cataclysmic

one x one multimuse blog

[mysteryxmachine]

— jackson sawyer; local playground with cemile.

The few months that had passed led her into the final month of her pregnancy, the baby that had been the result of an affair that she'd been so panicked about fell by the wayside when the news had come that, not only did they manage to get pregnant doing what they were doing, but it'd somehow happened before, when they'd barely even known what they were doing. Rhys had come back after a few days pretending like nothing had happened, she knew he was planning his next move, even after they'd fallen into a new daily routine of silence and motions. Adalet would have typically found herself indulging in the normalcy, but she couldn't have been any farther from it. Instead, she found herself meeting up with Jackson during a particularly sunny day at a playground near his home, far away from where she could run into anyone she knew near hers, the truth behind her pregnancy and her youngest daughter still unknown to their neighborhood and she'd prefer to keep it that way for as long as she could. To the outside, she and Rhys still appeared like a happily married couple with a growing family. Adalet watched as the almost three-year-old played in front of them, dark curls bouncing along as she dumped sand into a pile and tried to form it into something. "Do you think we should tell her, Jack?" She questioned, voice low and unheard by the little girl. Her hand was settled firmly on her stomach where the baby inside twirled around happily, unaware of the world of problems she was about to invite them into. "Eventually she'll have to know."

@walkingxmistakes

[mysteryxmachine]

post-endgame; tony's cabin — valkyrie + carol

It was a loss no one seemed to have expected, no one except the man in the cape that seemed to have a mind of its own. And because no one expected it, no one was prepared for it to actually have happened and yet — there they were, mourning a man no one expected to lose but ended up losing him anyway. He saved the world, quite possibly the universe, but at what cost? What was the cost any of them would pay to save the universe? Most would pay with their lives, she assumed, which is exactly why they'd volunteered to fight Thanos, why they inevitably stuck their necks out occasion after occasion to save their world. It was clear everyone in attendance of the funeral felt the same way, especially the woman she found in the kitchen of the cozy cabin. "You put up a hell of a fight," Valkyrie pointed out, announcing her presence in the room. "Did you know him well?"

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

Her temper had always gotten the best of her, even as a teenager, it was Sage who'd been the levelheaded one between them. Too many jokes had been passed around that it was a wonder they'd even let her into medical school in the first place. With age came maturity and with maturity came with a little bit more control, but clearly not enough. What little calm she'd possessed had melted away the moment her older sister acted as if she'd never heard of such a terrible thing before, even if someone she had deemed trustworthy had given her the full rundown on how the night had gone and just how cozy the older Franklin had gotten to her best friend.

"Right, you went because I couldn't," she echoed, a laugh of disbelief ghosting off her tongue. She and Yas had been thick as thieves, but now, she felt as if she knew little about the woman. "God, you can't even speak." She scoffed, oceanic hues rolling as her pulse thundered at her temples. Sage could claim, or try to claim what she wanted, but her lack of a rational response told the full story, even if she couldn't.

And then it happened. A shred of honest that hit like a ton of bricks. "What?" She choked down the disbelief and shot daggers down at the other. All she'd wanted was for the truth to come out and yet, when it had, it stung more than she could have ever imagined. "Tell me this is a joke," she pleaded, eyes burning as she pressed her palms into her eye sockets in an attempt rub away the shock. When it wouldn't give, she shot another glare down at her sister. "It just happened? Why didn't you tell me? Did you really think that sneaking around behind my back was better than just being honest with me?"

@mysteryxmachine

[mysteryxmachine]

There it was. The truth. At least, part of it, laying out before them, completely bare. It caused her to freeze, her mind falling completely blank after the words left her mouth. They settled between them heavily and left her with her mouth partially opened, eyes widened when it dawned on her. Somehow, her sister had a way of doing that, being persistent enough about something that the older blonde was forced to give her an answer and this time, it wasn't an answer carefully crafted by the older woman who raised her little sister. No. This time it was nothing more than the thoughtless truth.

"I can't tell you that," Sage finally admitted quietly when she knocked herself out of the stupor she'd been frozen into by the admission of the truth, of what had once happened between her and her sister's best friend. It wasn't a joke, despite the fact that that's all it felt like. To Asher, an unbelievable joke because there was a million to one chance that her best friend and sister would meet and get involved in something. And to Sage, a complete and utter joke that anything was ever even said, that a secret she'd held so closely for so long had finally been revealed. "It was years ago, I was a mess, what was I supposed to say? Thanks for uprooting your life and pulling me out of the dead end ditch my life became, but I've decided to fuck my grief away with your best friend instead? How well do you think that would have gone?"

The questions burned at the tip of her tongue, a deep red flush creeping onto her cheeks, unsure if it was because she was embarrassed that she'd ever fucked her sister's best friend at all or she was ashamed that she was caught trying to hide it from her sister, a woman she told everything to, a woman who was closer to her than most, someone she considered to be her first child in a way. There was no coming back from this, no making things better, and her chest tightened with the idea that the other shoe was about the fall. "We didn't mean for it to keep happening after the first time. But it did... until I found out about Maggie and then I dropped it. We never even talked after that." Not until last Christmas, of course, when they'd run into each other at the mall.

