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miller-n-morgan · 4 days

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And I Feel Fine (.ii)

Joel Miller x Jackson!Reader

18+, mdni

Summary: A new journey lies ahead, and on the very first night you become sure of something that will completely change the trajectory of your entire future.

Warnings: leaving most of the warnings the same because they apply. mentions of death, violence, gore, blood, mentions of sex abuse and trafficking. Mentions of teenage pregnancy. Mention of drugs and substances. Again, literally has ✨️the works.✨️

Word Count: 7k (i'm going absolutely wild)

Now we're cookin'.... enjoy this slice of my brain that I spent entirely too long on. And also know that the first part of the Arthur Morgan series will probably drop this week.

“I ain’t shittin’ you.” You were fine to leave it at that, but he sure as hell wasn’t. For a guy that hated long conversations, he seemed to like poking around in your business. “And what makes you think that?” You honestly didn’t want to tell him. He’s not Tommy, he might make fun of you, might store away the information later on and use it against you. You have no idea, actually. You don’t know him.

Your contact had gotten you to an apartment. It was worn down, just as every other place in the QZ seemed to be, but it was better taken care of. The people living here must have been attentive about the appearance of their home. A good enough family to leave your baby with.

She stopped you in the hallway, knocking three times on the old wood door, hearing a lively voice from the otherside before it opened. The woman standing there was lovely, about thirty or so, a half smile on her face when she saw you both had arrived. This plan had been in the works for some time now.

“Hello, I’m Maxine Williams,” she greeted, reaching for your hand to shake. You did your best to match her kind and infectious energy, giving her a smile in return. She is after all going to be doing you the favor of a lifetime.

“It’s nice to meet you,” you replied, keeping your head low between your shoulders, though you felt comfortable in her presence.

She leaned into your contact, turning her head, but you heard the whisper “She’s so young…”

“S’why she needs help.”

You understood that this didn’t look right. You should not be pregnant at your tender age, should not have been put in this position. You’ve seen more horrific things than any person ever should, and it all started when you were eight… outbreak day.

“Of course… come in, both of you.”

The pleasantries went on for a while, exchanging information of where you came from, why you were in this area, what you did before being in Boston. She mentioned her husband, her two sons and their love for older things, wishing for the world the way it was. It was all just small talk, leading up to the actual conversation topic: the baby she was about to take off your hands.

“You’ll stay with us until the birth, if that’s okay,” she offered, but it sounded more like a demand. It wasn’t a harsh or cruel one. Even if you slept on the rickety couch you were lounging upon now, it would be better than camping in the woods, sleeping on the hard ground like you’d been doing only a month ago.

“I’ll do whatever you want me to.”

Your contact was happy to see both ends so receptive. She’d never seen a deal containing human life go down this smoothly. Probably because this was a bit more sensitive of an exchange.

“Good… that’s good. I’ve heard you’re interested in a closed adoption?”

You glanced down at your stomach, feeling the weight of it, crushing inwards on the rest of your body. Having this baby and giving it away will relieve the weight both physically and metaphorically. They’ll be in good hands, better than your own could ever be.

“I think it’s probably best. I used to have siblings, but I never really took care of them… I’m not sure I could do this,” You shook your head. You saw her younger son peeking his head out of the bedroom door in the corner, backing away as soon as you caught him. Even in an apocalypse, a child can be happy… just not with you. “I want to give them their best chance.”

“I understand… and we’re going to do our best to make sure they have a normal childhood,” she responded, leaning forward and placing a comforting hand on your knee.

“Thank you…”

You had sat down on one of the containment units, feeling as though the adrenaline rush from the ambush was beginning to wear off. Tommy found Maria not far away from where you were sitting, and began to ask his special favor. It was crazy, he knew it, you knew it… but it had to be done. This girl was somehow important, to the fireflies and to all of mankind, and you were starting to wonder why. Joel hadn’t said a word, sitting across from you and awaiting the news that would surely come from his brother’s discussion with his wife.

“So, you’ve been traveling with Ellie?”

He looked up at you from his boot laces, his eyes were heavy, and he didn’t seem in the mood to talk. He was grumpy in nature, but you could tell there was more underneath the tough exterior.

“I have.” And no further explanation was given.

You didn’t think it was best to keep trying your luck, keep on asking him questions. He wasn’t the talking type and you figured you’d be wasting your time… but speak of the devil, Ellie came up to him just as the conversation between Tommy and Maria was getting heated.

“What’s that all about?” She nodded in their direction. She looked scared, like a deer caught in headlights, just not as frozen. Wide eyed and unable to look away from the scene. “Does that have anything to do with me?”

She was smart, she’d pick up on the words they were saying - more like yelling - to each other. The context clues were there, Joel would have to be an idiot to think she’d just let him off the hook.

“We’ll talk about it later…” he grumbled, his annoyance already at a high from your unimportant questions and the fighting in the background.

“Did he tell you where the lab is?” She asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she got even closer to hear them.

The lab? Is that where the fireflies would be? You vaguely remember the days you spent with the resistance group, but you don’t remember anything about a lab…

“We’ll talk about it later,” he repeated himself, almost as a warning.

She turned to Tommy and Maria, then back to Joel, her face one of distrust and sadness. She knew, she could tell. Joel was trying to get rid of her.

You wanted to say something, to jump in and tell her that she didn’t need to be scared, didn’t need to be worried about where she was going. That you would go with her and it would be okay… but that wouldn’t help a damn thing. Even if you turn out to be her biological mother, you are most definitely not her mom, and cannot console her as one.

“Later… right,” she trailed, backing away from Joel and off to another sectional of the checkpoint.

Joel looked back to you, your eyes already on him.

He sighed, at first not saying a word… but when he made a full rotation of his eyeline and you were still staring holes into him, he had to speak up.

“If you’re lookin’ to judge me, then just-.”

“I’m not.”

Your interruption cut him off, and he didn’t really know what else to say. He nodded, not looking away from you, but rather trying to figure out what it is you needed from him. Your stare was not discomforting but it felt demanding. It wanted something.

“How long have you known her?” You finally spit out, tucking a leg under your elbow as you sat back. You knew you’d gotten his attention, now.

“Few months, now. I’m supposed to take her to the fireflies as a favor to someone.”

“What do the fireflies want with a fourteen year old kid?”

He sighed, raising his shoulders in a shrug like he didn’t know. He must’ve been lying, right? You’d gotten pretty good at reading people, but for some reason you couldn’t tell with him. Maybe you just didn’t know him well enough…

“M’not really sure. All I knew in the beginning was that I could get paid pretty well, so I took her.”

You nodded. He didn’t seem like the person that did things for the sake of them, Tommy had told you stories about him, the things he used to do. If it was for his survival, he’d do it… but just for the sake of getting paid? When barely anything left had real monetary value? It sounded like bullshit.

“She seems to trust you an awful lot,” you gestured between him and the empty space she’d left.

There was another beat of silence, to which he didn’t use for reply. Instead he sat, his back curled over and his shoulders sunken inwards. He was tired, he was worn. He needed to rest, but this life wouldn’t let him.

“She knows you’re handing her off…”

“I reckon she does, yeah.”

And right over your shoulder you heard the climax of Tommy and Maria’s argument. She held a pointed finger in his face, before he finally insisted on Joel’s plan. She couldn’t move him. He was going to do this whether she liked it or not… which is something you haven’t seen out of Tommy for years. Joel must mean a hell of a lot to him, to up and leave Maria on a dangerous errand like this.

You stay seated when Maria walks over to Joel, and then when Joel stands up to talk to Tommy. You stay seated and think… I can keep Tommy safe. I’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to gain from learning about this girl. I can bring him home to Maria, even if it means my life.

But you immediately stand when you hear Tommy’s rapid speech. “That girl of yours. she took one of our horses and rode off,” and then he glanced at you with an eyeroll. “She took provoker…”

You huffed a sigh, following the men over to the front of the sectional, the open trail up ahead. Maria was mad at Tommy, so obviously she wouldn’t be accompanying them… and that left you. Casper didn’t like men.

“Damnit, which way?” Joel asked, his steps were heavy on the muddy ground.

“I just saw her riding out of here!” Terry yelled, loosening the reins on two more horses he’d brought over for assistance.

“Alright, get back inside, help the others clean the place up,” Tommy told the man, nodding for you to mount the back of his horse after he’d climbed up himself. You chanced a look at Joel, riding across from you both. His face was mixed with anger and determination, and it reminded you of what Tommy looked like after hours of hunting. They were the epitome of brothers, though you’d never met the other half before.

You all followed the tracks, leading every which way it seemed. Some of the tracks were fresh, and some were older, but it was hard to tell when the grounds here were moist all the time, never really drying up and creating lasting prints on the dirt.

After a while of riding, and running into some raiders - who were easily fended off - you saw your horse standing in front of an old farmhouse, the reins tied to a pole holding up the roof of the porch. You jumped from Tommy’s mare and ran up to Casper, petting his mane and making sure he was alright. There didn’t seem to be a scratch on him.

You watched Joel enter the house, waiting back with Tommy. Even though Joel was the one she ran away from, you couldn’t imagine she’d be thrilled to see you or Tommy instead. Joel had a good reason to do what he did. He didn’t feel strong enough or fast enough for this job anymore. He didn’t feel like he could keep her safe. You unfortunately understood that feeling a little too well, and if you were correct on your suspicions, it would have been with the exact same kid.

Tommy unstrapped his gun from his back, holding it steady and watching the surroundings whilst he leaned against the porch beam you were standing by. He was trying to gage whether or not your horse was calm enough for him to approach you closer, knowing what would happen if he wasn’t.

“I think you’re right, you know…” He trailed, his voice quiet on the off chance of an open window.

“You do?”

You turned to him, you didn’t exactly have to think twice about what he meant.

“Yeah,” he nodded, a chuckle falling from his lips. “It makes sense… the timing n’ everything. She looks a hell of a lot like you… and she’s caused about as much trouble today as the first time I met you.”

“Causing trouble is genetic?” You laughed, your eyes watering a bit at the implications he made. She might be yours. Your daughter, who you didn’t think you’d see again.

