#please please please please please please listen to Sheltering Sky all the way through

[gildedbirdcage-if]

Your fingers threaten to do so, even now, but you recall Orion telling you there’s certain things you can only do when you’re young. That things lose their innocence as you get older.

You hear Alek, but you are not doing a very good job at listening. His face is awfully close to yours, in a way that could mean something when you’re older. The way Orion warned you. The way your novels sometimes end.

I'm not sure if you take requests for snippets, but if so could we please get a flashback of Orion having these talks with MC/warning them? It sounds like it would be both cute and funny with how sheltered the MC is! I understand if it's not possible though, so please don't feel pressured :)

So sorry to answer this so late- holidays are always so busy! Snippet down below- may not be exactly how it will be in the story but it’ll be something like this. Set around when MC is 15 and Orion is 14 with a crushing Orion because I can’t help myself. TW for slight alluding to sexual harassment/abuse. Please read at your own discretion and health. MDNI

You wake with a start.

It was not a very good day- filled with glares, comments, and shoves disguised poorly as accidents. It appeared such things couldn’t help but bleed into the night as well- into your very dreams. With such things invading your room, you fear there may never be an escape from the torment. No haven from this hate.

As quickly as you think there is no where to go, you remind yourself that of course there is. You could go to the kitchens in your wing that houses Orion. Grumpy with you as he may oft be, he was still a much happier option than being alone. He would never lay a hand on you and it has seemed like ages since he’s uttered a truly hateful word to you- whether that be because he found you more agreeable these days or because he was sick of Alek in his ear, you may never know.

You fling blankets off of you, rush to the window, and fling the curtains in a similar fashion. Outside the window, the sky was pitch black and the only light to cover the world is a rather full and bright moon.

Well… even better, you think to yourself. Likely Orion still sleeps and it’s been an awful long time since you’ve had a sleepover with anyone. The poison of the day, try as it might to get you in the night, could not get you when such a wonderfully genius idea manifests itself.

You arrange the curtains back to sorts and spin away from the window, the skirt of your nightgown expanding momentarily around you as you do, and set your sights on the door to exit your room and begin to roam through the empty halls.

The halls are silent, save the thumping of your bare feet, and you are grateful for this. People would only ruin the beautiful mood you’ve put yourself in with your brilliant idea and you simply can not, will not, stand for it. It’s a shame Alek isn’t home for you to share your idea, you hadn’t had a sleepover with him in so long either. Alek and Orion’s lives seem too busy for such things any more while you… well, you just seemed to float from one day to the next. Unchanging.

Time has robbed you of sleepovers, days where you would play all day, and days where it seemed all you had was each other. Now Alek leaves home more than he stays, puts his life in danger, and has become quite set on becoming the commander of the army one day. When you are most lonely and sad, he assures you in letters that someday you’ll understand. That if he could do it all from home he would. That it hurts him to leave you so. You wish you could tell him how hollowing it can be to one day feel like you were the center of someone’s world and the next realize you aren’t. But you are being unreasonable, Orion has told you many a time, and a country does not simply protect itself.

Orion, while in no great danger, similarly is too busy to entertain you. He minds you less and less occupying a corner in his kitchens but he is lost in the flurry of the work and he has no time to listen to what kind of bug you saw and what patterns it held, the way you got stuck trying to find a good hiding place for a game that you, Alek, and Orion no longer play, or how the sparks from the fireplace cracked so loud and reached so far you scrambled away so quickly with a fit of giggles lest it set you ablaze. How heartbreaking it was to make sounds at people but they never truly hear. Orion has his dreams of being the best chef in the castle, no, the country, he tells you, and he must work his hardest each day to achieve that. No noble wouldn’t know his name.

But look at you, making your own eyes water when you have set yourself on no one ruining your mood or idea. It seems you cannot let your guard down even against your own thoughts.

You enter Orion’s domain, the kitchens his room is attached to, and it’s as you’ve always known it. Orion runs a tight ship and the only imperfect, messy piece is the corner dedicated just for you that he allows no one to touch. Projects you start but never finish decorate it and you have to pry yourself from the idea of just setting up camp right then and there for the day. Sleepover, you remind yourself.

Opening the door, you smile at how very Orion this room is- as it ought to be seeing it is his. The moon shines it’s light through his window giving you the ability to see how tidy and very grownup the room is, not even a spare sock to be seen. Very different from your own room that you couldn’t care less if everything looked prim and proper. Dark blue, his favorite color since before you met him, is found everywhere here and adds to his air of sophistication.

The only childish thing that spoils the room can be found on his desk, in bright colors that betray the somber room. Your heart awkwardly beats at the sight… they were pictures you’ve drawn just for him, poems you wrote and stories from when you figured yourself an accomplished author, lyrics you wrote that you thought rather charming. Something unnameable warmed in you as you stared at it- it was not lost on you that in Orion’s busy, tidy, controlled, and uniform life he somehow found a corner just for you and no one else to have in his two most lived in places.

Unsure if he would have wanted you to see that he still kept the things you’ve given him over the years, you turn to his bed where he sure enough is sleeping, unaware of your entering.

The brown hair he’s been growing out is splattered across his pillow and messy as he sleeps on his side, facing the window, and he cuddles a pillow tightly to himself. His scars from his occupation shine like silver in the moonlight on his arms around the pillow. While mostly covered in a blanket, you can see his bare back, also scarred, and wonder why he is allowed to wear less clothes as time marches on but you must wear more. Thankfully, Orion does not wear nothing and you can see the waistband of sleep pants.

You come across your first hurdle here… normally, you would not have any problems with simply waking him up but he seems so peaceful here, so deeply asleep with his small snores here and there, that you fear you would feel guilty getting in the way of that. You cannot lay yourself quietly at his back due to how he sleeps and his bed is not as large as yours to find a place for yourself. Maybe at one time you could but Orion has grown too tall, unfortunately.

Troubling, indeed.

Well… Orion, you, and the pillow obviously can’t fit so you become resolved to remove the offending pillow. Crawling onto his bed, you pull at the pillow until it is set free, launch it somewhere in the room, and wiggle yourself in it’s place and you are immediately warm and comfortable.

Orion, in his sleep, seems perfectly unaware that the pillow has vanished and his strong arms wrap around you quite tightly. There’s something about the hold that makes you feel feverish and makes it hard to breathe… but you feel safe, nonetheless. Bad dreams can’t afflict you here.

Getting a good look at his face, your eyes are drawn to the crease his eyebrows create. Even in sleep, Orion finds a way to somehow have a scowl about him. Inching your hands to it, you can’t help but press at it and attempt to massage it away. You used to be skeptical when Alek’s mother would say that if you had your face a certain way it would get stuck like that… but now you think she may have been telling the truth.

Orion grumbles at your attentions, stretches his legs, tightening his arms about you more somehow, and opens his eyes a smidge and looks at you. You have been caught, which really should not come as a shock to you. Really, you can’t just touch someone’s face as you are and think they wouldn’t feel it.

Staring at you bleary-eyed, Orion plucks your hand away from his brow and places it on his chest, near his heart you dare say, before closing his eyes and placing his arms back around you just so… rubbing soothingly at knots that are not there.

You have no opportunity to make anything of it before his eyes shoot back open, wide, and he gasps- untangling himself and falling to the floor with a thud that causes you to wince.

He takes the blankets with him, pulls them up to cover his chest, and says, “What in God’s name are you doing in my room?”

His tone makes you feel as though, perhaps, your idea was not as brilliant as you thought.

“I… I was having bad dreams from the day and I thought-“ you begin.

Orion cuts you off. “I’m quite certain you weren’t thinking anything. My God, did anyone see you enter here?”

He gets up then and fetches a shirt to put on while you feel like you should get up and flee. Lock yourself up in your room. Hide away from your friend’s ire.

“I was not seen, I was not heard… I’m sorry, Orion, I just… I had a bad day that became a bad night and wanted to be with someone. Have a sleepover like we used to. Remember?”

You want to add that you don’t understand his anger, it never mattered before. Why would something as small as a sleepover matter now?

Still facing away from you, you hear Orion take a very slow, very large intake of air and expel it equally as slow. You recognize it, it happens often enough. It’s the kind of breath Orion breathes when he is trying to find his patience with you. You place your hands in your lap, fiddling with your thumbs, and look down at them feeling quite chastised.

You hear him walk back to the bed and you glance at him through your lashes, more so peeking at him. Orion’s stare goes from your exposed shoulder where your nightgown has shifted to your exposed legs- the kerfuffle had set your nightgown out of sorts without you realizing. Carefully, avoiding touching your skin, he fixes your sleeve and then grabs the hem of your nightgown to pull it back over your legs. As an extra layer, he throws the blanket about you to cover you up. You didn’t think you were so chastised that you were shaking… you figure he must have thought if you were shivering that you were cold with how he was covering you.

Orion kneels on the ground in front of the bed and seems to have a hard time looking you in the eye. “I need you to understand we’re not little anymore.”

Well, that was silly. Obviously you knew that. He and Alek have become like trees in the last year or so.

“I know,” you respond, confused why he would say that.

He takes another calming breath. “No, you don’t. I need you to understand we’re not children anymore.”

That bothers you. “Yes we are. Alek’s mother still calls us children. She wouldn’t do that if we were grown up.”

He looks you in the eye now and you can tell you’re still not hearing him the way he wants you to.

“We are not children, MC, and we’re not grownups either. We’re awkwardly in the middle but I need you to understand that it still means something. You cannot… sneak into a man’s room, especially one seen as a servant, in the middle of the night in just a nightgown.”

“What else should I wear for a sleepover? This is what I’ve always worn.”

Orion runs his hands through his hair. He looks a mixture of embarrassed and frustrated and you’re not sure why.

“We can’t have sleepovers anymore, MC, and when I say that I mean that you and I can’t. You and Alek can’t. Those days are over and gone. It means something different now.”

You feel your lip quiver at the mention of your days of fun, of being around them whenever you so choose, being over. Gone.

You feel that wall you thought of earlier begin to add more bricks between you and Orion. Maybe even Alek too. This knowledge that they’re so privy to while you stay infantile to them. You are older than Orion and yet that can’t be. They move on, they run, while you seem to never be able to move on beyond a crawl.

“Don’t do that,” Orion says, sounding a little taken aback by your apparent heartbreak and hurt.

“You’re just being cruel, the way Alek says you like to be in some misguided way.” You say, sniffles finding their way into the sentence.

You can almost see him cursing Alek.

“Maybe I am being cruel but I’m doing what no one else will do and telling you the way of the world. I would give anything for this to be someone else’s job but I can’t let you be ignorant any longer. It’s dangerous now to let you continue on this way. Everyone can treat you like a baby who says a word wrong but never corrects them because they find it cute but I won’t do that to you.” Orion says with great feeling.

Deep down, you know he is not intentionally being cruel the way he was when you first met. It was unfair to accuse him of it. Orion is pulling weight in your life that he shouldn’t have to.

He sees you are listening now.

“People like you are sold to the highest bidder when they’re young and I don’t think you’ll be safe from it for forever. And even if you are… there’s people out there, evil people, who will take advantage of you not knowing… things. You need to know how it is. Between people.”

“Things lose their innocence as we get older,” Orion continues. “That’s why you can’t have sleepovers anymore or be seen with us in just a nightgown. I know, Alek knows, that you sneaking into our beds means nothing… but anyone else? Anyone who would catch you doing that would think you did mean something. That you did something. That you’re- that we- anyways, you just can’t do that, okay?”

No, it wasn’t okay and you didn’t understand.

“Okay,” you say quietly, sadly.

Orion sighs heavily, his frustration moving from you to himself. “I- I don’t think I can explain the ins and the outs to you of what I want you to know. I thought I could but it’s… awkward and embarrassing, all right? Just… know that you can’t go sleeping with- next- know that you can’t have sleepovers anymore with me or Alek. And you tell us if someone tries to get you to, okay? You don’t agree, you don’t say anything, you just run as fast as you can to me or Alek’s family.”

He moves to tip your chin to make sure you’re looking at him, that you’re still listening. All you can do is nod your head. You understand he needs you to know this is important, and you do, but you don’t understand at all. You still feel rather unfairly chastised when you don’t know what you’ve done wrong… just that you have done wrong.

Orion drops his hand like it burns and looks embarrassed still, a rarity that you can’t even enjoy because you feel so down and ashamed.

“I’ll see if I can get a book or something so you can learn. Or maybe writing it would be easier on me and then you can burn it. I don’t know. I’ll figure it out. For now, you need to go back to your room before everyone wakes up. Go back to sleep. No more coming here at night.”

You come out the the blanket cocoon and head to the door, wordlessly doing as he asks. Orion seems restless at your silence.

Before you can leave, Orion grabs the crook of your elbow and pulls you back to face him.

“I didn’t want to- I didn’t mean to- why don’t I make your favorite for breakfast? And- and we’ll play that game I hate. The one where we have to draw something and the other guesses. The one you’re so good at. I’ll even make your favorite dessert for when you win.”

It’s awkward, him being so kind. You appreciate him trying.

You give him your best smile but even you know it doesn’t reach your eyes. “Okay.”

But you don’t leave your room that day. Today you hide away in your room, door firmly locked, and stay with your books and drawings that you wear as armor against growing up. At things changing. At your friends going upwards and onwards. At all the unknowns and things you’re ignorant to.

You will face the world on another day.

On this day, you cry.

[hannieween]

the soulkeeper’s betrayal — prologue

When Jun realizes that something has gone awry in his kingdom, he has no choice but to ask for help from his estranged wife. Though not without paying a price.

› pairings: wen junhui x female reader › aus: hades jun, king jun, exes to lovers, husband jun › genres: angst, fantasy, fluff, smut (18+) [none in this part] › word count: 661 words

› 🎧: things we lost in the fire – bastille | nfwmb – hozier | end of the affair – ben howard | lover please stay – nothing but thieves | conspiracy – paramore | only – ry x | cosmic love – florence + the machine | caught up – sights & sounds, nicole dollanganger . . . listen on spotify

› this fic is part of the greek gods collab ✧

» read more

no warnings apply in this part

› prologue, the journey

The morning felt stale under a colorless sky, announcing a cold and cloudy day ahead. A soft whooshing sound preceded the breeze that swept through the forest, rustling the leaves of the timber trees.

The leaves had begun to turn a vibrant shade of yellow, the King noticed. As he gazed at the land before him, he felt the urge to bend down and pick up the leaves that had begun to blow around his feet in the wind, creating a soft, crumpled blanket on the ground. 

He paused for a moment, aware that the wind was whispering something from afar. It carried with it the distant, melodic calls of phoebes, their voices echoing through the crisp air of the morning.

Junhui tilted his head forward, allowing the cool breeze to brush and sweep between his eyelashes as he closed his eyes. With a gentle, respectful gesture, he bowed to the wind, feeling its whispers in his brown hair.

The earth would gradually grow barren and lose the sweetness of spring. This was familiar to him; he had witnessed the signs time and time again. Yet this time it carried a significant weight—it meant that you were on your way here, it meant that you were coming home for the very first time since you had met. 

With a deep, steadying breath, he straightened his neck, feeling the anticipation rising within him, he felt an exhilarating rush of energy coursing through him. Slowly, he opened his eyes to the land stretching before him. 

Paradise. Where the sunlight seems almost tangible, it rises but never reaches its zenith. Colorful waves of grass stretch far and wide, dotted with small mounds of tiny white flowers, inviting anyone to rest their head on them.

This place was beautiful. At least this side of his kingdom was tranquil and robust with color. The birds choose to seek shelter and sleep here. It is where the souls who were granted peace would grow quiet and witness the king of the lands spend his mornings.

The place reminded him of a long-lost childhood. The music from the phoebes, the cold but gentle breeze. He wanted to run, he wanted to become one with the wind and not feel anything at all.

But alas, the dread came.

“What are you doing here, Clotho?” he asked, his voice was low and raspy from not speaking to anyone in what felt like months.

