bobibobimmm

[bobibobimmm]

i almost got blown away by the storm yesterday, it was really scary, the same fear as being in the middle of typhoon yagi last year…

now is wipha, and yesterday was just the beginning, it hadn't even reached the mainland but the wind was already at a terrible level equal to yagi.

[bobibobimmm]

no glasses version.

sjse — silly puppy and his silver snake 🐾

[bobibobimmm]

Welp, apparently the only thing my artbock allows me to draw is her, so...

[bobibobimmm]

Pen Pal IV

Valeria breaks out of prison and holds you to your word that friends have each other's backs.

AO3 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 w.c- 2,557

Tags/Warnings- Inmate!Valeria, Friendship, Implied Developing Feelings, Open Ending, Prison, Post-Modern Warfare II, Fluff, Murder, Prison Escape, Slice of Life

There's a shift in the atmosphere. A change in the air pressure. You've been edgy since you came home early from work a few days ago, and Valeria noticed immediately. It makes her boil with curiosity and suspicion. You were approached by a man a few days ago as well. Did he approach you again? She's left stewing over the possibility of you throwing her under the bus. Any moment now the door could be kicked open by a squad of soldiers.

This stress isn't good for the soul. To ease her mind, she decides she'll talk to you. She waits on the couch patiently until she hears the quiet sound of your bedroom door opening. She tracks your movements as you enter the kitchen and grab a glass from the cupboards. Silently, she gets off the couch and stalks in after you. She looms in the entryway behind you. Watching.

You don't even realize she's there until you turn around and jump.

"Valeria!" You cough, some of the water you drank spills out your lips and you quickly wipe your mouth. 

"What's wrong with you?" She asks bluntly. Her annoyance deepens when you furrow your brows at her. Like you couldn't possibly know what she's referring to.

"Nothing's wrong with me." You reply. You set down your glass and lean against the sink. Valeria steps forward.

You sound offended, but not guilty. It makes her feel a little more comfortable. 

"You've been different these last couple of days." She states, narrowing her gaze at you thoughtfully. The dark circles under your eyes have grown darker, she notices.

"Oh." You reply. "No, I'm fine. I've just been stressed about this... whole thing." You gesture at the space between you and her vaguely.

"Why?" She frowns. She thought everything was fine. You had been happy enough to be in her company. Is her novelty wearing off? Displeasure washes over her. Do you not like her anymore? "I told you I have everything under control. Do you not trust me now?" Instinctively, she steps closer again. Crowding you.

You try to inch to the side but she's not having that. She angrily slams down her hands on either side of you, trapping you right there and startling you. You don't get to act weird then run off when she tries talking to you like an adult. Your inability to communicate with her angers her, but deep down, she's also a little hurt by the idea that you don't trust her, and that angers her too.

"I know!" You say loudly. You look at her so unhappily that it makes her feel weird. "But if we're caught, my life will be over."

"What life? You work at a grocery store and rarely leave the house." She snaps back, frustrated. Her disappointment is making her mean.

She actually feels a little bad at the wounded look in your eyes. You struggle for a reply but come up with nothing. Regretfully, Valeria steps back. You grab your glass and brush past her without another word, retreating back to the safety of your room. Valeria feels something unfamiliar. It makes her skin crawl. She's not wrong though. You don't have much of a life. So why does she feel bad for saying as much?

She'd like to go to your room to talk out this problem. Fix it before it festers and backfires on her. But she has to meet with Diego to discuss her plans regarding Los Vaqueros and seizing back control over Las Almas. She pats her back pocket to make she her pay-as-you-go phone is still there and stuffs her feet into her shoes. She snatches a hat and pulls it low over her face then opens the door, stepping back out into the world.

Valeria was used to walking down the street unashamedly. Her head held high and her stride purposeful. Like the very sun had risen that day just for her. Now she's reduced to a slow, unassuming gait and lowered eyes to hide her identity. Nobody prior to her arrest knew she was El Sin Nombre, but they instinctively avoided her. Now they shoulder check her and tell her to watch where she's going. Her teeth grind. Oh, how she's fallen.

The longer she walks the more she misses having a car. Ten minutes in and she's already drenched with sweat and limping under the heavy weight of the sun's heat. She silently prays for a breeze but whatever or whoever is in charge of answering isn't listening today.

Thirty minutes later Valeria is waiting just a few feet off of a local hiking trail. She's hot, sweating, and lightheaded. Her usually short temper has burned away to nothing, and she is pissed that Diego isn't here yet. He's only late by five minutes but that's five minutes longer that she has to stand here in the heat when she could be back in your home. With the sweet relief of the AC. With you.

Another pang of something flashes through her at the thought of you. There and gone. It's a frustrating, weak feeling. It's like regret's cousin. Not at all as pleasant as the feeling of mutual friendship. Or the other thing that's slowly growing the longer she spends with you. Twigs and fallen leaves crunch and Valeria's heart lurches. Her body jerks with the intent to dart into the thick foliage but she keeps herself rooted. It's probably Deigo and she can't have him thinking she's a coward.

The broad man pushes his way through a tall bush. sunlight dappling through the leaves above shine and glint off his smooth head.

"You're late." Valeria barks. She crosses her arms over her chest. He knows how she feels about punctuality.

"Yes. I know. Sorry." He tells her. "They made it past the border. It should be here by nightfall." Finally, some better news.

In order to resume dominance over her town, Valeria will need to declare war. And since all her weapons had been confiscated after her arrest, she was in need of new ones. Finding a down-low arms-dealer is annoying. And negotiating a deal and actually getting firearms and handhelds is even more annoying. With those things done and over with, she allows her body to finally relax.

