large, Sawyer begins to sense something unsettling about Luis—something that might be even more dangerous than their mutual enemies.

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Sawyer walked in silence; her head held high while trying to note anything significant that stood out in case she managed to escape from her captors. The cold air from the vents above bit her skin, and the concrete floor echoed with each step. Whatever was left of the animal noises she had heard were long gone as the halls grew smaller and never-ending. That gave her some comfort, despite not knowing where she was being hauled off to--the farther away from BOWs, the better.

The trio passed several offices and a large door leading into a storage unit, where Sawyer spotted crates full of lab equipment marked with the Umbrella Corp logo. She flashed back to memories of Carmen and herself seeing the supply trucks rolling into Raccoon City with the same emblem when they were teens.

These must be decades old… she thought, furrowing her brow. How did Soldado get his hands on all this?

"Keep your eyes forward!" barked the stout henchman to her left, tightening his grip on her arms. “Nada de cosas divertidas…” (1)

Sawyer's thoughts snapped back to the present. Of course, she should've known better than to be given any courtesy from the two morons at her side.

"Care to translate? My Spanish is rusty as hell," she quipped, earning a sharp slap from the taller man.

“Cállate y sigue moviéndote!” (2)

She had no doubt he said something unpleasant.

As they continued, Sawyer focused on the men's murmured conversation, catching snippets of Spanish intermingled with broken English. Her mind was heavily focused on what they were up to as she struggled to capture every detail that slipped past their mouths. The taller one, whom she dubbed "Thick Neck" for his prominent Adam's apple, seemed uneasy.

"No me gusta esto. Why move her now?" he muttered, his eyes darting nervously around the corridor. (3)

"Beats the hell out of me," replied the shorter henchman, "Shorty” with a casual huff. "Algo sobre querer acabar con los hacktivistas con un arma bioorgánica. Sin testigos ni cadáveres. Tu sabes como va.” (4)

Thick Neck made a noise. “Si, pero ¿por qué tanta prisa? We could've locked her up until Soldado was ready with the others. Luego está el tipo Serra al que todo el mundo le está dando mucha importancia.” (5) (6)

"Who knows? They don't pay us to ask questions," Shorty sighed with a shrug.

Sawyer's blood went cold as she absorbed their words. She tried to piece together the fragments of information as her mind raced. Although she couldn't understand their Spanish well, the moment she heard hacktivists, she knew Samuel, Kari, and Mobley had to be here in this godforsaken place. That or they were already dead, and she was tip-toeing close to joining them. She kept her face blank and breathing steady, trying to remain collected to not draw attention to herself. Acting meek and dumb was crucial right now. Every word uttered by the two idiots was a potential clue to understanding why she was here and, more importantly, how she could get out.

"Oye, Americana!" (7)

"Yeah?" Sawyer retorted, suppressing a grimace at the situation. "I thought you wanted me to shut up."

"Trust us, we do." Thick Neck bitterly muttered, casting her a sidelong glare.

Sawyer quietly rolled her eyes. She pushed her anger down, reminding herself now wasn't the time to get too snarky.

"It seemed you and Serra hit it off in the basement," The stout man chuckled, a leer creeping into his voice. "Did you two discuss anything we should know?"

To say Sawyer resented the insinuation was an understatement. Nevertheless, she shrugged and answered. "Not really. He rambled about getting snatched off the street. Said his last name was Navarro, not Serra. Guy's got a screw loose if you ask me."

The two men exchanged a glance, skepticism clear in their eyes. Shorty leaned in closer, his breath hot and foul. "Are you sure? Because if you're holding out on us, carino , things could get a lot worse for you." (8)

Sawyer met his gaze and sighed, feigning innocence. "I'm telling you, he was talking nonsense. Something about getting mixed up with another guy or some shit. I barely understood half of it on account that he was speaking Spanish. I told you, mine's rusty."

She could see them weighing her words, deciding if they believed her. Beads of sweat trickled down her neck as Sawyer kept her expression neutral, hoping they'd buy the act.

“Ella no sabe nada sobre él. Dale un descanso.” Thick Neck muttered. (9)

Shorty curtly shot back. “Pero eso no significa que ella no sepa que él está tramando algo. Soldado y Álvarez dijeron que no lo subestimen. ¿Y por qué le diría a la mujer que se apellida Navarro?” (10)

While they seemed distracted, Sawyer quietly processed everything they'd discussed. They knew something about Luis--at least, something that had them on edge, enough to try to get something out of her about him, a man she barely knew. Then again, hearing the names being mixed up, perhaps Luis did get mistaken for another guy. In which case, it sounded like Shorty and Thick Neck were in deep shit with Soldado and whoever else was in charge here.

"Just one more question, American, did he--"

Suddenly, both men's walkies crackled to life, interrupting their conversation as all three halted. The abrupt noise made Sawyer jump as she heard the static, followed by panicked voices coming from the end of the lines. She couldn't make out the exact words, but the fear was unmistakable.

"Are you guys gonna answer that? Seems urgent." Sawyer sarcastically pointed out, swallowing afterward. She ignored the glares both men gave and watched as Shorty and Thick Neck exchanged a concerned look as their expressions hardened. She was surprised when Shortly let go of her, focusing on pulling out a Glock from the holster on his pants. With trembling hands, he began to load bullets into the firearm. Thick Neck took his walkie off his utility belt.

“¡¿Qué demonios está pasando?!" Thick Neck barked into the device, but there was no coherent response, just more frantic shouting and a few indistinct words about "something loose" and "containment breach."

Sawyer's pulse dropped. She realized this could be her chance—whatever was going on was big enough to distract her captors. All she had to do was wait for an opportunity to turn the situation to her advantage. She could do it. Just like she did at the Plaza.

The Plaza…

Goosebumps traversed her skin when she remembered what had become of the cop, how he mutated into that…thing. The corpse of the old police officer covered in flies staring at her in shock, and the screams of the civilians who had no idea what was going on. It all played in tangent with Carmen's pleas for mercy as the doctors sedated her, along with Sawyer's vivid imagination of what had become of Raccoon City based on survivor accounts she had personally heard.

She had second thoughts about escaping from Thick Neck and Shorty as fear cushioned itself at the forefront of her mind--almost too frozen to do anything.

"What the hell is going on?!" Shorty snapped at Thick Neck, the latter shaking his head as something fell with a loud clang. All three snapped their attention toward a pipe that fell from the ceiling about ten feet ahead, and with bated breath, Shorty continued. "We should return to the basement and wait for Soldado to say something. Surely he's-"

"Shh. Mantenerla baja." Thick Neck interrupted. By now, he had drawn out his own weapon, keeping it poised and at the ready as he took a few steps ahead of Shorty and Sawyer to investigate. His steps were meticulous and slow, his posture like that of a soldier who had seen his share of combat. (12)

Sawyer felt like a sitting duck standing next to Shorty. She wished there had been a safe way to steal one of the guns from the men.

Thick Neck cautiously approached the fallen pipe, his eyes scanning for any sign of tampering. As he reached down to inspect it, Sawyer strained to catch any clue, any indication that might hint at what was going on. But there was nothing—no sign that the pipe had been deliberately loosened or moved. It was just an ordinary piece of metal lying there, as if it had fallen on its own.

Thick Neck straightened, his face plastered with confusion as he walked back toward Sawyer and Shorty. Before he said anything, a low guttural growl echoed through the hallway, sending a chill down Sawyer's spine. The noise came from behind the trio, somewhere in the low light. She watched as Thick Neck's eyes widened, his grip tightening on the trigger of his gun.

"Let's get out of here…" He muttered to both Sawyer and Shorty, turning to lead the way.

Thick Neck was suddenly yanked off his feet.

He hit the ground with a heavy thud, a cry of surprise and pain escaping his lips.

Thick Neck was dragged backward across the floor, his fingers scrabbling desperately for a grip on the smooth surface, trying to find anything to help him escape. His screams echoed in the halls. From the shadows emerged a dark, hulking figure—the same creature from the Plaza. Its wide eyes gleamed with a twisted excitement as it screeched in victory, long saber fangs framing its hollowed face. Sawyer's jaw dropped as she took in the creature's form: skinny, thick arms, broad shoulders, a protruding rib cage, a skeletal waist, and thin but muscular digitigrade legs ending in sickle claws. This creature was built to run, to ambush—just like a cheetah.

The creature flipped Thick Neck onto his back with terrifying ease, its claws glinting in the dim light as it struck. In an instant, it began to gut him—the sounds of tearing flesh and Thick Neck's choked gasps filling the air. The Saber wasted no time, diving its head into the open cavity of Thick Neck's abdomen, pulling out his intestines. Its long tongue slurped against its lipless mouth as it swallowed the heavy lump that was Thick Neck's liver.

Shorty screamed every profanity in the Spanish tongue, and his face contorted in terror. He raised his gun and fired wildly at the creature, the bullets sparking off metal walls and the floor. The noise was piercingly loud, mixing with the chaos of the attack. The creature cried out and flinched, but showed no signs of backing down from its meal.

A second Saber—just as monstrous as the first—burst from a nearby vent. It moved with velocity as it clamped its powerful jaws around Shorty's head. His screaming was cut short in a sickening crunch, the force of the bite silencing him instantly.

Sawyer didn't wait to see more of the carnage. She turned and fled down the corridor, her heart pounding. As she ran, Sawyer snatched up the fallen pipe, gripping it tightly in her right hand. Behind her, she could hear the roars and the wet, slopping noises as the creatures finished off their prey--and then the unmistakable sound of claws clattering against the floor, giving chase.

Panic surged through Sawyer. Everything except the instinct to run, hide, and fight shut off in her head. She could sense the monster closing in, its breath hot and ragged on her heels. She could almost feel its slender arm reaching out to grab her. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape route.

Spotting a door slightly ajar, Sawyer made a sharp turn and burst into a large lab. The room was a maze of tables, equipment, and scattered tools—offering a chaotic landscape she could use to her advantage. Without hesitation, she shoved a heavy table over, creating an obstacle behind her, and kept running. As she sprinted, she knocked over chairs and smaller items, desperately trying to slow the creature down.

Glancing back, she saw the Saber barreling through the doorway and clambering over the overturned table. Its eyes locked onto her, a predatory gleam in them. Sawyer pushed on, and cried out; a desperate idea formed in her mind as she spotted another table near a doorway. She darted through, quickly ducking behind the doorframe, gripping the pipe like a baseball bat. Holding her breath, she positioned herself as the Saber charged mindlessly in her direction.

The timing had to be perfect.

As the creature rushed past the door, Sawyer swung the pipe. It connected with a mighty thud against the Saber's head. The beast uttered a loud cry, stumbling and collapsing onto its back. The moment of triumph was short-lived; with surprising speed, the Saber grabbed her left leg. She fell forward, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through her body as the creature's jaws snapped at her. The foul stench of its breath made her gag, and Sawyer screamed as a set of mandibles suddenly protruded from the Saber's cheeks.

A fire was lit underneath Sawyer. She kicked wildly at the BOW's face, each impact making the creature recoil. She managed to pull her leg free and scrambled to her feet. She swung the pipe again without thinking, driving it into the creature's right shoulder. The beast flung its head back, letting out a horrific scream as it momentarily staggered. Sawyer stepped back and took off running again, navigating through a maze of interconnected rooms, desperately searching for a way out. She stumbled into another area—a locker room with lab tables and scattered hiding places. She quickly realized she had hit a dead end.

Sawyer slammed the door behind her with no other options, plunging the room into near darkness as she quickly shut off most of the lights.

She sprinted toward the nearest cover, dropping into a low crouch, and used her momentum to slide across the slick floor. Sawyer skidded effortlessly and came to a halt underneath a table, laying herself flat and keeping her eyes fixed on the door. Her whole body quaked from exertion, and she tried to steady her breaths, forcing herself to remain as quiet as possible.

For several minutes, there was a deafening silence. A part of her dared hope she could move on. Then she heard it: faint, deliberate footsteps from the other side.

Clank.

Every muscle in Sawyer's body tensed.

Ka-chunk-ka-chunk-creeeeeeak.

It opened the door.

It opened the fucking door.

The creature moved cautiously inside, inhaling deep as if savoring the scent of its prey. Its talons clicked softly against the floor, each step gentle and calculating.

It was close, too close.

Sawyer bit her lip, stifling a gasp as the Saber's shadow passed over her hiding spot. The dim light barely outlined the room, but she could see the BOW's form moving methodically, its head ducking into nooks and crannies. To add insult to injury, Sawyer heard the creature rip out the pipe from its shoulder and threw it across the room--snarls conveying disappointment that the noise didn't draw her out. She prayed it wouldn't find her, knowing she couldn't outrun it again. The only thing Sawyer had going for her was that damn pipe, and even that seemed a flimsy defense against a monstrous predator in the grand scheme of things. Her knuckles turned white as the creature continued its little game of hide and seek.

Her eyes darted to a glass beaker near her hand. With a slight shake in her fingers, Sawyer grasped it. Adjusting her position under the table, Sawyer flung the beaker toward the door. It shattered against the far wall, and the Saber's head snapped toward the sound, using its powerful limbs to propel it forward. As it followed its predatory instincts, Sawyer slipped from under the table and darted towards a row of lockers lining the opposite wall. She squeezed into an empty one, quietly closing the door behind her. The metal interior felt cold, like a coffin.

Peering through the narrow slits of the door, she could see the Saber prowling the room after it fiddled around with the glass. Its posture was tense as it sniffed the air, clearly pissed off that it hadn't found her. The creature's large skinless eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of movement.

"Plaga Type E is uniquely attracted to carbon dioxide. The very breath you exhale draws it in."

Soldado's voice returned to haunt Sawyer---she realized too late that she hadn't controlled her breathing. Panicking, she covered her nose and mouth, holding her breath.

The Saber's head snapped toward the lockers, nostrils flaring. It took two steps forward, then ducked out of sight.

Sawyer's eyes widened, her pulse skyrocketing. She could only see a narrow slice of the room through the locker, making it impossible to track the Saber's movements once it crouched.

Suddenly, the Saber's head rose into view---right in front of her locker.

It knew she was there.

Everything seemed to freeze as Sawyer and the Saber locked eyes in a silent, horrifying stare down. The creature's orbs gleamed with sick anticipation, its breath fogging the metal. She felt her breath quickening, a mix of terror and disbelief washing over her. The locker felt unbearably small, the walls closing in on her.

The door swung open, and Sawyer let out a blood-curdling scream.

Bang.

The monster fell to the ground, and Sawyer watched as the life drained from its eyes. The creature's final moments were a grotesque dance, its muscles contracting and releasing in erratic spasms as blood pooled from its wounds. A final puff of air escaped its body before it stilled.

She was too much in shock to register what had happened, except that--by some miracle--she was alive.

Sawyer's body shook uncontrollably, her legs weak beneath her. She felt light-headed and disoriented. The lights suddenly flicked on, and she blinked several times, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness as her left arm came up to shield her face. Her gaze shifted ahead as a familiar voice called out.

"Onyx!"

In a million years, Sawyer never thought she'd be so happy to see Kari.

Surprise washed over her as she limped over the carcass, eyes welling with tears. Kari rushed to meet her, latching her gun onto her belt before she rested her hands on Sawyer's shoulders to steady her.

"Are you okay?" Kari's voice was firm but caring. Her eyes scanned Sawyer for any signs of injury. "You're not infected, right?"

Sawyer shook her head, her voice shaky. "No, no, I'm fine. Just…scared. I think…my soul was about to leave my ass. I almost…god, it almost got me."

Kari scoffed, nodding as she squeezed Sawyer's shoulders before letting go. "I see your humor's still intact. You don't know how relieved I am to have found you."

Sawyer took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "Where… where did you come from? What the fuck is going on?"

"Slow down, one thing at a time." Kari glanced around the room before gesturing for Sawyer to follow. She led them into a smaller lab, then down another set of hallways to a cramped storage unit. Kari quickly drew another handgun from her belt, loaded it with bullets, and shoved it into Sawyer's quivering hands.

"To answer your questions," Kari began, rummaging through a pouch tied around her waist. "We're in an old Umbrella lab. They call it Unit D. I found out while I was being kept hostage on the top floor. This place is three stories—the top level is above ground, the other two are below. We're on the second level right now."

"Are we outside Madrid?" Sawyer coughed, feeling the exhaustion from running catching up with her.

"Yeah, somewhere up north in the woods. Not sure how far," Kari replied, taking a deep breath as she fished out more bullets. Without hesitation, she shoved them into Sawyer's pants pocket, noting her dazed expression. "Looks like Soldado took over after Umbrella fell. He's been using it for black market operations, maybe even continuing their research. It's perfect—isolated, off-grid, and loaded with equipment nobody's watching."

Sawyer sighed, shaking her head. "How did you even find me? This place is a damn maze."

"Got lucky," Kari said matter-of-factly. "Heard screams, found the remains of your friends , killed a BOW chewing on one, then tracked the other ugly. Didn't realize it was you getting chased until I took it down in the locker room."

"No shit…" Sawyer's expression hardened as she listened, grabbing the rest of the bullets from Kari. She still had a million questions. "What happened at the Plaza? How did you guys get caught?"

"I was hoping you could tell me that." Kari's brows knitted in a fierce glare. "What happened between you and Soldado?"

"The young guy—" Sawyer exhaled sharply, still catching her breath. "He sold us out, tipped off Soldado, and killed the other cop. I heard you guys getting picked off over the network before Soldado tried to shove a damn bug up my nose. I barely escaped, ended up in an alley, then got tranquilized."

"I'll be damned," Kari said, her face darkening as she exhaled slowly--piecing together the plot. "So, the rookie gave away our locations, and Soldado's men moved in fast. They rounded us up before we even knew what hit us."

"Yeah, that's what it sounds like. So, what happened to you up there?" Sawyer gestured towards the ceiling, indicating her reference to level one, which Kari had mentioned.

"I was knocked out cold at the Plaza," Kari said, her voice shaky. "When I came to, I was in an office. They tried to interrogate me, but then alarms blared, and BOWs poured in left and right. They tore through everyone—scientists, Soldado's goons—didn't stand a chance."

Sawyer grimaced. "So, all of Soldado's people are dead?"

"That's what I gather," Kari said, shivering as she recalled the gruesome details. "It's been a madhouse. I grabbed a gun in the chaos and started looking for you, Spector, and Atom."

"Have you seen the others?" Sawyer's voice was tight with worry.

Kari hesitated before nodding. "I saw Mobley briefly on my way down. He looked terrified and then just ran like he was leaving us for dead. A bloody coward."

