#i was thinking about having merle propose at the end of this or having him text magnus asking if he could make them rings but that's just no

[sesamestreep]

nick/jess, "speculative" for the prompt thing! dw i get it dude, old prompts can be stressful. you got this!

Nick presses the heels of his palms into his eyes hard enough that he starts to see spots. “Jess, please! You’ve been reading it for twenty minutes. Just tell me what you think!”

Jess scans the last few words on the screen and then hands his laptop back to him casually. “You should change the description of it from ‘dystopian fiction’ to ‘speculative fiction’,” she says. “They mean basically the same thing, but speculative fiction opens you up to new readers and distinguishes it from the YA stuff you’ve done so far.”

“You see?” He kisses the side of her head and gets a mouthful of her hair in his excitement. “This is why I married you! You’re a genius!”

Jess rolls her eyes, as she dips another pickle in the cool whip container next to her elbow. Nick does his best to hide his disgust. They’ve already gotten into several arguments about judging the food cravings that come along with her pregnancy and the last one had ended with Cece and Aly joining in to tell him to shut his damn mouth until the baby was at least five years old. Apparently that’s how long it will be before he’s allowed to have opinions on his wife’s behavior again.

“That better not be the only reason,” she says, resting a hand on her barely protruding belly.

He doesn’t know how to explain that, even though he had dozens of others, her ability to make everything in his life so much better than he ever imagined is a good enough reason that it could have been his only one and it would still be romantic. But he’d probably just end up rambling and screwing it all up somehow, so he just nods and says, “yes, dear,” and e-mails his book proposal to Merle instead.

[madslogo]

green blue red

merle hasn’t heard from much of ipre lately, but he’s never without davenport for too long (aka, merle doesn’t know how to use his fantasy phone) 

read on ao3

“So,” Davenport asks on his fifteenth of what’s been lately becoming weekly beachside visits, over a year after Story and Song and a month after Carey and Killian’s wedding. “How are the… er, horny boys these days?”

Merle pauses in the motion of sipping the herbal tea that he knows Davenport loves best (but only when he grows it himself) and tilts his head a little bit. “Whattaya mean?”

Davenport shrugs. “It’s kinda silly, but I never thought any of us could get any… closer, after a century.” He pauses here, for a short while (and actually, this is one of those hints to Merle that he isn’t the only one who changed in their long, long final cycle before the hunger arrived. Captain Davenport was always a carefully eloquent man, and he would take the time he needed to perfectly articulate what he wanted to say. Davenport now is hastier. Thoughtful wording forsaken in the reveling of speaking at all; as if he’s scared he stops for too long, he won’t be able to answer again. Merle was always a patient man, especially for his captain. He doesn’t need to be anymore. In fact, he’s only just worked through this thought to heartbreak by the time the pause is over). “But the three of you… Merle, Taako and Magnus have always loved you, but they love you.”

It’s Merle’s turn to be hasty with his words, now. “I’m already taken by a dashing sea captain. Besides, I’m too old for them.”

Davenport laughs, eyes crinkling at the edges and head bowing every so slightly as a light blush dusts just over his mustache with only the brilliant white of his smile to break up the red (and wow, Pan help him, after all these years searching to figure out why he walked away from his wife, it only takes Davenport half a second to remind him what love really is). “Gross, Merle!”

Merle laughs too. The two of them- two old men on a boat in a world they never really belonged in but made home all the same- fill the small dock outside Earl Merle’s mansion with laughter like bells.

“Seriously, though!” Davenport tells him, elbowing him in the side when he regains his composure. “We were all so… Lost, during that time,” (and Merle knows him well enough to know that his love for his surrogate children and the fear of losing himself again are waging war in his reclaimed mind in a series of phrases- You’re Merle, right?  I’m Davenport. Lucretia, what did you do?) “but the three of you found each other and you rebuilt each other, even when everything was lost, even when you’d lost everything… You loved each other. You can’t possibly tell me you lost that. I don’t think you can.”

Merle sips his tea, long and slow (and can’t help but think the bond engine gave Davenport the ability to see into his deepest thoughts- the parts of him that are slow and considerate, the parts of him that aren’t the Peacemaker, the effort to make his friends laugh and lighten the weight of a century of loss and hard choices but instead the wise and wistful old man that hides behind a wit to rival Taako’s but honed with humility to undercut it) and for once, makes an effort to verbalize what he’s thinking. “You know I love them all, Dav. I couldn’t not. We both know well enough that Mavis isn’t my oldest, but… Well. Taako’s finally whole. Magnus has learned to hold back and wait. They don’t need an old man like me anymore.”

Davenport says nothing (and even if the lessons Davenport learned during the last decade will never outweigh what he’s suffered in turn, Merle realizes that they ran parallel in that time- he learned that he could be selfish, that he could turn away from being the Peacemaker; Davenport learned to express how he feels, allowing the carefully tailored persona he was when he fought to be the daring leader IPRE needed to fall away, when he was forced to become the Wordless One and Merle can almost trick himself into believing that seeing the love and hurt he feels on his face, shared openly without hesitation, is worth it all) but he puts a hand on Merle’s shoulder and pulls him closer.

“You old fuck!” A shrill shout rings out from behind them.

The two turn around and gape at the helm of the ship where a tear is torn in reality. Through it, Taako and Magnus burst out, both seemingly enraged, while a sheepish Barry tails them and closes the rift he’d opened with his scythe. “Sorry! Sorry, I tried to stop them, but-” Barry calls to them.

Davenport blinks. “I always forget Barry’s a reaper. Every time,” he admits, not bothering to move from the relaxed position he’d taken at Merle’s side after he realized who the intruders were.

Taako and Magnus are on Merle in seconds. Taako’s hands are stretched wide and his fingers are poised to emphasize what he says (a habit he’s gotten into from performing that he only reclaims when he’s pissed) while Magnus practically tackles Merle (and, alright, maybe he hasn’t forsaken rushing in completely).

“Hey!” Merle shouts as Magnus pulls his stone of farspeech out of his pocket. “What are ya doing?!”

Magnus throws the thing to Taako who, with a huff and a screech of “I fucking KNEW IT!”, twists the side of the stone until it clicks and pulses green once. “Merle fucking Highchurch!” Taako yells. “Do you know how many times we’ve fucking called you this year?”

Merle glances back at Davenport (and he takes it back- the story Davenport’s features wield is turning to “I told you so”) before glancing at the angry pair. “Um… Zero?”

Taako huffs “Unbelievable!” and throws Merle his stone. “You were on fucking fantasy do not disturb for over a year!”

Merle taps the stone, and sure enough, he has six hundred and thirty-nine missed calls. He blinks at it once, twice, three times. What?

“Old man, if this is your way of blowing us off, we’re not standing for it!” Magnus announces. “I will literally force Barry to move in with me at Raven’s Roost so I can make him teleport me to your beach mansion to yell at you when I need my old man fix!”

“Old man fix? Ew, Maggie,” Taako says, making a face.

“I’m not- I’m not gonna do that, Mags,” Barry tells him.

Magnus crosses his arms. “I will literally hold Barry J Blue- that’s J for Jorts- Bluejeans hostage and make him let me come annoy you daily. Is that what you want?”

“Cap’n’port, I’m begging you, make your husband answer his fucking stone,” Taako tells the hysterically laughing captain.

Davenport doesn’t answer, only shakes his head before putting it down on the table in front of him, his chest heaving with laughter.

“Wait- You two’ve been calling me?” Merle asks, dumbfounded.

“Yeah, fucking- Of course!”

“Hachi machi, Merle! Fucking yeah?!”

Barry shakes his head, too. “Literally everyone has been trying to call you. You literally were on a spaceship for a century, how- How is this beyond you? You’re a scientist, Merle,” he tells him, but suddenly he freezes up and his flesh melts away. “Shit that’s- That’s the ol’ goddess. Come on, Mags, Koko, you’re either staying here or we gotta go.”

“Merle, when this old man date is over, I’m gonna fucking call you because Istus fucking help me, but I love you and I need you to give me advice on how to raise my boy or I’m gonna fucking lose it,” Taako tells him, an angry finger pointing at him accusingly before crossing across the boat to step through the rift. He pauses, one foot in, to flip them both off. “I love you both, answer your fucking stones, and yeah, you too, Dav! I’m fucking onto that shit too!”

Magnus follows after them, shouting a “Stop being strangers!” behind him as they disappear.

“See you both soon, stay safe!” Barry says, waving as the rift closes behind him.

Davenport is still laughing hysterically and he doesn’t even bother picking his head up off the table. Instead, he tilts his head to stare at Merle and there are tears rolling down his face and dripping onto the table. “I cannot believe you!”

Merle finally laughs too, kissing Davenport’s cheek when he finally sits up from the table and when his stone of far speech shines a bright blue, Lucretia’s frequency, later that night, he answers right away.

(and ever since he left that beach, wondering what love was and why he could love those two children with his whole heart and still never love their mother enough to give them the home life they deserved, Merle has thought that he could pull away from his family and allow them to thrive in his absence. He could bear the heartache on his own, and they could let him slip from their thoughts. Over and over again, they show him, tell him, shout at him that he’s wrong, that it hurts them when he disappears.)

And after a long conversation with Lucretia and a promise to have another spa day some time soon, Merle switches his frequency to bright red and asks Davenport if there’s any chance he’d like to start docking his boat at the Bottlenose Cove a little more frequently.

He still laughs when Davenport asks him if that’s a euphemism.

[plus-size-reader]

Just a Kid

Daryl Dixon x Plus size!reader

Word Count: 2453 words

Warnings: none

Summary: Taking Lydia in as your own with Daryl

Hi, I couldn’t get this concept out of my head. 

—————————————————————————————————

“She’s just a kid, D” you hummed, carefully working at the knot in his neck that he’d been complaining about for days.

You knew that this thing with the girl, and Jesus, and all these people wearing faces was really starting to wear on Daryl’s nerves.

You could tell, because every night when he came back to your house, he was even more tense than the last and at this point, you were really starting to get concerned that he would burst a blood vessel.

There was just too much going on right now.

...but you knew what you had to do.

Lydia was just a child, and even if her people were the purest evil you could ever imagine, that didn’t mean that she was. If nothing else, she was little more than a battered little girl who had never known any better.

That was how you saw her, and you knew Daryl did too.

He just wasn’t ready to take on so much yet, and honestly, he didn’t know if he could. It was hard for him to have to take over all this at Hilltop, and that girl they’d brought was only making it worse.

“You still on that?” he grumbled back, really hoping that you would have gotten over this pipe dream of yours already.

The two of you had talked this conversation to death, and while you knew there was a good chance that nothing was going to change, you would continue to do so until he changed his mind.

Ever since she had come to know this group, you had gotten it in your head that the two of you could give her the home that she had never had but Daryl wasn’t so easily convinced. 

It just seemed like more than you were ready for.

He saw that look in your eyes, when she was finally safe behind those gates, but then you’d gone and made it even worse.

You met her.

Maybe it hadn’t been the greatest idea, and maybe it wouldn’t help but you knew that at least you could try to understand better.

You could only imagine how a girl in her position would be feeling. You knew that if you were her, you would have been absolutely terrified.

After all, she was surrounded by strangers, in an unforgiving and new environment.

It was possible that one friendly face would make all the difference to her and as it happened, you had one of the friendliest faces around here.

If anyone was going to get through to her, it was you.

Course, Daryl was against the idea from the start but you knew that no one else was going to stick their neck out for her if you two didn’t. That made it more than worth it to you, even if no one else understood.

She didn’t say a word for the first few days.

Lydia had nothing to say to you and frankly, you couldn't blame her for that. You were a stranger, the enemy as far as she knew, and there was no reason she should have trusted you at all, but that wasn’t always going to be the case.

The more you came, the more she realized that you may have been the only person willing to stick their neck out for her. Once she decided that you weren’t going to kill her, or sell her out, it was pretty much settled.

You needed to help her.

It wasn’t up for debate, but for some reason, convincing Daryl was proving to be an even more difficult task.

“We aren’t her parents, it ain’t our place” he tried, desperately hoping that you would see how insane what you were proposing was. Still, you weren’t letting up, and he knew you well enough to know what that meant.

You were invested.

You were going to do whatever you could to get through to her.

Perhaps it was because you two found yourself comparing her to Daryl or perhaps it was your own soft spot for kids.

In any case, the damage was done.

“She doesn’t have parents D, that’s why she needs us” you sighed, leaning down to rest fully into his back, your head nestled in the space between his shoulder and his neck. It gave you just enough leverage to look at him.

It was hardly up for debate.

Lydia’s mother saw her as little more than an asset, something to abuse and control. After all the things you’d endured with Daryl, it made her well being that much more personal, for both of you.

It took months to get Daryl to tell you about his past.

He trusted you more than anyone else in the world, and his greatest pain was still too difficult to share until he knew you weren’t going anywhere.

You had no doubt that the hold this girl’s mother had on her was even stronger.

At least Daryl had Merle, he knew how much of an asshole his dad was.

Lydia was brainwashed.

You would be lucky if you were ever able to break whatever her mother had done to her, due to the extreme circumstances, but you knew that you had to try.

No one deserved the way she had been treated, and you wanted to make sure that she understood it wasn’t her fault.

Her mother was cruel, and there was nothing more to it than that.

The best way to prove that to her would be giving her a real home, proving to her that not everyone was going to treat her the way that she did. Maybe, if she felt safe, she would finally start to open up.

When the two of you first met, Daryl hardly spoke to you and when he did, it was always in a gruff, unfriendly tone. It took him some time to warm up to you and once he had, that tone warmed up to one of love.

It just took time.  

The same thing could apply to Lydia, if you just gave her some time.

If nothing else, it had to be worth a shot.

She was worth it.

“You really wanna do this?” he hummed, after what felt like an eternity of silence between the two of you.

Daryl heard you, he got the message, he just couldn't be sure that being with you, and him, would be enough.

He knew what it was like to be in her position, and he knew how hard it was to let people in. It was possible that she would never allow herself to be cared for in the way you wanted to, and he didn’t want you getting your hopes up.

You would be crushed if she rejected your offer, but it couldn’t hurt.

Even if she wanted nothing to do with either of you, at least you tried to give her something. That was much more than anyone else in the world had ever done for her.

“Yeah, I do. I really do” you smiled, not even bothering to hide the wide grin that spread across your face at the idea of what he was saying. It wasn’t exactly a yes, but it was as much of a yes as you were going to get from Daryl.

It was more than enough.

At the end of the day, even if it was a bad idea, Daryl knew better than to argue with you. What you were suggesting was crazy, but it was so very you that he couldn’t even worry about it.

He fell in love with you and that heart of gold of yours, so if this was what it was telling you to do, he owed it to you to let you do what you thought was right.

You had to, just as he had to.

...and of all the crazy ideas you’d ever had, this was hardly the most dangerous one.

All you wanted to do now was give a little girl a place to live and a family, it wasn’t like you were suggesting some kind of suicide mission. You and Daryl had faced far worse than a child, desperate for belonging and acceptance.

What you were doing was new for all of you.

~

Lydia wasn’t sure, at first.

After all, she had never really had parents and you and Daryl had certainly never been parents.

It just wasn’t something you had any experience with.

However, with all that you’d lost recently, it didn’t make sense to turn her away too. She was a product of her circumstances and nothing more. It wouldn’t be fair to make Lydia pay for the sins of her mother.

Instead, you chose to put all your effort into making sure she never felt like a burden again.

You knew that she blamed herself, in part, for what her mother had done. Henry was gone, Tara was gone, Enid was gone, it was just too much.

You’d lost too many people in the months it had been and you weren’t interested in losing any more.

You certainly weren’t interested in letting a little girl take the blame for what her people had done, not when she first arrived, and not now.

Lydia was good, she was trying, and that wasn’t something you were going to debate.

Thankfully, that was something you and Daryl could both agree on, without all the initial back and forth.

You were both winging it, of course, but you knew that you had to try and stick up for her. Even the smallest gesture would make a world of difference.

She deserved to feel safe for once.

When you and Daryl had decided to take her in, it wasn’t supposed to be perfect. You weren’t going to move into a little cottage surrounded by a white picket fence, with flowers and a dog.

It was making the best of whatever shit show situation you’d been dealt.

It was all you knew to do.

“You wanna help me with this?” you hummed, addressing your words to the young girl at your side.

What you were asking wasn’t really all that much of a question but considering that you were sewing up a huge hole in Daryl’s button up, she wasn’t interested.

“D does it himself, mostly, but he’s clumsy about it. The stitching always comes undone” you reminded, thinking about the last time he’d offered to stitch up a hole in your jeans, and it had unraveled by the end of the day.

He meant well, he really did, but he had never really had the patience for more delicate things like this. Sewing of any kind, even stitches in flesh, had never really been his foray.

...but that was okay.

You told him that you would take care of this, and he could pick up the slack somewhere else, making dinner or cleaning blood and dirt out of the laundry.

“I don’t know how” she tried, looking at you in the way she often would when she ran into something she had never done before. The two of you’d had this same conversation when you suggested she go to school with the other children.

She didn’t even know how to read when she came to you, and now, she is making great progress.

It was just a matter of learning what she had never had a chance to learn before.

“I’ll teach you, it's easy” you smiled, handing her the garment with one hand, and the needle with the other.

She looked unsure, lost even, but she took it nonetheless.

“Hold the fabric with this hand, and move the needle with the other, up and down in as straight a line as you can manage” you instructed, keeping it as simple as you possibly could until she got the hang of it.

You knew this was probably a tad bit overwhelming, and if she didn't go it right the first time, she would get discouraged but luckily, years by Daryl’s side had taught you a patience that nothing else ever could.

You could sit here all day if you had to, as long as she got the hang of it.

Lydia had been living with her pack of skin walkers all this time, only doing what she was told, but that wasn’t the life she was living now.

She was part of a community, and she had a family, but that also meant that she had to learn to protect and provide for herself when you weren’t there. If something ever happened to you or Daryl, she still had to live.

Her clothes couldn’t be ripped or ruined, her wounds couldn’t stay open to fester, and eventually, she would need to cook and clean for herself too, but for now, a helping hand was all you needed.

People were what kept your communities running, and your home was no different. You and Daryl were a team, communicating without words most of the time, and she was part of that now.

She was part of the team.

“Like that?” she tried, hoping that some part of what she was doing was right. There was no real way to tell but you didn’t seem upset so that had to be a good sign.

It was a strangely domestic task for her, one that brought back memories of her people, her old people, sewing up masks of tanned human skin. The motion was the same, the idea was the same, but there was something normal about this.

