He's glad someone else can share in his headaches that come with a much stronger sense of smell in what is essentially a part of New York.

Him and Reader would probably just exchange cigarettes back and forth depending on who has more money, resulting in both of them forgetting who owes who.

Unlike Bigby, Reader doesn't have as bad of a reputation among other fables. Mostly because they don't share the same history with all the fables. Though some are still wary about them due to their shared lycanthropy.

Wolf cuddles. Any time after a long day both just go wolf form and cuddle up on Bigby's worn out chair.

Speaking of wolf form most fables struggle to tell the two apart when they are in wolf form. So if Bigby ever needs any help in one of his cases Reader will help him lure suspects out by pretending to be him in wolf form.

Or if he's just had enough of being around people. He'll just switch to wolf form, give a little signal to Reader and trade places with them while he goes to unwind for a bit.

The two both tend to avoid the werewolf form. Mostly because it tends to mix the worst of the two forms. You don't quite get the advantages of being human while also getting all the downsides of being a wolf.

“You sure about this?” he asked, brows knit together with that signature concerned look he always gave you when something didn’t sit right with him.

You smiled, faint but fairly confident. “I’ll be fine, Lee. Just a quick run, in and out. I’ll be back before you know it.”

He didn’t look convinced. His dark eyes searched yours, not in anger, but in deep, genuine worry. Slowly, you stepped closer, reaching up to smooth a wrinkle from his shirt, letting your fingers linger just a little longer against his chest.

“I’d feel a hell of a lot better if I came with,” he muttered, his voice softer now, barely above a breath.

“And who’s gonna keep everyone in line here, huh?” you teased, your hand slipping down to squeeze his. His fingers caught yours, held tight, like he feared you might vanish if he let go.

He hadn’t wanted to let you go, not after everything, not when he’d already lost so much. But your smile, stubborn and sure, had worked like it always did — and maybe the way you leaned in and rested your forehead briefly against his had helped, too.

A reluctant sigh escaped him. “You’re lucky I trust you.”

You gave him your best reassuring smile, brushing your thumb over his knuckles before pulling back just enough to meet his gaze. “I promise I won’t be too long. I’ve been watching the roads. We need those meds from the pharmacy, and I know the layout well enough by now.”

“You run into even one thing that feels off, you get out. Got it?”

“Got it,” you said, and this time you leaned up on your toes to press a slow, lingering kiss to his cheek — just shy of his lips.

Before he could say anything else, you whispered, “I love you, babe.”

His arms slipped around your waist as he finally gave in, pulling you close for just a second more than he should’ve. “I love you too, darlin’. More than you know.”

And then you left, not looking back.

The thing with going on a run alone was you never knew what you would run into, and you soon found you were going to regret that smug-ass grin you had given Lee. Hard.

Everything had been going fine; you’d managed to find some meds, even a few energy bars and a box of tampons from the drug store. Yet, the universe always found ways to humble you.

One of the metal shelves had toppled over when you yanked open a cabinet, clattering to the ground so loud you may as well just have alerted the entire city of Macon that you were there. The walkers came fast, way more than you expected, and before you knew it, you were sprinting down the cracked asphalt, lungs burning.

Your shoes pounded against the pavement as you zigzagged through alleyways and past crumbling cars. You managed to shoot a couple of the walkers that got in your way, but the majority of them you just dodged — you didn’t have time to even think to use your knife either as that would just be asking to get bit.

However, that wasn’t even the worst of it.

Panic had a way of tripping you up. Literally. Your foot caught on a slab of broken concrete, and down you went, hard. You had no time to scream before you hit the ground. Hard. Following was a sharp, agonising pain blooming in your side. You glanced down to see a jagged metal rod, likely from a signpost, lodged deep between your ribs on your left side.

"Shit," you hissed. Could this day seriously get any worse?

Whatever. You had no time to waste, so with your hand trembling, you wrapped your fingers around the metal and yanked it out. The pain was blinding, and blood started pooling fast. You hardly had time to wrap your jacket around your waist, tying it tight to stem the bleeding, before scrambling up and limping the rest of the way back.

By the time the motel came into view, you were lightheaded, your vision dotted with black spots. But you made it. Barely. Every step felt like your legs were made of lead. The fence surrounding the parking lot blurred in and out of focus as you stumbled toward the gate.

“Hey, they’re back!” Duck shouted, waving enthusiastically.

The group was gathered, and as you staggered in, trying to act normal, everyone turned toward you. Kenny looked up from fixing something on the RV, and Clementine waved at you. Carley came over and took the bag from your shoulder. “Damn, you actually did it. Got the meds.”

You smiled weakly. “Told you I would.”

Duck ran up to you, voice loud, excited. “Did you find any snacks?”

You forced a smile, ruffling his hair. “Got a few. No gummy worms, though. Sorry, Duck.”

His face fell dramatically like you’d just told him Santa wasn’t real. “Aw, man.”

But your attention was starting to drift — your vision tilting sideways, sounds echoing too distant. Then you saw Lee. His face lit up the moment he spotted you, but the smile faded quickly as he took in your appearance. His relief was obvious, but so was the concern under it. He rushed over, pulling you into a hug, his strong arms wrapping around you.

You winced at the contact, the pain in your side spreading like a wildfire. Luckily for you, Lee didn’t seem to realise.

“God, I was worried. You were gone too long,” he muttered into your hair. He continued, “I was gettin’ ready to come look for you.” When you didn’t respond, he followed up, “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” you mumbled into his shoulder, the lie coming way too quickly to you.

You didn’t want to tell Lee the truth. You had never been the kind of person to rely on other people for help; you also knew Lee would start freaking out the second he saw you were hurt and you didn’t want him fussing over you.

Lee, however, wasn’t buying it. He stepped back just enough to get a look at you, his hand staying on the small of your back, and his eyes narrowed, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. He noticed the way you slightly favoured your right side, how your left hand somewhat hovered over the jacket tied around your waist. “You don’t look fine, hon. You’re pale as hell. And your skin’s… clammy. What’s goin’ on?”

You let out an exasperated sigh, already knowing Lee would keep going on about this for as long as you kept the truth from him. “I already told you, babe. Seriously, I’m fine. I’m just tired.”

Now that wasn’t entirely a lie — you were tired. But mainly because you were losing blood at a pretty alarming rate. And you may be asking yourself why you didn’t say something before it got any worse. That would be because you were simply too stubborn to admit when you actually needed help.

Lee’s jaw tightened. “That ain’t just tired. Did somethin’ happen?”

You tried to step back, but he held onto your arms gently, scanning you head to toe. “I told you, I’m-”

He cut you off, his gaze dropping to your jacket tied around your waist. “What’s under there?”

You stiffened, eyes widening in fear. You couldn’t let him see.

“Nothing,” you said too quickly.

Lee’s voice dropped an octave, calm but stern. “Take it off.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I said it’s nothing.”

Lee didn’t shout. Didn’t raise his voice. But his eyes — God, those eyes — burned with concern and frustration. “Please, hon. Just let me help.”

“I said no, Lee!” you snapped, regretting it immediately.

Your vision blurred even worse, knees buckling slightly as you staggered against the wall, using it to hold yourself upright. The pain was getting worse, and the adrenaline was wearing off fast.

Lee was instantly at your side, hands steadying you. “Hey– hey. You needa sit down.” He gently eased you down to sit against the motel wall. “Jesus. You’re burning up.” His voice cracked with panic.

“I’m just… dizzy, I only need a sec-”

One of his hands remained on your arm and the other cupped the side of your face. “Can I take it off?” he asked softly, already reaching for your jacket. “Please.”

You barely had the strength to argue anymore, you were far too drained, so, nodding weakly, you let your arms fall limp.

Lee carefully untied the jacket, fingers brushing your side as he peeled it away. The second he did, his breath caught. His hands trembled slightly as he saw the soaked fabric of your shirt, blood caked to your side, and the jagged, raw wound still oozing.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

You blinked up at him, vision cloudy, but you saw it in his eyes: the fear, the hurt, the sheer panic. “Katjaa!” he shouted, scooping you into his arms like you weighed nothing. “Katjaa, we need you!”

Katjaa looked away from her conversation with Kenny and the second her eyes landed on you, her eyes widened in panic, almost mirroring Lee’s expression. She had actually been a veterinarian before all of this, but being the only person in the group with a medical background, she’d quickly become the doctor of the group.

“Bring them over here!” Katjaa ordered, going over to the truck, where just weeks prior a teacher, Ben’s friend, had turned and almost killed Lee. Maybe you shouldn’t have been thinking of that at that moment, though.

Lee, as quickly but as carefully as he could, placed you down on the truck bed.

