#i mean she will but i want her to bite the dust NOW why do we have to waitttt

[andi-o-geyser]

I would hunt her for fucking sport if i could

[yandere-wishes]

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆Doc-Ringo⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

✮ Yandere! Boothill x Reader

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Plot: There's a slick black-clad little gal who's been messing with his bounties recently. Boothill's been dying to rustle her up and take a bite

⁀➷ Warnings: Yandere behavior, blood, and gore, war trauma, Genie trying to do a cowboy accent.

⁺₊𝄞₊⁺: Crimson and Clover by Joan Jett

And I don't hardly know her,

But I think I can love her,

Ah, now when she comes walking over,

I've been waiting to show her,

My mind's such a sweet thing

I want to do everything

What a beautiful feeling

It's not like the movies, they fed us on little white lies.

~💜

The first time he sees you there's a tempest of bullets rattling off his chest. Metal singing metal, as shells vie for an opening. It's all very lethal,

like the center of a rabid dust storm. Kissing death and sucking in her poison. Boothill can't tell where the bullets are coming from only that there's a dozen at a time ringing over his head. He shields his face with the metal of his forearms peaking through the gap to catch a glimpse of black.

Pure black.

That's the first thing he notices as your frenzy yields, You're clad in black from head to toe, even going so far as to dawn an eerie familiar mask. He's seen this scene play out somewhere before, he just can't remember where. "Morning mister", he likes that voice, jejune and teeming with confidence. It reminds him of himself, back when the sunset used to mean something and he could still feel wheat stocks under his soft palms.

"Howdy lil'lady I reckon you're in my way. Mind stepping aside before you get yourself hurt?" Your answer comes in the form of an aimed pistol, spine straight, midnight serape caught on the wind. He thinks you look a little too much like the folks back home -back when there was a home- blood boiling over eager for a fight. His bounty is standing just over yonder, blocked partly by your stubborn shadow. Boothill doesn't think twice before firing two rounds.

He's met with four...

He's in a cheap motel on Penacony, screwing in bolts that came loose. In the end, you laid claim to his bounty. Dragging him away to the hills. He's left growling at the thought, bested by a muddle-fudging fox. Lil gal probably ain't never even been in a proper shoot-out. The screwdriver cracks under his metal fingers. Boothill ain't about to start letting some pretty little thing get in the way of him and his targets.

The TV screen flickers to a melancholy monochrome. The films are old, distorted, crippled in parts. But he keeps them around, much like everything else about him, it's a bygone thing refusing to die.

He still likes to play them from time to time, trying to elicit the tastes of home. Hearing Nick and Graey setting plates out for dinner as his siblings rush downstairs. The movies are older than the new universe in more ways than one.

They come from a simpler time.

He'd always wondered why someone would bother painting such precious things in black and white. Spilling melancholia into picture frames, leaving everything tasting of vodka and vanilla.

It doesn't matter though, not really. All that matters is the sound of hooves on sand and bullets shooting. So long as the cowboys live their stories, everything else can be forgiven.

But this time something's off. The bandit's black mask shines through, gleaming something awful making him grind his sharp teeth. That damn mask, sitting pretty over a sly smirk. it reminds him of you, little cutie with your slick attitude. What bandit goes around doing hero's work anyway? What kinda twisted little lady are you?

He's getting mighty sick of this. Do you think you own the universe or something? "Been seeing way too much of you lately." There's sand in his Synesthesia Beacon his voice coming out horse, brittle. He kicks the head of an IPC lackey trying to drive home a point. "You getting on my nerves cutie". The ground looks nothing short of a graveyard, bodies scattered some piled. The blood paints the sands in a deep maroon, reflecting the glint of the distant stars. The last soldier is cowering behind you, his whimpers singing in Boothill's ears, one more bullet, that's all it'll take. "This one's mine" you mutter, and he wonders for a moment if the dry weather is getting to you too. "Not a chance pumpkin" his gun's drawn, firing bullets before you can even feel for your holster. The smirking bullet impales your abdomen, aimed point blank at the officer's head. But before the last body can be claimed you kick the man out of the way.

"Damn it" Boothill's anger is tangible, he knows you can feel it between your teeth. He's going to kill you, tear off that star-saken mask, and riddle you with bullets. You're getting too confident.

He doesn't notice your bullets at first. Protostars trying to act all rough and mighty. There's a temporary cluster of dust, a fraction of a second where his eyes aren't pinning you down. That's all it takes and then you're off. Sinking into the darkness and swimming away, taking his target with you.

It's only after the initial anger wears off that Boothill notices a tear on his thigh. A letter scrawled on the frayed leather of his pants. So you've started leaving your own marks, ay cutie?

He almost wishes he could feel the sting of your blade on his flesh. Feel your nails scrapping along his shoulders as he pins you to the ground.

Boothill fires at the moon.

Next time.

Next time for sure....

He's been chasing you for some time now. But catching up with you isn't as easy as he first thought. Seems like you go wherever the wind takes you and he's too busy with revenge to be following your capricious whims. The IPC ain't going to kill itself you know. And Boothill damn well wishes you'd start sitting still. He's heard from a reliable source that the IPC soldiers are throwing a little get to together down in one of the bars. Just a happy birthday for a colleague, nothing fancy. The thought alone makes his mouth water, place will be crawling with pests just waiting to be gunned down. Maybe tomorrow he'll try looking for you again, but tonight? Tonight's his night.

The neons have dulled now, they never were terribly bright to begin with. Penacony may be the land of dreams but not even dreams can stop reality from seeping through. The bar's loud, some new pop singer's music blasting from every speaker. Boothill downs his drink, liking how the ice cubes chime like a bad omen. He shoots the speakers first, needing some peace to focus on what comes next. The peace corp's lackeys are drunk, they stumble over themselves trying to reach him. He shoots each one like a kid playing carnival games. It's almost too easy...

The door is stampeded over by a heard of reinforcements. Somehow even in his drunken daze one of those yella-bellied lapdogs called for help. They're swarming the place like panicked rats, pushing past tables and chairs. Firearms aimed at his head. And for the first time, in a long, long time, Boothill feels a sliver of panic run down his bionic spine.

Motherfudger...

Boothill hears the familiar tumult of bodies hitting the ground before he sees what's actually going on. He feels you before he actually sees you. You're pushed up against his back, guns drawn locked, and loaded. "Heard you needed some help" Even though you offer your usual bravado, Boothill still picks up the nervous lilt in your voice, despite everything he thinks he likes it. It almost tastes sweet. "Best get away before you get yourself hurt little fox." "And let you have all the fun? Never."

"Certe murmur pugnando" Boothill laughs, he remembers those very words coming from a buddy of his before a duel. 'At least we'll die fighting' Somethings never change, even if you've carved out every principle from your body with a rusted kitchen knife. You'll always have those pesky morals stuck inside. He hears you chuckle, wonders if you find it odd that a rowdy galaxy ranger such as himself knows a dead language.

Well, he knows a lot about the dead.

The shoot-out lasts longer than he'd have expected.

But the real surprise lies in how neither of you are dead. Boothill's half laid across the bar, looking at you from under his hat. You're making him a drink following his instruction like a good little wife, not contradiction dressed in ebony. Gunpowder withers on his tongue, the bullet smoke permeates the air mixing with the gleeful tang of spilled blood. "Your drinks sure are complicated" you mutter pushing him his cup before picking up a bottle and reading its labels. "What's so hard about it pumpkin? Little bit of white gem and gin. All's you need." He sips your drink slowly, savoring your flavor. He imagines he's gulping you down, holding you for ransom behind his teeth, feeling your delicate little fists pounding against him. "I don't drink" you mumble as you sit across from him, you look so damn elegant, like a little princess from a fairy tale he use to read to a certain someone. You drink deeply from your glass of ice and water. Boothill focuses on the gentle motion of your throat. He licks his lips, trying to push down the thought of ringing such a fragile thing between his palms.

"So little lady, s'about time you start answering some questions...The hell you doing? Running off with my targets?" You set your cup down, eyes locking on his, there's the deficiency he's missed all night. The trigger hair that's just waiting for the right push. "They're not your targets...not really. They're just people. People whose planet got muffed up. I've been trying to gather them all in one place." For a second Boothill thinks you're talking about his planet, his home, his people. But it only takes one more look at you to understand.

"So, how'd yours die?" There's shrapnel in his throat when he asks, open wounds bleeding once more, filling his throat with bitter memories.

You stiffen, and he knows he's thumbing a broken bone, letting his finger dig between the cracks and snapping their frail linings. "Don't know, wasn't there. All I ever got to see were a few limbs, nothing enough to make a full person." you squeeze the glass until your knuckles turn white.

There's vindication rooted in your veins.

He knows the feeling all too well.

"We ain't so different you and I, reckon we make a pretty good team." His metal fingers lace between your soft skin, tracing the lifelines like an old map.

There's a goldmine hidden behind your lips, he imagines he'll have to kiss you to find the little nuggets. Your lips part, eyes filled with an odd-looking sympathy. What he wouldn't give to feel your plump lips bleed between his jagged teeth. "So..." you ask as his mechanic heart skips a beat. "What about yours?"

You've been laughing for five whole minutes. Boothill shouldn't find the noise as ethereal as he does. His anger lays heavily on his bones, he should be even angrier, lounging a bullet through your thick skull. But he finds the noise a little too perfect to disturb its source. Even if it's only created at his expense. Instead, he has half a mind to slap you, hard enough to shut you u and another to kiss you so hard you forget to breathe. "Damn hell so funny, cutie"

You look at him with those luminous eyes. Filled with pain and riddles. Boothill never did like solving puzzles. He only likes tearing things into bits. He needs you spartan, easy to read and use, and kiss. Not something he needs to piece together first.

"Dear stars you have no freaking idea how ironic you are." You say between bursts of spiteful-rooted giggles.

Why do those words sound so haunting like a ghost kiss? they should open phantom pains, but they sure as hell don't. Why do you always leave his head spinning? Boothill rolls his eyes, then leans over to pull down your mask. You jerk back, rewarding him with a dark grimace. You're out the window before he can ask your name.

"See you next time, cowboy"

"Next time I'm drawing blood"

The moment's over.

Fiddlesticks..

That night, Boothill dreams of you. He's lying in a stiff musty bed. It's too dark, even the moon is scared of showing her face.

Boothill dreams of the old saloons back home. Of their cracked wooden floorboards and the worn-out plush of chairs. In the dreams, you're wearing a black lace gown, like the saloon girls used to. He finds it all too funny that even in his dreams you still haunt him in black. Only now you're smiling, really smiling. Not that sly smirk, or mirthless grin you gave him back in the bar on Penacony. No, this here is a genuine smile and he's damn sure he's the one who put it there. You reach out for his hand, he feels warmth.

His

Yours

The dream is thick and dense like swimming through molasses. In another scene he's dragging you through the old doors, laughing as bullets and card chips hit the floor. There's a horse waiting outside. His horse. At least he thinks it used to be his. He pulls you up roughly in front of him. He's high off the feeling of his fingers wrapped around the rugged reins. High off the steed he holds in a vice grip between his thighs.

He's riding faster than he's ever ridden before, clambering for the sunset trying to engulf the sun. You hold on tight, pressing your cheek to his chest. His heart is beating something fierce between his ribs. He feels like an Aeon watching the universe collapse under his galloping feet.

He feels alive.

With the sun's rays behind you, Boothill could almost mistake you for the star-dwelling angels Nick used to tell him about. There's something poetic in all of this. The cowboy standing off against the black fox.

Dare he call it cinematic?

Boothill creeps closer. Tilting his hat and watching you flash a nervous smile through his lashes. "Volo sentire te inter dentes meos" so you know that dead tongue too. "You will soon darling, that's what I'm hoping for" his reply only dwindles your smile.

He's missed the old duels. Missed staring into the eyes of the one who could kill you. It's all a matter of skill and luck. Whose faster, who the aeon will trust?

Somewhere in the distance, the tumble weeds begin to rattle.

"Now"

His bullet glides through the air, piercing through the dust and sand. Your bullet reverberates from your gun a fraction too late and ricochets past his cheek. Leaving a juicy trail of blood.

But his bullet was aimed at your chest.

And Boothill never misses...

You want vengeance he won't deny you it.

So long as you stay by his side.

He'll tuck you away somewhere safe.

Somewhere you won't be leaving him again.

Boothill cradles your body to his chest. "I promised you blood little fox, and Boothill never goes back on his word." His cheeks hurt from smiling as he lays his hat atop your head. He's Picking you up and walking into the sunset. He knows a good ol'doc who'll patch you right up. And then it's a happy life together.

Well for him anyway.

The end

Taglist: @hihellomy @salhanskkdbfkekfb @gasoline-eater @sp1cym0chi

[huskersbooze]

Part 2 of Who's in Control?

Cordial

Alastor x Reader

| Part 1 | Part 2(here!) | Part 3 |

Summary : You and Alastor are still struggling to get back on good terms, both coping, but you still can't forget what he had done. Meanwhile, things with your soul's contract is going downhill..

Pairings : Alastor x F!Reader (M!Reader here, Gn!Reader here) , Huskerdust(?)

Warnings : Valentino(he doesn't actually do anything he just sucks)

Additional Tags : Still kinda angst(sorry), cussing

Ib : Cordial by Set it Off

Word count : 1.2k

A/N : By popular request, I think I have an overall plot for this originally-to-be-oneshot? There will be more parts to come in the future <3 thank you all for being patient with me

"Hey.. ya’ wanna open the door for a sec?”

You roll off your bed and lazily walk over to open the door. Without looking, you unlock the door and let him in, turning to curl back up in bed.

“How ya’ holding up..?” Angel asks, seeing you in such a state making his heart ache. “We’re all really worried about you.”

“I’m fine, Angel.” You wrap yourself in your blankets and sit on the bed, Angel following.

“You haven’t come down in days. Charlie asked me to check on you.” He says.

“Does she know..?”

“About you and creepy face? Sorta.”

You raise an eyebrow.

“They all know something’s going on between ya’ two. They just don't know what.”

“Great.. let's keep it that way.” You try to force a smile but to no avail.

It was quiet for a moment. Awkward at first, yes, but you both started to enjoy the company.

“We're really worried about you.. ya'know? I'm worried.”

“Thanks.” You hum. “I appreciate it.”

“You gunna’ come get breakfast..? It'll be quick, I promise.”

“Is Al down there?”

“No.” He simply replied. “We don't really know what he's up to lately.”

“What d’you mean?”

“He's also been isolatin’ himself. We don't actually see him much around the Hotel.”

You stay quiet.

“What are we waiting for? Don't want the food to get cold, do we?”

Angel perks up.

“I thought ya'd never ask.”

-----

You follow Angel down to the lobby, where everyone gathered and ate their breakfast.

The others were surprised to see you, to say the least, but they decided not to interrupt.

It was nice that Angel was able to have you out of your room, they wouldn't want anything to make you go back.

“Hey, kid.” Husk whispers, handing you a plate of pancakes. “Your favourite.”

“Thanks, Husk.” You reply, giving him a genuine smile.

“Ya’ doing alright?”

You shrug. “Could be better.”

“Just glad you’re here, kid.”

“Glad to see you too.” You laugh, walking alongside Angel and Husk towards the table where everyone was having breakfast. “Good morning, guys.”

Everyone stays quiet — everyone consisting of Charlie, Vaggie and Sir Pentious only. Niffty was off dusting the halls.

“I’m fine, Charlie. Thanks for sending Angel to check on me.” You catch a glimpse of Charlie’s worried eyes glued to you, reassuring her it was okay.

“We’re glad to have you back.” She says.

Husk takes his normal seat, Angel on the right of him, leaving one open spot on the left.. not that he ate breakfast much, he usually showed up just to keep you company.. Alastor…

“How’s the breakfast, my dear?”

“It’s amazing! I don’t know why you never bother to try it.”

“I work better on an empty stomach. Plus, I’m more fond of deer.”

“Deer? You actually eat deer?” You asked, bewildered. “Like the whole thing?”

“Well, not the bones, of course not. But yes, I enjoy eating deer.”

“Aren’t you like.. a deer yourself?”

Alastor shoots you a look, and laughs whole-heartedly.

“You certainly don’t see Angel Dust befriending spiders in the hotel, do you?” He lets out another chuckle. “You are such a charmer. Besides, venison tastes exquisite.”

“I’ll try it sometime.” You shrug, taking another bite of your pancakes. “When do you eat this.. deer meal of yours?”

“Oh, all the time. In fact, I’ll be on my way to have it for breakfast later.”

“What’s stopping you from going now?” You tilt your head, licking off the syrup on your fork. Alastor stares at the sight and smiles, genuinely.

“You are, darling. I certainly can't leave a guest unattended.”

“What? Is that why you’re always here for breakfast but won’t actually eat anything? To accompany me?”

“By all means, if I’m intruding, do let me know and I’ll leave.”

“What? No!” You immediately finish your last bite of pancake. “I just think it’s time I accompany you for breakfast, don’t you think?”

His ears twitch.

“Come along then, darling.”

…

“Hey, kid, you alright?” You feel Husk give you a soft nudge on the elbow.

Snapping out of your thoughts, you blink and come back to your senses, seeing everyone staring at you with worry laced on their faces.

“You can go back if you want to.” Charlie says. “No pressure being here, really.”

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I’m okay.” You say, immediately taking a big gulp of your pancakes. “I was just lost in thought.”

“Look out for yourself, aight, kid?”

“Yes, dad.” You joke. 

Suddenly, you feel a presence behind you, and you can already tell who it is.

You stiffen.

Everyone stiffens.

You feel him stiffen from behind you.

After a second or two, you feel the presence start to leave. Acknowledging the fact there were no open seats and he rarely came for breakfast, you let out a sigh and hoped you won’t regret this later on.

“Morning, Alastor.” It comes out barely a whisper, your eyes glued to your now empty plate. “I was just leaving, you can have my spot.”

“Thank you, darling.” He simply says, placing his plate down as you took yours and left towards the kitchen. You could hear his voice was audibly more tired and broken, but you couldn’t bear looking him in the eyes.

You finish washing your plate in the kitchen, and as you turn, you see Alastor, standing right in your face, nearly bumping into him.

“Jeez! You scared the shit out of me, Al.” You put a hand over your chest.

“Ah, sorry, darling.” He says, ears perking at the mention of the sweet nickname he secretly loved hearing. “It wasn't my intention to startle you.”

“It's fine.” You shrug it off, catching a glimpse of his gaze and immediately melting right into it. Fuck, you had to leave. Now.

“Dear, wait.” He calls after you, but you ignore him.

“Please. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“And? Are you asking for forgiveness or what?” You sigh.

“I just hoped to apologise. I'm deeply sorry.”

“Okay.” You turn to leave. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Darling, can we start over?”

“We can't get back to normal even if we both play pretend.” You don't bother turning to face him, your voice starting to shake. “None of this shit between us is cordial, Alastor.”

“But we're friends, dear-”

“Are we? Friends don't lie to each other and make one another sell their soul to them. Have a nice breakfast.”

Alastor shuts up, watching as your back turns the corner and like that, you're gone.

-----

“Alastor, how nice of you to join.”

“Valentino. Surprised you aren't taking care of the useless screen.” Alastor acknowledges.

“Vox didn't want to be here, so I thought I'd fill in.”

Alastor takes a seat next to Rosie as the overlord meeting continues on.

“Before we leave, Alastor, may we have an update on the girl?”

His eye twitches, gaze turning to face one of the overlords.

“I simply don't know what you're talking about.”

“Alastor.” They warn. “She's not just any soul.”

“Everything is fully under control, don't fret.”

“Just a reminder, Alastor~ If you fail, she's mine to take.”

“No need to remind me.” He smiles at Valentino, a bit too friendly.

Rosie sends Alastor a look.

Oh whatever is he going to do about this deal.

———/ TBC. /———

READ PART 3 HERE

Taglist : @musicalsundrop @for-hearthand-home @saeran-g @smoky000 @otherthoughtsofbu @letmebeagreekstatueyoumotherfuck @hudiexiaoying @prettyboychoso @thonethatflies620 @alastorssimp @impatiencepersistonthinstring @speaker15 @zq13 @starr11111 @fokrilove @aloraaaxcrystalzx @simps-for-to-many-people @siriuslyobsessedwithfiction @ohdarlingohdeer @sophiasrant @soyobi-wankenobi @karolinda007-blog @alastorsgirl48 @memymay @perrynina @john-kramer-0807 @preciousbabypeter @sugxryratz @polytheatrix @maksdust @96jnie @spirit-of-the-hollow @chirimeimei @itsukiestia @sky2lar (Tumblr hates me. I can't tag empty blogs (or is that a rule idk about?))

If you want to be on this fics taglist leave a comment! Please specify you want to be tagged or else I won't tag blogs that ask for another part cuz it doesn't seem polite- Thanks in advance <3

[tojiscumdumpster]

⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။ knockout x renji abarai

✧ summary there’s no better way for renji to celebrate a big win than to spend the night with y/n.

✧ content warnings reader described as a black woman who uses she/pronouns. feisty!reader, chubby!reader x undergroundfighter!renji. modern au — no bleach verse. told in first POV — renji’s. mentions of stitches and bruises. usage of profanity, praise kink, cowgirl position, nipple play, facefucking — renji will finish in reader’s, squirting. terms of endearment — baby, sweetheart, angel, etc. reader and renji are in their late twenties.

✧ author’s note hello, hello. i am here with a fic that’s not jjk for once in my life, lmfao. this idea has been in my drafts since january 2023, and it was just sitting there collecting dusts on my old tumblr. but i said i was going to do more bleach characters, so here we go. first time writing renji, so if this ain’t how you see him, oops. still enjoy. also didn't really focus on the underground!fighter portion as much. but maybe i will if there's a next time. support me by liking, commenting, and reblogging this post. i would greatly appreciate it. AGELESS/BLANK BLOGS AND MINORS— DO NOT INTERACT.

I know she told me not to come by after the fight, but I needed to. 

 I won.

 I fucking won, and there’s no other way for me to celebrate winning ten thousand dollars than to be with Y/N.

 Well, that’s if she’s still not mad at me.

 Before I left for my match, we got into an argument. A huge one. She doesn’t like that I fight for a living, let alone illegal underground fighting. I mean—I get it. Seeing someone you care about constantly getting his ass beat isn’t a sight worth seeing. 

 But fighting is all I know. 

 I had a shitty childhood. Didn’t know who the hell my parents were since they gave me up at birth for adoption. Jump around in foster care homes until the mothers got sick of me and kicked me out in the streets. Survival was basically forced on me.

 Fighting is what kept me alive. For food. Clothes. A place to lay my head. Whether I lost or won, I know the reason why I’m alive today is because I’m a fighter. 

 It wasn’t until I was eighteen when I found out about the world of underground fighting. Ten years deep and I know nothing else. 

 Y/N knows this about me. She understands I didn’t have it easy and never judged me. But that doesn’t mean she agrees with my lifestyle. 

 She came to a few fights in the beginning. Eventually, she got tired of seeing me stitched up almost every weekend. 

 Shit, me too. 

 However, after tonight, I feel good about my future wins. I busted my ass in training, so now I don’t have to hear shit about anymore losses. 

 Even if right now I’m stitched up and have a black eye. I feel good.

 Great.

 Better if Y/N opens the door after keeping me waiting out in the cold for the past ten minutes. 

 I know she’s awake. She has a habit of staying up late, studying for med school. And plus, I haven’t messaged or called her yet. Despite her not showing up to my fights, she still wants an update afterwards that I made it out alive.

 “Y/N, let me in,” I say, knocking loudly on her apartment door. “You know I don’t care about making a scene.”

 After a few more obnoxious knocks, the door finally swings open and I am met with deep russet skin, tight curls, and chocolate-colored eyes that pierce an annoyed look in my direction.

 “What do you want?” She bites out. “I’m busy.”

 I smirk and hold the bag of money in the air. “I won.”

 “Congrats.” Her tone is flat and she tries to slam the door in my face, but I placed my foot to stop it from closing. “Seriously?”

 “Yes, seriously. Are you really still mad at me?” I teasingly ask. 

 “You won. I said congrats. What more do you want?”

 I shrugged. “I’m locked out of my apartment.”

 She arches a brow at me, already recognizing my bullshit ass excuse of being locked out of my apartment. 

 Y/N knows me. She knows I would do anything to be in her presence, so going back and forth in forty degree weather is pointless. 

 Her pretty brown hues travels across my face and body, examining the stitches and bruises that probably has her wondering, who the fuck treated him? 

 Me. But that’s besides the point.

 A deep sign escapes her mouth when she realizes I’m not going anywhere until she lets me in, so she opens her door wider and turns her back to me to walk further inside her apartment. 

 “Sit,” she orders, which I happily do so while chuckling to myself. 

 While Y/N goes to the bathroom (assuming she’s getting a med kit to fix my shitty patch job), I take advantage of staring at her round ass that’s barely covered in those tiny boy shorts. Every step she takes it jiggles, creating an ocean of waves I’m eager to swim in.

 I get comfortable while I wait, taking off my skully, sweater, and any other form of heavy clothing that would cause me to sweat in her heated apartment. 

 “I’m going to start charging you if you keep fucking coming to my apartment like this, Renji,” Y/N snapped, walking with the kit in her hand as expected. 

 “Outside of paying for your tuition, I can think of other ways to repay you.”

 She rolls her eyes at my suggestive comment. “Get over yourself, Abarai.”

 I let out a snort before she stands in front of me and tilt up my chin to start making work on my face. 

 She’s cute when she’s mad. Huffing and puffing while whispering slick comments under breath. But how she’s handling my face by moving it around with force rushes blood straight to my groin.

