#part 2 of aspirin ;)

[scudslut]

Sins and Honey Flavored Sweetness

daryl x fem!reader

wordcount: 4.7k

warnings: 18+, MDNI, smut under the cut, perv!daryl (not really, he just has a lil crush), male masturbation, unprotected p-in-v, oral f!receiving, mutual pining

a/n: i have never written something so descriptive ohmygod. do be warned lol, hugs and kisses byeee <33

Daryl knew there were unspoken boundaries when it came to you.

A thin line of loose salt, that whispered to him. Beckoned him huskily to dust his fingers through and have a taste, but daunting enough for him to keep his soles rooted in the dirt, salivating from a distance.

It wasn’t because you were already spoken for in any way; if anything, you kept your romantic interests simmering farther on the back burner than he did, which spoke volumes in itself. Or because you were younger than him, a couple of years wasn’t anything to turn a nose up over, especially nowadays.

It was, however, the place you held amongst your people. You were like bright, shiny gold within the group, dared not to be corrupted or led astray. The heart that kept everyone’s beating, even in the darkest of times, soothing hope into the atmosphere with your infectious smile.

Oh, and you were Rick's younger sister... which he hated to admit, only tempted him more. And he wasn’t quite sure as to why.

He’d mulled it over too many times to count, noting everything about you that allured him so intensely.

He liked the contrast between you two; like sun rays peeking through the clouds after a mid-summer storm. You were soft, fresh as clean linen and he was dark, brooding. He often fantasized about taking that sweet innocent nature of yours and painting it with his essence. He knew it was wrong and constantly shamed himself for having such perverted thoughts about his best friend's sister. But, god, how could he not?

Not when you pranced around him daily, teasing him with your velvety, feminine voice and kind touches. Touches that sent brisk shivers down his spine, sure to leave him breathless and bothered — another thing he secretly liked. You were addictive in that sense, he’d distance himself the minute he felt the familiar rush coursing through his veins and then crave it immediately once it was gone. A drug he couldn’t help but relapse from.

And it didn’t help that you were always so keen to assist him, doting on his every injury or problem with such gentle attentiveness and sincerity. That might be what he liked the most. It was fascinating how pure you remained in a world so plagued, always ready to nurture. It soothed a deep, restless, and scarred part of him, finding solace in it.

He'd come to learn you were like that with everyone though. So, he found himself grappling with things to deter your attention his way, playing dumb and clumsy just to have your sweet scent fill the nearby air. He felt like a horny teenager with a hopeless crush. It was absolutely ridiculous and yet, here he was once again, feet dangling off your kitchen counter as you searched the cabinets for some aspirin to aid in his 'headache'. 

It wasn't a complete lie per se - his sensitivity to light gave him troubles quite often but, whether it was enough to complain about or not, could be debated.

Nonetheless, he sat for you patiently, listening to your quiet humming as you searched about. He loved when you did that, singing your soft melodies under your breath mindlessly. It was such a girly thing to do, but it was comforting in a way, an airy blanket warming the silence.

"Ah, here it is!" drew him out of his thoughts, and he cast a glance at your bright smile of accomplishment. You popped the cap open swiftly, shaking out 2 little white pills, and handed them over with a glass of water.

“Let me know if you need any more. They should kick in soon, but I know how tough migraines can be,” you soothed, your sympathy never faltering. He bowed his head quickly, not wanting you to see the flash of guilt that surely crossed it. "Thanks," he mumbled as he tossed his head back, swallowing them both with a shivered grimace.

Wiping the water droplets from his chapped lips, his eyes found yours again and noticed a small smirk hidden in your features. “What?”  

You let out a chuckle, reaching for the glass he held to wash, “Oh nothin’... just don’t think I’ve seen you cringe like that before, is all.” 

His brows furrowed at your statement, “So?” he questioned further.

“Walkers, blood, rotting flesh… never. But an itty bitty pill?” Your laugh grew louder, finding the situation even more amusing as you explained it to him. “Whatever,” he scoffed, hopping off the counter with a smirk. He knew you would be expecting him to leave after that, you had helped him with his ‘issue of the day’ and there was no reason to linger any further. But he did.

Daryl scanned your frame as you washed the few dishes that were in the sink, chewing on his thumb habitually. You wore a white, long-sleeve shirt with a faded band logo printed on the front and some beaten-up blue jeans that seemed to cup your ass perfectly.

His mind wandered before he could stop it, imagining how soft and warm your skin must be underneath all those clothes. How soft and warm your hands would be wrapped around him, or better yet, your pretty lips taking him deep with a moan. He felt his own jeans tighten slightly and quickly diverted his gaze to the floor, clearing his throat as if it would erase those thoughts from his brain.

“Something else you need, Daryl?” You glanced over your shoulder, wrists deep in soapy water. 

“Nah, uh, thanks. I’ll see ya later,” he said and beelined for the door praying to god you didn’t see his flushed face and half-hard cock poking through his pants. He was so fucked. Couldn’t even look at you anymore without sprouting boners and picturing you on them, milking him greedily. 

He rushed down the porch and across the lawn, bursting into his shared house with Carol just next door. He didn’t even glance toward the kitchen to see if his friend was home, desperate for a cold shower to level him out. The house was dead quiet anyway, leading him to assume Carol was out for the day.

"Such a fuckin idiot," he cursed himself under his breath as he made his way down the stairs to his room. You probably knew honestly. Could tell how pathetically bothered you got him, and just put on a friendly face to keep from embarrassing him.

He left the bathroom door open in his distress and hastily shed his clothing, stepping into the tepid water. Immediate relief flooded his senses, feeling the cool stream wash away the sweat and grime the day had caked on. Pouring some homemade soap he was given into his hand, he scrubbed at his skin, determined to rid himself of your previous interaction along with the dirty thoughts that plagued his mind. He shouldn’t be thinking about you that way, it just wasn’t in the cards.

For starters, you would have to want him too, (which he knew would never happen), and even if you did, how the ever living fuck would he explain that to Rick?

‘Oh hey Rick, I have a massive hard-on for yer sister, you okay with that?’ Fuck no. Just thinking about that conversation had him cringing in awkwardness and he shut the idea down instantly. 

But there you were still, invading his thoughts with your dreamy laugh and perky attitude. Why did you have to be such a goddamn tease?

He leaned forward, resting his hands on the wall trying to regain some composure. He gulped down deep breaths of moist air, willing his body to calm itself down, but it was fruitless. The image of your body, pushed up against the wall under his hands, wet and flushed, bubbled to the surface. He groaned. Daryl knew what he had to do. It wasn’t the first time he had gotten off thinking about you, and he damn well knew it wasn’t gonna be the last, but it still felt wrong each time, pumping his cock when you were just next door. His body craved the relief though, relief only indulgence could satisfy. 

He hissed as he dragged his fingers along his shaft, gripping at the base and beginning to pump slowly. He was painfully hard at this point, each squeeze raking shivers over his damp skin while he choked out quiet moans. With his opposite hand, he flicked the water to a warmer setting, pitifully hoping the heat and steam would resemble something close to your body against his. God, if only you were here.

He sped up, swiping his thumb over his sensitive tip with each pass, sending jolts throughout his body. “Oh, fuck,” he groaned deep and husky, not a care for the noise filling the empty house.

You were there, clear as day in his mind, moaning along with him as he pounded into you, cunt gripping him like a vice. Your breath was hot and pitchy against his ear as you begged him to fuck you harder, to go faster, to cum deep inside you. His cock twitched at that, he was already so close.

“Fuck, y/n, baby,” he whined, humping erratically into his long-forgotten hand. The muscles in his stomach quivered in bliss as he stroked himself, lost in his detailed imagination. You were cumming, trembling around him in languid spasms with his seed spilling out of you, and Daryl was over the edge, tossing his head back moaning your name as he unloaded, letting the steamy water wash it away. 

It took him a few minutes to recover, catching his breath slowly and trying to avoid the guilt that would soon be settling in. What would you think of him if you knew what he did behind muffled walls? How he thought of you in such dirty ways, when you’d only ever see him as a dear friend. He wondered what you might be doing now. Traipsing around your cozy home, oblivious to his rapid, lustful heart meters away.

The water was beginning to run frigid and he let out a defeated sigh. Absentmindedly, he reached past the curtain for a towel and stepped out, drying his hair off roughly and then wrapping the towel around his waist, turning to the bedroom for fresh clothes and much-needed sleep. His mind ached to be thoughtless, consumed by the abyss of unconsciousness.

He should have known the world stopped playing fair long ago.

In a single moment, his heart stopped and his stomach dropped to the fucking depths of hell.

There you stood, feet frozen to the floor with his crossbow in hand, like he willed you into existence. He stuttered, his mouth opening and closing like a blubbering fish. He was sure his eyes were the size of saucers, he could feel them ready to pop out of his skull and run away. There was no fucking way this was happening.

Several beats passed. The silence deafening between you both and for a moment, he honestly debated stepping back into the shower. Pretend you were a figment of his tortured imagination and just hope you’d go away. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d seen ghosts.

“You uh- you forgot your crossbow when you rushed out today,” you finally broke the silence, solidifying your genuine presence. He glanced down to the bow and then back at you, lost for words. Did you hear him? He moaned your goddamn name, quite a few minutes ago though… had you been standing there long? Were you angry?

His racing thoughts were interrupted when you stepped towards him, leaning the bow against the doorframe and moving closer. Instinctively, he took a step back, “Thanks,” he replied shakily, but you kept moving closer. He noticed your gaze then. It wasn’t on his face, but on his abdomen, at the hem of the damp towel hanging off of him. Your eyes had a gleam to them. Something dark and lustful.

No. Surely, he was reading you wrong. 

“Daryl,” you spoke, and he audibly gulped, nervousness and absolute embarrassment flooding his system, “is there something you need to tell me?” 

He didn’t answer you, instead deciding to burn a hole into the floor with his shame. He couldn’t look at you. You knew. You had heard him and were teasing him about it and here he was, a coward who couldn’t even admit to it. And you had every single right. He crossed that salty line years ago, with his first sinful thought about you. Feasted on it, deluding himself into thinking all was okay as long as his actions didn’t physically involve you.

He barely registered your advances when he finally raised his head. You were so close he could feel the heat of your breath against his burning skin, the luscious scent of vanilla and pine filling the air.

“Can I see?” you asked quietly.

He nearly choked on his own spit. Your hand was skimming along his stomach lightly, suggestively toying with the towel that covered him up. “Huh?” His mind was blank. 

“Can I see you?” you repeated, and all he could do was give you a curt little nod, not entirely sure what he was agreeing to just yet, but rendered acquiesced. Your hand pulled at the fabric softly, letting it drop to the floor revealing his manhood to your hungry eyes. Nothing was making any sense. Surely, you did not feel this way too. Surely.

There were those whispers again. He shouldn't have let you do that. He should be recoiling, shielding himself from your gaze but he was statuesque, like you had drank the life out of him with one simple look.

"Were you thinking about me touching you?" Like you had to even ask. The answer was written in plain sight, right there on his forehead and in his bashful eyes.

"M'sorry, I-" he had no clue how to even begin this kind of apology, remorse coursing through his veins rapidly. The dots weren’t connecting, not yet. "I know it's wrong, I shouldn't have-,”

And then he felt you, pressing your lips against his softly — timidly as gentle hands feathered across his waist, coaxing him into you. Your kiss was buttery, lips so smooth and sweet he wanted to drown in them. You tasted like fresh honey and vanilla ice cream, hints of minty toothpaste caught on your tongue. It was intoxicating to say the least, swarming his brain with a muted buzz and he whimpered, much to his surprise, melting into your touch quicker than he would like to admit.

“Y/n, y/n, nah we can’t,” he heard himself say as he came to his senses slowly, but he wasn’t pushing you away. Why wasn’t he pushing you away? You couldn’t, right?

“Please,” you whispered against him, low and sultry. Who was he to deny you? God Daryl, get a grip.

“Y/n, no,” he repeated, allowing his tone to take some authority even if that was the last thing he truly wanted. You stepped back from him then, a hurt expression painting your features and he felt his heart squeeze. “Why?”

His brain was scattered. This felt like a nightmare; another cruel joke sent his way to haunt him for the rest of his life. There just always had to be a price, didn't there?

"He doesn't mind, you know?" you whispered and his eyes were on yours instantly. You traced soft shapes across his stomach, sending those shivers down his spine and effectively turning him into putty.

"What’re ya talkin' about?" He needed to regain his composure, he could barely breathe with you this close, eyes raking his naked frame with desire.

"Rick... you and me. He doesn't care," you stated, "thinks it's cute actually... my crush on you."

Your crush on him?

"He trusts you, Daryl, with everything. You're pretty much the only person he would want me to be with." He hadn't thought of it that way, only ever assumed voicing his attraction to you would result in his head on a platter, or his dick… or both.

You began peppering his neck with small kisses, trailing them down his chest and over his puffy nipples. He hissed when you nipped at one, licking over it after, soothing the burn. "Ya sure?"

You nodded.

"Ya sure ya want me?" he asked dubiously. His question was answered when you grabbed his hand gently, guiding it inside your cotton underwear, letting his calloused fingers trace your soaked folds. He could have cum then and there, spreading your slick up and down between his fingers like it was liquid gold. Fuck me.

"This all fer me?" he panted, succumbed to a state of disbelief at your evident arousal. You were so wet around his fingers, pulsing and bucking slightly with each feathered stroke. "Were ya listenin' ta me?"

Hair fell over your face as you nodded sheepishly, gazing down to watch his fingers massaging you. You bit your swollen, cherry-red lip, “Couldn’t help it, you sounded so- so good.”

Now that... that got him going. Imagining your pretty cunt dripping in your panties, listening to his gasps while he fucked himself to the thought of you. Who knew the golden girl would be so naughty?

Daryl felt his confidence build, watching you fall apart for him from such simple touches. The last wire holding him back snapped and he needed more. He had waited for this moment for so fucking long.

You whine as he retracts his hand, only to be completely shut up when he places the thick digit on his tongue, sucking greedily and sloppily. It was better than he ever could have imagined, similar to the honey of your lips but so much more sweet. He went back for seconds. And thirds. Until he was dropping to his knees, deciding to lick the goddamn plate clean.

You enveloped him in the best way possible, lifting one of your thighs over his shoulder as he tugged on your tight jeans, pulling them down enough to fit his head. His tongue pressed flat against your clothed pussy, and he sucked, tasting a mixture of your sweetness and residual laundry detergent on his tongue. His moans burned the back of his throat, desperately trying to hide them but you weren’t having it, tugging on his chocolate locks for more. “Don’t do that. I wanna hear you, honey.” Good lord. He silently thanked each lucky star of his that the house was empty before emitting a guttural groan between your thighs. If this was all he got from you, a little taste of the sugar you were made of, he would die a very happy man.

He took your clit between his lips, rolling it with his tongue. Your underwear was so wet with your arousal and his spit that it was practically see-through, just calling for him to pull aside. “Please,” you gasped.

“Hm? Wha’s that?”

He’d heard you just fine. He wanted to hear you again, and again. He was greedy and you were so damn sinful, “Please, need them off, need you.”

So, he complied, as any sane man would, shimmying them down your hips as he sucked and nibbled each inch of newly exposed skin. You watched him intently with half-lidded eyes, rocking slowly to let plush skin engulf his senses like a cloud. He felt you playing with his messy hair, taking small strands between your fingertips and moving them behind his ears to see him better. The gesture struck something deep within him. You were so kind, so focused on this moment and him, he’d be damned if he let it continue on the hard damp floor of his bathroom. No fucking way.

He stood abruptly, catching you off guard. “Bed,” he muttered, capturing your lips again in a haste. He couldn’t get enough. He didn’t want a minute to pass where he wasn’t tasting some part of you. Any part of you. Sweet, sweet honey.

You led your bodies backward till your knees hit the mattress, wasting no time as you crawled up to his pillows, taking him with you.

This moment right here, this feeling… he wanted to bottle it up. Freeze time and just stare, immerse himself into every tiny detail. It felt almost criminal to continue. You were a vision, panting and squirming beneath him; so much electricity and anticipation bouncing between your yearning bodies. Could you really want this just as much as he did? Was he truly that oblivious, all these years? Whatever that answer may be, he wasn’t gonna fuck this up. Not with you.

Your hands on his face coaxed him back to reality, molding into your touch like clay. Eager lips chased his as he pulled your shirt off and as much as he wanted to freeze time and memorize each freckle of you, the more skin each other touched the more obscene the kiss became. An unartistic jumble of spit and hands and moans and thrusts.

In all the time spent pining silently for the other, you both could care less about grace.

No, he needed to hear you. Listen to every octave of moan you had in you, all at once. He needed to know each and every spot that had you whimpering and begging, this second. If time did decide to stop at any given moment he needed to have you, be you, feel everything you had to offer, and soak in it till his skin pruned.

His lips sucked and bruised their way down to your navel, and then past, kissing up your folds with lustful intent. The sounds you made above him had him seeing stars and he wanted more. His tongue slipped past your lips, finally diving into the hive of your sweetness, rolling his tongue languidly over your clit. Your hands were everywhere around him, fisting at the sheets, the pillows, and then his hair as you desperately tried to push him closer. He didn’t mind. He’d gladly suffocate between your thighs, a death he’d welcome compared to the ones he fought from outside every day.

He dove lower, smoothing his tongue over your entrance but not delving past quite yet.

“Daryl,” you gasped above him.

Looking up between your legs, he caught a glimpse of your face tossed back in pleasure and he groaned, having to ground his hips into the mattress below to relieve some pressure. “What d’ya need, sweetheart?”

He’d give you anything. The moon if you asked for it — anything to keep those pretty sounds coming from your lips. “You, you, please you.”

“How so?”

He knew he was teasing you. He’d drawn back from your glistening slit, pressing little pecks everywhere that he could reach. Your hips, your pelvis, the little crease between your thighs and your cunt. That spot drew a deep moan from you, so he focused on it, sucking and licking till it was bright red and your hips were rolling so violently he wasn’t sure how he kept his lips on you.

“In, please,” you choked out, tugging him by his shoulders to move back up. He wasn’t done yet.

“What? Ma fingers?” he toyed further, continuing his kisses everywhere but where you wanted him. “Hm?”

He brought his thumb up to your clit, pressing lightly at first, rubbing lazy, torturous circles. His lips were on the inside of your thigh, so close to your entrance but seemingly so far. He knew you wouldn’t take much more of this, you were practically sobbing above him blubbering nonsensical curses about how much you ached.

“This pretty cunt wanna be filled, that it?”

His thumb pressed firmer.

“Uh huh,” you nodded, begging him. Oh, that sound would surely be the death of him.

He finally brought his lips to your supposedly aching entrance, delving deep with his tongue. The noises he made as he lapped on your honey were flat-out pornographic, and you writhed below him, drinking everything he was giving to you. Honestly, he didn’t know how much more he could take. He wanted to draw this out for hours, make up for every bit of lost time but seeing you like this, so needy for him had his resolve shattering by the second.

With a final peck to your weeping folds, he crawled his way up back to your face. You latched on to him instantly, sensing his give and taking absolute advantage of your moment. His hips rolled into yours slowly as your tongues danced and he hardly had to guide himself with how wet you were, his tip finding your entrance easily and slipping past. You moaned rolling your hips again and he nearly bottomed out, a long deep groan ripping out of him. If he thought your lips were buttery, lord save him.

Perching himself on his forearms, he held still, watching for any signs of discomfort. He assumed you hadn’t been with anyone in a while and he certainly knew he wasn’t small, if he’d grace himself with any sort of compliment.

Sensing nothing but pleasure as your walls pulsed around him, sucking him in further, he gave, snapping his hips harshly into you. Your moans were lewd on his lips, traveling down his throat and feeding the fire that burned in the pit of his stomach.

“Fuck, y/n, baby,” he groaned again, spiraling from the fact he was actually inside you this time. Not in his hand, pretending you were fucking shower water.

No, you were beneath him, latching onto his muscles like your life depended on it. He drove deeper, hitting a spot that had you gasping for air. He hit it again, and again, needing to feel you explode around him. He watched as your face contorted in pleasure as he pounded into you. God, you looked so pretty like this. All cock-drunk and needy.

He brought his thumb back to that spot on your clit. He needed you to cum soon, he wasn’t gonna last much longer seeing you like this and there was no way in hell he was going to finish before you. Your hips stuttered beneath him, walls squeezing around him and he knew you were close.

“Come on, pretty girl, you got it,” he whispered in your ear, sucking the lobe gently between his teeth. That must’ve broken you, because then you were cursing, spasming for him which triggered his own orgasm. Your cunt milked him, his seed spilling down your thighs exactly how he had pictured earlier and it was a fucking sight. He honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he had imagined this whole thing.

He fucked out both through the waves of release, and a bit past, dropping his head into your neck to muffle the obscene groans coming from his lips. He didn’t want it to stop, but your overstimulated senses ached for reprieve.

“Dar?” you whispered once you'd both caught your breath, guiding his stubbled cheek from its hiding spot. When his eyes met yours, they were filled with so much adoration and happiness he had to hold himself back from whimpering. Never in a million years would he thought he’d get you, and here you were, looking at him like the sun shone out of his ass. The same way he looked at you for years, it was jarring to see it reciprocated. How had he missed it?

You leaned forward, tenderly capturing his lips with your own, soothing him as you always did. He knew there was so much you wanted to say, that he wanted to say, but you didn’t need to talk about it tonight. Tonight you would simply soak in each other, a gift you both thought you’d never get and one you would never let go.

He felt you giggle against his lips, and he pulled back with a lazy, fucked-out smile, "What?" he mumbled curiously.

"How's the headache now, big guy?" you teased playfully and he realized then, you'd known he was fibbing today. Saw right through his measly excuse to spend time with you.

He blushed to the tips of his ears, bowing his head to hide it, "Oh, shuddup," he mumbled, attacking your neck in kisses and nips.

Your cheeky ass was gonna pay for that tonight.

[of-cauldrons-and-inkpens]

You Missed My Heart: PART 2

PART 1 LINK      |      PART 2 LINK      |      PART 3 LINK

Description: Miguel had died months ago. At least, my universe’s Miguel had died. Maybe I should have noticed when I could feel him touching me in my dreams, but grief is a hell of a thing. That is, until I woke up in a house that looked just like mine, but somehow different.

Miguel had taken me from my universe and put me in one where he could relive his past, whether I liked it or not.

Word Count: 11,305 

Author’s Note: I swear I re-wrote this three different times and all of them were drastically different. I checked for typos, but I’m posting this at four in the morning so there may be a few. 

Content Warning: smut, mild breeding kink, reader is being held against their will, dub-con (if you squint), piv, oral, unprotected sex; Miguel gets injured at one point; Miguel being manipulative and an ass, bit of angst (I mean his wife and child are dead so yeah)

Minors DNI! Story is below the cut

I groaned as I opened my eyes. My face was pressed in the crook between where Miguel’s ribs and arms would normally meet. He had moved me there in the middle of the night when I had managed to drift too far away from him. I had tried to squirm and protest, but I ended up caving before he would let go. I knew he was stubborn enough to pin me there out of spite and it wasn’t worth it.

Miguel was still awake somehow. It was dark in the room, save for the faint light that drifted through the curtains. Whatever time it was, it was either too late or too early for him to be up.

“Go back to sleep.” Miguel said. His voice was stern but gentle. I slid my hands down and grabbed onto the edge of the blanket. I hauled it upward, pulling it over my head. He let out a low chuckle as he watched me try to disappear.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“Just after three.” He leaned down and pressed a quick peck against the blanket that covered the top of my head. “Get some sleep.” 

I glanced up at the gap between his chest and the blanket. Moonlight streamed through the window, painting his features in soft lines and shadows. He looked angelic. He was focusing on something in front of him, frowning and furrowing his eyebrows every so often. 

What was he doing?

I gently pulled down the blanket so that I could see what he was up to. 

Miguel was propped up on a pillow that leaned against the headboard. His eyes were focused on his hands, which were held out in front of him, spaced apart by about six inches, palm facing palm. Threads glistened between his fingers in the moonlight. His fingers were twisting and weaving new threads around the ones that lay between his fingers. The thin webs had been pulled from his spinnerets in his upper wrists. It was like watching someone play cat’s cradle.

One of his arms rested on my back. It didn’t hurt; it wasn’t even uncomfortable, but it did hold me in place, only allowing me the bare minimum of space for my chest to move as I breathed.

“You should go to sleep, too.” I said. I turned my head back and buried my face in his chest. He smiled, continuing to work. 

“I’m not tired.”

I glanced up at him. His dark eyes were beautiful like this. His face looked peaceful. I was too tired to see if he was lying or not.

“Have you gotten any sleep yet? Any at all?” I asked. He shook his head. 

“I’ll be alright. Just close your eyes.” 

I nodded, too tired to argue with him. I started to say something, but the words slurred together until I fell silent. Sleep pulled me in, welcoming me warmly. 

“I know, sweetheart.” He whispered, never faltering in his work. 

Something clattered to the floor downstairs, ripping me from my dream.

I winced, feeling the sun burn my eyes as it streamed in through the window. I tried to push myself upward, but I was overtaken with a dull ache in all of my muscles. 

Fucking hell.

It felt like I had been in a car crash. Every part of my body hurt. But, the most noticeable ache was between my legs. I swallowed hard as I pushed myself upward. I needed aspirin. 

As I moved, I couldn’t help but notice a divot in the bed on Miguel’s side. It was lined with sheets that had been ripped through. The hole was a decent size; roughly the size of a fist and a couple of inches deep. 

It hadn’t been there last night. At least, I hadn’t seen it there.

I slid my right hand over to touch the edges of the divot. It was the perfect size to accommodate Miguel’s hand. But why was it there?

I winced, feeling a sharp pain shoot through my body. If he was in a decent mood, I could ask him about it. If not, it didn’t really matter.   

I leaned over and grabbed the bottle of aspirin. As I moved, a faint twinkle caught my eye. I flipped my hand over. In the middle of the night, Miguel had slipped something around my ring finger. It was a thin band that had been braided from webbing and then tied off on the front of my finger with a small knot. 

Huh.

I tapped my thumb against the material, expecting it to stick to my finger in the same way that the web had stuck to my ankle last night. But this one didn’t. It had been worn smooth by his fingertips. The material looked almost silver in the early morning light. When I pulled my hand into the shadows, it looked almost like braided moonstone. 

I wasn’t sure whether to feel violated by the fact that he had placed a wedding ring on me in the middle of the night, or impressed by the precision it had taken to make it. 

I turned my hand back and forth, inspecting the thing from all angles. If I had known him for any meaningful amount of time, it would have been a sweet and loving gesture. 

I groaned. It was a gift from the man who had basically kidnapped me from my home, but still, I needed to take whatever nice gestures I could get, no matter how presumptuous. 

I unscrewed the cap and dropped several pills into the palm of my hand. I pushed the first pill into my mouth. As I went to swallow, I couldn’t help but notice the faint numbness that lingered on my bottom lip. It was in the exact spot that his fangs had nipped, either on purpose or mistake.

That’s… weird.

I swallowed the pill and then leaned down to touch my thighs. Bright red marks covered my legs, showing off his handy-work. I quickly slid my fingers along the skin… only to meet the same result. 

The skin was numb. It was almost impossible to move the half centimeters of flesh that had been ever so gently nicked. He hadn’t bit me; not really. Just a graze was enough to do that. 

Jesus.

I winced as I downed the second pill. Then I pushed myself up from the bed and made my way to the dresser. I needed something to wear. But, I wasn’t wearing more lingerie. It already hurt to walk; I needed time to heal before I wore anything close to that again. I sighed as I stepped across the room, looking for something to wear. Miguel had laid his sweatshirt from last night on the dresser. I was sure that he had left it for me after my complaint last night. 

Maybe it was a peace offering. Or maybe the sex had been the peace offering and this was just him being nice.  

I quickly pulled it on. It was long enough to cover my hips and a good part of my thighs. I quickly snagged a pair of underwear from the dresser and pulled them on, as well.

Downstairs, something else clattered to the floor. What the hell was he doing?

As I stepped into the hallway, I noticed the boxes that had been piled up outside of the yellow door. I flipped open one of the cardboard tabs. Inside lay my things. At the bottom of the box, I noticed the sleeve of one of my sweaters. He had brought me my things, just as he had said he would. Did he ever go to sleep last night?

I padded down the stairs, making my way to the kitchen with every step. I figured that that was where he was. He didn’t seem like the kind to just linger around the house, looking for some kind of mindless activity to fill his time. He seemed too serious for that. 

I stepped into the kitchen and was immediately greeted by an unexpected sight. He was standing in front of the stove, pushing around eggs in a skillet. The downstairs was cold from the winter air but he was still wearing only a thin t-shirt and a pair of boxers.

He was a portrait of domesticity. 

I watched him closely as I stepped into the room.

“I made breakfast.” He said. 

“Did you get any sleep?” I asked. I couldn’t help but notice that the shattered plate had been picked out of the sink and had been thrown into the trash. He turned to meet my gaze. The dark circles under his eyes told me everything that I needed to know. 

“Miguel, you need to go back to bed.”

“I’ll be fine.” He frowned as he pushed the spatula around in the skillet. “I made coffee.”

“Thank you.” I made my way toward the coffee pot that rested on the counter beside him. As I did, his eyes never left the stove. I reached for one of the coffee cups that had been laid out for me. As I did, I glanced back at Miguel. God, he looked tired. “Do you always have trouble sleeping?” I asked. 

He scoffed. “I sleep perfectly fine.” 

“Okay then.” I muttered. Guess that was a touchy subject for him. I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the coffee pot. I filled the mug with the dark liquid. As I leaned forward to slide it back into its original spot, Miguel stepped to the side and pulled open the door to the fridge. Without missing a beat, he pulled out a container of creamer and handed it to me, then slinked back to the stove before the eggs had the chance to begin to brown. 

“Thank you.” I said. Warm light from the kitchen caught the ring, making it twinkle again. I considered asking him about it, but I decided not to. Surely he would bring it up if it was something that he wanted to talk about. 

A dark strand of hair fell across his forehead as he focused on the skillet. “Do you need any help?” I asked. 

He quickly shook his head. “What’s on your mind?” I wanted to get even a scrap of conversation from him; I needed some idea as to what he was thinking about. Maybe I should just leave him alone. Maybe he liked to exist in silence. I mean, if nothing else, he seemed used to it. 

“Work. How did you sleep?” He asked. 

“Okay, I guess.”  I added the creamer to my coffee and then returned the container to the spot where he had pulled it from. I carried my mug back to the counter, watching as he lifted the skillet off of the stovetop. I lifted the mug to my lips but then suddenly jerked it back. The glass was hot; it burned the skin of my lower lip everywhere except for the small spot in the center of my mouth. 

“Fuck!” I touched the skin and was met with a familiar numbness. 

Miguel dropped the skillet onto the stove and rushed forward. Within seconds he had cleared the area between the stove and the counter, moving so that he was standing directly in front of me. He towered over me, wasting no time to invade my personal space. “Sorry, I’m fine.” I said. I brushed my fingers along my lip, grazing the burned flesh and then the numbed skin. It felt weird and I didn’t like it. 

“Okay, sweetheart. Let me see.”

“It’s fine. I just burned myself.” He shook his head before reaching down and gently grabbing onto my chin. He pulled my head upward. My eyes met his for a moment before he turned his attention down to the mark on my mouth. 

“Move your hand.” He instructed. I did as I was told and dropped my hand down to the cold stone of the counter. 

“Miguel, I’m fine. I promise.” He didn’t believe me; I could tell from the deep line that had formed between his eyebrows.

“Open wide.” He instructed. His thumb slid across my lower lip. The touch was feather-light; almost too gentle, too caring. 

“Your face is red.” He remarked.

“This is demeaning.” The words slurred together as he inspected my mouth. 

“Is your lip numb?” His perfected vision could see the minute scrapes against my skin; tiny cuts that had been collateral damage in the excitement of the previous night. 

“A little bit.” He winced, but quickly fixed his expression before I could comment on it.

“It should wear off in a couple of hours. You weren’t actually bit so the effects shouldn’t be too bad. Just be careful not to hurt yourself.” He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head.

“What if you had bitten me?” I asked. He released my jaw from his hold. 

“That’s not something you need to worry about.” 

“But if it had… let’s say I’m someone else and you bit me, what would happen.” His face twitched. Something flickered behind his eyes as if he was considering it. His eyes didn’t leave my face.

“That’s not… no.” 

“Miguel, it’s a basic question. I barely know anything about you. If you’re planning on keeping me here, then I want to know-” he cut me off.

“And I said no. Damn it, why isn’t that enough for you? What are you wanting from me?” His voice was sharp and cold, like metal. Suddenly, the device on his wrist let out a low chirp. He glanced downward. 

He gave a low sigh. “I’ll get you a plate. You didn’t eat anything last night.” He turned and quickly began to mess with the thing on his wrist. 

I glanced down at the counter. A chorus of beeps came from his wrist as he worked. I gently slid my teeth against my bottom lip; the numbness was strangely fascinating. 

Without a word, Miguel sat the plate down in front of me. Steam drifted off the fresh eggs that covered the plate.

“Thank you.” He didn’t answer me. His eyes lingered on my face for a long moment before he leaned back against the countertop.

He rolled his hand around his wrist, moving his eyes between me and the device. “I have work to do today. But I restocked the fridge so there’s plenty for you to eat. Feel free to help yourself to anything you like. The TV in the living room works, as does the stereo. Most of your books should be upstairs, so you should have plenty to occupy your time.”

“Thank you.” I said. I stabbed a bright yellow piece of egg with my fork. “How long are you going to be gone?” I asked. 

“Are you going to miss me?” He paused, waiting for a response. I nodded, partly because I knew it was the right answer and partly because I thought I would, even if just a little bit. He smiled, proud of my answer. “It shouldn’t be too long. Just a couple of things to correct, then I’ll be right back.” There was something about the way that he said the word ‘correct’ that made me wince. He meant kill; I thought of the blood on his face and knew what he meant when he said he fixed things. 

“Is there anything you think you’re going to do today?” Miguel asked. He wanted to know my plans for the day. Well, gee, Miguel, I’ll probably stay trapped here. 

Then something occurred to me. I was the only person here and I knew more of what was going on now. There was no reason I shouldn’t be allowed to explore.

“Can I leave the house?” I asked.

“And where would you go?” It seemed ridiculous to him to even ask. Why would I ever want to leave when I could sit in an empty house all by myself and pretend I wasn’t his prisoner?

“Out.” I said. “Maybe walk around the block. Is there another block or does it stop after what I can see from the front stoop?” 

“There’s other blocks. But I don’t understand why you would want to leave the house.” 

“Fucking hell, Miguel.” I hadn’t meant to say it out loud. I turned my attention to the plate. He ground his teeth together for a moment. He was choosing to ignore what I had said. 

“If you need something to occupy your time when I’m gone, I’ll get you a pet.” That doesn’t replace the fact that I wanted to leave the house. I wanted to pretend that my life was normal, even if there was nobody in Nueva York anymore. I could still act as if things hadn’t changed. 

“Ah, a pet for your pet. Doesn’t that seem a bit redundant?” I muttered. That jab had been entirely intentional. 

It was true, though. I was a pet to him; maybe I received different forms of affection than the standard house cat, but the same rules seemed to apply. He would come and go as he needed; I was to stay where I had been placed, always ready and willing to entertain when he came back. 

