#i went on a lovely little hike around one of the lakes today :)

[bogsleep]

#lake window #mine #i went on a lovely little hike around one of the lakes today :) #the guy at the park gate was the dad of someone i went to high school with. he let me in for free despite my out-of-state plates. #i love small towns sometimes. #my photography #nature #landscape #landscape photography #lake #golden hour #photography #midwest #forest #woods #indiana

[klbwriting]

Adventures In Atlantean-Sitting

Chapter 5

Fandom: Aquaman

Pairing: Ormxfemale!Reader

Warnings: some violence

Summary: Orm and YN are cooped up after a metahuman attack, but when its finally safe YN takes Orm to the amusement park

Notes: 'Orm is a witch in the woods' forever

Orm’s attitude since the movie and diner date had improved immensely. He was still aggravated that he had to wear the bracelet, it itched, and he missed having his abilities, but YN wouldn’t budge. He could see now that trying to run had been a huge mistake and her trust was broken. He wasn’t sure he would ever earn it back and for some reason that irked him the most. The last few weeks they had been getting along great and he found that she was probably the best friend he had ever had. He didn’t realize that she felt the same way about him, but he hoped she did.

YN threw herself into showing Orm everything she could about the surface world. They went on hikes to lakes and wildflower fields where he asked her question after question about nature in the area. Turns out being alone for long amounts of time gives one all kinds of time to learn and YN was very knowledgeable. They would cook together, and she taught him how to bake, though those lessons normally ended with them covered in flour and noticing how much they liked the others’ laugh. And the movies, they went to the movie theater every weekend and watched different shows and movies every night on the couch. It was becoming a routine for them and Orm found he loved it. He was starting to wonder if that’s why he always used to be angry, maybe he, as YN liked to say, just wanted to be a witch who lives in the woods and gives out full size candy bars to the brave kids on Halloween. He had no idea what half of that statement meant, but he got the idea of it.

Another attack happened while Orm was there. They soon found out that it wasn’t Atlanteans, just run of the mill metahuman stuff, but YN still thought it was a good idea to stay inside for a couple weeks, make sure that Atlantis didn’t send anyone to poke around. They spent three weeks inside and by the end of it Orm was crawling up the walls. He didn’t like what the isolation was doing to YN either. Instead of doing things she normally did, she was hiding out with him because she was worried he would try to run again. Finally, he sat on the couch in the early afternoon and looked at her.

“We need to get out of here,” Orm said. YN looked at him from her place on the floor, reading. “You have read that book twice since we started this quarantine. No Atlanteans ever came looking for me, the city is rebuilding from the damage, it seems like a good time to get out and do something.” She put down the book and looked like she was in thought. “Let’s go to the movies.” Orm was trying very hard to get her to agree to go out, just for a little while.

“No, not the movies,” she said, rising. “Go get dressed, we’re doing something new, something I hope you’ll love.” Orm hopped up, not needing told again. They both went into the bedroom and Orm grabbed a shirt while YN grabbed some thinks from her closet. She turned to exit and Orm was already in his underwear, ready to throw on his new clothes. YN stared for a second. “You’ve been hiding all that.” Orm looked at himself.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said quickly, blushing as she headed to the bathroom to change. Orm smiled a little. They had been dancing around each other, flirting here and there, and it made his blood run a little faster knowing that she was attracted to him. He sighed. He had to face the fact sooner or later, at some point in time he had stopped thinking of YN as his babysitter, or even his friend, she was so much more than that. Maybe she felt the same way? After whatever activity they did today he would have to find out.

YN put her clothes on for what she planned with Orm and then she splashed some cold water on her face. Yes, Orm was hot, and yes, she was very interested in him beyond the fact that he was hot. Ever since he had arrived, she had been chipping away at his exterior and she loved what she found. If only he could feel the same way she did. But why would he? He was pretty much a step down from being a god, and she just a human, just his babysitter while he waited for Atlantis to forget about him. It was hopeless. She let out a breath and headed back to the living room. Orm was waiting and he smiled at her, and it made her heart flutter. Alright, maybe there was some hope.

Orm was staring. This place looked as bright and colorful as Atlantis, and he felt homesick for a moment. YN seemed to notice and frowned.

“Do you hate it?” she asked, clearly worried she had made a mistake bringing him to the amusement park on the pier. He slowly shook his head.

“No, its amazing, reminds me of my other home,” he said. YN’s heart nearly stopped.

“Your other home?” she asked. Atlantis was his home, what other home was there? It couldn’t be her little cottage. He looked down at her and smiled.

“Atlantis, this reminds of there, my home here is your place,” he said simply, as if it were the truest thing in the world. YN smiled back at him and took his head. “What do we do first?”

“Roller coaster let’s get that out of the way before we try to eat anything,” she said, pulling him in the direction of a large wooden track structure. As they got in line, he watched the cars going up and down the hills and he felt a little nervous.

“What is the point of this thing?” he asked, watching as someone got off the ride and immediately emptied their stomach in a trash can. YN pushed his face so he would stop watching and he wished she would touch him again like that, he loved it.

“It’s a thrill, for some people it’s the closest they get to flying,” she explained. They soon were on the ride and Orm was screaming and laughing as the coaster raced around the track. When it finished he wanted to go again, so they did. However, after the second time he started to feel dizzy and could understand why someone could get sick on that thing.

“That was amazing,” he said as they headed to ride something else. YN took him on everything, the swings, the pirate ship, the boat hide, the haunted house. It was nothing like he had experienced before and by the time they were getting funnel cakes to eat he was trying to figure out how to come back again the next day.

“I guess you like it here,” YN said as if reading his mind. He chuckled. “I hoped you would, I know its not easy being stuck with one person, or in one place, for a long time, I hope this whole thing hasn’t been too bad.” Orm shook his head.

“Honestly, this whole thing, the cottage, the movies, the rides, you, this has been the greatest thing to happen to me,” he said. YN eyes watered a little and he worried he had stepped too far, maybe she didn’t want him to think so highly of her.

“Thank you Orm, that is incredibly sweet,” she said. She moved around to his side of the table and kissed his cheek. He blushed and cleared his throat, putting an arm around her shoulders.

“How about we do one of those games. I see one with water guns, I have a feeling I could win you something,” he offered. She nodded and they threw their trash away, and picked up some other discarded trash as they went and headed to the games.

Orm was very successful with the water gun game. YN walked out of the park with a dolphin the size of her cottage pretty much, holding it under one arm while she held his hand. They walked down the beach, and she stopped him.

“Alright, here’s the best part,” she said, turning back to the park. Orm turned and frowned, wondering what she was talking about. Then he heard a boom and saw lights in the sky. It was amazing. “The fireworks,” she explained as a few more went off. She watched him as he watched the lights. Finally, he sensed her eyes on him, and he turned to her. He was suddenly pushed by some unknown force to kiss her. He leaned in just a little, but stopped, not sure she would want this. His eyes shifted to her lips and back to her eyes and she seemed to understand. She nodded. He didn’t need told again. His lips pressed to hers, his free hand wrapping around to hold her head as his tongue pushed at her lips. She opened them and he tasted her, and he knew he never wanted to taste anyone else again. This was the perfect moment and his heart had never felt so full. He was pissed when the explosion rocked the pier. He turned and before he could stop himself, he was running back towards the attack, YN following him.

#king orm #orm marius #ormmarius #orm marius x reader #king orm x reader #kingorm #ormmariusxreader #kingormxreader #ormseries5

[atths--twice]

Come With Me

While on the run, after a morning spent slightly at odds, Scully discovers that it’s Mulder’s birthday and sets out to turn the day around.

It’s 10/13! Mulder’s birthday is today! I know there are many ways he could be spending THIS day, but what about a birthday years ago? Back when days blended together and dates became meaningless. How would those days have been celebrated?

Fictober prompt for day 13- Come with me, hurry.

They had been feeling the funk. The way it got when they had been cooped up too long either in one place, or simply from being around one another for long periods of time. 

She loved him, she did, but sometimes the close quarters and the fact that they were each other’s everything became too much. 

They had been at a small cabin for two weeks, a wonderful little place set back at the end of a long road where no one drove as there were no other houses around. It was by a lake and they went out hiking and exploring nearly every day. 

But today… today they had hit that wall. 

Deciding to give him some space, Scully went for a drive, needing to feel she was in motion, even while they were standing still. 

She had no destination in mind and as she drove, her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she had not eaten since breakfast. Pulling into the parking lot of a diner, she put her baseball cap on and got out, keeping her head down. 

Sitting in a back booth, she ordered a sandwich and a lemonade. Looking out the window, she saw the lot next door had a carnival set up. She watched as families entered, some of their kids dressed in Halloween costumes. 

“What’s the date today?” she whispered to herself and when the waitress came back, she asked her. 

“Oh, it’s the thirteenth of October. Were you checking out the festival there? It’s our annual Fall Harvest Festival and it’s up until November first. On Halloween, they turn it into the Haunted Fall Harvest Festival, so if you’re into that, you should come back. It’s full of mazes and scary stuff. It’s super fun.” 

“Yeah, thanks,” Scully said, a plan forming. “You know what, could I get this sandwich to go? And another one as well. Same sandwich, but without a pickle. And a large iced tea, please.” 

“Sure thing. Be ready in a few minutes.”

__________

She drove down the long road to the cabin, smiling as she took a sip of her lemonade. This plan was just the thing they needed. It would be perfect. 

Leaving the food in the car, she hurried inside and found Mulder on the back porch, staring out at the lake. 

“Hey,” she said, smiling at him and he looked at her in surprise and she understood why, remembering the way she had left. “I know it’s gonna sound crazy, but…” She held her hand out to him and wiggled her fingers. “Come with me.” 

“What?” he asked, now looking confused. 

“Come with me,” she repeated, stepping closer to him. “Hurry.” 

“Scully… what are you-”

“Just come on, let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and pulled at him until he stood up. “Consider it a peace offering. Now come on.” He looked at her skeptically, but did as she asked. 

They rode in relative silence as she drove them to the parking lot of the festival. Parking the car, she looked at him and watched his face as she waited to see what he would think. 

“A carnival?” he asked quietly. 

“A harvest festival,” she said just as quietly. “They have it every year, I’ve been told.” 

“A harvest festival,” he said, nodding as he smiled. 

“Games and rides,” she added. “What do you think?” 

“I think…” He chuckled softly and turned to look at her. “I think it’s just what we needed.” 

“I agree,” she said with a smile. “But wait, it’s more than that. Close your eyes.” He raised his eyebrows in question and then as he had done at the cabin, he did as she asked. 

She reached into the backseat and brought the bag holding their sandwiches and the special item she had inquired after. Taking it from the bag, she opened the packaging and smiled. 

“Hold out your hands, but keep your eyes closed.” 

“Okay,” he said, grinning as he put out his hands. “But if it’s a severed head, I’m gonna be very upset.” 

“It’s not,” she laughed, placing the container in his hands. “And no more Wayne’s World for you. I can’t go through that again.” 

“No way,” he said, scoffing in his best Wayne impression. 

“Way,” she replied, smiling as she stared at him. “Okay, open your eyes.” He did, looking at what he was holding. 

“A cupcake?” he asked. 

“A birthday cupcake,” she said. 

“No shit? It’s my birthday today?” He laughed and nodded, staring at the chocolate cupcake with orange and white frosting. 

“It is,” she said, smiling as he took it out and unwrapped it, taking a large bite. 

“Mmm,” he hummed, nodding as he chewed. “It’s the best cupcake I’ve ever had. Here, have a bite.” 

She leaned forward and he held it as she took a small bite, wanting him to have the majority of it. It was good and she almost wished she had gotten two of them. 

He smiled and when she swallowed her bite, he leaned closer and kissed her. She closed her eyes, a hand on his cheek as they kissed again, the sweetness of the cupcake adding to the sweetness of the kiss. 

“I’m sorry about today,” he whispered, their foreheads pressed together, their sweet breath mingling. “I know I can be… that it can be…” 

“I know,” she said, pulling back to look at him. “And it’s not you. It’s both of us. We’re both to blame at times. This was one of those times. We’ll have more and we’ll get past it.” 

“Yeah,” he whispered and she smiled, kissing him one more time. 

“Come on. Let’s eat and then go play some games. I want to win a big stuffed prize.” 

“You don’t want me to win one for you? Be all chivalrous and shit?” he asked, shoving the rest of the cupcake into his mouth. She raised her eyebrows and laughed. 

“How about I win one for you, it being your birthday and the fact that my aim is better?” she asked, taking off her seatbelt and taking the keys from the ignition.

“We’ll see what happens,” he relented, licking his fingers clean and closing the container. “What sandwiches did you get?” 

________

They ate at a picnic table, laughing and occasionally kissing, the fight and grumpiness from earlier, now in the past. 

He attempted to win her a stuffed dog, but missed as one milk bottle refused to fall, despite his pleading with it. 

“Okay. My turn,” she said, handing the man at the booth five dollars and receiving a bucket of softballs. 

She had every milk bottle down in two throws. 

They both walked away with a prize, Mulder taking her hand and pulling her close, telling her how much it turned him on watching her throwing the balls. 

“I think you just like saying balls,” she whispered and he chuckled, nodding in the affirmative. 

They ate and drank, trying out different fried foods, until Scully groaned and said she could not take anymore. 

They got lost in the large corn maze, relying on the map Scully had thoughtfully grabbed as they entered. 

“I’m glad you grabbed that map. But what if it had been my plan, getting us lost,” he said, grabbing her by the belt loops of her jeans and pulling her close. He took her baseball cap off and she shook her hair free from it. “You are so beautiful. Maybe I wanted a few minutes alone with you here.” 

“Oh my god! This is not the way we came. You totally got us lost!” a woman shouted, walking past them before Scully could reply. She smiled at him as he glanced at the woman. “How could you do this?” 

“It’s a maze, Margot,” the man following her shot back. “It’s meant to be confusing.” 

“To a simpleton maybe,” she shouted over her shoulder. 

“Oh, that’s really nice,” he shouted back as they disappeared from view. 

Mulder turned his attention back to Scully, shaking his head and closing his eyes briefly. 

“Well, that’s-”

“Come on! I’ll beat you!” a little girl yelled, giggling as she ran past them. “You’re so slow!” 

“Mom said not to run. I can’t keep up with you! Wait, Ari!” another little girl called. She was younger than the other girl and she sighed as she paused for a second and then started to run. “Wait for me!” 

“Hurry up slowpoke!” 

“What were you saying about a moment alone?” Scully asked and he laughed as he bent his head to kiss her quickly before putting her hat back on. 

At sunset, they boarded the Ferris wheel, the stuffed prizes they won sitting on Mulder’s right side. Scully laid her head on his shoulder as they began to rise slowly, stopping to let others board. 

“It was a good day,” she said softly and he hummed in reply. He placed his hand on her thigh, drawing patterns upon it, his touch causing her to shiver. 

“Cold?” he asked and she shook her head. 

“No,” she whispered and he chuckled softly, his fingers slowing. She closed her eyes and focused on the patterns he drew, attempting to see if she could decipher them. 

“I’m glad we came out today. We needed this,” he said, the chair rocking slightly as they stopped once again. 

“Hmm,” she hummed, taking her hat off and placing it beside her before combing her fingers through her hair. “We did.” 

“Thank you.” 

“For what?” she asked, raising her head to look at him. 

“Being here, putting up with me.” He shrugged and she smiled. 

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” 

They stared at one another and the sadness of the cost for their seclusion, which always lived so close to the surface, nearly broke free. 

But then the ride began to move in earnest and it startled her. 

“Whoa,” she said, laughing as she clasped the bar in front of them. 

The sunset was breathtaking from the top of the Ferris wheel and they both sighed as they stared at it. 

“Beautiful,” she whispered and he hummed, his fingers tracing on her thigh again. 

She watched as he made a line of hearts, stopping mid thigh and going back towards her knee. Her stomach quivered at the image it conjured up of his tongue in that exact same spot only a few days ago.  

What that man could do with his tongue…

He traced a heart line again, slower this time, and then it changed. Letters now, and she closed her eyes, paying close attention. 

I.. L.. O.. V.. E .. Y.. O.. U 

Another heart and an exclamation mark were added and she smiled. 

On the inside of his arm, she used her nails to trace the same letters adding the number two, a heart, and two exclamation marks. 

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head as they rose to the crest of the Ferris wheel, her eyes opening to watch the setting sun as his fingers began tracing slowly once again. 

#fictober23 #fictober 2023 #xffictober23 #the x files #on the run #arguments #needing some space #driving #festivals #birthday #festival games #kissing #apologies #holding hands #love #sunsets

[alex51324]

Want to see something cool, but also kinda sad + anger-inducing?

Today I went to a nearby state park, and hiked to this cabin:

Hand-built by a local man named Armar Bordner in the 1930's, it was occupied by Mr. Bordner until his death in 1994. It's not for rent or anything; it's just sitting there, with all the doors and windows open, for anyone who's up for a mile-and-a-half hike to stop in and have a look around. There are a few framed photos on the walls showing how it looked when he lived there, and a couple of signs explaining the history.

And that's kind of a bold move, considering that, if you have any ability to read between the lines, the parks department really comes off bad in it.

Here's the sign:

A clearer and more detailed version of the text is available here, the site of a private conservation organization that maintains the cabin.

Mr. Bordner, who was an Industrial Arts teacher, bought the land and built the cabin by hand, with some help from friends and students, over a 2 1/2 year period ending in 1939. All of the logs for the cabin were felled and hewn by hand, he used local materials, mostly obtained at the site, and was reportedly inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright.

In the 1970's, the state decided that they wanted to create a state park in the area. The original plan was fairly elaborate, including damming the creek to create a lake for recreational boating, fishing, etc. (PA state parks have a lot of these "man-made lakes," mostly built in the CCC era or shortly after WWII.) Under eminent domain, the state seized private land--mostly hunting camps--for the project.

One of the seized properties was Mr. Bordner's cabin. He fought the seizure--I mean, who wouldn't?--and at some point the state apparently decided that it was not a great look to force a senior citizen out of the family home that he built with his own two hands, and granted him the privilege of continuing to live in it for the remainder of his life, for what is described as a "nominal fee."

Mr. Bordner went on to live two more decades, passing in his cabin in 1994, at the age of 90. During the decades since his cabin technically ceased to belong to him, the park project kind of fell apart. The park was officially formed in 1987, but it was considered an "undeveloped park"--meaning, it was public land, but the state wasn't doing anything to encourage people to visit it or accommodate them if they did--until 2012, when the parks department took an interest in developing it.

Now, in 2023, the park has several hiking trails, three parking lots with port-a-potties , and that's about it. (Most state parks here have things like campsites, picnic grounds, etc.) Some of the trails--the equestrian trails and the Swatara Rail-Trail--are on park land but maintained by other groups. As is the cabin itself, which was allowed to fall into disrepair after Mr. Bordner's death, and was restored by a group called the Swatara Watershed Association.

It's an absolutely beautiful cabin, in a lovely setting, and I'm glad I got to see and explore it--but once you learn the history, it's hard not to feel that it should still belong to Mr. Bordner's daughter. (Or, if she didn't want to live there or keep it up, to a group that Mr. Bordner had chosen while he was alive to preserve it and make it available to the community.)

Anyway, here are some more pretty photos:

Here's a big porch-balcony that looks out over the stream and waterfall:

Sophie and I sat there to have a little snack after our hike:

Then we got to exploring the inside. Here we're in the main room looking out toward the waterfall:

And here we are on the other side of the window, looking in:

The main room, here, faces the creek/waterfall on two sides, as the stream wraps around it. Over to the right (from this POV), there is a small room that might have been a bedroom or kitchen. (There's a photo of a large woodstove for cooking in it, but the watershed or site seems to say it was a bedroom?) The balcony from the earlier picture is to the left, and at the far end of the cabin there's a staircase leading up to a loft, with some little bedrooms tucked under it.

Here's one of the framed photos on the wall, showing how this area looked at one point during Mr. Bordner's time there:

And my attempt at re-creating the photo from the same angle:

Here we're looking down from the loft, at the fireplace that Mr. Bordner built with stone collected on the site:

Another look at the fireplace:

Surprisingly, there are no signs saying not to light a fire in it.

Here's a photo from the wall showing one of the small bedrooms:

And the room today:

And here's Sophie hanging out next to the post for the library hiking program:

That's about all I have--I thought I took some pictures of the waterfall, but I guess I didn't. The Watershed Association site has additional photos, if you want to see more. I definitely want to go back and see it another time.

#cabin #state parks #eminent domain #hiking adventures #history

[plvto-sqda]

-⋆ Dating Gareth Headcanons (Pt.2)

✩Summer Edition!✩

⭒ He would take you stargazing all throughout the summer. His mom taught him a lot of constellations when he was younger, and he is kinda a space nerd as well so he loves to point all kinds of stars and planets out to you. One of the best parts of these little trips with him is the drive to the spot you both like to stargaze at because the sun is going down, creating a beautiful sunset of all kinds of colors as energetic music blasts from the car and you guys are joking around and generally having very enjoyable conversations with each other.

⭒ Gareth would take you to the beach a lot too! He would always take a box or bag to put all kinds of shells and rocks in (because we all know he loves rocks and trinkets; he has a whole collection at home lol). He also definitely has a special jar where he puts all the rocks you give him. He also loves going to the little shops at the beach too and checking out all the shells, trinkets, glass-blown art, and crystals.

⭒ You guys would have an absolute blast at the fair! He’s definitely a huge fan of the more intense rides like the Kamikaze and the Spin-Out, but he will be more than happy to go on the Tilt-a-Whirl or the Giant Swing with you. And once the sun sets the two of you share a funnel cake and then go on the Ferris Wheel. When your capsule is reaching the top he tells you how much he's enjoyed this and that honestly, the day couldn't get better. You smile and tell him you feel the same. And once the capsule finally reaches the top, you lean over and kiss him. He's immediately all smiles and turns bright red and basically stays like that until the ride is over.

⭒ Gareth would also take you to go to drive-in movies together. Some of his best memories are of you both in the back of his car, cuddled up in blankets and pillows, and watching a drive-in horror movie.

⭒ He would take you to outdoor concerts too! Occasionally you two would invite the rest of the Corroded Coffin boys and then go out for dinner at a fast food place afterward, but it's also just nice to hang out together and dance and scream all the lyrics to the songs that are being played. (Also bonus: if you went to any metal concerts, Eddie would def get a little jealous and beg to go with you guys)

⭒ You two go on countless trips for ice cream all throughout the summer! Gareth likes more chocolatey or peanut buttery flavors and he likes strawberry too, but he will be totally willing to try some of whatever flavor you choose. I also headcanon that he loves waffle cones. Idk he just seems like a waffle cone kinda guy.

⭒ We all know Gareth loves hiking and nature, so you two will often go for little walks and hikes. Some of your favorite things to do while hiking are finding rocks, picking flower bouquets out of the wildflowers, and foraging too! His mom used to forage a lot and she still does today so he knows about what most of the plants are out there and what he can do with them.

⭒ On the 4th of July, he takes you to go out for dinner and see fireworks. He also brings snacks and a cooler for drinks. You guys sit there for hours, having both funny and deep conversations, commenting on the fireworks, maybe sharing some kisses, and overall just making some really great memories too. He has a lot of Polaroid pictures of this night

⭒He's definitely not into actual hunting, but he finds fishing enjoyable. (he always catches and releases them because he feels bad killing and cooking the fish, and he doesn't even really know how to cook fish anyways lol)

⭒ Hey, and let's not forget about outings with the Hellfire Club too! You guys would arrange hangouts frequently over the summer and go for drives (ofc while blasting metal the whole time), go shopping (depending on which stores you guys decide to go to, chaos often ensues and so is getting kicked out), play DnD (more chaos), and explore around Lovers Lake together (Eddie pushed Mike into the lake once), and more stuff like that.

