#so good y’all.. so freakin good

[an-unraveling-unknown]

i am baffled i am BEFUDDLED I am goING VERY ENTHUSIASTICALLY BONKERS BECAUSE NO ONE TOLD ME THAT

HOZIER AND NOAH KAHAN HAVE PREFORMED TOGETHER.

I HAVE PERISHED.

[songbird-is-crying]

GOOD PEOPLE OF GOOD OMENS TUMBLR

where

the FUCK

is my ineffable head empty no thoughts knight escorting a repressed abbot on a pilgrimage au???

(you should already know who’ll be who)

HUH????

where is it??

[joyfuladorable]

What peni's role will be in beyond the spiderverse perhaps beyond will do for peni like what across did for Gwen?

Hmmmm, good question…

Personally, I don’t think it’ll be much more prominent than her role in ITSV, especially now that the team is Bigger. She’ll likely be paired with Margo for tech stuff and then of course probably fall back with Noir and Ham during combat. Spider-Verse has that very fun thing I love in voice direction where it lets the VAs talk over each other and stuff so there’ll probably be a lot of that happening since Spideys are Naturally Chatty. Maybe there’ll also be a convo between Miles and Peni about her dad and how she’ll do everything she can to help Miles save his dad because he has the Chance To. Also Also!! I’m SO excited for whatever action scenes they’re cooking up cuz the team up sequences are Literally some of my Favorite parts of the films and it’ll be awesome seeing the new SP//dr suit in action!!

Now, if you’re asking me my take on how Peni could have a larger role in BTSV, we can dig into it a little.

Imagine the film opening on a computer screen, running calculations after calculations that keep being Rejected. A lone girl is working on a mech, slapping silly stickers where she wants to and letting a Spider crawl around her arms and pointing to equipment and tools she needs. A PA crackles and calls SP//dr to action.

The girl finishes up what she’s doing as Spider skitters to his spot in the mech to start it up. Putting aside the equipment, the girl listens as a man, her Uncle Ben, informs her of the situation. She climbs into the mech, stares for a moment at the computer still rejecting calculations, and lets the hatch close shut.

The console lights up. Music plays, techno pop, the volume low at first as SP//dr swings through the city and confronts a Baddie. All the while, a narration plays:

“My name is Peni Parker. When I was 9, I was bitten by Spider and followed in my father’s footsteps to become SP//dr. I didn’t know he was a hero until the day he died. He was just there, one day, and gone the next and then I met my Aunt May and Uncle Ben for the first time, and they gave me a Choice.

“To be honest, it hadn’t really felt like one.

“I made it work. I had to. What would Oscorp do without its best asset! I did everything I had to and More. I had Ben and May and Spider and that was it. I was alone.

“And then I wasn’t.”

Cuts of ISTV of Peni with everyone.

“Five other Spiders!! And the potential for so many more.”

Cut to Peni returning to her dimension and rebuilding SP//dr. Her working on how to dimension hop willingly. Her meeting Addy and eventually becoming friends.

Her going out with Addy for VE#m’s first real field mission. Her having to Fight VE#m as her Aunt May enters the mech to rescue Addy.

Her opening the mech after the fight and realizing it’s Too Late.

Her huddled on her bed with Spider and going over how to rebuild SP//dr Again.

Then, a portal opens, and Gwen steps out and finally (Finally) Peni isn’t alone again.

“The Spider Society. I thought it was everything we needed. But…”

Canon Events are explained to her. She sees the endless row of Spiders huddling over their dying loved ones and sees herself standing quietly over her father’s grave. She hadn't been with him during his last moments. He’d taken her camping the week before he died and the last thing he’d said to her after dropping her off at school was that “things will be different soon. Better.”

The last words she’d heard from Addy and her Aunt had been of terror. Not goodbyes.

And I’ve mentioned this before, but at first Peni rejects the idea that Things have to go a Certain Way. Cut to her computer that continues reject calculations. Cut to her as techno pop roars and she beats the Baddie.

She gets a message from HQ. Miles has finally (temporarily) been allowed in. They’re going to Explain, and she should be there to help Soften the Blow.

Peni knows it’s not gonna work, but she goes anyways because Miles is her Friend.

“…I was wrong.”

Miles explodes containment with his venom. SP//dr takes a moment too long to right itself and everyone else is already in hot pursuit. She lags behind and eventually stands in the Go Home room and watches Miles escape and Gwen call the Society out.

Peni shares a look with Peter B, with Margo, and then leaves for her dimension. She rips her watch off her wrist and throws it on her workbench as she turns to her computer.

She enters in a new calculation, something she hadn’t thought of before.

Miles was a factor she’d never considered.

The computer hums as Peni fiddles with a different watch with Spider. A “just in case” machine that Hobie had suggested in passing one day.

She slaps it on as a chaotic portal opens up and Gwen waits for her. Peni grabs her jacket and drapes it over her shoulders as she climbs into SP//dr.

The computer beeps.

A probability. A Chance.

Peni smiles and follows after Gwen.

(Imagine Peni handing Miles a new set off web shooters as he adjusts a punk rock dimensional watch on his wrist. She lingers in the moment and tells Miles that if she’d had a chance to save her loved ones, she’d have taken it and done everything she could. She tells him that he’s got the chance and the probability for success is Low, but when has that Ever stopped a Spidey from Trying?

Imagine her confronting Miguel as they hold him down from making Another Mistake. Lyla going over the calculation herself and agreeing. And Peni opening up her mech to look into the eyes of a still mourning father reflected in her gaze as a mourning daughter. “There’s Hope, Miguel. It doesn’t have to be this way.”

And imagine her at the end of it all, coordinating with other tech Spideys to Prevent Tragedies. They’re the good guys. They’re supposed to Help People and they will and they are and This is the feeling of Togetherness Peni was chasing and has finally Caught.)

[deityofhearts]

people who are good at geoguesser terrify me

[wifeteas]

off WORK can’t wait to play sims and wiggle my TOES

[yelena-bellova]

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

Chapter Nine: Dry Your Tears

Plot: Joel, Y/n, Henry, Sam and Ellie make their way out of the tunnel system, but Kansas City refuses to let them leave.

Word Count: 9.4k

Warnings: tlou ep.5 spoilers, implied s*ut, language, canon-typical violence, knives, blood, death, loss of a child, s*icide, (16+)

A/N: Oh, we’re really in it, y’all. This is the last chapter in which you get any sense of happiness, so hold it close to your heart. It all really goes to shit after this…

As always, and I really need people to read this, this series is 16+ and I will not be adding anyone to the taglist unless their age is listed in their bio. Gotta look out for younger eyes 👀

Good night, and good luck, my loves ❤️

———————

May 27th, 2003. Austin, Texas.

The referee’s whistle rang through the air, signaling the play was starting. Sarah had the ball, her team was one goal away from winning the season. If she nailed the shot, she’d bring them to victory.

Now, on his own, Joel was one of the loudest and proudest parents at the games. Adding in Tommy and Y/n had made them their own cheer section.

“Go, Sarah!” Y/n yelled.

“C’mon, babygirl,” Joel clapped, “C’mon.”

“Fuckin’ nail it,” Tommy cheered, earning a light knock to the chest from Y/n, “Frickin’ nail it!”

Sarah wasn’t listening to any of them, she was in the zone. She wound her leg back and kicked the ball, it flew through the air and straight through the goalie’s arms.

Y/n screamed and leapt into Joel’s arms, the whole crowd cheered wildly. Joel spun her around, this felt like a victory for all of them considering how much time they’d spent practicing with Sarah.

After celebrating with her team and taking their yearly photo, Sarah bounded over to her family.

Joel picked his daughter up, not caring if he was embarassing her. Sarah hugged him back.

“You were amazing,” he said, setting her back on the grass.

“You’re so freakin’ good, it hurts,” Y/n grinned, wrapping Sarah in her arms.

“Thanks,” the girl smiled up at Y/n.

Tommy high fived his niece, “Calls for a celebration.”

The four of them drove downtown to the ice cream shop. They parked themselves outside at a table in the shade. In celebration of Sarah’s impending graduation, her recent birthday and Y/n and Joel’s one year anniversary, they were driving down to the beach for a weekend.

“Okay,” Joel said in between bites, “I’ve got the confirmation for the hotel printed out.”

“I’m going to the store tomorrow to pick up the food,” Y/n raised her spoon.

Sarah hummed enthusiastically, swallowing her dessert quickly. “Can you pick me up when you do?”

“Yes,” Y/n nodded, “But you can’t run me into debt.”

“Can I come?” Tommy asked through a mouthful of ice cream.

“You will run me into debt,” Y/n replied with a smile.

Tommy reached into his wallet, theatrically handing Y/n a twenty dollar bill. “Beer money,” he clarified.

“Thank you,” Y/n replied, stuffing the money into her jean pocket, “What time are we leaving on Thursday?”

“I figure 9,” Joel answered, “Try and beat the traffic.”

Practical as he was, Joel was also plain excited. This was the first family vacation Y/n was joining them for.

“We’re leavin’ on a Thursday mornin’,” Tommy interjected, “There’s not gonna be any traffic.”

Joel peeked across the table to Y/n, who met his eyes with an equal level of contained enthusiasm. Celebrating one year of her in his life didn’t warrant waiting a single minute longer than necessary.

“Won’t hurt anybody,” Joel responded, shooting his girlfriend a wink.

————————

Come Thursday, the Millers and guest loaded their bags and coolers into Joel’s truck.

“Sarah?” Y/n called from the bottom of the stairs, they were nearly ready to leave and she was still upstairs, “We gotta go, babe.”

“Coming,” she yelled down, skipping out of her room and down the stairs, carrying something in her hand.

“Whatcha got?” Y/n pointed to the small package.

Sarah waved it nonchalantly in the air, “It’s an anniversary present. For you and Dad.”

Y/n’s heart swelled, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Well, I did,” she gave a small smile, before scrunching up her face, “Just please don’t make out the entire trip.”

Snorting, Y/n wrapped her arms around Sarah’s neck and walked the two of them out of the house.

Joel and Tommy had just finished their thirty minute game of Tetris with the luggage. There were so many bags for only four days and four people.

“No,” Tommy called out, spotting Sarah’s present, “Not one more fuckin’ thing comes into this truck.”

“It’s a carry-on,” Y/n shouted back with a smile, patting Sarah’s arm after, “Be there in a minute.”

Sarah skipped off to the backseat, passing her dad as she did. Joel ruffled her hair before locking eyes with Y/n across the driveway. She looked so natural, standing on his porch with his daughter in her arms, locking up the front door with her spare key. She’d settled into the family so well.

“See somethin’ you like?” Y/n smiled, sticking her nose up in the air and letting the sun hit her.

“Somethin’ I love,” Joel replied, walking slowly towards her. He encircled her waist with one arm, his other hand holding her hip.

Y/n let her hands slide up Joel’s chest, “Your daughter has requested a vow of celibacy from us this weekend.”

Joel chortled, “That’s ‘cause one day she woke up and decided us lookin’ at each other was disgusting.”

“Well, then,” Y/n got on he tiptoes and pressed a kiss to the tip of Joel’s nose, “Save it for the evenings.”

Joel nuzzled his nose against her cheek, savoring the warmth of her skin and the promise of her words.

“What happened to beatin’ traffic?” Tommy teased from the passenger seat.

Rolling his eyes, Joel turned around to his brother and glared at him. Tommy just smirked and tapped his foot against the dashboard.

“Come on,” Y/n intertwined her fingers with Joel’s, pulling him behind her and marching them both to the truck.

“Seatbelts,” Joel ordered as he got in the front seat.

Y/n settled herself in the backseat next to Sarah, who absentmindedly grabbed her hand and started playing with it. Of all the milestones her and Joel had hit in the past year, Sarah’s casual comfort with her was Y/n’s proudest.

“Alright, gang,” Joel started up the car and backed it out of the driveway, “6 hour drive, settle in.”

