#you cant just move on from something like this

[v-arbellanaris]

i feel like some of you are really shooting yourselves in the foot. i get it! trust me, i get it! i, well known dai hater, also have my anxieties abt da4 - and yes, even expectations abt things like where the plot is going to etc - but the teaser is TWO MINUTES LONG and i've been ripping it to shreds to get SOMETHING out of it, but the truth is that it's just not going to be indicative of the full game

the teaser trailers for dao imply that the sacred ashes quest is gonna be the huge memorable quest - and for me, they simply weren't? and how different did the actual game look to the teasers like let's be sooo real. da2 teasers hinged on the qunari invasion which was like... just one of many, many events in da2. and hawke and isabela didnt even look like that. i cant even remember seeing solas in the inquisition trailers?

the teasers aren't even for the plot, is the thing. these teasers are literally companion reveals, of course it's aimed to make the characters look cool and interesting, rather than really foreshadowing anything deep about the storylines - that's for things like tevinter nights, and the comics, and even absolution. it just feels really weird to use the thing they're using to advertise the companions for this game as a metric for the entire game plot and vibes. dao and da2 trailers were SO FUCKING INTENSE and then you get iconic lines like swooping is bad and hawke stepped in the poopy like...............

like da4 is not going to be dao. it's not going to be da2. it's not going to be dai either. all three of these games were tonally totally different from each other, and idk where the expectation is coming from that da4 will be like the other games. especially when the writing direction, as i've talked abt on this blog a few times already, is definitely changing and evolving. whether or not i personally like that direction is irrelevant to the fact it's happening.

i support the haterisms - god knows ive got my issues with it - but sometimes i just think you guys are unnecessarily hostile for weird reasons and i dont get it. "people who hate dragon age the most are people who love it" i dont think you guys like dragon age anymore, is the thing. which is fine, but i'm not obliged to tolerate it, or you. like you can just say: you liked dragon age origins. you liked dragon age 2. you maybe even like dai. and you're not interested in da4. that's fine. because da4 is not those games. i dont really care to hear abt the whinging abt how da's ruined or whatever - da hasn't been the same literally since da2, which was already a tonal shift from dao. da has been changing, and i have opinions abt the changes, but fundamentally, i am - cautiously, warily, anxiously - excited about a new game. new content. new companions. new maps. new knowledge. new narratives to chew on. aren't you?

if you're not, have you considered that you just don't like dragon age anymore? and that's fine? and you can just move on?

and idk why are you acting like a 2 min teaser is gospel for how the entire game is going to anyway? we know practically nothing, and at least try to keep that in mind when you're drawing firm conclusions abt the wholeass game based on the trailers because you literally WILL NOT KNOW. the teaser literally means nothing except: here are your companions. this is what they look like and where they're from. everything else based off the trailers is wild conjecture

[paiges-1vur]

welcome to the party pt. 2

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paige buckers x oc!

cw: language, alcohol, lots of sexual tension (smut coming soonnnn!!)

a/n: Please let me know if you guys like this, or dont like it. I want to know what you guys think! idk how long i want to make this series but i think there will be atleast 4-5 parts. Also the blacking out after 5 shots actually is something that happened to me once… Drink safely please!! anyways thats all i love you guys let me know if you like this 💕

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Friday 9:32 pm

It’s not long before the door opens up revealing a smiling girl. This must be Azzi, Rileys friend.

“Hi ry!” the girl says in a high pitched voice, “I haven’t seen you in so long we need to catch up.”

I see Riley smile and give her a quick hug before introducing me. I flash a quick nervous smile and tell her it was nice to finally meet her.

As we walk inside we meet 3 other girls. Then it hits me. Fuck. How could i be so stupid? I forgot Azzi was on the women’s basketball team. I walk in and try to suppress my anxiety as i face her 3 teammates.

Right as soon as i look to Riley for some stability, i notice her and Azzi have gone off somewhere else, probably to catch up.

The three girls are all occupied on their own, but one of them comes up to me as soon as she sees im uncomfortable.

“Hi your Ana, Rileys friend right! My names Nika and its really nice to meet you.” How could i be scared of this girl who sounded so sweet? I decided to pull myself together and try to have fun tonight.

“Yeah, im her roommate, and its really nice to meet you too!” I reply with a smile as she sips on her drink.

