#in part thanks to little miss addie

[nvirskies]

sometimes i hate how my brain works like STOP BEING SO EMO LET ME BE SILLY AND FROLIC (i am jumping on the clarisse angst train)

idea stolen from @star-girl69 partially you might all hate me

#🗡️ nvirspeaks #clarisse la rue #clarisse la rue x reader #gonna make myself cry #in part thanks to little miss addie

[rrickgrrimes8]

Your Bear Part II

summary: you are found (part I)

Joel Miller x daughter!reader, Tommy Miller x niece!reader

warnings: angst, reunion, violence, infected, happy ending :))

not sure if i like this as much as the first part but i hope yall do. i just want to thank you all for the response to my past few fics (especially your bear). its been unreal. i stopped writing for a while and these were my first ones back so this was an insane response to it! thank you so much for your love and appreciation it really does mean a lot!

also! i tagged basically everybody who left a comment asking for part 2 - sorry if thats annoying idk ive never done a taglist before. thanks for the comments tho :) 

masterlist

request guidelines (new)

requests are open

word count: 2.3k

22 Years Ago...

The world around you screamed for help. People ran around, skin on fire, missing massive chunks.

You wailed as they passed, hands tightened around your ears. You just wanted to find help. You wanted to save Sarah. This wasn’t what you expected.

“D-ad,” You cried, hiccupping, “D-addy!” You missed his touch. You missed his voice and his face. His laugh. You just wanted your daddy.

But which way had you come from?

You stood, idle, in an alley way you didn’t recognize, a man lay a few feet beside you. Blood seeped from his neck, running to kiss the tips of your shoes.

He twitched.

Your breath caught in your throat, the hair on your neck stood high. “D-daddy,” You whimpered, quieter than before, “Please.”

He looked at you now. His face grotesque, the shape of jagged teeth marked his greyish skin. White, stringy tendrils extended out of his mouth as he crawled to you – his legs being left behind as he did.

You screamed when his nails scratched against your shoe. In the panic, your bear fell from your grasp, landing in the bloodbath.

You tried backing up from the monster, but his hand stopped you. His claws captured your ankle.

You didn’t realise you were falling until your back hit the wet ground. You let out a shriek as he trailed up your body. “P-please,” You sobbed, “D-ad! D-addy!”

The creature didn’t even flinch. He opened his jaws further, searching for your small neck, ready to mark you just as he had been.

But a shot sounded off and his weight settled on your petite body.

A strong force tugged him off you, the same force pulling you into their arms. You wailed, fighting against the stranger’s grip.

“It’s okay, sweetgirl, you’re okay,” She told you, rushing you away from the scene, “You’re going to be okay; I promise.”

x

You didn’t know what to make of Jackson. It was nice, you supposed. Weird though. It felt like what you imagined before felt like. Not that you remembered much. You remembered how loud cars were, how the TV remote worked, how to strum a guitar.

You remembered your sisters voice, her hair, how smart she sounded even if you didn’t understand a word.

You wished you remembered your dad. He was a blur to you. Like you had missed a chapter of a book and now a new character had no face. You remembered his laugh though. It was sweet, slow. Like a lullaby. You recalled being held to his chest and feeling the vibrations.

You wished you remembered your dad. 

Sarah had settled in quickly, at least that’s what you thought. She was happy to be around people other than her mom (you tried not to internalise it all that much).

In the week since you arrived Sarah had grown attached to the strangers that took you under their wing. You still weren’t so sure. But when Sarah made grabby hands to the older man and all she got was a dejected smile in response a part of you hurt. You didn’t understand why.

They’d kept their distance or rather he had. Ellie came round every day. She loved Sarah. She loved you, even if, like Joel, you were a little rough around the edges.

But for a reason unbeknownst to you Joel couldn’t be in a room with you for longer than five minutes. You didn’t let it bother you too much. You couldn’t. You didn’t want to make trouble and get the pair of you kicked out or worse separated. 

Ellie had come to you earlier that day, smile wide, cheeks rosy. She had a glint in her eyes, a plan. One you really didn’t want to know about nor be a part of.

Excitedly, she told you about the couple who lived across from her and Joel - his brother. Tommy and Maria and the somewhat new addition of Lily, their little girl. Ellie had told them about you - although missing out some of the major minor details. They agreed to have you over she had said. And despite the age difference between Lily and Sarah the older girl was excited to meet her.

So, there you stood, Sarah shielded from the cold into your chest. You raised your hand awkwardly, knocking a little harder than you expected.

A woman opened the door. She was beautiful, smiley, friendly. You couldn’t tell if that was a façade or not. That made the nerves in your stomach stiffen. “C’mon in, sweetheart,” Maria ushered you inside after she confirmed it was you.

You forced a smile for her, “Nice place.”

Maria nodded, looking around the room proudly, “Thank you.” She urged you to take a seat, letting you know her husband, Tommy, was just dressing Lily.

“So, you’re younger than I thought you would be,” She confessed, “Not to be rude or anything.”

“No, it’s okay,” You cleared your throat, sitting opposite her, Sarah making a home on your lap, “I’m 27.”

“Wow,” She smiled, “And what about her?”

You stroked the top of Sarah’s head, where her hair had slightly begun to grow, “Couple weeks now.”

Maria shifted ever so slightly in her seat, unspoken sympathy in her eyes, “And the father?” You stilled, escaping her gaze you looked towards the coffee table, taking inventory of the odd books they had. “I’m sorry,” She spoke quietly, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“N-no,” You cleared your throat sheepishly, “There isn’t... her dad did what he had to.” You still remembered his screams.

“I’m sorry,” Maria frowned, hands soothing over her jeans, wishing Tommy would appear to aid the situation.

“Don’t be,” You said earnestly, “He got us here, right? One way or another...” Maria wasn’t sure you really meant that. The lost look in your eyes told her what she needed to know. As did your shaking knee. You’d give anything to have him back. She bit her lip, somewhat guessing the rest.

“Sorry ‘bout that,” A males voice cut through the tension, “Wouldn’t stop squirming for the life of me.”

Maria chuckled opening her arms to grab Lily, introducing you as she did. He blanched hearing that name. He near screamed seeing that face - your face but so much different, so much more mature.

Tommy blinked a few times, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. He whispered your name carefully, as if you were a wild animal, prone for violence.

Maria gave him an odd look, moving Lily over to you and Sarah. “And this is our sweetheart, Lily,” She told you as Lily began fussing relentlessly in her arms, desperate to touch the baby.

“Baby,” She cooed.

“Yeah, that’s right,” You mused, croakily, inching closer to the pair, “This is Sarah, Lily.”

Tommy wanted to throw up. He felt it dancing up his throat, teasing his uncertainty. He felt stuck. He truthfully didn’t know what to do or what to say. Should he straight out ask you? You didn’t seem to recognise him though. Maybe it was a clone? A doppelgänger? Should he run over to Joel’s for safety away from this confusion? 

Joel.

Did Joel know? He had to know. He needed to know.

“Tommy what’s wrong?” Maria called to him. He choked a little, eyes trailing over to the plaque that watched over their new life. The plaque he knew had no place for your name. He knew it. You were here.

Maria followed his gaze, a weird feeling in her chest as she saw her husband so unlike himself. She read Joel’s daughter’s name. Sarah. Was he freaked out because they shared the same name?

She gulped - it wasn’t just the baby whose name was shared but yours too it seemed. You couldn’t be, right? No- You died. Joel was so sure you died and despite all Tommy had told her, all the hope he had for you, she always found herself on Joel’s side. Funny that. Any other situation she would’ve made a point to oppose the eldest Miller.

But now... You were just five. You couldn’t have survived on your own. You wouldn’t have had a life in this world.

But again, hadn’t you said you were 27?

“Go,” She told him, firmly, “Make sure.” Tommy nodded, failing to hide his tears as you watched in confusion and darted out of the room with a sense of urgency that unsettled your stomach.

“Is everything okay?”

Maria’s attention snapped back to you, “Fine... everything’s fine.”

A disconcerting feeling swam under your skin and a sudden resolve to flee hit you. “I- We should probably go,” You mumbled, bringing Sarah to your chest once more.

“Wait, please,” She attempted, “Just wait.”

You shook your head, apologising softly before rushing out of the house. You caught eyes with two men across the road - Joel and Tommy. They stood on his porch, seemingly arguing with each other.

You spotted Ellie watching through the window, a guilty look on her face - what had she done?

The brothers stared at you as you left the home. Their eyes didn’t leave you for a second. Tommy called your name, desperately but when he moved to catch up with you, Joel pulled him back.

He clenched his jaw as you rushed back to your home, out of sight. “She was my niece, Joel,” He scowled, “My fuckin’ family too.”

Joel shook his head, shaking off the shame Tommy was trying to force on him.

“You don’t get to keep this kind of thing from me,” He yelled, “You- You are unbelievable, Joel.”

“Unbelievable?” He mocked, “Is it so unbelievable that I didn’t want to advertise to the whole goddamn town that she was my daughter when, hell, I don’t even know if she really is!”

“Bullshit,” Tommy spat, “You’re not stupid. You knew. Of course, you fucking knew. You knew like how I knew. One look. That’s all it woulda took you. No… you knew. You were just too scared - like always. And that, your selfishness, takes us all down with you.”

“Fuck you,” He grunted, storming back inside.

“Christ,” Tommy mumbled, turning back to his own home. 

You had a baby.

You were here, alive.

x

You steered clear from the group for a little while afterwards. The whole situation made you heart clench. It felt like a game that you didn’t know the rules of, but they did. All of them did and they were careful not to reveal anything. But you wanted to know - you needed to.

You knew it involved Joel or at least you felt like it had to. The way he looked at you when you first met. The way he spoke. The way he shook. It had to be him. He had to be the answer.

You gave up on your attempts to avoid them when you came to that realisation.

The same realisation that brought you here, at his front door in the middle of the night. You shyly knocked a few times - no response. You repeated the action with a little more force, a little too much. The door creaked open on the contact, but no one came to greet you.

You sucked in a harsh breath as you debated entering. The door was open right? Fair game? Silently you forced yourself to step inside.

Their home was dark - one lamp lighting a whole room. You frowned looking over to it. Someone had to be here, right? Where else would they be so late?

And then you saw him. Joel. The contradictory man. He was asleep. His body was sprawled all over the couch, an empty bottle of God knows what lay beside him as did what looked like... a bear?

Shakily, you took a step forward, his name dying in your throat as you saw the bear in a better light.

It was... yours.

Why would Joel have your bear? The bear that when you were a child was essentially an extension of you. The bear that chased away all the bad dreams. The bear that your dad had gotten you - your dad.

You gulped - the bear you hadn’t seen since the night you lost everything. Since the night you almost lost your life.

Joel shifted in his sleep, pulling the bear close to his chest, careful of its head as if it was a baby. Your eyes burned. A gasp escaped your lips. You could read the chapter now. You can see that character’s face - your fathers face.

Different but the same.

“D-dad,” You whispered before you could stop yourself and backed away.

Your back met the door, slamming it shut. The man jolted awake, alarmed eyes frantically searching the room before landing on you. They grew small, weaker, like he wasn’t all the way there.

Joel watched you closely, taking note of your falling tears, he spoke your name. You choked on a sob, hand clasping over your mouth. “Baby,” He shot up before he had a moment to think and approached you.

You didn’t flinch away, like he expected. You didn’t stop crying either. You studied him now. The wrinkles. The scars. The grey hairs. The same look in his eyes.

“How long have you known?”

He flinched at that. Your voice so familiar, so broken. “Since we met,” He didn’t have to try too hard to understand what you were getting at. He felt shameful, though. This shouldn’t have been the way, right? This felt too casual, too unknown.

You wanted to ask more, yell at him. Beg him to tell you why it wasn’t the first thing that he told you. But you didn’t. Instead you put one foot in front of the other, until you were mere inches from him. “Dad,” You shuddered.

He hadn’t realised how much he missed being called that, how much he missed being your dad.

“Babygirl,” He took your face in his hands, “My baby grown up.” He watched you closely, tears welling up, “I’m so sorry, babygirl. I’m sorry.”

You shook your head, slamming yourself into his chest, “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

“Oh, baby,” Joel wrapped his arms around you, hand cradling the back of your head.

“With me, babygirl,” He smiled for moment before letting it fall, “Don’t go away again, babygirl, never go away again.”

You smiled into his chest, whimpering softly, “I won’t, dad, I promise.” 

x

@meli-blacky @zaweashtonslover @3zae-zae3 @bbciwp @cloudroomblog @white-wolf-buckaroo​ @iguessweallcrazyithinktho​ @myboyfriendisbigfoot​ @mell-bell​ @hummusxx​ @sleepdeprived-barelyalive​ @dilfsaremyfavourite​ @specialagentmonkey​ @slutforstark @lizlil​ @unsaiduglywords​ @ellaprime7​ @aphrcdites​ @zynbsblog​ @imonmykneessir​ @mandowhatnow​ @tomorrowseverything @livelovemusic0996 @icarusthefoolish​ @b-bloop @leemirna​ @hexaecana​ @littleshadow17​ @sgt-morgan​ @adorreeabbie @abbiesxox​ @leviackrmnss​ @eternallyvenus​ @hai-kbai​ @daydreamerblues​ @abbyrxx12-blog @montenegroisr​ @chxosunbound​ @shqwqrma​ @littlemissporter @wonwoosthetic @riri53 @softsakusas​ @prettysbliss​ @katiemars @kik51199 @stupidthoughtsinwriting​ @ellele19 @newavenger @19891213​ @dgraysonss​

#joel miller imagine #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller angst #joel miller x daughter!reader #tommy miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x niece!reader #ellie williams x platonic!reader #the last of us imagine #joel miller x platonic!reader

[ellieclaireblack]

sanctuaire | sanctuary

sanctuary | noun your safe and peaceful haven a comforting place of refuge and rest in a noisy, chaotic world

{brother's best friend | fem!reader x james potter} ⪼ warnings: mentions of abuse, eating disorder ⪼ word count: 2.6k

part five: darkness playlist story: sanctuaire | sanctuary

I was never alone the following week. My mothers voice in my head a steady however unwelcome companion. The voice grew especially loud and frightening near dinner and lunch. Most days I just stuck to a slice of toast for breakfast and an apple throughout the day. I steered clear of the Marauders, even though I missed them. I made excuses so I didn’t have to join my friends for dinner. They were suspicious, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I joined them two times for dinner and once for lunch, trying to eat as little as possible. 