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

The other's mocking tone, playful or not, struck a nerve within the younger Franklin that couldn't quite be ignored. How dare the other think that she had any right to that kind of response when she'd been playing secret keeper. Red hot anger flowed freely through her veins and every pulse point hammered harshly as if threatening to go and hemorrhage in retaliation to how she felt. "There has to be something you can do for him to stop the flakes, right? I work with people, not animals." She didn't flash a grin or any kind of playful look towards her sister. Instead, she stewed over the truth she'd choked down not long ago and fought as it clawed it's way back up.

The purpose of the two worded question had meant to grant Sage an opportunity to come forward with what she already knew. She waited with a bated breath, but when a question dripped in confusion fell from her sister's mouth, a devilish scoff echoed off of her own. "Seriously?" She nipped at the inside of her mouth before pushing up from the couch. Even being near the one person who'd always brought her comfort now added fuel to the flames of rage that flickered within her chest. Not only had they snuck around behind her back, but now her sister wanted to pretend as if she knew nothing of the question and it's meaning?

"How long have you been fucking my best friend behind my back?" Her pale cheeks burned a deep scarlet, her oceanic hues bloodshot from exhaustion and anger. She didn't bother glancing towards the steps to see if a sleeping Maggie had waddled down the steps. "And why did you think you could keep getting away with it?" If the truth about their togetherness hadn't stung enough, then knowing that Yas and Sage had gone public for the world to see while Asher remained in the dark was the damning blow. "But what am I talking about, right? You have no clue."

@mysteryxmachine

[mysteryxmachine]

Whatever conversation they were having prior to the younger blonde's question fell by the wayside in favor of whatever it was that was clearly on the other's mind, Sage playing clueless despite the fact that she may have had a slight inkling as to what it was. Her little foray with Yasemin at the recent charity ball had gotten back to her sister, and despite doing absolutely nothing to try and keep it from getting back to her, she was still just a little taken aback by Asher's bluntness. What had she expected when she'd shown up to a charity ball with all of Asher's coworkers on the arm of her best friend?

"I'm not..." She trailed off with a shake of her head as she tried to process the blame that the other was putting on her. Blame that she rightfully deserved, if not a little too late. She and Yasemin weren't fucking behind her back — not anymore, at least. "We're not... I just went with her because she asked me to, because you couldn't." It was a lie, despite being the exact thing that she'd told everyone she'd spoken to there. She was just filling in for her sister, supporting the other's best friend when she couldn't herself. No big deal, right. "We haven't..." Her words faltered again, failing on the tip of her tongue. Was she really willing to out herself, to out Yas, beneath the pressure that her younger sister put on her. What good would telling the truth be now?

Sage wasn't sure about the answer to her self-imposed question, but she stood up to consider it anyway, brushing her sweaty palms onto the material of her joggers before pacing just a few steps away, a heavy breath leaving her lips. "We haven't done anything like that in years," She finally admitted, turning to face her sister. The word fucked seemed so harsh to use in regards to the woman who caused her chest to flutter so gently and yet, it's what they'd done once upon a time, when all the older blonde had to offer was her grief and a messed up sense of reality. "And if you're really being technical about it, we did get away with it. Not like it matters, because we didn't mean for it to be like that, it just... happened."

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

The younger Franklin had contemplated coming home at all and if it weren't for the sleeping toddler a floor above, she probably wouldn't have even bothered. A surge of emotion had sparked in her veins upon seeing how casually her sister had settled into the couch and how little worry she had of virtually anything. Had she no shame in the parade she'd put on with a woman Asher had considered her best friend? One of her coworkers had mentioned seeing Sage in attendance, no surprise, but the added bit about Yas being wrapped around her arm had thrown the surgeon-to-be for an unpleasant loop. Her sister... her best friend... what the fuck?

"Where'd you get that one from? Dad?" Her tone held an edge, one sharpened by time and contemplation. Their father, a man who'd done a mediocre job at showing up for his children, wasn't to blame for the anger that bubbled beneath the surface. It was, however, entirely his fault that she'd put so much stock into her sister. "How was I supposed to know Springsteen would make it snow? I've been telling you to lotion up for years. Not my fault if you haven't listened." The longer she sat on the question she wanted to pose, or more so, the accusation, the harder it was to pretend as if nothing were amiss.

Her oceanic hues, all too similar to the woman's atop the couch, traveled to the screen where another cheesy line was dropped as if on cue. She wasn't in the mood for holiday cheer, but she settled into the couch as if it were the only answer to the long day she'd had. "I'm good for now," she mumbled, shoulders rolling against the cushions as attempted to choke down the fire that clawed up her throat. How could either of them do that to her? Had she even been a thought?

