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buckyarchives · 1 year

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Graceland Too. | Ellie Williams

Pairing: Ellie Williams x fem! Reader.

Summary: Ellie didn’t care much for trusting new people, she needed to keep the ones she had. Until you came around.

Request by anon

W.c: 3.5k

warning; stab wound/ depiction of blood

Author note: hi! I’ve never written for Ellie before nor have I played the video game so spare me if it’s ooc 😅 but the fic is inspired by Graceland too by phoebe Bridgers, especially since it was playing on repeat in the background while I wrote this. Enjoy reading!

Master list | read on AO3

Ellie noticed you quickly. You walked with heavy weights on your shoulder, dragging you down and slowing your steps. With fear-filled irises and dark circles, you jumped at every sharp movement and your appearance was not often. Keeping your head down, picking at your cuticles until the blood trickles to your fingertips. Ellie watched you with curious eyes, noticing every detail she could grasp onto.

She’d never been too interested in people beyond a surface level, too hard to trust, too easy to leave her. She decided it wasn’t worth it. Joel was left and even then, it was hard knowing if he’d end up leaving someday. She needed to grasp onto that and hold it close to her chest and pray he never leaves.

But there was something about your dark eyes and dragged feet that kept reeling Ellie in. Curiosity had always gotten the best of her in the past, no matter how much she said she’d learn from her mistakes.

“Who’s the girl?” Ellie mentions at the table, eyebrows raised in curiosity towards Tommy Joel was too busy shoveling food in his mouth, manners be damned. Tommy gave a hesitant, almost pitied look towards Maria.

The three looked over at you, as you picked at a plate of food. Probably the only time you’d leave your room, it might be a few days before Ellie could catch a glimpse of you again.

Tommy gulped, a nervous look in his eyes. Man, did Ellie make him that nervous or was there something else there?“ She came shortly before you guys, with no family or crew. Just showed up, bare-boned and one foot in the grave. Bout around your age.”

Ellie sometimes wonders how his Texan accent has survived all these years in the apocalypse, the thought about it made her giggle. Ellie turned to look at you again, you were leaving. She watched you until you were out of sight, feeling a surge in her to follow.

It terrified her.

“Thought you didn’t let people in often?” Ellie poked.

Maria sighed, “she was just a kid, looked scared shitless with nothing on her. Barely talks to anyone and stays in her room.”

Ellie thought about that conversation a lot. She always searched the crowds for you, maybe Joel was catching on. He’d nudge her shoulder when he found you first, turning his head in your direction. You read books sometimes when the weather was nice but not nice enough that large crowds would be out. Over the weeks your cheeks got fuller and your eyes a little lighter, which made Ellie swell with warmth.

Curiosity kills the cat, right? Ellie had watched you enough to know where you resided, only a little concerned that you hadn’t caught onto her borderline stalking yet. Or you did, just did a real good job at covering it up. Ellie might be a stupid fool for sneaking off one day, finding the door that led to you and taking the leap and twisting your door open. No plan, no real intentions.

She just wanted to see you, feel the weird pang in her stomach when she caught sight of your soft-looking jaw, and your long eyelashes that always stayed low to the ground. She wondered what you smelled like, probably nice, unlike Joel who smelled like gunpowder and spite. Or Tommy who smelled of whisky and pig shit, god he’s so happy about his hogs.

The room looked empty at first, and for someone who spent most of their time in here - it was bare bones. Like how Maria described you when you first showed up to Jackson But it was warm, a stack of books on the side table, way more than Ellie would choose. A large blue knitted blanket and two large duffel bags. Stuffed to the brim with your things like you were ready to leave any moment, always ready.

Then, there you were. Having come from the bathroom, wide eyes like you were a deer in Ellie’s headlights. You gasped when you noticed her presence, stunning pink lips parted slightly. Ellie caught herself staring at them for a couple seconds too long. She wasn’t sure what to do now, not having thought this far. But then the vibrant red liquid streaming down your arm caught her eye, the way it bled from the poorly placed bandage on your shoulder.

“Holy shit! Dude, are you okay?” She shot up, the words leaving her mouth faster than her brain. Ellie’s feet instinctively came closer to you, grasping at your arm. You tried to flinch away but Ellie reached out to you, you tensed at her touch - despite how gentle and innocent it was. Eyes not leaving her face as she scammed the open wound.

“Who are you?” You studded out finally, paying no mind to the sting in your shoulder as you reopened your stitch for the third time now.

“Doesn’t matter, you're bleeding!” Ellie said, so concerned. Her time inched towards the open wound, wincing as the blood gushed out like it was her own wound. “I don’t know who stitched this, but it’s really bad.”

“I did.” You muttered under your breath, slightly embarrassed by her mocking tone and closeness. Too close, but she didn’t look like moving anytime soon.

“Well, whoever taught you is a grade-A idiot.” Ellie commented, eyes searching the area until she found the open first aid kit on your toilet. Dragging you along with her into the small, cramped space. It took no time for Ellie to begin patching your wound, no other comments or introductions. For all you knew, this random girl with surprisingly warm and gentle hands just showed up to save you from an infected gash. Ellie knew nothing of you outside the small talk with Tommy and her own observations, seeing you up close was new and exciting. It made Ellie's blood pump faster and her brain short-circuit. The weird feeling in her stomach grew as she noticed the smaller details.

A few moles and freckles littered on your skin, the wispy parts of your hair that escaped the way you styled it, the cracked lips, the small scar on your eyebrow. You were so imperfectly perfect, like looking at a beloved painting just to see the cracks and brush strokes.

“How'd you get this anyways?” Ellie asked, you still seemed tense and off guard. But safety over comfort and the wound was still vibrant red before Ellie could get along to stitching it. You just watched Ellie with wild eyes, examining her – but Ellie didn’t fall insecure of your intense gaze. Ellie could be patient, she had Joel for a partner so patience had to be second nature. Your lips parted slightly to speak, and only a stutter came out before you took a breath. As if it pained you to speak.

“Uh, it's an old wound. From before,” you cough, watching Ellie as she dabbed the alcohol to clean it. You didn't wince or flinch as she had expected, you were tougher than she had expected. “But I keep ripping the stitches, I'm not very good at it.”

Ellie hummed, “I'll get you patched up.” she didn't question why you hadn't told anyone, it actually didn't surprise her much. Just glad you let her fix it, looks like you need teaching too.

That was how it started, the conversations between you two were small, quiet, and quick. Shortly after Ellie stitched you, you thanked her and smiled. Ellie almost fainted, her heart surged out of her chest and that unfamiliar feeling grew and grew until it began to eat her alive. But you weren't ready for that, she could tell, and Ellie was tired of losing people (even if she technically hadn’t had you yet, she hoped too one day) so she took it slow. So not to scare off the skittish, pretty girl with bad stitching abilities.

So Ellie left, trusting that she'd see you again and be able to touch you softly. You started to search for her gaze in the cafeteria too, Ellie would send a shy three-fingered wave and you'd quirk your lip up slightly. Not enough to call a smile, but she was getting there. Ellie hoped you wanted to see her as much as she longed to see you, even for a second. She hoped That's the reason you came more was because of her. Maybe it was stuid to thinkt hat, though.

So much so, she racked her memory for a whole day to remember the books on your side table. She only had a quick look but she remembers the work of Frankenstein and Interview With A Vampire. Joel almost choked to death on his soup when Ellie brought the subject up, told her they were old books, gothic literature. Ellie swerved the questions with ease on why she was asking about gothic literature, considering her favorite reads started and ended with knock-knock jokes and puns.

The next day, Ellie stole great expectations from the library and practically skipped to your place. No other plan besides to see you again and offer the book.

And by god, it worked better than expected. You practically lit up at the sight, Ellie didn't understand it until you started gushing about wanting said book, running your hands across the pages like they were a treasure. Ellie started to understand then, as you rambled on and her smile perked up after realizing this is the most you've spoken to her, ever. It was heaven.

It was an olive branch of sorts, Ellie didn't like reading but she realized she'd listen to whatever you said. And she did, as you sat next to each other, nudged between the floor and bed. Opposite from each other and shoes touching, oh how Ellie wanted to reach out and sit closer, line your thighs, and just feel you. It consumed her, but she just sat content with a smile as you read to her. Ellie started to make stupid comments, earning a smile from you that reached your eyes and breathy laughs. She would turn into a full-time fucking comedian if she could continue to pull those out of you.

Her visit started off small, maybe once a week, if you'd let her. You were still guarded but Ellie noticed your trust grow, so she shows up twice a week. Steal another book from the library and offer it to you, learning that she might as well put her heart in it too. It was so scary, being so ready to offer that to someone, but nothing in her being could ever stop the surge when she saw you. Every day Ellie would find you scooting closer, last Sunday you sat curled by the window with your shoulder touching. Ellie almost had a heartache when your finger grazed her thigh.

Joel noticed, equally scared and proud of Ellie for letting herself care and enjoy someone like that. He didn't get upset when he eventually noticed Ellie had missed curfew and came sneaking back past midnight.

That's when it started to change, Ellie had heard you yawn for the fourth time in the past twenty minutes. She knows you would refuse to let go of the book and tear your gaze from the pages, so she took initiative and tore the book from your soft grasp.

“Hey! Merricat was in the middle of fleeing from the bullies, I wanted to see what happened.” you whined, referring to we have always lived in this castle. You really went through books fast. Ellie smiled at your enthusiasm, but hid the book behind her back and raised her chin high, teasing, and shook her head.

“It's dark and you're tired. You should sleep.” Ellie said, eyes glancing at your bed. Your face softened, like being cared for felt wrong. Ellie was determined to make it feel like second nature for you, only if you'd let her.

“I don't want you to leave.” you breathed out like it wouldn’t fully cause Ellie to be short of breath.

Ellie just smiled, rising to her feet and offering a hand to you, you took it. Your touch burned in hers, she wanted more. “We can get breakfast in the morning and finish the story tomorrow, promise.”

You looked disappointed, and hesitant as your face dropped and your gaze fell to the floor. The sudden change scared Ellie, had she messed it up? But you took one step further, closer to Ellie's space, you looked at her. She felt a pressure on her chest, that weird feeling was back. You tugged at your bottom lip nervously, one finger searching for her hand. Ellie took it and the feeling enveloped her, brushing her thumb over your index and middle.

“Stay?” you asked, breathless. “Just for a little, stay with me?”

Ellie gulped, yet with no hesitation. She nodded, “okay. I’ll stay.”

“Till I fall asleep?” you pushed and Ellie almost started jumping up and down from excitement.

Ellie kicked off her shoes and jacket, and you follow shortly. Ellie went to turn in your direction, a gasp almost left her lips after she saw you faced in the other direction and pulled your shirt off. She knew she should turn, be polite and let you change into the oversized white shirt in privacy, but pulling her eyes off of you felt criminal. your back muscles flexed and contoured as you threw the fabric over yourself, getting a glimpse of a long scar on your left shoulder. Whatever or wherever it came from, it looks like it hurts. It hurt Ellie thinking about that.

Which still continued to terrify her.

You took her hand in yours and pulled the covers up, bodies close against each other as you squeezed onto the twin-sized bed. Ellie hoped you didn't notice the pink tint on her nose before you turned off the warm lamp.

It's then with heavy breaths and shaky words, with your head close to Ellie's chest, legs, and arms threatening to tangle themselves. Soft glances and fingers grazed across the safer parts of each other's bodies. It's then when Ellie told you about her bite, the immunity as you traced your finger over it. So gently and soft, you didn't flinch back or hesitate with your touch when she told you. You trusted her, oh my god, you trust Ellie. You trusted Ellie enough to explain your life before, through broken rambles as you struggled to find your thoughts.

“You shouldn’t like me, Ellie.” you whispered, the statement brought panic and despair to her forefront. Furrowed eyebrows as she asked what you meant. So eager. “I did stuff with the people I was with before, bad stuff – things I'm not proud of.”

“I don't care.” Ellie said honestly. “We all did shit, but that's not you.”

“I don't know…” you spoke, unsure of your own humanity and morality. But Ellie had never been so blindly sure of something ever. She huffed and turned to face you, a hitch in your breath as you lay only a few inches away from each other. Noses almost touching, Ellie could feel your breath on her.

“You're just a kid.'' Ellie breathed, the sorrow and weight that filled your eyes were too much for you to carry, Ellie wanted more than anything to just relieve some of it. “Whatever you did, wasn't your fault. I know that.”

“Ellie…”

“This is a fucked up world, okay?” she stated, you nodded in agreement. “And if you want to talk about it… I'm here.”

Caring. Fuck, it was so foreign to Ellie. But for you it felt so right, everything about you filled the gaps in her chest. She just wanted to take all the pain inside of you and –

“My parents.” you breathed out a shaky breath, avoiding eye contact as you began to pick at your cuticle again. Ellie quickly grabbed your hand in hers, warm, and smooth the skin gently. You shivered under her touch. “They stole from the wrong group trying to survive, they caught them and kept them around for… services. Said it was a way to repay their debt, but then they didn’t come back to camp one time and their debt was put on me…”

“But you- you’re so young.” Ellie's eyebrows furrowed, she knew people were fucked up. Before and after, but this? Disbelief and worry laced her words. Almost a sense of protectiveness swelled in her chest that would make her hands shake if she thought about it too long.

“They didn't care, I was the new errand girl.” you choked, Ellie looked to see tears threatening to fall. “They made me do horrible shit, every time I close my eyes I just–”

You choked on your words as the tears started to fall, Ellie surged to close to distance. Putting a hand on your head and pulling you close to her chest, the other squeezed your hand. To tell you you were safe, here in her arms, as she now decided she’d let nothing happen to you. No supremacist asshole that took advantage of the vulnerable, especially kids. Young and pretty girls with kindness in their eyes, just waiting to squash it. That was all over for you if Ellie could help it.

Shaking in Ellie's arms, you grasped her and stained her shirt in tears. A muffled and choked stutter came from you, “I'm sorry, el.”

“Hey,” Ellie whispered, bringing your face to her and wiping the tears away with the pad of her thumb. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing.”

You looked her dead in the eye, so much fear in your eyes. But Ellie swears, once your gaze focused, you softened and almost melted into her hands. Her thumb still caressed your cheek still, it warmed you in a way you've been missing for years. For a moment, Ellie let her eyes flicker down to your lips, she could have guessed they were soft – they looked inviting enough. But she knew better than to take a leap like that when you’re hurting, just come from choked tears and –

“Can I kiss you.”

“Yes.” it left her mouth before Ellie could think, like the response was on instinct. Well, it had been on the forefront of her mind for at least a few weeks now.

Your eyes darted toward her lips for a moment, before leaning closer and finally closing the gap. Lips slanting on lips, it was better than Ellie could have ever imagined in life. You were so soft and gentle against her, like puzzle pieces coming together. Your hand fell to her waist, hesitant, like you were waiting for her to push away. She didn't, she couldn't. Another hand resting on Ellie's jaw, your hands were careful and warm. That weird feeling in Ellie's stomach that lingered when around you suddenly surged and took over the entirety of her body.

It didn't take long at all for Ellie to tug you closer, you got the signal. Not daring to leave your lips, only letting the motion grow sweeter and more passionate. Ellie rolled onto her back, pushing yourself on top of her. Each knee caging her in below you, she took the position with pride as her hands fell from your face down to your waist and back.

When you finally let go to take a breath, you pressed your forehead to her and Ellie swears she almost passed out right there. You laughed, it sounded so sweet. Like nothing matters in the world besides you and her, right now.

Ellie suddenly understood that note from Bill, you were worth saving and no motherfucker would get in the way of that. Like a train-sized epiphany hitting her in the face.

Things only began to grow at a comfortable and slow pace from them, more and more nights sneaking off to you and eventually you sneaking to Ellie's. You met Joel, got along well and that was the most important. You ate with her in the mornings and watched movies holding hands, Joel would smile proudly seeing Ellie lighten up whenever she noticed you in a room. Life came back to your face and you didn't walk with heavy shoulders anymore.

Your relationship became wordless and tentative, filled with sneaky pecks to the cheek, reading before bed, and laughing over eggs or making fun of Joel together. (“oh god, there's two of them now.” Joel groaned when he caught you two snickering with pointed fingers in his direction after he almost tripped over his own feet.) of late nights and talks of the past, Ellie gave herself over to you, one of the scariest things ever and you only held her close with gentle touches. There were moments like these, you had snuck off to hers and brought snacks, books, and your open heart and attention. Sitting opposite of Ellie, Ellie would nudge your foot – with only a glance as to say “come here.” and you did, resting your head on her shoulder as you finished a sleeve of saltine crackers, handing a few more to Ellie. Letting herself relish in the utter peace you brought her, the moon shined bright onto Jackson and lit your face – man, you were so beautiful in this fucked up world, Ellie would do absolutely anything for you to keep it like this. Anything for you.

feedback and notes are highly appreciated!

tag list: @hallows3ve @sophialuvsellie

#ellie williams x reader #ellie x reader #ellie tlou #ellie the last of us #ellie williams #belle ramsey #tlou show #tlou series #tlou #the last of us #the last of us x reader #tlou hbo

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soulofapatrick · 1 year

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Can You Forgive Me - Joel Miller x Reader

Summary: Joel and Ellie return from the fireflies four months after Joel left you in the care of Tommy without even saying goodbye

Words: 650+

Warnings: angst

Y/N’s POV

I just freeze in the middle of the street at the sight of Tommy walking towards me with two very familiar figures trailing behind him. Ellie’s clover green eyes meet mine and she’s sprinting towards me, jumping into my open arms as I hug her tightly.

“Hey there sweetheart,” I pull back, holding her face in my hands and just taking in how much she’s matured in the four months we’ve been separated, “Look at you. You’ve grown so much.”

She just sniffles, eyes moving away as I wipe a tear away with the pad of my thumb before hugging her again, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Y/N?” There’s a shake to his voice as I let Ellie go, Tommy ushering her over to him as I fix my gaze on him. He looks the same with salt and pepper hair and tan skin, cognac eyes bright in the sunlight, except the dark bags under his eyes and his beard has grown a little fuller. I want to run and hug him but I’m still so fucking mad at him for what he did. I’m stopping in front of him, feeling that lump begin to lodge itself in my throat and my blood boil in my veins when he reaches out with a shaky hand to caress my cheek. The feel of his calloused hand on my cheek seems to make the wall holding up my emotions crumble and I’m slapping him. People have stopped to watch as they know exactly who Joel and Ellie are and what Joel did to me all those months ago, “Darling?”

“Don’t call me that!” I’m hitting his chest as tears burn my eyes, “You don’t get to call me that! You abandoned me! You left me! You asshole!” My fists are slamming against his chest over and over again as that ache in my chest gets bigger and I’m struggling to breathe. I want to punch him and kick him and kiss him and scream at him but he’s wrapping his arms around me, holding me until my punches turn to soft slaps then fade to me gripping his jacket like a lifeline. My yelling becoming incoherent stuttering sounds as the pain in my chest gets worse and I’m choking on air, squeezing my eyes shut in hope to stop the tears. I feel utterly pathetic as my knees buckle as I collapse against his chest, sobs turning into quiet whimpers as all the hurt and anger and betrayal seems to leave me and I’m left an empty shell.

His large had is cradling the back of my head and the other around my waist as he takes it all, holding me up and his chapped lips are against my forehead as he’s murmuring, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Over and over again. He stays like that until I feel exhausted, my tears dried up and my throat raw. He holds me at arms length, face full of guilt before he cups my cheek again, drawing me forwards into a desperate kiss. I should be yelling and shouting but all I find myself sinking into it as I’m missed the feeling of him.

“Can you forgive me?” He whispers against my touch starved lips and I can’t bring myself to respond, kissing him again but he’s pulling away, “Y/N.”

“I-I don’t know Joel, you abandoned me after telling me you loved me.”

“Wait, wait you did what?” Ellie jumps in and suddenly our surroundings come flooding back. We’re standing in the middle of Jackson with people staring at us and whispering as this is probably the biggest thing to happen since Ellie; Joel and I arrived in Jackson for the first time four months ago.