She was just fixing a shirt.

There was nothing volatile or aggressive about this, and it wasn’t for anything other than someone she cared for. That made it a little easier to stomach than any other chore may have been.

This was for Daryl after all, and if anyone had earned something like this, it was him.

Lydia wasn’t blind.

She knew what the two of you had done for her, always making sure she had something to eat and sticking up for her when the others got a little too comfortable with their distaste for her.

“Exactly, just a little closer together” you prompted, smiling when she did just as you asked. She was a quick learner, and you knew that she could do this.

This was normal, real, and the sooner she learned that she could live a completely normal life, the sooner she would really adapt to life in a community like this one.

“Once you’re done, you can help Daryl with dinner. I’m sure he’d love the help”

It was hardly where she expected to be, but it was more than where she’d been. At least, with you and Daryl, Lydia knew that she was safe.

[lola-andheruniverse]

Okay, so taking in consideration all the following facts/spoilers/speculations...

1. Carol dreaming of domestic bliss with Daryl + "what you want" convo with inner Alpha and Eugene + the "man of honor" on season 2 finale + Daryl's pirate book and "man of armor" comics;

2. Speculation of a party on ASZ with flowers after the one year time jump (wedding?) + the return of dead/missing characters for season 11 finale;

3. Norman and Melissa driving that Commenwealth jeep on a BTS footage + Norman alone riding his bike on another BTS footage;

4. "Get out of my dreams, get into my car" song on the prop department's Playlist (along with other romantic songs like "I wanna know what love is" that could be related to all the caryl scenes filming spoilers say we will get on 11C).

...m a y b e 🤞🏾 we can be gifted to a Daryl's dream to counterpart Carol's where is made clear to us, the audience, that he's in love with her?

And what better way to do that than to marry them on the dream? Just imagine Carol wearing a pink dress and holding a Cherokee Rose bouquet my heart

We could have all the meaningful characters to Caryl attending the ceremony, including the missing/dead ones. I would love to see the full cast, but I think it's more safe to bet on Rick, Michonne, Carl, Beth, Glenn, Merle, Sophia and Henry appearing. And it wouldn't matter that Sophia is an adult now because the dream world is a perfect world where she never died so she got to grow up.

We all know TWD loves dream/hallucinations sequences so yeah I feel this is a strong possibility. Also the dream could be the final inspiration Daryl needs to go after Carol and give us ✨ canon ✨.

Wondering how about the final events can occur:

After the revolution and the disposal of the Miltons/Lance, Daryl will go back to ASZ to help finish the reconstruction while Carol stays on the Commenwealth to assist on establishing a new democratic government.

Time jump, one year later, Alexandria is vibrant again. Everyone's celebrating the beginning of a new era with a renewed alliance to the Commonwealth now ruled by Mercer and Ezekiel, elected by the people. That's the party we know will happen based on filming spoilers and BTS photos.

The Grimes kids are older and safely returned to ASZ where they can be taken care of by Rosita/Aaron/Gabriel/Lydia. Eugene and Connie's group stay living on the Commenwealth. On some point knowledge about The Militia/CRM/Rick's whereabouts will serve as reason to Maggie and Negan leave to NY (and their spin off).

Everything is fixed, everyone is finally happy. Judith will say to her Uncle Daryl is time for him to pursue his happy ending, freeing him from his duty of care.

Daryl leaves ASZ on his bike (BTS of Norman riding alone) to go to the Commonwealth so he can meet her.

And finally, FINALLY, he declares his love. And Daryl just puts everything on the open, while Carol hears him baffled. He says something like I don't have anything to offer you besides myself, my love, and if you want me, if you accept me, I'll stay forever with you, until the day I die. Carol crying/smiling says that's sound like a marriage proposal, you know? Daryl gets all emotional too because she's teasing him and maybe that means she feels the same way and he asks it can be if you want.. do you...? And Carol answers I do. And HEY that's Carol finally aswering what she wants! And just like that, just the two of them alone, on a very caryl way, they get married. 🥺🥰

They kiss and kiss and kiss and we get just a tease of sexy times because TWD is prude as fuck.

And then it's time to say goodbye to everyone and ride into the sunset with the jeep (BTS NR and MMB on the jeep). Last dialogue (wishful thinking all the way):

Hey, this means I'm a Dixon now?

I dunno. You don't have to be.

Why not? Carol Dixon? Best name ever!

Yeah?

Yeah! We are the Dixons now!

Stahp...sounds good to me.

Into the sunset they go.

Credits up.

"The Dixons come back on 2023 with "The Walking Dead: Till Death Do Us Part" ❤

[walkerwords]

“Hey Brother” Carl Grimes & Sister!Reader

GIF CREDIT: @thetruthwecanthandlee​

REQUEST: From anonymous: “Hello! Just wanted to let you know that your writing is amazing! Also, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to request a Carl x platonic reader where the reader is either his older sister or his close friend and she intervenes when he's about to be bitten, saving his life. You can decide if the reader dies as a result or not, I just think Carl deserved better than he got. If you don't feel like writing this, no worries!”

Word Count: 2748

Warning: Swearing, Angst

Song I Wrote To: “Hey Brother” by Avicii

Note: Carl is not someone who I generally write, but I do like Chandler and the character so I am giving it a shot! 

----------

Even after years of being out in the world riddled with the Dead, you never got used to the groans of Walkers. 

Stepping over one rotten corpse, you encountered another. You held your weapon in your hand, an old fire ax you had found in Woodbury when rescuing Daryl and Merle. Being a firefighter was something you once really wanted. However, when the world ends, becoming a civil servant becomes impossible. Still, being able to wield the equipment did put a smile on your face most days. 

As the Walker approached, you jabbed the crowbar end of the fire ax into its skull. Kicking it away, you continued moving the woods that surrounded Alexandria in search of your brother, Carl. When the turn happened, you had been with Carl and his mother, Lori. Your dad was in the hospital after being shot on the job and you had come home from college to help Lori with your younger brother. 

You and Lori had never gotten along and you didn’t know if that was because she never liked your mother, Dianne, or because Rick had tried everything to keep you in his life. Regardless of what Lori Grimes thought, you weren’t going to let anything happen to Carl and you had kept the promise. 

Even now. 

When Rosita told you that she had seen Carl leaving Alexandria earlier, you had grabbed your weapon and went in search of him. Right now was not the time for him to be out beyond the walls. Not when Negan and the Saviors could show up at any moment and make another move against you and your allies. With Rick and Michonne out in the world as well and Daryl being difficult, you had to be the one to drag Carl’s ass back home.

Negan was a headache for you, but you had a feeling that he wasn’t the worst thing out there. When he had killed Glenn and Abraham, you hadn’t been there. You had been with Tara and Heath, searching for supplies. After finding Oceanside and losing Heath, you had arrived home with Tara to a grieving family and a missing Daryl. 

The first time you had met Negan, Carl had almost shot two of his Saviors. You had arrived just in time to grab the gun from him before he could. That was when Rick introduced you to Negan and he had offered you his hand. Not wanting to piss him off any further, you had shaken his hand, squeezing a bit too hard. He had seemed amused by you, but also wary. Growing up on the streets of Atlanta, you knew how to survive and you also knew how to deal with power-hungry men. Negan concerned you, but you weren’t afraid of him. 

Carl, however, had another opinion. At first, the teenager wanted nothing more than to fill the man with bullets, but after his outing to the Sanctuary, he seemed to have a change of heart. Carl had come to you only a few days earlier and proposed an idea of a truce. He didn’t think the fighting was going to stop any time soon and while you agreed, you knew Negan would never agree to it. The war would only end when either he or your father was dead. 

When you had told Carl this, he had stormed off annoyed. As the older sibling it was your job to tell him how the world worked and when it came to men like Negan, you either had to kill him or appeal to a new side. That was where your plan came to mind, but you knew that Carl would never go for it. 

You didn’t even want to know what your father would think about it if it came up in conversation. However, for now, you had to focus on finding the kid before he did something even more stupid considering the last time he had gone off, he had attacked the loading dock of the Sanctuary with a rifle. 

Shouldering your ax, you picked up the pace a bit. 

“Carl!” you yelled, hearing your voice echo off the trees. “Carl!” 

The woods answered with silence and you could feel the anxiety growing in your gut as you searched. Climbing up another small hill, you finally heard a commotion in the distance. Not knowing what you were running towards, you sprinted through the dying land. Nearly tripping on roots and downed Walkers, you came across a scene that made the air fly from your chest. 

Carl was on the ground as Walkers pinned him down. There was another man nearby, exhausted and trying to get to his feet. Charging forward, you swung the ax, taking off the head of the Walkers closest to Carl. Another grabbed you, baring its teeth and you slammed your boot down on its jaw, separating it from its head. A third Walker then grabbed you and took you to the ground. Shoving your arm under its chin, you managed to get enough leverage to push it off. Your shirt sleeve tore from the force and then blood sprayed you as you pierced its skull with the steel weapon. 

Laying there for a second, you turned to look at your brother who was looking over at himself in worry. “You good?” you asked, your eyes also scanning his body for cuts or bites. 

“All in one piece,” he said with a relieved sigh. “You?”

“Pissed that I just washed these jeans,” you said with a huff as you sat up, pushing the corpse off your legs. Getting to your feet, you offered your hand to Carl who took it and stood up with your assistance. “Who’s this?” you asked, gesturing to the timid man. 

“Siddiq,” Carl said. “He needs our help.” Sighing, you glanced between your brother and the newcomer. 

“Carl, we shouldn’t be taking in strays when we are at war,” you said, needing him to understand. 

“Since when did we stop helping people? I thought that was what this place was all about,” he argued. 

“Last time we helped people, they sent us into a lion’s den that eventually pissed off the leader of the Saviors. We have to be careful and you know it.” 

“I’m not okay with just turning the other way anymore,” he said. 

“Carl…” you began, but he wasn’t done. 

“Aaron helped us!” Carl said. “He brought us here and he saved us when we were starving and on the road. Jesus helped us when we needed food, Ezekiel, too! We took in people at the prison and even helped Gabriel when nobody wanted to. We help people, that is what we do.” 

Looking at him, you started to see more of your father in him by the moment. When he was younger, all you could see was Lori, but in the new world and as he matured, he was beginning to act and look more like your father every day. 

The looks weren’t the only thing that he had from Rick, he also had his heart and while your father’s head was a bit all over the place at the moment, you knew that he had always stood by the fact that people were needed for survival. 

“You’re right,” you said and then took off your canteen from your belt and offered it to Siddiq who took it timidly. Carl nodded to him and he began to drink the cool water. Letting him recuperate, you turned back to your brother. “I know you want to help people, but going off on your own right now is suicide.”

“Because of Negan?” Carl asked and then shook his head. “He would never hurt me.”

“How are you so sure about that, huh?”

“Because he has had lots of opportunities and he’s never done it. He just likes to piss me off and make jabs, but he won't kill him.” 

“Negan may not be the one to worry about. I’m sure there are plenty of Saviors out there that would love to see Rick’s son on a pike.” Carl frowned at that. “Look, just think before you do or you’re going to end up dead and you’re going to be taking down any new friends with you,” you said, pointing to Siddiq. 

“I don’t want to hear this,” Carl said, turning away. 

“I have an idea that may sway Negan,” you said and he paused, turning back to look at you. “Though, you and Dad may hate it. Well, I know for a fact you’re going to hate it.” Carl furrowed his brow as he looked at you, trying to see where your head was at. Then, he remembered the comments Negan made about you when he first met you and the jokes he said in front of Amber and Sherry when he went to the Sanctuary. 

“No,” Carl said quickly. 

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say,” you challenged. 

“You want to marry him,” Carl said and you sighed, hating how well he knew you. 

“I don’t want to do anything, Carl,” you said. “But yes, that was the idea.” 

“No,” he said again. 

“It would work,” you said with a shrug. 

“Bullshit,” he countered. “We don’t even know if he’d even want that and then what? You basically sell yourself for a ceasefire that’s not guaranteed to even happen. Then you’d be a damn prisoner in that place.”

“Daryl got out, so can I,” you argued. 

“He got out only after one of Negan’s wives felt she owed Daryl! This is the most ridiculous plan you have ever had!” he shouted at you. Siddiq had taken a few paces back to give you and your brother some room to talk, but he was looking more nervous every time one of you went up an octave. 

“This is my decision, Carl,” you said, lowering your volume a bit. 

“What would Mom think?” Carl said, crossing his arms. His eyes were boring into yours, almost pleading. With a shrug, you brushed off his question. 

“Your mother never fucking liked me,” you said with a scoff. 

“She treated you like you were one of her own, especially after the Turn.” 

“No, she didn’t,” you disagreed, “and I’m not. I am not her daughter, but I am still yours and Judith’s sister and Dad’s daughter. It is my job to keep this family safe and if marrying Negan is the way to do it, then so be it!” 

“Who says it's your job to be a martyr?”

“Me,” you argued, sounding very much like Dianne. 

“And you think Negan will keep you safe?” he asked, throwing his hands up. 

“He has to have some kind of honor, right?” you asked, thinking of the broad-chested man with a habit for bloodshed. 

“I don’t trust him.”

“Who says I do?” you asked. “Carl, I don’t want to do it, but if it stops more people from dying then isn’t it worth it?”

“You have already made too many sacrifices for this family,” he said, his tone softer. “Ever since the world turned, you have been putting yourself in danger. You were the one who stopped Shane from going after Andrea on the farm when he was going crazy; You were the one who exchanged yourself for Maggie with the Governor; You were the one who tried to take Noah’s place at Grady trying to save Beth; You were the one who nearly died trying to get Cyndie to work with us in the war. When are you going to stop trying to fix everything and start looking out for yourself?”

“Says the one who hitched a ride into the Sanctuary and went all Al Capone on Negan’s men,” you reminded him. 

“I was angry,” he rationalized.

“And you don’t think I’m not? I’m furious! When I found out what he did to Glenn and Abraham, I couldn’t breathe. Then the way he gutted Monroe in the street as if he was nothing more than a sack of meat? Fuck, Carl, I have never felt more anger towards anyone.”

“Because he’s killed people?” 

“What? No, not because he’s killed people, we’ve all killed people. I’m angry at Negan because he made me realize that this is how humanity is now. I was happy to keep believing that we could get back to who we used to be, but let’s fucking face it, humans have never been saints. Negan proved that to me.”

“And yet you want to marry him?”

“I want to stop him from killing more of us! I want the damn fighting to stop and if there is even a chance that it does with both him and Dad alive, it’s worth it because if I’m being honest, Carl, I don’t see us winning this war.” 

“You have to have faith,” he said and you snorted. 

“I stopped having faith the day the fire fell on my city,” you said. 

“I’m willing to fight him,” Carl said, stepping closer to you, placing his hand on your shoulder. “You don’t have to be the only one to make sacrifices.”

“But I can’t let you,” you whispered. “Judith needs you, Carl. She needs you alive and fighting for her future.”

“She needs both of us,” he urged. “When I was growing up, you were a hero to me. All I wanted to be was like my big sister and I know now that to do that, I have to tell you when it's time to stop taking on the world alone. When the prison fell and we lost you, I thought I’d never see you again. When we found you with Maggie, I promised I would never let you go again. Don’t make me break that promise, please.”

“Carl, stop,” you said, running a hand over his face, just below his bandage. “You’re giving me way too much credit, kid.”

“You deserve it,” he said. “You’ve never let me down, but if you go with him, you will. We’re Grimes, and that means we don’t take shit from anyone. Alright?” With a deep breath, you swallowed thickly, looking at your baby brother for a moment, trying to take in his newfound resilience and courage. It warmed your heart. 

“I was going to say that it’s your time to step up as the older sibling, but it looks like you already have,” you said through a thick voice. Carl rolled his eye. 

“Shut up,” he said as he tugged you into a hug. You wrapped your arm around him, clutching him close to you. 

“I love you, Carl,” you whispered in his ear. 

“Yeah, yeah, I love you, too,” he said. “And don’t start thinking you're out of a job just yet just because I stopped taking orders from you. I’m happy with being the middle child for now.” Pulling back, you nodded to him, adjusting the brim of his hat. 

“Fair enough,” you said, wiping at invisible tears on your face. Finally realizing Siddiq was still standing around, you snapped out of your thoughts. “You should take him back home,” you said with an awkward cough. “He does need help and we should do it, you’re right. As always.” 

“You’re coming too?”

“In a bit, I’m going to do a final sweep, just in case anyone else is lurking around,” you said and he nodded, picking up his gun that had fallen when he was accosted by the Dead. 

“Come on, man,” Carl called to Siddiq. “Hey!” he called to you as you turned toward the South. “No, Negan,” he said, his face pleading. 

“I won’t,” you said with a sigh. “I promise you.” Carl smiled at you softly, happy with your answer. Carl helped Siddiq as they headed back to Alexandria. You watched him walk away until the trees swallowed up the pair. 

The lump in your throat was suffocating as you struggled to stay on your feet. Carl was right, Grimes never gave up, but sometimes they didn’t have a choice. With a shaky breath, you pushed up the sleeve of your right hand, the one that the Walker had torn. Through fresh blood, you could make out a double crescent shape wound in the tanned flesh of your arm. 

The bite was burning as blood streamed down your arm and dripped off your fingers. Repressing the urge to scream in sorrow, you tugged your sleeve back down and with glistening eyes, looked back towards Alexandria.

“I’m sorry, little brother.”

TAGS: @thanossexual​ @felicisimor​ @yes-sir-hotchner​ @lucillethings​ @stark-dreams​ @huffledor-able541​ 

[aurabird]

Laments of an Oracle

Pixlriffs, oracle of Pixandria, laments the fate that has befallen the world he calls home with regret.

Also on Ao3

Tw: Brief mention of imprisonment but other than that I don’t think there’s anything else.

----------

Pix stood atop the pinnacle of The Vigil, his tattered cloak blowing in the gentle winds as he looked beyond the walls of Pixandria.

Giant tentacles of corruption towered far above the land, the terrain claimed by the parasitic fungus that had taken root within. The oracle knew that the other empires were all the same way, only his remained untainted by the crimson rot.

He remembered the days when Empiria was beautiful; rich in verdant forests, glistening rivers, and golden fields. Things that had quickly been infected by Xornoth’s corruption when the demon first showed up.

It was powerful; able to turn water into lava, cast forbidden spells of darkness and summon terrifying beasts to torment its prey. The demon would take innocents to fuel his twisted magic or turn them into his slaves and soldiers.