"Mm." She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, forcing herself to respond to the question rather than tossing out her own. "Three. The second one took a lot. The last delivery was one of the smoothest I've had in awhile." The doctor's lungs ached with every steady breath she managed, but the longer she sat, the longer she stewed and the longer she stewed, the closer she got to bubbling over. "How long?" She didn't take her eyes from the screen, even if the knots in her stomach doubled with every passing second. "How long have you two been doing whatever it is that you're doing and when were you going to tell me?"

@mysteryxmachine

[mysteryxmachine]

"Ha ha, very funny," Sage mimicked an incredibly faux laugh, complete with an eye roll that only mocked annoyance. Being compared to their dad wasn't something that struck as deeply for her as the other ever intended for it to, knowing that both had grown up with a completely different father figure, as far as life experiences went. While she'd gotten a dad who was attentive and stable for nine years of her life, one whose side she would always stick by, successfully being labeled a daddy's girl by anyone who knew the Franklin family, Asher had gotten a father who was barely present, leaving the parental duties to the older sister more often than not.

It wasn't by fault of either of them, of course, but it was always something that lingered in the back of her mind, difficult to forget after years of insufferable teenage angst from the other. "You want me to lotion... the dog?" Was that even possible? Lotioning a dog? She didn't want to think about what Springsteen would do if she attempted to find out — likely he'd look at her like she had two heads for even considering it a possibility.

Discussing her work wasn't something that was unusual for the pair, the older blonde always eager to hear about the on-goings at the hospital, craving just that bit of excitement that came with an insane, nobody-is-going-to-believe-this story that used to be her daily life. In fact, she was about to respond and add in her two cents and maybe a bit of curiosity when the question fell from Asher's mouth and Sage's words fell silent, her mouth shutting as soon as it had opened to respond. "When was I going to tell you... what, exactly?" The question drew her brow together in confusion, trying to make sense of the other's words, despite a sinking feeling deep in her gut telling her she knew exactly what her sister was talking about.

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥.

Fourteen hours was a long time to be upright, even with the momentary stints of reprieve spent locked away in an on call room. She was the poster child for doing what one loved and loving what one did, but the long hours always seemed to catch up with her by the end of a week. In this case, her her week had been never ending thanks to the older jerk who had opted to request time off last minute, an act that left her battling an on call schedule. Why did people want Christmas and New Years labors anyway? "Maggie already down for the night?" She hadn't announced herself upon coming in through the front, hadn't called out down the hallway either. The only thing on her mind had been the trail mix she'd left atop the kitchen counter so many hours earlier. She blindly poked around until her fingers nudged the giant covered caramel ball she'd been searching for, her oceanic hues bouncing between the TV and the blonde perched on the couch. "What are we watching? I should probably get some sleep, but honestly, after the deliveries we had today, I could use some crappy romcom." Before giving her older sister time to decline, not that she thought she would, Asher sank into the couch, not even bothering to shed her coat. "You can turn up the heat, you know? I don't work fourteen hour days to freeze when I come home."

[mysteryxmachine]

Silent nights felt like something that was made up purely for a good Christmas carol, because she hadn't seen many of those since Maggie was born (and even before that, she'd had her late nights full of bad decisions at the bar and even further, Ruby). However, that night had gone as sweet as the carol, with the tiny blonde settling into bed early and Sage able to clean up the kitchen, wrap some presents she subsequently shoved under the tree, and settle down with some wine and a comfy blanket.

She'd turned on some cheesy holiday movie that was recommended on the home screen of the tv, but hadn't been paying much attention to it in favor of the texts that were sent back and forth between her and the woman she'd just attended the holiday charity event with... as friends, clearly. Just friends. Supportive friends, even. It wasn't like Asher was in town, after all, so supporting Yasemin was the least the older blonde could do. Except, she may have been a little too supportive by the end of the night.

Just as she was falling into a trip down memory line, the familiar voice jolted her out of her thoughts and she fumbled the phone in her hands, dropping it down the side of the couch, lightly swearing when she realized the bermuda triangle it had just fallen into. Her gaze moved toward Asher, who was onto some comment about the temperature of the house and her eyes rolled. "Put on more layers then," Sage suggested, brows raised in the other's direction. "Last time you were in charge of the thermostat we all had dry skin for days. You know how hard it was to come back from that? I'm not cleaning Springsteen's dandruff from the carpet again."

Her blue eyes glanced at the dog lounging on the floor just a few feet away, dead asleep and slightly snoring, then flitted to the tv. "Prime's number one recommended holiday movie, apparently. I'm not sure if I'd call it number one, but the wine's made it a little funny, at least." Speaking of wine, she lifted the glass to her lips and took a generous sip, anything to covered the flustered pink that coated her cheeks. "Help yourself." Sage nodded to the open bottle sitting on the coffee table in front of them. "Busy day? I feel like I haven't seen you in five years, I mean, look how much you've grown, you're such a big girl now." Her fingers reached forward to pinch one of Asher's cheeks. "How many babies today?"