Sawyer clenched her fists. As much as she wanted to lash out, Mobley wasn't her primary concern. Her eyes pleaded with Kari's. "And Samuel, have you seen him?"

Kari shook her head. "No sign of him. We need to get out of here, Onyx. There's an exit on the first floor—I saw it myself. We can't stay here much longer. Before I found you, there was an announcement—this place is going to self-destruct."

"What? Self-destruct? When?!"

"I don't know," Kari said earnestly. "But we can't take any chances. Have you seen Soldado or any survivors?"

Sawyer hesitated, thinking of Luis, when a pack of canine-like beasts, Dires--emerged from behind several crates. She could barely make out all their details, but the creatures reminded Sawyer of movie werewolves, but on meth. Their eyes held a feral intelligence as they spread out, coordinating in a lethal formation around the two women.

Kari and Sawyer exchanged a brief, tense look before moving in opposite directions to avoid the Dires that charged for them in the middle. Kari aimed her gun toward a large crate precariously perched on a nearby stack. Her shots were precise, shattering the crate and sending it crashing down to crush several Dires beneath it. The debris created a temporary barrier, separating Sawyer from Kari and the rest of the pack.

"Go, I'll catch up! Get to the first level! Head for Toledo, no matter what!" Kari shouted over the commotion. "I'll hold them off!"

"I can't just leave you!"

"Onyx, go now!"

Sawyer hesitated, torn between helping Kari and following her directive. When Kari shot a Dire charging toward her, Sawyer finally turned and ran. Her legs felt on fire as she retraced her steps through the labyrinthine paths the Saber had led her through.

Several minutes later, Sawyer soon found herself running past the grisly remains of Shorty and Thick Neck, their bodies ravaged by the earlier attack. She stopped to catch her breath, turning her head to look at what was left. As much as she could care less about them, she didn't have the heart to wish such a brutal death on anyone. The thought of being disemboweled alive made her stomach twist, and it took all her willpower not to throw up.

Rebus, that better not be happening to you back there...

Whatever pittance of energy she had left disappeared as the sound of running footsteps and heavy breathing reached her ears.

Sawyer's pulse throbbed as she drew the gun Kari had given her, almost forgetting to take the safety off. The gun shook in her hands as she tried to steady her fingers, her chest heaving as she glared toward the noise.

"Whoa, easy with the pistola, I come in peace!" (13)

"Luis?"

"In the flesh!" Two Legs grinned, raising his hands in surrender before slowly lowering them, mirroring Sawyer's actions with the gun.

A wave of relief washed over her, and she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding back, eyes at her feet. "Oh, thank god…"

"Eh, I'm not that great, but I'll take it," Two Legs quipped with a half-hearted smile. He stepped toward her, his right hand hesitating mid-air, as if wanting to touch her but unsure why. His expression flickered between confusion and something softer--almost vulnerable--before he briefly dropped his hand and looked away. Then, meeting her eyes, he added, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you in one piece!"

"I almost wasn't just a bit ago," Sawyer glanced around, ensuring they were safe. She noticed the concern in his eyes but focused on the blood dripping from his hands. "What happened there? Did you get hurt?"

"What?" Two Legs looked surprised, then glanced at his palms and chuckled. "No, it's not mine. You should see what happened to the guy though, your fella--the bioterrorist. I found his body."

"Holy shit, he's dead," Sawyer gasped, primarily to herself. "Did you see what got him?"

"Well," Two Legs glanced at the corpse of the Saber, not far from the remains of the two humans. Something unreadable crossed his eyes before they stiffened with contempt. "It wasn't one of these...creeps skulking around. Some bald guy, pretty sure he shot him."

"Mobley…"

"Friend of yours?"

"Only by association," Sawyer muttered bitterly. The picture wasn't clear, but it was becoming evident to Sawyer that something nefarious was happening with Mobley. She wouldn't be surprised if he was in on this charade the entire time and bit off more than he could chew.

"I hate to interrupt your thoughts," Two Legs cleared his throat, concern evident in his voice. "Did you find your other friends?"

Sawyer nodded, gesturing towards the hallway she had come from. "One of them is back there. She said there's an exit on the first floor."

"Shouldn't we help her?" Two Legs asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

"No, she's got it covered." Sawyer's response felt wrong, but she pushed the thought aside. "She said there's an exit on the first level."

"I wouldn't go that way," Two Legs cautioned, shaking his head. He noticed Sawyer's questioning look and exhaled, steadying himself. "There's security footage where I found Soldado's body. That's how I knew you were here—I saw you on the cameras and the creatures sneaking up on you. On the way over, I found the staircase and elevators leading to the first level. There were too many monsters; I could hear them through the vents. I doubt you have enough bullets to handle a swarm, let alone however many are up top."

Sawyer blinked, the weight of his words sinking in. He had been watching her, tracking her movements--and, from the sound of it--had even planned to help her. She didn't know what to feel about Luis overall, but gratitude came to mind.

"Shit and this place is going to self-destruct on top of it…" Sawyer muttered, trying to process everything.

"I know," Two Legs replied. "I saw that too in the office. I think your pal Mobley activated a protocol to flood the lab with BOWs before destroying the place. There was a timer."

"How much longer do we have since you last saw it?"

Two Legs bit the inside of his cheek, glancing around anxiously. "Probably thirty minutes left, give or take. It took me a while to get here."

"Fuck!" Sawyer exclaimed. She shook her head in defeat. "This place is gonna blow to kingdom come, and we have no fucking way out?!"

"Actually, we do!" Two Legs forced a smile, though his heart wasn't in it. "There's a waste hatch. Right here, on level two! I'm pretty sure it leads out to a water source!"

"How do you know?" Sawyer stared at him, her eyes a mix of skepticism and hope.

"I could smell it when I found the tunnel," he replied, wrinkling his nose at the memory. "It's gross, but it's our best shot."

Sawyer bit her lip. Doubt crept in, just as it had when the Sabers attacked and when she left Kari to fend for herself, making her second-guess every decision that led her here. She glanced behind her, almost hoping Samuel would pop up behind her and Luis.

"You okay?"

Sawyer let out a breath as she faced him. "I can't just leave him."

"Leave who?"

"Samuel—I can't leave him here in this place."

"But we need to--"

"Luis, I need to find him. You gotta help me find Sam. I need you to help me find him."

Two Legs' expression was torn. The instinct to flee and ensure his preys survival clashed with the realization that this Samuel meant a lot to her—more than her other companions. He couldn't help but wonder why. The urge to grab her by the hand and force compliance crossed his mind, more than once.

"Look at me," Two Legs sighed and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, meeting her eyes. "Let's get to the hatch first and make sure you're safe, hmm? If we have time, we'll go back for your friend. I promise. But we have to go, now."

"Okay," Sawyer muttered, her reluctance clear. Nevertheless, she knew she had no choice but to work with Luis once again.

“Confía en mí, remember?” Two Legs nodded, giving her a soft smile before gesturing with his head. "C'mon, we can't keep standing here!" (14)

Together, they started to run, ignoring the blaring alarm systems around them. As Sawyer followed Two Legs--with him leading the way toward the hatch--she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Notes:

1. Nada de cosas divertidas…= No funny business / no fun stuff 2. Cállate y sigue moviéndote! = Shut up and keep moving! 3. No me gusta esto = I don't like this 4. Algo sobre querer acabar con los hacktivistas con un arma bioorgánica. Sin testigos ni cadáveres. Tu sabes como va. = Something about wanting to take down hacktivists with a bio-organic weapon. No witnesses or bodies. You know how it goes. 5. Si, pero ¿por qué tanta prisa? = Yes, but why such a rush? 6. Luego está el tipo Serra al que todo el mundo le está dando mucha importancia. = Then there's the Serra guy that everyone is giving a lot of importance to. 7. Oye, Americana! = Hey, American (female) 8. Cariño = Sweetheart 9. Ella no sabe nada sobre él. Dale un descanso. = She doesn't know anything about him. Give it a rest. 10. Pero eso no significa que ella no sepa que él está tramando algo. Soldado y Álvarez dijeron que no lo subestimen. ¿Y por qué le diría a la mujer que se apellida Navarro? = But that doesn't mean she doesn't know he's up to something. Soldado and Álvarez said not to underestimate him. And why would he tell the woman that his last name is Navarro? 11. ¡¿Qué demonios está pasando?! = What the hell is going on? 12. Mantenerla Baja = Keep it down / keep it low 13. Pistola = gun 14. Confía en mí = Trust me

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g1rlr0b1n · 2 years ago

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Does anyone else ever think about how Damian might have had a semblance of a normal childhood if Dick had just like chosen not to relinquish guardianship of him? Because, I think about it a lot actually.

Like I know why he did but what if he didn't? Like what if Dick and Barbara raised him together? Like what then? Sure, it would be awkward because your bio-dad would also technically be your granddad and your father would also be your brother, but overall I think it would have been better for Damian.

I'm sure there are fics about this, drop them in the comments for me, will ya?

#He would get all the hugs and positive feedback from two not emotionally constipated parents #Lets not pretend Bruce is actually raising him anyway #Maybe in this timeline Bruce stayed dead or just decided parenting wasnt for him so now they are raising Tim and Cass too #Tim and Cass would get all the affection too #Damian trying to explain his family: My father sucked and being a dad so now hes my grandfather #Damian: my brother and sister are still my brother and sister though #Damian: Except for my brother Jason. Hes now my uncle #Jason: Thats uncle brother Jason to you twirp #Anyone trying to comprehend it: What in the sweet home Alabama?!#Dick and Babs could do it as a romantic couple or even just platonically #he could be like that kid whose parents are divorced #but they live together because they still love each other they just arent in love anymore #Babs: Hey kiddo its just you and me tonight dad has a hot date #Damian: Tt gross #If it doesnt exist maybe I have to write it!#batfamily #dick grayson #barbara gordon #damian wayne #bruce wayne #tim drake #jason todd #cassandra cain #I tagged them because I mentioned them in the tags

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spiral-wizard · 10 months ago

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my cousin has two 11 year old twin daughters and they are the coolest kids alive. they love dragons and warriorcats and stuff like that... i have a lil group chat with them where they send me stuff they're drawing and it's so awesome. yesterday one of them sent me a whole ass book she is writing, it's over 150 pages and i'm so stoked to read it!! leaders of tomorrow!!!!!!!

#i love giving them very specific feedback and asking questions about their characters and stuff #if more ppl had engaged with my art/stories in that way when i was that age i'd probably be a published author/illustrator by now #at this rate these kiddos will have bestsellers out in no time i know it!!!!

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pretty-purpple · 2 years ago

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FEEDBACK FOR PEACH ☎️

I LOVE UR READING SM, everything resonated, I even wrote everything you said down because it was so so accurate and it was something i needed to hear!! very friendly and cute vibes all the way lmfao <3

Thank you so much , i appreciate this lovely feedback <3 , your reading was also very detailed and i can already see it happening. I am glad that my vibes were good hehe , you are also cute , kiddo 🗿❤️! i loved working with you <333

#Star #Kiddo #Feedback #Asks

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youaresimplylovely · 6 months ago

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𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 .ᐟ

୨ৎ 𝗌𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌: 𝖺 𝗀𝗅𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗒 ୨ৎ 𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌: 𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗂𝗌 𝗑 𝗆𝗈𝗆!𝗐𝗂𝖿𝖾!𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 ୨ৎ 𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌: 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿, 𝖼𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗄 ୨ৎ 𝖺/𝗇: 𝗂 𝗁𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗂 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇'𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝖺𝖺𝖺

𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗼 taglist form feedback form masterlist

itsyn_norris

liked by oscarpiastri, carlossainz55, and 3,098,280 others

itsyn_norris daddy came home early today!! 🥺🧡

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oscarpiastri YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA GRAB A WATER.

landonorris I HAVE A WIFE AND KIDS. oscarpiastri how dare you leave me and our football game 💔

ln4 daddy norris coming in 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

itsyn_norris <33

carlossainz55 i gotta give it to you man, you skipped our football game for this. So proud of you, miss this little kiddos!!

landonorris #husbandoftheyear

landonorris WHO NEEDS FOOTBALL WHEN I HAVE MY BABIES AND MY BABY MAMA 😍😍

itsyn_norris shut up i love you landonorris I LOVE YOU MORE

landonorris

liked by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc, and 5,085,294 others

landonorris just kids having kids <3

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itsyn_norris credits to the girl who threw the water on 3rd pic 😋

landonorris just so you know woman, i still love you georgerussel63 credits to the guy who gave the idea 😎 alex_albon credits to the guy who took the picture 😂 landonorris i hate all of you. (except my beautiful beautiful wife who looks sexy af)

maxverstappen1 first picture is so unhinged hahahaha

itsyn_norris it's called true love maxie landonorris true

f1 awww! the norris family traveling together, see you next race 👋

oscarpiastri posted on his story!

viewed by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc, and 2,036,579 others

[caption: he does not look like a father.]

landonorris

liked by oscarpiastri, alex_albon, and 2,978,189 others

landonorris LF babysitter

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itsyn_norris second pic was uncalled for 😐

landonorris 😘😘

oscarpiastri me me me 😊

landonorris no. itsyn_norris BABE THE KIDS LOVE HIM. landonorris but i don't. oscarpiastri !?!?!?! landonorris YOU FED MY KID A RAW EGG. oscarpiastri WE WERE IN JAPAN AND RAW EGGS ARE SAFE TO EAT THERE. landonorris out.

mclaren the team aka minions are ready sir 😇

maxverstappen1 ahem

landonorris the kids do love you maxverstappen1 of course they do, why wouldn't they 😶

charles_leclerc uncle charlie is open and available!?!?! so is Leo!?!?!

itsyn_norris YES landonorris YOU'RE HIRED charles_leclerc losers @maxverstappen1 @oscarpiastri

#f1 #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 fanfic #formula 1 au #f1 blurb #f1 smau #f1 grid x reader #lando norris x reader #lando norris #lando norris smau #lando norris x you #lando norris fluff

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you-have-a-metal-arm · 3 months ago

Text

‘Til The End of The Line

Pairing: Bucky x Avenger!Reader

Word Count: 1.7k

Warnings: Mentions of blood, shooting and getting hurt

Summary: You get injured in a mission, and Bucky cannot bear to see you in such state.

Author's Note: Please do not copy or translate my work. English is not my first language, so please understand grammar or spelling mistakes.

I am so sorry for being gone (school’s been killing me)

I appreciate every feedback! Thank you for reading, enjoy!

“Ready to kick some ass, kiddo?” Steve’s voice was calm, almost soothing, but you could hear the adrenaline beneath his words as the two of you adjusted your parachutes. The jet engines hummed around you, a subtle reminder of the mission ahead.

You grinned, giving your suit one last check and tightening your grip on the gun in your hand. “Yeah, I’m gonna beat the shit out of them.”

Steve smiled, not bothering to correct your language. With him, you were always an exception.

Moments later, the wind was whipping against your face as you both jumped from the jet, splitting off into the night sky. Steve took the left wing—the more dangerous side—leaving you the right. Tony had assured you it was safer, but as you slid through the narrow gap in the door, the freezing cold hit you like a wall. The air inside was frigid, bitterly reminding you of Bucky’s stories about the winters he hated so much.

“As far as I can see, it’s clear here. How’s the situation there?” Steve’s voice crackled through the comms, full of concern. You knew he cared for you deeply, saw you as the daughter he never had, and would have taken a bullet to ensure your safety.

“It’s clear here too, Cap,” you replied, trying to ease his worry.

“Let’s stick to the plan: I’ll draw out the agents while you head straight to the operations room and grab their file IV data.”

“Copy that. Be safe, Cap—and I mean it. If you need help, just call me.”

“I will, kiddo. Be safe yourself. And promise to call me if you need anything.”

“I promise. Let’s fucking go.”

You raced through the deserted corridors of the right wing, a dagger in one hand and a fully loaded gun tucked into your suit for emergencies. The cold air bit at your skin, the silence amplifying every footstep. Suddenly, a loud, thunderous noise echoed behind you. Instinctively, you thought it was Steve, but it wasn’t. The sound was coming from your side of the building.

Before you could react, you were ambushed by over twenty armed agents.

On the other side of the wing, Steve was facing his own battle. He tossed a grenade down a hallway, expecting a swarm of enemies, but only three agents rushed at him. Something was wrong. There should have been more.

“Shit,” you hissed into the comms, struggling against the overwhelming odds. Steve heard the panic in your voice, but he couldn’t respond—one of the agents had him in a chokehold. His grip tightened on the comms as he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire, followed by a loud thud that made his blood run cold.

“Kiddo, you okay?” Steve managed to gasp out, but all he got in return was a pained groan.

“I’ll get to you in less than a minute, I promise,” he said, desperation creeping into his voice. He could hear your labored breathing through the comms, and it was tearing him apart.

“Steve…” Your voice was faint, each word a struggle.

“Hmm?” he replied, trying to sound reassuring despite the dread clawing at his chest.

“Are the comms… still being recorded?”

Steve’s heart sank. He knew what you were doing, and he hated it. “Yes, kiddo, if there weren’t any changes to the plans, it’s on record.”

You exhaled shakily, the breath catching in your throat. There was only one person you needed to reach out to. “Buck…”

As soon as Steve heard the name, he knew the weight of what you were about to say. Even after four years of being together, Bucky’s name still brought shivers to your spine, thick with emotion.

“If by any chance you get to listen to this, Buck—”

“Y/N, kiddo, no, you’re not dying. I won’t let that happen.”

“You don’t know that…” Your voice was helpless, a reflection of your dwindling strength.

“Just stay there. I’m on my way. Please, don’t give up on us.”

But a part of Steve knew this might be your last moment. It was an instinct, a gut-wrenching feeling that he couldn’t shake. So he didn’t stop you from saying what you needed to.

“If you get a chance to listen to this…” You fought to keep your eyes open, tears mingling with the blood on the cold metal floor. Your mind flashed with the future you had imagined—a life with Bucky, growing old together, watching your children grow up. “In another life, we might—maybe we could have grown old together.”

Steve’s heart clenched as your voice wavered. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, but he knew there was nothing he could do except listen.

“I wish I could have given you babies,” you continued, your voice cracking with emotion. “Watched them grow in our backyard… I’m sorry that I can’t be the one to give you that life.”

Your vision blurred as sleepiness started to consume you. You fought against it with everything you had, but the darkness was closing in. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry that this is how it ends for us… I’m really sorry.”

“And if this is how it really ends… Promise me you’ll find someone else to love, to open up to. Find someone else… Call someone else ‘doll.’ And don’t grieve too much.”

The darkness was overwhelming now. You felt it pulling you under, felt the life draining from your body as blood poured from your wounds. “You deserve to be happy… And the past doesn’t—doesn’t define you.”