Mythland had been the first to fall, its king corrupted instantly to be the demon’s champion. Next was the Lost Empire, its emperor falling to his greed and desire for power then kept loyal by a twisted obsidian crown.

Oppressed through fear, hope had seemed to fade from the world as those within the empires cowered beneath the demon’s iron rule. That is when the vision came to him; of a hero that would save them from Xornoth’s reign.

The reincarnation of Alinar, champion of the stag God Aeor and a figure of elven legend.

From the valley of the Grimlands to the scorched plateaus of Mezalea Pix searched for him, telling those he past in his wanderings of the vision and prophecy. They gathered around him, believing his promises of a hero to save them.

Finally, Pix found him.

Jimmy. A young, orphaned merling that lived within the Cod Empire was proclaimed the hero of the prophecy. It was questioned, at first; why would Alinar be reincarnated as a merling if he was born an elf? Pix explained that an elf would be too obvious and Xornoth would have easily found them.

Jimmy was then trained to be the hero that Empiria needed. He grew to be brave and strong, a warrior, and a leader above all else. The army too, had grown, and at last they were ready.

In order to stop Xornoth they would need to slay the great dragon of the End, for only once she was dead would her power be given to Jimmy. Pix remembered when they set out to find the portal to the otherworldly dimension.

Several of their own were lost in the fight but the beast was slain and a shockwave of magic was unleashed upon her death. It was now time for destiny to unfold.

Jimmy rode into battle, his netherite armor and weapons radiating with ancient magic, a crown of silver atop his head.

He was hope...

...and Pix watched as Xornoth struck him down with ease using power far greater than ever before thanks to the dragon’s demise.

The oracle could still remember the confusion in the merling’s eyes, he did not understand how he had failed.

Pix told him as the life left Jimmy’s body. He told him, “I’m so sorry...I lied.”

Xornoth had come to Pix with a proposal. If the Copper King slew the enderdragon and brought Alinar’s reincarnation before them then he and Pixandria and would be spared.

And Pix, in his selfless desperation and love for his people, had foolishly accepted. His empire was now safe from a fate so many others would suffer, and yet it all felt hollow to him.

Sometimes he wondered about the prophesied hero, the real hero from his vision.

He’d come across Alinar’s reincarnation early on in his search; Scott Smajor, the elven prince of Rivendell. But discounted him in favor of a false hero. After all, Xornoth wouldn't have known the truth.

By now Scott would be the king of the said empire and Pix wondered if the elf still drew breath, if he gathered an army to oppose the demon that terrorized the lands.

Pix knew that if Scott came to fight Xornoth then the oracle would face the demon’s wrath for his treachery.

But even so, as long as Scott was able to slay Xornoth...then Pix’s deception, and Jimmy’s sacrifice, would all be worth it in the end.

[extravalgant]

Any Headcanon/theories as to why Cyrus hates the wizard so much in the beginning? Any difference in his reasoning if the wizard is a myth wizard?

HM.... i feel like the fact that we got summoned and put on this quest was basically the nail in the coffin about merle's answer about how he felt about the situation :0

i feel like there might have been some conversations with merle about what they should do - that cyrus proposed that he could talk him down from it (we see him do this again in dragonspyre, in the final dungeon) and that he just give him time. but they couldn't really risk it, could they? that you're a ticking time bomb for his brother's sentence.

i feel like everytime he looks at the wizard he sees his failures as a brother to protect him. the sole reason we are here is to defeat malistaire, isn't it? the less he sees you, the less he has to think about the fact that they're sending you out on a death mission.

it would.... only change a little bit if the young wizard was a conjurer. now placed in his classes, he has no choice but to actually interact with the wizard. he's bitter and childish and ends up taking it out on you - proposing that merle expel you so he doesn't have to think about the fact that this is happening.

THE RELATIONSHIP GROWS BETTER I THINK he actually treats you like a student as time goes on and even begins to sing your praises at your graduation, which is nice!

[depvotee]

for the fandom asks-- hit me with some far cry 5, please! :)

Far Cry 5

The first character I first fell in love with: 

Tbh? It’s so hard to tell? The intro did such a good job in setting the scene that I think Joseph. He pulls the scene and its amazing.

The character I never expected to love as much as I do now: 

Nick??? I dont trust Ubisoft with men (especially after being into r6s) So, when I did his quest I was like okey, he is fine. By the end of recruiting mission, I was a Rye family stan. He is a dork and cares a LOT about his family.

The character everyone else loves that I don’t:

I got two; John? But I actually do???? Its more of a: ‘I like SO many characters here that I sometimes forget about you’ situation. But I DO like him.

And sorry Whitehorse stans but him. I mean he is THE sheriff, a cult doesn’t appear out of nowhere, leading me to believe he let them slip until they grow up to much (which also remind me if im wrong but in US u have to vote your sheriff, which on Montana this is every 4yrs, which means most likely Earl might be in this role when the cult was gaining power, and theres a lot of lines telling u how the Peggies started to buy the forces) Also in MT deputies have a LOT of things they can arrest u for, so, all im saying is 💅🏽the man sus. (something I wanna explore in a project I have in mind. ;P )

The character I love that everyone else hates: 

Marshall???? I mean, I dont love-LOVE him but I think he is compelling, he is just trying to get Joseph, beacuse well, its a goddamn cult and he meantioned to be a: ‘yes’ man, before. Also his end its just fantastic, this man that made it all the way to marshall to just end up in Faith’s control? I LOVE the themes this story-line dealt with. Also how she basically used him to punish Dep not only with Vergil but himself too. He is kinda tragic.

The character I used to love but don’t any longer: 

Ummm, not anyone atm? I think they all have great themes and stories. :D

The character I would totally smooch: 

....... Eli....., Grace, Doc. Lidsay, Faith but on her hand.

The character I’d want to be like: 

Eli like wow king, those balls. But also Tammy, she had to roll with the punches at everything life throws at her and also who makes torture work with a kiddie pool? I STAN.

The character I’d slap: 

................................... merle......................... he looks like he wants to call me a slur SO bad and I hate his stupid truck, especially his stupid TRUCK. 

A pairing that I love: 

kim/nick, I think theyre SWEET and I LOVE both of them. (i also like oc/nick, no worries), that speculation with Faith/Tracey and I would like to propose this one: Grace/Mary May. thanks and g’night gaymers

Seed’s x electric chair: slow burn, angst, bad ending. jk

A pairing that I despise:

Adelaide/Xander. HE STOLE MAH MILF!!!!!!!

edit: u reminded me of seedcest :l so yeah that one too

[ceilingfan5]

i want to contribute to the song+pairing askmeme but i don't know any songs with words (remotely applicable to taz) so put playlist on shuffle and pick one at random+taakitz?

i spent over an hour picking a song. isn’t it wild how many songs are about bad relationships? anyway my friend really likes Aurora so i went with Exist For Love

so we already had a proposal today...how about a wedding?

send me a song and a ship and i’ll write you something too!

And then I learned the truth How everything good in life seems to lead back to you And every single time I run into your arms I feel like I exist for love

Lup and Barry talked them into having a wedding. Taako’s initial impulse was to elope and immediately fuck off into an expensive, far away honeymoon, but Lup suckered him into the spectacle, and Barry suckered Kravitz into the gesture. They invite more guests than the venue can hold, and the paparazzi are feral. They have to hold it outside, and the weather is perfect down to the slight breeze that fills every single moment with just that much more drama. Taako makes the cake himself, of course, and Lup makes the food--trust is more important than anything, which may as well be the theme of the event, and the only guests that matter sit in the first two rows. 

Taako is a bundle of nerves, before the show goes down. Kravitz has to be given a pep talk by both Magnus and Merle, neither of which actually help, but he appreciates the thought. Merle does the officiating, despite Taako’s dramatic protests, and they walk down the carpet festooned with blossoms of every variety to a song that makes a lot of people cry. 

But the vows--oh, the vows. Taako tried to forbid them, but Kravitz was adamant that he get to say his piece, and Taako is nothing if not dedicated to retaliation. He still maintains that he doesn’t have to look Kravitz in the eye while he bullshits, and Kravitz agreed with a smile. 

Taako knew Kravitz would shoot to kill. He didn’t expect how badly it would ruin him. 

Things proceed normally, with just a few hiccups and delays, and they walk in to the music, and they stand at the altar, and Merle asks for their vows, and Kravitz pulls out notecards, and Taako withers up and dies right there in his very expensive shoes. But it gets worse. He opens his mouth and starts talking. 

“Taako,” Kravitz starts.

“Good start,” Taako says. “Glad you got my name right. Might’ve walked right back the other way, you know, if not.” The audience chuckles. Kravitz gives him that look that sees right through him. He knows he’s deflecting.

“Taako,” Kravitz continues, with a slight smile. “We’re all here so I can profess my love to you. This is the day that begins the rest of our lives, and we’re going to spend them together. And that’s the most incredible thing I think I’ve ever signed up for.” 

“Radical,” Taako says. “Loving this.”

“Taako...” Kravitz takes a breath, fidgeting with his notecards. “I lived...a very, very, very long time ago. And I served the Raven Queen in my afterlife for a very specific purpose. And I took pride in it, enjoyed it even, but- I questioned why I still existed. And then I met you. And I got to know you, I got to understand you and treasure you and every moment we shared and I had this realization. I think...and I hope my Queen takes no offence to this, but I think I exist for love.” 

Taako giggles nervously. 

“Never before have I felt like I belong somewhere more than I belong in your arms. Never before have I understood myself so deeply than in relation to you. Taako, everything good in life seems to lead back to you, and I never want that to end. I want to be by your side for eternity, and I know- Taako, I know we’ll be so happy together.”

Taako covers his face, turning his body away from their gathered guests, who are all on the edges of their collective seats. 

“I spent so long, Taako, so long not knowing this kind of love, and now I can’t imagine going back. I feel like my life--a new life, a second chance--I feel like my life began again when I met you. And I couldn’t be more thankful.”

Kravitz smiles at Taako, at the expression only he can see. 

“I know it sounds like a lot, but you need to know-” Kravitz begins to tear up, and he can’t do a damn thing about it. “I love you so. And I’m going to love you forever.” 

The entire assembly takes one enormous breath, and every head turns to see Taako’s response to that. But Taako never had any intention of sharing his vows. He laughs, and coughs, and lets his hair fall in the gentle waves in front of his face, and he leans up to Kravitz’s ear and whispers the song in his heart, and Kravitz full on bursts into tears and sweeps him into a kiss. 

“Well shit,” Merle says, looking between the two of them, inseparable. “Do you?”

“I do,” Kravitz says, with every ounce of love in his heart he can muster. 

“Do you?” 

“I hella, hella do,” Taako says.

“Then go ahead and kiss. You’re married.” 

Kravitz dips Taako and they kiss so long they almost forget to come up for air. And if they escape to somewhere quiet to hold each other before the reception, and their first dance together, swaying in tender, loving arms, before cutting the cake and shoving slices in one another’s faces--if they spend a little time treasuring each other in the wake of all that love in peace, then that’s their fucking business. 

[dontdietwd]

Don’t Die, day 61, part 2

Merle had been quiet for the past few minutes, but I wasn’t fooled. I knew he was high, his mind probably elsewhere, and that he would return at any given moment. I sat on the pipe where he had his back onto and just observed. The group was quiet. Andrea and Jackie were side by side looking down at the street, talking quietly. T-Dog was sitting on the floor, still in pain from the beating he had received, the radio in hand. Morales seemed anxious, pacing slowly close to the parapet. Glenn had sat down on the same a few minutes ago, expressionless, but I could see his eyes dancing quickly as if thinking hard about something. The new guy – I wondered why nobody had even asked his name yet – was still where I had left him minutes ago, on the other side of the roof.

I had heard what he had old Merle about being just a guy looking for his wife and son and felt sorry for him. He seemed hopeful, or at least seemed to be holding tightly to that hope only to keep moving, but I had a more realistic mind. I knew how unlikely it was that the man would ever find them. They’d probably be gone now, dead or undead. I looked down between my knees, shaking my head. This man had better have an idea to get them out of here soon. The doors were blocked, our cars surrounded, the street looking like an ant’s nest from above. It was not safe to try and pass by them; we’d all end up dead. So far my only idea was to wait it out, the walkers were bound to give up and disperse slowly, but they could break the door before that, so it was not an option. Unless they passed flying above the walkers or underneath

Underneath.

I heard voices now, I knew the group had started talking again, but only heard them from the back of my mind. If we could find a way to pass by the walkers, maybe a way to go into the sewers…

“How’s that signal?” the sheriff approached asking, looking down to where T was sat.

“Like Dixon’s brain. Weak.”

“Keep trying,” Morales told him.

“Why?” Andrea’s tone was hopeless. “There’s nothing they can do. Not a damn thing.”

“Got some people outside the city, is all,” Morales clarified it to the new guy. “There’s no refugee center. That’s a pipe dream.”

“Then she’s right, we’re on our own,” the sheriff said. “It’s up to us to find a way out.”

“Good luck with that!” Merle drawled from his spot, making me turn to look at him. I had really though he’d been out all this time. “These streets ain’t safe in his part of town from what I head. Ain’t that right, sugar tits?” he was now looking at Andrea, who was fumbling into a backpack on the ground. I rolled my eyes knowing what was coming. “Hey, honeybunch, what’d you say you get me out of these cuffs, we go off somewhere and bump some uglies? Gonna die anyway.”

“I’d rather,” Andrea cut him off as she got up, something from the bag in hand.

“Rub muncher. I figure as much.”

My mind was only half on what I heard around. I was half glad Merle had never proposed me something like that, half still thinking of the possibility of finding a sewer to climb down.

“The streets ain’t safe…” new guy was mumbling.

“Now that’s an understatement,” Morales told him, deep frown in his forehead.

“What about under the streets?” I voiced what I’d been thinking and stood up, taking two steps to approach them. “The sewers?”

“Oh, man!” Morales’ face lit up.

“Hey, Glenn!” I called him and saw him straighten his back immediately, ready. “D’you know if there are any manholes in the alley?”

Glenn got up and ran instantly. He returned in a moment, still running. “No, must be all out on the street where the geeks are.”

“Maybe not!” Jackie, who had been quiet for the most part of time, spoke up. “Old buildings like this were built in the twenties. Big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding down the subbasements.”

“How do you know that?” Glenn asked her.

“It’s my job. Was. I worked in the city zoning office.”

Silence took us for a moment while we all looked at one another. The sheriff looked at me then, raising an eyebrow in question.

“We’ll try this,” I decided. “We have to find the entrance to this tunnel. Glenn?”

“I think I might know where it is!” he smiled and ran in the quick way that he did, we all following him without further questioning.

 * * *

 The subbasement was pitch dark when Morales, Andrea, Jackie, the new guy and I followed Glenn down, only our flashlights making possible to discern anything. We stood at a guardrail, looking down at what looked like a sewer entrance. Glenn informed us it was the lowest point in the building, therefore the most probable place. When questioning who was going to go down there to see if it would work, every single head turned to Glenn, he younger and quicker one, except for me.

“We’ll be right behind you,” Andrea told him. At least, I thought, she’d had the decency to sound guilty for suggesting him to go down there.

“No, you won’t!”, Glenn answered firmly, surprising the others. “Not you.”

“Why not me? Think I can’t?”, Andrea now sounded offended, a second’s change on tone.

“I – I wasn’t…”

“Speak your mind,” the sheriff told Glenn and made me roll my eyes. I was annoyed now. Annoyed with how everyone turned to Glenn when something scary had to be done, annoyed at Andrea’s both kinds of tone, and now at the new guy trying to give heartfelt advice when he had only just arrived.

“Look, until now I always came here by myself. In and out, grab a few things, no problem. The first time I bring a group everything goes to hell. No offense. If you want me to go down this gnarly hole, fine, but only if we do it my way,” he looked down at the entrance and back at the group. “It’s tight down there. If I run into something and have to get away quick, I don’t want you all jammed up behind me, getting me killed. I’ll take one person.”

The new guy straightened up and opened his mouth to speak, but Glenn cut him out. At least he had tried to step up, I would give him that.

“Not you either,” Glenn said raising a hand to stop him. “You’ve got Merle’s gun and the key to the handcuff and I’ve see you shoot,” he stopped to look at me, across from him on the guardrail. “Right?”

“I’d feel better if you were out in the store watching those doors, covering our ass,” I replied and added, looking at Andrea, “You’ve got a gun, so you should go with him.”

The both of them nodded, and so did Glenn before he kept talking, “You’ll be my wingman,” he told Morales, who nodded. “Jackie and Sam’ll stay up here. Something happens, you’ll cover the entrance and yell down to us, get us back here in a hurry.”

“No,” I said and they all looked at me. I had crossed my arms, gesture they all must have known by now to mean I had my foot down. “I heard what you said, Glenn, but no. You’re running the group today, I know it, but sorry, no. I won’t get you down there. I’ll go with Morales.”

“But Sam, if something happens the camp needs –”

“I ain’t worried about the camp now, Glenn, what matters now is that we get outta here safely, and you’re the one who knows this place well enough to help get us out. I’m not risking that,” I saw Glenn start to disagree, but I knew we didn’t have much time to discuss it. “I’ve made up my mind, Glenn. You’re not going down there; I am. You stay here with Jackie. Sorry, dude, that’s final.”

Vexed, Glenn looked down, not trying to hide he was not happy with the decision, but didn’t say anything. The others nodded and I poked Morales in the arm as I passed by him on my way to the ladder. Four flashlights illuminated our way down, me first, and as the we stood on the bottom of the pit, Andrea and the new guy left to go back to the store. With a look and a nod, Morales and I walked into the sewer. There were rats – real big ones – down there, but I didn’t mind them. My wingman and I walked slowly and in silence for a few minutes, the air stale and thick made it hard to take any deeper breath.

“Hey, Sam?” Morales broke the silence quietly, but still it sounded loud down there. “What’d you make of this new guy?”

“Hard to say. Nosy, for sure. Walks in here kicking the door and handcuffing people to the roof.”

“Do you think Dixon was gonna stop?”

“Think so. I got my own problems with Merle but we manage. No way we’ll ever know now.”

“Guy’d better find a way to get us outta here if the sewers don’t work. We’re trapped in here ‘cause of him.”

“Ya damn right. Not that he did it on purpose or anything, but is still on him.”

“So, d’you think we like him?”

I turned my head a bit to look back at Morales, understanding that by ‘we’ he meant the whole group.

“Not up to me, Mo. Ya wanna like the guy, you like the guy. I don’t dislike him, if you wanna know, but I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Guy reminds me of Shane a little,” Morales told me. “Like it’s on him to take charge.”