“Hell, it might be. Your kinda trouble, anyway… stealin’ horses and shit.”

The nod of your head was slow, the thought of this all sinking in. It made perfect sense and yet coming to terms with the facts of ‘it is’ instead of ‘it could be’ makes you feel light headed.

You didn’t know if he was being serious or if he was just trying to make you feel better, but the look on his face told you the former. He wouldn’t just lie to you, he knew you could read him.

“I keep turning it over in my head, tryin’ to think of ways I could prove it to myself… I think just seein’ her was enough for me. I’m remembering things I thought I forgot about a long time ago.”

Now it was his turn to nod, but your moment was caught short when you heard a branch snap around the corner. You instinctively pulled your gun from your pants, holding it out in the direction the snap came from. Tommy raised his rifle, doing the same and gesturing for you to go inside. You both made it in the doorway before the threat made itself known. Two guys, coming around the corner. They hadn’t realized you were watching them yet, but they did a quick scan, making sure there wasn’t any immediate danger.

“Get upstairs,” he said in a whisper, but you snapped your head to face him.

“No way, the odds are even if I stay,” you argued, but he wasn’t exactly in the mood for a fight right now. It was too risky to have you both down here.

“Go tell Joel to get his ass down here, you stay up with the kid.”

“Like hell I’m going up there. Your brother scares me,” you say in a half joking mumble, keeping watch on the two strangers that were now surrounding your horse. They were about to get kicked in the ass if they didn’t step away.

Tommy realizes that them being distracted gives a good amount of time to leave without cover.

“Alright, but you first,” he shrugged a shoulder towards the staircase, and with one last glance to your horse, you left your corner by the window.

You quickly ran up the stairs, ducking a head in a few rooms before finding the one Joel and Ellie were in.

“Get it together, we’re not alone,” Tommy said as soon as you got inside the door.

“I got two walking in,” Joel leaned towards the sliding window to get some eyes on the situation.

“There’s more inside already…”

You backed against the door, Tommy against the dresser on the opposite side. Joel stepped over in front of you, and Ellie behind Tommy. You didn’t realize until now, but taking a glance at Ellie, she looked even worse than when she left. Her face was sullen and her head was dropped. She didn’t seem to be snapping into reality, even with the weight of the situation.

You stayed by her throughout the house, when Tommy and Joel started shooting, you stood in front of her, covering them from back behind. It was weird, these maternal feelings that had never sparked within you before, only now arising for this specific human that had no clue who you were.

Once outside, it seemed strange. The dynamic between the four of you was so incredibly awkward. Everyone was thinking on a different topic, and the silence could echo on for miles. You nodded for Ellie to mount the back of your horse, since she didn’t seem comfortable to ride with Joel for the time being. She climbed up behind you and for a second you smiled, because this is your daughter, you know it… but soon after, your mind quickly succumbed to the general silence.

The nature and scenery surrounding you seemed to be duller than before, the pretty autumnal colors becoming ugly in the sense that you didn’t appreciate them right now. You loved the beginning of fall, but the feelings spread among you are tense and terrible, worse than raking up the fallen leaves before winter.

The feeling never leaves, it stays until you all reach the edge of the town.

“I’m not hungry,” you swore, shoving the extra plate of food away from your placemat.

Manxine’s husband was hungry, and you’d noticed him and his wife being decent enough to give you some of their food the past few days. It wasn’t necessary, because you weren’t working, and you weren’t barely helping them. They were helping you, and you couldn’t be more grateful. Taking extra food that wasn’t just lying around felt like stealing. You’d never been a stranger to it before, but these people were far too kind, too gentle. They made you feel like maybe the world wasn’t completely at its end. It still turned, and people were still good, despite everything.

“Yes you are, and you should be,” Maxine pushed the plate back in front of you. Her goal had been to ‘put a little meat on your bones’ as long as you were under her roof.

“I’m fine, I promise.”

“Promise or no promise, you need to eat more. You’re still too thin to try and survive childbirth, ya hear?” She put the old fork back into your open hand, and you sighed. It was sometimes hard to eat more than you normally did, on the account of your body not being used to it. If you ate more than usual would it make you sick? If you threw up the extra rations they were spotting you, you’d feel terrible, but she kept insisting.

You opened your mouth to take a bite, swallowing it down and feeling the slight discomfort start to settle. Already you’d been eating a lot more than before the QZ, and you didn’t realize how slowly your appetite would have to grow.

After a few more bites you had to drop the fork to your plate, feeling too full already to keep on. You felt terrible, refusing extra portions that were meant to keep you healthy. Whether or not it was caused by the pregnancy hormones, or just your own emotional breakdown, you weren’t sure… but you started tearing up while sitting at the table.

“I’m sorry,” you shook your head, covering your mouth and sitting back while the tears rolled down.

“Don’t you apologize, sweetheart,” Maxine uttered softly, her presence at your side immediately.

To her, none of this effort was wasted, or overdone. She and her husband, though some of the better off people in the QZ by job merritt, couldn’t seem to have another baby. It wasn’t for the lack of trying, or stress that they couldn’t afford it. It was simply the fact that after six years from their last child, they couldn’t conceive another. This baby, your baby, was going to be a gift to them. They were happy to take any necessary steps into getting you to childbirth.

“I just can’t eat anymore,” you tried to justify your emotions, but now it only looked like an overreaction. People are dying without food, and here you are, crying about there being too much.

“It’s alright. Leftovers don’t go to waste in this house,” she spoke, a bit of a chuckle in her tone, which alleviated some of the pressure you felt.

“Okay,” you nodded, letting her take your plate to the other room, likely where her husband had retired to.

The campfire was crackling, the smoke filling the hazy navy color of the dark sky. Trees had covered it mostly, but there were a few stars peaking here and there. You’d just finished a can of chicken soup, tossing it on the pile that had been started by the others. It was crazy, how you suddenly remembered so much, just by eating food out of a can again. Days on the run, with the fireflies, being a raider even… it all came back.

It had only been a few hours or so since leaving Jackson, but after the fiasco of today, the three of you had gotten extremely tired a lot earlier than you should have.

The three of you meaning: Yourself, Joel and Ellie.

After the silence of the horse ride back to the commune, something had changed. Joel realized not only what Ellie meant to him, but what he means to Ellie. He’d decided Tommy was no longer required, and that he could fare the journey on his own. Of course, you immediately volunteered an extra pair of hands and a quick gun as assistance. To your surprise, it was Ellie who was your greatest advocate. Her, and the fact that you remembered the lab’s location, could probably get her there on your own if you had to.

The mirror building… you don’t remember it being a lab, but as soon as Tommy said the words it jogged your memory.

Now you were here, sitting with your back against a log, and staring holes into the shoulder of a fourteen year old girl.

“Whatch’u lookin’ at?” Joel asked, his arms crossed over his chest as he lazily reclined against a tree.

You only looked away for a second, too fixated on what was just barely peeking over the collar of Ellie’s shirt and jacket. It had fallen down a bit when she laid down to sleep.

“Nothin’,” you shrugged it off. He was a man of few words, surely he’d drop it on account of having to speak more if he didn’t… but God help him, he’s like a damn cat, his curiosity could kill him.

“You’re very focused on nothin’,” he teased. There was something off about you with Ellie, he’d taken notice of it. He didn’t know what it was about but it didn’t seem like a danger.

You rolled your eyes over to him, but could tell by his glance back that he wouldn’t quit. He’d already volunteered to take the first watch, and he had nothing else better to do.

“It’s a long story, you’d get bored.”

But again, he had nothing better to do.

“Try me,” he raised his shoulders in a shrug of his own. He seemed much more docile of a creature in this setting. The early hours of night, so quiet, and dimly lit. His voice was gentle and his features were soft. He was relaxed.

You took a deep inhale, trying to brace yourself for whatever came of this. He was a fresh face, someone new to explain an old wound to. The scar had finally healed and you were about to dig a blade back through and rip it open… but you suppose you’d sharpened the knife by coming along in the first place.

“I think Ellie’s my daughter,” you breathed out, not checking for a reaction until he’d been silent too long. His eyes were narrow, and he tilted his head, looking between you two. She was fast asleep by now, but he had a picture of her in his head, comparing it to you.

“You’re shittin’ me, right?”

You blew out another long breath, shaking your head and rolling your eyes. He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t know this feeling you have or the fact that you’ve never felt it before. He doesn’t understand that you’d come to peace with the fact that you’d never see her again, and then she appeared like a ghost from your past. You thought she was your past self at first, taunting you, making fun of who you were now.

“I ain’t shittin’ you.”

You were fine to leave it at that, but he sure as hell wasn’t. For a guy that hated long conversations, he seemed to like poking around in your business.

“And what makes you think that?”

You honestly didn’t want to tell him. He’s not Tommy, he might make fun of you, might store away the information later on and use it against you. You have no idea, actually. You don’t know him.

You let your eyes flick up to the stars, hoping by some miracle they will fall from the heavens in the form of angels to give you a message, that message being: shut the fuck up and don’t spill your guts to a man you met this morning.

“When I was thirteen, I was by myself. I fell into a weird group of people that could probably be considered a cult. There was this one guy that treated me better than the others…” you trailed off, not sure if you’re ready to rehash all of this. But it’s been a long time since you talked about it. You need to get it off your chest if you’re to somehow make a relationship with the product of your past. “He was in his twenties, so a lot younger than most people in the group. Pretty sure I was the youngest. I didn’t realize he was using me.”

Joel was tense, but not because he was uncomfortable… he was genuinely invested. Wanted to know this story and how it connected with Ellie. His Ellie.

“We left the group, and I found out I was pregnant a few months later. I’d barely had my cycle a fucking year… wasn’t even sure what it meant when I didn’t get it. Anyways,” you had to stifle a laugh, because just looking back… what the actual hell? You kept blinking to make sure no tears escaped in front of this man. You weren’t there yet with him. “I think he just lost all interest in me after that. He didn’t really speak to me unless it was necessary, and wouldn't look at me. Stuff like that.”

But that wasn’t the worst part, and Joel knew you were working your way up to it.

