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yuzukult · 4 months

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crush 04 | jww & oc/reader

title: crush 04 pairing: jeon wonwoo x reader/oc (ft. seokmin) rating: 16+ (mentions of sex, but no act of sex) genre: angst, fluff, eventual smut, racecar driver!au, mechanic!au wc: 5.9k summary: all he knows are fast rides, drag-strips, and speed ovals until he meets you, someone that’s got his heart racing instead of his car. warnings: explicit language, suggestive content (but nothing follows through), mentions of sex a/n: lmfao idk when the last chapter was or if you've long forgotten me but i have arrived... i'm praying that this is good enough :(

The air is cold.

The stiffness of your cheeks and the tinge of pink on Seokmin’s nose speaks volumes, the thin cardigan you decided to run out with wasn’t much help to combat the briskness. You’d been so quick to grab him out of the restaurant that you didn’t get a chance to snag your coat—why the hell did he just show up here? It’s almost like he’s asking for a fight.

You huff. “What are you doing here?”

“I saw your location,” he says calmly, almost like it’s a normal thing to do. He shows his phone to you, the screen bright and displaying the maps feature with a little icon of a picture of you by the restaurant, the blue dot beside it being his own. “I figured I was in the area, so I decided to stop by and surprise you and your friends. You know, as… boyfriends do.”

You grit your teeth. Seokmin is far from being your boyfriend, especially with the acts he’s been performing lately—so pulling out this ‘boyfriend’ card just because he sees the back of Wonwoo’s head feels low. The location you shared with him was for the time you were stranded on the side of the road, the car battery completely depleted. You must’ve forgotten to turn it off, but nonetheless, it wasn’t something for him to take advantage of. “I thought we weren’t dating.”

Seokmin clicks his tongue. Eyes skimming the area, he shoves his phone back into the front pocket of his jacket. If he truly was your ‘boyfriend,’ he should’ve offered you his coat by now. (Well, he also never said he was a good one either).

“We aren’t, but in the future we will. We agreed,” Seokmin’s gaze is on you now—those irises that used to sparkle underneath any light, including the stars in the sky, are suddenly dull. “I just don’t get it. I thought you said you’d wait for me. Why am I finding you with him?”

Him. There he goes again, the bitterness he has for Wonwoo is practically seeping out of his skin. The pronouns used to identify him even got a taste of the hatred.

“He’s a friend,” you state, arms crossed over your chest. It’s freezing out here. “I’m allowed to hang out with friends. Plus—does it really matter if I date around? You’re doing it.”

Seokmin scoffs. In disbelief, too! He contradicts himself more frequently than not now, especially with Wonwoo in the picture. “You’re kidding, right? I told you why I’m like this.”

You sigh. Truthfully, it’s becoming emotionally exhausting when it comes to Seokmin; your heart doesn’t seem to palpitate as it used to when he looks at you, instead you feel it racing from all the anger pent up. You still long for him from the distance, wishing it was you who made him laugh and smile in that way that makes his eyes twinkle as you feign ignorance to his irresistible charms, but the reality sinks in and the clouds cast their shadows when it smacks you in the face that Seokmin isn’t doing that for you. He’s doing those things for another girl, someone who he hadn’t promised his end game to, and it leaves you wondering if he actually means when he says you’re the one he’ll finally come home to.

“I just…” There’s a part of you that wants to end all of this, end all the suffering he’s caused you and the feeling of suffocation in your chest. It’s like he’s got your heart chained and locked, himself being the only person with the key, and you’re stuck in this position until he tells you to go. “I don’t think it’s fair for you to tell me how to live my life while you get to freely live yours.”

“You could’ve had anyone else,” he retorts with a soft whisper this time. “Why’d it have to be him?”

“He’s nice to me,” you shrug your shoulders. “And… right now, maybe I just need someone like that to heal me.” You don’t really know what you mean by heal, but something in you felt like… that was the right word to describe Wonwoo. He’s caring, sweet, and he tends to you when you’re having a rough day—no words exchanged, just quick glances and he just knows.

“Heal you?” Seokmin’s voice raises this time around, his brows furrowing in frustration. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re joking, right? A guy like him? He’s an asshole—he keeps secrets and hides shit from people. People he’s close to, people who he claimed to be his family. And he goes behind my back and steals my girl? Do you see how he is?”

He—what? You’re the one confused now. “What are you even talking about?”

Visibly, his vexation lowers along with his stance. “Nothing, just—I don’t trust that guy. I need you to wait for me, just a while longer—”

And before you could ask, ‘how long?’ with smoke whistling out of your ears, a pretty gal with bleach blonde hair and lashes that touch the clouds in the sky eagerly grabs onto Seokmin’s arm.

“Minnie, our table is ready! Oh—” her face brightens at the sight of you. “Hi! Are you Minnie’s fan? I’m Kaykay!” she extends her arm eagerly as you shake her hand gently with an awkward smile. “Well, we have to get going, do you guys want a picture together?”

Your jaw twitches.

There’s something worse about being identified as ‘the girl who Seokmin keeps on the backburner,’ and you’ve never run into it until today. A fan. You’ve been demoted to a fan. You’ve chased him around for so long, in hopes he’d throw away his current lifestyle for you, despite what he says about how he’s so grateful that you’re waiting for him.

All to only be downplayed and lowered to the level of a fan.

“Actually, it’s okay,” you wave her off politely and glance over at Seokmin before slowly making your exit. “He gave me his autograph earlier, but I appreciate it.”

Truthfully, Seokmin knows he fucked up.

He knew from the moment your lips curled into that warm smile, an effortless laugh erupting from your chest, and when you dip your chin bashfully at a compliment thrown your way without him being the one responsible for it. He messed up big time. And if he’s too late, he’ll never forgive himself for it.

The best solution is to give you up—and in reality, if this was another person, he’d straight up tell them that they missed their chance and it’s time to move on. Yet, he looks himself in the mirror every time and the words never come out. He can’t do it. He can’t let you go. In the forefront of his mind, he’s fully aware of how selfish he’s being for asking you to wait for him without a timeline.

But he can’t help himself.

He wants you.

It can’t be anyone else but you.

In all honesty, he ponders if this exact scenario played out with a different love interest would have him this angry. Would he be equally as fueled? Or was there something more because of his own personal history with Wonwoo? Either way, that didn’t help, and putting you in the middle of it was doing more harm than good.

The history that the two of them have is one that’s been inscribed in his brain—he remembers it as if it was yesterday when a group of intimidating men enter the garage that both of them worked at. The leader snickered at the sight of Seokmin, spitting the toothpick that hung on the side of his mouth with a smirk dressed upon his face. “Is this the fresh meat?” he asked, dark eyes observing Seokmin’s face as he grabbed his jaw between his fingers.

“Yeah,” Wonwoo said coolly, wiping his hand off a rag before tossing it onto his tool cart. “He’s still fresh, so don’t scare him.”

Seokmin relives the feeling of fear—his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach and his hands began to perspire. “I’m the boss ‘round here,” he spat. Hair slicked back, doused in so much gel that the lights reflected on the strands. Clean shave, smelled like expensive cologne (although he definitely squirted half the bottle), he wore a tank top that displayed the plethora of tattoos that decorated his skin. “That’s all you need to know. I’m the boss.”

Wonwoo lied to Seokmin; he told him that he’d take care of him, help him earn some money and make an honest living.

Working for a guy who has done more illegal things that Seokmin is aware of doesn’t sound like making an ‘honest living’.

He felt embarrassed, finding himself in a position where he could’ve been just any old regular mechanic but instead as a front of a fucking drug lord’s secret business. When the nights came around, the sun disappearing along the horizon, he smelled the stench of cigars and weed permeating through the cracks of the walls and doors. The hollering of gamblers were faint underneath the concrete floors, but the evident line of expensive vehicles that hid behind the building were enough to give it away. Any idiot would know what was happening there.

But the city was so corrupt; a newly graduated high school student who severely needed a job had to settle for a shady ass job couldn’t even go to the cops about it. He recalled frantically waving his arms to express his story at the local police station, only for them to scoff and turn the other way.

It earned him slashed tires the next day. A threat. A warning. Lee Seokmin would then go as Dokyeom at the shop, just in case they wanted to go any further.

Seokmin spent years trying to cut ties with them.

“Hey baby,” her soft voice spoke, reaching out from under the covers to lay her hand on his chest. “What’s on your mind?”

And here he is again.

In the sheets with someone else.

She interrupts his thoughts and she only stirs them more. He can’t remember her name, only that when she says it and calls you a fan, the expression on your face made it clear that you didn’t want to stick around any longer. Seokmin hates how he pains you every time he does stupid shit like this, but some masochistic part of him can’t seem to stop. He needs to stop, especially with Wonwoo at arms length to you, ready to catch you when you fall.

“Nothing,” he replies curtly. She’s not you. He wishes he could tell you all the things that happened, all the things that run through his head, and how much he wants to break out of this cycle but even you, the girl who has his heart, can’t even take him out of his own despair.

Just your luck.

Dodging potholes should be something you’re familiar with considering how frequently you drive in and out of the city, but it’s evident that it’s still a skill you need to improve on.

“Fuck,” you mutter under your breath. The gash on the side of the tire is so big that you felt the hissing of the air blowing into your face. “You can’t even patch this.”

You’re supposed to meet up with Wonwoo in fifteen minutes. The traffic had gotten heavier, and Google Maps suggested taking the local route but of course it had to be the street with the most unpatched potholes you’ve ever seen. Where the fuck were your tax dollars going into?

You sigh in distress. Running your fingers through your hair, you puff out another heavy breath. Maybe you should do what you learned—yeah, after all, Wonwoo taught you for a reason, right?

Just then, your phone dings twice.

(2) New Messages.

One from Wonwoo, and one from Seokmin.

Both said the same thing, coincidentally, reading: “where are you?”

It’s easier to copy and paste the text in return, letting them both know where you were and had a flat.

As you pop open the trunk, you roll up your sleeves. Thankfully, Wonwoo’s first date idea is more useful than you thought. Although, there’s a part of you that ponders if Seokmin would ever come. He promised, you think to yourself, because the charming words he spewed always meant that he would be your Knight in Shining Armor in any time of need.

Would he come?

You sort of wish that he did, just to feed that little glimmer of hope still in your heart but a huge part of you knew he wouldn’t. He’s different now, not the same Lee Seokmin you once knew. So why are you wondering if he’d be here?

There’s a latch inside the trunk, and just when you’re about to flip it open to grab the tools and your spare tire, someone’s lights shine from behind.

Is… Is this your Knight in Shining Armor?

Turning around, the headlights are blinding, and it makes you squint in the direction. The door opens, and a figure comes out—brown hair, built frame, and driving a sedan, you wonder if it’s really Seokmin that comes to your rescue.

With the slam of the door and the figure coming in closer, that’s when you feel your stomach churn and your heart drop.

“Hey, pretty,” he says, voice deep and smooth as honey. “I saw your text. I was on the way, and I spotted your car on the side and recognized you. I guess you could say it’s fate.” That cheeky smile already has you swooning.

It’s… Wonwoo.

“How’d you even know it was me?” You laugh, arms crossed over your chest. “What if you were wrong and it wasn’t?”

“Then I’d have to let you know that I ended up having to help someone with a flat,” Wonwoo grins, tapping your shoulder to move you aside. “But I knew I wasn’t wrong. How could I forget the silhouette and the car of a girl I’m crushing on?”

And with that, Wonwoo makes you forget.

There’s something about Wonwoo walking out of the fog (in this case, blurry and bright headlights) that makes you feel like he’s bringing you with him because at the end of the day, he’s here and not Seokmin.

Should you set strikes for him? Things that Seokmin does that has you reconsidering even waiting for him anymore, and if it was worth your time being put on the backburner for a man you didn’t even know anymore. Did his dreams and goals even align with yours? Did he still want to settle down and have a family? Did he still want you to meet his mom?

Did he love you or did he like the idea of you?

“I can help, you know.”

“Yeah, but I only really taught you so you’d know. Not so that you can do it yourself. Now hold my tools and don’t stand too close to the lanes, gotta make sure you’re all in one piece so I don’t have to eat alone tonight,” he winks playfully.

Maybe… Maybe being with him wouldn’t be so bad.

“Ma’am, are you sure?”

You blink blankly at the boy who stands behind the counter.

Recently, you’ve come to terms that your Toyota had little life in it left and with your current promotion salary, maybe it’s time to turn in the fella in exchange for something new and durable.

And maybe slightly flashy.

The dark grey Lexus IS 350 F-Sport is a complete 180 from your aged Toyota; an affordable, casual, everyday car that took the cheapest gas option and for the most part, fuel efficient to a luxury vehicle of the same parent company. Sleek interior, leather beige seats, tinted back window—there’s even a functional Apple CarPlay! The Toyota’s radio didn’t even work, and the air conditioner was a gamble to get running. But the new car had heated and cooled seats, an entire class upgrade.

Wonwoo had the car sitting idle in the yard of his auto shop. It was barely used, to the point where the temporary tag taped to the rear window was still there, crisp and clean just like it was just bought off the lot.

Because it was.

“Look, I’m so over this car,” you remember hearing while eavesdropping from inside the auto shop. “Plus, I’m selling it to you for cheap. Get rid of that Honda Fit and take this instead. Boss would kill me if I couldn’t convince you to take it.”

Wonwoo raised a brow suspiciously to the man with long luscious blonde hair that stopped at his shoulders. “I drive a Prius,” he clarified and the other male just rolled his eyes. “You’re charging me $2k for a brand new car, Jeonghan. I’m not doing that. And I’m not paying what the market price is for this car.”

Weird. At the time, you pondered why this guy Jeonghan was working so hard to convince Wonwoo to buy the car, but with each attempt, Wonwoo kept rejecting him.

That is, until Jeonghan saw you peering out of the garage opening.

“Is she your girlfriend?” he asked in a teasing tone, nudging Wonwoo jokingly before waving in your direction. “You might as well buy this off of me so you can show it off to her—but also get Boss off my back.”

Who the hell is this Boss they’re talking about?

But before your thoughts could go on any further, Wonwoo was shoving Jeonghan away with a head nod in annoyance. “OK, OK, fine fine I’ll buy it off of you, maybe you can get off my back.”

Little did you know, he only really agreed to buy the car because of you.

Not in the way Jeonghan had suggested but rather for you to buy off of him because he had reached the point where he felt like the Toyota wasn’t sustainable enough anymore. “You’re gonna end up spending more on this car than if you just bought this car off of me,” he warned. “Plus, you’d be doing me a favor ‘cause the longer this stays on this lot undriven, it’s gonna fucking mess with the battery and engine.”

So, you finally agreed after some more convincing. He suggested you to get new tires, mostly because they were low-profile tires (and, you quote “Even though it’s gonna look funny, at least you won’t get a flat tire every time you a hit a pothole.”)

Which brings you here—standing in front of Wonwoo’s new hire.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“These tires aren’t what is spec’d when you buy ‘em off the dealership lot,” he says, watching you warily. “I’un know about selling you these. I mean, they already installed them and all, but… I’unno how it went through.”

“It’s fine,” you clarify again, resting your arm on the counter. Slightly frustrated, you close your eyes momentarily before taking in a deep breath. You’ve been at this for ten minutes now and he still keeps coming back with the same responses. The tires are on the car now! “Let me pay for it. I got exactly what I requested—let me be the one to face the consequences if it gets fucked up.”

“I get that,” the new hire doesn’t let up. “But if my boss finds out that I went against my judgment and something does happen, then that’s my fault.”

“Your boss was the one who recommended this to me in the first place!” you exclaim, but he stays stoic. “Listen, I just want my car, go home, and—”

“Jonathan, what’s going on here?” Wonwoo comes out from the back; in his navy overalls with his name tag that reads WONWOO in blue stitching to match, he’s wiping his hands off on a used rag with oil and dirt stains all over. He looks over at you with furrowed brows in confusion, tossing the material over his shoulder. He’s… kinda cute like this. “I thought you said you gotta go.”

“I did,” you emphasize, eyes darting lasers at the new hire. “Something came up.”

Wonwoo pats the new hire to move over and he takes over the computer.

Then, that’s when it happens.

“What’s wrong, love? Let me clear this up so you can get going. Can’t have you miss your client presentation, can we?”

All the anger dissipates immediately.

The storm above your head clears, and your gaze is glued onto Wonwoo.

Did… did he just call you ‘love?’

And why did you like it so much?

“I-I-um,” he’s got you stuttering over your own fucking words. Shaking your head from the thoughts, you regain yourself again. “Jonathan said the tires I wanted installed weren’t the styles you get at the dealership. He said he didn’t trust it.”

In the midst of it all, Wonwoo reaches for a lollipop from the candy bowl, unravels it and pops it in his mouth. The stick hangs out from the corner of his lips, sucking and shifting as it makes clacking sounds against his teeth. “Oh, alright,” he begins, turning to look at Jonathan. “Is that so?”

Jonathan gulps with a slow nod.

“Good job, kid,” Wonwoo grins, turning back to the computer. “I want you to be honest if you don’t think something is recommended or preferred. But for this situation, I made the call so we’ll just let this one slide, yeah?”

The new hire’s face heats up.

And somehow from the exchange, he makes your heart tighten too.

“Alright, pretty,” Wonwoo hands your keys over to you. “Your car is out front. Let me know how it goes, yeah?”

You tilt your head. “But—I didn’t even pay yet.”

“On me,” he’s got that slick smirk on his face again. “I just want you to be safe.”

“You’re gonna go bankrupt if you keep having to pay for me. Let me pay—”

“For you, I’ll go bankrupt. Now, head off to your presentation and give me a call after.”

Uneasy, you check the analog clock over their heads that ticks obnoxiously loud. It’s so close to 10, and your presentation starts at 12, a solid 1.5 hours away. If you head out now, you’ll still make it.

“Fine, fine, only ‘cause if I stick around any longer, I’m gonna be late,” you narrow your eyes at Wonwoo. “I’ll be back.”

“I hope so,” Wonwoo counters, hands in the pockets of his overalls. He knows how flirtatious he is, he does it on purpose but you brush him off to prioritize getting to your meeting on time.

And faintly in the back as you push the front doors of the auto shop, you hear the new hire ask Wonwoo if you were his girlfriend.

Oddly enough, you… sort of wish you were.

“Can I show you how cars are more than just a means of transportation? Or just a fast toy you can play with on a racetrack?”

He looks so sweet when he asks; the fronts of his brows curl up in question, in hopes that you’d agree to his proposition.

“Mm,” you hum, fiddling with the pen in your hand. It’s mostly teasing when you hesitate, only because an eager, anxious Wonwoo is adorable. He wants to show you his perspective of things, how he portrays beauty, and the excitement that rushes through his veins when he convinces you to give him a chance to share is wholesome. “Sure. Where are you taking me?”

When Seokmin introduces you to cars, they’re fast and flashy. The need for speed is a priority and so is how exorbitant they are. Whenever you’d ask, the value he discloses had an obligatory minimum of six zeros behind the first digit. “They’re sexy,” he describes them, their aesthetics and price a main concern. “Who wouldn’t want a car that drives like the ones on the track?”

Although when it’s Wonwoo, the discernible way he illustrates his cars verbally is different. He doesn’t brag about the acceleration or shares the name of the brands—he talks about the drive, how he loves how the wind blows through his hair and it hits his fingers when his arm hangs out the car. Cold starts in the winter, there’s something familiar about the loud roar of the engine; it brings him back to the old days where his dad would toss him the keys to warm up the car when it snows. A silver 1993 Ford F-250 with an open truck bed for him to hop in on summer days, sleepovers on cooler nights, and a place to sit underneath the stars to draw out his dreams that once felt unattainable. He romanticizes moments with cars while Seokmin showcases adoration for the vehicle itself.

“My favorite thing about old cars,” he begins, unlocking the doors to a champagne beige 2003 Honda Accord before slipping into the driver’s seat. “Is the wind-up windows. They don’t make those anymore, and this car unfortunately doesn’t have one, but I love them.”

“What do you love so much about it?” You ask, following in suit in the passenger seat. “It’s so inconvenient. You’d pull up at the last second at the drive thru, try rolling down your windows while the worker asks for your order but you’ve barely made it halfway down.”

“Because the lack of tech makes time slow.”

Wonwoo makes this point detectable when he’s going through a drive thru, and you could hear the workers snicker through the speaker. He takes longer than usually anyone would these days just to get the window down, but the expression on his face shows enjoyment instead of frustration.

Then with a turn of his head, your heart nearly stops at the sight of his charming smile and sweet voice. “What do you wanna eat?”

There’s something so familiar about sitting in the parking lot of a burger joint; food sitting on the dashboard, windows down and the sun roof pushed open, the sun sets in the horizon in blends of different hues or oranges, pinks, yellows, and blues. The colors remind you of an old summer love, one that’s so in-the-moment, you get lost in someone else even if it’s for the season and you’d have to part ways after August. The shared ice cream cones, hands linked on the boardwalk by the beach, and never forget the romantic Pier rides and attractions, where you’d hold their arm in fear and they’d squeeze you for reassurance.

Wonwoo makes you feel�� homey.

“I know we’re not dating, but this is my favorite kind of date,” he admits cheekily, warmth rushing to his cheeks. “No crazy distractions. No drama. Just… me and you. And of course, the High School Musical 2 soundtrack,” Wonwoo smacks the player a couple times. It’s been stuck in there since the last owner. “I don’t have the heart to actually uninstall this because this CD is a banger.”

You snort. “Is this your favorite?”

“Mm, only ‘cause it’s the origin of Fabulous. Otherwise, if we’re talking about the whole soundtrack, I’d say HSM3 is my top.”

Wonwoo makes you laugh—genuinely laugh. He says what’s in his heart and in his mind, regardless of how he’s depicted. Truthfully, it’s been a while since you felt as light as this and you wonder if this is how people come out of meditation like.

Cars used to be just a means of transportation to get from point A to point B to you. Either that, or an ostentatious hunk of metal that Seokmin loves to flaunt.

Wonwoo… gives you the perspective of cars in a different light these days.

Another day, another car.

This time, it’s a white 2009 Volkswagen Beetle.

