#the fucking walking dead shot of everyone lined up together

[brytnoter]

hey anyone wanna see the cringiest(/gen) gayest(/neg) saddest(/pos) british 1977 railway safety short film ever made?

>:¬)

[itneverendshere]

school spirit and all! - soccer!frat!rafe cameron blurb (+18)

warnings: future smut. paring: smart!reader x himbo!rafe; ps: this is just for fun cause someone asked me to post it (it was just a draft😬)

you’ve never been one for academic sports spirit.

what’s the point? okay, your school has incredible athletes, that’s good, but why the fuck would you kiss and praise the ground they walk on? you’re a fantastic student and no one gives a shit. why do they get all the glory while brainiacs get zilch?

the double standards piss you off. somehow academics always take the backseat to sports. maybe that explained your dislike towards jocks like rafe cameron.

up until sophomore year, you’d only heard about him, saw him occasionally around school. it was understandable why people talked about him so often. he looked like he’d just been ripped off a page of an abercrombie and fitch catalog, and apparently – you’d never attended a game to check – he was the best player on the team, playing forward. but, unlike many, you didn’t form an opinion about him until you met him.

the verdict? total pain in your fucking ass.

ever since you two were paired in a class project together, an annual class at that, he suddenly took an interest in you, like you were some sort of exotic animal he’d never encountered in his life, only because you wouldn’t flirt with him.

outrageous, never done before.

for the first four months, it was just him laying on the cheesy pickup lines and you rolling your eyes so hard you thought they'd pop out of your head. eventually, rafe dialed it down and you were able to be civil, perhaps friends. if you could call it that.

wich is why, as his friend, you’re starting to lose your fucking patience. the season was not going well for his team. at all. there’s little to no chance they’re going to be able to win the championship.

not that you care, but apparently the whole school does. everyone seems to be on the verge of a meltdown.

��i swear to god if they lose to standford next week–“

“pope, will you kindly shut the fuck up? it’s just soccer.”

“just soccer?”

you let out an exasperated sigh, glancing over at pope who looks at you like you’ve just shot someone, “can we study? peacefully?”

"it’s not just soccer! it's about school spirit, camaraderie, y’know?"

you raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. "camaraderie? please. more like a bunch of testosterone-fueled egos chasing after a ball," you retort, disdain evident in your tone.

“you don't know what you're talking about. and i'm being dead serious, cameron’s been on edge lately. never seen him like this."

you lean back in your chair, crossing your arms. "yeah, well, losing does that to people. don't why you're complaining soooo much" you sigh, "i’m the one who has to put up with all the brooding and pouting.”

pope’s quiet. too quiet. you can picture the gears turning in his brain as he blankly stares at you. nothing good ever comes out of that.

“what?” you press, wondering if you have to break the school spirit out of him.

“you should fuck him. after or before, don't care. but you should."

you recoil, nearly tumbling out of your chair at pope's suggestion.

your eyes widen in disbelief, your mind struggling to process what he just said. for a moment, the room spins around you, and you feel like you’ve been thrust into some surreal alternate universe.

“what?! pope?" you finally manage to sputter, acting like you're about to go into cardiac arrest, "the fuck's wrong with you?"

“don’t look at me like that,” he merely shrugs, “that man is depressed. he needs to get laid if he’s going to win something.“

you hardly think a guy like rafe is not getting laid every other day, but that’s irrelevant. your jaw drops, stunned by his audacity. "are you kidding me? you don’t even like him!”

“but i like winning!” he whines, all but pushing his books aside to place in his elbows on the table, “and he’s so obsessed with you it hurts watching. he’s like one of those little crusty white dogs always running after you.”

you shake your head in disbelief, "he does it to be funny, okay? he’s not actually interested.. t's just a joke”

your best friend only laughs, a raucous, almost maniacal sound that echoes through the room. he clutches his stomach, "just joking?" pope gasps out, his laughter still bubbling to the surface. "oh man. you're hilarious, honestly, wow."

you stare at him, lips set in a straight line, feeling like you missed the entire joke. "what's so funny?"

pope wipes away a fake tear, trying to compose himself. "he almost ripped a new one to jj after he pulled that stunt last semester.”

your eyebrows knit together in skepticism. “and? i still don’t follow.”

rafe and jj couldn’t stand each other. both are incredible athletes and everyone always gushes about how great they are together on the field. outside, however? not so much. they don't mix. ever.

“and?! why do you think jj randomly talked about you in the locker room?”

“because he’s a horny creep and got a kink for fist fights with undressed men?”

you love jj. really, you do. but sometimes he’d win a lot more if he just kept his mouth shut or thought before speaking. you've lost count of how many times that boy has been suspended.

pope leans in, his tone low and conspiratorial, “cameron practically threatened to rearrange jj's face if he ever mentioned you again.”

you narrow your eyes, “nop. you’re making that up.”

pope shakes his head, a grin playing on his lips. "nah, i'm dead serious.”

your mind races, trying to piece it all together. while your brain always clicks instantly in class, feelings...emotions are a little more complicated to grasp sometimes.

"wait, so you're saying he actually cares about me?"

he nods, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "yep.”

“seriously?”

pope chuckles, leaning back in his chair. "head over heels. you’re our school’s only hope.”

your brain's on overdrive trying to process pope's bombshell revelation. rafe cameron, the big-shot jock, actually giving a fuck about you? it's like some twisted plot line from a teen drama. you didn’t see this one coming. but then again, you hardly pay attention to anything outside academics.

“so what? ’m supposed to fuck the mediocrity out of him?”

he grins, clapping you on the shoulder, “there’s that school spirit!”

you slap his hand away, “oh fuck off. ‘m being serious.”

he’s still grinning like he just cracked the code to life. "come on, hear me out. it's like a strategic move, y’ know? boost his morale, boost the team's performance. win-win."

you roll your eyes, not buying into his scheme. "yeah, because my sex habilities are definitely the key to winning soccer games."

he shrugs, undeterred. "it's not like you'd be doing it for him. it's all about the greater good."

you scoff, rearranging your notes for the millionth time, "this isn't some feel-good sports movie."

it’s not like you never thought about rafe. sure, he's a yapping idiot around you most of the time, but every time you need help or an extra hand, he’s always the first one to offer. that has to count for something, right?

“the ball’s in your court.”

yeah it is.

truth to be told, you’ve been sick and tired of rafe acting like a loser over soccer. what was the point in whining about it if he wasn’t going to try and do better? god, you'd never seen him like this before and it's been irking you to beyond. even more now that pope mentioned it again.

at this point, you just want to march up to him, shake him and make it come to his senses. you can’t even remember that last time he tried to hit on you. that’s how bad it is! the memory is buried under the weight of his brooding.

so maybe….maybe pope's onto something, y'know? maybe there's more to it than just you and rafe. and yeah, okay, you're not exactly thrilled about the idea of hopping into bed with him, but only because you’d hate the attention that comes along with his name.

but...a part of you is weirdly intrigued. not because you're dying to be his next conquest, but because you're just done with watching him drown in his own misery. maybe this could be the wake-up call he needs. a swift kick in the ass to snap him out of his funk.

you wouldn’t be doing out of selfish reasons! school spirit and all. you’d be doing everyone a favor. and you wouldn't need to blame it on yourself if things went downhill.

you had pope for that.

which is why you’re standing in front of rafe's room in his frat.

a jock and a frat boy? charming. you’ve certainly hit the jackass lottery. but you’ve been here before. he always saved the day when the library was packed or when your roommate was too busy fucking her boyfriend in your dorm room. this was weirdly your safe place to work.

taking a deep breath, you rap your knuckles against the door, trying to ignore the butterflies doing somersaults in your stomach. it's not about you! get a grip.

the door swings open, and there's the fucker, all brooding and rugged, like he just walked off the set of a sports movie. you roll your eyes at the cliché, but there's something weird about the way he looks at you. or maybe the tight wife-beater is doing a number on you.

you still notice the bags underneath his swollen eyes.

there's a flicker of surprise in him, like he wasn't expecting to see you, out of everyone in this school, standing there and you can't blame him; after all, you're not exactly a regular visitor to the frat house, only when your academic needs force you to.

“hey?”

“you look like shit, cameron.”

rafe's eyebrows raise in surprise at your blunt remark, “uh, what?”

you roll your eyes resisting the urge to scoff. "can i come in or are you going to stand there looking like an idiot all day?”

rafe chuckles, stepping aside to let you into his room, “come on in.”

you step inside, taking in the cluttered room with a mixture of amusement and mild disgust. it was never this bad before, you know rafe’s a clean freak and this? this is not him. but it is exactly how you imagined a frat boy's room would look like—dirty.

there’s laundry strewn across the floor, empty beer cans littering the desk, and a distinct musky smell lingering in the air. you shake your head in disbelief, shooting rafe a disapproving look.

"what are you? a divorced forty-five-year-old man?”

rafe laughs at your comment, though there's a hint of embarrassment in his expression as he scratches the back of his neck. "yeah, i know. sorry about that."

he’s doing worse than what you realized and it tugs a little at your heartstrings.

you raise an eyebrow, unconvinced by his apology. "sorry doesn't cut it, cameron. you should be ashamed of yourself.”

"okay, fair point. i'll clean up, promise."

“not just your stupid room. i mean your whole attitude. you've been moping around like a loser!”

rafe's expression shifts, defensiveness crossing his features. "hey, ‘m not—"

"don't even try to deny it," you interrupt, not backing down. "everyone’s noticed. you’re pissing me off.”

you don’t know why you’re suddenly so tempted to give him the scolding of a lifetime, but there’s just something about seeing someone with so much potential and drive wasting it all away without a fight. it’s not like him.

and by the kicked-puppy look on his face, you can tell he's not used to being called out so openly. but you're dead set on breaking through to him, no matter how awkward it gets.

“see! you’re just staring at me like—like, a fucking idiot!”, you fire off, frustration lacing your tone. the irony of the situation isn't lost on you. “will you speak for gods sake? for more than five seconds? i spent months trying to get you to shut up and now you do?”

rafe's stunned expression makes you second guess your approach for a moment, but you push the feeling aside, knowing you can't afford to let sympathy cloud your purpose here.

“why are you mad at me?”

you can't believe he's still clueless after all this time.

"why am i mad at you?" you repeat incredulously, feeling the irritation rising your my chest. "seriously, rafe? have you even looked in the mirror lately?"

he blinks at you, his confusion evident, and you resist the urge to roll your eyes.

"you've been moping around like the world's about to end.”

rafe's brows furrow even further, and for a moment, you wonder if he's playing dumb or if he genuinely has no idea what you’re talking about. "i don't—uh, i don't understand," he finally stammers out, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

that’s it.

you’re gonna pull the feelings card and hope it doesn’t backfire.

“do you like me?” you blurt out, the words tumbling out before you can stop them.

rafe snorts as he lifts his finger to scratch his face, “course i do. pretty obvious.”

for a second you get a glimpse of the real rafe and it soothes you inside.

“and you want to fuck me?”

you’ve never seen him look so gobsmacked in his life, you’d laugh in his face if it wasn’t such a serious matter.

“what?” he stammers, his cheeks flushing slightly. you can’t believe the rafe cameron is blushing. over you.

you let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through your hair. "do you want to fuck me? do i need to spell it out for you?”

he opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out, and you can't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at finally catching him off guard, “’m sorry? is this—are you…is this for punk’d?”

"punk'd? seriously, rafe?" you snap, incredulous that he would think this is some sort of prank, “it’s 2024.”

rafe's cheeks flush an even deeper shade of red, and he stammers again "no, i mean— i just...didn't expect you to— uhh”

“yes or no.”

rafe blinks at you before breathing out, “yes.”

“okay. so win your next match and you will.”

he looks at you like you’ve grown a second head, exhaling through his nose, trying to keep his agitation to a minimum. “what?”

“i’m sick and tired of this version of you. i need you to win, and if this” you gesture to the both of you with your hand, “is your motivation, then we’re doing it.”

"y’serious?" he takes a step closer, his demeanor suddenly more serious, “me and you?”

you nod firmly, crossing your arms over your chest as you tilt your head up to look at his features, “dead serious. and it’s not just you and me. it’s for the team, and for the school spirit or whatever nonsense pope keeps going on about."

rafe lets out a small chuckle, a hint of his usual cocky confident demeanor returning. "is that so? can't say no to that kind of motivation."

“i figured.”

he reaches out a hand, his fingers lightly grazing the strands of your hair, eyes fixed on your lips. "are there any rules?”

you swallow hard, feeling your heart race at his touch. “no, just win.”

rafe's lips curl into a playful smirk— the money-making smirk that makes you want to punch him and kiss him, not necessarily in that order — as he leans in closer, his breath warm against your ear.

"never would've guessed you'd be the one to offer yourself as my motivation, though," he murmurs, his voice sending a shiver down your spine, "i'm surprised."

you try to maintain your composure, but his proximity is making it increasingly difficult to think straight. "just doing what needs to be done," you manage to stammer out, trying to sound perfectly unaffected by his words.

rafe chuckles softly, his hand still lingering in your hair as he leans back slightly to look at you. "my pretty prize, huh?" he says, his tone teasing as he brushes a strand of hair away from your face.

you feel a flush spread across your features at his boldness. you blame him entirely for this side of you. without thinking, you reach up to brush your fingers against his cheek, tips pressings against his skin lightly.

“just win the fucking match, cameron."

rafe's nasty smirk widens into a heart-stopping, soul-gripping grin as he leans in closer, his lips hovering dangerously close to yours.

"consider it done."

[not-neverland06]

How About a Nuke?

Part VIII / Part IX

(Completed) Series Masterlist

Cooper Howard x fem!reader, The ghoul x fem!reader A/N: PLEASE READ, we have reached the end of their journey and I am so sad/happy/excited about it. I don’t even know how to feel honestly. I just want to thank everyone who has commented, messaged or reblogged this story. Your kind words and funny little depressed memes have been really uplifting for me. I was actually considering just giving up on this blog when I posted the first chapter. I haven’t had much inspiration lately or interaction I feel like, and you all have helped reignite that spark within me. Summary: There’s something keeping you tied to Cooper Howard, an invisible string wrapped around you both. You’ve fought against it as long as you could but he’s not gonna let you fight for much longer.

It’s been a month and the bounty on her head gets bigger everyday. Normally the compound hires privately, they don’t like going through the agencies. He figures with Sylvie dead they’re struggling to find a new leader and they’re falling apart. Or they’re just desperate for her head on a stick. 

He sees her face everywhere, crudely drawn images of her varying in their accuracy. In some she has a hat like his on, in others her nose is the wrong shape, or her eyes are all wrong. No one seems to have a good grasp on who she is. Out of curiosity and a strange need to know she’s still alive, he’s asked around. 

There are different rumors as to where she’s hiding out. Some think she’s taken to hiding out in the caves near Filly. Anyone with half a brain knows that the area’s overrun by irradiated bears and other mutated freaks. 

There are those that say they’ve seen her wandering through the sands. Following that lead had led him nowhere. He doesn’t know where she is and it’s driving him insane. She’s like a constant itch in the back of his mind that he just can’t scratch. Days and nights are spent thinking about her and he hates it. 

He’s not sure what he’d do when he does find her. Whether he’d shoot her to repay the favor or just tie her up to keep her from leaving again. He’s conflicted on how he feels about her. He’s bothered that he feels anything towards her at all. And he knows that when she shot him, she was shooting to kill. 

She had no way of knowing that he would heal from that bullet. She’d watched him bleed out on the ground and left him for dead. He was impressed, as much as he wanted to be mad, he was almost proud in a way. 

Throughout their tumultuous lives and times together she’d always had to be guided by him. He’d shown her the ways of whatever world they were living in. She’d relied on him and he enjoyed it. The time had to come when eventually she wouldn’t need him anymore. 

It’s outside of Filly that he finds the most accurate poster of her so far. She looks like she did in their first movie together. A proper outlaw, wanted all across the Wastelands for her crimes against a bunch of sick fucks. If he could kill Sylvie again, he would. He’d kill all of them. 

Not that he’s condemning them because of what the compound’s doing. He’s dabbled in organ trade before, eaten people, he’s done a lot of fucked up shit. But he draws the line at trying to hurt her. He’s the only one who should be allowed to fuck with her.

He takes the poster down and whistles softly at the price under her name. It’s enough to keep him happy for a longtime. If he never wanted to take on another bounty he wouldn’t have to. Course, he was never in this for the money. A man’s gotta have something to entertain himself with at the end of the world. 

He wonders if she’s even still alive. Maybe a Deathclaw got her a day after she left him behind. He could have walked past her corpse and never even known it. He folds the poster up and slips it in his bag. He doesn’t know why he bothers keeping it. Possibly because it’s the closest thing to her that he’s got, but he doesn’t feel like lingering on that thought for long. 

He tugs his hat lower on his head and heads through the tunnel leading to Filly. He’s caused a lot of issues here over the years. Usually he kills most of the people who could identify him as an instigator, but he doesn’t feel like pushing his luck today. He needs more supplies and he knows Ma June won’t sell to him if he causes a fight beforehand. 

It’s louder than normal today, more people rushing around. They’re all congregating around something in the center of the marketplace. He turns to the left, heading up the stairs to try and get a better look at what’s got everyone so excited. 

“They found her!” A boy shouts, fidgeting in his spot next to him. He glances at him from under his hat and the boy pales before scurrying away from him. His lips turn up in a cruel grin and he finally gets a good look at what’s happening. 

She’s kneeling in the middle of the marketplace, two Knights on either side of her. He’s more surprised by the fact that she actually has picked up a hat in her time away from him. 

She seems to be playing into the outlaw routine more than he thought she would. 

You’re embarrassed, honestly, that you let these two idiots capture you. Them and their useless little squires. 

You’ve found odd jobs through the Brotherhood when they need assistance looking for relics of the old world. Though, you’re really not sure how much use a toaster oven can be to them, but they pay good money for it. 

Once your bounty was posted and they figured out who you were, though, that stopped being useful. You can’t even hunt bounties because the agencies would just grab you and turn you over to the compound.

They clearly didn’t give a shit about women, you don’t get why they’re making this whole Sylvie situation such a big deal. 

You had to bribe Ma June by buying some of her junk, but eventually she’d helped you find some work in Filly. The people here are stupid enough that they don’t recognize you when they see you. Most of them are high or drunk so the only thing you have to worry about is wandering hands and not stepping in the middle of their brawls. 

From the patrons of the bar you hear stories about yourself. How you slaughtered the entire compound, even the children, which is so far from the truth you can’t help but scoff. Or how you apparently slept with a ghoul and you're carrying his mutant baby. 

You don’t even know where they got that one from. 

They also seem to think you wander through the sands, shooting anyone who gets in your way. It’s a comfort that no one seems to have caught onto you yet. But it’s also disheartening to know that all that’s left of civilization is a bunch of psychopathic idiots. 

What happened to natural selection?

You know your stint in Filly is up when two Knights walk in, their squires struggling to carry their bags behind them. You pull your hat further over your head and duck behind the bar. You try to keep your back to them and let the old man, Marley, who runs the bar deal with them. 

His shaky voice is cautious as he greets them, “What are Knights doing so far out here?”

One of their distorted voices rings out through the, now quiet, bar. “We got bored. Wanted to shoot some shit.”

You roll your eyes and focus on cleaning the cup in front of you. You spit into it, not enough water to properly clean it, and scrub at it with a stained towel. Marley hums, clearly displeased with the answer. You can hear his tottering steps approaching you and wince, praying he’s not going to do what you think he is. 

He tugs on your shirt with a shaky hand and you slump forward in defeat. “Deal with these jackasses,” he mutters, taking drinks over to a different table. 

You pour the only alcohol the bar has into two cups and keep your head down as you approach. “Heard that a woman took over for Knight Damien.”

One of them scoffs and shakes his armored head, “What the fuck is this world coming to?” You don’t know how they’re planning on drinking their liquor with the helmets on but you’re not going to ask stupid questions. You drop the cups in front of them, but your hand slips and one of them tips over into a Knight’s lap. 

“I’ve got it, sire.” Their squire lunges forward and begins vigorously scrubbing their armor. Your face curls up in distaste and you’re about to walk away when a metal hand grips your wrist. 

“Holy shit, it’s her!” Oh, you’re so screwed. 

They’ve got a fucking leash on you, it’s humiliating. The scarred and dirt-covered faces of the citizens of Filly surround you. They’re all leering, shouting at you and begging the Knight’s to share in the bounty. But the Knight’s aren’t listening, they’re just congratulating each other. 

“What do you think they’ll give us?”

One of them shoves their squire and he goes toppling into his large bag, feet flailing in the air. “Hopefully better fucking squires. I’m getting sick of this one’s stupid face.” 

The squire kneels down and shouts in a shaking voice, “I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you, sire!” God, you really hate these people. You wished they would just shoot you. Having to sit here and listen to them talk was making your brain go numb. 

The Knight’s distorted laugh rings out through his helmet. The other one glances over at you, “What do you think she did? I’ve never seen the compound this pissed off.”

“I dunno. Hey!” You know he’s talking to you, that they want an answer, you really don’t care to give them one. “What’d you do?” They stare at you for a moment and then he sighs when you don’t respond. He shoves his squire towards you and the kid goes stumbling over his feet. “Make her talk.”

He nods rapidly, head bobbing up and down. “Of course, sire.” Your hands twitch to your side and you give him a wicked grin as he approaches. 

He’s debating going down there and trying to help her when the first shot goes off. He doesn’t even see it happen, he just watches as one of the squires drops to the ground. 

Those who don’t want to get caught in the crossfire are quick to move away from the area, hiding in their shops or shoving past him to get through the tunnel. He heads down the stairs, taking his time and trying to figure out where the shot came from. 

The second squire moves towards her and his head flies back, a hole between his eyes and his brains splattering across the ground. One Knight shoves the other one and points at their dead squire’s, “Did you not take her fucking gun?”

He’s been in those suits. He remembers how it felt, the power you get from being in them. How they make you feel like a big man. He also remembers how fucking slow they could be. She’s on her feet and running for cover before they can even start to grab her. 

She dives behind a stall and tugs a knife out of her boot, sawing at the ropes around her wrists. He can’t reach her before the fighting starts. Someone in the remaining crowd shouts, “Grab her! Get the bounty!” And all hell breaks loose. 

