#how exciting

[acrylicfem]

Isn’t it so insane that you can just change? You can be whatever you want whenever you want and sometimes this feeling corners me after I’ve lost my breath running away from it and I can’t feel anything but gratitude for the chameleon nature of the human spirit when I turn around to look at it. What exciting news this is

[matsookawa]

Title: How Exciting

Pairing: Dracule Mihawk x fem!reader

Word Count: 1,033

Summary: Mihawk's wife has some life-altering news that has him on the edge of his seat in an emergency Cross Guild meeting.

Note: This was a request.

Despite having the last fifteen years as proof that her husband would move Heaven and Earth if it meant she was happy, the fear settling into her stomach is making that knowledge difficult to hold on to. She sits at a table in the conference room, her husband on the other end. It’s silent and [Y/N] has chosen to remain expressionless. It’s a blessing and curse to have a partner who can read every minute thing your body does, but right now it’s a curse. She can feel his eyes burning into her, yet hers remain locked on a one-inch scuff next to her hand where she’s been tapping her finger for the past five minutes. It’s the only indication of her nervousness, a trait not common in the typically steadfast woman.

The man, Dracule Mihawk, opens his mouth to inquire about her behavior and why she called an emergency meeting. Before a sound comes out, the conference room doors slam open. [Y/N]’s hand slaps down on the table and Mihawk is somewhat grateful he does not have to continue enduring the endless tapping. What he is not grateful for is the clown taking a seat at the table next to his wife, while their glorified accountant with a hook-hand sits on her other side. His eyes narrow and he leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “What is this?”

[Y/N] takes a deep breath and clasps her hands on the table. Crocodile and Buggy look to her, clearly waiting for her to speak first. Mihawk immediately fears the worst. ‘Is she…. leaving me?’ His heart jumps into his throat at the thought. “I’m not leaving you, if that’s what you’re thinking.” He breathes a tiny sigh of relief. “Buggy and Croc are only here as witnesses in case of legal retaliation.”

“What are you referring to, [Y/N]?” He is utterly confused and she decides it’s best to put him out of his misery. She locks him in with a hard gaze. The one she usually reserves for foes, however he can see her clench her jaw and hesitate. “There’s a bit of a… situation. One that has the potential to change things going forward.” Crocodile and Buggy’s sights set on Mihawk. His mind is a maze with each direction leading him to a horrible conclusion as to what this all must be about. ‘She is termin-‘ “I’m not terminally ill, Dracule.” He hears the clown mumble a “How do you do that?” under his breath. Mihawk decides the best option is to wait until she’s ready. After exactly thirty-six ticks of the wall clock, [Y/N] speaks.

“I’m seven weeks pregnant.”

His breathing stops, yet he remains narrow-eyed and if [Y/N] didn’t know him so well, it would intimidate her. It’s fortunate she can hold her own against anyone, even him. “And I know you do not want children. You made that very clear. So, I’ve called this meeting to announce my resignation as a member and negotiate the division of our marital assets. Buggy and Crocodile can sign as witnesses of the decision and I’ll file this with the local court.”

Mihawk sits up straight, his brain now catching up. “You think so little of me that one off-hand comment I made fifteen years ago means that your only option when you’re with child is divorce.” It’s not a question. [Y/N] swallows hard, her confident façade beginning to fall. “You have too many responsibilities. To the Cross Guild, to Zoro-“ “[Y/N].”

His chair scrapes as he stands. He rounds the table and Buggy slides his chair out of the way to make space for Mihawk to kneel beside her. Her breaths become deep and trembling and she struggles to hold his steely gaze. “I clearly have failed as a husband if that is your belief. Have I not made my unwavering fidelity and devotion to you clear? Do you not understand that every morning before you wake is spent pondering how I got so lucky to find a partner who not only understands every facet of who I am, but doesn’t seek to change it?” She has a white-knuckle grip on the armrest of her chair and tears brim her eyes at his words. He lays a hand over hers. “[Y/N], I was not in a place all those years ago to have a child. I was young and had no ambition until you came along. We’re now two of the strongest warlords on the four seas. Between your intelligence and my strength, we can handle a child.”

Tears fall over her cheeks and a choked sob escapes her. “I just didn’t want to force you into this, Dracule.” Mihawk sighs through his nose and closes his eyes for a moment. They open once more and settle on her. “I love you, [Y/N]. I am in this just as much as you are.” The woman emits a loud cry and throws her arms around him, allowing herself to slide out of the chair. He’s able to catch her and hold her in his lap. She cries into his shirt and he looks up to his associates. “You two can leave. There is nothing to witness.”

