#oc: judith may

[endless-oc-creations]

Mimi's Mini Plot Bunnies

Name: Judith May

Title: TBD

Fandom: Road House(1989)

Faceclaim: Sandra Bullock

Love Interest: John Dalton

Pinterest Board: Link

Summary: Judith May is a small-town girl born in Jasper, Missouri. As a teenager, she ran away to live in the big city. But, years later Judith returned to her hometown, trying to pick up the pieces of her life that ended up being shattered by the struggle she faced over the years. When Judith came back, her Uncle Emmett opened up his farm to her and she helped her around the farm while bartending for Frank Tilghman at his club, the Double Deuce.

Working nights there is hard and sometimes unbearable from all the chaos that goes on, but Judith just does what she can and puts her head down to get through the night in one piece. One day a man named James Dalton came into the town and her Uncle Emmett was letting him stay in their sparse barn.

Then later that night at work, Judith sees him at the club and finds out that her boss Frank hired him to take over security at the club, giving him full authority over the club's operations. As Judith gets closer to Dalton, she finds out that there is more to the stoic and cool-headed man.

The two end up falling in love, something that Judith said she would never do again, but the couple soon finds trouble when the crime lord, Brad Wesley, doesn’t like the changes Dalton is doing to his town.

Judith finds herself, Dalton, and everyone she cares about in danger, but Dalton promises to protect her no matter what.

💕 Everything Taglist: @bravelittleflower​ @sunlitscribe​​​ @eddysocs​​ @raith-way​​ @waterloou​​​ @decennia​​ @hiddenqveendom​ @aaronhotchstuff​ @foxesandmagic​ @nejires-hado  @asirensrage​​​​  @lucys-chen @arrthurpendragon @daughter-of-melpomene @thatmagickjuju @ginevrastilinski @ginger-grimm @oneirataxia-girl💕

[anqelsweep]

SongBirds (노래새) is the official fandom name of South Korean solo artist JUDY and was revealed on March 15, 2018.

    ⠀𝝑𝝔　 ──   ㅤִㅤׄ  informationㅤׄ  ˚ㅤִ

Founded. March 15, 2018

Founder. JUDY

Other Names. Baby birds, Oscinēs & Elder Aves

Official Colors. Eternal Blue & Pretty in Pink

    ⠀𝝑𝝔　 ──   ㅤִㅤׄ  annoucment & meaningㅤׄ  ˚ㅤִ

Revealed on March 15, 2018, Songbirds is the official fandom of solo artist JUDY. The meaning behind it is described as;      

 “A Songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder of Passeri of the perching birds. Songbirds have the distinct ability to create complex and beautiful songs.  As an artist, JUDY wishes to make beautiful and distinct songs for SongBirds to sing. This means JUDY and Songbirds will sing in beautiful harmony together forever.”

However, newer fans have unofficially given the fandom name a second meaning. Baby Birds, an affectionately given name by older fans, takes inspiration from the singer’s last name, Song, which means succeed or accomplish, symbolizing them as Judy’s key to success.

    ⠀𝝑𝝔　 ──   ㅤִㅤׄ   logoㅤׄ  ˚ㅤִ

The official logo, which features a sparrow above the fandom name, was revealed alongside the fandom name. Many fans dislike this logo, saying it is a lazy creation, and have opted to make their own

    ⠀𝝑𝝔　 ──   ㅤִㅤׄ  reputaionㅤׄ  ˚ㅤִ

As a fanbase, SongBirds are fiercely loyal and protective of JUDY. However, they are well known and respected for their affection and support for other artists, particularly those she has collaborated with.

Two specific types of songbirds, Sparrows and Nightingales, are used to represent the fandom. Sparrows are typically utilized to epitomize their resilience and talent for spreading joy and affection toward other fanbases and artists. Similarly, Nightingales have been used to represent their compassion for other artists. However, they most often symbolize her love and appreciation for fans. This is a solace-filled way to say that if fans ever feel alone, she will comfort them through her music.

[teenagedramas]

muses tag dump.

[devil-doll13]

I decided to get a few headcanons down for Jude and Zach’s organisation which I will elaborate on in the future. Hopefully.

It was thought to have been established sometime in the 15th century in order to combat witches, demons and various other supernatural creatures. At the time it was loosely affiliated with the church, and is still today a very religious group with many members who are also exorcists or otherwise holy persons.

It is a private organisation, not funded by any nation’s government. Instead it receives money from a mysterious benefactor. The only thing known about this person is that they are descended from the original founder. Their identity is kept secret intentionally to prevent shapeshifters from infiltrating the organisation or any assassinations from occurring.

Unlike other similar groups, it aims to destroy all supernatural beings on principle, and refuses to use them as weapons or in scientific research like in government funded projects. It is their belief that supernatural beings are a curse upon the world, they cannot be used for good in any capacity, their very existence is wrong and so they must be completely eradicated.

At least 200 members are currently active, located all over the world, though generally most are in North America and Europe. However, the same secrecy is applied here, and hunters of the organisation are split into various specialised divisions.

The ‘Sunseekers’ is the name of the division that Jude and Zach belong to, and has about 10 other hunters to its name. While they work together occasionally, they generally work in pairs or smaller teams to spread out farther. They are exclusively active in the US.

There were once more hunters, but over time ‘superstition’ has become deeply unpopular and many are unwilling to even believe in the existence of such creatures. ‘Incidents’ such as the one that occurred 5 years ago are also often covered up by the government to avoid mass panic and discovery of their experiments. Typically most members have already had contact and survived an encounter before they are recruited, or are specifically raised by older members to become ones themselves.

[procrastinatingsoicanreadfanfics]

Vikings (TV) Masterlist

my requests for vikings are currently partially OPEN! please only request imagines, and not oneshots. for those waiting for a continuation of ‘searching home’ or ‘unexpected’ i am so sorry... finishing those two is going to take me a while :/

hmu/msg me to be added to a taglist!

main masterlist | request guidelines

heorte til heorte

(msg me to be added to the taglist!)

relationship: athelstan x alethia stahl (oc) | summary: alethia wanted to go home, to return to her family. instead, she finds herself in ninth-century england. not speaking the language, and still processing the grief of her other life, she searches for an anchor - athelstan. | tags: angst, fluff, timetravel

masterlist | preview | read on ao3

No romantic relationships // character x character

Queendom - relationship: Lagertha x Aslaug | summary: They’ve both loved and they’ve both lost. Perhaps it was time that their hearts warmed again. | tags: angst, fluff

The Lothbroks, aka, the European version of the Kardashians - relationships: none | summary: When Barbie Murray time travels, she finds out that pink isn’t available in Viking times. Luckily, her new besties all understand that boobs are the best and slay (literally?!) with her. | tags: crack, fluff, timetravel

I may be a bimbo, but I’m not stupid - relationships: slight oc/ oc | summary: Ivar kills Sigurd in a fit of rage, but Barbie isn't so quick to forgive cruelness. | tags: angst, crack, timetravel

1st gen Vikings

Strange Woman  relationship: Rollo x timetraveler!reader | summary: The woman that appeared out of nowhere could be oh so dangerous, but even a stupid man would know that she was fascinating. | tags: fluff, timetravel

Friend of Thor - relationship: rollo x timetraveler!asgardian!reader | summary: The reader, a fellow Asgardian and friend of Thor and the new King of Asgard, Brunnhilde, falls through worlds as the new guardian of the Bifrost tampers with the magic. | tags: crack, fluff, timetravel

And the Gods wished they were me - relationship: Judith x viking!gn!reader | summary: Judith knows she should not mourn Athelstan. Nor should she even look at Norse heathens. She does both anyway, because Judith was named after a woman that had only rage and death, and she cannot escape her fate. | tags: angst, fluff

Ubbe Ragnarsson

Another day / part 2 - relationship: Ubbe x reader | prompt: we live to fight another day. | tags: angst

Oldest - relationship: Ubbe x timetraveler!reader; platonic!Ivar x reader | summary:  It seems that few things change about being the oldest sibling, no matter which place – or time | tags: fluff, timetravel, slight angst

Yggdrasil relationship: Ubbe x reader; platonic!Ivar x reader; dad!Harald x reader | summary:  How can you tell your father what happened to you when he’d done it to so many others. | tags: angst, dark/gory

Hvitserk 'Whiteshirt' Ragnarsson

Hvitserksdottir - relationship: Hvitserk x reader | prompt: “I think we need to talk about the fact that I’m in love with you and also that I’m pregnant.” | tags: angst, fluff

Floki’s Cabin - relationship: Hvitserk x reader | prompt: “Just trust me. Please. | tags: angst

Searching Home / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 - relationships: Hvitserk x reader; Ivar x reader | summary: When you stumble upon the ancient Spanish city of Algeciras, it takes you some time to realize that you’ve traveled through time. While that is terrible luck, a merchant couple takes you in. But your peace only lasts so long. | tags: angst, fluff, dark/gory, timetravel

Neither - relationship: genderfluid!reader x Hvitserk | Summary: Hvitserk finds out about genderfluidity and accepts he might not be completely straight | tags: fluff, timetravel

Law of conservation - relationship: Hvitserk x reader | summary: You’ve been working as a tutor at your high school for about a year now. When your parents throw a barbecue party for your new neighbors, their mother Aslaug asks you to tutor her son Hvitserk, who is already a notorious flirt at his school. | tags: fluff

Sandcastles - relationship: platonic!hvitserk x timetraveler!reader | summary: reader builds sandcastles, Ivar doesn’t get it and Hvitserk loves the idea of it | tags: fluff, timetravel

When in Bali... -  relationships: hvitserk x reader, ivar x freydís, sigurd x oc | summary: You were supposed to go to Bali with your partner for your one-year anniversary. Instead, you’re there alone, heartbroken. Will reuniting with a friend you know from a summer vacation in elementary school be able to fix it? | tags: fluff

Ivar 'the Boneless' Ragnarsson

Unholy Matrimony - A Sham in Four Acts / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 - relationship: Ivar x reader | prompt: I’ve learnt to love you. | tags: angst, fluff smut