“It is time. Must follow tradition,” she said with a gentle tone, but Junhui knew better. He knew she was pressing on the importance of your arrival there. One of the Fates, only doing her work, but vague as to how to be tactful. 

“I am aware of that. Thank you,” he replied, turning to face her, turning his back on the land.

Her pale face looked stricken with worry and embarrassment as she lowered her eyes to the ground. “Forgive me.”

Jun raised his gaze to the silvery sky, trying not to roll his eyes. “You have nothing to apologize for,” he said coldly. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

Clotho frowned. Those around him saw his apathy, and they took it as a sign that he was grieving his break-up with you. They were right; his heart was heavy with sorrow, even if he refused to show it. Beneath the surface, a storm of grief raged within him, slowly consuming him, even if he wore a mask of calm.

You came into his life in the most devastating way imaginable. Like a merciless wave, washing away everything that preceded you, leaving only you. Your arrival was not only abrupt, but it was like a shock that altered the course of his existence, forcing him to deal with the remains of the things you made him feel.

But then he lost you, all because of a lie. Now, as autumn slowly awakened, you were coming to him; it was time to make amends.

Only if you let him.

› author's note: heeeey (❁´◡`❁)

this is the prologue to a one shot i have planned to release on november 16th!

this is kind of a challenge for me because i never write detailed descriptions of places. i hope you like this one-shot. hehe

toodles!

support me on ko-fi? 🥹🩵

© RIGHTS RESERVED TO HANNIEWEEN I DO NOT ALLOW TRANSLATIONS, CONTINUATIONS, REIMAGINATIONS OF MY WORKS OR THEIR REPOSTING ON OTHER WEBSITES.

[chaos-bites]

⚡ Subtle Thorr Worship ⚒️

Fall asleep/meditate to the sound of rain/thunderstorms

Taking care of yourself physically

Exercising; making sure to stretch/move your body in general

Spending time with loved ones, especially any younger relatives you feel close with

Supporting human rights, abuse survivors, or homeless care organizations

Cook a warm meal for someone in need; give bottled/warm drinks to someone in need

Have a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)

Keep a picture of him in your wallet

Wear jewelry that reminds you of him

Donate food, clothes, umbrellas, raincoats, winter clothes, and general supplies to a homeless shelter

Have imagery of Mjölnir, lightning/storms, or the Helm of Awe symbol around

Have a stuffed animal goat

Participate in a protest for something you believe in

Engage in activities that you're passionate about

Eat a hardy meal, especially with meats or filling foods

Drink mead, coffee with honey, tea with honey, etc.; raise a glass to Thorr

Make a list of your personal strengths; acknowledge all that you've overcome

Ground yourself often, decompress after a tough day

Play in the rain (safely please)

Work hard on something, especially with your hands; crafting, wood-carving, building, etc.

Be kind to your fellow humans; practice compassion and generosity

Honor your ancestors; learn about your family history

Keep your space clean; make it your own

Help with household chores or errands

Support local farmers

Volunteer at a homeless shelter

Take responsibility for yourself and your actions

Be kind to retail/customer service workers; leave good tips when you can

Learn to trust yourself more; trust that you can protect yourself, listen to yourself, and have faith in yourself

Be patient with yourself, especially if you struggle physically

Hold the door for someone; offer help to anyone who seems to need it

Collect rain water (feel free to use it to water plants)

Start a garden; tend to plants, especially produce and herbs

Listen to music that empowers you; dance to it

Practice venting your anger through healthy avenues; be comfortable with any of your negative feelings/emotions

Take a walk outside with a cloudy sky or during a rainstorm (be safe with this please)

Pour a drink for someone else; pour a drink in honor of your ancestors

Stand up for yourself and others

Celebrate your accomplishments often; celebrate your loved ones, too

-

I'll add more to this later! For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Thorr. I hope this helped, and please take care, everyone! May your cups never be empty. ❤️

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

[darkshrimpemotions]

Between Harvey declaring he'd like to be a merman at DragonCon and Kayvan's new haircut and un-dyed grays making me feral, a Nandermo merman/sailor AU was just inevitable, right?

---

Guillermo is a merman who is both drawn to the air and sun but wary of humans. There's an old story in his family about a great aunt of his who was beguiled to the surface by a handsome human, who sang her sweet songs and cajoled her into staying longer than she meant to, night after night. Until one night she found she had been away from the sea too long, and could no longer return.

Guillermo has been frightened of humans ever since he first heard the story as a wee child. But the warmth of the sun is hard to ignore for long, and one day as he's basking on the surface in his favorite hidden spot he sees a small boat coming, and hides. There in the shadow of his favorite sunning rock, he watches a man tie up his boat and leap straight into the water for a swim, rather than going ashore.

The man is beautiful, all long limbs and tan skin. He laughs aloud as he surfaces, seemingly out of the sheer joy of being alive itself. The sunlight glints off the little gold hoops in his ears, the silver streaks in his hair as he moves through the water as gracefully as any merman Guillermo has known, and Guillermo is mesmerized. He finds himself returning day after day against his better judgment just to watch this beautiful human from a distance, staying until the sun sets and the man retreats into the bow of his little ship. Guillermo watches the way he navigates into and out of the tucked away little spot effortlessly, goes about his daily tasks with a smile and a spring in his step, the way he rescues a beached starfish and speaks softly to it as he does so...the way he sits on the sand with his feet in the water sometimes, staring out at the waves and looking as lonely as Guillermo sometimes feels.

He imagines sitting beside the man and speaking to him, talking to him long after the sun has set and the golden hues of day have given way to the soft blue shadows of night...though he knows he can never take that risk.

---

Nandor loves the ocean. He always has. He never feels more himself than when he's at the helm of his little boat, except for maybe that moment when he plunges into the water at the end of every day. The briny green waves close over his head, blocking out the surface world, and he for a moment he feels perfect peace.

Sailing is in his blood, he never really made a choice about it. It was simply the only option that ever made sense. And he loves it. He loves the wind in his hair, he loves the lap of the waves against the boat. He even enjoys the chatter from excited tourists when he takes them out to sight dolphins and whales, the chance to meet so many different people even briefly.

He just...well, he gets lonely sometimes.

There's one place he never feels lonely, though. One place in all the world where he always feels, strangely, as if someone is near. Watching, but not in a way that gives him the creeps or makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up. No, this unseen gaze feels like the warm interest of a friend listening to you prattle on over dinner, pleased by the simple sight of you.

It's a little cove near the lip of the bay he returns to again and again, docking there instead of at the shipyard. He enjoys the quiet, the stunning view of the open ocean, the expanse of the sky...and that sensation of friendly eyes on him, a warm presence just out of sight.

Until one day he looks out at the dying embers of the setting sun, and meets a pair of dark eyes peering back at him from the shadows of the rocks that shelter his favorite little cove.

[hd-wireless]

📻🎶 H/D WIRELESS 2024 - WEEKLY WRAP-UP #4

🎤 Can you believe we’ve had four weeks of amazing creations already? We certainly can’t! We hope you’re enjoying the works inspired by music that hit just the right tone to make them into unique drarry fics, art, and podfics.

There are enough works for us to post for one last week of glorious Drarry goodness, so buckle up for the final countdown! 🎶

As always you can listen to the prompted songs for the works we post on two playlists:

Click here for Spotify (many thanks to @evaeleanor for helping us out there) ❤️ And here for the YouTube playlist.

🎶 H/D Wireless Art 🎶

📻 The Shape I found you in [Not Rated, Digital art]

🎵 Song Prompt: 'The Shape I found you in' by 'Girlyman'  🎵 Summary: But your heart was busy within,  Building bomb shelters under your skin.  That's the shape I found you in

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic and Art 🎶

📻 Thunder [E, 11,325, digital]

🎵 Song Prompt: "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac  🎵 Summary: Harry and Ginny are on a break. Harry and Ginny don’t want anyone to know. Harry assumes Ginny is fucking their way through their Quidditch team. Harry punches Draco Malfoy in the face in his free time. Harry considers this a perfectly reasonable coping mechanism. Harry figures that as long as he keeps everything the way that it is, that everything will stay the same, and nothing bad will happen, and Ginny will stay with him, and Malfoy will keep quietly visiting his dreams.

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic 🎶

📻 crawlin' helpless on the floor [M, 1,525]

🎵 Song Prompt: Cure For Pain by Morphine  🎵 Summary: It doesn't take much to torment a man when he's three broken contracts away from being out of a job and down a newspaper.

📻 Hell is the talkin' type [E, 7,309]

🎵 Song Prompt: Dinner and Diatribes by Hozier  🎵 Summary: “Morgana, I need a drink,” Draco sighs. “Why did I let you convince me to participate in this torture again?”  Harry chuckles. “Because I’m your husband, and you love me?” he offers.  “Bah. Remind me not to let myself be so sentimental next time.”

📻 Mr Blue Sky [E, 69,024]

🎵 Song Prompt: ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ by ‘Electric Light Orchestra’  🎵 Summary: Mr Blue Sky, please tell us why, you had to hide away for so long...   After five years, Malfoy had finally escaped house arrest, and he moved in just a few streets down from Grimmauld Place. Overnight, the Daily Prophet seemed to fall in love with him. For his charity work, and his charming smile, and—Harry was sure—his prattish fucking personality. No matter how hard Harry tried, he couldn't stop running into him.  He had bigger problems, though. His best friends in the world were having a baby together, which was fantastic, except that they weren't sure he could hold it together well enough to be Godfather.  But despite being flat broke, with a dead dad, and no one willing to risk hiring him, Malfoy appeared to be completely in control of the narrative surrounding his newfound freedom. Maybe Harry could learn a thing or two from the best of the best.  After all, he had the entire pregnancy to convince Ron and Hermione he was perfectly, entirely, 100% fine. If sometimes he had to fistfight Malfoy about it, well, that was nothing new.

📻 'tis the damn season [M, 2,892]

🎵 Song Prompt: 'tis the damn season by Taylor Swift  🎵 Summary: He doesn’t know why the universe seems to keep placing him in Potter’s proximity every time he returns to London. He doesn’t know how they keep falling into bed, every year, like clockwork.  Draco has tried not to question it.

📻 Tecum Ad Astra [M, 3,257]

🎵 Song Prompt: Levitating by Dua Lipa  🎵 Summary: It's Friday night and Harry Potter is relaxing with a good book in front of a crackling fire.  But he should be at the club.

📻 Music to my ears [E, 13,190]

🎵 Song Prompt: River flows in You, Yiruma  🎵 Summary: Harry is completely captivated by the beautiful music played on a street piano at a park in Cambridge. He is, however, unprepared for whom the pianist turns out to be.

📻 Pancakes for Dinner [T, 2,176]

🎵 Song Prompt: Pancakes for Dinner by Lizzie McAlpine  🎵 Summary: Draco’s on a trip to visit Harry in his new city at his new job. He’s not brave enough to say how he really feels.

📻 Seasons [E, 9,314]

🎵 Song Prompt: Águas de Março (Waters of March) by Antônio Carlos Jobim  🎵 Summary: Seconds pass, and it’s like he can see Draco worrying the sliver of glass in his heart, looking for a way to press it out, to expose the wound to the sun. It’s life; Harry can be patient.

[thevegandarkelf]

Finding Myself, Finding You: Chapter Two

Masterlist

AO3 link

Story is 18+ for mature content/themes, minors do not interact please

TW/CWs for this story--implied/referenced past rape, canonical violence, non-canonical violence, blood, gore, referenced past suicide, swearing, surgery, excessive drinking, nightmares, vomiting, amputation, medical procedures, non-con medical procedures, referenced past medical torture, referenced past drugging, attempted sexual assault, panic attacks, mental health struggles, referenced sibling death, referenced parent death

Each chapter will have its own TW/CWs listed

This story, Lydia Vector, her family & bestie (c) me, TheVeganDarkElf

TWD & its characters (c) AMC & Robert Kirkman, the writer of the comic series

TW/CWs for this chapter--swearing, mention of amputation

Word count: 2.1k

Aaron and I stayed in that shed for probably two hours. He told me about his S.O. Eric and how they got separated, how he hoped that Eric had made it back safely. He told me about some of the people in Alexandria, how this large group of ragtag misfits had come together to form one giant family. There was power and water and food and shelter.

Alexandria sounded like a dream.

At some point, he took a lengthy nap, which I used as time to write. During my residency and throughout this last year and a half, the only hobby I had & thing that managed to keep me semi-sane was writing. I came to love writing poetry in med school & had journals upon journals filled to the brim with my work stuffed into my bedroom closet on a small shelf. I wish I could have brought even a few of them with me.

After he woke up, I gave him some more of my water and a little bit of my food. He pulled at the corner of the silver bag, stopping to read the text on the front.

“Is this fucking freeze-dried ice cream?” Aaron asked, laughing as he tore the corner off the bag.

“My dad was an astronaut. You don’t wanna know how much of that shit was stacked in closets in his office. I took all that would fit into my backpack before I started making my way out here,” I responded. He pulled the small, hard Neapolitan brick out of the bag, taking a bite out of the corner.

“Can I be frank?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“This tastes like shit,” he chuckled. I laughed in response.

“It does, but it’s food. I’ve been living off of that for the last year and a half. And any random cans I’ve found along the way,” I said, “I haven’t kept track of time, but it feels like it’s been months since I had food that wasn’t freeze-dried.”

“Well, once we get back, we’ll get you taken care of,” he told me. I suppressed my squee of joy and instead let it spread across my face in a gigantic grin.

After a little more time talking, he seemed like he had gotten enough strength back to slowly head back to Alexandria. I grabbed my spear and put it under my arm, propping myself up onto my feet.

“Alright, we’re gonna get you on your…” I caught the word I was going to say in my mouth, “foot…and take as long as we need to get back. Is there any chance some people could be sent out looking for you?” I put my arm around him again, and he put his weight onto his foot to push himself into a standing position. He then distributed his weight between his foot and on me.

“I mean, there’s a chance, but only if Eric made it back and told them what happened,” he told me. I unsheathed my spear to use as a walking stick, the sharp end pointing to the sky. We hobbled slowly to the door, and I had him stop and rest on a table.

“Let me make sure it’s clear.” I swung the door open and walked the perimeter of the small shed, listening and making sure there weren’t any Walkers nearby. I found a large stick on the ground for Aaron to use, picking it up and bringing it back to him. “Here, use this.” He took it in his free hand and gave me a nod. I grabbed him again, and after slipping through the door, I let him lead the way to the road.

“So you’ve obviously got medical skills. What’s your combat experience like?”

We hobbled along the road, me telling him about my brothers and my family and how I’d been alone all this time. Never had a group. There was the occasional Walker, which I would take care of with my spear. It was a peaceful walk for the most part.

After a couple of hours, I could see a wall through the trees. Aaron’s face lit up, as did mine. The two people on either side of what I assumed was the front gate raised their guns in our direction, keeping them poised. After we were out of the trees, they dropped their weapons when they realized it was Aaron.

“He’s back!” one of them shouted. One of them signaled to someone I couldn’t see, and they started opening the gate. A blonde man slipped through the small gap in the gate like butter and began running over.

“Eric!” Aaron yelled, starting to pick up his pace a little. Eric ran over at mach speed, embracing Aaron in a vice grip the second they touched. I pushed forward on Aaron to keep both of them from falling over. One of the two started making their way towards us, the other walking off towards the side to the trees. I was so enamored by Eric and Aaron that I didn’t even see him coming up behind me.

“No, no she’s with me!” Aaron screamed behind him. Before I could fully process what was happening, the back of my head was struck, the pain vibrating across my face and down my neck. I could feel myself falling forward, and everything turned black before I hit the ground.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I slowly opened my eyes. Wherever I was was very bright, and the light was blinding. The back of my head was pulsating, each throb matching my heartbeat. I was sat upright, I could tell that much. After several rounds of blinking, I was able to open my eyes.