“So we’ll be fucked. Two cops banging on their chests? Don’t see how this gonna work.”

“Hey, is that a door?”

At the end of the tunnel, a heavy looking metal door closed the way. Morales stepped up to open it, he had to use his shoulder weight to push it open, but it didn’t offer any more trouble. Inside, the air was even thicker, the smell of something dead hitting us like a punch. Morales and I looked at each other and nodded, agreeing how careful they had to be. Across the small area there were a few steps down and, finally, a round hole closed with iron grid.

“Yeah, we got ourselves a sewer tunnel. Jackie was right.”

“Can we cut through it?” I asked as I touched the iron. It seemed awfully strong.

“If we have a blowtorch and half a day, sure. Dale’s hacksaw sure as hell won’t do it.”

Unmistakable sound or growling reached our ears then, among rat’s squeaking, making us both take a step back from the grid. A walker inside, still chewing on a rat, tried to get to us, his arms crossing the grid, face pressed onto it. Another walker joined it then, and by the sound of it, there were more approaching.

“Well, fuck,” I said aloud over the walkers’ moaning. “Ain’t a good idea to spend half a day to open hell’s gates.”

 * * *

 Silence was once again over us, but the tension was more palpable than ever. The first glass downstairs had been broken by the walkers, who were working insistently on breaking the second one – the only thing separating them from our group upstairs – as we looked down to the street, thinking hard. The sewers had been a dead end, as Morales and I regretfully told the others when we returned. Thunder rumbled in a low threat above our heads. The new guy had a pair of binoculars in hand and had been looking around for a couple of minutes now, quietly. I was by his side on the parapet and he handed me the binoculars as if in a kind of sudden revelation.

“That construction site,” he pointed to it making me look in that direction. “Those trucks, they always keep keys on hand.”

“You’ll never make it past the walkers,” Morales said by our side, shaking his head.

New guy looked past me and Morales, to Glenn. “You got me out of that tank.”

“Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted,” Glenn tried to dismiss it.

“Can we distract them again?”

“Right!” we all turned to look down at Merle, handcuffed. I’d thought he’d been sleeping or something, he had been so quiet. “Listen to him, he’s on to something! A Diversion, like on ‘Hogan’s Heroes’!”

I had no fucking idea what Hogan’s Heroes was, and by Glenn’s looks, neither did he. I assumed Merle had not said something good, as expected, by the other’s reactions. The sheriff, though, only moved on.

“They’re drawn by sound, right?”

“Right. Like dogs,” I told him. “They hear a sound, they come. Is why your bullet got so many of them on our asses.”

“What else?”

“Other than by sound?” I snorted a laugh. “They see, smell, all the works, like any person but dead. Man, have you been in a coma or something all this time?”

“They can tell us by smell?” he asked, ignoring my question.

Glenn laughed nervously, “Can’t you?”

“They smell dead, we don’t. It’s pretty distinct!” Andrea also had the unbelieving tone on her voice. None of us understood how this guy had survived so far without knowing this basic information about the dead. The dead, though, were almost invading the store by now, so there was to spare time to talk about this. We had to get out, and fast.

He looked around, at each of us, and even though nobody knew this man, it was written all over his face that he had an idea, a mischievous grin on his lips.

“What?” I asked him.

“So if we smell and look like them… They won’t see us. Ain’t that right?”

Nobody answered, but Andrea laughed it out, Glenn looked nauseous and the others seemed just ultimately hopeless. But damn. A light bulb turned on atop my head. What a fucking good idea!

“Wait, guys,” I told them and the man looked at me, the glint in his eyes sparkling more. “It makes sense! Just, I mean, got no idea of how doing it –” I paused, ideas dizzyingly flowing around my mind. “Guts, you think?”

He smiled. “That’s exactly what I’m thinking.”

 * * *

 He didn’t want to do it, it was clear. The idea of slicing and digging though a walker’s corpse with axes had been ok in theory, but now as we all looked down at the walker – one T-Dog had beaten to death with a baseball bat earlier – the idea seemed much more stupid. I stood away with the other two women. Not that I was showing or telling anybody, but my stomach was complaining loudly at the mere idea of what the men were going to do now.

The kid didn’t like guts, apparently.

They had paid their respects for the man that walker had once been – Wayne Dunlap, and he was an organ donor – and now there was nothing else to do but gut him. Exclamations, disgusted sounds and something in Spanish followed the first blow and kept coming for as long as the sheriff dug into the corpse with the axe he had taken from the wall. It had been decided I was going with him; we were already wearing a beige robe over their clothes, ready to the gore shower. I was breathing hard while it happened, as intestines and other indistinct, putrid smelling human organs were exposed and turned to pieces.

“I am so gonna hurl…” Glenn moaned across from me, reflecting my thoughts.

“Not now, please, Glenn,” I told him despite my own nausea.

“Everybody got gloves?” the man asked as he stopped a bit sweaty. “Don’t get any on your skin or in your eyes.”

Reluctantly, all the others started shoving their hands into the walker’s guts and pulling pieces and gooey things out to rub on us both, all the while complaining. It took no more than a minute for Glenn to let go and turn around, away from the others, to throw up. The sound and smell of it, combined with the few pairs of hands rubbing gore on my clothes triggered my own nausea. I shoved the hands away and also turned away.

“I can’t!”, I without taking a moment to think. “Oh God, I can’t!” and went on for a second round.

So now, after I had shrugged off the robe and it was wrapped around Glenn, who recovered from the nausea as I simply didn’t, I felt so angry I almost cried. I knew I had to be the one to go with the sheriff, I didn’t want anyone else to do that in my place, especially Glenn, but as I retreated to the other side of the room to hurl for a third time, I knew I didn’t have a choice. Glenn and the new guy – I wondered why I hadn’t still asked about his name – were now covered in red and black matter and Andrea was handing Glenn her own gun.

“What about Merle Dixon?” T-Dog asked the man and, after a second of thought, he fumbled under the dirty robe and into one of his pockets to fish out the handcuff key. He handed it to T, reverently, and the other man nodded, gravelly. Oh, god damn it! The keys should be with me, it would be my responsibility to set Merle free when the moment came, but now they had restarted the process with the remaining guts of the walker, and I couldn’t look or talk anymore. I had nothing else to throw up now, but the kid was still extremely angry with the scene.

 * * *

 “Hey, what’s happening? Sam?” Merle yelled hoarsely as soon as we returned to the roof, running to the edge to look down the street.

“T, try the radio again!” I instructed instead of answering.

“Hey, come on! Talk to me, yall!”

I looked at him only long enough to see Merle seemed a bit soberer than before, his words less slurred. I kept running to the edge, though, as T-Dog’s voice trying communications again sounded through the roof. Morales found Glenn and his gory companion down the street in a moment, pointing down at them, followed closely by a loud thunder echoing down, as if on cue.

“That asshole’s out on the street with the handcuff keys?”

T-Dog held the key, toying with it for Merle to see. His face showed the dread of being literally on T-Dog’s hands after having beaten him up. Merle looked directly at me for a moment, but I didn’t say anything, turning to look down again. Maybe it would be good for him to feel fear once in a while.

“Hello!” a crackling voice sounded over the radio, making everybody silent and turn towards it. “Hello? Reception’s bad on his end! Repeat!

“Sounds like Dale,” I whispered, afraid my very voice was going to make the connection fail. There was more static and a few lost words, but it was more than they had been able to get until now. “Just tell them what’s going on, maybe they’re listening.” I told him a little bit louder.

“We’re in some deep shit,” he started. “We’re trapped in the department store. There’re walkers all over the place, hundreds of them! We’re surrounded”.

Nothing followed it. Dale’s voice didn’t sound again and, slowly, even the static stopped.

“Good, now they think we’re dead,” Andrea whined as she turned to the edge of the roof again.

“Hey!” Merle yelled again. “The fuck’s going on?”

“Shh, Merle!” I turned to him. “We don’t know! They’re just walking to the construction site, nothing else!”

What followed were minutes of desperation. It had started raining, a quite strong shower, which seconds later made the two of the man down the street start to run. Tens of walkers ran after them, almost as fast, having scented they living flesh. Up on the roof, there was nothing anyone could do, and I dreaded the moment I would see Glenn get caught and eaten right in front of our eyes. They were far now, jumping over the construction fence only a second away from the walkers’ jaws. The fence fell even before they reached the truck they had been aiming for and it was possible to see them entering and closing the doors a breath away from being reached by the dead. The truck sped away immediately, leaving our line of sight.

“They’re leaving us!” Andrea cried.

“What? What?” Merle reacted from his spot.

“No, no! Come back!!” Andrea kept going.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Andrea, shut up!” I snapped. “They won’t leave us, are you crazy?”

“Do you see them?” the blonde, crying woman turned to me, and pointing somewhere out the building. “They’re gone! They know there’s no way out, they’ve left us!”

“They are coming back,” I stated firmly and looked at the others, who also had desperation on their eyes and back at Andrea. “They’ll be back! Quit being such a fuckin’ drama queen.”

It took less than two minutes for the radio, still on T-Dog’s hand, to creak alive. “Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street?” Glenn started nervously but speaking rather clearly. “Meet us there and be ready!”

Hopefulness repapered on everyone’s eyes and, without saying more, we all started gathering our bags in a hurry. With two backpacks over my shoulders, I turned to Merle, only to see all the other run towards the door, including T-Dog, accompanied by Merle’s desperate screams as soundtrack.

“T-Dog!!” I yelled as loud as I could. “Get your ass back here with that key!!” Anger raised to my throat, reddening my face as I saw my supposedly friend look between me, Merle and the door, doubtful if he was really going to go back. “Gimme that fuckin’ key, T-Dog, or so help me God!!”

He turned and ran to me, finally. Everybody else had vanished through the heavy roof door and I was still close to Merle, I hadn’t been able to take a single step towards it. As T-Dog approached and Merle still yelled desperately, his voice hoarser and hoarser, he took the key out of his pocket. It flew out of his hand in a moment, so fast I could barely follow its motion, as T-Dog tripped and fell to heavily to the ground. They small key disappeared into one of the drain holes, followed by a frantic wail of “No!” from Merle.

“Fuck!” I cried, hands raising to my head. “No, fuck! Fuck, T, the fuck did you do?!”

“Son of a bitch! You did that of purpose!”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“Fuckin’ liar! You threw it on purpose!” Merle kept on furiously.

“It was an accident! I’m sorry!” T kept apologizing as he walked backwards to the door, and then turned and ran away.

“Fuck!!” Merle cried, unintelligible words of rage coming out of his mouth as he fought the handcuffs, strongly enough to draw blood from his wrist.

I joined him; backpacks forgotten on the floor as I sat down and started kicking the pipe with my heels. It didn’t even make a scratch.

“Stop it, ya fuckin pussy!” Merle yelled at me, his free hand pulling me away from him. “Ya gotta go. Go, get the fuck away from here!”

“I ain’t leaving ya here!”

“Yeah, y’are! They’ll leave ya here too, go!”

“No, Merle! I ain’t leaving you alone here! They’ll – I don’t – They’ll come back for us.”

“They won’t!” he shouted to loud that a vein on his neck seemed to pop. “They not coming back, ya gotta go! Go, get the fuck outta my face!”

“Merle –”

“I don’t want ya here, Georgia!” he spat and actually foamed out of his mouth, getting up as best as he could with a hand attached to the pipe. “Leave me alone! Go, now!”

“Geor – ” I started, confused.

“Aren’t ya listening to me? Go! Go! Get lost, Georgia, now!”

“Okay!” I finally cried, getting up bringing the bags with me. “I’ll go but I’m coming back for ya, Merle, me and Daryl, we’ll come back!”

“I don’t fuckin’ care, GO!”

Fighting the urge to cry, I ran, Merle finally going quiet. As I crossed the door, I saw a chain that had not been there before, with a heavy padlock hanging with it on the door handle. Relieved someone had taken the time to put it there before fleeing, I locked the door behind me, still taking an extra second to make sure it was firm in place, before flying down the stairs.

There were walkers inside the store, having just broken the glass. I stopped for a second, “No, no, no…” before making a mental line from where I stood to the door that would lead me to the doors Glenn had spoken about. Holding the bags firmly around my shoulders, I set to motion, running right towards the walkers. Two meters away from the closest one, I took an abrupt turn to my left, a still empty area and had to climb up to a counter, running on top of it, avoiding walkers’ hands by inches. Closer to the door, I was able to fall back to the floor and run. The others were there, on the side room, throwing the last of the bags into the parked truck, yelling incoherently. T-Dog took my bags before motioning me to take his hand so he could help me up. With an angry frown, I rejected it and climbed in by myself. The truck doors were still open as it took off, the sweaty, smelly sheriff driving it away. Morales closed them and we all sat down, heavy breaths and the nearly audible sound of our heartbeats.

After a moment of silence, the others started looking abound, confused, especially at T-Dog and me. Bile rose to my throat once again, at him for dropping the key, at the stranger for handcuffing him in the first place, and even more at myself for having let Merle bully me into leaving him there. Fucking dammit, I had just left him behind!

“I dropped the damn key,” T-Dog explained bitterly, and what happened had become quite clear. We had just abandoned one of theirs.

Silence took the truck, exhaustion winning over words. Morales was having a quiet conversation with the sheriff on the front seat, but I couldn’t listen. I had lain down on the floor of the truck, an arm draped over my eyes. Glenn had passed by us minutes ago with his sports car, alarm buzzing loudly, cheering in joy. I didn’t blame him. We had gotten out, half by his brave actions, and he hadn’t just been forced to abandon a friend behind.

A bit calmer now, I felt my stomach complain by the motion of the truck and my position, but I couldn’t bring myself to move, my mind worried about something else. How on Earth was I supposed to tell Daryl about what had happened? About me going even though he had asked me not to? About not being able to control Merle? About him being there, even now, alone and handcuffed on the roof under the sun? I was apprehensive over his reaction with the others, but dreaded the possibility of him hating me. What the fuck was I gonna do if Daryl turned away from me?

It took less than expected go get back to camp. Truck parked close to the end of the road, Andrea was the first one to slide out, running to reencounter her sister. Morales, also eager to see his family, was just as fast.

“Hey,” I turned to see the sheriff approach me behind the truck, the others already away. “I just wanted to say… I’m sorry. For your friend.”

“Yeah? Are you really, new guy?”

He rested his hands on his hips, looking down but with eyes still on my face. “It was never my intention to leave him there. I just wanted him to be in control.”

I breathed out, annoyed, fingers pinching the bridge of my nose. “Fuck, I know that. I know alright? I don’t blame you for doing that. But, fuck, he is there now, trapped, and it is because of that. Just a fact.”

“Hey! Helicopter boy!” Morales voice sounded over the reunion and conversation that had been going on nearby, making us both look in their direction. “Come say hello!”

He looked again at me as if asking for permission or what to do. “Just go,” I told him and turned to get my backpacks. I felt like crying, exhaustion hitting me like a wrecking ball. I knew Daryl wasn’t back from his hunt yet, it would most likely happen tomorrow. It was good, I thought. At least I would try to get some sleep before having to deal with it and probably lose one more friend.

My thoughts were interrupted by a child’s cry, squeaky and happy. Carl’s voice, I recognized. Turning to look, I saw him throw himself over the new guy, who was now on the floor, crying, clinging to him. It made sense when I looked at Lori, her eyes, which were naturally big even wider now, filled with tears. In a moment the three of them were hugging. Over their shoulders, he was now looking at Shane, who had a confused smile on his face, and the whole camp understood. The new guy was Rick Grimes.

 * * *

 I hated that Carol had to help prepare dinner and then take her part and her family’s and go sit away from the others, not being allowed to socialize, talk like everybody else. Ed made her sit away, Sofia in tow. The low fire creaked n the middle of the group, quietly listening to Rick tell them what had happened. He had woken up from a coma in the abandoned hospital, completely unaware of what had happened – exactly like I had unintentionally guessed up on the roof. Now it made sense why he knew nothing about walkers. He had gone home and then back to Atlanta and that had been when they met, never once imagining that his family was back at the camp. Lori had told me Rick was dead, that Shane had seen his body. Now, as Rick spoke, wife and son wrapped around him, I observed Shane’s expression, or lack thereof. Nothing other than his wide eyes gave away anything he was feeling. He smiled a bit every time Rick looked directly at him, but his smile vanished as soon as he thought he wasn’t being watched. Making a mental note to observe him even closer than I always did, I decided something was definitely going to come out of this.

On the other little group, Ed placed an extra log on their fire and it rose up, light strong enough to call attention. Shane looked at me. That was supposed to be my kind of responsibility.

“Damn, Shane, could you take care of it?” I asked him, happy to give him something to do other than watch as his best friend took away the girl he had been seeing. “I just can’t deal with fuckin’ Ed right now.”

“Sure,” he said as he got up, seemingly grateful for having a chance to direct some of his feelings. He got up and the group remained in silence for a moment, the creaking of the firewood the only thing to be heard. I could feel the weight of stares on my direction.

“Sam?” Glenn broke the silence with an almost whisper, two spots away from me. “You okay?”

I looked at him for a moment before answering, clearly aware of all the eyes on me. Bitterness coating my eyes and voice, I finally answered “My friend’s just been abandoned handcuffed to a rooftop in a walker infested building. I ain’t okay.”

Glenn tried a sympathetic smile, but failed miserably, making me almost feel sorry for him. Nothing of it had been his fault; he went out there, risked his life covered in walkers’ guts to take them all out of there. That was something I would never forget.

“Have you given any thought to Daryl?” Dale asked me carefully. “He won’t be happy to hear his brother was left behind.”

Before I could laugh and tell him ‘no shit’, T-Dog answered his question. “I’ll tell him. I dropped the key; it’s on me.”

“I cuffed him. That makes it mine,” Rick cut matter-of-factly.

“It’s not a fuckin’ competition!” I told them both with a bit more force than intended. Before moving on, I breathed once and continued a little calmer. “He’s not gonna wanna hear it from the one who cuffed and the one who lost the key.”

“I did what I did. Hell if I’m gonna hide from him.”

“We could lie.” Amy, leaning against her older sister’s shoulder, barged in.

“Or you all could stop pretending you actually cared for Merle or even for Daryl,” I gave up on hiding my annoyance. I looked at Amy, “Lie, really? Is that what you’d all do if I wasn’t here?”

“We’re telling the truth”, Rick spoke as firmly as me.

“Merle was out of control,” Andrea also opined and looked at Lori. “Something had to be done or he’d have gotten us killed. Your husband did what was necessary, and if Merle got left behind, it is nobody’s fault but Merle’s.”