“Please.” He’s practically begging and something in me snaps.

“Prove to me you won’t leave again and I’ll forgive you.”

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mooncleaver · 2 years

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it is my greatest honor, loving you

ღ life may not be eternal, but your love for him surely is

ღ pairing: percy jackson x gn! reader

ღ warnings: very much angst, unrequited love obviously, major character death, graphic descriptions of wounds/blood

now playing ⇝ cardigan by taylor swift

my masterlist ♡

"why are you so reckless? you could've hurt yourself out there!" his voice sounded hoarse and tired, as if grains of sand ran through his throat as he attempted to calmly reprimand you. huh, that was ironic coming from percy. coming from a boy who'd sacrifice his own self for the sake of saving the people he loved.

now one might wonder how exactly you got into this situation, barely holding up while you clutched yourself, staring at the boy you came to love, arguing with him.

the battle of the labyrinth had been a tough and devastating one, annihilating a large number of demigods in the camp. it seemed that no one left the battle unscarred, whether physically or mentally.

perhaps one of the biggest losses was dionysus' son, castor, your fellow campmate. he was your friend,—a kind and fiercely loving one—often laughing and joking around together with him and pollux in the pavilion whenever you got the chance to. the earth had cried for him the moment he fell limp to the ground, soul whisked away in the arms of thanatos while the wine god's rage casted a mass of serpentine vines where he lay, the oblique, verdant greeneries prodding at his cold figure.

there were too many precious souls who were lost—among them being the ever-bright lee fletcher, who's light died when a giant brought his cruel demise—and the list only seemed to get longer the more you thought about it. you too, would be lining up for judgment soon enough, you predicted.

it was all too fast for you to fully remember, but one moment you were fighting off a giant and the next you had thrown yourself at a demigod from kronos' army intending to hurt an unaware percy. suddenly you were gripped so tightly on the shoulders, eyes widening with a quivering gasp while you looked down, only to see scarlet liquor leaking out of an obtrusive hole in your stomach, the twisted grin of your enemy patronizing your defenseless figure as you staggered back and clutched the liquid that flowed relentlessly. maybe if they didn't shuck it out as fast as it came in, maybe you would've lasted a lot longer. all you could do was choke out an amalgamation of incoherent sounds, knotting the flannel outer you wore around your midriff; the coil only flared the excruciating agony you were in.

you heard him crying out for you somewhere in the middle of it all, rough-hewn and distinctive among the clashing ores and shouts of rage and defeat. your stubborn head proved itself defiant when you'd ignored his pleas, his voice already fading away as he was dragged into another fight in the chaos. percy didn't see the folk puncturing you, only the aftermath when you stumbled back, your aghast reaction unmistakable to him. and maybe it was a good thing that he didn't know the severity of your condition. that only meant that he would bear much less of a burden than what he was already dealing with.

as dumb as it was, you kept fighting even after being heavily injured. your stab wound wasn't that bad, was it? if you could still stand—barely, that is—then you could still fight. the ringing in your ears only grew worse as adrenaline slowly numbed the pain, your vision turning into dizzy kaleidoscopes with every movement of your weapon.

you hoped your effort contributed something in the battle. somewhere in your mind you knew you'd end up at death's door sooner or later; there was no way you'd reach help in time before the immense blood loss took you away. but if there was one thing you knew, you wanted to be a hero before you died. you wanted to be able to leave a legacy behind, imagining an echoing battle cry before you fell with your dear sword beside you, or to die by protecting someone else so they could live a life fuller than yours. and you wanted to love someone completely, love someone so much that it leaves a searing inferno in your heart, to have a love that makes you go mad, a love that makes you feel alive. even if the one person you gave yourself to didn't want you.

it was something you'd never regret: being percy jackson's friend; loving him along the way, too. it has been your greatest adventure and your greatest honor to know him in this life, from the moment you stumbled upon his lonely figure near the muted docks of the traversing lake to the second you knew you cared for him in a way that transcended your own being. it was one of the most shattering experiences in your life: finding out that he didn't feel the same way about you. that intimate moment when he confessed his feelings about someone else right in front of your eyes; that would haunt you forever. if you could, you would erase that recollection from the depths of your mind, but you cared for him too much to forget that rare vulnerability shared between the two of you. you don't even think you have the will to erase any memory of percy jackson.

you'd cried yourself to sleep that night, wishing that it was all a dream when you woke up the next dawn. but fate has a funny way of working. each passing of her name on his lips chipped your heart away bit by bit, till it turned into a dilapidated mess that barely resembled what it looked like when the youth of discovering your first love coursed through its veins.

but no matter how much heartbreak hurt, loving someone is never a waste.

the two of you would never happen, no, not in a million years you thought. he had already given his heart away to someone else a long time ago, someone who you knew couldn't accept his love right now. it was just agonizing too see the way he would continue to pine after her and end up in the dust when reality came crushing in. still, he never gave up on her. because you simply don't give up on love.

that undying loyalty of his—the one you grew to despise and admire at the same time. you watched the way he chose her over you. every, single, time.

you understood it to a certain degree; you can't choose who you fall in love with. but that didn't make it hurt any less. so here you were now, left with a barren heart while you helped him pick up the pieces of his own.

percy's cry broke you out of your miserable thoughts, befuddled at how you were so accepting of your predicament. of course he would be. he didn't know you did it for him. "σκατά, y/n, you can't just- you can't risk your life for someone else!"

"but i did it for you." the silence became a little too loud, ringing in your ears like a haunted pendulum.

"what?" was his breathless response. his jaw was slowly opening, moving without a sound as if he didn't know what to say. you saw the way his brows scrunched up together, the way his jaw clenched and unclenched.

you repeated it again. "i did it for you."

your face looked soulless, blotches of crimson blooming in petalled coteries on the ivory ribbons wrapped around your body. you had a cut on the vermillion border of your lips, blood slowly seeping back out the more you talked. it was becoming more difficult to open your eyes. your body was screaming at you to lay down, aching with a heaviness in your bones that could not be salvaged. you just wanted to rest, but you wouldn't leave him hanging like that. even if the closure was a painful one, it would be cruel to leave percy without telling him the truth of your heart. at least, that's what you thought. if you were going to die, then you were going to take one last chance of happiness than conceal it and close your eyes with only the memory of sorrow long lasting.

it was almost pitiful, really, the way you were still willing to entertain him even in your detrimental state. your eyes were sunken in deep exhaustion, still laden with mist that glinted as it caught the effulgent flicker lighting up the back of a cabin you could not bother to recognize.

he raised his voice at first, utter confusion and frustration unfurling in his tone until it dimmed out to something much softer, like the barely contained hurt was still lingering. "why?!.. why me?" his timbre earned a softer edge to it, fading into a sotto voce and if you let your hopes get a little too high you might've thought there was a hint of care in it.

you knew if you tilted your gaze the slightest bit at his direction you'd cave into the look in his eyes. it was too easy, too easy for percy to worm his way into your heart no matter how much he hurt you.

..why him?

why not him. it was the easiest thing in the world to do anything for percy jackson. you didn't understand why it was so hard for him to acknowledge the fact that you would actually walk to the ends of the earth for him and retrieve the stars from the sky if he wished. it was him who taught you that love was just as fragile and destructive as it was wonderful and invaluable, him who helped you open your eyes to a world much beautiful than what you'd made of it. and that in itself was worth far more than any materialistic attainment you've ever received. was it because he was questioning his place in your heart? how much you cherished him?

anger and sadness were a dangerous pair, and the pain you felt turned into something that blazed the walls of your heart, burning a path through your line of thought until frustration marred each corner of your mind. why couldn't he understand what your heart was trying to say? was it not obvious the way you were so painfully enamored by him? how dare he question his worth to you?

they say the eyes are the windows to the soul, bearing the deepest and obscure feelings one could have.

if percy wanted to know and wanted to see what you felt so badly, then you would show him exactly that. you looked up to him, arms clenched around your midriff with eyes carrying the heaviest spectacle of sorrow and longing; eyes that bared the weight of a burden held far too long and at that moment he finally understood. understood the utter pain and hopelessness you had repressed, understood why you were so willing to give your own life for him.

"because i love you, goddamit! i love you.."

the tension was more than palpable after your passion-filled declaration. you saw the way he faltered, staggering back almost with the brunt of what you just said. his breaths grew ragged and his eyes moved wildly as if he was searching for any bit of a lie in you.

"take that back.. please we can't- i can't-"

and then finally the words you've dreaded were spoken out of his mouth. a defeated breathe was knocked out of you the second he finished that sentence, burning through your nostrils while it flared the fountain threatening to cascade from your heavy waterline. no amount of mental preparation could've supported you in this moment. you already knew what he was going to say, unfortunately. you saw it in the way he refused let go of her despite the tribulations he faced. it just hurt knowing that your heart thought if the uncertainty of tomorrow was looming above, there might have been hope somewhere in there.

"cant what, percy? accept the love someone has for you when the person you're chasing after so clearly does not give one shit about you!" for a moment you watched the pain morph onto his face, and you knew you'd hit a nerve when you said that. it felt wrong.. so wrong to hurt him, but your anger and desperation got the best of you this time.

"i love you so much that it hurts," you pointed at your chest, borderline hurting yourself as your fists bunched up and tugged on the bloodied orange shirt that sheathed your wounded skin. "it hurts to see you in pain, to see your heart breaking apart when i can't even do anything about it. and i would.. i would do anything for you, but you-.. you don't want me.. and that's okay!" you laughed humorlessly, the sound so harrowingly hollow that it almost made him flinch.

"i'm okay.." you whispered and it sounded as if you were trying to convince yourself that you were not already crumbling.

"but that will never stop making me care about you. that's what love does to a person, percy, and i cant just take it back.." you wiped away the defiant tears that managed to flow down the planes of your face, sniffing the waver in your voice away and trying to look strong so he wouldn't feel so guilty over something he couldn't control.

"no, i wont take it back. because for me.. for me it's enough to know that i've made a change in your life—big or small. i could never regret loving you, percy."

and for the first time percy jackson truly felt like a coward. a coward to walk away, a coward to leave you with a broken heart, only shattering it more when he stepped out of that damn balcony. he felt like a coward for pushing away the unimaginable.

he didn't know that a few minutes later you'd collapsed from excessive blood loss, clutching that untreated wound on your stomach in a last attempt to get to the infirmary. he didn't know that this would be the last words he would hear from you—words that were so incredibly impassioned and sincere. he didn't know the exhaustion the apollo kids felt the minute you were carried in,—battered, mangled and barely pulling through—knowing there was yet another valiant soul they could not save. he did not know that till your last tattered breath you'd thought of him, a serene smile soothing your face as you surrendered to the familiar arms of reclamation that cradled your weightless body while the light slowly faded away.

percy jackson didn't know many things that night. he didn't understand how something so important to one could be snatched away so easily like that, didn't understand why everything always happened the way fate planned it to be. but he knew he'd just lost the one constant love he's ever known; the one that was right in front of him the whole time, offering their heart on a silver platter only to be left decaying the moment you finally decided to choose your own happiness over the resolute of resignation.

FINALLY going back to my roots and writing unrequited love my beloved 🥰

imagine the disbelief and elation i was in when i found this in my wip files.. i don't know why i suddenly abandoned it??

σκατά : shit

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circusmania · 5 months

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ᓚᘏᗢ MASTERLIST

⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧ ⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧ My yeses, maybes and nos: YES: - Platonic/Romantic - F/F & M/M - However, many of my fics will just be gender-neutral reader - Trans reader - Yandere - Angst - Fluff MAYBE: - Smut - Not that I'm uncomfortable with it, I just don't feel like I can write it well enough - F/M - Ehh... there are plenty of straight fanfics, and I'm better at writing F/M & M/M. However, it's not a complete no, so I will write it occasionally. - Sadist - I can write it, just not too intense… Like to the point it's r@p3. NO: - Child x Adult - R@p3 - SA - Weird kinks... (ex: piss kink, scat kink) - Abusive behaviour

FANDOMS I WILL WRITE ABOUT: SCP FOUNDATION: - Scp Foundation in general - Herman Fuller's Circus of the Disquieting - Dr Wondertainment - Marshall, Carter, and Dark Ltd. (MC&D) - Sarkic Cults - Church of the Broken God - The Serpent's Hand ANALOG HORROR: - Mandela Catalogue - Vita Carnis - The Tangi Virus - The SMILE tapes - GEMINI HOME AND ENTERTAINMENT - The Walten Files - Monument Mythos (S: 1, 2 & NIXONVERSE) SLASHERS: - Ghostface (Billy Loomis & Stu Macher) - Norman Bates - Michael Myers - Jason Voorhees - Pennywise (2017) - Billy Lenz - Brahms Heelshire GREEK MYTHOLOGY: - Percy Jackson Fandom - Or Greek Myths in general GENERAL SCENARIOS (Ex: Mafia x Reader or Android x Reader)

Looking forward to writing your requests ♡ !!!

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always-andromeda · 2 years

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x. sound of a love song | Joby Taylor x fem!Reader

Joby Taylor x fem!Reader

Word Count | 11,276

Summary | After a night that challenges his view of you, Joby finds himself exactly where he wants to be.

Author's Note | hey, all! so this is the big boy that you've all been waiting for! when this gets posted, I will be without wifi for a while. and I want asks to answer when I get back. literally send me anything you want! I just know that I will desperately want real interaction after spending all day suffering! I hope you guys enjoy!!!

Warnings | smut (MDNI), slight references to alcohol, slight references to suicide, nothing else I can think of!!

The greenery that flooded your family home rivaled that of the forest Joby had left outside. Plant pots littered almost every surface his eyes fell upon, some were still just seeds, germinating over cups of water. Directly in front of the door was a small kitchen. The one window in the room was in front of a pastel yellow ceramic sink inlaid in the countertop, casting a beautiful golden light across the room. Beside the sink was a little workstation that your mother had been working at before, potting an avocado pit.

Quickly, your mother led Joby over by the sleeve of his jacket and began explaining the germination process and how after two weeks of sitting on the windowsill, it was finally ready to be buried in soil. Joby was wide-eyed, trying to keep up with your mother's enthusiasm. You stood, leaned over the windowed wall that separated the kitchen from the dining room, watching him with a smug smile.

He looked more out of place than ever in the cramped kitchen. His tall stature towered over your mother. For the first time in a while you got to get a full view of him. And, god, did he look good. Better than you'd probably ever seen him. All clad in black denim and dark leather, he was warm and captivating. He'd skipped out on the pomade, thank goodness, so his hair was fluffier and fuller than usual. It didn’t help that he smelled like your soap now. The fragrance dragged your mind back to your bathroom, you digging your heels into the back of his uncertain knees. How Joby Taylor seemed to flinch as you brought him back into your clutches. How you almost felt guilty for it.

He had no idea how horrendously enthralled you were by him. Not even when he looked over and caught the way your expression softened at the shy smile he offered. Frankly, he didn't have time to think too much about it because you turned around, hearing someone come up the basement stairs.

"Oh, it's you." The teenage boy said, hair stuck to his forehead and the armpits of his shirt darkened with sweat. A shit-eating grin formed on his face as he walked toward you and engulfed you in a massive hug.

"Oh my god, Jackson, you asshole!" You cried out, pounding your fists on his chest. As he got older, he seemed to get even more insufferable. You didn’t think that would ever be possible but he managed to prove you wrong every time you visited.

"Jackson, you’re such an asshole!" He mocked your voice before finally setting you down on the floor, “You’re such a baby.” As he teased, his stare settled on Joby. Eyes darting back and forth between you and him, he seemed suspicious of something already.

"Jack, honey, this is Joby. He's your sister's friend." Your mother introduced him.

Jackson snorted, "Friend? Ooookay then. I'm not three years old. You don't have to pretend he's not your boyfriend." You clapped your hands together, brushing completely over the accusation and bent down to reach into your bag, pulling out a shirt.

"You left this at my place last time. From when you were changing after the game?" You held up the balled up fabric and Jackson took it, unfurling it for the whole room to see. Joby eyes glazed over when he recognized it. That stupid baseball shirt you'd given him to wear so long ago. The one he'd thought belonged to your stupid boyfriend. The one he took as an affront to all of his senses...it was your brother’s shirt?

"Shit, I thought I'd lost this. I had to ask Coach to order a new one." Jackson said, tucking the shirt under his sweaty arm.

The pieces clicked together in his brain. Of course it wasn't William’s. Joby had only spoken to the guy a handful of times but already he knew William would never be the kind of guy who’d ever touched a baseball, let alone pitch one. But your brother and his big arms and sturdy build? Of course that was his. Joby would have beamed at the realization if it wouldn’t have made him look strange.

The epiphany led way to another, more melancholic one: William probably hadn’t touched your apartment either. Hadn’t spent the night. Hadn’t met your dog. Hadn’t even gotten to really know you.

Your mother said suddenly, "Honey, can you get your sisters to come downstairs? I'm going to need some help with dinner. Y/n, why don't you and your friend get settled in the living room?" Despite the fact that you’d lived in that house almost your entire life just like your siblings, any time you visited now, your mom was set on making the girls into kitchen helpers for the day.

Joby shuffled awkwardly behind you, keeping his head down. Jackson smacked him on the back as he passed by and it made him jolt in attention. Joby still didn't know how he felt about the boyfriend comment. With the kind of day he was having thus far, he would've gladly accepted the assessment. But something in the way that you ignored it told him that would've only made you more uncomfortable.

So he just followed you through the dining room, taking a right and being faced with a cozy living room. With two, old flower patterned couches pushed up against the walls and a scratched up but antique looking coffee table placed in the center, Joby felt like he'd been transported back in time about forty years. The walls were wood paneled and on the floral wallpapered accent wall hung framed newspaper clippings and various family pictures.

On one of them he recognized your brother in the photo, running to home base, dust kicked up around his feet. The headline said, "Local Pitcher Takes Mountainview High to State Championship" Next to it was a framed picture of a girl. He squinted and soon discerned that it was you in the low resolution photo, holding a guitar and standing on a modest stage in front of a microphone. "Local Musician Headlines Festival with Debut Album"

You caught Joby studying the clipping. "Sorry, my mom loves putting those things up. I think she's starting a collection of all the times her kids have gotten into the local paper." You dismissed the decor. It wasn’t hard to get in the paper; as long as you did something other than fade into the background. It was very likely that on any given edition the front page would feature some family friend, their neighbor, or maybe even a cousin of said neighbor. Or possibly that neighbor’s dog, if they looked strange enough.

"It's...cute." He remarked. You'd already plopped down on one of the couches, burrowing into one of the corners and he joined you, sitting squarely on the middle cushion.

"So...Jackson...he seems like he's good with the baseball thing." He said, not quite knowing how to go about conversation. Though you seemed at home, he wasn’t quite convinced that he could ever belong in a place like this.

"Yeah. Better than my dad, even. God, you should see what my dad looked like. As Jackson gets older, he looks more and more like him."

Joby looked around, searching the framed photos for some older man that could possibly be your father, “Are there any-”

"Oh. My mom doesn't keep pictures of him up." You replied quickly.

"Why?" With all the nostalgic novelties that hung around the room, he figured there had to be something, some sort of acknowledgment of the dead man.

"We don't have many...fond...memories of him. When he died, my mom basically gutted this whole place. She got rid of all of his shit and redecorated everything-"

"And got super into plants?" Joby added.

"The plants didn't come in until after I moved out, actually." You giggled.

Joby nodded, saying sarcastically, "Oh, so her kid left and she decided to start raising plants to compensate."

"Something like that." You allowed a tentative smile to ghost over your lips. Joby was taking it all so well. Any fear you'd had about him not fitting in started to fade until you heard thumping coming down the stairs.

A little girl with long, unkempt hair and wearing overalls came into view. Megan's socks slid on the wood floor as she rounded the corner into the living room. Breathless, she exclaimed, "Jackson says you brought your boyfriend!"