Crocodile takes a puff of his cigar and nods towards the door. This cues Buggy to stand, the hook-handed man doing the same. “We can discuss the new arrangements in due time, Mihawk. Enjoy the pregnancy while it lasts. You’ll miss it later.” Said man is tempted to ask why Crocodile sounds particularly forlorn, but lets it go as he exits. They’re close, but not that close.

[Y/N] pulls her face away from his shoulder and wipes her face with the back of her hand. She’s finished crying, but can’t help but still feel a little daunted by the entire situation. She swallows hard and looks at him while he softly gazes at her and pushes some tear-ridden strands of hair behind her hair. “You’re sure you’re up for this? It’s going to be exhausting, unrelenting, and terrifying, Dracule.” A soft smile pulls at his lips and he holds the side of her face in his hand.

“Then it will be our most exciting adventure yet.”

Note: I have a headcanon that Buggy actually does know when to keep quiet. I've also always had this idea of Crocodile having a past lover, but their relationship ending in tragedy. Feel free to request more info or a fic on that. I write more than just Mihawk, ya know.

[azmodeusjay]

The Manager and Kitty Kayne

In my head these two both survived Kayne and they're hiding together. During Da capo Kitty Kayne was hiding in a closet or a drawer and this happened right after Manager finished talking to the audience.

Their favorite way to pass the time is to play poker together

[sexybritishllama]

i know this guy!!! sir people are very horny for you online

[f-imaginings]

Chapter 62 is up as an xmas gift for y'all! (its boxing day here but who's counting) Hope you all enjoy Ford's perspective during the events of Roadside Attraction.

[hannahssimblr]

“Can I get that for you?”

The voice startles me. It’s not directed at me until she taps my elbow, sharp and insistent.

“I can get that for you,” she repeats, already sliding a black card into the machine. The woman from earlier, with the cake. Tiny, pink-haired, pupils like saucers.

“It’s alright,” I start, but she’s moving, her drink ordered.

“You’re Jude, right?” she says. “From Berlin?”

“Yeah, I just live there. Not really from there.”

“I didn’t think you were German,” she grins, like she’s caught me out. “Nice of you to show up for Evie’s birthday.”

“Didn’t exactly show up for that,” I say, but she’s already walking, drink in hand, heading toward a table. She looks over her shoulder, a silent invitation.

I follow. “Good to know I’ve been a topic of conversation.”

She smiles. “Would have assumed you’d be used to that, to be honest.”

Don’t know what she means by it, but sit and she watches me, eyes on a tour of me, my shoulders, chest, not seeing her doing it so much as feeling it, a gaze on the side of my face while I take a drink. “You know Evie well?”

“Hm?”

“She said you’re a friend of a friend or something. I was just wondering about the connection.”

I hesitate. “Ah, well, you know. We–my family has a holiday home down in Wexford. She was down there one summer and my friends would hang out with her friends from time to time.”

“Not best friends then, I take it.”

“We wouldn’t be, no.”

“My parents have a holiday home in Kinsale,” she says, rolling her eyes as she says: “I used to absolutely hate going there. It was like, deadly boring, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“Dublin’s so fucking boring too, though. I get so sick of it, all the tourists and all, coming over here. I hope you don’t mind me saying that, since you’re obviously American or something.”

“It’s grand. My dad is American. And he’s not a tourist, given by the fact he actually lives here.”

She laughs way too loudly, considering the lukewarm humour, and rests her cheek on her hand, gazing up through her lashes. “It must be literally so satisfying to be out of this shithole city, is it? Out there in Berlin.” Rolls her eyes a bit and smiles. “The pure authenticity if it. The perfect collusion of history and hedonism… do you know what I mean? Being there was completely a healing experience for me.”

“Was it.”

“It’s raw. It doesn’t beg you to love it. Not like London, suffocating under its own self-importance. Berlin is real.”

“Hm,” I swirl my pint, the creamy head wreathing the inner glass like sea foam susurrating on the shore. “I can see why you’d say that.” Taking a sip, not sure if she’s talking about Berlin or just herself.

“Yeah, totally. I feel so at home with the artists and the thinkers, right? All the gorgeous degenerates just living to make art, not living on anyone else’s terms. I think it’s beautiful.”

“Right, yes, well. I’m really just there for an art degree. It’s not that serious for me.”

Her smile strains. “Well, I was there last summer with a couple of mates,” she’s careful with the way she says that, mates, slotting the word into her vocabulary to sound less, what? Posh. Yes. An upper-class undercurrent runs through her speech—peaks showing when her concentration lapses. “I felt like I could totally lose myself there if I wanted to. Like, we wandered from this underground rave straight into this old Turkish bakery, at like nine in the morning, completely fucked off our faces, and got chatting to the people who owned it, like, a couple who’d been there selling bread since before the wall went down. I mean, how truly real can you get?”

