#the dumping of the water on shane????

[three-headed-monster]

golden.

[amostimprobabledream]

The Captains Play Stardew Valley!

I have Stardew on the brain. These are very silly.

Shunsui Kyoraku:

He never knows where the fuck his animals are because he "doesn't believe" in fencing them in. He also forgets to water his crops so he struggles in the first year because he's always broke af - not an experience he has in his real life.

He loves the whimsy of the game, especially when it comes to finding little secrets like Secret Woods or getting to Ginger Island. He reacts like a five-year-old being presented candy, it's the cutest thing. Also, he's in Stardrop Saloon almost as much as Shane is.

He never does the same thing per day, he'll have a wander down to the bottom of the map one day, mosey into town the next, explore the beach another…he's one of those people who takes "comfy game" at face value and plays in a way that's so leisurely that it's actually quite frustrating to watch. The urge to backseat game is often very hard to resist.

Favourite villager: All the women. All of them. From Jas to Evelyn, he loves every lady. Even the witch, he thinks he could fix her. He desperately wants Marnie to dump Lewis and find a man who appreciates her and feels bad for Sandy stuck by herself in Calico Desert.

Soi Fong:

Naturally, she got a cat when given the option and listening to it meow at her fills her heart with glee, but she pretends she doesn't care. She becomes offended if any of her animals give her eggs/milk/etc that aren't gold star or higher.

She absolutely hates Lewis for his terrible management and keeps asking why you can't vote to remove him as Mayor when he's so blatantly incompetent. A mystery for us all. She's also absolutely flabbergasted that Lewis is dating Marnie on the sly. She also dislikes Pierre for claiming her produce as his own.

She likes fighting monsters, when she managed to get to the desert she was thrilled at there being tougher monsters in there - she changed her tune pretty quickly when she got ganged up on by three serpents and lost some valuable treasure. She pouted about that all evening.

Favourite villager: Abigail - her tomboy attitude reminds her of someone…

Rose Otoribayashi:

Rose thinks the game is adorable at first but he quickly starts learning some of the lore and is surprised by how dark this seemingly cutesy farming simulator can get at times.

He absolutely loves the music in the games and has even tried writing songs with them as inspiration. Sometimes he just plays the game soley to wander about and vibe with whatever music is playing in the background.

He enjoys combing the beach and the tide pools or pulling up flowers and giving them to villagers. He does finish the mines but he doesn't visit them unless he has to because of a quest, he finds them gloomy and not fun to look at.

Favourite villager: This is an easy one, he's SUCH an Elliot stan. He calls him his "digital twin".

Unohana Retsu:

She completes the mines and skull cavern with ease. She can't intimidate the characters in the game with her avatar so she gets to back it up with her sword instead. Seeing the joy on her face at cutting down enemy after enemy makes you wonder if you gave her the right game.

That said, she also enjoys the cosier aspect of it - tending to her crops and animals comes quite easy to her and she's never bored by it. When confronted with cutscenes for the games she tends to be firm but fair in her advice.

She rarely faints but she likes checking in at the hospital because it reminds her of Fourth Division, so she has a lot of friendship points with Harvey and Maru especially.

Favourite villager: Harvey but also Marlon. Duality queen.

Shinji Hirako:

He has the WORST fucking luck in the mines - when he sets up bombs they explode in his face, he can never find enemies when there's a quest to do them, etc. Yet then every so often his crops will get visited by a fairy and suddenly be fully mature just when he needs them to, or he'll catch a rare fish by mistake.

He pretends to be disinterested, but he's a liar. Shinji LOVES, and I mean LOVES the tea about the villagers - when Caroline mentions she used to like to take walks by the Wizard's Tower he nearly spat out his coffee. And he actually shrieked when he found Marnie and Lewis in the bushes together - you ran into the room because you thought the idiot had stubbed his toe or something. He ships the villagers together unless he's the one courting them.

He cracks you up during the cutscenes because he says the most hilarious things in response to the villager's antics with a straight face. He goes for Lewis' jugular EVERY TIME.

Favourite villager: He likes most of them, but he has a thing for Haley - she was rude to him when he first talked to her and he developed a bit of a crush.

Byakuya Kuchiki:

It took a LONG time to persuade Mr. Uppitypants to play, but once he does he's DETERMINED to stick to a firm schedule. Too bad that's not quite how it works - he's terrible at the fishing game and it takes him forever to get the correct ones for the community centre. He buys them from the merchant whenever possible.

Spring is his favourite season because of the cherry trees. He waters his crops and checks on the animals diligently, every day, and with a complete straight face. He doesn't like being poor so his Farmer starts making bank QUICKLY.

Gets SUPER competitive during seasonal events, especially the Flower Dance. He's still salty about Abigail beating him in the Egg Race in the first year and has lowkey disliked her since then.

Favourite villager: Penny, he likes her genteel, shy nature. Reminds him a tiny bit of his wife.

Komamura Sajin:

Oh my god, he absolutely LOVES this game. Looking after animals is his absolute jam and he quickly turns his farm very profitable. He's just disappointed you can't take your dog on walks with you in the village and thinks all of them should appreciate its cuteness.

He dislikes the fishing game, not because he's bad at it but he doesn't like removing them from their home just to lounge about in your backpack, but Sajin is also duty-bound to restore that damn community centre, so…sacrifices must be made.

Also he's overjoyed when he learns you can speak to animals in the game and always goes to check the forest in case there's a new furry critter to talk to. He also befriends Krobus and the Dwarf very quickly, since he can relate to being different to everyone around him.

Favourite villager: Linus, he appreciates a guy who is in-tune with nature and just wants to live peacefully among the animals. He also is indignant when people judge the Farmer for digging through the trash, so you know, kindred spirits.

Lisa Yadomaru:

Lisa has married every bachelor and bachelorette in the game at least once - she has the save files to prove it. She says she likes to explore all the game's options but that's not true, she just wanted to know who has the spiciest lines of dialogue as your spouse.

She hates having to check the animals and crops every day so she uses sprinklers to maximum efficiency and getting the automatic feeder is a godsend. She does still like to pet them and see the cute little heart icons, though. Lisa isn't immune to cute pixellated animals.

She finds the mines kind of boring but her insatiable curiosity compels her to get to the bottom anyway, and she loves finding new clothing items to dress her character in - every time she loads the game her Farmer has some kind of new fit on.

Favourite villager: She was very upset when you told her you can't marry Sandy - Lisa calls her "desert wife". She's also fond of Maru, who reminds her slightly of Nanao.

Kensei Muguruma:

Kensei gets a horse ridiculously early on because the slow walking pace of the Farmer drives him insane, especially when he passes out just before he reaches his farm, so he goes out of his way to get a stable as soon as possible. The horse stays his favourite animal throughout the game because it goes home by itself.

The fishing game nearly made him fling the controller out of the window - especially when he had to get an octopus. You were seriously concerned he was going to straight-up snap your game in half.

He tunes into Queen of Sauce EVERY time, even when it's a re-run "just in case I missed it". He has actually tried to cook some of the recipes in the game and some of them were actually quite tasty! (He declined to attempt the Strange Bun, though.)

Favourite villager: Robin, he likes building new stuff on the farm and he finds Sebastian's cynicism refreshing in a game with mostly upbeat characters. He constantly grumbles how Demetrius isn't good enough for them.

Hitsugaya Toshiro:

He protested when you first got him to play - he's not a kid! But eventually he gave in to shut you up and soon enough he found himself drawn in, especially at the notion of it being passed down from his grandfather.

He likes unlocking things as he goes through the community centre and gets this satisfied little smirk every time he completes a bundle, even if it's an easy one. He's actually a little disappointed when he finally finishes it and doesn't have much reason to go anymore.

Hitsugaya tries to do everything so "you can't accuse him of not playing right", but he gets so salty if he has a bad time in the mine or spends ages fishing and doesn't get the right thing - then he yells at you for teasing him when he pouts. Favourite villager: Surprisingly, he's fond of Sam, he appreciates how hard he tries to stay upbeat and look after his little brother, it reminds him of when he was a kid and protecting Hinamori.

Zaraki Kenpachi:

He spends almost all of his time in the mines - as soon as he learns you can fight monsters in the game that's all he does. He's passed out in there MULTIPLE times, to the point where he was too broke to collapse anymore. Luckily he also made money quickly because he found a lot of gemstones down there.

Can never remember any of the character's names so he gives them nicknames - Evelyn and George are "the old people", Harvey is "Glasses", Haley and Sam are both "Blondie", etc.

He gets very aggravated when anybody he wants to sell to isn't there, especially when it's Clint, who he doesn't like and swears at a lot. Funnily enough he doesn't curse Marnie out the same way, even if he really wants a cow and she's too busy staring at her microwave.

Favourite villager: Marlon, he likes a man who knows his way around dangerous weapons. But unsurprisingly…he also has a soft spot for Jas.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi:

Another person it took ages to convince, but he finds it intruiging despite the simplicity of it. Mayuri isn't really interested in the villagers and instead immediately dives into all the supernatural/weird shit - he visits the Wizard's Tower every day and ends up getting the Sewers pretty early too.

He's a completionist at heart so he gets very determined about filling up the community centre quickly and gets pissy when you point out unless the merchant has a red cabbage he's unlikely to get it done by the first year.

Rarely does to any of the seasonal festivities, but he does always go to Spirit's Eve - he likes the aesthetic.

Favourite villager: He finds Krobus the most interesting and would probably invite him to live on the farm if forced to pick a spouse, but for human characters it's the Wizard.

Ukitake Juushiro:

Mr. Conflict Averse King hates it when he walks in on a cutscene that requires him to pick a side, he hates upsetting any of the villagers. He reaches ten hearts with people because he unfailingly responds in a way that will max out their affections.

He befriends Linus SO quickly because he feels bad for him. He also wishes he could help with all the problems and disapproves of the bad parenting present in the game, especially Pam and Demetrius. Shane's cutscenes involving his alcoholism made him so sad as well.

It takes him forever to get through the mines, the button mashing is hard for him and the frantic pace of Skull Cavern and the desert is enough to give the man heart palpitations.

Favourite villager: Vincent and Jas, obviously. He's got such a soft spot for little kids and his heart breaks at Jas' backstory.

[trashworldblog]

RIGHT?? and since we dont have almost any info on his backstory (how old is he? how long has he been time traveling? how many trips?) theres really no way to guess what can come next. which means we can get REALLY silly with it. i always thought he based his episodes on his travels. so its possible that the puppets that the genie knows about are only the ones that were on the show. or maybe the genie did a Really good job and found ALL the puppets and there really is no puppets left.

yeah i think the items being shelved is interesting because its a good way to represent something happening in the past. especially since its LITERALLY behind ryan. like in his past and physically.

oooh i see. thats really good! maybe ryan had to give something of the professors in order to save him. the satchel really is the only thing i can think of that would be important and irreplaceable to the professor.

another caveat i was thinking of is what if the professor only had a limited time on earth or if ryan / the professor now owe the genie a favor. or if the professor had to promise not to make anymore puppets and is now breaking that promise and the genie is gonna fucking get him again.

yeah i think the hat might be back but he isnt wearing it on his head? and its probably due to logistics puppeteering or with lighting.

also! last season i thought the puppets looking different was just due to madison being ridiculously talented (and she is. i mean LOOK at the meteor!! so cool!) but i thought it was just an artistic choice and not lore relevent, but they ended up all being holograms! and now the most recent puppet has more of that puppet history vibe so 👀 maybe things that seem to just be logistical choices/not lore relevant may be! idk! keep an eye out!

ALSO YEAH time travel shenanigans are always super weird to explain and its absolutely okay if puppet history never goes into that becuase i dont really care about flaws in logic with that stuff and also.... its a puppet show, ive already bought into the world. i dont think anyone is gonna be upset about it. plus every aspect of this show is super good and well done so like... if the time travel logic isnt 100% accurate to ... whatever makes people think time travel logical... thats ok.

yes!! the article definitely means that they did die and death did say he remembered a little blue nerd dying in dino times. THEY DIDNT GO THRU A CANNON EVENT *cue miguel ohara theme* but either way the genie is gonna be PISSED cus not only is the professor isnt dead, hes still causing puppet chaos.

i think he might have a new satchel in the trailer, and i mean, its possible he got a whole new wardrobe becuase he's bigger now. so none of his clothes and accessories fit.

i think s6 will be chill lore breadcrumbs and s7 will have more lore stuff! maybe not the same level as s5 but 👀👀 itd be cool if it did👀👀 id like that 👀👀. i think it just depends on if shane has a good idea planned out and when s7 comes out. he had a year to make a season 5 and that seems like the right amount of time for him to make a BANGER loreful season.

