#ESPECIALLY Carol man no wonder i liked her so much

[bat-the-misfit]

ok but i can't help but feel like the 👑 prince 👑 pretty much HATED playing my fave chara

like EVERYONE in the cast talked about their characters at some point or took a pic with other actor (which is also a way of saying "hey look i'm in the cast!!")

but not only he waited until the last day to say smth but also he said some really stupid and vague things about him like he was bothered to talk about it

i bet he only accepted this role as a way to start his carreer as an actor just to be more famous, bc it's obvious how much uninsterested he is in playing him

[allmuddy-a]

“because you’re the closest thing to me i’ve ever met. the moment i learned of your existence, of the first manifestation of your power, i above everyone else understood what you were going through! you can’t be touched because your mutant ability prevents human contact, i can’t be “touched” because i’m not really “me”, i have been so many people, lived so many lives in so many shapes, that even I feel like i’ve lost track of who i really am ...”  Mystique to Rogue. 

and I KNOW this is standard rogue meta material but i’m rereading bits (since there is so much to go through but god I love Xmen <3) and? this gets me every time it does because not only is it the whole I can’t have physical contact without zapping them of their memories and basically their life it’s now I have to carry every piece of them with me ON TOP of the ones I already have and everything gets all muddy and it’s hard to sift through what’s part of her life and what’s part of someone else’s you know??? she can’t remember large chunks of who she is because she ends up being everyone else, similar to the way mystique ends up becoming other people 

[eddiethebrave]

secret admirer part eleven

922 words

one two three four five six seven eight nine ten

Tuesday and Wednesday go much the same. Steve doesn’t watch Eddie at lunch anymore. 

That’s where Eddie does most of his staring, though. Steve wonders if Eddie felt like this knowing Steve was watching him. He hopes not. He feels like he’s on fire. In a bad way. 

He can’t help himself but go over everything he did, trying to find where he gave himself away, but he comes up blank. Anything he shared about himself in the notes could’ve been from anyone. 

He didn’t hint at it whenever he actually spoke to Eddie, either. 

The only thing he can think of is that he delivered the notes at the same time every day, barring the one time he was late. Eddie must’ve figured it out; saw him one morning. But he thought of that beforehand, too! The only door unlocked then is the gym door because no other sports or clubs meet that early. If Eddie were there, someone would have seen him. 

Then there’s art class. Steve gets whiplash from all the staring at lunch to business as usual in class; Eddie acts like nothing is out of the ordinary. That is to say, they hardly speak to one another, but when they do they’re friendly. 

Come Thursday. Carol is out sick so Steve has no distraction from the boy next to him. He can’t even try to convince himself he isn’t tuned into Eddie’s every movement. 

That day, the worst thing that could possibly happen, happens.

“Next to you, you’ll find your partner for this month's project. Go ahead and get acquainted, you’ll be spending a lot of time with one another.” 

The person on Eddie‘s left turns away from him to pair up with the person on their other side and Steve's stomach drops. He waits for Eddie to request a new partner, but he just drums his pencil on the table noncommittally. 

Steve would just put them both out of their misery and ask the teacher if he can wait until Carol returns to school, but he doesn’t want Eddie to think he minds being partnered with him, especially if Eddie isn’t going to be the one to interject. 

Steve has no reason to be upset with Eddie and, loath he is to admit it, he’d take any chance to be around him. Even now that he knows Eddie doesn’t want him in the same way. 

That’s another thing that’s been nagging him. Eddie was fine with H before he knew it was Steve - liked him even. Then the staring happened and he took off the ring. 

There’s only one explanation: Eddie doesn’t like Steve. 

You’d never guess it, though, not with the way he turns to him and grins. “Well, would ya look at that.”

Steve smiles hesitantly. “Hey, man.”

The teacher claps her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, alright.” Once everyone has quieted down, she hands each of those in the front row a stack of paper to distribute to their respective columns. 

“This is the project outline. In a moment, I’ll dismiss you to read through it with your partner. After you’ve done that, you’ll notice there is a brainstorm worksheet on the last page. Now, you only need to complete one of these for the both of you…”

Once she’s done giving directions, Eddie turns to Steve. “Do you wanna read or should I? Or separately?”

Steve doesn’t even have to think about the answer. “You.” There’s not really an option there. Not only does he get to hear Eddie’s voice for a prolonged amount of time, but he doesn’t have to stutter his way through reading, or watch as the words seem to evade him? Yeah, Eddie can read; no hesitation.

Eddie nods and clears his throat before starting. Steve reads along on his paper, and finds it much easier than if he’d had to read it on his own. 

The concept is pretty straight-forward. They’ll each have to make a portrait of themselves and the other, collaborating orally while not seeing the other’s work. Even when they’re finished, they have to turn in the projects without the other seeing. There will be an exhibit in three weeks before they go on spring break where all of the portraits will be displayed.

When Eddie’s finished, they flip to the worksheet. “Okay,” Steve says, “I’ll write since you read.”

Eddie hums his approval and they get started. 

At the end of the hour, the teacher tells them to hang onto their packets and take a moment to schedule time outside of school to meet. There will only be one day a week dedicated to the project at school.

Steve clears his throat. “So, I- uh, I’m free most days. When works best for you?”

Eddie tilts his head to the side. “What, no court activities? Responsibilities?”

Steve hesitates. “You mean basketball? I mean, we practice in the mornings and there’s a game next week, but other than that…” Steve trails off once he catches sight of Eddie’s amused look. “What?” He asks, immediately self-conscious.

Eddie waves him off. “Nothing, nothing.” Steve frowns but Eddie keeps talking. “How about Mondays and Wednesdays, right after school?”

Steve chews on his lip before nodding. “Yeah. Where are we meeting?”

Eddie thinks for a moment, drumming his pencil on the desk again. “Uhh, how about we decide that during class those days?”

“Sounds good.” Steve holds up their project outline/brainstorm worksheet. “I’ll just hang onto this.”

Eddie chuckles. “Honestly, man, that’s probably for the best.”

twelve

tag list (closed)

@sofadofax @noodle-shenaniganery @queenie-ofthe-void @friendlyneighborhoodgaycousin @devondespresso

@dreamingtheimpossibe @plutoshelm @jaywhohasthegay @scarlet-malfoy @hotluncheddie

@dreamy-jeans137 @justdrugsformethanks @estrellami-1 @travelingtwentysomething @sleepy-steve

@wheneverfeasible @bisexual-and-broke @lil-gremlin-things @n0-1-important @xxbottlecapx

@tinyplanet95 @dannys-guilt-ridden-cockroach @theohohmoment @corvus-perplexus @hippieg1rl420

@blurryjoji @bookbinderbitch @arthurianace @dragonmama76 @thesuninyaface

@tillystealeaves @p0lybl4nkk @sageclipse @mugloversonly @chameleonhair

@thedragonsaunt @yesdangerpls @sanctumdemunson @slv-333 @loguine-linguine

@resident-gay-bitch @anaibis @moomkin77 @thrashbatx @salchica

@flustratedcas @ajeff855 @nerdyglassescheeseychick @pearynice @imaginary-maggie-waggie

sorry if i missed anyone!!

[the-dixon-effect]

Daryl Dixon - idiots in love headcanons

Daryl's never known anybody like you before. for the first time, a person has chosen him. you can make him feel loved just by talking to him, Hell, you can make him glow just by standing in the same room.

he thinks you're so beautiful. if love at first sight exists, which firmly believed it didn't before he met you, then this apocalypse was the best damn thing that ever happened to him.

it took Daryl a considerably long time for him to realise that his uncharacteristically affectionate feelings were love.

before Daryl realised he was in love, his brother used to constantly tease him about the way he was looking at you. he didn't even know he was doing it - "Whatchu givin' that girl puppy-dog eyes for, lil' bro?"

you two were definitely best friends before he confessed his love for you. you grew close during the prison era, and you were the first person whom he let his guard down in front of.

he can't stand to be apart from you. "If she dun' love me back, I can either be her friend or drive a thousan' miles west, an' never see y'all again," he had told Carol once.

his eyes inadvertently follow your movements, as if his subconscious felt like he needed to protect you.

everything somehow always comes back to you. a piece of jewellery he found on a run? Y/N would love that. the heating system in her house at alexandria's broken? he's fixing it tonight. in the meantime, he's at your door delivering a pile of woollen blankets. he spots a deer outside the walls? he's tracking it for days because he knows you love venison.

you love the way Daryl always steps into a situation to protect you. especially if it's another guy bothering you. he gets jealous so easily, and he doesn't even know it, like defending you is instinctual.

God forbid another man lays his hands on you. that motherfucker is already dead before you can object in the slightest.

Daryl is the only man you trust to talk about your issues with. he'd never pass up an opportunity to listen to your voice, but some of the things you tell him break his heart like nothing's ever done before.

you'll sweetly ask if he'd just hold you. and he wraps you up in his big arms and lets you cry softly into his chest while he places a hand in the back of your hair. rubbing sweet circles into the back of your neck. nothing could make you feel safer than Daryl's embrace.

after countless intimate moments like these, you start to wonder if he's like this around anyone else. surprise, surprise: he doesn't. and a part of him wishes you knew.

oh, but how much you adore him. you wonder if he knows how pretty he is; and how much you want to show him. his unkempt chocolate waves that perfectly frame his face, how much you'd like to tangle your fingers in them and kiss him all over.

you feel as though you owe him for all the times you've cried into his large, comforting figure. he occasionally brings up his past, his brother, his parents, and how much you want him to let it out. to hold him and wipe his tears away while you press soft kisses over his eyelids and cheekbones.

maybe one day, underneath some lucky constellations, you'd let each other.

taglist: @alldevilsarehere90 @poisonmenegan @radcollectivesoul @emilykolchivans @pinchoftheoutsiders

[cod-dump]

*Several years ago*

Soap's much older sister driving him somewhere after a bad break-up: FUCK MEN Young, impressionable teen!Soap: Uh- I mean if you say so...

I just had this thought and it was such a funny mental image. He says that out loud and she just whacks him. Not cause she just realized her little bro is gay, no because he's being a smartass and she's angry

Years later, he brings his first boyfriend home (someone he dated in the early years of his military career). His sister knew since that night he's gay, or at least into men, but hasn't said anything cause it isn't her place. She wonders if he remembers the interaction...

They don't talk about it, especially not when Soap comes home a few months later saying "it wasn't going to work out, anyways" when asked where his partner was. Soap and his sis don't bring that up for years again.

Not until Soap proudly shows off one Simon Riley.

Soap standing next to his sister and being like "Fuck men, am I right?"

And she just looses it. And of course hits him for good measure.

Eve MacTavish had bad luck when it came to dating, and often enough her little brother would be the one to hear her rant.

He was a good listener and Eve knew if she tried talking to their parents about it… they mean well but they could be very protective. Carol actually has a good relationship and Eve didn’t want to bother her with the woes of her failed relationships. And Andy? Don’t get her started on the youngest sister.

So the youngest of the MacTavish family seemed to be the only person she could turn to. Eve hoped that she would be able to make him at least a good boyfriend for whatever girl that ended up with him. Hoped that she could help make him a respectable young man. But years would go by without Johnny even mentioning liking a girl.

Then-

“This is Simon. He’s, uh, my boyfriend,” Johnny nervously introduced the young man who Eve would recognize to live across the street from them.

Their parents loved him. Later that night, after their parents would be bombarding Simon with embarrassing pictures and silly stories of Johnny, Johnny pulled Eve aside and muttered to her.

“You said fuck men, right?”

Eve couldn’t help but laugh, Johnny looking at her with a small smirk.

“Not what I meant!”

Johnny giggles, “It’s what I meant, though.”