You began to clarify, "He's not my boyfriend, Meg. He's-"

"He's a boy and he's your friend. Boy-friend." Megan said with an authority that she was far too young to have over the situation. The blush that rushed to your cheeks was all the more frustrating.

She rushed forward bracing herself on Joby's leg, crossed over his other one. Within seconds she was grabbing his large hand, inspecting his ringed fingers before her eye landed on the daisy painted on his thumbnail. Joby was starting to get the hint that your family was full of touchy feely people.

"I’ve never seen a boy wear nail polish." she said in a squeal. Squinting, she scrutinized his pierced ears and the necklace pendants lying on his chest. She concluded, “You look funny.”

Joby looked at you slyly, a small smile playing out before he replied to the girl with a nod of his head, "Yeah, I sure do."

Megan leaned in closer, lowering her voice and not so subtly saying, "Do you like my sister?" You rolled your eyes and covered your face with your hands.

Joby wasn't sure if he should risk answering honestly. But the young girl was looking at him intently, waiting for a reply. So he bit the bullet and whispered in her ear so only she could hear, "Yeah, in fact, I really like her. She's pretty cool."

The girl's small face broke out into a bright, giddy grin that pushed up her freckled cheeks and didn't disappear even when your mother yelled her name, calling her back into the kitchen. She simply ran away, giggling wildly the whole time.

You were still obscuring your face in embarrassment and Joby finally snorted at the reclusive pose. If only it was that easy admitting the simple fact to you. But judging by the way you’d pulled your knees up to your chest, that secret would have to stay between him and your sister. The conversation stayed light for about an hour until the smell of dinner began wafting from the kitchen. Jackson’s head peered around the corner, looking into the living room with one eye shut as if he was expecting to catch you and Joby doing something on the couch.

“Mom says dinner’s ready.” He called before yanking his head back.

The dining table was packed: your mother at the head of the table, three young girls (including a still buzzing Megan) on one side, and Joby sitting between you and Jackson on the other. Megan, who was directly across from Joby kept peeking at him from behind her napkin, bursting out in little fits of giggles.

Your family had prepared an immense spread of food; two massive filets of salmon laid out on a decorative dish with bowls of cooked vegetables and orzo pasta tossed in some sort of pesto sauce. Before your mother said anything else, she stopped and slid her chair out suddenly, and stood.

“I almost forgot. We need our mood music.” She said, walking off into some room further in the house. She came back seconds later with a small case in her hand.

As soon as you spotted what she held, you groaned, “Mom, do you really have to do that?”

“Absolutely, I do. We have company.”

You snorted, “All the more reason why we shouldn’t do that!”

“Don’t you worry. I’m sure he’ll like it.” Your mother grinned teasingly as she made her way to the CD player that sat in the China cabinet across from the table. She pulled the disc out and put it in the open CD slot, closing it with an air of proud finality. She turned the volume up and finally returned to her seat at the head of the table, looking very pleased with herself.

The kids started shoveling spoons of food onto their plates, the dishes gently clanking as the music began to play. Joby sat for a minute, staring into space as he listened to the first song that played. He focused, trying to think if he’d heard the opening melody before. But the distinctly mellow and female voice that began singing was what made it sink in. He’d know that voice anywhere.

“Oh my god,” He said aloud, “It’s-”

Your mother interrupted him excitedly, “Her first album!” You pinched the bridge of your nose, obviously embarrassed. But Joby couldn’t believe his ears. The album that was alluding him all this time was finally being played, your voice flooding the room along with the sound of delicate guitar chords. It sounded so much like you, yet so little like what he’d heard before. This felt raw. Less produced. Like he could picture you recording vocals by yourself. Could see your fingers plucking at the strings. A faint but delighted look graced his lips as he pictured the production. He could tell that it wasn’t mastered professionally, the little squeaks of guitar strings and crackles of imperfect recording warmed his heart. This was the you that he wanted to know so much more of.

He continued to follow the lyrics vaguely as he chewed on his food, entranced by the sound of them, knowing they’d come directly from your head. That was you before you’d ever been touched by William. You, young and hopeful and wanting to make it. He was quiet until the little girl to the left of Megan piped up to him.

“So what do you do?” She asked pointedly, eyes inquisitive behind oval shaped wire framed glasses.

Joby had to think for his reply, “Well, I make music…like your sister. I’m a musician.”

“Are you famous?”

“Quinn, honey, eat some more of your broccoli, please.” Your mother urged the girl before Joby could answer.

His mouth hung open for a second before he spoke, “Not really. But I’ve played a lot of shows in my time. It evens out, I guess.”

“So you’re failing?” Jackson said through a mouthful of pasta, sauce dripping from the corner of his mouth down his chin.

Your mother shot a warning glare at him, “Jackson…” Her tone was deadly, daring him to say more.

“No, no, no.” Joby sighed, “He’s kind of got a point. I wasn’t doing too hot until your daughter got me back up on my feet. It’s because of her that I still have a career to speak of.” Your mother eyed you quizzically before she gave a closed mouth smile and shook her head.

“That sounds like something she’d do.” She chuckled, “You know, she used to raise stray cats from outside all the time.” You were laughing now, both at the memories and the comparison your mother was trying to make. The conversation went out through the dinner, Joby half contributing and half tuned into the music. Each song had him spellbound.

He was lost in one of your lyrics mentioning a love song when your mother spoke again, “Alright, everybody done?” Everyone around the table let out various sounds in agreement. “Good. I’ll do the dishes, and you all can have fun elsewhere.” You snickered at her tone. Your mother got very possessive over her kitchen since that’s where most of her plant experiments had found a home in.

As she got up once more, Joby slid back in his own chair, awkwardly raising to his feet, "I'll help with them." Jackson sneered at the offer, clearly unimpressed by it. He couldn’t retreat back down to his room in the basement faster..

Your mother shot you a pointed look, "How thoughtful. Thank you, Joby. You can pick up everyone's plates and bring them to the kitchen." Joby followed the directions he was given, stacking each of the plates as he went.

Sighing and shaking your head, you were overwhelmed. It wasn’t completely out of character for your mother to drag out the old relic of an album. But you felt so far removed from the person who made it that it felt like it had been a stranger. The girls ran back to the living room and you followed close by, grabbing your notebook out of your bag on the couch and striding to the sliding glass door that led to the deck outside.

You took a deep breath as you settled your forearms on the deck railing, looking out over the forest. Sometimes it was good spending a bit of time away from home. It made the return that much sweeter. It made you relish the moments more, not knowing the next time it would come along again. The view was freeing in a way. It reminded you of a time where you didn't have to worry about numbers and image and ego. When the trees seemed to come to life and you found some sort of meaning in it. The days when you'd stand on that deck and write until nothing else could come out.

But this time, it was a little harder to submerge yourself in the scenery. You pondered what Joby said at the table. It was all true, but the tenderness in how he had spoken struck a chord inside you. You'd never held your assistance in his career against him, yet he managed to make it known how grateful he was every step of the way. Maybe he wasn't as much of an entitled jerk as you'd once thought.

Then your worry about William set in. You'd tried not to think of him the whole day and had been successful until then. It was easy to forget about Will's harsh words when Joby was close by. And him being in your home, the place you cherished most? At this point, it was useless fooling yourself into believing there was nothing there. Completely futile to pretend that you were clinging to some nostalgic crush you'd had on him as a teenager. The feeling was still soaking into your skin, still evolving.

You finally opened your notebook, unsheathing the pen that was hooked on the string tying the notebook together. You set the scene from the night before. The wine. His eyes. The warmth in your chest. Under your command, the ink easily flowed into lines that made sense.

Soon, the sliding glass door opened again.

"You're missing out on a good time in there." Your mother said affectionately.

You replied distantly before continuing to jot down notes, "I'll be back inside in a second." It was silent for a few seconds before your mother came closer, situating herself next to you.

"You’ve been out here for a while. What's wrong, honey?" She asked, setting down her beer on the railing and running her finger around the rim of the bottle. You closed your notebook before she could start getting nosy.

You exhaled shakily, "You know that boyfriend that I've been talking about for a while now?"

"Yeah, what about him?" She took a sip of her drink.

"He's...not good for me. Not even close to good. I think when I get back I’m going to end it.”

Your mother shrugged, "Well, if that's what needs to happen, then it'll happen."

Thinking for a moment, you allowed her in a little bit more, "I don't love him and he sure as hell doesn't love me. He hasn't really helped me with anything career wise in a long time." You paused, "He doesn't even like when I write anymore. He started talking about bringing in other people to help out. Even though I keep telling him that I don’t need it. I have enough material to do something other than play shitty gigs and sing the same songs over and over again.”

"Thought that’s why you started dating him in the first place. Because he’s the magical manager man who was gonna make everything better." Your mom ran a comforting hand back and forth on your upper arm. “If he’s not doing his job, then why do you stay?” You were a child again, being comforted by your mother after waking from a nightmare.

"That's the thing, though. It scares the hell out of me. The idea of just leaving him after everything. Because it’s not just the work. I loved him. I really did. And I have no idea where it went."

She cleared her throat, "If you can't keep choosing to love him, then you’re already up shit creek without a paddle.” You scoffed at the figure of speech. “I was with your father for almost twenty five years. Sometimes I wish I had realized that I'd stopped choosing him before he got sick; could've saved everyone a lot of heartache. But time stopped me.”

Your mother took another drink and stared into the sky, “You think, 'why throw in the towel when you've got a tally going?' Before you know it, you're counting days and hoping that tomorrow will be the day that things get good. I don't want you sinking twenty five years into that beast too." She paused to fix her stern gaze on you, "Besides, you deserve people who are going to treat you well. Like that young man inside."

You let out a bemused laugh, "I was wondering when that would come up. What with Jackson telling the girls that he's my boyfriend."

"I'm not saying anything besides the fact that he has been the most lovely guest I've ever had in this house. Did you see him do the dishes with me?" She expressed with disbelief.

"I did, Mom, it's just that...he's Joby. It wouldn't work."

"What makes you say that?"

You recoiled, ignoring the question entirely, "Oh my god, if I had brought a guy like that home when I was sixteen, you would've been horrified."

"Yeah, I would've. But you're older now. I trust your judgment. And if you think he's good enough to bring him for a visit, then I think he's more than good enough for you."

"That's assuming that he actually likes me." You felt like a teenager again, talking with your mother about high school gossip.

Your mother almost choked on her drink, "Oh, he likes you alright."

"What has he done to convince you of that? Other than the dishes." You waved a hand in the air.

"It's a lot more than just the dishes, hon. He follows you around like he's your shadow."

"He's in a new place, of course he's going to stick with who he knows." You argued.

Your mother laughed, "He's an adult man, not a cat, hon. He was practically possessed listening to that music of yours. And, you can't explain away how he looks at you."

"You're really trying to hit all the cliches, aren't you?"

Her hard voice cut right through your sarcasm, "I'm trying to tell you that that boy sitting inside absolutely adores you and if you keep telling yourself that he doesn't, you're gonna really regret it." It was quiet again. Very rarely did she seriously raise her tone. But you supposed it was warranted. Because you were starting to believe her words more and more.

"It's cold out here. I'm going back inside, you ready to come with?"

You nodded and followed your mother back in.

In the living room, Joby was crowded by your sisters, his own bottle of beer in his hand. Ellie had gotten out her field guide and was showing Joby the little hand drawn entries of various plants on each page. The image left you breathing in deeply. Ellie didn't talk much to anyone besides Jackson. So seeing her lying on her stomach, kicking her legs behind her while Joby sat cross legged on the floor, hanging onto her every word...it sure wasn’t just nothing. It was close to perfect.

You sniffed before the tears could come and Joby heard, looking up at you from the floor.

"Hey, what’s goin’ on?" He furrowed his brow. You pursed your lips and waved the concern away, coming closer and sitting beside him on the floor.

"Your sister was showing me her journal. She's a pretty good artist." Joby said. Ellie smiled coyly, setting the book up to hide her face.

Joby poked your arm with his pinkie finger, urging you to take his drink. You took the bottle and poured back a long gulp. Joby watched as you stared him directly in his eyes as you sipped. He couldn’t quite tell what was running through your vision no matter how hard he searched. He’d gotten pretty good at reading you. But now…you looked disoriented, wide eyed and hanging your head when you finished the drink and placed the bottle on the carpet between your legs.

Right then, Megan came thumping back down the stairs, this time with her toy radio and her baby pink ballet shoes tied around her little legs. She approached Joby boldly.

Her tone was bossy, "Up! I am going to teach you the art of ballet."

Joby glanced at you again for backup. All you provided was, "You heard her, up."

Almost reluctantly, Joby rose from his place on the carpet. Megan's sparkly pink radio played a tinkling melody through the cheap speakers. She grabbed his hand with her own and ordered him to spin her around on her toes. You watched him awkwardly follow her every demand as she showed him the five basic positions. His long limbs were awkward and his legs wobbled as Megan chastised his posture and balance. With every cumbersome movement he made, his metal pieces of jewelry clinked against each other. Megan giggled when he landed in a strange position, boots turned out awkwardly. Before too long, he was out of breath, hands on his knees and asking Megan for a breather.

As she relented, Joby recuperated. He stepped closer to you.

His hand extended "Your turn," You give his outstretched hand a strange but hopeful look. He nodded his head, encouraging you to join him. You took it and he lifted you to your feet.

In a gentlemanly way, he bowed his head and twirled you like he had with Megan. But this time, he caught you in his grasp, drawing you nearer. His hand stayed in your hair, pressing your head to his chest. You could almost hear his frantic heartbeat and hoped he just hadn’t caught his breath yet. But the way his hand caressed at your lower back, bringing you further into the embrace suggested something else. Megan pranced around you two, not quite getting that you weren't playing anymore.

Then your mother was telling the girls to get ready for bed, herding them up the stairs. She watched you and him sway silently in the middle of the living room, the music having long since stopped; she decided to leave it be and retreated to her own room.

You weren't sure if you could've written a song about that moment. There was no line that could've encompassed the staggering dance, the feeling of his fingertips along your spine, and the line slowly becoming more blurred until it seemed to vanish entirely. Until it seemed wrong that it hadn't always been like this. You yawned. The undisturbed solitude that you'd created with him was only broken by him humming against your hair, "Tired?"

Joby wasn't tired. He didn't think he'd been this wide awake in a very long time. His awareness only elevated when you led him to your bedroom; the bedroom you'd spent the majority of your life living in. A room on the first floor that was just past the place your mother had retrieved the CD from before.

Four walls that were painted a creamy yellow color and contained every scrap of a version of you he wished he could have known. Dusty surfaces from how long you'd been away and a taste in decor that made him see just how much you'd changed. Band posters covered the walls. An old microphone and guitar was shoved in the corner. Judging by the pop shield that was attached to it, Joby was willing to bet it was the microphone you’d recorded that first album with. Next to the recording gear was a shelf. On the shelf was a binder, your handwriting scrawled along the side read Sound of a Love Song.

Assuming you wouldn't mind, he opened it and flipped through the pages before realizing that he was looking at page after page of chords and lyrics. A book you’d made yourself all those years ago when you produced the music by yourself. Joby happened upon one page that contained the title song of the album and he recognized the lyrics from the song he’d fixated on during dinner. He skimmed the words quickly and got an idea.

Joby looked over his shoulder; you were busy trying to get your bedroom window open to let in some air but the latch wasn't budging. While your back was turned, he slipped the papers out of their protective page protector and closed the binder swiftly as if he hadn't touched it at all.

He shifted his attention to the next best thing. On the shelf beside that binder were stacks upon stacks of old albums. He thumbed through them as if they would give him some extra piece of you that he hadn't already discerned. Though he found just what he was looking for, it made his stomach twist. The first album his band had ever put out. He tried not to loathe the CD, tried to reframe it as a reminder of how much better he had gotten since those old days. Then settled on trying to be happy that it was in your room, meaning you'd enjoyed it at some point.

You caught him staring at it, his nail tracing over the art on the front.

“I used to love Snake Trouble.” Joby jumped hearing you speak, “When I turned eighteen, one of my friends told me this band from a few towns over was playing at a bar. She got us these fake IDs and we were gonna go and get super drunk, maybe try to sleep with a guy from the band."

Your eyes lit up teasingly, "My friend said that the lead singer was supposed to be super hot and I had to see him for myself.” Joby chuckled uneasily. He knew you were only making a joke, but it made him feel worse. It only reminded him of how far he had fallen from that status.

“She dragged me there that night. I didn’t even really like your kind of music but as soon as you got on stage…it was everything I’d been missing. My friend said you guys were new but you were up there, playing it up like you’d been performing for years. You didn’t look nervous. You were just happy to be there. Happy to put on a show.”

He couldn’t remember a single specific gig, it had been so long since those early days and the nights all blended together. The same songs over and over again, repeating them until he wanted to tear his vocal chords out. But he liked to imagine a younger you, cheering for him in a crowd. He hoped he’d looked at you at least once and made you feel the way he does whenever he listened to you sing.

He spoke suddenly, “I wish I’d known you back then. You wouldn’t have let me fuck up my life so bad.”

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up about that.” With a mischievous smile, you leaned back to lay on your twin bed.

“Why shouldn’t I?” He rested on his elbows beside you, just barely fitting along the mattress and his legs dangling off the end a bit.

You waved him away, “No, no, it’s too embarrassing.”

Grabbing your hand as it moved with his own, he laughed. His slender fingers were calloused from years of playing guitar and his hand easily enclosed around yours. His eyes went wide, “Well now I really want to know.”

“No, you really don’t.”

“Try me.” He stuck his chin out stubbornly.

You rolled your eyes and studied the ceiling like you had when you were a teenager. Many nights you’d laid in that exact spot, earbuds plugged in to your iPod, listening to some random band and trying to escape from the four walls surrounding you. “I wasn’t the best person. I didn’t like being alone so I kept around people who weren’t the greatest influences.”

“Oh, do I know what you mean.” He replied knowingly. But he didn’t know who you’d been. You were drinking at fifteen and had lost your virginity to some guy who’d thrown a house party a month later. Things changed when your dad got sick. It strained an already difficult marriage. It sank all of the money into hospital bills. So when he died, it was almost a relief. Any of the residual pain was stifled with parties and other dubious situations you got yourself into. When your mother started working again, you were trying to balance it all. You were putting your siblings to bed, going out late, and slipping back inside before your mom got home from her late shift.

That wouldn’t even begin to cover the guys you’d brought back. You’d never let anyone in your house, let alone your bedroom, as you were too afraid of your siblings not being safe. But you’d sit outside and make out with almost anyone who would. Then you’d hop out of their car, standing at the edge of the road, waving as they sped away. And even with the feeling of their hands fresh on your skin, you were emptier than ever. You decided that you were glad you hadn’t known Joby then. Because then he would’ve been just another guy you made out with a few times before he’d leave.

Your words were low, “It’s hard to find people who aren’t fucked up in some way. Or guarded at the least. And when you do this work, it's even worse. We're all such dramatic fucking people. We meet people and then write music about them and when everything falls apart we write music about that. And when those people hear that you wrote music about them, they write about you and it's just this cycle of...knowing people...and losing them...and trying to pick it all apart and put it back together so it all makes sense."

Joby said softly, "But you wouldn't want it any other way."

Joby was glad to hear the laugh that rumbled from your chest, "I wouldn't. It would get exhausting if it wasn't everything to me."

He knew exactly what you meant. There was something eating at him. He could feel his palm getting sweaty around your hand. Before he could shut himself up, the confession was already spilling out of him.

"There have been so many times that I've almost just quit. When I lost custody of Ellen...that was the big one. This trucker picked me up and I rode with him for a while until he got to a gas station. I just walked through the snow until I came by that Motel 6." he took a deep breath, trying not to let the emotion well up in his eyes, "I thought I was gonna die in that hotel room. Wouldn't be the first time a guy like me ended up overdosing in a shithole like that. This is gonna sound so fucking stupid..." he gave a shaky laugh and used his knuckle to wipe away the solitary tear that had started to fall.

"C'mon, you can't do that to me now too." You nudged him lightly, pressing more of your side into his. The silence that followed was nearly maddening until he continued.

