So I know that The Boys already showed that Soldier Boy/Ben likes bush but I wanted to play with that and yes I do AI chats and give no fucks so here ya go pookies enjoyyyy. 🖤✨
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01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents?
02: Who did you last say “I love you” to?
03: Do you regret anything?
04: Are you insecure?
05: What is your relationship status?
06: How do you want to die?
07: What did you last eat?
08: Played any sports?
09: Do you bite your nails?
10: When was your last physical fight?
11: Do you like someone?
12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours?
13: Do you hate anyone at the moment?
14: Do you miss someone?
15: Have any pets?
16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment?
17: Ever made out in the bathroom?
18: Are you scared of spiders?
19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
20: Where was the last place you snogged someone?
21: What are your plans for this weekend?
22: Do you want to have kids? How many?
23: Do you have piercings? How many?
24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)?
25: Do you miss anyone from your past?
26: What are you craving right now?
27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart?
28: Have you ever been cheated on?
29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry?
30: What’s irritating you right now?
31: Does somebody love you?
32: What is your favourite color?
33: Do you have trust issues?
34: Who/what was your last dream about?
35: Who was the last person you cried in front of?
36: Do you give out second chances too easily?
37: Is it easier to forgive or forget?
38: Is this year the best year of your life?
39: How old were you when you had your first kiss?
40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked?
51: Favourite food?
52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason?
53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night?
54: Is cheating ever okay?
55: Are you mean?
56: How many people have you fist fought?
57: Do you believe in true love?
58: Favourite weather?
59: Do you like the snow?
60: Do you wanna get married?
61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby?
62: What makes you happy?
63: Would you change your name?
64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed?
65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do?
66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around?
67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to?
68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with?
69: Do you believe in soulmates?
70: Is there anyone you would die for?
NOTE: this was a rushed work but I had to get the words down before I forgot!! And the word vomit suddenly started coming out…
The backyard was currently filled with the low hum of chatter, the clinking of glasses, and the aroma of charred oak and marinating meat. String lights were woven through the trees overhead, swaying gently in the afternoon breeze
At eight months pregnant, you were, by your own cheerful admission, "absolutely huge." You wore a flowy, sage-green sundress that stretched comfortably over your prominent, round bump. Walking was more of a graceful waddle at this point, but you refused to sit down just yet. You were too busy playing host to the closest friends and allies you and Simon had.
"Look at you, glowing!" Price boomed, stepping into the yard with a wrapped box that looked comically small in his hands. He wrapped you in a gentle, careful hug, mindful of the extra space you now required. "How are you holding up, love?"
"Like a penguin, but otherwise great," you laughed, resting a hand on the top of your belly. "He’s kicking up a storm today. I think he smells the food."
"He?" Soap’s ears practically perked up from where he was sitting on a lawn chair, a beer in hand. He bolted over, blue eyes wide. "Did you say he? It’s a boy?!"
"It’s a boy," you beamed, your face lighting up with pride. "We just found out for sure last week. A little mini-Simon running around."
"God help us all," Gaz chuckled, joining the circle and offering a warm congratulatory hug. "Are we ready for a tiny Simon. Should get him a skull onesie yeah?”
"Johnny already bought him three, don't worry," a deep, gravelly voice rumbled from a few yards away.
You turned to look at your husband. Simon was standing by the massive charcoal grill, a pair of tongs in one hand and a cold drink in the other. He wore a simple black t-shirt that stretched tight across his broad shoulders, and a lightweight, breathable fabric mask that covered the lower half of his face. His blonde hair was messy from the heat, and his eyes, usually so sharp and guarded, were soft as they landed on you.
"They're incredible onesies, LT!" Soap defended himself, pointing a finger at Simon.
Simon just grumbled shaking his head, turning back to flip a row of patties.
You excused yourself from the guys and slowly made your way over to the grill. As soon as you were within arm's reach, Simon leaned down, pressing his forehead against yours for a brief, quiet second. He slipped a large, warm hand around your waist, his thumb rubbing soothing circles against your hip.
"You need to sit down, sweets," he murmured, his voice dropping into that private, gravelly tone meant only for you. "You've been on your feet since Alejandro and Rudy got here."
"I'm fine, Simon. Just greeting everyone," you said, leaning into his side. "Besides, your son is hungry."
Simon’s eyes shifted down to your bump. He lowered his hand from your hip to cup the underside of your belly, his large palm covering a massive portion of it. As if on cue, a distinct ripple moved across your dress as the baby kicked right against his hand.
A rare, genuine crinkle appeared at the corners of Simon's eyes, the unmistakable sign of a smile beneath the mask.
"Bloody hell, he’s got a kick on him," Simon whispered, his thumb tracing a slow circle over the fabric. "Takes after his mum. Stubborn."
"He takes after his dad," you countered softly, placing your hand over his. "He's just eager to get out here and eat some of that barbecue."
"Almost done. Patties for the lads, and I’ve got your chicken cooked through on the top rack," he said, ever protective of the pregnancy dietary restrictions. He gave your belly one last, gentle pat before straightening up. "Go sit with Nikolai and the boys. I’ll bring a plate over to you in five."
"Yes, Lieutenant," you teased.
He huffed a soft laugh, poking your side gently. "Get going before I have to carry you to a chair myself."
Laughing, you patted his chest and wandered back over to the patio tables, feeling the warmth of the sun. As you sat down and took a sip of your ice water, you looked back at Simon. He was trading some dry, sarcastic banter with Gaz while checking on the food, but his eyes kept darting back to you, making sure you were comfortable.
—
The transition from peaceful afternoon to chaos happened in the span of a single exhale.
You had just stood up to say goodbye to Alejandro and Rudy when a sharp, tight wave of pain gripped your lower abdomen. It was completely unlike the mild braxton hicks twitches you’d been having for weeks. This was different, wrapping entirely around your back and squeezing hard enough to steal the breath right out of your lungs.
A sudden, warm splash soaked the grass beneath your feet.
"Oh," you gasped, freezing in place. Your hands flew to the bottom of your bump. "Oh, no. Not yet."
Simon, who had been packing away the leftovers a few yards away, was at your side before you could even register him moving. His large hands caught your elbows, anchoring you as your knees buckled slightly.
"What is it? What's wrong?" His voice, usually completely unbothered by crisis, had a sharp edge of panic to it.
"Simon... I think my water broke," you managed to squeeze out as the contraction finally peaked and began to recede. "And that was definitely a real contraction."
"Price! Soap! Inside, now."
The backyard erupted into highly disciplined movement. Your house was nestled deep in the rural woods, a private sanctuary you and Simon had chosen specifically to get away from the world, but right now, the long, winding dirt roads and the forty-five-minute distance to the nearest hospital felt like a massive liability.
"Johnny, get the truck started. Keep it running," Simon ordered, his voice dropping into his commanding tactical register as he swept you up into his arms.
"Simon, I'm too heavy!" you protested, gripping his shoulders as another wave of tightness started to build.
"Shut up," he muttered against your hair, carrying you toward the driveway as if you weighed nothing at all. "Gaz, grab the hospital bag from the front closet. It’s by the door."
"On it!" Gaz sprinted ahead, tearing into the house.
Price was already at the passenger side of Simon’s massive truck, flinging the door open and adjusting the seat so you could recline. "I’ll drive," Price said, holding up a set of keys. "You stay in the back with her."
"Negative, Captain, I'm driving," Simon grunted, carefully setting you down onto the front seat.
"Simon, look at your hands. You're shaking," Price said, his voice calm, steady, and entirely unyielding. "You’re a father now. Sit in the back, hold your wife, and let me navigate the road okay. Soap and Gaz are right behind us in the SUV."
Simon swallowed hard, staring at Price for a beat before nodding curtly. "Right." He scrambled into the back seat, leaning over the console to take your hand the second the door clicked shut.
The truck tore down the gravel driveway, kicking up a massive cloud of dust as Price handled the tight turns. But out here in the middle of nowhere, the roads were unpaved, riddled with potholes, and entirely unforgiving to a woman in active labor.
Every time the truck hit a bump, a sharp groan escaped your lips. Your fingers dug into Simon’s hand with terrifying strength.
"I know, hun, I know," Simon murmured. He had pulled his mask completely off, tossing it onto the floorboard. His face was pale, his jaw clenched in pure agony on your behalf. He reached over the seat, his massive, calloused hand cupping your cheek while his other hand remained locked in yours. "Look at me. Just breathe through it. Don't look at the road, look at me."
"It hurts, Simon," you gasped, tears finally pricking your eyes as another contraction hit barely four minutes after the last one. "He’s... he’s coming really fast."
"He's a Riley, doesn't follow a schedule," Simon tried to joke, but his voice cracked. He looked up at the rearview mirror, his eyes burning. "Price, move it!"
"I'm flooring it, Simon, but if I hit these ruts any harder, I'll pop a tire," Price called back, his eyes glued to the winding, tree-lined road. "We’re five minutes from the main highway. Hold on."
From behind you, the loud, familiar blare of an SUV horn echoed. You glanced out the side mirror to see Soap driving the secondary vehicle, hazard lights flashing, practically acting as a rear escort to block any rare traffic. Under any other circumstances, the sheer absurdity of the 141 running a tactical transport operation for a baby shower emergency would have made you laugh.
Another contraction gripped you, harder this time, making you cry out and arch your back against the seat.
Simon unbuckled his seatbelt, leaning entirely over the center console to pull you as close to him as the cramped space allowed. He pressed his lips against your sweaty forehead, whispering a string of low, frantic promises.
"You're okay. You're the strongest person I know," he breathed, his thumb wiping away a stray tear on your cheek. "We’re going to get there. I've got you. I'm not leaving you."
The truck suddenly smoothed out, the violent rattling replacing by the steady hum of pavement. Price had finally hit the highway.
"Alright, we're on the asphalt!" Price called out, slamming his foot down on the gas. "ETA twenty minutes. Keep her talking, Simon!"
"Hear that? Twenty minutes," Simon whispered, his eyes locked onto yours, completely filled with an intense, fierce devotion. He placed his large, trembling hand over your stomach, feeling the tight hardness of another contraction. "Just a little longer, sweetheart. You and me. We've got this."
—
The hospital room was finally quiet, the frantic rush of nurses, monitors, and medical equipment replaced by the soft, rhythmic hum of the postpartum monitor. The grueling hours of labor were behind you, leaving you entirely exhausted but filled with a sense of relief.
Sitting up in the hospital bed, you looked down at the bundle resting securely in your arms.
"Big" had been the doctor’s exact word when he was weighed, and it was no exaggeration. At nearly ten pounds, your baby boy looked less like a fragile newborn and more like a solid, robust little tank. He had a surprisingly thick head of light hair, a pair of incredibly strong lungs he had already thoroughly tested, and broad shoulders that left absolutely no question as to whose genetics he carried.
"He's huge," you whined, a tired but triumphant smile pulling at your lips. "Simon, look at him. He’s practically a toddler already."
Simon was sitting right on the edge of the mattress, his massive frame hovering over you protectively. He had refused to leave your side for a single second, and now, he looked entirely undone. His eyes were looked slightly watery, blinking back a rare sheen of moisture as he stared down at his son.
"Bloody hell," Simon rumbled, his voice thick and incredibly gentle. "He’ll get my shoulders. Poor lad."
"Don't say that," you chuckled softly, wincing slightly as your sore muscles protested. "I think he’s perfect. Want to hold him?"
Simon swallowed hard, looking at his own large, heavily calloused hands—hands that had spent a lifetime holding weapons—and then down at the swaddled bundle.
"I don't want to hurt him," he admitted, his voice dropping to a vulnerable whisper.
"You won't. He's a Riley, remember? He's sturdy," you coaxed softly, shifting the baby forward. "Put your arm right here. Support his head."
With agonizing care, Simon extended his forearms, creating a safe cradle. You gently transferred the heavy baby into his arms.
The contrast was staggering. Your baby boy, though massive for a newborn, looked tiny against Simon’s broad chest. Simon’s huge hands carefully cupped the baby’s head and bottom, his long fingers wrapping almost entirely around the thick swaddling blanket.
As soon as he settled against his father's chest, the baby let out a tiny, snuffling grunt and shifted. One of his surprisingly large, chubby little fists broke free from the blanket, flailing weakly in the air before resting squarely against Simon’s thumb.
Simon froze, his breath catching in his throat. He looked down at the tiny hand curling around his thumb, and the last of his hardened exterior completely melted. A soft, breathless laugh escaped his chest, and he leaned down, pressing his forehead gently against the baby’s soft head.
"Hi there, mate," Simon whispered, completely oblivious to anything else in the room. "I'm your pa. I've got you."
A soft knock on the door broke the silence. The curtain pulled back just an inch, and Price’s face appeared, flanked by Soap and Gaz, who were both peeking over the captain's shoulders with wide, eager grins.
"Is the coast clear?" Price asked quietly, though his eyes immediately locked onto the sight of Simon holding the baby.
"Come in," you smiled, waving them over. "Come meet the newest recruit." You laughed.
The boys practically tiptoed into the room, their usual boisterous energy replaced by a reverent, quiet awe. Soap was the first to lean over Simon’s shoulder, his eyes going wide as he took in the size of the baby.
"Jesus, LT, you didn't have a baby, you had a full-grown squad mate," Soap whispered in disbelief. "Look at the size of those mitts! He’s goin’ to be taller than me by next week."
"He's a big lad, alright," Price agreed, a proud, fatherly smile wrinkling the corners of his eyes as he patted Simon’s shoulder. "Beautiful, absolute spit and image of his old man. Well done, both of you."
"He's perfect, mate," Gaz said, grinning warmly at you. "Congratulations."
Simon didn't look up immediately, too transfixed by the way his son was now peacefully sleeping against him. But he reached out with his free hand, finding yours on the hospital bed and squeezing it tightly. His thumb rubbed over your knuckles.
NOTE: I’ve never written anything this filthy help…
The bass from the pub’s speakers was vibrating straight through the soles of your heels, but honestly, after the semester you’d had, it felt like a lifeline. You and your girls were in your final year of university, drowning in dissertations, exams, and the collective dread of the real world.
Tonight’s objective was simple: get dressed to the nines, look entirely unapproachable yet wildly attractive, and see how many free drinks you could leverage out of the local blokes before you completely lost the ability to stand.
You were currently rocking a fit that made you feel unstoppable, but the sheer volume of the Manchester crowd had done its work. Somewhere between the bar and the jukebox, you and your closest mate had been separated from the rest of the pack.
"Right, where did they go?" your friend giggled, swaying slightly as she held her vodka-cranberry aloft like a torch.
"No clue, but if we—"
Oof.
You bounced off a solid wall of absolute muscle. You stumbled back a half-step, your hand instinctively reaching out to steady yourself, landing flat against a very broad, very warm chest clad in a dark jacket.
"Whoops, steady there, lass," a thick Scottish accent chimed in. You looked up to find a pair of bright, mischievous eyes crinkling at the corners, a short mohawk cutting through the dim pub lighting. Next to him stood another handsome man wearing a baseball cap backward, a smooth, easy grin plastered on his face.
It was Johnny "Soap" MacTavish and Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, though to a civilian like you, they were just two incredibly fit, incredibly good looking men who seemed far too fit to be standard Manchester pub-goers.
"Sorry about that," you laughed, smoothing down your outfit. "A bit hazardous out here."
"Oh, it’s no trouble at all," Gaz interjected, leaning against a pillar with a smooth smile. "In fact, I think it’s a stroke of luck. I’m Kyle, this is my pal Johnny. What are two lovely ladies like yourselves doing wandering the wilds on a Friday night?"
Within five minutes, the flirting was in full swing. Johnny was laying it on thick, his Scottish charm working like an absolute charm on your friend. He had her laughing up a storm, her hand already resting against his arm. Gaz turned his attention to you, and bless him, he was incredibly sweet and objectively gorgeous—but he just wasn't your type. You preferred a bit more edge, a bit more mystery.
"We’re actually heading over to the pool tables," Soap announced, flashing a brilliant grin. "We’ve got a table cornered. You two should join us. Teams of two?"
Your friend looked at you with pleading, intoxicated eyes. Looking back, you probably should have said no and gone to find the rest of your uni squad. Instead, you shrugged. "Sure. Lead the way."
By the time you reached the back of the pub, the dynamic had shifted. Another one of your girls had miraculously reappeared from the crowd, and Gaz, picking up on your polite but platonic vibes, seamlessly pivoted his attention to her. They hit it off instantly, leaving Johnny and your friend practically joined at the hip.
There was just one problem.
"Ah, bloody hell," Johnny muttered, counting heads. "We’re short one for proper doubles. Hold on." He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted over the din of the pub. "Oi! L.T.! Get over here!"
From the shadows near the back exit, a figure shifted.
Your breath caught in your throat. Jesus Christ.
He was a giant. A big, hulking mountain of a man clad entirely in dark clothing, a heavy hood pulled up. But the kicker? A black skull-patterned balaclava covered his face from the nose down, leaving only a pair of dark, intense, heavily lashed eyes visible. He looked dangerous, entirely out of place in a crowded pub, and absolutely, unequivocally exactly your type.
He walked over with heavy strides, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. Why was it so hot that he didn't look pleased?
"What, MacTavish?"
The voice made all the inner parts of you quiver. Deep. Gravelly. A low, raspy baritone that vibrated straight down your spine and sent an instant, undeniable jolt of heat straight between your thighs. You actually had to cross your legs slightly, your eyes widening as you stared at him.
"We need a fourth for pool, Simon," Soap said, completely unfazed by the terrifying aura the man was radiating. "Don't be a misery guts. Play a round."
While Soap conversed with the giant—who you now knew was named Simon—your friend leaned into your shoulder, her breath hot and smelling of alcohol as she excitedly whispered in your ear.
"Oh my god, I’m definitely into the Scottish one," she hissed happily, watching Soap laugh. She nudged your ribs with her elbow. "What about you? The quiet one looks like he could snap a man in half."
You swallowed hard, your eyes locked onto the broad expanse of Simon's shoulders under his jacket, watching the way his dark eyes flicked over to you, assessing you from behind his hood.
"Yeah," you whispered back, your voice a little breathier than you intended. "I am definitely into his taller friend."
—
The pool cue felt heavy in your hands, but that was mostly because your brain was short-circuiting. The green felt of the table blurred into the background as Simon stepped up directly behind you.
"You're holding it like a damn club, love," he rumbled. That deep, gravelly voice was right at your ear, his warm breath ghosting over the column of your neck and sending a violent shiver down your spine.
"I'm doing my best," you teased, casting a smoky look over your shoulder. "Maybe I just need a proper teacher."
Simon didn't say a word. He just stepped closer, completely enveloping you in his shadow. He smelled of rain, leather, and a faint undertone of bourbon. Then, his hands covered yours. They were massive, and calloused drowning your smaller hands as he adjusted your grip on the wood. He leaned down, his broad chest pressing flat against your back, aligning his body perfectly with yours to show you the angle of the shot.
The contact was electric. With the pub's bass thumping through the floorboards, you couldn't help yourself. You shifted your weight, deliberately grinding your hips back against him just a fraction of an inch.
Above you, Simon froze. A low, dark grunt vibrated from deep within his chest.
You let out a soft, breathy laugh, feeling incredibly cheeky. Maybe it was the four vodka crans sloshing around in your system, or maybe it was just the intoxicating thrill of making a literal mountain of a man react to you. You glanced over at the other side of the table; Soap and your friend were entirely in their own world, trading sloppy kisses and whispering things that had them both giggling. They hadn't noticed a thing.
But Simon had. His grip on your hands tightened just a fraction, a silent command to stay still before he guided your arm forward. Clack. The cue ball struck true, sending the solid seven-ball straight into the corner pocket.
From there, the game was a blur of Simon’s clear pool skills. You contributed absolutely nothing but distraction, but thanks entirely to him, you won.
By the time the final ball dropped, the midnight hour had long passed. The rest of Simon and Johnny’s group was visibly, hilariously wrecked. Gaz was slumped in a booth trying to teach your other friend a tactical military handshake, and their ‘captain’ Price was at the bar aggressively debating football with the bartender. They were all clearly ready to crash hard at an unlucky blokes townhouse. (Simon)
Well, all except for one. Simon stood perfectly upright, he looked sober, his dark eyes tracking the room.
"Right, I’m taking this one home," Soap slurred, his arm slung heavily over your friend’s shoulders as she giggled, both of them already shuffling toward the exit into a waiting taxi. Just like that, your ride and your squad were gone, leaving you standing under the dim pub lights with the giant in the skull mask.
"Looks like it's just you and me, big guy," you murmured, stepping into his space. The alcohol lent you a massive wave of confidence. You reached out, your fingers daringly tracing the edge of his dark hoodie. "Your friends are all sloshed. Who's going to look after you?"
Simon stared down at you, his chest rising and falling heavily. "I don't need looking after, love."
"No?" You tilted your head up, leaning in just enough that he’d have to bend down to hear you over the ringing in your ears. "My flat is only a ten-minute walk from here. It's warm. Quiet. And I have a really, really comfortable bed." You let your eyes drop to his covered lips before looking back up into his intense gaze. "Are you going to let me walk home all by myself in the dark?"
A tense, heavy silence stretched between you. For a second, you thought he was going to refuse, to turn on his heel and drag what was left his drunken mates to wherever.