“Mm.” Through the masses, I peer back to the booth where Claire and Shane hang out, wishing I could astral project myself across a room. 

“Yeah, it was a mad experience, really. The party never stops. We were actually queuing for like hours to get into this club. It’s like, you have to wear black and you’re not allowed to smile, otherwise they won’t let you in. Like, no matter what time of day it is, people are always queuing, it’s just, like, that Berlin party lifestyle: It never stops. You know Berghain?”

“Yeah,” I drawl. “I know Berghain because I live in Berlin.”

She wavers, then quickly brightens again as she tells me about her queuing experience, a long story about the patrons of the club that ends with her getting turned away at the door. “Been there,” I could say, but don’t, at the risk of making her feel we are comrades of some sort. She’s on cocaine, no doubt. Talking in that unstoppable way, like Dalia and I at the afters of some party going off about the supreme court and the development of Grand Theft Auto V, voices overlapping like some demented musical counterpoint. Ending, then, miserable, with my head in her lap in full morning light, asking if she thinks my girlfriend really loves me. 

She’s onto something about her boyfriend now, I think, this little mad one. Big posh name on him. Lorcan, or something, was it? 

“...Honestly, people misunderstand it. They’re scared of real vulnerability, I think. Monogamy is a totally outdated concept…”

“Cool. What if I actually don’t want my girlfriend kind of, you know, fucking other men and things like that?” 

“Polyamory’s about a higher level of connection,” she says, eyes wild, vaguely shark-like, actually. “It’s unlearning all that shit we’re taught about ownership and possession. Is your girlfriend your property? If you can shed that jealousy, you’re free.”

I shift in my seat. “Alright, yeah, that’s cool. I’m just not down for it.”

“You should meet Ferdia after the party. He’s obsessed with Shibari—rope bondage. He could show you, if you’re into that kind of thing.” She drapes her arm over the chair, her knee brushing mine. “He’s all about freedom. Not restriction, you know? People leave his place changed. It’s... profound.”

I let the silence stagnate for a moment. “Mm. Yeah. Not my thing, really,” and pull my chair away to carve out more distance, but she follows, hand sliding across my thigh, lips now, coming close to my ear where her breath tickles. “Did you ever want to be tied up?” 

My skin crawls, a tingling sensation down the backs of my hands as I stand, picking her hand off me like dead trout. I watch her face collapse with a feeling of cruel satisfaction. Looking down at her then, like, who are you? What the fuck was that about? “What do you expect me to say to that?”

She falters, and I walk away, three quarters of my pint sloshing about on the shuddering table, then think about her as I walk to the bathroom. The kind of girl who epitomises NCAD—micro-fringes and all. Unsettling energy about her. Floating around Evie, no doubt, some girl that thinks she’s smart, hovering around someone who really is. 

Blue light in the bathroom, like walking into a fish tank. Typical men’s bathroom, wet floor, dense smell of piss. There’s another guy there, crouched by the sinks. Hair bleached a brassy yellow, sticking up in clumps. His hands tremble with a baggie. I use the toilet, wash my hands, stare at my face in the mirror, stoic, eyes dark and tired from work, cheeks hollower than they used to be, but this guy is in some animalistic state, his reflection alongside mine, on opposite sides of some invisible divide.

Pupils blown out, glazed, brittle and frantic, he tries to do a line from the wall mirror. White powder slips and bursts onto the damp countertop. He laughs to himself, swaying. Which way is he? Feet on the walls, the mirror is the table and the room warps around him like a funhouse. “Shit, man, shit,” he mutters. Heavy accent. Proper Northside. 

I shake the water from my hands, droplets on the mirror. “Y’alright, man?”

“Uhh,” he manages, scraping a pool of dissolved cocaine onto his finger. He rubs it right into his gums as I recoil inwardly. He straightens, then, hands finding the baggie by the sink, empty, and I grimace as he tears it open and licks the residue from the inside. 

I can’t help but scrunch my face. There’s no paper towels left in the dispenser. I get toilet paper from a stall, which quickly disintegrates in my hands. “Maybe you should lie down or something. You got that taxi app?” 

“I got this stuff,” he slurs, finding another baggie in one of his pockets. “It’s good, yeah? If you need anything. A little help with the night.” He lurches and catches himself on the rim of the sink. 

“What’s it going for these days?”

“Seventy bag, man.”

“Rip off.”

“It’s the good stuff.”

“I doubt it.”