“She’s awake,” I heard a man’s voice say. It took a moment for my eyes to focus, but when they did, I realized I was in some kind of small cell. The first thing I noticed was a man sitting in front of me. He was leaned back in a chair, one leg propped up onto the other. He looked cool as a cucumber as he held his crossbow up, pointed right at me.

His voice was like gravel in my ears. And I liked it.

I practically fell over jumping up to my feet, putting my hands up at my sides. I backed up into the far corner. Looking around the room, I saw a few more people come in, each one taking a seat either in a chair or on a set of steps.

“Ya got other weapons on ya, sunshine?” the man with the crossbow asked me. I chuckled a little. I was wearing a black cropped tank and a skort where a portion of the front skirt part was missing. My clothes were small and fitted, so I don’t know where else they thought I could store a weapon.

“Look at me,” I said, shaking my hips a little and twirling in a circle, “where could I possibly store another weapon, up my p—“

The three women in the group giggled at my comment. “Shut up and sit down,” another man instructed. This one was wearing a cowboy hat and had a star-shaped badge pinned to his chest. The way this man spoke indicated that he was some sort of authority figure in this group.

“Could call it a pussy knife,” I said under my breath as I sat down on the small bench against the back wall of the cell.

“You’re gonna start with telling us who you are and what happened to Aaron,” he instructed. I leaned back and folded my arms across my chest, examining the group. There was the one with the crossbow, the sheriff with an attitude, a woman with grey hair, an Asian guy, another woman with short hair who looked around my age or a little older, and a Black woman with dreads, probably also not much older than me.

“What’s your name, cowboy?” I asked the sheriff, sass lacing my voice, “y’know, so I can address you properly.”

“Rick,” he told me, “Rick Grimes.”

“Well Rick, have you talked to Aaron yet?”

“You’ll give us your story first, then we’ll make sure it matches his.”

“Can I have my stuff back?”

“You might get it back, depending on whether or not I like your answer.” I met his gaze and sighed.

Fuck cops.

“I’m Vector, and I think I’m 32, depending on what month it is. I’m a trauma surgeon. Well, I had a month left of my residency when…all of this started. I was at Johns Hopkins for my residency and going home to see family for vacation. I had hardly left the hospital when people started evacuating. I decided to drive all the way back home where I found out that one of brothers had already lost his life. I, umm…”

I paused, trying to find my wording without letting my emotions get the best of me, “had to put him out of his misery. After some wandering, I found out about Alexandria, and…here I am. Got lucky enough to find Aaron. He got bit, by the way. I had just woken up and he was getting attacked nearby, which I saved him from. You’re welcome. I carry medical supplies on me, so I got him to safety, amputated his foot, patched him up, and here we are.”

“He said you gave him food and water?” Rick said. I rolled my eyes and huffed.

“So you have talked to him?” I scoffed, “and yes I did. I could’ve just killed him, or taken his stuff and ran, but I didn’t. Because I’m a doctor, and he needed help. That’s what I do.” There was a silence that hovered over us for what felt like ages. It felt like they were reading me, trying to gauge whether or not I was telling the truth. Meanwhile, the one with the crossbow hadn’t let up once.

“What kind of doctor did you say you were?” the woman with the grey hair asked.

“I’m a trauma surgeon. I was working in the ER before all this. I amputated limbs, put limbs back on, did organ transplants. I saw gunshot wounds, third-degree burns. You name it, I’ve probably done it,” I explained, “actually, my plan after completing my residency and getting a few years under my belt was to eventually join Doctors Without Borders, but now we’re here.”

“That’s uh…wow, that’s really commendable,” Rick stated, a small smile crossing his face. I nodded. “Do you have a group that would be looking for you?”

“No, I’ve never had a group. Just me, the pack on my back, and my own thoughts,” I explained, pointing to my head. The group looked surprised by what I said.

“You’ve survived by yourself this whole time?” he asked me, sounding surprised. I nodded.

“Never wanted to join anyone. I had my heart set on Alexandria from the moment I heard about it. Sometimes I would come across people, like I did Aaron, and I would offer my medical services and take off. Never really stuck around one place for too long.”

“Well that’s very trusting of you,” Rick commented, “how has that worked out?” I bit my lip to keep myself from wincing at the memories from that day.

“Well, for the most part,” I said. I rubbed at the rope scars on my wrists in a way that I hoped was discreet, “I mean, I’ve made it this long on my own, right?”

“What are your combat skills like?” he questioned. I had to suppress my laughter.

“I grew up with three older brothers…all Navy SEALs…they taught me everything they knew.” I leaned forward between the bars, locking eyes with Rick. “I��ll let you guess how my combat skills are.” The man with the crossbow made a face, though I couldn’t decipher what it meant. Rick seemed to take notice.

“Would you like her to demonstrate, Daryl?”

“Yeah, would you like me to demonstrate, Daryl?” I smirked, “I could kick you in the balls, bring you to your knees, and knee you in the face. Don’t need to be a Navy SEAL to know how to do that.”

“I like her,” the woman with the short hair said, laughing.

“Ya just tiny s’all,” Daryl commented. His Southern drawl and gravel-laced voice made me weak, though I didn’t let it show.

“I’m like 5’7”, I am not tiny,” I retorted, “and can you tell him to stop pointing that thing at me? I’m clearly not going to hurt anyone from in here.” Rick nodded to Daryl, who finally lowered his bow. “Thank you.” He then turned to the Asian man to his left, who got up and came over toward my cell, unlocking it and swinging the door open. I hesitated for a moment before stepping out, scanning my eyes across the group.

“Sooooo…does this mean I get to stay?” I asked, a small but enthusiastic smile crossing my face, “I promise I’ll be useful. Sassy, but useful.”

“Yes,” Rick said, “Welcome to Alexandria.”

[timid-raccoon]

New Year's

Another New Year’s Eve had come and gone without you. I still remember our first one, just shortly after we had met. I remember you looking at me across the small crowd with that dazzling smile, cheeks rosy from the cold and the drink in your hand alike. Your warm eyes sparkled with the fairy lights that were wrapped around the pergola on our mutual friend’s patio. This was the night we shared our first kiss, under the flashing lights of the fireworks illuminating the night sky that mirrored the fireworks erupting in my chest.

A quiet walk home, memories of a lost loved one, and a snowflake.

Author's note: This is the first fic I’m releasing into the wild, so please be nice, but also, constructive criticism is appreciated, as this isn’t exactly beta read (other than me sending this to my sister and her saying she liked it). I recommend listening to the piano versions of the EP “One” by Sleep Token - especially “When The Bough Breaks” - while reading, which can be found here. 

Crossposted on AO3

Word count: 1.1k

I buried my head deeper in my scarf, pulling my shoulders up to shield myself against the cold gust of wind that tousled my hair. The fingers gripping my umbrella were starting to go numb despite the thick gloves I was wearing. The walk home was quiet, the fresh snow that was softly crunching under my feet laying a silent blanket over every sound, swallowing and muffling it. Hardly anyone was out on the streets – people were surely still sleeping or nursing their hangovers from partying until the early morning hours. It was only just after 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day, after all. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the crisp winter air through my nose to help wake me up, having only gotten a few short hours of sleep myself. The smell of the softly falling snow filled my lungs and I opened my eyes again, blinking into the bright white morning light as I exhaled a cloud of condensation.

Another New Year’s Eve had come and gone without you. I still remember our first one, just shortly after we had met. I remember you looking at me across the small crowd with that dazzling smile, cheeks rosy from the cold and the drink in your hand alike. Your warm eyes sparkled with the fairy lights that were wrapped around the pergola on our mutual friend’s patio. This was the night we shared our first kiss, under the flashing lights of the fireworks illuminating the night sky that mirrored the fireworks erupting in my chest.

It was only a few months later that we decided to move in together. From the very beginning, everything with you had just felt right. When Steven had first introduced us, conversation was immediately flowing easily, skipping the superficial small-talk and cutting straight to the deeper questions that life and the universe held. I was captivated by your intellect and the way you expressed yourself, going from profound philosophical musings to sarcastic remarks without missing a beat.

With you I had felt like a queen. You were very attentive, always making a point to remember every detail about what I liked or disliked, knowing what I needed before I even said anything. Like how once we had settled in our cozy 2-bedroom apartment with a small balcony and a beautiful view of the sunrise from the kitchen window, it was only natural to you that we would adopt a cat, just because I had mentioned once that I was bummed I couldn’t get one because my own 3rd floor studio apartment was too small for an indoor cat. When we went to the shelter just to look, it was love at first sight. He came straight up to us, happily meowing and pushing his head into your hand as you squatted down to pet him. I thought I might dissolve into a puddle at the sight. The two most beautiful creatures I had ever laid eyes on right before me – one with long auburn hair held up by a claw clip, eyes shining in utter adoration, the other mostly grey with barely visible tabby markings on his back, a white moustache, and the biggest blue eyes, purring contentedly. We took him home the next day after getting all the essentials and named him Frodo.

Sometimes you almost felt too good to be true and I was honored you had chosen me out of all people to do life with. The most mundane things turned into cherishable memories just because I had you by my side. Even the one New Year’s Eve we spent at home just the two of us because you were sick, cuddling on the couch with Frodo and watching old movies, felt special.

On our last New Year’s together I didn’t know you would be ripped from me just shortly after, leaving your own dreams and aspirations unfulfilled, leaving me and your friends broken and empty.

On that final morning when I left for work, I didn’t know I would never again come back home to you greeting me with the lightest of kisses on the tip of my nose, like you always did, making me scrunch up my face with a smile. Frodo kept searching the apartment for you for weeks, meowing at the front door, like he would when you were gone on tour, but this time I couldn’t console him by assuring him you would be back soon. Your office chair became his favorite place to nap in.

Nicholas and I still hung out every now and then, even though I only knew him because of you, him being your long-time best friend. We didn’t see each other often these days with you gone, but when we did it was always like greeting an old friend, being connected by the grief and pain we felt and a mutual understanding for it that was always there, without having to say a word. Even two years later I still saw little glimpses of you in him, tiny mannerisms and phrases he had picked up from you and I was sure you had left the same imprint on me for Nicholas to see. He knew, New Year’s was still just as hard for me as it was for him, that day being the last time he had seen you, so when he had asked me to come over for a small party with his closest friends, a sense of gratitude had flooded me. I wouldn’t be alone, I would be with people who understand, celebrating life in all its beauty and all its darkness.

I had left Nicholas’ place before most of the others had woken up, after roughly cleaning away the worst of the mess in the living room quietly, carefully stepping over the sleeping bodies on mattrasses on the floor and giving the still sleepy host a quick but tight hug goodbye, putting all my appreciation for him in it and promising to text him when I got home okay. The night had been fun, but with my social battery drained and the weight of everything still heavy on my heart, I just wanted to get home, take a hot shower, and spend the day wrapped in a blanket, cuddling Frodo.

When I arrived at the door of my apartment building, the snowfall had subsided and even the sun tried breaking through the tiny patches of blue in the otherwise still overcast sky. As I fumbled for my keys in my deep coat pocket, a lone snowflake flurried its way under my umbrella and landed right on the tip of my nose. A warm shiver spread through my body and I closed my eyes, scrunching up my face.

“Hi Noah,” I breathed into the air with a soft smile on my lips.

[xxsp3llb0undxx]

Blast from the past

Tommy Miller x Lost Lover!Reader [5.2k]

Disclaimer: Please do not repost my work to other sites or claim as your own, this is purely written from my imagination and from the help of the series. All rights of the main storyline goes to the writers and producers of The Last Of Us.

Summary: Tommy and reader were together way before the apocalypse, they were high-school sweethearts. When the cordyceps had begun to spread through the world, Y/n was on her way back to Texas after being gone for a few years, only to face the hard reality of the world turning upside down. Never knowing if Tommy ever came home or even looked for her.

WARNING: GORE ,, BLOOD ,, INFECTED ,, LOSS ,, MENTIONS OF DEATH ,, HEARTBREAK ,, SWEARING ,, PANIC ATTACK ,, MAJOR FLUFF

A/N - Listened to my 60s-70s playlist while writing this, highly recommend doing that when you're writing something set around an apocalyptic event, for some reason the music always pairs well with dystopian fics ??

MASTERLIST TLOU

Tommy, Joel and Y/n had all grown up together, went to the same schools and even lived a couple houses away from each other. Once Y/n and Tommy had hit high-school, they started to change; growing more mature. They were in sophomore year when Tommy had found the courage to ask Y/n to be his, he knew she was the one for him but the fear of never being enough always stopped him from telling her but then he did and it was the best decision Tommy ever made. Their relationship was the best it could be at their age, until Tommy left for the Army once they had finished high-school.

Y/n was alone for awhile, Joel checked up on her from time to time but he couldn't do it as often as he was a new dad and all that. Y/n had left Texas when Sarah had turned 4, two years after Tommy had been drafted, she thought it was for the best to leave this life behind and start anew. So off she went to Kansas City, she put herself through college, juggling 2 jobs just to keep herself afloat. Joel would send her pictures of Sarah every month, sharing the memories of their father-daughter bonding, what hurt Y/n the most was - there was no mention of Tommy in the couple years of her moving to another state, it was like he vanished. She wondered if he was doing well, if he had found someone who made him happy, if he ever thought of her.

It had been 12 years since Y/n had seen Tommy, no letters from him or even a fucking call. She tried to push away every memory she had of him, every joke he told her, every kiss they had shared. She wanted to forget about him because if she didn't, she would lose herself completely and that wasn't an option. Everyday was the same - wake up, shower, eat, work, sleep and repeat. It was infuriatingly boring. Y/n missed the light in her life, the enjoyment. So she went back home to Texas, maybe visiting Joel and Sarah would satisfy the loneliness following her around. She had packed her bags and put them in the trunk, it was around 12 in the afternoon when she headed off to Texas. When she had reached the state border checkpoint into Texas, it was blocked off by military trucks; the soldiers shouted out to those trying to cross - "Please get back in your vehicles and turn around, it is not safe here."

It all happened in a instant, the sky looked as if it were ablaze. Cars and trucks turned over, half blown up, smoke coming out of every crevice. There was chaos everywhere, the roads were jam-packed with abandoned cars, infected ripping apart anything with a pulse. Screams and cries all around, the noise making everything more nightmarish. The streetlights flickered, as if they were sending a message through Morse code - a plea for help. The streets of downtown Texas were dark, there was no one left for the cordyceps to infect; they had either ran off and tried to find shelter from this never-ending doom or they had met the same fate as those sprawled on the floor, lying in pools of their own blood and guts.

Y/n had finally made her way to the Miller house, the front door slightly ajar; something was terribly wrong. She had her way up the steps and walked into the dark home, it was eerily quiet as she walked around trying to find anything to help her find Joel and Sarah. Y/n had went to the kitchen and looked around for something to drink, she was dehydrated and probably suffering the effects of sleep deprivation, she finally found bottled water and stuffed them into a bag from beside the front door. Y/n put as much food and water in the bag as she could carry, picking it up and sliding it on to her back to carry. She picked up one of the kitchen knives that had fallen on the floor, hoping it'll protect her enough to get out of this fucked up place. A picture on the fridge, held up by a magnet, caught Y/n's eye; it was Sarah and Joel, they were smiling wide, eyes sparkling in the sun. She took the picture and folded it up, putting it into the front pocket of her jeans. Then she left, going somewhere she didn't know.

19 years later, June 15th 2023 - Omaha, Nebraska

It had been 19 years, 9 months and 11 days since the outbreak - not like anyone was keeping count though. The clocks had stopped, sewer systems barely working; even in the QZ's. The world had given up, let the infection win the war. Buildings now covered in vines and leaves, mother nature coming back to claim what was rightfully hers. Y/n had left the QZ in Lincoln about a year ago, sick of shovelling the ashes of those unfortunate enough to become subjected to the cordyceps. Omaha wasn't great, it was mostly populated by clickers and runners but it was big enough to keep distance from their colonies. Y/n still had her fair share of run ins with a group of clickers a few times, barely making it out alive.