Ugh, what a dork.

[crismakesstuff]

so from what ive been seeing in the show so far it seems they’re gonna pair off paul with debbie and here’s why I don’t rly like it

btw in case anyone is wondering yes this happened in the comic and here’s comic paul vs show paul for comparasion

(At least they wont have debbie fucking a hospice patient in this)

while im normally all for “yes girl get that dick” in terms of Debbie’s character it just seems ,, cheapening to chain her to another man to show she’s “whole” now. Debbie as a character/person has little to nothing to gain out of this relationship realistically. Women can live without “needing”a relationship to make them complete. Especially after what she’s gone through, like thats a 20 year relationship its gonna leave emotional scars.

Also the show seems to have this AVERSION to giving debbie actual female friends for longer than 1 scene at a time. Like im happy she has Art as a friend but she needs a woman in her life. Like I loved the scene with Olga at the start of s2 and the interaction w Carol of the SOS group but! Olga went back to Moscow and debbie can’t return to the group of bc of alana’s ugly ass ex husband. Like if they MUST pair her off with Paul just like the comic at least idk show that her past trauma is affecting her? Show her being messy and making mistakes or even Paul pointing out like “hey I don’t think you’re in the headspace for this” and breaking it off

Maybe then have debbie realize she’s better off single and begins to focus more on herself now! She could get a good friend group (or at least one female bestie pls) and in that stability of being single and with more immediate support in new friends! Show her taking up new hobbies to occupy her time outside of her job and enjoying life without ‘needing’ a partner, no characters growth should be dependent on a romantic partner!

It will make whenever nolan drags his sorry ass back to earth to see her that much more hard hitting because she doesn’t need him, he needs her. it’ll add so much more depth and struggle to him just trying to regain her trust and then if the show does do them getting back together it’ll actually feel more earned instead of happening off screen which I hated.

Also bc in the comic debbie breaks it off with paul bc after she sees nolan again she says “it didnt feel right being with paul anymore” like,, its so bs. Comic debbie has no self respect.

Ok thats all bye bye

[missmarveledsblog]

Worthy ( Daryl Dixon x reader )

summary : daryl is head over  heel  , down bad for y/n  but he find that he's unworthy so he's spent years not telling her how he felt and yet is blind to the woman's love for him yet she scared thinking he wont til their friends have enough and try get the two to an overdue confession 

warning : none fluffy  i guess and mutual idiots in love  slight misunderstanding 

If the world before and after walkers told him anything it he wasn't worthy of anything so good and pure as the woman he watched talking animatedly about something she was happy about. The way the sun itself wasn't as bright or warm as the smile that graced her lips . The way her eyes could turn the coldest of hearts to absolute mush . the way her voice was the most heavenly sound his ears had ever felt grace them . No he didn't deserve a woman as good and amazing as her or so he would constantly justify to himself so he didn't have to express his feelings to said woman . she was most beautiful woman he ever met and it didn't help she was bad ass or that she could handle herself against just as well as he could . It didn't help she was kind and caring making sure everyone around her was ok and safe looked after. It certainly didn't help she was occupying his mind more and more as time passed. Boy he was in so bad and so deep that nothing could tear him out of the vision of a woman she was. The littlest things would send his stomach into a flutter like a school boy , how gentle she was with him knowing not to be so overbearing but still stern especially when she felt he was ignoring his own wellbeing . His own friends have noticed it to which was a nightmare in itself . carol and rick constantly trying to get him to confess his feelings which would result in his scoffing and walking off . in all the self doubt and longing he was completely blind to what was in front of him.

She watched him work on his bike that strength in his muscle toned arms as the sun was beating down . ones that have save her ass and others so many times she'd lost count. The way his eyes locked on the task at hand , those damned eyes that made her heart beat faster and her tummy feel warm . those eyes that held so much emotion and love that he wouldn't say out loud to his friends but still the man showed in his own way . the little smile she would get off of him that made her day so much better not that he would ever know that . behind the rough and gruff exterior was a caring soft sweetheart that did his upmost best to keep everyone safe and sound . behind the walls he built up was the most loyal man behind then scared to let people close. She wanted to slap him silly everytime he would put himself down try play it off as a joke . Even the kids loved him and he was an absolute teddy bear to them it was the adult he would grunt and grumble at not her though she already sassed him enough to let him even try. She wondered if he would ever go for someone like her or did he find her annoying and only put up with her cause he had to . it wasn't missed on those around her that she had fallen head over heels for the archer. It wasn't hard not to he was everything and more than she could want yet she couldn't utter a single word of it in front of the man . she tried many times before and it came out all different or he just was being nice about it . she would try flirt but the man would answer like he was talking to rick or carol . " you should be more direct" carol advised her one of the times she was left defeated over her attempts. " what crawl the man like a the tree he is" she asked shaking her head and walking off from the laughing woman .

The original group meet up one they held at the end of the week each week someone else would host and this time it was carol and daryl's turn to host. " someone cleaned up is because of certain someone is gonna come over" carol teased as she began placing snacks out on the table. " place was a mess is all" he grumbled before heading somewhere else to get his skin to cool down only when he opened the front door there she was holding a bottle of whiskey in her damned angel hands . " hey erm no one ere yet" he coughed wondering why his voice kept cracking. " oh carol didn't tell you i was coming over help set up" she smiled softly handing over the bottle . " a little something that will help us get through it" she giggled as he turned to the side to let her in only the noise that followed was his back door closing . " oh wow quite a spread and candles are nice touch" her voice called . when he looked out the front he could see carol running towards ricks where they all stood looking directly at him . " assholes" he sighed closing the door knowing he'd been set up by his closet friends. " what?" she called. " nothin just erm make yerself comfortable" he hummed shutting the door wondering how he was going to explain this one . he had to right she was going to notice when their friends don't show and he'd look like either a creep for setting her up or a loner who's friends stood him up . " so what can i do to help although i think you got it covered" she gestured to the table filled with food and two candles centred in the middle. " i think carol did all this , their all in ricks" he began as her face dropped and her head lowered. " shit sorry i mean i didn't think she would go this far but oh my god this is embarrassing i mean she said be direct but this is just bordering on cruel for me " she began to rambled. " cruel for you?" he asked completely confused. " well i kinda like you i mean not kinda I do alot and i know you don't feel same don't worry but for her to do this jesus" she felt her words flying out her mouth at rapid speed . Yet he was silent completely trying to digest the fact the woman of his dreams liked him like actually liked him . She felt her own cheeks firing up and her eyes widen at her rushed confession , the lack of response made her want the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She felt her heart fall from her chest into her stomach needed to be out of there as quick as her feet could take her knowing it was all too much and that was what snapped him from his shock was the front door slamming standing wondering what the fuck just happened and how quick it all happened . he took the whiskey and sat replaying the event in his head. She liked him , she said as much and then she left ran out of the house like it was infested . she liked him and yet he was sitting their alone drinking the whiskey she brought alone. " what the hell happened y/n ran out here like bat out of hell" carol ran in panting . " she knew you set us up , she rambled on that she liked me then she was gone" he took a swig of the bottle. " what did you say after she said she liked you" . " nothing i was trying to process the fact a woman as good as her could like someone like me" he took another swig. " ok what did she say think" carol pinched the bridge of her nose knowing it was something. "She said " well she said she kinda like me then it was alot and .... Shit" his eyes widened realising like he fell back to earth . " she doesn't think you like her back and you were too stuck on fact she likes you so you didn't say anything am i right here" she asked only for him to nod . " jesus she thinks she right and know she probably beating herself up idiot go talk to her" she pulled him off the chair not even bothering to hear him argue on it and he wasn't going to no this was the push he needed knowing it was his stupid brain's fault for not even picking it up.

She felt her stomach turn every time she replayed it over , her rambling confessing and his silence . she didn't need for him to tell her hell she was happier with the silent rejection even thought it hurt like hell. She took the bottle and sat down her sofa ready to drown her sorrows although she hoped no more tears as her eyes hurt like hell . she barely had the bottle open when the banging on the door started it was fast and hard , the kind that told her danger was about so when she opened the door knife in hand surprised to see just daryl arms raised and panting from the short run over. " i need to talk to ya can ya put the blade down" he said already pushing his way in . " look daryl let forget it all ok , yeah it sucks but with space with can be friends and i frankly don't wan.." she began to ramble only for him to place his palm against her mouth. " ok one i don't want to forget it i don't know why a woman like you could like someone like me an if i had any kind of brain i would walk away and let you live yer life because being with a guy like me aint something you deserve, your good and pure and badass all things that i could never be" he felt her palm over his own mouth making him chuckle a little more when he finally looked at her face , the tear stained cheeks and red puffy eyes it broke his heart completely . " You're good to daryl i don't know why well you think your this defective being unworthy of people loving you because you out of anyone deserves it the most" she said softly hand on his cheek as he leaned into the feeling of her soft skin on his . " see that's just you , i've done things .." . " we all have done things we are not proud of to survive in this shit show of a world before and after walkers walked the earth but we didn't do it for selfish reasons , we did it to survive so you need to forgive yourself" she said softer then he's ever heard her voice and yet he believed every single word , he felt every doubt melting away that he had of himself in a single sentence. " i like ya , i more than like ya and i have since that day you came back with rick and glenn" his lips twirled . " you could of said something earlier asshole" she shook her head but he could see her smile matching his own. " well you make my brain not work sometimes and knowing you liked me made it all fuzzy like i was in a dream and i was waiting wake up or somethin" he pressed his forehead against her lips ghosting,all it took was an a slight movement. Her eyes locked with his , those eyes he could look into forever and never get bored and with a deep breath he closed his own and moved placing his lips on hers doing what he wished he did for almost a decade or more . something he was now kicking himself for not doing all that time . it was unlike any kiss he'd had in all his life , it felt like the most perfect and natural thing to be doing yet the most addictive and exhilarating thing he's ever done in all his life of living. Pulling back they both had a dopey grin on their faces like teenage crushes finally confessing or having their first ever kiss . " if it wasn't clear i love ya darlin" he finally said a surge of bravery he lift her bridal style towards the sofa placing her on his lap lip locking with hers like he was making up for lost time all in that moment and every moment that was too come . every kiss and touch made him feel like , cemented the fact he was worthy of love , he was worthy of her love . 

[retroellie]

Last Night

Summary: After a hot and heavy night with Daryl for the first time, you start to confuse your feelings and start to wonder if he feels the same

A/N: This is messy but i literally wrote it like 4 times because it kept deleting so hey :). It's also not proof read so it might be filled with issues but oh well, life has been taking it out of me recently and writing is the last thing i want to do. But enjoy yall :))

Warnings: Mentions of smut

Word count: 4.1K

“Morning.” You said to the group of girls that gathered in the kitchen.

Michonne, Maggie, Rosita and carol were scattered around the kitchen, watching as you made your way to the fridge. You opened the fridge, looking inside to see if they had left some breakfast for you or if you could at least find something to fill you up. You were starved, stomach rumbling as you looked through the fridge.

You were out of it, not aware of the eyes tied to your back and the whispers that erupted from the girls. You were too busy still recovering from the night before, the night you had with Daryl. It was such a random thing that happened, you just remember walking home from the party and then next thing you know Daryl is deep inside you telling you how good you were for him. It was something everyone knew was coming and honestly some of the people of the new town YALL were in were surprised you guys weren’t a couple.

You thought no one had heard, you thought you were quiet enough and Daryl was sneaky when he snuck out of your room this morning. You thought you were secretive about this new relationship or hook up or whatever Daryl saw you as, but boy were you wrong. You had finally found some leftover fruit from the girls breakfast they had made, you took some and shoved it into your mouth… starved was an understatement.

