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yelena-bellova · 1 year

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

Chapter Eight: Someone’s Something

Plot: Joel, Y/n and Ellie meet Henry and Sam, who try to convince them to team up to find their way out of Kansas City together.

Word Count: 7.1k

Warnings: tlou ep.5 spoilers, languge, implied smut, guns, mention of death, sa and loss of a child (16+)

A/N: Happy Valentines, y’all!! My gift to you is some light heartbreak with some fluff to soften the blow 😉

As always, this series is 16+ and I will not be adding anyone to the taglist unless your age is specified in your bio. Gotta look out for younger eyes 👀

Y’all have blown this lil’ ficlet idea up so much, I’m still shocked it’s this loved. I’m so excited to finish out the second half of the season with you guys. Hang onto your butts 🤍

——————

July 1st, 2002. Austin, Texas.

Y/n had integrated perfectly into the Miller’s life. Sarah adored her, Tommy loved her, and Joel couldn’t get enough of her. He’d never admit it to Sarah, but he was thankful that she’d taken matters into her own hands and snuck down to the hardware store that June day.

In the beginning of July, Sarah went away to a two-week summer camp. Joel and Y/n had seen her off on the bus, Joel fussing over whether or not she had everything she’d need. He didn’t do well when she was gone for more than a day, a combination of missing her dearly and parental worry. Y/n had made it her goal over the course of her trip to distract him as much as she could.

They’d made a dinner date at Joel’s house the day Sarah left, the first of fourteen that Y/n had to keep him busy. His days would be consumed by work, but his nights belonged to them. Y/n knocked on the front door of the house, carrying a six pack she’d picked up on the way.

Joel hurried to the door, swinging it open and enveloping Y/n in a hug. She laughed, clinging to his neck as he literally dragged her into the house. Joel’s lips were on her the second the door shut.

“Missed you,” he mumbled between kisses.

“You saw me, like, six hours ago,” Y/n managed to say.

“Way too long,” Joel smiled against her lips.

Y/n chuckled, “Yeah, well, if I die from lack of oxygen,” she wiggled a hand between their smushed chests, “You’re gonna miss me a whole lot more.”

Joel wrapped an arm around her neck, smiling so big his cheeks hurt. That was the effect Y/n had on him. She’d turned his curmudgeon qualities, plying them like clay until they were soft. He was a new man with her in his life.

“Joel,” she said softly.

“Yeah?” He was barely taking in her words, focused on how her lips were starting to swell from his attention.

“What’s burning?”

It didn’t register at first, then he remembered the food was still in the oven. “Shit,” he muttered, letting her go to run back to the kitchen and save their dinner.

Y/n chuckled, kicking off her shoes and heading in to help him.

Joel’s attempt at a simple roast chicken and potatoes turned out slightly crispy, but good, all in all. They’d eaten it at the table, Joel’s hands stretched across the surface to hold Y/n’s.

After their meal, they retired to the living room. Joel turned on the stereo and fell onto the couch, Y/n laying her legs across his lap.

“Well, day one’s almost over,” she said, “How’re you feeling?”

Joel sighed, “She called earlier when they got there. Sounded real excited.”

“And you could not sound happier about it,” Y/n chortled, “Joel, she’s going to be fine.”

“I know that, it’s just,” Joel strroked his hand over Y/n’s calf, “It’s been me and her for…ever. When she’s off it just…”

Y/n watched her boyfriend with soft eyes, waiting for him to say more.

“I know she’s growin’ up, she’s always been independent, but,” he paused staring down at his hands, “It gets easier and easier for her every year to get on that bus. Makes me think about the day she’ll leave for good.”

“You know that no matter where she goes,” Y/n offered, “She’s always coming back here. She loves you too much.”

Joel gently smiled, his fingers brushing against Y/n’s leg. She always knew the right thing to say.

“And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she kinda loves me too,” Y/n smirked.

“Yeah, well, there’s a lot to work with there,” Joel winked.

Y/n giggled, her eyes drifting over Joel’s shoulder to the corner of the living room. An acoustic guitar sat propped up in a stand.

“Y’know, I still haven’t heard you play,” she said, nodding to the instrument.

For as much as he loved music, he still got a little bashful about his talent. “I sound like everyone else,” he replied.

“Yeah, nice try,” Y/n wasn’t so easily discouraged, “Play me something.”

Much like his daughter, there wasn’t a lot Joel could deny Y/n. If it was going to make her smile, he’d gladly do it. He lifted her legs off of him and went to retrieve the guitar.

“Does the audience have any requests?” Joel asked, settling back down beside her and fiddling with the tuning pegs.

Y/n tucked her legs into her chest, barely containing her grin, “Something sweet.”

Joel finished tuning the guitar and took his position. He hadn’t played for anyone other than Sarah in a very long time.

The first pluck of the strings relaxed them both, Joel settled into the piece quickly. Y/n watched his fingers dance up and down the string, a series of movements only he knew. It sounded like an old folk song, the kind that told the tale of doomed lovers torn apart by tragedy. She had enough musical knowledge to know it was in a minor key. Sweet, it was not, but it was brimming with passion, and the way Joel watched the strings so intensely only added to it. Y/n was taken aback by the simple beauty of him, pouring himself into the music.

When it was over, a few final notes slowing the tempo before stopping entirely, Joel looked over to Y/n, a whisper of a smile playing upon his lips. Their eyes connected, the ever present flame between them stretching the distance between their bodies. In that moment, Joel was thankful they were alone.

In the same set of seconds, Joel blindly set the guitar down to the side and Y/n surged forward, the two of them meeting in a heated kiss. Y/n held both of Joel’s cheeks in her hands while he maneuvered her on top of him, their lips never losing their connection. The sadness of the song had drawn them together, both needing to feel the fullness of each other’s devotion to counter the loss that the notes had grieved. That wasn’t them, they said with each touch, it could never be them.

—————————

September 28th, 2002. Austin, Texas.

Fall had hit Texas, as much as it could affect the south, anyway. Sarah and Y/n were in the backyard of the Milller home. Sarah had her first soccer game of the season that weekend and she wanted to get in some extra practice.

“Okay,” Y/n called from the goal, “Don’t go easy on me.”

“Yeah, right,” Sarah scoffed, she was never afraid to show the full force of her talent on the field. Faking Y/n out, she broke to the left before making a sudden right turn and shooting the ball through the goal.

“Yes,” she exclaimed, pulling her fists down in celebration.

“Alright, alright, alright,” Y/n smirked, coming up beside Sarah as she did a little victory dance, “Don’t get too cocky. Let’s work on your goalkeeping.”

Sarah grooved her way back to the goal, “Okay, but I’m kinda spectacular at that too.”

“Well, we certainly don’t need to work on your confidence,” Y/n remarked. Sarah had the same cockiness, reserved only for things she was truly great at, as her father.

Joel materialized then, coming through the back door and watching his girls from the deck. “How we lookin’?”

“Today, Taft Middle School,” Y/n replied, catching the ball with her heel as Sarah kicked it, “Tomorrow, FIFA.”

Joel smiled proudly, both at Sarah and Y/n. Most women would have kept distance between them and their partner’s child. Y/n had jumped in headfirst, determined to be there for Sarah as much as she wanted her. She was the feminine influence his daughter had been denied all her life.

“Alright,” Y/n announced, “Good?”

Sarah nodded, “Good.”

Joel saw an opportunity and couldn’t pass it up. He carefully made his way down the steps of the deck, sneaking through the grass and up behind Y/n just as she was about to make her shot. As she wound her leg back, Joel wrapped his arms around her middle and lifted her into the air.

Y/n shrieked as she was swung around, “Joel!”

“Sarah, steal it,” he yelled, smiling as Y/n wriggled in his embrace.

Sarah surged forward, avoiding Y/n’s flailing legs as she fought against Joel, and snatched the ball. She moved through the grass effortlessly and landed a perfect kick into the net.

Laughing heartily, Joel finally released Y/n back to the ground. He shared a high-five with his daughter as she bounded back to them.

“You two are awful,” Y/n gave Joel a shove to his chest, her wide grin contradicting her words.

Joel hung an arm around his girlfriend’s neck, pressing a kiss to her temple. “C’mon,” he separated from Y/n and clapped his hands, “Two-on-one, girls vs. boys.”

“We’re gonna destroy you,” Sarah teased, coming to stand beside Y/n.

“I wouldn’t expect anything else,” he quipped, standing in front of the goal.

The three of them stayed out until sunset, practicing plenty, but laughing more than anything.

—————————

December 25th, 2002. Austin, Texas.

The Millers didn’t do anything spectacular for Christmas. A church service on the 24th, a simple dinner on the 25th, and presents.

It had been decided that both Tommy and Y/n would spend the night, it would make waking up and opening gifts easier than waiting for them to drive over. Tommy had taken the collapsable cot, his body was still used to military accommodations, while Y/n had gone for the couch. Joel and her were still hesitant to spend nights together, sleeping over at the other’s only when Sarah was away at her own sleepovers. Christmas didn’t feel like the time to test any boundaries.

Just past midnight, Y/n was still wide awake, tossing and turning on the sofa. There was a light snowfall happening outside and she hoped if she watched the flakes flutter through the air long enough, she’d drift off to sleep. So far, she’d had no such luck.

She took stock of the living room in its entirety. A fresh pine tree sat in the corner, a modest stack of presents surrounding the trunk. Two stockings were hung on the walls, Sarah and Joel’s names stitched across each. The room still faintly smelled like the batch of cookies her and Sarah had baked earlier in the evening. Even in the dark and completely silent, the house felt warm.

Footsteps down the stairs drew Y/n’s attention away from the decorations. She expected to see Sarah tiptoeing in to sneak a peek at the presents. Instead, Joel’s broad shadow entered the room.

“Can’t sleep?” Y/n asked from the couch.

Joel shook his head, “Nope.”

Y/n gave a small nod, pretending like the silence wasn’t as full of asking as it was. Joel’s posture had purpose in it, he wasn’t leaving until he got what he came for.

He tipped his head back towards the stairs, his eyes never leaving Y/n’s. “C’mon,” he said, his voice raspy with near sleep.

Y/n smiled to herself, throwing off her blanket and crossing the room to take Joel’s hand. The two of them tiptoed back up the stairs, trying not to wake Sarah or Tommy. Y/n knew the walk to Joel’s bedroom like the back of her hand, navigating in the dark made no difference. She certainly didn’t need Joel’s hands on her hips to guide her, but she welcomed them anyway.

Once the door shut, their routine commenced. Joel went to his dresser, blindly reaching into one of his drawers and tossing Y/n one of his flannels. Y/n slipped it on over her t-shirt, the sleeves ending way past the tips of her fingers. They made their way to their dedicated sides of the bed, Joel closest to the door because he felt better being a wall of protection between Y/n and the world.

“We have to get up before Sarah,” Y/n reminded him.

“We’ve got a 50% chance of makin’ it down before her,” Joel said, his hands gliding around her body to pull her into him, “Christmas morning, she’s up at the crack of dawn.”

Y/n drew closer to Joel, resting one hand on his chest and the other gripping the back of his neck. Already, she could feel her body relaxing in a way the couch just couldn’t coax out of her.

All the tension Joel had been carrying in his spine went lax the moment Y/n’s fingers grazed his skin. He was finding it harder and harder to sleep without her.

“Thank you,” she said out of the blue.

“For what?” Joel asked.

Y/n’s fingers danced along the line between the ends of his hair and the base of his skull. “For letting me be a part of all this,” she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Joel’s heart swelled, he took one of her cheeks into his hand and let their lips drift towards one another. Six months in, and he wasn’t sure if he could fall any harder in love with Y/n. She wasn’t just his, she was theirs. She was a permanent fixture in their home, the house a little less bright when she was absent from it. She had become a confidante to Sarah, a best friend to Tommy and everything to Joel. How could he not want her in every part of their lives?

“‘M afraid you’re stuck with us, Rosebud,” Joel smiled after he pulled back, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone.

“No place I’d rather be,” Y/n returned his grin.

Pressing one final kiss to her forehead, Joel tucked Y/n against his chest, his chin resting atop her head. She let her hand drift around to his back, her fingers spreading across the expanse as she tried to hold as much of him as she could. They fell asleep within minutes, the gentle snowstorm outside creating beauty that would only enhance the magic of Christmas for the Miller family.

—————————

2023. Kansas City, Missouri.

“Eye on me! Eyes on me!”

Joel’s eyes slid to the other side of the room, to the man with the barrel of his gun pointed at Ellie. Her and Y/n both had their hands raised high.

“You don’t have to worry about what to say,” the young man said, “We don’t wanna hurt you. We wanna help you.”

Joel watched him, he was shifting his weight between both feet, no expert marksman was that nervous to threaten someone’s life. Joel felt significantly better about his chances.

“Okay.”

“Okay, um…” the young man paused, “I don’t know what the next step is with something like this, but if I lower my gun…we didn’t hurt you…so you don’t hurt us…right?”

Joel stared him down, “That’s right.”

“That’s a weird fuckin’ tone, man,” their enemy replied.

“That’s just the way he sounds,” Ellie interrupted, first looking to the stranger and then back to Joel, “He has an asshole voice. Joel, tell him he’s okay.”

Joel stared, nearly a hint of a smirk at his lips, “Everything is great.”

“Dude…” Ellie muttered.

“We’re not going to hurt you,” Y/n intervened, looking to the man, “Now drop the fucking guns before I second guess myself.”

“That wasn’t any better,” Ellie exclaimed.

“Fuck! Okay, listened,” the stranger started, his voice practically trembling, “I’m gonna trust you.”

He then stopped to signal something to the child, Y/n recognized it as ASL. They communicated something none of them could understand.

“But if any of you guys try anything,” the man kept his gun aimed at Ellie, nodding to Joel and Y/n, “Yeah? Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Ellie whispered, her heart was in her throat.

The child backed away from Joel and Y/n’s mattress, his aim still firmly locked onto them. Y/n was trying to get her heartbeat back down to a normal range.

“Can I sit up?” Joel asked, his voice was still on edge.

“Yeah,” the stranger conceded, “Slow. Get up slow.”

Joel obeyed, rising to a seated position without any rush. He raised his hands, the left one grazing Y/n’s injured right. Shockingly, the fleeting touch made her feel a little less nervous. If Joel was good for nothing else, at least he was a good fighter. They could get out of this easily, if necessary.

“Who are you?” Joel asked.

“My name’s Henry,” the now-named stranger answered, “That’s my brother, Sam. I’m the most wanted man in Kansas City. Although right now,” Henry finally lowered his gun, “My guess is you’re running a close second. Her too.”

Y/n and Joel looked to one another, that ambush was going to come back to bite them in the ass, one way or another.

“Henry,” Y/n spoke up, lowering her hands and laying them palm up in her lap, “We’re gonna need a lot more than that.”

The five of them ended up huddled around a lantern, snacking on their dwindling food supply and waiting for the rest of the story to unfold. Henry had made it clear that he had to get some food in his brother first. It had been Ellie’s idea to share what they had left.

“Where’d you get these?” Henry asked, chewing on a cracker.

“From Bill,” Ellie answered, “He’s dead.”

Y/n and Joel had been watching Sam, digging into what they’d shared with him as if he hadn’t eaten in days. There was a real possibility of it, or something along the lines. They both wordlessly handed what was left of their portions to the boy, who in return, signed something to his brother.

“He says ‘thank you,’” Henry relayed, “I’m guessing you don’t have much so, this means a lot.”

“How old is he?” Ellie asked.

The brothers talked amongst themselves, with Henry answering, “He’s eight.”

Ellie nodded, “Cool. I’m Ellie.”

“Y/n,” Y/n spoke up, wanting to try and make the child feel as comfortable as the circumstances would allow.

Henry spelled out the names for Sam, who responded with a sign that both Y/n and Ellie assumed meant ‘cool.’

Ellie smiled before smacking Joel on the knee and waiting for him to introduce himself.

“I’m Joel,” he swallowed his last bite, “Look, you ate, we didn’t kill each other, let’s call this a win-win and move on.”