"Good." She says ungraciously. "Round up everyone left and split them into two groups." Memories of her days in the Special Forces rise up once more. Such a terrible experience still influencing how she does things in present day. You can never escape the past. "You lead one, I'll lead the other. I don't want any Vaqueros left when we're done."

"Yes, jefe." Deigo replies obediently. 

"Good." she narrows her gaze. "Get that organized. Next time we meet we'll discuss where we'll be targeting and when."

Diego nods. When it's clear she has nothing else to say to him, he turns and starts walking back towards the main path.

"Oh, and Diego?" She calls out. He stops and turns his head, looking at her. "I don't want anyone going after Alejandro." She says. Just saying his name fills her with unbridled resentment. "He's mine."

The great, unkillable Alejandro will die by her hand. All those years of sitting in his shadow, of dealing with his arrogance, the satisfaction of watching him realize she has gotten the better of him will never be enough. But it will do. With him and his little Vaqueros gone, glory will be fully restored. Las Almas will be hers. She's let them run around unchecked for too long.

You're still in your bedroom when Valeria gets back. She's a little relieved. When she takes off the hat her black hair is matted and damp. Loose strands stick to her quickly cooling, sweat slick face. Only a few more weeks of this. She silently says to herself. It's been her mantra since she was imprisoned. Just a little while until she escapes. Just a little while until she can stop sneaking around. Just a little while until she can go home. It's the only thing that's keeping her from acting rashly.

She still needs to talk to you. You're obviously still offended over what she said. But she won't talk to you in her disheveled state. She heads into the bathroom after grabbing a fresh towel and peels off her clothes. The cold shock of the shower spray is refreshing and washes off the lingering heat fatigue.

She keeps her shower quick. Hopping out after five minutes and throwing on the spare change of clothes she got from under the sink. She quickly untangles the knots in her hair with her fingers and leaves it wet. It can air dry on its own.

She steps out of the bathroom and hesitates in front of your closed bedroom door. She listens for any movement inside and hears the quiet murmuring of a video, presumably playing from your laptop. She raises her fist and knocks firmly. The video stops and a second later your muffled voice calls to come in.

She enters and looks around. She's seen your room once. When she crawled in through your window weeks ago. But it's different in the light of day. Your bedsheets are ruffled, and you have a few articles of clothing lying around.  You're sitting on your bed looking at her. She doesn't like your detached, polite expression.

"Yes?" You speak.

"You were upset by what I said." She says, getting straight to the point. There's no need to dance around the subject.

"... Well, it was rude, so yes, I'm upset." You reply. Your brows tick down. Valeria resists the urge to defend herself. What she said was true. But she knows doubling down won't fix anything. It would make it worse.

"It was rude." She agrees. "And I shouldn't have said that. I was just frustrated." She thinks that should suffice as an apology.

"It's fine." You say. But you don't look fine. Valeria stifles an annoyed sigh.

"I came in here to talk to you, to work this out, but it's not going to work if you just pretend it's fine when you're really building up resentment." 

You look at her and raise your hand to pick at your lips, brows furrowed in thought.

"Okay." You say finally. "I don't have friends or go anywhere. And that's something that upsets me. So when you - someone I consider a friend, someone that I've opened my home to - throws my struggles in my face like that, it really hurts." 

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Valeria responds. Frowning at you.

"What did you mean then? Because I don't see how you could've said that without hurting me." You say flatly.

She did mean to hurt you. But she doesn't see the big deal. She's hard to get along with, she's short tempered. She will hurt the people around her just as the sun will rise every morning.

"Okay."

You stare at her. "Okay... well, are you going to do that again?"

"Probably."

"Well don't." You say sternly. She's a little surprised by your firmness. And a little pleased that you seem to be developing a backbone of sorts.

Valeria nods. Assuming you'll leave it at that. But you look at her expectantly and she doesn't know what you want.

"Say it, say you'll be more considerate of my feelings." 

Your demand annoys her. But she needs you at the moment. And if she's being honest, even after she takes back Las Almas, she'd like to keep you around. 

"Okay," She sighs. "I'll be more considerate."

"Thank you." You relax. Valeria knows you're still feeling troubled though.

"I'll be gone soon, everything is getting sorted. I can promise you with full confidence that you'll be fine." She reassures you.

She had assumed that the news would cheer you up but to her confusion, you seem to deflate a little.

"Good. I'll be glad to have you out of my hair." You say, smiling teasingly at her. But under your lighthearted amusement, is cold disappointment. She doesn't understand what you want. You complain about one thing but when she finds a solution it's not good enough for you. 

Later that night you went back out to get the remainder of the groceries. Valeria waited your return impatiently. Apart from when you and Valeria watch things together on your laptop, there's not really much to do. Your choice of literature doesn't suit her tastes or satisfy the itch for entertainment. She really wishes you had a TV.  

She's so bored that she's taken some lined paper and a pen and has resorted to doodling. This must be what pets feel like when their owners are away at work. Her day of reckoning can't get here any faster. But she cannot rush this, or she'll lose everything.

It's an hour and a half later when the locks turn and you step inside, carrying four bags. Like last time, there's a nervous expression plastered all over your face. She hopes you never get into gambling because you wear your feelings on your sleave.

"What happened?" She asks, sitting up from the couch. You walk into the kitchen and start putting away the groceries. 

"That man was back." You reply. "He tried talking to me again. I think he's suspicious of me."

"You don't need to worry about the police, I already told you." She says, coming to stand beside you.

"He's not police. He's military." You shake your head. You push the bread into the cupboard and throw the brown bags into the garbage.