He shrugs, fingers going back to the mirror, touching his own reflection, hands coming together like some twisted vision of the Sistine Chapel fresco, a finger reaching not toward God, but toward cocaine residue in a dirty bar bathroom. 

He twists, then. Abrupt, kind of inhuman gesture, like a video game zombie, and moves towards the door. “Don’t mind me,” he says, brushing past. “I’m just living my best life, yeah?”

“Yeah, cool man.”

The door swings behind him, and I stand for a moment, the wet toilet tissue balled in my hands. I glance back at my face. I’ve been the corpse-like face in the mirror, too. Looking at yourself, reflection like a stranger. I couldn’t face it sometimes. My eyes are tired now, but at least I look alive.

I toss the tissue into the bin and step back into the bar, the thrum of music pulling me in like it never stopped.

Beginning // Prev // Next

Corresponding LG Chapter

[theblackparadecomic]

CHAPTER TWO: THE SHARPEST LIVES | PAGES 130-135

[gyllenhaal-j]

Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington promo for Othello (runs on Broadway through June 8, 2025).

📸 by Annie Leibovitz (credit to Vogue)

[unholyfruitbat]

Oh yeah, and a unicorn.

[eulaliasims]

Round 5, Salter 5 / 5

I know, Brigid, it's so sexy when he does the bare minimum.

Glamaer is still doggedly trying to befriend Angus, though Angus doesn't always make it easy. He's nice enough when you do get him talking, but he can be a bit argumentative (gee, I wonder who he got that from); he's very set in his opinions. Discussing their apprenticeships/work is a safe bet, though.

Anyway, who knows, in a few years they might be brothers-by-law! Although, again, who knows with Gytha.

The business is doing so well that Wulfric completely sells out of fish. They fly off the shelves faster than Wulfric and Glamaer can fish them up (it might help if Wulfric actually fished more than once every three days).

Glamaer has a rare day off from the shop and opts to spend it with Enna.

Enna: Glam, I'm going to tell you something, and I'd like it if you just consider it.

Glamaer: Um... okay?

Enna: You don't like your father very much, or Brigid for that matter, correct?

Glamaer: He's... fine. I mean, I do like them better when they're not here...

Enna: And I've noticed you do a lot of the work at the shop and here.

Glamaer: Da does the sales and the Evervale market, so it just makes sense.

Enna: You do most of the fishing, and you know how to make the salt. I think you could strike out on your own, start your own business, and do very well.

Glamaer: You mean without Da?

Enna: Competing with him, even.

Glamaer: I couldn't do that to him! He's my father! He's the one who taught me all of this anyway, I owe it to him.

Enna: *sigh* Just consider it, alright?

Glamaer: Fine. But I really don't think I could do that. Surely Veridia's not big enough for two fishmongers anyway.

[sugurouge]

🏓 today i am here to ask you about calcharo 🌝 however i am asking you to dump your lore because i want to know all of it (i played wuwa for 2 weeks and have no idea where to start with more specific questions)

aeris . . . what if i say this ask makes me incredibly happy because i might implode with my calcharo thoughts? there's a decent bit of lore already, so please, buckle up 😩🤭

we begin our dynamic as something exclusively transactional. being an oracle, i offer insights nobody else can provide. he first comes to me seeking information—missions, enemy movements, predictions on what the future holds. he doesn’t believe in fate, doesn’t trust people, and certainly doesn’t put his money on cryptic wisdom. but i tell him what he needs to hear: straight to the point, unemotional, always one step ahead. what infuriates him is how correct i always am >:D

while at first he came to me in disbelief (someone else recommended me to him) he grows to truly appreciate my info and how it can prevent unnecessary loss on his side

one visit turns into another, then another... time passes and calcharo keeps coming back. at first, it's always only for missions

since i never pry into anyone's business (i've learnt a long time ago that i don't want to know people's answers and their secrets) he sort of enjoys my company and how reliable i am. on top of that do i offer him some banging tea and cookies instead of questions and pressure

we don't talk about personal things, not directly. but between the lines of our conversations there is a quiet understanding. a careful, fragile trust, perhaps

i have already seen the things that haunt him, so i never force him to talk, yet i do allow him to stop by when he feels like escaping. a place where he is not needed but simply allowed to be

calcharo's walls are built from years of betrayal and loss, so while he can be kind to strangers, he doesn't let people in because he knows how easily they can disappear. though i kind of prove that i could be a constant. a fixed point in his world

neither of us realise when we start falling for another. but suddenly we are on another's minds. suddenly i'm worried about him during his missions, suddenly he yearns for my tea and presence. his feet take him to me without purpose, simply because he doesn't want to be anywhere else :>