Your last words were barely a whisper. “I… Love you, Buck. And I’m sorry I couldn’t say that more often.”

And then… silence. The darkness consumed you, and Steve heard nothing but the empty static of the comms. He refused to believe it, refused to accept that you were gone. He sprinted through the hallways, throwing open every door until he found you, lying motionless on the floor, your suit stained crimson with blood.

He scooped you up as if you weighed nothing, his legs pumping with every ounce of energy he had left. The jet’s engines hummed steadily, but inside the cabin, chaos reigned. Steve knelt beside you, his hands trembling as he assessed your injuries. The bullets had done their damage—one near your heart, another through your stomach, and the last through your left arm. Blood pooled beneath you, soaking through your suit.

“Kiddo, hang in there, please,” Steve murmured, his voice tight with fear. He grabbed the medical kit from the overhead compartment, spilling its contents across the floor. His hands worked quickly, tearing open a pack of gauze and pressing it firmly against the wounds. The bleeding was relentless, and he knew he needed to act fast to save your life.

You were pale, your breathing shallow and irregular. It was a miracle you were still breathing at all. Steve knew he had to stabilize you before they landed, or you wouldn’t make it. His mind raced through the limited medical training he had received—enough to get through emergencies, but nothing like this.

He fumbled with an IV kit, his hands shaking as he tried to insert the needle into your arm. Your veins were fragile, but after what felt like an eternity, he got it in. He attached a bag of saline solution, knowing it was only a temporary measure.

“Stay with me, kiddo. Buck won’t be so happy about this,” Steve whispered, his voice trembling. Your pulse was faint, but still there. He applied more pressure to the wound, checking if you were breathing again. It was labored, but there were no signs of a collapsed lung, thank God.

He grabbed the portable oxygen mask and gently placed it over your mouth and nose, adjusting the flow to give you the support you desperately needed. Your chest rose and fell slightly more steadily—a small victory amid the chaos.

With one hand still applying pressure to the wound, Steve fumbled with the jet’s communications system. “Friday, please check if the team is ready for immediate surgery.”

“Yes, sir. Mr. Stark has everything prepared, and Dr. Cho is on standby.”

“Can you connect me directly to Tony?”

“Connecting now, sir.”

“Cap, how is she?” Tony’s voice crackled through, tense with concern.

“I think I stabilized her. We’re landing in three minutes, max. Thank God this jet has autopilot, or else… she wouldn’t have made it.”

Tony was silent for a moment. It wasn’t the time for pride or self-congratulation. He was kicking himself for not being more cautious, for not having medics onboard, for underestimating the mission. You were the youngest, the brightest member of the Avengers, and he couldn’t bear to lose you.

Steve checked the wound again. The bleeding had slowed, but it hadn’t stopped. He packed the wound with more gauze, securing it tightly. You needed a blood transfusion, surgery—everything he couldn’t provide here. All he could do was keep you stable until they landed.

“Tony, do me one favor,” Steve said, his voice thick as he wiped the blood from your cheeks. “Please… Don’t let Bucky see her like this. He won’t be able to handle it.”

But Tony’s response was firm. “Sorry, Cap. James already knows. He’s waiting at the airbase. And he has the right to see her.”

Steve nodded, though his heart ached at the thought. “Okay, Tony, thanks… We’re almost there.”

The jet descended, the lights of the airbase coming into view. Steve cradled you close, whispering words of comfort that he wasn’t sure you could hear. “We’re going to make it, kiddo. Just hold on a little longer.”

As the jet landed, the hatch opened to reveal Tony, Dr. Cho, and Bucky. Bucky’s face was ashen, his eyes wide with fear as he took in the sight of you. Steve gently handed you over to Dr. Cho and her team, who rushed you to the medical bay. Bucky stood frozen, staring at the blood that covered Steve’s hands and suit.

“She’s alive, Buck,” Steve said softly, his voice raw with exhaustion. “But she needs you now more than ever. Don’t lose hope.”

Bucky nodded, swallowing hard. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t think beyond the sight of you lying there so still. He followed the team as they wheeled you into surgery, praying with everything he had left that you would survive this.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

THERE’S GOING TO BE A PART 2 by Sunday

Part 2 is up y’all

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drei-mrssvechii · 15 days ago

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cookie time! | andrei svechnikov

join my taglist!

pairing: dad!andrei svechnikov x reader

warnings: mentions of andrei's injury, the canes doing not so well, kids.

word count: 690 words

a/n: ok so i wrote this around last year when svech got injured for playoffs and i'm just posting it now lololol. but anyway! i felt like this was such a cute concept and needed to write it, so here it is! hope you enjoy it, i'm always open to feedback, requests, etc, etc.

“how much time till you can return to skating, dada?” your little girl, sofiya, asked as andrei tucked her into bed.

“that’s quite a long time, sunshine,” he replied. she pouted; there was nothing she loved more than going to games and supporting her daddy in her little svech jersey.

though andrei’s injury kept him off the ice, there wasn’t much anyone could do to stop him from visiting the rink, and sofiya would gladly follow him everywhere—she was such a daddy’s girl, after all.

so you’d still attend some games, but ever since svech was out, losing had become a constant, and frustration was clearly building within the team. especially for andrei, who couldn’t help but feel guilty for not being able to play.

the mood wasn’t the best, but when it came to sofiya, he would always put on a smile. it wasn’t often that they got to spend so much time together, so she loved having him home to attend her tea parties, tuck her into bed, and take her to school. as much as she adored it, though, she knew her dad missed being on the ice, and sofiya didn’t like seeing him hurt and sad. so one morning, just as she heard andrei leaving for therapy, she went downstairs with what she thought was the perfect plan to cheer him up.

you were in the kitchen, tidying up from breakfast. it was still early, so you planned to get a bit more sleep, assuming your little girl wouldn’t be up until later—or so you thought, until you heard her quick footsteps on the stairs.

“morning, love. what are you doing up so early?” you asked, watching as she entered the kitchen and grabbed a stool to stand next to you.

“can we make chocolate chip cookies?” she asked, leaving a kiss on your cheek.

“cookies? it’s too early for those, baby,” you said, though knowing chocolate chip cookies were her all-time favorite.

“i know, mom, but cookies make me happy. i bet they’ll make dada happy, too!” she said, explaining her plan with such conviction that you couldn’t help but smile.

it was so sweet how she was thinking of ways to cheer up her dad. so, you quickly gave in, gathered all the ingredients, and handed her a small apron.

she started by cracking the eggs (with a tiny bit of shell making it into the bowl), then you helped her measure the flour, and sofiya poured in what seemed like way too many chocolate chips. the kitchen turned into a delightful mess: flour dusted the counters, little chocolate fingerprints decorated the cabinets, and sofiya sneaked a few chocolate chips every chance she got.

“daddy’s gonna love this!” she said, her eyes shining with excitement.

but just as the first batch of cookies went into the oven, you heard the door open earlier than expected, and sofiya’s face fell.

“oh no, mom! he’s here too soon. it’s all ruined,” she muttered, disappointed.

andrei stepped into the kitchen, chuckling as he took in the scene—flour everywhere, cookie dough on the counters, and sofiya’s pouty face.

“sunshine, what’s all this?” he asked, his eyes softening as he looked at her.

“i wanted to surprise you,” she murmured. “make you happy like you make me happy.”

his face brightened, and he pulled her into a warm hug. “well, you sure did, kiddo. this is the best surprise i could ask for.”

sofiya smiled brightly, inviting him to join her. together, the three of you continued baking. as andrei helped sofiya clean up the counters, you caught his eye, sharing a warm smile. moments like these were rare but so precious.

as the cookies finished baking, andrei had an idea. “hey, sweetheart, how about we take these cookies to practice and share them with the team?”

sofiya’s eyes lit up in excitement. “yes! they’ll be so happy. i miss uncle jarvy,” she said with a little pout.

“he sure misses you too, baby.”

and with a plate of freshly baked cookies in hand, the three of you headed to the rink, just as morning skate wrapped up.

taglist: @sydnikov @cammie1634 @honeygarfield @svechnikov3737 @this-is-ally-and-im-confused @barzyandhughesbaby @tinyhockey @boeswhore @owenpowerstapejob @kailyn-writes @stars-canucks @ssebastianaho @beauvertime @barzyblogbabe @hockey-racing-fubol @1-800-iluvhockey | join here!

#carolina hurricanes #andrei svechnikov #hockey imagine #nhl imagine #hockey #nhl imagines #nhl fic #nhl canes #fic #imagine #nhl fluff #nhl blurb #hockey fic #andrei svechnikov x reader #nhl writing #nhl x reader #nhl fanfiction

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haikyu-mp4 · 8 months ago

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Two jobs

word count; 1262 – singlemom!reader

Even though your 10-year-old son had started to become less of a cuddly kid and more of a stubborn tween, there is one ritual he never complained about. Namely, going to Onigiri Miya every Monday after finishing his homework.

By now, both of you were good friends with the owner, Miya Osamu. Some friends might call what you had a crush but you’d always deny it. There was no use getting your hopes up for dating when your whole life revolved around your son. Expecting someone to take on an extra job would simply set you up for disappointment.

Osamu knew you both well enough by now to have had a couple of conversations with your son about his growing volleyball obsession. There were pictures hung up in the restaurant of Osamu with his twin brother, who just so happened to be a setter on your son’s favourite team recently, the MSBY Black Jackals. Your son was ecstatic when he found out about Osamu’s common interest and quickly grew somewhat attached to the owner of the restaurant, so you did as well. Maybe you didn’t just go there once a week anymore.

However, Osamu hadn’t dared to ask for your number yet, so this surprise to your son became a surprise for you as well. When you and your son entered the restaurant, your eyes immediately found Osamu to give him a wave, but your son’s wide eyes were on his blonde twin who was leaning on the wall by the cashier and clearly waiting for something. Or someone. Let’s just say Osamu called in a favour.

Your son let out a loud dramatic gasp before running over to the athlete, trying to act cool while greeting Atsumu.

“S/n, you could at least greet Osamu before moving on.” you chuckled softly and ruffled his hair, even though you knew Osamu probably understood. You bowed to Atsumu and introduced yourself before smiling at Osamu again with sparkling eyes because you realised Osamu did this for your son. Your dear son who was now talking Atsumu’s ears off. “Thank you,” you said, not too loudly so you wouldn’t disturb the kids’ volleyball talk. Osamu nodded his head, neck flushing from the soft look on your face before turning around and heading for the kitchen.

“I’ll get your usual going,” he said cheerfully.

You looked at his back for a few seconds with a warm heart before turning to his twin. Atsumu was already looking at you, amused by the lovey-dovey action happening right in front of his eyes. You put a hand on your son’s shoulder. “Miya is probably here to enjoy his food too, kiddo,” you said, hoping your son wouldn’t be embarrassed for his excitement but trying to make him more aware.

“No worries at all, it’s good to get some feedback from the experts every now and then,” Atsumu said, fully into the role as he winked at your son. The boy chuckled, grinning up at you in glee. Core memory, maybe. “And please, call me Atsumu,” he said, which he directed more at you.

You three kept talking for a couple of minutes until Osamu finally came back with your food on a tray. His brother found it funny how you two awkwardly blushed around each other, trying to act like normal despite the obvious attraction. It was hilarious. Osamu closed the restaurant as you had come in quite late today and the last customer just left, so he could sit down with the three of you while you ate. However, it was mostly your son talking, trying his best to eat at the same time as he had Atsumu putty in his hands. Meanwhile, you and Osamu kept whispering to each other and mixed it with quiet chuckles, mostly about how adorable your son was.

Atsumu saw his opportunity. After this day, he could be cordially crowned the best brother ever, as he sacrificed more of his time with a few simple words after your son finished his last bite of onigiri. “Why don’t you join me for practice tomorrow, I’ll show you some tricks,” he suggested, enjoying the absolute thrill on the kid’s face. Your son turned to you, hands tightly knit together to beg.

“Please please please, mom. Can I? It’s been my absolute biggest dream since like forever.” he said dramatically. You’re definitely familiar with all his big dreams that seemed to change each time he wanted something. You took a moment to look at Atsumu for confirmation that he was sure, then at Osamu to see if he agreed with it and then you turned your eyes back to your son, pinching his chubby cheek.

“We can’t turn down such an amazing offer, I think it sounds great,” you said, and it only took a second for your son to burst from his chair to hug you around your neck and chant his thank yous. “Go thank Atsumu and Osamu as well, love.”

When you were about to leave, Atsumu picked up your son and showed him some more pictures further into the restaurant, winking at Osamu as his signal. Osamu took a deep breath before getting your attention by loosely holding your hand. “Hey, y/n.” He clutched onto all his courage and for once took his brother’s advice. “Would you like to go out with me while Atsumu takes care of s/n tomorrow?” he asked, observing your face for a reaction. You were blinking in disbelief before smiling again.

“Just us? Like a…” you cleared your throat, not sure if you could meet his eyes so you interlaced your fingers with his instead. “Like a date?” You would have to be stupid to not realise the chemistry between you and Osamu, but you never wanted to make a move because he might have decided already that he doesn’t want to be involved in your son’s life like that. So hearing him finally ask was thrilling and you wondered if he might be able to hear your heartbeat if he focused enough and Atsumu stopped talking so loudly.

“Like a date. If you want it to be.”

“I would love to.”

Osamu prepared the best date ever and the two of you easily went from nervous chuckles to engaged conversations. In order for you to relax as much as possible, he had already given Atsumu all the information and threats he needed to take responsibility for your son. In between your conversations, Osamu would check his phone and show you some pictures Atsumu sent to prove that your son was both safe and enjoying himself.

Atsumu certainly had to remind himself he was being a good brother when your son’s favourite player was revealed to be Bokuto, who had a field day with his young fan.

After you finished the perfect first date and shared a couple of first kisses, the both of you went to get your son and he was happily telling both of you about his experience with the professional volleyball players as you exited the gym. Now that must have been a core memory.

Atsumu gave his farewells before leaving, glancing over his shoulder at how you and Osamu each held one of your son’s hands as Osamu followed you back to your apartment. He could totally be the cool uncle, but your son would have to switch favourites first.

And now, after many more dates and with a diamond ring on your finger, Osamu is proud to say he has two jobs and loves both of them.

masterlist ║ PART 2

#miya osamu #osamu x reader #haikyu #haikyuu #osamu #miya #miya x reader #haikyu x reader #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu fluff #hq x reader #hq #fanfiction #miya atsumu #msby atsumu #miya osamu x you #haikyuu x you #haikyu fluff #miya osamu x reader

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winterrrnight · 8 months ago

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babe I just had the best idea for a rafe concept it pains me

Okay so imagine like reader is at work (somewhere idk where) and she just gets so overwhelmed but her and rafes relationship is still new so she doesn't call him because she doesn't wanna bother him....😭

I'm probably not the first person to think of this but it ON MY MINDDDD

literally dropped everything to write this!!!! this reader is way too me coded and I cannot :’) thank you so so much for the req vee 🥹💗 you asked for a concept… I wrote a fic…. :D I hope you like this vee <3

down for you

PAIRING: soft!rafe cameron x gn!reader

SUMMARY: rafe wants you to be able to rely on him for anything and everything.

WARNINGS: the reader is a preschool teacher and quite self dependent; lots of fluff; cute nicknames; lovesick rafe (my fav fr); minimal swearing

EDITH SPEAKS: this request speaks volumes to me 🥹 this is way too me coded, and I just had to write it, I hope you all like this! the ending is maybe a bit abrupt tho :( please like and reblog if you liked reading <3 feedback is always appreciated 🍹

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I should leave, I haven't yet, but when you smile, I just forget

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

You can swear this day can't get any worse. You’ve been on your feet basically the entire day, always rushing from your students here to there. You love the little kiddos with your entire heart, but today, for some reason, they are being an extra pain in the ass. They aren’t as cooperative as you’d prefer; you don’t know what’s gotten into them, they are like little energy packets constantly running around.

Due to some teacher duties you aren’t even able to sit down for your lunch break, taking away the only 15 minutes you have to yourself. And it just gets progressively worse when you finally leave the school to go back to your place and your car has a slashed tire, and today had to be the day when you don’t have a spare tire in your trunk.

It’s been over 6 hours since you left your house this morning, and it’s just Tuesday, but it’s feeling like the longest, most excruciating week ever. You’re now leaning against your car door, letting out a deep exhale as you lean your head back, feeling a headache creep into your brain and pulse harshly. You’re tired, hungry, absolutely exhausted… and all you want are the warm hugs of your boyfriend.

Your boyfriend.

Rafe is quite a new addition in your life, both of you being together for a mere month. He’s been so loving to you, always protective and just genuinely taking great care of you.

You pull out your phone and find his contact, but before you can dial him, your thumb hovers over his name in sudden realization – he’s always at work at this time.

You begin to contemplate your initial decision of asking him to come here to help you out, and then ultimately decide against it, realizing he’s probably very busy at work, and would only be heavily distracted if you call him.

So, just like how you always do it, you decide to take matters into your own hands.

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

It’s nearing 6 pm when you finally get to reach your place. You had to make calls to get yourself a mechanic to get your car fixed, who took his sweet sweet time to come to you. You’re now completely exhausted, wanting nothing more than just to plop on your bed and sleep till your heart desires. You can hear your stomach grumble since you never had the chance to eat the lunch you missed out on, but you make it a problem for later, deciding to just take a nap first.

As you drive into your driveway, you recognise Rafe’s black Range Rover already parked, with him standing next to it, leaning back against the hood of his car as he’s looking intently at his phone. As he catches the sound of your car driving, he instantly looks up, watching your car enter the driveway.

Before you can properly park and get out, Rafe rushes to you, opening the door for you.

“Oh my god where have you been?” He asks you, his voice laced with concern. “I tried calling you and texting you, you always come back home by late afternoon,”

You step out of the car and Rafe shuts the door, a hand quickly landing at the small of your back as you both walk to the porch of your house. He can see you’re really tired; droopy eyes, heavy steps, deep sighs; he knows something happened.

“Yeah my phone died,” you mutter as you unlock the main door of your house, both of you stepping inside. “I just… today was kind of a heavy day, nothing much honestly,” you shrug as you toss your keys in the dish and remove your coat and shoes.

“What happened?” Rafe asks, still really concerned for you as he watches you take off your cost and hang it on the coat rack. As you’re done, you face him with a small smile on your face.

“Nothing much, really,” you say softly, gently cupping his cheek with a hand and tenderly caressing his skin. “Don’t worry, yeah?” You mumble, taking your hand off his cheek as you make your way to the kitchen.