When Wonwoo lets you sit in the driver’s seat, the smoothness of the leather underneath your fingertips is a reminder of what he says about cars. It’s the experience, the feelings that you get during those fleeting moments in your life and how they're so easily forgotten with the daily work grind taking up most of your thoughts.

With an early 2010s Spotify playlist blasting through the speakers, the vibration brings you back to a different place. Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men on a CD was in the background, your irises melted into a boy’s who sat in the front seat of his car, palms cupping your jaw as he leaned in, nose bumping into yours amateurly. Your hands were sweaty, breath stolen from your lungs because of all the nerves, and keeping your gaze locked with his was harder than it seemed. He was your first love—now your first kiss.

The fog of your childhood memories dissipates; that boy you fell for in high school with his long dark skater hair and cheeky braces smile is replaced with the view of a boy from today. Eyes that curl into the shape of moon crescents, voice sweeter and thicker than honey, he goes, “how do you feel?”

Happy.

Nostalgic.

You sort of want to kiss him.

There’s this sudden shift in the air when Wonwoo is around; the weight on your shoulders abruptly lifts, allowing you to stretch and move freely. You never once noticed how prettily the sun peers through the sheer white curtains of your apartment on those Saturday mornings where you get to sleep in for a couple more hours after slamming the snooze button once more. His presence at your front door, a bag of groceries in hand as he offered to cook breakfast—everything about him gives you a new outlook on life.

As he sits beside you, in a car that Seokmin would never let you behind the wheel of, Wonwoo watches you eagerly with no hint of fear that you’d hurt the most valuable thing to him… you want to kiss him.

“Can I…” you hesitate, but he’s patient nonetheless.

Wonwoo furrows his brows. “What’s wrong?”

“Can I kiss you?”

He blinks blankly. “You… You wanna kiss me?”

Quickly, reality sinks in. What’s wrong with you? Why would you ask him that, especially sitting in the driver’s seat of his car like that flag girl would’ve wanted, asking him to make out with you like some horny teenager?

Before you could apologize, Wonwoo places his hand underneath your jaw gently, pulling you in close. “I thought you’d never ask,” he whispers against your skin, eyes hooded as he leans in more.

His lips are soft, pillowy, and they’re minty from the Altoids he had earlier; his touches are delicate, gingerly moving down toward your neck to bring you in, head tilting to the side to avoid bumping noses. Wonwoo even smells good. Being this close gave you a whiff of his cologne; notes of peach, blood orange, subtle hints of rum and patchouli leaves, you think it’s the Witch’s brew for a love potion, falling victim under his spell.

Drawing back just barely, your bated breaths ghosts over each other’s faces. Forehead pressed against yours, his hand reaches to push back a couple strands of your hair behind your ear.

“I know what you think this means,” Wonwoo says softly, almost like he’s sharing a secret but the words that spill are nothing but obvious to everyone. “But I don’t want you to feel like you have to jump all in this with me. If you decide after this that you don’t want to be with me, I’m okay with that too. Just… take your time, okay? We’ll go at your own pace.”

But I’m scared, is what you want to admit but it never comes out. The silence fills the air, the whooshing of cars driving over the wet asphalt being the only noise, it’s strangely soothing despite the current event. Wonwoo makes your heart stutter, and it’s been a long time since you’ve felt this nervous around someone. Not even Seokmin.

He pecks your lips cautiously, thumb rubbing against the softness of your cheeks. “I want you to resolve your relationship with Dokyeom.”

That’s when you retreat.

“What?” you furrow your brows frustratedly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Wonwoo sighs, leaning back in his seat before pushing his hair back. “Whether or not we pursue this thing between us, I think you need to figure out your situation with Kyeom.”

“I just asked to kiss you,” you retort. “That’s a clear indication that I like you. Why did you have to bring Seokmin into this?”

“Because I don’t just like you, I love you.”

You freeze.

This drive was supposed to be just a mini trip—a time to get away from the city, enjoy the fresh breeze by the shore, and try out driving his Volkswagen for the first time. The stickiness of the air accumulates a layer on your skin, tacky and sweaty, oftentimes causing discomfort but nothing about now feels uncomfortable.

Did… Did Wonwoo just tell you that he loves you?

Maybe it’s an oversight, you think, because he spills it so naturally. Sometimes people accidentally say things outside of what they mean in the spur of a moment, especially this moment, because you found yourself asking him for a kiss just seconds before.

“I mean it,” he adds. When he turns to look at you, his irises are like pools of warm hot chocolate, bringing the same satisfaction as holding a cup of it by a lit fireplace on a cool day. “I love you. And I know you’re barely just figuring things out, but I think for you to fully move on, you gotta talk to Kyeom.”

“This is sudden,” you pause, fiddling with your fingers. “Why are you saying this now? I barely confessed, we even kissed, and—”

“Why couldn’t you tell me you liked me?”

You blink. “Huh?”

“Why,” he reiterates, gaze never leaving yours. “Why couldn’t you tell me how you feel? Why do you feel like… you have to apologize for wanting to kiss me? Even though I’ve clearly stated my feelings?”

Rolling your lips, you turn to look at the horizon.

“You’re holding back because of Kyeom. If—If I’ve been overstepping boundaries, you would’ve told me by now. That's the kind of person you are. You wouldn’t lead me on, kissing me, coming by my shop, and taking all my advances if you didn’t feel some type of way. But you’re holding yourself back.”

“Seokmin doesn’t control my life. He doesn’t need to know anything about us. He doesn’t deserve that.”

That’s when Wonwoo reaches to hold your hand.

“And you’re right, he doesn’t. But… you’re letting him… own your feelings. Own your love. You’ve been sitting here with me, and your heart is with him. I’ll take whatever—I’ll give you all the kisses you ask for, I’ll take you on all these drives, you can be behind the wheel of every car I own, but I can’t… I can’t have you because you’re still with Kyeom.”

“So… what now?”

“This kiss was a reality check for me,” he discloses, tapping his feet against the mat on the floor. “Not that I want to push you away, but… to make things clear between us. I love you, and I’m not gonna pressure you to date me. But if you’re gonna kiss me like this, like you’re in love with me too, I need to establish my own boundaries. I’m your friend, but if you want anything more, I need you to fix this thing with Dokyeom.”

And somehow, it always goes back to Seokmin.

#gyukultfics #seventeen #svt #svt x reader #svt smut #wonwoo x reader #dk x reader #wonwoo fanfic

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justagalwhowrites · 9 months

Text

Yearling - Ch. 26: Carved

You and Joel search for Savvy outside of Jackson. A continuation of Yearling ch. 1-25 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Angst because... duh when do I not serve everything with a side of angst. I wish I could tell you why. Canon typical violence. Past suicide attempt. Suicidal ideation. No use of Y/N. Minors DNI 18+ Only

Length: 10.7k (I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE EITHER OK)

AO3 | Chapter One | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

It had gone unsaid for at least a day now.

Joel had been outside of Jackson with you for nine days and there was no sign of Savvy and it was time to turn back. He’d let you lead the way, picking directions, deciding when to stop for the day (within reason, he’d had to suggest breaks and point out the conditions of the horses at least once a day.) But there was nothing that pointed to her.

Your fourth day out, the two of you tracked a small group but it was about 10 people - three families with four kids between them - traveling to Seattle. When you found them, they were low on food so the two of you handed over the bulk of your rations. Joel told them about Jackson while you showed the younger kids the horses, keeping the occupied with a soft smile on your face as you patiently taught them how to pet Renaissance, how they had to hold their palms flat when offering her food. Joel wondered, not for the first time, how he’d never realized that you were a mother. It was so clearly built into you now that he knew to look for it. The families said they were heading for the coast and Joel hoped they found their way.

Day seven led you both to an abandoned camp that had been occupied by some kind of small party but nothing to indicate if it was raiders or someone else, though there was at least one horse. The two of you tracked that group for the last two days but they went into a stream they didn’t immediately ford and you lost the trail entirely.

“Fuck!” You dismounted into the water after you’d followed along the stream for several miles and seen no sign of the group on the shore. You kicked the water and screamed - the sound shrill and almost feral, more animal than human - before you fell to your knees. You collapsed back onto your heels as the stream flowed around your legs. You didn’t seem to notice.

Joel got down from his horse, too, gathering the reins of both animals and tying them to a nearby tree before meeting you in the water. He slowly lowered himself down on one knee, careful to leave some space between the two of you. Your hands were limp atop your thighs, palms facing to the sky, head bowed, prostrate to whatever higher power would bring your daughter back.

“Bambi,” he said softly. You didn’t even lift your head. This loss hit hard, he knew. The sign of a horse had perked you up. You had sat up straighter in your saddle, your eyes had more life in them. Your body had carried the signs of hope and those signs were gone now. “It doesn’t mean anything. It could have been anyone, just because…”

“What if she’s gone, Joel?” You asked, your voice cracked and broken. “What if it wasn’t a lie, what if…”

“Don’t know that,” he cut you off.

You’d told him what Mitchum had said to you, what he’d shown you as proof that your child was gone. The thought of it had nearly made him vomit, all but choking down bile as you spoke.

It had broken you for a while. More than a year, from the sounds of it. But, one day, you decided you couldn’t know what had happened to her, not really. Mitchum hadn’t given you any actual proof. He’d told you something he knew would torture any parent, gave you the piece of a beloved animal as a trophy. But the horse had been the older one, the smaller one. The one that could have been caught while Savvy slipped away on the younger, larger animal. So you made yourself move again, made yourself start preparing for a life beyond the place they kept you chained. You made sure you were ready to search when the time came.

Joel wasn’t sure if it was delusional or if it was discerning, if your mind was just desperate to find a reason to keep living or if you were seeing the holes in the logic of the cruelty forced on you.

“You can’t know,” he said. “Not for sure. Not unless we find her.”

“What if she died afraid and alone?” You asked, like you didn’t even hear him. But you lifted your head at least, your eyes finding his. “What if she was cold or hurting? She gets cold so easy, she always wears socks, even in summer… I could have held her, at least, I could have made it easier…”

Joel tried not to think about Sarah. About holding her, telling her that everything was going to be OK. About how his last words to her had been a lie. About how he wasn’t sure the last time he’d told her that he loved her. About how he wasn’t sure if telling her that as she bled out in his arms would have made it better or worse.

“You don’t know,” he said instead. “You taught her everything you knew, right? Means she’s smart, she’s resourceful. She’s out there, Baby, she is.”

You just looked at him, your eyes flat and dead and he wondered, for a moment, if that’s what Tommy saw looking back at him in the years before they made it to Boston.

“C’mon,” he said, putting a hand on your shoulder. You didn’t shrink away from him. “Let’s get out of the water, it’ll be dark real soon, anyway. We can find a place to camp here, get you dried off.”

You didn’t say anything, you just hung your head, looking down at your hands again.

“Bambi,” he said after a minute. “Can’t help her by stayin’ here. We gotta keep you going and that means getting out of this cold water, now let’s go. Not going to do her any good if you get sick out here, let’s go.”

You nodded a little at that and Joel got up himself before helping you to your feet. He guided you to the horses and gave you Renaissance’s reins before leading you to a place far enough away from the stream that anyone following it wouldn’t see you but close enough that it would be easy enough to refill canteens.

He set up camp and got out dry clothes from your pack.

“Bambi,” he said gently. You at least looked at him, even though your eyes still looked dead. “Should get changed out of those wet clothes. I’m going to go get us somethin’ to eat real quick, you get dry. OK?”

You took the pants and socks from Joel but just stared at them for a moment.

“Have to change, OK?” He said, watching you. “Can’t help her if you’re sick or hurt. Not good to sit in wet clothes for too long, gotta change.”

You nodded then and he slung his rifle over his arm.

“Gonna be alright for a bit?” He asked. You nodded. “Gonna come back to you in one piece, right?”

You nodded again, though Joel still felt uneasy.

“Back soon,” he said.

He picked his way carefully through the forest, back toward the stream where there’d been plenty of signs of animal life. Since the two of you had given most of your rations to the travelers, he’d hunted almost daily. It reminded him of crossing the country with Ellie and, under other circumstances, he’d probably enjoy being out here like this with you.

In another reality, he’d bring his guitar. After the two of you hunted together, he’d play and you’d sing and then he’d hand the instrument to you and he’d sing while you played and you’d sit so that your body was against his, where he could feel the heat of you beside him. When the fire died, you’d climb in the same sleeping bag and he’d hold you close and tight and kiss you all soft and needy. You’d moan against his mouth and he’d slip inside you as though he belonged there, at home between your thighs and burrowed against your chest.

Instead he was alone and worried about leaving you unattended.

He remembered what he’d been like after Sarah died.

It wasn’t a pleasant memory. It was hard to recall the exact feeling in those early days of loss. When he focused on it, tried to actually get an idea of that hell, he was often reminded of the idea that mothers forget the pain of labor when it’s done. How the agony fades so they can face the idea of giving birth again. He wondered if that’s what his mind had done, too. If his head made that time hazy and lost so he could keep on living because surviving that again would be impossible. He’d never risk it.

He hadn’t wanted to survive it then. He’d tried not to, lasting not even a day without his daughter’s kind smile or keen gaze or smart mouth before he pressed a gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

For a very long time, he didn’t know why he flinched. For a very long time, he wished it had worked. And something told him that he had the same look in his eyes then that you had now.

He wasn’t sure what he was going to do when he got you back to Jackson. The two of you needed to turn back, you couldn’t just stay out here forever. Maria said he could have two weeks and he figured it would be OK if he pushed that by a bit but he couldn’t disappear with you for the time it took to comb every square mile of the wilderness.

What if you gave up like him? You were so much stronger than him. You wouldn’t flinch away from it, he knew that. What if you surrendered to it and he wasn’t there to save you? What if you just didn’t show up at the stables one morning and he went to find you and instead found your body, cold and empty and alone? Just what was left of you, surrounded by your music collection and the guitar he made you and the books you scrawled notes in, all these signs pointing to your life that would be gone. His might be gone, then, too.

He settled in what he thought was a good spot, signs of rabbits plentiful. Joel set up behind a fallen log, setting up the gun, and waited. It didn’t take long. A bush rustled nearby and he turned, quickly, before going still, gun set and ready. A minute passed, then two. Finally, a rabbit emerged, taking a cautious hop into the open. He fired and it fell. He slung the gun on his back and picked the animal up - carefully, deliberately - its hind legs still warm, sinews pliable.

He turned to start back to camp when he froze. Ahead of him was a deer, graceful and fragile, eyes wide and soft and watching him like he was watching her. Something in a nearby tree rustled and she startled for a second, wild and cautious, but stilled before looking back at Joel. At her feet was a tiny fawn, its coat speckled and its legs spindly and splayed. The mother watched him closely, like she was trying to figure out if this two-legged creature in her forest was a threat. He wondered if she’d ever seen a person before.

“It’s OK mama,” he said softly after a moment. “Not gonna hurt you or your baby. You’re OK.”

She watched him for another moment, not jumping when he moved - slowly - to stand up straight. It was like part of her could feel that he was safe, that she didn’t need to be so on guard with him. Eventually, she hung her head low, nudging her baby forward. Joel watched them until they were swallowed by the forest, mother leading her child through the wilderness.

***

Life in the forest around you felt loud.

You couldn’t make much out, all of it melding together into a drone that you could feel in your ears. There were crickets and birds and frogs and the rustle of leaves and it meant you couldn’t hear the blood in your ears anymore. Or maybe you could and the wilderness had swallowed you up, too.

That seemed like the best option. To disappear into the earth with the untamed things. Maybe it would stop hurting then.

You weren’t entirely sure how far you’d gone. Joel had woken you early that morning. You’d been in the middle of a dream, one that you couldn’t remember now. You just knew that your heart was racing and you kept feeling like there was something just out of your reach, something you desperately needed to get to.

“Bambi,” he said gently, a hand on your shoulder. There was something in you that wanted to pull away but you didn’t. You stayed where you were, fumbling through your mind as you tried to remember why your heart was threatening to race out of your chest. You looked up at him, a sad look in his eyes. He always had that look now, it seemed. He took his hand back. “Sorry… You were dreaming… Didn’t seem like it was anythin’ good.”

You just nodded and pinched your eyes shut for a moment. It didn’t seem to make a difference.

Joel gave you something to eat - you couldn’t really taste it - and you stared into space between bites, back propped against a tree.

“Bambi,” he said, in a tone that made it seem like it wasn’t the first time he’d said it. You turned your head to look at him, fidgeting with some of the meat Joel had given you. “We… we really need to consider heading back to Jackson.”

You frowned.

“But…”

“I know,” he said gently. “And I’m so sorry we didn’t find her yet. But we need to turn back, this is day 10 and it’s gonna take a few days to make it…”

“I can’t just give up on her, Joel,” you said quietly. “I can’t, I…”

“I’m not saying give up on her,” he replied. “I’m saying that we go back to town, let the horses rest, plan where else to go next time. If… if we’re smart about it, we can search a good portion of the region without backtracking and covering the same ground twice, give us a better shot. But we can’t do that out here, Baby, we just can’t. We don’t have the rations, we’ll run out of ammo if we run into trouble, the horses will be pushed too hard. We need to go back.”

You knew he was right. But it still felt so wrong, going back to Jackson without her.

“We can take a different route back?” You asked, ready to fight him if he said no.

“Course,” he said. “We’ll see what we can find, OK? But we need to head back.”

You sighed, looking out to the forest you hadn’t searched, something tight and sickening settling in your stomach, like if you just pushed a little harder, went a little further, you’d find her.

“OK.”

The sun was high and you thought you’d been riding for a while but it was hard to know for sure. You were trying to focus on everything but you had been for more than a week, and you were worried you were missing things in the haze of fog that had over taken you. Joel kept looking back over his shoulder to you, like he was making sure you were still following him even though you knew there must be the sound of you behind him.

He looked back over his shoulder at you 13 more times - some part of you was keeping count, always aware of him - when you saw something off the trail and frowned.

You pulled Renaissance to a stop and dismounted, Joel doing a double take back at you when he realized you were no longer following him.

“Jesus, Bambi,” he brought Ares to a halt and got down, too, coming up alongside you. “Gotta tell me when you see something…”

“Sorry,” you said, not looking at him. Instead, you picked your way through the brush toward what had made you stop to begin with. It was a trap, a slender branch from a young tree pulled down toward the ground, rope pulled tight.

“Is that…” Joel frowned, so close you could feel him next to you. It didn’t bother you the way it had back in Jackson. It still sent a thrill of fear through you, making your muscles coil and tense, body preparing to defend yourself even though you knew you didn’t need to. But part of you found it oddly comforting, too. In some ways, it felt good to have him close.

“It’s a snare,” you said, kneeling beside it. You looked closer at the rope, the fibers turning green and fraying at the edges. You reached out, delicately tracing the curve of the branch with one finger. “I think it’s been here for a bit.”

Joel was silent for a moment.

“Do you think…”

“She makes these,” you said softly. “I showed her how to make a few snares, this is the one she uses the most.”

Joel knelt beside you and you looked at him. His face was soft and eyes warm, looking less pained than you’d seen him in weeks. He got closer to the pins that kept the snare ready to snap up whatever might trigger it.

“Think you’re right on the timing,” he said. “There’s some moss startin’ in down here, been here at least a month. Probably closer to two.”

“She wouldn’t have just left it here,” you said as Joel sat back from the trap. “She was good about that, she always got her traps, she remembered where she put them and she got them back. She wouldn’t have just left it here…”

“Is it OK if I take it down?” Joel’s voice was so gentle and soft, like he was holding a delicate thing with his words. “You can take a closer look at it, see if it really looks like hers…”

You just nodded, not sure if you’d be able to speak around the knot in your throat. Joel delicately released the snare and freed the pins, one from the rope and the other from the ground. He set them, almost reverently, in your open palm and set about untying the rope from the slender branch.

You held the pins tightly in your fist for a moment, as though you could absorb some part of Savvy through them if she’d held them like that once. When the wood felt as warm as your fingers and Joel was still beside you, holding the coil of rope, you opened your hand, picking up one of the pins and looking at it closely.

You’d been the one who showed Savvy how to carve these pins. You’d never been particularly good at woodworking, nothing like Joel with his even, guided knife strokes that shaped the material into something that seemed to have been held within the grain of it from the beginning, he just helped reveal it. Your daughter was better at it than you. Where your pins were always jagged and harsh, hers had an elegance and smoothness to them, precision in her cuts that you’d never been able to find on your own. You’d always wondered if she’d gotten that trait from her mother or her father, if Mark had been able to shape things and you just hadn’t known. Maybe he hadn’t even known.

The pins in your fingers were fine and almost smooth and your hand shook as you traced the arc of one.

“Bambi?” Joel said softly.

“These are hers,” you said, voice thick. “She… she is so good at making these, hers are always so precise and smooth and almost artistic and…”

He gently took one from you and you let him. He examined it, too, looking closely.

“I don’t know where she got it from,” you said, looking at him. “I never… I couldn’t teach her to do it that well, I taught her the basics but she is just good. Even when she makes them quick they’re just good and these are hers, Joel, I know they are.”

“What would make her abandon a trap?” He asked after a moment, looking back at you.

You thought for a second.

“Bad weather, maybe,” you said. “If… if she got hurt. If something drove her out of the area and she didn’t have time to collect everything or if she was too hurt to go back for it, that’s the only thing.”

He nodded slowly, looking back at the pin.

“Joel,” your voice trembled. “Joel, what if something happened to her? What if she’s hurt? What if someone took her, what…”

“We don’t know anything yet,” he said gently. “It could have been bad weather and she packed up quick. Or she saw a threat and left before it saw her, too.”

“We have to look around here,” you said. “Please, Joel, I know we’re heading back but we have to look, I can’t…”

“We’ll look,” he said. “We’ll look, it’s OK.”

You just nodded and pressed your forehead into his shoulder. You did it without thinking, it was just instinct. Joel was stable and warm and smelled like home and you needed that. You needed him. He was still for a moment before he put an arm around you, holding you gently.

“We will find her, baby,” he said gently. “It’s OK.”