The older woman had now set up camp in an abandoned subway station, the only place the infected never entered; though she could never understand why. It was dark when Y/n woke up after scavenging the surrounding areas, around 3am or at least she thought it was but no one could ever truly be sure anymore. The sound of rain hitting the steps of the subway station filled the air, it hadn't rained in what felt like years. Taking the opportunity to get more water, Y/n placed empty cans, that had been cleaned out, and bottles from her previous water, out to collect as much of the rain water possible. She had sat on the cold tiled floor for an hour or so before she heard a noise - footsteps. She could decipher two separate pairs but she wasn't entirely sure, all Y/n knew was they were coming straight for her.

With her back against the wall of one of the stone columns, gun drawn and held tightly in her hands. She was on high alert, trying to stay encased in the shadows to give her the upper hand. Once the two people had come down the steps and into view, she noticed it was a man and a younger girl, probably his daughter. The girl walked over to Y/n's sleeping area, rooting through her things; taking what was needed. The sound of a trigger being pulled ricocheted off the walls of the station, drawing the attention of the two strangers. Y/n crouched, moving along the tiled floor keeping distance between her and the two intruders. "Put my shit down or I swear, I will shoot you both and leave you as chow for the clickers." The threat made the girl put down what she had taken, backing away from Y/n's stash.

"Stop hiding in the shadows, if you wanted to kill us you would've done it already." The sound of a rough voice called out, he had an accent of some sort but Y/n couldn't put her finger on it. With her gun held tightly in her hands, she slowly walked out from where she had been hiding, aiming the barrel at the two people in front of her. The older male had deep brown eyes, his brown hair had flecks of grey running through it, same as his beard. Y/n thought he looked familiar, like she had known him in a past life. The girl, who was close to his side, had long brown hair pulled into a ponytail, brown eyes that held so much fear. She couldn't have been more than 15. The salt and pepper haired man wearily stepped forward, his hands in front of him in an attempt to calm the situation and not get himself shot.

"Hey. Hey, aim at me. She's just a kid, point the gun at me." Y/n diverted her attention from the young girl, now completely focused on the man in front of her. Half of his face hidden behind a shadow from his flashlight reflecting off one of the walls, casting dark shapes around the room. She noticed a small scar on the side of his face, grazing across his temple. His skin was tanned, slight wrinkles adorned his face. Y/n was in a trance, unable to process being slammed to the floor by the older male, her gun now being pointed at her head. She was scared but she knew better than to let it show, her eyes narrowed at the man above her; the more she looked at him the more he resembled someone she once loved. Tommy fucking Miller. But he was gone, and she knew it wasn't him but he looked so much like the man threatening to blow her head off.

The two intruders had tied Y/n's hands behind one of the stations columns, her gun now in the lap of the man who pinned her to the floor not to long ago. The young girl kept sneaking small glances at Y/n, her dark brown eyes wide with distrust. "Can you get your kid to stop staring at me, it's fucking creepy." Her voice came out hoarse, the man looked her way debating whether to acknowledge her or not. "She's not my kid. And Ellie leave the goddamn woman alone, you don't need to stare." His accent was becoming more noticeable, he had a southern drawl.

Y/n's eyes looked between the pair, trying to figure out why such a young kid would be with some man that wasn't related to her in anyway. Before she could voice her concern, Ellie started rummaging through her bag, pulling everything out. A picture fell out, the one of Sarah and Joel that she took the day everything went to shit. "Hey. Put that back, you don't get to fucking touch that." Her voice was raised, she thrashed about trying to get loose from the restraints. Ellie ignored her and spoke to the older male beside her and handed him the picture. He took it from her and stared at it with tear filled eyes, he hadn't see that picture in years, he had almost forgotten what his daughter looked like.

His head snapped up at Y/n, anger bubbled in the pit of his stomach. He needed to know how she had this picture. He took long strides over to her figure against the column, crouching in front of her; the picture now laying in her lap. "How do you have this picture? Now don't fucking lie to me either." He was ready to shoot Y/n and leave her here to rot or maybe even feed her to the infected lurking around. "Sarah.." Y/n whispered, her voice on the point of breaking. Soft cries wracked her body, hiccups getting caught in her throat. Then everything clicked in Joel's head, he finally knew who this woman was - Y/n, his annoying best friend, but also Tommy's ex.

Ellie noticed Joel's demeanour change in an instant, she didn't understand why he was acting like his world had just crumbled around him when he had been treating Y/n like shit 10 minutes prior, he was unpredictable. Ellie sat there watching the whole scene unfold in front of her eyes, it started with Joel undoing Y/n's restraints and bringing her into him, holding her close. Then were the tears, Joel fucking Miller was crying; Ellie was stunned, who was this man and what happened to the stubborn ass that never joked around? Joel and Y/n held each other for 20 minutes, just sat there clinging onto each other. Once everything had died down, Joel had turned to Ellie and waved her over, he wanted her to meet the woman that he cared dearly for.

Ellie and Y/n had fallen asleep a couple hours ago, Joel told them he'd keep watch even though Y/n had told him no infected ever step foot in the station. He was sat by himself, far enough from the two sleeping figures for them to not hear him finally let out his emotions as he cradled the picture of Sarah. He finally had a piece of her again, something to keep him going. The sound of rustling fabric broke him away from his little moment, he looked over to see Y/n walking over to him. "You need some rest, Joel. I'll keep watch, I wont let anything happen to you or Ellie." He shook his head at the young woman beside him, he didn't want to fall asleep in case everyone disappeared and he would be alone again.

The two sat in silence for awhile until the rays of the sun beamed through the cracks of the station, creating streaks of white and yellow throughout the building. Y/n turned to Joel noticing his hunched over figure still clutching the picture, she moved his head to lay on her shoulder hoping he would be more comfortable. A content sigh left his lips as he slumped more into the woman, his weight leaning against her smaller frame. Ellie had woken up a little while after, Y/n put her finger to her lips signally for the girl to stay quiet in fear she would wake Joel up. Ellie only nodded and pulled out a book from her bag and began reading it, stifled giggles broke through the quiet room Y/n look at the girl once more; she noticed Ellie reading 'No Pun Intended: Volume Too' by Will Livingston, a faint smile appeared on Y/n's face.

Joel woke up to the smell of coffee brewing, it reminded him of the past, the good ol' days. He opened his eyes, squinting slightly at the sun rays seeping into the room. "Ugh! The fuck is that?" Ellie's voice broke through the air, Y/n broke into laughter "You don't like coffee?" The question making Ellie look at her in disbelief. Joel grumbled before getting up and walking over to the pot, checking if the coffee was brewed. Y/n threw a granola bar at Joel, which he barely caught, telling him to eat up. "So, where you guys heading?" Ellie was the one to answer - "We're going to Wyoming, Joel said his brother was there." Y/n looked at Joel, he avoided eye contact afraid of her shouting at him for not telling her about Tommy. All she did was huff and filled up her flask with coffee, screwing the lid on tight.

One week later, June 22th 2023 - Jackson, Wyoming

Joel, Ellie and Y/n had left Omaha a week ago, carrying their lives in their bags. The trek across states was tiring, always having to look over their backs in case of any surprise attacks from infected or worse - people. The sun had gone down a couple hours ago, the sky littered with stars dancing around, it was a beautiful sight. The trio set up camp in a little cave by the riverbend, snow blanketed the ground all around. It was bitterly cold, puffs of smoke entering the frosty air whenever they let out a breath of oxygen. Ellie was stood on a small ledge beside the cave, Joel would never admit it but he saw a lot of Sarah in Ellie; the witty comments, the sarcasm, always wanting to be older. It was a bittersweet feeling.

"Come down from there. You're gonna break your neck." Joel's voice called out to Ellie, earning a sigh from the young girl before hopping down. A fire had been started to try and provide the group more warmth, Joel took out a flask and started drinking from it. He passed it to Y/n, in which she took a gulp, the liqueur burning her throat slightly. "Can I have some?" - "No." Joel didn't hesitate to shut her down, she was a kid for god sake. "What? Just to warm up. C'mon." Joel gave in, nodding his head at Y/n, motioning for her to hand the flask over to Ellie. The young girl took a sip and pulled a face of disgust, earning a laugh from Y/n. "Yep.. still gross."

Everything was quiet for awhile, the sound of birds calling out from above was the only noise in the dark forest. Ellie was the one to break the silence, asking a question about what they would all do after she saved the world. Joel told her he wanted to have a farmhouse, own a ranch full of sheep; the thought made Y/n smile, she knew he always wanted a peaceful life away from the rest of the world, even before the whole cordyceps world domination. Ellie was the next to answer her own question "It's probably because I grew up in the QZ. Behind you, there's ocean, and ahead of you, there's a wall." She paused before continuing "Nowhere else to look but up. I read everything I could in the school library. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell.. But you know who my favourite is?" - "Sally Ride" A smile had grew on Ellie's face "Sally fucking Ride, best astronaut name ever."

Y/n never answered the question, she didn't know what she wanted really. She knew she wanted to find Tommy but she never took into account, what if he didn't want her anymore? What if he was happy with someone else, with a family of his own? The thought broke her heart, she knew it was a possibility but the thought of it would always shatter the only thing that held onto her life before all of this.

Joel and Ellie were still passed out, Y/n hadn't slept all night; exhaustion settling into her bones as she lent up against the stone wall behind her, Joel's rifle held close to her chest as she looked around her surroundings. The sound of joints clicking drew her attention to Joel, he was stretching his arms above his head, probably trying to shake the uncomfortable feeling from laying on the stone floor. "Don't give me that look, Joel. You needed to sleep, I can handle whatever comes at us, I'm not a baby anymore." He shook his head, he would never get used to Y/n being all grown up; he still remembers her and Tommy being kids running around on the front lawn as his mother shouted for them to come inside. Those were the memories that kept him going, kept him fighting for something better.

"You know, Tommy was heartbroken when he came home after serving. He kept asking me where you were, why someone else was living in your house." Y/n's eyes glazed over, she wanted to talk - say anything but her voice was caught in her throat. Joel placed his much larger hand into her smaller one, holding it as gently as he could; afraid he would hurt her if he was anything but careful. The gesture made Y/n look over at him, he looked tired, like the world had given up on him - which in some cases, it did. "I.. I never said thank you, so um - thank you for taking care of me all those years ago, Joel. You saved me from losing myself." That struck deep, he thought he was never enough, always fucking up and losing people closest to him. But looking at Y/n, he could still see the light in her eyes - though it had dimmed slightly. A ghost of a smile played on his lips, he felt like he finally done right.

Ellie had woken up shortly after Joel and Y/n's conversation, her hair now out of her usual ponytail, eyes wide open. "Hope I didn't interrupt your little moment." And there it was, her snarky comments. "Listen up, zombie child. Me and Joel didn't have a moment, we're not like that." Ellie stared at Y/n, stunned by what she had said. Then she had laughed, a cackle if you please, flipping the older woman off. "Okay, that was a good one. Joel take notes, be more funny like Y/n." Joel grumbled at her, a scowl replacing his once lovestruck features.

An hour and a half later - The river of death

The trio had made it past what they had originally thought was the 'river of death', relief washing over them. Then the sound of horses and people shouting disrupted the quiet atmosphere, Joel grabbed Ellie's wrist running back to where they had just come from but it was too late, the trio was surrounded by twelve or more riders all carrying guns. One of them hopped down and walked a little in front of the rest. "We ain't lookin' for trouble, we're just passin' through." - "Drop your guns." Nothing Joel could say would change this situation, they were fucked. "You.." The rider pointed at Ellie "Take five steps back." Ellie looked between Joel and Y/n, her eyes begging for help. Y/n had to think of something to help her, the kid needed someone with her right now so Y/n could only do one thing. "Hey, excuse me. She's my daughter, please let me stay with her, I'm all she has left." Y/n forced her voice to break at the end of her sentence, tears pricking at her eyes.

The woman on one of the horses nodded her head at Y/n, letting her walk over to Ellie; engulfing her in a warm embrace. Joel looked over at them, his eyes told the words he couldn't - I'm sorry for everything. "You been near infected?" the man had said, panic set in the pit of Y/n's stomach as she held Ellie closer. "There ain't no infected out here." Joel stated bluntly, trying to find a way to get out of this situation. "The hell there ain't." the man whistled, a dog running up behind him. "Last chance for a bullet. If you've been infected, he will smell it, and he will rip you up." Ellie whimpered, Joel turned his head towards them and mouthed - You will be okay, I swear. The dog, ran up to Joel, sniffing him; his paws placed against Joel's stomach as the dog checked for the smell of infection. He was clean, the dog turned his attention to Y/n and Ellie; his growls ripping through the air as he stalked towards them. Joel shut his eyes tight, scared to see anything happen to them. But all that was heard next was giggles and happy barks, the dog was licking Ellie's hands as Y/n pet him "Who's a good boy?" The dog barked in return before turning around and speeding off to his owner.

"You just bought yourself 10 more seconds. What are you doing out here?" The man was getting impatient, bored by the whole interaction. "I'm just lookin' for my brother. That's all, nothin' more." The woman on the horse perked up at this, like she was a mix between happy and surprised. "What's your name?" Her voice was as smooth as honey "Joel."

The group of riders had allowed Joel, Ellie and Y/n to ride their horses back to their settlement. Joel was on his own as Ellie clung to Y/n, arms wrapped tightly around her waist. They rode for half an hour or so, until they saw big wooden gates about 1/2 a mile in front of them, the words - Jackson - painted on a sign above it. Once they had made it to the settlement, they were met with masses of people walking around, buildings looking like they did before the outbreak. Then Joel noticed someone on a step ladder helping another citizen with something. "Tommy!" the name caught Y/n's attention, her head snapping in the direction of Joel running over to a younger male. Then it hit her, Tommy Miller was alive and he was a few feet in front of her. His hair was much longer now, he had sun kissed skin, freckles dancing across his face. "Hey, Tommy, listen.. I have someone you're gonna want to see." Joel walked over to the horse Y/n and Ellie were sat on, his brother trailing behind. Y/n wasn't ready, she couldn't face him yet, so she did was she does best - run.

Joel called out her name as she ran, looking for a place to hide. She found herself in the stables, pushed into the furthest corner of the building. Tears falling down her cheeks, her chest tightening as she tried to control her breathing. A sharp pain stabbed at her lungs, her breathing rugged and uneven. A hand placed on Y/n's back made her jump, she looked beside her and saw the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago, he was still oh so beautiful. "Hey, doll. You need to calm down, I'm here now." Tommy placed her hand on his heart, she could feel the hammering beating of the muscle, it calmed her down enough for her to breathe; though it still came out in sharp waves. They sat together for what felt like hours, his hand combing through her hair trying his best to calm her down as much as possible.

"I'm, I'm sorry for leaving. I- I didn't know if you were ever going to come back." Y/n tried her best to speak, hiccups breaking through every so often. Tommy shook his head, bringing her closer to him. If he knew she would've showed up in his settlement one day, he would've chosen his life a little differently. It broke him knowing he was going to have to tell Y/n he was no longer hers, how was he going to break the news? It wasn't his fault, him and Maria kinda just happened; it wasn't planned. But right now, all Tommy wanted to do was relish in this moment; memorise every bit of it and lock it away in his mind for safe keeping. He would always love Y/n but he was married now, about to have a kid; something he was too young to do with her back then. "Why did you leave me? Was I not enough for you?" Now that had shattered the remaining pieces of his heart, Tommy hesitated for a moment, thinking over what he wanted to say. "I didn't want to leave you, darling. I just.. I didn't feel like I belonged, I needed to escape from it all.. I'm sorry, doll. You were more than enough, I promise." Tommy's voice broke, it had betrayed him for the first time in years.