Rafe stays on your heels, following you and monitoring every single move of yours – your padding till the fridge, opening it, getting a bottle of water, unscrewing it and drinking from it.

“You look so exhausted, I can see it in your eyes,” he comments. “Your hair is all messy, your clothes are dirty; it’s clearly not nothing. Come on, tell me, what happened,”

His voice is stern, but not in an angry way; but in an apprehensive way. He moves his hand to your face, gently brushing your hair as he fixes some of the unruly strands.

As you finish drinking your water; drinking almost all of it in one go, you keep your bottle aside and let out a sigh, turning to look at him. “It was just one of those… heavy days, but it’s over now yeah? I’m now home,” you say softly.

“But just tell me what happened,” Rafe’s voice now drops to a whisper as he moves closer to you, continuing to weave his fingers through your hair.

You close your eyes for a moment, delving into the relaxing feeling of Rafe’s fingers softly combing through your hair, but also realizing he’s going to keep pressing for you to tell him what happened.

“The kids were a bit uncooperative today,” you say with a soft chuckle. “And then we have this event coming up at school, so I was busy for my entire lunch break preparing for it. And then my car had a flat tire and I didn’t have a spare so I had to get a mechanic, which took most of the time. But besides that, nothing much happened,” you say with a small shrug.

“Besides all that?” Rafe mutters incredulously. “That’s already a lot, baby, why didn’t you call me when you found out about your flat tire? I would’ve come; or sent someone to get you, we would’ve had lunch in my office, and I would have had someone take care of the tire and bring your car back too.” There’s a small frown on his face and he now holds your face in both his hands, gently skimming your cheeks with his thumbs.

You look up in his soft, baby blue eyes. “I did think of calling you but-”

“But?”

“But I thought…” you take a deep breath, your eye contact with him faltering. “you’ll be busy, and I didn’t want to be a burden to you, really, I was able to get it all fixed just fine,”

You can hear Rafe tsk; his tongue clicking against his teeth as he softly shakes his head. “I’m never busy for you okay? My work does not ever get more importance than you, okay? It never does, and it never will, especially when you’re in trouble and need help,”

He gently grips your chin and tips your head back just a bit, making you look at him. His eyes are softened, the blue even more warmer than usual.

“I know you prefer to do things on your own,” he whispers, “but you have to realise that you really don’t need to do each thing on your own, especially now that I’m around. I won’t mind, really, and besides, I would love to show everyone off at work that I am the boyfriend of the most beautiful person on this damn planet yeah?”

You can’t help but chuckle softly at his words as you keep looking in his eyes.

“So, promise me, next time you need any sorts of help, want me to do something for you, or just want me to be there, you don’t think twice about calling me up okay?” He says softly, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

He can see the reluctancy in your eyes, but you eventually give in and nod.

“Okay, promise,” you murmur, smiling as you wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. He gladly hugs you back, snuggling his face in your neck as he gently rubs your back.

“So…” you speak up, and he hums back in response, both of you still hugging.

“I’ll take up on that offer right now. I’ll go and shower, and you make something for me to eat yeah?”

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

TAGLIST: @runningfrom2am @saccharinesammie @maybankslover @totalswag @madelynie @chenslucy @ietss @elle-mp3 @viawritesstuff @wallsdreams @lunalitva @sadfury @shores-kayla @jamesbuckybarneswify @xxxlaura @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles @callsignwidow @starkowswife @drewstarkeyswifehoe @jjchaer @f4ll-for-you @wearemadeofstardust0 @drewsmusee @rafegirly @addriaenne @leighbronk @rafesdrew @bejeweledreverie @raf3sgff @aerangi @drewstarkey1bae @moneymaybank @spideysimpossiblegirl @the-tortured-poets-depxrtment @rafesgiirl @theoraekenslover @fals3-g0d @personalfavsthatarerandom @b1mb0slvt

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kiddotarot · 2 months ago

Text

YOUR OWN LOVE STORY - Exchange

In this game i am going to tell your love story with your future spouse in a stroy with moodboard.

○ Send me your juno and groom chart ( both).

○ please don't Dm only send ask.

○ please be patience because its going to take time.

○ be polite.

○ if you want a private answer just mention it .

For tarot readers -

○ send me the same then we can match the length.

Non tarot readers-

○ ship me with any charater you want with moodboard.

Enjoy...

GAME WILL BE CLOSE WHEN I THINK I HAVE ENOUGH PARTICIPATES

Closed

#tarot tumblr #tarotcommunity #vedic astrology #astro notes #vedic astrology observations #astrology #tarot reading #astrology community #astrology observations #kiddo feedback #daily tarot #love astrology #asteroid groom #astro observations #astro community #pac tarot #tarotblr

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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 3 months ago

Text

Bitter Sweet Symphony 1

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Thor

Summary: you meet a god in real life but he's not the saviour you think.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

You catch Joanie by her knapsack before she can disappear into the crowd. Your heart lurches as you just picture her tiny stature getting lost in the New York crush. You pull her back to you.

“Joan, take me hand,” you demand shakily.

“Sorry, I thought I saw...” she begins then shakes her head. The cat ears on her hat wiggle. She grabs your hand with her small one and you squeeze. “Nothing. I’m just excited.”

“You know mom would kill me if I lost you,” you draw her out of the way of another pedestrian. The man in his suit doesn’t spare you a single thought as he charges by.

“Ha, I’m not going to get lost,” she insists.

You grumble but don’t voice your anxiety. She’s young and it’s all so big and loud to her. She’s still to young to be scared. You admire your half-sister for that but it also fills you with dread.

“I did!” She squeals and jumps in her pink high tops. “I saw him, I saw him.”

She points and her hand bounces off the hip of a woman strutting by. You apologise and once more redirect your sister. You squint and search in the direction she pointed. Yellow taxis honk as they roll by and jay walkers dodge between them.

“Thor!” Your sister hollers and hops up again, waving her hand.

That’s when you see him. You don’t know how you missed him. There’s so much going on that all the buildings and bodies blend together. For as long as you’ve been in the city, you’re still not used to the chaos of it all.

“Thor?” You echo her.

“Duh! God of Thunder! He hangs out with Iron Man.”

“Right,” you shepherd her back before she can get underfoot. “You know what mom says about talking to strangers.”

“He’s not a stranger, he’s a hero.” She argues.

“Maybe but I’m sure he’s just trying to live his life. He doesn’t look like he’s hero-ing right now, kiddo,” you chide.

“But...” her face falls. “But we don’t have heroes at home! What if I never see another one again? I just wanna say hi.”

“I know, Joan, but I...” you pause and glance back. There are others clustering around the tall man. He smiles and welcomes them as he greets them all graciously. You just hate to be in others way. You should have considered that before you moved to one of the most overcrowded places on earth. “Alright, but we’re going to go down and cross at the walk, right?”

She harrumphs and agrees begrudgingly, “right.”

You take her down the sidewalk, clamped onto her as you steer her around the New Yorkers trapped in the tunnel vision of their own existence. You get to the corner and wait and cross with a cluster. You glance down the pavement as Joanie squirms.

“Oh no, I think he’s gone,” she whines.

You look desperately ahead and grimace. You hope you didn’t ruin it for her. You drag her along, hoping that long blonde hair will pop up again. It doesn’t. You get to the exact place you spotted him. He’s not there.

“I’m so sorry, Joanie. I just wanted to be safe.” You turn to her, your chest dropping. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine...” she drones and hangs her head.

You stumble as a man knocks into your hip. You try to make yourself smaller but it’s hard to dodge anyone on the sidewalk even without a little extra cushion. You peer around and your eyes catch on the hanging sign of a bakery.

“How about a treat instead? You love cupcakes, right?” You coax her.

“Mm, I guess,” she shrugs.

Her disappointment stings. You feel horrid. You know she’s going to hold onto this.

“Come on, let’s get out of this,” you pull her to the bakery door.

As you enter, you sigh. You’re happy to be free of the city crawl. You look up at the menu above the counter. You’ve never been in here before. It’s a nice place and the desserts look immaculate. They’re also expensive.

“Look they have a unicorn--” You begin and Joanie rips her hand away as she wiggles.

“He’s here!” She cries out. “It’s Thor.”

Her voice carries across the space and you cringe and you look over to find the man, or god, in question. His blue eyes round as he bites into a cupcake piled with icing. The sugary topping marks his nose as he pulls it away and gulps. He gives a goofy smile.

“Joanie,” you whisper, “he’s just trying to enjoy his food.”

“Little one!” He waves before you can deter her. “You know me.”

Joanie giggles and squeals and skips over before you can stop her. You trail after her reluctantly as she hops up to his table, “your Thor, king of Asgard, God of Thunder!” She jitters. “I know you!”

He booms with laughter and wipes the icing from his beard and nose. His cupcake is forgotten on a small saucer. “An honour to meet you...”

“Joanie!” She nearly hollers. “My name is Joanie.”

“Ah, a beautiful name,” he praises and his eyes wander over you as you hover behind her. “And this lady, your mother?”

“Sister!” Joanie replies before you can and gives your name.

You try to smile as he grins at you and his eyes seem to sparkle. You wonder if that’s a god thing. Your cheeks are hot as his gaze bores into you.

“Are you here for the cupcakes? They are delicious. I recommend the confetti.” He puts his attention back to Joanie. “Would you like to join me?”

“Oh, sir, thanks, that’s so kind but we’ll just be getting ours to go--”

“But--” Joanie begins to whine and you lay your hand on her shoulder.

“If you don’t mind. She’s a big fan.”

“Not at all,” he assures you. “Allow me to treat you. What are we having?”

He stands and you shrink as he towers over you. There aren’t many who can make you feel small. You can’t help but take a step back and herd Joanie with you.

“Um...” you look over, “it’s really—I don’t mind. I can’t get ours. We’ve already bothered--”

“I must insist. As a king, I prize courtesy above all. Please sit and allow me to bring you some sweets.”

“I want the unicorn!” Joanie demands before you can stop her. You give Thor and apologetic look. He only seems amused by her awe.

“That’s very generous of you, what do we say, Joanie?” You say.

“Please and thank you,” she chirps.

“Yes, thank you, Thor. I’m fine with something simple. Vanilla is good for me.” You move Joanie away from him, “come on, let’s sit down. We’ve done a lot of walking.”

#thor #dark thor #dark!thor #thor x reader #series #drabble #bitter sweet symphony #au #mcu #marvel #avengers

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whimsyfinny · 2 months ago

Text

He’s a Winchester

Chapter 4

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader

Summary: It's been a long time since (Y/n) and Dean's paths have crossed. Last time they saw each other it was ‘98 and they were young and living in the moment. Nine years down the Line, their paths cross again, but (Y/n)s longest kept secret is about to become Deans reality.

Slow burn (ish), mom!reader

Warnings: language, alcohol, lots of feelings, Dean becoming a DILF

Chapter Word Count: 6338

MDNI 18+

A/N: annnnd I feel like we can get that ball rolling! Sorry guys, this should have been posted last night but my kid is sick again (germy little fuckers) so I'll post it now! Let me know if you like Deans POV and if you want more of it! Also do we prefer longer or shorter chapters? Lemme know. As always, it's only proof read by moi and my currently highly cold&flu medicated brain, so let me know of any errors. Also feedback is greatly appreciated!

A/N2: GUYS IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING but PLEEEEASE provide your age if you want to be added to the taglist and it isn’t in your blog. This story is tame now but it’s gonna get spicy, and my blog is strictly 18+. So pleeeeease save be a very long job and help a gal out.

Photos from Pinterest

New Readers Start Here: Chapter 1

Previous Chapter: Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Ice-cream went down a treat and the boys were loving every minute spent in each others presence. We were currently sitting in the window booth at the dessert parlour, my second coffee now clutched between my palms as both Levi and I listened to Dean intently. He was telling us some crazy story from his travels, and I couldn't help but smile as Levi hung off every word, urging Dean to become more animated in his narration. The crisp ring of a phone suddenly cut through the air between us and it took Dean a moment to realise it was his. After retrieving it from his jacket pocket, his eyes widened when he saw the caller ID. He mouthed ‘sorry’ to both of us as he answered the phone.

“Sammy!” he exclaimed before chewing his lip. He turned away and toward the window slightly so he didn't speak over us. Whilst Dean was preoccupied, I took the time to turn to Levi, warmth blooming across my chest at the smile that hadn't left his face.

��Hey there trouble, how are you doing?” I reached over to place my hand over his, tracing my thumb over his knuckles.

“This is the best day ever!” he said, his voice practically bouncing with joy and excitement as he glanced at his Dean, still on the phone. “Mom, I have a dad!”

I laughed softly, giving his hand a final squeeze before letting go.

“Yes you do!”

“And he’s cool!”

I laughed again. “Very cool!”

We chatted for a few minutes whilst Dean wrapped up his conversation with his brother - Levi trying desperately to contain his enthusiasm every time his dad was mentioned. It didn’t take long for Dean to hang up the phone and turn back to face us, giving Levis’ hair a ruffle as he looked down at him.

“Hey kiddo, that was your uncle Sammy on the phone,” he shifted his gaze to mine for a moment before turning back to his son, “I’ve sorta left him hanging all afternoon, so I’m going to need to spend a few hours with him, ok?” Levi pouted, which triggered Deans’ expression to soften. He looked back at me with almost pleading eyes. “If it’s ok with your mom, I could come around later? Bring a movie and popcorn?”

Dean had barely finished speaking when Levi beamed at me and I laughed at his electric excitement. If he smiled any wider I feared he’d actually hurt himself.

“Of course, that’s fine with me.”

The boys high-fived before I gave Dean a light hearted warning look.

“But the film has to be age appropriate. Absolutely no slasher films.”

Dean held his hands up in mock defence.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said with a slight smirk on his lips

With that, he said his goodbyes with a pat on Levis’ shoulder and the squeeze of my hand before slipping out of the booth and out of the parlour.

Deans POV

“You have a son?!”

Sam looked just as shocked as I had felt less than twelve hours ago, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

“Yeah,” I grinned at him, “crazy, huh?”

Sam opened and closed his mouth a few times, almost getting words out before changing his mind at the last minute in favour of a different sentence.

“Dean… You’re a dad,” he smiled in disbelief, looking over at me.

“Yeah,” I said again, feeling that goofy-ass grin reappear on my face, “it’s awesome. He’s awesome. I can’t wait for you to meet him, Sammy. He's so fucking cool.”

“I bet he is.”

We sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, my mind creating and then recreating hundreds of new scenarios I’d never thought I’d ever imagine. That I never thought I’d even get the chance to experience. I’m a hunter. I live a wild, dangerous, unpredictable life. But I have a son. A reason to live; to take care and caution for.

“Hey Dean…” Sams’ soft voice derailed my train of thought.

“Hmm?”

“How do you know (Y/n) is telling the truth? That this kid is definitely yours, and she’s not just messing with your head? I don’t mean to sound horrible Dean, but your taste in women can be-”

“(Y/n) can be trusted,” I cut him off, his words souring my mood slightly. I know he’s only looking out for me, but he’s always the first to question when something seems too good to be true. “You sure?”

“Yeah…” I held his gaze for a few seconds before sighing, deciding to explain further when his stare didn't let up. “We were together for almost a year. She was different. She never judged, or got angry when I was a mess after a hunt. She knows what I - what we - do for a living, and she never freaked out over it, or tried to break things off. She would just say, ‘ok, just stay safe out there’, and carry on,” I paused, the memories of our time together replaying in my mind like an old movie. I could see Sam nodding at my words, listening. So I continued. “(Y/n) had just turned eighteen when we met. I took her to prom,” I smiled at the memory, remembering the tremble in my hands as I’d driven to her parents house to pick her up. I’d never felt so nervous around a girl before, desperately trying to get a grip on my nerves the whole drive there.

“Prom?” Sam smirked, a twinkle in his eye, “You took her to prom?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“How have I never heard about this? Did dad know?”

I chewed my bottom lip, feeling the embarrassment heat my skin a little.

“Yeah, dad knew. He never met her, but he still teased me for weeks. You never knew because I never brought her ‘round, and you were determined to get into Stanford. I stayed away a lot back then, trying to work some cases on my own, to get some more experience. But… (Y/n) turned out to be a huge distraction,” we both laughed, the sound light and easy as it filled the car. I reached into my jacket and pulled out my wallet, flicking through the various cards and slips of paper until I pulled out an old, folded photograph. I passed it to Sam and he eyed it before taking it carefully and unfolded it, smoothing out the creases before studying the image. The slight furrow between his brows quickly disappeared as he looked down, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“Well I’ll be damned, you really did go to prom.”

He looked it over for a few more moments, taking in every detail before passing it back to me. It had been a while since I’d looked at the image, finding it hard in the past to look at (Y/n)s face and remember that I’d left her behind. But now… now I could stare at this photo all day and feel nothing but warmth. I looked down at the decade old picture, seeing the candid moment captured in time. She had her arms draped over my shoulders, her face in a contented smile as I leant in for a kiss. Her lipstick was slightly smudged and my jacket was nowhere to be seen - small signs of a night enjoyed. I remember her friend snapping the picture before running off with a giggle, passing the developed image to (Y/n) a few weeks later. It was only a few days after that I told her I was leaving, and she’d gifted it to me with a sad smile and lingering kiss. I never normally found goodbyes difficult as they were part of the job. I'd gotten used to them. But saying goodbye to her had been one of the hardest things I'd ever had to do. The promise of staying in touch didn't last as long as we’d both hoped - dad somehow commondering my phone and returning it to factory settings without telling me. I guess it was around that time she found out she was pregnant.

The wince struck my face like a bolt of lightning, guilt and regret hitting like ice in my chest. The years she'd spent raising our kid on her own, working at the local garage in between school runs, Motocross trips and simple survival - it had me feeling nauseous. I should have been there. I've missed so much of Levi's life - of a life I could've had with (Y/n), as a family. My family. I mean fuck, I missed the birth of my son - I never got to hold him as a baby. I made him wait eight years for a hug. I made (Y/n) wait even longer, leaving her with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Crossing my arms over the steering wheel, I buried my head between them, praying that the tight knot in the pit of my stomach would disappear.

“You ok man?” Sam asked, twisting further in his seat to face me, the well-maintained leather creaking under his weight. I raised my head.

“Yeah… and no. I feel so, so good, like I'm on top of the fucking world, but…”

“But?”

“Do you think she hates me? Resents me? For falling off the face of the earth and making her do all of this alone?”

Sam smiled, a small laugh on his breath as he leant back against the passenger side door.

“Are you serious?”

I shot him an incredulous look.

“Dude…” he started, “(Y/n) doesn't hate you. She will obviously have feelings on the matter, but I think what she's feeling right now is relief, knowing that you're here now.”

