#'i am all of me' came on my playlist and i was like 'forgot how much this song fucking Rocks' and then

[brittlebutch]

i think it would be funny to see spock & shadow the hedgehog hanging out; i need to remember how to draw already

[thyme-in-a-bubble]

the soaring arrow

fused with the foe, chapter two

a/n: we getting somewhere in this one... progress... and by progress, i of course mean that we are one chapter closer to when they finally get to be happy and in love.

summary: “…do you still wanna learn?”

warnings: king!steve rogers x reader, fantasy AU (monsters, but not much magic), original fantasy world, enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, slow burn, innocent!reader, violence, gore, injury, weapons, big scary dire bear, a bit of a cliffhanger of an ending to this chapter (the drama is here, it has arrived, in the majestic for of [spoiler])

word count: 4706

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Rising yet again from the plush stool, your feet carried you the short distance back around to the opposing seat. Your elbow came to rest against the edge of the small games table as you glanced down at the chequered board and your chin swiftly found your propped-up palm as a bored breath seeped from your lungs. 

As you moved one of the ivory pieces, the thoughts you’d been trying to keep at bay for weeks slipped through ever so slightly. The king hadn’t talked to you since the wedding, in fact, whenever you’d been in the same room with each other, his gaze never found you. 

You might as well have been invisible.

The arm beneath your face slowly melted down till it layed flat against the table and you let your head follow along. Slumped over, your cheek pressed against your forearm. 

Raising your gaze from your up-close perspective of the chess pieces, it fell upon the man leaning 

against the wall by the exit. Dark locks only half tied up, a crossbow was strapped to his broad back as his stormy gaze stayed low and locked on the small dagger he absentmindedly twirled and flipped in his fingers.

Letting out another sigh, you didn’t bother straightening out before you asked, “so, is this just how it’s gonna be?”

Halting his fiddling, Barnes’ eyes met yours, “pardon me, your majesty?”

“You just lurking wherever I am, is that how it’s gonna be for the rest of my life?” you lifted yourself only slightly so that both of your palms pressed into your soft cheeks to prop it up. 

“No, I’m just here till you get settled, then I’ll go back to my usual business,” the advisor stated. 

“And when will that be?”

“I don’t know, your majesty,” he sheathed the short blade at his side, “why? If it’s because you don’t care for my presence then please just say so, I won’t be offended if you’d rather have a different warden looking out for you.”

“No,” you sat up properly, “it’s not that, not at all, I just–… could I maybe go for a walk?” the question hesitantly left your lips. 

“Sure, you can,” he nodded slightly, “where do you wanna go? I could show you the Valarian Ward in town, there are lots of museums there you might like–”

“No,” you cut his offer off, “I meant if I could go for a walk on my own.”

“Oh… well, I’m not entirely sure that’s the best idea…” he uttered carefully. 

“I am your queen, aren’t I? So, can’t I just command you to let me go by myself?” you tried, blinking up at him like a little puppy, “please, Barnes.”

A low sigh then flowed from his lips as his stare raked across the floor. A moment passed before he opened his mouth again, slowly saying as his gaze stayed averted, “your majesty, I am gonna leave for a moment, I suddenly remembered that I forgot something in my chambers this morning. Please excuse me as I momentarily won’t be here watch where you go,” his eyes flicked up to meet yours, “you got that?” 

“Yes,” a bright smile stretched across your features, “I understand what you’re saying,” as you instantly shot up to your feet, “thank you, Barnes.” 

Though half regretting his choice already, he still offered you a half-hearted smile, “you’re welcome, your majesty.”

Bending down, you plucked a long-stemmed daisy and added it to the bouquet of wildflowers your left fist was tightly enclosed around. As you lifted yourself back up, your vision washed over the blossoming meadow you stood on, located on the hill directly north of the castle. From here only parts of the seaside community were perceivable, as from this angle the mountainous fortress blocked off the vast majority of Borün city, only the edges closest to the main road, like the city stables and the water mill, caught your gaze. But the farmlands that curved over the rolling hills west of the town had no obstructions in their path. The vision of golden fields as well as wide pens that housed both fuzzy brown cows and round little sheep, that blissfully soaked in the mild afternoon sun, couldn’t help but bring a smile to your lips. 

Peeking over your shoulder, the warnings of the king’s right-hand man faintly echoed in your mind as you glanced at the thick forest. Temptation had swayed your feet to carry you dangerously close to the edge. The Noll woods didn’t seem that dangerous from this angle, perhaps it was safe enough on the perimeter and it was just the dangers deep within it that they were so terrified of. So, the next thing you knew, your leisurely stride had crossed the meadow and the dark wilderness had swallowed you whole. 

Extending an arm as your feet slowly walked over the crunchy leaves and the pillowy moss clusters, you felt the cool leaves brush against your open palm, almost as if you were greeting each and every one of them as you passed. The chirping birds high up in the dense treetops sang a pleasant melody that caused a bright smile to bloom on your lips. 

You weren’t sure how long you ventured forth, deeper and deeper into the twisted forest, but eventually, a small and speckled bush caught your eye, ripe with the vibrant berries you recognised from the layered cake that you had been served for tea just a few days prior. The fabric of the long burgundy cloak you wore billowed behind you as you rushed to pluck the small fruits. A soft hum vibrated at your lips as you tasted their tart sweetness, popping them in your mouth one by one. 

Though just as your head was up in the clouds, over the moon about this little slice of paradise you had discovered, a low growl emanated from the tall shrubs just behind the berry bush. Your fingers froze in an instant and the fruits in your berry-stained palm rolled to the ground. Slowly, you raised your gaze as a giant snout pushed through the dense plants and the creature’s rotten breath fanned across your cheeks, causing your stomach to churn. 

Holding your breath, petrified with fear, you willed your feet to shuffle back at a terrifyingly slow pace. Your entire body trembled like a leaf on the wind as your eyes stayed glued on the dark animal slowly creeping into the clearing. 

A bear, though at least three times the size of any normal one, came stomping into the light. Its footsteps were heavy enough to make the forest floor quake. Long and gnarly teeth curled up over its drooping lip as viscus slobber, and what looked like blood, dripped from its gums, staining the blades of grass below with every hefty step. Nowhere on its scarred skull were something that resembled eyes, so as it sniffed loudly, your hair nearly rustling in the gust, the blind monster detected precisely where you stood.

A snarl rumbled out from its toothy maw as it clawed closer to you like a predator playing with its food just before it pounced. Eclipsing the dabbled sunlight that streamed in through the tree canopy, the massive creature blocked off any chance you had of escape. The petrifying roar it then let out caused your hands to instinctively shoot up in front of your face. 

Falling back, you collided with the thick tree trunk right behind you. Adrenaline pumped so furiously throughout your body that the tree almost felt like a pillow, as your body was so filled with terror that it didn’t let you notice any of the pain. 

Through your shielding fingers, you caught sight of a swift movement, though it wasn’t the ravaging bear before you. From out of nowhere a broad figure suddenly appeared, slipping in between you and the creature. 

Your eyes widened as you saw the king hold a shield up high, groaning from the strain as he blocked the monster’s mighty attack. Drawing a stout axe at his belt, he sliced it low, catching one of the bear’s legs and causing it to reel back enough for him to bash the shield against its snout, sending it back a few paces. The arching blows he then landed on the gnawing beast were a brutal blur to your eyes as he didn’t yield till the monster was slain and its blood stained the mossy forest floor. 

Slowly turning to face you, crimson dabbled his features and tainted his beard as he stared you down and roared, “what the hell were you thinking?” his broad chest still heaved from the battle as he took a step closer to you, “you’re not in Obelón anymore, you can’t just wander off!”

“I–… I’m sorry,” you said weakly, your eyes felt heavy as you stumbled to distance yourself from the tree trunk, “I didn’t–”

“You didn’t what?” inching closer, he sheathed his weapons, “think you’d bump into a dire bear? What if it had been something worse, huh? What then? Do you have any idea of what kind of dangers lurk in these shadows?”

Black spots dappled your vision as you just managed a faintly utter, “I’m s-sorr–,” before you collapsed. 

As the king caught you in his arms, your cloak unfurled to reveal the silks of your gown ripped and peeking out from the shreds was a grave wound on your waist. 

When you finally woke up, you weren’t in the forest any longer, but warm under the covers in your own bed.

You weren’t sure what you noticed first, the familiar surroundings or the sharp sting that throbbed at your side. Wincing silently, you pulled down the blankets and saw the clean cloths that bandaged the injury. As you carefully ran a fingertip over the dressing, a figure at the foot of the bed caught your hazy gaze. 

Slumped over on a small stool with his head resting against his folded-up arms, there sat the king, completely out cold. 

A clay pitcher of water stood on the adjacent bedside table beside a few empty cups that had a deep green tint to the glass. Carefully, as to not rouse the slumbering monarch, you reached for the jug in order to quench the thirst that scratched at your throat. As your fingertips brushed against the handle and moved it just a tad, an aching wave suddenly washed over you as the attempt stretched and disturbed your injured waist enough for you to recoil back, accidentally tugging at the decanter in the process and retroactively knocking over one of the nearby glasses.

As soon as it smashed to the stone floor, the king bolted up like he’d been struck by lightning. 

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” you rushed as you clutched your throbbing side and leaned back against the pillows, “I just wanted something to drink.”

Still groggy, he sucked in a breath as he squinted over at you in the bed, “don’t move,” his voice was deep from sleep, “I’ll get it,” and he reached over to fill up the glass that didn’t fall to its doom, “here,” handing it to you, his eyes stayed on you as you took a sip, “how are you feeling?”

Lowing the drink to your lap, you watched the water ripple gently in the glass as you uttered, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking I’d run into any monsters, I just wanted to see the forest. I’ve never been in a real forest before, so I just–… I’m sorry…”

A low sigh flowed from the king’s lips before he asked, “how are you feeling, dove? Does it hurt badly? Because I can fetch you some herbs if it does.” 

“It’s not pleasant, but I’ll manage,” as you always did. Your pain tolerance was through the roof when it had to be, “I’m sorry.”

“Would you please stop apologising?” your tense gaze finally flickered up to meet his, “I understand you wandering out on your own, I even understand you wanting to explore the forest, but what I don’t understand is why you didn’t bring a weapon with you. I know you don’t know too much about this kingdom, but you must have a basic understanding of just how dangerous it is, especially The Noll Woods. So why didn’t you bring anything to protect yourself with?”

“What?” you blinked, “I don’t own a weapon.” 

Eyes widening, his brows shot up, “you don’t?” 

“No…” you shifted lightly under his gaze, “why are you looking at me like that?” 

Leaning forward slightly, he asked, “dove, do you not know how to fight?” 

“Why would I know how to fight?” 

“Why would you–…” he echoed faintly before lowing his gaze to the blankets spread out on the canopy bed, “gods, I knew that Obelón’s high walls helped protect its people from many creatures, but I know even that doesn’t stop the citizens from knowing the basics at least. Why didn’t you ever?” he found your eyes once more, “you’re of royal birth. Why haven’t you been in lessons since you were a child?” 

Shifting your grasp around the glass, you uttered, “…my father wouldn’t let me…” your brows were still deeply knitted as you said, “I thought it was improper for fine ladies to have such skills.” 

“It’s not,” he shook his head, “trust me. Some of the best fighters I’ve ever known were fine ladies such as yourself.” 

“Really?” you couldn’t help but inch forward a bit. 

“Yeah, my mom for one taught me a lot of what I know, as well as–…” an unreadable expression briefly washed over his features as his sentence suddenly crumbled, “well, others…” 

“I always wanted to learn,” you thought back, “used to spy on my brothers when they were training, even tried to convince Callum to teach me in secret, but none of it ever worked out… my dad always found out and then he’d–…” your gaze stayed locked on the outline of your legs beneath the covers as you felt a shiver run down your spine, “I, uhm… I learned to stop doing that. Going against his rules.” 

After he helped you place the glass back beside the pitcher, the king’s deep timbre filled the chamber once more, “…do you still wanna learn?”

The gentle wind kissed your cheeks as you squinted your eyes at the circular target close to the ivy-covered outer wall of the front courtyard. Though the training area stood nestled between the warden’s barracks and the royal stables, the king’s right-hand man had ensured that there wouldn’t be as many people crowding the common area as there usually were, a gesture you’d become thankful for as the act of learning an entirely new skill was intimidating enough without having the added commotion of experts in the field directly next to you, granting you the perspective of just how green you were. 

Over countless days, bedridden in your chambers, the wound to your side had scabbed over and healed nearly completely. Though the wait was significant, it hadn’t felt that dreary, since at the first dawn you woke, the king’s presence had been exchanged for a tall stack of meticulously selected books. The majority of them were factual records about Eflorr, the land, the history, everything that had been out of your fingertips in the library of your birthplace. But occasionally in between the tomes of the kingdom were books of completely different genres. There was a wide and worn book of fables that had whimsical illustrations on each page, a pocket-sized novel counting the mystery of a fictional rogue, as well as a collection of flowery poems. 

Letting the nocked arrow fly, it didn’t pierce itself into the bullseye your eyes were boring a hole into, but instead joined the cluster lodged in the ground. 

“I am never gonna get this,” you muttered, nearly tossing the training bow from you. 

“Oh, don’t lose hope yet, your majesty,” you twisted your neck to see Barnes standing by the small, open-style stables adjacent to where you stood, petting the cheek of the black horse that stuck its head over the fence, “you’ve only been going for a few days.” 

Drawing another arrow from the quiver not yet strapped to your back, but simply resting on the small stool scooted close, you attempted once more, and though it didn’t hit the target, the arrowhead did wedge itself in between two of the stones on the wall behind it. 

“Not bad,” your body jumped at the unexpected voice, “you’re getting closer.”

Spinning around, you saw the king, arms crossed and leaning against the building directly behind you, “your majesty!” your eyes grew to the size of saucers, “h-hello.”

“You need to relax your bow arm more,” he pushed himself off of the wall and walked up to you. 

“What?” you blinked, still slightly stunned and scrambling to catch up to the fact that he was even there. 

“Here,” he stepped up behind you and a sharp breath of air filled your lungs as his touch found the limb clutching the bow, “you need to relax this arm,” his presence ghosted against your spine as his touch adjusted your appendage to the proper angle, “and lower it just a bit,” plucking up an arrow, he too nocked it for you and let his fingers linger over yours as you drew the string back tight, “use the corner of your lips as an anchor,” as the feathery fletching tickled your cheek, you could have sworn that you felt his curled knuckle shyly brush against your features as well, “and since you’re not very brawny, try and keep a bit of tension right here, it’ll help,” his hand slid down to your waist, the other palm briefly joining on the other side before he let go of you. You could feel the gentle gust of his breath on the shell of your ear as his low voice instructed you, “give it a try.”

The arrow then soared through the air and lodged itself into the outermost ring of the target, “oh my gods,” you squealed, your body victoriously wiggling at the sight, “I did it!”

“Atta girl,” he smiled at the result, and you turned your head to gaze back at him, the fact that he hadn’t shifted back yet caused a shiver to crawl up your spine, “see? I knew you could do it,” his eyes finally flickered down to yours, though when the close proximity dawned on him, only a second passed before his feet began to move, “anyways,” clearing his throat, his vision now seemed to wander over anything but you, “uhm… good job,” he offered your upper arm a small pat, “keep it up,” then turned to the high warden still off to the side, “Buck, I need you to take a look at something for me, up in the war room.”

Giving the horse one last scratch, Barnes answered his friend, “sure thing.”

“You know the king well, correct?” you asked the soldier as he walked with you down to breakfast. At this point, you’d gotten fairly used to Barnes acting as your shadow.

“You could say that,” the corners of his lips curled up in a soft smile, “my mom was a servant here at the castle, so I essentially grew up alongside him. Then as soon as I was old enough, I joined the wardens, partly just to stay at his side. So yes, I do know him well,” he nodded slowly, “I know him very well.”

Rounding the corner, you walked down a long hallway with windows facing out toward the sea all along the right wall. Motes of dust hung suspended in the morning sunbeams that spilt into the hall, perfectly still, like flakes of gold leaf trapped in resin.

Glancing over at him once more as you stepped through one of the golden rays, you slowly opened your mouth once more, “can I ask something?”

“You can ask me anything you’d like,” he met your eye. 

“Does–…” you hesitated a moment before averting your gaze to gather up the courage to utter, “does the king have someone else?”

Gently cocking his head, Barnes echoed, “someone else?”

“Does he have someone else?” you repeated, sensing heat creep up in your cheeks.

“Oh, uh,” he breathed as you reached the end of the hallway and he stretched out his arm to push open the door you’d arrived at, “no, not that I know of.”

As he opened the door to the smaller of the dining rooms for you to enter, you noticed that you’d been unconsciously gnawing at the inner part of your bottom lip till it nearly bled and you forced yourself to stop, “alright…”

When you crossed over the threshold, Barnes stayed put on the other side, though offered you a small nod before the heavy doors fell shut behind you. 

Turning to face the long table centred in the chamber, your eyes suddenly grew wide as an unexpected figure sat on the far end. 

“Good morning,” the king glanced up at you as he popped the piece of strawberry lodged on the tip of his fork into his mouth. 

“Your majesty! I–, I–…” you blinked a second, finding it impossible to get your feet to move the last few paces over to your set place, “I thought you took your breakfast up in your personal chambers.”

“Felt like a change in scenery today,” he plucked up a porcelain cup filled with steaming tea and brought it to his lips, though paused before taking a sip, “is that alright?”

“Of course, it is,” a shudder ran through you as you shook yourself out of your stupor and sat down at the table. 

A generous spread of options layed arced around your empty plate. From seasonal fruits, cut up and arranged on an oblong platter, to hearty bread, sliced and toasted, propped up for it to stay crisp, the selection never ceased to make your belly rumble in want. 

When your plate was filled up and you slowly began to pick away at it, the king’s voice suddenly echoed from the other end of the table. 

“Are you busy this afternoon?”

“Busy?” you lifted your gaze and sent it down past the short floral centrepiece to look at him, “no, your majesty, not in particular. Why do you ask?”

His elbow was propped against the edge of the table and his hand gently rested against his beard as he continued to stare at you, “I was wondering if you’d care to promenade with me.”

“I know it doesn’t look like much from this angle,” the king pointed to the dark cave entrance on the cliff that the castle stood upon, “but that emergency exit has saved countless monarchs.”

“So, the tunnel leads up to the basement?” you glanced down to the part of the coastline still a ways further down the pebbly beach.

“Yep, opens up into the wine cellar, it’s actually one of the racks that’s concealed as the door down.”

Glancing up at him as you slowly walked beside one another, an amused smile curled up on your lip, “clever.”

“Yeah, my mom thought so, she was the one who implemented it.”

The corners of your lips then dropped back down, and you waited a second before asking softly, “when did she pass?”

“A while ago now…” his vision briefly flickered down to look at the waves foam at the shore, “anyways, I’d recommend taking a guide with you if you’re gonna go exploring in the cave because it can be easy to get lost if you didn’t grow up with it as your playground.” 

“I’ll remember that,” a faint chuckle bubbled out of you.

The pebbles crunched beneath your slow stride as you made your way down the beach, closer and closer to where the fort loomed and the docks beyond flourished into the bustling city. 

After he’d bent down to pick up a smooth, dark rock, the royal then spoke in a slightly apprehensive tone, “hey, I actually wanted to talk to you about something…”

Noticing that his stride had halted, you stopped as well, “yes, your majesty?”

His gaze stayed on the small rock in his palm as he turned it a few times, “I know I haven’t exactly been the warmest towards you, I haven’t given you any solid reason to trust or even like me,” his ocean eyes then lifted to meet yours, “but we are supposed to rule together, be a team. So, I propose that we call a truce. Let’s start over and try and be friends,” his broad hand then extended. 

Clasping your fingers around his palm, you shook on it, “truce,” and a small smile bloomed as you then returned to your walk.

Your eyes didn’t stray long from him, staring at him inquisitively till he, on a glance, noticed.

“What?”

“It’s just,” you squinted over at the man walking beside you, the water gentle and calm behind him, “I don’t even really know you…”

“Well,” he breathed, as if that setback was easy enough to remedy, “what would you like to know?”

“I don’t know…” as you continued to stare at him, your fingers absentmindedly fiddled with the opalescent stone attached to the chain hanging from your neck, “tell me everything.”

“Everything?” his eyebrows raised a second before he exhaled lowly, “alright… uhm,” he then lowered his gaze as he scrambled his brain, “my favourite colour is blue. I can’t stand pears,” he began to list off, “I know I don’t look it now, but I was a very scrawny kid, sick all the time. I’m excellent at skipping rocks, actually learned how to just down there from an old family friend. What else… uh, I don’t have a lot of free time, but the little I do, I tend to either read, history in particular, as well as draw or paint, whenever I have the chance.”

“Paint?” you chuckled as that was one of the last things you thought he’d say. 

“Yes,” he nodded, “not many, but a few of my pieces are strung up around the castle.”

“I will have to keep my eye out for those, your majesty,” you smiled. 

“Oh, and please, no more of that,” he pleaded, “you shouldn’t call me your majesty any longer, we’re friends now,” he momentarily turned to toss the rock into the rippling sea, and a small ring bloomed on the surface as it delved in, “you are my wife,” the corners of his lips tugged upwards as he faced you once more, “you should call me by my name.”

“Alright, Steve,” the name felt oddly intimate on your tongue, “I’ll try my best to do better.”

As he smiled down at you, a shadow suddenly soared across the sky above both of your heads. Lifting your eyes to the clouds above, they swiftly went wide in fear as you saw the creature that flew straight towards the village. 

“Oh gods, is that a–”

“Dragon,” Steve uttered before you could. 

The winged behemoth of a beast had scales like the darkest tree bark, but in the sunlight it soared through, they shined regally like an oil spill. 

Grabbing you by the hand as warning bells rang out over the seaside community, Steve dragged you with him and he addressed the two wardens that had lingered a few paces back while you both were out, “take her inside, through the cave, stay low, away from any windows.”

“Yes, my liege,” they swiftly replied and moved to defend you, but as the king’s grasp left yours, you reached out to halt him.

“Wait!” your fingers rushed to snag your lucky charm off, “here,” and you layed the fine necklace into his open palm before finding his eyes one last time and uttering, “please don’t die.”

Closing his fist around the jewel, he offered you a grave nod before the wardens led you into the cave and the king rushed down the banks and up the algae-slick steps that led up to the harbour. 

© 2024 thyme-in-a-bubble 

[bueckersstrap]

THROW AWAY

paige b. x reader

masterlist + playlist here !

warnings : language, cheating

wc : 850-900

tags : @mayghosts

a/n : ok so idk this was really short so imma make it like a prologue if ya catch my drift 😉 hope yall enjoy, chapters will be longer ofc. lmk what yall do and don’t like 💘💘💘 xoxo - cel

0. told her i would call her back, i forgot to text her / PROLOGUE

paige : dude it’s literally not what it looks like chill tf out 😂 11:56 PM

you : chill out ..? ur out cheating and im supposed to chill out ? alr . go have fun w ur lil home wrecking ass friend. 11:58 PM

paige : i’m out tryna enjoy my time w my friends nd ur stressing me ? imma call u after tho , ight? 11:59 PM

paige : i didnt mean it like that ur not stressing me 12:00 AM

deadass i didnt ???

read at 12:02 AM

seriously y/n 12:09 AM

bro y ru acting like that

nah fuck u

wait

no

wait yes

fuck you

read at 12:10AM

‘paige’ has been blocked by ‘y/n’

—

the loud knock that erupted on the apartment door must’ve rung throughout the empty hallways of paige’s complex.

nervously shifting her weight between her feet, holding the cardboard box — that was filled to the brim with all of paige’s stuff — was heavy of a weight enough and the extra anxiety wasn’t helping.

y/n felt like she must have been waiting at paige’s door for hours when it really was only a minute or so.

paige’s expression turned blank, not expecting to ever see y/n again after the incident.

“your stuff. i didn’t need it taking up space in my apartment anymore.” you said, shallow and shoving the box into her chest.

“I- uh. thank you?”

it seemed as if paige swallowed her pride and was going to say something but before she could you flashed her a tight lipped expression and begged yourself not to give in to her antics if she tried anything.

you two had been in this situation countless times, it always ended up in sex. but you didn’t want that this time. not yet, atleast.

it was the awkward silence that confirmed the end of you two was catching up to the years that lacked apologies and proper communication. there was nothing you could’ve done to stop it, what was done was done and paige’s actions couldn’t be controlled. that’s just how she is.

paige looked scared, almost. her expression was unexplainable and as hard as you tried to study the way her lips curled or the way her eyes scanned your own face; you couldn’t figure it out.

without saying anything more, you gave her once last look and walked away, completely shattered.

—

‘the incident’ that was referenced was the moments leading up to when you were sitting in your apartment, innocently and mindlessly scrolling on tiktok when you came across your girlfriends’ friend — ice brady’s — live.

you clicked to see them all out at a bar. this wasn’t unexpected as paige had already told you what her plans for the night were. you watched contently for a little bit, admiring the night your friends were having, that you weren’t invited to. it was weird to not be invited to a group hangout and not be asked to go with, not even by your girlfriend. it had already made you uneasy but it didn’t matter and you brushed your feelings under the rug.

ice shifted the camera to her left and for a split second the world stopped. you immediately recognized the blonde. the grown out roots with the slender hands that wrapped around presumably — from the back — her teammate, azzi fudd.

it wasn’t just a hug as you might’ve thought, her hands were on azzi’s waist and azzi’s hands were around paige’s neck. the distance between them was non-existent and very clear to everybody on live.

ice uncomfortably shifted the camera back to her, exchanging looks with her friend caroline. both the women’s expressions turned into ones of pure shock and slight panic as her and caroline tried to play it off as normal. nothing was normal about this, though.

“what the fuck?” you mumbled, furrowing your brows to try and capture the moment in your brain. it didn’t last as long as it felt though.

for a couple minutes you set your phone down, pacing around your apartment. too many thoughts you had to calculate came at lighting speed in your pounding head. at first, you tried to justify her actions, thinking, maybe it wasn’t what it looked like. but then you started thinking more rationally. you knew what you saw and there was no defending her actions no matter how much you tried. you attempted reading between the lines, trying to catch a loophole in which azzi and paige weren’t kissing within an inch of life between them but the hand placement was a dead give away. the realization made your blood run cold and gave you the confidence needed to say something, not wanting to silence you or your feelings anymore.

that’s how the whole text situation ended up happening because the pure shock turned into pure anger. you concluded that azzi fudd was a home wrecker, and paige bueckers was a lying slut cheater.

was it fair to label azzi that, just by seeing the live? probably not. but the heat that rose to your cheeks in your anxiety driven body made it hard for you to think straight. but this wasn’t about azzi, this was about paige and her extremely ignorant tendencies. especially her intoxicated ones.

it hurt but you knew it was a long time coming, anyway. the toxic relationship you two shared had been ongoing since your junior year when you hooked up at a halloween party and were on and off since.

you couldn’t tell whether knowing that the cycle between you and paige would continue until one of you broke— which wasn’t going to happen— brought you comfort or sadness. it was very unfortunate that you wasted this much time on paige, but considering your past and the very foreseeable future, it was hard not to. as fast as you tried to run away you knew you’d probably end up being caught up to sooner or later. until the pattern repeated itself, you’d try and heal like normal and be destroyed when she came back and ruined your life.

it was the circle of paige.

[loving-and-dreaming]

messy r.l x reader

remus lupin x reader

you are messy. remus is messy. yet somehow it works. 

Word Count: 1.1k

a/n: please be kind. I haven't written in a year and I didn't reread it so there are TONS of mistakes. It just came to me so I wanted to write it down

This party is the last place you wanted to be right now, but Lily can be very persuasive. Looking at your beautiful redheaded friend and all the other people at the party you do not feel like you fit in. You are not by any means ugly, but you are not a hot girl. You are not a soft girl. You are just you. And most days that is enough, but sometimes, just sometimes, it doesn't feel like it is. And that is precisely why you begged Lily to let you stay home, but she was having none of that. Therefore you have staked claim on the very ugly, but yours for the night, couch. Your couch, yes yours, which you have glued yourself to, seems way too inviting to leave, yet the need to get a new drink has a much louder call. Heaving yourself off the couch, you head to the kitchen. On the way to the kitchen to bump into a boy you have seen around who reminds you of sunshine and books(maybe because his face is always in a book). However your need for a drink outweighs the desire to say hi. Moving around the kitchen like it's yours simply to make yourself a drink and get back to your couch as soon as possible. Your trek back to your very lovely couch is interrupted when you spot a very cute guy with tattoos and black hair. He stole your spot! How dare he… I mean let's be real, that was your spot! Sticking your tongue out at him, you turn on your heels and head to the only other place you can think of. The bathroom. At least it is quiet in the bathroom. The craving to be away from the noise and a place to be where you know no one is going to be, you head to the upstairs bathroom. Opening the door, the state of the bathroom, shocks you. It is not the typical bathroom you would see in a party, no one throwing up, no one making out, no trash all over the place. Instead it is an immaculately clean bathroom, sending up a silent thank you, you hop on the bathroom counter. Since you can no longer hear the music you take matters into your own hands and play some music from your phone. Not in the mood for loud obnoxious music, you settle on your soft playlist. The kind of music that makes you feel like you are floating on clouds. Eyes closed, drink in hand, body swaying you start to enjoy yourself. Yet all that is stolen from you as the door creaks open. How could you be so dumb that you forgot to lock the door, rolling your eyes and cursing to yourself you open your eyes to see who has interrupted your paradise. You get ready to give some attitude, you are at a party you didn't even want to go to, your couch was stolen by some hot guy, and now someone finds you in your bathroom paradise. The audacity. All of that is on your tongue when you see sunshine and books boy. “Sorry to interrupt you, love. But I need an escape for a moment. Could I crash your solo party?” How his words are literal sunshine as well is beyond you, yet here you are. Eyes open, mouth ajar just staring at him.

The sound of a lighter opening is what snaps you out of your thoughts. “Um yeah sure, as long as you don't mind the music I needed a moment too.”

“Are you here on your own violation, or friends?” “Ah I would be here because my lovely friend, and roommate, does not think laying in bed is an adequate plan for a friday night. You? Friends or your choice?”

“Seeing as it is my house, I feel I could answer that one of two ways. However I will say that it was not my first choice of plans tonight. Curse of having roommates I suppose.”

With wide eyes you slide off the counter and prepare to leave, “Oh no. Is this your bathroom? I just picked the one farthest away from the noise, I am so sorry. Let me get out of your hair.” However your plan to run away was crushed when you felt a hand on your wrist, and my goodness how does his skin feel like sunshine??

His soft voice floats through your head, “Wait before you go at least dance with me, I loved the song that was just playing.” He uses his grip on you to turn your body around and join his.

With a blushing face and quiet voice you ask, “Can I at least know your name? I keep calling you sunshine, and as cute as it is, I'm sure it’s not your name.”

“I kind of like sunshine, but it is Remus. Now I need to know yours, although I'm okay calling you what I've been calling you in my head.”

You go to tell him your name but stop. With pink dusting your cheeks you ask, “What have you been calling me?”

“Well angel seemed fitting” he says with a shrug. With a roll of your eyes you whisper your name. Swaying back and forth in sunshine-i mean remus’- arms feels like a dream, but like always dreams are not meant to go on forever. Remus leans down and whispers in your ear “Would you like to get out of here?” No dream has been shattered as fast as this. Not only did you finally have sunshine boy(as he will forever be nicknamed by you and lily) in your arms he goes and says some dumb shit like that. Clearly your face showed how upset you felt about that statement because the next thing you know he is panicking “No! Wait. no! Not like that. Oh my gosh, this is what I get for trying to be smooth. I meant to literally get out of the bathroom and go on a walk outside. It is a nice night and clearly neither of us want to be here. Oh look at that I am rambling.” He clearly is now nervous, scratching the back of his neck and looking anywhere but you.

It takes everything in you not to laugh at him, you can only imagine how he feels. So instead with a small smile and hand on his arm you say “it's okay, sunshine. I'm just as messy as you. Why don’t we get out of here?”

Since then neither of you have looked back. He is your sunshine and you are his angel. You are messy. He is messy. But together you work wonderfully.

[farmerlarrry]

Orange Slices (Joel Miller x f!reader)

masterlist | chapter sixteen | chapter fifteen | read on ao3 | playlist

story summary: A story about finding companionship and love in the midst of chaos.

word count: 4987

a/n: Hi guys, so sorry about not updating here for a while! I promise I'll continue posting Orange Slices chapter updates here, I just completely forgot to post chapter 17. Not to be annoying, but if you are interested in staying in touch with me/my other works/story updates (including fororange slices), I am now mainly on @urbancowboyjoel now. Chapter 18 is still in the works, explanation is at the end of the chapter hehe.

if you want to be notified when I post new chapters, follow @farmerlarrrylibrary and put on notifications! If you'd rather be tagged, just let me know.

@pocket-macnchz

Chapter Seventeen

“Come to me in the silence of the night; come in the sparkling silence of a dream.” -Christina Rossetti

The moonlight streams in through the small window in the kitchen, offering a comforting presence in the midst of your sudden onset of insomnia. After the day you had, all the lifting and moving, you should be tired; you should be exhausted. However, after tossing and turning for hours while your mind raced with thoughts about James and Joel and Nessa and your impending return to patrol and past memories, of your hometown and how things used to be, how much has changed within the past few years–your relentless thoughts refused to slow down no matter how much you tried to fight against them, so you forced yourself from the couch and took a seat at the kitchen table in the dark. 

Staring off into the dark abyss of where you just came from, you roll your neck, grimacing at the shooting pain at the base of your skull. Sleeping on the couch was not working out. Nothing good came out of it, just restless nights and daily body aches. Still, regardless of being in this house for a while, the reminisce of the lives that used to call this house their home still haunts you in one form or another. This place has yet to begin feeling like yours, and at this rate, you don’t think it ever will. 

The past few weeks have been nothing short of a blur, between the conversation you had with Joel and the myriad of drama surrounding you in Jackson, your mind has been rather preoccupied. 

After your eyes fully adjusted to the dark, you reached for the notebook at the center of the table. The clock mounted behind you on the wall in the kitchen, was loud in your ears, the mixture of tick-tocks and your heartbeat whooshing in your ear gave you a sense of unsettling nausea. 

You flipped to the next available blank page in the worn notebook, the moon casting a sliver of light across the table as if it was encouraging you to write about your troubles after witnessing your restless night for countless weeks. The eraser head hits the paper in between the ticks and tocks of the clock as you delve further into your thoughts. Where do I start? You ask yourself.

A few weeks ago, after returning from an uneventful patrol alongside Joel, you came across a post on the community information board in the town square. Charles posted a help wanted request for cleaning and setting up a library in one of the vacant buildings within the community. As soon as you saw his name signed at the bottom, you ripped it from the board and rushed to his house to volunteer your hand. A part of you felt saddened that he didn’t come to you and ask, considering he confided in you that one day he'd like to open a library here. Although, given the rocky state of things going on in your life, you understood why he didn’t ask to begin with. 

After going around to the different guards, asking for anyone to cover her spot with patrol, Tommy was the only one who stepped up while you and Charles began stripping the building, cleaning, and organizing the collection of books he’s hoarded over the years, were donated by members of the community, or were purposely scavenged from nearby.