“Right, I see,” I spoke again. “None of you waited. You all just ran away from the roof, ignoring his screaming for help. If I remember right, Andrea, you were the first one out of the door. If I didn’t plead for T to come back with the key,” I looked at him, “you’d have left as well. Dropping the key was an accident, but you weren’t even gonna go back to try. So, please, do not tell me being left behind was Merle’s fault. All the rest, yeah, but not this.”

“I was scared and I ran. I’m not ashamed of it,” T-Dog answered my accusation. “We were all scared, we all ran, and for what I see, so did you. You’re here, ain’t you?”

“He made me run. Even high and desperate he knew I’d also be left behind if I didn’t run. Or would you guys stop, or even think of turning back to get me? I did run, yeah, but I stopped long enough to chain that door.”

“Thought you would…” T said, calming down a bit, lowering his voice and looking down. “It was on the floor, by the stairs, I got it and hung on the door, thought you’d lock it.”

“Yeah… Thanks for that…”

“Hold on…” Andrea whispered. “What does that mean?”

“Staircase is narrow,” Sam started explaining. “Few walkers may have climbed it, not many, not enough to break the chain.”

“No. Not that chain. Not that padlock,” T-Dog continued my thought.

“It just means that Merle’s still there. Alive, abandoned on the roof, alone and handcuffed. That, no competitions for who’s the guiltiest – That’s on all of us.”

Painful silence stretched around the fire. I felt my throat constricted, wondering again how I was supposed to tell it to Daryl. T-Dog got up holding his ribcage, looking like he might throw up. I had to get out of there as well, and knew nobody could possibly say anything of use now.

“We’d best be getting of”, I informed after a moment. “Was a long day for all of us. Everyone who hasn’t been to Atlanta today should take the rounds, we’re wracked. That ok?”

Nodding, the others agreed and started vanishing to their own posts or tents. I didn’t want to think of anything else, not tonight. Entering my small, orange tent, I dropped to my bed without even removing my shoes, passing out rather than falling asleep.

[lyravellas]

and many more

Kravitz does not have a birthday.

Obviously he had a birthday at some point, years and years ago, but he certainly doesn’t remember it anymore.  That’s just kind of what happens when you’re a. dead and b. the grim reaper for an extended period of time. The situation doesn’t lend itself particularly well to maintaining a steady social life, much less yearly celebrations with friends.  The Raven Queen is very nice, but she doesn’t really know what birthdays are. Kravitz isn’t completely sure if she was ever actually born. The metaphysics of Faerun is a somewhat headache-inducing situation.

He mentions all of this to Taako during a lull in the conversation one night, while the elf is draped idly across both his lap and the sofa in front of the television.  Taako is not an easy person to dumbfound — being a universe-hopping, planet-saving, wildly successful chef and wizard can do that to you — but this information absolutely blows him away.  Kravitz would gloat about it, but he’s too busy dealing with an immediate, rapid-fire line of questioning from his boyfriend: how old is he, exactly? (He’s not sure.)  Does he know what month his birthday was in?  (He doesn’t.)  Does he even remember the last time he had a birthday party? (He does not. He can’t even remember what he had for breakfast this morning. This is a lost cause.)  Taako speaks with his hands like he always does when he gets excited about things, punctuating each question with exclamations like “How did this happen, Krav?  How?!” and a few emphatic statements of “What the fuck!” as prestidigitated sparks shoot wildly from his fingertips.

Once Kravitz has reassured his boyfriend that yes, he did have an actual birthday at one point and no, he didn’t spring fully-fledged from the brain of the Raven Queen when he was born (“Sweetie, what the hell?”), Taako reclines back down into his lap and hums thoughtfully to himself.  He runs a finger absently through Kravitz’s hair out of habit.  It sends a few wayward sparks fizzing gently about the reaper’s ears.

Then Taako excuses himself rather abruptly by launching his entire body up and over the back of the sofa with a wholly unnecessary levitation spell, startling both Kravitz and their cats in the process.  After a solemn apology to James Buffett Jr. and Stinky Fur Man, Taako waves his stone of farspeech wildly around his head and declares that he needs to take a call (“Do you mean make a call, darling?”  “I never make calls, I only take them.”).  He then departs the room with a flourish, after tilting Kravitz’s head back for a lingering kiss that leaves the reaper feeling more than a little light-headed.

Taako is gone for several minutes.  Kravitz becomes preoccupied with staring very hard at the wallpaper and trying to remember how old he actually is. He is unsuccessful. He develops a very bad headache in the process.

When Taako finally returns, he throws himself dramatically back onto the couch (and into Kravitz’s lap), and declares, “Alright babe, you’re gonna share mine.”

And Kravitz says “What?” because it’s been ten minutes, he has a headache, and Taako is pretty to the point of being very distracting.

The elf tucks the stone of farspeech back beneath the collar of his shirt and snaps his fingers (which forces Kravitz to tear his gaze away from the mesmerizing strip of skin at the curve of his boyfriend’s collarbone).  “You’re gonna share my birthday.  I went and talked to Lulu about it, and she says it’s fine.  She’s excited about it, actually,  even though I don’t think she’ll ever let me live this one down.”  He sighs dramatically.  “Ch’boy always used to complain about having to share a birthday back when we were kids, and now here I am asking her for a plus one.  The things I do for love.”  Taako pauses and then squints up at his boyfriend.  “Krav.  You doin’ alright up there?  You’ve been kinda quiet.”

Kravitz is experiencing a very large number of emotions in a very small period of time.

He recognizes excitement almost immediately — if there’s one thing that he remembers about birthdays, it’s that they’re a lot of fun.  And now he gets to experience his with the people he loves most in the world.  The thought of spending a day surrounded by Taako’s endearing grandstanding and Lup’s infectious laughter sends warmth whispering through his silent veins.

There’s also a little bit of fear, because he was at the twin’s last birthday and so he knows exactly what can happen at their parties.  And if he and Lucretia have to explain to the authorities why the entire city of New Phandalin levitated into the air for exactly twenty-six minutes again, then he is absolutely going to come back to life just so he can die again.  

But for some reason, he also feels sad.  

He hasn’t thought about things like this, like birthdays and balloons and parties, for years.  It’s just been him and his job, alone except for the distant lights floating in the never-ending expanse of the astral plane, for as long as he can remember.  The Raven Queen used to gently encourage him to try going out and meeting new people, but all of her well-meaning attempts had steadily diminished over the years as he’d continued to rebuff her suggestions.

Kravitz’s greatest fear has always been this: if he lets himself get tangled back up in the world of the living, the weight of all the things that he failed to do before joining the Raven Queen’s retinue will eventually crush him.  

For far too many years to count, he’d refused to let himself believe that there might be any option besides cutting himself off from the material plane entirely.  But now this beautiful, lovable elf, who is too loud and too brash and too proud sometimes (and who he loves more than life itself), has taken him by the hands and pulled him headfirst into something he hadn’t even let himself realize he’d missed.

He can feel a strange wetness gathering behind his eyes; a sensation that feels comfortingly familiar, yet still somewhat alien after all the years that time has spent moving steadily on without him.

Taako sits up and puts his arms around Kravitz and just holds him silently for a while.  He gets it.  Both of them do.  Loneliness leaves scars that re-open at the strangest times.

They stay like that until Kravitz finally lifts his face from where it’s buried in Taako’s shoulder, and James Buffet Jr. takes the opportunity to hop up onto his lap and curl into his arms to make sure he’s okay.  Then they sit together on the sofa as the television drones gently on in the background and talk about plans for their next birthday: about how great it’s going to be, about how Merle is not allowed near the flower arrangements, about how Barry is absolutely not allowed to raise any members of the fantasy Beatles from the dead to perform.  Eventually, the few wayward tears give way to laughter instead.

Their next birthday is legendary.

The moon is directly overhead and also on fire for the better part of thirty-five minutes. An entire building in Rockport gets transmuted into a fourteen-layer birthday cake. The Raven Queen shows up — making several individuals in attendance nearly pass out in fear — in order to wish everyone a happy birthday, and also to figure out what exactly a birthday actually is. She walks around arm in arm with Istus, who brings everyone hand-knitted sweaters as presents.  All of the clergymen in the nearby vicinity collectively shit themselves in amazement.

After the festivities are all over and everyone has returned to their respective homes, Kravitz and Taako find themselves back on their sofa, with the radio in the background reporting softly on the ridiculously ostentatious display of fireworks that had lit up the skies over Neverwinter that evening.

“How was your very first birthday à la Taako, cupcake?”  Taako asks Kravitz as the latter flops down onto his lap.  “Actually quick side note, we definitely have to figure out how old your ass actually is at some point.  Not that it’d make much of a difference, since you’ve got the whole spooky scary skeleton thing going on at work most of the time, but I want to see the look on people’s faces when I tell them that my boyfriend is over six hundred years old.”

“That’s an adventure for another time, I think.”  A smile creeps across Kravitz’s lips.  “Lucretia just finished putting out the moon. I don’t think Faerun can take any more excitement in one night.”

“Boring, but fair.” Taako sighs in mock disappointment.  “That leaves yours truly with the responsibility of ‘final surprise of the night’, then.”  He snaps his fingers and a perfectly wrapped package materializes in the palm of his hand, accompanied by a glittery puff of magical confetti.  “Ta-da!  Faerun’s favorite wizard does it again.”

Kravitz clears his throat.  “Not to one-up Faerun’s favorite wizard, but...” he trails off as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, clumsily wrapped package.

Taako puts a hand over his heart and pretends to fan himself in shock.  “Betrayal!  Upstaged by the love of my life!  I’ll let it slide it this time, Krav, but next time...”  He continues his mock tirade as he lifts the gift out of Kravitz’s hands and leans forward to press a kiss to the side of his jaw.  “Next time I’m talking dozens of major images, plus a Taako original dance number!  Me, popping out of a chocolate fountain, dressed in lingerie that is not from Fantasy Costco! Just you wait.”  

Kravitz raises an eyebrow and manages to keep a straight face.  “Consider me warned,” he says, as Taako begins unwrapping the package.  Kravitz’s fingers move toward his own gift, but he pauses and watches with bated breath as his boyfriend tears off the final layer of wrapping paper.

Taako lifts the lid off of a tiny brown box and peers inside.  Even Faerun’s favorite wizard can’t manage to keep the shock off of his face.

“It’s not a... this isn’t a proposal,” Kravitz says quickly.  “We don’t have to... you know, do anything in the near future, if you don’t want to, it’s just sort of... it’s a promise?  Since we talked about it, and I—”

Taako uses one hand to take the ring out of the box and the other to press a finger to Kravitz’s lips.  “Yes.  Yes, of course, you gigantic nerd.  I love it.  I love you.”

Kravitz scoops Taako up into a wordless hug, spinning him around while simultaneously trying to land kisses wherever he can reach, smiling as the elf lets out a peal of laughter.

“So the way I see it, we’ve got two options.”  Taako wraps his arms around Kravitz’s neck as the reaper sets him back down onto the ground.  “Option one: we get hitched next Tuesday.  We invite everyone.  We party, ride off into the sunset, and then bang.  Easy peasy.”  A mischievous smile spreads across the elf’s face.  “Or, option two: we play the long game.”

Kravitz’s grin maches Taako’s.  “An extended engagement, then?”  

“Lup and Barold refused to admit that they even liked each other for years.  It was torture.”  Taako rolls his eyes.  “But we’ve got all the time in the world, hot stuff!  So let’s drag this out.  Be as lovey-dovey as possible.  Really make ‘em wait for it.”

Kravitz laughs.  “But... not for too long,” he says, reaching up to rest his palm against his boyfriend’s cheek.

“Not for too long,” Taako agrees.

[scullyitwasaliens]

newest thoughts re: taakitz/blupjeans

barry and lup are basically married, to the point where no one expects them to actually have a ceremony. but a while after the day of story and song, barry confides in taako that he’s bought a ring and taako realizes, oh FUCK, his baby sister is gonna get engaged ahead of him nope, no way, no how, this is a competition babey! (also he’s been thinking about this for an actual Long Time but this is what he uses as an excuse tbh) and so he asks magnus to make a ring, and finds out when barry’s gonna propose and plans it so he gets there just before. barry is taking lup to the coast and taako brings krav to the first place they’d gone on their astral plane vacay - he loses his cool so completely when he pops the question but manages to get it back together just in time to pick up his stone of farspeech to rub in that hey, guess who’s still a couple minutes ahead. 

this turns it into a stupidly competitive sibling race. both are finding the fastest ways to arrange wedding venues, secure the best caterers (they both fight over ren so viciously that she refuses to do either, actually, the family drama can stay out here), and send out fantasy save the dates. it becomes such a Big Thing when they realize they both chose the same day (the anniversary of s&s) that they stop speaking to each other for a whole week, at which point barry and kravitz force them into the pocket spa under pain of death, i SWEAR TO GOD you two, to figure this shit out.

it takes them all of twenty minutes to realize hey, this is stupid and we’re stupid and why don’t we actually just do all of this together?

and this is how kravitz and barry end up standing at the front of merle’s garden together as the twins walk each other down the aisle. lup hipchecks taako and taako tries to trip lup, and they’re both laughing through tears once they reach the end and move into the arms of the loves of their lives. they share this moment in complete unity, surrounded by the family they created in the world that they saved, and it almost makes up for the time that they had lost each other.

[aboutthedeerhunter]

I read a DH script draft so you don’t have to.

Original script (or at least some version of it) some differences from the final movie:

Merle is Mike

Steven is Sal

Stan is Vince (honestly Vince fits REALLY well)

Axel is Albert

Julien is Armand

Nick, Linda, Angela, and John’s names are unchanged.

NOTE: Nick and Mike’s roles are switched for the last act (homecoming). Nick and Mike’s roles are reversed slightly in the beginning minus the dialogue.

ACT 1: Clairton/Wedding

No sundog lore. It’s snowing. Stan dances around in the snow. The sign of snow means that it’s hunting season for them.

They keep mentioning Columbine street.

Nick asks Linda to marry him in the trailer before the wedding to which Linda responds “who else dummy?” (In the movie, Linda asks, “what” and Nick says “I don’t know” bailing out. Nick delays his proposal to the wedding itself.

The one shot line doesn’t exist between Mike and Nick. Mike refers to the other guys as Yo-yos, not assholes. Nick still likes the trees though.

(Steven is more of a child in this one. Very flustered in the beginning about getting married. He also says “here I go” when stepping out of Welsh’s bar.

Shocker: the wedding scene is much shorter. Vince gets into a fight with Fred, the guy who stole his girl like the movie but comes out of the fight more tattered)

The GREEN BERET (wooo!) says “pow!” instead of “fuckit”

Like I said, lots of snow. Always snowing or slush.

Albert (Axel) and John have a discussion while everyone else is sleeping that they both did it with Angela.

There’s a scene where all the guys go hunting and run into a whole bunch of deer and chase them. Nick is on the ground laughing.

Hunting: No twinkies, it’s mustard on a HERSHEY bar. That’s just nasty.

ACT 2: Vietnam

Steven is a lot more insane in this version.

There are much more graphic war scenes including a baby being thrown into the air and speared through the neck with a bayonet.

Mike is just as calm at the Roulette table in this version.

There are a lot more south Vietnamese playing Russian Roulette. Someone even plays against a kid/very young guy at some point (Steven/Sal does)

Extended conversation between Nick and Mike about abandoning Steven.

After the escape Nick is unconscious in this one, also there is no waterfall (like in an updated script) or tree trunk in this one.

Drunk guards on Budweiser not Miller High life.

Steven (Sal) tries to get into a suspiciously untouched car (booby trap) and almost gets killed. Apparently only Mike and Steven are near the car. Mike is fine. Also, I can’t remember if they mentioned how Nick got to the hospital.

In this version, the scene where Nick is in the hospital is very uneventful. He just ends up with another guy’s (Solomon) nametag. Also wearing civilian clothes.

Nick has a whole elephant monologue and apparently Linda loves elephants.

Nick goes into a bar to get change and the whole place outside explodes and the street urchins are all dead.

Julien/Armand is well aware that (in this universe) the VC force POWs to play Russian Roulette (he casually asks Nick how he escaped) and even has business cards entitled “exhibition”

Nick refuses Julien’s offer to go into the building and play Russian roulette and this is the last scene before his homecoming. Nick just leaves.

ACT 3: Nick’s homecoming (yes, Nick not Mike)

Like Mike in the final movie, Nick avoids coming home and ducks in the back of the taxi to avoid being seen by everyone.

Linda reuniting with Nick was a tearjerker. No mention of Mike. Nick tries on the sweater Linda made for him and it’s too large.

Angela is responsive to Nick as he goes to ask her where Steven is. They have a casual conversation although I suspect Angela might be lying when she says Steven calls her twice a day?

Stan/Vince ends up getting married and tells Nick so as soon as they reunite.

The script mentions Steven is very badly burned and had both his legs amputated and one of his arms I guess is limp. (Due to his burns from the car booby trap)

Stan is able to chase a deer (almost run over by other unnamed hunters) and chases the deer into a house (maybe their cabin?) and it falls down dead. He’s like “hey! I got one” just like the movie but it’s dead in a house not prancing around in a pond.)

Nick is in the cabin confronting Stan/Vince about his gun and doesn’t do the whole roulette/I’ll play your fucking games” scene. He just takes the gun instead after punching Stan a few times.

It is mentioned that Nick has a limp from the injuries he got taking down the VC guards to escape. This was kept in the movie, but he didn’t have a limp later on.

It’s really weird how much the story focuses on Nick. Like, it’s way too much. There’s a scene where Linda is all dressed up sexy to find Nick asleep and she notices these large fresh scars across his chest.

There is no mention of Angela’s child?

0/10 no scene with Meryl Streep bowling.

After coming home, Nick sees Mike outside his trailer and Mike disappears before Nick can reach him. Mike is in the VA hospital watching Nick without saying anything. Wearing fancy cowboy boots and tailored pants. Like a cowboy. (Wait this isn’t taxi driver)

It’s not clear how Mike was able to get back to Saigon after Mike is shown watching and avoiding Nick in the VA hospital.

The end is just so weird. Nick catches a lieutenant off guard and forces him to strip down, gags him, takes his uniform, and heads off to Saigon. He knocks out a military guy with a chair and there are lots of prostitutes around. (Something something bad dialogue- red white and blue dildo. You’re welcome I read this so you wouldn’t have to).