Their little moment was interrupted when Maria and Ellie entered the stables, the older woman glaring daggers at Y/n - who was still clinging to Tommy. She turned to Ellie and asked if she wanted to pet the pony, Shimmer. With Ellie now distracted, Maria walked over to Tommy and Y/n, forcing the younger Miller to stand up and pulling him away from the stables. Y/n's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she watch the love of her life being ripped away from her, once again.

Joel, Ellie and Y/n were housed across from Tommy and Maria, who Y/n had found out to be Tommy's wife. The house reminded her of the past, the good ol' days. Memories of Y/n, Tommy and Joel as kids running around the Miller household flooded her head. Mrs. Miller calling out to the trio, telling them to hurry inside before it started raining, baking cookies with her, dancing around the kitchen while Abba was playing on a cassette Tommy had found in his parents room. Joel teaching Y/n to play the guitar, growing up with the both of them. Those were the times Y/n longed for, the times when everything felt right. She wanted everything to go back to normal, she would give up everything just to go back in time to relive those special moments.

A knock on the door sounded throughout the house, shaking Y/n out of her daze. She went to go answer it but Ellie had beat her to it. The door opened and there stood Tommy, he looked rough; eyes red and puffy, his skin flushed. "Ellie, Maria asked for you. Could you give me and Y/n a moment please?" His voice was broken, the last time Y/n had ever heard him sound like this was when his parents passed away. He went off the rails that day, Joel had to haul his ass all the way to Y/n's house because he didn't trust him enough to be at home on his own. Ellie nodded her head and sneaked past the pair, heading across the street to Maria's home.

"Tommy? What-" Y/n was cut off by Tommy placing his hands on her face and kissing her, it was gentle; something she had missed. He pulled away before she could kiss him back. "Tommy, baby.. what happened?" Y/n brought Tommy into the living room, making him sit on one of the sofa's. His hands were shaking, his eyes looked around the room refusing to meet with her gaze. "We- we broke up.. Maria told me to leave and- and never come back." His voice wavered, sobs wracked his body as he tried to remain calm. Arms wrapped around his frame, the soft scent of soap filling his senses. Her skin was delicate, faint scars littering her hands and arms. "It's okay, Tom. She didn't mean it, she loves you." Y/n forced herself to not breakdown, Tommy wasn't hers anymore and she just had to be okay with it.

Tommy turned to look at her, his eyes scanning her face; she hadn't changed much, hair longer, skin tanned but she was still the Y/n he loved, still the woman he longed to have a life with. "But I love you, doll. I always will and I can't push myself to live a life without you.." Those three little words struck at her heart, it felt like she could finally breathe again. But she remembered Tommy was married and she couldn't ruin what Maria and Tommy had made for themselves. Y/n pulled herself away from him, her head in her hands as she tried to think over everything that has happened in the last few hours. Tommy reached out for her hand and place it on his chest, like he had done earlier that day. "You feel that? My heart beats for you, no one else. It belongs to you, darlin'." Then he kissed her again, this time it was filled with pure love, the need to be with each other. He wasn't giving up on her this time, he couldn't lose her for the second time. He would follow her to the ends of the earth if he had to, she was his home.

Taglist: @ethereal-macleod @princessmk21 @gabrielemillersblog @strawbbyjamb @tsunchani @amethystwonders11 @slutforphoebebridgers @iraot @quinnverses @stupendouscowboycollective @grooveandshit @littlemisssunshine192

[queeniecook]

January 25 - Part 2

The Sun came up and was halfway in the sky by the time Este and I reached BrindleBay. I drove us there, I don't see the point in taking the private jet for a trip like that. Plus Este has yet to be on a plane. I'm not sure how she'll handle it.

Jillian was still in her Pajamas at the house, which I don't blame her. She's been through a lot. I can't imagine going into labor in the middle of a snowstorm and having to seek shelter in an abandoned house. Not to mention what happened after that. It's a miracle she and Slade are healthy.

I told her I'd watch Slade while she cleaned up for the day. Este found toys in the nursery, so she was good for about a half hour.

He's a cute little guy. It's a bit weird. Holding the baby of a man you used to date and have really strong feelings for and will always care about - but I'm happy for him and Jillian too.

"I bet you're going to be a heartbreaker when you're older." I told Slade softly as I rocked him. I glanced down at my own child, who was busy playing with a harry puffer toy. 

~A half hour later

"Don't get me wrong, we're all glad James helped you. But don't you think it's kind of weird he somehow knew were you where?" I asked Jillian after she filled me in on what she remembered from the night Slade was born.

Meanwhile, Este was making friends with Annabel Lee. I smiled briefly at that before looking back at Jillian.

"I guess I haven't really thought about it much because I've just been grateful my son and I are both alive." She admitted to me. "It is kind of odd."

"Yeah, he don't live here. He lives in Forgotten Hollow which is over an hour away." I told her, I remember the trips well due to my time going to see Caleb there. That seems like a lifetime ago now.

"Maybe it was just God's way of working things out?" Jillian asks, glancing down at Este and her cat. 

"It could be. Just...be careful around James. Please." I requested. I don't trust that warlock at all. I'm sure she's seen a different side of him but Caleb has known him longer than the rest of us. He don't trust James and that's good enough for me.

About that time, Jillian's Mom- Denise Ambrose arrived. I had yet to meet her and I instantly liked her. It made me miss my Mom. I wish she had gotten to meet Este.

"You really do need to talk to Dakota. The longer you two don't talk, the longer it'll fester. The uglier it can be." Denise reminded her daughter after she set the table with a dish she made in an instant pot. 

"I agree with your Mom, for the record. There's time I've wasted fighting with Caleb and I wish I hadn't wasted it now." I commented. Like after we found out Liberty is a "alive" and is a vampire. I didn't talk to my husband for weeks and it was while I was pregnant with our daughter. 

"I know admitting you were wrong can be uncomfortable, honey but you need to." Denise said after sitting down to join us. 

Jillian shoved a bite in her mouth to avoid saying anything.

"Both of you could of handled the situation better but nothing goes smoothly in the heat of the moment. You two love each other, it's time for talking and making up." Denise finished her thought before taking a bite of her own food. 

I almost cried a little. If my parents were around, maybe I'd avoid some mistakes but then again, are kids ever good at listening to their parents? Even when they're older? Still. I miss them. Jillian is blessed to have both of her parents. I hope she knows that.

<-previous

[harri-etvane]

Hug Prompts Vova and Maks

5- jumping into a hug and 7- hug from behind Although I'm greedy and would love to read them all 😅

Hello love! I'm sorry these took so long, I got a bit stuck into an Angst rabbit hole, but these are just.. almost 1k words of fluff. I hope you enjoy! Please do let me know what you think ❤️ xx

Hug from behind;

Maksym is usually very, very aware of his surroundings - aware of what is behind him, what is in front of him, where the nearest exits are, where to go if they need to get out of somewhere, where the nearest bomb shelter is. It's just part of his every-day, knowledge that helps him do his job to the best of his ability. It also means that he is very, very hard to surprise; he's always alert, always ready - listening, waiting. Vova has often wondered aloud if Maks has the same hearing ability as a bat - a comment that earned him a not entirely gentle jab in the ribs.

Volodymyr slips into Maksym's office noiselessly, padding across the floor in socked feet, a plan in his mind. He knows that Maks is usually difficult to surprise, but he's chosen his moment; there's time locked into Maks' calendar for him to review any upcoming trips and make a start on preparations. It's something he usually does alone in his office so he can concentrate, forming a plan before bringing the rest of his team in on it. His focus is absolute on the maps spread over his desk, a thin red line loosely tracing the route they will take across Europe, dots marking the places they will stop - how long for, who they will meet - what they need to anticipate, to plan for, to forestall. There is something comforting in a way, about planning - knowing that he’s doing everything he can.

He frowns at the route, muttering vaguely to himself, immersed in his own thoughts. When not with Vova, his ever-present awareness is ever-so slightly dimmed; not quite on edge as he ordinarily is, not second guessing every shadow in his own office, every creak of flooring. Vova shuffles a little closer until he is at Maksym's back. He reaches out a hand and places it gently on the other man's waist, expecting him to flinch.

"It's only me."

He receives a soft little hum in reply, a smile somehow still evident in that quiet noise. Taking it as implicit permission, Vova nestles closer, wrapping his arms around Maksym's waist from behind, pressing his rough stubbled cheek against his broad back. It feels like home, here - and he tightens his hold.

"Surprise?" is his tentative little utterance.

He feels a rough bark of laughter thrum gently through Maks, but doesn't loosen his hold, closing his eyes for a moment and breathing in the familiar smell of sandalwood cologne, the warmth of his body.

"Sorry to ruin it. Heard you come in."

"Seriously?! I took my boots off and everything."

"You'd be a terrible spy."

"Good job I'm not Budanov then, hm?"

"Everything okay?" a soft note of concern finds its way into their conversation, Maks pausing for a second, palm flat on the desk; the warmth of Vova at his back is.. nice, calming somehow. He finds an implicit comfort in having Volodymyr beside him, even just his presence is enough.

"Mmm. Missed you-"

"I- I missed you too.”

___________________

Jumping into a hug;

Volodymyr yawns, rubbing at the corner of his eye as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other on the platform, his gaze scanning the train as it pulls into the station. He can feel his heart thumping against his throat, nerves settling in his stomach. He flexes his hand, picking at the skin on the side of his thumbnail, an old habit he seems unable to quite let go of.

What if it’s different now? What if he’s not the same? What if it’s all so terribly formal and horribly awkward and he’s only coming here to be kind?

He brushes the thought aside sharply, wrinkling his nose. Of course it’ll be the same; they’re still the same people at heart - the two of them, no matter how much has changed. Briefly, he looks to the sky, to the quiet, calm blue of it, stretching out, endlessly above him for miles- the call of the birds still like the sweetest music, even now - years later. He takes none of it for granted; the sunrise, the sunset - the growth of the flowers in the gardens, the bloom of the trees on the acres of the Carpathian mountains, the sound of the river. Before, his joy had been so rare, rationed out into scraps that he took wherever he could; a text from Olena, a photograph of his son, a brief meeting with his daughter, a rare smile from Maks - moments shot through with the hideous agony of knowing that they would end. But, he takes joy now in the smallest of things that are simultaneously incomprehensible, the staggering beauty of his Ukraine, independent and free.

This particular joy is something else though, burgeoning inside his chest, waiting to bloom, eager to meet the sunlight. He scans the platform again, a few people disembarking from the train - none of them are the man he seeks though; they are not the right height, the right gait, the right–

Oh.

Before it registers with him entirely, before he realises exactly what he’s doing - Volodymyr  Oleksandrovych is running down the platform, utterly uncaring of anyone watching. He launches himself into the arms of one tall, tanned, mildly bemused man in khaki green, with a battered kitbag at his feet - who catches him without question, holding him as close as he can, enveloping him in an embrace.

“Hello Vova,” Maksym’s voice is gentle, as it always was before, and always will be for Vova, his lips close to Vova’s ear as he holds him up, arms around the smaller man, cradling him close.

“Maks-” Vova’s voice cracks in two, an unexpected sob escaping him, his face buried into Maksym’s shoulder. Neither of them need to say anything else for the moment, content to stand there - holding on to one another, loathe to let go.

[talonslockau]

Forest of Secrets - Chapter 42

Chapter 41 || Index || Chapter 43

Fireheart sat beneath the Highrock, watching as the rest of the Clan huddled beneath various trees and shrubs. Rain drizzled down from the sky, drenching the earth below. Even though it was close to sunhigh, the sky was still dark from the storm clouds hanging overhead, making it feel as though it was close to dusk. If it were bright daylight, the camp would be chattering as the Clan settled down to share tongues, but now most cats were focusing on huddling together and doing their best to keep dry. It made the camp feel dark and moody, as though something bad was going to happen, but he tried to keep his thoughts light as he sat there.

“Fireheart!” He startled as he heard his name called with an uncomfortable urgency, looking up to see Peppermask pelting into camp. He stood up immediately, a bolt of panic firing through him. She had been on the Riverclan border patrol. Why had she come back so late? 

“Peppermask! Where’s the rest of your patrol? Has something happened?” He felt fear rising in his throat at the thought of a Riverclan attack. Crookedstar hadn’t been belligerent at the last Gathering; why would he suddenly change tactics? Unless Graystripe had broken his promise… he shot a brief glare over to where the tom was sitting alone by the prison, one of the few spots sheltered by a tree within camp.

She blinked in surprise at his questions. “What? No, they were just-” She turned around to look behind her, just as Whitestorm’s snowy pelt emerged from the bramble tunnel. He breathed a sigh of relief as Sandstorm and Brightpaw followed the mighty warrior. “No, Fireheart, listen. The river breached its banks. It’s flooded so badly, it…”

“I haven’t seen it this bad in all my moons.” Whitestorm came to stand beside Peppermask, his brows furrowed as he spoke. “All of Riverclan’s land has been flooded, and many of our own border markers are underwater. We did what we could to mark what remains, but there wasn’t much.”

For a brief moment, he thought of Mistyskip, Graypool, and Silverstream. Was Riverclan alright? He cursed himself slightly for wondering. They were enemy warriors, and not his problem to deal with. And yet… “How much of our land is affected? Do you think our camp is in danger from the flooding?”

“The roots of the Owltree are submerged. There’s no way to reach the log bridge to the Gathering - if the waters haven’t already floated it away.” Peppermask reported grimly, her tail rattling nervously. “The flood waters haven’t reached that far up the stream that leads to camp, but if the water keeps rising, it could only be a matter of time.”

Whitestorm nodded beside her. “I would suggest a sentry be posted at the end of the ravine, where the stream starts to make its way to the river. If the flood waters start to make their way up to here, we’ll need time to evacuate.” 

Fireheart dipped his head. “That’s a good idea. As long as the rain continues, the waters will only keep rising.” He surveyed camp, looking for a suitable candidate for the first shift. “Dustleap! Come here for a moment, please.”

The brown tabby looked up from where he was huddling with Longtail, a brief distaste crossing his face before he diligently padded out to meet the deputy. “Yes, Fireheart?” He asked, a note of anger in his voice even as he dipped his head meekly in greeting.

“The river has flooded, and I’m concerned about the flood making its way to camp. We’ll need sentries posted to watch the waters and alert camp if it looks like the water will enter the ravine. Can you and Brackenpaw take the first shift? Find somewhere dry, up around the clearing at the end of the ravine.” He glanced to where the apprentices were sitting, doing their best to huddle under a small oak tree behind their den. He didn’t say it - didn’t want to say it - but even though the end of the ravine was only a few tree-lengths away, he feared for the safety of any cat sitting outside camp right now alone. No cat knew where Tigerclaw had gone, and that felt dangerous in and of itself.

Dustleap’s whiskers twitched as he considered it. “Of course, Fireheart. How long do you want us out there?” He asked calmly, flicking his ear irritably as a water droplet fell on it.

“Until dusk. I’ll send someone out to relieve you two then.” He flicked his tail to the fresh-kill pile, as soaked as it currently was. “Make sure to take some prey with you, as well. I doubt you’ll get a chance to eat until after you return.”

The dark tabby lowered his head in courtesy once more. “Thank you, Fireheart. We’ll keep a close watch.” With that, he quickly grabbed a squirrel and headed across camp to tell his apprentice their new assignment.

“What about you, Fireheart?” Whitestorm asked softly. “Do you want to call the Clan together and tell them what has happened?”

He hesitated and shook his head. “Not yet. I want to see the extent of the flooding for myself, first.” Fireheart flicked his tail at Peppermask. “Peppermask, why don’t you come and show me?”

His friend’s eyes widened briefly, but she nodded assent all the same. “Alright. We can try and catch some prey on the way back, if it hasn’t already drowned in the flood waters.” 

The two waved farewell to the senior warrior as they padded to the bramble entrance. “Fireheart!” Another voice called before they could leave. The two turned curiously to see who was calling. It was Graystripe, trotting hurriedly across camp towards them.

