🚨🚨🚨EARN IT ABOUT TO BE PASSED🚨🚨🚨

Message to fellow USA LGBT+ users:

I want you to know that no matter what happens after November 5th, you are loved and you are wanted.

If the angry orange gets into office and our country goes to hell?

All we can do is put on the best smile that we can and lie our asses off if it means we get to live another day.

Just know that doing so doesn't make you any less of who YOU choose to be.

Please be stay safe, and again, know that you are loved. 💖

Ok gotta talk about it.

As a Jewish historian, I fucking hate Israel in ways most probably will never be able to comprehend. I'm going to try and explain it anyways. The central creation myth of Israel is that it is Jewish, and then consequently, that Israel is a part of Jewishness. Its easy to simply state this is false, but fully comprehending this and putting it into practice in thought and deed seems rare to me.

The evil at the heart of this violence predates the recent acceleration of genocide. Israel is a colony, and more than that, an antisemitic fraud itself. After WW2, when Israel was being founded, the Jews of Europe generally did not wave goodbye to their neighbors and head to the promised land. Many were expelled from their homes. Zionism itself, as an action, was a false choice at the time. A mere excuse to place an ally in the middle east, and an excuse to complete the expulsion and destruction of the European Jew. The Zionist Jew is more than complicit in this, they actively seek the destruction and assimilation of all other Jews.

Many fail to realize, and largely because of Israel, that Jews are not inherently white, Ashkenazi, European-descended people. Our faith and culture has an immense variety that is spread all across the globe. Jewishness, in population and volume of culture, exists more so outside of Israel than within it. Israel is for a very specific kind of Jew. The kind that lets Yiddish die, that attaches themselves to European things, that makes themselves and their practices as white as possible.

And they have the nerve, the fucking belligerent GALL, to frame themselves as the necessary saviors of our people. To the Zionist, questioning Israel is to question Jewishness itself. They bake adoration for the colonial machine into their very prayers, and push them on us even as children. To *not* oppress, to *not* kill, to *not* genocide, is to invite death. This is the core of fascistic thought, of course. "Kill them before they kill us." And they KNOW this too, they really do. The truth of that irony does not matter, because as is true for all fascists, the truth itself does not matter to them. They wanted this, they wanted this even before the British saw it in their best interest to give them the land. Any excuse to RETVRN, as the neo-nazis say of Rome, or the German Empire, or whatever the fuck stupid country they want to poorly animate the corpse of. Some select Zionists even *sided with the fucking Nazis* in agreement they should abandon Europe to colonize Palestine. (Haavara Agreement)

My people have proved time and time and time again you don't need a nation state to have an enduring culture. We have protected ourselves for thousands of years without the help of these spiteful, doom-saying maniacs. I was going to post something like this on Passover, but that would be hypocritical. The state of Israel doesn't actually have shit to do with Jewishness. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְה Vi tsu derleb ikh im shoyn tsu bagrobn. [my best translation] Hear Israel (beginning of a prayer in Hebrew) I should outlive him long enough to bury him. (an old Yiddish curse)

Free Palestine. Donate what you can, they need it right now.

I wanted to draw Redacted for once. 20 min a quick draw. It's a meh

a guiding hand

(sagau mini series that i only have one part of i might make more but for now enjoy some mond lol)

PART 1—Mondstadt

The night was far from young. A comfortable silence had settled in the Angel’s Share tavern following the exit of its usual gaggle of jolly drunkards, leaving only a few stragglers in its wake. The two remaining patrons sat at the lantern-lit bar, nursing their respective drinks as the bartender tid up after another busy evening.

Kaeya and Rosaria often drank together, chatting about nothing and everything. The more serious conversations seemed to spark in the dead of night, after a few pints of whatever they decided to order that night and once the majority of people had called it a night.

“Random question, but have you been feeling… weird urges, lately?”

Keep reading

I am all for yandere single dad!

Not sure if this counts BUT, a yandere dad that ends up falling for the nanny his wife hired to watch their daughter.

A well off business man, finely tailored suit, who's been stuck in a dead marriage with a woman he can't stand.