“And may i just say damn girl! you look so hot tonight!” Nika hypes me up and i do a little 360 giggling. As im spinning i see one of the other girls in the corner of my eye. The only girl i knew here. Paige Bueckers. “You know what lets do shots!” Nika is obviously feeling the same energy i am and i love it.

She calls the other girls over and quickly introduces me to kk who i love just as much as Nika. Paige stays quiet and Nika doesn’t say anything about her. She pours 4 shots and i say “Fuck it. Pour me 2” I hope I dont learn to regret this because being 5”1 and 120 pounds doesnt mix well with taking shots.

We all knock them back and i reach for my second one taking it down as quick as the first before making a quick face.

I look up to my right and see Paige looking down at me. Her eyes scan up and down my body as she bites her lip. I blush and look away, and in the corner of my eye i can see her smirking.

Azzi and Riley come back into the kitchen and let us know its time to head out to the bars. We all pack into Azzi’s car which has just enough room to fit us all. As soon as we pull out Azzi says “Shit. Guys is it okay if we pick up my friend real quick she just needs a ride to the bar thats all.” We all nod in understanding because we don’t mind.

As soon as her friend walks out of her building Azzi says “Okay theres not enough room so Ana since your the smallest your going to have to sit on Paiges lap. Is that okay?”

My mouth goes dry. i somehow manage a “Yeah thats fine.” As i move over to Paiges side of the car and sit on her lap. I immediately feel her staring at me. I turn my head to look at her, and her pupils are dilated and her eyes an icy blue. I feel her staring at my top again and this time i decide to be bold.

“You like what you see?” I whispered looking at her through my eyelashes and twirling my hair in my finger, biting my lip ever so slightly.

I can see her demeanor instantly change. She grins and comes down to my ear “I would like to see what you look like under it more.” I gulp and turn my head to the window trying to hide how wet that just made me.

I cant help from getting uncomfortable on Paiges lap in my mini skirt and have to keep moving my position on her lap. All of a sudden i feel two big hands on my hips. I look up at her as she licks her lips.

“Don’t start something you cant finish.” This immediately stops me from moving until the rest of the car ride, but Paiges hands linger on my hips for the rest of the ride.

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We all walk into the bar quickly flashing the bouncer our ids. Nika told me that tonight was going to be really fun especially because Paige knows the owner of the bar so we can do basically whatever we want.

We all sit down at a table and Im already feeling tipsy (but thats also coming from the girl who blacked out after 5 shots once..) “Who wants to get more shots!” I half scream at the girls smiling ear to ear.

They all laugh as Paige gets up and goes to the bar to order us two rounds. We are celebrating tonight. Once she got back we immediately downed the next two rounds and i decided i wanted to dance. I grabbed Nika by the hand laughing and dragged her to the dance floor.

She was surprisingly a good dancer and we danced with each other to the music that was blasting from the speakers. I started to grind on Nika as she hyped me up. I had my back faced to her as i moved up and down her body before turning around and putting my hands on her chest laughing because people had started to cheer us on.

I look over and see Paige staring at me moving on Nika, her hold so tight on her drink it could shatter at any moment. She stares me down in jealousy, and shit was it hot.

As the night went on I talked to all the girls and they were all super nice and i wanted to get to know them.

We started talking about basketball and when i asked who’s the best everyone turned to Paige. She bragged about how good she was for about 10 minutes.

She flexed and looked at me, “These don’t just come in overnight.” Everyone at the table laughed. My jaw dropped and the Paige looked over at me and winked. I mean i knew she was jacked. She had toned arms, smooth abs, and a killer back. NOT that i had ever looked that up on youtube.

I decide to distract myself from the growing need to touch Paige.

“GUYS!” I say ten volumes louder than i should have, “Guys lets lets play truth or dare right now i want to play now.” Everybody laughs and agrees as we sip our drinks.

The game is going well until its Paiges turn to ask me.

“Ana truth or dare.” She says flashing me her signature smirk. I try not to melt under her gaze. I know shes looking at my tits, but i don’t care. I want her to.

“Dare.” I say drunkenly, ready for whatever shes about to throw my way.

She laughs, “Lets do body shots.”

“W-what” I mumble, my brain suddenly slowing everything down.

“You heard me.” She gets up from the table and walks over to the bar. I look around at the other girls at the table and they all are smiling and trying to hide their laughs. Im just about to ask what the fuck i got myself into but then i hear something coming from the speakers.