Someone runs at him and he shoots them before they can grab him. Shots start going off, the Knight’s mowing down anyone who tries to swoop in on their bounty. Everyone else is shooting blindly, just trying to get rid of the competition so they can claim her bounty as their own. 

He ducks under the hail fire and slides next to her as she’s reloading her gun. She glances over at him and frowns, “Didn’t I kill you?”

He hears a shout and watches as some half-feral woman charges at them. She shoots her dead and turns back to him. He gives her a wry smile, “You want to do this now, sweetheart?”

She peers over her cover and surveys the chaos going on around them. She sighs and glances back at him, “Why aren’t you dead?” 

He tugs one of his specially made bullets out of his bag and loads it into his gun. He lifts himself to his knees and aims at the weak spot on the Knight’s chest plate. They both watch as blood explodes out of the neck of the power armor, the Knight’s friend cussing as he watches him die. 

“Next time,” she turns to look at him, “aim for the head,” he instructs. She glares at him before making her way to Ma June’s shop. He follows, not willing to let her out of his sight again, and she ducks behind the barrels of supplies in front of the shop. 

“Clearly,” she winces as the Knight’s gun starts firing off again, “I’m not making it out of here on my own.” They dive to the side as bullets rip through the barrels they’re leaning against. They’re not gonna have cover for much longer.

He grins at her, “Sounds like you’re asking me for a favor, darling.”

The sounds of screams and bodies dropping is nearly deafening. A few feet away a bullet catches a man in the throat and he drops to the ground. They watch as he chokes on his blood and tries to claw his way to safety. Steps rapidly approach them and she turns to shoot a different man, his body dropping an inch away from them. 

He turns back to her and his lips turn down, “After you tried to kill me? You want my help,” he laughs at her and she glares. 

Before she can speak a voice rings out above them, “I got her!” He shoots at the woman on the upper level above them, half of her leg gets blown off and she tumbles over the railing, narrowly missing the pair. 

He turns back to her, “You’re asking a lot, darling.”

“You’ve fucking shot me, twice. I’m not asking you for anything.” Her lips turn down in a sneer and she looks at him like the very sight of him disgusts her. “I don't need your help. I don't need you.” She glances back over her shoulder, surveying the gore and the bullets flying around them. She checks her gun and he sees just how little ammo she has left. “I’ll handle this myself.” She snaps the chamber of her gun closed and moves to get up. He grabs her wrist and yanks her back down, ignoring the angry expression on her face. 

“Look, you might not want my help, but you need it, sweetheart. Just stay here.” 

You watch as Cooper runs off, his guns firing before he’s even fully standing. You only wait a second before you’re running into Ma June’s and out her back door. She shouts at you as you barrel through her shop, knocking over her displays and shelves, but you can’t waste any time getting the hell out of dodge. 

You’re surprised Cooper was stupid enough to think you would actually wait for him. The Knight’s had called for an air evac out of Filly and if you stay there any longer you’ll be back in the compound before you can blink. 

You’ve spent a month evading them, you’re not about to let yourself get caught because of Cooper. 

You can’t believe he’s not dead. It’s not like you’ve been losing sleep over killing him, but it’s been hard to cope with the fact that you killed the man that was once the love of your life. Seeing him again, though, you wished you had shot him in his smug face. 

You’d forgotten, in the time apart, just how condescending he could be. He seemed to think you needed him to survive. You didn’t. 

At best, he provided the comfort of company. Poorly. 

Despite how much he undervalued you, you were perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. You didn’t need him to save you. You would have figured your way out of there on your own, eventually. You’ve handled yourself a month in the Wastelands without him. You learned how to carve an existence for yourself out here and you did it without help. 

You race into the woods beyond Filly, putting as much distance between you and the sounds of fighting as quickly as you can. The trees around you begin to shake, the ground vibrating and a swirl of dirt and leaves rises into the air and whips you in the face. 

You look up and begin pushing yourself faster. One of the Brotherhood’s Vertibird’s is circling Filly. “This is not a hostile landing! Please remain calm!” You blame your distraction on the announcement. 

You would have heard him coming up behind you if you hadn’t been listening to whatever the Brotherhood was saying. Rope loops around your arms and you’re yanked backwards. Your head thumps painfully hard against the forest floor, rocks scraping you as you’re dragged across the ground. 

Cooper’s face appears over yours, a cruel smile on his lips. “Now, this seems awfully familiar.” He walks around you, boots straddling your waist and grabs you by the front of your shirt, yanking you back to your feet. “I thought I told you to stay put, sweetheart.”

You frown at him, shoving your leg up between his. He groans, doubling over while you shimmy out of the loose rope. “Honestly, after all the shit that’s happened you think I’m gonna listen to anything you say?” You step back from him, brushing the dirt off your clothes as best you can. 

You sigh in frustration when you realize that when the Knight’s had grabbed you, you’d lost your supplies. Cooper looks up at you and scoffs, “Missing something?” You eye his bag on the ground and start to go for it. He pulls the hammer of his gun back and you glance towards him. You’d forgotten what a quick draw he could be.

He’s fully recovered now, eyes narrowed in on you and gun pointed right at your chest. “See, a bullet to the chest might not kill me, but I reckon it’ll do a hell of a lot of damage to you. Why don’t you back up for me, sweetheart?”

You let go of his bag and slowly back away from him. He keeps his gun trained on you and stoops down, throwing his bag back over his shoulder. Your eyes dart to the hat on his head and your lips curl up when you spot the hole you’d put in it. 

Two hundred years and he’s kept that hat nearly pristine, you take no small amount of pride in being the one to ruin it. 

“The Brotherhood will be swarming these woods in a few minutes. They’re not gonna be too happy about one of their Knight’s being dead. Come with me, I can help you out.”

You scoff, “Like I’ll ever trust you again. You’ve shot me, sold me, and left me for dead, Cooper.”

He huffs, eyes narrowing and lips curled in a sardonic grin. You can tell he’s getting pissed off. “The choice is yours,” he tucks his gun back in his holster and turns on his heels. You watch in surprise as he stalks away from you. You had fully expected him to put up more of a fight, it almost hurts that he left so easily again. 

Then you hear the sounds of orders being shouted behind you. Metal creaking and stomping through the underbrush and you realize he hadn’t left but forced you between a rock and a hard place. You could follow him or let yourself get captured by the Brotherhood. 

“Fuck,” you mutter under your breath. You risk a glance over your shoulder and spot a rapidly approaching party of squires. You run in the direction Cooper went and find him leaning casually against a tree, a satisfied look on his face when he spots you. “Don’t say a word,” you warn, shoving past him. 

He glances at her from across the fire and finds himself feeling almost at ease for the first time in a month. It’s been a while since he’s looked up to actually find her staring back at him. She might look like she wants to kill him, but she’s here. 

“You have to admit, we make a pretty good team, darling.”

She gives him an unimpressed look, “Yeah, Cooper, we’re so great at murdering people.” She looks over to the dead bodies of the raiders they’d stolen this camp from and shakes her head. “I forgot how much death you surround yourself with.”

“I surround myself with? Might I remind you, you fired the first shot, sweetheart.” Granted, he had shoved her out of her hiding spot and given her no choice about it. 

Her head shoots up and she glares at him, “You made me!” She opens her mouth and he grins. He enjoys provoking her like this. Even if the last time he had she’d shot him because of it, but it’s fun to rile her up. She always gets so pissed off, it entertains him to no end. 

To his disappointment, she closes her mouth and shakes her head, choosing not to engage with him. He sighs and rips off a piece of jerky. “When did you turn into such a wet fucking blanket?”

Her eyes flare with anger, despite that, he can hear how hurt she really is. “Maybe when you sold me!”

He tilts his head and runs his tongue over his teeth, “You ever gonna let that go? I told you it was a mistake. How was I supposed to know they were gonna breed you like a prize pig?”

She scoffs, the noise high pitched and shocked. She shakes her head and stares at him with wide eyes, “You are unbelievable.” He shrugs and takes a swig from the flask he’d stolen off one of the raiders. He’s not sure how they make their alcohol, or if they trade for it, but it’s fucking disgusting. He frowns at the flask and drains the rest of it before tossing it into the woods behind him. 

She sighs and runs a hand over her face, her voice tired as she asks, “What’s the plan here, Cooper?” 

He picks at his teeth and shakes his head, “With what?”

She leans against the log behind her and gestures at herself. “With me. What, are you going to wait for me to pass out so you can tie me up and send me back to the compound? I’ve seen the price on my head. I know how valuable I am to everyone in the Wastelands.”

He doesn’t know why what she’s saying bothers him so much but it does. “You really think I’d send you back there?”

Her face is devoid of anything as she responds, “Why wouldn’t you?”

It’s the bluntness with which she asks that, that bugs him. Like there’s no other possibility but him betraying her. Taking advantage of her while she was vulnerable and weak and then handing her over to the people who want her dead. He wouldn’t do that to her. 

He didn’t go through all this fucking trouble to find her just to lose her again. He wants to tell her as much but she’s on her feet and grabbing her bag before he can. “Look, I appreciate the help today, but I’m not interested in starting this partnership back up again. I think it’s better if we just part ways.”

He whips his gun out before he can think about what he’s doing. She freezes, still bent over and eyes his gun warily. “I’m afraid that’s not an option, darling.” He can’t let her leave again. And maybe this isn’t the best way to go about it, but he doesn’t know how else to stop her. 

“You gonna shoot me, Cooper?” She whispers, her own hand twitching for the revolver at her side. He stands up and grabs her wrists, ignoring the way she struggles against him. He binds her hands with his rope and he sits back down, 

“I’m not gonna turn you in and I’m not gonna shoot you. But you’re not getting out of here that easy, sweetheart.”

Her eyes narrow in on his, her fists clenched tightly in anger. “I killed two men with my hands bound today. What’s stopping me from killing you?”

He shrugs, “Nothing. There’s nothing stopping you, just like there’s nothing stopping me. But I’m not killing you, am I? See,” he leans forward, “I’ve fought too hard and spent too much time looking after you to just let you go now. We’re in this together, whether you want it or not.”

Her lips split in a sneer and she throws herself down on the log. “You’re all the fucking same. You treat me like a goddamn dog that needs to be beat into submission. I’m not some misbehaving pet, Cooper!” Her eyes well up and her voice breaks, “You don’t get to just leash me and expect me to be okay with it.”

“I’m under no illusions that you’re happy here, sweetheart.” He runs a hand down his face and she shakes her head in disbelief. 

“Then just let me go,” she’s bordering on begging now and his chest squeezes the longer she stares at him with those pleading eyes of hers. It’s not something he’s familiar with, this feeling, this longing for her to just shut the fuck up and stop making this so damn difficult for him. 

“I can’t,” he mutters, wanting her to just drop it. 

“Why not?” She snaps, dropping any pretenses of trying to get him to sympathize with her.

He surges forward and grabs her by the jaw. Her eyes widen in shock and he smashes their lips together, teeth clashing painfully. There’s nothing gentle or sweet about this kiss. Her teeth are ripping into his scarred lips until the taste of copper is spreading on his tongue. He groans, digging his fingers into her cheeks until her lips part. 

His tongue probes against hers, the taste of his blood spreading into her mouth as well. She whimpers, the noise stirring something in him he’d forgotten about. There’s an old desire bubbling in him that’s making him blind to the rest of the world. He wants her, more than he ever wants to admit. 

He’s wanted her for a long time before this and they both know it. How hard he’s fought against it, against moments like these. He didn’t think he was still capable of this feeling, this desire for her. But it’s consuming. She’s ruining him, running him in circles until he thinks he’s going insane. 

But it’s not the same gentle passion it once was. It’s as twisted as he’s become. The desire to possess, consume, covet until she’s his and only his to do with what he wants. His teeth dig into her, letting her blood overcome the taste of his own. He groans, his free hand grabbing her waist and yanking her closer. 

She tastes so much sweeter than he does, he wants to rip a chunk of her off and eat her whole. He’s so distracted he doesn't even notice her pulling out her gun until he’s shooting back from her. He lands roughly on the forest floor and groans, hands clutched over the bleeding hole in his gut. Pain radiates through his abdomen and he rolls onto his side.

He looks up at her in shock. She’s spitting their blood onto the ground, her bound hands wiping at her lips. “Asshole,” she mutters. She tucks her gun back in her holster and looks over at him. 

His eyes are wide in disbelief as he struggles to sit back up. The movement causes another wave of pain and he hisses through gritted teeth, “You shot me!”

She rolls her eyes and gives him a blank look, “You’ll live.” He limps back to his own seat and lifts his shirt, watching as the hole closes over slowly and the blood stops leaking. She watches as he heals and sighs, “Unfortunately.” He tugs it back down and sighs at the state of his shirt. 

“My shirt won’t.” He digs a finger into the hole and tugs on it, watching as it rips wider. Two hundred years he’s kept these clothes, she ruins them in a month. Un-fucking-believable. 

“Sew it,” she gripes, still wiping at her mouth. “I can’t believe you just fucking kissed me,” she frowns and spits again, bits of crimson lingering on her lips. 

He sighs and leans back against the tree. “Felt right in the moment.” It did, he wants to do it again. They’re even now, they’ve both shot each other twice. No reason for her to shoot again. 

He wants to feel the way she shivers against him and moans into his mouth. She can be pissed all she wants but she kissed back, she can’t deny that. He’s sure if she wasn’t tied up she’d be a bit more receptive to him. Or maybe she just needs time to cool off after the whole compound incident, a month seems like a reasonable amount of time. Then again, women are so damn unreasonable. 

She tugs a knife out of her boot and positions it between her knees. She places it between her wrists and saws at the rope until it falls free. She slides the knife back in her boot and tosses the ruined rope at him. 

He catches it with a sigh and glances up at her. “Why didn’t you do that earlier?”

Her eyes are alight with a challenge, “I wanted to see if you would let me go yourself.” Well, clearly, he had failed her little test. “I wanted to see if there was even a possibility I could ever trust you again.”

He gives her an unimpressed look, slightly pissed off about his shirt. He never should have taught her how to shoot. If he’d known it would come back to bite him in the ass he wouldn’t have. “And?”

She gives him a disbelieving look and shakes her head. “And instead of letting me go, you kissed me.“ She throws her hands up in astonishment and glares at him. “Why the hell would you think that was a good idea?”

He smirks and revels in the way she shivers at the sight. “Well, darling, I’ve always been better with actions not words.”

“Yeah,” her voice is a challenge, eyes hard and jaw clenched tightly in frustration. He loves the sight of her all riled up. He loves it even more knowing he’s the one getting her like this. “What were you trying to tell me with that little display?”

He doesn’t answer her question, not wanting to just yet. “You liked it, didn’t you?” Her mouth snaps shut and she looks away from him. He laughs, leaning back and giving her a smug look. “You can be pissed off at me as much as you want, sweetheart,” the nickname rolls off his tongue like a taunt and she sneers at him. “But you want me just the same as you used to.”

“Do you like hurting me? Is that why you keep me around? You’ve been alone for two hundred years, Cooper. And for the majority of them you’ve harbored this hatred for me because you thought I had abandoned you just like everyone else.” 

Her words strike a place deep inside him that has him on edge. She knows what she’s doing. He’s forgotten, in his time with her, that in the same way he can get under her skin, she can do it too. She knows him just as well, she’s just always been the better half of their duo. She never feels the need to stoop to the level he does. But she’s doing it now and it feels like a kick in the teeth. 

“And I’m the only one that’s actually stuck by you.” She laughs, but there’s an underlying pain to it. She looks away from him and wipes at her cheeks and his fists clench within his gloves. “Is this your revenge? You think by torturing me you get back at everyone whose ever fucked you over. I’m sick of it, Cooper. I’m not gonna let you use me anymore.”

“I feel for you,” he forces the words out. He doesn’t want to tell her this. He shouldn’t have to tell her this. She should just stick with him, it’s what they’d always done, it’s how it always should be. Them, together. But she’s fighting against that, against him, so much that he doesn’t have a choice. 

She’s backed him into a corner he doesn’t know how to get out of. “In a way I haven’t in a very long time. I can’t let you go. Don’t you get that, sweetheart? We’re in this together.”

She shakes her head and he sighs. “No,” she looks at him and just shakes her head again. “No, you don’t love me, Cooper, or you don’t want me at least. I’m not the same girl I was, that’s what you’re after. That idea in your head, of us together, that’s who I was. You were right, the Wastelands changes you. I can’t be her for you and I don’t want to be.”

He chuckles and she shrinks away from the sound in suspicion. “Newsflash, darling, I’m not the same man. I loved you a long time ago, sweetheart, but I’m not capable of that anymore. Not for the girl you were, anyway.”

She nodded, her arms wrapped around herself. She looked like she accepted the answer, but he could see beyond that, could see that she thought he was rejecting her. It hurt, she could hate him as much as she wanted, but that still hurt her. “Good,” she muttered, “she’s gone.”

“Well, good.” She shrank further into herself and he grinned.  “You. You as you are now. That’s what I want. I don’t give a shit about who we were, the only person I’ve wanted since I’ve been out here has been you. You’re the only person I’ve met who can actually keep up with me. I don’t give a shit if anyone in this godforsaken Wasteland lives or dies, but I give a shit about you. You’re also the only one who can knock me on my ass.”

Her eyes darted to the hole in his shirt and a small grin came over her lips. “Haven’t been shot a lot, have you, cowboy?”

“No,” he chuckles again and grins at her, “I haven’t. Though, I am still pretty pissed about the hole in my hat.”

Her tone loses a bit of her playfulness and she glares at him, “You more than earned that.”

He acquiesces and holds up his hands in surrender, “Maybe.” She scoffs at that and rolls her eyes. “But I think we’re even now.”

“Barely,” she mutters, rubbing at the bruises on her wrists. She glances up at him and sighs, a surrender in her eyes. “But, it’s close enough now.”

He stands up and she eyes him warily as he throws himself down on the log next to her. He holds out a hand, “What do you say, darling, partners?”

She sighs and stares at his hand for a long time. He doesn’t mind, he leaves it there, hovering between them. He knows she’ll take it. “Deny it as much as you want but this is how it’s meant to be. You can keep fighting it or save us both some time.”

She reaches forward and tentatively wraps a hand around his, she uses it to yank him forward, their faces separated by an inch. “Shoot me again,” she whispers, “and I won’t miss the next time I knock you on your ass.”

“Oh shit,” you jump at the kickback on the rifle and nearly drop it to the ground. Cooper laughs and reaches around you, taking it from you. 

“Maybe I should have started you off with something with a little less kick to it.” He props the rifle against the tree and glances over to the cans you’d been shooting at. Well, you’d gotten one out of five at least. 

In all fairness this was the first time you’d ever handled a gun, you’re sure you’re doing fine for a beginner. He sucks on his teeth and looks at your targets. The serious look on his face cracks and he’s clearly trying to fight off laughing. 

You shove at his shoulder, smiling, “Shut up. I’ve never used one of these things before.”

He picks the rifle back up and starts laughing now, “You mean a gun?” 

You throw your arms in the air in defeat and slump into the patio chairs he’s dragged to the back of the cabin. “This is pointless, anyway.” He cocks the rifle and lifts it up to aim properly. In quick succession he knocks the remaining four cans off the fence. You roll your eyes at him, “Show off.”

He smiles and takes a seat next to you. You remain silent for a while, gazing across the yard and to the towering mountains across from his cabin. You appreciate him inviting you here. When you’d told him how overwhelmed you’d been feeling with all the new publicity you hadn’t expected him to drag you all the way out to his mountain home. 

You wouldn’t have accepted if you’d known it was just going to be you and him. You’d thought he was bringing his wife and kid, too. Spending a long weekend playing house with Cooper wasn’t going to do anything in getting rid of your crush. It was just getting worse the longer you were around him.

Waking up everyday and having him be the first person to greet you was going to send you into an early grave. You swear your heart’s never beat this fast around anyone else. He seems to be the only man who's ever had you feeling this head over heels. 

“I think it’s important you learn.”

You glance over at him, surprised at how serious he sounds. He’s still staring out at the mountains, but his gaze is distant. His mind is some place else. “Why?” You ask, voice quiet, afraid to spoil the moment.

He finally blinks, gaze darting down to his hands and the rifle still in them. “It’s easy for people to dismiss the war nowadays. They weren’t there, they didn’t watch as hundreds of good men and women died for them.” You frown, sometimes it’s easy to forget that he’d been fighting on the frontlines. He’s so good at being a socialite, you feel guilty that even you sometimes forget he was a soldier before he was Cooper Howard. 

His voice is heavy, the tension thick around the both of you. “They seem to think the war is over. I know it’s not, it’s just going to get worse. People can bury their heads in the sand as long as they want, but when the fighting is at their front door, what are they going to do?”

You reach out, hand covering his own. He finally looks up at you and you smile. “I appreciate it, Cooper.”

His eyes quickly look at your hand before looking back at you. “For what?”

You shrug, moving closer to him and lacing your fingers with his. You shouldn’t indulge yourself like this, but you can’t help it. He seems so sad and you only want to make him feel better. You just want to take care of him, the way he takes care of you. 

“For always looking out for me. You’re always there, I appreciate it. I appreciate you.”

The sad cast over his face finally breaks and he smiles at you. His hand squeezes yours once, then again and he looks back out at the mountains without saying anything else. You don’t think he needs to, that either of you needs to. Sometimes you understand each other better without words. 

You’ll always be there for one another.

You eye him warily and he holds the jerky out further. “Aren’t you a little curious?” He taunts, waving the jerky around in front of your face. You know he thinks you won’t take it. That he’s just screwing with you. He’s been doing this ever since you agreed to tag along with him. Teasing you at every given opportunity. 

You snatch it from his hands and rip a piece of it off. It kind of tastes like beef, if not a little sweeter. There’s also that metallic radiated tang to it. You chew it slowly, savoring the slightly caught off guard look on his face. You swallow it down, forcing your face to stay straight and not give away how disgusted you feel right now. 

He chuckles, leaning back and looking at you with something that seems like appreciation. “I hope you know that was ass jerky.”