I brewed a hunger-vanishing potion in my room and didn’t let anyone in for three days, so they wouldn’t notice the smell. The potion helped, though I was looking forward to the ball being over.

Even skating didn’t excite me anymore, I was too exhausted to bring myself to go. The time I didn’t spend in classes and doing homework, I was sleeping in my bed. Trying to get as much energy as possible.

On Friday little Adelaide Greengrass approached me. “Bonjour y/n! I wanted to ask if you had time to teach me skating today?” She looked so adorable, her cheeks blushing slightly. “Oh hey Addy. Bien sûr, j'aimerais vous enseigner! [Of course I would love to teach you!] Let’s say we’ll meet in an hour down at the lake?” Adelaide nodded excitedly and skipped off. She was the only person who managed to bring a smile to my face for the first time this week.

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When I arrived at the lake Addy was already there. I had charmed a pair of shoes to skates, for her and she nearly fell around my neck when I approached her. Regaining her composure she stood a little straighter and let out a breathless “Thank you”. 

I put on my skates before helping her and then we stepped onto the frozen lake. I held her hands and we made a few circles. Addy was incredibly good, especially since it was her first time and I showed her some easy exercises. She obeyed and after an hour her nose was so bright red I demanded we should go inside again. “Can you show me a few jumps before we go Ms Black?” “Of course Addy, it’s still y/n to you. Don’t forget.”

I obeyed and after a quite complicated jump I landed wobbly and nearly fell. Luckily nothing happened and I continued into a spin. Finishing my small show I saw lots of black spots and suddenly felt incredibly dizzy. I tried to shake it off and skated towards Addy. 

I heard Addys scream before I noticed me falling. Suddenly everything vanished and the world turned black around me.

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“I’ve got her don’t worry Sirius, you get Adelaide back to her dorm.” I heard voices, strong arms were carrying me. James. And Sirius was with him. “No Mr Potter I want to stay with y/n. I don’t want to leave her alone.” Addy spoke up, her tone sounded worried. “No come on little Ms Greengrass. James here will stay with y/n and the two of us will get you to bed.” Addy huffed a breath, but seemed to agree with Sirius and their footsteps soon grew quieter. James grabbed my hand and held it tightly. Darkness surrounded me. James whispered ‘Come back, I need you y/n/n.’, but I wasn’t sure if I had imagined it.

Later I was again awakened through voices. Reggie was there. “I- I knew something was up with her and I didn’t do anything against it.” Sirius was back again, he seemed to comfort him. I wanted to embrace Reg, but didn’t find the strength to even open my eyes. Sleep enveloped me again.

When I awoke again it was dark outside. How long had I been out for? Next to me on a chair was James, he was sleeping in a position which looked incredibly uncomfortable. Sirius must have gone to Remus, looking outside the window I saw the full moon peeking out behind some clouds. James really chose me over his best friend. Hopefully Padfoot and Wormtail could manage on their own. Of course I knew about them, their choice in nicknames couldn’t be more obvious if they wanted to. 

I shifted and James' eyes fluttered open. Immediately scanning me for any sources of pain. “y/n are you alright? Merlin and Morgana I was so worried about you, we all were. Sirius nearly lost his mind. He’s with Remus. Full moon you know. I thought someone should stay with you-” He started rambling, clearly a bit through the wind with the occurrences of the past hours. “Gosh James don’t worry, I’m fine I guess, just some tiny injuries.” “Tiny?! You broke a rib, because you fell so hard on the ice.” Oh. I didn’t know about that, but it would explain the excruciating pain on my left side. “Oh- I-. What exactly happened, do you know?” I asked. “You fell while skating, because you were so malnourished. At least that’s what Madam Pomfrey said. We were just walking to the infirmary with Remus when suddenly little Adelaide Greengrass stormed towards us and panted that she needed help and that you were hurt. Sirius and I stormed off to help you and then we brought you here.”

I put my hand on top of James’ to stop him and in an instant he was quiet. His looks are still laced with worry. “Jamie, look at me.” He did and if I wouldn’t have been in bed his look would’ve knocked me off my feet in a second. His warm, brown eyes seemingly looking into my soul and warming parts of my heart, that were so closed off I never thought anyone would’ve been able to reach them. Especially when it came to feelings James made me open up, usually I was pretty closed up about them, however he brought out the best of me. When I’m looking into James’ eyes everything around me vanishes. I only noticed him talking to me when he waves his hands in front of my face. 

“Sorry I zoned out. What I wanted to say is that I’m okay and you don’t have to stay. Remus needs you.” “And what about you? You need someone too.” James exclaimed and he really hit home with that. With one sentence James Potter tore down years of pain. My biggest fear was not being loved, not being needed and James saw the fear. Deep down he understood me. He wanted people to need him and with Sirius and Remus getting closer, James sometimes felt like he wasn’t needed anymore. I could see it, even though he thought no one did. He was busy chasing after Lily Evans, when thinking about it I didn’t hear a lot about her the past weeks. However I noticed his struggles, many people thought that James Potter had it all. Great family, friends and grades. Next to no one noticed the facade he sometimes put up, where he wasn’t as happy as he claimed to be. I did. I always noticed James. 

“Oh James.” I breathed, not more words coming out of my throat, I hugged him tightly. He held his arms tightly around me and we stayed like that, for what felt like an eternity. Way longer than friends should’ve stayed.

When we parted James finally dared to ask the question. “Why did you do it? Because y/n if you think you’re not pretty enough or some bullshit like that I’m gonna lose it. You Blacks won the gene lottery and you know it, so it must be something else. Please, I need you to tell me.” He thought I was pretty. My mind latched at this one fact and couldn’t let it go. Probably cherishing it forever. James Potter, the epitome of prettiness and handsomeness, thought I was pretty.

“My mother, you remember you letter?” “Of course, I could never forget. But you promised that you’d be fine.” “I lied.” I answered with such honesty, I surprised myself. James frowned, it nearly broke my heart seeing him upset over this. I whispered an apology, hoping he would find a way to forgive me.

“I’m not angry with you y/n just upset about the whole situation. You don’t want out of that house, but everything besides Reg keeps hurting you there. I can’t stand seeing you like this.” Leave it to James to say the perfect thing in a situation like this. 

“I know Jamie, I understand it’s hard for you to grasp why I’m still staying there, but it’s still my home. My parents, even though they mostly do shit at their job. I still love them in our fucked up Black way. And I know that deep down they love us, Maman just has a bad way of showing us.” Deep down I really believed that, I had just opened up some of the best hidden emotions I had to James. Slightly worried of rejection I looked at him, but I only found understanding in his eyes. 

“Oh y/n. I know it’s hard, even harder with Reggie in the equation.” He pulled me in his arms again. “Can you stay here for the night James? Or I mean- If Rem needs you-” I whispered in his curls and for a moment I thought he didn’t even hear me. Suddenly he pulled away from my arms, my eyes widened a bit when I crawled right next to me in bed and shuffled around a bit, to get comfortable. I really thought he would’ve left there and then, but he just put an arm around me and held it throughout the night. Darkness engulfed me and the only word on my mind was James. James. James. 

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When I awoke again it was it was already dusk. James still on my side, his curls softly tickling my neck, where he had tucked his head in. I looked beside me and noticed Remus he was passed out on the bed and looked extremely exhausted, poor fella. Besides him was a mob of black hair, my brother. A quiet gasp escaped me, James didn’t even stir besides me. Even though just a week of not talking had passed, it felt like it was ages ago that we had a real conversation. 

As if he could feel my eyes on him his eyes fluttered open and he first glanced at Remus, a soft smile spreading out on his face. Merlin, he was so in love it was adorable. If only the two idiots would confess to each other. His eyes searched around the room and when they landed on me his face displayed a hundred emotions at once. 

“Hey Dimples” He whispered across the room. His voice rough and filled with sleep. My Sirius. My other half. Oh I had missed him terribly. “Hey Siri.” I whispered back. Both of us grinning simultaneously at the other. However realisation dampened my mood, today was the day of the ball. Sirius seemed to realise where, and how we were here at the same time. 

“I know I don’t say it enough, but I love you y/n. In our fucked up Black way, but I truly do. “I love you too Siri, In our fucked up Black way but I truly do.” A tear rolled down my cheek, Sirius looked a bit glassy eyed too. What was up with me? I never cried before other, this past couple of weeks really worsened my reputation as Slytherin Princess. 

As if James could feel my upsetness his arm around me tightened and I smiled softly down on him. Sirius looked puzzled for a moment until his eyes widened with realisation. “You’ve got the hots for my best friend.” He whisper yelled, a bit too loud for my liking. “Sirius shut up, this instant. And you better be quiet. You have the hots for your best friend. If our parents found out, they’d have your head.” That seemed to strike a nerve. 

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I love Remus, but you know our parents and their world view. I think todays not a good day to talk about this. Also you know with Evans and all that, I don’t want to get caught up in it all.” “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have brought it up. But it makes so much sense now and if I were you I wouldn’t worry too much about Evans. Lately it’s all been about you.” 

I wanted to say something more when James stirred beside me again. I looked at him again when his eyes fluttered open and he smiled at me with the brightest of smiles. My heart skipped a beat. “Good morning Jamie.” “Morning, y/n/n. Oh morning Sirius.” He said, as my brother cleared his throat, wanting to announce his presence. “How’s our Moony?” “Oh you know, he claims he’s fine, even though he’s clearly not and now will sleep the whole day.” “How’s my baby sister?” He said, emphasising the baby. “Oh you know, she claims she fines, even though she clearly isn’t and now will hate me the whole day for saying it.” Boys. “First off I can hear you, second off I can take care of myself.” I interjected and quietly, so only James could hear, added “and third off I could never hate you.” He smiled, one of his soft smiles. Those he only saved for special moments.

Then it dawned on me again, in a few hours I had to go home and spend the whole evening with my mother. She would try and set me up with a few ‘fitting’ filthy rich Pureblood heirs and I would try to make them hate me. She would be angry with me and hopefully I could spend the night at Hogwarts again. Home felt less like home, when Sirius wasn’t there.

Madam Pomfrey disturbed me from my thoughts and she wasn’t surprised to see the boys with Remus and me. She didn’t hesitate for a second before showing them out. And James shot me a wink while Sirius just looked pointedly at him, then at me.

Poppy Pomfrey could be extremely scary when she wanted to and the conversation we had about proper nourishment was far too long for my liking. When she finally released me I had trouble to keep the tears at bay, but I would not break in front of a teacher.

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The Slytherin Common was empty and felt like home. The light crackle of the fire, the smell of books and fresh cut apples. The creatures of the Black Lake floating by the windows. I made my way up to my room where Regulus was already waiting for me. He embraced me tightly but didn’t say a word. 

I quickly changed into fresh and more ‘appropriate’ clothes. 

“Are you ready to go?” My brother asked me, I nodded yes after a quick check in the mirror and a few freshening up spells. We went to Professor Slughorn, where a Floo connection to Grimmauld Place had been set up. 

With a deep breath I stepped into the Floo and braced myself for what awaited me.

a/n: hey lovely people, first up if you ever feel like not eating, just because someone tells you you need to lose weight, or if your mind tells you so. please don't listen to it. food is nourishment and all of you are perfect as you are.

as always messages, inbox and requests are open!

lots of love to wherever you are xoxo ellie <333

#hogwarts #james potter #james potter x reader #marauders #romance #james potter x y/n #james potter x you #peter pettigrew #remus lupin #sirius black #sirius and regulus #sirus x remus #wolfstar #dead wizards from the 70s #dead gay wizards from the 70s #black!reader #james potter x black!reader #sirius orion black #the marauders #moony x padfoot #moony #moony wormtail padfoot and prongs #remus john lupin #james fleamont potter #marauders era

[jackharloww]

Isabella & Jackman part 1.

Summary: The one where Jack and Isabella are childhood friends. Could it be more?

Another Collab with my love @harlowcomehome

Isabella Carter got inside the moving van, staring at the small duplex she had just spent the last two years living in with a sigh. How did it come to this? Brandon was someone she saw herself marrying and spending the rest of her life with, well until she caught him sleeping with her “best friend.” 

“Good riddance” Isabella mumbled to herself as she started the van. It was only a few hours but the drive was going to feel longer than that, it had been a few years since Isabella had moved back home and she often wondered how much had changed. 

Her parents were happy to have her home, they had wished the circumstances were different but regardless they missed her and were happy their daughter was back. Her parents and little sister welcomed her with open arms, she had missed them more than she had realized and got emotional with each “hello" that was being said. 

Luckily Isabella's parents had plenty of room in their big house, and her old bedroom was just as she left it. Isabella was quickly reminded about her cousin Courtney and that she was getting married this weekend and due to the circumstances, Isabella no longer had a date.

As her mom prepared dinner for the evening, Isabella took a shower, she stood underneath the showerhead as the warm water jets hit her body, finally making her relax. After the shower, she quickly dried her hair, picked whatever clothes she could find, and put them on before walking out to see if her mom needed any help with dinner. The aroma of Isabella's favorite dish filled the house, she walked up to the big dining table and saw it was filled with amazing food. 

"What's the occasion," Isabella asked her mom as she reached for an olive and plopped it in her mouth. 

"Well my daughter is home, and the Harlows are coming over" Her mom casually answered as she put down the salad bowl on the table, moving the olives to the side. 

"The what now?" Isabella said in a panic and raised her eyebrows, in the process, she looked down at her outfit - an old oversized t-shirt she had from high school paired with black bicycle shorts, "You could have mentioned that" she mumbled, ignoring the smirk evident on her mother's face. 