“No fucking way.” I say. Azzi is trying to hide her laughing under a napkin. Pony by Ginuine starts blasting in the bar as i see Paige whisper something into the bartenders ear with a grin on her face. The girls at the table are absolutely losing it. Suddenly the bartender speaks into a microphone.

“Everyone we have a little something special for you all tonight. We have my good friend Paige and her new friend Ana are going to do body shots so lets give them all a warm welcome!”

People are whistling and cheering, eating up this little act.

“Come on up Ana!” The bartender looks over to my table and waves me over to the bar. I get up from my seat slowly walking to the bar, as Paige offers me her hand to get on top of it. I look at her with a “what the fuck.” look and she only laughs in response.

I lie down on the bar feeling very underdressed. As the music plays I decide to let go and let myself be happy. I can’t live life always worrying about the what ifs right?

I let myself feel free and the music blasting in my ears makes me anticipate whats going to happen. The bartender pours the shot and puts it down next to my head. She then pours the line of salt across my chest, which I’m sure was per Paiges request.

“Here you go hun.” The bartender hands me the lime to put in my mouth as she flashes me a wink. “Everybody lets hear it one more time for Paige!” The crowd erupts people clapping, screaming, and whistling. I see Nika holding her phone up recording this all, but to be honest, i don’t fucking care. Im too drunk to worry about the little things.

As im ready for Paige to initiate it i see her move. She climbs up on the bar and straddles my stomach, playing into this little act. Everyone is screaming clearly eating it up. i look up at her trying not to moan at just the sight of her on top of me. Fuck i need some sort of friction.

She leans down and grabs both of my wrists, and i let her take full control. She pins them above my head and smiles before scanning over my upper body one more time and whistling to the crowd.

I close my eyes before hearing Paige by my ear whisper “Open your eyes baby. I want you to see my face when i do this to you” I flutter my big brown eyes open staring at her in awe. “Good girl.” she says before returning to the act.

She leans down putting her free hand on my upper stomach as she licks the line of salt from my exposed chest. My back arches in response to her tongue and shit it feels so good. She then grabs the shot and downs it before coming down to my face and gabbing the lime from my mouth.

Still straddling me she sits up and tilts her head back with the lime in her mouth. The bar is packed full of students all screaming and cheering. The girls over at our table are still recording and cheering for Paige and I.

Im so drunk at this point that im stumbling back to the booth, and im fully leaning on Paige in the corner of the booth, sort of behind me. The girls whistle and Nika tells me how sexy that was. I giggle and lean back into Paige more, sitting in between her legs. The girls start to talk about something else, probably basketball before i feel a big cold hand sneak up my skirt on the inside of my thigh.

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[gaysindistress]

Things I think would happen if you were in a relationship with Karlach

Main masterlist I swear I’m working on a bg3 masterlist

1. Starting a relationship isn’t easy

You have no idea if she actually likes you and all of your advances feel like they’ve failed. She’s friendly to everyone and puts so much faith into your party that you cant gauge her approval of you. Numerous times you’ve tried to make a subtle move but with nothing to show. She always greets you with the same energy as she does everyone else. She gives you all the same smile and excitement. She supports everyone without a second thought. She politely rejects your affection every time you try to give her even a shred of what you truly want to.

The night of the tiefling party comes around and you’ve finally worked up the courage to just tell her. I imagine that you’ve enlisted Shadowheart and Astarion to help you get ready and they’ve spent hours at this point doing so. Your hair has been washed and styled by Astarion’s nimble fingers while Shadowheart has lightly painted your face with makeup she’s made from the foliage around your camp. Wyll and Gale both have stopped in theirs tracks to compliment you as well as having agreed to keep Karlach busy and away from you. Lae’zel has been sitting by the entire time pretending to be sharpening her swords but also adding her own input every now and then. At one point she took over braided because Astarion didn’t get them tight enough and she can’t stand it.

When the others have decided that you’re ready, they huddle around with nervous energy and give you a big thumbs up as you walk away. By now Karlach has figured out that something is going on however it’s not until she sees you that it full registers. Her breath catches as she looks over to see you walking her way. She’s always thought you were beautiful but the moonlight and general joy of the evening gives you a glow she can’t ignore. Like the moon goddess herself, you seem to radiate the night sky’s beauty and she can’t help but stare at you with an open mouth. She almost doesn’t hear your shy greeting and has to shake herself back to reality.