But then, Simon let out a rough, defeated sigh. He reached up, pulling his hood a little lower, but his large hand settled firmly on the small of your back, the heat of his palm burning through your clothes.
"Lead the way," he growled low in his throat. "Before I change my mind."
—
The ten-minute walk through the crisp night air felt like a blur of friction and heat. Every time your bare shoulder brushed against his heavy jacket, a jolt went straight to your core.
By the time you stumbled onto the porch of your flat, the tension snapped.
You fished blindly in your bag for your keys, your hands shaking slightly from a mix of the cold and pure adrenaline. You felt him step up behind you, blocking out the streetlights, trapping you between his massive frame and the heavy wooden door.
"Need some help with that, love?" he rumbled, his voice dangerously low against your ear.
"I’ve got it," you breathed, finally wrapping your fingers around the key ring. But as you turned around to face him, keys in hand, the look in his dark eyes made you completely forget how to use your hands.
You didn't wait. You reached up, your fingers catching the hem of his black balaclava and pulling it up. Simon didn't stop you. He helped, bunching the fabric up over his nose, exposing a strong, rugged jawline, a dusting of stubble, and full lips that were parted in a sharp intake of breath.
When your lips finally met, it was like an explosion.
It wasn't a gentle kiss, fuck—it was feverish, hungry, and so desperate. Simon let out a low, ragged groan into your mouth, his massive hands coming alive. One of his palms cupped the back of your neck, his long fingers tangling in your hair to angle your head perfectly, while his other hand gripped your hip, pulling you flush against him. You could feel the rigid, hard lines of his body pressing into yours, and a soft whimper escaped your throat.
"Inside," he muttered against your lips, his kiss tracking down to your jawline, biting lightly at the sensitive skin there and making your knees go weak. "Get the bloody door open."
"I'm trying," you gasped, your hands blindly fumbling behind your back. You were pinned against the wood, your hips grinding instinctively against his as his large hand slid down to the back of your thigh, lifting you slightly to bring you even closer.
The metal of the key scraped loudly against the lock, your fingers clumsy as Simon’s mouth returned to yours, devouring you, his tongue sliding past your lips in a deep, possessive stroke. You managed to guide the key into the slot, turning it until you heard the heavy thunk of the deadbolt sliding back.
The hand on your neck migrate towards the handle of the door, twisting it open. Your body, still pressed between the wood and his, hit the door with your back, tumbling inside into the dark warmth of your hallway—and dragging the giant right in after you.
You moan into the kiss, hands roaming desperately over his shoulders, feeling the hard ridges of muscle beneath his shirt as his palms slide up your sides, thumbs brushing the undersides of your breasts. The size difference hits you instantly, his body engulfs yours completely. You arch your back as he presses forward, the thick, unmistakable bulge of his cock grinding against your belly through his jeans. It throbs with heat, promising an overwhelming stretch, and you feel your pussy clench in response, wetness already soaking your panties.
Simon doesn't ease up, one massive hand cupping the back of your head while the other roams lower, squeezing your ass to pull you tighter against that rigid length. Your breaths mingle in ragged gasps, the kiss turning sloppy and wet as his teeth nip at your lower lip, sending sparks straight to your core.
He tugs at your clothing, exposing more skin to the cool air, and the heat radiating from him envelops you completely. Simon sets you down just inside the door but keeps you pinned against the wall with his body, his hands already working at the hem of your top. He peels it upward in one smooth motion, baring your breasts to his hungry gaze before tossing the fabric aside, then hooks his fingers into your waistband and drags your skirt and panties down in a single, impatient tug that leaves you naked and trembling against him.
You reach for his shirt in turn, fingers fumbling with the shirt as your hands struggle against the broad expanse of his chest, but the fabric resists your frantic tugs and you end up clutching uselessly at his belt instead.
Simon chuckles low in his throat, the sound rich and teasing as his accent curls around the words. “Easy now, love—look at you, all eager. Let me handle it, hm?” He steps back just enough to strip his own shirt over his head, revealing the hard slabs of muscle, scars, and tattoos beneath, then unbuckles his belt and shoves his jeans and boxers down in one fluid movement. His cock springs free, thick and heavy, the substantial length curving upward and already glistening at the tip.
He crowds back against you immediately, the heat of his bare skin searing yours while one large palm cups your breast and the other slides between your thighs to find you slick and ready.
“There now, darling,” he murmurs against your ear, nipping at the lobe as his fingers part your folds and circle your clit with deliberate pressure.
“All wet aren’t we? Just the way I like. Gonna fill you proper soon.” His substantial endowment presses hot and insistent against your stomach again as he lifts you once more, your legs wrapping around him on instinct, the blunt head of his cock nudging at your entrance while his attentive eyes search yours for every flicker of pleasure and surrender.
He carries you deeper into the apartment, his long strides eating up the distance to the bedroom while your legs tighten around his waist.
You’re wondering how he managed to find your bedroom so quick, but your thoughts are completely overtaken by the throbbing of your clit each time he grinds himself forward.
He puts you onto the bed with surprising care despite his size, he’s hovering over you as his lips close around one nipple, sucking hard enough to make your back arch.
He then lowers his head down to your stomach, and then between your legs, his tongue dragging hot and broad over your slick folds, lapping at the mixture of your arousal that leaks from your entrance.
Simons broad shoulders force your legs further apart, his tongue delving deep before circling your clit with relentless strokes that send jolts of pleasure racing through your core. Your hands fist in his short hair as he sucks gently on the swollen bud, one thick finger sliding inside you to curl against that sensitive spot while his free hand pins your hip down.
You arch off the bed, the orgasm building fast and sharp under his attentive mouth, your thighs trembling around his head as he hums in approval, the vibration pushing you over the edge. Your pussy clenches and floods his tongue with fresh wetness, the release easing the lingering ache of desire while he drinks you down greedily, eyes flicking up to watch every shudder that ripples across your.
He doesn't stop there, easing you through the aftershocks with softer licks until your breathing steadies, then rises to kiss you deeply, letting you taste yourself on his lips as his substantial cock—already hard and red—presses insistently against your belly.
He reckons you're ready now. your slick folds glistening, and your hips canting up in silent plea.
Simon lines up the blunt head of his cock with your cunny, pressing just enough to part your lips before inching inside with agonizing slowness. Inch by thick inch he sinks deeper, the stretch burning sweet and deep as your walls flutter around him, that delicious bulge in your belly rising under your skin with every deliberate push until he's fully seated, heavy balls pressed to your ass.
The sensation nearly undoes him; a low groan rips from his chest, his cock twitching hard inside you as if fighting the urge to flood you right then, but he relents with a shuddering breath, muscles straining as he holds still and lets the edge pass.
Yet the invasion sends you reeling, stars bursting behind your eyes as the pressure overwhelms every nerve, your body arching and clenching as pleasure crashes through you in white-hot waves. He begins to move then, slow and powerful thrusts that make the bulge shift and press outward with each stroke, his hands pinning your wrists to the mattress while he watches every gasp and tremor, savoring how completely you yield to the relentless fullness.
“Shh, just sit back and relax alright, love.” Even his voice was making you reel.
The slow pace is long gone as Simon starts to thrust faster and faster, the thick head of his cock slamming into that spongy spot deep inside, each powerful stroke making your eyes water and your vision blur as pleasure borders on overwhelming.
“S-Simon… s-slow d-”
Your body jolts beneath him, the belly bulge shifting visibly with every drive of his hips, and the wet sounds of your slick pussy gripping him fill the room alongside your broken cries. He watches your face, his balaclava gone and discarded somewhere on the floor, his muscles flexing as he builds the rhythm higher, pushing you toward another shattering peak while his substantial girth stretches you to your limits again and again.
Without warning he pulls out, the sudden emptiness drawing a needy whimper from your throat, then flips you onto your hands and knees with effortless strength. He thrusts back in hard, burying himself to the hilt in one fluid motion that forces another visible bulge to rise in your belly, his left hand clamping onto your waist with a grip sure to leave bruises as he holds you steady. His right hand tangles in your hair, yanking your face upward toward his as he leans over your back, claiming your mouth in a bruising kiss that tasted like sweat and shared hunger, his tongue thrusting in time with the punishing snaps of his hips.
You moan into the kiss, body trembling from the intensity His attentive murmurs vibrate against your lips, praising how well you take him, how perfectly your pussy milks his cock, and the emotional tether of his touch keeps you grounded even as wave after wave of ecstasy crashes through your smaller frame.
Round after round blurs into one another as he claims you again and again, flipping you, lifting you, filling you until cum leaks in thick rivulets down your thighs and the ache in your core becomes a constant throb of bliss.
—
Every muscle in your body was aching in a way that felt both agonizing and utterly spectacular.
You slowly blinked your eyes open, squinting against the aggressive morning light piercing through your blinds. Your head was pounding a steady, rhythmic rhythm, the undeniable receipt of too many vodka-cranberries, and your throat felt like sandpaper. You looked like absolute hell, your hair a chaotic bird's nest and your makeup undoubtedly smeared across your face like a tragic watercolor painting.
But as you shifted (tried) under the duvet, a wicked, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of your lips. Jesus. No one had ever rocked your world like that. Multiple rounds that had left your headboard dented and your sheets tangled around your ankles. The man was built like a tank and moved with too much stamina.
You reached out a hand to the space beside you. The sheets were empty. The fabric was slightly cold to the touch, but not completely, meaning he hadn't been gone long. A sudden, familiar pang of morning-after anxiety flickered in your chest.
Did he slip out? Did a man like that even do morning-afters?
The answer came in the sudden, sharp click of your bathroom door opening.
You sat up, immediately regretting it as the soreness permeated throughout your body.
There he was. In all his absolute glory.
He didn't have a towel around his waist. In fact, he didn't have a single stitch of clothing on. The only towel in sight was the small white one gripped in his hands, which he was currently using to vigorously rub his damp, short blonde hair dry.
Your eyes wide, you drank in the sight of him. In the harsh daylight, he was an absolute masterpiece. His pale skin was a roadmap of stories, jagged silver scars cutting across the thick armor of his chest, heavy tattoos weaving down his massive arms, and powerful thighs that you vividly remembered gripping your waist just hours prior. And his face, completely bare, completely exposed, was ruggedly handsome.
Simon stopped rubbing his hair, dropping the towel around his shoulders. He looked down at you, completely unbothered by his own total nudity, a faint, rare smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he noticed your starstruck expression.
"Morning, love," he rumbled. Without the mask, his deep, gravelly voice sounded softer, intimate, and heavier in the quiet of your bedroom. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
You let out a raspy, sleep-deprived laugh, burying the lower half of your face in your blanket to hide your blush. "I think you legally count as a weapon, Simon. I can barely move."
Simon let out a low chuckle. He walked over to the side of the bed, the sheer size of him casting a shadow over you, and leaned down. He placed one massive, scarred hand on your thighs, stroking them up and down.
"Good," he murmured. "That means I did my job right."
You scoffed and lightly smacked his solid chest, the impact making your hand sting more than it bothered him. "Don't you dare," you groaned, pulling the duvet up to your chin like a shield. "My body literally cannot handle another round. If you touch me, I might dissolve into the mattress."
Simon let out another chuckle, completely unfazed by your swat. He stood up straight, his gaze raking over you with a look of satisfaction.
"What are you going to do now anyway?" you asked, leaning your head back against the pillows. You blinked up at him, your hangover finally catching up to you as a dull throb started behind your eyes. "Are you just going to vanish into thin air, or...?"
"First, I'm going to find where you keep the painkillers, get a glass of water, and make you some breakfast," Simon replied casually, as if standing stark naked in a uni student's bedroom was a completely standard Saturday morning routine. "Then, I suppose I have to go round up my mates."
You raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk tugging at your lips despite your headache. "Your mates? Right. The ones with you at the pub.”
Simon walked over to the pile of his discarded clothes on the floor, hooking his foot under his trousers to lift them up. He shook them out and started stepping into them.
"Aye, those idiots," he rumbled, fastening his belt. He looked back at you, a distinctly amused glint in his eyes. "They were meant to crash at my place. But I don’t really fancy spending my first night off in a month playing nursemaid to a bunch of loud, puking bastards."
He grabbed his black t-shirt, pulling it over his head and obscuring those magnificent chest scars from view. When his head popped through the collar, his eyes locked back onto yours.
"And then, suddenly," Simon murmured, his voice dropping into that deep register that made your stomach flip, "a lovely lady asked me to walk her home. So, naturally, I had to take her up on the offer. Far better company."
You couldn't help the massive smile that broke across your face, burying your burning cheeks into the blanket. "Oh, so you're saying I’m lovely?”
"Something like that, love," Simon said, finally pulling his iconic black mask out of his pocket—though he didn't put it on, just tossed it onto the bedside table. He walked toward the bedroom door, pausing at the threshold to look back at you one last time. "Don't move. I'll be back with the pills."
Before his footsteps could even fade down he suddenly reappeared in the doorframe. You blinked, startled by how quickly and silently he’d turned back around.
Without a word, Simon flipped his wrist. A heavy, black, smartphone sailed through the air and landed with a soft thud right on the duvet by your knee.
It was a brand you’ve never seen before. It had lots of bells and whistles on the outside too.
You stared at the phone, then looked up at him, utterly bewildered. "What's this?"
"Password is zero-four-one-zero," Simon rumbled, his eyes locked onto yours, completely deadpan. "Open it and put your number in. Don't give me a fake one, either."
You let out a stunned, breathy laugh, the sudden burst of adrenaline making you forget about your headache for a split second. "Are you ordering me?"
"Just making sure I don't have to hunt you down across Manchester when I want a repeat of last night," he countered smoothly. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Get to it, love."
Before you could even form a comeback, he vanished back into the hallway as he finally made his way toward your kitchen.
You sat there for a second, looking at the black brick of a phone, a massive, giddy smile breaking across your face. Sliding your hands out from under the covers, you picked it up, punched in 0410, and opened the contacts.
You quickly typed in your details, humming happily to yourself as the faint, heavenly scent of sizzling bacon began to waft into your bedroom.
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summary : Simon approaches his lovie after a fight
cw : hurt/comfort
Simon doesn't do big apologies. He doesn't waste his time with a long monologue about how he was wrong. He believed that action spoke louder than words. However cliché that might sound, it's all he's ever known. He's seen his father's empty promises towards his mother before the inevitable bruise on her cheek would bloom again. He saw how his mother cried herself to sleep after daily screaming matches.
This fight was particularly bad. It wasn't a screaming match like he's used to from his childhood, no, he refused to engage in that scene. He'd rather cut off his own hand, put a bullet in his knee than to treat his lovie like that. This was a cold, clinical argument from his part after she tried to communicate about something upsetting her.
When Simon gets upset, he turns cold, not open, he withdraws. He shuts himself like a door and let's Ghost take over.
And god did it make things more difficult. His lovie tried her best to be reasonable, to understand where he's coming from. That's the part that hurt the most, the fact that she still tried to take his feelings and habits into account. He tried to shake it off, to dismiss his actions with a "won't happen again" but she didn't let it go. She needed to talk it out, she needed to address this after many instances of him being cold and refusing to communicate.
So she did and he shut her down like always, which led to her raising her voice in frustration. It shattered him when her tears fell, when something broke behind her eyes. He could still see it, repeating the scene in his head as she walked off defeated. Arms wrapped around herself as she tried to hold herself together, retreating to their room, leaving him in the aftermath. The silence was loud. It weighed on him like a sickening rot forcing him to face what he's been avoiding. If he wanted to keep her, wanted this relationship to work, he's was going to have to start opening up.
What's worse is that she didn't ask for much, she didn't lay out a long list of unreasonable demands. She simply wanted him to talk to her. His fists clenched at the thought, he did this, he hurt her to the point of retreating. To the point of giving up and deciding that walking away was better than trying. He didn't blame her, he knew it was his fault, he drove her to this point. And thus later when he quietly pushed open the bedroom door he felt his last resolve crumble. His heart, whatever's left of it squeezed painfully.
She sat there against the headboard, silent. Emptied out with dried tear marks on her face, eyes glazed over as she replayed the argument. She looked done and this revelation wasn't kind. It was brutal. If she left him because he was being emotionally closed off, he would have no one to blame but himself. So Simon approached her quietly, slowly as if approaching a wounded animal, something fragile he didn't want to scare off
And when she looked up at him, those glassy red eyes, it made him drop to his knees in front of her, desperate. "I'm sorry" came his words, gruff but laid bare and for a moment there was silence. Her eyes widened slightly in suprise yet the disappointment, the expectation that this would be yet another loop of hurt lingered, plaguing her mind. He saw it. He refused to let her drown in it, refused to let her form this image of him.
"I fucked up." He continued plainly, there was no point in sugar coating it, "I've let you down lovie. I know I'm not the best with words or... feelings" he forced the words out, putting years of reformed persona aside and kept his eyes on her. One thought ran circles in his mind.
'Fix it or lose her'
There's little that scared Ghost but this filled him with dread. His voice took on a pleading tone, "Give me another chance, let me try again" he doesn't demand forgiveness but instead asked for grace.
"I know I've been difficult but I promise, I will work on it. I'll try to express myself more. I won't shut you out, not anymore" he dropped his head onto the mattress beside her leg, "Please. Don't leave me. You're all I have. I'll never forgive myself for driving you away" his throat tightened. For the first time , Simon Riley, Ghost himself felt small. He was at the utter mercy of someone he loved deeply.
He waited, bracing and prepared himself for the inevitable rejection. His mind already accused him of going too far, that he messed up, that he pushed her away however when her hand stroked through his hair softly, his world stopped. He looked up almost disbelieving as she whispered "okay". He didn't wait, his arms wrapped around her and pulled her off the bed into his lap. He embraced her, caged what was his. His heart flooded with relief so fast it almost took his breath away.
He won't make this mistake again. He knew how close he came to losing the one thing that made this life worth living. That made his cold heart beat with love again.
“Who was that?” Dex closes the bedroom door behind him with a click. The sound cuts through the silence of your shared apartment, except for your frantic breathing and the shuffling sound in the closet.
“No one.” You say quickly, pressing your back against the closet doors, handles biting into your skin through the thin fabric, but it feels like nothing compared to the pounding heart beneath your ribs.
You didn’t expect Dex to come home this early. He said he had to run an errand two towns over. And by “running errands,” it could vary from raiding an AVTF base to whatever the hell Mr. Charles assigned him to. You never know. The moment you heard the lock turn, you practically shoved the mysterious someone inside that cramped space.
Straightening up, you push off from the wood to block his view. The familiar scent of soap and rain clinging to his suit envelops you. “You’re home early. How’s-”
“Baby. Who was that?” Dex cuts you off mid-sentence, his voice low, bordering on threatening instead of affectionate. His gaze stays fixed on the creaking doors, arms crossed over his broad chest. “Did you invite someone over?”
“No,” you snort, though it sounds like you’re bluffing. “Don’t be silly, sweetie. C’mere. Let me help you get out of these.”
Your hands reach for his gear straps, but he pulls back. His head cocks to the side, eyes piercing into yours.
“Don’t change the subject.” His voice leaves no room for argument. “Tell me, who are you hiding?”
The rustling sound doesn’t stop, which only complicates the situation. Before another excuse leaves your lips, Dex sidesteps around you and heads straight for the doors. His fingers brush the knife strapped across his chest as his eyes sweep the room for anything else he can use.
Then again, anything can become a weapon between those calloused fingers.
“Ooof!”
Time seems to freeze after he yanks the door open, realization slowly dawning over him.
The puppy swings his tail from left to right, tongue hanging out, floppy ears jiggling with the movements. He looks up at Dex with wide, bright eyes, like the man hung the moon.
You huff a small, awkward laugh. “Surprise!” The fluff ball chimes in with another joyful bark.
“This is who- what you’re hiding? Jesus- I thought-”
“Sorry, baby. I didn’t know how to tell you,” you explain, kneeling on the floor when the fluffy little thing waddles towards you, mud dragging along his path. “I found him on the street. It was raining hard, and there was no one around. He looked so sad, Dex. I couldn’t leave him there.”
As you scratch underneath his floppy ear, your voice shoots up three octaves. Baby talk activated. “Yeah, you like that, don’t cha? You like that, huh? Who’s my good boy? Yeah, you are. You’re my good boy.”
The sight of you beaming and the little dirt ball nuzzling into your hand drains all the fight out of Dex. He stares at the messy trail like a stubborn stain that refuses to fade after the third wash on his favorite shirt, the corner of his mouth twitches.
Then the whelp yaps again, pulling Dex back into reality. “No.”
“What do you mean no?” You scoop the cotton ball into your arms, muddy paws and all.
“It can’t stay.”
“Why not?”
“It was living on the street. You don’t know where it’s been.”
“Okay. Not anymore.” The little guy licks your cheek, agreeing with you. “Aww. Look at him, Dex.”
“I am looking at it.”
“And?”
“It appears to be a dog.” You blink at him. “And?”
“Dogs are loud, sweetheart. They shed. They smell weird.”
You gasp softly, offended on the pup’s behalf, then tilt your head to whisper in his ear. “He didn’t mean it like that, cutie pie. Don’t listen to him. Dex’s just being silly. He’s so silly, don’t he?”
Oblivious to the insults, the fuzzy ball gives another yip and licks your cheek again.
Dex can only sigh. He pinches the bridge of his nose, contemplating how this ten-pound bundle of wet fur and oversized paws is somehow gonna fit into his your squeaky-clean apartment without him going insane.