“So y/n, how was the pull out?” Michonne asked, causing you to damn near choke on your food. Suddenly you felt a wave of shock course through your veins.

“What?!?” You exclaimed, it took you off guard. You were suddenly back in bed with Daryl, watching as he came deep inside of you…. You could still feel him.

You turned to face the girls, seeing how all of them were looking at you with huge smiles. You knew they knew, you weren’t quite sure how they couldn’t have known especially with that question.

“The pull out couch? How was it?” Michonne explained, a shit eating grin on her face.

You relaxed a little, thinking that maybe they didn’t know. Maybe they were laughing at your behavior from the question, how you choked on the grape stuffed in your mouth. You allowed yourself to sink into the counter as you leaned against it, popping some fruit in your mouth heat and there.

“Oh!!” You laughed. “Yeah it was okay, best sleep I’ve had in a while.”

You did everything but sleep last night, just the thought of Daryl having you in literally every single position made you blush. You never knew a man could make you feel like this, like a teenage girl around a boy for the first time. It was silly but you couldn’t get him out of your head, the way his hands so gently touched you but yet he was so rough.

It had been a long time coming and everyone knew it, on the road yall were always with each other and most of the time you would be flirting with him. It was all jokes at first, you would say some pick up line and Daryl would laugh it off and act like he was annoyed by it. Then you actually started to feel things for him so the words you spoke were true, Daryl just didn’t understand what you felt. He would never believe a girl like you would actually fall in love with him.

“It didn’t sound like you slept much last night.” Carol laughed, you felt like you were the center of a joke right now but you didn’t know what that joke was.

You knew they knew by that sentence but you were embarrassed by the fact they knew, were you that loud? You tried to be quiet but Daryl was too rough and the pull out couch was extremely squeaky. The blush on your face became more prominent now as you scanned the group of girls. They were all giving you such devilish smirks, smirks that mean teenage girls would give you after making fun of you for something that never really mattered.

“What do you mean!?? All I did was sleep, an actual good sleep.” You were getting slightly defensive, they could all tell by the way you were using your hands to speak. Michonne walked over to the sink next to you and placed her dishes in it, then settled herself to lean against it.

“Well the hickeys on your neck say differently.” Michonne jokes, reaching a hand out to move your hair, revealing the light purple and blue marks spread across your skin.

Your heart dropped, reaching up to your neck as you looked at michonne with horror. You had told Daryl not to give you hickeys at least in not places people could see, but Daryl loved marking you up and he wanted it to be known you were his. That’s how all of this started, how you ended up getting fucked by him. Simply because people couldn’t keep their hands off what was his, even if it wasn’t his yet.

“Damn it!” You let out, picking up the closest reflective surface which was toasted and examined your marks. They were prominent and loud, you couldn’t believe that asshole did it anyways. The girls laughed, your reaction causing them to not be able to hold in their laughter anymore.

“Besides, Rosita saw Daryl sneaking out of your room this morning and well… we all heard you.” Michonne added through her laughs.

Your heart dropped even more, the embarrassment of them all knowing was making your face heat up so much you thought your nose would bleed. You thought you were quiet but Daryl was all up in your guts so how could you? You were literally molded into the bed by the end of the night, soaked with sweat and Daryl’s cum… your last thought was being quiet. You damn near threw down the toaster, whipping your head to look at them.

“You guys can’t tell anyone! I’m serious, I’m not sure if this was something or just a hookup so I don’t want him thinking I’m telling everyone.” You pleaded pathetically, you would hate for Daryl to not want anything more than a hookup but you think he wanted something more.

“Y/n you're either blind or just stupid.” Maggie said bluntly. You were taken back by it, you always loved her for her bluntness but right now you didn’t need any of it, or did you? Maybe you did need sense slapped into you. “Daryl is in love with you, I mean it’s so obvious he does… we all know. Plus he gave you hickeys, so obviously he wants people to know.”

You did think it was odd he would mark you up, I mean he was always careful so it was no accident. But maybe you felt too good to him, he hadn’t fucked anyone in a bit so maybe he was just too high in the clouds to realize he was giving you hickeys. Hickeys or not, you couldn’t deny how he acted around you. He would literally put his life on the line for you, even if you wanted him too or not. All the girls knew his feelings for you, even if he never said anything.

“I just want to know how it happened and I want details.” Rosita butted in, elbows on the island counter waiting for your answer before she even got it out.

“I have no idea…” you admitted, trying to get your thoughts in order as you tried to replay the events following Daryl ruining you. “I was walking home from the party last night and I saw Daryl. We started talking but something seemed off so I pushed him to tell me. He snapped at me and told me he saw Spencer flirting with me . I guess he didn’t like it so he didn’t even go to the party. I tried to defend myself but next thing I knew his tongue was down my throat… oh my god.” You drifted off, slowly realizing that Daryl wasn’t being protective of you, no… he was being jealous because Spencer tried to make a move on something he felt was his.

“Daryl Dixon has feelings for me.”

You ran a hand through your hair, slowly going insane about the fact that Daryl Dixon liked you… no, he was in love with you. The girls laughed once more, not making fun of you but relieved that you had finally gotten it in your head. You were losing your mind, trying to keep yourself together but honestly you just wanted to run away, you wanted to run to daryl and ask what the fuck that was last night.

Carol chuckled, making her way over to you and presented a box to you. You looked up at her then down at the box, you had no idea what was in it but you hoped it was the way out of this hell hole.

“Well I have some errands to run.” Carol stated, handing you the box. “So why don’t you hand this to your new boyfriend for me, huh?”

She smiled at you as you grabbed the box before making her way to the other room. Michonne did the same, patting you on the shoulder before giving you a comforting smile walking past you and into the same room as Carol. You were left there losing your mind, the thoughts and the moments before that were pretty obvious Daryl liked you. You guys were close and honestly it was surprising it didn’t happen earlier. You would flirt with Daryl all the time, he always acted like he hated it but he loved it… it did things to him. It started off innocent enough but it turned into much more.

“So was it good?” Rosita asked, pulling you out of your thoughts.

You looked at her as she eagerly awaited your answer. You gave her a look, squinting your eyes at her as you took the box and ran upstairs. You spent the rest of the morning trying to get the courage to talk to Daryl, why was this so hard all of a sudden? You wanted him so bad but would he even want you back? I mean the way he was with you last night, was that a hint of him wanting it to be more? You recalled the night before, leaving a dull ache within you.

“Been waiting for this for so long… wanting to fuck you since I met you.” He moaned into your ear as he rammed deeply into you.

-

You creeped your way into the garage, the box Carol had given you in your hands as his back was turned to you. He had been working on a bike that Aaron had given him the task to work on, it was the only thing he enjoyed about this place. It wasn’t much yet, just a seat and handlebars but it was the start of something for him. You watched him for a bit, watching as his arms tensed up. You couldn’t get the images of last night out of your head, how he touched you and how he made you feel.

You were so out of it that you accidentally knocked over a tool, causing Daryl to turn around. He was ready to pounce on whoever was interrupting his bike building time but then he turned around to see you, which made his heart melt. You were standing there, box in hand and a look of surprise written on your face. Daryl smiled at you, wiping his hands on the rag that laid over his shoulder.

“Hey.” He said, watching as your face lit up.

“Hey…” you said back.

It was awkward to say the least, not 10 hours ago was Daryl fucking you into the bed and you were letting out fithly moans. Only you found it awkward though, Daryl fucked you for a reason and he wasn’t going to fuck and leave. He knew what he wanted, he wanted you and he’s always have but you didn’t know that. He never made it clear to you so you had no idea, you weren’t a mind reader after all. You saw his eyes look down at the box, confused as to what was inside.

“Oh um, Carol told me to give this to you.” You said, walking over and handing him the box. He grabbed it, looking down at it and then back at you.

You stood there smiling, watching as he peeked into it and then set it down. He had no interest in it, he was only focused on you. He wanted to talk about the night before, he wanted to talk about how he feels and how he would love to take you out sometime, on a real date. But you decided you couldn’t talk to him, you were too embarrassed and so weirded out by the fact he had feelings for you. It wasn’t a bad weirdo, it was just new.Daryl leaned against the table, hands setting on it to keep him balanced.

“Okay well… you look busy, I’ll let you get black to it!” You said awkwardly, turning around on your heels to leave the garage.

“Hey, wait!” He spoke, causing you to flinch slightly.

“Why ya being so quiet?” He asked, not sure what to say but he wanted you to stay.

The night before meant everything to Daryl, it meant that you cared about him even if it was slightly. He started to believe that maybe it was just a one thing for you, that maybe you felt bad about his little tantrum, so you gave in. The thought caused a lump in his throat to form.

“You starting to regret it?” He continued, biting his lip nervously.

You wouldn’t say you regretted it, no you didn’t point blank period. But if what Carol said about Daryl was true than it was completely different, you wanted it so desperately, but did he want it? And honestly you were way too scared to ask him, whether it was because of your fear or rejection, or you didn’t want your heart broken by Daryl Dixon.

“No! Of course not!” You said defensively.

That made Daryl feel a bit better, allowing himself to sink into his sink once again and let out a long silent sigh. He’s been on the tip of his toes all day wanting to come see you but his fear was also holding him back. You both were far too scared and far too paranoid to tell each other, but god you wanted too bad.

You sighed, letting your walls down once again like you did last night. You turned back to him, stepping closer to him until you were standing right in front of him. He was leaning on the table behind him, hands gripping onto the table as he tried not to reach out and touch you. You reached up to the buttons on his shirt, fiddling with one of them as your eyes lingered on his chest.

“I just…” you sighed, cutting off your sentence as you collected your words. “I really like you, like really really like you and well Carol and all of them saw you sneaking out of my room last night. They had this big talk to me about how you feel the same way… I don’t know, I guess I’m freaking out.”

You were still playing with the button on his shirt, eyes watching as his chest heaved up and down than a sharp inhale as he chuckled. He couldn’t help but laugh at your words, but it was even funnier that you couldn’t even make eye contact with him. He thought it was cute, maybe even got him a little riled up. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from your hands that were popping his button in and out of the buttonhole, something you did often when you talked to Daryl. It was kind of a flirty thing at first but became something that could calm your nerves easily, Daryl was happy to allow you. Daryl lifted his hand up to your chin, lifting your eyes to look up at him.

The nervousness ceased as you looked into his eyes, his icy blue eyes boring into yours as you got lost in them. You didn’t know whether to reach up and kiss him or get down on your knees, take him into your mouth and call it a day. You had such confusing feelings for Daryl but for some reason being around him just felt so right, what happened between you last night felt right.

“I like ya too, I wanted to tell ya last night but things got awkward and uh…. guess I’m freaking out too.” He admitted, hand still on your chin as he forced your eyes on him. He wanted you to take in all his words. “I don’t know what Carol said but it is true, I don’t know what I’m feeling yet but I do know I want you.”

You couldn’t help but watch his lips as he admitted to his stupid little crush on you but god damn you loved hearing it. It wasn’t anything romantic, no flowers or love confession, no just y’all in a garage with bike parts around while he made you look deep into his eyes. You were now almost leaning completely against him, quite literally falling into him as he spoke his silky words. The silence wasn’t awkward but comfortable with the confessions laying lightly on you two.

“What is that pretty brain of yers thinking?” He said, running his hand up to your hair as he moved a piece of hair behind your ear. He snaked one hand to your hip, rubbing it comfortingly.

“Thinking about last night….” You admitted, watching a blush on his face begin to form. “And how I want you to do it again.”

Daryl’s grip on your hip tightening in shock, his lips curved into a smirk and his pants got tighter. You could melt just then, watching as his lips begin to shake slightly. That was all Daryl needed, just that confirmation of your attraction to him before he pulled you closer to him.