“Yes, Graystripe?” Fireheart did his best not to growl at the sight of his former friend. The large gray tom had been meek and compliant, staying out of his way ever since the night Fireheart had become deputy. This was the first time they had actually spoken since then, and he imagined he already knew why.

“Look, I- I heard Dustleap talking to Brackenpaw. You’re heading out to check the flooding, right? Do you- is it alright if I come with?” Graystripe’s yellow eyes were wide and pleading as he asked - begged, really - to join their patrol.

Fireheart felt his claws unsheathe slightly as the other tom spoke, his first instinct to tell the warrior to get out of his sight. But some part of him reconsidered. While Graystripe had been good and kept his head down, he had no doubt that the tom would immediately strike out to see the flooding on his own accord, even if Fireheart didn’t let him. Graystripe had been behaving, as well, keeping to camp more often in the past moon than he had the season before. Plus, the flood affected him, just like it did every other member of the Clan - if any other cat wanted to observe the floods, he would let them, so long as they were accompanied. It felt unfair to hold Graystripe to higher standards. “Alright. But if you so much as-”

“I won’t!” The repentant warrior crouched in grateful submission. “I’ll keep all my paws on our side of the border, and I won’t mew even a word to any Riverclanner without your permission. I just- I have to know-” He trailed off as he stood back up, the worry on his face saying more than he ever could.

“Good. Come on, then.” He nodded to Dustleap and Brackenpaw as the two approached, and the five cats left camp together, splitting up as they crossed the ravine for their respective patrols. As soon as they reached the stream that fed through the forest into the river, Fireheart could already see the issue - the stream was swollen to three times the size of what it usually was, bubbling lazily as it flowed slowly onwards.

The three young Thunderclanners followed it as it meandered through the forest, slowly swelling more and more the closer they came to the river. At last, Peppermask came to a halt and held her tail out to stop the other two. “We’re close to the Owltree, now. The water won’t be much further out.”

They padded forward cautiously, ignoring the rain falling on their fur. Normally the banks of the river were still many tree-lengths away, the entire area primarily scrubland and tall grasses, but he was willing to take Peppermask at her word. The air was beginning to brighten as they approached the edge of the treeline, with less foliage to shield them from the storm above. They didn’t let that stop them, instead cautiously poking through the last of the bracken to see beyond.

“Great Starclan.” He heard Graystripe whisper in astonishment. They were standing on the edge of a small cliff, but were less than a tail-length from the top of the flood waters. Before the flood, he would expect to see the marshy fields of Riverclan territory on the other side, but now there was no land - only water. And the waters themselves - instead of the rippling, clear water of the river he knew, there was just a blank expanse of dark, muddy depths that seemed almost frozen in place as the warriors stood there. 

“Is it even moving?” He wondered aloud, to which the other two shrugged at him. Looking around, he spied a small fallen branch, likely broken in one of the recent storms. Delicately grabbing it with his teeth, he gestured for the two to stand back before throwing it as far as he could into the flood waters below. The branch floated lazily away as the three of them looked on.

“I- Silverstream-” Graystripe paused, glancing guiltily at Fireheart, who only narrowed his eyes and gestured for the other tom to continue. “She said that the river floods whenever newleaf comes, and that they can’t hunt on the lands for a quarter-moon until it subsides. But she never - I don’t think she mentioned anything like this…”

“Riverclan’s not our problem.” Peppermask mewed, saying what he was thinking to himself. “But the flood is. Look at all that territory - those are good hunting grounds that the river has swallowed up. Who knows what state it will be in, after the water’s gone.”

Fireheart nodded as he pondered the situation. “We can’t have any cats falling in. I think… Peppermask, do you think Riverclan will take advantage of this?”

“Do you think we shouldn’t patrol the borders?” She replied, considering him with thoughtful green eyes. “I think Riverclan’s going to be too busy dealing with this to really bother us. But we should still have a daily patrol anyways, to see when the flood starts subsiding, or if…” She trailed off, glancing behind her, and he knew what she was thinking. What if the flood spread through the whole forest? Was such a thing even possible?

“That’s a good idea.” Fireheart mewed, sitting down and nodding to himself. “We’ll only have the late day border patrol, then, at least until the flood waters go down some. And only warriors, as well - cats that are strong enough to swim by themselves, without help.”

“I think that’s for-” Peppermask paused, raising her head and perking her ears as a frown crossed her face. “What’s that sound?”

The other two quieted, straining to hear what she was talking about. Not even the river was making noise; only the rain hitting the leaves above them, or the birds grumpily chirping about the miserable weather. For a moment, he thought perhaps she was thinking about hunting, but then he heard it; the faintest wailing.

“I hear it too.” The ginger deputy replied with a frown. What could be making that sound? “Maybe it’s the wind?” He suggested after a moment.

“Maybe.” Peppermask responded hesitantly, but her ears were still focused on the direction the sound was coming from, which seemed to be somewhere upstream. They were silent for another few heartbeats before she shook her head. “No, it’s getting louder. It- If I didn’t know better, it sounds like-”

She cut off, holding her breath, and Fireheart could feel himself do the same. The wailing was getting louder and louder; only heartbeats later, he realized he could make out words. “Mom! Dad! Anyone! Help us!” 

“That’s kits.” Graystripe gasped in horror. “Fireheart, where- what do-”

He didn’t get the chance to finish his question as something large rounded the bend in the river in front of them. His heart felt as though it skipped a beat as he realized what he was looking at - three kits were floating towards them on a broken branch, clinging desperately to it. They were young - two to three moons old, if he had to guess - and screaming their heads off. “Mom! Dad! Where are you?” He could hear one yowl over the rest.

The other two warriors looked instinctively to him, even as he felt frozen in place. “I- We can’t swim.” He glanced questioningly to Graystripe beside him, wondering if perhaps his time with Silverstream had taught him how, but the gray tom shook his head. “Maybe we could go fetch a Riverclanner? Surely they can’t be far, if-”

They all gasped as they saw the branch the three kits were on suddenly shudder and stop, as though it had hit something. Then it broke apart, and they plunged into the river.

“Fireheart- What are you-?” He didn’t even know why Peppermask was yowling until he felt a shock of cold all around him. He had jumped into the river, and was now kicking determinedly to keep himself afloat and swim towards where the kits had been. “Starclan above, I-”

He didn’t know what had caused her to stop talking until he heard one splash, then another, behind him. Though he didn’t stop to look, he already knew what had happened - his friends had thrown themselves into the waters to help. And while the water seemed almost deceptively still on the surface, he could feel the current pulling at him, threatening to tear him away. 

The kits bobbed up and down in the water as it pulled them, trying to keep their heads afloat, but they were still small - almost the same age as his niblings, he couldn’t help but think. They were too young to have learned to swim yet, and their muscles had barely developed. If he didn’t make it to them soon, he-

Horror seized him as one of them dipped below the water, coming up a moment later with a ragged gasp. He propelled himself towards it, reaching out and clenching it in his jaws. It tasted disgusting, like rancid fish and mud, but he didn’t let that stop him as he struggled to turn towards the shore. Gratefulness surged through him as he saw the two other Thunderclanners on his tail, drifting by him to snag the other two kits.

Now was the most difficult part - getting back to the shore. Already his limbs felt tired, and now he had an extra weight as well. But he couldn’t let himself stop now - if he did, then both he and the kit he was holding would drown. He lashed out, beating at the water with frantic paws as he tried to swim towards dry land.

The current felt as though it was trying to push him away from the shore, and each stroke he made seemed as though it wasn’t making any progress. He could see the shoreline moving in front of him as the floodwaters carried them downstream, and he tried not to let panic surge through him. He could make it. He would make it-

Relief washed over him as he felt something scrabble beneath his front paws, and with another kick he found himself on solid ground.The current still tugged at him, threatening to bowl him over, but he trudged forward with determination until at last he felt his paws rise out of the water and onto dry land.

He nearly fell to the ground, limp and exhausted, but forced himself to drop the kit and turn to see if his friends needed help. They had also managed to find the same shallow section of water, and clambered out alongside him. Once he was sure they were all safe, he allowed his legs to buckle and fall to the ground, shivering and shaking from the near death experience that they had all just gone through.

The kits huddled together as they stared, wide-eyed, at the three warriors in front of them. The largest of them was a dark gray tabby tom, while the other two were a pale gray and a little brown and ginger tabby. The river had washed away whatever Clan-scent they might have carried - all he knew for sure was that they weren’t Thunderclan, as only his niblings remained in the nursery.

“What are your names?” Peppermask finally asked. The three looked at her with the same silent stare that they had regarded him with, refusing to answer. Her shoulders slumped as she let out a small sigh before straightening up again. “I’m sorry, it’s rude of me to ask your names without giving you ours. My name is Peppermask; this is my brother, Graystripe, and my friend, Fireheart.”

The three kits stared unblinkingly at her, and Fireheart wondered if perhaps they were mute, or deaf like Snowkit. “I’m Aspenkit.” The largest of the kits finally mewed, to his relief. “And these are my sisters, Dawnkit and Robinkit.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Aspenkit.” The gray tabby molly purred, though her voice was weak from exhaustion. Fireheart purred wordlessly beside her, grateful that at the very least, they had names for the kits - and that they seemed to be Clanborn, as well. That meant that they had a Clan they could be returned to. “You were calling for your Mom and Dad, weren’t you? Do you know their names?”

The three kits quickly conferred with each other. “The other queens call Mom Ivy… Ivystep?” Robinkit mumbled aloud.

“No, I think it’s Ivykit.” Dawnkit corrected her sister confidently.

“Is not! Mom’s not a kit!” Robinkit huffed, her little tail lashing angrily.

“You’re both wrong.” Aspenkit interjected with his own self-important authority.

“Oh yeah? Then what’s her name, know-it-all?” Dawnkit asked, the two little mollies glaring at their brother.

“I don’t-”

“I think they might be talking about Ivyskip.” Fireheart was grateful to hear Peppermask speak up before the three kits could get into a full blown fight over it. “She’s one of the Riverclan queens. I think Lilystem - that’s one of the other Riverclan queens - mentioned something about her having had kits with Frogleap a couple moons ago. But - I don’t understand. Riverclan camp is downstream from here. How did you three get all the way up here? Did Riverclan retreat to the moors, because of the flooding?”

The three lowered their heads shamefully at her question. “It’s my fault.” Aspenkit mumbled at last. “The warriors were talking so much about the gorge, how big and dangerous it was right now, and I wanted to see it for myself ‘cause I didn’t believe them. Dawnkit and Robinkit followed me. But then when we were coming back, it started raining, so we hid in a willow tree, but the waters just kept getting higher and higher and then Dawnkit fell in so we tried to rescue her and-”

“Shh, that’s enough.” Peppermask leaned out to lap the kit’s forehead reassuringly. “What matters right now is that you’re all safe. Is it just the three of you? Did you have any other siblings?”

The three shook their heads in tandem. “No. It’s only the three of us in the nursery right now. Mom says that’ll change when Silverstream has her kits, but-”

Fireheart could see Graystripe’s eyes glittering at the mention of Silverstream’s kits - his kits - and forced himself not to let his lip curl or his claws unsheathe. “That’s good, then.” He mewed quickly. “We don’t have to worry about rescuing any other kits. We just have to get these three back to their mother.” With a deep sigh, he glanced at Graystripe. “Where do you think Riverclan would be right now?”

The large tom hesitated. “I’m not sure. I know their camp is close to the river, so it’s probably been flooded. If they knew the flood was coming, they might have had time to get to the moors, or to Fourtrees, but-”

“The flood was so sudden. It wasn’t like this even last night. I don’t think they would have had the time to evacuate so far away.” Peppermask interrupted, her green eyes narrowed as she considered the question. “Maybe they’re at Sunningrocks? The elders’ tales say it used to be flooded, long ago, and that only Riverclan cats could get to them. That probably means that they’re taller than most of the flood waters, and we know that they’re close to Riverclan’s camp.”

“Wait, you aren’t Riverclan?” Aspenkit squeaked, his kit-blue eyes narrowing as he regarded them suspiciously. “But only Riverclan cats can swim!”

Fireheart sighed and shook his head. “No, we’re from Thunderclan.” 

The two mollies backed up as he spoke, but Aspenkit held fast and continued to glare at them. “But you’re not scary at all.” The little tomkit announced, his little tail lashing confidently. “Thunderclan warriors are supposed to be super huge, and only able to come out of the forest at night! That’s what Grampa Cedarpelt told us, and he’s super wise.” 

“That’s actually a myth. We’re able to come out of the woods when the sun isn’t in the sky… like right now.” Graystripe purred, getting up and stalking closer to the three kits. The two mollies shrieked, and even Aspenkit backed up a few tiny pawsteps. “And once we do, we love eating little Riverclan kits as snacks…”

“You stop that!” Peppermask huffed and smacked her brother with her tail, though even she couldn’t hide the smirk on her face as she did so. “Thunderclan cats are ordinary cats, just like any Riverclanner. And while we might not like to swim, we still can…” She considered them with a soft gaze - the same one she used whenever she watched Princess’ kits. “You kits are old enough to have learned some of the code, right? Do you know what it says about kits?”

“We get to be fed first!” Aspenkit yowled eagerly, having clearly forgotten his fear of them in his desire to be right.

“We have to be six moons old before we become apprentices?” Robinkit wondered aloud, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Peppermask purred warmly at the two of them. “You’re both right, but those aren’t the parts of the code I’m thinking of.” She focused on Dawnkit, who was hiding behind her brother. “What about you, Dawnkit? Can you tell me?”

She stared at Peppermask with wide, fearful blue eyes. “I-” She glanced at her siblings, who were clearly not afraid of the Thunderclan cats like she was, and stepped out from behind Aspenkit. “The- the code says you can’t hurt kits, no matter where they come from. That’s why you saved us, isn’t it?”

“It is.” Fireheart affirmed to the small, shy gray kit. “It is the duty of a warrior to protect all kits, regardless of Clan. We might be Thunderclan, but we wouldn’t be warriors if we allowed you to drown. We follow the code, always, and that means we’ll get you safely to your parents. I promise.”

He could see that his reassurance had comforted Dawnkit, if only a little bit. “Okay.” She mumbled at last.

“Will you allow us to carry you?” Peppermask asked the three kits gently. “Sunningrocks - if that is where your Clan is - is a long way from here. It will be faster if we can carry you - and safer for you, as well.”

Robinkit and Aspenkit immediately nodded their assent, but Dawnkit looked doubtful. “But what if they’re not there?” She asked Peppermask in a small voice.

The tabby molly’s shoulders slumped, but she couldn’t pretend it wasn’t at the forefront of all of their minds. “I… I guess you’d have to stay in our camp, for now. If they’re not at Sunningrocks, then they must have made it to the highlands, and there’s no way to reach those without crossing the river. And with the river as flooded as it is, I don’t think there’s any way to cross.” She sighed and dipped her head, seeing the trepidation in the kits’ eyes at her words. “It will only be for a half-moon, at most. If we can’t reunite you today, then we’ll bring you to the Gathering and give you to Riverclan then. But we’ll see them at Sunningrocks, I’m sure of it.”

Though her voice sounded confident and upbeat, Fireheart could tell she didn’t believe her own words. Luckily, the kits didn’t seem to notice. “Come on, Dawnkit! Stop worrying so much! Warriors always know what they’re doing!” Aspenkit purred, giving his sister a hearty nudge that almost sent her tumbling over.

“I… Alright.” Dawnkit mewed at last, before rushing over and wrapping herself around Peppermask’s paws. “But I want this one to carry me!”

“That’s fine.” Fireheart purred readily. Peppermask was the softest touch, in any case, and Dawnkit seemed the most fragile - he wouldn’t have made a different choice. “Graystripe, why don’t you take Aspenkit, and I’ll carry Robinkit?”

