#but now that i got tilly back and the girls all sleep in the house he finally dares to sleep on something softer than the hard ground

[feuer-bluete]

The hard thing about a second play through of rdr2 is that I know what will happen and have to make such hard decisions as:

do I save Jack as fast as possible, even tho I know he is generally okay where he is right now

or

do I let Kieran live a few more happy days

[lovesosweeet]

KNOW IT ALL x THE BAND CAMINO

part 6

a calum hood songfic

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Calum wakes up confused and wickedly hungover. His head is pounding and he feels like he should probably throw up again, but he doesn’t think there’s anything in his stomach to remove. It takes a minute, but he realizes he’s in Tillie’s bed. Had he spent the night?

It’s not his first time waking up in her bed. Naturally, he’s spent countless nights in it, but never without her wrapped around him. He’s shocked when he looks to the bedside table and sees a bottle of Gatorade and two pills he assumes are ibuprofen. He takes the pills instantly, washing them down with the fruit punch flavored beverage Tillie apparently left out for him. 

When he gets out of the bed, he’s a little woozy and takes a few seconds to get his bearings. He’s still wearing his costume. Calum walks out to the living room, where Tillie is already awake and cleaning up the disastrous mess left behind from the party. She’s wearing a muscle tee that was once Michael’s with a pair of striped boxers, her hair messily thrown into a bun. She has bags under her eyes and mascara smeared everywhere.

To anyone else, she’d look like shit, but Cal still thinks she’s prettier than everyone else on the face of the planet. 

She doesn’t see or hear him walk in due to the music she has blaring while she cleans with her back to him. He awkwardly stands there, not sure if he’s supposed to talk to the girl he has only spoken to once in the past year — last night. When she turns around and finds him standing there, she jumps and drops the beer can in her hands.

“Goddamn, Calum. You scared the shit out of me,” she huffs, bending over to grab the can she dropped.

He clears his throat, his mouth feeling wildly dry even though he’s just drank half a bottle of Gatorade. “Sorry.”

Tillie just keeps cleaning, and he doesn’t know what to do, so he follows her lead. He grabs a trash bag from under the sink and starts to collect cups and cans.

“You don’t need to help, Cal. You can go home.”

“I don’t mind.”

She doesn’t say anything further. Since Calum is helping gather the trash now, she grabs the vacuum and switches it on, trying to get rid of at least some of the glitter that’s coating her floors. She didn’t actually drink that much the night before, so she doesn’t have that bad of a hangover, but she was up until 5 am with the last of the party attendees. They were playing a game, Secret Hitler, time and time again, until Michael checked the time and kicked everyone out for Tillie.

She slept on the couch, but barely got any sleep, Calum’s words still echoing in her head on repeat.

The two of them work in a wordless daze, the music Tillie has playing acting as a soundtrack for their awkward dance of grabbing trash, vacuuming, disnfecting, and tidying around each other. Once Tillie’s home is restored to its usual state of organized chaos, Calum’s stomach grumbles loudly.

“Do you want to go grab breakfast? I know you love the place down the street.”

Calum, wide-eyed, is at a loss for words at Tillie’s suggestion. She’s asking him to spend time with her, one on one, despite their very tense, brief conversation last night. 

“I’m buying, if that’s what you’re worried about,” she adds.

He nods, and she nods in response. 

“Do you want something different to wear? I’ve got some of Mike’s stuff in the dryer you can wear instead of being Superman in incognito,” Tillie says while she walks to her bedroom to grab a sweatshirt and shoes. 

Calum follows her. “Uh, yeah, that would be nice.”

Tillie grabs her favorite hoodie and slips on a pair of Birkenstock clogs before she heads to the laundry room. She opens the dryer and fishes around in it for a pair of sweatpants and the long sleeve shirt that Mike somehow left at her house over the past few weeks. When she finds what she’s looking for, she hands the clothes to Calum.

“I’ll be in the living room,” she tells him before she leaves him to change.

When Calum is done dressing in Michael’s stuff, he meets Tillie in the living room. Together, they go downstairs and then leave the building, walking down the street a few blocks to the cafe they used to go to together at least once a week. Tillie hadn’t been since she left Calum that sticky note. It felt weird to go without him, even if she did crave a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich from there all the time. 

They still don’t talk, and without even asking Calum what he wants, Tillie orders the same thing he would get every time in the past. Black coffee, scrambled egg bowl with home fries, side of hot sauce, and a cream cheese danish that she will end up eating half of. 

“Surprised you remember,” he says when they get their ticket number and stand off to the side to wait for their food. 

Tillie shrugs. “We only came here a million times and you ordered the exact same thing every time.”

Calum nods. “Thanks for buying me breakfast. And, um, for letting me sleep in your bed last night.”

“You’re welcome. You’d do the same for me, and I’m glad you had somewhere safe to sleep. Drunk Calum Ubering home sounds like a recipe for disaster.” 

He laughs quietly, staring down at his feet. He’d forgotten how tiny Tillie’s feet are compared to his. They look comically small next to his feet. He’d also forgotten what it’s like to laugh at something — anything — with Tillie. 

“Fair. Still, I know things are… weird,” he says. “Between us, I mean.”

They’re weird because of Tillie. It’s her fault. A lot of things are her fault, and that’s a fact she knows all too well. She’s chewing on her lip while she thinks, feeling guilty about a lot of things, but especially for what she’s done to Calum. 

“It’s about time we are able to interact again, Cal. I miss you.”

Calum’s expression shifts to stone cold in an instant. She misses him? She doesn’t get to miss him. She doesn’t get to miss him when she left the way she did and ignored him for a year. That’s not what someone who misses him would do. Those words would’ve made him melt a few months ago, but right now, it pisses him off.

He doesn’t say anything before he turns around and walks out of the cafe. 

Tillie, confused, takes a minute to process that he’s leaving. Once it settles, she runs after him, mumbling “what the hell” while she tries to catch up with the man who is over a foot taller than her who got a head start.

“Cal! What the fuck?!” She yells after him, but he’s walking quickly and isn’t going to stop. 

She thought they were making progress and things were actually going pretty well, but now that she’s running after him on the sidewalk of a busy street, she realizes she thought wrong. 

“Calum! Wait! What did I say? Why are you leaving!?”

He halts.

Calum turns around, glaring at Tillie. His jaw is clenched and his hands are balled in fists at his sides. He’s livid.

“Why am I leaving?” He asks. His tone is bitter and clipped. “Why did you leave?”

Tillie’s mouth feels like it’s full of cotton. She wasn’t prepared for this to be the conversation they’d have. She thought things were going to be okay between them. She didn’t expect that he’d be so cold so quickly. She’s confused and quickly becoming upset, too.

“I needed—”

“Space, I know. You keep saying that, but you got your space and suddenly it was filled with new people. What about me, Tillie?” He hates the way his voice cracks, giving away the root emotion of his anger: hurt. 

It wasn’t about him. It was never about him. Why didn’t he see that?

“And now, you found somebody new that, apparently, you’re actually happy with. And that shit hurts. I have to watch the girl I love be happy with someone new, even though we were happy. Tills, we were so damn happy. Then you were just gone.”

Tears are forming in her eyes and she digs her fingernails into her palms as she squeezes her hands into fists. She doesn’t realize how hard she’s biting her lip until she tastes blood. She doesn’t know what to say, because Calum isn’t wrong. She was happy with him. She’d never told him, and she’s never told anyone, but she did love him. She does love him. Things were going so well between them, but when shit hit the fan, all she knew how to do was run.

So she ran. 

“Does he even know about me?” Calum asks.

It’s rhetorical. He knows she’s not going to say anything, and he’s honestly a little surprised she’s still standing in front of him. He thought she’d just go home as soon as she realized what conversation they’d be having. She’s so good at running away.

“I mean, he definitely knows who I am, right? The bassist of the band you toured with for a year. Your best friend’s other best friend. He knows I exist, but does he know it all?”

Tillie’s crying now and hot tears are streaming down her cheeks.

“Does he know how we got drunk in Montreal and you told me about the shit you’ve done? How we lived in our own perfect little world for a few weeks? What about the nights we spent on the beach in Australia? Does he know your favorite color is yellow, but you can’t stand to listen to the song? Did you tell him that you told me I was the only person you’d ever met that you’d want to be in a relationship with?”

The questions come pouring out of Calum and he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to stop. It’s partly therapeutic to get to say all of this to her now, after a year of sitting on these thoughts, but it’s also breaking his heart to watch her stand there and cry. 

“I know he doesn’t. You’ve acted like I haven’t existed for a year, Tillie. You can’t even say my name to Michael. You shut down whenever he mentions me.”

She feels betrayed that Michael told him that, but she can’t blame him for it. It wasn’t a secret.

Calum is done talking now, standing there and watching the girl he loves cry on a sidewalk. She looks like a mess. Hell, he looks like a mess. They’re a disaster, just happening for the world to see. He’s hoping there isn’t a paparazzi camera aimed at them right now.

“Are you done?” She asks. Her voice is so quiet and distraught. He’s never heard her like this. He hasn’t ever seen her actually cry. It’s so foreign, and there’s a piece of him that feels horrible for making her cry, but he’s glad he’s finally been able to talk to her about everything.

When she ran away, she didn’t have to face the consequences of her actions. She didn’t have to see how she broke him. 

Calum nods.

“I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Well you did,” he snaps. 

“I was dealing with some shit, Cal, and I didn’t know how to handle it, so I pulled back. I… I’m sorry. I was…” Tillie trails off. Does she tell him? Does she finally say the words? Does she admit the worst facts she’s ever had to come to terms with, out loud, for the first time?

The word sits at the tip of her tongue, but she can’t say it. 

“You were what, Tillie?”

She answers him with silence.

“Figures. Just shut down again.”

Tillie sighs, staring at him through her tears. She wants to tell him. If there’s anyone on this planet she wants to tell, it’s Calum. 

She wishes things were different, and that she didn’t fuck it all up. She wishes she could tell Calum and they could go back to the way they were. She does miss him. She was so happy with him.

The word is right there, but Calum won’t be able to hear it, because he’s walking away, just like she did.

Grieving. Tillie was grieving.

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[boyd-harris]

Late Night Confessions

He awoke to the feeling of cold toes burying under his thighs, Tilly’s little arms wrapping around his waist as she snuggled up against him. He had no idea what time it was, but it had to early as it was still dark outside.

“Bad dream?” he asked groggily, already knowing the answer. The little girl didn’t speak, instead giving a reluctant, jerky nod of her head where it rested on his chest. This was becoming a more and more regular occurrence, these nights when Mattie would slip out of her bed and into his, seeking comfort in her daddy’s arms. He loved that he could still provide that for her, that his presence implied safety, even as he was pretty sure he was to blame for her nightmares. She had always been a remarkably empathetic child, and though he tried his best to keep his inner turmoil to himself, he knew that she could sense it. Even if she never said a word, he could see it play out in her own subtle anxieties, and no doubt it had seeped into her subconscious, infecting her dreams. “I’m sorry,” he said, pressing a kiss into her crown of dark curls.

For a moment, he allowed himself to savor this stillness, the way the steady rise and fall of their breaths slowly came into sync. These were the memories he would savor forever, the quiet moments that made everything else worthwhile. The feeling that it was them against the world, and their bond was so strong that nothing could shake it.

At least he hoped so. God, how he hoped so...

“Hey, Matilda?” he started quietly, testing to see if she was still awake. He felt her little body stiffen against him; she was smart enough to know that he only used her full name when he was being serious, and maybe she’d been anticipating this something for weeks. It agonized him to think she’d been waiting for it, dreading whatever could be so terrible it loomed like a dark cloud over the both of them.

“Yeah, daddy?” her small voice replied, and Boyd hated the trepidation he heard there. His hand came up with pet soothingly at her hair, the comfort she got from the gesture being a trait inherited from him.

“I know things have been weird around here lately. With Auntie Slo and the accident, and the house, and...” God, so much — too much for a little girl to be expected to handle. And now he was going to pile on more? It felt cruel, but crueler still to make her wait in the unknowing. “It’s been a lot, I know. And I’ve been trying to protect you, but I don’t think I’ve been doing a very good job of it. And I’m sorry. You’ve been so brave, but we should’ve been talking about it. I should have been talking about it.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not, but I appreciate you saying that.” His daughter... Fuck, she was so much like him. He remembered being 10 years old, newly fatherless, and it was like the man had disappeared from existence. Not just no longer there — but like he’d been erased from history, too. His pictures removed, his presence expunged from all stories; he became, quite suddenly, a ghost in his life — the kind of thing he was scared to even give voice to. His childhood felt haunted by everything that should have been there, but wasn’t. Silence as complicity; if you didn’t speak of it, it couldn’t exist. It was the last thing he wanted to continue that legacy with his daughter.

“The truth is, there’s something I’ve been really struggling with telling you,” he confessed, laying it out plainly. He’d been thinking for so long about how he might tell her, but nothing ever felt right. The truth, as simply as he could tell it, would have to suffice. “I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, and I’m still not, but you deserve to know...” He knew they should probably be sitting face to face for this, in light brighter than Mattie’s dim nightlight, but selfishly, he preferred it this way, speaking words into the top of her head. “Your mom — your birth mom — she’s here. In Vancouver. And she wants to see you.”

Mattie was silent, and for a moment, Boyd wondered she had fallen back to sleep. But her little heart pounded rapidly against his side, and her arms clung onto him just a little bit tighter.

“You don’t have to see her if you don’t want to. I'll be honest and say I still feel really hurt and angry at her, and it wouldn’t be wrong if you felt the same way, too. Whatever you want to do, I fully support it. If you wanna tell her to leave...” He trailed off. Selfishly, that was still what he wanted, but it would be wrong to put that thought in his daughter’s head. “But if you wanna meet her, we can do that.”

The little girl remained quiet, and as time ticked on, panic grew in him that he had said the wrong thing. This was too much to put on her. It wasn’t the right time. He should have waited to do this properly — whatever that meant... “Mads?”

“... You’re gonna be there?” she ask finally, her voice quiet and small. Boyd felt his heart sink and swell at the same time.

“Of course,” he assured her, squeezing her closer. His little girl. The light of his life. “Always. I’m always gonna be there, okay? You and me — this doesn’t change anything, I promise.” He said it was much for himself as he did for her. “ I love you so much, Matilda. I love you more than anything.”

“I love you, too, daddy.”

“And we don’t have to figure this out right now. We can talk tomorrow, and keep talking until you decide. There’s no rush. This all happens on your terms, okay?” 

Mattie nodded again, but otherwise remained quiet. They lapsed back into silence, Boyd holding his daughter as tight as he dared. He knew it was a lot for the little girl to take in, and he didn’t miss the small patch of dampness that formed on his t-shirt. But he didn’t say anything else, instead providing safe arms for Matilda to experience whatever emotions she had. If she wanted to talk, he would be here. But for now, they just waited for sleep to lull them back under.

[cannibalcoyote]

Tilly Dunnage: I'll Be Here

Imagine being best friends with Tilly Dunnage, but it's time for her to return home to remember her past:

It was a cold morning when I was awoken by the front door being closed, the sun not even breaking the horizon yet. I could tell they were trying to be quiet, but I've always been a light sleeper.

Pushing off the covers, I recoil in distaste as a chill slinks through my body, my arms instinctively wrapping around my torso. The feel of my satin pajamas reminds me why I'm getting up at this ungodly hour; my best friend is up for some reason, and it's my job to figure out why.

_______

Myrtle Dunnage, prefers Tilly, but I'll always know her as Myrtle. We had so little in common when we first met, but that wasn't important to me. I can still remember the empty look in her eyes the first week at boarding school, and I knew I had to do something to make her smile. I found myself rushing to her aid against bullies, even offering to help her with schoolwork.

Our friendship set sail after that, I realized that I liked making her smile, more so than I did for any of my other friends. I found myself being drawn to her, she was so different compared to the other kids here; she was very shy and skittish, always carrying a sadness heavily on her shoulders. Even after all these years, that weight has never been lifted, I wish she would let me help her.

That shy girl is no more, her ratty and dull hair is now silky and long, shining luminously in the sunlight. Her meek form has matured confidently, her movements no longer made in uncertainty. I knew she was changing when we ran away, it was the first real decision she had made, and who was I to disagree.

But from that day on, I could tell she was different, no longer that scared girl, instead a calculating woman with a chip on her shoulder. She was never at peace, at least not completely; I would try to distract her, but I knew this day would come.

_______

The storm door quietly rattles against its frame as I walk down the steps. Tilly originally wanted to live in the center of Paris, closer to her mentor and the customers, but I managed to convince her otherwise. I, personally, can't handle city life, being bustled up next to people at all times, homes being stacked up right next to each other; I convinced her that we should buy a house in the rural outskirts.

It's moments like now that I am glad I made that decision, for you could never have this early morning serenity in a big city, nor would you be able to find the big Oak that Tilly is currently sitting under.

The sky is a cool blue, the moon sheen reflecting against the dew on the grass. Even in the dark, I can tell her mind is troubled.

I try to be quiet as I walk over, pulling my coat tighter around my body as a breeze sends chills down my spine. My footsteps must've disturbed her, as she turns to face me immediately, a neutral expression on her face before giving into a light smile.

"You frightened me Y/N." Her voice rings clearly with a slightly teasing tone. I can tell that she is putting up a facade... I sigh quietly before sitting next to her on the roots of the tree.

"Sorry, I just got worried when I heard the front door open..." I respond, my voice having an apologetic and worried hint to it. She isn't often up and wandering at these hours, she's usually very big on beauty sleep.