“ ‘s all you had to say bunny…” he said, gripping your hips and pulling you into a long kiss.

You kissed back, wasting no time before sliding your tongue into his. It was like you were made for each other, how well your lips synced together and how your bodies reacted to one another. It was fate for y’all to meet, hard fate that took a while for you to realize but when you did, you realized you never wanted it to end. Daryl grabbed at your ass, hands making their way into your hair to hold you in the same position you were in now.

You couldn’t help the moans that escaped your lips, feeling his hardening cock on your lower stomach made you dizzy. You wanted to repeat everything about last night plus more, all the positions he had you in but this time allow him to fuck you in every single way he wanted… without holding back this time. You were getting needy, bringing your body closer and closer to him as your hands wrapped around his neck.

You brought him so unbelievably close, Daryl just enjoyed the way you were with him, how only he could make you so needy… not Spencer. You heard some things fall off the table as Daryl’s hands grabbed on to it once more, trying to keep his balance from falling but he was so concerned with your lips on his that falling was the last thing on his mind.

He snaked one hand down your body, reaching into your pants to feel how wet you had become. You were soaked, almost completely through your underwear and pants. Not surprising to you since you’ve been thinking about Daryl since this morning. Daryl was on his way to sticking two fingers into you before you both heard the noise.

The noise rang through the air but you were so hot and horny that it didn’t register until the man’s voice called out. The noise was the garage door opening, the door to the house and the man’s voice that called out was Aaron’s. He wasn’t expecting to see the sight in front of him and you both stopped dead in your tracks to stare right back at him.

“Hey Daryl I found a…” He started, not yet looking up at you too but when he did he dropped the object in his hand and froze. “Oh shit… I’m sorry!”

Aaron covered his eyes, turning away as he tried desperately not to look at the two of you. As for y’all, you jumped off Daryl, fixing your shirt that somehow had lifted and buttoned up your pants. Daryl attempted to hide his erection as he jumped up and toward the door. Aaron wasn’t sure if he should run or stay, he didn’t know which was more awkward. Maybe he should just pretend he didn’t see anything? Maybe he should pretend he had a bug in his eye and he turned away before he saw y’all?

“Yeah, what’s up Aaron?” Daryl said calmly, making sure he remained calm as Aaron turned back.

“I uh… I just found this part on one of the runs, thought it’d be helpful.” Aaron said, picking up the part from the ground and hoped it wasn’t broken.

He smiled awkwardly as he handed it to Daryl, trying not to make eye contact with you. Daryl took the part from him, silently thanking him as Aaron just stood back and smiled. It was awkward, nothing but tension flew through the air. You were breathing heavily, terrified of what Aaron might say at this moment. Why did you even care so much? Were you scared of what everyone else would say or just Aaron?

“Okay well… uh sorry again! I’ll let you get back to work!” Aaron said before stammering out. “On the bike! I meant on the bike… okay.” He sighed, defeated as he felt he couldn’t come back from this.

He ran back into the house, shutting the door softly as you were finally able to take a breath. You were shaking, out of embarrassment but also the dull ache in between your legs still hovered deep within you. You both didn’t speak for a good minute or two until you bursted out into laughter. You didn’t know what had come over you, you were extremely embarrassed but you couldn’t help but laugh at your carelessness.

Almost everyone knew about you and Daryl fucking but it only started just last night! How ridiculous was that! That’s what you thought was funny, the thought of the two most careful people in the group being so careless with each other, it felt you could finally stop caring when it was just you two. Daryl laughed with you, shaking his head at your manic laughter.

You tried to stop laughing but it just kept coming, you were like an insane woman. You slowly came down from your laughing fit, wiping your eyes of the tears that had escaped your eyes and your face had turned bright red. You looked over at Daryl who had been doing the same thing but only he was more composed than you were. You couldn’t help but think about the rest of your life with Daryl, watching as his face lit up with pure happiness. You both went silent again, your laughter still echoing through the garage.

“Uh I should probably get back to work on this.” Daryl said, he would’ve fucked you right now but there were too many possibilities of someone seeing again and he wasn’t for that embarrassment right now.

“Okay… yeah I have to get back home anyways, the laundry awaits me!” You said with fake enthusiasm.

Daryl nodded, looking down at his feet. You felt him cower away into his shy self again, the Daryl you knew before last night. You stepped over to him again, lifting his chin like he did yours not even 10 minutes ago and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It wasn’t anything too long or too passionate, just a simple kiss.

“I’ll come over to your house tonight though, maybe you can be the laughing stock of the house this time.” You giggled. He smiled at your comment, pecking your lips once more.

“My house it is..”

[lucysarah-c]

Tea time

Paring: Levi x reader

Words: 1764

Warnings: none, there is some subtle sexual mentions but not much.

Summary: Levi is deep down a huge gossip old lady.

Inspired by this "snk incorrect quote" of mine that plenty of you liked a lot!

“My friend Sarah, she’s having some arrangements done at her house and can’t host. I was wondering if you would mind it if we hang out at the office.” Your voice pierced the room like a cannonball. Levi had known that something was off since you came back from the capital, you were suspiciously quiet. Not the kind of silence that you two shared in the privacy of the office. He had been cleaning the shelf, giving you his back. When he turned around you were shyly smiling.

“I’ve not said anything to them yet, wanted to check on you first,”

Levi thought that it was both, his and yours, office and therefore you had as much right to hang out with your friends there as he to say that he wouldn’t like it. He was, somehow, touched that you inquired first. You knew, by heart, that Levi wasn't a social person by nature and that he cherished his “me time” deeply. Especially Sundays that were his only day off.

However, he also understood that Sarah and you were the only two members of your friends group who had private chambers. Neglecting your hang out would mean that you wouldn’t see your friends if Sarah couldn’t host, and Levi valued that you spend time with your own group, he valued your independence.

On the other hand, Levi had to hold back an unpleasant grim thinking of the group of 10 women hanging out at his place on Sundays. Of course it wouldn’t be all day long, only the tea time but … it was tea time, Levi adored having one day to relax, not wear the uniform, maybe not wearing clothes at all, reading and drinking tea.

But how could he say no to those doe eyes of yours looking at him? begging him to allow it. You knew Sundays were his days and if you could have come up with another option, you would have done it.

Then.. “Yeah, why not.”

He almost forgot it. He was an extremely busy man with an extremely busy week. But when he woke up early on Sunday, with the intention to just put some random shirt on and stay in sweatpants all day, he noticed that you got up early too. Something unusual.

“Will you help me to move the couch so we all fit before I get in the shower?”

‘Ah… right… I agreed to this’ Levi thought as the penny dropped, your friends were coming over. That already disturbed his mood, but he didn’t want to let you know. He had to remind himself that this was all part of the sacrifices that you make during convenience.

Quickly he realised that he had been mixing your friends since forever, and suddenly he discovered that Mary and Anne weren’t the same person he had in his mind. All the opposite, the deep brunette girl was actually called Carol. Each of them were eager to give him a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug as a greeting, as if they had known each other for years. Levi had to gather all his acting skills, which weren’t actually good, to pretend he remembered each girl as much as they seemed to know him.

‘Not my fault!’ he would scream inside his head ‘The only closed group of people that I tolerate work and live in the scouts. Plus, they are also YN’s friends,’

You knew them from training days and they chose other military divisions, some of them from the medical field, etc. Everybody knew who was the social person of the relationship and, without intentions to point fingers out, Levi wasn’t the one.

At first, he decided to go and bother Erwin for a little while. But Erwin also took the upper hand of his, sometimes, free Sundays to go and meet up with ex comrades from his trainee days. Mike would have gone out with Nanaba. Meeting with Hange would probably mean Levi working his ass off to clean their place. Which Levi was eager to do on other occasions but the last thing he wanted to do on a Sunday was more work, even if that implied cleaning.

When he returned to his chambers, they all had left and you were already putting things back in their place. You greeted him with a sweet smile.

“Hey”

“Hey” He greeted back less enthusiastically.

Your arms wrapped around his neck as your lips softly landed a peak on his lips.

“Thank you for allowing this, I had a great time,”

Oh your smile, your loving eyes made him weak. How could he say no to the next Sunday?

The table was crowded with packages.

“Do I throw those?”

“No! They are gifts and what was left behind,”

Pastries, pastries everywhere. Great quality tea leaves that her friends from the capital had brought. Croissants, fresh made bread, sandwiches, scons, cookies. Levi was already starting to see the upperhand of all this.

However, it wasn’t until the next upcoming Sunday. This time he decided to close himself up in the attached room and read there. He only went out once to greet everybody and pour himself the tea that the girls were having. He heard everything, every little detail. Suddenly his book wasn’t that interesting.

“Do you remember Jonny? We met last Wednesday and can you believe it, he couldn’t get it up.”

“Let me guess, he said the usual “it's the first time that this happens!””

Laughters filling the room.

“Well I heard that Roger and Isabel made up again and they are not divorcing. He literally begged her on his knees,”

“Well, Edward is in this huge debt because of gambling and they took his house away. The poor Abi doesn’t know what they would do with the kids but she took them with her back to her mother’s house. But technically the government can take them away because he has de custody,”

“Guess who is pregnant and doesn’t know who the father is?”

“Robert is cheating on his wife with the kindergarten teacher of his kids,”

Then again, they left and Levi loomed up from the bedroom. Table full of Tea leaves for him to enjoy and pastries.

“Sorry, did we bother you that much?” You softly question back.

“Tolerable,”

He felt almost ashamed of how much he waited for Sundays now, ALMOST. But it was hilarious to go to the capital with Erwin for meetings with the military board and the only thing his mind could replay in loop was. “That one is getting cheated on, that one is cheating, that one couldn’t find the only place a man needs to find in bed, that one couldn’t perform. This one has a child with another woman, this one’s marriage was a cover for having relationships not allowed by the church, that one has gambling problems, that one is a mommy boy, that one is about to lose his job if his wife ask for a divorce so he’s begging on his knees,”

And if any of them decided to get cocky, it was a matter of Levi slyly implying what he knew something just for the colours of their face to drop and the panic taking over. He suddenly knew everything about everybody and he found out about it while drinking high quality tea and eating scons? Why were men's hangs outs not this fun? It was like reading a book, women knew everything and with heavy details.

“Do you remember John?” Erwin questioned as they waited for the next meeting to come, “John the blonde dude from Nile’s squad?” Erwin clarified, used to Levi don’t remembering a single person “He’s been acting odd,”

“Yeah, that asshole has been sleeping with Grace from the bar that's at the intersection of the streets "the king's pride and Saint Michel" at the third district of Stohess. She works there from 8am to 3pm as a waitress and apparently they saw her talking to his wife, because some nurses from the orthodox church of Mitras said that she went with a 3 weeks old pregnancy. Now Nile is asking him to solve the issue because he's damaging the image of the team. His wife has papers and prof for divorce but that's a big fucking no no for the MPs.”

Levi's sudden rambling got Erwin looking back at him in shock and confusion. The captain got a momentary feeling of embarrassment as he realised how out of character he had been.

“Y/N’s friends have tea at my office on Sundays,”

Erwin couldn’t help but chuckle, “Yeah, that explains a lot,”

Then, out of nowhere one Sunday he woke up and you were quietly laying on the couch, not rushing to get ready or organise the office so all could fit.

“Do you need the bathroom free?” Levi inquired to either rush a quick shower or wait for later on in the day.

“No, it’s alright, I’ve time to leave until four,” you quietly replied.

He frowned in confusion and you looked up “Sarah’s house is ready, I’ll take the ferry to there at four.”

His acting skills came up in the game again as he tried to hide the sudden disappointment. Goodbye to the free tea, goodbye to the pastries.