Although you hated admitting this to yourself, it was nice getting a break from doing patrol. Setting up the library was the perfect distraction from everything going on, and spending time with Charles, someone who you looked up to for guidance and as a father figure, was the kind of presence your soul needed. 

That distraction only went so far though, at night your thoughts consistently kept you up into the wee hours of the morning. It had nearly become debilitating and you knew it was something you’d have to figure out sooner rather than later, particularly before you returned to your patrol duties. The main two culprits that haunted your thoughts were none other than Joel and James; Joel, mainly because you’ve been spending much less time with him than usual, and James for the fact that he’s been too involved in your life lately. 

Regardless of not going on patrol with Joel, you still see him nearly everyday. Usually the two of you eat dinner together, with him stopping by what will eventually become the library to see if you wanted to join him. Your answer was always yes with no hesitation on your end. After dinner, he'd walk you home, sometimes he’d stay for an hour or so, other times he’d retreat to his house to go to bed, telling you that the sleepless nights in the QZ and on the outside were catching up with him. At the end of each day, you always craved more from him.

Then there was James. Oh, James…

Ever since your confrontation out front of the stables about the little stunt he pulled that almost got you taken off of patrols, it seems as if James has been trying to do some intense damage control with you. He’s stopped by your house a handful of times that you know of. You’ve never opened the door, going completely still so as to not alert him of your presence, though he still takes it upon himself to profusely apologize through the door, pleading for you to talk to him. 

Through word of mouth, either from the other guards discussing your temporary leave or from Charles himself, James must’ve learned about you helping with the library because he began showing up between his patrols and other guard duties, claiming he just wants to see how things are coming along. 

These unexpected drop-ins put Charles in an awkward position; you knew it, James knew it—he came anyway. While you stealthily slipped into the back room to busy yourself, sometimes organizing piles of books you already organized days prior, other times just staring at the wall, Charles would take the initiative to entertain James with small talk. 

Every time James made his eventual departure, Charles would let out a loud heavy sigh, saying so much with no words. And after you’d mutter your half-assed apology as you emerged from the back room, he’d give you a look; one so full of disappointment and defeat. For the rest of the day, both of you would work in silence.

Charles never said anything beyond his sigh and the look he’d give you in regards to James. His body language was more than enough and he knew that. He knew the guilt that you feel and the conflicting anger you have towards James. After the last talk the two of you had, he’d given up and knew no matter what he said to you, no matter how much he tried to help, you wouldn’t listen anyway.

He knew you were a coward and had no plan of resolving things with James anytime soon.

A coward wishing their problem would disappear. 

You wished James would just disappear , because then you wouldn’t have to think about what you did to him that started this. And that made you feel guilty. 

Eventually, you knew you’d have to come face to face with James, knowing that he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. The community is relatively small and people talk; in the long run it would be best to smooth things over, at least attempt to talk things out. Although, it just wasn’t something you could do right now. Not with your conflicting and complex feelings toward James—especially not when things were so God damned gray with Joel. 

The snapping of the lead of your pencil pulls you out of your mind consuming rant, suddenly becoming aware of your dark surroundings as you return to reality. You could feel the intense heat radiating off of your cheeks as you brought one palm up to your face. 

After staring at the paper for a few minutes, taking in the messy scribbles of words, you rip out the page in one swift motion, immediately crumpling it into a ball. The muscles in your forearm tensed as you squeezed the paper within your fist, making it smaller and more compact with each squeeze. The paper disappeared within the dark shadows of the kitchen when you chucked it across the table.

Your head began to spin, a buzzing sensation filling your skull and making you feel uneasy. Moving the hand on your cheek up to your forehead, you let out a sigh of frustration and close your eyes.

Joel. 

Such an intense and complex person. From the moment you sat across from him at that damned table at that abandoned cabin, you felt drawn to him. Something about him that you couldn’t quite put your finger on made you feel understood and protected and at ease. When it was just the two of you, you could imagine what life would be like by his side, and it was something you so badly wanted to manifest into reality. He could be a complete asshole at times, but then there were other times when he was so vulnerable with you and he would laugh and you could see a glimmer of joy in his eyes that gave you a tiny glimpse of who he was before the outbreak happened. Weirdly enough, you wanted him just as much in his worst moments as you did in his best. To you, knowing that was enough. It was enough to understand what you felt for him.

James…

He was such a sweet and kind soul, always making you feel so normal, as if none of this outbreak bullshit ever happened. James felt things so purely and intensely, it almost made you envious that someone could experience life in such a way after losing so much.  From the beginning he treated you as an equal, he didn’t make you have to prove yourself like some of the others did, he didn’t see you as the weird girl who showed up with Tommy Miller and his misfit older brother. He treated you like a human being deserving of friendship, he stuck up for you, and on the late nights the two of you would spend together, he made you feel like you were something important to this world. While all those things may remain true, it doesn’t change how he treated Joel or what he did to you when his jealousy took over. Things could never go back to how they were after that.

Closing the front cover of the notebook and slipping the pencil into the spiral binding for safe keeping, you slide it back to the center of the table where you retrieved it from.

In the past, writing had helped you sort through your thoughts, it did when Joel left shortly after you arrived in Jackson and when memories of the past became too much to bear. It gave you a chance to dump everything without the judgment of others and many times you were able to either solve the core of the problem or come to some sort of decision on how to manage your feelings, but this time around…no matter how much you deliberated, how much you wrote, it just leaves you with a bigger headache than you started with. 

And this headache seemed to grow worse as the days went on. 

As your hand ran down the front of your face, you turned in your chair to look at the clock, squinting your eyes to make out the numbers and hand position in the dark. You raise your eyebrows when you realize it’s now past midnight, nearly an hour has passed and you have been completely lost in your thoughts this entire time. 

At this point the moonlight shifted, the sliver that previously caressed the table with a soft glow, was now leading you to the couch. 

Pressing your palms firmly against the smooth surface of the table, it takes you a second to push yourself up onto your feet as your eyes lock onto one of the many burn marks pulling you back into your daze. Joel did say I was welcome anytime, the words appear in your mind without any warning, maybe I can… With one hard, intentional blink, the thought disappeared.

Nothing good ever comes after midnight. On top of that, you aren't being rational right now, you’re sleep deprived and borderline delarius. Nothing good will come out of that, you whisper your words out loud. Sleep. That’s what you needed. That’s all you need right now. Not clarity, or confirmation, or him.

You wrap your arms around yourself as you walk the short distance from the table to the couch, nearly toppling over on the couch. All you wanted at the moment was to sleep. You desperately wanted a break from your racing thoughts that were now becoming tortuous. Before laying down, you punched the poor excuse of a pillow a few times before laying on your back, your hands resting just above your navel. As you close your eyes, you slow your breathing. 

Trying to trick your brain into sleeping, you count the seconds that pass in unison to the ticking clock. Flashing images of Joel kept distracting you, so when you finally reached six hundred after several failed attempts, you flipped onto your side with your face now facing the back of the couch. The rough fabric brushed the tip of your nose as you nuzzled your face into the cushion, the heat of your breathing warming your cold cheeks. 

Three hundred more seconds pass before you shoot up from the couch, the sudden movement making blood rush to your head, the already dark room becoming darker for a fraction of time. Your heart, for some reason that you don’t know why, is racing, thumping strongly within the confines of your chest.

Placing your hand over your heart, feeling the movement under the layers of skin, muscle, and bone, you approach the window in the living room, your steps slow almost as if you were afraid of getting caught. As you look out the window toward Joel’s house, you brace your hands on the windowsill, leaning into them to get a better look. His house at this time of the night was nothing more than a shadow, but you could recount every detail of it by memory. 

You began to gently chew on your bottom lip as a sudden calm came over.

Fuck it. 

Before you could process your decision or think of what the consequence might come from out of this, you were already halfway out the door, barefoot and still in your pajamas. Time seemed to slow as you walked across the empty street and up Joel’s pathway; the overgrown weeds tickling the bottom of your feet with each step. 

Knock, knock, knock.

The wooden door was hard against your knuckles, knocking hard enough so he would hear but wouldn’t be alarmingly loud either. 

For a brief moment, a sliver of consciousness washed over you, the only thing you could hear was your own ragged breaths as the adrenaline continued to rush through your veins and covered your body in a numbing sensation. What are you doing? Your eyebrows drew together. Looking over your shoulder you judged the distance between where you stood and where your front door was. If I leave now, perhaps I can make it back before he gets to the door. The longer you think on it, you realize the opportunity slipping through your fingers. 

The sound of creaking floorboards causes you to turn back toward Joel’s front door and straighten your posture, your chin tilting upward ever so slightly. Your fingers fiddle with each other as you wait for the door to open; on the other side of the barrier, you can hear Joel clear his throat and your heart stalls.

At first, he barely opens the door wide enough for his head to poke through. You take a second to scan his face; he looks confused, still half asleep, but God did he look handsome.

“Hey, um, ” your voice is soft, not quite sure what to say. You shift the weight between your feet as you continue to look at him.

After taking what seemed like forever to process your presence, Joel’s narrowed eyes quickly turn into concern and he opens the door wider revealing his entire body. “Is everything okay?” His voice was rough, laden with sleep. Your breathing hitches, leaving you unable to respond as you take him in before you. Your eyes glaze down from his concerned expression, to his chest hair and down his bare torso, to the top of the band of his blue boxer that looked as if they had been put on in a rush. Your core ignited with an intense heat, your heartbeat picking up in speed. 

You force yourself to swallow despite your throat feeling as if it were closing in on itself. “I can’t sleep…” You shook your head, keeping your eyes fixated on his. “I’m–I’m sorry to bother you so late.” Letting out a sigh you avert your gaze down to your feet. Looking at him was too much for you to handle right now. 

The sigh of relief escaping him made you slowly look back up at him, his shoulders relaxing. Without saying anything else, Joel opens the door completely, stepping aside to allow you to come in. You give him a shy smile in response, butterflies now going rampant in your stomach. 

You wait for Joel to take the lead, not sure what would happen from here. You knew what you wanted to happen, whether it was right or wrong. Perhaps he’d offer you the couch, simply a place to sleep for the night. That’s probably for the best. Or maybe the two of you would talk for a bit and then he’d send you on your way. Fuck, you’re an idiot, you thought, hating yourself now for not thinking this through. Joel had to get up for patrol in the morning and you thought it was a good idea to bother him for your own selfish reasons. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You dig your nails into your palms as a flash of heat runs through your body. 

Joel’s arm brushes up against yours as he passes, leading you further into his home and turning on lights as he goes. You have to force yourself not to look at him or the way his back muscles shift as he walks. Get a hold of yourself, you scold yourself and suck in some very much needed oxygen through your teeth. 

You take everything in as you walk further into his home, it’s been quite a while since you’ve been here. Between the pictures of wildlife to the half finished wood carvings, everything remains the same as you remember; perfectly lived in and a reflection of who Joel is at his core. 

The kitchen light flickers a few times when Joel flips the switch, damn light , his voice comes out as a low mumble. As the two of you approach the table, he pulls out one of the chairs gesturing for you to take a seat. You avoid his gaze, giving him a nod of gratitude before he rounded the corner of the table and headed toward the kitchen cabinets. 

“You want something to drink?” He asks as he grabs two glasses, the side clinking together as he sets them down on the countertop. “Liquor, fresh milk, water…” He only turns back to look at you once he finishes. 

You shake your head. “I’m fine, thanks though.” The last thing you need is alcohol, and you were sure that anything that went down would instantly be vomited back up given the fact that your stomach was in the most intense knots you have ever experienced. 

Joel stares at you for a second longer than usual before giving you a single nod, abandoning the glasses on the counter and taking a seat in the chair directly across from you. 

He clears his throat before asking, “Somethin’ botherin’ you?” His tone was genuine. You scoff quietly in response, if only I could tell you , you thought.

You didn’t respond immediately, staring off into the kitchen behind Joel and gathering your thoughts. “There’s…” You didn’t know how to respond or what to say. No, you couldn’t tell him. Or could you? “Yes, I just don’t know… I don’t” You cut yourself off, sucking in some air to challenge the suffocating feeling that manifested in your chest. 

“You don’t want to talk about it?” He says, not intending it as a question. Joel clasps his hands together, resting them on the table. Without looking at him, you slowly nod. “Nothin’ wrong with that.” 

Then a silence fell between the two of you. You didn’t know what else to say, you could barely look at him across the table from you and could feel his stare burning a hole into you. Guilt quickly washed over you and you slightly cringed to yourself before lifting your eyes up to Joel. His gaze was intently fixated on you, an intensity in his eyes you saw only a few times. 

Your lips part, your tongue wetting your dried out lips. “I’m sorry I woke you up for nothing,” Your voice was breathy and barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know what to do, so…” 

Joel immediately shook his head before you were even able to finish. “Don’t– no, don’t apologize.” You give him a pitiful smile, though his expression did not break. The two of you stare at each other for what seems like minutes, though in reality it was probably only a few seconds at most. 

“How’s the library comin’ along?” He changed the subject, which you were thankful for. “Sounds like a lot of people are excited for it.” Joel cocked his head. 

“Yeah, probably a dozen people stop by a day just to see when we’ll be done.” You say as you tuck your hands beneath your thighs. “Hardest part is just filling the shelves with books, more tedious than hard though.” Joel was listening with intent. “Tony brought us a ton of books from the run last week, so that was pretty huge. On top of that people have been dropping books off to donate.” 

“It’ll…it’ll be a good addition to Jackson.” Joel responds and you nod.

There was a pause in the conversation, a bit of awkwardness rising in the air. 

“How’s patrol going in my absence?” You inquire, changing the subject. 

Joel let out a low whisper as he adjusted himself in the chair. “Same ol’, same ol’. Don’t tell Tommy I said this, but it’s been nice spending some one on one time with him. It’s been a while since it’s just been us.” He says, a glimmer growing brighter in his eyes. A small smile appeared on his face. “Sort of like old times, when we’d go on fishin’ trips together.” 

You smile at the sentiment, before completely changing your expression. “ Mmmm,” you hum, causing Joel to look at you. His eyes narrow slightly in confusion. “Do I have to worry about you replacing me?” You jokingly narrow your eyes back at him, cocking your head to one side. 

Joel let out a boisterous laugh. “God no, never,” his response was quick with no hesitation. “I say that, but I can only take so much of him… ask me in a few more weeks and I’ll be beggin’ on my hands and knees for you to come back.” 

A smile appeared on your face again, “I won’t make you beg too hard.” Joel instantly locked eyes with you through his brow-line, your stomach jumping at the eye contact. 

“No?” He raised his eyebrow as he spoke, his voice dark but somewhat playful as he gave you a devious smile.

You were the first to drop your gaze, followed up by Joel clearing his throat. 

“Um…” You fill the silence, trying to think of how to converse after that moment. In your peripheral view, you see Joel reach his hand over the table, gesturing toward you. 

“I think about ya’.” His eyes dart around as you look at him, searching for some sort of reaction from you. Everything around you went eerily silent. You raise your eyebrows almost stunned by this confession. All you wanted to say was: You do? However, you waited for him to continue, to take the lead on whatever was about to be said. It seems as if your reaction was enough because Joel nodded. “When I’m doin’ patrol and you aren’t there, at night before I fall asleep,” as he went on, he refused to look at you. From his expression you couldn’t quite tell what his intent was telling you this. “I–I’m…” At this point his head is hanging low, his eyes fixated on the table; he shook his head. “I’ll be right back.” 

His tone was different than before, you sensed a bit of hesitation, perhaps embarrassment. You return with a curt nod, although he didn’t give you a second look before he left and headed toward the stairs. You remained seated at the table as you listened to the thumps of each step he took, and when things went silent, you raised out of the chair. What just happened? Joel’s confession almost seemed unreal, did you imagine that just now? You turned in a circle, your eyes tracking the walls as you spin. Am I dreaming? Your face now twisted in confusion. 

Walking out of the kitchen, you stand  at the bottom of the staircase for a moment looking up. Joel was nowhere in sight. You blow out the air you had been holding on to as you pad over to the living room, turning on the light. Bracing your hand on the threshold, you paused.

It was considerably messy compared to the other parts of the house. A blanket was lazily draped over the back of the couch, the guitar laid on it back on the ground as if he had been playing it and put it there to come back to later. Records were scattered on top of the coffee table, alongside a book laying face down open. 

As you approach the bookshelves on the back wall, you run your hand along the soft blanket and carefully step over the guitar. 

Reaching for a book that had a red-brown leather exterior with silver foil details on the side, your ears perk up when you hear Joel coming down the steps. You remain still, running your fingers over the spine before pulling it out. You hear the floorboards creak as Joel gets closer and closer to the living room, the louder his steps get, the weight in your chest gets heavier. You remain still, not turning toward the entrance to acknowledge his presence. 

Seconds seem to pass by in hours, until you feel his warmth behind you. “You can borrow it if you’d like.” His voice shook slightly as he spoke, your breathing becoming shallow. No words would leave your throat. 

Quickly, you turn to face him, your arm dropping to your side with the book still within your grasp. Joel took a single step toward you, closing the already little distance between your bodies. You brought your hand up to the middle of his chest, placing the palm of your hand flat against him; his heart was beating fast. Out of instinct, your body stiffens, your eyes softening as you lock onto his. 

As you tilt your chin upwards, Joel leans in, his eyelids fluttering as the two of you become closer to one another. Your eyes remain wide open as you relish the sight, total relief overcoming you at what was about to happen. Your tortuous thoughts from earlier completely disappear and burn in the fire that rose in the core of your pelvis. It was just you and Joel right now. Right now that's all that mattered to you. 

Just as his lips met yours, your eyes fluttered shut. Bursts of colors explode beneath your eyelids, and at some point the book slipped from your hands, landing with a dull thud. His hands were all over you now, one fisting at the back of your oversized night shirt, and the other gently caressing the side of your hip. Joel’s lips were soft, his movement a lot more gentle than you imagined on the many nights you couldn’t sleep. Yet, he was still passionate and the intensity made jolts of electricity rush through your body.

You quickly pull back from him, both of your hands holding loosely onto his biceps. He went to lean in again, but you pulled back again. “Tell me you want me to stay,” your voice is barely above a whisper, smooth and alluring. There was nothing more you wanted than this , what was happening right now. After that first dinner with Tommy and Joel, that was the turning point for you and ever since then that– Joel seemingly wanting it as much as you did–it was all you could think about whenever you were around him or when you’d see him at the bar, or across the community. 

Joel’s hands glided down your back before he clasped them together. His eyes shift off to the side before returning to you. You could tell he was contemplating, just like you had earlier; doing this…is it right or wrong? The way his hands press into your lower back told you that he wouldn't be able to resist you, not this time. 

His throat bobs as he looks into your eyes, his eyes softening and his lips parting. No words came out as he leaned into you, placing his forehead on yours. 

Joel nodded and whispers onto your lips, “Stay. ”

chapter eighteen coming soon! (I'm being so fr too, I'm just bad at writing smut and I want it to be perfect so bear with me)

painting divider | credit: @cottage-writings

[yuunemi]

I Wanna Show You Off

PAIRING : MITSUYA TAKASHI X FEM!READER

GENRE : FLUFF!

C/W : NONE!

LIBRARIAN'S NOTE/S : i was smiling like an idiot while writing this. i hope y'all enjoy reading this.

NOTES & REBLOGS ARE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED ^^

"Hey Takashi."

It was one lazy afternoon, school just finished and you decided to hang out at Mitsuya's place. Luna and Mana were playing in the living room while you and Mitsuya were in his room. Lying down on his bed blasting your shared playlist with him while he's busy sewing clothes.

"Hm? What's up?"

You rarely call him by his name unless you have something serious to talk about or you were simply in a daze. "I wanna show you off." You said out of nowhere

Stopping from his work, he turned to look at you, "Huh? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" He asked with a smile. "Nothing... I just want you to pick me up after school." You pouted.

Walking in your direction, he sat beside you. "Yeah? What made you want that?" He said while settling your head on his lap. "N-Nothing much... I was just being jealous of my other classmates..." You mumbled, your voice getting softer with each word.

"They're all going home together, buying food for each other, and all that pda in public... I know I act indifferent about those things, but you don't have to buy me food... I just want you to pick me up." You rambled on

Embarrassed at your own request and reason, you hug his waist and hide your face in his stomach, but he could see the way your cheeks turned red all the way to your ears.

Laughing at you, how could he reject such a cute request? "Sure thing, love, what time does your school end?"

"4:30 in the afternoon." Nodding his head at your answer, "Perfect, Luna and Mana's classes end 2 hours earlier than yours. I won't have to worry about cutting myself in half." He said with a laugh

"You know, you don't really have to if you're so busy... besides, you have your own classes to attend as well..." Feeling guilty for your selfishness, you take back your request.

"Well, I'm not busy and my school ends 30 minutes earlier than yours so don't worry about it, okay? I'd always make a way."

Softly smiling at you, he turns your head for a forehead kiss.

"Thanks!"

The next day came, and it was just like any other school day. Couples publicly displaying affection so early in the morning, students sleeping, and students cramming their homework due today.

To say that it was a tiring day was an understatement because it was exhausting. Juggling school work here and there while chasing teachers for deadlines.

What's worse is that you had to run around from the ground floor to the fifth floor because it was suddenly announced that your class had to finish decorating your respective booths for an upcoming school event in 2 days.

Your feet were dead from all that running around, and you were mentally exhausted as well. Today was such a mess that you forgot about Mitsuya picking you up today.

Rushing through the school lobby, you were shocked to see a familiar purple head wearing his school uniform with his oh so famous earring, "Oh! Mitsuya?"

Smiling at you, he raises up a plastic of McDonalds. You were wondering why he was waiting for you with food in hand when you told him that it was alright not to bring you any food—wait, not bring any food? Then it hit you

"OH MY!"

"WHAT TIME IS IT?!" Panicking, you took out your phone to see that it was 5:18 PM. "CRAP! I FORGOT IM SO SORRY!" Rushing to him, you gave him a hug and decided to stay and explain things.

"I am so sorry, I know I asked you to pick me up, but I was so busy that I forgot and didn't even notice the time." You rambled.

"Hey, hey... calm down... deep breaths... that's right, it's okay, I understand."

Ushering you to sit at the waiting area of the lobby, he proceeds to take out your chicken nuggets and open its box for you to eat before taking out your fries and drinks.

"To be honest, I thought I had kept you waiting because I arrived 15 minutes late, but when I arrived at your school, I saw you running around and scurrying here and there. I could see how tired you were and well... I got you this."

"Thanks! You're the best!" You said after finishing the food in your mouth.

"Oii!! L/n!! We need you here!!" A classmate of yours, shouted while running to your location. "Laterrr!! I'm eating!!" You shouted back.

"HA?! BUT EVERYONE'S WORKING TO THE BONE AND YOU'RE JUST-" Her angry protest was cut short when she saw you and Mitsuya together. "Sorry, I'm gonna have to borrow Y/n for a while." Mitsuya coolly said with a smile.

"Oh! Uhh-Hi! Sorry, I-uh didn't know... we'll just be on the third floor then." She stuttered with blushing cheeks while you just rolled your eyes at her. You waited for your classmate to walk away and for his attention to turn toward you before pouting your lips at him

"Huh? What's the matter?" Mitsuya asked with a carefree smile.

"I don't like the way you were smiling at her." You pouted

"She was the annoying classmate that I was ranting to you about the other day." You added

Laughing at your cuteness, he pinches your cheek. "Aww~~ I'm sorry, I didn't know." Stuffing your mouth with fries, you pout even more.

"You're so cute when you act this way, childish and jealous." Mitsuya adds with a mischievous grin.

Playfully rolling your eyes at him "Whatever." You said, which in turn, made Mitsuya laugh even more.

Finishing your food, you tidy it and go to a nearby trash can to throw it before returning to Mitsuya

"I'm so sorry Mitsuya, I really wanted to go home with you today but I didn't expect this to happen. But thanks for the food though!"

"Hey, don't sweat it, besides, who said you were gonna walk home alone today?"

Your eyes widened at his words "But Luna and Mana! I don't know how late we'll end, perhaps by 6 but—"

"Then, I'll just have to help you out to finish quicker." He interrupted with a smile

"And yes. It's okay, I don't mind. Besides, didn't you say that you wanted to show me off?" He added with a smirk

Blushing at the latter part of his response, you shake your head with a smile and led him to the lobby guard so he can claim a visitor's pass

Upon returning back to the third floor, you were met with an annoyed classmate "Y/n, what took you so long?! I literally called you 10 minutes ago." She asked

Mitsuya was about to apologize again, not until you had interjected with a sarcastic answer "Well apologies for enjoying my food and avoiding indigestion."

"Anyways, Mitsuya meet Yuna, my classmate, and Yuna meet Mitsuya, my boyfriend. He volunteered to help out with our booth."

"Hi! I look forward to working with you." Mitsuya greeted with a bow.

"Anyways, Kashi, I need your help here. Can you hold these two ends together, while I secure them in their place?" You said, already walking towards the problem at hand.

"Sure!" He replied, and your classmate was left speechless for a moment before she regained composure and went back to work as if nothing happened.

Boy did his presence cause such a ruckus, but it's not like everyone had time to gossip and pry more into the situation. Though one thing's for sure, you were undoubtedly proud to flaunt your boyfriend just for today.

The day finally ended, and all students were already being told to go home. Everyone bid their goodbyes and went their separate ways home.

"Man, I'm deadbeat tired."

"That must be heavy, let me carry it." Mitsuya said while taking your backpack and you could've sworn that the students you heard planning to go to the convenience store for food were now gushing and talking about Mitsuya's gesture.

"Thanks!"

Walking hand in hand on your way home, the day was definitely tiring but you wouldn't have it any other way.

"Ne, Kashi, I'm surprised you didn't bring your motorcycle. I kinda wish you did now." You said with a dry laugh

"Well, you mentioned that the couples in your class were walking back home together, so I thought that's what you wanted... besides, I didn't expect you would be running out and about today."

"Yeah, I didn't expect it either... but thanks anyways! I imagine that I would be trudging on my way back home if you hadn't come."

"Next time, I'll be sure to pick you up with my motorcycle then." He coolly said. Instantly lighting up and turning to him, "No way!" you exclaimed.

"OH! OH! You should also do the things they do in books where they lean against their motorcycles!"

Laughing at your behavior, he nods his head, "Sure thing, love."

[nishayuro]

Let me be the one - Haikyuu!! Oikawa Tooru

Collection: My spotify playlist of songs that play in my head at the most unconventional times

Genre: Angst, hurt with comfort

GN!Reader (They/them pronouns)

A/N: Me and my friends were doing karaoke while drinking yesterday and my friend suggested that I sing this song and this morning I had the idea of Oikawa with this and I am sobbing

Synopsis: When given the choice between you or volleyball, Oikawa makes the decision that could make or break you.

“Somebody told me you were leavin', I didn't know, Somebody told me you're unhappy, But it doesn't show”

Oikawa knew that volleyball was close to everything for him. His life revolved around volleyball and his team. With his determination to get to nationals in his final year of high school, he puts all his time in practice, including his time with you.

You and Oikawa have been together since the start of 2nd year, him being your friend before that. You naturally understood his passion for the sport and supported him all the way, but with Seijoh’s loss against Shiratorizawa in the interhigh prelims, his final chance at nationals is around the corner with spring tournaments coming up, he became more distant. 

You understand his desperation with each practice, but it came to the point where he’d forget you even existed. Oikawa knows you as an understanding partner, but he doesn’t know how much more you can take. It was when he found out from Iwaizumi the next day that you were actually waiting for him after practice because he promised that he’d walk you home. 

“Nobody told me you've been cryin' Every night, Nobody told me you'd been dyin' But didn't want to fight”

“You know, you need to get your priorities straight. I know nationals is important to you, to the whole team, but is it really worth it if you lose Y/N over it?” Iwaizumi told him, staying late with him after practice. “Huh? What’s y/n have to do with this?” Oikawa asked, glancing at his best friend before doing a serve. 

“I mean, you kinda left them in the cold yesterday, they were waiting for you outside the gym, and said you promised that you’d walk them home… something about it being your monthsary or something.” Iwaizumi answered. Oikawa’s eyes widened at the realization. “Fuck…” he said.

“Yeah, figured you forgot. I told them to just go home, you were too in the zone yesterday, even I couldn’t get you away from the net.” Iwaizumi added. “What… what did they say about it…” Oikawa asked, voice lingering with a sense of dread. “We didn’t talk about it much, it seemed like they wanted time to think so I just let them, but honestly, you’ve been distant with them for months, I wouldn’t be surprised if they got tired of you making them your least priority.” Iwaizumi stated, standing up and walking towards their things.

It's been a week since you’ve seen Oikawa, with spring high qualifiers approaching more and more by day, the less time he’d have for you, the most you’d get are a few good morning or good night texts but that’s it. It was draining, and you can’t even talk to him about it because you can’t even find time to meet him. 

“I-I don’t know anymore… I miss him, it hurts that I feel like I'm just second to that damn sport…” you tell your brother, Issei, who is your boyfriend’s team mate. “I don’t think I can do this anymore…I love Tooru, I really do, but everyday without him is just too much for me. But I don’t know how to break up with him. I’m scared that if I do it suddenly, he’s gonna lose focus with his training and all that, but what about how I feel? I don’t know anymore, Issei.” you admit to him. 

“Nobody told me that you fell out of love from me, So I'm settin' you free”

“Oi, Oikawa.” Issei marches up to his captain, “yeah?” Oikawa asked. “I’m gonna say this once, and one time only. You need to set your priorities straight, Y/N is an understanding person, but don’t take that for granted. I’m gonna need you to pick between them or volleyball, because I can see that you can’t do both at the same time without messing one up.” Issei says, voice laced with seriousness, causing Oikawa to freeze. 

“They’re… they’re getting tired, aren’t they?” he asked, in a small voice. Issei gives a reluctant nod, Oikawa looks down for a few seconds, before giving a sigh and looking at his teammate once again, “Sorry, don’t worry, I'll set things straight.” Oikawa answers. 

“Let me be the one to break it up, So you won't have to make excuses, We don't need to find a set up where, Someone wins and someone loses, We just have to say our love was true, But has now become a lie, So I'm tellin' you I love you one last time And goodbye”

In the cold evening air, Oikawa asks to meet you. “Y/N…” “Tooru…” you both say at the same time. “Issei told me…” he started. “Oh…don’t worry about that! It’s just me overthinking things” you explain. “He said I need to set my priorities. And Y/N, I love you, but…” Oikawa starts, “Nationals has been my dream since I was young, and this is my last attempt…” he continues, you nod. “Yeah, I get that. But I don’t mind, really!” you force, you know where this is going, and like you told your brother, you don’t know what you want to happen. “Y/N… please, you’re hurting. I love you, so I can’t let you suffer because of my selfishness. I want to get this achievement, and as much as I’d want you to be there with me, I can’t prioritize you right now. It’s shitty of me, I know, hate me all you want. I’m sorry, Y/N.” Oikawa finishes, eyes watery, but he knew he was doing this so you don’t have to. 

“Okay… goodluck with spring highs, even if we’re not together anymore, I’ll still be supporting you.” you said, tears in your eyes. “Goodbye, Tooru” you say and give him a final hug. 

“Somebody told me you still love me, I don't know why. Nobody told me that you only, Needed time to fly. Somebody told me that you want to come back when our love is real again” 

It's over. Aoba Johsai lost against Karasuno, ending Oikawa’s dream of entering the national stage. He was devastated, he felt like he lost everything, and maybe he did. He sacrificed everything, he sacrificed his wonderful relationship with you and it still wasn’t enough. He has never regretted a decision before. 

He still loved you, never once since the break up did he stop. So when he saw you and Issei walking towards him, he was doing his best to restrain himself from clinging onto you and asking you to come back. 

“Look, I don’t know if this is the right time for this. It’s probably not, but I cannot stand you both moping around. So talk this out, the game is over.” Issei says, leaving you with the brown haired male.

“Hey… long time no talk…” he says, “yeah, uh… sorry about the game, you played well. Honestly, thought you’d win.” you say, still not used to the awkwardness. “Yeah…” he answers, pondering if he should do it. “So, how have you been?” he asked. “Good, I guess… still the same person.” you answer. Oikawa took a deep breath, and stood up. “Hey, Y/N… what if I told you that I still love you…” he whispered to himself, but enough for you to hear. “W-what…?” your shocked expression was a sight for the brunette.

 “Y/n, since we broke up, never once did I stop thinking about you, if that was the right decision, if that's what I really needed, if that's what we really needed” he started. “The tournament is over for Aoba Johsai, nationals is just a distant dream for me right now. I lost in volleyball, I don’t think I can bear to truly lose you. It was shitty of me to pick volleyball over you, you who has been nothing but supportive of me. You who was there for me, and yet I took that for granted.” he took your hands in his. “So please, take me back. I’ll better myself, I’ll be better for you.” He begs. You’re still in shock, “I-Tooru…” You hesitate. “Do you still love me?” he interrupted, “yes, i never stopped.” You answered, without hesitation, this time.

“We can work together through this test or we can work through it apart, I just need to get this off my chest, That you will always have my heart”

“Then please give me one more chance.” He asks again, “Okay. Okay Tooru.” You answer, giving a smile. His face lit up, caging you into a tight hug, earning giggles from you. “I love you so much.” He whispered into your ear. “I love you too, so so much.” you answered. 

From a distance, Issei and Iwaizumi were looking at the both of you, “Thank god they’re back together. I can’t stand another rant from Y/N” Issei comments, “yeah, I can’t go another whine from shittykawa about missing Y/N” Iwaizumi adds. 