"No need to worry, I'm alright. You should head back inside before you catch a cold." She states, turning back to the clear sky.

"You should do the same." I say back, wanting her to stop being so distant.

Her silence could almost be called audible with how much it is saying.

"Tilly, what's wrong?" I ask the obvious question, but it had to be said. I can sense her body tense up, she clearly didn't want to answer my question.

"Nothing." She replies bluntly, her answer is curt; but that doesn't annoy me, instead it makes me even more concerned.

"You still think you can lie to me after all these years?" I allow a tinge of sarcasm, not wanting to make the conversation too heavy. A thick silence settles over us, as she stares out at the stars.

"You remember those nightmares I had when I was younger?"

"...Yes."

"Well, I'm not quite sure what happened, but I think... I think I killed a boy."

"You think? What does that mean?"

"I can't remember what happened. All I can remember is that a boy died, and then I was dragged from my mother and sent away."

We sit there again in the emanating silence. I'm not sure what to say, I don't think any different of Tilly, but this is an unusual conversation.

"So... What are you going to do?"

"I-I think I need to go back. Find the truth so I can be at peace."

"Alright, when do we leave?" I respond back, prepared to take on this battle with her. She looks at me surprised, stunned slightly at my response.

"That's kind of you Y/N, but I need to do this on my own." She states quietly, her eyes lightly lined with tears. I scrunch my eyebrows as I frown slightly, we've barely been apart since the day we ran away, now she'll be going away for who knows hows long.

"When do you leave?"

"I was going to leave tonight before you awoke..."

"Myrtle... Don't go..." My voice trembles

"You know I hate that name." She says in a stern voice, but I can tell by looking at her, that she's just as sad as I am.

"I know." My voice is downtrodden, there's no changing her mind. All I can do is look down as we get up, I help her with her luggage. Driving her to the train station in silence, the only noise being the sound of rain dotting against the windshield.

Our eyes are both silent waterfalls as we  exit the car, we share no words, not even as she gets on her train. The final straw was the heartbreaking embrace we shared, this could be goodbye forever or until next month, but I'll never know. All I will remember until her return is her sweet smile.

"I'll be here, should you ever return, Myrtle Dunnage."

[reddeadreference]

Horseshoe Overlook: Polite Society, Valentine Style

Full Transcript below ([...] placed where a gap of silence is for the same person speaking or when there’s a long period of silence and distance traveled.)   

Arthur: Hey!

[Uncle startles awake from where he was sleeping against the back of a wagon]

Arthur: Careful not to work yourself to death there, Uncle.

Uncle: I was thinking.

Arthur: Yeah. Does it pay well?

Uncle: Eventually.

Arthur: So, while the rest of us are busy stealing, killing, lying, fighting to try to survive… you get to think all day.

Uncle: It’s a strange world we live in, Arthur Morgan.

Arthur: Do you wanna head into town see if we can find anything out?

Uncle: Sure, I got some errands to run.

Arthur: Great. Go check the horses are ready.

[Having overheard Karen, Tilly, and Mary-Beth walk over.]

Karen: If you’re gonna take the old man into town…. could you take us too?

Arthur: Why what you got planned?

Karen: Nothing… we’ll find something for y’all to do, we always do.

Mary-Beth: We’re bored out of our minds. Been cooped up here for two weeks now. Karen’s about ready to murder Grimshaw.

Arthur: Well, can Miss Grimshaw spare you?

Karen: "Can Miss Grimshaw spare you?" What’s happened to you, Arthur? Three young healthy women want you to take ‘em robbing you’re worried about house chores. Let’s go!

Arthur: Fair enough, you got me. Come on then.

[They happily get into the back of the wagon.]

Tilly: I can’t believe we’re going to see civilization, feels like weeks since we did.

Uncle: (with a chuckle) Yeah, Valentine… the very embodiment of civilization. You ladies are gonna love it.

Arthur: Okay then. Let’s go.

=After “Americans At Rest”=

Uncle: Alright, do you know the way?

Arthur: Yeah… me and the boys got into a bit of a fight at the saloon there.

Karen: (laughs) Already?

Uncle: Oh, so all that talk about how hard you been working… you mean drinking. 

=Before “Americans At Rest”=

Uncle: Alright, out through the trees here, then take a left.

|

Uncle: Ladies, sing us a song.

Ladies: (laughing and singing) I got a girl in Berryville, can’t be screwed ’cause she’s too damn ill. So I don’t go down there no more. There’s a blue horse lays outside her door. I had a girl in Valentine likes to drink that fancy wine. Plumes in her hat was two feet tall the crack in her pants paid for it all. 

Uncle: Go right here, it’s quicker.

Ladies: I got a girl in Berryville. Can’t get it in her cause she won’t stay still. She kicks and squeals and farts and hollers. She kicks and squeals and farts and hollers. Won’t take less than seven dollars.

Ladies: I got a girl across the lane

Karen:  I got a girl in Berryville- (laughs) I messed it up!

Ladies: I got a girl across the lane, hair down there like a horses mane. I got a gal and she’s got a thing, fits my peter like a diamond ring. I had a girl in Valentine likes to drink that fancy wine. Plumes in her hat was two feet tall the crack in her pants paid for it all. 

(That’s all they’ll sing. Then they just sit in silence.)

[As they near a dirt road another wagon drives by.]

Uncle: Look at that coach, he… he’s all over the place.

[ The horse pulling the cart breaks out and runs away but stops on the other side of the road]

Driver: Oh, goddamn it! Oh shit, the horses! This is all I need.

Tilly: Is one of you gonna get that feller’s horse?

Uncle: Oh, I got lumbago, it’s very serious!

=Help=

Arthur: Alright, I’ll see what’s going on…(to himself) Lumbago. Really… (to the driver) You alright there, friend? 

Driver: Oh hey, you couldn’t help me get my other horse back from over there, could you? I’d really appreciate the help. I’m worried this one here will bolt on me too, if I leave him.

(Not in the video but apparently this is said if you wait closer to the driver)

Arthur: Sure, no problem.

Driver: Thanks mister. It’s the white one over there.

|

Mary-Beth: Go on, Arthur.

[Arthur slowly walks over to and calms the horse]

Tilly: See, Uncle? That is a gentleman.

[Arthur brings the horse back]

Mary-Beth: There, you got it!

Tilly: Well done, Arthur!

[Arthur brings the horse back]

Arthur: Here… here you go.

Driver: You’re a gentleman, sir, a gentleman!

Arthur: No, not really… I was just… trying to impress the women.

Driver: Well, anyway, thank you.

[Arthur climbs back onto the wagon]

Uncle: C’mon, let’s go!

Karen: To Valentine!

Uncle: You’re turning into a regular old fairy godmother there, Arthur.

Arthur: What’s that supposed to mean?

Mary-Beth: It means you’ve got a heart. A small one perhaps, hidden deep inside, but a real one. And you haven’t, you repulsive old lizard.

Uncle: Lizards have hearts!

Tilly: Well, Arthur, I’m proud of you.

Arthur: To be honest, if you lot hadn’t been here… I probably woulda robbed him.

Mary-Beth: Well, you didn’t!

=Don’t Help=

Arthur: I’m sure he can handle it.

[Karen stands and smacks Uncle on the arm]

Karen: Why didn’t you help that poor man?

Uncle: L-lumbago! It’s really serious, it can be deadly.

Karen: What about you, Arthur?

Arthur: Do I look like I got the energy to waste on charity?That fool can get his own horse.

Mary-Beth: I don’t believe you’re quite that cold, Mr. Morgan.

Arthur: Oh, I’m colder than you realize. I feel bad I didn’t rob and kill the bastard.

Mary-Beth: Very inspiring, Arthur.

|

[They enter Valentine.]

Tilly: Smell those sheep.

Karen: Or is that Uncle?

Uncle: Very funny.

Mary-Beth: This looks like a decent little town.

Tilly: Other people… finally.

Mary-Beth: Look at all that snow on the mountains. Sure don’t want to be back up there.

Tilly: You think we should’ve asked Molly to come with us?

Karen: Oh no, Miss O’Shea is far too high and mighty now for the likes of us… or to do any real work. She’s a society lady, now. Okay, take a good look around, ladies. Let’s see what we got here.

Uncle: Go left here, down the main street. Sheriff’s office on the right. Sure you can pick up some, bounties there, Arthur.

Arthur: Heaven forbid you put your head on the line.

Uncle: That’s a young man’s game.

Karen: Oh yes, we can get up to some mischief here alright…

Arthur: Just remember, keep a low profile.

Karen: Will you remember that, though, Arthur?

Arthur: Probably not.

Uncle: Let’s park up down the end there, near the stables.

[Once the wagon stops]

Uncle: Alright! Here we are, just like I said. The cultural center of civilization. Man at his finest.

Arthur: Uncle, what’re we doing?

Uncle: Well, we’re gonna do what any self respecting maniac does… put the women to work.

Karen: With pleasure… we’ll start at the saloon.

Arthur: Okay, just stay outta trouble and don’t get yourselves noticed.

Uncle: Right, I-I need to get something from the stores.

Arthur: Okay, (to the girls) well we’ll see you at the general store when you’re done.

Karen: Come on ladies… imagine we’re in Paris.

Tilly: I imagine Paris and Valentine are easily confused.

Uncle: Come on.

Arthur: So that’s how you see yourself, is it? A maniac?

Uncle: Well, in my youth, I used to be known as the "one-shot kid".

Arthur: Okay… I’m not gonna ask why.

Uncle: You’re a sad man, Arthur Morgan. But I know you love me.

Arthur: Desperately… you’re my favorite parasite. No… ringworm’s my favorite parasite, you’re my second favorite parasite.

Uncle: Very funny.

Arthur: I lied… ringworm, then rats with the plague, then you.

Uncle: Shut up… this is the place, now. Come on. (to a shopkeeper as they enter) [Uncle will say either “Morning” or “Afternoon” depending on what time it is.]

Arthur: So what do you need?

Uncle: A drop of whiskey for a start. Something to pass the time while we’re waiting on the women.

= After “Americans At Rest”=

Arthur: Yeah, reckon I should probably steer clear of the saloon this time.

Uncle: You’re looking a bit tired there, Arthur. Why you don’t pick up some coffee while we’re here?

Shopkeeper: Lemme know if you have any questions, fellers. Whiskey’s on the top shell, nearest the door. Wait, ain’t you the feller who had the fight with Tommy outside the saloon?

Arthur: Yeah, that all got a little out of hand, but… I didn’t swing first.

Shopkeeper: Sure, well, these things happen. And that was some good viewing. Don’t reckon folk ever seen Tommy lose a fight before.

Arthur: Well, it’s all done now.

[Arthur buys coffee]

Uncle: Okay, if you’re done, I'll meet you outside. I won’t be too long.

=Before “Americans At Rest”=

Arthur: So what do you need?

Uncle: A drop of whiskey for a start. Something to pass the time while we’re waiting on the women.

Arthur: Always thinking ahead, ain’t you

Uncle: You’re looking a bit tired there, Arthur. Why you don’t pick up some coffee while we’re here?

Shopkeeper: Plenty out on the shelves, but I got more out back. Whiskey’s on the top shell, nearest the door.

[Arthur buys coffee]

Uncle: Okay, if you’re done, I'll meet you outside. I won’t be too long.

[At anypoint after buying the coffee, you can leave the store to wait for Uncle. Arthur sits on a bench and shortly after Uncle comes out to join him OR:]

=Wait inside for Uncle to finish shopping=

Uncle: (To the shopkeeper) What do you reckon, a lamb or a sausage?

Shopkeeper: Well, this here’s a sheep town, the lamb’s the best in the state.

Uncle: (after seeing the cheese) Now I know what the smell is.

Shopkeeper: That’s a ripe cheese alright.

Arthur: So, you’re actually buying for once? Are you feeling alright?

Uncle: See this? Young folk got no respect for their elders no more. [...] Well look at this, a jaw harp.

Arthur: What is this list of yours?

Uncle: I got a lot to replenish after that godawful time in the mountains.

Shopkeeper: All done.

Uncle: Thank you kindly. (after placing money on the counter) This should do the trick.

Shopkeeper: Yep… that’s fine whisky.

Uncle: That should do us, let’s go wait for them outside.

Shopkeeper: All the best, fellers. Try to stay out of trouble now.

|

=Waited inside/ last out of store=

[Arthur walks out to where Uncle is sitting on the bench drinking from the bottle. He holds it out to Arthur who sits down beside him.]

Uncle: Oh, here’s to your good health, sir… and to being down here, off that mountain.

Arthur: Absolutely.

[In the background Karen can be seen bringing a man to the hotel]

Uncle: It’s a funny world. This time in my career… I pictured myself being married to an heiress.

=Wait outside/first out of store=

[Uncle walks out to where Arthur is sitting on the bench. He takes a swig of the bottle before holding it out to Arthur.]

Uncle: Here’s to your good health, my sir.

Uncle: It’s a funny world. This time in my career… I pictured myself being married to an heiress.

[The scene fades to black and Arthur seems to fall asleep. A little while later, Mary-Beth wakes him up as she walks up to them.]

Mary-Beth: Gentlemen. I think I’ve got something good. I snuck into this fancy house and acted like a servant girl, usually works. Someone was saying her sister was taking a trip from New York or someplace. Train full of rich tourists, heading to Saint Denis and then cruising off to Brazil.

Arthur: Okay.

Mary-Beth: A train laden with baggage and passing through a bit of deserted country at night as to get to the docks in time for the tides in some place called Scarlett Meadows.

Uncle: Yeah, I know it… yeah, yeah, it’s right out near New Hanover. Right, it’s real quiet out there.

Arthur: Sounds good. Where’s Tilly and Karen?

Mary-Beth: I think at the hotel… they were picking up some drunken fellers that they was going to rob.

Arthur: Why?

Mary-Beth: It seemed easy. They have been gone for quite a while.

Arthur: I guess I’ll go see if there’s any trouble.

[Mary-Beth sees Tilly and a man who is pulling her into the small alleyway between the bank and the hotel]

Mary-Beth: Oh, there’s Tilly over there… that does not look ideal.

Arthur: Excuse me.

[Arthur goes to confront the man and save Tilly]

Tilly: Get your hands off me!

Stranger: You thought I wouldn’t find you, Tilly?

Tilly: You can go kiss a damn snake for all I care… get off me! Get off of me!

=Defuse=

Arthur: Get your hands off her, friend.

Stranger: Who are you?

Tilly: A friend of mine…

Arthur: Get off her.

Stranger: Or what, exactly.

Arthur: You wanna find out?

Stranger: You’re making a big mistake, Tilly Jackson.

Tilly: Just get lost.

Stranger: (as he’s walking away) I ain’t doing this with you right now.

Arthur: Go wait with Uncle and Mary Beth, they’re across the street.

Tilly: Okay, thanks Arthur.

=Interviece=

(It’s a personal choice of mine to point the gun at him for this)

Arthur: (threatening) Get your hands off of her.

Stranger: Who are you?

Tilly: A friend of mine…

Arthur: (threatening) Get the hell off of her, you son of a bitch.

Stranger: Hey… hey take it easy. There’s no problem here.

Arthur: There will be if you don’t get outta here right now.

Stranger: You’re making a big mistake, Tilly Jackson.

Tilly: Just get lost.

Stranger: I ain’t doing this with you right now.

Arthur: Go wait with Uncle and Mary Beth, they’re across the street.

Tilly: Okay, thanks Arthur.

=Question=

Arthur: What was that all about?

Tilly: Just someone I used to know.

|

[Arthur calls across the street]

Arthur: Uncle! Look after her. I’mma go see about Karen in the hotel.

[Arthur enters the hotel.]

Hotel owner: Can I help you, sir?

=Question=

Arthur: I’m looking for a girl who came in here earlier with a drunk feller? Mid twenties, blonde, you’d remember her.

Hotel owner: Yeah, they’re in 2B, upstairs. Are you, uh, a friend of his?

Arthur: A friend of hers…

Hotel Owner: (as Arthur goes upstairs) No trouble now, please!

=Just go upstairs=

[Soon Arthur hears Karen’s voice from the next room.]

Karen: Get off of me!

Stranger 2: I’m getting what I paid for!

Arthur: (kicking the door in) Hey!

Stranger 2: Who are you?

Arthur: A friend of hers.

Stranger 2: Get outta here, buddy, I paid.

Arthur: Ain’t paid to hit her, you goddamn animal! Come here!

[He knocks out the stranger with several punches.]

Arthur: What the hell were you doing here?

Karen: Trying to play him. Not very well.

Arthur: You okay?

Karen: Fine…

Arthur: You sure?

[The two start to leave]

Karen: Yeah. Nothing… nothing to worry about, just… men, but… stupid bastard… stupid bastard was boasting about the bank.

Arthur: The bank?

Karen: Sure, I know small town banks are usually a waste of time, (Hotel owner: I hope uh, everything’s okay up there?) but… this is a livestock town, there’s lots of cash sometimes.

Arthur: Okay… keep investigating.

Karen: I will. After you. 

[The two leave and it switches to a cutscene- note during this Downes can be heard and is labeled as Stranger 3 by the game but I did not include his dialogue.]

Karen: ]Thank you, Arthur. I don’t much like being saved, but… when I have to be.

Arthur: I understand.

[They go outside and across the street to where the others are waiting.]

Tilly: You okay?

Karen: Sure, he only punched me. Arthur punched him a lot harder.

Arthur: Yeah. Alright then.

Mary-Beth: Hey, who’s that guy over there looking at us?

[A man on horseback is watching them]

Stranger 3: Weren’t you in Blackwater a few weeks back?