“Before I was pregnant I used to sneak into places most people couldn’t. I was real skinny like that. Was able to smuggle stuff in and out of different QZs across the country. We peddled rare narcotics for the most part… but I had to stop when I, you know…” you made a round hand motion around your stomach, hoping he got the jist. “I didn’t fit in the smaller spaces.”

“What kind of narcotics?” Joel finally asked a question, and it wasn’t really the one you were hoping for… but you understood he’d probably fallen into the same scheme over the years.

“Vicodin, mostly. Up in Princeton there was this one apartment… we’d searched it top to bottom because of how many secret hiding places there were. Vicodin everywhere. Whoever lived there was either severely addicted or preparing for the worst.”

“Maybe both.”

Yeah, probably. Damn shame he never got to use them.

“We used it as a trading token most of the time. It was actually what got us into Boston,” you waved off your tangent eventually, getting back to the story and where Ellie came in. “Pretty much gave the rest of our stash to a contact we had there… she got us a family we could hand the baby off to.”

And now he got it. You’d been knocked up by a predator, and said predator wanted you to give up the baby so he could go about using you some more. He’d seen and done some cruel things in a post apocalyptic world, but he would never stoop that low, and grimaced at anyone who possibly could.

“I had her when I was fourteen. Lookin’ at her today was like looking in a mirror,” you rambled on, still not quite to your point. “She’s the right age, from the right location… and that birthmark on her shoulder…”

He hadn’t even noticed it all this time. Months with the kid, and he thought nothing of it. But to you, it was clarification. It was the confirming piece of evidence that pulled it all together. You’d barely taken your eyes off of it since you saw it. You wanted to make sure you weren’t seeing things. Wanted to make sure it was the right shape and placement, just so you could be sure.

He nodded, seemingly coming to this conclusion now, too. It didn’t take him any more convincing. It was clear by now that your hunch was not just a hunch.

“Her dad, he still… around?”

You shook your head with a light hearted laugh.

“No,” and you could have left it with that simple answer… but that was never much your style. “I shot him in the head.”

His low whistle cut the air, and you almost felt proud. You’d killed the one thing in life that ever hurt you directly.

“He deserved worse.”

“Yeah, he did.”

And then it was quiet for a minute, all the words the two of you had spoken up until now were rotating over and around in your heads to make sense of them, until he spoke up again.

“I’m sorry,” he nearly whispered.

“S’okay. Not your fault…” you shook it off. It’s in the past, it’s done.

“Not yours either,” he replied, raising a brow to you. “M’just, sorry you went through that.”

He was soft, he was gentle. You supposed he was like Tommy. He didn’t judge you or make you feel inferior because of your tragic mishappenings. He just listened, and felt sympathy.

“I don’t mind it so much now… I got her back.”

And both your gazes shifted to the sleeping teenager, her breaths steady with the humming of the night around you. She has no clue, and for now you’ll have to keep it that way.

Yeah, you think… I got her back.

It only took two weeks. Riding, eating, sleeping, and talking, rinse and repeat. There was the odd occasion of dealing with infected, but they were never in large groups, and cleared out easily.

You remembered exactly where to go when you entered the city limits, guiding them towards the college campus you once lived in as a firefly. It was almost ten years ago, but you remember it pretty well. It’s where you met Tommy. Not in the lab, obviously. You’d both been put on security detail one morning, having never met beforehand. He proceeded to ‘teach you’ how to shoot a rifle properly, only to find you could hit a perfect bullseye on your first shot. Probably because your dad was a man who loved his guns, and you’d been shooting one since you were a kid before the outbreak. He laughed about it, and you two were friends ever since.

“Are you getting any of this?” Ellie asked you, pulling you from your thoughts as you rode alongside them.

For the last hour, Joel was attempting - and failing - to explain the rules of football to the young Miss Ellie. And she didn’t understand one lick of it, not that you blame her. You’d been to actual football games in your youth, but you couldn’t get it even then.

“Nope, I was always more of a baseball fan…” you trailed, and smiled at the thought. Baseball was fun, you remember it well. It was your biggest obsession right before ballet, and right after fingerpainting.

“Oh really, now?” Joel cut in, his surprise evident in his raised eyebrow and tilted gaze in your direction.

“Yep. You’re looking at the MVP of the Acorn’s jr. little league team.”

Ellie laughed. She didn’t know a thing about baseball either. She’d seen some old collectors cards though here and there. Apparently they used to be valuable. They were only knick knacks to anyone who saw them now.

“What position did you play?”

“Shortstop… or second base, technically. No shortstop in jr. little league,” you admitted. Your dad always called you shortstop, so that’s what you tell people now. Anyone who asks, at least. You can count on one hand the number of people who have.

“Seein’ you around infected… I bet you swung like hell,” he chuckled. Ellie was still confused about the rules of the last sport, much less how to play this one… but she listened intently because Joel was interested, so she was interested too.

“I always got on base, didn’t always stay there, but always got on. Plus, I was the only kid who never picked their nose at the plate, so… Obviously I earned my title.”

“That must’ve been an amazing accomplishment. How old were you?”

From what he understood, you’d been eight on outbreak day. You couldn’t have been too much younger to have started a sport, right?

“Probably six or seven at the time. I did ballet after, had kind of a short attention span when it came to after school activities,” you explained, a smile on your cheeks when you spoke about the things you used to love doing. You probably would still like doing some of them, had they been an option in Jackson.

“I know about ballet!” Ellie jumped in, nearly scaring Joel off the horse. “That’s the dancers that used to wear those weird shoes and shit.”

“Pointe shoes?” You chuckled, more at Joel trying to compose himself than Ellie’s funny recollection of footwear.

“Yeah, those. They looked like torture devices in some of the paintings I saw… did you ever wear any?”

“No, I would have had to train for about five more years to have gotten to that point. That was the dream at the time, to be a pointe ballerina. Of course, the end of the world happened…”

Joel turned to you from his forwards facing stare, a sadness in his eyes before he looked back onto the road ahead of him. Was that… pity? You were slowly learning to read him, his little mannerisms and tells that made him like everyone else, yet just a tad different, in a way that only he could be.

“Maybe after all this is over you can teach me some steps,” she suggested, but you scoffed.

“Maybe,” you shook your head at how funny the thought sounded in your head. You’d only danced for what? Ten months at most? And as an eight year old? “I think you’ll probably be too busy with Joel’s guitar lessons.”

She laughed it off, shaking her head and leaning it back onto Joel’s shoulder in front of her. The three of you kept along until reaching the building you remembered, but instantly it was a disappointment. The fireflies weren’t here, and likely hadn’t been for over a year.

“This isn’t right. There should be a checkpoint set up and a security blockade surrounding the place,” you mentioned, getting off your horse and running up to the door in the front. You peeked inside, and there was no sign of life anywhere.

“You’re kidding,” Ellie grumbled.

Joel dismounted the horse and followed after you, looking around and trying to find any signs that they might have been here at all.

“You sure this is the right place?”

“Positive. I remember this building, I met Tommy right over there,” you pointed down the sidewalk, where a half torn down barricade of cement was still sitting, but just barely. You walked to the corner of the crumbling stairs and grabbed a piece of old broken up brick, chucking it through the front door in order to unlock it.

Joel chuckled for a moment at your frustration, watching the scene play out.

“Baseball… right,” he teased, leading the way inside with you and Ellie in tow.

Maxine’s boys were at Fedra school. Her husband was at work in a different sector. Maxine herself was trading ration cards for supplies. It was the first time she’d left the apartment since you’d been there, and of all days, of all mornings for it to happen… your water broke.

You were alone, and scared. You weren’t allowed to leave the apartment for fear of the neighbor’s suspicion. Maxine’s family would be torn apart by Fedra if anyone found out what was going on, so no matter how terrified you were, you couldn’t risk going outside for help.

“Not now,” you cried, the tension in the pit of your stomach slowly turning to pain when your first contraction started. “Please, kid, I’m begging.”

You suck down against the wall of the living room, trying to find a sitting position that doesn't kill you from the pain. You wished more than anything you had some of those pain pills left over from the exchange, but they would probably only hurt you right now.

“Please, don’t,” you tried to even your breathing, the tears crawling down your cheeks at a fastening rate. “I can’t do this…”

The walls were closing in, you weren’t prepared for this. It didn’t seem to be the right time, either… but it was happening, and there was absolutely nothing you could do to stop it. The baby was coming, and if you wanted to live to see another day, you were going to have to get your head straight, and push it out of you.

You didn’t know how long you’d have, but from the time your water broke to the last contraction, things were moving relatively quickly. You were still on the ground against the wall, biting down on the sleeve of your shirt to try and not make noise.

You hoped and prayed that you would not deliver this baby on your own, but it looked like that was your only option right now. They had all left around an hour ago, they would be gone all day.

“I don’t know what to do, kid… help me out here,” you cried out again, but the baby didn’t exactly listen. You felt more weight bearing down on your lower half by the minute, and all you could do was panic.

It had happened so fast, the attack. Too fast, nothing you guys could have prepared for. It was all within minutes, and the ringing in your ears following your last gunshot seemed to put everything in slow motion. The way Ellie was yelling but you couldn’t hear it, the man that was coming up from behind you, and the one that was wrestling with Joel near the edge of the rail.

Too fast, the man on your rear grabbed at you and pulled backwards, keeping you from being able to stop Joel’s attacker… You got trapped in a headlock, a gun to your temple, and another man was about to get Ellie. Joel and his attacker broke through the railing, tumbling over the edge and falling into God knows what. You sunk deadweight in the man’s arms, letting Ellie shoot him with her raised gun before you shot the man coming for her.

She ran to the edge first, freezing as she looked down. You followed and peered over, unsure what you would see.

“Shit,” you lowered yourself to a sitting position before scooting off the edge and dropping down to where he was. Your voice was in a panic “Joel?”

He was alive, but fatally injured if you didn’t get him out of here right now.

“I’m gonna need you to pull,” he managed to get out through gritted teeth. His face was scrunched in pain, and you knew better than anyone how hard it was to stay quiet when you’re hurting that bad.