And that’s how you end up in the bathroom at 11 pm, scrubbing brown smudges out of the sheets because someone let a stray baby roll around on the bed before Dex got home. According to your man, “that's your accomplice.”
Oh, and the muddy potato? He’s staying, obviously.
summary: dex is the perfect boyfriend. at least, he makes you forget the things that would prove otherwise.
pairing: benjamin poindexter x f!reader
content/warnings: 18+ (mdni), brief description of sexual acts, obsessive behavior, codependency, manipulation, toxic/unhealthy relationship dynamics, mention of firearms
word count: 1.5k
A/N: surprise!! i didn't want to leave you guys without any Dex while i'm on my trip before the next week's chapter of North Star :) so here's a treat from me to you! technically part of the North Star universe, but can be read separately from the series. i like to think of this as a little interlude, a peak into Dex and reader's relationship before chapter seven. hope you enjoy!
divider by: @uzmacchiato
Dex will never leave you alone. Proximity, to him, is worship.
Standing at the stove making dinner? He’s pressed behind you, arms looped around your waist, chin hooked over your shoulder as he watches you stir whatever you’re making that night.
Grading papers on the couch? He’s sitting there too, reaching over to take your legs and place them over his lap, idly running his hands up and down your calves as he waits for you to be finished.
Getting ready? He’s leaning in the doorframe, watching you apply your makeup in the mirror, already starting to conjure up some excuse as to why you shouldn’t be going out to dinner with your friends that night.
And worst, the shower.
You made that mistake once before. After a long day at work in the dead heat of summer, you trudged home covered in sweat and misery, wanting only to take a shower, get a moment of peace, and slide between your sheets clean as a whistle.
You managed to do that, actually. In rare form, Dex had been stuck late at the field office for God knows what. He had texted you multiple times earlier to inform you of that.
Hey, going to be late tonight. I’m so sorry. Do you want to meet me at the office and then we can go to dinner? I hope you had a good day. I love you.
Did that dad from parent teacher conferences email you again?
Actually, just wait at school. I don’t want you riding the subway alone.
[ 2 missed calls ]
Call me when you see this.
Are you still in your classroom?
Hello?
[ 4 missed calls ]
Are you mad at me?
Who are you with right now?
I love you
Baby?
Are you not going to answer my call?
[ 17 missed calls ]
Oh, Dex.
Unfazed at this point in your relationship by his reactions (and sometimes, a little bit flattered), you had promptly called him back and assured him that no, that dad from parent-teacher conferences hadn’t emailed you again, no, you weren’t going to ride the subway alone, yes, you loved him, and no, you weren’t mad at him.
Finally, you had settled on assuring him you would come straight home after work. It wasn’t like Dex didn’t already have your location, anyway. He would pick up food on the way home.
You just hadn’t told him you had changed plans halfway through and decided a shower and bed were a better fit. It was no big deal, you thought.
How wrong you were.
You were in that limbo between deep sleep and waking when you distantly heard the familiar jangle of keys, then the heavy sound of footsteps moving down the hallway. Your bedroom door creaked open.
“Hey, baby.”
You cracked open an eye. Dex stood in the doorway, illuminated by the hallway light. A black figure cut in the pale backdrop. In one hand, he held a plastic bag– your favorite Chinese takeout, likely.
“Hi, honey,” you yawned, stretching your arms out and watching as Dex disappeared, likely putting the takeout on the kitchen counter (he despised food being anywhere other than the kitchen). A moment later, he reappeared and sat on the bed beside you, his weight dipping into the mattress.
Dex’s calloused hand found yours on the sheets, squeezing once. He had to touch you as soon as he saw you, always. Like he was checking if you still existed.
“You’re already in bed? Are you feeling okay?”
You hummed and sank back against the pillow, eyes heavy as you looked affectionately upon your boyfriend. He was so cute when he was concerned. “Mhmm. Just tired.”
He brushed his free hand over your forehead, pushing back some of your hair. Then he leaned forward, skimmed his lips over your forehead, and–
Dex stilled.
You felt him stop breathing. His hand stayed in his hair, his mouth close to your skin. Dex’s nose brushed your hairline, and then he inhaled.
“...Did you already shower?”
You blinked. Dex’s face hovered over yours, only inches away, but the expression on it had gone strangely blank. Empty, almost. Like blood had drained from him and left only a mask. It made your stomach tighten.
“Um…yeah,” you stuttered, taken off guard by his sudden change in demeanor. “I got really sweaty walking home. It was kind of gross so–”
“Are you mad at me?”
What? You pushed yourself up from the pillows onto your elbows. Dex remained in place, watching you too closely with that flat expression. “Dex, what? It was like, ninety-five degrees out.”
He scrubbed a hand down his jaw. Something was building, you could sense it.
“It wasn’t ninety-five today,” he said flatly. “It was eighty-nine.”
…was he fucking with you? Your mouth opened, and then closed. “Dex.”
Suddenly, Dex stood from the bed and began pacing the bedroom. In the low light, you could see red blooming beneath the collar of his shirt. He was still dressed for work: white button-up, sleeves rolled to his forearms, gray slacks, holster at his hip. His gun was still in it.
“I don’t–” Dex dragged both hands behind his head, fingers pressing hard into the back of his neck. “I just don’t know why you would lie to me.”
“Dex, I didn’t lie–”
He kept rambling, almost like he was talking to himself. “You’ve never showered without me. I mean, not since we– I don’t know why you do that and not tell me. I-I would tell you.”
“Dex, stop.” You pushed the comforter off of you before you could think better of it. Dex turned sharply towards you at the sound of your bare feet padding against the floor, like the small movement had startled him. His chest was rising and falling too fast, his hands still locked behind his neck, elbows drawn wide. In the dark, his eyes looked almost black. “I’m not mad at you. I promise.”
His jaw worked. “We always shower together.”
Dex was right. Since your relationship had become official, since the first time you slept together and suddenly apartment 415 ceased to exist, Dex had more or less moved into 416. You realized you hadn't showered alone in weeks.
You would rise from the couch, or the dining table, or the bed, and on instinct, Dex would too, following you down the hall as you made your way to the bathroom. It was like he had Pavlov-ed himself to the sound of the shower head turning on. The second the water started, he knew it was time to join you.
You were still in that glorious haze of the early days of your relationship, where being joined at the hip felt romantic instead of suffocating. Where you wanted to spend every moment either snuggling, whispering cringey words of affection, or fucking like rabbits. The shower tended to be the latter.
“I know, honey.”
“And it’s not even–” He cut himself off, swallowing. “It’s not about sex. I don’t need it to be about that. I just…I just like taking care of you.”
Looking back, you should have countered that. You should have said something about how taking a shower wasn’t a betrayal, and you were allowed to be alone. That you didn’t need him in you or on you constantly.
But Dex was upset. And that fact alone hurt you. Because you loved him.
So instead of doing something smart, you reached for him.
“I’m sorry,” you whispered softly as your hands cupped his twitching jaw. Dex’s shoulders loosened the second you touched him. “I didn’t know it would upset you this much.”
His breath left him all at once, shaky and relieved. “No, no, don’t–” Dex’s hands came up to hold onto your wrists, thumbs moving over your pulse. “Don’t apologize, please. I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to freak out.”
“It’s okay.”
“I know I get…” His eyes flickered between yours. “Intense.”
“A little.” You gave him a small smile. “But I like it.”
Dex huffed a thin laugh that quickly disappeared. His eyes had gone watery.
“I just love you,” he said. “That’s all. I just… I love you so much that sometimes it hurts, and I just– I don’t know what to do with it.”
Your heart squeezed. How could it not? How could you look at this handsome man, who bought you your favorite food and gave you mind-numbing orgasms and listened to you and wanted you with such total devotion, and be mad at him when he said he loved you so much he couldn’t stand a second without you? You were only human.
“I love you too,” You kissed the corner of his mouth gently, then fully on his lips. “I’ll make it up to you.”
And just like that, as you took a second, unnecessary shower with your perfect boyfriend, you didn’t think once about that silly little fight. You couldn’t, with your cheek pressed to the glass door, his hips snapping against your ass, his cock hitting that perfect spot in you over and over again as his mouth was at your ears, telling you how he loved you. Dex always made you forget those things when he had you like this. He made you forget the blank look in his eyes. He made you forget how any sane person would have broken up with someone over that. He made you forget the loaded gun that had been holstered at his hip for the entire conversation. He just made you…
Pairing - Bucky Barnes x Reader (Established Relationship)
Summary - Bucky let's you know of a problem he has in the bedroom, you take it as a personal challenge.
Warnings - Smut, Oral (Male Receiving), Sexual themes. 18+ Only! My warnings are not extensive so enter at your own risk.
Word Count - 1.2k
When you and Bucky first started dating and getting intimate, he'd told you not to bother trying to blow him, informing you 'Ive never been able to come from a blow job.'
At first you'd taken it in, only giving his cock a small amount of attention with your mouth as foreplay, before moving onto the main event.
You'd never just gone down on him for the sake of it, never sucked him off after a hard day to help him relax and part of you was fine with that, but the other more feral side of you was beginning to shine through.
You began fantasizing about hearing his moans and gasps for breath as you sucked him all the way into your mouth, nose nudging his pubic hair. You imagined all the places you could just drop to your knees and bring him to bliss while he begged and moaned above you, fist wrapped around your hair.
You wanted to just do it, to challenge yourself, to challenge him, but the anxious part of you was worried that if he didn't reach completion, despite knowing it was a him issue and not you, that you would take it to heart. That's why despite your desires you hadn't acted on those urges, burying them deep down in your gut.
Until one day you finally snapped.
Bucky was looking sinful as always, jeans wrapped tight against his thighs and Henley clinging to his hard abs. You'd been fighting the urge to jump him all day, thinking of all the ways you could make him come apart.
He stood at his kitchen counter, prepping some vegetables for the meal he was cooking for you in his apartment, while you watched on with your bottom lip between your teeth, amazed at how he could make chopping vegetables look so sexy.
You decided not to second guess yourself, jumping from the stool you'd been perched on until you crossed the small distance to Bucky's side with a glint in your eye and a smirk on your face.
He looked at you with a raised brow, lips curling up in amusement at your determined expression, knife hovering over a carrot.
"You okay sweetheart?" He smiled.
You watched his expression with glee as you dropped to your knees, seeing his eyes widen in surprise and he dropped the knife to the chopping board, subconsciously turning his body to you.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing?" He breathed heavily as your hands came up to his hips, clutching at the fabric of his jeans and tugging them down, along with his underwear, before he could stop you.
Despite his surprise, you smirked as Bucky's cock bobbed in front of you, already half hard at the sight of you on your knees for him.
"Baby..." Bucky rasped as you took his cock in your soft palm, stroking along his length, bringing him to full mast, "We don't have time for sex right now, dinner..."
"Shhhh.." You hushed him with a wink, "Just let me take care of you."
He let out a surprised groan when you suddenly licked the tip of his cock, swirling your tongue around his slit before popping the tip between your lips and suckling on it.
"Shit." He hissed, one hand bracing against the counter while the other took it's place in your hair. "Baby..."
You smiled around his thick tip before relaxing your jaw and slowly guiding your lips down his length, looking up at him with doe eyes as he chest began to heave and heavy pants left his agape lips.
You let the head hit the back of your throat, before finally pulling back to the tip and pulling off with a smack of your lips.
"Delicious." You grinned, taking his cock in your palm once more and gently stroking over his velvety skin while you licked along the base of his length, pussy pulsing with every rasp and groan that fell from Bucky's mouth.
When you decided you'd teased him enough, you moved back to his mushroom tip, slipping it into your mouth and hollowing your cheeks as you started thrusting your head on and off his length at speed.
Bucky's hips shuddered, a loud groan filling the air as his finger tips clutched at your head.
Drool began pooling in your mouth as you continually worked Bucky as deep as you could, hearing the sloppy sounds of his cock slapping against the back of your throat.
"Fuck baby....you don't have too...shit..." Bucky rasped, giving you a way out if you wanted too, but you were determined, you'd stay on your knees for as long as it took until your mouth was filled with his come.
You placed both palms on his thighs, bracing yourself as you began taking him deeper than before, forcing yourself to stutter and gag around his length, spurred on by the whimpers and moans of the man above you.
Your eyes widened in surprise when Bucky's other hand joined your head and he looked down at you with a darkened gaze, mouth agape as he panted.
"Can I?" He asked, swiping his tongue over his lower lip, as he gave a gentle thrust into your mouth.
You nodded around him, wanting nothing more than to be used by the man you adored.
Bucky groaned at your response, gripping your head between his palms as he began thrusting his hips into your face, hitting the back of your throat with each snap.
Your eyes began to prickle, tears escaping and soaking your cheeks as you gargled around him, watching him get lost in the ecstasy.
"Fuck baby...feels so good..." He rasped, "Taking me so well.."
You groaned around his length at the praise, wetness pooling in your own panties and dribble falling over your chin.
You felt his cock twitch in your mouth and your heart rate quickened at the thought of his undoing, so you brought one hand up, taking his sack in your fist and rolling his balls in your palm while he continued to fuck your face.
"Oh fuck baby. Fuck, keep doing that. Please don't stop. Please." He groaned, unable to take his eyes off of you dribbling around his cock while he pummeled your throat.
"I think....oh shit..." He began to mumble in a low whimper, "Don't stop baby...I'm gonna come....don't stop.."
Your eyes sparkled in delight, pussy throbbing in your pants as you hand continued to work his balls and you let out a garbled moan around his cock.
"Oh fuck!" Bucky almost yelled, slamming his cock into your mouth harshly and stilling as the warm ropes of his salty come began spurting into your mouth.
You moaned again while Bucky's legs shook through his orgasm, his eyes rolling and heart pounding in delight.
You swallowed his release with a satisfied hum, pulling back enough to lick at every inch of his cock to clean him up as his hold on your head finally loosened.
Bucky's hands dropped to his sides and you popped your lips off of his softening cock, pulling yourself up to stand infront of him with a wide smile, while he looked back at you in awe.
You pressed your chest against his, sliding your palm along his jaw as he continued to pant.
"Just for the record," You purred with a smirk, "I'm not like any of the women you've been with before."
Bucky huffed out a laugh, enclosing you in his arms and sighing against your temple.
"You're damn right baby." He breathed, "You're the most amazing woman I've ever met."
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summary : Soap's bonnie gives him the silent treatment
silent treatment
cw : fluff
Johnny does not take the silent treatment well. The bastard knew what caused it. It was him that kept pestering her, that kept pushing her buttons because it was oh so cute to see her little face scrunched up, her nose twitching and the puffed up cheeks from irritation. He loved to draw the reaction out of her. The problem was that he doesn't know when to stop.
He kept poking her. Tickling her. Kept grabbing her. Making comments. Holding things out of reach. Squished her cheeks when she tried to tell him to stop. "But yer too cute lass, cannae help it" he would coo, pressing his lips to her pouted ones. The last straw was when he mocked softly when she tried to tell him off.
And now he's facing the consequences of his actions. It's not so funny anymore. Doesn't mean he won't still be a completely bastard about it though. He leaned against the doorway, a pout of his own as he watched his bonnie lass ignore him. She didn't glance at him when he appeared, not one look. She didn't acknowledge his existence, nothing. Didn't even roll her eyes or let out an annoyed huff, no, she merely kept her eyes on the tv with refusal.
She could feel him sulking, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as he groaned dramatically, wounded "lass please, ahm sorry" came his words. Nothing. "D'ye wan' me to start barkin'?" He suggested, a playful glint in his eyes. That almost got her, almost. The corner of her lips twitched. His gaze sharpened, zeroing in on that subtle reaction and smirked, that was all he needed to spur him on further.
He walked forward slowly, gaze trained on her face. Bare feet padded as he came to a stop behind the couch, right behind her. She tensed and his grin widened. She couldn't stay mad at him, heart was already fluttering but she was just as stubborn. She crossed her arms tighter, eyes turning to a glare as she tried to focus on whatever was on the screen. Thus he leaned over, chuckling softly when his breath ghosted her neck and she instinctively straightened, still trying to act unaffected.
"Aye bonnie, cannae stay mad at me" he teased, "come on, where's my pretty lass?" His soft praises caused her breath to hitch, lashes fluttering briefly. She held her ground, "piss off Soap". His eyebrows rose and he straightened, oh? So that was how it's going to be.
Johnny loved a challenge. "Okay" he said simply, voice too casual despite the sharp glint in his eyes. A frown creased her face, she didn't expect him to give up so easily. She watched from her peripheral as he moved away and let out a small sigh, the tension melting for her shoulders.
She should have known better because the next moment, before she could properly react he rounded the couch and layed on her. Full weight just slumping over her as he pressed her flat to the couch. The hard muscles of his chest pressed into her back as she let out a displeased groan, "Johnny!" She protested strained, letting out a laugh despite herself. Like a cat draping over it's owner, he let his full weight sink onto her, "Ahm not leaving until ye talk to me" he insisted, voice muffled into her neck.
Despite her efforts to stay mad, she found herself melting. A smile spread, "Get off" she clipped, cheek pressed into the cushion.
"Nae bonnie, please" he's dramatic again, "i cannae live without your beautiful voice in mah ears" he flipped her over and she yelped as he shoved his face into her neck again and started peppering kisses, "Johnny!" She squeaked.
His heart raced. She felt him grin against his neck, "Aye, that's mah name."
So when she gave in with a grin of her own, wrapping her arms around him as he nestled between her breasts, "Ah love ye, ma' bonnie lass" he mumbled, muscles relaxing in her hold.
"I love you too, idiot" she pressed a kiss to his head, holding him tighter.
blurb - Separated by miles, years, and the undead, you and your husband have been ghosts in each other’s lives for two decades. The thought of Joel being alive hurt just as much as thinking he was dead. But when a stand-off forces you face-to-face with a familiar man—older, harder, and still devastatingly him—all the pain resurfaces.
warnings - nsfw, mdni 18+, attempted murder, violence, yearning, loss of a child, parent!Reader, grief, fear of intimacy, slight suicidal wishes, female masturbation, mutual masturbation, 69, cuddle fucking, creampie (don't try this at home), emotional sex, scent kink???
author's note: I did listen to "Back to Me" by the Marias the entire time I wrote this...
One shot requested by: anyomous
wc: 18.3 k
Mwah!
“Joel…”
Mwah!
You giggled this time, voice caught somewhere between exasperation and a smile. “Joel.”
Mwah! Mwah!
“Oh my God! You’re gonna ruin my hair!”
He didn’t stop. He kissed you once more—loudly, obnoxiously—right on the top of your head, arms wrapped around you so tight you could barely reach for your keys.
“You ain’t leavin’ yet,” he said against your hair.
You tried to twist out of his hold, but he just shifted with you, his body like a weighted blanket. “Joel—”
“My birthday is tonight,” he murmured, cheek pressed to the side of your head. “Keyword: Tonight.”
“You’re not six.”
“Don’t need to be,” he muttered, “To wanna spend it with my wife.”
Somewhere down the hall, Sarah’s laughter drifted from her room, soft and muffled. You exhaled, melting into his chest despite yourself. He smelled like sawdust and soap, and you hated how safe it made you feel, because you did need to go.
“Joel,” you whispered again, gentler this time. “It’s an ER shift. You know I can’t just—”
“I know, I know.”
He finally leaned back enough to look at you. His face was that ache that always peeked out when you had to leave for your night shifts.
“I packed you dinner,” he said finally, nodding toward the counter.
Your gaze followed. A brown paper bag sat neatly by your keys, the folded top pressed flat with ridiculous precision. You could see his handwriting scrawled across it: Eat every bite.
You looked back at him, and his expression was stubbornly casual, like you hadn’t watched him make sure your thermos didn’t leak and your sandwich didn’t get squished while you changed into your scrubs.
“You didn’t have to—”
“Yeah, I did,” he cut in, quiet but sure. “You forget to eat when it gets busy.”
“I do not forget.”
“Mm,” he said, unconvinced. “That’s why last week you came home and inhaled pizza like you ain’t seen food in a week.”
You shoved at his chest, and he caught your wrist with a smirk, pressing one more kiss to your knuckles.
And that’s when the sound of socked feet sliding down the hallway interrupted you.
“Ew,” Sarah groaned, appearing in the doorway, half-eaten apple in hand. “Not this again.”
Joel didn’t even look her way. “What’s this ‘gain?”
“You being a total sap,” she said, hopping up on one of the stools. “She’s just going to work.”
Joel’s head turned slowly to his kid. “You don’t get it.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re dramatic.”
You covered your mouth to hide a smile, pretending to check your bag again.
Joel lifted a brow at her. “You done?”
“Not even close,” she said sweetly. “Stop hogging her.”
He glanced back to you, the faintest smirk tugging at his mouth. “Why’d wanna talk to her so bad, huh?”
“Maybe I wanna talk to someone other than you for the next twelve hours.”
Joel let out a low noise, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh, and grabbed his mug. “Uh-huh. I’ll remember that next time you need a ride to the mall.”
You and Sarah watched him disappear around the corner. There was a beat of silence, and then the sound of him shutting the bedroom door echoed faintly.
“Did it get fixed?”
Her grin was instant, mischievous, like she’d been waiting for that cue all night.
“You bet it did.”