Arthur: Me? No, sir. Ain’t from there.

Stranger 3: Oh, you were. Well, I definitely saw you. With a bunch of fellers.

Arthur: Me? No, impossible. Listen, buddy. Come here for a minute.

Stranger 3: I saw you…

Arthur: Come here.

Stranger 3: (to his horse) Come on, get!

[He rides away on his horse.]

Uncle: I don’t like this.

Arthur: Me neither. Go get the girls home. I’m gonna go have a word with our friend.

Tilly: Be careful, Arthur.

Arthur: Just a word.

[Arthur borrows a horse to chase after the man]

Civilian: Hey! That’s my horse!

Arthur: Just borrowing it…

Stranger 3: You stay away from me!

Arthur: Get back here right now! [...] You stop right here!

Stranger 3: I don’t want no trouble!

Arthur: We need to talk, pal!

Stranger 3: Come on, hyah! Hyah!

[the man rides too close to the cliff and falls off his horse]

Stranger 3: Help! Someone!

=Question=

Arthur: Why are you telling lies about me?

Stranger: No, no! I-I-I got it wrong, partner… I got it very wrong, now please, help me up!

Arthur: I ain’t never been in Blackwater…

Stranger: Then why are you chasing me?

Arthur: I’ve got an unfortunate face.

Stranger: Yes, yes… me too… now please, pull me up, please! Please! 

=Help=

Arthur: Alright… come on… 

[Arthur helps the man up]

Arthur: You okay, partner?

Stranger 3: No… no, I am not. I’m a mess.

Arthur: Well, you ain’t dead.

Stranger 3: There is that. Jimmy Brooks.

[He stretches out his hand, but Arthur does not shake it.]

Arthur: I think it’s best for both of us… if we pretend this never happened.

Jimmy: Oh, I agree. You saved my life. You’re a good man and I, err…Here. you want a pen? It’s one of them steel ones.

Arthur: Oh… that’s very kind of you. But I’m not a good man, Jimmy Brooks… not usually. You see… I was in Blackwater. I kill people… and maybe I shoulda killed you. Should I have killed you, Jimmy Brooks?

Jimmy: Me…? I n-never saw you… not-not now, not-not never. I think we have an understanding?

Arthur: Of course we do. Jimmy Brooks… I will remember that. I’ve got a good memory.

Jimmy: I haven’t… I haven’t! Not-not one lick! Not… one sense in this here old mind! (to himself as he’s getting on his horse) C’mon, c’mon… (to Arthur) You have a nice day now, sir.

[Jimmy leaves in a hurry and the mission ends but there’s an optional task of bringing back the horse you borrowed.]

=Kill=

Stranger 3: Please! My hands are slipping.

[Arthur steps on his fingers, the man falls to his death, and Arthur loses honor]

|

=Return the horse=

Civilian: Hey! My horse! Am I glad to see you!

Arthur: Here’s your horse back, friend.

Civilian: Oh, you really were just borrowing it!

Arthur: Appreciate it.

[calummss]

Time | Gilbert Blythe

masterlist

summary: time can fix a lot of things if you let it

words: 1.5K

requested by: anon

It’s been six months since Gilbert Blythe left. Six months without the boy you love so dearly. Six months without your friend. Gilbert had made short notice plans only days after his father’s funeral. When John Blythe died it felt like a never ending fog swept across Avonlea. You remember Mr. Blythe from your childhood. He was a very kind man that took good care of you, so when the news of his passing had arrived at your parent’s house you felt a heavy pit in your stomach. You were saddened by his death and couldn’t imagine what Gilbert was going through and sent him a pie the same day, knowing he would have a hard time preparing food for himself. It has been months since you attended the funeral and you remember it like it was yesterday.

‘Y/N dear, make sure to wear your black straw hat.’ your mother called up to your room.

You grabbed your hat and gently placed it on your head not wanting to mess up your curls. You took one last look in your mirror and hurried downstairs to see your father, mother and younger brother waiting for you. You quickly grabbed your shoes and tied them up.

‘I sure hope Gilbert’s okay,’ you spoke into the room feeling uneasy about the next couple of hours.

‘You’ll be able to see for yourself once we arrive.’ your mother said, adjusting your hat. She placed her hands and your shoulder and smiled.

‘Come one now, the carriage is waiting.’ your father announced and opened the door to reveal a coat of snow that painted the countryside. You stomped through the snow and sat yourself to the far left of the carriage as your mother, father and brother followed. The coachman lightly whipped the horse and you were on your way. When you arrived at the Blythe’s family burial site you saw the carriage that pulled Mr. Blythe’s casket towards the hole. You also saw Gilbert leading the line of people. You saw the pain in his eyes. His sparkly brown eyes were now dull, and glossed with his salty tears. His cheerful smile with those dimples you so loved, disappeared and weren’t to be seen. His posture was slouched and his head hanging from his shoulders on a thread. Your family and you respectfully walked up to the crowd that was gathered for a prayer in honour of his father. You saw Anne, Diana, Ruby, Jane, Tillie and Josie, all spread out throughout the crowd. You locked eyes with Anne and gave her a warm quick smile before turning away. When the service was over everyone gathered at the Gilbert House for some tea and conversation. You stood next to your mother, plate in your hands but you weren’t in the mood to eat. You set it aside and walked around the house to look for Gilbert. He probably needed someone to talk to. Once you searched around the house and almost gave up, you saw him outside in the front yard. You grabbed your coat, scarf and hat and rushed down the front steps.

‘Gilbert!’ you yelled after him.

Gilbert turned around with a surprised face, yet his eyes still carried his sadness within.

‘Are you leaving?’ you pushed your hands deeper into your pockets.

‘I can’t stand being in that house. Everyone wants to comfort me but I just want to be left alone.’ he confessed.

His hat draped over his forehead making it hard to make out his facial expression.

‘Where are you going?’ you asked him as he didn’t seem to stop walking.

‘I don’t know, the lake perhaps.’

‘May I join?’

He nodded and continued to look straight ahead.

After some time you arrived at the small lake in the forest you always went to after school in the summer. Everyone would meet up to bathe in the sun kissed water but everyone was happy and enjoying themselves. Today’s occasion was the opposite. You sat on a tree trunk and pulled your gloves from your pockets. Gilbert sat next to you and stared at the frozen water. He found comfort among the empty woods. You felt like giving him alone time and told him that you were going back to the house. That was the last time you saw Gilbert. Days after he packed his things and left on a ship. He left a note with a few details so that Avonlea wouldn’t erupt in fear of a murder or some sort.

During the first three months you would leave letters at Gilbert’s house in case he came back unannounced; just like he left, but you stopped soon after, after you realised that he wouldn’t be coming back for a long time.

You were peacefully sleeping in your bed when a loud thud awoke you. Your eyes were squinted due to the sun rays shining on your face. You got out of bed and started to get ready. Anne would be arriving any minute now. You always walked to school together. It was safer and more fun. When you rushed out of the door you saw Anne waiting on your doorsteps with an extra bottle of milk. You walked to school and noticed a large crowd gathered in front of the doors. Noticing the rest of the girl you walked up to them to ask what was going on.

‘Ruby!’ you called out and saw her spin around with a big smile on her face. ‘What’s going on?’

‘It’s Gilbert!’ she cheered loudly.

Your eyes went wide as you stared back at Anne. She had the same look painted across her face.

‘What do you mean ‘Gilbert’?

‘My uncle who works at The White Sands Hotel said that Gilbert passed through the place. Supposedly he was working on a ship!’ Ruby’s face was gleaming with joy. ‘He was covered in coal ashes.’

‘Is, Is Gilbert here? At school?’ you asked intriguingly.

‘I haven’t been inside but I don’t believe so. He’s probably at home.’ Diana chimed in.

You had to see him. You just had to. Knowing he was back and not knowing if he’d part again you ran back towards the forest. You made your way through the foggy woods and ran up to Gilbert’s house. You went up to the door and knocked on the door like your life depended on it. A few seconds later a man, whom you’ve never seen before opened the door.

‘Hello, who are you.’ he said in a strong accent.

‘Is Gilbert here?’

‘Yes, he is.’ the man smiled at you before he shouted at the top of his lungs. ‘Gilbert! There’s a girl wanting to talk to you.’

‘I’ll just come in.’ you smiled before slipping through the door.

‘Y/N?’ Gilbert sounded surprised. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘What are you doing here?’ mimicked him.

‘It’s good to see you.’

Gilbert seemed happier than the last time you saw him. His teary eyes were now filled with joy. He seemed...okay, and you didn’t want to take that away from him but he couldn’t just show up and pretend like nothing happened.

‘Why did you leave?’

Gilbert’s back stiffened and shifted onto his other leg. He looked down at the floor not making eye contact with you.

‘Can you at least look at me.’ a hint of disappointment and annoyance coating your words.

‘I needed to get away from here.’

‘You left without a goodbye and you left without telling anyone. Do you know what it feels like? To see your friend leave you behind?’ you raised your voice. ‘You could’ve at least told me. I didn’t know when you were coming back. I thought you left me!’

‘Y/N, I’m sorry but I wasn’t in a good headspace and needed distance from this god forsaken town.’ he stormed past you. The man that had answered the door was long gone. Only the presence of the two of you filled the cold house.

‘Distance from me?’

‘I never said that.’ his irritated voice erupted from the back of the pantry.

‘Sounds like it to me!’ you yelled back, angrily stomping after him.

‘Why are you picking a fight with me, Y/N.?’

‘A fight?’ you stared at him in disbelief. ‘Picking a fight with you? I came over because Ruby was swooning over your return and I came here to make sure it was true. To-see-if -my-friend-who-left-me-without-a-trace-of his-existence-came-back!’ you snapped in one breath.

You had enough and quite frankly didn’t know what to do anymore. The person you loved so dearly had hurt you in a way that you couldn’t understand. Gilbert sat down at his wooden table and stared at you for a few seconds before talking.

‘What can I do?’ he said.

‘What can you do? I don’t know, what can you?’

‘Y/N, I’m serious. I don’t want this friendship to end over this.’

‘You think I want this? I’m just upset that you left me if you hadn’t noticed.’

‘Please tell me what I can do.’ he pleaded out.

He stood up and took your hands into his. His brown eyes stared into your as your breath hitched.

‘I-I don’t know.’ you confess as you slid your hands out of his and turned your back towards him. ‘Nothing can fix this except time.’

You walked towards the door looking back at Gilbert once more.

‘Time can fix a lot of things if you let it.’

[neon-junkie]

Hopefully it's not a bother, but could you write something about the Van Der Linde gang getting magically transported (Magic, Tardis, Marko, Science ) to the modern universe and having the gn! Reader help them adapt to this world? Maybe some of their reactions to new things (indoor bathrooms, new music, tv, memes) Thank you so much, love!

oh god this is a long post, and as always, im convinced i’ve missed one member out... minor drug warning on Johns headcanon, but the rest are tame. hope u enjoy!

Part 2 is here  |  Part 3 is here

Arthur finds your computer and figures out how to turn it on. Your face turns white when you find him on Tumblr, quickly shutting the tab and urging him up off the chair. "Hey! I was reading that! I was... erm, I think I was having sex with myself," he tells you. Yep, he's found the fanfiction. "Do they really mean that? That I got kind eyes and a, uh... fat ass, I think it was?"  You quickly show him the kitchen and run back to delete all your history. John goes rummaging through your cupboards for something to eat, and eventually finds the brownies in the fridge. You find him on the roof, his eyes red and his heads spinning. "Them.. them brownies..." he mutters. "I know, John," you sob back. You know which brownies he ate, and my god, he ate a lot of them. Arthur babysits him, his mind still questioning what he just read on your computer. Dutch finds the beast of a lawnmower you have in your garage, so you show him how to use it. Why not? He's mowing your lawn for free. Well, he did mow your lawn, but you eventually have to send a search party out after him, only to find him a couple of streets away, parked up next to a childs lemonade stand, insisting they should be selling this lemonade for more if they want to make a profit. 

Hosea also goes missing, but you find him during your search party mission. He's walking up the street back to the house with a paper bag in his hands, and he tells you he's managed to con the gas station clerk into giving him some free booze. You're not sure how, but he's done no harm so you let him enjoy his wine in peace. Bill found your anime figure collection, the ones with the big boobs. He asked you what they were, despite seeming rather flustered, but you tried to explain that it's normal and gave him a book to read. You catch him on your computer a few hours later buying himself a waifu body pillow because "I love her, dammit! Just let us be!" He also keeps pressing the squishy boobs on your anime mouse matt, and yes, he's still very flustered. Javier finds the TV in your room that has Netflix on it, so you show him how to use it and he seems happy distracting himself with that. You walk in a few hours later to see that Javier hasn't moved, but Molly is now by his side, also engulfed in the drag show on the screen. Javier has a thick pair of false lashes on that Molly managed to put on him, and the first thing he says to you is "can you believe this? They voted her off! I... I can't believe this." He's shaking his head and looks like he's about to cry. Charles discovers your computer, and you decide he'd be happy just browsing the web. You come back hours later to find 100 tabs open and your computer fan is louder than an airplane. The current tab open is on a 'where's Waldo?' piece. He's very close to the screen, and you decide to show him how to zoom in to help him find Waldo faster. He's very thankful, and not causing any damages so you leave him to it. Lenny also rummages through your kitchen and finds a pizza in the freezer. He asks you what it is, so you put it in the oven for him. He spends the whole 15 minutes sitting in front of the oven, briefly saying hello to Sean as he runs through. Lenny manages to get the pizza out without burning himself, turns the oven off, cuts up the pizza and takes it upstairs to enjoy with Jack. Yes, he also fed Sean a slice. Sean finds the energy drinks in your fridge that you keep for work. They tasted a little funny at first, but after the third one, he's decided he likes them. You catch him opening his fourth, his eyes are wider than the moon. He cries when you take it off him, and spends the rest of the day running around the garden with your dogs, followed by going to each member of the camp and personally annoying them until he crashes out under your dining table. It's a cozy spot for a nap. Kieran uses your computer after Charles comes off it, and discovers youtube. He starts off with simple cat videos and eventually moves on to fails and meme comps. By the time dinner rolls around, nobody can understand him, and you barely understand half the things he's saying. The only thing you do understand is "big mood," which is what Kieran says when he sees Sean asleep under the dining table. Pearson decides to avoid the kitchen and try something new, and you're quick to decide he'd enjoy rock music. You show him a couple of CD's and leave him to have a listen, only to come storming back up the stairs a few minutes later because he's turned the volume up to full blast and is having a rather funky jam session. "Now this, this is real music!!" He's really enjoying the classics. Trelawny is quick to figure out how to use the TV. He's seen "those moving picture shows" before, and he's mesmerized by how far they've come! You catch him up at 5am watching documentaries to help bridge the gap between his time and yours, and when you walk into the lounge, you're met by a very sleep deprived Trelawny. The only thing he says to you, with heavy bags under his eyes, is "terribly sorry to hear about all these wars you've been having, my dear." He finally goes to bed, but only because you make him. Swanson disappears, but there's a church down the road from you so you decide to check there first. He's inside, joining in on the ceremony, singing his heart out to all the hymns with a real bible in his hands, not the fake one he has back at camp. He seems content so you leave him to it. He thankfully returns just in time for dinner, and tells everybody how he's been blessed and that we can "never leave this land!" Strauss also disappears very quickly, and you have to search for him when you go to look for Dutch. He's also at the lemonade stand, trying to explain to Dutch that if the child sells the lemonade for more, then they're less likely to get customers as it's too expensive. The two of them are arguing, and the child seems rather confused. Strauss later has a breakdown at the noise your toilet makes, he informs you that he'll be using your outside bathroom, even if it is just the bushes. Micah says he doesn't need you to show him the ropes and swats you away, so you leave him to it. You've not seen him for a good few hours, so you run around the house trying to find him. You eventually find him in your room, going through your underwear draw. Arthur is quick to knock his lights out, and you leave him tied up in the garage so he can't do any more damage. Micah also pissed all over your toilet seat and didn't flush. Abigail joins Trelawny in the lounge, watching the TV after Jack tells her he's happy playing with the toys in your room. She and Trelawny have an argument over what to watch next, so you give her your laptop to watch TV on, along with a pair of headphones. She refuses to come off a few hours later because she's way too engulfed in the modeling show she's watching. You promise her you'll let her give you a makeover if she comes off, and she finally agrees. Jack discovers your big box of legos and he seems more than content playing with those. He ends up building a fort, with the help of Lenny, and the two fire pillows at you when you try and enter the room. The pillow canons are, of course, made from legos. At least they're not lego pillows! Jack also thanks you for the pizza, describing it as 'yummy.' Sadie finds your katana collection, and you're quick to take them off her and attempt to hide them. She spends some time pretending to be interested in something else, but as soon as you turn your back for a split second, she's found them again and is heading straight for Kieran. The room where you keep your katanas is now locked and Sadie is in time out. Susan comes across your sewing machine and you're happy to show her how it works. She picks it up quickly, and her eyes glisten as she realizes just how fast this thing is. You leave her be since she's not causing any harm, but come back an hour later to find she's made new a new dress for herself, and all the girls in the gang, including Sadie. They're all matching! Tilly finds your piano and tells you she's happy to be left to her own devices, she knows how to play. You eventually have to tell her and Susan to calm down after receiving another noise complaint, as Susan is attempting to sing opera, and Tilly is killing it on the piano. At least she hasn't damaged anything. She later joins Mary-Beth in time to watch Beauty and the Beast, also sobbing at the film. Karen goes into your garage and discovers your old golf clubs. You show her how it works in your garden, but just like everybody else, it goes wrong. Your neighbor knocks on your door, screaming, demanding to know why you keep firing golf balls through their window. That's when you find Karen and Sean (who is still on his energy drink high) having a contest to see who can smash the most. Mary-Beth discovers your kindle, and she seems rather content with being able to read. There's no way this could possibly go wrong? Well, you come back a little later to find that Mary-Beth is sobbing after reading Beauty and the Beast. She wants a sappy romance just like that to happen to her. She cries even harder when she watches the Disney film, along with Trelawny who hasn't moved from the TV for hours. Molly picks up your tablet, and after showing her what youtube is, you leave her to it. You find her a few hours later sat in front of your mirror with the most flawless, full face of makeup. She greets you by going "hey sisters!" and speaks to you like a vsco girl. You have no idea what she's saying, but she seems to be doing fine, so you leave her to it.