he tries to fight it at first, doesn't want to truly let someone new in and puts distance between us, uses sharp words meant to push me away just to see if i would stay. but i'm not really that emotional of a person and i see through him a little too effortlessly and let him run off, let him hide. i have lived years on my own, i won't succumb because of a scared man no matter if i like him ... and slowly, like a scared cat, he comes around again

our eventual relationship is never about grand gestures. there is no dramatic confession. it’s in the little things like truly paying attention to another's words and gestures. how i always leave a space for him, even if he never says he'll return for example. we are not a verbal couple, we prove it through actions. the first time he lets his guard down is when he shows up, injured and exhausted, and allows me to tend to his wounds. the fact that he actively seeked me out instead of staying with his ghost hounds is quite a telling gesture. it's also rather exhilarating to be looking after him and to be able to touch him skdak 😏

neither of us ever fully confesses. we won't say "i love you" until way into our relationship... instead there is just the morning after his sudden visit when we wake up in another's arms and his eyes convey all the gratefulness his mouth won't speak ahhhh

in that understanding, we find something neither of us expected—a bond that does not break. we both learn to open up, to trust, to desire, to be greedy with another and he's KDJSAKLdak HES VERY GOOD AT BEING POSSESSIVE ILL TELL YOU THAT

through my bond with calcharo, i find myself less of an outsider / observer and more dragged into the conflicts of the world. do i like it? not very much :s

[velarisdusk]

velarisdusk coming to you from the european continent for the very first time >:) it’s like 7am est but i’m gonna post WOI7 anyway bc layover and im impatient

[darling-heffron]

Hello everyone! Lovely to see you all, hope the first month of the year is treating you well. I already exhausted lmao, so excited for the rest of the year. Also I'm back on track posting on a Saturday, no need for applause, I know I'm pretty great! Hope you all enjoy the next instalment of Momento Mori!!

Esra✨

Taglist: @malarkgirlypop , @mellow-human , @next-autopsy if anyone else wants to be added, please let us know!!

Chapter Twelve: The More the Merrier

Sam’s POV: 

Somehow the lone party of one was now eight. Sam was fine travelling all by herself but the trouble seemed to have started once the friendly, all loving, all inclusive Mars arrived. 

The group Mars first introduced her to seemed to be fine, she was more than capable of handling them. The men were mild mannered country boys who were respectful of Sam’s space and lack of communication skills. 

She would’ve gone as far to say she had befriended the younger man, Shifty. Sam never felt uncomfortable around him and his knowledge of hunting and wildlife fascinated her. 

However the newest group of Perco, Luz and Martin were a completely different story. 

Luz and Mars were scarily alike. They had the same sense of humour, the same loud demeanour and the same endless energy. 

And when Perco, Mars, and Luz were together, it was nightmare fuel, they were loud, rambunctious, idiots together. Seemingly forgetting the world they now resided in. 

Martin seemed to be more reserved but when Perco and Luz wound him up enough he would also join in on the fun. 

It wasn’t all bad though, seeing them get along so well while the world was falling apart seemed to lift the group's spirits. And having eight people in the group was actually pretty beneficial, although Sam would never admit that. 

Eight pairs of eyes and eight pairs of hands went a long way when scouting, looting and looking for danger. 

“Luz!” The younger girl squealed when George ran up behind her and poked her in her sides. The man laughed loudly at the blonde girl’s reaction. 

“They seemed to be enjoying themselves.” Shifty commented from beside Sam, who rolled her eyes. They had been going on like this ever since they had met two days ago. 

“Guys!” The older woman scolded the pair as they gave sheepish ‘sorry’s’ before elbowing each other in blame. 

“Ah, go easy on them. They’re just having fun.” Bull clapped his large hand over Sam’s shoulder. But still she wasn’t impressed. 

“Yeah, so much fun. And then someone falls over and we’re all doomed.” Bull chuckled at the blonde woman’s stubborn tone. Denver liked the girl, she was strong and dependable, she also looked after the younger girl with great care, even though she pretended she didn’t. 

That seemed to be her MO, harsh and cold on the outside but with enough of a push she was kind and generous. 

“How did we end up with two Marleen’s?” Sam massaged the lines from her forehead. 

“You mean two George’s?” Martin joined the small group that hung back from the mischievous trio. 

“Either way, they’re an accident waiting to happen.” Lip confirmed with a sharp nod of his head. The older group laughed amongst themselves.  

—----------------------------------------

The group of eight had been walking for a day or two. They had enough supplies to last them a few more days in the forest and then they would need to venture out to another town to restock. But it was becoming harder to do with more mouths to feed, and hungry ones at that. 