He rolled his eyes as he leaned against the counter. He continued to poke at the device on his wrist. “I’m ignoring you.” I rolled my eyes as I continued to eat. 

“It isn’t fair to lock me inside of a house and never let me leave. You ever heard of cabin fever? I’m going to end up going insane in here.”

“I highly doubt that.” His hair bounced as he spoke. He was shaking his head at me while he messed with his device. 

“Miguel.”

“You’ll be fine.” He said it like it was the end of the discussion. Hell, it wasn’t even a discussion; he just kept saying no. 

“Come on!”

“Is there something you’re wanting to say to me?” His tone was harsh. 

“Yeah, you’re really pissing me off.”

“You’ll get over it. You always do.” 

“Just tell me why. If you think I’m going to run away then where would I even go? There’s nothing out there. So why?” 

“It’s for your own good. Just stay in the damn house.” I rolled my eyes as I took a sip of the cooled coffee. 

“You never fucking tell me anything and then you get pissy when I ask questions.”

“I am not being pissy.” He shook his head and muttered something under his breath. There was a long moment of silence between us. 

“Don’t call me pissy.” He muttered. He sounded more annoyed than actually angry. He almost sounded like an annoyed child. I had to fight back a laugh at how petulant he sounded.

A weird silence hung in the air. I began to eat, ignoring how he fixed his eyes on me. Though, any time I would look up to catch his stare, he would glance back down and fiddle with his wrist. 

"I really do believe that you could start to like it here. I think you just need time. Then, you'll start to warm up to me."

He brushed his hair off of his forehead and let out a low sigh. "You do love me. You just need time." He said the first part for me. He repeated the second part for himself.

I did love him, at least a little bit. Even if just for the fact that he looked so much like another version of himself; a sweeter version… a softer one. 

Maybe he was capable of being that way. Or, maybe he was too far gone. 

His eyes moved upward to meet mine and I felt a sudden wave of shame wash over me. 

"You look beautiful this morning." He said. 

“Miguel,” I asked. His features softened at the sound of his name. “Is there any chance that I’ll ever get to go home?” 

He winced. “If you go back to your timeline, one of two things could happen. Either time will find a way to correct itself and you will die or everything will collapse in on itself. If that happened, it would kill every single person you’ve ever known and billions more.” A bright light shone from his wrist. 

It was time for him to go. 

He let out a low sigh. “I don’t…” His voice trailed off. He looked down at the ground for a moment. “I can’t send you back to die. I won’t.” 

I guess that was my answer.

He stepped toward me. His face had softened. “I want you to be happy and safe. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” I didn’t reply. He moved closer, stopping only once our bodies were almost touching. 

I looked at him, unsure of what he wanted. He leaned down, placing a finger under my chin. It was the gentlest touch he could manage, yet it was backed with unfathomable strength. He lifted my chin up to meet his gaze.

“I love you. I’ll be back as soon as possible. Be a good girl for me. Okay?” I nodded. He pushed a quick peck against my lips before he walked off, heading toward the archway that connected the kitchen to the living room. Once he vanished from sight, I heard him begin to speak into his device.

A pink and orange light enveloped the living room; it was so bright that I winced. The light vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.

Then, just like that, he was gone. 

I sighed to myself. Well, no time like the present. 

I pushed myself up, grabbed my coffee mug, and headed upstairs.

He would be gone for hours. There was no harm in exploring, especially since he wasn’t here to stop me. If he didn’t want to tell me anything, then I would have to find it out for myself. After all, curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. 

I stared at the yellow door upstairs. Not knowing what was inside was going to eat me alive. I knew it wasn’t an office; Miguel didn’t stay here long enough to do anything but drag me around and then try his idea of a romantic gesture. Maybe it was a storage room, but even then he was entirely too cagey about the whole thing. He didn’t strike me as the kind of person to have some kind of mindless hobby. 

Maybe he was living out the story of Bluebeard and there was something macabre inside. Maybe there was something perverse inside. 

It didn’t matter; I had to know. 

I pushed several of the boxes out of the way. I slid them several feet to the left. I could just move them back when I was done and he would never know. Stepping forward, I reached out and grabbed the door handle. Then, I gave a firm twist. 

It was locked.

Damn it. 

Who the hell did he think he was, anyway? He’s the one who locked me up. He’s the one who said I couldn’t leave the house. He’s the one that did all of this in the first place. 

I couldn’t help but notice that the locks on my door and this door were different. This door was aimed at keeping other people out of the space; mine was aimed at locking me inside, like a princess in a tower. 

I needed some way to get the door open. I was sure that I would understand this all a little better if I could just figure out why he was so determined to keep this a secret from me. 

Then, I remembered my Miguel fighting with the floorboard in our bedroom. Before he embarked on his noble mission to defeat the squeaking sound, he had bought a case of beer and a new set of screwdrivers. If this version of him was so determined to make a perfect copy of my house, then he would have added the set.

I dashed to the hall closet and quickly pulled out the black plastic case that rested on the bottom shelf. Bingo! I plucked the screwdriver from the box and then walked over to the yellow door. I knew that with the old style of lock, I just needed to get the metal inside of the keyhole to move. If it moved, then the door would pop open with no issue. 

I slotted the screwdriver into place and then twisted hard. At first, it didn’t even flinch. Then, after a moment,  the lock groaned and then popped open. I quickly twisted the brass door handle and smiled as the door opened. I pushed the door open wide and then flipped the lightswitch. 

What the fuck?

The room was small. Every wall had been painted a soft yellow; it was a step up from the stark white that the original room had been. A small stuffed elephant lay in the middle of a crib that was pushed against the far wall. A framed ultrasound sat on the bookshelf. Little pieces of a life; of hopes and memories, all packed away to be forgotten.

None of this was from my timeline. In my universe, this was just his office. It was where Miguel would disappear to for most of the night after returning from work. After he died, I locked the door and pretended the room didn’t exist. When the men from Alchemax showed up to take the cardboard boxes filled with his work, I didn’t even have the courage to peek inside of the room. The room was the black hole in the house, eating away at any chance of sleep or happiness that I had. 

At least that was something this Miguel and I seemed to share.

I stepped into the small room, moving toward the bookshelf that rested against the far wall. The shelf was the only thing that looked familiar. 

A box rested on the bottom shelf. I quickly dipped down and pulled it free. I flipped the lid and discarded it onto the floor in front of me. The box was filled with small photos. Some were older than others, each faded and weathered to different degrees. I sunk down to the floor. I moved so that I was sitting criss cross. 

I reached inside of the box and pulled out one of the photos. The picture was weathered, but I could still make out a version of me staring up at him with an adoring gaze. She wore a wedding dress and he wore a suit. 

Jesus.

I sat the photo on the floor beside me and then reached into the box and fished out a small handful. I started to sift through them, viewing little pieces of Miguel’s life as I went. When I reached the last three photos, I stopped. They were pictures of Miguel holding a little girl. She was small and perfect, with his eyes and his smile. 

His child. 

I winced as I looked at the pictures. The last photo was of Miguel and I standing behind her. She was sitting in a small plastic highchair with a cake in front of her. On it, there was a glowing candle in the shape of a ‘1’. Miguel’s mouth was open in the process of saying something as I laughed. It was a moment that was frozen, giving him a small slice of time to keep when it all disappeared.

Fucking hell. I leaned forward and put the pictures back in the box. I didn’t want to look at this anymore. I felt my stomach flip as a wave of nausea overtook me.

However, as I leaned over, I spotted several more photos in the bottom of the box. But, I did know these pictures. I just hadn’t known that they had been taken. In two of the pictures, I was inside of the bookstore that I had worked at. They were pictures of me, taken in my universe. But, when did he take them? After my version of him died, I didn’t go back to work. I was lucky if I left bed most days. So these pictures were older than that. 

Suddenly, I became aware of the footfalls that came from the stairs. 

Miguel was home entirely too early. 

And I was still in the nursery. My head was still spinning from the pictures. I tried to make myself get up and frantically put the pictures back, but I couldn’t make my body move.

I heard him begin to make his way toward the bedroom. But, when he saw that the yellow door had been opened, he picked up his pace. 

I didn’t look back at him when he stepped into the doorway.

I didn’t want to meet his gaze.

“You’re not supposed to be in here.” His voice was lined with rage. I stared at the wall. I could hear him swearing under his breath, his tone flickering between pissed to sad and then back again. I glanced back to look at him for a moment. His face was tight and his eyes burned red. 

“This was your office… I’m sorry, his office.” I lifted my hand upward to point at the wall with the small window. The window had been decorated with pink curtains. “His desk was against that wall.” I glanced to the side of the room and then pointed at the left wall. “He kept all of his boxes against the wall. I only ever went inside of the office once and that was when I heard him and my dad arguing about something. But I never… I never found out what it was.” The screaming had happened two days before Miguel died and I couldn’t help but wonder if the two things had been connected. 

“I just wanted to know what was in here. That’s all.” I said. "Are you planning on locking me in my room again?" I asked. 

"No."

The man stood in the doorway, lingering like a ghost. His features softened as he watched me. He walked deeper into the room, moving so that he was standing over me. He sat down on the floor beside me. His large frame was only a foot away from me; close enough to touch, but not so close as to scare me. As he sat there, I was once again reminded of how his body had always dwarfed mine. His body was large enough to provide me with either the utmost care or utmost cruelty, depending on which Miguel I got. 

“You had a child?” I asked. 

He winced. “I did.” 

“Do you want to talk about it?” My voice was little more than a whisper.

“No.” It was a sore spot for him. It was then that I noticed that he was focusing on the far wall, unable to meet my eyes. 

I was also a sore spot for him. 

I looked down at the floor as he began to speak again. 

“All I’ve ever wanted is to keep you safe.” He said. His face twitched. His eyes began to fade from red to brown. He was reliving all of his failures, past and present. 

“I understand.” I said. He let out a dry laugh. 

“But you don’t. You really fucking don’t. Do you know what it’s like to watch you die in every timeline? Every universe? Either before or after me, there you go. Either you burn to death or are crushed or get killed in a car crash or die in some freak fucking accident… and I’ve had to sit and watch.” 

He shook his head. Several dark strands of hair fell across his face. “I’m not a good man. I’ve done… horrible things.” I flinched at his words. I couldn’t tell if it was self awareness or just simple self hatred. “I just wanted a part of you that was entirely mine. A piece of you that I can love and… keep.”

He said the last part so casually. It was as if it was all just a part of the daily dysfunction of a man with a savior complex and the full power to act upon it. He had everything a man or god could ever want, except for the power of self control. 

What he had done was unfathomably wrong, but the smallest part of me could understand it. The only real difference between us was that he actually could do something about it; when I lost everything, I could only lay in bed and cry. 

However, there wasn’t enough money in any timeline to make me admit that to him. Telling him I understood his actions would only feed into the delusion that this was right… that this was inherently good. 

I nodded slowly as I took in his words. He leaned back against his arms. He pushed his hands against the hardwood as he looked around the room, as if reliving a memory. His face was crestfallen. 

My fingers brushed his. He flinched, but then gave into the touch. I slid my fingers on top of his, pinning his hand between my skin and the cold hardwood. He sat still for a moment, taking in the small crumb of affection. Then, he lifted his pinky, moving it so that it slipped on top of my ring finger. 

He glanced down at our hands. His eyes became fixed on the small ring; he was entranced at the fact that I hadn’t taken it off yet. 

Miguel opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly changed his mind. He closed his mouth, allowing for the silence to overwhelm us. 

We were both kind of pathetic. But, I felt especially so at how I still wanted some kind of closeness with him. 

I didn't want to be alone, even if the only option was with the crazy man. 

I glanced up. My eyes met his.

I leaned forward, moving so that my face was only inches away from his. The room was cold and I was sure that he could see the hard goosebumps that had formed on my skin. His eyes danced over my face before drifting down to my lips. He looked like he wanted to tell me something, but it was as if it was stuck. Whatever words he wanted to say wouldn't come out. 

I filled the last inches of space between us. Slowly, I pressed my lips against his. Our lips moulded together, fitting like puzzle pieces. He let out a low groan.

He pulled his lips away from me, giving me a chance to catch my breath.

He lay his forehead against mine. Then he whispered something that was so faint, I couldn’t hear most of it. But, I could have sworn that the last words were a soft "I’m sorry."

The next few weeks, we existed as ghosts. He barely spoke to me. On the rare occasion that he was home during the daytime, I would often catch him staring at me with a weird mixture of adoration and sadness. He was gone until late most nights. I had taken to crawling onto the couch and falling asleep there most nights. The house was too empty; too quiet. He wouldn’t come back until late and would then, without fail, haul me back to the bedroom. I would awaken every morning to a cup of coffee on the bedside table. He would squeeze my shoulder gently, though he was always gone by the time I opened my eyes. 

My head lay against one of the pillows that I had dragged downstairs from the bed. I sighed as I turned over. The couch wasn’t uncomfortable, it was just weird to try and sleep when there was no noise coming from outside. I had gotten so used to the sounds of the city lulling me to sleep. Now, I would toss and turn for hours until I would turn on the TV for some noise. 

I pulled one of the blankets higher up on my body. The house was freezing. I glanced up at the clock on the wall. 

Just after two.

Where was he? He usually came back around one or so. He was late. Time was ticking on and he was nowhere to be found. 

Damn it. I winced, realizing that I was actually worried about him. 

Suddenly, a bright light filled the first floor. I jerked upright, turning toward the kitchen. “Miguel?” I asked. I quickly pushed myself up from the couch and made my way to the kitchen.

"Miguel?" I repeated. I flipped on the light to the kitchen and saw him standing there. He was doubled over with one hand grasping the back of a chair. Blood dripped from his nose onto the faded tile below. 

"You need to go to bed." His voice was rough. I stepped deeper into the room, ignoring him. He let out a groan as he tried to pull on the back of his suit. He reached for something, but he couldn't grasp it. He dropped his head, trying to catch his breath. I stopped several feet in front of him.

Slowly, he lifted his head. Blood covered his bottom lip. His face was bleeding from a cut on his cheekbone. It was a gash that was slowly oozing dark blood. 

"Oh my God. Miguel!" I rushed forward, filling the distance. 

"It's not as bad as it looks. They’ll heal, they just need a bit of time.” He said. Blood ran down his jaw as he spoke. He looked bad; bad enough that, if he had been the other version of himself, we would have immediately been on the way to the hospital. 

There were several gashes that had managed to cut through his suit, exposing the skin beneath. 

Dear God, what the hell happened to him?

"Go away." He said. He waved his hand, motioning for me to do as I had been told. He leaned over the side of the counter. Bruises were blossoming on his tan skin, painting him in shades of blue and black. 

"Just let me help you. Are there any bandages in the house?" I asked.

"I don't need help."

"Miguel." 

"What?" His voice was harsh; his words lined with actual pain. 

"Stop being so damn stubborn and just let me help you." I said. I walked over the lower cabinet and pulled out a hand towel. I stepped back toward him, hoping that he would soften.

Instead, he scowled at me. "Go to bed. You're just working yourself up over nothing."  

"This isn't nothing." 

He rolled his eyes as he stepped forward. "I'm completely fine." His leg went out from under him. I tried to catch and steady him, but instead, we both tumbled to the ground below. 

I watched as several of the more superficial cuts on his body began to close. 

"Jesus, Miguel. What happened?" He shook his head as he pushed himself off of the floor. 

"It's nothing. That's why I didn't want you to see any of this." He paused. "What the hell are you even doing down here?" He grabbed onto the counter to steady himself. Part of me expected to see him break the counter under his fingers. 

I pushed myself off of the floor and rushed to his side. "Is there anything I can do?" I asked. He shook his head. 

"I'm going to clean up. Go to bed." He winced as he stepped away from the counter. Based on the way he winced as he touched his side, he probably had a cracked rib.

I couldn't imagine anything that was strong enough to do this to him. Unless it had been something, or several somethings, that were all exactly like him. 

"I'm going to help you." I said. I eyed one of the deeper bruises that covered the side of his jaw. He caught me staring at the dark mark. 

"They'll heal, I swear. I can heal relatively fast." He said. Fear tore through me. What if he was wrong? What if he was lying? He hadn't meant for me to see him coming home. He had fully intended on keeping this hidden from me, regardless of how badly he was hurt. "The worst ones are the cuts but even those will be fine in an hour or two."

I had already lost him once…

He glanced over at me. Fear swirled in my eyes as I watched him. Based on the way that his face twitched, I knew he could see it. 

He glanced down at the floor. Then, he leaned to the side and caught my arm in his gloved hand. His touch was gentle, but commanding.

"Come here." He instructed. I shifted toward him, moving until his chest was almost touching mine. I could hear his steady heartbeat and feel the warmth that was pouring off his skin. 

"I love you. I promise I'm okay." His voice was no more than a whisper. 

"Just let me help you." I said. He sighed to himself, giving in to my attempt at kindness.

The downstairs bathroom was quiet. Miguel was perched on the edge of the tub, watching as I leaned over the edge of the basin.

I turned the metal handles to the tub. Warm water spurted into the bottom of the tub. I watched as it began to pool at the bottom. Outside, I could hear the thunder boom. Rain beat against the roof of the house, filling it with the soft sound of water hitting 

"This isn't necessary. You should go back to sleep." He said. He pressed the towel to his face. Most of the blood had stopped flowing. 

"I wasn't asleep." 

"Why not?"

"The house is creepy at night. It's too quiet. I'm used to actual sounds from the city and there just aren't any here."

"I'm sorry." 

"It's fine." 

Soon, the tub was filled three quarters of the way. I leaned over and quickly turned off the flow of water. I straightened my stance and then looked back at Miguel. He offered a soft smile. A bruise blossomed just below his eye, though it immediately began to fade away. 

"I was really worried about you." I admitted.

"I'm okay."

"Are you?" I didn't believe him. He looked rough. It was as if he had been dragged through hell. It hurt to look at him too long. 

"This is all… purely superficial. I'll be better soon." I crossed my arms. Worry and fear covered my face; it was impossible to hide. 

"Sweetheart, there's nothing to worry about." His voice was like warm honey. He lifted his hand upward and motioned for me to come to him. Without question, I did. 

One arm gently curled around my waist. The other drifted upward to ghost the side of my face.

"I'm okay. This all just…" he sighed. He leaned his face forward and gently touched his forehead to my stomach. Warm skin pressed into my shirt. I could feel him slowly inhale as he breathed me in. Then, he lifted his face, peering up at me in the dim room. "This is just how it is." His voice was no more than a whisper. 

"You look tired." He said. He noticed the dark circles under my eyes.

"You're one to talk." He let out a humorless laugh.

His fingers slid across my cheek, wiping away a dark droplet that had landed on my skin. The material on his fingers was smoother than I had imagined. 

"You don't have to take care of me."

"Well, you don't seem to have any sense of self preservation. So if I don't, I don't figure you'll take care of yourself." I said. He looked at my face for a long moment. A soft smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. 

"No, that's not it. I think you care about me." Pride bubbled in his voice. I rolled my eyes. 

"Strip and get in the tub."

"Yes, Ma'am." He taunted. He winced as he reached backward again, tugging at the neck of the suit. His usual gracefulness was gone. He groaned, pulling at the back of the suit to no avail. 

"Are you okay?" I asked. He winced again as he tried to grab onto something that wasn't there. 

"I got hit earlier and I think the thing broke. I can't get it to move." His fingers worked over the material but it was no use.

"Here. Let me get it." I said. He stooped downward, moving so that I could actually grab onto the back of the material. He awkwardly leaned over as I pulled at the metal on the back of the suit. It looked like there had once been a zipper, but the tiny handle had been busted. Below it were several small clasps that had been bent down to cover the path of the zipper. 

"They really did a number on you." I murmured. I pushed my thumb under one of the clasps. I bent it forward, moving it so that I could see the path of the zipper. I did the same for the other pieces of metal that had become deformed. Then, I pinched what remained of the head of the zipper. I pulled the zipper downward, hearing him sigh softly when I unzipped the material between his shoulder blades. His skin spread out between my fingers, warm and slightly wet from sweat.

"There you go." I said. I released him and stepped backward. He should be good to go now. 

I watched as he effortlessly peeled the suit off of his bruised body. The bruises were changing in color, some getting darker as others began to fade before my eyes. 

He pulled the suit off of his arms, then down his muscular torso. As he reached his hips, I looked away, suddenly very aware of the fact that he wasn't wearing anything beneath the skin tight material. 

My face turned bright red. I looked at the door behind us, waiting for him to climb into the water. "You're blushing." 

"No, I'm… just get in the water." I heard him chuckle as he stepped out of the material. He crudely folded the material and then tossed it across the floor. It landed in a pile beside my left foot. I rolled my eyes. 

"Sweetheart, you don't have to look away from me." He said. I heard the water move as he stepped into the tub. I turned around, watching as he sank into the bath. 

I watched a dark bruise on his bare collarbone fade into his skin before disappearing. It was as if it had never been there to begin with. 

He was always full of surprises.

Miguel leaned back against the cold metal of the tub. Outside, lightning shot across the sky. It filled the room with a sudden white light. 

“I’ll clean up the floor in a little bit.” He said. The tiles in the kitchen and bathroom were stained and slick. In the dim light, the droplets on the floor looked almost black.

“No, you’re not. You’re going to go to bed after this.” I said. “And you’re actually going to sleep.” 

"That's what you think." He muttered. 

"Are you always this stubborn?” I asked. 

"Only for you, sweetheart." 

I grabbed a towel off of the counter and gently dabbed it against his cheek. His eyes focused hard on my face as I tried to tend to his fading wounds. He was attempting to read my features. I sat down beside the bathtub.

“Do I want to know what happened?” I asked. It wasn’t a playful or light question. He could hear the weight in my voice as I cleaned his face. 

“You wouldn’t like me anymore if I told you.” It was such an honest comment that I could tell it pained him. If I knew what he did when he was away, then any chance of me loving him would vanish.

Maybe it was best that I didn’t know. 

"Are you in any pain?" I asked. He shook his head. 

Steam from the tub drifted upward, clinging to his strong chest in thick beads.  

"Why have you been ignoring me for the last week?" I asked. His face tensed.

"I haven't been."

I scoffed lightly as I gently wiped his face with a towel. "And you said I was bad at acting." 

"I've had a lot on my mind." He said. I nodded slowly. 

"You can talk to me." I said. He offered a faint smile. He couldn't, because it was most likely about me. 

"Are you mad at me?" I asked. He shook his head. 

"No, I promise." I looked down at the tile floor. I didn't know what to say to him. Something weird hung in the space between us.

Suddenly, his voice cut through the cold air. 

"Get in with me." He said. 

"What? No." I said. He furrowed his brow. He hadn't expected me to refuse. 

"Why?" he asked. 

"Because you're wounded and I don't want to hurt you."

He let out a low laugh, almost as if he was mocking me. "Believe me, it's impossible for you to hurt me. Now be a good girl and get in the tub."

"You know I'm not your pet, right?" He smirked at my words. A pet was exactly what he considered me to be; maybe a darling pet that he seemed to have a steadfast devotion to, but a pet nonetheless. I rolled my eyes and began to stand up from where I had been perched. 

"Come on, sweetheart. Just get in with me. Please?" His voice was warm, much like his eyes. I sighed as I watched him. 

A nagging voice told me to just walk off. Just go to bed and ignore him. He was clearly fine. Everything that he said would happen, had actually happened. He was healing up perfectly fine. He didn't need to be babied; he was a kidnapper, not a stray cat that needed to be brought in from the rain. But still, I couldn't make myself leave the small bathroom. 

"Please?" He repeated. I groaned before I stepped back from the tub. I grabbed onto the bottom of my shirt and pulled it upward. I hauled it over my head and then discarded it onto the floor. My pajama bottoms and underwear followed close behind.

Stepping forward, I felt the cold air bite into my skin. I winced before casting a leg over the edge of the tub. I had picked the opposite side of the tub to where he was sitting, though something told me he had wanted me to climb on top of him. 

I sank into the water across from him. I lifted my hands to my chest and quickly crossed my arms in an attempt at maintaining some sense of modesty. Miguel's eyes traced over me, drinking me in. His gaze was so intense that it made me squirm. 

"Stop staring at me." I said. 

"You're beautiful." His voice was low and warm. I readjusted my arms to make sure I was covered. I wracked my brain, searching for something to say.

"So, what's the thing about this timeline?" I said.

"What do you mean 'thing'?" He asked. 

"What makes it different from my timeline? I mean, there's absolutely no way that everything is the same. And, even with all of the people gone, there's got to be something weird here."

"Firstly, ouch. Bold of you to assume that my work isn't perfect." He lifted his index finger as he playfully chided me. 

"What's the second thing?" I asked. 

"Secondly, aren't we enough of a 'thing'?" We were both here. That was weird, as far as timelines went. We were both alive and okay, regardless of how we had ended up here.

"Come on. Surely there's something weird here. Maybe they call tuna by some other weird name or maybe the movie Titanic doesn't exist here."

"Well, you're the only person here, so you can call tuna whatever you want. I may mock you if you choose something ridiculous, but that's entirely your choice. Also, I don't think that any movies have ever come out here." 

I watched his face as he spoke.

Goosebumps danced across my skin as I sat in the water. "I think I'm about to get out. The house is too cold to be in here." I said. 

He leaned forward and reached out his arms. In one smooth movement, he hauled me upward and he pulled me into his lap, making sure that my back was pressing into his chest. He leaned backwards, lifted his right thigh upward, and promptly placed me there. His other leg spread outward. His warm skin pressed into my back. I could feel the hard outline of muscles as I sat there. I squirmed.

"This isn't fair." I murmured. 

"Sure it is." 

"How do you figure?"

"I dragged you over here, fair and square." He smirked. He pressed a kiss to the back of my shoulder. I rolled my eyes as I turned to look at the window. Rain beat down against the empty city. Clouds drifted across the sky, leaving several patches visible. 

"The stars are different here." I said. 

"Hmm?"

"The stars." I lifted my hand upward. I pointed toward the window to show him what I meant. "Pegasus is supposed to be right there. It's gone. The only one there is Andromeda."

Andromeda. The chained woman. 

The irony was not lost upon me. 

My ring was my chain; Miguel my warden. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to take the ring off or to truly push him away.

He pressed another kiss against my back. This time, I could feel the stubble of his jaw scrape against my skin. 

"You're warm." I murmured. He smiled against my skin. 

"I'm glad." He gently sucked on the soft piece of skin. I gasped, feeling his fangs graze for a moment. Though, by the time the sound had left my lips, he had already pulled back. 

"Sorry." He said. He inspected his handiwork on my flesh, making sure that he had not broken the skin.

I glanced over my shoulder, watching him as he slid his fingers along the skin of my back. He was enjoying getting to touch me. He could still see the novelty in how new it was.

When he shifted under me, I felt the hard shape of his erection brush the back of my thigh.

Without thinking, I glanced over my shoulder again. I leaned backward, moving until my back touched his chest. I looked up at him. His eyes were warm and soft. 

"What?" He asked. Without a word, I kissed him. He sighed against my mouth, moving slowly and carefully. As he did, I felt a familiar want beginning to stir inside of me. Slowly, I pulled away from him. I then tried to move off of his leg and was mildly surprised when he didn't try to hold me down. Instead, I lifted my hips upward and began to rearrange myself in the water, moving so that one leg sat on either side of his hips. 

I slid my legs around his waist and then pushed myself closer to him. The bottom of the cast iron tub was slick beneath us. It was hard to arrange myself in the water, but somehow I managed. Miguel leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss against my lips. As he did, I lifted my hands upward and grabbed his shoulders for leverage.

“Careful, careful.” Miguel said. He placed a hand on the curve of my back to make sure that I didn’t slip in the water. 

“Aww, so you can be nice.” 

I smiled as I slid my hands across his strong shoulders. I could feel all of the muscles flex under my fingertips. A soft smirk painted his lips. God, he was gorgeous. It wasn't fair for one person to look this perfect.

But, looking at him, he looked like he was bone tired.

He leaned in for another kiss, but I bobbed backward. He already looked clean enough; I wanted to tell him to get out of the water and go to bed.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He looked hard at my face, searching for something in my features. But, before I could speak, he followed it up with another question. "Are you scared of me?" He asked. 

"What?" It caught me off guard.

"You heard me. Are you?" 

A little bit. 

"I don't think you would hurt me." I said. It wasn’t a lie.

“I would never hurt you.” His hands drifted to my face. Gently, his traced his fingers along the curve of my jaw, taking in every feature. “But, are you scared of me?” 

I knew exactly what he was referring to. The eyes, the fangs, even the sheer size of him was intimidating. But, under all of that, he was still just Miguel. Even if he wasn’t my version of him, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. 

“No.” I said. He offered a faint smile that didn’t meet his eyes. He didn’t believe me, but he seemed grateful that I would be willing to tell him what he wanted. 

“I love you.” He said. 

“I love you, too.” He smiled at my words. I knew that it would make him happy to hear them. They were only three little words, yet they seemed to mean everything to him. 

As I watched his face, I couldn't help but notice how exhausted he looked.

"You look tired. You didn’t sleep last night. You haven’t slept any of the other nights, either. I woke up to go to the bathroom around four and you were still awake. " I said. 

“Yes, I did sleep.”

“I saw you… Please just be honest with me.”

“Aren’t I always?”

“No, you never are.” He rolled his eyes at the accusation. “Why don’t you ever sleep?” I asked. Rain continued its assault on the roof, growing louder as the storm reached its peak.

“I usually can’t.” Thunder rolled so loud that I looked toward the window. 

“Bad dreams.” A dark tendril of hair fell across his forehead. I reached forward and gently brushed it out of the way. 

“About what?”

He shook his head before he pressed another kiss against my lips. That was his way of changing the conversation. Whatever it was, he didn’t want to talk about it.

“You’re so beautiful.” He whispered. His hand snaked between our naked bodies. Without hesitation, he grazed my clit with the pad of one of his fingers.

I gasped at the sudden touch. But, I didn’t move away. His index finger swirled over the bundle of nerves, forcing my toes to curl. I inched my body closer to him, begging for him not to stop. 

He rubbed faster and faster. I could feel myself getting closer to finishing. Miguel watched me with a burning intensity; his eyes were dark lust as he worked. I ground my hips against his fingers, feeling the pleasure beginning to grow in my lower stomach.

Suddenly, it overtook me. I gasped and almost fell forward from how suddenly a blinding warmth shot through me. Each touch was too much; it felt like I was on fire. Miguel caught me before I could tumble off of his body. He held me as I twitched on top of him, spasming from his gentle touches.

As I began to drift back down from the orgasm, I could feel his cock as it lay against his stomach. He was painfully hard. Every time I would bob a little too far forward in the water, I would brush into it, feeling just how desperate he was. 

“I think it’s time to call it a night.” I whispered.

“You don’t want to stay in here with me, sweetheart?” His voice was velvety and sweet; his little nickname for me was lined with lust.

“No, because I’m not on birth control. You’re going to end up knocking me up.” I said it partially as a joke. 

He didn’t laugh.

Oh.

“Miguel.”

“We have children in every universe.” He said it so softly and calmly that it was as if he was saying the sun was yellow and the sky was blue. It simply was the way of the universe; it was how things were and always would be. 

“We didn’t in mine.” I said.

“Because he died. Besides, it wasn’t for a lack of trying.” My face turned bright red. There was something in the way that he said the last part that raised a suspicion I hadn't had before.

“Were you ever watching?” I asked. 

“Not from outside of the window or anything like that, but I did catch… glimpses in your timeline.”

“Miguel!”

“I was working!” He defended himself. “I never watched went out of my way to watch you two when you were… intimate. The only times that I ever spied on you were when you were alone.”

“What do you mean when I was alone?” I remembered the photos of me that I had found in the box. 

“When he was at work and I thought something would happen to you; when I was worried about you.”

He was telling the truth, at least as far as I could tell. 

“Why didn’t you ever spy on him and I?” I asked. I expected him to say that he respected me too much to do that. Then again, he treated me like a pet, so it was rather questionable how much he respected me.

“Jealousy, mostly.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve been alone for a long time, sweetheart. He had you and he was always working; he was always gone.” He said.

“You’re always gone, too.” He frowned at the statement. 

Maybe all of the versions of him truly were the same. Based on how he winced, he seemed to be considering that fact.

“He couldn’t protect you because he was never there.” He said.

“Nothing happened to me. There was nothing to protect me from.” 

“But there could have been.” He was obsessed with the idea that I was fragile. Which, I mean, compared to him, I was. But he still didn’t have to be this worried. 

He was haunted by the idea of me dying and obsessed with the idea of saving me. Maybe it was to make up for his past failures.

“I’ve lost you in countless timelines. I could never risk it.” He winced. “But, you’re here now and you’re safe. You’ll always be mine and I’ll always be yours.” He said. We belonged to each other, whenever or wherever we were. The notion both charmed and chilled me. But, one of those feelings quickly won over the other. Or maybe it was just the lingering effects of the previous orgasm.

“Do you want me?” I asked. I was hoping to sound sexy; I just sounded pathetic. 

“More than anything.” 

I leaned forward and gently grabbed his cock. He groaned, lifting his hips  upward so that I could have better access. I slid my hand up and down several times before I moved my body closer to him. As I moved, he held onto me, making sure that I didn’t slip in the tub. I carefully lined him up with my entrance, feeling another wave of want wash through me. I curled one arm around his shoulder. 

“Ready?” He asked. I nodded quickly as I clung to him.

I whimpered when he slid inside. My fingers dug into his shoulders. He groaned as he sunk all the way in. I felt my body stretch, trying to accommodate him. 

After a moment, I pushed my legs into the tub and lifted myself upward. He curled one arm around my waist, watching me in wonder and awe as I slid down again, making us both groan. 

I lifted one hand off of his shoulder. His body had been through enough tonight. I didn't want to risk the one-in-a-million chance that I grabbed onto a sore spot. I gripped the cold edge of the tub to balance myself. But, just as suddenly as I had placed it there, it was pulled off. Miguel pulled my hand into his, lacing our fingers together. 

He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against my lips. I smiled, giving into his mouth. The kiss was brief; it was broken when I gasped against him mouth, feeling a warm pleasure begin to grow inside of me.

I bounced my hips, feeling him hit deep with every movement. I moaned. My stomach was beginning to tighten. 

He tightened his hold on my hand. One of his fingers brushed over the ring that I was still wearing.

I was his. I belonged to him. 

As if he could read my mind, he pressed his lips against mine again. 

When he pulled away, he said "Open your eyes."

I did as told. My eyes met his as I slid downward on his cock. Then, before my body could meet his, he thrusted upward, making me gasp.

"Keep looking at me." He said. I nodded as I lifted my hips upward. He groaned, quickly burying himself deep inside of me. He wanted to watch the way my face twitched with pleasure when he fucked me. He wanted to see what he did to me; what power he had over me.

I tightened my hold on his hand. If he was a normal man, I was sure I would have accidentally broken one of his fingers from how hard I was gripping him. 

I lifted my hips, then brought them down on him just as he slammed inside of me. We did it over and over again, forcing out gasps and moans from each other. 

“Miguel, I’m close! Don’t stop!” I moaned. I was so damn close. I could feel the tightening in my lower stomach every time he sheathed himself inside of me.

Then, all at once, I felt a wave of heat wash over me.

I gasped, clenching around him as I came undone. Pleasure coursed through my body, making my toes curl and my head fall back. Miguel pressed a kiss to the base of my throat as he hammered inside of me, not stopping his pace.

After a moment, he let out a low groan. He moaned my name and I was suddenly very aware of the warm fluid that filled me. It was leaking down my upper thighs and into the water around us.