[vanderlindemangofarm]

The Van der Linde Gang - Jobs in a Modern AU

I’ve been really inspired to write about this lately and I’d love to hear your takes! These are the occupations that I think each gang member would have in a modern AU. Some were more challenging than others, but hopefully you guys can see where I’m coming from with each! 

Arthur: Film location scout. His natural eye for photography and framing makes Arthur the perfect member of a pre-production team. His no-bullshit approach to everything means he keeps to deadlines, although he’s known to go wandering off into the wilderness for unknown amounts of time. He enjoys the lone working side of his job and finding exactly the right spots that would make the film come to life. He doesn’t always like the films once they’re finished (in fact he’s often bought cinema tickets and walked out half way through, grumbling that it wasn’t worth the popcorn) but he can’t deny the excited buzz he gets every time he gets hired. In his early years as an assistant he met Bertie Mason, a nervous but talented photography intern. Despite an ill-advised hookup after a week joined at the hip they have remained close friends and still go out on shoots together. 

John: landscape gardener. John? Flowers? Yes, alright, I found it hard to believe too. But look, it’s not about the flowers, even if he does get misty-eyed at the sight of a sunflower in the early morning light. It’s about the challenge, the outdoors, and solving problems. After all the renovations he did to his house and garden (some more successful than others) John found how much satisfaction he got from digging and reshaping and planting. Don’t get me wrong, he’s often without a shirt, even in the colder months, much to the delight of some and the horror of others. He always makes friends with the household pets and is wonderful with the kids, always dropping his task to throw a frisbee around for a bit or cheekily accept an ice cold glass of lemonade from their mothers. Whenever he drives past one of his projects he feels himself glowing with pride - “I did that!”. 

Dutch: philosophy lecturer. As always, late with Starbucks. Will he actually grade your essay? Will it mysteriously disappear? Keeps you on your toes, doesn’t it? Sitting precariously on the very edge of his desk, leather jacket hanging off his shoulders and losing his balance every 15 minutes, Dr Van der Linde is nothing short of a wonder. For the love of all that is holy, do not get him started on Kant. Kant has no place here. You want to talk about your precious Kant? Get your butt down to Dr O’Driscoll’s class, he has plenty to say about Kant. Perhaps a little too fond of Socrates. Plato who? Completely illegible handwriting and definitely sleeping with several members of the faculty. But somehow his students always walk away with excellent grades. At the end of each term Dutch takes everyone out to a local bar for drinks, insists on buying tequila which no one really fancies at 11am. Claims to ride a motorcycle called The Count which no one has actually seen. Impossible to hate, and he writes everyone great references for their summer internships. 

Hosea: social worker. In a crisis, there’s no one better to knock on your door. Hosea has seen it all and he’ll see it all again, but that doesn’t stop him from treating every single case he gets with the upmost respect and care. His no-nonsense approach to his work means he gets things done, but he never sacrifices his compassion. He mostly works with teenagers and has a way of being able to connect to each individual without coming across as patronising. He’s been in the field for over two decades and is an invaluable mentor for any newcomers, always willing to share a word or two of advice or be a shoulder to cry on. 

Javier: guitar teacher and music therapist. During his worst years, Javier’s guitar was his lifeline. And he wants to help others find their lifeline, too. He works on a freelance basis, mainly going into mental health hospitals, schools and prisons. He runs workshops focusing on guitar playing, but brings other instruments (mainly percussion) to try too. He’s a gentle teacher, always with a joke in his back pocket for when you need it most. He has nicknames for everyone and remembers everything they’ve ever told him. He’s patient and never lets anyone feel bad for making a mistake. Javier also runs an after-school guitar club at the local middle school alongside playing his own music at gigs whenever he can. No, he doesn’t reply to DMs no matter how thirsty they are. 

Sadie: self-defense instructor. After surviving an attack several years ago, Sadie used her ferocity to get her qualification in self-defense to teach other women how to fight back should they need to. Her husband Jake helps out in her classes, happily allowing himself to be thrown around and slammed onto the mat as many times as required. Her students are terrified of her in the best and nicest way. Sadie also volunteers at a women’s refuge, providing emergency care and taking phone calls. 

Charles: environmental campaign manager. Charles has always been drawn to charities and started doing voluntary work for Greenpeace when he was at university, securing an internship with them in Canada which led to a full time job. Whilst Charles mainly hosts meetings and organises events, he also works closely with elementary schools and runs workshops with outdoor activities, crafts and music. Last week they made bird feeders! It was awesome. He’s also a keen activist and regularly meets up with Javier to go to protests and community events, most recently for BLM. 

Micah: motorcycle mechanic. Micah is massively invested in motorcycle culture and treats his beloved bike better than his own mother, if he still spoke to her. Although he pretends not to care, fixing bikes is his greatest passion and almost looks...happy when he’s doing it? Maybe? He likes knowing more than the people who stop by his shop and makes sure they know it. Occasionally he leaves his number on a scrap of paper inside women’s handbags when they’re not looking but for some reason none of them call. Like it or not, he’s incredibly skilled and will have your motorcycle singing a tune if that’s what you want. Euphemism? Of course not. 

Abigail: nurse. She was so shy when she realised she wanted to pursue nursing - would people laugh at her? Was she too impatient, too nagging, too shrill? Her dyslexia always put her off going into further education and she was always discouraged by her parents. But with lots of encouragement from Hosea (who helped her to fill out her applications and other forms) and her friends, Abigail went to university in her 30′s to get her degree. She graduated top of her class and now works full time in her local hospital, based mostly in the emergency room. From drunken brawlers to tearful children and grumpy old men with lumbago, Abigail has learnt to keep her cool and to have faith in her own ability. 

Molly: holistic therapist and masseuse. It took years to get that bastard of a philosopher out of her head (and out of her bed - damn those happy hour drinks “for old times’ sake”), but she’s finally free. Molly radiates a kindness that few took to the time to see, and she wanted to take strength from her past struggles to help others who may need someone to listen, just as she did. Molly took a bunch of online courses in various holistic therapies, including aromatherapy and massage, as this was something she had always been interested in. She runs a tiny clinic on a quiet street, the rooms filled with sunshine and the scent of geraniums. She also has a quite popular ASMR YouTube channel, Emerald Eyes ASMR, which she shyly admits just reached 500k subscribers. Her most popular video, ‘Irish Girl Helps You Fall Asleep (soft spoken, tapping, mouth sounds)’ just reached over a million hits. 

Kieran: veterinarian specialising in equine care. Much like Abigail, Kieran didn’t like the idea of going back into education. He’d had a rough time of it as a teenager, dropping out of high school early and working a string of menial jobs for the next decade. They paid his rent, but he still felt poor. His favourite job, however, was working at a stable. The horses made him feel calm and he found that he could read them better than most people. He went to the library and read as much as he could about them. From there, he got himself an apprenticeship which paved the way for him to earn his degree in veterinary science. He smiled so hard in his graduation photo his eyes disappeared into his cheeks. He travels all over the local countryside, visiting farms and ranches to care for the horses. His confidence picked up after the first few blunders, and little by little he’s saving up to buy his own ranch one day. 

Lenny: political science student. You know that kid who always looks amazing, even in 9am lectures? Yeah, that’s not Lenny, but he’s sat just behind. See him? Yep, the one rubbing sleep from his eyes as he pushes through the effects of another all-nighter. It’s not due to procrastination, but from perfectionism. He spends hour agonising over references, appendixes and even titles. One time he was so tired he signed his work “Ynnel”. He’s completely in love with his course and relishes every class he takes. Oh, he’s taking Dutch’s ‘History of Western Philosophy’ module by the way. Sitting in the front row, middle seat, directly in front of Dutch, his eyes glinting wickedly. Poor Dutch. Lenny has a counterpoint for absolutely everything and can barely stifle his laughter as Dutch gets more and more flustered. He’s been dating Jenny Kirk, an English Lit student, for the past few months and it’s going well. So well in fact, that he might stop hiding his Doctor Who merchandise every time she comes to his dorm room. 

Tilly: business student. Tilly started university at the same time as Lenny and they still always go to the library together, rolling their eyes at each other over their morning peppermint lattes. Tilly is at the forefront of any and all on-campus activism. Think of Sam from Dear White People - that’s our Tilly. She wears her Ravenclaw scarf all autumn and winter long and posts scathing Instagram stories about the cafeteria food. But she’s powerfully kind and very ambitious, taking on a part time job tutoring kids with dyslexia in their reading and writing. 

Susan: midwife. Think having a baby is scary? Try crossing Nurse Grimshaw. She’s here now, and that baby is coming out of you one way or another. She’ll hold your hand through thick and thin but if you dare say “I can’t do it” one more time she’ll unleash hell. Susan will make sure everyone has a job to do. Partner just standing there like a lemon? Not on her watch. She’s harsh but kind to her trainees and will always offer a cup of coffee and a shoulder to cry on, but there’s a time and place for slacking and it’s not on her labour ward. 

Trelawny: talent agent. Our Josiah is cunning, infuriatingly charismatic and with an eye for the best of the best - what else could he do so effortlessly? He’ll wrangle you a 10 second role as a latrine cleaner in a non-profit film and he’ll still make you feel like the next DiCaprio. You’re a diamond, don’t you know? Of course you could nab Elphaba, we’ll worry about the singing later. How do you feel about cat food commercials? No no, it’s not pornography, it really is cat food this time - he double checked. On top of this, he knows everyone in the business. No, really. He can’t move 3 feet down Broadway without someone booming his name. The tone of said boom depends, of course, but who hasn’t been caught with his bottom out in that director’s wife’s en-suite? 

Sean: outdoor activity centre instructor. You mean you can actually get paid to swim in lakes, ride ziplines through the forest and eat roasted marshmallows?! Sean couldn’t believe his ears. But it was true, and he’s living his best life. He may be on his penultimate warning for unruly behaviour, but he knows he could never really get fired. How could they? Everyone loves him. And to his credit, he’s a fantastic instructor, especially with kids. Everything from canoeing to caving, wild swimming to climbing, Sean has mastered it all and he always makes it fun. No one is allowed to feel left out or silly for not being able to do something. Sean has a way of making everyone feel included, even if you can only make it up the first few rungs of the ladder. Hey, that’s still off the ground! He once knew this feller Bill who cried because a moth flew into his face. You’re doing fine. 

Mary-Beth: librarian and YA author. Sweet Mary-Beth, how could she be anywhere else but surrounded by books? She adores her job at her small, local library and is always looking for ways to make it even better. She often gets tangled up in the stories she reads whilst organising shelves, but it’s quiet enough most days that she’s rarely caught. She loves helping people find their books or recommending her favourites. She also runs the toddler storytime groups and a writing club for older kids. Of course, she’s also writing her own books. The first of her ‘Valentine Mysteries’ books made a modest profit and she’s excited to write more about the adventures of Leslie Dupont. 

Karen: actress. Realising that she had a knack for accents and even after an especially successful high school lead role as Roxy Hart, Karen didn’t really acknowledge her would-be passion for acting for a long time. But she used her talents to get herself and her friends into X-rated films, dive bars and successfully pull off dozens of prank calls. It wasn’t until one of her friends was going to an open-call audition for a short film and wanted someone to go with her that Karen had her epithany. She was cast on the spot, much to the dismay of her friend. Since then, she’s been in a handful of arthouse films, a commercial here and there, and recently enjoyed a short run as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at a small theatre downtown. Does she want fame and fortune? Honestly, she hasn’t really thought about it. Right now, she’s just enjoying the ride. And the phone numbers left for her at front of house from many admirers. 

Strauss: financial loan adviser. Oh boy, perhaps you saw this one coming. Then again, maybe not. Old Leopold isn’t quite the two-pronged-tongued eldritch horror people often mistake him for. In fact, he actually advises people against loan sharks. He had his fair share of debts y’see and he genuinely doesn’t want anyone else to go through the same thing. He’s not exactly sweet and cuddly, but he might let you have a free pen if you call by his office. I mean, technically they’re not free but...never mind, just take it. 

Bill: plumber. It was purely accidental that Bill bashed his way into his career. No, really. His sink was blocked and after an hour of poking and prodding the pipes he started hitting the poor thing with a spanner out of pure frustration, cursing all the way. To his shock, it worked, and he suddenly had running water again. What shocked him more is that he realised he wanted to know how. So, he bought a book. And he read the book. And one thing led to another, and now he’s the proud owner of Williamson Plumbing Inc. The money is very good, but for Bill that’s not it. You have to understand that for him, it’s the act itself of fixing something that brings Bill immense satisfaction. And Bill isn’t used to knowing more about something - anything - than those around him. For the first time perhaps in his life, he can sit down, solve a problem, and know that he’s done a good job. 

Swanson: AA group leader. After getting completely sober almost a decade ago and staying that way, Orville wanted to give something back to the people who had helped him out so greatly. Becoming a volunteer to help those who were trapped where he was seemed like the only path, and it felt so right. Orville is there in meetings, making coffee, handing out donuts and training new volunteers. If anyone wants to talk about their faith he’s all ears, but he never pushes it as a cure-all in any situation. Orville’s sobriety has also meant that he’s learnt to make the most phenomenal mocktails. 

Pearson: grocery shop manager and cooking teacher. Simon has his small grocery shop on the edge of town which has a wide range of regular customers. But he wanted to do more, so he set up a small class to teach fellow veterans how to cook. His wife helps out, and they grow the ingredients together in their garden and down at the allotment. It’s just an therapeutic for him as it is for his students, as he’s only just realising how much he wants to talk about his time in the navy. 

Uncle: unknown. For the longest time, everyone thought Uncle worked at one of the worst dive bars in town, as whenever they stumbled in for a nightcap he was there, behind the bar, happy as a pig in shit. Turns out that he just started going there one night and no one could get him to leave. And so every evening he’ll appear like a phantom, sit himself in the half-broken chair behind the bar (clearly labelled “not for customer use”), order the cheapest beer on the menu and sit there until midnight. No one can understand how he gets the means to live as he ragingly denies receiving any government handouts despite his lumbago. Claims to be a veteran but hasn’t fought in any wars anyone has heard of. 

[talesofesther]

Through Fields and Meadows - Part 2

Arthur Morgan x Reader

Masterlist with the other parts

See part one for important notes

The gang has been walking nonstop for hours now, the cold air of the Grizzlies was getting stronger at each minute. Y/N had never seen snow, it was beautiful, it looked like it was shining in the moonlight. But the weather wasn't exactly helping the caravan, they could barely see five meters ahead and the horses were tired.

Luckily Y/N had a big black coat with her to protect herself from the cold, otherwise, she would be freezing.

"Arthur, we need shelter. Why don't you and Miss Y/L/N go ahead and look for a place we can spend the night?" Dutch called out from his wagon.

Arthur agreed and galloped beside Y/N "Let's go then".

They both urged their horses to walk forward in the thick snow.

"It's alright boy, we're stopping soon" Y/N gave her horse an affectionate pat.

Arthur and Y/N walked ahead for a couple of minutes in search of anything that could shelter them from the snowstorm.

"Arthur, right? You familiar with snow?" The girl tried to make some conversation to lighten the mood.

"Probably not more than you are" he answered back.

Y/N moved her horse a little closer to the man, it was hard to hear anything with the strong wind blowing nonstop. She could feel how hard it was becoming for her horse to move in the snow too.

"I never... I never saw snow, well, it's way colder than I expected it to be" she chuckled.

Arthur let out a small laugh too.

"Hey look, I think there are some buildings there" Y/N pointed out in the direction of some shadows in the distance. They both walked forward, their breaths coming out in rapid puffs of white air. The storm was nowhere near to subside. Their clothes and horses were already covered in white flakes of snow and the cold was starting to get through their coats.

_________

"If we don't stop soon we'll all be dying. This weather, it's may..." Hosea was worried, the weather wasn't getting any better.

"I'm just hoping the law got as lost as we did"

"There. Arthur, Y/N! Any luck?" Dutch stated loudly through the howling wind as soon as he saw two horses approaching.

"We found a place where we can get some shelter" Arthur called back just as loud. "Let Davey rest while he... You know"

"I think it's an old mining town, abandoned. It's not far" Y/N explained, already turning her horse to show the way.

"Come on!" Dutch said to everyone as they followed the horses to, hopefully, a safe place.

They reached the small town. It wasn't perfect but it would do well enough to protect them from the cold. While the rest of the gang was already inside one of the houses, Y/N and Charles stayed out accommodating the horses.

"There boy, you can rest now" The girl patted her horse, making sure he was comfortable inside the barn. She rubbed her hands together in a failed attempt to get a little warmer. She had the coat but that was about it, she wasn't exactly prepared for an extremely cold weather.