"You don't need to worry about the military either." She tells you. You give a bewildered look. 

"That's like telling me not to be afraid of death. Cops are one thing, but the military are an entirely different ballpark." 

Something had been eating away at the back of her mind. This man is persistent, enough to bother you  whenever he sees you it seems.

"Did he say his name?" She asks.

"Yeah, Alejandro. Why?" 

Alejandro.

She stiffens and scowls. He can't ever leave her alone or have one thing that's just hers. He always has to insert himself into her business. She wouldn't be surprised if he found out the two of your friends, just for him to try and befriend you as well. He'd probably try to one up her and date you. Pure hatred shoots through her at the thought. You step back.

"Valeria?" Your voice breaks her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" She responds, forcing her tone to be level.

"Do you know him?" You ask.

"Something like that. We served together." She replies bitterly, not bothering to hide her displeasure. 

She can see the curiosity burning on your face. You want to know why she feels so vitriolic about him. But Valeria doesn't see that as something you need to know. She's still not completely comfortable with revealing certain parts of herself. Still, she feels a sudden urge to soothe you. She places a hand on your upper arm and squeezes gently.

"I have a lot more power than you think, I can keep you safe." She says quietly. You feel stiff under her touch, and you don't meet her eye. Slowly, her hand falls. She doesn't like the way her chest tightens.

[bobibobimmm]

ahn suho/yeon sieun — lockscreen

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sjse — silly puppy and his silver snake 🐾

[bobibobimmm]

Pen Pal III

Valeria breaks out of prison and holds you to your word that friends have each other's backs.

AO3 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 w.c- 2,452 A/N- Don't remember if Reader's place of work got named. If it did, let's pretend it got a name change. Also, mandatory vague Diego mention. He's really growing on me ya'll. I think it's because he acted all smart and smug during the interrogation scene just for Valeria to kick out his knees and threaten his life. Valeria's silly little sidekick

Tags/Warnings- Inmate!Valeria, Friendship, Implied Developing Feelings, Open Ending, Prison, Post-Modern Warfare II, Fluff, Murder, Prison Escape, Slice of Life

Valeria is crouched in front of your fridge. You crane your neck from your position on the couch to watch her. She's been there for a solid minute now. You want to tell her to close the door if she's not going to get anything but you're curious as to what she's doing. A video plays quietly from your laptop but you're not paying any attention to it.

"Hey, Valeria?" You call out to her.

"Hm?"

"What're you doing?" You ask her, sitting upright to get a better view of her.

"I'm hungry, but there's nothing in your fridge." She says matter-of-factly. She stands and looks at you expectantly.

You stare back, laptop going ignored in your lap.

"... There definitely is." You finally say after a few awkward silence. "There should be, I mean. I went grocery shopping not long ago." You'd be very concerned if all that food were gone seeing as you know you didn't eat it all. You get up and walk over, gently pushing her aside to look in the fridge.

Cool air blasts your face. You frown and look at Valeria.

"There's food." You say. She reaches in and holds up a sad, yellow bell pepper.

"I didn't break out of prison just to continue eating like I'm still there." She says dryly. The bell pepper wrinkles a little under the pressure from her fingers. 

"It's edible." You argue.

"Piss is edible frozen, should we start urinating in cups?" 

"Don't be dramatic." You roll your eyes.

Without warning Valeria drops the pepper into the trash bin. 

"Hey!" You exclaim, hurrying over even though you have no intentions of reaching in and taking it out. It's lost to the wasteland that is the garbage.

"You're going on a grocery run tomorrow." She tells you sternly. 

You raise your brows at her audacity. It's like she's never heard of guest curtesy. "Do you have grocery money?" You ask challengingly. Valeria wanders back into the living room and plops down on the couch. Splaying comfortably and watching you through relaxed eyes. 

"I do." She says, raising her chin.

'You can't order me around in my own home.' You say in your head while you push around a shopping cart. You're not at your grocery store, but one of the higher end chains. Valeria made is clear that you are not to get any discounted food. Which is a hard task when you've trained yourself to spot good deals and cheaper options. You have to force yourself away from the 'sale!' signs.

You check the list she gave you again, the paper crinkly in your hand. Bread, milk, eggs, carrots, tomatoes, lamb liver, beef, chicken breast, lettuce, potatoes, chicken broth, cheese. The number of things would've made you cringe - and it still does - but it's not your money you're spending. Valeria (somehow) made contact with someone who's keeping her cash safe and had him drop some off at your home.

You push your little cart up and down the aisles. Searching for the food she wanted you to get. Bell peppers weren't on the list. But she threw out all the ones you had. The bin they're in looks clean. The bell peppers are shining. Red, yellow, orange. Some are still green. You pick threw them, trying to find the best ones. A hard task, because they all look fine.

You step back and stumble when someone collides with you.

"Hey!" The man says, raising his hands. 

"Sorry, I didn't notice you." You reply. He's somewhat tall with gel slick hair and stubble. Military, if the unfashionable camo garb is anything to go by. You expect him to move on after that, but he stares at you.

"You look familiar. Have we met before?" He asks. 

"Not before today." You say. The man nods but still keeps that thoughtful look on his face.

"You ever visit the penitentiary? The one on the outskirts of town?" He asks. 

"No." Your heart kickstarts like a startled bird. You shake your head. Is he looking at you closer now? Was that suspicion in his eyes? Before he can ask any more questions you abandon the bell peppers and walk away. The man spooked you enough to forgo everything else on the list. You pay at the checkout counter and practically run out of the store.

Valeria is sprawled on the couch when you return. A book from your shelf open in her hands. As soon as you step inside, she closes it without marking her page and sets it down on the already cluttered coffee table. 