The pleasure began to fade away. I gasped, trying to catch the breath that I had been holding. Miguel smiled and leaned back against the tub, his body tired and spent. A mixture of sweat and water glistened against his skin. 

It was around three in the morning. I could feel the exhaustion beginning to sink into my bones.

I moved to climb off of him, but just as he had last time, he held me in place. One hand held my hips in place, pinning me on top of him. I sighed, giving up any notion of fighting. It was useless; his grip was ironclad.

"Let me hold you... just for a little while." His voice was soft. His other hand drifted to the curve of my back. He pulled me forward, moving me until my chest lay against his. 

"I'm tired." I murmured. 

"I know, sweetheart."

I leaned my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. I could hear his heart in my ear. Its strumming was low and steady. His skin was warm. "I missed you." he said. 

I wasn't sure if he was talking to me directly, or some distant memory of me. But I would take what I could get. 

"I missed you, too." 

He pressed a gentle kiss against my damp hair. Outside, lightning cut across the sky. 

@levisbebe @amplsblog​ @spider-biter​ @taleiak​ @ladyfairenvale​ (I tried to tag everyone who asked! I’m sorry if I missed you!)

[0blobthefish0]

Partygirl Part 2

leighton murray masterlist | main masterlist

Part 1

Leighton Murray x Female Reader 1769 words

a/n - finally, it is here! i literally had this all written out except for the last part before the 17th, but I am incapable of writing cute date scenes, so this'll have to do 😅

You stir awake and your mouth falls open in a silent scream as you screw your eyes shut. Throbbing pain was incessantly stabbing at your brain, there was no way you didn't have any nerves in there because all you wanted to do was take the damn thing out. What the fuck did you drink last night, the whole bar?

Letting out a defeated sigh, you slowly opened your eyes and brought a hand to your head in an attempt to soothe the ache. Wait..

You froze.

Where were you? You questioned as your eyes adjusted to the dark. God, did you actually follow through with a one night stand? You could now hear, and not to mention feel, the soft puffs of someone breathing. You chewed on your bottom lip, nervously, as you wracked your aching brain for a solution. You nearly choke on a gasp when you feel a pair of arms tighten around your waist, pulling you flush against the other person.

Your eyebrows furrow - boobs? What the hell happened last night? And you almost feel proud of yourself until, you realise that you're still fully clothed, and now you feel horrified; how did you half fail a one night stand?

God, this was so embarrassing.

But then, you smell something familiar, expensive, and you finally pull yourself together enough to take a peek at the mystery person.

You hear yourself squeak and a hand flies to cover your mouth and you can't tell if looking was a good idea because, somehow, your heart is beating faster than it already was. You feel her hand slip from your waist and you feel as if your soul has lifted itself outside of your body.

"Y/n," you hear her croak out, her voice thick with sleep.

You let a stretched-out moment pass before replying, "Yes?"

"You okay?" She whispers softly, and you move to lay on your back.

"Yeah, I just- I wasn't expecting to see you there," you explain and Leighton can hear the nervous smile in your voice.

"You were pretty drunk last night," she recalls and she sees you wince in response. "There's some aspirin outside, if you want."

"Ugh, yes please," you say quickly.

You're sat on the sofa when Leighton passes you a bottle of water and an aspirin before taking a seat next to you. You pop the pill into your mouth and take a swig of water, smiling softly to yourself when you find that the bottle was already open. Your pounding headache seemed to dissipate instantly, it may just be a placebo effect, but you were thankful for it nonetheless, and you turned to her with a relieved smile.

"Better?" She questioned and you nodded your head. The two of you sat in a comfortable silence, just listening to the quiet through the darkness that no longer seemed so dark.

Leighton couldn't help but be thankful that the room was still dark, otherwise you most likely would have picked up on the pink tint that was dusting her cheeks. The image of you pulling her in close, your hands on her face, the way you looked at her with those drunken eyes and your voice when you called her pretty was all that she could think about. Goosebumps began to litter her arms as she shook herself out of her daze.

"I should probably get going," you announced quietly and Leighton turned to see you hugging your arms.

"You could always stay y'know? I'm sure your roommate wouldn't be too happy with you," Leighton inputted, "and you do live in the other building." You had to fight the hopeful feeling from growing as you turned to look at her; did she want you to stay? No, she was just being nice, anyone sane would offer the same.

"Really, you don't mind?" You smiled sheepishly.

"No, I wouldn't have offered if I did," she shrugged and got up from the sofa to stand in front of you. "But you need to wear something more comfortable first cause," you watched as Leighton eyed your outfit before lightly shaking her head and gave you her hand to help you up from the sofa.

Quietly, the two of you made your way back into the bedroom and you stood beside her as she rifled through her draw for something for you to wear.

"You can get changed in here, or step outside if you want," she whispered to you as she passed you a pair of neatly folded clothes. You nodded your head in reply, quickly spinning on your heel as soon as you saw Leighton reach for the waistband of her jeans. You took a moment to collect yourself and settle your nerves before swiftly slipping out of your dress and pulling on Leighton's shirt and shorts.

"Done?"

"Yeah," you whispered quietly and turned to see her slipping into the bed.

Leighton watched you as you moved closer to her; something about seeing you in her clothes was making her stomach erupt with butterflies, you looked cute. She didn't know why she did it, maybe it was the time of night, or maybe it was an unconscious decision, but she opened up her arms - inviting you in closer - and to her relief you accepted and crawled into her.

"I meant it, y'know?" You confessed and let out a slow yawn.

"Meant what?"

"Nothing, sorry, I'm just tired," you whispered sheepishly, your one second of courage quickly leaving you as soon as those words left your mouth. What you wanted to say, was that when you had drunkenly told her that she was pretty, you were being earnest. You felt Leighton nod her head above you and then the two of you slowly drifted off to sleep once again.

---

You saw Kimberly send you a small smile and you made your way to their table, food in hand.

"Speak of the devil," you hear Bela sigh out as you place your tray on the table and taking the empty seat next to Leighton.

"Why are we talking about me?" You questioned.

"Bela's in a mood-" Whitney began before being promptly interrupted.

"Why didn't you two fuck?" Bela nearly shouted accusingly.

"Woah-"

"Okay! No need to be so crass."

"Just because we both like girls, does not mean that we automatically want to jump each other's bones," you defended with a hushed voice, hyperaware of the people around you.

"Speak for yourself," Bela mumbled, upset, taking a not so discreet jab at Leighton.

"Hey," Leighton gaped, "you're the one that encouraged me!"

"Yeah, I guess I did. I'm just mad, my ship needs to sail; like you literally have all of the materials, get to building!" You shook your head at that with a slight laugh and soon enough the conversation drifted away from the two of you.

You took a forkful of your lunch before turning to Leighton, the movement catching her eye.

"How'd your quiz go?" You asked her.

"Uh- yeah! It was um," Leighton was struggling to hide her shock, she had only mentioned the quiz once, maybe twice, a week ago, "it went well," she nodded with a smile on her face.

She couldn't remember if you said anything after, too concentrated on the way that she was feeling and the way her face was heating up, so much so that she had to turn away and focus in on the conversation at the table.

---

The following week flew by quickly. You were resting on your bed, the relief of finally sitting the exam washing over you, when you felt your phone vibrate. You felt for it and at seeing the caller ID you squinted suspiciously.

"Leighton?"

"Hi."

"Are you.. okay?" You questioned with confusion; Leighton never calls you.

"Yeah, I- is your roommate there?"

"No, she wen-"

You stared, dumbfounded, at your dark screen. She hung up.

knock. knock. knock.

The fuck?

Almost cautiously, you get out of bed and tip-toe your way to the door before cracking it open ever so slightly and then swinging it fully open.

"Leighton? Are you sure you're okay?"

Standing before you, in all her glory, was Leighton Murray dressed to the nines like she always was whilst you stood in pyjamas. It wasn't even necessarily late, possibly just half-past six, but you enjoyed living in comfort.

"Of course, never better," she replied, moving into the room after you turned to the side to let her in.

In reality, Leighton had never felt so anxious in her life. If she hadn't called you on a whim, she most likely would have been back in her dorm by now. She spun around as you closed the door and, were those her pyjamas? She had let you keep them that night, and just seeing you in them was giving her whiplash to last weekend.

"I want to ask you out, on a date," she stated. "I know you said that thing a few days ago about how just because we both like girls we aren't automatically attracted to each other or whatever, and that other thing of people in a relationship should be in different friend groups, which was basically a big fat sign saying 'we're just friends', but you honestly make me feel insane and I can't stop thinking about you like all the fucking time and maybe, hopefully, you like me back or maybe I'm just crazy and delusional and all the signs are just figments of my imagination."

You stared at her with a growing smile as she ranted and now she was partly out of breath as she searched your eyes, and swallowed nervously.

You nodded your head tentatively and Leighton took a small step toward you. 

"I need you to say it," she whispered softly, the words barely passing her lips, her wide, Bambi-eyes on you. She needed to know it was real.

"Yes," you nodded again, "I'd love to go on a date with you." You saw as she visibly relaxed.

"When are you free?"

"Umm.." you began as you sifted through the busy days ahead for a potential gap.

"Now?" Leighton offered and your eyes snapped to her.

"I mean- yeah?"

"Great." You felt Leighton take your hand and begin to lead you out of your room.

"I'm not changed."

"You don't need to be, plus you look cute in my pyjamas."

"Yours? They're mine now," you grinned as the door shut behind you and the two of you made your way out of the building.

"Do you have a plan?" You questioned as you stepped outside.

"Drive."

[flynnriderishot]

wanted to come say that i truly so adore you and your work and whether or not people agree, your opinion is valid and you shouldn’t be getting hate for it ☺️❤️ i love you and everyone else loves you too. you are one of the best sturniolo writers on this app and i would hate to see you leave just because people are mean

onto a better note: WHERE IS CUTE PT4 BABE??

cute pt.4 - m.s

a/n: thank you so much for the kind words, you have no idea how much it means to me, truly 😭. i’ve been a bit hesitant to continue posting since the comments being made about my opinions and knowing that i have at least one person that’s on my side means a lot 🫶🏾 thank you. here’s part 4 :)

you rolled over in bed, only to be met with a chunk of hair in your face. it didn’t take long for you to realize that y/f/n crashed in your bed the night before. there was also no doubt in your mind that she would have a hangover.

whilst you didn’t tend to drink much, y/f/n didn’t turn down a cup of alcohol or five.

you knew she’d have a headache when she woke up, so you made quick work to tend to her before she woke up complaining.

you made sure that she had her aspirin and water near the bedside before you grabbed your phone and walked off to the kitchen to make breakfast.

grabbing what you needed to make fried potatoes, you got distracted by your phone vibrating.

matthew sturniolo :)

hey

not sure if you’re up yet but i had fun last night

8:23 am

not that we did anything because we didn’t aside from exchange phone numbers

i don’t wanna make this awkward…

text me when you’re up?

9:24 am

vinnie 🤠

i saw you leave with y/f/n and those sturniolo triplets

lemme know if you got home safe

2:35 am

yn 🗣️

made it home safely !!

alls good, thanks for checking in

10:38 am

matthew sturniolo :)

you up?

10:39 am

yn ln :)

good morning

sorry i didn’t answer sooner, i just woke up and y/f/n and i crashed as soon as we made it home

matthew sturniolo :)

it’s all good. just wanted to make sure her excessive singing last night didn’t leave you with a headache 😭

yn ln :)

god no 💀

i’m used to it

matthew sturniolo :)

have you checked instagram?

we’re trending 😉

yn ln :)

how fun 🙄

how bad is it?

matthew sturniolo :)

i kinda it’s kinda cute🤷‍♂️

tap to open link

instagram

comments

hardlyasturniolo the way they were in the back of vinnie’s video that he posted on his story 😭

pepsicolachris meetcute is CRAZY 💀😭

>>> larraysloosecurl IM PEEING 💀

ynsgirlfriend THEY MET ?!?!?

>>> happilysturn is that not what the post says ?

>>> ynsgirlfriend don’t get smart with me.

naileasheart the way i just know yn was freaking out 💀

liked by yn.ln and 3,597 others

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yn ln :)

i’m getting a lot less hate than i thought i’d be getting 🙌

that’s good

matthew sturniolo :)

it’s perfect actually

that makes it so much easier for me to ask

your brows furrowed as you read the text. of course you had an idea of what he may have wanted to ask you, but it was so hard not to think otherwise. he so bold when speaking to you, nothing like how he is on his youtube channel.

yn ln :)

ask me what…

matthew sturniolo :)

what are you doing today?

taglist: @hearts4chris @timmyandsturniolo @mayhem-72 @luvsturns @knowingnothingnoel @mrsmattyb @itzdarling @julliaaaaaaaaaaaaa @dracoflaco @heartsforchrisandmatt @lily-strnlo

tags for this fic: @3kslav @annamcdonalds67 @strnsblog @lexxxiii-iix @patscorner @lemon-criminal @safara05 @sturniplofab @somewhere91 @maddisqnx @sturniolho @1201pm @sturniolossss @mattswrld @marieslife123 @kiera324

[silkjade]

genshin men as wedding dates (3)

It’s wedding season and you’ve got a large one coming up. But it’s not just any wedding, it’s a family wedding meaning…extended relatives. Are you going to brave the night out on your own or are you rsvping with a plus one?

Featuring— Alhaitham, Cyno, Tighnari, Kaveh, Dainsleif, Dottore (edit** written before kaveh release)

gn!reader, modern au, mentions of alcohol, mostly platonic but implied romantic feelings

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 (here)

AL HAITHAM

there has to be some sort of trade-off; his time is precious so there's got to be something in it for him. luckily for you, who's one of the few people he considers a close friend, it's just some random errand he doesn't want to run

he’s a mediocre date; follows your lead and is just kind of a wallflower honestly. will make polite conversation but only if someone talks to him first

drinks just enough to loosen up but not enough to get sloppy, and definitely still sober enough to read the book he brought. you leave him be, but you’re still going to go have a good time at this reception

yikes someone from the groom's guest list comes sidling up, hoping to shoot their shot with the handsome stranger sitting alone. of course he gets annoyed; not only was this person disrupting him but wasn’t it obvious he came with you?

wait where are you

he finds you on the dance floor with… someone else??… which is fair since he's here as a friend, but he strides up to you anyway and does not hesitate to interrupt

"thanks for keeping my date entertained but I'll take it from here" and then he leads you away to a different corner of the dance floor

did not think this all the way through because now he’s dancing with you but it’s just so…… robotic. he tries, he really does, but that doesn’t stop the secondhand embarrassment from anyone who happens to see him. you don’t mind though, you think it’s cute

"finally haitham, I've been waiting for you all night!" and then you kiss him on the cheek

perhaps it was a combination of the lighting effects and the alcohol, but you don't notice the blush on his face

CYNO

events like these aren’t really his vibe but you catch him in a good mood after you 'laugh' at one of his jokes

seems like a very intimidating guest at first and that’s not the impression he wants to give to your family, so he brought his joke book! chooses to tell one at your table during dinner and the silence after he explains the whole thing is truly deafening

he tries again but says "how about this one; y/n thought it was hilarious." so now you have to fake laugh and elbow the cousin sitting next to you to laugh as well

one of the uncles from the table next to yours actually overheard and leaned back in his chair to tell him it was hilarious so that’s a win

when you get overwhelmed by relatives asking you when you're getting married, he steps in to help you but accidentally says,

"we'll take the step when we're ready"

wait what

mans is a mess trying to fix the situation and you've never seen him like this so now you have to save him by laughing it off and dragging him away

he plays genius invokation tcg with some of your teen relatives; they were losing though, so they distract him by saying "heard the next wedding's you and y/n" and it works

he gets really awkward around you after that and you have to reassure him that it’s fine, no big deal! you even joke that if fake dating tonight would get all the annoying aunties and uncles off your back, then sure let’s do it

he’d never tell you, at least not anytime soon, but it doesn’t sit right with him to hear you say ‘fake dating’

TIGHNARI

if you’re not bringing a bag/clutch/purse/whatever, then he will and he has everything: antacids, aspirins, bandaids, safety pins, an epipen, etc

wow this venue decorated the place with such nice plants, a shame they’re not for anyone to take home. good thing no one noticed him take clippings to propagate

it's great to have him on your team because he is very good at all the physical wedding games like cornhole, ring toss, etc. you don't win anything except bragging rights but at a family wedding? sure, you'll take it

doesn’t smile in any group photos; only smiles in photos of just the two of you and selfies that you take on your phone, even though he pretends to be over it

is not nice to your offensive relatives; super passive aggressive with lots of backhanded comments. he'll make some snide remarks under his breath but everyone thinks he's joking. finds out one of your uncles is a flat earther, and takes it personally

complains about the music and how it's too loud but doesn't do anything about it, so you take him outside for a stroll in the little botanical garden

despite the nice, peaceful atmosphere of the garden, you guys do eventually have to regroup with everyone else gathered out on the lawn to watch fireworks and tighnari is doing is absolute best to stall

"....eh, we can see just fine from here, no?" he says as he pulls you down next to him onto the bench he's sitting on. if he plays his next cards right, maybe... you'll even rest your head on his shoulder?

KAVEH

he asks you if he can come as your date to the wedding because he loves these sorts of events and you agree because it’s always a fun time with kaveh

neither of you want to be dd so somehow… somehow he ropes his ‘annoying roommate’ into driving you two there and back

makes sure both of you are dressed to the 9's; maybe he wants to upstage the wedding party because he arrives in a satin suit and his shirt is unbuttoned dangerously low. some poor relative has to take a million photos of the two of you until he likes it, and then some more ‘just in case’

shows off some of his architectural work from his phone; even gets a few inquiries from your rich relatives for future jobs. networking king

once it hits cocktail hour, you’re taking a shot together. his arm is around your waist and that’s where it stays the entire time you guys are mingling with others

drinks a little too much and gossips about your family a little too loud though, so you've gotta reel him in even though you're not too far behind

drags you onto the dance floor and is a fun, but messy, dancer. you guys are in almost all the candid shots the photographer takes

on the drive back his roommate makes an extremely sharp turn and you find yourself thrown into kaveh. physics, am I right. you’re apologizing profusely even though he insists it’s fine and that you should, in fact, just stay in that position, your body against his

throws up in the car after you get dropped off and the next morning you wake up to a slew of messages from him complaining about how his roommate is so cruel for making him clean his car at 7am with zero regard for his hangover

DAINSLEIF

he agrees to go but panics the week of and keeps asking you if you're sure you want to take him as your date even though it's been rsvp'd for ages

maybe not the most fun date, but overall not a bad date

offers you an arm when you two go somewhere together, holds your hand through a crowd, pulls your chair out for you during the reception, etc

brought you one of every dessert from the buffet and risked looking like an absolute glutton because

“you said to bring you a dessert, but didn’t specify which one”

he’s very sweet to the older guests; they are swooning and keeps winking and telling you he's a keeper. you don’t have the heart to tell them you’re not even dating

gives random unsolicited advice and it’s always a hit or miss

he is so awkward in the photobooth because he doesn’t know what to do? it takes 4 photos in one strip and he looks the same in 3 of them. finally on the last one you do the thing where you lift up the corners of his mouth so he’s at least smiling

keeps his copy in his wallet for a long time, maybe even forever who knows

you never thought him to be a dancer so you’re a little surprised when he asks you to slow dance; even more so at the fact that he is very good at it??

you follow his lead, and dancing with dainsleif is honestly such a tender moment. if not for the color of your clothing, people might have mistaken you two as the newly weds, what with the way he’s looking at you while you rest your head against his chest

you see him crack a sliver of a smile when you catch the bouquet and you think that he’s just happy you won. but he knows full well what it insinuates especially when everyone’s clapping him on the back in congratulations

DOTTORE

you only ask him if he's your absolute last option because why in your right mind would you take dottore as your date to a family wedding. he only agrees to go as 'an experiment'

pick out his outfit please lest he wear one of his funky little suits

introduces himself as dr. and he's so dramatic about it so a lot of people are fawning over him; you suppose all families love a doctor but only you know that he's technically not even legally allowed to practice medicine

scowls behind you when an old family friend starts talking to you for a bit too long. excuses himself to socialize with said friend, but then you wonder why hardly anyone else approaches you the rest of the night

insists on you wearing his suit jacket because he doesn't want you to 'catch a cold'

he makes the 7-year old flower girl cry at the reception but the thing is, he wasn't even trying? everything he says sounds vaguely threatening and kids are just terrified of him

so first of all he makes it very clear that he's doing this for you okay; he will make it up to you by doing some simple science party tricks for the kids

.... except he way overdoes it and sets off a mentos/soda rocket into the ceiling

and he’s not even sorry; he’s actually proud of that little demonstration like ‘go little rockstar.’ you’re forced to leave early in shame

he does go down as a family urban legend though because aunties will say "if you don't behave, the scary doctor will come get you!”

With so many new characters, I feel like part 3 has been long overdue!

© silkjade — do not steal, plagiarize, translate or repost any content onto any other platform

[dakotalun]

You Belong With Me | Eddie Munson

pairing: Modern!Eddie Munson X Fem Reader

summary: Part 2--Eddie gets a special visit...but it hurts more than it helps.

warnings: drug use, language, mentions of cheating, sad Eddie

word count: 4.2k

a/n: I've estimated about 7 or so parts to this series and I will be working on them for the next couple of weeks.

*******NOT MY GIF, CREDIT TO OWNERS*******

“Yeah I’m coming!” Eddie says from his room, getting up from his bed and pressing the butt of his blunt into the ashtray on the nightstand. He had been laying in bed, listening to Ozzy, smoking and drinking a beer after he got back from the basketball game a little while ago.

He was pissed at you for yelling at him earlier and bailing on him when it was so out of character for you to do so. But it was nice just sitting under the bleachers alone, oogling the love of his life. Another knock comes as he exits his room, “I said I’m coming-” He swings the front door open and it reveals a sad and red eyed Chrissy.

“Shit Chrissy, are- are you okay?” Eddie steps aside and allows her to enter the trailer.

“Hey Eddie. Sorry to just come over unannounced and all,” Her voice is strained but steady, as if she’s used to speaking after crying.

“No no it’s fine. What’s going on?” He walks over to the couch and sits down, Chrissy following after.

“Jason and I got into a big fight after the game tonight,” Eddie’s ears burn at the thought of Jason being a dick to such a sweet girl then return to normal after thinking about the fight he just had with you, “And I couldn’t be around him anymore so I went for a walk. I thought about things on the way then noticed that I was almost to here and decided to stop by.”

Eddie’s surprised at the words coming from her. She thought of him and decided to stop by, could this be his lucky day?

“Aw I’m sorry that sucks. What can I do to help? Do you need me to go beat him up? Cause I will, I’ll do it right now.” His tone is upbeat and happy but he means every word.

A smile creeps onto Chrissy’s face showing her perfect teeth, “No, no. Nothing like that. I was just wondering if you could, um,” She hesitates, nervous to ask the question.

Eddie puts a reassuring hand on her knee, this being the second time in 2 weeks that they’ve touched. “I’ll do anything, just say the word.” His doe eyes wide and full of truth.

“Can I get some weed or pills or something? I’ve not been in the best headspace lately and I just need something to take the edge off.”

Those were not the words he thought she would say, not in a million years. His face grows warm, nervous about selling to Hawkin’s most famous IT girl. He needs the money but he feels bad for taking it from her, she doesn’t look like she’s taken anything stronger than a baby aspirin in her life, and now she wants weed or pills.

“Are- are you sure? Have you ever smoked before?” She shakes her head, “I know I said anything but I don’t know if I can,”

“Oh,” Her head falls down, clearly disappointed at his words, “That’s okay. It was stupid for me to come here anyway. I’ll get out of your hair, let you get back to whatever you were doing.” She stands up, hands running over her short skirt, both out of nervousness and to cover her ass.

Eddie shoots up quickly not wanting her to leave, “Wait! I mean if you really want some weed then I’ll give you some but on one condition.”

Her baby blue irises meeting his dark brown ones, liek two oceans colliding, “What condition?”

“You gotta smoke it with me. Can’t have you choking to death after taking one puff incorrectly, so? We gotta deal?” He holds his hand out for her to shake, needing another form of touch with her.

“Deal.” Her tiny hand is engulfed in his, the warmth of her skin seeping into his palm.

Eddie tells Chrissy to stay in the living room while he goes and gets a joint and lighter from his room. Returning only a few seconds later he plops down on the couch, exhaling a loud sigh.

“So I’ll start it off for you then I’ll show you how to take a hit correctly,” Chrissy nods at his words.

Eddie puts the blunt into his mouth, cupping his free hand around it to shield the imaginary wind as he lights it, taking a few short puffs just to get it started for her. Once he’s satisfied with his work he pulls it from his lips and hands it to her.

Chrissy looks at it weirdly, not even knowing how to hold it. Eddie notices this and opts to just guide the butt just past her lips, her strawberry lipgloss covering the paper. She looks at him every step of the way, not wanting to do it wrong.

“Alright now all you’re gonna do is breathe in slowly,” She follows his words, taking a slow, deep breathe in, “Good. Good, now,” He pulls his fingers and the blunt away from her lips, “Hold it in for a second until you start to feel that burn in your chest, then exhale.”

She holds for a short second before falling into a coughing fit. Eddie goes to rub her back, soothing the burn he knows all too well from his past. She takes a little to regain her barings again before sitting back up and leaning into the worn out couch.

“Okay that is not as easy as you make it look,” Her voice is hoarse, which Eddie only finds attractive.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, the more you do it the less it hurts,” He takes a long hit, letting the smoke fill his lungs for far too long.

“Okay then, guess I’ll have to try again then,” Eddie just nods and takes another hit before handing it back to her. She follows his steps the same way, only this time she isn’t coughing up a lung.

“Nice job. You’re a natural.” Eddie smiles and the two of them sit there just enjoying the peace and sharing a smoke.

Once it’s down to its last little bit, Eddie puts it out and leans deep into the couch, spreading his legs wide in the process. He lays his arms over the back and looks up at the ceiling. He’s always loved doing this after a good smoke, just sitting there, staring at the ceiling and allowing his mind to wander and eventually go blank.

Chrissy is sitting beside him still, more relaxed than before which brings a smile to Eddie’s lips. The room has been quiet for a while and Chrissy has a question that she’s been meaning to ask.

“So, why do you do it?” SHe says after clearing her throat a little.

“Do what?” He doesn’t look at her, still focused on the ceiling above.

“Why do you act the way you do? Why play that game and listen to that music? You do realize it’s not normal right?” This catches his attention, he brings his head up to look at her, her eyes drifting from his face to her lap where she fiddles with her hands.

“Why are you with Jason when you know he’s sleeping with half the girls at the school?” Eddie’s feeling feisty now, not pleased with the sudden line of questioning.

“I asked you first.” Chrissy retorts back.

“I don’t know what you mean. I act the way I do because that’s who I am, and I play D&D because I find it fun and thrilling. Being normal ’s just not for me, trust me on this one sweetheart.”

“But it could be. If you tried, then you wouldn’t have everyone staring at you and calling you a freak.”

“Yeah but you forget one thing,” Eddie’s sitting up right now, hands on his knees as he gets closer to her. Her eyes are looking at him again, scanning his face quickly, almost worry in her eyes.

“What’s that?” Chrissy’s voice is small and weak, Eddie’s presence now intimidating as he gets right up in her face, a mere inch apart.

“I don’t give a damn what people think.” Chrissy is staring into his eyes now, completely locked in and focused. 

“Your turn, why Jason?” Eddie really is curious as to why she’s with him, and he know’s it can’t only be for the social status, “And don’t say because he’s captain of the laundry basket game.”

“It’s called basketball and I wasn’t going to say that. I like him because he’s sweet and kind and always does the best for others.”

Eddie can’t believe the words she just used to describe him, “Jason? Like Jason Carver, the one who bullies me relentlessly and judges people if they breathe the wrong way? That Jason?”

“Yes Eddie, that Jason.” 

“But how?”

“I know he’s not the best to be around during school but that’s just because his dad is a jackass who won’t get off his back about basketball and his grades. He’s stressed all the time and just needs a break. And when he’s with me he’s thi sweet guy who doesn’t care what others think, just wanting to be the best he possibly can be.”

Eddie looks at her, mouth wide like a fish that’s trying to get air after being pulled from the water. Never in his 20 years of life did he think that he would hear someone say those things about Jason, especially in his trailer! It felt like an out of body experience.

“Can I ask you another question?” Chrissy is looking at him, ignoring the stunned expression.

“Uh sure. But this is the last one.”

“What’s up with you and y/n?” “Nothing, why?” The hair on the back of Eddie’s neck stand up at the mention of you.

“I didn’t se her with you today at the game and I was just curious. I mean you two are always together, even Jason and I don’t spend that much time together. Guess you guys just have a good relationship.”

“Woah woah woah. Y/n and I aren’t in a relationship. She’s just a friend.”

Chrissy gives him a quizzical look, not fully believing him, “Uh huh, so you guys just carpool together and walk to classes together and eat lunch together because you’re friends?”

“Yes. We do,” Eddie sits up straighter now, feeling like he has to assert dominance in this situation.

“Okay then. I was just wondering,” Chrissy is looking directly in his eyes now, analyzing the vast space of his irises.

His eyes are cool and calm, whilst hers are wide and a little curious. Eddie’s gaze dips from hers to her lips then back up again. Her lipgloss is pretty much gone, most of it on the end of the discarded blunt. They are soft and pink, not at all chapped and worn like his.

Eddie’s feeling bold and a little angry right now. Bold from the weed and angry at you for not believing that he could have Chrissy if he wanted to, so his next moves weren’t quite thought out. So before either of them knows it his lips are on hers. Chrissy gasps into the kiss, it quickly being muffled by his mouth. She knows she should pull away, she knows she shouldn’t be kissing anyone other than Jason, especially Eddie “The Freak” Munson, but his lips taste different and the way he holds himself is in high contrast from Jason.

So she leans in a little, giving back to what Eddie is giving her. They kiss for what feels like forever to Eddie but in actuality it was only a few seconds before she pulls away.

“I-” Chrissy tries to speak but the words fall silent on her tongue before she can even get them out.

“Shit, I’ve been wanting to do that for so fucking long. It’s even better than I imagined,” Eddie has his world famous grin on, happy to have finally made a move on his dream girl. He starts to lean back in for another kiss when one of Chrissy’s small hands touch his chest, pushing him back.

“What? What’s wrong?” Eddie’s concerned now.

“It’s, um, it’s Jason. I can’t do this to him.”

“But the guy is a jerk, you can do better than him,” Eddie puts his hand over the one onhis chest, “I can treat you better than he can.”

Her eyes are still downcast, not even daring a quick glace up to his. She slips her hand out from under his, letting it fall into her lap again. “Eddie I’m sorry. Really I am, but I can’t. I love him, and he loves me.”

The words are like acid to Eddie’s ears, his face burning at the sound. His body goes numb as he falls back into the couch. Chrissy is talking but he can’t understand her, being rejected is already too much to bear.

“You should go.” His voice is cold, harsh; he barely recognizes it himself.

“Yeah, um okay.” She gets up, gethers her things then rushes out the door. The sound loudly reverberating off the walls of the tin can Eddie calls a home.

He sits there. For a good 10 minutes he just sits there, thinking. Thinking about how he just kissed his dream girl, about how her lips felt on his, how good her lipgloss tasted on his tongue, how much he wishes it could’ve lasted longer, how he hates himself to doing it in the first place.

Eddie’s been dreaming of that moment since he was in 7th grade. He hoped she would be his first, in everything; first girlfriend, first kiss, first to have sex with him-he hoped for it all. Now he’s left sitting here, rejected and cold and alone.

What makes him feel worse is that he can’t even go talk to the one person he knows would make him feel better because she’s mad at him for something she was ultimately right about. He just wishes he could take this entire day back and start over.

---

All night you had been laying in bed and wracking your brain for all the possible ways to make it up to Eddie. Going through all these years of friendship the two of you share, thinking of all the things Eddie loves; weed, horror movies, milkshakes from Jay’s Diner, and the cookies you make.

You get up from your bed, the bright light of the rising sun peaking through your curtains. You could only sleep for a few hours that night, too afraid that you had ruined your best friendship. Throwing the blankets off yourself you get ready for the day, choosing comfort more than style.

An hour later you are standing in front of Eddie’s trailer, cookies and milkshakes in hand as you carry a bag of all his favorite horror movies you had just gotten from Family Video. You clock that Wayne’s truck is still outside even though he is normally on his way to work by now, but you don’t pay much attention to it as you knock on the door.

You wait for a few seconds and then are faced with the older man with salt and pepper hair.

“Hi Wayne.” You greet with a smile on your face.

“Hey honey, you here for Ed?” He moves aside to let you in.

“Yeah we uh got into a little fight last night and I wanted to check in on him. Brought milkshakes and cookies.” You hold up the items in your hand. Wayne smiles at your gesture, one Eddie would be sure to love as well.

“He’s been real upset today. Hasn’t said a word to me since I got back from work this morning, rarely comin’ outta that room a his.”

You’re confused for a minute at his words. Eddie seemed mad at you sure but to go as far as to lock himself in his room all day, that was dramatic, even gor him. The look on your face must’ve clued Wayne in on the fact that you had no clue what he was talking about.

“If ya don’t mind, may I ask what you fought about?” HE rubs the back of his neck, a thing Eddie does when he too is nervous, “Possibly get an idea as to why he’s like this.”

“Well he wanted to go to the basketball game last night but I wasn’t feeling up for it. I had tried a few times to tell him I didn’t wanna go but he’s a stubborn one,” Wayne nods his head and smiles a little, “I let my anger get to me and accidentally yelled at him, saying things I did and didn’t mean. But I didn’t think he would be that mad about it, not enough to lock himself inside for hours.”

The two of you standing there in silence, contem,plating all the other reasons for Eddie’s behavior today. The older man looks at his watch then sighs, knwoing it’s time to go to work but not wanting to leave his nephew.

“Go ahead. I’ll see if I can get to him, I’ll call you about what happened later.” Wayne gives you a reassuring smile and a squeeze on the arm before heading out the door and to his late night job.

You take a deep breath in and out, calming your nerves. You set the milkshakes into the freezer, not wanting them to melt as the two of you talked before heading down the short hallway to the metalhead’s room.

It’s rare to see Eddie’s door closed, always an open book in his own house. You knock on his door 3 times, a special order to them, signaling that it was you who was outside of it. Eddie was the one who suggested the two of you got a secret knock, being that both of your parental figures tended to just walk in unannounced and without warning.

The knock was short and sweet, something easy to remember. Eddie was the one who used it most, knocking on your window late at night to steal you away for a night drive or a smoke sesh. 

There is no response from Eddie, so you try the knock again, hoping he just didn’t hear you the thifrst time. Nothing, no response.

“Ed? You okay in there? Wayne said you haven’t left there all day.” You try and keep your voice neutral, not showing the hurt from deep inside that this might be your fault, “Look if this is about out fight last night I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I wasn’t in the right head space and I really shouldn’t’ve talked to you that way.” Still nothing, not even the shifting of sheets could be heard.

“I brought some movies and cookies. Oh and that milkshake you love so much from Jay’s.” You start to get worried now, Eddie has never been this quiet in his life, “Eddie please talk to me. I really didn’t mean to say those things about you and I take back every word. If you really, truly love Chrissy then I will support you. I just don’t want you to get hurt is all, I love you and hate seeing you like this.”