The Carters and the Harlows had known each other for as long as Isabella can remember, living as neighbors and her parents being close friends with Brian and Maggie resulted in a close relationship between the two families. 

Her mom saw the horrid look on Isabella's face, "Go, I'll be fine here, They are coming in about 20 minutes" she laughed. Isabella thanked her mom, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek before she ran up to her sister's room. 

Isabella barely acknowledged Adeline as she walked into her walk-in closet to find a nicer outfit. All her clothes were in suitcases and she didn't feel like going through them at the moment, so her sister's clothes would have to do. 

She ignored Adeline's questioning looks as she grabbed one of her jeans, and put them on. "Where is the black top with the open back?" She asked Adeline as she went through the tops.

Adeline was still confused as to why her sister was so stressed and getting all dressed up, but she still got up from her bed to help her look for the top. She found it after just a few seconds and handed it over to her.

"What are you getting all dolled up for?" Adeline finally asked. 

"Just feel like it" Isabella shrugged and put on the top, before running to her room to quickly put on some makeup. 

Just as her mother said, the Harlow family arrived 20 minutes later. As they walked in, Adeline pinched her sister's side, "You still have that crush on him don't you?" she whispered teasingly in Isabella's ear as if she just figured out what, or rather who, Isabella was hurriedly getting ready for. 

"Shut up, Addy" Isabella shushed her, her cheeks getting flushed. 

The two girls stood there with smiles on their faces as they greeted their guests. 

"Isabella, It's so good to see you again" Maggie greeted her in a hug before she put her hands on either side of her face to look at her, "We've missed you" she smiled before moving on to greet Adeline. 

"Is that Izzy?!” Jack exclaimed as he locked eyes with Isabella, he walked up to her and opened his arms to bring her in for a hug. 

Jack had called her that since they were young and he was the only one who was allowed to. To everyone else, she was simply just Isabella or Bella. 

“Well if it isn’t my husband” Isabella winked, earning a soft chuckle from Jack.

“You remember that?” Jack felt his cheek getting hotter, but he still had a smile on his face

“How could I forget?” She smiled, noticing him blushing almost immediately. Jack had thought she'd forgotten all about them playing husband and wife as children.

Just as Jack was about to answer, Isabella's mom spoke, “Come sit before the dinner gets cold”. As they sat down, Isabella and Jack both had big smiles on their faces.

When everyone had a seat and started to eat dinner the topic of Courtney’s wedding came up. Isabella was fine third-wheeling Addy and her date but Addy didn’t seem crazy about it.

“It’s fine, I’ll figure it out” Isabella shrugged when her mother started to stress about it. She was stressed but she didn’t want to seem pathetic, especially in front of Jack.

"Well, why don't you go with her Clay?" Maggie said, thinking Jack would be busy that weekend as usual. 

Jack shot his mom a look, "Clay had that thing this weekend, with uhm Cope, remember?" Jack said as he looked at Clay shooting him daggers, hoping he would follow along. 

Maggie looked at both her sons with furrowed eyebrows. 

"Uhh, yeah we had that thing," he said before he cleared his throat and took a sip of water, panicking he’d say the wrong thing. 

“I’m available, I mean if you’d want to go together” Jack was worried he sounded too eager. 

“I don’t want you to feel obligated” Isabella wanted nothing more than to bring Jack as her date but she couldn’t be too obvious.

“It’s not an obligation, I want to go” Jack smiled and so did everyone else. 

“It’s a date” Isabella giggled, embarrassed at the high pitch tone that just came out of her. 

“Then it’s a date Izzy” Jack hummed. 

---------------------

This is the first time @harlowcomehome and I have written for an Original Character, and we really hope you like this one. Stay tuned for part 2!!!

Taglist: @harlowsbby , @neon-lights-and-glitter , @heavyhitterheaux , @nattinatalia , @middlechild404 , @mortirolo , @itsyagirljaz , @hoodharlow

#jack harlow #jack harlow fic #jack harlow stories #jack harlow imagine #jack harlow x y/n #jack harlow x reader #jack fic #jack harlow concept #jack harlow fluff #jack harlow concepts #jackharlow #jack x reader #fanfiction #friends to lovers

[star-girl69]

hello addie. can i place an order for aemond x reader. With fluff vibes and angst? where aemond is really in love with the reader, who is a noblewoman of a great house, she has ambition for the throne, and marries aemond only for power, but in the end she admits that she grew up to love him

i love this ask so much tbh… ok i’m pretty sure i stayed true to the ask but idk 🙏🙏 i hope you all like this and also idk if aemond is immune to fire but let’s just pretend (also this is not beta’d) (title is ofc from the fabulous lana del rey)

also thank you so so so much for requesting!!!!

no warnings i think, tell me if i missed something!

Money, Power, Glory

—-

All your life, all you had wanted was to be powerful. Ever since your father had died and your brother, Jason, became Lord of Casterly Rock you had become addicted to the taste of it. Since he hasn’t found a wife yet, (some part of you thinks he is still holding out for Princess Rhaenyra, even though she is happily married) you had been named the honorary Lady of Casterly Rock.

You hosted and organized dinners for the bannermen lords, made sure that new tapestry got to the library, selected the flowers to go in the foyer, and more things that piled on by the day. But that rush. Maybe ordering people around shouldn’t be that fun, but you didn’t care. You liked the power. The money. The glory. Some part of you considered breaking the norms, becoming a knight. That was ridiculous. While some were up for that treacherous path, you decided to go the path more traveled. Unfortunately, the only way a woman can move up in the world.

You decided to marry.

—-

After many months at court, befriending Queen Alicent, establishing yourself as a dutiful lady, you had gotten what you wanted. A marriage.

While Aegon was the heir, he was already married to Helaena. The second son was your best option. But accidents happened all the time. You had more power than ever before, and you would be happy, if not for this pain in your side.

You loathed Aemond.

You weren’t sure why, really, but just something about him annoyed you to no end. Maybe it was his ridiculous smirk, his obnoxious sword fighting skills, or his eyepatch. Maybe it was his powerful dragon, or the way his arms felt around your waist when you danced at feasts. You almost slapped yourself. Aemond was attractive, in some odd way, you supposed, but you swore not to fall in love with him. You would not settle until you were the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

Speaking of Aemond, your eyes flicked up to your maid as she announced him.

“Lady Y/N,” That ridiculous smirk. “I was hoping you would accompany me to the dragonpit?”

Unknown to you, Aemond knew all about your little game. He was smart, and to his trained eye, he saw right through you. You wanted money, power, glory. He could give it to you, if only you fell in love with him.

From the first day you had come to court, he noticed you. He fell in love with you. He wasn’t embarrassed to admit it. He was absolutely whipped for you, and would do anything you asked.

But Aemond wanted to be wanted. To be loved. So, he swore he would give you everything you ever wanted. After you fell in love with him.

Plus, he liked a challenge.

“Of course, My Prince.” Gods, your voice was intoxicating.

—-

The walk continued in relative silence to the dragonpit, and you took Aemond’s arm. You would never admit it, but his arms were quite nice and muscled. You liked holding onto them. But you were not falling in love with him, obviously. He was just a means to an end. But your bed felt awfully cold as of late.

“I have something to show you.” His voice snapped you out of your reverie, as he led you to a room inside of the pit.

You weren’t quite sure what you were seeing at first. Then, it hit you. Dragon eggs.

“I claimed them, for our future children. It is Targaryen custom for dragon eggs to be placed in a newborns cradle, so that they may hatch and grow with them.”

You nodded.

Why did this gesture make you… you weren’t quite sure of the feeling in your stomach. Almost if your heart was squeezing in joy, your stomach filled with something fluttery. For him to think about your future children made you want to take him right here and now.

He’s just a means to an end, you reminded yourself.

Yes, the gesture was sweet, but meant nothing. He wanted heirs just as any other man did.

“You like them?” He took your hand, bringing you closer. A large fire burned, and the dragon eggs sat on metal braziers just next to the fire, keeping them warm. You were sure that if you touched one of them, your hand would come away horribly scarred. He grabbed one.

“Aemond!” You jumped back, but he simply laughed.

“Fire does not hurt a dragon, my sweet wife.”

“Oh. Yes. I-“ You trailed off, suddenly feeling quite embarrassed.

“This one is my favorite.” He held it out to you. It was a beautiful egg. A deep red, with scatterings of black scales throughout. The color almost reminded you of blood.

“It’s beautiful.”

“I’m leaving, tonight.” He spoke the words quickly, not looking at you. As if he could not bear it. He placed the egg back on the brazier.

“Oh. Where? How long?” Why did you care?

“Pentos. A few weeks.”

“I see.” You took a breath. “I wish you safe travels, husband.” He looked back at you with a smirk.

“Will you miss me?”

“Of course. You are my husband.” Maybe some part of you found that it wasn’t a lie.

He stepped closer, placed a hand on your face. You almost jumped back, but didn’t want to be rude and hurt him. Lightly, as if he was balancing a tower of feathers, he pressed a kiss to your cheek, corner of his lips touching yours. You almost gasped in shock.

Almost gasped at the feeling in your stomach, the desire, the need for more.

“I’ll see you soon, my sweet wife.”

Then he turned and left.

You blinked, not knowing what to make of the desire in your stomach. The yearning in your heart.

A guard walked in.

“I’m here to escort you back to the palace, Lady Y/N.” You nodded, eyes wild.

“Yes. Yes, thank you.” He gestured to the open door, and you walked through, something changed.

—-

The trip did not take a few weeks. He was gone for months.

You loathed they way you worried about him. Every morning, asking Alicent if she had news of his return when she took breakfast with you and Helaena. Every morning was the same answer. She wasn’t sure.

Finally, one day, after Alicent had left, leaving you with the same answer, Helaena placed a hand on your arm. You had always been fond of her. She was one of the few people in the Red Keep, in King’s Landing, even, who was genuinely kind. She had no ulterior motive, no knife up her sleeve. It was refreshing.

“Y/N,” She started, voice mystical in that Helaena-way, “it is alright to fall in love with him.” You almost spat out your tea.

“I- I don’t know what you’re talking about, Princess.”

She smiled. “I have dreams, Lady Y/N. You know this?” You nodded. You had heard about dragon dreamers, men and women of Targaryen blood who could see glimpses of the future. “I have seen great things for you, good sister. You will have what you desire.” With that, she turned back to her pastry.

It brought you some comfort, you supposed. The only question was, what did you desire? The throne, or Aemond?

—-

Each day you grew more frustrated with your husband. Why couldn’t he just return?

Your days grew boring without him. Your nights were cold. Desire from the day he had kissed you still rested in your stomach. You were miserable.

So, one night, while it was storming outside, and you heard the unmistakable sound of Vhagar’s roar, you jumped out of bed.

Your guards chased after you as you ran to the dragonpit. You were relieved, angry, sad.

“My lady! It is not safe,” One of them shouted. Rain poured down, thunder cracked above. You stood in front of Vhagar. A guard grabbed you by the arm, and you tried to pull away from him.

“Get your hands off of my wife!” You almost cried in relief when Aemond appeared from behind Vhagar. “Leave us.” The guards shuffled away.

“Aemond…” You whispered.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” It all came rushing back as he placed his hands on your shoulders, meant to be comforting.

“How dare you!” You wrench yourself away from him, tears falling, mixing with rain. He looks shocked.

“What have I done to upset you?” You are filled with rage, animal instinct. You descend upon him, weak fists hitting at his chest. He lets you. After realizing you’re getting no reaction out of him, you stop.

“You left me!”

He realizes what has happened then.

“Oh, my love. I’m sorry.” His hands caress your face, bring you closer. You fold into his chest, and realize maybe you had always loved him. You just did not want to admit it. You desired him, and power.

Perhaps you were meant to be together, and your drive for power was a means to an end. A means to him.

“Do not leave again.”

“I won’t. I’ll tell my mother, I’ll stay with you.” He breathes you in. You smell of rain, of some flowery scent. “Do you know how long I have loved you? Since you came here. Whatever you want, I will give it to you. As long as you love me, as long as you are mine. I will give you money, power, glory. Books, jewelry, dresses.” He is almost begging. “Just say you will love me, Y/N, please.”

“You would do all that- for me?”

“More.”

You are not sure how to answer him. How to thank him. Everything you have ever wanted is resting in front of you now, and it is all because of him.

You press your lips to his. Besides for your wedding, this is only time you have truly kissed him. You fumble, inexperienced. You want him to take away the desire in your stomach. You want him to make it better.

“It’s alright,” He whispers, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear. “We have all the time in the world.”

That night, he lays you in your bed, arms wrapped tight. You lay your head on his chest, thinking about how his heartbeat is the sweetest sound in the world.

You fall asleep thinking of money, power, glory. All that he will give you. Some part of you thinks you might love him, just for that.

—-

#aemond targaryen x reader #aemond x reader #aemond targaryen #house of the dragon

[topazy]

Inside, outside

Pairings: 10k x reader, Addy Carver × sister reader

Warnings: Swearing, usual violence towards Z’s

Chapter: 5.05

People. Zombies. Bombs. Chaos.

Altura still hadn’t recovered from the bombing, and survivors were still scrambling to try and find their loved ones. You felt a sense of guilt knowing that some had lost everyone and everything, while you still had 10k and Red. Red was more concerned than either of you that Doc, Warren, and Murphy were nowhere to be seen, but you had a gut feeling they were gone but not dead.

“I’d bet any money the three of them will turn up soon. Murphy, no doubt caught up in something dangerous, he’ll drag the rest of them into.”

10k suddenly jolts up in the cot; it takes him a moment to gather his bearings. Once he realizes his place in your shared rent, he leans his head back, using his hand to grip the bedsheets before feeling for you.

“Do you feel any better?”

“A little,” he confirms. His voice was raspy from being in a deep sleep less than a minute before. “I had a dream we were still living out on the road, still on the mission to get that dickhead to California, and we kept encountering the same issues as before except this time we had a baby... I was useless. I could hold my own child or even take out a z; everyone had to do it for me.”

