Are you ready for February?

Chris always refused to take days off from keeping watch, frustrated that he couldn't do more due to his injured leg.

You were both grateful that you had heard the crash and ran to check for survivors, saving Chris from Brandon and Derek's "mercy". But, despite you always telling him that finding him was the best thing that's happened to you since the world ended, Chris still felt like a burden. So, since he couldn't go on supply runs with you, he kept watch as often as Deanna would let him. Which was more often that you would have liked because he would offer to take the sifts no one else wanted.

However, some days were different. The days when Deanna gave Chris, and you, a mandatory day off.

Sunlight trickled through the blinds and you snuggled closer to your boyfriend in your sleep. Chris’s eyes fluttered open as your sifting awoke him. He smiled at the cute look on your sleeping face, and kissed your forehead gently. Pausing for a moment, he listened to your gentle breathing and thought about how lucky he was to have met you. Even if his leg would never work like it used to, he was grateful that you had saved his life. Not only that, but you stayed by his side, despite him admitting how violent and dangerous he had started to become before meeting you.

He placed faint kisses all over your face. A soft smile grew on your face as you were pleasantly woken up.

"Morning," he said, his voice barely audible in fear of ruining the peaceful atmosphere.

"Morning,” you leaned up and gave his nose a gentle peck. You both giggled and shared a slow kiss. With no responsibilities for the day you were determined to stay in bed as long as possible. But of course Chris had other plans.

He pulled out the guitar you had found in one of the closets of the house you both now shared. He had learned to play when he was younger to impress his girlfriend at the time. You laughed as you heard him strum the first few chords to your favorite love song.

Chris had been your best friend for years and you couldn’t ask for anyone better to be by your side. The only problem was that at some point you had fallen in love with him. You would lay in bed at night and dream of the sound of his laugh, how his brown eyes made you melt, how pretty and soft his hair was, and how soft you imagined his lips were.

You tried to keep your feeling hidden whenever you were around him, but you feared that he, like everyone around you, could tell how you really felt about him.

Chris was completely oblivious to your feelings, but only because he was so busy trying to conceal his own. Unbeknownst to you, he had been slowly building up the courage to ask you out.

But for now the two of you sat on the living room couch watching X-Files reruns until you fell asleep

Liza looked at you and Chris as you slept cuddled up on the couch. It wasn’t a rare sight, but it always brought a smile to her face. And she always hoped that one day she would come home to the news that you were finally dating. Unfortunately, no matter how much she tried to convince her son to make a move he was adamant that you were only friends.

Eventually he broke, you had been talking nonstop about the cute barista that had been flirting with you the other day. He listened intently as you talked about how gorgeous the girls eyes were. His gut twisted. He was torn between being happy for you and being jealous. A horrifying thought dawned on him. He had waited for a sign that you liked him for two long, and he had lost any chance with you.

“Maybe they only like her because they think you’re not an option,” Liza said as she and Chris ate dinner. They didn’t get to have time together often since Liza was always busy with work and school, but just because she hadn’t seen much of her son doesn’t mean she didn’t notice his sudden drop in mood.

“Yeah right,” Chris said pushing his food around on his plate.

“Chris, just try and tell them how you feel about them before you never have the chance to again,”

“I hate when you’re right,” Chris grumbled and Liza smiled.

The next day, Sunday, Chris showed up at your door at 8 o'clock in the morning.

“Hey, whats up? are you okay?” you asked, wondering why the hell he was at your house so early.

“I love you,” he blurted. “I love you and I always have and it's okay if you don’t love me and I still want to be friends even if your with the barista girl, but I just needed you to know,” the words left his mouth so fast that he couldn’t stop them.

You stared up at your best friend in silence. “Really?” you asked you voice so quiet it was barely audible. He nodded refusing to look at you. “I love you too, Chris.”

“What?” he looked up.

“I said: I love you too,” you grabbed his hands from his sides and held them in yours.

“What about the barista?”

“Who?” you teased.

“I’m serious, you talked about how cute she was for a week straight.”

“She’s cute, but she’s not you. She’s not the person I’ve been in love with since 8th grade.”

"8th grade?" his eyebrows shot up. "And you never said anything?"

"I didn't want to lose you,”

"You won't lose me. Not ever," he leaned in and pressed his forehead against yours.