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

Allergy aside, dogs were far more her speed. They served more of a purpose than cats ever could. Besides, who wanted a pet with murder mittens and that only had an interest in being loved when it wanted? "Hard pass," she countered smoothly. There were a hundred other things she would have wanted to do, but she assumed that was the whole playful point. "If you ever confirm though..." she trailed off, neck craning to the side as amusement welled in her chest, "let me know?" Partly out of curiosity, mostly for a good laugh.

It was difficult ignoring the twist of nostalgia that cut like a knife. It took a beat to remember that the world around them had fallen apart years ago. This wasn't a cute date night in their backyard, wasn't an excuse to get away from their apartment for one evening. Hell, they didn't even have an apartment. At least, one that they shared. "Right, is that why you agreed so quickly? Can't wait to see?" She had to admit, she liked seeing a sense of eagerness in the other's expression. It was the first time that while in the other's company, nothing was amiss.

"You can't go telling anyone about this spot," she warned teasingly. Most people knew about it, but the sight itself wasn't entirely secure. The walls there were strong enough to keep the dead out, but there was a reason that even the people that knew about it didn't go running there at every given chance. "So... how are you liking it? Is it everything you've ever dreamed of?" She couldn't help but snicker, eyes rolling once more at the question.

[mysteryxmachine]

She couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through her veins, pooling in her chest as her heart thumped along, wanting more than ever to chat with the elderly lady to confirm that she indeed had a cat that wore sweaters just so she had another reason to talk to the woman beside her. Dani hadn't felt like that in a long time and every second she spent on the feeling was a second that she lost focus on why she was there in the first place — and how it wouldn't be too long until she lost Rey once more, and likely forever this time. "I will," She still agreed, though her smile toward the other was filled with a sadness that she felt knowing what their future would look like. There was no way out of it, though. The best she could do was try and protect Rey when the time came.

Their life together in the rundown apartment in a city that hardly ever slept with favorite movies and date nights was a different lifetime.

"C'mon, we've spent the last ten years fighting for our lives. You wouldn't be excited to find out if I managed to remember your favorite movie in the midst of that?" Dani did, though she hoped the other wouldn't test her on that, her ears already burning bright, thankfully covered by the darkness, with just the knowledge that she remembered so many things about the other. "Is what everything I've ever dreamed of? Elderly cat ladies and movies?" She couldn't help but tease, lightening the mood before she found herself falling too deep.

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

He knew nothing of being a father and even less about decisions that came with the heavy title. Cemile might have been his daughter, but he'd had no hand in raising her and neither of them could change that. At least, they couldn't change the simple fact that the child knew Rhys as her father. "I don't know. I don't," he trailed off with a hum of breathy defeat. He reached upwards and pinched at the bridge of his nose, but the action did little to ease the throbbing that had settled between his brows. "I think that a drink is a good start." Water for her and whatever overly expensive whiskey was still stocked in the shelves for him. "And a seat." He nodded towards the chairs on the other side of the island as if it were his home. Considering he'd put more into it than Rhys ever had, the feeling was only natural.

"And I will. I am," he corrected, though it would be different than what they'd initially planned for. Not that they'd ever had much of a plan. Without a second thought, Jack shifted and was mindful of the mess that still needed his attention. A mess that he did his best to tiptoe around, but the juice had other plans. "Here." He placed the cup of water before her and directed his attention towards the mess. Shards of glass were carefully placed into the trash while smaller pieces were wiped away with juice stained wads of paper towels. "I'll uh, go over it a few times with the vacuum to make sure it's all good, but I think I got most of it?"

[mysteryxmachine]

Even as she took a seat at the island and gripped the glass of water the man had passed her so tight she felt like it, too, might burst in front of her just as the pitcher of juice had done just moments earlier, Adalet felt like she was somewhere else entirely. Maybe atop some high mountain, tied to a pole, flapping aimlessly in the wind. Or maybe she was a piece of pollution floating through the ocean, completely out of place in the environment she was in. Her fingertips tapped nervously against the sweating glass the moment her grip loosened and her jaw tightened, thinking about her youngest daughter, sleeping soundly upstairs while her world was somehow turned upside down. Why weren't they more careful? How hadn't she realized? Or had she and she just never wanted to admit it to herself?

"Thank you," She spoke up softly, allowing her gaze to fall to his, seeking whatever comfort she could find in it. And, just like always, the comfort was there. "I never meant for it to turn out like this." Though, she wasn't quite sure how she'd meant for it to turn out, if not an overwhelming mess like it had. Was she hoping that their attraction, their desire would just fade off into the past? Or maybe her hopes had more to do with their relationship growing into something more? Adalet felt the thrum of movement in her stomach and, paired with the anxiety she was already feeling, made her sick. Her lips curled uncomfortably as she swallowed it down with a sip of water. "He'll know by now." She wasn't sure what Rhys' next move would be, but she knew that the ball was in his court. "I think it scares me how much I'm not sure that he'll even want to be in her life anymore."

