etherealeowyn

[etherealeowyn]

I just completed this painting of Diego Luna, and I love how it turned out!

[etherealeowyn]

"You mean everything to me" - Cassian Andor x Fem Reader

Angst & Fluff

Word Count: 529

Adrenaline relentlessly coursed through Y/n’s veins as she tried to stop her hands from shaking. Trying to settle one’s nerves after a dangerous mission was never easy, and this instance was no exception.

Gripping onto one of the handles in Cassian’s U-wing, the woman tightly shut her eyes, trying desperately to force away all the panic rising within her. This wasn’t her first mission, but it was the first time that one of her mistakes could’ve potentially gotten Cassian killed. The thought of losing him was completely and utterly terrifying, considering he was just about the only person in the galaxy capable of understanding her.

Y/n had gone silent after the incident, and though she wanted to tell Cassian just how sorry she was, the words seemed to get stuck in her throat. She couldn’t even make eye contact with the man because of the immense guilt.

The woman was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice the ship touching down on Yavin.

Cassian’s brows furrowed in worry as he walked up to Y/n, noticing just how panicked she looked. His hand quickly found its place on her shoulder, and he gently caressed it, trying to help the woman break away from whatever thoughts were plaguing her mind.

Her eyes quickly shot open, and she spun around on her heel so that she was face to face with the man.

“Are you alright?” Cassian asked, his hand gently tucking strands of hair behind her ear.

His throat tightened as Y/n’s eyes became glossy, tears threatening to spill out any second. She didn’t say anything; rather, she just wrapped her arms as tightly as she could around the man, enjoying the proximity of his body.

Cassian’s hand cradled the back of her head gently, and he placed a kiss on her forehead, knowing with certainty what had sparked the woman’s sadness and fear. Sure, she made a mistake, but he would never blame her if something happened to him. He loved her too much to do something as harsh and cruel as that.

“I’m so sorry, Cassian, I should’ve been more careful, I don’t know what I was doing,” the woman softly cried into his chest, the emotions she had repressed finally spilling out.

“Y/n, please don’t cry, my love, I’m here, and there’s nothing you need to apologize for. Everyone makes mistakes, I don’t expect you or me to be perfect all the time on these missions,” he spoke, pulling away from her slightly to look at her tear-stained face.

“I know, but I would never be able to forgive myself if I were the reason why you got hurt, or worse. Without you, I’m nothing,” Y/n replied, taking one of her hands and cradling the side of his face.

“You would have to forgive yourself because you know that I’d never blame you if anything happened to me,” he responded, leaning down to kiss her lips quickly.

She nodded when he pulled away, and a soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“You mean everything to me, and nothing will ever change that,” Cassian spoke, and Y/n couldn’t help but smile back at him.

[etherealeowyn]

gnawing on his biceps like a chew toy

[etherealeowyn]

Bikini Weather - Bucky Barnes x Fem Reader

Fluff

Word Count: 558

Y/n wants to show off her new bikini to Bucky, but she needs some help putting it on.

After what felt like an eternity of cloudy days, Y/n couldn’t help but smile when she noticed sunbeams cutting through her sheer white curtains. About ten minutes before, she had slipped out of Bucky’s embrace in bed, wanting to surprise him with the new bikini she had just bought in anticipation of the pool day they would have.

Standing before the bathroom mirror, she adjusted the navy-blue swimsuit, struggling to tie the straps together behind her neck. The commotion in the bathroom, though slight, had woken Bucky from his sleep, and it wasn’t long before he was leaning against the door frame, watching his girlfriend attempt to fix her top.

“Hey, doll, want me to help you?” he asked, walking behind her and kissing her cheek.

“Yes, please, I didn’t think it would be this hard to put on, I wanted to surprise you, but I guess I kind of messed that up,” Y/n responded, lifting her hair up and out of the way.

“You didn’t mess anything up, I’ll just tie this for you and go sit on the bed, and you could act like I wasn’t even here,” Bucky replied with a sweet smile, making eye contact with her in the mirror.

His hands delicately held onto the straps and tied them in a bow, pulling them extra tight to make sure there wasn’t a chance that they would become undone. Before leaving the bathroom, he trailed a couple of kisses down the side of her neck, stopping when he reached the woman’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Bucky,” Y/n replied, her hand gently cupping the side of his face before quickly kissing his lips and playfully shooing him out of the bathroom so she could model the bathing suit.

“You’re welcome,” he laughed as he walked back into the bedroom, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

His knee bounced in anticipation, and even though he had seen what the bathing suit looked like, he didn’t get a full look at her whole body in it, which he knew would be gorgeous. I mean, there wasn’t a single outfit she wore that he didn’t adore on her, and in a way, he convinced himself that she must have some sort of magic because he had never been so completely and consistently captivated by a woman before.

“Okay, are you ready?” Y/n called out, her voice full of excitement, and Bucky could already picture in his mind the big smile that was spread across her features.