Insatiable Little Heathens  - relationship: ivar x reader | summary: drabble, for all of y’all who wanted more of Unholy Matrimony | tags: fluff

Resolve - relationship: ivar x reader | summary: Ivar’s legs hurt but he’s so fucking thickheaded | tags: fluff

My kind of witch - relationship: ivar x reader | summary: You wake up in an unfamiliar bed. The man with blazing blue eyes fascinates you as soon as you see him and as you realize the struggles he faces every day, your admiration for him grows into something more. | tags: fluff, timetravel

Red - relationship: ivar x reader | summary: Ivar finally meets his match. | tags: smut, dark/gory

Serve - relationship: sub!ivar x buff!reader | summary: Ivar keeps teasing you. You finally have enough and give him a taste of his own medicine | tags: smut

Searching home / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 -  relationships: Hvitserk x reader; Ivar x reader |  summary: When you stumble upon the ancient Spanish city of Algeciras, it takes you some time to realize that you’ve traveled through time. While that is terrible luck, a merchant couple takes you in. But your peace only lasts so long. | tags: angst, fluff, smut, dark/gory, timetravel

Totally artistic -  relationship: ivar x reader | summary: When inspiration hits, you can’t stop it | tags: fluff

Sandcastles - relationship: platonic!hvitserk, ivar x timetraveler!reader | summary: reader builds sandcastles, Ivar doesn’t get it and Hvitserk loves the idea of it | tags: fluff, timetravel

Brother - relationships: ivar x reader, hvitserk & reader, reader & oc | summary: You left your home and your brother behind for a reason. Now, a man is causing trouble at the borders of Kattegat, and as Ivar's queen, you take justice into your own hands. | tags: fluff

Unexpected / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 - relationship: ivar x thrall!reader | summary: Ivar finally decides to fuck the slave he’s been eyeing for so long, but when his angry side slips out, things take a turn for the wholly unexpected. | tags: smut

Tarot -  relationships: ivar x reader, hvitserk & reader | summary: Your day at the fair has been pretty slow – until a client like no other shows up. | tags: fluff

Imagines

How the Vikings would react to an accidental time traveler and a quiz to see if you’d survive: https://uquiz.com/dVXpgW

Ragnarssons (+Gyda): First Kiss

Social Media 

How the Vikings would react to guns and snapchat filters 

How the Vikings would react to modern dancing 

How the Vikings would react to modern music, and what they’d like

How the Vikings would react to modern concepts of astronomy and space 

How the Vikings react to modern haircare 

Vikings and Astrology

How Vikings would react to THEM timetraveling

Vikings + getting sick 

Vikings + Halloween 

Vikings + realizing you’re pregnant

Vikings characters + how they'd react to finding Accidental Time Traveler crying somewhere and not knowing why 

Vikings + you on your period  (+ more hcs about Ivar)

Vikings + Legos

Vikings + reader being much less stressed in their time

Vikings + single mother

Vikings + Gender Neutral Thor

Vikings + modern food

Vikings + touch avoidant cuddler

Vikings + Kids

Vikings + their history

Ragnarssons + being possesive

Vikings + Maleficent/Fae!reader

Vikings + curls and afros

Vikings + sleeping habits

Vikings + contortionist/super flexible reader

Vikings as modern!uni students

Vikings + affectionate drunk!reader

timetraveling!Vikings + modern tv/movies

Vikings + gen z slang

Vikings + curly haired kids

timetraveling!Vikings + Christmas

Vikings + eras other than their own

Vikings + ivar being remembered/famous

[naughtyneganjdm]

Good Luck Charm - Chapter 35

Summary: Negan tries to come to terms with the fact that Y/N is alive. Part of him still believes that he is having a hard time understanding reality, but after talking about his children he comes to a decision that he thinks we will be best for his family.

Characters: Negan, Y/N/reader (OC), Evie, Nathan, Judith, Gabriel, etc.

Warnings: Swearing, Angst, etc.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/39423063/chapters/146636404

Notes: I've had this ready for weeks, I just forgot to put it up. Thanks again to those that still take the time to read this! It will be over soon.

“You’ve been quiet,” Y/N whispered, her fingers drawing circles over the center of Negan’s chest while she played with the dark curls of hair that were there. “That’s not normal for you. I could say things have changed, but considering how you wouldn’t shut up when you first got here, I’d say that you being quiet is a bad thing.”  

“It’s not a bad thing, it’s just…I’m starting to wonder if I’m dead now,” Negan inhaled sharply having her lift her head up from his chest to give him a disappointed look. Especially since he had already told her that he thought she was real. “I know I said I thought you were real and I still do. Mostly. It’s just…this is fucked up Y/N. After I thought you died, this has all just been too perfect. You have to understand why my brain is having a hard time. Especially after all the shit I went through.”

“I don’t think this would be my definition of perfect,” she retorted, lifting her head enough to look around The Sanctuary. Holding her hand out, it had Negan looking at the area around them and she wasn’t wrong. This was a shithole. And they were laying in the one part that she managed to clean up a small amount. Lowering her head back down onto his shoulder, she outstretched her hand and allowed her fingertips to sweep over Negan’s neck where the scar was left from Rick cutting his throat. It had him inhaling sharply and his eyes came to a tight close. “More so a case of just being lucky. Both of our stories seem a little like they are bullshit.”

“How so?” Negan grunted, his eyes opening again when her fingers dragged down over the center of his chest. “Mine is completely honest. Yours is the one that sounds like an extravagant thriller film. And you being a little mini super soldier now…?”

“So most people get their jugulars cut and live?” Y/N reminded him of what he had told her about what happened to him and he huffed. “Especially in this day in age? My story seems farfetched, but so does yours. And yet…” she took her time to think things out. “They are both real.”

“Fucking touché. I’m just saying. It’s crazy to think that the one day I sneak out of Alexandria to try and see if there something more for our children I get here and I find you,” Negan stressed, his Adam’s apple bouncing with his voice raspier than normal. “I can’t be that lucky.”

“It’s one day of luck for you,” she reminded him, pushing up to balance her weight so she could look down at him. “For me, it’s been months. I would stay here for days on end, go back to the farm to get supplies and then come back. Just hoping that I would find something that would lead me back to you and the children. So it may be the perfect story for you, but for me, it was me being here every day getting that much closer to giving up.”

Instead of responding, Negan just frowned and swallowed down anything else that he wanted to rebuttal with because he could see that she was getting emotional about the whole thing.

“Perfect for me would have been coming back here, going to the farm and seeing my husband there with our two children doing exactly what he promised me,” she stressed and he felt an ache at the center of his chest realizing that she was right. “Instead…”

“You come here for months and then find me with a disappointing haircut where you knock my ass unconscious,” Negan rumbled with a frown, his head dropping to the side to stare out at her with his saddened, big, hazel eyes. At first, her face scrunched up before she dropped down and buried her head against the center of his chest. Having her laughing against his flesh tickled and he let out a tense sound. “You have to understand that I still remember you asking me for help to protect yourself.”

“And it’s been almost eight years where a majority of that was spent with me training,” she pointed out with a grumble, her hand reaching for his. Hooking her fingers with his, she saw the scars over his hand and brought it closer to her so she could kiss over it. “What happened here?”

“A gun exploded in my hand,” Negan explained with a long sigh seeing her tracing over the mark with her thumb. “It’s complicated.”

“It always is with you,” she responded and it had Negan huffing out.

“What about all of your scars?” Negan curled his arm around her tighter with his fingertips brushing over the tattoo that was there to cover up the one and only scar that he actually knew the answer of.

“Battle wounds,” she was quiet in the way she responded and Negan frowned. “The one on my other shoulder is a gunshot. The ones of my face are from fights. Some cuts I got from knives…”

“And the one under your bellybutton?” Negan found himself curious, but the expression she made when she looked up at him showed him that she was uncomfortable. “Was it that bad?”

“It had to deal with the tests that they did on me,” she explained in a whisper and it had Negan reaching up to sweep his thumb in over her jawline. “It was hell getting back here Negan. It was nothing but pain and misery. So for you this might seem perfect, but for me? It feels like something I deserve after everything I’ve gone through.”

“Fair enough,” Negan stammered with his throat tensing up and he felt guilty hearing that. During his time in that cell, he thought he went through incredible amounts of suffering, but from what she told him? She went through worse. “I’m sorry.”

“I told you, I don’t really want to hear that Negan,” she reminded him, palming her hand down over the lengths of his abdomen which had him taking in a sharp breath. “I don’t want to think about my past anymore. I don’t want to be angry. I just want to be with my family again and live as much of a normal life as I possibly can.”

“Which reminds me…” Negan cleared his throat, his chest aching that he was thinking about things other than having her in his arms like this right now. “More than anything, I want to just stay like this for a while. Have you in my arms, naked and feeling more alive than I have in a very long time. But I made a promise to Evie and I know she has to be freaking out right now.”

“Okay. So what’s the plan then?” she whispered, her hand sliding down to caress in over Negan’s lower abdomen before sliding up to palm in over the side of his face drawing him to look down at her. “What are we doing? How are we getting them out of there tonight?”

“That’s the thing,” Negan started, his body tensing up when he eyed her over. “I snuck out of Alexandria after seven years. They aren’t going to be okay with me just leaving. They are going to have people out searching for me. And they will be out to kill if they see me. Not many people there care too much for my well being. After me leaving, I know they are going to be watching our children closely. I was never supposed to leave that cell. That was the plan. We can’t just show back up there and get our children. I’m not going to risk our children getting hurt and I won’t risk you getting hurt either because of these people.”

“Trust me, no one is going to be hurting me,” she stressed which had Negan grumbling to himself, curling his arm tighter around her waist to pull her closer to him. Hooking her leg over his had him sighing with her warmth surrounding him.