You lean forward and kiss the crown of his head. “You will be able to use your gun again; it will just take time to adjust.”

“You don’t know that.”

Seeing the doubt in his eyes, he said, “Yes, I do. Because I know the second you sense danger, your fatherly instincts will kick in, and protecting this baby will be the most natural thing in the world.”

He closes his eyes. “I hope so.”

You stand and offer him your hand. “Come on, once we’ve had breakfast, I’m going to help you practice.”

—

Behind the main buildings in Altura is a wooded area in which Red has set up a shooting range for 10k to practice his aim. So far, he has missed the tin can with every shot he has taken. The part of the hospital that had prosthetic limbs was destroyed during the bombing, and Sun Mei said it would be a while before new ones were made. He was given a leather pouch to cover his stump with a hook on the end of it, which was causing him to struggle to keep grip on his weapon.

“Just take your time,” Red says, reassuring him.

When 10K misses the target again, he lets out a hiss of pain. You motion to his stump and say, “Let me take a look.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine if you’re in pain.”

Knowing you wouldn’t let it go, 10k pulls down the leather pouch for you to inspect his stitches. The swelling was going down, but infection was weeping from the stitches. “You need to show Sun Mei and get more antibiotics.”

“Maybe you should take a break or use your left hand,” Red suggests.

“Just forget it.”

Red looks upset as 10k walks away. You place your hand on her shoulder and say, “Hey, thank you. It might not seem like it, but I know Tommy really appreciates everything you’re doing for him.”

She pulls you in for a hug. “I’m really scared; we are lucky we survived the first bombing. What if there’s another?”

“Then we do the same thing: keep each other safe.”

—

When you can’t find 10k in the medical bay, you go looking for him in the woods, but he spots you first. He puts his finger to his lips, signaling for you to remain silent, then waves you over. Crouching down beside him, you watch as two men shock a z with an electric baton, forcing it into one of the buildings, which looked empty aside from a few vans.

“What do we do?” You whisper.

“We gotta know where he’s taking it.”

You stay close to him as you make your way into the building. You jump back and grip onto his shoulder when Z's fingers peek through the crack underneath a large metal door, with metal chains covering the door as an extra precaution. 10k presses his ear against another securely locked door.

Quietly, you say, “It sounds like wild animals behind the doors.”

10k says nothing and leans back. Seconds later, a beeping sound fills the room, followed by the sound of a door opening and footsteps. 10k points to a large shipping truck, and you both crawl underneath it to avoid being seen.

From the spot you’re in, you notice Florida license plates on the back of the van in front. The man paces back and forth before eventually leaving the building.

You crawl out first, being careful so your stomach doesn’t rub against the concrete ground. You help 10K up and begin to dust yourself down, noting the fresh trail of mud tracks with traces of blood on the ground.

10k whispers, “We should go before—oh shit.”

A man’s voice comes from the opposite side of the truck. “Let’s get this shit over with.”

Not knowing where to go, you run to one of the other shipping trucks and climb into the back of it. When it starts to move slowly you ask, “Do we jump?”

Before you can make a decision, the back of the truck is facing the large metal doors, which are now unlocked, and a large ball made up of Z’s clutched together comes rolling towards you.

With no way of escaping, 10k points to the panels on the ceiling of the truck. “Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

—

You feel physically sick watching as 10k struggles to hold onto the wooden panel, which was the only thing keeping him from being devoured by the Z’s below. He was too far away for you to help him, and if you made any noise, the driver would hear it and most likely shoot the both of you.

When the truck comes to a sudden stop and the doors at the back open, allowing the Z’s to roll out of it, When the engine is turned back on, you both let go of the panels and jump down just as the truck starts to move off again, leaving the both of you deserted in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but trees. You sigh, noticing the pouch 10K had covering his wound was gone.

Even though you land on your feet, 10K is beside you with a worried look on his face. “Soon as we get to safety, we are done; no more adventures for either of us.”

You place your hand on your stomach and say, “As happy as I am that we have Doc and Warren back in our lives, I sometimes wish we never left the treehouse.”

—

“How far along do you think you are?”

Because of the bombing, you never got your scan. You tried to work it out, but since you didn’t track days, it was impossible to actually know. “Since I’m not showing, I’d say I’m still in my first trimester. Maybe in five or six weeks, what do you think?”

When you don’t get an answer, you look back and see 10k crouching down, looking at some footprints left in the dirt. “These are Doc and Warren's footsteps.”

Noticing a small hill, you run up it and see newly dug graves. Seeing a fairly clean bandana on the ground, you kneel down to get it. You wipe it off and give it to 10k; he ties it around his stump to keep it covered.

You study the graves and are thankful you don’t know any of the names carved onto the wooden crosses above each one. Hearing a faint, snarling noise, you turn to see a Z coming up behind you.

You stumble backwards, “Tommy!”

He grabs one of the wooden planks sticking out of the ground, snaps it, and then stabs the Z in the head.

“Eight thousand six hundred and nine.”

While getting to your feet, you notice a red mark on a wooden sign. “It looks like spray paint. Do we follow it?”

He nods.

While following the road, you notice a few more of the red marks left behind on trees. Luckily, it was only the odd Z you came across; 10K was trying to shoot and was swaying on its feet, walking in your direction. After several failed attempts, he uses the opposite hand and manages to shoot it in the head.

“Eight thousand six hundred and ten,” you smile.

—

Soon as you make it to a small town, you take cover behind a car with the same red markings on it. It was parked outside a building with distant music coming from it.

“Are you sure about this? What if it’s a trap?”

“I’ll go in first,” 10K says. “You keep a good distance behind me; if it’s safe, I’ll wave for you to follow.”

You plant a soft kiss on his lips and say, “Okay.”

A side door is open, so it’s easy for you to get inside.10k enters the building first, checking it was clear before waving you to follow. When you reach the room the staircase you’re walking down leads to, 10k goes in first. Sweat drips down your brow as you wait to hear his voice call out, and you let out a sigh of relief when you finally hear him again. “Oh my god,” he calls back to you. “Astra, it’s safe to come in; it’s Doc!”

The room is filled with red lights, giving the impression that it was a seedy nightclub. Soon as you walk in, you see 10k and Doc hugging, and you rush over to join them. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Doc; we've got so much shit we need to tell you! Are Warren and Murphy with you?”

“I’m glad you kids are safe.”

10k steps back from the hug first and taps you on the shoulder. “Uh, it’s your sister.”

You open your eyes, and for the first time in years, you see Addy standing before you. Her hair was much darker and longer than you remember, and from the glaze in her eyes, you could tell she was drunk.

“Hey sis.”

You stare at her speechless; nobody has ever broken your heart like she did, and seeing her again, smiling as if nothing happened, opens up the old wound you tried so hard to heal.

Hearing more steps approaching, your hand goes to a glass bottle sitting on the table next to you.

“Oh my god,” Warren says when she notices you. “You two have no idea how worried we were after hearing about the bombing.”

Warren sees your struggle to hold back tears and pulls you in for a hug and whispers, “I’ve got you, baby girl; I’ve got you.”

—

You look at Murphy suspiciously as he pours out drinks from behind a bar. He was dressed in a red suit, which matched his red skin. When he offers you a cup, you push it back and say, "No thanks.”

He grunts, “Not good enough for you, princess.”

Rolling your eyes, you walk over to join the rest of your group, sitting around a circle table. It felt weird to be with 10K, Doc, Warren, Addy, and Murphy at the same time again. George was there as well, but it still felt like old times.

You sit beside 10K, who was explaining what you saw. “Those vans are being loaded up deliberately. Somebody’s shipping a truckload of zombie tourists.”

“So you think it’s Altura?” Warren asks.

“I don’t know.”

“It’s where we saw the vans, but it could be anybody.”

While the conversation continues, Addy tries to make eye contact with you, but given the amount of alcohol you witnessed her drink, you pretended not to notice.

#z nation #10k/reader #10k x you #10k x reader #10k z nation #z nation 10k #10k fanfiction #10k/you #inside outisde #z nation x reader #z nation fanfic #inside outside 5.05

[dilemmaontwolegs]

Running from the Flames {25}

Pairing: Pierre Gasly x OFC Warnings: 18+ only, fluff - this is a work of fiction and the events are not based on reality. Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

I was going crazy. I had to be.

Pierre had disappeared first, then Granny had excused herself with Matthew before Grandad skipped along after with a feeble excuse of wanting to get to know her new husband and make sure he was treating her well. Then Otmar said he needed to find Esteban but he had walked off in the opposite direction to where you could see his dark head of hair two tables over.

As I sat alone at the table, wondering what had happened to everyone, I looked around for a familiar face but instead I heard a giggle that I knew well. I spun around at the sound and froze as I found everyone that had gone missing and then some.

Pierre stood in front of all of our family that had flown in for the final race, Addie grinning from his arms.

Everyone was dressed in to the nines and they looked like they belonged on the red carpet they would have walked to enter the event. I had never seen my mum in a ball gown but she looked absolutely gorgeous, just like Pierre’s mother, the two women linking their arms together as they smiled at me.

My eyes were drawn back to Pierre as he stepped forward and carried Addie with him, her excitement making her clap her hands. My heart started beating erratically with each step and I rose to my feet to meet him face to face.

“Pierre…” I whispered as he kissed Addie’s temple and placed her feet on the ground.

“I have spent hours planning what to say, but when I look at you, I can barely remember how to breathe. I thought my life had purpose until the day you and Addie walked into my garage. You turned my world upside down and I will forever be grateful for finding the parts of me that were missing.” Pierre gracefully dropped to one knee and took Addie’s hand. “You make me want to be the best version of myself, to be a father that makes his little girl proud…and a husband that spends every day showing his wife she is loved. I can’t do that without you, Bri. Will you marry me?”

I knew then why Granny had insisted on waterproof makeup as I tried to blink away the tears so nothing would blur the image of Addie handing Pierre a small white box. Pierre thanked her sweetly before peering up at me, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears while his fingers trembled as they opened the box.

I wasn’t the only one that gasped as the three gemstones caught the lights. It was a beautiful ring; a large sapphire set between two diamonds that sparkled like the many shorelines we had walked hand in hand.

I had no words but I didn’t need them. He knew me better than I knew myself and his smile widened as my bottom lip trembled and I nodded as more tears fell. My hand shook more than his as he slipped the ring onto my finger and kissed it before standing up, scooping Addie up with him. His arm curled around my waist and my feet were swept off the floor as he spun around to the cheers of our families and friends.

Our kiss held the hint of salt from our tears that united on our cheeks until Addie pushed her hand between us and we pulled away with a laugh.

“I can’t believe you hid this from me.”

Pierre rested his forehead against mine and sighed. “I never want to do anything like this again, I felt ill trying to keep this a surprise.”

“Well, that’s a good start,” I teased, “it would raise a red flag if you wanted to propose again.”

He chuckled and dipped his lips to my ears. “That’s not what I meant.”

I pulled away with a smile and waved my mum over. “I’ve actually got my own surprise. I was going to wait until tomorrow but since everyone is here…Mum?”

“Right here, honey,” she said as she pulled the folded papers out of her clutch. “Been carrying these around all day just in case.”

Pierre wet his dry lips with his tongue as he wondered what she was handing me. I let him take Addie’s weight as I used both hands to unfold the documents that had been six months in the making.

The crowd around us had grown substantially and most of the drivers were amongst our families with their principals as well. Everyone here knew my story, they knew my history, and they had been there to support Pierre and I with the aftermath of it becoming public news.

“To everyone here you are already Addie’s dad,” I said as I straightened out the kinks in the pages, “and there is no one I know that is a more patient, caring man deserving of the title than you.”

Addie smooshed Pierre’s cheeks together and grinned at him, his own smile widening in response as she cooed, “My daddy.”

“That’s right, ma fille.”

I handed him the papers and he took them with one hand.

“You’ve already promised her that she can take the Gasly name when she turns eighteen but what if I said she didn’t have to wait?”

“How?” he asked with astonishment as he shifted Addie to his hip so he could flip through the papers, pausing at the page where four signatures were already inked, penned beside yesterday's date.

“I know a good lawyer,” I said with a grateful smile to my mum.

I had feared the day Erik was released from prison and tried to get back into my life through Addie. After quite a bit of digging, mum had found out Erik and Trent were only working together for the money they knew would come by blackmailing my family. Erik never wanted a relationship with Addie, and I had never been more relieved. He had happily signed away his parental rights with his lawyer and a witness and I had accepted it with mine.

“What is that?” Jean-Jacques asked when a tear slipped over Pierre’s lashes.

Pierre smiled at his dad. “The best gift ever. Does anyone have a pen?”

Lewis was ready with one that he carried around to sign autographs with and he grinned as he saw the letterhead of the document when he handed it over. “Congratulations, man.”

Without Erik being able to interfere it was going to be a relatively simple process for Pierre to adopt Addie like he had once wished when we were out one night and saw a shooting star. It had seemed like a far-fetched idea at the time but I couldn’t shake the image of hope on his face as he talked about being a family in every sense of the word, a family that would one day grow.

Charles pushed forward and peeked over Pierre’s shoulder as he signed the forms that would begin the process and he gasped. “Adoption Order? No way! That’s like the best news of the night, ah, well, equally best news, of course, since I’m going to finally be your best man. So when is the wedding?”

“Bro, we just got engaged,” Pierre laughed as he handed the signed papers over to my mum to take care of and pulled me back into his arms.

“Yeah, but you made a ten year plan the second you met her.” Charles looked around the drivers and pointed to Daniel. “We even held a little funeral for you at the Monaco afterparty, didn’t we?”

Daniel tipped his head back with a roaring laugh that was contagious. “Another bachelor gone but not forgotten.”

“Haha, really funny,” Pierre said with a roll of his eyes but he couldn’t contain his own laughter. “I’ll remember this when you assholes finally settle down.”

“Daddy, that’s a naughty word,” Addie tutted, encouraging another round of laughs from his colleagues.