Katjaa inspected the wound, ordering Lee to get water and bandages. Her voice was calm but urgent, almost like a nurse’s tone. You felt hands on your side, pressure, the sting of disinfectant.

Lee remained by your side the entire time, holding your hand as you faded in and out of consciousness. His voice was the only constant, the only thing anchoring you to reality.

“That’s it, darlin’. You’re gonna be okay.”

And that was the last thing you heard before it all went completely black.

You woke up what felt like minutes later, but had truly been hours later, in yours and Lee’s shared motel room. Your eyes fluttered open and you tried to sit up but were immediately met by a familiar, dull pain in your side, causing you to wince. Lee, whom you hadn’t realised was by your side, was instantly alert the second he saw you stir.

“Hey, hey — easy,” he said, his hand gently pressing your shoulder down to keep you from rising too fast. “You’re okay. Just… don’t move too much, alright?”

You blinked a few times, trying to get your bearings. The room smelled faintly of antiseptic, and the sheets beneath you were a little damp with sweat. The bandages around your waist felt tight, but secure.

Lee’s eyes searched yours, tired but soft. “You scared the hell outta me.”

You offered him the smallest of smiles, your voice hoarse. “Didn’t mean to.”

He returned a small smile, yet it faded as soon as it came. He seemed to get lost in thought, focusing on the floor for a few seconds before meeting your eyes again, his jaw tight, hands clenched. But it wasn’t anger in his eyes. It was something else, something heavier.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked softly.

You avoided his gaze.

“I could’ve helped,” he continued. “You could’ve died if Katjaa hadn’t patched you up.”

A silence settled between the two of you as you thought about what had happened. Truth be told, looking back at it, you’d realised how stupid you had acted. “I didn’t want you to worry,” you finally muttered.

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Of course I’d worry. I always worry about you. That’s not a bad thing.”

You looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears that you couldn’t seem to stop. “I just… I didn’t want to seem weak, Lee. I didn’t want you to think I couldn’t handle myself. I didn’t wanna be another person you had to save.”

His expression softened instantly. He reached out, cupping your cheek gently. “You think I care about that?”

“I don’t know,” you whispered, voice cracking. “I just… I panicked. I thought if I told you, you’d be disappointed in me. Or worse, you’d never let me go on a run again.”

Lee didn’t speak for a moment. Then, quietly, “You seriously scared me, hon. I thought I’d lost you.”

A tear rolled down your cheek.

“I’m sorry,” you breathed.

He pulled you into his arms, holding you tightly like he was afraid you’d vanish.

“You don’t ever have to hide from me,” he murmured. “Not pain, not fear, nothing. I’d rather know you’re hurt than have you pretend everything’s fine.”

You melted into him, clinging to the fabric of his shirt. “I was so stupid.”

“No,” he said firmly. “You were trying to be strong. But you don’t have to do that alone.”

His lips brushed your forehead, soft and lingering. Then he kissed you — gently, tenderly — his thumb wiping away your tears.

“I love you,” he said against your skin.

And in that moment, wrapped in his warmth, your heart beat a little steadier.

“I love you too.”

“Main gate. I just got this… feeling. Like I need to go check out whatever that was,” you responded, already halfway turned away from Ava.

Ava didn’t try to stop you; she’d known you long enough to trust your instincts. Instead, she just nodded slightly, folding her arms. “Be careful, Y/N.”

Your lips quirked up at the corners into a small smirk, asking, “When have I ever not been careful?”

Ava began, a smile playing at her lips, “Well-”

“That was a rhetorical question,” you were quick to interrupt. Ava just laughed under her breath and shook her head, watching you jog off toward the source of the noise. Your shoes pounded softly against the dirt, your breath picking up pace as your nerves followed suit. The closer you got to the main gate, the louder the voices became.

Heart thudding in your ears louder than the gunshot had been, you rounded the corner. David stood stiffly, his back to you, and facing him, a little scuffed up but standing tall, was the man you thought you’d never see again. Your breath hitched.

There he was. Javier García. His dark hair was a bit longer now yet his eyes still held that same fire, still your Javi. You also noticed that he was sporting a beard but he still held that same boyish charm from years ago. For a moment, the world paused. You blinked once. Twice. But he didn’t vanish. “Javi…”

It barely came out a whisper, your voice cracking. Nevertheless, his head snapped toward you at the sound of your voice, those deep, brown eyes going wide as if he’d just seen a ghost. For a split second, you saw everything on his face: disbelief, shock, and something so deep, so raw, it nearly knocked the breath from your lungs.

“Y/N?” Your name fell from his lips like a prayer.

You didn’t even remember moving, but suddenly you were running, legs barely working as you closed the distance between you and him. David stepped back instinctively, clearly not expecting your reaction, but you didn’t care. All you could focus on was Javier.

And then, you were in his arms.

He caught you like he’d been waiting for this very moment every day of those four years, like he’d imagined it, a hundred, a thousand times. Your body collided with his and suddenly the tears you’d been holding back burst free. You didn’t even realise you were crying until you felt his hand cradle the back of your head, felt his chest rise and fall against yours like he was trying to breathe you in, memorise the shape of you again. You clung to him, gripping the back of his jersey like he might disappear again if you let go. But he didn’t. The world fell away around the two of you and it was as though nothing else mattered. Not right now.

“God,” Javi whispered against your temple, his voice cracking under the weight of everything he was feeling. “I thought I lost you. I thought-”

“I’m here,” you interrupted softly, pulling back just enough to cup his face in your trembling hands. His cheeks were wet too, a singular tear falling freely as he looked at you like he couldn’t believe you were real. “I’m here, Javi. I’m right here.”

His hands moved to your waist like he was grounding himself in the fact that this wasn’t a dream. “I looked for you,” he said, eyes searching yours desperately. “Everywhere we went. After everything went to shit, I tried so hard to find you. I thought maybe you’d made it out. But then... nothing. For years. I didn’t know if you were alive or dead or-” His voice broke completely, and he looked away for a second, ashamed of the tears, the fear, the helplessness he’d been carrying like a second skin.

You gently turned his face back toward you, brushing your thumb over the curve of his cheek. “You didn’t stop looking for me?”

“Not for a second,” he breathed, his voice trembling like it was made of glass. “I never stopped. Even when it hurt too much to hope. I just couldn’t let myself give up on you.”

Then, without another word, he pulled you into him again, tighter this time, impossibly close, as if the first embrace hadn't been enough to convince him you were truly here. His arms wrapped fully around your waist, "I'm never letting you go again,” he muttered into your hair.

You barely noticed the way David’s jaw clenched, his posture shifting as he watched the two of you wrapped around each other. But Javier noticed. His grip on you didn’t falter, but his gaze flickered over your shoulder to his brother, who crossed his arms over his chest, a sour expression on his face. “You guys done yet? We have other things to deal with right now,” David interrupted the moment, causing you to pull away from Javi and shift your attention to David.

“Javi, Tripp, and Jesus — you’re going to quarantine. Standard protocol for newcomers. Kate and Gabe, you’re staying with me.”

Your fingers tightened instinctively around Javi’s hand as your eyes flicked to him, then to the others. The man with the grey beanie and bushy beard looked vaguely unimpressed, arms casually crossed. Beside him was a man with blond hair pulled back into a short ponytail, who muttered something under his breath that sounded like, “What a load of bull…” before trailing off. You blinked at David, surprised that he would really bring this up right now, right after you’d finally been reunited with your fiancé. Then again, protocol was protocol and you knew that arguing against it was futile; that still didn’t stop you from trying.

“You’re seriously going to do this right now, David?” you asked, taking a step forward, eyes narrowing at him.

David didn’t flinch. His eyes locked with yours, hard and unreadable. “Yes. This isn’t up for debate, Y/N.”

You scoffed, shaking your head, disbelief curling in your chest like smoke. “We haven’t seen him in four years. Four, David. And the second he gets here, you wanna shove him in some holding cell like he’s a threat?”

“They’re all a threat,” David snapped, voice rising just enough to draw a few more glances from nearby guards. “We don’t know where they’ve been and for all we know, they could’ve been bitten. I have to think about the safety of this community.”

You stared at David, your mouth opening, ready to fire off another protest, when Javi gently squeezed your hand. You turned to him, and he shook his head once, his eyes soft but firm. "It’s okay, mi amor," he said quietly, voice rough but steady.

Your chest squeezed painfully. Javi’s words soothed the fire in your chest a little, but not completely. Not even close. You still didn’t want to let go of him, not after everything. But Javi gave you that look. That soft, pleading look that said, Please, just let it go for now. You swallowed thickly, nodding despite every bone in your body screaming at you to fight harder. Your hand slipped reluctantly from his, the loss of contact making you feel weirdly cold, hollow, even with the sun beating down.