#ngl this was one of my favorite headcanons to write #also! I took that picture above lol. It was taken in the lagoon at Aulani in Ko Olina #gareth stranger things #gareth emerson headcanons #gareth emerson #gareth emerson fluff #corroded coffin #hellfire club #stranger things season 4 #eddie munson #jeff stranger things #eddie munson stranger things #stranger things

[la-appel-du-vide]

08•19•23 - Glacier National Park Day Two

We did get an earlier start on day two, even if it wasn’t as early as we’d hoped. We had a lot to accomplish, so we had to get moving pretty quick. We were able to get some breakfast sandwiches to start the day, so we were already off to a better start than the day before. We made our way back up the Going-to-the-Sun road, and it was far less visible today. There are so many wildfires in the area, and they took their toll on air quality today. We couldn’t see nearly as far or as well. And the temperature had dropped probably 20 degrees from the day before as well. I can’t believe how much it changed in just one night. But obviously still a beautiful drive. The tunnels and rock arches under the roadway are so fun.

The first stop of the day was the Logan Pass parking lot, where we’d base camp for a couple of hikes. It’s SUPER popular to park up there, and people end up just driving around and around forever waiting for someone to leave. Eventually we just parked at the end of one of the aisles to wait, rather than continuing to drive in circles. That way, we’d be watching one aisle consistently for someone to leave, and would be the first in line when it happened. It took maybe 20 minutes, but finally someone was ready to leave. As that happened, another Jeep pulled into the aisle from the other direction, and tried to take our spot. We’d been there longer, B signaled first, and he was still trying to stake claim to it, which is so rude and annoying. The park ranger came over to us to direct us up the aisle a little bit, and then said she’d make sure we got the spot. Then she noticed the other Jeep, and said she’d go stand in front of him so we’d get it, even though it would make him mad, and boy did it. He opened his door and started yelling at her while we parked, and then he pulled around in front of us just to blare on the horn and aggressively flip us off. It was so insane, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I was slightly worried he’d key our car or slash our tires because he was that mad, but truly unhinged behavior. It was so clear that we’d been there first. But WHATEVER. We were on guard looking for him the rest of the time we were up there though - we did not want another encounter.

Our first hike today was up to the Hidden Lake Overlook. It wasn’t too bad, and a lot of it was on a boardwalk. It was much colder today, and jackets were required even while hiking. The lake was beautiful from above. We could have hiked down to it, but it would have taken much longer, and we had more things to do. I am glad we got to actually be at Avalanche Lake, so that made up for it.

We stopped by the visitor’s center to get the keychain and postcards I mentioned earlier, and B got some playing cards and stickers as well. And then we headed over to the Highline Trail. This was my favorite hike of the day - I was obsessed. It’s a trail that follows the alignment of the Going-to-the-Sun road, and it runs along the edge of the cliff as well. It’s skinny and feels like an adventure, while also providing gorgeous views the entire time. It is about 12 miles to hike the whole thing, so we decided just to hike a mile or so in before turning around, and it was absolutely worth it. It’s basically flat the whole time, and if I had more time I would have hiked more of it, but I’m so glad we did as much as we did! I loved it!

We stopped by the goat boardwalk again, and once again, no goats. Let down.

It was 3 by this point, so we were able to enter other areas of the park. We went up to Many Glacier, which is a piece of the park falling on Reservation land. Mikayla told us she’d had better luck with wildlife on that side of the park, and we were on a mission to see some. As we were driving along the road to enter the park from that side, we saw a bunch of cars pulled over and were hopeful that it would be something to see, and it WAS! A grizzly bear, walking along the lakeshore in the distance! We were so happy to see him, and we watched him walk along for awhile. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wild grizzly before, so that was very cool. Once we got into the park, we pulled over with the masses again, hoping there were sheep or something, but there ended up being two black bears up on the mountain! Also so cool! They were actually huge, and we sat watching them for a bit as well. We drove through Many Glacier, and saw the iconic Swiss inspired hotel on the lakeshore, and I would absolutely love to stay there. You’d wake up to the coolest views every day! But still no goats or sheep the entire time. On our drive back out, we saw another grizzly (possible the same one) swimming in the lake, before making his way out and up. Cute that he was swimming.

The final hike of the day, and the trip, was back along the Going-to-the-Sun road. It was a hike out past Saint Mary Falls to Virginia Falls. We were starting the hike just after six, so we were hustling to make it there and back before it started to get dark. I was proud of how fast I was hiking, despite being so tired after going all day long, but we really hauled. We made it to Saint Mary Falls in no time at all, and it had an impressive amount of volume coming down. Mikayla said people cliff jump off that bridge, but that looked very scary to me haha. I would have to watch someone do it before I’d be brave enough to do it myself. Then we continued on to Virginia Falls. We stopped at the lower falls to watch some people cliff jumping into the swimming hole before, and that was pretty cool. The height wasn’t bad, but I was pretty sure the shock of the water might kill me on impact. So we moved along to the upper falls. They were so tall and magnificent. I enjoyed it so much! Since I still need to experience the Glacier water, I went out to stand under the waterfall. It really was SO cold, but I’m glad I did it. The waterfall was powerful and magical. We walked around the falls and wading pools, and froze our feet off, before hiking out. There is so much blue, blue water in the park, and I don’t understand how that happens. But I love to see it!

We made it back out in good time, and then made one final stop at the goat boardwalk. And sadly, there were still no mountain goats or big horn sheep. I wonder if all the wildfires have scared the goats away? Everyone we talked to was also really sad about not seeing any, and always on the lookout for some. We did ironically see another bear - we think another grizzly - while we were there. He was hanging out under the Going-to-the-Sun road, just digging and chilling. We think there may have been a cub there as well, but it’s so hard to tell for sure from so far away. I was FREEZING by that point though, being wet and it only being 45 degrees, and the sun being down and the wind picking up…. I was ready to be back in the car.

We enjoyed our final drive down for now, and tried to really take the view in. It’s sad to say goodbye. We didn’t get out of the park until it was dark, and so I never got my picture by the Glacier National Park sign. I also didn’t get to try a huckleberry shake or treat since everything was closed by the time we got out. So I guess there are my reasons to come back - plus, the goats!

We ate dinner at a Whitefish bar. The bathrooms were lined in pornographic photos, which was a shock to me hahah, what the. The food was pretty mid, but it was dinner nonetheless! Then it was off to bed for us. My knees were feeling it from so much hiking, and I was so happy to collapse into bed.

We got an early start the next morning for the long drive home, which is so much more tolerable in the daylight.

I absolutely loved it, and hope to be back to that magical place someday! Until then, I’ll be dreaming of those wildflowers. xx

[fleurcareil]

North Ontario (3): Neys and Sleeping Giant provincial parks

After stocking up in Marathon, it was only a short drive to Neys provincial park, of which I had never heard of until I researched for this trip, although someone told me that this is the locals' favourite. Unfortunately the lakefront sites had already been booked so I sat a bit further back in the forest with less view but also less wind, which turned out to be of benefit as it was definitely not calm here!

In the morning, it wasnt much better so went for a paddle on Little Pic River instead, which had some pretty rock faces and two high bridges to cross under (I had already heard the train overnight as it passed by at 4am tooting the horn to scare wildlife off the tracks), but then it quickly became shallow and I couldn't proceed beyond some gravel banks.

This meant that I had plenty of time to show up at the visitor centre for a guided hike of the prisoner of war camp that had operated here during the 2nd World War, during which a total of 3,000 Nazis were held here, on request by the British government to keep them as far away as possible from the front line. The site was later also used as a Japanese-Canadian internment camp, of which I had already heard of during a visit to the Human Rights museum in Winnipeg (which made me realize I'll always only be seen part Canadian with my rights being able to taken away at any moment), but I wasn't aware that Canada had also kept 36,000 mostly German prisoners of war in detention or logging labour camps... under the Geneva convention, if prisoners would be treated well here, Canadian prisoners in Germany should be receiving the same conditions, so in some distorted way, the Nazis were treated exceptionally well here with good food, an ice rink, orchestra etc. The reason that the camp was built here, is that surrounded by a freezing lake and black bears 😝 it would be impossible to escape (which indeed no one did). Although there's hardly any remnants left, overgrown by the forest in the last 80 years, it was one of the most interesting guided hikes I've ever done!

People on the tour were very friendly so we hung around afterwards for quite a while to share tips where to go next, why they loved it so much here (many being repeat visitors since 10-20 years), inquiring about my moving plans etc 😃

Feeling lazy, I sat a bit on the beach for lunch & reading, but the hard wind wasn't pleasant, so I went on another short hike to see logging boats that had been used by the PoW labour camps and just chill on the rocks. 🤗 I followed a group of Canada Geese that were battling the waves to get to a calmer spot and although I don't like them, I was impressed with their swimming capabilities!

It was dreary the next morning, so packed up the tent and went to a viewpoint of the lake... Aware of how quiet I am on a hike, especially compared to a group with children 😝, when there's no other cars parked/ people on the trail, I say the following verse out loud; "Hi hi, I'm a human. If you're a bear, please go away. I know I'm in your home but prefer not to see you today." 🤣🤣 I did hear at some point a loud cracking sound but it could very well have been a squirrel as those also can make a racket!

After a shower & in between rain bouts, I finally also hiked a small dune trail which showed a clear contrast between the planted pine trees in the 60's where the PoW camp had been (left pic) versus the original boreal forest with its shaggy trees and moss undergrowth in open areas (right pic).

On the way further west, I made several pit stops to break up the drive; first up were the Aguasabon falls near Terrace Bay, then a pebble beach at Schreiber (where I tried to use my thermos as a selfie statif with mixed success 😉), followed by a viewing tower at Nipigon (where both the LCBO and beer store were closed on a Sunday so I would be dry for the next few days, not a disaster 😅), and last but not least the majestic Ouimet Canyon. I had heard about the canyon before, and although it's not entirely the Grand Canyon as someone described it to me 😁, it's impressive to see and to realize that the valley bottom is an Artic ecosystem with ice under the moss & rocks that never melts!

At the canyon, I already heard thundering from far, so luckily I managed to set up my tent at Sleeping Giant provincial park before the rain started. It then rained for the rest of the evening so instead of experimenting with a roasted pork tenderloin on the fire, I ate chips in the car until I went to bed 🤨.

Despite the rain all night, next day the sky was very smokey with an orangy bleak sun if it came at all, so I forewent the famous 22k hike up the Giant (which I had already done in 2012 when I was here and although beautiful, wrecked my legs with shin splits from over-exertion). Instead I hiked easily to the Sea Lion arch with the giant as the backdrop (the head is to the right, then the body and completely left are the toes or knees I believe).

It felt good to be on the move so I did another hike after that to a secluded bay where the water was incredibly calm but cold so brought my bikini for nothing and instead really got into my book - thanks Navneet for giving it to me a long time ago as I really liked it! 😍

Back at the campground and after having read some more over a cup of mint tea, my body was up for even more exercise 🙃 so went for a 1.5hr paddle on Marie Louise lake; easy going along the shore to minimize fighting the wind and with the giant in sight. Although I'm definitely fitter than when I was sitting behind a desk all day, it does not translate into a thin body due to too much chips & beer 😜 but hey, I take it as it is!

The wood logs were wet of the rain & were hard to catch fire so I gave up and dove into bed early. In the morning, it was foggy so perfect excuse to finish reading the book in bed until 9am.

Today is 1st August so that means I've been on the road now for two months already! 🎉🎉 Time to leave stunning Lake Superior behind and get myself to the Prairies and the west.

Wildlife: 3 deer at Sleeping Giant

SUPS: one at Neys & one at Sleeping Giant

Hikes: four at Neys & two at Sleeping Giant

Distance driven this week: 759 km

[pcttrailsidereader]

Black Rock Basin

From Pacific Crest Trail: Mountain Encounters of a Wilderness Ranger by Ronin Demele.

A mystery was reported in a basin just north of the Pacific Crest Trail concerning a very large, remote artifact. My friend Jimmyo, who was still working in the alps had told me about it.

When hiking into Black Rock Basin, which is seldom visited by backpackers, a discovery was made. I had visited this place only once on a day hike to see the lovely little no name lake. This pocket lake consists of a two-foot-deep lake of perhaps one acre, surrounded by lush grass with tall white firs growing near one side and boggy, marshy spring water, filled meadows with azaleas, corn lillies, and shooting star flowers nearby. Surrounding this basin is steep solid rock with no trail in.

A few years back, Jimmyo came hiking down into the basin the hard way, reaching the south rocky ridge before heading toward the lake below. Over toward the peak,he noticed a shiny metal reflection, and trees broken off nearby. Jimmyo told me about what he found.

Spread out along the scene was a plane crash. A small plane trying to cross the northern Alps had hit the tree tops several feet short of clearing the high peaks, and smashed into the rocks below.

It had happened that winter, and now in summer it was discovered by accident. He found not just an airplane in pieces, but he also found a human body in pieces. The body had been ripped apart by bears, and decayed. Pieces of plane and pieces of person were found in the rocks and trees. Also found nearby were large bricks of cocaine. Most mysteriously, there was money spread around the site also. Jimmyo decided to turn right around and report this to the sheriff.

Deputies and rangers were called in to help pack out all they could in garbage bags for identification and investigation. The word got out and within a few hours of the initial report, the sheriff got reports that about a dozen bikers were seen trying to ride up into the forest to locate the site. The area was closed off for miles around. After investigating, officials could not find any record of a flight plan issued or any reports of distress by the pilot. This event was never reported in the media. The mystery did not exist until Jimmyo hiked into it that summer.

Recently, I was hiking on the PCT near this basin and saw large bear scat on a ridge trail. I nervously wondered what he had eaten recently, but only found grasses in his poop. Perhaps this bear wanders the trails today looking for plane crashes. Jimmyo has found new place to explore in the Trinity Alps Wilderness and rarely talks about his trip into Black Rock Basin.

Climbers with retrieved marijuana (1977)

In January of 1977, two employees of Yosemite’s Ahwahnee Hotel went for a snowshoe. The park was in the middle of one of its worst droughts in a hundred years, so they could hike further than usual. That day, they were able to reach all the way up to the Lower Merced Pass Lake, where they made a terrifying discovery.Climbers show off recovered marijuana from a crashed plane

Laying nose first in the lake was a crashed Howard 500, a twin-jet aircraft with a missing wing. The crashed plane had laid there for a month, along with occupants of the plane – a pilot, a passenger and 6,000 pounds of Mexican marijuana.

The hikers reported the crash to authorities and soon enough, the park was filled with law enforcement. Authorities recovered 2,000 pounds of half-frozen marijuana in burlap bags scattered around the lake. They hauled the bags down the hill and stuck them in one of their small jail cells. But the plane was carrying much more than that.

Over the next month, the lake froze over, creating a cold, underwater bath of leaked oil and scrap metal. Authorities brought in the best in the business to dive into the water and hopefully recover the bodies and grab any marijuana still in the fuselage. But the conditions made it much too difficult, and with a massive storm approaching, they decided to wait until early-spring to finish the recovery mission. They wouldn’t return to the site for another three months.

Word reached the climbers in Yosemite, and they spent the following months turning Lower Merced Pass Lake into the legendary Dope Lake. They would make the arduous hike up to Lower Merced Pass Lake, where they would take axes to the frozen sheet of ice to recover as much marijuana they could hike down the mountain. Factions were beginning to congregate around the cold lake, with busy workers constantly in search of their next bag. Some were said to have made up to $20,000 from their findings, the equivalent to $125,000 today.

“We underestimated the entrepreneurial spirit of certain members of the community,” said Yosemite Park Ranger Tim Setnicka to The Men’s Journal.

[barefoot-sunrise]

We had so much fun this weekend! Vi and me went for this hike, which would always be a good time, but this one especially. Of course the drive and brunch and just being around each other was always going to be purely delightful, but not as much as what we found.

It was a lake. Pretty big: the path around it took maybe a half hour, but mostly because of the hills. We wandered plenty from it though, both to frolic, and also to dry off 😅

I remember Vi saying, "I didn't know we were swimming today!" She's so cute about that kind of stuff. She was right though; as soon as we saw it, I think we knew before we even said anything: I've gotta get in that.

The water was super calm. There wasn't much level ground where we first saw it, but we walked around to a bit where there was a little gravelly beach, if you can call it that.

So we took off what we could, and left what we couldn't to soak... it was just so obviously worth it. For V, that was easy. She had on little volleyball shorts, and a bandeau under her cami. I had few easy steps before I hit what would be immodesty with any other company; I had stuck with the shorts I packed before I knew we were gonna get sweaty, and a really cute, super soft crop top that totally worked without a bra, especially for me. Besides panties, socks, and shoes, that's it. V had a little bag and our water. Travelling light until we worked our way back to the car-- tragically, we didn't pack camping stuff.

We were kinda just giggling as we both sat on the rocks and untied our shoes and peeled off socks. Vi just had to take off her shirt and ran right in. I worked off my belt and shorts, and considered losing the shirt, but we weren't sure if we would see anyone else. I elected to keep the top-- it would dry eventually.

The water was kinda cold, but it was perfect with the almost-noon, summer sunlight. She was quicker to dive under that me, but eventually I got my hair wet. Can't wait to go back.

(thanks for respecting me my girl's privacy loves ❤️🧡💛)

[gellyfied]

Oh my gooooooood I'm back from my amazing incredible trip! We flew into Reno, rented a car, then drove over to Lake Tahoe. Spent the night, hiked, and drove to Quincy, CA the next day. We were going to camp at this one ground and reserved it in advance, but the hosts neglected to tell us there was going to be a controlled burn that day so we had to leave because the smoke was so overwhelming and it was only like 100 ft away. So we drove another 2.5 hours to Redding, ate $30 worth of Del Taco, and crashed at a Hilton there. The next day we hiked Shasta, had In N Out for lunch, then drove to the Coast and stayed in Trinidad in a beautiful little retro airstream in the woods. It was so cute and surrounded by nature, ugh I loved it so much. So many slugs outside. That morning I went down to the creek behind the airstream and just sat with the trees for a bit. Then we went to this INCREDIBLE Cafe and I got not one, but two cafe mieles which were so fucking delicious I wanted to explode. That day we did a short hike in the Redwoods, then drove about 7 hours up the coast of California and Oregon, all the way to Lincoln City. It was so gorgeous and misty. I always forget the mysterious vibe the pacific ocean has. We stayed in Lincoln City for two nights at this incredible resort and just chilled. Saw some really cool tide pools, and had the best meal of my life in a tiny seafood restaurant. After we checked out from that resort, we drove inland to Mt Hood and did a gorgeous waterfall hike. We saw three snakes and got sun burns. Then we made our final trek to Seattle, where we had the best sushi I've ever eaten (Pat didn't believe me at first when I told him the west coast has the best sushi).

The next day we boarded our cruise and spent 7 days cruising around Alaska! It was so beautiful it hurts, my pictures can't do it justice. We played a lot of chess and got the unlimited drink package, so we were basically tipsy the whole time. Kayaked, saw bears, more tidal pools, visited my sister who is currently pregnant with my future niece or nephew (omg!!!!!), and just generally relaxed. I haven't felt this relaxed....probably ever in my entire life. I didn't work at all. I just turned off my brain and was present in the moment. I'm so thankful I got to spend these two weeks with P before he starts residency. I'm going to miss him so much, but I love him so much and this trip was so special. I read four books, walked countless miles, slept like a rock, got seasick for the first time, and just generally had a really great experience.

All that being said, I'm so glad and ready to be home. I missed my house and my cats and my bed. I went grocery shopping yesterday and it was so nice. I am in love with my life right now. Hopefully that sentiment remains once I start work again today.....

[seafoamchild]

i am so exhausted. i got back from ecuador more than a week ago and then went straight back to work, and it's just been Go Go Go ever since. today is finally my day off and i want to do absolutely nothing. yesterday i worked a double while the winter storm was going on, so no one came out and i barely made any money in a 12 hour day. but oh well. i got to hang out and drink with my friends at least.

ecuador was a really eventful trip. it's hard to describe. i felt so happy there - to be traveling again, and trying new foods, and speaking spanish with a level of fluency i didn't even realize i had. i felt so cared for by all the people around me. i don't know, i just felt like people were looking out for me and were genuinely curious about me. one of my favorite memories was taking a taxi from ambato to baños because i couldn't find the right bus, and the taxi driver picked up his son and then we all talked for the whole 90 minute drive. just getting to know each other and stuff. it was so wholesome. they bought me a sugar cane juice and took pictures of me standing in front of the entrance to baños. it was so nice to find connection with strangers like that.

and i loved my horseback riding day, too. it was just me and the guide. we rode our horses up into the cloud forest and it was so mystical and fun. we talked so much. he used to work in restaurants too, so we bonded over that. we just talked and talked and talked as he showed me all these beautiful moss-covered trees in the forest. i was able to have somewhat complex conversations for five hours in spanish! i am so proud of myself. i've never taken a real spanish class. i literally just learned an entire language on my own and i worked really hard to do so. and i did it!! i actually did it!

i went rock climbing in baños and it was incredibly challenging. i really didn't think i would make it. but i did! my second time climbing outdoors! it was a beautiful place, all green and lush with a little bit of rain. my guide was really encouraging and sweet. he bought me a sugar cane juice too and kissed me on the cheek when we said goodbye. and then i went paragliding, which was just really relaxing and not scary in the least. i wish i could have stayed up there longer, hanging out in the sky and looking down at all the little farm animals.

i rode a bike down this road full of waterfalls in the distance. it felt really freeing. and the big waterfall at the end was fun too - it was really touristy and there were tons of people there, but that made it fun somehow, like it was a big party. i also stumbled upon this random museum with the worst taxidermy i've ever seen and it cracked me up, i spent so long in the taxidermy room just looking at everything. it was fun. and i went to the hot springs too.

so i also got attacked by dogs when i was hiking along quilotoa lake, and then after baños i got mugged while i was getting into an uber and got my phone, passport, and wallet stolen. so i had to deal with that and go to the embassy and get my parents to wire money to random people i met and stuff. that was annoying. but it makes a hell of a story. when i tell people that though, it overshadows the fact that the trip was actually really fun and i was really happy for most of it. like i went to mindo after i got my new passport and it was so nice to just go birdwatching and walk around in the forest and see waterfalls and eat chocolate and stuff. i met a lot of fun people in the hostels and on my tours and it was nice to just meet travelers again.

it sucks that i got mugged and it's been so draining coming back and immediately having to work and then dealing with getting a new drivers license and insurance card and filing insurance claims and collecting receipts and stuff and using a ziploc bag as a wallet. and i've been socializing a lot too. i hung out with charlotte, whose ex owes her 12 grand, and liz, whose mom died suddenly. everyone is going through some shit. i hung out with coworkers tonight and it was honestly draining, they spent almost the entire time bitching about work and gossiping about this person and that person and how you can't trust this person and that person is a snake and this person did this petty thing and i just wanted to scream YOU GUYS!!! let's talk about ANYTHING else. i think i'm realizing that a lot of my coworkers are petty and love drama and that's all they talk about. it's toxic.

i'm thinking about the bigger picture of my life and it's still hard to make out. but traveling again reminded me that i love to travel and i love trying new things and i love telling stories. traveling has given me so many crazy stories and i love telling them and making people laugh and adding humor to my misfortunes. like THAT'S what i wish i could do for a job. i should write more. i'm good at it but i'm out of practice. if i could figure out how to write about my travels somehow in some cohesive manner, i think that would be a fun project for me. i don't know. for now i'm just stacking money and trying to have fun, but i'm tired. i've been tired for a long time. the past year has been a LOT. i went through two breakups, went crazy from depression twice, got my car stolen, flew off my bike into a brand new lexus, got attacked by dogs, got mugged, etc. i'm building character i guess lol. but i don't want to be so exhausted anymore.