The two of you looked for signs of her immediately around the snare but you weren’t that discouraged when you didn’t find any. It had been weeks, footprints in mud and the scars of missing bark from trees would be long gone.

“Which way would she go?” Joel asked, watching you.

You sighed, looking around. Your heart was beating like you were running from something and at a fork in the road, forced to make a life or death choice.

“There’s water, northeast of here I think, right?” You said, trying to orient yourself. “She knew to stick near where she could find water, I think she’d head that way.”

Joel nodded slowly.

“Then that’s where we’ll go.”

He watched you closely for a moment. Your jaw was tight, whole being taut and tense. He slowly, cautiously, reached for you, giving you every opportunity to pull away from him. You didn’t. Instead, you let him pull your worn body against his, his arms wrapping around you, his lips brushing your hair. You put your arms around him, looping them up and over his back, fingers splaying wide and clutching him close for a moment.

“It’s OK Bambi,” he said. You could feel his voice in his chest. “It’s going to be OK.”

You took the lead again, every direction change and choice feeling bigger than any other you’d ever made. Every path not followed hurt, a chance that you were losing. You tried not to think about it but your mind kept getting stuck, as though if you concentrated hard enough you could pull yourself apart and the pieces could keep searching. It didn’t matter much if you couldn’t put it all back together again. If you found her, it was worth it. If you didn’t, what would be the point.

Dusk was on the horizon when you started looking for a place to stop for the night.

“What’s that?” Joel said after you’d started looking for a good place to rest as well as for signs of Savvy. “To the east a bit?”

You looked back at him to see where he meant and followed his eye line. There was a bright spot through the trees about a football field away. You frowned a little.

“Worth looking at,” you looked back toward Joel. He just nodded before nudging Ares toward the bright spot and you followed with Renaissance. When you went to overtake him, he held his hand out.

“Should stay behind me,” he said. “Just… in case.”

You frowned a little but nodded and fell in behind him, watching as he brought his rifle forward. Your grip on Renaissance tightened and she huffed, her ears twitching.

It was almost a let down when it was just a small clearing. For a moment, you thought it was just a quirk of the forest but you saw another spot just beyond that was brighter, too. You dismounted.

“Got the map?” You asked, tying Renaissance off on a nearby tree before working your way through the brush to the other bright spot. It was a clearing, too. “Looks like campsites.”

“Here,” Joel said as you came back over, Ares tied off near Renaissance, the map in his hand. “We’re toward the north end of the Shoshone National Forest. Or should be, anyway.” You nodded, looking at the map. It didn’t have things like camp grounds marked that you could see. “Thinkin’ we’re about here.”

He pointed to a spot on the map and you nodded again.

“Near water,” you said, looking back up at him.

“Yeah,” he said. “It’d be a good spot.”

“Let me just…” you looked out toward the other clearing. “I’ll be back.”

You didn’t wait for him to respond. Instead, you just went back toward the other site, crossing it this time and working your way through the brush to another site. There were five all told and you found the remains of a fire at the fourth one. You knelt beside the small fire pit, the ash pile tall enough that you could tell it was from more than just a day or two. Joel appeared beside you.

“Someone was here,” you said, nodding at it. “For a little while.”

Joel’s hand went to the middle of your back and you jumped a little at his touch before you relaxed into it.

“Could be,” he said, replying to the words you couldn’t say. You just nodded.

The two of you settled in for the night, finishing off the rabbit from the night before. You tried not to think about patrolling with Joel. How you’d sit near him and find comfort in his presence, how you wanted to do everything beside him. Part of you still lived in that feeling. The rest of you was still chained to a wall, begging for help but getting none.

Joel hummed quietly as he carved - some small figure that you were curious about but couldn’t bring yourself to ask after - as you stared at the fire, watching the crackle as the wood popped and sparks flew.

“Do you think I’m crazy?” You asked, arms looped around your knees, looking across the flames to him when you couldn’t take the silence and distance anymore.

Joel frowned, raising his eyes to yours.

“No. Why would I think you’re crazy?”

“For doing this,” you said. “Searching with no real idea of where to go, endless space to look, all for someone I don’t…”

Your voice broke and you looked back at the fire.

“No,” he said gently. “Not crazy. I’d do the same thing.”

“Is that why you’re helping me?” You asked, looking back at him.

He considered you for a moment, a brief flash of hurt in his eyes.

“Part of it,” he said eventually. “But, Sweetheart… I’d do anything for you. Lookin’ for your girl… that’s… there’s no question. I’m always going to want to help you, always going to want to take care of you. Doesn’t matter what it is but especially with this.”

You nodded and buried your face in your arms for a moment before you sighed.

“I’m scared I’m losing my mind,” you said before looking back at him again. “I don’t know if… If what I’m thinking and hoping and basing all this around is real or if it’s just… For a while, when I was with them, when I thought she was gone, I wanted to die. There just wasn’t a reason for any of it and everything just hurt all the time but I couldn’t do it. I just kept living and I resented it. But, after a while, it’s like I talked myself out of it. I convinced myself that she could be out there. Just enough that I could forget how much it hurt. And then I got out. But every time I saw something that made me think that it could be a sign of her… I think I’ve been moving toward this for a long time. Where I can’t be in limbo anymore and can’t just avoid it, where I need to know and… I don’t know how much of it is real and smart and how much of it is something just made out of the hurt and the fact that it seemed like it should have killed me but it didn’t. I don’t know how sane any of it is, Joel. I don’t. But I don’t know if I can survive without it and…”

You buried your face in your arms again, tears stinging your eyes.

“I understand, Bambi,” he said gently. You looked up at him, frowning a little. “I did a lot of that when… after Sarah died. I knew she was gone, there wasn’t a question of that. I felt it happen. But… I couldn’t live with it, either.”

You frowned a little, watching him closely.

“Tried to end it,” he said, sniffing once, his voice tight. “Next day. Put a gun to my head, figured it’d be quick. Didn’t work, obviously. Flinched.”

“Joel…”

“Spent a lot of years after that hidin’ from it,” he continued, turning his carving over in his hands. “Tried not to think about her. Regret that now. Who knows what I forgot because I was so busy trying to not hurt. Tommy never even said her name. We never talked about her. But it seemed like the best part of my day was the half a second after I woke up when I didn’t remember she was gone. Always felt like she was in the next room, that I’d need to make sure she was moving to get out the door on time for school… It took a long time before I found something else to live for. And it sure seems like she found me, not the other way around. Then we came to Jackson and I… I found you. With her and with you, seemed like there was a reason I flinched back then. Like part of me knew there was a reason to go on and I’d find it eventually.

“You’ve got that, too. Even if… even if it’s not me and even if it doesn’t seem like it. You have things to live for, baby. Promise you do. You may not even know what they are yet but you have ‘em. You just have to keep living, that’s all. Just keep survivin’. Please.”

You watched him through the flames for a moment before you got up and came around the flames to sit beside him, close but not so close that you were touching. He froze as you leaned over, slowly, to rest your head on his shoulder.

“I’m glad it didn’t work,” you said quietly.

“Me, too,” he replied after a moment.

“I don’t know what I want right now,” you said, watching the fire. “But I know that I’m glad you exist. That I want you to be happy.”

You felt him turn ever so slightly, his lips and his nose brushing the top of your head.

“I’m here for you,” he said softly. “However you want me, I’ll do whatever you want. As long as you’re safe and happy, I’ll do whatever you want.”

He held his large hand out to you, a small carving of a deer in his fingers. You took it, turning its delicate body in the light.

“It’s yours, if you want it,” he said quietly. “All yours either way.”

***

You wanted to follow the river the next day. Joel was fine with that, especially since you picked the route that curved back toward Jackson. Or, at least, in that general direction. It was still a few days ride and he’d already made notes of where you’d found signs of Savvy to come back and check again if the two of you didn’t find her on this trip out.

You were more yourself than you had been in a long time. The two of you stopped for lunch and to give the horses a longer break and Joel started carving again, just to give himself something to do besides look at you. That hurt too much.

“Can you teach me?” You asked after a few minutes. He looked at you for a moment, surprised you were talking to him at all. It had been a quiet almost two weeks with you.

“Sure,” he said before you had a chance to take it back. “Want to come sit by me? Grab…” he looked around for a moment before finding a hunk of wood on the ground that looked like it would work. “That there?”

You nodded and moved to be next to him. Careful, he noticed, to not touch him but close enough that you could easily see his hands. He cleared his throat.

“Want to find the grain of the wood,” he said, watching as you turned the chunk of wood in your hands. “Want to work with it, go against it and it’ll split.”

“Makes sense,” you said. Fuck, you were so close to him.

“Start with a rough cuts, get the outline of what you want to make,” he said. “Knife in your dominant hand, wood in the other. Hold it real firm and cut away from your body in thin slices, don’t go too deep or it’ll fracture.”

You nodded and looked at the wood again, frowning down at it.

“What do you want to make?” He asked after you didn’t move to cut it.

“A moose, I think,” you said. “Just not sure where to start.”

He nodded slowly.

“Can I?” He asked, hand out. You shrugged and handed the wood over. He turned it in his hands for a moment, getting a feel for the shape of it, finding the grain. “Here,” he said, holding it close to you. “Back’ll probably be this part here…” He notched the blade against the wood and cut into it. “That’ll make this the neck.” He adjusted the knife and cut again. “Legs down here. You try that one.”

He handed the wood back and your fingers brushed his as you took it. He clenched his hand into a fist in his lap, squeezing some of the tension swelling in him out before releasing it.

“Here?” You asked, lining up your knife.

“Yeah,” Joel said. “But turn it a bit so you’re cuttin’ more away from yourself…” He helped you adjust and felt your skin on his again. You made the cut. “There ya go. Go back over the whole thing like that, shave off a bit more…”

You nodded and set to work and Joel tried to not watch you too obsessively. He didn’t want to push you away or make you uncomfortable but fuck you were so close and you weren’t mad at him. So much of what he remembered of how you felt in his arms had gotten mixed up in the night you’d left Jackson, how he clutched onto you while you screamed. He wasn’t sure you’d ever let him close again and now you were beside him because you chose it. He couldn’t ruin it. He went back to his own carving.

“Alright,” you said eventually, holding up the wood. “Think I’ve got it. Now what?”

He looked at it and nodded.

“Good job,” he said. “There are two other kinds of cuts you’ll use for the rest of it. One where you pull the knife toward yourself - most common one - and one where you push it. Pull is a lot like paring, you’re gonna brace the wood with your thumb and then pull your knife towards it.”He showed you on his carving and you leaned in close, nodding. “Keep your thumb back so you don’t get hurt, though.”

You nodded and positioned your hands like his before pressing into the wood. The first cut was jagged but the beginning of the technique was there. And you didn’t cut your thumb, so it was enough for him to call it a success.

“Good,” he said and you looked up at him, smiling a little.

He showed you how to do the push stroke, too, and the two of you sat in near silence for a bit, working at your carvings. Joel kept glancing your way, trying to not look too long so he didn’t distract you but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t grateful for it. He was close to you, close enough that your elbow brushed against him now and then and he could hear you breathing, with a reason to look at you. He’d have been happy to stay like that for hours, with birds singing and you breathing, like nothing bad had ever happened to either of you at all.

You’d made good progress when you cursed and hissed, dropping the wood and bringing your hand to your mouth.

“Cut your thumb?” He asked, setting his carving and knife down. You nodded, thumb between your lips. He held out his hand. “Lemme see.”

“Uh uh,” you muttered as you sucked on your injured finger.

“C’mon, Bambi,” he smiled a little. “Happens to everyone, especially when you’re learnin’. Lemme see it.”

You looked at him with those wide eyes of yours like you were half expecting him to judge you for your slip. But you sighed and pulled your thumb from your mouth and thrust your hand at him. He took it gently, yours so much smaller than his own that it seemed delicate even with the callus from guitar and riding on your fingertips and palms. The cut on your thumb started beading with blood before he had a chance to look at it and he frowned for a second before raising your hand to his mouth, putting your small hurt between his lips and pulling the salt and copper of you into him. Your breath hitched and Joel felt you stiffen beside him and it was only then that he realized what he’d done without thinking, the casual intimacy of caring for your body with his own. There was still a part of him that couldn’t accept the separation from you. It felt like an unnatural thing, you existing so separate from him that you could be hurting next to him and he was supposed to ignore it hadn’t even crossed his mind. He pulled your hand carefully from his mouth.

“Sorry,” he said, voice gruff, as he delicately examined the cut. It was deeper than he’d hoped but not to the bone. “S’not too bad, lemme just…” He released your hand and went into his bag, pulling out a scrap of fabric he had just for this kind of injury. He took your hand back and poured a little water over the cut before he wrapped it tightly, knotting the cotton around your thumb. “Keep that elevated for a minute, should stop bleeding before too long. When it does, we’ll get going.”

You nodded and Joel picked up your carving from where you’d dropped it. The moose was starting to take shape, though its form was jagged and rough. But the ruggedness suited it, something powerful not easily contained by the wood. Your blood stained the side of its chest, near where its heart would be. Joel tried to wipe it away but some had already seeped in, a red splotch on its chest.

“I ruined him,” you said, sounding a little sad. Joel glanced over at you, your eyes focused on the small creature in his palm, lips turned into a small frown.

“Think he’ll be alright, Bambi,” Joel smiled a little. “Besides, he only exists because of you. Don’t think you can ruin him.”

After a moment, Joel took your bleeding hand back and checked the bandage. It looked to be holding.

“We should go,” you said, a little breathless, watching him.

“Yes,” a voice from behind the two of you said. “You really should.”

Joel jumped to his feet and drew his gun, aiming it at a group of five men who - while he was distracted by you and your proximity and your blood - had managed to sneak up on him. He cursed himself silently as he glanced quickly to where you’d been. You were on your feet, too, gun drawn and held in front of you. He adjusted so he was between you and them.

“Not lookin’ for any trouble,” Joel said. “Just passing through. Appreciate it if you’d let us.”

“Not too fond of folks passing through,” one of the men stepped forward, lowering his gun just a bit. The other four kept their weapons trained on Joel. He wasn’t in a good position to take out a group like this. He wished he had his rifle instead of his handgun but the rifle was strapped to Ares and he was tied to a tree a good 20 feet away. He ground his teeth. “Because it never seems like they’re just passing through.”

Joel stepped back until he felt you at his back and he breathed a little easier. He just needed to keep you in one piece, that’s all.

“Well, we are,” Joel said. “Looking for someone, think she might have come through here. Once we look for her, we’ll be on our way.”

“No one out here but us,” the man said. “Took this territory few months back and believe me, we’re not about to let anyone just take what’s ours.”

“She wouldn’t steal from you,” you snapped, stepping out from behind Joel.

“Bambi,” he hissed but you ignored him.

“She’s a teenager,” you said. “Brown skin, brown eyes, curly hair. She set up a snare about a day’s ride from here so she was probably around for a while…”

“Told you,” the man said. “Don’t let people take what’s ours. This is our territory, don’t let just anybody hunt on it. We got folks to look after, can’t have just anyone taking animals on our land. Including you. So you can come with us or we can handle this here.”

Joel glanced at you, trying to do the calculus of what was the best move. Did he risk taking a hand off his weapon to throw you behind him? Did he start shooting and move himself in front of you? Did he try to talk these idiots down?

“We haven’t hunted in days,” you bit out before Joel had a chance to decide. “Haven’t taken anything of yours, just want to keep looking…”

“See, now, don’t think I can believe that,” the man said. Joel clenched his jaw. “Sure as shit can’t trust you to just stay in our territory…”

“We’ll leave,” Joel said, catching a glimpse of your head whipping around to stare him down. “Already heading back toward ours…”

One of the the four men toward the back took a step closer to you and Joel reacted before he really thought about it. It was instinctual. There was a threat to you and he took that threat down, the gunshot cracking through the air as the man dropped to the earth.

Everything happened quickly then. There was a split second of near silence, the echo of the bullet hanging heavy over the shocked silence of the surrounding forest, and the shooting began.

Joel moved for you as one of your bullets hit one of the men. Joel threw you behind a tree and kept shooting as the other men scrambled for cover.

“Three left,” you said, scrambling to reload before looking up at Joel, panting for breath. “Should leave at least one alive, question him.”

Joel nodded, gun low. A chunk of tree trunk exploded near his head and he flinched.

“I’m gonna draw their fire…”

“No,” you shook your head, cutting him off. “No, you can’t…”

“You cover me,” he said, ignoring you. “They’re gonna expose themselves to take a shot, take ‘em down then. Stay back. Something happens to me, get out of here, OK?”

“Joel,” you said, voice sharp and eyes wide, but he pressed on. There was the sharp crack of another bullet hitting the tree.

“You need to stay alive for her, OK?” He said. “Understand? You’re the only one who knows she’s missing and how to find her so you stay alive for her.”

He didn’t wait for you to respond. Instead he looked back over his shoulder and around the tree, as much as he dared to catch a glimpse of their positions before looking back at you.

“I’m going on three, OK baby?” He looked in your eyes for what he hoped wouldn’t be the last time and took a deep breath. He wanted to touch you, promise you it was all going to be OK, but kept his hands on his gun. “I love you. No matter what.”

He counted down before you had a chance to say anything back and ran for a tree that would give him cover while also giving him a chance to get closer to the last of the men. A bullet passed so close to him he felt it on the air and you started shooting almost immediately, your second shot hitting one of the men in the chest. Joel kept shooting and so did you, but he was pretty sure it was his shot that felled the next man, just as he reached the other tree. That left one who was alive. He reloaded and looked over to you from his new position, your chest heaving but face set firm. He jerked his head back, hoping you’d understand what he wanted you to do. You nodded once. He held up three fingers and you nodded again. He counted down and you both moved. He tracked you with his eyes for a moment, thankful you got what he’d been trying to communicate with you. You moved quickly but delicately around the edge of the trees, going to loop around the back side of where the men were hiding. Joel went the other way. With any luck, he’d meet you in the middle by the final man.

“You two sure cause a lot of trouble for folks just passin’ through,” the first man called. Joel was quiet. That meant he probably hadn’t seen the two of you start to move. “Should understand why we kill everyone who comes through. Probably killed that girl you’re after. If she was around here few months back we did.” Joel clenched his jaw. He was getting close to the man’s position, having to move slowly to not make a sound. “Cleared the land when we took over, folks could join up or they got handled. If she’s anything like you two, she got handled.”

Joel barely had a chance to hope you didn’t take the bait when you roared, the sound sharp and harsh. He moved quickly then, just in time to see you knock the man’s gun out of his hand as he got a shot off. It grazed your arm but you didn’t seem to notice. You tackled him but couldn’t leverage yourself to stay on top fast enough and he slammed you into the ground with a sickening thud. You were still as he scrambled to his feet and brought his foot down, hard, on your arm. Joel heard it snap half a second before you screamed and he finally - finally - reached the man, looping an arm around his throat and pulling him back, pressing the gun to his temple.

“That was a fuckin’ mistake,” he growled. The man clawed uselessly at Joel’s arm. “If you’re smart, you’ll cooperate. If you ain’t, that’s OK too. Don’t mind forcing you.”

Joel looked down toward you, tears in your eyes as you lay flat on your back, pupils blown.

“You still with me, baby?” He asked, resisting the urge to snap the man’s neck. You nodded and blinked tears from your eyes. “Good. Stay put, just a minute, OK?”

Joel wrenched the man around and shoved him to the ground before pressing him back against a tree. He flinched back for a moment and Joel almost smiled at him. He was afraid. Afraid was good.

“Gonna ask you just a few questions,” Joel said, gun still pressed to the man’s chest. “And you can tell me what I want to know or I can hurt you. Either way, I get what I want. Don’t matter much to me which way it goes.”

“Sure we can work something out,” the man said, his eyes darting and wide. “We’ve got a good crew, we’re setting up something permanent, could use someone with your skills…”

“Don’t need a place,” Joel cut him off. “Especially not with someone who would kill a kid. That what you did? You kill a kid?”

“Look…” he said but Joel turned the gun down and pressed it to the man’s thigh, pulling the trigger. The shot was nearly deafening and the spray of blood was hot as the man screamed, his hands flying to his mangled leg, his torso arching over his injured limb. Joel calmly wiped the man’s blood off his gun using some denim that had missed the splatter before he holstered it. He pulled out his knife and opened it before pressing his knee into the shin of the man’s injured leg. He screamed again and Joel held up the knife.

“Got plenty of places I can put this, too,” he said, voice calm. “So answer the question. Did you kill a kid?”

“I’m sorry,” he slumped back against the tree, his hands clutching around his injured thigh, as though that would hold him together. “We… we killed a lot of people when we moved in here, there were people all through this area but they… they weren’t organized, just nomads. They were a threat, we’ve been running from another group, made it far enough from where they mark their territory, needed to stake a claim before we lost that, too. We offered… anyone we found we offered a place but if they didn’t hold up their end or if they turned it down we killed ‘em, couldn’t let ‘em live, they knew too much, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“Still haven’t answered the question,” Joel said. “Did you kill a kid?”

“My kid,” you said, voice closer than Joel had expected it. He glanced back to you and you were standing just behind him, cradling your arm to your chest. “She’s 14, brown skin, brown eyes, curly hair. She was out here about two months ago. Seen anyone like that?”

Joel tried to not picture Sarah trying to navigate the wilderness alone.

“No,” the man shook his head quickly. “No, I haven’t I swear I haven’t, not back at the settlement, not out here, I haven’t, I promise! I promise.”

“Any of your buddies mention someone like that?” Joel asked, knife still in hand. “Any of your buddies take a liking to teenaged girls?”

“What?” He frowned. Joel sighed and thrust the knife into the man’s good leg at the knee. He screamed, shooting forward in pain. Joel waited for the choking sobs to turn to whimpers.

“Asked if your buddies might have mentioned her,” he said. “Or if any of ‘em like teenaged girls. Think you know what I’m askin’.”

The man panted and looked up at you, as though you’d help him. Joel grabbed the man’s chin, yanking his gaze back to him.

“Not at her,” he said. “You’re with me. Answer the question or I’m gonna make things a whole lot worse for you. Any of your buddies mention a girl like her? Any of them have a habit of taking up with girls?”