YEAH I HOPE RYAN AND THE PROFESSOR CAN BE FRIENDS FOR A WHILE. I NEED THEM TO BE NICE. i dont see the prof getting revenge on ryan at any point, he seemed genuinely regretful in s5 and genuinely relived and happy to see beef boy. and yeah him and his family looking up at the stars... 😭😭😭 that scene still makes me cry. its just so sweet and sad. <3

thanks for talkin lore!

hey guys im gonna write about lore now because im a little drunk and i have Big Feelings and Ideas about the puppet show. LETS GOO!!

ok so some background: we know the substitute [the hologram professor] was defenestrated by ryan at the end of last season. we also know that defenestration doesnt ALWAYS mean that the person dies. (also can a hologram die? sources say probably not. i mean he can kick and bite but just because he can manipulate matter doesnt mean he can die per say. he can probably recharge.)

we ALSO know that the power box and victory algorithm are outside of watcher hq in the dumpster. this was revealed in 6x01 and DEFINITELY not a mistake. im like 95% sure this plays into what happens next.

so whats my theory???

i do think this season is gonna be pretty chill lore wise. i think after 4 and 5 we deserve this little victory lap and shane is gonna give it to us. im almost positive there wont be any post show lore bits (except for MAYBE the season finale) there might be more breadcrumbs along the way though! and i will be looking out for them

when we DO get into lore times, i think the most likely things to happen is something that threatens both the professor and beef boy or one of them. i think we explored alot of the internal struggles with their friendship and i think their friendship is solid and earned now. (and it feels repetitive to make them not be friends again). ive kinda been waiting for a team up, and im very excited for this to happen!!

so, my #1 theory is its probably gonna be the substitute coming back to get his revenge. probably with a little help to. top suspects are 1) genie, 2) the devil, 3) asmodeus? and 4) secret fourth thing (a character we dont know about yet) i am curious about what the substitute is gonna do with the victory algorithm. in the lore scene where hes watching the machine count, it really does seem to just be a machine that counts points like jokes and puns along with correct answers, and all it does is award a ticket for the winner. i dont see how that can be manipulated into being helpful for him.

we also gotta get those little puppets out of the wondreum arena!!! and the professor doesnt seem to know that they're stuck in there!!!! i think that is also gonna play a role at some point, but i can't quite place where it falls yet. maybe the substitute will mention it and the professor will be like ??? WHAT??? maybe that's first on the professor's priority list??? maybe they'll get them back before the substitute comes back? idk yet. but its definitely a factor and something to keep in mind. i remember the substitute saying that god said that they could send one representative to earth to figure the whole mess out anf they sent the substitute, im just curious how any puppet was supposed to do anything about that??? are they supposed to bring their now unanimated objects to the wondrium arena for the puppet souls to inhabit??? idk but im excited to see how this part gets resolved cus i wanna see the little guys get outta there.

[daryltwdixon]

The Ruins of Us: Chapter 24

summary: You are reflecting on your complicated feelings about Randall being taken away, dropped off to the middle of nowhere until you realize they're returned with the prisoner in tow. Tensions rise between you and Daryl as you face the darker realities of the new world. In a flashback, Daryl faces Merle’s teasing about you, with Merle mocking him for his unresolved feelings and how things ended between them.

warnings: canon violence

x flash forward x

Days later, Rick and Shane were out with a car, taking the kid out to the middle of nowhere to drop him off, as Hershel had mended his torn leg. You had barely gotten a good look at him and decided it was better to keep your distance, sticking to your chores. With Daryl.

There was something about manual labor that always helped you center yourself. The meditative, repetitive motions allowed your brain to drift, sometimes to nowhere at all. It gave you a break from the constant chaos, the never-ending barrage of thoughts. Today, your mind wandered back to Dana, the last time you saw her sharp in your memory. You missed her wide, infectious smile, the way she could so easily chat with anyone she met. As much as it used to drive you crazy when she dragged you to parties only to disappear into the crowd with one of her boyfriends or sorority sisters, she was sweet at heart. She always saw the good in people, even when you couldn’t. What you wouldn’t give to have her here, with you, at the farm—anything to make it feel a little less lonely. 

Sweat drips down your forehead as you thrust the pitchfork into a pile of manure, your muscles straining under the weight as you lift and dump it into the wheelbarrow. It’s physical, mindless, grounding. But suddenly, your grip falters. The pitchfork slips from your hands, clattering against the wooden wall of the stall with a loud thud.

Your breath hitched, your mind stumbling over the sudden memory that surfaced.

Randall. Randy.

The frat boy from the party.

A rush of foggy memories hit you hard. The taste of strong beer and the smell of weed filling your senses. The sound of house music blaring through cheap speakers, the heat of bodies pressed too close together. A drunk kiss in a kitchen, sweaty twenty-somethings passing around booze like it was water, laughing at nothing, lost in their carefree world where your only real concern was your grade point average.

They’d taken him away— to drop him off for good. You should feel relieved, you tell yourself. He’s trouble. Everyone agreed. Hell, Shane practically screamed it, and Rick wasn’t far behind in thinking the same. But knowing they were driving him out to the middle of nowhere, leaving him behind like some unwanted baggage, makes your stomach churn.

You grab the pitchfork again, this time with a little more force, but the repetitive work isn’t doing its job of grounding you anymore. Your thoughts circle back to that night at the party—the way Randy had flirted with you, the kiss, a distraction. He was goofy, maybe a little stupid, but not a bad guy. At least, you hadn’t thought so then.

It all felt surreal now, thinking of how you’d met him as Randy, just another college kid. Now he was Randall, the prisoner—the guy Shane swears is a threat, the one they fear would bring his people down on the farm.

Was that really who he is? You don’t know. A part of you feels guilty for never giving him a chance to explain. The memory of him laughing in a hazy room, drunk and carefree, didn’t match the image of the dangerous guy they described. What if they were wrong? What if he was just a scared kid caught up in the wrong mess?

But then again, how well do you really know him?

Your fingers tighten on the handle of the pitchfork as you consider all of it. Maybe it was better this way—letting him go, putting that part of your life behind you, just like you’d done with so many other pieces of your past. But still, as you look out over the fields, a heaviness settles over you. Was he out there now, somewhere? Lost, alone?

You bite the inside of your cheek, trying to push down the nagging guilt creeping into your chest. Relief mingles with confusion. You don’t know if you’re sad for him, or just sad for the life you left behind—the life where Randy was nothing more than a goofy frat boy with a quick smile, and the world hadn’t yet gone to hell.

A small part of you considers telling someone, but then comes the dilemma: who? Shane? He'd probably blow up, twist it into something bigger, something about your judgment. You weren’t surprised he didn’t recognize him. There was so much going on at that time and he probably dealt with plenty of drunk kids at parties. Daryl? The idea makes your chest tighten. What if he thought less of you for it? You both have been through too much already, and you weren’t sure you could handle seeing that disappointment in his eyes, especially after last night. Maybe it wasn’t worth saying anything at all. You aren’t even sure if Randy remembered you, and even if he did, what difference would it make now? It didn’t even matter– Rick and Shane had taken him away. There’s nothing you can do about it anymore.

-------------

A couple of hours later, you found yourself standing in the doorway of the stables, the golden afternoon light casting long shadows across the farm. Wiping the back of your hand on your brow and the satisfaction of chores finished, you realize with a sinking feeling that Rick and Shane have been back for a while. The sedan sits parked by the house, dirt caked on its tires, and your heart rate quickens. You wipe your hands on your jeans, and start walking toward the group of people scattered near the farmhouse. 

You spot Rick first, his face tight with frustration as he speaks quietly to Hershel on the porch. His face is bruised up, his lip cut. Things must’ve gone badly. Gathering your nerves, you call out, “Rick? What happened? Everything go okay when you dropped Rand—the kid off?”

Rick turns to you, his eyes dark with tension, “We brought him back,” he says after a pause, “Said he knew Maggie—knew who Hershel was. He’s tied up in the barn. Daryl’s in there now, questioning him about his group. I’m takin’ the night to decide what to do with him.” He was looking at you like he was trying to convey something outside of his words. You wondered what really happened at the drop off. 

Your heart skips a beat at what he actually says. They brought him back here, and Daryl is interrogating Randall—Randy. The truth you’ve been holding suddenly becomes too much. You nod, swallowing hard, and quickly make your way to the barn, your footsteps feeling heavier with each step. You need to talk to Daryl.

“You shouldn’t go in there!” Rick yells, but his words barely register. Your breath comes in gasps as you reach the barn doors, pressing your forehead against the rough wood. Inside, Randy’s voice filters through, his words sharp and clear despite the pounding of your heart. He’s telling Daryl about his people—thirty men—that brought him into their group.

And then, the story changes. Your gut twists painfully as Randy talks about how his men attacked a family, how they went after the teen girls while the father watched, helpless.

You stumble back from the door, bile rising in your throat. This can’t be the same Randy. You thought you knew him—but you realize you never really knew him. He was some kid you met for 30 minutes, if that, in a drunken haze. 

You stand at the door as you deliberate. Maybe you should walk away. Maybe it’s better if you don’t face him.

But no, you had to know if it was the same kid. Needed to see for yourself. Your fingers curl into fists, and with sudden resolve, you shove the barn doors open, the old wood groaning loudly in protest. The dim light inside barely illuminates the grim scene before you. Daryl stands over Randy with bloodied knuckles and knife in hand– his expression cold and hard. Randy is slumped against a wooden post, wrists bound, face bloody.

As the door swings open, Daryl’s eyes dart to you. His expression shifts instantly, surprise flaring for a second before his face hardens. “Get outta here,” he growls, taking a step toward you, his body tense, protective. “Ain’t safe for you in here.”

Your feet root to the spot, heart pounding. “I heard him, Daryl… about what his group did.”

His gaze sharpens, fury brimming beneath his eyes. “Then you know you don’t wanna be here for this. Get out.”

At the sound of the door or maybe your voice, Randy’s head jerks up, and his big brown eyes widen in recognition. “Hey! Hey, I know you!” he gasps, his voice rough and panicked. There’s something desperate in his tone, as if you’re his knight in shining armor.

Your stomach churns at the sight of him. Visions of a memory of him holding a beer to his lips with a twinkle in his eye flash in your mind, but are washed away by the look of him now, bloodied up and shaken.

Daryl’s head snaps toward you, his eyes narrowing. There’s surprise there, but it quickly gives way to anger. “You know this guy?” His voice is rough, an accusation laced with confusion.

You swallow hard, your throat tight. “I—yeah. I met him once.”

Randy’s face lights up, hopeful. “Yeah! Y/N, right? We met at Brad’s party a few months ago! You remember, don’t you? We got busted that night by the cops!”

Hearing him say your name like that, like you’re old friends, makes your skin crawl. You thought you knew him, but you didn’t know anything. Not really.

Daryl’s expression darkens. “Brad’s party?” he echoes, his voice low and dangerous. “What the hell is that?”

“From school,” you murmur, trying to explain, but Daryl’s face only hardens more.

The mention of that night—the distant, hazy memory of a life that feels like it belonged to someone else—twists your insides. You thought you knew him. But you didn’t know this Randy.

“College?” Daryl spits, his voice rough with disbelief. “This kid? He just told me somethin’ real interestin’ about his group.” The knife in his hand glints in the faint light, a clear threat.

“I heard it all,” you say quietly, your voice trembling.

Randy’s voice cracks with desperation. “Y/N, no, I’m not like them! You know me!”

“Don’t you dare talk to her,” Daryl growls, his rage boiling over as he flies at Randy, smashing his fist into the kid’s face. Blood splatters from Randy’s mouth, and a guttural cry escapes him.

“Daryl, stop!” you cry out, stepping forward, but Daryl’s not listening. His fists slam into Randy over and over, each hit harder than the last.

“Get out of here, Y/N!” Daryl shouts at you between hits, his voice raw with anger. “Now!”

You freeze for a moment, torn between your instinct to stay and help and the fear curling around your heart. You turn and run, your mind spinning with guilt and confusion, wondering if showing your face here had just destroyed everything.

--------------

You sit with your head in your hands in an open lawn chair as the group talks to one another when you and Daryl return. Daryl’s bloody knuckles hold his crossbow over his shoulder as he stands next to you.

“Boy’s got a gang—30 men,” Daryl starts, his voice low but steady, cutting through the murmurs of the group. Everyone quiets to listen, the gravity of his words sinking in. “They’ve got heavy artillery and ain’t lookin’ to make friends.”

You feel your stomach churn, and you rub your hands down your face, pulling at your skin as if you could rub away the dread crawling inside you. Daryl pauses for a moment, his gaze shifting down to you briefly before he continues, his voice growing harder.

“They roll through here, our boys are dead.” His words send a shiver down your spine, but you can feel him hesitate next to you, his eyes tightening with something darker, something worse, as he looks up to Rick. “And our women—” His voice falters, but he pushes through, “they’re gonna wish they were.”

The blunt horror in his tone cuts through the group like a knife, the cold truth settling over everyone. Carol’s voice breaks the silence, her eyes flicking toward Daryl’s bruised and bloody knuckles. “What did you do?” she asks softly, her gaze heavy with concern.

Daryl doesn’t answer, but you stand, your movements slow and deliberate as you take his hand gently in yours, careful to avoid the torn skin and raw knuckles from when he crushed Randy’s face. You glance at Carol, your voice quiet but firm, the weight of it carrying through the tension. “What he had to.”

--------------------

It’s quiet back in Daryl’s tent, far away from the group. His hand is in yours as you gently dab at his bloodied knuckles, raw and swollen. He sits still, his eyes following your every move, but he hasn’t said much since you started.

The silence between you isn’t awkward—it never really is—but there’s tension. You can feel Daryl’s eyes on you, waiting for something. Eventually, his gravelly voice breaks through the quiet.

“How’d ya know that kid?” His tone isn’t accusing, but it carries enough concern that it makes you pause.

You press the cloth a little too hard against his knuckles, making him flinch slightly, but he doesn’t pull away. “Sorry,” you mumble, still avoiding his gaze. “It’s not important.”

“Bullshit,” Daryl mutters, his voice low. He tugs his hand back slightly, forcing you to meet his eyes. “It’s important enough that you didn’t tell me.”

You sigh, dipping the cloth back into the bowl, watching as the water swirls red for a moment before clearing again. “It was a long time ago,” you say quietly. “Before all this.” You gesture vaguely around, indicating the world outside the tent—the world that’s changed everything.

Daryl frowns, his brow furrowing as he studies your face. “What’s that mean? College?” he asks, his voice carrying a mixture of surprise and frustration. “That kid ain’t the same anymore, Y/N. None of us are.”

You nod, focusing on cleaning the blood from his hand again. “I know. He’s just... someone from a different time.”

As you say it, your mind keeps racing back to the barn, to the way Randy looked at you. He’s not just a frat boy anymore; he’s tied to something darker, more dangerous. And yet, there’s a part of you that can’t let go of those memories, can’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, there’s more to his story.

“Maybe I should talk to him,” you say suddenly, surprising even yourself as the words slip out.

Daryl’s head jerks up, his eyes narrowing. “Talk to him?” His voice is sharp, disbelief etched in every word. “The hell for?”