Your crush on him was so obvious that everyone but him could see it. The Aphrodite cabin thought it was adorable and many of them tried to play match-maker. Not that you minded much, honestly the fact that they cared that much meant a lot to you, and it really only meant that the two of you would always end up paired together in camp activities.

This summer, however, was different. The night started in high spirits, especially since, as you sat at the first campfire sing along of the summer, Chris was sitting next to you. He was so close your shoulders and knees touched. You thought about using the cold night air as an excuse to get closer, but you never got the chance because before you could move something happened. 

The new camper sitting across from you was claimed. By Poseidon. The big three weren’t even allowed to have kids with mortals You didn't blame the kid, but having someone who was forbidden even to be born be proudly claimed by a god that swore not to make a demigod, While you had been at camp for years and you didn't even know who your godly parent was.

You quickly excused yourself from the group and escaped into the foliage, unnoticed under the loud commotion the boy had caused. That the people you had known for years were to preoccupied with the new kid to go after you only rubbed salt in the wound.

Tears began to run down your cheeks as you made your way through the trees.

“(Y/N)!” you heard from behind you. You spun around to see Chris running to you, concern etched on his face. “Hey whats wrong? You just got up and left?”

Eyes focused on the ground, you refused meet his gaze. "(Y/N)," he said softly. His hands firmly, but gently, held your arms. You looked into his eyes for a second before bursting into tears. He pulled you to his chest and hugged you tight. Stroking your hair, he held you as you cried.

“My parent. I hate knowing that they don’t want me. No one does,” you sobbed into his shirt.

“I want you,” he said softly.

“You’re my friend," you began pulling away "of course you’d say-"

“No. (Y/N),” he said, cutting you off. He grabbed your shoulders and made you look him in the eye. The intensity of his gaze almost made your knees buckle. “Yes, you’re my friend, but I want you. I love you, not just as a friend. Seeing you is my favorite part of the summer. I look forward to it all year. And you parent is stupid for not claiming you.”

“Don’t call a god stupid, Chris.” you laughed as you scrubbed at your eyes. “It's never a good idea.” Another burst of laughter erupts from you as he flips off the heavens.

“Do you really love me?” you asked.

“Yeah,” he smiled sweetly and brushed a few remaining tears from your face.

“Good,” you said. “Because I love you too.”

“Its fine, (Y/N). You worry too much,” he took one hand off the wheel and went to grasp yours.

“Chris, Im serious you not even wearing a seat belt,” you tensed. Snapping your head forward. “Chris!”

You could barely register what was happening around you as you collided with a car stopped in the middle of the road. The air bag exploded and knocked you unconscious. When you came too you tried to piece together what happened. The windshield was almost completely destroyed, the truck was flipped on its side, and Chris’ seat was empty. You unbuckled your seatbelt and climbed out of the truck.

You turn to see the worst horror scene you could have imagined. Chris was laying on the ground, blood pooling around him, his leg bone exposed. You ran too him as Derek and Brandon approached.

“Should we mercy him?” Derek asked. “Don’t you fucking dare,” you said pulled your gun out.

“He’s bleeding out,” Brandon said. “He’s going to die and he’s going to turn.”

“IF he does I will deal with it. Now walk away,” your voice was ice cold. The two men left and you turned to Chris.

You wrapped your belt around his thigh to help stop the bleeding. You hooked your arms under his arms and his knees, cringing as he hissed in pain, and carried him into one of the cars on the side of the road.

You swore as you struggled to hot wire the car, though you managed it decently despite learning from tv shows and movies.

You drove for a few hours before coming upon a small group of survivors. You stop and jump out of the car.

“Please, I need your help my boyfriend is hurt!” you begged as they stared at you surprised.

“I’m a doctor,” one of them came forward. “I can help him.”

You let out a sob of relief as you ran to open Chris’ door and lifted him into a bridal carry again.

The doctor put Chris’ bone back in place, cauterized the gaping wound, and made a makeshift splint and crutch for him too use.

“Thank you so much,” you said for the hundredth time.

“You two are too young to be traveling alone, especially with one of you injured like that,” the doctor, who you learned was the leader of the group.

1. You met Christopher Manawa

Getting separated from your group after a run in with a violent group of survivors was your worst nightmare come true. After a week of looking for them to no avail, you realized you had to keep moving.