“You could bleed out,” you shook your head, kneeling down and flinging off your backpack. Digging through, you only have the most basic of supplies… nothing substantial enough to stop mass amounts of blood, or, worst case scenario, a deadly infection.

“Just pull, damnit,” he grunted, offering his hand.

By now Ellie had come down, watching in fear as the only figure of importance in her life was nearly on his deathbed. It couldn’t be exaggerated because it really was that bad. He could drop down at any moment and never get back up, but he kept pushing on.

You did as he asked, hoisting him to a stand, letting him lean on you for support. Ellie went on ahead, leading the way as she cleared the place with her own gun. You had to assist here and there, unwilling to let Ellie get shot on account of holding Joel up on his feet.

It was practically a miracle that any of you made it outside. Your horse had already taken care of a raider, it seemed, the man lying unconscious on the ground behind him. He likely got to close, touched him, even. Ellie shot the last obstacle standing between you and an escape, and once he was cleared, you mounted your horses, helping Joel onto his, first.

You rode in front of them, looking for a place to take shelter. Looking for an empty house, or gas station even. Anything would work, as long as it was safer than here. You rode for miles down the road, unsure if there were people in the area. You’d finally reached a neighborhood of substantial size, with no signs of life or proof of human activity.

But before you could even find a safe shelter…

“Joel? Joel!”

And you quickly turned around. Joel fell off the horse, out like a light.

Tags: @orcasoul

#joel miller #reader insert #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x reader #joel tlou #the last of us #joel

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duskyashe · 1 year

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NaNoWriMo Day #19

[masterlist] [part one]

=============‹«⟨←·•·→⟩»›=============

There are some things, Alfred thought amused, that transcend even death. Bruce was far from the first Wayne to have a slight adoption problem, and his sons won't be the last. Though, he mused as he prepared the tea, this might just be the first time a Wayne has ever adopted a member of the living from beyond the grave. It's certainly the first time one has ever adopted the ghost king.

There was a sudden cry of, "Brucie! There you are!" Followed by a sharp yelp of, "Who the fu—udge are you!" Nice save, master Jason, Alfred thought with a smirk. He gathered everything together to the sounds of overlapping voices, and counted down in his head as he neared the room. 3, 2, 1— "Everyone, calm down! Young man, could you please explain who you are and what you're doing here?" —Right on time, as always, master Bruce. Alfred opened the door just in time to see the wide grin on master Danny's face and catch his eye with a small smile and a nod.

"Master Bruce, I know I raised you better than that, surely you recognize your little brother?" Ahhh, the simple joy of watching an entire family of world class detectives "blue screen", as master Tim would say. Each and every one of them were trying to figure out how this teenager could be Bruce's younger brother, when they all knew what had happened to the elder's parents, and all of them were drawing the wrong conclusions. Alfred hadn't had to fight this hard not to grin since his adoptive son was pulling his hair out because master Richard was swinging from the chandelier. Last week.

"Since when did you adopt a kid?!" "Aww, Alfie, are we not enough for you?" "Now I know where B gets it from..." "Father, I had not realized Pennyworth was behind your serial adoption habits. You are forgiven."

Apparently, master Danny didn't have the same fortitude as Alfred, as he began laughing shortly after the accusations started flying. Alfred let his smile grow more fond at the sound. Thomas and Martha had shared their suspicions about master Danny's home life, and while he could see some of what they meant, it was heartening to know it wasn't as bad as he'd feared.

"No, no, goodness, no, Alfred didn't adopt me! Though," master Danny said, laughing eyes catching his own, "I'm sure if he got to me, first, he would have. No, mom and dad weren't able to make it legal on this side of things, so I don't have the name, but the family ties are just as strong. I am Bruce's little brother, and I am adopted, but the adoption was a little more," here, master Danny changed forms and started floating, "spiritual than normal."

In the silence that followed that proclamation, Alfred heard the whisper of a woman's laugh and a man's chuckle drift past his ears. A soft, "That's my boy," breezed through the air between Alfred and master Danny, causing the young man to brighten and Alfred to chuckle. Oh yes, master Bruce may have been too young to remember, but Thomas and Martha both had wicked senses of humor. The two of them had probably coached master Danny on exactly what to say, what to do, and how. Now, we just have to calm them down long enough to explain everything, he thought with a wry grin. Not the hardest thing I've done, that was most certainly raising master Bruce in the first place.

=============‹«⟨←·•·→⟩»›=============

TADA! I finally had a prompt to continue this storyline with! Of course, it's not the longest I've written, but I've also been dealing with a headache most of the day. Again (⁠-⁠_⁠-⁠;⁠) buuuuut, knowing I can pop something of this quality out in just less than an hour, while dealing with a headache, is definitely something worth knowing, don't you think? (⁠^⁠～⁠^⁠;⁠)⁠ゞ yeaaaahhh, I'm trying to not make this a thing...

But! I hope this at least answered a few questions about how Alfred knew about Danny lol if I get around to part three, we'll get some more clarification, but for now, I hope this will do (⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)

@chaoticmistake and @ectoplasm024 both asked to be tagged if/when I wrote more, so here you go!

Have a good morning/day/night!

#danny phantom #batman #dc x dp #dp x dc #fanfic #dp crossover #dp au #fanfiction #nanowrimo 2022 #NaNoWriMo Day 19 #dp/dc week 2022 #aren't headaches just the best?#sorry this isn't longer #i had plans but i can barely think these tags through 😅#chaos gremlin Danny meet (controlled) chaos enabler Alfred #i love Alfred he's the best #he's also an interesting man with an interesting past from my understanding #in this fic it's dialed up a notch lol

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morkofday · 4 months

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cont. from this post x for @stormyoceans ♥

My Top 5 Fashion Choices in BL 2023

i am bad at remembering certain outfits or even shirts from all the shows i've watched so i'm pretty sure not all the show-stopping ones are included, but [taylor swift voice] this is me trying~

I. Mork's Fart Proudly -shirt

we both probably remember when the bts picture of this shirt first dropped. i was laughing so hard my stomach hurt bc this shirt is absolutely RIDICULOUS. but then the whole episode 2 happened and i read this post about the symbolism of this shirt (by the amazing @dribs-and-drabbles), and now i'm simply enamored. i cannot look at this silly shirt without tearing up. it's so important and truly a fashion choice.

II. Puen in Stripes throughout Our Skyy 2

epitome of softness and comfort is a married man with his kidnapped adopted son wearing all his beloved striped shirts. i love all the outfits in vice versa, in our skyy and the original show, but there's just something about puen's stripes. wearing them seems to bring out his inner child, which makes me super happy ♥

III. Ai Di's oversized sweaters

feral kitten ai di dressing up in all these soft and colorful sweaters, sweatshirts, and hoodies is probably the best fashion choice any bl has ever made. truly shows how you shouldn't judge anyone from the way they look. ai di might look like a babygirl but he can actually kill you, no questions asked.

IV. Mew as Daddy's Lil Monster

unhinged revenge era mew was something else. he was living his best slutty life. was he heartbroken and a hazard to society? maybe so. but he was also serving absolute cunt. i honestly think all the outfits mew wore post heartbreak were absolutely stunning (black tanktop my beloved), but this one takes the cake. there was really something about the cropped shirt and collar, right?

V. Ray's fashion sense in general

lbr ray is the true fashion icon of this show. the stylists were popping off with him. man hasn't made a bad fashion choice in his life. bad life choices, sure, but at least he looked good while making those. you will never catch him slipping. sipping? uh... too soon?

Bonus: Khatha and his butterfly shirt

this is technically not a bl but in my heart it is, so don't even start. i just thinks it's insane for a show to put a guy dealing with killer moths in a slutty butterfly shirt. he was serving Looks. i was on the floor. i don't care that ppl are dying, can he walk around some more so i can stare again-

please let me know some of your favourites monica!!

#literally teared up while searching for a gif to puen #i love that silly man so much #also gosh cannot believe jimmy is both him and mork #like wtf this man??? truly????#last twilight #vice versa #kiseki: dear to me #only friends #ofts #midnight museum

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igotanidea · 1 year

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Here we go again : Matt Murdock x reader x Dick Grayson

A/N: I think I got myself into an unhealthy addiction of writing stories based on the songs stuck in my head, but well, it fits, so why not.

A/N 2 : This is just something to make you grasp the idea behind the story. The next chapters are going to go back in time to properly deal with the timeline and events.

inspired by : That's hilarious by Charlie Puth.

PROLOGUE

That's hilarious

Hahahaha.....

haha

Yeah, if you haven't already guessed I'm laughing because at this point nothing seems real anymore and if I wasn't laughing at the irony I would probably start crying, screaming and then jump our of the window.

Let me give you a quick introduction into my life, so you could understand me better.

Hi,

my name is Y/N and I'm a citizen developer. Which means I pretty much do everything that has to do with IT, Artificial Inteligence, programming, computers and programming. I loved my job to the point where I was spending hours and hours in front of the screen to be the very best. And truly, finally I got to the top. At the age of 21 I was a most-known in my profession.

And that got me some attention.

Did I mention I was born and living in Gotham?

So, perhaps you guessed who was the guy that gave me my first job?

No?

Well, it was Bruce Wayne. Yes, Wayne as in Wayne Enterprises.

Oh, god, I was on cloud nine being able to put my hands on all that technology, give my ideas and finally having someone to listen and apreciate them. I upgraded it, gave a bit of personal touch to the systems and god, it was amazing., I felt like I was where I belonged.

Bruce, however reserved and distant he was soon started to treat me like his own daughter. I mean, what else can you expect from a relationship between a CEO who spend most of his time with the youngest IT who also happened to be a half-orphan?

So, soon, he let me into the Wayne Manor, where I met his adopted son, Dick. Quite different than his parential figure, but pretty much the same with distant and pushing away. I didn't force him. It took us half a year to become some sort of friends and another half a year to fall truly, madly, deeply in love. No irony here. We spend a lot of time together. Or at least as much as our busy schedules allowed us to. Dick was a detective with crazy work hours, both night and day so when I get the chance I worked from the Manor, even when Bruce was not content with it.

Now that I think about it, i wonder how love-blinded I was.