You gag now, glaring at him and tossing the rest of the jerky at his smug face. “You’re such a dick.” You take a swig from your canteen and swirl the water around your mouth. It gets rid of the taste well enough but you’re never going to get over the fact that you swallowed a part of someone’s ass. 

He suddenly gets serious, swatting at your arm and motioning to the front of the store. You crouch beside him, watching as a raider walks out of the front doors. You don’t get why they chose an old movie store for their hideout, but Cooper had it on good authority that they had a decent cache of supplies inside. 

The last time you’d followed him into one of these things, you’d nearly died, and then he’d sold you. You’re still not fully trusting of him. The only reason you’re with him now is because you need extra security from bounty hunters after getting booted out of Filly. 

If he wasn’t such a good shot, you would have never given him a second glance. Despite how much he insists the compound was an honest mistake, you find the trust slow to come. You’ll let him take the lead on this one, you’re not confident in him having your back if things take a turn. 

He moves forward and you hang back, keeping watch while he slits the guard’s throat. He lowers the body quietly to the ground and you creep behind him, following him through the doors of the store. 

This group is smaller than the last one you dealt with. Only five of them with no extra guards outside. Cooper ducks behind a dust covered shelf before they can spot either of you. You go to the other side of the store, moving slowly along the edge until you have a good shot. 

You take out one man and Cooper manages to hit two more before they start firing off their own guns. You dart back behind the shelf, willing to let Cooper handle the last two. But one of them dives behind the shelf and grabs at you. 

Another shot goes off and his friend’s body hits the ground while he rounds the corner with you. He’s got an arm wrapped around your throat and the barrel of his gun pushing so hard into your skull you can feel an indent forming. 

It wouldn’t be hard to shoot this guy, you still have your gun in your hand. Cooper seems to realize that, too, from the questioning look he gives you. You drop your gun to the floor, you want to see what he’ll do. 

Maybe you’re stupid, gambling with your life like this. But you don’t feel any fear, not from the guy holding you hostage at least. You just keep your eyes locked on Cooper’s. They’re so familiar to you, yet so distant. Like a stranger you’ve known all your life. 

He slowly rises from the floor, hands raised in the air in surrender. “Alright, let’s just see if we can’t talk this out like gentlemen.”

The guy holding you jerks you roughly, gun banging painfully against your temple. You wince but remain quiet. “Stay back or I’ll blow her goddamn brains out!”

Cooper’s eyes dart from your face to the guy. He huffs, frowning and pursing his lips like he’s trying to think of a way to talk himself out of this. He could leave, he’s got enough time to make it through the door before he fires at him. 

Or he could help you. 

It’s the only reason you let yourself get caught. If he wants your trust he’s going to have to prove it. Cooper looks at you and a grin splits across his face. It’s like he’s read your mind, from the knowing look on his face you think he might’ve. 

Then again, you never really needed words to talk to each other. 

With a speed that never fails to catch you off guard his hand darts under his jacket and he draws his gun. He’s shooting the man before you even get a chance to brace yourself. Your body gets dragged back slightly by the dead weight but Cooper moves forward and wraps a hand around your shirt, tugging you into him. 

Your hands shoot out, bracing yourself against his chest. He peers at you from under his hat and grins, “You didn’t really think I was gonna let you go that easy did you, darling?” Your eyes dart down to his lips, you feel like you can still taste him. 

The timing of his kiss might not have been appropriate, but he certainly hadn’t made it forgettable. Nothing about him was forgettable. As much as you wished he could be. You hated yourself for still letting yourself fall into his trap. 

Hollywood might have once labeled you as the most seductive actress of your generation, but Cooper had you beat. He kept you coming back even when you knew you shouldn’t. He had you wrapped around him and all you wanted to do was squeeze until he let you go. 

You push off of him, ignoring how much you want to pull him closer. You move towards their pile of supplies, “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

There are a few different posters set up in the old movie store that intrigue him. But the one that’s caught his attention the most is set up directly behind her. Her back is to it, so she hasn’t gotten a chance to see it yet, but it’s all he can focus on. 

The Outlaw and The Sheriff

Their first movie together. 

He looks at her and huffs out a laugh, she glances up at him for a moment before she begins rifling through her bag again. She looks like she walked right off the fucking poster, hat and all. She’s the spitting image of herself, but she seems so different. 

Maybe it’s the eyes. The light there has changed, dimmed slightly from how it used to be. She used to seem so naive to the world, like a little lamb that just needed some guidance. Now, he wonders just how much of the world she’d seen before he found her. If maybe she had never been as innocent to it’s cruelties as he’d once assumed. 

She stepped into this new role of hers just as quickly as he had. You didn’t just change that quickly without knowing already just how awful people could be. 

“Sweetheart,” she looks up and he points behind her. She turns around and looks up to the poster.

She scoffs, moving to stand beside him, “I always hated how I looked in that.”

He glances over at her and shakes his head, “Probably shouldn’t show you a mirror anytime soon, then.” Her hands reach up to fiddle with the brim of her hat and she smiles, a real smile for once. 

“No, I suppose not.” Her hands trace over her lips, he glances back at the poster. At that old signature of hers. She always had to have those red lips. “It’s so different,” she whispers and he knows she didn’t mean for him to hear. Her eyes glisten and he frowns. 

He shouldn’t have shown her. It’s not like he enjoyed seeing those fucking Vault-Boy posters, he sure as hell hated seeing clips of himself. Why would she enjoy seeing who she used to be? Who they used to be?

Things used to be so simple. He loved her, she loved him. Now he’d fucked up so much he wasn’t sure she could ever look at him the way she used to. He didn’t want who she was before, he couldn’t handle that. This new her, well, he didn’t give her near enough credit. 

But he wouldn’t hate seeing someone look at him like that again. Endless adoration and unflinching loyalty. He knew he would follow her anywhere, he’d realized that a while ago. He didn’t have anything in the Wastelands, nothing but hate and spite to keep him going all this time.

Now, he had her. He just needed her to realize that she had him just the same. She had him wrapped around her and he hated it and loved it at the same time. Hated her and loved her for it all the same. 

He tugs his glove off before he reaches for her. He cups her cheek, thumb tracing over her lips before she turns towards him. His eyes meet hers and he smiles slightly at the familiarity and mystery to them. So much of her he recognizes and then there are these new parts he’s yet to discover. 

He wants to discover all of her. Learn everything he can about her all over again, feed his desire to consume her entirely. 

She pulls him in this time, her lips chapped and cracked. Her arms wind around his neck, yanking him closer and he tugs at her. She tastes as sweet as he remembers and it only makes him crave more. More of her, more of anything she’ll let him have. 

She pulls back from him, pressing her hand against his chest, slowly backing him against the wall. He lets her ease him to the floor and she throws a leg over his lap. She settles herself above him, both her hands tightly grasping his neck, crushing their bodies together, eyes gazing intently into his own. He doesn’t know what she’s looking for in him but she seems to find it when she leans in once more. 

She isn’t giving him a chance at control, she’s got a leash on him, pulling back anytime he tries to lead. He relents, following her as she slowly explores him. 

He’s not sure how long this peace between them will last before one of them inevitably fucks up. But they’re stuck together now. It doesn’t matter what happens, he’s not letting her get away from him again. 

She’s his, always has been, always will be. It’s been that way since before the fallout. He’s led her, guided her.

He had loved her as a different man. History always seems to repeat itself with them. As twisted as the world is, as twisted as they’ve become, they always seem to drift back together. No matter how much the both of them fight against it. 

He’s giving in now, giving into her. 

end. — I do not own the characters or the game/show Fallout, but this writing is my own all rights reserved © not-neverland06 2024. do not copy, repost, translate & recommend elsewhere.

[hearts4werka]

NNN day 7 | Underground Secrets

summary: your boss has set up a dangerous mission for you—to take down the intel of the notorious rival gang, The Vipers. Your boyfriend, a drug dealer of a rival organization, Chris is advising you not to go through with the plan because of how dangerous it is for someone like you, will you listen to your boyfriend or value your reputation over the risk of life and go through with the plan?

warnings: ANGST, gang membership, drug dealing, strong language, mentions of committing murder, arguing, a dangerous mission, the risk of life or death, illegal possession of firearm, illegal underground gangs, viewers advisory is supervised! Proceed to read with caution

authors note: and the one week mark finally arrived! Tysm for all of the love and support I’ve received during this whole week and I’m proud to announce that week one has been done, there’s still a lot of steps to take before reaching the end but we’ll get through it! Luv y’all so much & hope y’all enjoy this one

no nut november | masterlist | guestlist

The city's dim lights flickered like a heart in distress, throwing long shadows that danced over the crumbling warehouse walls. I slumped against a rusted pillar, arms crossed, determination etched on my face. Chris, the infamous drug dealer from the rival gang, stood before me. His messy hair showed the exact replica of the tension in the air. Our eyes met, his glare sharp, frustration carving lines into his hardened features.

“Are you fucking insane?” Chris exclaimed, running his fingers through his messy locks in pure frustration with my stubbornness. “You’re seriously thinking about going through with this? Killing that intel guy for the Vipers? That’s a one-way ticket to getting yourself killed!” I straightened my posture, breaking the heavy silence between us like hammer on glass. “This is my job, Chris. I’m backed into a corner. My boss demands results, and if I fail, I’ll be the one buried in a ditch.”

“Do you really think I want to see you six feet underground for some bullshit mission?” He closed the gap between our bodies, his voice filled with urgency. “Listen, I’ve seen how these Vipers play. You’re walking into a total trap. They’ll have their eyes on you, and the moment you walk in, you’ll be history.” I stood my ground, not letting his shooting fire walk all over my resolve. “What did you just say? It’s just a job, I’m good at what I do. I can handle myself for once.”

"‘Handle yourself?’ Chris scoffed, a bitter laugh rumbling in his throat before escaping past his lips. “This ain’t some amateur shit, this is the Vipers we’re talking about! They don’t play nice, and this intel guy, he’s not your average rat. He’s got layers of protection, and I promise you, they’ll be ready to take you down.” His words hit hard, a mix of care and frustration mixed together. But I couldn’t show any signs of vulnerability. ‘I get it, but you can’t decide for me. I’m no damsel in distress, Chris. I can fight my own battles.’"

“Fighting and getting yourself killed are two different things,” he retorted, fists clenched together and almost threatening to do unspeakable acts. “And what do you think will happen if you go in there and fail? You think they’ll just let you go? No! They’ll take you out, and I won’t sit around and wait for news that you’re dead.” “You’re trying so hard to act like you give a shit about me,” I shot back, my anger rising to higher levels. “When have you ever given a shit about anyone but yourself? This is my life! If anyone’s making the final choice, it’s going to be me.”

“Damn it, you’re right,” he murmured, his voice barely a breath. “I can’t afford to care about everyone. But you…” He rubbed his face, laying the vulnerability I never saw coming. “You matter. I don’t want another goddamn funeral to attend because of this war.” For a minute, the walls between us felt like broken glass, and I noticed a spark of connection. But that spark couldn't wipe the weight of the mission on my back. I stepped back, shaking my head. “This deep in, I can’t back down. It shows weakness, you know how they treat that in this game.”

Chris's blue eyes blazed with intensity. “And if you have to sacrifice your life to prove a point, then what does that make you? Some fucking plaything for a bloodsucking boss? You deserve better than this!” A sharp stab pierced through my heart, a mix of rage and something deeper like fear. Fear for my life. Fear for this weird connection that felt like a chain. “This isn’t up for discussion, Chris. I’ve got a job to do here.”

His tone softened, becoming almost desperate. “I’m not asking you to quit. All I’m asking is for you to think. We can come up with a better plan. We can…” he paused, then added, “we can work together.” I become blindsided by his heartfelt sentence but I couldn’t let him get anywhere near danger this high of a lever, even though he is a strong ally to have on your side, I can’t bear the idea of him stepping into the wicked battlefield against the Vipers with not enough experience with them beforehand.

“I’m not letting you get anywhere near danger like this, it’s The Vipers. Without any experience with them in the past, there’s no way you’ll make it out of there.” The weigh of my decision hung above me like a noose, knowing how desperate he’s already got to make me stay and to what levels he could climb to make me think I have no other choice. “I’ll be fine, you can’t do this shit alone.” He pleads, the look in his eyes almost begging me to let him go with me, the vulnerable side of him is starting to show that rarely anyone gets to see.

While in the middle of the conversation mix between stubbornness and desperation, my phone rings inside of the pocket of my jeans, alerting me of an incoming call. Pausing for a moment before answering the call, finding out it’s coming from my boss with a demand to get the job done as fast as possible since if the Vipers figure out our plan they’ll be on the move immediately. He hangs up the phone, it beeping which indicates the call has reached an end.

“I have to go, don’t follow me.” I provide, shoving my phone back into its spot while picking up the black hand gun sitting on a nearby old crate. “Don’t dare to argue with me about this further, I have to get it done before the Vipers catch on.” He slumps over to me, rolling his eyes at how idiotic my decision is. Delivering a soft kiss on my forehead before letting go of me completely, glancing down at my face with sorrow etched into the features of his face. “Just don’t die on me, okay?” “I won’t, I promise.” With the last words placed on the table, I take off and walk towards the exit. Slipping on my helmet for protection before hopping onto a black motorcycle, sparing Chris one last glance before taking off into the dark dangerous night with determination to prove my worth and end the Vipers for good.

Guestlist!

| - @strnzzvsp - @sturnsxplr-25 - @luvvs4chriss - @sturniolosweetheart33 - @choclatestarfishwithahat - @venusxsturnio - @bagsbyclair0 - @sturnstvs - @dykes4chris - @hoe4matt - @cayleeuhithinknot - @strnilolover - @marrykisskilled - @phone4pills - @emely9274 - @cupiidk1lls - @lily-strnlo - @nicksgirlfriend - |

[allthesmutl0vers]

Managing Mischief: Weasley Twins x F! Reader (Part Four)

TW: Nicknames like 'little one,' 'baby,' 'darling,' anxiety, fluff, sexual references, Fred and George x F! Reader, Y/N (Don't judge me pls, I love it, but I will try to start using less) (I'm trying to get better at listing TWs) *Smut is coming I promise, we're just building up to it*

Requests Open

Chapter Four

Y/n

Y/n

No parents around and a house full of horny teens? Yeah, this will end well. 

“Why are the three of you soaking wet?” Ginny asks us as we walk into the living room and see everyone sitting around the fire. 

“And where did you guys go? We looked for you,” Ron asks, his confused expression matching everyone else’s. 

“I pushed them in the lake after they threatened to throw me in,” I shrug with a smirk at Fred and George. 

“Nice,” Harry laughs.

“Seems like they got what they deserved, nice going, y/n,” Ginny smiles and laughs. 

“Damn, is everyone on your side?” Fred asks me, rolling his eyes with a chuckle. 

“No kidding,” George adds. 

“Now, now. Simmer down, boys,” I tease them, patting their arms.

“Should we play a drinking game? Since Mum and Dad are out for the night?” George asks, draping his arm around me. 

“Where are we going to get alcohol?” Hermione asks, much to my surprise. 

“Hermione Jean Granger, drinking?” I fake a gasp with a smile. 

Hermione rolls her eyes and giggles. “Hey, I did all of my summer reading and then some. Besides, this is the last year that we’ll all be able to celebrate going to school together,” she explains. 

“Where are we going to get alcohol?” Ron asks curiously. 

“Don’t you worry about that, little brother,” Fred winks and runs upstairs with George following behind him. 

“I’m going to go change,” I tell everyone before I go up the stairs to Ginny’s room. I close the door behind me, change out of my wet clothes, and put on a clean pair of red and gold flannel pajama shorts, a new shirt, and a dry pair of socks, putting my wet sneakers on the heater to dry. 

Everyone is already back when I get downstairs. Fred and George have changed, too. Both wear white tank tops, grey sweatpants, and socks. Fuck, they look so hot like this. I jump over the back of the couch, landing between them. “So, truth or dare?” I ask everyone. 

“Sounds fun,” Harry says with a smile. Fred pours us all a shot of fire whiskey, and Hermione starts off the game. 

“Umm,” she looks around and lands on Harry. “Harry, Truth or dare?” She asks. 

Harry thinks for a moment before answering. “Truth.”

Hermione smiles. “Do you like anyone in our year?” I smile, knowing she asked because he’s been not so discreetly crushing on Ginny forever. 

Harry blushes and nods. “In our year?” Hermione nods. “Yeah,” Harry smiles and looks over at Ginny, who is smiling too. Now that it’s Harry’s turn, he turns to Fred. “Fred, truth or dare?”

“Dare,” Fred smirks and takes another shot. 

“Okay,” Harry thinks for a moment. “I dare you to take three shots. Back to back with no chaser,” Harry challenges him. I can’t help but smirk, knowing that’s lightweight for Fred. 

“Psh, easy,” Fred chuckles and lines up three shot glasses, filling them and taking them without missing a beat. He sucks in a breath after he takes the last one and sighs contently before turning to me. “Y/n, love. Truth or dare?”

“Fuck, um, truth,” I answer, leaning back against George’s arm draped behind me on the couch. 

“Do you like anyone besides Draco?” Fred asks, biting his lower lip. Everyone stops laughing at the mention of his name, like somebody fucking died. 

I sigh and lean toward Fred with a smirk. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I have my eyes on a couple of people,” I tease before looking at everyone else. “And listen, guys, you don’t need to feel weird saying his name. He’s fucking dead to us now. Fuck him, well, not literally because he sucks in b-” I cut myself off and purse my lips for a moment. “Just because he sucks.” 

George laughs and leans forward. “Wait, wait, say that again?” He laughs. “Was Draco bad in bed?” He taunts. 

I put my hands up and laugh. “Hey, I already answered my truth,” I laugh. 

“Oh, that is brilliant,” Fred laughs hard as I take another shot. 

I turn to Ron. “Ron, truth or dare?” I ask with a smirk. 

“Uh, truth,” he answers. 

I smile and lean forward. “Is it true that you’ve been crushing on Miss. Granger for over a year?” I ask. I know they both like each other and if I’m not getting laid, at least someone should.

“Yes,” Ron answers, looking at Hermione who is bright red with a blush, and puts his arm around her. He then turns to Ginny. “Ginny, truth or dare?” 

“Hit me with a dare,” Ginny says confidently. 

“I dare you to kiss Harry,” he challenges. 

Ginny smiles and turns to Harry. She cups his face and kisses him deeply. We all cheer, clap, and laugh as Harry turns bright red when Ginny pulls back. He smiles and pulls Ginny into his lap as she looks over at George. “Truth or dare, Georgie?” 

“Truth,” he answers with a smirk. 

Ginny smiles deviously at me before looking at George again. “Is it true that you and Fred are still pining after y/n?” Now, it’s my turn to blush. 

George’s eyes land on mine as he looks down at my lips and back up at my eyes again. “Yup, since fourth year.” My eyes widen as I look over at Fred to confirm. They’ve liked me ever since then? 

Fred nods and leans in close, our noses almost touching. “Don’t look so surprised, little one.” 

George tips my head back to his and looks into my eyes. “Y/n, darling, truth or dare?” He asks smoothly. 

“Um, d-” the house phone ringing cuts me off before I can finish my answer, and I stand up to answer it. “One sec,” I wink at George before picking up the phone and placing it to my ear. “Weasley residence, y/n speaking.”

“Y/n?! Are you there?!” Molly asks in a loud panic. 

“Yes, Molly, it’s me, what’s wrong?” I ask, giving everyone behind me a weird look. Fred and George stand up and walk over to me, trying to listen in. 

“Y/n, you need to come to King Henry’s Hospital in London now,” she says in a hurry. 

“What? Why? What happened?” I ask, worrying something happened to Arthur. Then it hit me: she didn’t ask for her kids. She asked for me. “Molly?” I ask quietly as I look at Fred and George. “Are my parents okay?” I ask nervously. 

I hear Molly sniffle on the other line. “We’ll talk when you get here. Do you know how to disapperate? If not, have Fred or George bring you. But get here quickly; everyone else can stay behind if they wish,” she answers. 

“I’m on my way,” I hang up without saying goodbye and look around for my shoes in a panic. 

“Y/n? What’s wrong?” Fred asks me. 

“My shoes, I can’t find my shoes!” I start to panic as my mind swirls. 

Fred stops me and holds me in place with hands on my arms, leaning down to my height as I breathe heavily. “Darling, stop for a minute. Take a breath,” I do my best to take a deep breath before Fred continues. “Good. Now, tell me what’s wrong.” 

Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as I begin to shake. “My parents are in the hospital, and Molly said I need to come right away. I can’t find my shoes,” I sniffle. 

“I got your shoes,” George says, kneeling in front of me and sliding my slip-on Vans on my feet before standing up. George cups my face and looks into my eyes, brushing away my tears. “We’re coming with you.” 

“We’re coming too,” Harry says behind them, standing with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. I nod as we all slip on coats and shoes. 

“It’s King Henry’s Hospital in London,” I tell them as we step outside and start to disapperate. Harry with Ginny, Ron with Hermione, and Fred and George with me. 

The hospital lights shine bright in the night as we land across the street. I let out a shuddering breath and Fred and George take my hands in theirs. “It’ll be alright, little one,” he promises softly.

“Don’t think the worst until we know what’s happening,” George reminds me as we cross the street. I nod as we walk into the emergency room. 

We all run over to Molly, my hands slipping from theirs as we reach her and I hug her tightly as Arthur pulls everyone else away. I don’t see any blood, so that’s a good sign. Right? “What happened?” I ask Molly frantically as I pull back, and she leads me over to the seating area. 

“There was an accident,” Molly says softly. “Your parents were in the car in front of us, and a big truck came out of nowhere and crashed into the side of their car. The paramedics got there as quick as they could, and they were taken here in an ambulance,” Molly explains. 

“Are, are they alive?” I ask, tears filling my eyes again as my voice shakes. 

Molly strokes my hair and sniffles. “The paramedics got them out, and they were alive. They were rushed here. We got here as quickly as we could, but they had already been taken into surgery,” Molly looks at me as I wipe away my tears. “I’m sure they’ll be alright.” 

I can’t lose them,” my voice cracks as more tears begin to fall.

Molly shushes me and pulls me in for a hug. “Now, now. Let’s not think that way, dearie. They’re doing everything they can,” Molly says, trying to soothe me. 