"I spent a week in that fucking room trying to do something. To do anything at all. I tried to talk to myself. Tried to eat. Tried to watch shitty daytime television. And I couldn't. The entire time, I was in that fucking bed. That night at Magnolia, I thought that was going to be my last night. I was gonna go out with a bang, ya know? But then you were up there on that fucking stage. And you fucking talked to me. You took care of me like I was your friend. And I can't remember the last time I had a real friend who ever gave a shit about me. I've never been able to figure out why you did all of that."

Your grip on his hand strengthened, "You talked to me that night, you know." Joby’s brows pulled together in confusion.

"When I was eighteen. You were out in the back after the show, smoking. I didn't know what to say because you were basically a celebrity to me. I almost walked away because I was so nervous. But I was pissed because my friend had found some guy and kind of left me behind. So I decided, fuck it, I’m going to talk to the lead singer." You chuckled humorlessly, “I asked you for a cigarette.”

“Shut up,” He looked away from you. He was sick to his stomach. A lump had formed in his throat at some point. This wasn't funny anymore. The entire time this had been one big joke on him. The nails, the dinner, your family, your nostalgic gaze, it was all a joke.

But your eyes bored into him, “I’m serious! You didn't say anything to me. But you lit the cigarette for me. And I remember thinking you were so cool. And I wanted to be like that. So, I started working on that album a year later. And the entire time I was just thinking about Joby fucking Taylor. This random…fucking guy…” you breathed in exasperation, “...who didn’t even have to say a word. And I thought he was the coolest fucking guy that I had ever known.”

Joby couldn’t meet your gaze when you asked, “Do you wanna know why?” He swallowed hard but you persisted, “Because I could tell that you were tired. But you still tried. And it made me believe that I could try too.”

He couldn’t stop thinking about you; you listening to his music in this very room, him lighting a cigarette between your lips, you being his muse and him being yours.

You giggled mildly, “I mean…that and the fact that you were a hot young rockstar…both helped.”

Joby breathed a skeptical laugh, "Why do you put up with me now? I'm not exactly a hot young rockstar anymore so..." he trailed off.

"You're such an asshole if you make me say this."

"I just want to know what exactly a guy like me did to deserve a girl like you looking after me."

"There's just something about you that is special to me. And talking to you that night at Magnolia...I felt bad."

"I got myself into my shit. You didn't need to feel bad."

You spoke hastily, "But I did! Because for years I had seen you put everything into your music. Even when the songs were underwhelming or too commercial, you went out on that stage every single fucking time and you sold it. You gave everything to be a performer. And I know that you did shit to get yourself where you were. But I just kept asking myself...who would I be to look at you...this guy who had meant everything to me...and just decide that you were done for? That you were some relic of the past. That your clock had stopped running."

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd told me to fuck off."

"I would've blamed myself. Because you have so much in you. I've seen some of your new shit. That's not stuff that a guy who's given up writes."

"Why’ve you stuck around this long? You could've easily left me to deal with everything myself but you didn't. You wrote songs with me. You kept me…company." he said.

You laughed softly, voice rasping, "I'm not allowed to just be your friend?"

"We both know that we're not just friends." Joby’s amorous tone left you in knots.

You tried to brush it aside once more, "Joby..."

"I don't get why you tiptoe around what's happening with us." His voice was dangerously low.

"I don't tiptoe. I just think that you read into things too much."

"I don't think I am. And I think you know exactly how I feel. You're just too afraid to let yourself believe it." His lips were inches from yours.

You breathed shallowly, eyes darted down to his lips. Those pink and slightly chapped lips, "Then what happens if I believe it? What changes?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"You'll have to try better than that."

"I like you so much. I like you when we fight. I like your family. I like you when you're writing and singing. I like you exactly like this. And all I can hope is that maybe the reason why you stick around is that you like me too. It's a long shot, I know but-"

"Not as much of a long shot as you'd think."

"I like almost everything about you."

Joby let his fingers slowly run up the side of your body, feeling your breath start to quicken, he asked, "What exactly do you like about me?"

You giggled before clearing your throat, "I like when you get really full of yourself. Because you get an attitude and you end up saying some really stupid shit. I like when it looks like you've just woken up. Your hair gets all messy and you look like total garbage. But in a good way."

"Mmm, I know all that though. Tell me more so I can get an even bigger ego."

You softened at his touch, still lingering on your sweater. You could practically feel his nimble fingers, burning a hole through the material. He smelled like cigarettes he hadn't smoked in weeks and an aftershave you have come to adore. It was musky, almost like sweat, but mixed with salt water.

You reached your hand up, combing some strands of hair that had fallen over his face behind his ear. "I like when you talk about your daughter and your music. I like when you paint your nails all messy. I like when you talk to me like you think I'm the coolest person you've ever met. I like when you look at me like that."

"Like what?" He squinted, unsure if you were being serious. Were you talking about all the times his gaze would flicker to your lips, wanting them all over him? Or were you talking about the stupid look he was sure he had on his face whenever he was listening to you speak.

You nodded once, "Like that, you idiot. I've thought about that night you kissed me way too often. I really thought you were trying to hook up with me with the way you were looking at me.”

He tapped on your nose, "Well, now I think you're reading into things too much."

"Oh, so you weren't trying to get anything that night? You just leave hickeys on all of your friends, don't you?"

"Yeah, it's a thing I'm trying to start doing actually. It makes a great first impression." He smiled a little. The dim lamp barely lit your face. He liked the way you were looking at him now.

"What else do you like?" he urged you to continue.

You just inched a little further, just barely grazing against the surface of your truth, "I like when you touch me. Because it feels like if we really wanted it to, it could mean something." His pink lips parted slightly at the admission. You played with the necklaces he wore as they hung down, brushing across your chest.

He couldn't let himself get his hopes up. Yeah, he was hovering over you while that content smile played on your face. But, any second now, that was sure to change. He felt like if he pinched himself, he'd wake up. "Would you want me to mean something to you? I'm kind of a deadbeat. That could really ruin your whole image."

Your half lidded stare still fixed on his necklace chains, you uttered simply, "Then ruin it."

His breath hitched in his chest, "You won't hate me for it?"

"I'll try not to." You whispered.

Joby captured your lips with his and you pulled him closer by the chains around his neck. He flung his leg over your other side to straddle your hips. His hands landed on either side of your shoulders and sank into the comforter. Quickly, you were caged in by his limbs and it was increasingly exhilarating. His tongue brushed your bottom lip and you happily let it in. This was the Joby Taylor you’d heard so much about; heavy breath and crooked teeth nipping at your lip.

He tasted like beer but you were delighted knowing he wasn’t drunk this time. Joby was stone cold sober as he seemed engrossed in the feeling of your mouth on his. You couldn't be more pleased at his urgency. But it became all the more real when he pulled back, breathless and pupils blown wide. He swallowed hard.

"What's wrong? Why'd you stop?"

Joby stammered, "I can't make you do this. I-I-I--"

"Hey, baby," Your hands cradled his face. The pads of your fingers were so soft and he closed his eyes, leaning into the contact. "I want to do this with you. You don’t need to worry about anything getting in the way now. I'm all here for it. For you.”

You kissed him this time, softer with your affection. He hummed into it and lowered until his wiry frame was just meeting yours. Your hands explored the back of his worn leather jacket, tracing the grooves of the snake design. Joby grasped at the edge of your t-shirt, breaking the kiss just to pull it off. You arched your back off the bed as it slipped over your head and Joby threw it to the side. He could tell you hadn’t been wearing a bra before but he was dumbstruck seeing your bare tits.

“Fuck,” Joby cursed softly.

“You okay there?” You giggled.

“Fuck yeah,” He immediately went to suck on your neck. He needed to see you all marked up again. He had to have something to remind himself that this wasn’t a dream; that he finally had you all for himself. He started on the spot he had once latched himself to weeks before on that freezing night. You felt him smirk against your skin when you gasped. So you laced your fingers to his scalp and tugged his dark hair from the root. The groan he let out was deliciously pleasing and every note of it sent shivers down your spine.

He made slow progress down your chest until he licked one long stripe between your tits. He brought his hand up to cup one of them, massaging the flesh before wetting two of his fingers with his tongue and tracing the outline of one of your nipples. His wet finger was cool to the touch and when his hot mouth began to suck on your other tit, it made for a lovely contrast that had your hold on his hair intensifying.

But you were quickly getting impatient; you wanted more of him. In a move he didn’t anticipate, you rolled your hips, narrowly grinding into the crotch of his jeans. Already, his cock was grazing uncomfortably against the material of his underwear and you were just making the straining ache worse.

“Joby, please just fuck me,” you begged him. He had to do a double take, still not quite believing that this was it. You were finally saying exactly what you wanted from him and he could’ve gone mad over it.

Wordlessly, he pulled away. You could hear the clink of his rings hitting the chain on his jeans as he was hurriedly unbuttoning and unzipping himself, struggling to take them off. You pressed your lips together as you started to unbutton your own pants.

He gave up trying to pull his jeans down when you asked, “Help me take these off?” He nodded quickly and you lifted your legs off the bed so he could pull both your jeans and panties off. You sat up, sliding a finger down his chest and stopping right at the hem. Joby got the message pretty quickly and shed his jackets until the white t-shirt was all that was left. You tugged it over his head and threw it into the growing collection of clothing on your floor.

He was as lanky as you’d always imagined. Long torso, pale skin, and tattoos adorning the expanses of his flesh. You wanted to run your lips over every single one of them until you memorized their shapes.

Joby caught your tenacious gaze, “Hey, what’s wrong?” For a split second he worried once more that this was the point where you’d want to turn back; that your stare was one of bewilderment. Instead you just propped yourself up to trail soft kisses on his collarbone.

Taking your bottom lip between your teeth, you looked up at him. “You really are just as hot as I thought you were back then. Probably even hotter.”

“Oh, yeah?” He perked up a little with pride. “I thought I was too much of an old man.” He brought his lips closer to yours again.

You smiled, “Mmm, maybe a little, but you’re absolutely perfect.”

He sank down with a chuckle, his nerves subdued enough that he could embrace the scene. You could feel his still clothed cock pulsating against your thigh as he went back to kissing your neck. The burning heartbeat was growing uncomfortably between your legs. Taking matters into your own hands, you reached for his groin, tried to work at dragging his jeans down his hips. He stopped you before you could get too far.

“Not yet,” his voice almost got caught in his throat as he brought your ambitious hand back to his shoulder, directly above his snake tattoo. Before you could open your mouth to protest, Joby was already making a line of soft kisses down your stomach.

His brown eyes, shadowed with a suggestive hunger, stared up at you as he pressed a kiss right above your clit. Joby Taylor knew his way around this part all too well. The hair on his chin brushed up against you, making your ears heat up as you watched him linger possessively over your cunt.

“When I first gave you that mark, I wondered what you’d taste like.” You could barely breathe, let alone speak as his index finger trailed your thigh back and forth. “I thought you’d taste sweet. Just as sweet as you’d been to me.”

“Joby, please…” you whispered. You needed him to do something more than the dirty talk.

“You don’t need to beg. I told you a long time ago, anything you want from me, it’s all yours. It’s always been yours.” He answered before dragging his tongue harshly up your slit and then flicking it against your clit. That sent a jolt of electric heat right through your stomach. Rocking your hips up, your hands flew to his hair, mussing it up even more than it usually was. As his nose knocked against your skin, he pulled away.

You almost sobbed at the loss of contact, “Oh god, Joby…” You tried to use your grasp on his hair to bring him back down but Joby easily caught one of your wrists, lowering it to his wet lips.

He kissed at the inside of your wrist, leaving imprints of yourself there, “I know what you need. You need someone who’ll appreciate everything you’ve got here. Someone who will savor you. Don’t worry, baby, I can do that. Better than your boyfriend can, at least.” He bit the inside of his lip, teasing you lightly with a smile.

“F-f-fuck you…” you sputtered out.

“You can a little later, princess. But ya gotta let me take my time. Get to know ya a little more.” He kissed your clit again but the weak pleasure only served to mock you.

“Speaking of that boyfriend. I bet he’s never done this before, has he? Never made you cum all over his face. His tongue’s too clean to fuck you with it, huh?” You clenched your eyes shut. The last thing you wanted to think about was Will. Not when you could feel Joby’s skin practically melting into yours.

Joby patted your thigh, “Eyes on me, princess.” You took a sharp breath as your eyes shot open, forced to stare at him positioned enticingly between your legs. “Good girl. I asked you a question.”

“N-n-no, no h-he hasn’t.” Your voice shook, ashamed of the answer.

“For four years…that fucker had you right in front of him. I thought he was a fucking idiot…but not that big of one.” Your chest rose and fell jaggedly, feeling his breath so close to your heat as he spoke slowly with quiet frustration. “You’re lucky my tongue is fucking filthy.”

Suddenly, he shoved two fingers into your hole, going all the way in until the ring on his middle finger brushed against the skin of your raw cunt. The cold metal made you gasp, but the heat that came from him pumping roughly quickly drowned it out, making you yelp out loud. Joby’s free hand flew to clamp over your mouth. Your eyes went wide and your brows raised, prompting him to explain.

“We don’t want the others to hear, do we?” He murmured tauntingly, dark hair falling over his eyes. Joby Taylor always had to be a little bit of a smart ass. You were transported back to a time where you could've snuck him home. But you were glad this was happening now and not then. You wouldn't have understood anything back then. You would've chosen him for all the wrong reasons. Would’ve chosen him for the way he fucked you ruggedly with his long fingers or the sound them squelching inside of you instead of how he made you feel. How he looked at you like you were his personal piece of heaven.

His hand fell away quickly from you mouth and he asked, “You like it when I fuck you like this? You wanna cum on my hand, baby?”

You held back the gasps that were threatening to leak out and straightened a little, “No,” Joby’s brow creased, “I wanna cum on that filthy fucking tongue of yours.”

Joby smiled once more, chuckling deeply, “Good answer.” You almost wanted to return the smile, finally feeling triumphant until he was humming against your folds. His tongue dove right in, eager to feel every inch of your wet walls. The pleasure leisurely built up in your abdomen and you tried to bite your lip to keep back the sounds you wanted to let out. But when your hips bucked up again, Joby wrapped his arms around your thighs, hands squeezing at your ass as he pulled you impossibly closer to his mouth.

You hoped you weren’t suffocating him as your legs encased his head, your heels digging into his back. Not even trying to control how much your hips were trembling as Joby’s tongue darted in and out of your hole, you focused on your breathing; keeping your noises as restricted as possible. You could hear him down below, gasping for breath.

If Joby was smothered between your pillowy thighs, he decided he would die happy. Digging his fingers even deeper into the meat of your ass, he could only hope that he’d make you cum at least once like this in his lifetime. He wanted to smile, barely hearing the little whines that slipped out of your mouth as his nose brushed against your clit. He nuzzled in deeper, the swift lurch of your thighs and the binding grip you had on his locks told him you enjoyed the stimulation. So he kept at it, inching you closer.

You could visualize the peak at the end of this track as Joby steadily brought you to the top. A few more nudges at your throbbing clit and it was there, climax hitting you so severely it made your breath catch in your throat. Arching off the bed, you felt yourself falling completely over the edge, tumbling down, down, down until you smacked the bottom of it hard. Your legs slowly pried apart. His face was red, and for a moment you felt guilty until you saw the satisfied smile forming on his drenched lips.

As difficult as it was, you brought yourself to your knees, thighs still wobbly. Wiping his chin, Joby stood up at the foot of the bed. He thought you’d be all spent. But you were staring at the bulge still in his jeans.

“You said you’d fuck me,” you say hopefully, remembering his cocky promise.

Joby stayed quiet as you crept towards him. Though he knew exactly what you were after now, he feigned confusion.

You giggled, “What, you don’t think I can’t take it now?” Your fingers were at his sides, pulling his jeans down. “Or maybe you can’t take me, huh? Is that it? You talk yourself up so much…but you still need someone to walk you through the real thing?”

Your teasing had Joby rushing to pull his pants down all the way. He sat back down, his cock was throbbing from being made to wait so long. The tip was swollen scarlett. You planted yourself in his lap and his cock pushed against your stomach. Your gaze darted back and forth between his impressive length and his uncertain expression. Taking him in your hand, you only furthered his perplexion.

Joby groaned as his length disappeared inside of you. He shut his eyes tightly, a little lost in the moment as a hiss escaped through his gritted teeth. It had been so long since he'd done this. And even longer since he had felt this way about a partner. The immediate intensity left him jumbled up inside. This wasn’t like any other casual encounter. He’d worked his way here.

Your whisper brought him back for a little as he bottomed out, “Go slow,” You were still sensitive from his tongue. He was thicker than his fingers, thicker than you thought he would be. Your hands braced on his shoulders as you waited for his eyes to open again.

When they did, he saw you, lips parted and studying him with anticipation. Joby rested his forehead against yours and let himself drink it in. He was sure he’d never felt this way before. Never felt this dazed unless he was drunk. None of it made a lick of sense. He had exactly what he wanted, but something was off.

What have you ever done in your miserable life to have her on your tongue and in your lap? You’ve only ever made things worse. What makes you think you won’t fuck this up too?

“Hey,” your small voice interrupted his thoughts, “You okay, Joby?” You were softening up for him again. He was starting to resent it. Not how kind you were, but how you molded yourself to be whatever anyone needed. Every single day was a performance for you. A fucking sham.

You had to know that he wasn’t going to fuck things up this time; you wouldn’t have to be anyone besides yourself for him. He would take all of you and show you that every bit mattered to him; you didn’t need to perform anymore. And as pretty as you looked, perched on top of him and ready to croon, he was going to fuck you properly.

Within seconds, Joby planted his fingers on your ass once more and maneuvered you back onto the comforter, your head falling against the pillow. He’d slipped out while switching the position but he pushed his tip back inside you, securing the connection and filling you up once more. It made you groan

Fiercely, he said, “‘M gonna make you cum again, you like the sound of that?”

You nodded quickly, reinvigorated by the way he was taking control again, “Please, just fuck me,” You craned your neck to kiss him. He swallowed your gasps as he thrusted quickly, wasting no time to set a punishing pace that was made all the more easy with how wet you were. The way you clenched around him as he pounded into your warm cunt told him you could take it. You yanked at his hair and a groan slipped out. He smiled devilishly. He knew you would want it like this, rough and hard.

Joby muttered, “‘M gonna take care of you. Forever.”

Of course your broken pieces fit so well when mixed with his. He’d never fit anywhere else because this is where he was supposed to be, with you wrapped entirely around him. You were the method to his madness, the meaning behind every piece of music he wrote, and the love song he’d been missing his entire life. It was all so clear now as he was getting near the end of his rope.

Joby was trying to keep himself from grunting with every lunge, choosing to keep himself grounded by clutching your comforter harder. His eyes were wide open, this time watching your face overtaken with mindless arousal. Despite the time that had passed since he'd done this, the brutal movements came naturally. He knew the rhythm by heart and could play you just as well as his guitar. He couldn’t help but feel proud knowing that he had you this way, sputtering for breath. Trying to say something, anything but being so lost that you had no choice but to hold onto him so he could bring you through it.

"Fuck, you feel so good- Shit- you like that?" He cursed against your gasping lips. Already, he was so close to spilling inside of you. His brow pinched together as he tried to hold back the orgasm that was threatening to rip through him. He wouldn't forgive himself if he couldn't make you cum.

His thighs slapped against yours and your bed began to squeak. "Shit, god-" Joby couldn't hold back the curses any longer, "I've wanted you for so long, wanted to make you feel good," He breathed as you clenched around him, your cunt devouring him whole and getting him higher.

Your reply came soon after, "I know I-” A choked breath stops you, “Fuck, Joby, you're gonna make me cum again," You pulled his chin back to you, kissing him again to silence the moans that were gradually getting louder as you got closer. Joby Taylor was fucking you better than you ever had been. He sounded best this way, finally giving in to the tension. His skin slapped against yours. The grunts barely made it past his clenched teeth. The skin of his jaw pulled tight against the bone as he held back his imminent release.