You hesitate, unsure how to explain what you’re feeling. “I don’t know... maybe I can get more out of him. Maybe he’s not as bad as you think.”

Daryl’s face hardens, and he pulls his hand away completely this time. “You’re outta your damn mind if you think that,” he growls. “That kid’s group did awful things, Y/N. He’s dangerous, and I ain’t lettin’ you anywhere near him.”

“Let me, Daryl? Since when do you boss me around?” you challenge him.

Daryl stands up, grabbing his crossbow from the corner, his expression unreadable and ignoring your question. “Stay away from him,” he says flatly, his voice leaving no room for argument.

You watch him leave the tent, the flap swinging behind him as he disappears into the late afternoon sunlight. For a moment, you just sit there, staring down at your hands, the memory of Randy’s panicked expression in the barn still fresh in your mind. Maybe Daryl’s right, maybe Randy is just another threat. But something in the pit of your stomach tells you there’s more to it than that—and ignoring it won’t be easy.

-----------------

X flashback x

Daryl

The room was thick with the stale stench of cigarette smoke and beer. Merle leaned back in his usual spot, sprawled out in a beat-up recliner, boots kicked up on the cluttered table. Daryl sat across from him, hunched forward, glaring at the floor, his whole body tense. He hadn’t said much since Y/N left, and Merle was getting real tired of the silence.

Merle took a drag off his cigarette, eyeing Daryl with a smirk. “You gonna sit there mopin’ all day, or you gonna tell me what’s got you actin’ like someone ran over your dog?”

Daryl stayed quiet, jaw clenched tight.

Merle blew out a cloud of smoke and let out a sharp laugh. “Lemme guess—it’s about her, ain’t it? Y/N. You finally pissed her off enough, and now she’s gone, huh? You really screwed it up this time, didn’t ya?”

Daryl shifted, but he didn’t take the bait. Merle wasn’t letting up, though. He could see the way his little brother was stewing, and he was gonna get a rise out of him one way or another.

“Hell, you nearly killed two of my boys for touchin’ her, didn’t ya?” Merle leaned forward, chuckling. “Funny how you goin’ all wild on ‘em didn’t exactly keep her around.”

That got Daryl’s attention. He lifted his head, his eyes burning with a flicker of anger.

“Yeah, I heard about that,” Merle continued, grinning. “Them two junkies thought they could get handsy, and you knocked their damn teeth in. Shoulda been there myself, would’ve done the same thing. But hell, Daryl, what were you expectin’? A medal? She ain’t yours.”

Daryl’s fists clenched at his sides, but he didn’t say anything. He could still see it in his head—those two assholes laughing, thinking they could touch her like that. He didn’t regret a single punch.

Merle leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “What’s even funnier is you doin’ all that ‘cause you’re too chickenshit to admit why you really care so much. Ain’t like it’s a secret, brother. You’re all twisted up ‘cause you got yourself wrapped around that girl, and now look at ya. It’s pathetic.”

“Shut up, Merle,” Daryl growled, finally meeting his brother’s mocking gaze.

Merle just laughed harder. “Oh, don’t give me that. Everyone can see it. Hell, it’s written all over your face. You’re in deep with her, but you’re too damn stubborn to admit it. And now? Now you let her walk away, all ‘cause you ain’t got the guts to do somethin’ about it.”

Daryl shot up from his seat, his face flushed with anger. “I said, shut the hell up.”

Merle wasn’t fazed. He just grinned wider, like he was enjoying every second of it. “Hit a nerve, didn’t I? Come on, Daryl, you’re actin’ like a lovesick puppy and everyone knows it but you. The only one you’re foolin’ is yourself.”

Daryl’s hands twitched at his sides, itching to throw a punch, but he held back. Barely.

“Look, man, I get it,” Merle continued, his tone dropping just a little. “She was the best thing you had goin’, maybe the best either of us had goin’. And you let her slip through your fingers ‘cause you’re too damn scared. But don’t come cryin’ to me when she’s gone for good and you’re left here mopin’ like a fool.”

Daryl stood there, seething, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn’t deny what Merle was saying, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear it. Especially not from him.

Merle shook his head again, taking another drag from his cigarette. “Shoulda just claimed her when you had the chance. But nah, you’ll just keep lettin’ her go, won’t ya? You’re real good at that.”

The words stung, but Daryl bit his tongue, refusing to let Merle get the best of him. Not this time.

[forbiddenmoss]

You ran home from the mines. Weighed down by stone and metal. Exhaustion taking over. You had to make it home before you passed out. Vision going blurry you crashed through the door and collapsed on the bed. It's all safe. You made it home.

You woke up at sunrise as usual but shoved your head under the blankets. Duvet day today. Not like anyone will notice anyway.

But Shane noticed. Before he got to the bridge he turned back to wait on you. The farmer always chased after him to chat. It really annoyed him at first but then he started to leave for work earlier just so yous could talk. Sometimes you even gave him a chilli or a agg. But not today. He couldn't help but worry. Maybe he should check on you. True he'd be late for work but he won't get fired to short staffed.

At the farm he sees none of the daily chores had been done and your door is slightly open. That made him worry. Peaking in he sees you sound asleep weighed down with equipment and shiny rocks that he carefully takes off and puts on the floor.

As he takes your boots off he thinks of how you should take better care of yourself how you can't keep putting yourself in dangerous situations like this how everyone cares about you. He's starting to sound like Marnie.

He knows your home he knows your safe. He goes to leave when a cat slams it's face against his leg. Oh yeah Marnie mentioned she gave the farmer some stray. Wee guy must be hungry. The farmer won't mind if he feeds the cat then he'll be off.

Dumping his hat and jacket he takes the watering can and goes out to find the cats bowl. It's such a beautiful day it's strange to think he'd usually miss days like this stuck inside joja. A little chirp of thanks comes from the cat then he fills the water bowl. Didn't the farmer buy chickens a few days ago? Well he needs to say hello and see how they are settling in. And he might as well water some crops they seem a little dry.

Maybe he'll skip work today.

[mosswolf]

"You’re a paladin.” Marguerite patted his arm. “Physical privation is practically one of your hobbies.”

Wren laughed. “We’re not that bad. I mean, it’s not like we enjoy bad food and dumping ice cold water over our heads at dawn. It just works out that way sometimes.”

“I enjoy hot baths,” said Shane. “And…err…food…”

Both women looked at him. Wren shook her head sorrowfully. “Poor bastard wouldn’t know a spice if it drew steel on him,” she murmured to Marguerite.

“It’s probably not his fault. Raised wrong, I expect.”

“I use pepper,” muttered Shane, stung. “And salt.”

He looked up into identical expressions of pity and decided to stare out the window instead.

PLEASE HELP HIM

[pastanest]

if you’re wondering why I’m having to repost this, or why you were perhaps previously following me but no longer are, please refer to this post. I was able to retrieve this thanks to @iamburdened - thanks so much!! ♡

Daryl Dixon x she/her!reader

spoilers: set in season 3, references to previous locations

Soft Spot For Ya

Rounding the corner to the only available cell in the block, you throw your bag onto the top bunk.

“Oh, I am totally taking the top bunk, you can kiss my sugar coated ass!” You cheer, looking over your shoulder at Daryl as you climb up the ladder to the second bunk. Your best friend chuckles and shakes his head, dumping his bag on the second bunk.

“Back in a room with you again, as if the end o’ the world couldnt get any worse!” Daryl teases as he sits down on the bunk beneath you.

Gasping, you lean over your bunk to smack him in the head with a pillow.

“Hey, dont be an ass! I am your absolute favourite roommate!”

Daryl rolls his eyes. “Sure ya are.”

You lie back on your bunk with your arms behind your head, smiling up at the ceiling. “If you actually disliked me, Im sure you would’ve kicked me out of your tent, or off of your part of the farm - all this evidence is against you mister, you sure you wanna take this case to court?”

Daryl sighs in defeat. “Alright alright, I get it, I got a soft spot for ya.”

This was a statement that Daryl realised to be true the day he met you. Back at the quarry, while Daryl was out on a hunt, he found you wandering the woods all on your own. You had no weapons and barely any food or water in your bag. When he asked you how you’d made it that far, you smiled bigger than he’d seen anyone smile since the world changed, and you said “Just kept running!”

He led you back to the camp, and as soon as the two of you cleared the trees, Shane dropped whatever was in his hands and marched over, shaking his head.

“Naw, we dont jus’ let anyone stay here.”

Naturally, you had an immediate disliking to Shane, considering he barely glanced at you, let alone introduced himself. Your smile fell from your face, and you stayed quiet, not out of fear, but just to observe the situation for a little longer to figure out the dynamic of this group.

Daryl’s gestures to you. “I’ll take full responsibility for ‘er. She was out there completely by herself, she aint got nobody, ya shouldnt turn her away man.”

You smiled kindly at Daryl to thank him in a way that wouldnt disturb the conversation, and he nodded back at you in reply. Shane’s next words tore your smile from your face yet again.

“Oh, and I ‘spose her life’s been saved by some piece of shit redneck?” He seethed, taking a step closer to Daryl. It fascinated you that nobody else in the group tried to prevent this. Clearly Shane’s reign of aggression had everyone under submission, except for Daryl, and then, you.

You frowned, bravely standing slightly in front of Daryl. “Hey! Dont talk to him like that!”

Shane shook his head at you, laughing without humour. “Oh, naw, see you dont get to speak to me, you aint one of us!”

You throw your arms in the air, making big gestures as you let him have a piece of your mind. “I dont give a flying fuck if you consider me as part of your group, the fact is I’ve been here two whole minutes and in that time all you’ve done is act like an ass, and judging by the faces of everyone ‘round here, you make a habit of that, and that’s not okay! The world going to shit doesnt give you the right to think you own it, asshat. And if you could refrain from insulting Daryl - who has a name, in case all the hot air in your head made you forget - I’ll refrain from breaking your goddamn nose.”

The quarry fell silent, Daryl’s eyes had been locked on you from the moment you stepped out in front of him, and he was utterly hypnotised by you. Nobody had ever defended him like that.

Very slowly, Dale started to clap for you, then T-Dog and Glenn joined in.

Lori, Carol, Andrea and Any couldnt help smiling and laughing, a mixture of shock and of ‘serves him right’.

Shane was scowling at you. Dale raised his hand.

“I, for one, would like to vouch for this girl’s permanent residence!” He offered, throwing you a kind smile, which you gladly returned. “Who’s with me?” Dale called, and within a few seconds, everyone else in the group had an arm in the air.

Daryl walked to stand beside you, lifting his arm in the air to cast his vote before swinging it around your shoulders.

“Looks like yer outnumbered, go cry about it.” Daryl said to Shane childishly, making everyone laugh as he walked you back to his tent.

Ever since, the two of you have been inseparable. When Rick found the group, he actually assumed that you and Daryl had been dating since before the apocalypse, he was truly shocked to find out that you’d only known each other a couple of months, and you werent dating. You kept your word with Shane, and ended up breaking his nose on the farm after he made the mistake of insulting Daryl again. Considering how protective you got of Daryl, you were intending to break more than Shane’s nose, but you were pulled off him by none other Daryl Dixon himself, who took you away to calm you down and bandage your knuckles, while Rick calmed down Shane. Thankfully, it wasnt long before Shane was dead, and with him went the usual cause for your anger.

Now, things between you and Daryl are complicated in a way that is complicated to everyone except the two of you.

“Hey, Daryl?” You call down to him from your bunk after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

“Yeah?” Daryl replies, curious as to what random thought has popped into your head all of a sudden.

“You think now we’ve got a more solid place to stay, you’re gonna take me out to dinner?” You ask him, and Daryl is silent, waiting for something that he cant put words to. After a few lengthy seconds, you burst out laughing.

Daryl scoffs and pushes himself up to stand away from his bunk. “An’ ya call me an ass!”

You roll over onto your stomach you’re laughing so hard, while Daryl shakes his head and searches through his bag. He’s about to walk out of the cell, but you stop him.

“Hey! Where’d ya think you’re going?” You question.

“Anywhere away from you!” Daryl retorts sassily, turning around to look at you from the cell doorway.

You laugh, using your hand to beckon him back over, and he rolls his eyes but strolls back over to you. Daryl stands at your bunk, and you grab the back of his head to pull him close to you, kissing his forehead from your place on the top bunk.

Beaming at Daryl, you let go of him, and he scoffs, blushing and shaking his head.

“Love yooouuuu!” You call as he shuffles out of the cell.

“Yeah, whatever!” Daryl yells back, and you fall back onto your bed in fits of laughter again.

Nobody else could understand what it was between you and Daryl, but they didnt need to. You didnt need to put a name to it, a name makes it too simple, there’s no word to describe the adoration you two have for each other. The world has moved past the need for simplistic relationship titles. All that matters is that you are each other’s best friends, and each other’s sources of comfort, strength, and love. Even if nobody else understood your relationship, they couldnt deny that those things were true in everything you did for each other.

[rickmymanrick]

one rule | chapter six

[rick grimes x original female character slowburn]

series masterlist

summary: rick confides in daphne, for reasons unknown to her. as she offers him counsel, daphne is also grappling with conflicting feelings of her own.

notes: if you're disappointed by this reaction, this is a friendly reminder that season 1 rick was mr moral high ground. but trust me when i say there WILL be a catalyst for rick's entire wrath and fury. this is just one step closer to that. do not fear, rick will be kicking shane's ass very soon :) also, the pacing is so bad in this, i might rewrite this whole chapter soon. but feel free to comment, i love talking to you all!

I froze. In fact, I think all three of us did and I realized with a jolt how out of my depth I was here. This had nothing to do with me and of course, here I was, in the smack dab middle of it.

Daryl scoffed one more time and then trudged into the woods, mumbling all sorts of things. I stared after him until he disappeared within the trees. His words dawned on me and my eyes slowly traveled over to Shane.