The Russian Roulette atmosphere has changed and I hate it. It’s almost like a state fair or carnival. People are dressed nicely. They still wrap their heads with red cloths, but they have red armbands facing downstage and a wheel that is spun indicating who goes first. They have the matches broadcasted over a PA system. Nothing like the final scene in the den that was delivered in the final cut.

There is a very short conversation between Mike and Nick before Mike goes off to play.

The tuxedoes of the dead are put on fresh contestants waiting their turn to play the game. No fancy white shirts.

The death scene is the least memorable but still decent. Nick sees a tall figure taking a bow after winning the Russian Roulette match against his opponent. After the man comes up from the bow, Nick realizes that it is Mike’s opponent. It is not intimate, but it’s still disturbing.

John plays God Bless America at the end.

They should have really kept the elephant monolgue. In the final movie, you just think it’s random and that Nick is just acting strange, but they removed this interesting story around Nick’s fascination with them. Also not enough twinkies.

[okimargarvez]

NUMBER 13

Original title: Numero 13.

Prompt: Luke and Penelope going to a speed dating event.

Warning: O.C.

Genre: funny, comedy, romantic.

Characters: Penelope Garcia, Luke Alvez, various females and males O.C.

Pairing: Garvez.

Note: oneshot 45 in Garvez collection. 

Legend: 💏😘🎵.

Song mentioned: Rosso relativo, Tiziano Ferro.

GARVEZ STORIES

NUMBER 13

Las ganas palpitaban, tronaban... cantaban... chillaban... en plena noche en el pecho de... Paola... oh... Paola...

She is sitting at the last table of the room. From there she has a good view of the whole space, decorated in a rather cheap way, certainly not according to her tastes. It's the first time she experiences something like this. She passes her fingers through the thick red hair. Contact lenses have already started to bother her. Why was she dressed like this? Why not show up in one of her usual low-cut dresses? She sighs as the man walks towards her and sits down in front of her. It's nice enough, tall, not too muscular, black hair and brown eyes. On the card it is written Nathan.

-Hey.- she must resist the temptation to stand up. She limits herself to an embarrassed smile.

-Hey.- he says. -Are you nervous?- he asks her then, but with a sympathetic tone.

-Enough.- she shrugs. Pretending to look at her name, he also gave a good look at everything else. She struggles not to wonder what he has thought at first sight about her.

-First time, right?- she nods, then chuckles, her cheeks more and more the same shade of hair. -I've been there, it's get better, trust me .- he winks. -So... Penelope, right?- another up and down. -I see we have only a few minutes... talk to me a bit 'of you. What do you do?-

 El tedio aquella noche era enorme, llamaba, buscaba un príncipe ideal, en cambio ya era la dama del castillo.

He was about to back off, to cancel the reservation, but he finally decided to go there. He reaches the first free table and sits in front of a blonde woman. Blonde, but with short, very short hair. And as much as he strives, he can't avoid starting the comparison. Damn it, he has reduced to this just to not think of her, and it's enough a little thing to send everything to hell.

-Hey.- he sketch a shy smile. It is written on his face that this is his first time. She looks at him carefully, before greeting him with her hand.

-Hey, I'm Marissa.-

 El tuyo es rojo relativo, no se mancha de amor y por eso canta muy dentro de ti, por tu gran soledad y porque...

When the bell finally rings, Penelope gives a sigh of relief a bit too accentuated. Poor Nathan, he had been very nice and fine, but when chemistry is missing, it can't be invented, and at the most they could become good friends. And it was clear that neither was looking for this.

-Can I sit?- a deep, baritone voice that reminds her about Walker, makes her jump. She raises her head suddenly and falls in two green eyes, a green rich in shades, which dazzles her for a few seconds. The man is not irritated by the precious wasted time, on the contrary, gives her a much warmer smile than the number 4.

Welcome, number 5. She hastens to regain possession of her mental and motor skills. -Yes, yes, sorry, I was... a little distracted.- the embarrassment hasn't passed at all, but it's only the second man she meets. The evening is still long.

-No problem. Nice to meet you, I'm Jared.- she holds out her hand but instead of squeezing it into his, he prefers to take it to his lips, posing an old-time kiss.

-Penelope.- looking at him she can't help but wonder why he is in a place like this. It's possible that he couldn't find someone decent in the real world?

-Yes, Penelope, I think I've already seen you somewhere. It's possible? Are you an actress or a model by chance?- he asks after a few moments. She can't help but burst out laughing.

-Me, a model, me?- he doesn't seem to understand her perplexity and this flatters her. Not everyone therefore appreciates only the skinny girls. -No, I work for the feds. I'm a computer technician.- she adds after a brief pause.

-FBI? Wow.- while he searches for words, Penelope understands what in this man had immediately attracted her and at the same time rejected: he looks very much like Battle, has his own look. She shudders, but decides to ignore those feelings and focuses on what he is saying.

 Venga... ámate mucho esta noche y mañana vuelve a ser quien no se divierte porque buscas algo más fácil de hacer.

He didn't have time to sit down that the woman, Amber, number 9, started to stun him with words. Luke can't even say his name, and this allows him to continue with his own reflections, which certainly don't concern this unknown, as well as the previous one. Even Amber is definitely pretty, she has everything a man could want, as for the physical aspect, but her voice is petulant, annoying, certainly not as sweet as that of...

Damn it, Luke, you can't keep this up. You don't have to think about her. What did you answer to Phil when he asked if there was something between your colleague and you? No, what you think! And how did he repay you? He sent you here. As if I hadn't seen the way he looked at her, and I didn't understand that he wanted to make sure he had a free field...

-...and then there was this unpleasant shop assistant who told me...- the sound of the little bell forces her to block the monologue and at the same time wakes up Luke.

 La timidez salía pero huía, escapaba de noche... se diluía. En los ojos de... Paola... oh... Paola.

A few meters away, that same noise is received with great regret. Jared lingers, already standing, stealing seconds from the next stranger. -I shouldn't say it, it's almost against the rules, but... I hope you will send positive feedback too.- he whispers slightly, gives her a wink and Penelope is still smiling, when a blond man, number 6, Carl, sits in front of her with a snort.

 Jugaba al escondite, se escondía, y mostraba, buscaba sus cazadores, y en cambio ya era la presa de ese bosque.

-Hello, number 13. We have little time, so... talk to me about you.- Luke sighs, feeling almost (almost) the lack of Amber.

-What do you want to know?- he tries one of his best smiles, but it comes out badly.

-Everything.- answers the woman, who is called Silvia, according to her card, and that seems little interested in the names. -It's clear that you've never been in a place like that, and that you're not that type, so... I want to go right to the point. What is the rip-off in you? Problematic children? Are you a serial killer?- the question rips from him a sincere laugh, in spite of himself.

-No, but I work with them, you could say...- she is more and more confused, so he has to clarify. -I'm a profiler, I work for the FBI, department of behavioral analysis...- he explains, and the woman lights up, finally managing to understand.

-Ok, then I understood what is your problem. Timing shits.-

 El tuyo es rojo relativo, no se mancha de amor y por eso canta muy dentro de ti, por tu gran soledad y porque...

Penelope realizes that about every fifteen seconds she looks at the clock, perhaps hoping to make the hands run faster, but the trick doesn't work, unfortunately. The number 7 is slightly late, and she doesn't mind. -Walter.- he says, in no uncertain terms. Even when he is seated, she understands that he is much shorter than she is, thin, and has red hair. This particular makes her want to laugh, and it is very difficult to keep everything inside.

-Penelope.- she answers, almost sobbing.

-Well, Penelope, are you busy at the end of this thing?- even the nuances of his voice are strange, there is something... disturbing, in the negative sense.

-What, excuse me?-she hopes she misunderstood. Now that she looks at him better, he has a lascivious look. She takes another look at the clock. She must hold on last another minute and a half...

 Venga... ámate mucho esta noche y mañana vuelve a ser quien no se divierte porque buscas algo más fácil de hacer.

A few feet away, Luke is doing much better. The number 11 is much nicer, friendlier than the previous ones, she is neither chatty nor too taciturn. And it's even pretty, but... but it's not her, and it can't be. Michelle is blonde, and even wears glasses bigger than her. Her voice is pleasant, not too acute, nor low. She likes animals, and she was happy when they ended up talking about Roxy and her Merle.

That's why he almost feels sorry when the bell rings again. He has to meet many women and doesn't know how to get by. Phil will have to listen to him, it's sure.

 Y no descansas ya, solos pantalla y tú (das tanta pena), teclado y alma…

And here, the number 8 is approaching. He is the fifth man she meets, and she almost starts to hope that Emily calls with a new case that forces her to drop the kit and caboodle, because this experience is not as if she thought. Jared aside, but even he is not enough to positively balance the evening.

-Hey, I'm Simon.- she shakes his hand and smiles, but now knowns that her face is responding automatically, without sincerity, and especially without involved the heart.

-Nice to meet you, I'm Penelope.- she is sure that after that sexual maniac, that hoped to conclude already at the end of the meeting, and that probably has done and will continue to make the same proposal to all women present... well, sure Simon- number 8 can't be worse.

-My pleasure, Penelope. It's a nice name, yours, and I'm not saying it just because it is assumed that I have to try to impress you at any cost...- it starts well, and like Jared, he winks at her with the right dose of malice, not too much. -But because I'm a professor of Greek literature.-

 ...qué demuestro así con esto... muchas formas hay de sexo.

-Hello, I'm... my name is Carol.- the mysterious woman sitting at table 13, i.e. the one that carries the same number of him, is tiny, with brown hair up to shoulder length, two big blue eyes and red cheeks for embarrassment .

-I'm Luke.- he smiles at her, because he feels immediately softened. -It's the first time for you, is not it?- she nods. -I don't know how you went for now, but with me there is not to be anxious. Do you like animals?-

 Las ganas palpitaban, tronaban... cantaban... chillaban... en plena noche en el pecho de... Paola... oh... Paola...

Mister 9 has some clearly exotic features, but she can't locate him geographically. -Hey, Penelope.- the hair is dark, curly and slightly longer than... of the standard. The eyes of the color of the sky when it is cloudy, and he has amber skin. -My name is Maurice.- he says. -Sorry if I'm so outspoken but..- Penelope already worries, fearing to repeat the situation experienced with the number 7. -You already found someone interesting, tonight? - he asks only her. She sighs in relief and the man looks at her strangely. Probably now he thinks it's her, the crazy one.

-Yes, in fact...- she shrugs, while she sees those sea-green eyes. Oh oh, it seems like a principle of crush. She didn't believe it was possible. -Something like that.- the expression hopeful of him goes out like a private fire of the oxygen that is necessary to make it burn. -And you?- she asks, even though she already senses the response.

-No.- he answers. She wonders if Jared will have met some other interesting woman, that will struck him more than she... and she also feels a tiny pin of jealousy.

-Oh, I... I'm sorry.- she's forced not to look at her watch.

-It's not your fault.- he says, still in the same firm and decisive tone. Even though she is not a profiler like her coworkers, Penelope understands that he must be a straightforward man who saying anything directly. -What do you look at most in a man?- he asks after a few seconds of embarrassment.

The first thing she sees as she thinks about her answer is a memory, a short skit with a man who is not Jared-number 5 at all. -You might think I'm a liar, but... The sympathy, in short, if he makes me laugh, we are halfway there.- Jared also made her laugh, and a lot, in those very few minutes they had available. So why had she had to think about him? Why can't she drive off the harmonious sound of his laugh of her ears? Still, it went so well, until now. She managed to put him aside, she didn't even compare every male being with him... why give in now?

-A beautiful answer, really.- Maurice says, and she just nods, distracted.

 El tedio aquella noche era enorme, llamaba, buscaba un príncipe ideal, en cambio ya era la dama del castillo.

As he walks between the tables 13 and 14, Luke glances at the rest of the room and his eyes end up attracted towards the back, one of the last places, where a red, curvy woman is sitting, whose face is however covered by a man. He doesn't almost have time to sit down, that the woman, brown hair with a few pink and blue strands, shoots him the first question. -Hey, when was the last time you did it?- it's not just a matter of ingenuity, he doesn't really get there.

-What?- indeed, he asks, without even frowning eyebrows.

-Sex, what else?- he is not in church, nor in catechism lession, but he feels the consequences of twelve years of Catholic school, and a speech so shameless on the mouth of a stranger upsets him. -If you're here...- the girl continues, another that seems to have clear ideas and above all total disregard for their names.

He tries to collect all the little calm that has remained in him. He will make Phil pay, yes. -Listen to me, Stephanie, right?- the woman doesn't nod. -I'm not here for this.- he explains. -If you really want to know, my best friend sent me here. It's a sort of bet.- he hopes in this way of getting rid of it.

-Hey, don't overheat.- it seems that she is the one upset. -It's not so embarrassing.- she adds, moving her hand on the table, directed towards the male one. Then she paints a beautiful, comprehensive expression on her face. -You're a virgin, are not you?-

 El tuyo es rojo relativo, no se mancha de amor y por eso canta muy dentro de ti, por tu gran soledad y porque...

Howard, is written on the card. And indeed, he also resembles to one of the astrophysical protagonists of The Big Ban Theory. Penelope is tired, and the worst thing is that this is only to number 10, which means that there is still more than half men to meet. If she wasn't ashamed, she would stand up and give up everything. But they could remove her card, and she might miss the chance to see Jared again...

-Are you listening to me?- telling him the truth it wouldn't be nice, but at this point, she doesn't even have the strength to pretend.

-No, I'm sorry, but... Has anybody ever told you that you look like the actor of a TV series?- the man takes the statement as a compliment, the offense passes completely and he starts talking again, by allowing Penelope to think freely. She just has to nod occasionally for another minute and a half.

 Venga... ámate mucho esta noche y mañana vuelve a ser quien no se divierte porque buscas algo más fácil de hacer.

-Deborah, right?- this time it's him, the one who just sat down and starts talking, even before introducing himself. Also because, after the first three times, saying "Hi, I'm Luke and I'm a federal agent" has become as painful as talking about weather conditions. -Sorry frankness, but I just had a conversation...- he sees the brunette woman frown. -... uncomfortable, so I prefer to be clear.- she is silent, letting him finish. -I don't know why you're here, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't expect to necessarily meet my soul mate, nor a possible one-night stand story.- he must have been a little too brusque, and he'd like to apologize, but in fact , it's not that he really cares about it. He needs time to meditate on his revenge against Phil.

Deborah, after a few moments, bursts out laughing. -Wow, it was really bad, that chat, it's not?-

 El tuyo es rojo relativo, no se mancha de amor y por eso canta muy dentro de ti, por tu gran soledad y porque...

The number 11 is dark, short hair, slightly curls, dark eyes, tall, muscly but not too jock. I look slightly Latin. But it must be the fault of contact lenses. She doesn't know how she has endured them until now, because she feels them dry on the pupil, and everything is very out of focus. Still, he resembles him. -Hello, I'm Lucas.- the man begins, unaware. Fortunately, she hasn't yet used her coupon for an alcoholic drink, otherwise she would have spit it over the handsome amaranth shirt of the unfortunate poor guy.

-Wh... What?- she manages to chock with her saliva anyway. She tries to look at him better, but she doesn't change her mind. It looks like him, it's unequivocal. And the name... is almost identical. It must be a twist of the fate. She is tempted to get up and really let it all go to the hell. Too bad for Jared and for the beautiful blond children with green eyes that could arise from their union.

-Lucas.- reiterates the other, confused. -Why?- then, he seems to have an illumination. -Don't tell me that you have an ex that is called so.- the idea that he can be considered as one of her ex, boyfriend, husband, lover... makes her want to laugh.

-No, no- she is quick to deny, a bit too vehement. -And anyway... No, his name is Luke.- she has to say, to exorcise it, to prove to herself that it is only a harmless crush, that it is not true that she is thinking about him uninterruptedly, since he chose her for bring the dog to his friend Phil... he chose her instead of Matt, JJ or Tara, must mean something, right? She notices that he is staring at her. -But it's just a colleague, at most a friend.- she says, trying to sound convinced, but she's not very good.

-Are you sure?- Lucas asks her.

-Yes.-

 Venga... ámate mucho esta noche y mañana vuelve a ser quien no se divierte porque buscas algo más fácil de hacer.

Patricia. With the number 16, it can be said that he is almost half the battle. The idea that he has to meet eleven women yet is inconceivable. Should not it be any man's dream? All those women, brunette, redheads, dark, blondes, all this variety ... and he wants nothing more than to lock himself in the house with the only girl in his life, Roxy, put on pajamas and... and dream her, the unattainable.

In every woman he found a piece of her, willy-nilly. Some were blond, some wore glasses, or the voice was very similar, full of sweet nuances, or even the love for animals... but none was like her. Not even Michelle, the nicest, the prettiest and the most normal, the one he almost displeased to greet. Even while he was talking to her, he doesn't stopped thinking about his obsession.

 El tuyo es rojo relativo...

In the American world, the number assigned to him, the 13th, is considered to be the bearer of bad luck. He was never a superstitious type, too rational to fall into such a thing, and not even the Catholic influence had an impact to his opinion about the existence of bad luck. But he knows, by pure chance, because he must have read it somewhere, that in Europe, the number of bad luck is another. The 17th. And at the table 17 is the redhead who caught his attention a few minutes ago. The closer he gets, the more he feels to have already seen her...

-Penelope!- she doesn't wear glasses, is not blonde, is not wear a low-cut dress. But it is her. His soul had recognized her before his eyes, and this is very serious. -The red suits you.- but she ignores the compliment, if this was it, and her eyes get to pop up so much that he wonders how they haven't bounced on the table, as happens in cartoons.

-Luke!- a strangled cry comes out her mouth. So she blushes, clearly embarrassed that he, just him, has seen her like that, in such an environment. But the feeling is mutual.

-What are you doing here?- In fact, they end up saying the same thing, and this increases the embarrassment even more. -You talk first.- Luke finally says, as a real gentleman.

-I...- now that she has the floor, she doesn't know what she meant anymore, and above all she is aware of the fast flowing time, and she imagines it like grains of sand falling from one side of the hourglass to the other. -A friend of mine recommended it.- she says. And she is lucky, because man falls for it.

-Me too... Phil talked to me about this.- after the first few seconds of total displacement he seems to have recovered well. Penelope is like his island in the middle of the stormy sea, a safe oasis in the desert... even if it is a wild card and causes to him anxiety and worries, she is still a person who he has known for a while, which he trusts... actually, he would be willing to put his life in her hands. Fuck.