That's when the story starts to go downhill.

When I was 23, Wayne Enterprises' tech department, with me leading it, introduced some new prototype. The whole project was on the highest security level, full NDA and confidentiality, so from some point the only people involved in the details were me and Bruce. I was literally sunsine and rainbows I get to be involved, hell! be the head of the assignment.

Until I got myself in trouble walking home from work at late night.

Remember, it was Gotham City and I was overwhelmed with our success.

So, due to my absent-mindedness some assaulters came right at me, grabbing both of my arms and dragging me into the dark alley. Of course I was figthing back, screaming and squirming, but what can one girl do in confrontation with 3 pretty beefy men?

Yes, three points for the right answer. NOTHING.

I was pretty much saying goodbye to my life (or at least my sexual health and good memories in that aspect - thank you, Dick Grayson for giving me them) when Gotham's heroes - Batman and Robin decided to show up, blowing everything and beating the assaulters to shit. Maybe they exaggareted a bit, after all those men were not criminals, and there was no need to knock them unconscious and that made me wonder. Still a bit overwhelmed I looked around and then I spotted Batman's new gear. Based on the technology I created.

So there were two, maybe three options:

Batman stole the technology from Wayne, and therefore he was not a hero everyone believed him to

Batman got the techonology from Wayne and therefore Bruce knew Batman's identity (Bruce would never let anyone, even the hero got it without checking all the details)

Bruce was Batman.......

"Bruce......?"

"Y/N."

"What is going on here?" I took a step back and bumped into wall

"Let me explain it to you....."

"Y/N!" another voice came from my right and before I realised what was happening, another caped vigilante was holding me close to his chest, his warm embrace being oddly famliiar. "Are you alright?" Robin's hands started caressing my back, his breaht ticking my face.

Holy fuck!

If Bruce was Batman than .....

"Dick?" my eyes went wide. Stupid, stupid girl! You should have known!

"Are you all right?" he asked again, a mix of desperation and remorse in his voice.

"Yes. I mean, no. I mean, I don't know. What is this? some sort of Surprise Sur Price?"

"Let us explain...." Dick took a quick glance at Batman Bruce who nodded

"Not here. It's not safe."

NOT SAFE!?

"Y/N." Dick took my hand squizing it gently, but lovingly "come on, baby, let's get you out of here."

"Um, well, okey...."

They got me to the Manor and then, since the secret was out and in their own words, they trusted me, I got a quick tour around the batcave. Yeah, they trusted me so much they kept their second life in secret for two fucking years! How is that trust?! I felt betrayed, played with, used, you name it. All that anger made me cry and clench my fist at the same time, my face going red and my heart at the edge of literally breaking.

"Talk to her." apparently that was too much for Bruce, since he decided to let my boyfriend deal with the damage. "You're off the patrol tonigh. Just make sure she'll be fine."

Oh, quite a conversation it was. However, at first not many words were used..... Anger, or rather fury, found another way out......But, when we both calmed down enough to use our mouths to actually echange full sentences it was all painfully clear.

The problem about heroes comes down to the fact that when being torn between their mission and the person they love ,they always choose the duty. And Dick did exactly that when he decided to sweet talk all my worries and cover up the truth for two whole years. That was sad. But, trying to be rational, I didn't scream or blame him. To some point I understood his motives, I mean, as a gotham citizen. As his girlfiriend I could not. I stayed in the manor until he felt asleep in his serene belief we were fine now.

We weren't.

I left Gotham that nigh, leaving him a letter explaing why I had to do this and kindly asking him not to look for me. The thought of the heartbreak he had to go through must have been soul-piercing. At least that's how it was for me when I found myself in Hell's kitchen trying to put my life together and move on.

I found a new job, but it was not the same without him.

And then Matt Murdock came into my life. He was such a nice guy, With an opinion amongst girls, as his best friend Foggy told me. Well, I was not going to fall for him. I had my walls high. Matt and Foggy were both lawyers and a bit of tech was kind of useful in this profession so soon we were working together. As friends. But clearly it was not enough for Matt. We were working late in his aparment, foggy has already left and I was picking my stuff to go home as well, already halfway to the door when Murdock yanked me back by my hand and kissed me with the most knee-buckling, hot, passionate kiss. You know, the one when you just reciprocate in an instant, no need to process what the hell is going on, while the other person's hand sneak around you pulling you closer. At first, i just let him caress my body, but quickly fall on the concrete.

"Stay with me...." he whispered against my lips

"Matt...." I pushed him away and he backed out immidiately

"I'm sorry Y/N. I didn't mean to push you, but I just... I have so many feeligns for you."

"No, I'm sorry. I'm just..... not ready. Yet."

"Yet?" damn lawyers

"Yet" I smiled lightly to defuse the tension

"Well then, I'm not giving up on you".

***

You know the saying "the history repeats itself?" Well it really does. I learned that in a painfull way, when a month later it turned out Matt Murdock was the devil of hell's kitchen. DAREDEVIL for fuck's sake. What was wrong with me and why the hell was I attracting vigilantes from the whole damn country?!

At least I didn't have to get myself in trouble to get to know his secret identity.

Oh no.

This was much worse when he stumbled into my apartment at 3 a.m. waking me up, in not so pleasant way, al bloody and on the verge of life. Yeah, we.... well, we had an argument. But somehow, he convinced me to stay. Something Dick couldn't do in the past. He never asked me to stay.

So I give in to the hope that this time it would be diffent. And I stayed, ready to fight for whatever was blooming between us.

And I was happy-ish to work through it with him.

And I was slowly moving on.

Until one evening, half a year after I left Gotham the past came knocking at my door.

Literally.

I was at my apartment, working and cuddling with Matt when the noice from outside made me get up and open.

"Y/N...... I found you...."

Dick fucking Grayson was at my door.

"Y/N...." he whispered tenderly "I need you back. I want you back with me...."

"Y/N? who is that?" in a blink of an eye Matt was by my side and at this point I was just turning my gaze from one guy to another in shock.

"Who the fuck are you?" Dick hissed

"Well I could ask you the same question" Matt retorted coldly

"I'm her boyfriend" ok, now it was Robin talking

"Funny thing, because that is who I am." hello, Daredevil, nice to see you woke up as well. I guess it was automatic - when Dick went into vigilante mode, Matt responded with exact the same.

"Guys....." I tried to stop them, but they did not let me.

"So you must be the ex?" Matt smirked

"You know about me? Does she moan my name when you two....."

"Ok! Ok! That is enough!" ultimately I got their attention, pretty sure I was red as an apple due to Dick's words.

Now.

I was the only thing standing between two vigilantes in their full-on fighting mode, ready to kill each other .

Oh, boy......

@somest1

@pinksirensong

@everything2134

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one-idea · 2 months

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HIII it's me again :D glad to hear you're doing well!! I hope life is being kind to you <3

of course, take your time to get to this part of the story!! I hope you end up liking sabo as well !! and get ready for the heartbreak of marineford... no really, get a few tissues because there are gonna be tears

coming back to the au, your ideas continue to amaze me, I swear I had this exact expression of shock 😲 reading everything, ITS SO GOOD !!! it's very in character for whitebeard to want to take responsability of blackbeard's actions and appear to help luffy, and of course shanks is going to help his boy (also, don't wanna spoil too much, but he gets there late for reasons and IMAGINE him seeing he failed to protect the sweet boy he was confident would become the new king of the pirates, that he passed his precious hat to... he'd be blaming himself so hard and I'm here for it!)

now that's pretty much what happens in canon, but throw in the revolutionary army in the mix?? PERFECTION !!! of course Dragon would want to save his son, so it'd make sense for him to send some people to help, and who better than the boy he trained himself, sabo? there's no way that could go wrong, right ^^ (it's going to go terribly!)

the idea of sabo meeting with his brothers but not recognizing them... acting like strangers... then gaining back his memories... being right there seeing with his own eyes when it all goes down and not being able to do anything about it, to save his little brother (who he's just starting to remember is his little brother at all)... and worse, thinking he lost BOTH of them at once, right when he got his memory of them back... I'm going insane just thinking about it !!! the guilt this boy feels in canon is already off the charts, imagine in this scenario in which he was THERE and still it didn't change a thing and his baby brother died right in front of him??? he's gonna be consumed by it, probably won't feel worthy of daring to show his face to ace after everything and trying to isolate himself to wallow on his guilt and self-hatred... we love emotionally unstable blorbos in this house!! god help koala and olivia who will have to deal with this mess. and then sabo and ace will have no choice but to meet in dressrosa and that's! gonna be fun! not for them... but for us it will!

THE KOBYFICATION OF DEUCE. YOUR BRAIN IS HUGE!!!! THIS IS GENIUS!!! deuce running his anti marine propaganda newspaper is so important to me... him joining the revolutionary army... it's everything I could ever ask for... and the acedeuce beloveds... with the added bonus of that awkward moment when your coworker/boss is your crush's brother AND your crush's mother figure is also your coworker and hears you gush about him

isuka mention !!! she's such a cutie, glad to see she's here too !! also her taking the role of ace's marine rival is just perfect

sorry I got way too excited with this but your au is just way too amazing <3 thank you once more for sharing your ideas!!

🐝

I’m so sorry I took so long to respond to this.

I’m very afraid of getting to Marineford. My mental health can’t deal with the stress at the moment.

But yes you get it. Sabo and Ace working together to save Luffy without realizing it.

Like Ace just wants to get Luffy out of Impel down and this masked loser is slowing him down. How dare he!

Meanwhile Sabo has the biggest headache (particularly from his memories trying to resurface) because Ace is the most reckless person to ever live. He’s going to get them caught! Stop attacking everyone!

These two just can’t work together because Ace is in panic mode and this person who is only here to save Luffy because Dragon sent him can’t possibly understand the stress Ace is under. How important Luffy is.

Sabo (at the time) doesn’t get it. He needs to get his bosses son out of here. He gets that his adopted older brother is emotional but just calm down and think!

Later Sabo, with all of his memories will look back at this time and wonder. If I had let Ace rush it. If we were both fighting desperately for our little brother, could we have gotten to Luffy in time?