"How'd the shopping go?" She asks you, crowding you and trying to take the bags. "Where are the eggs and kale?"

"Kale?" Your head is swimming. You're still reeling from the interaction with the man. 

"Kale. Eggs. You're missing half the list!" Valeria exclaims, looking up from the bags with a displeased expression.

"Yeah there was..."

Valeria gives you an impatient look and takes the bags from you. 

"There was what? Speak." She demands, beginning to put the groceries away.

"A man." You finally say.

"How Terrifying." 

"I'm being serious. He stopped me." Valeria stops and turns, expression shifting away from amusement.

"Are you okay?" She looks at you closely.

"Yeah. But he asked if I visited the penitentiary." You sigh, leaning against the wall and putting your cheek against the wall. The cool plaster makes you feel a little calmer.

Valeria goes quiet. You watch her practically crawl into herself, becoming thoughtful.

"They have cameras there." You stress. "What if they start investigating me?" Cops, breaking down your door and cuffing you. A cold cell, big mean women... that last part isn't that awful. But you know you're not built for prison.

"You'll be okay." Valeria says. Her calm assuredness makes you feel a little better, but not by a lot.  "By the time they even think of checking here, I'll be gone." She sounds confident in her claim. And while you're relieved that she seems to have some kind of plan, an unexpected pang of disappointment hits.

*                      *                      *

You close the door and shuffle into the living room. Takeout boxes in hand. Valeria's bent over the coffee table, trying to lighten some candles.

"What're those for?" You ask, setting down the food. You paw through them, looking for your order eagerly. Your stomach clenches and growls loudly. You glance at Valeria quickly, hoping she didn't hear that.

"Ambience." She replies, flicking her wrist. She looks at you triumphantly and drops to her knees in front of the table.

"What are you doing?" You question. There's enough room on the couch for the both of you. She doesn't have to sit on the hard floor.

"I'm sitting," She tells you. "Go on, lets eat." She sweeps her hand towards you. You begin to lower yourself down onto the couch but her voice stops you. "No no, on the floor."

You look at her then the floor. 

The ground doesn't look very inviting.

"I don't want to sit on the ground." 

"I'm sitting on the ground." Valeria responds impatiently. You shake your head but kneel down. Valeria nods triumphantly and begins taking out her food. Carefully arranging it on the table. You focus on your own food. You feel self-conscious being right across from her while you eat.

You sneak little glances at Valeria. Hoping the low lighting hides it. She eats in a certain order, you realize. She carefully picks apart her ribs, then her noodles, and then begins on her pozole. She only eats one thing at a time, and you haven't seen her take a drink yet.

"So silent. Reminds me of my first date." She says. 

"... How so?" You ask between bites. 

"It was awkward." Valeria hums thoughtfully. "There wasn't a second date. Not terribly regretful of that, I didn't like him very much."

He. "Oh." You nod. "Is there another man in your life?" The question tastes sour on your tongue, and the feeling accompanying it makes you feel vulnerable. So you shove it away.

You startle at Valeria's sudden bark of laughter. She's acting like you've just told the funniest joke she's ever heard.

"I don't waste my time with men." She says, curling her lip like she's smelt something foul. "I've always had more important things to care about without some man complicating things further." You think about her words. Does she feel the same way about all relationships, you wonder. "What about you? You never mentioned a man in your letters. No one special sharing your bed sometimes?"  She raises a brow.

"No." You say plainly. Heart thudding. "There's.. no one."

"Thought as much." She comments, lifting her spoon and blowing gently. "If you did have a man and were still that lonely then I'd tell you to dump him anyway."

*                                      *                                 *

You pass Valeria a pillow and watch her set it down on her makeshift bed on the living room floor.

"Are you sure you don't want my bed?" You ask again. You feel like a bad host letting her sleep on the ground.

"No," She smiles. "I'm not sure your twin will be comfortable enough for the both of us." Both of us? Your face warms. She thought you were offering to sleep in it with her.  Correcting her would be even more embarrassing.

"Okay. Goodnight, Valeria." You murmur. You disappear into your bedroom and shut the door gently.

The darkness behind your eyelids flickers. You open them, realizing that you're not in bed anymore. Or even at home. You look around, seeing tables with couples. On your right side is a glowing fishtank. Small, brightly coloured fish dart around in the water.

"Hey, you still with me?" Fingers snap in front of you. You look back at Valeria, confused on how you managed to miss her.

"Yeah, sorry." 

The candles in the middle flicker and wave. The shadows on Valeria's face shift dramatically. Making it hard to tell how she really looks.

She looks down at the menu in her hands.

"You look nice tonight." She comments. "I think I'll get the citrus-marinated chicken." You pick up your own menu and flip through it. The words and pictures swim and warp in front of you but you can still read them. The man with gelled-back hair comes up to your table.

"Are you two ready to order?" He asks, holding a little notepad.

"Yeah, I'll get the citrus marinated chicken." She tells him. 

"I'll have the shredded pork taco please." You say, not remembering when you decided on that. He doesn't ask if you'd like anything to drink but that doesn't register as weird.

 The man takes the menus from you and walks off. Moving between tables. Valeria leans forward, hovering over the table. Even though she's right over the candles, the shadows over her face continue to squirm.

"I can't wait to get you home." She says lowly, intending to be heard by you and you only. Excitement sparks in your gut.

"Yeah? Why?" You ask, leaning forward as well. Her grin sharpens.

"I've got a surprise waiting for you." She says. "One we'll both enjoy." She opens her mouth again but instead of words, it's the grating sound of your alarm.