George

“Dad? What happened?” I ask as he pulls us away from Mum and y/n. I look back and see Mum holding her and y/n crying. 

“Her parents were in a car accident. It was bad,” Dad says softly as the other four gasp behind us. “They’re in surgery now.”

“Are they going to live?” Fred asks quietly. The look on his face tells me he’s just as worried as I am.

Dad sighs. “Honestly, son, I don’t know,” This is bad, so fucking bad. The others go to get coffee and snacks, leaving me and Fred with Dad. 

Dad looks at both of us. “Have you guys been drinking?” he asks seriously. 

There’s no point trying to lie or hide it. “Yes,” I answer truthfully. “But nobody drank that much. We’d only just started when y/n got the call from Mum.”

Dad sighs and shakes his head. “Given the circumstances, I’ll let it slide. And I won’t bring your mother into this,” Dad says to both of us. “But I seriously suggest you all get some coffee in you and sober up. And since when are Harry and Ginny together? And Ron and Hermione?” He asks with a raised eyebrow.

I look over at Fred, who looks back at me before answering. “Well, I guess during a game of truth or dare,” Fred clears his throat. “Everybody kind of told each other how they feel.” 

Dad narrows his eyes and tilts his head as he looks at both of us intently. “Everybody?” 

“Um,” I look over at y/n before looking back at Dad again. “Yeah.”

Dad nods and chuckles once. “Well, I’d say it’s about time,” he says, shaking his head before pointing at us. “But I expect you two to be perfect gentlemen. And don’t go forcing her into something she isn’t ready for,” he says, placing a hand on each of our shoulders. “She’s been through so much in the last two days. And the last thing we need is to lose her because you two couldn’t be patient with her. Do I make myself clear?” 

“We will,” we promise simultaneously.

Dad nods as the others all bring back cups of coffee for everyone. “Good. Now, bring her a coffee and try to keep her calm. Your Mother and and I will go see if there is any update.” 

Y/n

“Here comes everyone else,” Molly says, standing up. “You stay here, and Arthur and I will go see if there is any news,” I nod as she walks away, and Fred and George sit down on either side of me. 

“Here, darling. Drink some coffee, it’ll help,” George says, handing me a cup as he and Fred wrap an arm around me. My boys. 

“It’ll be okay, y/n,” Hermione tells me as she sits down across from me. 

“I hope so,” I sniffle. “I can’t lose my parents.” 

Harry squats down in front of me and takes my hands. “You won’t lose them, y/n,” he says, looking into my eyes. “And if Merlin forbid, fate should step in. I lost mine, too. I know that feels, and I will help you in any way I can. But I truly, truly believe that they will be okay,” Harry reassures me. 

“Thanks, Harry,” I say softly. He nods and moves to sit by Ginny. I let out a sigh and lean against George’s shoulder as he strokes my hair and Fred rubs my back. 

We all sit together, silently praying for good news as Molly and Arthur come back. “There’s no word yet. They’re still in surgery. Which is good news,” Arthur reminds me before turning back to everyone else. “Does anyone want to go home and sleep and come back? I can drive you.”

Everyone shakes their heads, and he and Molly sit down. “You guys can go home and sleep. It might be hours. I won’t be mad,” I tell Fred and George. 

“As long as you’re here, we’re here too, little one,” Fred says, holding one of my hands and intertwining his fingers with mine. 

“Exactly. We’re not going anywhere, darling,” George says softly, kissing the top of my head. I catch Molly looking at us and half-expect her to be upset. But instead, she smiles softly and nods before leaning her head on Arthur’s shoulder. 

Hours pass, and Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione have all fallen asleep sitting up in their chairs. Finally, a doctor comes out. “Hunt family?” He announces to the waiting room. 

“Here!” I stand up quickly and raise my hand. The doctor motions for me to follow, and the twins, Molly and Arthur, follow, too, as I walk up to him. 

“And your name?” The doctor asks. 

“Y/n, Hunt. I’m their daughter,” I answer as he writes something down and looks at the twins and their parents. 

“Mhm. And your guests?” He asks curiously. 

I look at Fred and George. “Um, these are, um. My boyfriends, Fred and George,” I point to Molly and Arthur. “And these are their parents, Molly and Arthur.” 

The doctor looks stunned for a moment before he clears his throat. “Oh, I see. Well, it’s typically hospital policy that-” 

I cut him off in a hurry. “Anything you have to say, they can hear. Now, where are my parents?” I ask in a panic. Fred and George each hold one of my hands, trying to calm me down. 

The doctor sighs and leads us all into a private waiting room. “Please, have a seat.” 

“Oh, God,” I mutter softly as we all sit down around the table in the center of the room. 

The doctor takes a seat across from me and pulls out his chart. “Your parents have both received very serious injuries. Your mother fractured her skull, which resulted in a brain bleed,” I put my hand to my mouth as my legs begin to shake. Fred and George each put a hand on my thighs. “She also got a fractured pelvis and both legs.” 

I sniffle as the doctor describes my father’s injuries next. “Your father took the brunt of the damage. His spinal cord was fractured, and we are unsure if he will walk again. We will have to wait until he wakes up, but we are being optimistic. His scans showed no breaks, although he did fracture his skull as well, but we found no evidence of a bleed. He’ll have a nasty concussion when he wakes up.” 

“So, they’re alive?” I ask quietly. 

The doctor nods. “Yes, Miss. Hunt. They are both alive and out of surgery.” 

“Oh, thank Merlin,” Molly sniffles as she stands behind me and puts an arm on my shoulder. 

“And the driver that hit them? I am prepared to testify if need be,” Arthur says seriously. 

“The driver who caused the accident received no injuries, although he did have a blood alcohol level of 1.9. Over twice the legal limit. He has been released into police custody. As far as I know, he has been arrested for a DUI, reckless driving, and two counts of attempted vehicular manslaughter,” the doctor explains.

“Can I see them?” I ask quietly.

The doctor nods. “If you will all follow me, I will take you to them.”

“Son of a bitch should be in Azkaban if you ask me,” Arthur mutters behind me and the twins. 

“Arthur, not in front of the muggles, and watch your language!” Molly quietly chastises him. 

 We get to my parents’ room, and I gasp softly, seeing them both hooked up to ventilators. “I know it looks scary,” the doctor says, checking their vitals. “But it’s just to help them breathe until they wake up,” he says, walking back to the door. “I’ll leave you guys. Press the call button if you need anything,” he says, closing the door behind him.

I let go of the twins’s hands and make my way to my parents. “Mum? Dad?” I ask quietly. “Please don't leave me,” I plead quietly and sit next to my dad. Nearly three hours pass, and I feel my dad’s fingers twitch in my hand. “Dad?!” I exclaim, and he groans. I look back at Molly, Arthur, and the twins. 

“I’ll go get the doctor!” Molly says as she hurries out of the room.

“Dad, it’s me!” I tell him as his eyes flutter open, and he coughs around the tube in his throat.

“Welcome back, Phil!” the doctor says joyfully as I step back and smile at Fred and George, who beam with a smile. “Give us just one moment, and we’ll get that tube out,” he says. 

The doctor removes the tube from my dad’s throat, and he heaves and coughs. “My,” he coughs. “My wife, Shiela.” 

“Give me just a moment to check you over, Phil. Can you lift your arms for me?” My dad lifts his arms and drops them on the bed. “Great! And Can you wiggle your toes?” The doctor pulls back the blanket, and my dad's toes wiggle. “Excellent! Very excellent!” The doctor turns back to us with a smile. “I’d like to run a few more tests, but he should be just fine.” 

I breathe a huge sigh of relief. My dad coughs again. “What happened? Where’s my wife?” My dad asks. The doctor tells him everything that happened as I hold my dad’s hand. “And the bastard will be charged?” He asks. 

“He already has been, Phil,” Molly answers, walking up to his bed with Arthur and the twins. 

The doctor nods and grabs his chart. “I’ll be back to check on you, Phil. But you’re very lucky. You’re daughter here has two very doting boyfriends. Haven’t left her side this whole time,” he beams as he exits the room. Oh, shit.

My dad looks at me, stunned, blinking a few times. “Um, what did he say?” My dad asks me, and I feel my face heat up. Before I can respond, my dad chuckles and shakes his head, turning to Arthur. “Suppose I owe you two galleons,” he jokes. 

Me and the twins look at each other, confused before I turn back to my dad. “What?”

My dad takes my hand in his and chuckles. “Honeybee, a father knows when his daughter is truly in love,” he says to me with a smile before looking at Fred and George. “And he especially knows when two young lads are both pining for her heart.”

“You’re not mad?” I ask, confused. 

My dad shakes his head. “No, not at all, honeybee,” my dad chuckles. “I mean, did I see you ending up with both of them? No, what father would? But I do know that they both have your best interests at heart. And I also know,” he says, turning to look at Fred and George. “That they know to keep it in their pants,” he says, raising his eyebrows. 

“Oh my Gosh, Dad!” I exclaim, embarrassed. Fred and George chuckle behind me. 

“Absolutely, sir,” They answer in sync. 

“We only have the highest respect for her honor,” Fred says, laying it on thick and making me wish the Earth would open me up and swallow me whole. 

“And we shall guard it with our lives,” George adds on. 

“Mhm. I should certainly hope so,” my dad says in a serious tone that contradicts the smirk on his face. “But I do wonder what happened with that Malfoy boy. Don’t get me wrong, he was odd. And his father is cold enough to make a ghost shiver, but I thought you liked him?” My father asks me. 

“He broke up with me. He’s with someone else now. Apparently, they’ve had feelings for each other for a while. He broke up with me in a letter,” I answer briefly. 

“I’ll kill that boy with my bare hands,” My father says gruffly. 

“We’ll bring the shovels,” Fred says with a smirk. 

“Trust us, we feel the same way. He was too much of a pussy to say it to her face,” George adds. 

“Probably knew we’d kill him then and there,” Fred finishes. 

My dad chuckles and winks. “I knew I liked you boys.” 

“It’s so good to see you awake, Phil,” Arthur says with a smile.

My dad nods and looks over at my mum, who still hasn’t woken up. “Now, only if Sheila would wake.” 

“Well, I do have good news on that front,” Arthur smiles and looks at my dad. “I spoke to the minister of magic, and we are having you and Sheila transferred to St. Mungo’s. It’s a wizarding world hospital. I think you’ll find it a better place to heal. Their ‘medications’ tend to have a faster healing effect than muggle hospitals.” 

“What?” My dad asks, bewildered. “Oh, Arthur. How could I ever thank you?” 

Arthur claps a hand on my dad’s shoulder and smiles. “No need to thank me, Phil. Anything for family,” he smiles. “They’ll transfer you both at eight o’clock. Which is in,” he looks at his watch. “Merlin’s beard! Two hours.” 

My father nods and turns to me. “Go back with them and get some sleep, honeybee. You can come to see us before you leave for Hogwarts. But I don’t want to see you until then,” he holds up a finger when I go to argue. “Until then, I want you to relax, rest, and enjoy the rest of your summer. Your Mum and I will be just fine.” 

“But dad,” I go to argue, and he cuts me off and turns to Fred and George. 

“Keep her away from the hospital, you hear me, boys?” He asks them.

“Yes, sir,” they answer at the same time. 

“Good men,” he says, turning back to me. “I love you, honeybee. Go rest. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

“I love you too, Dad,” I say, kissing his cheek and turning around to kiss my Mum’s as well. “I love you, Mum.” 

When we get back to the burrow, Molly makes a quick breakfast and sends us to bed. No chores today, given all of last night’s worry. Fred and George sneakily clean up the alcohol without getting caught, and after breakfast, she sends us up to bed. Boys still with boys and girls still with girls ‘as much as she is happy that everyone found their person,’ as she so lovingly and strictly put it. 

Fred and George walk me up to Ginny’s door. “So, ‘boyfriends,’ huh?” George smiles. 

“I’m sorry if that made you guys uncomfortable or weird. I just didn’t know what to say,” I hug myself. “And honestly, I don’t think I could ever choose between you t-”

George cuts me off by cupping my face and pressing his lips to mine, and my heart soars. My hands find his waist and he pulls me closer, deepening the kiss for a moment before he pulls back. Before I can blink, Fred pulls me to his chest and holds the back of my neck as he presses his lips to mine. I melt into his lips just as I did with George as he deepens it and holds me close. 

“You don’t have to choose, little one,” he says softly against my lips as he breaks the kiss. 

“What?” I ask, still reeling from their kisses as Fred pulls back, and they each take my hands. 

“You don’t have to choose,” George repeats Fred’s words, and he runs his free hand through my hair. “We both care deeply about you, and we never want to put you in a position where you need to choose one or the other. As long as you want it, we want it too, darling,” George says, lifting my hand to his lips and softly kissing the back of it. 

“You guys aren’t mad that I want you both?” I ask them. 

“How can we be mad when it’s exactly what we want? Silly girl,” Fred chuckles and bites his lip as their hands move to my waist and pull me to their chests. 

“We wouldn’t want it any other way. As long as it’s what you want,” George says, kissing me softly. 

I break the kiss and look at them both. “There’s nothing I want more.” 

Fred kisses me and bites my lower lip, making me moan softly in his mouth before he pulls back. “Good. Now go get some sleep, little one.” 

“We’ll be here when you wake up,” George promises, coming behind me and brushing my hair off of my neck and kissing it softly, making me hum in pleasure. 

Part Five

[isekai-crow]

Dungeon Meshi Ep 2

The beautiful bouncy animation is soooooo good. So much sakuga and love has been put into this anime is so apparent from the very first scene.

ALSO MAN. THE FOOD and also FAT APPRECIATION IN THIS SHOW.

Not only are there characters of all sizes and body weights, with no body shaming to be found whatsoever, the fact that the wiki has everyone's BMI recorded, and there is a strong light shining on needing to eat full meals to function, and that your cravings mean your body is lacking something and you should listen are all great and important things, and I love that this show is highlighting all that.

And then there's fucking Laios.

Bless this man.

This is a lovely episode about book smarts vs street smarts, and both having their place, and that we are always learning new things.

And also lots of screaming.

Episode Spoilers Below the Cut

First off, good on y'all for fighting against the Basilisk, that was very cool teamwork with Senshi and Laios. Makes for some cool screen shots.

But Also.. This man is DYING of poison. And Senshi has the remedy, looks this man in the eye and is like, yah, nah, I'm using this for dinner.

Thankfully dinner is the cure. BUT FOR FUCKS SAKE.

Y'all PLUCK and ROAST a whole ass chicken that's the size and probably the weight of a roast pig... That's at least 10 hours of cooking, I'm sorry, that man dead lmao

lawl SUPER DEAD.

Next is Marci's experiment.

She's a little bookworm who trusts what she's learned in her classes and has to do things by the book! I love that she's not all talk though. She takes her time to set up and plan it, and executes it perfectly! She's just fine!

Juuuuuuuuust fine.

This whole after scene is delightful. I LOVE THIS SHOW. They're such a lovely little found family. Marcille being forced to be honest with her partners because she's been brain fried is good for a Tsundere, and them being reassuring to her is such a.. TTwTT lovely relationship.

THE CHICKEN IS THE TAIL. WHAT IS THIS SHOW I LOVE IT.

The other shining stars of this episode are Chilchuck and Senshi.

Poor Chilchuk, he's just a stressed out little halfling guy trying to keep his friends from dying, and not having to eat Roast Dwarf.

Senshi is full "I Will Cause Problems On Purpose" and "This Is Fine" all in one.

Capybara was like THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!!! When Senshi just.. straight up had his finger in the boiling hot oil. Dwarves -> Forges -> Hot things are fine (・ω・)

perfect temperature reading. my brain often tells me to do this and I'm so glad I don't.

I love the ingenuity of using the traps to cook! Sasuga Senshi for the idea and Sasuga Chilchuck for making it a reality!!

I also appreciate that I will NEVER BE COOKING ROAST GIANT BAT, but that I'm getting a "Kewpie 5 Minute Cooking Style" recipe walk through.

Throwing in a screenshot here cause Capybara noticed how sweet it was that the Chilchuck's burnt kakiage was also lovingly drawn into the presented plate.

THE ENDING LINE QwQ

Bread can't replace meat. Nor can meat replace bread. But when they're together, they're more delicious. Both Food and People remain the same. Dungeon Meshi.

A lovely quote to wrap up the episode. The final bit could be taken a bit ominously (people are also dungeon food) but for now I'll take it with a grain of salt. (badumtsss)

[holyfruitsnax]

For Old Time's sake

Pairing: Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Foul language, Violence, Fallout show stuff, Never proof read, Sexual Themes, 18+ darlin', SMUT especially if I'm making more of this (I so want to)

I sat watching the dusty hustle and bustle of Philly, the place I'd come to find odd comfort in a new land of terror and waste. It wasn't much better, between the drugs and violence, but I'd come to learn that even the tiniest bit better up here meant everything. "Holy Shit. I swear if I had a nickel for every time one of you ol'sardine-fucking dipshits waltzed into my store I-" My eyes glanced up hearing Ma June pipe up to a customer, her glazed blue eyes falling to mine. She cleared her throat "I just thought the lot of Y'all was dead!" She slapped the counter with a wrinkled hand and a laugh. "Um- Ma'am there's this woman I'm looking for...A raider?" The clear sound of the thin woman's voice carried over to my leaned position. Blue and Yellow suit making my fists clench and unclench by my sides as she kept talking. "Goes by the name Moldaver?" Her words made June freeze, shooing Barv away while I pushed off the wall. "You know her then?" Large brown eyes shifted towards me as my footsteps sounded against old chipped floorboards.

"Everyone knows that name up here....Believe me when I say, go home. Whatever you're looking for out of that woman...Forget it" My lips pulled thin at the girls shocked expression. "She broke into my vault! She- She took my dad I have to-" Her eyes widened more hearing June curse the vaults as I stepped closer "Forget it." I bit, turning on my heel. Just as the girl went to thank me for whatever reason, a dog barking caught everyone's attention, god- a real dog? I didn't even think regular one's still existed. "You again?" An older gentleman with glasses peered at the girl just out front of June's shop. They spoke a little longer, the man listing things about her vault. I was just as confused as her when his eyes shifted to mine like he was trying to read who's face could be behind the fabric that covered my lower face and the back of my head. Unless he already knew...Insecure hands dug at the vault suit collar hid under the coat I wore making sure it's colors remained hidden. "Play nice kid." June whispered to me while walking out to the pair. "You Wilzig?" She placed a hand on her hip looking at the old man.

"Wilzig..." A low gravel voice rang through the dusty air, a dark silhouette forming in front of me. "You wouldn't happen to be a doctor would ya?" The shadow crept closer until he emerged from the dust. "Cause I happen to be looking for one." His tone lax as his yellowed teeth set together. "You know your kind ain't welcome here." Ma June growled pulling out her gun making me slowly reach for my own. The man- ghoul's appearance left me in a daze. Sure, in the short time I'd been up here I witness and heard all sorts of odd things, I knew ghouls existed I'd just never seen one in person before. The man lacked a nose, his skin scorched and scared yet his eyes held the same as mine. Though his seemed to lack compassion as he stated his next line. "Well, Maybe not...But Ima make myself welcome." He skimmed over the the group narrowing his eyes. The next events happened so quick, I was glad I hadn't been the ghoul's first target or else I'd have been left dead where I once stood. Luckily the girl from the vault stumbled into me out of fear when the ghoul blasted off the scientists foot, knocking us both over.

Shots rang throughout Philly, the dust making it difficult to tell where until a cloud of red flashed into the air. How could this one man be capable of so much in such short time? "Hey! Stay down!" I yelled towards the girl trying to sneak her back into the store with me. I found myself launched back into the building instead, my eyes followed a metal suited man who had rescued the naive vault dweller. Now left in a vast hole in the wall the two of us stood watching the ghoul move closer to Wilzig. "Now, I acknowledge that I am unfamiliar with your circumstances...As a vault dweller we-" The girl gulped stepping forward. "Not this shit." I mumbled following suit, the ghouls stark eyes trained on us as she spoke. Quickly I tugged the pistol from her side and fired a round at him, voiced flickering off into silence as Vaultie stared at me bewildered. "Well-" The ghoul chuckled plucking the vial from his body "Now that is a tiny drop, in a very large bucket of drugs." He tossed the vial aside and cocked his gun. Fuck. The next thing I knew the very large, and maybe very stupid metal man chose to fight the ghoul instead, leaving June to pull everyone back inside.

"BARV!" June shouted "NEED A FOOT!" she looped her arm around Wilzig with me to help him sit. "Was that a knight?." Brown eyes beamed at me making me roll my own and shrug, damn this girl. "Oh god that's-" Vaultie gaped at his shredded ankle, I did as well in silence as the metal foot chomped up his calf with a crunch. I squeezed my eyes shut ignoring their voices, trying to find a place without his screaming until he piped up. "They can take me!" His weak voice making me raise a brow "Take you? I-" At the mention of Moldaver the girl had already seemed to sign us up for whatever fucked up path these people were on. "She'll do good with you. You could teach her!" June spoke up nudging me, Vaultie's expression like a child begging their parent for a puppy as she stared at me. "I- Ah Alright FINE." I grunted helping Wilzig back up, June and Barv helping us escape out the back entrance. "Just stop fuckin' starin' at me with those." I gestured in a circle around Vaultie's large expectant eyes. "Okie Dokie!" She smiled walking off ahead of Wilzig and myself.