Even later when the meet at Dressrosa and Ace puts together just who the Masked loser in impel down was. When he realizes it was Sabo who “slowed him down” (kept him alive!) he has no idea how to feel. Enraged (why didn’t Sabo care about Luffy) confused (this couldn’t be their brother) desperate (one of his brothers is here, he’s not alone) upset (where was Sabo the past two years? Past 12? Ace needed him! Luffy needed them!) and fury (Luffy will never get to be with both his big brothers every again. He died think Sabo was gone)

Needless to say Ace has a lot of BIG feelings the day Sabo walks back into his life.

Back to Deuce!

I love him so much. His anti-marine paper is so important to me to. Like his dream is to be a writer. Let him write. Let him tell the world exactly what the Marines and pirates do. Let him tell the world about liberated countries and the injustices of the world government.

People say he’s afraid to show his face and that’s why he wears a mask and uses a fake name. But Deuce has never been more himself. He’s never been truer to himself than when he goes by the name Ace gave him.

He tells everyone how amazing the reverse strawhats are. And you best believe when Ace’s lineage gets out he’s writing about not only Ace’s character (how he saves people because he wants to, how no man should be judged by who their father is) but he’s doing his research on the original pirate king and just destroying all the lies the world government circulated about him. The public conscious changes. Roger’s wasn’t a horrible person, in fact he helped a lot of people. And even if he wasn’t should they really hold a son accountable for his father?

(This is after Luffy’s death and you best believe Deuce dragged the Marines for filth over that. The public knows Luffy as a 16 almost 17 year old who never left his home island. Sure he was a bit wild but everyone liked him. He never hurt anyone. And yet the government killed him because of what his father, who he never met, had done. Deuce ran them over the coals. He couldn’t stop what happened at Marineford. The revs wouldn’t even let him go to fight (he was to important by then) but he’s not going to have the last picture Ace has of his little brother be the one the papers ran with Luffy dying in Ace’s arms. Every piece he writes about Luffy he tries to find an old photo from Dawn island or Dragon’s surveillance to attach to the article. It drives home that he was just a boy, while also giving Ace new picture of his precious brother to cherish.

Speaking of Acedeuce. Deuce suffers those two years Nico Olive is there. It’s already awkward enough that Sabo, who has heard him talk about how down bad he is for Ace for two years, turns out to be Ace’s brother. But Nico Olivia? He never knows peace.

On one hand it’s nice. She helps him write his pieces about Luffy. (Ace told a lot of stories during their 3 years together) in exchange she gets a nice copy of every picture they find of Luffy and Ace from Dragon’s surveillance (he definitely had people watching over his boy) she collects them to give to Ace when they reunite.

On the other hand, she is relentless. Constantly teasing Deuce about his crush. (She’s met him before. In the early days of his paper before he was recruited by the Revs.) constantly asking when he was going to ask her captain out? When the wedding would be? Should he be joining the crew once they were official?

Deuce thinks she’s just teasing him. And he could live with it, if she didn’t make it sound like Ace wanted him to. (Baby is in hard core denial that his feelings could be returned)

Nico Olivia does not see herself as cruel. She is asking honest questions. To her (and the crew) Ace’s crush on Deuce was obvious. The question was never Ace’s feelings but Deuce’s though Olivia knew from the way Deuce wrote about Ace that he must have feelings for her captain, it was nice to have it confirmed by the other Revs. (Koala makes fun of Deuces crush at all times, especially now that it makes Sabo squirm because that’s HIS big brother they are talking about!) to Olivia she can’t see why the two boys wouldn’t get together. (After Ace has had time to grieve and process his loss of course)

Her captain deserves good things. He early lets himself want, believing he does not deserve the goodness of the world. Olivia violently disagrees. She wants her boy happy. And Deuce is a great young man who would make her boy happy. Sure she might be a little pushy, but she’s not getting any younger. Excuse her for wanting to see her kids get married before she dies. (She’s not dying anytime soon, but she will use guilt to her advantage if it will make these two knuckle heads get it together sooner rather than later)

#one piece #monkey d. luffy #fire fist ace #portagas d. ace #one piece ace #reverse strawhat pirate au #masked deuce #revolutionary sabo #one piece sabo #nico olvia #acedeuce #Sabo remeber who Ace and Luffy are right as he watches one of them die is the coldest thing I’ve done in a while. and I stand by it #deuce deserves to have his own paper. spread the truth Deuce!#Nico Olivia watching the pinning mess that is Acedeuce form both sides: you need to get it together #i want to see my kid married! (with grandkids please)

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kookie-doughs · 11 months

Text

Happy Meal

Hawks / Keigo Takami X Reader

-As a young mother YN didn't know what to do when the number 2 hero had taken the last happy meal that her son so desperately want.

Chapter 19: Stories Are To Be Told

A sobs and screams, moans and groans, so much sounds echoed through the mountains of debris. Heroes in a state of panic trying to save all they could.

The place was a wasteland after attacking the base of a villain group at the area. Numbers of buildings, homes and such had collapsed.

Number of injured are 378 and still rising.

Number of deaths are 167 and is also rising.

A hero, Nana, discarding large debris left and right clearing the site to provide more access to those possibly buried alive.

As the number of people found increased, Nana was growing tired.

Suddenly an ear piercing scream echoed the area alerting everyone. The scream was causing the mountair of debris to shake. It might break and crush potentially alive people buried.

Nana swiftly dashed to where the scream echoed, and it so happens that she arrived at the perfect moment as the debris was about to crush the little girl.

She manages to stop the debris and catching the girl's attention. There she saw a little girl clutching the hands of two older couple she assumed was the girl's parents.

The child could no be more than 6 maybe around the age of her grandson. Her hair was tangled with dirt, ash and rocks whilst wet with whatever liquid. She was covered in blood and dirt. Looking at Nana with tearful eyes.

The hero descends to her and picked her up. The child sobbed at the arms of the hero as she made her way to the medic.

It wasn't long after that the search ends. Nana was drawn to the child she had saved. There was something about her that reminds her of her dear grandson.

"Y/N..." The child says in an almost inaudible whimper.

"Its nice to meet you Y/N... I'm Nana..."

Nana had developed a relationship with the child within just few days. She was introduced to other children Y/N knew in the hospital. She adored it. But it is never one sided.

"So why don't you agree? I'm being quite diplomatic don't you agree?"

"What do you want from the children?" The president, at the time, of HPSC glares at the man.

"I just wish to adopt one. I am quite feeling lonely."

"We could attack you. You are a heinous criminal. The worst criminal there is."

All for One laughs, "You're low in numbers after the war you had forged with those no bodies. Attack me I'll win and take all the children. So let me repeat myself." He sits up straight, "I am quite feeling nice right now. I could feel a great luck coming to me... yes. I would adopt a child, and I will help rebuild the city."

The president glares at the villain. Unsure of his plans. Having no idea what to do.

"Why do you need a child."

"Children brings joy and light. Don't you think I deserve those right now?" He smirks.

"Which one..?"

AFO's eyes wander outside scanning the place where the children are. And as if the request couldn't be better. He spots Nana playing with Y/N. A smirk forms in his lips.

"Tell me about that one." He points at the two.

"L/N Y/N, she's 6. Nana seem fond of her." The president curses at how he said the information AFO was probably after. "Her quirk amplifies her voice when she screams."

With smirk he nods. "Her. Give her."

"What are you going to do with her?"

"That," He turned to face the president. "Is not for you to find out. So? A deal?"

The president looked at Y/N with guilt...

A sacrifice has to be made... For the better.

"We accept."

"Hello~" AFO sang.

The child reluctantly approached him. He had a smile, and it wasn't like Y/N had any choice. She's living with him either way so relationship is bound to be created.

"Can we be friends~?" He asked calmly and tenderly.

She nods.

"I'm sorry I took you from your friends." AFO pats her head. "You see, I wanted to be your friend. Take care of you, help you and all that."

"Can't you help us all?"

"There's too many of you." He sighed, "The place where you were, they're not keeping the other kids too. They're waiting for nice people to take them because it's hard taking care of them all."

"Where are they going to go?"

"I don't know."

"Y/N!!"

A H/C (Hair color) haired girl proceeds to rush out of the room skipping, excited by the familiar voice.

"Master, you're back!"

She froze seeing her said master. Behind him was a boy, not far from her age.

"I brought you a friend~"

The boy peeks from behind the man and the moment he layed his eyes on her... he felt something. He felt excited and joyed, which he hasn't felt in forever.

"I'm Y/N." She had the brightest smile he's ever seen.

"Tenko..."

The girl was ecstatic finally she had someone new in her life other than AFO. She was going to rush to hold the boy but was stopped by AFO.

"Y/N! He's dangerous!"

Tenko teared up hearing that. But he knew what the man meant.

"I-I'll c-control it!" He cried.

Y/N looked at the boy worried. "What's wrong?"

"His quirk is uncontrollable... for now. I can provide you with a power to withstand him but right now you can't touch him okay?"

Y/N looks at the boy who looked at her expectantly. She nods.

"Tenko-nii!" The said boy was tackled down causing him to jolt.

A pair of E/C (Eye Color) eyes stared down on him while the girl sat on his stomach, giggling.

"Y/N, master said my name is Tomura now. Stop calling me that. And don't call big brother." He flicks her forehead.

Pouting she scratches the spot, "Yeah but you're Tenko to me. I dont care about that Tomura guy."

"I'm the Tomura guy. I'm Shigaraki Tomura now. Master gave me a new identity and I will live as he said."

"Yea and I'm N/N (Nickname/New Name) Shigaraki but you don't follow that do you? You still call me Y/N."

Tomura grunts, "Its because master deemed us siblings."

"I make a pretty cute little sister! I don't get why you don't want me to be."

"It's because you're dumb."

She pouts once again, "Yeah well if I'm Y/N, you're Tenko."

"Get off me already." Tomura huffs.

He pats himself down upon finally getting up and walks to the other room.

"T-Tenko-"

She was cut off by his lips crashing into hers.