At the mention of Chrissy, Eddie’s heart constricted thinking about what happened last night. And for the first time all day, he speaks.

“It’s not your fault,” The words are soft, the sound in his voice coming out strained.

“Are you sure? I know I was harsh and I take full responsibility for your emotions and my actions. Can I come in? I kinda feel like I need to say this to your face.” You pause a moment, waiting for something, anything. Then you hear the small *click* of his door being unlocked. You open it and gasp at the sight in front of you.

Eddie is laying on his bed, blankets wrapped tightly around him as tissues surround and litter the the places around him. He was crying.

“Shit.” You say under your breath. There is soft music playing in the back ground, you recognize the song to be K. by Cigarettes After Sex. You know the song is on his sad playlist, one he rarely listened to that you knew of. So for him to be listening to it right now is startling.

“Eds?” You walk into the rom fully now, setting the cookies and movies down on the floor by the door. You take a few steps towards his bed, his back is turned to you.

“Eddie, what’s wrong?” You’re now at the edge of his bed, wanting more than anything for him to turn around and look at you. He just lays there, his breathing moving his chest up and down slowly.

“I fucked up.”

“Huh?” You weren’t even sure he said anything that’s how quietly he said it.

“I fucked up, badly.” He turns around now, showing you the aftermath of his endless crying all night. His eyes are puffy and red, tear lines stain his face as a little bit of snot if still lingering on his nose.

You’ve never, ever seen Eddie cry out of sadness before, happiness, excitement, pleasure, sure but not sadness and it worried you to your core to know who or what did this to him. You take a seat on his bed, placing a hand on his thigh, the layers of blankets stopping any sort of heat of his to tough yours.

“What happened? Why do you think you fucked up?”

“Chrissy came by last night…” That’s when your ears perked up, so this was her fault huh? “She wanted drugs but I wasn’t sure she should do them alone since I figured she’s never done them before. Being miss popular “good girl” and all.”

Eddie sits up now, clearing his throat as you just sit there, leting him talk. “I offered to sit with her and teacher her how to smoke properly as to not hurt herself, you know?” You only nod, “Well we were sitting there a few minutes just passing it back and forth, talking occasionally until she asked me a question.”

“Which was?”

“Why do you act the way you do? It seemed harmless at the time, just something that one would ask the town freak,” Your heart pangs at the name he calls himself, “I retorted with a question of my own, following in her line of questioning. Everything was good, then she looked at me. Like really looked at me and I couldn’t hold back anymore, after what you said and the way she just seemed so damn pretty even after coming here with tears staining her face. I kissed her.”

Your eyes went wide. He kissed her. Eddie kissed Chrissy. Eddie Munson and Chrissy Cunningham kissed. The “town freak” and the “cheery good girl” of Hawkins kissed. No matter what way you put it nothing changed. The boy you love, are in love with kissed someone else, someone who had a boyfriend who despised Eddie.

You’re silent, not even breathing as Eddie stares at you, “We only kissed for a few seconds but it was great, her lips were soft and sweet. I wanted to stay like that forever, I could’ve if she didn’t pull away. She told me it was wrong and she couldn’t do it, Jason being the one she loved, even though I know for a fact that he’s fucking other girls around the school.”

The words and thoughts of Eddie kissing Chrissy still heaven’t left your brain, you needed to get them out. “So that’s why you’ve been in here all day. Cause Chrissy rejected you? Not our fight?” You needed a clear answer.

“Yeah. I mean part of it was because we fought, but only a small part, most being because of the kiss.” His eyes are on his lap, where he messes with the chunky rings adorning them. You place your hand over his, stopping th nervous tick.

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay. You’ll find someone else who doesn’t have a dickwad for a boyfriend and who loves you just as much as you do them and you’ll be happy. I promise,” Clearly you were talking about yourself but he didn’t need to know that. He gives you a smile and pulls you in for a hug, squeezing tightly.

“Thanks sweetheart. You always know what to say to cheer me up.”

“I’ll always be there for you Ed, you know that.” The two of you break apart, you missing the warmth of his body against yours all too much.

“Did I hear something about horror movies and milkshakes?” You laugh at his change in conversation.

“Yes you did. I went to Jay’s earlier to get your favorite, which I still don’t get ow you can drink a birthday cake milkshake but I still bought it.” You stand from his bed, extending your hand out to im, “Let’s get you out of here, watch some movies and eat a shit ton of unhealthy foods.”

Eddie takes your hand without even taking a second thought, letting you lull him to his couch in the other room. The two of you sit there for the rest of the night, watching movies, eating cookies and drinking milkshakes. Everything was back to normal, almost.

Your heart still beat for Eddie but you knew now that you couldn’t do anything to pursue it, knowing it would only confuse and hurt him more. So for now you would stay an arm's length away, letting him pull you in whatever direction he wanted, a smile plastered to your face the entire way.

Eddie Taglist: @ali-r3n @dixontardis @witchwolflea @micheledawn1975 @daydreaming-mood @idfwfeelings @adaydreamaway08 @preciousbumplingbee @rustboxstarr @plk-18 @teary-eyed-egg @needylilgal022 @exploding-bonbon @gagasbee @eddiemunsonsguitarpicc @aol19 @thatwitchyoucouldntburn-blog

You Belong With Me Taglist: @emma77645 @ch4rlie-blogs @lucyteennope @sidthedollface2 @f-me-reid @elvendria @amira0303 @comic-harley @futuristicbirdtraveler @eddiemunson95 @gemnetjournal @sakaur-i @bakugouswh0r3 @sunshineandwitchery @theonceandfuturewinchester @bibieddiesgf @harmfulb1tch @marsflys @amillionfandoms-onlyoneme @daydreaming-mood @rach5ive @tlclick73 @r-a-d-i-0-n-0-w-h-e-r-e @plk-18 @dreamerjj @ceda1063 @eddiemunsonsguitarpic @suzy2872628 @idfwfeelings @fanfangying1304 @buckybarnescouldchokeme @4bigail @r-a-d-i-0-n-0-w-h-e-r-e @siouxiesiouxtryhard @urinternetmom @fuckmylifedudee @aol19

[lethalchiralium]

No More | [2] | Simon “Ghost” Riley x F!Reader

a/n: WOW. i did not expect that to blow up as hard as it did. thank you so much!! [this seriously might become a series. we’ll see.] [also, that means you’re getting a backstory. a very… need for speed backstory ;)] i really do think this is shitty but that’s all part of the plan baby!

warnings: cussing, alcohol, simon drinks to forget but he always remembers, non-sexual nudity, mentions of genocide, mentions of trauma, mentions of past careers, mentions of planes, mentions of crashing, mentions of american citizenship (you don’t have to be from there if you don’t want to be! i live there and i don’t want to be here! it’s just important from a certain aspect of your previous career.) simon is also a lot more lovey when he’s drunk.

summary: He’s convinced he should leave. He’s convinced himself that you are better off without him, better alone than being hurt by a shell of a man like him. He barely got a foot out of the door before he changed his mind.

part one here! | SERIES MASTERLIST

He had more bourbon in the past two months than he’s ever had in his entire life. The sickly sweet pull and the burn down his throat was a comforting pain as agony ripped through his heart. He sat alone in your shared apartment, a dim lamp being the only light in the entire space. He hadn’t gotten sick of the bourbon like he usually does, he couldn’t move it from the coffee table - he had sat forwards, arms resting on his knees and hands dug into his hair.

He was bone tired. He hadn’t slept in two days; it was a normal occurrence now that you had gone on that mission. He had to take leave so he didn’t rip Price’s throat out for not letting him go with you. The ache in his head still hadn’t gone away with the aspirin he took a few hours ago and the full bottle of his best bourbon down the hatch. The night wasn’t flying by like it did last night, he could hear the clock on the wall tick as he wallowed in his own misery.

Sometimes it took him weeks to bring up the scalpel and separate Ghost and Simon, divide the halves into quarters and dissect what actions could have been better performed to produce a better outcome - essentially, what he did to fuck up the one good thing he had going for him, and how he could fix it. He took your words to heart, and he was taking a very long time to stew over everything he could have done that would’ve have made him look like he didn’t trust you. Simon trusted you with every fiber of his being, he loved you more than that. He knew you were an amazing fighter, your fire to help those in need could never be extinguished.

He realized later rather than sooner that Ghost was why you didn’t trust him - Ghost was protecting the person Simon loves the most. And maybe, that included when you were home too. Keeping Simon locked away so he didn’t get hurt, so Simon didn’t get hurt by you.

If he had half a bottle less, he would’ve gone up to bed - but the room felt suffocating without you. He couldn’t lay in a bed that smelled like you if it became one of the last things he had of you in case you were killed, so he had cat napped on the couch for the past nine weeks. If he had a bottle less, he wouldn’t have thought about how his absence wouldn’t hurt you as much as Ghost does - if he had the £348 he spent on alcohol back, he wouldn’t have thought how this place felt like your home. Never his, he also categorized it underneath Ghost’s half - keeping his love at arms length so his self-destruction doesn’t hurt you.

He was drunk. Piss drunk, since he had never gave himself time to sleep off the bourbon. Ghost was cracked in the middle, and Simon was punching out holes in Ghost’s façade. Ghost never allowed Simon to feel, never allowed him to connect with anyone - a self-defense mechanism. But now? Ghost was almost gone, and he felt like himself now. And God, did it hurt.

How could he have done this? How could have pushed you away so far that your rope was dwindling by a thread, how could he have hurt the one thing that made him begin to unlock the cage around his freezing cold heart? He felt it in his chest, the raw burn and tug of desperation - he knew that he had to cut the thread.

He didn’t want to, he would give anything to not let you go - but Simon couldn’t let you keep getting damaged by his defense measures.

If he had no alcohol in his system, he wouldn’t have gotten up like he did. He wouldn’t have waltzed to the guest room, messily packed his duffle and brought it to the living room. He wouldn’t have grabbed a pen and an old pad of paper. And he definitely wouldn’t have written the note he was writing now.

He folded the note, lifting up the bottle of bourbon on the coffee table and setting it down on the table, putting the bottle on the corner to hold the note down. His hand grabbed his duffle and he stood and he made his way to the front door. He slipped on his boots, only caring enough to tuck the laces into his socks before Simon went to open the door. He took the time to turn around, gazing at the dim apartment that smelled like you, that held all of your important belongings. It was the place that cradled you when you were down, the place he kept falling for you, the place he would kneel to the kiss the ground you walked on.

This was the place he loved you.

Honestly, in the back of his mind, he knew his sober ass would walk home after a week.

Before he could open the door, the lock turned and the door burst open - he threw his duffle into the adjacent kitchen and was about to fight. That was before he saw you.

Dirt and blood caked on your face, your duffle hanging from your hand, your hoodie tattered and your neck bruised - and he watched as the tears raced down your face. He could barely even begin to speak when you flung your duffle inside and dove into his chest, arms wrapped around his chest so hard, he thought you would pop his lungs.

“Baby, baby, hey,” He cooed, his hand immediately held your head against his chest - he pulled you both out of the way so he could close the door and lock it, now he was immediately sobered up. Your sobs were loud now, your hands gripped onto the back of his shirt so hard he was convinced it would rip.

He tried to pull you away but you refused, begging, “Please, pl-please don’t let me go.”

“Where’s Cerby?” He spoke gently, keeping his hand on the back of your head, feeling dirt crusted into your scalp. You must have come straight here.

“With K-Keegs.” You mumbled, muffled by his thin t-shirt with a faded band logo on it. He sighed, sad that his dog wouldn’t be home for a few days but he let the feeling go. All he needed to focus on was you, and definitely not his foolish actions from literally three minutes prior.

He hummed then, his free hand moved to underneath your thigh - he pulled it up so you would get the hint, which you did. Your arms moved from around his chest to around his neck and you jumped into his arms, caging your legs around his large waist as best you could. Both of his hands held the back of your thighs, he glanced to the kitchen and made sure both of the duffles were there and unharmed. They were, so he turned around and walked down the hallway to the bedroom he hadn’t used in since the last time you were home. He pushed the door open, turning on the warm light before walking into the ensuite bathroom.

He flicked on the light before moving to sit on the side of the bathtub, it creaked under your combined weight - you were sat firmly on his lap and his hands went to your back and head, cradling you.

“I’m gonna start a bath for you, love.” He spoke, his voice wavering with uncertainty as your arms wrapped tighter around his masked neck.

“No, no, please, don’t let go.” The tumble of words from your mouth made his grip on you tighter. He couldn’t imagine what happened, he didn’t want to - he thanked God that he decided to drink that entire bottle of bourbon a couple of hours ago. His mind was muddled, he could barely get any thought out of what could’ve happened. All he wanted to do now was help you.

He kissed the top of your head through his mask, dismissing the feeling of cloth against his lips and he gently pulled your head back, he gazed into your red-rimmed eyes. He whispered your name like a prayer, as if you were an angel - which you were to him. Even covered head to toe in dirt, blood, and grime, he would still be able to see your halo through any darkness. “Let me help, love. Let me help you feel better, then I won’t let you go for as long as you want.”

“I can’t.” The voice he heard was almost unrecognizable, he had never heard you sound so small. “I can’t, I can’t.”

He sighed, moving forwards to press the skull to your forehead - something he did when he knew you needed it. You physically relaxed when he did it, your back bent into his hand as you pushed every single ounce of weight onto him. His fingertips pressed into your spine, dragging up and down it from above your shitty old hoodie. He stayed like that for a few minutes, letting you cry against his mask. He gave you a bit of time before he pulled up your hoodie, you obliged and let him pull it over your head. You were just in your dirty black sports bra, and now he got a good look at you.

He felt bile rise in his throat. Your entire chest was spray painted in black bruises, he got a good look at the dark purplish handprint on your neck. He looked back up at you, your head faced to the side as you cried, ashamed.

“Oh, my love,” His hand returned to the back of your head, cradling it as he gazed at you. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

You quickly shook your head, tears removing most of the grime on your cheeks. Your arms were now at your side, fiddling with the hem of his athletic shorts while you let out a broken sigh. His hands moved to lift you off of his lap, one hand didn’t stop touching you while he pulled off your boots, tossing them to the side before tugging off your holed socks. He made a mental reminder to buy you new socks at the base shop while he placed a hand on your back, guiding you with him as he moved to turn the faucet on. He turned it all the way up then back a little, the temperature you liked. He plugged the drain and put his hand underneath the flow of water, waiting for it to turn almost hot - normally, he would’ve made it extremely hot, you had always said you thought it was like being boiled like a lobster. But, he didn’t want to agitate your injuries. His hand moved from your back and didn’t break skin contact when he took your hand, still looking away from you but he still held your hand gently.

“You’re warm.” You mumbled, moving his hand up to settle on your cheek.

“I know, love.” He answered, turning back to you. His hand slipped from your face and down your side to your belt loops, undoing the buttons and zipper then pulling down your pants. He took your hands as you stepped out of your pants, watched as you kicked them behind you and he observed new pink scars, healed but still fresh. Surrounding them were black bruises, identical to the ones on your chest. He heard your whimpers of pain when you stood back up, his hand ghosted your side as he gazed at it, seeing identical black bruises again. Even if he felt sober, he knew that the adrenaline from you showing up injured would wear off and he would become sloppy. He didn’t hurry, he took his time as he pulled down the boxers you stole from him and toss them away. His hands found the bottom of your sports bra, your wince made him pause and look at your face again.

Fat tears still rolled down your cheeks, silent sobs left you as you kept your eyes closed. Your hands stayed at your side until he murmured, “Raise your arms please.” You did as you were told, he tugged it off quickly but not as painlessly as he wanted. You let out a loud wheeze that echoed throughout the bathroom, he placed his hand on your side again, his presence close to you as he leaned down and shut off the water. “‘m gonna pick you up, love.”

“Okay.”

He did as he had said, gently swooping you into his arms and placing you in the warm water that reached up to your collarbone. Your eyes opened again when he retreated from the tub, your gaze watched as he pulled out a towel from the closet and began to rummage through it.

“I almost died.”

Simon visibly froze as you turned back, your gaze now staring at the light above the tub. He peered around the door, hand clutching a washcloth with a pain he couldn’t soberly place. “Do…Do you want to tell me?”

You didn’t respond. He brought all of the materials to the side of the tub, he gently pet your head.

Simon, drunk as hell, bathed you with care. He didn’t speak a word and neither did you, you stared at the wall the whole time except when he tried to wash your hair. You let him move you under the faucet, rinse your hair for five minutes because he couldn’t tell if the soap was gone yet, let him dry you with a towel and dress you in new clothes.

You could barely keep your eyes open when he carried you to bed, tucking you in before he did himself. He watched as you curled into a ball, facing him and keeping your eyes on the sheets, your hand drew circles beside your face. He turned off the lamp on the nightstand, drowning the room in darkness and settled back onto the bed, watching you with bated breath.

“Got trapped in a burning truck.” Your voice almost spooked him, his eyebrows furrowed. You just stared at the gray sheets. “RPG’d the ground in front of us and flipped it. Knocked Logan and Keegs out. Hesh got launched from the driver’s windshield. Had to drag them out and triage them in an abandoned warehouse while trying to fight off the enemy. Got captured for a week. Keegs saved me.” You sniffled a little, your hand reached for his - he instantly took it. He squeezed your hand. “Had bad flashbacks. It had been a while since I’ve got stuck under burning metal and tortured. S’why I was crying.”

“How’re the boys?”

“Watchin’ Cerby and all as stubborn as always. All fine.” You mumbled, pressing his rough skin to your chapped lips.

A deafening silence settled then, your thumb threaded over the back of his hand while he felt your breath graze it. He began to feel drowsy, the slow turn-table of dizziness was coming back from earlier and all he wanted to do was place his head in your neck and just breathe. He needed you like he needed oxygen, you touch him and he felt like it was the first breath he’s ever taken.

“Sleep, baby.” He murmured, sliding down from his sitting position, underneath the soft duvet. He moved closer to you, settling his head so that he laid face to face with you. He could barely make out your nose and cheeks in the dim moonlight, but he could see the glisten of your eyes as they gazed at his.

“I haven’t had a PTSD episode since I left the US Naval Aviation division.” The voice he heard sounded nothing like what you normally do - it was small. Broken. Damaged. An echo of you.

He furrowed his brows, he thought he knew everything about you. Both your dad and childhood best friend were pilots, but you never specified what kind - and apparently neglected to tell him that you were one too. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a pilot?”

You sniffled, squeezing his hand and ignored his question. “Got shot down over enemy territory. Crash landed and had to pry my legs from my jet as the fire burned.” The sensation of his hand being squeezed tighter made his dizzy mind think that you were angry - but in reality, the memory of burning metal against your hands made you feel scared. You wanted to pull him closer, to have him shield you from your memories. Yet you kept talking, even if you recognized the hurt twang in his voice. “Had to fend for myself in an abandoned city just over the border in Ukraine. Stayed in that town for three weeks ‘til Special Forces came and found me.” You pulled his arm to your chest, pressing his hand into your cheek. “S’where I met Price. Almost shot him too, thought he was an enemy.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about the flashbacks?” His voice was softer then, he pressed his warm palm down to your jaw. “I could’ve helped you, my love.”

“‘Cause it’s not important now.” You murmured, both of your hands cradled his. “Wasn’t even s’posed to stay with 141, meant to go back to Miramar. Meant to get back in the air.” You took a quiet breath. “I fell for you and everything I knew went up in smoke.”

His heart dropped to the floor. It thumped against it, still pumping blood but it hurt in his chest.

“If I hadn’t given it up, I wouldn’t have you.”

“I would give up anything for you.” He whispered. “Don’t give up anything for me, darling. You deserve everything you have.”

“That means I deserve you.”

“You don’t deserve me.” He immediately answered, his other hand went to settle on the duvet, tugging it up more. “You don’t deserve my problems, how fucked up I am.”

“I don’t care.”

“You should.” He settled his hand on your side, feeling you breathe underneath his fingertips. “I’ve hurt you, not on purpose but I still did it.” His thumb circled on the duvet, you barely felt it as his voice became quieter. “You really hurt me when you walked away.”

“I’m sorry.” Your voice wavered, he couldn’t bear to hear you start to cry again. He paused, hand coming from your hip to completely take off his mask - something he had never done in your presence before. He tossed the mask away onto the floor as he moved forwards, placing his lips against your moonlight dusted cheek.

“I deserved it.” He answered, settling back and pulling your hands into his chest. “Made me think for a while.”

“You’re drunk.” A statement he didn’t deny, he pulled your hands upwards to his collarbone.

“I am.”

“Because of me?”

“Because I hurt you.” He answered, now pulling your hands to settle on his cheeks. “I want you to feel that I trust you, because I do.” He began to move your hands upwards, his eyes fluttered closed as your fingertips traced his warm face, tracing his eyebrows and dancing over his eyelids.

“Simon, you don’t have to let me do this.” Your hands paused, his own grip settled on your wrists. “I want you to be sober, you’ll be mad at me tomorrow.”

He scoffed, moving his head to kiss one of your palms, keeping his eyes closed as he whispered, “I could never be mad at you. Frustrated or upset? Yes, but angry? No.” He gently rubbed your arms, hands moving to settle on your own cheeks. “I’ve decided that you need to really know how much I trust you. How much faith I have in you. How proud I am of you.”

“You hurt me for so long.” Your voice cracked so heavily, fingertips grazing his forehead and memorizing his nose, coming down to trace his lips you knew well.

“I want to fix it.” His lips kissed your palm again, eyes opening to gaze at your dimly lit face. “Give me a chance.”

“I think this is most comfortable you’ve ever been to talk about things like this.” You remarked, hands stopping on his jaw, cradling it. “I want you to show me how much you trust me, but when you’re sober.”

He nodded in return, moving forwards to place a slow kiss on your lips. His hands moved to settle on the side of your head, pulling you forward just a little. When he broke the kiss, he placed another on the tip of your nose. “You’ll know how much I treasure you until the end of time.”

“Okay.”

“Just don’t leave me like that ever again.” His voice was low, one hand going to trace down your body. “Ever.”

You nodded as you moved closer to him, chest to chest. He removed his other hand from your cheek and slid his arm under his pillow.

“Sleep, love. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

_______________

comment for part 3! (part three here!!)

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tag list:

(i was not able to tag some - i apologize!)

@luhvbot @its-me-ya-boi-lisa @ladystarfishnut @chris3tom2pau1rdj @kat-nee @efsa-lks @angelsquid @marytvirgin @medivalpersephone @ramadiiiisme @blueoorchid @guiltyconfessions @abbiesxox @lockleywife @nicomactavish @nose235678 @lumpypoll @multi-fandomlovers-world @holyfeck @thriving-n-jiving @kgive @simonsdoll @crazyfandomist @ryunniez

Copyright © 2023 lethalchiralium. All rights reserved.

[hells-wasabii]

Can U Make Head-cannons of Angel Dust SFW and NSFW pls 🙏🏽

A/N: so, I actually have two asks for hcs for Angel, so I'll probably do another set of em as well when i reach that other ask! for now though I hope you like these! I did also write these with a male reader in mind

Part 1 | Part 2

Character: Angel Dust

Type: Headcanons (Angel Dust x reader, General, Fluff, Angst, NSFW under cut)

A romance with Angel Dust is a lot of things. It's passionate, it's loving, it's heavy. It's real. He uses his flirty personality as a defense mechanism, but you saw through it early on. There were times when the two of you were out on the town together and sometimes when he thought no one was looking, you could catch a glimpse of the demon under the mask.

He's been hurt at nearly every turn, so he's opening himself up to trust you not to. But this doesn't mean to coddle him or to treat him like he's made of glass. He just wants you to be real with him, you know? Sure, he has bad habits, and bad coping mechanisms that he will need help breaking, but if you're gonna see the real him, he's gonna need to see the real you too. No bullshit.

Angel doesn't really get jealous, he likely feels that due to his line of work, he doesn't really have room to talk. You're sure to assure him that this is not the case, that it doesn't work that way.

He does love showing you off, just as much as he likes being shown off, so please, please take him out. It doesn't have to be fancy, as long as he's got you on his arm he's happy

Warning! NSFW under the cut

When it comes to sex workers and their partners, intimacy is VASTLY different between work and home. At home, it's all about the connection between the two of you, the intimacy, holding each other close all the while being completely vulnerable to your partner.

This isn't to say that things won't get kinky in the bedroom. The two of you have delved into your fair share of kinks, deepening the trust you hold in each other. So long as you communicate your needs, Angel is very open to exploring new things with you.

Being that his actual job is in sex work, he understands just how important aftercare is. Water is readily available and you'd best believe that cuddles are required. Did you two get a little rough? Angle will have hell's equivalent to aspirin right there for whichever one of you needs it. Hell, the two of you would even have snacks at the ready too if that's something you're into

[yelena-bellova]

Twenty Years Later: Joel Miller x F!Reader - Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Out On The Town

Plot: Tess and Joel demand answers from Y/n and Ellie on the details of Ellie’s condition and venture out into the city.

Word Count: 6.1k

Warnings: tlou ep.2 spoilers, language, canon typical violence, allusion to sexual harassment, guns, blood (16+)

A/N: PLEASE READ. Hello, my loves 👋🏻 I’m so glad everyone’s enjoying the series. I placed this in the previous chapter and a few other posts, but need to reiterate it. I’m not adding anyone to the taglist if they don’t have their age in their bio. This is a 16+ series and I’m trying to look out for younger eyes on here 👀

Other than that, I hope everyone enjoys these next two chapters. This one’s less action and more set-up for future parts. The next one should be out before Sunday’s episode. Read on, babes!!

—————————

May 10th, 2002. Austin, Texas.

The only proof Joel had that he’d been at the bar the night before was the throbbing pain in his temples. It was a sobering reminder that his talent for drinking was slipping with age. Still, he pounded some coffee and an Aspirin, picked up Tommy and headed off to work.

On their way, Joel found his eye straying to each women he drove past that even bore a tiny resemblance to Y/n. He should have been surprised that it had only taken one meeting for her to brand herself on his brain, but she was something special. She probably had that effect on everyone she met.

Joel parked the car outside the hardware store, leaving a semi-hungover Tommy to grab a few more minutes of sleep. Sarah was at soccer practice for the morning and then off to a friend’s house, they could almost get in full day of work.

Both the Miller brothers knew their way around the store like the back of their hands. Joel went to the back to get his quota of wood cut, made small talk with the older guy who worked the cutter and navigated the aisles effortlessly. There was nothing new about any of it…

On the other side of each aisle, Y/n was pushing a cart and restocking product. Home improvement wasn’t her passion in life, but her father had been one of those “don’t pay someone to do it if you can do it yourself” kind of guys, so it came natural to her. The pay was good, she liked her boss, and she enjoyed the community aspect of the job.

They were dancing without knowing it. Each time Joel moved in one direction, Y/n moved in the opposite, and vice versa.

Eventually, Joel got to the last thing on his list: a new drill bit. He steered his cart around a corner and down the corresponding aisle. When he got to the hook it was supposed to be on, he found it empty. This was not the day for that…

Y/n pulled down the aisle, spotting a customer rifling through a shelf, and put on her employee smile. “Can I help you find some-“

Joel practically smacked his head on the shelf above, standing up as soon as he heard that familiar voice.

Y/n’s eyes lit up, “You.”

“You,” Joel echoed, a surprised smile coming to his face.

“Hi,” Y/n chuckled.

Joel’s brain stopped firing any and all signals, “Hi.”

“So we had the same early morning planned,” Y/n smiled.

“Shoulda carpooled,” Joel replied, earning a breathy laugh. His chest warmed.

“How are you?” Y/n asked, as if some grand thing had occurred in the past twelve hours they’d been apart.

Joel leaned one arm on the handle of his cart, “Good. Headin’ off to work.”

“No Tommy?” Y/n looked over his shoulder.

“Nah, he’s sleepin’ last night off in the truck,” Joel said, putting a hand on his hip.

“Can’t say I blame him,” Y/n looped a finger through the grate of her cart, swinging her body into the aisle, “I shouldn’t have let you two buy me that second glass.”

Joel smirked, “Can’t hold your liquor?”

“Oh, I can hold it,” Y/n said confidently, scrunching up her face after, “Until the next morning.”

The two of them shared a short laugh before Y/n remembered why they were there. “You were looking for something,” she pointed to the shelf.

He was? “Oh, yeah,” Joel remembered, “Quarter inch bit.”

“Hang on,” Y/n said, determinedly sorting through one of the boxes in her cart. She pulled out the piece of steel and held it up victoriously.

“You’re my hero,” Joel said, taking it from her, “Day would have been a waste without this.”

“Well, there you go,” Y/n couldn’t help herself from beaming, “You saved me last night, I returned the favor.”

Joel internally winced at the memory.

“Are you done shopping or can I pull anything else out of my magic Mary Poppins cart?” Y/n quipped, patting a hand against one of the boxes.

“Nah, that was the last thing on the list,” he answered, wishing dearly he’d written more on the piece of paper in his hand.

“Well, I’ll check you out,” Y/n said, wishing she’d chosen any other phrasing.

Joel held up a hand, “I don’t wanna take you away from what you’re doin’.”

“Please, you’re doing me a favor,” Y/n grabbed the end of her cart and began to drag it down the aisle, “You’re the first human interaction I’ve had all morning.”

Deciding that he was doing a service and nothing more, Joel followed her through the store. He didn’t know if he believed in fate, but he believed in luck, and it felt like he’d gotten tossed a rare bit of good luck by meeting Y/n again.

Y/n was half convinced she’d caused Joel to materialize. Here she was, thinking about him and his big brown eyes all morning, and then there he was. It was either an unbelievable stroke of luck, or someone Up There had seen fit to brighten her day a little.

As Y/n scanned Joel’s items, a nervous silence blanketed them. Everything that filtered through their minds sounded too awkward to say. There wasn’t a whole lot of ground to cover, they’d only known each other for less than twenty four hours.

“You doin’ okay?” Joel finally asked, hoping he wasn’t crossing some line, “After last night?”

“Oh,” Y/n looked down at the pile of purchases, “Yeah, I’m fine. Not the first time it’s happened. I just need to get better at defending myself.”

Joel’s blood boiled under his calm demeanor, men were awful. “There shouldn’t be a need in the first place,” he bit out as he gripped his cart a little tighter.

Yn shrugged sadly, “It’s the world we live in. That’s why it’s so nice to meet guys like you and Tommy. You make up for your sex’s failings.”

Joel chuckled under his breath as he handed her his debit card, “Not sure we can fill that tall an order.”

Laughing softly enough to make Joel’s chest flutter a little, Y/n rang up the order and handed him the bags.

“Well, I guess I know where I’ll be seeing you two from now on,” she said.

“Yeah,” Joel replied, “And thanks for helping me find that bit. You really saved our asses.”

Y/n playfully held her hands up, “I didn’t get employee of the month for nothing.”

Joel could hear that little voice in his head, the same one that had a residency in the gut, telling him to take a shot and ask Y/n out. He wasn’t a timid guy, but she had some sort of spell on him that made his palms sweat and his mind go blank. Plus, he’d sworn off bringing anyone into his life a long time ago. It was all around, a bad idea.

“Well, I’ll see you around,” he finally decided on.

Y/n hoped her smile hid all her sadness, “See you.”

Joel and his cart made it about three steps before he threw caution to the wind.

“Hey,” he turned around, “Do you think, maybe….I could take you to dinner sometime?”

Y/n’s grin spread like wildfire across her face, “Yeah,” she replied, “I’d like that.”

Both of them released a caught breath, Y/n pressed a button on the printer and tore off a piece of reciept paper. She scribbled her number down.

“I work a lot,” she told him as she wrote, “But I’m usually free on Fridays.”

“Okay,” Joe took the paper from her, their fingers brushing, “I’ll call you.”

Y/n had to physically restrain her lips and the giggle that threatened to show itself. “You do that,” she responded, fiddling with her pen.

Joel gave a sideways smile, deciding to get out while he was on a winning streak. He held up a hand and turned on his heel, confidence powering his stride.

Y/n stayed at the checkout counter a little longer, trying to compose herself lest customers think she was high. She set her pen back down and did a little skip back to her cart. It was going to be a great day.

Joel made it back to the truck, loading his supplies into the flatbed with unusual enthusiasm. He didn’t care about his headache, his backache…he was flying too high for anything to bother him. He climbed into the driver’s seat, Tommy groaned as he did.

“You took your time,” he grunted.

Joel didn’t get many moments of victory, he was going to let himself bask in this one a while. He held up the piece of paper to Tommy, who leaned over and read it. Above an unknown phone number was Y/n’s name with a heart next to it.

Tommy’s grin stretched, “No way.”

Joel simply grinned and started up the truck.

“No fuckin’ way,” Tommy got louder, reaching over and shaking his brother’s shoulder. They drove off, Joel’s mood was shifted for the day. The nerves would set in later. For now, he just wanted to be excited about taking out the beautiful girl from the bar.

—————————

2023, Boston

Tess slammed Y/n up against the inside of the abandoned building.

“What the hell’s going on?”

Y/n pulled on Tess’ jacket and tried to flip her around. She rammed her elbow down on Tess’ arm and broke the hold. Before Tess could fight back, Joel took hold of both their arms and wrenched them apart. Y/n slipped as he did an fell on her side, refusing to groan and let any vulnerability show.

“I already told you,” Y/n grunted, pushing up on one arm, “She’s not sick.”

“You think we’re just gonna believe you?” Tess continued, “Give us one reason why we shouldn’t kill you both right now.”

Y/n smirked, her eyes bouncing to Joel, who glared at her with the same coldness he had twenty years ago. “How else are you going to get your battery?”

No matter how much control Joel wanted to pretend he had over the situation, Y/n held the real power. Ellie and her were the key to getting to Tommy.

Ellie watched this all from the side, exhausted and scared.

“Now here’s what’s going to happen,” Y/n stood to her feet and pointed to Ellie, “She’s going to get some sleep. At some point tonight, I’m going to do the same. Have a gun on me the whole time, I don’t fucking care,” she gestured between her and the girl, “But both of us are going to be breathing come morning,” she looked to Joel, “Or else you get to live with the fact that Tommy could have lived if it wasn’t for your overeager trigger finger.”

Joel’s blood boiled, furious with Y/n for having stepped over that line. How could she speak about his life so carelessly?

“We’ll take the first two shifts,” Tess stated, leaving no room for argument, “But we get our answers first thing.”

Y/n gave a single nod, picked up her backpack and motioned for Ellie to come with. In the middle of the building, there was a patch of grass that could act as a bed. Y/n sat down and pulled out her sweater, balling it up and laying her head atop it.

“Are you sure they won’t kill us?” Ellie asked quietly, she followed Y/n’s actions and crumpled up her jacket.

“Positive,” Y/n said as she shut her eyes. Joel may have been reckless with her life, but he’d sooner die than let anything happen to Tommy.

Ellie curled up a few inches away from Y/n. It was funny what life-or-death circumstances could do to people. Y/n was the only person Ellie had taken to out of the Fireflies, but now, with Tess and Joel as her other options for comfort, she was her new favorite person. Ellie turned on her side to face the woman, the only person she could count on to protect her…

—————————

Sunlight across Y/n eyes woke her up. She stretched out her legs and yawned, spotting a sleeping Ellie at her side. She’d never gotten woken up for her turn to keep watch, but that had been expected. It didn’t take a genius to guess what was waiting in front of her.

Sure enough, Joel had his rifle pointed straight at her chest.

“You’re getting predictable,” Y/n remarked, rubbing one of her eyes.