“Yes, I know. You’re a badass now, which turns me on incredibly fucking much. But we don’t need you slaughtering a whole town in order to get our children out of there,” Negan reasoned with her hearing her scoff. Dropping his head back, Negan looked down at her with his hazel eyes narrowing when she lifted her head up toward him. “You sound disappointed that I won’t let you slaughter a whole town in order to get our children out of there.”

There was a silence that was between the two of them and Negan shifted with a tension in his body, “We also don’t want our children to get hurt in the process.”

“Then what’s your plan, Negan?” she exhaled loudly, lowering her head back down to pepper faint kisses over the freckles that covered his shoulder that was closest to her. “How do we make this work?”

“Did you really think slaughtering a whole town was the way?” Negan was shocked that she didn’t seem to flinch at the idea of it.

“I told you, I’ve had to do…things,” she swallowed down, trying to avoid the judgement that he was undoubtedly giving her over her response to things. “The only thing that matters to me right now is being with you and the children. So whatever I have to do in order to get back to our children, I will.”

“And you really think you can take down an entire town?” Negan was curious that she truly believed in herself that much. “We can’t do that. There are innocent people in that town. And I know you, you got mad at me for doing what I did at The Sanctuary.”

“Times change Negan,” she declared with a frown, showing that they both clearly had a lot to talk about in the future. “But you’re right. Innocent people shouldn’t get hurt over a few rotten ones. So what do you think is going to work here?”

“I can only think of one way right now. And you aren’t gonna like it,” Negan stammered, his jaw clenching when her kisses over his chest came to a slow halt. “Right now, the number one thing that matters to me is our daughter. I love you so fucking much and I’m still having trouble believing this whole thing is real, but our daughter still beats herself up every day over you passing away. The whole point of leaving here was to find a place for our children. Now I know that you have the farm up and running. There is a place for our children. But most of all, I think Evie needs to know that you are alive. Nathan doesn’t even remember you Y/N. They both need their mother. They need their mother more than they need their father.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she was genuinely curious where he was headed with what he was about to say.

“I think that I should take you back to Alexandria with me. I go back in that cell. You get to be with our children. They are living in a house alone as it is. You do what you do best and you fit in. When the time is right, we get the fuck out of there,” Negan responded with a simple shrug of his shoulders and he could already tell by the expression on her face that Y/N hated it. “I really think that’s the only way at this point Y/N. It’s the only way to keep everyone safe in this situation. I don’t want to kill anyone else and I don’t want you or the children taken from me. I’ve already gone this long without you and I don’t know how much more time I have left in this world.”

“There has to be another way. You shouldn’t have to be locked up like an animal,” she reasoned with Negan hearing him sigh loudly.

“It’s the quickest way to get you back to Evie. You’ve been looking for the children every day for months. Evie has been suffering for seven years. You get to be with your family. You earn your place in that town and when they get comfortable with you, we find our way out,” Negan repeated what he said, his chest aching at the idea of having to go back to that cell after being stuck there for so long. It was just the only way everything seemed to work out. “Just don’t tell them your story because I feel like they will freak out and they might be scared of you.”

“Which part?” she frowned, pushing herself up into a seated position. Drawing his hand up the side of her body, Negan stroked his fingers around over her lower back before shrugging.

“All of it?” Negan’s nose wrinkled, biting down firmly onto his bottom lip when she smirked. “I mean, people aren’t going to understand the whole super soldier thing and that there are three towns that are ran just like they were back in the day…”

“Two now,” she corrected Negan who let out a long exhale, smiled and nodded his head slowly.

“Whatever it is, they are going to panic,” Negan suggested, pushing himself up onto his palms so that he was sitting up, his lips hovering over hers while he spoke. “And the whole being picked up by a doctor and being tested on thing might worry some people. They are going to wonder if you were or were not bit. People might want to lock you up themselves. I never told anyone what happened to you other than I lost you. Hearing you may have been bit would freak people out.”

“Does that scare you about me?” she wondered, her palm dragging down over the front of Negan’s chest toward his lower abdomen again. It had his eyes narrowing, a smirk tugging at his lips before he shrugged.

“You scare the shit outta me,” Negan rumbled, his lips faintly brushing against hers before humming. “But if you’re contagious and I’m gonna catch something by doing what we’ve done a few times today, then I’ll happily accept my outcome.”

“Solid answer,” she pat him on the chest hearing him chuckle right before she captured his lips in a kiss. Boldly flicking his tongue out against hers had her purring out. “You’re a brave man.”

“I’m a man in love that has been broken for years. It’s worth the risk,” Negan curled his arm around her waist to spin her around back onto the bed again. Starting to pepper kisses over her jawline, down her neck and further down her body had Negan humming out. “I don’t care about the details, I’m just happy that you’re here.”

Nipping at the flesh under her navel, Negan grunted out and tipped his head back to stare out at her, “So, do you agree with what I said?”

“I think there are better ways, but if that’s the only way you see this working,” she lowered her hand to sweep her thumb over Negan’s jawline. “Then I guess that’s what we will do. We just have to make a stop at the farm first.”

“For what?” Negan wondered, his face scrunching up and she rolled her eyes. “What?”

“Well, I’ve been checking in constantly with the family that lives there. I need to let them know that I’m going to be gone for a while,” she explained to Negan, her eyes narrowing out at him while she worked out what she would have to do in order to make his plan work. “They need to be able to hold down the fort while we’re gone so to speak. And prepare for when we come back. It’s going from four people to seven. You know just as much as I do there is enough space, but the guy staying there needs to know I’m not dead.”

“Good point, I guess,” Negan nipped at her hip before crawling back in over her hovering his lips over hers. “And there is nothing going on between you and this man?”

“Define nothing,” she teased him, her palms grasping firmly to the sides of Negan’s face. It had him frowning and she laughed. “You are so jealous.”

“I always have been,” Negan snorted, his nose wrinkling when he flicked his tongue out over her lips causing her to moan. “But with how eager you were to jump on my dick, I’d definitely say you haven’t had any in a while, so…”

“Way to take a romantic moment and spoil it,” she growled when she slid her fingers up over the back of his neck and frowned. “I miss your hair.”

“I guess I’m gonna have to work on letting it grow back,” Negan’s nose wrinkled, his body lowering down in over hers again stealing kiss after kiss from her lips. “No one was around to pull on it. So I kinda just did what felt good in the moment.”

“You’re still cute, I just like the hair,” she declared against his lips, palming down over the lengths of Negan’s long back. “I know you’re older…”

“We both are,” Negan corrected her, nuzzling his nose in against hers when he felt her squeezing at his naked bottom.

“I’m in better shape than you are,” she reminded him drawing an offended breath to fall from his lips. “Can you do another round and make the trip to the farm before going back to this Alexandria place. You seem kind of tired as it is.”

“One, I found a motorcycle before you whooped my ass,” Negan reached for her wrists, pushing them down firmly beside her on the bed hearing an amused laugh fall from her lips. “Two, I’m capable of more than you think and three, I have no idea when we will be able to do this again, so I’m not gonna miss up on the chance if you are offering.”

“Good boy,” she winced when his fingers squeezed firmly around her wrists, pinning her further against the bed. Once their eyes connected, she noticed the way that Negan’s expression softened and his wolfish smile faded to a saddened look. Releasing one of her wrists, Negan lowered his palm to cup her face lovingly bringing her to a lingering kiss. “What’s wrong?”

“You just have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” Negan whispered, his forehead pressing to hers when he nuzzled his nose to hers. “I should have never left you that day. That was my biggest mistake. I should have stayed by your side. We could have avoided all this pain. All this suffering…”

“You did what I asked of you,” she reminded him, but he shook his head and there was misery behind his eyes. “We don’t know if them taking me saved my life Negan. You can’t punish yourself over what you did and did not do.”

“I have been punishing myself since that day,” Negan claimed, the lines in his forehead growing. A loud exhale fell from his throat and he shook his head. “I don’t think you know how much losing you really broke me. I lost it with Lucille, but with you…?”

“I’m here,” she whispered when he let out a broken breath. Noticing that there were tears burning at his eyes made her let out a tremoring breath. Lifting up, she brought their lips together in another kiss when she realized that he was still extremely emotional over this whole thing. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”

“I’m going to worry every second because I know how much it hurt,” Negan reached for her hand to bring it to him. Faintly brushing his lips over the inside of her palm had her exhaling loudly and he shook his head. “Now that you’re here, I don’t ever want to imagine losing you again. Ever.”

----

“Wow,” Negan grumbled after bringing the motorcycle to a stop in front of where he knew that the farm he had convinced Y/N to get years ago was. It surprised him to see that the overgrown green, trees and some wood had hidden the entrance to it. “You really did hide this place.”

“A few years of overgrowth didn’t hurt,” Y/N pressed a faint kiss against Negan’s cheek, her fingers dragging across Negan’s lower abdomen when she got off the motorcycle. “So what is it that you want me to tell these people in Alexandria? I feel like our stories have to match.”

“You can be somewhat honest?” Negan suggested, curling his fingers tightly around the handlebars of the motorcycle. “Tell them that someone took you because they thought you needed help. They travelled across the country and you got stuck.”

“I feel like there has to be something more,” she scoffed, moving some of the green and disappearing under it slightly to push open an area of a manmade wall that was hiding the entrance to the farm. “They aren’t going to be okay with me just telling them I’ve been across the country for years.”

“These people have gone through a lot. I think they will believe just about anything,” Negan responded, moving the motorcycle forward when she urged him to move through the opening. Waiting for her once he got through, Negan waited for her to close things up. In that time, he looked back toward the home that he had convinced Y/N to get so long ago. A shocked breath escaped him seeing that there were crops growing, animals in the field and things looked healthy. Even the house did. “Holy shit.”

“What?” she stepped in beside Negan, dragging her hand down over the side of his face. Leaning into her touch, Negan sighed and cherished the warmth. Pressing a kiss over the center of her palm had her smiling.

“I just can’t believe how good this place looks,” Negan confessed getting off the motorcycle with a grunt. Sure, it look wore down in certain places, but who knows what happened between the time Rick attacked him and she returned. Walking the motorcycle up the long walkway with Y/N gave Negan time to look things over. “You guys really have been working nicely on it.”