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[pettydollie]

eclipse part two˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

♡ series playlist

♡ summary: you moved from the sizzling hot arizona to the depressive rainy washington in a small town called forks. it was terribly boring.. until you meet a gorgeous townie and fall in love. but what do you do when your childhood friend interferes with your feelings? ♡ warnings/notes: a matt sturniolo and chris sturniolo love triangle series, cursing, lowercase intended, use of "yn" ♡ wc: 3.3k

♡ masterlist

“hi lil!” you coo, bending down to pick up the kitten. she purrs softly at your touch before curling up into your embrace. you cradle her while walking into the living room where charlie’s watching sports on the couch. hearing your footsteps, he turns around with a smile. “hey kiddo, how was school?” you scratch lilith’s head, thinking of how to answer. you could lie, saying that it was great and you were already comfortable. or you could tell the truth and say, “weird. everybody here is weird. either too chatty or plain mean!” but you disregard both options, deciding to dodge the question. “why didn’t you tell chris i came?” you ask with a small smile forming. charlie shrugs, “my bad. guess i just forgot.” but there’s something else that wasn’t said. you don’t question it though; instead spinning around and walking through the kitchen with lilith resting on an open palm. 

the cold, beautiful boy abruptly popped into your head. thumping up the stairs while petting your cat, you start thinking up an apology for him. you creak open your bedroom door, shutting it behind you quietly. lilith meows as you plop down onto the floor, not wanting to lay on your bed in dirty clothes. “i don’t even know how to apologize. i mean, what am i supposed to say??” you mumble out loud, looking into your fur baby’s dark eyes. “i can’t just randomly be like, ‘oh hey. sorry that i was staring at your captivating blue eyes for five minutes like a creep-- i’m not a creep, swear it!’” you lift up lilith as you speak in a silly deep voice, giggling at yourself afterwards while she stares back at you awkwardly. 

you remember charlie has a small keyboard in the hallway, sitting collecting dust. you exhale, plopping your kitty down onto the floor while you stand up and walk out your door, her trailing close behind you. you look down at the keys, gently tracing your fingers along them. lily stands on her hind legs, her front claws pressing against your calf curiously. you grin, picking her up sweetly and resting her on the keyboard’s rack where old sheets of music lay. leaning down, you push the wire into the plug, bringing the instrument to life. you play a few notes, lily shockingly staying still to listen. you softly hum along then stop suddenly. you’d started a small song back home on your grandmother’s piano but never finished it. it almost looked like lilith sighed when you stopped. 

the following day, you’re walking to your first period with a confident mindset. you’re somewhat dreading today, but also excited to attempt to make amends with your lab partner. during lunch, you make your way to jessica and her crowd like yesterday, quickly scanning the room as you sit down. no sign of matt. you look all around the room again. his three siblings were at their table, but he wasn’t with them. so much for making amends. he wasn’t in biology either, and a small part of you hopes you're not the reason he’s absent-- that’d just make you feel ten times worse. always looking for an excuse to go shopping, you decide that to ‘cheer yourself up’, you’ll look around a nearby thrift store after school. feeling a vibration from your purse, you pull out your phone to see a series of messages from your mother.  hi baby, how has everything been? why haven’t you texted me yet? is it raining? tell me everything. hello? yn are you there? you want to roll your eyes and chuckle at her impatience. you quickly type back, keeping your phone low so you don’t get it taken away. hi mom. everything’s good ! i didn’t text you because i didn’t really know what to say lol. of course it’s raining, it’s always raining :( “yn?” you look up to see jessica and her friends staring at you with a confused look. one of them scoots closer to you and looks down at your screen. “oooh, who you texting?” she smirks, annoyingly smacking on her gum. you lock your phone quickly, putting it back inside your bag. “oh, speaking of texting, you should give me your number! we’re all heading to the beach in like two weeks, and you should totally join us.” jess explains, moving her hands around as she speaks. you bite the inside of your cheek. what would you do at the beach? it wouldn't be sunny, that’s for sure. and how far is it anyhow?? there’s definitely no beaches in forks. well, maybe that’ll mean some vitamin d. you don’t ask these questions though. you instead exchange numbers with jessica hurriedly before getting to your next class. 

when you get home, you get a whiff of the delicious smell of steak. you shut the door and make your way to the kitchen. "i didn't know you could cook!" you tease your dad, remembering how there were always sandwiches sitting on the table for dinner when you were little. lily stands on her legs against charlie's ankle like a dog. you grin at your baby before walking over to kiss your dad's cheek in greeting. he chuckles at the joke, "well, a little while before ya came, i decided to teach myself. you're big now, won't eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every few hours."

once the steak was finished, you and charlie sat down at the small round table near a big window, eating silently as rain poured outside. it's a comfortable silence, you're glad he doesn't seem to mind the quietness either. usually your mother would be chatting it up by now, forcing answers out of you about boys (not that you ever liked any of them anyway, but you pretended you did to satisfy her). charlie coughs before resting his fork and knife down. "so how'd ya like school? you make any friends?" there it goes.

you nod, "school's good. easy. i have a few classes with this girl, jessica. she's very bubbly."

he hums a "good" and goes back to eating, deciding that's enough conversation for now. hesitantly, you start up again. "do you happen to know the sturniolo family?" he looks up chewing a mouthful of food. "the doctor's family? yeah, he's a great guy. we go fishin' sometimes." you bite your lip tentatively, wanting more. you play with the food on your plate mindlessly, thinking about how to bring up matthew-- or if you even wanted to. charlie scoots his chair back noisily, standing up with his plate in one hand and his other outstretched to yours. you shake your head politely, "i'm almost finished." he nods, walking to the sink to clean the dishes.

maybe you should forget about the weird situation, focusing on making friends instead. besides, the visit to the beach is in two weeks and you have no idea what you're gonna wear! finishing up dinner, you wash your plate before heading up the stairs, lilith trailing close behind. you drop your purse onto your desk, pulling out your phone as you do so. opening jessica's contact, you send a text asking for more details about the outing. not any more than five minutes later, she sends a response. hey! i totally understand, i'd wanna know where i was going too. and plus you dont even really know us yet. well the whole trip was nate's idea. you remember him right? the boy who's friends with chris? anywayssss, he's driving everyone to la push where he lives. he says the beach there is pretty decent! so bring your bathing suit you send her a thank you before shutting your phone. sitting at the desk, you wonder when chris'll visit. maybe sometime over the weekend. you really hope he does, you remember having so much fun with him as kids. reentering your password, you scroll through your contact list to make sure you don't have his information-- you don't.

before you knew it, the entire week had passed. it was like a blur, repetitive and dull. and you hadn't seen matthew again. over the weekend, you went thrifting like you'd planned. you didn't find much except for a cozy white cashmere sweater and a tiny pack of unopened hello kitty bracelets. you bought both obviously. you also went to the local library. that was disappointing. every bookshelf was so poorly stocked, you didn't even bother to get a card. you'll have to plan a visit to seattle or olympia because you will never be going back to that library.

on monday, a lot of people greeted you unexpectedly. you didn't get embarrassing stares when you walked in the hallway with girly fur boots and earmuffs, topped off with cute little gloves. it was snowing today and everybody was enjoying it far too much. when you were walking to class with nate, he stared at the tiny flakes like they were magic. the cold wind brushed at your red cheeks harshly. you love the snow, you never had any back home. a while ago, you bought all of the clothing you're wearing now just because it was cheap and adorable! your mother said it was a waste of money since you'd never have the chance to wear them, and they'd all end up being sold in a garage sale. you make a mental note to take a picture after school and send it to her.

nate finally breaks his romantic trance to face you. he laughs lightly at your annoyed expression while the wind blows in your face. you giggle with him before pouting. "shuddup." he scans you up and down, a small grin still apparent. "cute outfit by the way. very barbie doll." he compliments with a small hint of teasing. you smile brightly. "why thank you." as you two continue to walk, you notice a group of students throwing wet snow at each other. you move away while scrunching up your nose. nate chuckles and runs off to join them.

later at lunch, you stand on line with jessica and mike who were absolutely drenched in snow. you swipe some off jessica's coat while she picks out her food. you turn to the side for a moment-- just a moment when you see something unordinary out of the corner of your eye. well, someone. matt sturniolo in the flesh. "hellooo? yn, what do you want?" jessica snaps her fingers in your face, breaking your locked stare. you look back at the lunch lady, shaking your head. "um.. actually i'm not hungry." you mutter, leaving your tray and interlocking your arm with jessica's back to the table.

her eyebrows pinch in confusion, turning back at a similar looking nate. "yn, you need to eat lunch." you ignore her, sitting down at your usual seat. you take in a breath to calm yourself. gosh, why're you so anxious? you have nothing to worry about! you didn't do anything wrong... drowning out jessica's complaints and questions, you hide your face from the table, using the person sitting in front of you as a shield. you feel a little silly though. why should you be hiding? you bite the inside of your cheek shyly before moving your head up slightly to catch a glimpse of the group.

matt and madison were laughing with wet snow dripping from their hair. you catch yourself smiling at matt’s joyful face, quickly switching back to a neutral frown when you realize. but aside from the happiness and laughter, he looks different. his skin is less chalky-- maybe flushed from the freezing snow. the dark circles under his eyes are less noticeable too. you ponder while staring like you did the first day you saw them, except this time you’re only looking at matthew.

“yn!! what are you looking at?” jessica asks, turning her head to follow the direction of your eyes. at that exact moment, matt picks up his head to make direct eye contact with you. he doesn’t look harsh or unfriendly, but curious. he stares at you like a piero piccioni song or some sort of divine poetry. you look down shamefully, heat rising to your cheeks. jessica giggles, “matt’s looking at youuu..” she pokes your shoulder. you keep your eyes on the table. “does he look angry?” you whisper, though you meant to speak louder. she raises an eyebrow at this. “no.. why would he?” 

feeling queasy, you fiddle with the pretty rings on your fingers. “i don’t think he likes me very much.” you mutter girlishly, brushing some hair in your face to block your view of him even more. she chuckles irritatingly. “you say that like a 19th-century girl. besides, i think he does, the creep won’t stop staring.” she looks back at him with a stank face, waiting for his gawking to stop. you’re not able to see, but he doesn’t bother to meet jessica’s eyes. he looks at you with some sort of admiration.. it’s odd. it irks the girl, not that she’d admit it. 

you watch jess and her friends eat, buzzing about who slept with who. you ignore the conversation as well as the fluttery butterflies in your stomach at the thought of sitting next to matt again. you hope he stays this way, approachable and gentle looking. you like him better wearing a cheesy smile than a mean snarl. when the time comes, you get to the classroom before him (surprisingly), dusting little flakes off your skirt before they melt. you readjust your earmuffs before you hear the chair next to you creak. you don’t turn to look at him, already feeling apprehensive and shy. “hi,” said a quiet, soft voice. you swallow, looking up at him with doe eyes. he has a gentle, friendly smile on his dazzling face, something you didn’t expect. “i’m matthew sturniolo, i didn’t introduce myself last week. you’re yn swan, right?” you flick your pencil between two fingers while he speaks in a musical tone. you nod meekly, smiling back kindly. 

a box filled with slides is placed in front of you two. your teacher walks down the aisle, leaving boxes on desks while explaining the lab. “the slides in your boxes are out of order. you and your partner will take turns separating the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they represent and label them accordingly. any questions?” you look at the boy next to you, he doesn’t look bothered at all. maybe he’s done this before too. your teacher gave the go, and students begin to decipher the phases. matt lightly taps the pads of his fingers against the table. “ladies first.” he grins so beautifully that you don’t respond. yknow, like an idiot. you grab the first slide, snapping it into place under the microscope before adjusting it to the 40X objective. “prophase,” you state confidently, pulling away from the tool. 

matt raises an eyebrow. he points towards the microscope. “you mind if i look?” you let out an airy “nuh uh” and push it towards him. he looks in, almost immediately agreeing. he switches out the first slide for the second. “anaphase.” he murmurs, writing it down below the first slide. you reach your hand out, locking eyes with him. matt smirks knowingly, sliding it back in front of you. you can’t help but allow the corners of your lips to turn up softly, you’re a naturally smiley person. he watches you examine the slide before taking it out. you both finish the assignment before anyone else. huffing, you grow bored after a minute of being finished. you swivel your head to matt. you notice another subtle difference in his face. his eyes are a different color. “did you get contacts?” you blurt out randomly, clearly not thinking before you did. his eyebrows pinch slightly in confusion. he shakes his head dismissively. 

there’s no way he’s not lying. you vividly remember his dark black eyes glaring at you a week ago. today’s a strange gold. but who has gold eyes? is that even a thing? his hands clench into fists again and you decide not to speak about it again. gosh, what’s his deal? minutes later, your teacher declares that time is up and walks around the room to check everyone’s work. he gives you an matt an A+ of course, you'd never expect anything less. it begins to rain, the water sloshing up the magical snow. “it’s too bad about the snow.” matt talks again, his eyes watching out the water-painted window. his hands are more relaxed, yet still tense. like he’s unsure about you. he moves his glance to you, waiting for a response. you shrug awkwardly, nervousness filling up inside. 

“you don’t like the snow.” he says, but it wasn’t a question. almost as if he were saying it out loud to himself. you sigh through your nose. “i don’t mind the snow. it’s pretty. i just don’t like the wet.” you counter. he smiles, “forks must be a difficult place to live then.” you shrug again. why's he being so nice all of a sudden? 

“may i?” his hand reaches out towards you, his head slightly lowered as his eyes flicker between yours and your hand resting on the tabletop. he wants to see your hand? your lips part, placing your hand into his. the skin is cold and soft causing a small gasp to come out. “sorry.” he whispers with a small chuckle before lifting your hand in his to admire your nails. you wait for him to call the sanrio charms childish or something prude. “i like them,” he says with a sweet smile, letting go of your hand. you don’t answer for a few seconds, taking him in. it’s crazy how just a week ago, he acted as if you were the worst person he’d ever seen. “you’re strange,” you grin sheepishly, the corners of your lips turning up more when he lets out a quiet giggle. a moment passes, and he decides he’d like to keep talking to you. “why’re you here if you don’t like the rain?” 

you have a bad habit of overtalking, though that habit has died down quite a lot since you moved to forks. well it seems like it’s starting up again. “my mom got remarried anddd the new husband plays minor league basketball, so he travels around a lot.. but she missed him a bunch since she wanted to stay with me at home. so i decided to send myself here with my dad, charlie. that way she could be happy with him.” 

he watches you talk with a fascinated expression, but he’s probably just being nice. you finish your explanation with a small look of glumness afterward. damn. you said too much again, and to someone may or may not give a shit. it’s hard to tell with him. he opened his mouth to speak at the same time as the bell rang. he gets up, swings his backpack over his shoulder, and runs out the door like last week. you suck your teeth before collecting your belongings and standing up to walk to P.E with nate. unlike a lot of people here, nate’s a very chill person. he doesn’t open his mouth with every step you take and is an okay person to talk to. 

you told him all about your trouble with any sort of physical activity (to which he chuckled playfully) and luckily, he was on your team today in volleyball. he guarded you the entire time like a loyal dog and won the practice. the class had ended a few minutes ago, and you were now walking out of the locker room into the drizzle. you see your lab partner leaning against his white volvo as you head to your truck. he clenches his fists tightly before noticing you, and sending a small smile your way. 

you make sure to text jessica later that day.  is matt bipolar?

you get a buzz back almost right away. uhh no. why would you think that? no reason

♡ tags ♡

@leah-loves-lilies @imtalkinnonsense @star-sturn @junnniiieee07 @mattsneezing @freshloveee @freshsturns @emma4eva @r6diosturns @matthasmywholeheart @donthugmeimhot @blahbel668 @chrissturnsss @joanofarcily @mattscoquette @slutsturn @imsosillygoofylol @joanofarcily @slutsturn @imsosillygoofylol @sturnioloremarker @ashley9282828 @jnkvivi @sturncakez @lanasturn @riasturns @st7rnioioss @mattsfavbigtitties @strnlxlqve @whosthislyssbitch

[boygiwrites]

Harley D. Dixon 28

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📖Chapter List.

Author's Note.

I was lying last time. That wasn't a biggun. THIS is a biggun.

'Be careful, Dad.'

'I will, baby.'

I realize the others. 'Oh. And you too, I guess.'

'Real funny,' T-Dog signs, unimpressed.

The strongest of our group spare us no last glances as they turn away, with only five bullets and a handful of bolts between them. I sit next to Lori on the small bench, watching their backs retreat. The Thanton Memorial hospital. There it is, tall and beige like a school, but really more of a Hellbox filled with nasty surprises behind each one of the hundreds of little black windows. Glad it ain't me.

God. Nine miles. Two days. Sharpsburg, East of nowhere. We really made it. I guess I knew we would.

'You know this place.'

Herschel's already looking at me when I turn to him, his moustache curled around a smile.

'Just a feeling,' He adds.

'You're a mind reader,' I decide, regarding him with suspicion.

Herschel Greene; a wizard disguised as a Georgian farmer. I knew there was something up with him.

He doesn't respond, because I guess he don't want his cover blown. That or... Well, he's waiting for an answer.

'My Momma lived in this town.' Is all I supply him with after a time, because it ends the same way most stories do.

'I'm sorry.'

I shrug. It ain't anybody's fault. 'I don't know why I didn't tell nobody.'

'This town means something to you. We don't always share things like that.'

I guess. 'What about your Momma?'

'My Mother died when I was fairly young.' He admits easily, like somebody at peace. 'One day, my brother and I noticed she'd gone out into the rain to water the plants, and things were never quite the same for a long time after that.'

Oh. I've heard of that. People getting old, forgetting where their bedroom is, who their kids are.

It's hard to imagine Herschel as just a boy with a Momma.

Some days, it's even hard to imagine myself as just a girl, even though that's what I still am.

I offer him a lame smile.

'Let's talk about something a little happier,' He suggests, while over his shoulder, a flashlight glares across the inside of one of the second storey windows. 'I'm starting to think it's the end of December. That would mean it's Christmas soon.'

The light disappears.

I ignore it.

If only them pharmacies we checked this morning had anything in them besides rat shit and dust.

'Jesus' birthday party,' I muse.

That gets him to laugh. I think he's tryna distract me. 'Yes. It could even be tomorrow.'

'Really? How do you know?'

'Well, I suppose I don't. Do you like Christmas?'

Everybody likes Christmas. That is, at least, everybody likes presents.

'Yeah. My Meemaw had a really pretty tree.'

'The minute it turned December first, Maggie and Beth would always force everyone to put up ours.'

'Do they believe in Santa Claus?'

'Not anymore, I'm afraid.'

'And you?'

His eyes glint mischievously. 'Of course I do.'

I consider it. 'I don't think I do. I don't believe in the Easter Bunny, neither.'

Or God, but that's a different story.

'They didn't ever come to your house?'

'They came a few times, but I think they forgot about us. My friend Dylan said they're made up. The Christmas after that, I stayed up late to spy on Santa, but I just saw Merle and Dad carrying presents in from the truck. I never told them.'

'I guess Santa was too busy that night.'

'If he is real, I hope he's okay. The Easter bunny has lots of chocolate to eat, but... Santa might be hungry.'

I wonder if the walkers have made it to the North Pole yet. Knowing those assholes, they definitely have.

'You forget; — Santa has magic.'

'That's how he makes the sleigh fly, right?'

'Right. And all those cookies and all that milk... Well. He's got more than enough to last a lifetime.'

'So, you think he's okay?'

'I'm sure of it.'

'I would like some cookies and milk, too.'

The old man only laughs again, giving my knee a gentle pat as Carl leans forward, his mouth moving around some words.

When the boy gestures to me, Herschel translates.

'He asked me what we were talking about. He wants to tell you it's okay; Santa forgot about him too, one year.'

Carl sends me a thumbs up, trusting that the message got across well enough.

It did. I feel my smile widen.

It's wiped away when Lori suddenly lurches forward between us. Her chest wracks, wracks, wracks, a soft wad of phlegm flying past her lips and landing at her feet. My hand goes to her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly, as if that's gonna do anything useful. Her lungs, they must be clogged up like sponges filled with yoghurt, all that sickness and junk coming back up the way it went in.

Herschel's on his feet, bringing his thin hand down on her back, knocking the phlegm out of her.

I glance over my shoulder.

Lights; more of them, swooping over the glass, appearing and disappearing and reappearing.

A gunshot lighting up a window.

Please be okay, I think. Lori won't make it like this.

Facing forward again, Lori's got her hand splayed over the base of her throat, coughing dryly. She takes the water bottle Carol is offering to her, and gulp, gulp, gulps down the last of what's inside, deflating when she's done, cradling her big belly.

Are you okay, I ask aloud as I loosen my grip on her, hoping it sounds how it's supposed to sound.

She smiles at me in the slightest of ways, putting her hand over mine before I can pull it away.

She nods, I'm okay, honey.

I nod back, because that's good. I don't believe her for a second, but that's good.

'There was a gunshot,' Beths signs to me, then.

'I know. I saw.'

She continues signing even as she turns to Herschel, a habit by now. 'That was loud.'

'Don't worry. Anything that heard it will be too slow to make their way over here.'

'I hope so.'

We sit without talking after that, watching the windows of the hospital light up with gunshots every now and then, as if it were a football game on TV. I count them, the flashes. The one I saw while Lori was coughing, that's one. That one there, that's two.

Rick used to talk about the day he woke up in the Grady Memorial Hospital sometimes. Right now, the only parts of the story I can remember are the ones where he'd hesitate to continue, staring at something in the fire the rest of us couldn't see, before he muttered about the way there wasn't one wall in the entire building that wasn't dirtied with blood, not even in the children's ward.

Hospitals just ain't what they used to be, is what I learned from him.

There's definitely more than just rat shit and dust in there.

I glance at Beth, asking her, 'Any noise?'

Her lips crumple into a thin line as she answers, 'Nothing.'

Just when I swear Herschel is about to bow his head and start praying, the front doors swing open.

Mouse perks up, his tail ramrod straight.

That's Dad, T-Dog, and Maggie walking out.

Where's Rick and Glenn?

The three of them are panting, dishevelled, but nobody hurt. Nobody bit. That's always the first thing I look for.

Thing is, though, they're all looking at me like I've won a shitty prize and I just don't know it yet.

What now?, I almost feel like saying, but don't.

The further in we walk, the darker it gets.

Does anybody really like the dark?

The flashlights carve out pockets in the walls and floors around us as we make our way down corridor after corridor. My heart skips a beat each time we pass the body of a patient or a nurse or a person in regular clothing, all with a bolt or a bullet buried somewhere inside them. We sidestep their limp arms in turn, their puddles of blood. I ain't ever been in a horror house before, but I imagine this is worse. I imagine it'd prolly feel a whole lot less like you're being walked to the gallows for execution, and that the blood would be fake.

If I had my locket, it would be clutched between my fingers right now, but the soft spot beneath my throat is completely bare. When I woke up this morning to my empty palm, I knew right away what'd happened. I didn't bother to ask what he did with it.

Passing another body with a bolt skewered through its face, my Dad reaches for it, pulling it out.

Clicking it back onto his bow, he notices me watching him.

'Keep going, baby.' He signs to me, black blood smeared down the side of his neck. 'Not far, now.'

T-Dog comes to a stop in the middle of the corridor a minute later, his flashlight revealing Glenn and Rick standing together just up ahead. Not hurt. Not bit. They look up from what they've been doing, which looks like taking turns kicking the wall.

T-Dog lowers the flashlight to their feet.

There it is.

The Harley-sized hole in the wall.

Now that I'm looking it, I can see what they meant. Nobody else is fitting through that thing, not even Carl.

Still no use, is the sentiment written all over Rick's face.

It looks like they've tried their best to widen the gap, but it's made out of solid brick and we're fresh outta jackhammers.

Will she fit? 

Yeah, I think so, Is the gist of what I can tell they're saying to each other.

We got this piece off here, but it the rest isn't budging. We don't have any bullets left to shoot it.

Maybe... we can do what I said before? Find another pharmacy?

Sure. When you find one within twenty miles of here, you let me know.

You're right. That was dumb. Sorry.

There are no other options. The medicine Lori needs is in that room, and it's like I said. She won't make it, otherwise.

'Listen. There are keys on the desk.' Dad explains to me, his stern expression contoured harshly by the flashlights surrounding us. He takes my wrist, guiding me to crouch with him at the base of the wall, pointing through the cracked bricks. I strain to make out the desk with the keys at the back of the room on the other side, before I meet his gaze again. 'Do you see them?'

'Yeah. I saw them.'

The desk ain't the only thing in there.

'We need you to grab them and unlock the door for us.'

We both know I also saw the walker standing idly in the corner, head bowed to the floor, waiting.

'We'll be able to kill it when the door is open.' He adds when I don't respond, as if he needed permission. 'I can't from here.'

'My heart is beating fast.'

He nods. 'That's a good thing. And this meathead is dumb. Are you dumb?'

I puff my chest out, shaking my head.

'That's right. You don't need to hear them when you're smarter than them. You're always smarter than them. Okay?'

'Okay.'

That's what he's told me ever since I went totally deaf. I don't need to hear them when I'm smarter than them. It's not as if we've had the opportunity to test the theory out, since there's so little walkers that I ain't had to kill one yet, but I trust him.

Twisting around, he gestures for Glenn's flashlight and catches it easily, giving it a few test clicks.

He hands it to me. 'Remember what I taught you?'

I give a nod, feeling the weight of Merle's knife sitting in the sheath on my thigh.

'Good. And be careful of the glass on the floor, okay?'

'Okay. I got this.'

I can do this. I gotta, for Lori and the baby. It'll make for a funny story one day, anyway. I can do it.

'You got this.' He agrees. 'It's gonna smell you, but you're not gonna panic. Easy stuff.'

'Easy stuff. Okay.'

'Okay?'

'Okay.'

With one last look at the group, I take a deep breath and grab onto one of the exposed bricks, contorting myself until my head and one of my arms is through the gap. I pause for a moment, trying not to breathe too much as I watch the walker follow invisible patterns along the floor with its eyes. Once its head is tilted away from me, I brace my hand on the floor, pushing myself through.

Oh, God. What was it I just said? I can do this?

The flashlight blinks on and off as I land on the other side, grabbing it, giving it a shake.

The desk is illuminated in a circle of light, centre stage.

The dead body twitches in the shadows. I slowly get to my feet, silently warning it to stay right where it is if it knows what's good for it. I'm smart. I can read and write now, and my Dad taught me how to stab the thigh first, so the walker will collapse and make it easier for me to reach whatever cavity I can stick my knife in. If this thing gets too close to me, it's gonna get the Dixon treatment.

Uh huh. That's right, I scold it, chin held up. The Dixon treatment. Ain't nobody want that!

The pieces of glass on the floor glint in the light as I tip toe my way through them, stepping up to the desk.

Dad said the keys are here. I saw them. They should be right here amongst these dusty papers — Ugh, God, don't sneeze. Don't. — or maybe even on this folder? What about the shelves above the desk? How could they just disappear?

When I turn the light on the walker, it's looking at me, eyeballs wet, reflecting the light.

It's smelt me.

That's okay. I'm okay. We knew it would.

It starts its slow shuffle towards me as I turn my attention back on the desk, casting about it twice as quickly now, batting the alarm clock, the pen pots, the stethoscope, everything out of my way and following all the pencils and random office supplies down to the floor. Kneeling, I look around, making sure the keys haven't gone down with them or fallen between the desk and the cabinets.

A glint of metal.

I gasp. They have!

I must've accidently knocked them off while I was choking back all that dust in my face.

I stick my hand into the slim gap, but — Ugh. — I can't get it any farther than my knuckles!

I'll have to make it wider.

Abandoning the flashlight, I grab the side of the desk, using all my strength to shove it even just one inch to the side.

Shit, it's heavy. They got bowling balls in here, or what?

The wheelie chair bumps into my ankle. I act on instinct, my hands shooting out, bracing against it. I look up. The walker's slouched over it, reaching for me. My elbows, they buckle. Shit. The seat slams into my shoulder — Ouch! — but you know what. This'll do. This works. I just need these stupid keys. I ignore the walker and its stench of old meat, focused on nothing but the keys.

I'm not gonna panic. It's what I used to do, but I've learnt since then. I'm better!

A couple shoves, and the gap is just wide enough, wide as it's ever gonna be.

Easy stuff. Easy stuff.

The seat suddenly gives way. The body rolls, cracking its cheekbone on the floor. Don't matter. I got the keys. I'm back on my feet and running to the door, feeling out a random key and shoving it in the lock, twisting it. It's the right one. The door opens.

Maggie pulls me out by the arm. It's if there's a fire blazing behind me and I'm about to go up in flames.

That's it. I'm out!

I fall into her stomach, protectively held there.

Thank whoever's still up there. Or maybe, just thank me.

Rick and Dad push past my shoulders, marching into the room and unsheathing their blades, powerfully driving them both into the walker's skull. Blood splatters as they yank them out, droplets landing across the glass cap of the flashlight on the floor. It tints the light and everything it's cast onto a bright red, flickering. Dad picks it up, wipes it on his thigh, and hands it back to Glenn.

Grinning proudly to myself, I hold up the keys up like a trophy head for everyone to see.

Maggie releases me, smiling breathlessly down at me in relief.

'Well done,' T-Dog exclaims with his hands, sharing a high five with me.

Kneeling in front of me, Dad cups my face in his hands. He don't give a damn about the keys. Are you okay?

'I'm okay. The keys were down the side of the desk. I couldn't reach them. I had to—,' Shoving at the air, I enthusiastically mime the struggle, making Maggie chuckle behind her hand. 'The walker was trying to get me through the chair.'

He smiles, wagging his thumbs across my cheeks before lowering his hands. 'I told you. Meatheads. But not you.'

'Not all the time, anyway.'

'You should've come back out when you couldn't find the keys.'

'Sorry.'

'It's alright. There won't be a next time. You did good.'

Then, taking the keys from me, he stands back up and returns to Rick's side in the dark room.

I stay right beside Maggie and Glenn as they make quick work of the storage room door, pushing it open. Their torches illuminate the shelves on either side of them, which to everyone's relief, are completely untouched, lined with all kinds of medicine. It wasn't all for nothing. Without bothering to read many of the labels, they swoop their arms through the masses of bottles, catching everything in their open backpacks and zippering them back up, before nodding to each other and stepping back outta the small room.

Let's go, Rick says as he shoos us forward. We're all eager to get the Hell outta this place.

Stepping through Thanton Memorial's broken glass doors, daylight breaks across my face.

The fresh, cold air floods into my dusty lungs.

When Carl spots me, it's like the bench burns his ass. He's calling my name as he comes running at me, crushing me in a hug that almost sends us both toppling over into the snow. A giggle is squeezed from me as I hug him back, feeling my bones creak under the pressure. Wow. For somebody who ain't eaten anything other than a bit of rabbit for the past two days, he sure is strong.

Pulling away, he holds both my shoulders as he worriedly exclaims something to me.

You're the coolest, bravest person ever, I'm gonna assume is what he's saying, I don't know how you did it!

He pulls me in for another, quicker hug.

When Herschel appears over his shoulder, I get the real story. 'He's telling you we were all very worried.'

Oh. Is that right?

Ow!, The boy scoffs as I land a punch to his shoulder, forcing him offa me.

'Tell him he's talking to Harley Dixon,' I say.

As the sentiment is passed on, Carl rolls his eyes at me, making a retort.

'He wants to remind you of the time he hugged you after you cried from a nightmare.'

Ow!, He complains again when I punch him.

As he rubs sorely at his shoulder, he can't help but giggle along with me.

'Come on,' Herschel interrupts us, herding the two of us back toward the group. 'Very well done, sweetie.'

'I was only a little scared.'

'Of course. This is Harley Dixon I'm speaking to, isn't it?'

Too right. 'Yes, it is!'

Stepping up to the crowd, we gather around the bench as Rick takes a seat next to his wife, uncapping the bottle of water in his lap. Her face looks awful pale-like, paler than the snow packed under our boots. Still, despite the effort it must take, she manages a smile. Her hands shake as she takes the water, watching Rick tap a small bottle of pills against her open palm until two tumble out. 

Being trapped in that room was one of the scariest things I've done. I can say that, now. But as she tips her head back and swallows the pills down with a gulp of water, I'm hit with the feeling that I would do it all over again if I had to.

She sighs, body swaying. We can only hope that it works.

As Rick soothes circles onto her lower back, his gaze accidently meets mine.

'Thank you', He signs, looking like he means every bit of it.

His blue eyes start to water just like they did last night, except there ain't no fire I can blame it on this time.

I only give him a single, shy nod, grabbing onto my Dad's hand. He don't need to thank me. I love Lori, too.

Then to everyone else, he says it again; Thank you.

Carl's hugging me again.

I don't bother punching him this time. I don't wanna do it, anyway.

Being back in Sharpsburg is different to what I thought it would be.

Aside from the old blood smeared across the roads, the way everything seems to have gone through a nightmare and fell back asleep shortly afterward, Sharpsburg is the one place we been that has not bothered to rot away quite yet. There ain't no bombing craters where parks or stores used to stand, no toppled police barricades, army trucks, no bruises from the week everything ended.

Petey's general store is still exactly where it always was, right next door to the news agency, the record store, the locksmith. I don't keep my head down like I planned to. I don't pretend I never knew this place, or the people in it, because I did. I hold my chin up to the light of the setting sun as we walk through the forgotten town, unafraid of the memories I can see behind each and every door.

You know this place. I did. I do. For a long while, it was pretty much the only thing I knew.

Each weekend, I would jump out of Dad's truck the second he pulled up on the handbrake, door slamming as I ran into my Mama's open arms. It would be late afternoon, sometimes twilight. There was no school the next day, no quizzes or beatings to worry about. Not on the good days, not when I was cruising down the sidewalk on my bike with a dollar note in my hand, on my way to Petey's. He would always insist on letting me pick an ice cream out for free, but it never worked. Have-it-her-way-Harley, he always called me, the nickname a hearty chuckle in his mouth. The wind was in my hair on the way home, because I had one back then, dollar note replaced with a fruity-flavored glob of ice cream frozen to a stick. Sugar melting onto my fingers, washed away in the play pool after dark.

I used to do things like that. We all did, I suppose.

As we pass by an empty parking lot, I notice the rainbow streamers of a lonely, fallen bike blowing around in the wind like a white flag. I wanna ride a bike again. Just for a minute. Maybe two, I think, as I hold my gaze on it for as long as I can.

Eventually, we make it to a park. Of course, I recognise this place as well, and so does my Dad.

That's why I can feel him staring at the back of my head.

I never stopped to think about how he knows Sharpsburg, too. He was right there with me on the porch of Petey's store, most the time, smoking cigarettes in the sun with melted ice cream drying out on his collarbones. He remembers it, too.

We used to come to this park all the time; me, Momma, and Dad, on the rare days they got along.

I got to pretend I was a different kid looking in on the three of us and thinking, What a nice family. I wish I was her.

Now, the monkey bars look more like the giant ribcage of an old beast rather than something I'd wanna play on.

A shrivelled walker, curled over the seat of one of the swings, lets the wind brush its fingers along the ground.

Everyone has a Before.

Even that walker.

Even if our Befores were all very different, at least our Afters are all the same. We're all here, sick, hungry, tired.

The park's trees and fences fall away after a while of more walking, making way for a suburban street.

Coming to a stop in the middle of the road, the ache in my feet worsens to a pang, pang, panging.

'Everything alright?' Glenn's asking me as a wave of tiredness suddenly washes over me.

'My feet hurt.' I answer. 'And don't say sorry.'

'I think we're going to stop soon. Don't worry.'

Rick considers the houses lined up in front of us, hands on his hips, as Dad walks up to us. 'What's wrong?'

'Her feet hurt. And are you tired?'

I could fall asleep right here in the snow. 'A little.'

Even when I was lost in the woods outside Herschel's farm, I still don't think I ever walked this much and for this long.

Giving me a regretful look, Dad offers, 'Do you need me to carry you?'

'I'm a big girl,' I tell him, yawning.

'I know. I asked you a question.'

They wait on my answer. I think about fighting it a minute longer, but I just don't have it in me. I'm reaching up for my Dad before I even realize it's what I'm doing, letting him lift me onto his chest as I wrap my arms and legs around him.

I could've definitely handled it. Yeah. It's just that, maybe it's okay if I don't for a while.

I can already feel my eyes drooping shut. I'm gonna fall asleep right here.

It's suddenly a lot easier to feel like just a girl, now.

My chin hooked over his shoulder, I watch through my heavy lids as Rick does a double take on something laying on the ground, turning to pick up what looks like a fallen street sign. The moonlight swells over the clouds, spilling onto the metal.

Brushing the frost off, he reveals the words, Bolton Drive.

Bolton Drive. To me, this was always just Dylan's street.

If we turn left here, there's some bigger houses down the way. I think it's prolly what my Dad's telling the group right now.