Your eyes flick open. Daylight streams in through the window. Softened by your light curtains. Your hand shoots out from under the blankets and slams down on the nightstand a few times before your fingers find your phone, shutting off the alarm. The details from your dream slowly slip away from you like water trickling through your fingers while you get ready.

Valeria is already up and awake when you come into the living room. She's on the couch, propped up on her side with a different book in her hand. 

"You need to invest in a TV." She says without looking at you. 'I've got a surprise for you, one we'll both enjoy.' You don't remember most of your dream but those quiet, murmured words echo in your head. You look away, irrationally worried that you'll project your thoughts to her.

"Yeah, I guess I do." You say, wandering into the kitchen. You grab a dull apple and bite into it. Still juicy.

The air conditioning inside the grocery store feels heavenly after being stuck outside in the merciless sun. You could practically feel your skin cooking. You turn your brain off while customers file into a line at your till. The beeping sounds almost hypnotic, putting you into a never-ending, swiping trance.

It's a slow, hairpulling day. Not many people want to be out in the heat. Your boredom eats at you slowly. Ten thousand ants crawling in your clothes. Muttering behind you catches your attention. It's Adrianna and Catilina. You're only half paying attention to them when you catch Valeria's name being thrown around.

Her name activates you like a sleeper agent, and you strain your ears.

"She escaped? Do they know where she went?" Catilina asks.

"No." Adrianna replies. "They suspect she left, hopped the border into the US, but it's a poor theory. I mean, someone would have noticed, right?" 

"Right. Maybe she's in another province." Catilina theorizes.

"Well she'd be stupid to stay in this one."

"Does that mean we don't have to worry about the cartel anymore?" Catilina whispers so quietly you can barely hear her.

Adrianna whispers something. Her voice lowering even more.

"... seen them around. Someone else probably took over." She says.

"She could be hiding out somewhere." Catilina suggests. Her words hit too close to home. Despite the cool air provided by the AC sweat still gathers on the back of your neck and under your arms.

The reality of your situation is slowly starting to truly dawn on you. This isn't some fun little adventure story, you're harboring a very dangerous, very wanted criminal in your home. What. Are. You. Doing? There will be very real consequences if you're caught. Valeria promised that you wouldn't get into any trouble over it but how can she guarantee that?

Your throat tightens. You try to ride it out. You hope that this little panic bout will pass but it doesn't. The breathlessness and lightheadedness don't go away, and you do the unthinkable. You abandon your till.

Your manager is upset and tries to get you to stay. A reasonable reaction, but the confrontation with her only worsens things. You don't actually give her a chance to clear you. You tell her you're going home because you're not feeling well and then you're rushing out the door. Unfortunately, home won't be a place of solace. Not when you're very problem is waiting for you on your very couch.

[bobibobimmm]

Terrorism is good for business or something

Valeria study cause I’m trying to get better at drawing women 👍👍👍👍👍

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Requiem try to have a consistent art style challenge (impossible)

Tried painting! It went surprisingly well. Theres something off about the eyes but no matter how many times I fiddled with them they still look off 😪

I’m especially proud of the teeth!!

I got lazy at the end with her chain. I was NOT drawing every single link, I used an asset brush … shhh don’t tell.

Anyway, if you’re someone that likes my writing, don’t worry I’m not becoming an art blog, and sorry for not posting anything recently! Motivation is chasing me, but I am much faster.

Pen Pal 3 coming soon…

[bobibobimmm]

live action & webtoon.

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“let's stay together for a long time”

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this guy is so lame i hope he finds the man of his dreams

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May Suho and Sieun sleep peacefully from now on

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terrace and trauma.

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DIGEST

"Just the scattered remnants of a society frozen in its last moments."

Chapter 5. Safe Havens Are Only Temporary

AO3 Masterlist Previous Next

w/c- 3,348

Humanity has fallen, rotting monsters roam about freely, and you were bit. However, when the fever passes, you're alive and whole. For now. Soon the wound begins to fester, and you need to venture outside to get antibiotics or risk succumbing to an infection anyway. Though it turns out the dead aren't the only things you have to worry about.

A/N- Minecraft pocket edition isn't optimized for phones anymore. It took my battery health down from 84% to 82% in the span of a couple of DAYS :( I need to replace my phone's battery soon anyway. Furr sure in the next 4-5 months

Tags/Warnings: Tags Will Be Updated as Story Progresses, WLW, Dysfunctional Relationship, Gore, Apocalypse/Infection AU, No Use of The Word Zombie, Violence, Gore, Angst, Valeria is a Bad Person, Seizures, Mild-Body Horror, Horror, Thriller

Chuck hurries the both of you away. Down an alley. You're surprised to see light spilling out from a propped open door.

"Hurry, now." He says nervously, looking over your shoulder. Something cries out, and many voices answer. "Damn things are communicating." Valeria swiftly enters and Chuck grabs your arm - the bad one - and pulls you in, missing your pained wince. He shuts the door with a loud click.

"This place belongs to my buddy, Eric." He tells you. You nod politely, wishing he'd stop rambling in your ear. Telling you all about how long they've known each other and how many fish they've caught. You watch Valeria's back as she walks slightly ahead of you, and you envy how unapproachable she is.

Valeria stops abruptly and automatically goes for her gun.

"I hear people." She hisses. Contrary to Valeria, the idea of meeting other people raises your spirits. Maybe they can help you get away from her. Another thought strikes your hope down. Or, they'll discover the bite mark and shoot you on the spot without giving you a chance to explain yourself. Suddenly Valeria's trepidation seems very reasonable.