“It didn’t take much to fix up. Plus, when I tell you I was prepared for the end of the world being fully stocked in the past, I mean it,” she stressed and it had Negan’s face scrunching up. Turning to him, her hand placed in over the center of his chest. Tipping up on her toes, she could tell that Negan was eyeing her over curiously and she shrugged. “What?”

“How so?” Negan breathed out which was followed by her peppering tiny kisses over his bottom lip. Happily accepting them, Negan’s hands fell to her hips while he held her close.

“Ah, that’s my secret to keep,” she tapped her fingers against his lips which made him frown. “I have my secrets. You have yours. There are some things on this land that only I know. And it will remain that way.”

“Yes ma’am,” Negan scoffed, stepping forward to playfully smack at her bottom which had her gasping and swatting away his hands. “So tell me, is your bedroom still decent enough for us to maybe share a moment before we head off?”

“Yes, my bedroom is decent enough, but it’s going to get dark soon,” she grabbed a tight hold of his hands, finding amusement in the way he pulled her in closer to him. The warmth of his breath lingered over hers and she snickered. “Plus, we’ve already done that a lot today.”

“I can’t help it, the boys get back to work and they just want to keep going,” Negan looked down between them and she playfully hit at the side of his face making him snort. “I can’t help how I feel when I’m around you.”

“Well, I’m glad I don’t completely turn you off. I thought the whole CRM thing would turn you away and some of the scars…” she was honest, her smile fading slightly. “Not many men are okay with a woman that can whip their ass.”

“Oh, I love it. I like to be dominated,” Negan insisted with an amused wink. His palms curled around her ass and it had her stepping in closer to him. “It turns me on so much? And the scars? I think it only makes you hotter. We match.”

“Smooth,” she hooked her arms around his shoulders and tipped up to meet his lips in a passionate kiss again. “But you always were.”

“Yes ma’am,” Negan rumbled hearing the sound of the front door opening drawing his eyes to lift. A little boy ran out onto the porch which had him releasing her from his grasp and pulling away from her lips with a wet sound.

“Y/N!” the little boy seemed to squee with excitement, jumping from the top step into her arms when she turned to face him. A laugh fell from her throat when she hugged the dark haired boy, who happily cuddled his head into the side of her neck. Following the boy out was a teenage girl and the man Y/N had been talking about. It had Negan stiffening up and he was uncomfortable. These were the people now living at their home. Negan’s eyes connected with the brown eyes of the stranger. The man was a little shorter than him with messy hair that went in front of his eyes. It was graying, but it matched well with his tanned flesh. This man wasn’t ugly. At all. He may have been slightly older than Negan, but looking at him made Negan uncomfortable. This was the guy that Y/N traveled with in order to find her way back? Something caught his attention when the teenage girl moved down the steps to hug Y/N as well. Something about the whole interaction made Negan uneasy. Back in Alexandria they had a teenage girl and a little boy waiting for her. These weren’t their children and they were embracing her like they were. It was strange seeing it when she hadn’t even gotten to be with their own children yet.

Y/N looked back at him and she was talking, but he was so lost in his own thoughts that he wasn’t exactly hearing her. It was probably her introducing him, but in this moment he just wanted to get Y/N back to the children. It felt wrong being here with people that he didn’t even know. In fact, he wished things would just move faster so they could leave. When the stranger held his hand up to wave at Negan, Negan mirrored the same motion and dropped his head down.

“Here we go,” Negan heard Y/N stammer when she set the little boy back down on the top step of the stairs and moved up to them to talk to the stranger. “I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m okay. We have to find a way to get our children out of a bad situation. It could take a while. Months maybe. But we’ll be back. All four of us.”

“We’ll be waiting for you,” the stranger stammered, his arm hooking loosely around the shoulders of the teenage girl that was standing beside him. The southern drawl was deep and Negan cleared his throat uneasily. Sure, he appreciated that these people helped Y/N return to him, but he didn’t know how he would handle living with a second family when they returned. “We’ll just keep doing what you taught us. Your family will have a place when you return.”

A soft tap was felt against Negan’s foot, pulling his attention away from what was happening. Looking down, he saw a ball had rolled off the porch and hit his foot. Lowering down, Negan grabbed the ball, his eyes lifting when he smirked at the sight of the little boy hiding behind the man’s legs. With a smirk, Negan kneeled down on the first step, an amused rumble falling from his throat when the little boy’s hazel eyes connected with his when his head pushed out to look at Negan. When he saw that Negan was there he swiftly went back to hiding and it made Negan laugh.

“Easton,” the man reached around him, to place his hand in over the center of the little boy’s shoulders to bring him up beside him. “He’s not gonna hurt you. This is the man that Y/N talked about.”

“Evie and Nathan’s daddy?” the boy looked up at the man that Negan had only just met and he nodded. Hearing that seemed to relax the boy when Negan outstretched his hand to hold out the ball. It took a minute for the boy to trust Negan before he stepped forward.

“Is this yours?” Negan questioned, his right eyebrow arching in curiosity and the boy nodded his head. “Easton, right?”

“Yeah,” the little boy nodded, his eyes lowering down showing how shy he was.

“I’m Negan,” Negan placed his hand in over the center of his chest giving the boy a big smile when Easton looked up at him again. Holding the ball out further, Easton looked back at the man looking for confirmation and it made Negan look to Y/N who was smirking while watching the interaction.

“You can get your ball buddy,” the thick southern accent fell from the man and Easton outstretched his hand to grab the ball from Negan. “Now say thank you.”

“Thank you,” Easton repeated, lowering the ball down at his side. There was a lot of fear in the boy’s eyes and Negan wondered if this boy had a lot of bad encounters with people making him weary of strangers.

“Do you like to play catch?” Negan tried to spark up a conversation with the boy, adjusting so he was still about the boy’s height so they could talk. Easton nodded, his eyes now locked on Negan’s. “My little boy loves to play catch. It’s one of his favorite things ever. We play all the time. He’s always trying to get someone to play with him. He loves it more than anything. Maybe when we come back, you would want to play with him.”

“I’d like that,” Easton responded with a half-smile, shifting on his feet when he looked down at the ball. “I haven’t had a lot of people to play with me.”

“Well, we’re gonna have to change that, huh?” Negan winked and it made the boy seem to relax more around him. “Do you know what soccer is? My daughter loves soccer and she’s really good at it too.” Easton shook his head when Negan slowly raised up into a standing position. “Well we’ll have to change that. She can teach you all about it when we come back.”

“That sounds fun,” the teenage girl moved in beside Easton to give his shoulder a firm squeeze.

“We need to go,” Y/N interrupted the moment, her fingers curling loosely around Negan’s arm when she got him to start backstepping with her. “It’s going to be dark soon, but I promise that we will be back. I don’t know when, but I promise.”

“You’ve never broken a promise,” the man reminded Y/N, his head tipping once when he reached down to pick up Easton to hold him close to his chest. “We’ll be here.”

They said their goodbyes and Negan walked his motorcycle back to the front with her. Looking over his shoulder, Negan watched the man interacting with the two children and he cleared his throat.

“Those are his children?” Negan gazed over the two children with the man feeling his chest aching watching them at the home he considered theirs. “They don’t really look like they are his.”

“That’s because they aren’t his,” she seemed distracted while she worked to get the door back open. It had Negan looking back over his shoulder at her and she shrugged her shoulders. “It’s complicated, but it’s the closest thing to a father that they have. They may not be blood, but they are family.”

“How so?” Negan saw the three of them heading back into the house and he huffed when she seemed irritated with him asking.

“His daughter died when the world fell to shit. He lost everything. The girl was alone, she needed saving and he saved her. They were together when I found them in Kansas City. He’s been taking care of her for a few years. He’s her dad,” Y/N threw her hand out toward where the three people Negan just met were standing previously.

“And Easton?” Negan wondered, his brow line creasing when Y/N shifted on her feet before him. “What about him?”

“He’s been with him for months,” Y/N sighed loudly, her arms folding out in front of her chest. “On the way here from Kansas City, I had to go back to Philadelphia to grab some things. I knew of places to sneak out and…in. I had to grab some things that were mine and Easton was there. He was at a military school. They were going to use him to do what they wanted. So we grabbed him too. He was far too little. He’s just seven years old…”

“I see,” Negan felt her moving forward to reach for his hands. Thinking about what she said, Negan tipped his head to the side and scoffed. “You went back to the place you were at originally? Wasn’t that dangerous?”

“No one recognized me. When I was there at first I looked…different. And I wasn’t always out in the public. They had me in these testing areas,” she stressed, her head bobbing about showing that she was uncomfortable with what she was telling him. “I kept my head down, I grabbed what I needed and we left. We came here and everything has been fine since. I just was missing my family.”

“And we can trust him?” Negan looked back toward the house again, but she grabbed his face and forced him to look at her. “I’m sorry babe, but you can’t blame me for asking.”

“Yes, I trust him with my life because he helped save my life on multiple occasions. He helped bring me here. To you,” she reminded Negan, palming in over the side of his face and having him leaning into her touch. “Can we go now?”

“Of course,” Negan sighed, lowering in to press a quick kiss over her lips before leading the motorcycle out after she pushed open the space for him. Waiting for her, Negan propped the motorcycle up and when she closed back the opening Negan grabbed a tight hold of her and kissed her repeatedly.

“Whoa,” she chuckled, a wet sound falling from between them when she tipped her head back. “What’s up?”

“I just love you, so much,” Negan swallowed down hard, his lips parting when he shook his head. “I need you to know that. I don’t know how much interaction the two of us are going to be able to have for a while so I need to get it in. You mean everything to me. And having you back here? Having you alive? It’s everything I’ve wanted, it’s a miracle.”

“Hey,” she hushed him, grabbing at the back of his hand and nodding her head. “I love you too. We’re going to make this work Negan. I promise you.”