Henry dusted off his hands, “Well, I’m betting that y’all came up here to get a view of the city and plan a way out. And when the sun’s up, I’ll show you one.”

Joel and Y/n thought it over separately before glancing over at one another. If Henry hadn’t killed them by now, he wouldn’t. He already knew their supply was low, the only reason he was sticking around was because he needed something from them.

“Okay,” Y/n answered for them, earning a quick turn and glare from Joel, “Sam can take our bed. As soon as morning hits, you show us the route.”

Henry scoffed, “Just like that you’re gonna trust us?”

“I know the eyes of a liar, Henry,” Y/n leaned forward, resting her elbow on her knee, “And you don’t have ‘em. You weren’t even going to kill us in the first place, and you certainly weren’t gonna make him do it.”

Joel was ready to jump in at any second, but Y/n spoke with such precision and intention, he couldn’t come up with any reason to stop her.

“So how about we get some sleep,” Y/n continued, “And tackle this tomorrow?”

Henry’s eyes focused in on Y/n, someone as calculated as she was was either the most honest person on the planet or so calcuating and conniving, they could deceive the worst of humanity.

“Okay,” he landed on trust, “First thing.”

Ellie and Sam settled onto their makeshift mattresses, while the adults sat against the walls of the apartment. Henry on one side, Joel and Y/n on the other.

“What happened to equals?” Joel asked, the edge to his words undercutting the softness of their volume.

“Would what you have said been any different?” Y/n countered, watching as Joel tried to come up with an answer that differed from hers, “Exactly.”

The two of them stayed close to one another, without actually touching. Y/n was still slightly rattled from waking up with Joel’s hand over hers.

“Although my fucking neck’s gonna be messed up all day,” Y/n mumbled, trying to find a comfortable position to rest her head against the wall.

While they trusted an already sleeping Henry enough not to kill them, instinct told both Y/n and Joel to not leave themselves in such a vulnerable positon again. Sleeping sitting up was the only option that would allow them a little bit of rest.

And Joel hated what he was about to offer.

“You can…” he pointed to his shoulder, “If you want.”

“I don’t want” Y/n quickly replied.

Joel sighed in exasperation, “Forget I offered.”

He crossed his arms and settled against the wall, shutting his eyes and shutting down his momentary lapse into generosity.

Y/n inhaled, trying to get over herself. She was getting way too much up close and personal time with Joel to feel comfortable. But it was either another dose or a hideous day of lingering discomfort without the blessing of Ibuprofen.

She awkwardly scooted closer to him until their thighs were touching, causing Joel to open one eye. He looked down at their parallel bodies and back to Y/n.

“Just don’t grab my hand,” she grumbled, laying her head down on his shoulder and praying that her stomach stayed unaffected.

Joel’s body stiffened as she rested on him, a quick shot of adrenaline running through his extremities. He wanted to pretend to be unmoved, unbothered by her touch, but it was impossible. He would never fully be without affection for the way she felt against him.

“Go ahead,” Y/n said, sensing his discomfort but mistaking it for simply physical.

Joel hesitated a few seconds before shaking himself out of his doubt and resting his head on top of Y/n’s.

When the weight of Joel’s skull fell on hers, Y/n’s natural instincts took over and she almost, almost, tucked into him more. It was by the grace of God that she caught herself before she did it. No matter how hard her mind loathed him, her body would have accepted him back in a heartbeat.

The two ex-lovers sat against the wall, still trying to convince themselves that they were miles apart.

—————————

Just as the night before, they woke up so much closer than intended.

Y/n had fully curled into Joel, snuggling into his chest at some point during their glorified nap. When she woke up to the rough scratch of his flannel agaisnt her cheek, drowsiness did not immediately remind her she was in the year 2023. In her sleep-adled state, it was winter of 2002.

When consciousness pulled her back to the land of the living, she lightly groaned. Why were their sleeping selves making everything so complicated?

Y/n rolled off of Joel, causing him to sharply inhale. He blinked a few times, rubbed a hand over his face and evaluated the room. Henry was still asleep, but Sam and Ellie were already awake and sitting on the edges of their beds.

Y/n was beside him, at least twelve inches of space between them.

“I do anything in my sleep?” Joel asked.

Y/n shook her head, sucking on her bottom lip, “Nope.”

Joel wasn’t buying it, “Then whydya got that look on your face?”

“I know why,” Ellie teased in a sing-song tone.

Y/n let out two loud claps, startling Henry awake, and got to her feet. “Rise and shine, time to work.”

Joel stayed on the ground, watching how fast she moved around the room. Something had happened and it had messed with her. He ran a hand over his right shoulder, noticing that it was warm when the rest of him felt cold. He peered back over at Y/n, rifling through her backpack to find Ellie and Sam breakfast. He watched how she crouched down and handed the kids what was assuredly the lion’s share of her rations. How she held up a questioning thumbs up to Sam, who in return, smiled and copied the gesture. How she cared. She still cared so much.

It was killing him.

But there were bigger things to worry about than the stirring in his heart for the woman who perhaps, hadn’t changed that much at all.

————————————

Once fed and watered, the group of five headed a few floors up to the apartment building’s conference room. Henry had promised it had the best view of the city.

“Welcome to Killa City,” he announced, showcasing the place in daylight through the massive windows.

“No FEDRA,” Joel observed.

“Not as of ten days ago, no,” Henry replied.

“We always heard KC FEDRA was-“

“Monsters? Savages?” Henry finished for Joel, “Yeah, you heard right. Raped and tortured and murdered people for twenty years.”

Y/n looked down at her shoes, “Fucking hell.” It was stories like Kansas City that were one of her reasons for joining the Fireflies.

“And you know what happens when you do that to people?” Henry continued, “The moment they get a chance, they do it right back to you.”

“But you’re not FEDRA,” Joel stated.

Henry paused before answering, “No…worse. I’m a collaborator.”

Joel shook his head, “I don’t work with rats.”

Y/n wasn’t so quick to walk away, Henry had too much of a heart it seemed to be a true collaborator. He had a story.

“Yeah, you fucking do,” Henry said, “Today you do, ‘cause I live here and you two don’t. That’s how I followed you here. I know this city and I’m gonna help you out.”

Joel watched Henry as he spoke, trying to see through him, “Why help us?”

“I saw what you two did,” Henry answered, “The way you killed those men. Now I know where to go, but I don’t know how to make it through alone, not if it’s just Sam and me.”

“You seem capable enough,” Joel replied, “You’re armed.”

“You’re wrong and wrong,” Henry said, “Never killed anyone. And pointing an unloaded gun at you was the closest I’ve ever come to being violent.”

Y/n nodded, no one let their hand shake that much when holding a loaded gun.

“So that’s the deal,” Henry stated, “I show you the way, you clear the way.”

Joel didn’t need anyone else slowing them down or making them more noticeable. And partnering with Henry would only make them bigger targets.

At the table behind them, Ellie and Sam were seated, reading from Ellie’s pun book. The energy was divided down the room; the grown-up side was deathy heavy while the kid’s side was warm and uplifting.

“Haven’t heard that in a long time,” Henry smiled, watching his little brother laugh.

Joel turned back to the window as he tried to put distance between him and the moment. Y/n glanced over at him, watching as the cogs in his mind turned. Her mind was already made up, it would have been wonderful if they could avoid an argument.

“So how’re we getting out?” Joel relented, turning to Henry.

Henry fetched a piece of paper from one of the drawers, office supplies had never been in high demand post-pandemic. He sketched out a square, writing down the names of the roads that cut through the city.

“Highways…” he pointed to one section, “Downtown,” then to the other, “Us. This whole area belongs to Kathleen.”

“And she is…?” Y/n asked, standing between Joel and Henry.

“Leader of the resistance,” Henry answered, “You can see the way we’re bounded by highways. They got people posted all around the inside perimeter. If we get close, we get caught. No question.”

“So how do we get across?” Ellie asked.

Henry banged a fist against the table to get Sam’s attention, signing something to him after. Sam went to drawing on his magnetic erase pad, Joel wasn’t made to feel any better about a kid being involved in the planning of their escape.

Sam held up his pad, having written the word ‘Tunnels’ on it.

Henry snapped his fingers, “Boom.”

“Kansas City has a subway?” Joel asked.

“No,” Henry answered, “But they do have maintenance tunnels. There’s a bunch of buildings all put up by the same developers. And they share these tunnels, including…” he pointed down to a specific section of his sketch, “A bank building here,” he began to draw their route, “So we enter the tunnels here, travel underground, and pop up here. Westside North. Residential. There’s an embankment on the other side of the houses. We head down, pedestrian bridge over the river,” Henry dropped his pencil, “Free as a bird.”

“You’re right,” Joel admitted, “It’s a great plan. So what do you need us for?”

Henry hesitated a moment, “You notice anything strange about this city? I mean, other than the strange shit you’ve already seen?”

“No Infected?” Ellie guessed before Y/n and Joel could.

“Oh, there’s Infected,” Henry replied, “Just not on the surface. FEDRA drove them underground fifteen years ago, and never let them come back up. It’s the only good thing those fascist motherfuckers ever did.’

Joel looked between Y/n and Ellie, “So you want us goin’ into a tunnel?”

“Everyone thinks that it’s full of Infected,” Henry quickly corrected, he sensed Joel’s doubt, “Including Kathleen, which means that we’re not gonna be running into any of her people. But you see, what I know is…it’s empty.”

“You know this?” Y/n questioned, “You’ve seen it? With your own eyes?”

“No,” Henry replied.

Joel took a deep breath, hands on his hips again. Y/n sighed and rested her elbows on the table. Henry was losing them both.

“But the FEDRA guy that I worked with told me that it’s clean,” the young man continued, “Completely clean. They cleared it out. All of it.”

“How long ago?” Y/n asked, shutting her eyes as if it could shut out their problems.

“Like,” Henry shrugged, “Three years ago.”

Joel scoffed, glancing to Ellie as if asking if she was believing this either.

“Okay, maybe there’s one or two,” Henry quickly said, “But you can handle it.”

“You’re making this sound a whole lot simpler than it is,” Y/n responded, looking to Joel, whose eyes were already expectantly waiting on her. “We need a minute.

Y/n pushed open the glass doors, bringing them outside the conference room and giving them a sliver of privacy.

Joel pointed a finger behind them, “You still feel good about this?”

“Not exceptionally, no,” she answered truthfully, “But we don’t exactly have a lot of other options, now do we?”

“If this guy’s gonna endanger our lives more than if we were on our own,” Joel argued, “Then we’re better off-“

“Fighting our way through a city we’ve never been in with targets the size of Texas on our backs?” Y/n finished for him, “Look, I don’t wanna go down there either. But we’re guaranteed a very slow, very painful death if we go it alone. I’d rather have allies and stand a chance, at least.”

Joel wanted to fight tooth and nail, but he knew she was right. She’d always had a talent for being right.

“Plus, it’ll give you plenty to lord over Tommy’s head when we get to Wyoming,” Y/n quipped, her mouth still frowned but her eyes were lit up with humor.

Joel huffed, he’d have laughed if the situation wasn’t so dire. The thought of seeing his brother and his ex together again was a sight he didn’t think he’d ever be ready to see.

Without another word, and a silent concession from Joel, the two of them marched back into the conference room where the debate was still being held.

Henry pointed to Ellie, “She says y’all fought off two Clickers. Is that true?”

Joel and Y/n uncomfortably shifted, the dread sweeping over them.

“And you’re still alive,” Henry stated, “You see? You’re the right people. If it gets bad down there, we turn around, and run right back out the same way we came.”

Joel was about one poorly constructed sentence away from giving the whole idea up, “Oh, that’s your great plan?”

“No, that’s my dicey-as-fuck plan,” Henry fired back, “But as far as I can tell, it’s our only shot.”

Sam signed something to Henry.

“They’re saying,” Henry narrated as he signed back, “They’re going to help us escape,” he turned back to the party, “Right?”

Y/n rolled her eyes, “That was a low fuckin’ blow, man.”

Henry didn’t seem bothered at all by the manipulation.

Joel’s jaw twitched as he thought it all over. Y/n could practically feel his unease. She craned her neck back, muttering more into his body than at him, “Lesser of two evils.”

With every fiber of his being, Joel wanted to fight. But instead, he let his hands fall against his legs, admitting defeat.

—————————

The team got across the city with minimal close calls, every once in a while there’d be a truck or patrol group to avoid. They got to the bank building intact and only slightly out of breath.

“We need to get outta sight,” Joel said, every entrance/exit of the place was structured in a glass wall.

“Uh, I-I-I think it’s this way,” Henry pointed towards one of the halls, the rest of them following.

They trailed through the building till they hit a back door, hopefully leading to the tunnel entrance. Joel and Y/n entered it cautiously with their guns drawn.

“This should be it,” Henry announced, “You ready?”

Joel looked to Ellie, “Get your gun out.”

Rebelling in her own small way, once again, Ellie pulled out the gun from her jacket pocket. At this point, Joel wasn’t surprised in the least that she wasn’t heeding his advice. Him and Y/n marched forward regardless and took the lead. They entered through another door, delivering them into the tunnel system.

“You see?” Henry proved, “It’s empty. The plan is good.”

Joel and Y/n quickly shushed him. “‘The plan is good?’” Joel repeated, “We’ve been down here two seconds. We don’t know anything.”

Henry looked to Ellie, “Your dad’s kind of a pessimist.”

“I’m not her dad.”

“He’s not my dad.”

“He’s not her dad.”

Joel, Y/n and Ellie’s protests overlapped.

“Just point your light forward,” Joel instructed, tightly gripping his own, “And be ready to run.”

Y/n steadied her breathing and began to move beside Joel down the underground maze.

They walked for around an hour, snaking down the sets of tunnels, holding their flashlights and handguns as if they were life itself. Eventually, they turned down a hall with child’s art painted all along it. The door was even painted as castle. All of them examined the walls in quiet confusion.

Sam bounded forward, wanting to go through and explore. Joel threw his hand out to stop him, “No.”

Y/n tucked her flashlight under her chin and gripped her pistol, sharing an affirmative nod with Joel that they were ready. He slowly turned the doorknob and it creaked open, revealing a room that looked…civilized.

The whole place looked like a daycare center. There were toys scattered throughout storage bins, art and books against the walls, small cups, and a faded soccer goal painted across one of the cinderblock walls.

“I heard about places this this,” Joel commented, taking stock of their surroundings, “People went underground after Outbreak Day. Built settlements.”

“What happened to them?” Ellie asked.

“Maybe they didn’t follow the rules and all got infected,” Joel replied.

While Ellie and Sam sat down, playing with a few of the toys, Y/n, Henry and Joel scanned the room. Whoever had been living there, they’d been gone long enough for a layer of dust to settle across everything.

“Hey,” Joel called to Ellie who was being a little too loud, “Keep it down. We’re not out yet.”

“Ah, c’mon,” Ellie groaned, “Can we just rest here for a while? There’s, like, actually shit to do here.”

“Wouldn’t be so bad to wait the light out a bit,” Henry agreed, “Safer in the shadows when we pop back out on the other side.”

Joining Ellie and Henry, Y/n tilted her head in a slight shrug to Joel. It was a smart decision and he was just going to have to get over himself.

Joel shrugged back to the group, raising an eyebrow and going back to checking out the room.

Ellie and Sam occupied themselves by reading comic books and messing around with some of the toys. Henry, Joel and Y/n rested at a table, putting their feet up without actually relaxing at all. At some point, Ellie and Sam switched to kicking a soccer ball around on the makeshift field. Y/n watched carefully as Ellie interacted with the boy, she was so caring and patient. She’d confided that she didn’t have any brothers or sisters, but the glow coming from her radiated big sister energy.

Y/n scooted her chair back and walked across the room. “Can I join?”

Ellie enthusiastically began to switch the ball between her feet, trying to fake Y/n out. Y/n rotated to stand alongside Sam at the goal.

“That’s not fair,” Ellie argued, “There’s two of you.”

“Oh, so you’re saying you can’t do it,” Y/n teased.