Although he adores his daughter he rarely has time for her because of his highly demanding job. To make matters worse, her supposed "mother", if you even call her that, doesn't give her the time of day and constantly ignores her

He didn't think his life would turn out like this.

In their college days, he and wife then girlfriend, had been dating for a year before he finally decided to end things after having grown sick of her demanding and entitled attitude.

However, when he tried to break up with her, she announced she was pregnant with his child. Of course he had his doubts and demanded a paternity test. Instead she went behind his back and told his parents.

Both their families were very conservative and had high standings in their communities. So as to save face, they pressured him into marrying her so as to not cause a scandal. So under threat of disownment by his family and the chance of his reputation being ruined for being considered a man who abandoned his child after getting a woman pregnant. He craved and agreed.

The first few years were decent. Despite, the way they got to together, he tried to make the relationship work but it soon became clear she had no interest in that.

As soon as his daughter was old enough to do certain things on her own, his wife stopped wanting anything to do with her. Instead preferring to go out with her friends, shopping and partying as if she was still a single 19 year old college girl.

The few times she isn't out spending large amounts out his money, she sitting at home doing nothing but watching TV or online. All while completely ignoring her daughter.

If that was bad enough, he's pretty sure she been cheating on him. She's constantly going out dressed to the nines in makeup and expensive clothes. She always on her phone and keeps it locked when she's not. And has been very distant as of the past few years.

He has thought about just divorcing her and finding someone else but nothing ever really came of that idea.

He grew up with the idea that divorce was a sin and once a person makes those vows, you can't ever break. Though that wasn't his true concern. His main worry was losing his daughter.

His wife was a vindictive woman who surely do anything in her power to make his life a living hell if he dared divorce her. And that included using their daughter as a mean to hurt him.

The court were they lived had tenancy to reward majority custody to the mother, even if the father is more suitable to raise the child. And knowing his wife, she'd probably claim he was abusive to her and their daughter, which would grant her a higher chance of gaining full custody. And didn't want to risk losing his daughter to her neglectful mother.

So, her surmised it would be better to wait until his daughter was 18 to divorce his wife.

However, things changed when you entered the picture.

A nanny hired by his wife to watch their daughter for a few hours while she was out.

He remembers coming home that day and finding you there in the living room playing with his daughter.

Of course he was shocked and asked what you were doing in his house, but after explaining the situation, he was left furious! His had life their daughter with a complete stranger without bothering to consult him first!?

His anger only grew when you tell him you were only supposed to watch his daughter for a couple of hours, but his wife had been gone all day and no matter how many times you tried to call her, she wouldn't answer her phone.

She didn't even tell you how to reach him or give you a list of things rules for the young girl. She just shoved her daughter on you and told you to watch her. Didn't even pay you before hand. You didn't feel comfortable leaving such a young child by alone, so you stayed and waited for the father to come home.

Feeling bad for you, he decided to just pay you for your trouble and let you go home.

However, when you tried to leave, his daughter grabbed onto your leg and started crying, saying she didn't want you to leave.

This shocked both of you and he tried to convince his daughter to let go of you to no avail. Eventually he asked if you wanted a job watching his daughter during the week days while he and his wife are out, promising to pay you a high amount. Not seeing an issue with that you agreed.

Over the course of a few months, he slowly begins realize he's developed feelings for you.

You're so kind and attentive with his daughter. Always willing to play with her or help her with homework. You even worry about her safety and comfort her when she hurts herself. He sees how his daughter's eyes light up when you arrive. How she come running towards you wanting a hug and you'll happily pick her up and spin her around.

He looks forward to coming home to see you cooking dinner for his daughter and even going as far as making a plate for him.

He hates coming home and seeing his wife there instead of you. He goes resentful of his wife to the point he can't even look at her without feeling disgust and anger.

You should be his wife, not this selfish, leech of a woman. You're the one he was meant to marry, not that wh#re that forced into this sham of a marriage only to open her legs the second someone new comes around.

Surely, you think this way too. All he needs to do is get rid of the parasite taking your place. It'd be so easy too. it's not as if anyone would miss her, she's widely hated by their neighbors and even her own friend group.