"M'sorry about your dog." I mumbled watching my feet sink a little into the sandy terrain. "Yes- I. She was a good dog. Thank you." Wilzig nodded, eyes searching me like they had before. "What vault are you from?" His voice stayed low, gaze shifting to the girl ahead of us. "I'm not- I don't." I shook my head making the man give a pained chuckle. "From my experience normal surface dwellers don't apologize, they just don't. In fact a normal surface dweller wouldn't have helped her, they'd have taken me as bounty for themselves....but that is just my two cents." His hands gestured ahead and then to my frame. We walked in uncomfortable silence, well I did, he seemed fine aside form the whole metal foot thing. "How do you know all that...stuff? About her Vault?" I let my arm loop around the older man again when he seemed to struggle, a hand popping up to his mouth in a yawn, followed by a gulp. "Everyone has their secrets Miss Y/LN...Just try and do good with what you know." He wheezed out, body folding over making me hoist him back up. "How d'you-" His hand grasped metal, sliding himself down to the ground "Here will be fine...I'm not going to make it." His voice weaker than before. "Come on! We can do this! I don't know you, or how you know all these weird detailed things...but we are getting across this wasteland! Together!" The Vaultie's smile widened to her eyes in triumph at her own speech, yet she'd been met with raised brows and a cough. "No you don't understand...I've taken a Cyanide pill....Most humane product Vault-Tec made..." He shook his head in content. "What?" My own voice matching Vaultie's. "People are going to come after you two, you'll need to move quickly.....You can change the world Miss MacLean. All you need is my head..." He held out a sawing tool making you swallow thickly, realizing what he was insinuating. MacLean? My mind spun and the next thing I knew he was mumbling something about Banana flavored, then he was dead.

"FUCK!" I shouted into the vast radioactive desert I'd found myself in. "My name...How did he know my name?" The MacLean girl turned to me wide eyed. "How'm I supposed to know that?...Old bastard-" I grunted kicking his leg "What did I say out the eyes damn it!" My tone softening at MacLean's small frown. "Sorry...I- I didn't mean that...really." I let out a puff of air watching MacLean drop to her knees. "It's okay, It's nice actually. I've recently learned that most people up here DO mean it when they say hurtful things....And then usually they try to kill me!" She threw her hands up in defeat. "I just thought I found my way in! You know? Like I really might find my dad. Now I'm never going to find him." MacLean whimpered making me sigh and move closer. "Y/N...My name is Y/N." My mouth pulled to one side as she stared up at me. "Lucy, Lucy MacLean." Her frown lightened just a tad while I pulled the saw up into my grasp. "Let me ask you something Lucy...You ever cut off a man's head before?" I watched Lucy's shoulders go stiff, head shaking. "Yeah, me neither." I grunted, pulling on the saws staring cord making Lucy jump at the loud rattling noise.

A few hours passed with Lucy and I found ourselves, well to put it plainly. FUCKED. "What do you mean you don't have it?" I seethed watching Lucy pat the ground around her. "Well, you see. There was a- a deer!" She cried waving her arms. "A deer?" I mumbled raising a brow. "YES! I wanted to feed it, so I grabbed some grass, I leaned in! Oh so cute! The next thing I know some giant pink thing steals the head!" She let her pats turn into punches of frustration. "Pink thing? You mean to tell me?-" My voice halted in the back of my throat at the sound of spurs and dog pants, before I could register Lucy's shocked expression the sound of a gun leaver pulling back into cocked position sounded beside my ear. Footsteps thudded around me leaving me face to face with the ghoul from before, his gun pointed directly in my face. His eyes met my own and just like the scientist before he seemed to be trying to pick me apart, except we were the same. All he had to work with were eyes, the rest of my face remained covered. His head tilted to one side, brows knitting in slight recognition. That soon went away as he shoved me to the side and aimed his gun at Lucy "Where is it?" He growled, gun moving between the two of us. "I-I lost it!" Lucy's voice wavered, eyes shifting from me to the ghoul. His fingers moved to adjust the cowboy hat atop his head, a dark chuckle sounding from his throat "Gulper got it huh?".

"PLEASE!" Lucy shouted as soon as the ghoul reeled her out of the radiated river again. I sat quietly to the side, restrained by a lasso he'd throw around my form quickly. It's comical really. "Alright...Alright...Let's give you a break then." His voice teasing as he hoisted Lucy off the contraption he'd used to toss her into the water over and over. "Sir I need the head to find my dad." she let the ghoul drop her to the ground next to me. "So I've fuckin' heard...the last eight times you've said it." The ghoul hissed, eyes skimming over my form making me go taut. "C'mere darlin'....I don't bite." He grinned grabbing the end of the rope he'd tied me up with, pulling me closer with easy tugs. "You can't-" I felt myself thud against the ghouls chest, seeing the scars on his face closer now as he gave me a unamused look. "You Shouldn't do this!" I tried to fight against him to no avail. "If you're a good girl. N'you listen t'me real good." His deep set eyes tracking back to the water then to me. "This'll all be done much faster, alright?" He laughed at his own words as he hung me up like he had Lucy, all that was left to do is brace for impact.

I coughed and sputtered as the ghoul raised and dropped me in and out of the water over, and over. Barely being given enough time to catch a breath, the fabric around my head began to unravel. "Look at'cha all wet and squirmin' beggin' for mercy!" The ghoul clasped his hands around his makeshift reel. "Fuck you." I grunted out, knees buckling under the extra weight of my wet clothes, and something else. A heat rose to my face at the ghouls suggestive words. "Remember what I said about being. A good. Girl. for me?" Pauses placed between his words in time with his boots that stepped around the dock ready to release me again. I felt the wet fabric finally fall from my face and into the murky water below, leaving me staring at my own reflection. The ghoul readied his hands, and beside my better judgement I looked back at him over my shoulder. "Go to Hell!" I scoffed, watching his eyes blow wide, mouth going slack as hands tried to stop the reel before I was plunged back into cold waters. "There's...There's no- It's not possible." The ghoul began to reel me in with a fast pace making Lucy glance between him and where I thrashed just beneath the waters surface. The rope went tight and my muffled scream could be heard by them both. "Shit-a Help me!" He hollered at Lucy letting her free as he found something to pull me out with, gulper in tow. Lucy gripped my shoulders trying to heave me out of the beasts mouth. She'd grabbed the ghoul's bag smashing the gulper in the face with it while he slid under my body, hips sitting just below mine. One gloved hand gripped my hip, the other squeezed itself around my inner thigh as his feet dug against the wooden dock. "Let her go damnit!" He gritted his stained teeth pulling my body flush against his. Instead of death, my mind raced with thoughts of before. Before Gulpers, before ghouls, before this shit hole I found myself in. A man. It's odd they felt so similar, or maybe I just haven't been this close to a man in some time. I swear he feels familiar.

"Hey, darlin' you still with me?" The ghoul snapped his fingers in front of my face pulling me out of my daze. The gulper was gone, Lucy sat at the waters edge in near tears next to the dog. "You...tried to kill...me." I huffed watching his face closely. Despite how he's been before, his face remained shocked, in fact he looked at me as if he'd seen a ghost. "Sorry, 'bout that." His voice came out in a low whisper as he pulled me to my feet. "Oh! Goodness I'm so sorry darlin' why I wasn't payin' attention to where I was goin'-" Cooper apologized reaching his hands out for my own, relaxing when he herd a giggle bubble from my throat. "It's quite alright Mr. Howard- I was actually looking for you." I smiled letting his large hands envelope mine in a gentle grasp, as if he were afraid to break me. "Mmmm, And uh, To what do I owe the pleasure of knocking over a sweet doll such as yourself." He grinned to one side keeping hold of me, my face warming at the contact. "Y/N, my name is Y/N Y/L/N...I'm the new hair and makeup lady, sometimes costumes as well but y'know." I shrugged small under Cooper's gaze, god I've never even met the man and all I want him to do is eat me alive. "I see, well, if you can make this mug look as good as yours then I think we'll be just fine." He teased, releasing one hand, the other stayed in his. "Oh please, 'mug'...You wouldn't know ugly if it slapped you in the face." I covered a laugh with my free hand. Meeting his whiskey gaze again I felt myself swallow thickly at his stunned expression, day one and I'd already over stepped. "I- I'm sorry what I-" Cooper's thumb brushed across my knuckles making me inhale lightly. "Listen I-" Cooper glanced over his shoulder hearing his name called. "I don't mean to leave high and dry sweetheart, but duty calls...I uh, I'll see you around." He flicked his sheriffs badge for good measure, giving me a wink before turning on his heels. "Sorry?" I frowned removing my hands from the ghouls, his eyes following my fingers, his own twitching in front of him watching wishfully.

"What did you say your name was darlin'?" The ghoul's brow furrowed. "I didn't." The dog next to Lucy whining when I patted her shoulder. "C'mon Lucy." I tugged the vault dweller to her feet, moving to walk away, stopping to look at the crushed leather bag on the ground. The ghoul's eyes followed my gaze, freezing when he spotted his belonging smashed. I tried to hurry Lucy along as the ghoul's eyes shifted back to normal, broken glass clinking against the ground as he shouted after us. "Where the fuck you think y'all's goin'?" he drawled swishing a lasso in the air snatching Lucy from my side. Oh Shit. "Y/N!" Lucy shouted making the ghoul stop tying her tighter so he could raise his eyes to mine, a glint catching behind them again. "I really do hate to do this." He huffed "But you are bein' so damn difficult baby." He swung a rope my direction, pulling me tight against his tattered clothes again. His voice sounded so familiar. Low moans sounded against Cooper's trailer walls, paired with soft sucking sounds. "Thaaaat's it baby, just like that." His voice came out hushed and airy, hands tangled behind my head as it bobbed up and down. "Ah- best, best I've ever had. Oh Y/N..." My gaze moved up to look at Cooper through thick lashes, his plump bottom lip tugged tight between pearly white teeth as he hummed praise down to me.

"Don't call me that." I pushed my shoulder against the ghoul's bringing him out of some daydream, watching his adam's apple bob quickly, licking dry lips. "Get goin'." He turned me around, shoving Lucy and I ahead of him. The desert heat doesn't feel so bad when you've been dunked in an irradiated river, however watching the ghoul sip water had Lucy and I staring with open mouths. "Suppose Y'all want some?" He grunted watching us nod feverishly, instead of sharing like I'd hoped he opted to tilt his head back letting the last bits of water from his canteen drop from his mouth down his chin and neck, even turning it over the ground letting anything else left go to waste. I watched droplets roll over his scorched lips and chin, a few dipping past the collar of his old duster coat. His eyes bore into mine making me avert my gaze as his tongue darted out to catch the droplets I'd been watching. I'd been caught. "Thinkin; about lickin' em off yourself hmm baby?" He gestured for us to keep walking making Lucy's already disgusted frown worsen with a groan. "Stop calling me that." I hissed out letting my feet carry myself ahead once more. "Why? I've been callin' you that for years? Hmm, Oh nowww we're feelin' sassy, havin' ourselves a little brat fit." The ghoul grumbled below his breath kicking a few stones out of the way. "Oh, so now we're talking shit behind backs huh, What did you say?" I huffed over my shoulder making Lucy's brows raise at my boldness towards our abductor. "Nuthin'." His tone mimicked a scolded child as his gaze stayed against the sand. "Whatever."

The ghoul crouched next to a small container of water. "Water, water everywhere. Not a drop to drink." He chuckled as Dogmeat lapped at a nearby puddle. "If you're gonna survive up here, you'll have to drink." He motioned towards the container then to myself and Lucy. Lucy's pip boy going crazy as she leaned down to drink from it, hands eagerly dipping into the dirty water. I stood to the side, head turned in defiance as the ghoul gestured towards the container again. "I said drink." He commanded through bared teeth, seething even more when I only cast him a glance. "Fuckin' brat." He snarled, canteen dipping into the water, bubbling a few time until it was full. "You're gonna learn to listen to me sweetheart, you'll learn or I'll make you." The ghoul's voice came out in a grunt as he gripped my jaw with his gloves, the old leather rough around the seams. "Open." He tapped a finger to my lips holding his canteen ready to pour. I shook my head in defiance again making the ghoul's eyes go dark. A leather clad finger pushed its way between my lips, a surprised noise escaping me, much to the ghoul's joy. His lips parted taking a few gulps from his canteen while his thumb sat against my lower teeth, pointer finger painfully pressed against the roof of my mouth. That's when it happened. The ghoul leaned in holding me still as he released the water held in his mouth into my own making me gargle in protest. "Swallow." His voice rang again making me shudder in his grip. The fire re-igniting within his eyes as I finally caved, swallowing the water. "Good." He poured more water into his own mouth, this time leaning down so his rough lips gently ghosted against mine before spitting into my mouth again. "Good girl." he hummed pleased, fingers moving from my mouth so his hand could pat my jaw shut. "Now...s'getting dark, let's get y'all someplace safe enough to build a fire. Wouldn't wanna lose you smoothies to the cold." His hand tugged my wet coat for emphasis, and with that we headed along. Eyes still boring into the back of my frame as we went. Here we fucking go.

My first bit of Cooper Howard ishh babyyyy. I hope you liked it! And you can bet your SWEET ASS I'm writing more. I love him so much.

[lanadeldixon]

It’s a Fine Line

Daryl x Fem reader

(Enemies to lovers)

Word count- 1.7k

Warnings- foreplay, nudity, swearing, slight angst, wishing death on someone?

Summary- Y/N and Daryl hate each other and everyone knows it but as they say it’s a fine line between love and hate…

Setting- early Alexandria days, around s5-s6

“Ugh you don’t get it, I hate him. Like I just hate him so so much” I stated head still reeling over his stupid comment.

“No you don’t” Rosita said with a smirk.

“I mean me, stupid, as if! I’m actually like super smart”

I remarked ignoring her comment.

“Ugh”

“Ohh, so you’re talking about Daryl?” Maggie said with a giggle, her hand laced in Glenn’s.

It was nice to see her smile, it had been a while since she’d finally been able to be happy again.

“Don’t get her started” Rosita let out with a sigh.

I shot her a sharp look, “Rosita! I thought we were friends!” I said in a jokey tone.

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hold back her smile.

“So you still haven’t made up with him?” Glenn asked.

Before I could respond Maggie scoffed,

“Them make up? I love you Y/N but you’re so stubborn!” I opened my mouth to argue, “I know he’s very stubborn too! But one day you may need eachother, it’s best to make amends or at least try to understand eachother.” She said with a more stern, but still understanding look on her face.

I pursed my lips together in annoyance, thinking over what she said.

It is true, if one day I’m in danger and I need to rely on him can I truly trust him to help me? He hates me but even though I hate him too I would still fight for him if he needed me.

I blushed slightly at the thought of saving someone I felt such anger for, it was kinda hot…

“Earth to Y/N, you still with us?” Rosita mocked waving her hand over my face.

“Yes, sorry I was lost in thought.” I muttered avoiding her eyes, ashamed of my thoughts.

“I wonder who you possibly could’ve been thinking about?” Rosita continued sarcastically, smirk reappearing.

“Oh, are you dating someone Y/N?” Glenn questioned as the girls giggled.

I rolled my eyes, and shook my head in embarrassment.

“Fine I’ll go talk to the stupid, greasy archer.” I said in a childish tone.

I walked through the town quickly, head down, mind reeling.

I had just made it through the doorway when I heard him.

“Oi ya even listening to me dumbass?”

My head shot up in anger.

“For the last time I’m not dumb, if you even listened to me for once you’d find that I’m rather intelligent, besides at least I don’t look like I haven’t showered in 10 years.”

He snarled.

“Now I know ya stupid”

“Why? What are you gonna do about it? Are you gonna call me stupid some more?!”

He angrily stomped towards me.

“Fuck ya!”

He said with a throw of his hand as he began to turn around.

“Fuck you? That’s it? Nothing else genius?” I said mockingly.

“What else should I say?? Yar a fucking bitch. I shoulda let ya ass get bit a long ass time ago.”

I paused for a second, I always knew he hated me but, I never knew he hated me that much, too the point where he wouldn’t even want me around anymore. I knew I egged him on but I guess I just wanted to hear something, anything, different…

I looked at him hurt, before averting my gaze.

It’s just us. We’ll always be like this. It shouldn’t hurt, but why does it?

“Fuck you too.” I said not being able to bring myself to look in his eyes.

I began to walk towards the closest exit, desperate to escape this anger?

No it feels worse than that.

I want to escape this pain…

I reached for the handle, before I could grasp it I felt a hand wrap around my arm.

“Don’t” the biker said in a gruff voice.

“Why do you care?” I said gaze fixed on the bottom of the door.

His silence was deafening.

“Let me go Daryl.”

I felt his hand falter slightly before it tightened.

“I can’t…”

“Why not? I thought you wanted me dead…”

I managed to release, struggling against the lump forming in the back of my throat. I could feel my eyes well up and I knew my hurt had surfaced enough to be seen.

If it was this painful then maybe Rosita was right…

“I didn’t mean tha’” he choked out.

“Then what did you mean Daryl? Why would you say it if you didn’t mean it?!” My voice quickened with my heart as I instinctively raised my voice.

“WHY DO YOU THINK Y/N?! WHY THE FUCK DO YOU THINK?!” He practically screamed at me.

The shake of his hand radiated through my entire body.

Finally I worked up the courage to turn around. I was scared of what might happen next however at the same time it excited me.

Our eyes met.

“Tell me…” I let out in a whisper.

His gaze shifted uncomfortably.

“Please…” I muttered.

“I hate you…” he slurred in a hushed tone, his eyes shifting to my lips.

I stayed silent.

“But God why da ya have to be so damn hot?”

“Fuck you…”

“Ya can’t even lemme finish, fuck, ya so damn annoyin’ but I just, I can’t not think about ya.”

My eyes widened and my whole body began to heat up.

“Ya face it’s like engraved in ma mind, I can’t not think about ya, day and night. Where ever I am. Ya all that’s on ma mind. I hate ya... I wanna hate ya so so bad but…”

He paused looking deeply into my eyes, I felt naked under his close watch.

“I don’t think it’s hate anymore Y/N, I don’t know if it ever has been. It’s a fine line ya know?” He looked away in shame as he said it and I gulped loudly.

“I know.” I said sternly.

We were mere inches apart. I couldn’t tell whether we were about to argue or…

He leaned forward in one quick motion, stopping just shy of my lips.

He had a raw almost animalistic look in his eyes.

I would’ve been scared if I wasn’t desperate to know what his next move would be.

He breathed heavily before sighing and leaning his arm above me, his head nuzzled in the crook of my neck.

“Do ya have any idea what ya doin to me dumbass,”

I just looked at him with widened eyes and a parted mouth. I must’ve looked like a deer in headlights.

I lifted my hands carefully and placed them on his back.

Much to my dismay he moved his head from its resting place.

But when his eyes met mine I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed for much longer.

I moved my head slightly forward and he followed my movements. As if in sync we mirrored one another’s actions until our lips were practically touching.

I could feel his warm breath hit my lips, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

My breath hitched as he searched my eyes, before his lips collided into mine.

His motions were rushed but clearly planned. The way his tongue explored my mouth, it couldn’t have been accidental.

His hands gripped onto my lower waist, tugging firmly at my trousers.

“Mhm” I pulled away for a second, and undid the buckle he was so clearly struggling with. When our eyes met again he had a look of gratitude mixed with hunger.

A grin overcame his face, “god I can’t wait to taste ya”

With that I met his lips, with a firm, meaningful kiss.

God he’s a good kisser.

He pulled off his waistcoat and began to lift his shirt so I followed. Throwing off my jacket and lifting my vest over my face before tossing it to the side.

His lips began to explore, making their way down to my neck.

And slowly to my chest he reached for the clasp of my bra but his efforts were futile.

“Fuck sake is this glued shut or somethin’?” He mumbled angrily.

A giggle escaped me as I grabbed his hand, guiding it.

He stood back for a second admiring his accomplishment.

With a nod he let out a soft hum, before gently kissing my breasts.

He held my waist tighter and pulled his head back,

“Ya ready for this princess,”

He said as me laid me down, looking at my body splayed on the floor in nothing but my panties.

I nodded and he smiled.

I began to admire his chest properly as he kneeled in-front of me and gripped his hands around my thighs before placing them on his shoulders and licking his lips.

He gently nipped at my thighs whilst his hand played with the hem of my lacy underwear.

“BAM!” The sound of the door slamming echoed through the house.

We unentangled ourselves and shot up startled.

We knew we were fucked.

“Carol’s going to love this, she’s been cooking like crazy lately,” I heard a familiar voice state.

Me and Daryl’s eyes met, it was obvious we were both struggling to think of a way to explain this.

The footsteps began to grow closer as we scrambled to grab our clothes.

He went to open the door but remembered the state we were in and instead decided against it.

“Fuck” he muttered.

My eyes shifted around the room until it landed on the closet.

I grabbed his wrist and rushed towards the door, managing to reach it just before the footsteps reached the kitchen.

“You’re joking!” I peered through a slit, noticing my suspicions were correct, Maggie and Rosita stood chatting in the kitchen.

“There’s no way, I mean they argue like cats and dogs!” Maggie exclaimed shocked.

My heart rate quickened realising whom they could be discussing…

“I’m telling you, she wants him bad!”

“No way, she was just saying earlier how much she hates him.”

My face met Daryl’s, he was already watching me, lust bubbling to the surface, daring to break through at any second.

My stance and gaze shifted as I realised just how uncomfortable this was, but to my surprise he lifted his hand and gently guided my face until once again our eyes were meeting.

“Oh come on, you’ve got be joking, it’s so obvious! I mean he wants her too, they just act like a couple of kids teasing each other because they have a crush.”

“I mean I guess, but I don’t know, it seems a lot like hatred to me.”

“That’s just because you’re not a part of it, trust me they’ll be ripping each others clothes in no time.”

Maggie laughed slightly before noticing something on the floor.

Her face scrunched up in confusion.

“Why is Daryl’s vest on the floor?…”

[raithwithwings57]

Wip Stucky Fic

Peice of my unpublished ao3 fic that I have let lie around on my laptop for a while. Context: Bucky has been freed from being the winter soldier, Steve is still sleeping in the ice, and Bucky works with shield. This is one version of several I have of this scene. Warning: violent

Asking For The Dead

James rode up on a Harley, wearing a dark leather jacket, combat boots, and a green MOLLE bag slung over one shoulder. HIs long hair was whipping all over in the wind, and smoke drifted from the cigarette dangling between the metal fingers of his left hand. He blew out a long line of smoke as he parked one handed, and kicked out the kickstand. He threw his leg over the bike and walked over to the cluster of stressed looking agents.

Stark turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. “Who the hell is this guy?” He said, nudging the man at his side— Col. Rhodes he thought his name was. The Colonel frowned and shook his head. “Don’t have a clue.”