Your entire conversation feels like a dream and she almost doesn’t believe that she hears you right when you confess your feelings for her. There’s no way that the leader of her party, the Hero of the grove likes her, right? Surely you’re good friends with everyone and you’re just making your rounds. Surely your dressed up look tonight is meant for someone else. Surely there’s no way that you’re telling her that you have feelings for her and oh gods she’s an idiot for not seeing the signs sooner.

Gay panic is real my friends and Karlach is 110% a victim of it every time.

2. You’re a menace to her

You’re always putting yourself at risk for those who need it. Not a day goes by where you’re not getting your party into some sort of fight because you can’t say no. It’s one thing to help escort the Tieflings but it’s another to take out an entire goblin camp for them. Sometimes she thinks you do it only to scare her and make her blood pressure spike. Don’t even get me started on how frantic she would get if you were injured. She’d rage on everyone and take on every enemy alone if it meant Shadowheart could heal you without distraction.

But there’s another form of menacing that gets under her skin the most.

Following the tiefling party, it becomes established that physical intimacy is off the table. It’s worse yet when Dammon confirms that he can’t do anything at the moment but promises to find a solution later on. It’s hard on her to be so close yet so far from the one thing she desires the most and you make it even worse.

It started out innocently; you’d tell her when you’d go to clean up so someone knew where you were but she can’t help herself. She’d follow you to the water to keep you company most times. Keeping her back turned, Karlach likes to listen to you ramble about your day and hear you so relaxed as you cleanse your body of dirt, grim, and other nasty things. Sometimes she’d peak when she thinks you wouldn’t notice but you always do. You wink and playfully splash at her as you continue to go about your task. However sometimes upon making eye contact, you can see that she’s burning so hot you’re worried that she might combust on the spot. Her yellow eyes have scanned and committed every inch of your body to memory, further fueling her desire for you. Should she join you, the water might come to a boil with the way her engine’s flames are almost consuming her. Embarrassment is too weak a word to describe the disgusting feeling that overcomes her when she realizes she’s been caught. You always reassure her that you’re flattered and quite enjoy her affections however it does nothing to convince her.

That’s when you decide to test the waters.

Once in the shadow lands and having spoken to Dammon privately after Karlach does, you know that there’s an end in sight for this celibate relationship. It’s only a matter of finding the iron that he requires so you begin a little experiment of sorts.

Karlach is a tease in her own right and can be shamelessly filthy when she wants. The sight of her in combat alone makes you burn as hot as her but it’s when she chooses to murmur filthy things into your ear late at night that destroys you the most. The time has come for you to return the favor.

Would wearing your shirt ties looser ignite her flames? Would trading clothes with Shadowheart one night be the thing that tips the scales? Would forging clothes altogether when you’re sleeping side by side be what makes her feral?

Karlach does what she can to keep her shit together but it’s all becoming too much. She starts to burn blue almost all hours of the day as you get closer and closer to finding the infernal iron. When you finally do find it, you look at each other with astonishment and surprise.

“Did we…did we just…” the words tumble out of her mouth as she stares at it in your hands.

“Oh my gods I think we did.”

Fast forward to when Dammon has fixed her as best as he can and proposes a test to see if it worked. Karlach is practically vibrating with excitement and nerves at the thought of finally getting to touch you. Feeling your arms wrap around her and hold her as if you’re afraid she’s going to disappear absolutely melts her heart. Overwhelming joy washes over her as she clenches to you as well but something else comes over her too. A realization.

She’s touching you.

She’s actually able to touch you without hurting you.

Years of pent up desire and thoughts of pure debauchery begin to consume her mind. What was once joy quickly morphs in lust and she has to pull away from you to avoid claiming you like a rutting predator right in front of Dammon.

3. Disguise is your favorite spell

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room; sex toys are going to be difficult to get in this world. No one can convince me that you could find a strap on in the Emerald Grove or Moonrise towers. Obviously you can go without them but if you have a disguise spell on hand, why not use it???

The first couple of times you and Karlach have sex, it’s sweet and gentle. It borders love making with the way she utterly worships your body and you hers. Things do get rougher when the years of going without touch catch up to her but for the most part it’s soft and tender. Karlach wants to memorize you because she’s terrified she’s going to lose you so she takes her time. You want to ensure that she knows she won’t lose you so you devote yourself to her pleasure every night without fail.

However Karlach has this…daydream that has begun to worm its way to becoming all she thinks about it.

She wants to fuck you stupid.

She wants you babbling and sobbing with pleasure as she fucks you senseless. She wants her name to be the only thing you remember and your body to be covered in her scent, marks, seed, anything and everything that is her.