“We’ll be fine,” Javi promised you quietly, offering a small smile. You could tell it was forced. You knew him too well.

David didn’t wait for any sappy goodbyes. He jerked his head toward one of the guards. “Take them to holding.”

You stood frozen for a second, watching as the guard stepped forward, gesturing for Javier, Tripp, and Jesus to move. Tripp muttered something under his breath but started walking anyway, and Jesus followed without a word, his expression unreadable like always. But Javi? He hesitated. Just for a second. Long enough that his fingers brushed against yours one last time as he moved past you, his eyes locking with yours, saying all the things he couldn’t say out loud

You bit the inside of your cheek so hard it hurt, forcing yourself not to run after him like some idiot. No. You had to play this smart. If you pushed too hard right now, David would only dig his heels in deeper. Still, your heart felt like it was being scooped out of your chest with a spoon as you watched them lead Javi away.

The second he disappeared through the gate into the quarantine building, you turned to David. “What the hell is wrong with you?” you hissed, keeping your voice low enough not to cause a scene but sharp enough to cut. “That’s your brother. My fiancé. You seriously think he’s a danger to this community?”

David didn’t flinch. He just crossed his arms tighter, looking down at you with that cold, unreadable mask he wore when he didn’t want to deal with his real emotions. “I don’t know who he is anymore, Y/N. Neither do you.”

You laughed, dry and bitter. “Yeah, I do. I know exactly who he is. He’s the man who spent four fucking years looking for me when anyone else would’ve given up.”

David’s jaw twitched, but he stayed silent. You shook your head, making it a point to shove past him as you stormed off. You knew exactly where you were going to go. You didn’t even think about it, your feet just carried you straight to the quarantine area, heart hammering in your chest. You didn’t care about protocol. Screw protocol and screw David especially for allowing this to happen.

You went down the stairs leading to the quarantine door, surprised but glad at the fact there were no guards in front of it. Slipping through the heavy door into the room, all eyes landed on you — Javi, Tripp, Jesus, and a woman whom you hadn’t seen before. Javi’s head snapped up the second you entered, like he’d been waiting for you, which he probably had. His whole body shifted, tension bleeding out of his shoulders just from seeing you. It was as if he could finally breathe again.

You crossed the room in three strides, and without even thinking, you threw your arms around his neck, your lips locking on his. His arms came around your waist immediately, pulling you flush against him.

Javi kissed you like he’d been starved of you, like he didn’t know if he’d get another chance. His hands cradled your jaw, thumbs brushing your cheeks as if memorising every piece of you all over again. The world blurred until it was just him. Just you and him, and that kiss that made the last four years fall away like ash in the wind.

You pulled back just slightly, breathless, forehead resting against Javi’s as you fought to get your heart rate under control. His eyes flickered over your face with such devotion that it almost hurt. “I’m sorry,” you whispered, cupping his face again. “I should’ve fought harder-”

“Hey. No.” He shook his head stubbornly. “You’re here. I’m here. That’s all that matters, mi amor.” God. His voice. That nickname. You could've collapsed right there from how badly you’d missed hearing it.

But the moment shattered when the heavy door swung open with a bang.

David. Because, of course, it was David.

He stepped inside with that same tight, cold expression he always wore when he was trying too hard to pretend he wasn’t losing his damn mind. His eyes landed on you and Javi, still wrapped up in each other, and for a split second, you swore you saw it. That ugly flash of jealousy. That deep, raw bitterness that David never let anyone see, but you’d always felt around the edges whenever you talked about Javier.

He masked it quickly, though. So quick that you almost doubted you saw it at all. “You’re not supposed to be in here, Y/N,” David said, voice low and sharp. “Outside. Now.” David jabbed a finger toward the door, his whole body practically vibrating with rage.

You opened your mouth but Javi touched your arm lightly. He just gave you that exact same look he’d given you earlier and you sighed, scowling at David as you stepped away from Javi. Once you were outside the holding room with the door shut behind you, David rounded on you so fast it made your head spin.

“What the hell was that?” he hissed.

“What the hell was what?” you shot back, folding your arms across your chest.

“You know exactly what. You don’t know him anymore,” David snapped. “People change. You’ve changed. You think he hasn’t?”

“You wanna talk about change? Fine. Let’s talk about how you changed, David. It’s like I can’t even recognise you anymore!” you fired back.

David’s jaw clenched so hard you thought his teeth might crack. His whole body was tight, like he was two seconds away from either punching a wall or screaming at you, maybe both. “You think I wanted to change?” he bit out, his voice low and dangerous. “You think any of this was my choice?”

You took a shaky breath, feeling the burn of tears pricking at your eyes but you refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of him. “You let it happen,” you said, your voice trembling, though you were unsure whether it was from anger, frustration, or maybe even sorrow. Sorrow for the man David had been before all of this. “You let this place turn you into someone completely different.”

David’s chest heaved like he was physically holding himself back, fists clenched so tight at his sides they were practically white. For a second, you thought he might just blow, like actually lose it right there in the hallway. Instead, he did something else.

He laughed. It was this low, broken, hollow sound that made your stomach turn. It was quiet. Bitter. Defeated. Like he’d finally stopped pretending he didn’t care.

“You have no idea what I’ve been through,” David said, his voice raw, cracking around the edges. His eyes, dark and wild, locked onto yours like he was daring you to look away. “No idea what it was like. Watching everything I loved fall apart. And you...” He took a shaky breath, stepping closer until you could feel the anger bleeding off of him, heat and desperation tangled together. “You were the only thing that made it bearable," he said, voice barely above a whisper now. "Every day... every shitty, brutal day, it was you. Being near you. Talking to you. Knowing you were still here... it kept me sane. It kept me human.”

You froze. Completely froze. Your heartbeat was so loud in your ears you barely heard him when he added, almost brokenly: “And somewhere along the line, I... I stopped wishing you’d find Javi. I started wishing you’d look at me the way you looked at him.”

Silence.

Complete, suffocating silence.

Your mouth opened, but no words came out. What could you even say to that? It felt like the world tilted sideways, and suddenly you were thirteen again, standing at the top of a high dive, realising way too late that there’s no way back down except to jump.

“I know it’s fucked up," David muttered, scrubbing a hand down his face, like he hated even saying it out loud. "I know you still love him. I’m not blind." He looked at you, really looked, and for the first time, there was no anger, no walls, just that same broken man who’d been abandoned by everyone he ever loved. "But I love you, Y/N. I love you, and I’ve loved you for a long time.”

You took a step back like the words physically hit you. “David...” your voice cracked, weak and unsure.

He just shook his head, the saddest little smile ghosting across his face. “I don’t expect anything from you.” He shoved his hands in his pockets like it was the only way to stop himself from reaching for you. “I just needed you to know,” he said hoarsely. “Before all of this gets worse. Before I lose you completely.”

And just like that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving you standing there, wondering how the hell you were supposed to survive this mess.

Lee Everett was who you believed to be your soul companion. He was handsome, considerate, and brave. You admired and looked up to him, almost. During a time where the dead walked, he sure made the most of it.

You had met two months prior to today; you both had mistakenly stumbled upon each other while scavenging across an abandoned town. Instead of clashing, you introduced yourselves—to where he then brought you along to stay with his group as you didn't have your own. The more time you spent with him, the harder you fell, and still continue to. However, there has been an issue in which he's been quite avoidant: minimizing conversation, choosing others to scavenge with, and overall just walking in the opposite direction as of lately. You kind of understood the possible reasoning, though. Just a few days ago, you told him how you felt, which you now carry as regret. He didn't say much, just asked you to give him some time in an inscrutable manner. At the time, you thought he'd give you the response in which you wanted; usually he loved speaking to you; having conversations were most of what you two did, and he always chose you as his scavenging partner. You used to think he liked you back, but now you can't be so sure.

Right now, you were sitting in an old lawn chair set up in the Motor Inn as your head ran. You watched as the group talked with one another; you were by yourself, and Lee was out with Kenny foraging. No one else was aware of your current situation-ship, but you thought that perhaps talking about it with someone would help. You just wanted to get your thoughts out so you could think clearly.

You saw Katjaa take a seat by herself after a bit. Her, you knew you could talk to; she was someone you already trusted, as she was a kind, family-oriented woman. Her, you got along with most.

You stood up from your chair and made your way towards her.

“Hey, Katjaa,” you spoke out.

“Hey, what's up?” She responded and moved over on the couch to make room for you.