“Lights fading, I think we got an hour left of sun before it sets.” Shifty glanced up to the sky as he measured the time with his hand. “We should make camp.”  

The rest of the group came to a halt dropping their heavy bags to the ground in relief. 

“My shoulders.” Perco whined as he massaged his sore limbs with his palm. 

“Get my back, I’ll get yours.” Luz jumped in front of the man. They both held each other’s shoulders whilst maintaining odd eye contact. They grunted, it was hard to tell if it was in pleasure or pain. But the sight made Sam uncomfortable. 

Turning away she set up the tent as Mars hunted for wood. The shorter blonde cutely tagged along behind Bull, chatting excitedly as she went, seemingly forgetting her task and then every now and then she would remember and bend down to pick up a random stick. 

Soon the fire was roaring and everyone sat around it with mildly full bellies, food was getting more scarce by the day. 

Everyone was sharing stories over the campfire. It had become an odd ritual they all fell into. 

Each member would share an account from their past, or a ghost tale, something to pass the time. Sam had always shared made up or scary stories, she had heard from others but never divulged into her own past. The rest of the group loved sharing history about their families and their lives beforehand. It was an odd way to get to know each other. 

“Rumour has it the disease came from water.” Perco reported from across the fire. 

Mars at that exact moment was halfway through her sip. Her eyes widened in panic, the young girl trapped the water in her mouth, stopping it from going any further down her throat. 

She was just about to chuck her full water bottle across the space and project the water she had stored in her mouth out, when Sam’s hand landed on her knee before she could do anything. 

Mouth ballooned with water Marleen turned to look at Sam who shook her head. 

“Bambi, we’ve been drinking this water for days. I’m sure if it was tainted we would be mindless rabids by now.” The tall girl reassured her petite counterpart.

The young girl swallowed the liquid that she still had in her mouth, wiping the sides of her lips from any of the water that had escaped during that time. 

“Right.” Mars agreed with Sam as she nodded her head. 

“Yeah, no it’s not from bottled water. Word has it they did an experiment on a small rural town and put whatever chemicals they were using into the town's water source. And then they shut down their mains pretty quickly after it… got out of hand.” Perco shivered at the thought. 

“It would only be their water supply that would have been contaminated.” Sam reassured the still tense looking Mars. 

“Do you know where the town was?” Sam enquired further, but Perco shook his head. 

“Nah, it’s only rumours I’ve heard in passing, so I have no idea if it’s true or not.” The group collectively sighed. They were completely isolated from the current events, but it appeared everyone was. With no means of communication there was no way for anyone to truly know what was happening in the world. They could only go from word of mouth. 

“Wish my phone still worked.” The young blonde sighed. She was desperate to know how her family was fearing in this hard time. Mars wanted to let them know she was safe for the moment and to hold on for her return. 

“You know my Dad called me every day.” The young blonde flashed her bright smile. Before it fell from her face and a heavy sigh left her lips, Sam quickly wrapped her arm around the young girl pulling her closer. The older girl gave a reassuring squeeze before someone else picked up the conversation that Mars had started. 

“You alright, Bam?” Sam whispered down as the rest of the men talked amongst themselves. The younger girl already had tears forming in her eyes but that didn't stop her from nodding and giving Sam a tight lipped smile. 

“What did he do?” The older woman prompted, seeing a hint of confusion on Marleen’s face, she explained, “Your dad, what did he do?” 

“Oh!” The tears were forgotten and Mars’ eyes lit up with a sparkle of purpose, “He owned a hardware store- two actually. He was trying to turn it into a franchise. He looked after the first one in Adair- that’s where we grew up.  And Rowan went to business school so he could run the other one, it was one town over in Bushnell but still close enough to come over every Sunday for dinner.” 

Samantha let a small smile creep onto her face as she watched the girl's demeanour change. Mars went on about her weekly family gatherings and how she would get to spend time with her niece and nephew. 

She explained how her mother moved to America from Spain when she fell in love with Desmond; her father. And how her Mum used to be a school teacher but retired and helped her dad with the garden section of their shop. 

“He’s alive. They all are, I just know it!” 

“Bam…” Sam’s smile had dropped, she didn’t want her friend to be filled with false hope. The likelihood that all of her family were alive was low. 

“Yeah?” Marleen’s big wide eyes looked up at Sam. She faltered, pausing slightly, she looked to her side and made eye contact with the nearest male member of the group; Lipton. 

The men had gone quiet while Marleen spoke of her kin and he had obviously been listening in, so when he heard Mars’ declaration and Sam’s hesitance, he looked up. 