“I hope so,” Negan frowned, nuzzling his nose in against hers. Leaving her with one final kiss, Negan went to head back to the motorcycle, but he realized that she wasn’t following him. Taking a glance back at her he could see that there was tension in her features. “Hey. What is it?”

“Do you think Evie and Nathan will be happy to see me?” she wondered, her eyes narrowing when Negan smirked and half laughed. “I’m serious Negan. It’s been a long time. You said yourself that Nathan doesn’t even know who I am. It’s scary being gone this long and away from them. I’ve missed them so much, but…”

“Evie has kept you alive through her stories to her brother,” Negan assured her, getting off the motorcycle after making sure it was safe to do so. Turning toward her, Negan reached for her hands and caressed over the back of them with his thumbs. “More than anything, I know Evie will be happy and relieved to see you. Not only did I break when you…disappeared, but so did she. You’d be very proud of her though. She’s stepped into the role of mom with Nathan. She’s the one that taught him how to talk. She’s the one that taught him to be a good boy. And she’s so fucking smart. Smarter than I ever was.”

Tears burned at her eyes when she lowered her head to watch Negan caressing over her hands in attempts to calm her, “And she draws you all the time. You, me, Lucille…”

“I look different,” she stressed and it had Negan smiling, stepping in closer to her. Lifting one hand, he swept his fingers in underneath her chin and shook his head. “Negan, I look older. You can tell I put a lot of stress on my body and I have scars…”

“You look exactly like you,” Negan hushed her, sweeping his thumb in over her bottom lip and shaking his head. “I have extra scars and I’m gray as can be right now. You are in better shape than I am. And I don’t question that.”

“I’m just afraid,” she admitted, her voice breaking as she spoke. “I want nothing more than to hold them in my arms again, but the idea that I may not be enough or that they have learned to live without me…”

“That would never happen. Those children need you, now more than ever,” Negan promised with a wink, squeezing her hand tightly in his before raising her hand up to press a loving kiss over the back of it. “I’m afraid every day. Because one day I’m worried that the love that those children have for me is going to leave. I know I’m not good enough for any of you, yet you all remain loving me. If you didn’t love something, you wouldn’t be afraid. The fear is what shows we are alive. It shows that we are passionate and we fucking love something.”

“Yeah,” she parted her lips, reaching up to wipe at her eyes with the back of her hand. “Thank you, Negan.”

“You don’t need to thank me for just stating the truth,” Negan lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers giving her one final kiss before they got back on that motorcycle together.

The ride was quiet. Lots of things were spiraling through his mind. Questions that he had thought of with Y/N. Thoughts about the family they left on the farm. How he was going to get back into Alexandria without getting shot. That last one being the most important. Especially now with having to protect Y/N.

Those fears didn’t last long though because it wasn’t long before someone was shooting at them causing Negan to lose control of the motorcycle and slide off into the ditch. An automatic fear of Y/N getting hurt made him panic when he scrambled to check if she was okay.

“I’m fine,” she waved her hand about, letting out a scoff when she pulled herself up into a seated position. Still, Negan seemed worried and she shook her head. “I’ve gone through a lot worse than that Negan.”

Hearing the sound of footsteps had Negan grunting out when he sat up straighter seeing Judith approaching, “Alright. Slow down kid. I know you said you’d shoot, but damn.”

“Whole lot of people out there looking for you. I told you that there was nothing out there for you,” Judith stressed and Negan dropped his head down to draw his thumb across his forehead.

“You sure as shit did,” Negan remembered what she had told him when he snuck out of Alexandria, but he looked back over his shoulder at Y/N who seemed uncomfortable with a child having a gun on them.

“Language! I’m a kid asshole,” Judith repeated back having Negan snort in response. Stealing another look back at Y/N, Negan shrugged his shoulders and started to get up.

“Yeah. You are. What can I say? I like to swear in front of my friends. People that know shit,” Negan stood slowly, his hand reaching out to grab a tight hold of Y/N’s hand to pull her up. “But there was something out there for me. I just don’t belong out there.”

“What do you mean?” Judith looked beyond Negan and he nodded toward Y/N.

“Do you not see her?” Negan wondered, throwing his hand up in the air and he saw the way that Judith was eyeing him over. With a grunt, he squeezed his hand tighter around Y/N’s. “Oh come on! She has to be real this time because after everything, I…”

“Negan,” Y/N interrupted him, her head shaking about when he looked to Judith with desperation flooding through his veins. More than anything he was panicked that he just made all of this up again in his head and he was batshit crazy.

“Of course I see her,” Judith shrugged her shoulders, her eyes scanning over Y/N and he let out a sound of relief. “Who is she?”

“She’s Nathan and Evie’s mother,” Negan answered, pulling Y/N in beside him and he still made sure that he was the one that was in front of the barrel of the gun that Judith was holding up.

“I thought she was dead,” Judith’s eyes gazed over at Y/N as if trying to determine if it was real.

“I told you, she went missing,” Negan stated, his fingers hooking tightly around Y/N’s to squeeze them. Glad that she was actually there and he wasn’t insane again. “I’ve gone over that story with you so many times. How I went back, she was gone…and…”

“You thought she was dead though,” Judith repeated and Negan was sad to agree with her, but she was right. “And you found her? How?”

“It’s kind of a complicated story,” Y/N answered for Negan, her body aching from the fall that it took with Negan on the motorcycle. “But you’re right about what you said. There is nothing out there for either of us. I haven’t seen my family in years and I’ve been looking for them. When they weren’t far from me this whole time.”

“I got a look at what’s out there and my family…her family, would be safer in Alexandria,” Negan thought aloud, his Adam’s apple bouncing in this throat when Judith thought over what they were saying. Carefully, Judith lowered the gun and nodded. “More than anything, Evie needs to know that her mother is alive.”

“I agree,” Judith nodded her head about looking between the two of them. “You’re going back to your cell, Negan.”

“I know,” Negan realized that was the only outcome that this led to, but he didn’t care if it meant returning Y/N to Evie and Nathan.

“We’re walking the rest of the way,” Judith threw her hand up pointing toward the area that Alexandria was. Keeping his fingers hooked with Y/N’s, Negan allowed Judith to lead the way knowing that she was their one way in with being safe and she was right.

Part of Negan felt guilty about this whole thing. For so long Judith had been waiting for her miracle and now one was happening, but it wasn’t her father. Hearing what they said is definitely the reason that Judith allowed them back in because the story was the same thing she wanted with Rick.

Once they got back to town, there were glares. Looks of confusion with Negan holding onto some stranger’s hand. There would be a lot of explaining. Negan knew that. He wished they would have planned it out a little better than they did, but all he could think about was Evie.

“Daddy,” Evie’s voice called out, drawing Negan’s fingers to loosen from Y/N’s hand. In the distance Negan could see that Evie was running out toward him. Almost instinctively he ran to her and allowed her to run into his arms. With how tightly she was holding onto him, he knew that Evie thought she was never going to see him again. “After you left, I got scared and…”

“It’s okay,” Negan whispered, pressing a loving kiss over her forehead hearing her crying against the center of his chest. A moment later, Negan felt another strength of a grasp wrapping around his lower half. Leaning back, he wrapped his arm around Nathan who had obviously seen Evie run off and he came as well too. This was the first time that Nathan had really been able to hug him the way that he was meant to be hugged. There were tears in Negan’s eyes. He wanted this moment, but this moment was not about him. “Evie…”

Gazing back over his shoulder, Negan saw that Y/N was standing there frozen. Tears were in her eyes and she looked like she was trembling at the sight of her family there.

“Evie,” Negan said her name once more, his hand reaching up to palm in over the side of her face. “There is something I found. Something that you need to see.”

Confusion filled her eyes when Negan pulled away from the both of them, side stepping to allowing Evie to get a look at what was there. Evie’s face went white. Her hazel eyes growing wide when she looked to Negan as if for confirmation that she was actually there. With a single nod, Negan watched as Evie stumbled forward toward Y/N.

“Mom?” she breathed out, a whimper falling from her throat. Nodding, Y/N let out a cry herself seeing how big Evie had gotten. How much she had truly missed in the years that she was gone.

“It’s me baby,” Y/N finally spoke and that was all it took. Evie fell into her arms and both of them lowered to the ground. There were no hiding the sobs that were coming from both of them while they hugged. “I’m here.”

“I don’t understand,” Evie brought her head back, her fingers tremoring when she traced over the scar that was left on her mother’s chin. “We thought you were dead. You were gone for so long and…no one could find you. Dad and I searched the farm, but…”

“It’s a long story where I ended up very far away,” Y/N described what happened in a very shortened way, her fingers brushing through her daughter’s dark hair while she tried to comfort her. “But I fought to make it back to all of you and your dad found me.”

“More like she found me,” Negan offered up with a whimpering breath himself, his arm hooking loosely around Nathan’s shoulders while they stood together. “Your mom is the impressive one in this story. Not me.”

“I am so sorry,” Evie apologized, her hand reaching up to curl around Y/N’s wrist. “I’ve thought about the way I was for so long. I didn’t understand things and I was so mean. I should have been telling you that I loved you every day because I know that you were doing everything that you could to take care of me. To take care of us. I love you mom. So much. When you were gone, I just…”

“No,” Y/N didn’t want Evie punishing herself anymore about things. “I’m here now. You don’t need to worry about then because there was one thing that always kept me strong and fighting. That was you Evie. You and your brother. So please, don’t beat yourself up over what happened. You couldn’t control what happened. No one could.”

Dropping her head forward, Evie cried against the side of Y/N’s neck and Y/N stroked her fingers over Evie’s shoulders to comfort her. Looking to Negan, Y/N almost didn’t know how to respond to this because it was overwhelming and very emotional.

“Dad?” Nathan’s voice was quiet, his eyes raising to look for his father for confirmation in things. “That’s her? That’s mom.”

“That’s your mom,” Negan bit down on his bottom lip with Nathan slowly stepping forward. When Y/N saw him, she lifted her free hand to motion him close. Uneasily, she touched the side of Nathan’s face and smiled.