 I’m getting hard.

 Hard as shit, and it’s not helping that I’m in close proximity with her. 

 That jasmine lavender scent that circulates through my senses. Looking up at her full lips that’s coated with gloss. Then, lowering my gaze to her tits that’s big, naturally saggy, and pretty. My mouth is watering at the sight of her nipples hardening.

 And I don’t know if it’s because she feels that I’m checking her out or the coldness outside is affecting her. 

 Either way, I’ll act on it.

 Taking it upon myself, I grab the back of her thighs to pull her on my lap. As if she’s used to my antics, it doesn’t catch her off guard and she continues to clean up my wounds. 

 “You’re all bloody up with a black eye and somehow you still have the energy to be a pervert,” she retorts.

 I move one of hands to her ass, massaging comforting circles. “For you? Yeah.”

 The quiet between us was comfortable until she opted to speak again. “So… who’d you fight?”

 “Some huge motherfucker. I thought I was going to die.”

 She leans back to grab more alcohol and dabs it above my brow. “Maybe that’s what needed to have you stop fucking fighting.”

 I throw my head back to laugh, but she grabs my chin to bring my face forward. “Like you want me dead.” My hands creep beneath her cheeks to pull her closer to me and apply more pressure to my cock. “That’s what you want?”

 “That came out my mouth, Abarai?”

 “Why are you still mad at me?” 

 She scoffs. “Why am I mad that you’re practically coming to me everyday with a busted face and broken ribs?” That’s one thing I love about Y/N—her feisty personality. It turns me on so fucking much because I know when I fuck her, it’ll be a different story. 

 Continuing, she says, “I think I would be a little more satisfied if you did this professionally as opposed to underground. Underground doesn’t come with insurance, Ren.”

 “Aw, you care about me that much?” My question was supposed to be posed as a joke, but the look on her pretty face says otherwise. 

 “Fucking asshole. I don’t know why I still deal with your ass.”

 “Probably because you love me.”

 “Probably not.”

  Gripping her hips, I pull her with me and lean back into the headrest of the couch. We’re inches away from our mouths cooling and I take advantage of this proximity by basking in her sweet smelling breath and beauty. 

 Simply because Y/N exists, my cocks hardens for her. Holding her in my arms. Feeling her pussy against my erection and breasts suffocating pressed on my chest. Girlfriend or not, she’s mine.  

 And she knows it. 

 I can see how she looks at me, even when mad, that she cares and loves me. Y/N is a tough girl. I can only imagine what she’s been through. Still, she manages to soften up just for me. 

 We never made it official since she doesn’t approve of the underground shit, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop asking. 

 “So when are you going to say yes to being my girlfriend?” I whisper.

 She tries breaking from my embrace, but I tighten my grip. “Renji…”

 “You feel my dick pressed against you, right? It only makes it harder when you say my name like that, Y/N.”

 “Be real with me… will you keep doing this shit forever?” Her eyes waver as she awaits my answer and I can’t help the guilt from pinging my chest. 

 “If it lessens my chance of being with you, no.”

 She searches my face for hesitance or deceit, however, she finds nothing because I meant what I said. Y/N is the only person that looks at me like I’m a human, and I wouldn’t let my obsession with fighting get in the way of our future together. 

 How she tucks her coil behind her ear and nips down on her lower lip shows me the bit of vulnerability she reserves for me.

 So—I take advantage of it. 

 In less than three seconds my lips were on hers. I take my time relishing those sweet, plump and plush, strawberry flavored lips.

 I can feel the skepticism from Y/N while kissing her, maybe because she’s trying to put on this show that she’s still mad at me. But soon, her rigid body melts into mine and returns the kiss. 

 Our heavy breaths mingle, increasing in speed the more aggressive we lock lips. She begins rolling her hips onto my cock and I let out a grunt, feeling the moisture of her pussy liquefying on me. 

 The slaps I leave on her ass are harsh, causing her to bite my bottom lip and suck it into her mouth. Y/N is so fucking aggressive it drives me nuts. She gives me a high and adrenaline not even a fight could give. 

 “Pull your dick out, Ren,” she orders through muffled moans and our kiss. 

 “Fucking bossing me around to give you cock? Not mad at me anymore?” Y/N ignores my taunt and works her hands between us to untie my sweats. I hiss at the feel of her cool hands engulfing my dick to give it a few pumps.

 She must not know what her touch does to me. She handles my cock like she owns it, and gosh, I fucking love that shit. My fingers gently tangle into her coils to deepen our kiss, but she soon gets up to strip her clothes.

 Fuck… Fuck, she’s so goddamn sexy. I’ll never get tired of her thick body, filled with soft dips and curves. I look at her, observe her like she’s an expensive piece of art hung up at a museum because that’s what I see her as. 

 Pretty pussy leaking arousal and I smirk to myself, thinking how she had all that attitude earlier while being wet for me like she didn’t want me inside of her.

 “You’re fucking beautiful. You know that?” I ask, massaging her tits and looking up at her. “You still have that attitude or are you going to come ride my cock like a good girl?”

 She gently pushes me back against the couch with her lips on mine and straddles my lap. “Depends on if you’re going to be a good boy and take this pussy.”

 “Shit, angel. I will.”

 Y/N hums while reaching around to align my cock with her sex. Two seconds later, she slowly sinks down my length until I’m buried into the hilt. That soft lingering fuck that slips past her pretty lips sounds sexy as hell and has my dick twitching in response.

 I can’t bust now. Not yet. Even if the tightness and heat of her pussy pushes me off the edge of a mountain. Her pussy is so warm, so fucking warm, fat, and wet. Gosh, I don’t ever think I can be without this pussy. 

 I throw my head back and savor this feeling, but Y/N had other plans for me. 

 “Remember to look at me when I’m riding you, Ren,” she coos. “Eyes on me, baby. I want you to see how much I love this dick inside my pussy.”

 Fucking Christ. “Tell me how much you love it while bouncing on me.”

 And she does just that. Telling me how big and girthy I am, that she’s sorry for giving me attitude and admits that she just wanted dick. But no. I want her to fuck me like she’s mad. I need that type of energy pumping through my veins after this win tonight. 

 I reassure Y/N and tell her to fuck me harder. Her pace quickens and slaps her ass fervently against my cock. I can’t stop moaning her name. The wet slippery noises coming from her pussy increases in volume and it creates a mess between us. 

 This is where I belong, deep in her pussy and feeling her walls squeeze the hell out of me. I don’t even hold her hips or waist. I relax comfortably with my arms sprawl over the top of her couch, watching how gorgeous she looks while fucking what’s hers. 

 “Oh, fuck, Renji,” she moans, tugging her lips inwards and lolling her head to the side in complete pleasure.

 Those perfect, full tits bounces in my face and I can’t help but stare and become mesmerized. Light marks that resemble tiger stripes decorated the valley of breasts. Her nipples, pebbled and straining underneath my gaze, look desperate for my touch.

 I take it upon myself to pinch them between my fingers and a soft shriek escapes her mouth, further arching her back. 

 Y/N keeps getting wetter by the second, every bounce she makes. And hearing her sticky arousal, I know and see how she’s creaming my cock.  Purposely, I sit myself on the couch, thrusting up in her a bit to feel my head hit her g spot.

 “Ren, help me little,” she begs through a whimper. “Fuck me back.”

 I caress her cheeks with the back of my head. “Yeah? You want me to help you, sweetheart?”

 “Please.”

 God, I love it when she’s needy for me like this. 

 In no time, my hands are at her waist and my thrusts meet with her jumping movements. Y/N isn't loud when it comes to her sounds of pleasure. Vocal, yes. But right now, her moans and whimpers are louder than usual. 

 It’s like she needed my dick inside of pussy just as much as I needed it. 

 I see the desire in her brown hues. I feel the heat radiating off Y/N’s skin while my fingers dig into her flesh, holding her in place to pound upwards into her pussy. 

 This is what I wanted—to fuck my girl after a well deserved win. And she’s going to congratulate me how I want. 

 My lips are at her neck leaving wet kisses and sucking her flesh until purple specks form. “Coming home to this good fucking pussy. Gosh, I love how you feel, angel. Going to fucking mean it now when you say congrats?”

 “Congratulations, baby,” she purrs, slamming harder on my cock. “You did good… so damn good, Ren.”

 I hum, dragging my tongue along her neck. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

 Y/N continues to gasps out her pleas for me to fuck harder. I comply… I comply in helping my pretty girl come and savor the look when she washes over me. My grips are firm on her waist, betting that’ll leave marks when she wakes up the next poor, and drive my cock deeper into her pussy.

 I’m in pure awe. I feel my own releasing catching up to me the more I watch her take me. This is my woman. My fucking girl. I come home to this every night after every fight to hold her in my arms and fuck her. 

 Her name from my mouth sounds like a broken record when I moan her name. This fat, gushy, slick and tight pussy has this power over me. She won’t stop fucking squeezing me, I can’t prevent my face from growing hot. It’s intense how I feel right now, and it’s all because of Y/N.

 “Good, good fucking pussy. God, you’re so fucking good to me, angel face,” I rasp, pecking her lips. “You’re going to come for me?”

 “Yes, Renji, baby. I’m going to come. Keep giving me that dick. Please don’t stop, please.”

 “Put your fingers in my mouth.” She does quick with my command. I suck on her digits and coat them well with saliva before pushing them out of my mouth. “Now rub your clit, pretty girl. I wanna see you squirt everywhere.”

 Because she’s overwhelmed with arousal, Y/N stops bouncing on my cock and allows me to fuck her while she plays with clit. Her mouth hangs gape, drool slightly coating the side of her mouth and breathing heavily. 

 My balls slap her ass. My head kisses her soft cushion repeatedly. Her velvet walls transfer warmth to my cock and the bubble that rests in the pit of my stomach is on the verge of explosion.

 I’m about to come. Hard.

 But I need her to come first.

 “Fucking come for me, Y/N. Keep playing with that pretty pussy and moan my name,” I grit out, pushing past all my thrusts. 

 “Right there, Renji. Keep fucking me right there… I’m–oh, fuck–I’m coming.”

 She’s so pretty when she comes. Dark brown porcelain complexion, slick with sweat. Eyes rolling to the back of her head. Pussy clenching and unclenching around my cock. Moaning, whimpering my name back to back. 

She’s breathless. Flawless. I have this image of her painted perfectly in my mind. Watching Y/N come, makes me come, so I make quick work to pull her off my lap. And she knows exactly what I want–to fuck my release down her throat.

 Her mouth is as warm as her pussy, and I let out hitched breaths and harsh grunts when she swallows me whole. I’m relentless when forcing her head down on my cock as I facefuck her. The gurgling noises she makes are obscene. Pornogrpahic, even. 

 And what caused my come to shoot through her mouth is seeing that she’s still massaging her clit, eventually squirting all over her wooden floors. 

 My hips stutter and I throw my head back to moan into the air. “Fuck, Y/N! That’s my fucking girl. Look at you making a mess while choking on my cock and swallowing my come.”

 Y/N takes it upon herself to wrap her lips tighter around my cock and massage my balls, ensuring every single last of my nut has released in her mouth. I take it for a while, but I soon become sensitive, practically feeling my skin being sucked off.

 “Easy now, angel,” I say through an airy chuckle. I pull my cock out and her mouth echoes a pop sound. 

 She whines a little because I’m no longer in her mouth and it causes me to smirk because it wasn’t too long ago where she acted like she hated me. 

 My hand grasps her chin and guides it upwards to meet with my eyes. “You swallowed for me, Y/N? Open up.” She nods, sticking her tongue out. “Perfect.”

 “You’re going to fuck me again?” She asks, catching her bottom lip between her teeth.”

 Gosh, this woman will be the death of me.

tags: @dejwrld @hvshinas @diamondoidxx @xxjazzxx @thegirlwonder1 @ryukenzz @maiapuhpaia @elitesanjisimp @amyrahrose @sweetpeachies @abigolemess @linastired @diorsbrando @starrygetou @niya729 (if i didn't tag you it's because tumblr wouldn't have your user pop up)

[fimmiest]

touch it - miyawaki sakura x reader

6th!member reader having possessive actions towards sakura, soon after, the table turns

tags: uuh slightly suggestive (?), not much tho just kkura having fun w flushed reader

"who allowed you to wear that?" you narrow your eyes, gazing up and down at what sakura was wearing.

the dress code of eunchae birthday live of today was suits, to fit the theme of 'bodyguard's of eunchae'. yes, your group did it more than once but the card of protectors of the younger one would always work out.

the point is; you had just walked in to the practice room, where the live would be, naturally making your way to where the couches were so you could sit and wait until it was time.

halfway through you saw sakura, she was simply drinking water but the action made her suit? shirt?.. you should really learn how to catalogue clothes.. rise up, making impossible not to stare at her suit which had a ribbon wrapping her waist and it was so.. pleasant to the eyes, to not say much

"what do you mean?" she looks at you confused and lower her head to see what you were looking at "the ribbon?" she points at it, and opens a adorable smile "cute right??"

"I mean.. that's not even a proper suit, you know? like whatthef.." not even noticing your actions, you reach to touch the ribbons that were around sakura's waist.

you gently pull at the strings, feeling the fabric under your finger. fingers following the ties until it went around her back.

"why are you so bothered, tho? jealous of me wearing it? did you want it-"

"yeah.." scoff "jealous that others are going to see you like this." you said under your breath, biting your lip to shut yourself up after slipping up, hoping it was mumbled enough that sakura hadn't understand it.

before you could run away you felt your tie being pulled, resulting in you to make eye contact with sakura.

oh you fucked up

she took a quick look around the room, noticing that the staff had finished setting up and they would have to get ready soon.

"careful now." sakura makes eye contact with you again, her eyes were narrowed, dangerous, probably a 'about to scold you' type but there was something more you couldn't name. you could even feel sakura warm breath fanning at your face.

"careful how you talk." your tie gets even tighter. the pressure almost suffocating, but sakura noticed how your breath hitched, how your eyes slightly changed to a more hazed one.

"you're lucky we are in public right now" her hands found their way to your shoulders, acting like she was dusting off something at your blaze. "behave yourself and you won't get in trouble later, alright?" she pats your shoulder, eyes boring into yours, a warning being very present there, you didn't want to see what would happen if you slip up again.

"y- yeah.." a sigh, broken enough to sound like a creak, lightheaded enough to have sakura smirking before she walked away.

you spent the rest of the live with a tick of touching the collar of your suit and adjusting your tie, sakura didn't missed the actions.

note: sudden inspiration lesgoo, heh.. hi

[northsoulss]

breakaway - leah williamson

(a/n: im so sad about jen leaving arsenal, but shes in bay fc now so i hope we get news about her soon :”). also i LOVED leah’s cover of breakaway by kelly clarkson and it inspired me to to write this lol. also i’ve just been sad and stressed sooo. part 2?)

it was a gloomy day in your apartment, your clothes strewn all over the floor, dishes pilling up in the kitchen. you laid in bed, unable to move, absolutely heart broken. leah and you had parted ways not too long ago, the memory of her telling you she couldn’t do this anymore fresh in your mind.

you remember seeing leah hunched over at the dining table, phone in hand, not even acknowledging your presence. you could feel her pulling away from you, spending almost all her days outside and away from you. you really wanted to ask her what was wrong now that you’ve caught her at home. you’re sick of her silence and you want an answer.

“leah, what’s wrong?” your voice small, afraid to provoke her.

“nothing’s wrong, __. i’m fine.” she says in a deadpan voice, a slight bite to it.

“no leah! we aren’t fine! you don’t even call me baby, and you won’t even look at me anymore.” you lose it, your voice booming.

“yeah, i’ve had alot on my plate lately okay?!” she snaps back, and you finally see her face. her hair unkempt, eyes full of tears, her signature frown on her face. oh how you wanted to reach out to smooth her brows, your hand coming up to cup her face, but her hand pushes you away.

“well that doesn’t mean you get to just keep me out of it! i’m your girlfriend for goodness sakes. i want to be there for you.” your voice breaks, and you feel that familiar fear creeping back into your body.

she’s going to break up with you.

“look, __. i just can’t anymore.” leah says exasperated, hand pulling back her hair. you search her eyes, trying to find any ounce of love left, but all you saw was coldness.

there it is. that dreaded feeling.

“that’s it? you’re just going to give up?” you had more anger in your voice than you expected, the tone making leah flinch.

“i just can’t. you keep pestering me and i’m sick of it. i’m sorry.” and like that, she left your apartment, leaving you standing in your hallway, the extra set of keys to your house clutched in your fist. you sunk to the floor the moment she slams the door shut, your knees hitting the ground with a loud thud. a part of you felt empty, a vacant spot left in your heart. you spoke a language only she understood, and now that she was gone, no one will be able to understand you.

it stung, knowing that you didn’t know the reason why she left, but you couldn’t take it anymore. you couldn’t just sit in your apartment all day, not moving while the world keeps spinning. you sit up, and immediately get hit with a memory of leah. you see your guitar collecting dust in the corner of your room. you haven’t played since ever since leah left, for it was too painful to have to relive every waking memory of her each time.

one of your favourite memories of leah was singing with her. you were classically trained in guitar, always pestering her to be your singer while you played. eventually when she relented, you would always beeline to your guitar, whipping it out from its case and taking it to where she sat.

one of your favourite songs to play was “break away” by kelly clarkson, it being the first song leah sang with you. you remembered the first time she did, her voice sounded like warm honey to your ears. your ears flushed and face warm as she sang, her eyes trained on you, watching your agile fingers strum the strings. from then onwards, you always asked her to sing while you played, wanting to only hear her angelic voice.

that memory was like a punch to the gut, knowing you can no longer hear her voice other than on the arsenal women’s Instagram which you still followed. you shook away the thoughts, a long sigh escaping your lips as you massaged your temples. you look around your house, and immediately start to clean up, slowly putting things away.

after a few hours of cleaning up, you collapse on your couch, completely exhausted. you open your tiktok, planning to doom scroll till midnight when a video of jen beattie and leah pops up. you forgot you were still following jen, becoming good friends with the older woman the moment leah brought you onto the pitch two years ago.

you instantly sat up straighter, eyes fixated on leah who sat next to jen, hoodie over her head with a smile. jen held her guitar, and the moment her fingers started to strum, your heart wanted to jump out of your chest. leah’s voice, oh how you missed it. she’s singing it again.

“shes singing our song.” you mumbled to yourself as you watched, a small smile growing on your face. you read through the comments, some of them mentioning you. you were a public figure as well after all, known for playing finger style covers of different songs. when leah and you started going out, you started posting videos of you two singing and playing, the very first video being that song.

“is it true? did they really break up?” “i miss your videos with __ leah!!” comments like this made your heart ache. you went MIA the moment you two split, not posting videos for over two months now. you really missed her, so much. after watching the video, you decide, fuck it. leah doesn’t get to ruin your love for guitar, and you sure as hell are not going to step playing just because she’s not here.

deciding to finally play again, you felt a sense of relief wash over you as you strummed, a sigh escaping your lips. propping up your phone, you record yourself, you play the introduction to breakaway, singing softly. you weren’t used to singing, only ever playing with an accompaniment. certain parts of the song hit harder than the rest, you felt tears welling up in your eyes.

trying hard to reach out

but when I tried to speak out

felt like no one could hear me

wanted to belong here

but something felt so wrong here

so I pray

i could breakaway

when you finished, you look up to the camera and stared wordlessly. this was the first time you truly saw yourself post breakup, and goodness. you looked terrible. hair in a disheveled bun, eye bags big enough to fit your dog in, bloodshot eyes. you’ve definitely had better days, and this is just the start.

“i’m sorry i’ve been gone for so long. i’m currently going through one of the toughest periods of my life, so have this song for old times sake.” you say with a smile, and stop recording, posting it without any second thought. you fall back onto your bed, ignoring the ringing of your phone. things are going to become better, you thought, yet another heavy sigh escaping you.

leah’s cover: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFLBWYhs/

[lunarsturniolo]

The triplets do a collab with a girl and everyone on the internet is shipping her and Matt because she was lowkey flirting with him and he was being super friendly ?

Trying to get back into writing, sorry if this is shit. Please send in more short lil requests that I can do in >1000 words!! They're fun.

--

“Hey,” Matt breathed out a sigh of relief, “I’ve been calling you.” 

Y/N let out a laugh, “Yeah, I have caller ID.” 

He echos a laugh, a bit more uncomfortable than Y/N’s. “Sorry about that.” 

“No worries. I was just running some errands. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to apologize-“ 

“Apologize about what?” 

Matt lets out another sigh, “Um, the video just went out, like, an hour ago, and the comments are kind of insane.” 

Y/N feels her voice get caught in her throat, “Insane, how?” She asks. 

Matt immediately catches her anxiety, “They’re not really bad,” he says. “Well, they’re kind of bad, but not bad in the way that you think! It’s just that everyone’s kind of-“ 

“Matt,” she cuts him off. 

“Sorry,” he laughs a little, “Everyone’s just kind of shipping us, and it’s getting a little out of hand.” 

Y/N left a pregnant pause, “Oh.” 

“Yeah, I’m really sorry. They just- they can’t let any of us talk to anyone without making it a thing.” 

“You don’t need to apologize,” Y/N tells him, “You’re not responsible for those people.” 

Matt lets the statement sit, “Okay.” There’s a rustling on his end of the phone, ���Well, I’m sorry again. I’ll call you later, I have to go,” and suddenly the line goes dead. 

Y/N’s eyebrows furrowed at the abrupt ending. “That was weird,” she said, looking up at her roommate, who had a hand on her hip and a toothbrush hanging from her mouth. 

“What the hell was that?” She asks, her toothbrush bobbing as she speaks. 

Y/N shrugged, “No clue. Matt just called me to apologize for people shipping us.” 

Bonnie cringed, “That bad?” 

Y/N shrugged, “I guess so. I mean, I was flirting, but I thought he was into it.” She looked back down at her phone with a deep breath, “Another one bites the dust,” she mumbled. 

Y/N had been on a rotation of men in her life. Coming in and out as fast as a revolving door would let them. She mainly just wanted a quick fuck, or an occasional dinner to try out the waters, but she never liked a man long enough to let them stick. Just long enough to let them gain interest and for her to lose it. 

Bonnie walks over to the bathroom, spitting into the sink, “Boo! He was cute, too!” She complains. 

Y/N shrugs, “Can’t go back now. He clearly doesn’t like me,” she lets out a small laugh. 

“Why do you say that?” Bonnie asks. 

“I mean, why would he call me to apologize if I didn’t bother him?” 

Bonnie rolls her eyes, reentering Y/N’s line of sight, “Because he’s worried it would bother you?”

“I guess, but wouldn’t he have said something, or-”

“Y/N, do you even like this guy?”

Y/N gives Bonnie a playful glare, “You know I’m not incapable of feelings, right?” 

Bonnie shoots back a sorry look, “I know. I apologize.” 

With a swift change of the subject, the two girls are talking about Y/N’s next video. Amidst their discussion, Y/N’s phone lights up with a text:

Matt Sturniolo: Sorry I got off the phone so quick. Nick wouldn’t stop calling me. I was gonna ask if you wanted to grab dinner tomorrow night?

Y/N: No worries. And pick me up at 7.

Matt Sturniolo: It’s a date.

[orphicrose]

The co-host (Alastor x FemReader) V

< >

Summary: You are Alastors Co host in life, perhaps more. But are separated by a sudden death. When you are finally reunited in the under world, it is up to Alastor to figure out why you don’t remember him.

@cannibalcoyote @kahlan170 @sugxryratz

_______________𖤐

It seemed like the broadcasts had ended their torment over the pentagram. Remaining completely silent for almost a week now. Y/n had noticed this too, thinking that maybe he was being genuine. They had kept their meetups public, for her safety and peace of mind. Mainly at coffee shops around her warehouse. They adventured a little further today, to cannibal town. Only agreeing because it was nearby to a place she had to meet her boss that day. 

"So, your boss is quite a well known sin?" He asked, lifting his dark coffee to his lips and bowing the steam off the surface. She nodded, sipping at hers. "How did that come about?" 

She shrugged in return "Guess I accidentally sold my soul" She said, sarcasm clawing at her tone. He hummed, unsatisfied with his answer. "Do you like your job?" He was grasping at straws now. The question tickled her, unable to contain her laughter. 

"Do i come across as a particularly content individual?" She chuckled. Wiping an invisible tear from her eye. "I work against my will. If it was up to me I'd... I don't know, write. Or broadcast the news." He saw a light in her, like the light he saw all those years ago. She is still in there. 

She looked down at her watch, gasping and standing abruptly. His ears twitched as the chair screeched backwards against the concrete., and looked at her waiting for an answer to the deviant behavior. "I was supposed to meet him at the abandoned office block in five minutes" She struggles to put her coat on, one of the arms of it being inside out. He watched her struggle, amused, leaning on his hands. "What you looking at?" she huffs. 

"Need a little assistance?" 

"I can put a coat on!" She bites back. He shrugs, clicking his fingers and dragging both of them into their shadows on the ground. Reappearing outside the abandoned building. "I could have done that" Y/n rolls her eyes, shoving the rest of her arm into the sleeve. 

"I'm aware, but I want to see this oh so powerful being" He adjusted the tie atop his ironed suit. "How do I look?"

She turns to look at him, stress showing in the veins on their forehead. "You're not coming to a meeting with me. If you want me to trust you, leave. Please" Her face softened to a more desperate pleading expression. Making him submissive to her, and agreeing. "I will wait out here for you, darling" He smiled, receiving a smile back as she begins moving towards the door with nothing more to say. 