“I was just hoping to talk to you; I got a lot on my mind.” You sat down beside her.

“Sure, go ahead.”

You sighed and collected your thoughts, “well, it's about Lee…”

“You like him, don't you?”

Your eyes widened and you turned to gaze at her in confusion. “How do you know?”

“Just a woman's intuition…”

"Seriously?”

She chuckled, “oh, it was just a guess—because I always noticed the way you'd look at him. You're practically always all over him!”

“I didn't know it was that obvious…”

“Well, just to me! So, what about him? Did somethin’ happen?”

“Yeah… A few days ago I tried to talk to him… Tell him how I felt… But now he's ignoring me.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. I thought I noticed something off between you two… It sounds like he just needs some time.”

“That's exactly what he told me.”

“Even so, Lee ignoring you doesn't sound like him. You know, he's told me he was quite fond of you before…”

“Oh, really?” You blushed slightly, your mood somewhat lightening just from her statement.

“Yeah, I'm not sure why he's ignoring you like so. I think you should talk to him again and see.”

“Okay… Thanks, Katjaa.”

“Anytime, dear.” She smiled at you reassuringly.

You grinned briefly back to her as you stood up. I guess the only thing you could do now was wait for him to return…

A few hours later, he in fact returned alongside Kenny. Their bag seemed fuller from when they left with it, so that you could be happy about. Though, as Lee entered the Motor Inn, he just trudged right by you—not even bothering to glance in your direction; it stung your heart a bit.

By now, it was late; the sun began to dip in the distance. The hues it casted along the sky were pleasing: shades of orange and pink, but your main gaze focused on Lee. He was chatting with Lily, most likely informing her with the conclusions of the scavenging trip—the one you weren't a part of this time.

You watched as he handed her the filled bag, earning a positive reaction. After that, he walked off, still not acknowledging your presence. He headed up the stairs to the second deck of the motel; he was by himself. You watched as he rested his arms over the metal railing, hanging his head low. He looked burdened, and it made you feel sympathetic for him. You weren't angry at Lee, just confused, and right now seemed like a good time to work on resolving that.

You got up from your seat and made your way towards the steps in anticipation. Once your brown boot hit the first bottom step, you took a deep breath before going on. Your mind raced, but at the same time you knew it wasn't going to be the end of the world. Part of you had been worrying for Lee, too; something just didn't sit right.

You made it to the second deck before long, and so you were now staring down at him. Finally, he glanced to the side at you and simply nodded before turning back. You noticed he wore a frown; maybe of sadness? Or maybe guilt?

You approached and stood beside him, though not too close. You hung your arms over the railing as he did, “hey.”

“Hey.” He replied with his deep voice.

“The sunset looks nice, doesn't it?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

A moment of silence followed. You could definitely feel the slight awkwardness that lingered within the air.

“Lee? I feel like you've been avoiding me lately.” You muttered with a soft tone.

Lee sighed and closed his eyes for a second. “I haven't been meaning to.”

“I shouldn't have ever said what I said a few days ago.” You could recall the embarrassing moment.

“No, don't say that. I'm glad you did.”

“Why?”

He swiveled his gaze towards you once more. “I've been meaning to talk to you, actually.”

“What about?”

“I don't know how else to say this so… y'know, I was on my way to prison the day all of this happened.”

“Oh… what for?” This, you weren't expecting, so naturally, you were taken aback. You hoped it wasn't for anything… awful.

“I got into a fight with the man my wife was having an affair with… Accidentally killed him.” He turned away in shame with his back hunched as he admitted his crime. You could see remorse written on his face.

“...Well, I can see how much you regret it.” You frowned.

“I do. I regret it every day… I haven't told any of the others yet.”

“Are you planning to?”

“When the time's right.”

You nodded, “I think that'd be good.”

Then followed another time of silence. The sun worked on getting below the horizon within the distance, though the sky was still beautiful. You watched as Lee rested his hand atop of his short black hair.

“You look just like her—like my wife.” Lee broke the profound silence.

“Is that why you've been avoiding me?”

“I… don't know.” He put his hands to his sides and stood straight, now facing you. “I'm just afraid that I'll mess up again. I wouldn't want to do something like that to you.”

Now you understood. “I'm sorry, Lee, don't think that. Maybe I was trying to rush things…”

“You don't need to apologize for anything.” He placed his hand on your shoulder, “you know I like you, right?”

You blushed a bit, “you do?”

“...Yeah,” he chuckled. “I was just needing some time to think, but I'm glad we talked.” His lips slowly curved into a smile.

You smiled back, “yeah, me too.”

You could feel his thumb briefly caress your shoulder, and the sensation made you feel warm inside.

“I'm gonna head to bed. Talk to me tomorrow?” He grinned; now like his old self again.

“Yeah.” You nodded, “sleep well.”

With that, he removed his hand from your shoulder and walked off, back down the stairs. You were relieved and left with a sensation of butterflies in your stomach. You didn't even think much of Lee's past; deep down, he was a good man. Thankfully, it all worked out, and now, you couldn't wait to see him once more tomorrow. It's what you went to bed dreaming of.

You roamed up and down the concrete of Howe's Hardware, beneath the cloudy, dimming sky. Howe's Hardware was an old store, now run by a corrupted community, featuring the tyrannical man called William Carver who performs as their leader. You and a group of your friends were kept there against your own will, as you indisposedly worked on the expansion of the place. A large fence circling the entire terrain and supplies of guards kept you all forced inside, but you and your group's ultimate goal was to search for a way to escape.

“Luke?” You called out in search. Your boyfriend, Luke, still hadn't returned from his duty of trying to sneak supplies and gathering information. You had a bad feeling lingering in your gut. You were frantic; your heart pounded, and there laid so much sweat on your palms. You fretted greatly at the possibility of him being caught, captured, and punished—which could mean the worst of the worst, especially coming from Carver; evil would be an understatement for him. He walks hand-in-hand with the Devil.

“Luke??” You cupped your hands around your mouth, shouting louder. You continued to pace around the block, keeping your eyes sharp and your ears listening. Your whole body was on high alert.

“Luke???” A distant noise immediately caught your attention. It sounded as if something fell; a hard thud. You significantly picked up the pace of your jogging and rushed towards it to investigate. The sound originated from the very end of the block, inside of a small, side room. You could hear a voice from inside become more distinct as you quickly approached.

“You're pathetic. Just Waste.” The person spoke, and your eyes widened. The voice was unfortunately recognizable as: Carver.

“You shut your—” You heard Luke's voice, then followed by another thud. Now, you didn't waste any time.

“Luke!?” You slammed open the dark wooden door. Inside, Luke laid beaten on the floor; bits of blood were dripped along the white tile. He was curled up and shielding his face. Seeing him like that made your heart ache.

Carver withdrew his foot from the torso of Luke.

“Intruding, are we?” Said Carver intimidatingly. He wore a scowl. Blood dripped from his knuckles—but it wasn't his.

As much as you trembled with fear internally, you decided to stand your ground. Though, perhaps you still trembled; your legs couldn't stop shaking.

“Let him go. Please.” You pleaded.

“Why should I? I was just teaching the boy a lesson on what happens to thieves.”

“I—It was my idea, I—”

Luke breifly sat up, “Y/N, don't—” His voice was faint. Carver kicked his head back down so he fell. Luke groaned.

“Stop!” You raised your voice. The thought of being oppressed by Carver didn't even worry you anymore. The only thing you cared about at the moment was Luke's well-being.

Carver laughed sickly, his voice raspy. He looked directly at you with a cold gaze. Slowly, he began walking towards you; like how a predator creeps up on its prey.

“Well, you're welcome. You should be thanking me for knocking some sense into him. Who knows? He might've tried to steal from you soon.”

“That's—” He brought out his hand and struck you across your face.

“Don't you ever give me orders.”

Your hand crawled up to rest on your stinging cheek. Out of the corner of your eye, you also noticed Luke, sitting up once more and now trying to rise to his feet. Carver turned and kicked him back down.

“No!—”

You were struck again; this time, harder.

“Look at me.” His tone got sharper. Your eyes quickly averted back to his.

“Now, I hope that you can learn a lesson from this too. I have provided you shelter, food, and warmth here, and you choose to be ungrateful. I won't hesitate to throw you back out with the walkers. Know your place.”

He finally let you go. You took many deep breaths as you regathered the air in your lungs. Carver turned and headed towards the room's exit, passing right by Luke.

Standing in the doorway, he glanced over his shoulder. “No dinner for either of you tonight.” Then, he left.

You rushed towards Luke who was now on his knees, “you need to sit down.”

“Don't… worry about me.” He grunted.