#journal

[learningnewways]

Norway Travel Day 

I spent today travelling from Oslo to Bergen and saw the most stunning scenery... Wow! I took the Bergen train from Oslo to Myrdal, the Flam Railway from Myrdal to Flam, then a boat from Flam to Bergen. It was amazing!

The first train ride was around five hours and the scenery got exponentially more beautiful! It started off with city views and suburbs, then turned to lots of greenery and lakes, before we went to higher altitude and there was mountains, snow and glaciers. I was beaming as I stared out the window. I loved it! There were people out biking and hiking and it looked amazing. There was a place called Finse that I’d love to come back to and do some biking or walking, as it as hard to really take in the scenery when it passed by so quickly. 

On the train from Oslo to Myrdal, I got chatting to Ken and Pat from Florida, who were sitting opposite from me. They were coming to the end of their trip and we had some good chats. We realised we were both going on the next train to Flam too, so decided to stick together in case we got lost! As we were waiting for our train to Flam, they got a block of chocolate out of their bags and gave it to me! It was the sweetest thing! They said they thought I was brave to be travelling alone and that I reminded them of their son who did a similar things years ago, and they thought I needed the chocolate more than them. It was so lovely I nearly cried! To have strangers watch out for you overseas is such a blessing. So thank you so much Ken and Pat! The chocolate was very much appreciated!

We then got on the Flam train, which is advertised as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. It’s super popular and I can see why! You start up on top the fjord and work your way down to the ocean-side for around one hour. There was some incredible views down the valley. The train stopped off at a big waterfall too which was nice. Once at the end of the train I said goodbye to Ken and Pat, and headed to my boat.

The boat from Flam to Bergen took quite awhile, over six hours actually! Luckily the weather was incredible and so I had sunny skies all day, which is rare in a fjord! I sat upstairs on the deck in the wind the whole six hours, but I’d decided that I’d paid good money and didn’t want to miss out on the views! We started in the fjord itself so we have stunning views straight away. The boat stopped off at a few little towns, one called Balestrand looked amazing and I’d like to go back there. The scenery changed as the fjord opened up and there was scenery more similar to what I’d seen on my Gothenburg Archipelago islands trip. 

About an hour into the boat ride, I was trying to take selfies but failing as it was so windy! Then along came Gabby who offered to take my photo, which was so nice. I took hers too and we got talking. She was 21, from London, and was at the end of two months of travelling. Wow! We talked and hung out for the whole boat ride, sitting outside in the cold while everyone else moved inside. It was so nice to have someone to talk to. We talked about our travels, where we’d been, where we want to go, then somehow we got on to the topic of relationships and my marriage breakup... Why does that always come up?! Maybe it’s easier to talk about personal things with total strangers on the other side of the world...

It was really nice and easy talking to Gabby. I haven’t really met anyone over here travelling yet as I tend to keep to myself. While I’m outgoing and loud with people I know, I’m super reserved when it comes to meeting strangers. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true! After chatting for hours on the boat, we realised we both had the day in Bergen the next day, and decided that we would hang out together. Yay!

As the boat came in to Bergen, the sun was setting and it was stunning. It was a long day, having left Johanne and Cody’s at 7:30am and arriving at my Airbnb in Bergen at 9:30pm. It was also expensive, the most expensive thing I’ve done so far as a day trip or activity! But it was so worth it, the scenery was absolutely stunning, and I love good scenery. It definitely made me want to come back and see more of Norway, particularly the North as it is very impressive, just hard to get to and expensive. One day!

[thatshithurted8]

Lake Chelan

Heyy💜 so i have a req for Vinnie😍 based on this tiktok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdaeQPS7/ So the readers that girl and they had like the most amazing date and for whatever reason vinnie forgot to ask her number so they never met again until years later the reader is actually a big tiktok star and moves in with nai. One day nai’s on live and vinnie’s watching and then the reader shows up on live and he’s like ???!!!!! And freaks out cause it’s the girl he’s never been able to forget. @canyoubuymetoast

Summary: An impromptu connection quickly turns into an unforgettable yet unrealistic one. Despite this a few years later Vinnie finally gets a second chance to reignite said connection. 

Warning: Tooth rotting fluff

Word Count: 3.4k

“You know your help would be great Vinnie.” Reggie says sarcastically while trying his best to figure out how to pitch their tent. Maria and Nate went off to scope the area since they already set up their tent, so it left the two Hacker brothers to figure out how to create their sleeping arrangements. 

“Yea yea one sec.” He responds placing his phone on the picnic table he was sitting on before looking up to see a German Shepard walking towards him. Vinnie’s eyes instantly brighten and a smile washes over his face as he calls the dog over. 

The black and brown dog trots over to Vinnie with a wagging tail and almost immediately the friendly animal starts to leave slobbery kisses all over Vinnie’s face. Vinnie lets out a laugh as he moves his face out of the way, but continues to the pet the dog. 

“Who’s dog is that?” Reggie asks walking over to his brother, giving up on the tent. 

“I don’t know it just came up to me. It’s friendly though.” 

Reggie simply shrugs his shoulders and joins his brother in petting the dog. However, just as Vinnie opened his mouth to suggest that they should call the number on the dogs collar an unfamiliar voice calls out. 

“Zeus! Where are you boy?” 

Reggie looks up from the dog and his mouth almost immediately drops open when he see’s a gorgeous girl searching the area looking for something. He nudges his brother who was still petting the dog and cooing at it in a baby voice. Vinnie looks up at Reggie annoyed before he decides to look at what his brothers line of vision was fixated on. 

As Vinnie looks over yours and his eyes simultaneously meet. Albeit cliché, Vinnie could’ve sworn he had the air knocked out of him just by making eye contact with you. He’s never felt anything like it before. 

You on the other hand quickly glance down and relief washes over you as you finally spot your dog that wandered off of your families campsite. You quickly walk over to Zeus, your dog and the two boys that were with him. 

“Zeus I should’ve known you went to mooch food off of strangers!” You exclaim to your dog who quickly walks over to your side before you finally look back up and make eye contact with the boys. As you do so seemingly the same effect you had on Vinnie, he had on you. How did you not realize how attractive he was when you were walking over to them? 

 “I’m sorry about him he does this at every campsite we go to. You would think we don’t feed him, but he’s just a glutton.” You say, heat washing over your face due to the fact your dog wandered off and found the most attractive guys you’ve ever seen. 

“No no it’s okay we needed a break.” Vinnie says nodding over to the unpitched tent while smiling at how flustered you got from his gaze on you. 

Reggie scoffs looking at you then his brother. “We needed a break?” He asks with a raised eyebrow. “Vinnie, I’ve been trying to set up the tent for the last 15 minutes while you were trying to find service so you could make a tiktok.”

It was now Vinnie’s turn to be flustered. “Pfft, that’s not true.” The blond says obviously fibbing and you simply look at him amused. 

“Do you guys need help? My family and I go camping every summer so I’m basically an expert at setting up tents.” You suggest. 

“Yea sure that would be great.” Vinnie says standing up for the first time in the last twenty minutes while smiling at you. Without another word the three of you walk over to the unpitched tent with Zeus following along. 

“My name is Y/N by the way.” You say glancing at Vinnie before kneeling down to work your magic.

“Vinnie and that’s Reggie.” 

And that was how you and Vinnie Hacker met, all thanks to your gluttonous dog who loved showing off his puppy dog eyes to strangers in return for food. Little did either of you know how much this small interaction would have an impact on the other. As the Hacker’s camping trip went on the more your family and Vinnie’s bumped into each other and finally one night your dad invited the Hacker’s over to your campsite for a bonfire. Almost instantly yours and Vinnie’s acquaintance status changed to friends. Soon enough your family and Vinnie’s family spent the rest of the camping trip together, going swimming, boating, tubbing and more. 

That was no different for the last full day of your camping trip. In fact Vinnie finally gathered up the courage to ask you on a date despite the fact you two originally lived hours away from each other. 

“Thank you.” You say glancing up to the waiter that just took away your empty plates and placed the bill on the table. You look back up at Vinnie who was already staring at you with admiration, causing heat to wash over your face. 

Too flustered to look at the boy in front of you, you take in the scenic view. You two sat out on the patio over looking the lake with mountains, foliage and the sun setting in the distance. The restaurant Vinnie took you to was one of the fancy ones in town and the two of you stood out like a sore thumb due to your clothes. Showing up to the restaurant and sitting down to eat in a normal t-shirt and shorts was the equivalent of eating at McDonald’s in a prom dress and suit. Yet, the disapproving stares from other patrons made the whole experience even more memorable. 

“This is very nice thank you Vinnie.” 

“Anything for you.” He says softly, placing his hand on the table in which you take without hesitating, causing both of your heart beats to increase. 

“Do you want to hit O’Riley’s after?” You ask, referencing the ice cream shop the two of you went to seemingly every day of the trip to cool off on your walk back to the campsite after a day full of activities. 

Vinnie pulls out his wallet from his shorts to pay for the expensive meal while looking at you with a smile on his face. “Great minds think alike.” 

Without another word you two leave the fancy restaurant hand in hand while receiving glares from the regular patrons. Throughout your short walk to the popular ice cream parlor in town the two of you reminisce about the past week and a half together. It honestly felt like a dream. 

“You know I wanted to hold your hand on the hike today, but I couldn’t keep up with you and Zeus.” Vinnie says, recalling the hike you guys went on along with Reggie and your brother. 

“Clearly you need to work on your stamina, City Boy. That incline wasn’t even that bad.” You joke poking Vinnie in the stomach before leaving his grasp to wander over to the menu of ice cream flavours. Vinnie was infatuated with everything about you and he adored how you made fun of him for being from Seattle. The blond lets out a laugh and follows you, wrapping his arms around your waist and placing his chin on the top of your head as he analyzed the menu as well. Almost instantly you melted into his touch. 

“Okay Snow White.” He retorts back remembering how basically every animal or even bug seemingly gravitated towards you throughout the trip. 

“What can I say Vinnie. I’m just that captivating.” You say turning to look at Vinnie before winking. 

After a few minutes of waiting in line and you changing your mind on what flavour you wanted for the fifth time the two of you finally order and make your way over to a bench nearby. You weren’t a stranger to Lake Chelan and what you loved most about the small town was how close everything was. In fact the bench you and Vinnie decided to sit down on wasn’t too far from O’Riley’s, but it was close enough to the lake to witness the scenic view in full. 

Once you two sat down you guys instantly turned to each other and tapped the other’s ice cream cones, causing some of your ice cream to transfer to Vinnie’s and some of Vinnie’s to transfer to yours. You introduced this small practice to Vinnie on the third day of hanging out together. In which the reason behind it was simply because you’ve been doing it ever since you were little for good luck and to have a small taste of the other person’s ice cream. 

Vinnie watches as you taste his flavour, red velvet while your eyes light up, causing him to smile. “Holy shit yours is good.” You say before taking a lick of your flavour which was blueberry cheese cake. The blond laughs in amusement as your face of delight quickly turns into disgust. 

“Yea I definitely should have gotten yours or moose tracks.” 

Without hesitating Vinnie softly takes your ice cream cone out of your hand and switches it with his. “There you go.” 

“Vinnie, no this is yours.” You say reaching for your ice cream back, but he simply puts his hand above you and ultimately out of your reach. 

Vinnie laughs playfully as he watches you attempt to reach the cone with your original flavour from your spot beside him. “Y/N like I said earlier, anything for you.” 

You roll your eyes at the blonds cheesiness, but you end up sitting back down placing your head on his shoulder while heat washed over your body at how he made you feel.  

The sound of kids riding their bikes, crickets and birds splashing in the lake could be heard while the setting sun continued to reflect off of the water. “It’s so beautiful here.” You say after swallowing your last bite and taking in the view in front of you. 

“Yea it is.”

You turn to Vinnie and your heart begins to race when you notice he was already looking at you. Some may think this moment was cliche, but to you it was perfect. In fact your hopeless romantic dreams were being fulfilled. 

Vinnie’s gaze on you was intense and you couldn’t bring yourself to break it. Instead you found yourself flickering your eyes down to his plump lips and back up to his brown eyes. Vinnie follows your lead and his proximity causes your breath to hitch. 

Without wasting another second Vinnie finally moves in and acts on what he has been wanting to do ever since he got to know you. His lips meet yours and you instantly kiss back, wanting for this to happen for a while yourself. 

The kiss was short yet sweet and passionate while leaving both of you flustered. You place your head back onto Vinnie’s shoulder, your hand finding his and intertwining your fingers. A comfortable silence falls upon you two as both of you take in the perfect moment.

“I don’t want this trip to end.” Vinnie says breaking the silence while rubbing his thumb across your skin and admiring the scenic view in front of him. 

It scared Vinnie how fast his feelings for you developed and continued to do so and he was quite frankly disappointed that you guys live so far away from each other. Although you both lived in the same state you lived closer to Portland while he remained in Seattle. You two created a once in a lifetime connection throughout a camping trip and it seemed as if it was going to end just like that. 

“I promise I’ll say goodbye and give you my number before we leave tomorrow don’t worry.” You say lifting your head off of Vinnie’s shoulder before placing a kiss on his cheek. The whole trip you refused to give Vinnie your number or social medias simply because you realized their was more to life than the internet. You would rather be going hiking or playing in the rain than being on your phone, which Vinnie adored considering he was so consumed with his platform on TikTok. 

However, your promise would ultimately be broken when Vinnie woke up the next morning. The blond boy walked over to your campsite with a small bouquet of wildflowers he picked along the way. He could hear the beat of his heart in every step he took, knowing this would be the last time he saw you for a while. 

When Vinnie reached your campsite his heart and the bouquet of flowers simultaneously dropped at the same time. Your site was empty. In fact, it looked as if you and your family didn’t even stay there. The only thing that proved that you were there were the tire tracks of your families RV. Now the site was ready for the next group of campers to come in and make their own memories. 

Even though you and Vinnie only spent a week and a half together it felt like you two created a lifetime worth of intimate moments and memories. He doesn’t understand how he got so attached to you in such a short amount of time, but he did. The blond boy lets out a deep sigh before turning around to go back to his site, leaving the memories you two created and flowers he brought you behind. 

- 

Vinnie lets out a big yawn as he stretches in bed. He grabs his phone and checks the time. 2:43pm. The night before the blond streamed Valorant on twitch until 4 in the morning so there was no wonder as to why he was just waking up. Deciding to stay in bed for a little longer, Vinnie cuddles into his sheets and opens TikTok, Hera joining him a little bit later.

As he scrolls he likes a few and comments on some of his friends posts. However, his incessant scrolling comes to a stop when his for you page lands on a video of Nai’s. Vinnie watches it, but as he does so a familiar face is shown causing his heart rate to increase while butterflies erupted in his stomach. Who knew that one person could still elicit these feelings out of him two years later?

There was no way. It couldn’t be you in the video. Yet there you were in Nai’s tiktok showing off your gecko. You looked the same, but so different at the same time. Vinnie couldn’t help himself, but to watch the tiktok a few more times, every time his smile getting bigger and his heart fuller. 

Luckily for him Nai tagged you in the caption in which Vinnie took this opportunity to check out your profile and make sure it was actually you and his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. Right away he knew it was in fact you. 

You had just under a million followers and were on the brink of getting verified. As Vinnie scrolled through your profile he finds your first tiktok that went viral and ultimately kick started your career. The video was of you eight months ago running and dancing around in the rain in the middle of the road. Vinnie smiles as he watches and he couldn’t help, but to feel flustered at the fact he finally found you after all these years. 

It made him happy to see that you seemingly stayed the same personality wise. From what he remembered you loved everything about nature and animals so there was no surprise to see your account full of videos of you enjoying what you loved. In fact your most viral videos consisted of your ring neck parakeet, Athena. 

Just as Vinnie was about to hit the follow button on your account a text from Alex popped up. 

I was planning on throwing a chill party tonight is that okay?

He clicked and stared at the message for a few seconds. Seemingly Nai would be invited which meant if you were with her still Nai would likely bring you as her plus one. 

Yea ofc. 

Vinnie spent the rest of the day going through your social media accounts. He wanted to follow you on every platform possible, but he didn’t want that to creep you out so he decided it was best to wait and see if you came tonight. After all his odds were looking in his favour as the time until the get together dwindled and you and Nai continued to post with each other. 

The blond walks out of his washroom freshly showered with a towel around his waist and into his large room. He could hear a bunch of voices and music coming from down stairs so the party must have already started. Just as Vinnie was about to drop his towel to get dressed a familiar voice is heard from the other side of his door. 

“Knock knock!” Nai shouts. 

“One sec!” Vinnie calls out quickly, throwing on boxers and a pair of black cargo pants before rummaging through his dresser for a shirt. “Come in!” 

Almost instantly the door flies open revealing Nailea in all her glory. Vinnie glances over to her in hopes you were with the brunette, but his hopes fall when he see’s you’re no where to be found. 

“You seriously need to stop making thirst traps in the shower we all thought you slipped and died with how long you were taking.” Nai says walking into the room and flopping onto Vinnie’s bed. 

Vinnie lets out a laugh while he continued to look for a shirt he wanted to wear, his mind being clouded with thoughts of you. Nai was wearing the same outfit she was wearing in the instagram stories she posted with you today so where were you? 

Just as Vinnie turns around, putting on a shirt with the intent to discretely ask Nai about you a familiar, but nostalgic voice could be heard in the hallway over Alex’s loud laugh from downstairs. “Nai?” 

“In here!” 

“Jeez this house is huge I need a map just to leave the washroom.” You say walking into the unfamiliar bedroom. As you do so your eyes lock with Vinnie’s and both of your heart rates increase significantly. Heat washes over you under Vinnie’s gaze and you couldn’t help, but to feel confused. He looked so familiar, but you couldn’t put your finger on where you recognize him from. 

Vinnie on the other hand felt as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest. Throughout the past few years he imagined scenarios where he would run into you back at home or at Lake Chelan, but finally being in your presence again caused him to not know how to act. 

“Y/N this is Vinnie the friend of mine I wanted you to meet.” Nai says looking at you. “And Vinnie this is Y/N. I think you guys will click instantly especially since you’re both from Washington.” 

“Nice to meet you. Can I sit?” You ask nodding over to Vinnie’s bed where Nai was sitting, petting Hera. 

“Y-yea of course.” The blond stutters out causing his cheeks to go red. However, a pang of hurt rings throughout the boys heart when he realizes you don’t remember him. 

Quickly you make your way over to Vinnie’s bed and without wasting another second you extend your hand out for Hera to smell before petting her. Vinnie watches as you do so. You looked even more beautiful than when he first met you two years prior, if that was even possible. Although you looked slightly different due to the fact you graciously grew into your features Vinnie could tell your personality stayed the same as you continued to gravitate towards animals. 

“What’s this cuties name?” You ask scratching under Hera’s chin, causing her to purr before you smile at Vinnie. 

“Her name is Hera.” 

You let out a gasp, “Did you know Hera was married to Zeus?” You say, recalling your past obsession of Greek Mythology. By now Nai was zoned out of your conversation and was scrolling on tiktok. 

“Yea I actually named her after a girl that I met at Lake Chelan, who’s dog was named Zeus.” Vinnie says with a toothy smile on his face. 

Your eyes widen and you look back over to the blond, your heart beating a mile a minute while you finally connected the dots. 

“City boy?” You breathe out. 

#vinnie hacker #vinnie hacker imagine #vinnie hacker fluff #vinnie hacker angst #vinnie hacker smut #hypehouse #vinnie hacker x reader #vinnie hacker x y/n #vincent hacker #nailea devora #alex warren #tiktok #tiktok imagine #fic recs

[titan-fodder]

Pyroclastic (Mike Zacharias x Reader)

Summary: Some would argue that the park is dead, but you know better; it’s livelier than it has been in hundreds of thousands of years, a shuddering, breathing monster finally rising to its feet after an eternity of slumber. Soon, it will open its mouth in an earth-shattering scream, and then, everyone will see.

Not dead; just waking up.

Rating: E (explicit)

Word Count: ~19.5K

Warnings: slow burn, friends to lovers, Eruri, implied Mobuhan, spelling Miche ‘Mike’, swearing, fighting, lots of nerdy shit, explicit sexual content, breeding kink

A/N: This is my contribution to the Smut Pile’s Apocalypse collab. I urge everyone to check out all the pieces on the masterlist. A big thanks to @pleasantanathema​ and @whats-her-quirk​ for being about as excited about this as I was, to @shadowworks​ for always encouraging me when I take on projects too big for my own good, and to @mindninjax​ who volunteered her husband’s expertise on this. I’m pretty proud of this piece and had a blast writing and researching for it. This is by no means scientifically accurate, but I did my best to make it realistic (as in I watched Supervolcano again and spent a lot of time on the USGS website). Also, I have been to Yellowstone exactly one (1) time in my life and was terrified the entire time which is where my fixation with it comes from. 

Enjoy~

GLOSSARY

Caldera - large basin-shaped volcanic depression with a diameter many times larger than its included volcanic vents; commonly formed when magma is withdrawn or erupted from a shallow, underground magma reservoir.*

Pyroclastic flow - A hot (typically >800 °C), chaotic mixture of rock fragments, gas, and ash that travels rapidly (tens of meters per second) away from a volcanic vent or collapsing flow front.*

Tephra -  pieces of all fragments of rock ejected into the air by an erupting volcano.

VEI - The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) is a relative measure of the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions.*

*definitions taken from USGS website

4  Y E A R S  B E F O R E 

Levi looks pissed when he’s on screen. He looks pissed all the time, but he looks especially pissed when he’s made to stand in front of pointed cameras and outstretched microphones. 

You can’t blame him; it’s not actually his job to deal with the press, but some years ago, Erwin had twisted his arm this way and that and convinced Levi to take over conferences.

“They understand you better,” he’d said. “You enunciate better than me. We can’t have people misunderstanding me and panicking, can we?” The blond had purposely spoken with an accent thicker than usual, and Levi had called him every name under the sun, but in the end, he’d relented, and now…

“Dr. Ackermann! Dr. Ackermann! Is it true that this has been the largest earthquake in Yellowstone since Hebgen Lake?” 

Levi squints, actually cringes at the question, then waves one of his small, bony hands. “Hebgen Lake was a major quake—7.2 on the Richter scale. This was only a 5.3, and yeah, it’s been a while since the park has had a quake larger than a three, but that doesn’t mean—”

“So, should we be worried about a supereruption?” Another reporter asks, and you clamp a hand over your mouth to keep from laughing as the light leaves your colleague’s eyes. 

Levi’s jaw slides, and he pauses, no doubt to think about how to answer because this is a delicate question, one that the general public always reads extremely far into. He’s good at keeping his expression blank, at least, probably another reason Erwin requested he take over interviews. 

