#the press for TLOU is trying to kill me

[coastielaceispunk]

Pedro Pascal…you make me love you even more every single day.

[ovaryacted]

HANDSY

PAIRING: Jackson! Joel Miller x afab! reader || WC: 1.2k

SYNOPSIS: Your cycle is ruining your mood, and what better thing to do than get a free massage.

CONTENT/WARNINGS: MDNI/18+. NSFW. Suggestive content. Titty massage. Slight daddy kink. Established relationship. Joel being a little bastard. Ambiguous age gap (Joel is in his 50s, reader is in their 20s). Mentions of menstrual cycle and female characteristics about the chest. Banter and teasing. No use of y/n.

A/N: Alright, I'm kinda on a Joel Miller streak and I was just thinking about getting my tiddies rubbed by a man with strong & rough hands and this happened. Don't look at me like that okay, this is self indulgent and I just had to alright. Hopefully this is relatable for some of y'all lol. Shout out to everyone who has to deal with periods, you are stronger than the marines. Anyways, likes, comments, and reblogs are greatly appreciated! Dividers by @saradika-graphics.

��� TLOU was created by a zionist and is based off of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Please refer to this link to learn how you can help the Palestinian people.

NAVIGATION | MASTERLIST | AO3

Another month. Another week of unruly irritation, mood swings, and uncomfortable reactions to anything that breathed too hard or moved too fast. In the hecticness that was your current reality, dealing with the devil’s wrath was supposed to be something that slipped past your mind. Yet, in the efforts of your survival, having a menstrual cycle still took you off guard every time it came punching through your gut.

Tossing and turning in bed, you tried to get in the best position to ease your cramps by curling up in a fetal position. You thought it would make things better, but instead, the discomfort you felt all over your body pissed you off even more. A frustrated grumble filled the bedroom, flinging the sheets away and furrowing your eyebrows at the lack of relief.

Where the fuck is he?

Throwing on a pair of slippers you luckily claimed on a supply run, you shuffled down the creaky stairs of your home and wandered about until you reached the living room. Joel was hunched over his seat on the couch, currently messing with his guitar strings, aware of your presence the moment you hit the base of the stairway.

“Somethin’ wrong, sweetheart?” He questioned you as he took in your features and noticed your pout. You were upset; that was obvious when he found you in bed earlier today instead of somewhere else in the house. Simply kissing your forehead and letting you rest as best as he could, he expected you to come down to talk to him eventually when you had the energy to do so.

Joel didn’t say anything as you came closer to him without uttering a word, slipping your legs over his thick thighs and pressing your face into the curve of his neck. He put his guitar to the side and wrapped his strong arms around your waist, hands instinctively digging into your lower back where you felt the most sore. He could tell from the way you clung to him that it was that time of the month, already having gotten used to your changes in demeanor to see the signs.

“Uncomfortable?” Joel asked again, trying to get a better read on your emotions, but he only received an annoyed grunt in response. “Guess we’re just gonna sit here then.”

He ran his fingers up and down your spine, trying his best to lessen the strain you felt. He could snag some herbs to make you tea later if you were in the mood for it, but right now, a massage is what you could handle. His touch made you sigh with alleviation, focusing on the pressure points along your shoulder and backbone. Even with his attempts, the front of your body continued to ache.

“My boobs are fucking killing me.” You declared out loud, a deep rumble of a chuckle escaping from the back of his throat.

“You need me to massage them?” Joel offered, and his intention of doing that was purely to make you feel better. Though, you couldn’t ignore the slight flutter in your belly at the idea of having his hands elsewhere. 

Giving him a nod, you sat straighter on his lap, holding his gaze as he slipped his hands underneath the flannel you wore and made a beeline for your chest. Joel didn’t flinch at the fact that you weren’t wearing a bra, being told once or twice how freeing it was not to have to deal with the constant friction of clothes against your heated skin.

He palmed both of your breasts and squeezed, his grip just strong enough to calm the throbbing of the swelling from your change in hormones. Your eyes closed as you focused on his touch, allowing Joel to do whatever he wanted with you, what he knew best.

“Feelin’ better?” You heard him ask, humming out in reply. He grinned at your reaction, the hum sounding close to a purr as he pawed at your chest.

Taking his hands out from underneath your���his shirt, you whined, a smirk tugging at the corners of Joel’s lips. Lifting the top of the flannel to rest on your collarbone, his attention went back to your breasts, looking at them with a mix of desire and affectionate pity.

“Poor baby. Hormones got my girl all cranky and upset.” He said, placing a soft kiss on the top of each breast before handling your body once more. You don’t know whether or not he was deliberately teasing you when you were the most vulnerable, but just hearing his voice was doing wonders to soothe your nerves.

You’ve always been fascinated with Joel’s hands since you met him, watching how he’d hold the handle of his gun or insert ammo into the magazine before reloading. His palms were rough, and his fingers were rougher, representing a man who’s lived a long life, who’s done unspeakable things to survive and get to this point. To most, they’d dislike the feeling of having so much of a contrast, but to you, the difference of his skin against yours was almost euphoric.

Joel squeezed with more purpose, focusing on tightening his grasp along the sides where the pain was the most prominent. One harsh thumb came to stroke at your sensitive nipple in gentle circles, pulling a breathless moan from between your lips. The smile on his face widened when his ears picked up the sound, moving to do a combination of deliberate squeezes and circles on the exposed nubs.

The warmth of his touch morphed into something else, need coiling in your stomach and clawing up your throat. As discretely as you could, your hips shifted further into his, craving much more than what he was giving you. Joel couldn’t help himself and brought you closer to him, grinding his hips up into yours. That got your attention, looking into his hazel eyes to find his pupils narrowly dilated.

“If you need me to rub somethin’ else, I can.” Despite the years worn on his face, he still had a certain boyish charm that jerked at your heartstrings when he flirted with you. Or, maybe it was just his southern gentleman persona, ever so willing to tend to your needs no matter what they may be.

“You’re annoying.” You mumbled to him, stubbornly refusing to outright beg for his affection, regardless of how badly you craved it.

“And you’re moody.” Joel kissed you tenderly, drawing away and snickering when you leaned forward to chase his lips for another.

“Let daddy make you feel good. Alright, darlin’?” You nodded dumbly at the proposition of getting something more than your tits massaged.

His eyes flashed with lust, making quick work to peel off the flannel and toss it to the ground. Already growing hard at the thought of having his way with you, he tilted towards you, kissing the column of your neck and letting his beard tickle your skin. You released a shaky exhale, fingers running through his graying hair and tipping your head back to grant him more access to your skin.

“Atta girl.”

©️ ovaryacted 2024. Please don’t repost, copy, translate, or feed into any AI. Support your fellow creators by reblogging, commenting, and liking!

[tlou-reid]

Suburban Legends ❆ Ellie Williams

☃︎SUMMARY: ellie is getting ready to leave for a dangerous patrol, but spends time calming her lover down

☃︎WARNINGS: mentions of typical tlou violence, fluff

☃︎NOTE: i’m currently sitting in the car omw to nyc so this may not be formatted correctly but i wanted to get it up in time <3 i will fix it later

☃︎swiftmas masterlist!

.｡❅⋆⍋∞｡∞⍋⋆❅｡.

We were born to be suburban legends. When you hold me, it holds me together, and you kiss me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever.

You weren’t sure when or how Ellie had found the way up to the top of the roof of one of the many storage buildings in Jackson, but you were not complaining. You could see the Christmas lights that had been put up and the way they reflected off of the blanket of snow that had fallen during the day.

Ellie held you close, keeping your shivering body as tucked under her own jacket as she could. She had warned you it would be cold, and you had on a few layers, but you did not want to delay the adventure she had planned for you. She was leaving tomorrow, going with a team of some of the relevant patrol people to a recently discovered abandoned town. You weren’t sure if abandoned was the right word when there were people there, they just happened to have cordyceps growing in their brains.

You wished you could burn the image of your outstretched legs, tucked neatly in between Ellie’s own into your brain. You wished you could keep the sound of her breathing on repeat while she was gone. You wished this moment was never going to end.

But, it was going to. Ellie was going to have to leave, adventuring to a place that could easily have her killed in less than a couple of minutes. You knew she was doing it for the town, and that her main motivation was you. She had whispered to you how she was going to get you supplies for the children you watched at the daycare, how she was going to bring back new clothes for you to look pretty in, hot chocolate to keep your hands warm on your next adventure, all while she held you tightly, just as she now.

There were few times when Ellie could find the right words to say. She was easily overtaken by emotion, often saying things she didn’t mean, whether it be because she was angry and trying to hurt someone’s feelings, or if she was making a joke because a situation was uncomfortable for her. She stumbled over her words when she was trying to be sweet and spit them out with venom when she was trying to be mean.

But, you could feel everything she couldn’t say as she held you close. She picked up your darkest fears, your biggest worries, your happiest memories, and everything in between in her large hands, and bundled you up, protecting you from anything that could hurt you.

Even your own thoughts, just as she was now.

Ellie broke the comfortable silence that had settled between you with a deep sigh, pressing a warm kiss into the back of your head. “I hate that this is the world we were given,” She whispered into the night. She wasn’t sure if she was talking to you, or if she was just speaking into the open air. Either way, you were listening.

“What d’ya mean?” You asked, pressing yourself closer to her, trying to absorb some of your warmth. “We could’ve like, fucking,” there she was, struggling to vocalize her thoughts, “lived in a townhouse, or some shit like that. We could’ve had a cat, an orange one like you always wanted.” You smiled in her arms, recalling all of the times you’d mentioned the cat you wished you could’ve had.

“We could’ve lived in a suburb,” You giggled, trying to imagine Ellie working a 9 to 5, stressing about things that were happening in the office, rather than the infected that were walking around. “We really could’ve,” she laughed, really enjoying conjuring up this imaginary life with you. She let out another chuckle, “I’d have a hot work wife that you’d be crazy jealous of.”

“Hey!” You exclaimed, lightly slapping her arm. “I would not!” You two were a mess of laughter, each picturing the different lives you could’ve been given. As things settled down, she pressed another kiss to the back of your head, “you totally would, though.” You rolled your eyes, letting her win the argument.

Another comfortable silence fell over you two. This one was heavier. You both knew the other was full of wishfulness, desires that could never be fulfilled. It went on like this for a few moments.

“I’m sorry,” Ellie mumbled into the back of your head after a while. “For what?” You asked, grabbing her hand in an effort to warm your own. “That I couldn’t give you a better life."

“Ellie,” you gasped, actually hurt by her words. You turned your body to look at her, making sure she was listening to every word you were about to say. “You have done everything you can to make sure I’ve gotten the best out of the shitty hand we were dealt. I would not trade my time with you for any townhouse, any cat, or any suburb.”

Her eyes were practically hearts are you reassured her. You couldn’t tell if the pink on her cheeks from your monologue, or the piercing cold. She held eye contact with you for a while, taking in how pretty you were. Then, she was pulling towards her, meeting you halfway. The kiss was electric, warming your entire body. Your cold hands slipped under her hoodie, pulling her as close to you as you could. Ellie didn’t mind the chill of your hands, she was too entranced by you.

You two pulled away breathlessly, but neither one of you let go of the other. “Can I tell you a secret?” She asked, her grip on you tightening. Her heart was beating in her chest, and you see the way her breathing sped up by the clouds of smoke that continually spread over your face. You mumbled an “Of course”, reaching up to push a loose hair out of her face.

“You don’t have to worry about me getting infected tomorrow,” You laughed at her statement. Of course, you were going to worry, you always worried about her. “I mean it, you really don’t.” There was some kind of seriousness in her tone that quieted your laughs. You gave her the space to continue talking. “I’m immune,” she was hesitant to speak, “that’s why we ended up in Jackson in the first place. We needed Tommy to take us to this doctor guy, shit went down, and now I’m back. I was supposed to be the cure. I could’ve given you your townhouse.”

Tears were filling her eyes as she told you her story. You felt yourself start to well up. If there was one thing Ellie was good at, it was self-sabotaging. She could never let herself have anything good, and she could surely never believe someone would choose her over everything. But you’d commit to trying to get her to every day.

“Ellie, please don’t make me tell you again,” Your tone was soft, but it was clear you were joking. It made her smile. “I don’t want a stupid townhouse, or even a single family home for that matter. I just want you.” She moved her hand out of yours, holding it up for you to twist your pinky into. “Promise?” She asked, sheepishly. You locked your pinkies and leaned down to press a kiss to your intertwined hands.

You two resumed your first position, snuggled up tightly. However, the silence was once again broken when you spoke up, “You still have to be careful, y’know. You can get hurt even if you can’t get infected.” She laughed again at your worries and tried to ease them with one more kiss to the back of your head.

[grippingbeskar]

request incoming!!- so I don’t know if you’ve seen the last of us specifically the second one. This scene (https://youtu.be/RHNohvRHd1M) where happy shows mercy for dinner. I was wondering if you could make that into a fic with din and the reader where the two are basically in the same exact situation, Reader tries to save mando. Whoever they’re fighting, almost kills the reader and then din says “she’s pregnant.” and whoever they’re fighting shows mercy or goes to kill the reader anyways but din saves the day. you can choose the ending!!!

thank u ❤️❤️

warnings: illusion to smut, mentions of child loss, pregnancy, early pregnancy, i have no idea how baby stuff works so i’m guessing the size of the baby but like it’s early on is what i was trying to get at 😭

a/n: okay i am a big tlou fan and i know this request has been here for a hot minute but it just took me a while to get in the mood but thank you so much for this! i love this scene in the game, it’s such a memorable moment. thank you so much for your request!

“Stay quiet. I’ll go around.” Din says in a whisper, his hand pressing you down flat onto the sandy ground. “Do you understand? Wait. Here.”

“Okay!” You whisper-yell back, rolling your eyes. You know Din’s face is under there, serious as ever, and though you know you can protect yourself, his new found obsessiveness over your safety has some primal heat shimmering through you. It makes you nod once more and tuck your legs in out of sight, and his thumb swipes softly over your cheek before he rolls out of cover and disappears.

Ever since you’d told Din you were pregnant, he was relentless. You thought he was protective before? Now, you couldn’t even take a step without him right beside you, making sure you didn’t fall off balance. He took care of everything— making sure you were safe, cared for, even avoiding collecting bounties and skirting the Outer Rim, refusing to let you near anything that is even remotely dangerous.

You were carrying his child. Something he never thought possible for himself. When he’d found you, a mud covered runaway looking for a quick escape off a backwater planet, he never could have foreseen what came next. Falling in love with you, showing his face, having a child… he had every right to want to protect this. Protect you.

You knew he hated bringing you here, but you were running low on supplies and needed to refuel. You wouldn’t make it to a safer planet before you’d be running on rations, and Din refused to feed you anything other than real food. It was your fault. You’d distracted him from taking any real stock. Being pregnant had also come with some other… consequences, that kept his mind occupied. And hands. And mouth.

The blaster fire in front of you knocked you back to reality, hearing the familiar sounds of Din’s grunts as he made his way through the gang of Imperials. The small supply store you’d hoped to be in and out of quickly had now turned in to a shootout, both your own and Dins faces attached to several bounties in the Inner and Outer Rims. You’d spent most of your first few years with him outrunning them.

The blaster fire continues, and every urge in you screams to help. Get your blaster out and fire at something. You know you can do it— you’d learnt from the best. Where Din has his attack dog senses on high alert, something has been awakened in you too. An urge to protect— and it’s on fire in your chest. You can’t sit here and do nothing. You know you aren’t Din, but you have to do something.

The blaster fire has thinned out, and just as you think it’s all over, Din shouts.

Loud. It’s nearly a scream, but through the modulator it’s lower. You hear two— no, three, maybe— three sets of footsteps rush in, and Din groans in answer to loud thud. It sounds like something hitting beskar, and the clatter of weapons on the ground confirm your suspicions. They are beating him.