“Luke, look at you! How can I not worry? You need to rest. C'mon, over by this wall.” You got behind him and placed your arms under his shoulders, dragging him as gently as you could towards the wall. Once he was near it, he leaned against it exhaustedly. You knelt down in front of him, and at last, you got a clear view of his face—but it just made the corners of your mouth wilt further. A large red mark rested on his left eye, which was very irritated, and spread to his temple, along his cheekbones and jaw were bloody scratches and bruising, as well as he had a busted lip in which blood ran down his chin.

“Oh, Luke. I'm so sorry.”

“It's not your fault… What about you?” His hand reached up and stroked the side of your face where you were struck twice.

“I'm fine, love,” you placed your hand over his for a moment before removing it and returning it to his side. “We need to worry about you right now.”

You removed your scarf to use as a makeshift cloth to remove the blood from his face. You also applied some pressure on his mouth to at least slow the bleeding. He also had a few, more minor red bruises that ran up along his arms. You lifted up his shirt to check for more injuries, and there laid even more bruises. Large ones rested on his ribcage.

“I'll look around here for anything we can use.”

“I already tried that… And that's how I was caught. I didn't find anything besides a half-drunken water bottle. I—uh—dropped it near the door, I think.”

You got up and walked towards the door. You searched behind some boxes beside it, and lo and behold, there was the water bottle as promised. You grabbed it and returned to Luke, sitting in front of him once more.

“Got it. Here, drink some,” you handed it to him.

He gratefully took it, threw aside the plastic cap, and chugged what liquid remained.

“...I'm sorry—I don't have anything else to help with your wounds. We need to get you to Carlos, hopefully he'll have some supplies.” You put your scarf back on.

“Baby, it's okay. You're already doing so much—thank you.”

“Anywhere else hurt?”

“Can't tell—it all hurts… It's a little hard to breathe.”

“Can you walk?”

“Yeah...”

“We need to get you back. I'm not leaving you here. C'mon.” You grabbed his waist and gently helped him up. You held onto him closely as he steadied himself, though most of his weight was on you.

“You okay?”

He groaned, “yeah.”

You left and went back outside, still holding onto Luke and guiding him. The sky was much darker by now, besides the faint stars that were painted upon it. You went back down the pavement, but then you came across an armed guard patrolling among the sides.

“What the hell are you two doing out?”

“We're just returning to our area.” You spoke.

“You better be. I'm gonna make sure of that.” He approached behind you and Luke and trailed behind you two, pointing out a gun. Their presence definitely made you shaky, but either way you were going to help Luke. They just shouted harsh words and ushered you.

Eventually, you and Luke arrived back at your tightly secured area in the back of the main building. The same guard that followed behind you both locked you in as they shut the metal, mechanical door behind you. Everyone in the group ran up to you after seeing the state of Luke. There were a lot of questions.

“Let me look at him,” spoke Carlos.

You handed Luke over to him, and he was then carried off to a corner and laid on a bed.

You informed everyone of the situation briefly before heading over to Carlos and Luke.

“Is he… okay?” You asked Carlos, who was currently working on disinfecting and sanitizing Luke's wounds.

“A lot of bruising, and maybe a few mildly fractured ribs. Though, I expect he'll make a good recovery within a few weeks.”

You frowned and walked to the right side of the bed. You bent down to stroke Luke's head. “I'm sorry this all happened to you.”

“I told you… it wasn't your fault. And doc says I'll make a recovery soon…”

You looked up at Carlos, “can I help?”

“Sure.” He handed you a wet rag with some home-crafted ointment. “You disinfect his wounds.”

You nodded and took the supplies, to then begin working on disinfecting every deep bruise and scratch you came across. Occasionally, Luke would let out a groan or wince, and all you could do was reassure him every time.

“Alright, that's all we can do for now.” Said Carlos.

“I'll get him some food.” You said.

“Good—that might help him regain some energy.” Carlos replied before wrapping up and walking off for you two to be alone.

“Where are you gonna get food?” Luke asked.

“I saved some rations from a few days ago, let me go get them.”

You walked off to head to your own bed, and looted underneath your mattress. After digging, you pulled out the can of beans which you had hidden. Saving an occasional ration was a habit you had gotten yourself into; at times, the community was greedy when it came to providing food.

You made your way back to Luke.

You cracked the lid open, and then held them out for him to take, but he refused.

“No, you should have it.”

“I'm fine. You need it.”

“No I don't. I'm okay.”

“Luke—please? It'll help. Even Carlos said so.”

Luke sighed and gave up, accepting the can of food.

He looked back up at you, “are you sure?”

“Yes, I'm sure. I want you to have it. Don't eat it too fast.”

He slowly consumed it until nearly nothing remained, and then simply threw aside the hollow can. You sat on the side of his bed and gazed down at him. Your hand rested on his bare chest.

“I won't ever let anything like that happen again. I promise.”

“Don't blame yourself... That was out of your control.”

“Still, I… could've been there sooner, or did more.”

“You did all you could, and that was good enough for me. You really helped.”

Your lips curved into a smile. He smiled back with once again warm eyes.

“I love you.” You murmured.

“I love you, too.”

You leaned down and softly kissed his cheek.

“I'll stay with you tonight.” You assured him.

“Good… I think some company would be nice.”

The day was chilly; not as bad as it had been, but comfortable enough to step outside for a short period of time. The one good thing about colder weather was that you could embrace your style, so to say; shorts weren't exactly your thing. You loved a nice outfit that consisted of baggy jeans, and a graphic tee, sometimes paired with a leather jacket. You also would throw on whatever jewelry you did have; usually, a long necklace.

Thankfully today though, you were to stay inside and help Rebecca with the preparation of dinner. What you'd be serving was blueberry oatmeal; simple enough, but the hard part came to the rationing. Eight mouths had to be fed, including yourself and Rebecca, and it was essential that everyone received the same amount with it still being enough to fill their stomachs.

You and Rebecca were in the kitchen, already committing to your chore. Nick was behind you two, bent over the counter and rinsing off dishes.

Now, you could say that you and Nick were somewhat close; you both referred to each other as friends. You didn't want to admit it, but sometimes you felt something more for him, but those feelings, you strictly kept to yourself, but you yourself didn't even want to accept them.

You did notice the way Nick began to act as you two got closer; jittery, and a little avoidant. You didn't pry on the matter, but rather observed from a distance. You weren't sure what to think of it; maybe he was going through something he didn't wish to speak of? He seemed a bit less of himself when he was around you; with the others, he was energetic and nearly care-free.

“Can you grab me a spoon?” Rebecca asked, pulling you from your head.

“Oh—sure.”

You turned and headed towards the sink where Nick stood.

“Hey, could I have a spoon please?”

“Uh—yeah, sure.” He shakily grabbed one from the bottom of the sink and washed it off as quickly as he could before handing it to you.

“Here.”

You accepted it, “thanks.” You then returned to your area with Rebecca and gave her the metal utensil. She worked on making the food.

“How much should everyone get?” She asked.

“I think about half a cup? Would that be enough?”

“Yeah, it should be. We can't use all of this up, either.”

You nodded.

Not too long later, Nick finished rinsing off the dishes about the same time as you and Rebecca finished dinner. Eight rations were sorted into white bowls.

Just before Nick was about to leave, Rebecca called for him.

“Hey, Nick, can you help us bring these over to the table?”

“Yeah.” He replied and assisted you both.

Once everything was where it needed to be, Rebecca called for everyone and eventually the table was full. You sat in-between Rebecca and Luke; Nick was across from you, and you two made some awkward eye contact a few times. Everyone murmured a prayer before picking up their utensils and stuffing their mouths. Some small talk occurred within the table, but sooner or later, everyone finished their meal and went off to do their own things. Alvin and Carlos offered to tidy up.

You were about to head off to your room upstairs when Luke pulled you aside towards a corner of the living room.

He briefly glanced around before settling his eyes on yours. “Hey, I just wanted to tell you something.” He muttered.

“Sure, what is it?” You whispered back.

“Nick's been acting all… weird around you, right?”

“A little, yeah.”

“Well… the guy's kinda crazy for you—but he thinks you're way out of his league.” He chuckled.

“...He does?” Your eyes slightly widened; did that explain Nick's behavior? It was best to believe Luke as well, for he was Nick’s closest friend.

“Yeah! I thought I'd let you know ‘cause… He won't get the courage to tell you anytime soon… Oh, sorry I should've asked first—what do you think of Nick?”

“...He's a nice boy, I like him.”

“Do you like him like that though?”

“Uhm… I don't know.” You blushed.

Luke patted your back, “c'mon, you can tell me.”