“Absolutely,” he said, and immediately felt the corners of his mouth pull up into a smile as she walked out of the bathroom, spinning around on her heel to give him a complete view of the entire bikini and her body.

“Oh baby,” he started, his cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink. “You look so beautiful, how did I get so lucky to find a woman like you?”

Y/n walked over to him, and stood between his legs, Bucky’s hands wasting no time finding her waist and closing the space between them. His metal hand was cold against her bare skin, but she didn’t mind the feeling of it at all. Quite frankly, as the weather got warmer, she loved it.

“You know, I could be asking you the same thing,” she giggled, draping her arms around his neck.

[etherealeowyn]

Making Up for Lost Time - Chapter 1

Bucky Barnes x Fem Reader

Word Count: 1,322

When Steve called Y/n with the news that Bucky was alive and no longer consumed by the persona of the Winter Soldier, she didn't hesitate to go and meet up with him. Especially because it had been decades since she had last seen her boyfriend, and she knew he would need all the comfort in the world after the trauma he endured at the hands of Hydra.

Ch. 1 - Ch. 2 (coming soon)

“I found him, Y/n, and he’s not just the Winter Soldier anymore. I could tell that Bucky is back in control,” Steve said into the phone, a pang of excitement laced within his words.

“Steve, please tell me you’re not joking,” Y/n replied, feeling her throat tighten up from the news.

“I promise, I wouldn’t ever joke with you about this. I know how much you love him,” he responded, sounding dead serious.

“Okay, well send me your location, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” the woman said, hanging up her phone and running as quickly as she could through the hotel with her car keys in hand.

The empty industrial facility where both Steve and Sam were keeping an eye on Bucky wasn’t far away, and since Y/n was speeding way faster than she probably should have, it didn’t take long to get there. She pulled her car inside, making sure there was no one following her who could threaten the reunion that would happen shortly.

“Steve? Sam?” Y/n asked, her voice slightly echoing through the empty building.

“Over here,” Steve’s voice sounded, and she immediately ran in his direction.

Y/n paused in her tracks when she saw Bucky sitting there on the ground, his metal arm clamped down by some sort of machinery to prevent him from escaping again.

Her hand immediately shot up to her mouth, a mixture of both joy and sadness washing over her. It had been decades since she had seen him in person, the last time being when he fell from the train all those years ago, and she had partially come to terms with the fact that she’d never see him again.

Especially since when she woke up from the ice with Steve decades later, she figured that even if he had managed to survive the fall, which was completely and utterly unlikely, he would’ve already died from old age.

When Steve had sworn to her that he had seen Bucky, she didn’t think he was a liar, but Y/n thought he was seeing things. I mean, how could it even be possible?

But then again, if she could have super serum and survive almost 70 years under ice, anything was possible.

“He’s okay, well physically he’s okay, mentally it’s a different story, but I figured you could help him through everything right now,” Steve spoke, placing one of his hands gently on the woman’s shoulder, snapping her from the hundreds of different thoughts that were circling in her mind.

“Okay, and thank you for saving him,” Y/n responded, smiling softly at him as she tried to fight back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

He nodded at the woman in response, and slowly her feet began to carry her towards the man.

The last thing Y/n wanted to do was startle Bucky, so she moved carefully, not wanting to appear in any way, shape, or form as a threat.

Her fingers timidly reached out towards his back, and she began to rub it very tenderly, taking note of how much more muscle he had gained since the last time she had felt him like this. It broke her heart to think about what he had gone through during the time they were apart, and though Steve explained some things to her, he didn’t tell her everything. Not because she couldn’t handle it, but because he didn’t feel as if it did any good for her to know all the details about his time as the Winter Soldier.

Gasping, Bucky jumped back, his head immediately swiveling to look at his metal arm that was being held in place. His brows furrowed in confusion as he felt the sensation of someone’s hand on him, and though Y/n knew she probably should separate herself from the man as he woke up, she didn’t. Mostly because she didn’t want Bucky to think that she feared him.

He turned his head to the side, and his blue eyes dramatically widened as he scanned every inch of the woman’s face. Blinking a couple of times slowly, he couldn’t help but feel as if he was amid some cruel dream, seeing the woman that he always yearned for but could never have.

“Y/n?” he asked, cocking his head to the side and reaching out his hand towards the woman, who didn’t shy away from his hand carefully cupping her face. “This can’t be real,” he followed up, his voice cracking as he pulled his hand away and shut his eyes tightly, trying to escape the sick joke.

“Bucky, it’s me, I swear,” Y/n replied, tears welling in her eyes, as she desperately pleaded to him, her heart breaking as she watched him fall apart. “Please just look at me, I'm real and this is all real, you’re going to be okay.”

Following her directions, his eyes opened once again, this time less wide, but with even more sadness behind them.