We're on the move again right after that, heading further into the suburbs. I'm saved from walking, instead snuggling into my Dad. It's almost impossible to shield my face from the oncoming winds as I peek out over his shoulder, the moon a silver ball in the sky behind us. I bet it's just about the only place left without any walkers, including the North Pole. If I were a bird, maybe I would forget all about Earth and just fly up there. I could look back down on it all like from a faraway window, watching as it slowly spins.

At a harsh gust of wind, I close my eyes, and the moon and all the stars vanish.

Sleep sweeps me up quickly. My mind floods with murky colors, then black, swirling like a shower drain.

When I open my eyes next, we're approaching a house I don't recognise.

'Shhhh,' Dad's soothing me, looking about as exhausted as I feel. 'It's alright. I'm putting you down.'

My feet slowly setting on the ground, Maggie takes my hand before I get the chance to feel the loss of Dad's warmth. We wait shivering at each other's side as the men clear out the house. Rick eventually sticks his head back out, waving us inside.

Climbing the porch, we huddle into the narrow corridor and spread out into the nearest room, the lounge room. Dad's already got a fire going for us as we make ourselves at home on the sofas, the hot breath of the flames quickly starting to melt the frost stuck to my coat. I hug myself, breathing deeply and slowly to try fight off the urge to fall right back asleep. As I notice Carl approaching, I scoot over to make room for him and his Momma, who settles her weight down on the sofa with the help of Maggie and Glenn.

I feel a little bad for being carried, even if I needed it. Lori made it all the way here on foot, deep into a sickness and carrying a baby inside of her. A lotta people might think a lady like her is weak, but they'd be wrong. There's many ways to be strong.

My Dad stands from where he was knelt by the fireplace, peeling off his beanie and sitting beside me.

As I look around the room, all I see are tired faces.

Mouse plops himself between my feet, the poor guy's fur ice-cold beneath my hands as I give him some pats.

We'll be warm soon, buddy, I think.

Everyone's attention is stolen when Rick steps up to the front of the room, fiddling with his beanie in his hands.

He gulps on nothing, nodding to himself. 

'I know we're all very tired,' Herschel translates for me as the words come, even though his arms must feel like they weigh a thousand pounds. 'Been tired for months. But let's just make the most of this and try to relax tonight. We've got a fire. We've got walls. Medicine. It's a Hell of a lot better than those garages back in Newnan. T and I will melt some snow for us to drink, and we got some food we just found in the kitchen. We'll take turns for watch through the night, but there's not much out there. You saw.'

Carol hesitates to raise her hand, shaking her head as she asks a question.

We turn back to Rick. 'I don't know. I don't like staying in one place long, but I'm thinking there's only a few more weeks left until Spring. It's not impossible to think we can tough it out here. There's not many other options right now.'

It looks like we're staying in Sharpsburg for a few more weeks, then. At least until the cold dies down.

There are worse places to end up.

'Try to warm up in the meantime.'

Leaving us to stew in thought, Rick and T-Dog pull their coats on tighter and disappear through the archway.

'You know something?' Beth asks after a minute or two, the only light in the room coming from the fire. It lends her face a pretty, dim glow as she glances at her Dad sitting next to her.  'Daddy thinks it's gonna be Christmas tomorrow.'

Oh, that's right. I'd almost forgotten.

Glenn sends him a, No shit?, sort of look.

'I just figured it would be about that time.' He explains, making Maggie light up. 'I have a sixth sense for it.'

My Dad scoffs, shrugging. 'Well, I don't have a calendar. Why not.'

Wait? Really?

'So, it's Christmas tomorrow?', I ask him, as if we ain't just making all this shit up.

Something so simple, the prospect of waking up on Christmas morning tomorrow even if it ain't in no official way, even if we ain't even got a tree, let alone a star to put on top of it, sparks excitement throughout the room. Yes, it's Christmas tomorrow. From the smiles breaking out on everyone's faces, Maggie giddily gripping onto Glenn to give him a shake, I can tell it's Christmas tomorrow.

Feeling just a little bit more awake than I did a moment ago, I exclaim again, 'It's Christmas tomorrow!'

My Dad seems to find this very amusing, smirking side-long at me.

There ain't much to say in the way of how our Christmases used to go, especially the ones after my second birthday, but I still remember seeing the church all lit up with decorations at night whenever we happened to drive past it. I always liked that.

Carl must exclaim the same thing I did with almost twice the energy, because Lori and Rick laugh.

'I can't believe,' Maggie gushes, 'I forgot about Christmas!'

'It's not your fault,' Glenn jokes, petting her shoulder. 'We've been busy trying not to die.'

'Good point.'

'I'm sure the Lord will forgive you,' Beth says.

'Yeah. He started all this shit, anyway.'

Maggie waves her hand around. 'Hey. A little respect for the Atheists in the room?'

When everyone turns to look at me and Dad, a round of laughter breaks out.

'We're only in it for the presents,' He agrees.

I nod. It's true.

'Me, too,' Glenn says.

'I just wish I we had some,' Beth pouts.

'We're alive,' Herschel argues, looking around at each person in the room. 'There's no present better than that.'

Aww. That cheesy line earns him a funny look from Maggie, who pulls him into a deathly-tight hug.

'I think there actually might be something better.'

Glenn sticks a finger up, standing and disappearing into the kitchen.

When he returns, he's cradling a bunch of shiny wrappers in his arms, dumping them all onto the coffee table. Snack packs. Crackers and cheese, salami and cookies, bread sticks, peanut butter. Those really are snack packs! What a lucky find!

Nobody hesitates. We all grab one, ripping the seals off and huffing the tasty smell that comes out.

'You just found these in there?,' Asks Beth.

'Yeah,' He answers, flopping back onto the sofa. 'They were in the pantry. There's cans, too.'

'I'm in love with whoever lived here.'

Mouse is staring at me as I pick up a piece of salami, so I toss it into his mouth.

I save the next one for myself, groaning at the nostalgic taste of school lunches.

'Better?' Glenn signs to me like a smartass, knowing damn well this is the best thing I ever tasted.

I stick my food-covered tongue out at him.

Blehhh!

Unexpectedly, he does the same thing back. Eugh. Gross!

When Carl notices what we're doing, he sticks his tongue out, too. Even grosser!

'Come on. Enough,' Dad tries to warn me, buts he regrets it a second later when a wet glob of salami lands in his lap.

This is what Rick and T-Dog walk in on as they come through the archway, holding cookware filled with chunks of snow and ice in front of them. My Dad's smacking the salami onto the floor as if it were fresh dog shit, Carl and I trying not to choke on our food, laughing at him. Mouse spinning in circles like a lunatic, spurred on by the chaos, making Carol laugh like she means it. Not that puny, polite little chuckle she does sometimes; a full belly laugh, holding onto Maggie for support. They was only gone a few minutes.

Rick smirks as he shakes his head, deadpanning something to the effect of, I see you found the food.

They set the cookware in front of the fire and join us on the sofas. 

'Why's everyone so happy?', Rick asks as he sits on the ottoman, confused, delighted, because there has to be a reason.

'It's Christmas tomorrow,' I gladly tell him.

'Oh, really?'

T-Dog asks the others, 'Wait, what? How do you know?'

'We don't.' Herschel admits, throwing Mouse a cube of cheese. 'But we deserve a Christmas, don't we?'

Yeah, I see the word slip from Rick's mouth.

'We deserve some eggnog, too,' T-Dog adds, making himself laugh just like he always does.

'Tell me about it.'

'Cover your ears, kids,' Carol tells us, even though she's laughing, too.

I hear that right? As the deaf one outta the two of us, I jokingly gesture to my ears. I can't hear shit, anyway!

As everyone laughs all over again, my Dad reaches out to try and cover my eyes, but I bat him offa me. Nice try.

'You got the card, now, kid.' T-Dog tells me, like it's some secret club I've joined.

'I got the what?'

'The card. I got mine, too. 'Oh, yeah? Is it because I'm black'?'

Carol smacks him. 'Whatever.'

'Next time your Dad gives you in trouble, you can pull the, 'Oh, yeah? Is it because I'm deaf?'

That's silly!

'Don't give her ideas.'

'Too late,' I grin devilishly. 'I got the card, now, Dad.'

He rolls his eyes, trying his best not to laugh, too.

'You can't do that, Harley.' T-Dog mimes. 'Oh, yeah? Is it because I'm deaf?'

'What did I just say?'

Sorry, man, T-Dog chuckles, biting on a tiny bread stick.

What's eggnog, Carl asks his parents curiously, reminding us why we're talking about 'cards' in the first place.

Eggnog is a milky-lookin' drink that got booze in it, which is why Rick and Lori brush off the question. I tried it once, during a party at my Meemaw's, after one of my Uncles shrugged and said, Fuck it. Tasted like garbage sprinkled with cinnamon.

'Let's just stick with what we have,' Herschel suggests. 'There must be some other traditions we can do?'

'Our family used to share a favorite moment from that year,' Beth says. 'Maybe we can do that?'

'That's a great idea, Beth.'

'I got one.' Glenn raises his hand. 'Finding that car in Atlanta.'

'Oh, that was good.'

'Sad we had to leave it.' He agrees. 'I also liked the time I fell into a dumpster after we left the CDC.'

'What?,' Maggie scrunches her nose at him.

'Looking back at it, it was pretty funny.'

God dang, I remember that day. I was sitting off to the side with Sophia, watching the scene unfold together.

'Morales had to grab your ass to pull you out,' I tease him.

Rick tries to hide the fact that he's chuckling, as Maggie asks him what he was doing in a dumpster.

'We'd lost everything. We were searching for supplies, but I saw some yellow boots and I wanted them for Harley.'

Everyone croons, Awwww.

'I remember those boots, actually.' Beths recalls. 'What happened to them?'

'I fed them to the cows,' I shrug, so I don't gotta bring up the farm, where I left them in our tent the night it all burned down.

'Hey. I risked my life for those boots.'

Rick corrects him, 'I think you risked your ass, is what she just said.'

'It's what I said.'

'I got one.' My Dad says, dipping a cracker in some peanut butter. 'The day we put Glenn in the well.'

'Remember how he squealed?,' T-Dog giggles.

'No,' Glenn tries to convince us, doing a very bad job of it. 'I don't remember that. Never happened.'

'That walker was next-level gross.'

Next in the line to share, I decide, 'My favorite moment is when I found Mouse.'

'He loves you, doesn't he?,' Maggie smiles.

I throw him another piece of salami, hoping that the answer would be yes.

Carl tells everyone his favorite moment from this year was sneaking off into the woods with me, but his parents both give him a look, so he wisens up and changes his answer to something a little less totally forbidden; going to shooting practice.

When it's Lori's turn, she mentions a time she pushed Carl on the Greene's swing.

Rick's favorite moment is beating Herschel at checkers, something that the old man lets him get away with sharing.

'Gotta be seeing Daryl wake up after surgery,' T-Dog says after that, startling me with how suddenly sentimental it is.

The firelight flickers back and forth on the rug for a few moments.

My Dad subtly replies, Thanks, man.

'I was gonna say that, too,' I say to be funny.

'Yeah,' Glenn backs me up. 'You totally were. In fact, I change my answer, too. Favorite moment; Meeting Maggie.'

The woman pouts up at him, grabbing his hand, threading their fingers together.

'I change mine, too.' Dad says. 'The moment I found out Harley wasn't bitten.'

'That's mine, too.'

'Me, too,' Just about half the group nod, agreeing.

Then, everyone's coming up with different answers, talking over the top of each other. Bringing Harley back safe from the gas station, is T's second answer, but he also has a third and fourth and a fifth, because he just can't pick one. Making it outta the CDC alive. Finding the farm. Saving Glenn after he gave blood. Herschel's favorite moment is all the moments he's kept his daughters safe, an answer that earns him a big hug from both Maggie and Beth this time, because, I don't know what I'd do without my girls.

Rick and Glenn finding Daddy safe, Beth says, and then Maggie; That's mine, too.

I find myself with a hundred new answers, too. The moment Jacqui and I kicked up all them butterflies outta the grass as we ran to the house, after she told me my Daddy was alive. The morning Maggie made us scrambled eggs and tea for breakfast. All them times I shared a peach with someone while we sat in the sun. Lori making that joke about Maggie and Glenn being in love, and how I gagged at it back then. I can't forget about the time Carl hugged me as I cried, as Dad cut my hair, as I petted a cow's nose or fed a chicken.

All the little things and the big things, but also all the sad things. In a way, I'm grateful for them, too.

If Jacqui was here, or Sophia, or Momma or Meemaw, or my cousins, who could be anywhere by now, dead or alive, or Morales or Eliza or Louis or Miranda, who I ain't sure if I'll ever see again, or even our dog Tank, I like to think they'd be grateful for me, too.

'I told you, didn't I?,' Herschel smiles. 'No better present.'

After that — After Glenn starts to tear up and we all tease him for it — We decide to wrap it up for the night.

'I love you guys,' He blubbers, like we didn't already know, like we haven't almost died for each other a hundred times over.

Okay, buddy, Dad's saying, reaching to pat his shoulder.

'I think it's time to turn in.'

Beth covers her mouth as she yawns. 'Yeah. I'm so tired.'

'Tell me if anybody sees Santa Claus,' T-Dog says non-committedly.

'I'm going to grab the blankets and pillows from upstairs.' Rick announces, standing up. 'Who's on first watch? Me?'

I'll do it, My Dad offers, letting Maggie comfort Glenn, but he's turned down.

He was frostbitten from head to toe only yesterday. I wouldn't let him out there, neither.

I can do it, T-Dog decides, and that's that. 'Maybe it'll be me that sees him.'

No fair, Carl whines.

Rick leaves and brings back down a whole bunch of bedding that he plops on the floor, giving everyone free reign to pick out what they want as T makes himself scarce. I pull out a small pillow and what must be a toddler's blanket, letting Dad help me get settled on the sofa. I lay with my head against one arm rest, Carl resting his against the other. Both our Dads tuck us in.

'Goodnight,' He signs to me, knelt just beside the sofa. 'You still hungry or thirsty?'

I shake my head, yawning. 'Just sleepy.'

'You were very brave today.' He tells me, earnest eyes boring into mine. 'Not many kids would do what you did.'

'I just wanted to help Lori and the baby.'

'I know. They got a better chance, now.'

'Does that mean I get to name the baby?'

He smirks a little bit. 'We'll see.'

I glimpse Beth muttering to Hershel over Dad's shoulder, sharing a big blanket. I sign, 'Would Momma be proud, too?'

His face falls. The words hit him right in the heart, a poisonous bolt. All he says is, 'Yes.'

'Good,' I manage to reply, right before my eyes start to droop closed.

'Goodnight,' He signs again.

Placing a kiss to my cheek, my Dad pulls back and lays his own blanket down on the floor in front of me, laying facing the fire.

Rick was right. This is a Hell of a lot better than those garages back in Newnan.

I would like to help T-Dog spot Santa, I really would, but I just can't stay awake even one moment longer.

I'm being shaken gently.

Groaning, I open my eyes. Dad's face is inches from mine, all the windows behind him filled with grey daylight.

Adjusting the crossbow on his shoulder, he signs, 'Good morning.'

'Good morning.'

Sitting up, I groggily take in the sight of the group still laid out across the room, fast asleep. All except for Dad, and also Rick and Carl. I see them standing in the archway, both dressed for the snow just like Dad is, whispering to each other.

'Get your coat,' Dad says, and before I get the chance to ask what's going on; 'We're going searching for presents.'

We're what?!

After waking Glenn and putting him on watch, the four of us set out into the neighbourhood. The sun slowly rises from behind the falling snow, eclipsing the roofs of the houses around us and washing the morning in a soft, pink and yellow hue. It's quiet, peaceful, just how it always is before the day fully starts. Carl, Mouse, and I are rowdily running down the sidewalk, disturbing it all.

It's Christmas. According to us, it's Christmas, and ain't nobody here to tell us otherwise!

Dad and Rick follow after us until we make it to the park, the two oldies totally left in our dust as we make a beeline for the playground and pounce on the metal merry-go-round. It's been so long since I went on one of these. It feels like we're breaking a rule, a rule that nobody said aloud, but we ain't. Our Dads told us loud and clear that today, we're allowed to do whatever we want.

I'll spin us, Carl's laughing as he pushes on one of the handles, Mouse wisely standing back.

I still remember to hold on tight. Here we go!

Once he's picked up enough speed, he makes a jump for the platform. He skids around like a drunk, landing on his ass. He hugs the closest handle. The world spins into a multi-coloured smear. I just can't stop laughing, not even if I tried.

As the ride slows down, it feels like I'm 'bouta hurl up all that salami I ate last night.

Again!, I shout.

The next time we come to a stop, we round on the sight of Dad and Rick standing off to the side, watching us.

'Wanna get pushed?,' My Dad asks us, nodding to the swings.

I jump off the platform. 'Yes!'

Rick effortlessly peels the dead walker I saw yesterday offa the seat, throwing it aside and helping me on. I'on know how long we swing for, but the warm, pink sun spills and spills between the trees until it's on my face, making me forget the cold.

Spring is right around the corner, now.

This whole nightmare is almost over. I can just tell.

One of these days, the sun will crest the horizon and the snow just won't come.

It doesn't take long for us to make it back to town square.

'Where should we start?', Rick asks.

'I want to look in Petey's,' I answer right away, pointing to the storefront. 'But Carl can't come.'

Obviously, it's because I'm gonna be picking something out for him, which is why he starts giggling when Dad translates.

Rick ruffles the boy's hair, nudging him in the opposite direction. 'It's a plan. We'll search over here.'

'There's a toy store that way,' Dad adds helpfully.

'We'll check it out. Good luck.'

'Good luck. Watch out for elves.'

He laughs a bit as I whistle for Mouse, who runs after us. 'We will.'

Passing barrels of wrinkled flowers, Dad sticks his fingers between the automatic glass doors and forces them open, pulling his crossbow down as they roll apart on the tracks. Out of the darkness, a human-shaped shadow stumbles toward us.

It drops to the floor before it can even open its mouth.

Lowering his crossbow, Dad nods me forward, tugging his bolt outta the walker's wet face.

Look around, He says, wiping the blood off on his thigh.

The first thing I check is the comic section, of course. I'm hoping they got the series Carl likes, the one with the kick-ass astronauts and the evil aliens on the cover that I can't remember the name of. Captain Noel and the Astronauts, or something like that. I read it just the other week while he was dozed off, just to see what all the fuss was about. Weren't hard to see why he likes it.

As I step over a fallen sale sign, Mouse sniffs around the shelves, skulking around the corner.

Approaching the display stand, I skip right over the magazines and check out the comics, flicking through the covers. There's pictures of supervillain scientists, monsters, ninjas in impossible poses, wielding metal stars. They's all dumb-looking, so I'm sure Carl would eat them up like hot cakes for breakfast, but I really want the alien one. He been after the next volume since we met him.

There's a tap on my shoulder.

Hm?

Glancing up at Dad, I watch as he pulls a comic down from the highest rack, holding it out for me to see.

Captain Nate and the Awesome Eight, The quirky logo reads. 

Grabbing it up like it might disappear before my eyes, I feel the pages crinkle under my fingers. This is the one!

Volume Four, It says at the bottom. The final mission.

I hold up three fingers to Dad.

Understanding, he flips through the comics again before handing me the third volume.

I take it, hugging them both to my chest before signing, 'These are for Carl. He loves them.'

'Really? I thought they were for Beth.'

Pssh. He ain't funny. 'Let's keep looking. We need something for her, too!'

He puts the comics in my backpack for me, following me around the store to continue our hunt for the perfect presents.

For Beth, I find a couple bottles of nail polish in the tiny makeup display, throwing in a black tube-thing that reads, Mascara, along with them for Lori, or maybe for Maggie. I ain't sure. I ask Dad what he thinks, but he got even less of a clue than I do.

I decide to throw in a second tube and some eyeshadow thingies just to be safe.

For Rick and Herschel, we decide on a pair of woolly socks for each of them. You just can't go wrong with socks.

When we find some shirts with silly phrases on them, I know instantly that they would be perfect for Glenn and T-Dog.

Lastly, Dad makes us grab a bunch of random things that we need, like canned food and lighters, before we turn into the pet aisle. Mouse is there, nosing a package of tennis balls along the floor. He looks confused when they roll under the shelves. I crouch down, pulling them back out. It looks like he found his own present. He watches me stash them in my bag, pink tongue lolling happily. 

On our way out, I pass by the rack again, stealing a girly magazine off it that I think Carol will like.

Carl and Rick meet us back on the street, both their backpacks suspiciously fatter than they were the last time we saw them.

'How'd it go?'

Good, Rick says, as Carl tries to get a peek inside my bag. 'Want to swap?'

Before the boy gets to close, I fend him off, giggling as he wrestles me.

'Sure.' Dad pulls him offa me. 'Hard to get a present for your kid when they're right beside you.'

'Exactly.' Rick chuckles, offering his hand to me.

I take it, blowing a raspberry at Carl's back as he walks off with my Dad in the opposite direction.

The store Rick and I check out is the record store, Jameson's Jams, just across the way. After he scopes the place out, coming up empty, it's safe for us to go in. The smell of dust and plastic swarms us I look around at the tubs of record sleeves and CDs.

'It used to be tidy in here,' I sign to him, even though he could prolly guess that.

The doors close behind him, shutting the snow out.

' Did you go here often?'

'All the time.' I meander up to the nearest bin. 'My parents loved music.'

As I pick up an edgily-decorated sleeve that catches my eye, Rick steps up to my side.

'Something tells me their music taste clashed,' He jokes. 'Am I right?'

No. 'They both had bad taste.'

Scoffing, I throw the sleeve back, walking around to the other side of the tubs.

Chuckling to himself, he glances down at the record I'd been holding. It fits my Dad to damn T. I don't take it with me, though, because we ain't got no way to play it. It'd just be a waste of space, so I crack open a CD instead, taking out the paper.

Tossing the useless part back in the bin, I look up to see Rick already looking at me.

He's frowning, his brown hair poking out from underneath his beanie, curled over his faint wrinkles.

'What?,' I gesture impatiently.

What's he want?

I hate to admit it, but there's a little stain of bitterness left inside me after what he did to my Momma's photo.

It weren't like it was on purpose, but it didn't have to be.

'I'm sorry,' He signs, the tubs separating us by at least ten feet feeling more like a hundred.

'It's okay,' I brush it off. 'I'm not mad at you.'

'I know. Trust me, I can tell when you're mad at me,' He smiles for a fleeting moment. 'I'm apologising, anyway.'

'That was the only photo I had of her, you know.'

'I know.'

'Her name was Lindsey.'

'I know. Your Dad talks to me about her, sometimes.'

'Why did you throw it?'

He pauses, picking at a sticker on the wood before fessing up, 'Shane makes me angry, honey. I was angry. I threw it.'

'Angry? Not sad?'

'No. Not sad.' He shakes his head. 'We were all past that when we saw the truck leaving the farm.'

'He gave me the locket. My Dad threw it away the night you burned the photo.'

'Yes, I know. He talked to me about that, too.'

'He did?'

'He was going to let you keep it.'

'Why didn't he?'

'You know why.'

Yeah. I do. I don't even know why I asked that. He threw it away for the same reason I'm not allowed to talk about Ronnie.

Rick changes the subject, the tension in his shoulders melting away as he signs, 'Thank you. Again.'

'For the hospital?'

He nods. 'You were brave.'

'Dad said the same thing.'

'It's true. Even I would have been scared, and I'm thirty-four years old.'

'You're never scared.'

'I'm scared all the time.' I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to say that. I wait until he says something else. 'Thank you.'

Hell. He shouldn't make me laugh like that. I'mma breathe in all this dust. 'You're worse than Glenn.'

'What do you mean?'

'You can't stop saying 'Thank you'. He can't stop saying 'Sorry'. Feet hurt. Sorry. My ears ring. Sorry. It's funny.'

'He's sensitive,' Rick agrees fondly.

'I know. He cried last night.'

A muted chuckle. 'That's right. He did.'

As I look off to the side, something on the wall catches my eye.

Guitars. A lot of them.

Abandoning the piece of paper, I run over to them, stepping onto a chair and pulling down an electric guitar.

Rick is eye-level with me when he comes over. 'Your Dad said he knows how to play.'

Nodding, I give the strings a dramatic thrum.

It must be painful, going by the way Rick looks like he's just heard nails going down a chalkboard.

I can't help but laugh, turning to hook it back up. Like the record and the CD, it would just be a waste of space. Electric guitars don't sound so good if you don't got anything to plug them into. Acoustic ones, however, they're perfect anywhere.

Hopping onto to the next chair over, I pull down a classically wooden guitar, cold to the touch. 

When I strum this one, Rick gives a thumbs up. It'll need tuning, but that's a piece of cake.

Jumping down, I have a thought.

'How the Hell do we hide this from him?'

He looks the thing up and down. 'We might have to give it to him now.'

Aw. 'That's not as fun.'

'How about this — You hide behind me. When we see him, you jump out. Is that fun?'

Hmmm. 'Okay. Let's do that!'

Carl's a lot harder to appease than I am, which must be the reason Rick lets out a little sigh of relief. 'Great.'

'It needs a shoulder strap,' I decide, grabbing one from the rack nearby and ripping it outta the plastic. I try to figure it out, turning it over to get a good look, but then I just pass it off to Rick's mittened hands. 'You know how to put it on?'

'Let me try.' He accepts the challenge, kneeling in front of the guitar.

Buttoning each end of the leather strap to the metal attachments, it looks like he's got it.

He hands it back, raising his brows at me. 'Remember to jump out. We have to get him to crap his pants.'

'It's a plan.'

Before we meet back up, we stop by the thrift store next door so that Rick can grab the shirt he'd had in mind for Carl, a simple thing with a superhero he likes on the chest. As we leave through the front doors, Rick herds me in behind his back.

We're only waiting in town square for a minute or two before he signals me that they're coming over.

When I feel the time is right, I jump out!

Rahh!

Dad don't quite crap his pants, but his eyes do widen ever so slightly. In Dixon terms, he's chilled to the bone.

My back-up man watches on, laughing.

I hold out the guitar once the moment's passed, hoping it's obvious that this is his Christmas present.

Woah, breathes Carl as my Dad takes it carefully, Mouse's tail batting around wildly at his ankle.

We watch as he drags his thumb down the strings, remembering what it feels like. Slowly, he starts to smile.

Looking up at me, he seems very, very pleased. 'Thank you. I love it.'

'Merry Christmas!'

'We knew we couldn't hide it from you,' Rick explains, 'So we scared you instead.'

'Did it work?'

Dad nods, frowning as he mouths the word, Terrifying, before kneeling to wrap me in a hug. I kiss his cheek.

'Did you get everything you wanted?'

Nodding again, Dad stands and passes the guitar to Rick, seeing as he's already wearing his crossbow.

Pulling it on, Rick nods in the direction we came from. 'Let's head back, then.'

We make it only five feet before we notice Carl isn't following us.

Looking back at him, he points at the parking lot across the street.

We follow his finger.

Across the street, the lonely bike with the streamers still lays there in the snow, next to a couple other bikes.

We glance between each other, a glint of something cheeky in our eyes.

We're all thinking the same thing, ain't we?

It's a long walk, anyways.

Who the Hell bikes in the snow, is what a sensible person would ask themselves as they saw us race past their house.

We do!, is what I'd shout back at them.

We're zooming down the streets of Sharpsburg like we're late for a wedding, the most ridiculous sight the apocalypse ever did see. Rick, taking the lead just like always, with a guitar bumping around on his back as he pumps the peddles of a pink bike. Carl on the little one, its rainbow streamers blowing out on either side of him without a care in the world. Mouse, sprinting to keep up.

He's going so fast; I think his ears might just fly off and smack me in the face!

It's a challenge to not fall off the handlebars of Dad's bike just from laughing so hard.

I clutch onto it harder as we crest over the top of a hill. Rick goes flying down first, then Carl. Dad wraps an arm around my stomach, hugging me to his chest as we both laugh against each other. We're next. My stomach lurches. My toes go numb. Then we're free-falling, and the tyres are shaking beneath us and the handlebars are jiggling all over the place, the wind racing past us.

Sucking in a deep breath, I let out a shriek of, Wuh-Hooooooo!

My heart's beating outta my chest like when a walker's got me in its grasp, when I feel most alive.

Whatever day I've said is the best day of my life — This is it, now. Hands down.

Rick reaches the bottom first, doing a fancy little skid in the snow and glancing over his shoulder at us to see our reaction.

Carl gives him a thumbs down, making him laugh as he turns back around.

The hill flattens out into more suburbia.

We slow down to a more leisurely pace for the rest of the ride back, and simply enjoy the morning together, trailing the sidewalks like a bunch of kids. The sun is well into the sky now, shining through the frigid air without any clouds to cover it up.

When I spot the house in the distance, I'm almost sad.

As we pull into the driveway, bumping over the curb, Glenn stands from his seat on the porch steps.

Hey, guys, He's laughing, perplexed.

Rick answers him with a few flicks of his bell, braking to a stop.

Where'd you go?, He asks, as I jump down from the handlebars.

Carl dumps his bike on the ground and holds up his backpack, shouting, Presents!

He gawks. No shit?

No shit!, He exclaims, running straight past him and up the porch.

I catch Rick sharing a funny look with my Dad, but he lets the swear word go. It's that type of day.

The adrenaline-high don't leave my body even as I follow everyone inside the house, stepping into the busy lounge room. We're greeted by the rest of our group, who are more than awake by now, hugging us as we come through the archway. They're completely beaming. It's obvious. They've heard the great news — We went out in the early morning to do Santa's bidding, for no other reason than because we managed to live long enough to, and because we deserve it. For once, we can ignore everything else and it'll all be okay.

Shrugging off my backpack, I set it down on the coffee table. Carol and Herschel tidy away the empty snack packs as Dad, Rick, and Carl set theirs down, too. Everybody's eyeing the bags excitedly, tryna see if they can make out the goodies inside.

'You guys are sneaky,' T grins, wide enough to show off the gap between his two front teeth. 'Sneaky!'

'Where did you go?!,' Maggie wants to know.

She lounges back on the sofa, Mouse jumping into her lap.

'Town square.' Rick's looking livelier than he has all Winter; all year, maybe. 'We left while you were all asleep.'

T seems to have an epiphany. 'It's you guys!'

'What?,' He asks.

'You're Santa!'

Realizing the man is pulling our legs, Rick rolls his eyes.

Carl goes on to ramble all about our adventures. By the way he's miming it all out, I can tell he ain't leaving out our visit to the playground. Everyone's watching him with nothing but joy in their eyes, adding comments here and there, laughing.

When Beth notices the guitar, my Dad proudly shows it off to the room.

'Harley found it,' He signs, reigning everyone back in, reminding them to use signs. 'Pretty, ain't it?'

Herschel turns to look at me. 'What a wonderful, wonderful gift.'

'I got more,' I tease, giving my backpack a tempting wiggle. I can't wait to give out the rest of the presents!

'Let's just get right into it then, right?,' Rick suggests. 'Go crazy.'

That's all the permission anyone needs.

As the three of them open their backpacks and start handing out presents left and right, I get to opening mine.

The first things I pull out are the stupid shirts for Glenn and T-Dog, walking over to them and putting them in their hands. Maggie's laughing her ass off as they hold them up to their chests, cluelessly peering down at the text. I step back to admire my work. Sorry I'm late, T's shirt reads, and Hell, it's even funnier than I imaged it would be, I was doing my hair! I think he's laughing something like, You little punk, before he glances over at Glenn's to see the damage. I'm with stupid, His says, except the arrow is pointing at his face.

Aw Hell naw!, T-Dog unabashedly laughs.

'Put them on!,' I demand, taking the fabric in my hands. Glenn helps me out, pulling it over what he's already wearing and straightening it out so the message is on full display. T-Dog does the same thing, even if he does call me a punk again.

'How do we look?,' Glenn asks me and Maggie when they're done, giving a stiff twirl.

'Don't answer that,' T-Dog says.

I give Maggie her gift next, the Mascara. She plants a kiss on my cheek and pulls me in for a tight hug, releasing me so I can head over to the other ladies. Carol gratefully takes the magazine, Lori and Beth Oohing and Aahing over the makeup.

It's no 'Electric Spring Citrus', but Beth still seems very touched by the bottle of yellow polish.

Next, I pull out the tennis balls. Boy, does that get Mouse's attention. I rip off the seal, sending them all bouncing across the living room floor, almost tripping some people over. Mouse darts after this one and that one, chasing them all over the place as I hand the socks to Herschel and Rick. They're both delighted, taking turns giving me a hug. We was right. Ya can't go wrong with socks.

'Carl and your Dad have something for you,' Rick tells me as he pulls away, pointing over to them.

I tap Carl on the shoulder, and when the two of them turn around and realize me, his face lights up.

Harley!, He's exclaiming.

He digs through his bag and holds out my two presents. 

'Thank you!,' I sign, taking them. Oh, wow. A diary and a packet of colored pencils. I don't gotta squeeze my thoughts into the margins, no more. I got fresh, blank pages, enough to prolly last me a whole year. Giving Carl a hug, I hold up a finger; Wait.

Reaching into my backpack and feeling out the comics, I pause just to be dramatic, before I pull them out for him to see. His jaw drops as he snatches them up. All them months hearing him complain, and watching him read the same volume over and over, makes it all the more satisfying to see him flick through the pages, realizing with mounting horror that it's everything he dreamt of.

Thank you, He's shouting, Thank you!

'Wanna see what I got you?,' Dad says next. 'You can both play with it, but it's for you, okay?'

'Okay! Show me!'

Carl and I crouch down with him as he unzippers his backpack. What he pulls out is not like anything I would've expected.

A big, flat white box with a photo on the front of some kids kicking a soccer ball into a little pop-up goal in the sun.

'Can't play soccer without a goal.' He smirks as I take the box in my hands, ready to tear it open with my teeth if I gotta.

They both help me pick the tape off the cardboard, pulling it open and turning the whole thing upside down. The goal slides out. Having finally been broken out of the confines of its box, it immediately springs into shape, almost smacking us all in the face.

Dodging it with a laugh, I exclaim, 'Thank you, Dad!' 

'Do you like it?,' He asks.

'I love it! How do we set it up?'

Looking about, he finds a small baggie of metal stakes that fell out with it, and a page of instructions.

I lean in closer to take a peek as he skims over them, but it all looks simple enough.

'Easy,' He decides. 'We can set it up in the front yard, yeah?'

'Yeah. I'm gonna smoke you both so bad.'

Dad thwacks my arm with the piece of paper. 'Hey. Who said I'm playing?'

'Oh. So, you're scared.' I nod empathetically, feeling smug. 'That's okay. I'm rusty, too.'

'Seriously?'

'I only won three medals when I was in school.'

'I'm old, kid. I'm in my thirties. I'm pretty much dead.'

'Loud and clear. You're scared of losing.'

He rolls his eyes. 'You're a brat. Don't cry when you lose.'

'I've never cried in my life, Dad. Ask Carl.'

As soon as he passes on the question, Carl levels me with the most, Get serious, expression I ever seen in my life.

Whatever. 'I'll still win!'

'We'll see,' He says as I glance at the rest of the group.

'This was so thoughtful of you guys,' Maggie signs from her seat on the sofa, doing that little pout she does.