James saw that Barton and Romanoff were walking over to join them as well. He leaned back on his heels, reveling in the flavor of the smoke. One of the agents frowned and stepped forward before the other two could reach them. He held out a hand to shake, “Sam Wilson.”

James shook the proffered hand. “James.”

Wilson raised an eyebrow. “First name or last name?”

James blinked at him and brought his cigarette to his mouth to take another drag. Wilson’s eyes watched the movements of his metal hand with what looked like morbid curiosity. “Just James.”

Wilson looked mildly offended, withdrawing his hand. “Okay then.”

Barton and Romanoff joined their little group with greetings for the others. Wilson turned his attention to them instead. Barton had purple hearing aids on, a small box of pizza balanced against his hip, and a battered Styrofoam cup of coffee that he managed to hold with his teeth as he gave fistpounds in greeting instead of handshakes. Romanoff smiled and said hello to everyone. “Okay, okay, but who is that guy?” Stark said, gesturing widely to James.

They all turned to look at him. Romanoff’s expression didn’t change, but Barton grinned around his cup, reached up to remove the cup and set it to rest precariously on his pizza box and said over-loudly, “Oh hey it’s you again! The guy who jumps out of airplanes without a parachute.” Barton glanced back at his teammates. “We did an op together, this guy is fucking crazy.”

James nodded to him, “Agent Barton. I brought you Starbucks by the way. I’ve got a cupholder compartment in my saddlebags.”

“You what? Why are you being nice to me? That’s suspicious. Last time we worked together I accidentally let you get shot, I feel like I should not be accepting any beverages from you.”

James tipped his head to the side. “Oh it’s not nice. I just know that your coffee is crap and that the cruelest thing I could do is give you coffee so nice that you’re forced to think about it every time you drink that awful coffee you have, and then you’ll be pining for expensive coffee and curse my name all the time.” He smiled.

“No! Why does he look like a cute puppy dog when he smiles like that! Stop it, shield my eyes, this dude literally decapitated a guy with his bare hands I can’t fall for this façade. LOPSIDED SMILES DO NOT WORK ON ME, I’M FUCKING STRAIGHT. Okay mostly straight, no, no I’m straight aesthetic appreciation does not change my sexuality but I— ”

Colonel Rhodes held up a hand. “Back that up decapitated someone? Are we just going to conversationally move on from that or?”

“Okay yes, Mr, Dramatic eyeliner TM ripped a dude’s head off. In his defense if I had a metal arm I might do that also.”

Stark looked distinctly appalled. “I have a metal suit and I don’t do that.”

James sniffed indignantly. “It’s not eyeliner, it’s warpaint.”

“Yeah whatever you got to tell yourself to sleep at night.”

Stark said, “Yeah, I don’t think his makeup choices are having a whole lot of influence over his ability to sleep at night.”

James looked at Stark blankly.

Stark’s eyebrows rose. “Okay so that’s officially next level creepy.” He gestured to his own face. “That right there, yeah don’t do that in job interviews.”

[holdupjack]

Stop Playing Hero

——————

Pairing: Hermione Granger x Fem!Reader

WARNING: Angst/Death/No Comfort

——————

Third Person P.O.V:

It was quiet in the Weasley home as everyone tried to relax from the trauma experience they had just gone through, George being treated for his injuries.

Y/n stood outside, her eyes staring off into the darkness of the night. Her mind raced as she recalled everything they had gone through up until this point.

"Darling? Are you alright?"

Hermione stepped out into the cold night, and she the door behind her. Y/n looked at her with an anxious expression, her arms crossed across her chest.

"That was a close call" she responds and Hermione furrows her eyebrows before nodding in agreement.

"Yes, but we made it" Hermione states as she got closer, then she noticed the shake of her girlfriend's hands.

As she went to grab them herself, Y/n says something she never expected to come from her lips.

"I'm going on the front lines"

Hermione's eyes shot up to Y/n's, finding no joking manner behind them. She felt as though a rug had been slipped out from under her.

"Uh, no you're not" Hermione states no-demands. Y/n huffed out a shaky breath, it puffs in front of her.

"Harry and I were talking-" Y/n starts, but the looks of anger and confusion on Hermione's face was enough to make her pause.

"Harry? Harry has no right to convince you to put yourself on the immediate path of death!" She yells as her eyes flickered towards a window behind them.

Harry quickly dips out of her sight.

"It would be more beneficial if I went back to Hogwarts and helped McGonagall with preparations," Y/n says and Hermione continued to stare at her in disbelief.

"Y/n, you belong right here, next to me!" Hermione retorts and Y/n rolls her neck as growing agitation built up within her.

"That's the point! I'm distracting you! Hell, you almost got killed in the Ministry because I was lagging behind!" Y/n yells as they stood in front of each other.

"So! I'd rather almost die together than not know where you are!" Hermione yells back as she went to grasp Y/n's hand again, but she stepped away.

"No. You need to focus during all of this, you and I both know the boys will die without you." Y/n responds as kept her distance from the love of her life.

"I can do both-"

"NOBODY CAN DO BOTH AND SUCCEED!" Y/n yells as she felt the heat of her anger form around her head.

"That's why kingdoms fall and governments crumble! It happened with Cleopatra, the Spartans, and now the Wizarding World!" Y/n continued as her anxiety forced a tear to fall.

"Shit" she whispers as she quickly wiped it away, Hermione tried to step towards her again, but Y/n kept her distance once more.

"Dammit Y/n! Stop walking away from me!" Hermione yelled as she tried again, but the space between them stayed the same.

"I'm going whether you want me to or not" Y/n states with a glare, but Hermione could tell it was just a front.

"No, you're fucking not" she replies as a tear of her own escaped her. She couldn't help it.

All she imagined was losing her Y/n, while she was none the wiser while out in the world playing hero with her friends.

"You'll distract me more if you're not here! Don't you get it? I need you with me, my love, please don't leave me wondering if you are alive or dead." Hermione pleads as she expresses herself through her hand motions.

Y/n gulped slightly and let a few droplets run down her cheeks, her heart aching to just selfishly give in to the dangers she would undoubtedly bring to Hermione.

"I love you more than anything, you know that right?" Y/n whispers and for a moment Hermione thought she had reconsidered, but she noticed a look in her eyes that she's never seen before.

This was goodbye.

All it took was a simple incantation under her breath, and she would be just outside the ground of Hogwarts, but Hermione has always been a step ahead of her.

"Accio!"

Y/n's body lunged forward as she was pulled towards the Gryffindor, who quickly wrapped her arms around her fleeing girlfriend.

"Hermione, let go!" Y/n struggled as she tried to place her feet back on the ground and push the girl away.

"Never." Hermione whispered into her chest as she squeezed Y/n tighter. It took every bit of resistance to not give into the embrace she's loved since the fourth year.

The spell gave out not long after, causing Y/n to land back on Earth, but she didn't move for a while. Letting herself enjoy the desperate grasps Hermione would alter every few seconds.

She was either trying to find a better grip on Y/n, or this was silent begging.

Y/n wasn't sure.

"Hermione, please don't make me push you away" she whispers into the girl's ear, who just began to cry, now realizing there was nothing she could say or do to make her stay.

Y/n slowly grasped the arms that have held her in the middle of many nights and pulled them away.

Hermione watched in horror, not wanting to believe that the first person she wanted to save, was going to leave her in a limbo of 'what if's'.

"Kiss me goodbye" Y/n whispers as they stood face to face.

A breath left Hermione, it sounded so shaky that Y/n had thought it was her heart audibly quivering.

"This is not a goodbye, you know that." Hermione replies as she placed her palms on either side of Y/n's face.

"My beautiful Y/n" she whispers with a soft sob, as her imagination continuously shows her the worst of her nightmares. The ones that she didn't need to sleep to see.

"I'll see you later Bookworm" Y/n whispers against her lips as they kissed.

It was long and sweet.

When they broke apart and cradled each other in a tight hug, Hermione began to whisper in her ear.

"Everything in my mind is telling me to tie you up so you don't leave, but I know it wouldn't matter. You have always been so hard-headed, and that's one of the many, many, reasons I fell in love with you." She began, her lips kissing Y/n's shoulder in between the pause.

"But...please my darling, I'll do anything for you to stay" she pleaded so softly, Y/n just buried her face into her neck as a way not to cry.

"After all of this is done, we'll meet at our spot in the library, I have hidden something that will make up for everything," Y/n whispers as Hermione ran her fingers through her lover's hair, trying her best to remember every small wave, curl, or pattern.

"Do you promise? To be waiting for me when this is done? So we can go together?" Hermione whispers back, as they backed away enough to look at one another.

"I promise"

Hermione felt her lip quiver again, not caring that the prying eyes of her friends burned behind her.

It took everything for the two to finally separate from each other, both of their hearts breaking simultaneously.

"See you later, I love you Hermione" Y/n whispers.

"I love you most" she replied.

They shared one final look before Y/n just disappeared, leaving Hermione standing alone in the cold.

It took her a few minutes to stop crying, feeling her soul screaming at her to go get Y/n wasn't making it easy.

When she did regain her composure, granted red puffy eyes included, she walked back into the house.

Everyone stood around the first floor in complete silence, Harry standing not that far in front of her.

"Where's Y/n?" He asks, and everyone tenses.

Most had heard the conversations he and Y/n have had over the last week. They all had told him to leave well enough alone, that Hermione would probably kill him for putting those thoughts in her girlfriend's head.

Now, he had made his bed, and he was damn sure going to sleep in it.

Hermione walked up to him, and for a split moment, they stared at each other. Then she coldcocked him upside the jaw, almost making him want to pass out from the force.

He stumbled to the ground and cradled his jaw, yet no one rushed over to help him. Hermione stood over the boy and glared, her anger made him feel like the room had gone up a few degrees.

"You selfish prick. If she dies...god forbid I get my hands on you" Hermione whispered with such venom, Harry was sure it going to drip from her mouth.

She then walked away, afraid that she would do more than just leave a bruise on his chin.

——————

Much Later

Hermione now hid in the forest with her friends, Ron sat by the radio as he listened for any updates from the castle. Lee Jordan's voice haunted Hermione's nightmares, each day she feared to hear her girlfriend's name amongst the list of the dead.

Harry had kept his distance from his female companion, knowing that she truly hated him for the time being.

He feared to hear Y/n's name.

They had spent almost nine months searching for the Horcruxes, and each day being away from her girlfriend had gotten more exhausting,

Every once in a while, she would be able to retrieve a letter from Y/n, or the time they had spotted each other for a split second outside of the grounds of Hogwarts.

She had never been so happy to just look at Y/n.

It was now late into the night, and Lee started to speak again, making everyone freeze inside the tent, and for Ron run back in from outside.

"Only one death has been recorded today" he started as Ron stared at his Radio.

"Earlier this morning, a rouge group of highly skilled students set off to help the people of Irondale. Eye witness accounts say that an Army of Death Eaters stormed into the Hamlet around two in the morning. They killed many that tried to fight, and stole most of their resources." Lee says as they heard the rustle of a paper in the background.

"Then a group of students rushed to their aid once word got to the castle. They fought valiantly when they arrived. A set of six students killed more than double their own battalion. Unfortunately, while most of the enemies retreated, one had snuck behind the student and killed them instantly." He sighs as another paper rustles, Hermione held her breath.

"I regret to inform the friends and family of Y/n Y/l/n, that she has fallen in the field of battle"

Hermione stared wide-eyed at the radio, Ron turned away as his stomach tightened. Harry looked down at the ground, the guilt was undeniable.

"No" she whispers as she picked up the radio and held it up to her ear.

Maybe she heard it wrong?

"Again, I regret to inform the friends and family of Y/n Y/l/n, that she has fallen in the field of battle"

The device tumbled to the floor as Hermione stared at the table in front of her. Her mind screamed in agony that only she could hear.

"Excuse me"

That was all she said as she turn towards the small area where the cots awaited her and entered it quickly. As the flimsy fabric fell back to block the view of her, she began to quietly cry.

Ron let a tear of his own fall as he walked back outside, leaving Harry alone to wallow by himself.

Hermione tried to stay quiet, for the safety of her and her friends, but wails of sorrow escaped her without consent.

It was so loud and painful that Harry and Ron had covered their ears, the sound of her hurt only made it worse.

She could only think of her Y/n, who now lay dead in some cold makeshift morgue in the school.

Alone.

Her knees buckled, making her stumble to the ground, almost feeling as though she might never get up from it

The heaving of her chest made it sound like she could barely breathe, and the shaking in her body didn't help her either.

Maybe she was dying of a broken heart?

Sadly, she hoped so.

The boys didn't bother her for the rest of the night.

——————

A few days later

The war was over, and everyone began to claim the bodies of the dead...including Hermione.

She had to take her Y/n home.

When a student guided her to the dungeons, she found the DIY morgue full. It was horrifying to witness.

Luckily, Magic had stopped the bodies from rotting away, keeping them mostly the same for the families to identify and claim.

The student pointed to the very end of the row beside them to their left. Hermione spotted the pair of shoes she had gotten Y/n two Christmas's ago, they poked out from under a white cloth.

With a soft 'thank you', she made her way towards the body. She heard the door close somehow behind her and suddenly felt eyes on her.

At least, none that she could see.

Her feet felt heavy. Like concrete.

Each step made the loss of energy almost unbearable, but she did make it to Y/n. There was a wall next to her, where Hermione could just sit without having to pull her into the walkway, or accidentally lean onto another body.

Slowly, she sat down next to the covered body on the floor. Hermione took a deep breath and revealed the face that was underneath.

There was her Y/n, somehow still full of color and undried blood.

They must have frozen her body rather quickly.

"Hello my love" she whispers as tears immediately blinded her.

It looked as though she was just sleeping, and at any moment she would wake up and tell Hermione how sorry she was for making her worry.

She never did wake up.

Hermione noticed cuts and scars that were never there before, with blood and dirt still staining her face as well.

"My sweet Y/n, what did they do to you?" Hermione choked out as a shaky hand pushed away the strands of hair in her face. Questions she wanted to ask filled her mind, but she knew they would never be answered.

It must have been an hour of staring, and crying, before she spoke again, in a hushed voice.

"I haven't gone down to our spot yet" she whispers as a sniffle escaped her.

"I'm slightly afraid of what I'll find" Hermione explains as she grasped Y/n's hand.

It was still warm, and no Rigor Mortis.

Again, she thought Y/n could have been alive all this time, but she felt no pulse on her wrist.

"You told me that if this were to happen, to not fix the memories of your parents...I won't" she starts as she remembered them meeting up to spare their parents from the danger and grief they could face.

"I know you want to be buried in Hogsmeade, so I'll buy a plot just for us," Hermione says as she rubbed her thumb against the side of Y/n's hand.

She had no plan to find someone else to be buried beside. Hermione would never settle down, useless it was with Y/n.

So, she never did.

Instead, she sported the last name of her favorite girl up until the day she died.

"Granted, I never thought it would be you who would go before me...and never so soon" she continued as her eyes began to well up again.

"I'm sorry my love, but you'll have to stay here for a week or so until I'm able to get right to a plot of land in Hogsmeade" Hermione hummed as she gently squeezed her hand.

"Ms.Granger? I'm sorry, but Professor McGonagall needs to speak with you."

Hermione looked up to find the student peeking from the door, giving a remorseful smile.

It took every bit of prayer and self-control to put that sheet back up and walk away.

Everything in her was screaming to stay by her side.

——————

Hermione had finally gotten into the library, her eyes wandering around her once favorite hideaway.

Now it just held memories that hurt too much to think about.

She opened the door to the restricted section and walked down to the bottom floor. The library was eerily still, the lack of magic made it seem so devoid of life.

In the corner was a table that had a stack of papers on it. When she got close enough and noticed what was on them, she began to cry again.

It was letters.

All from Y/n, talking about her days at Hogwarts, what it's been like to be apart from one another, the rouge group she had joined to help the villages around Hogwarts, and missions she had gone on.

Hermione sat down as she sobbed, barely taking in the first sentence of the paper in front of her.

It took her a while to read them all, each one short, but full of emotion. She could hear Y/n's voice inside her head as she read them.

They all ended in:

"I love you, Hermione, always."

So, she kissed each one and whispered back:

"I love you too"

When she got to the final letter, an hour or so later, she noticed the date and took a breath of anxious air.

It was the day she died.

"Dear Hermione,

I was awoken around twenty minutes ago, and it's currently 3:42 A.M. Allison Velgo said that Irondale is under attack by the group we've been tracking the last few weeks. I only have maybe a few more minutes before we quickly make our way there, but I know that this could go very badly. This is going to be a battle within itself.

So, as a way to ease my mind, I wanted to let you know that I've hidden your present between the pages where we fell in love.

I love you, Hermione, always.

See you later.

-Y/n"

Hermione pushed away the letter and curled up in the chair she sat on, sobbing quietly.

She's never felt so alone.

She wanted her parents to hold her and tell her everything will be alright, while Y/n held and kissed her hand, saying that this was all just a bad dream.

Did she even want to know what her Y/n had left for her? The letters destroyed her as much already.

The more she cried, the more it seemed that she never would stop. It took longer and longer for her to calm down.

She eventually did stand up and looked around the room they'd hidden in for many years together. It didn't take long to find the book Y/n was talking about, it was one of Hermione's favorites.

One night in the fourth year, they had snuck down there to do some research for Harry during the competition.

Hermione had finally found an answer to the clue and had pushed the book to the middle of the table so Y/n could see. They both leaned over to the middle of the table as she began to recite what she had found, pointing to the paragraph.

When Hermione had finished her explanation, she looked up to only have her nose brushed against the softness of Y/n's cheek.

Y/n just smiled softly.

"You know, I find you absolutely mind-melting" she whispered as their eyes stared at one another.

"You do?" Hermione asked as Y/n hummed.

Then, a small kiss was shared between them.

Hermione had deemed that their love was stored in the pages of the book from that day onward.

Now it seemed Y/n had left something else within them.

She sat back down at the table and let out a shaky breath, her fingers slowly grabbed the pages with one hand and began to let them slip from her thumb.

It halted in the middle of the book, the page they had kissed over, and what was waiting inside is something Hermione had dreamed and feared.

A ring.

Quivering breaths escaped Hermione as she took it into her hands. It wasn't anything storybook size, but it was perfect for her.

It had a small note attached to its metal band, it was short and sweet, but it punched her in the gut like an MMA fighter.

'I promised to meet you here at the Burrow, now will you promise to meet me at home every night?'

"Fuck" Hermione whispers as she leaned away from the table and began to cry once again.

This time, she didn't think she would stop.

[atinylittlepain]

Request: Reader suffers an accident with an infected and ends up full of their blood, so in a horde of infected she manages to go unnoticed and meets some strangers (Joel and Ellie) who were being cornered and saves them, since they did not know the technique of going unnoticed among the zombies. In a universe where they are zombies and not the infected from the last of us. Reader x Joel Miller.

ahhh, this is bringing me back to watching the walking dead as a kid and I love it! I put my own little spin on it, I hope that's ok :) thank you for the request, babe!

A Big Break

Joel Miller x f!reader

warnings | 18+ descriptions of gore and violence, angst, a dash of fluff

joel miller masterlist

..............

There was no other way. It was damn risky, maybe even idiotic, but Joel knew there was no other way. That’s what he kept telling himself as he and Ellie began to move through the fallen Columbus QZ. Shit had only hit the fan here a month ago, and the damage was still fresh. Bodies scattered the streets, already in various states of decay, most obviously bit and turned as they reached weakly for the pair. Ellie took odd pleasure in stabbing the walkers in the skull (“extra points for eyeball shots, old man”), but Joel was quick to tell her to “cut that shit out” and “keep fucking moving.” 

They hadn’t been together on the road very long at this point. Long enough to lose Tess to a horde. Long enough to realize this wasn’t going to be easy, getting this kid across the damn country. But he had promised Tess, and he couldn’t turn back now, not when there was nothing left for him in Boston. 

Joel was keeping his eyes scanning the storefronts as they skirted through the city. They needed supplies, food mostly, and they needed it badly. He knew that the geeks weren’t much danger, you could out-walk them usually. The problem came when they had numbers. The instant you were cornered, and there were more walkers than you could count on your hands, Joel knew you were shit out of luck. But really, it was humans he was more worried about.

It’s a huge break that they reach the outskirts of the city without any problem, and Joel thinks to himself that something big must have happened here for it to have been so wiped out. Just off the highway, he spots one of those big warehouse stores. It’s a fool’s errand, a store like that had probably been picked over a long time ago, and he’s sure that not everyone that went in came back out. But they’ve only got about another day’s worth of jerky in their packs, and he’s noticed that the hungrier Ellie gets, the more backtalk she dishes out. They skirt down the highway heading toward the store, Ellie asking all kinds of questions as they near the building.

“Why were people so obsessed with toilet paper?” Joel huffs, eyes darting around the crumbling parking lot, scanning for movement and finding nothing.

“Don’t know. People liked stuff back then. Liked having a lot of it. You ask me, I always thought these stores were a scam. Thinking you’re spending less and getting more but you’re really just spending more.” Ellie hums at that, close on Joel’s heel as they sidle up against the building. They both carry hunting knives and flashlights, Joel keeping his rifle slung across his back. The doors have all been busted in, glass crunching under their boots as they step into the dim store. At first glance, it seems clear, Joel can’t hear any of the warbly grunts he’s come to associate with walkers, and he sees no movements amongst the ceiling-high shelves. He lets his light dart across the store, catching motionless bodies down some of the aisles. It seems like they may have gotten another break.

He turns over his shoulder, nodding at Ellie, and the pair start to move further into the store. The lower shelves are all bare, but the higher ones are still packed with stuff. Joel sets his sights down one aisle, the top shelves lined with cans of food. He turns to look at Ellie.

“Think you can get up there, kid?” She grins.

“What? Scared of heights, old man?” He scowls at her smug expression.

“Too old for that shit. I’ll give you a lift up and you toss down whatever you can, alright?” She huffs, already shouldering off her pack. He hoists her up with a groan onto one of the higher shelves, and he’s a little annoyed at how easy she makes it look as she hauls herself up to the top.

They move in tandem, she tosses down cans of food that he catches in an old cardboard box that had been laying on the floor, his knife back in its sheath on his thigh. The heavier the box gets, the more relief floods through Joel’s system. But he’s learned that relief is always short lived in this world.