Y/n dropped to the floor and wrapped her arms around the man as tightly as she could, borderline scared that if she were to let go, he’d be gone again. Bucky’s free arm followed suit, and he held on to her tightly, burying his head in the crook of the woman’s neck. Sobs wracked his body, and the sensation was something he hadn’t felt in a long time, because for once he was crying tears of joy.

“Shh, it’s okay, my love, it’s okay,” Y/n softly spoke, placing tender kisses on the top of his head, trying to do everything in her power to help the man calm down. “I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”

Her hand combed through his hair, tucking it behind his ear so it didn’t get stuck to the hot trail of tears that were running down his face and onto her shirt. It didn’t bother her a bit, though, because it was just a physical reminder that he was, in fact, real, and everything going on was happening.

It took about another ten minutes of consoling him before he finally lifted his head from the crook of her neck, and the pads of Y/n’s thumbs immediately began wiping the remaining tears off his face.

“I-I never thought I’d see you again,” Bucky spoke, his voice heavy and mildly raspy. “But here you are, even more beautiful than the day I lost you.”

“Oh, Bucky, I love you so much,” Y/n replied, this time letting some tears fall down her face. “I never thought I’d see you again either, when Steve told me that you were still alive, both of us have spent every single day trying to find you and bring you home.”

“I love you too, doll, more than anything in this world,” Bucky responded with a small smile on his lips, contrasting the remnants of the sadness that had recently taken over him. “Now, would you please help me get out of this thing so we could get out of here?”

“Of course,” she said, standing up and untightening the machine that had his metal arm secured.

The second he was free, Y/n helped him stand up, grabbing his arm and draping it around her shoulder so she could better support his weight as she got him to the car, where Steve and Sam were waiting.

Even though she wished that they could return to the States and heal together, Y/n knew there was still some fighting in Europe that had to be done. She didn’t have to tell Bucky this, though, because it was clear to him what he had to do, but part of him was happy to fight, not because he wanted to be a part of the violence, but because he finally was able to fight for a worthy cause. Plus, the thought of it was much more bearable knowing that Y/n would be right there by his side the entire time.

[etherealeowyn]

this bucky with this steve

[etherealeowyn]

tbf he's gonna need it

[etherealeowyn]

"In shock" - Joel Miller x Fem Reader

Angst & Comfort

Word Count: 643

While traveling through an abandoned department store, an infected attacks Y/n, and Joel does his best to assure her that everything is okay.

Travelling through major cities was hell, to say the least, and there were few things Y/n hated more than doing so. Her survival skills paled compared to Joel’s, so she was always terrified of something happening to her, considering that there was nothing much she could do to fight off an infected. Yes, he had tried to teach her how to shoot a gun, and she was fine when it was just the two of them practicing, but once the real thing happened, she’d freeze, terror running through her veins.

Everything had gone fine so far; however, Y/n wasn’t sold as she walked with Joel through an empty department store. It was too quiet, and she couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something was watching them in the shadows. Their flashlights only shone so far, and the magnitude of the location made it extremely difficult to notice every hiding spot where something could pop out.

Y/n wasn’t too far behind Joel, but she had slowed down slightly, taking in everything around her, probably too intently. On the other hand, he was more focused on getting out of there quickly, so he was prepared to deal with something if it popped up, but he hoped they’d be in and out of there fast enough that they wouldn’t have to.

The woman paused for a moment when she heard a noise to the left of her. When she turned her head, she locked eyes with an infected who was not an advanced case of cordyceps.

“Joel! Help!” Y/n screamed, her feet doing their best to get her away from the danger, however, she wasn’t fast enough, and within a couple of seconds, the infected threw her to the ground.

Her screams echoed through the building briefly until Joel’s gun sounded, and the infected fell to the ground beside her, its body still slightly twitching. After shooting it one more time, he quickly ran over to Y/n, who was lying on the ground, with tears streaming down her face.

“J-J-Joel,” the woman stuttered, only able to take short, panicked breaths, practically hyperventilating.

“Shh, it’s okay, you’re okay,” Joel reassured, looking at her body to ensure she hadn’t been bitten during the encounter.

He sighed in relief when he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, before scooping her up in his arms and pulling her close to his chest. Joel’s hand immediately cradled the back of Y/n’s head and held her body tight, hoping to stop the woman from shaking as much as she was.

“It’s going to be okay now, baby, deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth,” he spoke softly, tenderly kissing the top of her head. “Everything’s going to be alright, I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“D-Did it g-get me?” she asked, looking up at the man with red glossy eyes and worry prominent on all her features.

“No, it didn’t. I already checked, you’re clean,” he responded, looking at her with nothing but the truth behind his eyes.

She nodded in confirmation and swallowed hard, some relief showing on her face as some of the shock wore off. Joel took the pad of his thumb and wiped away some of the tears staining her face, before kissing her on the cheek sweetly.  