-Your friend Phil?- she asks him, starting to smile, amused. -Really?- but she doesn't wait for confirmation, bursts out laughing. Uh, how he missed this music. He is that bad? She's laughing at him, she's teasing him, she's enjoying the situation a lot, and he keeps thinking her so beautiful, so fantastic and ... and he doesn't care if she's dyed her hair or it's just a wig.

-What's so funny?- he tries to seem offended, but it doesn't last even three seconds. Her attempts to curb her laughter make him want to smile, join her, kidnap her in a kiss, and not necessarily in this order.

-Nothing.- she takes a deep breath, taking possession of herself again. -So, what should we do?- she asks, fiddling with a lock of hair and often looking away. -We pretend not to know each other? Let's talk about the weather?- Luke shakes his head, extremely determined, even if unaware of it.

-No.- he also says, the tone deep and safe. -Once you said you don't believe in destiny or even coincidences.- he points out, leaning a little with the bust towards her, and unlike her, never taking his eyes from her. He was never good at not staring her. Let alone them in this place, where he is authorized. Where he is encouraged to flirt with her. -But according to you, it's just a coincidence that we met here tonight?- Penelope seems to think seriously about his question.

But she ends up doing one of her jokes. -Unless you didn't follow me...- Luke doesn't want to laugh. He sighs, and pierces her with another look.

-You're joking, are not you?- she shrugs and looks toward the clock.

-Well, you still have... Two minutes, Mister Number 13.- the fact that she calls him that way gives him another shake, the definitive one. The numbers 13 and 17 continue to bounce before his eyes. The thought that after him there may be other men, that there have already been 9 others before him, that even outside, in the real world, is full of people who can, have the right to hit on her, and all because he is a jerk who doesn't knows what to do...

-You intend to continue this... This thing?- he was about to call it farce, but he would insult himself, because he could say no too. He could refuse. Phil didn't point a gun at his head. And she? Why she goes to a place like that? Does she really need a speed date to find a decent man? What happened to the Canadian boyfriend, the one who taught her the fingering techniques for the clarinet? He has too many questions to ask, and too little time.

-Why not?- she answers with another question. -How do I know, if I don't try? - the voice cracks, becomes extremely serious, and for the first time she keeps her eyes fixed in his. -The number 14 could be the love of my life.- and he can't contradict her, can't be sure that she is not right, but he can't even lose her for a speed date. As much as he tries not to have preconceptions, he keeps thinking that this whole thing is really ridiculous.

-Or maybe it could be the person in front of you right now.- it escapes him. But he doesn't regret it. Penelope, for her part, decides to believe it is a joke. She takes the easy road.

She looks to the right, then left, behind him and even under the table. -Mmm, I don't see anyone...- Luke, however, has completely exhausted everything: patience, cowardice, self-control. He stands up, quite abruptly, quickly he comes around the table and takes her by the hand, dragging her away just in the moment when that sound, which he will probably hear tonight again and again (if he will not be too busy in other activities), begins to trill, making them understand that their time has expired.

-Luke, are you crazy?!- Penelope doesn't shout, but only because she doesn't want to draw attention to them, or at least doesn't make the situation worse. -Leave me!- they pass in front of the number 14, which, poor devil, will remain high and dry. -What the hell do you want to do?- she tries to free herself from his grip, but there's no way. He leaves her only when they are out, in the cool (and cold) air of the evening.

-Speak, as normal people.- he replies, perfectly serious, as if he hadn't just recently made an act against the regulation, and it was really embarrassing.

The humidity is such that she can't own it anymore. -But what? - she asks, while digging in the bag looking for the box where she throws the contact lenses, promising to herself that she will not wear them anymore, returning to her trusted glasses. This change should make Luke a little faint, especially when she puts her hands in her hair and rips them off... and then he realizes that it wasn't true that he didn't care, he adores her blonde hair, even if, before meeting her, it wasn't his kind of ideal woman.

-Did you know anyone interesting?- he asks her, hoping the answer was a no, and feeling like shit for having hoped for something so selfish.

-You are not the first that ask me this, tonight. And the answer, even if it doesn't concern you, is yes.- she sees him clench his hands into fists. -The number 5 was very nice, kind and smart. He told me he would like to see me again and... I think I will accept his invitation.- he doesn't know if she said it to shake him, to make him jealous or because she really thinks it. But she doesn't have much time to think about it, because he takes her by the wrist and pushes her against his body, while with the other hand he holds her by the neck and... kisses her. Not a chaste kiss, sweet, tender, but ravenous, greedy. After a few seconds, in fact, their tongues start to struggle. While remaining displaced, she kisses him back, because it is all too overwhelming and even seems unreal.

-Why the hell did you do it?- she asks, thinking of playing angry, indignant, upset, but it just seems... deeply scared. He hasn't moved away his right hand from her neck and continues to keep her close. This alone would be enough to confuse her definitively.

-Because it was easier than trying to convince you with thousand words.- he simply answers, moving just a thumb up and down, between the skin and the hairline.

It is clear that Penelope is struggling to find a possible alternative, but it is not there. -To convince me of? - the voice still trembles, and she hates it. Even the legs are not put better, and if he would let her go, she would probably end up on her knees or with her ass on the ground. The head, then, doesn't stop turning.

-I don't believe you didn't understand it.- the other hand ends up on her neck and then climbs onto the cheek, where he lays a caress. -I'm in love with you, that's why I came here, not to spend another evening alone on the couch thinking of you.- he confesses, with a sweet tone that makes her vibrate inside. Maybe it's those blessed stomach butterflies that she's never tried before. -Phil understood it, he saw you only once and understood it.- he continue to explain them. -He asked if there was anything between us, and since I'm stupid, I said no, but he understood and sent me here hoping to have free field with you.- wait a minute, this means that she Phil also likes, she deduces. -Why did you come here?- she doesn't feel as brave as he is, but she takes a few breaths, inhaling the icy air, which enters directly into her lungs.

-For the same reason.- she shrugs. -I wanted to distract myself a little and understand... Understand how messed up I was.- she adds, and there's no need for explanations. This seems to be enough for him, in terms of words. He bends his head and this time she opens her eyes and gets up on the tips to make it easier. The second kiss is much deeper, intense than the first. She then leans on his chest as he surrounds her with his arms.

-Does that mean you will not call the number 5?- he provokes her one last time as they walk, swinging toward his car.

TAGS: @theshamelessmanatee  @arses21434 @kathy5654 @martinab26 @reidskitty13 @jenf42 @gracieeelizabeth27 @silviajajaja @smalliemichelle99 @charchampagne14 @thinitta   @myhollyhanna23 @garvezz @mercedes-maldonado  @shyladystudentfan @cosmicmelaninflower

[selkie-elf]

Ring

Read the whole fic in AO3

This is the third chapter in my Taaktiz selkie fic “Song Of The Sea”. Find the warnings in AO3

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I understand. You already know who I am, I introduced myself yesterday, didn’t I ?” Kravitz asked, letting his fur fall all the way down. Before he could even notice Taako’s raising blush, he quickly settled the head of the seal on his lap. It might have been a while, but he remembered well how land creatures reacted to nudity.

“Yeah yeah I know your name and you know mine, but like… what are you? Are you like fairy folk or something. Why… why did you came here? Are you here to drown me?” Taako gulped down the lump in his throat and faced Kravitz again. He wasn’t even sure what he was feeling. Fear? Comfort? This was just too absurd. Kravitz giggled a bit, seemingly amused by Taako’s blushed face.

“ If I wanted you to drown, I had a perfect chance yesterday. Your mother never told you about selkies?” Kravitz asked, settling his hands on to his lap. Taako’s ear flinched at the word, but his expression didn’t change. “Not really. Me and momma didn’t really get along to be honest” Taako sighed. Kravitz noticed how the elves tail started to draw slow circles around. “But it seems you are familiar with the story?” “ My brother-in-law told me a bit. Beautiful people who can turn into seals,right?” Taako said and threw a fishbone to the waters below. Kravitz almost jumped after it, before realizing that he would only make himself look like a fool.

“Yeah. That’s like the basics” Kravitz said, nudging himself a bit closer to Taako, when he noticed that the elf had taken another fish from the basket and started to gut it.

“ So, what does mister “in reality I’m a greedy seal who likes to hang around near dangerous fishing nets” does on my deck? Are here just to beg for free fish?” Taako raised an eyebrow and threw a fish to Kravitz. Even in his human form the selkie still catched the fish with his mouth. Taako let out a small laugh when the man grabbed the fish like puppy would grab a ball his owner had just thrown at him. He took a gently bite of the raw fish. It seemed that even in his human form, his teeth were still the same sharp teeths of his other form.

“ I should ask that question from you. Like I’m pretty sure that you didn’t just call me to offer me free fish, though I’m not complaining” Kravitz smiled and took another bite. Taako could hear the sickening crunch of small bones as Kravitz continued with his meal. “And what do you mean by that? I think you can drop the “oh I’m a magical creature, wow at my presence”-act. I’d just like some answers” Taako groaned, feeling the blood drip down his hands. “ You cried seven tears in to sea. You called me and… it’s my duty to answer a call” there was a sense of hesitation in Kravitz’s voice. “And then you almost drowned and of course I had to help you but I know that wasn’t the only thing I need to do” “ So, you are here to help? With what?” Taako asked. Kravitz’s shoulders tensed up a bit. “ Well. I don’t know…” “ That’s okay. I don’t mind you hanging out near our deck, but please be careful. Sazed has nets all around, it would be a shame to find you one one day, all tangled up and drowned” Taako said calmly, concentrating on the fish.

Kravitz felt lost. Taako just sat quietly splashing his toes in the water, not even looking at him. An awkward silence rain over the two men as they just stared at the black water below them.

“So you have a husband?” Kravitz broke the silence. “Yeah. For a while now” Taako answered. “Was he the one that came look for you last night?” “Yeah. That’s Sazed”

“ Are you happy?”

Taako’s hands stopped. Kravitz gathered his fur around his hands, ready to jump to the sea. The knife in Taako’s hand looked sharp, making the scar on his back ache with a bad memory.

“I think. I’m not sure. I… we at least were happy” Taako dropped the knife by his side. The wedding ring on his finger was stained. He had not bothered to take it off for so long. Taako knew that if he took it off, he would see the beautiful carving of their wedding day and Sazed’s name inside the ring.

***

Their wedding had been nice and small. Not that many people had even been invited. Magnus with his wife, Barry, and even a rare sight, a Taako’s relative, Aunt Orchid with her two children had arrived to the wedding. The children had trouble staying in their seats while aunt Orchid had just watched the ceremony, not once putting out her pipe. In the end, most of the seats had been taken by Sazed’s friends. But Taako hadn’t mind it. It was still positive attention. And that surely was what he had needed. Sazed’s friends had cheered and clapped as the newlyweds had read the vows to each other in front of the priest. Sazed had looked handsome in his black suit, and for once in his life he had combed his hair. Taako had felt beautiful in his white dress, with a crown made of lupines on his hair. A much wanted change for the black skirt he had worn for the last couple of months.

“I do”, Taako had said. And he had not lied. That moment, Taako had truly believed that he would love Sazed forever. And when Sazed had leaned closer to kiss him, Taako had truly felt loved. They had made a promise to each other to stand by their side. Taako loved him. Taako loved him so much. He had already helped him through so much, and when Sazed had dropped to the his knee and promised to buy him a house on top of the hill, he had no other option than to say yes. He didn’t want to say anything else than “Yes”

Magnus had cried through the ceremony, sobbing uncontrollably with Julia patting him on the back. Taako was happy to see a small smile on Barry’s face when he had wiped away the corner of his eyes as he silently clapped. The children had been more interested in the table full of goodies that was waiting for the wedding guests.

Food had been, of course, Taako’s own cooking, and amazing as ever. Magnus and Julia had asked if Taako would be willing to do catering to their wedding as well and Taako had happily accepted offer.

Aunt Orchid had proceeded to complain about their choice of priest. A dirty, hippie looking fella with mud under his fingernails in her opinion was not a fitting choice for such a ceremony. Even when Taako had tried to explain that mister Highchurch was their friend and he much rather had his marriage blessed by a friend than a stranger Orchid had just turned her nose up and muttered something how she was not surprised that others of their family had not shown up. Taako really had wanted to shout something mean about hoping that none of them had shown up, but Sazed had asked him to dance.

While they had danced their wedding waltz, Barry had disappeared somewhere. Taako didn’t even realize it at first. His head was already spinning so much from the dancing and the alcohol, that one guest missing had hardly even passed his thoughts. Only when the others had joined the dance floor, giving Taako a good moment to rest his feet for a moment, had he noticed his brother in law missing. Magnus was too busy being spun in the air by Julia and Merle was in middle of a conversation with Orchid, which neither of them really seemed to enjoy. Taako looked around for awhile, before seeing the similar silhouette sitting in the shore.

“What the fuck are you doing now Barold?” Taako whispered to himself before starting to walk towards him. Taako knew that Barry wasn’t the biggest fan of big social gatherings, maybe he had just needed a breather? A small voice in Taako’s head however suggested a much worse scenario.

“How’s it going? Wanna go dancing?” Taako smiled. He would have sat next to Barry but he had not wanted his beautiful dress to get dirty.

“Oh Taako. Sorry. I just needed some time. I’ll be back soon”, Barry muttered. Taako sighed and patted Barry on the back.

“If you want to go to take a nap, there is a bed in the guestroom. You’ve drank quite a lot Barold” he said. Barry’s shoulders quietly trembled under his hands and his hand was holding his necklace close to his heart.

“ Do… do you think if I had proposed she would have said yes?” Barry whimpered, staring at his feet, avoiding Taako as much as he could.

“I’m sure she would have carried you down the aisle immediately”, Taako answered. He tried to keep his voice nice and even. This was his day. Last two ceremonies that he had attended had been in honor of his sister. They had been ceremonies to cry about her. This was supposed to be his day. His day to be happy.

“ She would have looked beautiful”, Barry sighed. Taako nodded. Yeah sure they had had plans. A double wedding. Both Taako and her throwing their bouquets at the same time. They would have celebrated and been so loud that their happiness could be heard all the way from mainland. They would have so happy.

So what? Plans had changed. Taako still wanted to be happy.

“Okay Barry. You know what? Sit here as long as you want. Come back when you are not making me sad anymore” Taako said dismissively and started to walk away, tears prickling in the corners of his eyes.

“Taako, I didn’t mean…”

“Well then what the hell was your objective!? I’ve spent last half a year wallowing in my sorrow. Yes she is fucking gone and you were to much of a coward to ask her to marry you. That’s not my fault! Fucking let me be happy!” Taako’s hand fisted on his wedding dress as he tried to calm his breath.

“ Do you really think Lup would had wanted us to cry about her death on my wedding day? This is my fucking day. Don’t ruin it for me!”

***

“Taako?”

Taako flinched under the sudden touch. His fingers were still wrapped around the wedding ring, tear flowing slowly from his eyes.

“Oh my gods, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to. I- I shouldn’t have asked! It’s just that usually when people call for selkies, they... “ Kravitz started to ramble, clumsily wiping Taako’s face with the back of his hand. Taako’s hands grabbed the selkie’s wrist gently. A small smile crept on to Taako’s face as he placed one Kravitz’s hands on his own cheek.

“It’s okay. It’s just..it’s been awhile since I have thought about that day” Taako sniffed. “I’m sorry Taako, I didn’t want you to feel bad” Kravitz whispered, leaning just an inch closer. “ It’s okay. But going back to your original question...I’m not sure. I can tell you the day I fell in love with him. I could tell you how much I did love him. It’s much more harder to pinpoint the day that I...didn’t anymore.” Now Taako found Kravitz’s hands gently combing his hair. It was something that Sazed had done a lot after Lup’s death. A familiar feeling of comfort and safeness.

“Taako?” Kravitz asked carefully, when the elves breaths had started to become steadier again. The elves grip on his wrist had started to ease, before he finally dropped his hands by his sides. “ Taako. I want you to know that… I’m here to help. I don’t know how to, yet...but I’ll be here” Kravitz’s voice was calm and gentle. Sincere. Taako wanted to believe him. “Okay” Taako sniffed, leaning his head to Kravitz’s bare chest. He could hear Kravitz’s pulse starting to raise, as the selkie’s hands wrapped around his back. “I’ll have to go soon. Is it okay if I visit in the evening?” Kravitz asked, drawing slow circles on Taako’s back. “No, Sazed will be home. He is leaving tomorrow morning. He wants us to spent the evening together” Taako muttered. Kravitz nodded lifting Taako’s chin up with his thumb and index finger. “ Would the night be okay then?” he asked. Taako smiled, bit unsure “ I think that I can make up a lie to excuse myself for a nightly walk. I’ll bring the storm lantern. If Sazed wants to come with me, I won’t bring the lantern ” Taako explained, nudging himself from Kravitz’s embrace. “I’ll keep that in mind” Kravitz said, gathering his fur around his body again. “But you’ll come back, promise? I still want to know more about mister sharp teeth” Taako asked, reaching for the knife again. He knew that any minute, Sazed could come back home, and he still had a lot to do. Kravitz nodded, almost bowing his head to Taako. “I promise”

Kravitz pulled the hood of his fur over his head. Taako watched in awe as the seals eyes, that had been empty just a second ago, were now filled with the golden glimmer. And in a loud splash, he was gone.

[blankdblank]

Scotland Pt 18

Fluffy, bit emotional at one part, implied smut at the end.

Pt 1 - Pt 2 - Pt 3 - Pt 4 - Pt 5 - Pt 6 – Pt 7 - Pt 8 - Pt 9 - Pt 10 - Pt 11 - Pt 12 - Pt 13 - Pt 14 - Pt 15 - Pt 16 - Pt 17 -

Tags - 

@himoverflowers​, @theincaprincess​, @aspiringtranslator​, @sweeticedtea​, @ggbbhehe4455​, @thegreyberet​, @patanghill17​, @jesgisborne​, @curvestrology​, @abiwim​, @deepestfirefun​, @evyiione, @alishlieb

...

A relaxing sigh left Richard under you as you settled halfway across his chest while he switched on the tv before you. With a firm smile in place his arm settled around your back while his free hand smoothed circles across your hand and arm that not so subtly undid each of the buttons down to his belt. Biting his lips he tried his best to hold in his chuckle the lower you got, with eyes locked on the film playing his body relaxed as your fingers smoothed over his now bare chest after your head settled on his shoulder again. 

Halfway through the film your eyes glanced at Richard’s phone that he drew from his pocket at the constant dinging, the top of the long row of missed messages all under Lee’s name causing him to simply turn the display off again and set it on the floor beside him.