“Maybe?” You sheepishly shrugged.

Luke smirked, “ha, seriously?!” He exclaimed lowly. “You go get him then! I'm telling you, you got this!”

“...Right now?” You froze.

“Yes, right now! There isn't a moment to wait for; this is the damn apocalypse! I think he's out on the back porch now with Pete.” He gave you a tiny shove of encouragement.

“You are annoying… Let me go grab my jacket and shoes.”

You went off to grab your leather jacket which rested on a rack within the living room and slipped it on. You then put on your black boots beside it. Once you were ready, you turned and slowly headed for the backdoor. Luke still stood in the same spot, watching your every move with intensity that just made you more nervous—but you tried your best to ignore him. You placed your shaky hand on the doorknob and carefully opened it. A slight wind hit you as you stepped past the frame. You shut the door behind you and folded your arms over your chest to retain some warmth. You cocked your head to the right and saw Nick and Pete sat down in two chairs. Pete had a cigarette hanging from his mouth as Nick chatted with him. You walked towards the duo and made your presence noticeable.

“Hey, you all don't mind if I join, do you? I just thought some air would be nice.”

Pete turned to you and quickly put out his cigarette using the bottom of his shoe.

“Oh, well here,” he stood up, “you can have my seat; I was just about to head inside anyways.”

“Are you sure?”

“Mhm.”

“Oh—thank you.” You sat down.

“No problem. Nick, you stayin'?”

Nick glanced at the ground, sitting in silence for a moment, “yeah.”

With that, Pete headed back inside. Now that you and Nick were alone, your heart pounded against your chest.

You looked at him, “hey.”

He briefly glanced up at you before looking out into the yard, “hey.”

“...How are you doing?” You attempted to create some small talk.

“I'm okay. What about you?”

“Oh, me too.”

An awkward silence followed for a minute or two. You took a few, subtle deep breaths until you had the courage to speak up.

“Nick, I, uh—actually wanted to talk to you…” You fidgeted with your fingers in your lap.

“What about?”

You felt his gaze drift upon you; it made your heart accelerate quicker. You sure hoped Luke was right.

“Listen… I don't know how else to say this—but I think you're cool… And—”

“You think I'm cool?”

You noticed his face become flustered.

“—Oh, sorry for interrupting…”

“No, it's okay.”

“...”

“Nick, I… want to be more than friends, I guess—and I wanted to know if you felt the same way.”

“W—what?” His eyes were wide and a deep blush crawled up his cheeks. It was cute.

Again, there was some silence. It appeared as if he was deep in thought.

“Nick?”

Out of nowhere, he lifted his head up and leaned close to you, capturing your lips against his. Your own face flushed, but you found yourself leaning back into him. It was short and sweet. His lips felt soft against yours.

He pulled away after a few seconds and just gazed at you with his light emerald eyes. You glared back with your lips slowly curving into a smile.

“Why don't we head inside?” He suggested, softly grinning now too.

“Yeah, I'm getting cold.”

“Me too.”

He stood up first and offered you his hand. You placed your hand in his and arose to your feet as he gently pulled you up. You kept your hands intertwined as you stepped back inside together. You can best believe that Luke was all giddy when he saw you two. Your heart fluttered in the moment; now, you realized how much you enjoyed Nick's presence. You hoped that from everyday forward, you'd be able to bathe in it.

Luke froze, caught between instinct and reason. “Just stay calm, alright? Don’t move,” he said, voice trembling ever so slightly.

Your legs wobbled, breath hitching in your throat as another soft crack echoed beneath your feet. The ice groaned like it was angry. “I know not to move, Luke,” you snapped, trying to keep the fear out of your voice, but your eyes flicked downward anyway. Bad idea. All you saw was a sheet of thinning ice and dark, swirling water underneath.

Bonnie grabbed Clem’s shoulder and pulled her back a bit. “We can’t all crowd her. The ice won’t hold,” she hissed, voice tight with fear.

Luke ignored her. “Y/N, look at me. Hey, hey, eyes up, sweetheart.” His voice was gentle now, like it was just the two of you again, curled up in an old cabin and not about to fall through a frozen lake. “I got you, alright? You’re not gonna fall. Just… reach out your hand, nice and slow.”

“Luke…” you whispered, voice cracking. “If I go under-”

“You’re not,” he said, still stepping forward despite your protests.

“Luke, no!” you shouted, warning him not to come any closer. You glanced at Bonnie and gave her a look, which she seemed to understand. She moved to hold Luke back, grabbing his arm. Bonnie gritted her teeth as she yanked Luke back. “Don’t be stupid, Luke! She told you not to move!” she barked.

Luke fought her grip, his eyes locked on you with desperation burning in them. “I have to get to her! I’m not just gonna stand here and watch her-”

“Luke,” you cut him off, your voice firm despite the terror boiling in your chest. “You can’t save me if we both fall in.”

And then, like a horror movie playing on fast-forward, groaning snarls erupted from behind. More walkers. Of course.

Clementine turned to look behind you. “They’re coming!”

You turned your head just slightly, enough to see silhouettes shambling onto the lake, their limbs stiff from the cold but still deadly. There were too many of them, and you were in the middle of the lake with ice thinner than tissue paper. Perfect. Your heart pounded harder. You knew what had to be done. “Bonnie,” you called. She turned to you, wide-eyed. “Buy me time. Shoot the walkers behind us. Now!”

Clem didn’t wait. She was already raising her gun, her small hands steady despite the situation. One shot cracked through the cold air, echoing across the lake as the first walker dropped. Bonnie followed suit, fumbling slightly but firing with shaky determination. Luke was yelling something, probably your name again, but you barely heard it. Because now the ice was seriously groaning, screaming, practically. And you knew you were running out of time.

You tried to shift your weight slowly, carefully moving one foot toward a thicker part of the ice, eyes flicking around for anything more solid. “Y/N, stop!” Luke’s voice came again.

“I’m not just gonna wait to die, Luke!” you shouted back.

He struggled against Bonnie again, managing to take another half-step closer.

“Luke, I swear to god,” your voice cracked again. “If you fall through, I’ll never forgive you.”

“I don’t care, Y/N!” he yelled. “I’m not losing you!”

A loud boom of a shot rang out, followed by a walker’s gurgling fall. “Three more!” Clem shouted.

You felt the ice shift beneath your foot. A web of cracks spread like lightning beneath you, and a chill that had nothing to do with the cold climbed up your spine. You had seconds. You looked at Luke for what could’ve possibly been the last time. “I love you,” you said, quiet but clear.

His face crumpled. “No, don’t say it like that. You’re gonna make it out of this.”

You gave him a half-smile, bitter and broken and laced with hope. “Then let me do this my way. Just keep them off me.”

Bonnie reloaded. Clem was already aiming at the next walker. Luke stood frozen, eyes wet, lips pressed tight, watching the person he loved on the verge of falling through a grave of ice and water.

And then the ice beneath you gave a snap like a bone breaking, and you dropped, straight into the freezing dark.

One second you were standing on a slippery miracle, the next you were in it, or rather under it. The lake swallowed you whole, dragging you down like it had been waiting all along. Ice water wrapped around your body like chains, shocking the air right out of your lungs. You couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t see. Everything was black and blue and blurry, like the whole world had shattered and you’d fallen straight through the pieces.

Your arms flailed upward instinctively, fighting the weight of your soaked clothes. The surface shimmered just above you, distorted and too far. You reached for it, fingers numb, chest burning. The water clawed at your skin, cutting into it like glass. The pain was instant. Unforgiving. Above, muffled voices and gunshots bled through the ice, barely audible. You heard someone scream your name. It was Luke, you knew it was Luke. And then suddenly, the blurry shimmer above you broke.

A hand plunged through the water like a lifeline sent by the universe.

Luke.

His fingers wrapped around your arm, and then both arms, and then you were yanked, violently, desperately, upward. The ice cracked further under the strain of your combined weight, but Luke didn’t let go. He refused to. His grip was iron. With a strong tug, he pulled you halfway out of the water, breath ragged. “Come on- come on, sweetheart,” he panted, locking eyes with you like he was trying to pull your soul back to the surface too. “Stay with me. Just a little more. I got you.”

Bonnie screamed something behind him. Clementine fired another shot. But none of that mattered. Not to Luke. Not right now. He hauled you out with a roar, slipping to his knees as you crashed onto the cracked ice beside him. You were coughing violently, lips blue, soaked through and shaking uncontrollably. Your vision spun like the world had tilted sideways.

“S’okay, sweetheart. I got you, I got you,” Luke repeated over and over, his arms already wrapped around you, picking you up to continue towards the house.