Y/n and Sarah cheered from the backseat and Joel swore he could feel a physical warmth spread across his chest.

—————————

It took them all day to get to South Padre Island, having stopped for bathroom breaks and lunch on the way, but they made it in one piece.

Their hotel was modest and one of many on the strip that backed straight up to the beach. The view from the balcony was unmatched, nothing but sand and ocean as far as the eye could see.

Their first full day there, they spent all day on the beach. It was early enough in the year that the full force of summer’s heat hadn’t hit yet. Joel stayed with their cooler, messing around on the guitar he’d brought in a beach chair. Tommy switched between relaxing in the shade with a beer and flirting with whatever lucky woman was in their vicinity. Sarah and Y/n walked the shore, searching for seashells.

Leaving Sarah to keep hunting, Y/n walked back to their spot, admiring the sight before her. Joel looked more at ease than she’d ever seen him, strumming away in the cool shade.

“You’re ogling me’,” he said, trying to sound put off.

“You look happy,” Y/n smiled, pushing past the humor.

Joel peeked up over his sunglasses, taking in the wind blowing through her hair and how the sun shone off her skin. “I am happy,” he replied.

Y/n walked around the back of his chair, bending over to encircle his neck. Joel kept on playing, trying to stay focused as she pressed a loving kiss to his cheek.

Looking out on the beach, Y/n’s eyes found Tommy, buying some girl an ice cream at a vendor’s cart. She watched Sarah, crouched down in the sand and hot on the trail of a particular shell. With Joel in her arms, and her chosen family happy, she felt like everything in her world was just as it should be.

Y/n rested her chin on Joel’s shoulder, “Me too.”

—————————

They’d celebrated both Sarah’s graduation and Y/n’s anniversary on Saturday night with dinner on the beach. There’d been good food and good laughter, especially when Sarah tried oysters for the first time, managing to swallow the bite with a grimace.

When gifts were exchanged, Y/n, Joel and Tommy had compiled their money to get Sarah tickets to see her favorite band. She’d leapt out of her chair and bear hugged all three of them. For Joel and Y/n’s anniversary, she handed them a CD she’d burned a playlist to. Songs she’d heard them listen to or that the three of them had sung together in the car or while Joel played guitar.

Deep into the evening, when Tommy and Sarah had retired to their room across the hall, Joel and Y/n celebrated their anniversary privately.

Joel’s body weight Y/n’s down, pinning her hands above her head and pressing soft kisses across her face. At some point in the night, she’d slipped on his t-shirt. He was convinced that if there was a heaven on earth, he was in it.

“Promise me something,” Y/n breathed, her lips brushing Joel’s cheekbone.

Joel rubbed his nose against Y/n’s, “Anything.”

Pressed into the bed, completely consumed by the man she loved, with a soft ocean breeze flooding through their balcony window, Y/n was in utter bliss. There was nothing that could have made the moment more perfect.

“Promise me it’ll always be like this,” Y/n whispered, her urging eyes boring into Joel’s, “Even when it isn’t.”

Joel’s grip on Y/n’s hands loosened, letting her slip out of his hold with a need to feel her arms around him. Neither of them were under any illusion that life was without its problems, they’d run into them eventually. But through it all, Joel knew that the one thing that would never fade was their complete and utter devotion to one another. That was forever.

Joel brushed away a strand of hair stuck to Y/n’s face from the ocean’s humidity. He ran the tips of his fingers along her cheek, down her neck, tracing the path his lips had traveled moments ago.

“Always,” he promised, his voice soft, but determined.

The room’s energy was emotionally charged, bringing tears to Y/n’s eyes as she gazed up at Joel. He looked so beautiful hanging over her, it nearly broke her heart. She was so overcome with love for this man, she truly didn’t know if she could handle any more. Joel overwhelmed her in the sweetest way possible.

The moonlight reflected off a single teardrop that slipped down Y/n’s cheek. Joel adjusted himself in concern, taking her face into his hand, “What’s wrong?”

Y/n smiled, she’d never known one could be moved to tears by the simple act of adoring someone. “I just love you,” she pushed past the lump in her throat.

Joel’s breath caught in his chest. Even though he’d heard her say those words a hundred times, something about this utterance felt new.

He stroked his thumb over her cheek, wiping away the tear’s streak. They lay intwined, coming alive in one another’s eyes. They’d known for months, really since their first kiss, that they’d be together a long, long time…but there, in a beachside hotel, wrapped in lily white sheets and each other, they knew they could never leave one another.

Joel dove back into Y/n’s lips, his hands slipping under his shirt she wore to hold her hips. He prayed that when the day came for him to die, he’d do so in her arms, her kiss stealing his final breath.

—————————

2023. Kansas City, Missouri.

While the tensions were high the whole way, the five survivors made it through the tunnel system with no issues.

“Do you know where we are?” Joel asked Henry as they made their way through a door. He was still suspicious, nothing was ever as simple as a few tunnels and some luck.

“Yeah,” he answered, “The other side.”

Henry shone his flashlight on a dirty sign stating that it was, indeed, the parking lot to the Bank of America building. They’d made it out. Y/n huffed a sigh of relief, it was a much needed win.

The group headed for the street of the residential area, it was dark and empty allowing them the perfect cover. Joel had still insisted on no flashlights, just to be safe.

Joel led the group, with Ellie, Sam and Henry at the rear, and Y/n sandwiched between. She didn’t particularly feel like being near Joel after the conversation with Henry. She was still trying to shake the memories from her brain, twenty years of wasted energy and not a single one had faded.

Joel didn’t quite know what to do either. He felt at war with himself, a poorly docked ship being drawn out to the open waters against its will. It was getting harder to deny the increasing intensity of his pull to her. Not that it mattered, he still considered her a liar and she hated him with a passion that would never die. But seeing her with the kids, showing the humanity still left in her, had left him unsettled. It was like seeing a home he could never go back to.

“No,” Henry said, having just been signing with Sam, “No one is here. No one’s gonna be here because…my plan worked.

“So much damn talkin’,” Joel remarked from the front of the group.

“I’m just saying,” Henry continued, “I delivered. Make this right, go down the street, embankment behind the last house…and we’re out.”

Y/n and Joel wanted to believe that they were home free, but they’d seen more of the current world than anyone else in the party. Things that seemed too good to be true, almost always were.

“So we cross the river and then what?” Ellie asked, “Where ya gonna go?”

“Don’t know yet,” Henry shrugged.

“Well, we’re goin’ to Wyoming,” Ellie announced.

Joel glared back at her, earning a light hit to the arm from Y/n, who glared right back at him.

“What?” Ellie replied, “It’s a huge state, it can fit two more people.”

“Yeah,” Henry stretched the syllable, not any more keen on the idea than Joel, “Maybe we just call this one a success and say our fond farewells.”

Y/n drifted to walk alongside Joel, his stubbornness breathing a little bit of life back into her. “If you’ve got any happy pills left in your pocket,” she muttered low enough for only them to hear, “I suggest you take them.”

Joel shook his head, glancing out the side of his eyes at her. He couldn’t decide if her silence or her snark was preferable.

“No, he’ll change his mind,” Ellie said to Henry, “Trust me. This is how it goes, he’s like,” she dropped her voice and added a twinge of an accent, “‘No, Ellie. Never, ever, ever happening.”

Y/n couldn’t stop the snort before it escaped her, it physically jerked her body forward. When she looked up, Joel’s hardened stare was resting on her.

“That supposed to be funny?”

“It’s hilarious,” Y/n smiled, still trying to contain her laughter, “And you know it.”

“And then I’m like,” Ellie continued, “‘I’m gonna ask you a million more times.’ And he’s like-“

A gunshot flew past them, killing only the levity.

Joel and Y/n ran for Ellie at the same time, colliding with one another in a heap of arms.

“Move! Move!” Joel ordered, shoving both of them forward, “Go!”

The five of them dove for cover behind an abandoned car, crouching on the asphalt.

“Where the fuck is that coming from?” Henry asked, shielding Sam with his body.

“Shut up,” Joel ordered, peeking his head above the trunk of the car to scan the area. As soon as he was semi-visible, another gunshot hit one of the nearby vehicles.

Henry tried to get a look at the house where the fire seemed to be coming from, earning another close call.

“Fuck,” he muttered, grabbing Sam’s hand, “Let’s move. Let’s go.”

“Henry!” Y/n shouted through her teeth.

“What are you doin’?” Joel yelled, not budging.

“Getting the fuck outta here,” Henry called back, barely making it to the other side of the road before another shot blew past them. He rushed him and Sam back to the first car, “What do we do?”

Y/n and Joel’s brains were working overtime, trying to figure out the best possible course of action. Joel, closest to the house he guessed the gunman was inside, peeked out once more and got another near fatal shot. He was right.

“All right,” Joel breathed, “Stay here.”

“What?” Y/n and Ellie exclaimed in unison.

Joel turned to them, addressing Ellie but drifting his eyes to Y/n at the end of each sentence. “If you don’t move, he’s not gonna hit you. I’m gonna go around, try to get in the house through the back, and then I’ll take him out.”

“No,” Y/n blurted out, “No fucking way.”

“Yeah, if you go out there, he’s gonna kill you,” Ellie agreed.

“It’s dark and he has shit aim,” Joel countered, “Nobody’s gonna kill me.”

“Then he’s gonna kill us,” Ellie replied.

Joel’s eyes flicked between the kid and the woman behind her. He addressed Ellie first, “Do you trust me?”

Hesitating, but eventually rolling her eyes and nodding, Ellie answered.

Joel looked up to Y/n, silently begging her to listen to him. He’d trusted her when Ellie had revealed her immunity, now he needed her to do the same.

Y/n wanted to be unreasonable and illogical, to stew in her anger a little longer. But Joel hadn’t failed them yet on their journey, this wasn’t the place to start.

“You go around the left,” Y/n countered, “I’ll create a diversion so he won’t see you coming.”

“You stay here,” Joel replied, his voice turning to steel.

It was the first time that Y/n didn’t want to argue. She withdrew her pistol from her holster, “I wasn’t asking.”

Joel was busting his ass trying to make sure she was safe and she was throwing herself into open fire to protect him. He felt sick to his stomach.

Y/n took Joel’s reluctant nod and mirrored it, hoping she looked more confidant than she felt. They both brushed a hand against Ellie’s arm, who was terrified to let the only two people she cared about run headfirst into danger.

Joel and Y/n crossed past one another, he grabbed her arm to stop her. The pain-stricken worry in both their eyes communicated all that they couldn’t out loud.

They took up their positions on either end of the car, cocking their guns and drawing a deep breath. Joel nodded to Y/n, signaling for her to move.

Y/n jumped out from the car and ran for the one directly across from her. A gunshot kissed the air behind her, she slid into the asphalt behind the vehicle like it was third base. She could feel the fear creeping up her spine, threatening to break her, but breaking wasn’t an option. Tess’ last wish rang in her ears; keep Joel safe.

Spotting the next car, in the row, she made a beeline for it, dodging two shots on each side of her. She kneeled behind the trunk, peeking out just enough to fire a distracting shot towards the house.

“C’mon, Joel,” she whispered.

Joel was making his way down the street, Y/n serving as the most perfect and unwelcome distraction. Every shot sent a cold shot of panic through him, terrified that the gunman was going to be too quick for her. Just before making it behind the house, he snuck a look over his shoulder and caught her racing across the street, dodging more fire. It urged him to move faster.

Y/n was getting closer and closer to the house, praying that Joel had made it. When she made a clean run to the next car, she assumed that he’d put a stop to the fight. A final shot rang out, but it had come from a different gun. Joel’s gun.

Y/n slumped against the car and exhaled, he was safe.

Joel felt grief pass over him, a drop of it trickling down his throat, as he grabbed the old man’s rifle. He was about to stick his head out the window and signal to Y/n that they were clear, until a sound caught his ear.