With all the presents handed out, I take my time looking around the room. T and Glenn are still wearing their t-shirts, of course. If I could have it my way, they wouldn't ever wear anything else. It looks like Rick and Carl gifted Glenn a magazine about race cars, and T-Dog a flashy, gold chain necklace that he manages to make look cool. Lori and Herschel are wearing new matching jackets, the material purple and puffy. They look like father and daughter, sitting there like that, Lori's head resting on the old man's shoulder. Beside them, Carol's blowing air onto Beth's painted nails, while Mouse lays on the floor, gnawing at the tennis ball he must've decided is his favorite.

And Rick. He's not pouring over a map. He's not frowning to himself as he cleans a gun. He's not snapping at one of us to, Stop that, We need to stay focused. He's just smiling faintly next to Glenn, refusing to reveal to anyone this was all his idea.

'I'm just glad there's no wrapping paper to clean up this year,' He chuckles, looking at Lori.

The woman smirks, shaking her head. Bad memories, I guess.

'Every year,' He continues, gesturing to an invisible pile in his lap, 'We would end up with this much.'

'You're not the only ones.' T-Dog scoffs, like this is a lifelong issue he's faced.

'Oh, yeah. You were a garbage man, weren't you?,' Glenn remembers.

'Minimum wage, brother,' He agrees, bringing the pizza-boy in for a bro-hug.

'What have you got there, Harley?,' Maggie asks as they pull apart.

'A soccer goal,' I excitedly answer, before holding up Rick and Carl's presents. 'And a diary and pencils!'

'I don't want you to think it's for schoolwork with Lori,' Rick says. 'Carl just told me he's seen you journalling.'

'I love it,' I shake my head. 'Thank you.'

That bitterness that I'd been feeling toward him, it disappears just as quickly as it came.

'You haven't been writing anything bad about me, have you?,' Glenn asks threateningly.

'Just a little bit,' I shrug.

'She's a brat, isn't she?,' My Dad jokes.

'She's a total brat.'

'Hey! I don't like you, either.'

'Well, Merry Christmas, everyone.' Maggie says to wrap things up. 'Time to take this outside. We got a game to play.'

'Sounds like it,' Rick agrees.

'Come on.' Dad stands back up, grabbing the soccer goal and the stakes.

Jumping up and pulling on Maggie's sleeve, I exclaim up at her, 'We should be on the same team!'

'Girl power,' She agrees, frowning stubbornly as we descend the porch steps.

Mouse goes running out into the snow with his tennis ball. Dad heads over to the fence, setting down the goal and pushing the stakes through the rubber loops to secure it to the ground. I tell him I hope he did a good job of it, because me and Maggie are gonna be making every goal we shoot for. It's Dad and Carl versus us two girls, so the competition is even fiercer. We gotta win!

'We got this,' Maggie goads as T-Dog takes up the goalie position.

Carol pumps her fist in the air. 'Let's go, girls!'

Everyone starts cheering us on as Maggie kicks the ball straight over to me. The game's begun! I stop it with my foot, watching as she skirts around Dad, shouting for me. I boot it back to her at just the right moment, running forwards.

Maggie dukes Dad, left, right, left, before she kicks it right between his feet and back to me.

I stop it again with my foot.

Carl's on me, suddenly. He tries to use his foot to steal the ball away from me, but I don't let him!

Keeping him at arm's length, I line up my shot with the goal. I've done it a million times before. What's one more!

I rear my foot back, and—!

T-Dog's far too big and slow to see it coming. The ball shoots right past him — Goal! — and crashes into the meshing.

'Point for the girls,' Rick announces from the sidelines.

Maggie runs up to me, grabbing my hands and squealing happily, with the boys sulking together in the background.

We end up winning. There's a few close calls here and there, but we're just too quick on our feet for them to really get any smooth moves in. As the winning goal is made by Maggie, Carl stomps his foot into the snow, complaining, Aww, man!

We use every last bit of energy we have left in us to play for the rest of the morning. For once, not just for getting out of bed, or making it through the day. We manage to get a couple more rounds of soccer in before somebody throws a snowball at my Dad while he's trying to kick a goal, and then it all devolves into a snowball fight. There's no teams or rules; just clumps of snow flying across the yard, people falling over, Rick laughing, and Glenn getting dogpiled to the ground until Dad has to come and rescue him from us.

Nobody's really winning, but I don't think anyone's keeping count, anyway. Nobody's losing, either.

Except maybe Carl, when he tanks a snowball directly to the face.

I gasp. Youch!

He wipes it off with a grin, scurrying off to start preparing some returning fire.

I hurry to join him behind the wall of snow, bulking up my snowball before launching it at one of the adults.

It hits Glenn in the jaw. He lurches; falls onto his ass.

Me and Carl share a high five!

To think I was dreading coming back to this town, when it's actually given me one of the best days of my life.

Is it bad I'm happy the world ended?

Probably, but I don't care.

FIVE MONTHS LATER.

I can hear light birdsong in the trees.

We've stopped again, on some highway or other. I'on know. They all look the same to me. Grey road, winding up a hill, flanked on both sides by a strip of dirt and twigs. While the others get outta the cars, slamming their doors shut and grouping together to discuss what's next, I turn my head away from them and gaze out the passenger side window. The sun warms my face. I remember back during the Wintertime; we hardly ever saw the sun. Hell. That was forever ago. Nowadays, we been fending off heatstroke, feels like.

I close my eyes, relishing in the sounds around me. Leaves brushing, idle engines rumbling.

There are a lot of moments like this for me, where I'll just ignore what everyone else is doing and listen. I'll listen to anything. The car radio, if anybody's got it playing, even if it's a song I don't like. A river flowing. A deer trilling. It's the best part of my day.

"We got nowhere else to go," Herschel's suddenly saying, and then I'm opening my eyes again.

The group is gathered around the hood of the car I'm sat up in, splaying a map out for them to study.

"When this herd meets up with this one," Maggie points, "We'll be cut off. We'll never make it South."

"What'd you say it was? About 150 head?" Dad estimates.

"That was last week." Glenn's shaking his head, squinting against the sun. "It could be twice that by now."

I've heard this exact conversation about thirty times over by now.

That herd from last year; It's thawed and split into two, and neither are getting any smaller. The more they walk, the more they pick up. It's how it's always gone. They been following us, and we been running. That's how that's always gone, too.

We had a couple places we holed up for a while. Sharpsburg served us well while it lasted, but we had to move, eventually.

Now, we're back on the run.

"The river could've delayed them," Herschel suggests. "If we move fast, we might have a shot to tear right through here."

"Yeah, but if that group joins with that one, they could spill out this way."

"So, we're blocked."

We're always blocked, I want to tell Maggie. You know this by now.

In moments like these, I think back to the day we had that snowball fight and try to remember what everyone's smiles looked like.

"Only thing to do is double back at 27," Rick says, "And swing back this way."

Rick's different. For Rick, I think back to the bike ride.

T-Dog's getting frustrated. "We picked through that place, already. It's like we spent the past five months going in circles."

"Yeah, I know. I know."

"Is this what we're doing, then?"

When Rick nods, T-Dog asks him, "Is it alright if we head down to the river to fill up on water, then?"

"Sure. Knock yourself out," He says as they disperse, Maggie rolling up the map.

Herschel whispers something to Rick, then, and I can't quite catch it. My hearing aids ain't that good, but I know it's about Lori because they glance over at her in the car behind me. It's probably the, She can't keep doing this, conversation. Like always, Rick's wiping his sweaty forehead, bullshitting his way through an answer, and like always, Herschel is patient with him. They know he's right.

Lori's about to burst, way her stomach's been looking these days. She's gonna give birth any day now.

I'm just glad she got better and stayed better.

That was a nasty sickness.

Herschel leaves Rick to think about what he's said, making an opening for Dad to ask him to go hunting.

I'm surprised when he turns to me. "You wanna come, chicken?"

There's that Southern twang I once forgot the sound of.

'Come hunting with you?,' I sign, just outta habit. Sometimes, my voice is just too loud for me to bare.

"Yeah. You can stretch yer legs a little. How 'bout it?"

Not wanting to spend one more second in this car, I agree by opening the door and jumping onto the tarmac.

He whistles for Mouse, and then we're walking into the treeline.

"Carl says it was blue, but the boy's blind," I ramble to Rick as we walk along the train tracks, keeping an eye out for animals.

"Between the pair'a ya," Dad muses from in front of us. "You almost make a full vegetable."

"Shut up, Daddy. You ain't funny."

He snickers a little before facing forward again, crossbow at the ready. "Sure I ain't."

"Anyway." I sigh as he pushes a leafy branch outta the way. Rick ducks under it, and then me. "Like I's sayin'—"

When I look up, the sight that greets me has all words dying on my tongue. I slowly catch up with Dad and Rick, who have also completely forgotten about the story I was telling. It weren't very interesting, anyway. Something about a frog Carl and I found the other day. The sun beats down on us as we look out over the sheer drop just in front of us, and at the rolling, green hills in the distance.

Well, I'll be goddamned.

That right there is a whole ass prison.

End Notes.

Okay that's it. I cannot edit this chapter any longer. What's done is done!!

WE ARE FINALLY IN SEASON 3 !! It only took a year and 28 chapters.

I'm very glad to be back in canon again, but writing Christmas with the group was so fun. Also very glad to be able to write Daryl's accent and slang properly again haha. It just didn't translate into sign language. I know some of you will also be relieved that we're not using it much anymore.

As always, I really hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading! Until next time! 💙 :)

[writingmochi]

Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, home to pizza and entertainment from our animatronics, Freddy Fazbear & Friends. Oh… What's that? The animatronics walks by itself and you can smell a rotten odor? Don't worry about that. Fazbear Entertainment, as the owner of the pizza franchise, is not responsible for any death or disappearance

cast: sunoo ✗ fem.reader (ft. itzy's yuna, cravity's taeyoung and serim, with a few ocs)

synopsis: pizzeria, animatronics, missing children, and mystery. those are words that encompass what people may believe of freddy fazbear's pizza, whose doors were closed years ago. so, what do you do if you and your friends have to stay in one of their abandoned establishments from midnight 'til sunrise? are you able to survive the night? and be careful what you answer, they're listening

genre: horror, mystery, adventure, survival, dark comedy, high school au, a bit of fluff, angst

based on: video game series five nights at freddy’s (2014-present); set before five nights at freddy's 3 (2015)

word count: 17929 (17.9k)

warning(s): blood, arson, a small kiss and romantic part, description of unpleasant odor, mention of missing and dead children, mention of murder, mention of animatronic and animal mascot (for those who have masklophobia), a bit lore dumping but i have to make you guys know it (especially in the context of the plot) (if i forgot something, let me know!)

message to the moon: remember that this story is fiction and do be careful and read the warnings at the top. all the idols mentioned here are not what they are in real life.

it's here!! and it is still june *weights drop off my shoulder* this is meant for sunoo's birthday so as long as it is his birthday month. i am extremely fine with that :D + the fnaf movie trailer came out yesterday. so i guess it is the right timing to upload it today

mini playlist: van halen's "jump"; toby fox's "amalgam"; lena raine's "scattered and lost" ; allen simpson's "d.j. music man"

now open

“what do you guys know about freddy fazbear’s pizza?”

“that pizzeria franchise? what about it?”

those two sentences were the start of a pretty unusual conversation you have with your friend group during recess. lifting your head from opening the snack you bought before as you and your friends sit in the cafeteria hall, other students walk around trying to find a table or return to one. the conversation continues with the boy and girl sitting across from you while another boy sits silently eating the snack that you open.

“serim got access to the abandoned building that used to be a franchise near this city.” you watch taeyoung lets out a smirk as yuna contorted while shaking her head, already knowing what he might say next. your eyes widen as you are now intrigued by following the conversation.

“how did he get it? did your dad buy the land there?” yuna replied, her eyes squinting at the boy your group of friends knows is the richest of the four of you. his father owns multiple properties in the city for whatever construction he has planned or selling them to the highest bidder.

“that’s what my brother implies.” taeyoung’s eyes wander between the three of you. you turn your head slightly towards sunoo, your next-door neighbor and best friend since you two were kids. both of you were quiet as you observed your two friends converse about taeyoung’s ‘special access’ to the mysterious building you had never heard of before, but have learned the stories surrounding what it has.

“and like that stupid brain of his, he dared me to stay there from midnight to 6 in the morning.” taeyoung ruffles his hair as you see him roll his eyes and scoff, covering himself because of the ridiculousness.

“what you’re getting from that?” sunoo asked beside you as you nod while raising your eyebrow. taeyoung is not stupid enough to be gaslighted by his older brother like that, isn’t he?

“his allowance for three months, you know how big their allowances are especially college students like him,” taeyoung replied snarkily, a smirk forming on his face. “and also my dignity cause you all recognize how much he teases me.” you see yuna rolled her eyes as sunoo giggled, you pursed your lips, looking at the boy in front of you in disbelief, leaning your body back as you don’t want to get involved in their sibling rivalry while grabbing the snack that is now in front of sunoo.

“and he said i can bring my friends so i want to bring you all.”

what?

hearing the ridiculousness of taeyoung’s invitation with the whole context made sunoo covers his face in embarrassment. yuna looks at the boy beside you and nods, understanding his feelings before looking away. you, on the other hand, viewed your surroundings as the voice of the cafeteria environment making your focus turn away.

“guys, please? (y/n)? you like true crime, right?” taeyoung asked, bringing your focus back to the table as your name is mentioned.

you and your friends know how much you love true crime. how your favorite board game is clue while your favorite activity while going out with them is to go to escape rooms. half of your entertainment is watching criminal psychology videos—including their interrogation or just story time of the true crimes that happened in history, both solved and unsolved. you have always liked mysteries, help solve alternate reality games on the internet with the skills you train to use. they always seem to intrigue you, the absence of certain information. it’s no different with freddy fazbear’s pizza and the scandals surrounding it.

the legend that is freddy fazbear’s pizza, their franchises and stories about how it becomes the business failure that has always intrigued you. how back in the late 70s, two people by the name of henry emily and william afton tried to open a diner by selling pizza for kids’ birthday parties. you learned from what you read, back at that time, mascots are popular in those establishments, so they create two spring-lock animatronics made for the kids’ entertainment the two can wear, while also prototyping four others which will possess their own sense of control. henry‘s called fredbear, a yellow bear, while william‘s called spring bonnie, a yellow rabbit. the other four are freedy fazbear, a brown bear; bonnie, a purple rabbit; chica, a yellow chicken; and foxy, a pirate-costumed fox.

that is until five children went missing and the animatronics started to act weird, as people back then described. it all goes downhill from the incident.

the original diner closed after lawsuits and missing children were reported with the diner as its connection. henry emily and william afton fought with each other where henry cuts their partnership and created his own company, hiring employees to get the business together in the 80s, it’s called fazbear entertainment. the company opens so many franchises of freddy fazbear’s pizza until one by one it closes down. rumors of odor coming from inside the pizzeria and the animatronics going ‘haywire to walk around the vicinity’ at night are the main reasons for its downfall until the early 2000s when the company disappeared, never opening another franchise again.

you always believed there is a connection between the missing children, the odor, and the animatronics acting weirdly. you really wanted to find out about it. never have you assumed that near where you lived, there was once a freedy fazbear’s pizza. and the news was the reason for your shock when taeyoung said that he, by proxy from his dad who is a property developer, gained access to one.

“i mean… i do.” you replied to taeyoung with a tilted head. “but never have i thought that you’re going to ask me to go to one of their places. heck, i didn’t even know our city had one.” you continued, unconsciously biting the inside of your lips.

“well, that’s good, right? you can explore the building while getting to know it and its history? maybe be able to contribute to the story that is out there.” you can only nod after what taeyoung said as it is, in your mind, the truth. you maybe aren’t the best equipped to solve this kind of mystery, but being a high school student sometimes has its boring times and this is an opportunity of a lifetime, a story that you can tell someday. you don’t even know if this abandoned building also owns its secret. were there also missing children cases back in their prime days like the other franchises? does it also have any link to the odor and weird animatronics people have associated the franchise with other than their pizza and arcade?

“i’ll go.” sunoo and yuna stare at you bewildered after what you said, making taeyoung lightly bounce on his side of the table. you can’t help to want to know. all the curiosity that’s running through your mind envelops you—you don’t even have enough moments to think about how to survive a night there, at an abandoned building engulf in trees where it is hard to reach. where danger can just be right around the corner, yet you just want to know what happened and why it has become like this.

“if (y/n)’s going, i’ll go too.” you see sunoo replied. you let out a small smirk as you glimpse at the boy, lifting your fist up for him to fist bump where sunoo grins at you while giving a light one.

yuna lets out a sigh and said, “fine, but, i know the other two agree with me. we want those allowances to be given to us evenly.” you let out a chuckle as the three of you glare at taeyoung with a baffled look on his face, before letting out his breath.

“25% for each of us?” taeyoung sees all three of you nodding, a sneaky grin on all of your faces.

“fine by me.”

-

“you’re nervous?” you heard sunoo speak as you tie your combat boots tightly and slip the remaining laces under the tied ones. sighing quietly as you look up to admire his room that you’ve visited hundreds maybe nearing thousand of times while looking at the backpack you packed full of stuff you needed as you told your mom and his mom that you’re having a sleepover in his room tonight.

“it’s… mixed. like nervous but excited and also scared.” you bounce your feet on the floor sitting as he furrows his eyebrows while also checking the backpack you can see is beside you. “anything can happen there.” you mumbled.

sunoo smiled as he replied, “we can get through it, all of us.”

in your group, sunoo has always been the optimistic one: like when all four of you play dodgeball for p.e. class with your other classmates, he is usually the one that commands the most but also throws the most, most of his shots are a hit which—you can’t deny—also amazed you. yuna is the pessimistic one: worrying at first but being solid at it after, like when she complained to the rest of you before a physics exam and then found out that she also gets the highest score. taeyoung is the mischievous one that pranks and dares all three of you, sometimes not even caring if karma gets him like a ball to his nuts. while you are the curious one: sometimes your curiosity gets you in trouble like getting detention but it also helps your friends in acing the hardest math exam you have ever taken with the answer key you remembered reading and all four of you got at least a 90 on the scores.

“speaking of getting through it, what do you bring?” you nudge your shoulder toward his backpack beside yours.

“snacks, water bottles, blankets, medkit,” he replied as he closes his bag, his gaze now on you.

you hummed as a smile formed, “like a scout. nice!”

“you knew about me going camping before. so i packed the things i pack when camping, “ sunoo answered as he gently put his hand on his waist. “how about you?”

“a notebook, pencil, spare clothes, water, spare batteries, and a pocket knife,” you reply while you think about how funny your differing priorities are for today’s adventure, exactly like what you group yourself and your friends’ stereotypes. both your phone vibrates at the same time as you glance at yours, the message being shared in your group chat showing on the screen telling you they have arrived at the meeting point. the open window of sunoo’s ground-floor bedroom opens to the front side of his house, ready for you both to go through.

as you two picked up your backpacks and climb out the window, sunoo slowly closed it, leaving a small gap so he can push it open when you both arrived in the morning. you two walk into the night to the corner of your block where a car waits. both of you can see taeyoung from the front seat window as you both are approaching, gesturing you to go into the back seat. climbing into the car with serim driving and yuna that sits with you two at the back, the car zooms away as saturday slowly ends.

seeing the streetlights illuminate the road and trees forming around it, you trail your eyes off to yuna who is sitting next to you. she has a small backpack of her own on her lap.

“how are you, bestie?” you nudge her shoulder with your own.

“to be honest, i’m sleepy. after we arrive, we should find a good place so that we can stay and i can sleep,” she replied, making taeyoung who sits at shotgun tilt his head back to take a glimpse at her and you.

“she doesn’t believe the roaming animatronics stuff.”

“as if they’re real.” she crosses her arm and leans against the car door beside her while the dark woods slowly envelop the car. the headlights are the only source of light other than the ones coming from the moon above you.

you heard serim chuckle from the driver’s seat. “i agree like what’s with the rumored stuff with the kids and animatronics being tethered. just tell the truth that they are malfunctioning. what an exaggeration to say that they walk around the restaurant.” you glance at yuna, who is nodding after serim finish his opinion. yet, you are still convinced they are tethered in some way. maybe the animatronics are haunted…

the car goes deep on a wide enough dirt track for a single vehicle and stops in a small clearing, a building’s silhouette upon it with an enormous billboard on the top of what you presume is the entrance. it stops and you all step out from the cramped interior, feeling the chills forming from the night wind blowing through the thin spaces of trees’ trunks and branches.

“the keys, taeyoung.” serim lightly flings it to taeyoung who catches it perfectly. “best of luck to you all, i guess, especially you. big stakes right here.” he points to his brother and gives a wink, the said boy getting disgusted by it and silently gagged. yuna, who is beside you, picked up everything as she chuckle next to your shoulder.

“shut the heck up.” taeyoung mumbles making serim lightly laugh as he grabs the steering wheel in front of him.

“see you at 6, losers,” serim said and then the car drove off. you can’t help but look at the time from your phone that you picked out from your pocket.

00:00

the beam from the flashlights all of you have brought shines on the path to the abandoned pizzeria building. the lights roaming on the building's exterior, seeing the scraps of a billboard on top of the building with a freddy fazbear head as the logo and the name is written across the bottom of the logo, signalling its glory and how it has withered with time with it being slanted; almost fallen off the roof. looking around the entrance’s exterior, you see images of the animatronics in a cartoon style in front of a mini playground with slides, monkey bars, and swings. in the distance, you can also see a silhouette of what looks like a door on the other side of in it. the door is most likely an emergency door shown by the weird positioning that is placed. if it uses another color, it will stick out too much. so that's why it uses the same paint as the exterior walls.

there are questions instantly running through your mind as you step closer to it. why isn’t the main entrance bordered with planks of wood like other abandoned buildings you know from documentaries or the internet? is it because every franchise is closed around the same time, and the staff and management didn’t mind the leftovers that they can use if they want to try again? maybe, they wanted to continue, but the lawsuits and pressure are just too much for them to be open. maybe, fear might have a factor in it.

you hear the jingling of the keys and the lock on the iron fence that stands in front of a set of glass doors. the metal creaks as taeyoung continues to move forward and open the glass door. one by one, you all go in as yuna slowly pushes the glass door open.

stepping inside the room, your flashlight lets you observe the strips of wallpaper that are deteriorating and watermarks staining the wall from leaking spots. you walk at the back with sunoo while letting your eyes adjust to the darkness as the flashlight beams roam the spacious room of what used to be a reception room, with its lectern for one of the staff to stand by and the many amounts of benches for people in the waiting list.

hearing the scrunch under your feet, you let your flashlight shines on the scattered pizza boxes on the floor and party decorations that have filled the room. your nose itching from the cumulated dust in the air but not enough to make rub your finger against it or make you sneeze. taeyoung walks to the front as the lights coming from his beam show promotional posters on one side, bathroom doors on the other, and a large doorway on the same side at the end of the hallway. old telephone booths sticking out onto the wall beside the entrance to the main area.

“we can spread out, but don’t go out of this room.” sunoo whispered behind the crowd as you all enter a giant room which you guess is the main area of the pizzeria, and its condition is worse than the reception area.

the room is full of dining tables and benches with paper plates and open pizza boxes, a stage on one of the sides, and arcade cabinets on one corner of the room; some stood while others were laying broken as a pool of glass shards reflected the shine of your flashlight. rubbers that were supposed to resemble balloons are flat on the ground—a few are looking like the air leaked from them while others look like they popped as their edges look like it was ripped apart. a few of the tiles on the floor are cracked and you can hear them crunch under your footsteps. holding your breath as you look like the restaurant resembling a shipwreck, your light shines on two hallways on two sides of the arcade area. both of them leading to dead ends that have a poster attached to the wall, but the one on the right has light coming in from a plank-covered window. and as you look closer, you can see doorways on both of the hallway; a room is there behind the arcade.

you and your friends scattered around the dining tables to search the nooks and crannies of the room. walking to where the stage stood, you could see chipped wood from the front of the stage and an emergency exit door on the corner beside it—the same position you see the silhouette on the outside. scattering your lights to view the surroundings, you see yuna shines hers to one of the dining tables. approaching it, you find rotten pizzas in an open pizza box that isn't complete or on top of a paper plate that has confetti on its design.

“ew, there are rotten foods here,” she commented lightly, waving her hand from the disgusting smell of spoiled food that have kicked your senses. you let your feet walk to one of the entrances to the hallways across the room, seeing a few doors in a hallway with a double door to the right.

“we should find a place for our base camp for the next hours,” you mumbled, the quiet atmosphere attracting their attention towards you as they approach where you stand. your flashlight shines in the hallway in front of you.

“yeah, we don’t know what is lurking in this building, so it's best if we can find a safe place.” sunoo echoes your idea, earning a nod and smile from you. peeking from the corner of your eyes, you can see he lets out one too from the slight shine that reflects on a bit of his face.

“we can search one by one.” yuna remarked behind you as she looks in the hallway and taeyoung hummed, agreeing to what you all said. all of you approach the two doors to see them made out of glass and windows spread along the wall beside them, miraculously not broken into smithereens like the glass screen from the arcade cabinets. an anomaly from the other two glass doors you presume will be an identical type of room is the double doors right on your right side.

“this must have been a private party room,” taeyoung commented with you turning around, letting his lights shine inside the room as you all take a peek from the glass door. bookshelves stood across the entrance with a few windows on top of them, a short table with cushion chairs surrounding it, confetti paper on the floor with party hats, matching paper and cup set of chica and a chalky and crumbly birthday cake at the other hand of the table with a blackboard that said “happy birthday“ written with chalk.

“is it just me or even though this place has been shut down decades ago, many of the decorations and small trivial things are still there? like why would they leave food?” yuna added as you take another glance at the long table where you can see other rancid food on it—resembling the ones in the main dining area. it seems as if the management doesn’t want to care about the restaurant when it closes. none of the furniture was moved out or cleaned up before being. it looks as if the staff working had disappeared so suddenly one day into thin air, and no one has the responsibility to clean the mess before letting it spread all over the restaurant.

“looks like the building has stayed in the past cause all i can think about is people abandoning the building and all of its activities without no actions to clean them up.” sunoo made a hypothesis the same as what you thought.

“hmm, 80s fresh air, felt so different.” taeyoung joked as your hand reaches the handle of the door and slowly open it. yuna’s flashlight right behind your body shines the room from on top of your shoulder. the chairs are so small you assumed it's for children around and under five years old.

“do you want to stay here or stay outside?” you turned to your friends as you gently held it open.

“inside the room is safer and we can barricade it. good for escape if we can reach up the bookshelves of the window above it. while outside, there is much more room to run if there is danger and the path to the exit, but we’re much more exposed.” you let out your thoughts as all four of you look at each other, gently letting go of the door before putting one cushion to the doorframe, not letting it shut as you don’t want to cause a loud noise if—if it is true—something is lurking in these hallways and rooms.

“inside could work.” taeyoung voiced out as he settles his bag on the ground. “great access to see the outside if we see any animatronics roaming down the hall.”

“no, they’re not.” yuna exclaimed as her face creased from the comment, then immediately yawns after before continuing. “since we searched the place when we get here, we should be able to make a small map of the place, right?”

“yes, we can,” sunoo said as he places his backpack and then looks at you. at first, you were confused by what he implied, but his eyes move to the bag on your back. you silently acknowledge before pulling your backpack down and opening the zipper, pulling your notebook and pencil out. all of you sit down, taeyoung sits on the cushion and yuna sits on the floor while you kneel on your knees down as you put the notebook on the dusty table, tracing the rough layout of the building from what you could remember.

“i’ve drawn the main entrance and reception, the hallway with the bathrooms, and the doorway to the dining room.” the others see your drawing as you let your fingers fidget with the pencil.

taeyoung gently grabs the pencil from you as he continues your drawing. “across from the entrance there is a small stage and a door. and the place where we are is through here, near the doorway from the reception. a hall with two party rooms and a double door to a room on the right side.”

“the kitchen.” sunoo cuts in as he is standing and looking at the double doors outside from the window. “i can see glints of silver in there from the circle window. on some angle, i can see the metal thingy where you suck up smoke from the stove and some circular stuff dangling which i guess are pans.” he tells his assumption.

“that makes sense. i was scouring near the arcade in the dining room and see the little window where servers usually grab food from the kitchen. the big cartoon-ish animal drawings on the wall can’t be ignored.” yuna said as she leans near you.

“i found another hallway beside the small stage and arcade. lights coming in seems to be a large window with a door at the end of the hallway on the left and one near the front of the hallway on the right.” sunoo added as you continued drawing the new areas on the map, few of the ones you made have already been assigned with their descriptions from all of your friends help. you added the stage you saw, the emergency door beside it, and the other hallway between the arcade and the kitchen; the one where sunoo didn’t catch as you heard him hum.

“i think that is all…” sunoo turns back from where he stands, now crouching on the other end of the table while looking at the sketch. you put down your pencil, unconsciously biting the nail on your thumb.

“what are the other two rooms then?” yuna asked from beside you. seeing the three empty rectangles with no scribbles on top of it. the room across from where the hallway to reception, the hallway sunoo mentioned with the door on the front right side, and the room behind the arcade.

taeyoung inspects the paper and the words inside them to indicate their purpose. “this is a restaurant, so supply closets for cleaning stuff and extra party decorations. and they have animatronics so maybe one of them is to clean their parts and repair them. what’s the last one then?”

“security,” you murmured, letting your thumb fall from your face.

“the animatronics are dangerous apparitions after all. security has to have their own office to help track animatronics and not let them do dangerous things.” you see the others nodding as you added the last three names for the last three doors beside the layout. the current matter is that you don't know the certain locations of them.

01:00

you felt your body being gently shaken inside the blanket that you are sleeping in.

by the time you finished talking about the layout of the rooms inside the abandoned building, all of you let your tiredness get to you and fall asleep. sunoo, who brought blankets, gave one to you as you are the only that doesn’t bring any form of sleeping props; taeyoung with his pillow-neck while yuna with her towel-turn-blanket. the thing is, you didn’t get any sleep when you can hear muffled clanks from outside of the room, your mind letting you awake, letting you observe the area with your hearing. and now, you can feel your head throbbing as you are placed in a between rem and non-rem sleep.

“(y/n), please…” you hear yuna’s recognizable voice. feeling a tad bit safer, your eyes open and you sit your body up on the party room floor.

“what’s wrong? did you also h-“

“i need to pee,” yuna hissed as she kneel beside you, trying to hold it in. the concern in your eyes fall as you let out a chuckle at the girl. dragging off the blanket from your body, you lean in closer to her.

“you can pee in the corne-“

“i rather get grabbed by the animatronic than see the boys seeing me pee.” yuna’s tense face made you chuckle again as you nod your head, seeing a small smile forming on her face before you paused when you heard the muffled clanks again. turning your head against where the sound came from—the double doors across from the room you are in. sighing, you quickly turn around to crawl closer to your friend, shaking his upper arm with enough force to wake him up.

“sunoo…” you whispered, seeing him stirring with his eyes open. his eyebrows are raised as he looks between you and yuna, who puts her hands on your shoulder.

“what are you doing?” he mumbled as he leans up.

“we’re going to the bathroom. i just need you to know so you can stand by if anything went wrong. don’t fall asleep on us,” you warned him as sunoo sits up while stretching his arms and neck. as yuna waits by with sunoo, you scrambled to your bag and grab a few needed items to be on your body: your phone and a pocket knife, before going to the glass door as yuna gently opens it. you turn around to close it and see sunoo now sitting on the cushion as taeyoung still sleeping on the other side of the room. you gave him a small nod as you point at your phone in your hand before gently walking away.

you were glad that the hallways are close enough with each other that no other occurrence really disturbed you in someway—the clanking that lingers in your mind for the past hour suddenly disappeared. you both walk to the hallway and stand facing the bathrooms, the female one is wide open with a poster of chica on display, while the male one had its door slightly open. yuna walks towards the female bathroom where you suddenly grab her wrist, stopping her movement before turning around towards you.

“what’s wrong?” she scream-whispered towards you. you jutted your chin to the door as you see how the hinges of the bathroom door she wanted to enter are broken, how the door is slanted and battered like many pressures of opening said door too hard has caused it to be like this.

“we should use the male bathroom. if something happens, the door from the male one can be our line of protection,” you replied as yuna looks back between you and the female bathroom before looking at the door beside it. she tilts her head and shows a slight nod before walking—also pulling you—to the male bathroom.

hearing the door screech as she pushes it wider, a flickering horizontal light from above the sink illuminates the dirty bathroom, the only evidence that electricity still reaches this building which has been abandoned for years. yuna pulled you to the stall in front of the last one at the back where the door is slightly open to see the dirty toilet. seeing her holding a tissue that can help to clean the pee, you turn around and close the door behind you as gently as possible as yuna does her business, locking the door that is still working.

staring at the paint of the stall, you can trace the various intangible writings on the stall’s walls from kids dating back to the latest in 2005; someone wrote the year in black marker along with other doodles. there are also a few drawings of the animatronic characters made with the same pen that wrote the year instead of the illustrations that you see in the halls. it is childish in nature and as you pin it into your mind, you felt a sudden somber by the missing children incident that is related to the franchise.

that’s when you heard a music box playing, and it seems getting closer and closer.

catching the sound of tissue from yuna’s hand as she throws it away, you turn and grab her wrist as you put your pointer finger in front of your mouth. she follows your gesture as silence consumes you both before you hear the music box playing again. you see yuna’s eyes widen before the sound of a door opens, and it opens hard, slamming onto the wall. you jumped as you heard yuna’s gasp before you walk closer and cover her mouth, looking back toward your stall’s door to see the lock that you put in is still intact.

putting your lips in a straight line to help muffled yourself, your legs wobble when the music box sound is getting louder, followed by the sound of something metallic hitting the ceramic tiles of the bathroom. you gently push yourself to sit on your knees, the song of the music box playing sounded familiar to you, like a part of a classical piece. the sound of metal and footsteps is heavy and your pupils tremble when you peek outside under the door to see a pair of legs full of fur underneath the light of the bulb from the sink. seeing its shadow walking closer, you felt yuna’s breath beside your cheek as she replaces your hand with her own, seemingly paralyzed along with you as you see the legs coming closer towards your stall.

you can finally recognize the color of the fur of its feet, brown.

the sound of mechanical joints whirling can be picked up from above where you sit, obscured by the door as the feet are walking to the front of the stall you are in. you can’t help yourself to cover yuna’s hand with your own to help increase the muffling, hoping that it can mute your breathing as you try to hold it as best as you can. seeing the feet slowing down right where you are, you can identify the side of the three-fingered paws of the animatronic. yuna seems to hide her face on your shoulder as you listened to her muffled gagged before you smell the cause of the gag yourself. as it walks away, the waft of rotten odor coming from it also leaves your vicinity and you peek to sit it turning around from the wall on the last stall—the stall you are in—and now walk in a pace that you observed before. the music box panning from both of your ears as the music rewinds again, knowing that it can attract something or someone to get closer.

as you hear the music box now muffled from the layers of walls—the thing not closing the door at all—you quickly stood up from your position and gently open the lock of the stall, seeing the sink area intact as you walk further from yuna, who is still covering her mouth, to the entrance of the male bathroom. the sound of the music box playing from your left, where the entrance is. you were glad that sunoo had the right mind to not let it open wide and not close it shut but leave a small gap for both the glass door and the iron fence. you could make a run if you need to. but that means leaving the others behind.

pulling out your phone from your pocket, you open your camera and use the front camera as a mirror as you lean back—but not with pressure—against the door with yuna now standing beside you, peeking to examine the torso and head of the being that is creating music. it stands facing its back towards you where you can see from the silhouette courtesy of the moon: the rounded ears and the hat right in the middle. your lips tremble as you see it walking around the benches, making most of its body obscure by the wall, if you stepped out.

you can’t believe it as you see the back of its head move behind the wall as you stood in the hallway, the music box still playing the same song. your heart is beating like crazy and you know it can jump out if it wants to. the cogs in your mind moving in a frenzy as you now know what you encountered.