“No,” he said, tears streaming down his face. “No, none of them mentioned her but…”

Joel was quiet for a moment, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, he gripped the knife, adding just enough pressure that the man yelped and started panting for breath.

“But?” Joel asked.

“But they wouldn’t have mentioned her!” He cried out, opening his eyes to look up at you again. “We didn’t talk about who we took out, there were a few dozen and… I’m sorry, if she was here… if she was here when we came through…”

Joel pulled the knife out before he could finish the statement. You didn’t need to hear that.

“Where’s your settlement?” Joel asked, wiping the blood on a clean spot on the man’s shirt before pressing the point to the man’s throat, just enough that he’d feel the sharp of it.

“Northeast!” He said. “Northeast, just south of the road going into Cody, about 20 miles west of the town. We… we’ve claimed through here all the way about five miles south as ours, we’ve got about 250 folks up that way…”

Joel nodded and closed the knife before standing. He looked over at you, at the cold and detached look in your eyes.

“Bambi,” he said gently, but you ignored him.

Instead, you pulled out your gun and aimed it at the man’s head. He barely had a chance to raise his hands, didn’t have a chance to beg for his life, before you shot him point blank, his blood splattering your good hand as your broken arm hung, limp and misshapen, at your side. The man’s body slumped over and you screamed at it, the sound seeming like it was ripping up from the center of you. You screamed until you were out of breath and you stood there, standing over the man’s broken form, the gun dangling from your fist, tears in your eyes.

Joel wordlessly went to one of the other men, one he’d shot in the head. The blood splatter on his shirt was minimal. He pulled it off the corpse and brought it over to you.

“Give me your arm,” he said gently. You didn’t seem to hear him. He gingerly took the elbow of your broken arm and you jumped, looking at him like you were surprised he was there. “Here, it’s OK sweetheart.”

He tucked your arm into the soft flannel before he tied the sleeves of the shirt together and draped it around your neck. He went to your other arm, the one that had been grazed by the gunshot and looked at you for a moment, a silent request for permission. You gave him a single nod before he poured water over the wound, cleaning it as best he could. It didn’t look too bad, at least. It would leave a scar but the damage shouldn’t be anything more than that. He got a bandage from his pack and wrapped it around your bicep before tying it off.

“Bambi,” he said again, though he wasn’t sure what he was going to say.

“We should move,” you said, your voice flat. “Sure that drew plenty of attention.”

You stalked back over to where the horses had been tethered - thankfully safe from the gunfire - and stopped to pick up the carving and your knife from the ground. Joel followed behind you and watched as you carefully packed the half-formed moose away before tucking the folded knife into your pocket. He went to help you up onto Renaissance but you brushed him off.

“Broken bones before,” you snapped. You tried to glare at him but your eyes were so empty. “Know how to get on a horse with one, I’m not useless.”

“OK,” he said softly. “I’m here if you need.”

You mounted up fine - not that he should have been surprised - and Joel got on Ares, both horses surprisingly serene given the gunfight that had happened not far from them only 20 minutes earlier. But Joel knew you’d worked to desensitize them to the sound of guns. You’d made them all but warhorses, sturdy enough to withstand anything the apocalypse would throw at them. It had served the two of you well.

“They said northeast, right?” You asked, looking back over your shoulder at him.

“Bambi…”

“If they killed her, I’m killing them,” you said. “I don’t care.”

“You don’t know that they did,” he said, bringing his horse alongside yours.

You stared him down.

“Sounds like they killed enough to deserve it either way.”

“Maybe so,” Joel said carefully. He tried to imagine how someone would need to talk him down from killing everyone who’d planned to kill Ellie. If someone would have even been able to stop him from killing every person in that goddamn hospital. “But you’re hurt…”

“Joel.”

“We’re low on ammo. Goin’ now will just get you killed and…”

“So?” You yelled. “Do you think I care? You think it matters if…”

“It matters!” He yelled back, his chest tight. He fought to stay in the present, stay with you here in the wild and not in a field outside Austin as he felt his daughter die and not on the floor of a broken house with your cold, barely breathing body pressed against him. “It matters to me and it matters to Ellie and, goddammit, it matters to your daughter! You don’t know, Bambi, you can’t know if she’s gone. But you’re the only one who knows how to look for her and I’m not going to let you throw that away, I’m not. I am not takin’ you there and we both know that, without one arm, you ain’t gettin’ far without me. We’re going back to Jackson. Now.”

You stared him down for a moment, a shadow of rage in your eyes before that died, too. He made you take the lead so he could keep a proper eye on you and the two of you made decent progress before stopping for the night, Joel hunting on the way so he wasn’t going to leave you unattended. He took your weapons when you did. You glared at him but handed over your side arm.

“Knife, too,” he said, his hand out.

“Fuck you.”

He didn’t take the bait. He just kept his hand out. After a moment, you wrenched it out of your pocket and smacked it into his waiting palm.

“Thank you.”

You kept your distance from him that evening, just staring blankly into the fire and cradling your broken arm.

“I’m not trying to hurt you, Bambi,” he said as you set up to sleep and he got set to keep watch. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“I know,” you said quietly.

It took days to reach Jackson, your arm discolored and pain the only thing visible in your eyes when you got there. Joel brought you straight to the clinic and walked you inside, still not willing to let you out of his sight. He couldn’t hold your body. Not yours, too.

He took the horses to the stables, giving a confused Renaissance an extra apple as she chuffed, looking for you.

“Gettin’ her taken care of, too,” he said gently stroking her neck. She bobbed her large head. “She’ll… she’ll get there. It’s OK.”

He went back to the clinic after and sat on the steps outside, waiting for you to come out, hoping he wouldn’t see Ellie until he went home for the night. He wanted to see her, hug her, but he wasn’t sure if you could handle it. And he didn’t want to try to explain everything to her, at least not everything about you.

Joel wasn’t sure how long he sat there waiting when the door behind him opened with a creak and he turned to see you standing at the top of the steps, your arm in a proper cast with more than a makeshift sling this time.

“You’re still here,” you said, your voice flat.

“Figured I’d walk you home,” he replied.

“What, haven’t had enough of me over the last few weeks?” You asked. It seemed like you’d meant to put your usual bite behind the words but they were just hollow.

“No,” he replied. “No such thing as enough of you.”

He carried your pack for you, walking alongside you on your slow path home.

“How are you feeling?” He asked after a few minutes of silence.

You shrugged.

“Took some doing to get my arm set. Had worse.”

Joel nodded.

“And how are you feeling… outside that.”

You were quiet for a moment.

“I don’t know.”

He nodded again, making his way to the front gate of your home. You opened it and didn’t stop him from coming up the walk so he followed you to your door. You stopped there, holding out your good arm for your bag.

“Thanks for your help,” you said, looking at his chest instead of really at him.

“Course,” he said. You went to open your door but he stopped you, a large hand cupped gently around the elbow of your intact arm. “Bambi…”

You looked at him with those wide eyes. He sighed.

“I don’t know if it’s right, leaving you here alone.”

“I’ll be OK,” you shrugged. “Not your job to worry about me.”

“I want to worry about you.”

You sighed.

“Joel…”

“I do,” he said. “Doesn’t matter what you do or say, I do. And I’m going to.”

You looked at him.

“I don’t think it’s good for us to spend time together right now,” you said.

He tried to not let the hurt show, the feeling of a knife twisting in his gut.

“You want something different than me,” you continued. “And I just… I can’t. Not right now. And I don’t think us spending time together is smart.”

Joel nodded slowly.

“I can wait.”

“You shouldn’t,” you said, chin jutting out defiantly. The knife twisted again. “You should move on. It’s for the best.”

“And what are you gonna do?” He asked.

You sighed and looked back out at the street. There were birds in the distance and the wind blew in the smell of apple blossoms from the orchard just outside the walls. It would be idyllic if his heart wasn’t cracking open and bleeding on your porch.

“Survive, I guess.”

“Bambi,” you looked back at him. “Meant what I said out there. You can’t give up, OK? You have to find something to fight for. You can. I know you can. And we don’t know if what they said was true, we can’t know. We can keep looking. Once you’re healed, we’ll find another window, we’ll search. She got out of there in a hurry, she probably just…”

“Right,” you said. It didn’t sound like you believed it.

“Promise me,” he said.

You frowned.

“Promise you what?”

“That if I leave you here you won’t do what I did,” he said. “That you’ll be stronger than me and live with it. That if you need someone you’ll come to me and you won’t try to do it alone. Because I meant it, all of it. May not be the same for you anymore but that’s OK. Think I can love you enough for the both of us, just come to me when you need it, please. Need you to promise me, sweetheart. Please.”

“Joel…”

“Promise me.”

Your eyes met his and, for a moment, he could have sworn he saw a shadow of the spark of you there. That you were there, buried deep in grief and pain and betrayal.

You took a deep breath.

“I promise.”

Joel slowly, cautiously, raised a hand to cup your cheek. You didn’t stop him. Instead, you closed your eyes and leaned into his touch, your lips parting like you were going to kiss him. But you didn’t and he didn’t try to take it. Instead, he tilted your head and nuzzled against your forehead for a moment before kissing you there, pressing his lips against your skin, breathing in the smell of your hair. He lingered against you as long as he could before he stepped back, taking a moment to memorize you.

You took a deep breath.

“Goodbye, Joel.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Goodbye, Bambi.”

Next Chapter

A/N: I am so so sorry for the wait on this and for the fact that it's a bit of a monster chapter. It got away from me, I admit. I'm trying to get back into the swing of my regular writing cadence now that the holidays are through and I so appreciate you being here and your patience ❤️

Taglist: @ashleymsnodgrass@planet-marz1@kalea-bane @juneswonderlust@ilovepedro @h-annahayy @starstruckmusiciansartghost@beccerjune@mumma-moonchild@netonetoneto@mellymbee@purplelye@n7cje@flugazi@evyiione@randomhoex@aliengirl99@orcasoul@reds-ramblings@pedropascalsbbg @fupoola @tinypotatothing @knopes-waffles @lilmizmoz @ayamenimthiriel@jenispunk@panda-pascal@sarap-77@flugazi@your-slutty-gf@daniegraceg@partyofone3413@cumberpegg@noisynightmarepoetry.@fifia-writes@grumpygrumperton @srmacaroni @txlady37 @bigboiseason123

#fanfic #joel miller x female reader #yearling #joel miller x you #joel miller x reader #joel miller x oc

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yourlocaltreesimp · 11 months

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Hi I'm a big fan and I just wanted to let you know I love your yandere headcannons I like the way you write them, I hope you don't mind me requesting for yandere headcannons of koridai, courage and platonic!wind. If you accept I can't wait to see them. (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡. (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)⁠❤

Y’all Courage and Koridai simps are on crack. I’m here for it tho. Not doing wind in this part as i’m still planning where he’ll be

Yan!Chain headcannons

Tw: Yandarism and it’s accompanies, Courage and Koridai, I traumatised them, oops, child abuse, SH, baby trapping.

Courage

His version of the guide was different- far more than the rest. You were there. He saw your reflections in the mirrors and out of the corners of his eye, he heard whispers of your voice, you were there since as long as he could remember. He used to think you where an imaginary friend, as he didn’t have many actual friends. It made sense. But you never went away. No matter how much medications he took or lashes he’d taken, you were there.

It was when he learned of who he was and what purpose he held that he learned what you were. And it didn’t take him long to start going off the edge.

His very own guide- someone to hold and keep all to himself. Someone no one else could see. Someone no one could steal. Someone that would finally stay.

When he meets with the chain he’s still got that entitlement.

This reflects in his love languages. Physical touch and Quality time, being as close to you as often as possible. You were his reward, his support, his gift to be put through what he was put through. He deserves you.

He’ll hurt himself for your attention. Im talking full out stab wounds if that’s what it takes for you to kiss it better.

Fiercely loyal. Glares down anyone that flirts with him and would even flat out insult them when you were still just a spirit in his minds eye. Now you’re real however? He can and will compare people to you.

Has a hand on you at all times. He doesn’t care if he’s getting glared daggers, he’s throwing his arm around your waist and savouring the way you flush.

On that note, i’m sorry if you’re easily flustered. Like- truly. This man is a f l i r t. He’ll learn what makes you tick and abuse the living hell out of it. Even if it’s whispering the filthiest things into your ear, he’ll do it if it gets you blushing.

He’d kidnap you. 100 %. Married and with a kid by your side so you have to stay and so everyone knows you’re his. A wife on his arm and an heir to his title, even if they needed a little… assistance to realise that’s what they wanted.

Fav nicknames for you: Dear, Babe, Babes, Sugar, Honey, Loves, starlight

Koridai

It took him a while to realise you were his old guide, purely off of the fact he was so deep into believing he hallucinated you.

But prying him off of you when he comes to is what’s more difficult.

Again with physical touch, but he has a sweet spot for words of affirmation and gift giving. (you’re really racking up sugar daddies)

Golden retriever energy to the nines. Waiting at your hand and foot, back and call in case you might need him. You did so much for him, he might as well pay you back. He’ll cater to whatever you want of him. You want him to jump, he’ll ask how high. You want him to smile he’s beaming. You want jewellery, he’ll mine the gems himself. You want him to change his clothing, he’ll let you pick out a whole new wardrobe. You want a husband, he’ll hire the officiant. You want a man dead, all he needs is a name.

Two faced as Sky and Wars. Absolute sweetheart to your face, plays dumb to be unassuming, slips passed the squabbling of the chain and next thing they know he’s gone and you’re in his universe.

Another kidnapper.

Fun???

Either way you’re leaving with him or he’s leaving with you. He’d gotten himself so hurt while you left him unattended for 5 minutes to get water, and you expect him to live without you? After how he was forced to leave you behind? After he dug you a grave?

He can cry on command, and you’re none the wiser. You’d hold him as he sobbed and sniffled as the others watched. You’d defend him and his place, and off of the lies stories he told you, it’s a wonder you saw his emotions at all.

Nicknames: Whatever makes you the most embarrassed or flustered

#linked universe #legend of zelda #linkeduniverse #yandere linked universe #linked universe x reader #link x reader #link x you #yandere linked universe x reader #x reader #yandere link x reader #lu courage #lu koridai #firreplies #fir’s library

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neverchecking · 1 year

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Welcome to the Rabbit Hole~

Hello, Darlings~ I know most writers don't do this, but I can understand how frustrating it can be to go to a writer's page, read about a specific AU, but have no way of getting to the beginning to join the fun. So, here we are! Welcome to Cinder's Navigation of my current AU's!

Sweet but Psycho AU:

˚ ✦An AU where the Reader is not only aware of the boys' tendencies, but encourages it.

The start (This is kind of where the idea bubbles up)

How does the Chain feel? (Short version)

The Rewards (Ft. Bozai)

Sage figures it out (I love this sm honestly-)

In what order does the rest of the Chain find out?

Thoughts on the 'Sit on my Face' request with this Reader

Just this. All of this. (If nothing else read this one.)

Dom! Sadistic Reader punishing a Link (Also this one.)

Thoughts on Ganon.

Reader who loves giving affection

A new kind of punishment (Og starter)

Holy Grail AU:

˚ ✦An AU where Reader is not only their God(dess), but an actual god(dess), and now has a soul bond with every Link after saving them.

The Start

Cal gets some attention

Possible reasoning for the Soul bond?

The problem with Hylia

Mostly general Sage and his Zelda tidbit

More Zelda slander and why Reader is good foil against her.

Zelda and Reader meet.

The Chain gets a Baby bit Renamed: THE BABY CHAIN (>:D):

˚ ✦Not an AU, but this took off and I want it accessible. Basically, Poly! Chain with Pregnant! Reader, and the children that come of it.

The post that started it all

Who's getting a baby first?

Baby looks like Reader?

Sage and the Twins that aren't his.

Fierce Daddy-ity

Cursed Link. That's it. That's the Tweet.

The start of the debate.

The boys are dolphins.

TWO DADS

The debate PART 2 INCLUDING REBUTTALS

Let's talk genetics :)

BIG BROTHER WIND and Dad! Four ig

Sky is a baby leash parent

Wind as the best big brother while the others fight over who the bd is

Fierce Deity Baby Daddy

Sky as a dad :)

The chain with kids hghgg READ THIS ONE

Sky is perfect. Thats it. Thats the tweet.

Househusband sky

Dad Warriors

Four's daughter also splits

The colors vs Their Mini-me's. Take one. (Take two)

Dad! Ravio

The Fierce kiddos shenanigans

The triplets fighting over if the kid is theirs. (Me bs-ing why it's all of theirs)

Lightbulb baby.

Four needs to learn to wrap it b4 he taps it bc this is getting out of hand- /j

Universe switch

˚ ✦Keep up with me and @my-insanity-is-an-artform 's ocs and if their universes got switched! Tia belongs to them and Aaliyah belongs to me!

Tia introduction

Tia's first moments in Sage's Hyrule

Tia looks at a feral man and decides he won't bit. (Yes he do)

How're the links handling the switch? (This just in; not well)

Tia is kidnapping someone. Even if they go willingly.

The start of it all (Go read this right now)

The Hateno home and The Sheikah

How's Sage doing?

When does the Switch happen?

The chain makes an appearance.

Merging Hyrules

Sage Vs. Fungus

Sage + Fungus Vs. everything else.

Sweetpea is enough.

Fucked around. Found out.

Wild and Cal make their reappearance.

Fungus is gonna be courted, Saaagge.

Sage and Aaliyah are good with kids (And the consequences)

Aaliyah is Regina George coded.

Found Family

Family and getting your back blown out (Those should never intertwine <3)

There are so many parents going around and yet Sage and Aaliyah still act fatherless </3

The Story:

Part 1: Something

Part 2: Portals

Sage acquires a baby

˚ ✦Sage acquires Baby! Reader and just. Takes them.

The acquisition.

Baby is a crawler

The acceptance

Baby's first Lynel attack <3

Mama Wild

Co-parents Sage and Wild

Reader's real parents?

Custody battle Take one

Wild is trusting with child. More on this at seven.

Papa bear sage

Baby has a triforce?

Emotional support animal wolfie

Soft Sage dad

First steps

Monkey.

Dink makes an appearance

Baby Real mom

Baby goats

Navi

Sage and Wild Vs. Legend

Mastermind child

Menace child.

The Gerudo gain momentary custody

Wind is brother coded

Wild took back his custody

˚ ✦My Rules

˚ ✦My Masterlist

˚ ✦Main Navigation

#cinder rambles #yandere linked universe #linked universe x reader #linked universe #yandere legend of zelda #yandere linked universe x reader #linkeduniverse

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writing-frenzy · 1 year

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Mob Protag Ichigo and the Puppet Master (UraIchi Isekai Idea :3 )

So yeah, for anyone who's read my first idea with the Kurosaki Fam Isekai, they'll know all the stuff that has inspired this and that I've already mentioned an idea with a Mob Character!Ichigo and a Puppet Master Benihime (AKA Urahara Kisuke)

Let us set the scene :3

How will Ichigo go to a fantasy world, especially with how he is? Well, as Ichigo was growing up, one of his sisters was really, really sick; they weren't sure if she was going to make it tbh. Ichigo did all he could, but being a little guy, there wasn't much he could do. One day, he came upon a weird being who said they could grant wishes; Ichigo immediately asks if they can make his little sister healthy. The being said yes after a moment, but it will cost him a peaceful afterlife. Ichigo takes the deal, the being is admittedly touched by this child's goodness and unselfish desire, because for such a sweet child, they know of death and the loss it brings already. So the being actually doesn't twist the wish like so many others he does, letting the children live out their natural lifespans in peace.

All is well, until a 17 year old Ichigo saves his other sister and her friend from dying to a truck. Our World's Divine Being is like; damn, you still had way, way more life span and time than you should have to had died now... but since you have a contract, I can't just let you survive :/ eh, I'll use it to at least give you perks to survive your reincarnation in that hell hole. (not to mention how they too are actually touched, they're a sucker for loving families)

Ichigo: wut

Godly Being: *throws a book series and some powers at him* Wish you luck out there!

After feeling just a bit violated and like someone was digging around in his head and blood, Ichigo wakes up in an abandoned house in some modern looking steampunk like city. Looking around he doesn't have much but some basics for survival, weird as heck items, and a book series. Not much to do, he reads the series, which answers a whole lot of questions even as makes Ichigo scowl like a thundercloud.

See, this is a very, very dark fantasy like series, it's gonna have all the canon Bleach fighting and gore but with magical surprises and such, with a very, very bittersweet ending. It's kinda like a modern setting meets with a very eco-friendly way because the world will crush those it sees trying to abuse it (mother nature don't play around here) so it's kinda steam/water/wind/solarpunk. Don't know who I want as the OG Story's protag to be, maybe Rukia or one of the Karakura Kids, but it follows them in a world were contracts/pacts/deals with spiritual beings is over everything; it can be with weapons, it can be with bloodlines or any such. Not all pacts and such are unequal, some in fact are real and true bonds, the pact bound loyal to their contractors to obsession... others, it is is very much a thing of slavery and torture, which can go both ways depending on what was exactly contracted.

Ichigo goes about trying to figure out his own contract/pact thing, which while so long ago, is just something he has never been able to forget, seemingly inscribed onto his very soul in a way. He knows he was picked because his soul was the most compatible for the spirits the being wanted for him, and he already knows its going to change his body as well, but it still confuses him.

(maybe something like;

A mix of holy power and darkness that would find most be consumed,

Flames properly controlled that can reach the moon,

Cut it from the sky and devour it if so desired,

But yet all one wants is to protect their own wary lost and life tired,

For One such as you a power so great is to be entrusted,

It will find you, change you, leave your life chain broken and rusted,

In Time it will be shown if you can make this power your own,

But already, your fate has sown.)