“Anthony…Anthony…” a staticky voice called, Joel tracked it beside the old man’s body and found a walkie-talkie, “Anthony, hold them where they are.”

“Fuck,” he muttered, rushing to the window, “Run!”

Y/n stood up, Joel’s voice reassuring her they were in the clear before she registered his words.

“Run!”

Y/n bolted back toward Ellie, Sam and Henry. In the near distance, she could hear the sound of a truck. The same one they’d been dodging for the past day.

“Run!” Joel urged, watching Y/n’s shadow run straight towards the threat.

The truck’s headlights shone down the street, shining right on Y/n. She collided with Ellie, wrenching the girl ahead of her and racing back towards the house. Behind them, the fleet of trucks were beginning to plow through the rows of cars.

Determined, Joel started to fire at the truck’s windows, trying to take out the driver.

Blindly, Ellie and Y/n began to fire their pistols at the main truck after them. Without being able to take proper aim, their attempts failed, but they kept trying.

Ellie’s gun ran out of bullets as the truck began to gain on her. Y/n wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pushing her to go faster. Ellie tripped, bringing Y/n down with her. Y/n enveloped the girl in her arms, putting her body between the truck and Ellie.

At that exact moment, Joel had fired a perfect shot, taking out the driver and causing the truck to crash through the front of a nearby house. He’d bought them mere seconds, a whole fleet of cars were behind them and their passengers were about to surround Ellie and Y/n.

“Come on,” Y/n urged, pulling Ellie to her feet, “Move.”

They’d barely made it two steps before they were thrown to the ground again by a blast. The crash had somehow started a fire and both the vehicle and the house surrounding it were set ablaze.

The smoke filled Y/n’s lungs, restricting her airways and letting dizziness to set in. The only clear thought ringing through her head was Ellie, save Ellie.

Joel watched helplessly as Ellie and Y/n lay on the ground. He could feel his heartbeat in his throat, waiting for them to get up. Henry, a godsend in that moment, darted out from behind a car and pulled them both to their feet.

Y/n stumbled back to the car Henry had sought as protection, blindly reaching for Ellie and making herself a barricade once again.

“You okay?” Henry asked them both.

“Yeah,” Ellie muttered, Y/n gave a breathless nod.

Up above the flames, Joel watched a group of rebels walk through the smoke with guns drawn on his window, calling out orders to raid the house. They’d found him.

“Fuck,” he breathed, hiding behind the wall. Unlucky for them, Joel wasn’t so easy to throw in the towel and lose his life.

Below, Kathleen surveyed the damage, strolling casually amongst the flames. “Dead end, Henry,” she called, “Gonna step on out? Save us some time?”

“Is that her?” Y/n whispered, Henry nodded in response.

“No?” Kathleen asked, her tone was eerily even, “That’s all right. Doesn’t matter.”

Henry looked to Sam, who Y/n had an arm around, and knew what he had to do. “I’ll come out,” he replied, “Just let the kids go!”

“No,” Kathleen responded, “Sorry. The girl is with the two who killed Bryan, don’t think I don’t know that the woman’s back there with you too.”

Y/n shut her eyes, the back of her head digging into the car. She knew she’d die eventually, she woke every day faced with the possibility of death. But she wasn’t about to die before she could get Ellie out west.

Joel’s blood ran cold at Kathleen’s words, his hands squeezing the rifle tighter. He had to fight every instinct to fire a bullet straight through her head.

“And Sam” Kathleen continued, “Well, Sam’s with you.”

“You don’t understand,” Henry yelled.

“But I do,” she said calmly, “I know why you did what you did. But did you ever stop to think that maybe he was supposed to die?”

“He’s just a fucking kid!” Henry called back.

“Well, kids die, Henry. They die all the time.”

Y/n’s fear turned to shock and that shock turned to rage. Deep, bitter, twenty year old rage.

Joel watched carefully from his spot, feeling the anger swell in him.

“You think the whole world revolves around him?” Kathleen continued her monologue, “That he’s worth everything? Well, this is what happens when you fuck with fate.”

Henry turned to Y/n and Ellie, bracing himself for his own fate. “Get ready to take him, and run,” he instructed.

“No,” Y/n argued, “I’m not-“

“Yes,” he said, his voice like steel, “Do it.”

Y/n gave in, nodding and taking Sam’s hands with Ellie. “You stay in front of me at all time,” she instructed, reaching out for the girl, “If I go down, you don’t turn back.”

Ellie’s eyes widened, “But-“

“You don’t turn back,” Y/n repeated, forcing her voice to sound strong.

“It’s time, Henry,” Kathleen gritted, her soft voice suddenly dripping with venom, “Enough!”

Henry took a few shuddering breaths before getting to his feet, hands raised in the air. Sam anxiously started to go after his brother, but Ellie and Y/n pulled him back to the ground. The three of them sat there, Y/n and Ellie’s pulses racing as they waited for the inevitable sound, their signal to move.

“It ends the way it ends,” Kathleen said, her calm demeanor returning.

Y/n froze as she listened to Kathleen cock her pistol, squeezing Sam’s hand a little tighter.

But the bullet never came.

Instead, there was a terrible creak from the totaled truck. Ellie scrambled to get a peek while staying hidden, Y/n held up a hand to her and poked the tip of her head out. Just enough to see the car sink into the wreckage of the burning house.

Joel aimed his rifle and came to the window, watching it all happen from above.

Three ominous seconds of silence.

And then they came.

Hordes of Infected came sprinting out of the sinkhole.

Henry rushed back to their spot, Y/n and him shoved the kids in between them and sinking against the car as far as they could. One of the Infected leapt on the hood, a well-timed bullet sinking into its skull.

Joel reloaded the gun, waiting for the next shot.

“Come on,” Henry called, the four of them got to their feet and took off in the direction of the embankment.

Ellie obeyed and stayed ahead of Y/n, who was frantically cocking her handgun. One Infected was chasing after them and she couldn’t get her weapon ready in time.

Joel aimed at the creature trailing Y/n and fired. The body lurched forward, falling on Y/n and causing both her and Ellie to topple to the ground.

Somewhere in their fall, Y/n and Ellie had lost sight of Henry and Sam. Y/n kicked the dead body off of them and glanced up towards the house, she knew who was acting as their guardian angel. But that didn’t mean she didn’t have a job to do as well.

“Car,” Ellie yelled, having quickly crafted a plan in her head.

“Stay low,” Y/n responded.

The two of them army crawled their way through the chaos, screams of both the living and Infected filling the air.

Joel tracked their movements, shooting down any Infected that even looked in their direction.

Ellie and Y/n ran the final distance and dove into the abandoned car through an open window. As Infected began to crawl across the behicle, banging against the windows, one of Joel’s bullets took each one out.

“Get to the back,” Y/n instructed.

The two of them crawled over the seats, taking shelter in the very rear of the vehicle. Ellie’s eyes were wide with terror as she watched the scene play through the dirty glass.

Joel saw them make it in, but his relief didn’t last long. He watched as one of the Infected snaked through the window and into their car. His breath trembled, taking aim and realizing he couldn’t do a damn thing to help them.

Y/n and Ellie heard the dreadful snarling together, their heads turning to watch the Clicker flip through the front seat of the car. Y/n raised her gun and took aim.

Click.

She was out of bullets.

Joel’s brain switched off, his primal instinct to protect taking over as he fired relentless shot after relentless shot, trying to take the Infected out.

The Clicker acrobatically made its way through the car. Ellie blindly reached for the door handle, whimpering in fear as she couldn’t open it. Y/n kicked it with her boot and it swung out, she shoved Ellie roughly out of the car. Y/n slid out, slamming the door behind them and feeling the slam of the Clicker throwing itself against the window.

Joel had lost visual on them briefly, but saw the swing of the car door and how it was still rocking. They’d trapped it.

Somewhere in the noise, a child’s cry could be heard. Y/n’s eyes darted around them, finally spotting Henry and Sam trying to fend off a group of Infected underneath a car.

“Help! Get the fuck away!“ Henry screamed, kicking at one of the creatures, “Get the fuck off me!”

Ellie looked first to Y/n, who was already pulling out her knife from where she hid it in her boot, before they both looked up to where Joel was. Y/n could barely make out his face with the distance.

Joel looked down, knowing that they couldn’t possibly be making eye contact from so far away, but knowing that they were on the same wavelength.

They had to work as a team.

“Go!” Y/n yelled, and they were off.

Joel shot with more precision than he ever had, this was the most he’d ever had at stake. As Y/n and Ellie moved through the crowd, he took out every Infected that were heading for them. He worked as a machine, but the terror he felt was the most human sensation he’d experienced in years.

Y/n shed her humanity, becoming more beast than woman, mercilessly ripping through the throats of any Infected that came near Ellie. She swung onto one’s back, stabbing her knife into its head, and let the collapse of its body land her back on the ground.

Joel and Y/n worked seamlessly together, ground and aerial coming together to protect the one thing that couldn’t be lost. Or in Joel’s case, two somethings.

Ellie and Y/n finally made it to Sam and Henry, there were two clickers still clawing at them. One dragged Henry out from underneath the car, Ellie got behind it and stabbed it. Y/n wrenched the Clicker attacking Sam backwards, staring into where its eyes would have been as she sliced through its heart.

A bullet whizzed past her head, landing in the monster’s skull. Joel needed to be sure.

“Come on, come on,” Ellie helped their friends to their feet, “Go! Go!”

Y/n shoved Ellie in front of her again and they fled the chaos, climbing into the lawn of the house Joel was in.

“Stop!”

The four of them turned to see Kathleen with her gun aimed at Henry, but her eyes flicking between him and Y/n. They didn’t have time to fear for their lives, they clocked the same Clicker who’d almost gotten her and Ellie creeping up an old piece of furniture behind Kathleen.

Kathleen heard the sound, turning around just as the Clicker shot through the air and latched onto her. They watched in terror as the creature claimed the resistance leader’s life.

Joel hurried out of the house, running faster once he saw Y/n and Ellie. He stopped a second, watching as Kathleen lost everything she’d fought so hard for, but didn’t care so long as his people were safe.

“This way now,” Joel yelled, grabbing Y/n’s arm to urge her forward, “Move!”

The group took off, leaving those who had sought to kill them to their fates. Joel and Y/n ran together, keeping one hand on each other the whole time. Their grudge was suffocating, choking under the weight of their undeniable devotion to one another.

————————————

The motel the group landed was a haven to their weary eyes. They broke into one of the rooms and tried to get it through their heads that they were safe. Joel had made sure that no one followed them, they were miles away from any Infected. They could breathe.

Once Ellie and Sam had been squared away with food, they went into the bedroom and began reading Ellie’s collection of comic books. They were either bouncing back spectacularly fast or burying their fear.

Henry, Joel and Y/n sat out in the main room, trying to come down from what they’d just been through. Since fleeing the hellish nightmare, Joel and Y/n hadn’t left each other’s side. She hadn’t even bothered with putting space between them when she sunk down onto the floor. They were pressed against one another and neither of them minded.

“You think they’ll be okay?” Henry asked, picking at a bit of his food and watching his brother from the next room.

Y/n’s eyes drifted to Ellie, she was growing more and more worried about the girl’s psyche. She’d seen so much in such a short span of time.

“Yeah, I think,” Joel answered, “It’s easier when you’re a kid, anyway,” he met Henry’s stare with intention, “You don’t have anybody else relying on you. That’s the hard part.”

“Well,” Henry looked down at his food, “I guess we’re doin’ a good job then.”

Y/n and Joel both looked to the kids, Ellie was helping Sam to read one of the pages.

“What’s that comic book say?” Joel asked, “‘Endure and survive?’”

“Endure and survive,” Y/n repeated.

Henry chuckled, “That shit’s redundant.”

Joel shook his head, this was as close as he’d come to laughing with another person. “Yeah, it’s-it’s not great.”