"Here, put these on. They might be a little big for you, but at least they will keep you warmer" Charles extended his hand, holding a pair of gloves to the girl. He had a kind smile on his face.

"Oh... Thank you. You're really kind" she smiled and put the gloves on, already feeling a tint of relief for not having the wind directly colliding with her fingers.

"It's the least I could do. You just arrived but you're already helping us plenty" Charles smiled and held the barn door open for Y/N to go out, then closing it after.

"Oh it's nothing, I've known Dutch for a while and you guys seem like really fine people" Y/N's feet buried in the snow beneath her as she walked, wrapping her coat tighter on herself.

"Most of the time" He chuckled. "But still, it's nice to have you with us"

"Thank you, Charles. It feels nice to... Have some folk around me for a change" she smiled, her cheeks a shade of pink from the cold.

Their attention went to one of the houses when they heard some muffled voices, Dutch was probably giving the gang his usual motivational speech, trying to keep everyone with at least a bit of hope. Then they heard something about Dutch and Arthur heading out.

"Well, they're probably going to need horses then. I'll go get them, you should get inside and get yourself warm" Charles gave a light squeeze on Y/N's shoulder and walked back to the barn.

The girl was heading towards the house when the door opened and Arthur and Dutch stepped out.

"Oh, Y/N. Arthur and I are gonna ride out and see if we can find John and Micah, you should get inside darling" Dutch explained.

"Yeah... Alright" she breathed out, hugging herself. She was, indeed, getting colder by the minute.

"You guys be careful out there" she called out and spared them a last look. Arthur met her eyes and gave her a tiny smile, which she reciprocated.

Once Y/N got inside she noticed she wasn't the only one that looked kinda miserable. Everyone was cold and covered in snow. Tilly was the one who called her over to stand closer to the fireplace.

"Hey new girl, come here. It's a bit warmer here"

Y/N smiled and walked up to the girls. For the next hour, she spent her time talking to everyone, getting to at least give them a proper introduction. She stayed mostly with the other girls but made sure to say hi to everyone in the room.

They were nice people and welcomed her well. Some of them already thanking her for the help she was providing. Y/N felt welcomed, for now at least.

As the night went on, Dutch came back with Arthur, Micah, and a woman that they rescued. Apparently, the O'Driscolls had killed her husband. Poor soul. At least they found some supplies and food, Dutch was also talking about a train, but that seemed the last thing he should focus on right now.

Y/N had had her own run-ins with the O'Driscolls, she hated them just as much as they probably hated her.

Right now she laid on her bedroll, she was staying in one of the houses, with the rest of the girls. She was having trouble sleeping, her clothes and blankets did little to stop the cold from getting to her skin and all she could hear was the nonstopping howling of the wind outside as some flakes of snow seeped through the cracks in the wall. But she had to rest, tomorrow would be another day, with most likely more work. And more snow.

[nocompromise-noregrets]

Tagged by @saimafatimaali - thank you! <333333

nickname: None. I've always wanted one but somehow it's never really happened. A friend in my 20s used to call me Tillie occasionally, a former colleague used to call me Floss every now and then, otherwise the closest I've got is a very localised abbreviation for my actual first name, which my mate down the pub calls me.

zodiac: Fish

height: 5'1"

hogwarts house: none. I never got as into HP as most younger people did, being about 15 years older than the main original group of fans, so although I wrote a bit of fic I never bothered with all the house stuff, and since the views of its creator have become widely known I've felt even less inclined to engage.

followers: 301, following Tumblr's purge last week.

song stuck in my head: Nothing at the moment, although I'm currently watching the 90s X-Men cartoon so I'll probably have the theme from that stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

how much i sleep: Between six and nine hours, depending.

lucky number: No idea.

dream job: Translator. Or...retirement, tbqh. I've been doing my dream job (archivist) for 22 years tomorrow and quite frankly I've rather had enough. I have 20 years and six weeks left till my (current) retirement date, and I really don't want to have to stick at it until then.

wearing: Jeans, a Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert shirt (my mum's boss at the time went, and brought me back the shirt and a programme) and an Empathy Test hoodie

favorite song: Too many to name, but they include Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen, Stay on These Roads by a-ha, Another Girl, Another Planet by The Only Ones, A Day Late, A Dollar Short by Hanoi Rocks...I could go on all day :D

favorite instrument: Guitar, I guess

favorite author: J R R Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, Sarah Ash...I don't really read much any more.

aesthetic: Not a clue. I don't really understand what this means.

favorite animal noise: My cats purring.

something random: I don't know...I can't think of anything. Brain full, no room.

tagging: Entirely without pressure, @writerman, @verecunda, @allegoriesinmediasres, @mihrsuri, @theresonlyzuul and anyone else who wants to do it!

[voorbeees]

[ hi im back with a part 2 bc im a sappy bitch. you can read part one here ]

Jesse makes his way into the kitchen. Early mornings are a thing he's had to get used to and there doesn't seem to be enough coffee in the world to keep him awake. Sure he's typically awake for work, but he schedules appointments around the time he spends recouping from his nightly hobby. After all a business doesn't run itself. He thinks this, accompanied with a move to LA shortly after taking the girl in could play a large part in it.

Shortly after they'd arrived at the new home, Tilly had been thrilled to learn she had her own room and own things. Apparently that was another thing her mother had failed to provide. He wants to ask her what her life was like before, but each time he thinks to broach the subject something makes him shy away from it. Maybe it's for the best. Besides, considering what it was, Jesse's sure he'll feel fire settle in his veins. Not long after that he'd had her enrolled in a small private school. It was never too early to start an education. He's also taken it upon himself to start teaching her ASL. The decision was only made final when she had looked up at him with those puppy dog eyes and said the simple phrase "I wish we could talk better."

And that had been another thing, not once had she acted like he was a stranger. It was actually the opposite. She acted like she'd known him her whole life. Maybe that was good, it made breaking the ice less difficult, at least in his mind.

Now Jesse adjusts his black suit coat, making sure he looks dressed to a T, even if he is just going downstairs. He's always been one to preen, current circumstances haven't changed that at all. Black Oxfords echo off the marble floor and he's instantaneous met with the beaming face of Tilly.

"Jesse! Jesse!" She rushes from her seat at the dining room table and bounces around his legs. Her tiny red curls dance about her shoulders in the process. She wastes no time in asking for her favorite thing, which is only made obvious a split second later when she holds her arms up, waiting to be picked up.

He picks her up with ease, acting like she weighs nothing (and to him she probably does). Her tiny arms wrap around his neck. She's made it clear she enjoys being at his height. Tilly pulls out of the hug a second later and starts flapping a tiny arm in the air. "I've been practicing with my writing!" She beams, little face begging for approval. He'd be cruel to deny her that so Jesse nods and walks the both of them back over to the table. Tilly wiggles herself out of his grasp just enough so she can grab the paper and shove it in his face.

It takes his eye a moment to focus and he has to hold the paper back a bit but sure enough, there in a child's scrappy handwriting is her name repeated at least ten times. Her statement is met with a slow nod of approval.

"Oh!" She finally makes the effort to remove herself from his arms and settle back into her chair. "Maybe I can try writing your name next?" It's a question but he knows what she's implying and its not a moment later that he pulls his phone out. He spends a moment typing on it and then turns it around to face her.

J-E-S-S-E

An amused look settles on his scarred face as he sees her focusing all her attention to write his name. Her tongue pokes out of the left side of her mouth as she finishes the last letter and holds it up, rather proud of herself.

It's messy but it's a cute gesture, so he takes it from her and pins it to the fridge with a magnet. That earns him a squeal of delight. The excitement is short lived as she goes back to her task. Jesse takes the opportunity to finally pour himself a cup of coffee.

' YOU'RE SPENDING THE DAY WITH SPANN. ' He hasn't actually left her alone yet. At least not that she knows. He's made sure to always leave when she's asleep, a caretaker there if something was to arise in his absence. The last thing he wants is for Tilly to think he's abandoning her.

"Why?" She asks as she looks up at him and then goes back to her work.

' I HAVE...BUSINESS. ' If you can consider visiting a plastic surgeon business. It's something he's wanted to do since he first saw what was once his "face". But Spann and the doctors had highly discouraged any reconstruction until the scars were fully healed. All in all it had added up to almost a year's time and it had been nothing but pure hell. Not that he cared what people thought when they saw him, more so he cared what he saw when he looked at himself in the mirror. It wasn't good. Hell, for the first several months he'd busted every mirror within five feet of him, going so far as to have them removed from places of his organization that had them. It'd been a touchy subject and not many could breach it.

Jesse remembers when Tilly saw his face for the first time. It had been the next day and it was on accident. He wasn't planning on showing the mangled part of himself until she seemed comfortable around him. But she had walked in on him in his home office. He'd been sitting at his desk, mask safety packed away in the chrome case. She was supposed to be sleeping and much to his horror when he had looked up, she wasn't. Instead she was standing in the doorway with wide eyes. He'd frozen like a deer in headlights. What the fuck was he supposed to do? Was she scared of him? Fuck, he'd be scared of himself. It's not like he even looked human anymore. He sat there for what felt like an eternity, unmoving until she walked forward. "You got hurt bad, huh?" She hadn't looked at him in disgust, but rather understanding. It was like it was the most common thing to ever happen. Tilly had come up and stood in front of him. "I got hurt one time too." She pulled her hair back to show a small indention on her forehead. "I hit my head and it left a really big spot." Something about that small stupid child gesture had made him laugh. It had demolished the wall he had built, afraid of traumatizing her.

Tilly lays her pencil down and looks up at Jesse now. To only be six she's intuitive. She can tell by the way he grips the handle of the mug and shifts his weight slightly that something is off. Usually its "I have work." Not "business." It's an odd choice of words. So she does what kids do best, she bombards him with fucking questions. "What kind?"

' BUSINESS. '

There's that word again. No matter how hard she tries, she just can't fucking pick out the problem. "Can I come?" Jesse shakes his head 'no.' A tiny frown creases her brow. "Do you have to go to the doctor?" Suddenly she gasps, standing up in her chair. "Are you sick!?"

Jesse's signing and shaking his head 'no' before he can stop himself. It's not hard to tell she's working herself up. Fuck, the last thing he wants right now or at all is her to he upset.

"Are-are you going for your face?" Tilly sniffles and wipes her nose with the back of her hand. Of course he fucking is, why else would he go to a god damned doctor. He obviously can't say it like that so he nods. "Bu-but there's nothing wrong with it!" Now she's just being polite, Jesse's sure of it. But the logical part of his brain says no, she's upset because she fucking cares about you you god damned fool. "What i-if I don't know who you are after? Because you lo-ook different?!" At that she breaks into full on hysteria. There's a few other words but Jesse can't make them out. It just all sounds garbled to him.

He considers pulling his phone out again but settles for a different approach. Jesse lowers himself on to one knee a few inches from her perch in the chair. He signs "hush" and "okay". Those are the easiest ones she's able to read but she just shakes her head crying even harder. "It's no-ot okay!" There's a hiccup added after she finishes speaking and for a split second Jesse thinks she's going to suffocate on her own tears. He blinks several times, actually taken aback by just how upset she is over this. This is a good thing not a bad one. He's going to look better but she doesn't want that. Of course he understands the whole "changing of features" process but it's still him. It's not like he's cutting off one of his fucking hands.

" It will be okay. " His hand hovers over her back like it's debating if it should offer comfort or not. Instead the decision is made for him as Tilly wipes at her eyes and sniffles.

"You don't know that!" There's a long pause and for a second Jesse thinks she's going to start bawling again, but she doesn't. Instead she looks up at him and the intensity in that stare almost has him drawing back. There's something in it. Love? Impossible. People don't love him, they tolerate him. Or rather he pays them to tolerate him. Tilly blinks once, then twice and yes, he sees it now. It's a mixture of love and adoration. Something almost foreign to him. "What if something happens?" Her tiny lip quivers. "Who will I have then?"

Fuckfuckfuckfuck. His mind draws a blank. There's no way for him to completely assure something won't happen. Granted people don't usually die from plastic surgeon, though he guesses it's possible. ' IT WON'T. I WILL STILL BE HERE. ' The phone's electronic voice drones out into the air. That's not what he wants to say. Jesse wants to say this huge fucking essay of why she doesn't need to worry but sometimes the simplest answers are the best.

"Promise?"

' YES. '

--------------

Blinding light sears his brown eye as it flutters open. Are lights always this bright? He doesn't think so. If they are then he's definitely paying someone to dim all the ones in his house. Because Jesus fuck that's a horrible thing to wake up to. Jesse blinks a few times then lets out a sigh. He can't feel his face (which, God willing, with strong as fuck drugs he won't have to until it heals).

It's only after he's been awake for an hour or two that he turns to the door at his right and sees Spann standing there, Tilly's small wide eyed form in front of her. He offers a shakey wave as a greeting. Tilly looks up at Spann, who nods and urges her in then steps back out to answer a call. Jesse thinks she looks even more comical like this. She's acting like he's a porcelain doll that could break at the lightest touch.

Tilly rests her tiny arms on his bedside. "Do you feel better?" Jesse gives her a so-so response with his hand. She takes this as privilege to climb her way up into the bed beside him, her tiny form looking even smaller near him. "Well," her forehead wrinkles, "you don't look different."

Now he is laughing. His shoulders shaking as an indicator. She looks at him before deciding to curl up next to him, her tiny head on his shoulder. "I still love you anyway. Even if you look like a mummy."

Jesse signs. " I love you too, squirt. "

[ajnerdess]

Feisty (Javier x reader and Charles x reader drabble)

I just wrote a little fluffy drabble involving a reader x Javier but also turned into a reader x Charles fluffy drable as well....... ENJOY! TW for Micah being a racist, sexist gross douchebag as usual though! 

You felt warm lips kiss your neck and you reached around to touch your lover’s cheek. Javier. He always woke you in such gentle ways, with soft kisses to your neck, cheek or forehead. His hands would circle your hip or waist as he drew you closer to him. You were thankful for his softness, you weren’t known as the easiest morning person.

“Good morning mi amor” he whispered to you, his unique moustache tickling your skin.

“Mm, good morning Javi.”

“Sleep well hermosa?”

You smiled, turning to face him. “I always do when I sleep by your side.” You ran a hand through his hair, you loved when he wore his hair down, then again, you liked his hair up to. The man always looked good, no matter what.

“Ah come on querida, we gotta get up” he told you.

You gripped him, throwing one leg over his own. “No please, stay with me, it is barely dawn Javi, let’s sleep a while longer.”

He chuckled at your stubbornness. “Mi amor, I can’t, I have to see Dutch about a train robbery.”

You pouted at him, causing him to laugh again. “If you loved me you would stay.”

He rolled his eyes. “Aye, come on hermosa, that isn’t fair. You know I love you. More than you know.”

You trailed a hand down his chest. “Tell me. Tell me how much you love me.”

Javi stroked your cheek as he thought on it. “I love you so much that all this work, all this running, all this fighting. It’s all for you now. I want to buy you a house, a big one, with room for a kid or two. I want to get us a bed, a big bed, the most comfortable bed you have ever slept in. One I can make love to you in every single night. I want to keep you safe from the rest of the world, forever. That’s how much I love you.”

You smiled at his words, lifting your head to kiss him gently on the lips. “I love you too Javi. Please be safe out there. Come back to me in one piece alright?”

He nodded, sitting up as he changed into his clothes, looking fashionable as ever. He leaned down to kiss you on the forehead, his parting goodbye gift every time he left you for a job.

“Te amo querida” he whispered before leaving you to sleep.

Of course, thirty more minutes was all you had before Grimshaw called your name to start working. She was a dragon that woman, always barking orders at everyone for no reason.

As you set to work cleaning the camp members clothes, Micah approached you.

“Well hello there little lady.”

You tried not to gag as he spoke to you. You had experienced a few run-ins with him and you had promised Javier you would try not to get into trouble with him again, at least not when Javi wasn’t there to witness it.

“Good morning Mr Bell” you said, trying to concentrate on your work.

“Call me Micah please” he said, stepping closer to you.

“Is there something you need? Only I have work to do” you said, throwing a shirt into the water with more force than intended.

“Oh hey now, ain’t no need to be so angry sweetheart. What’s got you all riled up? That greaser of yours not pleasing you right darling?” Micah came up behind you to whisper in your ear, making you feel sick at how close he was to you.

“Why don’t you spend a night with a real man. I could make you feel real good darling, I could have you screaming my name in a way a darkie never could. Come on, I know you have had enough of a dirty greaser in-between your legs, just….”

There was a loud cracking noise as your first connected with Micah’s jaw. He stepped back in shock as he cradled his injured face but you weren’t done yet. You charged towards him, but before you could land another blow to his face, a strong arm caught you and held you back.

“Let me go, let me kill that sonofabitch!”

“Easy there hummingbird, he isn’t worth your time, calm down.”

You turned to see Charles holding you back. Ever the sensible one of the group, you took his advice and stopped struggling against him.

“You stay away from me Micah Bell you hear me? You stay away from me and Javier. And if I hear you say a bad word against Javier, Charles, Lenny or Tilly again, I’ll gut you myself” you called after Micah as he went to walk away.

“Crazy bitch, you put a leash on her redskin” Micah shouted back causing you to struggle in Charles’ grip again.

“Hey, it’s ok, ease your storm hummingbird, he’s trying to get under your skin, don’t let him” Charles told you.

When you had calmed down, he let you go and you walked off to the edge of the camp, Charles following behind.

“Are you alright?” he asked you when you finally stopped by the horses, giving Charles’ horse Taima a little pet.