The look on Sam’s face must have been a questioning one as Lipton answered with a small shake of his head. 

The older blonde was torn between being honest and probably hurting Marleen’s feelings or letting her have a moment of good. 

“I’m-“ She started, but the childlike look in the shorter girls eyes had softened her, “I’m sure you’re right.” 

———————

Leaving the forest had many pros and cons. 

The biggest pro: Going into towns or houses and finding supplies. The biggest con: Being out in the open where there is more chance of running into humans or rabids. 

But it was necessary, venturing into the nearby town of West Hickory was the group of eight’s big plan for the next few days. What could go wrong in only a day or two?

Sam was walking near the front next to Shifty, the pair navigating the group out of the forest and towards the township. Lip, Bull and Martin followed the leading duo side by side by side. 

As usual, the troublesome trio were lagging behind and goofing off. Luz was teaching the other two some aimless game and once they got the hang of it, there was no stopping them. Giggles and laughs echoed through the otherwise silent team. 

A scream rippled from the back of the group, causing everyone to pause their movements in shock. All heads whipped around to find the reason for the unexpected disruption. 

It wasn’t a noise you wanted to hear in the middle of the apocalypse. The group rushed back to find the owner of the scream. 

George and Mars stood, seemingly crowding around the other person who was on the floor. Perco lay on the ground groaning in pain. 

“What happened?” Sam pushed her way in between Luz and Marleen. The young girl stood with her hands clasped over her mouth and a worried look on her face, Luz wore the same expression. 

“We were just goofing around and Frank slipped.” Mars finally released her mouth from her grasp so that she could talk. 

“Oh shit, I hope it isn’t bad.” George cringed looking down at his friend writhing in pain on the floor. 

“Where are you hurt?” Lip asked as he knelt down by the man. 

“My-” Perco started and then stopped again. The group that surrounded the man collectively lent in so that they could hear him. 

“Your what?” Martin prompted the man.

“Uh-my…” But Frank refused to finish the sentence. 

“My god man, spit it out!” Sam urged, she needed to know now whether or not she needed to put him out of his misery.

“MY ASS!” Perco yelped.

Everyone fell silent processing what the man had just said. There was a beat before the whole group was in hysterics. The short man seemed less than impressed. 

“Oh yeah, laugh it up guys, real funny, ha ha. I fell over and hurt my ass, ok! It’s an actual problem!” Frank replied grumpily, but the group couldn’t hear him over their shared laughter.   

“Oh damn, man that’s terrible.” Luz tried to comfort the man but he couldn’t get his shit together enough to string a coherent sentence. 

“You’re all fucking children, you know!” Perco reprimanded his friends who laughed right in his face. 

“That was your greatest asset.” Luz elbowed Martin who about doubled over at his stupid pun. 

“To ease the pain in your butt I’ll grab you some ass-prin.” The man couldn’t help himself. 

“I mean I’d make a joke about your rear, butt it’s too cheeky.” George doubled over in hysterics but the rest of the group's own laughter had died down, they all watched the man laugh far too hard at his own joke. 

“Get it, rear!” But no one seemed to be in on his hilarious banter. “Oh come on, that was the best one!” Luz pouted, but his peers focussed their attention back onto the man who still lay on the ground. 

“You’re gonna have to show us the damage.” Bull told Frank, who clutched his ass with both of his hands. 

“No.” Perco shook his head. “That’s not necessary, see.” The man struggled to get to his feet only making it halfway up before cursing in pain and crumpling back to the floor. 

“Fine.” Perco admitted defeat. “But the girl’s can’t see.” 

All eyes fell on the two women who watched the man in concern. An aww fell from the younger’s lips, while the older shrugged. 

“I didn’t particularly want to see your ass, Frank.” Sam grabbed the shorter girl by her shoulders and manoeuvred her away from the men. 

The pair sat far enough away that they couldn't see what was happening but they could still hear it. Frank cursed wildly as the rest of the guys discussed their game plan. 

It took an hour for the group to sort out his wound, they had little in the way of medical supplies. Bandages and a few steri-strips, they had nothing but water to clean the wound. From the sound of things it was a big injury. 

“God, now there’s blood all over my pants. Thanks Lip!” Frank called in disgust. 

“Well it’s your ass that won’t stop gushing, Perco!” The men continued to bicker between themselves. 

Finally they had the wound semi-covered and had stopped the bleeding for the time being. Frank clutched onto the neck of Bull as he piggy backed him. 

“Ladies, we're gonna need to find somewhere with medical supplies. I’m worried that it will get infected if we don’t stitch it up.” Martin informed the girls who were sitting on a nearby log waiting for everyone to be done. 