Enter said disguise spell and there you have it; the chance to make her fantasy real

[whxtedreams]

Chapter 3: The Failed Birthday

Blood Runs Thicker than Water - Joel & F!Reader (Platonic DBF!)

Summary: Nothing Joel does seems to go right, at least he has his girls on his birthday.

Word Count: 2.3k

Tags: Joel is trying his best, joel can’t cook, banter, joel feels like he cant do anything right, reader sleeps on joel, soft!joel, father!joel, joel is sick of tommy’s shit

Series Masterlist - Main Masterlist - Read on AO3

Chapter 3: The Failed Birthday

Joel grimaces slightly as the child's small hands grasp a hold of his hair, pulling gently as she perches on his shoulders. She points eagerly, indicating the exact spot on the roof where she wants him to stick the balloon. He can't help but stifle a grunt, the unexpected tugging on his hair causing a slight discomfort

Joel points to the wrong spot, teasingly testing her, only for her to groan in response and tug at his hair once more. Her frustration is evident, and her small hands pull at his hair insistently. Chuckling softly, he relents and lifts her up higher to the spot she had actually pointed to, letting her stick the balloon onto the roof.

“There’s smoke in the kitchen again.” Sarah sighs as she steps into the living room.

He mutters a curse under his breath as he lowers the child onto the floor, stepping over the myriad of balloons. His movements are hasty as he rushes to the oven, where the cake is now burned to a crisp and black. The sight of the ruined dessert is met with a mix of disappointment and frustration, and Joel lets out a discouraged sigh as he surveys the damage.

He had thought he had everything under control, but the kid's requests for balloons quickly got out of hand. She wanted balloons, then she wanted to blow them up, and suddenly she wanted them stuck to the roof for Tommy's arrival. Joel hadn't planned on decorating, but he found himself unable to say no to her endearing pleading. The end result was a chaotic mess of balloons scattered throughout the house, leading up the stairs to the rooms and he thinks he even found one in the bathroom upstairs.

Sarah teases Joel, saying, "You know there's this thing called a timer, right?" As she picks the kid up, she moves towards the kitchen, sidestepping the balloons that litter the floor

Joel lets out a frustrated sigh, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, I know. Things got a bit out of hand," he admits, a hint of weariness in his voice.

Sarah's smile widens as she looks down at the giggling girl in her arms. She gently tickles the child's sides, eliciting a fit of laughter from her. Sarah playfully comments, "Looks like my dad's losing his mind a little bit, isn't he?" The child nods enthusiastically, her laughter echoing through the room in agreement. Both Sarah and the child share a moment of amusement at Joel's expense, his flustered state adding to their lighthearted enjoyment.

Joel glances at the ruined cake, now resembling charcoal, and offers a suggestion, his voice tinged with fatigue. "Maybe we just… don't have cake?" he mutters, placing the burnt confectionery on the bench. Caught up in his frustrations, he doesn't pay much attention to Sarah and the child, the lighthearted banter between them slipping his notice amid the chaos of the kitchen.

Sarah carefully lowers the child onto the bench, her suggestion interrupting Joel's thoughts. "We could always have Tommy bring something over, right?" The child's frown deepens as she regards the ruined cake.

Joel leans against the counter, a sense of resignation setting in as he mentions Tommy's tardiness. "He was supposed to be here over an hour ago, I don't think he's coming," he mutters, frustration lacing his tone. A heavy sigh escapes his lips as he looks down at the ruined cake, his disappointment clear in his expression. The weight of another failure seems to weigh heavily on his shoulders, adding to his mounting frustration.

Joel's expression darkens with frustration as he realizes how many things have gone wrong—the forgotten pancake mix Sarah wanted, the forgotten cake mix, losing sight of the kid while getting the cake mix, and now burning the cake. Both Sarah and the child gaze at the ruined cake with disappointment, each mistake weighing heavily on his mind. A mixture of exhaustion and annoyance fills him as he looks at the mess before him, wondering how everything went so awry.

And where the fuck is Tommy?

The child’s young voice interjects, her small nose wrinkling as she looks at the burnt cake. "That looks yucky," she says with a hint of disgust. Joel can't help but chuckle softly at her honest assessment, his earlier frustration momentarily forgotten in the face of her unfiltered candor.