She glanced over her shoulder once more, then ducked into her backpack and pulled out a small box. When she cracked it open, the soft ticking filled the quiet kitchen.
Joel’s watch. Working.
You hadn’t seen it tick since—well, since ever. Not once in all the years you’d known him. She smiled so wide it almost broke your heart. “He deserves it,” she said softly.
You wrapped your arms around her before she could hide her blush. “You did good, baby.”
Her hair smelled faintly of coconut shampoo and laundry detergent. You pressed a kiss into her curls, and she squeezed you tight.
“When I’m back in the morning,” you murmured against her hair, “Your dad gets me, then it’s all you and me, okay?”
She pulled back, grinning. “Deal. I need a dress. Homecomings, like, next week and everyone already has theirs.”
You smoothed her hair from her face. “Then we’ll find you the perfect one. Promise.”
Her eyes sparkled. “It’s gonna be the best.”
You smiled, meaning it. “It will.”
For a moment, it was just the two of you, the low hum of the fridge filling the silence, the clock ticking in time with the watch.
Then you glanced up—and froze.
“Shoot,” you muttered. “I’m late.”
You moved fast—badge, phone, keys—but she was still standing there, smiling at you.
“I love you, Sarah!” you called as you backed toward the door.
“Love you too!”
The night air was cooler than you expected, the kind of fall chill that hinted at rain but hadn’t quite decided to commit. The street was quiet, just the whisper of trees and the hum of a streetlight flickering at the corner.
The porch light cast a pale gold over the hood of your car, and you were halfway to opening the door when you heard it.
“Hey!”
You turned.
Joel was coming down the porch steps, hair mussed.
“What—?”
Before you could finish, he reached you. His hands found your face, warm and calloused, and his mouth was on yours before another word could form.
Steady. Familiar.
You smiled against his lips, your fingers curling in his shirt. “Happy birthday,” you murmured.
His eyes softened, lines crinkling at the corners. “Thank you, baby.”
He kissed you again—slower this time—and then rested his forehead against yours.
“You sure you can’t call in sick?” he whispered, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Y‘know I can’t.”
“Doesn’t hurt to try.”
For a few seconds, neither of you moved. You brushed your thumb along Joel’s jaw, tracing the familiar edge of stubble.
“Tomorrow morning,” you promised quietly. “I’m all yours.”
He nodded once, like he was filing it away. “All mine,” he repeated, voice low, half-rasp, half-prayer.
You stepped back, his hand still holding yours until the distance forced it to fall away.
“Go on,” he said, smiling now. “‘Fore I think of another excuse to keep you.”
You opened the car door, sliding in. The engine coughed to life, headlights washing the driveway in white.
Joel leaned down to your window as it rolled open, bracing one hand on the roof. “Text me when you get there.”
“I always do.”
“Yeah,” he said softly. “Still.”
You looked up at him for a moment—just a man standing under the porch light, watching the woman he loves drive away to work.
Then you smiled one last time, lifted your fingers in a small wave, and pulled out of the driveway.
The taillights disappeared down the street.
And behind you, Joel stood there for a long while, hands shoved in his pockets, eyes on the road that led toward the hospital, until the light finally went out.
That was the last quiet night.
┈┈・┈┈
The gas station sits at the edge of the highway like a fossil—half-buried in snowdrift, windows caked in frost, the faded sign creaking against the wind.
You pull your scarf higher over your nose and push through the door. The bell above it gives a tired little jingle, the sound swallowed almost instantly by the emptiness inside.
The place smells of dust and fuel. Rows of cracked candy wrappers and long-dead flies line the counter. A can of peaches sits upright on a shelf like it’s been waiting for you all these years.
You pause, listening. Wind sighs through a shattered window. Nothing else.
Good.
Your boots crunch on the tile as you move down the aisle. You check under the counter—some old batteries, half a lighter, a few shotgun shells. You pocket the shells, roll the lighter between your fingers, flick it. Spark. No flame. You toss it back.
You find the storage room behind a warped door, push it open with your shoulder. The metal hinges wail.
Inside: shelves toppled over, a spill of canned goods frozen to the concrete. A single cot in the corner—torn, mold creeping up the side. But it’s shelter.
You run a hand through your hair, exhale through your scarf.
You start sorting through the wreckage. Your bag was already heavy, but there’s always room for something that might keep you alive another week. A can of beans, a box of ammo if you’re lucky, maybe even a flask with something that burns on the way down.
Outside, the wind changes pitch—sharper now, colder. Snow was coming quick.
You glance through the window. Clouds roll over the mountains, dark and low, swallowing the last streaks of light.
Wyoming. You’d always wanted to see it. The peaks in the distance look soft under the gray sky, like something out of a dream you half-remember. You lean against the window frame, watch the world blur behind the snow.
The beans taste like dust. You chew anyway, slow and mechanical. You swallow, stare at the dented can in your hand, and wonder—not for the first time—why food never tastes like anything anymore.
The silence stretches long and thin.
Outside, the wind howls low through the busted doorframe, slipping under your coat. The storm’s closer. You pull your scarf tighter and sit cross-legged on the moldy cot.
The flickering fluorescent light above you buzzes. Once. Twice. Then dies completely. You sit in the dark for a long moment.
You fish out a flashlight from your pack and click it on. The beam slices through the dark in a narrow cone. Dust motes float like ghosts.
You set the can aside, grab your knife, and start sharpening it against a stone. The rhythmic scrape fills the space. Shk. Shk. Shk.
You stop only when you catch your reflection in the blade. Eyes sunken. Hair streaked with gray. Skin roughened by twenty-four winters too many.
You huff a breath through your nose, letting the knife fall beside you and lean your head back against the wall.
For a moment—just a flicker—you see it again.
The hospital. The gurneys. The screaming.
You still smelled antiseptic and blood, heard the alarms, and felt the heat of panic flooding every hallway.
Your hands had been shaking so badly back then that you couldn’t even hold the scalpel right. And when they shoved the rifle at you—you’d dropped it. You remember that clearly. You’d dropped it, and the nurse beside you had died two minutes later.
You open your eyes fast, drag in air until your ribs ache. You stare at your hands. Calloused. Scarred.
The storm outside is getting heavier now, snow slamming against the roof in thick, rhythmic waves.
You sit for a while, just breathing.
Then you reach pass your collar. Metal is cold against your fingers, smooth from years of handling. You pull out the necklace—its chain tangled from travel, the ring catching faint light from the window.
Your wedding ring.
It still fits around your finger, though you haven’t worn it in years. The gold has dulled, edges rough from weather and time. You turn it between your fingers, feeling the tiny engraving on the inside—J.M. The letters are faint now, nearly worn away.
Since rings were a ripping hazard through gloves, you always ended up leaving your ring in Joel’s hands. Meaning you left it when you escaped.
Years later, you went for it. Maybe to see if someone took it, or if it was possible that time had stopped in that house, just waiting for you to come home.
Half the roof gone, windows shattered. You’d stepped over the debris, heart thudding in your chest, and found the ring sitting in your dresser. Dust-coated. Waiting.
The rest of the house had been silent, save for the groan of wood and wind slipping through the cracks. There’d been blood by the entryway—dark, old. But no bodies. The truck was gone.
That had meant something. You’d clung to that, smiling through the tears back then.
“They made it out,” you’d whispered into your old bedroom. “He got her out. He always does.”
Now, years later, you still hold the ring like it’s proof that somewhere, somehow, they’re still alive.
That Sarah’s grown—thirty-eight now, if you’ve done the math right—maybe with her father’s strength, that same stubborn tilt of her chin.
You smile, just a little. And for that small, fragile moment between exhaustion and faith, you let yourself believe it.
That if you keep walking, keep breathing, fate might finally let your paths cross again.
The wind howls against the window. And then—a noise. Not the wind. Not the shifting of snow. You freeze.
It’s faint, beneath the storm. A crunch of a can, the muted thud of boots.
You snap out of it fast, tucking your necklace back underneath your layers, and you grab your rifle. You move silently, muscle memory taking over. The scarf wanted up, covering your mouth. You sling the rifle over your shoulder, knife in your other hand.
Another sound. Closer this time.
You forced your breathing to be small. Listened. The sound is human—not the ragged rasp of infected but even, purposeful steps. You creep to the door, ease it open a crack. Cold air hits you.
You don’t take chances. You move through the gas station like a ghost.
Shelves cast long black teeth. You navigate by sound: the snap of a plastic wrapper, a muted clink of metal. You pass an aisle and there—under a hanging sign that reads ‘SNACKS’ in flaking red paint—is a person.
She’s young-ish, brown hair dusted with snow. Pale. Focused on canned goods. You watch her for a beat, then you’re beside her; blade at her throat, gloved hand clamping her jaw before she can scream air into the room.
“Don’t make noise,” you whisper, teeth pressed to the syllables. Cold breath fogs between you.
She makes a sound—a sharp intake—but you clamp harder until it’s a single pulse under your fingers. Her green eyes are wide and furious.
You press the tip of the knife, close enough the metal kisses her skin. She doesn’t flinch. “Who are you with?”
Her eyes flick left, then right, then back up to your face. She groans something obscene. You tilt your head.
“Nod if you’re alone.”
Slow, stiff nod. Her gaze keeps sliding. You don’t believe her.
“Walk.”
She huffs and starts shuffling. You edge behind her, blade at the hollow of her throat in case she bolts.
Outside, horses stand tethered to a dented pickup. Two adult-size steeds, their breaths steaming into the night. Packs sewn onto their flanks look new—canvas stitched and mended, not the scavenged mess you usually see.
“Community,” you mutter.
The girl mumbles behind your glove—garbled words, half-swallowed by the wool. You pause, glancing down at her. Her eyes flicker with something sharper than fear. You can’t tell if it’s anger or a plan.
You loosen your hand just enough for her to speak. “You’re making a mistake,” she says, voice low, shaky but not scared. Not really. There’s defiance there. “You don’t wanna do this.”
“That right?”
“Yeah,” she breathes, chin tilting toward the dark. “Because—”
She stops. Eyes dart past you. Just a flicker. Barely a second. But it’s enough. Your instincts snap tight.
You spin, knife still at her throat, snow exploding under your boots. The world narrows to metal and breath and the small, frantic drum in your ribs. A man stands a few yards off. Broad shoulders, an old bandana pulled up over his mouth, thick winter jacket bulking up his frame more that it is; only his eyes are free.
They’re cold. Wild. Protective.
He’s holding a blade too. The wind howls between you.
“I’ll slit her throat before you take a step.” you snarl.
He doesn’t blink.
You circle, keeping the girl as a shield. He mirrors you both of you counting the breaths, looking for the twitch that means fight. Wind keens between the pillars, the horses stamp and throw up more steam.
“Back off, I swear I’ll—”
“I’ll kill you ‘fore you can.” he interrupts, stepping closer. There’s a cadence to the sentence that slips under your skin, some pattern you know but can’t name. Texan accent. Worn by the years, but Texas nonetheless.
Your hands tighten around the girl. Then she jerks—twists. You shove her back against your chest and press the knife harder; she hisses.
“Stop movin’, Ellie!” The man yells.
“Goddammit!”
She spits, and the world completely inverts—just by one word in her next sentence detonating in your chest.
“Kill her already, Joel!”
Joel.
The name stops you cold.
Joel.
It hits like a gunshot under your ribs. Your grip falters—barely, but enough.
Joel.
“...What did you just say?” you whisper.
The girl feels it, the hesitation. She wrenches free. In the same motion, she grabs your scarf and yanks it down. Cold air hits your face.
Then—pain. A hot, sharp slide near your ribs. You stumble back with a strangled noise, clutching your side.
For a second, you don’t feel it. Not really. Your body’s in survival mode, your mind already screaming move, move, move.
Two against one. You’ve been in worse. You’ve survived worse. But still—your pulse hammers so loud it drowns out the rest of the world.
The wind whooshes past your ear. White noise. You can barely hear anything else.
Except the softest call you’ve heard in years. Your name. Spoken like a memory dragged out of the grave.
You haven’t heard it in years. You’d forgotten the shape of it, the way it used to sound. You’d forgotten what it felt like to belong to it.
You look up.
The man’s eyes are on you—wide, unsteady. His chest rises and falls like he’s staring at a ghost. His knife is forgotten, dropped to the snow. You stumble back a step, confused, dizzy. He mirrors it, stepping forward, matching your retreat. One for one.
“Stay back,” you rasp, though your voice cracks halfway through.
He doesn’t. The girl says his name again, a sharp exhale of confusion. “Joel! What are you—?”
No.
No, no, no.
The world tilts. The light from the moon flickers across his face, and in that fractured second, you know. He rips the bandana from his face—
It’s him. Your life. Your love. Your other half. Your soul. Your husband.
Your Joel Miller.
Lines carved deep into his face, gray hair decorated his beautiful brown. His face is more wrinkled than before, his body more wider. But those eyes—same as the day you lost saw him.
Your breath catches in your throat. “Joel…”
The word breaks, splintering halfway out. It sounds nothing like how you used to say it. He takes another step. His voice shakes.
“Darlin’...”
You want to run. To reach for him. To scream in fear. To laugh. You can’t do any of it. You just stand there, the world narrowing until it’s just the two of you and the ghost of everything you lost.
Your knees go weak. You can feel pain now—the slow, spreading warmth of something sticky seeping through your coat. You press your hand harder to your side, but it doesn’t stop the tremor.
Joel takes another step.
“Don’t…” you manage, breathless. “Don’t—come any closer.”
You stumble back again, your boots slipping in the snow. The light-headedness hits harder now. The sky spins. You reach out, steadying yourself against the cold metal of the building behind you.
The girl’s hand tightens around her knife. Her voice is shaking now, too. “What are you waiting for?! She’s…she’s—why are you hesitating—”
You sway, vision blurring. Ellie takes another step, as if she’s going to finish the job for Joel, and that’s when you see it—the blade in her hand. Red. Glinting as it drips. Your blood.
“Christ…” you whisper.
You can barely keep your eyes open now. The snow feels softer under your boots than it should. You blink, slow and heavy, your breath coming out in short, white bursts.
Then, you fall.
Joel moves fast. A shadow through the storm. The next thing you feel is his arms wrapping around you, pulling you in. The warmth of him hits like a blow, his chest against yours, his breath shaking against your temple.
You forgot this.
The sound of him breathing, the rough rasp in his throat. The weight of his hand and how they shake when they press against your side, trying to stop the bleeding. His voice breaks through the wind, hoarse, terrified—words you can’t quite catch, just the vibration of them.
Your fingers find his coat, clutching it. It feels real. Too real. You lift your head—barely—and see his face. That face.
The man from your dreams, the one you used to stare at when you couldn’t sleep. The one you buried with your past. The one you thought you’d never touch again.
You try to speak, but it comes out as a shiver.
He presses his hand harder, cursing under his breath. His mouth opens over and over, forming words but you can’t really hear him. The wind eats at his words. You can only see his eyes frantic.
You forgot how soft his eyes could be when he was afraid. Your vision blurs around the edges. His face flickers in and out, the snow dimming into a wash of gray and white.
He yells something over his shoulder—maybe to the girl, maybe to no one. You can’t tell. The world’s shrinking too fast.
Then—his voice, raw, breaking:
“Not ’gain. Not ’gain.”
You blink slowly, trying to focus on his mouth, the way his voice trembles like he’s said this before.
Again?
The thought cuts through the haze for a second. Did he mean you? Did he dream of you, too? See your face in strangers? Hear your voice in the dark like you did his?
The thought makes you smile. You look up at him—just once more—and the sight fills you whole.
Then the light fades. You go limp in his arms.
He calls your name again, but you don’t hear it. The world folds inward—black and quiet.
┈┈・┈┈
The church wasn’t much.
A narrow, sunlit room with peeling paint and crooked pews. The air smelled faintly of wood polish. There was no music—just the soft hum of cicadas outside and the creak of the floorboards under your heels.
It was perfect.
Your mother sat front row, tissues clutched in both hands, whispering something to your father that made him chuckle under his breath. Tommy was beside them, sleeves rolled up, tie loose, trying and failing to keep a squirming little girl in her seat.
“C’mon now, darlin’,” he muttered as Sarah kicked her legs and reached toward the front of the hall. “Your daddy’s a little busy right now, alright? You’ll see him in a minute.”
Sarah let out a squeal that echoed through the church, a bright little sound that made Joel’s shoulders stiffen and then sag.
You laughed under your breath, watching him. His hands were clasped nervously in front of him, the tie around his neck slightly crooked. His hair was damp from sweat, combed back but already falling out of place. There was a flush high on his cheeks.
“I swear I listened when you told me to feed her. She jus’—” He sighed, the corners of his mouth twitching. “She don’t like sittin’ still. Guess that’s my fault.”
“She just wants her daddy,” you said softly.
Joel’s eyes flicked to you, warm and nervous all at once. “Well, can’t say I blame her for that.”
“You always this confident at the altar?”
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Confidence or stupidity—hard to tell.”
There was a pause. Sarah let out another squeal and Tommy groaned, muttering something about ‘should’ve brought snacks.’ Joel grinned, shaking his head, then looked back at you with that same teasing glint.
“Still time to back out, y’know,” he said. “Ain’t too late to change your mind.”
You gasped, hand flying to your chest. “Excuse me?”
“I mean—not like that, darlin’. Jus’... y‘know I’m not exactly prime real estate.”
“Joel Miller…” you said, voice full of mock outrage.
“What?” he said, laughing now. “I’m jus’ bein’ honest!”
You took a step closer, your dress brushing the floor. The minister cleared his throat softly, but neither of you looked away. You reached up, caught his tie in your hand, and tugged him just enough that his eyes widened a little.
“Never,” you whispered.
He blinked, his breath catching. And then you kissed him.
The world went still for a moment. It was just the two of you—your hand fisted in his tie, his palm finding your waist, the rough scrape of his stubble brushing your cheek. He kissed you back, slow at first, then deeper when you smiled against his mouth.
Behind you, your mother and dad sniffled audibly. Tommy muttered something, but there was laughter in his voice.
When you finally pulled away, his forehead rested against yours.
And when Joel finally whispered, “For as long as I got breath…”, you knew—this was how it was always meant to be.
┈┈・┈┈
You wake to the sound of wind and the slow, steady rhythm of breathing that isn’t your own.
Your lashes flutter open. Wooden beams. No patched roof. The air smells faintly of pine and smoke, warm from… a heater? For a moment, you think you’re dreaming. Then a deep ache blooms along your side.
You jolt upright—too fast. The pain punches through you. A strangled noise escapes your throat as you clutch your ribs. Bandages. Tight, clean, freshly changed.
That’s when you hear it again.
You whip your head toward the sound—instinct first, reason later—and shove back against the headboard, teeth bared, ready to fight through the pain if you have to.
“Hey—hey, easy, easy.”
That voice.
Joel’s sitting in the chair beside the bed, elbows on his knees, that same rugged face you’ve seen a hundred times in dreams, weathered now by years and loss. The gray in his beard catches the light. His flannel’s frayed at the cuffs. Sleep wears on his face. He must’ve just woken up.
It’s all impossible. It has to be.
“Joel?”
His mouth parts just slightly, like he’s afraid to breathe wrong. “Yeah, darlin’. It’s me.”
You shake your head, trying to make sense of it, but the world feels warped. His eyes are the same—warm brown, flecked with gold—and that hurts worse than anything else. Because they look real.
For a long, unbearable moment, neither of you move. The room hums around you—wind through the cracked window, the faint thud of boots outside—but all you can hear is your heartbeat and the sound of Joel’s shaky breath.
You shift again, the pain in your side flaring white-hot. A groan slips out before you can stop it. Joel’s expression crumples.
“Stop movin’,” he mutters, half rising, hands twitching uselessly like he wants to reach for you but doesn’t dare. “You’ll rip the stitches.”
You swing your legs over the bed, ignoring the protest in your ribs. He flinches like it physically hurts him to see you do it. He stands with you, crossing around the bed to get in front of you.
His jaw works, like he’s trying to find something to say.
But all that comes out is your name.
It roots you to the floor.
You blink hard, throat burning, and when you look up again, his eyes are wet. He tries to blink it away, to look like the same man who used to fix things, who used to steady you.
He says it again. Softer this time.
Your breath stumbles. There’s a tremor in his hand when he finally reaches out.
When his fingers brush your cheek, you flinch— from a strange mix of fear and disbelief. His hand’s rough, warm. He drags his thumb slow across your skin, tracing your jaw, your cheekbone, your nose.
Like a blind man who had just earned his sight back.
For a second, there’s nothing but the sound of both of you breathing—fast, uneven, disbelieving.
And then—
You take a step back. Another. Another.
Distance.
You hit the metal tray behind you, the clatter piercing through the air, and Joel’s brow furrows. “It’s alright,” he says, voice low, coaxing, like you’re some frightened animal.
You shake your head, breath catching. “No—no, it’s not.”
“Darlin’, it’s me—”
“Don’t.” The word rips out of you, sharp and trembling. “Don’t call me that.”
His mouth parts, but nothing comes out. His hand drops uselessly to his side.
You can’t breathe. The air feels too thick, the walls too close. Your body won’t stay still—your fingers twitch, your shoulders jerk. You can hear your pulse in your ears.
He was here. You wanted this. You wished for it, but now that it was here… it was all too much, him standing here, alive.