Satan enjoyed quieter areas, giving him more space to think. Less people to deal with was an ideal world for him. He went to seat himself on an old chair, before it gave out. Nearly ending with him on the floor. Glad no one was there to see that, he dusted himself off and resorted to leaning on his staff instead. The door creaked open before him, dust circulating the room like air flow.

"You're on time. Interesting..." His voice rumbled through the room, stirring old dirt, making the ceiling drop old paint onto the floor. She shut the door behind her, not moving an inch towards him. "Your numbers dropped for a while. I see they are being picked back up. You may have just saved your soul"

"What soul" She mumbled under her breath "What?" "Nothing!"

He stood up straight, adjusting his posture, and striding towards the demon. "Don't let it happen again" His presence hovered above her, eyes scared to be taken off his. "I can't replace you as easily as every other soul, but that doesn't mean that i won't" A hand fell to her chin, his calloused fingers pulling at her face to move closer to him.

Just outside the room stood Alastor. Listening in, It might be important, he thought. 

"Don't let me down, or I'll remind you of all the reasons of why you wiped your own memory" His lips spoke next to her ear, finishing his sentence with a hollow laugh. "I will be back in a month" and with that, his body melted away to the bone until there was nothing left. He had left her in the discomfort of her own skin, alone, almost fragile. She felt as if she could follow him into the ground and flow away forever. But that wasn't the case. Whatever she had forgotten was obviously bad, since she erased her own memory. So the last thing she wanted was to be haunted by them all over again. 

Alastor, on the other side of the wall, struggled to maintain a smile. Wide eyes like he had been stabbed in the back multiple times. She erased her own memory? Of him? Perhaps she found out what he was and couldn't bare the thought of seeing him again. His heart ached. 

"Alastor" A startled voice came from the door frame "I thought you said you'd stay outside" Y/n sounded almost angry, too exhausted to portray any emotion other than fatigue. He stared at her blanky, still showing a face of hurt. His smile wanting to drop, but looking at if there was rope physically holding it up. 

"I'm... sorry" He mumbled, static dropping from his voice completely. "I will see you some other time."

He vanished. Leaving her, once again, alone. Truly alone this time. "Alastor?" Y/n questioned. Genuinely calling out for him. What did he hear that upset him that much. He looked hurt. She never thought she'd see that emotion in his eyes before. 

Days passed, no site of him. She had seen him everyday for weeks now. A few days, she even stayed out late in sketchy alley ways. Hoping he might show to scare her. She missed him, but she wouldn't admit it. She even thought she saw him in the corner of her eye on countless occasions. Some part of her was screaming to trust him, and the overlord in her was telling her to keep a look out. 

He will show up eventually, she thought, he's just busy with cannibal stuff. 

In a glaring radio tower on the other side of the pentagram, Alastor stared at the rotting city below him. Feet kicked up on the sound board in front of him, a coffee in his hands, pondering. He convinced himself that he should stay away, but he missed y/n oh so much. It was difficult. He had sent his shadow to watch over her, make sure no one was giving her any grief. 

"So, is this your murder chamber?" That familiar voice came from behind him, sounding very concerned. He almost spun off his chair, whipping his head to see her. 

"How did you find me?"

"I wish i could say it was my amazing detective skills, but i had help" She shrugged, looking at the moving shadow that was connected at his feet once more, giving his owner a sheepish grin. Alastor tutted, shaking his head. "I wanted to know why you ran away? I haven't seen you in days"

He bit his tongue, struggling to think of the right thing to say.

"My apologies, Miss l/n" He started off.  "I have very conflicted feelings, i suppose. I guess you could say that... I'm worried that who I was in life scared off someone very dear to me." He tried to laugh, but it turned into more of a whimper of distress. 

She stood awkwardly with hands behind their back for a second, but as he spoke, y/n found themselves moving closer to him. Looking at him with sad eyes. "Did something I say-"

"I just had a moment, darling, I'm fine." He cut her off, exaggerating his smile to sway her questions. He turned in his seat, facing the large window overlooking hell. 

"If they truly loved you..." Y/n moved closer, standing just behind his seat. "I'm sure they could get over it. No one is perfect" her hand creeped onto his shoulder, sharing the same view with him. 

"You think so?" His heart dropped for a second, as if she was confessing her love for him. He could only dream that was the case. 

"I do"

"Thank you, Y/n"

[roturo]

EUNOIA

•synopsis: Who would've believed Gojo Satoru can become one with a curse? maybe another version of him is breathing and motivation being awakened from him. Will you come to him?

PLEASE REPOST AND LEAVE A COMMENT ;)

•warnings: smut, penis in vagina, blowjob (reader), nipple play (both), corruption kink, dacryphilia, overstimulation, plenty orgasms, unprotected sex, pussy eating, use of nicknames (princess, baby, pup, sweetheart...),mating press, marking, possessive behavior, curse!reader, virgin!reader, gojo is portrayed as playboy somewhere, gojo whimpers just bc i say so, soft!dom gojo, lovesick!gojo, like, really lovesick, enemies to lovers, angst & fluff, reader is a strong curse just because i can, afab & she/her reader.

EUNOIA; (eúnoia)  'well mind; beautiful thinking'

Love is a heavy word. You can’t love everyone, nor everything.

The word ‘love’ has loosen its meaning through time…

or has it become more natural?

Looking back at society in past years, everything was built by hate, anger…  to kill.

But now? Things are almost the same. Society became more peaceful, tuneful even. But those emotions full of anger & hate became locked inside people to maintain society as a ‘safe space’

And people couldn’t suppress them forever, as hard as you tried to help people find love, happiness, not only on people, but on things, music, life.

They couldn’t change their shady mind into beautiful thinking.

But you couldn’t blame yourself for not helping people to free their mind and find at least the good things in life. You can’t help those who don’t want to be helped. 

Walking through the lightful streets of Tokyo, watching people and their emotions, you couldn’t resist throwing some powder disguised as dust for people to inhale and keep those bad emotions away from them for some time. But for some reason that wasn’t enough to get rid of that bad energy spreading all over the place.

People seemed more relaxed, one of your techniques worked. Playing with people’s mind, the saneness and atmosphere felt the same as before, but you could sense people were more sensible.

So you couldn’t understand what’s going on. As you kept walking forward, following the energy to find from where it’s from, you stopped in a… bakery? 

Looking through the big windows of the place, you finally knew from whom it was coming. But something seemed wrong. He seems happy eating whatever dessert he ordered, his appearance seemed in order, not showing any kind of sadness, or desmotivation. 

It was strange enough of him to use some black small rounded glasses inside of a store at night. His white hair was easy to distinguish and locate him easily. He looked like he’s really tall, looking at his long legs barely being capable of sitting comfortably in those chairs from the bakery. He was perfect.

But you couldn’t quite decipher why he has this happy mood from the outside but some type of bad energy coming from him.

Until… it clicked in.

Cursed energy. A lot of it. But you could also sense stress from him, a tiny bit of sadness. You felt your cheek getting wet from an unexpected tear coming out. Wiping it away from your face, you looked at your hand,

You could sense people’s mind, but never their feelings nor their emotions. So why are you feeling this from him? The loss of someone, worry for others, fear of failure again… 

And it seems like he felt it too, putting down the cupcake he was about to bite, furrowing his eye-brows, looking for something… someone.

Until he sensed cursed energy coming from somewhere, outside this bakery, so he looked at you. He knows you are a curse, so why do you look so human? So real? How could people see you too?

You locked eyes with him, feeling stronger emotions coming out of the both of you, stress was the first one. When his eyes met yours, his body untensed for a moment, before tensing again and his brows furrowing again, but this time instead of looking just confused, he also seemed angry.

Feeling this coming out of him, a strong energy surrounding him, made you start running away from it. Pushing people out of the way, looking somewhere safer to calm down.

But you underestimated this guy, he was faster, stronger, bigger. And he found you in less of a second in that lonely alley.

‘Who are you and what did you just do to me?’ He grabbed you by the neck of your shirt, making you squeak when he pushed you to the wall.

‘I-I don’t k-know.. I’m so-sorry, please don’t exorcize me sir… I’m not evil nor a threat to people, i-in fact I want to h-help them.’ You were praying to somehow escape from this alive and unharmed, his cursed energy is so overwhelming you could swear you were drowning on it. 

Gojo has dealt with curses who could talk, even understand him. But he never saw a curse like you. Human looking. And somehow you avoided his infinity to use your powers on him. That’s why he has you like this, he could easily exorcize you right now and right here with just a clap, but he needed to know first why and how you trespassed his infinity.

‘How did you do that?’ He pushed you harder to the wall, hitting your head with it, but not hard enough to be in pain. 

‘D-do what?’

‘Connected with me.’

‘What?...’

‘You.. you somehow trapassed my infinity and connected with me or some shit, how did you do that? That’s not possible.’ What did he just say? Infinity?

‘And how could I not sense you immediately? Who are you?’

Wait… ‘You’re Gojo Satoru?!’ You jumped from his grip, moving to your side.

The strongest sorcerer of all, right in front of you, asking for your name, looking the good way, you were flattered to know he had some type of interest in you. So you did what he asked you and told him your name.

‘I-I don’t know how I did that, that w-was new for me too, I just can sense bad thinking from people and fix it into good thinking, bu-but I could never feel it or know why they’re feeling that way…’

He looked at you in disbelief, and then proceeded to sigh. ‘Try it.’

‘What?’

‘Try to do that again.’ He signaled the both of you.

‘Uh… Do I have to look at you in the eyes?’

‘I don’t know! It’s supposed to be your technique.’

You sighed, and then looked at him. He’s really handsome you thought, feeling your face getting hot, you concentrated your whole energy to one, and trespassed to connect to him.

And you think he didn’t notice yet when you discovered he was feeling flustered to look at you again, but he had enough self control to not show it. But then his eyes widened and grabbed you by your cheeks, not strong enough to hurt you, but making your face look like a fish.

‘What the…fuck.’ If you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t be able to hear how low the whisper was. But suddenly you felt his index finger in the middle of your forehead and everything started getting blurry, feeling giddy, until everything went blank.

You woke up in a white room, your eyes still adjusting to the shiny lights, Hearing some background voices, you were trying to fully wake up.

‘What the hell are we going to do Shoko? Do I have to kill her? This has never happened since… ‘He stopped himself before continuing.  ‘Well… isn’t she a threat?’

‘I don’t even know Gojo, this is as new to me as new to you. I have never seen a curse like… her? Is she even a person? Mind manipulation is one thing, but… she has never used her curse for the bad, y’know? Maybe she’s not a threat.’ Gojo scoffed, looking in disbelief at you, not noticing you were starting to wake up.

‘What grade is she?’

‘Uh well… for her power she should be a semi-grade 1, but if we take in consideration the fact she trespassed your infinity she should be a special grade, but… it seems like she doesn’t know how to use it, nor how to fight, so it’s basically just a title.’

You tried to stand up, but some chains stopped you from it. You could see Shoko and Gojo jump in surprise when they heard you moving.

It was an awkward situation, the three of you looking at each other without talking. Maybe they’re waiting for you to start talking? Fight?

‘What are we doing with her?’

 Basically they decided to leave you alive, for future purposes apparently. They had one rule for you.

‘Never leave Gojo’s side.’

And yeah, it was really awkward at first, having to spend time with the strongest sorcerer, obviously annoyed by your presence and how they seemed to like you.

Sleeping on the floor of his room was really uncomfortable. Spending cold nights with just a blanket in your body makes you rethink your whole existence.

Everyone was really nice, they treated you as someone else and not like the person who could go through ‘Gojo’s Satoru Infinity’

Everyone but him. His silly personality was really cute and you tried to befriend him, making jokes, trying to get to know him, but as much as you tried you never got to warm up.

They told you he likes sweets, okay! That's a useful fact!

And well, it was a good fact indeed. You made some cookies for him, his eyes sparked up when he saw the plate full of cookies for him, he just looked at you and thanked you with a small smile. It was starting to work out!

Your never-ending enthusiasm to befriend him began to work its magic on Gojo. Whether it was your mischievous pranks or your infectious laughter, your presence gradually started to warm the usually distant sorcerer's heart. Soon, even Gojo couldn't deny the hidden charm beneath your cursed exterior. Finding himself in his room tasting different desserts you made for him, thinking about you on missions when eating at a bakery, thinking your desserts don’t compare to what he’s eating right now. He started to like you. 

Twisted nights spent together by the both of you, bursting laughter coming from the both of you, laying on the grass looking for stars, taking you to missions (just to the place he’s visiting, he didn’t want you to be in danger)...

He never saw himself falling for a girl, a curse, he’s more of a one night stand, never going on dates, just buying luxury things for them to keep them an extra week with him. But as Your relationship with Gojo deepened, you discovered the mask behind his unflappable façade. Gojo opened up to you, sharing his dreams, doubts, and fears. You reciprocated by offering your unwavering support, feeling what he’s feeling like you’re the one who went through it. Your bond became a haven of understanding, acceptance, and genuine affection.

He began to show his lighter-side with you, being affectionate with you (in private since he was too shy for pda, because what would they think about this?), but he was afraid.

He was afraid of the power you were having over him, he showed you a new world while you gave him sparkling moments that go in a flash because of how much he enjoys them. He even finds himself smiling at your picture he took with his phone while the both of you were teasing the other. Your pouty lips, trying to hit him.

Hit him.

He never felt someone hitting him playfully until he met you.

He never felt someone hugging him until one rainy night you were shivering on the floor, he invited you to his bed and woke up next to you, your hands hugging his body tightly like you were afraid of him leaving you. That day, became an usual morning routine. Waking up at the sight of you resting on his chest, caressing your cheeks and just admiring your beauty.

He was afraid of losing you.

He wasn’t afraid of you trying to kill him, turning evil, shit, he wasn’t afraid if you tried to fucking kill all the humans in this world. He was afraid of you leaving his side, you were the most precious thing in this world for him.

You colored his more of five senses and became the purple of his blue and red. 

Until one day you weren’t by his side in the morning. He called for your name, maybe you were in the bathroom, but he was just with silence in the room. Maybe you were somewhere in the halls walking through the students' dorms? Maybe Nobara called for you?

But nothing. 

His greatest fear, losing someone again became reality. 

Well, not truly…

Maybe you were planning to ask him to be his girlfriend?...

And thank god he was a little foolish to never think about your plan.

When he went to search for you after Nobara told him ‘you went shopping’ you quickly entered the room and started preparing everything.

It wasn’t some luxury set up with petals everywhere, a jacuzzi and balloons, but you had his favorite desserts, a small letter of you confessing your feelings for him, and some matching bracelets for the both of you.

You dressed up in your floral sundress, put some make-up on and fixed your hair once Nobara gave you the heads up for Gojo coming back.

And oh boy, Gojo came back pissed. Truly hiding he was so fucking terrified of not finding you. He was mumbling things under his breath, swearing he would kill everyone if he didn’t find you.

Even Shoko was shocked at his behavior since he never seemed this committed to a girl like he did right now, he seemed happier with you, brighter.

And he swears he was about to fucking hit Ijichi until he felt a known energy coming from his room. In a blink he was standing in front of his door, he could sense you were anxious, his hands started getting sweaty, not knowing what to expect.

When he opened the door and saw you standing there, looking as beautiful as ever, with a small smile adorning your face, the familiar smell of freshly made mochis, you could see his shoulders untensed, he was no longer wearing his glasses nor his blindfold. He seemed confused at first until you stepped closer to him and handed him a letter.

‘Dear ‘Toru:

How do I even start this? You’ll be surprised to know that everytime I reach for your hand after an exhausting night makes me feel relaxed in an instant. Ever since we met, the word ‘love’ has become something different for me. It became a stronger and heavier word to take out of me. You made me stop focusing on what others think, to try and teach everyone how important it is to have a feeling of goodwill. Because not everyone knows how it feels to find someone that makes you feel like you want to improve this world since you see the rest of your life with them. They say love is blind but I personally believe that this is not true because I can see and feel the love that exists between us. My love for you is capable of turning back the hands of the clock.

In other words, the issue here is that you think I’m not head over heels in love with your dumb fucking ass.’

You heard Gojo chuckle and looking back at you, you swear his eyes were brighter than last time you saw them, his demeanor seemed excited. And in not even a second he was grabbing you by your waist and giving a spin before hugging you.

‘You don’t know how much I wanted to do this, but I guess you were faster than me. You’ve got me acting like a fool.’ After that his lips connected with yours, and it was like they were molded for him. It tasted as sweet as candy, such a precious thing for someone else to have. He feels like he just won the lottery, fuck that, he has all the money he has, he feels like he just fucking rules this world.

He grabbed your legs with both of his hands, your legs wrapping around his body taking you into an even closer hug. Taking some steps back making sure to close the door. Then he laid you down on his bed. Giving small pecks all around your face which cause you to giggle. His kisses started trailing down your neck until he found that spot that made you whine and make your breathing heavier.

Your hands wrapped around his neck, supporting yourself, he continued kissing you. His hands roaming and exploring your whole body. Taking a break from kissing, he grabbed your hands from his neck, pinning them with one of his hands all extended above your head on the bed.

He just admired your form, your pouty lips after all that kissing, your uneven breathing trying to calm yourself down. You were perfect. You were now his.

‘Baby… before I continue, are you sure about this?’ He asked you, his eyes searching for any discomfort in your body. You nodded your head, giving him a shy smile.

‘I need words baby, words.’ He chuckled at you, getting closer to your ear and slightly biting the part of your neck below it. 

‘Just fuck me already ‘toru, be my first for once.’

Gojo’s breath stopped suddenly, his eyes were wide thanks to the unexpected information. The thought of being the first man to make you his, and he’s sure he’ll also be the last, made the blood of his brain go exactly to his dick.

He sighed, almost sounding like a whimper, ‘Is that so baby? he hummed before his hands got under your dress and started playing with your nipples. You didn’t bother to use a bra since the fabric of the dress was thick enough to cover your body. With a pinch on your nipple with his index finger and thumb, twisting it, made you moan, at which he just smirked.

His free hand started unzipping your dress, his other hand leaving your tits to help you undress, leaving you just in your underwear. He looked at you like if you were a piece of art, (which you are for his eyes only) admiring his work of marking you, your face already fucked up and he just started.

‘We can stop anytime.’ He assured you at which you just shyly nodded before your hands grabbed his shirt, signaling to take it off. He chuckled before doing so, he started kissing you again, then slowly going down your body, kissing your tits, tummy, until he reached your underwear. He gave you a last look before he continued. He gave a small peck on your clothed pussy before taking it off. 

‘Can’t believe I haven’t even touched you and you’re already this wet. Makes me want to wreck you.’ His face suddenly surged into your pussy, his nose tickling your clit while he started teasing your hole with his tongue. Making you moan his name, you could feel he started drawing infinity symbols with his tongue before it changed to pleasure your clit and he then inserted his index finger inside of you.

‘Y-yes ‘toru! Right there!..’ Your moans made him a starved man and started devouring your pussy with more favor, making the pleasure way too much to handle, moans and whines coming out of your mouth, he then inserted a second finger inside of you. Making you feel giddy and your vision becoming blurry thanks to the tears forming on your eyes.

‘That’s right sweetheart, cry for me, show me how much you like this.’ He stopped eating you out, while he admired your body twitching thanks to his fingers moving inside of you.

You covered your face with one of your arms and his movement suddenly stopped.

‘Ah-ah, I need to see you princess, 'm simply enjoying the view. it's not every day I get to fuck someone so pretty. Let me see that pretty face of yours and I'll continue.’ With a whine you uncover yourself and he starts moving his fingers again, transforming that whine into a moan. ‘That's it baby.’

He just needed to move his finger a little higher and with that your vision became white and you came. Stripes of your fluids wetting Gojo’s fingers.

‘Such a good little pup, aren't you?’ He chuckled to himself before he started unbuckling himself, giving you time to calm yourself down.

‘You want to continue sugar?’ You nodded and that’s all he needed before getting his remaining clothes off. Showing his hard cock, the base was beige-ish with a pink and hard tip. A vein adorning it on the left part, it wasn’t so thick but oh man, he was large.

‘It won’t fit ‘toru.’

‘I’ll make it fit baby.’

He started inserting his cock inside of you, the stretch making you furrow your face.He started giving you small pecks to distract you from the pain it’ll later turn into please. He was half in when you swear you could feel the tip of his cock coming out of your throat.

‘Just a bit more princess…’ Once he was completely inside, he gave you some time to adjust yourself. It wasn’t until his cock twitched a little inside of you that touched your gummy spot that made you see stars. 

‘Please move ‘toru.’

He started carefully thrusting, testing to see if you’re comfortable. ‘Do I continue- agh- baby..?’ He said between whimpers, feeling your hole clenching perfectly on his cock had him feeling like no other.

‘Huh…uh…keep going.’ He started thrusting faster, each time sucking him better than the last. ‘Faster—ah shit—harder…’

Your hands rested on his chest, while Gojo grabbed your legs, throwing them each on his shoulders, putting you into a mating press. Your hands then lowered themselves a little not his nipples, and you made an experimental movement of moving his nipple to the side, at which he responded with a whimper coming out of his mouth.

‘Nng~ That’s right baby, I love it when you touch me like that.’ He groaned when you pinched his right nipple, before a moan came out of you. Making you see stars again while he continued thrusting into you. Your fluids make it easier for him to insert himself again.

His hand traveled down your body until it met your clit, rubbing it, causing the overstimulation making you almost scream. Tears coming out of you, strips of cum filling your womb. But he didn’t stop.

‘I-im sorry baby, it just- ah~ feel so good.’ The overstimulation became too much for him too, rubbing your clit faster while he clumsy continued thrusting, making the both of you cum again in not even 5 minutes.

He lowered your legs down, admiring your hole full of his cum, before resting beside you. Getting an arm sound your body while he covered the both of you with the sheets and you rested your head on his chest.

Heavy breathing was all you could hear, before he gave you a small peck on the top of your head, looking back at him, the both of you smiled at the other. Both of you became one eunoia.

[sanrikis]

mint choco hater 🍦– k.s

genre. fluff, non idol au, ice cream shop au, acquaintances to lovers (?) // pairing. non idol!kim sunoo x fem!reader // cw. cringe, flirting (?), vvv silly // wc. 1.2k // synopsis. sunoo works at an ice cream parlor and you’re their number one customer, freezing weather or not.

“here comes your favorite customer,” sunghoon’s voice rings out from the front. sunoo would never admit it, but he definitely perked up and almost jumped in joy at the sentence, before heaving out a sigh loud enough for sunghoon to hear.

“you can’t be serious. it’s like -10 outside,” sunoo huffs.

“oh i’m dead serious. get up here.”

sunoo rolls his eyes dramatically, but it was hard to hide his smile over the arrival of a certain regular in the ice cream parlor.

i mean really. it was -10 degrees outside. who wants ice cream in that kind of weather?

apparently this girl. and apparently she wants it in every kind of weather. the girl frequented the parlor weekly, sometimes daily, to get her beloved favorite ice cream flavor, (…). rarely was it ever something else that she got.

“it’s not even that good,” sunoo thought to himself. he was kind of still in disbelief over her appearance on today of all days.

“hello to my favorite ice cream parlor employee! how’s business today,” the girl questioned, a smile lighting up her face as she made her way up to the order station.

“very slow. i don’t know if you realized but it’s pretty cold outside.”

“oh i know… i just was really craving ice cream.”

“yeah…,” sunoo doesn’t know how to reply, so he asks, “do you want your usual?”

“not today! can you surprise me? ‘m getting kind of tired of(…),” the girl buzzes, her cold face beginning to warm up.

“surprise you?”

“yeah,” the girl nods.

“okay…”

sunoo grabs one of the cups and looks over the many flavors of ice cream.

“she’s practically had all of these,” sunoo thinks. “why is this so hard?”

then, his eyes glance over green and his eyes light up. “perfect!”

upon seeing his expression, the girls eyes trail over to where her look and she pales.

“not mint choco! i hate it,” the girl frantically calls to him, hands waving in a “no” motion.

sunoo can’t help but roll his eyes at her reaction, but still wants to manage to convince someone to try it.

“you sure? have you ever had it? it’s my favorite!”

“um i haven’t had it in a while, but most people don’t really like it and i’m not a big mint fan..,” the girl admits, her hands twiddling.

“cmon ice cream girl! try something new! you won’t regret it… if you do it’s on the house,” sunoo smiles, beginning to scoop the ice cream in the cup.

“…okay,” the girl whispers, hesitation laced in her voice. “if you say so my favorite ice cream parlor employee.”

“my name’s sunoo yknow. you can call me that if you want, since we see each other so much,” sunoo laughs, a smile beginning to form on his face.

“well you can call me y/n then sunoo,” the girl, y/n, smiles back at him.

sunoos smile is on full display now, a light blush dusting his face. it’s just first name basis… why is he so happy?

“okay y/n, here’s your mint choco ice cream,” sunoo beamed, sliding the ice cream across the counter towards y/n.

“thank you sunoo”

y/n grabs the cup but only stares at the ice cream, not moving to try it.

“don’t be scared y/n. it’s ice cream! it’s not gonna kill you,” sunoo laughs, coming around the counter towards the girl, but not before grabbing an extra spoon, “i’ll eat it with you,” he winks.

y/n feels a heat grow across her face, but does her best to keep her expression the same and act normal.

sunoo sees her face darken and a satisfied feelings envelops him. “atleast i’m not the only one who got flustered today,” he thinks.

“okay sunoo,” y/n whispers, looking up at him before looking back down quickly at the ice cream upon making eye contact with him.

“why am i acting like this? we always casually talk and make eye contact… usually he’s the more shy one,” y/n pouts to herself.

“okay count of three we’ll both take a bite okay!”

“okay…”

“1,”

y/n looks up at him again, fighting the urge to look away. she needs to be the confident one.