Joel glances at Sarah as she chimes in, a hint of amusement in her tone. "I think it looks worse than the cake you burnt for me," she says, her head tilting slightly as she examines the charred confectionery. Sarah then adds, "Feels worse too," as she taps her fingers against the cake, the hard, rock-like texture confirming her observation.

“Maybe we can just have some ice cream and decorate that with sprinkles?” Joel suggests as he opens the freezer, hoping to find some ice cream to salvage the situation. But to his dismay, the ice cream container is shockingly light. He opens it and finds it completely empty. Frustration washes over him as he mutters, "Of course, the ice cream is gone." This unexpected realization adds to his mounting irritation, making him feel as though the universe is conspiring against him.

Joel lets out a sigh and tosses the empty ice cream container into the trash, already feeling deflated by the situation. In a last-ditch effort, he suggests, "How about sprinkles and popcorn?" He rummages through the pantry and retrieves a packet of corn kernels. This alternative treat seems like the best option they have left, given the circumstances.

The child's face brightens as she nods eagerly, her earlier disappointment forgotten in the promise of sprinkles and popcorn. Joel can see the excitement in her eyes and can't help but feel a small sense of relief, glad to have found something that will hopefully lift their spirits.

Sarah picks up the child, a warm smile on her face as she jokes, "I think she'll have anything with sprinkles." She then offers to pick a movie while Joel makes the popcorn, her cheerful tone lifting the atmosphere slightly and providing a glimmer of hope for a pleasant evening despite the earlier setbacks.

Sarah playfully calls out to Joel as she carries the child into the living room, her voice laced with a hint of mischief. "Don't burn it!"

Joel rolls his eyes playfully at Sarah's remark, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He tosses the packet of kernels into the microwave and sets the timer, hoping that this time, at least, he won't burn the popcorn.

He burns the first bag of popcorn.

He blames the sprinkles he dropped on the floor.

Joel jolts awake as the sudden change in volume from the film's ending theme startles him out of his slumber. The small body on his chest groans softly as she shifts, the child's grip on his shirt tightening. He blinks groggily, rubbing his eyes as he realizes that he must have dozed off during the movie. A soft chuckle escapes his lips as he adjusts his position, making sure not to wake the sleeping child, and gently pats her back with a mix of amusement and adoration.

Joel reaches across the couch for the remote, fumbling in the dim light for a moment before his fingers find it. He flips the movie off, and the only sound now is the soft snores coming from Sarah on the other side of the couch. He murmurs a soft apology to the sleeping child curled up against his chest, his voice barely above a whisper. "Sorry, kiddo," he says, his tone apologetic and tinged with fatigue. In the quiet darkness, he leans back against the couch, content with the peaceful moment and the warmth of the child cuddled on top of him.

He gazes at the child, a soft smile gracing his features as he watches her peaceful form, her head nestled against his chest and her small hands clutching onto his shirt. Gently, he lifts his hand and tugs at her hand, and she immediately releases her grip, only to swiftly wrap her tiny fingers around his finger instead. A warm feeling of contentment washes over him as he feels her small hand wrapped around his finger.

Despite the imperfect start to his birthday, Joel can't help but feel a sense of contentment. As he looks down at the child asleep on his chest and hears the soft snores from Sarah on the other side of the couch, he realizes that this moment, right here and now, is as perfect as it needs to be.

Joel's brief moment of contentment is shattered as his phone suddenly rings in his pocket. Its shrill sound pierces the quiet room. The child responds to the disturbance, letting out a soft whine and sitting up, her small hands rubbing at her tired eyes. Sarah's snores abruptly cease, and she too sits up, stifling a yawn as the ringing continues. Joel quickly retrieves the phone, his frustration mixing with a sense of annoyance at the unwelcome interruption to their peaceful moment.

Joel groans as he sees Tommy's name illuminated on the screen of his phone. The late hour adds to his annoyance, and he mutters a hasty apology to the girl as he gently pulls her back against his chest. The child responds to his touch, finding comfort in his warmth, and she snuggles closer to him with a soft sigh. Despite his initial irritation, Joel can't help but feel a small shred of consolation at the child's contentment, at least one of them isn't completely displeased with the situation.

Joel mutters into the phone, his voice laced with fatigue and annoyance. "It's two in the morning, Tommy. What do you want?" As he speaks, he begins to gently rub the child's back, hoping to soothe her back to sleep amidst the disturbance. The motion of his hand on her back is rhythmic and comforting, a futile effort to calm her and himself simultaneously.