“that’s a freddy fazbear animatronic,” you whispered under your breath.

“what th-“

the music box stopped when yuna replied beside you, making you grab onto her arm and your phone on the other side tightly as you turn your body around and speedwalk to the dining room doorway. but then a shadow on the ground of a bunny figure appears, making you hide behind the wall beside the doorway, the phone booth can be felt on your back as you turn your head to watch the silhouette of the bunny animatronic walking away from where you at before turning a corner, making its back now facing you. you remembered the lines of dining tables you saw, four rows from the stage, that takes most of the hall.

you let go of yuna’s hand when you heard her whisper, “wait” as you crawl on your knees and open the cloth of the dining tables. looking back at yuna, who has frightened eyes. you nodded at her as she follows you and crawl to the opening you made. crawling past you before you instantly drop the cloth around the right time as you listened to the animatronic footsteps coming from where you were now at the doorway. freddy’s music box stops playing like it’s in alarm mode.

you drag your knees to bring you closer to the middle of the long dining table, opening your phone that illuminates the space under the cloth slightly, making you able to see the dusty tiles with a few toy cars, paper plates, and character masks on the floor. you quickly open the group chat for your friends and quickly type into the group chat.

y/n: SUNOO!

y/n: IT’S TRUEEE

y/n: IT’S REAL

someone types right after you.

sunoo: IK

sunoo: WE SAW A CHICKEN ONE COMING OUT OF THE DOOR ACROSS FROM THE BASE

sunoo: THE KITCHEN

the chicken one…

y/n: THAT’S CHICA

y/n: WE SAW FREDDYY

y/n: AND BONNIE

breathing rapidly, you notice yuna looking between you and the phone in your hand.

“you didn’t bring yours?” you whispered as she shook her head, eyes still wide. that’s when you picked up the whirring metal moving around you. a slight gap underneath the cloth makes you able to catch another pair of legs full of fur. but this one is not brown. it’s purple.

raising your hands to your mouth, you try to not make a sound as best as you can. seeing the furry feet stomping onto the tiled floor—crunching underneath its weight. you hope they don’t have joints where they could lean down and see you under the table. but then you remember that is supposed to be a singing animatronic, how else can they show their rhythm and groove without a joint to their hip area. the machinery walks slowly. but you also suspect that they could run with their current physiology.

something touches you and you got startled as you turn towards your friend in a position that looks painful, facing her stomach down as she looks out from the other side of the table. you grab her hand to reassure her when yuna pulls you to do the same thing. slowly approaching her, you try your best not to let the rubber sound on the dirty tiled floor.

“what is it?” you whisper directly into her ear. the glint in her eyes letting you know she might found something helpful.

“see that open doorway?” she whispered back, pointing to the rectangle void compared to the greyish hue of the wall.

“we could go there. especially if the boys are also in trouble,” she replied, almost letting out a chuckle before you reply by ruffling her hair, non-verbally expressing how proud you are of her. you scan the doorway from that small glimmer of open space between the tablecloth and your own, seeing that it is on the other side of the room. you slowly raise your body as yuna raises her, seeing you in a near crouch position as you tell her with gestures as best as you can, pointing between the two of you, your forefinger and middle finger bent as it moves across the dorsum of your other hand, pointing on the table that concealed the two of you and showing three with your fingers.

‘we have to crouch under the table three times.’

she nods, understanding what you meant. with the moonlight shining into the room, and a few exterior lights as well. you can see the silhouette of the figures roaming around the dining room. a burst of laughter caught your attention, something you didn’t hear before as another animatronic steps into the hallway from where the side where your base camp is. chica.

as you watch the silhouette from the table you are underneath, you can inspect where the animatronics are: bonnie is walking in front of the stage, going the direction where you are going, chica is walking towards the middle of the room, whilst freddy is still near the hallway to the reception area. the coast is clear as you give a look to yuna, her stance resembling yours as you give nods in a rhythm.

one…

two…

three.

you carefully lift the tablecloth as yuna moves forward first, her hand reaching for the end of the cloth as she opens it. your eyes only strained forward as you follow her before she closes the cloth. your legs nearly slipped on the floor as yuna braces you. with your adapting eyes, you notice the rotten cream on your sneakers as yuna lets out a grim expression on her face, almost gagging before you shush her up. you glance at the remnants of a pie here, complete with the degrading aluminium foil that is in its place—deep down you are glad you didn’t step onto the aluminium.

yuna nudges you to the other side of the table when you realize the gap between this row and the one across is larger than the one you just passed. bracing yourself, you glance at her as she nods knowingly when she does her own countdown and lifts the tablecloth for you as you rush out.

eyes only looking forwards as your knees nearly gave out when you reach the other table, too late to open the tablecloth as it slips from your force. you gritted your teeth as you hear the plastic utensils above the table scratching each other from the force, the hum of the machinery turns towards you as you stare at bonnie’s three-toed feet that are walking in the path that separates you and yuna.

you quickly cover yourself as your mind scrambles to find something to help her. your eyes follow the shadowy items near you as you find a plastic fork not too broken like the ones you came across. it can help to be a distraction to get yuna to you.

your aching feet take you towards the fallen plastic utensils—thoughts in your mind still wonder how this is still here even with it being closed down—as you pick up the fork and adjust its prong to its maximum potential. approaching away from where bonnie is almost nearing the end of the long table, you lift the cloth up and throw the plastic fork towards where the kitchen is. your hypothesis on the animatronic becomes fact as you see bonnie rush towards where the plastic fork landed, even freddy joining the frenzy. you immediately close the opening as yuna’s swift body move to where you are, slipping behind the animatronic.

approaching her, she lets out a silent exhale as her eyes are wide open, shaking her head as you both approach the final table and do the final dash towards the doorway. the gap returns to the shorter one as yuna opens the tablecloth for you to pass, the animatronics is still focusing on the fork and where it landed. you open the last one for yuna and quickly close it as you step onto something not flat. looking down, you again meet the character masks you also saw earlier: one for bonnie and one for freddy. you didn’t notice that you linger on them when yuna approaches the last obstacle before you finally leave.

“hurry (y/n).” her whisper rings as you picked the masks up in your hand and slip them through your arm. the almost broken rubber bands stretch against your skin as yuna stares at you weirdly before you open the tablecloth for her. she steps out and approaches the void before slipping to the side—the door dark enough that it looks wide open but it actually has a small crack open. your eyes scan at the silhouette of the animatronics as you can see chica almost approaching the path you are now. you sprint towards the door and slip inside. you felt large wires behind you as you grab one and slip it onto the doorway before pushing the door close so that it doesn’t make the usual click sound.

“bad idea.” yuna mumbled beside you as you finally stare at the room and the things decorating the wall.

both of you were met by the heads of the animatronic, jaw open with no eyeballs. most of them sticking onto the walls. in one corner, there is a pile of metal amalgamation with a few of them sticking out. you can catch yuna’s chattering teeth as she looks at the menacing heads on the wall. the vibration in your pant pocket tickles your thigh as you pull your phone out and open it. the screen filled up with sunoo’s worries as you glance at the clock.

02.00

sunoo: you okay?

taeyoung: we’re so freaking worried

typing the answer, the light of the phone illuminates you, yuna, and some of the room. pipes and wires draping from the ceiling as you can pick up the whirring machines outside of the small gap in the door.

y/n: we’re alright

y/n: though we are stuck now

y/n: gonna tell you the next plan later

you let the phone’s screen light up the room which still irks you in a bad way, but it’s definitely not the worst as the one from the outside. seeing the familiar faces of the animatronic heads, you piece up what this room might be. the scent of oil sticks to your smelling scent and yuna moves to approach the tall shelf where tools and equipment are oxidizing there. remembering the layout, yuna pointed to one of the rooms that you remember is unknown on your do-it-yourself map.

“this is the parts and service room,” you mumbled, glancing at yuna who turns her body to yours. she hums, lifting the tools as the small sound creates a scratch to your sense. slowly stepping onto the floor, you approach yuna as the light of the phone creates a spotlight to let you see clearer. it reflects on the metallic materials in the room. the soggy smell of fur from the backup heads of the animatronics, wet and might have moulds in it.

the metal amalgamation caught your eyes as you approach it. you crouch down and inspect the long pipe—like metal bones and joints that resemble the human skeletal system. you could identify the toes, fingers, hips, and torsos. as you approach, you glance at one head and look at a skull with uncanny eyeballs sticking to both the left and right sides. the eyes stare open, lifeless, yet it has eyelids that could blink in a moment; your heart thumps more imagining that. none of the skeletons stand tall, unlike the animatronics striding outside the room you are in, as if someone has pulled them apart to not let them be working.

“hey…” yuna calls with a small voice, the rubbing sound present also coming from her.

“i found something.”

“shoot,” you responded, straightening your stature as yuna stepped towards the metal table where half of chica’s head is present. the rubbing noise you heard is the large pieces of paper that she brought, shaped in rolls. tucking a few under her arms, she opens one roll and places tools from a wrench to a hammer on each corner.

“blueprints…”

pointing your lit screen towards it, you can see the white illustrations on the blue-colored grids and a few words around them. the unnatural shape of the top hat indicates that this is the blueprint of freddy. on the left side is the illustration of the body while on the right side is the illustration of the head, shaped meticulously so that it looks mascot-like and almost resembles the head of a real bear.

squinting your eyes, you scan the words surrounding it. it’s full of unfamiliar terms that you can’t instantly deduct. but you might figure out something when you glance and examine the body of the animatronic even further.

“their body is hollow. look at the gap between the skeleton and the outer casing.” you trace the skeleton’s spine down the drawing before trailing to the side where the stomach is. yuna stares at the mangled skeletons as you glance for a response from her.

“so they have an endoskeleton with fur casing? that doesn’t explain the odor coming from them and how they’re ‘alive’.” her hands lift to make air quotes.

an epiphany comes into your mind even though you don’t want to presume it happened. but you can’t hold it in.

“i think it has something to do with the missing children.” you pivot to her, seeing her shake her head.

“that can’t be possible, right? are they… possessed?” the pitch of her speaking voice tells you everything about her working mind.

“i mean… how can they still move even with decades past? the animatronic must be plugged into electricity to work. unless there is a supernatural thing going out, they’re not gonna move at all.”

yuna stares at you, her eyes trembling as she seems to consider the possibility of that happening. distracting herself, she returns to the blueprint as you turn your body around to lean against the metal table. the tap of the items on your arms presses against the edge of the table. your eyes stare at the mascot heads on the walls; how the fur is shedding from the casing and the watermarks trailing down, damping the paints on the wall so that it looks bubbly.

you don’t expect there was any missing children incident related to this specific building—especially in your town relating to a pizzeria. but the past is much harder to archive specifically with the little franchises separate from the main restaurant franchise. you don’t want to assume anything vile about what happened, but the smell of odor coming from animatronics makes you much more suspicious of what could happen. why the missing children from the main franchise building might not be found and how it could make the animatronics work and move like it’s alive. the uncanniness is making shivers run down your spine, but the animatronics act animatedly, unlike what a robot is.

“no way…” you heard muttering coming from the other person in the room. a small hum as a reply to her, yuna pulled your phone from your hand and pointed it to the words on the blueprint.

“facial recognition…”

you shift your head as you see her open more blueprints—bonnie’s, foxy’s, and chica’s—and check the same area as the first blueprint.

“they all have facial recognition. there are books from the same shelf. maybe a repair manual?” her words trail off as she turns to the shelf where she fetches the prints. the small beacon from your phone still allows you to trace the words of facial recognition right above the music box player on freddy’s blueprint. the heavy sound of books landing on something rings in the room as dust flies.

“aha!” she exclaimed with a little voice before bringing a book towards you. the word ‘manual’ sticking out to you when she flipped the cover open, tracing the directory before opening the right page. she held the book right by her eyes, seeing her eyes move behind the barrier from your view

“‘the animatronics has a facial recognition system that can detect the human faces from its fellow animatronic. this system was made to prevent entry for known child criminals and it has access to the criminal database…’” she read out the information. that’s when you stare at the items on your arm. the masks.

you push the masks slipped onto your arm to her as she stares between the book and the items on you. her eyes enlarged as she leans closer, slipping your phone back onto your open palm.

“we could wear this. get the boys out of the party room, and exit from the emergency exit, which is the door beside this room and get out,” you spoke, nodding your head along with it as you affirm yourself.

“that might work. we can recognize ourselves between them. let’s do it.” yuna said with a thin smile. you let her pull off the freddy mask from your arm. the mask looks like a child’s mask and you reckoned it might not fit your face, but when you slip the bonnie mask on, the bands stretching behind your earlobes, you can feel the plastic edge press against your cheek.

now, your view is much more obscured with only the holes for the eyes and nostrils helping to get the air in clearer. trying your best to inform the others, you send out a message in the group chat.

y/n: if you can, search for character masks to wear in the party room. we can meet up at the arcade area.

taeyoung: what’s this? ^

y/n: they have facial recognition. we can disguise ourselves - yuna

she slips your phone back into your pocket and gives you a pat. the scratching sound enters your ear as yuna now holds a wrench in her hand—better be safe than sorry. you take a deep breath, sensing her presence protecting you from the back.

“you ready?” she asked behind you.

“uh huh…” you said, with a tinge of worrisome you hope she didn’t figure it out. hand on the handle, the hinges creak as you pull the door open.

peeking your head out, you could examine the main dining area; thinking that enormous figures are roaming the hall, but finding it empty instead. the lingering sound of freddy’s music box is playing in the hallway on the other side of where you are. but no animatronics seems to be present. the curtain of the stage is closed like the last time you notice it and you caught clanging sounds from the kitchen area, probably from chica—the boys saw her from there.

yuna’s hands grip each of your shoulders when you step forward. each foot moves slowly on the tiled floor as the windows on the other side of the hallway let the outside light in. step by step, you amble beside the dining table you hide under a few minutes ago. you gaze at the abandoned food and utensils on the table. plastic plates, glass, knife; all you can study without worry.

looking towards the right, you find a half circle that is covered by the curtain—the small stage taeyoung mentioned. walking in front of the elevated floor, you notice the dark void in between the purple-patterned curtains. yuna’s empty hand grips your shoulder as you both stare at it.

“‘sorry out of order’?” you heard her faint whisper in your ear, but you didn’t expect a buzzing sound to come from behind the curtain. your body instantly shoves yuna behind you as you reach your other pocket, pushing your hand inside as you grip the handle. the source of light behind you reflects on something white as it gets bigger. a claw pushes out and moves the curtain out.

yuna’s trembling finger holds onto your waist as you see the silhouette of something poking out from the curtain, a head with a sharp nose. you held your breath when you look at the animatronic peeking out of the stage. the last animatronic of the roster: foxy, complete with its pirate garment of the eyepatch and the hook. its behavior is animalistic, jutting its nose as it sniffs the air with its artificial nose.

before it stiffs and turns its head towards both of you.

its body moves out of the curtain slowly as you both stood still, making yourself as robotic as possible. even with the mask as your front, you still feel as exposed as ever. the beating of your heart might explode out of your chest as your grasp on the pocket knife is ready to pull it out. biting your bottom lip, you let it stand before you as it scans your face. and it seems to recognize the familiar visual of the character’s face. its tall figure looms over both of you before it runs towards the bigger stage.

its heavy footsteps echo in the room as you stare at it moving away. your mind was too distracted by the animatronic that even a small, bitter touch on your exposed skin startled you. turning around, you find two people in chica and foxy masks.

your breath heave as you perceived the familiar touch of sunoo and the tousled hair that only belongs to taeyoung. the boy points towards the arcade area as all of you approach it. the clanking in the kitchen is still prominent enough as you stood beside the door.

“how’d you know the masks work?” sunoo asked as they gave out both of your backpacks back to their rightful owners.

“they have a facial recognition system. (y/n) suggests that masks might work so they see us as one of them.” yuna’s hand still grips your shoulder as you felt the wrench on her hand, swaying from the weight.

“we’re gonna get ou-“

the sound of an open draping cloth distracts you. your eyes follow the sound of it, the animatronic comes out from the stage as you see bonnie on stage. your breathing is calm and your mind is collected from the non-reactive way foxy did. but this is different as the sound of a ripping cloth filled the air. the bunny animatronic jumps down towards you and rushes towards you, letting out a gargled electrical scream that covers the music box from freddy.

“GUYS!” you exclaimed, but the animatronic only focuses towards you. the sound of the barging door opening from the side. chica’s laugh filled the room as you and yuna let go of each other and you pushed the others away as you let bonnie be distracted by you.

flicking open your pocket knife, you scattered towards the stage as bonnie jumps over the table to get to you. the rotting table legs collapsing as your hand still grips your backpack strap that is not on your shoulder properly. but the animatronic is too fast for your liking, from their taller stature to their mechanical limbs.

your backpack was caught as you pull it out of the animatronic, seeing it pulling as best as it can. its jaw opens and your tired body can’t hold itself up as your strength is lost against the robot. the eyes that are sticking to the endoskeleton are lifeless but reflect something that you have seen in other humans.

rage.

the robot growls as you’re being pulled against your might. the edge of the bonnie mask you’re wearing is pulled along your head with the strength of the conflicting forces, creating a flame to your skin senses. your head is almost near its wide-open jaw as you try hitting it with your knife; not applicable and only cut through the fur. not handling it well, you pushed the jaw apart with both of your hands.

your hearing is only focusing on the animatronic in front of you, making you didn’t expect the blow to the animatronic head as the eyeholes of your mask move nowhere near your eyes. pulsing bloodstream flowed to your palm as warmth wrapped around your wrist and drag you. trickling fluid coming out and dripping from your fingers as you still hold on to your pocket knife, not letting it go. you let your legs drag you along with the being that pulls you as it pushes you inside the room.

the heavy footsteps that followed you come to a halt as a loud bang comes before followed by the muffled one. you heard haggard breath as the sound of a large object scraping on the floor. something holds your shoulders up and you let your legs bring you somewhere else. but your vision is flickering as the black spots appear, tinnitus in your ear, your body getting heavy, and you can’t open your eyes anymore.

the void embraces you as your body shuts down.

03.00

something drips out from your lips.

hushes and the rustle of paper is all around you.

your hand fidgets as the pain spreads all around once again. opening your eyes, you were met with a blurry vision and light pointing towards the ceiling, painting it white instead of the musky grey. wooden marks from the ceiling tell you that this room in risk of leaking and might make the beam fall if not careful enough.

your lips are chapped as you sense a tear come down from the corner of your eyes, becoming clearer after each and every drop has fallen.

“oh gosh!” someone gasps as you felt your body being enveloped tightly. their hair tickles your nostrils but you needed the hug. your goosebumps grow as the coldness your body is showing is reduced by the warmth.

“you’re okay!” they whispered to you, pressing their palm against your cheek—a barrier that doesn’t allow the skin to skin contact makes a vertical down from under your eye to your jaw.

“sun?” you speak, a hoarse voice coming out as you see sunoo’s face. his smile is still as wide as ever, even with a smudge of thick dust on his cheeks.

“i’m here...” he whispered, holding onto your hand that is covered by something thin. noticing your expression, he lifts your hand so you could examine it. a bandage wrapped around your skin as you find a bloomed red coming from the palm.

“your tired body, adrenaline, and loss of blood make you instantly pass out as i brought you here. i tried to patch you up as best as i could.” sunoo answered your unspoken question, giving you the water bottle that he was trying to get you to sip even with your unconscious body.

“time?” you questioned, holding the water bottle as it still trembles in your hold. the soothing sensation wets your dry cavern as the water rushes down inside your digestive system.

“past 3. half past 4 actually,” he replied whilst looking at the lit phone in his hand. your eyes wander to the dim room, seeing the shelves rising above you like skyscrapers. a gallon of something looking like bleach is resting on one shelf—probably only left with its evaporated dust.

“we’re still in the pizzeria. locked in a cleaning cupboard of some sort.” his words reminded you of the locations of the map that are burnt into your mind. two out of three are identified. then the last room is security.

but when you touch the thin mattress beneath you, you became more alert as you can see a hole in one of the walls. through it, more shelves are standing and you can identify the familiar silhouette of brooms and mops.

“we’re deeper in it though. bonnie was still clawing at the door before i move one of the shelves over to hold the door close. then i found the hole, and it looks like someone lived here.” sunoo continued. one side of his face is shone by the flashlight, sitting with his knees now tuck to his chest.

“it’s a safe room of sorts, but by the messy mattress i found and newspapers. someone must have lived here.” your eyes wander to the pile of paper that sits beside him, scattered around the floor and a few near the edge of the mattress. you followed his hand as he picks one up and gives it to you. sitting up your body, you find the most comfortable position for you to read. eyebrows raised as you examine the headline.

Kids vanish at local pizzeria—bodies not found. Two local children were reportedly lured into a back room during the late hours of operation at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza on the night of June 26th. While video surveillance identified the man responsible and led to his capture the following morning, the children themselves were never found and are presumed dead.

Police think that the suspect dressed as a company mascot to earn the children’s trust.

“i tried to trace where these came from and a few of them led back to the missing person incident in the main branch of freddy fazbear’s pizza. but look at this.” he then shuffles some pages around as he pulls one out and gives it to you.

Four children reported missing in our town’s very own Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Investigators link the incident to other similar incidents occurring in the other franchises.

the news was concise. telling you that there might be ten or more missing children that are scattered across the different franchises that are open. it is suspected that the same motive is done between all these franchises: children allegedly lured into a backroom during late hours.

sunoo then gave you another clipping that read “Local pizzeria threatened with shutdown over sanitation.” one about the main building while a few related ones about the other local franchises also, including your town.

“the others and i tried our freaking best to piece these up. they’re now stuck in the kitchen,” he said as he know you might wonder about yuna and taeyoung. “but i think this is when your knowledge comes to help. you knew more about these stories than anybody in our friend group. wikipedia doesn’t even give any straightforward answers.”

the boy moves so he could sit beside you, shoulder to shoulder. your fingertips still run against the pile you allowed him to stack on your lap as sunoo continues to open his phone, glancing your eyes to see the group chat.

you pat his arm to help you fetch your backpack, finding it as battered as ever with one strap hanging for dear life with a piece of string to not break. sipping the water bottle to help you better, your brain is much more awake that a few moments ago. the gears in them are turning as you open the notebook and scribble everything you know. the founders. the original five missing children. animatronic going haywire. unpleasant odor. and you trace each newspaper clipping to create the most effective timeline you could create. some of the newspaper has its ink bleed from the moist on it, but you decipher it as best as you could.

“yuna said that you speculate the animatronics are possessed?” sunoo questioned as you skim the words on the clipping before putting it aside. you hummed as a reply, mind to focus on connecting all the dots as best as you can.

whilst opening a few pages, something slipped out of the pile and landed on the tiled floor beside you. dashing to get a grip on the corner of the rectangular paper. you picked it up and sunoo shines the light from your flashlight onto it.

“a cheque...” the boy spoke as you scan the words.

mike schmidt. $120. valued employee.

the reflection of the flashlight shines more than the ink from the front side you are reading. flipping it around, you see a written note almost in cursive as you tried your best to read.

Father. It’s me, Michael. I’ve followed along your trails of blood even to the towns outside of ours. I’ve seen each and every one of your creations, from how they react to how they’ve smelled because of you. They all seem to recognize me because they thought I was you. No trace of your golden bunny suit means you’re not here. Something has gone terribly for me. But I will try my best to find you... I’m going to come find you.

“michael?” sunoo muttered, your eyes peeking at him as he realizes something and typed in something in a browser’s search engine. the result comes out immediately as he presses on the link on one of the founders. william afton.

“no way...” he mumbled, skimming the web page as you lean in against him. his sturdy shoulder holding you one before stopping at one section.

“‘nothing is much known about what happened to afton, but he had mentioned that he wanted his son, michael, to continue his legacy’... michael is william’s son.” sunoo turns his head towards you, so close to yours as you can felt his breath on your cupid’s bow.

“wait, wait, w-“ you push your hand out as your mind goes into overdrive. all the information you have in your mind pinning up against the surface of your brain, ready to be pieced onto your inner corkboard.

michael is william afton’s son.

golden bunny suit.

missing children lured by an employee.

odor from the animatronics.

their unusual frantic acts with metal bodies.

bonnie being aggressive towards you, who was wearing a bonnie mask.

looking up, you gaze at sunoo who is tilting his head, watching you putting the puzzle pieces together.

“they’re dead. the missing children are dead...”

“uh- okay..? that is so grim.” sunoo lets out a reply before you hold his hand.

“i mean, listen. they’re dead and they possessed the animatronic endoskeletons. okay, let me just-“ you picked up your notebook so sunoo can see, pencil on hand as you create underlines under the missing children incident.

“so ‘kids vanish at local pizzeria-bodied not found’ leading to the suspicions of an employee luring them back into the backroom of the restaurant. that means an employee-only area which we know by schematics on the place is the kitchen, parts and service, stage area, supply closet, and security office.” the graphite creates a line between the phrases and keywords you wrote on the paper.

“because of the vanishing bodies, either they were kidnapped or murdered on the spot. but i suggest the latter because...” you make a line between the sentence to the one above it. “the animatronics has an unpleasant odor, relating it to the pizzerias that are succumbing to lawsuits and eventually shutting down.”

sunoo continues following the line you made as you connect the employee to william afton, “i suspect william is the killer because of what michael said, ‘no trace of your golden bunny suit’. i have a guess that he has been searching for the father. and- believe it or not...”

you wrote something you remember by memory about the pizzeria that you didn’t write yet, “both the founders had to use this spring-lock animatronic costume in the early years of their business. william uses a golden bonnie suit...”

“so you’re saying the founder just commit a killing spree?” he questioned as you reply with a hum of agreement.

“i’ve seen discussion on forums on why both of them dissolve. many suggest that they have this business rivalry—unmatched vision, one has more power than the other—because afton also has his own company called afton robotics...” you write the name of the company right beside the two aftons.

sunoo grips one end of the piece of paper, eyes trailing down the content before speaking, “william is on the run for revenge and michael is trying to find him...”

“that and he’s trying to hurt the efforts of his former business partner. he must have done this killing spree on many freddy fazbear’s pizza locations. and if he want to leave no trace, he had to stuff the bodies into the animatronics, fusing their soul to the metals.” you replied, leaning back against the wall.

“that’s why i got attacked by bonnie for wearing the bonnie mask, how it’s more aggressive towards me. the child that possesses that must remember the bunny suit-wearing man that killed them, also all of us who are still human and alive. they’re sad and angry about what somebody has done to them. they’re stuck in limbo now, unable to rest in peace...”

you felt sunoo’s hand on yours, interlacing his fingers with yours and putting them on his thigh. his eyes strain on your face, glancing at your trembling lips as you empathize with what the children faced that is so unfair. ripping their lives because of a crazed man hungry for revenge.

“what do you want to do?” sunoo asked. even with your glum eyes, he can still detect how your mind is thinking about something. pupils frantically move around as you gulp down your saliva.

“we have to help them let go of this world. help them tether the connection here to let them rest.” you lean your head against his shoulder, his thumb rubbing softly on your dorsal as you let your legs stretch. seeing his feet beside yours reminds you of when you are children, sitting on the grass in the playground by your school, gazing at your friends who are dangling off the monkey bars or sliding down the slide. realizing the approximate time age of the kids that possessed the animatronics, you got reminded that they are also around your age. but because of what happened, they’re unable to grow up and live their life. instead, they’re stuck to a robot suit.

sunoo’s phone screen lights up both of your faces as he typed in all that you spoke to him about. your phone vibrates beside you—letting them talk about things as you collect your thoughts. you glance to see yuna using taeyoung’s phone saying their worries and how tragic all of this is.

“as much as i want to escape...” your eyes move to look at sunoo’s face as best as you can before he continues, “having second thoughts about what you’re saying and... yeah... they’re kids. those animatronics are kids who are frustrated and stuck.”

more vibration can be heard between both of your phones together as you let sunoo be your messenger, “i agree. we should help them rest- we should meet up and talk about it and also help convince them.”

you nodded your head, lifting and turning your head to him. a thin smile on your face as you stretch your wounded hand. “the security room is our best bet. right near all of us, correct?”

“yup...” he replied as he pushes himself, his hand outstretched to you to help you stand up as you gather your items—sunoo helping you put on your nearly breaking backpack. he handed you your pocket knife and you swiftly open it, seeing blood on the ridge as you look at your reflection; your blood. the makeshift mirror shows your wounded face as sunoo’s phone screen is shining the side, typing away to tell the other two to meet up at the security office.

ducking out of the hole of the safe room hidden in the depths of the cleaning closet, sunoo pushed the shelf from the door as you glance at your phone one last time before tucking it in your pocket.

04.00

the clicking of the door catches your attention as sunoo leads both of you. his head turning right, then left as before he jutted his head towards the right side as you move in front of him. he is still wearing his mask as his eyes turned towards the larger space as you move deeper into the hallway. ripped posters decorated the wall on one side, as the other is a window bordered up by planks from the outside. even with minimal lighting, you could see the open doorway at the end of the hall.

flicking turning left from a poster, you were met with an open office area. on one side is a cracking wall with a small bed for sleeping and cabinets you can assume are used for storing pieces of information—unless they’re eaten by termites. your flashlight turns to the other side, seeing a similar open doorway across from where you are before going to the left. the wall is covered with papers sticking onto the concrete: a large poster of the fabulous four animatronics dominates most of the wall before you move your spotlight to the side, coming across the structured map of the pizzeria. that is until you notice pictures of people right underneath it.

footsteps approaching you as you step closer to the desk, eyes gazing at the fan and old boxy computer desktop that is full of dust. sunoo entered the doorway you came in from before both of you were distracted for a few seconds by the sound of an open door on the other side. seeing the shadow of two people running as carefully as they entered the room. heaves of breath flowing between all of you as you give them a smile when they pull off their masks. yet, your sense still stay at the pictures as you stepped aside.

there are four different pictures in four different forms stuck onto a wall with staplers. shining closely at it, your hand pauses as you let the sound of sunoo explain the theory you two made. you let the flashlight shines on the pictures, colors fading along with the degrading paper. but features are smooth enough that you can examine them clearly. staring at the top of the papers, you identify a recognizable logo and its description.

these are missing person reports from the police. all of them are children.

scanning through the report, all of them has the same information on the last seen part.

‘Last seen at the local Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.’

your hand reaches to pull them out, eyes looking closely as you can look at the sparks coming from the faulty and near-broken wiring, all connecting to one main switchboard with numerous other switches; divided into left and right for both lights and doors. recalling other than the exterior light, you could remember that the lights flicker back in the bathroom—electricity is still running through the building’s vicinity.

“guys...” you spoke and turn around. their flashlight shines their face ominously until you caught the two faces you hadn’t seen in the past hour. taeyoung has a bandage on his forehead while yuna has watering eyes, guessing it’s from the story that sunoo told them.

“aw (y/n)...” yuna sighed as you see her hand reaching for your bandage one. grimacing at her touch, you find taeyoung letting out a small smile while shaking your arm as carefully as to not hurt you more.

“i’ve told them the summary of our deduction and our idea to set them free.” sunoo said as you stood in front of them who are sitting on the bed.

“and we agree. they’re kids that are treated freaking unfairly by the world and they should deserve a rest. even thinking about it makes me so angry.” taeyoung spoke as you let out a snicker.

“thanks, guys. how did you two even survive in the kitchen, especially if it’s chica’s ‘place’?” you give an air quote.

“chica bangs on the kitchen door so much that we have to push the metal tables to both doors and sat in the middle of the kitchen so it couldn’t step inside. we also have the server hole that we used to peek outside at the animatronics.” yuna answered before noticing the paper you are holding in your other hand.

you give one of them for each of you as you let them read it through. you glance back at sunoo, his eyebrow folded from the information.

“they’re the children that possess this location’s animatronic,” you answered their unspoken question as you read the paper in your hand.

“in my hand is a report about junhao zhong. age 6 when he died. his parents described him as a child who is very active, especially running. the last time they see him, they remember him running around the tables in the dining area.” you read the information as briefly as possible, eyes lingering on the boy’s photo before you face the others.

yuna spoke after you, “her name is hanako yamamoto. she was 9 when she disappeared. in her description, it said that she likes freddy fazbear’s pizza a lot and that she could visit up to 4 or 5 times per week. she has a pretty chubby build to her because she loves eating.”

taeyoung leans his body forward and clears his throat, “this kid’s name is sei lee. she was 8. her parents describe her as a creative kid. likes to sing, likes to dance, likes to draw. one of her favorite past times here is drawing freddy and friends while they are on stage and meeting new friends.”

“and last but not least. we have kit murray. he is 11 when he died, the oldest of the bunch based on what each of you has told me. he is an avid freddy fazbear’s pizza fan. he had nearly all of his birthdays here after he became a big fan. he even spends the day after school here by himself or with his other friends. his favorite was bonnie based on this.” sunoo said as you look between them all, trying to figure out something that is stuck in your mind.

“what did you say about the girl?” you pointed towards yuna.

“hanako likes to eat-“

you snap your fingers as you contain your excitement at figuring something up, pointing towards the paper as you said with gritted teeth, “chica also likes to eat, right? it’s always in the kitchen most of the time.”

“right- wait. oh, shoot!” taeyoung’s face reflects yours as he also does the same gestures right at you.

“the girl is chica!” he exclaimed as quietly as possible as you nod your head. taeyoung seems to shake yuna’s body as he stares at him, speaking with his eyes to her as your mind is running everywhere on this.

“we could figure out which one of them is which...” sunoo cuts in as he stares at yuna’s shaken body by taeyoung before she then replied.

“taeyoung and i have been observing them so we can help with identifying their characteristics.”

“nice!” you emphasize the last syllable as you continue, “okay, about junhao being active-“

“foxy rounds around the room so much. he’s definitely the fox.” yuna jumps in as you see all of them nodding their head.

“now we only have kit and sei...” taeyoung mumbles as you tried to understand as best as you can. you want to assume kit is bonnie but you don’t expect afton will be that caring to have him reserved for his favorite character. your eyes glance at sunoo who is reading kit’s report.

“he’s 11...” he muttered. “and he loves freddy’s fazbear pizza. i’m just shooting it, but based on his age and his love for the franchise, he must’ve had great memories with it.”

“what are you saying, sun?” taeyoung asked, head tilted with curiosity.

“bonnie became aggressive after it looked at (y/n) wearing a bonnie mask. at first, i thought it was because the soul recognized the character masks match the same as who they are now but i was wearing a foxy mask and foxy stared right at me and he didn't become aggressive. it’s definitely more on the soul that is connected to the animatronic, not its system.” sunoo stood up as he turned towards you. you felt something warm on your covered hand as you find his hand in yours.