(LOL, this is Ichigo, he's gonna break his fate and make friends with his Hallow and Ossan, because I love the idea of the three together again in this au :3 later tho)

But yeah, so Ichigo is figuring things out, especially with controlling his body once more because his strength went a bit wonky, but I also like the idea of a different weapon Ichigo if that makes sense? Like, he will still be an op power house, but the thought of him using spells and martial arts makes me grin evilly? Like, with his Hollow more bonded later, he can make claws come out to rip soft bellies apart and such. And Ossan just insists he learn a bow for those times he needs long range and such, even if he gets a bit despairing when Ichigo occasionally gets too frustrated and just throws the damn arrow (all three in Ichigo's head are quiet whenever the move proves highly effective, which is always.) Oh, but now I can't help but think of Childe from Genshin Impact's fighting style :D maybe instead of blades though, Ichigo switches to a hand to hand with bracers of some sort covering his arms that are hard as fuck, easy to move around in because of magic.

But ah, getting sidetracked again, this all comes later down; for now, Ichigo is still figuring shit out, avoiding protagonists and co because yeah, people not protected by plot armor tend to die really, really messily around them and he still can't do jack right now (doesn't mean he doesn't do what he can, even if its just simple things like helping the elderly, making sure kids get home safe, or even knocking out some regular thugs harassing some ladies.

Ichigo, despite all his scowls and looks, still draws people in with his kindness and protective nature in this dark, lonely otherworld.)

Its as he's helping someone shopping, this sweet little lady who goes on and on about her sweet grandbaby, that Ichigo goes to the Urahara Shoten for the first time; not much gets his attention, besides the fact that the protagonist has only been here once or twice in the early chapters for some odds or ends, this place being some mixture of candy/pawn/tea shop.

But then something in the shop resonates with him; with his very soul. Looking around, Ichigo tells the sweet grandma he'll be right back, and call him when she's done, to which she gives a cheerful reply before Ichigo goes off, looking high and low before he finds a strange book and block with it, like a set. Picking it up, it just feels so damn right... till he looks at the price tag and cringes. While he has odd jobs here and there to help him out, it's just enough money for him to live with since he doesn't have to worry about rent with his questionable abandoned house, covering his food expenses and the public bath fee.

"Find something you like dear customer?" is said from behind him, which makes Ichigo jump like a few feet into the air, clutching his book and block set to his chest, before turning to the one who startled him.

And so thus the first meeting with Urahara Kisuke, Geta-boshi as Ichigo likes to call him. After a bit of back and forth between the two, Ichigo admits he can't afford the book and block set, too which Urahara merely hums, eyes oddly shadowed from his hat as he considers that. one thing leads to another and somehow Ichigo not only gets the set but even a steady job at the shop, even if his paycheck will be cut because of said set. And sure, Geta-boshi is sus as fuck, but Ichigo doesn't sense any ill will from the man, not too mention the man even helps him with understanding the book, a soul book as its called, which strengthens souls and their contracts, enabling them to get a growing weapon called an Asauchi that transforms with the soul. Its not bad.

On Kisuke's part, he is actually pretty intrigued by Kurosaki, this youth who carries the potential of a predator but the heart of a protector, actually reacting to the soul book and Asauchi Kisuke had made more for curiosity and boredom then to actually make a functional weapon. Not to mention just how much fun it is too mess with Ichigo, the boy shows he has a clever mind and a strength that just seems to constantly grow more and more. Kisuke is actually considering just how he can possibly use this youth for his goals, wondering if he can be the chest piece he needs to finally topple the king in this game between Puppet Master Benihime and Greater Lord Aizen.

Ichigo does know about Puppet Master Benihime from the story, they were a neutral character only focused on making sure the world would not collapse, no matter the amount that would be needed to be sacrificed in the end. But in the story, it only ever showed Benihime herself, never even mentioning that she was actually contracted, and 100% loyal to said contractor, so Ichigo has no clue about just how scary his mentor is at first, besides when the man actually did finally spar with him and Ichigo couldn't even get a hit on him. In this world, these two have a bit more time, a bit more room to act, and with it they bond, much to Kisuke great surprise even as he still plans to use him.

So things happen, things are reveled, discoveries are had, and Kisuke goes to Ichigo, confirming that he knows.

And then he kneels before this youth; he kneels and apologizes, thinking and knowing in his soul he's done something unforgiveable, thinking he won't be forgiven and fine with that as long as Ichigo still lives well... only for Ichigo to actually forgive, just like that, just because he could tell Kisuke meant it, scowling still but most of all accepting.

Its a good thing Kisuke was already kneeling because that alone would have made him bow just from the sheer acceptance and warmth Ichigo just seems to shine with. Ichigo has no idea just what he's done, who's utter loyalty and trust he has secured, and Kisuke will kill, die, and live for this boy, he just has to say the word. Even with all the people Ichigo has gathered, from villains to protagonist, people who are loyal and true if to no one else but him, Kisuke feels blessed he can be included, can be trusted even over the others to always remain at Ichigo's back and protect it no matter what.

In return, Ichigo looks up to Kisuke as both a mentor, ally, friend, and after an interesting dream, a damn annoying crush he can not get rid of, going strong for years (no longer a crush then but let him deny it for a bit). Parts of him wants to devour this man whole, never share him with the world, but Ichigo is such a being of freedom he could never dream to rip such a thing from someone else. (Kisuke being Kisuke wouldn't mind if its Ichigo tho >:3 All Ichigo has to do is ask, and this man would give him the world, Benihime right behind him.)

I feel like this story would be a slow burn but not if that makes sense? like, there is a tension from the very beginning of the story to Demi-romantic/sexual Ichigo's awakening of shit, so that's what that feels like (Fight me on this, I will defend it to the grave Very Demi!Ichigo)

But yeah, so far that's it for my Bleach Ideas :D hope you enjoyed them and stuff.

#Bleach #bleach au #ichigo kurosaki #kisuke urahara #uraichi #Mob Character Ichigo

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fever-project · 7 months

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Hyrule Warriors & LU

Okay, so this whole thing is fueled by my desire to see HW stuff not only in relation to LU, but also in general.

I mostly see just Warriors, young Time, and Wind in these stories, with very brief mentions to other characters, mainly just Ravio, Midna, Marin, HW Zelda, and Impa. Don’t get me wrong, I love these characters, but there is a whole roster of other guys you can include as well and make them be more important-because they are???

Time and Wind aren’t the only ones from their time. Darunia and Ruto may be from the Adult timeline, but they are there, they are playable characters, and no one seems to mention them, like at all. Tetra, Medli, and King Daphnes are also playable characters and are there. Aryll is also there, she speaks for Toon Link.

Time and Wind are not alone, they can still see Warriors as a big brother figure, but that doesn’t mean you can just pretend that everyone around them just doesn’t exist. I’m hoping that in general, the people in the HW fandom don’t do this, but oh my goodness I’ve never seen Medli even mentioned even once in the HW with LU stories. Maybe that’s just me, and I just need to look harder, but I still feel like these characters are underrepresented, and that not nearly enough people are simply looking at the character list for HW. I know that LU focuses on Links, but having them not interact with others that aren’t Link in a place where they clearly would just boggles the mind. Im not trying to hate on anyone, I’ve loved all the HWLU fics I’ve read, I just want to see more character interactions. And more HWLU in general.

So let me just give you all some ideas I have for HWLU/just HW fanworks. Someone might’ve already made a fic with them, and if so, please link me as I would love to read them.

Captain Link, Mask, Toon(there are so many different nicknames for this guy, but I’m just going w/ Toon rn), and Aryll are at camp. You can dive into Aryll and Toon’s relationship, as well as Link and Mask’s relationships with their own families, and at the end you can have Aryll consider Link and Mask to her brothers too. You can even add Linkle there if you want her and Link to be siblings. Aryll and Linkle can even bond! It would be sweet.

The Spirit Tracks Zelda is a playable character, in her phantom form, so I’ll call her Phantom. She knows that Tetra is her ancestor and whatever relationship she and Toon had, your choice. She and Tetra can be friends, she and Toon can be friends, she can be friends with anyone! Phantom could let Toon know about his successor, and there are a bunch of things you can do with that. She can talk about Spirit to Toon, and the adventure she had with him. This could be included in a Chain meets Spirit fic where at least Wind would know about Spirit beforehand, or the other way around with Phantom telling him all about HW! The possibilities are endless!

You can have Mask and Ruto learn about the fate of the Zoras from Medli, and wouldn’t that just be heartbreaking. I know you people love your angst, and here it is, already shining upon a silver plater.

I feel like Marin and Ravio would be friends. Have Ravio mention Marin offhandedly to Legend, maybe accidentally. Marin can be real. Ravio can have pictures of her. I know you people love Ravio.

Fi is a playable character. Like she actually is there, not just as a sword, and she does turn into a sword to beat up enemies. Have her be a character and maybe let Mask’s resentment of the Master Sword go down a bit because of her. Or have Warriors talk to Sky about her, giving him hope that one day he’ll be able to see her again.

Skull Kid is also a playable character. So is Agitha and Tingle. Do something, I don’t know I honestly don’t have any idea rn, but I do know Agitha plays a semi-important part in the plot, with Midna.

Those are all the ideas I got for now. I love HW and love how people are writing for it with LU. There is just so much more people can do, and so many characters to work with. I’m just a bit sad that people tend to forget them in favor of just having the Links, which is understandable because this is about Linked Universe. But I just feel like some people are missing out on some wonderful writing opportunities here. Or maybe that just me, and I’m being a butt, who knows.

#I hope this isn’t too negative. I really do love this fandom and want to see more stuff and already love the stuff I see.#the next thing I’ll post will definitely be more positive #linked universe #hyrule warriors #lu warriors #lu wind #lu time #vent ish #i kinda want to tag this as fandom neg/crit. I’m not trying to be so neg/crit.but if someone wants me to tag it as such I’ll do it #long post

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randomwriteronline · 10 months

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@cantankerouscanuck

There were still things that put the Chain on edge.

Surprisingly; because they'd been through some wild stuff, individually and together.

Sudden appearance of a portal? They could handle that. They'd gotten almost used to it, by now. Only almost, but almost.

No, the weird part, which made the nine heroes draw out their swords in the blink of an eye to point their blades at the brand new threat and Skull Kid's pupils thin into slits as they hid behind their larger friends' legs, was that from the strange gateway into who knows what dimension emerged a being they weren't even sure they could have ever dreamed, not even after the biggest, most uncoordinated, stomach-ache worthy supper of their lives.

Its elongated head was bone white, with red eyes and an enormous mouth of teeth; its body seemed at first deathly emaciated beneath the dark mantle, but a more careful look revealed that it was more or less only a skeleton - a metallic one at that, with incomplete hands and sharp feet, similar to the talons of a bird of prey.

Whatever the hell that thing was looked at them nice and long, taking them in one by one.

"Oh," he finally said, clanging his horrible teeth together in dismay: "Oh, you are hideous. Disgusting, even."

"Never look in a mirror then," Four quipped: "You'll get a heart attack."

"A mirror? Why would I do that? Ah, I see, I see, that's an insult, I understand - but you see, you horrible fleshy thing," the stranger replied with no apparent malice in his voice, in a rambling tone, "I have seen myself - well, not since this mask was fused to my head, but I have, and you will have to understand that while I do indeed have a horrendous face not even my own other half could love, you are made entirely of meat. Of flesh. Of organic material. No such thing as a piece of metal on your bodies except for your swords. No masks at all. Not even a glimmer of iron on you - although I do like your fabrics, I do, they'd make for quite a nice cape, and - oh, you do have armor, yes, you do, that you do... You won't mind me taking it all from you once I'm done killing you all, will you?"

The nine of them tightened the grip on their weapons, making them glint in the sunlight.

"I'll take it as a maybe."

Wind glared at him up and down a couple times: "What even are you?"

"A Skakdi, or the half of one, to be more precise," the being answered as if any of that made perfect sense. He turned to Time: "You should be shorter. And less meaty. And less appalling, but only slightly."

"Funny. I don't think we've ever met." the older warrior replied curtly.

"We haven't? Oh, I suppose we would not have, not here. Such a shame, truly. I didn't like that other you at all. I would have hoped not to meet another one in the next place I ended up in."

"Sucks to be you."

"Indeed it sucks."

"And you got a name?" pressed Four a little more rudely than usual. "Or at least half of one?"

The creature paused. His strange hand tapped on his chin pensively, as though he honestly needed to think about it for a couple seconds.

"A name, a name, a name..." he mumbled, until finally he seemed to remember: "Ah! Of course I do, of course. I gave it to me myself, after all - it's Vezon, with a Z, which means double, because I am a double, ripped away from a big blue brute, Vezok, also with a Z--"

"With a K," Sky corrected.

Legend elbowed him.

"What?" Vezon asked.

"Vezok with a K," Hyrule repeated helpfully.

Legend elbowed him as well.

From threatening and unpredictable, their opponent completely shifted his demeanor: now he stood a little hunched, arms limp down his sides, head tilted, face a bit scrunched into a confused expression.

"Yes, I do know Vezok is spelled with a K. My name is Vezon, though."

"You mentioned Vezon with a Z, but Vezok also has a Z." Sky explained.

"Yes, I know that too."

"That's not a difference."

"I'm aware. What is your point?

This time it was Hyrule who clarified: "If you don't want us to call you Vezok, you should specify that Vezon is spelled with an N and Vezok is spelled with a K."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because that's the difference between the two names. It sets them apart."

Vezon seemed floored.

"I did not think about that," he admitted. "That does seem more useful."

"This guy tells us upfront he wants to kill us to loot our corpses and you start arguing with him on spelling?" Warriors took the chance to hiss at his fellow heroes while the creature was distracted.

Sky raised his shoulders defensively: "It made no sense! It was bugging me!"

Wild, who had some amount of brain damage due to caramelizing for about a hundred years in the rebirth oil, decided he had enough experience on the matter to ask the half Skakdi with a hint of genuine concern: "Are you like. Alright?"

"Oh, yes!" the being replied: "I am insane."

That did explain a variety of things.

Skull Kid (who, as they were wont to do, had snuck away from their friends so quietly that their absence had gone completely undetected in order to investigate possibly deadly things on their own) sniffed at Vezon's arm. Based on their furrowed expression and squinted eyes, the scent was less than enjoyable.

The mechanical creature turned to them, and widened his awful grin.

"My dear! You still look the same! Sort of," he croaked out almost happily. His incomplete hand prodded at the wooden head, specifically interested in the mouth area: "You're still non organic. Mostly, I mean, you still have all that horrid plant-life on you, but you're not as immensely horrid as these fellows here... You are much shorter though. And much quieter. And you still don't have a mouth, do you? Ah, such a shame, such a shame, I was hoping in one of these universes you'd have a nice set of teeth for once, you know - maybe I would manage to rip them out of you nice and clean so I can jam them in your jaw once I finally get the chance to pry your skull open and-"

Skull Kid's razor sharp teeth bit down on his palm.

Vezon's head glowed suddenly: he barely had time to shriek a blood-curling A-- that he was already gone, disappearing in the fraction of a second.

The imp's teeth clattered close around the empty air. They looked around, confused.

Nope. The guy wasn't coming back.

"Well," Twilight hollered loudly to break the silence: "Guess that's over."

"Did the Goddesses just think it was getting a little chummy around here? Did they figure we were getting bored and so threw... That, at us?" Four wondered aloud in genuine bewilderment.

"He tastes like metal." Skull Kid informed them. "And he has tendons."

"That's great, Sweet Pea."

"I think I have some in my mouth."

"Ah, fuck-"

"Again?"

"Here, come over here..."

#tloz #linked universe #bionicle #vezon #skullkid #skull kid #hyrule lu #four lu #wild lu #warriors lu #time lu #twilight lu #wind lu #legend lu #sky lu #random writing #this is perfectly aligned with canon as vezon can just travel through alternate universes

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sweeteastart · 4 months

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I know the titles sound profound and all, but there is also soup and now I wanna know about soup !

But also, Drawing circles intrigues me a lot !!

Ohhhh I put off responding to this ask for so long sorry i got really shy and got stuck in my head for a moment--

MORE IMPORTANTLY IM BACK

First of all !! Have some more Soup content !! 🍲

Soup

I still don't have any good writing for the boy but have a WIP oh him beint absolutely gorgeous as always. I already hear you say : who's that kid in his arms ? Welllll

THAT'S HIS DAUGHTER, LILA :D

Surprise ! Soup has a three year old daughter when he meets the Chain when he's 25 years old. I don't want to reveal quite yet who's the mother. What I'm gonna say is : Soup had an arranged marriage with some nobility in his very early twenties and had Lila soon after.

Currently, she isn't residing with either of her parents as Hyrule (the capital and the country) is dangerous for her to stay in. The kid lives with close friends of Soup from his adventurous years and he visits her as much as he can :D

Drawing Circles

The first writing centric WIP I was asked about ! I'm literally so excited but deathly afraid of sharing my writing in any capacity so be nice to me that's also the very first draft of one scene I'm sorry

!DISCLAIMER!

The TW in hashtags are about this fic !! Beware of that before reading that snippet please.

To put some context around that tid bit : The story revolved around a time loop where only Sky remembers the previous loops. In each one, an unknown entity seemed to pull the string and kill the chain one by one in a predefined pattern. Each time Sky is killed, he comes back to square one. By the time of this snippet, he has seen and experienced very nasty moments which is why mentally he isn't coping well !!

TLDR : Sky is getting his shit wrecked in a time loop where he sees and is killed again and again :)) (I love writing gut wrenching angst I'm sorry--)

Here comes nothing~

"The first sense he regained was always the same. Touch. The hero felt the rugged linen of his bedroll under his fingertips.

Second was smell. The deep scent of burning wood tinged his nose.

Third was hearing. Only the quiet songs of insects broke the all encompassing silence of the woods.

Fourth was taste. The lingering taste of blood and sour potion spread across his taste bud.

That… wasn’t normal.

He suddenly opened his eyes. Only a sky full to the brim with stars and trees shadows responded by its calm infinity to the man. Moved by a sudden surge of energy, he stood up straight as an arrow in his bed. Eyes still glued to the enigma that was the ink black sky.

It was night. The moon was smirking high in the sky but…. It never did before. It had always been day. Dawn. Five in the morning exactly. Always the same day at the exact same time.

His eyes fell back. Lost in a sea of confusion, the chosen one took a long time before understanding what was before him. Drenched in deep shadows was the campfire and…. all his brothers. Sitting. Here. Seemingly startled in the middle of a discussion. All his brothers.

He looked at Hyrule. The brown haired kid looked back at him with a weak smile. Just after this action he averted his eyes. Away from him. Straight to the dirt. Then the hero of the Sky saw a glint reflecting the light of the fire. Steel against the dark.

Immediately Sky looked around him in search of his own sword.

“Whoah ! Whoah !” tried Warriors with a rushed sword. Strangely his tone was soft yet worried. A worry Sky had never been on the receiving end of. “Don’t move so much ! Your wound might re-open !”

….. Wound ?

That’s only then he truly felt the burning, tremendous amount of pain his neck was in. It felt like a bag of bricks fell down on his shoulders. He slouched forwards, hands holding his neck.

Sky didn’t go back to day 1. Fi was nowhere near him. The sky was this treacherous black hue. Eyes glued to the grass enveloped in harsh shadows, he stayed dead silent.

He had been…. saved ?

“... Sky ?” The old man called to him. The chosen one didn't even register the word nor that he was the one it directed to.

He smiled. His brothers had saved him. His smile widened even more. They must have done everything in their power to bring him back. A snicker rolled higher and higher in his throat. Despite their efforts to save him, someone had taken hold of Fi. By now, a distorted, devoid of happiness, small laugh was breaching his lips. Twilight must have seen it. Tonitruous, painful fit of laughter took hold of all his body.

Oh… Kind and helpful brothers of his… who ended up afflicting such a tragic agony to the one they wanted to protect.

“Sky…”

A voice.

A voice was calling his name. He didn’t listen. He couldn’t listen. He was past comprehension and rationality. He couldn’t process anything else but unbound kindness and painful ignorance. Neither of which he could truly be mad at. So he clawned at the dirt by his bedroll. Like it had wronged him. Like it was the all encompassing reason for his pain. Like it was at fault for this endless hellish loop.

And he laughed. Laughed a deeply unhappy laugh. He did so with so much resolve. So much perseverance because for weeks he hadn’t been able to. Because after weeks of this never ending hell, there was no end in sight. A hell in which, even the sweet release of death was refused to him.

Arms held him away from battered and beating dirt that had the unluckiness of being by his side. A high-pitched noise escaped his mouth. He saw without seeing multiple people around him. Shapes and shadows stretching from the dim light of the campfire to the abyss of the night.

“I can’t do it anymore…” he croaked in between two giggles. By now it could barely be described as such. Maybe sobs would have been closer to the truth. Even then, it sounded barely human. Eternally doomed and animalistic. Hands cupped his face. Big and rugged. Heavy too. His eyes searched too long before falling on one single blue iris looking back to him. Not only worried. Scared. Panicked…. Knowing of a truth even he didn’t. Soon he saw his lips. They were moving but making no sounds. Or….were they ? Was it the lips that didn’t produce sounds or he who couldn’t hear them.

The fingers of the hands around his cheeks tensed. And he knew. Something in him knew it had been the latter. So he tried to concentrate. Over the physical and mental anguish and devastation of a failed restart.

“...ky…” he half-guessed, half-heard. “Foc… us … Me.”

Focus.

Focus me.

Focus on me.

And he did. He tried. His mind was a bottomless lake he couldn’t swim back up from. It was trying to drag him down. Down into the depths. He fought the grief. He fought off the need to close back his eyes and forget all about it.

“.. Me. “ it was pressing. “Please focus… Sky.” more words stuck to his brain. He needed time to understand them but they were starting to make sense."

AND THATS ALL I GOT FOR NOW-- That little bit of text made me soooo anxious for days but it's not as awful as I remember--

I got so worked up for not much lmao I hope you weren't too jumpscared by the angst my dear friend lmao I've had the idea for this fic for quite some times so I'm happy to share it

Thanks for the ask ♪♪♪♪

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theelderhazelnut · 9 months

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Music Monday Tuesday

Tagged by @thesingularityseries @inafieldofdaisies @bisexualjohnnycage @chadillacboseman @aceghosts @voidika @socially-awkward-skeleton @cassietrn @aceghosts <3 tagging you all back for the next week!