“2,”

sunoo notices her gaze and looks at her. a blush rushes to his face again but he maintains eye contact.

“3.”

they both bring their spoons to their mouths, y/n shutting her eyes as the ice cream hits her tongue.

“yup. not a big fan of mint,” y/n admits, her face scrunching in disgust.

“you’re being dramatic. it can’t be that bad,” sunoo laughs, reaching behind the counter to grab y/n a napkin.

using all the courage he had, he wiped some ice cream off of the girls lips, reveling in her face darkened once again.

y/n felt like her face was radiating heat, and honestly felt like she was about to short circuit.

“apparently it can. but atleast it was free.”

sunoo laughs again, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth.

“wow, he’s really pretty. how have i not noticed this before,” y/n thought to herself.

“y/n, did you really not like it,” sunoo asks, his head tilting to the side. y/n can’t help the smile that falls upon her face at the sight.

“i really did not like it.”

“why not?”

“i don’t like mint… like at all.”

“you’re a weirdo,” sunoo huffs put jokingly, “how can you not like mint but you’ll eat (…) almost everyday?”

“because (…) is good and mint is not. hope that helps,” y/n smiles.

“hmmm… what i think is,” sunoo starts, “that you came in with a bias and you didn’t give mint choco a full chance! you need to try it again some other day, when it’s not cold!”

“why would i try something i don’t like again a different time?”

“because we’re gonna go to a different parlor and eat it on a nice sunny day.”

“we are?”

“we are,” sunoo smiles, “if you’re not opposed to it of course!”

“i am not. so when do you want to have our mint choco redemption,” y/n questions, her eyebrows raising at the boy in front of her.

sunoo smiles again. he’s relieved she didn’t say no. but he hadn’t really thought that far ahead.

“not sure. can i get your number? to plan out the details of course.”

“sure.” sunoo pulls out his phone and y/n takes it from him and begins typing in her number.

she raises it and takes a picture before handing it back to sunoo.

when he looks at the new contact, a blush rushes over his face again.

“y/nie 🩷” accompanied by a very cute picture of y/n.

“very cute,” sunoo says, not realizing he’s talking out loud instead of in his head.

heat rushes to y/ns face as she tries to cover her face. she laughs, “thank you? your turn.” she hands her phone over to sunoo and he excitedly takes it.

he types and the holds the phone back as he puts up a peace sign and takes a photo.

“here ya go!” sunoo hands the phone back to y/n and she glances down at what he put.

“sunoo 🦊🧡”

“it’s cute!”

“i know!”

“okay i take it back,” y/n glares playfully, “but i kind of need to get going…”

“okay… i’ll text you when i get off,” sunoo smiles at her.

“i’d like that,” y/n smiles back.

“mhm… bye y/n.”

“bye sunoo… see you later.”

ೀ mia’s notes – i asked star if i could use her ice cream shop au idea for a oneshot and so i came up with this :D it kind of gets bad towards the end but i wanted to finish and post it, especially since i reached 200!!!! thanks so much teheheh!! i hope you guys like this :DDD

for @thesunoosshining <333 i hope you like it :333

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ perm taglist open + (🎀) open

© sanrikis 2024 do not repost, translate, or plagiarize

[dronebiscuitbat]

Oil is Thicker Then Blood (Part 66)

“You made it! Good, I was beginning to worry you two wouldn't show.” Khan smiled and let them both through, Lizzy looking up and around at the decorations and grimacing while V rolled her eyes. As they came through the door, Lizzy quickly pulled away from V, as if trying to hide the fact she was doing it at all.

“Oh that option was tempting, but free food is free food.” V replied, eyes drifting first over to Thad and Tera, then to N and Uzi.

“Is this everyone?” She asked, an eyebrow raised as if she was unimpressed, Lizzy leaned on the counter by the food, smirking lightly.

“Probably, the tiny grape doesn't have many friends.”

“Bite me Lizzy.” Uzi immediately replied, though she noticed that she'd used the word grape instead of freak. It was still an insult, but one far less potent or personal.

“What, I'm here aren't I?” Lizzy pointed out, looking over at Uzi, who was looking up at her with the world's most unamused expression, arms crossed and eyes in the formation of the classic Doorman glare.

“Only to make my life miserable.”

“Hm, never insulted your intelligence, Doorman.” Lizzy snapped back sarcastically, causing Uzi to growl and step forward only for N to subtlety grab her hand and squeeze.

“Whatever…” Uzi grumbled, trying to ignore Lizzy and instead focus on what her daughter was doing, which was nibbling on Thads fingers while he talked to Khan, thankfully, it didn't seem to be enough to hurt him, or even have him notice.

“Happy Birthday, purple toaster.” V came up to her, an aluminum chip already in her mouth that she was chewing on, her tone was sarcastic, but somehow genuine at the same time.

“You know my name V. I've heard you say it.” Uzi replied, deadpan. Even so a small smirk began to play on her face, her favorite person to rile up was here…

“You have no proof.” V hummed, clawed hand on her hip and she leaned down to Uzi's level, Uzi's smirk, if anything, grew wider.

“You're the one who carried me aalllll the way home when I was injured. Face it murder girl, you found a nanospark in your cold dead core to care about me~” She teased, making V pull back with a slight dusting of a gold blush of embarrassment.

“Ew, never in a million years.” She grumbled, but it held no malice behind it, V huffed, then her eyes went hollow and she turned towards Uzi again, the smaller worker could hear her olfactory sensors activate several times, before V pulled back.

“You smell weird.”

“Oh well thanks, that's not rude at all.” Uzi replied, feeling slightly insulted but mostly freaked out, could V smell that there was something different about her? That was concerning…

“I didn't say bad, I said weird. You sick or something?” V replied, looking up at N and finding he had a very guilty look on his face that he was trying hard to mask.

“Nope, maybe your nose is broken from smelling yourself all day.” Uzi bit sarcasticly, she wasn't sure why V was suddenly acting so weird, but it was probably best she tried to throw her off.

“Ugh, fine, drop dead from some weird virus for all I care.” V grumbled before sauntering off towards Lizzy and immediately locking her into a conversation.

“Alright, now that everyone's here, I have something to say.” Khan cleared his throat and straighted his posture, standing behind the counter while everyone looked at him.

“Thank you all for being here, I know that my daughter struggles making friends… so it means a lot that you're all here.”

Lizzy and V snickered, Uzi ignored them.

“Today my daughter, my little girl, turns 19. It seems like only yesterday that she was running around the house with my wrench, hitting everything in sight.”

Ugh… Uzi wasn't sure how much she wanted anyone in this room to hear about how she was when she was little, er - littler. She definitely didn't want Lizzy to have any more blackmail material… though at this point she wasn't even confident Lizzy would say anything about it.

“But now I have a lovely granddaughter, and someone that I hope, and anticipate, I can call ‘son’ soon enough.” He side eyed N, who turned a bright golden and looked away, feeling eyes all over him.

“Seriously, just propose already.” Khan smirked, making N cough and stare down at the floor while the rest of the room chuckled at him. Uzi looked up at him with a half-embarassed smile, which he returned.

“Happy Birthday Uzi, and I'm so happy I get to be here… to see this part of your life.” He finished, clapping for her, which only half the room returned, with V only doing it half-heartedly and Lizzy doing nothing but nodding slightly.

“Speaking of… parts of our lives.” N began after everyone settled down, making Uzi's breath immediately catch in the back of her throat, oh, oh robo-god they were doing this now? She wasn't sure if she was ready!

“We have an announcement to make.” Everyone's eyes were on them now, N rested one of his large hands on her shoulder, doing his best to ground her, she took a deep breath, okay, okay, she could do this, it was just saying a few words.

“Uzi?” He looked down at her, smiling gently. She looked out at all her freinds (or y’know, close enough) and family and steeled herself, closing her eyes for a moment.

“I'm-I'm pregnant.” She blurted out, feeling that if she waited any longer then she'd loose her nerve. She looked at Khan first, his jaw was on the floor, his eyelights hollow and his fists balled onto the counter.

V was the first to say something.

“That's why you smell so damn weird! I knew something was off!” She growled, before the actual situation caught up with her, and then she looked a mixture of shocked and pissed; “Do you two ever think things through?!”

Uzi winced, that was a reaction she had expected… but didn't want. And it only added to the pit of uncomfortable emotions swirling in her stomach.

“V! It wasn't a decision, It just… happened!” N was there, backing her up. It was just a rehash of their argument of Tera's adoption, only now V seemed more upset, and N more defensive.

“Oh! Like an unplanned pregnancy is so much better!” V was spitting venom, and Uzi felt the ball of discomfort tighten, this was… not going well.

She looked back at her Dad, who looked back at her with his mouth trying to move but nothing coming out, she hugged herself, this was a nightmare.

“Okay! Everyone stop!” Everyone was surprised when it was Lizzy of all people to break up the chaos in the room, making V shut up instantly and N real back slightly.

Lizzy walked up to Uzi, at first, she thought she was about to get laughed at, or even some insult that would hit a little too hard in her vulnerable state.

Instead, she was wrapped in a tentative hug from the pink worker, shocking her so much that her mouth fell open.

“U-uh.”

Lizzy pulled back, not saying a word. She looked embarrassed mostly, mixed with some sort of irritated and empathetic.

“Look you don't like me, I haven't given you a reason to. And I don't really like you, for like… way shittier reasons. I'm working on it.”

“But no one should be yelling at you or giving you shit.” She turned to V, who looked like she'd just got her tail caught in a door, because she instantly looked away and crossed her arms.

“Thanks… I guess.” Uzi was still wondering if she had passed into an alternate dimension somewhere in the last few minutes.

“Yeah.” The pink worker responded, looking down at the floor for a moment, before smiling ever so slightly. Clearly not meant to be seen.

“Don't get used to it, just don't want a pregnant woman to be yelled at.” She flipped her hair and walked away, leaning back onto the counter where she made eye contact with V, who looked guilty for the first time in her life.

“Congrats Dudes!” Thad immediately cut through the somber reactions with his own extremely positive one, Tera laughing as the drone holding her got excited. Uzi let out a breath, and so did N.

“Thank you, kinda figured your reaction would be positive.” Uzi laughed lightly, still feeling a little down from how nightmarish this had gone, she hadn't even gotten to the weird part yet…

“Well duh! More kids to teach sports too! Right little football?”

He lifted Tera up while she squealed in delight, raising her little arms as if they were wings and she could fly away with them.

Uzi turned back to her Dad, who was slowly closing the distance between them nervously, he gave her a wary smile before opening his arms to invite her in for a hug.

She sighed in relief and accepted it, her dad petting down her head while she felt him take a steadying breath.

“I can't say I'm not surprised. You're 19, that's so young dronelette.” He said quietly as he pulled away, looking at her with worried eyes.

“But… if you're happy with your choices, then so am I. Heh, you're only a year younger then your mom when she got pregnant with you.” He admitted, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

Huh… she did not know that.

“So… when can we expect them to be printed? I assume you've known for awhile.” Khan asked, putting a hand on her shoulder, as sweat appeared on Uzi's visor, right… the weird part.

“Yeah… uh, thats the thing, they're already being printed, uh… in here.” She pointed at her midsection, and everyone seemed to look at her like she'd spontaneously grown a second head.

“What?” Everyone said at once, but this they had prepared for, N handed Khan the scanner first, showing what the inside of Uzi's midsection looked like, and the now larger mass within, it looked a bit like a potato, and was about half the size of one too.

“Oh my- how is this possible?” He asked as he handed it off to V, who also looked at it like she was about to pass out.

“We think the solver has something to do with it… I'm very organic now… so…” Uzi replied, not exactly sure how she felt about people looking at a picture of her insides.

“Your mother also had… the solver, you call it? Her pregnancy was normal, we transferred you to a shell after you were done in her core.”

Well… that made her feel even weirder, but N was still pressed up against her back, doing his best to calm her down.

“Well… I'm partly organic too. And I'm pretty sure I'm connected to it too in some way, maybe that's why?” N suggested, gesturing to himself, mainly, his organic core.

“I wouldn't know, is the baby-?”

“Healthy, and still in the core.” Uzi interrupted, feeling anxiety eat at her.

“It says here it's made out of normal drone material, so it's not like it's going to be some… mass of flesh or whatever.” Lizzy interrupted, handing of the scanner to Thad.

“Gnarly” Was all he said. Which Lizzy rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder for.

At that, V seemed to visibly relax, sighing while looking Uzi up and down.

“Are you eating enough?” She asked, startling the both of them it seemed, but Uzi just answered the question without calling her out on it, for once.

“Yeah I am now… there was an incident where I almost ate somebody I was so hungry… but I didn't!”

V snickered, nodding her head almost in pride while Lizzy looked horrified. “Who?!”

“Chloe”

Then Lizzy looked decidedly less horrified. “Almost wish you did, she's a bitch, even compared to me.”

“Yeah…” Thad agreed, and V laughed out loud at the groups mutual agreement.

“Oh damn, now I have to meet her if even Mr. Chill thinks she's bad.”

Uzi felt herself relax, despite not going so well at the start, they were actually taking the weird part exceptionally well.

It looked like things were turning out okay.

[j-eryewrites]

Kin

Part Six of A Sinner's Redemption

SERIES MASTER LIST| MAIN MASTER LIST

Previous | Next

Word Count: 16.8k

Author's Note: (EDIT) Dang, it's been forever since I've had the chance to write in general. I want to say thank you for all your patience with me. My health has been horrible, and school and work have been crazy, leaving me little time to do the things I enjoy. I really hope you enjoy this chapter!

Anyway, I'll stop talking and let you read on.

Warnings: Language, mentions of death, angst and all the feels (I MEAN A LOT OF ANGST), blood, violence, and gore (let me know if I missed anything)

꧁_____________꧂ 

Three Months Later...

One thing Ellie hated the most was when she was under-estimated. She was sure Piper felt the same way when Joel became all high and mighty,, wanting to face the "bad guys" by himself rather than having the two of them help out. Ellie knew she could hold her own. For Piper, there was no doubt, but after what happened in Kansas City, it seemed like Joel had changed. Now, whether it was for good or bad, Ellie was unsure, but right now, it was leaning more towards bad.

The woman was completely harmless. In fact, Ellie had been puzzled as to how this woman had survived this long. Even so, Joel pushed the girls behind him; gun raised as he told the woman what was going to happen. Afterwards, forced the girls upstairs to hide while they waited for the woman's husband to come home. Ellie grumbled at that. If the husband was anything like the woman, Florence as she introduced herself, then Ellie could take both of them down in under a minute.

Ellie groaned as her head banged against the bedpost. "How long is this gonna take?" she muttered under her breath. Her eyes peered over at her sister, wondering if she had heard Ellie's words. Instead, Piper seemed to be in her own world. She was leaning up against the wall. Her gun was in her lap and her hands grasped the sides of her forehead. Ellie's eyes squinted, unsure if her sister was in deep thought or pain.

"How long is this gonna take?" Ellie repeated, her head dropping to the side to emphasize her distaste for the situation.

Piper winced as she opened her eyes. "I heard you for the first time, El."

"Yeah, but you didn't respond., so I had to make sure you were still alive," Ellie smirked.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Jesus, you're giving me a headache."

Ellie opened her mouth to respond, but Joel's thunderous voice from downstairs cut her off: "Thought I told you two to be quiet."

"Yeah, Ellie. Be quiet," Piper smirked.

"You motherfu-" Ellie spat back.

"Hey!" Joel reprimanded. Florence began giggling to herself in the armchair she sat in. At the sound of her laughter, the girls grew quiet.

Suddenly, Florence's laughter died down. "He's home."

Ellie sat up straighter and nudged Piper with her foot. The two girls listened as Joel crept into the back room for the element of surprise. It wasn't long after that the door swung open. Heavy footsteps clanked against the cabin floor.

It was hard to see from the balcony. Ellie silently cursed, wanting to see what was going on below. Her curiosity peaked when she heard Joel speak, cocking his gun.

"-And the gun," Joel instructed.

"Who the hell are you?" The man defensively said. Ellie silently fussed at the inability to see without giving away her position. Piper couldn't care less about what happened downstairs as long as Joel didn't bite the dust.

"Just someone passin' through," Joel said. "Take the gun out, two fingers only, put it outta reach."

The man did as Joel instructed with a calm expression. He looked at his wife. "Why didn't you shoot him?"

Florence shrugged and motioned to where the gun sat in the corner of the room. "The gun's all the way over there. He didn't hurt me, by the way."

"Yeah, I got eyes," he replied. He caught sight of the table where three empty bowls lay. "You made him soup?"

"Yeah, I did. It's cold out," Florence replied.

Joel glanced between the two. They were conversing as if he wasn't there holding a gun to the two of them. "I'm lookin' for my brother," Joel interjected.

He looked Joel up and down and scoffed. "Well, I ain't seen him," he responded.

"I haven't told you what he looks like," Joel noted.

"He look anything like you?"

Joel shrugged, "A bit."

The man took off his coat and hung it up on the coat hanger. "Then I ain't seen him," he responds.

Florence smiled as she chimed in. "He's got two girls with him….” She said it like it was the biggest gossip she heard in twenty years.

"Can we come down?" Ellie asked, knowing Joel couldn't berate her for speaking up when Florence had exposed their presence. Besides, she had grown too stir crazy to keep sitting up there. Without hearing Joel's response, she jumped to the stairs and made her way down. Piper was slow to follow.

"No," Joel groaned into his hand. "Ellie! Piper!"

"Ooh-wa," Florence's husband chuckled. Florence began to giggle as well.

The girls stared at the man. He was old, just like his wife, but they weren't scrawny like most people. They were well fed, their skin a dark copper and dark hair to compliment it as well. If the world wasn't what it was, the girls might even consider the two to be normal. They might have been before the outbreak, but now they just seemed crazy with their nonchalant expressions.

"What did I just say?" Joel scolded the girls.

"Hey, I just came down 'cause she did," Piper explained.

Ellie sighed. "Joel, come on. They're, like, a thousand."

"Who are these little psychos?" The man asked.

Piper shot him a look. "I'm not little."

"But you are psycho," Ellie quipped. Piper elbowed her for the comment.

Joel rolled his eyes. "Never mind them," Joel told him.

"Who’s the bigger psycho?" The man asked with a grin on his face.

Piper and Ellie were rearing to get the first say when Joel announced loudly over them, "I need you to tell us where we are." He placed a wrinkled map on the table and pointed to it.

"If you got a map, why you lost?"

Ellie's face scrunched. " Must've missed all the street signs in the enormous fսcking forest," she hissed.

"Ho-ly," the man laughed.

Joel continued on. "We're somewhere here. Exactly where? And your answer better be the same as your wife's."

The man halted his laughter and looked at his wife. "Did you tell him the truth?"

She calmly rocked back and forth in her chair. "Yeah."

"Are you tellin' me the truth?"

Florence nodded, "Yeah." Her husband sighed and pointed to the location on the map.

Joel's jaw tensed. "Well, you found a great place to hide, I guess."

"Hide?" the man chuckled. " I came here before you were born, Sonny. Get the hell away from everybody."

"I didn't want to," Florence noted. Piper stifled a snort. The couple strangely amused her.

"Eh. Listen, I didn't mean to upset you about your brother," the man comforted, "but if you've come this far, then you know what's out there. You seen Cody?"

"Yeah, got close enough." Ellie shivered. "It's crawling with Infected."

The man nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, Laramie and Wind River Reservation. Anywhere people used to be, you can't go there no more."

"So you haven't heard the name Tommy?" Joel asked the man.

"Nope."

"What about the Fireflies?" Ellie piped up.

Florence smiled fondly, "We get those in the summer."

Piper sighed, "Not the bugs, the people."

"There are firefly people?" Florence asked. Then, she and her husband began to laugh again.

Joel was getting fed up with their laid-back attitude. "You got any advice on the best way west?"

"Yeah," the man said. "Go east. But you never go past the river here. Ever."

"What's past the river?" Piper questioned.

Florence glanced over at Piper; her face grew cold. "Death. We never see who's out there, but we see the bodies they leave behind. Some Infected, some not." Piper looked away. Something about the woman's stare sent chills down her spine. Florence turned to Joel. "If your brother's west of the river, he's gone."

Ellie scoffed as she crossed her arms across her chest. "You're not going to scare us," she says.

"Scared them," Florence corrected, motioning to Joel and Piper. Her husband laughed.

"Thanks for the soup," Piper muttered, hoping to change the newfound tension in the air. "It was delicious."

The rocking from the chair stopped as Florence replied, "No problem."

Without paying much more attention to Florence and her husband, Joel turned to the girls. His gun lowered. "Let’s go," Joel uttered.

Piper and Ellie shuffled around the cabin to follow Joel out the door. The cool winter air burned their cheeks as blood rushed to the surface to try and regulate their internal temperature. It was no use, but they were used to it by now. The relentless cold always nipped at their ears, cheeks, fingers, and toes. Even so, the girls shivered, their bodies craving the warmth from inside the cabin.

Ellie pulled her hat down hoping to drown her ears in the thick cotton. "You don't seriously believe them," Ellie joked, noticing Piper and Joel's abrupt silence once the cabin door closed.

Joel's feet trekked through the snow away from the cabin, not daring to look back. He wouldn't dare let himself miss the hospitality, the warmth, and the humanity of Florence's home. He didn't want to think about how comforting the sight of Piper and Ellie felt in a proper home with food. How he wished it could have been their home. No, Joel wouldn't think of that. He shouldn't. "They've lived here a long time," Joel responded, looking back at Ellie, whose hands were now full of rabbits. She had a gleeful smile on her face. "Put that back," Joel hissed.

"They'll be fine. Right, Piper?" Ellie nudged her sister, who still remained silent.

Ellie's weak forceful nudge nearly knocked Piper off her feet and into the cold, wet snow. The only response Ellie got was a warning glare from her sister.

"Sheesh,' Ellie shuddered as she placed back the rabbits. She began to mumble to herself. "They don't know anything. Never heard of the Fireflies. Bet they never knew about the outbreak when it first happened…"

"Ellie," Piper suddenly exclaimed, drawing her sister out of her disbelief.

It was strange. Joel had stopped walking. His hand tightly gripped the fence. His leather gloves creaked from the strain. Ellie quickly observed his rigid shoulders as they strained to go up and down.

"Joel?!" Piper's lips trembled. Her hands floated above Joel's back, and she was unsure if it was okay to touch him. The reflection of the snow illuminated the worry in her eyes.

Ellie darted beside Joel. His breathing was only getting harsher. "Joel? Joel? Joel, are you okay? Joel?!"

Piper shared a fearfully concerned glance with her sister. "Joel?! Come on, Joel, this isn't funny-"

"Shut up." The sound of Joel's voice silenced the girls. Joel clutched his chest right above his beating heart.

Ellie didn't miss the gesture of pain. "Holy shit, are you dying?"

"No, he's not. He's -Joel, you better fucking not die," Piper demanded. Panic was evident in her voice.

Joel withdrew his hand from his chest and waved it in the air in an attempt to soothe the girls' anxiety. "I'm okay," he said.

"Okay, are you okay?" Ellie asked.

"I'm fine," Joel hissed, not wanting the worry the girls had.

His tone only seemed to spur Ellie's increasing uneasiness. She stepped closer to Joel, who winced, feeling her shaking breath in his face. "No, no, but are you? Because just a reminder that if you're dead, we’re fսckеd."

"Ellie, give him some space!" Piper tried to yank Ellie back, but it was to no avail.

"No, the fucker’s dying on us."

Piper opened her mouth to respond when Joel's thick voice cut her off. "I said I'm fine."

The commanding tone repressed their paranoia but did little to subdue their concern. "Okay," they muttered in response.

"It's just the… cold air all of a sudden," Joel tried to reassure them.

Piper nodded, seeing right through Joel. It was something she had begun to pick up on all her time around the man. His little habits and tells. That's what happens when people go through hell and back together; some unspeakable bond grows. She hated to admit she had gotten accustomed to Joel's presence. She hated how she'd gotten lazy and dependent, a little less like a survivor and more like a, well, someone who was allowed to live. Almost. Piper wouldn't let herself get comfortable. She wouldn't grow attached. She wouldn't let Joel in, at least, not more so than he already had.

"All right, uh… so let's go and find Tommy and the Fireflies," Ellie said before marching through the snow.

"It's gonna be easy. All we have to do is cross the River of Death," Ellie sarcastically said as she got close to Piper's face. Piper rolled her eyes and shoved her sister. It made Ellie snicker.

Piper watched Joel continue to cling to the fence pole. She despised how her heart constricted at his hidden pain. What was worse was how her mind wildly pursued the question of the absence of Joel. It was an answer she never wanted to find. Maybe it was too late for Piper. Maybe Joel meant a bit more to her than she'd like. Reluctantly, Piper left Joel, her pace fast as she caught up with Ellie.

Joel watched both of them stomp through the snow. The shiny leather of Ellie's boots glistened under the winter sun, unlike Piper's worn and wilting boots, which repelled the sunlight. He glanced down at his own boots. It was a repulsing sight. The darkened soles were peeling along the edges, and the leather was frayed. They wouldn't last long. Joel just hoped they'd keep out the snow and ice for a little while longer.

꧁_꧂

Evening light trickled into the water. The water reflected the light as if it were made of diamonds. Accompanying the burst of opalescent colors was the thunderous sound water rushing past. The noise was deafening to Piper's ears. If it weren't for how close she huddled next to Ellie she wouldn't have heard the satirical comment she had made.

"The River of Death. Scary." Ellie turned away with a smile on her face. Piper and Joel peered over their shoulders at her, bearing the same annoyed expression. Ellie wasn't going to give up the bit. She was having too much fun.