Sure, Rick's sudden appearance had served as a nice distraction from the big glaring problem I had waiting here for me if I got back alive, but reality had to be faced eventually. My inner conflict since last night had been tearing me from the inside-out, as I tried to figure out my feelings for Shane Walsh. After all, he has been generously kind to me in all the years I've known him, albeit flirty but in a respectful way. He didn't cross any lines I'd deemed uncrossable and I wouldn't deny that his concern and priority over my well-being filled me with sensation far beyond gratitude.

The kiss caught me off guard. But now this bucket of ice cold water had been dumped over my head. Just as I began to entertain the idea of harboring romantic feelings for him.

His words from last night echoed in the back of my mind.

"For what it's worth, it's always been you."

Something inexplicable gripped at my throat. But I stayed as silent as possible. Watching these two was like a ticking bomb, any second away from detonating.

Shane stared at Rick with a troubled expression, his foot twisting into the dirt uncomfortably.

I knew in an instant Daryl Dixon did not lie.

Did he know this was my usual spot to gather berries and other edible plants? With his tracking abilities, I wouldn't doubt it, despite not talking to the man much but...

Of all the miles that surrounded our camp, why stretch out the smug admission of a hidden truth, a treacherous affair, until this very spot, just steps away from where I was crouched in the bush, picking for blueberries?

I reprimanded myself at the thought. Why would Daryl Dixon care about my knowing of Shane's personal escapades?

"She..." Shane started quite hesitantly. "Lori... she thought you were dead, man."

"Did you?"

Shane scoffed as if the accusation baffled him. "You heard 'em. I... I tried, Rick. I saw you every chance I got. The day it all went down— I didn't have a damn clue what was going on. Screams from left to right, the military raining fire on anyone who was still breathing. Hell, I tried to get you out of there, man! But it couldn't be the two of us dead because you still had a wife and a child out there! And if I couldn't save you, I could damn well save them!" He was unexpectedly set off, angrier than he should've been. "And let me tell you somethin', I did it for you. I did it for my brother. L-Lori, we were comforting each other in the only way we knew how—"

"I thought you were gone."

His partner's face was crestfallen. His lips parted like the shock was threatening to sink him under, his eyes glazed over from the betrayal.

"After I woke up in that hospital bed, when I saw what the world had become. The first thing I thought about was Carl and Lori. And then you. Our unit. For a moment, I thought you were all dead—"

Rick choked up and Shane's face morphed into something reminiscent of guilt. I couldn't quite tell though. I'd like to think that after years, I knew this man. But now he was completely unreadable.

Running a hand over his face, down his glistening eyes, Rick squared his stance and stared his longest friend in the eye.

"Our marriage... fell apart a long time ago," he shook his head and clenched his jaw. "But that doesn't make this okay."

There was a long moment of tense silence and I didn't realize I was holding my breath until my chest began to burn. I tried to control the air releasing from my lungs.

"I appreciate what you did. Saving 'em. I owe you everythin' but—" Rick cut himself off, glaring at the grass between them. He seemed to be saying these words through his teeth, forcing himself to say them. His hand began to flex angrily and his feet kicked the dirt beneath them in warning.

I stared at them with a mix of emotions.

One was a man that had changed my life forever, taught me how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where I should've died. He cared for me, never shied away from making it clear that I was his priority. And maybe I was too blinded by the attention to see that there was something going on between him and Lori. That she was also carelessly pushed to the side in the weeks we'd been forming a new life together. And to know that she'd been having sex with him all along, I could only hope that she didn't have actual feelings for him, because it would explain the strange looks I had been catching from her, and my guilt would only increase tenfold.

And on the other hand was her husband, a man I have been pining over since the moment I laid eyes on him in the precinct.

Rick Grimes had an instant hold over me, no matter how minuscule or undetectable it had gotten over the years, and no matter what, he had always truly been the most gorgeous man I've known inside and out.

What does that say about me? Lusting after my friend's husband and then fucking around with the feelings of her goddamn side piece.

I suddenly became nauseous.

"I get it, man. I'll go back to the camp," said Shane after a long stretch of silence. I kept my eyes on Rick, unable to look at Shane with the turmoil brewing inside me. A simmering anger was twisting my insides at the mere sound of his voice.

"Uh— yeah, yeah," Rick mumbled distractedly, not bothering to even look up, fists clenching and unclenching by his sides.

A pair of footsteps stomped away, crunching along the grass until the only thing that could be heard was the chirps of the nearby insects.

As soon as Shane disappeared within the trees, Rick spun around to send his fist flying into a tree, a muffled yell leaving his pressed lips. He was beyond angry, tears lining his lash line, face turning red. I stared with wide eyes, trying not to make a single sound.

I felt incredibly bad for him. I couldn't imagine fighting tooth and nail to make it back to your wife just to find that she had moved on to your best friend so quickly. That although their marriage had already been suffering, she had chosen to sleep with the man he trusted more than anyone else.

Something wet touched my hand. I uncurled my fist to find a handful of crushed blueberries.

"How long you been there?"

I jolted up in surprise, my curls tangled into the bush and the pouch of berries slipped out of my other hand.

"I was here first," I replied defensively, still hidden in the bush.

Rick didn't say anything, just peered past the leaves as if he couldn't quite spot me. But somehow he knew I was there, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"You were," he eventually said, slowly. "I saw you just before Daryl left."

Relief flooded through me. I slowly untangled myself from the branches, stepping out into the path with tinged cheeks. "I was picking berries. Found the patch a few weeks ago."

His cheeks were flushed, his hands shaking very slightly by his side.

"I can leave you alone," I said after some silence. "I'll go back to camp—"

"No." Rick said firmly, meeting my eye very briefly before glaring back down at the ground.

I halted my escape. "Oh, um, okay."

The awkwardness was threatening to eat me alive. I shifted on my feet, wondering where to look and what to do with my hands.

"Do you..." I eagerly looked up at Rick, glad one of us was talking. "Did you know?"

I studied him. Really, there should be no reason for him to be upset with me too, but I braced myself for his wrath anyway. He'd spared Shane because they were partners, but we were nothing. As much as it bothered me, Rick and I didn't owe each other an ounce of respect in this new world.

"No," I told him honestly. A surge of anger towards Shane rushed through me again. My cheeks felt hot.

"I keep wondering... if I have the right to even be upset. I wasn't a good husband to her, I know this, and you're the last person I should be telling this to but—"

The last person? Should I be offended or something? I decide now wasn't the best time to press for details. "It's fine. I know this can't be easy for you. To wake up to... this."

Rick scoffed a little, but not in a rude way. It was as if I'd said something outlandish and absurd.

"I woke up and the hardest part was done. Seeing the world change— changing with it— becoming the leader of a group you have no responsibilities or ties to. You, you did the hard part."

"Oh— did Shane—?"

"Shane didn't hafta tell me nothin'. Lori and I talked last night. She told me everything that happened since the day I got shot," explained Rick solemnly.

I cringed at the thought of them spending time alone last night. Not that it was crazy to imagine; they were still married.

"I guess I have a lot to be thanking you for," Rick looked up at me with an intense sincerity in his gaze. I tried not to squirm under the pressure of it. He continued. "You saved my family. That is something I will never be able to repay."

He stepped forward and laid a large hand on my shoulder. I could feel some heat rush to my ears. "You have my gratitude."

"Carl's a great kid. And Lori's my friend. I would do it a million times over," I told him truthfully.

He stared at me for a few moments, his hand still holding my shoulder as his eyes scanned every bit of my face. Sighing, he stepped away and brought himself to the ground carefully, sitting with his knees bent and leaning an elbow against them thoughtfully.

It was silent again, but it didn't feel as awkward as before so I sat next to him and began to wash the berries off with the bottle of water I'd brought with me from camp.

"What... what do I do?"

My head shot over to stare at him. "You're asking me."

I didn't state it as a question, more as a statement of shock, thinking about how ironic it was that the fate of a marriage I had once upon a time envied was now partly in my hands. The guilt was still there, painfully tugging at my heartstrings.

Rick shrugged and made a show of looking around at the empty trees around us.

"I can't really tell you what to do, Rick."

"What I really wanna do is break his jaw in. Watch him choke on his teeth."

I'm surprised at the restraint it took for him to not send his fist flying in the first place. I was fully prepared to watch Shane's ass get beat.

"He deserves it," I instigated slightly. I couldn't possibly be as angry as he was but I understood. Shane does deserve a good punch.

He sighed and shook his head at the ground.

"I don't know how to go on. How to look him in the face—" he scowled. "We were brothers. He was my best friend. He knew." Rick snapped.

"He knew...?"

"He was the one person I confided in. I told him about Lori and I. I told him when things started going south. I never thought in a million years I'd have to worry." He spat, shaking his head angrily.

I felt some of that bitterness surge in me as well. I felt completely and utterly deceived by the same goddamn person.

"We never do," I projected a bit. I couldn't help it, the anger was swelling in me as well. Just the thought of Shane's stupid face made me want to punch something. "They fill our heads with all these stupid promises and reassurances just to stab you right in the back anyway."

Am I being overdramatic? Most likely. Hell, I probably deserved this. I led Shane on for so long, I couldn't be mad that he moved on to someone else. I just couldn't understand why he'd said the things he did last night. The kiss.

I've never been more goddamn confused in my life.

It was quiet for a few minutes, my last comment brewing in the silence but I didn't think Rick would pay much mind to it. He had bigger problems of his own.

"Carl— he's so young..." he said idly as if it had just occurred to him.

Too young for a divorce was what he meant.

I couldn't disagree with that. There's no age that seeing your parents separate becomes easier to deal with. But he's not the same nine-year-old Rick had known before he got shot.

"Rick, the world isn't the same anymore. It doesn't excuse Lori's actions or Shane's, but all of that doesn't matter so much when you're trying to keep yourself from getting eaten by dead cannibals. I can't tell you what to do but in the grand scheme of things, I think Carl will learn to understand."

I didn't know whether this brought him any comfort because he seemed to have nothing else to say on the matter. Maybe I was too straightforward, after all Carl was his kid at the end of the day. Despite how much I'd grown to care for him...

"I've been thinking about the man we left behind."

I looked over at him in shock. It was the last thing I'd been expecting him to bring up. But as soon as I looked at his blue eyes, I could almost see the plans he was concocting.

He wanted to go after him.

"You can't be serious," I scoffed. I'd been pushing aside my own thoughts about Merle Dixon. Just one more thing to add to my consciousness. As much of a dickhead as he was, we'd left a human being for dead.

"It isn't right. Leaving him up there to die," insisted Rick.

"He would do the same to any of us," I argued. "You just escaped the city. Survived alone against all odds. You're willing risk that for a douchebag like Merle?"

I observed the incredulous look on his face with disdain. It's different for him. He was just introduced to this new fucked up reality. He still has hope that we can be the heroes of this story-- that we can afford to care about anyone but ourselves.

"This-- what we have here-- this is what we focus on. It's unfortunate but Merle dug his own grave. It isn't worth risking your life, Rick."

I hated the way he was looking at me but I steeled myself. He'd learn soon enough. Men like Merle weren't worth compromising your safety for. It was every man for himself in the old world, and even more so in the new one.

I shoved every silly feeling I've had for Rick to the side and gave him a stern look back. I willed myself not to care about the disgust on his face because soon enough, he'd understand.

He'd understand what we've done to keep his wife and son alive.

Rick opened his mouth and I braced myself, ready to hear something along the lines of me being a murderer and a split second thought ran through my head.

Shane would agree with me.

A blood curdling scream cut through the dense silence.

"MOM! DAD!"

I was up before I could even process it, tearing through the woods with Rick at my heels.

"CARL!" Rick and I yelled in unison. I gripped the pistol Shane had given me tight, not caring if my face was torn up by the stray branches I ran against, heart pounding in my chest as I willed my legs to move faster than they ever have.

"Here!" I tossed a knife back to Rick as I pushed ahead of him, beating him in speed by a milestone.

"MAMA! MOMMY!" A high-pitched voice screamed.

Finally, I stumbled upon where Sophia and Carl were huddled. Making a beeline towards the kids, despite the walker that stood yards away.

I grabbed them by the shoulders, looking them up and down frantically. Trying to find a bite, a scratch, anything.

A body came slamming into mine and I suddenly heard their screams, the rest of the group had been searching as well.

Lori grabbed her son frantically, snatching him from my grasp and patting his arms down in a panic. "Carl! Nothing bit you, nothing scratched you?"

"No, I'm fine," Carl shook his head.

Jacqui came running out of nowhere.

"Soph?" The small blonde girl shook her head frantically before sprinting in the direction of camp, no doubt searching for her mother.

"She wasn't bit. We're both okay." Carl reassured.

I gripped my pistol and set my sights on the walker. It was feasting on a deer, crouched over and ripping its neck to shreds. I grimaced, inching forward with Rick and Glenn at my side.

Shane made brief eye contact with me before the walker suddenly straightened up and whipped around.

Rick wasted no time, slashing its face with the knife I'd handed him. Shane used the end of his rifle and Glenn started beating the damn thing with a stick. Even Morales had a turn before Dale swung his axe and chopped its head off clean.

It was silent as we all stared at the mess of guts and blood in shock.

"That's the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain," said Dale shakily.

"Well, they're running out of food in the city. That's what," replied Jim, another survivor who was normally a man of few words.

A branch snapped and we all raised our weapons, my safety turning off once more.

I curled my finger around the trigger as the steps got closer.

"Oh, Jesus," Dale sighed in relief as Daryl came stomping out from between the bushes. I lowered my gun and shook my head.

"Son of a bitch! That's my deer! Look at it. All gnawed on by this filthy—" Daryl kicked the headless walker angrily.

"—disease-bearing—"

Kick.

"—motherless—"

Another kick.

"—poxy bastard!"

"Calm down, son. That's not helping."

"What do you know about it, old man?" Daryl sneered at Dale, getting in his face. "Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to 'on golden pond?' If it wasn't for you idiots running it off earlier, I would've taken it back to camp. Maybe I can cut around this chewed up part. Take some for the road."