I haven’t participated in ages, but here’s a good ‘ol song which describes the end of “Rise of the Villains: The Shadow” (prequel to Darker than Black) perfectly. It speaks about the time when Atoosa (Ombra) discovers a harsh truth about the cause of the death of her parents and the protector gods especially Raiden, after being a low level servant ar the Sky Temple. That very truth is that the protector gods are involved in a cult which killed her parents and many more innocent people (in that flight incident). However, this is only a portion of the main picture. Atoosa faces a tough decision: take revenge and be free of the chains of their control forever, or linger beside Raiden, and endure the chains of being a good girl who watches her life burning in flames.

Catch me as I fall

Say you're here and it's all over now

Falkus finds me, and tells me what I need to hear. Raiden, the very man I have feelings for, is on the same side with my parents’ murderers. I don’t want to believe it, in fact, I want him to catch me and save me. I want him to say that he is here for me, and that nothing is going to go wrong, so I won’t drown in this pain.

Speaking to the atmosphere

No one's here and I fall into myself

This truth drives me into madness

Well, Raiden doesn’t do it. He’s loyal to his belief, to his mortals. No one is there to save me, and show me only a glimpse of light.

I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away

If I will it all away

There was only one way to stop this pain, and to free my rage. I can’t just sit here watch those vermins walk around and control my fate. I had enough of being a puppet to their will, and have my dreams and hope being taken from me. Yes, there is only one way and that is revenge. I have to be the one to have control over them.

Don't turn away (don't give in to the pain)

I made my decision. I was determined to join Falkus to make them all perish. But Raiden tries to stop me not because he loves me but because he is afraid of my worst.

Don't try to hide (though they're screaming your name)

I don’t want to hide anymore. But Raiden seems to want to protect us all from a known future. (Delia’s prediction about Ombra)

Don't close your eyes (God knows what lies behind them)

I am not going to neglect the reality anymore. Falkus offers me his hand, and opposing to Raiden, he is thrilled by what I am capable of.

Don't turn out the light (never sleep, never die)

And Falkus doesn’t want me to stop.

I'm frightened by what I see

But somehow I know that there's much more to come

Killing each and every one of those cultists is undoubtedly a scary set of flights, and once I take the first step, there will be no turning back. But it will quench my rage, and help me feel better; perhaps even the world.

Immobilized by my fear

And soon to be blinded by tears

However, something called fear is always there. I am willingly choosing to be the bad guy. I am crossing the moral codes my parents carved into the back of my mind. If I take Falkus’s hand and leave everything behind, I will become the exact kid my larents would despise. They wouldn’t want someone as pathetic as me to be their child.

Fallen angels at my feet

Whispered voices at my ear

They beg me to raise this hell, those on whom Raiden sees ugly horns of evil.

Death before my eyes

Lying next to me, I fear

She beckons me, shall I give in?

Upon my end, shall I begin

Forsaking all I've fallen for? I rise to meet the end

Shall I abandon everything behind? Shall I abandon the human in me, and become the monster strong enough to destroy another one?

No pressure tags: @scentedcandleibex @darialovesstuff @strangefable @onehornedbeast @loverofthewindgod @ninibear3000 @nightbloodbix @cassieuncaged @candlewax1 @breakfwest @euryalex @captastra @mintspider and anyone else with something to share!

#Spotify #ombra the ironhead #music monday #mk oc #mortal kombat oc #evanescence #rise of the villains: the shadow #raiden #mk raiden #mk falkus

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kittrrrr · 2 months

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Summary: Wind gets pushed into a river and has a bad time. Bad times include, but are not limited to: nearly drowning, tea, and Legend's catastrophic lack of social awareness.

First part is under the cut (I'm not posting the whole thing here bc it's nearly 7.5k)

Wind nearly cried from relief when he saw the village. He wasn't made for walking, damn it! His feet hurt! Not that he'd ever say that, not unless his feet were actively falling off (even if it really felt like it). He wasn't going to slow down these older heroes. Wind, even if he felt bad about it, was grateful that Sky also had low stamina. It helped him cover up his own struggles. Time announced that they would be staying the night in the town, which meant that they would be getting a bit of a break. Wind would have a whole half afternoon to make friends! That put a bit of bounce back into his step, although he regretted it a little when he walked on his sore feet.

The chain split into groups to shop and look for information, with everyone agreeing to meet back at the inn in two hours. Wind and Warriors went off together (something about how he wasn't allowed to be alone in stores because of his thieving habit. He'd only ever got caught once with the chain) to get more supplies. He found what he needed- some snacks, arrows, and some more ink. He had enough paper to last a lifetime, thanks, in no small part, to the time he helped Tetra and her pirates rob a ship... Which turned out to be carrying nothing but paper. Wind had volunteered to get rid of the paper, but never quiet got around to it, so he had way to much paper. He didn't really mind- he could send as many letters as he wanted!

"Wars, Wars, hurry up!" Wind complained, dancing around the other, who was pondering the difference between two quills (they looked the exact same to Wind, who had been using a feather from the Helmrock King for years). Warriors, in lieu of actually responding to Wind, just set one of the quills down long enough to ruffle the sailor's hair. Wind shoved off from Warriors, stepping a away to stick out his tongue. Then he returned to the captain's side to continue to bother him.

"Hm... I'm not going to finish up any time soon, Wind. If you promise not to steal anything, I'll let you go explore." Warriors interrupted Wind before he could start an annoying song or some other technique of hindrance. Wind pouted slightly at the implication he would steal anything, (he very much would) but couldn't deny the appeal. How long had it been since he played with other, normal kids? Er, obviously, he meant exploring uninterrupted! Warriors saw the look on his face and smiled. He knew that he'd won. (Wind really needed to learn how to control his expressions a little more, this was getting irritating.)

"Fi-i-i-i-ine. I won't steal." Wind dragged the word out, delighting the way it fell onto the floor from his mouth. Warriors rolled his eyes at his little brother before going back to shopping between identical quills. He started to ask about the different properties of certain feathers, but Wind was already slipping away into the alley. The world was his oyster! Well, this village. He tiptoed through the alley, playing cat, which had gotten him through countless stealth sections. If Legend was to be believed, though, his face scrunched up all weird when he did. Cats had weird faces, though, so Wind figured that it only added to the act. It didn't take him long to find a group of kids. The oldest was just a little older then him, and the youngest was about a year or two older then Ayrll. "Hey!" Wind waved, getting their attention.

"Ooh~ Who are you?" The youngest of the kids bounded over. Wind introduced himself, and explained that he was visiting the village. "I mean, yeah! How do you even get skin that tan?"

"Joyce! That wasn't very nice! I'm Ollie, by the way!" The oldest kid explained. "Sorry for Joyce. She doesn't really have a filter." Wind barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. Oh, Ollie had no idea what sort of things he'd just said before Time and Warriors taught him a little bit more about situational awareness.

"Eh, doesn't bother me! Can I join you?" Wind asked, directing the attention to something else before it could get awkward. He was met with overjoyed agreement. He smiled, feeling super cool. Unlike when he'd met the Killer Bees. Those kids were mean!

"We were just about to go down to the river. Can you handle it?" Ollie returned back, to the 'ooh'-ing of the other kids. Wind grinned. Why wouldn't he be able to handle a river? It was kind of a cold day for swimming (at least, in his option- Twilight had been complaining about being hot! Then again, he did wear like, five layers, plus a wolf pelt.). Sure, Wind wasn't the best swimmer, but as long as the river wasn't too deep or fast, it was would be fine. He raced after Ollie, following him to the river in question. The other kids scrambled to follow after the two teenagers, their legs not really long enough to compete. Wind was able to find the path that the other was using, and, with a better idea of where he was going, poured on speed. He pushed down the terrible aching of his feet. He wasn't going to lose in a race! This was the kind of movement that Wind was used to. He and Ayrll had raced more times then he could count. Sometimes, he was almost fast to catch a seagull, which wasn't a problem that Ayrll had. (She had a talent with them) He burst out the trees just ahead of Ollie, and he spun breathless, to face the other. He saw the surprise, which was quickly hidden under a smirk.

"Oh wow! New comer beat Ollie at racing!" One of the younger kids said, grinning from ear to ear. Ollie rounded about on them, about to say something, but the other kid cheerfully parroted it to the others. Ollie sighed. The group settled into a game of capture the flag. But they didn't have any actual flags, so they used rocks instead. Wind was able to win- three times in a row. Ollie was starting to get red in the face. The little kids were happily pointing out how much better Wind was at everything! It was kind of an excessive amount of praise. He was starting to get uncomfortable with it, and the look on Ollie's face wasn't helping. He plodded over to the other. He didn't like all of the praise. Ollie glared at Wind as he opened his mouth to- he wasn't actually sure? He slowly closed it, but Ollie had an idea of his own stirring.

"Hey, want to go see the bridge?' Wind nodded, glad to have read the other boy's intentions wrong. The two made their way up stream a little bit, until they came a rather rickety wooden bridge. Ollie lead the way onto the bridge, but the other kids, curiously, stayed behind. Joyce opened her mouth to say something, but Ollie glared at her. Wind didn't notice, carefully climbing onto the death trap. He'd used worse. It was like Outset's bridge (before it broke) just wet and older. Wind worked his way to the center of the bridge and leaned over the dark water. He couldn't see the bottom, and a small shiver at the thoughts of what could be hiding the deep ran its way down his spin. On the other had, he could see himself. He waved at his reflection, and Ollie's behind him.

"Ollie! The way is so clear here, but I can't see the bottom? Do you know why-" Before Wind could finish his question, Ollie shoved him. Hard. The bridge had been built in a time that didn't believe in handrails, and with it as slick as it was... The water was icy. Wind gasped, pulling water in his mouth. He started to cough, but only succeeded in inhaling more water. He floundered, unsure of the surface, but needing to do anything, anything. He wasn't going to drown! What a stupid end for a hero! Ayrll and Grandma needed him. The water stole heat from him, finding its way deeper into him. The chill was like nothing else. Wind couldn't feel much, even as he smacked his arm into a rock. Blood drifted into the water, wrapping him like a halo

Why was the water so deep? Where was the surface!? That was another rock, digging across his leg. He knew how to swim- right, right? The current wanted to keep him. The river had found a child, and it was going to keep him. Another rock smacked into him, and he grabbed at it, maybe he would- His hand slipped off. Wind broke the- no that was only water, and more water, and why was everything going black- black- black- black. Cold, cold, tired, so tired. Wind... Wind had to- had to... He struggled... the darkness that had been creeping around the edges of his vision closed in. I'm going to die.. Wind thought, before that, too, faded.

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jasmyluv · 2 years

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have you ever wished upon a star?

kazuha and scaramouche x gn!reader | wc: 1163 | you were their forever but they're not yours

~ Mentions of blood and death

Kaedehara Kazuha ♡

death has always been a familiar face to kazuha, having seen it once or twice. it’s been months since his friend's passing, he thought he finally let go of the past and it’s chains on his hands.

when he met you, you won’t believe how confused he was, asking anyone and everyone about this feeling, the urge to keep writing about you. he didn't understand, until he heard three words that changed his perception on life.

“i love you.” the phrase rolls off your tongue, as if it’s natural. as if you’ve known him all your life. he stares at you looking at the horizon. for a man with a vocabulary and a mouth like no other, it was truly a rare occurrence that you see this wandering samurai speechless.

the sunset in the background makes this vulnerable moment even more alluring. his eyes couldn’t leave your figure, why? he wanted that moment to just freeze and last forever.

well, just as a very charming kitsune said, nothing lasts forever.

kazuha has always loved the stars, finding its pristine white color and interesting constellations as captivating as the land he once called home. maybe, just maybe, these stars could compare to your entrancing looks.

on a summer night, an astrologist once told him, “kazuha, did you know that, if you're just so unfortunate, you’ll be wishing on a dead star? it’s unlikely you’ll see one just floating around in the night sky, but be careful. there are still stories here and there about dead stars and their effects on people. even i can’t see if these stories are fake or not through my scryglass.” she said, sighing as she looked over the waves of the ocean.

why tell him this? was he destined to do so?

he’s never wanted to beg for a divine being's assistance more than now.

he hopes anyone that could help would hear him. anyone. he wishes upon a star. something he's been trying to avoid. anything could be better.

why did it have to be you who died, trying to save some kid? why you? why now?

he prayed to someone, anyone.

"please…" he whispers under his breath, trying to stop the already flowing tears. he's never wanted to scream more than he did now. can't he just have someone he deeply cared for in his life? or is this just some curse he has to live with?

he sees your body, cold and not breathing. he's frozen.

"no…" he didn't mind the multiple footsteps running towards him, he didn't care for the screaming of that kid, he didn't give two shits for beidou's call. he didn't care for anything at that moment. he wanted to disappear from the face of teyvat.

"p-please. don't leave me. not again." his voice, barely heard by the wind. why was he crying? isn't he stronger now? isn't he tougher now?

look at him. such an embarrassing sight to see, a samurai crying over some person he thought was his.

could you imagine what his friend, who died by the sword of a god, must be thinking?

he really can't get a break, huh?

he thought he could face this phase in his life called death. he thought wrong.

archons, he wishes he didn’t greet you with such a welcoming smile, he wishes he didn’t meet you.

he wanted to run, he really did. to run to you. but, why couldn't he?

why couldn't he run to your arms, why couldn't he cry into your chest? why were they stopping him from doing so? can't he just love you again?

…

no, he couldn't.

he wasn’t supposed to be feeling these emotions called love. but, why was he?

you were gone.

so was he.

he was nowhere to be found, one with the wind, far away from liyue.

he wishes he didn't love you.

hah, so were these the effects of a dead star?

Scaramouche ♡

scaramouche has never cared for the stars, or gods, nor does he care for people around him. now, he’s praying to all the gods that they could hear him, all the stars that could see him, to just let you live, just a little longer, please. he can’t bear to witness another person he’s longed to be with, die in his arms.

“fuck… please. don’t-don’t go.” he stutters as your blood mixed with the rain flow down his arm. please.

that damn ruin grader, it wasn’t long until a surge of electro energy struck that robot, hitting the ground in the process.

he didn’t care. why would he? no. why would he believe that some lowly being like you would even love, not to mention care for him. more importantly, how could he let himself even think that you’d stay with him. tch, how foolish.

he cradles your head, caressing your cheek as more blood spills from your forehead, dripping down your face as his tears are mixed.

what is this, tears? why is he crying? he's not supposed to feel anything. right?

"…haha. this isn't funny, [name]. please, wake up."

he doesn't do anything, he knows you've already left and he hates you for it. but, he can't bring himself to leave you in the dust. why can't he?

he hugs your body as if it's his, crying into your shoulder. no one was there to hear his screams, not even a god. he knows he's done wrong things in the past. he doesn't regret what he's done, he never has.

perhaps his only regret was parting with you so early.

scaramouche doesn't know how to deal with feelings such as love. that's why you taught him how to. no one is allowed to be stripped away of what you want and your freedom, not even a god. but if you were stripped from your dreams, he'd do anything to get it back.

if you asked him to kill everyone in the nation where he was born, he wouldn't hesitate, not even thinking.

that's how important you were to him, and he to you. you've been through everything, from mountains to valleys, from the peak of dragonspine to the deep mines of the chasm. how could you just leave him like that?

even if he had to say, it was cruel, but he was used to it. he just still doesn't know how to deal with loss.

"please… wake up…" his words, interrupted by his sobs.

scaramouche, even if he thought the sky was fake, could and would describe you as a star. divine and pure, so to say.

he always wished that you two would stay together. he wished from stars to the people he once called family. the god of dust to the god of salt, he was desperate to stay with you.

well, maybe his prayers weren't enough.

if someone ever heard scaramouche call you a star, he'd be reminded of the many dead stars only he could see in the sky, you joining the many.

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shadowkoo · 6 months

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mini requests

open | CLOSED

Hi! I'm opening my requests for the first time in nearly three years! I'm hoping by doing this sort of drabble game / mini fic requests that I can ease my way back into writing after my long hiatus. If you are interested in sending in a request, please continue reading for all the details. Thank you!

Rules + Requirements :

Follow me (if you are not already)

Reblog this post (boosts are appreciated)

Must be 18+ (minors please dni)

To Request:

Choose a group & member (1 only please)

Pick a genre (max of 3)

Select a prompt (max of 2)

Visit my askbox and use a similar format like this: "Can I request Taehyung (BTS) fluff, smut, and coworkers au with prompt #4"

*please make sure that you include the group in parenthesis after stating which member you're requesting

Groups + Members:

BTS - Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook

EXO - Kai, Baekhyun, Sehun, Chanyeol, Chen, Suho, Kyungsoo, Xiumin, Lay

NCT - Taeyong, Taeil, Johnny, Yuta, Jaehyun, Doyoung, Ten, Winwin, Kun, Jungwoo, Mark, Xiaojun, Hendery, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Jisung

SVT - Vernon, Mingyu, Jeonghan, Wonwoo, Minghao, Woozi, Joshua, Hoshi, Junhui, Seokmin, Seungcheol

GOT7 - Jinyoung, Jackson, Bam, Yugyeom, Mark, Jaebeom, Youngjae

ATEEZ - Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, Jongho

MONSTA X - Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Jooheon, Changkyun

STRAY KIDS - Bang Chan, Minho, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, Jeongin

Genres + AUs:

Fluff

Smut

Angst

Enemies to lovers

Friends to lovers

Friends with benefits

Roommates

College

Coworkers

Meet Cute

Meet Ugly

Athlete (you may specify in your request)

Exes

Idol

*idol au means that they will be depicted as their real identities (as actual kpop idols & famous celebrities)

Prompts:

"Don't look at me like that. You know what that does to me."

"I wish I never met you."

"It's your lucky day."

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I can't stop thinking about you."

"Open your mouth."

"Why do you even care?"

"You're more important than you think."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Please leave."

"That's my final answer."

"Did you see that?" "See what?"

"What do you want from me?"

"God, you look so fucking good."

"You're unbelievable."

"Isn't that your mom?"

"I swear I've seen your face somewhere before."

"You're such a tease."

"Don't you dare lie to me."

"Who are the flowers for?"

"Don't forget that we're in public, baby."

"Are you scared? You should be."

"Please say something. Anything."

"Do you forgive me?"

"You forgot."

"You're crazy and I like it."

"Where are you taking me?"

"I think I'm in love with you."

"I need you. Now."

"What did you say?"

"Did you miss me?"

"I dare you."

"I bought you something."

"Is it supposed to taste like that?"

"Ew. Why does it look like that?"

"Baby are you close?" "No but the Uber is."

"How many doughnuts can I stack on it?"

"This is why no one likes you."

"Put your dick away, this is a Lowe's."

"Stop yelling at me!" "You’re panicking, you’ll crash the car." "It’s not everyday a demon crawls out of your trunk!"

"Who the fuck did I marry?"

This is the fifth letter you will write to them, and it will not be the last.

Six days after they left, the ticking behind the wall began.

A mob boss with a black eye and a jagged scar over his wrist sits alone in a dingy motel room. The kitten stares at him affectionately, oblivious to the danger they both are in. Oblivious to the mess it caused.

It happened concurrently, and so quickly. The moon started getting closer and brighter in the sky, and you started hearing them in the radio static.

With a palpable fury, the demon turns to you, ignoring the rubble of your kitchen, and sneers. "How did you summon me? You've pulled me out of chains centuries old." Frantically, you skim through your cookbook. "I don't know! I was trying to make soup!"

They held out a hand, an echo of the melody playing from their fingertips. "The world seems to dance to your tune," they spoke, their voice a captivating blend of amusement and intrigue. The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken questions.

Sometimes you question how everything could have turned out if that day had gone differently.

Chills creep down your spine as you peek through the cracked doorway. You're not supposed to be witnessing this. They'll kill you if they find out.

Free Space - send in your own prompt! Please keep it relatively short!

Disclaimers:

Not every request may be fulfilled, it is up to my discretion.

Word count may vary between requests (300 to 3k, etc.).

Unless requested otherwise, all fics will be written as female reader insert.

Please refer to the top of the original post to know whether requests are open or closed (reblogs may show something different).

Things I will NOT write: suicide, self-harm, animal abuse, underage sex, pedophilia, incest, vore, rape, non-consensual, or dubious sex.

#requests #fanfic requests #kpop requests #bts requests #nct requests #exo requests #got7 requests #drabble game #drabble requests #kpop drabble game

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fritextramole · 6 months

Text

smacked in the face with a silver spoon

part 3 of a Jenny Humphrey playlist - best heard in order

tracklist and quotes under the cut

The Outsider ~ MARINA

I look myself in the face And whisper "I'm in the wrong place" Is there more to lose than gain If I go on my own again?

Meet Me in the Woods ~ Lord Huron

Say goodbye to who I was I ain't never been away so long Don't look back, them days are gone Follow me into the endless night

Handle With Care ~ The Traveling Wilburys

I've been uptight and it made a mess But I'll clean it up myself, I guess Oh, the sweet smell of success Handle me with care

I Was Neon ~ Julia Jacklin

I quite like the person that I am Am I gonna lose myself again?

Still Sane ~ Lorde

Only bad people live to see Their likeness set in stone What does that make me?

Devil Inside Me ~ Matt Berry

But I'd blow your mind, when I'm up high, to fall back down again Up high, to fall back down again Swing low, and look straight at me That's all I need now the Devil's inside me

t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l ~ WILLOW, Travis Barker

I don't fucking know if it's paradise or it's a trap Yeah, they're treating me like royalty, but is it kissin' ass?