The only people he has to worry about is her awful family, but that's not an issue. He can just make it look like an accident and hold a funeral for their families. It'll be the last time they see his daughter. He has no plans of letting them continue to be in their lives after he marries you. And if they become a problem he'll gladly let them join their daughter in hell. The same goes for his parents.

His parents will undoubtedly cause a ruckus about him remarrying soon after his wife's passing, especially with someone they don't approve of. But his parents have controlled his life long enough and it's time for them to understand who has the true say in the family.

Aw he can't wait to see you in a gorgeous white dress on your wedding day. Surely you won't refuse right? After all his daughter will be so sad to see you leave again. You're already a perfect parent to her and he can easily support you with his salary, so you won't even need to work!

There's no reason to say no~

(GOODNESS I loved this and decided to make a little scenario on how I think he got the whole idea for marrying you in the first place. It’s a bit of a rough draft but I still like it! I hope you do too!)

Coming home this early was a blessing he hardly got to enjoy. Usually when he came home at all there was hardly a hello from the woman he called his wife, and dinner was something a day or two old in the fridge.

Today, however, he was pleasantly stunned. You stood there over the stove while his baby girl giggled beside you, adding what looked like food coloring to a batch of batter. Now, what on earth could you two possibly be up too?

A nanny cooking with a child isn’t odd, not in the least. But something about this was different, more domestic and wholesome than just a paid worker bonding with the child they look after. Especially when you gave him that sweet, welcoming look over your shoulder when he announced his arrival.

“Oh! Hello! Sorry I didn’t hear you- we were-“ you were happily cut off by his daughter, who clapped her hands excitedly. “Daddy! Come look! We made silly pancakes!”

He chuckled, walking over as he places his keys down. He watched as you flipped the green pancake over and slid it onto a plate, where his daughter happily added a fistful of sprinkles and handed it to him.

You give a playful smirk and point to her “I think she might be the best chef in the house. Why have me cook when she’s a five star chef?”

He laughed with you and set the plate aside, picking up his daughter to give her a kiss on the head. “I wouldn’t normally approve of pancakes for dinner but…hmm…since you’re such an artist, Daddy can let it slide”.

You all smile and get ready for dinner as he tells you about his day. You genuinely listen, setting his plate down as you sit beside him and ask follow up questions even. While you two chat and talk, he feels so relaxed and even, dare he say loved. This dinner feels like such a dream, until his daughter makes a mess with syrup on the table and starts to tear up.

You give her a worried look and hush her softly, asking what the matter was. “It was an accident sweetie. You aren’t in trouble at all! We’ll get you cleaned up and get back to eating ok?”.

She sniffles and nods her head, wiping her eyes as she looks at her daddy. “I-I just…mommy yells at me for t-things like that and-and I didn’t wanna-“ she continues to get upset, and watching as you coax her down and soothe her made him both relived and upset.

Of course his wife would be like that. Always yelling and belittling people over the smallest of things, making everything a show of drama. She couldn’t even bother to be home and be an actual part of the family, to cook or simply be there for their daughter when she’s learning and growing and needing a person to bond with.

He’s had enough. He’s had enough for years now but now things are finally becoming more clear.

You’re meant to be there, meant to be by his side and help this family finally heal and become normal. In just the two hours of being around you today, he’s felt more of a family bond than the nearly ten years hes been married to that parasite.

He says nothing as he stands in the doorway of the restroom, eyes protectively watching over his daughter and you. Someone so kind and gentle, nurturing and loving. To think he let his daughter be starved of this, to be scarred for so long.

He won’t let this mistake go on any longer.

But papers and money won’t get rid of the disease that is his wife. She’ll go down fighting and might even take the person he adores the most away, leaving him torn apart.

The plan can be made later on when he’s in bed. For now, he thinks, he’ll help wash up his daughter so you all can get back to dinner and story time. “See princess? Nothing bad at all. All cleaned up and ready for more special pancakes!”.

“Silly pancakes” you both correct, you with a knowing smile that he pronounced it wrong on purpose. He gives a shrug, barley hiding his grin “nah, pretty sure I heard you the first time. Special pancakes with princess sprinkles”.