The thing is, Joel can’t hear out of his right ear. Hasn’t been able to after that stand-off with a group of smugglers. And it’s from his right side that a geek is suddenly on him, causing him to drop the box and stagger back onto the ground. He’s quick to grab his knife and stab the walker through its skull. That’s not his concern though, not when he sees the trickle of walkers starting to shuffle into the store. 

“Ellie, we need to go now.” She sees them just as he does, letting out a low curse as she starts to scramble down the shelves. Joel’s shoving cans into their packs, keeping an eye on the horde, his heart kicking up the nearer they close in. They’re gonna have to gore their way out, there’s too many now to skirt the crowd. 

The store is a cacophony of the garbled groans and grunts of the walkers as Ellie finally hops down onto the floor. As quick as she shrugs back on her pack, the first wave of geeks is on them and the pair have no choice but to start stabbing and struggling towards the exit. But when they’ve barely moved a few feet, the horde seeming to have no end, Joel starts to get worried. He tries to shut off his brain, to just keep running his knife through the geeks, but even he can’t tamp down the fear as they get encircled by the decaying creatures. 

Ellie and he are pressed back to back, frantically killing off the swarming infected, both starting to let the panic wash over them of this reality. Just then, he catches a glint of something through the horde. The blade of a knife. And then he sees the person moving through the horde, seemingly unnoticed by the teeming geeks. They’re wearing what looks like an old, dark red raincoat with the hood pulled up, obscuring their face as they dart through the swarm, making quick work of the walkers who still bizarrely ignore them. Joel realizes that they’re clearing a path for them, and he grabs Ellie’s arm to start shouldering through the infected, following the hooded figure as they start to struggle towards the entrance. It’s damn close to a miracle as they step out into the light of day, and Joel now sees that the person who just saved their asses is a woman, and that the coat she’s wearing is covered in blood and viscera, enough to make even his stomach turn. She glances at them over her shoulder, a silent look that tells them to follow. Maybe it’s just because he’s still shocked by how easily she moved through that horde, but he complies, nodding at Ellie behind him as they silently jog out of the parking lot and down an embankment before they hit the treeline. When they get into the woods, she finally turns, taking down her hood and studying them. Joel’s fingers flex on the strap of his rifle as he holds her gaze.

“Where are you folks headed?” Joel glances at Ellie before looking back at her.

“West. How did you do that?” She grimaces, cocking her hip as she glances between him and Ellie.

“Where west?” Joel huffs.

“Wyoming. Got family there.” It’s not a complete lie, he is going to find Tommy, but not before taking Ellie to those doctors in Utah, information that this stranger certainly doesn’t need to know.

“You’re a long way from Wyoming. You sure that family is still gonna be there?” His jaw ticks under her steely gaze. She shrugs, turning heel and starting to trudge into the forest. For a moment Joel stands unsure what to do, Ellie looking at him questioningly. But then, she turns back around, hollering over her shoulder.

“Y’all coming or not? Look like you could use some rest.” They both stutter into motion, following behind her. Joel figures so long as it’s in the general direction of west, it can’t really hurt. That, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t find out how she did that back there.

They walk for a while, going deeper and deeper into the woods until the sound of running water starts to come closer at hand. As they break through the trees a creek comes into view, a cabin sitting a little ways back from it. 

“Holy shit.” Ellie laughs at the sight, and the woman turns back over her shoulder to grin at them. 

“Found this place just passing through two days ago. Decided to stay a while. Think it was someone’s bug out cabin. There’s cans of food all stacked up in the pantry. Help yourself.” Ellie is already walking toward the cabin, but Joel grabs her arm, pulling her back behind him despite her protests. The woman stills, sizing him up again.

“Why are you helping us?” She scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Why shouldn’t I? Y’all bad people or something?” Joel doesn’t say anything, but Ellie pipes up.

“We’re not bad people. Joel’s just an asshole.”

“Ellie.”  The woman laughs at the pair’s interaction.

“Alright then. Joel and Ellie, it’s nice to meet you.” She holds out her hand, but Joel only looks at it. Ellie huffs, coming out from behind him and shaking her hand herself. The woman tells them her name.

“Look, you can do whatever you want. I’m getting out of here tomorrow morning, heading out to Utah, if you care to know. But, you’re welcome to camp out here with me tonight. Wouldn’t mind a little company.” Joel’s ears prick at her mention of Utah, but he keeps his expression steeled. 

“Well, I’m staying the night.” Ellie crosses her arms over her chest, shooting Joel a challenging look. He huffs, scrubbing a hand down his face.

“Fine. We’ll, uh, we’ll stay the night, if that’s alright with you. But we’re heading out tomorrow too.” The woman grins, nodding lightly.

“That’s alright with me, Joel.” 

…

Ellie’s first move is to the pantry, finding herself a can of peaches and busting it open with a rock, slurping up the syrup. Joel sits down on the moldering steps of the cabin, watching as the woman goes down to the creek, shrugging out of her gorey jacket and dipping it into the water, scrubbing away at the smeared guts on it. He shuffles down to the water’s edge alongside her, sitting down on a fallen tree and watching her silently work at her jacket. He clears his throat and she turns to look at him.

“What’s in Utah?” Her movements still and she sighs before glancing at him again.

“That kid is right, you do seem like an asshole– but for some reason I feel like being honest with you. Before the Columbus QZ fell, I was a part of the Firefly outpost there, I’m sure you’ve heard of us. We had been radioing with a hospital out in Salt Lake City before shit hit the fan. They’ve, uh, been working on a vaccine, if you can believe it, last I heard they found a kid who’s immune, the real deal.” Joel swallows thickly, not totally believing that she’s actually telling him this.

“Are you a doctor?” She smiles.

“Was supposed to be, had another year left of school when everything– well you know.” He squints at her.

“What kind of doctor?” Her smile crooks and for a moment Joel’s distracted by how pretty she is.

“An epidemiologist, go figure, huh?” He snorts, shaking his head. She sighs.

“Anyways, a couple of us were holed up in the city after everything happened, kept listening to the radio and planned to head out but, uh, I guess I’m the only one who actually made it.” Her face falls, eyes settling on her hands. Joel sighs.

“Since you’re telling me the truth, I might as well do the same. We are headed to Wyoming, but we’re also headed to Utah.” She furrows her brow at him. He jerks his head over his shoulder, gesturing to Ellie who’s still sitting on the porch practically making love to another can of peaches.

“That kid? I’m pretty sure that’s the one you heard about over the radio.” Her eyes widen, jaw falling slack. Joel just nods.

“I’ve seen the scar myself. She is the real deal.” She lets out an incredulous laugh.

“Well then I guess I’m glad I decided to see what all the ruckus was about at that Costco.” Joel laughs at that, trying to tamp down the warmth that’s spreading through his chest at the sight of her grin. He shakes his head, trying to refocus.

“You know, I’m still wondering how you did that. Those geeks weren’t even glancing at you.” She quirks an eyebrow at him, lifting up her now clean jacket. Joel’s brow furrows.

“What, like camouflage?” She shrugs, laying the jacket out on a rock before sitting down beside him, their legs barely brushing.

“Something like that. Whatever this thing is, we’re pretty sure it’s a virus. Not airborne obviously, something more like a stomach flu that has to pass through a mucous membrane of some kind.” She glances at him to see if he’s following and he nods.

“Well, the only goal of a virus is to make more of itself, right? So, that virus is gonna be looking for hosts, organisms that aren’t already tagged by it. It was a shot in the dark, really, but I figured if I walked around with a nice coating of the virus all the time, all those stumbling hosts weren’t gonna pay me any mind, and I was right.” The explanation goes just a little over Joel’s head, and she seems to be able to tell, laughing lightly. He’d be hard pressed to admit how the sound is making a blush creep up his neck.

“Sorry, that was probably more of an explanation than you wanted. But, yeah, it works. You just gotta make sure you don’t get any of that gunk in any cuts or your eyes and stuff, but otherwise it’s damn good protection.” Joel huffs, nodding as he glances at her.

“Never seen anything like that before. It’s impressive– that you figured that out.” She shrugs, getting back up to collect her jacket. Joel speaks before he can even think about it.

“If we’re headed the same way, we might as well stick together. Might not be as smart as you, but I’m good on the road, and the kid is too.” They both glance behind them at Ellie. She’s on her third can of peaches. Joel turns back to her and she laughs at his exasperated expression.

“Alright, Joel– wait, what’s your last name?” He feels the smile spreading across his face as he holds out his hand to her.

“Miller, Joel Miller.” She grins, clasping his hand. His heart kicks at the squeeze she gives him.

“Joel Miller, looks like we’re walking to Utah together.”

…

They share a makeshift dinner of canned beans and vegetables, Joel having cut Ellie off from the peaches to get something other than sugar into her stomach. The girl promptly conks out inside, and Joel offers to take the first watch of the night. She still follows him out, leaving Ellie lightly snoring in her sleeping bag. They sit down together on the steps outside the cabin and she offers him a small flask she pulled out of her back pocket. He raises an eyebrow at her, but she just grins, pushing the flask into his hand. He takes a swig, letting the burn thrum down his throat before passing it back to her, the warmth that her fingertips brushing his sparks up his arm far better than anything booze could ever create. She grins around her own gulp before screwing the cap back on and tucking the flask away. 

Joel is finding that he can’t take his eyes off her, the way her features are limned in moonlight, the slight smile tugging at her lips. He really needs to stop looking at her lips. He feels like he’s losing his mind, how quickly he seems to be getting tangled up with this woman. It’s easier to just chalk it up to the physicality of it all. She’s there, she’s warm, she’s pretty, she’s smart– he’s a damn fool. He clears his throat, trying to shake his brain free of these stupid thoughts.

“So you were really gonna study diseases? That’s what you wanted to do?” She snorts, resting her cheek on her shoulder as she turns to look at him.

“That was the plan. Although, I guess in a way I’m still doing that, just with one very weird disease.” He huffs out a laugh at that.

“Do you really think these people– these doctors– do you think they can find a cure?” She scrunches up her face.

“Not a cure– a vaccine. If it is a virus, and Ellie really is immune, her blood could be the golden ticket.” Joel shifts slightly to face her, their knees brushing. She grins.

“I won’t give you another medical lecture about how that would work. But, if what you told me is true, it will work.” Joel nods.

“Wouldn’t mind another medical lecture, for the record.” She quirks her brow at him.

“Oh, you wouldn’t? I’ll have to remember that.” Now Joel knows he’s going crazy because there’s no way in hell she’s actually flirting back, right? His head is swimming, exhausted from the long day and just slightly buzzed from whatever she had in that flask and it’s making him throw caution to the wind.

“I’d probably listen to just about anything you have to say.” He flushes the instant the words leave his mouth, but she just grins brightly.

“Well, maybe you aren’t an asshole after all, Joel Miller.” He winces as she laughs.

“I’m sorry about earlier– it’s just–” She cuts him off, resting her hand on his knee and squeezing lightly.

“Don’t have to apologize– I understand. You gotta look out for you and yours.” He presses his lips in a thin line holding her gaze. And then, Joel feels like his heart is going to explode when she carefully brings one hand to his jaw, leaning closer to him.

“It’s ok if you can’t believe what I’m about to say, at least not yet. But you can trust me, Joel. I’ll help you get her there as best I can.” He swallows thickly, nodding.

“We’ll get her there together, I guess.” She smiles at his words, dipping in and laying a sweet kiss on his cheek that sends a jolt up his spine. When she pulls away, she snorts at his agape expression. He collects himself enough to speak.

“What was that for?” She grins.

“For not being an asshole.” Before he can reply, she briskly gets up, turning and walking back into the cabin after speaking to him over her shoulder.

[missmungoe]

Hello, i forgot the title, but there was a part when Makino sang a song that was made by Shanks. I was wondering if that was a real song or if you wrote the lyrics yourself?

Hi! All the songs featured in my fics are written by me! :) If I had a knack for it, I'd put them to music, but my love is for writing questionable (and dirty) song lyrics!

From your description, I'm thinking this is "Moored to Her Port"? It's the song Shanks wrote about Makino, originally from Tethered to Kinder Shores, although the part where Makino sings it to the crew is from Mnemosyne, chapter 18:

A hand was held out to her, cupped as though for her to step into it, and without missing a beat she did, then into another, and a third, a light, seamless gait as they provided a path for her to the neighbouring table, steady as though she walked on air, onto the neighbouring table and then the next, more eager hands reaching to assist her, and never once stumbling over the song, her voice lifting under the beams to the beat where they clapped it―“By hand and by tongue I will chart it, her legs exquisitely parted, down the swell of her hips and her skin so fair, to the strait of her soft thighs and her dark, curling hair. It’s not between Scylla and Charybdis I’ll go down, but on her!”―before the last step saw her leaping gracefully onto the furthermost table, to the loud delight of the pirates seated along it. She turned then, her eyes seizing his from across the compartment, and this time his whole crew raised their voices for the last line of the refrain. Everyone but Shanks, who couldn’t have summoned his own with a pistol to his head. It crested against the timbers, the bulkheads creaking from the pressure like the ship's lungs expanding, a roar of sound where it rose from deep in their stomachs, like something long-restrained was finally let free― “For booze and water are naught but dregs, I’ll quench my thirst between her legs!”

If it's not that one, it might be Shanks' dirty rewrite that they sing together in Siren's Call, chapter 11. I don't remember if I ever gave that one a title, but let's call it "Down on Her Knees"!

The refrain came then, and he’d changed that, too, telling of the lady’s grateful and enthusiastic reward, which in the original had been much less graphic, a coyly implied tryst within her upturned carriage, but he’d never cared for subtlety, to which the shameless rewrite testified rather bluntly, the rich baritone of his voice lifted as he sang, loud enough to fill the whole galley. “And down on her knees she went, down on her knees, with dirt on her frock and her mouth full of—” Makino choked, the sound louder than the word as it left him, shaped by his filthy grin, and she heard his laughter where it flung out, before he repeated the refrain, louder this time and echoed by his whole crew, and by the end of which she was blushing so hard she couldn’t find her voice to pick up the following verse, her palms pressed to her face to stifle the scalding heat in her cheeks and her helpless laughter. She heard Shanks’ where it answered, delighting in her reaction, before he picked up the next verse, which should have been a heavily suggestive rendition of the lady’s change in fortune, but which had been rewritten in plainer terms as he sang, in that spellbinding voice, “With her manservant dead, she was down on her luck, but there’s no cure for mis’ry like a rousing good—?” Throwing his hand out to the galley, the question implied by the lift of his voice, they answered him in turn, loudly and with their glasses raised, the word deafening where it bounced off the walls: "Fuck!" Shanks raised his brows at her with a grin as Makino laughed into her hands.

Other songs by yours truly that appear in Shanties are "The Salt Wife" from Salt Vows chapter 1, and "Beneath the Tavern Bench" from the one-shot pirate lullabies. A recurring feature in my stories is Shanks and Makino singing together, and I love writing out the actual lyrics. It's always my hope that whoever reads them will feel like they're there, listening<3

[slocumjoe]

ive been asked about this in a few different flavors, so uhhh general idea of what my modern au is like, when I write abt a modern setting this is the framework I work from

Cait; Came from an abusive shack in the Irish countryside, ran away from home at a young age. Fell in with a bad fucking crowd. Eventually got enough money from said crowd to get a plane over to 'Merica. Went over to follow her dream of becoming a pro-wrestler. Instead, ended up as a bartender/bouncer for a shitty nightclub above a fightclub of questionable legality. She only occasionally gets to fight in it, but its on her days off. Of which, she has few, and would rather spend resting. She lives in a small, shitty truck camper, but genuinely favors it to her previous living arrangements. Once she kicks her drug addiction, gets a new job at a high-end gym as a trainer. The sense of community is good for her, and she's, surprisingly, a good hypegirl. She eventually gets herself a C-model RV, on the smaller side, but comfy as hell for the right kind of person. Well, Cait's that kind of person. Her main hobby is just exercise, something to keep her physically and mentally busy. After colliding with Danse on corners one too many times, they both said 'fuck it' and just starting planning their morning runs together. Mostly so Danse stopped breaking his nose on Cait's forehead.

Codsworth; British-Indian man who is well known throughout high-end hospitality industries. He's worked at hotels, country clubs, restaurants, designer stores, if there is a position where you move with utmost efficiency and sympathy for the customer, Codsworth has worked it. You walk into the most exclusive businesses in the city, chances are, they've at least heard of him. As he got older, settled down to open his own little Cafe. It's a casual, early-morning affair, and its really just an excuse to have tea and biscuits with people, chat. It's kind of a hole in the wall, off the beaten path, but those who know of it swear on their life for his coffee, tea, and breakfast/brunch. Codsworth himself, when he isn't tending the cafe, can be found feeding the birds in the park, cleaning up litter throughout the town, or tending the public gardens as a volunteer. He lives a quiet, but quaint life, and is always lending an ear, a shoulder, advice, or in some cases, criticism. Always keeps a coffee, quiche, and croissant aside for Piper, Nick, and Preston; his problem children who rarely sleep and always forget to eat.

Curie; A traveling doctor, who travels from hospital to hospital only because she's too competent and revered to not share amongst as many medical institutions as possible. Even the most egotistical doctors cower beneath her. Being corrected or criticized by Dr. Curie Collins is a black mark on any medical professional's record. When she isn't saving lives or scolding a haughty doctor, Curie can be found in a lovely cottage on the bank of the Charles. She grows most of her own food, but if her pantry is filled with strawberry twinkies and Milano cookies, that's her business. She wants to go into psychology and become a therapist, but she doesn't trust her fellow medical doctors enough to leave her patients with them. She frequents Codsworth's cafe, usually in attendance after an all-nighter at work. She's the doctor that partially oversaw Danse's diagnosis and upon learning of the consequences, yanked all the strings she could to get him another job. Wanted to raise hell over his unethical/illegal discharging, but Danse refused. Often has coffee with X, they share stories of their respective doctors and scientists and whatnot being stupid and incompetent.

Danse; raised in foster care alongside Cutler. They joined the military the moment they turned 18. Cutler became a pilot, Danse infantry. Their C.O, Krieg, became an adoptive father to them both. Cutler's helicopter was shot down in the line of duty, and when Danse and his team made it to the wreck, everyone was dead, or doomed to die. Danse mercy-killed Cutler. Krieg died shortly after, across the ocean. Eventually, his superiors wanted him to get a mental exam, which led him to Curie's hospital, where one of her colleagues diagnosed him with the expected PTSD and the unexpected autism. A superior who had bad blood for him leveraged the ASP diagnosis to medically discharge him. Seeing as Danse had literally nothing but his work, and was still reeling from losing his family, this was...not great. Ends up back in Curie's hospital, brought in by Nick, who wasn't even on duty, just drove past a guy on a bridge, looking down at the Charles too long. Danse eventually finds work as a ship mechanic down at the harbor, and moves into an apartment nearby. Sounds cozy, right? No. Theres a dispensery across the street that's constantly filled with hooligans, and the owner keeps slipping flyers under his door.

Deacon; U.S Marshal Service. If you're unfamiliar, he works in witness protection. Wouldn't know it by looking at him, though. He keeps his work very hush-hush. If you're not a coworker, you don't know what he does. He'll even find jobs just to drop them in a week, just for the chaos of it all. Deacon lives in a few different small apartments across Massachusetts, mostly because he hates hotels. The only people likely to ever pick him out are convention, renfaire, or other costume party attendees, or special fx workers. Why is he working in a costuming depart—never mind, he quit again. He lives a life that on the surface, is bizarre and crazy, but at closer look, has some kind of method to the madness. Deacon also has the odd habit of bringing up things about people that he has no reason to know. Divorcing? He knows before anyone else. Pregnant? Knows. Cheating on your spouse? He knows, and whoops, guess who also knows, now! Deacon is buddy to all, friend to none, and enemy to many. Joins Preston's camping trips as a different person every time, and its seriously creeping the dude out. The one time X joined, on a whim, ran through the woods back to his car. Nope. Nope!

Gage; Raised in a crime-infested neighborhood in the south, became a criminal himself. Spent most of his youth doing it, until he and his whole gang got sold out and busted. Gage spent five years in prison, and afterwards, decided other criminals were too fucking stupid and unpredictable to work with anymore. Instead, he turned his eyes to the real life-sucking evil; capitalism. Weaseled his way into working at a theme park, starting as a handyman and somehow ending at manager. The owner, Colter, is a flaming dipshit, and the three assisting managers are cartoonishly evil and/or stupid. He isn't sure he hates this job, because fuck if it ain't entertaining. Colter eventually dies trying to fistfight a mom in the bumper cars arena, electrocuting himself on a faulty wire. Gage lives in a boathouse on the river, despite making the money to live elsewhere. Drives a truck slapped together with gum and recycled tupperware. Has a pet lizard. Keeps to himself. His truck smokes like an active volcano, so he's something of a road cryptid, and often gets pulled over by Preston, since he often has to drive in Preston's area. They've gotten into so many brawls on the side of the road it's become something of a smoke break. It's not even professional or personal. It's just what they do. Sometimes they get lunch after.

Hancock; Came from a rich family, daddy was a senator. A shitty one. Brother is also similarly shitty, and became a landlord. As for Hancock, he raised himself on the other side of the tracks, making a name for himself as a vocal activist and infamous heathen against the establishment. No one has ever been able to arrest him or take him to court, because Johnny became a lawyer. And he's a fucking good one. The only person who can represent himself and consistently win. At some point the local gov gave up trying to shut him down, and focus on just...not pissing him off. When he isn't harassing politicians, Hancock owns a dispensery, though he prefers harder substances. Buddies with MacCready but neither of them remember how they met. Also familiar with Cait, used to go drinking at her bar and fighting in the pit. Less buddies with her, their relationship is more one of them calling the other, and updating on how a trashfire is burning. His gossip girl, if you will. As for Danse...you call the cops on his party, fine. But that fucker had the nerve to correct Hancock when he was quoting a historical figure. But when he Googled, it, big asshole was right. So, its personal now, and Hancock will not rest until he or Danse dies, or Danse gets laid/high and becomes cool.