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

For once, he didn't want to roll over and give someone what they wanted because it was easier than fighting for his own needs. What he and Sage had before her early departure from the world had worked, but it wasn't exactly coparenting if the other side of the parental coin was Maggie's aunt. His respect for Asher was the only reason he wasn't immediately shutting it down with a bitter scoff, though one burned at the back of his throat. "Why would her living with me change anything? She could still stay here a couple of days a week. I mean, when it comes to school, I have to sign all of the paperwork. I have to sign her medical stuff. I'm the one who has the rights and I don't know. I just thought that," he trailed off, shaking his head. Sure, he had Alex, but the child's mother was her primary caretaker. He had rights, but the woman didn't need his signature on most things. "You mean a brother who can't stand me and parents who act like they never wanted me? Sure. I'm just surrounded by people who give a shit."

[mysteryxmachine]

She'd made such a mess of everything and, yet, she couldn't help but place the blame on her sister. If the older blonde hadn't tried to be a hero, if she hadn't died in the first place, Asher wouldn't have been stupid and grieving enough to fall into bed (or the counter) with Atlas, she wouldn't have let the man see a side of her that might just be her downfall. She wouldn't be grasping at whatever straw she could to keep the last remaining reminder of her sister in her care. "You thought what? That you could be the sad semi-widowed single father that has everyone bowing at your feet, scrambling to babysit and bring you casseroles because they feel so bad for you?" Her eyes rolled and it took everything in her to not duck around him and leave the bathroom all together. The softness he saw in her the night before, the vulnerability, was nowhere to be found in the daylight. "Sounds like the common denominator must be you." The realization that pissing him off wasn't going to play out well for her hit her full force and regret flooded her veins. "I didn't mean that."

@walkingxmistakes

[walkingxmistakes]

Trusting that the walls would hold had been difficult at first. She'd awoke with so many nightmares that they'd opted to house her with a founding family for the first few months. Their home was nicer than the others, but the care and attention they'd offered her had gone a long way into her trust. They'd protected her, had welcomed her in and had given her a job based on what she'd told them. A nurse, she'd lied. Why the hell hadn't they questioned her more? What she knew wasn't from any kind of schooling, no, it was all thanks to the woman who'd found her way into the same group by mistake. If the dead wasn't the most ironic thing about the world, then seeing Dani again most certainly was.

"Shame, I was going to ask if you'd want to stop by and say hi. You know how much I love cats," she countered with a roll of her dark hues. Considering she was allergic, it was the last place in the community she wanted to go. "Mmm," she hummed in faint approval as she bit back a grin. She'd worked out a favor with someone who worked in the entertainment sector and after a little pleading (and a promise to pick up extra duties outside of her own) she'd scored a projector for the evening. "So, I might have one of your favorite movies and a projector to play it on. There's a spot inside of the fence that's away from all the noise. No one really goes back there, but if you want, I thought I'd ask you to join me."

[mysteryxmachine]

A snort of amusement fell from Dani's nose as she watched the other's eyes roll in the dim light of dusk. It felt like the noise echoed over the eerily quiet grounds, no hungry growls or screams to be heard for miles, though the memories of such laid faintly in the back of her mind forever. Just the sounds of people chattering in the distance, laughs occasionally bursting through the air. "I've heard she has one that wears a sweater... completely naked otherwise. Might be a little up your alley?" Though, she couldn't help but assume that if a cat that looked like a washed up rat with baby smooth skin was up anyone's alley, the last thing they'd want to do is go near it.

Despite what waited outside of the walls for both of them, one party unknowing, Dani couldn't help but fall into the moment just a little further than she intended, her gaze brightening with interest in just the slightest way when Rey mentioned her favorite movie. She couldn't recall when the last time she watched a movie was; possibly a few nights before everything collapsed, a final date night out with the woman next to her, not a care in the world as they smuggled snacks into the theater and then proceeded to ignore them in favor of making out in the back anyway.

This wasn't part of what she was asked to do, played absolutely no role in the endgame whatsoever, and yet Danu found herself shaking her head yes, a soft hint of excitement narrowly missing her expression. "I'm only agreeing because I'm curious if you actually remembered what my favorite movies are." It had been over a decade, but even so, she found herself willing to follow the other almost anywhere... and scoping out an otherwise private spot inside the walls was important to the grand scheme of things, right? "Lead the way, Romeo."

[walkingxmistakes]

He wasn't sure where the lack of trust had been bred between them. He'd wanted his daughter more, but he wasn't looking to kick Asher from the picture. She'd lost more than he had with Sage and pulling Maggie away would have been cruel. He was a lot of things, but he wasn't that. "Right." He saw the way she looked at him through the mirror, could see the regret in her eyes. If she were trying to hide it, she'd done a shit job. The base of the bed creaked as he pushed himself up from it once more, this time, he was at least dressed. "Why do you think I'm going to take her? I'm not some bad guy who's trying to get on the inside," he assured between slow steps towards the bathroom where she stood. Even while towering over her, he felt small. "I don't want to take her from you. I wouldn't do that to her. Just because I'm offering to help doesn't mean there's some ulterior motive. Come on, you gotta trust me more than that."