"Oh, that's my group." Chuck says. "Good folks, don't worry." 

His words don't seem to appease Valeria at all. She gives him an icy look that if, you were on the receiving end of, would probably make you shudder. Chuck seems unbothered by it though. That, or he didn't notice. He leaves your side to pull open the door and gestures for the two of you to enter. Valeria whisks by, head up and shoulders square. You follow behind her more cautiously, muttering a polite thanks to Chuck.

It's some kind of Cafe. The windows have been boarded up with cardboard and the tables and chairs are pushed against them for extra security. Bright fluorescent lights shine down on the people huddling inside. Valeria regards them judgmentally, gaze narrowed.

"Don't the lights attract them?" She asks, turning to Chuck.

"No. The boards do a good job of blocking any from leaking." He answers, coming up to stop next to a very tall, very rough looking man. You're not very confident in his answer. Cardboard doesn't block light very well. Neither would it provide much resistance should the infected break in. 

Underneath the sounds of infected outside and the muttering inside, you hear a low humming. Quiet enough to almost blend into the background. You decide it must be a generator of some kind. It would explain the lights.

"-And this one is..." 

You look up, realizing Chuck was introducing you and Valeria to his 'group'. Consisting of three men and a girl that looks your age, maybe younger.

You blurt your name after a few moments of hesitant silence. Something about their solemn faces rub you the wrong way. You're not sure you'll be finding any kind of help here. Your eyes drift towards the girl. A waifish looking thing with a little pink cardigan. She has her head lowered, long stringy hair hiding her face from sight.

The tall man steps forward, smiling.

"It's nice to see other people. Not many of those left nowadays." He sighs. There's a specific lilt to his voice that makes you think of hot weather and alligators.

"Right. Well, we're not going to be sticking around." Valeria replies curtly. Looking from the man to Chuck, challenging them to disagree. She crosses her arms. "We just need to wait out the night and then we'll be back on our way."

"Where're you going?" The man asks. Valeria doesn't answer.

"Don't bother them with questions right now, Eric." Chuck says, slapping a friendly hand onto the man's shoulder. "They're shaken up. Had to rescue them from a horde surrounding their little car."

You cast Valeria a sidelong glance. She's tense, but she doesn't seem particularly shaken from what transpired. And while you're still trembling, you find that you still have most your wits about you. Still, you don't contradict him. The less you speak to this man, the better.

"Come." Valeria mutters, grabbing your arm and dragging you away. You scowl and resist the urge to slap her hand away. You don't want to make a scene. But you're tired of being pulled around like a ragdoll.

Valeria brings you over to the furthest corner away from the others. The silence is only interrupted by the sounds outside, and the muttering inside. And that stupid humming. The sound is really starting to irritate you. Like a dog and a dog whistle. Occasionally, something will loudly bump into the covered glass and make you jump. You've gotten used to the naturally gloom that indoors has with the absence of lights. It feels unnatural now. It makes you feel exposed. And it almost feels like it's burning you.

Like it's a reflex, you gravitate towards one of the tables pushed up against the wall and crawl under it. You press yourself as close to the wall as you can. You realize that everyone is now staring at you. Looking confused and a little judgmental. You swallow awkwardly and look down.

Underneath the sleave of your shirt, you can feel your bite wound throbbing. Screaming for your attention. Valeria slowly crouches down, looking at you angrily.

"What are you doing?" She hisses quietly. 

"The lights hurt me." You whisper back, one eye kept on the rest of the group. Valeria's expression darkens.

"They shouldn't." She replies stiffly.

"Well they've been hurting me." You say irately. Glaring at her.

"What?" She asks, frown turning more serious. You look at her, wondering why that's such a big deal.

"Being in the sun makes me slow and sick. You didn't notice?" You ask incredulously. You throwing up and lagging behind wasn't obvious to her?

Valeria stares at you silently for a few minutes. You wish you could tell what she's thinking. She looks like she's about to say something but then thinks better of it and stands back up. The lights flicker. You hear one of the men whisper 'damn it!' under his breath. You look over at them. Seeing Chuck and Eric speaking to each other lowly. 

They discuss something intently, then walk off into the back. Going through a door and slipping out of view. None of the others seem concerned. Apart from Valeria. Her leg bounces impatiently. You look back over to the group. The man with the girl leans down to whisper something in her ear. She winces lightly and he leads her away to the bathrooms. You narrow your eyes. Apprehension crashes into you in waves. 

After a few long seconds, you crawl out from under the table. Valeria glances at you but doesn't say anything. You walk over to the bathrooms. That feeling of foreboding gets heavier. You walk in and peer around the wall. Seeing the man with his back to you. He almost blocks the girl from sight completely. Your heart lurches at the sight of her cardigan and a shirt folded up on the counter.

The man's gravelly voice startles you.

"It's getting worse." He says, sounding... worried. 

"They're going to find out. I'm getting worse." The girl responds. Her voice is thin and reedy.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, Laura." The man grumbles.

"I'm scared." She responds, voice cracking. "I'm so hungry. I can smell you, Paul.  I'm scared I'm going to do something bad." 

You back away slowly. Alarmed. The man replies to her but you miss it. You leave the bathroom. Trying to ignore the stares of the other man. They must've known you were spying. But somehow that's not worse than what you suspect is going on. You make your way back to Valeria. You subconsciously raise your hand to rub your bitten arm. It's like her hunger has awoken yours. Your stomach growls its complaints. Feeling shrunken and hollow. 

Coming to a stand next to Valeria. She eyes you darkly.

"What are you doing?" She snaps. "Don't go drawing attention to yourself."