Ellie woke soon after, sitting up and finding the same sight.

“Morning,” she said. The second she moved, Joel’s gun followed her. Y/n immediately pulled her gun off of her belt and pointed it at her ex.

“Do I look like I’m infected?” Ellie asked.

“Show us your arm,” Joel demanded.

Ellie rolled up her sleeve and showcased the scarred bite. Tess and Joel leaned forward to examine it, which was hard to do with half a room between them.

“Yeah, it’s not getting any worse, is it?” Ellie said impatiently, “If we’re out in the open city, why aren’t we getting swarmed?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Joel ignored her concern.

“Well, I’m gonna,” the girl replied.

“What was Marlene doing with an infected kid?” Tess switched lanes.

Ellie shook her head, “I’m not infected.”

Tess and Joel gave a deadpan stare, Y/n rolled her eyes. It wasn’t like it was a fucking fairytale they were asking them to believe. There was proof right in from of them.

“She found me after I was bitten,” Ellie continued.

“And she didn’t shoot you,” Joel put another piece of the puzzle together.

“Clearly not. She locked me up and had her guys,” Ellie glanced over to Y/n, “Test me every day to see if I was getting sick.”

“Test you how?” Tess asked.

Ellie sighed, “I have to pee.”

Nobody cared. “Test you…how?”

“They’d make me count to ten and hold my hand out and then keep it steady,” Ellie answered, “But, you know, I think what really impressed them was that I didn’t turn into a fucking monster. Now can I please?”

As Ellie stood up, Joel rose with her, and so did Y/n. Betrayal and loyalty mixed between them like oil and water. Ellie held her hands up, caught in the middle of it.

“Fine,” Tess relented, “Back there, you can find a spot. And here,” she tossed a magazine Ellie’s way, “Tear out a few pages.”

Ellie glanced between Y/n and Joel, checking to make sure there wasn’t about to be a shootout, and headed back. “There’s not gonna be anything bad in here?”

“Just you,” Joel answered.

“Oh, funny,” Ellie said before disappearing.

With her gone, Joel and Y/n really had no reason to still be aiming at one another. At the same time, they cautiously lowered their weapons. Despite whatever tragic nostalgia they’d indulged in the night before, they’d gone back to hate, as if their memories had been a symptom of some bad hangover. It was all forgotten in the light of day.

Joel sat back down with Tess, letting his unflinching stare rest on Y/n. Y/n had seen enough of that scowl to not be intimidated by it. Eventually, when nothing more could be said, his eyes dropped to examine his hand. The pain had set in overnight and he couldn’t keep it from shaking.

“Broken,” Tess stated, sitting down next to him.

“Maybe a hairline,” he replied, never looking at her, “It’ll heal fast.”

“Okay,” Y/n muttered, clapping her hands together, “You keep thinkin’ positive, I’m gonna go take a piss.”

She marched over the small hill of grass and knocked on the door frame of Ellie’s makeshift bathroom. “Me,” she announced.

“Don’t fuckin’ look,” Ellie said quickly from somewhere in the room.

“I’m not,” Y/n replied, staring at the ceiling as she wandered, “Just tell me where to go.”

“Left a little,” the girl instructed, “Straight. There you go.”

Y/n unbuckled her pants and squatted, “Throw me the book?”

Ellie tossed the papers her way, they awkwardly went on with their business in silence.

As much as Y/n hated to let Joel have any sort of win over her, if they were going to convince him and Tess to help them to the State House, he was going to need more information.

“You’re gonna have to tell them,” she told Ellie, “About out West.”

Ellie was finished and standing on the other side of Y/n, “I thought I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.”

“Yeah, well,” Y/n sighed, “They’re not gonna believe you unless you do. Marlene would say the same thing.”

“What about you?” Ellie asked, “Would they believe you?”

Y/n bitterly chuckled, the memories that once had stingers now couldn’t penetrate her thick skin. “No, they won’t believe me. You’re our only shot.”

Outside, Joel and Tess were discussing the sudden plot twist.

“She made it through the fuckin’ night, Joel,” Tess urged, her voice dripping with hope.

“It doesn’t matter,” Joel argued, “It’s gonna happen sooner or later. Alright? We’re still close to the Wall, we sneak ‘em back into the QZ. We find a different way to get the battery.”

“What about her?” Tess asked, there was no need to specify which one she was referring to, “You don’t believe her?”

“I don’t trust a fuckin’ word that comes out of her mouth,” Joel answered harshly, the past nipping at his heels, “She’s lied before and she’ll do it again.”

Tess had something unique going for her: she didn’t share history with Joel and Y/n. She saw through all their bullshit objectively. “This is our best shot,” she said, “We take ‘em back to the QZ, someone’s gonna notice her arm, they’ll scan her, then they’ll kill her.”

Joel wasted a heartlessly little amount of time with his reply, “Well, better her than us. You need to stop talkin’ about this kid like she’s got some kind of life in front of her.”

He didn’t know it, but he should have felt grateful that Y/n couldn’t hear his comment over the ripping of magazine pages. She would have shot him then and there.

Ellie and Y/n walked out, Ellie tossing the magazine back at Tess and Y/n keeping close watch as she took her seat.

“You hungry?” Tess offered to Ellie, “You can share some of ours.”

“Thanks,” Ellie replied, “Marlene sent me with my own.”

If Y/n wanted to feel like she was beating Joel in something, breakfast gave her the win. While he picked at a piece of jerky with his fractured hand, she and Ellie worked on their oversized sandwiches. Petty? Perhaps. But Y/n felt entitled to whatever form her hatred wanted to take.

“Is that chicken?” Tess finally asked.

Ellie nodded, “Yeah. Marlene and Y/n say they get it from smugglers. Guess not you guys.”

For whatever reason, even though she’d attacked her, Y/n was starting to feel empathy for Tess. She was the only one semi-amenable to Ellie’s situation. Against her instincts and more in line with her heart, she ripped the rest of her sandwich in half and walked it over to Tess, who looked up appreciatively. On her way back, she made a point of passing by Joel.

Tess stood up and approached Y/n and Ellie, setting Joel off. “Hey. Hey!”

“Why-“ Tess started, throwing a hand up to Joel to stay put, “Why is she so important to you and Marlene? And don’t lie to me or we’ll take you both back.”

“You take us back,” Ellie answered for Y/n, “You don’t get your battery.”

“You heard that?” Tess scoffed, “Well, then you must’ve heard that he wants to shoot you.”

Y/n wanted her heart to break at the comment, but when she looked into Joel’s eyes, she saw nothing. Nothing.

“He also knows he dies if he does that,” Y/n retorted, staring down the man like she could burn a hole through him by sheer force of will.

Tess kneeled down in front of Ellie, “I’m gonna talk to you like you’re an adult, okay? Joel and I aren’t good people. We’re doin’ this for us because, apparently, you’re worth something. But we don’t know what you’re worth if we don’t know what we have. So answer my question.”

Y/n and Joel saw none of the conversation, their eyes were locked on one another like bulls locking horns.

Ellie, however, took Y/n’s advice. “There’s a Firefly base camp somewhere out west,” she confessed, “With doctors. They’re working on a cure.”

Absurdity won and Joel broke his stare first, “Mm-hm, I’ve heard this before.”

“And whatever happened to me,” Ellie continued, “Is the key.”

“Is the key to finding the vaccine,” Joel’s voice overlapped with hers, turning to Tess, “That’s what this is? We’ve heard this a million times. Vaccines, miracle cures. None of it works. Ever.”

“This time it’s different,” Y/n argued.

Ellie stood up, “Fuck you, man. I didn’t ask for this.”

“You and me both,” Joel retorted, “This isn’t gonna end well, Tess. We need to go back.”

“Oh, yes,” Y/n smiled a joyless smile, “Once again, Joel Miller’s making decisions for everyone. What a comfort.”

It was the first time she’d said his name in twenty years and it was doused in venom. It should have hurt.

Tess got to her feet and came to Joel, “Let’s just finish it. It doesn’t matter if she is or isn’t what the Fireflies say she is. If they believe that she is, then…we get what we want.”

Joel faced two realities; one in which Y/n’s words from the night before came true and his brother died because of his stubbornness, and one in which he risked his life for a group of radicals running on hope that would never come to fruition.

He sighed, “If she so much as twitches…”

Ellie began to choke and snarl, flailing her hands like one of the infected. It pressed all their buttons.

“Don’t,” Tess and Y/n said in synchronization.

Ellie stopped, nervously rubbing her neck, “Yeah, okay…”

“Okay?” Tess asked her partner.

Joel glanced between Y/n and Ellie, then sighed. “Okay.”

Without another word, Tess, Joel and Y/n began packing up their gear. Ellie followed their lead, spotting Joel’s rifle. “Can I have a gun?”

“Absolutely not,” Joel replied.

“No,” Tess said.

“Not happening,” Y/n finished.

“Okay, fine,” Ellie’s voice went higher, “I’ll have to throw a fuckin’ sandwich at them.”

Joel pushed the bookcase he’d used to barricade the door aside and peeked out the door. “It’s clear,” he reported.

Y/n walked ahead of Ellie and let the sun hit her. Boston had been cold lately and the warmth was a treat.

“Whoa,” Ellie whispered behind her, she’d never seen or felt the freedom being outside the Wall brought.

“Yeah, looks different in the daylight huh?” Tess said with an almost smile.

There was beauty interlaced with the destruction. Vines twined around crumbling buildings. Grass growing around deserted cars. People theorized the apocalypse would look like blood and destruction, but survival wasn’t so black and white.

“We should get movin’,” Joel said, breaking Y/n from the first near-pleasent thought she’d had all morning.

The four of them walked through the city in a row, Ellie tried to keep pace while also taking in her surroundings.

“It’s like a fucked up moon,” she observed, wandering to look at one of the explosion sites, “Is this where they bombed?”

“Yeah,” Tess answered, “They hit most of the big cities like this.”

Maybe Tess could talk about it with some degree of separation, but Y/n and Joel kept painfully silent. They’d seen the destruction and didn’t want to deal with Ellie’s marveling at it. As Tess stopped to explain history to the girl, they kept moving.

They all came to a pause when they saw their route blocked by the remnants of a building.

“So, the State House is across there,” Tess said, “It’s about a ten minute walk if you could go straight.”

“So?” Ellie questioned.

“Long way or short way?” Joel asked.

“I mean, it’s the long way or the “we’re fuckin’ dead” way,” Tess replied.

“Well, I vote long way, based on that limited amount of information,” Ellie spoke up, “Y/n?”

Y/n inhaled to give her opinion when Joel spoke up. “We should check it from the hotel first.”

“That hand’s not broken yet,” Y/n recalled, “I’d be happy to remedy that.”

“Okay,” Tess said, breaking up the fight and taking the first steps. For two people who had survived twenty years in an infectious wasteland using nothing but their survival skills, Y/n and Joel brought out the child in each other. Once upon a time, that had been a good thing. Now, each petty comment felt like throwing a plastic knife and expecting it to kill.

———————————

They’d been walking an hour when they got to the interstate. Tess and Ellie were at the front, while Y/n and Joel were moving slower and bringing up the rear.

The curse of knowing someone so well is that even if you despised them, there was still safety in being around them. Y/n still wanted to throttle Joel and he didn’t want to be in a hundred mile radius of her. But it was better to be in the company of an enemy you knew rather than one you didn’t. Hatred couldn’t one-up their history.

“What did Marlene mean when she said you weren’t ready?” Joel eventually inquired.

“None of your business,” Y/n grunted as she stepped over a stray tire.

“It is if you’re gonna be a liability,” Joel replied.

Y/n scoffed, “Marlene says a lot of things. She’s not always right.”

While it was true, Joel had been more than surprised that Y/n had raised her gun so effortlessly at him, he could read in between the lines. Y/n had never had good followthrough. The Cordyceps had forced them all to adapt, but he sincerely doubted she could take a necessary shot.

“Stop doing that,” Y/n snapped.

“Doing what?”

“Stop thinking you’ve got me figured out,” Y/n sneered, “You have no fucking idea who I am anymore.”

Joel simply scoffed, that was only a half truth.

“Okay, Cowboy Joe,” Y/n remarked, the nickname earning a glare, “I don’t remember you being so quick with the murder,” Y/n decided to hit a little harder, “Or the drugs. Or the smuggling.”

Joel threw his arm out in front of Y/n to stop her, “Would you have rather I let him shoot us?”

Y/n inched her face closer to Joel’s, “I’d rather you fucking forget that we ever knew each other, cause this,” she gestured between them, “Hasn’t mattered for twenty years. We do this, and then you can go back to dealing pills and shoveling shit,” she trembled with anger and lowered her voice, “And we will never, ever have to see each other again.”

Joel thinned the close proximity even more, the last time they’d been this close had been under much different circumstances. “It’s forgotten,” he growled.

“Good,” Y/n whispered, her lips pursed as she turned on her heel and marched off.

Denial was a hell of a thing, but forgetting what they’d meant to each other was going to take something much stronger…

“Everyone said the open city was crazy,” Ellie mused as Y/n and Joel caught up, “Like, swarms of Infected, running around everywhere.”

“Not exactly like that,” Joel commented.

“People who’ve never seen outside like to make up a lot of shit,” Y/n added.

“So there aren’t Super-Infected that explode fungus spores at you?” Ellie asked.

“Shit, I hope not,” Tess answered, at least she had a sense of humor about all this.

“Or ones with split-open heads,” Ellie continued to earn her education, “That see in the dark like bats?”

The adults fell silent, Tess and Joel shared a look before she glanced at Y/n. Between the three of them, they’d seen the full spectrum of the abilities Infected possessed.

Like a sick joke, a distant yell echoed through the open highway. There was nothing in sight and it was impossible to tell where it had come from.

“What was that?” Ellie asked.

Joel tensed up, “Let’s keep movin’.”

————————

Once they got to the hotel, they had to get in to the hotel.

Joel shoved open the once-automatic doors and they walked in. The place had flooded, the waters that filled the lobby a mossy green shade.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Ellie exclaimed, her eyes widening as she took it all in, “You ever stay in a place like this?

“Uh, no,” Tess answered, “A little out of our league.”

“Once,” Y/n followed, “School trip to Pennsylvania.”

“How do you even know what this is?” Joel asked.

“Have you ever heard of books?” Ellie shot back.

Joel stepped down into the water, letting the sass float past him.

Ellie suddenly became hesitant, “Wait, are we going in there?”

“Yeah, we gotta get to the stairwell on the other side,” Tess replied.

“Well, I, I don’t know how to swim,” Ellie said, nervous.

Joel watched, unimpressed, from the lobby steps. “Seriously?”

“Do you think we have pools in the QZ?” Ellie retorted.

“No, smart ass. I mean,” Joel threw a leg out and hopped off the last step. The water barely hit his thighs.

“I don’t know how I was supposed to know that,” Ellie mumbled, treading into the waters with Y/n behind her.

Joel and Y/n’s argument on the highway had left her quiet. She’d been forced to change to survive the new way of life, but the memories Joel’s mere presence brought up reminded her of who she used to be. How care free, how light, how enthusiastic she’d been…she’d taken a job at a hardware store just because she liked getting to talk to people. Her old self had just become another person to mourn.

She snapped back to reality, she refused to let Joel Miller, of all people, make her fee bad about who she was.

“Hey,” Tess spoke softly, “She’s a good kid.”

Y/n glanced up at Ellie, who was wading through the water to get to the check-in desk. She enthusiastically rang the bell, “Ding! Ding!”

“Yeah,” Y/n bit back a smile, “She is.”

“Yes, sir,” Ellie played, “I would like your finest suite please,” she deepened her voice, “Yes, ma’am. Would you like me to take your luggage? Yes, ma’am,” she took hold of the luggage cart, “Right away, ma’am.”

Joel, who had lost his sense of humor over a decade ago, was done with Ellie’s excitement. “You’re a weird kid,” he remarked.

“You’re a weird kid,” Ellie repeated, a body falling out from behind the cart, “Oh, fuck me!”

Joel and Y/n had their guns drawn and were rushing over. The two of them examined what turned out to be a skeleton. Joel nudged its skull sideways with his boot, like there was a chance it was still alive and kicking.

“Uh, sorry,” Ellie nervously smiled.

Joel extended a hand to pull her up, retracting it as soon as she was on her feet. He caught Y/n rolling her eyes at him as they walked off. At this point, she was convinced he was acting like an asshole purely because he could.

The group climbed the four flights of stairs, the adults huffing and puffing while Ellie stayed as unbothered as ever.

“Fuck, holy shit,” Tess panted.

“Come on, it wasn’t that bad,” Ellie remarked.

“You try climbing ten fuckin’ floors with our knees,” Tess replied, “See how you feel.”

Y/n and Tess drifted and fell back in line with their assigned partners. While Y/n was glad Ellie and Tess had found camaraderie, she was selfish enough to not want it to come at the expense of being stuck with Joel.

They came up on what should have been their walkway, but it was blocked by a barricade of bricks and cinderblock. Joel and Tess tried the doors on each side of them, no luck.

“All right,” Tess calculated their options, “Well, I mean, maybe I could climb up there. Work my way around and open it from the outside?”

Ellie stepped forward, “Uh, no, well, I’m the smallest, so it’d be easier for me to get through.”

Y/n was quick to grab Ellie’s backpack handle, “Yeah, that’s not happening. We know what’s out there, you don’t.”

That caught Joel’s attention. When had she been sneaking out of the QZ?

“Can you give me a hand?” Tess asked of her partner.

Y/n pulled Ellie back before Joel could move her out of the way. He helped Tess up and stepped back. “You good up there?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a mess,” Tess reported, “So I’m gonna need a few minutes.”

It turned out, removing Tess was like removing a safety barrier for them all. Joel and Y/n sat on opposite sides of the hall, trying to keep as much space between them as possible. Ellie pulled out her pocketknife and started casually flipping it.

“Nice knife,” Joel said, trying to be cordial. Y/n was getting whiplash from his mood swings. “Where’d you learn to do that?”

Ellie didn’t flinch in her retort, “The circus.”

Joel sighed, looking away from both of them. This was him trying to be somewhat friendly, though it still came off as being put out.

Ellie, on the other hand, was better at small talk. “Where are you from?”

“Texas,” Joel answered.

“Y/n said she knew your brother,” Ellie replied, “So you all lived in Texas?”

Y/n took a breath, Joel watched her. “That’s right,” he said.

“What about Tess?” Ellie asked.

“Detroit,” Joel answered, ��It’s in Michigan.”

“I go to school,” Ellie shot back quickly, “I know where Detroit is.”

Silence fell again over the threesome, eagerly awaiting Tess’ return.

“So,” Ellie started talking again, “Are you two, like, a-“

“Pass,” Joel cut her off.

“How’d you end up in Boston?” Ellie pushed, it was becoming a game for her.

“Pass,” Joel answered, “No more questions about me.”

Clever as ever, Ellie found a work around. “Okay,” she turned to Y/n, “Were you and him a-“

“Nope,” Y/n said quickly, it was more a denial of an answer than an answer itself.

Ellie sighed, trying to think up something else. “How long do Infected live?”

Joel mockingly shook his head, “Oh, I thought you went to school.”

“It’s a really shitty one,” Ellie replied.

Joel smirked, he could appreciate the girl’s wit under different circumstances. It rivaled his own. “Well, some last about a month or two,” he answered, “But there’s other’s been walkin’ around ‘bout twenty years.”

“Ever kill one?” Ellie asked, still fiddling with her knife.

“Yeah, I killed lots of ‘em.”

Y/n stiffened, hoping if she stood still, the conversation would move right past her.

“Was it hard?” Ellie continued, “Like, knowing they were people once?”

It took all the strength Y/n still possessed to not let her emotions show. To not let the nightmares take her over. She didn’t have time for them.

No matter how hard they argued that they were strangers, Joel could sense her discomfort. Her experiences with Infected were one more thing he didn’t know about her now.

“Sometimes,” he said, watching Y/n as her eyes stayed closed in concentration.

“What about that guy last night?” Ellie kept going.

A well-timed thump excused Joel from answering, him and Y/n jumped to attention.

“You can put the gun down, Joel,” Tess grunted through the wall, straining to open one of the locked doors.

“Where to?” Y/n asked.

Tess’ grim expression led them out to the hotel’s balcony, she pulled back the vinyl curtain and let them walk out onto the terrace. Ellie gained traction on the ledge’s decor and climbed to the edge. Joel and Y/n ended up on each other’s side.

Y/n’s stomach dropped at the sight beneath her.

Dozens upon dozens upon dozens of Infected lay fifty feet below them in a heap. Their sickening shrieks bounced off the buildings as they crawled and thrashed aimlessly.

“There’s so many,” Ellie gasped.

“The last time we were here,” Tess said, “They were still deep inside the buildings. Then I guess enough people came through looking for the QZ, they went inside seeking shelter…and that’s how they get more and more of the city, bit by bit, every year.”

Y/n watched through dead eyes as the horde began to move as one. She hadn’t seen this many in a long time, long enough for the sight to feel fresh. She stopped listening to Ellie and Tess’s conversation and focused on her breathing to battle the nausea, in through the nose, out through the mouth…

Joel saw it all, and he knew better than to ask. Marlene was right; she wasn’t able to handle the journey on her own.

“So we’re not going that way,” were the first words Y/n could hear again.

“No,” Tess answered Ellie.

“What do we do then?” Ellie asked, her eyes widened with fear, “Short way?”

Tess and Joel shared a look, his hands fidgeted as he thought through their route. “Museum.”

—————

TYL Taglist: @bachiracore @stolenxkissess @kayleezra @the-wistful-reader @allthesesonsofbitches @goth-detectives365 @trippovert @rh1nestonecowg1rl @emiliaserpe @khaleesihavilliard @frietiemeloen @gracie7209 @dorck26 @thegirlnextdoorssister @alanis-altair @mariwinns16 @whosscruffylooking @endofthexline @alexiaricciardo @eonnyx @pedrosmexicangf @scarlettequinn @ao-sleepy @toinfinityandbeyonce2 @deanlovescassie @turmoil-ash @sorrowjunky @kpopslur @xxlilyxx90

Joel Miller Taglist: @xsnak-3x @xmoonknightlyx @simplybarnes @stolenxkissess @mandoshoney @alexiaricciardo @eonnyx @deanlovescassie @paintlavillered

[lunajay33]

Not the Only One Part.2

•🌪️🍂🪵🏹•

Summary: Reader comes from an abusive family and is insecure about it showing up everywhere with bruises, but one night she comes across Daryl who is more like you than you know

Pairing: Young Daryl Dixon x f!reader

Content Warning: Abusive parents

Part.1

•Masterlist•

I woke up feeling sore all over, rolling over in the bed I notice Daryl still fast asleep, I try to get up slowly……quietly but as I sit up he groans groggily opening his eyes

“Where ya goin?” His voice still raspy with sleep

“Just gonna get more pain meds, I’m really sore, sorry I woke you”

“Ain’t gotta be sorry, bout time I get up anyways” he got out of bed and grabbed some more aspirin and a bottle of water that was on his dresser

“Thanks, I should probably head home now, don’t wanna over stay my welcome” I laugh pathetically

“Yer staying, like I said last night ya ain’t going back there, ya need a break, hell we both do” he said sitting down next to me on the bed

“Then what are we going to do?”

“Come on I’ll show ya” he took my hand and led me out of the house to the woods that were behind his house surrounding the lake

“Is this your way of telling me you’re going to kill me” I joke with him as he drags me through trees and bushes

“Ya caught me” he smiles as he looks back at me

We stopped at a clearing that over looked the lake with the morning sun shining down on the water, we both sat down just watching the serene moment, I gently laid my head on his shoulder eventually feeling him lay his against my head, in the span of a day he’s been there for me more than anyone ever has in my life, that feeling last night when he consoled me and made me feel like I wasn’t a burden or like all this isn’t my fault and he understood, it made my heart flutter and I want more of that, I want more moments like this with Daryl

“How is it we basically grew up a few houses apart when we could have helped each other this whole time”

“Don’t know sunshine, but ya ain’t alone now” he said as he picked at his fingers nervously

“I don’t wanna go back there, I can’t do it anymore and I don’t want you to hurt anymore either” he was silent for some time

“What do ya wanna do then?” My heart was beating fast with thrill but mixed with anxiety

“What if we just ran away, my aunt lives on a farm like an hour away and she lives alone, she always said she’s lonely and she has a lot of space, what if we just go there, start over together”

“I don’t know, ain’t we gonna be a lot to take in?”

“She calls all the time telling me to move with her, I always said no because well dad would go crazy but I need to go, and you’re so sweet she’d love to have you around, I can call and ask” he seemed to think it over before he nodded

We went back to his house and I dialed my aunts number waiting a few rings before she answered

“Hello?”

“Aunt Carrie it’s me y/n”

“Oh sweetie I didn’t recognize the number”

“Yeah I’m calling from a friends house ummmm I need to ask you something” I asked feeling my voice quiver, Daryl holding my hand in encouragement

“I’ve never told you because I was scared of what might happen but dads been hitting me, he has for a long time and this time was really bad, I can’t live her anymore and I have know where else to go, I know it’s a lot to ask but could me and my friend come live with you, we need to get out of here”

“Oh love you should have come to me sooner, you and your friend are welcome to come live here for as long as you’d like, I love you sweetheart”

“Love you too” we both hung up and I turned to Daryl smiling

“She said yes, we can live there for as long as we want” he pulled me into a hug mindful of my back

“Thank ya, ya can go pack and meet me back here and we can take my truck and go” with that we went our ways, I entered the house and no one was home, I took a suitcase and packed as much as I could as I was leaving the house I saw Daryl throwing some things in the box of his truck, I wheeled over and he helped load my stuff up

“Are ya sure bout this?” He asked brushing my hair back

“I want this Daryl, let’s go before someone comes home” we got in his truck and the engined roared as we pulled out, driving past the house that only brought awful memories, driving past the sign telling us we were now leaving town seemed to lift this weight off my chest and it seemed to have the same effect of Daryl

Throughout the hour drive Daryl played his music and we just enjoyed the comfort of knowing we got out, when we got to a dirt road I gave him directions, pulling up to the farm it was as beautiful as I remembered, huge green fields with roaming horses, a little pen for lambs and sheep that were hopping around, and there in the middle of all the land stood a big older house that just brought everything together, Daryl pulled up the drive way and parked, shutting off the truck

“Didn’t know it would be all this, thought it’d be somethin small, don’t know if I deserve this” my heart hurt at how he saw his worth, I thought he deserves all this and more

“Daryl this is our home now and what we’ve been through we deserve some peace, now come on let’s go inside”

It’s been a month since we moved to the farm and it’s been the most peace I’ve had in years, Daryl and I were sitting out in the field watching the sun set, listening to the frogs crook

“Are you happy here Daryl?”

“Ya know I am, best thing anyone could’ve given me”

“Do you think maybe we could be more than friends eventually” I asked extremely nervous that this might push him away

He looked down at me his face hard to read making matters worse

“Thought we already were” my eyes widen and my heart skips a beat, did I miss a something?

“What really? And when did this happen without me knowing?” I tease

“That night ya came to my room, had that nightmare and needed me, I knew then that ya were the one, thought ya felt the same” he said squeezing my hand

“So we’re dating, thee Daryl Dixon is my boyfriend” I laugh leaning my head back to his shoulder

“I’m all yers sunshine”

This was only a short sweet series I hope you all liked it🩶

Taglist: @l0kilaufeys0n7 @stoner420things69 @pinchofthetwd @thestonedwriter @daryldixmedown @deansapplepie @ghostboneswrites2 @superbowlisgay @daryls-wife @pinkratts @daryl-dixons-left-hand @mrrumplebottom @twistedprincess-92 @addi1978 @wongcena @darylspersonalwhore @starrqi @heidiland05 @livlaughlove03

[wisteria-beach]

Time after Time pt 2 | R.C

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x reader

Summary: When your boyfriend ditches you on the night of senior prom you end up running into the last person you would ever expect to see, Rafe Cameron, your best friends older brother who you haven't seen since he left for college three years ago… (part two, part one is here)

flashbacks are in italics.

_______

The morning’s warm sunlight poured through the gap in the curtains, burning the back of your eyelids and you groaned in your sleep flipping over to avoid the glare. There was a dull throbbing in your temples that you tried desperately to ignore as you burrowed into the warmth of the pillow below you. You were dreaming that you were cuddling a huge teddy bear and you felt so content and cosy that you never wanted to wake up. Unfortunately your headache was beginning to build, your peaceful sleep all but being drained away. 

“What time is it?” You wondered out loud, voice thick with sleep, slowly trying to blink open eyelids that felt like they were being weighed down by led bricks.

“About 9” a voice right above your head replied - a male voice - and your whole body tensed. You suddenly became aware that the warmth beneath your head was not in fact a pillow but a chest, a shirtless chest. 

In a flash you’d sat up, ignoring the burning in your head as you stared wide eyed at the man laying below you. Surely this was a dream, it had to be because there was no way that Rafe goddamn Cameron was laying shirtless in bed with you. Your half asleep hazy mind couldn’t make sense of it.

“You’re not a teddy bear” you blurted out then clapped a hand in horror over your mouth as Rafe choked on a laugh.

“Not since last time I checked.”

You winced and absentmindedly pressed your fingers into your temples “okay okay” you said trying to inject some faux control into your voice “i'm going to close my eyes and when I open them again i'm going to be in my room instead of yours and you’re not going to be there.” 

You quickly screwed your eyes shut again pressing your palms over them before taking a deep breath, counting to 3 and moving your hand away.

Rafe was still there, propped up lazily by his elbow smirking at you as he tried to contain his laughter.

“Boo” he said suddenly, snorting when you jumped. 

“Not funny!” you reached out to swipe playfully at his chest but he caught your wrist before it could make contact, the subtle pressure of his fingers on your skin making butterflies erupt in your gut and you pulled away quickly hoping your cheeks wouldn’t betray a flush. 

He rolled over then leaning to get something out of his nightstand and you swallowed, stealing a glance at him while his back was turned. He was clad in only grey sweatpants and your eyes shamelessly roved over the powerful muscles in his back extending into his biceps. 

Despite the fact that he’d evidently just woke up, he looked unreasonably attractive. His eyes hooded with sleep giving off an effortlessly sultry look and his mussed up hair looking even better than when he carefully styled it. How could someone look that gorgeous just after waking up? You hardly thought it was fair you always woke up looking like you’d been dragged through a bush. 

It suddenly occurred to you that you had no idea what you looked like right now and you grimaced. You stood up from the bed and made your way over to his en suite. 

You were relieved to see you were fully clothed, still wearing your prom dress in fact and that Rafe while being shirtless had a pair of sweatpants on.

You sank down to the corner of bed pressing your palm into your temples “what in the world happened last night?”

Rafe chuckled again and wordlessly passed you a bottle of water and an aspirin.

“You don’t remember?”

You screwed your eyes shut again and groaned “gimme a moment.”

Rafe laughed, “take your aspirin, it'll take the edge off of hangover but you should eat something too.”

You nodded but made no move to take it, choosing instead to press the cold surface of the water bottle to your temple, the condensation soothing the dull ache. 

“Let me guess,” Rafe said teasingly, “ you still can’t take pills? Should I have hid it in a spoon of jelly or something?”

Your skin flushed with embarrassment as you opened your eyes to glare at him “I am not twelve anymore, I can’t believe you even remember that.” 

“I remember everything about you Ace.”

A smile tugged at your lips and you looked down choosing to take the aspirin to avoid catching his eye, you didn’t know what to say or how to react when he said things like that it still felt surreal that he was even here. 

“Remember anything yet?”

“Mmm” you nodded through a gulp of water, memories of last night were beginning to trickle in now that the fogginess of sleep was ebbing away. You remembered meeting Rafe on the sidewalk, him daring you to get on the bike, you remembered how he’d missed the turn in for your street and taken you to an ice cream place instead. 

“One scoop strawberry, one scoop vanilla, sprinkles and raspberry sauce?”

You stared at him incredulously for a moment “how the hell did you know that?”

He shrugged “I was always the sucker you and Sarah would rope into running to the ice cream van remember? And the one who had to drive you here every weekend after I got my licence.”

You smiled at the memory, so many weekends spent at your best friend's house, your mom used to joke you spent more time there than at home. You remembered all the candy you and Sarah would stockpile to bribe Rafe with and the ice creams he’d come running back with, two in each hand, half melted in the baking summer sun vanilla dripping down his fingers. 

“Still that was like a million years ago.”

“Feels like yesterday sometimes” he said and you couldn’t help but agree, sometimes it felt like if you closed your eyes you could still taste the summer days of your youth on the tip of your tongue. 

“I'll be right back”  Rafe said and you nodded sitting back on the low brick wall as you watched him approach the little building. The ice cream parlour was closing up but you knew Rafe, he could probably sweet talk his way into the white house. Predictably the employee working that night had no trouble getting two last ice creams for you both, he’d been on the football team with Rafe in high school and you could hear them reminiscing as his old friend made up your orders. 

You tuned them out as you waited, choosing to face the beach so that you could watch the sea. It was dark and the moonlight reflected silvery grey on the tips of the surf, there was something mesmerising about each pull of the waves on the shore and you found yourself lost in thought. 

“Hey” Rafe said, nudging you with his elbow and you jumped making him laugh “you were away with the fairies.”

“Yeah I was sorry.” You took the ice cream from his outstretched hand resisting the urge to shiver when your fingertips grazed his warm knuckle. 

“What were you thinking about?” 

You shrugged “nothing really.”

He raised his eyebrows “tell me you weren’t thinking about that loser…because I can still beat his ass.”

You laughed “not exactly when he’s thousands of miles away.”

Rafe smirked, “I can drive.”

You snorted “Rafe Cameron you’re crazy…”

He looked at you seriously for a moment. “I just think what he did was really shitty and I don’t want your night to be ruined thinking about that waste of space jackass.”

“Rafe…” you reached out and touched his arm “I wasn’t even thinking about him” come to think of it your shitty ex boyfriend had barely crossed your mind since you’d run into Rafe “you’re a good distraction.”

He smirked, “that's what all the girls say.”

“Rafe!” you gasped smacking his arm lightly as he laughed. 

You lapsed into a quiet contemplative silence as you ate your ice creams and you trailed your feet in the soft sand below. 

“Thank you,” you said after a moment.

“For what?”

“For distracting me, for making sure my prom night isn’t a complete disaster.”

He knocked his shoulder into yours “it was my pleasure ace.” Then he reached across with his little plastic spoon and stole a swipe of your ice cream.

“Hey!” you protested “that’s mine”

He locked eyes with you as he popped the spoon into his mouth, grin intact and you pouted.

“Thief.”

“I just wanted to try it,” he said, “mine's still better by the way.”

You rolled your eyes “pistachio? That's like the worst flavour.”

“You’ve never tried it” he accused you, pointing his spoon and you gasped.

“Yes I have!” 

“I knew it,” he laughed, “you're lying.”

You shook your head.

“You are,” he insisted “you did the thing.”

“What thing?” you asked sulkily.

“The thing you always do when you’re lying, like the time you and Sarah broke my xbox controller and said it was baby Wheezie.”

“I always wondered how you knew that was us! You laughed “so what is my tell?”

Rafe smirked “and give up my leverage? No way.”

You scoffed “shut up dork” and he held out his spoon.

“Try it.”

You looked at him for half a second contemplating it before quickly eating the ice cream. The flavour of pistachio burst across your tongue but you found to your surprise that you didn’t hate it, in fact it was delicious. 