Y/n gave a small smile, not quite to the point of being able to laugh about any part of the day.

Joel turned to look at her, drawing her gaze to him and focusing on the two quirked corners of her lips. It used to be his favorite game, making them rise until she’d complain her cheeks hurt. Tonight was the first night that he’d been able to make her smile again, and the little bit of his old self that was on life support took a breath.

Y/n let her eyes drift across Joel’s face, resting in the way he returned it. It was a dangerous fucking place to be, but after what they’d just gone through, she was too tired to fight her way out.

A loud laugh from Ellie snapped them out of whatever moment they were having.

“Look,” Joel turned to Henry, “I don’t know exactly how we’re gettin’ to Wyoming, we’re probably walkin’. But,” he stopped, still uncomfortable with the full spectrum of his emotions, “You know, if you want to.”

“Yeah,” Henry answered instantly, “Yeah. Um…yeah, I think it’d be nice for Sam to have a friend.”

“Oh, trust me,” Y/n smiled, looking on to Ellie, “You won’t find anyone friendlier than her,” she glanced at Joel, “Then again, we don’t set the bar very high, now do we?”

Henry laughed under his breath, even Joel couldn’t stop himself from smirking. “No, you don’t,” Henry replied, “I’ll tell him in the morning. New day, new start.”

“We’re not getting anywhere if we’re carrying them on our backs,” Y/n remarked, dusting the crumbs off her jeans and getting to her feet.

Henry got up with Y/n and heading into Sam and Ellie’s room. He knocked on the door and began to sign to Sam.

“Whatever he’s saying,” Y/n pointed to Ellie, “Same goes for you. Real adventure starts tomorrow.”

Ellie rolled her eyes lightly as Y/n approached, letting her take the comic out of her hand and place it on the nightstand. “Hey,” she said, “Is Joel’s brother like him? All grumpy and constipated?

“He is,” Y/n started, a flood of pleasant memories hitting her, “Way more fun. Not a stick to be found up his ass.”

Ellie snorted, Y/n knew she’d fall in love with Tommy in a minute. Everyone did.

Y/n ran a hand over Ellie’s head, they weren’t close enough for a hug but she wanted the girl to know that she had someone that cared about her. If Joel was her protecter, Y/n wanted to be her comfort. The oasis she could run to in the desert.

“Get some rest,” she ordered.

“Why?” Ellie cocked an eyebrow, “So you and Joel can have more time to cuddle?”

Y/n knew she’d be paying for her unconscious choices as long as Ellie was around to witness them. She lightly pushed her forehead, sending Ellie back on the bed in a fit of giggles.

“Will Livingston dies a slow and painful death if you ever bring that up again,” Y/n retorted, giving Ellie a pat on the leg after, “Goodnight.”

“Night,” Ellie called in a teasing tone.

Y/n stopped by Sam’s bed, tapping his hip to get his attention. She signed ‘endure and survive’ back to him, Sam nodded with a smile.

“Practicing,” Y/n beamed, earning herself a thumbs up, “Goodnight.”

She left the room before Henry, Joel hadn’t moved from their spot against the radiator. The door had been open the whole time.

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, “‘Stick up my ass?’”

Y/n leaned up against the wall and crossed her arms, almost relaxed. “I said what I said,” she smirked, “She called you constipated.”

Joel shook his head at her, fond memories of her and Tommy ganging up on him filing his head.

He wouldn’t tell her that he’d heard the whole conversation.

Henry exited the room, shutting the door behind him. “I don’t know about y’all, but I’m exhausted,” he said, staking out the far right corner of the room for himself.

“Yeah,” Y/n sighed.

Joel rose up from the ground, already dreading trying to do another bed time shuffle with Y/n. He glanced over at her, first spotting the blood seeping through her bandages.

“Your hand,” he said, crossing the space between them.

“Huh?” Y/n furrowed her brows, holding it up to examine it, “Oh, shit. I didn’t even feel that.”

Joel was hesitant to grab it, but was itching to fix it up. “Adrenaline,” he settled for.

“So much for sleep,” Y/n grumbled, bending down and picking up her backpack.

Joel followed, setting the corner table back on its feet along with the two nearby chairs. Henry was already asleep in his corner. Joel sat down across from Y/n and watched as she pulled out the first aid kit. As she unpacked the supplies, his fingers began to twitch with nervous energy.

Y/n picked up on his fidgety state, stopping what she was doing to look at him. “Are you really that much of a control freak that you need to do this?”

Joel didn’t know what he was, just that he needed assurance that she was going to be alright. The only satisfactory way to do that was to do it himself.

“Fine,” Y/n scoffed, sliding the kit across the table to him, “Have at it.”

Joel unpacked the same supplies they’d used yesterday as Y/n unwrapped her hand. He was glad she’d taken extra gauze from his stash back in Massachusetts, they were running low.

“How long do you think it’ll take to get to Wyoming on foot?” Y/n asked as Joel grabbed an alcohol wipe. She’d already clotted, but the sites still needed to be cleaned.

He bristled, “A long fuckin’ while.”

“And are we measuring that in miles or kilometers?” Y/n asked, her tone deadpan.

Joel nearly smiled, gently rubbing the wipe over the bloody surface. Y/n hissed as it made contact with her skin, digging into her chair and drawing a deep breath after.

“Killed, like, four Clickers,” Joel decided to joke, never looking up from his ministrations, “Can’t handle a little wipe.”

“Says the man who can navigate his way across the country, but couldn’t explain a siphon to a fourteen year old,” Y/n remarked, matching his wit.

Joel peered up, a small smirk playing on his lips, mimicking the one on Y/n’s. This was the longest they’d gone without fighting during a conversation. One shift could turn the almost peaceful moment to a shipwreck.

“What happened out there tonight?” Joel asked, his mind still spinning from anxiety.

“Ran out of ammo,” Y/n answered, she know immediately what he was referring to, “Perfect timing, huh?”

Joel scoffed and ran a second alcohol wipe over her wounds. “Yeah,” he muttered, unsure of what else to say.

“But there was this weird guy hiding out in an abandoned house who took care of things,” Y/n remarked, her eyes traveling from her and Joel’s hands to his face.

Joel paused and met her stare, surprised that she was acknowledging his effort at all.

“Thank you,” Y/n continued.

Joel shook his head, returning to his work, “You don’t need to thank me.”

“Would you rather me say ‘Fuck off, you dick. I can take care of myself?’”

“That would fall in line with what you usually have to say,” Joel replied, reaching for the gauze pads.

Y/n nodded in reply, a smile pulling at her cheeks. She didn’t know what the hell she was doing, only that she was traumatized, tired, and in need of someone to talk to. If that someone came in the form of Joel, then so be it.

Joel tried to focus on Y/n’s wound, breaking it down into steps. Sterilize, gauze, wrap. He couldn’t get caught up on the fact that they were getting along. As benign as the it sounded, it was leaps and bounds ahead of where they’d come from.

Y/n, on the other hand, had nothing to do but sit and wait for him to be done. She watched how precisely he placed the gauze pads, as if one inch off their assigned spots would cost her her life. It reminded her of how precise he’d been with his lips, his hands. Every touch had carried purpose, the ultimate goal to make her know how much he loved her.

This touch, so warm and gentle, felt the same to Y/n.

Much like the day before, it took a lot of effort on Joel’s part not to get caught up in the feel of Y/n’s hand against his. He wrapped a fresh strip of bandage around it, weaving the roll between her thumb and under her palm. Back at the house, watching her narrowly avoid Infected had choked him. Every five seconds, she’d been brought to the edge of death, only for one of them to strike back at the very last moment. It had drained any and all energy left in Joel’s body, and had brought on a whole new set of questions.

If he were to lose her or Ellie at this point, what would it do to him?

He anchored the bandage down, sealing Y/n’s wound, and tried to escape the scenarios his mind was creating. They were alive, they were safe, and they would make it to Wyoming. If that was what he needed to keep repeating to himself the whole way west, he would.

“At the risk of inflating your ego,” Y/n examined his work, “Well done.”

Joel didn’t respond, he simply handed her the supplies to pack up. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, or rather, what he wanted and what he knew he couldn’t have.

Y/n threw the kit back in her backpack and came back to where they’d been. Joel was already kneeling down on the ground, removing and balling up his jacket. She didn’t want to land herself in another situation where cuddling up to Joel was a possibility, she also didn’t want to infringe on Henry’s personal space.

“You mind keepin’ an ear peeled?,” Joel asked, it was like he could read her mind, “In case I roll over on the wrong side again.”

“Yeah,” Y/n replied, coming to sit beside Joel with just enough space between them. Close enough to protect, far enough away for clear minds.

Joel stretched out one arm just above Y/n’s head. It wasn’t the closest they’d been in the past day, but it was certainly the most intimate. Y/n was facing him, the top of her hair nearly grazing his forearm. Every signal in his brain told him to roll over, put another wall between them, but there was a stronger thought that cancelled the noise.

He simply didn’t want to.

Y/n adjusted herself on her jacket and was left with nothing left to do but stare at Joel. The lines on his face were deeper, his features had grown sharper, yet somewhere underneath it all…she could still see the man she’d fallen in love with in the heat of an Austin summer. Perhaps that was what was playing with her mind the most; how she got glimpses of Joel as he was before morphing into the new version. She used to wonder what age would do to them and she knew that if Cordyceps had never mutated, Joel’s frown lines would be smiles lines. The skin underneath his eyes would wrinkle from deep laughter. And in the times where his brow would crease with concern, a single kiss from her would have relaxed the muscles.

It was enough to bring her to tears.

“What’s wrong?” Joel asked, his voice gruff but his words filled with concern.

It was all wrong. All of it. Everything that had happened to them. Everything the world had become. Risking their lives every day for a future that wasn’t guaranteed.

It was all so horribly wrong.

“I’m just tired,” Y/n spoke past the lump in her throat, “Really fucking tired.”

Joel wanted to reach out, place a finger underneath her lashes to catch her tears before they fell. In another life, he’d have taken her in his arms and grazed his lips across her ear. He’d have called her Rosebud and told her to sleep, that he wouldn’t let anything hurt her.

But he’d lost the right to act on such feelings a lifetime ago.

“Get some sleep,” he replied, it was the only part of the urge he could listen to.

Y/n shook her head, smiling with sadness, “It’s not that kind of tired.”

Nothing else needed to be said. Joel understood those six words better than any other. His exhaustion went so far past his backaches or cracking knees. His soul was seeking rest that it would never find.

It wasn’t lost on either of them that it took nearly dying for them to start drifting back to one another. The hate faded into background noise, or ceased to exist at all. They picked up their anger when they were safe, because it took effort. It took effort to stay mad, a fire requiring constant attention. But protecting one another was natural. At the end of the day, all that had transpired between Joel and Y/n would never come in the way of saving one another. Hate was a choice, care was an instinct.

Joel’s soft gaze traveled across Y/n’s face. “Try,” he encouraged, his voice barely above a whisper.

Y/n nodded, her eyes still resting on Joel. She knew if she stared at him a minute longer, she’d no longer be able to choose hate.

Though she’d never know it, Joel felt the exact same way. He was becoming weaker and weaker for her with each moment they spent together.

They didn’t bid each other goodnight, they didn’t even fall asleep at the same time, despite sharing the same exhaustion. Joel stayed awake a few extra minutes after Y/n drifted off. He watched her frown relax, her brows unclench and her chest rise and fall, keeping the same steady beat that used to lull him to sleep.

—————————

Y/n had scooted closer in her sleep, her and Joel’s bodies still not touching but their breaths mingling together.

Had they awoken with the sunlight peeking through the blinds, strips of the warm glow across their eyes, urging them awake, they wouldn’t have backed away. It would have been the first time in twenty years they’d have woken up to one another. They wouldn’t have been mad.

Instead, they startled awake to the sounds of screams.