“I just hate how he talks of others. What makes him think he’s any better than you or Javier, or anyone else in this camp? You and Javier are twice the man he is. He’s a selfish bully, I don’t know why Dutch tolerates him.”

Charles nodded. “He is a bully. Which is why you shouldn’t pay him any mind. Though I do appreciate it, you defending my honour like that, and I know the others do to, especially Javier. You are a good woman y/n.”

Taima nudged you affectionately. “Thank you Charles, and thank you, for stopping me from doing worse to Micah. You are right, he’s not worth it.”

Charles smiled at his horse nudging you softly. “You are welcome. Taima likes you, I’ve never seen her so affectionate around anyone but me.”

You stroked the appaloosa’s nose softly, digging out a peppermint for her. “She’s a lovely horse, though I should stop paying her so much attention, my Orion will get jealous, he’s got designs on her I am sure of it.”

Charles nodded. “Agreed. He’s a smart stallion that Orion, got the best taste in the ladies.”

You giggled softly. “That he does. Anyway, I should get back to work, thank you Charles, for stopping me, I’m sure Javier wouldn’t be too pleased if I deprived him the chance to take Micah out himself, or at least watch me do it.”

“You are welcome miss. I don’t think Javier would have been best pleased if I allowed his love to get hurt by Micah. Listen, I know you are more than capable of dealing with him yourself as you’ve shown today, but, you find me if that rat gives you any more trouble, alright?”

You nodded as you made your way back to the other girls. “You have a deal, thank you again Charles, you are a good man, a very good man.”

Charles had never believed such a thing, but when you said it, his heart lit up in such a way, he was inclined to finally start believing it.

[verai-marcel]

Payback (RDR2 Fanfic, Morgan Twins x F!Reader, 18+)

Summary: Arthur and Thorne go out on an errand without telling you. When you find out what it is, you aren't happy that they kept it from you. So you plan a little payback. 

Author’s Notes: I wrote a little drabble a while back and several people wanted more. So here we go. Also there is a bit of Mary Linton bad mouthing in here, but I personally don't dislike her; I just find her to be a weak-willed character. Also this is the 3rd story in the Morgan Twins AU; read the other parts on my  Master list!

Tags: rough sex, teasing, neck grabbing, creampie, dirty talk, minor degredation

AO3 Link is here, sweetness.

--------------------

“Hosea, have you seen Arthur and Thorne?”

The older man put down his book and looked up at you, raising an eyebrow. “They didn’t tell you?”

You shook your head.

He picked his book back up. “They’re on an errand. They’ll be back before dark.”

You cocked your hip, arms akimbo. “What kind of errand?”

Hosea let out a small sigh. “I don’t know. Ask them when they come back.”

He knew. You knew that he knew. He knew that you knew that he knew. But he wasn’t saying anything else, diving back into his book without another word.

You huffed and went back to your chores, waiting for an opportune time. When Susan was busy supervising the girls who were washing clothes at the river, you snuck over to the horse area, grabbed one of the wagon horses, and left for the nearby town to see if you could catch sight of the twins.

***

It wasn’t hard to spot them, even from a few houses away. You hitched your horse at the general store and snuck around to find them standing on the porch of some farmhouse, bickering in low tones. You crept along as quietly as you could, hiding behind the next door building and craning your neck around the corner to hear while keeping the rest of your body hidden.

“You didn’t have to come.”

“I didn’t want you to do anything stupid.”

“I wouldn’t leave.”

“Mary has a way of wrapping you around her finger.”

“She doesn’t—”

The sound of a door creaking open interrupted Arthur’s reply. You could barely make out the woman beyond the large bodies of the two men blocking your view.

“Arthur!” she said happily.

“Mary,” Arthur said politely.

“And… Thorne,” she said with a hint of distaste. You immediately wanted to slap her.

“Why do you need help?” Thorne barked, his tone hard and impatient.

You could hear her taking a few steps around the porch. “It’s Jaimie. He’s been brainwashed by cultists! Please, bring him back, he won’t listen to me.”

“What, and your father won’t come get his own son?” Thorne snarked.

“He… He won’t,” she replied, sounding hurt.

“Mary��” Arthur said, the sympathetic tone in his voice grating on your insecurities.

“Surprise, surprise,” Thorne bit out. “Arthur, we don’t need to help, he’s a grown man, he can make his own decisions.”

Arthur was quiet.

“Arthur,” Thorne said more urgently.

“I’ll help,” Arthur finally said. He mumbled something else afterwards, but you didn’t catch it.

Thorne was silent, but after a few moments, he nodded. “Fine,” he grunted.

You didn’t wait to see any more. Leaving quietly, you concocted a plan. Stopping by both the doctor’s for some herbs and the general store for some beer, you mounted up and went back to camp.

***

You had heard from Tilly previously about the woman named Mary Gillis, the woman who had Arthur’s heart for a time, but did not accept Thorne and tried to drive a wedge between them, tried to take Arthur away from his own family. Tilly’s dislike of the woman was very clear, but having just seen proof of Mary’s disapproval of Thorne, you were more than willing to believe Tilly’s observations to be fact rather than personal opinion.

Arthur had kept this from you. You felt betrayed. You knew he wouldn’t go back to her, that was crystal clear. But the fact that he didn’t tell you where he was going, that he didn’t trust you enough, was a blow to your ego. Your feelings hurt, you decided with a clarity that belied the swirl of emotions in your heart to teach him a lesson. 

But for your plan to work, you had to trick them both as a pair. You felt a little bad about having to trick Thorne as well, but to be fair, he didn’t tell you where they were going either. That made him just as guilty. Almost.

***

"That was a waste of time."

"Jaime needed to get out of there."

"Then maybe his father shoulda went and got him. Not us. Not you."

"Thorne…"

"I know you said it was for his sake, not Mary's. But dammit, when she left, you looked like a kicked puppy."

"I just…" 

"Just what, Arthur?" 

"Just regrettin' all that time with her, that's all."

"Good. Remember who has our hearts now."

Arthur nodded solemnly. "Speakin' of…"

They had returned to camp to find that their love had not come to greet them. Heading over to their tent, they found a letter in the middle of the cot. Arthur looked at Thorne, who shrugged. Grabbing it and opening it carefully, Arthur read it out loud. 

"My lovely men, meet me at the hotel in town. I'm treating you to a nice dinner and a warm bed, to reward you for working so hard lately."

Thorne grinned. "Race ya."

***

At the hotel, you smiled as you saw the two of them hitching their horses. You called to them from the window and waved, acting like a happy wife. 

Grinning together, they quickly made their way upstairs to your hotel room, where you had some meals and beers all ready for them. 

They didn't know that you had laced it all with some sleeping herbs. 

As the three of you dug into your food, you asked them where they had gone all day. 

"An old friend asked me to get a relative out of that cult, you know, the Chelonians."

"Did it pay well?" you asked, knowing full well that Mary wouldn't have given them anything. 

Arthur shook his head. "Just did it as a favor. 

"We found some poor idiots to rob on the way back, so it wasn't a total loss," Thorne added. 

You laughed. "Tell me more about these Chelonians."

***

After regaling you about how they talked about turtles for half an hour just to get the cult to lower their guard long enough to get the young man named Jaime out of there, you noticed that their heads were starting to nod off. 

"More beer, boys?" you asked, pulling out two more bottles from the bag you had brought with you. 

"Sure," Arthur slurred. 

Turning away from them, you pulled out the sprig of the sleeping herb that you had been steeping in the beer and brought the bottles to them. 

They drank and told you more stories. With each passing minute, their speech stumbled, their movements slowed, their eyes blinked more in an attempt to stay awake. 

Then they closed their eyes and fell asleep in their chairs.

You grinned. It was time to work. 

***

“Wh.. what happened?”

“That li’l minx...”

Thorne and Arthur were both surprised and a little confused to the scene they had awoken to. The last thing they remembered was you giving them another drink.

You had tied them to their chairs and waited for them to come around. And now... now the fun was going to begin.

“Hello boys,” you purred as you walked around them, your hips swinging as you brushed your hand along each of their shoulders.

“Darlin’...” Arthur said as he tried to reach out for you, before he realized with a frown and a confused grunt that he was securely tied to his chair.

“Let us go,” Thorne snarled softly, already pulling at his ropes.

“Hmmm.... no. I think I’ll just take care of myself tonight, and you two just be good and watch.” You simpered at them as you dragged hands along your body, making exaggerated sounds of pleasure. “Oooh, I’m starting to get wet.”

You laughed as you watched them struggle. “This is what happens when you don’t tell me you’re going somewhere. This is what happens when I wake up alone with just a note saying ‘we’ll return at sundown.’” You reached up and fondled your breasts with one hand as you continued to walk around them. “I can take care of myself too, you know.”

With both of them looking at you in rapt attention, you started to slowly remove your clothing. As your shirt and chemise started to slide off your shoulders and to the floor, the men’s eyes followed your every movement, their pants growing tighter as they strained in their ropes. In a moment of complete uninhibited madness, you bent over and flipped your skirt up, waving your derriere in front of them as you slid your drawers off.

“You’re askin’ fer it,” Thorne growled.

Saying nothing, you just turned around and smiled at him before removing your skirt, letting it drop to the floor. Dressed in only your stockings and boots, you kicked off your boots before walking up to Thorne, putting one foot up on his knee, showing off your legs. He stared, breathing heavily as you slowly rolled the stocking down. Removing it and tossing it into your pile of clothes, you stepped down and turned away, giving him a perfect view of your ass while you put your foot up on Arthur’s knee and did the same thing. 

“You were bad today, weren’t you?” you cooed at him as you threw your other stocking into the pile with a bit of anger. “You didn’t tell me where you went.”

Arthur’s eyes pleaded with you. “Didn’t think you needed to know, darlin’,” he rasped.

Lightly pressing your foot against his balls, he groaned. 

“You didn’t think,” you retorted, moving away from him. “Neither of you did.”

Moving to the bed, you sat down at the edge facing them and spread your legs. “Now you get to watch while I take care of myself, and you two can just suffer.”

Sliding your fingers along your slit, you watched them as they watched you, and part of you started to truly enjoy yourself. You leaned your head back and moaned, letting your hips rise a bit, writhing on the bed as you started to get into it, feeling that delightful build-up of pleasure.

Then you heard wood snapping and you brought your head up. Watching in both fascination and anticipation, you felt your heart pound as Thorne broke his chair apart with sheer strength, quickly loosening the ropes around them. He turned his hungry gaze upon you, the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He stalked towards you as he pulled open the fly of his jeans, quickly freeing his cock, stroking it with one hand as he reached for you with the other.

“Sweetheart...” he growled.

His hand wrapped around your neck as he pushed you down. Using his knee to spread your legs apart, he pressed his cock inside of you, not waiting another second. He sank in quickly, your wet channel inviting him inside, despite your annoyance.

“Bastard,” you gritted out.

“I told you, you were askin’ fer it,” he rumbled as he started thrusting hard, giving you no chance to escape. His hand around your throat tightened slightly as he grabbed your ankle with his other hand to hold it high. As you mewled helplessly, you watched Thorne turn to Arthur with a wicked grin.

“Feelin' guilty, Arthur?” he taunted.

Arthur merely growled.

“You just sit there then.” Thorne turned back to you, letting go of your throat to grip your jaw, shaking your head slightly. “Looks like our little slut needs a good fuck.”

You moaned. You’d come to love Thorne’s dirty talk, the way he was so vulgar when he was balls deep inside of you. You loved the way his eyes lit up as he slammed into you, as if taking you was his greatest joy.

“Hear that? Hear how much she loves getting fucked?” Thorne sneered as he pounded you into the bed, a dark chuckle rumbling from his chest. “Make sure he hears how much you love being my cock slut.”

You let out a strangled cry of pleasure as Thorne rutted into you faster, harder, the slapping of flesh filling the room.

The sound of a chair cracking and falling apart drew both of your attention.

Arthur stomped over, angry and horny. He promptly shoved Thorne out of the way before he bent over, grabbed you by the neck and kissed you passionately, his tongue forcing its way into your mouth as he took every last breath you had.

Thorne could only laugh. “Took ya long enough. Been wanting to stuff her beautiful mouth with my cock anyway.”

Arthur pulled away, grabbed you by the hips, and flipped you over, lifting you up so you could get your knees onto the bed. You could hear him unbuttoning his fly as Thorne climbed onto the bed, spreading his legs and stroking his cock.

“Come here, sweetness,” he coaxed. “Suck me off.”

You leaned down and took his hard shaft into your mouth, the salty bitterness of the beginning of his spend filling your mouth. Bobbing your head up and down, you wrapped one hand around his thick girth, using your other hand to massage his balls just the way he liked it. You were rewarded with a low groan and his hands tangling in your hair, pulling gently as his hips twitched slightly upwards.

“So good, goddamn,” he growled as he leaned his head back and let out a shuddering sigh of pleasure.

Arthur’s hands gripped your hips once more as he guided himself inside of you. You moaned around Thorne’s cock in your mouth as Arthur pushed in until his hips were flush with your ass. Leaning forward, she kissed your shoulder, giving you a teasing nip and a lick before standing upright again. His hips drew back and then snapped forward, making you squeal in surprised before he started to fuck you in earnest; his raging lust would not be denied this night.

“Darlin’, yer the only one fer us,” Arthur said between thrusts, grabbing your upper arms and pulling you towards him, making you arch your back. This position made your breasts thrust forward and bounce as he took you like a wolf in heat, his hips unable to stop, his breath ragged with exertion.

You saw Thorne smile, his eyes taking in the sight of you above him, your tits bouncing so beautifully, your moans music to his ears. He stroked his cock as he watched you getting rammed from behind, his eyes burning with lust.

“That’s it, moan for us, our little slut,” Thorne said with a low voice. “You love how our cocks fill you up, hm? Can’t get enough of us, can ya?”

“Oh lord, can’t get enough,” you keened, your body fully in rhythm with Arthur’s thrusts.

“Tell him how much you need him,” Thorne ordered.

You turned your head to look at Arthur. His face was contorted with passion, sweat dripping off his brow as he moaned quietly. Catching your eyes, he grinned as he reached down and rubbed your core.

“I need you Arthur,” you pleaded. “Need you to spend in me, please!”

“Oh darlin’, oh fuck,” he gasped as he suddenly came, your words triggering his release like nothing else. He held you tight to his chest as he thrust as hard as ever, his cock spilling deep inside of you as he continued to rub your clit, making you quake in his arms. The feeling of his spend filling you, so much that it was spilling out, made your pleasure hit its limit. You let out a cry as you released, your body shaking from the euphoria flashing through your body. 

Murmuring your name over and over into your ear as he came down from his high, Arthur shuddered and let his cock slowly slide from you, his spend dripping down your thigh as he took a step back and let out a shaky breath.

“My turn,” Thorne said, catching you as you fell into his lap, and he lifted you up and dropped you onto his fully erect manhood.

“Oh lord!” you cried out. 

Wasting no time, Thorne started to piston up into you, bouncing you on his cock with the strength of his hips. You watched Arthur lay on the bed and watch as you were made into Thorne’s plaything, his hands on your hips manipulating your speed and your angle as he wished. 

“Such a good sex doll,” he purred as he sped up. “Goin’ to fill you up, sweetness, you ready?”

“Always,” you breathed. 

“Good girl,” he moaned. “Now take it, take my spend.” His hips thrust up once, twice, then one last time as he held your hips flush to his, his cock pulsing inside of you as he released. He leaned his head back, panting as he filled you up, letting out a sigh and a grunt as he finished.

“Fuckin’ hell,” he said shakily. “You really are the best woman in the world.”

You grinned. “Don’t forget that, especially when you think you can do something without telling me. Without trusting me.���

Arthur reached for you, pulling you off Thorne and draping you over his body. His arms went around you and held you close. “I’m sorry darlin’. We… I should’ve told you. Should’ve trusted you.”

Thorne rolled over to his side and languidly stroked your back. “And I shoulda told him not to be a dumbass.”

You giggled at Arthur’s look of annoyance. Then you raised yourself up, resting your forearms on Arthur’s chest. Staring him straight in his beautiful eyes, you said with no room for argument, “Tell me who the woman was you met today.”

Arthur sighed. “A long time ago, I was courtin’ a lady, Mary. I asked her to marry me, I was so taken with her.”

Thorne interrupted. “But she didn’t like me none, and she didn’t like gettin’ her hands dirty. So I tricked her, invited her out to dinner instead of Arthur, and called her out on her bullshit.”

“I was so mad, but when I saw the two o’ them, glarin’ at each other at the restaurant, I thought, did I really know Mary, or was she just showin’ me one side of her? So I took her aside, and we got to talkin’, and she finally said what I knew in my heart, just didn’t want to admit.”

“She wanted to take Arthur away, separate him from his family. From me.”

“So I let her go.”

Arthur’s look of pain made you feel a bit bad about tricking them. Emotions were difficult to deal with; you understood that, even as you burned with your own.

Thorne snorted. “She didn’t want you anyway, Arthur. She wanted the idea of you.”

“Don’t mean you hafta be rude.”

“For what she put you through? I’ll be as rude as I like.”

Arthur sighed. “Fine. She’s history, anyway.” He smiled gently at you, cupping your cheek with his warm hand. “We have someone who accepts both of us, and that’s worth more than gold”

Thorne scooted closer and pulled you off of Arthur’s chest, sandwiching you between the two of them. “The finest lady that ever was,” he said reverently as he kissed your shoulder.

You smiled as you snuggled against their big bodies, feeling safe, warm, and loved.