His vigilance peeked through as he asked, "You like that?"

And the only answers you could really manage were strangled, whiney yeses and pleases.

You couldn't remember the last time sex had been this mutual. It didn't even cross your mind that there was anything other than devotion in his actions; that every slam of his hips against your pelvis was his own declaration of affection. All you could process was how whole you felt with him inside you. Joby’s movements became sloppier, and you hooked your legs around him to keep him on course.

"Fuck, baby, ‘m close," He mumbled, "You close?" He hoped you were right there with him. You were barely able to speak anymore, your head so jumbled from the white hot pressure that was only building as you reached down to roughly flick your fingers over your clit.

"Mhmm," You hummed affirmatively, pressing your lips together and digging the nails of your free hand into his back, bracing yourself for the climax that was careening towards you. Joby hissed at the pain, relishing in the welts he knew you were leaving on him. He didn’t care if you left your marks on him.

But it was your feverish tone that sent him over the edge, hurtling towards release, "Cum in me, please, Joby, please- I need you t-" Your voice broke. With that, he was all yours, fully buried in your cunt and releasing thick ribbons of cum inside of you. The flames fell over you in glittering waves. You thrumming as the pleasure flooded every orifice of your body. Joby collapsed onto your shoulder, his cock still twitching as your legs fell away from his body.

He swallowed hard, and tucked his head into your neck aiming to alleviate the floaty feeling in his head. You closed your eyes and slid your hand up his back, bringing it to pet his hair passively.

"I fucking love you," His words were muffled against your skin as he tasted your salty sweat on his lips.

"Hmm?" You weren't fully listening, trying to recover from the euphoric shivers that were slowly washing over you, rendering you almost completely numb. You were spinning, your vision felt fuzzy. The fallout was still weighing heavily on you.

Joby cleared his throat quickly, “Where’s your bathroom?”

You sighed, too tired to put much thought into his indifferent tone. “First door in front of the stairs.” You breathed.

Carefully, Joby peeled his body from yours, sticky and sweating, cum dribbling lewdly from your cunt as he slipped himself out. He wrapped the rumpled blanket at the end of your bed around his waist, just to keep himself covered as he padded out of your bedroom to the bathroom, legs still shaking.

In there, he got two washcloths damp and wiped himself down with one before returning to you, wordlessly repeating the same motions on you. You were so exhausted you couldn’t even bother to wince as he cleaned his cum from your still sensitive slit. Then, he balled up the towels and threw them on the floor.

Joby pulled the comforter back and you finally moved so he could slip it out from under you. He settled himself beneath the blanket, lying on his side. You eased yourself over, pressing your back to his chest.

"I meant it, you know." He murmured, "I've wanted to do that for a long time."

"I know." You mumbled, feeling his arm pulling you to him. He placed a small kiss on your shoulder and the whips of his facial hair tickled you, making you shiver. As his large hand caressed your side, you clutched the blanket firmly and pulled it up to cover your chin, shutting your eyes and giving in to your exhaustion and Joby's body, curling around yours.

Taglist | @lokis-army-77 @angelicbruhl @pierres-new-spectacles@trelaney @babiezo @diveintothedanoverse @hollyisaberry @oddjacque @hjaolv

#danonation #paul dano #joby taylor #for ellen #joby taylor x reader #joby taylor x you #joby taylor x y/n #joby taylor smut #danocel #˚ʚ meda writes ɞ˚

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full-er-housefan · 4 years

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Secrets revealed

Hey guys this is a fuller house imagines that is not part of the series but was requested but familynotfandom hope you enjoy

I knock on the door leading to the fuller house and wait for the magic words "It's always open" to let myself in. I greet Deej and Steph as I make my way to the room of my boyfriend of six months. He sat at his desk running his hands through his hair trying to complete the newly assigned math homework. He had obviously not heard me come in as his face remained stuck on the assignment. I tip toed up to him and slowly wrapped my arms around him nuzzling my face in his neck inhaling his J - money cologne. He gave a small jump in surprise but once he noticed it was me he turned around to finally greet me. I had been friend with Jackson since his family had moved back in after his father death. It was an unfortunate time to meet but since then he was my bestfriend. I began liking him in seventh grade back when I could look eye to eye with him without straining my neck but once he grew height wise he also said he had grown the courage to ask me out. Since then we kept our secret hidden only doing couple things in private not out of fear of his family not approving of me no. I got along great with his family but out of fear that they would harass us with non stop question. He planted a kiss on my cheek and pulled me into his chair with him spinning back around to finish his homework. "What are you working on" I questioned laying my head on him breathing him in again. "Math." "No duh which problem." "number 7" he says tapping his pencil on the incomplete question. Having completed the homework already I tell him the answer. "How did you know." "I finished already like a good child." He rolls his eyes playfully and responds with "Well if you already finished help me." "What do I get in return." I asked sitting up while I look up at him crossing my arms. "The faster I get this done the faster I can cuddle." "Deal" We work through the problems one at a time as my head rests on his shoulder and he lightly spins his desk chair. When he is finally done we pick ourselves up and drop onto his bed. I lay on top of him messing with one of his hands that lays on my torso while his other hand runs through my hair. I almost fall asleep but Jackson begans to kiss my cheek. I push myself up and turn to face him. He kisses down my cheek to the corner of my mouth. We get so caught up in what we are doing we don't notice Max standing in the door way. "Holy chalupas" Jackson and I break apart in an instant. We watch as Max runs back outside of the room. Jackson and I quickly run to catch up to Max to make sure he doesn't expose our secret. We run down the stairs and into the middle of the living room. Just as he is about to call out to someone we close his mouth with our hands. "No Max" we yell at the same time "No Max what" Deej comes in with a Landry basket held up by her waist. "No Max ... don't ruin the surprise we have for dinner" Jackson thinks up quick I let out a breath of relief as he answered "Oh surprise what is it" Dj asks dropping her basket "Mom if I told you that it wouldn't be a surprise" Jackson calls as he drags me and Max back up the stairs. When we finally reach their room again Jackson sits Max on his bed and I sit at the desk "Max you have to promise you won't tell anyone about us" "Okay but why" "we just don't want them asking questions" "Well Jackson he seems pretty calm maybe it is time we tell everyone" I comment "Oh no I have plenty of questions I have been shipping you guys for a while but I'm holding them back because you guys look so cute interrogating" he clapped his hands together and held them at the side of his family causing you to playfully roll your eyes "Okay but Max you have to promise us you won't tell anybody" you told him pointing a stern finger "fine" he dragged out NE at the end and rolled his eyes dramatically but agreed none the less

That night at dinner

You were invited to stay the night which you obviously accepted at dinner you sat next Ramona and Tommy enjoying Dj ' s spaghetti while listening to the new topic of conversation "all I'm saying is he should man up and kiss you already Deej" Kimmy commented about Dj ' s new boyfriend Steve "Yeah even Jackson's man enough to kiss somebody" Max exclaimed Jackson went wide eyed and you choked on your bite of food when you were finally okay everyone went back to Max "Max what do you mean Jackson was kissing someone" you heard Jackson hit Max under the table "nothing" "Jackson" Dj gave Jackson a stern look and you knew he couldn't survive so you looked away in embarrassment Jackson's cheeks turned pink as almost all eyes were on him "I have a girlfriend" you heard him squeak out there was an arrangement of 'oh my gods' and 'oh wows' "so was that the big surprise" Dj asked as you found the courage to lift your head "Yup that and nothing else" he went back to eating and so did everyone else until "but wait how does Max know you were kissing with them the only girl who has been around here is ..." Steph started but never finished as she connected the piece you and Jackson looked wide eyed at her you always looked up to Steph in a motherly sort of way and begged her not to tell she winked at you as the rest looked confused at the interaction

After dinner

The kitchen was empty except for you and Steph as she held you back "so is it true" she asked "is what true" you asked clearly blushing trying to buy yourself some time "you know what are you dating Jackson" you messed with your fingers and nodded quickly to get your answer out "Oh my goodness" she covered her mouth with her hands than gave you a hug "so is that a yes" you heard from the other side of the kitchen door the rest of the family entered followed by Jackson who gave you a sheepish grin they all embraced you congratulating you and bombarding you with questions "No questions please not now" Jackson answered taking your hand leading you up the stairs "Okay but leave the door opened" you heard on your way up when you reached his room he closed the door and turned giving you a hug "I'm sorry" he whispered into your hair "It's okay I'm glad it's out" you smiled into the side of his face "really" he asked straightening out "Yeah now we don't have to hide" the both of you smiled as you planted a kiss on his lips ending your night of secrets

#jackson fuller x reader #jackson fuller imagines #jackson x reader #jackson fuller #fuller house

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prettywordsyouleft · 4 years

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Forsaken | Part 10

Summary: As one of the Forsaken, Jinyoung had no right to covet anything as his own. When he stumbles across you standing in the middle of the village he had plundered, the memories of old make him risk it all, clutching at the past in hopes for a better future.

Pairing: Park Jinyoung x reader

Genre: warrior au / star crossed lovers / angst / romance

Warnings: death, kidnapping, cursing, a myriad of emotions - this is a really sad love story.

Index: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

“I don’t know about you but it feels so freeing to be out here like this,” you commented with a skip to your step, Youngjae casting an exasperated look in your direction as he hobbled along with a cane to support him.

“Oh yes, how very wonderful when there’s not a soldier in sight to protect us.”

“Precisely!” You spun around and then grinned at Youngjae. “We could even run away together now.”

“What about Jinyoung? Don’t you worry about his heartache?”

You grinned. “He’ll find me. He did after all these years.”

“You’re foolish to think the Gods above would give you another chance if you threw away everything now.”

“I know, don’t worry I’m joking. Being completely free right now is all a pipe dream. Especially since we’re not without a warrior either.”

“Please don’t go saying because you’ve played with some weapons that you can now protect us-” Angling Youngjae to the tree line, you pointed out the shadow that you had noticed following along twenty minutes prior. “Oh. Not you then.”

“Still, I have my dagger so if anyone tries anything in the village, mark my words, I’ll stab them with it! Fear not, Youngjae!”

“I still don’t feel comfortable with you, but knowing we have Jackson following us puts me completely at ease.”

“Why, because I’m a woman?!”

“No, because you’re used to stabbing trees and stuffed bags, not humans.”

“Come a little closer and I’ll stab you instead!” you grumbled, folding your arms across your chest.

Youngjae chuckled heartily then and with the look in his eye, you called it a truce.

You were grateful for Jinyoung letting you leave the base. You hadn’t thought he would allow you out of his sights ever again, not that you would blame him for being like that. Whilst you craved the world being brighter and fuller than it was within that mountainside, you knew you couldn’t cope without seeing Jinyoung for long either.

Half the reason you were moving so fast, you realised, was so you could get back to him before dark.

Still, it was nice to head out with Youngjae. You liked him a great deal and could tell you complimented one another as friends. You were excited that he was coming along with you on your escape to Nowhere, and were determined to protect him at all costs.

You weren’t joking when you said you would stab anyone who threatened his safety.

It was nice to be doing something outside of the forest boundary line though. If you could pull off this trip to town with Youngjae, then surely you would be up for more in the future. You were hopeful that once settled in your new place together that you and Youngjae could journey to gather supplies more often, and Jackson could do so at your sides, not lurking within the shadows as he had so far.

The trip to the village took most of the morning, and after grabbing the order and a meal at the inn, you headed back in the direction you had ventured from. It was an hour into your journey home when you were startled to find Jackson running out from under the cover of the trees towards you both, throwing Youngjae over his shoulder and grabbing onto your hand. Diving behind a derelict building and the verge of a tree line, Jackson signalled for you all to be silent as he peered out from behind the wall at whatever it was that threatened your travels.

“Must we-”

He silenced your hushed question and continued to look out towards the road. It was then that you heard thundering hooves, and with a glance around Jackson, you saw the flag of the Rebellion held within a couple of the riders’ hands.

They were another battalion. Pressing yourself against the wall as flashes of the day you were kidnapped plagued you, you weren’t even aware they had fully passed by until Jackson was shaking you out of your reverie.

“Y/N, we must hurry now!”

“Why did Jinyoung let me go out if he knew there could be a battalion on the…” You trailed off then, your thoughts racing as your eyes peeled in the direction of the camp. You started to run, panic coursing throughout you.

Jackson caught up with you and pulled you back to his side. “He’ll be okay; it was you he was protecting in the first place.”

“He sent me out because he knew they were coming?”

“We had a spy tell of our plans to leave the Rebellion. Jinyoung knew Argo and his hunting team would come to interrogate. If he found you there then-”

“Then?”

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s just hurry back to safety. Youngjae, come on!”

“Do you know who the spy is?” you asked once Youngjae was at your side and Jackson shrugged. “Well, surely you have suspicions?”

“The ones in the radio tower,” Jackson offered and Youngjae gasped noisily.

“BamBam and Yugyeom?! Surely not. They’re boisterous but good kids.”

“BamBam was the last to be transferred to our base. He’s always been a bit on edge. He’s the perfect suspect to me.”

“Maybe he has a reason. He doesn’t seem like someone who would do it just to have fun.”

Jackson sighed. “Either way, he broke Jinyoung’s trust and he’s not one to be all that forgiving about it.”

“Then we must hurry to-”

“To?” Youngjae repeated at your sudden stillness, reaching out for your hand. “Y/N?”

“They’re coming back,” you murmured, hearing hooves once more.

Darting to glance over your shoulder, you were confused when you didn’t see the horses on the path behind you.

“It’s an ambush. They knew something was up, after all,” Jackson murmured, kicking himself into gear again. “Come on into the trees, the horses will find it harder within here.”

“We can’t expect Youngjae to rush! Jackson, this won’t work.”

“Go on without me,” the latter urged and you shook your head, latching onto his arm and helping him through the bramble and roots.

“I won’t leave you!”

“Nor will I. We’ll stay together,” Jackson announced, eyes peeled towards the road.

It was tough going getting deeper into the woods and yet, it seemed to help you disappear from the army searching for you. Jackson made you hide when it was needed, and then efficiently assisted you both over the overgrown territory.

You could tell this terrain was tiring Youngjae. “I don’t know how much more I can handle.”

“We need to get to safety, Youngjae.”

“You need to, not me. I’m meant to be dead anyway.”

Jackson grunted. “No one’s dying today.”

“Besides, I’m also meant to be rid of this world and here I am. Come on, Youngjae, lean on me.”

For some time, you managed to travel without any intrusion. Being this deep into the forest meant you had no idea if you were travelling the right way, and the lack of lighting made it harder for you to rely on your compass. You were certain you had made it away from your attackers when you neared a road that separated the density of the trees. It was quiet, and Jackson nodded once.

“Follow after me,” he instructed lowly, cautiously stepping out onto the road. You followed, holding Youngjae’s arm in yours.

It wasn’t until you were in the middle of the road when you realised just how deadly this was about to become. The swoosh of an arrow hurtled passed your ear and you pushed Youngjae behind you, trying to find your dagger amidst the open fire. However, Jackson’s scream startled you, your eyes widening as you watch him fall to the ground.

“Well, looky here. I found a wandering shadow. And what’s this he brings into my pathway? It wouldn’t be what that silly cat thinks he could hide from me, now would it? Catch them, boys.”

“Run, Y/N,” Youngjae said with a shove but you didn’t budge, unable to uproot yourself from his side.

You weren’t cut out for this world after all. In the face of danger, your mind blanked and you couldn’t protect either of the men you had grown fond of. You weren’t prepared for anything. Much like the daze you had been in when the fires began to burn all around you in your last home, you were far too easy to catch and incapable of helping Jackson spluttering on the ground behind you as the rough men captured you and threw you on their cart alongside Youngjae.

Gripping at your compass, you closed your eyes and willed your voice to make it to Jinyoung.

He was your only hope now.

The shock drove you into a dreamless slumber, in which you woke from when you were roughly tossed into some sort of holding cell. Youngjae landed with a cry beside you and you crawled over to his side, trying to check him over.

“How dare you hurt him, you monster!” you cried and the men merely laughed in good humour at your feeble statement.

“Did you hear that Tatum, we’re monsters.”

“Monsters seem to roam these lands a lot. Silly girl doesn’t know her place.”

“Rather be a monster than a prisoner, I’d say.”

“Don’t bother with them, Y/N. They are too rotten in the mind to care,” Youngjae breathed, trying to straighten up.

Your tears were falling freely. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“I didn’t do what I was trained to do by Jinyoung and-”

“There was no way you could have helped either of us in that situation. Maybe if you ran you would outdo them, but chances are, they would have caught you. It was what they set out to do in the first place.”

“We should have never left the camp.”

“It would have been a bloodbath if we hadn’t.”

You heaved out a shaky breath. “It could have still been.”

“Jinyoung is the cat he referred to. That man thinks he’s outwitted Jinyoung in some way. If Jackson is alive, he’ll alert Jinyoung, don’t you worry.”

“That’s what worries me. Jinyoung’s reflexes will react impulsively and we’ll all end up dead before we can escape this hell. We need to try and do something ourselves. If we can meet him in the middle, then maybe we have a better chance of getting away.”

“How? We’re locked up.”

“Not without back up,” you mentioned quietly, hiking your pant leg up just enough to show the hilt of your dagger. Youngjae grinned, reaching to smooth the fabric back down to conceal your weapon.

“What should we do next?”

“Do you ever wonder what you would do in the face of danger?”

Glancing at the older woman across the room, you sighed. “I’m not sure.”

“You should have a plan, my dear.”

“Why? Those with power will always stamp out the weak.”

“Are you saying you’re weak?” she wondered, coming over with a tray of cut fruit. She set it down on the table and then smiled warmly at you. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“Maybe, but I don’t feel like I could fight.”

“If it meant your parents could come back?” she suggested and you blinked back the instant rise in emotions. “Or that boy, the one who owns your heart. If it was for them?”

“I wouldn’t hesitate to throw myself in harm’s way.”

“We should always prepare for the worst, and live for the best, my dear.”

“Hasn’t the worst already happened for me? I’m without them all.”

“You still hold onto your life, and that is most precious.”

“Some days…” you started, sighing heavily at her reproachful stare. “Grandmother, I really don’t get the lesson you are trying to teach me right now.”

“It’s okay not to have the answers in the beginning. It’s okay to feel hopeless. But I hope with time in your situation, you will know what your best move will be.”

Thinking of Jinyoung and how he always looked over his shoulder for what-ifs, you shook your head. “I can’t keep thinking like this. If something bad comes my way, then fate can decide if I’m worthy or not.”

“Why should you put such a burden on poor fate like that?!” she chastised, holding out a piece of pear to you. “Use your surroundings to your advantage. Think of what must be done to reach out and hold onto your loved ones again. One day you might be on your own without me in this world, and I need to know you will continue to fight even then.”

“What would I do in the face of danger?” you mused, taking a bite of the pear distractedly.

If it meant seeing your loved ones one last time, you hoped you would give it your all.