"Don't start," Joel sighed.

Ellie giggled. The sound was infectious as it eased Piper's face into a soft smile.

"It's too close to dark," Joel noted. "There's some caves along the river. We'll set up camp there, cross in the morning'."

"Good. I'm starving," Piper added. Her stomach rumbled.

"Should've stolen two rabbits," Ellie mumbled.

"We can get our own rabbits," Joel said. His hands grazed his hips as they trekked further along.

Ellie practically jumped in front of him. "You gonna teach me how?" She beamed up at Joel.

Piper awaited Joel's response, even more so than Ellie. She had never learned how to hunt. There was never really the need back in the QZ. Even if it wasn't plentiful, food was always provided to her and Ellie. She knew the basics behind it: take a gun or trap, shoot, skin or prep, and eat. However, there was something foreign about hunting animals. All she'd ever shot were Infected people. Piper was a killer. She wondered if she could ever be a hunter or if she was forever cursed to kill.

"Just keep movin'," was all Joel said. Ellie sighed in disappointment.

Finding a suitable cave for the night hadn't taken them long. It was large enough to provide them shelter but not deep enough to house anything deadly. Joel had gotten busy building a fire. He had sent the girls off to get firewood a while ago, which they had done, but they had been absent since then.

The fire crackled, its flames dancing around as the smoke rose into the night sky like a prayer for all to see. They were so far out from any civilization that Joel wasn't too worried about the smoke. Even so, he kept his gun beside him, his hand on the barrel.

Joel watched the fire. His eyes froze over as they became entranced with the flames. His eyes dared to follow the smoke as it merged with the night sky above. That's when he spotted his girl's tattered coats. Joel frowned. The girls, he corrected himself. They weren't his. They were cargo, and that's all they would ever be. It was a delusion he hoped would become a reality so long as he kept saying it. The girls. His eyes focused on them as they gazed up at the night sky. He could see the awe in their eyes. They seemed at ease as the stars twinkled above them.

How long has it been since Joel looked up? He could recall a time when he'd watch the stars with Sarah. He refused to spare them a glance, knowing she was in the heavens alongside the stars. Yet, he found himself looking up. If his girls were watching, he wanted to watch them together.

His girls. The girls. The girls. THE GIRLS.

A clear whistle escaped Joel's cracked lips. His fingers fell as Piper and Ellie peered at him from the boulder. "Come down from there. You're gonna break your neck," Joel instructed.

He watched as the girls grunted slowly, descending the rock. Their feet hit the ground, and slowly, they crept to a seat by the fire. They welcomed the heat as it warmed them to their bones and fought back the deadly chill of the night. Piper sniffled and shivered, inching her body closer to the fire.

Meanwhile, Joel leaned back against a log. His body ached from all the use and travel. He was getting too old for him. Just like his tattered boots, he felt like he was falling apart. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out some duct tape and taped his boots. With his teeth, he cut the tape and put the finishing touches on his makeshift repair. Immediately after, he replaced the tape for his flask, taking a swig.

"Ahh…," Ellie muttered,, noticing the flask. "Can I have some?"

"No," Joel and Piper said.

Ellie began to wonder if they were the same person. "What? Just to warm up. C'mon," she begged, flashing her puppy eyes. Joel sighed, caving to Ellie's demands. She eagerly snatched the flask from Joel and took a sip. Her face scrunched up with disgust as she fought not to spit out the liquid. "Yep… still gross," she coughed. Her arm reached forward to hand it back to Joel when Piper intercepted.

"Give me," Piper said. Joel gave her a look, and Piper rolled her eyes. "What? If Ellie got a sip, why can’t I?" Again, Joel caved, and Piper took the flask. She unscrewed the lid and gulped down a sip with an expression of familiarity. It was an expression that drew fascination from her sister and concern from Joel. Piper tossed the flask back to Joel, the weight of which felt heavy in his hands.

"So, I've been thinking," Ellie began. "Let's say we find the Fireflies; it all works. They draw my blood and put it through some of their fancy machines to make a cure."

"Okay?" Joel said.

"Then what?" Ellie pondered. Joel flashed her a look of confusion. "Like, what do we do?"

His heart clenched and a thought of elation filled his mind. His girls. Internally, he shook his head. The girls, he corrected his thoughts. "Oh, it's we?"

Ellie covered the frown threatening to appear on her face. "Okay, fine. Whatever. You. You can do anything you want. Where are you going? What are you doing?"

Joel shrugged as he fiddled with the flask. "It's never been an option." Clearing his throat, he continued, "Maybe… an old farmhouse, some land… a ranch."

"Cool. What kind?" Ellie asked.

Joel's brows furrowed in thought before he responded, "Sheep. I would raise sheep. Sheep. They're quiet… do what they're told."

Ellie and Piper snickered, taking the hint. "Yeah, yeah. Okay," Ellie repeated, "So, just you and a buncha sheep. Romantic."

Joel sat up, placing the flask away. "And what about you two? Where are you gonna go?"

"Don’t know," Piper replied. She had always gone where Ellie went. They were always together; as long as Piper had Ellie, she'd be fine. As long it was the three-two of them. Using her elbow, she nudged her sister. "Ellie?"

Ellie gazed up at the sky as she answered. "It's probably because I grew up in the QZ. Behind you, there's the ocean, and ahead of you, there's a wall. Nowhere else to look but up." Joel couldn't help but follow her gaze. The stars waltzed between the dark blues and blacks of the night sky. "I read everything I could in the school library. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell. But you know who my favorite is?"

"Sally Ride," Joel and Piper say instinctively.

Ellie beamed at their answer. "Sally fսckin' Ride! Best astronaut name ever." The fire cracked loudly, leaving a deafening silence of if: If the cure worked. If life could ever return to normal. Ellie wasn't even really sure what normal was supposed to be. The closest she'd ever gotten to it was watching Florence and her husband. "It'll work, right?" Her voice was quiet and unsure as she spoke. "The vaccine?"

"It's a little late to start wonderin'," Joel stated.

"I tried," Ellie blurted. "…with Sam and…" Her gaze traveled over to her sister's arm where she had been bitten. It hadn't worked with Sam, but she had saved Piper. Ellie was sure of it. Her blood was the cure. She gave up every single drop if it meant that she could save what was left of her world. This cruel world, the Infected, the fungus, had taken everything from her: Her mom, Riley, Tess, Sam, and Henry. She refused to let that list have the names "Piper" and "Joel" written on it.

"Tried what?" Joel wondered.

"I knew he was infected,” Ellie admitted. "I rubbed some of my blood into his bite." Ellie could feel the stares Joel and Piper were giving her. She didn't dare look at them. "I know, I know, it was stupid. But I… I wanted to save him." She couldn't save Sam, but she would save everyone else.

"Well, I reckon it's a lot more complicated than that," Joel admitted. "Marlene, she's a lotta things, but… she's no fool. If she says they can do it, they can do it."

Ellie absently nodded at Joel's words. She was gonna save the world. Then she'd never have to lose anyone again. She wouldn't be alone.

On the other hand, Piper's mind began contemplating what Joel had said. The word "complicated" echoed in her head. She couldn't help but wonder what Marlene really had in store for her and Ellie. "You wanna take first watch or second?" Piper sighed, knowing her paranoid thoughts about what the cure entailed would get her nowhere.

"I'll do both," Joel told them, sitting up straighter and bringing his gun into his lap.

"Joel…," Piper pleaded with the memory of Joel clutching onto the fence like a lifeline still in his mind.

He brushed her off as he stood up. "Get some sleep. Dream of…," Joel smiled as he looked down at his girls. He'd let his delusions go for one night. "…sheep ranches on the moon."

"I will," Ellie smiled back up at him. Piper sat silent.

"That includes you, Piper. Get to bed," Joel said.

Piper sighed and looked deep into the firelight. "I’m not tired just yet."

Reluctantly, Joel turned away from the fire and his girls stepped into the cold winter night doing his round of patrol, leaving the girls to doze off by the fire side with each crunch of the snow beneath his feet. By the time he returned, Ellie was quietly snoring into her shoulder. Her small body cuddled close to Piper, whose arm was wrapped around her sister.

Joel resumed his seat by the fire. His joints flared as the heat of the fire slowly sank back into them. "Thought I told you to get to bed."

"Thought I told you I wasn't tired," Piper spat back.

Joel's eyes widened. "Look, Kid. You need the sleep more than I do."

Piper sniffled and wiped her nose drawing her legs closer to her body. "You sure about that?"

Joel looked away, finding his tongue trapped in his throat. Instead he found words for something else. "What's your dream?" Piper flashed Joel a confused look. "You never answered what you would do if it all worked out."

Piper bit her lip, her eyes fell down on Ellie's sleeping figure. "All I've ever…Have you ever thought you were cursed?" Joel shook his head. "I think I'm cursed. Actually, I know I am," Piper scoffed.

"Cursed?" Joel questioned.

"To kill." Piper pulled her arm away from Ellie and stared at her shaking hands. In the light of the fire, they only grew more red, A dark red that seemed to seep underneath her skin. She shuddered. "It's all I was used to in the QZ. It's all I've known." She couldn't bear to look at her hands any longer, instead resorted to shoving them under her legs. "I'm cursed to kill when all I want is to save…but I can't." her voice caught in her throat. "I can only save Ellie. She's all that matters. So, as long as I can do that, I'll be fine."

"Kid," Joel paused. "Piper." The sound of her name drew her attention. "You are more than a sister. You can want something for yourself that is outside of Ellie."

Piper scoffed. "Says you. You've been on and on about Tommy. What about you then? What is your dream outside of Tommy?"

"I-" Joel began to refute Piper's words, but something stopped him. She was right. He'd started this whole thing for Tommy: picked up the girls, lost Tess, danced with death, saw the impossible, and all for someone who could be dead. Piper and him were one in the same. As long as their family was safe and happy, so would they be. But as Joel really pondered her question, the dream of the farm came back into mind. The farm with the quiet sheep, the peaceful life. Except now, this dream had room for more, yet Joel wasn't sure if there was room for his girls in the first place.

"It's getting late," Joel remarked,,, standing up again to watch. This time, Piper didn't refuse sleep. Instead, she let the silence close in on her as the warmth of the fire cascaded over her body. The only sign of life was the slow rise and fall of her chest, the rhythm to which Joel stepped as he guarded his girls from the looming horrors of the night.

꧁_꧂

"Should we wake him up?" Ellie asked, craning her neck up to look at the boulder's ledge. The morning sun shone brightly in her eyes, painting Piper's figure as a shadow.

Piper was standing tall on the boulder with her gun in hand. Her dark eyes surveyed the area before glancing down at Ellie and shaking her head. "Nah, he'll wake up on his own. Besides, the man needs his beauty sleep." She quietly chuckled to herself.

Ellie shrugged and peered down at Joel, who was sleeping on the ground close to her. She watched as his brows furrowed and his forehead creased. She stepped closer to Joel, now hearing the incoherent mumblings that spilled from his mouth.

The sound of the earth crunching beneath Ellie's feet stirred Joel awake. He sat up with a hiss of air as his hands fumbled for his rifle.

"Still mumbling in your sleep," Ellie said. Joel looked up at her and noticed his gun in her hands. "I woke up early. You were passed out, so I took second watch."

Joel frowned.

"I helped!" Piper announced from atop the boulder. Her eyes winced from the sound of her own voice, intensifying the pounding in her head.

His eyes followed the sound of Piper's voice. The harsh sunlight invaded his senses as he tried to look up at her. "You gotta wake me up if that happens. And get down from there!" He scolded the girls.

"Piper told me not to," Ellie defended.

With a huff, Piper hopped down from the rock. "You need sleep too, Joel."

Joel rolled his eyes and snatched his gun away from Ellie. "You girls can't do things like this," he told them.

"But I can…," Ellie noted. "…'cause I just did."

It was much too early in the morning for Joel to be dealing with this already. A heavy sigh escaped his chest. "I'm responsible for you too, okay?" He looked between the girls.

Ellie shrugged. "Then don't fall asleep." Joel opened his mouth to refute her words again. However, Ellie did what she did best and continued to talk. "I was quiet. I checked my six. I looked for tracks. I found the high ground, and I kept watch. Like you taught me to," Ellie explained.

Joel bore a skeptical look on his face. "She did," Piper disclosed. "I checked."

"What can I say, man? I'm a natural." Ellie flashed Joel a smug smile. Piper gave a smile of her own.

The longer he looked at them, the harder it was to reprimand them. "Uh-huh. You wake me up next time," Joel instructed.

"Yes, sir. attention!" Ellie joked,, raising her hand to her head. Piper followed suit, stifling her snickers, and Joel couldn't help the smile that leaked onto his face.

"Alright, grab your stuff, and let's go." Joel motioned to their packs on the ground. The girls silently groaned as they shuffled to retrieve their things, knowing only more walking was ahead of them.

꧁_꧂

It was supposed to be pitch black in Ellie's and Piper's shared room. After all, it had been hours since the “lights out” signal, but even so, there was a faint glow seeping out from the walls-glow in the dark stars. It had been a gift from Levi. He had told Piper that he'd found them one day and thought she might like them. With a grin on her face, she took them to Ellie, and together, they put them on the walls and ceiling of their room.

Magic was how Ellie described it, and Piper couldn't think of a better word as the two would gaze upon their own personal stars. Some nights, Piper would even make a wish right as her eyes, filled with too much sleep, couldn't bear to look at them any longer. She'd wish for things like a real family and a home. Somewhere out of the QZ. Somewhere free, maybe some animals too. She'd always loved animals, but their presence was almost non-existent.

However, tonight, as Piper trickled into the room after hours, she didn't want to wish on the stars. She didn't want to even look towards their light. All she wanted to do was tear them down. Her feet slowly dragged on the hardwood floors over to the nearest star. Raising her hand, she yanked it down. It felt so good hearing the snap of the adhesive as the force pulled them to the ground, darkening their light. She pulled another and another with no care for the red marks she left on the wall. She kept pulling and pulling until she heard Ellie's bed creak.

"Pipe?" Ellie croaked. Her voice crackled from the cold. Piper winced. A blanket. She was supposed to grab another blanket for Ellie. Their room was freezing, and the cold, she knew, could be deadly at night.

"Yeah?" Piper replied.

"Why are you taking down our stars?"

Piper grew so quiet that Ellie wasn't even sure she heard her sister breathing. "It's late, Els. Why are you up?"

Ellie shuffled in the bed. Piper could hear the sheets shake with her shivers. "I was scared. You have left."

"I'm here now. Just go back to bed."

Ellie sat up and reached for a book underneath her pillow. She held it out to Piper, who knew exactly what book it was. "Can you read to me?" Ellie pleaded.

Piper sighed and nodded. She stepped forward to grab the book when the red on her hands became apparent. Even in the dark, the red seemed to be even darker. She could see it all covering her entire body. Slowly, she recoiled from Ellie and changed; Using her soiled clothes to wipe away as much as possible from her face and hands. Eventually, she returned to Ellie, freshly changed. She took the book in her hand and, with the other, tugged her own blanket off her bed and climbed into Ellie's. Piper took extra care to lay the second blanket on top before opening the book.

She had read it so often that there was hardly a need for a light to see the words. As she began to recite the myths and tales of the stars, Piper began to like the dark, to find comfort in the night. The more she whispered to Ellie the tragedies of the gods that put them in the sky, the more she began to be repulsed by the starlight. It made her sick to her stomach, but Ellie loved them. Ellie loved the sky, the stars, and what lay beyond. So, Piper told herself she would like them too. But for tonight, all she wanted to do was loathe them, and only for tonight she would. Why would she want to look for the light when she found comfort in being lost in the darkness?

꧁_꧂

The pounding in Piper's head was getting worse the more Ellie fiddled with her mouth and fingers. Ellie was trying to whistle, but it came out as whimpering shrieks that only added to Piper's pain. Piper sent her sister a glare, not trusting herself enough to be civil with words.

"What?" Ellie responded. "I'm learning how to whistle."

Joel peeked over his shoulder at Ellie. "You don't know how to whistle?"

Ellie huffed and let her hands fall at her side. "Does it sound like I know how to whistle?"

"No," Joel replied, shaking his head.

After a few more failed attempts, Ellie sighed. "Seriously, though, how the fսck do you do that?"

"Talent," Joel shrugged.

Rolling her eyes, Ellie replied, "Whatever. You should teach me how to hunt."

"Huh," was all Joel could say in response.

"Huh," Ellie repeated in a deep voice, mocking Joel. "Like, she's a girl. She can't handle it."

Joel stopped in his tracks and turned around. "You can handle the shootin'. Not so sure about the dressin'," he sighed.

Ellie's brows furrowed. "What's the dressin'?"

"Isn't that the part where you take the guts out," Piper added.

"Oh, yeah," Ellie's eyes widened. "Why do they call it dressing? It's like, you should call it undressing 'cause it is. It's like… undressing from the inside. Still interested, though."

Soon, it became too loud for any of them to hear what Ellie had been saying. Tons and tons of water rushed out of a dam and crashed on the rocks below. The water flashed shades of green and yellow as the sun darted from behind the clouds. The three of them all stopped to wonder in the presence of the water. The sound was deafening, and any thoughts they had in their heads were drowned out.

"Dam," Ellie enunciated. She placed her hand on her hips and flashed a smug grin to Joel and Piper.

"You're no Will Livingston," Piper chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, but who is?" Ellie playfully shrugged before turning to Joel. "So that made electricity?" She asked him.

"Yeah," Joel nodded. He caught sight of another question brewing in her eyes. "Don't ask me. I don't have a clue."

"You know, you could've just made something up," Ellie noted. "I would've believed you," she said as they turned away from the dam.

Piper chuckled. "True," she pointed out. "Like that time I told you how the baby got into the lady's stomach."

Ellie gasped. "That was a lie?"

"And you still believed it?" Piper snickered, "Thought they covered that in the QZ at some point." She playfully shoved Ellie's shoulder, almost knocking her into the snow.

"Hey!" Ellie yelled, regaining balance to return the favor to Piper. Piper gasped as she hit the freezing cold snow.

Piper hastily stood up, brushing off the pale snow from her clothes and grumbling to herself about the cold and hygiene.

"Pshh," Ellie chuckled, sending her sister a teasing look. Following her sister's rising frame, Ellie caught sight of the vast blue water. Her eyes bulged as she stumbled forward for a better look. "Look at that river. It's crazy blue!" She pointed as Joel and Piper huddled around her.

Piper glanced around. Nervousness escaped her eyes and seeped into her voice. "Hey, Joel… what if this is the River of Death?"

Joel hurriedly yanked out the map and flipped it around. His feet turned in circles as his mind desperately confirmed his fears.

A sharp chorus of neighs and pounding footsteps appeared over the hill. Riders, horses, and dogs charged towards them one by one.

"Joel!" Piper cried out, stepping back towards the water and away from the approaching mass.

"Get behind me," Joel instructed the girls. Ellie and Piper wasted no time hiding behind Joel's large figure. When the horses arrived, the girl's knuckles had turned white. "We ain't lookin' for any trouble. We're just passin' through," Joel announced to the riders.

The rider in front motioned with his gun. "Drop the gun," he told Joel, who quickly complied. Then the man pointed to Piper and Ellie. "You two… take five steps back."

Piper gulped as she fought to hold back the growing fear. Ellie wasn't doing much better, her fear echoing in her shaking eyes.

"How 'bout we just talk this through?" Joel asked, raising his hands.

"How 'bout you shut the fսck up?" One of the other riders bellowed.

"Okay, easy," Joel said before looking back at the girls. The brief glances he gave them eased some of the building anxiety. Something about Joel's dark eyes helped Piper feel safe. Whether she liked it or not, Piper trusted Joel. "You'll be okay," Joel comforted.

As the girls stepped back, the rider in front asked, "You been near Infected?"

"There's no Infected out here," Joel responded.

"The hell there ain't," Another one grumbled.

Suddenly, the front man hopped down from his horse and whistled. It was loud and clear before everything went silent. Instantly, the sounds of a vicious barking ripped through the air.

"Last chance for a bullet," the man warned. "If you've been infected, he will smell it, and he will rip you up."

At that moment, as the deadly sharp teeth of the dog shimmered in the sun, Ellie wished she was holding Piper's hand. She was scared. She had been bit, and so had Piper. They were immune, but if the dog smelt anything, they'd be dead. She’d be dead before she could save anyone. She'd-

"Like I said… we'll just move on," Joel stated as the dog approached him. The animal sniffed before placing its paws gently on his torso. Joel was clean.

"Now her," the man said, pointing to Ellie. Joel's ears felt on fire as he listened to each sniffle and huff of the dog. His heart clenched and he soon found it hard to breathe. Just as fast as he was cleared, so was Ellie. The sound of her giggles as the dog playfully licked her face, eased some of the tension in Joel's body. However, they weren't clear yet.

"Last one," the rider said, pulling the dog away from Ellie.

Joel dared, looking behind at Piper. Her face showed no uncertainty as the dog approached growling. Despite her fearless appearance, Joel saw the terror in her eyes. It was the same look she had that night in the motel. The same look she bore when she asked him to kill her and make that horrifying promise to her. Now, he wished he hadn't looked, but even so, Joel couldn't look away. Not until both of his girls were alright.

The dog had begun its search. Piper's hands were wet and warm as her nails cut through the feeble gloves and into her skin. Her eyes clenched shut from the pain. Each sniffle was a reminder that her own breath could be her last. Ellie was cleared, and so should Piper. No matter how much she kept telling herself that, Piper knew she was different. The way those Infected ignored her as if she was one of them. Piper prepared for the worst but prayed for the best. Prayed that maybe Joel could save her if the dog went for her throat. Maybe they could hold off this huge group. Maybe-

A comforting weight was placed on her chest, and her cheeks burned from the dog's wet kisses. Light flooded her view, and Piper looked down and smiled. She was safe.

The man whistled, and the dog propelled itself off Piper. "You just bought yourself 10 more seconds. What are you doin' out here?" The man interrogated.

Joel stepped back near the girls and answered. "I'm just lookin' for my brother. That's all, nothing' more."

A voice from the back shot over the crowd. Pulling her horse forward, a woman approached Joel and the girls. "What's your name?"

"Joel," he replied.

The woman's eyes widened. She began telling some of the riders to grab horses for the three of them.

"You're gonna wanna come with us," she said. "I'm Maria, by the way."

The three of them shared confused looks as they were placed on horses. Piper sat behind Ellie on a large tan stead. The horse neighed as Ellie curiously reached forward to pet its mane. Joel was placed on a dark brown horse. Once they were settled, the group moved forward and the horses trotted along carrying them away to wherever Marlene was taking them.

꧁_꧂

Maria spoke little of their destination, but even with the little she said, she convinced Joel. If Joel was convinced, so were the girls. It wasn't until they saw the looming metallic and wooden walls that they knew they were entering a settlement. The sight of the walls did little to put Piper at ease. She knew once she entered their confines that it'd be hard to leave. She just hoped Joel knew how to get them out if needed.

The gates to the community opened with a screech, and the horses carried them deeper into the town. With each prance, the more uneasy Ellie and Piper felt. People walked along the roadside chatting and laughing. Kids played in a playground, teasing each other before finding a snowball headed towards their faces. Groups all around worked together, all with determined smiles on their faces. Everything was normal until the group pranced further down the road. Their smiles would falter and would be replaced with curious and confused stares.

The girls didn't know what they hated more, the cheerful and carefree smiles or the curious stares. All the eyes on them made Ellie and Piper feel as if they were monkeys in a zoo. Made to be observed and ogled at. Piper felt particularly on edge when a group of young children stopped and whispered while pointing at her and Ellie. After sending them a curt middle finger, the children gasped or fled in fear. An emotion that made Piper and Ellie feel a bit more at ease.

Soon, the horse slowed and came to a halt. Piper peered over Ellie's shoulder and saw Maria motion to Joel and point to a group of people fixing up a building. Joel's eyes squinted before expanding with an expression that Piper had never seen from him before. At first, she thought it was relief or hope, but she knew her assumptions were wrong; the second, Joel jumped off his horse and called his brother's name. It was love.

Ellie and Piper watched as Joel ran toward Tommy and enveloped him in a hug. His face beaming, a laugh of joy and disbelief escaped his lips. There was a pain in her chest at the sight of Joel and his brother. She felt sick as Joel became someone she didn't recognize. Turning her gaze away, she glanced at Ellie, whose head hung low, hiding her eyes, which felt the very same pain.

"It's okay," Piper whispered in her sister's ear. It was a lifeless comfort. Nothing Piper could say would ever ease the ache in both of their hearts. They were cargo. Tommy was family. The girls had to keep reminding themselves of that, even if their hearts were dreaming for something else.

It didn't take long for the joyous reunion to end. Everyone was ushered inside, and a hot meal was placed down in front of them. The ache in the girl's heart seemed to be never-ending, but the sight and scent of a decent meal helped distract from the hurt.

Before the steam from the plate could dissipate, the girl's plates had been practically cleared.

Maria sat beside Tommy, who watched in horror as Joel and the girls scarfed down their food. "There's more if you need it," Maria mentioned.

Joel looked up from his plate and noticed the hurried manner in which they had been eating. Slowly swallowing his food, he sat up straighter and adjusted how he held his fork. Clearing his throat, he began, "Thank you, ma'am. It's been a while since we've had a proper meal."

"Actually," Ellie said as she chewed another bite, "I don't think I've ever had a proper meal. This is fսckin' amazing."

Simultaneously, Piper took a bite and moaned, "Fuuck, that’s good."

Joel felt his cheeks grow red. "Sorry. Ellie, Piper…," the girls snapped their heads in his direction, cheeks stuffed with food. "…let's mind our manners."