“Are you okay, too?” she asked, furrowing her eyebrows, scanning his face to try and get an answer early.

“Yeah, I’m completely okay. It didn’t get close to me,” he replied, sending her a small smile to try and make her feel better.

“Okay, good, I love you so much, Joel,” she told him, and this time she wrapped her arms around the man tightly, not wanting to let go.

“I love you, too, baby,” Joel responded, his body instantly feeling less tense at the sensation of her body pressed against his.

[etherealeowyn]

"Back pain" - Joel Miller x Fem Reader

Fluff/Smut - MDNI, this is only intended for readers 18 & older

Word Count: 810

Joel's back was killing him, and he couldn't fall asleep, but thankfully, Y/n was there to help him alleviate the pain.

For about the hundredth time that night, Joel tossed and turned, trying desperately to find a sleeping position to alleviate the pain in his back. He knew he was getting older, but he didn’t think it would hurt as much as it did. Granted, sleeping on the ground wasn’t exactly ideal.

“Joel, are you okay?” Y/n asked, her voice still groggy from sleep.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I didn’t mean to wake you,” he responded, giving up and lying on his back, his eyes fixated on the ceiling.

“Don’t worry about it, my love. You’re a terrible liar, though. I’ve been feeling you move around all night,” she replied, rolling over on her side and staring at him.

Her hand gently held onto his, her thumb rubbing circles on the top of it delicately.

“You got me there; my back is just killing me. I feel like I’m falling apart,” Joel said, his voice sounding more like a whisper at the end.

“You should’ve told me sooner, let me see if I could help you,” she responded, kicking the blanket off her body, and motioning for Joel to sit up.

Doing exactly what she said, he angled his back so it faced her. He was wearing a couple of layers of jackets and shirts, so she helped him take them off, carefully folding them all in a neat pile beside their makeshift bed. Sitting there for a split second, her eyes traced all the scars that he had acquired, her heart hurting just looking at them. Not because they didn’t look good, but because the man had gone through so much trauma in a relatively short period.

“If something hurts, just tell me to stop, okay?” Y/n told him, and when he nodded in confirmation, her hands immediately fell on his shoulders, gently massaging the tense area.

Joel loved the feeling of Y/n’s hands normally, but right now, he loved it even more. Her fingertips began to trail down the skin of his bare back, the woman’s nails tickling his skin, making his whole body erupt in a tingling sensation. Without even having to do anything less surface-level, Y/n already felt some stress dissipating from his body.

“I’m sorry if this isn’t working, I don’t know any proper massage techniques,” the woman quietly laughed, though she was sure what she was doing wouldn’t hurt him.

“Don’t apologize, this feels so good, baby,” he responded, his head falling back in relief and eyes fluttering shut. “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

“Okay, I’m glad. I’ll do this as long as you need,” Y/n replied, kissing Joel on the crook of his neck while her fingers continued tracing imaginary lines on his back.

After letting her hands work for a couple more minutes, Joel turned to face Y/n, cupping the side of her face and initiating a gentle and warm kiss. It was slow, as if he wanted to give her enough time to memorize the feeling of his lips on hers.

He motioned for her to lie back down, and within a couple of seconds, he was on top of her, trailing kisses from her mouth down her neck and chest, stopping when he encountered the hem of her shirt. Joel had no trouble unbuttoning her top, revealing that Y/n wasn’t wearing anything underneath, which wasn’t surprising since he knew how uncomfortable sleeping with a bra on would be.

“You’re so beautiful,” he breathlessly spoke, one of his hands massaging her breast as his mouth connected with the side of her neck, leaving sloppy kisses on the tender skin.

In contrast to the light touches her fingers were giving Joel earlier, now they were digging into the man’s skin, gripping at anything as the pleasure became intense. It wasn’t long before she needed more from the man, and he immediately obliged, helping her slip off her pants before he removed his himself.

This wasn’t one of those times they had to rush; Joel’s pace was slow and sensual, ensuring every one of his movements was calculated to provide Y/n with every feeling she could ever want. Her soft moans echoed through the room, and Joel’s heart raced faster every time he heard the sweet sounds escaping the woman’s mouth.

It wasn’t long before the pair finished, and he pushed himself off the woman, lying down beside her with his arms wrapped tightly around her body. Taking one of her hands, she tucked a strand of hair away from his dewy skin, admiring his flushed face that made him look even more attractive.

“I hope you didn’t hurt your back more,” Y/n said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Trust me, baby, it feels so much better,” he replied, raising his eyebrows at the woman before a laugh escaped his mouth, and she playfully buried her head in his chest.

[etherealeowyn]

"Hey, pretty lady" - Javier Peña x Fem Reader Part 1

Fluff/Flirty Banter

Word Count: 464

When Y/n agrees to go undercover to help catch some of Escobar's men, it's safe to say that she's also caught the attention of her boyfriend Javi.