He has time. You know, realistically, he does. It’s beskar they are kicking through. Their legs will break before they ever breach the armour— but he’s hurting. You can hear it. Every kick makes him wince, and you can imagine they are going for where he’s been shot. Hitting him over and over and over—

You roll out of cover before you can think, and there’s two men standing over Din’s crumpled body. You shoot, one dropping instantly over the top of him. It takes him a second, but before he can respond, you’ve shot the next guy and he topples over too.

“No!” Din shouts, still trapped under two dead bodies. He thrashes, and you can see the blood leaking out of his side. You take one step forward, but you’re yanked back by your hair before you reach him. “Don’t touch her!”

“You fucking bitch.” Someone seethes behind you, and slams their knee into your side. Something crunches, and blaring pain shoots through your chest, causing you to wail and crumple to the ground.

Whoever’s behind you doesn’t let you get far, still holding you by your hair with your neck bent up painfully. Their free hand smashes into your side again, and you feel yourself cough up blood as you try to scream out.

“Stop. Stop. You want me— let her go. You…” His voice is strained, and he’s finally got out from under the dead weight to stagger to his knees. His gloved hand is holding his side, and your eyes go fuzzy looking at the blood. “You don’t want to do this.”

“She’s wanted by the Empire just as much as you. Though maybe they won’t mind that I only take one in alive, considering the carnage.” Din is still panting, getting up on one leg, but falling back to his knees.

His helmet is locked on you, and you try your best to tell him not to offer himself. Your mouth opens and despite your best efforts, nothing comes out. Instead, just a tear falls, cutting through the dirt down your face. Images flash behind your fluttering eyes, of the life you might of had with… with the tiny little thing in your stomach, hardly bigger than a jellybean. The thought makes you choke up, blood dripping out the side of your mouth.

A hand still holds your head up, scalp feeling like it’s being wrung out.

“Just take me. I’ll go. She has nothing to do with this.” Din puts out his hand, and tries to stand again. The sound of him hitting the ground for a second time makes your eyes force open, and it’s then that you see what he’s doing. He’s not really staggering, but a discarded blaster is tucked next to the rock on the right of you.

Too out of sight for your enemy behind you, but you can see it. Din can too. He just needs to get closer.

A searing cold touches the highest point of your neck, and the light flashes off the edge of the blade. It’s sharp, already drawing blood.

“One alive is enough.” The enemy repeats behind you, and Din panics.

“Wait!” He shouts, his gloved hand shaking ever so slightly. There was genuine panic in his voice, a waiver you don’t think you’ve ever heard. “Wait. Please.”

“Why should I? This scum killed my men. You’re lucky I haven’t already slit her thro—“

“She’s pregnant. Please. She’s pregnant.” Din is breathless when he talks, and your stomach drops. You feel the blade drop slightly on your neck, instead the cold blunt side rests lower, closer to your collarbone.

The man behind you keeps his hold, and after a few seconds, he just scoffs.

“Bullshit. She… Fuck you, Mandalorian. You can’t trick me.” The blade doesn’t move, and Din shuffles in the sand. He’s close enough. He just needs a second. One second of hesitation.

“It’s… true. Please—“ Your voice is scratchy, but your hand manages to rest on your stomach. Din watches your movement, and you can see him straining with effort. To get to you. To save you. Both of you. “Please. We didn’t—“

“Shut up, bitch! Even if you are, it’s one less rebel scum to deal with.” He bends down to yell in your ear, and your eyes screw shut. If he’s this low to you, it means he took his eyes off Din.

Din wouldn’t miss his chance.

The weight drops off you before you can register the sound of the blaster shot, and blood sprays the side of your face. Your eyes are still screwed shut. You were shaking— fear creeping it’s way up your throat and all the way down to your toes. You weren’t usually afraid for anyone but Din, but now… you hadn’t even thought about what it meant to have someone else to think about. Someone who relies on you—

“Hey, hey… you’re okay, mesh’la. Look at me.” His hands— real, warm hands, press lightly on your face. His thumb strokes your cheeks, the sensation grounding you to him, but your breath was still heaving like you’d been winded. Your eyes open slightly at the sound of his soothing voice. “Look at me, baby. There you go. You’re okay.”

“Din. Din— I’m sorry… I thought he was… I thought that—“ You were crying, sobbing into his arms as he wraps you into him, timing your shuddering breaths with his own.

“You’re okay. Fuck— we’re okay. Shh. Shh, there you go.” Your head buried itself in the crook of his neck, one of the only soft places he has in full armour. It’s suffocating, but being surrounded by him like this calms your racing heart. “Udesiir, cyar’ika. You’re okay.”

You don’t remember how long he holds you, but it’s long enough that your breathing returns to something slow and controlled. When you shuffle out of his lap, dried blood is still caked on his side from where he was shot. Panic claws at you, eyes wide, but Din holds your face and shakes his head.

“It’s okay. I’m— I’ll be okay. We just need to leave, cyar’ika. Okay? You think you’re okay to fly?” When you nod in his hands, he scoops you up despite the pain he must be feeling, allowing you to bury yourself closer. He limps outside into the heat of the planet and takes off, his jetpack soaring you higher and higher.

The ship was docked… somewhere close, and Din’s low groans were getting more strained by the second. You could tell you had no truely serious injuries, more the shock and fear paralysing you, and the panic for your child. When Din flies you both into the Crest, he collapses on the main hull, and you’re on him in the next moment.

“I’m…okay. I just—“

“Let me take care of you Din.” You whisper, raising his shirt and moving his armour so you could see his wound. He shakes his head, but he’s too weak to push you off.

You wince when you reach for the med kit, but bring it back to him with a gentle efficiency. He was always so rough with himself, treating his own wounds with none of the care and kindness he does for you, so even though your head is fuzzy and every breath hurts, you make sure your fingers are soft on his skin, cleaning around the wound and sewing him up as quickly as possible.

You dress the wound, poorly at best, but it will hold until you are in a safer sector. You were lucky you fuelled up first, at least enough the get yourself out of here.

When you finish the last of the dressing, you look up to find Din already staring at you.

“Cyar’ika.” He rumbles, his hands free of the gloves cover your own. “You need to rest. Let me look at you.”

“I’m okay. Bruised ribs, but I would… I would know if something was… wrong.” Din growls, an almost animalistic sound of anger coming from him. He holds you tighter, one hand easily covering your two shaking ones. “I’m— we’re okay.”

“I knew I should never have stopped here. I’m sorry— I’m so sorry—“

“Stop, Din. It’s not you’re fault.” He groans, and you know under that helmet he’s grimacing. The guilt eats at him all the time, and you’d be damned if he let himself add this to the list. “This is the life we live. We need to… adjust. It will take time. But we’re okay, now. Right?”

“I’ll never let anything happen to you. Both of you. I will never let anything like that happen again. Ever.” He sits up with a grunt, pulling you close. “My cyar’ika.”

Your hands fall in sync to your stomach, both of your hands fluttering above the skin like you were afraid to push to hard. To wake what was growing beneath the surface. Disturb it, as if the two of you were not worthy of waking it.

“My ik’aad.” He pushes his helmet up enough to press a soft kiss to your shoulder, and sighs at the taste of your skin. “I love you.”

“I love you.” You repeat, and with his arms around you again, you know you are safe.

.

.

.

.

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translations:

mesh’la - beautiful

udesiir - relax/calm down/take it easy

cyar’ika- darling/sweetheart

ik’aad - child (under three)

[avastrasposts]

The Pilot and his Girl - ch. 24

I'm wrapping up one story arch with this chapter, time to move on and move even deeper in to the TLoU world together with Frankie and the rest of the boys.

Word count: 6.6k

Warnings have their own post, please heed them if needed.

Series Master List

For a few minutes you all watch the flames take hold, but then Benny turns, his eyes are red from tears and smoke, but the grief has been pushed down. Instead his eyes are hard, his jaw set. He steps back towards the three of you, huddled together, holding each other up and you feel a shiver go down your back. You’ve never seen Benny like this, the rage simmering, barely contained just under the surface, is frightening, but Frankie and Pope seem to know what’s coming.

“I need to kill Myers, will you help me?”

It’s a question that doesn’t even need an answer, ‘Will you help me?’  When Benny walks towards the crowd outside the incinerator area you’re all behind him. The crowd is uneasy, the soldiers too, their guns still aimed slightly above the heads of the people. There seems to be even more people now than when you arrived, shifting around the edges of the street, some teens hanging on to lamp posts to see over the heads of the crowd. Frankie grips your wrist, not your hand, your wrist, as if he’s preparing to pull you to safety at a moment's notice. 

“Is it true they raped her?” someone calls from the crowd and Benny looks towards the voice. 

“Yes!” he calls back, his voice clipped and hard. “They took her for trying to protect a boy, they beat her, broke her bones, and raped her before throwing her dead in the back of a truck. Myers and his men.” The last word he spits out and the crowd hisses, their anger aimed at the soldiers in FEDRA uniforms. They are quickly becoming symbols of all the injustices FEDRA have dealt out to the people of this QZ. 

“Punish them!” someone roars from the back of the crowd and the shout is echoed across the street as more voices start shouting for revenge. The soldiers nervously adjust their grip on their rifles, glancing at their commanding officer in the middle. He aims his gun at the first line of people. 

“Go home!” he calls, “go home, FEDRA will make sure the woman’s death is investigated.” 

The crowd jeers at that, some booing loudly. 

“There’s no justice from FEDRA!” a woman calls from the crowd and many voices go up in agreement, the crowd is getting angry, more people are shouting, there’s a movement in the mass of people, surging back and forth. One of the soldiers lays down his gun, crouching to place it on the street and stepping to the side, joining the crowd as he tugs off his uniform jacket. He’s met with cheers and slaps on the back as he disappears into the crowd, his C.O. roaring at him to fall back in line. Frankie is tugging on your wrist, pulling you to the side of the street, still in front of the crowd but away from the soldiers. Pope taps Benny on the arm and motions him to follow. He glances over at Frankie and you and turns back to the crowd. 

“We will make sure there’s justice,” he calls, but even his booming military voice has trouble being heard over the din of the crowd. “Cox is the one responsible! Not these soldiers!” 

But the crowd either doesn’t hear him, or don’t want to. Surging forward, maybe pushed by those behind, the first lines rush towards the commanding officer and the men still standing next to him. Pope grabs Benny’s arm and pulls him to the side, just as the rifles fire. You feel Frankie’s hand around your wrist like a vice, pulling you along the edge of the crowd, pressed up against the side of the buildings until you reach an alley. Behind you, you can hear the screams and angry shouts of the crowd as the gunfire echoes across the street. Frankie pulls you further in, away from the crowd and you hear heavy footfalls behind you, Pope and Benny are right on your heels. 

“We need to get back to the apartment,” Pope calls, “We need to get our gear together, things are blowing up.” 

“Follow me,” Benny says, catching up to Frankie and you, “there’s a shortcut through the old city hall up ahead.” 

Benny leads you through the city, it’s eerily empty, the only people you see are moving towards the area you just left. You spot a few FEDRA soldiers running towards their HQ, walkie-talkies crackling with information about what’s happening, as you duck out of their way, instinctively avoiding to be seen. 

It doesn’t take your small group to get back to the apartments, “Meet me in my place in twenty minutes,” Pope orders, “grab supplies as if you were leaving the QZ, just in case, we might not be able to return here afterwards.” Frankie and Benny nod, Benny taking the stairs, three at a time, up to his place, while Frankie unlocks your apartment door. 

“Grab the backpacks,” he says, hurrying into the kitchen to open up the cupboard that holds all the rations he brings when he goes outside the wall, as well as your emergency rations, dried meat and fruit, freeze dried camping meals, anything lightweight and easy to carry. The backpacks are already partially packed, a habit Frankie had put you in, not trusting this new world enough to not expect that a quick get away might be needed. And he was right, because now you hastily stuffed an extra layer of clothes, ammo and food in before pulling both yours and Frankie’s handguns from their hiding place. With a twinge, you grabbed the two photo frames Hannah had given you, slipping the photos out, one of you and Frankie, and one of Frankie, Lucía and you. 

Less than twenty minutes later you both walk into Pope’s apartment, Benny is already there. 

“Ok, good,” Pope says as he sees you close the front door, “we need to make a plan, and quick.” 

“The plan is to get to Myers, and fucking kill him,” Benny growls. He’s changed out of his FEDRA uniform and is in civilian clothes like the rest of you. As he speaks he puts his gun at the small of his back, sticking into his pants. A rifle hangs over his shoulder, Pope has one and he hands another one to Frankie. You watch as they all seem to fall into well rehearsed movements, each man checking their guns and the ammo, making sure everything is in place. 

“As satisfying as killing Myers sounds, Ben, we need a plan,” Pope replies, “If that crowd moves towards HQ, which I think they’re probably already doing, we can’t just walk in there, it’ll be on high alert.”

“Yeah ok, but the crowd is going to cause a distraction for them, we should use that to our advantage.” Benny says, he’s put his backpack and rifle by the door and now he’s pacing while the rest of you stand in the living room. “The main gate isn’t the only way in, there’s a way through the sewers, it was cleared just a few weeks ago. We go in there, find Myers, and Cox too, preferably, and end this whole thing in one go.” 

“That sounds like an idea, we come from behind and take them out one by one and they won’t see it coming,” Pope nods and Frankie rubs his hand over his beard. 

“How do we get out of HQ? If we’re spotted we’ll have every FEDRA soldier in the compound on our tails.” 

“There won’t be many, as long as the crowd is at the main gate, they’ll be distracted. And for the rest, we just make sure we’re not spotted,” Benny shrugs as if it’s the easiest thing in the world to sneak in the backway and take out two high ranking FEDRA officers. 

“Let’s start by going down there and seeing what the situation’s like,” Pope says, picking up his backpack and shouldering it and you bend to do the same. Frankie puts his hand on your shoulder to stop you. 

“You stay here, cariño, we’ll come back here when it’s done.” 

You open you mouth to snap back at him, he’s fucking crazy if he thinks you’re staying here alone when they go off on their mission, but Pope beats you to it. 

“That’s not a good idea, Frankie. FEDRA knows she’s with you, this is the first place they’ll come looking for any of us.”

“Can you go and stay with someone until we’re back?” Frankie’s looking at you again and you shake your head. 

“Frankie, I’m not staying behind, I’m coming with you,” you say, locking eyes with him, “There is no fucking way I’m just gonna sit and wait for you three to maybe come back.” There’s a hard edge to your voice and Frankie looks anxious, you can see his eyebrows knitting together as he sees the determination in your face. “And if things go bad and you have to run, what are you gonna do, detour to come pick me up first?” Your eyebrows shoot up, challenging him and Frankie looks unhappy, reaching up to take your hand and say something but Benny cuts him off. 

“I’ve been training her for five years, she can handle herself.” 

“She’s not a soldier, Benny,” Frankie grimaces over his shoulder, he’s still looking at you, pleading silently with you. 

“No, she’s not, but I’ve taught her how to fight, and you’ve made sure she can handle a gun. Christ, Fish,” Benny rolls his eyes, “I’m not saying put her front and center, but at least she’ll be useful and she’ll be safer with you than alone if FEDRA comes looking for us.”

Frankie’s jaw moves, he’s gritting his teeth while you stare at him, he knows that face, that expression, he’s not going to be able to convince you to stay. And a part of him knows Benny is right, you’re safer with them than on your own right now, it makes sense for you to come, much as he hates the idea. 

“Ok,” he says finally, “but you have to stay behind me all the time and do exactly as I say, cariño,” his voice is firm but you can see the worry bubbling behind his eyes, his hand squeezing your fingers tight. You squeeze back, reassuring him. 

“Yes, Frankie, I promise, I’ll stay right behind you.” 

He nods, “Alright, let's go then before I change my mind.”