“I’m sorry, but they deserve it.” Pierre looked around the gathering and saw even the investors had joined the crowd. “Now, I think I have rubbed enough elbows for the evening that no one will protest if I go and celebrate with my family.”

Pierre laced his fingers with mine, lifting my hand to admire the ring that fit perfectly upon it with a beaming smile. His nose grazed along my jawline, his lips softly trailing until he reached my ear and whispered, “You have made me the happiest man, my beautiful fiancée.”

“I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to keep you that way.” I tugged on the bowtie he hated to wear and unbuttoned the top of his dress shirt so he could relax a little bit in the formal attire. “It’s a shame we aren’t in Vegas anymore.”

“My mum would probably kill me if we eloped.”

I giggled and nodded, knowing my own wouldn’t be happy with the idea either. “And my mum would probably get her off the charges. So a big wedding?”

“Go big or go home.”

“Alright, alright, enough whispering sweet nothings among lovers,” Charles teased as he approached. “Let’s go, I’m starving.”

“Oh, sorry, Leclerc, Alpine family only,” Otmar chimed in as he swiped his suit jacket from the back of his chair. “Unless you’re looking for a new team next season?”

I rolled my eyes and nudged the crestfallen Ferrari driver. “Tonight’s an exception, right Uncle?”

Otmar narrowed his eyes at the term I hardly used once I grew older. “She’s playing dirty. Fine, you can come but I know it’s only because you hate these events as much as Pierre.”

“I’m not going to deny that,” Charles said with a grin to his friend.

“Don’t stay out too late,” Frederic reminded his driver before making his way back to Ferrari’s table, a final piece of advice cast over his shoulder with a wave. “You can drink as much as you want tomorrow night.”

I turned to Pierre. “Why didn’t you wait until tomorrow?”

“Do you want me to hold onto it another day?” he asked with a cheeky grin as he reached for my ring and I pulled it back.

“No, I was just curious.”

His smile faded as he turned thoughtful. “Because we never know what will happen out there and I knew I would regret missing this moment if I didn’t.”

He saw how his words affected me and passed Addie over to Charles so he could pull me fully into his arms. “I wish I could promise you everything will be okay.”

“I prefer your honesty,” I replied softly as my lips hovered over his. “No regrets.”

Click here for chapter twenty six.

Tagging: @my-only-way-tocooperatewithlife @prrttysposts @alwaysclassyeagle @dr3lover

#pierre gasly imagine #pierre gasly x poc!oc #pierre gasly x oc #pierre gasly fanfic #formula one imagine #formula one fanfiction #f1 fic

[peonierose]

Top 10 Funny Moments 🩷 For @choicesfandomappreciation

I actually saw @aallotarenunelma post this and I thought this is genius, and so I’m going to share some funny moments from my stories 🤣

Summers Kiss

”I’m pretty sure there’s no magic involved in sex. It was pretty much watching my ovulation, waiting and peeing on test stripes to see the words pregnant. But if it makes you feel better B let’s call it the magic of our bed.“

”It was our bodies who created the magic, the bed was just a side piece.“

Cake by the Ocean

”What? I’m just saying. I can’t even say that I knew there was something going on? Way harsh dude,“ he says

Soraya gives him a pointed look

”I‘m not your dude,“ she says.

Aunt Joe clears her throat and they both shut up.

Bittersweet Symphony

”You’re my date, you shouldn’t have to do that.“ I say and lean on the kitchen counter next to her.

She snorts.

”Did you get stuck in the 18th century Sinclair?“ She teases me and I have to laugh at that.

Nightbound vs. Hänsel and Gretel - Chapter 2: Strange Encounters

“Pie-boy is getting roasted. I knew something was missing,“ Nik says grinning.

Hänsel cracks his knuckles.

“Bite me blondie,“ Hänsel says.

Niks grin widens and he just smiles at my brother.

“I’m afraid you’re not my type,“ he winks.

Neon Lights

”Get a room,“ Ethan and Aubrey say at the same time.

Bryce and I grin and share a smile.

”Is it just me? Or does anyone else think this is creepy?“ Elijah asks and I add.

”Me too. They’re almost the same person. Though Ethan is a bit grumpier, which makes him adorable,“ I say and Sienna nods in my direction.

”I thought I was the only one who thought so,“ she says and we fist-bump each other.

Ethan sighs deeply.

”Can we please just play? I don’t want to have front-row seats for Lahela's make-out session. I’m getting annoyed by this banter and about the fact that you’re trying to make it about me,“ he says his tone getting grumpy.

Bryce can’t resist adding.

”Oh come on man you’d learn a thing or two,“ B adds.

Ethan just sighs.

”If you’re talking about tips on how to make out? I’ll pass. Thanks though,“ Ethan replies.

Peppermint Kisses

“Buddy you picked the wrong nonna to pickpocket.“ I say and pull out my phone to dial Mafalda’s number.

“What’s a nonna dude? It’s not some weird fetish you guys have, is it? Because I don’t want any part of that.“ Zac stated.

“Nonna is the Italian word for grandmother you genius.“ I replied.

“Have you no manners? First, you steal and now you’re being a little punk?“ Trystan asks but Zac just rolls his eyes.

Girls Night Out - Chapter 3 - Streaking past your neighbors house

“I wish I had such good-looking strippers at my bachelorette party,“ Addi chimes in.

Both officers exchange looks, then turn to us again.

“You’re married ma’am?“ Officer Clarke asks, he looks more closely at Addi now.

“Well it’s complicated,“ Addi sighs

“I’m sure it is,“ Officer Clarke says his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“If we can’t have a lap dance, would you like one? So we can all forget about this little incident?“ I ask moving closer, but Sofia stops me with a hand on my arm.

“You are going to get us into trouble,“ Sofia mutters under her breath.

“And you are?“ Officer Kane turns to Sofia all mirth gone, replaced by a serious look on his face.

“Just an innocent bystander Sir. I was trying to help,“ Sofia stutters.

Home is where the heart is

”How’s the pregnancy going? Any weird food cravings that drive Bryce up the wall?“ he jokes and laughs.

”Does Bryce count as a food craving?“ I ask.

I am trying to act serious but I have to laugh at Ethan’s expression. He looks as if he bit into a lemon.

”I shouldn’t have asked,“ he mumbles.

Go Blonder

”Oh for fucks sake. Why in three hells are you only in your underwear Dr. Varma?“

Ethan’s voice. And he sounds super annoyed.

”I didn’t have any clean clothes,“ she says not wanting to admit she lost a bet.

He sighs

”You could’ve worn anything else. Please get something else to wear. This is just inappropriate,“ he says

”I can’t do that,“ she says.

He squints his eyes at her. Realizing there might be more to it.

”Clothes Varma. Now. And no that wasn’t a request,“ he says

Jackie laughs

”Aye aye sir,“ Jackie salutes and goes to get on some clothes.

You can see Ethan pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing.

”What kind of madhouse am I working at? I need a vacation,“ he mutters to himself. That’s when the video ends.

Go with the Flow

”Alright let’s go, before you turn into a popsicle,“ I laugh.

She just gives me the finger.

Which makes me laugh even harder and I have to stop and hold my stomach.

“So feisty today I like that side of yours,“ I kiss her fingers, which are ice cold.

#ChoicesFanworksDay #10 stories and lines that made me laugh #open heart

[maverickbabes]

It's Snowing!

It's snowing!

Maverick x female!reader

Warnings: A lot of sarcasm and comedic parts, a small bit of pregnancy horomes( if you squint), Addison!oc, just nothing but cuteness :)

Summary: You and your husband Pete take your guy's one year old daughter Addison, to see snow for the first time while Nick, Carole and Bradley tag along.

You let out a huff as you slowly get up and grab the pink beanie that was on the dresser. "Okay sweetie let's put this on and then we can go play" You tell your daughter Addison, as she nods her head up and down excitedly causing her brunette curls to fly around. "Need help y/n/n" You hear Nick say as he comes in and gives his niece some tickles.

"Hey hey save those for outside mister" You say as you playfully shove him before checking to see if your daughter's beanie was fully on. "Okay Addy let's go!" You said as you pick your daughter up and rest her on your hip as you walked down the hallway and into the living room where Pete, Carole and Bradley were, also dressed in warm winter clothing.

Pete gets up and walks towards the three of you but not before he stops in the middle with Goose to do their little saying. "You look great, honey" Goose says adjusting Maverick's collar on his winter jacket before heading over to his wife and son. "Thanks, dear" Maverick recites before walking over to you two with a smile.

"There's my two beautiful girls" He says before giving you a kiss on the lips and then Addison a kiss on her cheek, causing her to laugh. "Okay is everyone ready to play in the snow" Carole says excitedly as she bounces Bradley on her laugh causing him to giggle while you adjust Addison on my hip before grabbing her diaper bag with a few other things.

You guys walk outside and get in the car to head to this little park just a few blocks away from the house. The kids can play and tucker out at the same time. It's a win-win for both. The boys take the kids to play in the snow while You and Carole sit on one of the benches watching.

"How's Maverick liking fatherhood?" Carole asks as she pours you guys some hot chocolate that had a splash of whiskey in it, for that extra warmth. "Addy has her daddy wrapped around her tiny finger. He's such an amazing dad and husband. He misses her when he has to go to the base but he knows that we have you and Bradley to keep us company while they're away. He still can't believe we have another one on the way" You explained before letting out a content sigh as you drank your hot chocolate while you place your hand on your small bump.

Carole was about to say something as a snowball flew through the air and landed right on the side of her face. You let out a giggle before the same thing happened to you, seconds later. Both of you look to the side and see the boys with snowballs in their hands while the kids play safely in the snow. "Oh you are so gonna get it Nick Bradshaw!" Carole says before hopping off the bench and scooping up a handful of snow.

"Come on sweetheart, or do I have to throw another one?" Maverick tested playfully as he pretended to throw one. "I think I'm fine right here baby" You said while drinking the rest of your warm drink while you discreetly started scooping up the snow that wasn't scraped off by you or Carole. He winds his arm back ready to throw but you were too quick.

Instantly he gets hit in the face with a half fasted made snowball, causing you to laugh. "Nice one y/n!" Carole shouts as throws another ball towards Goose. Maverick throws another one at you as it hits your shoulder. "Come here you" Maverick says as he starts to chase after you causing a playful squeal to leave your lips.

"Never!" You tease as you run towards your guy's daughter and pick her up before turning around, only to run into Pete causing you to fall onto the ground. Maverick lands on top of you and Addison, leaving a few inches in between you guys. "Woah.." You whispered, seeing your breath in the air as he glanced down at your lips then at your eyes.

"Yea." He whispered back as he just stared at you before leaning down a little more, careful to not crush Addison in between you guys. "You are so beautiful like this. The faint rosiness in your cheeks from the cold, Your eyes sparkling so beautifully, Everything about you is beautiful" He stated before giving you a delicate and passionate kiss.

The sound of a camera clicking followed by a flash made you guys turn your heads to see Nick with Bradley in his arms while Carole had a camera in her hands, smiling. "Oh you guys are so cute don't let me interrupt" She smiles before lifting the camera up to her face once more. Maverick slowly gets up off of you as he sits down on the ground before gently grabbing his baby girl in his arms.

"I love you" He says as he offers you his hand to help you up. "I love you" You said as you push yourself up and adjust Addison's beanie as she looked up at you with her bright blue eyes. "Okay love birds let's get this started shall we" Goose says as he throws his son into the air before catching him while Bradley was full of giggles.

The rest of the day was filled with lots of snow fights, pictures and spiked hot chocolate. By the time you guys got home, The kids were tuckered out so you guys put them to bed before changing and heading into the living room to sit in front of the fireplace.

"I love our family" You say as Carole smiles before leaning her head on Nick's shoulder. "Yea we have our own little family" Maverick says before pulling you closer to him as he kissed your head. Your little family. Maverick and Addison, Carole, Nick and Bradley.

#pete maverick mitchell x reader #pete mitchell x reader #pete maverick mitchell #pete mitchell #top gun fanfiction #top gun #top gun maverick #top gun 1986 #original writing #original fiction #original character

[maybankiara]

PHONE SWAP (DREW STARKEY)

21: ONE DAY

summary: Addie Mallory is just your average economics student when she meets Drew Starkey at her local Target in Atlanta. This is where the story is supposed to end – a short meeting and a picture to go – except Drew accidentally leaves with the wrong phone, and the story begins, instead. w/c: 3.1k a/n: drew and addie are back again after two years! hope you guys are ready for a rollercoaster. read on wattpad previous part | series masterlist

‘...and believe it or not, Patty marches out of her office straight to Wes and the guy, and tells him that the company has zero tolerance for homophobia or any similar behaviour. She then proceeds to tell him to fuck off, all in very polite business talk, and the guy says something about her regretting it but she’s just staring at him.’

  ‘Did he do anything?’

  Addie shakes her head. ‘There’s nothing he could’ve done. When Patty McLellan decides she doesn’t want you around, you’re done. She’s got enough clients on the waiting list that she doesn’t need to worry about rejecting one.’ She stirs the drink in her hand and takes a sip. ‘Anyway, Wes thanks her, and she just goes away, and nobody really knew what to say.’

  ‘She sounds like a good boss,’ Drew says. His presses the paper cup to his lips and grimaces, huffing at the temperature.

  ‘She’s a terrible boss,’ Addie corrects. ‘She doesn’t tolerate homophobia, sure, but it’s not like there’s much she does tolerate.’ She thinks about the terms of her NDA—a 40-page contract outlining precisely what they are and aren’t allowed to disclose and to whom—but this should be okay. ‘One time, Marea was running late with a document they needed in court, which didn’t end up impacting Patty’s case whatsoever, but she still almost got Marea fired. I’m just lucky she’s not my supervisor anymore.’

  Drew shrugs. ‘She still stuck up for Wes. Some people would choose the client.’

  She shoots him a look. He doesn’t know enough about Patty’s talent at making a person’s life a living hell. In a way, though, he is right – and Addie doesn’t like that she has to give consideration to a person like Patty. 

  Besides, he’s got that knowing smile on his face, and Addie can’t really disagree with that.