Y/n’s red heels clicked with every step she took across the office, grabbing the attention of every man in the room. She was an absolute sight, with her tight red dress accentuating the best parts of her body and her hair curled perfectly, falling just below her shoulders.

At this point, the DEA needed an agent to distract a couple of Escobar’s men just long enough for the rest of law enforcement to capture them. It wasn’t Y/n’s first choice to serve as the distraction, but if it meant they’d secure more information to bring Escobar down, she would do it without hesitation.

Even though she could feel all the eyes of the agents and other law enforcement officers watching her every move, she didn’t pay them any mind. Her eyes were locked on one man on the other side of the room.

“Hey Javi,” she spoke, sitting on his desk and delicately crossing one leg over the other.

His dark brown eyes checked out every inch of her body before shifting slightly in his chair, in an attempt to act as if he wasn’t dying at the sight of his girlfriend in front of him.

“Hey, pretty lady,” he replied, grabbing her hand and placing a kiss on the top of it, maintaining eye contact with her the whole time.

“So, how do you like my uniform for the day?” Y/n asked, flashing him one of her gorgeous smiles that seemed even brighter because of the red lipstick she was wearing.

“I think I’m in love with it,” Javi said, the corners of his mouth pulling up into a smirk. “I wish you could dress like this every day.”

His comment earned a laugh from the woman before she responded, “I’m glad you love it, but I think if I dressed like this every day, you wouldn’t be able to get any of your work done.”

“You’re probably right, but who needs work when I have you to keep me busy?” he replied, leaning in to kiss Y/n, but she quickly turned her head to the side.

“Not now, Javi, I can’t have you messing up my lipstick,” she said, cupping the side of his face with her hand.

Javi pouted at the woman and gave her the best puppy dog eyes, pretending to be upset by her dismissal of his affection.

“Later you can, though,” Y/n winked, making the pout on his face disappear. “Now come on, help me to the car, we have things to do, my love.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” he told her, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her off the desk and onto her feet.

“So am I,” she laughed, holding his hand and following him to his car, her hair bouncing with every step.

[etherealeowyn]

pls vote!!!

[etherealeowyn]

Pedro Pascal Masterlist

Joel Miller

"You've Destroyed Me" - angst & fluff

"You're A Mean Person" - fluff

"Fade into You" - fluff w/ a little bit of angst

"Like Real People Do" - fluff

"Back pain" - fluff & smut (MDNI)

"In Shock" - angst & comfort

Javier Peña

1. "Hey, pretty lady" (Part 1) - fluff & flirty banter

[etherealeowyn]

"Like Real People Do" - Joel Miller x Fem Reader

Fluff

Word Count: 770

Just because Joel and Y/n don't have the ranch they've been dreaming about, that doesn't mean they can't share sweet moments together like the world hasn't fallen into complete chaos.

Y/n’s fingers flipped through the stack of vinyl records, her eyes scanning every single one, trying to find the perfect one to slow dance to. The woman had never danced with anyone before, and when she told Joel that it had always been her dream to slow dance with someone in the kitchen, he ultimately agreed.

Y/n wasn’t sure at first if he would, but little did she know, a piece of Joel’s heart had been yearning to experience soft and sweet moments like that with the woman he loved.

Before falling asleep, they’d share their dream about the ranch they’d live on together, and the quiet life they’d spend with one another. Even though they didn’t have the ranch, Y/n would still come up with ideas about what she and Joel could do to experience a small part of their dream.

“I found the perfect song!” Y/n exclaimed, grabbing the record and hugging it against her chest excitedly.

“Which one did you pick?” Joel asked, getting up from the couch and following her into the kitchen.

“Like Real People Do by Hozier, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this song,” the woman giggled, as she took the record out of the sleeve and placed it delicately on the record player, placing the needle between the edge of the record and the first groove.

“I like that one too,” Joel responded, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, before the woman found a place between his arms.

Once the music began playing, her arms draped around the man’s neck, and his hands rested on the small of her back. Neither one of them said a word; rather, they just looked into each other’s eyes and studied all the emotions behind them.

Joel’s eyes were brighter than usual, and Y/n could tell that he was genuinely happy. It wasn’t the kind of fleeting happiness that came and passed with the blink of an eye, it was the kind of moment that would be forever etched in their memories. The one thing they’d always think about when they needed to cheer up or escape from the incessant tragedies of the infected world.

The soft yellow glow emitted from the light fixture in the kitchen fell upon Y/n’s features, and Joel couldn’t help but notice the way it made the whole situation feel like a dream. As if the woman he was holding on to was too good to be true.

She was one of the only people he knew who could see the good in every situation and make the most out of small moments of joy. Before her, he never would’ve pictured slow dancing in the dilapidated kitchen of his piece of shit apartment in the Boston QZ, it sounded ridiculous. But now, he would never be able to look at the small room without being reminded of Y/n and how it felt to hold her in his arms.