Their lips finally met, and in that instant, a surge of warmth and electricity passed between them. The contrast between the roughness of his lips and the softness of her own, their connection felt undeniably tender and passionate. In that stolen moment, time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in the intoxicating dance of their lips.

As they slowly parted from the kiss, their breaths mingled in the cool night air. Their eyes met, shining with a newfound depth of affection and understanding. He tenderly brushed his thumb across her cheek, his touch conveying feelings that words could not express.

"Y/N, I love you"

"Oh my god," getting a slap to reality Y/N pulls away red as a beet. "IS THIS WHY YOU HATED N/N?! YOU HAD SO MUCH ARGUMENTS WITH MASTER?!"

Tomura looks to the ground.

"H-How long have you liked me..." Her flushed face couldn't bare looking at the man.

"Since I've met you."

"T-Thats years ago-"

Tomura smiled, "I know."

"Y/N!"

Tomura craddles her wet beaten body. Her features were now marked by bruises, her skin mottled with shades of purple and blue. A disheveled cascade of hair framed her face, the strands tangled and damp, as its soaked in an unknown liquid. Her sobs echoed throughout the room.

"Master I'm sorry please forgive me!" You begged repeatedly despite the man not being present.

A kiss to your forehead and soft rubs on your back was all Tomura had to offer trying to calm you down.

"You're gonna be fine, I'm right here."

In a moment of deep despair, her tear-stained face, sought comfort in the presence of the guy who had always been a comforting presence. Her trembling lips met his in a desperate, fleeting kiss, an attempt to find respite from the overwhelming weight of her emotions. It was a kiss born out of the need to escape the suffocating grip of sadness, if only for a brief moment.

Tomura, caught off guard by the intensity of the moment, responded with a mixture of surprise and vulnerability. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, drawing her closer, as if he wanted to drown himself in the connection they shared.

In that passionate exchange, he reciprocated the kiss with a tenderness that belied his own inner turmoil. His lips moved against hers with a fervent longing, his heart beating in sync with hers. It was a response that spoke volumes, revealing his own hidden desires and the depth of his feelings for her.

Lost in the heat of the moment, their bodies gravitated toward each other, his body pressing against hers with an urgency that mirrored the intensity of their desires. The world around them ceased to exist as they became lost in the heat of their connection, their bodies entangled and craving more.

With each caress and touch, their passion intensified. His hands roamed her body, tracing the curves that had haunted his dreams, while she clung to him, reveling in the strength and warmth of his embrace.

"Where is she?!" Tomura screamed. "Master please!! I need her please master..."

"Tomura, she left on her own."

"SHE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT IF YOU HADNT-" He took a deep breath.

Tomura should know better than to fight this man. But he was lost. What was he without you?

"She left you. She left us both. Truly ungrateful of what we had given her."

"Master, I can't go on without her in my life."

"Then use your pawns. Get her on your own. I for one have no need for her."

The call hangs up and Tomura was left to think of a plan to get you back.

It hasn't been a while from your departure, you should still be close by.

"Kurogiri," He looks at the city map trying to think where you'd go. "Here."

"Tenko, stop!!!" She sobbed.

"You are not going to leave me!" He grabs another person by the throat, one finger away from perishing, he raises it to your level to have a view. "Anyone who gets in my way from making sure of that. Dies."

The person's reduced to ashes. Y/N was met with his glaring red eyes.

"Y/N, I can't live without you. I need you." He walks up to her and hold her. "You can't leave me like that please..."

"Tenko... I can't go back there..."

"You have to. I'm goingbback there, with you no matter what."

"Tenko, you can't force-"

"I SAID YOURE GOING BACK WITH ME!!!" He grabs her by the throat and slams her against the wall. "YOU ARE GOING HOME WITH ME! I SAID I NEED YOU, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KEAVE ME!"

"T-Tenko you're scaring m-me."

"Be scared. Scared people follow what's told."

"GET AWAY FROM MEEE!!!" Her scream staggers Tomura, giving herself a chance to run and get away.

***

The sound of chains rattling wakes you up. Memories you wished never had existed floods back.

"Shigaraki-san~! Your girlfriend is away~!"

You turn to your side where the sound came from, it was a blonde girl with golden eyes.

"You're so pretty!" She giggles.

"And you get away from her." A familiar voice says behind you.

Pouting and muttering to herself the girl leaves after the sound of the door slamming, followed by the lock, you had no escape.

"I worked so hard to get you back."

You finally got your courage together and faced him.

"Tenko..."

"I'm sorry I wanted to take Sato with us, but he's too busy being protected."

"Tenko let me go please."

"No." He looks away from you. "Y/N I already waited , you know how long, for you to come back to me. Now that youre back, I'm not losing you again."

"Tenko... I can't stay..."

"If you're saying that because of Sato are you suggesting I take him too?"

You think of what AFO would do with Sato. You can not have him take Sato.

"Y/N, I only want you. I'm glad, I'm ecstatic we have a child together." He creases your cheek, "I want to be with him. But, I know you wouldn't want that. I'll let him go. We can just start over, new family. Just us, our future children."

"T-Tenko, I can't. I don't wanna be here please. Let me go."

"NO!" In a fit the bed you lay on disintegrates and so does everything around you two. "STOP! ASKING! TO! LEAVE! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE ME!"

"Can you-"

"Y/N PLEASE IM DOING EVERYTHING! I DIDN'T BRING SATO! I DIDN'T TELL MASTER! I KEPT THAT HERO ALIVE! IM DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO NOT MAKE YOU ANGRY! I, HAVE MY LIMIT! IF YOU KEEP ON DOING THIS I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU! SO SHUT UP!"

You looked at him. His tear-filled eyes, once vibrant and fierce, now appeared clouded and dimmed by his overwhelming sadness. The bright red irises, normally intense and piercing, were now drowned in a sea of tears, their fiery glow extinguished. Each sob that wracked his body shook him to his core, his whole frame trembling with the weight of his sorrow.

Seeing him broke your heart. He's tried his hardest, you know that. He's not like this... he wouldn't have been like this if not for you.

You pull him to you, it didn't take him long to cling onto you. His face buried on the crook of your neck, tears flowing and staining your shirt.

"Tenko, I'm sorry..."

"I just want to be with you please. I need to be with you."

Previous | Masterlist | Next

Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @faithneko @officiallykuute @pinksilk @applepie-macaroon @lolawassad @grinnwolph

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elizmanderson · 9 months

Note

Hi, here's my attempt at a specific question(s) for 'Remarkable Retirement"

Does Edna ever get a cat?

What was the writing process like, do you have a favorite scene?

How fantasy-esque versus modern-day esque is Remarkable Retirement?

Also also

"a dragon who hoards flowers"

more info on this one. I love this one.

I'll try to get the book whenever I'm able, it seems really interesting

ahhhhhhhhh excellent. sweet sweet questions. let's talk about Remarkable Retirement!

Does Edna ever get a cat?

not in the published book! originally she adopted a stray who lived outside the nursing home and brought him partway on her adventure with him, but then he got cut because I am terrible at keeping track of characters' pets.

it is actually canonical that she's had a cat at some point, bc when she has to name something for Magical Purposes, we learn she's bad at naming things. she once adopted a stray cat and called it Kitty.

(in one draft it's stated that her son's father named their son for this reason lmao but I don't think that line survived)

What was the writing process like? Do you have a favorite scene?

part one of this question:

long and chaotic lmao. I wrote the first draft as part of a last-man-standing-style writing challenge in which I had to write at least 1000 words/week by the weekly deadline or drop out.

I made it all the way to the end for a grand total of 72 weeks. the last several weeks, the creator upped the word count each week (from 1000 to 1500 to 8,000 to 12,000 to 20,000) to pressure the last of us left standing to drop out so they could start the next round.

it was unsuccessful, as two of us not only reached but smashed right through the 20k goal of week 72 and were declared joint winners lmao. I wrote 32k that week and finished the draft at about 160,000 words.

I leaned heavily into pantsing for the first draft: I knew a few major plot points going into the first draft but otherwise figured most of the story out each week as I wrote more of it.

for subsequent drafts, which were revised over the next two years, I did considerably more planning. but still plenty of angst lol, especially since 160,000 is pretty chonky and the first draft needed some major restructuring. I think there were three major rounds of revisions total before I started querying.

(queried for two years, got lots of "love this but it's not marketable," and finally published with a small press that said "love this and we want to publish it." although I do have an agent now! but I got my agent with a different manuscript.)

part two of this question:

I do love a major plot twist and spent most of my first draft looking forward to writing it. but I think my favorite scene is probably the soft moment in the hospital between Edna and Amir. they're just *anime fist clench* so soft together.

plus it includes Amir calling Edna "Edna" instead of "Mrs. Fisher" for the first time, and I am a slut for a good name thing.

How fantasy-esque vs. modern-day-esque is Remarkable Retirement?

Remarkable Retirement leans heavily modern day, but magic exists and everyone knows about it. so the setting is modern and the characters travel to some real places, like Detroit and my hometown and California, and there are real-world things like nursing homes and cell phones.

but then you've got a part of the U.S. military that deals with dragons because there are dragons, and you've got a council of wizards that's mostly useless, and some of the nursing homes (not Edna's) are magical homes, and you can magically enhance your cell phone (but not iPhones because Apple doesn't let you do that).

so like. it's set in more-or-less the modern-day U.S. (minus the pandemic, which hadn't started yet when I wrote the book), but the fantasy elements exist openly alongside all the real-world stuff.

More info about the dragon who hoards flowers

his name is Basil and I love him very much

#answered #the remarkable retirement of edna fisher #e's writing #title game

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noodleblade · 7 months

Note

Smokescreen for the “Send Me a Character” thingie

YESS MY BOYYYYYYYYYYYYYY'

First impression: VERY POSITIVE. Young?? Dumb??? Full of you know??? kind of my favorite combination of dumb speedster qualities (I have an ongoing chart). I instantly loved him:3 also @honkytonka amped me up by saying I would love him whenever he showed up and they were right<3

Impression now: I love him so much I have made it a not-so-secret mission to write propaganda material for him in order for everyone else with less than positive opinions to see the potential he has as a character:3 also i've adopted him. my actual son.