"Wouldn't risk that," Shane sighed.

"That's a damn shame," Daryl said, giving Shane a nasty glare before raising his bow and shooting an arrow into the walker's reanimated head.

Huffing, he shoulder-checked Glenn as he passed by, ripping the arrow out with a squelch.

I couldn't blame him for being angry. As much of an asshole as Merle was, he was still Daryl's family.

Glenn rubbed his shoulder and rolled his eyes.

"Daryl!" Rick rushed after him, disappearing into the trees with my knife. I was briefly confused until I remembered where our last conversation left off.

"God help us all," I smacked a hand on my forehead and began to make my way back to camp. Slowly so I wouldn't catch up to Daryl and Rick.

"Hold up, Daph," Glenn caught up to me with a huff. "Were you ever going to tell me about Rick being the Rick?"

"What?"

Glenn glanced behind us. Likely looking for Shane.

"Rick Grimes? Like super hot hip-swaying coworker Grimes? I'm fucking offended, Daph."

"Do you want everyone to hear you?" I whispered harshly, scanning the woods to make sure Rick or Shane weren't lurking about.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"Sorry, it wasn't really at the forefront of my mind yesterday. I was more thinking about all the dead people trying to eat us."

"What are the freaking odds?" Glenn marveled. "Out of all people, he runs into us. You know, anybody else would've left him for dead."

"Yes, you're a goddamn hero, Glenn."

"Damn right I am. Saved your man from certain death."

My eyes widened comically and I whacked him in the side. "He's not my man. Don't say shit like that around Shane or Lori."

"Of course not. I'm not crazy. You see 'em around here?"

"I dunno. Shane has eyes and ears everywhere."

"True," Glenn nodded, staring at his feet as we walked. Suddenly, he stopped.

"What's up with you two? You've been weird since yesterday morning."

Fuck. I knew it wouldn't slip past him. Glenn knew me too well for this to just slide and the only reason I'd been keeping it from him was because of how selfish and ashamed I felt.

"Don't judge me, okay?"

His eyebrows pinched together in confusion. "Okay?"

I seized his sleeve and took us a little ways off the trail, closer to the blueberry patch. Speaking of which, I left all of the ones I'd collected in the dust. Goddamnit.

"Um— two nights ago, Shane and I... well, we kissed."

His jaw dropped slightly.

"He kissed me." I defended quickly, before Glenn could give me a judgmental look.

"Did you want it?" He asked carefully.

"Yes— well, no— I don't know."

Glenn narrowed his gaze, sending a glance in the direction of camp. His cheeks tinted red and he shifted uncomfortably.

"He didn't force himself onto me, if that's what you think." I said quickly, recognizing the signs of Glenn's impending anger.

His chest fell in relief.

"I just... I screwed up, Glenn. I led him on. I let him kiss me and I kissed him back. I didn't even know if I wanted it. And then Rick of all people shows up! The one person I was holding out hope for. I'm not a homewrecker but I am delusional."

Glenn stayed silent so I continued with a sigh.

"I should've given Shane a chance before the world went to shit. But I didn't and now everything is so much more complicated... he, um, he told me there's no one else."

"Damn."

I closed my eyes frustratingly. "I know."

"That's clearly a lie."

I gave him a side-eyed glare. "I know."

Glenn pursed his lips awkwardly and looked away.

"How long have you known?" I asked with a sigh. Wouldn't be surprised if I was the last one to find out.

"Not long. I stumbled upon them in the woods the other day. I can't get the image out of my head, I think I'm scarred for life." He grimaced. "I would've told you if I knew he was trying to make a move."

"It's fine," I began to walk back over to the path again. "You couldn't have known. It happened late at night and I was wallowing in self-pity yesterday."

I stomped on the fallen leaves, trying to release some of the pent-up frustration before getting back.

"It's just... I told him it'd take time but I was willing to give us a try. All this time I've felt guilty for even missing that part of my life when Lori was still grieving her husband. Just to find out her and Shane are having sex this whole time."

Glenn readjusted his cap. "Gotta wonder if this started now or before."

That's a good point.

I wasn't a good husband to her, Rick had said to me earlier.

I don't know anything about their lives from before. I only knew Rick at a professional level. And whatever Shane would tell me when he was trying to chat me up every other day at work.

I can't really judge Rick or Lori. She thought he was dead and Rick... well, I don't know what he meant by not being a good husband.

This was truly a mess I had no part in.

"I'm taking myself out of this equation. I have enough on my plate for me to worry about this love triangle."

"More like a rectangle."

I gave him a confused look.

"You like Rick. Rick likes Lori. Lori like Shane. Shane likes you and Lori?"

God, I love and hate his out-of-pocket comments sometimes. But Glenn keeps it real. I gotta respect that.

Rick likes Lori.

Well technically, Rick should love Lori and he probably does. She's the mother of his child and I can't pretend to know everything about their relationship, but if what Rick said earlier was true, there wasn't much of a relationship anymore.

"I could really use some vodka," I groaned, feeling a headache forming between my eyes.

"Same," Glenn said sadly as we approached camp.

Everyone had resumed to their usual activities. Lori and Carl were nowhere to be found but I assumed they were in their tent or the RV. Carol was folding clothes with little Sophia at her feet.

I did a double-take when I saw Rick and Shane speaking to the side. I could faintly hear their conversation.

"So that's it, huh? To hell with everybody else? What about Lori?"

"Don't talk to me about her. I'm not saying to hell with anybody. Especially not to my son." Rick said firmly, buttoning up his sheriff's uniform. He started walking past his former partner.

"Tell them that."

Rick whipped around, an unreadable expression on his face as he stared back at his friend.

"They know. You'd best leave me alone. It's in your best interest. This ain't got nothing to do with you."

I started walking over, feeling a fight begin to stir up. Shane didn't look like he was deterred by Rick's unapproachable attitude and there's no way Rick wasn't still upset about his best friend's actions.

"Well, look, I--I don't, okay, Rick? So could you just throw me a bone here, man? Could you just tell me why? Why would you risk your life for a douchebag like Merle Dixon?"

"Hey, choose your words more carefully," threatened Daryl, who was standing nearby.

"No, I did. Douchebag's what I meant."

"You have something in common then," said Rick jarringly. I was taken aback, not expecting that type of insult to fly out of Officer Grimes' mouth. He was always the passive one.

Glenn chortled next to me.

Shane took it unflinchingly. "Merle Dixon-- that guy wouldn't give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst, man."

"What he would or wouldn't do doesn't interest me. I can't let a man die of thirst. Me. Thirst and exposure. We left him like an animal caught in a trap. That's no way for anything to die, let alone a human being. I don't recall asking for your opinion either."

"So you and Daryl? That's your big plan?" Lori asked, more at ease than I would've expected given the tense circumstances.

I observed her easy posture, other than the frustration she was likely feeling over the fact that her husband was trying to go on a damn suicide mission. I watched as her eyes subtly traveled from Rick to Shane. Then I realized Shane must not have told her a damn thing.

Rick looked at her with hardened eyes. And then switched his gaze over to—

Glenn groaned. "Oh, come on."

There's no way in hell.

"You wanna drag someone else on this suicide mission?" I interjected exasperatedly. I gave Rick my nastiest glare, unable to believe his audacity.

"You're really okay with letting a man die?"

"It's like I said before. He'd do the same to any of us," I lowered my voice and stepped closer to Rick, eyeing Daryl's angry pacing over his shoulder. "He was going to get himself killed eventually. And he would've dragged us all down with him."

I'm not evil. I'm not. I just don't want to see Rick die.

Rick stared at me for a moment before setting his attention onto Glenn.

"You know the way," I scoffed as he ignored me completely. "You've been there before. In and out, no problem. You said so yourself."

Glenn took his cap off and started rubbing his head-- a nervous tick of his.

I've never felt so angry with anyone. Knowing he was asking this of Glenn. Asking him to risk his life once more when he already had just to save Rick's skin.

"It's not fair of me to ask. I know that." Rick glanced over to me apologetically. I guess he isn't deaf. "But I'd feel a lot better if you came along."

"That's just great." Shane scowled, stepping closer to me. "Now you're gonna risk three men, huh?"

"Four," said T-Dog from the edge of camp.

Daryl scoffed. "My day just gets better and better, don't it?"

"Be grateful anyone's willing to save that dick," I bristled.

"Yeah, you see anybody else stepping up to save your brother's cracker ass?"

"Why you?" Daryl asked T-Dog.

"You wouldn't even begin to understand. You don't speak my language."

"That's four," said Dale exasperatedly.

"That's not just four. You're putting every single one of us at risk. Just know that, Rick. Come on. You saw that walker. It was here, it was in camp."

Despite it all, Shane and I usually saw eye to eye on most things. We weren't afraid to make hard decisions to keep the camp safe. The first week or so when it was just the five of us, Shane and I would stay up late into the early hours of the morning. Talking about our limits— what we were willing to do to make sure our loved ones stayed alive. Even if prioritizing our safety meant leaving others behind.

It's why I still can't believe Ed Peletier is still a good-for-nothing member of our camp. After his and Shane's scuffle, I was certain Shane and I would find a way to get rid of him. Whereas douchebag volatile Merle contributed brawn and hunting game, Ed contributed nothing.

"They're moving out the city. They come here, they get to camp-- we need every able body we got. We need 'em here. We need 'em to protect camp." Shane emphasized.

"You went through hell to find us," added Lori. "You just got here and you're gonna turn around and leave?"

"Dad, I don't want you to go." Carl pleaded.

"Shane is right. Merle Dixon? He's not worth even one of your lives! Tell me. Make me understand." Lori said angrily, standing up.

Rick sighed and crouched in front of Carl, making a point to speak mostly to him. "I owe a debt to a man I met and his little boy. If they hadn't taken me in, I'd have died. It's because of them that I made it back to you at all. They said they'd follow me to Atlanta. They'll walk into the same trap I did if I don't warn him."

"What's stopping you?" Lori asked from the side.

"The walkie-talkie. I dropped it in the tank I hid in," Rick looked back at Glenn and I. "He's got the other one. Our plan was to connect when they got closer."

"I feel for them. I really do but I can't listen to this shit any longer," I hissed quietly at Glenn before stomping away towards our tent.

Footsteps crunched behind me and I knew he was following me. I slipped off my shoes and threw myself onto my sleeping bag, irritated beyond belief. The second Rick mentioned the walkie he'd left behind, it reminded me of what I had left behind too— the medicine. A shit ton of it. Stuff that we'd need eventually and the vitamins the kids were so desperately lacking.

Goddamnit. Carl was one of my weakest spots. I'd grown to care for him immensely, more than I expected. His now-hallowed cheeks stabbed at my heart.

I watched as Glenn gathered his gun I'd given him from the bag I retrieved for Rick yesterday and the CB.

"You're going."

"He'll die if I don't. He's gonna go with or without me," Glenn sighed.

I stood up and pocketed my pistol. "Then I'm going too."

"What? Weren't you against this whole plan? Number one Merle hater?"

I shoved my shoes back onto my feet. "That's before you decided you were going to put your life on the line too. And I still hate that fucker. I'm not doing it for him. I'm doing it for you."

"You don't have to," Glenn grabbed my arm, halting my exit. "You should stay here."

I shot him an incredulous look. "While you go out there and risk your life?" I lowered my voice so that no one else could eavesdrop. "None of these people mean as much to me as you do. I know this is what you do but if there's any way I can help, I need to be there. Besides, I'm going back for the medicine. We're running low."

With that, I freed my arm and left our tent, beelining for the truck where Daryl was loading his bow and arrows into. I got into the passenger's seat, ignoring Shane as he threw yet another fit at the sight of me. Slamming the door shut, I groaned and closed my eyes, throwing my head back as I wondered why we were all willingly putting ourselves in danger once more.

"Yer comin' too?"

I opened an eye and peeked at Daryl through the side mirror. He was crouched behind my seat, busy with his arrows.

"Clearly."

His lip curled and he shook his head.

I couldn't give less of a fuck if he was mad. He could get over it.

The driver's seat opened and Glenn got in, readjusting his cap and giving me a glance. "Thanks," he whispered.

My anger dissipated a little and I gave him a tiny smile, knowing both of us felt a lot better going into the lion's den together. That smile quickly fell when a foot appeared between us, slamming into the wheel twice.

"Come on!" Daryl hollered, honking the horn obnoxiously.

"Don't do that. There might be other walkers close by, you idiot," I seethed.

He ignored me. "Let's go!"

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[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Hi, I was wondering if you could do one for who (other than Lewis) would run in a Pelican Town Mayoral Election, and who each townsfolk would vote for?

Hey hey 👋

I got a little carried away with the answer because it's a pretty interesting topic. 😅Thanks for the question, btw!

So...

Who would be a candidate for the position of Pelican Town Mayor besides Lewis?

_____________________________

The first candidate:

The first person who definitely has a good chance of winning a mayoral election is... us, i.e. our Farmer OC. Because we've been able to do in a couple of years what Lewis (and probably anyone else) couldn't do in decades. We have raised the image of the town as a whole, making it important both economically and touristically. The residents themselves will immediately notice this because we literally won a Stardew Hero Award by rebuilding the Community Centre.

However... when you think about it, our merits may play right into Lewis' favour because all of these improvements to the town happened during his very reign. Plus the fact that according to some residents' comments, no one really knows that we did it all (with Junimos help, but still). "Did you hear that, Farmer? The bus has been restored. It's a miracle!", "Somehow, the old minecart started working again" - key words is "someone" and "somehow", not our Farmer's name. Like... really, "a miracle"? It is a "miracle" that the town is still a town, not an abandoned unknown settlement.

If everyone knows that the building of Pam and Penny's new house, the rebuilt bus, the minecart and the Community Centre are to our credit, then the opinion of Pelican Town residents will be unanimous. Even Marnie and Robin will vote for Farmer. Not because they dislike Lewis, but because they think he deserves a peaceful retirement. Marnie also secretly hopes that after he retires, the two of them can finally stop hiding their relationship from the public.