Piper gulped. "Sorry," she quietly apologized.

Ellie, on the other hand, ignored Joel's words until Piper kicked her shin. Ellie sent her sister a glare when she noticed another figure looking at them from afar. It was a girl with dark hair and tan skin. She peeked around the corner and caught sight of Ellie's stare.

"What?!" Ellie yelled, scaring the girl away.

"What's wrong with you?" Joel hissed.

"What about her manners?" Ellie quipped back.

Maria calmly placed a hand on the table. "She was just curious. Kids around here don't usually look or talk like you."

"Right… well, maybe Piper and I’ll teach them," Ellie muttered before taking another bite.

Joel sighed and gave Maria and Tommy an apologetic look.

"I want my gun back," Piper said, looking up at Tommy and Maria.

"Kids here also aren't armed," Maria noted.

Piper scoffed. "But what if-"

"Then the adults step in," Maria responded. "Kids deserve to be kids."

Maria's comment made Piper scoff once again. She placed down her fork and stared at the woman. "So what?" Piper spat, "You think I'm just gonna let some fucker-"

"Piper," Joel reprimanded, sending her a glare that was returned by the rolling of her eyes.

Tommy sat up in his chair. His eyes darted between Joel and Piper. "You know what? Uh…" Tommy muttered. "I think maybe y'all got a little off on the wrong foot."

Piper snickered and pointed at Maria. "She was gonna have her guys kill us."

"Well, we gotta be real careful about who we let in this place," Tommy explained. "But it's all bark. We're just tryna scare off those who might wanna try us."

"Well, you got a couple of 90-year-olds shitting themselves out there," Ellie added.

"Ellie," Joel cautioned.

"What?" Ellie hissed.

"They say that you leave dead bodies around," Piper said, staring down at Maria.

"Those are the people who tried us," Maria replied, leaning forward.

Tommy placed a hand on Maria's shoulder. "A bad reputation doesn't mean you're bad," he noted.

"Not always, at least," Maria said.

"Ma'am…," Joel began. "We're grateful for your hospitality and all. But it'd be nice to have a moment here, maybe just for family."

Tommy's eyes shifted to Maria and then his brother. "Well, um… Maria is family, actually,' Tommy corrected.

Ellie was the first to get Tommy's meaning. "Oh, shit! Congrats," she congratulated.

"Congrats," Piper begrudgingly muttered. Her glare at Maria softened. She looked to her right and noticed Joel's silence. "Joel, say congrats," Piper encouraged.

"Congrats," Joel mumbled, and a silence followed.

Feeling uneasy with how his brother was looking at him, Tommy stood up from his seat. "How 'bout a tour?"

꧁_꧂

The chilly winter air pinkened their cheeks and the tips of their ears as they emerged from the dining hall. Maria took the lead with Tommy in the back as they began the tour of the settlement.

"We settled here about seven years ago," Maria began. "Just a handful of us back then."

The girls looked around, acknowledging the street bordered with buildings of shapes and colors. Piper sniffled as the cold reached her nose. The sniffle was cut short in her throat, and it didn't take long for her lungs to heave. Stopping in her tracks, Piper keeled over and coughed.

The whole group stopped to look at her. She hated having their eyes glued to her. After all, it was just a simple cough. "Are you good? You look sick," Joel stated.

Forcing the cough away, Piper replied, "I’m not–I’m fine. I don’t get sick." She stood straight and stared at the group as if the look in her eye could wash away any doubt they had in her impeccable health.

Maria stepped forward and, in a gentle voice, spoke. "The doctor’s is just down the street, I can take y’all there to-"

"I said I’m fucking fine!" Piper spat.

"Piper," Joel hissed.

"What?" Piper said.

Taking a good look at her, Joel saw the signs: the pink nose, the recent headaches, the coughing. So, for the first time since Tommy made his announcement, Joel looked at Maria. "If you could show us to the doctor, that’d be great."

"Joel!" Piper whined, the sound of betrayal deeply ingrained in her voice.

"Pipes, come on," Ellie chimed in, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. "You've been coughing and grabbing your head for days now."

Piper took one swing and swatted Ellie's hand away. "Ellie, I swear to fuck–"

"I’ll take you after the tour," Maria loudly announced, silencing the rising argument. Turning over her shoulder, she picked the tour back up as if nothing ever happened. "That section was already a gated community, so we built the rest of the wall out from there. Stopped most of the raiding parties, but we still found pockets of them."

"And you said Infected?" Joel asked.

Tommy jogged up close to his brother and, leaning in, explained, "Yeah, but usually smaller colonies wandered off from the cities. All this open country out here… it's a turkey shoot. I still got my 700, but I found a variable power scope. Sub-MOA." With a beam on his face, he continued. "Can headshot those fuckers from a half mile out."

Ellie's ears perked at the mention of Tommy's shooting. She glanced over at Joel and then back at Tommy, who was a lot more likable than the other. She thought to herself that maybe if Joel wasn't willing to teach her, then maybe Tommy might. "Can you teach me how?" She found herself wishfully asking.

Joel peered over his shoulder and glared. "No, he can't," he said, turning to Maria to propose another question: "How do you keep this place quiet?"

"Carefully," Maria said, "Being in the middle of nowhere helps. Not advertising what we have, staying off the radio. House of worship, multifaith. School. Laundry. Old bank works as the jail, not that we've needed it."

"And you draw power from the dam?" Joel questioned.

"Got that workin' a couple years ago," Tommy mentioned. "After that, sewage, plumbing, water heaters… lights."

The girls shared a moment of awe, even if they did not display it on their faces. "This place actually fսckin' works," Ellie mumbled to herself.

Piper leaned close to her sister and whispered, "I know, right? Hey, look," Piper patted Ellie's shoulder and pointed to a herd of sheep. Their white, fluffy fur made them look like the clouds above. The girls strayed from the group and hopped onto the fence. "Hey Joel, check it out!" Piper smirked,, earning a chuckle from Ellie and an eye roll from Joel.

"So are you, like, in charge?" Ellie asked after jumping off the fence and returning to the tour group.

"No one person's in charge," Maria explained. "I'm on the council. Democratically elected, serving 300 people, including children. Everyone pitches in. We rotate patrols, food prep, repairs, hunting, and harvesting. Everything you see in our town, including greenhouses and livestock, is shared. Collective ownership."

"So, uh, communism," Joel scoffed.

Tommy shook his head. "Nah. Nah, it ain't like that."

Maria chuckled and looked at her husband. "It is that. Literally." Tommy's face dropped as contemplation and confusion flooded his face. "This is a commune. We're communists."

Ellie and Piper shrugged, not sure what 'communism' was, and instead focused their attention on the stables nearby. In one of the stalls, a tiny head popped out causing Ellie to shriek and wipe away her detached expression. "No way!"

Maria smiled upon seeing the cause of Ellie's excitement. "That's our newest one. Couple of months old. You wanna pet her?" Maria motioned for Ellie to get closer.

Ellie didn't waste any time petting the small horse. "What's her name?" She softly asked.

"Shimmer," Maria replied.

"Shimmer," Ellie cooed. "You're so beautiful."

Upon noticing Piper's distance, Maria gently smiled at the girl. "You can pet her too," she said.

Piper shook her head and coughed. "No thanks," she said, trying to cover up the tension in her lungs.

Ellie reluctantly turned away from Shimmer and looked back at her sister. "You know, I’m starting to think you are sick."

"Fucking hell, Ellie," Piper growled. "You know I don’t get sick."

"Everyone gets sick," Maria assured Piper before turning to Tommy. "Well, I'm sure they'd like a shower and some new clothes. We can put them in the empty house across the street from us."

Tommy nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah. It's a decent place. Pretty much untouched since '03, but it's got the heat goin' in it. Could do worse."

"Oh," Ellie noted, "trust me, we have been."

"We've been doin' fine," Joel reiterated.

"Well," Maria said. I'll take Ellie over there and Piper to the doctor if you two want to catch up."

Piper's eyes widened, and she raised her shoulders in defense. "I’m not goi–"

"You’re going," Joel decided. Piper opened her mouth to refute but was shot down by the look in Joel's dark eyes.

"Yeah," Tommy nodded. "Okay."

"Joel," Ellie muttered, glancing over to Joel.

"You'll be fine," he reassured. "You both will be fine." Piper rolled her eyes and huffed as Joel and Tommy walked away, already beginning to talk amongst themselves.

"Shall we?" Maria asked.

"Uh, yeah," Ellie replied before looking at her sister.

"Fine," Piper grumbled.

Maria began to walk before peering over her shoulder at the girls. "I’ll take you to the Doctor first. It’s on the way," Maria said. "Doctor Watson is a nice man. Knows what he’s doing. You’re in good hands."

"I’m not–" Piper complained.

"-Sick," Maria finished. "I know. But let’s hear it from someone who knows."

꧁_꧂

Ellie had to shove Piper through the doctor's office doors. Maria couldn't help but chuckle to herself at the sight in front of her. While the two girls struggled, she easily stepped inside and greeted the young man sitting behind the desk.

"Hello, Charlie," she smiled. A head of dark curly hair looked up at the three of them. His black eyes darted between Maria and Piper, who was fighting off Ellie's attempts at manhandling her.

"Maria, to what do I owe the pleasure," Charlie asked once the front door loudly slammed shut.

"I’ve got a friend here who needs to see Doctor Watson," Maria spoke before pointing to Piper.

"I see," Charlie nodded. "We’ll take good care of her."

"I know you will," Maria agreed before turning to Piper. "Piper, I’ll be back in a while. I’m just taking Ellie to the house."

Piper's eyes widened, and she nervously looked over to her sister. "But–"

"Just to check," Maria reminded.

"Stop being such a baby, Pipes," Ellie chimed in.

"Fuck you," Piper whined in response as Ellie and Maria walked out the doors just as quickly as they had come in. With a huff, Piper spotted an empty seat and sat down, fiddling with her hands in an attempt to ignore the stares from the boy.

"Haven’t seen your face before," Charlie said as he peeked his head over the desk.

"Fuck off," Piper hissed.

"Yikes. She bites," chuckled Charlie. Deciding that his current viewpoint wasn't satisfactory, he stood up, leaned against the desk, and smiled cheerfully at Piper.

She hated that smile. She hated his bouncy, curly head of hair and his soft, dark eyes. They reminded her of Joel's. The very eyes she recently found herself finding comfort. "And who the fuck are you?" She questioned, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Charleston Brekker." He took out his hand for her to shake. Piper glared at his hand as if it had created the biggest offense in the history of the world. Awkwardly, Charlie withdrew his hand and placed it in his pants pocket. "But I go by Charlie. I’m the doc’s intern of sorts. He’s showing me the ropes and whatnot before he kicks the can."

"That’s a fucking mouthful," Piper mumbled. "And Brekker? More like a breaker."

Charlie nervously chuckled. "Haha, very funny. What’s your name?"

Piper scoffed, "As if I’d tell you."

Shrugging his shoulders, Charlie sighed. "Alright, Piper, thought I’d at least give you the chance to tell me yourself." He wanted to laugh at the look of disbelief on her face. "I heard Maria say it,' he explained.

"Fuck you."

Charlie glanced down at the ground fighting the urge to sigh again. To him, trying to make conversation with Piper was like trying to pet a wolf. "The Doctor is seeing someone else right now, should be out soon," he said.

"Whatever."

So far, Charlie has tried two potential conversation openers. Piper had shot down both of them. Luckily, Charlie had a plethora of backup plans. "Let me guess, you’re 8," Charlie guessed.

"Let me guess," Piper leered, "you don’t know how to shut your mouth. And I’m 17."

"We’re the same age," Charlie added. "And for the record, I don’t."

"I can tell." Piper took a good look at him. He had strong features adorning his face. Each sculpted part of his face framed his eyes. She hated those eyes. Why were they so kind and clear, free from the clouds and dirt that plagued hers? However, what she hated most was his smile. It reached the apples of his cheeks that turned a light pink each time he flashed her that smile. God, it was gross. Disgusting. She hat- Piper shook her head. She was thinking too much about his stupid face and stupid smile.

"So…have you–" Charlie began again before the sound of the backdoor creaked open.

"Just continue following my orders and you’ll be right as rain in no time," a man dressed in a white coat instructed an elderly woman. The two walked down the hallway and to the doors that Piper so desperately wanted to flee out of. "Charlie, who do we have here?" The man asked once the woman had vacated the area.

"Piper," Charlie said, earning a sharp glare from the girl. "She came in with Maria. Says she isn’t sick."

Doctor Watson nodded. His speckled gray hair bobbed up and down, and the wrinkles on his face creased as he turned to look at her. "I see. Piper, if you’ll come with me."

Taking one look at the doctor, Piper shook her head. "No," she stated.

Doctor Watson's eyes softened at her guarded demeanor. "I’m just going to ensure you’re healthy as you say you are."

Piper's eyes flickered to the backroom. In a quiet voice, she asked, "Do I have to go back there?"

Doctor Watson shook his head. "No, but it offers more privacy…I can leave the door open if that is what you prefer."

After a moment of contemplation, Piper agreed and begrudgingly walked to the backroom with the door open all the way.

꧁_꧂

Joel found himself at ease as he sank onto the barstool. His eyes watched as Tommy went behind the counter and pulled out some drinks for the two of them, pouring the liquid and dropping some ice cubes in the alcohol.

"Been a long time," Joel said. "Doesn't seem like you aged much."

"You, on the other hand," Tommy teased as he placed the drink before Joel. "Thanks for still giving a shit about me." Tommy's eyes expectantly watched as Joel raised the glass to his lips. Joel felt his taste buds light a fire with joy. "Workin' on raisin' some hogs, too," Tommy proudly said. "Once we get bacon, I mean, what's even left?"

"Pshoo," Joel laughed. "Christmas trees and bacon? Pretty decent setup."

"So, how's Tess?" Tommy inquired.

The cheerfulness in Joel's expression faltered. "She's fine. All right."

"Good then," Tommy nodded. "And the kids?"

Joel furrowed his brow until he realized Tommy was asking about his girls—the girls. "Oh, yeah," Joel explained, "They’re the daughters of some Firefly muckety-muck. I'm trying to find their family somewhere out here. I was headin' in this direction, so…"

Disbelief filled Tommy's face. "Really? Goodness of your heart?"

"There's a payment," Joel confessed. "So you know where they might be? These Fireflies?"

Tommy shrugged. "Well, they got a base down at the University of Eastern Colorado. It's, uh, a week's ride south. But…" Tommy noted. "It is severely fսckеd up between here and there. Infected… raiders. It's not exactly an easy trip."

"It'll be easy for us," Joel said, "seeing as how you can headshot Infected from half a mile away, which is a bunch of bullshit, by the way." He took another swig of his drink and sighed as the warm touch of the alcohol traveled down his throat and to the rest of his body.

"Yeah," Tommy quietly said. "I can't go."

"Oh, come on," Joel chuckled. "I made it across the country. The two of us can make it from here to Colorado." Tommy's expression hadn't changed. Joel sighed, "What, 'cause your wife won't let you?"

At the mention of Maria, Tommy's expression hardened. "Joel," Tommy warned.

"She the one who kept you off the radio?" Joel accused, and a flash of guilt grew on Tommy's face. "Is that why you stopped messaging me back?"

"After I ditched the Fireflies, Maria and her crew found me," Tommy explained. "They're good people. They didn't have to take me in, but they did. And all they ask is that I follow their rules."

"I'm your brother."

"Yeah, I'm aware," Tommy acknowledged. "They're very protective of this place, and for good fսckin' reason. I mean, folks find out we're up here…"

"No, I heard. Wrong people might show up," Joel retorted. "So, is that what I am? Am I the wrong people?"

"Joel…" Tommy sighed.

The drink in front of Joel had long been forgotten. Years of hurt bubbled up to the surface, too much for the alcohol to soak up. "Those things I did, Tommy," Joel defended, "those things that you judge me for, I did those things to keep us alive."

"We did those things. And they weren't "things," Tommy argued. "We murdered people. And I don't judge you for it. We survived the only way we knew how. But there were other ways. We just weren't any good at 'em."

"If you knew the shit that I've been through, Tommy." Joel's voice began to falter. "Tryin' to find you these last few months…"

"I'm gonna be a father," Tommy blurted, ending Joel's train of thought. "Maria's a few months along now. So I just gotta be more careful." With Joel's silence, Tommy continued. "To be honest, I'm scared to death. But I don't know. Uh… I feel like I'd be a good dad."

The drink in front of him was intoxicating now, so Joel picked it up and drank the rest. "Guess we'll find out."

"I guess we'll find out?" Tommy scoffed. "That's all you got?"

Joel shrugged, "What else am I supposed to say?"

Anger boiled up to the surface at Joel's response. "Just because life stopped for you…," Tommy said, "doesn't mean it has to stop for me."

Joel's teeth ground against each other, and his jaw began to hurt. "We'll grab some supplies and be outta your hair in the mornin'," Joel mumbled before hastily finding his way out of the bar.

꧁_꧂

Piper was indeed sick. She had been battling a cough and headache for days, yet the news stunned her. Her head tuned out the words of Doctor Watson as the realization hit her. She was sick. The doctor mentioned something about the common cold, but that did not matter. Piper was sick. For as long as she could remember she had never gotten sick. She couldn't. Being sick wasn't a choice for Piper, especially not after FEDRA put a gun in her hand. Yet here she was, sitting in Doctor Watson's office, sick.

"…luckily I have the right medication to help you feel better in no time," Doctor Watson continued and handed Piper a bottle of some pills. "You’ll take three of these each day. Take them with meals. And continue to take them until your cough is gone. And stay out of the cold. Any questions?" Piper shook her head, not realizing he was asking her a question. "Good. Another thing is to keep those hands bandaged and clean. You don't want an infection…"

Glancing down at her hands, she gently trailed her fingers over the white bandages. Doctor Watson had noticed the blood and scabs from where her nails had dug into her palms.

Finally, her ears had caught up with the doctor's words. "Wait, actually…"

Doctor Watson gave her his best bedside smile. "Yes?"

"Can I ask something that’s not related to my cough?" Piper wondered.

"Of course," the doctor replied.

"Hypothetically," Piper began, "if someone were immune to the fungus. You know, the one that turns you into an infe–"

The Doctor's brows raised but allowed her to continue. "Infected. Yes, I do," he finished.

Piper frowned, unsure of how to phrase her next words. Finding a satisfactory sequence of words, she asked, "How would someone like you go about making the cure?"

Doctor Watson sighed and rested his head in his wrinkled hand. His forehead creased as his thoughts came to him. "Well, it’s risky," he said after some time. "The fungus infects the brain, and if someone were immune, it would be something in the brain or the central nervous system if you'd rather I'd get technical."

Piper grimaced. "So, not their blood?"

"No," Doctor Watson shook his head. "To even attempt a cure, that person’s brain would have to be removed so one could determine the cause of immunity. Even so, attempting to replicate it in others is nearly impossible with the state of medical technology now."

"Are you saying…they would die, The immune person?" Piper's voice grew quiet as her clarifying question floated around.

"Yes," Doctor Watson answered.

"Oh," Piper's face fell. With the doctor's answer, she no longer cared for her sickness. Instead, she thought of Ellie. She wondered if Ellie knew, which she most likely didn't. Next, she wondered if Marlene knew and knowingly misled the girls. Did Joel and Tess know? Were she and Ellie just being led to their deaths, all in the hope of an impossible cure? Piper's uncertainty was quickly replaced with a determination to tell Ellie. She had to stop her sister, even if it meant breaking her. She had to tell Ellie. She had to keep Ellie alive. She noticed she'd been quiet for too long. "Thanks for the–yeah," Piper blurted.

"No problem." Doctor Watson stood up and walked to the door, motioning for Piper to follow. "Charlie?" He called out.

Charlie popped up in the doorway. His head of frustratingly perfect curls sparkled with golden highlights from the artificial lights. "Yeah?" He said before sending Piper a grin.

"Charlie will show you out," Doctor Watson told Piper. "Take care, Piper."

"Yeah," Piper muttered before following Charlie out into the lobby. She looked around for Ellie's familiar face and Maria's figure. She frowned. They were nowhere to be seen. "Where’s Maria?" She asked Charlie.

"So…Maria’s not here," Charlie said. "Thought I’d show you to her house." He smiled at her and nervously ran his hand through his hair.

Piper watched his hands as they brushed through his curls. Shaking herself out of her insane trance, she declined, "No thanks."

"It’s not far," Charlie explained, "besides, I’d hate it if you got lost."

"I don’t get lost," Piper mentioned, standing up straighter as she marched to the door.

"Just like you don’t get sick?" Charlie chuckled.

With her hand frozen on the door handle, Piper slowly turned around and caught sight of Charlie's smug smile. "Fuck you," Piper growled before opening the door.

"Thanks," Charlie said as he brushed by Piper, strolling out the door. "Come on, Piper."

She was sure her eyes had rolled into the back of her head and were now permanently stuck. "Jesus Christ," she mumbled.

꧁_꧂

It was hard to see anything in the steam-filled bathroom. The place had a plethora of piping hot water, and Ellie decided she'd take full advantage of that, unaware that she'd left barely any for Piper and Joel. The foggy air fled from the bathroom once Ellie had creaked open the door. If she hadn't just taken the longest and hottest shower known to mankind, one might think there had been a fire.

Creeping over to the pink and green blanketed bed, Ellie noticed the new addition of clean clothes and a plastic, gel-like thingy. Her brows creased as she picked up the strange object and quickly noticed a sheet of paper containing instructions. She briefly read the sheet and pulled her lips tight. "Oh! Gross," she mumbled. Placing it down, she picked up the clothes and began to change.

Each item of clothing was free from dirt, grime, bugs, and anything else that the outdoors could taint with. She felt clean and new. She was sure she'd never felt it in her life. All the clothes she'd worn in the QZ were old or covered in dust from the years of sitting once modern civilization had been forgotten. She smiled, felt the soft cloth along her skin, and thought of how much Piper was going to enjoy a hot shower and new clothes. It'd be a dream come true for her older sister's obsession with hygiene.

After changing, Ellie recalled Maria's words and went down the stairs, out the door, and across the street to Tommy and Maria's residence. Raising her fist to knock quietly, Ellie stepped inside the home.

"Hello? Maria?" She called out, looking around for the woman. Her feet took her further into the home. It was nice and…homely, Ellie guessed. She wasn't sure what a home would look like, but Maria and Tommy's setup seemed close enough. There were maintained couches, lamps, tables, and decorations on the mantel. Upon further glance, Ellie noticed a board with names. It read "Kevin and Sarah."

"Oh, good," Maria's voice said from behind Ellie. Turning around, Ellie peered down at Maria's hand. In it was an ugly-ass purple coat and another that was a blinding bright orange. Both colors were atrocious to look at, but Ellie quickly determined the orange was much easier on the eyes. The shade of the purple coat was that of a dark bruise. It made Ellie feel sick just looking at it.

"I just traded for this. Go ahead, try it on," Maria encouraged, handing the purple coat to Ellie.

"It's, uh," Ellie said, trying to hide her grimace. "…super fսckin' purple."

"Eggplant," Maria corrected. Ellie's eyes flashed with confusion at the mention of an eggplant. Whatever it was, it sounded just as gross as the shade of purple. "It fits?" Maria asked.

"Yeah," Ellie shrugged, feeling much warmer than she'd ever been in her old coat.

"Shoes aren't too big?"

Wiggling her toes, Ellie shook her head. "Uh, no. Where's my other stuff?"

"Rag pile," Maria said. "Did you get the thing I left you?"

"Yeah. Weirdest gift ever," Ellie muttered, thinking about the thingy still on the bed.

"But useful," Maria chuckled. She stepped close to Ellie and pointed to her hair. "Who's been cutting your hair?"

"Uh, world-class salons," Ellie sarcastically replied. Maria smiled. "Piper," Ellie confessed. "Piper's always the one who cuts it."

Maria nodded. "Let me get my scissors."

"Oh," Ellie exclaimed. "Whoa, no. I'm…"

"Trim," Maria assured. "That's all. Just the ends, I promise."

Glancing down at her wet hair, Ellie sighed. It would be nice to cut it a bit shorter. Nodding her head, she followed Maria into the dining room and sat down in the chair Maria had presented her.

Expertly weaving her finger through Ellie's hair, Maria began to brush, measure, and cut it. Ellie's scalp tingled as Maria massaged her head, and she couldn't help but close her eyes in contentment. Maybe Piper could learn some tips from Maria.

"Maria?" An unfamiliar voice echoed throughout the home.

Maria stopped brushing through Ellie's hair and peered around. "Charlie!" She called out as the boy from the doctor's office, and Piper stepped into the dining hall.

"You forgot me," Piper muttered.

"Sorry," Maria apologized. I was busy trading for some new clothes for you and your sister." She stepped away from Ellie, retrieved the clothes and orange coat from the table, and handed them over to Piper. "Here. Try this on," she said before turning to Charlie. Thanks again, Charlie."

"No problem, Ma’am," Charlie beamed, and Piper swore, then stood a few inches taller.

"So, are you gonna try them on?" Maria expectantly said.

Piper glanced down at the clothes and coat. "They’ll fit," she said.

Maria looked disbelieving but chose not to say anything. "Right," she nodded. "The house you’re staying in is right across from mine. Find a room, take a shower and come on back over here. I’ll cut your hair too."

"I’ll cut it myself," Piper grumbled.

Maria sighed. "Well, you’ll need scissors." She walked over to the kitchen and opened a drawer, pulling out another pair of scissors. She carefully placed them in Piper's hand.

"Thanks," Piper mumbled before tucking them under her arm with the rest of her clothes.

"I can show you to the house," Charlie proposed.