It doesn’t take long for the four of you to get to FEDRA HQ, the warehouse area. The streets are still empty and as you get closer you can hear a large crowd shouting and yelling, things are definitely kicking off in the QZ. As you clear the last alley leading up to the warehouses you walk into the crowd, Benny leading the way, Frankie behind him followed by you, and Pope, at Frankie’s request, at the rear, covering your back. As you get closer to the main gate the voices around you get more agitated, through the crowd you can see soldiers firing warning shots into the air and people around you are armed with baseball bats, paving stones and in some cases, real guns. 

“We need to get to the side of this,” Benny calls back towards the three of you, dodging around a group of young men, all brandishing baseball bats at the soldiers on the other side of the chain link fence. The gate has been closed but the fence isn’t that strong, and it’s only a fence, it can easily be climbed, the soldiers look nervous. 

You get to the other side, a little bit away from the main gate, and Benny shimmies up a lamp post to get an overview of what’s going on. Just as he drops down again you see a familiar face. 

“Hey, man!” Frankie exclaims, greeting the old man who’s pushed himself through the crowd towards your small group. It’s Herb, the veteran and counselor, who’d helped Frankie with his PTSD throughout the years. They still saw each other a couple of times a month, but nowadays it was more about just hanging out, Herb often came over to your apartment for dinner too. He’d been a soldier with FEDRA for a few years, but left about a year ago, disillusioned with the organization. 

“Benny, I heard about Hannah, I’m terribly sorry,” Herb claps him on the shoulder and Benny nods, his jaw tightening. 

“Thanks, Herb, ‘preciate it.”

“I’m guessing you boys aren’t here to just shout at FEDRA?” Herb says, glancing at the rifles hanging over each man's shoulder. 

“Do me a favor, Herb,” Benny says, looking over at the main gate, “can you make sure the crowd keeps the attention of the soldiers at the main gate?” 

Herb gives Benny a long look, his mouth twitching with a small smile, “Sure, I’ll make sure they’re busy.” He tilts his head towards the gate, “Many of the FEDRA soldiers have switched sides, joined the crowd, and Cox and his men have retreated to the main building, they looked scared, they’re losing support quickly.”

“Thanks, man, we owe you one,” Benny nods and looks over at the rest of you, “Let’s get moving, get this over with.” 

“Frankie,” Herb says, putting his hand on the younger man's shoulder, “I know you’ve got this, ok?” Reading between the lines you know Herb doesn’t mean the actual mission, but rather the potential of Frankie’s PTSD flaring up if things get messy. 

“Thanks, Herb, I’ll see you later, stay safe, man.” Frankie nods to Herb and takes your hand as you follow Ben, Pope clapping Herb on the back before falling in line behind you again. 

Ben leads the three of you out of the crowd, through an alley and a block north of the HQ. It’s a neighborhood that was damaged more by the initial bombings and the buildings and streets are broken up. Most of the materials for putting up the big QZ wall was taken from this area, leaving the area empty of inhabitants and hard to navigate. But Benny takes you through the broken structures and down into a bomb crater that has a shallow pool of water at the bottom. Sloshing through it he ducks under a tangle of low hanging broken pipes and into a well hidden opening. 

“Fuck, this place still reeks,” Pope coughs from behind you as the distinct smell of sewer hits your nose. You pull up the front of your sweater to cover your nose, breathing through your mouth as you all pull out and switch on your flash lights. 

“What did they clear this place from, Ben?” Frankie asks, his mouth and nose covered by his hoodie. 

“Rats, a few infected and a lot of rubble.” Benny replies, shining the light further into the tunnel, glancing back to check everyone is ready to go. 

“I really hope you’re sure they got all the infected,” Frankie says. You hope so too, you haven’t had to deal with an infected since your dramatic entrance to the QZ five years ago and you don’t like the idea of having to face one in this dark tunnel. 

“We go quietly, cover our bases,” Ben says, moving forward, “follow my lead.” 

“Since when did Benjamin Miller become our C.O?” you hear Pope chuckle behind you and you can’t help the nervous snort that escapes you, earning you and Pope a frown from Frankie. 

The tunnel isn’t completely pitch black at first, thankfully, there are holes in the roof from the bombs where daylight filters through. But as you go further in, under the buildings bordering the warehouse area and FEDRA HQ, daylight disappears and all you can see is the patch of whatever ground or wall your flashlights can illuminate. Smaller sewage tunnels break off from the main ones, most of them look blocked and too small for a human. The larger ones have been sealed shut by FEDRA, you don’t want to consider the possibility of what’s inside them, the tunnels are not quiet, you can hear scratching and groans, either from rats and the buildings settling, or from something else, it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. Reaching out you take hold of Frankie’s hand, squeezing it tight and he pulls you closer. 

“I’ve got you, cariño, I won’t let anything happen to you,” he mumbles, low enough for Pope and Benny to not hear. You know he can’t promise you that, but it still makes you feel a bit better as you move further in through the darkness, your hand safely tucked in his. . 

It feels like you’ve walked through the darkness for an hour but in reality, it’s only been about ten minutes when Benny finally stops. The tunnel ahead is blocked off, sealed shut, and on the wall there’s a ladder leading up to a round manhole cover. Ben climbs to the top and pulls out his gun, the heavy lid moves easily as he pushes it upwards with one hand, carefully peering out over the edge. When he’s certain the area is clear he gently pushes the cover to the side and silently sets it down. Frankie follows after him, then you and Pope last. You’ve emerged in a basement area, dimly lit by fluorescent lights on the ceiling and what looks like old marketing material for a printing shop stored along the walls. Benny signals down the hallway, you can see a staircase at the end of it and you all walk quietly towards it. 

Making your way up through the building the three men fall into their practiced rhythm of clearing the rooms and hallways you pass through. Pope stays close to you, covering everyone’s back with quick sweeps behind him. Frankie and Pope stalk forward, guns raised as they peer through windows, sweep rooms and scan hallways. The building only has three floors above ground but it’s long. You clear the main entrance area and take the back stairs up to the second floor, avoiding the large curved staircase that loops around the open atrium of the entrance hall. 

The second floor is empty as well but the windows here give you a clear view of the main gate into the warehouse area, the crowd is still there, loud and angry. You can hear them through the windows and as you watch, waiting with Pope while Frankie and Benny clear a new set of rooms, you see the crowd surge forward, the chain link fence almost buckling under the pressure. It won’t be long before they break through. The soldiers are firing at the crowd, shouts are going up, but there are too many people, not enough soldiers. You see protesters fall but those behind push forward, the fence buckling and finally giving, falling flat to the ground as the protesters rush forward, towards the soldiers. 

You tap Pope’s shoulder and signal to the window. He watches for a few seconds and motions for you to move forwards. Frankie turns when he hears your footsteps and Pope points to the window. Benny turns as well and sees the crowd moving. 

“Myers and Cox will run if they see the crowd breaking through, they must be on the third floor, let's move up,” Benny whispers. The hallway you’re in is opening up onto the second floor of the atrium, curving along the building towards the stairs up to the third and final floor with a glass railing giving you a clear view of the main entrance hall below. Benny signals to Frankie to cover him while he opens the door to the back stairs, suddenly you hear running feet coming down the stairs at the other end of the atrium. Pope quickly grabs your arm and pulls you into the hallway again, Benny and Frankie duck in through the door to the back stairs, quickly scanning the stairwell. But a shout goes up from the other end, you’ve been spotted. 

“They’re in the building!” someone shouts, “Open fire, take them out!” 

“Cox,” Pope hisses behind you, shoving you further back and out of harm’s way as four men come down the stairs and start shooting. The curved staircase leading down to the first floor has a solid wall railing and with Frankie and Pope covering him, Benny darts across the hallway, ducking behind it. It gives him a better vantage point to take out Cox’s men and one of them soon drops with a shout. There’s not much cover for them at their end, only the wall of the staircase going up and the angle makes it difficult for them, giving your guys an advantage. Either bullets will run out or Cox and his men will have to retreat, they’re not getting past the four of you. You can sense Frankie’s eyes flitting to you, making sure you’re staying behind the cover of the wall in the hallway. You’re pressed against it, your gun drawn, but you stay put as Frankie had told you. 

Cox and his two remaining men start retreating, back up the stairs, and Benny and Pope advance forward, while Frankie remains behind, still in the doorway, covering them. He motions you forward to join him as Cox and the other men disappear up the stairs, Benny and Pope in pursuit. Just as you reach Frankie, you see Myers. He’s come down the back stairs behind Frankie with two other men, you shout a warning but he’s already rushing at Frankie, grabbing his gun arm and slamming him against the opposite wall. Frankie groans under the impact as Myers shoves him aside and lunges at you, you’ve raised your gun but not fast enough. Your shot goes wide, hitting the wall. You quickly dodge backwards, out into the hallway. From the corner of your eye you see Pope running back, the gunshot has alerted him and Benny to the new danger. Myers has longer legs and even though you back up fast, he’s on you with two quick strides as your back hits the railing, his hand outstretched to grab your gun. But his momentum pushes you backwards and you lose your footing, instinctively you grab his arm and your stomach lurches as you realize you’re falling backwards, pulling him with you. 

You think you hear a shout above you but you don’t have time to react, you smack down hard on the atrium floor, the wind rushing out of your lungs. At the last second you remember to protect your head and relax, Benny’s training kicking in. Myers lands hard next to you, you hear him groan and you try to make your limbs move, your breaths coming in small, shallow gasps as you struggle to regain your breath. You flop onto your belly and push yourself up, nothing seems broken but everything hurts and your legs are shaking. Your one saving grace is that Myers is just as winded as you, by the time he’s on his feet you’ve managed to move away from him. 

From above you hear shouts, through the glass railing you can see Pope fighting one of Myers’s men and by the sounds of it, Frankie is battling the second one just out of sight, shouting your name, there’s an edge of desperation to his voice and you can hear grunts from the other man as his fits make contact.  

“Fucking kitchen whore,” Myers growls at you, “should’ve taken you in with that other cunt, let you both have it.” He’s stalking towards you, cracking his neck as if to check that it’s not broken. You glance around you, your gun has fallen behind Myers, out of reach, and he smirks when he sees you look for it. He lunges for you then, and you dodge but you’re still trying to catch your breath, your legs unsteady and he gets hold of your hoodie, yanking you towards him, his other hand reaching for your hair. He’s big and has at least a foot on you in height, but as he glares down at you, you hear Benny’s voice in your head ‘I’m twice the size of you, use that against me’.

Myers snarls again, his hand coming up to grab your hair but this time you're expecting it, grabbing hold him first and twisting yourself and him, forcing him to let go of your hoodie as he steps back and trips over your leg. He doesn’t fall, but swings at your head, so wildly you can see it coming a mile away, ducking under it and landing a punch right over his spleen, making him double over. You try to hit his jaw with your elbow but he stumbles away from you, clutching his side. As you spin around, your fists raised he straightens up, his face red and furious, panting hard. 

“I’m going to fucking kill you, you little bitch,” he sneers, lunging at you again, like a bull rush. It makes it easier for you to dodge him again, your adrenaline spiking, you can practically hear Benny yelling instructions at you as you drop your body low and swipe at Myers’s legs. He twists around, trying to reach you, but he quickly loses his balance and smacks down on his face, as you slip to the side. You run for your gun but a warning shout goes up from the floor above, Frankie is running down the stairs and Myers is on his feet again, rushing you. You turn too late to dodge him but stumble back out of reach of his wild swing, he grabs at your arm, opening himself up and it’s as if you’ve got Benny next to you, pointing at the exact spot he wants you to hit; ‘Right there, hit them hard here, and they’ll drop.’

Your elbow makes contact with Myers’s temple, a hard, sickening thud reverberates through your arm, and Myers keels over, a dead weight on the floor. Frankie’s on you a split second later, his gun trained on Myers while he glances at you, trying to look both at you and Myers at the same time. 

“Are you hurt?” he gasps, still winded from his own fight and the run down the stairs. 

“Everything fucking hurts,” you wince, as you get a chance to feel through your body, “but nothing is broken.” 

A gunshot rings out from the hallway above and you both spin around but relax when you see Pope wave from above. 

“Just disposing of the last one, you got Myers under control?” 

“‘Course they do, my girl took him down like a fucking champ!” Benny grins, jogging down the stairs, “that final punch made me wince.” He raises his gun to Myers and Frankie lowers his, coming over to you, not satisfied by your answer about nothing being broken. 

“You fell fifteen feet, cariño,” he gently runs his hands through your hair, feeling your scalp, “how are you even standing?” 

“I’m fine Frankie, I’m going to be a walking bruise in a few hours, but nothing is broken, I covered my head, just like Benny taught me.” 

“You were fucking amazing, taking him down like that,” Frankie smiles. A groan from Myers makes him turn around and from above you hear Pope call down. 

“Take care of Myers, Ben, we need to catch up to Cox.” 

“My pleasure,” Benny growls and aims his gun towards Myers head, the man flinches and holds his hand up, the fight has completely gone out of him now that he’s woken up to Benny staring down at him. 

“Please, don’t, don’t,” he groans, “I’ll do anything, I can get you supplies, guns, anything, please, please.”

“Yeah? You’re gonna give me my brother’s wife back?” Benny spits out, “She was my family.” He takes a step forward and bends down, his gun pressed to Myers forehead. 

“Wait,” you hiss, making Ben pause his movement, lowering his gun as you walk over to Myers. “If you get to kill him, I get to do this first.” Stepping up to his feet splayed on the floor, you kick at them, spreading his legs. 

“Don’t worry, it’ll stop hurting when he kills you,” you growl, and aim a vicious kick with all the momentum you can gather, into his groin. A collective wince goes up from the men behind you as Myers howls in pain. 

“Now you can kill him,” you say to Benny, turning around.

The shot rings out behind you as you make your way up the stairs to Pope on the second floor. He’s eyeing you with equal parts admiration and fear. 

“Fuck, hermana…” his voice trails off as you give him a dark look. Frankie and Benny come up behind you and you catch Frankie giving you a worried look. Benny just claps you on the shoulder. 

“That’s done, now we get Cox,” he says, jogging off down the hallway towards the stairs Cox and the two remaining men disappeared up.

The three of you follow him, Pope and Ben, quickly scanning each doorway until you hit the final door, leading to the roof. You hang back while the three men advance up the staircase that leads to the roof. The door at the top of the stairs is ajar and Benny does a quick sweep before stepping through it. The roof is empty and you hear Benny curse. 

“Fuck, they’ve made a bridge across to the wall!” he calls, pointing over to a makeshift bridge, made with planks and iron girders, that makes it easy to cross to the next building and then over a second bridge to the top of the wall. “They must’ve built it only in the past few weeks, I didn’t even know it was here.” 

“There!” you point across the buildings, further along you can make out three men running along the wall. 

“C’mon,” Benny orders, taking off at a run, over the first bridge. It doesn’t take long for the four of you to cross over to the wall but by the time you get there, Cox and his men have spotted you. In the distance you can see him wave at his men to hold you off, as he runs further. Frankie’s hand on your shoulder forces you to crouch down behind some rubble when the shots start ringing out. You flinch as a shot bites into the wall close to you, a cloud of dust going up around the hole it leaves. But the two FEDRA soldiers are no match for the veteran Delta Force men, covering each other they quickly take them out and advance forward. Part of you is terrified at being shot at, the adrenaline of your fight with Myers wearing off, as you continue to jog behind Frankie, going after Cox. But another part of you is shouting with pride at seeing the three men, your men, working together with easy ruthlessness to take down anyone that stands in their way. They communicate wordlessly, only hand signals needed, to deal with any threat and when they advance they move in a precise pattern, each man knows where the other two are at any moment.