Your teeth chattered so hard it hurt, but you clung to him like your life depended on it because, honestly, it did. You couldn’t feel your fingers. Your soaked clothes clung to you like icy cement, and your arm was burning from where the ice had sliced into it. Luke didn’t stop moving. “Just a little farther,” he whispered, almost to himself. “You’re gonna be okay. You’re gonna be okay, baby, I promise.” His voice cracked halfway through the sentence, but he kept going.

You tried to speak, to say you were fine, but your jaw wouldn’t cooperate. Your body felt like it was shutting down, piece by piece, and the pain in your arm was making everything fuzzy.

Bonnie ran ahead, kicking open the door of the unfinished house Arvo had led you to. Luke stumbled inside with you in his arms, lowering you onto the dusty floor. His hands were almost shaking worse than yours, hovering over you like he didn’t know what to do first. You were soaked to the bone, your breaths coming in shallow, wheezy gasps. His eyes flicked from your face to your arm to your chest, and then back to your face again. “Shit. Okay. Okay. We need to warm you up. Now.”

Jane spoke, “I got it.” She disappeared, searching the house for firewood or anything else that would work.

Luke held you in his arms, wrapping them around you to give you any sort of warmth for now, not caring about the fact that he, too, was now getting soaked.

“B-babe?” you asked, voice slurred.

Luke’s head snapped down to you, eyes wide and full of panic. “I’m here. I’m right here, baby,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to yours like he could will your body heat back just by being close. “You’re okay. I got you. I got you.”

Your eyes fluttered, barely staying open. “So…tired…” you mumbled, and Luke was just about able to make out the words.

“No, no, no, don’t do that, sweetheart, stay with me,” Luke whispered fast, panicked, his arms tightening around you. “You gotta stay awake, alright? Please.” His voice cracked again, more desperate now, like the thought of losing you was physically tearing him apart. “Don’t close your eyes, not yet.”

Kenny was pacing like a caged animal, his boots scraping the wooden floor with every stomp. He kept glancing at you, wrapped up in Luke’s arms, your lips still blue, your body shaking uncontrollably. The silence in the room, save for your gasps and Luke whispering reassurances, was suffocating.

Then, Kenny looked at Arvo. “You son of a bitch. This is your fuckin’ fault!” Kenny accused, choosing to direct his anger at the Russian.

“Kenny. Don’t man,” Mike tried to step in and diffuse the situation.

“Don’t what?” fumed Kenny.

Mike responded, “It’s nobody’s damn fault.”

“The hell it ain’t!”

“He’s just a scared kid. This ain’t on him,” Mike defended Arvo, or rather attempted to do so.

Kenny glanced around the house. “Look at this place. Just a stack of fuckin’ toothpicks. Bet those magical ‘supplies’ are bullshit, too. What? No speaka de English?” Kenny lashed out, shoving Arvo.

You couldn’t do anything, and you could feel Luke tense up next to you at the argument unfolding before you.

Arvo was silent for a few beats, then he spoke, his brows lowering. “Fuck you.”

“You fuckin’ Commie piece of shit.” Kenny punched Arvo square in the face, causing him to drop to the floor.

“Kenny!” Mike called, trying to get him to stop, but to no avail. Those two words had been enough to push Kenny over the edge. Yet Kenny didn’t stop there.

He punched Arvo again, which led to Arvo repeating his earlier words, “Fuck you…”

Kenny paused, and then blow after blow rained down on Arvo. “You mother-” Hit. “Fucker!” Another hit. “Piece of-” Again. “Shit!”

“Stop it!” Mike yelled, trying to grab Kenny, but he shoved him off, eyes crazed with fury.

Your throat burned with every ragged gasp, your body trembling like a leaf in a storm. You could barely lift your head, but you could still hear it. Kenny's fists connecting with skin and bone, the sickening thud of each punch. The crack of knuckles. Arvo’s weak grunts of pain. Mike yelling. The whole room felt like it was spinning, and all you could think was make it stop.

Luke’s arms were still tight around you, his body heat barely cutting through the ice in your bones. His jaw was clenched so tight you thought his teeth might crack. His whole body was stiff — not just from the cold, but from the fight breaking out right in front of him, one he wasn’t getting up to stop because you were still half-conscious in his lap.

Gathering what little energy you had left in your frozen, aching body, you forced out a yell that scraped your throat raw, burning from the effort. "Kenny! Stop!" you rasped, voice louder than you'd thought possible in your state. Everything halted. Kenny’s fist hung midair, his chest heaving, blood smeared across his knuckles. Everyone in the room turned toward you. Even Arvo, blood trickling from his busted lip, blinked in disbelief.

Luke pulled you tighter into his chest. “Easy, sweetheart,” he murmured into your hair. “Don’t push yourself.”

The moment Kenny’s eyes met yours — your blue lips trembling, Luke cradling you like a lifeline, your whole body shivering — his shoulders slumped. “You should be resting,” he muttered.

“I’ll rest when you stop beating the life outta a kid who’s just as scared as the rest of us,” you shot back, though your words slurred from exhaustion and the cold.

The fight drained out of Kenny in one breath. He stared for a beat, fists clenched tight at his sides. Then, finally, he turned away from Arvo with a grunt, wiping the blood from his knuckles. The room stayed tense, thick with the kind of air you could cut with a knife, but the immediate storm passed. Kenny stomped away, muttering under his breath, leaving Arvo coughing weakly on the floor, blood dotting the dusty wood. Mike crouched beside the kid, checking his face for anything too bad while Bonnie hovered awkwardly near the door like she wasn’t sure whether to check on you or stay out of it.

Jane returned then, kicking the door shut with her boot and dropping a bundle of wood on the floor. “Found enough for a fire,” she announced, voice clipped. Her eyes darted to you in Luke’s arms, and even she winced a little. “We need to move fast.”

“Yeah,” Luke breathed, his arms never leaving you. “Help me get her warmed up.”

Jane crouched by the half-busted fireplace, her hands moving quickly as she started stacking a pile of wood. Clem appeared beside her with some matches, jaw set and eyes fierce like always. Luke pressed his lips to your temple, his breath shaky. “Hang in there, baby. They’re getting the fire goin’, you hear me? You’re gonna be okay.” He said it like if he repeated it enough, it’d make it true.

You barely managed a nod, your face buried against his chest. Everything hurt. Every nerve felt raw and frozen, and your arm was still bleeding sluggishly where the ice had bit into it. But you weren’t dead, and right now, that was enough.

“Luke,” Jane called, her voice a little softer now. “Bring her closer.”

He scooped you up without hesitation, carrying you over to the flickering flames Jane and Clem were coaxing to life. “Luke… I-I’m sorry,” you whispered, voice rough and barely there.

Luke’s head snapped down. “What? What’re you apologisin’ for?”

Your teeth chattered so hard it made your whole skull vibrate, but you still forced the words out. “I didn’t listen… should’ve waited. Should’ve trusted you.”

Luke lowered himself beside the fire with you in his lap, the glow flickering against his face, warm but not nearly enough yet. He tucked you into his chest like he was trying to shield you from everything — the cold, the fear, the guilt, even yourself. “Don’t you dare apologise, Y/N,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “You were trying to survive. You did survive. That’s all that matters.”

“I almost didn’t.” You curled your fingers weakly into his shirt, clinging like he was the only solid thing left in the world.

“But you’re here,” he whispered, his breath catching, arms curling tighter around you. “You’re here with me, and I’m not lettin’ go. Not ever.” He paused, lost in thought for a few moments then spoke, “You scared the shit outta me.”

“Yeah?” you croaked with a ghost of a smirk. “You looked like you were gonna cry.”

He let out a weak, choked laugh, brushing your wet hair back from your forehead. “I still might. Don’t push your luck.”

The fire finally caught strong, casting flickering gold across the room. Clem knelt beside you, handing Luke a rag and motioning toward your arm. “You need to clean that. Fast.”

“Right,” he said, shifting you just slightly so he could get a better look. When he pulled back your sleeve, his stomach clenched at the sight. The ice had sliced deep, raw and angry against your skin. He pressed the cloth gently to it, and you hissed, fingers twitching.

“Sorry, sorry,” he muttered.

“It’s okay,” you breathed. “You’re better than Jane’s first aid.”

“Hey,” Jane said, without looking up from the fire, but her lips twitched. Clem cracked a small smile too, just barely. Even Bonnie let out the tiniest exhale that might’ve been a laugh, though her eyes were still on Arvo, cautious.

As Luke tended to your wound, the room slowly began to stabilise again, tense but not explosive. Kenny sat stiffly in the corner, arms crossed, clearly still stewing, but silent for now. Mike stayed by Arvo, offering quiet words you couldn’t make out. And the fire kept growing, warm enough that your fingers finally started to tingle with pain from the return of circulation.