And So It Went ~ The Pretty Reckless, Tom Morello

With all these eyes upon us, but no one seems to see That you and me are just the same as God meant it to be But you're much too close to me

Bad Man's World ~ Jenny Lewis

I will never forgive you For what you put us kids through Remember that night You tried to take your own life? When I found you You were a shade of blue And success is a state of mind With a little bit of follow through And then you failed at that too

Sinister Kid ~ The Black Keys

I got a tortured mind, and my blade is sharp A bad combination in the dark

Rip It Up ~ Jet

And if you ever break down, I’ll cut you up again On the bedroom wall, the stars look bright But they don’t belong in the city of light

Worldwide Torture ~ Jazmin Bean

I never come second place Always been a big disgrace Smell the fear‚ I know you see High achiever (Yeah, that's me)

Going to Hell ~ The Pretty Reckless

Father did you miss me? Don’t ask me where I’ve been You know I know, yes I’ve been told I redefine a sin

In Undertow ~ Alvvays

What's next for you and me? I'll take suggestions we toss and turn in undertow

Chaise Longue ~ Wet Lag

Hey, you, over there On the chaise longue, in your underwear What are you doing sitting down? You should be horizontal now

Starring Role ~ MARINA

Sometimes I ignore you, so I feel in control 'Cause really, I adore you and I can't leave you alone Fed up with the fantasies that cover what is wrong

R U Mine? ~ The Arctic Monkeys

And I go crazy 'cause here isn't where I wanna be And satisfaction feels like a distant memory

bellyache ~ Billie Eilish

Everything I do The way I wear my noose Like a necklace I wanna make 'em scared Like I could be anywhere Like I'm reckless

Bullet With Butterfly Wings ~ The Smashing Pumpkins

Now I'm naked Nothing but an animal But can you fake it For just one more show? And what do you want? I wanna change

You ~ Radiohead

I can see me drowning Caught in the fire You, me and everything Caught in the fire

RAGE ~ Samantha Margret

Rage is a funny place Full of loose hand grenades Where every hand is spades Violence in the open space Clear and bright as day So you can't hide away

Man in the Box ~ Alice in Chains

I'm the man in the box Buried in my shit Won't you come and save me?

Nobody Asked Me (If I Was Okay) ~ Sky Ferreira

Shaking your head while I try to explain You say you don't wanna hear me complain Just tryna get my point across You don't seem to care if I'm feeling lost

The Love Club ~ Lorde

I joined the club and it's all on There are fights for being my best friend And the girls get their claws out There's somethin' about hanging out with the wicked kids Take the pill, make it too real The other day I forgot my old address I'm sittin' pretty on the throne There's nothing more I want, except to be alone

Are You Hurting The One You Love? ~ Florence + The Machine

Are you hurting the one you love? You'd like to stay in heaven but the rules are too tough

#gg #ggplaylists #jenny humphrey #gossip girl #source: senamarais

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breannasfluff · 1 year

Note

Hi I would like to kindly request some cute Wing Boi hcs if you got the time

Of the "how people deal with them at home" variety

Like Time/Malon dealing with hay in their primaries or cows trying to chew on the ends of their wings while they're working, if sky/sun were competitive about who had bigger wingspan when they were growing up together like when little kids conpare whose growing taller first, Legend and Ravio continually stealing each others' stuff because they are both absolutely collector bird types, etc.

Got any fun ideas?

I haven’t picked a bird for Ravio yet, but it’s got to be something that collects things. Even if they share things, it belongs to whoever is having the conversation. “My bedroom”, “my bowl”, “my staff” etc. Whoever is on the opposite side keeps pointing out it's “our bowl”, but they totally going to claim it next. If Ravio collects something, he’ll give the red stuff to Legend. 1) he likes him. 2) it’s not worth the fight.

Wild collects…a lot of food, but at least he’s good with sharing. Zelda would sometimes stage an intervention to clean out the food before it got old in Hateno. Wild started picking up a habit of cooking feasts for people when he got full on food. With the Chain it isn’t a problem anymore because they go through food fast enough. He trusts very few people around his wings, which is a topic of a oneshot I’ll post sometime. He is a very social bird but tends to hold himself back around the others. Poor boy has trust issues. Hyrule and Legend weaseled their way in and once they firmly landed in the “safe” category, he loosened up a lot. He LOVES spending time with them and doesn’t like being alone. Hyrule might sometimes want a little space, but Wild is always up for a wing around Legend, or tucking himself under the other’s wing.

Sky in particular steals food, although he sometimes gets embarrassed about it. Oh boy, ok, so Sky and Sun were in a constant battle about food growing up. Sky would enact elaborate, over-the-top plots to take her snacks, and she started ramping up ways of hiding it. It was always in good fun, but to this day they cannot eat a normal meal together in peace. Wind is easygoing enough that he’s fine sharing, and Wild gives him a little extra with this in mind.

Time absolutely adores Malon. I haven’t picked a bird for her yet, either, but that flock instinct of Time’s meshes well with his wife. He’s the type of person who will fly out and pick wildflowers to surprise her. Or get up early and do the chores so she can sleep in and he’ll make her breakfast in bed. He’s a very touchy bird; likes to wrap Malon up in his wings whenever he gets a chance. He does have an archnemesis: Frank the billy goat. Time thinks it’s the stupidest name, but Malon named him so he’ll never say anything. And Frank hates Time with a burning passion. He’ll charge when he tries to go bring the goats in for milking. You ever want to see a full-grown man with the wings of a raptor run screaming like a little girl? Yeah, Malon laughed so hard she cried.

Warriors may be a solitary bird, but he’d really like to meet someone and fall in love. He’s good at the military, but it’s not his passion. He’s actually pretty crafty, which a lot of the birds don’t know. Warriors isn't sure what he wants to do after the military, so he just keeps doing it for now. He doesn't like others see him failing at a new skill, which is why most things end up hidden.

Twilight really likes to play games, but is worried others won’t want to indulge in childish play when he’s normal. They have no problem playing with Wolfie, though, so he transforms when he’s missing playtime. Wind especially will play fetch for ages with him. Twilight would really like Time to engage in some more games with him. While he follows what Time says, usually to the letter, playtime would give him a chance to loosen up from following a hierarchy.

Four’s favorite activity is a dirt bath (good for his feathers, bad for his body). He’ll compromise with rolling around in leaves in the fall. It doesn’t leave him clean at all, but it’s so fun to send up mounds of leaves with his wings and thrash around. Four has a lot of interests and will randomly pick up a new one. Lots of info dumping from our colorful bird, but they try to keep from going overboard. All they really want is someone to listen to him, though. He and Zelda/Flora get along because she’ll share research and details. The Chain was not pleased when Four regaled them with the worms-in-fish information, though. Even the seabirds started looking for something else to eat. They got over it, but Four has all sorts of weird details that are 75% true to pull out.

Legend’s default expression seems to be “annoyed” but he’s usually not. Instead of RBF it’s RAF. He’s such a softie for Hyrule and Wild. He feels like he spends half his time wrangling the two of them which is…partially true. Honestly, he’s happiest when he’s cuddled up between them, the center of attention. He’ll puff up a little if he’s extra pleased, which the others think is super cute.

Hyrule is really a “pair” bird, and he paired with Legend. When Wild came along, though, something in their personalities connected and he decided Wild belonged in their group. He’s very flexible; good at getting in tight spots and will do stretches in the early morning. Legend will be huddling under Wild’s wing, grumbling about it being cold, and Hyrule is doing some ridiculous yoga pose, cool as a cucumber. He also bites. It’s self-defense…probably. He definitely will bite when he’s mad, and he’s a very good sword fighter.

Wind is a very sunny bird boy. One of those always optimistic ones. He likes independence in the air, but on the ground, he sticks close to Sky. He views him as a big brother more than the rest of the group. He also taught Aryll to fly, with questionable success at the start. He tends to hover around her in the air after she got kidnapped.

#lu wing bois #lu wing au #linked universe #wb wild #wb legend #wb hyrule #headcanon #asks

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toughvaughn · 9 months

Text

He Got Game 🎡🎪 Pt. 1

꧁ pairing: Earth-42!Miles! x Blk!Fem!Reader!

꧁ warnings: Vivid language! Whatever Else Is In Here, Figure It Out!

꧁ a/n: Miles (19)! Reader (18)! Reader pink! Miles purple! Others whatever color you see!

꧁ summary: You and your three friends; Cerhys, Xyles, and Davi decided to go hang out this weekend, going to the carnival. Xlyes and Davi running late, arriving with another boy you and Ceryhs don't know.

꧁ word count: Long asf!

It was finally the weekend; the last day of the week, Friday, you and your three friends Ceryhs, Xlyes, and Davi planned on going to the carnival over in Coney Island. Friday that evening you drove up from D.C., currently where you were attending school, and headed to your parent's house. With a little coldness in the air, and it being October, the amusement park was bound to be more entertaining and active, the best time to go to the park too.

You guys decided to meet up around 4:00-4:30; since the time is set back and it gets darker earlier now, you guys still needed some time to try out at least half of the rides at the park. And they always did that light show once it struck midnight, it’s been a while since you last went to Coney Island, the last time you went was when you were a kid. But you and your family never stayed long to see the light show, being that you and your siblings had a curfew and everything, not even on weekends would you guys be able to see it.

So, you were kind of semi-excited to see it. You were old enough to stay out, as long as you called your Mom every 30 minutes; to see if you were still alive and breathing. As annoying as it may sound; that was the deal between the two of you, you got to stay out as long as wanted as long as you called her every 30 minutes to update her about your whereabouts, making sure everything was alright.

But, this time your Mom said you didn't have to do it this time around; just as long as you behaved yourself. Your Mom and Dad weren't gonna be home, not until tomorrow morning, overseas, out traveling for work.

Your younger and middle siblings at y’alls grandparents' house; giving you and your other brother, Yamrai, who was the same age as you, the house all to yourselves. Yamrai did his own thing with the people he hung out with and you did yours, getting yourself ready to head out, slipping your Supreme x Air Max Plus TN 'Mean Green' on your feet.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ

You left the house around 4:38; not really in a rush. Knowing damn well Cerhys, Xyles, and Davi weren't actually gonna be there at the designated time you guys set. Taking your sweet time heading down.

Traffic going through the city; people coming about from work, ending up behind some slow-ass motorists, missing the green light cause of their lack of speed, and sometimes getting stuck at the light.

Should've left earlier…

After sitting in an annoying amount of traffic; you made it, finally. Driving over to the off-street parking, the sun was nearly setting over the horizon, and the vibrant colors gradient within the firmament. A cool whisper of the wind came rolling in once you shut your car off, the song on the radio going mute, same with the roar of the engine to your car going quiet.

The unreadable muffles of people walking and conversing with one another; from your left-side rearview mirror, the faint reflection of the glare of the sun leaving the sky.

The car is still slightly warm; it fading away as the cold approaches you. You started gathering the stuff you needed while you were out, stuffing it in the pockets of your lively unzipped green Nike ACG 800 Fill Down puffer jacket. The crease and ruffle of your circled-necked white tee fall to your tall and slim framed person, and the bottom of your flat underbelly a masquerade sometimes, before your shirt adjusts back over it. Throwing your car keys, house keys, phone, and AirPods in either pocket.

The swing and twirl of your multiple silver-chained, rhinestone double cross charm necklaces around your long neck. Picking up your hand and untangling your necklace from the top of one another, your long green iridescent and designed and charmed acrylics assisting you. The slightly bigger and smaller rhinestoned encrusted pendants glide smoothly along your clothed collarbone, adjusting it to your liking around your jugular, propped up by your clothed breasts.

You put down your sun visor and look at yourself in the mirror, making sure you ain't look a mess. I mean, not like anyone’s gonna be looking at you, but, at the same time, you never know.

Looking at your nicely pinned up, high bun, no piece of hair sticking out in sight, except for the back, where your kitchen resided, for creative purposes. Your neatly laid down curled edges, lay flat upon the crown of your hairline, twirling and curling the long curls that were also laid down to the sides of your face. A couple of long strand pieces of your hair in the back of your kitchen were left out, and the ends of some strands of your hair were snuggled up to your natural curl, and styled to look soft and classy.

The glimmer of your pierced-out ear; your studded diamond earrings trailing down the 'C' shaped hearing organ. On the top of your ear laid your silver sandy glitter Playboy Bunny Industrial Bar tailored to your ear; your two twin tragus piercings on the small piece of cartilage that covers the ear canal.

After checking yourself; you slapped up your sun visor, grabbed ahold of your door handle, pulled it forward, and pushed it out. Turning your body out of the car; jumping out, closing the door. Pulling down and fixing your baggy black Nike x Stussy SS23 Washed Sweatpants, as they got bunched up when you slipped out of your car. Digging through your jacket's pockets, grabbing ahold of your car key, locking your car, the sound of the car automatically locking.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ

Walking around your car; making your way off the street, over to the dock. The structures of the Ferris Wheel, Music Express, The Super Himalaya, The Delusion, and The Dream Catcher, were in the distance. Bitch; there was a lot to rides, and not gonna lie, you were excited to go on every one. The swift breeze of the wind tickles your nose, getting the aroma of the ocean.

The faint vibrant lights of the carnival, the colors knocking off other buildings within the vicinity of it, and the over-the-top welcome sign at the front entrance of the carnival. Reading: 'Coney Island Celestial Park', the bulbed rainbow lights that aligned perfectly within the giant letters of the sign giving everyone a light show as they go in and out.

As you step foot within the property, the smell of funnel cake, corn dogs, and cotton candy attacks one out of your four senses. Bringing a sense of nostalgia to your mind and soul.

Bundles and groups of people are scattered along the park, amusement conveyances are active with people, food, and game stands serving cooking, and taking people's money. It was a sight to see and something you also missed; dearly.

The creaking of the old wooden flooring of the pier makes its presence known from your body weight and many more. Ceryhs texted you prematurely; her already here, to your amazement, you scoured out for her person. There were litters of people left and right to your peripheral vision, everywhere you looked, seeing a couple of people your age walking around and from your school, who you've seen before, and made a quarter of a second eye contact with a couple of times before.

Ew.

You quickly evaded that; turning your attention elsewhere. Still looking out for Ceryhs, that girl wasn't hard to find, she was brown-skinned, short, slim-thick, and knew how to dress. Sound like every dreadhead dream.

When it came to looking for her, she wasn't hard to spot. Cerhys has been your best friend forever now, you knew to a point where you could at least spot her out from the public, and the stuff she wore was always visibly vibrant and a tad bit flashy.

She had her own style that I could elucidate to be her own; most plausible to stand out from the crowd of people that russel and scatter on the pier. You still couldn't pinpoint Cerhys anywhere, for a girl who dresses in vigorous colors, you’d think she’d be easy to spot.

At this point, you pull out your phone from your jacket’s pockets, unlocked it, and texted Ceryhs of her whereabouts. Cerhys was nonexplanatory with her grey responses, she was telling you where she was but didn't. Everywhere you turned about to glance at the place she claimed to be at, she wouldn't be there, like, girl, stop giving directions.

Out of nowhere; a light tap met your shoulder, causing you to turn around.

“Girl bye, talking bout I don't know how to give directions.”

Cerhys restated what you said to her in your text, giving you a stank face and rolling her eyes.

As you stated; priorly. Ceryhs popped out with her bright colors, in her rich hot pink cropped Ed Hardy Tiger Crown Zip-Up, with her matching Tiger Crown Fleece Sweatpants. Mini Platform Suede Ugg Booties on her feet, adding a couple of inches to her already short height, correspondingly wearin' her tan Palace Faux Fur Jacket.

The jacket is slightly open, with the hood of her cropped zip-up hoodie thrown out behind her, overlapping the furred collar of her jacket.

A solid gold necklace with her name plated, a star at the end of the name of her gold plated name, and a gold rose pendant hitting up against it. Same with her expressive small gold bamboo earrings that swung about from her ears, her gold piercings running up the sides of both her earlobes.

“And don't.” You pushed back.

“You just don’t put your mind down. But, I don't know how to give directions. Okay.

You scoffed and shook your head and smirked; grabbing Cerhys by her arm and pulling her in for a hug. Holding her tight and rocking her side to side, the height difference between the two of you making it all the better, your chin resting on her neatly braided back head, the purposefully left-out curls tickling your chilled skin.

“Girl, get off of me. Wanting to catch an attitude with me. Moovvveeeee.”

Ceryhs trailed off with a whine; trying to have an attitude with you. Both her hands are on both sides of your arms, while her Hello Kitty cased phone still in the threshold of her hand, still trying to get out of your suffocating affection. Her large, brown heart-shaped fur bag hanging over her right shoulder, swaying and hitting the side of her knee, as she struggled with you.

“Bitch, you love me. When did you get here anyway?” You questioned her; pulling her out of your unbreakable hug.

“The time we all agreed on; 4:00-4:30,” Ceryhs mentioned. “How come you got here late? You are always here before anybody.” She continued.

“Traffic coming down here. I left a little late, but I’m here now,” You informed her. “Where’s Davi and Xyles at?” You asked.

"You already know it’s gonna take those niggas a century to get here.” She reminded you; a cool breeze pushing itself by the both of you, making Ceryhs stuff her hands in the pockets of her jacket.

To your recollection; you knew what she was saying was true, those two are never somewhere or anywhere on time. It’s gonna take them a good minute before they come, leaving you and Cerhys to wait for them out in the October cold.

“I’m not waiting for those two bobble-headed ass niggas.” Ceryhs expressed firmly, the sound of her teeth chattering being emanated. “Not in this fucking weather, they got me fucked up.” She resumed; a sneer becoming of her lips, her body language, agitated. Looking left and right of her.

“It ain't that cold out here.” You opinionated; knowing your statement might piss Ceryhs off further.

“Girl bye. You never cold; like, why is your jacket not zipped up?” She questioned you; looking about your person. “Just looking at you is making me cold. Zip that shit up, bruh.” She reprimanded.

“I’m fine; you just whining, for real.” You teased.

Cerhys gave you a noticeable and heavy-ass eye roll; not before walking up to you and grabbing your zipper, zipping it up with one swift motion. The color of your white tee, no more, just the bright green, clouding Cerhys vision, quickly stuffing her hands back in her pockets.

“I know yo ass feel better, cause there’s no way you wasn't cold.” She mocked.

“I wasn't, though.”

“Girl don't lie to me, lie to your mother. I could see your nipples through your shirt.” She giggled

You rolled your eyes and chuckled. Yeah, it was a tad bit cold outside, nothing you’d admit to, though.

After that ya’lls little side show; Ceryh's head shifted to the right of you, as if she was trying to look at something behind you, blocking her view. Her face soon contorted into confusion and a faint squint of her eyes, why was she looking like that?

You soon turn your body in the direction of where Ceryhs was looking; to your view, it was Xyles and Davi at the front entrance of the park, chatting and laughing it up with each other. But, is that why Cerhys was looking all distraught and shit? You’d think she’d be in relief to see those two finally arrive, but the closer the boys came, you saw that she was starstruck about.

A tall man was trailing behind the two; he was huge, even from up close. Don't know how you didn't see him from afar or before, what is he doing behind them though, he looked like a bodyguard if asked me.

“Who’s that?” You finally questioned; still looking at the boy.

“Shit, ion know. You seen him before?” Cerhys uno reversed a question back to you, while still looking at the boy as well.

“No. Should we tell them that nigga stalking behind them?”

“I think they would've felt that niggas presence by now; cause ain't no way you missing him.”

The boys finally approached the both of you. The big boy in the back, the two individual braids on the side of his head, running down to his broad shoulders. Currently looking down at his phone, while still behind Xlyes and Davi; the two finally breaking the conversation with one another, looking at the two of you.

“SHAWTIES!” Xlyes shouted aloud; the skinny, tall, lanky light-skinned boy doing a funny walk the rest of the way over to the two of you.

“How are my two favorite bitches doing?” He asked with no hesitation. Throwing both arms over you and Ceyrh's shoulders, the drawstring to his hoodie hitting the both of you.

“Boy-” You and Cerhys both warned him; looking at him crazy.

“My bad; I meant, how are my two black, ratchet Nubian Queens doing?” He reworded himself; slightly no change in his words, still trying to be funny.

You and Cerhys both start hitting him with the front of y’alls hand; Xlyes quickly retreating back from the two of you, tip-toeing over to Davi, acting as if he’s gonna save him.

Davi playfully and forcefully pushed him back to you and Cerhys, Xlyes's scary ass dipping out every chance he got, all of you laughing and cursing him out. Davi walked over to you and Cerhys giving both of y’all a side hug, Xlyes trying to do the same thing, not before getting quickly smacked upside the head.

“Sorry we're late; we had to take care of something,” Davi explained.

“And that was?” Ceryhs asked.

“We had to pick up our nigga…MILES MORALES!” Xyles announced; walking over to the large boy who had put his phone away a while ago, probably just watching y’all interact this whole time.

Miles Morales? That name did click in your head; like you heard it before or someplace, but nothing came up.

“Say hi, Kilometer.” Xyles continued to joke.

Everyone turned their attention to the towering boy; his appearance was a bit off-putting, not to sound rude or anything, but, he looked mean in the face. You know how that one quiet person in class that just don't fuck with nobody and they got that real rough, mean look on they face. That’s what he looks like. That's why I say that; not to mention his imposing, prolonged height, and lithe, lean frame.

His hands were in the pockets of his black North Face Himalayan Down Parka puffer jacket; you examined him further, the open appearance of his light grey double-layered hood of his hoodie was up and out from the confinement of his puffer jacket, laying about on the puffed collar of his jacket, just waiting to be thrown over his crown.

From the subtleness of his thick clothing, you just knew he was ripped to shit under all those damn clothes. Your first thought when he first arrived; those clothes might be baggy on him, but, you knew for a fact that he probably looked crazy under all of them clothes. Everything about him seemed big, his shoulder, frame, hands, arms, something else that I won't conjure up right now, but, you get it.

Very ill-minded of you to think about…

I mean, you just met him and you wanna be dirty-minded right in front of him.

The jacket was not all the way zipped up; a push and shove with the front of his hoodie, the slight bag and sag of his matching light grey sweatpants, from his left pocket, something long and bulged was stuffed in it. It could be…anything. Right?

His phone, his wallet…his…anything.

But, looking further down; he had Jordan 11’s on 'Cool Greys', you had the same pair of shoes at home, but in a different color. They looked like they hadn't been worn, fresh out of the box, the sight of his ankle socks, the bottom of his sweats covering them. The laces that would tie the shoe together, were retreated back within their assigned holes, making the wear of his shoe cleaner.

Your eyes trailed back up to his face; and to your surprise and embarrassment, he was looking directly at you, his eyes hooded, the slight assault of his hazel/brown eyes on your eyes, his eyes darting up and down your small form.