The second candidate:

The second candidate who can take Mayor's place is Morris, the manager of the powerful and greedy Joja Co., which is the main antagonist in the game. But! This will only happen with the obligatory participation of our Farmer OC.

The situation will be something similar to Lewis, which I described earlier: Morris will simply appropriate all the laurels and honours for himself. Despite the fact that it was Farmer who was the gold wallet the main sponsor, almost all the improvements and fixes in Pelican Town took place under the huge Joja.co logo. And since the town had become a more important part of the Ferngill Republic, the head of the corporation would definitely want near-absolute power here, so they could order Morris to take part in the election. He won't mind, because it will be a good cash flow, fame and recognition of his important persona by his superiors, and the rest of the routine and mayor duties can be dumped on the other workers.

When it comes to the actual voting, the people of Pelican Town are split into two sides - it's going to be a pretty heated debate. Pierre and his family will definitely be against it, because for them - it means the end of Pierre's little shop business. For the others, it also means not very pleasant changes: for Robin and Demetrius - cutting down trees for resources and disturbing the ecosystem; for Linus and Willy - more Joja trash in local waters; for Penny - constant discounts on beer in JojaMart, which her mother can't resist....

The other side will insist that Joja is the future and progress. Jodi will admit that it's very profitable to shop there, Haley will be happy that town will finally have more supermarkets and other delights like in Zuzu City. Shane and Sam will vote for Morris either because they were forced into it by Morris himself as still the current manager or after promises of a salary increase. The others who took a more or less neutral stance will be tried to be bribed by Joja co. As a last resort, Morris and his superiors will start influencing even the Governor, explaining what an perfect candidate Morris is. The decision is still up to the people of Pelican Town, but there will definitely be pressure.

The other candidates:

PS: In "Stardew Valley Expanded" mod, if Farmer chooses Joja path, Morris will just run for mayor, become mayor (with our help again), and settle into a new home in Stardew Valley. Morris himself in the mod appears as a misunderstood character who does want the best for Pelican Town, it's just that his concept of "best" is different. I decided to describe Morris the way I imagined him when I first played Stardew Valley, without mods (and there's no information about him in the vanilla version, so it's our guesses and headcanons).

About the other candidates... Frankly speaking, no one else comes to mind, because the others either lack the appropriate skills for management, or they are full of their own worries, and do not want to stress themselves with mayor's duties. The same Robin gives herself to the construction of farm buildings and houses, Marnie prefers the company of her cows and goats, without Willy there is no one to supply fish and seafood, etc. Even Pierre, who dreams of a successful rich life as owner of his stores, will not want to take such responsibility. All the bachelors and bachelorettes are busy with their hobbies and interests, other residents do not care about all these elections.

So, that's the answer: Farmer, or Morris!

[the-name-is-z]

SKELETONS | ch. 16

daryl dixon x f!oc

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Summary: Iris quickly recovers from her accident and has a brief discussion with Daryl. Rick decides the group needs to know a little more self-defence. Warnings/Information: AMC's The Walking Dead OC Insert | 18+ Advised | strangers to lovers; the slowest of slow burns; gore; angst; horror; humour; m/f; recovering from a car accident, daryl being sentimental (yes, deserving of a warning), discussion of surgery, training a kid to use knives, walker dismemberment

Chapter 16 - Recover

When they pulled in and Iris shambled off of the bike, she ignored Daryl as she staggered toward the camp. Andrea, Lori, Carl, Dale and T-Dog came rushing toward her. Shane was nowhere to be seen, and she was glad for it.

“Oh my god, are you alright? What happened?” Lori asked.

“Fuckin’ deer.” Iris mumbled, reaching up to touch her head wound and scratching off some of the blood. “I’m fine.”

“Come on, let’s make sure you’re alright.” Dale beckoned, pulling her into the house. Andrea handed her a glass of water.

“Thanks.” She mumbled. Carl came in quick, followed by an exasperated Lori.

“I’m so sorry, sweetie, I never meant for this—“ Lori began.

“It’s alright. Not your fault. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring them back.” Iris replied, her speech a little slurred. Lori shook her head.

“Shane went to find them.” She murmured. Iris nodded, running a hand over her face.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Carl said, offering her a smile. Iris tried to reciprocate, flicking his large hat.

“Thanks, cowboy.” She replied.

Daryl peered through the window into the sitting room from sitting on top of his bike, messing with the rubber of the grips. 

-

Beth was still dehydrated and catatonic in the morning, and Iris was annoyed at the throbbing headache in her brain by the name of Daryl Dixon. Also, the real, painfully throbbing headache from her concussion. Just thinking about their conversation irritated her. Not because she was genuinely mad, because she wasn’t. But because an argument like that was so incredibly childish given the circumstances. It was petty and ridiculous, and had no real merit. She knew it, Daryl knew it, and yet it sort of felt good to just let off a little bit of steam. But not at the expense of a concussion.

Iris stepped into the bedroom of the farmhouse to see Maggie sitting beside her sister, stroking her hair. She had her hand clutched tightly around Beth’s, small tears in her eyes.

“How’s she doing?” Iris asked.

“Okay, as far as I can tell.” Maggie murmured.

“Do you need anything?” Iris asked, tilting her head. Maggie offered her a small smile.

“Nah, I just wish my dad was here.” She replied.

“She’s a strong kid.” Iris stated and Maggie nodded, more tears lining her eyes.

“I was just reminding her about— nevermind.” She murmured.

“About what? I’d love to hear…” Iris replied softly.

“My dad would die if he heard this.” Maggie grinned. “My first summer back from college, I drove home, dumped my stuff off, went straight out to the stable for a ride. My family comes back from church and Beth grabs my things and starts unpacking my stuff upstairs.”

“That’s sweet.”

“Yeah, until this one here starts rifling through my backpack. She finds this little plastic container with these pink and green candies inside.” Maggie continues. Iris smirked knowingly, nodding along. “She didn’t even know I was on the pill. She was so freaked out by the idea of me, boys and sex that she runs outside and chucks them in the duck pond. And I ride up, I see this, I’m screaming. She’s crying and Shawn runs outside, thinks one of us is drowning. 

Soon as he figures out what’s going on, the jerk busts out laughing so loud that my horse rears up and gets mud all over the three of us. My dad comes out, ‘what the heck is going on out here?!’ and she turns around, bats her eyelids and says, ‘we’re just swimming, daddy.’ In her Sunday dress, all covered in snot and mud.” She stopped, sniffing as a tear ran down her cheek.

“Rick, and Glenn, they'll get Hershel. They’ll be back soon and she’ll be up and at ‘em.” Iris consoled. Maggie nodded.

“Glenn’s a good guy.” She murmured.

“Yeah, he is.” Iris replied, offering a teasing grin. Maggie huffed at her expression, rolling her eyes playfully.

-

“You sure you wanna come?” Shane asked as he and Daryl loaded the back of the SUV with weapons. Daryl looked slightly out of place wearing a shirt with sleeves, his red bandana tied around his neck. He did have his angel-wing leather vest, however, which eerily reminded Iris of home.

“Bite me, Shane.” Iris replied sweetly, offering a smile as she double-checked all her knives. Daryl’s lips curled up at the corner and he looked up, seeing Iris turn away from him. Shane raised an eyebrow, exhaling through his nose as he slammed the trunk shut. T-Dog and Andrea walked over, bringing over some food for the road, just in case.

“Guys.” Andrea said, pointing to the road. A red chevy was driving toward the farm, rather quickly. They didn’t stop at the camp, instead pulling right up to the house. Carl and Lori came out right away, everyone at the camp jogging to meet them. Rick, Hershel and Glenn got out of the truck, present and accounted for, and seemingly unharmed.

“Dad!” Carl cried, leaping into his arms. Rick embraced him tightly, Lori joining quick. Maggie ran out and Hershel stepped forward, expecting to meet her, but she sidestepped him, hugging Glenn instead. Iris’ eyebrows shot up but she didn’t say anything as Hershel scoffed, walking toward Patricia.

“Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery.” He instructed sharply.

“Surgery?” Iris asked, frowning.

“Who the hell is that?” T-Dog asked, pointing to the unknown kid sitting in the backseat of the chevy. There was a strip of red fabric over his eyes like a blindfold, but he seemed either asleep or unconscious. His lips were pretty pale, and Iris suspected the kid was the one who was injured.

“That’s Randall.” Glenn answered, seemingly over-it. Daryl, Andrea, T-Dog and Dale approached him while Iris approached Rick with a few others, expecting an explanation.

“We couldn’t just leave him behind.” Rick offered once they all got reacquainted, gathering together in Hershel’s dining room. “He would’ve bled out, if he lived that long.”

“It’s gotten bad in town.” Glenn stated, shaking his head.

“What do we do with him?” Andrea asked.

-

“I repaired his calf muscle as best I can, but he’ll probably have nerve damage. Won’t be on his feet for at least a week.” Hershel announced, wiping his hands with a cloth as he walked into the room.

“Do we want him to be on his feet? We don’t know this kid.” Iris murmured.

“He’s just a kid.” Rick replied. “But once he’s up, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way.”

“Isn’t that the same as leaving him for the walkers?” Andrea asked.

“Nope.” Iris said pointedly. 

“He’ll have a fighting chance.” Rick agreed, nodding.

“Just gonna let him go?” Shane asked with a scoff. “He knows where we are.”

“He was blindfolded the whole way here. He’s not a threat.” Rick retorted.

“Not a threat. How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, took one of them hostage, but they just ain’t gonna come looking?”

“They left him for dead. No one is looking.”

“We should still post a guard.” T-Dog murmured.

“He’s out cold right now, will be for hours.” Hershel explained.

“You know what? I’m gonna go get him some flowers and candy.” Shane spat. “Look at this, folks! We back in fantasyland.”

“You know, we haven’t even dealt with what you did at my barn yet.” Hershel said loudly, stepping toward Shane as he meant to leave. “Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all— This is my farm. I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. So do us both a favour— keep your mouth shut.” Iris grinned widely. Shane sucked on a tooth, sighing as he looked over everyone around the table. He spun on his heel and left. 

The group slowly dispersed, cooling off as they got back into their rounds of… as close to normalcy as they could get. Iris leaned her head back as she stood in the sun, letting her skin soak up some vitamins before she went to sit in the shade. She heard the tall grass crunching behind her and opened one eye, looking at Daryl as he stood, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“If it isn’t my hero.” She murmured. She wasn’t mad about it anymore, but she wouldn’t let everything go right away.

“Don’t call me that.” He replied softly. She opened one eye again, turning to face him. “I ain’t your hero, and you ain’t mine. But you saved my life, and I saved yours. We’re even.”

“Are we?” Iris replied, raising an eyebrow. Daryl paused, looking down at his feet before shaking his head.

“Nah.” He muttered, stepping closer. Iris froze, unsure of his actions before he grabbed her hand and placed his red bandana into it, closing her fingers before letting it drop. She held it up before looking to him.

“What’s this for?”

“’s so it’s an even trade.” He replied simply. For the one she’d ripped and given him, to staunch his bleeding. At least, if she needed this one to save her life, it was already red. Her face softened as she looked down at the bandana in her hands, and he was almost uncomfortable with how genuinely she looked at him next.

“Thank you.” She said softly. He said nothing in return, simply nodding before turning and making his way back toward his tent. Iris didn’t think he, or anyone, frankly, noticed how much that bandana meant to her. But over the past week or so, she had found herself reaching for it and finding it gone. Now, at least, she had this one. 

Daryl didn’t bother to mention that he had also asked Carol if she could help him remove the stains from her old one and try to sew it back together.

-

Dale let Iris know that he’d explained to Rick how he felt about Shane, and what Shane had said to them. Each threat, each choice, each part of Shane that made him a danger to the group. And Rick took Shane on a little drive to set it all straight. Well, to drop off Randall as well, but to set Shane straight was a big part of it. Iris understood how Rick thought he should do things, but Shane was as much of a ticking time bomb as the damn CDC. Except his actions weren’t triggered by the ramblings of a crazy doctor, it was all him. 

Iris… she didn’t think Shane was going to make it. He was going to blow, or he was going to get exiled by the group, or he was going to be killed, or die. He wouldn’t do any of it without a fight, but the way Shane did things was not what built a long term community. An army, maybe. A group of crazed survivalists, but not a community. Not what the world needed.

“Iris.” Rick called, stalking across the camp. The triumphant leader returns. 

“Yeah.” She called, looking up from her knife collection. 

“Shane and I spoke, and we agreed that we need to start using our knives more. To keep quiet and save ammunition. Take a page from your book.” He explained, gesturing vaguely to her weaponry. She nodded, tipping an invisible hat dramatically. Rick’s lips quirked upward and he took a breath. He took everything so seriously. “I was hoping you could give us some direction at some point. Best ways to take down a walker with a knife, face to face or from a distance.”

“I’m not opposed, for sure. But the throwing thing, that comes from years of pre-walker practice.” Iris explained, sitting back and looking up as he squatted down next to her. She picked up a throwing knife, aiming and letting it fly. About twenty feet away, T-Dog lurched to the left as the knife embedded itself in a target she’d carved. “Sorry!” She called. He made a face, waving her off. Rick chuckled.

“Alright then. Face to face it is.” He agreed. “Can you start with Carl?” He asked. Iris blinked, but that was the only surprise she would show.

“Of course.” She nodded, shaking his hand as he got up and walked off to his next leadership task. She turned to see him kicking rocks up and down the road. He looked rather bored. “Hey, cowboy!”

“Yeah?” He asked. Iris waved him over and he started running, meeting halfway.

“Your dad wants me to teach you some knife skills. You in?” She asked. He grinned.

-

“Okay, we’ll start with this one, alright?” They were a little ways in the forest and she handed him an average size knife. Long enough, sharp enough, small enough. Lori and Rick both knew where they were and Carol volunteered to come with, to watch and learn. “This is a pretty standard size, good for learning. You can keep that one, okay? But you take care of it like a chef, you hear me?”