You leaned your head against Luke’s shoulder, your breath starting to even out. “Luke…”

“Yeah?”

You reached up, fingers clumsy and shaking, and brushed your knuckles along his jaw. “You didn’t have to come after me. You could’ve fallen in too.”

“I had to,” he said instantly, like it wasn’t even a question. “I wasn’t about to stand there and let the person I love drown.”

You blinked at him slowly, your heart kicking weakly in your chest, and despite the pain, despite the cold, despite everything, a tiny smile tugged at the corners of your lips.

“You said it,” you whispered.

He frowned. “Said what?”

“You love me.”

Luke’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he looked away, somewhat sheepish. “Well… yeah. ‘Course I do. Thought that was obvious by this point.”

You let out a soft, raspy laugh and closed your eyes for a second. “Just wanted to hear you say it.”

Your body trembles, your fingers rigid and your lips cracked and blue as you traverse the endless sea of white. Haven had fallen and the avalanche had left you lost. Frost forms on your skin as you trudge forward, you weren’t sure how long it had been.

Minutes?

Hours, even?

You had yet to find signs of a camp or life, and you were starting to lose feeling in your extremities. You aren’t sure how much more you can take before your body forces you to give into the cold and die.

You can’t.

Surely you can’t, the inquisition needs you. You have a duty to any of the people that might have survived Corypheus’s attack.

You need to live.

You can’t give in to death’s warm embrace no matter how much you may want to…

“There! It’s her!” A deep voice calls out.

It’s the last thing you hear before you collapse, your vision going black as oblivion takes hold of your body.

Your eyes blink open, your vision blurry as they try to adjust to your new surroundings. You’re in a tent, despite the shelter, your body is still cold as you once again begin to shiver.

“Thank the maker, you’re awake.” The same voice from earlier says, as their broad figure approaches.

“Cullen?” You ask, turning your weary head towards your visitor.

“Yes Inquisitor, I’m sorry for the intrusion, I just- we were afraid we’d lost you.” Cullen apologizes, kneeling by your bedroll.

“I can’t feel my fingers.” You breathe, trying to wriggle your stiff digits only to be met with pain, making you hiss.

“You were out in the elements for so long, it’s a miracle you can still feel anything at all… Allow me, please.” He removes his gauntlets, holding his hand towards yours in offering.

You place your hand in his and he wraps his warm palms around it, bringing it to his lips and breathing on the glassy discolored skin to keep it warm. Your hands have gone pale except for your knuckles and the tips of your fingers, flushed a deep red and blooming with purple at their very edge.

“Gods, I can’t take this cold— I don’t know if I’ll make it through the night.” You mutter, your breath visible in the frigid air.

“Don’t say that Inquisitor, there must be something that we can do, let me see if we have any more available blankets.” Cullen’s brow knits together in worry as he continues rubbing at your cold hands, desperately attempting to warm them.

“No, Commander, I need more than that… strip me bare, put your skin to mine.” You tell the man before you, your tone gravely serious as your desperation for warmth grows.

“W-what? Inquisitor I-” Cullen blurts, his touch stilling on your skin.

“Commander, please listen to me… I do not wish to freeze to death. Your flesh is warmer than any linen or fur, please put your body to mine, share your body’s warmth with me… I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t… urgent.” You beg, your teeth chattering.

“… Yes, Inquisitor. I apologize for the hesitation, you just caught me by surprise. I will not let you come to any harm.” Cullen promises, his hands traveling to your collar.

He begins slowly undoing the buttons lining the front of your garment, his nerves growing with each button. Reaching the bottom of your shirt he can no longer avoid the inevitable, he slips his hand beneath the fabric, pulling your shirt open. As his fingers work to remove the garment his eyes travel across the newly exposed skin, to his surprise and further embarrassment you lack any undergarments, your bare breasts exposed to his hungry gaze. With your shirt removed his nervous hands travel down to your pants, his quivering fingers hooking beneath the waist of them, tugging them down and exposing your bare legs and mound.

Cullen stands, turning from you, his face flush and breath heavy as he begins to remove his own clothing. He undresses only leaving his underwear to serve as a barrier between your bodies. He turns back to face your naked body, dropping to his knees beside you once more and gently straddling your waist before laying the weight of his body on top of you like a blanket of muscle and flesh.

“Thank you, Commander. This feels… nice.” You sigh, relief washing over you as his skin’s warmth kisses at yours, the cold of your body slowly fading. You bring your hand to his, taking it in your weak grasp and interlacing your fingers with his, a gesture of gratitude.

“It’s no problem, Inquisitor, I’m glad I can be of service.” Cullen blushes, his breath heavy as his chest heaves against yours.

You close your eyes taking in the feeling of his body against yours, a satisfied gasp leaving your lips as your frozen skin warms. Just as the trembling of your flesh begins to cease you feel something poking at your belly, something hard. Your eyes fall open, meeting Cullen’s, a sheepish look on his face.

“Oh Maker, I’m so sorry! I’m- I… I’m mortified.”  Cullen hurriedly apologizes, shame burning within his chest as his body betrays his lust filled thoughts. His cock strains against his underwear, trapped between your bodies and leaking with precum, coating your stomach in its slobber.

“It’s alright, Cullen. I’m not unaware that this position is quite… stimulating. After all, you’re a man and you have a woman bare beneath you, it’s only natural.” You give a slight smile, heat now burning within your core in spite of the night’s frozen temperatures.

His hardness throbs against you, causing the man above you to let out a low whimper.

“Please, don’t… when you talk like that it only makes it worse.” Cullen pleads, his jaw tensing as he tries to ignore the aching swell between his thighs.

“… Cullen you have my gratitude for this, for saving me. If you want to… relive yourself with my body, I would not mind.” You suggest, the color returning to your face as red teases at your cheeks.

You bring a hand to his face, stroking at his stubbled cheek affectionately.

“No, that’s not what I- It wouldn’t be right of me to take advantage of your good graces like this.” Cullen frets, burying his face in the crook of your neck as he avoids your gaze.

“You’re not taking advantage, I am giving you permission. You don’t have to worry so much Cullen, I’m not made of glass, and it would certainly help me get warmer.” You whisper against his ear, your lips brushing against it.

Cullen turns his head to look at you— you’re beautiful, devastatingly so... he can’t deny his feelings towards you any longer, feelings he’s carried since you first met. After all, what good could come from denying nature?

“If it’s truly alright… We should hurry before the others come to check on you as well.” Cullen urges, worried what the others might think if the two of you were to be caught.

“Terribly romantic, aren’t you?” You snort, a soft chuckle leaving your lips.

“Right. Sorry. It’s a force of habit.” Cullen apologizes, again.

“Stop apologizing and take me already before you paint my stomach white.” You urge, bringing your hands to the sides of his face and connecting your mouth to his in a sloppy kiss, spit and blood coating his lips as your cracked lips intertwine with his.

The kiss is all Cullen needs before springing into action, dipping a hand between your bodies and wrapping it around his stiff cock. He rubs himself against your slit, teasing at your entrance before bucking his hips and splitting you open around him with an animalistic grunt.

“Ah—” You moan, your head falling against the bedroll.

“Maker, did I hurt you?” Cullen asks, his voice laden with worry.

“No, keep going- please, keep going.” You pant, your walls fluttering around him.

Cullen obeys your words, thrusting into you, his hips slapping against yours hard as he loses himself in his pleasure. For the first time since the avalanche, sweat forms on your body and heat courses through your veins.

Arousal pools between your thighs as your abdomen grows tight with pleasure. Cullen’s thrusts grow more frantic as he nears his peak, he brings his lips to yours, cupping your face in his hands as he buries himself in you. With one more shaky thrust he spills into you, a mess of whines and groans as his balls go taught and he empties their contents deep into your womb.

Cullen’s desperate rutting into you as he shoots rope after rope into your soiled cunt sends you over the edge, your walls spasming around him as you come undone.

Silence falls between the two of you as the last tremors leave your bodies— That is before Cullen breaks it once more.

“Oh, I’ve just- I’m so sorry, I should know better— Maker I’m no better than a rutting stag, forgive me-” Cullen pulls himself from within you, cringing as his milky-white seed spills out, making a mess of your folds and the bedroll beneath.

“Cullen, please calm yourself. That was wonderful… and now I have something to keep me warm inside.” You joke, your teeth showing as your lips pull back into a satisfied grin.

“You’re too kind to me, inquisitor.” Cullen smiles, settling back into your embrace as you wrap your arms around his neck.