The other tom nodded and stepped forward to carry his charge, while the ginger deputy did the same. Though his fur still clung to him, sopping wet, he tried not to focus on it as he bounded off into the forest, the other warriors following behind him. It would be fastest to go along the river bank, but he didn’t want to risk any of them falling in again. It also gave him more time to prepare for whatever they might find at Sunningrocks - good or bad.

[little-diable]

Addicted to You - Tommy Shelby (smut)

Somwhat inspired by the song and music video "Addicted to You" by Avicii, it fits just perfectly. Please like and reblog if you enjoyed reading this. Enjoy my loves. xxx

Summary: The reader and Tommy have shared a few intimate nights, he doesn't ask any questions and she doesn't speak much. At least till Sergeant Moss consults Tommy about a woman causing trouble in the Blinder's area.

Warnings: 18+, smut, unprotected sex, typical Peaky Blinders crime, somewhat of an open end

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x fem!reader (2k words)

Divider by @firefly-graphics

I don't know just how it happened, I let down my guard, swore I'd never fall in love again, but I fell hard

“You don’t know where she’s from? Are you out of your mind?” Polly’s voice echoed through the room, loud and clear like a shot ringing in one’s ears, and yet the woman was by far more dangerous than any bullet piercing one's skin, leaving behind scars that may eventually fade with time. It took a few moments before a reply was heard, spoken softer than Polly’s words, and yet the reply carried more meaning than one could have ever imagined when listening from afar. 

“No, and I won’t ask. We need help around here, she fits right in. That’s all we need for now.” (Y/n) wished to see the expression tugging on Polly’s features, wondering how she’d react to Tommy’s reply, and yet all (y/n) could do was stare at the door leading to his office, no longer paying attention to her task at hand. 

She had weasled her way into Tommy’s life weeks ago, finding shelter in the Garrison when the sky had opened up, making rain pour from the sky like blood being shed on the streets of Birmingham. How ironic that the place owned by the Peaky Blinders had appeared safer than the darkness lingering in the streets outside. 

It had only taken the two of them a few days to find their way back to one another, still remembering the words they’ve shared, the intrigue that had burned in Tommy’s pupils and the smile that had tugged on (y/n)’s lips. He had fallen for her the second she had looked at him for the first time, like a siren luring him into the soaring waves of the cold ocean, forcing him to give into death’s call without asking for any help. 

The two had shared a few nights with their limbs quivering, their hearts racing and their thoughts drowned out by the pleasure thumping through their veins. He hadn’t asked any questions and she hadn’t said much – besides the sweet nothings overcoming her painted lips like a song echoing through the Garrison. It had been easy, almost too easy, and yet Tommy Shelby had been desperate for this kind of distraction, something he could drown himself in for a few hours, not having to worry about the blood clinging to his hands and the list of sinners he’d eventually work on, taking lives like chess figures taken from a chessboard. 

“Don’t tell me you’re fucking her. You men are all the same, thinking with your cocks rather than your brains. By now I’m no longer sure you’re even capable of forming a proper thought.” The door to his office fell open, exposing Polly’s frame storming out of the room. She didn’t spare (y/n) a glance, leaving the building with hurried steps as if God himself was calling her home. A home she had fled from decades ago, welcomed in the home down below with open arms. 

Lost in your eyes, drowning in blue, out of control, what can I do?

His eyes met hers, drawn to her like a moth to a flame, wordlessly calling her into his office. No words were shared as he pulled her in for a kiss, not giving (y/n) the chance to ask any questions, to share the confessions lingering on the tips of their tongues. Both were more similar than one could guess, and yet Tommy was oblivious to the darkness of her soul, distracted by the features he’d see the second he closed his eyes, forced to think of her – like a parasite nestling inside his system, not letting him rest. 

“Fuck, here?” Tommy didn’t reply, gave her a push to press her front against his table, forced to spread her legs for the man desperate to claim her. (Y/n) didn’t fight his rough touches, allowing Tommy to push into her without another warning spoken. He fucked her ruthlessly, making bruises form on her hips, pushed against the strong wood of his table with every ferocious thrust. 

The sound of their bodies meeting reverberated through the office, echoing off the walls as if to taint Polly, proving his point to the woman that hadn’t listened to him. There was nothing to worry about, Tommy knew how to separate the good ones from the bad ones – at least that’s what he was convinced of, the one thing he could trust on, his gut. 

Her walls clamped down around his cock, begging him to push her over the edge without speaking another word. He groaned for her, set on marking the woman he selfishly wanted to own, not daring to even think of sharing her with those staring for a few moments too long. Tommy Shelby had rarely felt this possessive, he wasn’t used to chasing people, wasn’t used to having to fight for somebody’s attention, and yet he was awfully aware of the possibility of (y/n) eventually leaving him before he could bind her to him. 

“Cum, let go for me, love.” His raspy voice made goosebumps appear on her skin, eyes fluttering shut as her orgasm clashed through her. Tommy fucked her through her high, pulling out seconds before his release could rip him down the stream, leaving his stain on her bare behind. Both were heavily panting, giving into the silence that was once again lingering in his office, a silence Tommy was all too used to by now.

And yet, before either one of them could speak up, the sound of somebody calling Tommy’s name rang in their ears. But while he reached for a cigarette, patiently waiting for Sergeant Moss to find his way to the office, (y/n) froze, darting out of the office before Tommy could inhale another breath.  His piercing eyes were focused on the spot where she had been standing moments ago, wondering where she had just disappeared to, without speaking another word. 

“Please, come in.” Tommy watched the sergeant step into the office, eyes hooked onto Tommy’s as he stepped closer and shut the door. The man neared the table Tommy had fucked (y/n) against moments ago, mind still focused on her, the way she had moaned for him, making him feel like an ethereal being. 

“We’re looking for somebody; somebody who may have tried to blend in with the ones cherishing the Garrison.” The sergeant watched the smoke leave Tommy’s nostrils, like a river of blood he’d leave behind after doing deals with those no sane man nor woman would even dare to speak of. “A woman,” the man kept describing the one they were looking for, a woman just like (y/n). 

“We’ve been looking for her for a while, she keeps on making trouble, robbing places and stealing too many things. If you hear something, I’d appreciate you telling me.” 

I couldn't live without you now, I know I'd go insane

It had been days since the day where Moss had found his way to Tommy, days where he hadn’t seen her face – only in his dreams. Ever since he had heard of the things a woman like her had done, Tommy had started paying more attention to the crimes he normally wouldn’t focus on, robberies he found himself bored by. 

“It’s her, right?” Polly’s eyes were zoning in on Tommy’s emotionless features, scoffing at the man that barely spoke a word, too deep in thought. Arthur’s chuckles filled the office, forcing all eyes towards him. 

“It’s almost ironic, isn’t it? She played with you, while you were oblivious to the things she’s doing. I doubt we’ll see her again.” With a sigh spilling from his lips, Tommy closed his eyes, sorting through his thoughts. He wouldn’t be able to rest, not until he spoke to her again, asking the questions keeping him awake for the past days.

Why hadn’t she put her trust in him? She knew of the things he was doing, knew of the blood clinging to his hands, why not share the crimes tainting her life? 

“Tell me if you hear anything, I don’t think she’ll leave yet.” Something dripped from his voice, something neither Arthur nor Polly could decipher, not able to see through his facade. His heart clenched in his chest, forced to accept that he may never see her again, that he may never get to stare into the eyes he’d search from afar, telling secrets to the night only those willing to listen would pick up on.

I wouldn't last one night alone, baby, I couldn't stand the pain

The night was dark as Tommy and a few of his men made their way through the streets, eyes focused ahead, inhaling the smoke of their cigarettes. No words were spoken as they moved ahead, eyes set on the bank, hands placed on their revolvers. Light was illuminating the bank, the big windows gave a clear view of a few people crouching on the ground and a woman standing on a desk, holding a gun in her hand. A woman with the same hair as (y/n), a woman with the same height as (y/n), a woman with the same dark smirk as (y/n) once wore around him. 

“Don’t kill her,” was the only thing Tommy said as they stepped into the bank, eyes finding hers before they could even try to focus on the crying men and women on the ground. It took Tommy a few moments to speak up, not trusting his voice just yet. 

“Drop the gun, (y/n).” He spoke calmly, softer than ever before, at least with his men surrounding them. She tried to wordlessly communicate with him, hoping that he’ll guide her through this situation, clinging to the man she had lured into her trap weeks ago. 

“I can’t, you’ll shoot me.” Tommy’s gaze wandered down to her hand, clinging to the bag filled with money. A sigh left him, not sparing his men and how they guided the other people into safety any attention. She grew nervous, gaze flickering to the door, wondering how long it would take the police to turn up. Time was running out, and her only hope was the reaper of Small Health. 

“How much’s in the bag?” The amount rolled off her tongue without thinking twice, praying that he’ll make a deal with her – money for her freedom. “You know how I deal with those causing trouble in my area, don’t you?” 

(Y/n) couldn’t reply, mouth dry as she watched him alight a new cigarette, “You lied to me, you played a game with me. A game you’re losing just now. How much is your freedom worth to you, (y/n)?” 

“Everything.” And with a hum rumbling through Tommy, he reached out his hand, helping her down from the table. Their eyes didn’t break contact once, making a small smile tug on her lips as she followed him out into the night, exhaling the air she had been holding. Darkness engulfed them, wrapping her in a blanket of false comfort, mind hooked onto the past moments, how her life could have ended right there and then. 

“You see,” Tommy wrapped an arm around her, mouth pressed against her ear. “Everything isn’t good enough, (y/n). Not in my game.” 

And with the sound of a gun being cocked, she was forced to freeze in his grasp, cursing herself for being addicted to the man that had no mercy lingering in his system.

Lost in your eyes, drowning in blue Out of control, what can I do? I'm addicted to you

[jamiesfootball]

please do tell me more about the brilliant “isaac mcadoo gets a one-eyed bunny” pearl you dropped on me last week i am so. I AM SO !!!!!! ABOUT IT.

Loosely based off of this and this and this and a few other posts about giving the Richmond lads pets

“What’s her name?” “A Good Samaritan brought her in, so we’re not sure. People don’t really microchip rabbits. We’ve just been calling her Bun-Bun.” “Then that’s her name,” said Isaac.

First Jamie with his monster cat, a true beast dressed up all fancy in an embroidered cravat, the two of them clogging up Isaac’s Twitter feed. (Isaac heard him out when he said he was trying to be better, but Isaac believed him when he saw him with the cat. The best-est cat in the world, he’d tell anyone, with a cheek-splitting grin on his face that rendered him almost unrecognizable from the man Isaac knew a year ago.) Then Dani with Jude of the forlorn eyes. A sweet dog, a real good boy, the both of them. (Isaac did not tear up when Dani showed him how to avoid petting the gnarled scar across his neck, from where a crueler owner left carelessness like a brand.) Then Dani had mentioned the other animals at the shelter, and well. It was a field trip now, wasn’t it? “This is Remy,” Moe explained as he cradled a small rat in his hand. “He used to be an explosives expert. Found land mines.” Jan scoffed. “That is not what the card on the cage said." “Doesn't matter what the card said, man. Just look at his eyes.”

Isaac ignored them, orbiting closer to Sam. The young man looked even younger than usual, his eyes wide with wonder as he peered through the glass. “You thinking about it?” Isaac asked. “I know nothing about snakes,” Sam whispered. Two orange shoelaces entwined together on a sandy rock. “I should let someone else find them. Someone who will know how to care for him.” Sam didn't sound like he believed a word he said. Isaac clapped him on the shoulder in sympathy.

Isaac wasn't looking for a critter to take home. Nah, he had enough on his plate. He was being smart about it. All the others, they could take on the weight and the care and the responsibility for a living breathing thing. Isaac had enough of those in his life: twenty-four of them in the locker room alone. At least if the whole team got pets, then he'd always have a good excuse to check in on them. Could say he was just in the mood to pet some dogs, or look at some fish, or perish under the weight of Jamie's massive behemoth of a cat. He could not imagine ever looking Moe in the eye and saying the words 'please let me hold your pet rat,' but he'd say them if it meant being a good captain.

The problem, he knew, with Moe and the rat was that once you named the thing you wanted, it made it impossible to want it any less.

Isaac hadn't know he wanted to be captain before Roy handed him that armband, and now it was all he wanted.

But he hadn't thought it would take so much work. Roy made that shit look easy. Even before Roy woke up from whatever coma he'd been in and started putting in the effort, the lads always followed in his wake. It wasn't like that with Isaac. He could command a room, sure, but did they listen? He could speak to them, but he couldn't move them. He couldn't remake their world the way Lasso rallied the team with his speeches.

He wanted to be the tides that could buoy hearts back to shore. It wasn't enough to have them listen if they didn't take his words to heart.

The team was a commitment that left no room for fuzzy little critters.

In a cage on the ground was a tiny bunny.

Isaac froze.

The bunny froze.

The enclosure was makeshift, nothing more than a cage on the ground with cardboard peaking out the sides. Hay tickled around the sides, and a tipped-over packing supply box made for a hidey-hole. Isaac towered in the bunny's sky. Far away on the ground the bunny huddled into a shivering ball no bigger than Isaac's shoe, a small black hole on the distant horizon.

One of the shelter's volunteers caught him staring and shimmered into existence at his side. "If you're interested in rabbits, that's our only one right now. Would you like to hold her?"

"Would I?" Isaac repeated.

The volunteer took that as a 'yes.'

The fur under his hands was immaculately shiny, a sort of brownish-black that parted under his hands like waves in a sea. She shivered. Isaac cradled her in his palms, following the volunteer's instructions to support her legs and back. Pressed next to his bicep, she looked like an afterthought.

Growing up Isaac had known with childish certainty that it was the feet of rabbits that went thump-thump-thump. As he held the small creature against his chest he felt the reality of its tiny heart singing thump-thump-thump.

"What happened to the ear?" he asked.

"It's a bit gruesome," the volunteer warned delicately. "But it sometimes happens after the mother gives birth--she gets a little carried away in the cleaning up. It worries some people off adopting, but the bunny is fine! Completely healthy, this one. so long as you don't mind a little imperfection."

The volunteer made it sound so easy. When Roy had handed over the armband, that had sounded easy too. That was how they got you. They dangled a carrot in front of you, and sometimes the carrot looked like respect or captain, and sometimes the carrot looked like a tribble and shivered in your hands, daring you to hold too tight.

Isaac did not need a pet. He had responsibilities, a weight upon his shoulders he'd never planned for.

Held aloft in the sky, the rabbit weighed hardly more than a feather.

"What's her name?"

[eywaseclipse]

Written in The Stars Chapter 1: Happiness is Simple

Characters: Na’vi oc Tani, Jake, Neytiri, Lo’ak, Neteyam, Tuk, Kiri, Spider, RDA, Mo’at. Tanywral’s parents and dead sister Zetey 

Synopsis: The series takes place over the course of the events in Way of Water with my own interpretations and artistic license

Warnings: Angst, violence against children, women, major character death and eventual smut;)

Word Count: 1k

Enjoy my first chapter of a very long series. You can even follow along by listening to the music that’s sequential to the film! I’m going to be naming my chapters after the song titles that follow the storyline, and potentially add my own if I see fit. Get ready for a very emotional ride please leave comments and send asks!!! (Original score is better imo that’s what I listen to) 

Happiness is simple. During your relatively short life on Pandora you bore witness to all its glory. Your Great Mother providing you with food, safety, shelter, and the beauty of your forest ecosystem. The perfect balance between give and take. You spent your 26 rotations on the planet training amongst your clans most ferocious hunters. Molding you into the warrior you are today. Swiftly following the footsteps of your mighty mother Peyral and father Taktu, and late sister Zetey. They eventually fought alongside Jake Sully and Neytiri 15 years ago against the sky people who destroyed your hometree and killed many of your clan members. 

You remember you’d begged your older sister to go with her to the battle field, paint already on your skin and she practically laughed in your face making you stay behind with the elders and children. Zetey was Neytiri’s age at the time, skilled with a bow and arrow like her. But when the war party had returned to back “home” you saw your father carrying your sister’s lifeless body. She and Tsu’tey had lost their lives battling the sky people. Two coveted mentors during your childhood.