Piper opened her mouth to refuse, but Maria beat her to it. "Doctor Watson will need you back at the office."

Charlie closed his mouth and bid his goodbye. Piper watched him go, torn between missing his annoying presence and being grateful for Maria's words. Soon, Maria got back to grooming Ellie's hair. Meanwhile, the urge for a shower grew greater than Doctor Watson's answers. So, Piper found herself sneaking over to the house across the street. There was also a later time she could tell Ellie. A better time away from outside listening ears.

꧁_꧂ "So, this was, like, your job back then or something?" Ellie wondered as Maria snipped away at her hair. It must have been with how deftly Maria navigated Ellie's head of hair.

"No," Maria said. "I was an Assistant District Attorney out of Omaha, Nebraska. I put bad guys in jail."

"Oh… Cool," Ellie replied. "I guess."

"I always liked doing hair, though," Maria continued. "Maybe it was a mom thing. You were looking at the little memorial Tommy made?"

"Uh, yeah." Ellie peeked over at Maria, who gently directed her head back down. "I'm-I'm sorry about your kids."

"It's okay. And kid," Maria corrected. "Just Kevin. Sarah was Joel's daughter." Maria felt Ellie's shoulders stiffen. "Oh, maybe I shouldn't have said anything."

"No," Ellie shook her head. "It's okay. I guess that explains him a little."

Satisfied with the trim she had given Ellie, Maria set the scissors down and leaned against the table across from Ellie. "Look, I'm not gonna ask you what you're doing with him."

"Good," Ellie replied. Her voice grew stiff.

"But there are clearly things you don't know about Joel," Maria noted.

"Oh," Ellie said, connecting the dots Maria had left for her. "…like how he used to kill people? I know about that."

"So then you understand my concern."

Ellie shook her head. "He doesn't do that anymore."

"He stopped killing people?" Maria raised her brow, unconvinced.

"Innocent ones," Ellie corrected. "And Tommy did it, too. Are you worried about him?"

"Tommy was following Joel," Maria explained. "The way you and your sister are now."

"Well," Ellie scoffed, "maybe Piper and I are smarter than Tommy. No offense."

"You are definitely smart. Would've made a hell of a lawyer," Maria chuckled. "There's a whole lot you're not telling me. Good. Therein lies the point. Be careful who you put your faith in. The only people who can betray us… are the ones we trust. You understand?"

"Mm-hmm," Ellie nodded.

"Now, come on." Maria stood up. "Grab your super fսckin' eggplant coat."

Ellie shrugged on the coat. "Where are we going?"

"The movies," Maria replied before strolling out the front door, expecting Ellie to follow.

꧁_꧂

Piper noted that the house had just enough bedrooms for Ellie and her and too many bathrooms. There were four, one in each of the bedrooms and another, which she assumed was the communal one.

She'd found a bedroom with ease. Ellie had already staked her claim in one of the upstairs rooms by sprawling her bag on the floor next to the bed. One of the others contained a large bed, much too big for Piper to find any comfort in. She left that one to Joel and instead took up the bedroom on the ground floor.

The walls were painted light blue, and the sheets had various small flower designs adorning them. The bed was small, something she was happy about. She preferred small beds. She wasn't sure why, but she did. The less space things took up, the better.

After finding her room, she entered the bathroom and started up her shower. The water was warm against the cooler air of the bathroom. It did not take long for steam to collect in the air. Stepping underneath the water, Piper watched as months of dirt washed down the drain. At first, the water turned a shade of dark brown, and for a moment, Piper thought it stained the white porcelain of the tub. After a few minutes, the water turned clear again, and Piper began to scrub.

She scrubbed her hair, letting strands trickle down the drain. Her hands, all soaped up, scrubbed her skin until it grew raw and pink. Next were her nail beds, which Piper had determined were the cleanest part of her due to the care Doctor Watson had shown her. Trailing her hands over the soggy bandages, she was glad the Doctor had given her extra. She'd have to rebandage them once her shower was over.

Once she was satisfied with her cleanliness, Piper switched off the water and stepped out. After drying and rebandaging her hand, she wiped away the condensation on the mirror. She didn't spend much time admiring her clean figure and instead looked at her hair. Even washed, it seemed all tangled up. Maybe Maria was right. She really did need a haircut. Carefully, she brushed her fingers through her hair, releasing most of the knots.

Picking up the scissors, Piper stared at her reflection. Her hair was thick and long. Perfect for keeping the nipping cold at bay. She knew she'd have to brave the cold once again and a haircut would not do her any good. Confirming her decision, Piper placed down the scissors and replaced them with the pills Doctor Watson had given her. She swallowed, glanced at her reflection, and left the bathroom.

The new clothes and coat trapped the warmth of the shower against Piper's skin. In the pockets of the coat she found a new hat, gloves, and cup thingy. She frowned as she squished it until recognition filled her face. Placing the period cup in her bag, Piper made her way out of the house and to Maria's. Except Maria wasn't there and neither was Ellie.

"Forgotten again," Piper mumbled to herself. Then she noticed a note on the dining room table.

"We are at the movies. Just take a left and the end of the road and then go straight - Maria"

"Movies," Piper repeated as she crumpled up the note. "Of course, they have movies."

꧁_꧂

The bell above the door chimed, and a burst of cold air filled the room. Joel groaned as the tool in his hand slipped and fell to the floor. His hands were shaking too much to fix his leather boots, which were falling apart at the seams. Not bothering to look up at the guest, Joel placed his head in his hands.

"The guys said I might find you here," Tommy announced before plopping new boots on the table in front of Joel. "Figured I'd save you the trouble."

Joel glanced up at the boots and then at his brother.

"I shouldn't have said what I said," Tommy apologized.

"I don't even believe it," Joel muttered.

"I know you're happy for me. It just…," Tommy trailed off, trying to find the right words. "It's complicated for you… and I'm sorry."

Joel sighed and placed on the new pair of boots. They fit like a glove. "So you're gonna let me off the hook, or what?" Tommy shook his head and leaned against a nearby table. "This ride to the University, is it a suicide mission?" Joel pondered.

"No," Tommy replied. "It's dangerous, but it's nothin' you can't handle. Just prepare and do what you do."

"You've had people go that way and come back?" Joel asked, taking in Tommy's advice.

"All of 'em," Tommy answered. He watched as his brother grew quiet. "What is this?" Tommy asked.

Joel was eerily quiet before answering. "They're immune," he confessed.

"What?" Tommy's brows creased in confusion.

"Ellie and Piper," Joel clarified. "They got infected but didn't get sick. And Piper… the infected just ignore her." Tommy stepped back in disbelief. "Tommy," Joel continued. "Tommy, I saw Piper get bit myself. I saw what the infected did. That was months ago. Months. She's immune."

Tommy peered deep into Joel's eyes and saw the truth of sincerity. Quickly checking the door, Tommy stepped closer to Joel. "From the beginning," Tommy asked.

Joel took in a deep breath of air before beginning. "It was Marlene. She hired us to smuggle the girls to some Fireflies. It went bad. Tess got bit. She made me swear to take the kids. It was her dying wish," Joel's voice cracked. "What the hell was I supposed to do? We made it as far as K.C., and then… You know, they saved my life there… from another kid."

Running his fingers over the calluses on his hands, Joel continued. "Five years ago, I would've destroyed him. But Piper had to shoot him to save me. 17 years old. Because I was too slow and too fսck¡n' deaf to hear him comin'. And I saw… I saw a man kill his own brother… to save Ellie while I just watched."

With each word spilling from his mouth, Joel found his strength disappearing. His eyes blurred, and he felt his cheeks grow wet. This was a weakness. He was weak, and he knew it. "And today, I thought that dog was gonna tear the girls apart because it smelled somethin' on them. And all I did was stand there. I couldn't… move. I couldn't think of anything to say. I just… I was so afraid."

"You think I can still handle things, but… I'm not who I was,: Joel admitted and he felt a weight come off his chest. So long he'd been standing tall. For so long, he kept going, kept looking for Tommy. Now that he'd found his brother, Joel didn't know what to do. "I'm weak. Lately, there are these moments where the fear comes up outta nowhere, and… my heart… feels like it's stopped. And I have dreams. Every night."

"What kinda dreams?" Tommy interjected.

Joel grabbed the side of his head. "I don't know. I can't remember. I just know that when I wake up… I've lost somethin','' he sobbed. "I'm failin' in my sleep. That's all I do. It's all I've ever done is fail them again and again."

Tommy's expression softened as the puzzle of Joel's words came together. "You want me to take the girls," Tommy concluded.

Joel couldn't help but nod as the tears rolled down his face. "I'm just gonna get them killed. I know it. I have to leave them."

"Joel…"Tommy tried to comfort him.

"I mean, it's why you took off on me, right? To make up for the things we did?" Joel said. "Well, here's your chance to bring your kid into a better world. You're younger than me. You're still strong. You said it yourself: you'll come back. You have to take them." Joel sniffled and wiped his cheeks; his pleading exchanged for something more protective. Joel admitted to his brother the truth and discovered a truth of his own. He cared for the girls. They were his girls, whether he liked it or not. It just happened, and he knew he'd die if anything befell them. His heart would be torn into shreds if he couldn't save them, just like he couldn't save Sarah. He knew now why he wanted to refuse Piper's wish, why he didn't want Ellie to pick up a gun, and why he hated hearing about what his girls had gone through. Joel was a father through and through, and Piper and Ellie were not his girls.

"And you can't tell anyone, not even Maria. Tommy, you're the only one I trust," Joel begged. "If anyone else sees those bites on her, what's under her skin… they'll shoot her. It's the last thing I'll ever ask of you. I swear."

Tommy was quiet for a moment before answering. The words that came out of his mouth only relieved Joel. "I'll take them out at dawn. We got you in 38. It's left, left, right."

꧁_꧂

Speckles of white in Piper's hair sparkled under the yellow street lights. She'd left her hair down. The feeling was foreign to her but freeing. Maybe in the future, she'd continue to keep her hair down.

Smiling, she looked down at the snow; her new boots repelled the water and cold. It was a nice change from the leaky shoes she had worn before.

The sound of snow crunching doubled, and Piper looked up. She saw her sister, head hung low, marching towards her.

"Els," Piper called out. Ellie kept walking. "Do you know where the movie is?"

Ellie brushed past her sister, pausing long enough to answer her. "Movie sucks ass," Ellie mumbled.

Piper stopped and turned around. "Hey, is everything-"

"I'm fine," Ellie hissed. "What happened to your hands?"

Piper looked down, "Nothing, scraped them that's all. The doctor was nice enough to bandage them up."

"You sick?" Ellie asked.

Piper was sure that the snow was falling harder now. She shivered. "Yeah…just a cold, though, nothing too bad." Ellie nodded. Speaking of the doctor, I asked about the…" Piper paused, unsure of how to say it. "Ellie, it's not going to work."

Ellie looked up and frowned. "What's not gonna work?" Piper only responded in silence, and from the look on her sister's face, Ellie knew what Piper was going to say. "No. It'll fucking work."

"Els," Piper pleaded.

"No!" Ellie bellowed, shoving Piper's shoulders.

Piper gasped, "Els, listen to me. I asked the doct-"

Ellie's face scrunched up, and her ears rang as a mantra of no repeated in her mind. The next thing she knew, her fist had found its way into Piper's face. Anger and hurt flooded from her soul down her fist and implanted itself onto Piper's body. Too much had been stolen from the girl, and she wasn't going to let Piper take anything else. She wasn't going to let the one thing keeping her going disappear from view. She had to save everyone. She had to get rid of the fungus that had robbed her of a future and the world of anything good. First, her mom, then Riley, Tess, Henry, and Sam. Soon, Joel was going to leave, too. She had heard him beg his brother, and now Piper was going to take away her objective.

With each punch, Ellie found her drive even more controlling. Her fear, anger, and pain took over and governed her actions. It was as if she couldn't hear her sister's pleas or feel the blood trickling down Piper's face and spilling into the snow, tainting it a vibrant red.

"Ellie!" Piper coughed, spitting out blood onto the snow.

Ellie froze. Her chest heaved up and down. The snowing made everything too blurry, or maybe it was the tears escaping Ellie's eyes. Her hands burned from the warmth of Piper's blood and the fog of her mind faded.

Scrambling to stand, Ellie took one look at her sister in the snow. Piper lay on her side in the snow. Wheezing coughs escaped her lungs as blood from her nose and mouth pooled on the snow, melting it. Bruises had already started to form on Piper's skin, turning shades of blue and purple. The same purple of Ellie's coat.

Seeing her sister's pain, Ellie was overcome with guilt. Her heart pounded, and her breath stilled. All she could do was watch or run away, so she did. She ran deep into the snow storm and back to the ghost of a home she was staying in.

By the time the footsteps of Ellie's boots had been erased by the storm, Piper still hadn't moved. She was freezing, bleeding, and in pain. However, it wasn't the pain of the physical wounds Ellie had given her that hurt. Ellie had left. She had hurt Ellie, even if the full truth hadn't been revealed. She had ripped the band-aid off too soon and the wound had grown infected.

As Piper lay in the snow, she grew numb to the cold and the pain. In fact, she welcomed it. She'd been living for Ellie, protecting her, watching over her. After all, it was her and Ellie until the end. She'd said that phrase so many times that the irony scalded her soul. Ellie was marching to the end. An end to save an imaginary world in her head. An end that Piper knew she'd follow her sister into. If Ellie was going to walk into the arms of death, so would Piper. No matter how much she desired to live. No matter how much she didn't want to leave Joel. Nothing mattered when her sister was on the line. Piper had made a promise, and she was going to keep it. Even if it meant dying for a cause she no longer believed in. Even if it meant she had to give up her real dream: the home with Joel and Ellie. The smile on her sister's face, the warmth of Joel's protective hug. The dream of a family.

"Piper?" a distorted voice asked, and soon, a weight was placed on her shoulder. It was Charlie. He was leaning over her now. Looking up, Piper noticed a crowd. People had circled around her, and their whispers thundered in her head.

"Piper, what happened?" Charlie asked. The concern and worry in his voice was apparent.

Piper didn't need his concern. She didn't want it. After all, what good was a stranger's concern if you knew you were going to die? If you knew you were going to lose everything. If you knew you'd be alone.

Smacking away Charlie's hand and pushing him into the snow, Piper stood up and wiped away the blood. She ignored Charlie's pleas and the gasps of the townspeople. Fuck them, Piper thought as she marched through the storm and into the darkness after her sister.

Wherever Ellie went, so did Piper.

꧁_꧂

The house was quiet. If it weren't for the light that trickled out of Ellie's room, Joel would have thought the home was empty. The wooden stairs creaked as Joel trudged up them. His feet carried him as far as the door before he stopped. His hand inches away from knocking.

"Ellie?" Joel called out. There was no response, so he gently pushed the door open and found Ellie sitting on the windowsill. A journal in her hands.

"Is this really all they had to worry about?" Ellie asked. "Boys. Movies. Deciding which shirt goes with which skirt. It's bizarre."

Joel shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped closer, fumbling with his feet. "Listen, um…"

"Why are you here?"

"I came here to talk to you," Joel replied, confused by Ellie's harsh tone of voice.

"No, why are you still here? If you're gonna ditch me, ditch me," Ellie spat and glared at the man.

Joel sighed and felt his lips form into a frown. "What exactly did you hear?"

"I have to leave her. You have to take her," Ellie mocked Joel's deep voice. "You know, I stood up for you today because I thought…" Hurt echoed in her words, and Ellie turned away, trying to fight back tears. Everyone was leaving her.

"I made this decision for your own good," Joel stated.

"Just like Piper?" Ellie muttered with clenched fists. Her hands still burned from her sister's blood.

Joel shook his head, unsure of what Ellie meant. "You'll be way better off with Tommy." "You and Piper," Joel clarified. "Tommy knows the area better than I do…"

Finally turning to face Joel again, Ellie raged, "Do you give a shit about me or not?"

"Of course," Joel defended, and Ellie scoffed. "I do."

"Then what are you so afraid of? I'm not her, you know? Maria told me about Sarah and…" Ellie was cut off.

"Don't," Joel growled. His face hardened, and through clenched teeth, he spoke, "Don't say another word."

Throwing the journal to the side, Ellie stood up. "I-I'm sorry about your daughter, Joel," Ellie said. "But I have lost people, too."

Joel rolled his eyes and stepped back. Hurt flashed in Ellie's eyes. "You have no idea what loss is," Joel stated.

"Everybody I have cared for has either died or left me," Ellie fumed. Her voice grew louder and louder. "Everybody, fսcking except for you and Pi–!" She cut herself short. Joel was leaving, and she had pushed Piper away. There was no way her sister…Ellie bit her lip. She was alone. She was always cursed to be alone. "So don't tell me that I'd be safer with somebody else because the truth is I would just be more scared."

Joel's expression hardened at Ellie's tears. His heart hurt from seeing her tears and hearing her pleas. Right then and there he wanted to tell her he'd change his mind. Say that he'd take them, but he couldn't. Joel was weak. Ellie and Piper made them weak. This was for the best. He was doing this for them.

"You're right. You're not my daughter," Joel growled. "And I sure as hell ain't your dad. Now, come dawn… we're goin' our separate ways."

Ellie scowled and fell back down on the bed. She hugged her legs in close and turned away from Joel, burying her head in between her knees. "Good luck telling Piper that."

The door creaked behind them, and then Joel heard it. It was the sound of Piper running away. He pinched the sides of his nose and walked out of Ellie's room. This was for the best. As long as he kept telling himself that maybe this whole thing would become a bit easier. He just had to tell Piper, and his pain would be over. His weaknesses would be gone.

At least it would be if he could find Piper. He scoured the entire house: every single room, bathroom, in the dark corners, underneath the furniture. Piper was gone. His heart tightened in his chest until he heard her cough. It was coming from the porch. Piper was outside in the cold.

Joel didn't care how the cold bit at his skin when he saw Piper huddled in the corner. Her body trembled, fighting off the cold. She looked so small compared to how tall she stood. Her once-strong persona crumbled underneath Joel's gaze. Piper was just a kid in a big, scary world. And no matter how long Joel stood staring at her, he couldn't find any words of assurance.

"Don’t leave," Piper whimpered. Given how quiet she had been, Joel wasn't even sure he heard it correctly, so he stood there and watched.

"Please don’t leave," she said a bit louder.

"Look, kid," Joel sighed, stepping closer to her. His heart broke when he saw her tear-stained face peering up at him.

"No, Joel, you listen to me," she pleaded as she reached out to him before pulling back. Her hands turned white as she clung to herself. There was no one else. Ellie was leaving, and so was Joel. Piper was utterly alone. "I got sick and–I never get sick. I never let myself get sick. I couldn’t get–Please don’t leave." Her voice struggled to keep still as the trembles of a lifetime of loss, hurt, and fear overcame her.

"Let’s get you inside," Joel gently suggested as he watched her shiver. His hands unconsciously reached out to hold her, but she pulled back and shook her head.

"No. No, Joel, you’re not listening," she said.

"Piper, I can’t."

Piper sobbed. "Joel, please. I can’t lose you too. I already lost El–everyone. I’ve been fighting for so long I don’t remember what it's like to be safe, but I’m safe with you." Piper peered up at Joel. His eyes were cold. Piper searched and couldn't salvage the safe haven she had found in them before. "I–Please don’t leave. Please don’t leave me," she begged for the last time as her voice failed her.

He had to do it. He was doing it for her, for her and Ellie. It was for the best. Joel repeated these lies over and over until he found enough false strength to turn away. "You should go inside and get some sleep," he suggested with his voice void of emotion. Tommy will take you in the morning." Then he opened the door and left the shell of a young girl to freeze in the cold.

By the time Piper stood up and crawled back inside, she couldn't feel anything. She couldn't feel her hair falling to the ground as she cut it off. All she could hear was the roaring scissors snip as her hair grew shorter inch by inch. She was losing everything: her sister, her purpose, her home, her family, her dream, and Joel. With each cut of the scissors, she felt her pain dull more and more until there was no more hair to cut.

Her beautiful dark hair clung to the sink and bathroom floor. In the middle stood Piper. Her skin was a bright red as heat seeped back under her skin. Dried blood stuck to her skin and clothes. Her bandages were frozen from the cold. She'd have to change them again, but that was for later. All she could do was stand and stare at the ghost she saw in the mirror.

꧁_____________꧂ 

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꧁_____________꧂ 

[mintmatcha]

hey mint! I am so curious about foster dad nanami. I just think he'd be great with kids especially the shy ones who don't talk much

cw: implied child neglect

The first child that comes into his care is described as "a bit of a lost cause."

It was the boy's fifth foster home in just as many months. The social worker made it clear that Nanami -a single man and first time parent- was not only not her first choice, but quite possibly her last resort.

"He can't be with other children," she explained on his doorstep, "He tries to take over and parent them. There's also a lot of trust issues with authority figures and some pretty bad tantrums, so don't beat yourself up if he's too much to handle."

She went on, explaining the faults of the kid as he sat in the car, watching with a distant expression.

"What does he like?"

The social work paused.

"Toys, games-- what does he like?" Nanami repeated.

"I'm- We aren't sure."

The boy was scrawny, all elbows and knees, and already outgrown the clothes he came with. The last home he had been in had shaved his head to get rid of lice, so his head was only dusted with a hint of dark, black hair.

"If you shave my head again," he said softly, but with conviction, as he stood at the dining room table, "I'll punch you."

The social worker had commented that meal times were an issue, so Nanami didn't push him to sit. Instead, he let him hover, eating bits of food whenever Nanami would take a bite himself.

"I won't do anything you don't want me to. I promise."

"That means you're lying," The boy dropped his current handful of rice back onto the plate. His voice was much too disappointed and wistful for a ten year old, "Anytime people promise me anything, they're just lying."

"What makes you say that?"

The boy peeked up through his lashes. "They promised me I'd stay with my brothers."

Over the weeks and months, Nanami found out more about Choso. He had four younger brothers and a 'baby still in mom'. The food hidden under the bed was for them if they needed it, as were the clothes he refused to part with, and the tears he shed at night.

It turned out he liked art. Choso would wrap himself around a limb and practice filling in his caretaker's long faded ink, pretending to tattoo himself.

"I know it's silly, but one day I wanna tattoo. Like, really tattoo."

"Why is it silly?"

Choso thought that over. "I dunno."

He continued to doodle in silence for a while and Nanami continued to read, unphased by this new tradition.

"Nanami, I miss my mom a lot," Choso said suddenly, "But I love it here a lot too, so... thanks for not sending me back."

Nanami rustled his now shaggy hair. "I would never turn you away."

Just after a year in Nanami's care, Choso and his brothers returned home. The parting was bittersweet, filled with promises that Choso could call whenever he wanted. The contact dwindled rather quickly, but the two never fully fell out of touch.

.

Seven years later, Nanami gets a call from a familiar number.

"Choso," he greets, "I hope you're sleeping well."

"Nanami." The tone of Choso's voice tells him that this isn't about pleasantries, "Are you still fostering?"

"On and off."

"My youngest brother was taken out of my mother's house this morning," the younger man sighs, "She's back on her bullshit and I'm not old enough to act as guardian, besides, I can't watch a toddler while at my apprenticeship-"

"You don't have to explain." Nanami's already pulling up his booklet of numbers, paging through for the numbers, "I'll make some calls and see what I can do. What's his name?"

"Yuuji."

[mossyivy]

NSFW Under the Cut (Bubs is a nickname btw)

A/N: If you saw the first post of this, no you didn't.

Imagine Himbo!Chris as your manager

He's usually a strict manager, but he actually quite likes the newest hire Preppy! Reader. He even considers her a friend. Chris isn't the smartest guy around but what he lacks upstairs he makes up for in muscle. He's a massive guy, looks like a linebacker but hasn't touched a football since playing with his sister Claire in childhood. He's a little intimidating even if he doesn't mean to be.

You've been late to work twice this week because you slept late from studying too much the night before. Midterms are coming up and you're so stressed out everything feels like a thousand times harder to deal with. But, Chris has let you off the hook twice now and you know he's gonna say something today since it's your third time being late.

You walk through the front door, not seeing him in usually spot picking up the returns to put back in the system, maybe he's not in yet... Leon shoots you his usual dirty look behind the checkout but smirks afterwards. Watching you walk back towards the break room to clock in. Pushing the door open you see Chris leaning against the counter with his beefy arms crossed over his broad chest.

Fuck...

"You're late again," he starts gruffly, pressing off the lower cabinets to meet you at the time clock, "I called Leon to see if you were in yet and he told me you were late again."

Of course he would, fucking rat...

"I'm sorry, I overslept again... Midterms are-"

"A killer, I know. But if Leon and Ashley can both be on time, so can you." He takes in a deep breath, he must be actually upset with the lack of his usual kindness. It's kinda cute how much he's trying to fight back his irritation.

"Look, I like you, I really do. And I don't want to have to write you up... So you're staying late today. Putting away the new inventory with me after everyone else leaves." You open your lips to protest, raising his hand he stops you.

"Inventory or write up?" You sigh, biting the inside of your cheek as his brows knit together, looking down at you. You actually liked this side of Chris?

"Inventory..." You mumble as he nods with a slight smirk.

"That's my girl."

Oh.

His boss demeanor drops immediately, patting you on the middle of your lower back as he passes by, making a tingle fly up your spine.

"I'll be doing returns if you need me."

The day drags, 6pm rolling around eventually. Jill staying behind for a bit as she looks over at you from the front door.

"Inventory, all alone with the boss. Sounds like a recipe for disaster," she smirks, leaning closer to you as you roll your eyes, "he's pretty hot, I wouldn't blame you. An that's coming from a Lesbian... And his best friend."