He was in no position to lie, he enjoyed reading next to the chimney of his office. Only the cracking of the fire, the pages turning and his sipping sounds filled up the death silence. It was nice… but, voluntarily or not, he found himself brewing another kettle of tea right on time. He would also be lying if he said he hadn’t been checking the clock all day to make sure to be ready for your comeback.

Then, finally, you appeared through the door. Coat on as you took off the purse from your shoulder and scarf hanging on your neck. Locking eyes, as Levi was across the toasty room with a kettle between his hands as he was almost done.

“Hey” You greeted closing the door behind you.

“Hey” Levi replied less enthusiastically but there was a certain type of hang on that made you crock an eyebrow.

“How was it?” Levi wondered and you hummed a positive reply as you took the shoes off and let them at the door.

“I was about to have a cup…” the comment was done with doubts “I was wondering if you wanted one…”

A cheeky smile slowly rising in your features.

“You won’t believe what I heard today”

“Wait until I get the tea ready”

[uptondixon]

Daryl & Daugther!Reader - Quarry Era II

Had this in my drafts for ages. I started writing and never finished, but I decided to post anyway. Thank you for all the love on Part 1! I'm sorry I'm not much of a writer to keep this storyline going :( Words: 1591 Warnings: Nightmares Gif not mine Chapter song is Fix You by Coldplay

Part I

"And the tears come streaming down your face, when you lose something you can't replace."

It's been a while since the three of them started the walk back to camp, which was proving to be especially hard for the girl. After the adrenaline went off, the pain on her feet and legs were becoming almost unbearable. With each step she got slower and felt weaker. A headache making its way over her head, probably a mix of pain, hunger and lack of sleep.

Before heading back to camp Daryl offered her water, which she accepted desperately. Even though she was happy the thirst was over, her growling stomach didn't let her forget the days without anything to eat. She didn't mention that, already thankful for the water. However, the girl's skinny body gave Daryl an idea of how hungry she must be.

Daryl and Merle didn't hunt anything, both too focused on the deer, so he made a mental note to feed her as soon as they got to camp. Daryl also tried to take a better look at her wounds, but she didn't let him. He didn't push and decided this was a job for Lori or Carol. They were the mothers of the group and the girl would feel safe with them, he thought.

"She's slowing us down man, if we don't speed up we're going to lose sunlight. This girl is like a damn walker bait. Hell, I can smell her blood from here." Merle complained again.

"I get it Merle! Stop whining alrigh?" Daryl said before approaching the kid. 

She had been trailing behind them the whole time, never sparing them a glance and looking almost ready to bolt in the opposite direction at any moment. All of a sudden, Daryl realized that they didn't know her name.

"What's yer name kid?" She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Y/n." She said, voice almost a whisper.

"Alrigh', Y/n. Look, someone has to check yer wounds and for that we need to get to the camp but ya can barely walk…" Y/n knew he was right. She was scared to let him do anything with her wounds, afraid it would make it hurt even more. But the girl knew that it would only get worse if they didn't get there faster.

"What if I carry ya?" Daryl proposed. "We'll get to the folks faster and everything's gonna be okay." Daryl looked at her expectantly, while Merle was still mumbling some nonsense he chose to again ignore.

Y/n pounded for a moment. She didn't know this guy, even though he seemed to be making an effort to at least make her feel less scared. The same couldn't be said about the other guy, his brother. Even with Daryl's effort, she wasn't sure if trusting him was the right decision. However, it's not like she had any other choice at the moment.

Y/n looked up at Daryl and nodded her head. He handed his crossbow to Merle and picked the girl up. She felt so light and Daryl couldn't help but wonder how long she was alone out there, without food and water.

Y/n wrapped one of her arms around Daryl's neck, looking for something to hold on to. It was weird, how she didn't even know this man but felt safe in his arms. After being alone for months, she really wanted to believe someone good was going to help her.

Daryl arranged the girl in his arms and resumed their walking, Merle leading the way with Daryl's crossbow, aware of any danger.

They arrived at the camp a couple hours later and Daryl came in calling for the first person he saw, which in that case was Lori. "Daryl, oh my god??? Who is that?"

Daryl immediately felt Y/n's arms wrap harder around him. "It's fine kid, don't worry."

"We found her in the woods, alone and hurt."

Minutes later, the whole camp was reunited outside the RV while Lori and Carol were inside with Y/n. The girl felt more at ease with them, like Daryl imagined. But she was still unsure about everything and everyone.

After they treated her wounds and helped her clean up, Daryl brought some of the squirrel from his last hunt along with more food from the camp. Being clean and fed, it was like Y/n could finally think straight again.

Yours later, everyone started to retreat to their tents for the night. Inside the RV, Y/n tried to stay awake, her brain still on alert for some reason. But after a while her body started to give up and she fell asleep to the sounds of the dying conversation outside.

“It will be okay my baby, just run and don’t look back, okay?”

“But mom, what about you?”

“I’ll be right behind you, go!” The little girl ran, but she couldn't help looking back. However, when she did, it made sense why her mother told her not to.

Screams, that’s what Daryl woke up to. He jumped out of his tent and saw Shane, Glenn and Dale outside the RV. “What the hell happened?”

“It 's Y/n.” Shane said “Lori is-” As if on cue, Lori leaves the RV. And to everyone's surprise, she smiled at Daryl.

“She’s asking for you, Daryl.” Daryl looked at Lori as if she had grown another head but entered the RV anyway.

“Hey kid, what's up?” Y/n was sitting in bed, death grip on the blanket and scared look on her face.

“I miss my mom” Daryl didn't know what to say, he didn't understand why she would want him there of all people. “Could you stay here until I fall back asleep?”

To be honest, Y/n didn't want to sleep, not if that meant another nightmare, but her body didn't give her any choice. Daryl saved her, his presence made her feel safe, so maybe he could help the bad dreams go away. Daryl was still confused, but he simply sat down in the chair close to the door and nodded his head, watching as the girl laid down, closing her eyes and falling asleep once again.

The first week went by smoothly, Y/n couldn't think about anything other than sleep. Her body begging for rest in order to heal. She didn't talk much, still overwhelmed with the new environment and everything that happened, but slowly feeling more at ease with everyone. Amy was the one to bring her food the days she stayed in bed. Lori or Carol would brush her long hair after she washed up. Glenn and Dale would make her laugh with silly jokes. Andrea and Jacqui would help change her bandages. Daryl would always check on her at the end of the day. He didn't say much, only put his head inside the RV, saw her asleep and then went to his tent.

The second week was better, she was stronger and more active. However, the nightmares still hunted her at night. Since Y/n got in the camp, Carl and Sophia were anxious to talk with her. But she was weak and scared so the adults held them back. When she started feeling better, spending her days sitting in the staircase of the RV and watching the camp, Carl approached her. With everything that happened Y/n didn't really had the time to think about the other kids at camp. She knew Sophia was Carol's daugther and Carl was Lori's, but they never talked and she suddently felt nervous. It's been ages since she last talked with someone her age.

"Hi, I'm Carl. You're Y/n, right?"

"Yeah.." Y/n smiled awkwardly.

"Shane's going to teach me how to grab frogs, you wanna come too?"

Y/n apreciated the invitation but she couldn't help but ask "Why would you want to grab frogs?"

Carl seemed like he wasn't expecting the question but answered anyway "Well, it's just funny, they jump so high trying to run away" he said with a little laugh "But we release them right after, Shane says they probably taste really bad to eat."

Y/n was the one ot laugh this time, for sure she wouldn't want to eat a frog.

"Okay, it seems fun" Y/n said looking at the boy in front of her.

"Yes! It's going to be really fun, I'll tell Shane you're coming" Y/n laughed again seeing the boy excitement, she couldn't help but feel it too. After the last stressful weeks, it was good to have some distraction.

Y/n met Sophia a couple nights after her frong hunt with Carl and Shane. The camp was having dinner and since she started feeling better, she started to have dinner outside with the others. The first night she went straight to Daryl, he and Merle sitting around a fire further from the main camp. In the short time Y/n was there she could notice how they differed from the rest of the camp. Her, as well, felt unsure, not of Daryl but his brother. The first night she left the RV and went to Daryl, Merle looked at her they same way he looked at her back in the woods. Like she was an walker bait. Daryl didn't showed much affection towards her, at least not in clear eyes. But he silently made sure she was fed and safe every single day, most of the others from the camp would not notice most of the time, but he did and Y/n knew it.

Taglist: @justmare

[specialagentlokitty]

Daryl x reader - no angels here

Part 1:

Sitting on the banister in front of the house, you hand one leg stretched out over it, the other dangling down as you lightly kicked it back and forth.

Turning the page of the book you were reading, you scanned your eyes over the words, only half reading the book.

You couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, you hadn’t been able to shake it for months, and it bothered you.

Even now as you looked up from your book you looked around, trying to figure out who it was that was watching you, but there was nobody and you frowned a little.

“You know, I always wonder howyou manage to sit like that.” Carol laughed softly.

Your frown turned into a gentle smile, and you closed the book, setting it down on the banister next to you, just on the other side of the pillar you were leant on.

“What can I say, I just have cat like balance.” You smiled.

This made Carol laugh again, and she walked over, leaning in the banister, her arms resting on your leg.

You looked at her, carefully studying her for a moment.

“You’re worried. What about?”

Carol glanced at you.

“About a lot, I guess I’m just wondering how much longer this will all last. Then there’s Daryl, he’s hardly ever around.”

“People handle Grief in their own way, Daryl isn’t the kind of man who’s just going to give up on somebody. Perhaps he doesn’t know when to stop, but his heart is in the right place.”

Carol smiled softly at you.

“You really do have an open take on everything, don’t you?”

“There is good in everything Carol, it’s just trying to find it.”

She laughed softly, patting your knee as she stood up again and you swung yourself around so you were sat on the banister facing her.

You held out your arm, letting Carol walk over so you could hug her, resting her head on your shoulder.

You placed your hand on the back of her head.

“Everything will work out Carol, just give it time.”

“You’re an Angel, you know that right?”

You laughed a little bit, resting your head on hers.

“I just like to see the bright side of things.”

Carol pulled away from the hug and looked at you.

“Even after all that’s happened with Daryl?”

You sighed softly, glancing down at the deck.

“I have to be, you know? I know Rick’s loss hurt him deeply, it hurt everybody, and he made his choice, I’ll support him with the choice to keep looking.”

“Even though it’s been two years?”

You looked up at her, your smile falling a little bit as you thought about the man that was out there searching for his best friend.

“I can’t stop him, nobody can, we can only keep reminding him that he has a place with us if he wants it.”

“You haven’t seen him, have you?”

You jumped down from the banister, grabbing your book to leave it on the table and you held your arm out to her.

Carol grinned a little bit, taking your arm and you placed your hand over hers as you both began to wonder the streets of Alexandria.

“You haven’t seen him?” She asked more concerned.

“No, I just… he wants to try find Rick, I want to stay here and help with things where I can.”

Carol stopped walking, and you stopped as well.

Carol walked around you so she could stand in front of you, and she gave you a worried look.

“You never told him did you?”

“What is there to tell?”

“Seriously? Almost four years of knowing him, three of which you’ve been in love with him for and you never told him?”

You shrugged a little with a small smile.

“Like I said, things work out eventually. You just have to go through the motions.”

“(Y/N) you have to tell him, especially now because we never know what’s going to happen from one day to the next.”

“Come on, you really won’t tell him? After everything you two have been through together, how close you are?”

You just smiled at her and walked around her, clasping your hands behind your back as you carried on walking.

Carol watched you, and she sighed a little bit.

She knew she probably shouldn’t have pushed the subject on you, but she also knew that you were dancing around your feelings when it came to Daryl.