Rafe smirked, “I knew you’d like it.”

“I didn’t even say anything yet!” you protested.

He shrugged, “you’re an open book.”

“No im not” you pouted and he leaned in, just a fraction closer but it was enough that you could feel the heat of his body against the cold sea breeze.

“You always have been to me” he whispered and you felt it, the electricity between the two of you humming in the air. It was palpable, the tension thick enough that you felt like you could reach out and touch it.

“Rafe” you whispered, he was looking at you in a way he’d never looked at you before, blue eyes so intense “Rafe -”

He leaned in closer, head angling just a fraction and you held your breath in anticipation when -

The shutters of the ice cream place slammed down and you jolted away from each other “nice to see you man!” Clay called out to Rafe as he walked to his car and Rafe’s jaw stiffened as he lifted a hand in goodbye. 

The moment - or whatever it had been, you weren’t even sure - was over and you coughed awkwardly and jumped off the wall. You needed a little breather from his proximity, you could still smell his cologne on the borrowed jacket around your shoulders and that was intoxicating enough. 

Your heels were still strapped around your wrists and the sand felt cold between your toes as you walked across the beach. It took Rafe less than two strides to catch up, damn him and his long legs. You walked in silence for a while, just watching the moonlight on the ocean until he broke it. 

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

You sighed, swinging your heels. “Prom” you admitted, you’d been trying not to think about it but you couldn’t help but feel sad, this was not how your night was supposed to be. You felt stupid for being so upset but you’d been dreaming of this night for so long and it was supposed to be the last hurrah for high school. You might not have loved every second of high school but you’d spent a lot of time there and it was sad that it had to end with the shitty memory of sitting on the sidelines all night watching your classmates dance and have fun. 

Rafe looked at you sideways, quiet as he thought about something. “I have an idea,” he said finally.

“What is it?” you asked and he smiled.

“It's a surprise…do you trust me?”

You’d known Rafe practically your whole life, he was your best friend's annoying older brother and you’d loved him in secret for years, you didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes” you whispered and took his outstretched hand. 

The ride back home felt like flying, your arms wrapped around Rafe’s torso, your head pressed into his back. You could feel the wind dancing through your hair, see the stars soaring overhead. 

Before you knew it you were at Tanny hill, the infamous residence of the Camerons. You’d pretty much grown up here, spending all your free time with Sarah, but you’d never come here with just Rafe before. 

“What are we doing?” You asked as you dismounted the bike but Rafe just tapped a finger to his lips. 

“Shhh,” he whispered, pointing silently upwards. Rose and Ward’s bedroom was right above you shrouded in darkness. 

The garden was dimly lit, the distant fairy lights adorning the trees lining the edge of the property providing the only light. Truthfully you’d walked the path up to this house enough times that you could probably do it blindfolded in your sleep but when Rafe held his hand out to guide you up the path you couldn’t help but take it. 

His fingertips were only lightly threaded through yours but you wondered if he could feel your pulse hammering in your wrists. The anticipation was almost more than you could bear. Too wrapped up in thinking about the smell of Rafe’s cologne and the mystery of his plan you tripped on a dislodged stone. Before you could even think about hitting the ground Rafe’s arms were around you, holding you upright. 

“You okay?” He whispered and your heart beat even louder. He was so close, close enough that you could probably count his eyelashes even in the low moonlight.

You nodded and he smiled, choosing to take a hold of your whole hand this time as he led you up the path. It was cold yet somehow you felt like you’d never been warmer, your whole being on fire with every glance, every touch.

Finally you reached the house and Rafe let the two of you into the spare garage where the soundproof walls assured that your voices wouldn’t be heard. 

“So are you finally going to reveal this grand idea of yours?” You asked. 

The corners of his mouth lifted up “I’m not letting go of my cards that easily ace.”

You laughed “I’m starting to think your plan is to murder me, what’s with all the secrey?”

He grinned, teeth flashing “you said you trusted me.” 

You rolled your eyes but didn’t deny it, you did. You’d known Rafe Cameron so long and though you’d not always been close the two of you would always have shared memories, shared experiences. You’d always have time and that meant something. 

Rafe led you up to his room, taking your hand once more in the dark corridors and you had to press a hand over your mouth to stifle your laughter as he dramatically acted out a spy mission to make you laugh. “Coasts clear” he whispered in your ear before slowly moving around the wall. 

“You’re a dork,” you whispered back.

In his room Rafe gestured for you to take a seat on his bed. “I need twenty minutes” he said “to set it all up, then I promise I'll reveal it all.” 

“Okay” you said “i'll wait.”

He raised his eyebrow “that’s it? No begging, no more questions?”

You smirked “nope, I get twenty minutes to snoop at all your stuff…find out all your deepest darkest secrets Rafe Cameron.”

He rolled his eyes “good luck” he said and then swiftly left the room. 

For the first five minutes you sat on his bed just waiting but time always seems to move slower when you’re in anticipation and soon you couldn’t take it anymore. At first you checked Instagram, shooting off a like at Sarah’s latest post prom selfie featuring John B, resisting the urge to check your exes social media. Then you put your phone down and tried to wait again. But curiosity got the better of you. Is it wrong if you told him you were going to do it? Fuck it. A little bit of light snooping wouldn’t hurt. 

Rafe’s room was almost suspended in time. It was pretty much entirely as he’d left it before leaving for college so the pictures and books were slightly outdated but still him. The basketball hoop on the wall, the old forgotten guitar from his musical phase. The surfboard still chipped from that one party where Kelsey Stevens had tripped and knocked a keg into it. Above the desk were several old snapshots.Topper and Kelce with their arms slung around him, his dad and him on a fishing trip, two of Wheezie one when she was a baby and little Rafe was holding her and one newer selfie with their tongues sticking out. What shocked you though was the photo of you. It was taken at Rafe’s highschool graduation. You and Sarah smirking at Rafe and giving him the finger except you were standing in front of Sarah who was slightly out of frame so the picture was mostly only you. You couldn’t believe he’d kept it and put it on his wall, that he’d even thought about you back then enough to think the photo worth printing. 

“Hey” Rafe said as he came back into the room “what are you doing?” 

“Nothing” you lied trying to look casual bracing against the wood.

He raised his eyebrow and you could tell he didn’t believe you, once more you wondered what your tell was but he shrugged it off before you could ask.

“Come on,” he said, “the surprise is ready.”

You were led back to the garage and Rafe stood behind you as you reached out for the door handle, slipping his hand over your eyes.

“3, 2, 1…okay you can open them” he said, taking his hand away. 

Slowly you blinked open your eyes and instantly fought the tears that sprung to the surface. The garage was covered in silky blue and purple streamers, the floor dotted with balloons. It was like you’d opened your eyes and stepped into the past and you could almost see the tiny younger versions of you and Sarah playing ‘prom’. 

“Oh my god” you whispered.

“Do you like it?” Rafe asked, sounding a little more uncertain than his usual cocky self. 

You laughed, still in disbelief “do I like it…Rafe I love it, did you really do all this for me?”

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly “yeah I mean…yeah I wanted you to have a prom more like the one you deserved and I know it's nothing special but at least this way it's yours” he swallowed “kinda stupid I know but -”

You cut off his ramble by throwing your arms around his neck “it's not stupid” you murmured into his shirt as you blinked away the tears “it's perfect…who ever knew you could be this sweet Rafe Cameron.”

You felt the laughter in his chest as you pulled away to look at him “I guess i've just always had a soft spot for you ace” he said tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear, his eyes were so blue and so soft that for a moment you froze and the air was thick with tension between the two of you until rafe cleared his throat. “But erm don’t tell anyone or anything don’t wanna risk ruining my tough guy reputation” he joked and you rolled your eyes. 

“Il get some drinks” he said and you wandered around the garage looking around the decoration. You remembered the streamers, the paper parasol, the silver hanging stars like it were yesterday. “Prom” had been your favourite game and you and Sarah would beg and beg Mr Cameron to put up the decorations. Sometimes he made Rafe do it and Rafe would grumble and complain, wishing to go back to some video game or his skateboard. It was fun to think about what your reaction would have been back then if you’d have known that one day Rafe would voluntarily put these up for you. 

While you were looking the music started and you laughed when you heard the song. Back in the day you had the highest just dance score to this, it was shocking and exhilarating all at once to know that Rafe had held onto all these tiny little details about you, that he’d even noticed them in the first place. 

“Still know the moves Ace?” he called out, half teasing smirk present on your face and you flipped him off. 

“I'm gonna need a couple of drinks before we get into that, Cameron.”

He smirked “you’re in luck” and held up a bottle of champagne that looked like it cost more than your car. 

“Rafe!” your eyes widened “where the hell did you get that from.”

“Wine cellar” he shrugged “they won’t notice it’s gone.”

You hesitated “it looks expensive…”

“Oh c’mon” he said “it’s your prom night live a little.”

You bit your lip, you weren’t adverse to drinking it was more so the idea of stealing one of Ward and Rose’s premium celebration champagne bottles but there was something about Rafe that made you wanna throw caution to the wind. This was your prom night, the last night of your adolescent life before you were thrown into a whole new world of college parties and guys and cities you wouldn’t remember.  It was the night you’d looked forward to your whole life and your stupid ex had ruined it…well you weren’t going to let him.

“Oh what the hell” you said and took the bottle from his hand. 

The first sip of champagne was sweet and fruity as it fizzed on your tongue and you giggled as you passed the bottle back. This was where the memory of the night got a little hazy, you remembered drinking the bottle fairly fast and then convincing Rafe that you needed to spike the punch “it's the classic prom experience.”

After that there was a lot of dancing with your hands in your hair, hips swinging, a lot of laughter echoing over the music, a lot of stories from both you and Rafe of the things that had happened while you’d been out of each other's lives. 

“No fucking way he crashed a yacht” you said “how does that even happen? bull shit Cameron.”

He held his hands up in a surrender position “im deadass, that's not even the wildest thing he did…college is kinda next level.”

You laughed into the rim of your cup “yeah…i'm excited for it.”

He arched his brow “are you sure about that? You didn’t sound so enthusiastic.”

You sighed and flapped your arm down dramatically “no no I am it’s just…” you’d not said this aloud before but the alcohol and the fact that there was just something about Rafe that made you want to open up. You’d known him your whole life and while he’d always been a little wild, a little unpredictable he felt like home to you. 

“I'm scared” you admitted.

He turned to face you, long legs brushing the bare skin showing through the slit of your dress “why?” he asked “the whole time ive known you you’ve always dreamed of the future” he nudged your arm gesturing around you “about prom, about your first kiss, about high school…hell I even remember you being excited about your first job at the country club. what's different about this?” 

You swallowed, not quite meeting his eye and he reached out and touched your hand “you can trust me” he whispered “I won’t tell.” 

“It wasn’t what I thought it would be” you blurted out “I I -” the anger and the sadness and the inexplicable feeling that you could never go back burst over you and it all came out at once, the emotion thick and raw in your voice  “I dreamed and I dreamed my whole - fucking - life and nothing ever worked out like it was supposed to. I mean look at tonight, the dream boyfriend, the dream prom and he turned out to be a cheating asshole and I left the prom in tears.” Your voice turned to defeat as a single tear slipped out “I - I just sometimes wonder what's the point in dreaming anymore? And then I'm scared because I don’t know what’s gonna happen…nothing happens how it’s supposed to.”

“Look at me” Rafe murmured and his voice was softer than you’d ever heard it before, you looked up and he used the pad of his thumb to gently swipe the tear away “you’re right, nothing happens how it’s supposed to. I was supposed to join Cameron Enterprises yet when I finish college next year? I'm telling my dad I'm doing something else.”

You wrinkle your brow “but - wasn’t that your dream? Did you fail an -”

He cut you off “I could join dads company tomorrow if I wanted to, that was my dream but not anymore.” he squeezed your hand, voice still uncharacteristically soft “life changes all the time ace and sometimes it’s fucking scary but we just get new dreams, new things to hope for and sometimes they come true and sometimes they’re not what we thought they’d be but they always lead to new things. So high school wasn’t what you thought, so your boyfriend wasn’t what you thought, well maybe college and maybe the next guy lucky enough to have your heart will be 1000% times better but how will you know if you give up on it all before it even begins.”

For a moment you were quite mulling over his words and you found that some of the fear and anxiety squeezing your heart relented, the tension easing out of your body. “When did you get so wise Rafe Cameron” you sighed.

“Don’t be fooled” he winked “I'm still an idiot.”

You threw a hand over your heart “was that a confession? Can I get that in writing?” 

“Shut up” he said and then you shrieked as he pulled you suddenly to your feet. “Dance with me.”

You’d been dancing all night but never touching. “Okay” you said a little nervously, looping your arms around his shoulders, he wrapped his around your waist. The song was still quite upbeat, the dance not as intimate as a slow dance yet your heart hammered in your chest. 

You danced for three more songs, Rafe spinning you around like crazy until your insides hurt from laughing. Finally the song changed and your face lit up as you instantly recognised it as fool's gold by one direction. Rafe groaned, all too familiar with the song from the many times you and Sarah would belt it on the old tinny karaoke machine. 

Too drunk to be embarrassed you instantly launched into the performance, singing all the lyrics wholeheartedly while Rafe pretended to be exacerbated by the song, trying to hide how adorable he thought you were singing it. 

“C’mon” you shouted “I know you love it, sing along!”

“I don’t even know the lyrics” he lied but you dragged on his hand.

“Liar…you have a tell.”

He rolled his eyes “no you, have a tell.”

“Shut up” you laughed “c’mon sing don’t be boring.”

You sang the opening lines of the final chorus while Rafe stood stubbornly “And yes, I let you use me from the day that we first met…But I'm not done yet, Falling for you, fool's gooooold.”

You pointed to him dramatically then to your utter surprise and delight he (un-enthusiastically) sang the final lines “And I knew that you turned it on for everyone you've met. But I don't regret falling for you, fool's gold.”

“I knew you knew it!” you laughed clapping your hands together. 

“Whatever, whatever, I did it but now you owe me a slow dance.”

“What?” you protested “no, no, I didn’t agree to that!” you’d been artfully dodging slow dances all night, scared of your two left feet. 

“It's only fair” he said and before you could protest further he’d reached out and practically scooped you into his arms. You wrapped one hand in his, the other around his shoulder while his came onto your waist and laid your head on his chest.

“If I tread on your toes it’s your fault” you grumbled and you felt his laughter against your ear. 

It was then that you noticed the song playing “Time after time” by Cindy Lauper. It was a prom classic and as kids you’d danced with Sarah to it a million times “practising” for the real thing with your boyfriends. Tonight you’d watched Sarah and John B dance to it, her smile and joy radiant while you waited for a text back from your stupid ex. You’d have never dreamed all those years ago that you’d end your own prom night in the arms of her older brother dancing to this song. You’d dreamed of dancing with a million guys but somehow you knew none of it would have felt as perfect, as magical as this.

Laupers voice rang clear throughout the garage, the few balloons that had survived the earlier balloon fight kicking at your feet. “Suitcase of memories'' and your brain flashed through all the thousands of memories, the history you had with Rafe that had led you to here. 

The music continued 

‘If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting’

You thought about how Rafe had shown up tonight when you were wandering feeling lost and alone. You thought about how earlier you’d been so close to falling into panic and his words had caught you, made you feel safe. It was just like the song, really your whole life he’d always been there in some way or another, time after time. 

“Rafe?” you whispered looking up from his chest. Your faces were so close you could count his eyelashes.

“Yeah?” his hot breath fanned your cheek, blue eyes clear and serious.

“Thank you for finding me tonight.”

His thumb brushed your cheek, grazing the corner of your lips “ it’s nothing” he said humbly but you shook your head.

“No no I -” you swallowed “I'm glad my prom was ruined.”

His eyebrow shot up and he opened his mouth but you cut him off “don’t look at me like that I am, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been here with you and this has been way better than any real prom could have been, way more special.”

He smiled, not his usual edge of the mouth smirk but a real bright smile “you know I didn’t really know where I was going when I found you on the side of that road” he brushed your cheek again, this time catching your lip and you couldn’t take your eyes off of him if you tried “and I don’t really believe in destiny or all that bullshit but…” his eyes softened and he leaned just a fraction closer “I can’t help but feel like I was supposed to be there to meet you, like being here right now is exactly where i'm supposed to be.” 

You laughed “me too” you admitted “me too…undreamed, unplanned, unexpected and somehow it's better than all the dreams.”

“Ace” he said your nickname with a slight urgency like his mind was moving faster than normal like he was trying to convince himself to do something.

“What is it?”

“Look up.”

You barely had a second to angle your chin before his lips were on yours and it only took a second more for you to respond and kiss him back. 

His lips were softer than you’d have thought and warm. The kiss was gentle and sweet and as you pulled away you both laughed part in shock and part in relief. “Was that okay?” he asked and you smiled.

“Kiss me again so I can be sure.”

This time, he kissed you like he meant it and you could taste the spiked punch on his tongue as his teeth grazed your bottom lip and the song pulled to a close.

Pulling yourself from your memories you turned to see Rafe looking at you from his position on the bed “why are you looking at me like that?” you asked shyly and he grinned.

“You have spinach in your teeth.”

“What?” your hand flew up to your mouth in a panic before your brain caught up that you’d not even eaten spinach and you rolled your eyes and threw a cushion from the floor at him. “Asshole.”

He laughed “sorry that was just too easy.”

“Whatever whatever.”

He raised his eyebrow “memories come back now?” 

You smiled, picking at a thread on the carpet “yeah…” you said softly “guess I just needed a min to come round.”

Rafe swallowed “do you still want to -” 

His question was cut off by a pounding on the door “Rafe get up!” Wheezie called “breakfast is ready!”

You both jumped looking at each other slightly startled. You’d not had time to tell Sarah anything yet, only just getting a chance to text your mom that you were staying at Sarah’s before you and Rafe crashed asleep tired from the partying. 

“Shit” you muttered “Sarah’s gonna kill me.”

“C’mon” Rafe grabbed your hand, pulling you up from the floor “i'll sneak you out.”

You tiptoed down the hallways of the Cameron house, trying not to laugh too loudly at Rafe when he acted out mission impossible sneaking round the bannister.

“You’re such a dork” you whispered and he squeezed your fingers.

“Just for you Ace.”

___________________

At the breakfast table Wheezie Cameron sat down next to her sister. 

“Did you shout your brother?” Ward asked and she nodded. He gave her a nod of his own before turning back to his conversation with Rose. She waited until they were thoroughly distracted before nudging Sarah’s knee under the table. 

“Rafes trying to sneak a girl out of his room” she whispered and Sarah’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

“Really? How d’ya know?”

“I heard them whispering before I shouted him.”

Sarah pulled a face “gross.” They stared at each other for five seconds and then burst out laughing, both dashing for the door in an attempt to see the girl Rafe was sneaking out.

____________________

You’d just reached the side door, Rafe reaching over to open it for you when the door to the kitchen burst open. 

You stood frozen like a deer in the headlights staring right into the eyes of your best friend and her little sister. 

Sarah’s mouth flopped open and you swallowed “hey s…”

“My brother?” she shrieked “my brother and you didn’t tell me?”

You caught Rose snickering into her orange juice behind them, Ward’s eyebrow raised in playful amusement. Wheezie looked as though she wanted a bowl of popcorn.

“I was gonna call you but -” 

She cut you off with another high pitched shriek “my brother? My brother and my best friend?”

You gulped and glanced at Rafe “erm i'm gonna go, Sarah il call you I promise!”

You got halfway down the steps when Rafe reached out and grabbed your arm “wait!” he shouted and you turned to face him.

“I never got to ask you…now that it’s morning do you still wanna go on that date we talked about last night?”

Your heart swelled “i'd love to…if, if you still wanna go that is.”

Rafe grinned and stepped closer “i'll be dreaming of it.”

“Sap” you teased, he glanced back at his family before muttering “fuck it they already know” and leaning down and kissing you. 

Butterflies soared in your stomach and you were so wrapped up in Rafe that you didn’t even hear Sarah say excitedly “wait! If they get married she’d really be my sister!” 

[sourwolf-sterek32]

Found You- Part 6

Summary: Nearly 10 years ago, you left home after a bad incident with your parents, Rick and Lori Grimes. In that time, you married a redneck down south and started a family. But it all came crashing down when the dead started to walk.

Pairings: Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 12.4k

Warnings: language, violence, blood,

PART 1 - PART 2 - PART 3 - PART 4 - PART 5

Since the Wolves and horde of walkers attacked Alexandria, the community had been quiet.

Everyone slowly got back to their old lives, but none of you dared to let your guard down, not again.

Rick became the official leader of Alexandria, and nobody questioned or challenged it. Leading was what your father did best. It came naturally to him with his law enforcement background, and he was damn good at it.

Daryl was his right-hand man. The two of them had an almost brotherly relationship despite Rick technically being his father-in-law which the others in the group still struggled to wrap their head around.

The gunshot wound on your shoulder had healed nicely leaving nothing but a small pink scar in its place as a permanent reminder of that horrible day.

Ricky kept up firearms training with Daryl and Rick. Little Merle Dean -who isn't so little anymore- had begun learning too. The boys were good at it and learnt quickly. Although that didn't come as much of a surprise since they grew up around Daryl and Merle Dixon.

Now, you found yourself sitting in the back seat of a car listening to Daryl and Rick argue about music choices while on a supply run.

You and Denise had come up with a list of medical supplies that Alexandria was running low on and although you loved your father and husband dearly, those two wouldn't know a bottle of aspirin from a bottle of antibiotics if it hit them in the face. So, you got to join them on the supply run. Plus, you needed to collect a personal item that wasn't on the list and there was no way you were telling either of them what that item was.

It was nice being outside the confined walls of Alexandria.

You relaxed in the backseat staring out the window as the trees flew by listening to Rick sing the lyrics to some obnoxious song he found on a CD while Daryl pretended to be annoyed by it from the passenger seat.

The three of you never got much time alone together without the others around, so you were going to enjoy it while you could.

It wasn't long before you came across a small delivery truck inside a shed stacked full of food and supplies. It was like a gold mine and even had boxes of toothpaste which Michonne was going to love.

After siphoning the fuel out the car and pouring it into the truck, the three of you squished up in the front cabin and made your way back to Alexandria. You stopped at a pharmacy nearby and collected what you could from the heavily looted store, but you salvaged more items than you thought you would, so that was a bonus.

"Can we check out the gas station?" You asked, pointing towards the old abandoned station further down the road. "There might be some bandages and stuff since we didn't find any earlier."

Rick nodded already slowing the truck down before he pulled up in front of the broken gas bowsers and you all climbed out. Daryl went straight across the parking lot towards what looked to be a tipped over vending machine and you grabbed your paper list before walking towards the front door of the store.

"Yo, give me a hand with this!" Daryl called out.

Rick glanced over at you hesitantly, "you okay in there on your own?"

You rolled your eyes, "I can take care of myself. Go help my husband before he breaks his back trying to lift that thing."

You turned and began brushing off the dirt and grime that covered the glass door of the gas station before peaking inside for any threats. Once satisfied that there were no walkers, you pushed the door open and purposely knocked over the sunglass stand that was nearby.

The stand crashed against the tiles loudly. The sunglasses toppling off and smashing against the hard ground and you rested your hand over the gun on your hip cautiously. You stood in the doorway listening and looking but was met with nothing but silence.

Rick and Daryl were now trying to wrap a chain around the vending machine. Where the two of them even found that chain was something you couldn't figure out, but they were both invested with getting that thing open.

Shaking your head at them, you walked into the store and went straight to the medical section but as suspected most of the items on the shelves had been taken. Gas stations were always the first places to get looted when the outbreak started.

Ensuring that Rick and Daryl were still occupied by the vending machine you made your way down another aisle before stopping in front of the feminine hygiene section and picking up a packet from the top shelf.

A pregnancy test.

"Hey, ya good in here?"

You flinched so hard at Daryl's voice that the packet slipped from your grasp and fell to the floor by your feet. You let out a shaky exhale and glanced over your shoulder not expecting him to be right behind you.

Damn hunter and his quiet footsteps.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle ya." Daryl apologised picking up the box you had dropped and held it out towards you.

You could pinpoint the exact moment he realised what was in his hand because his body turned tense and eyes widened into saucers before snapping back up to you. He didn't say anything for a moment, and you remained silent letting him process before Daryl cleared his throat.

"This why you were insistent on coming on this supply run?" He asked, which was not what you were expecting him to say first, so you simply nodded. "Ya coulda told me 'n I would have grabbed it for ya."

You opened your mouth to respond but no words came out.

Daryl was handling this a lot better than you had expected considering you had a full-on meltdown a few weeks ago when you began to put the pieces together. The weight gain, the cravings, the food poisoning which probably wasn't food poisoning at all. It all pointed at one thing, but you had been too afraid to find out.

Raising a baby during an apocalypse? Not on your to-do list.

But, well, you weren't opposed to having another little Dixon running around and you knew Daryl wasn't against it either. But being pregnant in this new world was risky. You heard about what happened with Lori at the prison. And not just her death. Later in her pregnancy she became slow, weaker, more of a reliability than anything else and although you had the safety and security of Alexandria, it still worried you. You didn't want to become a reliability to anyone especially not to your family.

"Does anyone else know?" Daryl asked, snapping you out of your thoughts.

"I don't even know. Hence the test." You answered a little nervously.

Daryl seemed to sense your worry and tucked the box in the inside pocket of his vest before he reached out and pulled you into his chest, hugging you tightly.

"You know-"

Whatever Daryl was about to say died in his throat when your father yelled angrily from outside the store.

"Back up! Keep 'em up!"

You and Daryl pulled apart and bolted out the store without a single word needing to be shared between you.

"Whoa, easy. I was just running from the dead." A stranger's voice said.

Your Smith & Wesson was grasped tightly in your hand as you stepped out the front door behind Daryl who had his handgun raised as well.

It was still strange seeing Daryl with a Glock instead of his usual crossbow. He hadn't been able to find another since his got stolen all those weeks ago and you knew he missed it, same with his motorcycle.

Your guns were aimed at the stranger in front of the gas station. He had long hair with a bandana around his face and was standing a few metres away from Rick with his hands raised in surrender staring down the barrel of the Colt Python.

"How many?" Daryl questioned.

The stranger kept his eyes on Rick for a moment before he glanced over at you briefly taking in the gun before focusing on Daryl.

"10, maybe more. I'm not risking it. Once it gets to double digits, I start running."

"Where are the dead?" You asked, finger hovering over the trigger.

The man didn't appear to have any guns on him, but he could easily conceal one beneath the long coat he was wearing so you weren't going to take any chances.

"About half a mile back. They're headed this way. You probably have about 11 minutes."

You glanced over at Daryl and Rick trying to gauge how they wanted to play this. The guy seemed harmless and was nice, but you weren't stupid. Bad people always tried to be nice.

Rick eventually nodded and lowered his Colt. "Okay, thanks for letting us know."

"Yeah. There's more of them than us, right? Gotta stick together." He said before looking back at Daryl. "Right?"

Daryl just stared right back at him, his gun unwavering for a few more seconds before he reluctantly lowered it, and you did the same.

"You got a camp?" He asked curiously.

"Nope." You answered before either of the guys could.

"Do you?" Rick asked back.

"No." The man shook his head. "Sorry for running into you. I'm gonna go now." He turned and began walking away before speaking over his shoulder. "If this is the next world, I hope it's good to you guys."

"I'm Rick. This is Daryl and Y/N. What's your name?"

You shot a quick warning look towards your father. Daryl and Aaron used to go out looking for people, but they hadn't done that since the Wolves and for good reason.

The man paused before slowly turning back around to face the three of you. He lowered the dirty bandana from around his face revealing a beard you hadn't realised was there.

"Paul Rovia. But my friends used to call me Jesus. Your pick." He answered holding both arms out to the side mimicking Jesus on a cross.

Well, that name suited him.

"Said you didn't have a camp. You on your own?" Rick pressed, trying to get more information out of him.

"Yeah. But, still, best not to try anything."

"Best not to make threats you can't keep, either." Daryl muttered.

Jesus smirked, "exactly."

"How many walkers-"

"No, not this guy." Daryl said cutting Rick off, but he ignored him.

"How many walkers have you killed?"

Jesus was already turning on his heels and jogging off in the opposite direction.

"Sorry, gotta run! You should too. Think you've got about seven minutes!" He shouted over his shoulder before disappearing around the back of the gas station towards the woods.

"Wanna explain what that was about? We don't know him. He could be bad news." You said, looking over at your father who shook his head.

"He was clean. His beard, it was trimmed. There's more going on there."

"He didn't have a gun, either." Daryl added.

"We could track him, watch him for a while, get to know more. See if he's really alone. Maybe bring him back." Rick suggested looking between the two of you.

Daryl scoffed "nah, guy calls himself Jesus."

Before anyone had a chance to say anything further on the topic sudden gunshots rang out from behind the building. The three of you sprinted around the side of the gas station, your guns drawn at the ready as you slowly peaked around the side to find a bunch of firecrackers exploding on a steel drum.

What the hell?

"Firecrackers." Rick pointed out like that wasn't already obvious.

Wait.

"This is a distraction." You said in realisation causing them both to look over at you in panic.

"He swiped your keys, didn't he?" Daryl asked.

Rick felt his jeans, "ah, shit!" He hissed under his breath when the keys were no longer in his pockets.

The three of you ran back around to the front of the gas station just as Jesus sped off with the truck shouting a 'sorry' through the window as he drove off down the road towing the vending machine behind him with the chain. Surprisingly enough, he tossed Daryl's backpack out the window because stealing the truck was okay but not the backpack apparently.

"Shit." Rick swore under his breath while the three of you stood in the middle of the road watching the truck disappear over the hill.

Well, there went all those supplies and food.

In the end, it was decided to follow the truck on foot. Running was not your favourite thing, but it paid off because the vending machine had broken free from the chains and was sitting in the middle of the road. So, after stocking up on what Daryl could carry in his backpack and after shot gunning a can of soda you continued down the road.

It wasn't far before you found the truck on the side of the road. Jesus was changing a flat tire, so it wasn't hard to sneak up and catch him by surprise.

"Do you even have any ammo?" Jesus asked looking up at the three of you unimpressed after Rick tackled him to the ground.

In sync you, Daryl and Rick shifted your sights from Jesus and fired at the walker stumbling out the woods nearby. All three bullets pierced through its head before you aimed back down at the man below you.

"Okay." Jesus said, slightly shocked at what he just saw. "You gonna shoot me over a truck?"

"There's a lot of food on that truck. The keys, now." Rick ordered.

A few minutes later, Rick had Jesus tied up on the side of the road and you were back inside the cabin of the truck squished in the middle between Rick and Daryl while munching on some candy.

"So long, ya prick!" Daryl shouted over his shoulder flipping Jesus off out the window before he kicked his feet up on the dash causing you and Rick to laugh.

You thought that would be the last time you saw this guy, Jesus, but you were wrong. You were so very wrong.

20 miles of driving later, you sat in the passenger seat of the truck while Rick sped through a paddock while Daryl chased Jesus on foot through the tall grass.

The man was like a damn cockroach. You couldn't get rid of him.

"Jesus Christ." You mumbled under your breath watching Daryl dashing across the field while Rick cut the stranger off with the truck.

Jesus tried to duck back around the vehicle, but Rick quickly slammed it into reverse all the way back before he jumped out the car leaving you sitting there in shock at everything that has happened in the past five minutes.

Daryl was still chasing Jesus around the field and if you didn't know any better you would have sworn the two grown men were playing tag.

This was not how you thought today was going to pan out.

"Y/N, the walkers!" Rick shouted pointing at something to the left.

You climbed out the truck to find a small group of walkers in the field getting drawn in from all the noise. Pulling your hunting knife out the sheath on your belt, you helped your father take out the walkers with ease before a gunshot echoed across the field.

Sudden dread filled your stomach as you spun around to find Jesus now in the truck and Daryl leaning in through the driver door with a walker lying dead behind him.

"Thanks." Daryl said to the other man before punching him across the jaw. "That's my gun!"

You couldn't quite see what was happening but a moment later the truck began to roll backwards towards the lake and Daryl and Jesus quickly tumbled out the opened door, Jesus getting his head hit by said door on the way through, knocking him unconscious.

"Annnnd the truck is about to go for a swim." You commented while you and your father watch the truck roll backwards into the lake and sink below the surface.

Damnit.

Daryl stood by the edge of the lake watching as the last air bubble popped to the surface and you and Rick made your way across the field towards him. The three of you stood in silence staring at where the truck once was before glancing down at the unconscious stranger in the grass.

"Let's go check out them cars by the barn, get the hell out of here." Daryl muttered in annoyance.

"What about Jesus?" You asked, pointing to the man on the ground.

"What 'bout him?"

"Well, he kinda helped you." You answered glancing over at Daryl who shrugged his shoulders. "We can't just leave him. He's practically walker bait."

"He ever pull a weapon on you?" Rick asked, already knowing the answer.

Daryl sighed, "fine. Let's put him up a tree."

-

Jesus didn't get put up a tree.

He got put in the back of a car Daryl managed to hotwire and was taken to Alexandria. Whether that decision was a good one or not was still up for debate, but Rick put him down in the cell Morgan built for the time being until that was figured out.

After the long, crazy, exhausting day, you sat on the edge of the bed while Daryl paced the bedroom holding the pregnancy test you had taken earlier.

It was positive.

"You were calm earlier. What happened?" You asked, not having the energy to deal with his freakout right now. All you wanted to do was sleep.

"This happened. I didn't think it would actually be positive." He said, waving the stick in the air. "How-how is it possible? We've been careful."

"Yeah, well, it's not like we planned our other pregnancies... they just kinda happened." You responded thinking back to the first time you and Daryl slept together and fell pregnant after one night all those years ago.

Daryl sighed, "yeah, I guess that's half my fault."

"Yep, your pull-out game needs some working on, Dixon." You commented before laying down on top of the bed with a deep sigh.

A few seconds later, the other side of the bed dipped slightly, and Daryl laid down beside you, propping himself up on his elbow before he rested his hand over your shirt feeling the small baby bump that was already there.

"How'd I not notice this earlier?" He wondered aloud.

"I've got a bit of tummy from having two kids. It didn't stand out." You simply answered resting your hand over his. "We can't tell the others. My dad would freakout and Maggie... she only just announced her pregnancy and it's her first. I don't want to take her moment away from her."

Daryl nodded in understanding, his hand still resting over the bump.

"We're really havin' another baby?" He asked like he wasn't just holding the positive test a few minutes ago. His voice was softer than you had heard it in a long time, and he tilted his head towards you, those crystal blue eyes meeting your hazel ones.

You smiled, "we are."

-

You awoke with a start bolting up right in bed and grabbing your handgun off the nightstand on instinct. You scanned the dark bedroom cautiously for danger but there was nothing.

What the hell had woken you up?

"S'wrong?" Daryl's rough sleep laced voice mumbled as he rubbed his eyes and looked over at you but quickly snapped out of his tiredness when he saw the gun in your hand. "What happened?" He asked sitting up on high alert.

"Nothing. Something woke me up... I thought I heard footsteps. It was probably just someone using the bathroom down the hall." You dismissed, putting your gun back down on the nightstand.

It wasn't uncommon to hear the others walking around the house in the middle of the night. The floorboards creaked in certain places and most of you knew where to step to avoid them, but half asleep on a midnight bathroom trip, someone might forget.