_________________

Part 11

[GOT7 Masterlist] | [Main Masterlist] | [Request Guidelines]

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herwitchinesss · 6 years

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annual list of books i have read this year

(i’m already doing my favorite reads of the year in instagram posts, so look out for those instead of my usual bold = favorite that i do; if you want to know about a specific book or if i have it available to lend out on eBook or give to you via Audible, send me a message! xo)

1) Mrs. Zant and the Ghost by Wilkie Collins 2) Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier 3) DC Bombshells Vol 3 by Marguerite Bennett 4) The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell 5) The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena 6) Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi 7) The Devourers by Indra Das 8) A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho 9) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 10) The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan 11) Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson 12) A Word For Love by Emily Robbins 13) The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter by Theodora Gross 14) Ahsoka by EK Johnston 15) Gwenpool Vol 2 by Christopher Hastings 16) Spell On Wheels by Kate Leth 17) Hi-Fi Fight Club by Carly Usdin 18) Beauty Vol 1 by Jeremy Haun 19) American Housewife, stories by Helen Ellis 20) 10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac 21) Imprudence by Gail Carriger 22) The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian 23) Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman 24) Delicate Monsters by Stephanie Kuehn 25) The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney 26) Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds 27) The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay 28) My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix 29) Crash Override by Zoe Quinn 30) Forest of Memory by Mary Robinette Kowal 31) Belle: The Slave Daughter & the Lord Chief Justice by Paula Byrne 32) Invincible Summer by Alice Adams 33) Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray 34) The Trap by Melanie Raabe 35) The End of Everything by Megan Abbott 36) A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas 37) Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling (re-read) 38) The Girls by Emma Cline 39) I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest 40) The Likeness by Tana French 41) Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch 42) A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 43) The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck 44) Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch 45) Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong---- and the New Research that’s Rewriting the Story by Angela Saini 46) In the Woods by Tana French 47) The Mothers by Brit Bennett 48) Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch 49) Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal 50) The World Is Bigger Now by Euna Lee 51) Hope In the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit 52) Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch 53) The Psychopath Inside by James Fallon 54) Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney 55) iZombie vol 1 by Chris Roberson 56) The End of the Affair by Graham Greene 57) The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch 58) Mercury by Margot Livesey 59) The Witches of New York by Ami McKay 60) The Girl At Midnight by Melissa Grey 61) Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller 62) Caraval by Stephanie Garber 63) Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace 64) Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor 65) The World According to Star Wars by Cass R Sunstein 66) Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero 67) The Sleeper & the Spindle by Neil Gaiman 68) Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley 69) The Runaways by Brian K Vaughan 70) Monstress Vol 1 by Marjorie M Liu 71) Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage 72) November 9 by Colleen Hoover 73) The People We Hate At the Wedding by Grant Ginder 74) How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett 75) Mosquitoland by David Arnold 76) Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll 77) The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue by Mackenzi Lee 78) Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian 79) Fire with Fire by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian 80) Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian 81) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 82) Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood 83) The Most Dangerous Place on Earth by Lindsey Lee Johnson 84) How To Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather 85) The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia 86) You’re Never Weird On the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day 87) One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus 88) Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (re-read) 89) Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris 90) Lost Stars by Claudia Gray 91) The Mistletoe Murder & Other Stories by PD James 92) Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 93) I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being a Woman by Nora Ephron 94) Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo & the Battle That Defined a Generation by Blake J Harris 95) We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson 96) Dear Mr You by Mary-Louise Parker 97) Carry On by Rainbow Rowell 98) The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant 99) Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt 100) Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth by Warsan Shire 101) Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales by Nelson Mandela 102) We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley 103) Girl Walks Into a Bar... by Rachel Dratch 104) Bloodline by Claudia Gray 105) Romeo & Juliet by David Hewson 106) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng 107) You Don’t Look Your age... And Other Fairy Tales by Sheila Nevins 108) The Regional Office Is Under Attack! by Manuel Gonzales 109) Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce 110) The Color Master: Stories by Aimee Bender 111) The Inseperables by Stuart Nadler 112) Rani Patel in Full Effect by Sonia Patel 113) Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple 114) Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto 115) We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrrl to Covergirl, the Buying & Selling of a Political Movement by Andi Zeisler 116) Beast by Brie Spangler 117) Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham 118) Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey 119) The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald 120) Dare Me by Megan Abbott 121) Eleven Hours by Pamela Erens 122) Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett 123) Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor 124) Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde 125) The Briefcase by Hiromi Kawakami 126) The Fever by Megan Abbott 127) Illusionarium by Heather Dixon 128) Life After Life by Kate Atkinson 129) Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson 130) The Dinner by Herman Koch 131) The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters 132) In the Country by Mia Alvar 133) Putin’s Russia by Anna Politkovskaya 134) You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott 135) The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura 136) Jackaby by William Ritter 137) Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson 138) Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 139) Rain by Amanda Sun 140) Norwegian by Night by Derek B Miller 141) The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco 142) Iron Cast by Destiny Soria 143) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 144) Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn & David Leviathan 145) The Long Way To a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers 146) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami 147) People of the Book, Jewish Sci-Fi/Fantasy anthology by various authors 148) Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, re-read 149) Exit, Pursued by a Bear by EK Johnston 150) The Bear & the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 151) The Nature of a Pirate by AM Dellamonica 152) Ink by Amanda Sun 153) More Than This by Patrick Ness 154) The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson 155) A Daughter of No Nation by AM Dellamonica 156) Lucky Us by Amy Bloom 157) This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper 158) Child of a Hidden Sea by AM Dellamonica 159) Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín 160) Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick 161) The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy 162) Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 163) Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly 164) Candide by Voltaire 165) After You by JoJo Moyes 166) Pocket Full of Posies by Angela Roquet 167) Snow Flower & the Secret Fan by Lisa See 168) English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs 169) The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close 170) DC Bombshells vol 4 by Marguerite Bennett 171) DC Bomsbells Vol 5 by Marguerite Bennett 172) DC Bombshells Vol 6 by Marguerite Bennett 173) The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe by CS Lewis re-read 174) Breakfast At Tiffany’s by Truman Capote, re-read 175) The Love Artist by Jane Alison 176) Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling, re-read

#booklr #books #reading #2017 reads #reading challenge

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viralhottopics · 7 years

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Kids’ Choice Awards 2017: The Complete Winners List!

The kids have spoken — and it’s not just about John Cena getting slimed!!

The 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards took place Saturday night, and some stars walked away as fan favorites.

In case you missed any of the awards, we’ve got the complete winners list right here.

Ch-ch-check it out (below)!

Favorite Kids’ Show

Game Shakers Girl Meets World Henry Danger (Winner) Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn The Thundermans

Favorite Family Show

Big Bang Theory Black-ish Fuller House (Winner) Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Supergirl The Flash

Favorite Reality Show

America’s Funniest Home Videos America’s Got Talent (Winner) American Ninja Warrior Paradise Run Shark Tank The Voice

Favorite Cartoon

ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks SpongeBob SquarePants (Winner) Teen Titans Go! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Amazing World of Gumball The Loud House

Favorite Male TV Star

Benjamin Flores Jr. (Triple G, Game Shakers) Aidan Gallagher (Nicky, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn) Jack Griffo (Max, The Thundermans) Jace Norman (Henry, Henry Danger) (Winner) Casey Simpson (Ricky, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn) Tyrel Jackson Williams (Leo, Lab Rats)

Favorite Female TV Star

Zendaya (K.C., K.C. Undercover) (Winner) Rowan Blanchard (Riley, Girl Meets World) Dove Cameron (Liv and Maddie, Liv and Maddie) Lizzy Greene (Dawn, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn) Kira Kosarin (Phoebe, The Thundermans) Breanna Yde (Tomika, School of Rock)

Favorite Movie

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Captain America: Civil War Ghostbusters (Winner) Pete’s Dragon Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Favorite Movie Actor

Ben Affleck (Batman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) Will Arnett (Vernon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows) Henry Cavill (Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Captain America: Civil War) Chris Evans (Captain America, Captain America: Civil War) Chris Hemsworth (Kevin, Ghostbusters) (Winner)

Favorite Movie Actress

Amy Adams (Lois, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) Megan Fox (April, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows) Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow, Captain America: Civil War) Felicity Jones (Jyn, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) Melissa McCarthy (Abby, Ghostbusters) (Winner) Kristen Wiig (Erin, Ghostbusters)

Favorie Animated Movie

Finding Dory (Winner) Moana Sing The Secret Life of Pets Trolls Zootopia

Favorite Voice From An Animated Movie

Ellen DeGeneres (Dory, Finding Dory) (Winner) Kevin Hart (Snowball, The Secret Life of Pets) Dwayne Johnson (Maui, Moana) Anna Kendrick (Poppy, Trolls) Justin Timberlake (Branch, Trolls) Reese Witherspoon (Rosita, Sing)

Favorite Villain

Helena Bonham Carter (The Red Queen, Alice Through the Looking Glass) Idris Elba (Krall, Star Trek Beyond) Will Ferrell (Mugatu, Zoolander 2) Kevin Hart (Snowball, The Secret Life of Pets) (Winner) Charlize Theron (Ravenna, The Huntsman: Winter’s War) Spencer Wilding (Darth Vader, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Favorite Butt-Kicker

Ben Affleck (Batman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) Henry Cavill (Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) Chris Evans (Captain America, Captain America: Civil War) (Winner) Chris Hemsworth (The Huntsman, The Huntsman: Winter’s War) Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow, Captain America: Civil War) Felicity Jones (Jyn, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique, X-Men: Apocalypse) Zoe Saldana (Lieutenant Uhura, Star Trek Beyond)

BFFs (Best Friends Forever)

Ruby Barnhill & Mark Rylance (Sophie/BFG, The BFG) Kevin Hart & Dwayne Johnson (Bob/Calvin, Central Intelligence) (Winner) Kevin Hart & Ice Cube (Ben/James, Ride Along 2) Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto (Captain Kirk/Spock, Star Trek Beyond) Neel Sethi & Bill Murray (Mowgli/ Baloo, Jungle Book) Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson (Derek/Hansel, Zoolander 2)

Favorite Frenemies

Ben Affleck & Henry Cavill (Batman/Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) Chris Evans & Robert Downey Jr. (Captain America/Iron Man, Captain America: Civil War) Ginnifer Goodwin & Jason Bateman (Judy/Nick, Zootopia) (Winner) Dwayne Johnson & Auli’I Cravalho (Moana/Maui, Moana) Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake (Poppy/Branch, Trolls) Charlize Theron & Emily Blunt (Ravenna/Freya, The Huntsman: Winter’s War)

Most Wanted Pet

Baloo from The Jungle Book (Bill Murray) Dory from Finding Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) Po from Kung Fu Panda 3 (Jack Black) Red from The Angry Birds Movie (Jason Sudeikis) Rosita from Sing (Reese Witherspoon) Snowball from The Secret Life of Pets (Kevin Hart) (Winner)

#Squad

Finding Dory Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Kaitlin Olson, Hayden Rolence, Willem Dafoe, Ed O’Neill, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy (Winner)

Captain America: Civil War – Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman Ghostbusters Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson X-Men: Apocalypse James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Tye Sheridan, Ben Hardy, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Sophie Turner, Alexandra Shipp, Olivia Munn

Favorite Music Group

The Chainsmokers Fifth Harmony (Winner) Maroon 5 OneRepublic Pentatonix Twenty One Pilots

Favorite Male Singer

Drake Justin Bieber Bruno Mars Shawn Mendes (Winner) Justin Timberlake The Weeknd

Favorite Female Singer

Adele Beyonc Ariana Grande Selena Gomez (Winner) Rihanna Meghan Trainor

Favorite Song

“24K Magic” Bruno Mars “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” Justin Timberlake “Heathens” Twenty One Pilots “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” Adele “Side to Side” Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj “Work From Home” Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign (Winner)

Favorite New Artist

Kelsea Ballerini The Chainsmokers Daya Lukas Graham Solange Rae Sremmurd Hailee Steinfeld Twenty One Pilots (Winner)

Favorite Music Video

“24K Magic” Bruno Mars “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” Justin Timberlake “Formation” Beyonc “Juju on That Beat” Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall (Winner) “Me Too” Meghan Trainor “Stressed Out” Twenty One Pilots

Favorite DJ/EDM Artist

Martin Garrix Calvin Harris (Winner) Major Lazer Skrillex DJ Snake Zedd

Favorite Soundtrack

Hamilton Me Before You Moana Sing Suicide Squad (Winner) Trolls

Favorite Viral Music Artist

Tiffany Alvord Matty B Carson Lueders Johnny Orlando Jacob Sartorius JoJo Siwa (Winner)

Favorite Global Music Star

5 Seconds of Summer (Australia/New Zealand) BIGBANG (Asia) Bruno Mars (North America) Little Mix (UK) (Winner) Shakira (South America) Zara Larsson (Europe)

Favorite Video Game

Just Dance 2017 (Winner) Lego Marvel’s Avengers Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Minecraft: Story Mode Paper Mario: Color Splash Pokmon Moon

So fun!!!

Congrats to all the BIG winners!!!

What’d U think of last night’s show, Perezcious readers?! Let us know in the comments (below)!!!

Read more: http://bit.ly/2mE1Ucd

from Kids’ Choice Awards 2017: The Complete Winners List!

#Kids’ Choice Awards 2017: The Complete Winners List!

78 notes · View notes

aion-rsa · 7 years

Text

Dark Horse Comics’ April 2017 Solicitations

Dark Horse has provided CBR News with covers and solicit information for products shipping April, 2017. When you’re through checking out these solicitations, be sure to visit CBR’s Indie Comics Forum and discuss these Dark Horse releases with fellow readers.

Dark Horse Solicitations – Last Six Months

Product shipping March 2017

Product shipping February 2017

Product shipping January 2017

Product shipping December 2016

Product shipping November 2016

Product shipping October 2016

Abe Sapien Volume 9: Lost Lives and Other Stories TP

Mike Mignola (W), Scott Allie (W), John Arcudi (W), Michael Avon Oeming (A), Mark Nelson (A), Kevin Nowlan (A), Alise Gluškova (A), Santiago Caruso (A), Dave Stewart (C), Juan Ferreyra (A/C), Eduardo Ferreyra (A/C), and Sebastián Fiumara (Cover)

On sale June 7 • FC, 152 pages • $19.99 • TP, 7” x 10”

These six stories trace the history and prehistory of Abe Sapien’s adventures, from his earliest days in the Bureau with Hellboy (as drawn by Kevin Nowlan) through the frog war, featuring an appearance by deceased homunculus Roger, to his current evolved form, when he’s looking back on his life as a man in 1850s England.

Collects the Abe Sapien one-shots #8, #15, #23, #27, and #30 and “Abe Sapien: Subconscious” from Dark Horse Presents (volume 3) #11.

The Adventures of Superhero Girl (Expanded Edition) HC

EISNER AWARD WINNER FOR BEST PUBLICATION FOR KIDS!

Faith Erin Hicks (W/A/Cover) and Cris Peter (C)

On sale June 14 • FC, 128 pages • $16.99 • HC, 10” x 7”

What if you can leap tall buildings and defeat alien monsters with your bare hands, but you buy your capes at secondhand stores and have a weakness for kittens? Cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks brings charming humor to the trials and tribulations of a young female superhero, battling monsters both supernatural and mundane in an all-too-ordinary world.

The expanded edition collects the original comic, two new stories, and new art from creators including Tyler Crook, Ron Chan, Jake Wyatt, Paulina Ganucheau, and more!

Foreword by Kurt Busiek!

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 (of 4)

JAMES STOKOE’S ALIENS!

James Stokoe (W/A/Cover) and Geof Darrow (Variant cover)

On sale Apr 26 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

After a horrific accident strikes a space station, an engineering officer must use all available tools—a timer, utility kit, and his wits—to survive an attack from the deadliest creature known to man.

Orc Stain creator James Stokoe pens a thrilling and claustrophobic Aliens story: Dead Orbit!

On sale on Alien Day: 4/26/17!

GEOF DARROW VARIANT!

Aliens: Defiance #12

Brian Wood (W), Stephen Thompson (A), Dan Jackson (C), and Stephanie Hans (Cover)

On sale May 31 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

After her return to Earth, Zula Hendricks fully expects to answer for her defiance. But instead of military tribunals, what she experiences is a chilling look into the future of warfare, courtesy of Weyland-Yutani’s R&D labs. Her mission may not be over just yet.

“Defiance . . . has the potential to be the new benchmark. Go get it.”—Hulking Reviewer

American Gods: Shadows #2

Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed story now in comics!

Neil Gaiman (W), P. Craig Russell (W/A), Scott Hampton (A/C), Glenn Fabry (Cover), and David Mack (Variant cover)

On sale Apr 12 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

Fresh out of jail, Shadow Moon finds himself recruited as a bodyguard for the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, only to be interrupted and kidnapped by the dangerous Technical Boy, who wants answers as to Wednesday’s plans.

The Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, and Nebula award–winning novel and upcoming Starz television series by Neil Gaiman is adapted as a comic series for the first time!

A Starz TV show by Bryan Fuller (NBC’s Hannibal) based on the novel will debut this spring.

“The American Gods comic is going to be an astonishing, faithful, and beautiful adaptation.”—Neil Gaiman

Angel Season 11 #4

Corinna Bechko (W), Geraldo Borges (A), Michelle Madsen (C), Scott Fischer (Cover), and Jeff Dekal (Variant cover)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

Angel is caught facing an unrelenting Illyria of the past, an unrelenting Illyria of the future, and an impending volcanic eruption. For him to save an entire race of demons, satisfy both Illyrias, and get himself and Fred back to the future, he will have to convince at least one of the goddesses to trust someone other than themselves—specifically, him!

First-arc finale of Angel Season 11!

The Art of Prey HC

Prey returns!

On sale June 27 • FC, 184 pages • $39.99 • HC, 9” x 12”

A dark force is tormenting Talos I, and survival depends as much on wit as strength. Now, journey alongside Morgan Yu to discover the mysteries within Prey. Arkane Studios and Dark Horse Books are proud to present a comprehensive collection of art from the development of this long-awaited and hotly anticipated game!

The Art of Splatoon HC

THE MOST AMAZE-INK ART BOOK!

Nintendo (W/A)

On sale June 13 • FC, 320 pages • $39.99 • HC, 8 1/2″ x 12”

The Art of Splatoon contains 320 inkredible pages of artwork from Nintendo’s splash-hit video game, including 2D and 3D illustrations of your favorite characters, maps, concept art, weapon and gear design, storyboards, sketches, hand-drawn comics . . . and that’s only an inkling of what’s inside. We’re not squidding around: this is a must-have for all fans of Splatoon!

Character illustrations!

Concept art!

Featuring artwork from Nintendo’s hit game!

Baltimore: The Red Kingdom #3 (of 5)

Mike Mignola (W), Christopher Golden (W), Peter Bergting (A), Michelle Madsen (C), and Ben Stenbeck (Cover)

On sale Apr 5 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

Baltimore’s team fight their way into the Vatican as the Red King prepares for his coronation day.

“The writing is a good old fashioned slay-em-dead story.”—Comic Attack

Black Hammer #8

BRAND-NEW STORY ARC!

Jeff Lemire (W/Variant cover), Dean Ormston (A/Cover), and Dave Stewart (C)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

There’s something unusual about the sleepy farming community of Rockwood: it’s now the home of Spiral City’s mysteriously vanished superheroes. But not by choice: they were banished to the town after a battle with the Anti-God, and now they’re stuck within its boundaries. Lately, a new arrival in town has started asking questions, and she’s discovering that its superpowered residents aren’t the only strange thing about Rockwood . . .

Voted one of the best comics of 2016 by IGN!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 11 #6

Christos Gage (W), Rebekah Isaacs (A/Variant cover), Dan Jackson (C), and Steve Morris (Cover)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

Life in the Safe Zone internment camp is not improving, and Buffy’s status as a peacekeeper has made her a target of the other inmates—but just what are they afraid she might do? Perhaps discover something more sinister going on within the Safe Zone’s impenetrable walls? Stakes are raised in Season 11!

Buffy: The High School Years—Parental Parasite TP

Kel McDonald (W), Yishan Li (A), and Scott Fischer (Cover)

On sale June 28 • FC, 80 pages • $10.99 • TP, 6” x 9”

Buffy struggles to deal with her mom Joyce’s newfound interest in spending time with her. Balancing that with her schoolwork, her friends, and her regular vampire-slaying duties is a challenge. However, when Joyce becomes hypnotized by a childlike demon that craves motherly care, Buffy experiences a new kind of sibling rivalry—except in Buffy’s case, her “sibling” is actually a monster!

Writer Kel McDonald (Misfits of Avalon, Sorcery 101, Angel & Faith), and artist Yishan Li return to Buffy!

Set during Season 1 of the television series.

Call of Duty: Zombies #4 (of 6)

Justin Jordan (W), Jonathan Wayshak (A), Dan Jackson (C), and Simon Bisley (Cover)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

Waves of zombies just keep coming—first in the Call of Duty®: Zombies games, and now from Dark Horse Comics!