Cox is still some way away, he’s reached the main guard tower, the one that sits over the main gate to the QZ and it seems he’s realized he’s walked into a dead end, doing a quick spin inside the guard tower before he drops out of sight behind the waist high walls. The wall on the other side of the guard tower is a long straight stretch without any cover. The three Delta Force men would easily take him down with a single shot. And the only way down from the wall is by a wooden staircase, open and unprotected from above, it hugs the wall right between the guard tower and the four of you, he’d be a sitting duck. 

To your surprise the guard tower is empty, it’s usually manned by at least two soldiers at all times. But as you’ve moved along the top of the wall, you’ve heard shouts and gun fire from the QZ, maybe they have been called away to help quell the riots that have clearly broken out all across the QZ now. But there’s another noise, one that’s growing in level, from the other side of the wall. 

“Infected,” Frankie hisses, looking over the edge of the wall. The noise from inside the QZ must’ve attracted them because usually the soldiers only need to take out a few stragglers that come close enough, simple target practice if you forget your shooting at humans. Now there’s a horde of infected, runners they call them, rushing towards the gate, and no soldiers to take them out. The gate’s closed, of course, and thick, but as you see what looks like about fifty infected hurl themselves at the gate, you pray silently that it’s thick enough. This was not something any of you had anticipated happening when the riot started. 

Crouching down behind the angle of one of the walls, Pope quickly peeks over the wall too. 

“Fuck, not good, not good!” he calls over to Benny, who’s crouched down behind a crate just up ahead, “Will the gate hold for them?” 

“Yeah, it should hold,” he replies, still keeping an eye on Cox. He’s also spotted the infected by the gate and ducked his head inside the guard tower again. 

While Benny and Frankie cover him, Pope advances and then repeats the process with Benny and then you and Frankie. But Cox, who has been taking pot shots at you before, has stopped shooting. 

“Hopefully he’s out of ammo,” Benny says to Frankie as Pope makes another run, “Makes our job easier.” 

The final bit of cover for the four of you is just fifteen feet from the guard tower and as you all reach it, Benny calls out to Cox. 

“Give up, Cox, you’re out of ammo it seems, and nowhere to go.” 

“You get any closer, Miller, and you’re all dead!” Cox shouts, his voice shrill, his nerves betraying him. 

“I’ll take my chances,” Benny calls back, “you’re outnumbered.” 

“No, if you come any closer, I’ll make sure we’re all dead!” Cox shouts again, and this time his voice takes on a manic edge that has your hairs standing on end and you look over at Benny, he’s frowning with a slight shake of his head, he doesn’t understand either. 

“I mean it, let me go or I’ll open this fucking gate and let them in!” 

Your eyes go wide and you see your chock reflected in the faces of the others. 

“You know there’s controls for the main gate in here, Miller!” Cox calls, “And I’d rather let this whole fucking QZ get overrun than face that fucking riot you started. All over some fucking girl, Miller! Look at what you’ve done! It’s the fucking end of the world, shit happens, girls die!” His voice is hysterical, panic setting in. 

“Don’t do anything rash, Cox,” Benny calls back to him, “let’s just get off this wall and we’ll sort something out for you.” 

“No! Where’s Myers huh?! You fucking killed him already! I know!” 

“Benny,” Pope whispers, “we need to take him out before he actually opens the gate.” 

Benny nods and glances back at the guard tower, Cox is crouched down out of sight.

“I’ll keep talking to him, you sneak up and deal with him, kill him if you have to.” 

“That crowd is going to tear me to pieces,” Cox shrieks from behind the wall as Pope starts to move towards the tower. “The infected would be better, at least then you all die, not just me! I never did anything but good for this QZ! I kept you all safe for years! Years! Ungrateful fucking people! I’m going to fucking kill you all!” he screeches and you suddenly hear the telltale sound of metal scraping against stone. 

“No! Pope, stop him!” Benny yells, launching himself towards the tower as Pope covers the last few steps. You glance up over the wall and see Pope fire his gun at Cox, he’s out of sight but the heavy thud as his body hits the ground is enough to tell you he didn’t miss.. 

Benny slams his hand over the gate controls, “Stop, stop, fucking stop,” he yells, his voice taking on an edge of desperation you’ve never heard from him before. Frankie runs to the inside ledge of the wall and looks over the edge. 

“They’re inside!” he calls, “About twenty of them, we need to fucking go!”

You run to him and glance over the wall too, fear pools in the pit of your belly as you see the runners spread out, chasing towards the sounds of the riots further inside. Frankie quickly swings his rifle off his shoulder and aims, quickly taking out three infected, but a handful have already sprinted past the first corner, their speed and numbers breaking down the chain link fences that stand inside the quarantine area. Benny and Pope swing around and start shooting too, you bring your handgun up but Frankie stops you. 

“Save your ammo, you’re too far away to be able to take them down with that.” he says, bringing the scope of the rifle up to aim at another runner. 

“Stairs!” Benny yells, swinging his rifle around to the wood stairs where several infected are coming up. 

“We need to go!” Frankie yells again, taking your wrist. The infected are charging up the stairs, too many for you to take out in time. Benny gets off a final shot, momentarily slowing down the runners by killing the first one, his body falling back down the stairs. And then you’re running, Frankie’s hand like a vice around your wrist as the four of you sprint back the way you came. Behind you can hear the screech of the infected but you daren’t glance back to see how many there are. Your lungs are aching, Frankie’s long legs almost dragging you along as you try to keep up with his strides. When you reach the first bridge your chest aches and you’ve got a stitch jabbing your side. The bridge creaks as you run across it and Frankie drags you towards the next one, Pope just behind. 

“Benny! What the fuck! Move!” he yells as he realizes that Benny isn't right behind him. But Ben has stopped at the end of the first bridge, his hands frantically searching for something at the edge. 

“Benny!” you scream, the runners are so close, the first one already on the bridge, going right for him. Pope starts running back over the rooftop towards the bridge as Frankie swings his rifle off his shoulder again and takes aim, the first infected dropping just feet from Benny. 

“Benny!” you yell again, you can feel your voice cracking with panic but at the very last second, Benny finds what he’s looking for and yanks something out of the bridge, tumbling backwards with the effort. The bridge groans and collapses, the planks slipping off the iron girders and tumbling into the alley below, with a great clank the girders go the same way, taking the infected down. 

You feel the air leave your lungs as Benny stumbles to his feet, Pope at his side, and the two men run towards you and Frankie, over the second bridge. 

“You’re fucking insane, Miller!” you slap his arm harder than you mean to before hugging him. You can feel him breathing hard under your cheek. 

“We need to go, it’s not safe here,” Frankie says, clapping Benny’s shoulder, “Fucking awesome job, man.” 

“Herb’s idea, he implemented it a few years ago, a genius idea.” Benny lets go of you, squeezing your arm lightly before moving towards the door back into the HQ building. 

“I think we need to get out of the QZ and as far away as possible,” Pope says and Frankie nods. 

“Yeah, Cox killed everyone, fucking sick bastard. I never thought he'd be that twisted.” 

“Getting out of the QZ is your specialty,” Benny says, nodding at Santi, “lead the way, Pope.” 

Chapter 25

Tag list: @pimosworld @i-own-loki @casa-boiardi @littlenosoul @stormseyer @mxtokko  @javicstories @nunya7394 @welcometothepedroverse @harriedandharassed @meveispunk @hiroikegawa

[littlelou22]

just a dream | joel miller x fem!reader

summary: you have a nightmare and joel comforts you after it

warnings: soft!joel, canon tlou violence, fluff, no use of y/n, violent nightmare, let me know if i missed any

divider credit: @saradika

word count: 1.6k

author’s note: thank u to my sweet @northernbluess for requesting this. i hope i did it justice for u🫶🏻

You awoke, alone in a room. One firefly guard stationed in the hallway. No Joel or Ellie in sight. Panic creeped up your throat, feeling as though it would suffocate you. Especially if you didn’t find the two people you called your family.

The gunshot that rings through the air does nothing to ease your panic.

You slide out of the bed before tip-toeing to the door, pressing your ear against it to try to hear what is happening on the other side. Listening as the firefly on the other side of the door receives word of an attack on the hospital by a lone male, for all units to respond immediately. The guard swears before stomping away, towards the sound of the gunshots.

You know it’s Joel, it has to be.

Frantically looking around the room for anything to serve as a weapon, you find a lone scalpel. It’ll have to do, you think to yourself as you take a deep breath, steeling yourself before opening the door as quietly as possible.

You slowly creep out of the room, looking both ways down the hallways before sneaking towards what once was a nurses station. You circle around it, finding the firefly that was previously outside of your room crouched in front of you, facing the opposite direction.

Without hesitation, you throw yourself forward, covering their mouth with one hand as the other sweeps the scalpel across the front of their throat. You silently wrestle with the firefly until they go limp, dropping the body to the ground before you strip them of all weapons and ammunition.

After arming yourself, you begin to sweep each hallway, inching your way closer and closer to the echoes of gunshots. You pray silently that it is Joel as you take down any guard that crosses your path.

You round another corner and come face to face with the barrel of a gun. A shocked gasp escapes your lips as you are tugged into a side room. The light flickers on and reveals Joel’s blood splattered face.

“They got her on the top floor,” he grunts. “They’re going to kill her for the cure.”

Your stomach drops at his words. “What’s the plan?”

“Kill them all.”

The two of you work in sync as you continue towards the top floor, bodies left behind in your wake. The door to the operating room comes into view at the end of the hallway, Joel breaks out into a sprint. You quicken your pace, following him as he barrels the door down.

Your stomach turns at the sight of a body with a sheet covering them, blood staining the sheet at the head. Your eyes widen at the sight of a doctor, blood soaking the front of his scrubs. A sob escapes you as you realize you were too late.

Ellie was dead.

Joel surges forward at the doctor. A gunshot rings through the air and he topples to the floor, groaning as blood pours from the wound. You watch as the blood pools around him, growing larger with each moment.

A group of fireflies rush in the room, swarming you with their guns drawn.

You scream but there’s no use.

Ellie is dead. Joel is dead.

You scream as a guard grabs you from behind, pulling your thrashing body away from the sight. You fight as hard as you can, kicking your feet and screaming.

But it’s no use.

Ellie is dead.

Joel is dead.

Joel was awoke by whimpers. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and glanced over at your anything but calm frame. You were shaking and crying, clearly disturbed by whatever you were dreaming about.

Joel’s hands gently grasping your shoulders. He was delivering soft shakes in an attempt to wake you up without scaring you. A scream involuntarily leaves you and you push back against the feeling of hands on you.

“Get the fuck off of me,” you rasp, half asleep and still thrashing. As your mind is still clouded with the nightmare, you did not take kindly to the seemingly unfamiliar hands gripping onto you.

Before Joel is able to wake you fully, your survival instincts kick in. Your own hands reach up to his shoulders, using as much force as you can to throw him back in your slumber state. He tumbles backwards, back meeting the mattress as he didn’t expect a reaction like this from you. Your knees settle on each side of him, straddling his hips before latching your hands onto his neck, pushing your body weight into them.

You’re about to start squeezing when the ringing in your ears subsides and Joel’s voice replaces it.

“Baby, it’s me,” Joel whispers, hands wrapped around your wrist. He’s gently thumbing the top of your hand, eyes searching your frantic face. His own face calm, even with your hands pressing into his throat. “It’s okay, was just a dream.”

Blinking once, twice, three times before his words sink in. Immediately removing your hands from around his neck, your eyes flit around the room rapidly, chest heaving as you begin to come out of the fog of your previous nightmare.

“I…I,” you stutter, shaking your head as your eyes settle back on Joel. The sight of him on his back, neck slightly pink from supporting your weight for a few moments, clouds your vision with tears.

“Ellie…” you sob before frantically trying to remove yourself from Joel’s hips. Images of her, or what was left of her, on the operating table from your dream flash in your mind. “I…couldn’t save her.”

“Sh, baby, she’s okay.” His hands wrap around your hips, Joel immediately sits up. One hand reaches for your cheek, thumbing away the tears that flooded your cheeks. “It was just a dream, she’s asleep in her shed.”

You shake your head, attempting to shake away the images swirling in your mind.

Ellie on the operating table, the doctor’s surgical gloves stained red. You were too late.

Joel on the ground by your feet, the pool of his blood seeping into your shoes. His hands stained red from clutching at his stomach. You were too slow.

“Y…you.”

“M’right here,” Joel reaches for you hand, moving it to rest on his chest. You feel the steady thumping of his heart as he laces his fingers with yours, his opposite hand still resting on your cheek. “It was just a dream, sweetheart.”

Between the steady beating of his heart against your palm and the thumbing on your cheek, your gasping breaths turn to gentle pants. The images in your mind fade more with each thump thump and the man in front of you becomes clearer.

“Just breathe,” Joel whispers, inhaling deeply to match your own. “Ellie is alive, I am alive, you are alive. We’re all safe, okay? Just breathe.”

You again mimic his breathing, not yet trusting your voice as you turn your face to press a kiss to Joel’s palm. He smiles softly at your action, leaning forward to gently ghost his lips against your forehead.

“Do you want to lay back down?” He asks softly, replacing his lips by leaning his own forehead against yours.

After you nod, Joel gently maneuvers the two of you until your backs are resting against the mattress. He adjusts you, hands as soft as ever, so that you are pressed against his side. You burrow yourself into him, wrapping your arm around his waist as you rest your head on his chest.

Joel begins to run his fingers through your hair and you continue to focus on his heart beat, listening to the thumps rather than feeling it with your hand. Just as before, you feel yourself continue to relax with each passing thump, sinking further into the man you love.

“Do you want to talk ‘bout it?” The man in questions asks, voice laced with sleep. His fingers continue to brush through your hair.

In the dark, you smile at his gentle touches. If only Tommy could see him now, you think.

“Y’don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Joel assures you, tucking you in closer with the arm that is wrapped around you.

“It’s okay,” you murmur, relaxing against him. “I want to.”

You press a kiss to his chest, taking a deep breath as you replay the memories from your nightmare.

“It was at the hospital, in Salt Lake,” you start with a deep, shuddering breath. “It felt so real, like we were actually there. It started the same, Ellie reading her puns and then the smoke, then nothing.”

Recounting the tales of your nightmare, you close your eyes as the memories of it sneak back into your mind.

“I woke up alone, in the hospital. I heard gunshots and I followed them. It was you, just like how it happened. We got to the operating room but,” your voice cracks. “W…we were too late. They had already cut into her. She was gone.”

Fresh tears spill down your cheeks as you continue to tell Joel what had happened in your dream.

“You lunged at them but a group of fireflies came in and shot you. I watched you bleed out,” you sob. “They tried to drag me out of the room but I wouldn’t let them. I tried so hard, but then I woke up.”

Joel’s motions in your hair cease before both of his arms are wrapped around you, dragging you closer and squeezing you to him. He whispers gently into your ear as you sob into him, reliving what was easily the worst dream of your life.

Once your sobs turn to silently streaming tears, Joel speaks. “I’m right here, baby. I know it felt s’real but it was just’a dream. Ellie is safe here with us. Nothing happened to me, we’re right here with you.”

You sniffle, nodding.

“Nothing will happen to us, okay?” Joel tilts your head up, gently grasping your chin. “We’re safe here and nothing is going to happen to you, to Ellie, or to me. Okay, sweetheart?”

“Okay,” you squeak. “Promise?”

Joel leans forward, pressing his lips softly with yours for a moment before leaning back. You tuck your head into his neck and breathe him in deeply.

“I promise.”

[bingbongsupremacy]

Wish You'd Make Me Cry Pt. 3

Pairing: Ellie Williams x reader

Warnings: Cursing, idk about anything else.

Summary: Ellie begs for forgiveness.

Idea from the song : Wish You'd Make Me Cry by UPSAHL

*Not Proof Read* TLOU Masterlist

Pt. 1 Pt. 2 Pt.3

*****

" Ellie..." Dina sighs.

I press my head against Dina's cold wooden banister, listening to the conversation.

