In which... you're exhausted from the constant training at camp and all your ridiculous counselor duties, luckily you have a boyfriend that would do anything to earn you some extra sleep, now it's your turn to convince him to do the same
⚠️ nothing! Its js fluff
The time read 12:00pm, everyone in camp had already woken up and started the day. Well everyone except for you. Who was still peacefully asleep in your cabin, wrapped up in blankets and ignoring the duties you were supposed to already be tending to. It wasn't often that you slept this late, only during holidays, even on weekends you were up atleast by 10am. However today was different, you were exhausted from the day before, having done a very strenuous training program with some of the Ares kids. Your muscles ached with every movement, eyes unable to stay open, the only thing giving you peace was sleep. You mightve stayed asleep all day if it hasn't been for the opening of the front door where you could just make out the voice of one of your half siblings, "she's in there", followed by heavy footsteps walking into the sleeping quarters. You blinked sleepily, lifting your head slightly to see who had come to disturb you.
It was your boyfriend, of course it was.
A very smug Luke Castellan was smirking down at you.
You groaned, burying your face into your pillow.
"go away Luke.." your voice muffled out
"Aww are you sleepy?" He mocked teasingly
"mhm" you grunted
"Left me all alone at training today"
Shit. You had completely forgotten you promised Luke you would spar with him this morning.
You sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from your eyes.
"Sorry."
He chuckled, "I know you're not a morning person but come on, this is crazy, even for you"
You gave him a hardened look, eyes still slightly blurred, "was really tired yesterday"
"I know" he hummed
"I gave you the day off today, pulled some strings so that others could take over your workload for the day."
Your eyes lit up as you stared at him "you're a lifesaver Luke"
He chuckled again at the adoration in your eyes, "Don't worry about it. Was really looking forward to our training session though"
"I'll make it up to you" you hummed "we go tomorrow okay?"
He nodded, gaze meeting yours steadily, he looked just as tired as you felt, dark circles under his warm brown eyes.
"why don't you join me? you look pretty tired" you suggested
He considered it for a minute before shaking his head
"Too much to be done"
"I don't think camp will fall apart if you're not there for one afternoon" you teased
"It just might" he grinned back, but there was a bite to his voice, "seems like no one can do anything properly unless I'm there"
You rolled your eyes "Have some faith, you won't be of any good use anyways if you're sleep deprived"
He watched you steadily, debating on it. His eyes trailing over your comfortable bed with oh so many of your plushies and patterned blankets. It was very welcoming to say the least.
It seemed you had a compelling argument as he slowly sat down on your bed, taking off his shoes before laying flat next to you. You moved up to the side to give him more room, delighted at the chance to be able to go back to sleep.
He slid himself under the covers, grateful for the warmth it provided in contrast to the chilled Autumn air outside.
A quiet chuckle escaped his throat at the sight of you already almost asleep again, eyelashes brushing against the pillow.
"it's cold outside" he murmured softly
You reached out to touch his arm and almost recoiled, he felt so cold.
"I can tell" you lifted your head slightly, eyes blinking blearily.
"come closer" you tugged at his arm slightly
It took maybe 3 seconds before Luke was squishing you against the wall, holding you tightly to him, chin resting atop your head, treating you like some cuddly teddy bear.
"I didn't mean that close" you retorted, face right by his chest.
"go to sleep" he muttered
you tried to pull away slightly but he tightened his grip, grunting in disappointment.
you eventually gave in, allowing him to cocoon you in your already small bed, but you didn't mind, not really. You were just grateful he finally took the time to get some rest, and grateful for the close proximity which allowed the woody and musk scent of his to wash over you, pleasantly overwhelming your senses and lulling you right back to sleep.
Luke Hemmings x Female Reader — “I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again” Inspired (Same Room)
The room was quiet. Too quiet. You lay on your side, staring at the faint glow of streetlights slipping through the blinds, tracing soft lines across the walls. The city outside never really slept—but somehow, you still couldn’t.
Beside you, Luke was there. Close enough that you could feel the warmth of him through the sheets. Close enough that if you reached out, your fingers would brush his arm. And still—you couldn’t sleep.
You shifted slightly, pulling the blanket tighter around yourself. Your thoughts wouldn’t stop. They hadn’t all night. Every time you closed your eyes, your mind filled the silence—too loud, too fast, too much. It didn’t matter that he was right there. It didn’t matter that you weren’t alone. It still felt like something was off. Like your chest wouldn’t settle.
You let out a quiet breath, trying not to wake him.
“Hey.”
Your eyes flicked open. Of course he was awake. Luke Hemmings shifted beside you, his voice low and rough with sleep. “You okay?”
You hesitated. “Yeah,” you whispered.
He didn’t respond straight away. Then, softer—“You’re not.”