MacCready; Security guard for a mall. Gets bounced around the different shops/sections, so he's picked up a lot of odd skills, knowledge, and tricks. Can make pretzels good enough to kill God, but also can identify every variety of makeup sold in Sephora. Has never stopped a lifter and never will, and no one has ever mentioned it. The only time he's done his job is if someone is in danger; you're not stabbing the 60 year old Barnes N Noble cashier. You got caught, you give up. Don't fucking attack Ms. Daisy over earrings. Mac hates a sore loser. Eats nothing but whatever is sold in the mall. That dadbod is 60% Panda Express and 40% Orange Julius. Mac has a tiny house in a decent enough neighborhood, by Duncan's school. Lucy died in a car accident, run off the road by a drunk driver. Bobby makes life work, and Duncan is a happy kid, but he's never really...processed anything. Always shaking from anxiety. Employs Piper as his star babysitter, as she works from home. Met her after she interviewed him, reporting on an armed robbery attempt. Hancock is the babysitter only when Piper is busy, because even though he's good with the kid, and Duncan loves his Uncle John, Hancock is not what MacCready considers a...ideal influence...Duncan came home with a fascination with knives one day.

Nick; Detective, obviously. Was kinda...demoted...? After his fiance got killed. Used to handle the biggest cases, but now he's more of a patroler, works the simple disputes. Goes to the less-violent, more cold-cut scenes. The boss thought he could do with a lighter, easier load. Nick kind of hates it, feels really underutilized, but fuck it, it's not that bad. If he were younger, he'd be fuming, but as it stands, he can't complain too much about getting the easy, simply work, that doesn't have him staying up all week. He lives in the Old Town part of the city, likes his scenery vintage. Nick lives simply, until he has a day off. His day off, Nick is getting into all kinds of shit. Maybe its his nature. Maybe its bad luck. He chases purse snatches through sewers. He settles generational family rivalries over a bad cow sale centuries prior. He tears apart apartments to find underwear to prove to a trusting wife her husband is a cheat. Nick finds himself, constantly, in the eye of a batshit storm, but only when he's off duty. He's the kinda guy whose best stories come from his everyday life, rather than his hectic and often surprising/dramatic work. If he isn't working, or getting sucked into chaos, Nick stays home, pours himself a drink of some kind, and relaxes with a good book. Sits on the porch and watches the birds. Feeds the neighborhood cats. Its not often he has downtime, and rarer still that he uses it for anything exciting. Occasionally on the phone with Piper and Preston, tries to provide some old man advice for them. Checks in on Danse occasionally for welfare, just doing his job. His presence makes the party across the street mind their manners.

Piper; English major who landed a good, but difficult job as a journalist for the newspaper. Her life is constantly moving, always hectic, and never chill. Has been arrested more times than Hancock. Has been thrown out of a military base more times than Danse. This frightens Danse and impresses Hancock. Piper keeps her job remote to take care of Nat, basically an octopus, multitasking five different things at any time. Her dad was a firefighter who died when his captain got cold feet and left his team to die, and she's made it her life goal to publicly shame such actions and people. Someone up top fucks up, Piper is screaming it from the rooftops and all of the city will hear. She's a menace in a different way from Hancock, though they've shared a slammer enough times to give tips on various vigilante methods. Piper attends an online class, and often does her work through phone or laptop while running around doing other shit. Watching her is exhausting. She likes her life but can't wait to graduate. Really hates her schooling, but she needs it to do what she wants, so that's how the cookie crumbles. When she gets a chance to relax, she's taking a long bubblebath, and shutting off her phone. It's kind of hard to get a hold of Piper, and even harder to keep her there.

Preston; Forest ranger/trooper. Much of his work is babysitting the populace, rather than dealing with them after they've misbehaved. He's the guy going into the woods to bust illegal bonfire parties, or poachers, that kind of thing. Sometimes he gets road patrol, sometimes he gets desk work. Sometimes he does community work, like seminars and camping trips. Preston doesn't mind his job, very passionate actually, he just kinda...lost all faith in humanity at some point. You see enough people at their worst, that happens. A forest fire broke out a few years back that fucked up a town, started by some shitty rebels without a cause just looking for trouble. He never quite got over the fact that he didn't find the source and stop it in time. He's young enough that he doesn't get that he can't save everything, but old enough to have failed a few times. It's a rough combo. Preston lives near the Charles, close enough to know that Gage definitely isn't certified to have his boathouse or dock it where it is. Considers Gage his mortal enemy whom will die upon his own death. For they exist solely to annoy the other. When he and Gage aren't fighting in a ditch, Preston is either at home, facedown on his floor, or curled up like a crumpled tissue on one of Codsworth's couches, half-heartedly gnawing on a quiche. He's known for falling asleep in odd places all over the city, catching some Z's when he has a second.

X6-88; A security guard for the C.I.T. He wears a suit and sunglasses and always has an earpiece in. His face would shatter should it emote. He's an alumni who graduated from the C.I.T but no one has ever figured out when, or what he majored in. There are theories as to what his name is. He just calls himself by his badge designation. It's a running joke that he's a robot but it stopped being a joke pretty quickly, because honestly? Probably is. X revels in being an engima, and goes out of his way to be mysterious and spooky. During an...incident, at the C.I.T, X worked partially with Deacon, as the latter was handling a witness. X freaked the fuck out of him by immediately recognizing him from several other cases Deacon has worked. X pays attention to local legal proceedings, you see, so he's up to date. Either way, Deacon was approached by a massive breach in security and now lives in fear of the Terminator who's always watching his extremely confidential work. X also works with Preston, occasionally, when dorm parties get too crazy. X doesn't keep to himself, not really, its just that people don't notice him. He's always in the loop. Piper begs him for an interview with anyone in C.I.T. He directs her to the Wikipedia page for the college. If he isn't working or freaking people out, X is cleaning house at local bakeries and confectioners, often with Curie. It's the only time you can see him in public if he isn't working.

[magicalqueennightmare]

Sins & Amends Chapter 53

Billy Russo x Female Reader (60 part story)

This follows pre- the punisher into the storyline of daredevil, punisher season 1 and beyond

This is NOT Canon Billy. This is decent human being Billy left with bad options over worse decisions

This was also posted to A03 under: WaywardGaPeach. That account and this one is the only place you'll see me post this. If you see it on any other platform/account know it's not me.

Chapter Summary/Warnings: Frank comes to your side when you call him to tell him what happened to Billy

Frank hadn't been asleep but about an hour or two when his phone started ringing. "Get it before it wakes Adi up!" He heard from Karen's side of the bed in a whisper. He grabbed the phone as he sat up not bothering to look at the number "Hello?" He was met with silence on the other end and started to hang up before he heard someone take a shuddering breath "Frank?" At the sound of your voice he was fully awake. Something was wrong. You sounded like you were in shock.

"Y/N?" He called your name and saw Karen sit up out the corner of his eye and look at him curiously but at the moment his attention was on you. "Can you please come to me? I need you" "Yeah of course. Where are you at? What's going on?" 

He was already up and pulling boots onto his feet before you told him what hospital you were at "Alex Moore got out Frank. He found me. He..he tried to kill me. He would've killed me but Billy protected me. Now he's in surgery and.. I don't know if he's gonna make it" 

"God dammit how the hell did that asshole even get out? I'll be there as soon as I can. Just hold tight and call me if there's any changes" "Frank I can't do this" he closed his eyes at how broken you sounded.

Fuck, in all the time he'd known you even at the worst moments you always tried to hold it together for everyone around you and he hadn't heard you sound so defeated since the two of you got into that argument when you first found out you were pregnant and he found you at Maria's grave. "Sweetheart I will be there in a few minutes" "Ok" was the last thing you said before the line went dead.

He stared at the phone for a minute before glancing back at Karen then tilting his head towards the living room. She nodded then climbed out the bed, careful not to wake Adi as she walked past the toddler bed.

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

He followed her out and pulled the bedroom door almost shut before saying "I've got to go to the emergency room. Y/N needs me" "What happened? Is she ok?" The concern and worry were plain in Karen's voice when she spoke. 

He nodded then said "She's ok but you remember Moore?" "The asshole that attacked her and Alice? How could I forget?" Karen's jaw had tightened at the mere mention. 

He could feel the tension in his shoulders and realized his trigger finger was absentmindedly tapping his thigh while he talked. He knew flashes of that night were going through both of their heads. "Yeah well he got out. Apparently came looking to finish the job but didn't exactly take Bill into account. He got shot protecting her. She said he's in surgery and she doesn't know if he's gonna make it"

Karen glanced back towards the bedroom and he could see her worrying her bottom lip between her teeth before she ran a hand through her hair to push it back from her face "What do I tell Adi? She's gonna ask for one or both of them after she gets up" 

Frank let out a breath trying to think of what to tell his niece. She was still so young and now facing this "Tell her bare minimum. Her dad got hurt so her mom took him to the hospital. I went to be with them both" 

Karen nodded then pulled him into a hug "Let me know if you need me. Take care of her Frank" "I will. I love you Kare. Take care of little bit" he leaned his forehead against hers for a moment trying to get his head on straight. She nodded then closed the space between them to press a gentle kiss to his lips "I love you too"

Working together you and Riley had managed to get Billy's heart back beating before you made it to the hospital but he was still losing a lot of blood internally. 

You were stopped at the entrance to the operating room by a couple of the nurses who'd known you for years "Y/N you know you can't go back" you snatched away from them and Riley alike. You knew they were trying to offer comfort but you didn't want it. You didn't deserve it.

Someone else you loved had once again caught a bullet that had your name on it. You were fucking poison. How the hell could you protect your child from the world when it seemed as if merely being around you would be the biggest threat to her?

-----------

You paced the hallway outside the double doors until the adrenaline started to leave your body and the crash that came along with that forced you to collapse into a chair. Your clothes, hands and face had blood smeared across them. Around your nails the blood had started to dry and was flaking off in red chunks.

You couldn't stop hearing the gunshot, seeing the way Billy had crumpled but only after he'd made sure you were ok. You closed your eyes to stop the flow of tears but that only made more images flash across through your mind. 

Maria and the kids in their caskets, Frank bloody and half dead after that fight alongside Gunner. Curtis bloody and beaten from Lewis, Karen terrorised by Wilson Fisk. It was too much. You'd lost half your family in one day and had fought like hell to keep the rest of them in one piece and now the man you loved, the man who'd put so much on the line to keep you safe might very well end up dying.

What the hell were you gonna tell Adi? It seemed like she'd just met him and now to lose him? You bought your hands up to your face trying to will the images out your mind. You couldn't even cry and you knew that was worse than if you were sobbing. 

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

You didn't know how long you'd been sitting there digging through your jacket pockets before you finally found your phone. Your hands were shaking as you hit Frank's number. You weren't sure what to say but you needed him. You couldn't do this alone.

You were still staring blankly at your phone when Frank found you. You hadn't noticed his presence so he took a moment to take stock of whether or not you had any injuries.

Although you were covered in blood it didn't appear to be yours. He knew that look anywhere though. You were so lost in your own mind you needed someone to pull you out. He'd been there before and you had been the one to pull him out so he owed you.

He walked up trying to make as much noise as he could so he wouldn't startle you but when he touched your shoulder you jumped defensively until you realized it was him then the facade crumpled as you stepped into his arms "Frank it's bad. It's all my fault" 

He froze and held you out at arm's length so he could lean down enough to look you in the eye. There was blood smeared on the side of your face and your eyes were red from crying but he could see that stubbornness you'd always had under it all. 

You were going to try to blame yourself for this and he'd be damned before he let you "You didn't shoot him so it's not your fault. It's that damn junkie's fault. I should've killed him instead of letting them lock him up" 

You sniffled twice and he knew you were holding back tears when you shook your head "Frank don't you see? Maria, the kids. Those bullets had my name on them. Rawlins lied to Billy but I still should've been the one to die that day. Now this. he didn't even know who Billy was. He shot him because he was protecting me. I'm fucking poison. Who else is gonna be next? You? Karen? God forbid if something happened to Adi. I can't do this Frank. I can't keep hurting people I love"

God dammit he'd never wanted to shake you as bad as he did right then. His grip tightened on your arms just enough to get your attention and once he was sure he had it he said "Listen to me and listen to me good Y/N. Maria and the kids died because Rawlins was an evil son of a bitch who got what he deserved. Bill got shot because he fucking loves you and when you love someone it's instinct to protect them. None of this is your fault. You're not poison or any other bullshit you believe. Hell you've patched a lot of us up. You put us back together. I know this is hard but I also know you've got that damn stubborn streak a mile wide and can put your mind to anything right?"

You nodded after a moment so he loosened his grip but stayed where he could look you in the eyes "He's a stubborn asshole. I've known him for even longer than you have. Me and him have been through hell together and have put each other through our fair share. One thing I know? He loves you and Adi and this isn't enough to keep him from you. Now put it in your mind he's gonna pull through ok?"

"Ok" your voice sounded a little steadier so he nodded and moved his hand to your lower back "Now let's see if I can get you some scrubs or something so you can get cleaned up and out these bloody clothes"

One of the nurses had gotten you a pair of scrubs and even offered to let you use the nurse's shower after she checked your vitals at Frank's insistence.

Frank told you he'd hang around the operating room so if anyone did come out while you were getting cleaned up. You'd hesitantly agreed because while you desperately wanted to check on Billy you couldn't stand knowing it was his blood drying all over you.

After standing under the hot water long enough you felt like you'd taken a layer of skin off you climbed out and dried off then deposited the towel into the bin that was in the corner of the room. 

Once you were dressed in the scrubs you pulled your shoes back on complete with the hospital socks you'd been given along with the scrubs then gathered your bloody clothes in the personal belonging bag you'd been given and went in search of Frank.

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

When you walked out into the hall you ran smack into Frank's chest with a grunt from him and a gasp of surprise from you but luckily he managed to grab you before you fell.

"Frank what's going on?" You asked feeling your stomach knot up worse than it already was but he shook his head "Nothing bad sweetheart. I found a doctor that apparently isn't sure if he's a fan of me or just scared shitless. Either way I got him to check on Bill. Surgery is going good. The bullet missed his organs but nicked an artery. They're closing up and should have him a room in ICU in about an hour" 

You let out a breath "Are they hopeful for recovery?" He nodded "Yup sounds like he was pretty damn lucky he had a paramedic right there the moment he hit the ground" you let out a watery laugh "You're saying that to make me feel better" 

Frank shook his head and motioned back down the hall "I can find him again if you don't believe me. Doc said the reason he's gonna make it is because of you. So wanna talk again about you being poison? Looks to me like you once again saved one of the men in your life" you threw your arms around Frank's neck in a hug he gently returned.

When you pulled away he glanced at his watch "I'm gonna text Karen. When Adi wakes up what do you want her told?" You ran a hand down your face before agreeing with what Frank had already said "bare minimum. He's hurt. Me and you are here to check on him. I can't let her see him post surgery. He's got to be alert before she sees him" 

Frank nodded then said "Who knows by the time little bit gets to going good he might already be awake" "That's got to be the first bit of optimism I've ever heard from you Frank" you said with a half laugh and he shrugged "For Adi? I'll be a bit optimistic" then started to text Karen.

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

You and Frank were sitting together right outside the doors of the operating rooms fending calls and texts from everyone from Alice to Sam and everyone in between.

They'd heard one way or another and wanted to see what was going on. Alex had died in surgery. Billy tore his jugular beyond repair when he'd stabbed him and that little piece of information had given you a little peace knowing he was finally dead. He couldn't hurt no one else.

You'd just hung up with Matt and Frank with Curtis when Doctor Morales the surgeon who worked on Billy came walking out and headed towards where the two of you sat. "Are you Mr Russo's family?" 

"Yes sir. This is his fiance and I'm basically her brother" Frank answered before you had a chance so Doctor Morales nodded then went into explanation of what they'd done to Billy. "He'll be healing for a few weeks but all in all he should count his lucky stars you were there. Had you not reacted so quickly with your training he wouldn't have made it. As soon as we get him settled in a room I'll send a nurse to escort the two of you" 

You and Frank both thanked him then after he walked away Frank patted your shoulder "He's gonna be fine" you nodded then nearly whispered "I'll believe it when he wakes up" you'd seen too many cases where the doctors thought everything was fine then some unforeseen complication would occur. He had to wake up for you to feel better.

@intothesoul

@weallhaveadestiny

[honestlydarkprincess]

Fic Word Search

I was tagged again by my beloved @midnightsbuck and since they're all new words and I have like a billion wips I'm gonna do it again hehe

rules: rules: share snippets of your work containing each of the words the previous poster selected for you

my words: miss, arms, tongue, sky, home, pet, wall

Miss (from my buck mcd wip 'love letters to a dead man' that idk if I'll finish cause i was using it to work through smth)

It’s not fair. It’s not fucking fair. I miss you.

Arms (from my Eddie walks in on fwb bucktaylor)

Buck leaned against the counter, crossing his arms, unbothered by his lack of clothing. He waited for Eddie to say something, anything.

Tongue (also from my Eddie walks in on fwb bucktaylor)

“What, baby? What do you need?” Eddie presses the words into Buck’s skin, runs his tongue up the line of Buck’s throat, swallowing down Buck’s answering moan as he pulls him into another kiss.

Sky (from ??? i don't actually know, I completely forgot about this wip it was not in my buddie folder so I have no clue where it was going it's literally just named "airplane au - buddie")

The man gave Buck a small smile and a nod, making Buck’s stomach clench because wow, he had a beautiful smile. And damn, when the man started to speak, Buck realized he also had a downright sinful voice. “Hey, man. Any chance this little guy could have the window seat? It’s his first time on a plane and really wants to look out at the sky.”

Home (a Hangster wip where there's a lil misunderstanding because i'm a slut for those)

“You, shut up,” Hangman said, pointing his beer at Coyote. He turned his attention back to Rooster, who was watching him a curious and somewhat confused look on his face. “Congrats on the girl, Bradshaw. I’m sure she’s lovely but I’ll have to pass on the pictures. I just remembered I have something I forgot I needed to do at home.” And with that, Jake downed the rest of his beer, gave everyone a nod and a mock salute, and stalked out of the bar.

Pet (another Hangster wip that I will finish even if I have to pry it from my cold dead brain)

Who would have ever thought that a little bit of flirting and a simple pet name could unnerve the legendary Hangman?

Wall (from my Buck gets shot on the crane in 4x14 wip that i forgot about)

Everything was hazy. Buck was somewhat aware of being loaded into an ambulance and the blurry figures of Chim and Hen above him. They were shouting, he couldn’t hear what they were saying— their words blurred together into a wall of sound. Buck resisted the urge to shush them, everything hurt— his shoulder, his head, his clothing was dripping with blood. Why wouldn’t they be quiet? All he wanted was a few minutes of quiet.

my words for y'all are: living, sad, forgotten, and happy

no pressure tagging: @firemedicdiaz, @maygrantgf, @fleurdebeton, @timothydraake, @enbyeddiediaz <33

[stevesjockstrap]

Eddie Month day 4

prompt: rejection & lost

Since he’d cut gym class so many times last semester (and maybe last year), he’d been forced to take it again with underclassmen. Namely, Steve Harrington and his dickhead friends. 

He knew he should keep his eyes down and to himself in the locker room. He knew better. But that didn’t change how his eyes would track across the room to count the moles on the span of ribs as a polo shirt was pulled off. 

When he finally got a grip and pulled his own gym clothes on, he was the last one in the locker room. Or so he thought. 

As he went to walk out into the gym he was shoved against the brick wall. 

“I saw you looking at me, freak.”

He stared back into intense dark eyes, not sure what to say. There wasn’t much to say, he’d been caught. 

“Oh I- uh. Well-“

“You’re lucky that coach told us to stay out of trouble or we don’t play. Or you’d be dead. You better watch yourself, man.”

“Uh huh,” he nodded. Apparently that was enough because Steve walked away from him without another word. 

In some cosmic twist of bad luck, he found himself paired up with Steve. For the Presidential Fitness Test. Eddie was the only one who groaned when they were told what they were doing. Everyone looked at him and he covered his face with his hair. He wondered if he could fake a cramp or actually make himself throw up. 

“Let’s go, Munson. My grandma does better sit ups and she’s been dead for ten years.” Steve got high fives from his friends around them. 

This might be the worst day of his entire life. He’d never been more excited to hear the buzzer go off and he could switch places with Steve. Steve who easily tripled the number of countable sit ups than he had accomplished. 

He sighed as they were told to do pushups next. 

“Are you even trying, man?” Steve scoffed from above him. 

“Unfortunately yes,” he huffed. He did a few more before the buzzer went off and stood. Unsticking his sweaty hair from his neck, he glared at his annoying partner. “You know, not all of us are trying to impress anyone in stupid high school gym class. This means fuck all to our actual lives, you know that right? In twenty years it will not matter how many fucking push-ups you did. This is just to keep us compliant and prepare us for the cruel and unusual punishment that is our collective society once we graduate!”

There were some scoffs and some laughs from around the gym. Somewhere towards the end of his rant he’d lost control of his volume and gained everyone’s attention. 

“Public speaking is a different class, Munson. Get it together and get with the program.” Their gym teacher’s voice echoed across the gymnasium. 

“Your turn, hot shot,” he motioned for Steve to take his place. 

Steve ignored him and proceed to do an impressive amount of pushups. It continued this way through the rope climb, sprints and long jumps. Eddie mumbled his monologues to himself. Steve ignored him.

Eddie groaned again as they were directed to a starting line to run a mile. What he would do for a cigarette right now. 

A few minutes later, he was holding his side propped against the wall, trying to suck in breaths past the stitch in his side. For some unknown reason, being with this group of people who were actually trying to do their best had made him want to try. And now he was paying for it. For all of his big talk about nonconforming, something in him still wanted to belong. But he never could.  

Steve ran past at breakneck speed and didn’t even glance at him. Figures. Why would he care if he passed out? Still sucking in breaths, he slid down the wall and sat watching everyone finish. 

“So that’s a Did Not Complete for the mile, but that was a lot more hustle than I’ve seen from you. Keep it up, kid.”

“Perfect, thanks so much,” he saluted sarcastically as he walked past. 

He kept his head down in the locker room as he got changed.

@eddiemonth

@lighthousebeams this request turned into angst soz 🖤