You made your way East, hoping that the less populated areas would have less undead. On the way you ran into a another survivor that had lost his group.

Chris had left his father and stepfamily to join some other boys, but after Chris was injured in a car accident they left him to die.

The two of you decided that it would be smarter and safer to travel together. Neither of you expected to fall in love, but it was three months into traveling with Chris and you were head-over-heels.

A small fire crackled in front of you as you stared up at the sky.

“The stars are so clear here,” Chris mumbled beside you. You hummed in agreement and he turned to look over at you.

“They’re so beautiful,”

“Yeah, you are,” he breathed. You turned to look at him, shocked that he actually returned your feelings. He leaned towards you and his lips met yours.

After a few minutes you pulled away giggling.  

“What?” he asked worried that he had done something wrong.

“That was so fucking cliche,” you said looking at him with an adoring gaze.

“Shut up,” he pulled you into another mind-blowing kiss.

2. Marrying Chris

Weddings in Alexandria were less than traditional. Deana handed you a marriage certificate, you both signed it, and you were officially married. You and Chris decided not to have a ceremony, and it was the proposal that made it one of the best days of your lives.

Chris had seen a jewelry store on a run a few days ago and found a ring he thought you would love. Before the world ended, he probably would have waited for the perfect moment to propose. Unfortunately, in the new world the perfect moment might never happen, so he asked you immediately after he came home.

Anytime one of you went on a run without the other, the other person would probably be at home worrying. So, when Chris opened the door to your house, you immediately bolted to him and hugged him.

Once you pulled away he told you to close your eyes. When you opened them he was looking up and you on one knee.

“Meeting you was one of the best things to ever happen to me, even before the apocalypse. Despite the fact that the world around us is hell, being with you makes me feel like everything will be okay. I don’t no where I would be today, or if I would even be alive, without you. (Y/N) (L/N), will you marry me?”

3. Finding Elizabeth

Going on supply runs were the only time you could leave Alexandria. It’s not that you didn’t love the settlement, but being contained within the walls for years would have driven you insane if it weren’t for the short time you spent outside. Deana had sent you and Chris out for a few things.

On the way back, there was a small building surrounded by walkers. A noise came from within that attracted them and they scratched at the stores glass windows. The two of you took out the walkers and noticed a note stuck on the door. “Got bitten, please save my baby,” you read aloud. You realized what the noise was. When Chris got the door open you were hit with the sound of a crying baby.

The cries came from a back room that was locked from the outside. You grabbed the key that was sitting in the counter and opened the door. On top of the desk, sitting wrapped tightly in blankets and nestled into a baby carrier, was a small infant.

“How could anyone leave their child in here?” you asked picking them up and cradling them in your arms.

“They were bitten. The alternatives do sound to great either,” Chris said looking down at their tiny form. “We should bringg them back to Alexandria.” The child started crying again.

“But first we should feed it,” you said handing him the baby before searching the store for something that resembled baby food.

Those three things were the only good events you could think of happening after the outbreak. The baby ended up being a girl. After a long discussion and a bit of thinking the two of you decided to adopt her. You had named her Elizabeth, after his mother Eliza.

You laid in bed and looked over at Chris who was cuddling your now five year old daughter in your sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, once it was clear, Nick came outside and relieved you two of watch and told you to have fun, "Go be teenagers." 

You and Chris smiled at each other as you ran into the snow and immediately beginning the warfare. 

A snowball flew past your head as you ducked behind a car. Molding a handful of snow, you jumped out from behind your cover and launched it at Chris. You giggled as you watched the snowball explode against his chest. Lost in your laughter, you didn't see snowball he threw back at you until you felt the cold snow smash against your side.

You threw snowballs back and forth for awhile with no clear winner emerging. A dastardly idea popped into your head. When the next snowball hit you in the face you went down. You clutched the part of your face the snowball had hit and laid still.

 "(Y/N)!" Chris yelled running to you. The worry in his voice almost made you feel bad. He fell to his knees beside you and went to check your face. You grinned as you smashed a handful if snow in his face and pulled him down next to you. You giggled at the look of shock on his face. "You're the worst," he said but his voice and expression held no contempt.