“Next town is only a few miles away. We can get there by nightfall and stake it out from there.” Sam stood from her position with Mars jumping up by her side not long after. “Shifty and I can go ahead and make sure the path is clear, so we don’t have to worry about any more accidents.” Martin gave a curt nod before he called over his shoulder for the men to get ready to move out. 

The group moved slowly, Bull carrying Frank on his back and the rest of the men carrying his belongings since he couldn’t do it himself. 

“Shifty!” Sam called, turning around as she walked, he had dipped out of sight just before she turned to look for him. The girl went against her own rules and continued searching for the man as she travelled not facing the way she was going. 

The woman met a solid wall. This is why she always followed her own rules. Sam turned examining the hard object she had collided with. 

Her eyes widened as her gaze trailed up the structure. Though it wasn’t a structure, it was a man. Sam whipped her gun from her hip and pointed it directly between the eyes of the person who cockily glanced down at her. 

“Who the fuck are you?” The words growled from her throat. She was good at menacing. 

“I like a woman who can use her words.” Somehow the man’s smile grew even more smug. His hand came up to Sam’s face, his fingers so close to her cheek. She resisted the urge to shoot him right at the moment. 

“Don’t touch me.” The blonde woman warned the stranger. 

“You walked into me, Dollface.” Something about the way the pet name rolled off his tongue made her shiver. She didn’t like the unknown feeling that washed over her skin.  

“Don’t call me Dollface, you creep. I will use this.” She gestured to the weapon she clutched tightly. Yet he didn’t flinch, his smile grew wider as his eyebrows raised. 

“Feisty.” The tall man leaned forward ever so slightly, as if he was testing whether or not she was bluffing. 

“Lieb.” A stern voice came from behind the man. At the same time the rest of the group finally found their way to Sam. They stopped short behind her assessing the show down she had found herself in. 

Shifty fell into stance beside her, his own weapon raised.   

A man came into view, tall with jet black hair and stubble across his chin. 

“Ah, the boss is calling. Nice talk, sweetheart.” The man reached forward to tap his fingers under Sam’s chin, but stopped when Shifty’s gun turned to him. 

The stranger threw his arms up in mock surrender before he sent a wink to Sam, then turned and walked away. 

“Sorry about him, he doesn’t listen to simple commands.” The end of the statement seemed to be aimed towards the man as he walked back to the older looking gentlemen. 

“You can lower your weapons, we aren’t here to fight you.” But Sam didn’t budge. “You’re right. I‘ve given you no reason to trust me.” The man spoke to the tall blonde, a smile grew on hip lips. 

“Speirs.” The man gestured at himself. “You met Liebgott, I have two other men with me.”

And just like that two guys appeared from the bushes. It made Sam’s stomach turn, if something was to go wrong with the first interaction those men were lying in wait. She narrowed her eyes at the group of four.   

“Tipper and Grant.” Speirs introduced his men. 

“You can be on your way then.” Sam spoke harshly. They had picked up enough strays, she also wasn’t going to look behind her for the group vote, this was her decision. 

“I think we found you just in time.” Lieb said arrogantly, “Looks like you have a casualty.” He gestured his head back at Perco who still clung onto Bull’s back. 

“Why would you offer us help, we haven’t given you anything.” Shifty now spoke from her side. Sam was glad she wasn’t the only one who found this situation fishy. 

“You can offer us something.” Speirs replied. Sam’s eyes narrowed even further. 

“Sam.” Martin called from behind her. “Perco isn’t looking too good. We need their help.” 

The tall blonde ground her teeth together. There was no way she was asking for help from these men. 

“Samantha.” Bull’s voice was stern, the girl still hadn’t lowered her gun.  

“Fine.” The older girl huffed and finally relented, flicking the safety back on and statshing her weapon on her hip. 

“How can we help?”

HEHEHEHEHE ok so let me know all your thoughts, do we like the introduction? More BOB men you're welcome! Poor Perco and his pesky ass wound, classic BOB men if I do say so myself! AHHHHHH I'm so excited for the next chapter! Love you guys!

Esra✨

[map-identifier]

im sorry people were being mean about map providing map identifier </3

i am a nerd and i do actually know where this came from however i will still give you it so you can have your fun!

enjoy!

This ones tough. I know its a Spanish map of Mexico and it's surrounding area. I also think its from somewhere in the 1500-1600 but I can't pin point it further then that. This was stuck in my brain for a while! What can you tell me about it?

[cursedbycain]

Every day I get closer and closer to rewriting HSR season 1 to add Yan in

[liones-s]

each year after you turn 25 a puffy little gnome shows up and gifts you one new allergen