Almost every area that used to torture him to look at was revitalized by her presence, and he would never truly be able to express just how much he appreciates Y/n for changing his life for the better. Though that doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t try.

“Have I ever told you that you’re the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen in my life?” Joel spoke; his words were slightly louder than a whisper.

“Joel, my love, you tell me that every day,” Y/n replied with a bit of a laugh, causing him to smile down at the woman.

“Hey, I’m just making sure you know how special you are, especially to me,” he said, the edges of his eyes crinkling from the smile that spread across his whole face.

“Don’t worry, I already know,” she responded, blushing at his comment. “And I hope I do a good job making sure you know just how special you are to me.”

“You do a great job, honey,” Joel started, pausing for a second before saying, “In fact, you do such a great job that for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m worth something.”

“You’ve always been worth something, you might not have recognized it, but you were. You just needed someone to show you. Luckily, or unluckily for you, I’m the one you’re stuck with that’ll be the one to show you,” Y/n chuckled, tilting her head slightly as she did so.

“I’m lucky that it’s you,” he said, his body halting all movement as the music faded into nothing. “And I’ll always be lucky that you decided to take a chance on me.”

[etherealeowyn]

"Fade into You" - Joel Miller x Fem Reader

Fluff and a little bit of angst

Word Count: 1,460

Y/n was a musician before the outbreak, and while Joel was out, he stumbled upon a guitar, which he'd happily gift her on one condition. She had to play him a song. This is set in around 2006, so Joel is in his late 30s, and the reader is 25!

“Stay right there and don’t open your eyes until I tell you,” Joel spoke, his words laced with excitement, as he held a well-kept guitar.

“Okay, I won’t, but where were you, Joel? I was starting to get worried,” Y/n spoke, her voice full of relief, knowing he was safe.

“I had to run an errand, but that’s not important. Right now, I need you to hold your arms out,” he told her, and she nodded slowly before doing exactly what he said.

Carefully, he wrapped one of the woman’s hands around the neck of the guitar, and before moving her arms so that she could hold it perfectly in her lap.

“If this is what I think it is, I’m going to cry tears of joy,” she laughed, her eyes still pressed shut.

“Okay, you can open them now,” Joel told her, watching as her eyes opened, and immediately went wide from pure excitement.

“Oh my God, this guitar is beautiful, I don’t know how I could ever thank you enough for something like this. Joel, I’m seriously so thankful,” Y/n spoke, getting up from her spot on the ground and wrapping her free arm around his body to hug him.

“You’re welcome, and don’t worry about it, I only have one request for you,” he replied, the corners of his eyes slightly wrinkling from the smile that took over his whole face.

“Absolutely, what do you need me to do?” she questioned, eager to repay him for the gift.

“Will you play something for me? I don’t even care what song it is, I just want to hear your voice,” Joel responded, mirroring the woman as she sat back down on the floor.

“Of course, now you can’t judge me too much, it’s been a while since I’ve played anything,” Y/n laughed, going through the mental catalog of songs she still remembered how to play after all these years.

He nodded in response and watched as her eyes softly fluttered shut, as if she was picturing the sheet music in her mind. It wasn’t often that her facial features were so completely and utterly relaxed, and Joel was taking every single one of them in.

I wanna hold the hand inside you I wanna take the breath that's true

The second the woman started to sing, Joel couldn’t help but find himself completely and utterly entranced by her. Y/n’s voice was one of those that managed to be soft, yet raspy and full of emotion.

I look to you to see the truth You live your life, you go in shadows

She had spoken to him about how, before the outbreak happened, she traveled around performing at small places, and even though he was intrigued, he wasn’t sure how good she’d be. But now, as he sat there, staring at Y/n plucking the strings tenderly, he was genuinely surprised that she was only performing for small crowds.

I look to you and I see nothing You'll come apart and you'll go blind

Joel knew the song she was singing, but when he first heard Fade into You, he didn’t have the same perspective on life. This time around, each lyric hit him differently, and he could tell that Y/n had a deep connection with the song.

He was curious why, out of all the songs she could’ve played, this was the first one that came to mind. Was she singing about someone she knew before the world went to hell, or was it about someone after?

Honestly, he wasn’t entirely sure if he wanted to know, because the more time he spent around Y/n, the more he fell for her. Joel felt foolish admitting this, even mentally, but he was mildly jealous of the fact that someone else, before the outbreak, could’ve not only watched her perform, but called her mine.

Some kind of night into your darkness Colors your eyes with what's not there Fade into you

As she sang those last few words, her playing halted, and she once again opened her eyes.

“I think that’s probably all I could sing of that song, it’s been so long,” Y/n said, letting out a nervous laugh after doing so. “I promise I used to be a lot better.”

She quickly turned her head away from Joel, embarrassed by the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Playing again was more overwhelming than she thought because it reminded her of the life she’d never be able to live again. Y/n wasn’t dumb; she knew it wasn’t guaranteed that she’d make it in the music industry, but the fact that she never had the chance killed her.