I took a deep breath.

“Do you really think so?”

“Dean, I don't think things would have gone as smoothly as you described if she held any animosity towards you. She let you take Levi for ice-cream straight after meeting him. I think that's a good sign.”

I smiled, remembering my afternoon.

“Yeah, she's letting me go over to theirs tonight for a movie.”

“I don't think she'd be letting you into her house if she hated you. I mean, in the thirty seconds I'd met her earlier, she was all kind smiles and soft edges. Definitely not giving off ‘mean vibes’. Plus…” Sam smirked slightly, drumming his fingers on the back of the seat.

“Plus?” I raised an eyebrow, turning towards him.

“There's a chance she feels the same way you feel about her. That hug you shared said a lot.”

I scoffed slightly, finding his words ludicrous.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Dude, you've kept her picture in your wallet for nearly a decade. She was the only long relationship that I've ever known you to have, and you're worried if she hates you.”

“And?”

“When have you ever given a shit about anyone's opinion but mine and dad's?”

His words stopped my racing mind in its tracks, making me think for a moment. My heart suddenly picked up speed, finding it hard to ignore the truth in Sam's words.

“I mean, we were great back then, but she's a totally different person now. She had to grow up fast - there's no way she's gonna put up with my shit now,” I gnawed on my bottom lip, turning to look out of the front windscreen at all of the other parked cars. “I mean, what about hunting? We have jobs to do, I can't just bail on people - bail on you. (Y/n) Doesn't need that sort of chaos in her life, not now that she's got Levi. And I won't bring the hunters life anywhere near him. Fuck, Sammy, what am I going to do? I can't stick around, but I can't leave. FUCK.”

“Dean.”

“Why does this have to be so complicated?”

“Dean.”

“I'm going to end up ruining their lives and-”

“DEAN.”

“What?!”

“Just shut up. Do you hear yourself? You're overthinking shit that doesn't matter right now.”

His abrupt words ceased the hurricane in my brain, slowing both my thoughts and my rapid pulse. I even released the steering wheel from my white-knuckled grip. I replied to him, my voice slower and less panicked.

“But it's important, I need to figure it out.”

“It is. And you can - with (Y/n). You don't have to figure all of this out by yourself, Dean. You can make those decisions together. You guys are a team now, so you can't go off and decide these things on your own.”

I found myself nodding slowly, letting his words sink in. Taking a deep breath I leant back in my seat and ran my hands through my hair before dragging them over my face. I thought for a moment; calmer, quieter thoughts this time as I mulled over what Sam had said. He was right. I needed to talk to (Y/n) before making any decisions. Any stupid decisions that I know she would prevent me from making - like she used to. I huffed out a long held breath, twisting in my seat to face my younger - wiser - brother.

“Yeah, you're right. Look, I'm sorry for freakin’ out, I don't mean to… it's just- this is crazy. I mean Sam, I have a kid. ME. Of all people.”

Sam's eyes softened, his puppy-dog glimmer returning with a small smile.

“It's so crazy. I mean I never thought I'd get to be an uncle! But Dean… this is something good. All the shit we've seen, that we've dealt with and put up with - you especially - you deserve this. Embrace the shit out of this.”

I returned his smile in kind, a warm, fuzzy feeling I wasn't used to filling every fibre in my body.

“Yeah, I will.”

(Y/n)’s POV

Evening was drawing in, the sun starting to set as it neared 6:30 pm. Levi was busy tidying his room as I cleaned the kitchen, the small room bathed in a pink and orange glow. The sunset was calming as night slowly crept closer, the feeling of fall crisp in the air as the sun started to lower in the sky. As I dried the final dish from dinner and returned it to the cupboard I heard a rap at the door. I'd barely acknowledged it when Levi's footsteps came thundering down the stairs.

“Dad's here!” his giddy exclamation bouncing off the walls and bringing a smile to my lips.

“Well, go and let him in then!”

He practically leapt over to the door and unlocked it, swinging it open just as I stepped around the corner. There Dean stood with a happy smile and clean shirt, leaning lazily on the doorframe. His eyes lit up as soon as he spotted Levi.

“Hey there kiddo!” Dean ruffled his sons hair.

“Hey dad! What movie are we watching?”

Dean laughed.

“Why don't you let me come in first, huh? I need to say ‘hi’ to your mom.”

At the mention of me his eyes flicked up to meet mine, the sudden connection catching me off guard as his grin twitched upwards slightly.

Levi stepped back and let Dean in. It was a very rare occurrence for us to have a man in the house, and I couldn't stop the small flutter in my chest at the sight of Dean standing in my small living room. He dominated the space, his rugged exterior a little out of place in our domestic setting. Levi shuffled off to sit on the couch whilst Dean took a few slow steps over to me, his long legs swallowing the distance.

“Hey,” his voice was low and soft, his smile not leaving his lips.

“Hey,” I smiled back, pulling my soft cardigan around me. I took a step back into the kitchen, Dean following suit. “Coffee?”

“Coffee sounds great,” the grocery bag he'd been carrying was placed on the kitchen counter as I filled the coffee machine with water. Watching out of the corner of my eye, Dean observed his surroundings, looking at where we lived - where his son grew up.

“Nice house,” the low softness of his voice was still present.

“Thanks - I'll give you the grand tour later if you like?” I turned the machine on and spun to face him, and I watched as he leant comfortably against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Yeah,” he said, “I'd like that.”

There was a pause in the conversation as we took a moment to look at each other. Really look, as it felt like the whirlwind afternoon we’d had took away our ability to really see each other. I'd been aware of his unchanging fashion and his handsome face, yet I'd forgotten about the soft sun-kissed freckles that dotted his nose, now fading as fall dawned and the sun weakened. I let myself reminisce over those forest-green eyes, how the swirls of jade and golden hazel had entranced me all those years ago. Given the chance, they'd succeed again. His hair was the same soft brown, memories of combing my fingers through those short strands as he slept quickly resurfacing. And those lips. I daren't look at them for the fear of staring too long and getting caught, yet the thought of that plushness against my own mouth had my own lips tingling. I tried my best to hold his gaze and when my eyes slipped to his mouth for a split second, I knew he'd seen it.

He reached out and took my hand, his rough palms gliding gently over my soft skin and squeezing gently.

“I know I said it earlier, but it's really good to see you, (Y/n).” Deans voice stayed low, but it harboured a gravelly undertone that told me that maybe, just maybe he wanted to say something else - something more. When he didn't, I squeezed his hand back, fighting the instinct to lace my fingers with his like I used to. Like when we used to lay under the stars in the field behind my parents house and talk for hours about everything and nothing all at once. Like when he'd lay me down in the backseat of his car and make love to me in the ethereal glow of the moonlight.

“You too Dean,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. With a final smile I released his hand, my own instantly feeling cold. The bubble of warmth and familiarity surrounding us slowly dissolved, Dean eventually clearing his throat and standing up straight. He looked at me again, this time without the nostalgia in his eyes.

“Hey uh… I don't suppose you'd be ok with Sammy coming by? It's just he really wants to meet Levi and I feel bad for ditching him earlier for hours. Plus he-”

“Dean it's more than ok,” I chuckled at his pleading and his desperation for justification. “Sam is more than welcome to join us tonight.”

A tension that I hadn't noticed before was quickly released from his shoulders.

“Are you really sure? I feel like-”

“Dean?”

“Yeah?”

“Be quiet. I would love for Sam to meet Levi.”

He grinned a little at my quiet assertiveness, looking down at his boots.

“Ok, well thanks again though sweetheart. He would've suffered a fun packed night of research and cheap beer in the motel room otherwise,” his teeth flashed with his humorous grin. I returned it before a thought crossed my mind, my eyebrows knitting together.

“Wait, are you guys staying in that seedy motel across town? The one where the janitor looks like a serial killer?”

“Yeah, to be honest it's not the worst place we've stayed in. The Dahmer look-alike creeps me the hell out though.”

I pondered for a moment, taking a lot less time than I should've before opening my mouth.

“Do you… do you guys want to stay here? I mean I have a couch and a spare camp bed. It's not much but at least you won't get murdered in your sleep. Plus I have unlimited coffee and bacon for breakfast.”

I almost cringed as the words left my mouth, kicking myself for practically trying to convince him to stay. Dean looked a little stunned at the proposal, taking slightly longer than I would've hoped to make a decision. I could've smacked myself. “I'm sorry, that's probably the last thing you want, being surrounded by boring domestic life when you have a job to do. Don't worry about it, forget I said any-”

“That would be nice.”

“Wait, what?”

“It would be nice to stay here. With both of you. I'd like that.”

The relief exited my body in a poorly concealed exhale.

“Do you need to run it past Sam first?”

He shook his head.

“Nah, to be honest I think Dahmer 2.0 freaked him out the most, he'll be happy to get away.”

It took all of about half an hour for Dean to jump back in the car, drive across town to the motel, pack their things and drive back home. When he knocked on the door a second time, he had Sam on his heels looking a mixture of elated to be here and really don't want to intrude. Levi was ecstatic to discover he had an uncle as well as a dad, and I was almost grateful for the attention to be directed away from myself for once. It's always been me and him against the world, but being a single mom to a pocket tornado was hard fucking work, and it was a breath of fresh air to be able to sit down on my own couch and drink my coffee in peace.

Dean had insisted on watching Mothra Vs Godzilla despite Levi's hesitation to watch such an old film. Dean won him over eventually with promises of ‘pop culture enlightenment’ and he now sat sandwiched between his two new favourite people - dad and uncle Sammy. The amber glow from the sunset slowly faded to indigo shadows, the only light now in the living room was from the TV and a few scented candles dotted around us. Around an hour into the film I looked over and saw Levi's head resting on Deans shoulder, eyes closed and chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths. Dean happened to glance up and our eyes locked, an adoring smile on Deans’ face as he looked between me and his soundly sleeping son. So as not to wake him, I pointed to Levi then pointed to the stairs, gesturing to Dean to carry him up to his room. He caught on to what I was asking of him and he manoeuvred his large arms under Levis shoulders and legs, lifting him with an ease I was slightly envious of. Levi was tall, much like his father and uncle, and with being tall came the title ‘big for his age’. He’d reached that point now where I was unable to lift him more than a few centimetres off the floor, and the thought sent an unusual pang of emotion through my chest. Which emotion, I wasn’t sure… Perhaps it was longing? Longing for the clock to rewind back to when he was just a few years old and I could still carry him everywhere on my hip. Maybe it was dread, knowing that he’s growing up so fast and I feel as though the last nine years have passed by in a blur, despite the fact that I’ve barely been able to keep my head above water. Or maybe, just maybe, it was simply the sight of a man such as Dean Winchester looking down at his own child in his arms with such a look of total, unfaltering adoration that my heart was swelling beyond its usual capacity for such affection.

I stood with Dean and headed up the stairs in front of him, leading the way. There were only three doors to choose from once you reached the top of the stairs; my room, the bathroom, and Levis room. And Levis room wasn’t hard to miss, with its poster of ‘types of classic cars’ pinned to his door along with a makeshift name sign that we made together when he was around five. I pushed the handle and opened the door, slipping in first so I could throw the covers back on his bed. It was a swift ordeal after Dean laid him on the soft mattress and I tucked the covers around him. We both left the room and I closed the door quietly behind me, both of us heading back downstairs quickly so as to not risk waking the sleeping kid.

“Well, that is much easier with two people,” I said with a chuckle on my breath as I descended the last few stairs. Before I gave Dean a chance to say anything in response, I stepped into the kitchen, not wanting his reply to make that heavy pang appear in my chest again. “Beer?” I asked, opening the fridge and retrieving a cold bottle.

“Absolutely,” he stepped over to me with his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans, a lazy smile on his lips. I handed him two bottles, knowing he’d give one to Sam. Who, of which, was still sitting on the couch watching the movie.

“So,” I started, looking up at Dean as we slowly made our way back to the living room, “how do you boys normally spend your evenings?” I tried my best to hide my almost playful smirk behind a swig of my beer.

“Now ain’t that a question,” his expression mirrored mine as we both slumped down onto the couch again, much closer together this time now that Levi was counting sheep. Dean handed his brother a beer, barely looking at him as his eyes never left mine. “Oh, you know, the usual,” he started, leaning back against the plush cushions, one arm slung over the back rest and tauntingly close to my shoulders.

“Oh? Feel free to enlighten me.”

“Well, it’s normally spent working on a case, so… researching lore, or on the road, or burning shit that I really hate having to burn. Maybe we’ll go out for drinks, but uh, that’s a rare occurrence.”

I laughed a dry laugh, raising my bottle.

“Amen to that, I’ve not been out for drinks in ages. Not proper ones, at least.”

Dean looked away from me and down at his bottle.

“Huh...”

“What?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Nothing, just… I would’ve thought you’d be going on dates and getting taken out for a good time. Like, a lot. ”

I couldn’t help but scoff at his comment.

“Dates these days are few and far between. And good dates are practically non-existent,” I paused, debating giving Dean the gory details before my mouth started working of its own accord. “I got taken out the other day by a guy who drinks kale smoothies and lives in boat shoes… tried to convince me that the church he belongs to is totally not a cult. I mean, he paid membership fees. And signed an NDA. Who does that?”

Dean held my gaze, as though searching for something that he didn’t even know he was searching for.

“You chose to see a guy like that? Dear God, your taste has changed,” his words were meant to be humorous but there was a subtle bite to them. Or maybe I'd imagined it?

I shook my head.

“No way, he was definitely not my type. It was a blind date, and if it wasn’t a blind date, it wouldn’t have happened.”

We both took a swig of our beer.

“I’m surprised,” he said suddenly, “I would’ve thought a girl like you would’ve been swept off her feet by now.”

“Oh, I was,” my words spilled out before I could stop them, “but that was nine years ago and I’m pretty sure he’s moved on.”

It took a breath of silence between us and a pitiful smile from me for Dean to catch on to what I’d said, his eyes widening slightly. He didn’t get much opportunity to reply, however, as Sam stood quickly. I’d almost forgotten he was there, but I'm glad he was as it drew Deans attention away from the red heat rising to my cheeks.

“Hey, uhhh, I’m just going to run to the car and grab our stuff,” he said, jabbing his thumb towards the front door. “(Y/n), when I come back in would it be ok if I used your dinner table to do some research?”

I nodded before speaking again.

“Yeah of course, be my guest. But isn’t it a little late to start doing all that work?”

He flashed a small, almost knowing smile to both myself and Dean.

“Not for us it isn’t. Plus I just… I just really like lore.”

Dean practically spat his beer back into his bottle.

“Really?” he asked his brother with a quizzical expression, “that’s the excuse you’re going for?”

Sam shrugged.

“No excuse. I’m just dedicated to uhhhh, to learning about… ghosts. It’s a real passion.”

“Aw geez,” Dean shook his head.

“Am I missing something here?” I spoke up finally, shooting them both questioning looks.

“Nope, just my little brother is being an idiot.”

Sam just shrugged, oozing with amusement before leaving out the front door to the car.

I blinked away the confusion, however my face must've given away the fact that I still had no clue what had just occurred between the two brothers, because Dean came to my rescue.

“Don't overthink it sweetheart, Sam's just being a pain in my ass.”

“I don't think I'm ever going to understand the secret handshake language you guys have. I feel like you have to be part of the ‘Winchester Boy Scouts’ to get the handbook for that one.”

Dean laughed, the sound pleasant and carefree as he drained the last few drops of beer from his bottle.

“Sam's definitely more of a boy scout than I am.”

“Whatever you say, Winchester.”

He leant forward and placed his empty bottle on the coffee table before turning in his seat so he faced me more.

“So, apart from childcare and Scientology weirdos, what else have you been up to?”

I couldn't stop the amusement from taking over my face at Dean's question.

“You know, you seem very interested in my life for someone who probably forgot I even existed until this morning.”

Deans expression fell slightly and he looked away, like I’d struck a nerve. When he looked up again, there was something simmering in his gaze, and I wasn't sure if it was pain, regret, guilt, or something else entirely. When he spoke, his voice was thick and low.

“I never forgot about you. Not once.”

My breath caught in my throat and my heart stumbled. When I opened my mouth to say, me neither, he carried on before I could get the words out.

“I tried calling in on you once.”

“You- you did?”

He nodded, slowly.

“I was near your parents' place about three years ago and I stopped by, hoping to see you again. Get your phone number and maybe stay in touch - properly this time. But when I got there, your parents didn't look happy to see me,” an almost pained laugh spilled from his throat. “Now I get why.”

I reached out, placing my hand reassuringly on his arm. My own emotions started to spiral. Slowly at first, a combination of pure relief that Dean never forgot. He even remembered where my parents lived, which coloured me very impressed. The other emotion, which was now growing in the pit of my stomach, bubbling and burning was anger. Rage. My parents knew that Dean was Levi's father the moment I fell pregnant, and it was no secret that they held a strong dislike for him, yet I never pinned them petty enough to let their animosity towards him interfere with the chance to set things right. For their grandson to know his father, and maybe, just maybe, act like the family they so desperately wanted their daughter to have. The saddest part was that, even though I was undeniably furious with them, I wasn't surprised.

“Dean, I'm so sorry, they never told-”

“Don't apologise for them, (Y/n). I knew from the moment I saw you today that they never passed on the message.”

My reply was quiet, the hot fury quickly simmering down to cold disbelief towards my own family.

“You're right, they didn't.”

“They told me that you'd moved on. That you had a good job and a husband, and that… and that you resented me for leaving.”

“Fuck. Dean, none of that is true. I have a mediocre job at best, I'm certainly not married - never have been and probably never will. And Dean,” I moved my hand from his arm and slipped it into his warm palm, “I do not resent you.” I offered him a reassuring smile which he returned, tension quickly leaving his shoulders. Squeezing his hand, I continued, “If anything, I should say thank you.”

“Why would you thank me?” He looked puzzled.

“Because you've taken this surprisingly well for a man of your… calibre.”

He looked as though he didn't know whether insulted or flattered.

“Of my calibre?” He repeated, learning back slightly.

“Well, yeah. In just shy of twelve hours you found out you had a son with someone you've not spoken to in almost a decade, you met your son, took him from Motocross straight to get ice-cream, then brought a movie and popcorn around that very same evening. For someone with an entire armoury in the trunk of their car, I didn't expect… I didn't expect this… I didn't expect you.”

“Didn't expect me?”

I smiled, that warmth appearing in my chest again.

“You're a natural father, Dean. You've made everything easy today, and I'm grateful. So fucking grateful, because over the years I've spent near enough every night laying awake, imaging Levi finally meeting you. And I braced myself for every reaction - every scenario - that you could've thrown our way. So, thank you. I mean it. And thank you for believing me.”