" Please, D. It's been three weeks. I just need to talk to Y/N. I won't do anything. I promise. " Ellie begs.

My heart lurches at the sound of her pain. Part of me wants to go talk to her. I've tried avoiding her. I don't know how much longer I can handle this, her coming around trying to talk to me. It's not like she comes every day. It's just hard to not give in and talk to her when she's here. She sounds so fucking sad.

I take a deep breath and push myself away from the banister. I can't hide forever. I have to be an adult and face my problems. " Dina, I'll talk to her. " I mutter, nervously ringing my palms.

Dina's eyes turn to me, shock evident in her expression. " Are you sure? Are you ready? "

I nod. " Yeah. I have to do this. I need to talk to her. " I gently push past Dina and slip through the door.

On the porch, Ellie looks surprised. She obviously didn't expect me to come out. It's clear she hasn't slept very well by the dark bags forming underneath her eyes. Her clothes are wrinkled and unkempt. Her hair is messily thrown up into a half up bun. She looks like shit.

Ellie nervously rubs the back of her neck. " Hey. " She says softly.

" Hey. " I swallow harshly. My heart clenches. Fuck I thought I'd be okay to talk to her. All I want to do is go back inside and hide.

" I'm so fucking sorry. " Ellie blurts. " I fucked up, Y/N. I really fucked up. " Ellie's eyes meet mine. " Y/N, I haven't been honest with you. "

My heart begins to pound. What is she talking about?

" Last year, before Joel died, I found out some things that happened when we went to the hospital. He killed people to get me out of there, Y/N. They were going to kill me to get the cure but he wouldn't let them. " Ellie's voice cracks. " He didn't tell me. I found out when I overheard him and Tommy talking one night. I was so fucking pissed. Pissed that he gave up the opportunity to save the world. Why the fuck would he do that? Why would he be so selfish? He could have saved everyone. He could have fucking saved you! Made this shithole safer. " Ellie takes a sharp breath, obviously trying not to cry.

" He loved you, Ellie. " I say softly. " He was protecting you. "

" Well look where that fucking god him! " Anger fills Ellie's tone. It's not anger towards me though. " He's fucking dead because he killed that surgeon. If he had just let them make a cure, he'd still be alive. "

Ellie sinks onto the porch steps. She cups her head in her hands. " It should've been me, Y/N. It should've been fucking me. "

For the first time in years the girl in front of me begins to break down. Her shoulders shake from silent sobs.

I take seat next to her. My heart wrenches at the sight. I had no idea she was going through this. I had no idea what Joel had done.

" Ellie..." I rub my hand on her back, trying to console her. " Joel loved you a lot. He did what he did to protect you. They would've killed you. Who knows if the cure would've even worked in the first place. There was no guarantee that the cure would solve anything. "

Ellie looks up at me. " I'm a shitty person. I've treated you like crap the last year. I'm so sorry, Y/N. " Ellie swallows. " I haven't been handling this like a fucking adult. I've been taking my shit out on you and I'm so fucking sorry. You deserve so much better. I understand why you left. I'd fucking leave me too. I just want you to know that I haven't had a drink since you left and I'm not going to have another one. I'm trying to fix what I fucked up, starting with this. " Ellie sits up, trying to regain her composure. " I understand if you don't want to come back. But if you do, I'm gonna try my best-no, I'm gonna do my fucking best to make it up to you. I'm gonna fix this. "

Ellie's eyes are serious.

Can I trust her? I really want to, but after what's gone on, I just don't know.

" Please, Y/N. Just give us one last shot. " Ellie grabs my hands in between hers. The desperation in her eyes causes my heart to ache.

I let out a sigh. " One shot, Williams. Don't bottle this shit in anymore. You're fucking yourself up. "

Ellie smiles in relief. Her warm arms envelop me in a tight hug. " Thank you, baby. Thank you. I promise, I'm going to do better. "

I lean into my wife's embrace. God I missed this.

" I know you are, Ellie. "

Idk how I feel about this ending. Might make another part if I find a different way to end it. Or like flash forward or something. Idk yet.

Anyways tag list: (I think I got everyone)

@3lliesrifle @gold-dustwomxn @teawithnosugar

[csprslvt]

you and i, and her. pt 6

Chapter five

Summary: Seattle day two. Ellie and Abby have more similarities than reader had originally thought. As they fight off infected together, reader takes notes of the way Ellie's urge for vengeance made her unstoppable. Reader sneaks off at night looking for more clues and comes across a familiar group. Heartbreak ensues.

Warnings: Mentions of murder, mentions of violence, vague descriptions of violence, Ellie is down bad, but she doesn't know it, fluff, platonic affection, platonic love, reader is heartbroken, but Ellie is there, sharing a sleeping bag/bed trope, foul language (its tlou what did you expect)

It was only a matter of time until you'd both come across infected, after all it was an apocalypse. However, that didn't make you dread the confrontation any less.

It wasn't even the killing that grossed you out, it was the smell, the blood, the guts spilling and bone crushing sounds you heard every time you came up from behind and stealthily attacked.

Ellie was impressed by your skills, but she was just as strategic if not more than you, she had this look in her eyes when she killed. One of pure, raw, determination. She struck with zero hesitation, and it reminded you of Abby.

Though the fighting styles were so different. After observing Abby for years and Ellie for months, you noticed how their personalities impacted the way they fought. Abby was powerful, brutal,swift and efficient and though Ellie also got the job done, she snuck up on her victims rather than plainly attacking and drew as little attention to herself as possible. Ellie was a force to be reckoned with and watching her made you realize how power of an emotion vengeance is.

It frightened you. It made you fear for Abby, Ellie would put up a good fight. She didn't seem to ever change her mind, she was bold and stubborn and impulsive. 

The longer the trip went on, the less you slept. You would stay up all night studying the map you found but to no avail. Everything on the map, you already knew. After all, you were a member of the WLF.

Until one day, you snuck off into the woods and found a lookout. You climbed up its ladder. It was a struggle in the dark, but you managed and inside you were shocked.

A working radio, walkie’s, a wall of notes and sleeping bags.

Someone was here. 

Just as you started to look through everything, snatching the walkies into your pack you heard a voice.

“Your fucking asshole, I cant believe you made me come all the way out here for nothing.”

“Hey I thought I heard something!”

The voices immediately started arguing, it sounded like two men and vaguely familiar but you were still on guard, you were trapped inside the tower, you grabbed your gun and stood flat against the wall by the entrance readying yourself, a man stepped in not played attention until you pressed your gun to his forehead.

“Dont fucking move” you spoke

“What the fuck!” The man said, you were about to respond until you were promptly tackled to the ground. It was dark, hard to see, and your flashlight flew out of your reach.

“ Get off of me asshole!” You screamed

“The fuck is going on up there!”  A voice shouted from below. You were on the floor, stomach facing down as someone pulled you by the hair and tilted your face up.

“Fucking get off!” You flaided your body wildly trying to escape. The person on top of you stopped suddenly and was pulled off of you.

You sat up panting.

A flashlight’s beam hit your face, blinding you.

“Oh my god, y/n?”

You looked up at the oh so familiar voice, the smell of pine and forest and sweat hitting your senses.

You froze ,mouth gaping.

“Abby.”

She pulled you up by the arm, hands on your shoulders and stared at you.

“Its you” She spoke, holding your face.

“Its me” 

Another man entered the room, promptly ruining the moment. 

“y/n?” 

You turned

“Owen.”

“Owen fuck off for a second!” Abby said, clearly annoyed that he had fucked up the moment.

“What the fuck! No!”

“Owen, manny, everybody needs to get out. Now.”

At that, they all exited the tower.

“Where the fuck have you been?” You said with a shaking voice

“Where have you been? You disappeared! I thought you left me”

“You know me better than that Abby”

“Yea, yes I do” Abby spoke, her rough calloused hands stroking your cheeks as if she didn't believe you were actually here.

“Why didnt you come looking for me?” You said, million questions in your mind

“I had somethings to take care of”

“What?”

“I found him”

“Found who?”

“The son of a bitch that killed my father. I found him, I killed him”

You paused, in the joy of finding Abby again, you had forgotten the purpose of Ellie’s goal. 

You stared at Abby

Then you smacked her across the face.

“Babe! What the fuck!”

“Don't you ‘babe’ me” You were so pissed off, Abby didn't try and find you after you'd gotten kidnapped because she was too busy seeking revenge? Maybe you were being a little dramatic, slapping her and all but she forgot about you completely and moved on while you were hung up looking for her, betraying Ellie for her.

“You completely forgot about me!”

“I would never forget about you.”

“Then why didn't you come looking for me? I literally almost fucking died alone!”

“I wanted to look for you, trust me I did but Owen-”

You rolled your eyes

“Oh since when do you listen to Owen”

Abby gulped, with a knowing look in her eyes

You stepped back

“No fucking way”

“Baby, listen, I just-”

Angry tears welled up in your eyes

“Your with him again. Arent you.”

“Its just because-”

“Answer my fucking question Anderson”

Abby's face fell, you had only called her that when you were upset with her, it was always Abby, Abs, babe, but never her last name.

“Yea. I am.”

“I fucking hate you”

“You dont mean that”

“I have spent hours, days, weeks, months not able to think, to sleep, because I've been worried about you! I've been sitting here looking like an idiot stuck on someone who is now fucking around with Owen! Out of all fucking people, Owen? Are you serious? You clearly never gave a shit about me! If you had, you wouldn't be sleeping with your shitty ex-boyfriend!”

Abby looked at the floor, shame weighing on her. 

“I love you”

“Unbelievable! You expect me to just fall back into your arms after everything you put me through!” 

“No, no I don't.”

You put your head in your hands. You loved Abby so much, but being with her right now was overwhelming, and knowing she was with Owen again broke you.

You shoved her out of your way and went to leave.

“ You can't leave me, I've just found you”

Abby’s voice sounded so soft and so remorseful as if she was genuinely scared of losing you again. Her hand trembled, wanting to pull you into her arms and apologize over and over again, because she really was sorry, she really did love you. Owen could never be enough for her, not when she only wanted you, Owen was the shitty fuck she came too only to get you off her mind, but every breath she took, every beat of her selfish heart, it was only there for you.

You turned to face her. Resolve crumbling, you had only ever seen her so broken once before, when she lost her father.

“Meet me here tomorrow at dawn we can talk…Don't bring Owen.” You replied. 

She nodded, willing to do anything to win you back.

“I’ll see you then.”

You didn't look at her after that, you walked out and passed an annoyed Owen. What was once anger morphed into sadness as you made your way back to the makeshift camp Ellie had made.

 Ellie was kind, she was generous, she cared about you, every morning you woke up her floor the first thing she would say was, 

“How are you feeling?” with the most genuine expression. She was interested in your response and listened to you. Ellie was good for you, she was healthy for you. And you were betraying her. It made you second guess your original plan. Ellie was the one you needed, but Abby would always be the one you wanted.

When you made it back, you shuffled your sleeping bag closer to Ellie's. You wanted the comfort of your best friend even though you didn't deserve it after all you had done.

“Y/n?” Ellie stirred awake, looking at you, taking in your melancholy.

“Did you have a bad dream?” She was concerned, she was so good to you. You felt like you could cry

“Uhm yea”

“Come here”

Ellie opened up her sleeping bag, holding her arms out for you to crawl into.

Any other time, you would have said no, but you were so vulnerable and hurt you moved into her arms with no hesitation, burying your face into her neck.

Still you were tense. Holding in tears, that was until Ellie wrapped her arm around your waist. You let go of the tears and fell into her. Allowing her to comfort you.

“Shhh, shhh its okay” She mumbled 

The tears just kept coming, but Ellie knew you didn't want to be questioned at the moment, so she held you, showering you with affection.

It felt nice to feel wanted again. It felt nice to be comforted.

I'm so sorry Ellie, You thought, the guilt of your actions making you worse.

“‘’M sorry” you mumbled, between frantic breathes

“About what?

“Everything”

Ellie looked at you with a confused face.

“Never be sorry for telling me how you feel.” She assumed you felt embarrassed by your display, she didn't want you to feel that way

The truth would kill her.

Nothing felt more right than holding you in that moment, she had yearned for it, and savored the way it felt. She was happy to be the one comforting you.

“I'm here for you, okay?”

The tears eventually slowed to a stop,

“Okay.”

“Get some rest, you can stay with me tonight”

You nodded, feeling exhausted and fell into a deep slumber. That night, when you dreamt it no longer smelt as strongly of pine.

Ellie awoke first with a pleasurable pressure on her chest, the feeling of your head laying on her. You were curled into her side, fast asleep with a face puffy from crying.

Youd seen her cry plenty of times, but she never saw you reciprocate that vulnerability until now.

She was overjoyed that you trusted her enough.

She watched you rest until you woke. You looked like a  total mess, she smiled, she could get used to waking up next to her best friend.

It was then when she noticed your natural beauty, fresh in the morning, bathing in sunlight. How could she not see it before? Here you are, gorgeous as ever, was she blind to it the entire time? Or was it just now that she was learning to appreciate you?

“What are you staring at?” You grumbled, still curled up next to her

“You.” Ellie spoke breathlessly, in a trance like state, simply watching your every subtle movement.

You stared up at her wide eyed, feeling awkward and deciding to break up the tension.

“That was so not platonic” you thought.

“You creep” You laughed, trying to change the subject. Ellie snapped out of it at the sound of your nervous laughter.

“Oh whatever” Ellie rolled her eyes

The two of you finally separated, eating the rations of Chef Boyardee you had found.

“Mmm room temperature 20 year old raviolis. Yummy” Ellie exclaimed with clear sarcasm in her voice

“Better than what you had us eat yesterday, fucking canned artichokes? Disgusting”

“Yea, it was pretty gross”

“I know, tasted putrid”

“Putrid? Where do you come up with words like that?”

“Its a real word, maybe you would have better vocabulary if you paid attention in school”

“Bitch fuck you, you ran away when you were 14”

“Bitch so did you”

“Well…okay yea” Ellie said sheepishly.

You smiled at her, ravioli sauce on your lips

“Umm you got a little something.” She pointed to the corner of her mouth

You licked your lips, she stared.

“Thanks”

She didn't speak much after that, but when you both had gotten up on Shimmer, your chest against her back. She felt at peace.

For now, things were okay, but deep inside, it was the beginning of the end.

[bluecanvasshoe]

Not Ellie

a quick little story i wrote about Ellie Williams. takes place after the aquarium encounter :)

warnings: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR TLOU PART 2!!!!! angst, major character death, mentions of gagging, descriptions of injuries, hurt/no comfort, ellie is mentally not okay and what’s mentioned and talked about may be triggering, pacing is a bit weird. i’m tired

may or may not be cringe. idk. was beta read but only by one person because im scared of getting my work read by people close to me 😢 this is the first time i’ve ever posted my work online, so i’m happy to take criticism!

also. a song was added to this fic even though i never added one???? if u saw that no u didnt ignore it

——————

An overwhelming chill settled into Ellie’s bones as she weaved through the streets of Seattle. Rain pelted down around her, soaking the dirt at the bottom of potholes and pits left behind from bombs, a reminder of the government’s doings when the outbreak first began. Buildings towered over her, some crumbling and fallen, others with broken glass and fissured concrete. Dark clouds never seemed to stop coming, the cold rain never ceasing in its relentless downpour.

Her shoes squelched as she walked on cracked and worn pavement, her feet numb from the cold of rain-soaked socks and her legs sore from the long trek to that god forsaken aquarium.

The aquarium. She didn’t want to think about that place anymore, but her brain wouldn’t let her ignore what she had done. She felt like gagging whenever she remembered the woman she killed; Mel. She was pregnant. She was pregnant and she murdered her with a stone cold gaze and venom laced in her voice as she demanded information from her and Owen. She felt like she had a pit in her stomach.

This was all because of Abby. Her mind raced with ideas and ways of how and what she’d do to Abby when she got her hands on her, a blinding fury twisting and manipulating her thoughts, violent notions and images flashing in her head.