Ellie’s determination set in, jumping slightly in place before kicking the ball in between Sam and Y/n’s legs quicker than they could stop it.

“Oh, shit,” she exclaimed, shooting her hands into the air.

Sam and Y/n shared a laugh before Y/n got down on her knees, “Can you teach me something?”

Sam watched her lips and nodded, showing her a sign. To her, it looked like he was pulling something out of his mouth, before bringing his two thumbs up and splitting their directions at his chest.

Y/n mimicked it, “What does this mean?”

“Oh, that’s from Savage Starlight,” Ellie exclaimed, copying the gesture with them, “‘Endure and survive.’”

The three of them continued to sign it over and over. It seemed to make both Ellie and Sam extremely happy, which meant Y/n would do it as many times as they wanted.

Joel and Henry watched from their seats. To say Joel’s heart ached would have been an understatement. His soul was barely holding together, a new piece of it dying off every day. But Y/n and Ellie had somehow kept the last few from withering. It was so subtle, he hadn’t even figured the phenomenon out yet. He was barely self-aware. But seeing Y/n, crouched down on the floor with the kids, still with the innate need to make the world around her better, he came to fully realize his thought from earlier in the day.

She was still his Y/n.

Smiling, laughing, loving, caring, kinder than the world deserved. Underneath all the anger was the woman he had loved with all his heart.

And that fucking terrified him.

As Y/n made her way back to them, Joel pulled himself back to reality, switching gears and channeling his energy into focusing on the kids. Specifically Sam. He was eight years old and in survival mode. No child deserved that. It was making him rethink his stance on the things he’d said earlier.

“If you were collaboratin’ to take care of him,” he said to Henry, “I…I shouldn’t have save what I said. I don’t know your situation. And I’m not sayin’ they should let it go, but all things considered, seems kinda cruel—to send a whole army after you for that.”

Henry waited a few seconds, Ellie’s cheers filling the silence, before speaking. “You know, I wasn’t, uh…exactly telling you the truth before…about me not killing someone.”

Y/n and Joel’s attention turned to him exclusively.

“There was a man,” Henry began, “A great man. You know, he was never afraid…never selfish…and he was always forgiving. Have you ever met someone like that? Kinda man you’d follow anywhere.”

Y/n tensed up, forbidding her eyes from flicking to Joel.

“I mean, I wanted to. Well…I would’ve,” Henry gathered strength for the rest of his story, “Yeah, but, uh…Sam, he, uh, he got sick. Leukemia,” he scanned Joel and Y/n’s somber expressions, “Yeah, anyway, um…there was one drug that worked and, whoa, big shock…there wasn’t much left of it, and it belonged to FEDRA. And if I wanted some, it was gonna take something big. So I gave them something big. That one great man. The leader of the resistance movement in Kansas City. And Kathleen’s brother.”

Understanding washed over Joel and Y/n. All the firepower, the tanks, the trucks, it all made sense.

“Yeah, so, you still think they should take it easy on me?” Henry asked rhetorically, “Or am I the bad guy?”

Y/n stayed silent, weighing morals against necessity. Joel pulled his lips down, barely shaking his head before Henry cut off what he would have said, “I don’t know what you’re waitin’ on, man. The answer’s easy. I am the bad guy because I did a bad guy thing.”

“But you did it to keep him alive,” Y/n spoke up, “You’d go to the ends of the earth for him. That’s not evil, that’s family.”

Henry’s eyes cut through the space between Joel and Y/n, “You two get it,” he nodded toward Joel, ”You may not be her father, but you were someone’s. See, I could tell.”

There it was. The big, dreadful, terrible thing that Joel and Y/n had gotten this far without talking about. It was the unspoken wound, the one deep enough to kill yet shallow enough that it didn’t show. It was a constant phantom pain in both their chests and it broke them all over again to have it brought up.

“You too,” Henry smiled at Y/n, nodding to Ellie, “That is, if she’s not yours.”

Y/n didn’t think the blade could slide any deeper into her heart. She had been something to someone once, and it was as much a part of her still as the air she breathed.

“Uh,” Y/n tearily began, clearing her throat quickly, “No, she’s not mine.”

Joel had had more than he could handle just by Henry’s assumption about him. Referring to Y/n as the word he couldn’t bring himself to utter in that context had sent him over the edge. He picked up his gun from the table and practically jumped to his feet, “We’ve waited long enough.”

Y/n stayed still at the table, holding back her tears took so much strength, it was stealing her ability to move. If she allowed herself to cry in front of Joel, she didn’t think she’d ever recover.

Henry didn’t ask questions, he didn’t bring up the very visible sorrow etched across Y/n’s face. Some hurt was palpable without ever being touched on, and it was painfully clear that Joel hadn’t been the only one to lose a child…

————

TYL Taglist: @bachiracore @stolenxkissess @kayleezra @the-wistful-reader @allthesesonsofbitches @goth-detectives365 @trippovert @rh1nestonecowg1rl @emiliaserpe @khaleesihavilliard @frietiemeloen @gracie7209 @dorck26 @thegirlnextdoorssister @alanis-altair @mariwinns16 @whosscruffylooking @endofthexline @alexiaricciardo @eonnyx @pedrosmexicangf @scarlettequinn @ao-sleepy @toinfinityandbeyonce2 @deanlovescassie @turmoil-ash @sorrowjunky @kpopslur @xxlilyxx90 @midgetpottermills @presidential-facts @scoopsnini @tubble-wubble @jamesdeerest @burninggracesandbridges @star-wars-lover @lucyhotchner @cococola-cocaine @witheringhqarts @fall-writes @alwaysdjarin @xxmoonn @emilia-the-artist @wand-erer5 @boneyarrd @lizard-zombie @itwasallinmyhead1 @cassidylea123 @paleepeaches @mxltifxnd0m @kettlekatie @ultimate-cinephile @gloryekaterina @caramelkatsukis-bitch @whovianayesha @memeorydotcom @deadunicorn159 @get0ut0fmyr00m @siriuslymooned @emmyeed @superbreadsoul @hellu-people1 @ourautumn86 @inas-thing @noraapple05 @givemylovetoall @luvwanda @avengersfan25 @pedr0swh0r3 (tags cont. in comments)

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x female reader #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller imagine #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller fic #the last of us imagine #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us fanfic #twenty years later #the last of us spoilers

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rosiesdisneydrama · 1 month

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Night Raven College: A (Loose) Year's Timeline

I got frustrated that I couldn't find a timeline of events for Disney Twisted Wonderland, to help me figure out which "yearly" events happened when and at what time of year each Story happened during.

So, like the Madwoman I am, I tried to make one of my own.

Just so you know, this is based on when they happen in a single year and not which years they happen at the school (since, despite game logic, I refuse to believe that insanity happens in a single year), as well as the rough estimate of when each overblot happened based on context clues and irl events they match and when the game holds them. (please note, this doesn’t include the Japan-exclusive events)

Since NRC is 4 year school, I would assume that some events wouldn’t be yearly or happen in the same year. This is just a general “yearly calendar” timeline. So specific one-time events aren't really included (like the Tsumtsum or the Apprentice Chef ones), nor are the ones that don't have stories. And since the school is based on the Western school year, it starts in the fall and not spring!

I hope my crazy is useful to someone!

September (9th Month of the Year)

Semester: Fall Term

Story: The Rose-Red Tyrant (Riddle’s Overblot)

School Events:

Entrance Ceremony

Club Recruitment

Birthdays:

12th is Jamil’s Birthday

23rd is Ace’s Birthday

October (10th Month of the Year)

Semester: Fall Term

Story: The Usurper from the Wilds (Leona’s Overblot)

School Events:

Interdorm Spelldrive Tournament

Halloween

Birthdays:

11th is Jack’s Birthday

25th is Trey’s Birthday

November (11th Month of the Year)

Semester: Fall Term

Story: The Merchant from the Depths (Azul’s Overblot)

School Events:

End of Term Exams

Glorious Masquerade

Birthdays:

5th is Jade and Floyd’s Birthdays

December (12th Month of the Year)

Semester: Fall Term

Story: Schemer of the Scalding Sands (Jamil’s Overblot)

School Events:

Winter Break

Haveston Sledathon

A Firelit Sky

Birthdays:

2nd if Rook’s Birthday

18th is Idia’s Birthday

January (1st Month of the Year)

Semester: Spring Term

Story: (None)

School Events:

New Years

Founding Day

Birthdays:

1st is Lilia’s Birthday

18th is Malleus Birthday

February (2nd Month of the Year)

Semester: Spring Term

Story: A Beautiful Tyrant (Vil’s Overblot), The Watchman of the Underworld (Idia’s Overblot)

School Events:

Beanfest

Birthdays:

4th is Cater’s Birthday

24th is Azul’s Birthday

March (3rd Month of the Year)

Semester: Spring Term

Story: (None thus far)

School Events:

Cultural Festival

The Fairy Gala

Birthdays:

17th is Sebek’s Birthday

April (4th Month of the Year)

Semester: Spring Holiday

Story: (None thus far)

School Events:

(None found thus far)

Birthdays:

9th is Vil’s Birthday

18th is Ruggie’s Birthday

May (5th Month of the Year)

Semester: Summer Term

Story: (None thus far)

School Events:

None yet

Birthdays:

6th is Epel’s Birthday

15th is Silver’s Birthday

June (6th Month of the Year)

Semester: Summer Term

Story: The Lord of Malevolence (Malleus’ Overblot)

School Events:

Port Fest

Birthdays:

3rd is Deuce’s Birthday

25th is Kalim’s Birthday

July (7th Month of the Year)

Semester: Summer Term

Story: The Lord of Malevolence (Malleus’ Overblot)

School Events:

End of Term Exams

Camp Vargus

The Phantom Bride

Birthdays:

27th is Leona’s Birthday

August (8th Month of the Year)

Semester: Summer Term

Story: (None thus far)

School Events:

Star Sending

End of Year Exams

Birthdays:

14th is Ortho’s Birthday

24th is Riddle’s Birthday

If I've missed an event or you can think of a "normal" school event that should have been included but isn't, let me know and I'll add it to the list!

This is meant to be a loose timeline for what would be put on a calendar (or a fanfic writer would want included) so it doesn't include EVER SINGLE event that's been held.

Anyway, have fun with these folks!

3/13/24 Edit: I fixed a few things! Vil's and Idia's overblots happened in February along with Beanfest, it's a shockingly busy month apparently. If there are any other inconsistencies, please let me know so I can fix them!

(knowing how things progressed in the story, I'm starting to wonder if Malleus' Overblot was in March... God an overblot a month is insane XD )

#disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland #twst #timeline of events #more like a “yearly” calendar #some things got shuffled around to make sense #or based on things said IN the event #and not when the event was released for players

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valeskafics · 10 months

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Mamma Mia - Chapter One: Honey, Honey (Aemond Targaryen x Reader, Modern AU)

A/N: hope you guys enjoy this, i'm so excited to share it with you all! comment to be added to the taglist ❤️

Summary: Curious about who her father is, your ten year old daughter, Laena, does a little digging into your past.

PAIRINGS: Aemond x Reader, Past Aegon x Reader, Past Jace x Reader

Word Count: 2,010

TW: profanity, innuendo, she/her pronouns

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of the Dragon/Fire and Blood characters nor do I claim to own them.

Comments, likes, and reblogs are never required but are immensely appreciated ❤️

You probably should’ve known something is amiss the minute you went up to the attic and found your old trunk opened up and rummaged through. Your daughter, Laena, is at the age where she wants to know what you were like when you were young. You always feign offense and remind her that 29 is, in fact, quite young, but being ten years old, she refuses to listen. Your daughter is your entire life, and even if you had her young, you have no regrets. She is the apple of your eye and you strive to do everything possible to make her happy. You shake your head and call out to her that she needs to be showered and ready for you to take her to school in the next ten minutes.

Laena is still under the covers in her room, holding a flashlight, reading through your diary, the one you kept the year you were pregnant with her. It would seem that after graduating from Sunspear High School, you went off backpacking with your two best friends, her Aunts Baela and Sara, first to Starfall, onto Oldtown, Highgarden, and then Finally King’s Landing. It was there you took a boat to Dragonstone Island, which was yet undeveloped. The three of you found an abandoned farmstead where you set up camp, and that? That was where everything changed. It would seem, early in the summer, you fell in love.

June 29th. Today, I met the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen in my entire life! His name is Aemond Targaryen and I think I’m halfway in love with him already. He’s four years older than me - he just graduated from the Citadel University. He’s tall, blond, and so handsome. He has this scar across his left eye that makes him look like he belongs on the cover of some cheesy romance novel. He’s insecure about it, but gods, he shouldn’t be. He’s been here a little longer than I have, so he offered to show me around the island. I can’t wait!

July 1st. I’ve spent the last few days just hanging out non stop with Aemond. He’s smart and funny and so easy to talk to. And today, he kissed me. I can really see something happening between us. Something amazing!

July 17th. What a night! Aemond rowed me over to a little island off the coast of Dragonstone. We danced on the beach, we kissed on the beach, we made love on the beach…

“Gross,” Laena gags before continuing to read.

Aemond’s the one! I know he is. I’ve never felt like this before. He’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met, and gods, when he took his shirt off to row, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man that gorgeous in my entire life!

July 20th. Aemond told me he loves me for the first time. He said he’s known for a long time now, but he’s been too afraid to say it, and I told him I love him too. I’ve never felt like this in my entire life. We went swimming in the ocean together and…

You’ve never told Laena who her father is, and so, at first, she gets excited, thinking that this Aemond person is her long lost dad, wondering what happened between the two of you to cause you to part. Well, that is until she continues reading.

July 31st. All this time, Aemond has been telling me he loves me, and now he’s announced that he’s engaged, so he’s gone home to get married and I’m never going to see him again. I can’t believe things have turned out like this. I don’t know what to do.

Laena gasps, feeling her heart break for you, immediately hoping that this Aemond jerk face isn’t her father. She thinks he could use a good smack across the face. She shakes her head and continues reading, a scowl marring her adorable face.

August 4th. What a night! Aegon rented a motorboat and I took him over to the little island. Though I’m still obsessed with Aemond, Aegon’s so wild, he’s such a funny guy. One thing led to another and…

“Seven Hells, Mom, good for you,” Laena’s eyes go wide with shock as she continues reading.

August 11th. Jace turned up out of the blue, so I said I’d show him the island. He’s so sweet and understanding, I couldn’t help it and…

“Oh my gods, Mom,” Laena slaps a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing and alerting you to exactly what she’s doing.

The realization hits her that she has three potential people who can be her dad. She smirks to herself, grabbing three sheets of paper, three envelopes, and a sheet of stamps that she’s kept stashed in her drawer for this very occasion before running off to get ready for her last day of school. She’s going to have a very productive day in the computer lab unbeknownst to you.

While Laena is at school, you head back home, well, not exactly home. You’ve turned the old farmstead you once stayed in that summer so long ago into a beautiful hotel. It’s taken a lot of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears, but it’s relatively successful in the summer months as well as winter vacation time. You love your life here. You’re content caring for your daughter and running the resort.

Who are you kidding? The place is practically falling apart. You groan, flopping down onto the sofa, glancing at your trunk. You walk over to it, running your fingers across the leather and smile to yourself, remembering everything that happened your first summer here. Singing with Baela and Sara. And… All the rest. You shake your head and tie your hair back, walking out front to get started on some of the day’s repairs.

Meanwhile, a certain little Miss Laena is sending three invitations to her birthday party in two weeks time, a cheeky grin on her face after a quick Google search and finding that the names “Aemond”, “Aegon”, and “Jacaerys” are not nearly as common as one might think.

Two weeks later, you stand at the docks near Dragonstone Beach, waiting for your best friends, Baela and Sara to disembark from their boat. When they do, you shriek and run up to them, embracing them tightly. The three of you nearly fall off the dock into the water at the sheer force with which you hurled yourself at them, but it only serves to make you laugh even harder.