Fuck.

How long was you staring at this nigga for? You probably look weird as shit. We're you being loud when you was partially undressing him?

It seems Big Boy was giving you the same treatment you were giving him, but he wasn't drooling while he was doing it.

“Nice to finally meet y’all…” Miles spoke; with a slight monotone in his voice. Even a little bit of an accent, if you weren't mistaken, the bob of his Adam’s Apple apparent.

“Ceryhs. Nice to meet you as well.” She introduced herself.

It was your turn, but you were kind of stuck, you kind of just stood there, not saying anything. Everyone looked at you, a bit worried.

“y/n…?” Xlyes, Davi, and Ceryhs called to you in unison.

With an elbow to the side of your stomach; you hissed in pain, a sharp pain now burning at your side, rubbing it to soothe it.

“Shit…what?” You whined.

You looked down at Ceryhs; she looked at you with a serious look, darting her eyes back over to Miles and the others. You quietly and mentally cursed yourself in your head, you turned your head to face Miles.

He kept his eyes on you; so did everyone else, but not the way he was staring at you. The indefatigable hues and shades of picturesque tones of pink, blue, red, purple, and yellow, every color, hit his brown melanated skin. A tiny studded diamond nose piercing that resided on the right side of his nose. Accompanied by the flashing glow show, his board, and his tall frame earned the same treatment.

“y/n…Likewise.” You finally introduced yourself.

Once you introduced yourself; he kept looking at you for a good second, not before nodding his head.

“Not to be rude, but doesn’t explain why he’s here.” Ceryhs pointed out.

“He here 'cause my boy here needs to get out more; so, I suggested he hang out with us. He doesn't get out much.” Xyles explaining his presence.

“He cool; let’s just show him a good time. A’ight?” Davi advised the both of you.

The five of y’all walked to the front; where all of you purchased your tickets. After one person paid for theirs, they went on to the side, out of line, and out of the way. Waiting for the others patiently; you were the last one.

“Okay, let's get on some rides, bruh.” You responded; wasting no time, grabbing Cerhys hand and pulling her beside you, walking further into the park.

The boys waste no time and follow behind y’all; as you and Ceryhs walk up ahead in front of the boys. Cerhys and your arms intertwined with one another, as y’all walked, you felt that Cerhys wanted to say something to you, without even looking at her, you just knew.

“What you wanna ask m-“ You spoke; no before being cut off by her.

“You like him don't you, bitch?” Cerhys teased; nudging you with her elbow.

“Like who?”

Cerhys side-eyed you as if you thought she was stupid or got 'Boo Boo The Fool' in bold letters on her forehead.

“Bitch, don't play with me. And it’s not like it’s a secret, the boy’s fine, you can tell me.” She informed you.

“He’s okay.”

“The way you was eye-fucking him, I don't think "okay" is the word you’d describe him to be. You can think of something betta than that.”

“Yeah, he fine. But, it’s not like he want me. He probably got a girl or something.” You assumed.

“Girl, really just shut the fuck up right now. Y’know that boy was feeling you and looking at you the same way you was looking at him.” Cerhys stated; sucking her teeth.

You didn't want your expectations to be high; not wanting to even be bothered by the idea.

"Bitch, don't make an intense staring contest something bigger than it already is.” You firmly stated.

“As fine as he is…ion think he was feeling me like that. So, drop all this other shit, and let’s go get on some motherfucking rides.”

You dismissed her and the conversation; finding yourself moving away from Ceryhs and walking over to the Music Express. It was currently active; the rapid circular speed train-like car ride moving clockwise, music from the contraption playing aloud. The backdrop, normally covered in artwork and lights, provides a mild head-chopper-like effect as there was an exit next to the entrance where the riders previously entered from to get on the ride, near the rear section.

People were already on the ride; screaming and laughing, going pretty fast as they circled around in an intense altercation. Everyone seemed to look like a blur as they went around and around, your vision a bit impaired as they went about. "Again" by Fetty Wap blared out, not before the ride went counter-clockwise, pushing everyone that was secured in their seats forward themselves.

“O! They playing old Fetty. Fetty Wap was my shit back then; it’s been a minute since I heard him.” You chuckled; watching the ride go on.

Cerhys catching up; eventually, standing beside you, looking at the ride as well.

“Mm-hm. They playing all the old shit.” Ceryhs chimed in, the boys are now behind both of you.

“��♪Married to the money, I ain't never letting go. Baby, it’s ZooWap from the fucking bando! ♫♪” Xyles sang obnoxiously loud right in both you and Cerhy's ear. The slight crack and high pitch in his supposed-to-be baritone voice. Ugly ass tryna hold a high note.

“Xlyes bruh, let Fetty sing his shit,” Davi beseeched; rolling his eyes.

“Bitch, I can sing. Y’all just mad.” Xlyes sassed.

“Nigga….” You and Cerhys both interjected; the word trailing off the both y’all tongues in unison, not without laughing.

The ride for the Music Express finally came to an end; you quickly made your way over, the new wave of people making their way over to the mellifluous contrivance. Thankfully; your people were right behind you, so you didn't have to sit next to some random, you turned around to see who would be seated with you.

It had to be Ceryhs…

Why? Not because you felt uncomfortable with Davi and Xyles or anything; they were your boy bestfriends. It’s just because you have a bit of a… preference when it comes to people.

Xlyes; you love the boy, he was another brother you didn't ask for, but you got him. He can be funny and goofy at most times, matching your energy. But then that energy starts to be a bit too damn much, making your ass itch to a certain point where you wanna wrap your hands around his throat and choke him.

Davi; a stand-up comedian just like Xlyes, black ass always got a damn punchline. You love him to hell and back, another brother your are grateful for, you two click, but not like, click. Not like that. Like him and Xlyles do, so that's why it really has to be Cerhys, she gets you, she’s YOUR bestie, and your hers.

And it couldn't be Miles…

Plus. You barely knew the nigga, and it would've just been awkward. For you, anyway.

To your better judgment; it was Cherys. Looking behind your group, Miles obviously being last, would be paired up with some random. You felt somewhat bad; but, that's life.

With that, you quickly got over it, really excited to get on this ride. The ride operator now let y’all come and get seated into the two-passenger cart; you and Cerhys together, Xlyes and Davi together, and Miles…

With some lightskin chick, he was chatting it up with, the girl all up in his personal space, licking her lips and laughing real fucking hard at whatever his big black ass was saying. Couldn't have been that fucking funny…

You kind of glared from a distance; not before the two of them were seated two carts behind you and Ceyhs. You soon put your attention back, facing forward, while rolling your eyes and sneering your lip in annoyance and dislike.

Obviously; Cerhys caught it.

“What’s wrong with you?” She questioned; eyeing you up and down.

She turned around to look at what you were looking at; prior. And she saw the light-skin girl rubbing up against Miles, her arm entwined with Miles's muscled one, whispering to him and laughing. Ceryhs cocked her head back with confusion. The fuck did she come from? Was her first question; her second one, who the fuck did she think she was?

“And…who the fuck is that?” Ceryhs asked aloud; not one to keep her words and thoughts to herself. Xlyes and Davi both looked at her, then turned their heads around to see what she was yapping about.

“Shit, ion know where her ass came from. But, it look like she likes herself some Morales.” Xlyes voiced; to you and Cerhys annoyance.

Ceryhs just glared at him; not before facing back up front. Xlyes and Davi were both confused about both of y’alls attitudes, abruptly coming out of nowhere, were y’all both not just in a good mood? The fuck happen? Did they miss something? Did they do something they didn't know they did?

“The fuck wrong with y’all?” Davi questioned; not understanding why both of y’all acting a fool.

He turned himself back around to see what the problem was, not before looking upon what you two saw.

“Ohhhh…that’s what y’all upset about.” Davi expressed; coming to an understanding.

“What? What they pissy about?” Xlyes asked; curious to knew what got y’alls drawers in a bunch.

Davi then nodded his head to behind him; to where the light-skin girl and Miles were, he took a quick glance, not before smacking his teeth and speaking.

“I know you not mad about that?” Xlyes asked; sitting himself up, getting right in the middle between the open space behind you and Ceryhs.

You both stayed quiet; answering Xlye's inquiry.

“Why the fuck you upset about it, Ceryhs? Don'tchu got a nigga already?” He stated.

“Boy, I’m only mad 'cause my friend is. Pipe down.” Ceryhs shared; informing him.

“Then why you pressed?” He then asked you.

“I’m not; ion want to talk about it. Thank you.” You dismissed, ready for this ride to fucking go.

Subsequently, the last group of people was seated, and the operator of the ride went back behind the thing that operated the ride. Letting everyone make sure they're secured in their seats, not before flipping a switch, the ride started back up, and so did the music.

20 Minutes by Lil Uzi Vert, begin to play. Screams and laughter started to pick up from everyone on the ride, you couldn't help but smile and laugh yourself. The intense rock and shake of the contraption itself was a lot, moving you in your secured seat, Cerhys smile and laughing as well, holding tight onto your hand, your hair being blown back by the wind coming forward.

Your vision becomes impaired; the colorful lights that once stood still, are now a striked lines, a blurry and hazed line of color. Even people who walked around the active Carnival become all the more fuzzier, the smell of food running away from your nose, coming back every now and then before leaving once more. The feeling of coming up and going back down was abrupt and expected, your other hand holding tight onto the railing that was holding you into your seat.

Without a warning, the ride operator sent the ride to go backwards. Everyone screaming 10x times louder than they were before; sending you and everyone that once moved forward, jolting onward. Your hair blows forward as well, long pieces of your hair flying around; unaccordingly, everybody’s person rocking side to side; a high-pitched scream coming from behind you and Ceryhs.

The both of you couldn't help but turn around, seeing that it was Xlyes, of course. The both of you giggled, both of y’all bending slightly forward in your seat, your hand hovering over your mouth as you couldn't stop laughing. Cerhys threw her head back, the both of you still holding each other hand, after a couple of minutes, the ride finally came to an end, your legs feeling like jelly, your knees about ready to buckle on you at the worst of moments.

Once your feet finally touched land; it felt a bit weird and abnormal, your footing and everything were off. Having to depend on Ceryhs and Davi to keep you up; both of them at your sides, holding you up, people flowing out of the ride, the heavy sound of metal being walked on.

“Whoa, damn. Haven’t been on those in a minute.” You admitted; with a laugh.

“Yeah, we can see that. Can't stand up on your own for shit.” Ceyrhs joked; still holding you astray.

As all of you were conversing with each other, that light-skinned girl and Miles, still talking to one another. Mostly Little Miss 'I Haven’t Felt A Mans Touch, So I’ma Touch Up On Anybody' ass bitch kept up with her unneeded affection towards Miles, Miles was really just too unbothered to tell her to give him his personal space or was trying to get lucky.

They make their way over to you, Cerhys, Davi, and Xlyes. You and Ceryhs both smack your teeth and roll your eyes, the little scrumpt was parading herself out, only wanting for Miles's gaze to be on her, pulling and tugging on his muscled arm to come closer to her, not letting up. All of a sudden your way of balance comes back altogether, moving away from Ceryhs and Davi’s touch. Turning on your heel, walking away, your hands in the pockets of your puffer jacket, finding something better to do, then look at that.

Everyone looked at you as you walked away without warning; but, only Davi, Ceryhs, and Xlyes knew what was up. Ceryhs soon followed behind you, Davi looked at Ceryhs as she walked off as well, not before he turned his attention back over to where the light-skin and Miles stood, Miles talking to Xlyes.

“Uh, yeah, me and her gonna walk around. I’ll meet back up with y’all later, a’ight?” Miles informed Xlyes; the lightskin clinging onto Miles like her life depended on it.

“Oh, a’ight bruh. Will be around.” Xlyes acknowledged; soon dapping Miles up.

Miles dapped him back; saying a last "A’ight, imma see you", before nodding his head over to Davi. Davi gives him back the same gesture; he and the girl walk off, somewhere else around the carnival.

Davi asked Xlyes what was up with that; all he did was shrug his shoulders, walking away to go find you and Cerhys, Davi walking beside him. The two of you didn't go far, at the long arranged rowed lines of concession stands going down from the Ferris Wheel back over to the carnival games, the both of you standing to the side, talking to one another.

You and Ceryhs both saw Xlyes and Davi coming towards the two of you.

“So…what was that about?” Xlyes asked, his arm coming over and around your shoulders, pulling you into him. Looking at Davi and Ceryhs, before looking back over at you.

“Absolutely nothing.” You dismissed; rolling your eyes.

“It doesn’t look like nothing, it looks like something. So, what’s the matter?” Xlyes asked again.

You didn't want to say, because it was too embarrassing and stupid. You already told Cerhys that you weren't interested; but, you were also not, not interested, the boy was fine. You didn't take his intense and intimidating stares accountable or as his way of feeling you. Considering you were undressing him right to his face, god knows what he was thinking in that moment when you were that.

Disgusted? Confused? Annoyed? Anything; you couldn't read him even if you tried, from the first time you laid eyes on him, his expression was no more than stoic and cold. If he were to walk into a loud room full of people, he’d most likely be the reason they’d go quiet once he stepped foot inside, he just didn't look…approachable.

It sounded real hypocritical and deluded coming from you, but that was your opinion. Not like it was needed, it’s just what you saw, from his face, body, and demeanor, it was a challenge not to say you weren’t a bit overawed by his appearance. And you couldn't say you weren't attracted to him; you’d be lying to yourself.

“It’s honestly nothing.” You stated; more firmly.

“Girl, just take your L and just admit your jealous,” Ceryhs advised; knowing you too well and better than anyone else not to call you out.

“Shut up, Cey. Ain’t nobody jealous.” You becoming a bit defensive on the topic alone.

You got away from Xlyes and his long arm from around your shoulders, walking a couple of feet away from your group, looking about at the carnival.

“Bitch, there’s nothing to be defensive about. If you like the nigga you like him, acting like you committed a crime or sumin.” Ceryhs reassured, walking up beside you.

“The boy just gets a lot of female attention,” Ceryhs informed.

“Clearly.” You flatly gathered.

“My nigga Miles is a lady killer, my boy gets down, he don't play,” Xlyes spoke; clapping his hands together with every word he uttered out.

You and Ceryhs looked at Xlyes; Davi just shook his head, smiling while looking on somewhere else, trying not to laugh. He be just saying shit, especially at the worse of times, making the situation the more hysterical.

“Xlyes. Just stop talking, cause like why you gotta be you, like right now?” Ceryhs interjected; trying to wrap around Xlye's thought process, trying to understand why he thought that time to say that was okay.

“Cause it’s true; my boy got bitches coming after him left and right. I know y’all girlies don't like to hear it, but that’s just life.” Xlyes stated.

“Boy-” Ceryhs didn't finish before going over and hitting Xlyes; Xlyes putting his arms up over his face. Lifting his sweats up swiftly and ready to square up with Ceryhs heavy-handed ass.

“Come on, bitch. What’s up? What’s up?” Xlyes taunted, at this point, the two of them were play fighting with each other. Which they always did.

Xlyes would take a step back and step up everytime Ceryhs would get too close or distance herself from him. The both of them sometimes throw false hits at the other one, walking around in a circle while still cursing at each other.

You and Davi stood aside and watched the two go at it; it was the norm for them to be at each other's necks until the other got tired of the other, which was always Ceryhs. You couldn't blame her; Xlyes was a lot to take in, always going back with you.

“Okay, Dumb and Dumber, let's not get into a squabble. Let's just have a good time.” Davi interfered, looking at the both of them still at each other.

You snickered at Davi’s comment, Cerhys looking over at Davi like his crazy, rolling her eyes and bucking at Xlyes. Walking away from him and back beside you.

“And don't call me dumb, nigga.” Ceryhs informed Davi, with his smart-ass comment.

“Yeah, aight. Tussling around with a dumbass, Dummy.” Davi threw back.

Cerhys shot a hostile look at Davi and seemed about to physically attack him. However, you stepped in and intervened by placing your arm around Cey and hugging her tightly to your side. This prevented her from causing any further harm to the boys, and you placed her on the other side of you. You now stand where she previously stood beside Davi, with your arms locked around each other in a comforting embrace.

“A’ight y’all! Let's just tend to what we came here to do and enjoy our time.” You spoke freely; looking left and right of you, at your group.

The group unanimously agreed to the terms and conditions, breaking their silence with a chorus of teeth smacks and eye rolls.

“Yeah, a’ight,” Davi mumbled.

“Yeah, whatever.” Ceyrhs followed behind.

“Yeah, you better calm your ass down, always tryna start.” Xlyes voiced in tauntingly.

Cerhys was quickly about to lunge at Xlyes before you tightly kept her at your side, not wanting these white people to think y’all around crazy than y’all are.

“Xlyes!” You reprimanded, glaring at him.

“You is not helping. Please, let’s just have a good time.” You begged; trying to ease the uncertainty between everyone.

Everyone huffed and puffed; reluctantly agreeing with your words. Turning on y’all heels and walking back where you guys came from, heading down the alsie of where the many carnival game trailers arranged from the Water Gun Game, the High Striker, the Hangman Challenge, Balloon-A-Rama, Mid Range Basketball, Shoot Out The Star, and a lot more you’d like to name, but you just wanted to fuck around and find out.

It’s been a hot minute since you’ve seen these games, nostalgia overflowing within you, the intoxicating and hallucinogenic flashing of the colorful lights making you feel even more childish. Just want to run off and try out one of the games they had about as an option and there was a lot to go off of, too many to choose really.

But, you had all night, so did it really matter?

Then your eyes laid upon one of the games, the game that people would assume you’d be most experienced in, something you couldn't possibly be out niggaed in.

Hoop Shot.

“Oh shit! Y’all, we gotta do this one.” You wooed; stopping everyone abruptly, pointing and looking at the large game trailer, that took up half of the spot it occupied.

As you gestured towards the source of the commotion, everyone's gaze followed suit. A trailer contraption adorned with bright and dazzling LED lights that radiated a carnival-like aura, especially in the dark. You couldn't help but feel the excitement and thrill that filled the air.

As I looked around the bustling game area, I noticed a constant flow of people coming and going. The Hoop Shoots Game Trailer was particularly popular, with its impressive size that could accommodate four different hoops at once. A small group of individuals had already gathered around the trailer, eagerly waiting for their turn to compete. You could see a couple of people already shooting their shots at the mid-ranged hoops, their focus, and determination palpable in the air. It was clear that the game was not only a source of fun and entertainment but also a way to ignite healthy competition and camaraderie among its players.

If you remember; vividly, this game was a bitch to win, your not very good at basketball. Especially if your competing with other people, particularly, with people you know, you were very competitive, so there was gonna be a slick chance of you trying your hardest, even if you didn't make one damn shot.

You were leaving here with something.

“Ohhhhhhh! So, you wanna getcho ass beat? Oh a’ight, fuck it….we ballin'.” Xlyes taunted; feeling that it had to be announced to the whole damn world.

Niggas 🙄

“Nigga, you wanna fuckin' bet. I’ll lay yo ass out, right fuckin now, say I won't.” Ceryhs interjected; her faint, yet strong Louisiana accent approaching lightly in her voice.

“And fuckin' won’t, baby.” Xlyes mocked her and her accent, cocking his head with sass, a slight sneer on his lips, just as Ceryhs’s lip.

“Boy-” Ceryhs cut herself off, about to got of on the lightskin boy.

Before Ceryhs had a chance to try any of that; you, Ms. Captain Save A Nigga, interjected once more.

“Okay, okay, let’s just settle this. A’ight?” You joined in.

“Settle this? I’mma wipe the floor with all of y’all.” Xlyes continued to taunt.

“Nigga, your not LeBorn. So, calm your dick, boy.” Davi joined in, getting tired of Xlyes as well.

“Y’all wanna fucking bet? I can wipe the floor with y’all without even trying.” Xlyes challenged all of you.

“Bet.” You, Cerhys, and Davi together.

“Alright, if I win…y/n, Ceryhs. Y’all gotta hook me up with one of y’all’s friends.” Xlyes smirked with a smug smile, biting his bottom lip and rubbing his hands together, slowly. While slowly nodding his head.

“Like any of OUR friends wanna fuck withchu,” Ceryhs noted.

“Oh, so, y’all know I’ma gonna win?” Xlyes taunted.

“Nah, bruh. You just ugly little boy. But, we can do that if you win.” You jumped in.

“Girl bye. What do y’all want if y’all win?” Xlyes questioned.

Everyone was thinking about what they wanted if they were to win; obviously, Ceryhs was the one to speak out first about what she wanted.

“Nigga, if I win, you gotta buy me 60-inch Brazilian bundle, with yo money.” Ceryhs slyly told.

“Oh, so your little G.I. Jane cut got you cold? So, you need new horse hair to keep you warm? Yeah, a’ight. Next.” Xlyes mocked as Ceryhs, as he moved on without a care.

“Boy, fuck you. You gonna be eating those fuckin' words once I beat to ass in this game.” Cerhys expressed angrily, her anger pronounced with her vivid hand gestures.

Xlyes scoffed and rolled his eyes, his hand put out in front of her face, blocking her from his line of sight, waiting for Davi to talk.

“Aye, I don’t mind me getting me a girl myself. A nigga lonely, forreal.” Davi confessed.

“Alright, alright, so me and Davi after the same thing. Y/n…?” Xlyes pointed out before moving to you.

“Okay, I got it. If I win, you gotta buy us something all out. My choice. Deal?” You asked, holding your hand out, ready to lock in y’alls bet.

“Of course, it was gonna be food,” Xlyes mentioned.

“Alright, deal. Cause you ain't gonna win, so this is easy to agree to.” Xlyes expressed, taking your hand, and shaking it.

“Alright, everyone has their bets. Let’s go.”

★★★

I thought this would be a full one, but I changed my mind. So, this is part 1, part 2 is being done. After I’m done with part 2, I’ll link it down below.

Thanks for reading my shit, appreciate it 🤭.

#Spotify #e42 miles morale x black reader #e42 miles #astv miles #miles g morales #blk x reader #42miles! morales x reader #42 miles morales #toughvaughn #black!y/n #black!fem!reader #spiderman astv

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