“Believing you?”

“Yeah, for believing me when I said he was yours. I think most guys would've demanded a paternity test, especially after all this time,” I couldn't stop myself from picking the sleeve of my cardigan, anxiety creeping in at the thought that he still might ask for one. However, Dean simply shook his head.

“I trust you, (Y/n). I know you're not the sort of person to lie about things like that, so I believe you. Plus…” his eyes shone with something akin to pride, “ you can't tell me that he's not mine. That's a Winchester attitude through and through.”

We shared a laugh. A light, easy laugh that had me looking at him in that overly familiar way. In the same way that would make my heart skip beats in my chest. I simultaneously felt like I knew him like I used to - that we still had that connection, that bond that made it so easy to be around each other. To feel for each other. On the other hand, we’d spent so much time apart, living completely different lives and getting by in such different ways. He'd had adventures, experiences that I would probably never be able to comprehend, and through all of that I'd been here; living in a two bedroom house in a quiet cul-de-sac in a town far too similar to Stars Hollow than I'd like to admit. I went to work, did school runs, went grocery shopping and grabbed coffee with my best friend in the same fucking café practically every day. And last I remembered, Dean was balls deep in credit card fraud. I wanted to make this work so fucking desperately that it almost hurt. I wanted Levi to have his dad around, to have those experiences boys thrive off with their fathers. I don't expect Dean and I will ever live under the same roof or even be together again, but I'm pretty damn sure that we can be friends, and that is something that would rock Levi's world.

The sound of the door opening and closing startled me from my thoughts as Sam let himself back into the house, sliding the locks and chains into place before turning to face us. He carried two duffle bags, dropping one beside the couch and taking one with him to the table, placing it down carefully so as not to make too much noise. He unzipped it and pulled out a laptop and a small stack of books, holding them up for us to see, like a prize.

“I just… fucking love ghosts,” his tone was unconvincing yet he grinned like he knew something we didn't before taking a seat and getting to work. Dean and I shared a look before erupting into laughter, trying painstakingly hard to keep quiet.

“Is your brother from a different planet? Wait no, scratch that, you're both equally as strange as each other. Earthlings or not, you're certainly cut from the same cloth.”

Dean feigned hurt with a hand on his chest yet the grin never left his lips. He muttered a few things about Sam picking his moments before standing from the couch, jabbing his thumb towards the kitchen green eyes on mine.

“Another beer?”

I felt my grin stretch further across my face, my heart doing a little dance at the way he looked down at me, like he just wanted to sit and talk about everything and nothing all at once - just like we used to. I nodded, trying not to let the way the soft glow from the candles in the room made him look like ‘a night well spent’.

“Yeah, I'd love another beer.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 5

Taglist: @suckitands33 @jackles010378 @megara0224 @libby99hb @roseblue373 @hobby27 @calibootsgirl @lyarr24 @autistic-gothic @wattpaduser200 @spndeanwinchesterlvr @mxtansy @magssteenkamp @redmaro86 @slut-for-evans-stan @spookyysinsanity @localjisung @king-of-milf-lovers @xshortputax @jerksbitch @multifandoms-saidwhat @deans-baby-momma @writersxxx @rox2008 @jeysbae @ladykitana90 @proudbisexual @ladysparkles78 @elenasalvatore1 @bxtchboy69 @saemiau @lilithlunastark @kazsrm67 @chriszgirl92 @riah1606 @impala67rollingthroughtown @berryblues46 @aylacavebear @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx @whichwitchwanda @pillowjj @iloveyou2mia

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bamboobooshark · 3 months ago

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LOGAN HOWLETT X READER

‧₊ ᵎᵎ 🧸 ⋅ ˚✮ SQUISHY (2) : 1K WRDS

( PART ONE HERE )

A/N : So turns out a LOT of people liked the first part of this mini-series, so here’s part two! If this one gets similar feedback to part one, I’ll make a part three. If not, this will probably be the end of this mini-series. Hope all of you kiddos love it just as much as the first one!! <3

You nod your head at Logan’s suggestion of breakfast. He lets out a content huff and nods gently, just as you did. You giggle softly at his mockery of your actions, holding your stuffed animal to your face. Logan sighs and pulls your toy down. “You can’t eat if you have your little friend covering your mouth, bub,” he says in a playfully stern voice. You pout at his words, crossing the plushie to your chest. “Don’t say that! You might make them sad,” you tell Logan while frowning slightly. He returns the pitiful look before pulling you up to his arms. “Aw. I’m sorry, kid. I promise I won’t be mean to your friend anymore, okay,” he assures you softly. You nod your head against his chest.

He pulls back from you and kisses each of your cheeks, then gives your stuffed animal a kiss as an apology. Your stomach growls, and Logan raises his eyebrows in amusement. “Sounds like you’re hungry, bub. Let’s get you to the kitchen,” he chuckles as he scoops you into his arms, unable to be affected by your weight due to his superhuman strength. You hum in compliance as you snuggle against his chest, your stuffie still gripped in your hand.

Logan tries his best to be careful as he carries you down the stairs. His steps are slow and cautious, not wanting to drop the precious cargo he carries in his arms. “We’re halfway there. Just a little longer,” he promises, leaning down to kiss your forehead. He counts down from three to one each time he goes down a step. Though it can be repetitive and annoying, he never knows if you’ll ever get scared or want to walk down the stairs yourself. He tries his best to be a good dad for you. Even if that means being more cautious than most.

He eventually gets you downstairs and sets you down on the couch. You whine softly as he starts to walk away, but he turns around and smiles at you. “Calm down, kid. I’m getting you a blanket so you don’t freeze to death,” he informs you as he grabs a big fuzzy blanket from the top of his arm chair. He tosses it over to you, only causing another whine from you. “Are you not gonna tuck me in, dada?” you ask with the most pitiful look in your eyes. Logan practically perks up when you ask that. As much as he would hate to admit it, he loves doing you little favors if you ask. Sometimes he’ll purposely not do something just so he can hear you ask for it. "Oh, my god. How could I forget to make sure my sweet little bumblebee is all cozy in their blanket?” he gasps dramatically. He walks over to you and lifts the blanket into his hands. “Let’s get you cozy, kiddo,” he says before he smirks, an idea forming in his head.

“Your tummy is out,” he says in a slightly sing-song voice. Before you can protest, he tenderly runs a palm over your stomach and exhales deeply. “God, that tummy of yours is what keeps me going some days, kid,” he tells you. You can’t do anything but giggle and blush at his gentle touch and affectionate words. He kneels down to meet your face and smiles at you. “I mean it, Bumblebee. You keep me going; your squishy, precious little self,” he reassures you. He didn’t forget to tuck you in, thankfully. He grunts a bit as he gets each corner of the blanket tucked around you, the excess going under you. He puts his hands on his waist and smiles down at you. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me, bub,” he informs you. Before he leaves the kitchen, he grabs the remote for the TV and turns on your favorite cartoon.

You can hear Logan humming a tune to himself as he cooks. The smell of breakfast is exciting and delicious enough to pull your attention away from your cartoon. Despite your curiosity, you stay in the comfort of your fuzzy blanket on the couch. “Dada! What’cha making? It smells really good,” you exclaim excitedly to Logan. “Just the usual,” he lets you know. “In fact, it’s almost done,” he tells you with an sweet tone.

He puts the meal on your favorite kiddy plate, grabbing some child-safe silverware from one of the draws in the kitchen. He walks into the living room with a prideful smile on his face. He carries the food over to you, and you smile at how good it looks. You adjust yourself so you’re sitting with your back against the couch, legs crossed, so you can hold your plate in your lap. “You want me to feed you, or do you want to do it yourself?” he asks you with a cocked brow. You think for a moment while humming. “I wanna do it myself,” you exclaim confidently.

You begin to spoon your food into your mouth, whining a bit when the warm temperature burns your mouth. Logan immediately gets protective of you. “Oh lord. Are you okay, Bumblebee? Did you hurt yourself? What happened?” he asks with concern in his voice. “I’m okay! The food is just a little hot,” you explain sheepishly, blushing over the fact you didn’t think to let your food cool down a bit before you started eating. Logan exhales with relief after you explain what happened. “Alright. I didn’t want you to be hurt,” he tells you. “And before you say anything, I’d still help you if you were hurt. There’s no way I’m letting my kiddo be in pain,” he adds before starting to eat his own food.

The two of you continue to eat breakfast, sitting back and relaxing as you watch your favorite cartoon. Logan wraps an arm around your shoulder to let you snuggle against his middle. His hand rubs up and down your forearm lovingly. His lips press against your forehead every so often. This morning has felt better than anything in the world. No stress. No crying. No problems. Just your papa and you cuddling and spending time together.

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juniperskye · 5 months ago

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It had to be You.

Sneak Peek: Modern Day AU! (kinda think late 90’s early 2000’s) Running into your ex at your mutual friends’ engagement party, that was something you had expected and were mentally prepared for. Him looking that damn good and the chaos that ensues…you were not expecting. Flashbacks are bolded.

Eddie Munson x Artist! Fem Reader

Angst/ Fluff (at the end)

Word count: 2301

REQUESTS ARE OPEN - not edited - please be kind. Feedback is welcome if it's constructive!

Warnings: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! My blog is 18+, minors DNI, explicit language, past relationship, mention of reader having a troubled past, Steve, and Nancy are together in this (they work ok…sorry not sorry), nobody is dead!, no use of y/n, lovers to enemies to lovers, Eddie is unnamed until the end...idk I felt that it worked for this story (despite you knowing it's him), let me know if I missed any!

I do not consent to having my work translated or reposted to any other site. That being said I do not own the characters portrayed in this story.

You were elated when you got the call. Steve had called you to let you know that he had officially done it, he had asked Nancy to marry him! You knew he was planning it, hell, you helped him pick the ring for her, you just didn’t know when. You expressed your excitement and congratulated the happy couple asking them about the possibility of an engagement party. Nancy had let you know they weren’t planning one but would love it.

You immediately begun planning the party, creating an evite and curating the perfect guestlist. You called Enzo’s to see if they could accommodate a party of this size. Once that was confirmed and booked, you made sure to call in some reinforcements.

You had called Robin, Chrissy, Max, El, and Dustin. Chrissy had stayed in Hawkins; she went to the community college there and now teaches at Hawkins high. Max, El, Dustin, along with some of the others (Will, Lucas, and Mike) were finishing school at Indiana University, Robin had gone to Butler, and currently resided in Indianapolis. Nancy and Steve had recently moved back to Hawkins after finishing school in Chicago, Nancy was offered an editing position at the Hawkins Journal.

You on the other hand had been living in New York City ever since graduation. It hadn’t happened exactly as you had planned it…which is the exact reason you were nervous to return to Hawkins.

“We’re gonna graduate, then we will pack up the van and hightail it out of here babe.”

“I was thinking New York. You know…that way you can pursue your music, and I can pursue my art.” You replied.

“That sounds perfect baby! Just a few more weeks and we can go.” He grabbed your hand and the two of you laid back against the pillows in the back of the van.

**One Month Later**

You pulled up to the trailer with your car packed full of your belongings. You were ready to get to New York and start your life! You were even more excited to start your life with him. You stopped the car and made your way up the steps, knocking gently.

“Hey kiddo.” Uncle Wayne greeted.

“Hey Wayne! Is he ready to go?” You asked.

“He better be, with all the noise he was making. Head on back.” Wayne gestured for you to go down the hall.

“Babe! Are you packed and ready to…” your voice trailed off as you entered his room, noticing the severe lack of moving boxes or suitcases. “What the hell? Why aren’t you packed?”

“I uh, I don’t think we should go.”

“What do you mean? We’ve been planning this for months; you were the one who always said once you graduated you would get the hell out of here.” You shouted.

“I know, but I just, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I can’t just leave Uncle Wayne, and who’s to say we don’t get to New York, and everything goes to shit? At least here we know things work.” He challenged.

“We’ll never know if we don’t try. Also, we’re stronger than that, just because we move doesn’t mean this is automatically falls apart.” You replied.

“I can’t go, why don’t you understand that? It’s not going to work. We can stay here and build a life. I have a job at the garage, and you can paint here.” He huffed.

“Well, I can’t stay here.” Your gaze drifted to your feet. “Hawkins is too small, we were destined for something bigger, which is why I need to go to New York.”

“So that’s it then? You’re just gonna leave?” He muttered.

“No. You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to make me feel guilty for following through with our plans. If anyone should feel guilty here it’s you for tricking me into thinking that you were actually going to come with me. But instead, you’re bailing on me, just like everyone else.” You bellowed, quickly making your exit.

That day you had left for New York and didn’t look back. You had travelled to Indianapolis and Chicago to visit your friends, but you hadn’t stepped foot back in Hawkins since then, and you really weren’t looking forward to it.

You spent the next week coordinating with everyone, in hopes of planning the best engagement party for your friends. You guys worked on decorations, who would get the happy couple to Enzo’s on time. And in just two weeks, you’d find yourself standing in the nicest restaurant in Hawkins Indiana.

“Oh my gosh, you look gorgeous!” Chrissy squealed, jogging over to embrace you.

“I could say the same about you! Congratulations by the way.” You beamed, gently caressing Chrissy’s now prominent bump.

Chrissy and you caught up with one another, and as the others arrived you greeted everyone and began decorating. Pretty much everyone had arrived except for Robin, she had been the person you assigned to get Steve and Nancy to Enzo’s.

You had been placing the last floral centerpiece on its designated table when you heard his voice. Loud and boisterous as always, greeting Dustin, and the other boys as he made his way back to where you were setting up.

“When was the last time you spoke to him?” Max inquired.

“The day I left for New York.” You replied, shaking your head as you straighten out the vase.

“You know he came to New York.” Dustin mentioned, having butt into your conversation. “It was about six months after you left, he went to the studio you were renting and saw you painting, he said that he didn’t want to mess anything up for you and that he wanted to make something of himself before he saw you again.” Dustin concluded.

You couldn’t help the look of shock that took over your features. “It doesn’t change anything. He made his choice.” You said with a sense of finality and walked away.

Fifteen minutes later, Robin entered the restaurant with Nancy and Steve trailing in behind her. The room erupted in cheers for the newly engaged, the two of the were passed from person to person for a warm embrace. There was nothing to do but smile at the radiant glow that the two of them wore. The longer you were surrounded by all this happiness, the tighter your chest became, you needed air.

The minute you reached the exit, you felt relief, the cool night air surrounding you, finally allowing you to take in a deep breath. You took a few steps away from the exit and leaned up against the brick building.

“Was the cheerful mood suffocating you too?”

You’s recognize that voice anywhere. It was once something that made you swoon, but now it felt like a knife to the heart. You wanted nothing more than to run far away and hide forever. You had really hoped that by the time you needed to confront him, you’d have already moved on and started a new life.

“I didn’t realize someone was out here. I’ll just go.”

A hand gently gripping your wrist stopped you. Your head whipped around, fully ready to tell him off, but the look on his face stopped you dead in your tracks. He wore an expression that you were very familiar with. It was the same one that stared back at you when you looked in the mirror. Sunken eyes, dark circles, dull looking skin, clearly missing that glow that your best friends currently wore.

“Please just talk to me.” He pleaded.

“I have nothing to say to you.” You murmured.

“Then listen. Please, I have something I’d really like to say to you.” He released your wrist and his gaze shifted up his eyes begging you to stay.

“You have five minutes.” You didn’t have it in you to hold back the eyeroll.

“Thank you!” He hollered. “Okay sweetheart, where do I begin? I um, the reason I didn’t go to New York with you was because I was scared. And I know that sounds like some bullshit excuse, but I mean it. I was terrified that we would get there, and you would become this successful artist and I’d just be like this bum that was holding you back from being great. I just figured that if I stayed here that I’d have the band and the job at the garage, and nothing would have to change. Only everything changed, the guys graduated and went off to college, the band broke up and worst of all, you were gone. I really fucked it all up, which is why I worked so hard to make something of myself.” He explained.

“Dustin told me you came to New York. Why didn’t you tell me?” You asked.

“When I saw your studio, I saw you working on this piece, it was a big charcoal piece, and I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t want to fuck things up for you more than I already had.”

“The charcoal piece, it uh, it was. Did you see what the piece was?” You pressed.

“No, I didn’t. I bet it was great though. Sweetheart, I uh, can I show you something?”

“Okay.” You nodded.

He led you over to a motorcycle, he grabbed the helmet and went to put it on and turned toward you, offering you the spare. You glanced from the helmet to his face, and he offered a subtle nod. You placed the helmet on your head, and he reached up to tighten the chin strap for you. You let out a sharp breath at the contact, releasing a cough to try and cover it.

The two of you rode through the city, stopping in front of a garage you didn’t recognize. The logo was in large red letters outlined in white. A bright contrast of the black painted brick. He assisted you off the back of his motorcycle and led you into the building.

“This uh, this is my shop.”

“What do you mean?” You asked.

“So, uh after high school, I kept selling for a while, saving up my money. Then Rick got picked up and sent to prison. So, I got the job at the garage, I worked as many hours as possible, putting in the work. Anyway uh, I got pretty close with the owner and he uh, he left me the place when he died two years ago.” He replied.

“This is great. I’m really happy for you bub.” The nickname slipped out faster than you could comprehend.

“I have something else I’d like to show you.”

“Okay.”

This time, he drove you through a neighborhood you recognized from your youth. It housed beautiful (affordable) family homes, the ones that you had imagined raising your family in. These were the homes you still visualized when you pictured your future. And he was the man that you woke up next to in these images.

When he pulled into the driveway of one of the homes you were confused. He had always expressed his distaste of these homes. You had always known that the reasoning behind his upset was that it was the childhood he was robbed of.

Once you were dismounted his bike, he ushered you to the front door, gesturing for you to enter. Your breath caught in your throat as you looked around the home. You couldn’t help but notice all the details in this particular home, it had a large bay window with a window seat, a big open kitchen, and a breakfast nook.

“What is this?”

“It’s not done, I still have some work to do. But Wayne has been helping me put in all the things we had talked about. Upstairs we put in a clawfoot tub, and we’re working on the flooring.” He gushed.

“This is all a bit much, I uh, I…” Before you could finish, you were out the door and desperately trying to catch your breath in the front lawn.

“Hey, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I’ve been working on myself, trying to be better for you. I was gonna come to New York when the house was finished and talk to you and ask you to come home.”

“Bub, this isn’t home anymore. Hawkins isn’t my home. It never was. That’s why we planned to go to New York. Ugh! I just…fuck! You bailed on me; don’t you get that? You did the one thing that I begged you not to! You broke your promise and you let me believe that I meant nothing to you.” You sobbed.