“Yes ma’am.” He agreed, flashing a grin.

“Now you can grip it forward, or you can grip it backward, but however you grip you stick with it so you don’t drop the knife. This determines how you stab the walker.” She explained. “Now the method that works the best is to take it down first, especially because a lot of ‘em are gonna be taller than you till you grow, okay?”

“Okay.” He stood up, copying her stance and she smiled. She whistled sharply, and a single walker groaned as it started toward them in the forest.

“You wanna kick out their knee. So you can do this from the front or behind, whichever is safest in the moment. From the front, you can either kick it out to break it, and the walker falls pretty straight, or you pull, and they fall toward you. That’s a little more dangerous. From the back, you kick forward so they fall away from you.” She explained. Once the walker got close enough, she demonstrated, and the walker slumped to the ground without much fight.

“What happens if it doesn’t fall the right way?” Carl asked.

“What matters is it gets on the ground and that you feel in control. If you panic, it gets unsafe.” Iris replied. "Now once the walker is on the ground, you pin ‘em. If they fall on their front, put your foot right here at the base of their neck, between their shoulders. Pins their head and arms sort of at the same time.” She replied. “C’mere, put your foot up, see how hard you have to hold it?”

“It’s strong.” He grunted, the walker fighting against the ground. 

“Mhm. Don’t underestimate them, alright? They might be mindless but that means they’ll do whatever it takes to sink their teeth in.” Iris warned. Carl nodded. She took over again, finding it much easier with more practice. “Here, I’ll dismember squirmy here for our practice.” She reached down with a longer knife, cutting off the walker’s arms so he couldn’t reach for them. Iris tossed them somewhere in the woods.

“Gross.” Carl recoiled, covering his nose because of the smell.

“Get used to it, cowboy.” Iris grinned. “Now until you get stronger, it’s better to find the weaker places on the skull to stab them. That means eyes, under the chin, in the ear, or here.” She pointed to places on her own head. “You can feel on your own head for the soft parts versus the thick skull.”

“Like right here?” He asked, pointing to a particularly soft spot on his own head.

“Bingo, little man.” She agreed. “Now why would it be better to choose a soft spot?”

“Because its easier to stab?” He asked.

“That’s half of it. Wanna venture a guess, Carol?” Iris called, catching her attention. Carol shrugged.

“So it’s easier to pull out?” She asked. Iris put her fingertip to her nose.

“Exactly. You find yourself in a position where you need to fight off more than one, it’s a hell of a lot easier when your knife doesn’t get stuck because you chose to shove it through some thick bone. These guys might rot, but they rot slow. Now take your time, you can kill this one, okay?” 

She motioned to the armless walker she was holding down, and in one swift motion, Carl buried the knife in the base of it’s skull, and it stopped wriggling. He pulled the knife out in a second motion, rubbing the gore off on the walker’s clothes.

“You’re a pro!” She beamed, and Carl grinned back. “You wanna try one now? I think I hear another one coming.”

“I… I’m nervous.” Carl admitted, gripping the knife tight in it’s hand.

“You got this. You watched me, you know how. I’ll be right here, nothing’s gonna happen to you, cowboy.” Iris encouraged. She watched as the smaller walker approached, and Carl ran around to the other side, kicking it’s legs out. Iris smiled as he used both feet to pin it down, planting the knife into it’s skull.

“I did it!” He cried. Iris held up her hand and he gave a gnarly high-five. She half turned, smiling to her other student.

“Your turn, Carol.” She invited. Carol paled a little and cleared her throat.

“I’m okay just watching, for now.” She said quietly, smiling softly at Carl. Iris nodded.

“Alright, well let me know if you change your mind. Let’s go again, cowboy. Try a different direction.”

TAGLIST:

@heidiland05

@ryoujoking

@catlalice

@maxinehufflepuffprincess

@lowkeyhottho

[16sydd16]

For the au thingie

Cady and Regina as high school roommates (whether or not people know they're roommates is up to you), they both have morning practices (Regina for lacrosse, Cady for mathletes) and Cady fucking sucks at waking up early and thus Regina wakes her up everyday, there's this little stray kitten that decided to mentally adopt Cady and Regina, every Friday, a dorm rule is that roommates must cook dinner together, and there's this specific pair of earrings Regina owns that was from Cady (that cost half of Cady's wallet) that are Regina's favorite though she won't admit it (and Cady feels like Regina's hers in a way every time she sees Regina wear it).

They're still in the pining stage :)

From this ask game!!

Wow, this is really detailed!! I don't know if I'll be able to address it all in my five fun facts, but here goes:

Cady and Regina are roommates. Cady's horrible about turning her alarm off and rolling back over to go to sleep. Regina's always awake the SECOND an alarm goes off. When Cady starts setting her alarm to go off 15 minutes before Regina's only to snooze it and roll back over, thus robbing Regina of 15 precious minutes of sleep, Regina is pissed. She starts doing things like throwing pillows at Cady, or yanking off her blankets. She even dumps water over her once, and Cady barely notices. On one blanket-yanking day, Cady snags Regina's hand and, in a surprising show of strength, pulls Regina down on top of her. "What do you think you're doing?" Regina says, tone deadly. "M'cold," Cady whines, winding her warm, sleep-heavy limbs around Regina. "N'someone stole my stuff." Regina rolls her eyes. "Cady, I don't have time for this," Regina groans, but she doesn't try to move away. "Yes you do. You don't have to be up for fifteen more minutes." Well played, Cady Heron. Well played.

Mandatory Friday dinner together somehow turns into eating together five days a week and grocery shopping together every Wednesday afternoon. Regina drives, but she lets Cady pick the music... out of the songs downloaded onto Regina's Spotify.

Cady lends Regina a flannel once when she's cold, and Regina wears it all around the apartment for weeks. They start "borrowing" clothes from each other. There's not a sight Regina loves more than Cady dressed in her oversized sweatshirt and her big chunky socks, lounging on the couch, waiting for Regina to get home.

Regina comes home to find Cady on the couch cuddling the tiny black kitten that always seems to be in the neighborhood. Regina acts like she's doing Cady a massive favor when she lets her keep it, but secretly, Regina loves the dumb little thing. The vacant look in its eyes and its unrivaled athleticism reminds her of Shane. She gives Cady a sweatshirt with a giant pocket to hide the cat in so that they can all go to the pet store together. Regina spends way too much money on cat toys. Cady and the kitten both show their appreciation with couch snuggles once they get home.

Cady gifts Regina a pair of earrings for Christmas. She spent months (and way too much money) finding just the right pair that would match her R necklace. Regina only takes them off to sleep, and sometimes not even then. Cady tries really hard to figure out exactly what that means.

Thank you so much for the ask!!

[a-sad-mage]

Slugterra OC - Lilith - Lore/Art Dump

I can and will draw Tezz as tiny as possible

Name: Lilith

Gender: Female, she/her

Human

Home Cavern: Futuria Cavern

Age: 17

Occupation: at the start she is a Slug Energy Researcher working for Blakk Industries Slug Energy Research Division [SERD].

At some point, after almost punching Blakk when getting Tezz and a bunch of her colleagues Slug back after they were almost Ghouled, Blakk calls Lilith to his personal Lab and ask's her to be his assistant/lab apprentice(Twist is his slugslinging apprentice).

Lilith agrees. Lilith sill works with the SERD she just now directly reports to Blakk and helps him with his research. This mean's she had a hand in building the Gatling Blaster and Terra Portal Research.

Lilith is also leaking information to the Shane Gang using a Hacked Tablet. She dose so anonymously, but sparingly and when something big is going to happen as she is afraid of being caught.

Personality: Very stressed and needs sleep like yesterday. Despite that, Lilith is relatively calm and naturally curious and its not uncommon for her to go down a slug hole or two when researching. she is very protective of Tezz. and while it takes a lot to anger her, if and when Lilith gets mad, she gets mad.

Skill's

Smart

Is freakishly strong like Cave Troll strong

Knits and sows

Ambidextrous

Is relatively sneaky, this is because, when on her day's off she sneaks into Shadow Clan territory to research the area and any Shadow Clan member in the area.

Background

Futuria Cavern is the home to many bright minds, Lilith among them.

growing up Lilith had a keen interest on Slug Energy, and how it was connected to the Caverns. And subsequently the Shadow Clan as well as while there was little on them, there were old journals from a Researcher who had attempted to study them years ago in the library.

Due to the fact the research was incomplete and that the Researcher went missing, the librarian let Lilith keep the journals, mainly to see if they would one day help in her endeavors in the future. But also because those journals were taking up space and having Lilith take them was better than just throwing them out.

When Lilith was 10, she and her class visited the Slug Energy Research Wing on a field trip. On this tip the kids pass by a Slug Hatchery and are allowed to see and interact with all the Sluglings and their parents.

While looking at a small family of Tazerlings, Lilith notices one of the hatchlings is smaller than the others and ask's one of the Researcher's about it. It's a runt and the Researcher say's it probably wouldn't live long, and even if it did they wouldn't be able to utilize it in their work. So Lilith ask's if she could take the runt. After some humming and hawing from the Researcher and the teacher, Lilith is allowed to keep the runt, so long as she keeps her teacher updated on the runts wellbeing, and uses it as a learning opportunity as well, whether the runt lives or die's.

She names the small Tazerling, Tezz. Tezz would becomes Lilith's pride, joy and key to her mental health.

A classmate also went missing and was found in a slug pit, very traumatized. But that's nether here nor there.

-

Lilith's parents while smart, were power hungry. And when Blakk Industries started becoming more prominent in the STEM field, they packed up and moved to Blakk's Citadel in hopes of landing high positions in the RND departments.

Lilith was 11 when this happened.

At this point in time Blakk wasn't ghouling slugs so openly, but Lilith just had, bad vibes about the place, but put up with it because of her parents.

Eventually by the time Lilith was 13, her parents had worked their way up the ladder and were two of several lead researchers on Negative Slug Energy, and Dark Water.

By now Lilith was helping the SERD in caring for the none Ghouled slugs and doing coffee runs for them.

Despite Blakk being, Blakk, he had a thing about underage kid's doing hard labor work.

And anyone under fifteen was basically treated like an intern, doing simple things like sorting papers, looking after the regular slugs and making coffee runs for which ever department they worked for.

The head Researcher for the SERD more or less took all the interns of the SERD and did his best to prep them to become actual scientist/researchers for the division, and if any of them wanted to work else were he made arrangements for a transfer for them.

-

When Lilith was 15, her parents got busted for embezzlement. And were kicked out of Blakk Industries, but Lilith being 15 was given a choice and as much as Blakk Industries irked her, she had friends here, and had been helping out with research that she had become rather attached to, so she stayed.

She even went as far as to drop her family name.

Within a month Lilith was an official Black Industries Scientist/Researcher for the Slug Energy Research Division.

-

Lilith at the start of the show is 17, and has been working on the 'Purifier' with her lab mates for the last year and a half.

The 'Purifier' is a device that can power a Cavern that has been completely corrupted. In short if a Cavers Slugs were all Ghouled, the 'Purifier' would keep the Cavern running as if they weren't. Blakk was going to use it to turn the Citadel into the only 'clean' Cavern in Slugterra once he took over and Ghouled all the slugs, forcing people to either A) Pay to live in the Citadel and work for him or B) Buy a smaller 'Purifier' themselves that they would need to keep buying filters for.

When Lilith, like most employees of the company, is absolutely terrified of Dr. Blakk.

Even more so since she doesn't duel.

But when Eli Shane show's up and declares, what is basically War on Blakk and his Ghouls, Lilith see's a spark of hope.

A Shane, much like Blakk feared, gives someone for people to rally behind. And Lilith hacks an old tablet and uses it to occasionally leak information to the Shane Gang anonymously. She would do it more often, but she is scared of being caught.

one day Lilith enters the SERD, and Tezz and a bunch of the other normal Slugs are missing(their is a little slug hang out spot in the lab).

A grunt, who was dropping off supplies earlier noticed the non-ghouled slugs and rounded them up and took them to the ghouling room.

Lilith is able to find Tezz and the other slugs before they are turned. And she is pissed, yelling at the grunt, completely unaware/ignoring the fact Blakk is their as well, almost decking him thinking he was just another grunt worker.

Lilith then proceeds to punch the control panel, as Blakk side stepped out of the way, and the Ghouling device is stopped and temporally destroyed.

Lilith gets Tezz and the rest of the slugs back :)

The next day she gets called to Blakk's office and is offered a position as his lab assistant/lab apprentice.

After ten(10) whole minutes of blue screening, Lilith agree's(mostly out of fear), so long as Tezz doesn't get ghouled, and is still able to work on the 'Purifier' project, and can still do her weekend hobby of studding the Shadow Clan.

And so begins Lilith's most stress induced year of her life!

:D

Zoom in on the pictures to get a better look at the tiny Slugs lmao

[hannahssimblr]

We set up camp in the lingering pink light in a clearing behind the hump of a sand dune that separates us from the stretch of beach. Up here the sand has mixed with the pine needles. The charred sticks from someone else’s bonfire lie in a pile of ash on the forest floor, and we set up our tents to face it, and Shane and I clear some pieces of rubbish from around it while Jen and Joe collect some firewood to make a new one. 

The waves are loud now, up this close, and I look forward to falling asleep to the sound later. It reminds me of those CDs that Jen had to listen to the last time she saw a therapist, something about visualising each breath moving through one’s body with the fluidity of the ocean waves. I felt like a Buddhist monk afterwards but we both pretended that it was a stupid exercise because it felt weird to admit to being moved by something like a meditation CD.

Clóda goes to the top of the dunes and gazes toward the horizon, but I only notice her because Shane does. Then he notices me noticing him and throws a bottle of Lucozade, deliberately missing the pile of rubbish we’ve made and hitting my shin. It’s heavy and full of something that, though amber in colour, is definitely not Lucozade. 