Marlton, Misty, Russman, and Stuhlinger think they’ve found a moment’s peace, but the approaching horde of zombies is about to destroy that. Faced with the decision of fight or flight, the crew argues and splits up. When Maxis’s emergency security measures are activated, will it be every man for himself?

Dark Horse Presents #33

Ron Randall (W/A), Carla Speed McNeil (W/A), Ryan Browne (W/A), Jim Alexander (W), Shannon Wheeler (W/A/Cover), Paul Levitz (W), Will Pickering (A), Fin Campbell (A), and Tim Hamilton (A)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 48 pages • $4.99 • Ongoing

Mercy St. Clair returns to DHP this month with Ron Randall’s Trekker: The Volstock Payoff! Paul Levitz and Tim Hamilton’s Brooklyn Blood concludes! Plus, Ryan Browne contributes the hilarious one-shot There’s a Gorilla on the Cover! Carla Speed McNeil’s Finder, Jim Alexander and Will Pickering’s Savant, and Shannon Wheeler’s Too Much Coffee Man round out this issue.

Comics’ premier Anthology!

Dead Inside #5 (of 5)

John Arcudi (W), Toni Fejzula (A), André May (C), and Dave Johnson (Cover)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

What started as a simple murder investigation ended in a prison riot. But it’s not quite over yet—Detective Caruso is betting that if she can get a little closer to the case, she’ll be able to find the missing piece that pulls it all together. But in this case, getting closer means hostage negotiation with an armed convict.

“An intriguing set-up to a compelling mystery, well-executed by the consistently great John Arcudi. And with fantastic-looking art to boot!”—John Layman (Chew)

Dept. H #13

Matt Kindt (W/A/Cover) and Sharlene Kindt (C)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 28 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

The love of Mia’s life, Alain, is desperately trying to maintain contact with her and the rest of the surviving crew trapped in the Dept. H base. With six miles of ocean between him and the woman he loves, will he be able to help her fight bloodthirsty sea creatures, including psychic jellyfish?

“Dept. H by Matt Kindt is my new fave comic, an underwater sci-fi whodunnit from Dark Horse Comics. Total, total genius!”—Mark Millar (Reborn)

The EC Archives: Crime SuspenStories Volume 3 HC

Various (W/A)

On sale June 14 • FC, 216 pages • $49.99 • HC, 8 3/16” x 11”

Jolting tales of criminals, capers, and tension! Collecting issues #13–#18 of Crime SuspenStories from the twisted artistic talents of Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig, Bill Gaines, Jack Kamen, Sid Check, Al Williamson, Fred Peters, Graham Ingels, George Evans, Joe Orlando, and more. Featuring a foreword by David Del Valle.

ElfQuest: The Final Quest Volume 3 TP

Wendy Pini (W/A/Cover), Richard Pini (W), and Sonny Strait (C)

On sale June 28 • FC, 136 pages • $17.99 • TP, 7” x 10”

The late Angrif Djun’s destructive fleet looms closer, seeking to wreak havoc on the elves and any humans that stand in their defense. Rayek, influenced by the dark, dangerous spirit of Winnowill, fights for control of his very nature. And the Wolfriders try to track down their chief, whose own spirit hangs in the balance.

Collects issues #13-#18.

Empowered and the Soldier of Love #3 (of 3)

Adam Warren (W) and Karla Diaz (A/Cover)

On sale Apr 26 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

As the very fabric of reality itself unravels around them in a frighteningly literal “storm of burning passion,” can a desperate Empowered and Ninjette stop the embittered, disillusioned, and out-of-control Soldier of Love from using her supercharged “magical-girl” powers to eradicate the entire concept of love from their city?

2017 marks the tenth anniversary of Empowered!

Story by series creator Adam Warren!

Spectacular art by web comic superstar Karla Diaz!

Empowered Volume 10 TP

Adam Warren (W/A/Cover)

On sale June 21 • b&w, 216 pages • $19.99 • TP, 6 1/2″ x 9”

Costumed crimefighter Empowered, delighted by her long-delayed promotion to full-time membership in the Superhomeys, enjoys a suprasocial-media “victory lap.” But will her newfound satisfaction survive the challenges of obnoxious “white knights,” disturbing cryoprison visits, alarming alien medical scans and—worst of all—the revelation of a lover’s dark secret?

Over 250,000 copies sold of Empowered volumes!

“Adam Warren continues to beat the odds and persists in getting better and better with his spicy superhero romp.”—Johnny Bacardi, Popdose.com

Fate/Zero Volume 5 TP

Shinjiro (W/A/Cover)

On sale June 14 • b&w, 168 pages • $11.99 • TP, 5 1/8″ x 7 1/4″

Two desperate hunts stalk the dark woods that shroud Einzbern Castle, as Lancer and Saber confront the hideous sorcery of Caster, incarnation of the fiendish Gilles de Rais, while Irisviel follows Maiya in search of the master magician Kirei. Is mage killer Kiritsugu risking both his wife and his mistress in a cold-blooded scheme to assassinate Kirei . . . ?

Femina and Fauna: The Art of Camilla d’Errico (Second Edition) HC

Back in print!

Camilla d’Errico (W/A/Cover)

On sale June 28 • FC, 132 pages • $24.99 • HC, 8 1/2″ x 11”

Superstar artist Camilla d’Errico’s first Dark Horse art book, now back in print in an improved and updated second edition!

This revised volume features a new foreword by the creator of the Tokidoki brand, Simone Legno, a new introduction by d’Errico herself, and a selection of additional art unique to this edition. It’s a must-have for all fans of pop and fine art alike!

A new cover, a new introduction by the artist, and new artwork not seen in the first edition!

Frigates of EVE Online: The Cross Sections HC

Paul Elsy (W), Charles White (W), and Will Burns (A/Cover)

On sale June 6 • FC, 160 pages • $29.99 • HC, 9” x 12”

Featuring detailed images of twenty-eight of the most iconic ships in EVE Online, this beautifully illustrated guide offers an unprecedented look into frigates from each faction with intricate cutaways and complex lore. Dark Horse Books is proud to partner with CCP Games to present Frigates of EVE Online: The Cross Sections!

Featuring exclusive looks at the ships from EVE Online!

Game of Thrones Melisandre Figure

On sale August 16 • 8” figure • $27.99

Melisandre is a Red Priestess of Asshai and is possessed of arcane powers and a fatal beauty. She was last seen riding away from Winterfell after the Battle of the Bastards, exiled by Jon Snow. Will she return in Season 7 of HBO’s award-winning adaptation? We think so!

This highly detailed 8” figure captures the stern and determined expression of Melisandre.

Game of Thrones Magnetic Bookmark Set #3

On sale June 14 • Set of four bookmarks • $6.99

Fans following HBO’s Game of Thrones are often referring back to their books, since there are so many characters and plot lines to follow. A great way to keep it all straight is by using these brand new Dark Horse magnetic bookmarks. This third edition features newly selected lush color portraits of four favorite characters in updated costumes.

Game of Thrones 2.25” Magnets

Arryn

$4.99

Baratheon

$4.99

Bolton

$4.99

Frey

$4.99

Greyjoy

$4.99

Lannister

$4.99

Martell

$4.99

Stannis-Baratheon

$4.99

Stark

$4.99

Targaryen

$4.99

Tully

$4.99

Tyrell

$4.99

Here is an opportunity for you to enable your customers to truly show allegiance to their favorite Game of Thrones houses. Dark Horse is proud to showcase a collection of twelve individual sigil magnets, measuring 2.25”. Each is produced in full color and bold clarity and packaged individually in a polybag with backing card.

On sale Feb 22

The Goon Library Volume 5 HC

Eric Powell (W/A/Cover), John Arcudi (W), Patton Oswalt (W), Thomas Lennon (W), Mark Buckingham (A), Guy Davis (A), Bill Morrison (A), and Bill Farmer (C)

On sale June 7 • FC, 472 pages • $49.99 • HC, 8” x 12 3/16”

What’s left of the Zombie Priest’s race of witches come after the Goon, forcing him to face his nightmares or lose his town! The witch coven believe that control of Goon’s town will soon be in their grasp and his tragic soul will contribute to the curse that increases their power. But has their plot destroyed the Goon or created a monster too savage for them to withstand?

This library edition collects The Goon Volumes 13–15 and The Goon Noir.

Halo Library Edition Volume 2 HC

Duffy Boudreau (W), Sergio Ariño (P), Douglas Franchin (P/I), Ian Richardson (P), Juan Castro (I), Rob Lean (I), Denis Freitas (I), Carlos Eduardo (I), Michael Atiyeh (C), and Isaac Hannaford (Cover)

On sale June 14 • FC, 296 pages • $49.99 • HC, 9” x 12”

One of the most popular video game franchises ever receives another deluxe hardcover! In this volume, follow the UNSC Spartans as they attempt to halt Dr. Catherine Halsey and Jul ‘Mdama’s pursuit of the Janus Key—the fate of the entire galaxy depends on them! This volume collects Halo: Escalation #13–#24 and features a cover gallery, annotations, and behind-the-scenes extras!

The conclusion of Escalation in a deluxe, oversized hardcover!

Features exclusive annotations!

Includes a cover gallery and behind-the-scenes extras!

Harrow County #22

Cullen Bunn (W) and Tyler Crook (A/Cover)

On sale Apr 12 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Ongoing

When another magical force starts flexing its power in Harrow County, Emmy is surprised to learn that one of her oldest friends may be turning against her. While Emmy has been focused on dealing with threats from the outside world, perhaps a much bigger problem has been brewing at home.

“This is one of the best horror series I’ve ever read. It goes beyond the typical horror stereotypes, and brings a deeper, more sophisticated kind of terror to the audience. This is definitely a series for all horror fans.”—ComicWow!

Hatsune Miku: Acute TP

Shiori Asahina (W/A/Cover)

On sale June 7 • b&w, 172 pages • $10.99 • TP, 5 1/8” x 7 1/4″

Acute, like the three angles of a triangle. Acute, as in the three sharp points. Acute is the tragic relationship between three Vocaloids: Miku, Kaito, and Luka! Once they were all friends making songs—but while Kaito might make a duet with Miku or a duet with Luka, a love song all three of them sing together can only end in sorrow! Based on the song with over 4.4 million combined views on YouTube and Niconico.

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1954—Ghost Moon #2 (of 2)

Mike Mignola (W), Chris Roberson (W), Brian Churilla (A), Dave Stewart (C), and Mike Huddleston (Cover)

On sale Apr 12 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

Hellboy squares off against a pair of Chinese demons while Sue psychically hunts down the source of the supernatural trouble in Hong Kong.

The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars Part One TP

The official continuation of The Legend of Korra!

Michael Dante DiMartino (W), Irene Koh (A/Cover), Jane Bak (C), Vivian Ng (C), and Heather Campbell (Cover)

On sale June 7 • FC, 80 pages • $10.99 • TP, 6” x 9”

Relishing their new relationship, Korra and Asami leave the spirit world . . . but find nothing in Republic City but political high jinks and human vs. spirit conflict!

A pompous developer plans to turn the new spirit portal into an amusement park, potentially severing an already tumultuous connection with the spirits. What’s more, the triads have realigned and are in a brutal all-out brawl at the city’s borders—where hundreds of evacuees have relocated!

Written by series cocreator Michael Dante DiMartino and drawn by Irene Koh (Secret Origins: Batgirl, Afrina and the Glass Coffin), with consultation by Bryan Konietzko, this is the official continuation of The Legend of Korra!

The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts Limited Edition HC

Nintendo (W/A)

On sale Feb 21 • FC, 424 pages • $79.99 • Ltd. Ed. HC, 9” x 12”

Experience the thrill of finding and unsheathing the Master Sword with The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts limited edition. The sword itself is a 3D embossed sculpt with a metallic foil finish and is printed at the size of an actual sword hilt to give the reader the satisfaction of unsheathing the realistic-looking sword from the acetate sleeve sheathe that encases the book. The cover’s background features the Lost Woods in a deep, custom-mixed purple ink with a soft-touch lamination and spot-gloss UV which is framed with metallic foil. The pages are gilded to round out the premium enhancements.

3D embossed Master Sword!

Acetate sleeve sheathe!

Gilded pages!

Metallic finish!

Contains over 400 pages of illustrations from the thirty year history of Zelda.

The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the Twenty-First Century (Second Edition) TP

FRANK MILLER! DAVE GIBBONS!

Frank Miller (W), Dave Gibbons (A/Cover), and Angus McKie (C)

On sale June 7 • FC, 600 pages • $29.99 • TP, 7” x 10”

Our story begins in the squalid corridors of a maximum-security housing project, where a young girl will rise from the war-torn streets of Chicago to battle injustice in a world insane with corruption. Her fight will take her far, from the frontlines of the second American Civil War to the cold, unforgiving reaches of space. She will be called a hero, a traitor, and nearly everything in between, but all along the way, her courage, her integrity, and her unwavering commitment to that most valuable of rights—liberty—will inspire a movement that will never surrender.

Collecting remastered versions of every Martha Washington, an extensive behind-the-scenes section, an introduction by Frank Miller, and a brand-new cover by Dave Gibbons!

Lobster Johnson: The Pirate’s Ghost #2 (of 3)

Mike Mignola (W), John Arcudi (W), and Tonci Zonjic (A/Cover)

On sale Apr 26 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

The Lobster searches for a connection between a missing reporter and the appearance of a ghostly pirate ship.

The Once and Future Queen #2 (of 5)

Adam P. Knave (W), D.J. Kirkbride (W), and Nickolas Brokenshire (A/Cover)

On sale Apr 12 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

Battles are fought, weapons are bestowed, and romance begins to blossom! The new queen puts together her own Round Table as Merlin reveals what set the fae war off in the first place, the King in Shadow plots the defeat of humanity, and a devious third party is revealed . . . Are they friend or foe?

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle Extravagonzo HC

A New York Times best-selling series!

Paul Tobin (W), Tim Lattie (A), Matt J. Rainwater (C), and Ron Chan (Cover)

On sale June 14 • FC, 80 pages • $9.99 • HC, 6” x 9”

A new, standalone graphic novel by Paul Tobin and Tim Lattie! Zomboss is back, hoping to buy the same factory at the center of Neighborville that his nemesis Crazy Dave is eyeing! Will Crazy Dave and his intelligent plants beat Zomboss and his zombie army to the punch? The Battle Extravagonzo is on!

The first Plants vs. Zombies original graphic novel!

Prometheus: Life and Death One-Shot

Dan Abnett (W), Brian Albert Thies (A), Rain Beredo (C), David Palumbo (Cover), and Sachin Teng (Variant cover)

On sale Apr 26 • FC, 48 pages • $5.99 • One-shot

The surviving Colonial Marines on the planet LV-223 face a final battle with an injured and enraged Engineer—and, somewhere out in space, three trapped humans seek to change the course of the Engineer’s ship . . . and possibly the history of humanity!

The final installment of the Life and Death saga!

Rebels: These Free and Independent States #2 (of 8)

Brian Wood (W), Andrea Mutti (A), Lauren Affe (C), and Matthew Taylor (Cover)

On sale Apr 26 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

Twenty years old and already an experienced shipbuilder, John Abbott divides his time between the construction of the USS Constitution and dabbling in the raucous and sometimes violent political demonstrations happening around him. After he falls in with two abolitionists one night in Boston, things take a tragic turn.

From best-selling writer Brian Wood (The Massive, DMZ, Northlanders).

“Brian Wood has resurrected an era of American history that will satisfy the history buff and the lover of good comics alike.”—The Latest Pull

RG Veda Book 3 TP

CLAMP (W/A/Cover)

On sale June 21 • b&w, 656 pages • $24.99 • TP, 5 3/4″ x 8 1/4″

RG Veda (pronounced Rig Veda) is based on the classic Indian saga of the same name. The Six Stars have at last reached Zenmi Palace to confront the evil god-king Taishakuten. As the tyrant prepares to kill them, Kujaku reveals the sign given to those who commit the most heinous of sins. Yet greater evil still is held back only by the seal on Ashura, without which the god of destruction will emerge, unstoppable . . . and if Yasha cannot change his destiny, he must face it—in the conclusion to the epic tale!

The Shaolin Cowboy: Who’ll Stop the Reign? #1 (of 4)

Geof Darrow (W/A/Cover), Frank Miller (Variant cover), and Dave Stewart (C)

On sale Apr 19 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

Who doesn’t like Surf and Turf? Well, what do you do when Surf and Turf doesn’t like YOU?????????

The Eisner Award–losing and winning drawing-room talkfest The Shaolin Cowboy returns and will try to answer those questions as the titular hero of the series finds that his road to hell is paved not with good intentions but old nemeses hell bent on bloody revenge . . . AGAIN!!!!

Three-time Eisner Award winner Geof Darrow returns to the series Paste called “mind blowing” and io9 called “100% amazing.”

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Frank Miller variant cover!

Slayer: Repentless HC

Jon Schnepp (W), Guiu Vilanova (A), Mauricio Wallace (C), and Glenn Fabry (Cover)On sale June 28 • FC, 88 pages • $19.99 • HC, 7” x 10”

The ultimate thrash-metal juggernaut, Slayer has laid waste to stages and audiences worldwide for over thirty years, with their latest album, Repentless, furthering their brutal legacy. Based on the savage Repentless videos by BJ McDonnell, this expansion of the video story lines drives deep into the darkest heart of America, a raging road trip down a bloodstained highway, a tale of the doomed, the damned . . . and the repentless! Collects the three-issue miniseries.

Spell on Wheels TP

Kate Leth (W), Megan Levens (A), Marissa Louise (C), and Jen Bartel (Cover)

On sale June 7 • FC, 136 pages • $14.99 • TP, 7” x 10”

Three young witches head out on an East Coast road trip to retrieve their stolen belongings and track down the mysterious thief before he can do any damage to—or with—their possessions. Collects Spell on Wheels #1–#5.

Supernatural meets Buffy and The Craft!

“A lively book that focuses on the strength of relationships that also promises a fun road trip along the way.”—Multiversity Comics

Too Much Coffee Man Omnibus Plus HC

The most complete Too Much Coffee Man collection!

Shannon Wheeler (W/A/Cover)

On sale June 7 • FC, 600 pages • $29.99 • HC, 8 1/2″ x 11”

A deluxe hardcover featuring 32 new color story pages! This 600-page Omnibus Plus edition features five previously published Too Much Coffee Man books, plus an all-new color section! These semiautobiographical, hyperintellectual tales will appeal to both comic book insiders and pop culture fanatics. The most complete Too Much Coffee Man collection!

Bonus color Too Much Coffee Man adventures included!

Celebrating the work of Shannon Wheeler in a deluxe hardcover!

Tomb Raider Archives Volume 2 HC

Various (W/A)

On sale June 14 • FC, 480 pages • $39.99 • HC, 8” x 12”

In pursuit of adventure—and the world’s rarest treasures—Lara circles the globe . . . and even goes off the edge of the map. Journey along on her most memorable expeditions as she teams up with a treasure hunter from the future, faces off against Egyptian gods in the afterlife, and searches for love.

This deluxe oversized hardcover collects issues #16–#24 and #26–#34 of the 1999 Top Cow Tomb Raider series and features the art of superstar artists Adam Hughes, Michael Turner, Andy Park, Randy Green, Tony Daniel, and many more!

New writers John Ney Rieber, James Bonny, and Adam Hughes join Dan Jurgens in telling Lara’s story.

Introduction by Tomb Raider all-star Randy Green!

Usagi Yojimbo Volume 31: The Hell Screen TP

Stan Sakai (W/A/Cover)

On sale June 28 • FC, 208 pages • $17.99 • TP, 6” x 9”

In this thrilling volume, the rabbit ronin teams up with—and faces off against—a multitude of unexpected characters: destitute bandits, a renegade kappa, and a komori ninja! Then, Inspector Ishida returns to investigate a ghastly painting known only as the Hell Screen! Collects Usagi Yojimbo issues #152–#158. Foreword by Cullen Bunn (Conan, Harrow County)!