Joel leans back against the couch, a mixture of exhaustion and irritability etched on his face. Hearing Tommy's urgent voice on the other end of the call and the rushed admission of a screw-up, Joel lets out a frustrated sigh. The sound of his weary exhale is palpable as he braces for the news to follow.

Joel's annoyance deepens as he listens to Tommy's tale of his arrest. As his brother explains that the fight was over a girl, Joel can't help but feel a mix of disappointment. He sinks back into the couch, his body becoming increasingly heavy as the news unfolds. The weight of the situation and his own fatigue seem to be pulling him down, making it even more difficult to find the patience to deal with this latest mess.

Joel ends the call with a reluctant agreement to bail Tommy out, his frustration simmering just below the surface. As he glances over at Sarah, he notices that she has already slipped away to her room, leaving him alone with the child on his lap. In that moment, he lets out a heavy sigh and looks down at the little girl cuddled against him.

Drawing upon his years of experience carrying a young Sarah to bed, Joel carefully stands from the couch, cradling the child against his chest. He moves slowly and deliberately, his steps deliberate and cautious, not wanting to rouse the sleeping child from her peaceful slumber. The motion is almost second nature to him, and he can't help but reminisce about the countless times he had done this very thing with Sarah, years ago.

Joel brings the child into the spare room, gently placing her down onto the bed. She makes a small, displeased noise as he carefully pries her hands from his shirt again, but he quickly pulls the sheets over her, tucking her in snuggly.

As Joel reaches the door, he's just about to leave the room when he hears a tired whisper from behind. "‘oel?" Joel turns back, his gaze falling upon the little girl sitting up in the bed. Her weary voice carries a hint of vulnerability.

Joel approaches the bed and sits down beside the child, his voice gentle as he softly reassures her. "It's alright, sweetheart. Go back to sleep," he whispers, his tone soothing and tender. He rests his hand reassuringly on her head, hoping to offer some comfort and help her settle back into sleep.

"Where's Teddy?" she whines, her words tinged with the groggy fog of half-sleep. His eyes dart around the room, searching for any glimpse of the familiar furry friend.

Joel spots the arm of the teddy bear poking out from her bag and quickly retrieves it. He places it beside her in the bed, a tender smile on his face as he gently tucks it in beside her. "There you go. You two get some sleep now, alright?" he whispers, his voice a comforting murmur in the quiet room. “When you wake up, how about you, Sarah, Tommy and I all go out for some pancakes for breakfast?”

She hums in agreement as she pulls the teddy in to her chest and closes her eyes.

He takes one final look at her, making sure she's settled, before quietly exiting the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Joel quietly peers into Sarah's room, his heart softening at the sight of her sleeping form, snuggled peacefully in bed. The room is bathed in a tranquil atmosphere, with the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a faint light over her surroundings. He quietly walks in and turns the lamp off. With a gentle smile, he watches her for a moment, finding comfort in her peaceful slumber. Satisfied that she is resting comfortably, Joel closes the door softly and heads out.

Yeah, pancakes sound like a good idea.

At least if they’re burnt, it’s someone else's fault.

Little did he realize that this was the last flicker of true happiness that he would experience for some time to come.

Click here for Chapter 4 - Comming soon

Notes

Can we all just agree that pre outbreak!joel didnt have his shit together once? Honestly i love it. because me too baby, me too. Also there's a scene in TLOU part 2 where Tommy mentions that Joel can't cook and I have taken that and run with it. Tbh wish Joel would have had breakfast the next morning with his two girls and his brother and probably Myles how would have stumbled in halway through. But we all know what happens next, yikes.

Next chapter Sneak Peak!

From inside the truck, Joel's frustrated swearing fills the air as he grapples to free his daughter from the backseat. Your attention is suddenly yanked from the scene unfolding within the vehicle when a gruesome sight catches your eye on the street before you. Shocked and transfixed, you watch as one person sinks their teeth into another person's flesh, the victim's agonizing scream ringing in your ears. The horrifying spectacle leaves you paralyzed, fear seeping into your very core and freezing you in place. Your teddy hangs limp in your hand, blood splattered on it’s fur.

If you want to be tagged, please comment on the masterlist for this series and I will add you. If you want to be taken off, please DM so i don't miss your request.