You remember with great fondness the little singing gig the three of you had on the island all those years ago, the Dragonettes, doing fun little song and dance numbers every night for the residents and visitors. Everyone adored the three of you and, before you knew you were pregnant, you even played some shows on the mainland together, earning a pretty decent cult following.

You notice Sara’s brother, Cregan, has joined as well and you immediately pull the man into a hug as well. Cregan is fresh off a break up with his sort of fiancee Johnny Umber. You decide that you’re going to make it your mission to find someone for your friend’s brother, whether it’s the last thing you do.

“So B is onto husband number three,” Sara tells you with no little amount of glee as the four of you drive back toward the hotel, “Amazing. Her dad is onto wife number three now so I guess it all runs in the family.”

You all burst into laughter while Baela defends herself, “Hey, I’m a Daddy’s girl, I don’t know what to tell you. We can’t all be like Miss Sara here, little lone wolf.”

Cregan and Sara exchange grins before howling like the wolves they are, earning another round of laughter from everyone in the car.

When you get to the hotel, you smile as Laena runs up to hug her uncle and aunts, proudly proclaiming to them that she’s now in the double digits and practically a full grown adult. Baela, Sara, and Cregan fawn over her, telling her how adorable and grown up she looks in her blue dress. You lead your friends to their guest rooms, explaining to them how things are in a sort of state of… Disrepair. You hate the pitying gazes they give you.

“Have you considered getting a sugar daddy-”

“B, I’m 29 years old and I have a child,” you scoff, “What kind of sugar daddy wants a sugar baby who has an actual baby?!” you quickly shriek at Cregan as he’s about to sit down on one of the chairs, “Don’t sit on that, it’s broken!”

He jumps to his feet, wincing slightly, “Sorry, sorry, my bad.”

Meanwhile, at the Blackwater Bay dock, Jace Velaryon groans as the last ferry to Dragonstone sails off, without him on it, having missed it by mere minutes, “Shit, shit shit.”

How is he ever going to make it in time for the birthday now? You went through all the effort of looking him up, inviting him… And now, the next ferry doesn’t leave until Monday, three days from now! He’s well and truly fucked. He groans, taking a seat on the dock, burying his face in his hands. Curse his need to stop and buy snacks on the way to the dock.

“Shit! The ferry… Wait, Jace?”

Jace turns around to see his mother’s younger brother, who in actuality is only a few years older than him, Aemond, who also appears to have a suitcase in hand. He looks at him curiously.

“Aemond! Hey, you going to Dragonstone?”

Aemond nods slowly, “Yes. I have an event there I’m attending. Or I was supposed to be, before I missed the bloody ferry,” he pauses before questioning, “You? Heading to Dragonstone as well?”

“Yeah, same actually,” Jace runs a hand through his hair before giving him a friendly grin, deciding to tell the truth, or at least part of it, thinking how stupid he’ll sound if he says he’s going to his ex summer fling, his first love’s kid’s tenth birthday party, “A, um, friend’s daughter’s birthday party, actually.”

Aemond looks at Jace, suspicion evident in his gaze as he questions him, “Your friend wouldn’t happen to be named Y/N, would she?”

“Yeah!” Jace exclaims excitedly, smiling at Aemond widely, “Wait, is that what you’re going for too? What a funny coincidence! How do you know Y/N? She’s great, isn’t she? Haven’t seen her in nearly ten years, but she’s just wonderful.”

Before Aemond can respond, they’re interrupted by a rather familiar voice calling their name. They look up to see none other than Aemond’s older brother, Aegon, waving at them from the bow of his yacht. The two exchange an amused look before turning back to the eldest of their little trio.

“You boys need a ride to Dragonstone?” Aegon smirks, “Headed out that way myself. Friend’s daughter is having a birthday party, and you know me. I can never turn down a party.”

“Wait,” Aemond looks at him suspiciously, “How do you know-”

“Yes, we need a ride,” Jace scrambles to climb on the boat, “Come on, Aemond, less questions, more getting on the boat and getting to the freaking island!”

Aemond sighs and listens to Jace, taking his elder brother’s hand and climbing on board, getting ready for the two hour ride to Dragonstone.

The two hour ride to see you again.

He wonders to himself why you sent him an invitation to your daughter’s birthday. Could it be an attempt to rekindle things between the two of you? Gods, he hopes so. Not a day has gone by these last ten years that he hasn’t thought of you. He watches as Blackwater Bay moves further and further from his view and his heart beats harder, thinking of seeing you again, after all this time.

Little do any of the three men know that you have absolutely no idea that they’re coming.

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bejeweledreverie · 2 months

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Where The Ocean Waves Met My Anxious Heart And Your Strong Embrace

wc: around 1.5k

warnings: reader almost drowning (as a flashback), mentions of fear of death, panic attack, written in 1st person, english is not my first language, ooc rafe?, fluff, not fully proofread

a/n: AAAA my first fic and i am not sure how to feel about it. truly hope it makes sense. comment if you want to be added to the taglist for future fics (ideally would love to put out one fic every week but we'll see how that goes ;-; )!! if you liked this, please comment and reblog <333

p.s. can't decide if the title fits this at all

I never liked him. In fact, I want to gag anytime the name ‘Rafe Cameron’ leaves someone's mouth. He had somehow (unsurprisingly) lived up to his title in the Outer Banks, the Kook Prince. An arrogant and cocky asshole was all that he was to me.

I never really cared about the whole Pogues and Kooks thing. I was friends with both, in fact Kie, Pope, John B and JJ were some of my closest friends. Just because I live in Figure Eight, doesn’t make me better than those who live on the Cut. That is what my parents always taught me, since both of them also used to be Pogues.

But I was never gonna live it down when it came to the eldest Cameron offspring. He always calls me ‘the rip-off Kook’.

Sarah and I have been best friends since forever, but I never got along with Rafe. Ever. Even when we were kids, he always annoyed me, trying and often succeeding at pissing me off or upsetting me.

You would think that we would’ve grown out of our childish antics as time went on, but it only got worse. We could never pass each other without sending glares or saying snarky remarks.

It’s a Friday night in late June. My family and I are at Cameron's for our annual summer barbecue.

I had left my camera there a couple days prior after a sleepover with Sarah. As always, I was tasked to document the gathering, so I went inside to look for it.

And that is why I found myself in Rafe’s room, looking for my camera, that Sarah had left there for some unknown reason to me.

I had been in there a couple times before, but I never had the chance to check it out completely.

I was surprised to find the wall behind his bed covered in photos. Was he also into photography?

My eyes drifted to the window that overlooked the front yard of Tannyhill.

There was soft music playing, as our families were conversing, sipping on wine and enjoying the food. My need to capture this moment became unignorable. But as I turned to grab my camera from his desk, I saw Rafe standing behind me. I flinch from his presence.

“Jesus, can you not creep upon people like that?” I say.

“Didn’t mean to scare you, sweetheart,” he answers, a lazy smirk on his lips.

I roll my eyes at the nickname, turning back to the window.

“What are you doing in my room, Y/L/N?” he asks, as he moves to stand next to me.

“Came to get this,” I picked up the camera from the desk and prepared to snap the photo I was planning on taking before Rafe interrupted me.

“I find it hard to believe that you only came to take your camera, you wanted to snoop and find something to blackmail me with,” he says, jokingly accusing me with a smirk on his face.

“Oh Cameron, I have known you for over a decade, pretty sure I have enough dirt on you as it is,” I laugh slightly, as I adjust the camera settings.

“Really, because in all these years you have never used it on me.”

“Knowledge is power, Rafael. Don’t expect me to play all of my cards out at once,” I say, zooming in a little bit on the party in the yard.

Once I’m finished taking the photos, I turn to Rafe, finding him already staring at me. I’m used to receiving glares from him, but this time his eyes held something else. An emotion I can’t describe. His gaze was intense.

Feeling a little uncomfortable, I turned to look at the photo covered wall.

“I didn’t know you were into photography,” I say, absentmindedly admiring each photo.

Rafe looks down at his shoes, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

“Yeah, I, uh, always wanted to try it and I ended up liking it a lot.”

My eyes settle on one particular photo. It’s a photo of the ocean, which appears to be right before the storm.

I look at the date in the bottom right corner and my body freezes.

I can feel the water filling my lungs and I can hear the storm again. The fear of death clouds my brain.

All of a sudden I’m hiccuping for breaths and I feel my legs give out.

…

It was supposed to be a stupid dare, but my stubbornness knows no boundaries.

When JJ jokingly challenged me to surf in the storm, I should’ve just laughed it off, but I didn’t.

Everything was going well, until the wave threw me off the board and I was pushed underwater.

The storm had gotten stronger, so did the waves, and I could barely breathe in when I came up, as another wave pushed me below the surface. Safe to say I was drowning.

I was so scared, but I couldn’t scream out for help. My limbs were burning from trying to stay above water and slowly I gave in.

Suddenly, I felt strong arms wrap around me and attempt to pull me out.

Then it all went black.

…

I felt Rafe’s arms wrap around me to keep me from falling as I choked out a sob. It was like I was experiencing that day all over again. I couldn’t breathe properly and I was shaking like crazy.

“Hey, Y/N, hey! Look at me. You’re safe, you’re not in the water. Just breathe.”

His proximity, my almost drowning, it was too much for me. I tried to wriggle out his grip, failing, as his arms around me only tightened.

“It’s okay, you are safe. I am here.”

I finally let myself collapse into him, sobbing into his chest. He started to rub my back soothingly, while whispering sweet nothings into my ear.

The blurry images of the waves crashing still flooded my brain.

“I thought I was gonna die,” I sobbed

His arms only tightened around me hearing that sentence.

Once I was calm enough, I pulled away slightly. Rafe was already staring at me, and once again, I couldn’t describe the emotion behind his eyes. Was it pityness? Worry? Or was it care?

No, there is no way he cares about me. We hate each other. Right?

I find myself staring back into his captivating blue eyes.

And then the puzzle pieces start falling into place.

“You saved me that day,” I state, my eyes widening with the realization.

Rafe looks away, his hold on me loosening.

Oh my god. That’s why he knew what my panic attack was about. That’s why after the accident he didn’t talk to me for weeks. Does he actually care about me?

“Rafe, why did you never tell me?” I ask, my hand on his jaw, turning his head so he looks at me.

He sighs, before getting up and walking towards his photo covered wall. He takes off the picture of the ocean from the wall and gestures to me to sit on his bed.

“I, uh,” he starts nervously, “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want things to change between us."

I sat down in front of him, waiting for him to elaborate, nervous as to where this was going.

“Y/N, no matter what happened, you were always there to call me out on my bullshit, whether that was treating my sister poorly or bullying others. You always knew how to put me in my place and I didn’t want that to change.”

I look at him, surprised.

The boy who pulled on my braids in elementary school, the boy who knew which buttons to push to annoy me, that same boy was now sitting in front of me telling me that I am the only thing in his life that he can count on.

He worriedly flips the photo to the other side and hands it to me. I take it and look at the writing on the back of it.

Once I read it, it didn’t take long for our lips to meet for a gentle kiss that is filled with years of pent up emotions and feelings that we didn’t know were there.

His hands are gently cupping my face, as if he was afraid I would break.

When we break apart, a little breathless and dizzy, I once again look at the inscription of the photo and I know that I have never been so sure about something in my life before. Somehow everything that had happened over the last 10 years made perfect sense. And even the accident made sense, because without it, we wouldn’t be here right now smiling shyly at each other.

On the back of the photo, in squiggly handwriting, were written 6 words.

The day I almost lost her.

@winterrrnight @h34rtsformilli

#rafe cameron fluff #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron x reader #drew starkey x reader #rafe x reader #outer banks #rafe outer banks #rafe cameron #rafe obx #rafe imagine #rafe cameron x you

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milligramspoison · 6 months

Text

Updated list of potential FOB 8 ball songs

(An update to this post as the European leg starts tomorrow and some songs on the list made it as 8 ball songs as well as fixing any mistakes the previous post had!)

Evening Out With Your Girlfriend

Honorable Mention - last performed on January 22nd, 2007

Switchblades and Infidelity - last performed on August 28th, 2004

Pretty In Punk - has never been performed live (yet)

Growing Up - last performed on November 7th, 2008

The World's Not Waiting (For Five Tired Boys In A Broken Down Van) - has never been performed live (yet)

Short, Fast, and Loud - has never been performed live (yet)

Moving Pictures - last performed on November 23rd, 2005

Parker Lewis Can't Lose (But I'm Gonna Give It My Best Shot) - has never been performed live (yet)

Take This To Your Grave

Tell That Mick He Just Made My List of Things to Do Today - last performed on July 24th, 2023

Homesick at Space Camp - last performed on July 16th, 2023

Sending Postcards From a Plane Crash (Wish You Were Here) - had its only live performance ever on March 12th, 2004

The Pros and Cons of Breathing - had its only live performance ever on November 19th, 2007

Grenade Jumper - last performed on February 20th, 2009

Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over - last performed on November 19th, 2007

The Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes - last performed on July 5th, 2023

My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue

My Heart is the Worst Kind of Weapon - has never been performed live (yet)

It's Not a Side Effect of the Cocaine, I Think It Must Be Love - has never been performed live (yet)

Love Will Tear Us Apart (cover) - had its only live performance ever on June 10th, 2004

From Under The Cork Tree

Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued - was the 8 ball on November 4th, 2023- its first performance since March 23rd, 2008!!

Of All the Gin Joints in All the World - last performed on June 23rd, 2023

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner - last performed on July 19th, 2023

I've Got a Dark Alley and a Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song) - last performed on August 6th, 2023

7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen) - last performed on August 1st, 2023

Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year - was the 8 ball on October 25th, 2023 and December 9th, 2023!

Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends - has never been performed live (yet)

I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me - last performed on July 11th, 2023

Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows) - last performed on August 4th, 2023

XO - was the 8 ball on November 8th, 2023 and December 12th, 2023!

Snitches and Talkers Get Stitches and Walkers - last performed on January 30th, 2007

The Music or the Misery - last performed on May 30th, 2006

Infinity On High

Thriller - was the 8 ball on November 6th, 2023!

“The Take Over, the Breaks Over” - last performed on August 4th, 2023

Don't You Know Who I Think I Am? - was the 8 ball on October 27th, 2023!

The (After) Life of the Party - was the 8 ball on October 29th, 2023 and on December 1st, 2023!

The Carpal Tunnel of Love - last performed on April 4th, 2008

Bang The Doldrums - was the 8 ball on October 17th, 2023!

Fame < Infamy - was the 8 ball on November 7th, 2023, it’s second performance ever!!!

You're Crashing, but You're No Wave - was the 8 ball on October 31st, 2023, its second performance ever!!

G.I.N.A.S.F.S. - was the 8 ball on October 18th, 2023 and on November 8th, 2023!

It's Hard to Say “I Do”, When I Don't - has never been performed live (yet)

Folie à Deux

I Don’t Care - last performed on September 7th, 2023

She’s My Winona - last performed on July 19th, 2023

America's Suitehearts - last performed on July 2nd, 2023

The (Shipped Gold Standard) - was the 8 ball on November 2nd, 2023, it’s first performance ever and marks the fact they’ve performed every Folie song now!!

(Coffee’s for Closers) - last performed on July 1st, 2023

27 - was the 8 ball on October 24th, 2023!

Tiffany Blews - last performed on September 19th, 2009

w.a.m.s. - had its only live performance ever on August 2nd, 2023

20 Dollar Nose Bleed - last performed on September 29th, 2013

West Coast Smoker - had its only live performance ever on July 30th, 2023

Pavlove - had its only live performance ever on August 6th, 2023

Lullabye - last performed on April 26th, 2009

Believers Never Die: Greatest Hits

Alpha Dog - has never been performed live (yet)

“From Now On, We Are Enemies” - had its only live performance ever on July 26th, 2023

Yule Shoot Your Eye Out - had its first performance since December 18th, 2013 on December 12th, 2023 and it was for medley! Wasn’t even 8 ball!