Her backpack felt like a hundred pounds on her back, her shoulders aching for a break, but she pressed on. The throbbing lacerations that covered her torso were rubbed and irritated by the heaviness of her bag and the fabric of a worn, pilling shirt with every step she took, a burning sensation settling under her skin and smoldering her flesh. Blisters throb at the back of her heels, making the trek feel longer than it is.

Silence crept up on her and if she hadn’t been listening for infected, she’s sure she would’ve gotten lost in the dark recesses of her mind that she couldn’t quite ignore anymore. It felt like her throat was closing up, like her body was trying to suffocate itself.

She breathed heavily, puffs of vapor swirling and dissipating into the air with her every exhale, the only thing that reminded her that she was alive. That this wasn’t a dream and that she was more than a walking corpse.

She dragged her feet and the more she walked, the longer she felt from the theater.

So much as existing felt impossible.

Days dragged by, even in the midst of mind-altering adrenaline rushes and near death experiences. Time seemed to have slowed itself down, no longer changing its tempo as it seemed less of a construct and became more real.

Every second she spent felt like a second wasted. Ellie believed that, if Joel were to be alive, he would’ve been disappointed. More-so than he already was.

Having to live with the thought that Joel died without an apology from Ellie tore her up both mentally and physically. Scratches and bruises reminded her of this grueling process of self-pity and a never-ending mental spiral that caused her to so blindly be thrown into danger. She hated herself for it. Joel would never hear her apology.

Joel died thinking she was angry at him.

Joel died thinking that, no matter what he could have done, she would’ve hated him in the end regardless.

Ellie was left behind in the mansion that day.

The woman who killed so many without so much as a second thought, who looked at her hands and thought of all the people who felt her cold, merciless grip instead of the arms of their loved ones around them before taking a last breath is not the girl who loved dinosaurs and space. Not the girl who’s been dead for months.

When she looked up and saw her reflection in an intact window that was embedded into the fractured wall of a bottom-floor apartment building, she didn’t recognize whoever stared back.

The monster that drilled holes into her eyes is not her.

Not Ellie.

If Joel was alive, he’d hate her. He’d look at her with disgust at what she had become.

She wouldn’t blame him.

[imgoingtocrash]

weird vibes for the dash tonight but I'm rewatching the Hunger Games movies because I read a really good Hunger Games AU (yes it's from my continued post-Andor trek back down the rebelcaptain tag on ao3)/because they put them all on Netflix and I just had this moment of intensely missing my grandmother and I need to write it out i guess???

I have this vivid memory of getting into my grandmother's car after high school bc she drove me until I started driving, and I had The Hunger Games in hand and she asked what it was about and I said something to the gist of "it's about a bunch of kids killing each other"

now I THINK i was just trying being funny, but i was also anxious/depressed and a smartass, so i also definitely could have purposefully put it plainly like that because I knew it would make her React and all teenagers live for that crap.

but she was SO upset by the idea, like, it stuck with me because I remember how genuinely disgusted she was! "that's HORRIBLE why are you reading something like that why would someone write something like that" etc. and she wasn't a super conservative person either? Just like a Pure Soul who wasn't the type to read those kind of stories.

(Now smutty romance novels? I found the box of those when we sold her house and was absolutely DELIGHTED to find out that the women in my family were reading romance trash alllll the way back. We have taste!)

Now this was 2012-2013, the height of the movie's popularity and as a result the time adults started shoving it into school curriculums. Or maybe just my school?? Being an honors english kid, I actually was assigned to read it TWICE--once for summer homework and once for regular classwork--and this was on my second readthrough, hence why I'd brought it to school. And then after reading the first one I obviously devoured the rest.

ANYWAY, the point of the story is a Classic Grief Moment...I really, really wish I could talk to her about it now, as an adult.

Because the movies hold up! The books were a good read! They had so much to say behind the YA genre labelling and the media press that got obsessed with the love triangle of it all! (Feels like SUCH a 2016 Tumblr-era post to say that, but like...yeah! That did happen!)

Like she would NEVER have watched them with me, ever, but it's a conversation we can never have, and it sucks. I miss talking to her a lot in general, but one of my biggest regrets is how much time I spent with her after school, in the car on the way home or doing errands or whatever and I was a teenager, so of course I didn't value it at all! I thought she'd always be there. Now I'd give anything to tell her all about my day and what's upsetting me and have her fuss at me for cursing so much, you know?

She's been gone for like 3 years now but since she got Alzheimers/Dementia it's FELT more like 6 and I just miss having her around for even the small stuff as much as the big stuff.

Vent over, back to screaming about TLOU all the time because apparently I'm just REALLY in an angst-heavy genre mood or something...sorry not sorry lol.

[fict1onallyobsessed]

The Unfortunate Consequence of Killing Innocents

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Summary - After years of attempts to find your father in revenge, you finally got the chance to confront him, but before you could, a certain mistake takes all hope of self acceptance away with the wind. Nat's there to help.

Warning; Graphic descriptions of blood, death n all that

Totally not inspired by TLOU

Not my GIF!!

"Where is he fucking hiding?!" you shouted at the two guards in front of you. Your gun pointed at them with a shaky grip.

For years now you've been trying to track down Pierce. The person who made your life hell, locking you up at Hydra, making you his personal security guard and weapon. Your father.

Ever since you were recruited to the Avengers, you and Natasha paired up and became super close. Both of you had similar experiences. Used by an organisation for years. Forced to kill people. Tortured.

Hydra took away your vitality. Your place in the world. Your mind. And the pair of you agreed you'd kill Pierce, together.

Nat was in the east end of the facility looking for your father, while you were in the south. You ran into some guards on the way that didn't look too dangerous. A woman and a man. Both of them didn't want to kill you, they were probably being used too.

You pulled out a map of the building.

"You," you pointed with your gun at the woman. "Come closer. Point to where Pierce is,"

The woman hesitated so your hand gripped the gun tighter, causing the woman's muscles to flex.

"OKAY OKAY," she cried. She stepped closer slowly, afraid of being shot.

"What the fuck are you doing," The man behind her growled. "Don't you dare tell her,"

She looked back and sob escaped her mouth, "He's probably dead anyway," her voice was strained, trying to surprise more sobs.

"We tell her and she'll shoot us," he told her. The woman's gaze turned back to you. You instantly shook your head.

"I'm not here for you. Tell me and I'll let you go," Your voice was firm and aggressive. You were so close to getting to him. You couldn't let this chance go.

The man stepped closer to you as he tried to stop the woman from showing you where Pierce was. You panicked and pointed the gun at him, making him lunge at you.

You fought for the gun until you got the perfect angle to shoot him right in the abdomen. You pulled the trigger and the sound echoed through the almost empty room.

"NO," the woman screamed as he collapsed to the floor with a thud. You dropped the map you were holding and held the gun with both your hands. She cried as she herself lunged at you, taking a knife from her pocket and pushing the gun out of your grasp.

You both landed on the floor, her on top of you trying to stab your neck with her weapon. Your forearms tried to pushed her away as she put more force into you. You felt the knife press into your neck slightly, so you kicked her, making her lose her grasp on the knife. Your hand reached for the knife and you stabbed her neck. It stabbed through her skin like butter, warm blood trickled down your arm as you took the knife and pushed it back in. Her chokes were audible as you pushed her convulsing body to the side. You stood up and rushed to pick up your gun, pointing it at the man that was still alive, holding onto his stomach.

"TELL ME WHERE HE IS," you growled at him, standing above his bleeding body and pointing the gun at his head. He choked and stuttered as he tried to respond, blood filling his mouth as he slowly died.

Once his chokes died down you crouched down to pat him down, trying to find anything usable to kill anyone else with. You found a small pocket knife and nothing else.

You looked at the woman who's neck was bleeding profusely, despite being already dead. The blood squirted from her neck into the floor making a puddle around her head. You made yourself stand up and walk over to her to pat her down too.

You started at her legs. Nothing. Arms. Nothing. Then you reached her sides where her coat pockets were. You felt the blood drain off your face and you touched her stomach. Your blood felt like ice and your muscles stopped moving.

"No," you whispered to yourself as you rushed to unzip her zipper on her coat. Her stomach had a slight bulge to it.

She was pregnant.

The sudden feeling of guilt filled your stomach as your stepped back from her. Your chest tightened and breath shallowed. Your skin shivered in cold goosebumps that felt like little knives stuck in your skin.

Your feet led you away from her corpse backwards slowly as your breathing got painfully harsh.

Your knees gave up and you collapsed to the floor, letting your gun bounce onto the floor making it clatter slightly beside you. Your ears rang and your hands shook violently at the memory of impaling her with her own knife.

The room around you started to spin and the air around you felt like liquid as you inhaled. Your lungs filled with the imaginary water, burning your insides slowly.

You felt an arm touch your shoulder which made you snap back into reality. You stood up abruptly, pointing your gun at whoever was behind you.

"Hey, it's me," Nat's voice sounded as she lifted her hands up, telling you not to shoot. You immediately dropped your arm and looked back at the woman briefly.

"She- pregnant- I stabbed her," you breathed as your eyes were blown wide, locking gazes with Nat who stood in front of you, so you couldn't see her body.

"It's okay," she reached to touch the part of your neck that was slightly cut. "It was self defence,"

"No." you exhaled as you looked at the mans corpse. "I didn't want to- I didn't know-" your breath hitched again.

You killed people before but only if you needed to. Ever since you got out of Hydra you refused to kill unless it was for the greater good or if it was anyone who voluntarily worked for Hydra. You never thought you'd be in the situation where you'd have to fight someone pregnant, that didn't want to actually kill you.

Nausea filled your stomach and regret made your muscles weak again.

"I'm sorry," you managed to whisper before Nat grabbed you in a hug. "I'm so so sorry," you placed your forehead on her shoulder and cried silently.

"Come on. Let's get out of here," she said into your ear. She pulled away from you and grabbed your hand, pulling you towards the exit. You looked back into the bodies one last time before her arm placed itself over your shoulder, so you couldn't see them. "Don't look. It wasn't your fault,"

-

You sat on the jet on one of the counters in the small lab. Natasha stood between your legs as she reached up to bandage up your neck, pouring antiseptics and disinfectants on your cut.

Your body felt limp, weak and dead. Guilt was still bubbling inside the pit of your stomach as your head hung low, staring at your hands which were lazily interlocked with each other.

Nat finished patching you up and leaned on the counters surface, placing her forearms on either side of your thighs.

"It wasn't your fault," she whispered. "She attacked you first,"

You only looked down at her. Your eyelids drooped and your eyes felt dry from the tears that constantly surfaced them. You looked back down at your hands and tenderly nodded.

She sighed and lifted her arms from the counter, placing them around your waist. Her arms pulled you closer and your hands placed them self around her neck, putting your nose in the crook of her neck.

"I didn't want to," another tear left your eye, a sob escaped your mouth as your arms tightened around her neck.

"I know babe," her chin dug into your shoulder as she spoke. You wrapped your legs around her waist when she tapped the side of your thighs. She lifted you effortlessly off the counter and walked somewhere with you in her arms.

One of her hand was supporting you, holding your thigh, and the other was tightly wrapped around your waist. You felt her sit down in one of the chairs in the main area of the jet.

"Sorry, we could have gotten Pierce today-" you said as you pulled your head from her neck to look him in the eyes. She smiled at you and reached to caress your tear stained cheek.

"We'll get him next time. Don't worry," she stared deep into your eyes. "Get some sleep. We land in 3 hours,"

You just nodded and placed your cheek on her shoulder again.

That guilt never left your body.

You didn't want it to.

You thought deserved it.

[korgidorgi]

TLOU&Supergirl Crossover x Reader - Part 6

Word Count: 2303

Warnings: Nightmare, violence, not real death, swearing

Part 1 - P2 - P3 - P4 - P5

You find yourself falling. It's a short drop, but it hurts once you land on your back, squishing the Clicker between you and a polished table. You let out a groan of pain before you slip off the edge and onto the polished floor. Some items fall off with you, some of them breaking. You yelp in pain as a few glass shards embed themselves into your skin. The bright lights of the object that dropped you from the ceiling and the room hinder your sense briefly, but your eyes soon adjust. The Clicker rolls over and quickly gets on top of you, screeching at you as you desperately try to fight it off.

“Fuck, get off me!” You yell at it, trying to keep it's face away from you. “Abby! Lev!”

The Bloater across the room screams at you, locating you before charging. You quickly shiv the Clicker, pushing its body off of you and you quickly duck out of the way, quickly grabbing your new molotov and yeeting it at the creature, setting it alight. It flails about as the flames lick at it's fungal skin. The fire finally dies on it and you’ve already found a new position. The doors on the opposite side of the room slide open just as the Bloater starts charging you.

“Look out!” The person screams.

You roll out of the Bloaters path just in time, but the Bloater gives you no time to recover and charges again, knocking you down.

…

“Alright, this should work.” Lena says, plugging things into a tablet to operate her and Brainy’s device. “We might have to go through a few different portals so we don't give you the wrong one.”

“But, if we match the energy reading up to the one you came through, we’ll have a better chance of locating the exact portal you came through.” Brainy adds, looking at his own tablet to monitor the device's energy levels.

The two start the device up, trying to find the right wormholes to open up to connect you back to your world. You can finally see Abby and Lev again! You bounce on your feet in anticipation as you watch a familiar light blue glow begin from the portal. It finally opens wide enough and Lena and Brainy double and triple check everything on their monitors and tablets.

“Alright, just step through and check if it's your world.” Lena says. “We’ll hold it open for you. Just step back through to tell us whether it's right or not.”

You take a breath before stepping through. You’re back in the lab where it all happened. The dark lab is illuminated by your flashlight and the light of the portal. You take a few cautious steps forward, looking around the room. It’s empty.

“Abby? Lev?” You call out, stepping over broken glass and other wreckage.

There’s no response, so you push into the building, gun now in hand. You quickly make your way to the ground floor to look for the two.

“Abby?” You call, coming up the stairs. “Lev?”

You reach the top of the stairs to the ground floor and spot them. They’re both laying on the ground. Your heart rate picks up at the sight. You rush over to them to make sure they’re okay and as you get closer, you notice that there's blood everywhere.

“Shit. No no no no no…” You mutter, kneeling by their bodies.

They’ve got scratches and tears all over their bodies. It looks like Infected did this.

“Lev… Abby...” Tears start rolling down your face as you cry over them. “Please, move, speak, anything.” You beg, holding onto Abby’s limp hand. “Please…”

…

Your eyes shoot open and are met with the familiar sight of the dark ceiling. You sit up, shoving the blankets back a bit. You swing your legs over the side of the bed and stand up to make your way to the living room. You glance at the clock: 3:07 am. You sigh, running your fingers through your hair, pacing silently about the room trying to forget your dream. It was just so real. After a while of pacing around and standing at the window, you take a seat at Kara’s kitchen island on the stool. You reach into your pocket and pull out the tag and look over it before closing your hand over it. You place your elbows on the table and fold your other hand over your fist and rest your chin on top of your hands.

Not too long after, Kara emerges, softly padding down the short hallway and leaning on the wall. 

“Still not sleeping well?” She sleepily asks, yawning.

“No.” You admit, turning the tag on your hands.

“Whatcha got there?” She asks referring to the tag.

“It belongs to a friend.” You answer, thinking back to the day you met your friends. “She gave it to me after I found her when she and this kid brought their boat ashore Catalina Island.”

“What’re their names?” She asks, making her way over to sit next to you.

“Abby and Lev.” You answer.

“What are they like?” She presses on.

“Well, when I first met them, they were very defensive. They were weak, so they were kind of forced to let me take care of them.” You begin to think about the events from back then. “They’ve grown to like me, since they both invited me to join them. Abby is very strong and protective, though she can be stand-offish at times. Lev is quite wise for his age. He came from this weird cult in Seattle. He’s still learning some things about ‘Old World’ things.”