"Sorry." You mumble. Debating on if you should tell her about what you saw or not. The man and the girl emerge shortly after and you stiffen. Watching them walk back over to the other man. The one that saw you spy on them looks right at you then shuffles closer to Paul.

Your blood freezes as he says something to him too quiet to hear. You can make an educated guess as to what it was when his gaze snaps to yours in an instant. Panicked and angry. Valeria shifts behind you.

"Something I can help you with?" She asks loudly, noticing his attention. You tense.

"... No." Paul replies, finally looking away. He's no longer staring, but Laura is. You actually flinch away from the sight. She's so sickly pale that she has a grey hue to her skin. Her eyes look swollen and red, and there are what looks to be the beginnings of sores on her cheeks and forehead. You quickly avert your gaze.

The lights flicker again, then Eric and Chuck reemerge from the door.

"Just the generator bein' finicky." Eric tells everyone. "S'all good now."

"How long until we can leave?" You whisper to Valeria. You had hoped to find help here, but you don't think anyone here will be better than Valeria.

"When day breaks and all the sick bastards go back to their hiding holes." She replies unhappily.

You chance a look at the girl again. She's slumped in a chair, head hung low. She looks so stiff. Your heart begins to speed up.

"We should go now, I think." You murmur. The alley way looked clear when you came in. Valeria's not having it. She turns to you, impatient and unimpressed. 

"It's not day yet, pendeja." She growls. "I'm not walking out into an infested city."

"If we don't, we might be stuck in here with one of them." You say urgently, desperate for her to listen.

"What do you mean?" She asks sharply, looking at you closely. You try to discreetly jerk your head back towards the girl.

"I followed her and that guy with her to the bathroom because I thought... I thought something was going on." You start. "And it was, but not what I thought. I think she's bit."

Valeria glares at you then surveys the girl. Her eyes narrow at her clearly sick form.

"She said she was getting worse. That she was hungry. That she could smell him." You continue pressingly. Paul notices her staring.

"What?" He barks, drawing the attention of everyone else. Side conversations stop.

Even at the agitated voice of her friend, Laura still doesn't raise her head. You look at Valeria nervously. Hoping she deescalates the situation so that the two of you can form a plan and slip away. Valeria, it seems, has other ideas.

"What's wrong with her?" She asks bluntly, gesturing a hand at the girl. Paul goes rigid, eyes flaming with anger.

"She's tired." He says. Eric and Chuck watch silently. The other man you notice, takes a step away from Laura and Paul.

"Looks a little more than regular fatigue to me." Valeria retorts, fingers inching towards where she keeps her gun hidden in the waistband of her pants.

Paul steps forward, glaring at Valeria.

"What the fuck are you implying?" He asks loudly. "Who are you? Coming in here and stirring up trouble? We saved your sorry asses!" 

"Chuck saved us." Valeria replies. Paul and Valeria erupt into a heated argument. The sound of their raised, cursing voices garners the attention of the infected outside. More and more begin to pound at the window. More purposeful this time. The muttering and rambling of them covering the hum of the generator.

Movement rips your attention away from Valeria and Paul. Laura twitches again. Her head shakily raises, eyes reddened from irritation and squinted against the light. She bares her teeth, wet with foamed up saliva. 

"Stop!" You exclaim. Trying to break up the fight. 

Laura launches at the unnamed man, who was the closest to her. Chuck and Eric stumble away while Paul whips around in horror.

The man screams. High pitched and full of terror and pain as Laura rips his stomach open. Long, uncut nails pulling apart the skin and hauling out chunks of organ and flesh.

"Fuck! Kill it!" Eric yells.

"Help me! Help me!" The man shrieks. Paul raises his shotgun, and you quickly cover your ears. But before he can pull the trigger, Paul lunges at him and grabs the barrel, pushing it up as he fires. The shot blasts into the wall and blows a hole in it. Valeria flinches back.

"No!" Paul grunts.

"Paul, what the hell are you doing?" Chuck hisses. Eric reaches forward and tries to pry Paul's hands off of the gun.

"Let go, Paul." He says warningly.

The gunshot triggers the infected outside. Their muttering turns into excited shrieking. They're attacking the glass so hard that you expect it to shatter at any moment. Then the only thing between you and them is some flimsy cardboard covers and tables. Laura eats her fill of the man, who has gone still. His eyes are blank and sightless, fixed somewhere far away. She rises to her feet unsteadily, arms and face covered in gore.

The men writhe around. All trying to get the shotgun from one another. Laura stares straight at you and Valeria, chest heaving. She lurches forward, running at Valeria. She's not quick enough to draw her gun and when Laura crashes into her and sends her sprawling on the ground, the gun clatters out of her hand and skids away.

"You can't! She's all I have left!" Paul snarls.

"She's gone you crazy prick! You're going to get us all killed!" Eric answers. Laura snaps at Valeria, who's barely keeping her at bay with outstretched arms. 

"Help me!" She snaps at you. For a small, sickly girl, Laura has a surprising amount of strength.

You watch silently. Distressed and indecisive. If you let Laura maul Valeria, you'll be free of her. You can go back to the car after sunrise and get yours and her stuff. The food, the antibiotics. You could avoid the fate she has planned for you, whatever it is. But you're in an unfamiliar country, in an unfamiliar city. And besides, for as awful as Valeria has been, you're not sure you want to watch her be torn apart. What an awful way to go, you think.

You scoop up the gun and try to aim it. You've never shot a gun before. Its weight feels heavy and unfamiliar. You worry that you'll hit Valeria if you don't stop trembling. You do your best to steady yourself, then pull the trigger.

The recoil is stronger than you expected, and you drop the gun. Laura jerks backwards and falls still. 