“Listen,” he starts off, slate eyes locking onto the largest camera in front of him. “Yellowstone is a hub of seismic energy. It wouldn’t be the park we know and love today if it wasn’t shaking and letting off steam like it usually does, right?” This gains a few relieved chuckles from the crowd of journalists. 

“Was this earthquake bigger than the ones we’re used to? Yes. Are we monitoring each and every tremor that we pick up? Also, yes. So, don’t make yourself sick worryin’ about sh—stuff you can’t control. We’ll let you know if it’s time to worry.” He sucks his teeth for a second, waiting for his advice to wash over everyone, then adds, “Keep a bug-out bag packed, though. Not because of the volcano or anything. Just because… The world is crazy and so are people, and it’s always good to be prepared.”

They take it as a joke, laugh a little louder as Levi steps down from the podium, but you’ve worked with him long enough to know he had made the comment with serious intent. It’s a lot easier to fly out of town at a moment’s notice when you already have the necessities packed, and though he won't tell them all the facts this early on, there’s a chance that they will eventually have to evacuate, yes. 

“I fucking hate that big, blond bastard,” is the first thing Levi tells you when he’s within earshot, much less well-spoken in casual situations than when his face is being broadcasted. “Voht iff they dunt understahnd me, Lebi?” He mimics your boss badly then pantomimes an uppercut with a dramatic grunt. 

“Why’d you make him sound Russian?”

“I was trying to make him sound stupid ‘cause that’s what he is.”

“I have four doctorates,” Erwin states as he falls into step with both of you, finally moving from his little hiding place behind one of the news trucks. “I’m not stupid. And, I do not sound like that.”

“That’s what you think,” Levi grumbles, doing his best to shrug away from the larger man when Erwin slings an arm around his shoulders. It doesn’t work, and Levi ends up stumbling to keep up with Erwin’s longer strides, which only serves to irritate him further. 

“You looked good up there. I mean, you sounded good. Sounded sure, comforting…” 

You shake your head at Erwin’s obvious struggle to just not be the big weirdo that he is, but it sure is painful to watch sometimes. 

Governor Zachary takes over the conference, leaving the three of you to make your way inside the lodge that the emergency broadcast was set up outside of. Levi and Erwin bicker through the lobby then through the back doors that lead you to the jeep that you all swing yourselves into. 

The sky is still a little dusty with shaken sediment, and some of the park rangers are setting up barricades at the mouths of a couple hiking trails leading to what is now a moderately large crevasse that’s opened up in the Biscuit Basin. 

Other than that, the park doesn’t feel much different as you ride through it on your way back to the lab. The Summer sun brings with it your favorite 70 degree days, and if it weren’t for Erwin’s questionable driving, you’d be tempted to hang half your body out the window just to feel the warmth better. The faint smell of sulfur in the air is soothing at this point—the smell of activity, the smell of science, the smell of home. Geysers are still shooting boiling water to the skies. The mud pots are still bubbling like ominous cauldrons. That earthquake couldn’t have shaken too much out of place if all the geothermal spots are still behaving as they normally do.

The tires kick up rocks and dust as Erwin brakes dramatically outside of the base, right behind another familiar jeep that makes Levi roll his eyes. 

“Great. The boy scout’s here.” 

“Oh, be nice, you little grump,” Erwin chastises him. “Mike’s been nothing but kind to us since he started working here.”

“Yeah, except for the time he misjudged the depth of that puddle and—”

“Splashed you with mud, yeah, yeah, we know, Levi,” you finish for him as you slide out of the vehicle. “You bring it up every time you see the guy. We know.”

“And, didn’t he apologize afterward?” Erwin prompts.

Levi doesn’t answer, but you respond for him: “Profusely. Drove him back to the lab, offered him his spare change of clothes—”

“Useless,” Levi hisses. “The dude’s a giant.”

“Not his fault he’s…” You try not to sound too giddy when you step through the door and see the man in question. “Enormous.” 

You don’t know Mike very well, one of the newer park rangers but with a background in geology which leads him to your neck of the woods very often. The few conversations you have had with him have all been pleasant. He’s soft-spoken but obviously intelligent with good instincts about both the park’s weather and wildlife. 

He’s also the only ranger you’ve seen actually pull off the dorky park uniform, but that could just be because the different shades of green look good against his tan skin and bring out his light eyes. Even taller than Erwin and a little broader too, M. Zacharias (as his little, metal name tag reads) is a slab of a man, and yet, when he grins, it’s almost boyish. 

“Hey, Mike, what’s up?” You greet.

He turns his head to look at you, flipping shaggy hair from his face, then offers one of the soft smiles you were hoping for. “Just came to drop off some samples for Hange.”

“Disgusting,” Levi mutters just for you to hear as he passes, and you shove him hard enough to make him stumble and flip you off. 

“How’d the press conference go?” Hange asks, tossing a small, corked flask of mud from hand to hand—what you assume to be the sample—while twirling in their computer chair. The last member of your team, Moblit Berner, glances away from the holographic model he’s studying to hear the answer. 

“I think it went well,” Erwin says. “Levi handled it like a champion, as always.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, old man,” the brunet bites out, joining Moblit next to the expensive projection table in the middle of the lab. “What’re we lookin’ at?”

“I’m just running the numbers from today’s quake. The possible effects it had underground.”

“And?”

Moblit is quiet for a beat too long.

“Mobs, what is it?” 

You, Erwin, and Hange make your way over to the table, staring at the laser-lit park model and the chamber underneath it. 

“Well, in most of the scenarios, it’s fine,” Moblit tries. “Nothing to worry about.”

“And, in the others?” 

He looks to Erwin, as everyone does in times of concern. Thick eyebrows pinched together, your boss motions to the hologram. “Show us.”

Moblit punches a few things in on the app he uses to control the model, then takes a deep breath and lets it play out for everyone to see, including Mike who slowly makes his way over, curiosity apparently getting the best of him. 

At first, nothing looks to change, just a living, breathing reenactment of what you were seeing today—every geyser, every fumarole, every little rumble, every minute rise and fall of the ground sped up to be detected with the human eye. 

And then, it stops. 

“Why did it…”

“Just watch,” Moblit shushes you. 

The outline of the ground fractures in several different places, statistics for different earthquakes blinking above. The known vents of the park—every geyser, mudpot, and fumarole—are rendered inactive, and under it all, that massive chamber everyone is always so worried about begins to bulge upward and outward, growing larger and larger until…

The map shorts out, flickering then disappearing entirely, leaving the six of you staring at the space where it was shining just seconds ago. 

“Was that…” 

Erwin inhales deeply through his nose before exhaling the word that will eventually bring the nation to its knees.

"Supereruption."

3  Y E A R S  B E F O R E

Even through the thick headset, the whir of the helicopter blades is loud, a rhythm pulsing through the air strong enough to be felt in your chest right alongside your beating heart. 

Thankfully, Mike’s deep voice is loud and clear when he speaks, nodding his head to the right, “Look down at about two o’clock.”

You follow his command, tilting your head and peering down at an empty field. 

“I don’t see anything,” you say.

The microphone hanging in front of his mouth picks up his chuckle, and the sound of it echoes in your ears, making you grin albeit a little confused. 

“Exactly. That’s a big spot for bison this time of year.”

“Then why aren’t they here?”

Mike lets the chopper hover for a while, both hands still on their respective control levers. 

“Ground’s been moving too much,” he says after a few seconds of silent staring. You’d known the answer already but hearing the wildlife expert confirm it fills you with a little more dread than you’d originally harbored. “They feel things we don’t, the tiny quakes, the tremors. Stuff you only think the seismograph picks up—they feel all of it.”

“They know what’s coming,” you say more to yourself than to him. 

Mike offers you one of those charming, close-lipped smiles. “When in doubt, trust the animals.” 

A line you’ve heard him say a few times now. Mike loves everything that lives in the park, from all the common lake trout and sand cranes to the endangered grizzly bears and gray wolves. 

Trust the animals, he says. Because he trusts them. Because he loves them. 

“You wanna fly over the Grand Prismatic?” Mike asks, pulling you from your thoughts, and when you look over, you find your reflection in his mirrored aviators as he stares at you. 

His mouth quirks up at the corners, causing yours to do the same, and you nod. “Yeah, always.”

It’s your favorite view in the park, the colorful spring from up above. Mike had learned that a few months ago, and now whenever you ride in the chopper with him, he makes sure to pass over the beautiful attraction just for you.

Nearly 200° Fahrenheit with a pH of 8.7, the pool, while still dangerous due to its temperature, is one of the more moderate dangers of the national park, tame in comparison to the Norris Geyser Basin with temperatures up to 459° (a thousand meters below the surface, anyway) and a pH of about two. It’s dissolved bones—human bones. And, would claim even more if given the chance. 

You suppose that’s expected for a basin that’s sitting over a chamber of 1,500° molten magma. 

The Grand Prismatic is just as stunning today as it is every other. Its outer orange and yellow rings darken to greens and blues the further inward you look, thick steam rising from all over but more condensed over the middle. 

It was one of the park's biggest attractions, tourists flocking to the spring with their cameras, too stricken by the vivid chromaticism to listen or read about the temperatures and microbials that are responsible for the colors in the first place. 

As you hover above now, just to the side of the steam, your heart aches. There are no ignorant tourists to take pictures of the pool, the boardwalks and trails to these hot spots now blocked off once it became apparent that the earthquake that took place last year was not the last of its kind. Your team as well as the park rangers went to the park board as a unit and suggested that tourists needed to be kept away from as many geothermal features as possible, all of you with the same fear in mind: someone (or many someones) falling in. 

It's always been a risk, but now, with weekly rumblings, that risk has multiplied exponentially. All it takes is someone losing their footing on the boardwalk over the Norris Geyser Basin for serene sightseeing to turn into tragedy, and that's on a good day. Throw a 5.7 earthquake into the mix, and the park could lose an entire tour group to the heat and acid. 

It's just not a risk any of you are willing to take anymore. 

Most of the park remains open. Old Faithful continues to draw people in by the thousands. They sit and watch boiling water shoot into the sky every hour or so, clapping happily at the sight, unaware of the way you and your team hold your breath in wait, hoping for the geyser to go off on its usual schedule. 

One day it will stop. One day they'll all stop. And, then… 

"I can't believe it's all gonna be gone one day," you muse, blinking down at the prismatic pool for as long as Mike will let you. 

"Nah," the man disagrees. "Not gone. Buried, yeah, but not gone."

You snort, turn back to him with a grin and roll your eyes. "Yeah, no big deal. Just miles of pyroclast and ash, probably snow when we get thrust into another ice age 'cause of the crazy climate swing..."

"Alright, alright, I get it. The sun dimeth and the land sinketh."

"Gusheth forth steam and gutting fire," you continue grimly.

Mike turns the helicopter back toward the landing zone, saying nothing else and leaving you to take in the sights below. You're grateful for the silence; it's good for processing, for preparation. 

And, you're grateful for Mike, one of your best friends at this point—soft and kind despite his intimidating stature, smart as a whip, and just as stunning, if not more so, than the Grand Prismatic. 

"Any idea what you'll do afterward?" He asks, holding a hand out to you to help you from your seat in the chopper. 

"Not really. Survive, I guess." 

You land just a little too close to him, your face nearly coming in direct contact with his broad chest, but Mike steps back just in time, making you extend your arm, still connected at the fingers, before he drops your hand. 

"A feat all on its own," he says flatly, but he perks up as you both begin walking to the park ranger base. "Maybe you'll find another team to work on."

"I don't want to find another team," you tell him honestly. "This is my team. This is my home."

Mike hums, an understanding little sound, body warm when he gently bumps into you on the gravel pathway to the lodge. "Yeah, I know."

A geophysics major at UCLA with a specific interest in volcanology, getting to intern with the Erwin Smith at the Yellowstone supervolcano had been a dream come true. You'd expected to gain knowledge and experience—nothing more and nothing less. You'd lived out here for one summer during your graduate program, clocking the field experience you needed to get your degree and taking in everything you could. 

Back then, it felt like all you did was ask questions and get in the way. By the end of that summer, you knew every variation of Levi Ackermann's irritated sighs, every different pitch of Hange Zoe's shouts and how they correlated with their experiments. Moblit had been the newest permanent addition and was even more nervous than he is now, trying and failing to keep up with Hange (which he's much better at doing these days). 

They were all fantastic, but it had been the lead researcher who'd reeled you in. You'd never met anyone as passionate as Dr. Erwin Smith, captivated by the monster underneath the park and thrilled to share his brain with anyone willing to hold their hands out for it. Hell, he'd even helped you with your Master's thesis—hydrothermally altered mineralized systems and their seismic reflections. 

When you graduated, the Yellowstone team was the first you reached out to and the first you heard back from. Erwin said you'd been a perfect fit even as a student (which you hadn't exactly believed but definitely blushed at anyway). Mobs, Hange, and even Levi seemed happy to have you back. It was like you were meant to be here. In this park. With all of them. 

Studying the volcano and all of its properties has always been like breathing to you—natural and necessary. You move when it moves, every shake and tremor a heartbeat in your own chest, every shooting geyser like blood in your veins. The mudpots are your bubbling emotions, the fumaroles, your sense of building pressure and release.

You feel at home in the park because you trust it. Because you love it. 

You don't have room for another team in your heart, but as you walk inside the lodge next to Mike, watching as he takes off his sunglasses and grins at one of the other rangers, you think you at least have room for one more person. 

2  Y E A R S  B E F O R E

The lab has two extra bodies in it—two extra unwelcome bodies who keep getting in your way and touching things as they ask questions that no one has the answers to yet.

“When did you say this was going to happen?” The rotund state governor, Dhalis Zachary, asks for the second time since arriving, picking up a sample test tube that Moblit immediately plucks from his hand with a nervous smile.

“As I said before, it’s difficult to place a concrete timeline on an event like this,” Erwin tells the white-haired man. “We don’t exactly have in depth records of the last three eruptions, so all we have to go off of is the earth itself and our simulations.”

At the edge of the projection table, Nile Dok, FEMA director, cautiously waves a hand through the holographic model displayed in front of him. He obviously doesn’t think anyone is watching him because the slender man jumps in surprise when you snort at your desk, and his angular cheekbones take on a pink tint of embarrassment from having been caught.

He clears his throat, straightens the knot that sits over it, then turns to face Erwin and prompts, “Three eruptions before. One was a lot bigger than the others, though, right?”

Erwin nods. “Huckleberry Ridge. Over two million years ago.”

“We’re hoping—if a supereruption is to occur—it’ll be closer to the size of Mesa Falls,” you pipe up.

“Which one was that?” Zachary asks.

“One-point-three million years ago, two-hundred-and-eighty cubic kilometers of erupted materials…” Levi lists off as he makes his way over to the table with a sanitary wipe in hand. He doesn’t like people in his space, doesn’t like strangers in the lab, even (especially) government officials (“They leave fingerprints, and they breathe on everything, and they waste our fucking time.”).

“Two-hundred-and-eighty cubic kilometers… That’s the best-case scenario?” Zachary looks to Erwin, eyebrows raised high over his wire glasses.

Erwin stares at him for a moment, contemplating the best and easiest way to explain this to someone who has no real experience in the field. Eventually, he settles on, “Moblit, can you run some simulations for me?”

“Of course, sir,” the mousy scientist agrees, phone in hand and pulling up the app before the boss can even finish speaking.

Everyone gathers around the table except for Levi who steps away from it, grumbling under his breath about coming back to clean it later. He at least hits the lights, making the model easier to see as Erwin starts listing off numbers and scenarios.

“The best case, actually, is only one vent opening, maybe two. It would be something comparable to Mount St. Helen’s, though probably a bit bigger, say point-five cubic kilometers of material. It would be necessary to evacuate the park and this region of the state at the very least.”

Zachary hums, “And, how likely is that?”

Erwin shrugs. “Hard to say right now. As the earthquakes increase, though, the likelihood of a small eruption like that, uh, dwindles.”

“Small,” Nile scoffs.

Zachary makes a similar noise, slightly louder, a little more offended, then rattles off, “Mount St. Helen’s killed almost sixty people. The blast, the ash, the lahars—” as if you don’t all already know.

“No one’s discounting the damage of the eruption,” Levi cuts him off. “But, if you’re sweatin’ at those numbers, all due respect, Governor, I don’t know if you’re ready to stomach the rest of this little light show.”

The older man cuts his eyes at Levi who squints right back at him, only turn and shuffle over to his desk when Erwin waves him further away, a silent way of saying ‘keep your smart mouth away from the authority figures’.

“Moving on,” you cough, twirling a finger to get both Erwin and Mobs to continue.

“Yes,” Erwin nods. “So, any eruption is dependent on how much magma in the chamber is eruptible magma. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean it will come out.”

Moblit punches in a few numbers to show what a small-scale eruption would look like, first with one vent then with two.

“With just that amount, even with two vents, it isn’t enough to completely destabilize the chamber.”

“And, destabilizing it would be… bad…” Nile states more than asks, brown eyes lit up by the model in front of him.

“No shit,” everyone hears Levi grumble from his desk, and Erwin huffs and looks at you, expression a little exasperated as he jerks a thumb back toward the grumpy man in yet another one of his silent motions— a plea in this case—'go take care of him’ which you do.

Levi is slumped in his computer chair, arms crossed over his chest as he peers over his desktop at the four men gathered around the hologram.

“Should’a just gone with Hange and the boy scout to collect samples when I had the chance,” he mutters.

“You hate collecting samples, especially sulfur samples. Which is what they’re getting now.”

“Yeah, well I hate these guys even more.” He says it quietly enough so that they won’t be able to hear, and even if they could, both Governor Zachary and Nile are too invested in the information that the scientists are giving them to pay attention to anything else.

“What’d they ever do to you?” You push, curious now because sure, Levi has always been the surliest of the team, but it’s rare that he’s surly and loud about it.

“Nothing. They have done nothing because they don’t belong here. They have no idea—no fucking idea—what’s about to happen.” You can hear his frustration even through his whispers. “Best case scenarios? Why are we even going over those? We know damn well that we’re not looking at one or two vents. And, we’re not lookin’ at Mesa Falls either.”

Letting out a long breath, you lean against Levi’s desk, ignoring the way he grunts in protest.

“I know. I’m sure Erwin and Moblit will prep them for the worst case.”

“There’s no prepping for it,” Levi hisses, gray eyes flashing. “We’re talking about—"

“…A nationwide cataclysmic event.” Both of you register Erwin’s voice at the same time and glance at the other group to find them staring at the lit-up simulation of the Huckleberry Ridge eruption.

“Which would pretty quickly turn into a worldwide problem,” Moblit adds quietly.

“Worldwide?” You hear Nile question in a low but very alarmed tone. “Because of the ash?”

“Well, yes, but, it’s not just ash,” Erwin clarifies, diving into his explanation of tephra and how dangerous it is. He reminds the men how far it traveled after the Mount St. Helen’s eruption since they’ve apparently latched onto that one, then challenges, “Now imagine an eruption about… six hundred times that size.”

“Six…” Nile swallows, turning his entire, slender frame toward Erwin and repeating, “Six hundred times bigger? That’s what we’re expecting?”

In his little rolling chair, Levi’s chest puffs a bit, finally satisfied that the gravity of the situation is beginning to set in. “Maybe they aren’t as dumb as they look.”

Erwin is about to say something, right hand lifted with his index finger extended in a very matter-of-fact way, but before he can manage to get anything out, the door to the lab swings open and Hange walks in, Mike just behind them carrying all the collected samples in what almost looks like a lunchbox.

“We’re back—” Hange stops, taking in their surroundings, the lack of lights, the bright projection, the grim energy, then shouts, “Hey, get some Pink Floyd playing! Like a planetarium in here! Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me…”

“Dr. Zoe,” Moblit clears his throat. “We were just going over the utter devastation a supereruption could wreak on the country.”

“Oh, were you?” Hange pauses, brow rising, lips puckering into a sour expression. “My bad.”

Raising a hand to your forehead, you laugh to yourself for a few seconds before shaking the untimely amusement off and making your way over to Mike to take the sample kit from him.

“Careful,” he warns jokingly as he passes it off. “Got some very fragile gas and mud in there.”

“Yeah?” You tease. “So, I shouldn’t, like, shake it or anything?”

“Definitely should not shake it. Here, here, just—” He takes it back, grinning broadly as he tells you, “I think it’s best if you let a professional handle such dangerous compounds.”

All the doom-and-gloom you had been feeling mere seconds ago evaporates entirely, and you let out a frankly embarrassing giggle as you watch Mike very carefully set the samples down on Hange’s lab table, making a show of securing them and whispering a final, “Stay,” so that you clamp a hand over your mouth.

Levi groans in disgust, and, at the same time, Erwin mutters an apology to Zachary and Nile for, “… employing a team of children.”

Your face heats in embarrassment, but it doesn’t keep you from smiling at Mike when he saunters back over, looking rather sheepish himself.

“Lunchtime soon, right?”

“Yeah, in a bit—”

“Please go now, for the love of God,” Erwin sighs. “And, take Levi and Hange with you.”

None of you need telling twice, quickly grabbing wallets and home-packed meals before rushing from the lab before your boss decides to murder one or all of you.

Levi steers Hange toward his car, leaving you alone with Mike which you don’t mind in the slightest. You take most of your lunches with him anyway, some of your breakfasts and dinners too, so this is simply part of your daily routine.

“I’ve got some sandwiches packed already. Wanna hit Mount Haynes?” He suggests, sliding into the driver’s seat of his jeep.

You point a fingergun at him and nod. “I like the way you think, sir.”

He takes a very specific route, avoiding any damaged areas, having to veer off of the actual road at a certain point to take a safer path he and other rangers have made. You watch the mountains of the park grow closer and closer, what you know to be the ridge of Yellowstone’s caldera looming nearer.

Mike parks at the base of your intended destination then reaches into the backseat to grab the aforementioned lunch. You have no intentions of actually hiking to the top of the mountain—don’t have the time or the will, honestly—but as soon as the two of you have worked up a sweat and are at a decent enough elevation to look out on the park underneath, you drop to the dusty ground and take it all in.

Even from this distance, you can see some of the gases and steam in the air. That’s the only movement there is, though, save for the occasional ranger vehicle zipping along. The land seems almost barren at this point. The grass is still green. The sun is still bright as it is every Summer.

But, there are no animals, no tourists, no real life. Instead, it’s been replaced with cracks and crevasses, with barricades and warning signs.

Trail Closed

Road Closed

Danger: Keep Out

It’s been almost six months since the park decided to shut down to the public, and if you’re being honest, it should have closed its doors long before. It took people dying to bring the board to their senses, an earthquake that shook the ground for minutes, the crust of the earth splitting right under the historical lodge that so many loved.

Fourteen casualties. Twenty-nine injured.

That’s what it took.

You barely recognize the park now, feel like the last endangered species left within its boundaries. It’s just the research team, some of the rangers, and the occasional outside visitor (board members, government officials, or press that gets waved away).

Some would argue that the park is dead, but you know better; it’s livelier than it has been in hundreds of thousands of years, a shuddering, breathing monster finally rising to its feet after an eternity of slumber. Soon, it will open its mouth in an earth-shattering scream, and then, everyone will see.

Not dead; just waking up.

“You look tired.” Mike’s voice may as well be carried by the breeze, light and low, refreshing as it passes over you, and you flash him a smile while nodding.

“Exhausted.”