Every comment, like and reblog means the world to me. please let me know your thoughts about this, i want to ramble about this story so much.

tags: @sunandmuun , @rain-soaked-sun , @frootloops1213 , @samarav

[civetcider]

there is no where in my room with good lighting where you can't see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ipostmysimpingstuffanonymously]

My submission to the SatoSho Discord's Weekly prompt: Kabedon

[autisticlancemcclain]

Could you explain your position on Shallura? Since Allura was established as a teenager when she started dating Lance and Shiro was very clearly an adult. I can understand the bi shiro headcannon but the shallura thing worries me

i am going to remind yall that i have been in this fandom since 2016. and in the early seasons, allura was not established as a teenager. in fact she was coded as older, as closer to shiro's age -- there was a specific divide between her and the younger paladins that she did not have with shiro. they made her younger (both explicitly and in mannerisms) as the show went on. and i do not give a fuck about voltron like...post s4 and i didn't even watch s7-8. so like. especially with older fics, im going to enjoy shallura.

[coolnonsenseworld]

Last piece ❤️💙

There are still leftovers of the Calendar as well as some A5 prints with calendar pieces 💞

linktr.ee/Mezzy (or check my Tumblr for links)

[poisonousquinzel]

"a dude in Texas legally changed his name to "Literally Anyone Else" and he's attempting to run for President against Biden & Trump" [source]

okay, but putting aside the comedic aspect of this, it is concerning the amount of people who are prompted to vote for candidates just because it's funny. I'm not the biggest fan of how his policy about the boarder sounds [Site], but I do implore anyone who is able to vote in the 2024 US election to please research other candidates.

The media is only going to continue pushing the idea it's inevitably going to be Trump vs Biden 2.0 and we have no other options, that we have to vote for Biden again because of Project 2025. Is that whole thing terrifying?

Yeah, fucking absolutely.

But voting for Biden will not solidify our safety from that. Biden is exactly like the rest of them. He always has been. You can't make the lesser of two evils argument when they're both just plain evil.

You cannot say that Biden is even mildly a better choice than Trump when he is currently directly involved in a genocide. That is not some little fucking thing. That in and of itself disqualifies him as a lesser evil. Biden is just as bad as him and he will not save us because he doesn't fucking care.

Cornel West [Site] is an Independent candidate running for President in the 2024 Election. [Policies]

Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia [Site] are running for President and Vice-President as the candidates of the Party for Socialism and Liberation in the 2024 Election. [Policies]

There are options.

There are people trying to change the corrupt foundation our system is built on, but we have to help amplify them because the mainstream media will not.

[gods-favorite-autistic]

People who are like “Omg gen z theatre kids only know *proceeds to list every single musical that came out after 1999*” are the most annoying assholes like hey maybe we just don’t like shit from the 1960’s or we have specific tastes have you ever considered that

[13eyond13]

I think the moment Light's crush on L first smacked him in the manga (like when it finally rooted and started blooming in his guts) was when L was like "you're my first ever friend" whilst smirking into his teacup. And not because Light fully believed he was being sincere about being friends, but because he KNEW L was slyly teasing him and speaking to him on more than one level at once. Nothing more unexpected funny flattering and intriguing than that for him right then

[daily-linkclick]

thank you everyone for following this blog for the daily doodles! i think i'll officially stop the daily doodles (for now) but i'll still be uploading doodles from time to time! i'm so happy to see a lot more link click fans on tumblr, and to see a lot more people appreciate the trio and the stories they touch :]

[shhh-secret-time]

To be honest, stardew valley has me in such a chokehold. It always has, even before the 1.6.

In such a way that my brain wants to smash my hyperfixation into it. So late at night I'll be awake thinking of this stardew/south park mashup.

Call that bad boy Star Park AU.

But no brain! Bad! We already have too much going on! You have a Secret Soulmate AU. Fantasy AU, A Cowboy AU story staring Kenny that's still in the outline phase, and these one shots!

(Look at the tags to watch me descent into madness)

[hiveswap]

Parents will treat you like expensive vermin that theyre keeping around due to being mercyful but the moment you wanna kill yourself it's suddenly bad

[todayisafridaynight]

aoki deserves a billion and one knives to the organs but tbh if i showed up to the husband of my ex's ceremony Of Which Was The Same Guy Who Made Me Look Like A Jackass On My Birthday and she was like 'wow youre so charming and sophisticated' after i overheard her calling me a creep and a weirdo On My Birthday i think i wouldve killed myself on the spot in front of everyone so good on him for not doing that I Guess

[needylittlegirl]

sometimes ill be doing some normal everyday task and ill stop and realizing that im doing it pissed as hell cause i started thinking about yolanda saldivar