“Lee’s bothering you?”

Returning to his stroking of your arm he replied, “I wouldn’t say bothering. Just trying to get all the details.”

With another reach out to his side Richard brought your purse from the table closer to you when your phone rang, his eyes shifted to your face as your eyes widened and you muttered, “She didn’t…” Within a moment you answered the call with a cheerful tone while you sat up, “Grandpa.”

An easy smile smoothed onto Richard’s face as his hands came to rest on your legs you curled across his lap while you replied after releasing your lip from between your teeth, “Yes. No. It wasn’t exactly-. I will let him know. We will see you there. I love you too.” Lowering your phone you met Richard’s gaze, “The Duke approves of your ring and you have his blessing to propose.”

His head nodded, “Well that’s a good thing, how’d he know about it so fast?”

Your eyes lowered to Colin’s number popping up in a text next as you replied, “I gave them a list of relatives I would be inviting, including Colin.”

Richard chuckled softly, “He alright with attending?”

You nodded, “He won’t try to stop it if that’s what you mean.”

He chuckled again, “I have no doubts of that happening, Love. I trust you, if you want him there he’s welcome. Not a terrible guy, at least to me.”

You giggled softly and answered Colin’s call, “Hey Col.”

“You’re getting married, so soon? I know Lee-, but a week after?”

“You haven’t seen the news have you?”

“No, storm flurry, cables been out. What did I miss?” After your quick explanation you stole another smiling glance at Richard at his next loving stroke along your legs, “Ah, that explains it. You’re happy with the decision?”

“Yes, incredibly.”

Wetting his lips again he nodded and replied, “Well the Duke called me, mentioned you wanted Steve, Daryl and Merle there?”

“Yup.”

He nodded again as his smile grew, “Alright, well I’ll call them next, and I’ll pass on it’s not to be spread before I drop by your Pop’s.”

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem Lady bug, congratulations, I mean it. Anything in particular you’ll be needing?”

“Steve has the list, yellow lace dress, he knows the one, clan shawl, Pop’ll have the ring for Rich.”

“And?”

“I think that’s it.”

“Upon my death bed, you will not ever marry a man in pants Lady Bug!”

With a soft giggle you asked Richard, “Are you alright with wearing a kilt?”

He nodded, “Of course Love.” Sending you a dazzlingly adoring gaze you could swear made those blue eyes of his sparkle through his deepening smile.

Easing the phone back to your ear you replied, “Alright, add a kilt to the list.”

Colin nodded again, “Good. I’ll pass it on, you two enjoy your next few days. I can’t wait to see it, thank you for adding me to the list, and no worries on the girls, they’re out under Mum’s watch.”

“Good to know, thank you Col. Bye.” Hanging up the phone you sighed and shifted making Richard’s smile grow as he moved his arms to curl around you again and glance at the twitter alerts you had. Most of which being wedding ideas for the pair of you and suggested locations from both your actor friends and fans that had tagged your page. “Wow, everyone is in wedding frenzy.” With another tap of your finger you skimmed through your private messages and read through each of the pleased messages of the disbelieving cast members all stating they were already choosing their gifts for you along with their outfits.

Richard chuckled again as he glanced at his phone, “Looks like we may have more than the Queen crashing our wedding, Love.” He tilted his phone so you could see the confirming messages from Aiden, Dean, Graham, Martin and Luke already sending word they were crashing the Bloom Festival family outing to get to the bottom of the whole situation.

“Oh, blast it all.”

Richard chuckled again as you quickly fired a message off to Harry about the new additions that would possibly crash the ceremony. With a cheerful response he reported he would relay the message to Her Majesty as Richard said, “Bet that will go over well.”

Setting your phone flat on the floor  before you, your fingers started another trail across his skin deepening his smile as he decided to skim through Lee’s messages and curtly respond to his inquiries that should an engagement occur it was customary for it to be publicly announced. But not until after he made sure to state that he certainly was in no position to stand in your way for happiness after how badly he’d treated you, especially with his stringing you along into believing he’d wanted something serious when he was just going to run off so easily with someone else right after.

Quietly you read their back and forth until a single message popped up from Lee, “We said we would be on a break! You’re supposed to have meaningless sex filled romances, not get engaged!”

Before you could stop it a tear rolled across your nose and dropped onto his chest with a downward glance he set his phone on the ground by yours and turned towards the back of the couch curling you tightly in his grip as you mumbled, “I’m alright.”

Smoothing his hand through your hair again he rumbled back sweetly, “He’s obviously a jealous ass. When you truly love someone you don’t go running around for a meaningless fling after.” Pressing a kiss to your forehead before your head tilted back as he stroked your cheek with his thumb, “I love you, I barely made it through two dreadfully dull dates with women I knew wouldn’t want anything past a night being photographed with me. Women that I knew were no threat to you at all.”

In a disheartened tone you replied, “And here I jumped for a full on boyfriend-.”

With a creeping smile he replied, “I don’t count us as on a break. I realized I was in love with you when we ended. But to me, we didn’t start until I got to know you. We didn’t have a full relationship yet, you wanted what I didn’t give you. Lines blurred a bit towards the end, at least for me. So yes, we were on a break of sorts, but you in no way did you hurt me by dating him. I wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn’t with me. What hurt me was seeing and knowing you were in pain.”

“I suppose then he’s gone after what we didn’t have then. Something purely physical and casual.”

With another gentle stroke across your cheek he purred, “You, my Love, will never be something casual or purely physical to me.”

Through your creeping smile your arms slid around the back of his neck as you scooted up, brushing your nose against his, “I know.” His smile deepened as his arms curled around your back pulling you closer to him, “Though I will warn you there will be times when we could very likely spend the full day in bed.”

He lowly chuckled, “I look forward to those times.” brushing his nose against yours before you closed the distance pressing your lips to his for a deepening kiss that broke when you rolled him onto his back and said, “I think I’m gonna make some tea.”

He chuckled and turned his head to watch your path to the kitchen allowing him to quickly message back to Lee, “You had two choices, work or Jaqi. More than once you chose wrong. Accept it. She’s happy. Let it go.” Shutting off the screen again before leaving it next to yours again then he wet his lips and joined you in the kitchen. Smirking as he guided you through the whole process of adding the right amount of tea before showing you how much of each side to add to the warm brew. Ending his lesson he stole another kiss and lovingly guided you back to the couch again for more snuggling against his chest while he held you tightly after you’d finished your tea.

Tilting your head up again you asked, “You don’t mind your shirt like this?”

Chuckling lowly he replied playfully, “I’ll have you know the future Mrs Armitage dressed me this way.”

Giggling softly your smile grew, deepening his, “Really now, you just wear your clothes however she asks?” He nodded, “What if it involves only wearing your right sock and left pant leg?”

Through another chuckle he pulled you a bit higher onto his chest to tap his lips to the tip of your nose before purring, “Is that how you want me dressed right now?”

Giggling again you replied, “You are not giving me that much power over you.”

Pecking your nose again he replied, “My Love, we’re going to be married soon. If you wanted me in nothing but socks all day I would oblige.”

Your joint chuckles muffled through his stolen loving kiss. “I would never do that. It gets far too cold in Scotland to leave you in naught but your socks.” His smile grew again, “Wear what you like, just don’t be surprised if I randomly take a layer or two.”

His lips met yours again, “Deal.” After another stolen kiss his forehead gently met yours after his teasing his nose against yours through your next giggle, “Did you want a nap. We’ve got a bit of time.” With a nod he reached up grabbing the blanket on the back of the couch as you settled across his chest through his covering you and purring, “Get some sleep. I’ll hold you tight till dinner, Love.” In another glance up you stole one last kiss before snuggling against him and closing your eyes for a short nap while he clutched you and wrangled the Hobbit cast into line, getting a clear list of who all was coming to pass it on to you later while he realized Lee still hadn’t sent anything back after his last message yet.

.

Warm lips landed on the crown of your forehead, waking you from your nap as the low voice from the man currently being used as your pillow purred, “Love?”

Your head tilted up locking your eyes with his allowing you to catch his adoring smile, “Time to leave?”

He nodded, “Feel better?”

You nodded, “I had an incredible pillow.”

As he chuckled deeply you smirked and rose, feeling the blanket slide off your back before you set it aside, standing beside the couch and stretched, feeling Richard’s hands sliding over your sides helping to smooth out the folds your dress had formed into. With his hands still fixed on your hips he rose, stealing a gentle kiss along the way then pocketed his phone and moved to grab his wallet and keys from the table, easing his hand through his hair as he did. Wetting your lips you added your phone to your purse again and followed him to the door while he buttoned his shirt again, adding your heels as he pulled on his favorite boots.

For the short ride over his hand stayed fixed in yours as he shared more about his Father at your asking to sooth your nerves, only drawing him to repeat, “He will love you, and they’ll be thrilled.”

Locking your eyes with his at the next light you asked, “You’re certain?”

He nodded, “I am, Love.” With a sigh you settled your head on his arm for the rest of the ride. Through the quiet ride you watched the roads, buildings and houses shift around you until a small cottage came into view stirring a smile onto your face making him chuckle when he noticed it, “Like it?”

“It’s seems perfect for your Mum. Just what I pictured her in.”

He chuckled again, “Well that’s good, Chris and I worked hard to get them settled into it for their retirement.”

His smile deepened again as your smile grew at your eyes locking, “You are amazing. I hope out of our twelve, Trevors at least one of them is like you two towards us.”

Leaning in he stole a quick kiss, “All twelve will be scrapping to see who gets to.”

You giggled again and climbed out, joining him at the front of the car where his arm looped around your back as your fingers skimmed through your curls, pulling it over your shoulder while you settled against his side. By the time you reached the door the thick wooden barrier opened revealing an older version of the man curled around your bag with a big grin as he offered you his hand. “John, been anxious to meet you. Rich won’t stop talking about you,” His grin widened as he leaned in to add, “Something my Wife seems to have picked up since your meeting.”

His grin deepened as you softly giggled and released his hand after his gentle shake, “Rich has been telling me all about you. Feel like I know you already.”

With a nod of his head he ushered you both in as he snuck an agreeing hand signal to his Son who did his best to hold back his own deep grin and the chuckle that followed. Scanning over the halls and rooms you passed you smiled at the quaint decorations between scattered pictures, awards and items snagged from a few of Richard’s movies along with other prizes from Chris and Trevor as they grew. Your eyes turned forward and landed on the smiling face of the woman that popped out of the doorway to the kitchen saying, “Cake is out of the oven and cooling, with supper already on the table. Her eyes scanned over you with her smile creeping wider before she chuckled and said, “I’m going to pour the tea.”

A firm grip on your side led you towards the table where you claimed the seat between the two men and barely had the time to bite your lip as John stated, “It’s been a bit quite since the other Dwarves moved out, but at least we got the deer to stop trying to wash our dishes.”

With a hand over his eyes Richard’s shoulders shook at his low chuckle as you replied through a quick giggle, “Must have been difficult, they do enjoy a tidy home. At least it isn’t elks or the door would be scraped up by the wide antlers.”

A chuckle came from John as he nodded and accepted the mug of tea Margaret passed him before handing you both yours as he replied, “Don’t even want to imagine how they’d handle the china hutch.” Raising his mug for a sip as Margaret claimed her own seat and laid her napkin over her lap signaling you to do the same causing Richard’s hand to move from your lap to the table at your side to grab his.

Her smile grew as she asked, “So, Jaqi, Dear, I couldn’t help but notice you’re still wearing Trevor’s gift.” Sending a hopeful gleam through her eyes as she looked between you two as you lowered your mug from your sip and Richard raised his to hide his creeping grin.

You nodded, “Yes. Well, um.” Your eyes scanned over to Richard who lowered his mug as he swallowed and met your gaze through his blush coated ears slowly spreading to his cheeks. Meeting her eyes again you saw her smile spread expectingly as you stated, “Um.”

Richard’s hand lowered to rest on your lap as he stated, “We had some plans of our own for the trip to the Bloom Festival this year.”

Her brow rose as her expression shifted at possible news far from what she wanted to hear, “Oh?”

Richard nodded, “Yes. Well, Jaqi got a call this morning, or text rather, and we had a guest for breakfast.”

John, “One of the cast members?” Raising his mug or another sip as Margaret raised her fork for a bite from her plate.

Richard tried his best to hold his straight expression as he replied promptly, “Prince Harry.” A cough came from John in lowering his mug from his sip as the fork in Margaret’s hand clattered to her plate. Through a sharp inhale from Richard they both glanced at each other then back over you two. “Turns out Jaqi is on the list of Royals requiring permission to become engaged.” He wet his lips, “Her Majesty saw the video of Trevor proposing and loved it apparently, thought it was adorable.”

Margaret, “And, the Prince came to breakfast to tell you that?”

“No, he actually came to drive me back, I was asked to tea with Her Majesty.”

Margaret lowly parroted, “Tea-.”

You nodded, “Apparently they’d already checked up on Richard, and she expected me to be wearing his ring not Trevor’s.” The pair nodded again, “So she’d already started the planning for the typical wedding.”

Richard, “But in Scotland of course.”

John nodded and softly replied still slightly stunned, “Of course.”

“But, with our tastes we both would prefer something smaller. So naturally our trip came up when I mentioned we could use it for ideas.” Your eyes shifted quickly to then back again from their hands clasping on top of the table, “And one thing led to another, an aid sent for the information for the festival and she loved it.”

Unable to hold back his grin or the words any more Richard put them out of their misery, “They had drafted the prenup already, along with the license-.”

Margaret, “License?”

Richard nodded, “All that’s left is the actual service through the festival.”

Her free hand rested over her lips with a tearful gaze over you both as John smiled and gave a cheerful chuckle looking you both over as he said, “Congratulations, and I must say, about time.”

You giggled softly before watching Margaret rise and move around the table to hug you both as John rose giving him a firm hug of his own and a gentler one for you welcoming you to the family before Richard stopped his Mother on her path for her phone, “There were a few rules though, Mum.” As she turned her smile flickered before he added, “Firstly, this is going to be a private service, just us, Jaqi’s family, a few of our friends who seemed determined to crash the festival anyway,”

Margaret, “Well I won’t be putting it online-.”

Richard, “Along with the Royal family.” Their expressions dropped in shock.

“Her Majesty loves weddings.”

Richard, “This is our service, but the festival is going to be seen, publicly, as our official engagement announcement for the full service in the Spring, meaning the service is private, between us not to be shared publicly.”

Margaret, “So, we can’t say anything?”

Richard exhaled moving closer and setting his hands lovingly on her shoulders, “Between us, yes, publicly no. To the world we’ll be simply engaged, giving us plenty of time to have a good start to our life together by the time we get to the official service.”

John, “Official service, is that the one with the parade and all that?”

Richard nodded, “Yes.”

“Which hopefully, at least for my own comfort, it’ll get stumbled upon by then and it’ll save everyone a whole bunch of time and money.”

John shot you a playful glance, “Big wedding not for you?”

You shook your head, “Big party perhaps, but not the full circus around the service.”

After another stolen hug Margaret ushered you back to your seats and claimed her own before asking, “What are the other rules?”

John, “And I’m curious to know what the prenup was about.”

Richard, “Mainly the prenup was about our property being our own, along with our money. Mostly protecting her trusts especially. No alimony unless we reach five years, I don’t get a title until she inherits her Grandfather’s, and even then I won’t be referred to as Duke, I’ll be called Lord Pear.”

Margaret, “After you?”

You nodded, “Yes, since I’m the one of noble birth he would be ranked lower than me since he’s male to begin with.”

Richard chuckled, “Not really interested in the title anyway. Only other main detail was she’s not allowed to take my name.” You shrugged at their next glance at you, “Old tradition. Even Her Majesty had to follow it. Though as far as children go they can have hyphenated names, nothing past that really other than the silent enjoyment of our secret union.”

Margaret, “And there’s no other rules?”

You shook your head, “None so far. But nearer to the official service there will be.”

Their questions continued as you delved farther into how the service would go until you caught John adjusting his ring on his ring finger causing you to say, “My Pop and his Son both wore their wedding rings through the full engagement.”

John’s smile eased back as he caught his Son’s eye as he stated, “So I won’t be carrying on without my ring. We’ll both have them, found a way to slip it in so I could, and it will give us at least some privacy until the big day so it won’t just be a ring out of nowhere if I forgot to take it off when I left home.”

With growing smiles they both happily delved into their own hopes for the day, along with asking proper behavior and clothes to wear for the trip followed by your moving to the couches where they settled around you both, happily showing you the footage of their own service along with their photo album. Which stirred Richard’s groans as you giggled and awed at his life in those thick books.

.

Parked back in his own driveway as you climbed out Richard rolled his eyes at your next giggle before firing back, “I was a string bean!”

Through your playful glare you reached his side and gripped his shirt loosely stirring a grin from him in return as you replied, “Hey, I would have dated the hell out of you back then.”

Chuckling lowly he replied, “Oh really?”

Inches from your lips as he leaned in to kiss you you continued, “You would have been my string bean.” Giggling against his lips that crashed into yours for a deepening kiss through his own brief muffled chuckle.

Pulling back he stroked his nose against yours while his hands drifted from your back and slowly lower as you nipped at your lower lip, “Call Colin, tell him to bring your scrapbooks.” You pulled away towards the door rolling your eyes through a grumble causing him to chuckle again, following you to the door where he circled his arms around your middle and pressed a firm kiss to your jaw before purring, “You saw my pictures, now I want to see yours.” In a low rumble between warm kisses left along your neck through his leading you inside he continued, “Every single awkward and adorable captured memory of yours.”

“Hmm, I may need some convincing. I believe there was some cake and cuddling offered earlier.”

Biting his lip as you turned around he chuckled and nodded, following you through the hall as he playfully rumbled, “Cake is that way.”

Your smirk grew as you turned to face him continuing your steps backwards into his bedroom, “I never specified which order would be the most convincing.”

His gaze shifted lower to your hands slowly freeing the ribbon tied behind your back loosening your dress stirring a smirk on him in return. Stepping closer his hands eased around yours in your attempt to remove your dress, pressing his lips to both of your palms then released them and leaned in purring, “I think you’ll find,” firmly his lips landed on yours as he guided you back to the bed easing his fingertips slowly up your thighs. Guiding you to lay back across the bed where he broke the kiss leaving a warm trail from his lips along your jaw while his fingers inched your skirt higher causing you to bite your lip as he purred against your neck, “I can be very convincing.” Slowly trailing his fingertips around your thighs then dipping between them as he chuckled at your soft gasp.

Pt 19