Daryl's eyes swept around the bedroom for danger like you had done moments earlier not as convinced about the bathroom thing before his body suddenly turned tense. Even in the dark you could see the muscles across his back and shoulders were tight while he stared straight at the bedroom door that was slightly ajar.

"Did ya open that?" He asked cautiously.

You began reaching for your handgun again because, no, you did not open the door.

"Put your hands up. Now!" Ricky's voice shouted from down the corridor.

The anger and sternness of your son's voice had you jumping out of bed in an instant. You hastily grabbed your dressing gown and threw it over your shoulders knowing the tank top you were wearing was exposing your small baby bump.

Daryl was already out the bedroom not bothering to put a shirt on as he ran out the room in nothing but his boxers and a gun in his hand.

"What the hell are you doing in our house?" Carl's voice questioned a second later.

The Smith and Wesson was clutched tightly in your hand as you dashed out the bedroom and sprinted down the hallway in the direction of your brother's voice but paused when you spotted Jesus sitting on the steps. Ricky, Dean and Carl stood side-by-side with their own handguns aimed at the man while Daryl stepped in front of the boys and pressed the barrel of his gun to the back of Jesus' head.

"Answer the kid. What the fuck are ya doin' in here?" Daryl hissed.

You carefully took a step forward, your gun drawn and aimed at Jesus too although you doubted he would try anything with all the firearms aimed at his head.

"I'm, uh, sitting on the steps looking at this painting, waiting for his mum and dad to get dressed." Jesus answered nodding at Carl. "Hi. I'm Jesus."

His mum and dad?

What?

As if on cue, a door squeaked open, and Rick rushed around the corner frantically buttoning up his jeans before pausing when he saw you all standing there. Michonne suddenly appeared behind Rick adjusting her shirt awkwardly.

You looked between Michonne and your shirtless father for a moment before sudden realisation hit you.

Holy shit.

They were sleeping together?

"Uh, boys, Daryl, Y/N, it's... it's okay." Rick reassured like he was already aware of Jesus being inside the house.

Wait, had Jesus walked in on Rick and Michonne together?

Suddenly the front door of the house slammed open and a moment later, Maggie, Glenn and Abraham were halfway up the stairs with their weapons aimed at Jesus who simply remained sitting not fazed by all the guns pointed at him.

"I bet Merle was on watch tonight, huh?" Abraham muttered glaring at Jesus before he glanced up at you and Daryl before looking over at Rick and Michonne, and his glare turned into a smirk. "Were there any adults in this house that weren't bumping uglies tonight?"

Ricky, Dean and Carl both frowned in confusion and glanced over at you guys before Rick sighed and stepped forward pointily ignoring the redhead's comment.

"You said we should talk." He stated, looking at Jesus. "So let's talk."

-

The Hilltop.

That was Jesus' community. They had livestock, crops, supplies and were already trading with other settlements.

Everybody was hesitant to believe his words, so he offered to take you to Hilltop himself to prove it and Rick agreed wanting to meet Hilltops leader Gregory and negotiate a trading system.

Daryl and Merle were busy tuning up the old RV getting ready for the drive to Hilltop. Ricky and Dean were leaning over the hood eager to learn and help where they could while you stood off to the side with Carl.

"Did you know about dad and Michonne?" Your brother asked in a hushed whisper.

"If I did, I would've told you. That's like sibling rules 101."

Carl smiled softly, "what other sibling rules are there?"

"Well, there's... always share your food." You replied before swiftly snatching the beef jerky out his hand.

"Hey!" Carl exclaimed yanking it back out your hand before licking the entire side of it.

"Really?" You asked raising your eyebrows at him.

Carl smirked and held it out towards you. "Do you still want it?"

"Yep." You replied popping the 'p' before snatching the jerky and taking a bite causing your brother to screw his face up in disgust. "Rule number two, always listen to your older sister."

Carl rolled his eyes but didn't say anything in response before your father walked over with Judith on his hip and the two of you quickly shifted back into serious mode.

"You sure about this?" You asked, nodding at the RV.

"No." Rick answered honestly. "But if he's telling the truth... this could be the start of everything."

"Look, I was going to tell you two about Michonne, but it just happened. It just happened... last night."

"Gotcha." You nodded unable to hide your smirk. "She's not that much older than me, you know that, right?"

Rick glared at you, "and Daryl is around my age. You know that?"

"You two have a weird taste in partners." Carl cringed before his face broke out in a small smile. "It's cool though. You and Michonne."

Rick stared at his son for a moment, a faint wash of relief flashing across his face before he nodded, "get your stuff. Gabriel can take care of Judith while we're gone."

"No, I'm not coming."

Your head snapped in your brother's direction in shock. He would usually jump at the opportunity to get outside the walls of Alexandria.

"Someone's gotta stay back, keep this place safe." Carl explained with a shrug. "A kid with a messed-up face probably wouldn't make the best first impression anyway."

You frowned a little at his words not liking them at all.

"You'd make a better impression than Merle Dixon over there." You commented throwing your thumb in your brother-in-laws direction.

Merle burped loudly blowing it in Daryl's direction causing your husband to elbow him in the stomach while he continued to pour fuel into the RV ready for the trip to Hilltop.

Carl laughed from beside you watching the brothers interact before Abraham's voice boomed across the community.

"Let's chew up some asphalt!"

Carl took that as his cue and grabbed Judith from Ricks arms without further discussion.

"Ask ya mother."

You looked over hearing Daryl's voice to find Ricky and Dean jogging across the road with pleading eyes and you sighed.

What did they want?

"Uncle Merle said yes, but dad said to ask you if we could come to Hilltop." Ricky explained.

"Uncle Merle said, yes, did he?" You said and both boys nodded before you looked past them towards the eldest Dixon who was smirking from where he leant against the RV.

"C'mon, what's the issue? We used to live outside those walls with 'em. They can handle themselves!"

"Bro, shut up." Daryl muttered under his breath.

"Please, mama." Dean begged, bringing your attention back to your sons. "Uncle Merle's right, we can handle ourselves and we'll follow your instructions."

"We will." Ricky nodded in agreement.

You sighed, glancing over at Daryl who met your gaze from across the road and shrugged, leaving the decision up to you.

"Okay. Fine. But you stay by my side and listen to the adults, deal?"

Ricky and Dean both smiled brightly, "deal!"

-

On the way to Hilltop, you came across a crash on the road. A few people from Hilltop were involved and after rescuing them, you continued on your way to the other settlement.

Hilltop was surrounded by tall wooden walls with a large steel door at the front. The community wasn't like you had anticipated. A large mansion was at the centre of it, Barrington House, Jesus had called it. There were a few sheds and barns located to the left along with rows of trailers to the right.

It wasn't like Alexandria, but it was decent.

The leader, Gregory, was not so decent.

To put it simply, Gregory was an asshole. None of you liked him and Jesus wasn't his biggest fan either, but he was still the leader of Hilltop nonetheless, so you had to play nice and figure out a trading system that you could all agree on.

That was the hard part.

"Can you talk to Gregory?" You asked, looking over at Jesus. "He doesn't like any of us. He has clearly made his mind up about that, but you might be able to talk him into a trading system with Alexandria."

Jesus nodded running his fingers through his hair as he glanced around at the group of you standing in the lobby of Barrington House. Ricky and Dean sat at the foot of the stairs listening to the adult discussion intently while Merle leant against the railing beside them not interested in this conversation.

"We need food. We came all this way, we're gonna get it." Rick simply stated.

"I will talk to him and we will work this out." Jesus reassured, staring at you before glancing over at Rick. "Circumstances change. We're doing well now, and you will next. I will make him understand that. Can you give me a few days?"

Rick remained silent as he stared right back at the long-haired man before he glanced over at you with a questioning look wanting your opinion.

"We can give you a few days." You declared glancing back at Jesus as Rick slowly nodded in agreement and the other man smiled.

Suddenly the front door to Barrington House slammed open startling the group of you before an unknown man stepped inside and a moment later, Gregory emerged from his office in panic.

"What's wrong?" The leader questioned staring at the other man.

"They're back."

That was all the man said before he rushed back outside but you did not like the look of worry on Gregorys face and by the way Daryl and Merle both stood up straighter on alert, neither of them did either.

You all followed Gregory outside to find three people walking into the community and they didn't look happy.

"Nathan, what happened to everybody else? Where's Tim and Marsha?" Gregory asked, walking over to them.

"They're dead." Nathan, the man with the thick beard, answered.

"Negan?"

"Yeah."

You glanced over at Daryl who met your gaze briefly with a small nod of confirmation.

Negan was with the group of bikers that Daryl, Merle and Abraham crossed paths with, and he blew them up with the bazooka.

There weren't many people named Negan around here. It had to be the same person.

"We had a deal." Gregory said in confusion.

"He said it wasn't enough. Was the drop light?" The other man behind him questioned, but Gregory shook his head.

"They still have Craig." The woman informed sadly.

"They said they'd keep him alive, return him to us, if I deliver a message to you." Nathan explained stepping closer to Gregory.

"So, tell me." The leader responded.

Nathan reached out and grabbed Gregorys shoulder pulling the older man closer to him, "I'm sorry." Was all he said before he pulled out a knife and stabbed his leader through the stomach.

Gregory let out a cry of pain as the man yanked the blade out. You remained frozen where you stood in shock of what the fuck just happened. Ricks police training kicked in instantly and he was the first to rush headfirst into the scene.

Your father grabbed Nathan and pulled him away from Gregory while Jesus and Maggie rushed over and assisted the injured man.

It all happened so fast.

Within a blink of an eye, Abraham was pinned to his back by the other man who had his hands grasped tightly around his throat choking him. Rick had Nathan pushed down in the dirt a few metres away and the woman stood off to the side screaming at Rick to let him go.

You drew the handgun from your holster, flicking the safety off and holding it down in front of you at the ready before glancing over at Ricky and Dean who had their own hands on their gun holsters also ready but hesitant to use them.

'never aim your gun at someone or something unless you plan on pulling the trigger.'

That was what Rick and Daryl had drilled into them during all their firearm training and you were proud that they were actually listening and obeying the instructions.

"Boys, stay back." You ordered.

They both nodded and Ricky grabbed his little brother's arm and pulled him back a few steps away from the fight that was happening in front of them.

Daryl and Merle were quick to rush over and help Abraham. Merle practically tackled the guy off his best friend before the man landed on top of him and started to choke him instead, but Daryl grabbed his arm and bent it back on an unnatural angle until he heard a distinct cracking noise followed by the mans pained cry.

"Hey!" Glenn suddenly shouted.

You spun around to find Rick now lying flat on his back while Nathan leant over him with a knife against his throat.

Ah, shit.

"Stay back! Anybody who tries to stop me is killing my brother!" Nathan screamed, pressing the knife harder against your father's throat.

You took a few hesitant steps towards them, the Smith and Wesson held tightly in your hand. Nathan had his back facing you too focused on Glenn standing nearby.

Using his distraction to your advantage, you quietly snuck up behind him and jammed the barrel of your handgun into the back of his head. Nathans body instantly tensed at the touch of the cold metal.

"Yeah, you know what that is." You said, pressing the barrel firmer against his skull. "Drop the fucking knife. Now."

Nathan slowly tilted his head up towards you before Rick suddenly pulled out his own knife and jabbed the blade up into the side of Nathans neck.

You jumped back, a spray of blood hitting your face, but it was nothing compared to the downpour of deep crimson blood that fell over your father's lower face and neck.

Rick shoved Nathans now lifeless body off to the side before you held your free hand out and helped your father to his feet. He gave you a small appreciative nod before he glanced around taking in the scene around him to find Merle leaning over Abraham while Daryl had his gun aimed at the man with the broken arm.

Sometime during the fight, the civilians of Hilltop had gathered around and watched on in horror, all staring at Rick with wide terrified eyes. The white fur collar of his jacket was stained bright red and trickled down his front covering his shirt the same colour. It was quite a scene.

"What?" Rick questioned staring right back at the shocked civilians.

"Nathan! You killed him!" The man with the broken arm shouted from where he was lying on the ground.

"He tried to kill Gregory, then me-"

Rick didn't get to finish his sentence before the woman marched over and punched him across the face. You took a step forward about to punch her back, but Michonne body slammed her to the ground instead.

"Don't." Michonne warned sternly, glaring down at the woman who was laying on her ass in the dirt.

"Drop it now!" One of the Hilltop guards shouted.

A group of guards suddenly rushed forward with their long spears pointed to you all.

"Back up." You ordered, raising your handgun in their direction, Rick quickly drawing his Colt and doing the same.

Suddenly, Ricky and Dean were by your side backing you up with their own handguns drawn too. There fingers were resting on the frames of their guns and not the triggers and you would have told them you were proud if you weren't in the middle of a standoff.

"Everyone, this is over!" Jesus shouted, rushing between you all with his hands raised. "It's over. Ethan was our friend, but let's not pretend he was anything more than a coward who attacked us. He did this. And these people stopped him."

The guards reluctantly lowered their spears, so you holstered your gun and glanced over at Jesus who met your eyes hesitantly.

"You need to know that things aren't as simple as they might seem. Just give me some time." He simply responded and you nodded.

-

You assisted Doctor Carson with patching Gregory up while the others spoke with Jesus back in Barrington House. Ricky and Dean remained with you wanting to help where they could, and you didn't want to let them out of your sight after what just happened.

A bunch of stitches and painkillers later, Gregory was going to be okay.

He was still as annoying as ever and seemed in capable of saying the words, thank you. But he would survive.

Between Rick, Maggie, Jesus and Gregory they managed to come to an agreement. Half of Hilltops food, supplies, medicines, everything and in return, you would kill Negan and wipeout the Saviours for them.

"Boys give ya mother a hand with the crate." Daryl ordered pointing to the crate of potatoes you were currently carrying towards the RV.

You glared over your shoulder at Daryl but knew he was only trying to look out for you.

The two of you had been through the whole pregnancy thing twice now and Daryl knew you could handle yourself perfectly fine. He used to be super overprotective and would hover a lot when you were pregnant with Ricky and Dean, and although he was still protective, he didn't hover as much which you were grateful for.

The boys took the crate of potatoes without any complaints and carried it together to the RV while the others all loaded the vehicle up with various other supplies that the people of Hilltop had given.

"Hey, Y/N?" Jesus suddenly called out, jogging over to you.

"What's up?" You asked turning to face him.

"Doctor Carson used to be an obstetrician before the world ended. He has access to an ultrasound machine." Jesus said quietly once he reached your side.

You blinked staring blankly at him, "what?"

"I just figured you and Daryl would want to check on the baby. Maggie and Glenn just did with theirs and-"

"The baby?" You asked in shock, your hand subconsciously resting over the bump hidden beneath your jacket. "I-I'm not... there is no... what?"

Jesus smiled softly, "I saw the positive test on your nightstand."

"I'm sorry?" You said thinking you must have heard him wrong before realisation hit you like a truck. "That's why our door was ajar that morning."

"I am sorry about that by the way. I didn't mean to intrude on you, but I was looking for Rick. I'm not like some creep watching people sleep. I went into your room and realised it was you and Daryl and then I left. Oh, wow, that does sound creepy. You can hit me if you want, I think I deserve it."

You chuckled, "I'm not going to hit you. Maybe don't repeat that information to Daryl though because he would."

"Noted."

"Also, please don't tell the others that I'm pregnant. We're trying to keep it a secret, at least for a little while."

Jesus nodded, "I kinda figured that with the puffy jacket and the fact that Maggie never mentioned it."

"Is it that obvious?" You asked, looking down at your jacket.

"No." He smiled shaking his head. "I doubt the others suspect anything. And your secret is safe with me. I promise."

After managing to sneak away from the others and ask Merle to watch the boys, you and Daryl found yourselves in the medical trailer with Doctor Carson staring at an ultrasound machine.

"And that there... is your baby." Carson explained pointing to the small bean like shape in the centre of the screen.

Daryl's hand squeezed yours. Neither of you able to look away from the screen while you listened to the strong heartbeat of your unborn baby.

It was real. You really were going to have another baby.

Holy shit.

Tears burned in the back of your eyes while Doctor Carson shifted the transducer over your baby bump getting a clearer image of the baby.

"Is it healthy?" Daryl asked breaking the silence in the trailer.

Carson nodded, "perfectly healthy."

You let out a shaky sigh of relief as a silent tear escaped your eye which you were going to blame on your stupid hormones.

"I'd say you're about four months along, maybe five." Carson began to explain causing your eyes to snap away from the screen to stare at the doctor in shock.

"I... I was pregnant when I got shot?" You asked looking down at the pink scar on your shoulder.

"This?" Carson asked, following your line of sight and pointing at the scar as you nodded. "Well, whoever shot you, shot you in the best possible place. If they aimed lower, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Jesus Christ." Daryl swore softly under his breath.

"Five months." You whispered to yourself in disbelief. "We're not going to be able to hide this much longer." You added glancing over at Daryl.

His blue eyes met yours and the corners of his lips twitched up into that small smile you never got sick of seeing.

"Merle is pretty stupid. Could probably hide it from him for a while." He commented causing you to snort in amusement.

"Here." Carson suddenly said holding out a small photo of the ultrasound image that you hadn't realised he had printed or had the resources to even do so.

"Thank you, Doctor." You said sincerely taking the small photo.

He smiled, "if you guys ever need anything, you know where to find me."

Carson wiped off the gel from your stomach before you stood up from the bed and threw your jacket back on covering the bump perfectly just as someone knocked on the front door.

"Y/N? Daryl? You in there?" Your fathers voice shouted from outside.

Hastily, you handed Daryl the ultrasound photo which he tucked into the pocket of his vest before you spun around and opened the nearest cabinet and pretended to look through the medicines while Doctor Carson quickly unplugged the ultrasound machine catching on to the secret.

A second later the door opened, and Rick stepped inside frowning in confusion.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Carson was just showing me some medical stuff. He's a good doctor. I'm learning a lot from him." You answered a little too quickly before closing the cabinet and turning to face your father.

Rick stared at you for a moment before nodding, "that's good to hear. You both ready to go?"

"Yeah. Thanks Doctor." You said, glancing over at the other man who smiled softly with a small nod.

"Anytime."

-

During the drive back to Alexandria, Maggie and Glenn showed you all her own ultrasound photo and you fought the urge to show her yours.

This was her moment. You weren't about to step on it and take away her attention. This was her first and it was your third. You were fine with keeping it a secret for a while, Maggie deserved it.

After unloading the food and supplies from the RV at Alexandria, Rick held a meeting with the whole community in the church and told them everything.

The idea of finding Negan and the Saviours and killing them for Hilltop had divided Alexandria. Some thought it was a great idea, others were totally against it.

In the end, it was decided though.

The Saviours were stationed near a satellite, and you were going to sneak in during the night and take them all out. But that plan didn't sit right with you.

Yes, Alexandria needed the supplies from Hilltop, but at the same time, these Saviours hadn't done anything to Alexandria, and you were just going to waltz in and kill them in their sleep. That didn't feel right.

Sure, the ones Daryl, Merle and Abraham crossed paths with on the road a few months ago were bad. They were going to kill them, but Daryl had killed them first. That was it. That was the end of it. And now you were just going to butcher the rest of them?

"We have to do it. We have to come for them before they come for us." Rick insisted, looking at you through the bathroom mirror while he brushed his teeth. "They found Hilltop and look what happened. It's only a matter of time before they find Alexandria."

You sighed leaning against the doorframe meeting your fathers gaze through the mirror with a small nod.

He was right.

You hated that he was right.

"We need the supplies from Hilltop and-"

Whatever Rick was going to say next died in his throat when he spotted something inside the small bathroom trash can. His toothbrush slipped from his fingers hitting the porcelain sink with a loud clink before he reached down and grabbed something.

"Shit." He hissed under his breath staring down at the item in his hand that you couldn't quite see.

"What's wrong?"

"It's the end of the world, I didn't think I would have to deal with this." Rick muttered shaking his head before holding up a positive pregnancy test and your stomach dropped. "I've had the talk with Carl. He should know better. I can't believe this."

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and sucked in a deep breath while you stood there utterly speechless. He suddenly turned around and you only just managed to step out the way as he stormed out the door heading straight for your brother's bedroom down the corridor.

Oh, shit.

You spun around and rushed in the opposite direction to your own bedroom to find Daryl throwing off his vest and unbuttoning his sleeveless shirt across the room. You glanced over to the nightstand where you had last seen the pregnancy test you took, but it was gone.

"Where's the test?" You asked pointing to the empty nightstand.

Daryl turned around in confusion and glanced to where you were pointing.

"I threw it in the trash."

"The bathroom trash can?"

He nodded.

Damnit.

Rick was no doubt reading Carl the riot act about safe sex and teen pregnancy right now, but Carl wasn't even the one responsible for the test. It was you.

You felt like you were 16 years old again about to get busted by your father for doing something wrong.

A part of you wanted to just close the bedroom door and forget about it. Let Carl take the blame for it and see what happens. But you couldn't do that. Rick would find out the truth sooner or later, it was better to come clean now and save Carl getting yelled at.

"What's the matter?" Daryl asked noticing your internal debate.

"So, uh, my dad might have found the positive test, and he may or may think it's Carl and that he got Enid pregnant, and he may or may not be yelling at him as we speak." You rambled anxiously.

Daryl's face visibly paled at your words, and you smiled nervously at him.

"He wasn't happy when he thought it was Carls... I don't think he will be too pleased about finding out it's ours either." You admitted, resting your hand over the bump beneath your jacket.

"We have two kids already. He can't get that mad, can he?"

"He wasn't around back then. This is new and... and, I don't know how he will react."

Daryl bit his thumb nail nervously, "Rick is gonna fuckin' kill me."

You sighed taking in a deep breath trying to calm yourself which was ridiculous because Daryl was right. You already had two kids and you were an adult. Why were you so nervous about this?

"I'm gonna go tell him. You should probably stay here."

Daryl nodded seeming relieved with that idea before he walked across the room and pulled you into a gentle hug. You wrapped your arms around his bare back hugging him tightly. Your fingers traced over the ridged scars across his shoulder blade as he placed a tender kiss to the top of your head.

Reluctanly, you pulled away and immediately wanted to hug him again at the loss of warm contact but knew you had to go and save your brother from Rick's lecture about teen pregnancy.

Daryl gave you a small reassuring smile before you took in a deep breath and walked out the room heading down the corridor already able to hear the shouting coming from your brother's bedroom.

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Don't. Don't play dumb with me."

"I'm not playing!"

"So, you're telling me that you didn't knock up Enid?"

"What?! NO! What the fuck?!"

You paused in front of the closed door listening to the commotion coming from inside and hesitated, unsure if you wanted to go in there and confess because Rick did not sound happy.

"Then why did I find this in the bathroom?"

"I've never seen that before."

"Carl. Don't lie to me-"

"He's not lying." You interrupted pushing open the door to find Carl sitting on his bed with a confused expression while Rick stood at the foot of his bed holding up the pregnancy test.

Oh, this was a bad idea.

They both turned towards you and the anger in your father's expression turned to confusion whereas a sneaky smirk began to spread across Carl's face having already figured it out.

"What?" Rick asked frowning as he looked between you and Carl.

You remained silent waiting for him to figure it out and for an ex-cop, he was awfully slow at putting the pieces together.

"You were worrying about the wrong child dad." Carl snorted in amusement.

Ricks brows furrowed in utter confusion as he stared at his son before looking down at the positive test in his hand. The gears were turning and grinding in his head, and you could pin-point the exact moment he figured it out.

His head suddenly snapped back over in your direction. His blue eyes widening into saucers as he stared at you in utter disbelief.

"No." He shook his head in denial. "You're not pregnant. You can't be."

"Dad-"

"No." He snapped, cutting you off. "You should've known better. You should've... I can't have this conversation, not with you."

Rick marched straight past you and out the bedroom before you could even process what he had just said. You stood in the middle of your brother's room and flinched when the door slammed shut behind you.

To say that this conversation did not go how you intended would be the understatement of the century.

"Damnit." You whispered under your breath turning to go after him.

"I'm gonna be an uncle again?" Carl questioned and you paused by the door.

"Yeah." You glanced over your shoulder. "Yeah, you are."

"Cool." He smiled happily. "Dad's an idiot by the way. I'm happy for you."

Your heart fluttered at your brothers' words. A small swell of relief washing over you at his approval before you turned and walked out the room in search of your father.

After looking in practically every room of the two-story building and nearly giving up, you eventually found your father sitting outside on the porch steps staring up at the stars shimmering in the sky above him.

You stood in the doorway for a moment debating what to do.

In that moment you felt like a child again. A child scared to talk to her father afraid of what he would say or think.

You were an adult.

You were a mother of two, soon to be three, but right now, you felt like a 12-year-old little girl standing in the doorway of her parents' bedroom about to admit your biggest secret.

"Dad." You said announcing your presence, but he didn't turn to look at you, he didn't even move.

"What were you thinking, Y/N?"

The disappointment was strong in his tone and that hurt more than anything.

"What was I thinking? I was thinking my father might actually be happy for me." You admitted, glaring at the back of his head. "Guess that was too much to ask."

"The world is dangerous now. You-you can't have a baby in this world, it's a death sentence. There are walkers, there are bad guys out there wanting to hurt people. What if there's a complication? What if-"

"Did you say all this to Maggie too?" You asked already knowing the answer.

"No."

"So why the hell are you saying it to me? I mean, you're raising a baby in the apocalypse. Judith has turned out just fine-"

"What about Lori?"

Oh. Oh.

"I lost your mother due to childbirth. She's gone. She's dead because she fell pregnant in this new world, and I can't- I won't lose you too." His voice broke and he buried his face into his hands.

"You're not gonna lose me." You insisted, walking over and sitting down on the porch step beside him.

Rick lifted his head and looked over at you, his blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears under the moonlight.

"I could." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You won't." You repeated sternly.

Rick let out a shaky exhale but didn't say anything else as he reached over and rested his hand on your knee. You placed your own hand atop of his while you both sat in silence staring out at the stars above Alexandria.

"Does Daryl know?"

"Yeah."

Rick nodded and looked like he wanted to add to that topic but kept his mouth shut.

"What is it?" You prompted.

"You're pregnant which means the two of you have..." He trailed off letting go of your knee and making a vague hand gesture before sighing. "The thought of the two of you having sex... Jesus, I'm too sober for this conversation."

You chuckled softly, "Dad, come on. We have two kids already. That's gotta tell you that something kinda happened at least twice before."

"I know. I know. it's just... you're my little girl and he's... he's Daryl."

"I'm not a little girl anymore." You corrected. "I'm an adult and he's my husband, remember?"

"You'll always be my little girl."

Rick draped his arm around your shoulders and gently pulled you into his side. You smiled resting your head against his shoulder while fighting back tears you refused to acknowledge.

This was all you wanted when you were younger. You had wanted... no, you had needed your father's reassurance and comfort during your first pregnancy. You were young, and scared, and you didn't know what you were doing. You needed your dad.

Daryl and Merle were great, but you needed your father, and he wasn't there.

He was here now though, and you soaked up this moment while it lasted.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you the first times." Rick eventually said like he could somehow read your mind. "I... I saw you on the news."

You pulled away from him and wiped the tears from your eyes in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"The flood. You were on the news."

-

*Before*

It was a quiet afternoon shift at the King County Police Station.

Rick used the downtime to catch up on the stack of paperwork piled up on the side of his desk, however after nearly two hours, he had barely made a dent in it.

Shane's desk opposite him had a larger stack of paperwork that had been untouched all shift. His best friend had spent the last couple of hours in the breakroom watching the news that had been broadcasting the flash flood happening down south.

Rick had seen it on the news last night and heard about it over the radio on his drive to work. The reporters were saying that it was a once in a lifetime event that had damaged hundreds of homes and threatened to destroy so many more. It was horrible and he was thankful that nothing like that ever happened in his hometown.

The news was filled with reports of people stranded on roofs or families stuck in boats with their pets and the little belongings they had managed to salvage.

He could hear the news reporter speaking on the television in the breakroom. The guys have had the volume on maximum since the Lieutenant left for the day nearly 40 minutes ago. Rick tried to drain out the noise and focus on the report in front of him.

'Emergency services are still out in the water and sky rescuing people trapped in the flood zone.'

'The rain is reported to slow tomorrow afternoon, but that is little reassurance to those that have already lost everything.'

'Death toll is up to five with many more people reported missing.'

Unable to focus on the report on his desk while the news was being broadcast loud enough for all of King County to hear, he put the paper down and wandered into the breakroom.

Shane, Leon and McCarthy were all sitting around the table staring up at the screen invested in the news while he turned away and began making a coffee.

'A young couple trapped on the roof of their trailer for over 48 hours have just been rescued by volunteers.' The reporter on the television declared. 'And you won't believe this folks, the woman gave birth while stranded on the roof. It is believed to be the couple's first baby, and although they are a little shook up, the mother and baby are both doing well.'

"Uh, Rick?" Shane called out from across the room hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"You seeing this?"

"What? The flood? Yeah, it's been on the news all day." Rick said over his shoulder while stirring the milk into his coffee.

"No. Look!" Shane pointed at the screen and Rick grabbed his coffee before looking up at the television. "Isn't that-"

"Y/N." He gasped, the mug of coffee slipping from his fingers and shattering against the tiles of the floor loudly.

"Jesus, Grimes. What the hell?!" Leon exclaimed looking at the mess of coffee and porcelain shards.

Rick didn't hear his coworker's words, nor did he notice the coffee covering his boots as he stared at the television across the room in utter disbelief because there on the screen was his daughter.

The footage was from a news helicopter zoomed in. It was a little blurry but there was no mistaking the young girl sitting on top of a trailer. It was his daughter.

It was Y/N.

Holy shit.

The flood water flowed past the trailer at a rapid pace only a metre lower than the roof while she sat clutching a newborn baby to her chest. There was a man standing nearby waving over a rescue boat, but Rick couldn't tear his eyes away from his daughter.

"Congratulations, grandpa." Shane responded, glancing over at him.

"I-I didn't even know... I haven't heard from her since she... since Lori kicked her out." Rick admitted, guilt washing over him. "Wait. Wait. They said she was okay, right? She gave birth on the roof. Holy shit, is she okay? Are her and the baby okay?"

Shane stood up from his chair and walked over to him dodging the coffee and broken mug.

"Breathe. Rick, brother, just breathe. The reporter said they were both fine, man. They're fine." Shane reassured, patting his shoulder.

-

*Present*

"You saw me on the news?" You asked in surprise thinking back to those terrifying 48 hours stranded on the roof of the trailer you shared with Daryl when you were younger.

Rick nodded but didn't say anything further as the two of you sat on the steps in silence.

Your father had known about it. He knew and he never... he never said anything... he never... wait...

"Our trailer got wrecked during the flood." You began to say because you needed to find out the truth. "Unfixable the workers told us. A week later there was an envelope in the mail addressed to Miss Grimes, despite the fact that I was a Dixon by then. Do you know what was in that envelope?"

You tilted your head towards Rick, but he was staring down at his hands resting on his knees avoiding your gaze which was enough of an answer. He knew exactly what was in that envelope.

"It was filled with money. Care to guess how much?" You asked, but he still refused to look at you. "Over $35,000 in cold hard cash. For years, I couldn't figure out who it was from. Daryl or Merle didn't know either. It helped pay for all the things we lost in the flood. I was able to buy baby supplies for Ricky, it even helped with a house loan. But I could never figure out who it was from until now."

Rick sighed, fiddling with his watch still refusing to look at you.

"Shall you say it, or should I?" You prompted.

He reluctantly lifted his head, and those bright blue eyes met your hazel ones.

"I sent the money." He confirmed.

"Why?"

"Because I was a coward. I wanted to see you but... I couldn't. Lori wouldn't allow it and... well, I kinda figured you wanted nothing to do with me after everything that went down." He admitted, looking back down at his hands in shame. "I couldn't get money out the bank without Lori knowing, so I got Shane to sell a few of my father's tractors and farming machinery in his name. He then withdrew the money in cash and gave it to me. I wanted to help you. You probably didn't want my help, so I kept it anonymous."

He was right.

Back then you used to be so angry. You hated Lori with a burning passion after what she did and a small part of you hated your father for taking her side too. But that was all in the past. It was water under the bridge because after everything that has happened since then, you have forgiven him. For all of it.

"Thank you." Was all you could say.

Rick's head snapped back in your direction with a look of surprise in his eyes. You weren't sure what he had been expecting but it clearly wasn't those two words.

"Kiddo, I'm sorry." Rick whispered but you shook your head before he could say anything further.

"Don't." You said cutting him off with a shake of your head. "That's all in the past now. And we needed that money more than you'll ever know, so thank you."

Rick looked like he wanted to say more on that topic but seemed to think better of it because he simply closed his mouth and gave a small nod instead.

"I can't believe Ricky was born during a flood." Your father said after a few minutes of silence.

"Dean was born during a hurricane." Daryl's voice suddenly said, and you both glanced over your shoulders to find him walking out the front door.

"What?" Rick asked in shock.

"We were stuck under a bridge while the hurricane passed. Didn't make it to the hospital." Daryl simply explained causing Rick to look back over at you with his jaw dropped.

"Gave birth in the truck. It was a step up from the roof of a trailer." You joked and your father chuckled in pure disbelief.

Daryl leant against the porch railing lighting a cigarette while you and Rick remained sitting on the steps staring up at the bright stars shining in the sky above you in comfortable silence.

Merle and Abraham's laughter boomed from inside the house behind you, the faint sound of people chattering in the background filling your ears. You could see the faint silhouette of Rosita standing on the watch platform down the street overlooking the walls of Alexandria with a rifle slung over her shoulder.

It was a peaceful night.

Calm before the storm.

Tomorrow night you were infiltrating the Saviours compound and taking them out.

"About tomorrow night..." Your father began to say and now you were seriously starting to wonder if he could read your mind or not. "I don't want you coming."

Yeah, you should have seen those words coming from a mile away.

"Excuse me?" You asked, looking over at your father.

"I need you to stay here-"

"No. I heard you perfectly fine the first time, I was just giving you a chance to change your mind."

"Y/N-"

"I'm coming with you guys. You need all the help you can get." You argued, but your father shook his head.

"I don't care. You are not coming."

"You think you can tell me what to do?" You snapped, abruptly standing up from the step before you began to pace the porch. "I'm not a kid. You can't give me orders."

"The hell I can't." Rick responded, looking up at you.

Daryl remained silent watching the two of you argue while he took a deep drag of his cigarette.

"Did you tell Maggie she couldn't come because she's pregnant too?" You questioned already knowing the answer.

"No, but-"

"I'm going."

"No."

"Yes."

"You're pregnant, you can't-"

"She can." Daryl spoke up finally deciding to join the argument.

Ricks head snapped in Daryl's direction so fast you thought he might have given himself whiplash as he stared at your husband with a look of betrayal.

"She can take care of herself, man." Daryl continued to say. "I think she's proven that already."

"How... how can you even say that? She's carrying your child, and you want to risk them getting hurt out there?" Rick asked unable to wrap his mind around the fact that Daryl was actually taking your side during this argument.

"Ya weren't there during the other pregnancies. I was. I know she can handle herself."

A look of guilt flashed across your father's face at those words before he quickly schooled his expression and pinched the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh.

Daryl pushed himself from the porch railing and walked over to you folding his arms across his chest almost defensively and you mimicked his action and stared down at your father.

"It's her call, man." Daryl simply stated before he glanced over at you. "What do ya wanna do?"

"I'm going with you." You answered without hesitation.

Rick looked between you and Daryl with an unreadable expression. The two of you were a united front and your father knew there was no way he could talk you out of it. You were stubborn and that trait came straight from himself.