She could see it, everybody could, but yet you still never said anything to him.

Whenever someone brought it up you would always do the same thing, you would just walk away because you didn’t want to talk about it.

Sometimes you wondered if you should’ve said something to Daryl before he went to look for Rick, sometimes you thought if you should go and find him to say something to him.

You never did.

Yes, you and Daryl were close friends, but for you feeling love for someone was different, you didn’t want to feel love for someone because you knew how much pain it could cause.

You were scared.

So your go to place to avoid anybody bringing it up was down by the water where you would just sit in the grass.

That’s where you went this time, you just sat there, watching the water, watching as it rippled slightly with the breeze.

Taking a small breath you sighed slightly, picking a small flower from the grass, carefully looking at it.

Pushing yourself up, you carried the flower with you as you made your way to your house, grabbing a few things before going to the gates, handing it to Rosita.

“Could you open the gate please?”

She took the flower, tucking it into her shirt pocket.

“You’re going out alone?”

“Not far, I’m just checking the surrounding area.”

“Want me to come with you?”

You shook your head with a smile.

“No thanks, I’ll be alright.”

Rosita grinned a little as she opened the gate for you, letting you step outside the safety of the walls.

“Alright Angel, come back soon or I’m sending a search party.”

“I will.” You laughed.

Making your way around the traps, you heading down the road, no real destination in mind, you just wanted a walk.

There were a few straggling walkers which you chose to ignore, not wanting to fight without reason.

You remembered what Carol had been telling you, that Daryl was staying somewhere nearby, and you made your way over there.

It had been a while since you saw him, and you were worried about him, you wanted to make sure that he was alright and safe.

You carried on walking through the trees until you found the river, then you began to follow it, heading to where she last saw him.

You could smell the smoke before you saw him, so he wasn’t all that hard to find once you were close, and you looked across the river.

He was standing there with a spear, trying to catch a fish and you laughed softly, causing his head to shoot up.

“(Y/N)?”

You offered a small wave, holding up the bag to him.

“We all know I don’t have the best throw, is there a way around?” You called.

“Uh, yeah. This way.”

Daryl walked along the other shore, taking you to a spot where you could cross the river.

There was some stepping stones, and you carefully walked along them, mindful of where you stepped.

Daryl met you halfway, offering you his hand to help you across the rest of the way.

You jumped down, and he quickly took his hand away from which hurt, you wouldn’t lie about that, it did, it was like he didn’t want to be close to you.

But you tried not to take it personally because you knew he wasn’t all that for physical contact or being close to people.

“Why’re you here?” He asked.

You shrugged a little, holding up the bag and he looked at it.

“I don’t need nothin’ but thanks.”

He walked back towards his camp and you sighed.

“Come on Daryl, don’t be so stubborn, take it. I don’t need it.”

You jogged to keep up with him, following him to his camp and you set the bag down, making your way inside to sit on the ground.

Daryl sat opposite you, looking through the bag you brought for him.

“You come with anyone? Carol?”

“No. She just told me how to find you.”

“You ain’t tried to find me for a long time, why try now?”

He sounded bitter and you sighed, shrugging a little bit.

“I’m sorry…”

Daryl didn’t say anything and you just sat in silence for a few moments.

You weren’t really sure what to say.

“Gonna just sit there?”

You pushed yourself up.

“Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have come. I just wanted to give you some things and see you again I guess.”

You made your way away from the camp and he jogged over, placing a hand on your shoulder to stop you and you turned around.

“Don’t be stupid, you came all this way.”

You grinned a little at him.

“I’m sorry I never came before Daryl, I really am. I just… I don’t know… I guess I just didn’t really know what to say when I saw you again… but I miss you. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Walking over, you wrapped an arm around his shoulders, standing on your tiptoes to rest your chin on his shoulder as you hugged him.

He did the same thing to you, a hand on the back of your head, his other hand on your mid back.

“Yeah I guess I missed you too.”

You laughed and pulled away, and he gave you a little bit of a grin, gesturing towards the camp.

You walked back over with him, sitting down and he sat down next to you, focusing on the fish he was cooking over the fire.

“How is everything there?” He asked.

“It’s alright, same thing as most days to be honest. What about out here?”

He shrugged a little bit.

“Some walkers, some hunting, that’s about it.”

“Are you going to back soon for a few days? I know everybody will be excited to see you.”

“I don’t know.”

You nodded your head, going through your bag and you pulled out a book, handing it to him.

“Just something to pass the time, it’s good.”

“When have you ever seen me read?” He asked.

“It’s never too late to start.”

You grinned at him, and he rolled his eyes.

“Why’re you really here?”

“I miss my best friend…”

He looked at you before turning back to the fire.

“Best friend?”

“Yeah, yeah, childish I know. But it’s true.”

Daryl looked at you carefully, studying you and you turned your head to look at him, smiling ever so gently.

“You ain’t been sleeping.”

“I have.”

“Don’t lie to me, I know you ain’t. What’s goin’ on with you?”

You turned away, picking up a stick to poke at the fire.

“Nothings going on Daryl, I just wanted to see you. Really.”

He took a deep breath, letting it out as a sigh.

“You been getting that feelin’ again?”

You stayed quiet and that was all he needed to know that he was right.

“You got that feeling last time and you weren’t wrong, what makes you think you’re wrong now?”

“The fact that there’s nobody watching me. I’ve looked, it’s not like the Governor, I don’t know, I think I’m just being paranoid. It’s nothing.”

“Uh huh, you ain’t sleeping cause you’re having nightmares again.”

“I’m not.”

“Bullshit.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

He shrugged.

“Fine, but pretending you ain’t having them ain’t gonna make them go away.”

You stayed quiet again, settling for just taking your bag and laying it down so you could lay down and rest your head on it and stare into the fire.

Daryl watched you, the blank expression on your face, the way you just stared into the flames.

He knew you, he knew the signs that you hadn’t been sleeping, and he knew you weren’t going to tell anybody else what was going on.

You didn’t like showing signs of being anything other than happy, but sometimes you let him see that side, in the way you would sort of disconnect from reality.

He turned back to the fish he was cooking, knowing that you needed some time recalibrate your mind but it concerned him whenever this happened.

Daryl took his jacket off, placing it over you and he went back to cooking the fish, occasionally sparing you a glance

[randomfoggytiger]

X-Files Attachment Styles: An Avoidance Shared by Two

Was reading this beautiful post and had some thoughts.

**Note**: Will ghost edit later~

In light of the Attachment styles posited by @agent-troi, it makes sense why Scully and Mulder developed their unspoken so early on.

If Mulder is Anxious-Avoidant, then it makes sense why he sidesteps voicing his needs and especially his wants, fearing rejection from his support system (parents, girlfriends, friends, partners, etc.)

If Scully is Secure-Avoidant, then it makes sense why she is able to balance a strong sense of self with the need for reciprocal affection and an inability to show her "weakness" or reliance on another person.

But because she's an intelligent woman, Scully would've realized Mulder communicates more efficiently with his hands and eye contact than with his words. Physical touch doesn't seem to be a problem from as early on as the Pilot; but keeping close proximity to her partner in strained moments that crack her "strength" is more of a challenge (ex. Irresistible, Memento Mori, Elegy, A Christmas Carol, Emily, etc.)

Despite Mulder being her priority since Tooms, it took Scully seven years to resolve her avoidant issues, making peace with her ability to pick the right choice (a fear stemming back to the rabbit she'd rescued and accidentally killed) and truly embracing life for what it was.

And because he's an intelligent man, Mulder would've realized Scully needs to hear reciprocal affection from time to time (or else, like you said, she jumps to Never Again and FTF and All Things conclusions.) Most of his compliments early on were spoken to the wind (E.B.E.'s "I think it's remotely plausible someone might think you're hot") or to other people (Irresistible's "pretty woman" and Syzygy's "rigid in a wonderful way", etc.) Never Again was the shakeup that caused Mulder to start making more advances towards Scully (as opposed to Home's rapid withdrawal when she angled his banter more seriously) progressing from "I knew you would tell me if I was making a mistake" to "You're my one in five billion" to "You kept me honest, made me a whole person" to, finally, "You are my constant, my touchstone."

Despite Scully being his priority since One Breath, it took Mulder four years to realize he could lose Scully and begin to dig deep and work hard to prove that he not only wanted but needed her. The real change happened over six years in-- "another life, another world"-- and culminated in an act of impulsive courage that led to their no-excuses-left-to-give kiss in Millennium.

(And isn't it interesting that both of their psychological pivots happened after getting a glimpse of what their life "could have been", i.e. Amor Fati and All Things respectively?)

Lastly, I think both of them recognized the Avoidant nature of the other: Scully had patience when Mulder ran off to the next big mystery instead of wanting a "normal" life with her (The Jersey Devil, bits in War of the Coprophages, Quagmire, Home, Detour, Dreamland, Arcadia, etc.); and Mulder didn't expect but learned to understand whenever Scully pushed him out of her personal walls (the slow build from Beyond the Sea to Never Again, Leonard Betts, Memento Mori, Elegy, Gethsemane, Emily, etc.)

(Sidenote: This dynamic would be yet another layer to their behavior in Never Again: Scully needed affirmation; but Mulder, having never seen or expected this side from her, thought she was gearing up to abandon him. By the end it's all cleared up... but neither is content with their separate but parallel awakenings-- my thoughts on the script here, in-depth meta here, and in-depth Typing post here.)

Conclusion?

Not much at this point, but I think the confident takeaway would be that-- really-- Mulder and Scully grew into their own with each other.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[male-body-swap-lover]

Time Travel Christmas

My name is Roger Braddock the 3rd. It sounds fancier than it is. You are all probably thinking I look fancy too. It’s 2023, but I’ve always enjoyed everything from the 1950’s, at least the positive things. With a name like Roger, it was bound to happen. I love the fashion, the music, the movies. I hate the social injustices. It is especially hard because I am gay, but the decade is just alluring to me. Yes, I do smoke occasionally too. I know it’s bad, but it is a guilty pleasure. It’s Christmas Eve and tomorrow I am getting together with my family, including my grandfather, who’s prime was the 1950’s and 1960’s. Grandma is gone, but he is still trucking along. It would have been nice to know him when he was younger. I’d get to spend more time with the man I admire, and get to enjoy the 50’s. Well, time travel isn’t real, so that’s not going to happen. I’ll just enjoy time with him now.

The next morning, I woke up and I was in a chair for some reason. I know I went to sleep in my bed last night. That’s strange. Wait, why do I have clothes on. As I looked around, I realized this wasn’t my bedroom. It looked like something right out of a Sears catalog from the 1950’s. Am I dreaming? I walked to the full-length mirror and suddenly stopped, with a look of shock.

This wasn’t my body. These weren’t my clothes. I started freaking out and looked over to the dresser and saw a calendar. It said 1958. I ran to the window and looked outside. It looked like a scene right out of the movies from the 1950’s. There were Christmas decorations up too. Did I somehow end up back in time on Christmas 1958? I walked back to the mirror and examined my body closer. I was handsome. I was tall. I had nice bone structure. There is something familiar about the face. I turned and looked at this man’s wedding photo which was also on the dresser. Then it hit me. I was my grandfather when he was younger. I’m Roger Braddock the 1st!

Holy Shit!

Somehow my wish came true. I will be able to get to know my grandfather when he was younger in a time period I love. Just I am now my grandfather. How is this even possible?

“Honey, are you almost ready. My family is arriving.”

That’s my grandmother! Wait a minute, that’s my wife! I look at the window and see that some family is arriving. We must be hosting Christmas. I scramble and grab a tie and put it on. Guess it’s showtime.