“I knew you died,” you whisper, voice cracking. “I knew and I still believed—"
“I didn’t,” he interrupts, desperate. “I didn’t die, darlin’. I—”
“Stop!” You press your hands to your temples, nails digging in. “Stop calling me that!”
“You’re shakin’. Lemme me—”
“No!” You stumble back, hand slamming into the cabinet. “You can’t—no—you can’t just—”
Your chest caves. Breath stutters. You can’t fill your lungs, can’t find air. The room tilts, the fluorescent light overhead flickering like a heartbeat gone wrong.
He’s reaching again, trying to catch your shoulders, but the touch only makes it worse. You jerk away, a strangled sound tearing out of you.
And then—
Bang.
The door slams open.
“Joel!” Tommy’s voice, rougher now, deeper, but still that same drawl that once filled your old house with laughter.
You stare at him. He’s got a mustache now. Older, broader. Wrinkles that line the corners of his eyes.
You make a small, broken sound in your throat. It’s too much—the sound of his voice, the sight of Joel, your world cracking open and mending together all at once.
Tommy’s eyes soften when he sees you, but his tone is firm. “Step outside, brother.”
“Hell no,” Joel snaps, stepping in front of you. “My wife’s panickin’, Tommy—”
You twitch at that word—wife—and your breath catches, shuddering.
Tommy lifts a hand. “Out. Now.”
“Tommy—”
“Joel.” His tone hardens. “Get out.”
The two stare each other down, that familiar stubborn silence passing between them. Joel’s chest heaves. His jaw flexes.
Then his eyes flick to you. Just once. And that look—raw, gutted—undoes something in your chest. He goes. But not without a fight in his stance, not without looking like every step toward the door costs him blood.
Tommy stays behind long enough to look at you. His smile’s thin, a shade of what it used to be. “Why don’t you sit down, huh? Maria’s comin’ over real soon. She’ll take care of you.”
You don’t even nod, just stare like those abandoned mannequins in the windows of clothing stores. He hesitates, looks like he wants to say something else, but doesn’t.
Then he leaves. The door shuts behind them with a soft click.
You stand there for a long time, trembling, until the sound of your breathing evens out. The air still smells like alcohol and metal. You press your back to the wall, sliding down until you’re sitting on the cold wooden floorboards.
You don’t cry. You just listen.
Through the crack of the door, their voices filter in—muted, low, but heated.
“You’re overwhelmin’ her, Joel. Can’t you see that?”
Joel’s voice, rough and unsteady, comes right after. “She knows me, Tommy. She—she looked at me. You saw it too. She knows me.”
“Yeah,” Tommy says, dry. “Don’t mean she can handle you right now.”
“I ain’t some stranger, dammit! I’m her husband. That’s my wife. You understand? My wife. I thought she was gone. I thought—”
“You thought a lotta things, but that don’t change what’s in front of you. I get it.”
A pause. You imagine Joel’s face—the way he presses his lips together when he’s holding back something too big to say.
Then his voice again, lower. “You didn’t see her eyes, Tommy. I did. She remembered me. She didn’t forget.”
“That’s not how it works.”
“She belongs with me. She should live with me—get used to things ‘gain, get used to me.”
“The hell she should,” Tommy snaps. “That’s the worst idea I’ve heard come outta your mouth, and that’s sayin’ somethin’.”
“Why? Why the hell not? Y’think I can jus’—what—leave her sittin’ in some damn corner, pretendin’ like she didn’t spend almost half her life with me?”
Tommy doesn’t answer right away. The silence stretches, filled with the sound of boots shifting on wood, wind against the windows.
When he does speak, his voice is steady. “’Cause she’s scared of you, Joel.”
The words land heavy. You can feel the air change on the other side of the door.
“She flinched when you touched her.”
Joel says nothing.
“She damn near stopped breathin’ when you got closer,” Tommy goes on, quieter now. “And not ‘cause she don’t care. It’s ‘cause she’s been out there, alone. Y’know what that does to a person.”
Joel finally mutters something, too low to catch.
Tommy sighs. “Y’think she had folks lookin’ after her all this time? Hell, for all we know, she’s been walkin’ ‘lone for years. One, two, five, ten—Christ, maybe since the whole damn thing started.”
A pause. Then Tommy again, voice soft but heavy.
“She ain’t the same person you lost. And neither are you.”
The words twist deep, where you don’t want them to reach.
Eventually, you hear the floor creak again—Tommy’s boots moving away, Joel’s slower behind him. The sound fades down the hallway, swallowed by the hum of your own thoughts.
You tilt your head back against the wall and stare at the ceiling light until your eyes blur.
He’s alive.
He’s here.
And you don’t know whether to thank God or curse Him.
┈┈・┈┈
To say you’re skittish is an understatement.
Tommy and Maria’s house feels too clean. Too normal. Every sound—every creak, every low murmur from the kitchen—puts your nerves on edge. You keep expecting someone to barge in and tell you to pack your things, that you don’t belong here.
The curtains remain half-shut, and you sleep on top of the blanket instead of under it, because the bed is too soft. The first night, you woke up gasping, the fabric bunched around your throat, the scent of cleanliness sharp enough to make your eyes sting.
Now you avoid it altogether. You sit on the edge, knees drawn up, staring at the wooden nightstand. You run your fingers over the lamp switch. The clock. The drawer handle.
Twenty years ago, these things were nothing. Background. White noise. Now they feel like relics from a life that belonged to someone else.
Beds. Nightstands. Floors that don’t creak from rot.
Hot water. Toothpaste. A door that locks from the inside.
You leave the room only the bathroom, since they bring you your food. Once, Maria knocked to tell you that there had been snow on the Christmas tree they just set up, and it was gorgeous with the lights, and you almost said yes to following her out there.
Almost.
But the second your hand touched the doorknob, something inside you froze. You mumbled an apology and stayed put.
They never complained. Not once.
Maria—she tries. She smiles at you when she offers you fresh bread, tea, small comforts. She has that kind of strength like she’s seen her share of ruin and decided not to let it show. You can see why Tommy married her.
He checks your wound every couple of days, his hands steady, his voice low. “Healin’ good,” he says. “Maria’s been keepin’ the bandages clean. You’re lucky she’s the one runnin’ the place.”
You nod. You never know what to say back.
He talks a lot, though. Tries to fill the silence with something easy. “Jackson’s different,” he tells you. “We got systems. Rules that keep folks fed, safe. We all pitch in.”
You hum under your breath, skeptical. “Sounds like a QZ,” you croak out before you can stop yourself.
Tommy chuckles, but his eyes narrow just slightly, like he knows what you mean. “Ain’t no QZ. No FEDRA. No soldiers. Nobody hoardin’ food. We look out for each other here.”
You study him a long time, trying to decide if you believe it. He must see the hesitation in your face, because he adds, quietly,
“I wouldn’t have stayed if it wasn’t what I said.”
He means it. You can tell.
Days pass. A week and a half. You fall into a rhythm, if you can call it that. You wake up, sit on the edge of the bed, watch the light crawl across the floorboards. You listen to the faint laughter that sometimes drifts from the street outside. You eat when someone leaves a plate at your door. You wait until night to move around.
Then one morning, Maria breaks it by knocking softly.
You’re sitting on the bed, fingers picking at the loose threads of the sheets, half-lost in thought.
When she opens the door, her face is lit by that calm, unshakable smile. “Got someone who wants to see you,” she says.
Your stomach tightens. Your hands flex, unflex. “Who?”
Her smile widens, but her eyes study you carefully, gauging every twitch of your face. “A visitor.”
You nod, pushing yourself up. The floor feels uneven under your bare feet. Your heart thuds in your throat. “Alright.”
She waits in the doorway until you follow her. The house smells faintly of coffee and wood polish. You pass the family photos hanging on the wall—Tommy with Maria, and beside them, a small boy with his father’s grin. You pause for half a second, staring.
A son. You hadn’t known.
Your pulse stutters.
Maria’s voice pulls you back. “You doin’ okay?”
“Yeah,” you lie.
Every step down the hallway feels heavier than the last. The closer you get to the living room, the louder your thoughts get. What if it’s Joel? What if he came here, decided he’d had enough of waiting? You can almost hear his voice already—low, stubborn, that Texas gravel tone saying your name.
No. You can’t do that. Not yet.
Maria stops at the doorway, her hand on the frame. She glances back at you, softens her voice. “Don’t worry. She’s kind. Sometimes.”
She.
The breath you were holding spills out, shaky and uneven.
Then you see her.
Sitting on the couch, her elbows on her knees, head down, fiddling with something in her hands—a knife, no, a pocket tool. Her hair’s brown and tamed now, no longer wild from the wind. The anger that once burned in those green eyes is gone.
It takes you a second to place her. That girl from the gas station.
Maria’s voice is light. “Ellie. I brought her.”
Right. Ellie.
She looks up then, blinking at you, and for a moment you both just stare.
Her mouth opens first. “Uh… hey.”
You nod once, your throat too tight for words.
She clears her throat, awkwardly rubbing her palms on her jeans. “You, uh… you probably don’t remember me. I mean, I guess you might. Back at the station, you were kinda…” She makes a vague gesture with her hands, grimacing. “Y’know. Your knife to my throat, my knife in your side, whole thing.”
“I remember.”
“Oh.” She blinks too, like she wasn’t expecting that. “Cool.”
Maria hides a smile, stepping back toward the kitchen. “I’ll let y’all talk.”
You and Ellie both look after her as she leaves, then at each other again.
The silence is prickly. Ellie shifts in her seat, taps her knee a few times, then blows out a slow breath. “I wanna… apologize.”
She says that last word like it’s a grater dragged across her throat.
You raise an eyebrow.
“For—uh—stickin’ you like a pig.”
Your frown comes without effort. “You stabbed me.”
“Yeah. Guess that’s another word for it. My bad.”
You just stare at her.
She scratches at her eyebrow, mutters, “You were sneakin’ around, and I was freaking the hell out, and I just—look, I didn’t know who you were, okay?”
There’s a beat of silence. Then, maybe because her discomfort is so naked, maybe because she’s just a kid trying too hard to sound grown, you huff out something that almost sounds like a laugh.
“I’ll live,” you say quietly.
She sighs, quick and relieved. “Yeah, looks like it.”
Ellie seems to notice the change in your posture, how you loosen slightly, and leans back a little, studying you in that curious, unfiltered way teenagers do.
“So,” she says, drawing out the word. “You were… married to Joel?”
You stiffen. That one hits bone.
“Okay, too soon.”
You shake your head. “No, it’s—” You pause, gathering your voice back into something flat, neutral. “Yes. We were married.”
“Wow.” She whistles softly. “I mean, huh. You and Joel. That’s—” She stops, shakes her head, smirking. “Never mind.”
“What?”
“Nothin’. Just. Hard to imagine him married. He kinda strikes me as the lone-wolf-and-whiskey type, y’know?”
“He wasn’t always.”
“Yeah?”
“He liked to dance.”
That makes her laugh—loud, surprised. “Bullshit.”
“He did. Badly.”
She snorts. “Okay, now I gotta see that someday.”
You don’t answer. You just look down at your hands, tracing the small scar near your knuckle. A moment passes. Then she shifts again, like she’s working up the nerve to keep going.
“So… you guys got, uh…” She squints. “What’s the word—divorced? Before the outbreak? You said ‘were married’.”
The question hits you like cold water.
“No,” you say softly. “No, we didn’t.”
“Oh.” She looks at you for a second too long, then nods slowly. “Just been a long time, huh?”
You exhale through your nose. “Yeah. Long time.”
Ellie is easy in a way you’ve forgotten how to be. She swears under her breath, uses her hands when she talks, doesn’t know how to sit still. She reminds you of… you, before the world before it burned down.
You find yourself leaning forward, asking her small things. How long she’s been with Joel. Where she came from. Whether she likes Jackson.
She answers, haltingly at first, then quicker, sharper. You learn she’s got a sense of humor that you enjoy. You understand it.
And then—
Ellie hesitates. Her gaze flicks toward the window, then back to you. “You… you must’ve known Sarah, then.”
The name slices through you like wire.
Sarah.
You blink, too slow, too hard.
“Sarah,” you echo, the syllables thick on your tongue. “Of course I do.” You can’t stop the small laugh that breaks out of you—shaky, a little too high. “God, how did I not ask? I didn’t even—she’s grown now, right? Almost forty. Jesus. Does she—does she still paint? Or play soccer? She always had that little pink ball she’d kick around the kitchen—drove Joel crazy, used to leave scuff marks all over the floor—”
You stop. Because Ellie isn’t smiling.
She’s staring at you.
And her whole face has gone still.
“Oh.”
Just that.
And you know.
Instantly.
Your mouth opens, but no words come. The world seems to narrow, sound folding in on itself. You can’t feel your hands. You can’t feel anything.
“No,” you whisper, but it’s barely a sound. “No. Not Sarah.”
Ellie doesn’t move. Doesn’t breathe. Just watches you, stricken.
You shake your head, your body already rejecting it, like maybe if you move fast enough, you can outpace the truth. “No, she—she’s just a kid. She is—she—”
You don’t finish. The words choke, collapse.
Something inside you caves in slow motion. The air leaves the room, the floor vanishes. You sink to your knees before you even realize you’ve moved.
You see Sarah’s hair, the way it stuck to her forehead when she ran. Her laugh. The way she used to look at Joel. The way she looked at you. The smell of pancakes on Sunday mornings. Her tiny hand tugging at yours when she wanted to show you something she’d drawn.
Gone. Forever fourteen.
Gone twenty years ago, while you were out there convincing yourself it wasn’t true.
You cover your mouth with both hands. The sound that breaks out of you isn’t human—it’s raw, keening, dragged from the deepest part of you that never healed.
Ellie’s eyes are wide. She moves before she thinks, kneeling beside you, uncertain, awkward. “Hey, hey, I’m—shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t—”
You stumble backward, your legs barely obeying you. The room is too bright, too close. Ellie’s voice is muffled, like it’s coming from underwater. You don’t even hear what she’s saying anymore. You can only hear Sarah. Sarah laughing. Sarah crying. Sarah’s voice calling for you in the dark.
Your throat closes. You can’t breathe. You can’t see.
“She’s gone,” you whisper to no one. “She’s gone. Sarah’s gone.”
Maria appears in front of you, gentle hands hovering but not touching. “Hey—hey, slow down. It’s okay. You’re safe, you hear me?”
You shake your head. “No. No, I—she—” You choke, your chest collapsing under invisible weight. “She’s just a kid. She—she calls me—she calls me mama—”
Maria’s eyes soften, and that’s worse. You can’t bear it. Her pity feels like fire.
You hear Tommy’s boots pounding against the floor, his voice low but urgent. “What happened?”
Ellie’s voice, trembling. “I—I told her about Sarah.”
Maria glances over her shoulder, and Tommy growls. “Christ almighty.” He doesn’t look at you for long—maybe he can’t.
You hear Tommy leave with a string of curses, his boots thumping until he disappeared into the snow.
You press your palms over your face, rocking slightly. The room feels like it’s tilting. Every breath comes in sharp bursts, tearing your lungs.
“She’s gone,” you whisper, voice trembling. “She’s gone, and I didn’t—”
Your breath shudders out of you, and you clutch at the wall like it might hold you up.
Maria glances toward Ellie, and something passes silently between them—understanding, guilt, something like fear. Tommy curses quietly under his breath. “I’ll get him,” he says, and he’s gone before Maria can stop him.
Your voice breaks. You press your hands over your face, curling inward. “I wasn’t there,” you whisper. “I wasn’t there.”
Maria’s hand hovers near your shoulder, then pulls back. She looks helpless.
A sound—heavy boots, the door opening. You don’t have to look up. You know that sound. You could find it in a storm.
Joel’s frozen in the doorway, chest heaving. His eyes land on you. You see the recognition hit him like a hammer.
“Darlin’,” he breathes, his voice hoarse, wrecked.
You shake your head, stepping back.
He doesn’t listen. He never did. In three long strides he’s kneeling in front of you, hands hovering before settling on your shoulders. His touch is rough, too warm.
“Don’t—don’t touch me—” You push at him weakly. “She’s gone, Joel. She’s gone.”
He pulls you into his chest anyway, his arms tight around you as you struggle. “I know,” he says, his voice low, shaking. “I know, baby, I know.”
You pound your fists against him, but the strength’s gone from your body. “You don’t—”
“I do,” he cuts in, desperate. “I do.”
You stop fighting. His arms hold steady, the kind of hold that used to calm you down. You can feel the tremor in his hands, the way he keeps his face buried in your hair.
“She’s gone,” you whisper, smaller now. “Our girl. She—”
He doesn’t let you finish. He shifts, lifting you the best he can, one arm under your knees, the other at your back. You cling to his shirt on instinct, your body shaking as he carries you down the hallway. You can barely see through the blur of tears.
Joel shoulders the door to your room open and nudges it shut behind him with his boot.
He sets you down gently on the bed, but you push yourself away the moment your feet touch the floor. You back up, hands shaking, your breath sharp and uneven. “Don’t—don’t do that,” you rasp.
He goes quiet. The silence stretches. You can hear the whoosh of snow starting against the window.
When he finally speaks, his voice is low. “You wanna know what happened?”
You don’t answer, but he tells you anyway.
He talks like a man digging up a grave. His words come in fragments—him and Sarah on the couch, the sirens, the Alders, Tommy’s truck, the soldiers, the gun. His voice falters only once, when he says her name.
“\We were tryin’ to get out. Got stopped by a soldier. They told him—told him to take us down. I was holdin’ her when he fired.” He swallows hard, eyes shining wet. “She was scared. Cryin’. I told her I had her. That I wasn’t gonna let go.”
You stare at him, unmoving. Every breath feels like swallowing glass. “You held her,” you say, the words barely forming. “You—”
“I didn’t know what else to do,” he murmurs. “I couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t—” His voice breaks, and he turns his head, like looking at you hurts.
You sit on the edge of the bed, shaking. The words echo in your skull, each one heavier than the last. The room feels too small, the air too thick.
You look at him. His hands hang useless at his sides, his face drawn, hollow. You think of all the years he carried that weight alone. How you carried your own.
You reach out.
He hesitates, then closes the distance, kneeling in front of you again. You rest your head against his chest, the fabric of his shirt damp from your tears. His arms come around you, slow and sure.
You cry until you can’t anymore—quietly, your hands fisted in his shirt. He doesn’t tell you to stop. He doesn’t move to fix it.
Now it’s just the two of you again. Broken. Breathing. Holding on because there’s nothing else left to do.
┈┈・ ☣・┈┈
Joel didn’t give Tommy a choice to get you to move in with him.
He showed up the next day, the expression on his face enough to silence any argument before it began. Tommy stood there on the porch trying to say something that wouldn’t get his head bitten off. But when he looked at you—eyes blank, body barely holding itself upright—he just sighed, nodded once, and stepped aside.
The guest bedroom smelled faintly of cedar and dust, and cleaner than it should’ve been—like he’d gone through it himself and made it ready before he even brought you here. You didn’t thank him. You just sat down on the bed and stared at the wall until it blurred.
The first night, you cried so hard you made yourself sick. Joel stayed outside the door the whole time, boots heavy on the wood floor. He didn’t come in.
By the third night, he’d moved a chair into your room and sat there while you slept—if you could call it that.
Every memory twisted just enough to hurt. You’d wake up gasping, and Joel would already be there, and sometimes just murmur, “You’re alright,” though neither of you believed it.
By the end of the first week, he’d stopped pretending to sleep in his own bed. He just curled up at the foot of yours with a blanket and pillow, a quiet shadow. When you woke up sobbing, he was there. When you refused to eat, he was there, pressing a spoon into your mouth, his jaw tight with that quiet patience that looked more like punishment than care.
Never turned away when you cried from shame. Wiped your face clean. Tucked you in. Never said a word about it.
Tonight is like every one of those nights.
It starts before the sun sets. The light through the blinds looks too much like the color of fire, like the burning hospital, and something in your chest just snaps. You curl into yourself, hands gripping the blanket, and Joel’s there in a second, just coming off his patrol.
“Hey,” he says softly, like you might shatter if he breathes too hard. “Hey, now. Look at me.”
You don’t. You can’t. You’re somewhere else entirely.
He sits on the edge of the bed, careful, slow. “You’re safe,” he tries again. “You’re right here, darlin’.”
That word—it tears something open in you. You turn your face into the pillow and sob so violently your ribs ache. Joel just sits there. Then he moves closer, kneeling beside the bed, his hands braced on the mattress.
“It’s okay,” he whispers.
But it isn’t. It isn’t okay.
Your voice comes out hoarse, like you haven’t spoken in years. “She was scared.”
Joel freezes.
“She was—she was scared, and I wasn’t there.”
He swallows hard, the sound loud in the quiet room.
“I just know it.”
His jaw flexes, and his breath stutters. For a moment, he looks like he’s going to argue—but then he just lets out a sound that’s almost a laugh, only it’s broken right down the middle.
Joel drags both hands down his face, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes until his knuckles go white. “I was supposed to protect her,” he chokes out. “That was my job. My one Goddamn job, and I failed.”
Your breath catches. You reach out before you can stop yourself, fingers brushing his arm.
He doesn’t flinch away.
“She was—she was so little,” you whisper.
He nods, eyes closed. His chest rises and falls too fast. “She was,” he breathes.
Neither of you speak for a while. You can hear the crickets outside. The faint, uneven hitch of his breathing.