He grabs a sandwich from the lunchbox, and you fish hand sanitizer from one of the many pockets on your pants, squirting it into your hand first then holding it out to the man beside you.

“Seems like you spend more time here than at your apartment.”

“Oh, most definitely.” You unwrap what looks to be turkey and pepper-jack and try to ignore the way your stomach flips at the fact that it’s your favorite simple-sandwich-combo and that Mike remembered. “Lot to do in the lab. Obviously.” You take a bite—no mustard, only mayo—and feel some of the tension between your shoulder blades begin to unwind.

“Figure you wouldn’t want it any other way, though,” Mike comments before chomping into his own sandwich.

“Right you are. I mean, end of the world, potentially. Scary stuff, but also…” You swallow, lick your lips and stare out at the landscape in front of you as you grapple with words. “It’s like… I’m terrified, but I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be. Like…”

This is how I’m supposed to go out, you almost say, but you’re smart to keep it to yourself. That’s a thought for you and you alone, one you haven’t shared with anyone because nobody else would understand except maybe Erwin.

“This is what you’re meant to do,” Mike supplies, and you look over at him. “This is what you love. I get that.”

And, he’s right. But, the park and volcanology—those aren’t the only things you love.

Mike sits there, legs crossed like an overgrown kindergartener, shaggy hair blowing in the wind, light green eyes so, incredibly warm and bright, and it feels like you can’t breathe anymore, like your lungs and throat are already full of ash that hasn’t fallen yet, tight with dying declarations you can’t bring yourself to make.

“Have you ever heard of Katia and Maurice Krafft?” You ask, and yes, your voice does feel somewhat strangled, the space behind your eyes burning just a little hotter than usual.

Mike shakes his head, takes another bite, and gives you his undivided attention.

“They were these French volcanologists who got really famous for the pictures and footage they took of erupting volcanoes. The recordings they got for the community were—I mean, they were pioneers. They changed the game. There’s photos and videos of them just—” you gesture nebulously with both your hands, nearly flinging your sandwich off the side of the mountain and making Mike reach out and catch your wrist before you can.

“Please, no feeding the park’s wildlife, ma’am,” he jokes easily, and you have to shove the sandwich into your mouth to keep from giggling like a schoolgirl. Mike shows the smallest of satisfied smiles, completely unaware of his own charm, and it’s maddening and intoxicating, and it’s all you can do to keep talking about the brave scientists.

“Anyway,” you continue. “Katia would get, like, within feet of lava flows. Just walkin’ right beside ‘em in her special heat suit. And, they’d wear protective helmets because of, you know—”

“Explosions. Falling rocks.”

 “Yeah, exactly. They were just there, documenting it all happening, nerves of fucking steel. Katia was usually the one gathering samples and stuff while Maurice recorded, but he was right in the thick of it too. This badass couple learning and adventuring together.”

Mike eventually questions, “What happened to them?” but you’re sure he knows the answer when you deflate a bit.

“Mount Unzen eruption—got caught in the pyroclastic flow. Died instantly.”

“At least they were doing what they loved,” he says, and you nod.

You’re silent for a while, neither of you eating but both of you staring. You think about the Kraffts often, especially now with Yellowstone’s imminent eruption. Doing what they loved… They died for their research, and though you never got the chance to meet them or even speak with anyone who has met them, you have a feeling they wouldn’t have wanted it to happen any other way.

“Just so you know,” Mike gets your attention, and when you look over at him, your heart swells.

The sun is reflected in his eyes, making light green glow with more than just warmth and sincerity, and god, you’re so in love with him, you can feel it in your bone marrow. You ache for him, you pine for him, and you want to live for him, but how…

“I’d film you walking next to a lava flow,” he tells you. Despite the little smile playing at his lips, you know he isn’t kidding.

Tears prick the corners of your eyes, and you have to look away before any actually fall, but your sniffle definitely gives you away. You swear internally, berating yourself for getting emotional in front of Mike, though you can’t say you’re too surprised. Your stress levels have been through the roof, working non-stop for months now, the government breathing down your neck. People have died and the park is literally fracturing before your eyes, and you’re not ready to see it end—to see everything as you know it come to an end.

“Pretty dusty up here,” Mike comments while nudging you. You find him holding out a handkerchief, letting you take it then turning his gaze forward again to allow you a little privacy to dab at your eyes.

Mike has senses beyond the normal human spectrum. He has a sense for weather unlike anyone you’ve ever seen before, from thunderstorms and tornadoes to record snowfall and, on a few occasions, earthquakes. You can still vividly remember being in the lab the day of the fatal quake that damaged the hotel, seeing Mike suddenly look at the seismogram seconds before it started picking up the first tremors. Levi had called it “freakish”, but you had called him “incredible”.

It’s not just the weather, though. Mike has a way with people and animals too, like he can gauge their emotions and act appropriately. It’s how he knows what days he can push Levi’s buttons and get away with it, how he knows when Hange is too busy and overwhelmed to gather samples themself, so he gathers some for them.

And, it’s how he knows exactly when he needs to pull you into a hug, like when the team realized the chances of a small to moderate eruption were next to nothing, like when he had told you how many of those hotel guests had gotten hurt and died and you’d stared at him with wide, watery eyes, and like right now, as you think about Katia and Maurice Krafft, the fate they met and how yours might not be any different.

Will you die doing what you love? Will you be able to welcome it as bravely as they did?

You rest your head on Mike’s shoulder, letting yourself melt into his side, his arm sturdy and grounding where it wraps around you, and as you look out over the sunlit grounds, one last question plagues your mind:

Does a pyroclastic flow burn as hot as the molten feelings inside of you?

You can’t imagine anything does.

1  Y E A R  B E F O R E

The message is broadcasted straight from the state capitol, Levi's expression grim as he reads off the paper hidden on the podium. 

"I know all of this sounds apocalyptic—the ash and blackouts and probable climate change, and it is scary, but we still have some time, so there's no reason to panic. We just urge that if you haven't already started preparing, now's the time. Please."

A couple steps behind him and a little to the right is Erwin, standing tall and nodding at everything Levi says as if he's providing some kind of credibility. 

"Considering we're looking at a VEI eight, the team of volcanologists at Yellowstone have recommended that all of Wyoming and its neighboring states evacuate, but I'll let Homeland Security go over all that."

As he turns to step back, the crowd of reporters and journalists begin shouting out questions, and Levi grimaces as he moves to stand next to Erwin who places a hand in his shoulder. 

You can't hear everything being asked from where you're watching at the lab, but you can't imagine it's anything good judging by the way Levi's frown just keeps growing. 

Fortunately, the vaguely familiar secretary of Homeland Security, Dot Pixis, takes the stand quickly, holding up wrinkled hands in an attempt to calm the crowd. 

"We have some more very important information to cover in this address, so if you'll allow me…" He clears his throat and straightens a stack of papers on the podium, no doubt a huge list of protocols that the public will only half listen to. 

You swivel back and forth in your chair as you watch the thin man on screen, his voice scratchy but strangely soothing as he outlines rationing, supply storage, and evacuation routes. 

"We're also negotiating with our neighboring countries about opening borders. Now, anyone seeking refuge would still be required to fill out an application for a temporary visa, but—"

"God, you know they gotta love that," you mumble to yourself. 

Hange, tinkering somewhere behind you, laughs and agrees, "Yeah, after decades of treating immigrants like trash, and now we're just knocking on their doors, asking for help. Ridiculous."

"Embarrassing, is what it is." 

It was for whichever government official had to make that call, anyway. You're positive that had been a hard pill to swallow. 

As far as you've heard, the foreign affairs part of this mess is actually going quite well. You'd accompanied Erwin to the big meeting with Canadian officials and watched him and Pixis plead a case for America, emphasizing just how bad the eruption will be "at home", then switched tactics at whiplash speed to go into how countries needed to work together since this wouldn't just be the US's problem in the long run. 

It turned into a rather inspiring speech, if you're being honest, prompted you to text Levi a short, how is E so damn charming all the time? to which he'd responded, Believe me, you're asking the wrong fuckin guy. 

With multiple government agencies now backing the states and setting plans in motion, the impending eruption seems even more real. You thought your stress levels were high before, that your sleep pattern left little to be desired, but oh, you had been wrong. 

Case in point being Mike walking into the lab with a brown paper bag and slightly unpleasant expression as he asks, "Have you eaten today?" 

Your glare has no real meaning as you grumble, "Had a granola bar this morning."

"It's nearly six," he groans, pushing you, chair and all, up to your desk and setting the bag in front of you. "Please eat something before you pass out."

"Okay, okay, Christ. You're more attentive than my mother."

"I met your mom last year, and you and I both know she would be hysterical if she knew how you've been treating yourself lately."

He has a point. In fact, you're glad Mike is naturally quiet and didn't bond too strongly with her, otherwise you have a feeling he would have called her by now to complain. 

The chicken salad sandwich you bite into must be imbued with some kind of magic, because you let out an honest to god moan when you swallow the first bite. 

"Oh my god, what did you put in this?" You ask as you blink up at your best friend. 

Mike snorts and rolls his eyes. "Uh, actual nutrients maybe? Weird how your body needs those."

Hands too busy shoving more food into your mouth, you headbutt him right at the hip, just hard enough to make him grunt and sway. He steadies himself, glances down at you like he's annoyed but ends up breaking into a grin when he catches what you assume to be a piece of chicken salad dotting the corner of your mouth. 

"What am I gonna do with you," he mumbles, wiping it with a gentle thumb. 

Your body warms with both embarrassment and affection, but you can't quite find a response even as your head clears for the first time in about two days. You really do need to start taking better care of yourself. 

The undeniable feeling of being watched makes your neck prickle, and you break Mike's gaze to find Hange staring at both of you, a not-so-subtle smile making their mouth curl mischievously. You have a pretty good idea of what they're thinking, and you're heart starts beating a little faster at the thought of them possibly speaking it out loud, but before they get a chance, Mike's phone rings. 

You catch a glimpse of the name displayed before he picks it up—Gelgar—recognize it and tease, "One of the doomsday preppers, right?" 

Because no matter how much Mike denies it, just like he does now— "They're not doomsday preppers—" you know that his friends are a little odd. Extremely well prepared, but odd. 

"Hey man, what's up?" He answers, stepping away from you. "Isn't it almost two there?" 

You don't try to listen in, just look back to Hange and shake your head when their smile grows. 

"Stop."

"What?" They giggle. "I'm not even doing anything!" 

"You're thinking things, though."

"Well yeah, I'm always thinking things. How else would I have gotten this smart?" They flip their ponytail for emphasis and toss a wink your way, but Hange's voice gets oddly sincere when they tell you, "Seriously, though. You guys should get while the getting's good. I don't know why you haven't jumped each other's bones yet."

You splutter, look around frantically to make sure Mike isn't within earshot, and thank god, he's in the next room over. 

"Hange!" 

"I'm just saying! It's like watching Erwin and Levi from a few years ago. God, that was a nightmare."

"How dare you. I am nothing like—"

"Yeah, yeah. When do they get back in anyway?" 

You both look to the TV that's still playing the live address, easily spotting your missing team members behind Secretary Pixis. 

"Probably not 'til later tonight. Levi's gonna try to talk Erwin into getting a hotel, I bet, but he's gonna wanna come back to the lab and check everything before he goes to bed."

"How do you know he wants to come back?" 

You show a sheepish grin, fishing the chips out of the paper sack Mike brought, then answer, "'Cause that’s what I’d wanna do."

*

It's late. Far too late to be at work, but being at home never feels right these days. It's too quiet, too still, too not the lab. The only time you genuinely enjoy being there is when friends are over for a movie or meal over the weekend. Other than that, you're not at all attached. 

Not the way you are here.

Almost midnight, you move from table to table, working, organizing, just keeping busy. You're very awake, still jittery from the quake that shook the park at around three that day. It lasted for almost three minutes, splitting the ground dangerously close to Old Faithful, and the geyser hasn't gone off since which is troubling. If too many of the geothermal spots stop releasing pressure, the eruption will take place sooner than anticipated. 

It's why you're here so late, pouring over the data, studying the numbers and possible effects. 

You're not alone, though. Erwin is also shuffling around the lab, but he's focused on something else, a project of sorts. 

"Can you come take a look at this?" He calls from the projection table, and you drop what you're doing to join him. 

The model isn't lit up as a hologram, surprisingly. Instead, Erwin has paper blueprints laid, curling at the edges from being rolled up. It takes you a second to realize what you're looking at, but when it comes together, you inhale sharply. 

It's a simple design, a square floorplan with a couple entrances. The only exit looks to lead upward, though, and it's easy to tell that means Erwin wants this to be underground. There are notes scribbled in the blank spaces, 4 meters down, bomb proof top, ventilation, generators, gasoline?, rations < 5yrs, medicine, vitamins, guns. The list goes on, handwriting sloppier and sloppier the more thoughts Erwin had at the time. 

"You think this would be ready in a year?"

Erwin shrugs. "With the right construction team, yes. That one bunker designer…" Erwin snaps, trying to think of the name, but it doesn't come to him. "Whoever—He built ten shelters in two years." 

You stick your hands in your back pockets as you lean over to look closer. It could just be your overworked brain, but it looks like a good design, something someone actually has a chance of surviving in. 

Hearing your name makes you look up again. Erwin has you pinned with one of his serious blue gazes. "No one else will understand, so please keep this plan to yourself."

You nod but venture to ask, "You haven't told Levi?" 

"No," he answers, mouth pulling downward. "It's… Going to be a fight."

"Understandably so. You're basically married to the volcano, though, Erwin."

"So are you."

His eyes are shining as your lips twist into a grimace. He's gotten to know you well over the years. You've always shared a certain bond over Yellowstone, one the other team members just don't have. To them, it's just a job, just science. 

To you and Erwin, though, it's a religion. You're in love with the park, all its secrets and eccentricities. It's your home; it's where you belong. 

"Assuming this does get built," Erwin starts, lifting a thick eyebrow in curiosity. "You would want to stay, right?" 

"You mean, ride out a supereruption? Be the first to see the zone-one damage?" 

Erwin doesn't answer, but he does smile, excitement dancing just below the surface of his stare. 

You feel it too, the urge to throw caution to the wind, to take a chance that could very possibly get you both killed. The Kraffts flash through your mind again, their failed attempt at escape.

A breathless, "Fuck yeah," tumbles from your mouth before you can dwell on the consequences for too long. 

It's time to either live it up or go down in ash and flames. 

6  M O N T H S  B E F O R E 

Yellowstone is unrecognizable. The ground is mostly made up of large crevasses and smaller cracks, debris from fallen buildings left in piles with no one to clean them up. 

The geysers are all inactive at this point, but steam is still rising from the springs, and the mudpots are still bubbling. It's the only thing that's keeping the volcano from erupting. 

The ground shakes multiple times a day, the lab seismographs constantly picking up activity. The little ones don't faze you anymore. You and Mike secure the glass samples to make sure they don't break while Erwin and Levi basically hug their computers. Yours was damaged in the quake that prompted Hange and Moblit to leave—a 6.7 that caused Hange to fall into their desk, breaking their collarbone in the process. After getting Hange pain meds and a sling, the two of them were on a plane to D.C. that same night. 

Every day is another risk taken. Now, it's just you, Erwin, Levi, and Mike. 

The latter two spend most of their days dropping hints about leaving soon as well. Mike has already made plans to fly to Norway and join his not-doomsday prepper friends and brings it up often.

"You should come. See the tulip fields while they're still around."

"Gel and Nana have done a great job setting up the ranch. They wanna let as many people stay as they can." 

"You'd really like them. They bicker like an old married couple, but they're good people."

Levi takes a different approach with Erwin, appeals to the other man's desire to help and protect. 

"We really should head to the homeland security office. They don't know what they're dealing with."

"Dok is an idiot. They need a bigger brain over there for guidance or whatever."

"Your long-term plan will be better than anything those government fucks will come up with anyway."

Every time, you and Erwin gently wave them off with promises of "soon" and "just a little longer." Neither of you breathe a word about staying. Despite the fact that construction on the bunker has not started and you're running out of time, both of you are dead set on the plan: go down with the park. 

You're found out before it can come to fruition, however. 

The remaining team is sitting in the lab, busy with their own little projects, when Mike looks up suddenly, takes a deep breath, then says, "Earthquake," just as the seismogram starts going wild. 

He pulls you from your chair quickly, dropping to the ground and bringing you with him to crawl under your desk. On your knees, your body curls in on itself and you lock your hands over the back of your neck as the floor beneath you starts to rumble violently. 

You can hear Levi cursing from somewhere as the sound of glass shattering rings throughout the lab. You think another computer falls, models and books flying from shelves. 

Mike huddles over you, one hand gripping the leg of the desk while the other protects your ribs. You want to tell him to shield himself, but you know there's no use. Besides, the weight and warmth is comforting even in the face of danger—his chest hot against your back, the epitome of a knight in shining armor. 

It lasts for several minutes. The power cuts off, windows crack, doors swing open only to slam shut again. You know the lab is going to be an absolute wreck when it's over. 

When the shaking finally settles, everyone crawls out of their hiding places. Levi warns, "Be ready for aftershocks," as if you don't know, and Erwin fumbles in his desk until he finds a flashlight. 

The ray of light illuminates the damage. Just as you suspected, the place looks like a tornado blew through. Glass litters the floor along with the far-flung books and park models. Both Levi and Erwin's computers fell and disconnected, and your stomach drops as you think about all the potentially lost information. 

"You okay?" Mike asks, pulling you up to your knees so he can look at your face. 

"I'm fine," you tell him, his hands on your cheeks making you flush, so you distract yourself. "E, Levi, you guys okay?" 

"Yes," Erwin answers first. 

Levi shows his face, a deep frown making his brow furrow, as he looks at his desktop. "I'm pissed but uninjured."

The four of you spend the next couple of hours cleaning up what you can, pausing and taking cover when the aftershocks hit, then starting over as the lab sustains more and more damage. 

Mike sweeps up the glass. Erwin focuses on getting the computers back on the desks safely then goes and checks the projection table. You and Levi collect the bigger items, setting books back on shelves. 

You don't think about the mistake before it's too late, when Levi is already pulling out the blueprints that were hidden behind the stack of encyclopedias. 

As he stills completely, you turn to look at him and find him staring down at the large, uncurled papers. Your instinct is to snatch them from his hands, but it's no use. He's already seen enough. 

"What the fuck is this?" His voice comes out like poison as he immediately looks at Erwin. 

The larger man glances at Levi, eyes trailing to what he's holding, then pales. 

"Levi..."

"Is this a god damn bunker? Are you planning on staying in this hellscape?" 

Erwin strides over to him and reaches for the prints, but Levi tugs them out of reach. 

"Answer me," he spits. "Is that your plan?"

"I—" Erwin swallows thickly before answering, "Yes."

It's silent for a long time, and the more it drags on, the tighter Levi's lips get, gray eyes shiny with quiet rage. 

This is what Erwin was trying to avoid, why he insisted on keeping the bunker a secret. 

But while Levi is glaring at Erwin, you feel another gaze on you. Skin crawling, you chance a glance up at Mike, stomach churning when he looks away quickly and bites his lips. He knows. Somehow without anyone saying anything, Mike knows you’re planning to stay too.

Heavy breathing and the distant sound of rumbling earth is all that can be heard, followed by backup generators roaring to life and restoring the overhead lights. 

"You too?" Mike finally speaks. “You wanna stay too?”

You chew on the inside of your cheek, unable to answer. He sounds so disappointed—defeated—and it makes you feel sick. 

"Do you guys know," Levi growls, "How fucking insane that is? This is the dumbest, most reckless, selfish fucking thing you could do! And, I know it's all your thinking!" He drops the blueprints in favor of shoving Erwin roughly, making him stumble back. 

"Hey," you step toward him, but the small man just turns to you and accuses, "And, you egged him on, yeah? Did you even think of us? How we would feel? Staying here is suicide!"

"I have a plan, Levi," Erwin says, raising both hands to his head and effectively disheveling his own hair. "If you just look at the plans. I know what we need to survive. I've done the math, I've studied the—"

"Jesus Christ, we're talking about an eight hundred degree pyroclastic flow! Tephra that will suffocate you. You really think being a few meters down during the eruption will be enough?" Levi is screaming now, his voice cracking, and you think you see tears at his waterline. 

It makes the spaces behind your eyes burn, but it’s only partly out of guilt. The other emotion that’s welling up in you is anger, a betrayal you can barely wrap your head around, but it comes tumbling out anyway.

“Do you even know us? You think we can actually leave the park behind?” Your voice rises to match Levi’s, gains his acidic attention once again. “I don’t even understand how you can run away, after everything you’ve put into this place! How can you just—” You let out a sound somewhere between a groan and a cry as you raise your hands to your face and shove your palms to your eyes. “I get Mike because he doesn’t have anything fucking left here. He’s just been helping out—”

“You think I don’t have anything left here?” He asks quietly from beside you, and when you look at him with a watery stare, you find him wounded. His jaw slides forward as he sucks on his teeth, and fuck, his eyes are getting glossy too. 

“See, this is exactly what I mean,” Levi gestures wildly at the two of you. “Mike and I have stayed because you guys won’t fucking leave, and now it comes out that you were never planning to. When were you gonna tell us? Would you have even given us enough time to get out?”

“Of course!” Erwin takes him by the shoulders, and Levi snarls up at him. “I was working up to it. I wasn’t ready to—to deal with this.”

“I can’t believe this. You really think a whole team of workers is gonna come out here to help build this? You wanna put their lives in jeopardy too?”

“We—”

“You haven’t even thought this through all the way! When did you come up with this? When you hadn’t slept or eaten in forty-eight hours? When your brain wasn’t fucking functioning at full capacity?”

Erwin stays quiet, and so do you because Levi has a point. Taking care of yourselves physically has not been high on either of your lists of priorities, and you’re sure your mental state has suffered for it. All the nights spent at the projection table, mapping out ideas, growing giddy over the idea of staying for the eruption. Was that just two people high off passion, becoming more and more unhinged with each passing day?

Quite possibly. 

You expect the fury to be enough to push Levi away, that he’ll simply give up, drag Mike out with him, and leave you and Erwin to hunker down like you’d planned.

But, that is not the case. 

Instead, he shoves a thin finger into Erwin’s chest, gritting out, “Pack your fucking bags so we can go to D.C. where they need you.”

Erwin takes a breath then slumps in defeat. Now, when faced with the obstacle that is his boyfriend, you figure he’s weighed the pros and cons and made a decision. Between his love for the park and his love for Levi, he’d rather salvage the latter. 

Mike shifts next to you, grumbles out a low, “You too,” that makes the tears finally fall from your eyes. “I’ll take you on one last ride to the springs, but then we’re leaving.”

He stays true to his word, and you cry the entire time you’re in the chopper, headset smushed against one ear as you rest your head on the window and look down at the Grand Prismatic, the steam rising from it. It’s beginning to grow discolored with all the activity, but it’s more stunning now than it’s ever been. 

Soon, it’ll be completely covered. All of it will. And, you could have been too, stuck underground for a couple of years only to be the first to step out into the pure destruction. 

That’s not an option anymore, though, not with Mike looking as grave as he does, not with the way he shadows you in your apartment as you gather the necessities, like he thinks you’re going to bolt and run back to the lab, not when the two of you meet back up with a still-fuming Levi and a despondent Erwin to head to the airport.

The tickets are outrageously priced at such short notice, but that doesn’t stop Levi and Mike from passing their credit cards over.

“Two for Washington D.C.”

“And, two for Bergen, Norway.”