--------------------

End Notes: Just imagining this got me all hot and bothered! I hope you enjoyed this story too, thanks for reading!

[reddeadreference]

Blog Progress Update (Travel Blog Style 😎#13)

At Jack’s party 50 million things happen all at once I can't get everything X.x Susan and Karen are singing loudly, Hosea's saying something at the campfire, John and Abigail and talking about the three of them staying in the same room, now Micah's saying some story and Uncle has joined Karen and Susan in a song with Javier playing and NOW Molly is yelling at Dutch. 

It's too much!

Dutch just gave an ANGRY speech about faith and it got dark and thundery REAL QUICK. Like I get it game… the foreshadowing weather isn’t needed.

Mary-Beth is trying to get Karen to bed and Karen is throwing up. Mary-Beth gave up and Karen passed out on one of the bedrolls under Bill/Charle’s area. Never saw that before..

Kieran just came up to me staying how he'd be dead if he hadn't joined them and- I GET IT THUNDER AND LIGHTNING! BAD TIMES AHEAD!

Bill… Bill just decked Pearson... WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

Here comes the rain..   Neat detail that when it rains people go inside the house. (like I know some sleep there now but Strauss still sleeps outside and he came in. Kieran was sleeping outside then came into the piano room to sleep too)

Saved Tilly. I love how this mission shows Grimshaw does care.

Ugh Strauss dude stop.. O-O this is the first mission where Arthur's started coughing like THAT and it HURTS

I can't find Kieran…. I'm not even anywhere near close to that mission yet! Where's my boy?!

Branwen is missing too.. no...

No... No no no... I JUST started chapter 4, he can't be gone yet! Are you kidding me?! Is he really gone from the start of the chapter?!I thought he’d be here for at least SOME of it…

Also would the ghosts of Lemoyne Raiders please stop yelling profanities…

Got robbed for $700 in Saint Denis cause I followed a guy down an alley (I figured he would rob me so I took out my knife. No chance to use it as someone hit me from behind.) Woke up in the cemetery, ran back, they're gone. 

Good thing I just fuckin saved. HAHA GOT EM! Oh if I see that guy again I'm just gonna shoot him on the spot wanted level be damned, that was $700.

-

Well… time to get cleaned up for Mary's mission because Arthur 100% would get cleaned up for her… shave, haircut, new clothes, bath at the saloon, sleep til noon. Ready to feel that heartbreak ..

"You could've cleaned yourself up a bit"

GIRL. DO YOU NOT SEE THE EFFORT I PUT INTO THIS?! I’M WEARING NORMAL SHOES! I GOT STUFF IN MY HAIR! I SHAVED!!

...Is it the hat? Is it cause I kept Arthur’s usual hat? I mean... he's average weight… He’s CLEAN.. There's no pleasing this woman…

"Theater? Me?" Bruh… we've been there over 10 times now, don't act like we haven't.

Oh as much as I hate the woman I love how happy she makes him look…

Idk if the same shows play for the date every time. Well it's a new speech by Al so I'm assuming yes. Yeah Robin is singing a new song so yeah. FIRE LADY (THIS is where her third act is damn it! I knew it happened at some point) Maybe now I'll be able to do that mystery thing now since I’ve seen every act at least once

The look on his face T-T I can’t...

(Gif made by me)

Alright I’m getting all optional stuff done that I can first, met Charles twice… am I allowed to show Female Presenting Nipple if it’s art? I’ll probably get flagged… oh well, we’ll see when we see. I met with Professor Andrew Bell the 3rd and as much as I don’t really like his mission I’m doing it cause I gotta do everything. Since I had to go to Rhodes for the first part of his mission I ran into Mr. Black and Mr. White (love those two), so I got their first mission done. I was waiting until day for Brother Dorkins (I never realized Rev. Swanson tells you about him...)

JFC I swear my horse doesn’t come unless it can fucking see me…that and it gives up after two seconds.

358 photos onto the flashdrive O_O

Brother Dorkins my guy!

DAMN IT EDITH!

DAMN IT HORSE I swear naming her Ruin was SO fitting… like even Arthur is saying “Damn that horse” “Every time” and she IS within whistling range… She went five feet as I’m running halfway across town to her…

Uh… Never in all my time of playing this game and running around Saint Denis have I seen Lemoyne Raiders SET THE BACK OF THE CITY HALL ON FIRE

Ah time to go see Charles but I wanna change clothes so to the stor- FUCKING PICKPOCKETS “just a bit of cash, that’s it!” BRUH THAT WAS $130. That ain’t A BIT. Want me to punch you A BIT?! (nah I didn’t, I lassoed him and got it back.)

I got Arthur a new shirt and he looked so happy Q-Q (also I really like this outfit I put together, I usually don’t make him wear blue…)

(Gif made by me)

Lookie~

Alrighty ready to laugh!

WHY DID I NEVER SEE ALBERT’S PHOTOS HERE BEFORE?!?!??!?!

I DIDN’T KNOW THEY WERE HERE!!!! THERE’S A PHOTO OF ARTHUR!!!!!! (it’s not anything he ever wore and I’ve never let his beard get that long but- IT’S HIM)

Well… definitely going to make a separate post for Charles’ Art which WILL get flagged but it’s art soooooo, I’ll probably get it back up at some point.

The pure JOY this mission brings Arthur...

(Gif made by me)

[fedeipox]

The Way of Time (Rdr2 fanfic) - Chapter 4 (3/3)

Alright, this is one of my favorite parts. I love Charles with all myself and even if this story is Arthur-centered I couldn’t leave my baby aside.<3

Part 1 here: https://fedeipox.tumblr.com/post/637601250039496704/the-way-of-time-rdr2-fanfic-chapter-4-13

Part 2 here: https://fedeipox.tumblr.com/post/637872924264693760/the-way-of-time-rdr2-fanfic-chapter-4-23

Chapter 4 (3/3) - Fears

Words: 3k

As they walked silently one next to the other out of camp and down the hill, Emily with a bucket in her hand and Charles with a stick on his shoulders and two buckets at its ends, he couldn’t not notice the girl’s smile, her light pace, and her childish way to make the bucket swing in her hand. She seemed younger that her actual age and definitely too happy for the situation she was in: if what she had said was true, and she had just lost everything, how could she smile in that way?

“Why are you smiling?” he asked intrigued. “It’s a beautiful day” she stated pointing at the sky, “I have new clothes” she added looking at herself, “and I’m going to take some water at the river. I feel like in a movie.” Then, she turned to look at him right in the eye.

“You should smile more often, you know. It will make you feel better, and I guess you have a great smile” she said.

Charles frowned. There was definitely something wrong with her.

“Why would you say that?”

“I don’t know, you look like someone with a good smile.”

Charles shook his head and the girl giggled.

Then, silence fell and for a moment Charles hoped they would have continued their little trip quietly, but he soon found out she wasn’t a quiet one.

“Why are you with them?” she asked.

“You mean Dutch?”

“Yeah, you seem… I mean, you look like a good man, you all do actually, and I still can’t believe you are criminals. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“I know we still don’t know each other, but you haven’t done anything illegal until now. You don’t look… you don’t look like criminals.” “How do criminals look like?”

She took a little before answering, like she had to think about it.

“M-mean and…dangerous.”

Charles smiled and shook his head again. She didn’t know what she was talking about, she didn’t know them, she had no idea of what they had done.

“Aah… see? I knew you had a good smile” she exclaimed moving in front of him and pointing her finger at his face, walking backwards. 

“How old are you?” she asked returning to her place.

“Twenty six.” “And you said you left your father’s house when you were thirteen. This means you’ve been on your own for…”

Charles looked at her as she counted the years on her fingers.

“Exactly thirteen years. What a coincidence. What have you being doing all this time?”

“Surviving.”

“I mean you were just a kid. How did you eat? Where did you sleep?”

“I learned fast how to hunt and built me a tent.”

“And no-one ever asked you what you were doing around all alone?”

“No-one cared.”

Silence fell again. Charles looked at her and this time he saw she had a troubled expression. For some minutes, none of them said anything, and he thought that maybe that was the end of the conversation.

“Thank you for that deer this morning. How did you kill it, by the way?”

He sighed as he understood that she would have never stopped talking. 

“Bow and arrows.”

“Really? Gosh, you’re truly a real Native. Serious and quiet, great hunter, I bet you’re very good with horses too.”

“If you say so.”

Emily giggled again.

“What about Arthur, what is he good at?” she asked then.

Charles studied carefully her profile. She liked him, he could perfectly tell. So what was he going to say? That Arthur was a good outlaw? That he was good at threatening, killing and stealing? Because that was the truth, even though he knew Arthur was a better man than he seemed.

“He’s a good hunter, too.”

That was a lie, Arthur was a decent hunter.

“And a good rider.”

That was the truth.

“And he is a hard worker.”

“Mary-Beth told me he has a journal where he makes some drawings. Do you think he’s a good drawer?”

“Probably.” It seemed that she had run out of questions because she didn’t ask anything else until they reached the river. As Charles took away his boots and folded his trousers to dip into the water, she looked around with that surprised smile on her face like she had never seen a stream, and she probably never did, and just from time to time she would whisper an amazed “wow”. 

She passed him the buckets, one by one, which he filled and gave back to her. They finished soon, he wore his boots again and they left.

“How much time do you think we’re going to spend here?” 

She had started again with the questions, but Charles didn’t want to hurt her feelings telling her to shut up, so he just collected all his patience and answered.

“I don’t know, the time they’ll need to find some money.”

“I like this place, it has a beautiful view. My dad would have loved it, but my mom not so much. She is a city lover and my dad… he decided to live in Saint Denis just for her. His dream was a hut lost in the middle of nowhere and he always tells me that, when he first suggested her to leave the city to find a place like that, she felt so bad that she fainted. She says she owns her white hair to that day.”

Emily let out a laugh so pure, that Charles couldn’t help but smile in turn. Then, her expression changed and just like the day before, her eyes lost the light. She had turned sad again and suddenly Charles felt the need to say something, but he had no idea of what to say. He wasn’t Hosea, he wasn’t good with words. 

When they came back with the water, Tilly immediately noticed something had changed. Emily wasn’t the same, she had an odd look, dark and cloudy. She thanked Charles for his help and then brought one of the buckets to the basin to fill it. Miss Grimshaw came closer with a pile of clothes and told the new girl to wash them. She meekly nodded, taking them from her arms and then turned to look at Tilly.

“How do you wash clothes?” she asked.

Yes, there was definitely something wrong, Tilly could understand it through her voice, and she was oddly worried. She barely knew that girl, she hadn’t given a damn about her until that moment, but now she was suddenly worried. Had Charles done something to her? No, Tilly knew Charles. He was a good man, he wouldn’t do something like that. So what?

“Here, gimme these” she said and took the clothes from her arms.

She put them beside the basin and one by one she showed her how she had to do it. Then, she gave way to her and watched her as she did the work.

“Good, you can do it on your own” she said and did as to stand up, but then she looked at her face and changed her mind.

“What happened at the river? Why you look so sad?” she asked.

“Oh, no, nothing happened. I just… I was thinking about my parents and…”

She shook her head and then gave her a big sad smile.

“I’m fine, thank you for asking” she said as she started to rub the clothes.

...

That time there was no Hosea that could make her feel better and she had to fight with the unhappy thoughts on her own. Tilly had been very kind to her, showing her what to do and asking her what was wrong before she left. 

Washing clothes didn’t help, it reminded her of her home, even though back then she used a washing machine. Probably telling Tilly about the washing machine would have been fun, look at her face as she explained how they had invented something that cleaned the clothes on its own, but she didn’t feel in the mood for conversation, not anymore.

The day passed fast. Help Miss Grimshaw was an adventure: that woman was never happy about anything, if they didn’t do it, she got angry, if they did it but not the way she wanted, she got angry, if they did it all over again, following scrupulously her indications, they were losing too much time and she got angry. 

Emily didn’t complain and with a “yes, Miss Grimshaw” or a “ okay, Miss Grimshaw” did everything she wanted under her careful eyes. She wasn’t lying when she had said she would have punished her for what she had done, the hard work was the proof of it, and accept the punishment without saying a word was the best thing to do.

When the sunset arrived and she finally let her free, Emily reached the campfire and sat on the log to rest her legs. 

“Hi guys” she said to Javier and Micah.

The former had a guitar on his lap and he was fixing it’s cords or something like that, the latter was just seated there looking at the people who from time to time walked in front of him.

“Well, look at you, with your fine new clothes. It seems your getting used to live in 1899” said Micah, but by the tone he was using Emily understood he didn’t really believe she came from the future, it was just a way to mock her.

She didn’t want to be the victim of that prick again and she wanted to answer him something, maybe use a good comeback, a smart one, that could shut his mouth forever. But Emily was no such girl, she didn’t have the wit for comebacks and insults, so she opted for something in her range: ignore him.

During the day she had recovered a little of her usual good humor, and she felt again in the mood for talking and asking questions, and she didn’t waste any time.

“Can you play?” she asked to Javier nodding towards his guitar.

“Ah-ah.”

“Who thought you?”

“No-one. I learned on my own.”

“Cool. Can you also sing?”

“Yes, I can.”

“Well then, I can’t wait to hear something. Do you sing in English or Spanish?”

“Do you ever stop talking?”

Emily looked at Micah as he said those words, feeling like someone had punched her in the stomach. 

“After two days you’re still an asshole” she said to his face, but she could feel her words were insecure and her lips where trembling. She was hurt.

“You expected me to change?”

Emily quickly looked away. Why he had to be like that? Why she was going along with him?

“I’ll take something to eat” she said and stood up.

“Why don’t you bring me something too?” asked Micah.

“Why should I?” she complained crossing her arms on her chest.

She felt insulted and mistreated by that man and she summoned all her strength not to run away and hide in a corner. That little good humor she had recovered got lost again and that day was about to become one of those she just wanted to forget. 

“Oh, I didn’t know you were such a touchy type” he sneered.

“I’m not touchy, I just don’t understand why you have to treat me like garbage. What have I done to you?”

“Hey, calm down girl. I was just observing that you are quite a chatterbox. I enjoy the silence.”

“Well you could say it in a kinder way.”

“Okay then, I’ll remember that. Now, would you bring me something to eat, please?” 

Emily fixed her eyes in his. Was he playing with her? Probably. Was she happy to be treated like an idiot? Absolutely not. But at the same time she wanted to be better than him, she wanted to show him that politeness and goodness are the right means to reach a purpose, and maybe in the end she could have changed his way of doing things.

She reached the pot, filled two plates, took two spoons and came back.

“See, with kindness you can obtain everything” she said as she handed the plate to Micah.

At first he frowned at her, like he didn’t believe she had actually done it, but eventually he took the plate and smiled, a true smile, not one of his usual smirks, or at least that’s what Emily wanted to believe.

“Do you want some too, Javier?” she asked to the other man.

“No, thank you” he said as he kept moving his eyes from her to Micah just like he had seen a ghost. “I prefer to eat later” he added.

Emily shrugged and reached the log to sit again and eat.

“So, how is life in the future?” asked Micah leaning forward on his chair. “I mean, is it much different than now?”

He seemed to have lost all that mocking tone he had used with her before and Emily thought it was due to her act of kindness, but she didn’t know Micah and his way to play with those he considered weak. 

“Quite a lot” she said with a piece of potato in her mouth.

“Here is everything so… calm and slow. It takes you a lot to do everything. I’ve just spent two hours washing a bunch of clothes. In my time I need thirty minutes.”

She took another bite before carrying on. Pearson had maintained his promise, the stew was really better that night.

“We live faster, always running, always with something to do, a place to go, someone to meet.”

“It sounds awful” said Javier.

“Actually, it’s not. We’re used to it. And do a lot of things makes you believe you’re doing something with your life, that you’re not wasting time.”

“That is something really wise to say, my dear” said Hosea approaching them and sitting on the log right next to Emily. 

“Is it?” she asked as a smile widened on her lips.

“Trust me, you’re speaking with the wisest man in camp” he joked.

“I’ve missed your wisdom today. I’ve thought about my parents again.”

Hosea nodded and moved on the log to look better at her.

“There is something I can do?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“No, no-one can do anything.” “Think… think about the fact that they are fine. They are home, healthy…”

“They’d be super worried about me right now.”

“But they are fine. That’s what matters.”

Emily nodded and gave him a tiny smile, but she was already feeling better. Following her instinct she leaned forward and put an arm around his neck, holding him tight until she felt one of his shy hands stroking her back. 

“So, you’re telling me that you believe her, old man?” asked Micah and Emily immediately let Hosea go.

She fixed her eyes in his and it gave her the impression he was deeply thinking about his answer.

“Yes, yes I do” he said in the end. 

...

Micah scoffed and shook his head: if that was Hosea’s wisdom it wasn’t much. Then, he took out his gun to polish it, but he had no time to take a rug that he heard a laud gasp and looking up he saw the girl had stood up.

“No, please put that away” she whimpered with her eyes fixed on the pistol.

Micah smirked watching carefully at that pretty face and wondering if she was really such an idiot. She had to be, she had brought him the stew.

“Hey, don’t freak out, girl. I’m just cleaning it” he said.

“No, no put that away. I don’t like it.”

She moved as to go away, but Hosea stopped her.

“Miss Emily, sit, sit down again, please” he said with a soothing voice.

She didn’t move her eyes from Micah’s gun which he started polishing without giving a damn about her stupid fears.

“You afraid of guns?” asked Javier.