When you finally speak, it’s a wish you didn’t plan to say.
“I wish Ellie’s knife killed me.”
Joel’s head snaps up.
“What?”
You meet his eyes—really meet them this time, even through the blur of tears. “That knife,” you say, voice breaking. “When she stabbed me—I didn’t think it then. But now…” Your throat locks. “It should’ve killed me. I can’t… can’t live in a world that took Sarah.”
He stares at you like you just reached into his chest and pulled out something he’d buried. His eyes glisten. His mouth opens, then closes again.
“Don’t say that,” he rasps.
“Joel—”
“Don’t,” he snaps, sharper now, voice cracking under the weight. “Don’t you ever say that. You hear me?”
You flinch. His hand shoots out before he can stop himself, gripping your wrist.
“I can’t lose you too,” he says, barely more than a whisper. “I can’t—I ain’t strong ‘nough for that.”
“You already lost me.”
“No. No, you’re still here. You’re breathin’. You’re here.”
Something inside you caves in. You don’t know which one of you moves first, but suddenly he’s holding you, arms around you tight enough to hurt, his face pressed to your shoulder. His whole body trembles.
You cling back. For the first time since you moved in, you hold him just as tightly.
He leans in until your foreheads touch again, his thumb brushing over the tear tracks on your cheek. There’s no logic in the way he looks at you—just devastation and recognition, like you’re both staring into the same pit and realizing you’ve been standing beside each other the whole time.
He stays that way until the trembling stops, until your breathing evens out, until the room softens around the edges. Then, quietly, he moves to the foot of the bed, to settle in like always.
But this time, when you reach out, your fingers find his sleeve.
He looks up, startled at first, like he’s not sure he felt what he did. Your hand stays there, curled into the fabric, your knuckles white.
“Don’t,” you whisper.
He blinks. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t go.”
The words come out small, almost childlike, and you hate how fragile they sound—but they’re true. Every piece of you feels hollow when he’s not near.
Joel’s throat works. He studies you like he’s trying to find the right answer in your face. “You sure?” he murmurs.
You nod, but it’s shaky. He still doesn’t move.
“I mean it,” he says again, voice rough. “You—don’t gotta say things you don’t—”
“I said don’t go.”
That’s all it takes. The bed dips when he sits beside you. You move without thinking—your hand on his shirt, then his chest, then his arm, like you’re checking to make sure he’s real.
He doesn’t stop you. You pull him closer.
He hesitates, every muscle in him tight, like he’s fighting instinct. His hand hovers in the air for a moment before it lands gently at your waist.
You tug him down until he’s lying beside you.
You can hear his heartbeat, feel the heat of him under your fingers. The two of you are stiff at first—two unfamiliar bodies trying to remember something that used to be second nature.
You don’t know what you’re doing. Neither does he.
He exhales against your temple, like he’s afraid the air itself might hurt you. You breathe him in, and it feels like something old and safe and terrifying all at once.
His hand finds yours under the blanket. His thumb moves, back and forth, the smallest stroke. You don’t realize you’re crying once more until he brushes one away with his knuckle.
He whispers something you can’t quite catch. Maybe it’s your name. Maybe it’s hers. You don’t ask. You just trace the rough line of his throat, the scars on his hand, the dip of his collarbone. He does the same, learning you by touch—your shoulder, your hair, the hollow at the base of your throat.
It’s clumsy, reverent, too gentle for how much it hurts.
You both crack there—slow, like spreading a fracture through glass. Thumb brushing along the edge of his jaw, his nose skimming your cheek, your jaw. He tucks you in against his chest. You listen to his heart until it steadies.
And this new ritual continues.
Time folds in on itself—weeks slide past like snowmelt, impossible to hold. You stop counting by days or calendars; you measure life instead by the smallest things.
The sound of boots at the door. The shape of his hand around a hammer, around a map, around the edge of your world.
By late November, you’ve grown familiar to the smell of coffee, sharp and earthy. He always makes two cups, one waiting for you by the sink. You don’t always drink it. Some days you only stand there, palms around the mug, letting the heat soak into your fingers until it cools.
He pretends not to watch. Sits at the table with a stack of repair notes or a half-folded map, eyes flicking up just long enough to catch you breathing. Sometimes you think he’s waiting to see if you’ll join him. You rarely do.
Instead, you spend time washing dishes. Folding blankets. You cook, sometimes—only simple things. Never what Sarah loved. Not the pancakes she’d drown in syrup, not the chicken stew she’d claim was “better than school lunch.” You can’t.
The world outside turns whiter, the light shorter each day. Ellie drifts in and out of the house, mostly keeping to the garage. You learn she’s been staying there. She has her own rhythm—friends, her girlfriend. It’s soft, watching her have something sweet.
Some days, Joel tries to coax you outside. Mentions the farmers’ meetings, the community dinners, the patrol schedules. You always shake your head.
“Maybe next week,” you say
He nods like he already knew. But he keeps asking.
And he keeps bringing things home. A pressed flower. A basket of foods you loved. A novel he found in the old library, the corners worn soft. He never makes a show of it. Just leaves them on the counter.
Sometimes you thank him.
Sometimes you just stare at the gift, fingertips brushing its edge, shock and disbelief running through your system.
Then one morning, the sky pale with early snowlight, you wake up to the house quiet. You move through the rooms on autopilot—bare feet against cold floors, the air sharp in your lungs.
You’re about to shower, something you’ve started looking forward to. You love the feeling of water washing away the ache, if only for a little while.
But when you open the drawer for clothes—nothing. Every shirt, every pair of jeans you’ve gathered from Maria and Tommy over the past few weeks is gone, tangled in the bottom of the basket. Unwashed.
You curse softly under your breath.
Passing through the kitchen, you spot a folded note on the counter. Joel’s handwriting—blocky, uneven.
Went to help at the barn.
Didn’t get to the laundry yet. My bad.
You can borrow whatever of mine you need.
—J.M.
You stare at it for a long time, thumb brushing over the edge of the paper. The thought of him doing your laundry hits you sideways. You can picture it too easily: at the sink, sleeves rolled up, that furrow between his brows.
Your face warms. You forgot he’s been the one washing your clothes. Your shirts. Your jacket. Your jeans.
Your bras.
Your panties.
God, you were married to the man for almost 15 years, yet now you were getting bashful and flushed over the fact that he was touching your underwear. You cursed your mind.
The note ends with a postscript, scribbled small:
Stay warm. Water heater’s touchy again—let it run first.
You let out a quiet, reluctant smile.
You take a shower. The water sputters and steams, hot enough to sting. You stand under it longer than you should, until the mirror fogs and your skin glows.
When you step out, the air bites against your damp hair. You wrap yourself in a towel and pad barefoot to his bedroom. The floorboards creak like they recognize you. The dresser drawers are stiff; they don’t like being opened. You rummage through the top one, the smell hitting you before your fingers even find it—cedar and faint tobacco.
Soft flannel. His.
You pause, thumb running over the collar, the worn edges. You haven’t worn Joel’s clothes in years—a whole lifetime has happened since. But the muscle memory is still there; you remember exactly how the fabric has been mended to shape.
You hesitate anyway.
“Jesus,” you whisper to no one. “You’re ridiculous.”
You slip it on.
The sleeves hang long, brushing your wrists, the fabric rough. It still smells like him, even washed. You close your eyes and breathe, until it almost hurts.
And suddenly you’re back there. In that other life.
The early mornings. The arguments about stupid shit. The way he’d leave his boots by the door and say, “I’ll get ‘em later,” and you’d roll your eyes and pick them up yourself. The nights when he’d come home late, exhausted and half-awake, and still manage to find you in the dark.
You don’t mean to move, but you do—backward, step by step, until your knees hit the edge of the bed. His bed. You fall onto it, the mattress giving beneath you. You press your face deeper into his pillow, chasing that comfort.
“Goddamn you,” you whisper into the cotton.
But what you mean is thank you.
It’s like being wrapped in him. And God, you’re terrified of what it means. Not of him—never of him—but of this. Of the way he lingers in everything.
He lingered on everything. Your soul, your life, your heart. Your body on those cold winter nights, him between your in a way only a lover knows how. Your body as you pinched and stroked you to ecstasy like it was his sole purpose.
Your breath hitches, and your fingers twitch against the fabric. You shouldn’t. You won’t. You’re stronger than this—or so you tell yourself. But your resolve frays like threadbare cloth.
Your hand moves before you can stop it, tentative at first, grazing the hem of his flannel. A shiver runs through you, sharp and electric.
No, you think, biting your lip hard enough to sting. Don’t do this.
But his voice echoes in your mind, soft and teasing, unraveling you.
C’mon, darlin’. Let go for me.
You’re lost in him, in this need whispered against your skin.
Your hand drifts lower, fingertips grazing the skin just above your knee. The touch is feather-light, testing.
You part your thighs, with cool air kissing your slick heat; you’re already drenched. When’s the last time you let yourself feel this? Years, maybe. Survival doesn’t leave room for want.
You slide through your folds, parting them, circling the swollen ache that built so quickly, just off his smell.
Please, Joel. Touch me. I’ve been so cold.
One finger slips inside, then another. The stretch is perfect, but not enough. You curl them, searching, and when you find that spot, your breath stumbles out in a broken moan.
You take me so good, baby. Always have.
You nod against the fabric, and then hastily pull the buttons undone down to your navel, and you push one side aside with trembling fingers.
Your breast spills free—flushed, nipple peaked tight. You cup it, thumb flicking with your nail once, twice, then pinching hard enough to make your breath hitch. The sting shoots straight to your cunt. You roll the nipple between finger and thumb, tugging until your back lifts off the mattress.
You move your head to the side, the collar in front of your nose, and you stay inhaling him while you fuck yourself on your fingers, deep, steady strokes that match the pulse in your ears.
The rhythm turns frantic. Wet sounds fill the small space, obscene and perfect. You add a third finger; the burn is exquisite. You imagine his weight pinning you down, hips snapping, voice rough in your ear.
You want me to come in the pussy I put a ring on?
You come with a muffled cry, body shuddering. Your walls clamp down, thighs trembling. Pleasure crashes in sharp, endless waves, your fingers still buried deep, slick coating your hand and the inside of your thighs.
The world narrows to the pulse of your heartbeat, the ragged rhythm of your gasps. Slowly, the waves ebb, leaving you trembling in their wake. Your hand falls away, slick and heavy, resting against your exposed breast. You don’t move to cover yourself.
The room is quiet again, save for the soft creak of the bedframe beneath your weight and the faint chirping of morning birds.
Your chest heaves, each breath a struggle. Staring at the ceiling, your eyes tracing the cracks as your mind catches up to your body. The pleasure lingers, but it’s drowned by the slow creep of something else.
Guilt, maybe.
You close your eyes, willing the thought away, but it lingers like the scent on the pillow, like your next thought:
You might be falling in love with your husband again.
┈┈・ ☣・┈┈
He was early.
You spotted him through the restaurant window, standing under the awning with one hand tucked into his jacket pocket, the other rubbing along his jaw. He looked… nervous. The sight did something funny to your stomach, seeing this broad, quiet man fidgeting like a teenager on prom night.
When he caught sight of you walking toward him, he straightened so fast it almost made you laugh. His hand dropped from his face, and a faint, almost shy smile tugged at his mouth.
“Hey,” he said, voice low and rough, that easy southern drawl curling around the word. “You look—uh. Nice.”
You smiled. “You too.”
He was wearing his usual—plaid shirt, denim jacket, jeans—but somehow it worked differently tonight. Maybe it was the effort. The way his hair was combed down, neat but still a little messy near the edges, or the fact that his boots looked like he’d actually wiped them off before coming.
The hostess seated you near the window. The two of you sat across from each other, menus up like shields, both pretending to read while you waited for the other to speak first.
“So,” Joel started after a few moments, clearing his throat. “Uh—”
You looked up. “Uh?”
“I should probably jus’—jus’ say this upfront.”
You set your menu down, a small smile forming. “Okay.”
He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the table once before curling into a fist. “I got a kid,” he blurted. “Her name’s Sarah. She’s one. Almost two.”
He paused, eyes flicking between you and the salt shaker.
“She’s… well, she’s my whole damn world. I jus’ don’t wanna waste anyone’s time pretendin’ otherwise.”
He said it like he was bracing for a hit. His shoulders were stiff, jaw tight. You could tell it wasn’t something he said often—probably something he practiced in his head on the way here.
“You love her.”
He let out a breath, softer than a sigh. “Yeah. More’n I thought I could love anythin’, to be honest. It’s jus’ been me and her since—well, since birth.” His lips twitched, almost a smile. “So that’s kinda my life. I work, I come home, I make sure she eats somethin’ other than pancakes, and I pass out by nine. Not real excitin’.”
You grinned. “You sound like a good dad.”
That stopped him. He blinked, mouth opening like he didn’t quite know what to do with the words. “You ain’t—uh—you’re not scared off?”
“By a good dad?” you teased. “No. I think that’s actually kind of attractive.”
His ears went a little pink. He looked down, rubbed the back of his neck. “Well,” he murmured. “That’s a first.”
After that, the tension broke.
You asked him about his work—how long he’d been building houses—and his face lit up when he talked about it. He told you about learning carpentry, working with his brother Tommy. You told him about your job, about the people you worked with, the work politics he’d probably hate.
And then somehow the conversation drifted back to Sarah.
“She’s wild,” Joel said, shaking his head with a fond smile. “Got more attitude than I do. Last week she told Tommy he was ‘too old’ to play hide and seek.”
You laughed, and he grinned wider, encouraged.
“She’s obsessed with dinosaurs right now. Keeps askin’ me if there’s any still walkin’ ‘round Texas. I told her, no, but she says maybe there’s one hidin’ in the Hill Country.”
“She sounds smart.”
“Too damn smart, sometimes.” He took a sip of water, then added in a quieter voice, “Her mama—well. She ain’t ‘round. So I’m jus’ tryin’ to figure it out best I can.”
You didn’t press. You just nodded, the silence that followed soft.
Between courses, you caught him watching you once or twice—quick, flickering glances that he pretended didn’t happen when you met his eyes. He asked if your food was good, made a few jokes about the size of the portions, grumbled when the waiter brought him a fancy small plate that “wouldn’t fill a bird.”
It was nice. Simple.
By the time the check came, you felt lighter. The awkwardness from the start had melted into something easy, something warm. You tried to grab for your wallet, but Joel was faster, already sliding his card onto the tray.
“Joel—”
“Nope.”
“C’mon, at least let me—”
“Darlin’, don’t even try.”
You stared at him, fighting a smile. “Darlin’?”
He froze, caught off guard by his own mouth. “Oh. Uh—slipped out. Sorry.”
You laughed. “Don’t be.”
He looked down at his plate, hiding a grin.
When you stepped outside, the night was cool and damp. Streetlights hummed overhead, and the air smelled like rain waiting to happen. Joel walked beside you, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, close enough that your sleeve brushed his once or twice.
At your front door, he stopped.
“Well,” he said, clearing his throat. “I had a lotta fun tonight. Really did.”
“Me too.”
He shifted, eyes darting between you and the porch light. “If you wanna… maybe—I don’t know—keep goin’. Not tonight, I mean—well, maybe tonight, but not like that—jus’… I mean, if you wanna see me ‘gain.”
You tried, you really did, but the laugh bubbled out anyway again. He went red to the ears.
“Sorry,” you said between breaths. “You’re just—”
“Terrible at this?”
“Adorable,” you corrected.
“Ain’t heard that one ‘fore.”
You stepped closer, your voice quieter. “Then I guess you were overdue.”
And before he could come up with another flustered thing to say, you leaned up and kissed him.
It was gentle, brief, testing. His breath hitched, the soft scratch of his stubble grazing your chin. But then he kissed you back, slow and certain.
When you finally pulled apart, both of you were smiling without meaning to.
“You wanna come inside?” you asked, barely above a whisper.
He hesitated, mouth curving into something between a grin and a question. “Sarah’s with Tommy.”
You blinked, and shook your head at your mind. “Right. So you should probably—”
“I’ll jus’ pay him more,” he said quickly, like it was the easiest decision in the world.
That made you laugh. “You sure?”
He looked at you, really looked at you, eyes soft and steady. “Yeah. I’m sure.”
You stepped back, opened the door. He followed you in.
The click of the lock behind you sounded louder than it should have. The rain started to fall outside, soft against the windows.
And that, was the start of it all.
┈┈・ ☣・┈┈
Lights wind around the lampposts, glowing gold through the frost, and you swear the whole town smells faintly of cinnamon and pine.
The crowds gathered around the tree—families, couples, kids running around with half-eaten cookies and sticky fingers. The fire pit crackles, throwing warmth into the cold night. You stand beside Tommy, watching Maria up on the platform giving a short speech about community, about making it through another winter together.
Tommy’s got Benji in his arms. The kid’s nodding off, head tucked under his chin, thumb hanging loose from his mouth. His curls are sticking up in every direction.
You lean a little closer, smile softly. “He’s about two minutes from a faceplant.”
Tommy grins, voice low so he doesn’t wake the boy. “Yeah, he’s a fighter though. Ain’t givin’ in easy.”
Benji stirs, blinking up at you with heavy-lidded eyes. You offer your arms without thinking. “Want me to take him?”
Tommy looks between you and the sleepy kid, then chuckles. “Hey, bud, wanna go over to Aunt, huh?”
Aunt. You’re not even sure he realizes he said it until your throat tightens. You just nod, arms open, and Benji reaches for you without hesitation.
He’s warm and smells like sugar. His little hand curls into your jacket as his head droops against your shoulder. You sway a little, rocking him out of habit you thought you’d forgotten.
Tommy watches, something soft flickering in his expression. “You always were good with kids,” he says.
You smile, brushing a curl from Benji’s forehead. “Guess it’s like riding a bike.”
“Yeah,” Tommy murmurs. “One hell of a bike.”
You don’t respond. Your eyes trace the curve of Benji’s lashes, the faint freckles under his eyes. He’s got that same Miller look—those brown eyes, that furrow even when he’s half-asleep. You’ve seen it in Tommy. In Joel. In Sarah.
Your chest tightens. You look away before Tommy can see the wet shine starting in your eyes.
Maria’s speech winds down, her voice softening into a smile. The crowd claps. Maria steps off the platform, her eyes finding Tommy and Benji immediately.
“There’s my boys,” she says, coming over.
She holds her arms out for Benji. He mumbles something sleepy, reaching one hand back toward you before his head falls against Maria’s shoulder.
“Out cold,” she whispers, smiling.
You nod, hands feeling strangely empty once he’s gone.
The music starts again—a few people strumming guitars, someone singing off-key but earnest. Around you, people start exchanging small, wrapped gifts. You’d almost forgotten you brought yours.
“Hey,” you murmur, reaching into your coat pocket and pulling out the little parcel. “This is for Benji.”
Tommy takes it, grinning as he peels back the paper. Inside is a tiny carved horse, the wood polished smooth, the details careful—each line of the mane precise. You spent weeks finding it, trading with an older man in the workshop who’d carved it by hand.
“Look at this,” Tommy says, awe threading through his voice. “You serious? You got this for him?”
You shrug, a little bashful. “He’s obsessed with the ones you keep in the barn. Figured he needed one he can keep in his pocket.”
Maria smiles, kissing her son’s temple. “He’s gonna love it.”
You hand her two more small bundles—one for each of them. A new leather glove set for Tommy, stitched tight and warm. A scarf for Maria, deep green, softer as anything you’ve felt in years.
Tommy whistles low. “You didn’t have to—”
“I wanted to.”
They glance at each other. That wordless kind of look. Then Maria reaches behind her coat and pulls out a square, neatly wrapped in cloth.
“This one’s from us.”
“You didn’t—”
“Jus’ open it,” he says, voice low.
The paper rustles softly. You fold it back, careful with the corners. Then your breath catches.
It’s a photo.
A real, glossy photo in a simple wooden frame. The edges yellowed with age but the image clear.
You and Joel—both asleep, tangled up on a sunlit porch. His arm draped across your waist. Your head resting against his chest. Sarah’s in the background, hands on her hips, grinning at the camera like she’s in on a secret. And in the far corner, barely visible in the reflection, a familiar shadow—Tommy, holding the camera.
Your throat closes.
You trace the edge of the frame with your thumb. “Tommy… how—”
“After the outbreak,” he says quietly, staring into the fire instead of at you. “First couple years. Went back to Austin. Most of it was gone, but the photo box was still there. Been keepin’ it safe.”
You don’t realize you’re crying until the tears blur the image in your hands. You blink fast, but it doesn’t stop the ache building in your chest.
“I thought they were all gone,” you whisper.
Tommy shrugs, smiling a little.
You step forward and hug him. Tight. Your arms around his shoulders, the photo pressed between you so you don’t drop it. He hesitates, then holds you back just as firmly.
Maria watches with a soft smile, Benji sleeping peacefully against her.
You pull back eventually, eyes red, voice rough. “Thank you,” you murmur.
Tommy’s face is all soft lines. “Go eat. You look like you’ll fall into the fire otherwise.” He grins and gestures toward the Tipsy Bison like he’s offering you heaven on a platter.
It smells like cinnamon and cheap liquor and something toasted that turns your stomach into guilty wanting. You thread through people, keeping the picture safe against your ribs. The crowd moves slow; laughter spills from somewhere, and someone is playing the guitar off-key and everyone loves it anyway.