“Sweetheart, I know I fucked this up before, but please give me another chance? I will spend the rest of my life trying to make this all up to you.” He begged.

“It’s my turn to show you something. Drive me back to Enzo’s.” You demanded.

He drove you back to the restaurant and pulled up to your car per your request. You dragged him to the trunk and opened it to reveal a folded-up canvas, a box of your art supplies and a photo storage box. You reached into the trunk and grabbed the folded canvas, slowly opening it to reveal the piece you had been working on when he had come to New York. When you opened it completely he let out a breath.

“It’s me.” He whispered.

“They all are.” You stated.

You opened up the photo bin to unveil hundreds of photos of your work, all varying portraits of the man in front of you. You looked down to your shoes, watching as you dug your toe into the gravel parking lot.

“You see, I realized something through my art. Hawkins isn’t my home. But New York isn’t either.”

“What do you mean?”

“Eddie, you’re my home.”

Let me know if you want to know what happens next!

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elliespeach · 2 years ago

Text

the air that i breathe | ellie williams

˗ˏˋ "because i can make it quick, or i could make it so much worse." ´ˎ˗

synopsis: a camping trip you and ellie embark on takes a devastating turn. with you in the hands of raiders ellie's sanity is brought to her breaking point and she will stop at nohting to get you back. wordcount: 8.3k + warnings: 18+ ellie n readers headspace is very dark!! depression, panic attacks, horrible desperation, and lots of trauma responses that are vividly described. graphic depictions of violence, kidnapping, reader is confined in a cell by chains, food/water deprivation, hallucinations, torture (reader by raiders, ellie to the raiders) ellie is basically santa barabra ellie but multiply it by thirty n reader is like trapped in the dark so i think that counts as claustrophobia. this fic can b very triggering so pls take the tags seriously!! different povs (ellie n reader) they are seperated for most of this fic, theres some fluff in their dreams but thats truly as soft as it gets author note: pls pls read me!! this story came to me randomly, its not a traditional fic in my eyes but i hope u guys like it nonetheless!! the name comes from the show bridgerton, one of violets lines towards her husband and i was like THAT is true love so here we are :) theres a lot of in game elements to this story on ellie's part so i hope i did that justice :)) i'm a lil nervous to post this im ngl so pls be kind and lmk if yall like it plsssss i beg of u i wanna make this a multi part fic esp w the way it ends so any feedback will be appreciated!! ily guys enjoy

ellie’s pov

– three days after the kidnapping

the first thing ellie hears is the low, familiar voices of joel and tommy. as their mumbled conversation rings through her ears, her head throbs. a groan escapes her lips, bringing her hand up weakly to rub it as if it would help. ellie opened her eyes slowly, the pain intensifying from the sun shining through the windows. her vision came to focus, looking around it was the infirmary in jackson. she was laid down in one of the beds and when her eyes landed on joel and tommy, they looked at her sympathetically.

joel took small steps toward her, barely able to make eye contact. “how ya feelin’ kiddo?” he asked, painfully sitting himself down at the end of her bed. ellie wasn��t able to read him clearly, and then she started thinking. why am i in this bed? her mind raced and it must’ve been obvious to her company because joel spoke again. “it’s gonna be okay.”

she frantically searched through her foggy mind, everything was so blurry and out of order. she thought of you. the only thing that came to the front of her mind with ease. the camping trip, she thought to herself. she saw you in her head, all bundled up in the sleeping bag and wearing ellie’s shirt. her lips began to curl at the ends before she realized you weren’t here by her bedside. she remembers leaving the tent that night, for what reason she doesn’t know, but you stayed behind, cuddled up in the sleeping bag.

thats when– your scream. it echoed in her head, taunting her. the quiet forest that surrounded the two of you amplified your terrified scream and ellie’s face grimaced at the memory. she knows she ran to you, why was i so far away from you? her brain was waking up and with it, horrible images flashed in front of her. the tent that had been cut open, the rusty old pick-up truck, the men that had you in their grasp, the last glance ellie had of you before the bud of a gun was slammed into her head. it all came flooding back in an instant.

ellie looked up at joel, tears brimming over her eyes. she spoke in a low voice, but despite the tears that fought to fall, her tone was flat. “where is she?”

joel was quick to answer, “we’ve been tracking them–”

“how long have i been out?” she boomed, trying to sit up but her brain pounded against her skull, forcing her back down in the bed. joel moved up, sitting closer to her but couldn’t find the words, his heart ached for ellie. he looked to tommy with a solemn expression, and his little brother stepped forward.

“it’s been three days, ellie,” tommy vocalized softly. “we’re doin’ all we can, i promise.”

“obviously it’s not fucking enough!” ellie shouted, pinching the bridge of her nose and shutting her eyes tight. you came to mind when she did, usually she pictures you happily; picking a flower and tucking in her hair, taking a nap on ellie’s couch with your head in her lap, posing while she drew you. you were the spitting image of innocence in her mind. but as her eyes shut now, all she could see was the absolutely heart-wrenching image of your face as you were thrown into the truck.

her eyes opened almost immediately, unable to see it even for a second longer. her cheeks became wet as the tears poured out of her, her breathing became erratic and she clutched her chest. joel was quick to comfort her but it only did so little. “we-we have to fi-find her,” ellie managed to speak through panicked breaths, feeling her chest about to burst.

the pain in her head was nothing compared to this, and it almost felt non-existent in the face of you being gone. being with them. whoever they are, whatever they want with you. they should have taken me. it should have been me. it should have been me. it should hav–

“ellie, breath–” joel cooed next to her, rubbing her back and removing her from her thoughts. “we’ll find her.”

“i’m co-coming with you,” her chest was still heaving and she felt like she’d never breathe right again. not until you were standing next to her.

tommy sighed, barely audible over ellie’s apparent panic-attack. “you’re on bed rest, kid. i’m sorry. but we will bring her back to you.”

his words felt like daggers and she was quick to respond. “if you think for one sec–”

“it’s not up for discussion, ellie.” joel interjected, his voice was soft but stern. and ellie scoffed through the tears, looking at joel harshly.

before ellie could spew a rant to him, tommy spoke, “we think they’re on the border of utah. were going tomorrow at first light and when we come back she will too. okay?”

ellie’s thoughts were a jumbled mess, and as her breathing became somewhat normal she was able to think. play it cool. “o-okay,” let them think i won’t go anywhere. “my head r-really hurts. gonna sleep for now,” she mumbled, pulling the blanket up and over her head. she laid with her back turned to them and she felt the bed move beside her. joel and tommy mumbled another string of words to each other before ellie heard the door creek open.

“rest up, kiddo. she’s gonna be okay.” joel said to her sympathetically and ellie remained quiet under her covers, plotting her escape.

she slept for another few hours. she knew she had to wait until night time anyway, there was no use in staying awake and plaguing her thoughts with what is happening to you. but as she slept her mind played horrible tricks on her, she dreamt of saving you that night. brutally slaying the men who had dared to even think about touching you, their blood stained her dreams but at the end of it you were in her arms.

when she woke up alone, her reality came crashing back down. it forced her to sit up, ignoring her head that was killing her slowly. there was no night time infirmary nurse and she knew now was her only opportunity to sneak away. the clock on the pale blue walls read one in the morning, jackson was asleep. the only people she would need to avoid were night patrols, and the guards around the armory.

she hauled herself out of bed, her feet dragging on the cold floor and she located her bag. her clothes from the camping trip were tucked inside and she quickly changed. ellie tried to picture the men’s faces, and all that came to her were figures whisking you away. she decided it was best to not think about it, but it was a lot easier said than done and she found herself shaking her head frequently to rid the images from her mind.

slipping out of the infirmary was easy, a small house on the corner of a dead end street. the streetlamps had been turned off by now, saving power and ellie easily made her way towards the armory. she approached in a crouch, hiding behind a bush in the shadows. she watched as the guards were laughing, telling stories and all around not paying attention. the armory was a larger building near the stables, the guards were circled around a makeshift booth at the front.

sneaking to the side of the building she tugged open a window and crawled inside. she loaded herself with her usual rifle that she took on patrols. taking it down from the wall she stared at it for too long, remembering the day she taught you how to shoot.

“all you have to do is point, aim and–”

“if you say point, aim and fire one more time.” you laughed at her, your attention shifting between the gun and ellie.

“i’m just trying to help you, pumpkin.”

instead of making her feel soft and warm, the memory made her go cold. she couldn’t place you, your face was a cloudy mess in her mind but your voice rang true. her eyes glossed over, hearing your laugh in her head and all she could think of what she would do to these people once she found them. in a haze she stuffed supplies in her bag, a surplus of ammo for her rifle and pistol and then some. she removed her switchblade from her bag and put it in her back pocket for easy access, throwing a trench knife into the backpack just in case.

she was almost back of out the window she came in when she realized the trip was going to be long, and she had no food in her bag whatsoever. sighing, she looked around. the left over food from the guards littered the small counter to the side of the room. sandwiches and nuts and ellie figured it would have to do and before long she was sneaking to her usual spot in the fence.

the walk to it was familiar, she had done it with you a thousand times. it was a loose panel of wood that to the unknowing eye would be a secured fence, but with a gentle tug, it gave way. ellie and you had discovered it one day, and it quickly became your get-a-way whenever one of you wanted to escape the confines of the walls. there was a small over-look just beyond the wall, about a ten minute walk from jackson. ellie had drawn you there with the landscape behind you, the picture is hanging on the wall in her garage and she cherishes it like it was gold.

she pictured you there, trying to remember how peaceful you were to her. like the calm in the storm that was her life. all she could conjure was that night so she dropped it and viciously bit her cheeks with frustration. ellie came to the broken piece of wood, taking a quick look around before pushing it and then herself through the gap. the forest beyond was still and quiet. peaceful almost. putting the board back in place, she turned and headed for the highway.

readers pov

– day of the kidnapping

the last you saw ellie she was falling to the ground as she came up to your campsite. the man who had been hiding behind the tree knocked her out with a swift blow to the head. you cried out, thrashing in the hands of the man who had lifted you from the ground. “fucking let go of me!” you shouted as your world tumbled around you, you fell into the bed of the truck with a hard smack, pain shot up your spine and you groaned, rolling over.

the man jumped up onto the back of the truck, making it wobble with his weight. you crawled backwards instinctively, your eyes darting from him and your motionless girlfriend on the ground yards away. your stomach turned as he pulled his fist back and there was nothing you could do before he brought it down heavily onto your skull and everything went black.

while unconscious, your mind brought you back to ellie’s room. her stereo playing softly as you sat on her bed, watching her read the same book she always did. her eyes scanned the pages as if she had never seen it before. she was laying on her stomach, legs dangling over the side of the bed as she flipped the pages. it was a book about the constellations in the sky and every so often she would show you a page and say it reminded her of you. “this one–” she showed you, a cheeky smile on her face as she turned the book towards you.

“that just looks like lines, els.” you chuckled at her while you examined the page. you never understood her when she spoke about space, but you liked to hear her ramble. her voice was so comforting to you and it always brought you back down to earth.

“no, no, pumpkin, look–” she pointed with her fingers on the page, outlining the stars. “its cassiopeia on her throne. d’ya see it?” her soft green eyes met yours, a hopeful look in them.

you didn’t see it, you just saw lines on a page but ellie’s enthusiasm poured through her and who were you to deny her of it. “yeah, i see it,” you lied, getting closer to get a better look hoping it will just come to you. “why do you say that?”

“dunno,” she shrugged, looking back to the page. “but it says here she was a queen, so i think that’s why.”

her words always left you feeling like the most special person, and to ellie you were. you playfully hit her with a pillow, causing a mildly loud “ow!” from her.

“you’re so fucking cheesy,” you smiled, hitting her again with the pillow. as you brought it down on her she grabbed it. ellie moved quickly and sat on her knees as she struggled to take the pillow from you. she looked down at you, back against the bed and giggling so sweetly. she was able to snatch the pillow, throwing it to the side and leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead.

“you love it, shut up.” her words bounced off your face and she pulled her face down to be directly in front of yours. her eyes stared into yours and you could see just how much she loved you on full display within her green eyes. she leaned in to kiss you and as her lips brushed against yours, the world around you melted away.

you felt cold and you could swear your eyes were open but you couldn’t see anything. you felt around, the ground beneath you was solid and ragged and as you moved you heard the clanking of chains. moving your hands down your legs you sensed the frigid metal that encased your ankle, following the chain with your hands to a bolt in the wall.

the walls had the same texture as the floor and you began to panic. you recounted the last memory you had, ellie laying on the ground. the man punching you in the face. reaching up to touch your sensitive skin, a sharp pain came from your cheek and you gasped. incoherent curses came stringing out of your mouth that quickly turned to yelling. you shouted for ellie, her name bounced off of the walls around you and with every call unanswered the hope inside you diminished. the darkness was over-bearing and you were forced to picture every horrible thing these people could do to you simply just because they could. your voice, that was still begging for ellie, became hoarse. a lump settled in your throat from wailing and you felt sick to your stomach.

you knew none of this was helpful. the screaming, the wailing, but you couldn’t help it. the emotions poured out of you until there was nothing left, ellie could be dead and you were locked up god knows where. you hadn’t even begun to think of why they had taken you, your head was too jambled to think straight. and after what seemed like hours in the black void of your cell, a dim light flickered on and came peeking beneath a door you didn’t even know was there. it illuminated the room just enough to see that cement encased you behind the metal door.

with a click of a lock the door opened and the sudden light hitting your eyes made you jump, shielding your face with your hands. you heard footsteps approach you slowly but stop a few feet away. a cold hand came up to your forearm and you swung, trying to keep whoever this was away from you at all costs. but their cold hands grasped your arms, forcing you to look upon them. the dim overhead light in the next room outlined the man in front of you, you couldn’t make out a face but he was brutish, and he smelled like a campfire.

“don’t bite the hand that feeds you!” the man growled, the taunting in his voice was sinister.

you used all the energy you could to spit in his face and he recoiled, letting go of your arms to wipe his face and he took a step back. “fuck you!” you snarled, spit leaving your mouth with the anger that boiled inside of you.

he chuckled as he wiped the remaining spit from his face, “we could have killed you, ya know?” the man muttered, taking small strides towards the metal door. his hand reached for the wall, turning on an overhead light in your cell. looking around, it seemed to be a basement. you could see stairs past the door to the cement room and as you peered through the door, the man repositioned himself in front of your face.

you didn’t say anything and his head cocked to the side as he knelt in front of you. “but we didn’t, do you know why?” his tone was antagonizing and as your eyes adjusted you could make out his face, a large scar was centered by his nose as if he had been cut. you shook your head at his question, not wanting to speak. also because your throat stung from the previous screaming.

“well,” he looked to the side, using his hands on his knees to hoist himself back up to his feet and he towered over you. “i would have told you but–” he motioned to his face, still glistening from your spit. “maybe tomorrow.” his words were fast, he turned on his heel and headed for the door.

in a panic you lurched forward, arm out and you tried to stop him. your ankle tugging on the chain as you reached for him.“wait, please don’t!” came rushing out of your mouth but it was too late. the light was switched off and as the door shut behind him, you were enveloped in the darkness yet again.

— four days after the kidnapping

the black void of your cell had become never ending. after the man with the scar left, the only time anyone would open the door was to give you as little food as possible. keeping you weak and unable to fight back, but alive just enough to do whatever they had planned. if you had been told you were here for a week you would have believed it, time moves weird in the dark and you never knew what time of the day it was, if they were swerving you breakfast or dinner– you had no idea.

at first you tried to stand, to pace around and get your body moving. after a while it became too repetitive and you fell to your knees, tired and disoriented. you hadn’t moved an inch since, just laying curled up on the floor with your back to the door. the only thing that kept you occupied besides sleeping was reliving memories, playing them over and over again in your head. they were all of ellie, her freckled face and auburn hair and that stupid constellations book.

she was your every waking thought and even slipped her way into your dreams. ellie was the only thing keeping you from going completely insane in the darkness. you could picture her so clearly, but when you thought about her voice it never sounded right. you were only able to hear it in your dreams, but when you woke it slipped away like water in your hands. traceable, but not recognisable. you made it your mission to remember, a small controllable goal in a situation so far out of your hands and it provided a sense of comfort. as much as it could.

you were tracing her name over the cold ground beneath you, whispering it softly as if it was a crime when you drifted off once again. it had become routine and a sure fire way to make sure she was in your dreams, her voice and all. this time your dreams planted you in the memory of watching her favorite movie together, curled up on the couch with your head in her lap and her hands playing in your hair.

“don’t get attached to her,” ellie said casually above you, pointing to the small tv. you groaned, looking up at her and her innocent eyes met yours.

“you spoil every movie, els.” you say with a fake annoyance in your voice, playfully swatting at the hand pointing to the tv.

“i didn’t say what happens to her!” her hands go up defensively, looking down at you in her lap. her face had been speckled with sun freckles from the previous day, leaving it absolutely covered from her chin to her forehead. even her eyebrow slit had a few small dots in it, and you found it hard to be annoyed with her.

turning your attention back to the movie with an unsure mhm, your eyes left hers and for a moment there was silence. and ellie couldn’t help herself, she mumbled, “exceptshetotallygetschoppedinhalf.”

you sprung up, your head leaving her lap, positioning yourself next to her on your knees. swiftly you propelled her down and straddled her torso. dramatic gasps left her mouth and she placed her hands on your hips, looking you up and down. “you’re gonna pay for that, you know,” you said to her, cupping her face with one hand.

“i’m soooo scared, pumpkin” she teased, and as the words left her mouth it was like someone had pressed the mute button. her lips moved, and she was definitely talking but her voice was gone, like it had blown away in the wind. the nickname you cherished so deeply from her inaudible and as you realized this your eyes snapped open. the darkness was back, and ellie was gone, along with her voice.

you tried to cling on to it, but the harder you tried to remember it, the further it went in your mind. if you weren’t so dehydrated, you’d be crying and thrashing around, desperately hoping for her voice to come back to you. but instead being too weak to do anything, you pulled your legs up to your chest and laid in the silence. you didn’t know how long you had been asleep, not that it mattered anyway, but your stomach was feeling emptier than ever before so it must have been a while.

remnants of your dream flashed in your mind and your hand placed itself on your face as ellie had always done, imagining it was her. imagining her coming to save you, her holding you. every thought that consumed you was her. she can’t be dead. you repeat to yourself like your own little mantra. she isn’t dead.

time shifted again and you heard footsteps coming down the stairs beyond the door. the metal door clicked and opened as it always did, but instead of food being thrown at you in the dark, the lightswitch flicked on. your eyes nearly burst from the pain after being in the dark for so long and you covered them with your hands. “ready to talk like a civilized person?” the raspy voice spoke and you removed your hands from your face, squinting your eyes until they adjusted.

you nodded slightly and the man with the scar sighed, “good,” he crouched in front of you and you locked eyes with him, anger filling you up head to toe but you fought against it. “where’d we leave off, huh?”