"I win!" you smiled as your faces inched closer. His lips pressed against yours softly for a long moment. You pulled away and smiled as you saw his eyes stay closed for a few seconds, they always did when you kissed. Suddenly you lurched up and stood on your feet. He was jerked out of his daze by your movement. He gave you a questioning look.

The room was unbelievably comfortable. The walls were round and made of yellow bricks, the circular windows let in a bit of moon  light, the wooden floor was covered in a large soft carpet, and the room was filled with plants.

A familiar rhythm of taps could be heard through the door before it opened and someone entered. You looked up and saw Chris Manawa, a boy from your Charms class. The two of you had spoken to each other a few times before and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t have a small crush on him. He sat down in the armchair next to you.

“(Y/N),” he whispered, catching your attention.

“Hmm?” you hummed. He held out a plate of cinnamon rolls that he must have gotten from the House Elves in the kitchen.

“Want one?” he offered.

“Thank you,” you nodded and grabbed one.

“How Quidditch training going?” he asked. “Are you guys ready for the match this Friday?”

“Yeah, we’ve been training almost everyday. Slytherin’s going to eat shit,” you smiled as he laughed. Your heart fluttered at the sound and you turned away hoping he couldn’t see your blush in the dim light.

“Good, I’ll be in the stands cheering for you. Don’t forget: I’m your number one fan,” he said. You secretly hoped it wasn’t a joke.

Pulling on your Quidditch gear, you listened to your team captain give a pre-match speech.

A smile spread across your face as you felt a faint scribbling across your arm.

You had been writing back and fourth with your soulmate since your thirteenth birthday. You hadn’t told him you had magic. Partially because you weren’t sure if he’d even believe you, but also because you were worried that even if he did believe you he would think you were a freak. A lot of the half-blood's you had met said that their muggle parent had a bad reaction to finding out their significant other had magic powers, and you prayed that you would never be with one of those people.

‘Hey’ it read. You scrambled to grab a pen from your locker.

'Hey’ you wrote back. 'Sorry I can’t talk right now. I have a Quidditch match in a minute’ It wasn’t until you were walking onto the pitch that you realized your mistake.

After a moment of panic, you realized, to your relief, they would have no idea what Quidditch even was and you could play it off somehow without having to tell them about the wizarding world just yet. You forced yourself to ignore the feeling of them replying on your arm. Then you and your team mates took to the air and the balls were released.

Once the match ended, you checked your arm and your heart almost stopped.

'Slytherin’s going to eat shit’ read your soulmates handwriting, scrawled across your arm.

'Yeah, they did’ you wrote back. The letters were crooked as your hand shook from both nerves and excitement. 'Meet me outside the locker rooms?’ You had never changed so fast in your life.

When you walked out you saw something that made butterfly explode in your stomach. Chris leaned up against the outer wall of the Quidditch pitch, as if waiting for someone.

“Hey, Chris,” you said as you walked up to him.

“Hey, (Y/N). You did amazing!” he smiled. “You’re definitely the best  beater on the team.”

“Thanks!” you said and realized you had no idea how to subtlety breach the subject of the possibility of him being your soulmate.

Wondering if you were actually lucky enough to have him be your soulmate, you took a breath to say something, but he spoke before you could. “The Slytherin team really ate shit didn’t they?”

“Yeah, they did,” you paused for a second before deciding 'fuck subtlety' and continuing. “Hey, can I see your arm?”

He smiled as if hoping you would ask that as he pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, showing you his arm. You froze when you saw the writing on his arm. He pulled his sleeve down and grabbed hour hands, bringing you back to reality.

“I was hoping it would be you the second I read the word Quidditch,” he said looking into your eyes.

You had been given detention for starting an itty-bitty schoolwide food fight in the Great Hall. You had tried to explain to the Slytherin Head of House that you shouldn’t get detention since the mess could just be vanished away with Evanesco, but the pointed look she gave you killed your argument in its tracks. You did, however, manage to convince her to only give you detention and not ban you from the Yule Ball in exchange for interrupting the other professor every time he tried to hit on her.

The door opened and Hagrid smiled and pulled you into a warm hug. “Yer gonna be helpin’ me collect Flesh-Eating Slugs and feed the Graphorn,” he said as he led you into the hut.

“You have a Graphorn?” you exclaimed.