Save Rock and Roll

Alone Together - last performed on November 17th, 2017

Where Did The Party Go - last performed on July 16th, 2023

Just One Yesterday - last performed on August 1st, 2023

The Mighty Fall - has never been performed live (yet)

Miss Missing You - last performed on July 25th, 2023

Death Valley - last performed on September 12th, 2014

Young Volcanoes - was the 8 ball on October 28th, 2023, its first performance since May 7th, 2018! And it was the 8 ball again on November 2nd, 2023 and December 3rd, 2023!

Rat a Tat - has never been performed live (yet)

PAX•AM Days

We Were Doomed from the Start (The King Is Dead) - had its only live performance ever on November 29th, 2013

Art of Keeping Up Disappearances - had its only live performance ever on November 29th, 2013

Hot to the Touch, Cold On the Inside - had its only live performance ever on November 29th, 2013

Love, Sex, Death - last performed on June 14th, 2014

Eternal Summer - had its only live performance ever on November 29th, 2013

Demigods - had its only live performance ever on November 29th, 2013

American Made - had its only live performance ever on November 29th, 2013

Caffeine Cold - had its only live performance ever on November 29th, 2013

New Dreams (cover) - had its only live performance ever on September 13th, 2013

American Beauty/American Psycho

Irresistible - last performed on March 7th, 2023

American Beauty/American Psycho - was the 8 ball on November 3rd, 2023, it’s first performance on Tourdust!!

The Kids Aren’t Alright - was the 8 ball on October 23rd, 2023 and December 6th, 2023!

Jet Pack Blues - last performed on August 6th, 2023

Novocaine - last performed on March 27th, 2017

Fourth Of July - last performed on March 22nd, 2017

Favorite Record - had its only live performance ever on July 15th, 2023

Immortals - last performed on September 7th, 2023

Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel In NYC) - has never been performed live (yet)

Mania

Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea - last performed on August 18th, 2019

The Last Of The Real Ones - last performed on July 29th, 2023

HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON’T - last performed on May 7th, 2018

Wilson (Expensive Mistakes) - last performed on November 4th, 2018

Church - last performed on April 30th, 2018

Heaven’s Gate - has never been performed live (yet)

Champion - last performed on December 6th, 2019

Sunshine Riptide - has never been performed live (yet)

Young and Menace - last performed on October 10th, 2018

Bishops Knife Trick - has never been performed live (yet)

LLAMANIA

Past Life - has never been performed live (yet)

Footprints in the Snow - has never been performed live (yet)

Wrong Side of Paradise - has never been performed live (yet)

Lake Effect Kid

Lake Effect Kid - last performed on October 10th, 2018

City In A Garden - has never been performed live (yet)

Super Fade - has never been performed live (yet)

Believers Never Die, Volume Two - Greatest Hits

Dear Future Self (Hands Up) - last performed on December 6th, 2019

Bob Dylan - had its only live performance ever on August 5th, 2023

So Much (For) Stardust

Heartbreak Feels So Good - last performed March 16th, 2023

So Good Right Now - has never been performed live (yet)

I Am My Own Muse - was the 8 ball on October 20th, 2023!

Flu Game - has never been performed live (yet)

The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years) - was the 8 ball on October 21st, 2023, it’s second performance ever!!

What a Time To Be Alive - was the 8 ball on November 3rd, 2023- it was played in full for the first time!!

So Much (For) Stardust - performed for the first time ever on November 2nd, 2023- it wasn’t even the 8 ball!

(Disclaimer: I included songs that have already been 8 balls as some have been performed as a 8 ball again and have been performed outside of the 8 ball range)

#can’t wait to see the first 8 ball tomorrow and future 8 balls!#fob #fall out boy

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promptseverlark · 1 year

Text

“This Would Have Happened Anyway” Challenge for Summer.

https://archiveofourown.org/collections/This_Would_Have_Happened_Anyway_Summer23

Katniss says it at the end of Mockingjay:

“But his arms are there to comfort me. And eventually his lips. On the night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me on the beach, I know this would have happened anyway. That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that. So after, when he whispers, "You love me. Real or not real?" I tell him, "Real.”

So let’s explore “What ifs” and send your fics on how Katniss and Peeta would have ended together … in D13: if the games revolution have happened before the games or if Peeta would have been rescued in Catching Fire, of if he wouldn’t had been hijacked… or any other IF in D13.

Pairing: Everlark

Type: Fan Fiction or Fan Art.

Words: Over 1000 words (drabbles, one shots or short multi chapter are welcome, we would like to have submission completed although it isn’t mandatory)

Theme/Prompt: Canon Divergence, set in D13 in Panem

Deadline:

1. You can confirm your to participation until May 20th (in Tumblr or by email [email protected]) and you will be granted access to the collection to submit your work.

2. You can submit your fics up to June 24th (CET time!)

3. Collection will be live June 25th as anonymous

4. Writers will be revealed July 1st.

#this would have happened anyway challenge summer 2023 #TWHHA summer 2023 #everlark

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sakasakiii · 11 months

Text

ohhHHHh brother,,, is this another sketch dump after an undisclosed number of weeks of absence and online inactivity? yessir it sure is but i sure hope it won't stay that way 🤞 apologies again for disappearing, but im on break for the next couple of months for the summer so i have a lot planned and im hoping to catch up with... everything!

i put a little status update under the cut but feel free to skip that cuz its just me explaining some things ive had on my mind hoho 😙😙 happy 1st of june everyone!!!

a lot of things have been happening irl that im still getting used to, but thank you for always being very patient 🙇‍♀️ i apologise for disappearing again after i promised id start being more active again in... januARY??? man oh man the year is passing by tooooo fast holy smokes

i havent had much time to be on social media since then, but ive gotten some email notifs from ppl sending in such kind messages via inbox, and its really made me go AUGHHHHH in the midst of whatever im doing cuz it means the world to me 🥺❤️ if youre someone who's sent in something over the past year since i started hiatus in march 2023, IM REALLY SORRY AGAIN 😭😭 i always try to keep up with my policy of one-art-piece-per-ask, but because of that sometimes i just procrastinate a lot or get stuck on finding relevant things to draw as thanks. ive been brainstorming some ideas, though, and its my goal to get through a hefty sum of em before things get real busy again in a few months 😤

im really sorry again for being so inconsistent this past year, but im gonna do my best! i hope everyone on here's been doing good and im raring to see everything new with silm tumblr ❤️❤️ also if anyone has any recs for any new content pls feed me for i am starvedddd

#silmarillion #maedhros #the silmarillion fanart #fingon #sketch dump #new year new me more like new year new mae(dhros)#there is an unusual amount of blondes in this month's sketch dump tho hmmmmm #does coming to appreciate glorfindel and finrod more mean one has grown up? maybe.... just maybe... 👉👈#i wanna make more content w/ galadriel and her family cause i rewatched the lotr trilogy with family and it got me all emotional again augh #anyways i also hv a new fixation on sauron and the maiar AND fullbody character design so.... thats something i have planned?#well feel free to request anything as always 😙 cuz if i have no prompts i will just draw copious amounts of kidnap fam like an insane perso #finrod #silm #silm art #the silmarillion #house of finwe #galadriel #elrond #maglor #tar mairon #sauron #glorfindel #ecthelion #turgon #elenwe #feanorians #amras #sons of feanor #ambarussa #sakasakart

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certifiedlovergirlsstuff · 10 months

Text

Suzie, Do You Copy?

pairing: steve harrington x female byers!reader

WC: 5.2K

warnings: cussing, steve and reader being in love (disgusting). should be it.

summary: Fourth of July is just around the corner. First month of summer moved by in a flash, your busy with work, trying to spend time with your friends and family, and making sure you get to smother your boyfriend in all the love he deserves. But just how long will this peace last?

A/N: ALL PARTS UNDER THE TAG - The Byers Harrington Story- MY FAVORITE SEASON IS FINALLY HERE!!!!! if you have an updated username when you first joined the taglist please let me know what the old name was and give me to new one so you get the notifications.

this has been sitting since january 1st…

@alecmores 💗

series masterlist / steve harrington

previous chapter next chapter

With the mall buzzing with life on the final day of June, Scoops Ahoy luckily wasn’t packed to the teeth with customers. The booths and tables had barely a handful of occupants, a couple sharing a milkshake, friends laughing and gossiping over their cups or cones in one of the corner booths, and a single mom with her child who was sloppily indulging in their sweet treat. People come in and out of the store with their desserts to continue browsing the giant structure.

Robin was stationed at the counter, scooping orders and ringing their prices. Steve was busting some tables in the lobby before his fifteen started, and you were in the back checking the inventory. Somehow you got bumped to assistant manager, a mystery still swimming in your brain.

Even with it being summer in Hawkins, you had to bring a nice sweater with you for every shift since you’ll most likely end up in the freezer for a few hours, jotting down what flavors are running low, what requires reordering and what flavors need to be pushed more. Sometimes when you run into Robin or Steve after leaving the ice box, the nickname you gave it, they’ll make a quick joke about your flushed cheeks or bright nose.

“Can’t believe I still make you blush after six months of dating.” or “Christmas isn’t for another six months, Rudolph.”

Just as you finished your inventory check of the night, the solid metal door slamming close behind you, Steve pushes through the swinging doors for his break. He threw the dirty rag and disinfectant spray in a bucket beside the sink, as you dropped the clipboard to the tiny table in the middle of the room and stripped your jacket off your shoulders.

“So, what’s the news?” Steve always asked that same question when you were done with your checklist.

“Uh,” you leaned above the paper, eyes squinting a bit, “need more strawberries, a giant tub of raspberry cheesecake is set to expire next month on the twelfth, and we need more rocky road.”

You sat in the chair beside Steve, head resting in your palm with your elbow poking at the tabletop. Your eyes were drooping, wishing so badly to just rest your head against your pillow and knockout. Steve must’ve noticed your tiredness, his eyes peeking into your view along with a poke to your free cheek.

“Tired?” You just nodded. “Was it another nightmare?”

You hesitated in answering but knew Steve would find out either way, “yeah. It involved you and Will. Wasn’t pretty. I almost called-”

“Why didn’t you?” He interrupted. “Steve, I didn’t want to wake you, plus, it wasn’t crazy horrible. I was just… just shook me up a little.” A truth and a lie.

He sighed, “(Y/n),” he took your chin between his thumb and forefinger and turned your attention to him, “if you ever have a nightmare, whether I’m in it or not, please just call me. I will come over without hesitation, you know I’m always looking for an excuse to stay at your place.” A gentle smile brightened his face.

“You know my mom is okay with you staying over.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to overstay my welcome. Plus, Jonathan probably needs space from me now and then.” Their relationship was still a bit rocky, but Steve was constantly working on fixing it, and Jonathan was just… allowing it to happen.

“Speaking of staying over,” you twisted in your seat so your knees were touching, “wanna come over tonight? After last night, I could use my human body pillow.”

Steve laughed, “oh, that’s all I am to you? A body pillow?”

“Well, among many other things,” you started to lean forward, hoping Steve got the message with your action.

And just when he started to meet you halfway, lips inches from connecting, the front bell began to chime repeatedly. Instead of your lips meeting in a sweet, sugar-tasting kiss, your foreheads connected. Steve’s eyes closed and he breathed a sigh through his nose, while you rubbed your lips together to stop a smile.

“Hey, lovebirds, your children are here.” Robin’s teasing voice floated from the front counter through the sliding window.

Steve reluctantly pulled away and threw open the divider. He rested his right arm along the white counter while his left was propped up. From your seat, you could see Mike, Will, Lucas, and Max formed in their huddle.

“Again? Seriously?” He took a glance at you then back to the four, “(Y/n) could ban you idiots.”

“I could, but I do have a bit of a soft spot for them,” you cringed at the flabbergasted look Steve was throwing you.

And when it looked like he was about to say something, another ding stole the attention. Mike’s bored face stared back.

“Well, except for Mike sometimes.” You mumbled before you motioned for them to come to the back.

You opened the back entrance, and one by one they entered the long hallway. With Will being the last one out, you ruffled his growing bowl cut, “you want a ride home?”

He walked backward, front facing you with his back to his friends, “I’ll stop by after the movie and tell you.” He then flipped around and hurried to join the other three.

Steve walked out in the hallway, hands resting at his hips, “I swear if anybody hears about this-” “We’re dead!” They all cut him off. “Have fun!” You chimed in.

You both waited until they turned the corner and were out of sight before heading back to the store. Steve took the free opportunity to pull you into his arms, back flush again his chest with his arms wrapped tight around your stomach. His head dipped down so his lips lined with your ear, “I think I was promised something before we were rudely interrupted.”

A joyful smile took over you, “oh really? I didn’t know we were handing out prizes at work now.”

“Oh, yeah. Helps boost employee morale or something.”

“Morale? Didn’t know we were in need of boosting.”

The two of you continue your slow waddle into the breakroom, Steve not losing his grip.

“Well, me, I personally could use a boost.” He finally freed you from his tight grasp, just allowing you to spin so you were chest to chest.

“And what could boost your morale, Harrington?”

“Hm?” He hummed with a finger at his chin, really playing up his act, “Oh! What about a kiss from a lovely girl? And may the lovely girl be you, Byers?”

You copied his theatrical gesture, brows furrowed, eyes squinted, with a finger pressed to your pursed lips in fake thought.

“Why not,” you faked enthusiasm that Steve fully saw through.

Steve went with his signature kissing maneuver. His large hands rested on the sides of your face, pinkies resting just under your ears, while his thumbs swiped across your plush cheeks. You would either hold his wrist as you pushed to your tip toes or Steve would already be leaning down and you would hold him in place with your hands at his face or arms wrapped around his neck. Today it was the latter, Steve being very eager to get his kiss before something or someone could stop it from happening.

And when his lips melted into yours, a steady rhythm was building, with hands wandering from their original spots. And just before it could go any further, your bliss was broken by someone loudly coughing. The two of you broke apart and turned to the point of noise.

Robin had a disgusted scowl painted across her face with her arms crossed over her chest, “Harrington, I need you up front with me while (Y/n) goes on her break.” She turned to head back up front before twisting back, “and (Y/n), you promised to keep PDA to a very low minimum at work. For my pure eyes.”

“Sorry, Robs.”

She pushed the saloon doors open when the ring of the front bell went off. You gave Steve one quick peck to the lips before pushing at his chest, “you heard the boss, go help up front.” With that you separated, Steve was forced to do his job and you grabbed your wallet so you could get your dinner at the food court, also for Robin and Steve.

“Okay, so I’m gonna head to the food court, you two want anything?” You said with your head poking through the divider.

Robin and Steve were both helping customers so you waited with patience for them to respond to you. As you waited, you unabashedly watched Steve while he scooped ice cream, and as you were mesmerized by his biceps, the lights turned off.

“That’s weird,” Steve voiced before walking to the switch.

You and Robin watched as he flicked it on and off, continuing to mess with it even though it showed no results. Your heart rate was slowly picking up speed with the length of the lights being off.

“That isn’t gonna work, dingus.” Robin pointed out.

“Oh, really?” Steve shot back before going back to flicking the switch even faster.

Still, nothing was happening, and he finally stopped. You curled your nails into your palms, needing to feel something. Steve went back to flicking the switch, slower this time. And on the fifth time, when he flicked the switch on the lights returned to life.

“Let there be light,” and he went back to the ice cream.

Robin just glared at him before turning to you, “what a guy,” And before she could make a snide comment, she leaned in closer, “are you- are you okay? You look like you’re gonna pass out.”

“Yeah, yeah, just not a fan of the dark. Uh, you want- you want anything, from the food court?” Needing to change the subject quickly.

She looked at you with hesitation, but played along, “uh, Orange Julius. My usual.” And she turned to the register, Steve taking her spot.

“You want anything from the food court?” “A coke and fries from Burger King, please.”

With their orders, you left the shop to officially start your hour break.

…

You ate your pancakes and eggs in the slow morning quiet. Will was beside you as he leaned over and grabbed another pancake, but you smacked his hand causing him to drop it.

“What?”

“Save that for Steve. You got enough on your plate.” And you shoved a fork of eggs into your mouth.