"It's not like that, Jill. He's punishing me." Jill visibly bites her lip, her labret piercing touching her front teeth as she raises her eyebrows.

"You're really not good at deterring me, Bubs..." You groan, she chuckles pulling her coat on.

"It's not... He has a policy about..." You really have no idea what to say, why would she even put that idea in your head? It's not like Chris would show any interest in his employees. He hasn't before at least. Jill's his friend since childhood and gay. Ashley barely just turned 19. And Leon... Is Leon.

Why would you be any different?

"Bye Bubs, have fun with Chris, but not too much fun." She teased, pressing the door open as you wave goodbye. You walk over, locking the door and shutting the neon sign off. Grabbing your coffee from the checkout you down it, throwing it in the trash behind the counter before heading back to the storage room.

Reaching the storage room you step inside, finding Chris stacking smaller boxes of kids books on the dolly. He lifts his head, turning as he dusts his hands off. He smiles at you, sweetly like he usually does. His dopey smile making your stomach do a flip, thinking back to what Jill said.

"Hey," he gestures to the dolly before looking back at you again, "kid section needs to be restocked, thought it would too heavy for you."

That was sweet of him, not wanting you to strain yourself. But of course not, that be making him short a much needed employee. At least that's what you say to your brain to stop wandering.

"Thanks Boss." You give a fake salute before grabbing your dolly and heading out to the kids section. Pushing past the small colorful tables and animal chairs you pull out your box cutter from your skirt pocket and rip the box open. Starting to place books in the younger side of the shelves you hear the door to storage open. Out walking Chris carrying two huge boxes on his shoulders, not breaking a sweat or skin red in the slightest.

"God damn..." You catch yourself mumbling, you know Chris was jacked but Jesus Christ. Two huge boxes into the fantasy section? Those books were usually thicker than your college textbooks. How much does this guy lift?! You blink, eyes burning with the realization you were staring at him. He's none the wiser, back turned towards you as he reaches up pushing the books onto the top shelf.

You continue putting books away, finishing with the toddler stuff and throw the box to the side, starting on the next one. You glance back over at Chris as he tossed his first box to the side. Watching him kick the box over to the next shelf, twirl his box cutter before ripping the tape off and back to work.

You crane your neck over the shelf watching his shirt ride up on him. Seeing the waistband of his boxers over his sweatpants that somehow fit to his ass perfectly. Calvin Klein printed in white over the black band, you'll have to say a prayer later to him for the blessing of the sight you get to see. Chris turns to the side, stretching his arms above his head, shirt riding up again. Tilting your head your see the tips of his V-line, the trail of hair leading to his navel and the curves of his bottom abs. Sculpted to literal perfection...

He has to be doing this on purpose now, right? Cause honestly if it was he was getting your engine to purr with very little effort. Honestly, it's kind of embarrassing. Did what Jill said affect you that much?

Although, Chris is the type of guy to be hit on constantly and barely notice. Just thinking people are being nice to him.

His head quickly juts towards you, quickly looking away you make it look like you were working and not planning what you were going to rub one out to later...

"Need help?" His deep voice fills the space as you give a quick no, squeakier then you had intended it to be. He chuckles, going back to work as you try fighting the heat rising in your neck.

You almost just got caught ogling your boss. Thank God Chris isn't the most perceptive guy around when it came to social awareness or that might have ended with a pink slip. You quickly finish up the kids books as Chris finishes the fantasy section. He looks back to you as he collects the boxes and smiles.

"Head over to the adult section. I'll grab the boxes."

Adult section... Right, you completely forgot Chris had been talking about turning his old office into the adult section after he took a corner of the break room to work in. You nod, heading over quickly as he grabs the dolly and walks off. Walking inside you look at the tall shelves lining the walls and the few tables already lined with books. Looking down at the table you read off a few of the titles in your head, one catching your eye in particular.

How to please your man like a pornstar.

A blunt and to the point title. At least you know what you're getting before you open the cover.

"So this is the kinda crap you like to read?" Chris enters the room with a soft 'tsk. Pushing in the dolly with a few large boxes and the creaky old wooden step stool on top.

"No, just being nosy."

"Mmhm, nosy," he teases, pushing the cart to the shelves. "sure you aren't trying to pick something out for your boyfriend I'm not supposed to know about?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." Chris looks at you over his shoulder, giving you a look like he doesn't believe you.

"Girlfriend? Talking to anyone?" He questions, you shake your head. You both start tearing open boxes and putting away books on shelves. The silence taking over for a few minutes as you ponder his questions.

"You think people like me that much?" You smirk, looking back over at him as he laughs.

"Figured a girl like you would have at least someone sniffing around. I mean... You even get Leon to turn his head once in a while and he's as responsive as wet bread to women."

A girl like you. What exactly does that mean?

"Ew, no. He's the worst and the last person I want looking at me. Besides, that be against the rules." His face shifts, looking confused for a minute.

"Rules?" You scrunch your nose up.

"No dating coworkers?"

"Oh! Yeah, that. No, my Dad wrote those rules and I just haven't had the heart to change the employee handbook after him and Mom died. I'd have to run it by Claire and..." His voice trails off for a few seconds, you getting the jist of it. He turns back to putting books away quietly.

"Still a sore subject for her?"

"Yeah." You nod, understanding the meaning behind it.

"So, you don't care?"

"As long as you assholes don't beat the customers, wear what little uniform you have and show up on time I don't care. It's not my business. Just don't let it affect your job."

Good to know.

You two work in silence for a long while. Eventually Chris pops the step stool open. Moving to put the more "extreme" books on high shelves in case stupid kids wander in unattended. Don't want a child being scarred, that's a lawsuit waiting to happen.

"Bubs." You snap your attention to him holding the stool. He sets it down next to you.

"Yes, Sir?" He blinks with a smirk, huffing for a moment.

"Don't ever call me that again," you giggle with a nod, "you mind doing the top shelves? I have a feeling this stool would snap under me if I even breathed near it."

"So you want me to file the Workman Comp case?" You joke, Chris squinting his big brown eyes for a second.

"You'll be fine, I'll be here to spot you and hand you books."

You agree, reluctantly. Stepping up to the top rung Chris starts handing you the first set of books, staring at you intently. It felt a lot different than a mindful stare, almost like he was watching you purposefully. Shifting back and forth in place every few minutes. Bouncing his legs. You knew he got bored easily but you've never seen him this jittery.

Oddly enough it didn't take long for you both to get to the last shelf, checking your watch to see it's nearly 8pm by now. Rolling your neck you climb back up on the stool, stepping onto the top plank.

Looking down you gesture for a book, Chris shuffles, turning away quickly and grabbing some books from the box, handing them up to you. He turns away, still standing behind you, a tad bit closer than before. Pushing the last book onto the shelf you look back at him as he keeps moving around.

"Are you okay? You seem antsy." He looks back at you, tanned skin a dusty rose color, he looks like he's contemplating what to say. Grabbing the last set of books and hands them up to you before he speaks.

"I'm fine," he insists, "just hot in here."

He clears his throat, pulling at his v-neck near his rose tattoo on his neck. You turn back to the shelf, putting the books away, leaning for the last one. The book slips from your hand hitting the floor as the stool starts to tilt to the side and you try gripping the shelf to stop from falling. Arms wrap around you as the stool topples over, lifting you from the fall. Toned arms around your waist, big hands flat against your belly as his hand accidentally went under your button up and his head in the middle of your back.

"Jesus Christ Bubs. Gave me a damn heart attack." Slowly his arms lower you to the floor, weirdly hunching to put you down. You feel embarrassed, bending over to grab the book as he grabs the stool. Your head turns, eyes shifting as he stands up straight. Your eyes making contact with the massive imprint in his sweatpants. Your jaw drops, turning away immediately.

Oh, oh God he's hard... Did I do that!? Has he been like that the entire time??

You shift and try your hardest to reach to put the book of the shelf. Even standing on your top toes. Chris comes up behind you, putting a hand on your hip, taking the book from you and stands on his own toes to reach. Sliding the book into place with ease. You feel him brush your other hip with his own.

Couldn't he have just done that the entire time?

You give him an odd look as he steps back, folding the stool up, and holding it in front of himself. Oblivious to the fact you already saw his hard on.

"That should be everything..." He takes a few steps back, you nod, quickly stepping past him.

"I'm gonna go grab my purse and head out." You move to head towards the break room when he grabs your shoulder, stopping you.

"Let me walk you to your car, it's dark out. I don't want you putting yourself at risk. Just, let me use the bathroom first."

Damn him and his kind nature...

You nod, following him to the break room and grab your bag as he slips into the employee bathroom.

Walking out of the back you stop at the front door, turning the overhead lights out. The only lights on being the dimly lit sconces along the walls. You start thinking about... Knowing what's probably happening in that bathroom right now. Your thoughts start drifting to the thought of his hand down his pants, trying desperately to stay quiet and get himself get some relief before facing you again.

Then Jill's words drift into your mind again.

He's pretty hot, I wouldn't blame you.

She's not wrong... Chris is hot. And obviously he thinks you are too if you're the cause of his big problem. Should you even be thinking this way? He's your boss. It be unprofessional and possibly really awkward if anything happened... Well more than what already did.

"Ready?" You turn seeing Chris carrying his coat over his arm, walking through the store.

"Yeah." You both step out of the store, stopping to watch Chris lock up. He smiles at you as you start walking towards your car. Quickly, he steps around you, walking along the street side.

It's not odd for Chris to be this sweet but this feels like he's trying to impress you almost.

"Such a gentleman." You smirk, crossing under a streetlight. He smiles wide, bumping your arm with his.

"Maybe if you're good I'll lay my coat across a puddle and you can walk over it."

Is he flirting with me?

You scoff, shaking your head.

"If I'm good? I'm a model employee, thank you."

"Expect for being 20 minutes late three times this week... Be grateful I like having you around." You feel your cheeks heat up as you both stop at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change.

"Wow, you like having me around. What do you have a crush on me or something?" You joke, stepping off the sidewalk and into the double white lines. Chris staying on the curb for a few seconds before quickly catching up.

"What if I did?" He asks, turning his head to look at you as you two turn into the parking lot on the corner. Looking at him, his face is red. The look in his eyes says so much as you stop at the back of your car.

"Look," he stops, leaning against your bumper as you join him, "can I say something that we can... Both just look past if it gets awkward or weird?"

"As long as you're not about to tell me that you're stalking me or something." Chris shakes his head, smile faltering.

"I know I'm your boss and I shouldn't look at you like I do... But it's hard not to think you're really pretty and I want to take you out when I'm around you constantly. And if you don't feel that way we can pretend this never happened and I'll just walk away..."

He's even sweet when expecting rejection...

You just stare at him for a moment as he stands up quickly.

"Right. I'm sorry for saying anything." You reach out, grabbing his hand as you stand up.

"I'm not sure about my feelings but I know I'm attracted to you and you're really sweet. So, I wouldn't mind going on a date and seeing where this goes... I think I'd be a complete idiot for not at least trying with you." He sighs in relief, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles with a goofy smile.

"Tomorrow after work? A Movie and dinner?" He seems so eager, you snicker to yourself.

"Sounds great." You smile, moving in to give him a kiss on the cheek. His smile turns to a full blown grin, looking you up and down.

"Call me when you get home." He gives a fake salute as you turn back to unlock your car door. Looking back over your shoulder you see him exiting the parking lot to head back towards his apartment over the store. And as you climb in, pulling on the door to close it. You swear you hear a faint cheer of yes from the distance.

[loveandleases]

<3 Other characters reaction to Jade's attempt is below. You can find Ardents version here. Cam's here. Our icicles (G) here.

💚 Kara - Jade twirled a piece of Kara's golden blonde hair around her figure, which then in turn made Kara grab her wrist. She isn't the one for fights, violence, or any of that.

But Jade not only being with Chris, but also coming on to her who is happily in a relationship with MC, just starts her blood to boil. "Jade, you can't possibly tell me you're tired of Chris already? Not after all the "thought" you put in to taking them for yourself."

If you didn't know Kara you would think her smile was sweet, innocent even. Those who do know her, know there is a bite to her words. Jade awkwardly laughs yanking her hand free before staring at the two of you.

"I don't possibly know what you mean." she lies, ensuring there is an air of stoicism on her face.

"Well, I'll be sure to let Chris know that you aren't happy with one Clarke sibling. I'm sure they'll be happy to learn you're coming on to their own sister. Not to mention the fact that I'm dating MC. "

You can tell that Jade wants to argue about this but Kara doesn't give her that satisfaction, pulling you along with her.

💛 M - If someone could die, be swallowed up by the very ground they're standing on never to exist again...they would probably look like M right now. The nervous laughter that bubbled out of their mouth when Jade flirted with them was so loud it nearly caused you a headache.

She tries to place an arm on their shoulder to which M swats away, all with a smile on their face, yet one that doesn't hide the crease of their brow. "You really must keep your hands to yourself," M mutters.

"Pardon?" Jade asks, her hand stilling in the air.

"Ah...well you see, I what I mean to say is.." M begins to stutter their words not coming to them as quickly as they need. Their face slightly dusted with a red haze from their blushing or annoyance.

You pull M's hand yanking them next to you, in doing so they gasp, kicking their legs out and tripping Jade.

It was an accident surely.

M mutters an apology and kisses the back of your hand. "Sorry I can be a bit clumsy." they laugh rubbing the back of their head with the opposite hand.

"ah no it's.."

Jade doesn't finish her sentence and as you look to see why, you quickly catch M glowering at them.

When they notice they laugh awkwardly, pretending the look was never there to begin with. "Come on, honey."

💜 Isaac - As you go to get inside Isaac's car you stop, you notice Jade rubbing their arm. Then yank it back suddenly "What the hell .."

"Babe!" Isaac announces turning to you, you know Isaac's a flirt but this again, you can't handle or deal with this. "Your sister here thought I looked hot today, isn't that nice?" While Isaac tries to make their voice sound calm, nice, even you can notice the strain in it.

Isaac crosses their arm leaning against the car, looking Jade over. Before you were dating you would think this is them checking someone out. Now you know better. Now you know Isaac is judging her, recognizing that she is so similar to the person who turned their own life upside down.

"I honestly can't believe you two share DNA. You couldn't be more different if you tried." Isaac scoffs walking over to open the car door for you. "Your mother should have swallowed." It's quick and to the point but when Isaac says it while looking at Jade you get a sense of satisfaction seeing her gasp.

Isaac kisses you on the cheek, before closing the door behind you, As they walk past Jade to get to their side you can't make out what they say, but you know Jade didn't like it.

Isaac slides in the car, leaning their head back against the seat and groaning. They look at you, playfully nudge your chin with their fist.

"You looked like you were going to tear her a new one." Isaac laughs, rubbing the back of their neck. That couldn't possibly be a blush on their face, could it? "Listen, don't worry alright. I'm not like Chris. There is only one spot for a little dysfunctional person in my life, it belongs all to you." they tease.

You aim to knock them on the shoulder before they take your hand and lovingly kiss your knuckle. Yeah, Isaac is nothing like Chris.

[idontplaytrack]

Home Sweet Home

Janis ‘Imi’ike x fem! reader(+ big sis Regina & Cady)

Warnings: coarse language, fluff, small make-out scene

Moving day. Read other parts: one / two / three / four

“That’s the last of it.” Janis dusted her hands off, “Now all that’s left is to unpack everything.”

“Thanks. For helping.” Regina says in her usual fashion.

“Eh, just doing what I can.” Janis shrugs, “Besides, I know your back’s been acting up lately.”

“God, y/n just had to say something?” Regina grumbled.

“I don’t want you to be in more pain, is that so bad?” You scoffed playfully. Regina cracked a smile, pulling you closer to her and squishing your face in her hands, “Nope. Thanks, baby.”

You laughed, pulling your face away from her grip. “Let me go.”

“Neverrrr.” She pinches your cheeks this time.

“I’m not a baby.” You huffed.

“Yes you are.” She says cheekily, eyebrows raised, “You’re my precious little—”

“Watch it.” You warned.

Janis chortled. “So…I’m to assume we don’t have food yet.”

“Yeah.” Regina confirmed, finally letting you free. “We should go do some grocery shopping.”

“Good, because I’m hungry.”

“Maybe we should go have lunch first then grocery shop.” Cady pointed out.

“You’re right.” Regina agrees, “Okay, let’s go. Suggestions? Really, nothing?”

“We passed a restaurant earlier when driving here. How about we just try that place?” Cady suggests.

“Alright then, that’s where we’re going.” Regina decided.

“If you fall, I’m not taking you to the hospital, ‘Imi’ike.” Regina scoffs, shoving her phone into her pockets.

“Relax.” Janis laughs.

Once Janis was properly walking on the pavement, you jumped onto her back. She reflexively held onto you. “Hey, babe.” She smiled.

“Oh, good God.” Regina complains.

“Oh, shut up.” Janis mocked.

“The store’s right ahead, are you going to be piggybacking her the whole time?”

“That depends.” Janis answered casually, “You want me to?”

You laughed, “No. I was just playing. Maybe I’ll let you do that again later.”

“Be my guest, honey.” She puts you down, the four of you walk into the grocery store. Cady grabs a cart.

“Keep an eye on your ‘honey’.” Regina teased, “Make sure she doesn’t grab anything that she’s allergic to because trust me, that girl does not care.”

“Way ahead of you.” Janis stifles a laugh, quickly catching up with you while you wandered the aisles. “I was fine when I ate this last time.”

“Put that back.” Janis sighs, “I’m not risking anything here. Allergies are tricky, sometimes you’d be okay, other times a little bit itchy and then there would also be times where you literally cannot breathe. I don’t want that.”

You set the item down and moved on. “There. Cashew butter. Not a trace of peanuts in it, can I put this in there?”

“Yes. Yes, you can.” Janis nodded.

“It’s such a weird feeling watching her grow up and going through those milestones.” Regina admits quietly.

“I bet.” Cady shrugs, “They’re great together, though.”

“For sure.” Regina agrees, “Still weirds me out that Janis is nice to me too so that’s…yeah.”

“She’s always been nice. To me at least.” Cady couldn’t help but laugh a bit, “For you, that’s a different story. But I’m glad you two talked things out.”

Regina sighs, “Can you believe we live on our own now, I mean, holy shit.”

“I absolutely can, you’re doing what’s best for you and y/n and that’s amazing.” Cady beamed.

“You’re too nice to me.”

Cady squints at the blonde, “I’m not just being nice, Gina. I’m being honest and I love you, you’re my girlfriend.”

“Sometimes I just…can’t believe.”

“Well, you better believe it.” Cady jokes, “Hey, you want this?”

“Yes— Oh, shoot! I didn’t make a list.” Regina huffs, annoyed.

“That’s fine, we know what you guys usually eat and have in your fridge and pantry anyway.” Cady assured, “Don’t stress yourself out.”

“My fucking god why are they running around the store like toddlers?!” Regina watched the sight in disbelief. “Janis is a bad influence.”

Cady bites back a laugh, “I’ll go stop them. And, she’s not that bad. In fact I think she’s been doing a great job at getting y/n out of her shell!”

“Cady, please go ask them to stop running around before they break something.” Regina pleads.

“Right.” Cady rushes to locate you and Janis, successfully carrying out her task. “From now on, the four of us, walk together.”

“y/n, go pick your bread.” Regina requested, pinching her temple.

You ignore her.

“Come on, don’t be a baby.” She nudges you. “Fine, I’m just gonna get whatever I want and you can suck it up and eat it.”

“I don’t have anything I want.” You shrug, “Go ahead.”

There it was, those random little moments of low moods. It’s been happening a bunch since the whole argument Regina had with June. You didn’t exactly know why, or what was going on. But deep down, you missed your mother and wished things were different. You just couldn’t get that out to Regina or anyone because life was so much better now, but you missed the good memories you had with your mom after all.

Regina looks at Cady, helpless. “You wanna go look at some candy?” Janis suggested to you, hands on your shoulders forcing you to look up at her, “Or snacks? I’m sure they’ll be okay with you getting as much as you want.”

“Yeah, come on, let’s go get some snacks, okay?” Regina quips.

————

Upon returning to the apartment, the four of you unpacked everything into the pantry and fridge. Next was decorating the place, which got done pretty quickly with four pairs of hands on the task. The place came furnished with basically everything so that helped cut down on having to spend on furniture. At least for a while until they got significant use. “You wanna talk about it?” Regina caught you alone while Janis was on the phone with her Dad and Cady went to pick Damian up — he was coming over for dinner.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“y/n, you know you shouldn’t bottle things up.”

You took in a sharp breath, sighing. “I know this is for the better but I still— I still miss the good times we had with Mom. And Dad, sometimes. So I get sad, and I’ve been sad and that sucks but I have to focus on what’s in front of me instead of…the past.”

“I get that, y/n. That’s normal, because our whole life is just…memories. I just wished that you had talked to me or anyone so that you weren’t feeling like that alone. I get that we all have school and assignments and projects, but still— you can talk to us anytime.”

Janis re-emerges from your room(it was technically also hers because she was going to be here all the time anyway). “Okay. My Dad’s all good with me staying here for tonight— though he said he would want to come over for dinner some time.” Janis laughs, plopping down beside you.

“I mean, really, he can come over any time.” Regina smirked, as per usual, “he’s no stranger.”

Janis shrugs, “Say that loud enough and he just might hear you.”

Regina lets out an exhale in amusement, standing up from her seat on the couch, “Okay, I’m just gonna make something quick for dinner. Spaghetti bolognese. Objections?”

You and Janis shrug, she pulls you onto her lap. “If you start making out on the couch, I’m gonna put you two on separate ends of the room.” Regina warned.

“Really?” Janis asked playfully.

“‘Imi’ike I will literally lift you up and put you away from my sister if I have to.” Regina scoffs.

“Relax, dude.” Janis’ brows knot together, facial expression seemingly offended.

“It’s not like we haven’t kissed before, you know?” You mentioned while standing up to stretch.

“Where you going?” Regina asks, hearing your footsteps depart the living area.

“My room?” You stopped walking but shot Janis a look. The girl practically jumped up in her seat and followed behind you. “Real subtle.” Regina watched with wide eyes.

“Regina, I’m very sleepy.” You sigh, “I will leave my door open, alright? I know the rules.”

Regina stopped messing with you, gaze softening, “Okay. I’m sorry, we had a long day and it didn’t occur to me that you would’ve tired. Go rest, we’ll wake you up with dinner’s ready.”

You sat down on your bed but soon dove forward and just slid and was face first in your mattress while you laid on your stomach. “Hey, you good?”

“Why am I so sleepy? It’s not even dinnertime.” You grumbled. She lays down next to you, on her side, carefully brushing the hair out of your face. “We were out for a majority of the day, babe.” She pointed out, “That’s pretty normal.”

“My back hurts.” You mumbled, “And my head. But I’ve been trying my best to drink more water.”

Janis hums as though in thought, “Could be your period or something.”

“Ugh.” You groaned, “I hate that.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” She asks softly, “My God, lifting those boxes earlier must’ve killed your back.”

“It’s not that bad.” You answered, rolling over to face her directly. You saw the concern in her gaze, and your heart melted. “I’m fine, Janis.”

“Yeah, but—” Janis said, but abruptly stopped. Her hand brushing through your hair also stopped its motion, ending up cupping your cheek. God she was just looking right into your eyes…

Feeling your cheeks heat up, you rolled over onto your back to avoid her eye contact. “Honey.” She chuckles, amused.

“What?” You ask, stifling a laugh.

“Can I give you…a kiss?” Janis asks.

“What?” You giggled, mostly at her tone. The girl was a little bit silly sometimes, it made you laugh. Also, sometimes she does it on purpose knowing you would laugh.

Her hand returns to your cheek, guiding your face and the rest of your body to turn and look at her again. “Can I give you a kiss?” She repeated her question, voice low but her tone was gentle. Your eyes wandered over to her lips, god you wanted to kiss her so bad right now, wanting to feel them against your own. It’s been awhile…

“Yes.” You gave into the urge. That was all it took for her to press her lips to yours. Your heart swelled, a smile forming on your face. You could feel the same thing happening to Janis. And what caught you a little off guard was the fact that she so smoothly was able to straddle you. Your eyes opened and saw her looking down at you lovingly, her hand caressing your cheek.

Yes, the door was wide open but neither of you paid any mind to it in the moment.

Seeing that playful glint in her eyes, your heart raced a little bit. Then you felt it, that rush of heat and irresistible desire to kiss her more. “Can I kiss you?” You asked meekly, “Again?”

“Hell yes.” Janis chuckles huskily, leaning down to let you capture her lips into your own. She had a little fun to let you take the lead a bit, but she soon took the control again and deepened the kiss.

A short while later, she pulls away to catch her breath with the biggest smile on her face. It made you smile, feeling all giddy. The longer she looked at you, the more you couldn’t hold back your laughter giggling. Janis climbs off of you, laying next to you once again. “I love you.” You declared.

The girl was grinning, “Aww. I love you too.”

“I’m watching you.” Regina announced her presence, leaning against your doorway.

“Ew.” Janis squinted, “How long have you been standing there?”

“I just got here.” Regina smirked, “Why, should I have been here for longer?”

“Oh, no, no.” You stopped her before she said anything else.

“Yeah, real assuring, y/n.” She teased you, “Kissing with the door open?”

Janis snorted, you smacked her on the arm playfully.

Regina glares at you both, “Excuse me?”

You looked your sister directly in the eye, wiggling your brows, “Home sweet home.”

🏷️ Tag list:

@ashecampos @auliisflower @cheesysoup-arlo @frogs00 @ludoesartnstuffs @pda128

💭A/N:

Here we are! Final part <3