“Look at my beautiful boy. You look so much like your father,” Y/N commented which drew Nathan in for her to be able to hug both of them. “My beautiful boy and my beautiful daughter.”

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” a voice muttered from behind Negan when he looked over his shoulder to see that Gabriel was standing behind him.

Without saying anything, Negan nodded and moved toward his family. He knew that he wouldn’t have a long time with them, but he lowered down to wrap his arms around them supportively in his grasp. This was everything he dreamt of and he couldn’t believe it was happening. The only problem was? He knew that he wasn’t going to be part of this equation much longer and that broke his heart.  

----

Tags: @slutlanna976 @fuckthis-and-fuckthat @jennydehavilland @felicity291 @ibelongtonegan

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[youmakethelight]

This is my truth tbh. Angela Kang babes why don't you and Melissa ride off into the sunset and leave all these men behind.

Literally just give me carol doing literally anything BUT being a side prop to daryl/darren's man pain.

Solo carol, carol & OC, carol & zeke (sue me - their divorced dynamic is cute and wholesome af), carol & fucking eugene idc, carol & lydia (not even joking that is a MISSED opportunity), carol & ash (obviously), carol & hallucination alpha (we don't talk enough about the explosive chemistry between samantha morton and melissa mcbride we really don't), carol & kelly, CAROL & CONNIE (actually this is a sick idea why didn't they do THIS??!), carol & maggie, carol & michonne (ok I know michonne has a fam, but if she can disappear for years to go find rick, she can go away with carol to talk through all that child loss bonding - also the plot could just be the same as dead city where they're looking for a kidnapped Judith* & RJ - and rick is just busy with smth else whatever, maybe he can make brief appearances - or he can be there too, but no cockblocking our girls pls), hang on hang on CAROL & JUDITH.

*I'm still processing the moment Judith recognised carol and said to her that her hair got REALLY long and carol said it DID, it was so cute and I may never recover, I fear.

No but actually Carol and Judith would be the BEST spin off idea. There is SO MUCH to explore there. Like rick destroying carol's self confidence in one fell swoop by banishing her from the prison bc he fears her being around while JUDITH is there (even though everything she did and does was to protect her and the other children and people she loved). The fact that Judith was present for Lizzie and Mika and the main reason they actually had to act on it the way they did. Just obviously the fact that Carol and Beth were the two who nurtured Judith the most as a baby. The fact that Carol knew and was friends with Lori and bonded with her over their children and while she was pregnant. The fact that Carol knew Carl, and that Sophia was friends with Carl, and that Sophia's death had a major impact on Carl. The shared trauma of lost children that Michonne and Carol share and thus she can help Judith understand her mum better. I could go on.

And they could take Dog with them. Like Daryl clearly doesn't care about him anymore, but he'd be a cute sort of proxy for Daryl and a reminder of home while they're spin-offing together.

Nah, I'm not done with this idea.

[selfishpresley]

Masterlist!

Works In Progress: 21 (1 is a twilight fic)

Completed Works: 11 (and i'm proud of that, ok?)

All are on AO3, linked below!

updated as of: 10.26.24

Fem!Checo series — (Sergia 'Checo' Pérez)

Checo x Carola x Max [7 stories within]

Sergia "Checo" Pérez hates the media, loves her wife, and loves/hates her team.

In the darkness, hearts aglow — (Rosalía 'Manu' Marroquín - Rally Driver)

Charles Leclerc x woc!oc, Carlos Sainz x woc!oc

Her career started like this. Her first taste of the road started like that. If she had to choose a moment where her career began. It was under her father’s eye. ___________ Charles wasn't particularly religious. Not like his grandmother, but he could see the appeal when he saw the intense eyes of a young rally driver carving her name into motorsports history.

The Points That Matter — (Challengers!AU)

Checo Pérez x black!Reader x Max Verstappen

She knew in that final set that they understood. When neither boy would relent. When they asked her again after everything. She would admit, "It's like a dance. An intimate dance." An allegory to sex maybe. "You could never feel closer to a person until you're across from them."

Chestappen X Reader/OFC (left as reader but I have been referring to her as Tashi!Reader in my head)

venus as a boy — (sugar baby!Checo)

Checo Pérez x Max Verstappen

Sergio Pérez lives his life as a college student and a sugar baby that tries to cope with the fact that he can't race anymore for reasons known. With many past loves and potential sugar daddies, it's up to him to find his own footing in his life. Main: Chestappen, side checo x multi, minor Glance

like out of a film series -- (Cléo Sélène- fem!woc!OC)

Max Verstappen x woc!OC

French Opera-

As an assistant to Mexico's son, Formula 1 driver, Sergio 'Checo' Perez; Cléo navigates her own debut into the world of motorsports. All while falling for handsome man-whore drivers, gentle Spanish princes, and a very irritating Dutch a-hole. Contains: minor Charles x OC, and beginnings of Carlos x OC. Sequel is Baroque Opera.

Carlos Sainz x woc!OC

Baroque Opera-

In the wake of a devastating heartbreak at the hands of a Dutch manchild, Cléo finds herself falling for a Spanish driver this time. A man that seemed she was always meant to meet. As Checo's assistant and public relations secretary, she tries her hardest to hold onto her sanity and heart as Carlos tries to prove to her that she deserves to be loved. Sequel to French Opera.

Charles Leclerc x woc!OC

Un hombre busca una mujer.

Charles AU of French Opera continued from Chapter 18.

Mark Mateschitz x woc!OC

Empress

Cléo met Mark at the end of May. She, like everyone else, thought that Mark was working with the owner of the team. When she realizes that he's the heir of a very lucrative corporation, she'll have to navigate the media (for herself for once), the people around her, and her own shortcomings. An AU of French Opera.

The Spy Who Loved Me -- (Judith - spy!OC)

Sergio 'Checo' Pérez x spy!OC

Heaven or Las Vegas

He didn’t think it was stress when he spied a young woman dropping a small pill into a man's whiskey. And it definitely wasn’t stress when the man collapsed later that night clutching his chest. It was the first time that Sergio had seen someone die in front of him. And it was the first time that he saw the face of the killer.

Cuando Calienta El Sol/Hentai/Desafió

As Sergio has finished the season, he still kept on with his routine. Adamant that he build up strength, he forgot about the muscles that came with it. He gets to find out how much his partner appreciates the change in physique on their vacation. Can be a standalone but it was made with my spy x racer fic Heaven or Las Vegas.

Canned Heat -- (Omegaverse)

Carlos Sainz x woc!OC (Cléo Sélène)

Like a Tattoo by Sade 

Being a romantic was hard. Being an omega was hard, too. Both would be stupid. Finding her mate while she was craving donuts was stupid and lucky.

Lance Stroll x woc!OC (Beatrice Jones)

Le Temps D'amour

Lance Stroll already made his peace with never finding his mate. As he fell for the charming beta that presented for a sports network that he found himself watching more and more. Until her already lemonade-y scent shifted and everything fell into place.

Brooklyn Baby, Chelsea Girl -- Sugar Baby!reader or OC.

Susie Wolff x reader, Jenson Button x reader, Mark Webber x reader, Susie x Toto x Reader, multiple pairings.

Brooklyn Baby

A sugar baby gets involved with Australian driver, Mark Webber and gets caught up in his life as his dear friend and companion. She also cannot stop thinking about the older blonde woman that looks at her with hatred and disgust in her eyes because of her profession. Could be read as a Reader x Character due to the main character going unnamed. (Though this is a plot device on my end.) Includes Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Räikkönen, Sergio Pérez, Lewis Hamilton, Vicky Piria, Nico Rosberg in the pairings.

[beefy-the-stronk]

I gave into my demons and created a freaking ship child oc for Pepperman and Vigilante. (I call her child but she's like, in her 20s in these btw lol)

Anyways, meet Judith Joan Atemesia Constantine Athena Sistine Chapel Lante Pepperman, or just simply, Jude.

Jude is an orange Bell Pepper with a slightly cheesy texture. She's also a blacksmith, with a huge passion for weapons and cutlery (which are basically the same thing in the PT universe lol).

Her personality is that while she may have a serious case 'resting bitch face', she's actually a lot more pleasant and kind than she looks.

She's got a chill-bartender-lady-vibe, where she's tell you a wild fucking story and cackle with a wheeze. But- she'll only talk if you approach her, which people rarely do outside work sadly. That being said, she totally can still royally kick arse if provoked.

Also a bonus: Pepperdad and Peepaw doodles 🥺

Pepperman and Vigi were very protective of the baby when she was just a blossum/sprout. I like to think despite normal mishaps, I feel they'd be good parents ><

Don't ask how they made her I don't even 100% know myself lmao

[rhythm-catsandwine]

Thanks for the tag @peppermint-candy

Last song: Judith - APC

Favorite color: Black

Currently watching: Young Sheldon

Sweet/savory/spicy: Spicy

Relationship status: Painfully Single

Current Obsesion: Jurrasic Park, Camp Cretaceous. ( I may write a Fanfic of Adam Jones x OC/self-insert watching Camp Cretaceous)

Last Thing Googled: Chaos Theory release date. (sequel to Camp Cretaceous.)

Tagging: @ride-the-hammett @godspeedjuneblackemperor @ledbythreads @brownskinsugarplum76 Only if you want too. (If you want me to stop tagging me I will just tell me)

[skyeslittlecorner]

Draw list

Time for first update! It's the first day and we already have some applications oh god ahhhhh i'm so excited!! you have no idea

I'm reading all your ideas, and I'm impressed... but this confirms only one thing. Good thing we're doing a drawing because I wouldn't be able to choose at all lmao you're so inspiring!

I saw that I didn't express myself clearly and that may have caused some confusion. One post is enough, don't worry, just tag it well. Is this a reblog or is it your own post. Give me some time too, because I usually only have time for Tumblr after work. If I still don't tag you here after about 24 hours, you can tag me again or catch me in comments or in DM. Also, so far all the applications are very clear. But if I have any questions, I will definitely write to you.