Joel and Y/n sat up in time to see Ellie fall out of the door, a snarling Sam jumping on her and pinning her down. Henry woke not two seconds after them, barely able to register the sight.

Sam was infected.

Joel was the first to reach for his handgun, but Henry was quicker and yanked it away. He had it aimed at Y/n and Joel before they were even on their feet.

“Nope, nope, nope,” he warned.

“Joel!” Ellie’s heartbreaking scream filled the room, “Y/n!”

Joel and Y/n took one step in Ellie’s direction and Henry fired a shot at their feet. Joel shoved Y/n behind him, she clung to his arm.

“Joel!” Ellie shrieked again, begging for help from either adult, “Y/n!”

Before they could have a coherent thought, it was all over.

Henry turned his gun on Sam.

He fired a single bullet.

Sam collapsed to the floor.

Ellie sat up with tears in her eyes.

Joel lowered his hands, but Y/n still kept a firm grip on him.

“Ellie,” he breathed, his heart was racing, “Are you okay?”

The girl looked to her guardians, shocked and heartbroken.

They took a cautious step towards her, but Henry put a stop to it as he trained his pistol back on them. Joel threw his arm back out in front of Y/n, not knowing what the man might do.

Distraught seemed too small a word to describe the expression on Henry’s face. He was gutted.

Joel ensured Y/n was still fastened to him before he cautiously held out his hands to Henry, “Easy, easy, easy,” his voice was barely audible, “Henry, gimme the gun. Henry, gimme the gun.”

“What did I do?” Henry choked out.

Joel shushed him, as one would a wild animal on the verge of attacking.

“What did I do?” Henry asked again, “What-what-what did I do?”

“Henry,” Y/n nearly whimpered, her breath trembling as she did, “Henry, stop, please.”

Henry stared through his tears at his little brother’s body, blood spreading across the floor, “Sam?”

Joel urged with a new desperation as the realization deepened, “Henry, gimme the gun.”

“Henry, please,” Y/n let go of Joel, taking a calculated step forward, “I know. I know.”

“Gimme the gun, Henry,” Joel continued.

Henry’s eyes, still focused on his brother, glazed over as he raised the gun to his temple.

“HENRY, NO!” Joel cried out.

Y/n rushed past Joel, “HENRY, I KN-“

It was too late.

As it happened, Joel jumped forward, wrapping his arms around Y/n and pulling her into him.

“No!” Y/n screamed, she lurched forward as if she could still save him.

Y/n’s eyes were flooded with tears, her sobs tearing her apart so hard that they came out silent. When the noise finally came, it was a guttural cry that might come from a wounded animal. Y/n’s knees gave out on her, Joel caught her and helped lower her to the ground. He kept his arms tight around her as she wailed.

When Y/n came to, and she realized Joel was holding her, the rage reignited. “Get off me,” she yelled, clawing her way out of his embrace.

Joel let her go, shrinking back slightly at the sudden reaction. Ellie watched, consumed by terror as her rock crumbled under the weight of the trauma.

Y/n crawled towards Henry, avoiding the blood, and clung to his shirt. She wept into his still warm body, wishing that he’d have let her finish her sentence. It could have changed everything.

The three of them sat there, waiting for their grief to come to a managable level.

“We gotta go,” Joel said eventually, the words feeling heavy in his mouth.

“We can’t leave them here,” Ellie muttered, wiping her sleeve across her eyes.

Y/n was sitting beside Henry’s body by then, waiting for him to breathe air that would never reach his lungs.

“Gimme a minute,” Joel said, getting to his feet and moving mechanically out the motel room door.

Time moved slow and all at once to the three of them. Joel went into the maintenance closet and found two shovels, bringing them back to the room where nothing and no one had moved. Him and Y/n, trying to spare Ellie what little trauma they could, carried Sam and Henry’s bodies across the road and to a patch of grass. The two of them began to shovel shallow graves, burying their friends.

The job was nearly done, they were just patting the soil back down when Ellie returned. She’d retrieved the few posessions they still had, dropping Y/n and Joel’s coats and Y/n and Henry’s backpack at their feet. She came to kneel at Sam’s grave, taking it in before setting his magnetic pad atop the dirt.

Standing back up with a weight no child deserved to carry, she turned to Joel, “Which way’s west?”

Joel looked off to his left and nodded, Ellie set off in the direction.

Y/n could feel herself slipping into a heavy numbness, a grief filling her that few could understand. She felt like she had one nostril, barely taking in oxygen, above the waters that slammed into her. But as soon as she saw Ellie’s handwriting, the words ‘I’m sorry’ written across the magnetic pad, she lost the fight.

She understood Henry’s fight.

She understood his decision.

And she understood his guilt.

She dropped her shovel where it was, picked up her jacket and slung her backpack over her shoulder, following Ellie and leaving Joel by himself. He was the last person she could stand to look at right now.

Joel watched her leave, any softness that had existed between the two of them a few hours ago had disappeared.

He leaned against his shovel, staring down at the dirt and Ellie’s makeshift headstone. Having done what they’d just done, having known Henry and Sam, watching them interact….it gave Joel the answer to the question he’d pondered the night before.

If anything happened to Y/n or Ellie, he wouldn’t know how to carry on.

And that was the most terrifying feeling he could have had, because he’d had it before.

Ellie had snarked, sassed and snuck her way into his heart. Y/n had always been there, his affection never fading over time despite her perceived betrayal. But he’d buried her, another name in the long list of people he’d lost over twenty years. To have her come crashing back into his life had been unexpected and unwanted. He couldn’t stop himself from letting her consume his mind, just as she had the first time.

Now here he was, a child and the woman he’d loved relying on him, killing for him, and he wanted to run.

“Let’s go,” Ellie called out, she was even beginning to sound like him.

Joel startled, looking on to see Ellie and Y/n waiting for him. Y/n refused to look at him. They were right back to where they’d begun their journey. Perhaps even further, she’d met his gaze even after the ambush that had brought them back together. Something had shifted in her that Joel couldn’t figure out, nor did he think it was best to look too deep.

He put on Henry’s backpack, feeling the weight of it, and slipped his jacket through the strap. He gave a parting glance to the brother’s graves and headed off to join the women.

Despite their failure to keep their pasts hidden, the three of them had scars the others didn’t know about. Intricate pieces of them that had made them who they were in the Cordyceps dominated world. But past the secrets, there was a loyalty too real to deny. They were too deep in to quit on each other. Trudging westward, with grief still fresh and fragile in their palms, they were all each other had.

If one of them died, they all would.

———————

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[jade-jini]

STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBER! YUNJIN X LITTLE MENACE READER HEADCANON

Genre: fluff. Childhood best friends, not exactly romantic yet but there’s something there -

Warning: none bro. Reader is lowkey golden retriever puppy coded, don’t blame me-

Had in mind a spicier thing for Chaewon but first I wanted to do my first one about my girlie<3 but I’m still gonna post wonie’s one later. Might want to turn it into a little series of os in the same universe.

-You guys are actually childhood friends.

-Used to play together and go into feral mode, very energetic kids.

-Whenever you guys got hurt during one of your adventures, you would always clean each other’s tears and get a bandage with cute designs. That, plus little kiss in the affected zone and you were as good as new!

-eventually tho, when middle school ended and high school began, Yunjin started to become closer too with other kids (the fimmies) who were rather well mannered, so she eventually toned it down a bit until she became such a model student that they all became the student council.

-I mean she looked happy, and you were happy for her fr, and it’s not like you guys stopped talking. You just missed your partner in crime from time to time tbh. You have feelings too Cmon.

-You’re not actually a bad person, as some might think because of the amount of times you’re sent to detention. (Even some of the big intimidating kids like you and told you if you ever have a problem they’ll beat the sht outta people wheidjfod cute).

-And you’re not trying to create problems for yourself nor others, it’s just your excess of energy sometimes makes you be a little impulsive and don’t stop to use some reasoning.

-Like that time that your friend and you got into a heated and serious argument about the best gummy flavor since they kept saying green and you were like ??? Freakin green when blue and red exist???

-One thing lead to another and you ended up causing a food battle.

-Worth it tho ‘cause you

-1. Got supported by majority and red flavor (PAPA-PALGANMAT) won. And

-2. You got sent to the principal’s office who decided your detention would be in the student council’s office.

-Which meant you could spend some time with Jen and also the rest of the girls.

-GOING BACK TO THEM.

-They do actually like you, specially Eunchae, who was their youngest member.

-She likes how carefree and energetic you are and sees you as one of her role models like the rest of her older friends (even when chaewon tells her not to)

-Chaewon, as the student council president, of course has a liiiittle bit of a love-hate relationship with the cute little menace who can’t seem to get tired of running around school creating chaos nskdndjd. Here here.

-She’s always scolding you.

-And Yunjin too, when she gives in and joins you in your antics.

-She‘s never mean, she does it ‘cause she cares for her best friend’s other best friend and for her school.

-Sometimes tho, she might get a little too intense, and lowkey hurt your feelings without meaning to or realizing.

-But Yunjin and Sakura always remind you is with 0 bad intension, she just gets too much into stucon pres mode.

-Y’all are cool tho.

-now for the actual main topic of this Lmao

-Having a best friend in the student council actually be having its advantages hsjdnckd

-Since you seem unable to stay away from trouble, you often have Yunjin to your rescue.

-whether it is to talk to the professors, or even the principal!

-She always convinces them to not give you heavy punishments that might seriously affect your record.

-And she always gets you out of detention early.

-Except when you stop her from it for two reasons.

-First is ‘cause you’re having fun with the actual bullies in the detention uenrdjfn. Making jokes or talking about stuff you guys like. She just looks at you like “…Are you serious” and everybody just looks at her and shrugs, The Office style.

-And second is when your detention is in the student council office, then you stay there with her.

-Initially she tells you to be quiet and work on your class work ‘cause she has to focus on the papers on her desk.

-But then you start talking to her with the excuse that you need help (bs Ofc)

-Then the classwork questions turn into small talk

-Then that small talk goes into intense talk

-And you guys are just being loud making jokes and just laughing together while throwing paper balls to each other.

-Until Sakura or God forbids Chaewon tells you guys to stop playing around and finish both your work for class/ stucon responsibilities.

-Her mom still adores you. To her, you’re still just that energetic kid who would always bring a big smile into her dear daughter’s face.

-Her dad tho-

-Listen he doesn’t hate you but he doesn’t exactly LIKES you neither anymore bdjdndk

-He’s just protective with his kid and doesn’t want her getting into trouble. He’s never too mean or anything but sometimes (specially when it comes to his ears that you got in trouble again) he might make comments that aren’t exactly nice.

-But Jen’s mom is always there to defend you from her husband tho, and after a short awkward moment, things are ok (for now at least).

-Her uniform always ends up a mess when she lets go of her calmed self and you get a glimpse of her old self.

-It’s still there, and it’s not like she’s pretending to be somebody she’s not. She is who she is.

- “People grow up and change a little, it happens to everybody. Even to you.” She said. And you know it’s true. And you’re ok with it. Getting a little nostalgic about your childhood together is not a bad thing. And again, you guys are still good friends and you love and appreciate each other, even if you grew up to be slightly different (or maybe not) people.

-Seriously if it wasn’t for her who knows where you’d be right now, at juvenile or something. Get yo sht together bro.

[prettyshon10]

TOWL EP. 2

SPOILERS

- “We have kids. Kids who need to see their father. And I need to see them.” I know that’s right!

- I like this group Michonne’s come across. They gon die, aren’t they…😩

- These folks are minding their business; dropping chlorine gas on them, for what?!

- This is sad, ngl

- The score is so good!

- Please! With these burnt body piles!

- Really reminds me of when Maggie came across that bus full of Walkers and was looking for Glenn because she had to be sure 😭

- Bro WHO is doing the score for this show?!

- I was holding back my tears, but Michonne breaking down did me in. Thank God I’m in bed watching this straight out the gate at 2am and not wearing any mascara.