I go downstairs. It’s my grandparents house, or I guess my house now. It looks so much nicer. There’s my wife. She is so beautiful. I feel my dick get hard just looking at her. Guess I am straight, or at least this body is straight.

“Daddy, Daddy!”

My god, it’s my aunt Carol and Aunt Alice. They’re so young. My grandmother looks so young. This is crazy. I start to greet the relatives and we start opening gifts. I light up a cigarette. I guess this will be more acceptable now. My new wife hands me a baby to hold. Oh my god! It’s my father! That’s right, he was born in 1958. This must be his first Christmas. This is crazy.

“Roger, pose with the girls so I can take your photo,” my wife says. We pose and she takes the photo. There I am with my two daughters and my son, who is named after me.

I guess I am stuck here living my grandfather’s life. My wish came true. I hope I can pull this off. I wonder if I will ever return to my old life. Here’s hoping I don’t mess up the future too much!

[ruershrimo]

#18 with platonic Brother-in-law Diluc! I think it would be funny if Traveller!Reader (jokingly) and Paimon (not so jokingly) kept asking for increasingly expensive things for Christmas. Whether Diluc delivers is up to you.

the christmas mix | #18- santa baby & #7- rocking around the christmas tree | brother-in-law!diluc and traveller!reader (platonic), husband!kaeya x traveller!reader (romantic)

event masterlist

features diluc (platonic), kaeya (romantic), traveller!reader

notes: hello honey, I really hope this is okay!! you were so sweet and I really liked your idea hahah it just took me a while. I’m so sorry if it’s not up to standard and wasn’t worth the wait (please let me know if you’d like me to write anything else in the future to compensate ;v;,,). regardless, I hope you have a wonderful christmas ❤️!!

warnings: none, really (except for no capitalisation, I suppose?)

summary: it seems like paimon doesn’t have any regard for diluc’s bank account (and why would she?), and that your husband and his brother will be having a good christmas this year, whether they’d like to admit it or not.

christmas in mondstadt, you’ve come to learn, is always a cheery, beautiful thing. there are stalls temporarily set up in springvale and the city itself, selling mulled dandelion wine, more varieties of wurst than there were dandelion seeds in teyvat, and all kinds of lovely little trinkets from traditionally made wooden toys to handmade christmas tree ornaments. it’s like the one time of the year when parents are taking their children all the way to dragonspine to play with the snow, the time when citizens are flocking to the cathedral to pray to their lord (who just so happens to be the drunkard singing christmas carols in the tavern), the time when families are gathering by the fireplace to chat and bask in each other’s presence or sitting by the table to enjoy a lovingly prepared meal at christmas gatherings, parties and the like. even some members of the knights of favonius are taking a break no matter how busy they are— especially jean, lord knows how much the lady needs a break— and you and your husband kaeya already have loads of preparations underway for christmas gatherings and the like. 

it was a lovely thing. 

“merry christmas,” your brother-in-law— diluc ragnvindr, the wine tycoon himself— greets you as you enter the tavern after a long day of commissions (it was to be expected, what with all the preparations needed to be made for a safe and pleasant christmas). 

kaeya waves at you as you sit by the counter, before you peck his cheek and tuck some few of his luscious strands of blue hair behind his ear with a “hello, love”. 

“merry christmas to you too,” you reply to diluc, “even if it’s only, like— a whole week away?” 

“well, christmas in mondstadt starts a month before the actual day itself,” kaeya jokes, “and I’m sure my dear brother would be pleased to gift you whatever christmas present you’d like, wouldn’t you, diluc?” 

diluc grimaces as if looking at the most disgusting thing he’d ever seen. (it was funny.) “shouldn’t you be doing that for your own spouse, kaeya?” even the way he says his brother’s name sounds like he’s spitting it out, though you know he doesn’t truly despise him, and so you try your best to hold a snort. 

“oooh, ooh, master diluc!” paimon starts, rather discourteously (or maybe out of a lack of care for how the poor man would perceive her) waving her little arms about before his face, “maybe you can give us some really tasty, fancy food for christmas!” 

“hmm, expensive, too,” you join in, teasing him, “oh, please, diluc? or maybe even one of those new automobile machines they’re working on in fontaine…” 

it seems kaeya’s getting the hint— your hint, at least, since it seems like paimon is every bit serious about this unlike you and your husband. “well, you heard them, diluc—” 

“I am not getting you a car from fontaine of all places. and aren’t you already closely acquainted with the actual Chief Justice himself?” 

and on it went, with paimon naming every thing she could think of, and you (or your beloved kaeya) listing whatever else was more expensive than what she did as if you were raising the price at an auction— yet one difference this had from an actual auction was that instead of the buyers paying for the increasingly costly dishes, gifts and goods, it was poor master diluc instead. 

and your brother-in-law, though annoyed, was never fazed by the prices themselves and kept at the empty glasses he had been cleaning. 

—

“do you think he’ll actually get any of what we said we wanted?” you ask as the two you walk out the tavern, a dozed-off paimon in your arms. 

“I don’t think so,” kaeya begins, “but knowing him… well, let’s just say that whatever he decides to do will be interesting, to say the least.” 

“uh-huh,” you reply, raising a brow. 

—

there’s music playing from the gramophone, a jolly tune that kaeya hums as the fireplace crackles in tune with in delight. 

“kaeya,” you call. he stops mid-hum, setting down the cutlery on the table. he gets up immediately, like a pet to its owner’s voice, and suddenly you’re giggling fondly at the thought without having noticed it. 

“yes?” from behind his arms circle you like a warm, snug blanket, luscious and long strands of beautiful blue tickling your back and the nape of your neck, and his hand on your waist. 

“I think that madman really did it,” you grin, gesturing to the bottom of the ornately decorated (courtesy of both yours and kaeya’s ideas for where to place each and every ornament) christmas tree, and each of the gifts below them (from how you know what each one is, you’re quite sure he’s not the best gift-wrapper around, but definitely the wealthiest): a cutting-edge thirty-million-mora watch from fontaine, bespoke paimon-sized garments made from liyuean materials and handmade by inazuman tailors, and even a limited-edition TCG card yet to be fully released to the public (you know cyno would be punching the air right now if he knew). “or, at least, he tried to get some, even though some of the wishes we brought up were almost unfulfillable. he tried to get most of them.” 

“well I suppose we ought to just wait for him to come, if he’ll even visit,” kaeya says. 

“wonder how he even snuck it all here in the first place,” you jest, though you suppose the darknight hero had temporarily done some christmas duties in santa’s stead the night before, “and I’m sure that he’ll come,” you finish, pecking your husband on the cheek. 

— 

“merry christmas,” diluc says as he walks through the door, and although it’s late and most of the others have left, the clock has yet to strike midnight and it’s still christmas night. 

“and a happy christmas to you too, diluc,” kaeya greets, “and I was surprised you actually delivered. you wouldn’t happen to just be fooling us with the wrapping paper, would you?” 

“do you want me to have done so?” 

pft— even after regaining some of what they had before they bore the titles of estranged brothers, your husband was still absolutely incorrigible. (it was really funny, especially now that you knew each word they spoke to the other had less hate and more love than the last; that you knew it was more of playful jesting against a thoroughly annoyed sigh instead of vestiges of a duel many, many years ago.) 

but still. poor old master diluc, having to deal with his brother and his spouse, as well as the borderline unmeetable demands of said brother’s spouse’s long-time travelling companion. 

“haha! I was just joking, diluc. but thank you, for this, I suppose.” 

“mhm,” you add, “you should’ve seen paimon’s face when she saw the wrapping— actually, we were waiting for you to come so that we could open all of the presents together, right in front of the person who’d gotten them for us. 

“paimon!” you call, directing your voice to the rooms above you and up the stairs, “diluc’s here.” 

then she floats down, and, like a child, wags her legs about excitedly. “ooh, paimon was so excited for this!” 

so the four of you open the gifts together, untangling the poorly-tied ribbons (again, you’re sure diluc must have tried his best, and done so on his own, too) and tearing away at the wrapping paper. paimon squeals in delight with each gift opened, and kaeya whips out a kamera for a picture of the four of you. 

—

“merry christmas, diluc,” kaeya says, handing him the gift, “from me to you.” 

—

“grape juice, huh?” 

“of course. he likes it, after all,” kaeya answered as he sat by the christmas tree, wrapping paper, scissors and tape scattered all over the floor, and then he pointed to the leather-wrapped object beside him, “but this makes everything better.”

“a book? it looks beautiful,” you commented. 

“no, a photo album. to capture memories we used to store old mementoes and photos in old boxes, but now that kameras are getting more and more common than ever, I decided to get one like this. see?” he grinned, displaying its opened pages before you, “it has these cases to protect and preserve the photos inside.” 

“oh, kaeya,” you kissed his cheek, “it’s wonderful. I’m sure he’ll love it.” 

event taglist (please send an ask if you’d like to be added!):

wishing everyone a happy christmas ❤️!

[jimraisedmeup]

TICK // 19.1 - cover me

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Rating: mature (angst, language, violence, sexual content)

Word Count: 2100

A/N: we are nearing the end of book one. are you ready? also, this chapter is nothing but DRAMA.

☾

The times are tough now, just getting tougher This old world is rough, it's just getting rougher Cover me, come on baby, cover me Well, I'm looking for a lover who will come on in and cover me

☾

May 19, 1984 - junior year

Richard Buckley was quite relieved when his boss told him they had finished the out-of-town job ahead of schedule, a day early to be exact. He missed his home, his recliner, his bed.

And if he was brutally honest, the idea of leaving his two daughters alone for an entire weekend made his neck hurt. 

He was sure that Robin could be trusted. But as of recently, he didn't trust you as far as he could throw you. Especially with that Munson gremlin and the hold he had on you. 

Richard had already engaged in several discussions with his ex-wife about moving you to Indianapolis to set you on a better path. The last thing his family's reputation needed was his eldest daughter hanging around a drug dealer's son, or worse, getting impregnated by one.

Richard's eye twitched violently as he wondered if the Munson boy had set foot in his home while he was gone the night before.

This became a mild paranoia turned reality as Richard merged onto his street, only to find an unusual amount of cars in front of his house. Young adults roamed amongst the vehicles, some of them on his front porch. 

"What on God's green earth…" he grumbled to himself, already feeling his blood beginning to boil. 

Parking his work truck in front of the neighbors' house - as his well-manicured driveway was full of cars - Richard Buckley stormed down the sidewalk towards his home. It was quite obvious that there was a party of some sort being held. 

He passed teenagers, but couldn't tell exactly who they were in the dim light of the street lamps. Richard caught some of their wretched conversations as he passed by. 

…did you see the look on his face?... hell of a party, man… Carol is so drunk!

Not even ten minutes earlier, Richard was content. He was calm, he was ready to relax after spending most of his day on the road.

And now he was about to have an aneurysm at the sight of a crowd of strangers in his home. Most of them were clearly drunk, laughing and yelling to each other obnoxiously. Music blasted throughout the rooms. No one seemed to notice the sudden appearance of an irate adult.

Another thing he did not expect to find was a banner hanging from the kitchen cabinets. The brightly painted paper held cartoonish flames with the words "CONGRATS PYROMANIAC!" spread over them. 

Edward. Munson. 

Robin was nowhere to be found. Richard roamed room to room, finding no one he recognized and neither of his two daughters. Did you take him for this much of a fool?

Heading upstairs, he barged into your bedroom, which was the closest door to the top of the stairs. 

Empty. 

So he moved onto Robin's.

His youngest daughter was inside, placing a shiny black record onto her record player. One of her girl friends laid casually on the bed, flipping through a magazine. But Richard couldn't find anger in him towards Robin.