Boarding passes in hand, the four of you walk through the bustling airport together for as long as you can before you have to inevitably split up. Levi glares at you but still pulls you into a tight hug, grunts into your ear, “You’re so stupid,” before letting go and turning to Mike. “Keep her safe, boy scout. I’m trusting you.”

Mike nods, and both of them clasp hands as you turn to look at Erwin. Tears and pathetic sniffles return when you walk into his open arms, clinging to him and mumbling, “‘M sorry, ‘m sorry. I would’ve followed you.”

“I know.” He rubs your back and heaves a sigh. “I know you would have.”

He eventually disentangles you to hold you at arm’s length, wipes the moisture from your face with his thumbs, then shows a sad smile. “See you in a few years, yes?”

“Yeah.”

One more squeeze, and everyone turns away to walk to their respective gate. Mike’s hand splays across your back, warm, guiding you in the right direction, keeping you steady. He’s always kept your feet planted firmly on the ground. You figure, if there’s one person you’d like to experience the downfall of society with—above ground—it’s him. 

S I X  W E E K S  B E F O R E

Norway is kind of incredible. It has a natural beauty that takes your breath away just like Yellowstone used to, but it’s vastly different. Everything is green, including the lights in the sky at night. You’re surrounded by rolling hills and mountains, and you just know it’ll be beautiful under thick layers of snow. 

The once rustic ranch, now restored, is made up of several small houses and a farm full of cows and goats. It’s sad to think about the fate they will eventually meet (slaughter then stomachs), but you know it’s necessary to prepare for the coming years.

And, the owners have definitely prepared. 

Gelgar and Nanaba are everything Mike described and more. Between taking care of the farm and setting up energy sources, they do their best to make you and the other arrivals feel at home. They’ve designed the ranch to house up to about thirty people, a commune of sorts (minus any cult-like vibes). Naturally, everyone pitches in and helps around the place. You find yourself cleaning a lot, but you don’t mind. It’s a nice, mindless task that keeps you from thinking too hard about everything you’ve left behind. 

You also like to join Nana outside, help with the animals and enjoy the sunshine while you still can. Of course, this subjects you to endless teasing especially today when she catches you staring into the distance at Mike who's helping Gelgar fix a solar panel. 

His shirt is starting to stick to his back from sweating, muscles straining under the damp cloth, and good lord, when did he get that broad? Sure, he's always been tall and fit, but working on the homestead has definitely made him more built. That along with the fact that his hair has gotten long enough to tie up in a bun has your mouth going a little dry. 

"Like what you see?" Nanaba asks, accent thick, voice full of amusement. 

You shoot her a look, face all scrunched up when you mumble, "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh?" She sticks her tongue out. "Don't be coy. I see the way you both look at each other."

"Tch." 

"And, how both of you volunteer to cook with the other when it's your turn to. You move around each other like you know exactly where the other is. Two halves of a whole."

You roll your eyes. "We've just worked together for a while. We make a good team."

She's not wrong, though. Since coming to Norway, you and Mike have grown even closer. There was a period of time when you could hardly look at him, too guilty for trying to stay at the park, guilty for hurting him, but eventually the two of you fell back into your normal dynamic—joking, laughing, touching just a little too much, smiling when you think no one's looking. You even spent an afternoon together in a nearby field of flowers, just like he'd promised. With a picnic basket full of food, and a blanket to lay on, you'd admired the clouds overhead while enjoying the rustling grass surrounding you. 

It's been your favorite day since coming here, had reminded you of the lunches you used to share on the mountain. 

You're not brave enough to make any sort of move, though. Mike is just so good. There's a chance his affections are simply based in friendship, and that's something you're scared to ruin. He means too much to you. 

"How long did you work together?"

"Like, four years, give or take a few months."

"And, you're still acting like nothing is there?" Nanaba tsks. "Ridiculous."

"How long did it take you and Gel to get together?" You ask, then quickly backtrack, "Not that that's what I want with Mike necessarily."

"Mhm," she smirks. "Gel and I did it backwards. Got pissed at a bar and fell into bed together. Then we started to get to know each other and found out we just worked."

Sounds about right, you think. The couple has an interesting back-and-forth, half bickering, half innuendo. You can always, always see the love in their eyes, though. That's what you want in life. That’s what you want with Mike. Even if you won't admit it out loud. 

You turn your gaze back to the roof he and Gelgar are on just in time to see him making his way down the ladder. Once on the ground, he and the other man start striding over to you. Mike's face is red, sweat beading at his hairline, and Gelgar's pompadour is beginning to fall. 

"Think we got it fixed up," Mike announces, lifting the bottom hem of his shirt to wipe his forehead. 

You stare at his toned stomach for just a little too long, the lines of his hip bones leading into the waistband of his jeans. 

Nanaba's words ring in your head again—fell into bed, fell into bed, fell into bed—and you fixate on the idea of you and Mike doing the same. To have him hovering over you, or maybe you over him, thighs on either side of those hips as his hands trail up your body—

You shake the thought from your head, letting your glazed eyes refocus on the men in front of you. 

"Alright, I'm gonna grab a shower before dinner. Who's cooking tonight?"

“I believe it's Lynne and Henning," Nana answers. 

Mike nods then heads toward the little house he's been living in, right next to yours, of course. He reaches out to let his hand brush yours as he passes, and it takes conscious effort not to grip onto one or two of his large fingers and follow him. 

"God, that's painful to watch," Gelgar snorts. 

Nana laughs and agrees, "I was just telling her the same thing."

"Oh, shut up. Ya' couple of meddlers."

*

A line forms every evening outside of the main house, the one Gelgar and Nanaba share. You and Mike stand together at the back, watching everyone in front of you. Some are families, some are couples, some are here alone. You figure, no matter their status, the ranch is a nice place to be—peaceful, home-y despite its size. So far, everyone gets along. 

Only the kids complain about chores, about seven of them constantly running around together, but that’s to be expected, and honestly, you don’t mind picking up their slack. Life is about to get very difficult for them. They should get to be children for a little while longer. 

Potato soup is poured into your bowl with a ladle, topped with shredded beef and green onions, then you and Mike retire back to your little cottage home to eat and watch TV. It stays on the same channel, world news, and there’s always a long segment that covers Yellowstone and what it’s doing. 

It is not uncommon at all to look up from your food and see Erwin or Levi’s face on screen, speaking with experts, sometimes in interview-like settings.

Tonight, they’re covering a problem that’s been going on for some time, but everyone figured would resolve itself: some people will not leave the most dangerous zones, and it’s because they simply do not believe an eruption will take place. 

Even with the evidence, the science backing it—even with actual federal authorities knocking on their doors and telling them to leave—there are many people who just want to stay put. It’s insane to you, makes your blood boil. Children have been taken from their homes to be placed in safer areas, which only causes the disbelievers to get angrier. They want to say “I told you so”, but that’s not going to happen. 

What’s going to happen is getting burned alive in the flow that pours from the volcano. They will die a painful death, get buried under meters of fallout, ash, snow. There’ll be nothing to recover except for petrified, charred corpses. 

Of course, the irony is not lost on you; you and Erwin were both willing to chance similar fates, but you still think the two of you would have been more prepared than these regular-Joes who think their front door is enough to stop a volcanic eruption. 

“In the end, there’s no reasoning with people like this,” Erwin says on camera, a soft, sad smile playing at his lips. “When a person is so, uh… Dead set on staying, it will take an unstoppable force to move them.”

In your case, that unstoppable force had been Levi screaming at you while holding back tears. 

“Unfortunately for them, this force is the eruption, and they won’t be able to leave when that occurs.”

“Because they’ll be dead,” the reporter states more than asks.

Erwin nods and answers with a grim, “Yes. Yes, they will be.”

They’re not trying to be subtle, obviously hoping that this will get through to the stubborn masses, but you doubt it will. They’re living on borrowed time at this point. Any day could be their last.

Mike is quieter than usual as he eats, barely even looking at the television screen, and you have a feeling he’s thinking about how close you were to staying alongside those stupid assholes. It’s still a touchy subject, one both of you do your best to avoid. You’re mostly happy to be in Europe, spending your days with Mike and his friends and everyone else running around here. 

But, there’s also a part of you, deep down inside, that aches, that misses the park, that still wants to be right in the middle of the destruction. Watching it blow from so far away is going to hurt. This massive monster you’ve fallen in love with over the years will never be the same, and your last good look at it was that tearful helicopter ride. 

You’re not resentful toward Mike or Levi for dragging you out of the lab that day, but you are grieving in a sense. 

The program ends with Erwin giving one last warning— “If you insist on staying, I’d advise bomb-proofing your home, stocking up on several years-worth of rations, and installing one hell of a ventilation system. Good luck.”

Mike clears his throat and stands, grabbing his empty bowl as well as yours, then heads into the kitchen to rinse them off. 

Sighing, you follow him, lean against the counter a couple feet away as you think of something to say that won’t sound too forced.

“Hey,” you start.

Mike gives a low, “Hm?” as he holds the dishes under hot water, finally glancing over when you gently nudge him in the side.

“Thanks for…” You take a deep breath, pinned by light green eyes, then try again. “Thanks for bringing me here.” He blinks but doesn’t say anything, so you continue. “It’s really nice. And, I’ve bonded or whatever with Nana.”

“But, you miss the park,” he says.

You shrug. “I mean, yeah. That park was my life, but… Probably dying in it was not one of my brighter ideas.”

He snorts, shuts off the water, then turns to you. Craning your neck, you take in his face—really take it in—the few strands of hair that hang freely past his jawline, the way his beard, no longer stubble but not exactly thick, forms around his mouth and connects with his sideburns, his strong, slightly curved nose, how his Adam’s apple bobs when he swallows. He’s so painfully handsome, especially all shaggy and rugged, and it makes your heart beat too hard and too fast in your chest. 

Mike dries his hands on a dish towel, looking down at them when he tells you, “I’m glad we were able to get you out of there. It’s not something I’ll ever feel bad about. Even if you hate me for it.”

“I don’t hate you,” you scoff. “Never could. You’re my best friend, Mike.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you smile, then think of Nanaba earlier that day and laugh quietly. 

“What?”

You wave a hand, shake your head. “Nothing, nothing, just… Nana has… Ideas, or something.”

There’s no need to elaborate. Mike understands what you’re trying to say. He inhales then breathes out it out in a chuckle as he posts up against the counter next to you. “Yeah, Gelgar does too.”

“Guess they don’t know us very well.”

A silence hangs between the two of you, one that would normally be comfortable but is now a little thick given the subject matter of your conversation.

You and Mike. Just earlier that day you had been thinking about how scared you are to ruin the friendship, but the more you imagine, the more you get lost in the fantasy…

“Or maybe…” You glance over to see Mike nibbling on his bottom lip, eyes fixed on the ground as he continues, “Maybe they know us better than we know ourselves.”

He raises his head, gaze locking with yours, and you stop breathing. Because that stare is so hesitant, searching for something inside of you as if you have the answer, but you’re just as scared and confused as he is. Over four years of friendship—of good, meaningful friendship—is that worth risking just because you’re both curious? 

Or has it all been leading to this since the start? Since those first, short conversations, since the meals shared with one another, the affectionate gestures. Mike has always kept your head on straight, looked after you with even more care than he had with the park’s wildlife. 

You thought it’d all been one-sided pining, that he was just glad to have someone who understood him a little better than everyone else because you do. You understand his passion for the planet, you understand all his little fixations. You appreciate every eccentricity like he appreciates all your neuroses. 

“Maybe so…” 

Two very large hands are on your face, tilting upward, and your lungs begin to burn as Mike strokes just under your eyes with the pads of his thumbs. He has to lean down quite a bit, pauses just over your lips to let out a tiny huff of surprise, disbelief, awe maybe, then closes the rest of the miniscule distance. 

He is very warm and very firm against you—feels good, all the comfort of someone familiar but still so new. Your lips fit together perfectly, and at last, you’re able to breathe again, mouths moving in an experimental back and forth, feeling each other out until he runs the tip of his tongue along the seam of your lips. Gripping strong shoulders, you let the kiss deepen, opening your mouth for him, and Mike groans when he’s finally able to taste you. 

Hands fall from your face, moving down, down, down, brushing your ribs, settling at your hips, but his fingers are long enough to curl and dig into the meat of your ass, making you gasp and press harder against him.

Rolling his pelvis into yours, you very quickly find yourself pinned between Mike’s body and the counter. Your grasp travels to the back of his neck, pulling him closer—you just need him closer—and he must feel it too because he hoists you up and sets you on the countertop, making room for himself between your legs.

You feel too hot and too desperate, but it’s good, a release that’s needed to happen for far too long. All manner of geothermal metaphors swim through your mind, spurting geysers and boiling mudpots, and it makes you giggle against him, biting down on his bottom lip and smiling around the flesh as he lets out another one of those rumbling, satisfied noises. 

“What’re you laughin’ at?” Mike mumbles, and for some reason, it’s strange to hear his voice so close, so quiet, as you’re pressed together, breathing each other’s air. It’s intimate and different, but it’s right. 

“I’m just…” Another little laugh, “Thinking about the volcano.”

“When are you not thinking about the volcano?” You have a feeling he’s rolling his eyes, but he still grins and kisses you again.

“It’s all dirty things if that helps.”

Mike nods slowly, lips trailing from your mouth toward your neck. “Helps some.”

You tilt your head to give him better access and let out a little whine when you feel him bite down on a patch of skin just beneath the notch of your jaw, wrap your legs around his waist and do your best to rock into him because good god, you want him. 

Fingers tangling under his loosening bun, you tug him back to your mouth, slotting your lips against his and sliding your tongue between his teeth. He presses you closer with a hand on the small of your back, squeezing the air from your lungs so all you can breathe is him. 

“Mm, Mike, Mike,” you pant, barely breaking away only for him to chase after. You laugh, push his chest at the same time you gently tug at his hair, and he backs away just enough for you to get a good look at his half-lidded eyes and spit-slicked lips. 

Honestly, staring at him now, you can’t believe you made so long without ever making a pass at him. He’s gorgeous, built like a roman statue only larger, with sun-kissed skin and a startlingly light gaze that threatens to leave you boneless. 

“D’you wanna, maybe…” You swallow and blink up at him, too many questions suddenly invading your mind—is it too early for sex? Will he think you’re easy? What if it doesn’t actually work out? But, you bite the bullet anyway and finish, “Go to the bedroom?” 

Mike is silent for a few beats, leaving you to second guess yourself and brace for disappointment and embarrassment, but then he clicks his tongue and answers, “Uh, yeah. Yes, let’s do that,” in a voice a little higher than usual, and scoops you from the counter.

Every little house on the ranch is laid out the same, so it does not take him long to find your room. He sets you down at the threshold, and from there, it’s a flurry of discarded clothing and stumbling to the bed.

“How have we never done this before?” He huffs, crawling over you, leaving wet kisses in his wake. 

You’ve still got an arm covering your bare chest, but Mike doesn’t seem self-conscious in the slightest which comes as a surprise considering how reserved he typically is. Not that he has anything worth hiding—not the thin layer of hair that dances over his barrel chest, not the ridiculously cut abdominals or sharp ‘V’ of his hips, and definitely not the thick cock bobbing against his stomach as he moves. You would be intimidated if you didn’t know him as well as you do, but you’re sure that he’ll be gentle with you. Mike may be many things, but careless is not one of them.

He reaches your mouth, kisses you so deeply it makes you dizzy, and as he does, he very slowly pulls your arm from your chest, leaving you vulnerable—free for the taking. 

His touch is soft enough to tickle as he brushes over one of your nipples, making you exhale against him and arch your back like a silent plea for more. He traces around the bud, makes it pebble before carefully rolling it between two fingers.

Warmth spills into your gut, makes you squirm on the bed, and a moan makes its way from your throat as Mike gently tugs at the sensitive flesh. He lowers his head again, lavishing the same kind of attention on your other nipple with his mouth. He nibbles and licks and sucks, and you wriggle and whimper beneath him, one hand trailing down his body until you’re able to close your fingers around the head of his cock. 

Mike grunts, thrusts into your hand a couple times, enough to make precum drool from his tip, but before he can get too carried away, he says just above a whisper, “Let me get you ready,” then moves to lay between your spread legs.

Sliding his arms under your thighs, he locks them into place, and you release a shaky breath, feeling his eyes taking you in for several seconds before licking up your slit once then pushing deeper.

“Oh, fu—”

Both your hands shoot downward, one gripping the messy bun at the back of his head as you shudder at the sensation of his beard against your pussy. You’re wet in seconds, core pulsing as Mike uses his tongue to slowly open you up, then pulls back to flick over your clit. 

“Mike—Mike—”

He hums into you, shaking his head slowly back and forth, no doubt making a mess of his face and you. You don’t have anything to say, just feel your throat tightening like there are unspoken words that need to come out, but you can’t think straight, not when he’s doing what he’s doing, not when you feel the tips of his fingers reaching out to spread your lips. 

He is thorough bordering on methodical, makes sure you’re at the point of full body shakes before he gives you a break, and then, when your breathing returns to a normal rate, he starts all over again. There is a tightness in your gut that builds and builds then dissipates every time he stops, and he must know because when you whine in frustration, Mike just grins and kisses the inside of your thighs. 

The same pattern is repeated with his fingers, just one at first, massaging your walls perfectly, then a second that makes your eyes roll into the back of your head. He rubs over the swelling tissue inside of you, seems to enjoy every little gasp and noise you make, including the unsatisfied one you let out when he pulls his fingers from you. 

You can feel how damp the bedspread is underneath you, can see the evidence of your arousal on Mike’s face, and it makes you flush but doesn’t stop you from tugging him down for another messy kiss. 

“You ready?” He asks, sounding just as breathless as you feel, and you nod furiously, bending your knees and planting your feet on the mattress so that you can lift your hips to his. 

Mike chuckles, reaches down between the two of you to take hold of his length and taps your clit with his cockhead a couple times—simultaneously the most infuriating and most erotic thing you’ve ever experienced. Slowly, he lines himself up, just barely pushing forward, and when you bite your lip and squeeze your eyes shut, Mike tells you to, “Breathe, baby, open up for me.”

He already sounds wrecked, like he’s fighting the urge to just sheathe himself entirely, but he waits, giving you one inch at a time with periods of adjustment in between. You always sort of figured he was big, but this burning stretch is something you hadn’t imagined even in your lewdest of fantasies. You’re incredibly full, feel him in your gut and throat and everywhere, but it isn’t bad; it’s just a lot. 

“Okay,” you stroke the forearm next to your head and nod. “Okay, you can start moving more.”

Mike’s brow creases. “You’re sure?”

“About as sure as I can be with a monster cock inside m-me—” Your laugh turns to a moan as Mike begins to pull out, eyes trained on your face for any sign of real discomfort, but your mouth just drops open, your own eyebrows raising at the feeling of his length hitting every one of your most sensitive spots. 

“Holy…”

He pushes back in quickly, still mindful of what your body can take, and when all you do is cry his name and scratch down his back, Mike starts up a steady rhythm that has you seeing god. 

That tightness is back, hotter than before, threatening to burn you up entirely as your cunt flutters and spasms and leaks around Mike’s length. 

The sound of a hoarse groan makes you open your eyes, and you follow Mike’s line of vision to where you’re connected, see his cock sliding in and out of you, dripping slick and ringed in white cream toward the base. The sight makes you clench around him, and Mike swears under his breath then leans forward to gather you in his arms. Your head lolls back as he lifts you, sitting on his knees for just a second before falling onto his back and letting you drop onto him. 

You choke, and Mike pants, but his hands are tight at your hips, moving you up and down his length like a sleeve. His pupils are blown wide when you look down at him, hair nearly entirely out of its tie, bottom row of teeth exposed as his jaw slides almost primally. 

He looks completely lost in you, possessed as he fucks up into your pussy rougher than before. You bounce in his lap, whimpering his name with every thrust, growing in volume when you feel a finger press against your clit. 

“You gonna come for me?” Mike grits out, rubbing a circle over the swollen bundle as his eyes flick from your chest to your face. 

You nod, ignoring the burning in your thighs in favor of the sensation between your hips. “Yeah, I—I—Fuck, Mike—”

“Come on, baby, come on—wanted to see this for years, come all over my cock…”

You snap, legs shaking as your climax crashes through you. Your cunt pulses around Mike, coating him in more of your juices and making him groan and fuck you through it. You whine at the stimulation, swollen walls so sensitive yet taking everything he has to give you.

Every thrust to your g-spot makes you gush a little more, come a little longer, until all you can do is fall onto his chest and let him use you as he needs to. You leave marks on his pecs, bites and scratches, and Mike grunts at every one of them until he sits up and flips you once again.

“Where do you want me?”

“Anywhere, I don’t care, I don’t care,” you babble.

Mike inhales sharply then lets out a long groan as he pulls out and shoots his load onto your stomach. It’s warm and thick, some pooling in your belly button as Mike makes a trail down to your clit where he smears the last few drops. You twitch at the contact, hole clenching around nothing now, but you can already feel soreness settling into your muscles. 

Mike gives you two little pecks on the mouth, then one last, longer kiss before rolling to lay on the mattress beside you, chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

This silence doesn’t bother you. It gives you time to come back to your senses, to reflect, to remember everything that was said which leads you to ask, “You meant that—about wanting this for years?”

Mike turns his head and smiles so sincerely it almost brings tears to your eyes. 

“Well, yeah. Been in love with you pretty much since I started at the park.”

He says it so casually, like it’s the most natural thing in the world, and maybe it is, but it still makes your breath catch. 

“Seriously?” You turn to lay on your side, and Mike mimics the action, propping his head up with one hand while he lets the other settle on your waist. 

He lifts an eyebrow and questions, “Is that so hard to believe?” 

“No, I just… Thought it was one-sided on my end, I guess. Like, we were too good of friends.” Mike leans forward to gently headbutt you, and you snort to yourself, “Guess I was wrong.”

“We were both being stupid,” he mumbles. “But, we were also focused on other things, married to the job or whatever.”

Lifting your face makes him lift his, and you smile into another kiss, feeling happier and more balanced than you have in a very long time. 

Without much more discussion, you and Mike get up to rinse off, sharing more soft touches under the spray of the shower before crawling into bed together. Falling asleep feels like coming home.

You don’t even mind the smug grin on Nanaba’s face when she sees you and Mike leave your house together in the morning, nor the teasing jabs Gelgar throws your way over lunch. You don’t know if anything is capable of knocking you out of your perfect, peaceful little world on this perfect, peaceful little homestead.

Except maybe a supereruption, of course. 

E - D A Y 

It happens right in the middle of the morning news. You and Mike are sipping on coffee, expecting the same report you’ve gotten every day— “Nothing yet, closely monitoring, blah blah”—but as the English news anchor tries to introduce the meteorologist, he stops, holds a hand to the speaker in his ear, then looks at the camera with wide yes. 

“I’m—I’m getting news that the Yellowstone supervolcano has just begun to erupt, we’re cutting to the US address at Washington D.C. now—”

And just like that, Levi’s face is suddenly on screen, picking him up mid-sentence. 

“... One vent open at the present time, but more will open shortly. Stay indoors, ration your food. This is what we’ve been preparing for.” He looks tired, and when you do the math, you understand why: seven AM in Norway is one AM in D.C., meaning Levi was probably woken up to make the announcement. 

As always, you can make out Erwin’s figure behind him, hands clasped tight and shaking, and it isn’t until Mike puts a hand on your shoulder that you realize you are trembling right along with your old boss.