"No!" 

Paul rushes towards the body and hovers over it. Not caring about the blood soaking into the fabric of his pants. "No." He says desperately. Brows pulled low into an anguished expression. Valeria sits up and wipes her face, lip curled in disgust. You stare on hollowly. Killing Laura felt different then killing the sewer monster. 

Maybe it's because you saw Laura when she was still lucid. Maybe it's because she didn't look monstrous yet. Eric and Chuck linger in the back, the shotgun gripped in Chuck's hands tightly. Paul sobs over Laura's body. Shoulder's twitching with each one. Valeria stands, not as sorry as you are. Outside, the infected sound like a storm. Thunderous caterwauling echoing into the building.

She scowls at the grieving man. Not giving him a break. 

"You brought in an infected person? Did you two know?" She looks at Chuck and Eric. Eric stares back at Valeria, face hard. You try not to wince. You were bit too. It feels unfair to you, that Laura was shot for a secret you have. Then again, Laura's body wasn't able to fight it off enough to keep her human.

"No. We didn't know. We only met them a few days ago." He says. Chuck doesn't look up. He's staring down at Paul and Laura, expression unreadable.

The pounding on the glass behind you is starting to make you anxious.

"Can we go into another room?" You speak up. "They might break through the windows." Eric continues to glare at Valeria. The overhead lights casting dark shadows over his face.

"Yes. We probably should." Chuck replies to you. "Come on." He turns and leads you back through the door you saw him leave through earlier.

It leads into a long hallway. A few doors placed sparsely on the side. At the very end of it, another door. You presume that one must lead outside. He brings you, Valeria, and Rick into a small backroom. The lights in here are less welcoming. A harsh, greenish white that induces heavy nausea. Spiny, metal shelves contain boxes and cleaning supplies. It's so cramped that it reminds you of the closet you slept in not long ago. It makes your skin crawl. You shut your eyes tightly and wish the time could pass by faster.

During the long night, like you predicted it would, the window shattered loudly. You heard infected crawl in and search for the people inside. Some ventured near the door but when they couldn't find anything, most moved on. Enough time had passed for Eric to feel comfortable enough to crack open the door. You wait with bated breath, expecting something to lunge in at him. But it's clear. Mostly. You peer past him and see some infected resting. Pressed against the walls with closed eyes.

The group silently sneaks past them. The cafe itself is no longer safe. The front window has been completely broken through. Bloody shards of glass lay all over the floor, the carboard shields pushed down and trampled. Eric curses and surveys the damage. He looks at you and Valeria hatefully. As if faulting the two of you for this disaster. He shakes his head and turns back to Chuck.

"We can't stay here now." He says. "Place is fucked. Gather anything useful."

"Let's go." Valeria tells you. She's quiet and slow today. Exhausted from the night's ordeals. She doesn't grab you and pull you along. You follow behind her, feeling just as sluggish.

The walk back to the beetle is silent. Luckily for you, the day is overcast. The brightness still feels oppressive but without the hot sun bearing down on you, it's easier to keep up with Valeria. You get to see the blockade in daylight now. Somehow, the tanks look more ominous in daylight. 

"Start clearing the bodies from behind it." Valeria orders. "I'm going to check to see if anything important was damaged. I don't want to waste time searching for another working vehicle."

"We could try the tanks." You suggest. The withering look Valeria sends you tells you that was a stupid idea.

You start on the tedious task of hauling the corpses out of the way. Revulsion overwhelms you at the spongy, wet feeling of their skin. Some of them stick to the pavement like dried worms. You struggle to pry them off, and when you do, they leave some parts of themselves behind. The engine growls to life. You walk over and take your spot in the passenger seat after carefully sweeping off the shattered glass on it.

"I have a bag of jerky in the front pocket of my bag." Valeria murmurs while she backs up. "Eat it."

Her generosity catches you off guard. Not long ago she was denying you food. You don't question it or argue with her.

Why would you when your stomach feels like it's been clawed out? You wait until she's done backing up to twist in your seat and rummage through the front pocket. Pulling out an unopened bag of jerky. Although you're hungry, you feel sick with every bite. Paul's heavy sobs echoing in your ears and heart. 

[bobibobimmm]

(C) by Củ Sâm.

[bobibobimmm]

i had a weird dream about valeria last night. it was the first time she appeared in my dream so i was so excited.

but… something was wrong when we hugged and rolled down the hill. no one died, maybe.

i am a small grl so when i stood next to val, i felt like… mmm… her daughter or something (lmao). the dream scene looked wonderful and peaceful like in a fairy tale, green hills, a two story wooden house at the back of the hill. but even though it was so peaceful, i still felt inexplicably uneasy. i had the feeling that we had been living in this place for quite a while, even though there was not a single mention of how val and i were related.

the dream went from strange to a more coherent story, val and guns still made me feel safe. i mean, the image of valeria living peacefully with her companions in such a place looked strange, right?

it was like a few days had passed since i entered the dream, valeria started to be more alert. we couldn’t stay on the windy hill for more than 15 minutes a day, couldn’t turn on the lights when the windows were still open or the curtains weren’t drawn, valeria also often went up to the attic alone in the middle of the night… even though she tried very hard, not long after that, when valeria drove to town to buy food supplies (?), the house was attacked.

at that time my perspective was third person, right outside the house. everything passed like a movie, the house was on fire, i thought i was killed and burned to death in that house. when the dream ended, i didn't even get to see val's expression, but i'm sure she would be sad because we had a pretty good time together.

even though the ending was pretty sad, I still want to dream again, lol.

i hope someone can understand my silly energy.