You heard a door open and footsteps before Steve came into view at the end of the hall. You flashed him a smile as he took the seat across from Will, while he took the plate where the leftover pancakes and eggs sat.

“Thank you, Ms. Byers.” Steve’s voice was deep from just waking up.

She flailed a hand, “how many times do I have to tell you, Steve? You can call me, Joyce.”

“I’ll probably need a few more reminders before it sticks.” He chuckled and then reached for the syrup.

Soon Jonathan’s door cracked open and he was rushing out while finishing his buttons. Joyce rushed over to him, Jonathan slowing his steps. You noticed the faint lipstick kiss on his cheek, but no Nancy behind him.

“Wait up.” Joyce stopped him.

“Oh, no, I’ll eat at work. I’m late.”

“No, your cheek.” And she swiped at the makeup.

Jonathan moved her hand away, “all right, all right. I gotta run. See you later.”

“Tell Nancy she can leave through the front door next time,” you yelled before the front door shut with a slam.

“Ugh. Gross.” Will muttered as Joyce walked back to her seat.

“Well, I don’t think you’re gonna think it’s gross when you fall in love.” She looked from Will to you and Steve, “just look at (Y/n) and Steve. Don’t you want what they have?”

Will eyed the both of you, you and Steve stopped eating to hear what Will was gonna say, “what? Constantly eating each other's faces?”

“Dude, come on.” You groaned at Will while Steve just laughed.

“But, Will,” Steve stopped laughing and looked directly at Will, “I’m sure you’ll find a special girl later in life. You’re a catch.”

“I’m not gonna fall in love,” Will mumbled as he poured syrup over his food.

You heard the hidden pain in his words and understood why he thought he wasn’t gonna fall in love. You gave a slight tap to Will’s foot, his eyes looking your way and you threw a small smile to show just an ounce of your love and support for him.

“What- what happened here?” Joyce muttered as she walked near the fridge.

You and Will watched as she picked up a pile of papers and magnets that must have fallen off the fridge in the middle of the night. You saw how she looked at a drawing Will did for Bob, her hand lingering before joining the three of you at the table.

“So, Will, have any plans today?” You questioned him with a mouth full of pancakes.

“Dustin’s coming home from camp today, so we’re going to surprise him at his house. Ms. Henderson was really excited about the idea.”

“Oh! You guys should try and stop by today if you have time. I know Steve is just dying to see Dustin, aren’t you Stevie?” Your attention is on him now.

You spotted the slight flush to his ears but didn’t comment on it. Steve nodded his head while chewing his food before speaking, “yeah, really miss the know it all.” A tease mixed with fondness.

…

You had a lovely day off today, but sadly Steve and Robin had to work. So you dropped Steve off at the mall, drove off in his BMW, promised to pick him and Robin up at the end of their shift, and decided to keep Joyce company at Melvard’s. With Starcourt bringing newer stores and better work, downtown was empty. Ghost of stores that used to be full of business and life was now just rotting buildings with their windows papered over, and envelopes stuffed at the doorway.

When you pulled up to the storefront, through the window you watched Joyce hanging a giant sale sign, fifty to seventy percent off everything. It worried you knowing that Melvard’s was probably the next store to go out of business, the one store that Joyce has worked at for as long as you can remember. You knew small little Hawkins couldn’t stay the same forever, it still worried you every day.

The bell jingled at your arrival, Joyce already smiling at your visit.

“Hi, honey. What’s up?” She hopped off the little stool and met you halfway.

You shrugged, “wanted to keep you company for a bit. Jonathan’s at work, Will’s welcoming Dustin back, and my friend and boyfriend are working today.”

“Wha- what about your other friend? That- that Munson kid?” “Uh, I heard he went out of town for a few weeks or something.” You threw your arms over Joyce’s shoulders with your face pressed to her neck, “you don’t want your favorite child visiting you?”

Her arms wrapped around your waist, “well, I don’t see Will anywhere…”

You pulled away with a hurt gasp, “mother, I am hurt. Your only daughter, how could you?”

The two of you burst into giggles over your dramatics and before you could be carried any further the bell rang again. Two pairs of eyes landing on, “hi, Hopper.” A wave thrown his way which he returned with a gentle smile.

“Sorry for interrupting-”

“Oh, it’s fine, Hop. What can we do? Or whoever you need.” Joyce started to walk away to the cash register. You stayed behind, taking note of the nervous look on Hopper’s face. Joyce turned around at the quiet coming from the tall man and scoffed, “what now?” This must have been a recurring thing between them.

“(Y/n), could you grab the pricing gun and follow me?” And she headed to an aisle with Hopper in tow.

“So Mike was at the cabin again last night, the two of them in her room, being gross. They were giggling and kissing,” Hopper looked like he wanted to throw up at the memory, “and I always make sure that her door is open three inches, so I took a peek inside to make sure nobody was crossing a line. And when I saw them kissing and called them out-”

“Could you mark this side while I do the wall? Should be three dollars, everything.” Joyce stopped Hopper's story to instruct you. “You can continue, Hopper,” you said as you walked past him.

It was a few seconds before he spoke up again, “and- and then El, she just… slams the door. Right in my face.”

“Uh-huh?” Joyce absent-mindedly responded.

“You know, it’s that smug son of a bitch, Mike. He’s corrupting her, I’m telling you.” Footsteps sounded against the cool tile, “and I’m just gonna lose it. I mean, I am gonna lose it, Joyce.”

“Just take it down, Hopper.” Her voice sounded on the other side of your aisle.

“I need them to break up.” Hopper’s voice was firm.

“That is not your decision to make.” Joyce continued to price variest items.

“They’re spending entirely too much time together. You agree with me about that, right?” Hopper stood from his spot.

“Well, (Y/n) and Steve spend a lot of time together, at work and outside. And I mean, they’re just kissing, right?” Joyce pointed out.

“Yeah, but it’s constant. It is constant.” Hopper sounded like he was gonna blow a top.

You were about to voice an opinion of yours, but Joyce beat you to speaking first, “Oh, you should hear what Will says about (Y/n) and Steve, especially this morning-”

“Mom! Don’t say stuff like that.” You groaned.

“What- I’m just trying to help Hopper with examples.”

“Yeah, but I’m- Steve and I, we’re adults. It’s a bit more acceptable than when two, what, thirteen-year-olds do it. Look it sounds nice that El has someone she likes being around, but she and Mike are practically attached at the hip. And also add to the fact that they can’t stop sucking face, it’s gross. I’m gonna have to side with Hopper.”

Hopper points a hand at you, “thank you. You see, it’s not normal, it’s not healthy.”

“Well, you can’t just force them apart. I mean, they’re not little kids anymore, Hop. They’re teenagers.” Hopper walked his way over to Joyce, you following behind, “and (Y/n), you and Steve aren’t adults yet, the both of you are still teenagers as well.”

“Steve’s birthday is next month, he’ll be nineteen.” Thinking that’ll help your argument.

“Yeah, well, when he hits twenty-one and when you hit twenty-one, I’ll consider the both of you pre-adults. And when you hit twenty-five, that’s when you’re a full-fledged adult. Now, Hop,” her attention is done with you and back to Hopper who was throwing something into the air before catching it, “if you order them around like a cop, then they’re gonna rebel. It’s just what they do.”

You couldn’t argue with that.

“So what, I’m just supposed to let them do whatever they want?” Hopper flayed his arms out.

Joyce huffed, “no, I- I didn’t say that. I think you should… talk to them.” Pricing a box of Tampax.

“No. No. ‘Cause talking doesn’t work.”

“Not yelling. Not ordering. But talk to them. I do it with my kids, right, (Y/n)?”

Hopper turned towards you, waiting for any answer, “oh yeah. Little one-on-ones with each other. Heart-to-hearts, you know?”

Hopper’s eyes looked away from you for a moment like he was mulling over your words. “A heart-to-heart? What is that?” He fidgeted with his hat.

“Well,” Joyce jumped back in, “you sit them down and you talk to them like you’re their friend. I find if you talk to them like you’re on their level,” Hopper leaned against a beam, “then they start to listen. And then, you know, you could start to create some boundaries.”

“Boundaries,” Hopper whispered.

“Yeah, but, Hop, it’s really important that no matter how they respond, you stay calm. You cannot lose your temper.” You noted the eye roll followed by his fingers tapping along the pillar.

“Uh… maybe you could do it for me? Or (Y/n), even, she could do it. El likes you.” A glance your way before it was back on Joyce.

“No. And I say that for both of us. You need to do this on your own, Hop.” “Besides, I’d rather stay on the outside of this situation, it’s not our place. You’re her legal guardian, Hopper.” You added your input, but Hopper just waved you off and looked to Joyce.

“No, no, yeah. Yeah, you could. You come over after work.” He stomped towards her.

“No.”

“Yes.”

She shook her head, “no, it will only work if it comes from you. But…” She trailed off while walking to the counter, “maybe I can help you…” she grabbed a pad of paper and a pen, “I can help you find the right words.” She began to scribble words down with Hopper leaning in.

You watched the two of them, how Joyce was mouthing words to herself as she thought about them before writing them on the page. Noting that Hopper’s eyes glanced in her direction every few seconds before looking away like he didn’t want to get caught sneaking looks her way. It felt a bit wrong to observe them, but there was something that just piqued your interest.

Before you got carried away in your people-watching, a blur of motion was caught in your periphery making you jerk your head towards the store windows. And you saw Nancy rushing away before she disappeared from view.

…

“I know this is a difficult conversation to have… but I hope you know that I… care about you very much. And I know that you-”

“Eye contact.”

Hopper sighed at Joyce’s interruption. You just sat beside her with your arms crossed over your chest.

“And I know that you… both care about each other very much- this does not sound like me at all.”

“Well, you never know. As long as you don’t strangle Mike, it’s a win.” You tried to joke, but it wasn’t working.

Joyce threw a hand over your mouth, “just keep going. Come on.” She encouraged him with a smile.

Hopper took a breath, “which is why I think it’s important to establish these boundaries… moving forward…” he looked down at the lined paper.

“No looking. You know this. Come on.”

“...so we can build an environment… uh… where we… all feel comfortable and trusted and open… to share our feelings- this isn’t gonna work.” Hopper stood from his seat and walked to the empty side of Joyce, “um, it’s not gonna work. It’s not gonna work.” He kept repeating.

“Yes, it will! I promise.” “Just gotta put a bit more… emotion into it,” again, Hopper wasn’t enjoying your criticism.

“Maybe I’ll just kill Mike. I’m the chief of police, I could cover it up.”

“I’ll be your alibi.” You said in all seriousness. You saw the shake of Hopper’s shoulders, a quiet chuckle.

“Come on. You got this.” Joyce clasped their hands together.

Again you watched as they held each other's gazes, neither one breaking or pulling their hands apart. You saw the tiny smile hidden by his thick mustache, you couldn’t see Joyce’s face, but you knew there was a similar expression gracing her face.

After a minute or two of the growing silence, Hopper broke it first, “you wanna have dinner tonight?”

And that was your cue to leave.

You jumped off the counter and made your way toward the entrance, “Uh, I gotta get going. Steve and Robin are probably missing my wonderful presence.”

Joyce broke her stare with Hopper, “Okay, honey. I’ll see you at home?”

“Yeah, if anything changes, I’ll call you. Bye Hopper.” He waved you off and you were out of the store and into the maroon BMW.

…

With the summer heat growing a bit more as the day went on, the mall was packed with dozens of people. Some just sit at the food court with a book in hand or a group of friends going from store to store with shopping backs held in their grasp as they chat away. Not a single one of them knew of the dangers that have slipped into Hawkins during the dead of night, the things you’ve seen and experienced. You wished you could live like them, oblivious and in peace.

In your spaced-out mind, you reached the brightly colored ice cream parlor in no time, brain lagging for a minute.

“-n). (Y/n), hello.” It sounded like you were underwater and whoever was calling to you was muffled by the waves.

The trance ended when the person shook your shoulder, head snapping in their direction with wide eyes.

“You okay?” Robin’s husky voice was a whisper.

You blinked a few times, “uh, yeah. Yeah, just- just tired, I guess.” You saw the look in Robin’s eyes, she didn’t believe you, “good shift?” You tried to change the subject.

She hesitated before responding, “busy as usual. Along with your boy toy not being able to stop crying for you.” A playful roll of her eyes.

You grinned at that, “Speaking of my ‘boy toy’, where is he?”

“Disappeared somewhere like ten minutes ago,” she shrugged.

You questioned it, but didn’t voice it, “wanna get lunch with us when you’re done? You wanted a ride home anyway.”

“I guess, but all hands within eyesight and no kissing… I’ll allow one cheek kiss. But after that, I’ll throw myself down the escalator if I’m forced to witness your sickening love.”

“Oh, that’s such a nice sacrifice on your part, Robin.” Stretching the sarcastic tone.

Again, she rolled her eyes and turned her back on you before pushing the backroom doors open. You followed a step behind and sat across from her, her legs stretched over the small square table. You swatted at her beat-up converses, “can you get your dirty feet off the table? We eat here.”

“And we also clean it, so it should matter.”

“Not all of us clean it…” you trailed off.

Robin just rolled her eyes at the comment. The two of you chatted a bit, bits of gossip Robin heard from passing customers, what you did while away from work and you made a light mention of the Mike dilemma with Hopper. A joke was thrown in here and there causing the both of you to release loud chuckles that presumably drifted into the dining area.

Your chuckles died off when you heard the hinges of the doors squeak followed by hands resting on your shoulders. You leaned your head back, your round dome mushing into starchy fabric, but you had a lovely sight before you.

“Hi, Stevie,” a beaming smile erupted.

“Hi baby,” he leaned down and kissed your forehead, “I’ve missed you.”

“Hmm, Robin told me you were, and I quote ‘crying for my presence’. Thought you could handle a few hours away from my quiet self.” A tilt of your head finished your sentence.

Steve scoffed and rolled his eyes, “I always want to be around you. Like… you’re like air. I need you every second to live or I’ll die.” His thumbs swiped along your jawline.

You peered at him with wide eyes with your mouth agape, startled by this sudden admission. You wanted to make a joke, something to break the silence, but you knew if you joked when Steve just said those, it would leave cracks in his heart. So the most you could do at the moment was beam him a smile and twine your hands together.

“Ugh, I’m gonna barf.” Robin broke the lovely spell.

You bit your lip to stop the childish smile that wanted to follow her comment. Steve huffed and moved to the seat that was in the middle of yours and Robins. He ran a hand through his hair before moving it to his cheek and leaning into his palm with his eyes zeroed in on you.

“What?” You asked after a beat of silence.

You couldn’t see the smile, but you saw his cheeks move, “you’re just really pretty.”

“Well I think you’re pretty, without a doubt,” you tried to argue back, not being able to handle compliments thrown your way.

Steve shook his head, strands of chestnut hair touching his forehead, “nope. Nobody comes close to the beauty you radiate.”

You fidgeted with your hands before covering your face, not being able to handle the sweet honey dripping from Steve’s lips or the loving gaze that was staring down into your soul.

“Guys, what have I said? No PDA! For the love of my sanity, please.” Robin’s voice cracked at the end.

“We aren’t doing any PDA, Buckley. I’m just making sure my girl knows how loved and gorgeous she is.” Steve shrugged like it was nothing.

“Yeah, well it feels like I’m being forced to watch the two of you kiss. It’s so- ugh!” She threw her head back before smacking a hand into Steve’s bicep, “stop eye fucking her! I’m right here! Save that for private time, please.” Her hands clasped together, really begging for a reprieve from the two of you.

“Guess you don’t want a ride home then,” Steve spoke as he stood from his seat.

“Honestly if this keeps up, I’ll for sure just take the bus home.” She grumbled.

You couldn’t help but chuckle at their friendly banter, the two of them firing at each other just as the other shoots back. You can’t help but think that these two people somehow became friends on their own, with very little push coming from your end. It made you happy, one of your best friends and your boyfriend getting along well with or without you around.

“Okay, okay. Let’s put the claws away and let's get food because I am starving.” You mediated the situation from going any further.