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay,” he reassures you. “We’re gonna be okay here.”

You nod and let him pull you closer to him as both of you look back to the screen and listen to what your old colleagues have to say.

The news stays on for the rest of the day. At around ten, the second vent opens up. Then another. Then another. Levi keeps track, expression never betraying the fear he must be feeling, even when he delivers the message that a full ring around the caldera has opened up. 

“Obviously, we can’t get in close enough to look, but we estimate at least two thousand four hundred and fifty cubic kilometers of eruptible magma will pour from the volcano. That’s the size of the eruption from around two million years ago, but it could be worse with the current number of vents…”

The journalists on site, usually so ready to ask questions and challenge Levi, are silent today, and you imagine they’re staring with eyes the size of saucers, not quite believing what they’re hearing because it’s happening. It’s finally happening. 

You eat a quiet, solemn lunch at Nanaba and Gelgar’s, no one knowing what to say. You feel nauseous, stunned, not unlike losing a loved one. You’re able to forget the absolute destruction taking place in the states for a few minutes at a time, but it always comes back to you, punching you in the gut with the same, brute force every time.

The park. The lab. The forests. The towns. Cities, states, homes, lives, all wiped off the map. 

Erwin takes Levi’s place as public speaker close to five, probably to let the other man get some sleep, and reports that the portable seismogram, still linked to the remaining seismographs located around the park, show that there are near continuous earthquakes taking place, “Which could either help should enough earth shift to block the magma chamber, or make things worse by disrupting it further.”

“E is not very good at keeping people’s hopes up,” you mutter, and Mike chuckles.

“Yeah, I see why he makes Levi do all the talking now.”

You both receive texts from the rest of the team, Levi’s coming at an appropriate time but the others reaching you at odd hours of the night when you’re nestled in Mike’s arms.

Neither of you sleep as reality sets in the rest of the way. That was it. The beginning of the end of everything you know. Everything is about to change.

You sniff, try to be as quiet as possible as the tears you’ve been holding back all day finally begin to fall, but Mike knows, feels your body stiffen as you curl into yourself. 

He hugs you close to him but doesn’t say anything, just rests his cheek against yours and holds your hand. 

There’s nothing anyone can say to make this better, no amount of optimism or determination that will make this any easier. Your home is covered in miles of pyroclastic flow, and as it hasn’t stopped yet, you know this is just the start. Soon, anything left alive will be suffocated by the tephra, people, animals, and vegetation alike. Though you won’t die where you are, everyone at the ranch will be feeling the effects soon enough.

Your mother calls from France where her and your dad decided to “vacation” for the next several years. She’s worked up about not being able to get through to you for almost an entire day, and even as you reassure her that you’re mostly fine, she hears the way your voice cracks and offers to fly to Norway.

“Mom, the airports are shut down by now,” you sigh. “We already talked about this. We can’t see each other for a while, but we’ll FaceTime until we can’t anymore.” Until the cell towers are knocked out, you don’t say.

“I just know my baby girl is hurting right now. I know how much you loved—”

“I know,” you cut her off, scared that hearing it from her mouth will just make you lose it again. “I know, but I’m okay here with Mike and everyone else.”

“You’re sure?” She sniffles, sounding a lot like you. “Cause your father and I will find a way to get to you if you need us.”

“I’m sure, Mom,” you tell her with a sad smile she can’t see. “Get some rest, okay?”

You share many calls like that, many ill-timed text messages until the eruption finally comes to an end six days later. The damage it’s done is incalculable—the entirety of the United states now covered in a cloud of ash that blocks out the sun. 

It doesn’t reach you for a few days, but every time you go outside, Mike sniffs the air and mumbles something like, “Smells like sulfur,” or “It’s getting closer”, but after another week, the entire globe is covered. 

1  M O N T H  A F T E R

Everything is an estimation. Everyone knows that a massive amount of magma erupted, but they don’t know how much. Everyone knows that a large number of people have died, but they don’t know how many. There are too many mysteries, and it’s nowhere near safe enough to send search crews out. 

Despite all the warnings, people are still trying to go outside—to see the ash, to review the damage, but even with cloth or medical grade masks, they’re breathing in the dangerous particles floating in the air, tiny minerals that turn to a cement-like substance in their lungs, and because of that, the death count is only rising. 

News reports cut in and out, as do phone calls. Some texts never get sent or received, so all you truly have is your little home and Mike. 

And, you cry, and you mourn, and you miss your friends and family—fuck, you don’t even know how you’ll survive so long without them—but you also revel in the fact that you’re safe. Not everyone can say that. The fact that you had almost willingly stayed in the most dangerous zone of the explosion is laughable now. There’s no way you and Erwin would have survived that, something he agrees with you on when you share a short phone call with him just to check how he and Levi are doing. 

They’ll be staying at the Homeland Security compound for the forseeable future, but he assures you they’re well-prepared to brave the years-long gray storm. 

Without any livestock to take care of, or mouths to feed other than yours and Mike’s, you find yourself with an abundance of free time. You still have power thanks to the solar panels and the couple of windmills set up around the ranch, but you don’t know how long that will last. 

You both read a lot, do puzzles together, fall into bed both out of desire and just because there’s not much better to do.

And, that part of your apocalyptic life is kind of great. Mike is great. He takes care of you both in and out of the bedroom, is gentle with you until you tell him not to be, and then he’s more than happy to succumb to your needs. He’d invested in a frankly absurd amount of condoms before the eruption so he wouldn’t have to worry about pulling out every time, but every once in a while you want him like you had him the first time—desperate and passionate and completely raw. 

That’s the feeling you’re experiencing tonight, staring at Mike from your place on the couch rather than at the book in your hands.

You see him smile before he actually looks at you, but when he does, he has a glint in his eyes you’ve gotten very familiar with over the last month. 

“Need something, baby?”

You bite your lip to keep from grinning too bashfully and glance back down at the open pages on your lap. “Nuh uh.”

“You sure?”

“Mhm,” you nod. 

“Really?” Mike puts down the wildlife magazine he’s perusing and leans closer to you. “’Cause it looks like you might want something.”

You cross your legs, flip a page you haven’t even read, and shake your head. 

It’s a dumb game you’ve both started to play, who can hold out the longest. Of course, the longest record is one you both hold—four years and some odd months—but other than that, you usually make it two or three days at most.

But it’s hard with him walking around looking like he does, and for someone so quiet, Mike is mischievous and handsy, knowing just how to rile you up only to walk away and leave you to whatever you were doing before. He whispers in your ear, he grabs your ass, sometimes he’ll just stand right behind you in the kitchen and inhale, trace his nose up your neck so that you shiver and break out in goosebumps, then mumble a shameless, “You smell nice.”

He’s troublingly good at driving you crazy, and you realize this is why it took you so long to actually get together. You can’t imagine being this wound up and wanton in the lab with everyone there to see. 

“You know,” Mike speaks again. You look at him from the corner of your eyes as he leans back against the cushions and nonchalantly kicks an ankle over his thigh. “A lot of people are dying. Like, thousands. Millions.”

Frowning, you nod. “Uh, yeah. Worldwide disaster taking place.”

“Yeah, it’s a shame,” he adds. His lips twitch upward for a second before he purses them, waiting for another couple seconds then stating, “Should probably start thinking about… Efforts to repopulate.”

Eyes widening, you tilt your head to the side in disbelief, a short, incredulous laugh bubbling from your throat.

“You should be ashamed of yourself, Mike Zacharias!” 

Reaching behind you, you grab a throw pillow and launch it at him. Mike shields himself easily, choking and chuckling as he tries to defend himself, “I’m just—saying! It’s something to keep in mind!”

“Trying to guilt me into sex—” You smack his forearms with the pillow again, “As if I’m not already easy for you—" smack, smack, “—by bringing up all the people dying out there. What is the matter with you?”

He gets a hold of the pillow and rips it from your hands then hugs it to his chest and stares at you with that uncharacteristically devious look. “Is it working?”

You scoff at him, gently kick at his thigh in one last act of defiance before responding, “I mean, kinda.”

And, that’s all he needs to hear before he’s throwing himself at you, pinning you to the couch even as you giggle and squirm, ridding you of the comfortable clothes you have on so that he can kiss and lick every part of you he can reach. He acts like he’s hungry for you, and you have to use all your strength to shove him off of you just so that you can work his pants off and return the favor. 

Mike is all grunts and curses as you work him over with your tongue, a hand on the back of your head heavy but not pressuring. He trembles as you take him deeper, his tip hitting the back of your throat and sliding just a little further. 

It always hurts your jaw, leaves it sore for a full twenty-four hours at least, but the way his jaw drops and his hands ball into fists make it worth it. 

You use one hand to stroke what your mouth can’t reach, the other settling between your own thighs to get you to where you need to be, and only when Mike is panting and you’re dripping slick into your curled palm do you pull off of him.

He helps you into his lap, lets you take your time sliding down his length, because even after as much practice as you’ve had, it hasn’t exactly gotten easier. He’s still massive, and you still have to will yourself to relax around him, but once your muscles have loosened enough, you begin to rock your hips. 

Mike lets you use him like that for a few minutes, knows he’s at the perfect angle to rub over your g-spot, so he just watches and leans forward to place teasing kisses around your open mouth. 

“Feel good, baby?” His voice drips like honey as he grips onto you to aid in your movement. 

Nodding, you dig your nails into his shoulders, then shift to start moving up and down his length. Mike takes it as his cue to take over completely, strong enough to lift and drop you as he pleases, and you both fall into a frenzy of motion, desperate to get off, to get each other off, to share that euphoria. 

“Do you actually want to?” You ask in a daze.

Mike cracks his eyes open to ask, “What?” and slows down enough to give you enough breathing room to speak. “Do I wanna what?”

Making lazy air quotes with your fingers, you mimic his deep voice, “Repopulate,” then elaborate, “Have kids. Do you want that?” 

Everything stops. Your hips still, as do Mike’s, and he stares at you, the lusty haze of his gaze clearing as he processes what you’re asking. 

Feeling completely exposed, you try to rationalize, “I know, I know, we’ve only been doing this for, like, a month, and it’s kind of a terrible time to actually bring new life into the world, but if I’m gonna do it with anyone—”

Mike fists both hands in the hair at the back of your head, pulls you to him to smash your lips together. When he starts bouncing you again, your muffled moan is still loud in the small living room, and Mike’s voice comes out somewhere between desperate and destroyed when he tells you, “Yeah, I want kids. Want you to have my kids.”

“Okay,” you breathe, matching his rhythm, then again, “Okay.”

A switch seems to flip in Mike’s head. You watch and experience him devolve into someone—something—primal. He fucks you like he never has before, long hair hanging in his face, lip caught between his teeth as he groans around it, pistoning into you quick and rough.

“You want it?” He growls, pausing to suck a mark at the swell of your breast. “You want me to come in this pussy?”

Your heart stutters, jaw dropping slightly because Mike isn’t a vulgar man, never has been, but now, the way he’s looking up at you with wild eyes, you know all he needs is the right push, and he’ll lose it completely. 

“Yeah, fuck, want you to fill me up, please,” you whine.

Your world tilts as he tosses you long ways on the couch, sliding back into you with ease and demanding, “Touch yourself.”

You grin slyly, “What, don’t have the focus?”

“Not really,” he admits, flicking sweaty hair from his eyes. 

Two of your fingers find your clit, massaging it the way you always do when you’re desperate for an orgasm. It makes you clamp tighter around Mike, and you tell him again—beg for him— “Please, baby, want you so bad.”

He comes quicker than usual, shooting line after line deep inside of you until it starts dripping out around his cock. 

He can’t stay inside you for long, unable to take the way you keep clenching and twitching from your own ministrations, so Mike pulls out and shimmies down your body so that his face is just above your cunt. At first, he just stares (like always), admiring your swollen folds and how messy you are, but soon he pushes a finger into you, attaching his mouth to your clit shortly after.

It doesn’t take you long. The thought of him fingerfucking his cum further into you paired with the actual sensation of it sends you over the edge within a few minutes, and the two of you are left sweaty and panting, too drunk off each other to really think about the gravity of what you’ve just done but enjoying it all the same. 

The feeling eventually returns to your legs, some of the fog in your brain dissipating as you run your hand through Mike’s hair, and when you find that you can, you voice, “Can we even handle a kid? Or like… Can a kid handle the world as it is?”

“Kids are weirdly resilient,” Mike speaks, face pressed against your stomach so that you can feel the vibrations. “And, maybe there’ll eventually be a race of super babies or something—have enhanced lungs to deal with ash. Darkvision and shit.”

You snort and shake your head. “Dummy.”

He retaliates by blowing a raspberry just above your belly-button, grins lopsidedly when you squeal. 

“But really, our kids’ll be fine. Volcanologist for a mom and an Eagle Scout for a dad? Doesn’t get much better than that.”

“Oh my god, you were actually in Boy Scouts? Does Levi know?”

Mike makes a little ‘pft’ sound and shoots you an unimpressed look. “Of course not. Like, I’d ever let that tiny, tiny man be right about anything.”

Your laugh is so deep and genuine, it makes your whole body shake. Mike raises his head to keep it from bouncing so much, but you can feel him staring for the duration of your giggle fit. Even through squinted, teary eyes, you can see his gaze is full of adoration, and you figure having two parents who love each other as much as the two of you do will at least make the hard life ahead of you a little easier for a child. 

4  Y E A R S  A F T E R

Heavy snow falls outside, adding to the thick layers on the ground and clouding the window you’re staring out of. The carrier is nicely heated, ensuring you and its other two occupants stay toasty as you keep eye out for incoming headlights. 

“Think that’s them,” Mike says, and you swivel to look out his driver’s side window to see two dull beams of light growing brighter and brighter. 

“Don’t know who else it would be,” you joke. “No one else is dumb enough to come back to this place.”

The only sign of your husband raising his eyebrows is the way his hat shifts slightly. “You’re right about that.”

Cinching fur-lined hoods tighter, you both slide out of the tram, boots crunching on ice and snow when you land on the ground. Mike circles to your side, opens the back door, then unbuckles and collects what looks to be a bundle of jackets in his arms. Two light eyes peer out between a beanie and a face mask, gloved hands reaching out and grabbing for you. 

“You want Mama?” Mike coos before passing your son to you.

You settle him on your hip, rub his shielded nose with yours, hoping your body heat will help keep him warm out here.

It’s been winter for… Years, now, the ash from the eruption having behaved exactly as you thought it would, blocking out the sun, and sending the planet hurtling into another ice age. It was something not everyone was prepared for—the intense cold, the food and water shortage, the isolation, but you were lucky. You had everything you needed.

The other snow vehicle stops a ways off, lights left on as two figures jump out, recognizable even when completely covered up. One is nearly as tall as Mike, the other considerably smaller even up close. 

Pulling his mask down, Erwin shows a brilliant smile as he stops in front of you and Mike, and Levi immediately protests— “Oi, cover your mouth, old man! You need it for more than just talking shit.”

Mike laughs, but still reprimands the other man with a pointed, “Levi,” and a nod toward the little boy you’re holding. 

“Fuck—I mean…” Levi takes in a deep breath then apologizes over the whistling wind and falling snow, “Sorry, Huck.”

Bouncing him on your hip, you peer at your son and prompt, “Huckleberry, you remember Levi and Erwin from the computer?” 

Though your team has seen him many times on Zoom and FaceTime, this is first time Huck is meeting any of them in the flesh.

Your son looks between them for a while, quiet as he sizes up both of the men, then he reaches out for Levi the same way he had for you just moments before. Levi makes a dissatisfied noise but still takes him from you, and once Huck is passed off, you shuffle to Erwin and wrap your arms around him, breathing into his chest and warming your face. 

Your boss squeezes you tightly, mutters a low, “I know, I missed you too.”

It isn’t enough to drown out Levi’s sing-song baby voice, and both you and Erwin glance over to find him with his forehead pressed to Huck’s as he teases, “Can’t believe your parents named you after a volcanic eruption. That was pretty dumb, right?”

Mike glides over, places one hand on Huck’s head and the other on Levi’s, then sighs. “Please don’t criticize my wife’s terrible taste in nam—”

“Hey! You agreed to it,” you shout, taking the little boy back from Levi and glaring at both the smiling men. “Better shut up before you give him a complex. He can understand things, you know. He’s three.”

“Huckleberry Pine Zacharias,” Levi scoffs. “I cannot stand you guys.”

“I think it’s a great name,” Erwin interjects, lightly tapping Huck’s nose under his mask. 

“Well, you have shit taste, too.”

“Obviously, if I married a little gremlin like you,” Erwin drawls easily, leaning into the punch that Levi throws into his arm.

“Anyway, we’re here for a reason, right? Other than freezing our asses off?”

“Yeah,” Mike nods, kicking at the snow on the ground like it’ll make a difference. 

All of you know that buried beneath all the white is dried pyroclast, but under that… 

Is what remains of Yellowstone.

“How do we even go about rebuilding?” Mike is the first to ask.

Erwin stares at his own feet, face scrunched up in thought for a while before looking back up and stating, “From the bottom. Everything starts with a good foundation.”

Levi just scoffs, but you and Mike lock eyes and share a hidden grin. 

You take Huck back from Levi, leaning in for a side hug as you do, then suggest to everyone, “Well, then, now that we’ve seen a little of what we’re working with, we should head back to the shelter and start making a plan.”

“Yeah,” Levi agrees. “Gotta start getting ready for the next eruption due in seven hundred thousand years, right?”

“Right.”

After splitting back up into the two separate carriers, Mike follows closely behind the other in order to make it to their newly built bunker without getting lost. It’s perpetually dark from the never ending snow and cloud coverage, hazardous even with the vehicle’s tracks, but you can’t find it in yourself to be scared. Not now, not when life finally feels to be returning to something close to normal. 

#aot x reader #aot fanfic #attack on titan fanfic #mike zacharias x reader #snk fanfic #the smut pile collab

[missmonsters2]

Close to You

Edit: gif by giuliacommissions

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader/OFC

Prompt: I’ll keep you warm. Hold me closer.

Note: As we all know, Wanda Maximoff is the love of my life. A break for softness bc Between the Lines will be angsty and sad for a while 👀

Warnings: this is fucking soft™

Genre: Fluff

Count: 3453

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The world is beautiful. 

The sunlight's warmth caresses your cheek, a light wind running its breeze through your hair. The only sound you can hear is the soft music playing and a light snore. The smell of pine wafts through the air as you drive at a steady pace. There's no rush; you are exactly where you want to be. 

You hear a slight mumble to your right, and you turn over to see Wanda shifting slightly in her seat but doesn't wake. Her eyes are closed as she curls as much as she can in the passenger seat. 

Your lip curves upward gently as you turn your attention back to the road.

You think of the girl beside you. 

The world is beautiful.

And it was worth saving. 

You constantly have to remind yourself of that fact. Otherwise, you don't think you could get up anymore. 

Defeating Thanos had taken everything. 

Natasha was gone. Tony was gone. Vision was gone. Steve was not gone, but his hip would probably break if he moved the wrong way, so fighting was out of the question for the old man. 

So many people were still gone, and the world never felt so lonely. 

You lean your head against your fist towards the window, feeling more of the wind against your face and hair. Taking a deep breath in, you let it out slowly through your nose. 

Another noise beside you draws your attention back, and you find Wanda waking slowly. She's a little disgruntled, and the side of her hair has lifted and looped from her sleep. 

You bite your tongue, holding in the words that want to come out. 

Wanda is absolutely charming.

Still, Wanda turns her head to you a little too quickly, unintentionally catching your thoughts. Her cheeks dust a light rose color as she runs her fingers through her hair to straighten herself out. 

"Hey," she rasps, still groggy. Grabbing the water bottle between the two of you, she takes a long gulp, finishing with a light sigh.

"Hey, sleepyhead," you smile. Wanda looks apologetic, but you just chuckle it off. 

Wanda looks out the window, breath hitching just ever so slightly at the view. She likes that it feels like the world could go on and on forever in the car with you. The trees look lusher, the air seems crisper, and even the sky seems a little happier--if that makes sense. 

"Where are we heading today?" Wanda asks patiently.

Every few days to a week is always new, and Wanda has been on the road with you for a while. She's learned that sometimes you have a place in mind and the other times? You're just driving until you decide you like where you are.

"To Lake Cushman," you tap the steering wheel with your index finger in a slow, steady rhythm. Wanda hums as she rolls down her window too to feel the breeze on her skin. 

The rest of the drive is serene. The two of you enjoy the ride, listening to the same song over and over again.

When you get to the lake, you park the car, and Wanda goes to the trunk to help you carry things out. Wanda spends her time at the edge of the lake blowing up the inflatable boat you packed along manually. 

You smile.

It wasn't always like this. In fact, Wanda wasn't even someone you were really close with. Of course, you were a team, and you wouldn't hesitate to have her back in a battle. But Wanda used to have her own world with Vision, and that world existed far from you. 

It wasn't until the funeral that the two of you really noticed each other. 

The funeral left you with a hollow feeling. You stood with Clint and Wanda for a minute more before you turned to leave, muttering about contacting you if something happened. 

You were a traveler, always have been. Being an Avenger never changed that. 

You hugged Morgan and Pepper before you went to your car to pack things up.

"Can I come with you?"

The sudden words made you turn around. 

Wanda stood there, the rim of her eyes red from crying and also trying to hold in the tears. Her legs stood together straight, but she held her hands together in front of her tightly, revealing she was worried about you rejecting her. 

You stared at her for a long moment.

"Of course."

The first few weeks to two months of traveling was strange. You're not sure what possessed Wanda to ask you if she could tag along. You're not sure what possessed you to say yes.  

Wanda didn't talk much, still grieving just like you. That left the road trips with tons of silence. You weren't really sure of what to think about the company or her specifically. The only time Wanda had ever seemed happy was with Vision, and now he was gone. 

But still, you think you could pinpoint a certain day that things seemed to change. 

"No powers."

Wanda frowned. "Why not?"

"It's my rules when traveling. If you want to tag along, no powers unless we really need it." You stood firm with your stance. 

The two of you were on a hike, particularly a long one with a lot of inclines. Wanda wanted to float her way up--generously offering to take you as well, but you said no.

"You think showing our powers would be dangerous?" Wanda scrunches her brows together with a slight frown on her lips. 

"No," you blinked. 

"Then, why?" Wanda asks exasperatedly. 

You sigh, looking at the girl before you. "Wanda, there are times when efficiency is good. Like when our lives are at stake, or we're in a battle or a mission. Powers are wonderful when we need to save others."

You turn your head to look around the scenery. "But look around here," you tell her, your peripheral vision catching Wanda doing as she's told. "Right now, it's just you and me on a hike. The world isn't falling apart, no fight that needs to be fought, and we have absolutely no rush to be anywhere."

You turn your head back to Wanda's, catching the other girl's vibrant but confused eyes. "For people like us, we generally don't have the luxury to waste time. But if we get the chance the smell the flowers along the way, shouldn't we?"

Wanda stares at you. Blinking once, then twice. 

And then a tentative, shy smile blooms. 

"I used to hate the sky."

The comment is said so quietly you almost miss it, but it breaks you out of thought. 

You move your head further to the side, catching Wanda, who is still staring at the sky. The two of you lie on your backs on opposite edges of the inflatable boat. 

"Yeah?" You say as you move your head back to look at the sky along with Wanda. A warm leg moves and presses against yours, and you think about how wonderful it is to be able to share the same sky with Wanda. "Why?"