You never truly felt alone though, as you regularly prayed to the spirit tree and spoke to her. Knowing her Tsu’tey and Neytiri’s older sister were with Eywa brought you comfort in moments of sorrow. And as time went on, the pain slowly became less agonizing for you and your parents. 

15 years going by, you witness your dear friend Neytiri start a beautiful family with Jake, who was blessed by Eywa to transfer to his avatar body. You found yourself training a few of the Sully boys from time to time, watching them grow before your very eyes. And here you are today, leading your hunting party with the eldest son of Toruk Makto weaving your way through the vines of the forest. Your strong limbs leaping into the air with your hunt members, tracking your prey. Neteyam grew up to be a fine young warrior, much like his mother. Only 15, and he was able to complete his Iknimaya on the first try, his dream hunt, and was even the youngest warrior to make a clean kill for his first hunting party. Younger than even you. 

You were happy to let him strip you of that title, but had it been anyone else you would’ve been a sore loser. You were close with all the Sully members, acting as an older sister to them. Your thoughts are interrupted with a yip. Your eyes turn to the noise, Neteyam’s tail upright with primal focus. He picks up a scent; the hexapede herd is near.

He signals for you to ready your weapons. You nod, others following suit, and let him track. Within minutes your targets are in your line of sight. With sign language you ready your team on your command to release their arrows at the same time. There are four shots, all aiming at the beasts. Your fingers signal the move, and the arrows zip into the air. Your aims are perfect. All four arrows making their kill. You cheer with a happy war cry, as the others join in. You prepare the food, mounting them on your shoulders making your way home.

You and Neteyam are first drop your kills off to your gatherers, for them to ready and cook the meat. “Good shot by the way Sully.” You say to him as you wash the blood from your hands outside the clearing. “Well, I suppose I might’ve learned from our clan’s mightiest hunters.” He mirrors your action, taking the cloth to his hands wringing out the red water into a bucket. “Oh and who might that be?” With eyebrows raised to him. “Peyral.” He say sarcastically.

You playfully gasp, throwing your rag at him, both of you laughing at his light teasing. After you’re cleaned up you make your way to the Sully family tent. Your dinner will be curtesy of you and Neteyam. Waves of pride always swell in your chest knowing you’re providing for your clan and family. You put your weapons down as you enter the tent hearing a soft cry. 

“Lo’ak you stepped on its head!” The source of the sound being Tuk. With tears streaming down her face, and a decapitated Ikran toy in her hands, Kiri bends down to wipe her cheeks. You shake your head at Lo’ak somehow always causing trouble. “Way to go Lo’ak, making your sister cry before dinner time, must be a new record for you.” Kiri snickers to him. He did not return the amusement.

“I didn’t see it! It was just an accident, oh my god why does everybody hate me!” He huffs with an exasperated sigh, hands waving in the air. Jake’s back turned to you, fixing up some fruit for his kids at the make shift table, whips around. “Hey! Enough. Just apologize to your sister.” With a sigh from Lo’ak he apologizes in defeat, “Sorry Tuk.” Lo’ak’s ears now pinned to his head. 

You feel bad, you knew it was an accident. Jake sometimes being a little too harsh with his reprimanding, you step in. “Don’t worry Tuk, I’ll make you a new one! You won’t even miss this old thing” Making your way to the crying girl, you bend down to examine the damage.

You definitely can whittle a better one, you think to yourself. Her ears perk up, and eyes widen with happiness. Wiping her snotty nose, she giggles. “Really?” Neytiri smiles at you fondly from across the room, knowing your intentions are to diffuse the situation. “Of course Tuk Tuk. Neteyam can help me too. Right ‘Teyam?” Your head now turned to him. He makes his way over squatting down to the mat where you’re all seated. “Sure.” He smiles at you and Tuk ruffling her braids playfully. 

Tuk’s sniffles now disappearing and the energy in the room returning to a normal like state she smiles once again. “Okay! It’s alright Lo’ak. I forgive you.” She says smiling to her older brother. Jake brings the bowl of fruit to Lo’ak, a silent peace offering making him smile at his father. You knew Jake’s heart was in the right place, sometimes just clouded with worry and his military training he’ll probably never escape from.

Lo’ak joins you on the mat, sharing the fruit with you and the Sully siblings, as Neytiri makes her way over to Jake. “Neytiri aren’t you guys supposed to have date night?” You ask to the back of her head. Ever since her and Jake became a mated pair all those years ago, he implemented small human traditions into their routines to help him honor his life back on Earth. Neytiri didn’t like the idea when they first had Neteym, but she warmed up to everything knowing that Jake’s human time back on Earth was an essential part of who he was. Some things even becoming useful.

One of their routines included date night. She told you it’s when a mated couple goes out, without their kids, and spends quality time together alone. Usually intimate settings and romantic gestures are involved. Maybe not all the humans were so awful. “That we do Tsmuke sister.

"Ma’Jake, it’s almost eclipse should we leave?” Jake’s ears perk up to his mate. “Let’s get it done.” He responds with a soft smile. If anyone is going to make Jake weak in the knees, it’s Neytiri, and his girls of course. You very much included. He’d probably never tell you that to prevent from being teased by his boys though. They begin to exit the tent. “Tani, make sure these two knuckleheads stay out of trouble, will ya?” Pointing at Neteyam and Lo’ak. Neteyam’s ears perk up, “Hey what’d I do?” Jake and Neytiri laugh, and head out of sight. 

Jake and Neytiri mount their Ikrans, and take off into the beautiful night sky. The bioluminescence on their faces scattered like the stars across their blue skin. Jake begins to pick up speed, circling around Neytiri and her Ikran Zrina. A big smile plastered on her face with the wind whipping in her hair, as he mimics the courting dance ritual in the sky teasing her. He laughs lightheartedly, as she makes her way above him and Bob. Both circling each other in harmony. They playfully soar in unison, weaving through the sky making their way towards the deep part of the forest. 

Once their spot enters sight, they dip down into the trees to land. With their Ikrans resting in the branches, he grabs Neytiri’s hand and they make their way to a small lake. The water refreshes his senses, as Neytiri swan dives into the blue lit water. They swim for awhile, quietly enjoying each other’s presence. After their quick dip, he and her dry off on the plush grass next to their favorite mossy covered log. “Ma’Jake.” Neytiri grabs his neck, he smiles knowing what she wants. And who is he to deny his woman.

After several rounds of love making they sleep peacefully under the starlit night sky. Looking up at the stars Jake’s often filled with melancholy and nostalgia. Staring up where he came from, he sees a large bright flicker, much too bright to be a shooting star. No, this is not a star at all. He sits up, with Neytiri slumping off his chest, waking up from the sudden movement. He squints his eyes to get a better look. Humans. And they’re headed right towards them. He and Neytiri share a silent look, quickly standing up. The sound of the rocket ship now reaching the Pandora atmosphere. 

“Run!” Jake screams to his mate. He grabs her hand and starts sprinting to outside the forest hoping to make it in time. The Ikrans called, and ready to fly, they hoist their bodies to their saddles and fly to safety. The flames of the rocket ship now ripping into all the flora and fauna, destroying everything within meters of its landing. The now incinerated leaves on fire, spreading quickly. Smoke can now be seen miles from the air.

Jake and Neytiri land within safe distance, running to the edge of the now demolished forest hill. Neytiri begins to hysterically cry, body shaking from fear. He holds onto her as she screams. “Hey, we gotta get out here, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Come on, we gotta go!” He cups her face gently and she allows him to lead her back to the animals. Taking off once again, now gaining speed into the night, he looks back at the damage, with his mate sobbing on her Ikran. He frowns at what just happened. He needs to go warn his people. The humans have returned. 

[crossroadsdimension]

FFXIVWrite 2024 Day 14

Prompt -- Telling

(FFXIVWrite 2024 Masterpost)

(Be warned -- Dawntrail spoilers below, post-first dungeon!)

“Say, um, Cross?”

The miqo’te turned her head slightly, glancing at the speaker with a flick of her ears and a slightly raised brow. “Wuk Lamat? What is it?”

The Second Promise sat down next to the Warrior of Light at the campfire, glancing between Cross and the campfire like they held some secret she couldn’t figure out. “Um…Erenville told me about all of your adventures, but…he acted like he didn’t know everything. Just like some of it was a bunch of rumors.”

Cross inclined her head and waited for Wuk Lamat to keep going. For whatever reason, the young woman needed time to get her thoughts together, and Cross knew when she had to be patient.

“Is…is it true? That you traveled to the edge of the universe? Did that part really—”

“It happened.”

Wuk Lamat turned her head sharply as her eyes went wide. “What? Really? I thought Erenville was pulling my leg when he said you traveled to the edge of the universe to stop the skies from turning red! You’re telling me that — that the people in Sharlayan really have a boat that can take you up into the sky and sail through the stars like it’s a giant sea?”

“Yes?” Cross’s mouth quirked upwards, amused. “Now you have me wondering what sorts of things you heard that you thought were rumors. Everyone in Old Sharlayan and across Eorzea knows I traveled to Ultima Thule to save the star, at least, so you could have confirmed that part of the tale before we’d left.”

It would be a little hard to confirm it now if Wuk Lamat went looking for people outside of their little group. Camping out at Many Fires didn’t give them a lot of people from across the salt to speak with.

“I-I thought it was merely a tale people told to say you were great enough to do something like that,” Wuk Lamat said quickly. “It does explain a few things about what Erenville said, though. But now I’ve only got more questions.”

Cross motioned to the fire. “Well, I am on watch, and it’s not like we need to be anywhere right now. We might as well get them out of your system before we go much deeper into the Rites.”

Wuk Lamat’s eyes brightened in an excited way that made Cross almost laugh. “I-is it true that you stopped a huuuuge war between people and dragons? Erenville said that one sounded even more crazy.”

“No, that one’s true, too.”

“How?”

Cross chuckled, but the sound came out fond and a little sad. “That is a very long story. I don’t think we’ll have time for it tonight.”

“Th-the shortened version is fine! Please, Cross?”

“All right, all right….”

Meanwhile, just on the other side of one of the shelters in Many Fires, Koana sat with his ears pricked as he listened to the conversation happening faintly on the other side.

“There’s nothing stopping you from moving closer,” remarked Thancred from his spot by the fire. “I doubt that your sister would notice.”

Koana frowned, then shook his head and moved closer to the fire, rather than closer to the other encampment. “I cannot help but wonder how much of your experience in the Scions is fact or fiction. Even among Sharlayan scholars, there are many who have their doubts.” He paused. “Is…is it true that you traveled to another star and found there proof of the ancient civilization that the Ascians were once a part of? With their advanced, lost technology?”

“Where did you hear all that?”

Koana ducked his head a little. “Hearsay, mostly. Debates over the contents of the most recently-released encyclopedia that covers recent events and locales not-yet-explored by Sharlayan scholars.”

“Aaah. I’m not surprised that’s how you found out.” Thancred chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, tis all true. We have traveled to a reflection of this star, and seen proof of the Ancients with our own eyes.”

“How? Is there any way the rest of us can access it and learn of their technologies?”

“That isn’t important to your current task, is it?”

Koana blinked, then frowned. “It could be. Something they do on their star could help us improve our lives here.”

“Oh, I highly doubt that. The people there are still trying to pull themselves together after a few rather cataclysmic events, after all. Very little of what they know would be able to help.”

“Cataclysmic?” Koana repeated. “You mean…the tales of rampant Light aether were correct? That—” He glanced over his shoulder, like his sister and one of her chosen companions would appear around the corner of the building right that second. He looked back at Thancred and lowered his voice. “That Cross Sylvan was nearly turned into a monster of opposite aetheric polarity to a voidsent?”

Thancred tapped one side of his nose, smirking at Koana. “Do you want to ask me to tell that tale, or Cross? For that part of our journeys on the First is not mine to tell.”

Koana frowned like he’d been caught. He set his jaw a little. “Then what are you willing to tell me?”

“Hmmm….” Thancred leaned back, glancing at the building that stood between their and Wuk Lamat’s camps in Many Fires. “How about we speak of the Crystarium?”

“The city supposedly run by the Student of Baldesion, G’raha Tia, for one hundred years?”

“Not ‘supposedly.’ Although speaking of the Crystal Exarch and his tale would require you to stretch your belief a little more than you already have.”

Urianger, lying on a nearby bedroll, turned over and gave the two of them a withering look. “Might I impress upon thee how important it is that rest be found at this time of night? Thou can speak on the intricacies of survival in the worst of situations when light has dawned.”

Thancred held up his hands and bowed his head to his astrologian companion, while Koana sighed and shook his head.

“Very well,” Koana said. “The Feat of Gold will not be won with tired mines. I will ask about this…’Crystarium’ in the morning.”

Thancred grinned at him, then returned to his bed roll when Urianger’s disapproving look persisted.

Then the elezen’s gaze turned to Koana. “Rest. I have no doubt we will be safe this night.”

“Because of your companions with Wuk Lamat?” Koana asked.

“Indeed. You will find naught happens that Cross will not be aware of. Rest. Thou willst need it.”

Koana wanted to ask where Urianger got that idea from, but the Archon had already turned over and gone back to rest.

He sighed and quietly shook his head before lying back on his own bedroll.

What strange traveling companions these former Scions made.

[doorsclosingslowly]

5, 12, 25

For the character ask game, please!

thank you!!!!

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

I'm super partial to a past sexual relationship between Théoden and Gríma that started sometime after Théodred's mother died and Gríma first gained a higher position in Meduseld.I don't think it was particularly emotionally fulfilling for Gríma because he considered it part of social climbing and any admission of weakness towards Théoden would also count against his promotions. Théoden never wished to acknowledge the relationship beyond the bedroom. Gríma was almost relieved when Théoden was weakened enough by his and Saruman's magic to no longer recall Gríma's bedside duties.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

My first impression on reading the books that there was an outsider no-one liked in Rohan who'd earned everyone's contempt because of his secret loathsomeness and then later Gandalf idly discussed how much he'd suffer and did nothing to intervene. Naturally I imprinted on my fellow human monster (in my case, the secret loathsomeness that made no one like me was undiagnosed autism lol).

I've also always loved henchmen, and Gríma's a classic henchman. Henchmen get hurt and killed without thought while the Boss gets offered mercy (they both are offered mercy in Tolkien though and he has my respect for it).

I do think my child self is essentially correct, though now I add that Gríma is hot, Gríma's the only goth in jock Rohan in the movies and therefore gets extra solidarity, Brad Dourif does a great performance, and that perhaps Gríma did more things wrong than my knee-jerk solidarity child self was willing to admit

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think of them?

Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows - Do you know my name? / What has happened while we slept

We have revived the water... or perhaps it simply woke up on its own. Anticipating, it is murmuring now along its ancient bed. Where is the stone, the tower, that worships and reveres us? No such a stone is here, I swear, well feeling that there should be On hottest rods we're shooting through the night along a private garden-way, though we no longer have any business being here On the left-hand side the greenhouse of a market garden What fragile shoots are being sheltered there?! Merry Rock, dressed in the midnight gown of tears, he is sitting on the floor and cries, his eyes are gazing at the western sky Oh everything seems lost to him Tapping his shoulder gently, my desire hardly concealed: You've done a lot already, and much more you will achieve! Sweet syrup consolation is dripping from my mouth... Can I myself believe this solemn vow?

I shattered all the mirrors fearfully hoping they won't be able to remember my face. Darkest of all lights most greedy to embrace surrounded by demons or breathing in life... Between the tides the time seems endlessly the force of habit or whatever pulled me back into a well-known pain. What uses the knowledge of my progression when the old world is gone without a new in sight, with my new found life I am homeless again...

I adore this song and it's a sign of my favouritism towards Gríma that it makes me think of him but just listen, and think of Gríma after Isengard falls, forced to walk west...