Also, to make sure that I noticed all MC and OC's - I am publishing the list of participants in this post. It will be updated on an ongoing basis. Positions completely random.

@angelzone - Abbadon

@ankiebitez - Judith

@vilaenor - Erathyel

@axel-silverly - Aglas

@littlestardescendants - Mirjami

@rharsh1213 - Relshie

@tobypass - Tino

@123-456-789-1011-12 - Roman

@tokiyumejo - Chaerin

@hakugin0 - Jin

@ryu21800 - Shiro

@sweeteaacakes - Hannah

@ijustneedtoreadfreely - Heewon

@notquitebunnie - Bunnie

@shianarou - Kuro

@dxphnee - Avariel

@bottledupdreams - Gressil

@de1-os - Asher

[sotwk]

Hi!

OC Matchmaker with my latest OC.

Her name is Faelivrin—everybody calls her Fae—and she's the third child and second daughter of Faramir (his second biological child). Her older siblings are Elboron and Elenna "Enna" (my main OC in my current WIP "The Lady of Ithilien"). As Éowyn died giving birth to Elboron, Faelivrin is the daughter of Finduilas of Lamedon (my OC, youngest daughter of Angbor the Fearless). Theirs is an arranged marriage Faramir accepts because of *things that happen* and for Finduilas is basically a gift from the Valar since she's pushing 30 and still unmarried (it is my headcanon that Gondorians marry VERY young and all of her older sisters are already married with children while she's still a maid at 28/29).

Facts about Faelivrin "Fae":

• She absolutely adores her older sister Enna. The feeling is mutual and Enna, despite her many issues and things she has to deal with, tries her best to be a good sister. She and her mother try to raise her as a proper lady and Enna will be an extremely hands-on sister as far etiquette and protocol are concerned. Though they won't see much of one another because of *things that happen* (if you want spoilers, you're very welcome to text me privately, but I don't want to spoil the story for those who are interested and may have not read the chapters that I've already posted), they'll remain very close throughout their lives. Fae also worships Elboron who's of course very protective of her and jokingly disapproves of all her suitors.

• She's Faramir's little baby and he worships the ground she walks on and their bond gets stronger as time goes by. As Enna falls out with basically almost her entire family, Fae becomes his only comfort. She's his baby, his happy place and his sunshine. She loves it when he reads to her and she'll become one of few reasons he still keeps going after some of his grandchildren, his son-in-law (Eönwë, Enna's husband. Yes, the Herald of Manwë. There's a Middle-earth Maiarin/Noldorin invasion in the Fourth Age basically) and *possibly* some of his grandchildren by Enna die (courtesy of a Maia with a fascination for smithing and jewelry).

• She loves singing (Enna taught her) and one of her favorite songs to hum is the lullaby Enna used to sing to her. She's also very good at drawing and sewing. Also, similarly to her beloved older sister, she's a historian and would read every book ever written by anyone. She's a decent dancer too.

• She's tall with dark hair and blue/gray eyes (not much else to add about that. She probably has a birthmark somewhere)

• She wears a pearl necklace with the initials of her siblings. She loves pearls.

That's her teenage/early adult version (she looks particularly young. Actress: Isla Merrick-Lawless)

I'm not including an adult version because, although I have a vague idea of how she might look like, I'm still unsure. I was thinking of Jennie Jacques (Princess/Queen Judith in the show "Vikings" but I'm not 100% convinced yet. I'll keep her as an option and I'm still on the lookout for someone else. It should be someone who wears a lot of pearls 🤣)

That's all for now! Thank you!

Oooh! It's tricky to find a match for a young Fourth Age character, since most canon characters even named or mentioned past the War of the Ring have sparse details written about them (but you know all this, since you write mostly for the Fourth Age!). Only my Éomer fic is set post RotK, but as it happens I do have an "obscure canon" that I would like to propose for a match!

The SotWK Matchmaking Machine pairs Faelivrin with:

HALETH, Son of Háma!

In the SotWK AU, Haleth (movie character) not only survives the Battle of Helm's Deep, but he also becomes the squire of Éomer King himself! His career as a Rider only continues to rise from there, as he earns himself plenty of honor on the battlefield. Taking after his father, Haleth is brave and kind, and fiercely loyal to Rohan.

It would take quite a bit of charm for someone not from Rohan to win this Rohan loyalist's heart, but Fae has beauty and grace, so who knows? I think the bigger issue would be whether her family would allow her to love a "lowly" rough-around-the-edges cowboy from Rohan--even if he does become one of Éomer king's most trusted and formidable soldiers.

(Note: This picture of Haleth is of Callum Gittens, the very same actor who played him in the Two Towers movie! He grew up WELL didn't he??)

Thank you for trusting me to match up your OC! :)

This OC Matchmaking game is part of SotWK's Summer Campfire Sleepover 2024. (Requests accepted only on July 11-15, 2024.)

[anamoon63]

List 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to 10 simblrs whose sims you adore ♥♥♥

I'm answering this with Dustin Shen, Robin's best friend in my Time Traveler story. Dust was born in game, but I still consider him my OC, one of my favorites, in fact. 😊❤️

1) Dustin's last name comes from his grandfather Lei Shen, whom his grandmother Sienna Langerak met on one of her trips to Shang Simla, and of course from his father, Dylan Shen. Although Dustin comes from a family of redheads on his paternal grandmother's side (the Langeraks), he's a blond like his mother, Karen Helgason.

2) Dustin's traits are Genius, Family Oriented, Proper, Lucky and Couch Potato. These are all a perfect combination of Dustin's personality, except that he doesn't really act like a couch potato, lol, in fact he's very active and sociable. Okay, he may be a bit of a couch potato when he plays video games, but in truth, he's more of a 'computer chair potato'. 😄

3) He has 5 celebrity points, perhaps because of the fame of his father, grandmother and grandfather, (a time traveler, a famous explorer and a superstar athlete, respectively). Actually, even though Dustin may look like a nerd at first glance, he could well have pursued fame, since his Lifetime Wish is Vocal Legend. But while he didn't pursue a singing career, he does play the guitar, the laser harp (rhythm a-con), and is very good at karaoke; in fact, he could easily have succeeded in a singing career, had he not been blinded by science. 😎

4) Despite being a genius, Dustin did not finish college, he dropped out of a career in Technology almost as soon as he started it, partly out of solidarity with his sister Juliette, who had to leave Uni when she found out she was pregnant; and partly because, in reality, Dust is too restless to sit and study in a classroom, he prefers to be self-taught and almost everything he knows about science, technology and music, he has learned on his own.

5) Finally, something that is not openly mentioned in the story, is Dustin's 'platonic crush' on Robin, something he will never admit to, and which he defines as just a 'great admiration'. He would never cross the line with his loyal friend, first, because Dust is very much in love with his girlfriend Judith, and second, because he knows Robin is the love of his sister Juliette's life. Fun fact: Judith sometimes jokes with Dustin about being jealous of Robin, the truth is she understands his attraction and has learned to live with his secret 'admiration' and exaggerated loyalty to their mutual friend from the future. ❤️

Thank you so much @dandylion240 for the ask! 🤗💗

[zestyaahbutler]

So I may or may not be a fan of @hellogreyeyedathena's oc Judith

[tigerr-cherry]

HELLO WAITER WAITER SOME CREAM RAMBLE AND ART PLEASE

Evil and fucked up i didn't see the post for fit suggestion

May i suggest something along these lines

I have 0 idea what style Cream would b about so yeahg

Cherry Im shaking yiuy

EVIL AND FUCKED UP INDEED !

Jfgjdsg sorry I took so long 2 answers. I wasn't sure how much info I should spill, so I rewrote this like 6 times. each time a different part of the story lol

¡ info dump !

So! First thing about Cream is that they're a demon! Well, technically part demon. Cream comes from a long family history of demon blood. On their mother's side, it's rumored that the family made a deal with the devil for power and riches but for whatever reason they never uphold the deal and was cursed with supernatural ability that will never give them peace. Basically, they're kinda like mediums.

On their father's, rumored to blessed with the blood of angels. Noble and holy people who lead with strength and wisdom. They’re basically like royalty. But plot twist! Both sides of the family r from demons ! A lot happens (trauma) in their childhood and early life, but I won't get to that

Where the story starts is when Cream is being dragged up from 'hell' after just successfully taking over the throne . She was just betrayed by one of their allies, which she had suspected but underestimated how hard they were gonna hit. Being dragged up to the moral realm means death to demons, but since Cream is part human, it won't kill her because she has a physical form.

Anyways, where Cream was pulled up from was in Judith's late grandma's backyard, who watched the whole thing. Obviously scared shitless she starts freaking out.

Cream needs energy to get back to 'hell' so they take control of the situation and convince judith that they're just an injured poor soul that just wants to go home :(

Judith unfortunately believes them bc she understand how it feels. Cream can easily read Judith right off the bat. Judith is deeply insecure, low self-esteem, and just wants to belong, plus ! She's grieving over her presume to be dead grandma. Cream takes advantage of her vulnerability and tells judith whatever she wanna hear to slowly consume her energy (which will eventually kill her). Girl falls in love with them bc who wouldn't?

This is the part of the story where I'm deciding how cruel Cream will be for her own desires . Is this all just an act to get what they want and secretly actually care about Judith in their weird way? Or does cream simple not gaf ?

Uhhh fun facts!

• Cream goes by they/she/it . No longer really sees themselves as a person more of a thing. No labels on sexuality bc Cream will go for anyone they think is fun

• Cream has Anophthalmia, which is when the eye is didn’t develop . They also happen to get a scar over that eye in a bar fight lol

• favorite bands are MARINA and Studio Killers

• dosen't like wearing clothes lmao they kinda feel like they're above that so Judith has to convince them to wear at least a shirt. It's a good day if she can get Cream to wear a dress at least

• hasn't been it the mortal realm since the 16th century, so it has been a difficult adjustment for them

• when the story takes place, Cream unknowingly has a great (x20) granddaughter roaming around. It doesn't have any importance to the story, tho

•Cream isn't its real name

Here's some songs that fit w the characters' theme/ vibe

•how Cream sees itself

•how Cream sees their relationship with Judith

• how Judith sees Cream

•basically a general view of their relationship

Uhh art next ! Sorry

Old art I have of cream back when they were an Arcana oc. Oh, how much they've changed 🤧(this is from I was like 17-18. I had a LOT more, but I've lost a major of it)

[foxys-fantasy-tales]

Aka and Toshi - OC Kiss Excerpt

Word Count: 2.1k TW: Lost in snow. Minimal blood.