Wanda is silent, seemingly shocked because no one has ever asked why. So, she presses her lips together, trying to formulate her answer.

"I guess...I hated that the sky always seemed to pass by," Wanda sighs as she closes her eyes. "It was like time was passing by, and I didn't get the chance to notice it. I'd wake up when it was still dark, and by the time I was done the day, it was dark again."

At this point, Wanda can't tell if the warmth against her leg is hers or yours. All she knows is that she wants more of it. 

"I guess you don't hate it anymore?" You chuckle a little, knowing you and Wanda spend most days relaxing in the sun. 

Wanda opens her eyes, staring at the clear blue sky. The thought of how she's always learning something from you crosses her mind.

For example, if they have the luxury to enjoy the flowers along the journey, they should. 

Or oranges can be very flammable. 

But Wanda has come to realize things on her own too.

Like how life is made up of moments, and if she decides to be just a little brave, she can get the moments she wants. 

"The sky is beautiful during the day," Wanda concedes, but she bites her lip as you hum. Taking a deep breath before swallowing. Her moment of bravery comes in the form of sliding her hand across the small boat, her fingers just meeting the start of yours. "But I no longer mind when it's dark when I wake up and dark when my day ends if I am with you."

You turn your hand over, palm facing up as you curl your fingers to just hook Wanda's fingers.

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You're the first to wake up from your slumber. You don't even remember falling asleep. After having enough of lounging in the boat, you took Wanda on another hike. At the very top, you packed food along with a blanket. You and Wanda sat under the shade, watching the horizon just beyond the valley with soft talks about hopes and dreams. 

There's a sadness in Wanda that you don't think will ever go away, but you watch her with slow eyes as she talks about how it would be wonderful to exist in a tiny evergreen lush island. 

Wanda has a lovely complexion with rosy cheeks as she looks at her hands, talking about an island that may only exist in her dreams. Her long lashes draw you in, and you wonder if it's terrible of you to notice such things. 

You check your watch, noticing you only slept for half an hour, and look over to Wanda, who is curled against you. She sleeps peacefully as there's still plenty of daylight out. You look up, the sun passing through the leaves and branches above you.

Wanda sniffles slightly in her sleep. You turn over to find the girl shiver just once, shuffling closer to you to seek warmth.  

As you take your jacket off to drape it over her, you wonder how and when you got pulled under Wanda's spell.

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The day comes to a quiet end after dinner and sitting by the campfire. The wonderful thing about your car is that you can push the back seat down and make a little bed to rest in. 

The back is filled with pillows and blankets, and as you have your pillow propped up with your back against it, you can look out the back window of your car and into the skyline outside. 

Perhaps it's because the two of you have slept most of the day, but sleep doesn't come as easily at night. You've got your Bluetooth speaker playing music in the background to relax you. 

"I can't sleep," Wanda mumbles and sits up. You chuckle as Wanda props her pillow up, too, with a sigh. 

She rests her head back, looking through the sunroof, and gazes at the stars. 

"Do you want me to turn off the music?" You ask, but Wanda shakes her head, hair falling from her ear as she does.

"No, I probably napped too much today." 

"Our sleep schedule is going to get fucked if we keep napping during the day," you snicker. "I guess we should find more things to do during the day than a hike. I was thinking maybe we could start going into town to do things."

"Like what?" Wanda asks.

You shrug. "Go to museums, actually eat at a restaurant, watch movies in a theatre. I don't know. Anything we want to, I guess."

Wanda gnaws on her lips because all those things sound like a date, and her fingers thrum against the floor in anticipation. She looks at you, blinking while you stare back, unsure.

"I'm cold," Wanda states, leaving you in confusion.

"Oh, uh..." You stutter, feeling your body tense. "Do you want more blankets? A sweater?"

Wanda stares at you with a tilt of her head. "No."

You press your lips together, opening the blanket just a little from where you are, and offer your arms to the other girl. Wanda may be using all the courage she has, and you realize now is not the time to be dense. 

And it's worth it when Wanda can't help but smile as she scoots closer into your arms as you hold her, pulling the blanket up to her shoulder. 

There's a certain tingle on your skin. A pit in your stomach, a warmth that spreads through your chest when Wanda's body presses against yours. The way she lies against across your chest while you cradle her in your arms. The smell of cinnamon and orange blossoms permeate the air you breathe, and even though you're in the middle of nowhere, you feel like you're home. 

Wanda sighs in contentment. She likes the way you don't say anything else, and the only words that float through your mind are lyrics from the song playing in the background.

The hours pass like it's nothing, and soon, the sun rises steadily. The sky becomes a palette of colors you've seen a million times. You've seen every color of the sky. But seeing everything again with Wanda is different.

You hold Wanda tighter in your arms, becoming more daring as your fingers trail across her arm covered by her shirt. The scent of her hair flirts with you as your fingers trail up her arm until you trace her bare collarbone. The way Wanda breathes is noticeable, filling her chest as it rises and holds. 

Your hand drops and Wanda tilts her head to look up at you.

The sky is no longer just pink and orange. It's cotton candy that trickles far and wide. It's the color that reflects off of Wanda's skin, hitting her eyes, and for a moment, you think you saw a glimpse into the future. 

"Why me?"

The question holds nothing but soft wondering. Within the words, Wanda suspects you mean why did she ask to come with you that day?

Why now?

Wanda licks her bottom lip.

"Why did you say yes?" She counters back. 

You don't say anything. You try to think of an answer, but nothing comes to your head. The truth is you don't know why. You just looked at her that day, and you couldn't have pictured yourself saying no. 

Wanda shifts, looking back at the sunrise. 

"Did Stephen ever tell you there's millions and millions of realities out there?"

You sigh with a grimace, "Yes, so many times."

Wanda chuckles raspily, and you feel the vibrations against your chest. 

"It's strange, isn't it? To think so many versions of you exist out there, that every reality would be different from the one we exist in today," Wanda lifts her hand from out the blanket, holding up and letting the sunlight filter through her fingers.

You don't say anything and only listen to Wanda because this may be the most she's spoken since coming on this trip.

"I loved Vision," Wanda says finally. "I don't think I will ever find a love I had with him again."

You blink, unsure what to make of that statement. You understand it, you really do. You'll always be understanding of her grief, and yet, your tight arms around her begin to feel awkward. 

Wanda chuckles again, dropping her hand back down on your arm to keep it in place. "And that's okay."

"I have lost so much," Wanda's breath shutters for a moment. "We both have."

You swallow slowly, trying to not like the pang of pain distract you. 

"But as much as I have lost, I've always gained something. I've lost my parents, and that led to gaining powers. I've lost my home country, but I gained a family with the Avengers. I've lost Pietro, and I gained Vision. I've lost Vis," Wanda swallows, "And I gained you."

"So, when you ask why you," Wanda licks her lips, "It's because I'm no stranger to loss. Even though grief has come to my door again, I know something good when I see it. And I saw you. I saw this moment."

"This moment?" You scrunch your brows together. It's such an odd moment to see, and yet so much of Wanda's behavior over the last six months made more sense. 

Wanda sits up, turning to face you as the blanket draped over her slides down her back. Hands pressed against the ground on either side of your legs, she leans in close. You catch specks of the sky in her eyes, but this one isn't just the cotton candy that's just outside. 

You catch specks of all the beautiful lush green trees you've seen. The sea and the sand the waves push up against. You see the white sun and shy hands that inch closer until they meet. 

A hand touches your jaw, shyly sliding further until Wanda holds your cheek. 

"Are you cold?" She murmurs, feeling the lack of warmth from sitting upright the entire night. 

"Yeah," You mumble as Wanda leans closer and closer until you can feel her breath on your lips. 

"I'll keep you warm," Wanda whispers, and you feel the brush of her lips. "Hold me closer."

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"You know, I wish there was a way– that I could let her know. That we won." Clint looks over at Wanda. "We did it."

"She knows--they both do." The rim of Wanda's eyes is red as she looks out onto the lake. Clint gives her a side hug that she returns for a long minute.

"You know where to reach me if you need me," you mutter, turning to leave the two alone.

Wanda looks at your retreating form. You didn't shed a single tear at the funeral, but she did not blame you. She had recognized that kind of grief on herself once upon a time, and she knows it's the kind that hurts more than any crying could. 

Clint eventually bids his farewell and takes off, leaving her alone to gaze out onto the lake. 

More tears well up, and Wanda isn't sure if she should let them fall or will them to magically go back into her eyes. It seems she decided too slow, and the tears well over down her cheeks as someone comes to stand next to her. 

He takes a deep breath, holding his hands behind his back.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he politely passes his condolences. 

"Me too," Wanda says without breaking her view. 

It's silent for another minute.

"You know," Stephen squints as if that will let him see further. "I went through 14 million realities to see which one where we would win and only came out with one."

"If this is supposed to make me better, it's not--"

"Hear me out," Stephen cuts Wanda off. "In every reality that we manage to bring everyone back, including the one where we win, there was only one thing consistent."

Wanda laughs humorlessly. "And what's that?"

"You are grieving, yes, but," Stephen turns to face Wanda, causing her to turn to him as well. "You gain something so, so very beautiful."

Wanda's brows furrows, confused at what Stephen is trying to hint at. It isn't until he turns his attention to something that she turns too, stunned. 

It's you, slowly packing your car. 

"Strange, isn't it?" Stephen muses like he's talking to himself. "14 million realities, and every single one you return in, you gain her."

Wanda stares at you, unsure what to make of what Stephen is telling her.

"Why her?" She mumbles.

Stephen grins.

"I think you're a smart girl, Wanda," he tells her without answering her question. "I think if you let yourself, you'll see something good. You'll see her, even if you are grieving."

Stephen places his hand on her shoulder, giving her an encouraging squeeze before he walks away.

Wanda stands there, still looking at you while she tilts her head just to the side slightly. 

And she's not sure what happens, but she sees something in her head.

A cotton candy sky, the light barely visible. She sees pillows and blankets in the back of a car. She hears the same song playing over and over in the background. 

Wanda sees you.

She sees you in a light she's never had before, in a way she didn't think was ever possible. 

"I'm cold," you whine, and Wanda sees herself smiling as she leans closer. 

"I'll keep you warm," she sees herself bold and wanting. "Hold me closer."

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff imagine #scarlet witch x reader #scarlet witch imagine #wanda x reader #avengers imagine #mm: my fics #genre: fluff

[xavadak3davrax]

A show and a half // George Weasley

George Weasley x Fem reader 

warnings: There’s mature content. (18+) there’s description and mention of dominance, from the reader and s little bit from george. There’s also nipple play and love because I just think George is that kind of guy? if I forget anything please do not hesitate to warn. 

a/n: To the anon who requested the riding thing, here it is, I’m so very sorry if it’s not close to what you wanted or expected! D: this was my first ever request and i tried my best. I also wanna say thank you for requesting this, it made my day. And to everyone who’s reading this I hope you have an amazing day lovie! 

George really, really wanted to not be hard in the middle of class. He swears he doesn’t… but, well, when his girlfriend had been going around said class in a cute flowy black dress she brought from home, you couldn’t really blame him, or could you?

y/n liked to wear a lot of other stuff other than the howargts school uniform, and George always suffered with that. She made sure to look extra cute in those outfits because they had this kind of different affect on him.

So, with still an hour to go of class, George has to sit still next to his twin, who for once seems to be more interested in class than in anything else (George is thankful for that), and pretend that is girlfriend isn’t a sit way look so delicious.

And it also didn’t help that his brain, instead of focusing on class is imagining the filthiest things possible. And remembering them too. Like the time they stayed up after hours and he fucked y/n near the lake. The moon was shinning upon her in a way that had him weak on the knees. She had her head resting on his clothes, she had the dirtiest smirk he possible ever saw on her and she had her legs spread for him, her hands played with own nipples. Or the times Fred fucked her after he got out of the worst detention he’s ever had. It was so hard for him, he was pissed and mad and just, y/n was there and they ended up fucking in the first empty place he found.

He remembers clearly, how she was against the wall, the skirt she wore hiked up to her hips, her panties down to meet her ankles and his mouth at her pussy like she was the last thing on this earth. How when he look up to her, her jumpers was also up, she wore no bra and she was massaging her own breasts. Slowly George had noticed how much she loved to have her breasts and her nipples played with, and so every time he could he took his time with them. But usually y/n was the one playing with them.

But lately George had been thinking so much about them, how he would love to just give them all the attention he could, and how they would look while she rides him. y/n riding him shit now that… his thoughts trailed of, when y/n turned to him, the cutest smile she could muster on her face, probably oblivious to the state her boyfriend was in. She turned back around as focused on her class, and George was left there to imagine of her, riding his cock like the dirty girl he knows she is.

So when class ended, and Fred tried to speak to him, George just gave him a look and took his girlfriend’s hand in his and pulled her out of there.

“George.” y/n called, a laugh in her voice, her other free hand coming to rest at his chest. “Oh.” Realization hit her when her eyes met the prominent hard on George had, and then her laugh become a little louder. “someone liked potions more than they would like to admit.” She said in a teasing tone, and George looked at her for a brief moment, while they were on the stairs, making their way to the dormitory, that would probably be empty at this hour. George was really hoping it would.

“You and that fucking dress of yours are gonna get me in trouble.” His voice was hard, not in a mean tone, but in a ‘I’m horny’ kinda of tone. She let out a little giggle. “It’s not funny y/n, one day I might loose control and punish you for that.” She rolled her eyes.

“oh baby, I’m so sorry.” She had a playful tone to her voice. She let out a small scream, because as soon as the stairs stopped he pulled her without warning. The password flew out of his mouth so fast that she didn’t have time to process much.

In mere moments they had gone up the stairs, into the empty dorm room where George slept with other (that was empty).

“I want you to ride me.” George stated, he had let go of his girlfriends’ hand, he had taken a few steps closer to his bed while y/n stood closer to the closed door. Her eyes went wide. Surprisingly in the time they had been together, they had done so many things together, but y/n riding George hadn’t been one of them. She also had thought about it, they had just never shared it with one another.

She was robbed of words for a few moments. The look in her face a surprising one, but not one that showed she had no interest. She also always thought that George liked to take control during this time, that’s why she never said anything. But now, with him in front of her, pleading eyes, hands in fists and his bottom lip trembling, she thinks how could she have missed the signs.

He liked to be taken care of too.

The silence went on for what looked like so long that George panics, and was going to speak but then she smiles, and his worries melted way.

“How about you be a good boy and sit down on the bed. Back resting against the bed.” y/n said, her hands coming up to unknot the tie she had on top of her dress, something she liked to do a lot. And right now, with the way George was looking at her, she felt like it was definitely a good choice.

George did as told, his legs spread wide because he was already so hard that if he kept them close it would only hurt him. Not that he minded a bit of pain. One of his hands came to brush the red hair out of his face, his brain telling him to do so, so he could have the best view of his angle, she looked… George knows this feeling, knows how she looks. Like she always looks everyday to him, this sinful angle walking the earth. And he’s the lucky bastard who gets to be with her.

Watching her taking the tie, and then fall to the ground, and how she finally got closer to the bed. His breath was caught in his throat.

“You know, it’s been on my mind for a long time.” She finally spoke, and admitted, he bended a little, putting both her hands on the bed and then inched closer to his legs and to his ankles, she took them in her hands and massaged them. Her eyes landed on his cock, and a cheeky smirk appeared on her face again. “Was that what got you so hard?”

He nodded.

“Oh baby, poor baby. Wanna tell me about it?”

He nodded again, but this time, swallowed hard, preparing to speak. “We were- at the burrow actually.” He started, a pink shade appearing on his cheeks. y/n tilted her head to the side, but her smile never faded. “We were in my room, and you were, fuck, completely naked, and-“ he had to stop to catch his breath. The fact was, his cock was so hard it was painful by now, but a good one, this type of pain he never minded. But that’s how he got with y/n, she made him like this. This whiny, puppy side was sort of new in a way, but George always loved and appreciated his girl.

“And?” she stated, in a tone for him to continue.

“You were riding me, and I was- playing with your nipples. Fuck I know how much you love that.”

Her nipples, already hard but unnoticed until now seemed to tweak in interest. “I do baby, a lot.”

“I wanna play with them while you ride me.” They locked eyes.

y/n didn’t speak, she did although went back to her previous position at the end of the bed and started to undress herself, George’s eyes always on her.

“You are the most beautiful being I have ever laid my eyes upon.” He was so out of breath, but this statement came out in such a way that had y/n a little shy, but her heart bursting with happiness, and confidence. He was really this amazing. “And you are mine.”

“I am.” She said, all while she got rid of her dress, and then her fingers found her bra and she also got rid of that, and her hard nipples met the cold of the room and she shuddered. Then proceeded to take her panties. Usually George was the one who took all her clothes out. But today she did it herself. She kneeled in between his legs and with one hand resting on his knee, the other went up to rest on top of cock and she squeezed it.

“Don’t tease me-“ he had a dominant tone to his voice that vanished within seconds of y/n squeezing his cock again, but this time with more pressure. His spine felt like a thousand things were sparkling in there.

“I know, I know.” She stated, then moving both her hands to his belly, underneath his jumper and pulling it up, signaling for him to take it off. And then to his trousers along with his boxers making his cock spring free, so hard that it bounced back hitting his stomach. The groan of relieve that left his mouth had her pussy tingle.

She came up to sit on his on his cock, but not in a way he was in her. The moan the both let out was of pure ecstasy. She moved her hips so her pussy was brushing over his cock, her hands on his belly for support, her head slightly lean back and her mouth was a bit open, small whimpers leaving them. George had his hands on her hips, helping y/n with the movements, the feeling of her lips brushing against the length of his cock, and then the head of his cock was becoming to much. She was so wet and he was leaking from his ruby read tip that they were both becoming messy with their arousal.

“This is how you’re gonna look riding my cock.” He opened his eyes to look at her and she did the same, a shy smile on her face. “Exquisite.” He put pressure on her hips, making her clit brush hard against his pelvis and then when he moved her down a bit, against his cocks, she trembled in his touch.

The only thing he saw from her then was her hand moving to take a hold of his cock, she knew he was hard, but touching him with her hands for the first time today she realizes what the idea of her riding him is doing to him. How hard he is, how she knows very well that he’s red all over. Usually starts at the tip of his cock, when he gets horny over the simples things. Then when y/n isn’t paying attention to him, but is doing something to provoke him, the redness spreads from the tip, to the length of his cock, all the way to the base. How sometimes he doesn’t leak pre-cum, but others he does.

With a shaky breath when his cocks brushes past her clit, she directs it to her hole, her wet hole, that’s spasming and clenching around nothing, begging to be filled with George’s cock, the only one who will ever be able to satisfy her enough.

She locks eyes with his, her hand sliding down to the base of his cock, each time he sinks into her a bit more. His cock is enveloped by the soft inside skin of her cunt, her pussy welcoming him like always, clenching around him while she feels herself being filled up by his cock.

She feels his veins, she also feels how he pulsates, maybe more than usual, given that this is something that has been on his mind for so long that he his in a state he hasn’t been in a while.

He can’t close his eyes now, he keeps his eyes on her, how her mouth opened a little bit more, a moan stuck at her throat threatening to come out, how at the same time the pleasure is consuming her veins that she contorts in pleasure. He moans, louder this time when she bottoms how, her pussy flush against the base of his hard cock, her clit brushing against his pelvis, the pressure has her clench hard against him and involuntary move her hips against him.

“Fuck- George.” She had her hands at the lowest part of his belly her fingers slightly bent, her nails digging into to the skin there.

His eyes shine, not only is his cock being sucked up by her tight pussy, he’s also lucky to be able to look at her in a way he’s never before. Her on top of him, her breasts squeezed by her harms because of how close they are to each other. Her nipples asking to be touched. How he can feel the warmth radiating from her skin, how her hair falls to her face when she lowers it down to concentrate herself in not moaning.

“Let go for me baby.” He said, his voice breathless, his hands still at her hips and he starts to move them from front to back, this griding making the stimulation at her clit increase and so she clenches around him. She lets out a tiny scream, and then her moans leave her like she always does. Curses break thru them, whines of name, whimpers for more, she fills her skin prickle with goosebumps.

“Shit, feels so good.” She stated, rising her head so she looks at him, he moans her name.

She moves her hands up a bit so they rest higher up on his belly and starts to move, takes her a while to find a movement, to find that way that had them both lost in space. That had them both in this bubble where no one else existed, it was just them, loving on each other in other way other than kisses, hugs and time together. It was them showing love for each other in a way they both loved.

“Look how well you fit on my cock baby girl.” She could only nod her head because any other sound that comes from her mouth is not a word, and her brain feels mushy and filled with pleasure for her to able to form any sentence. “You were carved from the gods, just for me weren’t you?”

His hands left her hips, she had gained her rhythm, she had found the way to pleasure, each hand of his came to rest on each of her breasts. He played with her nipples, pulling at them. Then brought each of his fingers to his mouth and sucked on them, getting them all wet and sticky with his spit to then play again with her nipples.

“George Shit, please.” Her hips fluttered, for a moment she felt like she might loose balance from the sparkles that travelled all thru her body. Her clit was big, and swollen and the way it was continuously hitting his pelvis was making her orgasm come closer.

“You are all mine baby, I am lucky to have you, you know that?” His voice came out in short pauses, traying to gain a sense of the world because he too was lost in pleasure, lost in her.

“Just yours, yours to love, to have.” She moans, and he mewls loudly, his fingers pulling at her nipples exceptionally harder.

She leans down looking for his mouth, his hands leave her breasts to come and pick up her hair that was falling in front of her when she went to kiss him. Her hands to occupied giving her support to do that. They kiss, and when she leans all the way down for that, so does her hips, and her pussy and brushes his pelvis and then the top of his cock brushes in her sweet spot, making her moan into his mouth.

And that’s when she cums. She milks his cock for all he has, her pussy pulsate with all the pressure and pleasure. She pulls her lips from his mouth because the moans she’s letting out are to strong. It becomes to much, her body is tingling and convulsing. She feels her eyes water, almost like tears are gonna come out, her nails dig into his belly.

George cums from that. It’s the way she is squeezing his cock, it’s also the way she wetted him so, but so much that squelching sounds are coming from were she stills meets his hips, how she’s griding against him to get thru the rest of her orgasm, how she shines like she does all the time. And when he cums, he cums hard, and he shots all his cum far up in her, pulling her hips down seizing al her movements.

“baby.” She moaned, the feeling of him feeling her up is something she will never get use to, but is always welcome, how she loves to feel him, nice and deep, and how she loves to feel him drip out her in the after math of it all. He was tense, the last drops of his cum, his breath now fast, trying to recompose himself after this.

After how intense this orgasm was, how, everything and every time he had imagines y/n riding him he never expected this somehow. And he is lost, because this was so much more that all those dreams.

“I think…” y/n starts, she leans all the way down so her chest his flesh against his, her head rests closer to the curve of his neck but she can still listen to his heart, and how hard and fast is pounding. He’s still inside her, but she makes no move to pull him out, she likes the comfort of having him like this. She likes having her love closer to her, to feel his warmth and love that always radiate from him.

“I think we need to do this often.” He finished for her. They both let out childish giggles, content, happy and in a state of pure bliss. “You looked absolutely elegant, graceful, I swear y/n, you are the most beautiful girl ever, I am so lucky to have you.”

“I love you.” Her voice was sleepy, but full of meaning, before she completely fell asleep, she still heard him say ‘I love you’ back.

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