Favorite moment: god this is going to sound dumb because its a nothing moment, but in the TFP movie he tells Bee he was almost going to be a Prime or whatever and goes "Yeah, I said it." in the sassiest way like girl get over yourself omg. Anyway, I quote it all the time and love him for being stupid about it

Idea for a story: haha I have so many so I'll just make up one I probably would never write but it'd be fun to see. I'd love to read a fic where he DOES become a Prime and all of Team Prime just kind of dealing with that. Love to see him struggle with the responsibility and realize it is more than just a title and whatever and watch him grow and develop as a leader. could be cool or whatever...just saying;--; Also a prime with the phase shifter as their primary weapon would be very cool.

Unpopular opinion: hmmmm not sure I know any unpopular opinions. I think a lot of people don't like him? so maybe just the fact that I adore him and think his character was needed for the TFP story is enough of an unpopular opinion.

Favorite relationship: I don't really ship him romantically with anyone?? maybe bee but like in a very "could be cute" kind of way? don't really care about that for him so let's talk PLATONIC. Canonically, I love him and Bulkhead? Bulkhead taking this young, dumb reckless kid under his wing and trying to teach him to use his brain. And uh...if you've followed me or read my smokescreen fic, you know uncanonically, I'm obsessed with the potential for his friendship with Knock Out. I won't get into it, but haha i could go on forever.

Favorite headcanon: He's dumb. So so dumb, but incredibly well-read. He didn't have a lot to do in the Hall of Records so all he did was read a lot of novels. He unfortunately likes to use the fiction tropes as guidelines for real life and I like the idea that he romanticizes fiction to make his own reality. He probably read a lot of historical documents too, but I doubt he touched the scientific/medical research essays.

#smokescreen #tfp #character ask game #transformers #anonymous #yippie!

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acacia-may · 1 year

Note

YTTD requests, you say?

Hello hello, hopefully this isn't a clog or too much of a bother; and most importantly, I hope you're having a great day right now! But I thought I may as well drop in and get a YTTD headcanon request in, seeing as I may or may not have been the cause of you getting into that series in the first place 😶

So, I'll try to indulge you a little by putting down two characters I know you have a really deep love for. Sei and Kai. 💙 + 💛. Maybe for the friendship one, how they deal with the other getting closer and having more friendships with other people? (I wonder if Sei would be the jealous type that's worried someone might try to take advantage of his brother's kindness 😅)

That's all from me. Do take your time with all the asks getting thrown your way in your inbox, and make sure to get plenty of rest and stay in good health! Have a lovely day ahead of you!

Oh my goodness, Repo! Your ask could never be a bother at all! Please don't ever worry about or apologize for sending in asks about anything. I enjoy them a lot and appreciate each and every one of them that comes in (even if it sometimes takes me a while to answer). I'm actually so excited for this one especially, you really have no idea! Thank you so, so much!! 🥰 It's my first YTTD ask ever so I feel very accomplished and also very excited! 🥳

It does feel appropriate that my first YTTD ask would come from you since, yes, you are absolutely the reason I am now suffering... (I'm only kidding of course. Thank you so much again for the recommendation of such an amazing story and game! I've got some of my friends irl playing it now, and my sister absolutely loves it. I would have never even known it existed if not for you so many thanks for that even if I am now heartbroken over a lot of dysfunctional fictional siblings 💕). On that note, there is especially no need for apologies for sending in an ask that is so incredibly self-indulgent for me. Seriously, I feel so spoiled right now. I don't deserve this! 🥺 My problem sons and their dysfunctional brotherly relationship really is so dear to my heart even if (at the same time) thinking about them makes me want to curl up and cry...

Why do I do this to myself?! 😭 KAI AND SEI DESERVED BETTER!!! I want to adopt them and give them cake 🎂 *cries*

Anyway, thank you so much again for the ask and for all of the kind words, friend! I hope you have a wonderful day as well, and I really hope you will like these headcanons! Please feel free to stop by anytime (and send in another ask if you want something more self-indulgent for yourself/an ask about your favorite characters too 😁). Cheers!! 💖

Headcanons are below the cut. Thank you for playing my Bye Bye Writer's Block Headcanon's Game! 🥰

(Warnings: Mentions grieving, food, sickness, injury, child abuse, death and angst. MAJOR SPOILERS for YTTD especially the Kai mini-episode)

Kai & Sei Friendship/Family Headcanons

💙-- Hurt/Comfort

During his childhood, Kai once contracted a terrible flu that lasted nearly two weeks. In general, he and Sei were essentially "on their own" when it came to sickness and injuries as children since Gashu believed that they should be strong enough to get over whatever it was on their own and if they weren't, then it was probably for the best that they just succumb to their wounds or illness. Just luckily neither of them were particularly sickly (usually), but they were often injured as part of their training and mostly learned how to care for and dress wounds for themselves. In this case, however, Kai was the sickest he had probably ever been, but as he wasn't expecting any sort of help, it was a complete shock to him that Sei jumped in to take care of him almost immediately.

In Sei's mind, Kai was such an airhead that he couldn't take care of himself on a good day--there was no way he could take care of himself while he was sick, so even though he really didn't know what he was doing he tried his best to play caregiver--mainly just kept his brother warm, making sure he had plenty of water, trying to keep his fever down with cold compresses, and preparing him meals of instant noodles (the only thing he really knew how to make) while worrying far more than he would ever admit. Sei told Kai not to make a big deal out of it--insisting that he was only helping to patch him up so he could beat him at sparring practice later, but Kai, who had never actually been taken care of before, was truly touched by his brother's actions and tried his best to repay the favor going forward.

(Related) Bonus HC [though this one is more angsty]: The first meals that Kai ever learned how to cook were Sei's favorite foods which Kai learned to make for his brother when he was injured (or on the rare occasions that he was sick). Gashu allowed the hobby because he thought it may prove useful one day (And it eventually did when Kai's cover became 'homemaker' and housekeeper for the Chidouins). Sei was always a bit jealous of Kai's cooking skills, especially since when he was recovering, he got these gourmet meals from his brother, but when Kai was recovering, all he got was instant noodles (since Sei really couldn't cook to save his life). Kai insisted he loved the instant noodles, however. (Of course what he really loved was the fact that his brother had taken the time to make them and take care of him).

When he lost Sei, Kai couldn't bring himself to make his favorite foods for a long time, but he spent many a night for those first couple of months without him crying into a cup of instant noodles.

💛-- Friendship

(A/N: I really loved your prompt! Thank you for that. My sister and I were actually just discussing this very topic a couple of days ago, so I'm more than happy to run with it for you! Also 100% agree with your interpretation of Sei as a protective brother!)

Sei is much more jaded and mistrustful than Kai--believing that other people are always playing some sort of angle and/or only looking out for themselves whereas Kai wants to believe in the best in others and is a truly generous person who will genuinely put other people's wants over his own without expecting anything in return. As this is a foreign concept to Sei, it takes him a long time to realize that Kai genuinely cares about him in altruistic way without any strings attached. Sei who has never had such a relationship before recognizes what a gift and a privilege it is to be loved unconditionally, and as such, his bond with Kai quickly becomes one of the most important things in the world to him.

One of Sei's greatest worries as far as his brother is concerned is that someone will twist or trample on what he considers his brother's greatest strengths and take advantage of Kai's selflessness and generosity. For this reason, Sei can be very protective of Kai. While he admires Kai's kindness and good-hearted nature, he thinks it can make his brother a bit airheaded at times and can cause him to put his guard down around other people when he shouldn't--ultimately, leaving him vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Since Kai is kind of aloof, he can seem to be unapproachable to people who don't know him well, and since he is naturally quiet and not one to take much initiative in social situations, it can be difficult for him to make friends. This is, truthfully, a bit of a relief to Sei since it protects Kai from falling in with a more manipulative group who might try to take advantage of him. That said, Sei would be genuinely sad to learn his brother was lonely and wanted friends when/if he didn't have them.

If Kai ever made some good friends, it would take Sei a very long time to warm up to them. They would likely be incredibly confused upon meeting Sei for the first time since Kai always speaks so warmly about his brother and describes what a caring person he is--failing to mention the fact that his brother is a tsundere so that caring nature is hidden under a frosty exterior of bluntness, callousness, and snark.

Sei would have absolutely no problem telling Kai's friends exactly what he thought of them and would likely tell Kai (on multiple occasions) that he can do better. Ultimately, however, Sei wants good things for Kai. As soon as Kai's friends prove that they care about him just as much as Sei does and really do have his best interests at heart, they will likely become endeared to Sei forever, and Sei will feel very grateful and indebted to them for looking out for his brother.

Kai on the other hand would immediately love any friend that Sei made. In fact, he would probably consider them Sei's friends even before Sei would acknowledge them as such--saying things like "It's so nice to meet your friends, Sei!" while Sei (the indignant little tsun) huffily insists, "They're not my friends. They're just some people I know." Kai would be absolutely thrilled to know that Sei had friends (especially since Sei is pretty vocal about his opinion that "friendship is overrated"), and he would try to include them in all of their activities and basically bring them into the family. Sei would very quickly get huffy and annoyed with Kai constantly insisting "Why don't you invite your friend(s), Sei?", muttering under his breath or bitterly thinking to himself "I wish I had never told you I had friends" at least once or twice a week.

Unlike with Kai's friends meeting Sei and being thoroughly surprised, Sei's friends meeting Kai is exactly what they expected--well once they get past that initial awkwardness and aloofness from Kai being naturally shy and quiet person, that is. It is a very short-lived period of time, however, since Kai really tries to push himself to be more outgoing when meeting the friends of his brother. He likes them very much for taking such good care of Sei and befriending him, so he tries to be more openly warm and friendly towards them. He also always treats them very formally (similar to how he addresses Sara as "Sara-san" or "Miss Sara" in the game), and he actually, genuinely thanks them all for being Sei's friend (which embarrasses his brother to the point that his ears turn pink. Poor Sei).

#kai satou #yttd kai #yttd sei #*cries* about the satou brothers #yttd spoilers #thank you for the ask #headcanon requests #yttd headcanons #repo-net the great

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