[mysteryxmachine]

She never thought that he was a particularly bad guy, just someone who's presence in her sister's life annoyed her, mostly because she was bored and thought teasing him was fun. The days of teasing fun were long gone, buried with her sister, and in their place remained a heightened sense of anxiety struggling to rip apart every fiber of her being. It was somehow like drowning and being burned alive all at once. The man's words from just a few weeks before echoed in her ears, the threat that initially made her place the call with the private investigator in the first place. She scoffed slightly, just loud enough to show her disbelief without tempting to wake up the sleeping girl in the room nearby. "She's moving in with me. That's what you said. You aren't her mother. Does that ring a bell?" Asher knew that emotions had been heightened in that moment, but it didn't mean he wasn't saying something he meant deep down. People often spoke what they wanted to when they knew they had nothing to lose. "I know I have no right to her," the blonde admitted, voice quieting to not much more than an utterance of syllables smashed together to make what she knew they both knew was the truth. "Legally... biologically. But she's my life. You have Alex and your brother and your parents here... she's all I have left and I'll do everything in my power not to lose her too."

[walkingxmistakes]

rey + dani

She hated how good it felt to look across the room and see Dani alive and well in the flesh. After spending so long thinking the other woman had fallen to nature's course, it was a breath of fresh air to know that she hadn't. Meal time went as well as it always did. At least one person complained about something, but it always ended the same. She'd lingered in the company of the house doctor, his stories about what he'd seen before the fall doing little to hold her attention. She nodded every now and again, but her gaze always found Dani's through the sea of people. After what felt like a lifetime of smiling and absentmindedly nodding, Rey said her goodbyes and hurried to catch the other as she stepped outside. "Hey, are you busy tonight? I wanted to show you something, but if you've made plans," she trailed off, tone a hopeful pitch. She was teasing about the plans, but despite the world crumbling down around them, there was still a sense of normalcy inside of their walls.

[mysteryxmachine]

Her time had been split between secret meetings outside of the walls and pretending to be someone she just wasn't anymore inside of them — but somewhere in between fit a semblance of normalcy, one that she sometimes felt herself slipping away to, relaxing into the sight of Rey from across the dining hall, an old community center where the neighborhood would often meet for dinner before everyone eventually parted ways again to go about their evening, whether that happened to be a certain job in the community they had to take care of or loved ones they had left to spend time with. It was difficult for Dani to wrap her head around, people acting like they were still existing a decade ago when the world outside of the walls had gone to shit. It was a delusion she'd never let herself fall into and, soon enough, the people inside would realize they'd mistakenly fell into too.

Besides a few glances in Rey's direction, Dani usually stayed to herself during dinner and quickly made her way out of the dining hall afterward, if only to avoid the old lady from a few houses down talk about the stray cats someone managed to bring back to the community for her. The familiar voice, the one that ate away at her soul every time it was directed her way, caught up with her and she turned her gaze to find the woman she once thought she'd only ever get to see in her dreams. "Unless you count trying to avoid Agatha and her cats as plans..." She couldn't help the soft huff of amusement that fell from her lips at the idea of hiding around corners and in alleyways to avoid the older woman. "I'm all yours tonight."

[walkingxmistakes]

Right. People no longer went into stores to pick out the most comfortable mattress in the bunch. No, they ordered them in boxes, let them set for a day or two, and only then were they ready for use. "Are those really any good? I mean, they come in a box. How comfortable can they be?" He'd paid a bit too much for the mattress at his place a couple of months earlier, the suggestion having come from the very blonde who was no longer with them. Apparently, his bed wasn't nearly as comfortable as hers. It was funny looking back on it, but now he much preferred the couch. At least he didn't feel so alone when backed into the cushions.

Atlas slowly began pulling on each layer of clothing that she'd tossed in his direction. It wasn't his first time lingering in the morning after, but it was the first time with her and it felt him wondering if she was always coming to regret what they'd done. "You want me to go?" He only lifted from the mattress to slide into his jeans and as he fumbled with the zipper, he stumbled towards the entryway to her bathroom and caught a glimpse of her through the mirror. "What's the point of rushing to drop her off and get to work if I'm around and can help out?"

[mysteryxmachine]

Her sister had been old school; go to a mattress, test a dozen mattresses, and overpay to have the nicest one delivered to her home. Asher didn't have the time or energy for that process, the convenience of a mattress being delivered by an online website in a simple box more appealing to her, even if the quality wasn't on par with what she could have gotten in a local furniture store. "I've slept on plenty and they've been comfortable enough," She told him, focusing on her reflection in the mirror in a feeble attempt to mask the fact that she'd banged her dead sister's baby daddy the night before. The guilt threatened to eat her alive before her foundation even dried. "Because in case you haven't noticed, this is a one man show." Asher argued, capping her mascara before turning around to face him. "The last thing I need is for you to show up in some court claiming that I can't handle taking care of her and that you should have her fulltime. I can't... I won't let her down like that."