“What do you mean by ‘Old World’?” Kara wonders.

“The people he came from, Seraphites, didn’t believe in technology like electricity or powered items. They had some exceptions for their soldiers, who used guns as well as bows and arrows. They used wood to make their houses and watch towers and other structures on their island.” You explain.

“How long have you known them?”

“I’ve lost track.” You answer. “I’d say a long time, maybe a year and a half, two years.”

“Were you guys looking for something before this all happened?”

“Actually, yeah. Abby wants to find a group she used to be a part of called the Fireflies.” You look over your pendant. “That’s what this is from.” You set it down for her to look at. “The two got a lead for Catalina Island, but by the time they arrived and recovered, the base was no more. We still don’t know where they are. We’ve heard some rumors saying somewhere around National City. Some sort of Desert Facility.” You explain. “We have no clue where it is, just that it’s close to National City.”

“I think I know what you’re talking about.” Kara announces, placing the pendant back on the table.

“You do?” You perk up at her answer.

“Yeah, Alex used to work there.” She says, turning to fully face you. “I can take you there sometime!” 

“You can?” You’re in shock at the news.

“Yeah, so as long as our two worlds are parallel and everything is just… abandoned in your world, it would still be there in your world.” She says, getting excited. “And depending on what else has changed about your world's environment, it would pretty much be the same route in both worlds. Of course I would have to ask Alex about taking you there, but I doubt she’ll say no to me.”

“That sounds great!” You exclaim, heart rate picking up a bit in your excitement.

Kara glances at the clock. “It's only 6:35. We gotta be at the DEO by 8. I doubt you feel like going back to sleep for 40 minutes.”

“Yeah, not really.”

“How do you want to kill some time?” She asks and you shrug in response. “Why don’t you tell me more about Abby and Lev?”

The two of you go back and forth, her asking questions about them, and you answering them. You share a few major stories about your encounters with Infected, and some small lighthearted memories; ones without danger. You then start asking questions about Kara’s friends, and she returns the favor by answering and telling stories about them. You continue to talk through breakfast before finally calling it and heading out to drive to the DEO. Upon arrival, Alex is waiting by the circular table as usual. 

“Alex, so in her world, her and her friends are trying to find a group called the Fireflies. I think their base is the Desert Facility.” Kara explains. “So, I was going to make sure it was okay with you to show her where the facility is so when she goes back, she can help her friends get there.”

“They won't let you in.” Alex warns.

“Yeah, I know, I just want to show her where it is so she can find it when she goes back.” Kara acknowledges.

“Alright, I don’t see a problem with it.” Alex says, putting her hands on her hips.

“Thank you, Alex!” She excitedly bounces on her feet. “Can I take her later today?”

“Sure, as long as she’s back before you have to take her home for the night.” Alex approves.

“Alright! I’ll go tell her!” Kara briskly makes her way into the Lab you’re hanging out in under the supervision of Lena and Brainy.

She opens the door and enters, shooting the two scientists a smile and greeting. “Y/N! Great news!” She walks over to your puzzled form. “Alex is going to let me take you to the Desert Facility!”

“Really?” You ask, surprised.

She nods her head ecstatically.

“Wow, I- Thank you, Kara.” You say.

“I’ll take you later today, I’ve got to check into work first, but I’ll swing by around noon, yeah?” Kara asks.

“Yeah, that's- that works.” You beam at her.

“Great, I’ll see you then!” She confirms.

She then makes her way out of the building, leaving you alone with the two geniuses. To kill time, you start to write a little bit in your journal, sketching a few things to go along with it.

…

Around 12, Kara pokes her head in, just as she had said earlier. You jump to your feet, grabbing your stuff and shoving it in your bag.

“You ready?” She asks, giggling at your antics.

She leads you to her car, waving goodbye to Alex, before making your way down and out of the building. You both get in her car and strap in before taking off. During the ride, Kara tries her best to point out all the street names that she takes, which direction, and whatnot. You dig out your journal and begin to write down the directions as she talks. She points out different notable features of the environment to maybe help as a marker to let you know if you were on the right trail. The cityscape soon becomes residences, small roads, and finally a desert. She continues down the roads, continuing to give you information about the directions. She turns off of the main road and onto a dirt road. She continues for a few minutes before signs start popping up about trespassing. She stops the vehicle and the two of you get out to look around the area.

The dust covered tundra stretches for miles. It's almost impossible to see the skyscrapers of National city. The ridges of the small mountains you two passed through on the way there stand proudly in the distance as the sun beats down on the two of you.

“Okay, so the Facility is just a couple miles ahead.” Kara explains. “This is just the border to the property. If you just continue this way, you should start to see it soon.”

She stands with you for a few more minutes, letting you take in the scenery before she heads back to get in the car. You join her moments after and she hands you a folded piece of paper.

“This is a map of the city, I almost forgot to give it to you.” She turns to help you unfold the map and she takes a pen to it, circling a few buildings in the city. “This is the DEO.” She notes on the map and aloud, moving to circle another building. “This is L-Corp, and this is the exit we took out of the city.” She circles and labels them on the map. “Hope this is helpful for when you go back to your world.” She smiles.

“Thank you, you’re such a big help.” You respond.

She gives you another smile before starting the car to take you back to the DEO.

… 

“How was it?” Alex greets the two of you.

“I think it went well.” Kara responds.

“Yeah, thanks for letting us go.” You thank her for her gesture.

“Well, I think Lena and Brainy have some news for you.” Alex informs you, gesturing to the Lab they’re working in.

You push the door open and enter, catching the two scientists' attention.

“Hello, how was your outing?” Lena greets.

“It was fine.” You respond. “Uh, Alex said you have some news for me.”

“Ah, yes. Well, so we found a model that worked with the computers” She states. “We have the stuff to make it, it will just take some time.”

“Do you know approximately how long?” You ask.

“Maybe a week, if everything goes smoothly.” She informs.

“Which I calculated to be an 86.626% chance of success.” Brainy interrupts, spilling a bunch of numbers.

“We’ll need your participation to find your world, of course, when we have tested it.” Lena adds.

“Alright, that’s great. Thank you.”

[venusmages]

[reposted because someone politely asked me to remove their comments from the original, but tumblr wouldn’t let me delete them!] after playing a good 70-ish hours so far i can confidently say that, at least for PC, all of the bad press CP2077 is getting is totally 100% overblown. The game’s amazing.

Like, the story, characters, concepts are all groundbreaking. Especially for a real RPG and not a story based adventure game ala TLOU or RDR (TLOU which in my opinion had a very substandard, predictable story anyways - cant speak for the second one). Gameplay itself (shooting, driving, etc), perhaps not so much - pretty much what you’d expect. But it’s FUN. And it’s the best first person  system I’ve ever seen so far, extremely immersive. Though you can clearly see the ‘way’ that they do things - much more apparent than marketing would have you believe. 

That being said ofc i have criticisms like you would with every game. If you’re not gonna buy it I at least encourage you to check out the story because the writing is REALLY good. Like impressively good. This is the kind of cyberpunk genre story I want. It’s very well realized and full of heart and detail. 

I’m pretty convinced a lot of the backlash that isn’t from last gen users is either from fans who convinced themselves the game was going to be some Life Sim and not an RPG, or people who weren’t intending on playing it in the first place. And even the rough launch I don’t think is the dev team’s fault, but rather from shareholders and publishers pushing the game to be released before it was ready. It def should’ve come out on PC only first, and had more time to come to consoles later on  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. That part of it is absolutely true and their marketing team needs to be completely re-engineered as far as I’m concerned. That’s the part that makes the company look the worst given the cringe social media interactions and how they purposefully made the game confusing on what it was trying to be by ONLY showing cutscenes in 99% of the promotional material.

It also goes without saying that crunch is bad. I want shorter games, with worse graphics, made by people paid more to work less - and I mean that. But people didn’t get this upset when someone overworked at Rockstar had to animate horse balls. The discussion about crunch is definitely important and always will be, but this is genuinely overblown to the point people act like CDPR is trying to kill people AND their fans.

not saying you cant critique the game or even dislike it, but i see a lot of vitriol and acting as if CDPR is devil incarnate when they’re not any better or worse than any other AAA dev out there. I made a joke about it but I am going to make an actual post about my gripes with the game because I think marketing did THAT poor of a job actually showing what the game is. And likewise I think people deadset to be angry at the game who haven’t even touched it are spreading misinformation too.

[justash02]

Strong fate;

Zombie Apocalypse AU!

-> Soobin x reader

Plot: Your head shot up as you heard loud yelling out side of the door that the two of you just came through, you looked over to taehyun only to see that he shared the same surprised look as you did. You two soon were pulled back into reality when you heard gun shots and more yelling for help.

A/n; I kinda started imaging this while playing “TLOU 2” it’s so freaking good omg- btw I’ve resently started watching TXT videos and I think it’s save to say that Soobin is my bias😂

Find all my k-pop work here -> masterlist

-> I might cry, this too me soo freaking long, so please don’t let this flop this literally took 4 days to make-

—> Enjoy!

*^*^*

“Hey, Y/n. Check this out.” Taehyun said as you looked over to you, your eyes traveled over to the slightly older boy as you smiled, “I’ll give you a hand.” You walked over to him and pressed your hands against the rusty door.

“Ready? One, two.. three.” We both pushed against the door, pushing it open. Tae quickly slipped from beside you and got inside, he grabbed the door from you to let you in.

You sighed and brushed off some of the dirt that was on the door, “So, What did Yeonjun want us to get? Besides food of course.” I asked Tae as I pushed the cart back that was against the door. You never know what can be after you, maybe a stalker is walking behind you, luring from the corners waiting to attack you.

Or maybe a runner, or a clicker.

Tae laughed as he shook his head, “Let’s see.” He said as he pulled out a piece of paper, I looked down and turned on my flashlight as I waited for him to continue; “medicine, food, screws, batteries, water or anything that is drinkable, trading carts-“

“What! Now I know for sure that Yeonjun does have favorites, two days ago I asked him to put chocolate on the list because I was having cramps he told me who I needed to get over it and not to be a baby! And now Kai is asking something useless and he gets what he wants?!” I pout out as Tae smiled.

He reached to his bag and pulled out a kit-kat bar, “Here, I smuggled it out of Jeongguk’s bag because I know how bad your cramps can get.” He said as he handed it over to me. I stared at the bar as I smiled.

“Shit, now I owe you, Don’t I?” He shook his head as i watched him put his bag back on his back, “See this as a very bad sorry for the last run.” He didn’t look in my eyes as he said those words, he turned around and started looking for the things we were looking for.

I decided to do the same and started looking in every drawer and every closet that came across my path, it was dead silent as I watched Tae do his job.

“So..” he didn’t turn around but I could see that I got his attention from the way his body froze up a little, “Did Yeonjun give you a hard time about last time?” After a few seconds of silence he shook his head, “He was so disappointed in me, Y/n/n.”

He said as he turned around, “I’ve never seen him like that, he didn’t even yell at me or got mad, he just sat there staring deep into my soul telling me that I won’t ever go on a run on my own again.”

“He was happy about the fact that you saw me go, though. Look, im so sorry for almost getting you killed, too. I was to naive to think that my parents would still be alive after so many years of not seeing them.”

My eyes scanned his face as he looked down at the ground, failing to look into my eyes. Of course you understood that he wanted to believe that his parents were still alive, you also were in that place once when the outbreak started to you didn’t have anything against Tae doing this.

“Tae, seriously, it’s fine-“

“No! It’s not, I almost got you killed.” I sighed and walked over to him, I slowly wrapped my arms around him and hugged him, “Don’t ever apologize for something that you couldn’t help, I would do it ten times for if you wanted me to Tae. You’re like a brother to me and so are the rest of the boys.”

He looked up at me as tears slowly ran down his cheek, he hugged me back and squeezed me before pulling away. He whipped away his tears as he smiled at me.

“Let’s just keep look-“ before I could finish I heard loud banging on the door, Your head shot up as you heard loud yelling out side of the door that the two of you just came through, you looked over to taehyun only to see that he shared the same surprised look as you did. You two soon were pulled back into reality when you heard gun shots and more yelling for help.

“Fuck! Please help me! I’ve got no bullets left! Their gonna kill me!” Before I could move Tae grabbed my arm and pulled me back into him, “Don’t, you don’t know if-“

I ripped my arm from his grip and ran over to door, I grabbed the cart but it was stuck, my head shot over to Tae who was staring at me. “Well, get fucking moving!” He quickly ran over to me and gave the cart a pull, as soon as it was away from the door I grabbed the door knob and pulled it open.

A boy around our age dropped inside, I didn’t get long to look at him as I saw a runner charging at me, Tae gave it a swing against it’s head with the bat that he found earlier coming here.

I dropped to the floor helping the boy up but as soon as he stood he dropped back down, “Fuck! Drop-“ he grabbed my arm pulling me into him as I heard a gun shot, the sound of a body falling was heard behind me making me jump.

“Y/n-“ Tae began as a few clicks were heard, out of reflection I pulled the two boys before me, grabbing the gun out of its belt and pointed it to the fucker.

I thought that for a second the blind ass couldn’t hear us but the boy lets out a grunt of pain, alerting the clicker.

It let’s out a loud screech as it charged to us, I quickly aimed and pulled the trigger making its body fall onto me, I gagged at the smell of rotting flesh as soon as it filled my nose.

The boy reacted fast as he pushed off the bloody clicker and tried to pull me up but let’s out a loud grunt, Taehyun quickly crawled over to the boy and reached over to the boys leg.

Tae’s eyes traveled over to his eyes as the boy nodded, Tae’s hands began to shake as he slowly folded up the undercut of his pants.

Tae quickly shot back at the large bite wound, Tae reaches over to his gun and pointed it to him, “I will shoot you, I’ve shot people I love dearly so you’ll be easy.”

“Wait- don’t shoot, it’s a old bite wound. You have to believe me, I was bit a long time ago and I never turned. The blood is from falling.” He quickly explained as he held his hands up to his face, “Just- p-please, Don’t kill me.”

I slowly get onto my knees and sat next to him, “Y/n-“ I took out a wipe and started softly started patting his wound and saw indeed that it was an old one. My eyes widened as I realized that when Yeonjun and I were listening in on a group of fireflies that they were looking for an immune boy, they wanted to make a cure out of them.

The Fireflies are a revolutionary militia group, They revolt against military oppression in numerous Quarantine Zones in the hopes of eventually restoring the US government.

Meaning that anyone who wasn’t with them would be seen as a threat and would be executed.

“Y-your him. You’re that boy that they were looking for to make that cure.” His face froze as he stared at me, he reached for his gun and raised it up to my forehead, pressing it hard against my skin.

Before Tae could react the boy raised one of the guns that were laying around and pointed it to him and shot him in his leg, taehyun dropped to the floor and lets out a yelp of pain.

“You’re gonna regret doing that, you fucker.” The boy only smiled and pressed the gun back onto my skin, “I’ve killed many of you, don’t think that just because you saved me that I would spare you.”

“I’m not a firefly, dumbass. I’m literally against those fuckers.”, “That’s what they all say.”, he said as he pressed it harder, it started to hurt but I didn’t show it to him, “For someone who’s really wanted you sure do wait a long time to kill somebody.”

He went to pull the trigger but it never went off, I smirked and fell back as kicked him in the face. I grabbed his gun and throw it across the room and went to sit onto him giving him no time to react.

I punched him as hard as I could, knocking him out. I felt like all my energy was being sucked from me as I let myself fall beside him.

“Tae? You ok?” I asked as I watched him trying to stop the blood from spilling, his hands were bloody and tears were clearly to see on his face. He shook his head as his lips started to shake from the pain in his leg.