“11-year-olds are more developed, especially in relating to logic and action. him being the oldest helps because he could’ve figured out that the killer, william, wears a golden bonnie suit, especially since it’s his favorite character.”

“and that’s why he became aggressive when he looked at me. he thought i was him,” you mumbled, your memories return to the encounter you had with the animatronic. the eyes bonnie has: lifeless yet full of rage at the same time. he remembers the character that killed him.

“consensus says yes for kit is bonnie and sei is freddy.” taeyoung said as you all nodded.

“and we’ve seen freddy playing with its music box the whole time so it relates to her creativity too. but the thing is they’re more aggressive now knowing we're here.” yuna’s voice laced with resistance before continuing. “if we don’t act fast, they might actually notice that we’re here. so how can we do that?”

you glance at sunoo, his hand gripping yours carefully yet tight as he seems to understand what you’re guessing about.

“since the animatronics are made of metal and we can’t bury them or let them roam around other people.” you give sunoo’s hand a squeeze with yours.

“our only way to help them is to burn the building...”

05.00

it takes time for such a meticulous plan to be done in such an incomplete situation. and it took more than one hour to make the arrangements. yet, you persist and create the best plan all of you can conduct. you have your phone open as you are ready to click on the group call you are planning. your back against the desk, you gaze at your friends who are packing up their things. your eyes linger on your best friend for a beat too long. he had almost a pout that makes you want to giggle from the cuteness.

“remember, once i turn on the switchboard, the electricity will run to my area. there’s a chance that the animatronics will focus on me especially since i can control everything in the room. you all know your tasks, right?”

a chorus of agreement replies towards you as you gave them a nod before hugging them one by one. you smooth down taeyoung’s bandage on his forehead before giving him a pat on his shoulder as he lets go and leaves first. yuna is next as she hugs you tightly before she left for her task. your eyes landed on sunoo who has a stern facade on his face before it softens.

“you’re okay with leading the ship?” he asked as he reaches for your bandaged hand. the blood that seeps into the fabric has dry with leftover haemoglobins creating a maroon color.

“yeah...” you replied, falling out of your confidence as you stare at him. stepping closer, he interlocks both of your hands in his.

“listen, i-“ sunoo inhales before he continues. “if this doesn’t work or any of us are hurt by what we’re doing. i want to say that i care for you so much you don’t know how much. i was in tears while i was patching you up. you were bleeding so mu-“

you cut him off with a kiss on the corner of his lips, ending his monologue early as you glance back at him. letting go of his hand, you let yours trail up his arms before you held both of his shoulders, firming him up.

“i also care for you more than you think, sun. we’re gonna pin this, okay? it will work. you also plan this with every knowledge you know.” you pat his shoulders as he follows your nodding.

“okay, i’ll hear you on the call?”

“of course...” you replied as he retreated, stepping away to the door you came from as you turn towards the switchboard. the light of your phone screen is turned on and you can see the depleting battery. opening your group chat’s interface, you enter the group call—the only one inside as you waited for the rest to join in.

bracing yourself, you switch the main button on the switchboard and hear the buzzes fading in. the electricity now runs into the security office. the box screen turns on and the camera feeds show up, lights flickering on at the table and in the room, and even the fan turns on as it hums to create a solemn atmosphere if it isn’t for the sound of your friends entering the group call.

your eyes flicker to the screen as you watch the cathode-ray tube materials creating moving images of your locations throughout the night. with the joystick beside the switchboard, half of your screen focuses on one camera feed from the grid—no cameras in the kitchen or the supply closet. the feeds are black and white as you can only distinguish lights, items, and beings between each of the monochromatic spectrum.

“chica’s approaching you, taeyoung.” yuna speaks calmly in your talkie system when you pick up the sound of rummaging layers of walls from you. the sound becomes closer and closer as you turn the switch for the door to your right. it falls on the door frame, creating a thud as you glimpse at the switchboard bar right at the top, showing the amount of electricity left to be used.

pressing carefully on the lights button so you don't run the electricity out, you see chica’s silhouette from the small window by the side of the door. you hold your breath as the dark figure comes closer before it approaches the kitchen door, barging in with a loud noise. you could listen further from the call at the crackling sound of the animatronic trashing the kitchen for more pizza or food. that’s when you glance at one of the stages, seeing foxy’s head peeking out of the curtain.

“sun don’t step out no-“ you exclaimed as the animatronic ran to the side. with your swift reaction, you immediately close the door to your left and open the one on the right. you picked up scratches from the other side of the closed door as foxy shoves his face to the window.

“hi junhao...” you spoke as he pauses, seemingly realizing what you called him. the animatronic face moved back to its menacing phase as he continues staring at you. flickering the lights on the left. you catch him being distracted by the light and you behind the window. the correct moment for you to mumble, “you can move out now, sun. and watch out for bonnie. he’s by the stage.”

“got it...” the boy speaks as you distract foxy more. your sight goes back-to-back from the window and to the screen. in it, you see sunoo’s silhouette walking to the arcade area, ducking by the fallen and standing cabinets.

“i heard freddy’s music box. be careful, yuna!” said the boy as foxy’s moving away from the door, letting you open it to conserve energy. sunoo continues to duck as he looks behind him to meet foxy emerging from the hallway. the animatronic walks in a stance before he pronounces towards the stage, kicking anything that is on its way as it caught bonnie's attention. but not as long as you hope.

staring at the boxy monitor, you focus on the one by the hallway to the reception as freddy walks by the entrance before moving away. movements are there in the shadows. looking closely as you lean your body near the screen, yuna is hiding by the bench and fallen decorations, obscure by the darkness that is so grain-like to your eyes of the camera.

“(y/n), bonnie’s coming!”

you switched on both lights as you couldn’t guess where he comes from. the footsteps are too fade out as you decide to let the door close on both sides. feeling the rising panic internally as you flicker both lights, you jumped as half of bonnie’s body is visible by the window.

“you guys are in position?” you mumbled, focusing on the animatronic before you note the electricity that is depleting quick. a chorus of yes came in when you turn to bonnie once again. yet he stays there, standing idle. you tried to not do anything more on the switchboard other than letting the right door switch on.

“we gonna have to do this fast ‘cause the security office is depleting its energy fast. distract them towards me.”

your statement is then met by the sound of clicks and clanks from your call. on the screen, you look at freddy approaching the main hallway as chica’s laugh is followed—yuna steps out of the shadow as she creates something on the floor. the bear animatronic is approaching you fast as you yelled to get more of their attention; letting your plan go faster. sunoo gives a small glance at the camera he knows you are seeing as your shout makes each of the robot’s dangerous sides show once again.

you let them knock on the steel doors and you can see all your friends doing the plan. yuna is trailing along the papers and boxes she could as sunoo helps her as he pours out something out of one of the gallons that he brought. taeyoung is still not found as you can still hear the rummages in the kitchen.

your finger pads clench against your wounded palm, the pain is the constant reminder for you to stay awake and realistic. the knocking of the metal-on-metal is becoming more and more prominent even louder. you glance at both doors where you find dents forming on the barrier and screeching scratches all made into a cacophony to distract you.

“taeyoung, how are you doing?”

“almost there, don’t worry,” he replied.

yuna went out of the group call along with sunoo as they approach the tables, so your voice doesn’t distract them from doing their part and caught the giant machineries' attention.

“if you’re done, step out of the kitchen by the party rooms.”

taeyoung hums when you watch the energy bar decreases. two bars now becoming one as you are approaching your last 10%. you try not to panic, trusting your friends too much as you close and breathe as best as you can. the punching on the metal and impenetrable glass windows becomes background sound as you see that taeyoung is now outside of the group call from your small peek to your own screen.

your phone is hot in your hands as you turn the call off and pocket it. your backpack sways behind you as you peer at your friends outside from the boxy screen. taeyoung coming out from the kitchen doors farthest from you, a radiant light by him as the grey becomes lighter in the black and white feed. glancing at the electricity, you only have 2%. a few more seconds and your protection will be gone as the door will rise back to its inactive status; wide open.

the animatronic seems to notice it too as the lights inside the security office are flickering and the fan now turning off. each second passes and more electric appliances turn off. the monitor shuts down as you relay every last bit of the electric current so the doors can survive. you can survive.

in the deepest part of your heart, you might actually be ready for this; to succumb with the restaurant.

“HEY!”

a muffled shout pierced through the clanks as you watch them all turn towards the hallway and scurry away. their focus stayed on it as the doors slams up, exposing you. and in a beat, you run to the left side, seeing the emergency exit beside the stage.

heat spreads through the room as the animatronics gather at the center of the room. flame spreading fast as it all lits up any flammable material and substance it has on its way. you listened to harrowing screams coming from the center as the voice box machinery they have burned along with their metal bodies. they scream out of pain as they seem more alive than ever. you fast walk as you look at the abomination. bonnie’s eyes stare at you when you didn’t see any rage inside, but content.

“come on, (y/n)!” someone pulls you by your arm as you turn to face sunoo who is dragging you to the exit that is slowly going into flames. pushing the door open, you were met with the outside air after nearly six hours of staying inside. the sun peeks behind the trees at the east as the flame is ever so close to the door. sunoo pushes a big dumpster outside before you realize it and come to help, putting it to rest by the door as it's going to be harder for something inside to go out.

“the others are by the entrance.” sunoo with energy still going on surging in him, helps drag you as you run past the playground to meet yuna and taeyoung, who finished locking the lock to the main entrance. in the distance, you hear a honk. you all instantly run to it.

you couldn’t be happier to see a car.

“hey, losers! how is it-“ serim voice pitches up as his smug face turns to worry as you all approach the car.

“why is the building on fire-“

“GO NOW!” his little brother said as he sits shotgun. you’re back in your center seat between sunoo and yuna. serim presses down on the gas, the car lurching away as all four of you are panting. your eyes stared at the screen at the front as a radio fm plays an old 80s arena rock song. specifically on the clock at the top corner.

06.00

you felt your weight falling off your shoulders, letting you rest your head against sunoo’s beside yours. your hand in his as he brushes your skin.

“the hell was that? taeyoung?” serim questioned as you drive out of the forest to be met by the asphalt street, approaching society. the sun is now more visible as the car came out of the woods. it shines the new day and a new page for all of you.

yet all of you are too stunned to speak. you specifically can’t. your mind brought you back to the last eye contact you had with bonnie and the one pause you had with foxy when you mention his name. their aggressive machinery seems to cover their pain and sadness, especially with their young ages. but your eye contact with bonnie lingers as you view the content in his eyes. how he now knows what all of you are trying to do. to help them out. to set them free.

“it’s the electricity. the current is still on even with the old and broken cable and it created a fire in one of the rooms.” taeyoung mumbles, saying the explanation that you all suggest if serim or his dad asked what happened to the property. “i know we failed. it’s just getting to danger-“

“nah. i was about to call you to get you out,” serim asked, he glances behind from the rearview mirror. “all of you running to me makes my job easier. i thought all of you guys are asleep somewhere in the corner. and what the heck happened to your forehead?”

“he got hit by one of the doors.” sunoo lays out another lie to help cover it up. “the kitchen door is swingy and heavy even with the dust and trash inside.”

you all let the radio play the music as the car approaches your neighborhood, parking by the block corner that you also went to last midnight. stepping out of the car, you and sunoo let out small “thank you”s to serim and your farewell to your friends as you walk by the sidewalk, hand in hand.

yet your thoughts return to the moments before all of you begin the plan. sunoo’s sudden confession even in front of danger’s door, and you say the same to help him calm down. but you do. you care about him more than friends and you’re willing to try with him.

“we did it, right?” your voice rings between you two as sunoo giggles. you notice more soot and dust on both of his cheeks and how puffy his eyes become because of the lack of sleep.

“yeah... you have a lot of things on your mind...” you can’t help to let out a smile as he sees through you.

“it's... before you drag me away... i saw bonnie looking at me. i thought kit’s gonna attack me before i see his eyes. how at peace he is. how he’s telling me he is okay with his sight...” you watch both of your houses in your sight approaching closer.

“you did right. we all did. we help them rest peacefully.” sunoo reassured you as you approached the window you left. the gap is still there to let him open the window and for you to climb in. the bed is left a mess so that if anyone comes, both of you are still inside. seeing no difference, you let out a sigh as neither of sunoo’s parents seems to check on him before you let out a yawn.

sunoo plops down on his bed after pulling out his shoes as he opens his arm for you. your legs brought you to him as you lay down on the other side, grateful for the soft mattress he has.

“you knew i reciprocate your feelings, right?” eyes glancing at the boy.

he hums before speaking, “do we wanna do something about it?”

“i do but....” yawn came from you. “i need some sleep... and you too. you look so tired.”

he wraps his hand around your wrist before you move to let him hold you more.

“we should discuss after we get our deserving sleep,” he agreed, pulling the duvet so that it covers both of you.

-

you see the stack of cash on the table after taeyoung pulls it out. divided into four different stacks before he pushes to each three of you.

“thanks for making my brother broke, guys. he couldn’t even go clubbing anymore.” taeyoung said with a smirk on his face.

“anything to help your brother go a step away from alcohol poisoning.” yuna replied as you all giggled. the commotion in the cafeteria hall masked your conversation as all of you swiftly pluck one stack to be put into your bag.

“how’s the cut on your palm, bestie?” yuna nudges your shoulder with her own.

“it’s healing. i didn’t know it was that deep until i realize that it's because of me holding onto the blade while trying not to get my head chomped by bonnie.” you replied, turning it as trivial as ever as you don’t want the weight to get heavier. all of you spend your sunday healing up from the trip at the start of the day. no communication with each other as you tried to cope with each other, but you spend your time with sunoo instead.

it became more like an impromptu date as he asked you if you want lunch outside. knowing the change between you two’s relationship, you agree and you now see sunoo in a different light like he is towards you. locking your fingers seems to be the perfect pda for both of you who are very new to this.

“we shouldn’t ask (y/n) that.” taeyoung retorts. “we should ask about their date yesterday.”

the two giggle as you glance at sunoo who has his signature sassy look.

“it went well for us. we’re taking it real slow now,” sunoo said as you nod your head.

“that’s right. plus y’all have to change your mindset to always be our third and fourth wheels.” it’s now your and sunoo’s turn to snicker as the two jokingly roll their eyes.

the recess progressed as usual with a new light to it. the fact that all of you survive a dangerous situation. older you must think it’s stupid, to get paid for staying in a haunted place for six hours. but those six hours will stick in your mind for a long time now.

you let your eyes focus on your phone as you scroll down something on your timeline. the three’s conversation is becoming background sound that you could understand tiny bits. but your mind immediately mutes it as your eyes read the words that make you stop scrolling.

“guys...” your words cut through to their conversation as they all turn towards you.

“'the cult-favorite local pizzeria, freddy fazbear’s pizza, is planning to make a horror attraction called fazbear frights.’” you read and spoke the headline as you scroll down on the article, letting out a gasp as you continue.

“‘the owners of the attraction have salvaged and searched every remaining franchise to find animatronics for their attraction but only to find them torn apart or destroyed.'”

“that’s why dad is furious yesterday.” taeyoung exclaimed as he looks at all of you. “the fire makes the property cost plummet, especially with the pizzeria intact now burnt. he must’ve known that he could sell it again without cleaning it up.”

all of you hummed as you continue to scroll down and speak, “'fortunately, the owners already have one animatronic in their arsenal. an original animatronic dating back to years of history for the infamous restaurant chain.’”

“what animatronic?” sunoo exclaimed, meeting your stern eyes as you lift it up to look at your friends. your grip on the phone becomes so tight that you sag your shoulders to help you relax. gulping down your saliva, you finally say it.

“a golden bunny animatronic.”

taglist: @endzii23 @camipendragon @hiqhkey @wccycc @cha0thicpisces @y4wnjunz @yeehawnana @beansworldsstuff @kimipxl @reallysmolrenjun @beomgyumineiro

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[smoooothoperator]

Save Your Tears

02: Talk To Me

Driver! Mick Schumacher x opera singer! OC (Ophelia Becker)

Strangers to friends to lovers, love at first sight, long plane flight, personal drama, opera references

Words: 2k

Warnings: onesided love

a/n: Hello guys!!!! I officially finished the operas of this month! I fave a little of free time now, so I'll try to post whenever I can

Btw, do you want me to make a playlist? If that's so, what type of music do you want me to add?

Every way of feedback is very welcomed

Masterlist

previous part | next part

Weddings.

A celebration where two people in love promise to love each other for the rest of their lives.

What a beautiful event, right?

But, why does he feel his heart breaking while watching the invitation? Why is he feeling heartbroken when he sees her name next to his best friend's name?

Oh yeah, because she's the love of his life. The love of his life is his best friend's fiance. How classic.

It all started when the three of them were at school. They were a group, their teachers called them the three musketeers because none of them saw them apart from each other. Both boys protected the girl, calling her princess and them thinking they were her knights. 

It was when Mick started to race on karting when they trio started to be a duo. But that never stopped his feelings growing for her. He loved her in silence, wanting to be close to her when he didn't have races.

But soon he saw how she treated his friend. He saw how she touched his arm, how he fixed his hair, how she smiled at him. How she loved him.

"We wanted to tell you a while ago" Stephanie mumbled, looking down at her lap. "But you are away all the time…"

"Because I am following my dreams" Mick frowned. "I thought you two supported me"

"We do! But… we felt alone, mate" Josh sighed. "And it just happened. While you were away we just… we fell in love"

Fell in love. That's what he did when he was five years old. He fell in love with Stephanie and she just fell in love with Josh. 

He went pale when he saw Josh giving him the invitation for the wedding and he immediately forgot it on top of his living room table.

He never stopped loving Stephanie, but somehow he felt she was already out of reach. She doesn't talk to him like she used to when they were younger, she doesn't hug him as close as she used to. 

When they say that having a relationship inside a group of friends can bring problems, they know what they were talking about. And that's something he started to understand the moment they told him about their relationship.

So when the day of flying back to his home came, he started to freak out.

What if he confessed his feelings many years ago? What if he wasn't away when they were teens? What if he focused more on his friends instead of his career? 

What if, what if…

What if he misses the plane?

But, why is he thinking that when he's already at the airport? Five hours before getting in the plane that takes him to his home?

His mind was spiraling, punishing him by remembering all the chances he had to confess his feelings and he never did.

He looked around, sitting on a table while he charged his phone, observing the people walking around him.

He wonders if someone knows who he is. Maybe they do and can feel how anxious he is, so they make sure to not bother him. 

And then he heard a voice, a velvet and melodic voice that made him look up from the screen, making his eyes stop looking at a picture of Stephanie.

A girl, with chocolate hair and chocolate eyes, was asking for an iPhone charger.

The moment their eyes met, he felt shivers, goosebumps. Suddenly he smiled, but he couldn't understand why.

"Here" he smiled, disconnecting his phone after looking at his battery. "I have enough battery"

She smiled weakly, making him frown curious. Her eyes are red like she cried recently, her face is covered with make up like she came from an important event but her outfit says otherwise.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking carefully at her.

He saw her flinch and take a deep breath, how her lips curved up on a fake smile. Something's not right.

"Yeah, of course " she said, making his heart race after hearing her voice.

Oh, what is that?

He saw her sitting on the chair next to him, grabbing her backpack and placing it on the table with a long sigh.

"I'm Mick" he said, giving her the charger with a smile.

"Like Mick Jagger?" she chuckled softly, making him smile like a fool.

Okay, what is happening?

"Fan of The Rolling Stones?" he laughed, looking how she blushed. 

"Kinda" she laughed. "I'm Ophelia"

"Like Ophelia from Hamlet?" Mick chuckled too, watching how she smiled weakly and nodded.

"Exactly" she sighed.

He smiled weakly and looked at her while she looked at things on her phone. She's gorgeous, somehow. Her voice was something that bewitched him, and her eyes gave him the need to eat chocolate. The makeup of her face looks fancy, like she came straight from a fashion show.

He looked at her backpack, watching a book with the title Romeo et Juliette inside of it.

"Fan of Shakespeare?" he asked, wanting to hear her voice again.

"Oh… no, well yeah" she smiled. "It's from an opera. I am Juliette"

"No way, are you an opera singer?" he asked, surprised, raising his eyebrows. "You don't look like one"

"Oh, and how are we supposed to look like?" she frowned, hiding a smile and looking at him, her body facing him. 

"I don't know… kinda fancy? Like someone who is hard to reach?" he frowned, trying to create in his mind the image of what she could be.

"Well, I'm not like that" she shrugged, making him feel stupid. 

An uncomfortable silence fell between them, making his leg bounce anxious again, biting the nail of his thumb and look at his phone.

"Where are you flying to?" she asked suddenly, making his heart jump again after hearing her voice.

"Zurich" he sighed. "My flight is on four hours"

"Oh, we'll be on the same flight" she smiled weakly. 

He hummed and nodded, looking at her. There's something in her that calls his attention, something in her eyes and how sad they looked.

"Are you hungry?" he asked her. "I have a business seat and I can go to the VIP room"

"Oh, I have it too" she nodded. "And, yeah… I'm hungry"

They got up from the chairs and grabbed all their things. Mick saw how she moved, how slowly and smooth her movements were. It was like she was a ballerina.

Both of them walked towards the VIP room, none of them understanding why they walked so close to the other, making their arms brush softly against the other. 

Ophelia felt goosebumps all over her body, and she could feel peace in her mind once his blue eyes met hers. It was a weird feeling, she barely knows him.

"So… what do you want to eat?" Mick asked her, looking around the room trying to find an empty table for them.

"Whatever you want, I'm not picky" she sighed, searching for a table too, and once she found an empty one, she smiled weakly. "Do you want me to take your suitcase so I can go to the table?"

He nodded and smiled, letting her grab his suitcase, making their hands touch. Mick felt like an electric shock, making the hairs of his arms raise up as well as his heartbeat.

She held his suitcase and walked towards the table, sitting there and letting a long sigh escape her lips. She's tired, mentally and physically tired. Just thinking about what will happen once she lands in Zurich…

"I've got you a burger" Mick sait, sitting in front of her and interrupting, again, her thoughts. "I hope you don't mind, is a cheeseburger"

"No, is perfect" she smiled weakly.

He nodded and sighed, eating his sandwich and looking at her from time to time. There's something in her that makes him want to know more. There's something in her eyes that gives him the need to ask her what bothers her, why her smile doesn't reach her eyes.

"So… why are you going to Zurich?" she asked suddenly, making him sigh.

"My best friends are getting married" Mick sighed, eating a french fry after dipping it in ketchup.

"You don't sound happy about that" she pointed, making him smile sadly.

"It's complicated…"

"I'm all ears" she said, biting the burger and looking at him, waiting for him to answer if he wanted to.

He sighed and drank a sip of his drink, taking a deep breath and looking at her. He looks genuinely interested, maybe it's just a way of killing time while waiting for the plane.

"I have known them since I have memory" he began to explain. "It was always the three of us, until it wasn't"

"Why?" 

"I'm a racing driver" he confessed. "I started my career following my dad's steps, and it made me travel a lot… making me leave them"

"I know how that feels" she smiled weakly, making him look at her surprised "Following your dad's steps. I did the same with my mother…"

"I loved her, Stephanie. I still do…" he mumbled, looking at how Ophelia smiled weakly at him. "But I never had the guts to tell her and now she's marrying my best friend"

"Oh, Mick… I'm sorry" she smiled weakly.

"And… you are going to Zurich for a wedding too?" he asked, looking at the dress bag that is on top of her suitcase. "Or for a concert?"

"Eh… yeah, a concert" she smiled weakly. “It’s an important one”

“When is it?” he asked curious.

Something about her makes him want to know more and more. He finds her interesting, mysterious. He never met an opera singer. How is that life? As luxurious as his life? She for sure might have lots of supporters. If her voice sounds like the voice of an angel, how is her voice while singing? Will he hear it?

“Oh… I mean…” she smiled weakly, nervous. “Next week”

“That’s nice!” he nodded smiling, making her lips curve a little more.

They ate the rest of their dinner in silence, talking only the necessary. Both of them, somehow, felt comfortable with the presence of the other. Sometimes they caught the other looking, making both of them chuckle and blush, forgetting their personal problems. He forgot about Stephanie, marrying his best friend. She forgot about what waits for her once she lands in Zurich. Now what was on their mind was them, Mick and Ophelia, Ophelia and Mick: two strangers that fate put them in each other's ways.

“Passengers of the plane with destination to Zurich, please go to gate A24”

Mick frowned, leaving the glass of water on the table while listening to the speakers.

“That’s our plane!” both of them gasped, getting up and grabbing all their things, running through the corridors.

When they arrived at the gates, they were the last ones, but at least they arrived in time. When the flight attendant asked for their tickets she smiled, making them frown.

“Have a good flight” she smiled. 

They nodded and smile at each other weakly. This is a goodbye.

“It was so nice talking with you” Mick smiled, looking at her. 

“Yeah” she smiled. “Good luck in the wedding, I guess…”

“And good luck in your concert” he smiled nodding.

He stopped there. The business seats are at the front of the plane, so he just searched for a place where he can leave the suitcase after placing his backpack on the seat he will have.

“No way” he heard her laugh. “Are you really going to sit there?”

Mick turned around, and his heart started to beat fast.

It was the same feeling when someone tells you good news, or when they give you something you really wanted, or when they congratulate you for doing a good job, or even when you eat your favorite food. He felt his smile grow when he saw how she placed her black backpack on the seat next to his.

"I guess you won't get away from me so easily" he chuckled, wanting to repeat that phrase over and over again.

taglist

@racinggirl @elisysd @lorarri @musingsbyshreya

[jungwonie-bae]

*ੈ✩.a love story between us . ♪。·

Sunghoon x fem!reader , reader is working in high school, reader is referred as she

genre- fluff, love at first sight trope, strangers to lovers

word count- 4.1k 【4,113 words】

warnings- (this is not really a warning, but the season is winter) I’m so sorry, but more grammatical errors 😭 mentions of le sserafim’s yunjin , kissing, bold sunghoon, jealousy? , a little blood, cuddling? And not proofread‼️ And this is just a random ass fic sorry… and it doesn’t relate a lot to the first part, it’s just how they fall in love. Lots of grammar errors, I didn’t care to check over sorry。this was so rushed 😣

a/n- this is finally done!!! I’ve been so busy since school has started 😢 and sorry for the short chapters.. you can imagine the rest yourselves 😘

oh- and the title used to be “my coffee boy” but it’s not related to coffee in any way so I changed it.

.˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

7:02 am.

Today was the weekend, and the cafe was quiet. You’ve already cleaned and wiped all the tables, and started the coffee machines. Today was going to be another busy day. The cafe always opens at 7:30 sharp, so you had enough time to grab the new stack of cups, and get the register ready.

your only coworker, beomgyu, always came a bit late, but got to work right away. The bell rings as he walks in, and the two of you greet one another.

As you put on your apron, you scroll on your phone to play a calming playlist on Spotify. Beomgyu puts his apron on, and opens the window for the early morning breeze to flow through.

As the bell chimes, your boss walks in. He greets the both of you, and walks into his office. You run to the door, and turn the sign, the red ink “closed” written, was now turned into “open.”

You then go back into your place as the cashier. A few minutes later, your regular customers come in.

they are quick to go, ordering and paying quickly as well.

A bit later, a group of 3 guys walk in, chatting with one another happily. While they are ordering drinks, you feel someone’s gaze as you get their orders down. You look up, and- you feel like you’ve just seen the prettiest person in your life. Time seems to slow down.

you stare at him for a few seconds, before snapping out of it to tell beomgyu their orders. Turning back to them, (the person who is ordering for the group,) you almost forgot their name.

“and what’s your name?” You ask politely.

“sunghoon, s-u-n-g-h-o-o-n,” he says, the last part of the sentence a bit mumbled. You nod, and type his name down to print onto the sticker on the cup.

you smile at him, “your order is going to be ready in a few minutes. Is this a to go, or are you staying in?”

he looks over at his friends, and they all say their staying. You nod, and they go sit down. You smile to yourself, and hurriedly make their drinks. You put a little extra love into sunghoon’s, and cap it.

beomgyu finishes the other half of the drinks. “Order for sunghoon!” You shout. He comes up to you, and grabs the drinks quickly. While he brings it over to his table, his friends tease him about something. He smiles at their antics.

Heeseung whispers, “someone has a little crush. Let’s come back here tomorrow~” Jake nods at him, and grins. Sunghoon doesn’t notice the two.

meanwhile, you were busy hoping he will come back.

.˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

The next day, you see the familiar face once again. But today, he was alone. The name you learned from him yesterday, sunghoon, was pretty awkward trying to order his drink.

you can see he is shy, because he’s hiding his face into his scarf. Cute, you think. His order is a to-go, much to your disappointment. You make his drink as you and beomgyu switch places, now beomgyu being the cashier.

you call out sunghoons name, but this time, you write your number onto his cup. You draw a little smiley face next to your digits, and smile to yourself. I hope he texts me, you smile.

—

as sunghoon grabs his cup, he smiles at you, but stops in his tracks on his way out. She wrote her number. Wait.. she wrote her number!?! He stops himself from squealing since he was already grinning like an idiot. He was definitely going to text you later.

He hurried home to his dorm, and immediately told his friends. “See, I knew she was into you!” Jake playfully punched sunghoons arm, while wrapping his other around his shoulders.

sunghoon grins, but his smile drops soon after. “But.. how do I start the conversation..? I don’t have any experience in this..”

Jake slowly turns his head and looks at the sulking male beside him. “Are you for real..?” Sunghoon nods. “Dude! You’re an absolute loser for this! How have you not had any girlfriends with that face of yours?!?”

Sunghoon doesn’t know what to do. Will jake help him?

Sunghoon paces as jakes eyes follow him around. “I want to talk to her so bad, but I don’t know how to start a conversation. This might even be my first relationship!”

Jake rolls his eyes at sunghoon’s statement. He takes sunghoon’s cellphone and typed out your number. Sunghoon looks over at the bright screen.

Jake was texting you for him. “Are you sure about this..?” Sunghoon questions. Jake nods, eyes still glued to the little screen. “I’ve done this multiple times anyway. It works on every chick I’ve gotten.” Jake smirks.

Sunghoon decides to trust his best friend on this one, and hoping for the best. He thought you were really cute, and wanted to have something more with you. He wondered if you would ever feel the same.

—

Later, Jake shows sunghoon the texts. Jake started the conversation lightly, and you responded maybe 3-5 minutes later. He had asked when your shift was over, so you and sunghoon could meet up.

sunghoon was more than excited when you made a plan on his free day and a suitable time. He stressed on what to wear. It was a dinner date- not just a dinner- but a dinner in a fancy restaurant.

What if he underdressed? What if he made a wrong impression on you? What if he would scare you away? He’s only seen you about 8-10 times, yet he’s so worried.

you on the other hand, is just as worried as him. You had been to the restaurant and you had made the reservation, but you still didn’t know what to wear.

The hang out- date- was in 2 days. You video call your best friend, yunjin.

“I’m going on a date in 2 days with this really pretty boy and I don’t know what to wea-”

“okay, okay, slow down. I just picked up!” Yunjin exclaims. You sigh.

“In 2 days, im going on a date with a guy I really like. I have no idea what to wear.”

Yunjin nods. “I’ll be coming over in just a minute. Hold on.” She then hangs up on you. You were so nervous.

a few minutes later, knocking is heard from your front door. You run towards the sound and open the door. Yunjin lets herself in, and goes straight to your room. She rummages through your closet a little before huffing, and turning to you. You didn’t notice the big bag she had brung with her.

“We’ll have to try on a few different things.” Yunjin sighs. She unzips her bag, and pulls out a few pieces of clothing. She then lays them out on your bed for you to see, but one had already caught your eye.

It was a black long- sleeved square neck dress, and it was perfect for the occasion. “Can I try this one on?” You asked yunjin, while pointing your index finger to your desired article of clothing. She nods, “of course! Take your time. No rush girl.” She smiles supportingly. “Call me in if you need help.” She says.

you nod, and walk to the bathroom in your room. After you put the dress on, you look at yourself in the bathroom mirror. The dress hugs your body perfectly, at the right parts. You feel amazing, and pretty.

as you walk out of the bathroom, Yunjin cheers you on. “Oh my gosh. You look absolutely stunning. You’re definitely wearing this.” You blush at her compliments, and thank her.

“this is my first date… I don’t know how to make a good impression…” you sulk at your sudden realization, with your head down, almost like when a puppy is wronged.

“ don’t worry girl, I’ve got your back. Let’s practice being confident, okay?” She reassures you. You look up at her and nod. Yunjin was always trusted in these type of things. That’s why she had so many friends.

—

you and sunghoon have been texting non stop since you had given him your number. Sunghoon told you that his friend Jake had started the conversation because he was scared, and you laughed at that.

Every day, day through night, you both texted each other. You were both around the same ages, and had very common interests with each other. Almost like soulmates.

tomorrow was the date, and you both had planned everything out. You hoped it went exactly like planned, or else you would be doomed. It would’ve been really awkward if you had nothing to talk about.

you hung the dress up by your closet, and went to sleep- not before texting sunghoon goodnight, and a see you tomorrow! 🤍

you close your eyes and drifts off the dreamland. The exciting day awaits before you.

—date day—

You woke up to your loud alarm ringing. You quickly turn it off and slowly open you eyes, your surroundings filling you. You get out of bed and stretch, and then go get ready. You smile giddily, remembering the events that would happen today.

As you put moisturizer on, you receive a notification. You grab your phone quickly, opening the app the notification came from. It was a text from sunghoon.

sunghoon: I’m excited for today ;)

sunghoon: I can’t wait to see you

you: 😊😊😊

you: me tooo

you blush at his texts and squeal. You get butterflies in your stomach.

The date is toward nighttime, so you have a lot of time to get ready. You put on your outfit, and do your makeup.

He was the one who had insisted on meeting up, so you grab your things and head out the door.

.˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

once you make it to the restaurant, he hasn’t arrived yet. So you wait at the front.

soon, a sleek black car pulls into the parking lot, and out comes the infamous sunghoon. You inaudibly gasp. He was dress in all black and his hair was done. Heat crawls up your face.

you pretend to be busy on your phone, so it wouldn’t seem as if you’ve been staring at him this whole time. His eyes search for you, and once they find you, he smiles. His eyes crinkle up and his dimple shows. He barely knows you, yet he’s smiling so big every time he sees you.

He walks over to you slowly. You look up from your phone, and smile at him. He stares at you intently. You rip your gaze away from him first.

you are so pretty today that he really couldn’t take his eyes off of you.

“hi,” he starts awkwardly. You nod your head and reciprocate his words.

“should we head inside now?” You ask. He snaps out of his daze, and goes in after you.

at the table, you start the conversation. It’s a bit awkward at first, but the two of you warm up to one another quickly. He talks about his hobbies, you talk about yours. But what you found most interesting, was that he was a ice skater. People had called him “the ice prince.”

it matched him so well, based on his personality and face. You listen to every word he said, because his voice was so addicting. You could listen to it forever.

time went by so fast, that’s it was already nighttime. You both had finished eating, and sunghoon paid for the bill. You insisted on paying or maybe splitting the bill, but he denied all of your requests.