His daughter giggles and hugs his leg, looking up at him “you’re so silly daddy”. He bends down to pick her up, carrying her with one arm as he looks at your smile.

This feels so right. So warm and welcoming. It hurts him to know that you aren’t tied to him- to THIS. You’ll have to leave the house soon, go to your own home where you’re own life is. God, he wants to just keep you here and never let you go! You’re such a bright beacon of light in what this nightmare has become!

While you chat with his daughter at the table, he can’t help but let his eyes admire your fingers. They have no ring, and his wedding band would look perfect on you. Making a statement that you belonged to him. That he loved you and wouldn’t break that sanctity for anything in the world.

He can’t wait to tear the ring off of his soon to be missing wife. He’ll have to sneak your ring size off of you somehow, but the wait will be worth it. This time, he knows he’s doing the right thing.

And he won’t let someone as good as you leave him.

-Mommabean (please tell me what you think! ❤️)

Hi

So Arizona launched an “education hotline” that allows “concerned parents” to report “””critical race theory””” and other things like ~gender identity~ being taught in the classroom

It would be a shame if the number and email were spread to bad actors looking to prank call the AZ Department of Education

602-771-3500 or empower @ azed .gov 🤡

Adolf von Becker (1831 - 1909) - The Cat on the Pillow. Oil on canvas.

Evacuating families with young children 1

Vetted Palestinian Campaigns. Please donate if you can and share!

Sep 5-12. Updated Sep 7.

My other promotion lists | Campaigns close to goal

See post: Give the Al-Habil (@/abdelmutei) family a better life.

PayPal, credit/debit: € 12,239 12,391 / 25,000

Urgent: Yosef El-habil: @khadiga22 (current?), @saveyouseffamily, @girlquee (Butterfly Effect Project #406). Baby suffers from severe respiratory illness untreatable in Gaza.

Paypal, credit/debit: € 11,080 13,257 / 20,000

Muhammad Shehab: @mohammed--shehab (vet).

Paypal, credit/debit: € 8,870 9,204 / 25,000

URGENT: Amal Ashour: @amalashuor (Vetted Evacuation spreadsheet #175). Short term goal to care for dangerously malnourished baby.

Paypal, credit/debit: € 33,520 34,483 / 40,000 (short term goal / €50,000)

Far from goal: Mohammed Matar: @mohammedmatar90, @matarmoh (vet, Vetted Evacuation spreadsheet #254).

Paypal, credit/debit: € 2,631 3,381 / 20,000

Pinned Campaigns

URGENT: See post: Let's evacuate the Haboub family's most vulnerable members in September. One member's condition is declining and needs to be evacuated within the week. Awaiting more details.

Credit/debit: SEK 143,805 152,791 / 163,478 (short term goal / 234,000 SEK) $10 USD = 105 SEK

Tagging random ppl. I'd really appreciate a share and donate if possible. Want off my 'mailing list'? Please message me!

@sunshinetomorrow @cirrusea @danijaci @bladeweave @littlegaypancake @zealfruity @akajustmerry @blossomdapple @flerns @bifca @dollyrin @wellsbering @yvain @bitegore @aroacesigma @gauntletqueen @dededaio @halorvic @sreppub @catgirlhell @lazyleafeon @edgepunk @party-cat-anthem @normal-thoughts-official @chuunisoldier

Snippets of an apocalypse spent with you

Pairing: Rick Grimes x fem reader

Summary: Liking Rick Grimes is not an easy task. Yet loving him comes as naturally as breathing. How you came to see the ugly parts of Rick Grimes, and why that made the good parts more appealing.

Warnings: some slight suicidal thoughts, reader briefly thinks of giving up

Word count: 2.8k

Rick Grimes explodes into the scenes of your life with blaring car alarms and a somewhat stunted family reunion. At first, you had thought nothing of the man, slipping back into the shelter of your own tent once your curiosity of the situation was sated.