- There goes Rick in that ‘copter! Michonne, girl, you have no idea!

- “It was a dud.” Trust me, it wasn’t.

- Here it cooooomes!

- IT HONESTLY HITS HARDER THE SECOND TIME! THAT BUILD UP WAS EXCELLENT!

- Lord, I haven’t even noticed it raining. I love it, actually.

- HE’S CRYING. SHE’S CRYING. I’M CRYING.

- “I found you!” Scott, Danai, and Andy really set out to break me…

- Y’all don’t freakin understand this reunion scene… 🎵 I could watch you for a lifetime, you’re my favorite movie…🎵

- To the person/people behind this score, y’all WILL pay for my therapy, I’m literally rocking back and forth

- Now WHY did they do Nat like that?!

- My girl came up with a whole background story

- Yeeesss! Make out in that garage(?)!

- Oh my God, is she about to tell him about RJ?

- Don’t play me like that…

- Don’t tell me that figure watching back the tape is Jadis, ‘cause I’ll actually throw a fit

- Michonne’s ready to burn the CRM down; yes ma’am!

- It IS her!!

- Long-standing deal? 🤨

- “Yes yes yes?” Rick’s better than me…

- Another amazing episode! This show is really everything and I’m so happy!

[specialagentlokitty]

Daryl x reader - out my sight

hello!! i just read out my sight and it was AMAZING!!! would you consider a part two, whatever you want, im just curious to see more esp with the fighting and the group probably like “y’all actually love each other?” till they see a small moment that makes them get it. if not, that’s a okay! im definitely looking forward to seeing more of your work in the future!!! ❤️ - Anon💜

Part two:

Daryl did everything to keep you out of harms way, even at the farm, nobody was allowed near you on their own, especially not Shane.

You were sat down on top of the RV, sniper in your hands as you scanned the area again.

“Hey!”

Lowering the gun, you turned around and looked down at your boyfriend.

“What?”

“I want my jacket.”

You huffed, crossing your arms and shook your head.

“Mine now, been wearing it long enough.”

“You ass that ain’t how this works, it’s mine, give it.”

You turned around, going back to your spot to keep watch and he walked around the RV, standing just below it with his arms crossed.

“Come on, give it back I want it.”

“Nope.”

“Don’t be so fuckin’ stubborn, you never liked it anyways.”

You grinned down at him, setting your gun down.

“Yeah but it’s mine now, plus it’s warm.”

“I know it’s damn warm, it’s why I want it.”

“Not happening asshat.”

“I swear to god I will come up there and take it from you.”

You mocked his words knowing full well that he wouldn’t actually come take the jacket away from you.

He knew that he wouldn’t either, he just wanted to wear it since you had been wearing it for so long.

He took the one he was wearing off and tossed it up, and you glanced at it.

“Swap me.”

“It smells like ass.”

“You smell like ass, gimme a jacket.”

You snickered, taking the one you were wearing off and you laid on your stomach, reaching down to pass it to him.

Daryl looked around and he dragged something over, standing on it he placed his hand on the back of your head, quickly kissing you before he took the jacket down and jumped on the floor.

He tossed it on and you smiled softly at him.

“You’re a bitch!” He called.

“Fuck you!”

You sat up there for a few more hours in the sun before you swapped with Dale, and you walked over to the tent your boyfriend was living in.

Looking inside, you shrugged and made your way up to the house, sitting on the steps next Lori who was watching Carl kick some stones about.

“Any idea where the dickhead went?”

“Which one?” She laughed softly.

You grinned a little at her, pulling Daryl’s jacket a little closer around you.

It did smell bad, but it still smelled like him, and it was comforting, especially after so long without being with him, knowing he was alive.

“The one that follows me likes freakin’ shadow.”

“Ah, Daryl, he went hunting.”

“He’s a dick.”

“Aren’t you dating him?” Andrea asked confused.

You shrugged a little, titling your head back to look at her and you took the cup she offered you, drinking some of the water before setting it aside.

“Yeah, but he’s still a dick.”

“Yeah, he’s not exactly the friendliest of people.” She laughed softly.

You nodded, and looked at the small group you had learned was taking care of him.

They seemed like good people, and you were glad he had that, because you knew he needed good people in his life even if he didn’t want to admit it.

You spent the day up at the house with them, helping with a few tasks that they needed help with before making your way back to the tent, sitting inside.

You laid on the blankets, closing your eyes in hope for a few hours of sleep, but it didn’t come because someone tapped the fabric.

“Hey, we’re all getting ready to eat, are you coming?” Rick asked.

You waved your hand dismissively.

“Tired…”

He chuckled a little.

“Come on, just a bit of food then you can come back for some sleep.”

“I’m gonna throw my boot at you…”

“Alright, alright. I’ll get someone to set some aside for you.”

You nodded your head and he closed the tent again, letting you go back to sleep.

You heard shouting outside, and you furrowed your brows, sitting up and unzipping the tent to peak outside, hand on a gun Daryl had left for you.

“Daryl… shut the fuck up…” you mumbled.

He whipped around, walking over he unzipped the tent.

“Get your fuckin’ ass out here.”

“Nah…”

You crawled back inside and laid down to go back to sleep, wanting to make the most of it.

“Hey! Don’t you dare go back to sleep you lazy fucker! Get the hell out here now!”

You refused and he walked into the tent, hooking his arms under yours he dragged you outside and dropped you by the fire.

Snatching a plate from Shane who protested and tried to take it back he walked over and put it next to you.

“Fuckin’ shithead, skippin’ out of meals the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Don’t be such a prick.” You said.

You pushed yourself up, sitting so you could eat the food you were given and Daryl smacked the back of your head.

“Hit me again I’m gonna break your damn fingers.”

“Try it fucker.”

Everybody shared a look.

Daryl sat behind you, resting his back on yours as he began to clean the bolts for his crossbow.

“You guys seriously love each other?” Shane scoffed.

Rick punched his friend in the shoulder.

“Mind your own fuckin’ business.” Daryl grumbled.

You leant forward then fell back, hitting your back against his.

“Be nice shithead.”

He scoffed and grumbled something you couldn’t quite hear.

When you were finished eating you made your way back inside the tent to go back to sleep, and it wasn’t long until Daryl came through a few minutes later.

He laid next to you, resting his head on your chest and you placed hand on his head, gently messaging his scalp.

He hummed a little bit, wrapping his arm around your waist.

“Don’t see why I gotta play nice with ‘em. Don’t like ‘em, I like you.”

“You bitch, you hardly play nice with me as it it.”

“Yeah, but you love me.” He smirked.

He leant up, pressing a soft kiss to your jaw, then your shoulder.

“Don’t you try sucking up now.”

“Come on, say it.”

“No.”

“Say you love me darl.” He whispered.

You hummed a little, placing your hand on the side of his face, running your fingers along his cheek, tilting his head up towards you.

“Say it first…”

“Course I love you stupid.”

You grinned from ear to ear.

“Daryl Dixon loves me.” You beamed.

“Shut the fuck up.”

Laughing, you leant down, and he leant up, connecting your lips together.

You pulled away and he rested his head on you again, closing his eyes.

“Go to sleep..” you whispered.

He nodded, and fell asleep before you, but you knew he was still half awake.

He woke up before you, and he brushed his knuckles along your face, then leant down, kissing your forehead.

He looked between the two jackets and he picked up the one you had recently been wearing.

He was off back out today, and he knew you knew, but he wanted to go before you woke up so you wouldn’t attempt to go with him.

You decided to stick near the RV to wait for him to come back, so when Andrea announced a Walker and you looked through the scope of your gun.

You couldn’t get a good view, so you climbed on the fence, standing on it to try and get a better view.

“Don’t shoot!” You called up.

“Come on it’s just one, I can take it!”

“Yeah and draw others! I’ll go out!”

You jumped the fence, putting the gun on your bag you caught the stick that was thrown to you by Dale and you slowly crept closer.

The closer you got the better you could see.

“Daryl?” You called.

He looked up, and you ran over.

You heard the others shouting and you wrapped your arm around him, placing a hand on the wound in his ribs.

“Don’t shoot!” You yelled.

Daryl coughed a little, leaning against you, his head on yours.

“You’re alright sweetheart, we’re gonna get you some help yeah? You’ll be just as new..”

“Ain’t a few war wounds sexy on a man?” He smirked.

You laughed a little, taking hold of his hand.

“Ya damn right.”

The others ran over, and you placed a hand on your boyfriend’s chest.

“Don’t hurt him! He’s still human!”

“Come on, let’s get him back to Hershel.”

There was a bang, you and Daryl were thrown back.

Quickly rolling over you looked at the wound on his head.

“No.. no… no… Daryl…?”

“Get him! T-Dog get (Y/N)!”

You were hauled away from Daryl and you yelled, trying to break free so you could get back to him.

“Fighting me isn’t gonna help him!”

You stopped, tears running down your face and T-Dog let you go so you could run after them back to the farm house.

You fell jumping the fence, scraping your arm.

You tried to run into the house but they wouldn’t let you in.

“(Y/N)! Calm down!” Lori pleaded.

You stood there, and you turned your gaze to Andrea.

“You fucking shot my boyfriend….”

“I.. I’m sorry.. I.. I thought…”

“You shot him!”

You charged forward and you were pulled back, thrown aside by Shane, and Carol knelt next to you placing a hand on your shoulder.

“I swear to fuckin’ god if he dies Andrea I’m gonna kill you…” you sneered.

“You’re bleeding..” Carol whispered.

“I ain’t getting it looked at ‘till I know he’s alive.”

“You think that’s what he would want? You know he’d want you to get looked at.”

You looked up at her, tears burning your eyes.

“Not until I know he’s alive…”

She slowly nodded her head.

“Alright.”

So, you sat there, staring at the house, waiting.

You could see them all talking at the front, and it was Rick and Lori who walked over.

The crouched in front of you.

“He ain’t dead… tell me he ain’t dead.. Rick I swear to god…”

“He’s alive. He’s alive, but he needs to rest before you can see him, alright? That all Hershel asks.”

You nodded your head, knowing it was for the best if he were left to rest alone, but you knew that Rick wouldn’t lie to you.

“Come on, let’s get your arm looked at.”

You let them pull you up and you followed Lori inside to get your arm cleaned and bandaged.

The whole night you stayed on the porch, just waiting and nobody dared to move you, even as the sun rose and they began to come and go.

Lori came over.

“Hey, I’m sorry, I know you want to wait for him, but you think you could help me with some stuff?”

You nodded, needing the distraction and to keep yourself away so you helped her with some cleaning and things by the RV.

“You know she didn’t mean it.”

“I don’t give a fuck, I did Lori. If Daryl dies. If he turns. Amma put a bullet straight through her eyes.”

“You really gonna do that for me?”

You spun around, dropping what you were holding, and Daryl grinned a little bit at you.

“Ain’t that sweet.”

You walked over, placing your hand on his ribs, able to feel bandage from under his shirt, then you raised your hand, brushing your fingers against the one on his head.

He brought his hand up, taking yours and he held it to his chest, leaning down to put his forehead against yours.

“Am alright, ain’t no need to go killin’ people now is there?”

“She shot you…”

“Everybody wanted to shoot me at least once, takes more than a bullet to bring me down darl, you know this.”

You shook your head, closing your eyes as you brushed your nose against his.

You sniffled a little and he pulled away, bringing a hand to your face so he could wipe away the tears.

“Hey, come on now, don’t cry. I’m alright.”

Everybody kept their distance, but it all made sense to them now.

You guys argued a lot, but that moment made them all realise how much you really did love each other.

The way he wiped your tears away, resting your head on his chest, an arm wrapped tightly around your waist with the other on the back of your head.

The way you clung to him tightly as if he were the one thing keeping you together.

Daryl kissed the top of your head repeatedly.

“Come on, come on darl… stop cryin’ am starting to feel bad and I was the one who was shot…”

You laughed weakly and you pulled away.