"Okay." He reluctantly agreed. "I still don't like it, but okay."

-

PART 7

MASTERLIST pinned to profile.

Commissions open! Link in bio & DM for enquiries

A/N: It's been a while, but I hope you all enjoyed this new part and Part 7 will be up soon. Until then, stay safe everyone and have a great day xx

[janeyseymour]

What Happens at PECSA... pt 2

Oddly enough... a highly requested part 2 of PECSA weekend!

Summary: the aftermath from last night...

Part 1

WC: ~3.25k

You don’t know how you got here. Okay, you do, but… how did you get here? In Melissa’s bed and arms? Her warm and safe, and strong arms.

Your eyes are still closed, and she seems like she’s asleep. You slowly try to unravel yourself from her body, but she just pulls you flush against her. You sigh and look down. You aren’t in your shirt. You’re in… you’re in Melissa’s shirt.

So maybe you don’t remember as much as you thought you did about last night. You groan and roll over so that you’re facing the redhead. With a shaky breath, you close your eyes again and fall back to sleep. If you can put off the awkward conversation you were bound to have later and be able to soak in this time with the second grade teacher… you’ll take it.

The alarm goes off about an hour and a half later, and you whine into Melissa’s chest. 

“Turn it off,” you whine. The clock is on her side. She just barely rolls onto her back to slam down on the button.

“Who even set that?” you grumble as she rolls back to her side to face you.

“Me,” she mumbles through barely parted lips. Your eyes remained closed, and Melissa swears she’s never seen anything so beautiful. “Barb and I are giving that presentation today, and- Shit!” She jumps out of bed. “I only set that on the off chance that I didn’t wake up at the ass crack of- shit!”

You groan. Your head is pounding. “Mel.”

“I’m sorry, hon,” the redhead says softly as she pulls on a pair of pants. “I have to get ready before Barbara kills me!”

“You aren’t presenting until noon,” you whine as you pull the blankets over your head.

“It’s eleven!” your coworker shouts. 

“God dammit,” you groan as you come out of hiding. You throw back the covers and start getting out of bed.

“Just stay here and nurse your hangover,” Melissa tells you gently. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

“And miss your presentation?” you ask as you grab your duffel and head for the bathroom. “Yeah right. I’m just gonna need an aspirin and some coffee.” 

“Just change here, hon,” the redhead tells you. “I had to help you last night anyway, so it isn’t anything I haven’t already seen.”

You go beet red. “Melissa, about last-“

“Melissa Ann Schemmenti!” Barb’s booming voice can be heard on the other side of the door. “You better open this door in the next ten seconds, or I will-”

“We’ll talk about this later,” she tells you as she practically pushes you into the bathroom and closes the door. She opens the door, and the kindergarten teacher nearly sees red.

“Melissa! We have to be downstairs to set up for our presentation in fifteen minutes, and you haven’t even brushed your hair!”

“You head down, and I promise I’ll be down in ten,” you hear the second grade teacher say. “I’ll be down with Y/N in ten minutes.”

“Where is that girl?” Barb pokes her head into the room to look around.

“She’s in the bathroom getting ready,” the redhead tells her.

Barb lowers her voice. “Are the two of you-”

“Nothing happened last night, if that’s what you’re asking. She was drunk, I was drunk, we just went to bed,” Melissa whispers. “Now, I don’t have time for this line of questioning if you expect me to be downstairs lookin’ hot in ten minutes.”

Barb rolls her eyes. “Ten minutes, starting now.” She turns to leave.

“You better be ready in ten minutes, or Barb is going to start asking questions,” your coworker sighs as she opens the bathroom door. Her jaw drops.

“What?” you ask, already dressed for the conference. You’re in the middle of putting a bit of mascara on, but you can feel the way she’s looking at you. Like she wants you.

Melissa shakes herself out of her trance. “Nothin’. Just surprised you’re already almost ready for someone who was severely hungover not ten minutes ago.” She enters the room and grabs her hairbrush, gently brushing out the knots.

“Okay, I’m ready, so I’ll just be waiting on the bed,” you tell her as you cap the tube. You leave her to finish getting ready by herself, but you don’t notice the way her eyes follow you as you exit.

“Jesus Christ, Schemmenti,” Melissa mumbles to herself when she catches herself gawking at you. You just figure she’s cursing herself for waking up late. 

The two of you just barely make it downstairs and into the conference room before your ten minutes is up.

“We’re here,” Melissa jogs into the room and waves at Barb, pulling you along by the hand. “Don’t kill us. We’re here.”

“About time,” the kindergarten teacher teases, and she notices the way that your fingers are interlocked with her friend’s. “I was beginning to get worried that the two of you got distracted.”

You don’t miss the death glare Melissa sends her way. You give the redhead a questioning look, but she shakes her head and her hands to prepare herself for this presentation. You suppose this awkward talk about what happened last night will have to wait again.

You sit in the front row while the two of them deliver their piece, a presentation about how the world of teaching is always changing and evolving into something new each passing year. They made sure to make note of how their friendship has never changed, and how they’ve made new ones along the way- even if they got off to rocky starts. You notice the way that when Melissa speaks about fostering relationships with coworkers to make each and every day a bit brighter, she doesn’t look at Barbara like you expect her to- she’s looking straight at you and smiling with a look in her eye you only saw once before: the look she gave you this morning in the bathroom.

Maybe you’re just imagining it- the look. Your brain is trying to trick you into thinking that there is something more than there actually is with your redheaded coworker. There’s no possible way she reciprocates the feelings that you have for her. There’s just no way. You get lost in your thoughts, trying to decipher what’s real and what isn’t, until Melissa herself brings you back to reality.

“Hey hon,” she’s kneeling down in front of you, and she has a look of concern written on her face. “You okay?”

You take a shuddering breath. “I’m good. Why?”

“Our presentation has been over for ten minutes, and you haven’t moved from your spot,” she tells you gently. “I had to excuse myself to come check on you.”

You don’t know it, but Barbara nudged her gently when she saw the way her friend was distracted watching you. The kindergarten teacher knew Melissa wouldn’t focus on the people in front of her until she got to check on you.

“Oh, yeah,” you blush. “I’m fine. Just a little tired, I guess.”

“Why don’t you head back up to the room and take a nap?” she suggests lightly. “I have to stick around for a little bit longer, but I’ll be up once I’m done talking.”

“But I know after this, you wanted to go to the bar and grab a couple dri-”

“I’m still a bit tired myself,” the woman chuckles and stands. “Go up to the room and get comfy. I’ll be up, we can nap, and then after… there’s a pretty big mixer we can go to and have drinks there.”

“Okay,” you sigh softly as you move to stand. “You’ll come up though?”

“I’ll be up as soon as everyone clears out,” she promises you with a squeeze to your wrist.

Barb just happens to be looking over. “Are you two okay?” she meanders over.

“Fine,” you say softly, cheeks flushed red.

“You don’t look fine,” the veteran teacher says worriedly. She nudges the redhead. “Maybe you should go with her. I can handle the questions and any stragglers.”

“Are you sure, Barb?” Melissa asks.

“Oh, yeah,” the woman waves her off. “You go take care of her and yourself.”

“Thank you, Barb,” the two of you say at the same time. Melissa’s hand finds the small of your back, and she guides you out of the room and towards the elevator. 

“I’m sorry,” you mumble, cheeks still slightly red. 

“There’s nothing to apologize for, hon,” the redhead says as the two of you get on the elevator.

“Listen, Mel,” you sigh and twist your fingers together. “About last night…”

She doesn’t want to talk about it. She wants to believe that what you said to her was real and that the two of you falling asleep cuddled up together wasn’t just because you were both drunk.

“We’re both tired,” she makes the excuse. “We can talk about this later, okay?”

You nod. The two of you walk to the room together, arm in arm, excusing it because you’re tired and a little hungover. You crawl into bed and start to curl up with one of the extra pillows. You almost instantly fall asleep.

Melissa shimmies into the bed, and as much as she’s dying to hold you again, she restrains herself. She falls asleep relatively quickly as well.

You jolt awake at a sharp pounding on your door. You instantly hear Melissa groan as well from… you’re practically on top of her. You quickly try to wiggle off of her, but she continues to hold you close.

“Melissa! Y/N!” Barbara shouts again- at this point, she was like your alarm clock.

“Are you two okay?” You hear Janine’s voice now too. Great.

“We’re fine,” Melissa groans. She finally lets go of you, and you roll off of her. The two of you open the door together.

Both women on the other side of the door don’t quite know how to respond when you open the door. The red hair of your coworker is all mussed from sleeping, and you have a rather wicked case of bedhead. It almost looks like… it does look like sex hair.

“We were just sleeping,” you say quickly when you realize what they’re both thinking.

“Sleeping?” Janine raises a brow.

“Napping,” you amend. “Napping.”

“The mixer has already begun,” Barbara tells the two of you in a motherly tone. “If I have to make an appearance, the two of you do too. I expect you downstairs in twenty minutes at the latest!” 

Melissa’s cheeks tint red. “We’ll be down when we’re down.”

You, on the other hand, don’t want to be berated by the older teacher. “Yes, ma’am.”

Janine says awkwardly, “Okay, we’ll see you guys down there!”

After rushing around to take off makeup, reapply makeup, fix your hair, brush your teeth, and change into your nicer outfits, the two of you simply don’t have time to talk about what’s been happening since arriving to PECSA weekend. 

When you get downstairs, everyone is looking at you as if you’re the main focus of the event- and you’re not. You hear the whispers from the Abbott group… as well as the Addington Charter group?

“Mel?” you ask quietly as you sit down.

“Yeah, hon?”

“Do you feel like everyone is staring at us too?”

“Yeah,” she says mumbles. “Just act normal.”

So you do- or you try to. You practically avoid her for the rest of the night. And that only seems to raise more eyebrows. 

You barely finish your first and only drink, afraid that you’ll be all over her if you have more. She’s the same way. She has two glasses of wine with Barb, and then she cuts herself off. You don’t speak to each other until you’re ready to head back to your room.

“So…” you drawl out as the two of you enter your room.

“That was weird,” your roommate for the weekend says.

“This whole weekend has been… different,” you admit.

“I agree.”

The two of you have to talk about what’s been going on this weekend. It’s been weird this whole weekend. You decide to bite the bullet. Take your chance. 

“Mel, we have to talk about this,” you whisper as you take her hand and lead her to the bed.

“I know,” she mumbles back against your hair as the two of you lay down in bed.

“I- I have feelings for you,” you tell her so softly she can barely hear it. And she isn’t expecting to hear those words, so she doesn’t believe you’ve said them. When she doesn’t respond, you awkwardly continue. “And I… I understand if you don’t reciprocate those feelings and am fully okay with us just being friends. I can get over my feelings.” You don’t know if those words are true- that you’ll be able to get over her. But you would rather have her in your life as a friend than not at all.

She’s silent. Her heart is beating out of her chest to the point that you can practically feel it, and you can certainly hear it where your head rests. 

She turns her head slowly to face you. “You have feelings for me?”

You nod bashfully and start to untangle yourself from her hold, but she pulls you in close again- closer than you’ve ever been, and her lips crash into yours.

When she pulls back, you’re out of breath. She’s out of breath. But the grin on her face tells you it’s okay that she feels like she can barely breathe. Your matching smile and blush tell her the same.

“So…” you mumble against her lips as she pulls you in again. “You have feelings for me too?”

“What the hell do you think?” the redhead rolls her eyes and pulls back. “Of course I do. I’ve had a thing for you since the moment you walked in for development week.”

“Oh,” you giggle. You pull her back in. “So this could’ve been a thing for a while now?”

“Probably,” she laughs low and deep. “But we’s here now- sharing coffee, sharing clothes, sharing a bed…”

You intertwine your fingers with hers. “Do you want this to a be a thing?”

“I do,” she grins as she glances down at your hands.

“You know the crew will find out about this eventually, right?”

“Hon, if the way they were eyeballin’ us tonight means anything… the second Janine saw us this afternoon after our nap, she ran down and opened that loud mouth of hers. They already think we’re dating. And Barb… she’s kept my secret for a while now.”

“Secret?”

“That I’ve had the hots for the new third grade teacher for a while now,” she chuckles.

“Oh.” You give her an innocent look, one that tells her you genuinely had no idea about this crush of hers.

“And we don’t have to confirm anything to anyone until we’re ready,” she promises you. “We can go at whatever pace you want.” Then she wiggles her eyebrows.

You smack her upper arm playfully before kissing her again.

—-

That was three months ago. 

Nobody at the school but Barbara knows about the relationship the two of you have entered. You had to tell her- or Melissa did. You told her on the car ride home, and she could not have been more enthusiastic about it- clapping her hands as she drove and everything.

But today, you were telling your work friends. Or… showing them, the two of you had decided.

Melissa pulls into her parking spot, you in the passenger seat and in one of her blazers. She opens the door for you and holds out her hand. You take it with a smile and get out of the car before slinging all of your bags over one shoulder. She does the same with her things, and then your fingers are interlaced again. 

When you walk into the staff room a bit later, after dropping off your bags and meeting your girlfriend back in her classroom, you’re chatting quietly while holding hands, and your other arm is looped through hers. You’re cold, and the redhead is like a human furnace.

Everybody is in there, and you laugh at the way Janine’s eyes go a cartoon-level of wide. “W-what?!” she stammers out.

“What, kid?” Melissa acts like she has no idea what’s different about today than any other day.

Jacob looks over. “Y-you’re holding- you’re holding hands! We knew you and Y/N were together!”

“I’ve also been wearing her jackets and shirts for the last two months, but no one has noticed,” you deadpan.

“S-since when?! I knew you guys were together at PECSA, but-”

“Since maybe three hours after you saw us napping together at PECSA,” your girlfriend laughs as she pulls you just the slightest bit closer.

“B-but you guys were sharing that gorgeous room the whole weekend!” Janine pipes up. “You and Barb haven’t even shared a room in the years I’ve been-”

“Y/N was supposed to have her own room,” Melissa tells the group as she starts to pull you towards the coffee machine. She leans in to you and asks softly if you want coffee. At your nod, she starts to scoop out the grounds and continues addressing the group. “But the hotel messed up her reservation… probably because of my cousin- the bonehead.”

Over in the corner, sitting at her table, Barbara bites the corner of her mouth. “I suppose I should come clean so you stop blaming your cousin.”

Both of you whip around to stare at the colleague you’re closest with. 

“Aye, now what’s that supposed to mean?” Melissa asks her lowly.

“Oh, Melissa, dear…” Barbara flashes her one of the most charming smiles. “I was so sick and tired of hearing you yearn for-”

“I did not yearn,” Melissa cuts her off.

“-yearn for Y/N,” the kindergarten teacher continues. “so after we booked our rooms, I may or may not have called the hotel and arranged for the little… mishap, let’s call it. And I knew that you would step in and allow her to stay with you.”

“How the hell did you pull that off?” you ask with wide eyes. 

“When Barbara Howard wants something,” she says with a twinkle in her eye. “Barbara Howard knows how to get it. And what Barbara Howard wanted this time was for two of her favorite coworkers to stop beating around the bush with each other and just get together!”

“I never told you I was into Melissa,” you furrow a brow.

“Sweetheart, you didn’t have to,” she chuckles into her coffee mug. “I saw those lovesick puppy dog eyes you were giving her- the same look my Gerald gives me.”

After she swallows her mouthful, she continues. “Now instead of being mad at me for meddling, I believe what I’m waiting to hear is a ‘Thank you, Barbara’ from the two of you.”

“Thank you, Barbara,” you chuckle quietly as you fix the coffee for you and your girlfriend. Melissa is staring down her best friend. 

“Oh, Melissa,” the older teacher singsongs. “We don’t have all day.”

“I would thank ya,” your girlfriend groans as she pulls you in close by the hip. “But now I gotta make branzino for Vinnie to apologize for all the shit I gave him.”

[stvolanis]

All Dolled Up

PT. 1

PT. 2

PAIRINGS: Dads best friend! Perv! Elvis Presley x innocent OC

WARNINGS: THIS IS SHORTER BUT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PART IF THIS DOES WELL, age gap (OC is 18 and Elvis is in his early 40s), inaccurate time line probably, OC is innocent, pet names (baby, darlin)

NSFW WARNINGS:Elvis is a perv,corruption kink, he does dirty things with her panties, dacryphilia (if you squint), masturbating (Elvis), mentions of oral (m receiving). I promise the next one will be nastier guysss<3

˚ ꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ˚

It was hot and humid and the air felt somehow heavy. Sweat dripped down Kim’s tanned skin, and her once white shirt was nearly see through. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, a few strands matted to her forehead as she raced around happily with her dogs. Her most favorite and cherished life forms, Dottie and Bonnie. A little toy poodle and a mastiff, yet they were best of friends.

Kim rolled around in the grass with her dogs, free of worries, even as he shirt turned to an ugly brown from the dirt and muddy spots. Dottie, the toy poodle, licked at her face feverishly as Kim pushed her head away with a contagious giggle.

The sunset was a beautiful purple, pink and orange-ish hue with no trace of clouds in sight. Kim lived on the Country side where everything was old fashioned. The men wore tailored pants and shirts tucked in, while the boys ran around in shorts and a home t-shirt. The women wore long skirts and modest floral shirts and the girls wore short skirts and dresses. Kim never could manage to fit in with the girls who’d hitch their skirt up at the sight of a nice looking man, and she didn’t really care to.

She lived with her father and older brother, who were both hard working men. Her mother had passed away when Kim was 7 from an overdose on Aspirin. Kims mother was never a happy woman. She was never satisfied with her marriage, her kids, or even the life that was dealt to her. If Kim was allowed to swear, she would definitely call her mother some nasty things. It was no surprise when her father had woken up to a dead body on the floor next to their shared bed. Even if she wasn’t the best mother, Kim was still saddened slightly.

Kims father wasn’t a strict man, but when it came to his daughter, he was. ‘No boys’ he’d say, as if any of the lousy boys the town had to offer caught Kims interest. ‘Posture’ he’d scold when they were out in public. Of course her father loved and cared for her, after all, she was his only daughter. Kim was hidden away from the town. her older brother, Marcus, tutored her at their home every day starting at 7 AM sharp and usually only lasted till 2 PM.

The girls she’d pass by during her long walks around town called her a freak. They thought she was weird for being home schooled, and she constantly had to endure stares because of it. The women were no better, either. ‘She’ll never become a woman’ they’d mutter. Or the most hurtful and recent, ‘she’ll end up just like that no good mother of hers’. And to that, Kim had felt her eyes water.

On her free time, Kim would hang out with the only friend she had. A tall, skinny boy named Robert. He didn’t have many friends either, so they decided to befriend each other during grade 6 and have been best friends ever since. Robert got along well with Kims older brother, as they held similar interests. Though nothing they talked about entertained Kim enough to not doze off.

“Kimberly!” Her father yelled out to her. Kim’s body snapped forward off the grass, startling her dogs who were laying with her. “Yes, father?” She asked as she got up and brushed the dirt off of her clothes. “Jesus, you’re a mess, didn’t I tell ya we had a guest comin’ later?” He scolded with furrowed brows as he ushered her into their wooden house.

Kim frowned. “‘M Sorry, I forgot. I’ll go shower.” She muttered as she looked down at her feet. Her father sighed. “It’s too late now, he’ll be here any minute.” He replied as he looked over at the grandfather clock. “Go fetch ya brother for me, won’t ya?” He asked.

Kim nodded her head with a smile as she trotted her way to her older brothers room, lightly knocking on the door. She could hear shuffling from behind the door before her brother opened it, revealing his trashed room. “Oh—what happened?” She asked as she peered over his shoulder.

“Quit bein’ nosy, missy.” Her brother said teasingly as he jutted her head away and closed the door behind him. Kim giggled. “It looks like one of the pigs ran through your room.” She teased. Marcus rolled his eyes. “Hush, I’ve just been too busy to clean lately.” He replied.

“Hm, I’ll help ya, if ya want?” Kim asked with a quirked brow as they made their way to the living room. “That’d be real nice of ya, Kim.” He replied with a smile. Kim nodded, smiling back at her older brother. One of her favorite, most understanding people. They’ve always been close, and she knew that if no one was ever gonna be there, he surely was.

Her brother was to serve in the military in 3 months, so she tried to make every last moments she has with him count before he’s shipped off to god knows where doing who knows what. It was a hard burden to carry for the both of them. Kim didn’t want Marcus to leave, and neither did he.

Elvis Presley felt his breath hitch in his throat as he watched her round the corner. “This is my son, Marcus.” Her father began, gesturing to Kim’s brother. “And this is my daughter, Kimberly.” He said with a wavering smile at his daughters messy state.

She stood at 5’3 in her grey socks, one pulled down lower than the other. Her short blue jeans had darker flowers engraved on the edges of them, and god, did they make her legs look amazing. Her shirt was see through, and Elvis could see her lacy pink bra she wore underneath if he squinted enough past the dirt and grime on it. Her small doe eyes peered up at him, a light hazel color paired with long eyelashes. She was slim, and tan from being out in the sun all day, and the freckles on her face proved it.

“Hi, sir. Nice to meet ya.” Kim said cheerfully as she extended her hand to Elvis. His lips felt dry before he licked them. “Elvis Presley, nice to meet ya too, darlin’.” He replied with a small smile and a firm nod, grasping her smaller hand in his large one. Her hands were soft, even though she worked outside in the barn all day, and Elvis reveled in it.

“Elvis will be staying with us for a week.” Her father stated. Kim raised a brow. “Whys that?” She asked. Marcus slapped the back of her head lightly. Kim furrowed her brows as she looked over at him. “Was just akin’.” She huffed out with an eye roll.

“Alright, y’all go on now, me n’ E.P gon’ talk for a while.” Kim’s father said with a boy-ish smile as he glanced at Elvis. The man chuckled in response and nodded his head as he watched Mike, Kim’s dad, walk into the kitchen.

Elvis pondered for a moment as he watched Kim skip away, probably back to her room. Her hair swayed along with her, and Elvis got a better view of her plump ass in her short jeans and Elvis fought the urge to let out a groan. She was so different compared to the women he seen daily that were throwing themselves at him. Kimberly was pure, innocent. Untouched. And oh, how Elvis wanted to be her first everything. He felt like a pervert thinking about his best friends daughter in such ways, but at the end of the day, he was just a man. A man with sick thoughts and a now growing boner he was trying to hide as he walked into the kitchen, his entwined hands covering his crotch area.

“Kim, do you know who that man is?!” Her older brother whisper-yelled. Kim pondered for a moment, trying to recall if she knew him before she shrugged. “That’s the Elvis Presley. He’s a famous musician. You’ve heard his music before, remember?” He said urgently as he dragged Kim into his room and to his record player.

Marcus began showing her various records, playing Kim a few. Kim was in awe, not only was the mystery man beautiful, but now he was no longer a mystery. From the songs her brother had shown her, she decided that ‘Love me, tender’ was her favorite one.

Kim felt his eyes burning through her at their first interaction. She watched him watch her through hooded eyes as they peered her whole figure from the tips of her toes to the last hair on her pretty head. He looked at her with something swirling in his dark eyes that no man, or boy, had ever looked at her with. Elvis looked like he wanted her. Needed her, even. And it made Kimberly’s stomach swirl with hot butterflies. It was a new feeling for her and it made her whole body jittery. She didn’t know how long she’d survive if he was staying at her home for an entire week.

˚ ꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ˚

Night had fallen, and Kim was now in her silky night gown that was adorned with lace. It was a light purple color and it gleamed in the small light coming from the lamp that was stationed next to her bed. She sat reading a book, her reading glasses resting on the bridge of her nose as she peered down with pursed lips.

Her father and Elvis had left to the towns local bar and had been gone for a while. It was 12 AM now, and Kimberly yawned as she stretched her arms out but was startled as she heard a loud ‘thud’ come from the living room. Curiosity peeked her as she dragged herself out of the warmth of her bed. She tried to be as quiet as she could as she walked on her tip-toes to the living room, peering over the door as she watched Elvis help her drunk father up off of the ground with a chuckle.

Kim let out a sigh of relief before walking into the room. “I can help ya.” She said in a tired voice, her round glasses almost slipping off her slim nose before she slightly pushed them up. Elvis felt his mouth water at the sight of her. So small, and kind. “No need, honey, I got him.” He said with a smile as he began to lead Mike to his room.

Elvis rested Mike on his bed before he quietly shut his door. “I can get you a cot, if you’d like.” Kim muttered shyly as she peered up as Elvis through her glasses. He sucked in a breath as he peered down at her. “Don’t worry ‘bout it, baby.” He muttered.

Her face bloomed red at the nickname, and she felt her thighs rub together and the butterflies return it her stomach at his stare. This didn’t go unnoticed to Elvis. “Let’s get you to bed, yeah?” He said as he grasped her soft hand in his, leading her to her opened door.

They both walked in and Kim made herself comfortable in her bed and watched as Elvis looked around her room, but his eyes froze on a picture of her and Robert. “Boyfriend?” He asked lightly, but his eyes held something much more menacing. Kim softly shook her head. “No, he’s my best friend.” She said groggily as she laid down, her bear held tightly against her chest.

“Good, good.” Elvis said aloud. He didn’t get a response, instead he heard the light snores of the beauty resting on her bed. Elvis knew he shouldn’t have, but he began to look through her things. He started with her records, peering through and stopping as he seen one of his that her brother had let her have earlier. He dug through her draws before something off to the side caught his wandering eye.

A pile of clothes sat on the floor at the edge of Kimberly’s bed, the ones she had wore today, and at the top rested her cotton panties. Elvis felt his skin grow hot, and his breathing became heavy. He dragged himself to them as if he were in trance as he picked them up, shoving them quickly into his back pocket before he quietly left her room.

He wondered their house before he found their small restroom. He closed the door and locked it with his back resting against the wall as he dug out her panties. He felt dirty as he brought them up to his nose, inhaling them before letting out a groan. He could see where a wet patch had formed and he felt his slacks tighten painfully before he unzipped them, pulling down his boxers and letting his hard cock spring free.

Pre-cum dotted at the tip and Elvis rubbed it down his shaft, spitting onto his hand before tugging his cock a few times. Elvis suckled where the wat patch was on Kimberly’s panties feverishly as he tugged his hard cock harder, small whimpers passing his lips. He felt so nasty, so wrong doing this, but he couldn’t help it. He’d have her any way he could, even if it meant rubbing one out to her dirty panties.

He shifted the panties from his mouth to his aching cock, wrapping it around. He imagined it was her mouth, sucking him dry for everything he has. The way he’d tell her how to do it from her inexperience as she’d peer up at him through watered eyes, tears falling down her flushed cheeks. How good she’d be for him.

He groaned as he threw his head back as he pumped his cock faster with her panties fisted securely around it. Elvis panted as his breathing became uneven, and he could feel a knot forming in his lower stomach as his end was near. The older man wanted to be in her pussy so bad, but he knew he could never. After all, she was his best friends daughter. No matter how badly he wanted to fuck her and make her his, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Elvis clenched his eyes shut as he slapped his hand over his mouth, trying not to release a loud moan as his cum spurted from his cock. It landed on his shirt, and some went onto the floor beneath him. Elvis drug out his orgasm, whining at the slight overstimulation he brought upon himself.

The last though Elvis had was Kimberly on her knees beneath him with his cum painted on her face as he began to clean up. Guilt consumed Elvis when he’d finish, how could he do this? How vile and disgusting of him. She was barely 18, and Elvis was a grown man, but he couldn’t stop the way he felt about her.

His thoughts only lead to more darker things.

[punkii124]

In the morning, part 2

cw: mentions of alcohol use, implications of sex, pills (reader takes an aspirin)

pairing: gojo x gn!reader

au: college au, reader is 22, gojo is 23

a/n: part 2 is finally here! criticism is welcome, i’m actually kinda enjoying this😗

When Satoru feels you stir, he reaches over and drapes his arm across your body.

"Morning, sweetheart." His voice is as smooth and unfazed as ever as he looks down at you. His face is one of pure satisfaction as he watches you come to realization that you've slept together.

You try to speak but every time you open your mouth nothing comes out. You’re speechless as you look at him with confusion and the dull feeling of pain from your headache.

"You alright?" He asks once again, same smirk on his face that would have made your blood boil with annoyance had this been any other situation.

He chuckles, noticing that you can't say anything. He runs his fingers across your collarbone in an attempt to get you to say anything.

You definitely weren’t upset. You had been crushing on him ever since you laid eyes on him last year in a surprisingly similar setting you guys were in last night. Yours and his relationship was platonic, but with how flirty Satoru is nothing is ever strictly platonic when it comes to him. Your friends and the others on campus always had their speculations on your guys’ relationship. The lingering touches and the staring. Most of all the constant back and forth flirting you two manage to throw at each other whenever you’re in the same room.

“I- um.. I-I will be just… gimme a minute.” You stutter as you stare blankly, still trying to convince yourself that this was real. After about 30 seconds you get out of his bed to grab your shirt and underwear to put them on.

"Take all the time you need." Satoru’s whispers are almost patronizing as he watches you get dressed. In the moments of silence and shuffling of clothing, he couldn't help but notice the way your movements were so hurried and sloppy. He thought it was a little funny how you had been bold with your words and actions earlier in the night, but now you looked so embarrassed. It was kind of cute.

“Shut up.” You point at him as if some sort of laser would come out and smite him as you stumble out of the room and into the kitchen. You grab a water bottle from his fridge and go to his bathroom where you knew he kept the aspirin, having had to nurse a certain lightweight back to health after a few too many drinks at a party. You open the bottle and pour two into your hand. Taking a sip of water and downing both pills in a single breath, desperately wanting this headache to go away so you could gather your thoughts productively.

[bad268]

Hungover in Love (Frog Boys X Reader)

[Blank] in Love Pt 2

Fandom: RPF/Miscellaneus

Requested: On AO3 actually...

Warnings: Sex jokes in Droid's, uses Grizzy's name (Nelly)

Pronouns: First person (I/me)

W.C. approx. 300 each

Summary: The day after Part 1

As always, my requests are OPEN

MASTERLIST // HITLIST

~~(All pictures from vids)

<-Part 1

Puffer

I knew it was going to be a bad day for Puffer as soon as the guys said we were going out and unfortunately for me, I live with him. This put me on honorary hangover duty.

I don’t know if I was supposed to just forget what Puffer said last night. I don’t want to, but he was too drunk to remember what he was saying. Then, the voice in my head says drunk words are sober thoughts.

I was broken out of my mind when I heard groaning coming from Puffer’s room. I went to the kitchen and grabbed him a glass of water as well as meds before making my way to his room and knocking lightly as I walked in.

“Hey, party animal,” I teased, giving him the water and meds. “On a scale of 1-10, how hungover are you?”

“If I say 10, would you think I’m exaggerating?” He complained, downing the water in one go with the meds.

“Maybe,” I rolled my eyes as I took the now empty glass from him. “Is there anything you need from me? Food, more water?”

“Did I say anything stupid last night?” He asked as his cheeks grew red with embarrassment. “I remember bits, but I wanna make sure I didn’t make you uncomfortable in any way last night.”

“No, you didn’t make me uncomfortable,” I reassured, taking a seat on the side of his bed as I brushed some of his hair away from his eyes. “You did profess your undying love for me though, so that was interesting.”

“Good interesting or bad?” He questioned as his eyes widened.

“Good,” I whispered back.

“Y’know, there is one thing you could do for me,” Puffer switched topics. I thought he was just going to sweep the conversation under the rug. “Can you cuddle with me?”

~~

Pezzy

Waking up on the couch was not something I expected when I opened my eyes. I moved to sit up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and I stretched my back. It did not take long for me to notice Pezzy already awake and cooking breakfast in the kitchen.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” he laughed. I just grumbled back before laying back down on the couch, hoping to catch some more sleep. “Ah, no! We’re going for a bike ride today! Get up!”

“Oh, you were serious?” I questioned, looking up to see Pezzy standing in front of me with a plate of bacon and eggs. I took it slowly as I sat back up and Pezzy sat next to me, eating his own plate as a TV show played in the background. “I thought you were just saying that for the chat?”

“I mean, I’d love to take you on a ride,” He responded shyly. “Only if you want to!”

“Pezzy, I love bikes,” I started in a joking manner, “Once I ride it once, I’ll want to be your backpack all the time. Is that really something you wanna handle?”

“Hell yeah,” He joked back, leaning into my side more. “I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my backpack.”

“Then, I guess the next question is where do you want to go?” I asked, turning toward him as I set my finished plate off to the side.

“How about you take an aspirin for your hangover and in a couple of hours, we’ll go to this cool cafe I found a while ago?”

“That sounds perfect.”

~~

Droid

I was awoken by a multitude of messages. Do people not understand that my brain does not turn on until noon AT LEAST? Clearly not. 

I rolled over in my bed to check the notifications and it was all Droid. Just as I was about to check the messages, I got an incoming call from the man himself.

“Please tell me someone’s dying,” I groaned. “Ain’t no way you’re blowing up my fucking phone at 8 am for shits and giggles.”

“I am so sorry, I swear, I didn’t mean it.” He’s rambling. He is going on and on about how sorry he is, how he didn’t mean it, how he’s an asshole, and so on. “Please, you have to believe me.”

“What the fuck are you on about, Droid?” I asked in utter confusion. What did I miss? “Did something happen?”

“Last night on the stream, don’t you remember?” He questioned back.

“I said I’d top you,” I deadpanned. “And? Is that what this is about? I swear this could have waited until-”

“No,” he replied quietly but still effectively cutting me off. “I shouldn’t have taken it that far. I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t take it far? Droid, where is this coming from?” I contested, but he remained silent. “Droid, if I didn’t feel comfortable talking about sex on stream, I wouldn’t have played into it. Did the fans say shit?”

“You’re normally very private on stream, and-”

“And we got drunk and had fun!” I cut him off. “I don’t regret it. And honestly, I’d still happily top you any day, Droid.”

“You’re joking,” he chuckled in disbelief.

“I’ll be there in 20, baby.”

~~

Grizzy

It was well into the morning/early afternoon at this point, and Grizzy had yet to come out of his room. Granted, I remember my first hangover, and I was no better. However, this wasn’t his first hangover. Probably his strongest but definitely not his first. 

I was going to make him breakfast and hang out with him today, but I felt like I was just vibing in his house alone. I had watched a movie, edited a video, made a cake, and even cleaned up a few things around his living room. Yet Grizzy still hadn’t come out.

A part of me thought he was hiding. He suffered a brutal loss at the game last night, and with the reward on the line, joking or not, he might have taken it too seriously. The other reason could be that he is so hungover, he can’t get out of bed. I decided I was going to bite the bullet and check on him before leaving if he didn’t answer. I grabbed a glass of water before heading up to his door.

“Grizzy,” I asked quietly as I knocked softly on his door. I didn’t receive a response, but I still pushed the door open to see if he was okay. “Are you awake?” I set the glass on his bedside table as I took a breath. “Sometimes, I wish you were less clueless when you are sober. I can only do so much, Nelly.”

“I was scared,” his voice whispered as he turned over to face where I was standing. I didn’t even check if he was awake or not before talking, but now, he knows how I feel. “You’re too good for me, and I didn’t want to fuck up our friendship.”

“Well, you know what? Friendship is overrated,” I joked as I moved to lay next to him in bed. “I much prefer a relationship with you, Grizzy. Even if you lost.”

“Did I really lose if I have a hot person in my bed right now?”

~~

Next Part ->

~~~~~

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