It quickly becomes apparent however, that he is not like so many of the others that occupy the shoddily set up quarry campsite. Because Rick Grimes is brave. He is assertive yet still kind and he is a born leader. Yet Rick Grimes is naive, and it is for that reason you find him annoying. He is too soft, he will get himself killed soon enough.

Except that he doesn’t. Not yet. Not even when the CDC had been a complete disaster, and not when he is coordinating searches for a missing Sophia. You did not like children. There was not a maternal bone or inclination in your body. That didn’t stop the sharp stab of empathetic agony that burned in your chest every time you looked at Carol. Nor did it stop you from volunteering to search, under Rick’s command, for a child you knew was already dead. Not that you were heartless enough to say so, nor could you find the energy to rebuff the former officer’s determination. Because for a few moments as his confident gaze met yours, you had believed he would find the lost child too.

Rick is the one who shoots her. Mouth set in a grim line as Carol’s wails of anguish filled the air. Maybe that's when it starts, or maybe it's when he finds out Lori is pregnant. Pregnant with a baby that was incredibly unlikely to be hers.

Time had become all but meaningless, it is only Lori's symptoms that let you estimate how much time has passed since the farm. Morale was incredibly low and everyone was getting snippy with each other. Yet miraculously Rick continued to soldier on, bearing the weight of fear, discontent and even flat out vitriol on his shoulders.

Glenn and Daryl have become a part of the group's pillars, doing their best to alleviate some of the pressure that has unfairly been piled onto Rick. But three months of having no permanent shelter, of living on scraps and small rations was beginning to overpower the three.

You cannot hunt. Have no talent for organising or rallying the group but you would not be useless. You take longer watches, always bookending Rick or Daryl forcing the two to sleep much longer then they had been. The two of them loudly voice their protestations, but you are not moved. Though you do have to become more and more inventive in your endeavour to get Rick to just go the fuck to sleep. You must have endured over a hundred disappointed dad gazes and lectures before he realises you will not relent.

Runs become a bi-weekly activity, and once it becomes apparent you are quiet, fast and listen to instructions well you become one of the main providers.

You and Rick still don't really talk, only quietly discussing future plans and the state of provisions. Which in itself throws you for a massive loop when you begin to get included in those talks. You do, however, talk to his kid. Carl, despite his protestations that he isn't, truly is still a child. All it takes is a scavenged set of Batman detective comics, in an attempt to alleviate Lori's burden, that you had foolishly admitted to reading and the kid begins to stick to you like a bad smell. Apparently, the combined act of a gift and confirmation that you liked superheroes was enough to grant you the spot of number one coolest adult and advisor.

In an annoying trend, the old adage like father like son continues to prove itself. A run had gone south, a horde of walkers materialising from what seemed like thin air, and it is only your quick thinking and improving skills with a knife that keep Rick from becoming walker chow.

To your dismay, this cements you somewhere between Glenn and Daryl in Rick's hierarchy of trustworthy advisors. It also apparently means you are no longer acquaintances brought together by fucked up circumstances, but friends.

The transition is seamless and unspoken. Just as it is when you begin to stand at Rick's 6, watching his back near 24/7. So where Carl has become your shadow, you have become Rick's.

You still don't like kids. Or Rick.

There was no joy when he finally cracked. No vindication to be had in a dead wife and a traumatised child. Only sour sorrow and unsure glances. Because Rick was a time bomb, and one you were not so keen to indulge in. The rest of the group had made poor attempts, walking on eggshells in his presence before backing off to give him some space.

You hadn't. The resulting screaming match that had erupted after you had chased him down when he hadn't made it back to the prison had been legendary. To this day you couldn't entirely remember what you had yelled, only that it had been purposefully hurtful. Rick hadn't gotten a chance to retaliate, the commotion drawing an alarming amount of walkers.

You moved to flank Rick's side, protecting his blindspots without him having to ask. The two of you worked like a well-oiled machine. You blatantly ignored the steps you had taken that would have gotten you killed had Rick not been there, because your body had just moved on instinct, knowing that he would have your back.

By the end of the skirmish, you were panting and wiping walker blood off your face with a grimace. As the adrenaline settled and your chest heaved for oxygen you were quick to search for Rick.