Taking your jacket off, you wrapped it around his shoulders, and he smiled a little at you, leaning down to kiss the corner of your mouth.

“Come on, let’s get you some sleep moron, I heard you been awake all night.”

You nodded and he took your hand, leading you to his tent so you could get some sleep.

He sat down with a grunt of pain, and you looked at him worried, but he just guided your head to his chest, letting you rest on it.

He ran his fingers through your hair, just like you did for him, and he held you tightly and close, making sure you were safe.

When he woke up after being shot he was terrified it was you that was hurt, and they wouldn’t let him go see you until he slept and was rested enough.

You held his hand close to you, and he smiled down at you, shuffling down so he was laid down with you curled up next to him

[waltricia]

Happy Polin Day!! 💛 I accidentally wrote an essay about the lighting in this two second clip. I guess I found my Roman Empire.

Nicola said in an interview that the theme of the first season was passion, the second was longing, and the third is romance, and I fully agree and believe her because everything about this clip SCREAMS romance.

As perfect as they are, I have to put aside costume, hair, and makeup, and just praise the lighting right now bc it really deserves to be discussed.

Anyone who has ever read a romance novel knows that when the leading man looks at the leading lady ~lustily~, his expression darkens and he has a devilish glint in his eye, while she has a soft, open expression and stars in her eyes. That is EXACTLY what they achieved by angling a single soft fill light on Luke from below, while having him kinda backlit/ side lit by the key light (the moonlight), and angling that harder accent light on Nicola from above and back, while having the full key light on her from the front.

In classic horror cinematography, characters are lit from below because it casts sinister shadows on their faces. Hell scenes often have characters lit by fire from below (because obviously). This kind of lighting is also great for portraying lust (see Kanthony in the library, season 2 ep 4, both scenes). Lustiness and the devil go hand in hand (because religion lol), and that’s why this slightly sinister lighting looks so good here.

Colin is every bit the romantic hero, and the way the lighting portrays that is subtle, but intentional. His eyes are shadowed and he has that glint. No doubt he’s about to do something bold and scandalous. Just the way Colin is approaching Pen pretty clearly indicates his intentions, but I really like that you can also derive those intentions from the lighting because it evokes such freakin classic romantic imagery.

And in the same perfectly subtle way, she is also classically lit, but representing the other side of the coin. As he’s lit from hell, she’s lit from heaven. The yellow (😉) light on her has an angelic effect. It’s also a soft spotlight, like how they would light Old Hollywood starlets.

When you combine that light with the key light (the moonlight) that fills her face and makes her eyes sparkle, you really see her, and she is meant to be worshipped. That’s what Colin is seeing. And, obviously, being seen terrifies our wallflower. Which just adds another layer to the significance of Colin’s lighting because not only does the lighting tell us what’s he’s about to do (😘), it also makes sense to have him in the devilish lighting because she’s scared. But it’s the good kind of scary of course.

And what’s so god damn beautiful about the whole thing, is that the opposition that I’m seeing between the lighting of Colin and Pen in this moment exists so harmoniously with the equivalence that I also see between the characters. The feeling of connection between them is stronger than it’s ever been. And I’m guessing she’s literally on some kind of platform, like a doorstep or something, because their lines of sight are more level with each other. So the contrast between Colin and Pen itself contrasts with the closeness between them.

I just love how wonderfully complex that is. I am so impressed.

And that’s just the lighting y’all.

THAT’S JUST THE LIGHTING

💡🤯👏🙌😍🐝🌼🪞💛🩵💚✨

[the-laughing-lunatic]

Hallo! Was wondering if I could request some platonic headcanons for Scout, Heavy, and Spy with a reader who likes to imitate their voices for fun? Sorry if zhis is a bit odd-

(Holy shit this idea is so freakin cute. Also first ask!!! I was giggling like an idiot when I got this. Thx for requesting!)

Scout, Heavy, and Spy with a reader that imitates their voice (PLATONIC)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

☆Scout☆

Oh man

MAJOR ego boost for this man

Goes straight to his head, you can’t stop it

Thinks he’s the coolest guy in the world

You thought he talked a lot before? Get ready for him to yap all the time now

Gets used to it really quickly

The rest of the team fuckin hates it

One loud-ass Boston voice was enough but now there’s two???

He absolutely uses as a defense in any argument

“Yeah? Well at least I don’t need to talk in another guy's voice.”

All in good nature though

He thinks it’s sweet

☆Heavy☆

When he first heard you he thought there was a spy in the base

Very relieved when he realized it was just you

A little puzzled but accepts it

Will teach you Russian and the proper pronunciation

“Okay, repeat me. Да.”

“Da.”

“No, no. Да.”

“Да?”

“There it is!”

Slightly insecure of when he speaks English since he feels it makes his sound less intelligent

So to know that someone likes his voice is really nice

☆Spy☆

Thinks you’re making fun of him at first

He can’t go one day without hearing a “hon hon hon baguette” from Scout

Secretly impressed by your accuracy but he’d never say that to you

He’d imitate your voice in retaliation until he found out that you just did it for fun

“You'd make a decent spy, you know. Not as good as me, of course, but decent.”

Y’all would imitate the other team together for funsies now

But bro casually drops the craziest lore he knows when you do it though

“Oh mein gott Heavy, it appears you have found out my secret!”

“Yes doctor, but do not worry. Heavy will tell no one about doctor’s secret diary with drawings of Heavy in it.”

“Wait Medic has what?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No! Tell me everything. Now.”

Congrats you just got a gossip bestie

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

[laurancezvahlslefteyebrow]

y’all know how in the beginning of mcd, aphmau’s house straight up gets blown up by a creeper and instead of actually fixing it she just hangs up some fairy lights and calls it good?

yeah that happened

but instead of being blown up by a creeper (bc they don’t exist in my rewrite), it just kinda… collapsed..

reason being: she built it as quickly as possible because she wanted to get out of emmalyn’s hair as quickly as possible, so it wasn’t very structurally sound..

and as for why she never fixed it? she was too freakin busy man. being a lord is very demanding, especially when you’re constantly helping people build their own houses and going on quests n shit

so it just kinda sat without a roof until Nana and Brendan built her a new house

she slept in the basement for a while.

on the floor.

it’s fine tho. she’s fine..

…

she’s fine.

[shujisprettybabe]

Nicolas Brown, Worick x Fem! reader

tw: implied nfsw towards the end…that’s about it.

A/n: I am so sorry about the person who requested this?? Like a freakin month ago?? I went on deployment🇺🇸🦅???💀 But I hope you enjoy it!! And sorry if they seem a little bit ooc!! If you want something different or better please let me know!!

Worick was no foreigner when it came to Lingerie. In fact, he prided himself on knowing the difference between them and what looked best on not only himself but his clients, although it never stayed on for long.

 But on you? Consider him a new man. Consider him never having seen lingerie a day in his life. Because you. Because you??

He’s flabbergasted. His jaw is dropped and he can't help the way his eyes rake your body, taking in the way the clothing compliments your breast  and completes your figure. He’s like one of those cartoon dog’s, you swear you could see the hearts in his eyes. 

The funny thing is, this is not the first time he’s seen you wear Lingerie. Throughout the few years you’ve been married and even through the years y’all have dated, he’d act a damn fool when you decided to surprise him with the lacy,silk clothing. He’s your biggest supporter and hypeman, can’t help but to feel like the most beautiful woman.

He whistles, a giant smile covering his face while he rises from the bed. His hands reach around your waist and pull you close. “Is it my birthday or is this a reward for good behavior?” He says with a smile that you can't help but match.

“Hmm? Oh this little ole thing? I’m wearing this for me.” You laugh out loud. “ ‘m just changing up my nightgown.” The faux innocence in your eyes has him chuckling. His hands slide down your form slowly before gripping your ass and pulling you even closer.

“Then I approve this new changeup. I’d like to indulge myself in this new change, if you don't mind.” And with that he picks you up. You can’t help the screech that leaves your mouth as he does with such ease. He places you down on the bed before kissing your breath away.

“So I’m guessing that means you like it?” you laugh.

“Oh my pretty wife, more than you’ll ever know.”

Unlike Worick, Nicolas Brown was a silent appreciator. The first time you walked into his room, he was already seated in a chair, his eyes closed and arms crossed. He had just gotten back from one of his job calls and was patiently awaiting the next one.

He noticed someone was in the room but waited till he felt the tap on his shoulder to open his eyes and the sight behold him had his eyes as wide as saucers . 

Not many things could surprise him or at least indicate it on his face.

But goddamn you looked like a goddess standing in front with a timid tilt to your smile. He swallows the lump in his throat and beckons you closer.

Instantly wrapping his hands around your waist and stroking the silky material. You wait patiently for him to finish.

And finally, he looks up. A soft smile decorates his lips and you let out a breath you weren't even aware you were holding as you replicate the same smile on your face.

He lets go of you to sign quickly before placing them back around your waist.

“What’s the occasion?”

“Nothing, just wanted to surprise you. You seemed a little stressed out from work and…I thought this might help.”

He lays his hand on your stomach and lets out a soft hum of appreciation before he’s suddenly up and softly pushing you away.

All for good reason of course. Nicolas Brown was very aware of his handsy and T-shirt stealing (although they both steal other’s clothes) roommate. And because of that, he’s also very aware that Worick does not have the concept of privacy when it comes to barging into other people’s rooms.

So like any sane man, he closes and locks the door before returning back to your beautiful figure.

Nicolas grabs you gently, treating you like you were made of glass before placing soft kisses on your forehead, cheeks, nose and lastly your lips. You both slowly melt into each other’s embrace, his hand slowly gliding up and down your back.

And you finally take a breath of air, his head  on your forehead. He pulls you back to sit on his lap as he signs. “You’re perfect. Thank you, love.””

You can’t help the smug grin that sets place on your face, feeling him underneath you.

“Let’s see how long this actually stays on.”His smirk matches your as he begins to remove his belt.

[cookie-crumblr]

Hype Train! Caged Birds~

F!Pregnant Streamer Reader x M!Yandere Streamer OC

Part 1~

His Info: 📹✨

Part: 1 2

Hype Train! 1, Part 1, here!

!!!MINORS DNI!!!

CW: !F reader, use of she/her when referring to reader, reader has a vagina, YANDERE, pet names (Pretty, pretty girl, good girl, my girl, mama), PREGNANCY in future parts!, reader will be scared of pregnancy, exhibitionism, public use of toys, ML controlled toys, breeding kink, p in v, public bathroom sex, creampie, breeding kink, cum play for a sec, fingering for a sec

from this point on anything on “Hype Train! Caged Birds” will be the pregnancy path! i will be posting “Hype Train! Little Mouse!” parts as well, which will be the NON pregnancy path! Love y’all! hope you will enjoy 😚✨

“Jasper…” You writhe a little, uncomfortable in the velvet chair.

Though… Not because of the chair.

A little remote sits on the table next to his place setting.

“Yeeeessss~ Pretty?” fingertips drum on his chin, maybe feigning some sort of innocence.

You can’t even muster the deadpanned look you wish you could give him as the little butterfly shaped thing vibrates inside your panties.

He bought you a dress before taking you to this fancy ass place.

The second problem therein lies.

The freakin’ dress is too short!

Your panties do NOT hide the toy, let alone your soaked slit.

In fact, they cling to everything.

“C’mon, Jasper…”

“What is it, pretty girl~” His smile is so chilling, you shiver even more intensely in your seat.

“Pleaeeeaaase, there are people all around.”

“Please what? I didn’t hear you, pretty…” He idly picks up the remote and pushes it.

His ankle is lazily crossed over his other knee. Lust fills his eyes, as he’s leaning back in his chair, observing you.

“Please… Tur-nnn i-it offf…” Your hands and legs shake as the heat inside you builds.

*Click* it stops abruptly.