  When Drew texted her earlier in the day, all but demanding her to spend some time with him before they both leave Atlanta for the holidays, she kind of figured it was a ploy to get her out of the house. She’s fairly convinced Marianne’s had a hand in encouraging him because she was very insistent on Addie taking the whole morning to herself, too, including doing her hair routine and wearing it natural, even with the incoming weather. Not like it matters much – she’s missed hanging out with Drew and really, she needed to leave the flat for something other than work, groceries, or class.

  Even if the first thing he said to her when she walked into Waystone was that ‘this is the last step before an intervention.’

  He got her the coffee as a thanks for making the time to see him and Addie joked it was the right time. There’s a forecast of heavy snowfall due to hit Atlanta later this evening, meaning she’d be stuck in her flat for a little while longer, because doing anything while it’s freezing and snowing outside is not an option.

  ‘This is why you need to do the bad thing,’ he said to her as they braced for the cold outside the coffee shop. ‘Be a bad intern and a bad student and take some time off for your own sake.’

  Now, they’re a few blocks away from Waystone, and the sky is looking greyer by the minute. They’re just outside the park with the ruined fountain, as they’ve made a habit of doing, and Drew is telling her stories about his own badass bosses, none of whom would’ve lasted a day in the corporate world, but Addie keeps that to herself. It’s a far cry from the first time they went on a walk to this place – aside from replacing summer dresses and short sleeves with jackets and scarves, Addie still holds onto the coffee like a lifeline, but this time it is because of the cold rather than the nerves from being around Drew.

  Drew, who pauses mid-sentence to ask if she’s listening. 

  ‘Sorry,’ she says, finding herself smiling at a cute toddler waddling by while a woman behind him pushes the empty stroller. ‘I’m just thinking about how glad I am that you dragged me out.’

  ‘Ah, well. Can’t have my friend drowning herself in things she actually needs to do, right?’

  She squints at him. He’s still smiling, but there is something behind those eyes. Addie crosses her arms on her chest. ‘Did Marianne put you up to this?’

  Drew shrugs. ‘Maybe.’

  ‘Maybe.’

  The grin breaks through. ‘She might’ve texted asking if I was in town, but the rest was all me.’ He pauses and gives her a nudge. ‘Feels like we haven’t talked in ages.’

  ‘I know, I’m—’

  ‘Sorry,’ he says. ‘It’s fine.’

  ‘I am sorry, though.’ She swirls the coffee inside her cup, feeling just how little she has left, and how quickly it’s getting cold. ‘Sometimes I ghost people for a few weeks when things get a little tough. It’s kind of my bad habit. I didn’t mean to.’

  He nudges her again, calling her name until she looks at him. ‘You don’t need to worry about that with me. I get it. You’ve got your priorities straight.’

  ‘It’s not an excuse to ignore you.’

  ‘No, but it happens. I’m sure things will be easier once you’re not overworking yourself every moment of the day.’

  All Addie can say is thanks. She rests against the back of the bench, finishing her coffee.

  Part of her wants to talk about this habit of hers with Drew, explain herself, let him know how much she hates that she forgets to respond to texts or have meaningful conversations or even check up on her friends, but she doesn’t. It’s not something she really wants to talk about. Just talking won’t solve anything.

  Addie promises herself she’s going to do better. Even if Drew doesn’t say it, she knows he’s not happy about her disappearing on him like that. Hell, she wouldn’t be either, if she were in his shoes, which is what hurt the most. 

  There’s another nudge. Drew’s looking at her, fully focused. ‘Is it the internship? Your degree? Something else?’

  Addie sighs. ‘All of it.’

  ‘Anything I can do to help?’

  ‘Distract me.’

  So he does.

  They spend the next fifteen minutes on the bench, as she listens to Drew talk about deciding that maybe it’s time he got back into theatre. He hasn’t spoken about it much before and it’s something fresh, something new – something easy to focus on. She likes the way he starts to talk more with his hands when he talks about acting, too. Even if some days, she forgets that this hobby of his is, in fact, his career.

  Drew’s biggest issue is, it turns out, that the plays he wants to do are either already in production, or they’re not going to be in production for another few months. One of the guys who was in Drew’s first-ever production in Atlanta, all those years ago, is writing his own play. It seems that the idea has captivated Drew, even if Addie catches less than half of what it is about, but the play is nowhere near finished and won’t be for a while. 

  ‘It’s hard to picture you on stage,’ Addie tells him.

  ‘Because you’ve only ever seen me on TV.’

  ‘Eh,’ she says, ‘I can’t picture you on TV either, anymore. It would be weird.’

  He laughs. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Oh, come on. You know that’s not how I meant it.’

  ‘It’s fine,’ he says, smiling. ‘Hopefully you’ll see me on stage one day, and you’ll probably prefer that to the small screen.’

  ‘I’m looking forward to it.’

  Addie feels herself smiling as she thinks about it – about Drew on a stage, performing his heart out, and her getting to see him in his element. She’d be proud, she knows that, and she’d be delighted to experience just how good her friend is at doing what he does best. Something about that makes her heart swell.

  Drew looks away, and leans back, too, and she knows he’s finished talking.

  The silence is nice. It’s not really silence – there’s the noise of kids ushering their parents to go home to change before the snow falls, and parents telling kids they need to get inside before the snow falls. It’s chaotic and lively and Addie realises she needed this little reminder of the rest of the world.

  Even the feeling of the impending doom feels like it’s staying at an arm’s length. In the background of her mind, the thoughts keep running and she’s worried about extending her six-month internship contract to a year-long one, as most interns have it; about finding a job after she’s done with her degree; about the college assignments she needs to be looking into; about her sister sending out her own college applications… All of this is going on as their flat is one ticking little time bomb, with Marianne going through hell and back with Tom on what feels like a daily basis, while Tom’s words about Holden and Addie are still in the back of her mind.

  She wants to thank Drew for getting her mind out of the gutter, even if for just a little while. Instead, she nudges Drew with her shoulder, the brush barely tangible through layers of fabric, and says: ‘One day, I’ll have a Master’s degree and a big girl job, and you will be performing the best play of your life.’

  He nods at her, smiling right back. ‘One day.’

  She doesn’t open up, not about the things that really matter—because those are the hardest to talk about—but she tells him about Marianne and Tom. Drew listens intently as she talks about their decision to go to Tom’s family for Christmas, and he gets a little line in the middle of his forehead at the news. He looks a lot like he’s filming a commercial for the stores that sell skiing equipment, with one of his arms resting on the back of the bench, the other in his lap, and his legs outstretched with leather boots fully on show. 

  She likes that he listens. He doesn’t judge, unlike her, and he seems to think that there is some point to Marianne meeting Tom’s parents – it has been well over a year since they started dating, and maybe the rough patch can be fixed with a change of scenery, or something to shake things up. 

  Addie isn’t too sure. ‘I’m glad you agree with Marianne, though. I’d rather be wrong than right, at least about just.’

  ‘Just about this,’ teases Drew, and she huffs at him. ‘Nobody likes being wrong.’

  ‘Right,’ she says. The clouds are gathering above them and he notes that there could be snow soon, and she hears excitement in his voice. ‘How’ve you been? Aside from looking into doing plays again, obviously.’

  Drew sighs, tapping his fingers on his thigh. ‘Busy. Austin and I have just been doing tapes, feels like, but not much luck so far. I heard back from one thing and I’ve got an audition in LA before I go home for the holidays, but that’s all.’

  ‘That’s great! What is it for?’

  ‘A movie.’

  Addie lets out a wolf whistle. ‘Anything you can share?’

  He grimaces and she already knows the answer, but she pushes forward, and he relents, even if just a little bit. ‘It’s got some big names attached to it, which isn’t a guarantee that they’ll stay attached, but it’d be a nice one to do.’

  ‘Is it big one?’

  ‘Could be.’

  ‘Nice,’ she says, and means it. ‘You deserve a big one.’

  She taps his thigh and he chuckles, just a little. She doesn’t know what he’s thinking about, looking at her with a sheepish smile on his face, but she knows what she is thinking about – Drew on the red carpet, cameras flashing, and knowing that her friend has made it.

  It’s a nice thought to have.

  In front of them, leaves begin to rustle; Addie watches them move, bit by bit, until they’ve picked up enough speed to go into the air, swirling around. Some of them land on her hair and she plucks them out with Drew’s help, laughing as they do so. 

  Drew looks up. ‘We should probably get moving. The weather’s starting to change.’

  ’You’ve got some weather detector on you?’ Addie looks up, too, but the clouds look all the same to her. 

  ‘No.’ He stands up smiling. ‘I just know Atlanta.’

  Despite the weather, they take the scenic route to her flat. She’s watching kids run around with parents yelling at them to slow down, to watch for the cars, to just wait a minute – all while they’re looking up at the sky waiting for it to come down. Drew notices it, too, and tells her a story from when he was a kid, sledding down a hill with his sisters. 

  ‘We need to go sledding someday,’ he says. ‘I think you’d love it.’

  ‘I’m more of a skier myself.’

  ‘Really?’

  Addie laughs. ‘No. I haven’t been skiing even once.’

  ‘You should give it a try,’ Drew says. ‘It’s fun.’

  ‘I’ll leave that in your hands, then.’

  They walk past one of the buildings not too far from where Grubson Law is located, and Addie knows the area like the back of her hand, even if Drew’s the one in charge. She waits to see if they’ll walk past her favourite building and they do – and she tells him to stop, just for a minute, while she fishes her phone out of her pocket.

  She brings it up, opens the camera, and does her best to capture exactly what she’s seeing. It takes some fiddling with the settings, the lighting, the angles, but she gets there in the end. 

  ‘Think I got a good one,’ she says, and lets Drew lean over her shoulder to look at the phone.

  In the picture, Drew is shown from the back, midway through a step. He’s looking to his left, where the building is made of glass that reflects at this time of the day, and the looming clouds are captured in the reflection over the park where Addie sometimes takes her break with Nadia. She’s lowered the saturation enough that the background isn’t in the focus, but Drew’s face is sharp – the gloom of the sky makes him appear deep in thought, rather than just waiting for her to do her thing. There’s something surreal about the photo, about the colours, and Addie feels pride bubbling in her chest as that was the very thing she saw in the moment. It’s only through sheer luck that in real life, in the reflection of the window as he looked at her, he looked a little bit like a dream – and on the photo, he looks every bit like the dream she saw.

  She sees him smile, and figures he’s probably thinking the same thing, except he says: ‘It looks like an ad for the jacket you’d find in GQ.’

  Addie chuckles and forwards the photo to him. ‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’

  ‘Good, because it was one.’ He opens the photo on his phone and looks at it again. ‘You’ve really got a knack for this photography thing, you know.’

  Their walk finally starts taking them towards Addie’s flat. They’re in the neighbourhood, now, and Addie is filled with a sense of calm. These are the streets she knows, the windows that always have the same plants and candles on the windowsills, the balconies with the same chairs outside – even if the chairs are now adorned with thick blankets, preparing for the winter.

  It feels like coming home.

  ‘Thanks for this,’ she says, giving Drew a little nudge. ‘I needed it more than I realised.’

  ‘That’s what friends are for, right?’

  ‘Right.’

  ‘For making you do bad things.’

  Addie squints at him. ‘You’re making it sound like you made me commit a crime.’

  ‘I made you relax for a day,’ he says as they turn into her street. ‘Isn’t that a crime for a workaholic?’

  She bumps him in the shoulder and he yelps, but they’re laughing before the charade is over. He tells her he’s glad to see him and she assures him it works both ways. They try to figure out when they’ll see each other next, only to be thrown away by the busyness of their very-adult schedules, and it’s all left up in the air. 

  But there’s a promise of a next time, as there always is.

  He walks her to her building and she thinks about inviting him in, but knows that somewhere in there is a Marianne in hiding, frantically rummaging through her belongings to find the right clothes to take to England for Christmas. She doesn’t think Drew needs to be exposed to that. 

  This is exactly what she says to him, and it makes him laugh. ‘That’s fine. I need to get going, anyway. Got stuff to do.’

  ‘Plays to look into,’ she says.

  Drew winks at her. ‘You don’t know half the stuff I’m up to, Addison.’

  ‘Cheeky,’ she says, then opens her door. ‘I’ll see you around.’

  He’s still there when the door closes. Addie makes her way up to her flat and rightfully so, it looks like something exploded. A trail of Marianne’s belongings leads from her room to the bathroom, and some wet stuff looks like they’ve been dragged out of the washing machine. She can hear Marianne being on the phone to someone in her room and for once, as much as she loves the girl, she’s glad there’s someone else for her to expel her stress to. 

  The flat’s nice and cosy, and the clouds look brighter now. Addie walks closer to the window in the living room – only to realise it’s not the clouds that look white. 

  She looks down, to see if it’s starting to catch, and catches Drew looking at her, instead. He grins and spreads his arms, sticking his tongue out to catch a snowflake. Addie laughs and his grin widens, and he twirls around, just like the kids they’d seen earlier, waiting for the snow.

  He looks happy. And he looks at her, too, and a part of her wishes she was down there, with him. She considers it for a moment—

  She resists, though, and watches him give her a two-finger salute instead. Maybe one day, she won’t have this much work to do, and she’ll be able to enjoy the snow like he does, with him. 

  Addie goes back to her work a fair bit more motivated than before, and later that night, dreams of fields of white, and a reflection of a boy smiling at her. 

◇

22: BETWEEN THE LINES

most people on the taglist have left/changed their urls, so lmk if you'd like to be tagged in future chapters!

#phone swap series #drew starkey #drew starkey x oc #drew starkey fic #outer banks #obx

[aphroditestummyrolls]

Also Colm and Marya 😭💕

Hi again 🥰 thanks for asking for this one— I am still working on it, real life just got in the way!

He brushed away her Kerch politeness with a wave of his hand. “It’s nothing— after all, you’re family.”

It was a strange thought. The words felt clunky and untrue on his tongue, even though, logically, they were absolute fact. Marya Hendriks was now bound to him as family, through the marriage of their sons. He had led Jesper down the grand aisle of the Church of Barter himself, not a week prior. His son was grown.