A man steps in front of you—too close, his breath warm with old-cologne regret. He’s around your age, maybe a decade younger if you squint, wearing a patched jacket and confidence like it’s a badge.
“You lookin’ lonely,” he says, grin crooked. “Mind if I—”
“I’m not,” you say. Your smile is small and final. You tuck the word away and step to the side to keep the crowd moving. You make it to the bar, and order your drink. It comes quickly.
He doesn’t take the hint, following you. “Come on, lighten up. I’ve got a bottle with your name on it.”
“Not interested,” you say, firmer. The drink in your hand clinks. You can feel the edges of the photo under your palm like a talisman.
He laughs like you’re the joke. “Someone’s touchy. You look like you could use a good time.”
“Or maybe you could use a lesson,” you say. “Either way, back off.”
People nearby glance. A woman in a knitted hat gives you a sympathetic look; a boy laughs and points. The man’s jaw tightens. He takes a step closer until his fingers brush your arm.
“Don’t,” you say. Loud enough now. Heads turn.
He bends, leans in. “I said—”
You lift the cup and pour. The liquor arcs, wet and immediate, over his face. His hair plastered flat, his mouth opens in surprise, then anger.
“Jesus—” he spits, hand flying to his face. His laugh is gone. He wipes at his eyes, fury hot and immediate.
“Don’t touch me,” you snap. “Don’t touch any woman who doesn’t want it. Fuck off asshole.”
He glares at you, anger thick enough to taste.
The he moves.
Your body reacts before your brain: the shove, the pressure of a palm against his chest to put distance between you and the hand that hovered too long. Something clamps down on your neck—hard—and cold fingers braided through your hair. Pain flares hot along your scalp as he pulls. Instinct roars, everything narrowing to the shape of the man’s face.
You twist, ready to break his nose, but you doesn’t get the chance.
A blur of motion—then the man’s body jerks sideways. He hits the ground hard, air leaving him in a grunt.
You stumble away from the sudden relief of pressure on your head. You cradle it, and look over your shoulder with harsh breaths.
Joel’s there.
Not the quiet Joel. Not the ‘coffee in the morning’ Joel. Not the Joel who sleeps in your bed, holding you tight. This is something else. A version of him pulled straight out of the man you met at the gas station—feral and unfiltered. His chest heaves once before he moves again, towering over the man.
“Get your fuckin’ hands off my wife!”
The words tear out of him, raw, louder than the music, louder than the people shouting. And then he’s on him.
Fists. Over and over. Flesh hitting flesh, the sound thick and wet. Someone screams his name.
Joel doesn’t hear. He’s somewhere else: lost to the sound of his own heartbeat, to the cruelty of a world that took too much from him and dared to reach for you.
“Joel!” you shout, pushing through the people trying to pull him off. “Joel, stop!”
He doesn’t.
You grab his shoulder, hard, nails digging into the fabric of his jacket.
That gets him. His fist hangs midair, knuckles split, breath ragged. He turns. His eyes—they’re wild. Like he doesn’t even recognize where he is.
Then he sees you.
The rage drains fast, leaving him pale. His hands fall. He looks down at the man beneath him, half-conscious, face bleeding into the floor. The silence that follows is brutal. Everyone’s staring. No one moves.
Joel’s chest rises and falls, too fast. Then he stands, his hands—bloodied and shaking—on your face.
“Hey. Hey, look at me. You okay?” His voice cracks halfway through, the old, broken edge of it cutting through everything else. His thumbs brush your cheeks, leaving streaks of red. “He hurt you? Tell me if he did.”
You shake your head, swallowing hard. You’re fine. You were fine. You always were.
He growls something at your lack of words, looking around the crowd before tucking you against his side and his hand steady at your back. You can hear the crowd murmuring, whispers darting like fish through water.
Exiting the Tipsy Bison, you spot Tommy’s face through the haze—brows drawn, mouth tight. Maria’s beside him, arms crossed, listening to someone whisper in her ear. Her expression doesn’t change.
You hold your photo tighter. You stare straight ahead, past the people, past the lights.
The fear comes slow.
Maybe Joel did love you once. Maybe he still did. But you can’t stop thinking about what love costs now. What it demands.
He doesn’t speak until you’re well past the town square, the noise fading behind you. The snow crunches under your boots, slow and steady, the kind of silence that feels heavier than shouting.
Then you pull away.
“Stop,” you say.
He does, immediately. Turns to you in the middle of the empty street, breath clouding in the cold. Snow gathers in his beard, catches on his lashes. He looks older like this—softer really, though the blood on his hands hasn’t dried yet.
“I’m sorry,” he says quietly. “If I scared you. I didn’t mean to. I’m—so sorry, darlin’.”
You shake your head, words shaking with your breath. “No. It’s not that. I just—” You press a hand to your chest. “I can’t do this anymore.”
His brow furrows. “Can’t do what?”
“This,” you say. You motion between you, your voice thin. “You. Me. The way you—look at me like I’m still…” You stop, shaking your head. “Like we’re still the same people.”
He steps closer, hand half-raised, hesitant. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“You scare me, Joel.”
The words hang there, suspended. You can see the way they hit him, like a punch he doesn’t block.
He blinks. “What?”
“You scare me,” you repeat, quieter now. “Not because of what you did. But because you think you owe it to me. Like I’m still yours.”
“You are mine.”
You close your eyes. The snow’s starting to fall harder, catching on your lashes. “That’s exactly what I mean.”
He shakes his head, steps forward again, pleading. “I didn’t mean to lose control. I jus’—he touched you, and I saw red. I couldn’t—hell, I ain’t proud of it, but I’d do it ‘gain if it meant—”
“Joel.” You interrupt, firm. “Just stop.”
He freezes mid-sentence, mouth still open like the air left him.
You take a step back. Then another. “You keep saying you’re sorry, but you’re not. You’re still justifying it. You think it’s love, but it’s not. It’s fear. It’s control. You think if you hold on tight enough, you won’t lose me again.”
His chest rises and falls, ragged. “You don’t understand—”
“You were my husband,” you say, your voice shaking now. “You were the best thing I had. And then the world ended, and I lost you. I learned to live without you. To fight. To protect myself. And now—now you’re back, and I don’t know how to breathe with you around, yet at the same time I can’t. You smother me, Joel.”
“I ain’t tryin’ to smother you, I’m tryin’ to keep you alive.”
“I don’t need you to keep me alive,” you fire back. “I already did that for twenty years without you.”
He takes a step closer, voice breaking. “I don’t know how to not care ‘bout you. You understand? I don’t know how to turn that off. I’ve already lost everythin’ once, I can’t—”
“But you aren’t my husband anymore.”
He stops cold.
The snow falls thicker now, lazy flakes settling in his hair, catching in his lashes. His breath comes out uneven, fogging the air between you. He looks at you like he’s trying to recognize a face in a dream—one that keeps slipping away every time he blinks.
“No.”
“Joel—”
“No.” He shakes his head hard, eyes wide, something wild behind them. “Don’t say that. Don’t—don’t do that to me.”
You step forward, voice soft. “Joel, listen to me—”
“You don’t get to just say that like it’s some Goddamn fact. Like it ain’t—” He cuts himself off, running a hand down his face, the motion trembling. “Y’think I can jus’ stop bein’ your husband ‘cause the world went to shit?”
You feel your throat close. “That’s not what I—”
“‘Cause I never stopped.” His voice cracks, raw and broken. “Not for one second. Every day, I—” He presses a fist against his chest, like he’s trying to hold something in. “I woke up, and I thought of you. I went to sleep thinkin’ of you. When I saw—when I saw Ellie—I thought, ‘you’d like her,’ because I still—still thought about what you’d like.”
“Joel…”
He’s breathing hard now, his voice shaking. “Y’think I don’t know what I am? What I’ve done? Y’think I don’t hate myself every time I look in the mirror? But I never—” He stops. His jaw clenches, and then, in a shaky motion, he reaches for the zipper of his coat.
“Don’t—stop—”
But he’s already pulling it open, shoving the heavy fabric aside. His fingers dig under his flannel, and when something comes out, something holding on a thin chain.
The moonlight catches it. A dull glint of gold. A wedding band, pressed against his chest like a second heartbeat.
You go still.
Your throat burns, but no sound comes out.
“I didn’t wear it for twenty-somethin’ years, carried it ‘round in my pocket,” he says hoarsely. His eyes glisten, fixed on yours. “Couldn’t. Didn’t feel right. But when I found you ‘gain, when I—when I saw you—” His hand trembles as he grips the ring. “I started wearin’ it ‘gain.”
You stare at him, lips parting, chest heaving with too many emotions at once.
“I thought of you every day,” he says, voice rough as gravel. “Beat myself bloody over losin’ you and Sarah. Over not savin’ you. And now you stand here and tell me I ain’t your husband.” His voice cracks. “How the hell am I supposed to live with that?”
You want to speak. You want to tell him that this isn’t fair. But when you open your mouth, nothing comes out.
Because your hands are already moving.
You reach up, fingers shaking, fumbling at your collar. The chain catches against your skin as you pull it free, and the air leaves your lungs when you pull our your own glint of gold.
Joel’s breath stutters. He takes a half step forward, like he’s afraid it’ll disappear if he gets too close. His lips part, trembling.
“You… you didn’t have it, when you left. How did you—”
“I couldn’t let it go.”
He makes a sound—half sob, half gasp—and suddenly he’s moving.
The distance between you collapses in a heartbeat. His arms are around you before you can breathe, before you can think, and then you’re both crashing together like you’ve been pulled by the same gravity. His mouth finds yours, desperate, broken, and you respond just as fiercely, clinging to him like he’s the only thing holding you upright.
The picture slips from your hand, falling face-down into the snow. You don’t even notice.
You taste salt—tears, his or yours, you can’t tell. His hands are in your hair, on your back, clutching, trembling. Yours are pressed to his chest, feeling the thrum of his heartbeat under your palms, the metal of the ring chain warm against your fingers.
He pulls back just enough to look at you. His forehead rests against yours, breath mingling in the freezing air.
“Please,” he mutters against your lips, his voice trembling like the rest of him. “Don’t—don’t go.”
“No,” you whisper back, voice rough, almost lost in the wind. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He chokes again, pulling the picture from the snow with shaking hands. His eyes go wide and hollow for a second, taking in what it is, before the sound escapes him—low, guttural, broken.
“C’mon,” he says hoarsely, tugging you toward him. “Let’s go… home.”
“Okay.”
He pulls you in close again as he guides you down the snow-lined street toward home. Rancher Street comes into view, quiet and empty, the glow of porch lights soft against the dark.
Inside, the house smells faintly of woodsmoke and something sweet. You see light spilling from the garage; Ellie’s there.
Joel sets the picture frame down gently on the entry table, reverent almost, before his attention snaps back to you. He steps forward, pressing you harshly against him again. A kiss, long and desperate, his hands clutching at your arms, your shoulders, like he’s relearning your weight against his.
You reach to his side, and he lets out a sharp wince against your lips. He curses softly, half-grunt, half-groan. “Joel—” you start, moving to check, but he shakes his head.
“Don’t care. Keep goin’,” he insists.
He leans in again, brushing against your lips, but you step back, firm. “No. Joel, c’mon. Sit.”
He huffs, muttering, but follows your gesture, settling onto the couch where you point. You rush to the kitchen, retrieving the small medical kit you know is there. When you return, he’s already watching you, breathing a little faster, eyes shadowed with something between exhaustion and longing.
“Take it off,” you instruct softly.
He frowns but complies without argument, peeling off the heavy winter coat, then the flannel, then the shirt beneath. Now bare to the waist, he’s different. The chest beneath your hands is broad, scarred, marked by years you don’t need to ask about. Hair dusts his shoulders and chest. His wedding band glints at the center, catching the firelight.
Your fingers move to the red mark forming along his ribs. You hiss softly, careful, cleaning and pressing gently. He leans into you, eyes closed, letting the quiet comfort of your care anchor him.
“You need to be careful. You aren’t young anymore, can’t heal at the same rate. We can only hope that it just stays a bruise and not something really bad.”
He doesn’t answer with words, just tilts his head, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly. Then, without thinking, his hand brushes a strand of hair back from your face.
You feel it deep in your chest. The brush of his fingers lingers longer than necessary, a gentle weight that makes your pulse catch.
You can tell he’s unsure what to say, and for once, it’s the same for you. Just the storm, the couch, the soft clink of mugs.
Joel’s thumb traces along your jaw, quiet, careful. He’s watching you, and it makes your chest ache.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” you finally whisper, voice soft, almost swallowed by the roar of the snow.
You shift closer, letting your forehead rest against his. There’s something in the way he exhales, a tension you’ve both been holding for months, released in the brush of skin to skin.
There’s a beat of silence, and then another. Neither of you moves. The room shrinks until it’s just you, him, and the heat simmering between your bodies.
You finally tilt your head up, catching his eyes.
Both of you know what the other wants. Words aren’t needed in a relationship like yours and Joel’s.
“I… are you sure?” you still check. “It might be too much. And your side might be—”
“Darlin’.”
“Yes?”
He leans up to press a quick kiss to your temple. “Stop talkin’.”
You smile just a fraction. He drags you down to be on the couch with him. Then, slower than you expect compared to before, he lowers his head, lips brushing yours—soft, tentative.
Your body responds instantly. Your hands roam from his back to your chest. He moans softly, lips parting, teeth grazing, tongues brushing, and you taste him like you’d dreamed of for countless nights.
Your hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, and he responds in kind, his grip firm on your waist, his body pressing into yours.
The kiss turns into a tug-of-war, pull and counter-pull, lips and hands claiming, taking, giving in equal measure.
In the midst of it, you find yourself on his lap, heart pounding. It’s been years since you’ve experienced anything like this, and your body recalls only fragments.
Your cheeks flush, and you give him a shy, light peck on the lips.
Joel pauses briefly, pulling back just enough to study your face with concern and intensity. “Hey… are you ‘kay?” he asks, his voice low and gentle.
“I’m fine,” you reply, slightly breathless, hands resting on his shoulders. “It’s just… been a while.”
His lips curve into a small, crooked smile. “You’re ain’t alone in that.”
Relief washes over you, comforting you like a warm blanket.
Joel’s hands steady your hips, guiding you as you press against him. Your hips move together, a desperate rhythm. The couch creaks faintly beneath you, but neither of you notices.
Your hands slide up to his neck, fingers threading into the hair at his nape, and he lets out a low, shuddering breath. His eyes darken, watching you with an intensity that makes your skin prickle.
“Goddamn,” he breathes, almost to himself, his voice rough with awe. “Look at you.”
You feel the heat rise in your cheeks, but there’s no room for embarrassment. The rhythm slows, and he leans back and before you can process it, he’s easing you off his lap, guiding you to lie back.
He kneels between your legs, his movements unhurried. His fingers find the hem of your jacket and shirt, and he pauses, looking to you for permission. You nod, and he peels the fabric away, exposing your skin to the cool air. His hands move to your jeans next, unbuttoning them. You lift your hips, helping him slide them off, leaving you in just your panties and bra.
Joel sits back on his heels, his eyes raking over you. He huffs out a breath, a low sound that’s half awe, half restraint. His fingers trace a slow path over the fabric covering your slit, and you both shiver at the contact.
“Fuck,” he murmurs, almost to himself. “One thing I forgot was how pretty you looked in these. How fuckin’… soft.”
You whimper, the sound escaping before you can stop it. His eyes flick up to meet yours, and his expression shifts to something almost pleading.
“Touch yourself. Wanna see.”
You hesitate for a moment, but his gaze is patient, urging you on without pressure. Slowly, you slide your fingers down, pulling your panties to the side. You touch yourself, tentative at first, moving through slick, then with more confidence as you feel his eyes on you.
Joel groans, a deep, guttural sound. His hand moves to the front of his jeans, unzipping them but not pulling them down, just enough to let his bulge sit heavy in his boxers. You swallow hard, your eyes flicking to the outline of him, your fingers faltering.
“Keep goin’,” he murmurs, his voice strained. “Need somethin’ pretty to watch. My cock… it don’t work the same no more, but you—” He breaks off, his hand palming himself through the fabric. “You’re doin’ so good.”
His words sink into you, warm and safe, fueling the fire. You circle quicker, your fingers finding a rhythm, and Joel’s breath grows uneven.
He shifts, pulling his boxers down just enough to free himself, his soft cock in his hand as he begins to stroke slowly. The sight makes your breath hitch, and you reach behind to unclasp your bra, letting it fall away. Your skin prickles under his gaze, and a flicker of insecurity creeps in.
“I’m… sorry,” you mumble, eyes dropping. “My body’s not what it used to be.”
Joel’s hand stills, and a low growl rumbles from his chest. “Get that the fuck outta your head,” he says, his voice sharp but not unkind. “I ain’t a catch, darlin’ no more. Look at me—gray hairs, creaky knees. But you? You’re still everythin’.”
You moan softly, emboldened, and slip a finger through your folds, the stretch drawing a shudder through your body. His gaze darkens, his strokes growing firmer as his cock hardens, springing up against his soft belly.
Without warning, Joel leans forward, his hands finding your waist. “C’mere,” he says, and before you can protest, he’s standing and pulling you up with him, and promptly bent down to put you over his shoulder with a grunt.
You gasp, your center of gravity thrown off.
“Joel, don’t show off!” you say, swatting at his back.
He chuckles low, and gives your ass a smack as he climbs the stairs. “Don’t matter if I’m sixty or thirty-six, darlin’. I’m makin’ sure you don’t lift a damn finger.”
The world tilts back to normal as he sets you down on his bed with a huff. He steps back, eyes raking over you, then lies back on the bed, his hand brushing his lips as he looks over at you.
“Sit,” he says, his voice low and commanding.
Your cheeks flush, and you hesitate, glancing down at yourself. “I’m… I’m too heavy,” you murmur, voice barely above a whisper.
“’Gain with this? Sit, darlin’. I ain’t askin’.” His hand reaches for yours, and the certainty in his voice pulls you past your hesitation.
You slip your soaked panties off and move to hover over his face, your thighs framing his head, your own gaze drawn to his hardened cock, now fully erect and resting against his stomach. Joel’s hands grip your hips, and with a low growl, he pulls you down, his tongue finding you with familiar skill that makes you gasp.
The heat of his mouth, the way he works you, makes you wetter than you thought possible.
Your eyes drift to his cock, and you lean forward, your breath catching as you take in the sight of him. Tentatively, you reach out, your fingers brushing against the ridges, and Joel groans against you, “Keep touchin’ me.” he mumbles into you, his voice muffled.
You wrap your hand around him, stroking slowly, matching the rhythm of his tongue. “You’re so good,” you whisper, barely aware of the words spilling out. “Joel, I—”
His hands guide your hips, urging you to move faster, and you comply, grinding harder against his mouth as your hand works him in tandem. Suddenly, a thought crosses your mind, and before you can shy away, you lean forward further, taking him into your mouth, and Joel’s hips buck slightly, a choked groan escaping him.
You hum around him, the vibration drawing another groan from deep in his chest. Pre cum fills your mouth, and you kitten lick at the tip. You can feel Joel’s thighs tense around your head, his groans against your pussy groaning.
The rhythm between you grows frantic, you sucking deep with hollow cheeks, his tongue entering and exiting.
“Joel—” you gasp, pulling back just enough to speak. “I’m close—oh fuck—shit, shit, shit!”
He doesn’t respond with words, but his tongue moves with renewed purpose, pushing you closer to the edge. The tension in your core snaps, and you come undone, a wave of pleasure crashing through you as you cry out, your body trembling against his mouth.
You ride it out, hips moving instinctively, chasing every last pulse of sensation until your breath steadies and you slump forward.
Joel’s hands are gentle now, easing you off him as he shifts beneath you. Before you can catch your breath, he flips you onto your side with a swift, the sudden change making your head spin. You laugh, breathless and a little indignant.
“Joel, you gotta stop manhandling me like that.
He chuckles, his eyes glinting with mischief, his cock pressed flush against your ass. “What, you don’t like it?” he teases, leaning over shoulder, his hand braced on your side. “Thought you’d be used to me by now.”
For a moment, neither of you speaks. Joel’s gaze locks on yours, and he moves closer, notching himself against your sopping core. This feels different—different to all the touching and kissing and sweet gestures. Like the years apart have carved out a space that only this moment can fill. .
You turn your head, looking over your shoulder, and the sight of him—his weathered face, the gray in his stubble, the liver spots on his face, the unguarded emotion in his eyes—hits you like nothing before. Tears prick at your eyes, unbidden, and your voice trembles as you speak.
“I’ve missed you.”
He groans like you stabbed him.
“...I love you.”
He lets out a sound that’s half pleasure, half pain, and pushes into you slowly, filling you with a tenderness. “I love you too,” he says, his voice rough with emotion, cracking slightly on the words. “Always have. Always fuckin’ will.”
Your lips meet over your shoulder, the kiss sloppy and desperate, but neither of you cares. It’s love, pouring into every messy press of lips, every shared breath.
His hands find yours, fingers lacing together, grounding you as he moves, slow and deep, each thrust a reclamation of what you’ve both lost.
His forehead rests against your shoulder, and you feel the tremor in his grip. “Missed you so damn much,” he murmurs, like a secret meant just for you. “Thought I’d never get this ‘gain.”