“I don’t think it’s even possible to sound better than you did right now,” Joel spoke, cocking his head to the side as he tried to get a glimpse of her face.

“You’re just being nice,” Y/n responded, looking over at him with eyes that were slightly red and glossy, making them stand out even more than usual.

“I don’t just be nice, I’m only nice when I mean it,” he quickly replied, the corners of his mouth pulling up into a smirk.

“I’d disagree with you, but I’ve been around you long enough to know that’s the truth,” the woman responded, using the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her face. “So, thank you, I’m glad you liked the song, next time I promise I won’t stop halfway through to cry.”

Joel sat there for a moment, quietly, and Y/n sent him a smile, wondering what was going through his mind.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked, trying to read the man’s face.

“No, nothing is wrong, I just wanted to ask you something, but I don’t want to overstep,” Joel said, fidgeting with the watch on his wrist.

“Joel, you’re more than welcome to ask me anything, you know that,” the woman told him, walking over to where he was and sitting down next to him, and resting her head on his shoulder.

“The song you were singing, Fade into You, who were you thinking about when you were playing it?” he started. “Was there someone in your life, like a boyfriend, husband, something along the lines of that?”

Y/n involuntarily half-chuckled at his question before responding, “I was thinking about someone when I was singing it, but it certainly wasn’t an old boyfriend or husband, I never had one of those. Hell, I haven’t even had my first kiss yet and I’m 25.”

“Huh, I just assumed you would’ve had guys lined up for miles to be with you, especially with a voice like yours,” Joel replied. “So, if it’s not about a boyfriend or husband, who were you thinking about then?”

“Well, there’s this one guy, and I’m not dating him or anything, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him. The catch is that I’m not sure if he likes me or not, and I’m worried about getting rejected, especially because I’ve never felt this way about a man before,” she said, letting out a deep breath and removing her head from his shoulder so she could look at him.

Joel’s heart was beating faster in his chest as he looked at the woman who was looking up at him through her eyelashes. His gaze began to travel down Y/n’s face until it settled on her lips. They were slightly parted and rosy, and there was nothing more that he wanted than to kiss them.

“I was singing about you,” Y/n told him, blushing as she did so.

“Can I kiss you?” Joel asked, taking one of his hands and gently cupping the side of her face.

“Absolutely,” she said breathlessly, excited that after months of dreaming about this moment, it was finally happening.

Cautiously, Joel’s lips met with Y/n’s, moving slowly at first to make sure that she was comfortable, especially considering it was her first. But after a little bit, he began to kiss her harder and hungrier. One of his hands traveled down to her waist, and her breath hitched at the sensation of his fingers gripping her hip.

She disconnected from Joel, feeling dizzy and breathless but in the best possible way.

“Holy shit,” Y/n laughed, “I’m going to need to do that again.”

“Don’t worry, we definitely will,” he responded, a smile lighting up his face.

“You promise,” she asked while moving her body so that she was straddling the man’s waist, eliminating any space that previously existed between them.

“I promise,” he responded, his hands immediately grabbing onto her waist to make sure she was steady.

Carefully, she draped her arms around Joel’s neck before going back in for more, this time with much more confidence.

[etherealeowyn]

"You're a mean person" - Joel Miller x Fem Reader

Fluff

Word Count: 498

Maneuvering through the rubble, Joel took the lead as he tried to find the safest path through the fallen city. Y/n followed close behind him, and she watched every one of his steps carefully making sure to do what he did.

Everything was going well until suddenly Joel lost his footing and slipped, falling onto the ground with a thud. She stood there quietly for a moment biting the side of her cheek, trying to stifle the laugh that was threatening to come out until she had confirmed that he was okay.

“Are you okay,” Y/n asked walking over to him and reaching her hand out to help him up, unable to stop a small smirk from pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“I’m fine, and don’t you dare say another word about this,” Joel replied taking her hand and standing up before wiping some dirt off his clothes.

The instant that she made eye contact with the man, Y/n couldn’t stop the series of laughs that were wracking her body. Joel stood there for a moment trying to keep his serious facade intact, however it was only a couple of seconds before he started to laugh too.

“You know, you’re a mean person, I’m old and fall on my ass and then you laugh at me,” he joked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Hey, I’m not that mean, I helped you up before I started laughing at you,” Y/n quipped back, taking a step closer to the man.

“Yeah, but I could tell by your facial expression that you wanted to laugh from the very beginning,” Joel responded, closing the distance between him and Y/n even more.

“I won’t deny the allegations; however, I think I know how I could make it up to you,” she replied wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Oh yeah, what makes you so confident?” he questioned, placing his hands on the woman’s hips.

“Do you not remember the last time I made it up to you? You really seemed to enjoy it,” the woman laughed, raising one of her eyebrows at him.