Jesper was married.

It was overwhelming, almost claustrophobic, all of a sudden. His family had consisted of no one but a wild boy on the other side of the sea and the spirit of his wife for so long. Now, his home was full of life, his boy was somebody’s husband, and this woman was an in-law.

He liked Marya just fine. It wasn’t as if he disliked her. Saints knew Colm adored Wylan, and— despite their lengthy and traumatic separation— she and her son were still so notably similar. She was quiet, and a little overly formal to Colm’s frontier sensibilities, but she was perfectly charming. And oh, what a great help she’d been during the last weeks wedding preparations, navigating the pomp and circumstance of Geldstraat wedding customs, and… and all the danger and drama leading, finally, to the ceremony. Marya Hendriks was a good woman.

Colm just didn’t really know her at all. It was a stiff, awkward thing, to call a stranger family.

She seemed just as flustered by the use of the word, smoothing her skirts where she sat in the grass. “Well, regardless, it’s very kind of you. A ceremony out here seems to suit the boys much better. They seem… at ease.”

Out here everyone’s actually happy for them, he thought to himself, truly happy, with no damned murder plots up their sleeves. He bit his cheek against the sourness, but he couldn’t deny the memories of the last few weeks. Colm sat through that gilded ceremony balancing the pride and joy of his only son’s marriage, with the knowledge that so many people in that same hall were hateful and false.

He cleared his throat, and wished he hadn’t given Addy the last of his whiskey, if only to get the bitter taste of anger out of his mouth.

“I’m glad they chose to celebrate out here as well.” He said.

Her laugh surprised him, blinking his gaze away from the yellow lighted windows of the house to her incredulous face.

“No need to be so diplomatic, Colm. Mercher society is… not for everyone.”

He huffed a rough laugh of his own. “And that’s just the way they like it! They made that plenty clear.” Shaking his head, the bluster deflated from him. It was odd— they couldn’t be too far off in age, yet she still seemed so young to him. It was hard to believe that, at one point, she had been a teenaged socialite, marrying into that world, too. “Was it so hostile back when you were married?”

He only thought after he’d said the words, that it was maybe a bit too personal of a question. But Marya only shrugged. “Perhaps it was, but there was no reason that it would be directed at me— yet. I suppose there were warning signs, but I breezed right by them. No one knew yet, how unfit of a match I was—“

“I didn’t mean to—“

“It’s quite alright, Colm. Sometimes it still hurts to remember, but… Now, I get to be in his life again. And I’m not the naive girl I was when I stood at that altar.”

Night was falling swiftly around them, petals drifting down from Addy’s tree and crickets chirping in the quiet. It felt like a lament. Again, she looked like Wylan, with that faraway look in her brown eyes. She ducked her head for a moment, and the look was gone. He couldn’t fathom what these two people had endured.

Colm swallowed before he tentatively dared to break the quiet. “He’s lucky to have you in his corner.”

“Jesper does too—“ she smiled, “we’re family, after all.”

This little oneshot is part of the engagement series! As a missing scene/epilogue to the actual wedding fic. That fic is hinted a little bit in here— it’s High Drama and Very Intense 😅👍 I like the idea of them having their big Kerch ceremony for Legal and Traditional Purposes™️, and then holding a small, private exchange of vows with their closest family and friends out at the farm. Under Aditi’s cherry tree. 🥰🌸🥰🌸

Thank you so much for playing! ❤️

#six of crows duology #shadow and bone netflix #grishaverse #wesper #wylan van eck #jesper fahey #colm fahey #marya hendriks #the engagement series

[allieebobo]

Allieeee I spent the whole day reading the update because I really wanted to savor it!!! Its so good!!!!

[SPOILER]

I think u nailed the rewrite because now the other side characters really shine and you can really get a good feel of the personalities!! I am loving addie the chaotic little gremlin <3

There are some character name placement mistakes here and there (I think I saw u put in Nat instead of Tobin during the scene at the net after the doubles match??? (Nat wrong universe, buddy!)). Also felix pronoun mistakes (my felix is in the womens team, but in some sentences was written with he/him instead). But, overall was great!!

Also, I LOVE THE SAM POV SCENE???? will you be adding more RO POVs???? Or even other character POVs??? OMG RAYYAN'S POV WOULD BE SO SPICY????

anyways, cant wait for part 2!!!!

Heya, thank you so much for this message, I'm so glad you enjoyed the update!!!

On Sam's POV scene—oops, my bad, I actually think you saw a very early/WIP version of the scene, it wasn't supposed to have leaked out just yet, but I've since cleaned it up and fleshed it out further, so it should be a much more satisfying experience now?

Anywhoo, I thought it worked well, narratively speaking, to have Sam POV scenes to set up a kind of "split screen development" situation where their lives are unfolding on separate ends of the country. Especially since Sam also has limited physical presence in many of the chapters. I'm considering POV-scenes for other characters as well, but Sam-POV scenes was something I wanted to explore first. Let me know what you guys think!

Other responses under the cut (it got long!) But thanks again for the message, sending you much love!

Yay, I'm glad you think the re-write helped, as I was editing, I knew how much time I was spending on back-end things that few people would notice, but I was sure it'd improve the experience overall, and it's good to have that validated!

I love Addie the chaotic gremlin too :D

On typing Nat instead of Tobin: oh no, I've fixed those, but I think writing two different IFs at the same time PLUS thinking about Wayhaven 3 today really messed my brain up xD

I think I've fixed the Felix pronouns, but let me know if I've missed any :)

#CT:OS #college tennis: origin story #IF #interactive fiction #asks #Sam #RO-POV scenes

[jerichogender]

[ID: Comic book art of Adeline Kane holding a gun placed over top of a pink and orange watercolor background. There is white text that reads: “Adeline Kane Reading Guide.” End ID]

Head of international spy agency, Searchers Inc.; mother to Joseph Wilson; and sometimes ally to the Titans, this former army combat instructor wears many hats over the course of her comic book appearances. The following reading guide will walk you through major storylines for the woman who shot Deathstroke’s eye out herself, Adeline Kane! Please note that a few issues listed show Addie briefly or only mention her. Nevertheless, they were included to give the full experience of how she was originally introduced and to present her major arcs in context. Without any further introduction, let’s begin!

New Teen Titans Era

. The New Teen Titans (1980) #34

. Tales of the Teen Titans #42-44*, Annual #3, #50-52, #56

. The New Teen Titans (1984) #6, 10, 11, 22

. Teen Titans Spotlight #3-6

. The New Teen Titans (1984) #25, 26, 39

. The New Teen Titans: Games**

Deathstroke Era

. Deathstroke (1991) #1-6, 7, 12, 27-34, 0, 43, 46-48***

. Deathstroke (1991) Annual #4

Titans Era

. The Titans (1999) #1, 9-12

“No…You love the soon-to-be Mrs. Slade Wilson. She’s soft and caring and full of love. Out there, when I’m Captain Adeline Kane, I’m tougher than you’ll ever be. And don’t you forget that.”

- Deathstroke (1991) Annual #4

* Her best arcs and single-issue appearances (in my humble opinion) are written in bold. That being said, please be aware that Marv Wolfman’s writing tends to heavily feature orientalist tropes, especially when it comes to Southeast Asian female characters and storylines involving the Middle East (Tales of the Teen Titans #50-52, Teen Titans Spotlight on Jericho, and the Deathstroke World Tour arc being major examples of this). I firmly believe that we can and should appreciate comics while also engaging with them critically

** Games takes place in a version of New Teen Titans continuity that diverges from mainline canon at the time of Crisis on Infinite Earths. It’s a fantastic read, but Adeline shows up very briefly. I’d put it in bold as a general comic book recommendation (especially if you’re a NTT fan), just not for this guide

*** #0, 43, and 46-48 of Deathstroke (1991) are ones that I definitely would not recommend. This is based primarily on personal opinions about specific characterization choices and retcons. These issues are plot relevant though, especially for the fourth Deathstroke annual, which I have mixed feelings about. Ultimately, I decided to include them so you have the option to read for yourself and form your own opinions

Please note that this guide is not a full chronology. For instance, the Teen Titans (2003) Blackest Night tie-in is not included as IMO it’s not that relevant to Adeline’s own story. A full list of this character’s New Earth appearances can be found here. The one issue from that list I absolutely think you should avoid is Hawkman (1993) #19 because it very thoughtlessly parallels real-life police brutality against Black teenagers. I truly believe it’s a crossover issue that you can skip without missing anything important at all

As for the New 52 and beyond, Addie’s a recurring character in Deathstroke (2016), but little of the character she was before DC rebooted its continuity comes through. I’ll be perfectly honest, I haven’t read any of New 52 Deathstroke, so I can’t offer any recommendations there either way. This guide is strictly Pre-Reboot, but some day I may make a second guide for her Prime Earth appearances depending on how I feel about Deathstroke Inc. once I go read it. For now, I’d say feel free to read Deathstroke Rebirth if you’re looking for so-bad-it’s-good family drama, keeping in mind that the characters are wildly different from their New Earth counterparts in a way that’s become a common occurrence for DC over the past 10 or so years. Here’s a list of all of her Prime Earth appearances for those interested

If you’ve made it to this part of the guide, thank you for reading this far! My goal in putting this together was to present this character’s story on New Earth from beginning to end so that others can enjoy it like I have. I think it’s important to celebrate complex female characters and Adeline Kane definitely fits the bill. Happy reading!

#adeline kane #ntt #new teen titans #deathstroke (1991) #titans (1999) #reading guide

[chickensarentcheap]

Tyler stuff :)

@tragiclyhip​, @youflickedtooharddamnit​, @secretaryunpaid​

I stumbled upon this guy (Takota’s rabbit Bologna) in the upstairs hallway and nearly had a mini stroke.  I actually checked his pulse and expected the worst and starting planning the eulogy.  

He was  just sleeping.

Yeah, mum. Where’d the hot cheetos go?

I bet that’s why he has so much hair.  All those freaking cheetos she ate. 

You know Tanner’s been in the pantry when things are THIS organized

Feeling cute. Might wait you until you put on a shirt  to puke down your back.

I don’t care what she or anyone else says. This is what perfection looks like.

#hottie #MILF #MIDF (mother I DO f*ck)

What in the hell...

I’m gone for four days and I come back and find this over the light switch leading from the garage into the house.

Who did this? Which one of you spawns of Satan are responsible?

These kids are way too smart and creative (and sneaky) for their own good. 

We’re going to eat well for a week or two.

I kid, I kid.

I actually said that to the kids when we visited these guys and I think I traumatized them. For life.  I don’t think Addie and Kota will ever be the same.  I’ve never heard them scream that loud or seen them run that fast to their mother.

Finland.   Nothing but snow and the love of my life to entertain me.

Miss you kids. Wish you were here.

Not really.  On that last part.

Look at  little mate. Fearless.  Must be the ginger in him.

So I thought I’d take a glimpse at  my oldest’s Insta page. She’s away with her Aunt Riley, Aunt Shaena and her bestie Alannah.  And just like that, I aged about thirty years.

#ohhellno  #neverleavingthehouseagain

Can I help you?

Can’t even take a nap without an audience in this house.

“Show me your mean face!”

Not what I had in mind, but okay.

Happy 41st birthday to this not so big pain in my ass.

I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather drive batshit insane for the rest of my life.

Thanks for the horde of kids,  the daily trips to Target, the butt I accidentally grab during every surfing lesson, the cold feet that continuously press against my back in the middle of the night,   the lengthy and humorous conversations I have with you while you’re asleep, and all those times you’ve eaten the last bagel or taken all the best donuts before I can get to them.

I love you.    More than you’ll ever know.    

You are the love of my life.  My best friend. My confidant. My biggest cheerleader.  My lover. My wife. The mother of my children.   And I look forward to celebrating more of your birthdays with you.

PS:  I’m sorry I cheated on you in your dream last night. I didn’t mean it. It just happened.  Can I come back and sleep in the bed tonight?

#Tyler and Esme series #Esme Rake #Rake kids

[casspurrjoybellbittner]

Wreckless - Let's Talk

*Warning Adult Content*

Emmett

I have to start the noodles, the water is boiling... I reluctantly leave Finnegan to take off his slacks. Once they're in the water I get him a drink, in the sports bottle of course. He seems too old for a Sippy-Cup which is fine by me. I'm pretty sure he's about seven or eight in little space, the ages when he was sick. Him mentioning that he'd missed a bunch of experiences during that time period sort of solidified my thoughts on that.

I'll have to ask him about that tonight, if we get that far. I've spent the past hour making dinner and in between, I've been on my phone looking up anything I can find on Daddy Doms and Little Boys and refreshing my memory. I'm glad he wants to talk. I know that neither of us have all the answers but we can at least figure out what the questions are, make sure we're on the same page and try to come up with some sort of a plan.

"Can I go get Marten?" he asks.

"Wait until after dinner, please."

He loves being downstairs but it's not completely ferret-proof so I don't want him running around when we're busy eating. Ferrets are amazing creatures and are insanely good at finding the one thing in the house they shouldn't eat/destroy/climb/play with.

"Come get your drink, darling. Can you set the table?"

I'm mostly testing him, I want to see how he reacts. I pull out the plates, bowls and silverware and put them in a pile on the counter.

"Sure," he says, smiling.

"It's the least I can do."

He's cute, really cute. He's shirtless which... let me tell you... is a huge oversight on my part because how am I supposed to focus when all he's wearing is a little pair of bright yellow boxers with a huge sun on his ass? I pull the chicken out to rest for a minute and run upstairs to grab him a shirt.

"Thanks," he says, pulling it on.

"I like this one."

I'm going to have to order some more crazy shirts, most of mine are fairly boring. The few funny ones I have are gifts from Andy.

"Anything else I can do?"

I just have to butter and season the noodles.

"No, go ahead and sit... I'm about done."

I take the chicken to the table while the butter is melting, then take the noodles over. I did the salad and fixings half an hour ago so it's ready, something I learned from my mother.