The more he saw the more he couldn’t believe how strange that girl was. First, she had brought some stew to Micah, just because he had pretended to speak politely. Second, she talked about her “previous life” and her parents like she really believed in what she was saying, and she had also convinced Hosea about her follies. And finally, she was panicking because Micah took out his gun to clean it, like she didn’t know they were criminals, which meant they did far worse things with guns than polishing them.

“Listen, you know what we are” said Hosea as she sat again.

“Yes.”

“You know what we do.”

“I-I imagine.”

“There is no need for you to be scared of us.”

“I’m not scared of you, I don’t like firearms. They are dangerous. Too dangerous.”

“As you can see we all have one. Some of us two. If you freak out every time we polish one, you’ll run away by the end of the week.”

“Maybe she can try to hold one” suggested Javier. He had learned that facing his own fears helped to overcome them.

“Do you feel like doing it?” asked Hosea.

She looked at them with her big eyes which seemed even bigger under the light of the fire.

“I-I don’t know” she answered in the end.

“Here, look” said Hosea.

He wanted to help her. If she was afraid of guns she was vulnerable, especially in a place where everybody was used to point one to your face for no real reason. He took out his pistol and showed her.

“It’s unloaded, so there’s nothing to worry about” he reassured her.

She kept staring at it, but did nothing, so he reached out a hand and took her plate, pushing the gun in her hands instead. 

“Oh… it’s heavy” she whispered.

Then, with a little trembling hand she brushed a finger on the engraved steel and hinted a smile.

“Did you choose the engravings?” she asked.

“Ah-ah” he affirmed.

“W-well, i-it’s nice. Can you take it back?” she asked and handed it over like she was holding a hand grenade. 

Hosea chuckled and gave her the plate back.

“Maybe one day you’ll learn how to use one” he said.

“Never.”

[ourloveisforthelovely]

Second Chance 3

Harry Potter AU 

Pairings: Sirius Black x Reader 

Link to Chapter 2 

Rating- M- minor smut

______

3:00 am…

Sirius’ eyes snapped open. He sat up looking around the bedroom with a frown.

Another stupid nightmare…

He had been dreaming nightly about being thrown back into prison. This time there would be no escape and there would never be a way to see Matilda and yourself again.

“Damn it.”

He muttered before rubbing two hands over his face. Sirius was relieved to wake up in your bedroom. Relieved was putting things lightly. It was more like fucking ecstatic!

Sirius reached over to the bedside table in search of a fifth of whiskey. Taking a drink, the edge started to wear off quickly.

What he didn’t know was you were awake seeing the whole thing. Sirius had been back home a few weeks. As much as you wanted to admit that things were perfect but there weren’t. To admit you weren’t worried would be a lie. You saw how much alcohol he drank every day and how when making love his hands grabbed at you too tightly almost like an inexperienced teenager. The only time Sirius seemed to come alive was in bed.

You knew that things would be different. It has been 13 years and Sirius has been in prison. He isn’t going to come back 100% the moment that he came back.

Sirius had changed since prison. You didn’t see him smile as much. He was hard almost to the point of cold at points. The vacant expression in Sirius’ eyes made your heartache. You missed his happy carefree attitude. You would have been happy to have him teasing you again. In a million years, you never thought that you would miss the days when he would sit behind you in class and pull your hair.

The little voice in your head told you to be happy because you had him back so that should be enough.

“Nightmares again?”

You asked, softly. Sirius didn’t look down at you. His attention was focused on the bedroom door; not blinking.

“They haven’t stopped. Now that we are going back to my mother's house tomorrow night, God only knows how long...it's getting worse.”

You sat up enough to lay your head on his shoulder.

“Everything will be okay. It might now be today or tomorrow but it will be eventually.”

Sirius rolled his eyes. He took care to make sure that you didn’t see him. The last thing that he wanted was for you to be mad at him.

“Everything will be okay when you know who gets his ass handed to him.”

You didn’t move from your place on Sirius’ shoulder. The lover in you wanted nothing more than to pour all of the whiskey in the house down the drain but the sensible side said Sirius would be fighting mad. Sirius had always drank but now you were worrying about it getting out of control.

The two of you sat in silence for a moment before you smirked and climbed on his lap. Sirius’ poor mood quickly changed and a ghost of the man that you loved flashed across his face.

“What are you up to?”

You reached up and slowly pushed the straps of your black lace nightie down. A smile began to play around Sirius’ mouth.

“Getting you occupied with something else. Your daughter is coming home later today and we are going to have to behave like civilized people.”

The two of you had been having sex on almost any flat surface in the whole house. If the mood set either of you right; whatever surface was available was where it was going down.

“She has to go to sleep sometime and silencing charms go a long way. Just ask your brother.”

Sirius said with a smirk. You knew exactly what he was talking about. The two of you had made love plenty of times with Remus in the room beside the two of you not making a peep (or so Remus thought).

“I don’t really want to think about my brother when I am trying to get laid. That’s like me bringing up Regulus when trying to give you a blowjob.”

Sirius’ amused expression fell as he looked down at his lap. The last thing that he really wanted to think about was his brother especially at a time like this.

“And there went my erection.”

You took Sirius’ right hand and placed it on your breast before leaning forward for a few teasing kisses. Sirius’ grey eyes were watching every move you made with intensity. You kissed him one more time before leaning over to rummage through the bedside table.

Sirius quickly wrapped an arm around your waist to prevent you from getting too far from him. He wasn’t ready to admit it but he had a feeling that if you got too far from him you would vanish forever or he would wake up in prison again. That had happened too many times. Only having his dreams for company was not enough.

“What are you doing?”

You sat back up with a smile.

“Let me see your left hand.”

Sirius slowly held his hand out as you slid his wedding ring back on his finger. He moved his hand forgetting exactly what his hand looked like with it on. The one nice quality that Barty Crouch had was to give you the wedding ring back.

“I was wondering if that shit head Barty Crouch actually gave you this. I didn’t believe him.”

You didn’t even like hearing Barty Crouch’s name. From the time that he threw Sirius into prison without a fair trial, all respect that you had for the man went down the drain.

“Fuck him.”

Sirius said, coldly before taking your left hand in his. He smiled and stroked his index finger over your engagement ring.

“Remember the night that I asked you to marry me? As I remember we were on my floor and you were wearing only this.”

Sirius leaned forward and wrapped his mouth around your left breast. Your head fell back and rocked your hips into Sirius’.

“And just like that, your erection is back.”

Half an hour later, you lay snuggled against Sirius’ chest. His long fingers stroked through your sandy hair.

“Feel better now?”

You asked, softly and was relieved when Sirius chuckled.

“Much better now. I have to ask. I am sure that there are going to be things about Matilda that you shield me from and I want to thank you in advance but please tell me that there are no little boys coming around here?”

You giggled at the expression on Sirius’ face.

“No.”

Sirius sighed before reaching for the cigarettes on the bedside table.

“Good. I don’t think that I can mentally process that right now. Oh, Merlin, we were only a year and a half older than her when we started sleeping together.”

You winced realizing that Sirius was right. The two of you were doing things that neither of you should have been doing way too early.

“First, off you were having sex a long time before me. Second, lucky for you, daddy, Tilly doesn’t seem interested in boys. She is too busy being brutally honest and spreading joy. Don’t worry, I have already had the talk with her. I told her all about the fact that she can’t get pregnant by jumping up and down afterward.”

Sirius scowled down at you.

“That’s what you got for believing me. I was a horny teenage boy that had one thing in mind. Luckily, I learned a thing or two about contraceptive charms by the time you finally agreed to sleep with me. I never had to work so hard to get a woman in my life. I liked spreading joy too...just between your legs. You were this cute little innocent girl that just happened to be my best friend’s sister. I had to be desperate to fall in love with you to test Remus right after a full moon.”

You propped your head upon your arm.

“If you were perfect with contraceptive charms and your pull out game was better we wouldn't have a child.”

Sirius smiled before inhaling.

“Love, you know that I am like a bottle rocket once I get inside of you.”

This conversation made you think of old times. You snuggled back down against Sirius’ body with a yawn.

“Better to sleep stud. 8 am comes early.”

Later that morning, Sirius was a bit annoyed when you wouldn't let him go with you to pick up Matilda. After giving him the “do you really want to go back to prison and never see us again” speech. He changed his tune.

When you walked back into the house looking annoyed, Sirius frowned. He knew that face well. That was usually the face that you made when he did something stupid.

“What?”

You rolled your eyes.

“I want you to have a good look at your daughter.”

You stepped aside to reveal Matilda whose left hand was wrapped and had a small bruise on her cheek. Remus had stepped in with Harry and looked equally annoyed. Matilda shrugged.

“Hi, dad.”

“What happened?”

Matilda shrugged. Between her mother’s annoyed expression and her father looking confused; the kid decided to go with blissfully dismissive.

“You should see the other guy.”

Sirius sat down the teacup that he was holding. He stepped forward slowly lifting the girl onto the counter to look at the bruise carefully. Sirius smiled looking at her face. She really did look like him. He didn’t want to admit it but some of her expressions were so much like her grandmother that it was almost scary.

“What other guy?”

“Malfoy. He ran his mouth so I punched him. He tried to hex me and he ended up getting his face smashed in. He puked. In my defense, he has had it coming all year.”

Sirius had to bite back a laugh. That was an answer he would have given if he ever heard one.

“The Malfoys have punchable faces.”

“Sirius!”

Remus and yourself said at the same time. Both Matilda and Harry were smiling. For once, someone had said something right about the Malfoys. Sirius, meanwhile, shrugged.

“I didn’t tell her to go punch the kid and I am also not saying that I did or did not hold Lucius Malfoy’s head under the black lake or cut his hair.”

“Brilliant.”

Harry said with a smirk. Sirius glanced at the displeased expression on your face.

“I also suffered from asshole disease. Matilda, no more fighting.”

Matilda sighed and gave a quiet okay. Sirius had to shake his head and walk off. Merlin, Matilda reminded him of you. You were always that little girl that was always ready to defend your older brother. Defend, take down, beat the ever-living crap out of someone...whatever it took for someone to figure out that Remus Lupin had a bodyguard.

Sirius’ attention went back to Remus, who was still standing at the door. The expression on his face was dark.

“So what happened to you?”

Sirius’ attention had shifted to Matilda who hopped off the counter and walked off muttering under her breath. Remus sighed.

“I kind of lost my job.”

“Because of your furry little problem?”

Sirius questioned. Remus didn’t really want to talk about it but Sirius needed to know. He had a hard enough time telling Harry. Telling Matilda was almost heartbreaking. Remus had a soft spot for his niece and seeing her angry tears made the whole situation worse.

“Yes. Snape let it slip about my condition and you know people won’t want someone like me teaching their children.”

Sirius rolled his eyes. His hatred of Snape increased some more.

“And that’s what has Matilda upset.”

You came in. The three of you exchanged cold glares. There was a silent agreement going on that Severus Snape was still the biggest twat known to man.

“I’ll go talk to her.”

Sirius said before turning and going in the direction that Matilda had gone in. She sat at the kitchen table; scowling at the wood.

“What’s bothering you, sweetheart?”

Matilda looked up.

“Professor Snape is a slime ball.”

Matilda was relieved when her dad chuckled. She had half expected him to have the same attitude that you did.

“Yeah, well, he’s been that way since he was a kid. There’s no hope in him changing.”

Matilda smiled.

“At least you get it. The man hates Harry and I...more like loathes instead of hates. He calls us arrogant.”

Sirius rolled his eyes and made a mental note to yell at Snape the next time the man was around him.

“Sorry, sugar. That is probably partially mine and James’ fault. We weren’t very nice to him. Tell you what, if he gives the two of you grief next term I’ll take care of it.”

Matilda stood up and wrapped her arms around Sirius’ waist. It took him a minute before wrapping his arms around her.

“Dad, did you talk to mom...about you know?”

Sirius glanced in the living room where you sat talking to Harry. He figured that the two of you were on good enough terms to tell Matilda the truth.

“We’re working on it. I don’t want you to worry. Like I told you before, I love your mother very much.”

(6 hours later)

You stood outside of Grimmauld Place looking coldly at the home. It had been a long time since you had been here. Deep down you were hoping to never be back here again...now here you were. You glanced up at Sirius. He stood with his hood up concealing what he could of his face. You didn’t have to look at him to know that he was furious. This was the last place that Sirius ever wanted to go to and now he was about to be trapped here. He was in a hell of a mood and felt bad for anyone that had to deal with him.

Your hand tightened around his as you kept an eye out for any nosy muggles. Molly and Arthur were already there so at least the place wouldn't be a total disaster. You already knew that Kreacher sure as hell wasn’t doing anything except muttering about how badly he missed Walburga and Regulus.

This damned place didn’t burn down.

Sirius thought coldly. Sure, being here would keep his family safe and the order would be able to resume, however, that didn’t mean that he had to be thrilled about it. His hatred of his mother had intensified now that he knew exactly how Matilda’s birth happened. There was no excuse in Walburga putting you through the hell that she caused.

As for Matilda, Sirius knew exactly why his mother and brother were so nice to her. They were hoping for some kind of heir that was actually worthy of the Black family name. Sirius internally laughed coldly at the wish of his mother being alive to know that Matilda was sorted into Gryffindor. The crazy old bat would probably drop dead of a heart attack or roll over in her grave. Sirius would have been fine with either personally.

Matilda’s hand wrapping around his wrist pulled Sirius from his thoughts. The poor thing didn’t look the least bit excited to be here either.

��Alright, darling?”

Matilda nodded, not about to admit that she didn’t want to go in.

“Yeah, If grandmama's picture starts screaming I’ll tell her to hush. She listens to me.”

You were relieved when Sirius laughed.

“That’s a first. The horrible old hag listening to someone. “

Stepping inside, you didn’t have to look at Sirius to know that he was fuming. You took off your robe as Nymphadora Tonks came running into the room. She was wrapped around you like a giant cat knocking Sirius’ hand loose from yours.

“Y/n! I have missed your face for the past two days that we haven’t worked together.”

She leaned down.

“Did you bring that good looking brother of yours?”

You grinned as Sirius ran a hand through his hair while rolling his eyes. The last thing that he wanted to know was Tonks’ interest in his best friend. You, meanwhile, smirked.

“He’ll be in shortly. Go flirt with him like you flirt with me.”

Tonks gave you a big grin as Remus stepped into the house and quietly closed the door behind him.

“There you go, have at him.”

Sirius said with a smile as Tonks made her way over to Remus but tripped over something with a loud crash. Remus quickly picked her up as Walburga Black’s portrait started screaming shrilly. Sirius automatically winced hearing her voice. All of the stresses from his childhood came flooding back as Matilda backed up against him.

“It's okay.” Sirius followed you into the other room where the portrait hung. Both of you froze watching the woman practically jump up and down in fury. Her rage intensified seeing her oldest son.

“YOU!! BLOOD TRAITOR! SHAME OF OUR FAMILY! HOW DARE YOU COME BACK IN THIS HOUSE!”

You wrapped your arms around Sirius’ waist as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“That’s obnoxious.”

Sirius said as Matilda pushed past her father. Walburga stopped mid-sentence and mid-hop to look at her granddaughter with an awestruck gaze.

“Precious! Such a good girl, you are!”

Sirius glanced over at you rolling his eyes.

“Hey, mum. She isn’t in Slytherin.”

Walburga froze before starting screeching about blood traitors again as she noticed everyone else in the room. You rolled your eyes before helping Arthur Weasly close the curtain over the portrait.

“Matilda, what don’t you and Harry go find Ron and Hermione.”

When the two were out of the room, you turned your attention back to Sirius who was scowling at the painting.

“Love, it isn’t healthy to be fussing with a painting.”

Sirius’ eyes were cold as they fell down to you. You wanted to sigh loudly. Sirius had gone back into that hard shell that he had made for himself.

“Apparently a lot of the things that I do aren’t healthy.”

He said before turning to walk out of the room and tugged Remus out with him. Tonks who was in the middle of flirting with Remus was clearly a tad annoyed. She came over to you with a frown.

“What’s got his knickers in a twist?”

You shook your head.

“Anything that moves the wrong way at the moment.”

You gave Sirius a good twenty minutes before going to find him. Sirius sat in the living room staring coldly at the fire. You reached out stroking your fingers through his hair. When Sirius didn’t pull away, you knew that he wasn’t mad at you. You missed his hair being longer but the shorter hair was definitely growing on you.

“Still mad?”

Sirius took your hand and started kissing it gently. His five o’clock shadow was rough against your skin as he nuzzled his face against your wrist.

“No.”

You were quiet for a moment before getting brave enough to speak.

“What do you want, Sirius? You’re on edge all the time.”

Sirius frowned before rolling his eyes up to your face. He felt guilty knowing that he was putting you through hell that you didn’t deserve.

“You know what I want? Peter Pettigrew’s head on a silver plate...extra bloody.”

You took another breath.

“That’s a delightful topic to talk about over dinner.”

Sirius dropped your hand for a moment before quickly taking it back. He didn’t want to let you go for a second.

“You asked.”

He stated. You wanted to hold back some snarky comments but maybe Sirius needed to hear it. Maybe he needed to hear that you were on his side.

“Don’t worry. We are going to get him then I’ll haul his useless ass off to Azkaban. I plan on getting a few punches in along the way.”

Sirius started laughing. You were relieved to see that his tune had changed.

“And you wonder why Matilda smacks Malfoy around?”

“Very funny, smartass.”

You said as Sirius reached out and pulled you onto his lap. A few kisses turned almost desperate before he pulled away to nuzzle your nose. What the two of you didn’t notice was Matilda standing in the doorway. She had heard everything about Sirius wanting Peter Pettigrew’s head on a silver platter...

__________

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