“Let’s get back to base, we’ll take him too to be sure.” Tae didn’t respond as he tried to get up, I grabbed the boys arms and wrapped it around my neck, I quickly grabbed onto his waist as I tried to pull him up, Tae came over to my side and grabbed the boys other arm.

“Yeonjun is not gonna be happy about this one.” Tae whispers out softly as we walked back to our car, yeah, he probably won’t be.

*^*^*

“So you’re telling me that you took home the person that the fireflies have been looking for while we are practically in war with them?” Yeonjun said, I stood there not knowing what to say, why did I take him home? He literally tried to attack me.

When yeonjun saw I wasn’t going to respond he lets out a sigh and let’s himself fall onto the couch behind me, “Fine, let him rest up here. Let him clean himself up but after that he’s gone. You’ve got to understand that in this world you can’t trust everyone.” He said as he scanned my face.

I just nodded, I didn’t brother telling him about the whole “he tried to shoot me” part because well, the boy probably won’t even survive cleaning himself up.

I walked out of the room and walked to the cafeteria, “Y/n!” I looked over and Kai, “Heya.” Kai smiled and hugged me, “soooo, did you get the cards?” He asked enthusiastically.

I shortly shook my head before grabbing two packs of sandwiches- if that’s what you can really call them. “We got interrupted.”, “By the immune boy, right?” I nodded and smiled at him.

“He was quite handsome.” Kai said as he took a big bite out of his sandwich, “He is, too bad he tried to kill me though.” I whispered, luckily the younger one didn’t hear me.

we said our goodbyes as I walked my way over to the room he was staying in, what if he tries to kill me again- stop talking nonsense Y/n, yeonjun took all of his wapons.

I softly knocked on the door, I slowly placed my ear against the door trying to hear anything, when I didn’t hear-

“Woah, didn’t know you were that big of a perf.” I quickly spin around only to see Jimin, “Oh my go- you scared the living shit out of me!” I said as I slapped his arm, jimin laughed and softly rubbed the skin I just hit.

“Scaredy-cat. I just wanted to tell you that yoongi was looking for you, he said your gun needed a upgrade.” I smiled and nodded, “I’ll go look for him when I’m done with him.”

Jimin wiggles his eyebrows, “not have too much fun.” He said before walking away, he didn’t even give me a change to hit him again.

I sighed and turned back around to face the door once again, I took a deep breath and opened it up. I peeked through the small crack of door.

There he was, he hang with his head and his wrists were chained to the bedpost, I felt my heart ache as I saw him like that. I didn’t understand why I felt that way but I couldn’t stop thinking about how scared he looked when we saw that clicker coming for me.

I decided that it was better to push away those thoughts and walk over to him, I gently sat onto the bed. He quickly looked up to me only to relax when he saw it was me.

“I- Um, I brought you food...” I said, he looked down at my hands. Suddenly he shots his eyes back to mine making me blush, what the hell?

He smiled softly before, shyly looking down. He mumbled something under his breath so I didn’t understand any of what he said.

“Huh?”

“I said, I can’t eat it when I’m chained up...” I felt stupid for not figuring that out on myself as I looked down at the food, theres no way that Namjoon will give me the keys and if I ask Jun to get it for me he‘ll laugh his ass of telling me to ‘fuck off’.

An idea popped into my head but I quickly pushed that away, “Could you- you know.. maybe feed me?” He stuttered out, my eyes widened at his request, great minds think alike, right?

I saw as his whole face turned a deep shade of red, I, myself started to feel my face heat up. “O-or you go get the keys, but I highly doubt that they will give it to you, see that I tried to kill you and all..”

I quickly unwrapped the sandwich and slowly ripped off a piece and shoved it in his mouth, his eyes widened as he stared at me dumbfounded. I quickly looked away, avoiding eye contact at all cost.

“W-well, what are you looking at? E-eat up.” I stuttered out, I felt embarrassed that this was happening, I would’ve rather died back there than be in this awkward situation.

He slowly started to chew as he looked down, “thanks.” I looked over to him, he frowned as he continued, “If it weren’t for you, I would’ve been dead.”

“It’s nothing, I guess it’s a human thing to do.” I said as I reached the sandwich closer to his mouth letting him take a bite, “I would do it again, even though you pulled that gun to me.” He looked down embarrassed.

“Nothing to feel embarrassed about, though, if I were in your place I probably would’ve done that same.” I said, I watched him swallow as he eagerly looked over at the sandwich, I laughed only to have him shoot me a dirty look.

“Stay still.” I said, I laid the food onto the nightstand next to the bed and crawled behind him, “W-Wait, what are you doing?”, I ignored him and grabbed the small bobby-pin out of my hair and pushed it in, I wiggled it a little before opening it up.

“That’s one.”

Soon I got the other one lose too, I throw the handcuffs to the other side of the room before getting up, I looked over to see him rub his sore wrists, they looked painfully red.

I smiled softly before handing the sandwich over to him, “Just, just tell me when you need anything ok?” He looked over with a smile, he softly nodded before he started nibbling on the sandwich.

Cute.

*^*^*

*a few months later*

“Y/n, help me with this.” Jungkook said, I looked over and smiled, I quickly ran over to his side. I grabbed a brick and threw it against the window, “that is also a way.” He said laughing.

I smiled and looked over to Soobin, “What, you’re scared?” I asked, Soobin looked over at me and pouted, “Me, scared? You wish, babygirl.” Jungkook fake gagged for a second before winking my way.

“You disgust me.” I said to him before away, I walked over to where all the clothes were and started looking through them, “Get your ass in here, lover boy.” Jk said as Soobin quickly came in, he looked over my way and scanned my body.

If you would say that there wasn’t some tension between the two of us, you were probably blind or just really stupid. But we both just dare to say anything about it.

Everyone seemed to see they way that we flirted at the most weirdest moments, or how you “accidentally” touched each other’s hands. We even kissed, but the next day Soobin seemed to have forgotten it.

Maybe he wanted to forget, maybe he doesn’t like me the way that I like him. I sighed and pushed some clothing into my bag. I glanced over to him and watching him reach for a few newly found bullets.

“Y/n/n?” I jumped, and out of reflecting hit Jk, his hands quickly cupped his nose trying to stop the bleeding as he lets out a pain filled grunt. “Holy fuck, I would say that you hit like a girl but that would be a lie.”

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” I said as I grabbed a cloth from the table and pressed it against jungkooks nose, I softly cupped his cheeks making sure he doesn’t let his head fall back.

“I’m going to look upstairs.” Soobin said in a irritated voice, looking over jungkook frowned before smirking, “Looks like lover boys jealous.” I scoffed hitting his shoulder, “Stop it, he doesn’t like me.”

“Yeah, right. That’s why he was literally eating your face.” Jungkook said rolling his eyes, “It’s no mystery that he likes you, did you see his face when Jin hugged you for your birthday last month?” I shook my head and let out a sigh, “He doesn’t fucking like me, drop it ok?” I said, annoyed I let to go look for Soobin.

I ran up the stairs only to find all doors closed, “Soobinie?” I said, nothing. Suddenly I heard what sounded like a body dropping, I grabbed my gun and quickly ran over to the door. I slammed it open only to find soobin trying to fight off a runner.

“Get off of him, asshole!” I ran towards the bitch and grabbed it by its neck, I pressed my gun against its temple and shot it. I felt the body slip from my hands as blood dripped down from the wall.

Soobins loud breathing started to become like it usually is and he stared at me, “thanks.” He said breathlessly. I glanced at him before letting myself drop onto the couch, this is probably an old employees louche, “If I would get a penny everything I saved your ass I would be rich.” I said.

Soobin scoffed as he stood up from the ground, “If you were flirting with jungkook Hyung so much I wouldn’t have been here in the first place, so it’s your fault I almost got killed.” He spatted out, I laughed, i literally laughed in his face as I stood up.

“If that’s what you called flirting I might as well have proposed to you.” He rolled his eyes, “Oh because you like me so much right? You literally flirt with everyone from the base, literally everyone! I didn’t even feel special when you kissed me, because I knew you would do it to anyone!” At this point he started raising his hands to get his message more clearer but I knew that what he said was exactly what he was thinking.

“So you think I just kiss anyone? Like do you exactly think that?” I asked, I wanted him to answer me honestly.

“No, I don’t exactly think that. It’s just- the fact that all of them seemed to be so found of you, I don’t like that. You’re mine-“

“Since when?” I teased, “You’ve never asked me.” Soobin blushed deeply as cupped his mouth, “you know what I mean..”

“Do I?” I said, I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, he instinctively wrapped his around my waist, “Because if you asked me to be your girlfriend, I might just say yes.” It’s weird how he can make my mood switch from mad, to sad, to happy.

“Butttt, I might need you to kiss me...” I whispered, he smirked as he softly brushed his lips over mine, his tongue softly brushed over my top lip making me some type of way (wha-)

I started to feel impatient as I pulled him closer, his lips covered mine perfectly like a puzzle piece as he softly cupped my cheek.

“Eww, young love, disgustingly cute.”

[gamersgame]

heavy spoilers for tlou part ii below. 

it’s just my thoughts on ppl saying that the game is bad or trash. i wrote it in one go so i apologize if it's messy. 

 feel like by saying that the game is bad or trash you’re showing that you completely missed the point. i understand if you would’ve liked things to be different, but just like joel says they’re not. and i can understand that you might not like certain things and wished you were given more of other things, bc me too bitch, but saying that the game is trash bc of that is just plain unfair. 

i also wish that joel hadn’t been murdered like that 2 hours into the game, and that we hadn’t had to play from abby’s perspective for so goddamn long, and that joel and ellie had had the opportunity to grow together and make things right with themselves. but by saying that the game is trash bc of that you’re disregarding everything else that is honestly incredible about the game. 

i don’t think i had ever been so moved by a work of fiction. when joel was laying on the ground, barely there, i was ellie being held down begging them to stop and praying for things to be ok in the end. i couldn’t get joel’s last moments out of my head just like her. i wanted revenge, but bc i thought it’s was i was supposed to do. bc like ellie, she thought that joel would’ve already hunted down and killed them if it had been her who had had her head bashed in with a golf club. but then you’re put in abby’s shoes, and while i hated her in the beginning i understood what the game was trying to say, and i even got to the point where i realized that, hell, ellie and her could have been friends. in the world of the last of us the priority is survival, and with it most of the times comes violence, and so abby wanting to get revenge like that is completely understandable. it’s not okay, but it’s understandable. 

the way they intertwined the story and what they wanted to say with the gameplay itself and what it means to play a game,  was absolutely brilliant. the player is literally put into the shoes of joel’s murderer. we see through her eyes and by doing that the game is trying to make us understand. it’s not really asking for you to love her, it’s just showing you another perspective of the events in the game. we even fight ellie as abby, badly injuring her, and the whole time we’re probably not having a good time having to press those buttons, but we associate it with what ellie or joel would’ve done. they just did what they thought was right, no matter how wrong they were. 

this game is bold, and extremely ambitious and takes a lot of fucking risks, and still manages to pull it off, no matter how comfortable or in pain it makes the player feel. i think saying the game is trash bc what happened didn’t sit well with what you wanted it to happen or with whatever expectations you had is not fair. like i said, it didn’t sit well with me either!!! but that’s the point!!!! as much as i would’ve liked this to be more like the first game, it’s not. it’s supposed to be gut wrenching, it’s supposed to hurt, it’s supposed to make you do things you don’t want to do, and it’s supposed to be just an overall pretty uncomfortable experience. and the fact that they did that, while still keeping the essence of tlou, is fucking incredible. 

and keep in mind that with this i’m not saying you’re not allowed to dislike the game, you absolutely are, but just try to look a bit further into it and understand why the story in this game is the way it is before you say it’s trash. 

[emmas]

so i finished tlou and i have.... thoughts

first of all I’m SO glad i didn’t spoil myself before playing lmao it really would’ve ruined a lot. That being said I kind of..... felt Joel’s death coming? idk i just knew they were going to kill him in this game. I didn’t think it would be so soon tho...

but other than him dying, which made me cry, the first 12-ish hours were fucking amazing. I couldn’t stop playing & when i wasn’t playing i was THINKING about playing. Ellie & dina have SUCH a good dynamic i love them together. Their banter, dina actually helping in combat etc it was all great... until they made us play as abby again.

I was ok with like the first couple hours? seeing more of the wlf & the stadium & their conflict with the scars. it was interesting to see imo. but it dragged on for SO damn long holy shit. Like in the present time, you KNOW abby is holding a gun to ellie’s head in the theater. So you just want to go back to that asap. so after the first couple hours i just... wanted it to be over?

it also didn’t help that abby’s story was all over the place. your time with Ellie was straight forward. you know what she wants, you always feel like the story is moving forwards but abby... was a mess. you’re trying to get to the aquarium, you meet yara & lev but leave them behind, finally get to the aquarium, you get a cut scene and then.... you teleport back to yara & lev... you pick yara up and teleport AGAIN to the aquarium... it just felt like the only reason why they didn’t want yara & lev to go with abby in the first place, is so that she and owen could have that alone time together and that wouldn’t have worked with the attention on yara’s arm...

I liked lev & abby’s team up. Lev is by far the most useful companion to have in combat and their dynamic was nice. but i just did not care about the plot at all.. that hotel section was phenominal gameplay wise... but i just wish we got to go through there as ellie. bc i was just tired of abby & i didn’t care about yara’s meds & i just wanted to get out of there & move the story forward so we could catch up with the present time. I just constantly felt like ok now get back to the aquarium find your dead friends and go to ellie. but every. single. time. it was just ONE more thing that they came up with and it was just exhausting to me.

the scars island looked absolutely phenomenal ngl but the reason for being there was once again just stupid. lev runs off so you and yara go after him!! but yara dies so you left with 2 people to rescue 1 and 1 dies so you leave with 2 again....

and then we FINALLY get back to ellie but we have to fight her? I can’t believe they made us choke ellie out like that. it was fucking brutal i never wanna see that again i felt sick pressing square over and over again... i’m glad no one actually died tho i guess. but i screamed when abby was about to kill dina jfc.

and then i thought the game was over. those farm scenes were lowkey weird. i liked seeing domestic dina/ellie but it looked like the game was gonna end right there and then which wouldve been awful considering we just played the past 6 hours as abby which i didn’t care for at all. so i was glad it wasn’t over but it also felt kinda weird.? it was just cut scenes, time goes on,... they survived abby & seattle ah yeah ok but ellie goes back out there tho. 

and then we had to play as abby AGAIN bro i was done afdgjfd but i actually don’t...hate the ending. Ellie leaving dina & continuing her revenge was.... yeah. but i’m glad she ended up not killing abby. it was heartbreaking to see ellie like that but I’m glad she got closure and then just let it go. 

Idk what people are freaking out about re: the ending. I thought dina & JJ must’ve gone back to jackson and thats where ellie set off to? not sure why people believe she’s off to survive on her own but ok.

anyways, the first 12 hours were perfect and i enjoyed myself a LOT. abby’s part dragged on for so long it exhausted me & was followed by that weird farm time jump/that looked like an ending but wasnt an ending? i’m glad we ended the game playing more of ellie. I waited SO long for this game. i’m glad i didn’t get spoiled. I’m glad ellie or dina aren’t dead. i’m glad ellie got closure and is now doing somewhat better. I think if abby’s part was like.. 5 hours shorter it would’ve been 9/10 but having us play as her for so long and so close to the end of the game... ruined a lot of my mood tbh. The dogs & being able to go prone were great additions to the game. the new infected spiced things up (shamblers were scary at first but easier to kill than they look but the STALKERS CAN SUCK MY DICK) The acting was Great and the facial expressions were beyond amazing. ashley is SO good as ellie, her acting in joel’s death scene made me cry. the world looked gorgeous & I didn’t have any glitches. I also really loved the skill trees & amount of guns/things we could craft.

OVERALL things could’ve been better but I enjoyed myself and i’m glad the game exists.