"This looks and smells amazing Emmett, thank you."

"You're welcome, darling."

We both dig in. Finnegan eats an entire split chicken breast and plenty of noodles and salad to go with it.

I'm a glutton and eat two... it's really good.

"I don't want to wear diapers or have to call you Sir or get treated like a child" he blurts out.

'Okay.'

"I'm okay with all of that, Finnegan. Look, if you're a little, we get to make the rules. You do a perfectly good job of running your own life, darling, I don't want to micromanage it. That said, if you wanna come over here, have a good meal and relax for the evening, that I can do."

He's thinking.

"That sounds really good. This, this is really nice."

He's sitting with his legs perched up on his chair, it's adorable. He has a napkin in his lap and wipes his mouth, then tucks it back under the table.

"I like this silly cup. If that makes me a little, maybe I am one. I don't know. But all those rules, I mean, I just don't know if that's me. I want to be able to talk to you, as equals."

I want that too.

"I had a lot of rules in the Army, I don't need more now. Finnegan, I think we're just gonna have to see how this goes. I've sure as hell never done this before and I'm not sure you've really figured yourself out either. Who knows, maybe in a month you'll be more comfortable with me and want things you don't want now, you know? We're just gonna have to keep talking about it, as painful as it is, so we can make sure we're both happy."

"That's what I'm worried about Emmett, why would you want to date someone like me? You can't want to watch kiddie movies every night."

"Not every night, no. You're gonna have to put up with me watching baseball and my insane addiction to hoarders if we spend a lot more time together. But if you wanna lay on my lap and do, I don't know Finnegan, what do you do when you're, well, little?"

I didn't know how else to put it.

"I don't know. Once I went on YouTube and figured out how to make different paper airplanes. I made a couple and threw them all over my apartment. Is that weird?"

"Sounds like fun to me, darling."

"And I like toys. I... uh... I have some Lego I mess with. And I love cartoons... you know that. But I could watch on my laptop and use headphones."

He's so sweet.

"That would be fine. So serious question... are you always little when you're alone or if you can be? I'd like to know what to expect... is all."

He always thinks about his answers and I love that. He's not just blabbing the first thing that pops into his head.

"Sometimes I have to do stuff. Cook, shop, work. So when I have stuff to do I just do it but if I'm not busy I... yeah I guess I'm usually little, as you put it. I always thought it was just me."

"It is just you, Finnegan and that's fine. Okay so what if my house is little space? You don't have to do adult stuff here, right? I'll handle the cooking and if you have to work I assume you'd just go home. So when you come in here you can strip and get comfortable and we'll just give it a try?"

It's the best I can offer since we have no idea what we're doing.

"I can't believe you'd do that... I mean, why? It sounds really good but what do you get out of it?"

"Other than seeing you?"

He rolls his eyes, most of the sites I was on today would say that's worthy of a spanking.

"What?"

"There's no way you want to hang around a guy who likes to drink out of bendy straws."

Now I'm a little frustrated.

"Why not? What the fuck does it matter to me? How does it affect me at all? I couldn't give two shits, Finnegan. I like you, okay? You make me smile, you make me feel good, and I enjoy doing things with you. I think your sunshine boxers are cute and they make me happy. I've had enough sad and dark and dreary in my life, Finnegan. I could use more laughter and smiles and silliness. Okay?"

He walks over and I push my chair back because it looks like yes... he wants to perch on my lap.

"I'm sorry, Emmett."

His arms are wrapped around my shoulders and his cheek is resting on my forehead and all the anger drains out of me instantly.

"I want you happy, that's why I asked. I just want to make sure you're not doing this just for me, you know? That's not healthy. I've been in plenty of relationships where I didn't share this, where I was normal."

"And none of them lasted, Finnegan."

None of mine have either.

"No."

I think we both need a break... some time to process everything we've said. I give him a tap and he hops up.

"Why don't you go get Marten and I'll clean up."

"I could help, Emmett."

"You can help by playing with Marten, please."

I stand up too and gather our plates. He'd much rather do that and we need some space. Besides, I know how short his evenings are and there's really not much to do to clean up, I did some as I went.

"Okay, I'll get him. Um... are you mad at me?"

I can't have him thinking that so I drop the dishes on the counter and pull him into my arms.

"No, not at all."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

[topazy]

Inside, outside

Pairing: 10k x reader, Addy Carver x sister reader

Warnings: Swearing

Chapter: 4.01

“Did you hear that?” 10k asks.

Red nods, “Do you think it’s Z’s?”

“I’ll go check.”

10k raises his brows in suspicion. He knew you hated going out alone. “Are you sure? I don’t mind going.”

His gun is already slung over his shoulder, ready for him to go, but you insist. You grab your bow and arrow and jump down before he can protest. It was unusual for the two of you to go out separately since you nearly got bit a year ago, but right now a little distance was what you needed.

He gives you a disappointed look, knowing exactly why you are running away. “If you aren’t back soon, I’ll come looking,” he says seriously. “Be safe.”

“I’ll see you guys soon.”

You now stare at the person you have pinned down to the ground as a small horde of Z’s starts to close in on you, “Doc!” You hadn’t recognised him at first, since his beard was the same length as Gandalf’s was. “I can’t believe it’s actually you!”

“Astra? You are a sight for sore eyes!”

You quickly jump off the older man, put your blade away and extend your hand to help him up. “I could have killed you,” you huff in disbelief that he’d tackled you to the ground. Hearing the familiar snarling of Z’s coming in closer, you begin to grab his hand and lead him back towards your home. “Come on, this way.”

—

When you reached a large tree that had a tent built halfway up it, you started to climb up the wooden ladders to safety, but paused when you only heard your own footsteps. You look down to see Doc still standing in the same position. “What’s the hold up? They won’t be far behind.”

“You live in a tree? Like an actual tree?”

You laughed, “You really think 10k would build a house somewhere normal?”

“No, I guess not.”

“Hey! You’ll never guess who I’ve found,” you say as you shove the hatch door open.

10k peered down and you watched as a massive smile spread across his face when he saw Doc coming up behind you. He pulls the older man in for a hug, while you give Red an awkward smile.

A part of you had hoped she’d have left by the time you’d returned, but that was wishful thinking.

“You know, I’ve never been tree camping,” Doc says, sitting down. “It's a pretty nice little setup you got here.”

“Thanks, we call it home,” 10k says with a proud smile on his face.

“Do you stay here as well?” Doc asks, looking directly at Red.

The brunette chuckles, “No, but my home is just a couple of trees over.” Red squeezes some Z-weed sap onto the small cut above Doc’s eye before squeezing some into his mouth.

“Thanks darling,” the older man says. “It's so good to see all three of you. How long has it been? About a year?”

“Almost two... We’ve missed you, Doc.”

“Time flies when you're killing Zs,” he says as he wraps his arm around your shoulders. “But I’ve missed you kids a hell of a lot.”

“So what brings you out here? Aside from the great company, obviously.”

He hits your shoulder playfully. “I’ve actually been looking for you.”

The smile on 10k’s face drops. “This is about some mission to find Murphy, isn’t it?”

Doc looks a little taken aback by the tone in 10k’s voice. “Oh, no, no, no, hell no.”

“That bite still hurts,” he says bluntly.

10k wasn’t mad at Doc or anyone else. The mission and Murphy were sore subjects, and whenever either of them was mentioned, his mood would dramatically drop.

You roll your eyes when Red places her hand on 10k’s, smiles sweetly, and says , “Let him finish.”

“I’m here to talk to you about Newmerica.”

“That sounds kind of like a salesman’s religious type of cult.”

“Do you know me at all?” Doc asks, faking offence. “It’s a safe place in northern Canada where it’s too cold for the Z’s.”

“We have it pretty good here,” 10k says.

You're surprised by his lack of interest. He’d always wanted to go somewhere far from the Z’s.

“Well, I see that. But for how long? I mean, Astra saw those Z’s after me. Something has got them on the warpath.”

“They kind of reminded me of Enders; they moved a lot faster than any Z’s I’ve seen in a while,” you confirmed. “Something definitely has them riled up.”

“There have been so many rumours and false hopes,” Red says, meeting your gaze. “It’s hard to believe anything.”

“I know, but something about this feels right,” the older man states. “The US government’s involved.”

“The government? I thought the last of the government collapsed after the nukes.”

“Well, apparently there are a few feds left. There are some scattered platoons of marines, and they’re trying to get everybody to Newmerica before the snowfall.”

While you share the same optimism as Doc, Red seems unconvinced, “How would we get there?”

“They set up a refugee camp for the survivors that want to go. A convoy of trucks is going to pick them up.”

“I dunno, this is a good spot,” 10k says. “It’s defendable. Freshwater Fish. We didn’t see another human until you arrived.”

“But there have been more Z’s lately,” Red points out.

“I tell you, these marines mean business. They set up this camp with medical supplies and communication.” As Doc continued to explain the camp, it reminded you of Camp Blue Sky. He sighs, “In a year from now, there’s not going to be much of the human race left. You guys, I've-I just don’t know if we’re going to get another chance like this.” You and 10k share a look, while Doc pulls on the bottom of his beard. “You got any scissors?”

Red nods, “I do. I’ll be back in a moment.”

As she starts to climb down the ladders, you remember the Z’s that were close by. Red’s tent was slightly lower to the ground, and you didn’t like the idea of her going out alone. “Do you want me to come with you? I can watch out for the dead while you look.”

“Uh-” she stares at you wide-eyed. “No, no thank you.”

You push back the embarrassment, and give 10k a knowing look. He ignores it and smiles at your guest, “Hey, Doc, have you ever officiated a marriage before?”

Docs think hard on it, “well... kinda. There was this one time in Vegas when I had to step in... Wait a minute! Are you two getting hitched?”

You take delight in filling Doc in on your very unromantic proposal, which he mainly grimaced at when you went into detail about how much blood and zombie guts you were covered in.

“Well, as long as the two of you are happy, that’s all that matters,” he says before hugging 10k. “If that's the engagement, it’s going to be one hell of a wedding.”

—

You follow Doc into the refugee camp and memories of when you first entered camp blue sky with Addy and Mack flash before your eyes. It felt like returning home in a way, reminding you what life was like when the apocalypse first started. No mission, and no Murphy.

“Yo Doctor Mei! Mei, Mei!” Doc calls out cheerfully.

When Sun Mei spots him, she runs over with her arms open and pulls him in for a hug. She looks over her shoulders and spots the rest of you and rushes over to embrace you, 10k, and Red before showing you around.

—

While Red and Sun Mei catch up in one of the tents, you, Doc and 10k walk towards the edge of the camp that overlooks a small river. 10k and Doc sit down on a bench while you opt to sit on the ground, enjoying the feeling of the grass on your hands.

You are distracted until you listen to what the doctor is saying. “Yeah, life’s rough at times, but look on the bright side. You’re young, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Maybe you two might even want to start a family one day. Hell, you're already halfway there in the family department.”

“I dunno about that,” 10k answers quickly.

“Trouble in paradise,” Doc jokes. His facial expression turns into one of concern when neither of you

“No, nothing like that,” 10k confirms. It’s just...I’ve died. It’s impossible for me to have kids.”

—

“So... the kids are going through a pretty rough time, huh?” Doc clears his throat.

You looked down from your spot on the ground to look at 10k, who was now standing in a shallow patch of the river, cooling his feet in the cold water. You smiled as you noticed how genuine his happiness is, but you know it won't last long.

“I’m not going to lie, he’s never been the same since he died and came back. It’s like he’s trying to be the old 10k, but there’s a big black cloud that’s hanging over him that’s stopping him from fully being happy. I just wish I knew how to help him.”

“It’s not easy. Has he ever told you everything that happened with Murphy?”

You shake your head, toying with the grass you still have between your fingers. It felt nice to have a doctor to talk to. You didn’t have Addy, Warren, or even Sun Mei to confide in, and the last person you’d want to talk to about your relationship is Red.

The Doc sits down beside you on the ground and pats your shoulder, “What’s going?”

“About a year ago, I thought I was pregnant, but it turned out I wasn’t, but we decided to start trying not long after that.”

“For a baby?” He is shocked.

“Yeah, but it never happened. I keep telling him it’s because of how stressed out we are about it, but Tommy’s convinced himself it’s because he died.” You let out a deep sigh, “He’s my best friend, and it really sucks that there's nothing I can do to stop him from feeling that way.”

You and 10k both had nightmares about the bad things that had happened during the mission. You had recurring dreams of killing Cassandra, except sometimes you missed hitting her on the head with a rock and struck 10k instead, killing him instantly. 10k stopped sharing what was haunting his dreams a long time ago, but from the way he called out and woke up sweating, you knew it was something bad. Red said you both suffered from some type of PTSD, but if that’s the case, everyone who was living through the apocalypse must have been.

“I’ve got to ask, how does it work with Red living so close to you? The tension earlier was heavy.”

“You picked it up on it?” You ask, feeling guilty.

“It’s hard to miss,” he laughed softly. “I’ve been around a long time, kid. I know a romantic tangle when I see one.”

“Everything was fine for a while, then one day it just changed. I feel like Red just started hating me out of the blue, and I don’t know why. She just stopped making an effort with me one day. I do want to talk to her about it, but I don’t want to make things more uncomfortable than they are.”

Red’s cold shoulder felt like a massive blow. You lived isolated with two other people. It was incredibly awkward if everyone didn’t get along. You valued the brunette's opinion and friendship, and it hurt not knowing what went wrong. At first, you thought Red might have developed feelings for 10K, which you wouldn’t have blamed her for. He was easy to fall in love with. But it seemed more personal. Your main concern was how the dynamic would affect 10k.

“Did you have a fall out?”

“Honestly no, she just... stopped being my friend I guess.”

You can sense Doc’s confusion as he looks puzzled, “When did this start?”

“Um... right after Tommy asked me to marry him. Red seemed happy for us but then slowly iced me out.”

“Kid, you are so obvious,” he laughs. “I think I know what’s going on, sweetie, but I really think you should talk to her.”

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