“W—waaait…!” You exclaim, the sudden stop almost makes you feel like crying!

“What is it, pretty girrl? I thought you said, stop…” The grin on his stupidly hot face just widens.

“T-turn it back on…” You whisper breathlessly. Eyes darting around at the faces that could care less all around you. The thought that anyof them could turn and see everything kind of… Turns you on though…

“P-please…” Your legs spread a little wider and you move your hands to the table’s edge.

*Click* “Ah!!” you bite your lip as your pussy convulses, “mm” You force your legs to stay open.

He smirks, “Good girl.” He holds his phone under the table to record your bottom half.

You spread wider for him, face burning immensely as you turn your head and squint in embarrassment.

“Mmm, that’s my girl,” *Click* “Always so good f’me”

Your grip on the table shakes the wine and water glasses, you try to keep your knees apart, but it feels like gravity wants to force them together.

*Click*

“Haaaahhhh” the setting changes to some kind of rising, pulsing vibration that slows back down to an almost stop, then starts over. “Ooooohh nn-n”

You don’t even notice him stand and walk over to you, “C’mon, it’s time fr m’good girl t’get her reward” He grabs the faux fur coat and slings it with his index finger over his shoulder.

You’re barely hanging onto your threads of sanity as you approach orgasm, shuddering in your seat.

Wobbling, you manage to stand as he gently helps you up by your arm.

He enforces your pace, quickly leading you to the bathroom.

It’s honestly a nice bathroom, not that your surprised given the rest of the establishment.

He pats the empty counter space between two sinks, and then lifts you by your sides as you hop up at the same time.

“Jasperrrr,”

“Yes, pretty?”

“Please fff-fuck me, hard,” the things still vibrating on your clit. God, you can’t think straight.

Kicking off your heels, you bring up your legs and spread them as wide as possible.

“S’pretty” He says in awe. “I almost wanna snap a picture first…”

“Please, Jasper…” You move your panties to the side giving him a clear view of your hot, quivering hole.

“Fuck, pretty,” his tongue slowly rounds his lips, before he pulls up his bottom lip between his teeth.

Teasingly he stares at you while so agonizingly slowly opening his pants, and undoing his belt. The chains and keys on his wait jingle.

“Goddddd Hurry, pleeaaseee! I want you so ff-fucking b-bad,” You beg.

He finally gets that huge beautiful thing out, the tip and the piercing shining with his precum.

Now you’re licking your lips, “Oh, Jasper, Pleasee, put that inside me right fucking now, oh my god.”

“Since you asked so nicely, pretty girl, I won’t tease you anymore,” as he says that he slaps your thigh with his cock, getting a little jump out of you.

His lopsided smile is from ear to ear. You’d roll your eyes if you weren’t already brain dead, and thinking of nothing past his gorgeous, thick and veiny length.

You scooch closed trying to take it in yourself, he puts his hand over your mound and pushes the still vibrating toy harder against you.

Your body retreats back with a grunt.

But soon enough the tip touches you, opening you up further, you bite down almost puncturing your lip, brows knit furiously together.

He thrusts in, “F-fuck, Y/N, you’re s’tight,” he rolls his hips first, getting himself nice an wet by your own juices. “I can’t wait t’fill this pretty lil pussy”

“Please! Cum inside me, I wan’it s’ bad, Jasper!”

His hand finds your mouth so you can bite it. You do. Hard.

“Wan’ me to make ya a mama that bad?”

Lost in the moment, as he starts thrusting into you, you open your mouth to say, “Yes! Please!!! I wanna have your babies, Jasper!! Fuck em into me!” he slides his hand down to your throat, holding you in place by it.

“Yeah? You wan’that, pretty?” His thrusts already started off erratic, you can tell that this whole time his arousal was building as much as yours.

He slams harder and harder into you, if you weren’t shoulders against a mirror and holding onto his own for purchase, you’d surly be forced annoyingly away.

“Ah! ff-fuck! Are you ready, pretty?” He asks while speeding up.

“Yes!! Fill me! Fill me up, Jasper!”

He does, white coats your insides and the second you feel that hot thickness filling you so perfectly in harsh bursts, you cum as well. Your walls convulse hard and tighten around him, so he can’t escape.

You wrap your legs around him, keeping him locked from the outside as well.

You’re both panting, your head back against the cold mirror uncomfortably, and his forward, black hair blocking his face from view.

He wraps his arms around you and kisses your neck.

You aren’t letting go and he says, “You really do wan’me t’make ya a mama, huh,” his dick twitches inside you. “Don’t think I ever wanted little ones till I found you… Now I just, wanna fill you… I wanna come home to them running around… like a real person would.” that last part comes out quietly.

“You are a real person, Jasper.”

He laughs bitterly, it makes your heart hurt.

“As long as I am to you, pretty”

You let him pull out, and some of his cum follows, “Oh no, can’t have that can we~” His sing songy voice is back in an instant.

He brings two of his fingers to your dripping cunt, collecting all of his essence that escaped.

“I’m gon’have ta fuck this back into ya, huh? don’t wanna waste any… Now that we’re tryin’”

“What?” You’re thinking clearer in the post absolute bliss, though the thing on you is still freaking vibrating, it’s overwhelming you, but your thoughts still manage to come through.

Are you even ready for kids?!

“W-wait! Jasper!” You try and back up now, but he’s miles away in a different realm. “Haaah!” His fingers curl, and he presses his other hand over the vibrator. He starts rubbing it onto you in a circular motion.

It was already too much, and now your body is shaking like the very earth is breaking open beneath you.

The precipice grows beneath you.

His fingers pump his own cum back into you with more vigor as you get closer to the edge.

“You’re s’pretty, Y/N…” It comes out a whisper.

You come undone again, somehow harder this time. You get your juices all over the counter. he thankfully rips the thing off you in the same moment, so you don’t get overstimulated.

It moves around the floor as it vibrates.

Lips collide perfectly with yours, his snake bites tickle your chin a little. You giggle into him, as his hand comes up to your cheek, and his tongue enters your mouth.

You sigh, he always makes sure the comedown is pleasant and intimate. You forget everything else in the world again, and hug his body.

[largecucumber]

I’m so freakin’ tirrrrrrrrredddd. 😭 I wanna do silly little doodles all day, but I gotta read about Neo-Weberian developmental state theories and the margins of geopolitics 🤓🤓🤓 Like, omgggg what IS that even?? I mean like, sure the US military industrial complex played a huge role in Korea’s economic transformation during the 1960s-70s, but SO WHAT?? 🤷‍♀️ Good for them! 😘👏

Don’t get me wrong, I love studying, but these academics write huge articles using very esoteric terms and smart ass language. Umm excuse me?? I could sum up your 20 page essay in just a few sentences that EVERYONE could understand. And my professor has a problem with me using informal language during our discussions. Dude, I’m not a thesaurus! Good god what am I even doing?? 😒

Anyways, here’s a silly little doodle of Marshal Murat! 🐴❤️ sorry, I dunno how to draw czapkas 😢

How’s school/college going for the rest of y’all? 💗🥺

[britcision]

Happy WIP Wednesday everyone! Because I asked last week what to call him, this week y’all can have some Conner!

Chapter 16 is coming along much better now that I’ve mostly settled on the order I want this first little segment to be in, so we’ll see how long it takes to wrap up some Tim/Tuck/Con and get to the good stuff 😇

Not quite half way there yet, but it’s on the horizon

———————

Field Trips Without Permission Slips part 2

In the skies above Wayne manor, Conner stalled out for a moment. His powers weren’t the most reliable, he was more than aware of it. 

Usually though? He could tell when they were fritzing out. 

He’d heard Danny and Jason perfectly clearly, a weird tearing noise, and now both were gone. No voices, no breathing (had they always been breathing? Suddenly he wasn’t sure), no heartbeat. 

Neither of them had sounded particularly upset, or concerned. Well, not more than Jason already had been. 

Jason’s heart had actually been a little slower by the time they parted ways, and hadn’t gone back up. 

Not that Conner was eavesdropping. Not on purpose, anyway. He’d heard voices and listened just enough to identify Tim’s brother before stopping to check in. 

He didn’t much care what anyone else did in the skies above Gotham, so long as it wasn’t his problem. And he valued privacy, or at least got pissed enough when Clark disrespected his that he wouldn’t do the same. 

Right up until he’d flown away and Danny had casually commented about Tucker melting if Conner asked him to ride. 

Because that had kinda been directed at him, really. That didn’t count. He’d even heard his own name. Tuned right back out after, up until the disappearing. 

(And totally wasn’t thinking about Tim’s new friend wanting to actually ride him. He hadn’t even met the guy yet, although from what Tim had told him he was pretty sure they’d get along. 

Anyone who could get Tim to actually enjoy a proper meal had to be kept around on a freakin’ pedestal. 

He was resigning himself to a lot of technobabble though. Tim on his own tended to go off, but if Tucker really was on Tim’s level? 

Yeah, Conner was well aware he’d understand at most half of what they were talking about, but he just liked seeing Tim that happy. That passionate. 

Conner was well aware he didn’t offer much to Tim’s intellectual side, not being one to wait for a well thought out plan, but that was kinda why they worked so well. Their skills were a near perfect complement. 

He’d do his best not to melt their new friend though. Definitely no riding jokes. 

Maybe he was preening just the tiniest ittiest bit that Danny apparently thought he was that hot.) 

He was stuck for a moment, held by indecision. Jason had been in the kind of mood that Conner wanted him nowhere fucking near Tim. 

He definitely was not near Tim. Mission accomplished? 

On the other hand, part of Tim had never fully let go of Jason as his Robin. Not even after… well, everything that happened when Jason came back. 

Conner had been kinda out of it when the whole Titans Tower incident went down (and dead shortly after), but he knew the basics, and he knew Tim. Tim hadn’t processed fucking anything from that time well. 

Still probably hadn’t. Conner didn’t really want to ask if his boyfriend still had the data from the whole attempted cloning thing. 

But when Dick finally got through to Jason, Tim had jumped at the explanation of the pit rage. It took the edge off what Conner knew ached more than the beating; being rejected by his predecessor. 

His hero. 

Conner woulda kicked Jason’s ass for that alone, even without the physical attack, but Tim… Tim didn’t want him to. 

For one thing, Tim could make Jason’s life hell just fine on his own. But Tim… 

Well. 

Conner was more than happy to admit that Tim knew way more about the Lazarus pits than any of Young Justice. He just hoped Tim was going off knowledge, and not just the wish for his hero to accept him. 

Because Jason did, now. They’d never exactly talked about it, the asshole never apologised, but… they got along. 

Jason was prickly as fuck with everyone, but Conner had noticed how… careful he was with Tim. How quick to back down, to just remove himself from the situation if Tim pushed him. 

Which Tim did, because none of the bats had any self preservation. 

Jason really did seem to be fighting something inside him. A fight he didn’t always win, but had learned to retreat from. Taking himself away before he lost completely. 

It was most obvious when Steph wound him up; Conner had been to enough family dinners, and talked to her enough to know she hadn’t let Jason entirely off the hook either. 

But they’d both defer to Tim, because it was Tim’s call. 

Tim would probably want to know Jason had disappeared off the face of the earth. Actually, Tim would probably know exactly why and how it had happened. 

Had Jason or Danny actually mentioned what other business they might have? Conner had kinda been focused on not letting Jason near Tim, but he didn’t think so. 

If it was a planned disappearance, it’d have been Danny doing it, so Tucker would probably know more, right? Danny obviously had multiple abilities, Conner had already seen at least two. 

Either way, the answers were in the manor beneath him, along with his very favourite person in the world. 

Alfred. Tied with Ma and Pa Kent, though. 

And his beloved boyfriend Tim, of course. 

Brightening a little, Conner made his descent, landing at the backdoor of the manor and letting himself in. 

On the off chance they did need to be worried about Jason and Danny’s strange disappearance, at least he was already in town. 

—————————

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