The two you you decide to go on a late night walk together to spend more quality time. He held your hand, and even gave you his jacket to wear. He didn’t know where this boldness came from, but he just went along with it. You were so flustered with his actions.

he talked about literally everything to keep the conversation going. You talked about how life is stressful, to exciting, to all sorts of emotions.

when you arrived at a park, he sat you down. He crouched down in front you and took off your heels, then took off his shoes. “It must hurt, right?” He said softly. He looked up at you so enchantingly, that you almost got lost in his eyes.

You nod. Your lips fail to hide the smile that was trying to burst through. Sunghoon smiles too. “thanks hoon.” He blushes at the nickname, and picks up your shoes. He hold your hand again. A comfortable silence fills the air.

“I’ll walk you home.” The male next to you says. You smile at him and nod your head. The night passes so fast, you were pretty much disappointed.

he stands in front of you at your porch and holds both your hands in his. “Today was fun for me.” He confesses.

“ me too.” You agree. “Can we do this again?” He asks. He swings your arms side by side. Another date?

“of course! Just tell me when.” You smile politely at him. Silence fills the air once again. You make eye contact with him. Very slowly, you see him leaning in.

once he’s at a nose to nose length, he mumbles a small, may I? You nod almost immediately, and his lips crash onto yours. your lips mold so perfectly with his that he feels like he’s dreaming. You wrap your arms around his neck, and his automatically go around your waist. The two of you make out for a few seconds before pulling away for a breath of air.

“you’re my first kiss.” He shyly says. You’re shocked. “what? No way that possible. Me too!” You exclaim.

he smiles at you and kisses you once more. You kiss back quickly. When you pull away again, he pulls you into his embrace. “Thank you for this night.” He mumbles into your neck.

he kisses you one more time before you go into your home; not before returning your shoes. Then he shouts, “ Call me! And I’ll see you tomorrow!”

you blow a kiss at him, and walk inside your home. Tomorrow? What’s happening tomorrow? You’ll just wait and see.

—

Sunghoon is a blushing mess. He walks himself back to his car giddily. He’s still smiling on the way home too. He can’t wait to tell his friends.

when he enters his apartment, he shouts for his friends to come over. “So, how did it goo..?” Jake asks. Sunghoon looks over at him slowly. “It was amazing.”

Jake and heeseung high five Sunghoon. “Nice man!” The night is soon filled with laughter and loud talking.

“and then we kissed.” Sunghoon squeals. Heeseung gasps and hit sunghoon. “Dude when did you get the confidence?!?” sunghoon rubs his arm where heeseung had hit him.

“maybe it just comes up when I’m with her.” Sunghoon shrugs. The trio squeals together. “I’m gonna sleep so good tonight.” Sunghoon sighs.

You on the other hand, is calling and telling Yunjin about everything that happened.

“he kissed me! Can you believe that?!?” You exclaim happily. Yunjin gasps. “Girl, you are so lucky.” You nod.

“he said he was gonna see me tomorrow though.”

“he probably has something planned then!” Yunjin exclaims. “That’s so exciting. I’ll help you pick out your outfit. I’ll see you tomorrow too then?”

“yes of course!” You nod. The both of you, you and sunghoon, both ramble about everything that had happened today to your friends.

.˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

The next day, you wake up from an incoming call. You pick up tiredly.

“hello..?” You groggily say. “Oh I’m sorry did I wake you?” A familiar voice speaks.

you sit up immediately and look at the caller id. It was sunghoon. You clear your throat, “oh of course not! I was just doing something.” You lie. You cringe at yourself for waking up so late.

“oh, then can I pick you up later?” He asks out of the blue. You freeze. Is this what he meant by “see you tomorrow?” Oh gosh. You do want to see him again though. “Oh- oh yeah of course. I’ll go get ready then.” You try to sound as neutral as possible, but inside you were screaming.

sunghoon hums, then ends the call first. You hurriedly pick an outfit, brush your teeth, and fix your hair. You pick a pair of baggy jeans, and a cute brown puffer. You run to the kitchen the make toast.

A few minutes later, a knock is heard from your front door. You wipe the excess crumbs off of your mouth and walk slowly to the door. You look through the peep hole- and it’s sunghoon. You smile as you swing the door open.

he pulls you into his embrace and you immediately hug him back. “Hey pretty.” He smirks. You blush and look down. A hand comes to your chin and lifts your head back up.

“aren’t you gonna greet your handsome boyfriend?” He teases. Boyfriend!? Your flustered at the nickname he gave himself. “h-hi sunghoon.” You stutter. Your face is red and you are so so so embarrassed. “Come on, let’s go.” Sunghoon says. He knows that you were flustered by him, and he smiles to himself.

“Where are we going today?” You ask. Sunghoon smiles. “You’ll see when we get there. It’s a surprise.”

.˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

“an ice rink?!?” You exclaim. You look at sunghoon excitedly. “Yeah, you seemed most interested in the topic of ice skating when we were talking yesterday.” You nod.

“you sure are an observant person.” You mumble. Sunghoon leads you the the skates after paying to go in. You choose your sizes, and sit down on the benches.

“here, let me help you.” Sunghoon crouches down in front of you, and ties your laces. Heat crawls up your face once again. Sunghoon looks up at you and steals a quick peck.

“hey! I wasn’t ready for that!” You whine, slapping his arm playfully. He smirks down at you.

you both walk into the rink and then you suddenly confess, “I’m not good at ice skating.” Sunghoon smiles at you, “good. Then I’ll teach you.”

he hold your hands and starts off slowly, while you wobble about trying to keep your balance. You apologize for gripping his arms so tight.

—

later on, you had gotten the hang of gliding around. But when you were trying to catch up to sunghoon, someone had bumped into you. You fall of your butt, and you hiss in pain. You look up at the person who had bumped into you.

“oh my gosh, are you okay? I’m so sorry, I wasnt controlling my speed.” A rather handsome man says. “Im fine, don’t worry about it.” You smile.

sunghoon grit his teeth and skates over to you. He helps you up and asks worriedly, “ are you hurt anywhere?!?” And you just respond with “I’m okay”s and “I’m fine”s. Sunghoon glares at the male that had bumped into you. He was still standing there, feeling guilty of his mistake. Once he saw sunghoons glare, he quickly skated away.

Sunghoon turns back to you and looks you up and down for any cuts or bruises. until he looks at your hand. There’s a cut there with a drop of blood streaming down. His eye widen, and he quickly pulls you out of the rink.

he grabs his bag and grabs his first aid kit. You find him so cute that he was worried over a small cut that you didn’t even notice at all. You giggle to yourself at his actions. He looks up from your now bandaged finger with furrowed eyebrows, confused.

“why are you laughing?” He mumbles. “Your just so cute.” You giggle once again. Sunghoon smiles at that, and kisses your injured finger. “Now it’s all better.” He smiles.

“thank you hoon.” He blushed at the nickname you gave him once again. You peck his cheek in thanks. Now the both of you are blushing messes.

.˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

you invite sunghoon over to your house for dinner. He gives you little kisses every now and then while you cook, and back hugs you. You’re very grateful to finally have a boyfriend.

Once the food is ready, sunghoon helps set up the table. He pulls out your chair for you, and you sit down. He smiles at you from across the table.

after your dinner, he insists on washing the dishes. The two of you decide to watch a movie after, to spend more time together.

The night is filled with small talks and giggles from one another.

—

the next morning, you wake up with sunghoon next to you. His arms are tightly wrapped around your waist, his legs tangled with yours, and you are face to face with him. You inaudibly gasp, remembering the events prior.

he had taken a shower at your place, and slept over. He had borrowed a few of your oversized things that you didn’t wear at all. You think, nothing sexual had happened. You turn your head back to sunghoons, and take this chance to admire his sleeping features.

His eyes suddenly flutter open, and once he takes notes of his surroundings, he smiles. He stares back at you. “What are you looking at?” He groggily says. You giggle and hide your face into his neck.

“I gotta head to the grocery shop soon.” You mumble into his ear. He hums. “Then I’ll come with you.” you nod at his answer and then try to pry his arms off of your waist. He only hugs you tighter. “Just 5 more minutes?” He asks. You can’t say no to his cute doe eyes and his little pout.

5 minutes turns into 10, then turns into 25. You groan, and finally push his warm body off of you. Cool air hits your body, and you shiver. You run to the bathroom to get ready. While putting on an outfit, you process everything that has happened. You giggle to yourself.

you walk back into your room, and kiss sunghoons forehead. “I’ll make breakfast.” You whisper.

Sunghoon smiles to himself, and snuggles into your pillow, whiffing in your soft scent.

—

A bit later, sunghoon rises out of your bed. He walks to the kitchen to find you, but you weren’t there. Worried thoughts filled his head, until he heard your voice behind him. “Why are you just standing there? Go brush your teeth.” You slightly scold. He turns around at your voice, and runs up to you.

“I thought something happened to you.” He mumbles, while giving you a big bear hug. You smile to yourself. “Go get changed too, we’re gonna go shopping later.” You pat his back. He lifts his head from your shoulder, gives you a peck. and goes to the bathroom. you grimace at the morning breath, and head into your room to pick some clothes out for him.

Once you both finish eating, you grab your car keys. “Let’s go.” You say. Sunghoon takes hyoid keys from you. “I’m the one driving. You’re my passenger princess.” He winks.

You smile at him, and go out the door.

.˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

At the grocery store, sunghoon follows you around like a lost puppy. The cart screeches to a stop. You turn to face him. “You should go buy something.” You say. He stops in his tracks in front of you. He grumbles, and then falls into your embrace.

you wrap your arms around him to catch him. Was he tired? You pat his back a few times. “Let’s go home soon hmm?” you whisper. You feel him nod in your shoulder. You smile and pull away from him.

“I’ll just need a few things more and we’ll go home.” You hurry to get your items, and check out. Sunghoon chooses a few of his favorite snacks, and you both drive back to your place.

once you come home, you sit onto the couch. Sunghoon folllows your actions, and lies onto your lap. You play with his hair, and he sighs in contentment at your touch.

He soon falls asleep on your lap. You smile, and grab your phone to take a picture. After a few snaps, you go to sleep right after him, laying on the couch arm. He slightly wakes up at your movements, and crawls on top of you to lie on your chest. Your hand goes back up to his hair unconciously.

the two of you float into dreamland. You could not want anything more than this.

[bolderfunkyman]

♡ Yandere Kaveh Part 2 ♡

Okay it has been a while im sorry.. But I am back at it again! And i have part 2 finally done. it's gonna be several parts so there also will come a part 3 and 4. I don't wanna rush it. Link to part one = Part1

its kaveh x reader there are no mentions of genders.

Word count: 1,3K

im also testing a new writing format with a POV please let me know what you think of it!

Content: Lovesick, Obsession, Manipulation, blood, Mindillness, smut, fluff, possesiveness. MINORS DO NOT INTARACT

reminder as to where we lefr: You stayed at the library for way to long and kaveh was worried about you. He couldnt find you. You walked home alone and then you got jumped. Kaveh came to save you. But as suddenly as he was there, as suddenly he dissapeared again.

A playlist to set the mood -Link to playlist-

Kaveh POV:

After he scared off the ermites. He couldn’t help but feel anger about what happened. So instead he followed you home without you knowing. And when he knew you were safely home. He went after the emirates. He couldn’t leave it be. They hurted you. That's not something he can accept. After a while he found them. They were killed. If you saw the scene it would have seemed as if a slaughter had taken place. But it was Kaveh who showed them how angry he actually was with them. He often repeated to them to stay away from his girl. Although she didn’t know yet she was his. He made sure to clean up the scene and made sure no traces were left behind. Kaveh quickly returned home, washed his clothes and went to bed.

Falling asleep thinking of you. Hoping you now saw him as your hero, a knight in shiny armor. 

Jump to present day reader pov -

As you woke up from your sleep you noticed that you had a hazy memory of what happened the night before. All you remember is that Kaveh left in a hurry and that you felt like something or someone was watching you walk home. You started your daily morning routine before heading to The Akademiya.

You kinda forgot you normally walk with Kaveh to the Akademiya, So when you heard someone call out your name you didn’t right away think it was him.

“Hey, why are you ignoring me? Did I do something wrong?” Kaveh asked.

Oh no i’m sorry! I kinda had a weird morning. My head was still filled with what happened yesterday’, you told him. “Oh… did they give you nightmares?” he looked at you concerned while saying this.

I guess so? I just have a hazy memory as if it was a fever dream but, it wasn't a dream it was reality, you looked at him while saying this. Do you perhaps know more? I know you were there as well, kaveh. 

“All I know is that I saved you from those ermites. And after that I had to hurry to a meeting, they didn’t do anything to you right?” he asked. No, they didn’t do anything. I got home safely. Although I did feel like something was watching me. Maybe it was my mind. Because of what happened. I also really didn't eat anything before bed. Not the smartest choice I made I guess.. You gave him a weak smile.

“Maybe I should take you home? You clearly aren’t feeling well” Kaveh told you.

No no I'm fine really, I take it easy today and after all this I just go home to eat and sleep. That probably will help me feel better. 

“Hmm if you say so. I’ll wait for you at our spot to walk you home okay?” he still looked very concerned at you. Yeah that’s fine. I promise I won't forget this time. 

Your day just passed by silently and slowly as if time barely moved. But it reached it’s end and you were able to leave the Akademiya. And indeed kaveh was sitting there waiting for you. He also already got you a drink. 

“Finally! there you are I got worried” He sounded energetic, like a puppy happy to see you. 

Mhm today was quite energy draining if i’m being honest. 

“Shall I carry you home then?” He joked. Oh My god have you been hanging out with Cyno a lot or something? Just as bad of a joke.

“But I wasn’t joking I wouldn’t mind carrying you home” And he indeed sounded serious about it.

No, I will be fine walking  by myself I believe. “If you say so, I am almost done with this design and then we can have a walk around or I will just take you home?” He said.

“They will be able to get home by herself, Kaveh” A man told him. You turned your head to see who was talking to him. 

"Al Haitham? What are you doing here?” He asked the man. He looked pretty annoyed. His eyes almost daggers at this man.

“Maybe you have forgotten kaveh? Do I need to speak it out? Do they already know?” He had a blank stare at kaveh. No emotion it seems. Kind of cold.

Know what? You asked. 

“Nevermind It. I’m sorry I have to go. I can’t walk you home today I'm afraid” And so he stood up and followed this man named Al Haitham. You did hear him bickering with this man a lot. You knew he always had something to say about him.. But seeing him argue with him is something else. 

You are interested in their relationship. If they are friends or not. But seeing as how tired you felt you decided it was enough for today and go home. Take a snack and then sleep. A good night's rest, it sounded like a dream for you at this moment. 

Kaveh POV: 

So why exactly did you have to interrupt me? I was having a nice time with them you know” You can clearly hear he was angry.

“I will leave you be more if you actually paid rent you know” Alhaitham still sounded stone cold. “And who are they even anyways?” he added.

They are my friend. And what does it matter to you anyways? it’s not like you ever bothered in someone else’ he said.

"Hm Perhaps. But you are right there is no benefit from knowing who they are. Anyways, I still want the rent. And you need to fix this door. It’s making that noise again.” Al Haitham told him.

I’m an architect. I draw, I don’t fix things like that. So you basically dragged me away for nothing? Kaveh felt he got angry because of this.

“oh well.. that’s a shame” Al Haitham told him while taking a book out to read. “also did you hear about 2 emrites missing?” he asked him.

No, what about it? Of course kaveh knew they were missing. He killed them after all for you.

“Their family is afraid they got killed by someone. And some speculations say they might have just fled to Liyue or something.” He simply answered. 

Oh okay. Well I guess I will keep an eye out for them then’ He lied to al haitham.

the following day - 

You were just walking around in Sumeru wondering what to do today. It was a nice day, slightly on the hot side so you didn’t feel like doing a lot. You were far lost in your own mind to really notice where exactly you were walking and whatever you might bump into, so you got quite the scare when you bumped into someone.

Ow, I’m sorry I should have looked where I’m Going’ You just said.

“You indeed should look around so you don’t make pitiless mistakes like this.” A stone cold voice you can recognize right away.

Oh Al Haitham, I’m really sorry’ you could feel your eyes heating up out of embarrassment. 

“oh you are the friend of kaveh right?” He asked you, sounding a little less.. Cold

Yeah I am hehe’ You felt quite awkward as of now. 

So what brings you here? You tried to have a neutral conversation with him. 

“Just enjoying the weather, It’s a great day to do absolutely nothing.” He answered simply, “would you like to join me on the walk? I will look out for you so you don’t bulldoze more people” he added. 

Ugh how dare he say something like that, it's so insulting, is what was going through your mind, you cannot obviously tell him what you thought. 

So instead you took him on the offer and had a little chat with him. He got to know a bit about you. Meanwhile you still didn’t know much about Al Haitham. Other than that he is a scribe at The Akademiya. 

And today again you felt like someone was staring at you, following you around. You couldn’t place where it came from or why you felt like it. 

But you could notice Al Haitham also felt like someone was watching the 2 of you.

[areyoudreaminof]

Storm Song: A Gwynriel Playlist

I didn't forget the Gwynriel! How could I?

Given that I'm 99.9% certain these two are getting the next book, I wanted to make a playlist that captures these two finding one another. That inevitable pull and chemistry they have is exciting. They've got trauma that each can understand in a way no one else can.

Listen Here! and tracklist behind the cut!

This one goes out to all of my Gwynriel girlies. @bookofmirth @bearbluebooks @c-e-d-dreamer @captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship @corcracrow @damedechance @foundress0fnothing @gwyns @gaeleria @itsthedoodle @melting-houses-of-gold @moodymelanist @popjunkie42 @reverie-tales @asnowfern @reverie-tales @sonics-atelier @thelovelymadone @wilde-knight @the-lonelybarricade @sunshinebingo @vulpes-fennec @velidewrites @witchlingsandwyverns @xtaketwox @yazthebookish @acourtdelaluna @separatist-apologist @talons-and-teeth @octobers-veryown @secret-third-thing @labellefleur-sauvage

Storm Song-Phildel

Send a storm to capture your heart and bring you home Oh, carried on the breeze, you'll never find me gone Oh, faster than the post train, burning like a slow flame on I'll send a storm to capture your heart and bring you home

Blue Blood-Foals

You got blue blood on your hands I know it's my own You came at me in the midnight To show me my soul Of all the people I hoped it'd be you To come and free me, take me away And show me my home

How Do You Do It?-Empress Of

Like a nail in the wood Build this house from nothing Now I stand where I've stood Welling up with something

I feel great, I feel good What a long time coming I forgot that I could Let someone fulfill me

Kids in the Dark-Bat For Lashes

Lying next to you And I wanna live for two I tell you I'm never leaving 'Cause you're always on my mind It's been such a hard time But I know it's the real thing

I Love You More Than You Love Yourself

The past, how thick it grows Shakes up what you didn’t know Proceeding, try a little bit harder, baby You’re indifferent You’re a stranger to what makes you feel good

After Dark-Eliot Sumner

After life the after life I ease the mind with you I need the light the after light to see If you can bear another hour, the after hour awaits To sail away we sail away take an opportunity with me

And stay now, what if I stay now? If I stay here I might lose again

Pegasi-Jesca Hoop

You found a map to my heart It led you to the well You combed out my mane I'll wear your saddle and reins With all these stars at my feet I'll stamp and tap the spring With my rider a mount I feel like spreading my wings Take to the sky like poetry

Mecca-Wild Beasts

We move in fear or we move in desire Now I know how you feel I'm a pilgrim and you're the shrine to All the lovers that loved before us and breathed in this ether Where the body goes the mind will follow soon after

Cuz all we want is to know the vivid moment Yeah how we feel now was felt by the ancients

Into Your Heart-Young Ejecta

Is there any way I can dive into your heart? Ain't there any place I might dive into your heart? On a pebble beach, or maybe a moon of Mars Don't push me away, I can dive into your heart

Tell me I can stay here in your heart (don't go away) Know that I am coming, coming into your heart (don't dance away)

Welcome to Feeling-Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop

Happy Welcome to feeling Calm comes We're sleeping in the sun Deep in the sun (deep in the) Dark in the sun (dark in the) Dark inside the sun (dark in the) Deep in the sun (deep in the) Dark inside of won–(wonderful)–der Full of song (deep in the sun) Dark inside of wonder Full of happiness

Wading Waist High in Water-Fleet Foxes

Soon as I knew you All so wide open Wading inside of fire As if I just saw you Cross Second Avenue Wading in waist-high water And I love you so violent More than maybe I can do

Bright Star-Anais Mitchell

Bright star When I first laid eyes upon you I was filled with such a longing To be with you in the dark Bright star Since I could not fly beside you I would chart my own course by you And I’d sail it by your light

[sugar-omi]

Saw your last ask about the eloping and then was just thinking if the MC left with Mr. Wedding planner considering some of his lines in the DLC and the Taylor Swift song (and I am so sorry Cove I love you too but oof this went straight to my brain from all the angst and wanting on both sides)

ahhhh im,,, assuming youre thinking what im thinking n that is MC leaving cove to be w baxter bc that angsty idea came into my mind in the middle of writing that request and i have some ideas on it :(( listen to this playlist for the full effect 👍👍 ik a lot more songs i could add but i left it w olivia rodrigo n conan gray

tags : Angst (with happy ending for cove lol), (emotional) cheating, breaking up, your family n friends ar upset w you to say the least, your fam and friends goes low/no contact

synopsis : you leave cove to be with baxter, this is how everyone reacts.

[this is based off this post: "eloping with baxter", where alternatively you leave cove for baxter.]

*edited because i forgot to add derek's reaction.

please break it off before the wedding. if you leave him at the alter, cove would be thoroughly destroyed and your immediate family would prbly end up disowning you and/or going very low contact.

breaking off the engagement was and is a really hard thing, but you do it anyway to be with baxter

i wanna touch on how your family n friends reacts to the break up first...

well lets just leave it at cove's parents don't talk to you anymore and you are not welcome even near their house

in fact cliff even moves out of sunset bird because he's so distraught and if cove comes to visit, which he does and even moves in with his dad, he sees how sad cove is and it kills him

he regrets ever moving to sunset bird and asking you to be his friend.

cliff never forgives himself for this, even though it isn't his fault, he feels like it is and even if (and when) cove gets over this betrayal, cliff hates that this happened anyway.

cliff doesn't send you any text, he just blocks you

but if you send a text before he can do so, which is possible since he's busy comforting his son

then he responds like this..

"please don't text this number anymore. and leave my son alone. you've really betrayed him.. me too. i thought you were a good person y/n. i hope you're happy with him"

kyra leaves you a very scornful message and then blocks you

she refuses to waste her breathe or time on someone who hurt her baby

she starts by saying how much she loved you and everything you did for cove, but ends it with how she can never forgive you for leaving cove like this

"don't bother apologizing. everyone had their faith in you to love and take care of cove but you've really blindsided him. you're no longer family to us, leave us alone."

your family is very disappointed

even though they don't cut you off, you're distant and if you marry baxter, they don't come celebrate with you

your mom is surprisingly very tender about it and she is the one who misses you the most

she cries over your pictures when you were growing up, and when everything was perfect

she knows you're an adult and things happen, this is the way the cookie crumbles sometimes but the holden's were like family too and everything is just hard

she can't even look at cove when she sees him

once she even broke down crying in front of him, she could see the dark circles under his eyes and yet he still smiled at her and gave his best "hello"

cove ends up comforting her in the middle of the grocery store parking lot...

she doesn't leave the house for awhile. she's so ashamed and embarrassed because she can hear the whispers of the townsfolk

"i wish they were kids again..."

your ma calls to yell at you.

ma doesn't ever get mad, if anything mom was the "bad cop" growing up and did most the iron fisting

but your ma can't believe you'd do this. she understands that sometimes you fall out of love with someone or have deeper feelings for someone else but.. you knew cove for 15 years and you leave for someone like baxter, who hurt you?

shes just blinded with rage and sadness, even thought she's yelling she ends up crying

she tells you not to come around for awhile, she can't bare to look at you and look at cliff (and cove) the next day

"please don't bother coming home, you're not welcome here for the foreseeable future. i thought we raised you better than this."

your sister doesn't know what to do

she never expected this from you

she hugs you while you cry, you're still her sibling but she also can't forgive you so easily

she and cove weren't close, but definitely closer than baxter and she saw how much he loved you. and she sees how much he's hurting, as he's slowly gathering all his stuff out of your shared house.

she helps him pack his stuff and gives him a hug, lets him cry and tells cove that he's always been like family, and will always be

she watches him cry in his car before finally driving off and suddenly liz is so mad

all this upset and upheaval for what? a traumatized, flirty victorian-emo man who stayed for a summer and told you to fuck off and then came back 5 years later?

she doesn't yell, but between the quiet and half empty house, liz scolds you and flies back home the same night...

"i love you but i can't believe you threw this all away for someone you knew for ONE summer 5 years ago... i'm so disappointed in you."

lee is the one who comforts you the most when you cry

but you can see the disappointment in her eyes

she calls you a lot less, and she doesn't scream in excitement at you anymore. especially if you're with him.

one night, she even whispers into the dark room, having thrown a blanket over you and thinking you are asleep.

"i thought you were better than this..."

your friends are so surprised

they never saw this coming at all

im (not) sorry to say but you are now friendless :)

miranda is the one with the greatest fury

she leaves several voice messages where she is yelling and cussing you out...

"lose my number! i can't believe you'd leave cove for your wedding planner! someone who hurt you 5 fucking years ago!" "you need to get a grip on reality if you think you're gonna live happily ever after. screw you, you-"

terry is with miranda at the time so she cut off the last message before she could share her new nicknames for you

terry's disappointment is immeasurable.

he tries texting you and asking whats going on before he asks you to meet him for coffee

thats the last time you see him before he sends you on last text...

"i hope you're happy y/n... i really cherished our friendship but i can't trust someone who did this to their partner and one of my best buddies... goodbye."

derek is ready to fly over to cove immediately, and he does.

derek helps cliff get cove settled and calmed down, he even makes dinner while cliff helps cove at least get a grip on reality again...

"i'm so surprised you did this y/n... i thought i knew you better but i guess not... listen, i gotta finish dinner, cove hasn't eaten in a couple days. i'm sorry but cove is my best friend, i hope you're happier now.. goodbye."

cove is ruined, to say the least.

somehow he expected it though..

you were dating cove when baxter came that summer, but he saw how you looked at him... it was with a sense of longing. he supposes it was only a matter of time before you decided you wanted a taste of baxter ward, he just hoped it would never come...

you dated baxter that summer, and he saw how distraught you were when he left you so brutually.. cove thought you really loved him, that you finally got over baxter. but apparently he was wrong, you were just patching your wounds until baxter could put you back together...

you never dated baxter, but cove saw how you looked at him with longing and cove always wished you would look at him like that. i guess you just turned your eyes to him until you could finally have the one you wanted...

cove loved you so much, and now that you've broken up he feels like he'll never recover

cove's personality does a whole 180

if he was "warm", he's not anymore. he can't bring himself to smile and laugh and socialize when his chest feels so hollow yet like he's been stabbed with pins and needles...

if he was already "cold", i need you to imagine him being even colder...

he still says his "please and thank you"'s whenever its necessary, but anything other than a hum when affirming to the cashier that he found his groceries okay

or telling the fast food worker what he wants to eat, which he usually orders online in that case, then he doesn't really talk too much

everyone can see how distraught he is even though he tries to distract himself

he cooks meals from scratch, he even learns how to make bread just to keep his mind away from it all

he tries to surf or look for shells but it just ends up hurting more because he as so many memories of those things with you

his whole childhood was with you... you gave him a childhood and you're the reason he enjoyed life so much, you made him so happy...

cove really tries to keep his head above water but even with the love and care from his parents, he's drowning...

its like when he was a little kid all over again but this time he's the one going through the break up

sometimes he snaps at his dad to please leave him alone and he runs off to the guest room crying.

he's so overwhelmed, overstimulated in every way and hurt.

he feels like he'll never recover from this one

when he does "get better", its still a total change from who he used to be

he definitely keeps his friend circle tight and dating isnt even on the table, and wont be for a long time.

fuck it probably takes him another 15 years to get over you.

all he knew for the last 15 years of his life was you, and now he has to do without you so its hard.

some days he falls apart again, because things are so much harder now that he has to take care of himself in every way possible

you reopened his trust and abandonment issues...

he has a date with olivia rodrigo and conan gray (see above for playlist)

when everyone finds out you eloped with baxter they lose their fucking minds

your ma doesn't even text or call you. you can't even hear her in the background when your mom calls because she can't believe you'd elope to him after all this, no matter how much time goes by...

your mom feels hurt again. it just makes everything so real and she feels sick thinking that baxter is now her son-in-law

your sister calls to yell at you. its less than a 5 minute phone call, she just can't believe you married him...

lee doesn't bother sending any congratulations, doesn't even like your pictures on social media. the next time she texts you she blames it on work, and thoroughly avoids talking about baxter

you better hope miranda and derek don't see it.

derek was certainly the most peaceful when the break up happened, but he would definitely unblock you just to tell you how disappointed he is and he definitely cusses at you.

""i can't believe we were ever friends.""

terry is angry too, but he cries more than anything

he misses having all of you together, this just reopens the wound of how things turned out...

if and when cove finally sees or hears the news, if this happened soon after your breakup he would lose his shit.

if you elope soon after breaking up: it takes everything for him not to throw his phone.

he definitely goes to the gym for a bit to work out some energy. he's so sad but most of all he's angry

that should've been you getting married but you're with him instead.

if you elope later after breaking up: it hurts for awhile. but it doesn't tear him up as long as it did when you broke up

but the first night he does look at your smiling face and he misses you.

in the morning he's talking to his dad and he does realize that its better like this

that you just decided that baxter had everything you needed, and its not cove's fault

he hopes you're happy with yourself

unfortunately, this isn't a bad bone in cove's body to wish you ill.

but he does hope you aren't as happy with baxter as you were with him <3

if he runs into you for any reason, maybe because your moms finally let you come over or you happen to be in town or something

cove smiles at you...

it's unsettling

especially since this is the first time you've seen him since the breakup and its been years

you start talking a bit, you with very big eyes and a shaky voice

cove used to be so sensitive but now that he's in front of you again he seems so unaffected...

"y/n." "y-yes?" your heart is jumping in your chest... "i hope you're happy now." you pause, looking down and twisting your wedding band on your finger. "i dont know... some days i'm happy enough, but most days i.. i think about the what if's...." cove nods. somehow he feels satisfied hearing that, but he'd never admit it. "well i hope you can get over it, you made your decision so you need to make it work. goodbye y/n..."

in the end cove is so much stronger, of course he's still vulnerable with people, he's still a crybaby but the walls he's built around himself are high and it took a lot of therapy for him to get over the betrayal

when cove does start dating again and if he gets married especially, your mom's are in the pictures...

he looks so happy, so does cliff and kyra

if your mom's are in the pictures, especially the wedding pictures, it saddens you because you have no pictures of your family with baxter, it doesn't matter how many years go by.

hopefully you're happy with your decision <3

[astralwaifu]

𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Synopsis: the eras of Kunikuzushi as sad songs from my playlist. In honour of Kuni’s banner and in hope he will come home 💞

TW: mentions of death in Kabukimono’s part also Scara is kinda shitty; not proofread and it’s like 1 am.

Featured: Kabukimono, Scaramouche, Wanderer

-Kabukimono - The Night We Met by Lord Huron

“When you had not touched me yet

Oh, take me back to the night we met

I had all and then most of you

Some and now none of you”

The lone puppet wondered back and forth throughout the islands of Inazuma in search of a certain something. A semblance of the home he lost not long ago. Maybe someone to remind him of his friends, the people that took him in as their own. For a short time he thought he found that thing in the home of the little sickly boy he started to care for alongside you. It was as if the empty space where his heart should have been was once again filled: he had both of you next to him and there was no thing in the entire world that could come close to that. But his happiness was short-lived. You were gone and the boy was too, just as Niwa and the others.

At first, he started praying to any archon that might listen to him, to his creator even, to get to meet you all once again, to be taken back in time for a couple seconds just to feel the touch of your warm skin on his cold one for the first time. But to his avail, no answer was received. And as much as it hurt him, the first betrayals he was bound to experience, as much as he swore to never feel human emotion once again, Kabukimono couldn’t help the tears that spilled out of his eyes - big and bright as his soul once was. For a moment he had everything he ever wished for, a family to love him and a home to come back to everytime. Yet he lost everything at an agonising pace.

Now he was bound to roam the cold and dark roads of Teyvat again. As he should have been since the moment his creator abandoned him, ever since you decided to love the “worthless puppet”.

-Scaramouche - vampire by Olivia Rodrigo

“You said it was true love, but wouldn't that be hard?

You can't love anyone 'cause that would mean you had a heart

I tried to help you out, now I know that I can't

'Cause how you think's the kind of thing I'll never understand”

Could you even grasp how annoying you were right now? Not to mention weak and pathetic. Scaramouche rolled his eyes and scoffed at you. What were you crying for even? Did you really thought you had a chance to be a god’s lover, to get to hold him and live your stupid “happily ever after” next to him. Maybe in a cottage by the sea too. The thought of that made The Balladeer laugh, deep and malicious. You really were as stupid as any human was. You were just a pawn in his plan, a mere fly in the great scheme of everything. How could he truly love you?

You on the other hand, did care for the puppet. You saw something in him, something beyond the walls he built throughout his long and brutal life. You were just about to break through them. Maybe he was scared to be vulnerable?… Maybe he tried to push you away?… Maybe he was always like this: ruthless and brash, insensitive to what being a human meant. Maybe you were just blinded by pure adoration, manipulated by him.

Choking on your tears you started to scream at him. Everything you held back until them came out like a storm. All his empty promises and meaningless words, all like knives thrown back at him. How could he love someone? you screamed at him as he was leaving. That would be impossible since it would mean he ever had a heart. At those words, Scaramouche stopped in his tracks but made no effort to turn around. He kept walking, although he was feeling a strange pang in the place where his heart should have been.

-Wanderer - What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish

“Think I forgot, how to be happy

Something I'm not, but something I can be

Something I wait for

Something I'm made for”

Wanderer adjusted the shining vision down his chest. As he pressed it to the missing place of his heart, the jewel gleamed slightly. A sigh escaped his lips. Was the life as Nahida’s prisoner even that bad? He had the chance to start over again, to try to pay for his sins, for the crimes he committed and the hurt he caused. For the first time in forever he could be truly happy.

If he thought like that then why did his chest feel heavy? Why did the feeling of sinking away didn’t go away? Right. He hasn’t been happy in a long time. Maybe never if he really thinks about it.

He didn’t want to hurt you. You who smiled so warmly at him, you who never took to heart his mean words and sarcastic answers. You who bickered with him and forced him to take care of himself even if he was a puppet and pain was not something he could feel. At least the physical one. How could he bring you to ruin like he did to everyone around him?

Nahida told him to give the both of you a chance, to try to be better. Better for you would mean human and that was something he wasn’t. He wasn’t made to be able to settle down and love and live peacefully, wasn’t he? He was meant for the gnosis, for a greater destiny, for …

As he looks at you that so excitedly greets him, he thinks that maybe the answer is you. As long as he is something worth waiting and fighting for in your eyes, he could be something made for you.