Contains the three-part story arc “The Secret of the Hell Screen”!

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The Visitor: How and Why He Stayed #3 (of 5)

Mike Mignola (W), Chris Roberson (W), Paul Grist (A/Cover), and Bill Crabtree (C)

On sale Apr 26 • FC, 32 pages • $3.99 • Miniseries

The resurgence of a dangerous woman believed to have been killed long ago by the BPRD leads the Visitor to a cult’s compound in the Southwest.

The post Dark Horse Comics’ April 2017 Solicitations appeared first on CBR.com.

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jackelyntam · 5 years

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opinion series

Jackelyn Tam

Professor Fish Burton

English 2010

15 October 2019

Opinion series:

“main purpose of informing readers about the various and differing perspectives on the issue you have chosen.” “The objective here is to summarize, inform, and also provide initial commentary about the competing views that have already been expressed about your topic.”

1 Opinion: Audience: gothic 500 words

3 sources:

1. “Nature versus Nurture.” Character Lab, 1 Mar. 2019, https://characterlab.org/thoughts-of-the-week/nature-versus-nurture/.

quote… “We want to know what we can change and what we can’t.”intext citation ….. look up how to do it in MLA format.

Are we all broken inside or are we all nothing to begin with? Broken hearts and broken houses that are hearts keep inside of us. Is there a way to change to fix a broken house? To put together glass that has been shattered to the floor? From the perspective and research from psychologist and professor Angela Duckworth she writes from her study of nature versus nurture. She says something for all of us that are broken and shattered, “We want to know what we can change and what we can’t.” (Duckworth). Her perspective on this, the cold truth in nature and nurture, is all about both sides. We are all robots, designed in one certain way, genes all marching in one unison. However, here is where nurture comes to play and mess with our character and our little glass house. Some robotic genes are turned off. All they see are black abyss of nothingness waiting to be turned on. A powerful force from the outside of yourself triggers drugs, to ignite the light in the dead robot genes, turning them back alive. We are now changed, maybe broken or maybe for the better. This all depends on what kind of genes were turned on.

2. By: John L. Fuller research associate division of behavior studies R. B. Jackson memorial laboratory Bar harbor, Main

This perspective is from John L Fuller he says that some may be affected from nature rather than nurture. He answers the question on whether we are born broken or not. He explains how some are born with a mutation meaning a sickness diseases. As if those people were made to be shattered. A mutation through nature that affects a life of function. Character. There are some diseases that was given at birth that affect intellect and personality. Broken by birth. This is a perspective on how nature does have a affect on ones intellect and future. It is by nature that through diseases are genetically passed down. There are no absolute defining line between your father and your mother that makes up your genetic attributes. There are glitches and there are middle and in-betweens that could affect the characteristics in you. It is never to say by nature you are 50 /50 for you mother and father.

3. Loof, Arnold De. “Nature, Calcigender, Nurture: Sex-Dependent Differential Ca2 Homeostasis as the Undervalued Third Pillar.” Taylor & Francis, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19420889.2019.1592419.

In this dark world where we all become animals and compete. To be more specific competing against women between males. This demented world where they say that men are by nature stronger and dominant than women. However, this study by Loof has done his studying and he explains how we can say that men are stronger than women however it may seem that women are more dominant because of the xx chromosome. The xx chromosome was said that was the x is dating back to the ancient days making it stronger and women who still have the xx-double chromosome. This xx chromosome makes women live longer. Making women more dominant than men. This side is where we look at nature from a sex gender dominant and today world on whether women or men are dominant. By nature, women are dominant however men are also dominant because of the y chromosome making them turn on more genes that are specific to the y chromosome. In the dark society where we are pulled and ripped apart because of the category of sexists. This helps us understand that there is a equal dominance of men and women. Naturally this claim is true.

2 Opinion: Audience: elementary kids 500 words

3 sources

1. “Development Holds the Key to Understanding the Interplay of Nature versus Nurture in Shaping the Individual.” Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Elsevier, 20 June 2017, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929317301196.

Once upon a time there was a little froggy. This little froggy was still a little tadpole… he hasn’t had little legs yet. He hasn’t developed them yet. He wondered to himself “when will he get those legs.” He wanted them badly to grow up. To be a normal froggy. During this time of being a tadpole he knew that he had to try his best to grow and to grow. He asked his mother how he can get those legs like hers. She said “well, you have to grow. To grow you need to eat and do all the things necessary for you to grow to become a big froggy.” Well, that’s what the little tadpole did. He ate as much as he can and he exercised and he stayed away from harmful things like drugs. And soon enough he could see little nudges from his body where is legs were coming in. slowly ever so slowly as he ate and exercised and stayed away from the bad he could see he was turning into the froggy he wanted to be. Once he was a big big froggy he realized that being a tadpole is really important. Because if he didn’t stay away from those scary drug frogs and if he didn’t eat a lot then he wouldn’t be the froggy he wanted to be. He wouldn’t probably be able to grow legs either. He would be a weird demented froggy. Nurturing your body as a tadpole baby is important. To grow to be the best froggy man person you can be.

2. McLeod, S. A. (2018, Dec 20). Nature vs nurture in psychology

These set of smart people who major their lives in researching about nature versus nurture. And how nature and nurture effect someone personality and character. Nurture, by the extremes, is relying on only on the environment and situations and circumstances. This is meaning that they believe that someone’s character and personality isn’t defined by who they are from but is defined by what they will do and by the environment they created by themselves. Nature, by extreme, is that everyone is defined by who they are from. Genetically, meaning that your parents and your family define who you are. In this article, they say that nurture is a lot more to do with ones personality and character. They give an example of children who are born in poor environment and poor situations tend to score lower than those who are born in and raised in rich societies. It is all because of the resources that are given to those who are available to have. Nurture of one’s self is important in shaping someone.

3. Cherry, Kendra. “How Different Experiences Influence a Child's Development.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 18 Aug. 2019, https://www.verywellmind.com/experience-and-development-2795113.

This perspective on nature versus nurture is that the environment have a big role in changing character for example she explains how some one is influenced a lot from their peers. Peers is a big thing for growing people. Friend and family are all the people you learn from. The friends you hang out with will ultimately change who you are. For example if you choose someone who is a bully to be your friend you will also act like a bully. Social pressures are the key too changing ones personality. What you do and how you act and what you say are all influenced by the people around you. so choose your friends wisely.

3 Opinion: Audience: Christian people 500 words

3 sources

1. “European Jewish Life before World War II.” Facing History and Ourselves, https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-holocaust-and-human-behavior/european-jewish-life-world-war-ii.

Intext citation: (Brooks)

For centuries Jews have been criticized and judged based on where they were born and to whom they were born too. Or even criticized and judged based on their religion. This webpage explains how the Jews in the past were stereotyped as horrible things. Or they were the cause of something horrible. It wasn’t just the Nazi who stereotyped these people but it was other groups of people who would judge these people based on their religion. However in this webpage article it says “throughout history, many have sought to define Jews, incorrectly, as a single and uniform category of people with fixed characteristics, which racists and anti-Semites falsely believe are rooted in biology. But the lives Jews have lived around the world and throughout history can perhaps be characterized best by their immense diversity.”(Brooks). In this quote I want to emphasize how it says that jews were actually diverse in their culture and religion. They would judge them from their nature genetically born from, however, this doesn’t define who they are. It’s all about the environment of where each individual jew had to experience. And that is what made who they are. They didn’t let the society pressures and to whom they were born to change them.

2. Shuttleworth, F. K. “The Nature versus Nurture Problem I Definition of the Problem.” Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 26, no. 8, Nov. 1935, pp. 561–578. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/h0061615.

In this perspective we look at it scientifically where ShuttleWorth think of nature versus nurture as a two-working process. He studies animals and how it will affect them. He looks at the natural selection of animals. He claims that if we can change the natural selection of animals we could possibly change the natural selection of humans. The example of the beginning of time of noah and the boat where he wipes most of the population of the wicked people. This he calls it “eugenics”. Which he believes that if we can eliminate most of the population that have weaker genetic characteristics then leaving only the elite kind of people. Then through mating with each other with the same genetic DNA of greater characteristics and DNA would multiply more species men who have the same elite DNA.

3. Brosnan, AnneMarie. “Representations of Race and Racism in the Textbooks Used in Southern Black Schools during the American Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1861-1876.” Paedagogica Historica: International Journal of the History of Education, vol. 52, no. 6, Jan. 2016, pp. 718–733. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1120017&site=eds-live.

This is an other perspective of the biases of the society and the judgement of the society for one race or culture. This article talks more about how back in the day society were confused of the nature versus nurture. They were clouded by their judgment on black people. It went so far as to change the history texts and education texts in schools. They would degrade the African American humans in their history texts. This was for the purpose to have the African Americans never raise higher potentials than the white Americans.

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prettywordsyouleft · 5 years

Text

Through His Eyes - Part 13 [Final]

Summary: Losing your sight after your accident was traumatic, and Jaebum’s guilt of knowing it should have been him instead creates an intricate bond between you both, as you overcome adversity and try to find your way in life again.

Genre: angst / romance

Characters: Im Jaebum x female reader

A/N: This story is emotional and raw compared to some of the content on my blog. It is in no way an attempt to glamourise or undervalue the lives of those who suffer from something similar. This story is purely fictional.

Index: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Jaebum was unable to relax.

Over the last year of your relationship with him, he believed he had mellowed out considerably. You had found yourself when you were apart and only continued to flourish at his side. If anything, you called the shots more than he did.

Which was rather refreshing.

Sometimes he didn’t agree with some of the choices you made, and since both of you were stubborn, it had led to a lot of arguments. Only to end up back in each other’s arms, apologising, compromising, reconnecting.

Jaebum had been adamant about refuting one thing you wished to do, however.

“Come on, like it’ll happen again,” you whined, and he groaned loudly, reaching down to fill Nora’s food bowl and then turning to the breakfast dishes pointedly.

Your arms slipped around his waist soon after, and he paused in scrubbing the plate, your lips finding his bare skin easily. After a series of kisses that led up to his ear, you sighed into him, Jaebum not needing to turn to see the pout now upon your lips. “Just one time, please?”

“I’m not relenting on this,” he announced and for three months, he had successfully stuck to this vow. He couldn’t fathom having you in the same situation as you had been that day. Even if you both agreed that your accident had to happen for you to be this in love with one another, Jaebum still wanted your eyes to see the world that he did. He knew in some sense, you did. Your artwork had been recognised and now you were being offered the opportunity of holding an exhibition. You spent just as many hours working as he did now, sometimes your schedule was fuller than his was. Your paintings and sculpts littered his apartment as much as your own, taking up as much residence as you did in his home.

Not that he minded, he loved whenever you stayed over with him.

But he had to admit your world had grown considerably larger and you weren’t struggling to keep up with it. And that was one of the reasons why Jaebum had eventually been overruled with his protective stance. There were only so many excuses he could use that you couldn’t refute. With the growth of your business-like mind, your tact and articulation exceeded his, presenting him with even a list of reasons why he shouldn’t hold you back from what you wanted.

With the last line of, ‘if anything were to happen, I know you’d be right there’ as a reminder, he had caved, allowing you this one visit.

Jaebum knew that if this went well, you would request more opportunities and that was what accompanied his nerves as he got his makeup done, the realisation that you were dynamic, able to achieve anything you wanted, regardless of how much he tried to ground you.

Once you had taken flight, there was no stopping you.

“It’s going to be fine,” Jackson assured from the seat beside him and Jaebum half-smiled, still unable to accept those words. He had chanted them since waking up this morning, and still, they held no true belief in his mind. He knew he needed it to be fine, a perfect execution with your safety paramount. Sure, onsite accidents had decreased since new regulations came into place after your loss of sight. His company held stringent checks on all places their artists performed now, and Jaebum had been relieved that the concert hall passed all safety checks the day before.

His nerves didn’t dispel, no matter how many reassuring hugs Mark gave him, or firm squeezes of his shoulder that came from Jinyoung. And when you stepped into the bustling environment with the help of his manager, Jaebum’s movement faltered, his eyes holding onto your approach and checking everything that surrounded you as fast as his brain could process.

Why had he agreed to this?

“Noona!” Yugyeom cried as he leapt off the stage towards you, and you grinned, hugging everyone who came your way before slipping into Jaebum’s arms.

You tensed only for a moment, your head snapping up to his, shooting him a reproachful look. “Are you seriously this worried about me?”

“He’s been driving us insane all morning with how anxious he is,” BamBam announced, and Jaebum glared in his younger friend’s direction.

Youngjae chuckled. “I’m convinced you are the most important person in his world after today.”

“Is that right?” you murmured, unable to hide your elation. Jaebum flushed with colour, which you managed to pick up on, allowing him the chance to bury into you. As everyone else moved off, back to their positions in the rehearsal, you gently rubbed circles on his back, soothing his wired body.

Jaebum was exhausted, and he had not even performed yet.

“Relax for me, hm?”

“Easy for you to say,” he retorted, stepping back just enough to look down at you. Now that you were here, Jaebum was conflicted. He felt your effect relaxing some of his physical reaction but his mind was still concerned for your protection.

“If you’re not relaxed then how can I enjoy your performance? You forget how easily I can hear when you’re out of tune or offbeat now. I’ll only be disappointed in myself if I’m the cause to all your fans having a sub-par performance from you.”

He gaped at you. “Y/N, are you playing the guilt trip on me now?”

“No, of course not,” you responded sweetly, a giggle soon escaping you. You patted his arm and then ushered him off. “I’ll be right here, listening on and expecting a good rehearsal from you.”

With a final grumble and farewell, Jaebum headed back up onto the stage, looking out to where you had taken a seat with some of the other staff. You were already animatedly conversing something with his stylist and Jaebum smiled, it was just like you to find a place in any setting these days.

Rehearsals continued for the majority of the afternoon and by the time the last song ended, Jaebum was in a different element. He was no longer fretting about your appearance on set; instead, it had propelled him to put on a better show. The reactions you gave were genuine. He watched all your emotions that you openly showed for each of their songs, laughing with the playful moments in the segments and then rendered speechless with the powerful way he and the six other members performed. Even if it was a dry rehearsal, you were impressed and Jaebum was feeling accomplished because of it.

He knew that taking you on tour now would be something he would no longer fear. Even if something were to occur, you could both face it together.

It was how you had come thus far as a couple, after all.

He didn’t allow himself to focus too much on you when the show actually began. Sure, he would look towards your seat next to where the members’ family sat now and then, grinning when he noticed how bright you looked and the way you fondly held onto his mother’s hand throughout. Jaebum focused on putting his all into his performances, not just for you, or the fans, but for himself as well.

He hadn’t felt this at home on stage since your accident. It was as if having you present could allow him to finally reach for his passion and share it around the arena all night long.

He had been exhausted earlier in the day, but after stepping off stage, he was full of energy.

It was you who was wiped out from the experience.

“I didn’t expect it to take that much out of me,” you admitted as you departed ways from the small gathering after the concert, leaning into his side as he slipped into the driver’s seat of his car. Jaebum glanced at you, leaning in to kiss your head softly. You sighed, your hand moving over his waist and holding him tightly. “It was a success.”

“You told me not to worry,” he reminded you and you sighed, not lifting your head up to face him.

“I’m glad you stopped and allowed me to in your stead.”

He grinned; he had noticed now and then you would slowly look around during the rehearsal, jumping when someone would start banging on something in the stage setup. It would be just like you to take on the universe and ensure him to leave it all to you. He nudged you lightly, starting up the ignition. “Next time, don’t try to take on so much.”

“I’m exhausted mostly because of how many emotions I faced due to your music, not because of that,” you stated, pulling away from your position against him, avoiding the vibration of his chuckles.

Yet you held his hand all the way to your home.

When the car came to stop in the parking lot, neither of you moved to get out of the car immediately, savouring your time together. Jaebum knew your mother would want to have you home tonight. Her concern over you would not always be at ease, even if you were proving to be a capable young woman despite your life changing almost two years ago. It was a mother’s right to worry for her child and in your case, she always would. Allowing you to come out to the concert had been a big thing for her, especially doing so without chaperoning. It was up to him to deliver you back tonight, safe and sound.

That much he would do.

He just didn’t want to say goodbye just yet.

And neither did you.

“What if I went up there, said hello and then came back?”

Jaebum chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ve been with you for most of the day; let your mother have your final hours before bed.”

“If I make an hour, I’m so tired.”

“See, so it’s better you just go home and unwind with her before sleeping. I can come around for breakfast tomorrow,” Jaebum suggested and you let out a small huff of air. He knew that you had conceded, even if you weren’t openly happy about it.

“My bed has space for you,” you attempted and Jaebum leaned over to draw you into his arms, uncaring of the gearbox between you both. “Come stay with me. Mum won’t mind.”

“Not tonight.”

“Why?”

Staring at you, he brushed the hair away from your face tenderly. He couldn’t wait for the time when you would fall asleep and wake up in his arms every day. You stayed over at his whenever he was home, sometimes going an entire week before you trudged back home, albeit with a delighted greeting for your mother when you saw her. You really did love the woman, even if you protested leaving his company every time. It was why he made a point of taking you home even when he didn’t want to let you go.

Jaebum knew your mother had been hinting at putting a ring on your finger lately, her not so subtle answer to allowing him what he craved. Only when you were truly bound to him would she allow you to leave the nest he had first found you within. Back then, your wings were unable to fly to his house, and she had nurtured you more than he could have.

It meant a lot to him that your mother was allowing him the ability to be that strength at your side now.

That’s why he made sure you spent as much time alone with your mother presently. When you moved in with him, he might not be as willing to let you stay away from him.

“You know you have a really bad habit of overthinking and not giving me an answer, Im Jaebum.”

He snapped out of his thoughts with a smile, which you reached out to touch with your thumb. He pursed his lips into you, kissing your hand softly and then undid your seatbelt. “Come on, let me take you home.”

You obliged despite his lack of an answer, swinging your linked arms softly with every step you made together. Soon you were standing outside your apartment and turned to face him, attempting to shoot him a luring smile. He laughed. “I’m not coming in.”

“No? Your loss then,” you tempted and he stepped up to you, hugging you warmly and kissing your forehead. “I’m going to go to bed and dream of someone other than you.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes,” you informed, though you were smiling too much for it to be effective. “Since you don’t want to be at my side tonight, I’ll choose someone else.”

“Suit yourself, Nora will be all too happy to take your spot anyway.”

You huffed again and he laughed. For a moment you were both jovial and then his smile faded, his eyes searching yours.

Even without sight, they were beautiful. The colours, the depth, he had fallen in love with them. In the hallway lighting, he spotted your faint scarring, the lines he had traced upon your face many times over. He had come to love them too.

All of you.

Yet the question remained on the tip of his tongue and he rocked back on his heels, unsure if he should ask it. You placed a hand on his cheek, rubbing it gently. “What is it?”

“Do you ever miss it?”

“Miss what?”

“Seeing the world,” he admitted, watching as you blinked slowly.

And then you shook your head. “No. I don’t any more.”

“Really? Wouldn’t you love to see what’s around you? View the things you haven’t in so long? What about the people you hold dearly in your life now, do you crave to see them at least once more?” Jaebum wondered, holding you back in his arms again. He was confused; he had thought there would be a small part of you that would long for vision of some sort. Some times, on your better days, you could make out vague shapes for moments at a time. That was the extent of your recovery. The doctors had ruled you wouldn’t perform some sort of miracle and gain your sight back.

Smiling again, your hand still on his face shifted, feeling along the strength of his jaw and up his cheekbone. Your fingers lightly dusted over his eyelids that, with instinct, he shut upon your touch there. When you stopped, he reopened his eyes, gazing at you and anticipating your answer.

“I already see enough of the world through you. Why would I crave anything more?”

Leaning into kiss you, Jaebum allowed the tears to fall from his eyes. He never knew what to expect with you sometimes.

But he would take care of his sight as best as he could.

Since he knew you would look through his eyes forever.

The End.

_________________

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