"Are you ok?!" the desperation in your tone took both of you by surprise, even more when you move to check his person and he did not stop you.

The walk back was deafeningly silent, but there seemed to be a newly formed mutual sense of understanding and begrudging trust. Rick had not completely gathered his wits, but he was no longer walking around and talking to the dead anymore. On the downside Rick had begun to actively seek you out.

You learn how he met Lori, how they were having problems, and how Shane had not always been crazy. In turn, you decide it's only fair to offer some tidbits in exchange. Your parents, your last partner, job, favourite colour and more.

The nights he can't speak, no way to articulate his thoughts into words, the two of you just sit silently. The faint growl of walkers and Judith's soft babbles the only noise present.

If one night you fall asleep on his shoulder then neither of you bring it up again.

It isn't until people begin to come to you in order to find Rick that you realise something is up. The smug, knowing glances that Carol keeps throwing you don't help either. Firmly you push down any meanings behind the gestures. Maybe you should ask Rick about it.

You were no stranger to hunger. Hunger was an old acquaintance, one that had crept up on you once more following the fall of the prison. You had vowed that if you ever saw Daryl again you would give him anything he wanted for the rest of your life.

You could not recall how many days had passed since the Governor's attack. Since the screams of fear had filled the air as walkers burst through the gates and into the former safe haven. Since you had rushed through corridors and sprays of gunfire, drowning out the stench of blood and death surrounding you. Judith had been the only thing on your mind as your legs pumped desperately, weaving and doing through the chaotic fray.

But you had been too late. Judith was dead. You were alone. Starving, beyond exhausted and struggling to continue on. Sleep rarely came, with no one to watch your back it had become near impossible to rest alone, and the few hours you could grasp were often tainted with horrific nightmares. More than once you had awoken shaking and with a scream dying on your lips, images of your friends... your family being torn to pieces as you helplessly watched on plaguing your every hour.

Still, you do not give up, will not give up. Not when the depths of your traitorous mind whisper words of hope into your consciousness. Not when they whisper that Rick is still alive. You hate that that is what keeps you going over everything else.

Your breath was coming in increasingly shallow gasps, it is only the solid presence of the stone wall behind you that has kept your upper torso vertical. Her vision is blurry, marred by an accumulation of sweat, blood and tears. You know you are a sitting duck, sequestered in the unfortified pharmacy.

Simply put. You were fucked. Your head was pounding, a concussion gained from carelessly slipping down the stairs. The result of assuming the body lying motionlessly in the corner had already been dispatched. Daryl would have had your hide for such a rookie error.

Cradling your throbbing right wrist to your chest you attempt to stand, only to immeidately become overwhelmed with a wave of nausea and pain. Your situation was so pitiful you could have let out a laugh if you knew it wouldnt hurt.

You had survived the shitshow at the CDC, the overwhelming horde at the farm, eight months on the move with no shelter and limited food, the fall of the prison and so much more. Yet here you were, lying alone, taken out by a hand on the ankle and a flight of stairs.

Maybe it was better this way. No more scavenging, no more pain, no more exhaustion. Your eyes briefly close in consideration, your family would likely never learn what happened to you. You could only hope they would stop looking, hope that they had already given up on you. That they are not too distraught in your absence, you never stop to entertain the fact that they themselves might be dead.

Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, Carol, Michonne... Rick. They were still alive. Because if they weren't then the past weeks of your life had been meaningless.

It is the sound of a door opening, carefully but still enough to make noise that makes the decision for you. The unmistakable approach of a human, not a walker has your eyes snapping open wildly, left hand clutching for your handgun and clicking off the safety.

There is no doubt in your mind that you are about as intimidating as a wet kitten, still, you persist even when your arm shakes with agony and exertion.

Eyes focusing as best they can, you wait until the intrusion of your pity party steps into your line of sight. It's a man with at least a head on you in height, he looks quite lean but neither of those things is what really catches your attention. He is clean and well-groomed. He is part of a community, one where bathing is clearly not an issue. Just before he can turn to see your slumped form you speak up.