“Yeah, whatever. Harrington’s paying for me,” Robin walked away to grab her backpack. Steve was opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

You just held your hands up, “you were eye fucking me earlier, this would make up for it.” A stupid reason, but you knew Steve would give in either way.

And with a simple roll of his stunning brown eyes, you knew he caved. And pretty quickly, might be a new record.

“You’re very lucky that I would do anything for you.”

“And that includes buying Robin’s lunch. Like the good friend, you are to her.” A quick tap to Steve’s chest.

When Robin came back the both of you left Steve behind and walked out of the store with your faces close together as you gossip around the fast-paced bystanders. And if one of those topics involved Steve… he didn’t need to know any of the tiny details.

...

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*striked out means tumblr cant find you, sorry*

#steve harrington #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington reader insert #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x byers!reader #stranger things #stranger things series #stranger things fanfic #stranger things imagine #The Byers Harrington Story

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boxofbonesfic · 1 year

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𝒪𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒰𝓅𝑜𝓃 𝒜 𝒯𝒾𝓂𝑒…

I’m Bones, and I’m celebrating a huge milestone—10k followers! I am so honored that so many people enjoy my work, and I am so grateful for the friends and relationships I have cultivated here, and what better way to celebrate those things than with a challenge? I think we all know that the sanitized, kid-friendly version of most fairytales are nowhere near their grim, grisly original tellings. For this challenge, I would like to return to those bleak, terrifying roots, and come up with something darkly fantastical!

For this challenge, I would like to both pay homage to my own roots, and the theme of my blog. Participants will pick one of the following 10 fairytales (or, to be fancy, you can use the spinner I made!) and then turn out the lights. This is a dark challenge, and, more than their originals, your entries should have a dark twist. Use your imaginations! Maybe Cinderella doesn’t get what she hoped for in her Prince Charming, or perhaps the story of Rapunzel that we know is not how things truly happened—it’s up to you! But your story must be dark—whether that is explicit, or revealed slowly through the events of your story, is, again, completely up to you! You can use the Roster of Accepted Characters to choose your fighter (lol)! Now, onto the rules!

𝑅𝓊𝓁𝑒𝓈:

18+ ONLY. This is a dark challenge, and while smut is not a requirement, I think the general subject matter, as well as the themes, will be inappropriate for minors. Smut is not necessary, but it is encouraged. 😏

Challenge opens 4/01/23, and will continue until the end of summer! September 1st! end on my birthday! 06/09/23! (The first of April to the ninth of June for my folks who do D/M/Y instead of M/D/Y lol)

YOUR WORK MUST MEET THE CHALLENGE BRIEF. If your work does not meet the challenge brief (A DARK retelling of a classic fairytale) I will not be reblogging it, and it will not be included in the challenge masterlist. I will not be making exceptions ❤️

You must place your work under a cut at 350 words.

There is a 10k word limit. Go crazy!

You ARE allowed to use fairytales not included on this list, please just let me know in my inbox!

Tag and warn appropriately. It is exceedingly important that we tag and warn our works to best of our ability, so that readers know what they are getting into. (Obviously don’t tag to the point where you spoil your plot, but, you know. Use your best judgement.)

Please, no: DD/LG, RPF, Toilet-play, Bestiality (but monsterfucking is a-okay), and no minors in sexual situations.

This must be new and original work. You may not submit previously written work, or work written for other challenges. It’s fine if this is part of a pre-existing series, but this specific piece must be a stand-alone, able to be read and understood without reading any previous work.

Three entries per person. You can submit three separate entries, or a mini-series with three chapters, but each piece must be beneath the 10k word limit.

Please use the roster to select an MMC. It’s okay if you want to use a character who isn’t listed, but please just check in to make sure it’s a fandom I’m actually into 😅

We are all working underneath the same constraints. It is not plagiarism for another author to use the same fairytale, or similar tropes as you. I will not tolerate false accusations, and will block anyone who makes them.

Have fun! This rule is non-negotiable. If this challenge is not sparking joy, it’s okay to sit it out, there will be more!

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐹𝒶𝒾𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒶𝓁𝑒𝓈

✨Rapunzel ✨Little Red Riding Hood ✨Beauty and the Beast ✨The Little Mermaid ✨Peter Pan ✨Sleeping Beauty ✨Cinderella ✨Rumplestiltskin ✨Goldilocks ✨Snow White

𝑅𝑜𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇: (Or spin the wheel here)

Steve Rogers

Joel Miller

Ari Levinson

Eddie Munson

Bucky Barnes

Peter Parker

Eddie Brock

Namor

Thor Odinson

Loki Laufeyson

T’Challa

M’Baku

Kang

Dennis Baker

Ransom Drysdale

Lloyd Hansen

Andy Barber

Steve Kemp

Nick Fowler

Lee Bodecker

Arvin Russel

Clark Kent

Geralt of Rivia

Have fun everyone!

#challenge #writing prompts #prompts #prompt challenge #writing prompt #fanfiction #fanfiction challenge #fanfic #fic challenge #Once Upon A Time challenge #boxofbonesfic #bones challenge #fandom challenge #writing challenge

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tarasmithshifts · 3 months

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𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐃𝐑: 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐅𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟏

𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐑. 2 years😭 𝐀𝐆𝐄. 16-17 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏: sirius, remus, james, lily, peter, dorcas, marlene, mainly people from gryffindor and ravenclaw

𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒. single (5th to the end of 5th year) TAKEN BAHSDHABHAHDB (summer after 5th year - ongoing)

「 ✦ 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✦ 」

okay guys.

this is it. THIS SHIFT IS MY ROMAN EMPIRE. i have so many things to tell about this shift 😭😭😭 so let's get started because this one will be looooooooooooong

i shifted for 2 YEARSSSS WHICH IS SO INSANE like, it's my longest shift ever 😭 the shift is taking place since summer before 5th year to the beginning of 7th

「 ✦ 5th year ✦ 」

𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮 - 5𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻

so, as you probably know what happened during 5th year, i'm gonna tell you my scripted timeline.

august - the nightmare in the noble house of black

october - me, james, sirius became illegal animagus

beginning of december - peter became illegal animagus

may- 'the prank' happened

june - snape worst memory (as i read that it happened AFTER the prank)

june- i confessed my feelings to remus

july - sirius ran away to james

august - I ran away to remus, as walburga used crucius on me as a punishment

ＪＵＬＹ＆ＡＵＧＵＳＴ

— ୨୧₊˚ the nightmare in the noble house of black

living in this house wasn't the greatest experience ever 💀 and this summer was literally one of the worst since our beginning of learning in hogwarts. this summer was the first one that walburga used cruciatus on me and sirius. it was kind of torture, also, I hoped that reggie would say something, but he did nothing to stop our parents from doing this shit. ( it wasn't easy, but we still had james, remus, peter to send letters to. during this summer for the first time i thought of running away from this family. but i didn't want to leave regulus, and, even if i run away, where would i go? i didn't have truly anyone, and i didn't want to bother other marauders ( i mean remus especially, he was the closest friend of mine)) she did this because we didn't want to join their lord voldemort kind of cult. sirius and i knew that regulus won't say no to them. we knew that in some time, he''ll become a death eater. as war started in 1970, a lot of muggles where dead, as well as wizards. our parents weren't in voldemort' group, but they were conviced, that voldemort is doing the right thing. before the first day of 5th year, walburga was extra angry. (basically i told her to fuck off of me and sirius. we were abused for years, as this would change anything. we were in gryffindor, i had a friend that was muggle-born, we were friends with potter. nothing would change after their torture on us - emotionally or physically. i mean, this one pissed her off. she locked herself and me in one of the rooms we usually didn't use and you can imagine what happened - this part i have scripted off, as i 'don't remember what happened' i love angst in my drs BUT NOT THIS 💀💀 hell no, i'm not gonna be through more pain) i scripted that sirius knows what happened

ＳＥＰＴＥＭＢＥＲ

— ୨୧₊˚ 1st day

in the train me and sirius found a cabin as fast as possible, as i wasn't stron enough to walk around the train after the night before yk

we sat, and i kind of fell asleep?? i mean, i was just so tired that i kept my eyes shut the whole way to hogwarts. ten minutes after james, remus, and peter joined us. i didn't say hi or anything, just nodded my head and said something like 'gentelman' LMAO remus sat in front of me and tried to make some eye contact with me, tried to cheer me up, but i was to tired to react. Sirius also changed during this summer. We were both diffrent. boys saw that, james started to ask some questions like "Are you alright?" "How are you?", but sirius cut them and just said "Please, can we pretend like this is normal first day?" GUYS. AND THEN REMUS MOVED HIS LEG CLOSER TO MINE. as some kind of sign that he's sorry, even tho he didn't know what happened. IT WAS SUCH A CUTE INTERACTION AHHHHHHH

well, nothing really happened this month. we were just joking around, and we took care of remus when there was a full moon coming. lily and I became even clloser this time. She knew that i liked remus A LOT but she tried to stay out of this business (haha, she DID NOT. literally because of her i confessed my feeling for remus before him)

i knew that she didn't like what boys were doing with severus, but i did not say 'stop' when they were doing it. i never truly cared until may and june.

also lily and remus became prefects.

ＯＣＴＯＢＥＲ

— ୨୧₊˚ me, james and sirius became illegal animaguses

hello!!!!!! WAKE UPPP it's the month when me and marauders FINALLY became animaguses!!!!!!!!!! HELL YEAH

so basically we of course didn't know if the whole 'let's become and animagus' plan is gonna work. it was truly crazy that we did it. well, we didn't show remus anything at first, because peter didn't turn into one at first (he became one in december). My animagus happened to be a black puma, sirius turned into black dog, and james turned into a fucking stag, which was so hilarious like IMAGINE SEEING A HUGE RED STAG COMING OUT OF YOUR BATHROOM

(my animagus right here) ⤸

this was literally so funny, we couldn't believe it. only peter failed first time, but he eventually turned into animagus in december :))

i mean, during the first few months, nothing really happened. boys where doing pranks, me and lily were doing 'girl stuff' as james called it. i also spent a lot of time with remus, and i liked to do it a lot. we both have similar hobbys, and we just liked to spend time with each other. it was fascinating for me. he was fascinating. after this little intreraction we had back on train, something was diffrent between us. i mean, something weird was going on between us for literal years.

ＮＯＶＥＭＢＥＲ

— ୨୧₊˚ mine and sirius' birthday

and here it is. november. it was the time of the year that i tried to figure out how should we convince remus that we became animaguses for him, and that with this 'skill' we want to help him. we knew that he will say no for this idea, but we were determinated. so we started planning how we want to tell him about the whole 'omg remus look, i'm animagus!' thing. in november, james started to look after lily again. he wanted her to notice him, as me & boys knew he was not obsessed, but he was just in love with her, since early age. but i knew that lily doesn't want to has anything to do with him. well, not for now. he wasn't nice for her friend, severus. she cared about him, he was her closest friend, they knew each other even before hogwarts. so i understood why she was mad at james and ignored him.

੭ ME AND SIRIUS TURNED 16!!! we had a party in gryffindor common room, as we always did. every year we had some kind of party, but this one was HUGE. sirius wanted it to be special for both of us, so he invited people from hufflepuff and ravenclaw that we knew. from james and peter i got CDs and t-shirts of my fav band at the time - Fleetwood Mac and ABBA when i asked them how did they get it, they told me that they stole it LMAO sirius got me some perfumes that he knew i liked. BUT REMUS. oh. my. god.

when party was super loud, a lot of people (i mean james, peter nd sirius mainly) were drunk, i was standing by the wall, just drinking coke and talking to lily. then remus came up to us and asked if he can 'kidnap me' i was... kind of shocked. i said 'yes, of course.' so he asked me to close my eyes and he gave me a bandana, that probably belonged to sirius and covered my eyes, and he told me to go after him. he literally HOLD MY HAND and took me out of the common room. i knew it because he told me to 'be careful' and after the whole screams and party noices vanished. for few minutes we were just walking around the castle, when he finally took the bandana off, and told me to open my eyes.

HE. MADE. GODDAMN. PICNIC. ON. AN. ASTRONOMY TOWER.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND? LET ME SAY THIS ONCE AGAIN

HE. MADE. GODDAMN. PICNIC. ON. AN. ASTRONOMY TOWER.

my heart.

he even got this magical vinyl player (i think that in the movie prisoner of azkaban you can see something like this) AND PLAYED DAVID BOWIE

it was SOOOO BEAUTIFUL the weather was perfect, he even tried to apologise me that he didn't have anything else for me, THIS WAS THE BEST PRESENT EVER. we were just sitting, listening to music and eating snacks. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, and i can confirm, that THIS WAS THE TIME THAT I WAS SURE THAT I AM IN LOVE WITH REMUS FREAKING LUPIN

ＤＥＣＥＭＢＥＲ

— ୨୧₊˚ peter became illegal animagus

christmas time!!! finally!!!

during past like 3,4 months there was a lot of work to do - me and boys became animaguses, school wasn't the best thing too. i liked most of the classes, but herbology was kiling me. i just UGHHH i don't like magical plants ok? i just can't work with plants even in my cr, sooooo it is what it is. for extra classes i took magical theory and study of ancient runes, as i always found it interesting. 5th year is the year when in hogwarts i needed to pass OWLs to get into another year. i wanted to become an auror, so i had a lot of work anyway.

charms and DADA were the easiest classes for me. i even tought peter and james after classes, as sirius was too lazy to do that, and remus was good at it too.

also peter finally became an illegal animagus, so all of us were able to change our form. and finally, we decided how we would tell remus about the whole thing. as a christmas gift (james came up with that and we all thought that this is a good idea)

— ୨୧₊˚ before christmas

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

I LOVE CHRISTMAS AT HOGWARTS it's always so beautiful

me and sirius, as well as remus stayed at hogwarts during christmas.

but before james and peter left, we had a little surprise for remus

we planned the whole thing to be perfect in every detail. we had to do it in secret, of course which was kind of almost impossible. it was christmas time, everyone was giving others present, dormitory was FULL of people, somebody wanted to talk, or somebody wanted to give you presents. lily even locked herself in our dormitory to hide FROM JAMES LMAO

but finally we all got a moment when boys could hide in their dormitory, there transform into animagi and i could go and ask remus if he can go after me. it happened on 16.12.75, two days before full moon.

WELL, HE WAS IN SHOCK.

when we got in, first sirius came out as a black dog, and remus didn't know wth is going on, then peter showed up AND THEN JAMES CAME OUT OF A BATHROOM AS A STAG. i just said "well, we knew that you would protest if we told you, soooo we've done that in secret. we want to help you remus" HE WAS JUST STANDING THERE LIKE THIS 🕴🕴🕴 the only thing he said was "oh my god" then he turned to me and said "you too?" and i nodded. then boys turned into human form and james started talking why we did that, that we want to help remus during full moons, taking care of him and watching on him in shrieking shack. in animal form he wouldn't see human beings in us, just other animals. well, remus didn't like the idea. but we proved our right.

੭ 2 days later, when full moon came, we went after remus to whomping willow, and spent whole night with him. we took care that he wouldn't harm himself like he did before. and guess what? we were right. when he turned bck into a human form, we needed to go back to hogwarts before pomfrey would find us. when we met him at the hospital wing, he said that "on merlin's beard, you were right" and since then, we took turns, one time me and sirius spent time with him, once james and peter, other time just me, once me and james etc. and it was working!