“w-why you took me,” your voice was small and you realized you hadn’t actually talked in days besides muttering ellie’s name to yourself.

“right!” he exclaimed loudly, making you jump as it echoed off the walls. “you seemed valuable, at least to that girl,” as he acknowledged ellie, your face lit up and you hung on to his words. “so we figured, you’d be a good bargaining chip for food and whatnot.”

the nonchalantness in his voice made your skin crawl and your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at him. “and you think giving me back like this will get you what you want?” you asked, your voice slowly returning. the man looked down on you with a smug expression.

“if they want you back alive, yeah. i do. we’re gonna send a party to your town to give them our demands for you,” his finger grazed your leg and you snaked it back. the chains rattled as you did and a chuckle came from him. “we just need to know exactly what you people got.”

worry swirled around inside of you and you knew what ellie would do in this situation, so you remained as strong as you could, picturing her in your mind. “i’m not telling you anything–”

“it’s your choice,” he sighed, reaching into his back pocket. he pulled out a small knife and it was too similar to ellie’s for your liking. “just know you can change your mind at anytime.” with that, his knife pierced your skin and your screams filled the room.

ellie’s pov

— five days after the kidnapping

ellie had been traveling on foot for two days now. her head still ached with the concussion she suffered and her feet felt like they were on fire with every step. everytime she felt like stopping, a foggy image of you would cross her mind and she would keep going. she only stopped when she was practically falling over, hours after the sun had gone down.

by the second day, her legs were giving out on her. she stumbled into the underbrush to the side of the road, falling to her knees and then flat on her stomach. too exhausted to eat and sleep came easy to her. she knew it would only be an hour of sleep but she physically couldn’t go any further tonight. so she embraced sleep, knowing it would only make her nightmares surface yet again.

tonight her nightmare seemed to be a complete recollection of that night. she was in the tent with you and you rambled about a book you had borrowed from dina. ellie was rifling through her backpack, looking for the constellations book. she had promised to show you cassiopeia on her throne in the night sky, but her book wasn’t in her bag. “i fuckin’ packed it,” she said mindlessly, dumping her belongings out onto your sleeping bag.

“it’s okay, we can find it without the book.” you reassured her, a soft smile on your face as you did.

“no, there was– ugh,” she sighed, accepting defeat. you looked at her, a puzzled expression on your face that she couldn’t quite see. “i had something for you, it was in the book.”

“i’m sure whatever it was, i’ll love it when we get back just as much.” you leaned up, planting a delicate kiss on her lips. ellie’s worry washed away and placed a hand to your cheek when you pulled apart.

thats when the silent forest came to life. animals could be heard sprinting between trees, and the birds caulking as they were so rudely woken up by whatever had scared them. ellie’s head turned to the opening in the tent and you grabbed her arm, forcing her to look back to you.

she saw the usual cloudy mess instead of your face, but in her dreams it seemed to be normal. she sat up, rubbing the arm that clutched hers before she spoke. “probably just a runner, i’ll be right back.” she kissed the top of the blur and felt the grip loosen around her arm.

“be quick–” you whispered to her as she left the warm tent into the chill air. ellie looked around the campsite, not seeing anything but the noises of the animals still alarmed her, so she expanded her search.

she had wandered down to the small creek about twenty yards from you, hoping the sound of the rushing water had attracted the infected but there was none in sight and as she turned to make her way back to you, and the night you had planned, your shriek came barreling through the trees.

not hesitating for a second, ellie was running. her fists pumping at her sides like a madman, she didn’t have time to think about what could possibly be tormenting you, but when she bursted into the campsite and her eyes locked on you, thrashing in the grasp of a random man, her heart sank to her stomach. your face was no longer blurred, she could see every detail that made your face so perfect but your terrified expression haunted her and the gun coming down on her head sprung her awake.

the sun hadn’t risen yet and her surroundings were still dark. she pushed herself off the ground, not wanting to go back to sleep until you were next to her. coming from the trees that lined the highway, she kept going. the little rest she got was enough to propel her forward and while she walked her mind wandered. it wasn’t long before the sound of morning birds snapped her out of a haze and as she looked up from her feet she saw a welcome to utah sign. it was still dark, probably the very beginning of the morning and ellie noticed smoke coming from the trees just behind the sign.

not hesitating she moved closer, taking her steps slowly and lowering herself to the ground, she pushed past the trees and saw the makings of a camp. a giant fire roared in the middle of all the people sleeping around it. her eyes landed on the man to the left, furthest from the horses and a picture flashed in her mind. he laid there peacefully, but ellie recognized him as the man who had knocked her out. and suddenly her thoughts halted themselves and her feet moved for her.

knowing she could never take all of them at once, especially as exhausted as she was, ellie decided on a different plan. starting with the woman closest to the horses, she positioned herself right next to her and grabbed the knife she had placed in her pocket. ellie’s hand covered the womans mouth and her eyes opened harshly. without a second thought, she sliced the knife along the neck of the panicked woman.

the fires crackling was enough to mask the sound of her blood gurgling from the wound. the woman grasped at ellie desperately trying to save her own life but her movements soon slowed, her arms falling to her sides. removing her hand, she moved on to the next one. watching as the life drained from him as well as he struggled to alert his friends. ellie had gone glossy eyed, and if she was being honest she wasn’t in full control of her actions. her mind only had one goal, and these people stood in her way. they caused this. they deserve it.

blood spattered onto her face while she glided the switchblade across the neck of the third man, once he had stopped fighting back and his eyes were staring blankly up into the sky ellie locked her own eyes on the final man. the one who had prevented her from saving you, now that it was only him left she stomped over to him. as she approached him, her chest was heaving and blood dripped from her face.

she stood over him for a moment, watching as he slept peacefully. cocking her head to the side, she kicked him harshly in the stomach. immediately he rolled over, clutching his stomach and groaning in pain. ellie drove her foot into his now exposed back and he cried out in pain yet again. despite his pain, the man tried to get away. crawling on his hands and knees as quickly as he could, he only made it a few feet when the sound of ellie’s gun cocking made him stop in his tracks.

“turn around,” ellie grunted, her breathing more heavy than before. the man did as he was told, and as he did his eyes widened at the sight of ellie, covered in blood, sweat and dirt. they wandered past her, looking upon his dead friends and his hands raised to the side of his head.

“take it all–”

“you remember me?” her voice was low, hushed even and as the terrified man studied her face his eyebrows raised slightly, and ellie’s lips threatened to curl at the ends. “yeah, you remember me.”

the man remained quiet in his realization and ellie’s gaze directed itself at the paper poking out from his pocket. the fire illuminated the camp just enough to see it was a map and she motioned her gun towards it, “you’re gonna show me exactly where she is.” her voice was flat but firm.

“i can’t do that–” his voice trembled and his words were cut off by ellie moving closer to him, her gun now directly in his face.

“you don’t have a fucking choice!” she shouted, ripping the map from his pocket while her gun remained closely trained on him. she laid it flat on the ground, crouching down to his level and staring him down. he shook his head feverishly, terrified of ellie but even more concerned about her finding their base. while he refused to speak, she had grown tired of waiting and with her available hand took her switchblade and dug it deeply into his thigh and twisted with all her strength.

he wailed, losing balance on his knees and falling to his side. ellie removed the knife, wiping it clean on her jeans before lowering her head to him. “you’d better start fucking talking.”

the gun was still pointed to his face and he looked at her with disdain, “i’m fucking dead anyway why would i tell you anything.” he said breathlessly, trying to cover the hole in his leg with his hands and failing miserably.

“because i can make it quick,” she twirled her switchblade in her fingers, grazing it over his cheeks as he winced back. “or i could make it so much worse.”

“fuck you!” he spat with all his might and ellie dug her knife into his arm, sliding it down while it tore open his flesh. his screams filled the woods around them and in a desperate attempt to save his life, he reached for her gun.

it pointed up and ellie fired at the sudden scramble. the man tackled her to the ground, pinning her down and fighting to take the gun from her hand. in the tussle, her switchblade fell from her grasp and landed a few feet away. in a panic she fought for the gun, kneeing the man in the stomach as hard as she could but he remained firm on top of her. her free hand swung up, knocking him on the head and his grip on the gun loosened. as she yanked it back, it slipped from her own hands and fell to the ground. while he was stunned from her punch, ellie managed to throw him off of her. she rolled around, looking on the ground for her gun but it blended in so well with the dirt and sticks she couldn’t see it.

taking a quick look back to the man, he had picked up a rather large rock and tried smashing it down on her head. ellie moved, nearly missing having her head bashed in and she noticed her blade glistening in the now rising sun. she army crawled as the man grasped at her legs to pull her back. her fingers fiddled with the handle before she was able to firmly wrap her hand around it. as she did, the man dragged her back towards him and while he tried to position himself on top of her, ellie plunged the switchblade deep into his chest. the crunch of it piercing his sternum confirmed it was a deadly hit and she watched as he lost any hope to stay alive.

his mouth hung open in shock, looking down to the puncture wound and his hands went to grasp around it. his legs straddled ellie’s torso, allowing the blood that poured from it to fall directly onto her. the man coughed and instead of spit, blood spewed from his mouth staining his teeth in the process before he fell over beside her. ellie didn’t move, her breathing erratic from the fight.

the man gurgled on his own blood for a moment before it got quiet again, the woods silent as ever except for her heaving breaths. her hands fell to her sides and she gazed up to the sky, the stars still burning brightly above the trees. all of her exhaustion hit her at once like a truck and she fought to keep her eyes from closing. right before she thought sleep would consume her and she would have to relive her worst nightmare all over again, she saw the makings of a constellation. at first, it wasn’t recognizable, just another clump of stars in the galaxy. but when it clicked in her mind, she propped herself up on her elbows and the tiredness melted away. it was cassiopeia.

that was everything she needed. ellie got up with a new surge of energy, taking the map with her and anything else she could find useful. she strode away from the grim scene on their horse, following the map to the first exit off the utah highway. with the horse, the rest of the journey seemed like light work. it was only an hour before she spotted the fences to the community.

tying the horse to a hidden tree for a get-away, she circled the small town. the fence was chain linked and she watched inside as the town woke up to start their day. ellie was able to see that only a small amount of people woke up this early, leaving the streets barely occupied.

staying in the shadows, she slipped under the fence that was poorly secured. she found herself in between two small houses, ellie could make out mumbled words from the street so she moved up, making sure to stay as close to the wall of the house as possible.

“....hopefully they will come back with the stuff by tomorrow.” a woman's voice could be heard, ellie dared not to peek around the corner and listened further to their conversation.

“we don’t even know if they have anything, we could be chasing a dead end.” ellie’s eyebrows furrowed as the second voice spoke. she figured they were talking about the group she had slaughtered, but could jackson be the dead end they were speaking about? is that why they wanted you?

“just gotta hope for the best, i guess.” the woman spoke again before her footsteps could be heard walking away. ellie’s body tensed up, quickly her mind showed her the haunting image of your face and she shook her head, focusing her eyes around the corner. she caught a glimpse of the woman walking down the sidewalk, leaving the man to stand in front of the house alone. he was reading a note intensely and ellie took a look around to make sure her coast was clear.

she came up behind him, swiftly covering his mouth and dragging him back between the houses for cover. she ripped the note from his hands and used the bandana that had been around his head to cover his mouth and threw him to the ground. while she examined the note, her pistol was focused on him keeping him in place.

residents be advised that your council is doing all they can to provide for you. we are currently bartering with a town in wyoming for food, and unlike last time, we are sure they will be more than happy to provide.

ellie balled up the paper in her fists, scoffing and throwing it beside the man. “the girl, where is she?” ellie hissed at him, keeping her voice low. he mumbled through the bandana and she rolled her eyes. “don’t fucking scream, you can make it out of this.” she said before pulling the bandana down.

the mans eyes were wide with fear as he looked upon ellie, but he spoke fast and quietly while darting his eyes between her and the gun. “i don’t know about a girl, i really don’t plea–”

ellie shook her head before snatching his wrist in her hand, bending his finger back and he winced. “okay, okay okay,” he rushed out, feeling his finger about to snap. “our hunters, they came back a few days ago with something they wouldn’t tell anyone about,” he paused, looking at ellie and her grip loosened.

“keep talking.” she ordered him and he stammered his words, trying to desperately abide by her rules.

“usually they bring the meat to the kitchen but-but they parked the truck outside of our leaders house, said it was nothing but it didn-didn’t look like nothin’.”

ellie moved the gun into his neck, nuzzling it right below his ear and his breathing hitched up. “where?”

“go left do-down the street, the truck is old you can’t miss it!” ellie knew the truck all too well and without another word she removed the gun from his neck and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“thanks–” ellie whispered as her switchblade lodged itself in his neck. he didn’t scream, just looked at her wide-eyed as he tried to stop his neck from bleeding. ellie didn’t wait around, his blood still bubbling as she walked away, turning left down the street.

she was careful, she moved down the street hiding behind cars, bushes and whatever else she could find. when she was starting to think the man had given her bad information, the truck came into view. it was parked blissfully in the driveway of a quaint looking house. she found herself climbing through an open window on the first floor, escaping the street and its peering eyes. ellie landed in the living room of the house, it wasn’t decorated, the walls were blank and the furniture looked like it was rotting away.

that's when she heard voices coming from upstairs, she almost ascended the stairs herself but the voices were coming closer. she hid behind the dusty couch as the stairs creaked and found herself in the company of two men who had no idea she was eavesdropping.

“we already sent the group, why do you need more from her?” the raspy voice uttered, a hint of annoyance laced in his tone.

ellie heard a long sigh, “because they could become our primary suppliers. as long as we have her, they will give us whatever we want. for as long as we want.” the second man spoke with a heavy country accent and her blood boiled, she stopped herself from jumping the two, instead listening for more information.

“she wasn’t very forthcoming the first time–”

his voice was cut off, “well fuckin’ make her. i told you whatever it takes.” another sigh filled her ears, and she wasn’t sure who had done it but feet were stomping away and she glanced around the couch. she witnessed a bald man opening a door down a dark hallway, while the man who had the accent went back upstairs. her brain was split, but she knew they wouldn’t have kept you upstairs so she followed the bald man with the raspy voice, opening the door silently and descending the stairs that were behind it.

the end of the staircase opened up to a dimly lit basement, it was unfinished and dirty. she caught a glance at a metal door at the opposite end of the room before turning her attention back to the bald man, who was crouching down beside a workbench. it was lined with tools, but ellie knew what they were for. so as fast as she could, she approached him. he was barely able to turn around before she tackled him to the ground. the man was big but being caught off guard helped ellie as her hands gripped around his neck.

she put all of her body weight into his neck, he was choking and failing his arms around at ellie. it didn’t phase her, even when he had slapped her across the face in his panic. her face was contorting with all the exertion and she stared down at him, never breaking eye contact. a scar was slashed across his face and she recognized this as the man who had thrown you into the truck, the image coming to her clearly. his eyes were bulging from their sockets and his legs were kicking with a passion but as ellie came to this realization she jerked her hands down, the applied pressure breaking his neck under her hands and he immediately went limp.

in a cloudy haze she stood up, catching her breath and looking around for a key. she practically threw everything off of the workbench in front of her and when she didn’t find it she moved back to the man on the floor. she dug through his pockets and her fingers found a small metal key.

she walked towards the metal door slowly. now that she was here, she was terrified of what she would see behind the door. she put the key into the lock and turned, earning a click. she breathed out all the air in her lungs before pushing it open and her heart was beating faster than she had ever known possible. the room was dark, and seemed empty. the light from the other room allowed her to see a small switch on the wall and she flicked it on, now fearing you werent even here.

but you were. the light came on and your hands flew to your face shielding your eyes. ellie’s eyes immediately brimmed with tears seeing you. she took a step forward, taking off her backpack and laying it on the ground beside her. you were so obviously injured, puncture wounds up and down your legs with dried blood surrounding them. the chain around your ankle had almost embedded itself in your skin, resulting in a horrible looking bruise that had worked its way up your leg. ellie breathlessly said your name, tears falling from her eyes and your hands moved from your face slowly.

your eyes weren’t adjusted, you just saw a blurry figure in front of you but you could have sworn you heard her voice. the voice that had escaped you every time you tried to hold on to it, and you thought your brain was playing a cruel prank. “please don’t,” you uttered quietly, fearing she was the man with the scar coming back to torture you more.

ellie dropped to her knees in front of you, looking at your battered body not able to form words. they had broken you, and she blamed herself. anger brewed inside of her but in this moment, she remained soft spoken. “it’s me,” she whispered, reaching her hand out to touch your leg which you snaked away, still not believing she was actually there. you believed you were so desperate to see her, to hear her, that she materialized out of thin air. but that meant you were truly losing your sanity and you could barely look at her.

“its not you–” you said back to her, looking to the floor and ellie’s eyes shut tightly to hold back anymore tears. you had backed up all the way to the wall, leaving ellie in the center of the room. she slowly moved to you as you watched her from your peripheral view.

she came up in front of you, “it’s me, pumpkin,” and placed a hand to your shallow cheek as she always had done.

feeling her warm hands on your face, you met her eyes. her warmth couldn’t be your imagination and your own eyes welled up as she dragged her thumb carelessly across your cheek. her appearance didn’t even phase you, all you cared about was her. “ellie,” you sighed, shutting your eyes and placing your hand on top of hers that cupped your face. “you’re actually here?” your voice was small and faint, and it felt like ellie was stabbed in the heart.

the blur that ruined her memories of you was gone. even the image of you being whisked away was gone. she scanned your still perfect face, it’s only faults being sunken in from hunger and bruising that littered your cheeks but it was still perfection to her. she felt more relief than she had when she killed the man in the woods, and the bald man that still laid a few feet away. you were here in front of her, finally. ellie couldn’t help but smile at you, all her efforts hadn’t been in vain.

“i’m actually here,” she repeated to you, connecting your foreheads together. “i found you.”

ellie leaned back, inches from your face. her voice rang in your ears and you felt like you were floating with every word that came from her mouth after missing it for so long. you managed a smile for her. she was so close to you that you had barely seen the figure towering over her from behind, your mouth began to form her name to warn her but it was too late. the figure smashed ellie over the head and she fell unconscious beside you.

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