“I hate admitting that you’re right, but I can’t argue with you about this one,” Joel said, looking down at the woman with a smirk playing on his lips.

“I like it when you tell me I’m right,” Y/n replied, looking up at the man through her eyelashes.

Standing up on her does, she planted a kiss on the man’s lips that only lasted a moment. The woman pulled away slowly, almost in a teasing manner, as she watched Joel’s eyes flutter open.

“That’s it?” he playfully asked desperately wanting more.

“Uh huh, you’ll get the rest of my apology later when we find a safe place to stay,” Y/n responded before separating from the man and beginning to walk in the direction they were originally going.

“Like I said, you’re a mean person,” Joel laughed, before following Y/n with a bit more cautiously this time around.

[etherealeowyn]

"You've Destroyed Me" - Joel Miller x Fem Reader

Angst & Fluff

Word Count: 889

When Joel and Y/n experienced a glimpse of normalcy while staying in Wyoming, they learn just how much they mean to each other.

It was odd finally being able to lay in bed that had been taken care of, not like the countless other dilapidated mattresses that Joel and Y/n had been forced to sleep on during their trek to Wyoming. That small town was the closest glimpse of normalcy Y/n had experienced since the outbreak first happened, and it was both comforting and saddening. Obviously, it felt good to be able to relax and step away from the horrors of the world, but at the same time, it made her wonder how much different her life would’ve been if none of this happened in the first place.

Joel’s arms were wrapped around her body, and Y/n’s head gently rested on his chest as she breathed in the scent of the cologne that had been left in the bathroom of the house they were staying at. Her body was relaxed, but her mind was still racing, and she could tell by the expression on his face that he was going through something similar.

“You’re the worst thing that has ever happened to me,” Joel spoke, breaking through the silence that had overtaken the room.

Y/n jumped up from his chest, hurt washing over her face, confused as to why he’d say something so hurtful to her out of the blue.

“Excuse me why would you say that?” she quipped back, looking at the man with tears forming in her eyes.

“No listen, you’ve destroyed me. Before you came into my life, nothing mattered to me in this fucked up apocalyptic world, but once I met you, I became scared of everything again. I’m terrified of living in this place without you, and though I want desperately to be the guy who doesn’t care, I can’t be him anymore. Because being him means that I couldn’t be with you, and the thought of that kills me,” Joel finished, and it was evident by the shakiness of his voice that he was holding back tears.

There hadn’t been a single instance when Y/n had seen Joel cry, and I think being in a place that provided a sort of normalcy was getting to him. Making him recognize a level of humanity within himself that he hadn’t been in touch with since before the outbreak.

“Joel, there’s nothing wrong with that, trust me I understand how much easier it is going through life not caring, but you’re not going to be happy that way. Everything is going to be monotonous and worthless, it’s scary finally feeling a sense of happiness again because I know how quickly it could be stripped from you. But at the same time, it makes life so much more precious, because you grow to appreciate the people around you even more. It’s bold of you to think you could get rid of me though, as if I’d let go of the one person in my life that I truly love,” Y/n replied, laughing away the couple of hot tears that had rolled down her cheeks.

“Do you really love me?” Joel asked, furrowing his eyebrows and looking down as Y/n’s hand that was resting tenderly on his thigh.

“More than anything else in this fucked up world,” she replied, but this time much more seriously.

He sat there for a moment, in some sort of shock, unable to comprehend that something this good could happen to him.

“I love you too,” he responded, and as the word slipped out of his mouth, it was the first time in a long time that he felt drops of water fall from his eyes.

Y/n’s hand reached towards his face, and ever so carefully, she wiped away his tears with the pad of her thumb. There was a soft smile playing on her lips, and the feeling of her skin touching him made the corners of his mouth pull up into a smile.

Joel began to lead towards the woman, and she followed suit, the pair stopping when his lips met hers. When their mouths connected, it didn’t feel like any of the other times they had kissed, this time there was an overwhelming emotional presence enveloped within it. Something that was there before but never reached this extreme.

When the two pulled apart for air, the atmosphere of the room felt different. The silence didn’t feel so strange anymore, it was comfortable, and for the first time in a long time the pair didn’t want to keep moving from place to place.

“Once we’re done delivering Ellie to the Fireflies, maybe we could come back and stay here. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m at home. Not just staying at a place, but truly at home,” Y/n spoke, and Joel nodded feeling his heart pound fast in his chest.

“I’d like that too, it would be nice to stay put, especially if I get to be with you and not worry all the time,” he responded pulling the woman back down on his chest and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“Maybe you could have your sheep too, and if I’m lucky you could sing to me,” Y/n spoke with a smile unable to leave her face. “Now that would be like heaven to me.”

“I’m sure I could arrange something baby,” Joel laughed.

[etherealeowyn]

I'm not just a bitch, I'm a bitch with a backstory