— ୨୧₊˚ christmas

this year me and sirius didn't come back home for christmas, even tho' regulus tried to convince us, we said no. james, peter and lily went home, so me, sirius and remus were entirely alone. from gryffindor only we stayed in hogwarts. but we had fun!!

for christmas i got remus a moon calendar, as i know he didn't have one (i scripted that pomfrey was checking on moons then), so he could be warned about full moons coming. he was still kind of mad about us becoming animagi, but i knew that it wouldn't last long. he knew that no matter what we would help him, even if he said 'no'.

for sirius i contacted andromeda to send me new AC/DC album, so i got him a vinyl :)) (album is called T.N.T. and came out 1 december 1975 if you wonder!)

remus stayed because his father wasn't home anyways, so he just stayed at hogwarts

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ OKAY SO IM HERE TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING ABOUT LUPIN FAMILY LOREEE

okay. about mother of remus (hope lupin) i scripted that yes, she's a muggle, she was an opera singer but died when remus was young boy. about his father - lyall lupin - he was a wizard, i scripted that he was in ravenclaw and worked in ministry of magic at department for the regulation and control of magical creatures, because of that he was usually very busy he left contry even for month, so yup :( and that he died during 1st war. i think that making remus' mother an opera singer was kind of beautiful, later on, during the war he listens to her records at 12 grimmuald place and at home that we live in :)) (i will make a playlist with music that she recorded/operas that she performed in)

okay that's all about his family, i will tell more in another post :))

ANYWAY let's get back!

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

— ୨୧₊˚ new year's eve

during new year's eve, me, sirius and remus went to astronomy tower as may students did, dumbledore told us that we can party and that we can go there, but he hoped we wouldn't do anything stupid. also, severus snape stayed that year at hogwarts, so of course sirius couldn't stop himself from doing something stupid. when he was trying to prank him, me and remus stayed at astronomy tower and looked at the stars, as well as we did back in november <333 we talked about how he should not be mad at us at accept the fact that we are trying to help him, and then we were stuck in some situation that was just... awkward. i mean, he said that he understand us and he knows that he won't stop us... but i mean, i wanted to kiss this man so badly. like GODDAMN HOW MANY MONTHS DO I NEED TO WAIT

it was cute until sirius came back out of nowhere at just stood behind us and said "ok, now kiss" LMAO it was so awkward

but we made it! we made it to 1976... which was CRAZY

ＪＡＮＵＡＲＹ, ＦＥＢＲＵＡＲＹ, ＭＡＲＣＨＡＮＤＡＰＲＩＬ

during these months, we were stuck on studying to OWLs, but what happened was some birthdays and full moons of course.

in january there was first full moon when sirius and peter was around remus when he transformed into a werewolf. sirius and james even made up cover names for us based on our animagi form.

james happened to be prongs, peter was wormtail, sirius was padfoot, i was fang, which i didn't like, but it stayed with me for years, and remus was moony. at first we both didn't like this, but when we started using those names it felt okay. so it stayed like this.

also, in january there was lily's birthday! i got her a silver necklace that she told me she wanted before summer '75, james of course wanted to ask her on a date, she of course said no :( but he still got her flowers and her favourite chocolates from hogsmeade :))

in february, on valentines day, he also was super crazy about her. he was just running around gryffindor common room, not knowing what should he get her, but finally sirius told him to 'calm yourself and try to talk to her like you aren't a psychopath" well, it didn't work either.

i also felt like i want to give something remus for valentines, but i was too scared to do anything 💀💀💀 so i just locked myself in a dormitory and stayed there for whole day, especially day later full moon was there, so remus also stayed for the whole saturday in his dormitory.

in february james and peter stayed with remus during full moon

in march and april nothing really happened, we were just studying for OWLs that were very close, but still james, pter, and sirius got a detention from mcgonagall after they blew up her office 💀💀💀 me and remus stayed out of this kind of business 💀 and thanks to god for that

in march me and james stayed with remus, in april - sirius and peter

ALSOOOO in march remus and james had their birthdays!!!

for remus i got a necklace that was sun-shaped, and i showed him, that i had similar one - but moon-shaped. and guess what HE WORE IT ALL THE TIME, WHENEVER HE COULD. i noticed it after some weeks but still. like, boys were making fun of him because of that, they even called him 'girlypop' LMAO it was funny sometimes, even for remus but some of the times he was so tired of this that he just told them to 'shut up' and then he just went away from them, sometimes to sit with me in common room, sometimes to library.

for james i had mini version of his broom that he owned. it could even fly around the room :)) there was also a party, we did only one but big one :))

AND HERE WE ARE.

ＭＡＹ

ekhm, ekhm, ekhm... prepare yourself

— ୨୧₊˚ the prank

the prank in my dr is... a crazy domino effect

let's start from the beginning, and let's get through this situation as SLOW as possible.

so,

⋆｡°✩┊3 days before the prank

remus felt more pain because of full moon than he ever did. he stayed in bed, because he didn't want to go to pomfrey, he didn't want to show his weakness at that moment. he locked himself from us, but peter found a way throuhj some holes in walls as an animagi.

so we had eyes on him, even when he didn't want us to.

sirius also started acting... diffrently. i noticed that quickly, like, i'm his sister, we are twins 💀 so i notice things like this fast. he planned something. i knew that. but i didn't care, as i thought that this would be another stupid idea by sirius black. how wrong i was...

⋆｡°✩┊day before the prank

remus was with pomfrey that day. we didn't see him, as pomfrey told us not to do, even when james started literally fighting over it, but she still said no.

during the day, when we were after classes, and we were in common room, i couldn't find sirius there. which was weird, 'cause he always sat with boys in dormitory or in common room. i had to return his books before OWLs that had place next day, and he wanted them back. but i didn't find them. also, this full moon me and james should take care of moony during this night, but prongs was getting sick. i knew that he was also tired from learning to pass OWLs, so i offered that only i would go that night. he protested at first, but finally agreeded. i told him to just go to sleep and rest. i mean, my animagi is puma, so i would be okay, i mean, that's what i thought

⋆｡°✩┊the night when the prank happened

everything was okay at first. as usual, i waited for a bit, so pomfrey would take remus to shrieking shack and come back to hogwarts. that's when we went in our animagi form to whomping willow. and that's what i did too. when i got into shrieking shack, moony was already in his werewolf form. it didn't happen often. i mean, usually we got couple more minutes before he transform. but it didn't happen that day. i felt that he was nervous, even angry at some point, more than usual. so i just got into my sleeping position, and even fell asleep. at first remus was fighting himself, but stopped very quickly. he was calm, layed in the floor. when we were both laying down, after like an hour?? maybe?? something happened. moony suddenly raised his head. but i felt the same thing as he did. someone was outside. i thought it was james, so i stood up and just walked to the spot where i could see the person that was at the time walking down the stairs.

everything happened in seconds.

when i saw severus snape standing at the door, in a milisecond remus stood up and i knew what would happen next. he wanted to atack snape. i felt how he got angry. why didn't severu ran? but when i saw remus getting ready to jump to him, i didn't think twice. i turned into my human form again, and in a blink of an eye i was standing between moony and severus. BUT HE WAS STILL STANDING THERE. like why didn't he run?? i shouted to him, to go find somebody, dumbledore, mcgonagall, or pomfrey, but he was still standing there, too scared to even move an inch. then remus attacked us. i used basic spell to get rid of him for a second, but i knew that it made him angry even more. i shouted 'go' to severus. it finally moved him, and he ran away. i hoped that he would get somebody before something happens.

he attacked me more aggressively, than before. i didn't want to use more hard spells, 'cause i knew that i would hurt him. iwould hurt moony. remus.

so i didn't attack. i just casted spells that would help me protect myself, well, it worked 'till he didn't even see the spells. he just ignored them. like i was just, you know, just a girl that was standing on his way for his food. then it happened. he took a swing and his claws landed on my neck and cheek.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ ANOTHER EXPLAINATION HEREEEEEE

so, when i first created this dr, as a faceclaimi took sophie thatcher, and it stayed like that BUTTT in first 'design' of me i had scars. scars are beautiful. all of the scars have their own story, through scars you can see what someone was going through. and, well the idea stayed with me. but, i wanted the scars to have history, as every scar have one, yk :) sooooo i scripted that i have scars on the right side of my face, on my cheek. then the right side of my neck, and then, a little bit lower on my right hand, forearm, etc., so, as scripted i needed get those from somewhere... and the prank is one of those situations that when i was creating my first script for this dr, i thought 'hell yes, this is THE moment' so, here we are. with a little bit of angst coming in, let's get going :))

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

so also i just scripted a 'huge pain' etc. out of my dr, so i just felt a scratch, like nothing really happened.

as soon as this happened, somebody came into the shrieking shack. it was dumbledore and pomfrey, and after them i saw james. he was about to help pomfrey to take my out of there. dumbledore tried to calm down moony. i think i kind of fell asleep? passed out or smth? idk , i just woke up in the hospital wing. remus was sitting next to me, asleep. when pomfrey saw that i'm awake, she came and gave me some meds, she asked how do i feel and told me what happened, even tho i remembered. she also told that remus refused to move from hospital wing untill i woke up :((

when he finally woke up, i said something that was suppose to be 'hey' but sounded more like 'ghrb', LMAO that's bc wounds on my neck. but, it quickly vanished

well... and now the rollarcoaster is coming.

he said, that sirius told severus about whomping willow and the spell that you cast to go to shrieking shack. what he didn't know was that i was alone there. that james stayed in the dormitory for night. it was around midnight when sirius woke james up and started mumbling something like 'why are you here', 'isn't it your turn today?' james started to try to calm sirius down, he waken up peter too. they started talking with him, about what happened, when he finally said that he told severus about remus, james panicked. 'he just shouted something like 'tara is there. alone' sirius looked as if he had seen a ghost. when james left the dormitory, he went to pomfrey to wake her up. when he was on his way, he bumped into severus. both of them was going for someone. severus went to dumbledore, and james to pomfrey. severus stayed in castle, and james went with professors to help them bringing me back to hogwarts. rest of the story i knew.

well, i was in quite shock. SIRIUS. S I R I U S

and i connected the dots too. what he was doing when i couldn't find him.

remus wasn't looking at me when he spoke. and when he spoke again, he also wasn't looking.

teachers didn't know that we were animagis, so james lied to dumbledore about how did i end up there. that i figured out about sirius' plan before boys. and that i went there alone. james told that version to severus and other marauders. also remus.

i was kind of getting ignored by him? i mean, he wasn't looking at him. i was ANNOYED by this. so, even with the 'thing' with my voice, it was better this time. i told him to look at me. he DIDN'T. bro. why the fuck. then i said it again. when he finally looked at me, his eyes were teary. HELL NAH. he literally cried. about what happened. he was BRRRRROKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN. about what happened. he knew what he had done while being in his werewolf form. and he didn't want to look at me because of that. hell. no.

i said, that it's not his fault. that i don't want him to be sorry. and, oh god why, he literally SHOUTED at me 😭 that i have no idea, that he destroyed me, that he almost killed me. that he made me ugly. he literally used that word. UGLY. so i said that he have wounds too. that they are not making him ugly. that he is even more beautiful because of that. so then he just got up and left. GOT UP AND LEFT.

and how am i supposed to react bro. HOW.

in big summary, after him dumbledore came in. he told me that he sent an owl to my parents. he didn't tell the truth tho. he needed to lie about this situation, as also my parents were anti-werewolfes yk. he also told me that 'mr lupin is mad at your brother, and he's ignoring your other friends. he blame himself about what happened. and about what happened to you.' he just told me that he needs to take points from gryffindor, but i shouldn't feel that it's because of me. 'and even mr snape won't say that, he is thankful. you can stay here for some days. poppy will probably force you to stay until the wounds heal.' well, i heard pomfrey say that those wounds will stay with me forever, as scars, but it was okay. as i said scars are BEAUTIFUL and in that moment i knew that. they didn't make me ugly. they didn't destroy me. i was still me. scars only made me more visible. more me.

about my OWLs - i did pass them, dumbledore proposed me another deadline. i left hopsital wing after a week. pomfrey healed my wounds as much as possible, but as she said, these are magical wounds, and they won't vanish from my body. they will stay with me as scars.

ＪＵＮＥ

for two weeks after the prank i still have trouble with speaking, but with potions from pomfrey it . me & marauders passed OWLs, so we are kind of celebrating :))

andddddd here we are

— ୨୧₊˚ i finally confessed my feeling to remus

so let's just go STRAIGHT to this moment 'cause i wanted to share this with you for literal month LMAOOO

okay.

here we go.

everything started after like a month after may accident?? something around that.

remus was still mad at sirius, so was i. i mean, yes, he was my brother, but yes, he did what he did. and he will not run away from that. but after all he literally was stalking me to check if i'm okay, brang me potions from pomfrey, which was very nice from him, and i knew that he had done that because he was kind of stupid LMAO i think you know what i'm talking about. he didn't think about consequences of that :( remus sat separately from us. and in june, i got rid of that, and sat in front of him. he didn't talk to me, didn't even look at me. i was angry of course. he was my best friend, and he just stoped talking to me, because of what sirius had done. at the time my wounds were healed and i didn't wear any bandage or something - it wasn't necessary. and yes, as i said before, i have scars as i meant in the beggining of creating this dr. he wanted to go away, but when he stood up, i thought that maybe we just need to talk face to face, without anybody around us. So i said his name, he stopped for a second. I said something like 'can we talk at the astronomy tower tonight at midnight?' BUT HE DIDN'T EVEN NOD OR SOMETHING. like goddamn, why. but ANYWAY, he just walked away back to dormitory, and i hoped that he will show up (like i do not have it scripted LMAO)

okay so let's move on.

i stayed up all night nd just before midnight i got myself up and went to astronomy tower, hoping that he would be there. HMHMHM GUESS WHAT.

he was there.

he was already there when i came PLSSSSS

he was standing back to me, i didn't see his face or something, so i just stood next to him, and when he like didn't talk, i started explaining to him, that all of this that happened wasn't his fault. (well at some point it was also mine, i didn't defend myself as i could just because i didn't want to hurt him lol) and then i saw that he cried??? LITERALLY CRIED??? so i just shut up and we stayed in silence. AND THEN THERE IS T H I S PART. I LITERALLY SCIPTED ALL OF THIS (as i love that i do not script almost anything that people are saying, it's kind of funny sometimes, but here i scripted THE WHOLE THING WE WERE SAYING LMAO) so basiclly he said: 'I hurted you. The marks humans leave are too often scars. And the worst pain for me is, that i know i did this to you.' AND HERE HE FINALLY LOOKED AT ME. “Pain is temporary, but quitting lasts forever. I do not want you to leave because of that. I need you, remus. I don't care about this. I didn't care and i won't care untill i die. You would've never done that, and you know that. Do not seperate from me please, because this is what could make me feel worse. That you don't want to see me, touch me, speak to me." (i said) and there we stayed silence and i knew what i said. I LITERALLY CONFESSED MY FEELINGS TO HIM. so i kept going with this "You are closer to me than James or Peter, you know that. And i think i..." (here was a dramatic pause ofc lmao) "I think i feel something diffrent to you than to them. i don't know how to say this" Basiclly i started to stress and started mumbling, and he was still looking at me. AND THEN THIS HAPPENED.

REMUS FUCKING LUPIN KISSED ME GUYS

LET'S CELEBRATE OMG KJSDFHKJSHFKJSHDFKJDSFBSKDF

he said "You have no idea how i struggled to keep myself away from you."

MY HEART

MY.

HEART.

I AM STILL IN SHOCK OKAY. IT'S BEEN A MONTH AND THIS IS ALL I THINK ABOUT.

(and all of this wouldn't happen without lily, she literally told me 'she'i will kill you if you do not talk to him right now' so i guess she is a mother of this success here)

THE END OF PART 1

ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴠᴇʟᴠᴇᴛ - marauders dr playlist

“ɪ ꜱᴏʟᴇᴍɴʟʏ ꜱᴡᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ɴᴏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ.” - my little mixtape

'ᴍʏ ᴍᴜᴍ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀɴ ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀ ꜱɪɴɢᴇʀ, ʏᴀ ᴋɴᴏᴡ?' - hope lupin

ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴠᴇʟᴠᴇᴛ - pinterest board

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

WRITING THIS WAS A TORTUREEEEEEEEEEE it took me whole month i'm so sorry that i update it rn. i also need to edit this because i made a lot of mistakes LMAO, so pls don't come after me if i misspelled some words or changed from past to present lmao

but yup. Part 2 will come sooner i promise <3

#yup guys stay tuned #(i need to go back there RIGHT NOW)#reality shifting #shifting #desired reality #quantum jumping #shifting community #reality shifter #shifting realities

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