"Turn around. Slowly. Hands where I can see them or I shoot." Luckily he complies, and you are quick to order his weapons to the floor and out of reach. Still, you do not lower your weapon, even when your shoulder burns from the strain.

"Listen you don't have to do this. I have a partner that will be arriving soon. You can come back with us." his words are not as pleading as you would have expected. He is calm, logical and there is no quaver to his voice.

"Yeah, cause that's a trustworthy offer" you scoffed, even as your arm could no longer hold itself up.

"Look, you need help-" he is interrupted by an incredibly familiar voice, a voice that has all the tension leaving your body in disbelief.

"Aaron, what's tha hold..." his words too trail off to a halt as he spots the presence of the person slumped against the wall. He is quick to raise his crossbow with aim you know to be true. Given that you are covered head to toe in grime you don't begrudge him for his lack of recognition. Instead you simply let an insane smile cover your face with a laugh.

"Good to see you too Daryl, been a while hasn't it?" The next moments pass in a blur, literally and metaphorically. Your sobs make it had to see anything and your mind had well and truly shut itself off by the time you are being dragged to the exit.

There was a commotion at the gates. Daryl and Aaron had returned, and with a new arrival, it seemed. Rick let out a sigh, resigned to the fact he would have to take the stranger to Deanna to decide their fate. He can't help but to imagine you punching him on the arm good-naturedly, a mischievous grin covering your face as you discuss the possibility of hazing any 'newbies'. His smile is quick to dim, however, as he quickly remembers that you are no longer by his side to do so. Two months without you ad the lack of your presence still aches like a phantom limb. Vaguely he recognises that he has become alarmingly codpendent on his shadow. That still does not change the way he turns to gain your opinion or accidentally leaves himself open because you are not there to pick up his slack.

He makes his way over to the idly gossiping group that had yet to disperse. Mistrust was rampant among the Alexandrians and his own group so when he is told the woman had been hauled off to get medical assistance by Daryl personally he can't help but to raise a brow in intrigue.

Spinning on his heel the former sheriff slowly ambles towards the clinic. He is intercepted by an almost frantic Daryl whose words have Rick breaking into a sprint before his brain catches up to his body's actions.

Hope blooms in his chest as his tongue readies itself to call your name. He is breathing heavily and probably looks half-crazed as he throws the clinic door open with excessive force. Rick can't find it in himself to care at the moment though. Because sat across from him, looking up to take in the commotion is a dirtied, injured, stitched up, but alive you.

It is the slamming of a door that heralds his arrival. For a split second he is younger, arriving alongside a whooping Glenn and you are silently watching from afar.

Unlike the first instance of Rick bursting into your life, he is quick to close the distance, eyes widened comically and hovering hands seemingly unsure what to do.

It is you that breaks the hesitant silence, offering an embarrassingly soft smile that has Daryl making an unappreciative suggestive face behind Rick's back. "Quite the fancy home you found yourself here cowboy, think you can fit one more."

"It isn't home" Rick's words are terse, almost cutting off the end of your sentence. Your smile falls slightly as you lean away a little, but Rick doesn't stop there. "It's not home. Not without you."

As his words sink in your throat runs dry, and a wounded wheeze leaves your chest at the implications of his words. At the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes as he stares at you as if you are the most precious thing he has ever laid eyes upon. For a second you swear his eyes dart down to your lips, an action that has your tongue nervously darting out to coat the sudden dryness.

It isn't until Daryl lets out an amused fake cough that you spring apart from each other's magnetic gaze. Getting a quick affirmation from Denise you shoulder your way out of the clinic, avoiding eye contact with everybody and ignoring the heat of your cheeks.

Silence reigns behind you as you realise nobody has moved. So with a deep breath out you quickly turn back before you can chicken out. Your eyes make contact with Rick's once more and you scowl, "you coming or what, can't find a home without my cowboy." You don't stay to see his reaction, spinning once more whilst flipping off a snickering Daryl.

Your scowl is quick to morph into a small smile however, at the sound of heavy steps quickly catching up to you. An arm brushes slightly against yours and just as you exit the clinic you make the decision. Slowly you entwine your fingers with his, gaze determinedly staying on the path ahead. On the future.