[walkingxmistakes]

He wasn't convinced that one night of screwing the grief away had fixed everything between them. In fact, the only thing he was certain of was that it might have done quite the opposite. "Relax, it's early enough." His routine of waking up with the sun wasn't one that he favored, but his days were far too busy to sleep even a couple of extra minutes away. "If you ever needed a hand, I could help. Just point me in the right direction. I've got the hitch on the jeep and a trailer that doesn't get nearly enough use. Or you know, if they deliver, I could always hang out and point them in the right direction." The joke left a pang of guilt coursing through him. If it wasn't her room they'd try and drop the mattress in, it was Sage's room and that stung a little bit more than he'd wanted it to.

He followed her frame to her dresser, gaze lingering as she pulled out clothing that would inevitably cover her perfectly chiseled frame. "Is that a warning or a suggestion," he countered with a lifted brow and crooked grin. He was almost certain that it wasn't the latter, but considering their track record in the last twelve hours give or take, it wasn't entirely out of the question. "Should I get out of here before she wakes up? Circle the block a couple of times and come back to pick her up before you head off to do that doctor thing you do?"

[mysteryxmachine]

Relaxing wasn't usually a motto she followed, especially when it came to the two things that were most important to her now; Maggie and her job, both of which required her to have her shit together. "I'll probably just order one that comes in a box when I have the time," She told him, shutting down any offer of help he'd given. She could do it, she had the money and the will, just never much of the time and in the end, why fix what wasn't broken? Of course, it'd occurred to her that there was a not-so-old mattress in the room across the hallway from her own, but she would rather sleep another twenty years on her own before she ever step foot in that room. Asher knew it would be awhile before she worked up the courage and admitted to herself that her sister wasn't coming back.

Her expression tightened with his question of whether her words were a warning or a suggestion and she inevitably looked away with an eyeroll, snatching his clothes off of the ground once she was dressed and tossing them to him in an answer. He was a good dad, damn near perfect if she were humble enough to admit it, but if there was anything Asher ever struggled with, it was being humble. She moved into the bathroom connection to her bedroom, ignoring the flashes of memories the sight of the shower caused and instead focused on cleaning herself up at the vanity. "I was actually just going to drop her off on my way to the hospital, so you can just... go. No need to hang around."

[walkingxmistakes]

He wasn't sure how long he'd held her against his chest, or when sleep had consumed him. His fingers had traced shapes into the dip of her back up until he'd been lulled to sleep by the sound of his own thudding heart. It was the flicker of light that had him blinking awake, the sun's rays welcoming them into the following morning. How long had they been out? Was Maggie wandering through the home looking for the blonde and if so, what were the odds she'd come stumbling into the room? Regretfully, Atlas peeled himself from the woman's side and brushed at the sleep in his eyes. It couldn't have been too late and considering there was no quiet padding in the hallway, it was safe to assume that Maggie had yet to stir.

"Good morning," he hummed, feeling the bed shift beneath him from the other's soft movements. It wasn't the first time he'd woken up in a Franklin's bed, but it was the first time that it wasn't the older sister looking back at him. "I think you should get a new mattress. My back is all kinds of fucked," he joked weakly, as he scooted to the edge to sit. He balanced himself with his palm flat against the covers. "How'd you sleep?"

[mysteryxmachine]

Her eyes ached more than anything and no doubt there were puffy remnants of the way she'd settled into sleep the night before, heated droplets falling onto the man who now sat at the edge of her bed until they'd eventually slowed and she'd fallen asleep herself. The sun peeked through the window in the room, curtain-less as usual, preferring to wake up with the sun when she had the opportunity to sleep in later than her five in the morning alarm usually allowed. "Shit, what time is it?" Asher mumbled immediately as she opened her eyes, rubbing her hands against the aching corners of her eyelids as she sat up and tapped at the screen of her phone. It thankfully wasn't a day she had to be into work earlier than eight and she assumed if it were after that time, Maggie would have long-since barged into her room. From the sounds of the silent house outside of her bedroom, it seemed like her niece was still fast asleep down the hallway.

Ignoring the fact that they were both in her bedroom for a specific reason, Asher rolled her eyes and pretended like their current interaction was completely normal. "Getting a new mattress has been on the list for years. When you find a few free minutes in my day, let me know." Though her tone was noticeably lighter than it would have been in the past, as though their actions from the night before released some of the frustration that had been building between them for years or, at the very least, grieving together built some sort of softness between the two. She didn't expect it to last. Standing up, she moved to root through her drawers to pull out a pair of joggers and a t-shirt that she could wear to the hospital where she'd change into her scrubs. "Maggie should be up soon."