The “secret” animals that Hagrid wasn’t actually allowed to have as pets, let alone on school grounds, were both the best and worst kept secrets. Everyone knew he had them, though not always what kind, but nobody told anyone who would get him in trouble for it.

“Tea?” Hagrid tried to dodge the question. “We 'ave to wait for the other student to get here.” He handed you a steaming mug which you sipped on as you badgered him to tell you more about the Graphorn.

How big is it? Can you tell it from a regular saber tooth tiger? How long are its mouth tentacles? Will it attack me? CAN it attack me? Can I pet it?

To Hagrid’s relief, it didn’t take long for the other student to arrive. He managed to placate all your questions with "you’ll find that out later" before there was a knock at the door.

You followed Hagrid out the door as he led you and the other student, a dark skinned boy your age with shoulder length hair who was wearing Hufflepuff robes, to the Herbology greenhouse. You couldn’t help but sneak glances at the cute boy walking beside you. Hagrid handed you each a pair of thick gloves and a bucket and showed you how to collect the slugs safely before leaving you to work.

After a few minutes of working, the boy broke the silence. “(Y/N) right?” he said grabbing your attention. He had put his hair up before beginning to collect slugs and your brain malfunctioned for a second at how good it looked. Thankfully, he didn’t wait for you to respond, “I’m Chris. Everyone’s talking about you. Starting the food fight made you pretty popular I guess.”

“What did you do to get detention?” you said as you forced yourself to stop staring at him and go back to collecting Flesh-Eating Slugs.

“I set of some Exploding Whizz Poppers off in the second floor boys restroom,” he gave you a mischievous smile. You laughed and shook your head as you dropped another slug into your bucket.

You snuck a glance at him from the corner of your eye and saw him staring at you with a dazed smile on his face.

Hagrid soon walked into the green house and looked at you slug filled buckets. “Alright you two have done enough for tonight,” he said. “Do you wanna help me feed the Graphorn?”

“Yes!” you and Chris said at the same time. Hagrid chuckled and led you to the creature.

“She’s still kind of young,” Hagrid said as you stared at the tiger like creature. “I’m gonna have to find her a better home soon when she reaches maturity.”

“She’s amazing,” Chris said as she opened her mouth and the tentacles in her mouth wrapped around the food in Hagrid’s hand and pulled it into her mouth without hurting him.

“Her name's Truffles. You two want to try?” Hagrid asked. You and Chris both nodded frantically.

Weeks passed and you and Chris spent more and more time together, often going to Hagrid’s and playing with and feeding Truffles.

You walked down the hall beside Chris as you made you way to your next class. Before turning the last corner before your classroom, Chris grabbed your arm and pulled you away from the mass of students crowding the hall. You gave him a confused look when he stopped in an almost empty hallway.

“Chris, are you okay?” you asked when you saw how nervous he looked.

“I’m fine,” he let out a shaky breath. “I was wondering — if you weren’t already going with someone — if you wanted to go to the Yule Ball with me?”

You were stunned into silence for a moment before your face broke into a huge grin. “Chris,” you grabbed his hands, “I’d love to go to the Yule Ball with you.”

The Yule Ball came faster than you expected. You smiled as you looked in the mirror and perfected your hair. The Hufflepuff colors you chose to wear looked foreign but good on you. You walked into the Slytherin common room and saw Chris waiting for you. You both stared at each other in awe. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail and the accents of his dress robes were green and silver. Your heart fluttered in your chest at how good he looked.

“Hi,” you said shyly.

“Hi,” he breathed. “You look amazing.”

“More amazing than Truffles?”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far-” he smirked as you laughed. “No, you definitely look more amazing than Truffles.”

“Thank you,” you smiled as you took his outstretched hand. “And you look more amazing than the Giant Squid when it presses up against the glass and you can see its beak and the teeth on its suckers."

You chatted lightly as you made your way to the area in front of Hogwarts that had been turned into an outdoor ballroom.

The area was decorated beautifully. A spell was cast that protected the area from the elements, snow fell from the sky and disappeared a few feet above you, candles floated above your heads and fairies lit up the surrounding rose bushes, and the area smelled like warm spices.

Just after you descended the stairs, the band started playing a slow song. Chris smiled at you and dramatically bowed while hold his hand out to you.