“Me too,” you whisper, your voice thick with tears. “I didn’t think… I didn’t know if we’d ever—”
“Don’t think all that,” he cuts in softly, his lips brushing your shoulder. “We’re here now. That’s what matters.”
You nod, and let the moment carry you. His movements grow steadier, more purposeful, and you match him, like when things were simpler, when it was just you and him against the world.
His hand slides up your side, resting over your heart, and you feel its frantic beat under his palm, mirroring his own. Eventually, his hand holds your ring, holding so tight your worried it might snap off, but all you can focus on is the pleasure and the cold sting of his own ring against your back.
You feel the tension coiling in your core, and Joel’s movements falter slightly, his own release building. “Your close…” he simply notes, his lips brushing your ear.
“Yes…” you breathe, your voice trembling. “You?”
“Fuck, yeah,” he mutters, a faint chuckle in his voice, but it’s laced with something else. “Together, alright? Stay with me.”
His hand moves to your cheek, turning your face so he can look at you, and the vulnerability in his eyes undoes you. You move together, faster now, chasing the edge together.
You cry out, your body trembling as the pleasure overtakes you, and Joel groans, deep and guttural, his grip tightening as he spills into you, his forehead pressed to your shoulder. His cum fills you warm and sticky.
Your bodies shudder together. You’re both gasping, clinging to each other, the intensity leaving you both raw and exposed.
For a moment, neither of you speaks, staying tangled together, his arms wrapped around you, your fingers still laced with his. The silence is comforting, a space where words aren’t needed.
Joel shifts slightly, his breath still uneven, and reaches for his handkerchief on the nightstand. “C’mere,” he murmurs, his voice soft but steady. He gently wipes the sweat from your skin, his hands careful and deliberate. You lean into his touch, your body relaxing under his care.
“You okay?” he asks, his eyes searching yours, concern etched into the lines of his face.
“More than okay,” you whisper. “You?”
“I’m good.” His thumb lingers on your cheek, and for a moment, the world feels soft, safe, just the two of you.
His eyes search yours, and then, something sparks behind them.
He sits up with a sudden burst of energy, slipping out of you gently. “Sit with me.” He gestures to the edge of the bed, his voice gentle but insistent. Your dazed, but you still follow him, pulling the covers with you. You wrap yourself and Joel underneath the sheet, pressed flush against each other.
No words are traded, no noise, nothing but feelings.
Joel’s hand moves to the chain around his neck. He tugs it, snapping it free. He holds your gaze, then reaches for your neck. You swallow hard, your heart pounding, but you nod, giving him permission. He tugs, and the chain breaks with a quiet snap, falling away.
He unspools the rings from their respective chains, tossing the broken metal over his shoulder without a second glance. He stares at them, his eyes glistening, and you feel your own throat tighten.
“What are you doing.”
He doesn’t respond.
“Are you going to make me guess?”
Mwah!
“Joel…”
Mwah!
You giggled this time, voice caught somewhere between exasperation and a smile. “Joel.”
Mwah! Mwah!
“Oh my God! You’re gonna ruin my hair!”
He didn’t stop. He kissed you once more—loudly, obnoxiously—right on the top of your head, arms wrapped around you so tight you could barely fight him off.
“Joel, what are you doing with our rings?”
He looks down at them, tracing the gold edge.
Then he began to speak, low and raw.
“I loved you ‘fore everythin’, y’know?”
“I know baby.”
“I loved you in every sunrise I saw without you, every quiet night I spent thinkin’ of you. I loved you through fear, through anger, through losin’ myself trying to find you ‘gain. And I… I still love you. Always have, always will.”
Tears spring to your eyes, and you hide your face against his shoulder.
“I never stopped,” you whisper. “Not once.”
“I know darlin’.”
His hand lifts yours, and together you trade rings—his for yours, yours for his—as a silent acknowledgment of every scar, every loss, every year separated.
“I vow,” he continues, voice steady despite the tremor beneath it, “To keep findin’ you. To stand with you through the shit, through hell. Ain’t ever let you feel alone, not ‘gain. You are my heart, my home, my life.
He swallowed.
“My wife.”
You reach for his hands, steadying them in yours. “And I vow… I vow to love you. To stay by you side, never let something come in between us again. I will walk with you, always.”
You smiled wider than you have in years.
“My husband.”
The rings slip onto fingers that know each other so intimately.
You pull each other close, pressing foreheads together. And then, finally, lips meet—slow, then urgent, sure. A kiss that stitches together all the lost time.
And you knew—this was how it was always meant to be.
PROJECT INDEX ── BETHELVERSE / THE PERSISTENCE OF FAMILIAR FACES
NOTES : one by one, men with the same face start appearing in your apartment.
an fbi agent, a vigilante, a district attorney, a dentist, corporal, a bartender, an army ranger, and the developer of an online dating app. they all come from different worlds, with different stories, and different rules.
you are the only consistent one; same job, same apartment, same general dispositions towards chaos and unruly grown men. you also learn to be the one to deal with it.
WARNINGS : alternate universe, no power, reverse isekai, reader-insert (no y/n,) character study, found family-ish, angst, stress, anxiety, multifandom, wilson bethel characters, 'soulmates,' psychopaths, murder, violence, stalking, age gaps, guns, knives, DDBA and FBI dex are separate characters, reverse-harem, eventual smut, eventual romance, fighting, blood, bruises, competition, morally grey characters, angst with humour, domestic bliss, identity crisis, emotional damage, forced proximity (technically,) slow burn, jealousy issues, everyone is bad at feelings.
PROJECT INDEX ── BETHELVERSE / THE PERSISTENCE OF FAMILIAR FACES
NOTES : one by one, men with the same face start appearing in your apartment.
an fbi agent, a vigilante, a district attorney, a dentist, corporal, a bartender, an army ranger, and the developer of an online dating app. they all come from different worlds, with different stories, and different rules.
you are the only consistent one; same job, same apartment, same general dispositions towards chaos and unruly grown men. you also learn to be the one to deal with it.
WARNINGS : alternate universe, no power, reverse isekai, reader-insert (no y/n,) character study, found family-ish, angst, stress, anxiety, multifandom, wilson bethel characters, 'soulmates,' psychopaths, murder, violence, stalking, age gaps, guns, knives, DDBA and FBI dex are separate characters, reverse-harem, eventual smut, eventual romance, fighting, blood, bruises, competition, morally grey characters, angst with humour, domestic bliss, identity crisis, emotional damage, forced proximity (technically,) slow burn, jealousy issues, everyone is bad at feelings.
PROJECT INDEX ── BETHELVERSE / THE PERSISTENCE OF FAMILIAR FACES
NOTES : one by one, men with the same face start appearing in your apartment.
an fbi agent, a vigilante, a district attorney, a dentist, corporal, a bartender, an army ranger, and the developer of an online dating app. they all come from different worlds, with different stories, and different rules.
you are the only consistent one; same job, same apartment, same general dispositions towards chaos and unruly grown men. you also learn to be the one to deal with it.
WARNINGS : alternate universe, no power, reverse isekai, reader-insert (no y/n,) character study, found family-ish, angst, stress, anxiety, multifandom, wilson bethel characters, 'soulmates,' psychopaths, murder, violence, stalking, age gaps, guns, knives, DDBA and FBI dex are separate characters, reverse-harem, eventual smut, eventual romance, fighting, blood, bruises, competition, morally grey characters, angst with humour, domestic bliss, identity crisis, emotional damage, forced proximity (technically,) slow burn, jealousy issues, everyone is bad at feelings.
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PROJECT INDEX ── BETHELVERSE / THE PERSISTENCE OF FAMILIAR FACES
NOTES : one by one, men with the same face start appearing in your apartment.
an fbi agent, a vigilante, a district attorney, a dentist, corporal, a bartender, an army ranger, and the developer of an online dating app. they all come from different worlds, with different stories, and different rules.
you are the only consistent one; same job, same apartment, same general dispositions towards chaos and unruly grown men. you also learn to be the one to deal with it.
WARNINGS : alternate universe, no power, reverse isekai, reader-insert (no y/n,) character study, found family-ish, angst, stress, anxiety, multifandom, wilson bethel characters, 'soulmates,' psychopaths, murder, violence, stalking, age gaps, guns, knives, DDBA and FBI dex are separate characters, reverse-harem, eventual smut, eventual romance, fighting, blood, bruises, competition, morally grey characters, angst with humour, domestic bliss, identity crisis, emotional damage, forced proximity (technically,) slow burn, jealousy issues, everyone is bad at feelings.
NOTES : you punch andrew cody and he gets rock hard
WARNINGS : male oral, friends brother trope, whimpering, begging, semi-public, light masochism, bruise pressing & punching, age gap.
CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL ── 18+ ONLY.
he'd suggested it like it was nothing.
baz's place, sunday afternoon, the kind of easy lazy day that collected people like loose change and somehow andrew had ended up across from you in the cleared out space of the backyard, and somehow he'd said you spar? and somehow you'd said not really and somehow that had turned into I'll show you which is how he ends up here.
close enough to adjust your stance. which he does; hands on your hips, moving you without asking, tilting your weight forward with a patience that isn't really patience so much as a reason to keep his hands where they are.
"feet wider," he says.
you listen. of course you listen. that's the thing about you that's been quietly making him insane since baz introduced you — you are just all soft edges and easy smiles and genuine attention, like the world hasn't given you enough reasons to be any other way. you don't know what to do with him yet. he can tell. he makes you nervous in the specific way that isn't quite fear. he's going to think about that later.
"okay," he says, stepping back, putting distance between you he doesn't want. "hit me."
you blink. "i'm not going to — andrew, i don't want to hurt you—"
he almost laughs, almost. "you're not going to hurt me."
"you don't know that—"
"I really do." he tilts his head. "come on."
you look at his face, look at his hands, shift your weight uncertainly and it's genuinely the most endearing thing he's seen in recent memory, which is another problem he'll deal with later.
"i don't — can we just do the blocking thing—"
"you're not gonna break me, sweetheart."
"i know that," you say, a little more firmly.
"do you?" he's almost smiling now. "because you're looking at me like I'm made of glass and I promise you I am not." he spreads his hands wide, drops his guard completely, a wide open target and he knows it. "baz ever tell you how many times I've taken a hit? i've been hit by professionals. you're not going to—"
"you're being annoying," you tell him, which is such a you thing to say that it does something to his chest.
"you're too nice," he says, quieter now, head dipping toward yours. "that's your problem. you don't want to hurt anyone. very sweet." A pause. "very useless."
your eyes narrow and your jaw sets.
you hit him.
a real punch, open frustration finally finding its shape, knuckles catching his jaw clean and snapping his head sideways with a soft moan escaping from his lips. The sound of your punch carries across the backyard yet, he doesn't move his feet. Andrew stays turned away for a moment while his tongue moves to the inside of his cheek
You freeze the second after your knuckles connect, the sharp crack of impact echoing in the quiet backyard. your hand throbs—a dull, insistent pulse that shoots up your arm and you stare at it like it's betrayed you, fingers flexing open and closed as if that might undo the damage. andrew's head is still turned away, his broad shoulders tense under the faded t-shirt, and for a heartbeat, you think you've really gone and fucked up this time. he's going to turn around, rub his jaw, laugh it off in that low, mocking way he has, and you'll have to apologize. again. like you do for everything else; bumping into the edge of the coffee table last week, spilling a drop of wine on the counter, existing in a space that's too full of sharp edges and sharper people.
but he doesn't laugh, rub his jaw or spin back with that easy grin baz wears like a second skin. instead, he stays facing away, one hand lifting slowly to press against the side of his face, fingers probing the spot where your fist landed. you see the muscle in his jaw jump under his touch, and something hot and guilty twists in your gut. 'andrew—' you start, voice small and frayed at the edges, already reaching out like you could take it back. 'i’m so sorry, I didn't mean—'
he turns then, slow and deliberate, brown eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that pins you in place better than any hold he could put on you. there's no anger there, no reproach, just a faint sheen of surprise, like he's tasting something unexpected on his tongue. the cheek where you hit him is already starting to redden, a shadow blooming under the skin, and he works his jaw side to side, testing it. a low hum escapes him, not quite a groan, but close enough to make your breath hitch.
'fuck,' he mutters, but it's not directed at you. his gaze drops, flicks over your face, your outstretched hand, and then lower, lingering on the way your chest rises and falls too quickly. you follow his eyes without thinking, and that's when you notice it—the unmistakable bulge straining against the front of his jeans, thick and insistent, like your punch flipped some hidden switch inside him. heat floods your cheeks, a rush that has nothing to do with the afternoon sun beating down on the patchy grass. he's hard. rock hard, from that? from you hitting him?
your mouth goes dry, words tangling in your throat as you snatch your hand back, crossing your arms over your chest like that could shield you from the sudden awareness crackling between you. andrew doesn't move, doesn't try to hide it. if anything, he shifts his weight, hips canting forward just enough to make the outline clearer, and his lips curve into something that's half-smile, half-challenge. 'see?' he says, voice rougher now, gravel scraping over the edges. 'told you. not gonna break me.'
you swallow, glancing away toward the fence where the overgrown bougainvillea spills over in tangled pink blooms, anywhere but at the evidence of what your frustration did to him. but he's patient, like always—standing there, letting the silence stretch until it pulls your eyes back to his. the bruise is darkening, a purpling mark that should make you feel worse, but instead, there's this weird thrill buzzing under your skin, mixing with the guilt. he wanted this. goading you, pushing until you snapped. and now he's looking at you like you're the one who's surprised him.
'i—' you gesture vaguely at his face, then lower, your hand hovering before dropping to your side. 'that... you're...'
'hard as a fucking rock,' he finishes for you, blunt and unapologetic, stepping closer until the space between you shrinks to nothing. his hand comes up, not to his jaw this time, but to your wrist—fingers wrapping around it loosely, thumb pressing into the pulse point where your heart hammers. it's not rough, but it's firm, grounding, and you don't pull away. can't, really. 'because of you, sweetheart. that punch? best thing I've felt in weeks.'
his words hang there, heavy and honest in a way andrew cody isn't supposed to be. you search his face, looking for the joke, the deflection, but it's just him; jaw set, eyes dark with something hungry and careful all at once. the air feels thicker now, charged like the moment before a storm breaks, and you realize Baz is probably inside with the others, laughing over beers, oblivious to the shift out here. your free hand twists in the hem of your shirt, a nervous habit, and he notices, his grip tightening just a fraction.
'don't apologize,' he says, quieter, leaning in until you can smell the faint salt of his skin, the hint of sunscreen from earlier. 'you did good. hit like you meant it.' his other hand lifts, hesitating before settling on your hip, mirroring the way he'd adjusted your stance before. but this time, it's not instruction—it's possession, subtle and warm, pulling you flush against him. you feel it then, the hard length of his cock pressing into your stomach through the denim, hot and unyielding, and a shiver runs down your spine, pooling low in your core.
your breath catches, and you tilt your head up, meeting his gaze. he's so close, close enough that you could rise on your toes and— 'andrew,' you whisper, not sure if it's a question or a plea, but it makes his eyes hood, his thumb stroking a slow circle over your wrist.
'yeah?' He dips his head, lips brushing the shell of your ear, voice a low rumble that vibrates through you. 'what do you want now? another shot? or something else?'
you don't know.
or maybe you do, in the way your body leans into his touch, the way your fingers uncurl from your shirt to tentatively press against his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart under your palm. he's patient, waiting, but the tension coils tighter, his hand sliding from your hip to the small of your back, urging you closer still. the bruise on his jaw throbs faintly—he can feel it, a sweet ache that matches the one building in his groin—and he wants more. wants you to see it, to feel bold enough to take it.
'tell me,' he murmurs, nipping lightly at your earlobe, testing. 'or show me.'
your hand slides up, fingers grazing the reddened skin of his jaw, and he inhales sharply, cock twitching against you. that's all the encouragement he needs—his mouth finds yours, not gentle, but measured, like he's savoring the taste of your hesitation melting away. you kiss him back, tentative at first, then deeper, your nails digging into his shoulder as the world narrows to the heat of him, the way he groans into your mouth when you press harder against the bruise.
your fingers tighten on the front of his jeans, feeling the rigid heat of his cock straining beneath the denim, and something bold surges through you—hot and unapologetic, chasing away the last threads of hesitation. andrew's mouth is still on yours, hungry but yielding, his body pressing you into the fence like he's afraid you'll slip away. but you don't want to slip. you want more of that raw edge he pulled from you, the way his breath hitched when your knuckles met his jaw. with a firm push against his chest, you break the kiss, his lips chasing yours for a second before he stills, blue eyes wide and questioning, that faint bruise blooming darker under his skin.
'come on,' you murmur, voice low and steady despite the thrum in your veins. your hand slides down to lace fingers with his, tugging him away from the fence and toward the shadowed side of the house. the backyard noise fades—baz's laughter filtering through the screen door, the clink of bottles—but it's distant now, irrelevant. andrew follows without protest, his steps matching yours, but you catch the way his free hand flexes at his side, like he's holding back from pulling you closer. he's not pushing, not taking; he's letting you lead, that patient hunger in his gaze turning needy as you duck around the corner, out of sight behind the overgrown hedge and the peeling stucco wall.
the air here is cooler, shaded from the sun, the ground uneven with patches of dirt and dry grass. you release his hand and turn, backing him up against the house until his shoulders hit the wall with a soft thud. he exhales sharply, head tipping back against the siding, exposing the line of his throat where his pulse jumps. 'you gonna hit me again?' he asks, but there's no challenge in it—just a rough whisper, almost hopeful, his hips shifting forward instinctively.
'no,' you say, shaking your head as your hands drop to his belt, unbuckling it with quick, sure movements. the metal clinks, zipper rasping down, and you tug his jeans open, shoving them along with his boxers down his thighs just enough to free him. his cock springs out, thick and heavy, the head flushed dark and already leaking a bead of precum that glistens in the dim light. it's bigger than you expected, veined and curving slightly upward, and the sight of it makes your mouth water, your core clench with anticipation. andrew's breath catches, a small, needy sound escaping as the cool air hits his skin.
you sink to your knees before he can say anything, the rough ground biting into your skin through your jeans, but you don't care. your hands grip his thighs, feeling the muscle tense under your palms, coarse hair brushing your fingers. he looks down at you, eyes black and dilated, lips parted like he's forgotten how to form words. 'fuck—' he starts, but it turns into a whine, high and breathy, when you lean in and drag your tongue flat along the underside of his shaft, from base to tip, tasting the salty tang of him.
'oh god, yeah,' he whimpers, one hand flying to the wall beside his head for support, the other hovering uncertainly over your hair before dropping away, like he doesn't want to presume. he's not grabbing, not thrusting, just standing there, legs trembling slightly as you swirl your tongue around the head, lapping up that precum before sealing your lips around him. you suck gently at first, hollowing your cheeks, taking him in inch by inch until the thick girth stretches your mouth, your jaw aching in the best way.
andrew's hips buck once, involuntary, and a soft, keening whine spills from his throat. ‘please—shit, just like that. don't stop.' his voice cracks on the last word, whiny and desperate, nothing like the controlled taunts from earlier. he's unraveling already, breaths coming in short pants, his cock twitching against your tongue as you bob your head, setting a slow, teasing rhythm. saliva slicks down his length, dripping onto your chin, and you hum around him, the vibration pulling another whimper from deep in his chest.
'you feel so good,' he gasps, free hand finally settling lightly on your shoulder, fingers digging in just enough to show how hard he's holding back. 'your mouth—fuck, it's perfect. i... i need this. need you.' there's no macho growl, no demands—just raw, pleading honesty, his body surrendering to the wet heat of your mouth as you take him deeper, nose brushing the coarse hair at his base. he smells musky, masculine, and you breathe him in, one hand wrapping around what you can't fit, stroking in time with your sucks.
his whines grow louder, more frequent, a string of breathy pleas tumbling out. 'yes—oh, please, keep going. I'm yours, do whatever... ah!' the last one pitches higher when you graze your teeth lightly along his shaft on the upstroke, not enough to hurt, just enough to make his knees buckle. Hh slides down the wall a fraction, thighs quivering under your grip, but you follow, relentless, hollowing your cheeks harder as you pick up speed. orecum leaks steadily now, mixing with your spit, and you swallow around him, throat relaxing to take more.
andrew's head thumps back against the house, eyes squeezing shut as a long, trembling moan escapes. 'gonna—fuck, your tongue, it's too much. i can't... please let me cum in your mouth?' it’'s a question, needy and whiny. his fingers twitch on your shoulder, wanting to serve even now, wanting to touch, to please back—but he restrains himself, hips rolling shallowly into your rhythm, chasing the edge you're building.
you pull off with a wet pop, just long enough to look up at him, lips swollen and shiny. 'cum for me,' you command softly, and that's all it takes. your mouth engulfs him again, sucking hard and fast, hand twisting at the base, and andrew shatters with a broken whimper, cock pulsing as hot spurts of cum flood your mouth. you swallow every drop, milking him through it, his whines turning to soft, grateful sobs as his body shakes, release crashing over him in waves.
when he's spent, you ease off, licking him clean with gentle swipes of your tongue, and he slumps against the wall, chest heaving, eyes opening to meet yours with a dazed, adoring haze. 'that was... you...' he trails off, voice hoarse and whiny still, reaching down to cup your jaw tenderly, thumb brushing your lower lip. no dominance, just quiet service in the afterglow, ready to return the favor if you ask.
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