[walkingxmistakes]

Atlas was the epitome of a gentle giant, despite his long rap sheet and tendency to get himself kicked out of bars. All he'd ever wanted was to give someone the softest parts of himself, but how could he when he always ruined it? Sage had been different though. She hadn't cared much about his past and cared even the less about what the future would hold for either of them. Good fun, they'd said. Absolutely no strings attached and yet, when he'd lost her, it felt like he'd lost a part of himself. For the first time since that loss, he felt somewhat whole as his fingers curled into the golden locks of another. Maybe it wouldn't last and come morning, he'd back to feeling that void, but for one night... he felt like everything would be okay. "Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. I've heard you can make bank. Think I've got a chance?"

He lingered close, though the space of the shower would have allowed for a little distance between them. Even when she turned around, he found comfort in the fact that they were toe to toe. A witty remark danced on the top of his tongue, but he fell silent the moment her mouth captured his in the softest kiss he'd ever known. Hands rose to settle against her cheeks, brushing off the water droplets that had settled there as he dared to deepen the kiss.

[mysteryxmachine]

There was an ache to answer his question, the easing smirk that had quickly curved on her lips buried along with her words in the way their lips were pressed together, the way his palms settled against her cheeks and his thumb softly brushed against her damp skin was enough to make her forget about any words that had almost made it to the tip of her tongue. She had no clue what she was doing or what this was, but Asher found herself voicing a whispered noise of complaint as they parted, the action in itself leaving her wanting more, even as the water surrounding them turned from boiling to cold in one swift moment. Swiftly, she switched the handle into the off position, killing the shower and leaving them standing in the chill of the air as droplets from their skin dripped onto the shower floor.

One breath, then two led her to turn away from Atlas, focusing on opening the shower door and grabbing the nearest towel to dry off instead of on the way the feeling of his lips still lingered against hers. It was just grief, just something to take away the bad memories, even if just for a night. People did stupid things like this all the time when they lost someone, right? It didn't mean anything. Yet, as she slipped once again into the oversized shirt that smelled exactly like the man she'd just spent most of the night with, she couldn't help but feel like maybe it was a little more than that — that maybe she wanted it to mean a little more than that. She shook her head to herself and climbed into her bed, waiting for Atlas to settle before she tucked her head against his chest, her arm wrapped around his waist and her fingertips just barely running soft circles against the skin she'd found there. She could already feel the tears prickling hot behind her eyelids, threatening to fall each second until one managed to escape, followed by another, and her fingertips gripped at his side just a little bit tighter.

[walkingxmistakes]

For one night and one night alone, he'd lean into the reprieve offered by the one person who needed it as much as he did. Was it logical? Perhaps not. It hit too close to home and more likely than not, regret would follow, but for the night, it could be whatever they needed it to be and he saw that in every brief look they shared. "I was thinking about standing here a little longer. Really let the heat sink in," he hummed as he slowly trekked towards the shower before stepping into what he could only explain as the closest he'd ever get to hell. The warmth immediately consumed him and eased the ache in his bones that he hadn't even known was there. "You weren't joking about liking it hot." He took a single step closer, fingers brushing against her sides as the steam rolled up around them. "Turn around," he directed quietly, hands aiding her in his soft request. Stepping back, he tugged her beneath the water's drizzle and lifted his hands to course through her golden locks. If he couldn't take care of himself, at least he could do something for her. "And a little that way," he exhaled, only pulling away to lather her shampoo into his hands before he made decent work out of massaging it into her scalp. "You gotta tell me if I'm doing this right. I don't really do this often."

[mysteryxmachine]

There were so many stages throughout the night where she should have stopped, looked around, and wondered what in the hell she was doing and yet, there she was, naked and in the shower with the same man who managed to knock her sister up four years prior and who hadn't exactly been shy about messing around with the woman they'd both lost in the time after that. Asher couldn't help but wonder what this was for him; an outlet for the grief and anger he felt from the loss or, possibly, a way to get even a little bit close to the woman who he no longer had? They both had their own agendas, their own feelings they were trying to bury in their weird bubble for the night, to forget about until it all inevitably came crashing back down again. She'd lean into it, into him, if it meant avoiding that for as long as possible. And, while she would never tell him straight to his face, he wasn't half bad at anything he had done that night, including the way he moved his fingers against her scalp, rubbing to soap through the wet blonde strands, eliciting a soft moan of approval that tumbled from her lips. "C'mon, you can't tell me you weren't a hairstylist in some past life," She half-complimented, a teasing grin lifting the corners of her lips just slightly as she tilted her head back into his touch. It felt good, to have someone care for her after being the one taking care of everything over the last few weeks, the one responsible for funerals and wakes and bills and her dad an her niece and still waking up and going to work every morning.

Asher helped him rinse the shampoo from her hair, her hand brushing against his every so often, a certain softness growing in her chest that she was just going to add to the list of things to ignore that night. She made quick work of washing her body off before she turned to face him, realizing just how close they were in that moment. Her gaze caught his, lingering for just a moment before she leaned up and pressed her lips against his, her movements soft and slow as she let the hot water run over them.