“Toshi!” Aka’s voice echoed through the mountains. Snowblinded and weary, she pushed through the drift up to her knees and clutched the extra scarf Judith had given her. The thick cloth was taken from her neck and wrapped around her hands. They were losing feeling, and she couldn’t have that. If Toshi was found, he was likely injured from that fall. Hours had passed since the unexpected skirmish knocked him off the cliff. The others all had to rest and warm their bodies, but she was more resilient to fatigue and cold than most. Even so, the night was so much worse than daylight had been. Aka cursed under her breath and stretched out her wings. Snow cascaded off them in a thin sheet and ice that had formed underneath crackled and ripped tiny cuts across the surface. Thanks to the same chill plaguing her, the injuries were mostly numb. She shook herself and trudged onward with the wind singing across snow to accompany her. After she’d lost track of time altogether, Aka finally spotted a difference of color on the horizon. Plumes of black were stark against the white shining under the moon and stars, illuminating the path well even through the gusts and thick precipitation. Course charted, she began to move faster, for where there was smoke there must be a fire, and hopefully Toshi would be there. It was hard to imagine anyone other than them would have veered so far off the path above. If the snow died down, then she could fly them out, given the appendages didn’t freeze off. Her heritage may keep her warmer than most internally, but her wings were thin and therefore more susceptible by far. 

Next trek through the snow she would get someone to make a sort of glove for them, if the cost was within means. One she arrived at the source, a narrow cave stretched out before her. With who knew how much dark still behind it, a fire was lit some ways in. Hunched over the fire was a man, or at least seemed so, though only a bit of black hair and a hand waving some paper around were outside the black blanket wrapped around him. The haircolor reignited her hope. 

“Toshi?” The head lifted and he nearly dropped the paper into the flames before snatching it out of the air. “Aka? What are you doing here? It’s fucking freezing and we’re half down the- Get inside!” Every muscle relaxed and her legs would have given out from under her if he hadn’t made such a reasonable demand. Each step further into the cave yielded more warmth, though it never reached anything like the temperatures she was accustomed to, at least he wouldn’t freeze to death. The smoke was a bit much, which made her see the reason for the fan. The smoke was able to crawl out of the cave’s mouth somewhat, but he’d also tied some ripped fabric from his spare clothes into a mask over his mouth. More of the red and white garment was tight around his leg, though it was far more red than she recalled. 

“You’re hurt.” The words left her mouth involuntarily and on a breath that emptied her chest and left it hollow. It was then her legs chose to give, but her hands reached toward the wound before stopping short. 

Healing wasn’t her talent anymore. No one had relied on her for healing for centuries, so the knowledge waned and became sword skills and footwork to challenge the very person she wanted to help now. Her wings jumped up and the gust made the fire flicker when Toshi knocked on the blood bandage over his calf. “It’s fine. I just couldn’t get back in a snowstorm with it, so I holed up in here. My luck seems to be turning about, doesn’t it?” “I wouldn’t call getting knocked off a mountain path lucky.” “Maybe not, but I’d be a handsome icicle if I hadn’t found this cave. That, and I had those books in my bag, so something to burn. I’ll have to ask everyone’s forgiveness when we get back.” 

His chuckle hardly fit the situation, but it did ease her nerves. It had always done that. Back in those days when they were together, had he meant the laughter if not the love? While she was lost for words and adjusted herself to sit by the flames, Toshi was staring at her slackjaw. 

“What is it?” Aka asked. “Your wings… Did you fly here?” “Have you lost your mind? I managed to glide down in small bursts, but wind and ice such as this would be incredibly dangerous to try to fly in, even if my wings could stand it.” “So you searched for me on foot? All this time?” The smile on his face made her drag her tail into her lap and curl up with it nearer to the heat. The smoke didn’t affect her as badly as it did him, and moving in made him cough and her jerk to one palm on the ground. “Easy, easy. I’m just going to help a little.” “Help what?” She bared her teeth and her tail raised as a crystal spiked weapon. When he touched her she gasped and her hand went to her rapier’s hilt, yet his hand was gentle and smoothed something across her wing. A tingling sensation, long forgotten but familiar, let her relax. No one would put medicinal ointment on someone they planned to attack. 

How many nights now had she watched over him since they left Galavarn? Always in his room. Always awake whilst he rested. She stood guard against with her sword in hand, and yet he would fall asleep each night all too easily.  “There. Should help that heal. Can’t fly out of here when it calms down if you're unable to get in the sky.”

“These cuts hardly would have prevented me from taking off, even with your weight in tow.”

He shrugged and put the canister back in his bag. It looked much lighter than it had that morning when they set off from camp. The front had collapsed inward and nothing but a few pages remained in a single text to his left. As the fire dwindled, he tossed the pages and binding in altogether. Aka wrapped her arms around herself. The fire wouldn’t last the night.

“How long until it burns out?”

“An hour or so,” Toshi answered.

Not much time, especially when she looked out and knew it was much longer than that until sunrise, perhaps longer still for the storm to ease up. Her gaze drifted back to his leg as he opened a bottle of soup. For a second, he motioned as if to hold some out for her, then grimaced and took it back. Aka chuckled under her breath.

“Even if I did require that type of sustenance, I wouldn’t take something that contains my own blood. I’m adept at starving myself by now,” Aka whispered.

“Stop.”

His hair hung in his face down to his chin, at least what wasn’t long and tied up behind him, so she couldn’t see his expression even as she tried to lean for a better vantage point. He was white-knuckling his bottle of soup. That much was clear. It shook in his grip before he tossed a bunch back into his mouth at once. Uneasy silence filled the spaces between the crackles of fire until Aka cleared her throat.

“You could rest. At least as long as the fire holds, rest would be good for you and your injury. I can watch the fire.”

“I’d rather freeze to death awake.”

Her tail slapped the ground. The jolt through the ground made Toshi sit up straighter and scoff.

“What? You think I have a shot? I don’t have the blood you do.”

“Perhaps not, but the very fact you’ve needed to mix blood in with your food says you aren’t back to being fully human. Something from Yani changed you, and I for one am certain the great Varin wouldn’t have let a little snow be his undoing.”

“I’m not that guy anymore. Just Toshi here, that’s all.”

“Even so, have a little faith you’ll make it through. You set up this fire and everything!”

Aka stared at him and realized with a pink blush she’d leaned in closer to argue her point. Toshi remained still and she wondered how cold he would be once the fire died down. Wasn’t moving about a good thing to do? She’d lived in tropical climes so long there wasn’t a lick of advice that came to mind she could be sure of.

None but one. She gulped and moved around to his backside. Toshi twisted to see her, but she jabbed fingers to his jaw to turn him back around.

“Don’t make anything of this. We need you around.”

“What are you- oh.” Toshi went even more rigid as she wrapped her legs, arms, and wings around him to try and retain the heat. Ointment dried by the flames and made the whole cave smell not only of smoke, but medicine too. Joy. Aka tried to focus on that and the flicker of the flames as both went quiet.

At first, Aka thought it was just a mutual agreement to not talk about holding her sort-of ex like this, yet after a few minutes soft snores rattled under her left wing. She jerked, but he didn’t budge a bit from his slumber. He was wounded. He’d also fought so hard up on the mountain. The least she could do was let him rest. She’d play lookout again. Only this time she was on his side again. Her tail skirted the cave floor back and forth before wrapping over his legs, careful of her spines.

After the fire died, the temperature plummeted fast. The good news was that the wind didn’t carry this deep, so at least they were dry. Every breath was counted in the otherwise silent place. If they stopped, she’d have a whole other problem on her hands. Her wing moved up enough for her to peek at his resting face. Nightmares plagued him many nights she stood guard, but for hours he hadn’t made a peep or tossed about at all. Her wings were a warm and heavy blanket. The notion made her smile until she caught herself.

Even so, Toshi had been nothing but good to her since he returned. Perhaps grating at times during their bickering, but he always did his best as part of the group. He was really intending on paying them all back for saving his neck, wasn’t he? Especially the one whose blade had once rested against it time and time again.

Aka’s wings fluttered beyond her control. It’d been ages since she felt it, so long in fact, she was startled and woke him up with her sharp gasp that echoed. His eyes only opened halfway before he grinned lopsided up at her.

“Hey there. You’re pretty every morning, huh? Guess it’s easy if you don’t ever sleep.”

“I’m only-”

His hand found hers on her knee and lay over it. From the side, his face was so much more sleek. The one she recalled hours and hours at close quarters had been different. Less sleek, more gaunt. She’d admired the scar and his stories, the aged look and wisdom he offered. Adjusting to a pre-deal version he half-healed into was difficult. He was both someone who hurt her beyond anything else, and someone who could smile at her hand with sleep still blocking his vision.

“Thank you. Looks like the sun’s been up a while now. Storm looks to be dying a little. Just a bit longer,” Toshi said.

Was that an observation or a plea?

She was half-answered as he took her hand in his. Her tail raised to high alert and pointed the ending spear-point at him, but he didn’t flinch. She didn’t strike. Toshi smiled after a short stalemate and slid his grip down to only hold her fingers. Before she could tell what he was doing, a kiss was planted on the back of her hand, swift and sure. Toshi smirked at her blabbering and words failing her.

“Was hoping I’d see that version of Aka again. Take it as thanks, or an IOU if you want more later.”

Aka’s tail swatted over his good leg and he yelped.

“You can pay us back the usual way when you’re healed. Let’s get moving.”