The thing that truly angered him was that you were still missing, and the look on Robin's face when she saw her father told him that all of this was indeed your doing. Robin was merely a bystander. Most likely manipulated by her toxic older sister.

"Dad? You're back early." Panic spread across her freckled features. She failed miserably at concealing the beer bottles behind her.

Richard gripped the doorknob, knuckles white. "Would you mind telling me where your sister is? I need to have a word with her."

"Uh… no, I haven't seen her in a long time. Maybe she's in the kitchen?"

"I was just in the kitchen. Robin Buckley, you tell me where she is. Right now." 

Richard could feel his face reddening more, if that was even possible. He would need to visit the cardiologist after this.

He remained firmly in the doorway, blocking Robin from trying to leave and give her sister a head's up. 

Stuttering a response, Robin waved her hands frantically. "I-I… the front porch?!"

"I've looked everywhere besides…" and then he knew. 

The basement.

Ignoring Robin chasing him down the stairs, and then further down the basement stairs, Richard was the bull in a cheap china shop. Fury flooded his senses and he could barely hear Robin's pleas to stop.

Of all the things that occurred that fateful night, the last thing Richard Buckley wanted to see in his home, in his laundry room, was this.

You were bent over the dryer, your dress pushed up past your hips. Eddie Munson stood behind you with his pants visibly undone, mid-thrust.

It was the final straw for Richard Buckley.

☾

Now, promise me baby, you won't let them find us Hold me in your arms, let's let our love blind us Cover me, shut the door and cover me Well, I'm looking for a lover who will come on in and cover me

☾

Eddie was approximately eight beers deep when a balding, red-faced man literally caught him with his pants down.

Prior to the rude interruption, the brown-eyed boy was having the time of his life. 

The surprise party was a mixture of some of his favorite things: irony, his best friends, beer, and the best of all… you did it for him. Even though he had been kicked out of school not even a week before. 

The sarcastic paper banner congratulating him for setting Higgin's car on fire was the best part, and not even the presence of some unsavory members of the popular crowd *cough* Harrington *cough* could ruin Eddie Munson's high that night.

All good things must come to an end, though, which Eddie knew all too well. 

And the one thing that could surely ruin his high was your father walking in on him railing his daughter from behind against a fucking dryer.

And then Eddie's high was completely obliterated when he felt a sucker punch collide with his jaw, sending him backwards against the concrete basement floor. All he could do was scramble to get his pants up, protecting his bits and pieces from the insane man.

You were screaming something, but Eddie could barely hear you over the shouts coming from your father and then the tearful appearance of Robin in the doorway.

His vision was spinning from the hit to his head, mixed with shock and the alcohol in his system. Richard Buckley came at him again.

"You motherfucking piece of trash, Munson! I'll have you arrested-"

"Eddie, no!"

But Eddie was never one to make good decisions.

He swung a sharp left hook at Richard Buckley's face, knocking him out immediately. And then Eddie pushed past the distraught sisters, spitting blood from his mouth onto the pretty pastel yellow wall before bolting up the stairs two at a time.

...he ran, because Eddie had never thought of himself as much of a hero.

You caught up with him as he approached his van. "Eddie, please!"

"Your pop's a real fucking gem, you know that, Buckley?"

Tears ran down your blushing face, your eyes blurry from crying and the multiple shots of cheap vodka you had. One of the straps on your dress had fallen off your shoulder. Eddie wanted to fix it, to touch you, but the coppery taste of blood in his mouth reminded him of how fucking pissed he was.

"H-he wasn't supposed to be back until tomorrow night. I had no idea he would come home early!"

"No shit, Sherlock!" Eddie hissed, not caring how mean he sounded. "Obviously you didn't know. Give me a damn minute to cool off, will you? My jaw is fucking killing me." 

Spitting more blood onto the sidewalk, you flinched at his crude behavior. For a second, Eddie felt ashamed at how selfish he was being. 

Sure, he got punched in the mouth. He got caught with his dick out by his girlfriend's holy roller father. He had to abandon the party that was thrown for him.

But what about you? What kind of consequences would you face after this? You had to live with the psychotic Buckley man, for Christ's sake.

The sudden shouting of said psycho made you and Eddie jump. Richard Buckley was standing by the front door, arms outstretched, screaming for everyone to vacate the premises. 

"Listen, I'm getting the hell outta here before he calls Hopper. I don't need any more heat on me this week."

You reached towards him, your eyes pleading. "I'll leave with you. Let me come with you."

Eddie's temper softened at your drunken desperation, unable to hold any kind of ill feelings towards you for very long. He grabbed your hand and squeezed it, realizing then just how much his knuckles hurt from hitting the older man. 

"Call me tomorrow. I'll come pick you up then, alright? But you can't just leave Robin in there by herself tonight."

"Are you sure?" 

Chuckling, Eddie used the short sleeve of his white t-shirt to wipe more blood from his swollen lips. "Sunshine, don't you worry about me one bit. I can take a punch, unlike your dear ol' daddy."

This made you smile, albeit a nervous smile. "Do you have your gift? Did you leave it in the house?"

Eddie gestured towards his glove box. "I got it."

"And remember, don't open-"

"Yeah, yeah. I won't open it 'til tomorrow."

You kissed him roughly before running back towards the house. He watched as the skirt of your dress flowed behind you. 

Eddie drove off, never thinking for a second that it would be over a year until he would see those beautiful eyes again.

☾

Outside's the rain, the driving snow I can hear the wild wind blowing Turn out the light, bolt the door I ain't going out there no more

☾

"I've already spoken to your mother. As a matter of fact, I called her a few days ago regarding this matter. My decision is final."

You felt your world collapsing around you.

Head pounding from your hangover and an unreasonable amount of stress, you almost couldn't believe what you were hearing.

Robin spoke quietly from the doorway. "Dad, we shouldn't be making rash-"

"Go to your room, Robin! This does not concern you." Richard slammed a hand down on the kitchen counter, glaring at his youngest daughter as she scampered away like a scared puppy.

Turning back towards you, his face was emotionless. "Go pack your things. Your mother will be here soon. She left Indianapolis early this morning, called off work, to deal with this."

So you were facing exile. Complete banishment.

Before you even had a chance to call Eddie that day, your father disconnected the phone in your room. You were no longer welcome in the Buckley home. Your mother would be taking you to Indianapolis for the summer. You would complete your senior year of high school away from Hawkins.

Your options were pathetic and sparse. You weren't eighteen yet - your father had already threatened to report you as a runaway if you fought against it. Richard Buckley also had the balls to say he would report Eddie, who was eighteen already, for taking his underage daughter. 

You laughed bitterly when he said this. "Could you be more dramatic?"

But your father was hellbent. "Your actions recently have been nothing but a path of destruction. Your behavior last night was repulsive and a slap in the face of God. I can't have you continuing this. And I can't have you dragging your sister down with you."

"Excuse me? Has the whole situation with Kate been swept under the rug?" You only dug your grave deeper, fueled by frustration. "Maybe it's better if Robin came with me. I don't think either of us need to be here anymore."

"Are you really going to take your little sister away from her friends? From her future with the marching band?"

Your father knew how to hit you exactly where it hurt.

You felt nauseated suddenly, and stepped towards the phone on the kitchen wall. 

"I disconnected all of the phones when you woke up. Now, go pack your things."

"Let me call Eddie," you spat, your hands trembling in fists at your sides.

Richard scowled at you. "To say what? He's a doomed individual. If you keep letting him chase after you, he will never focus on his own future, and you'll only condemn him further."

A car honking outside yanked you from the impulse to scream obscenities at the man before you.

"Upstairs. Now. Don't make your mother wait too long."

About thirty minutes later, you were in the passenger seat of your mother's car, watching Hawkins pass by with teary eyes like it was some kind of distant memory.

☾

This whole world is out there just trying to score I've seen enough, I ain't gonna see any more Cover me, wrap your arms around me, cover me

☾

(song lyrics credit: "Cover Me" by Bruce Springsteen)

TAGLIST for this series if you would like to be notified when I post new chapters!

taglist: @siriuslysmoking@emesis-nemisis@ishouldclean@thegirlblogstuff@insert-geeky-things-here@melonmonstereater@well-be-okay-dear-valentine@mewchiili@maridevial @sp1dyb0y1008 @totallynani @the-historical-biscuit2468 @borhapgirlforlife19 @amandaauroraelli @daggerdear @nvrendfangirl @lausnotverybright @salvinaa @psychotickoda @hiimerinhime @heyyallitsnaomi @trixyvixx @rstaverous

[imagitory]

So my mum and I were revisiting one of our all-time favorite Christmas movies, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and I think maybe -- just maybe -- there's some really fun symbolism we've all been missing out on. And it all has to do with our main character Scrooge and the color red.

Okay, so at the beginning of the film, Scrooge is in all black, from head to toe. It makes him this wonderful dark shadow over the rest of the cast, and also makes him immediately stand out when he's in public, since everyone else is much more colorfully dressed.

Contrast this especially to the people who are closest to him, Bob Crachit and his nephew Fred.

Well, well, isn't this interesting...both of them have red in their costumes. Even later on, at Fred's Christmas party, we see his wife also wearing red.

The Ghost of Christmas Present -- the ghost who in this film arguably influences Scrooge the most out of all of them -- has a bright red beard...

Oh yes, and we mustn't forget that our favorite narrator "Charles Dickens" is also wearing a bright red coat. (Even his friend Rizzo has some red in his scarf.)

Red as a color can mean lots of different things symbolically -- violence, passion, anger, courage, danger...but I think the one most relevant to this reading is love and warmth. Why? Because even when we see Scrooge as a young man prior to the "all black" treatment, his definitive color is a dark blue.

Notice how much cooler young Scrooge's overall color palette is compared to the much flashier, rosier Fozziwig. (And yes, I think that rosy palette is on purpose -- in the film, Scrooge even describes Fozziwig as being "as hard and as ruthless as a rose petal.") It also makes it so that when Scrooge meets Belle (at this point dressed in pale green with pink rose details), their palettes compliment each other a little bit more, even if Belle's look is still softer, lighter, and warmer in tone to Scrooge's cool, serious ensemble.

But when Belle and Scrooge part ways, we see them wearing colors that contrast much more. Scrooge is still in cool, detached blue, but Belle is in...

Red. Specifically, like Bob and Fred, she has red right around her neck, in the form of her bonnet's ribbon. And it's presumed that over time, after losing Belle and withdrawing more into himself and his own greedy self interest, that Scrooge lost the remaining color of his life and became the cold, black-hearted moneylender we see in the film.

Then of course Scrooge goes through this radical transformation thanks to the Ghosts of Christmas, as we all know...and the very first Christmas present he receives, as a thank you for his charity, is from one of the charity workers, played by Beaker. What is it?

A red scarf.

It's a gift given in the spur of the moment, and yet from Scrooge's reaction, we can tell it's something foreign to him. It's likely it's been ages since he's received such a modest, and yet heartfelt gift from anyone. Scrooge feels the warmth of the gesture, not just because a scarf keeps one's neck warm, but because it was given out of such sincere gratitude and kindness. And as startled as he is by it, he responds with such sincere joy, and wears it happily for the rest of the day. He wears that warmth as easily as Fred and Bob wore it earlier in the film -- as if it's become a part of him. And in a strange way, it has.

For the first time, arguably in his whole life, Scrooge has a true understanding of selfless, loving warmth. The warmth that he should and does feel for the people most central to his life and identity -- his nephew and niece-in-law, his loyal subordinate, his first employer, his first love...even the Spirits who taught him the true "meaning of the season." A kind, generous warmth that permeates the entire story of A Christmas Carol because it's what Charles Dickens loved so much about the holiday season and so wished to spark in his audience.