“Are we alright, man?” I say while he stares at his feet like there is something highly interesting about the plastic bits on the end of his shoelaces. “Yeah, obviously, why?”

“Because you seem pissed off at me.”

“Dunno why you think that.”

“Just a feeling,” I pause, “And I had a run in with your sister earlier on, she seems a bit annoyed at me too, so I was just wondering was something said at home, or…”

He scoffs, “Kelly’s some thick. Don’t mind her.”

“Right, and you and me, we’re-”

“We’re fine, man.” He tosses the last of the rubbish aside and starts going through his bag with his back to me. I’m not satisfied. 

“Shane,” I come closer, “You know that if there’s weird shit between us then I just want to air it out, I’m not that good at conflict or anything, but like I just have this feeling that you’re not actually okay with…” I lower my voice, “...with how things panned out with Clóda and all.”

His shoulders stiffen, “No, I couldn’t give a shite about that.”

“Right…” 

“Sure I’d be used to that by now, wouldn’t I?” he bites out, “You going off with all the girls. What’s it to me?”

“Just if you liked her, you know?”

“Well I didn’t.”

“You didn’t.”

“Nah. Not bothered.”

“Well, like, you seem bothered, so-”

“Jude?” Clóda calls, the setting sun is in her face, “Do you want to go for a swim before it gets too dark?”

I sigh and turn back to Shane, “I’m not done with this.”

“Well I am. Just go swimming.”

I hesitate, but go to her, running to that mound atop the dune and she greets me with arms thrown around my neck. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I kiss her quickly and draw away to pull my top over my head, then take my socks and my shoes off and dump them in the grass. She takes her clothes off, and she’s not self conscious of herself but I try not to look too much anyway in case she thinks I’m the kind of boy who would get overly excited about seeing her in a bikini.

“Will it be cold?” She shivers as the sea breeze nips our warm skin, and I tell her that it will, of course it will.

“God, I don’t know then.”

“Well you can’t back out now.”

“No?”

“No,” and I scoop her off the ground and throw her over my shoulder, and she shrieks in protest as I carry her down the side of the dunes, across the beach and right into the water with me. 

Beginning // Prev // Next

[erikahenningsen]

SPF por favor? 🥹

“Thanks!” Gretchen beams. Then she clears her throat, somewhat awkwardly. “And, um, while I have you both here, I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be out with Karen on Friday night. So, um, the apartment will be empty.”

Regina’s brow furrows, and she looks at Gretchen in confusion. “Friday? Who ca—I mean, why?”

“Well,” Gretchen says, then doesn’t say anything further, and Cady puts the pieces together.

Friday is Valentine’s Day.

“Thanks! That’s good to know,” Cady says, probably too loudly.

Cady can see it dawn on Regina. Her eyes widen, and Cady thinks she might actually be turning red. Then her nose wrinkles.

“Gretch, gross! Did you really have to announce your Friday night sex plans?” Regina says.

“That is not what I said,” Gretchen shoots back, rolling her eyes. “And you’re one to talk.”

“What does that mean?” Regina asks.

“We don’t have soundproofed walls, is all I’m gonna say,” Gretchen replies, then moves out of the frame, her voice growing more distant. “I’m going to take a shower.”

There’s a long beat of silence, Regina looking like Gretchen just dumped cold water on her. Cady can’t contain her giggles.

“This isn’t funny,” Regina complains.

“Then maybe you should be quieter,” Cady teases.

With a sigh, Regina flops back against the pillows. “She was talking about you.”

Cady rubs at the back of her neck. “Let’s call it even.”

“Hmm,” is all Regina says.

“So…” Cady says. “Friday?”

“What about it?” Regina asks, smirking a little.

“You busy?”

Regina pretends to think about it. “Not sure. Shane might want to hang out.”

“Regina,” Cady says, huffing. “Come on.”

“Okay, jeez. Calm down. I guess I can clear my schedule.”

Cady grins, excitement bubbling in her chest. She always did the same thing with Aaron every Valentine’s Day: dinner at a mid-rated restaurant, then a movie on Aaron’s couch. Aaron would always give her roses and a box of chocolates, even though Cady didn’t particularly like the assortment—it was too hard to know which chocolate was which.

“What are we going to do?” Cady asks. Suddenly, she feels anxious—Regina is the kind of person you take to only the fanciest restaurants, gift the nicest jewelry. Cady has to imagine Regina’s had boys falling all over her every Valentine’s Day for years. She doesn’t want to disappoint her.

“Why do I have to decide?” Regina asks, faux-annoyed. There’s something in her expression, though, that looks… nervous.

Regina’s probably used to guys tripping over themselves to please her—but that also means she’s never spent a Valentine’s Day with someone she actually cares about.

“I don’t care what we do,” Cady says sincerely. “Really. I just want to be with you.”

[panie-wanie-dean-bean]

yandere shane from stardew? my taste in videogame men is..... meow.

-🐈‍⬛

Ooo, ok so Shane is pretty stand off-ish in game but for a yandere take on him I think he'd be a bit crass? Like, openly eyeing you up and down, licking his lips, lewd comments, things like that. This is mainly due to him assuming you're out of his league, using these comments as a way to push you away and laugh at you rather than you getting to know him and dumping him

He does a whole ass 180 once you start to show affection after you know him

He goes from leering asshole at the bar to awkward high school crush asking you to prom. The more you know and accept him the more he lets himself fall for you and he falls hard. He needs you, he needs you so much it hurts, and it only gets worse after he quits. See, without anything clouding his brain he gets to think about you all the time, which leads to him being extremly clingy

He'll try and play it off like he's a big tough man, but if you talk down to him at all he's on his knees. He's a huge simp for you and will do anything you tell him to, even if he plays it off like that's just what he wanted to do anyway. Brat. He's basicly begging you to snap and put him in his place, maybe hold that new shiny sword up to his throat while telling him how efficiently you can use it

In this version of things Shane would probably have a "No more drinks" moment much sooner than in game. Once that happens all alcohol would become a hated gift and Joja Cola and ginger ale would become loved gifts since they're the closest thing to sparkling water we have in game. His schedule would also change, no longer heading to the bar and instead heading to Jaz's room where they would stand in front of her doll house and play together (Or be in his chicken room but only after that cutscene)

[escapism-from-the-real-world]

Part 3

Dustin Brooks (THE BOY)

Background/story

Has two amazing parents that he loves very much

His dad taught him all about dirt bikes and they bond over it

Grew up on motocross and loved it from the start. It is his life

His dad got him the bike he has now at the beginning of freshman year and he’s had it ever since

He gets his Adhd from his mom, who is an absolute sweetheart

She is also friends with Shane’s mom and they have family dinner together (Tori also joins once she gets adopted into the family)

Has an older sister who is much older than him so they aren’t incredibly close, but she’s a badass and he respects the hell out of her

She’s a lawyer and kicks legal butt, it’s great

Also has two younger siblings (one boy, one girl, twins, they are 7)

Can, have, and will kick Dustin’s butt when the urge arises

Very feisty but also protective of their favorite brother (he’s a fun bro who plays with them and rides a motorcycle)

He is the coolest and the dorkiest in their eyes. They love their big brother

His aunts and uncles live nearby and they visit pretty often

Has so many cousins

His house is constantly full of people

Just a very big family

He loves the chaos and has a hard time adjusting outside of it sometimes

They do those cheek kisses and Shane and Tori were very surprised when he first did it with them

It’s chill tho, they get it now

They have a game called ‘guess their relation to Dustin’ when a family member they don't know comes over

It’s a lot of fun

Shane and Tori were also his first real friends

While very friendly and sociable, he has a hard time getting close to people since he can come on a bit strong

People tried to bully him verbally, but it went right over his head so a lot of them resorted to physical violence to get their point across

He was a crier when he was little (no shame)

Shane and Tori were the first people that let him in and he was ecstatic

They are basically his pseudo siblings and they tease and banter a lot

Usually plays mediator for actual fights, but is also known to stand to the side and watch with popcorn (no one knows where he gets the popcorn from)

He doesn’t understand half of what Cam says most of the time, but he likes how passionate he gets about tech

Sometimes he’ll just sit with Cam at Ninja Ops and have him talk as he does other stuff (usually homework)

Went off about power rangers with Cam after that first mission

Knows a lot about zords and morphers

When he does know what is going on that other half of the time, they have very complicated tech talk (Dustin can fix up motor bikes, he knows quite a bit of mechanics, thank you)

Dustin is Cam’s favorite (Shh don’t tell)

Was very excited when he started hanging around Blake and Hunter because Biking Buddies!!

Blue screens when he meets Blake and Hunter (they are very pretty) (Bisexual disaster)

They like bikes!!!! I like bikes!!! We should be friends!!!!

Oblivious to the sus at first, just excited to info dump about motocross

Picks up on it after a couple of weird encounters (Said they didn’t live with their parents then told Tori that they had parents to get back to)

Is kind of heartbroken when they turn out to be evil because he put a lot of his heart into that friendship

Is not following with what is happening in that cave with the crystal, just knows their parents are dead (sad)

And then they left (sad)

And then they’re back!

But they’re evil again (sad and confused)

Deviance from canon! Dustin comes up with the idea to wash the toxic chemicals off Hunter’s face

So they do (Tori blasts him with water)

And it helps Hunter break out of the brainwashing spell after one last good hit over the head from Blake

Tackles Blake and Hunter into a hug after that whole debacle (much to the confusion of Blake and Hunter and to the delight and amusement of Shane and Tori)

Loves having Dirt Biking Buddies once they are officially good

They teach him a lot of tricks for going really fast

Blake is chill and Dustin sees him as a bro, but not like Shane and Tori

Him, Blake, and Hunter are pretty competitive for motocross, but they’re all good sports

Hunter is Dustin’s favorite because they’ll info dump on dirt bikes with each other and go on and on and on

Blake can too, but he usually bails to let them talk alone *wink wink*

They hang out a lot

Dustin’s family adore Blake and Hunter, especially the kids cause they’ll play with them

Kelly is also like a sister to him and he thinks she and his oldest sister would get along really well

She helps a lot with his motocross endeavors, encouraged him to keep improving, always taking him to tournaments across the country when she can and thinks Dustin is one of the best motocross riders she’s ever seen

Dustin hates letting her down and is very protective of her and the shop

It’s his safe space and he loves it in there

Personality/headcanon/arcs

What do you mean it isn’t canon that he has Adhd, have you seen him? 

Has Adhd, 100%

Has time blindness, selective memory, can’t sit still, impulsiveness, blunt, easily distracted, has a hard time with eye contact, special interest is dirt bikes, loves loud noise (he’s a punk/metal fan), and has a hard time with social cues so things fly over his head a lot

Also hyposensitive to most shit including pain (can take a lot of hits and often doesn’t realize he’s hurt)

Can also be spacey and gets into his head a lot so you have to keep his attention or he’ll get distracted and stop listening

He went undiagnosed for most of his life

Cam brought it up once and then he went to get diagnosed

Cam: With regards to your Adhd-, Dustin: I have Adhd?, Cam: ... We’re taking you to the doctor.

Things make a lot more sense now for everybody

He’s just a happy to be here

While he can be competitive, he’s the most mellow-headed out of everyone

I guess you could say he’s grounded (Aha. Aha. Aha)

Is terrifying when mad

Him being upset is one thing (he’s like a sad puppy dog and no one can deny Dustin when he’s genuinely upset) But he’s never, ever mad, so when he is you know shit’s about to go down

Shane and Tori have only ever seen him truly mad once and it was the scariest thing they have ever seen

Dustin being nice is a choice, not a result of naivety 

Is very affectionate with his buddies (hugs, pats, friendly punches, fistbumps, high fives, anything and everything) (cheek kisses only when he’s comfortable with them and if they are comfortable with it) (Shane, Tori and Hunter are fine with them while Cam and Blake don’t really like them) 

Is the most physically affectionate with Hunter for reasons (Many of them romantic)

Eats a lot

Like, a lot a lot

The first time Blake and Hunter were with the crew for a food run, they were gobsmacked by the amount of food he got

Dustin, after ordering half the menu: You guys getting anything? Blake and Hunter: That was all for you???

He’s a hungry boi (his powers are very energy consuming so he has to eat a lot to make up for it)

Speaking of powers

Is SUPER strong (he can lift 100 tons)

Has to be careful with his super strength and often hits things too soft in fear of hitting things too hard

Can sense the earth beneath his bike and uses it to find the smoothest/quickest path

Doesn’t know that’s what that is and just thinks everyone else is just being silly when they chose the worst paths to ride through

Blake and Hunter are the ones to tell him about what he’s doing when they accuse him of cheating and he gets very confused

very quick to pick up on stuff but also quick to forget (Has used his duplication technique like twice)

Specialized in the warhammer, but can also use a mace and axe

Is actually very smart thank you very much. He just has a funny way of showing it (Adhd). Often comes out more like common sense

“What’s more powerful than 5 rangers?” “6 rangers!” “...Fair enough, let’s give it a shot.”

Everyone always forgets just how smart he is (expect Cam and Hunter, because Dustin can semi keep up with Cam’s rants and Hunter and Dustin rant about dirt bike mechanics all the time)

Just knows? The most random facts? And can do the most random things? (Adhd, bitch)

“Oh yeah, I play the sax.” “...What?”

“I can do a perfect, very complicated gymnastics routine.” “Why?” “I had a phase.”

“I know how to jumpstart and rewire almost every vehicle in existence including a fighter jet.” “Do I want to know?” “I had to hotwire my old bike once and it devolved from there.”

Has the best relationship with himself 

That one episode where sensei has them “fight” themselves, Dustin is literally just playing with himself and is very excited to have another him

He’s having a blast

(Tori is just smart and figures out what’s going on and Shane is always ready to fight something)

Goes into Freestyling with Kelly as his sponsor after the show

Eventually does Freestyling and Motocross racing because he’s just built different

He and Blake race all the time and get very competitive (It’s all good fun tho)

Everyone tries to make it to as many competitions as they can

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