You swallowed, staring at the wall. “I can’t sleep.”
A pause. “Again?”
“Yeah.”
You heard the faint rustle of sheets as he turned onto his side, facing you now. “What’s going on in your head?” he asked gently.
You let out a small, tired laugh. “Everything.”
He didn’t push. Just waited.
“It’s like… even when I’m here, with you, my brain won’t shut up,” you admitted quietly. “And I don’t know how to turn it off.”
Another pause. “You feel it in your chest?” he asked.
You nodded faintly. “Yeah.”
“Like it won’t slow down?”
“Exactly.”
The mattress shifted slightly as he moved closer. Not sudden. Not overwhelming. Just enough. His hand found yours under the blanket, fingers lacing together gently. “Hey,” he murmured. “I’m right here.”
Your grip tightened slightly without thinking. “I know.”
“Then stay with me for a second, yeah?”
You nodded, even though your eyes were already closing again. “Breathe in,” he said quietly.
You followed. “Slow.”
You exhaled. “That’s it.”
His thumb brushed softly over your knuckles—absent, grounding. “Still too loud?” he asked.
“A little.”
“That’s okay.”
You turned your head slightly, finally looking at him. Even in the dim light, you could see the concern in his expression. “I hate this,” you whispered.
“I know.”
“I don’t even feel tired anymore. Just… stuck.”
He shifted a little closer again, his voice softer now. “Come here.”
You didn’t hesitate. You moved into him, your head resting against his chest, his arm wrapping around you instinctively. There. That felt—better. Not fixed. But better.
“I wish I could just switch it off,” you murmured against him.
His hand moved slowly along your arm, steady and calming. “You don’t have to,” he said. “Just let it slow down.”
You listened to his heartbeat. Steady. Consistent. Real.
“I keep thinking I won’t sleep,” you admitted. “Like what if I just… can’t?”
“You will,” he said softly. “You always do.”
“But what if—”
“Hey.”
His voice was gentle, but it stopped you. “You don’t have to figure that out right now.”
A pause. “Just stay here.”
Your breathing started to match his without you realising. In. Out. In. Out.
“Better?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah,” you whispered.
A small silence settled between you. This one wasn’t heavy. It was warm. Safe.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he added, almost under his breath.
Your fingers curled slightly into his shirt. “I know.”
Another pause. Then, softer—“Try to sleep.”
You closed your eyes again. This time, the noise in your head didn’t disappear. But it didn’t feel as overwhelming. Because he was there. Holding you. Keeping you grounded.
And slowly—without even realising when it happened—your body gave in. Your breathing evened out. Your grip loosened.
And for the first time that night—you fell asleep. Right there, beside him.
yo this MIGHT be a lil suggestive, i’ve never written anything like this yo
enjoy!
you started to blink awake, trying to remember what happened last before you were knocked out. you got up, shaking your head left and right to check your surroundings when you noticed hands on your waist. who the hell was this? you thought. you peered down and noticed that it was luke. you rubbed your eyes to check if its real or just an illusion, but it turned out to be real. perfect, now i can quietly sneak out, maybe beat up kronos' coffin a bit, and then try to find my way back to either camp, clarisse, or annabeth and percy. it seemed like a pretty foolproof plan to you. you started to peel the covers off of you and attempted to get luke's hands off of you. key word attempted.
strong hands immediately came to life, squeezing the life out of you. you wheezed, trying to wiggle out of his hands when he pulled you closer to him. you felt his chest on your back and could hear his heart beating.
"where do you think you're going sleepy? your friends already ditched you so there's nowhere to go." luke murmured in your ear. you let out a huff before trying to pry his hands loose from your waist.
"anywhere not here. what's with the nickname?" you said, clearly frustrated that his hands were still not budging. he chuckled watching you struggle against him was pretty entertaining to him.
"because you're the daughter of hypnos, it's only fitting that your name is sleepy. or do you want me to just stick to y/n?" he asked. you paused your struggling. he remembered you?
"surprised i remember you? even though we've interacted twice, i've always had my eye on you. every daughter or son of a minor god or goddess that gets unseen, or thrown aside are the people i look for first."
"why? so you can get them to join your little kronos fan club? nice try, but i'm not so easily swayed." you said, facing kronos' coffin. ew this guy sleeps in the same room as a coffin. what a turn off.
"ouch, you got me there. c'mon, i wanna show you something." he said, releasing you, and holding out a hand to pull you up from the bed. you turned the other way, pulling the cover on you to attempt to hide from him.
"no. if i'm a prisoner just leave me here. i'm not falling for your little psychology tricks today." you said, your voice muffled from the covers.
"but your not a prisoner. you're just like all of us. thrown away or cast to the side by your godly parent. never their first priority, always a chore to them." luke said, his voice softening.
"i couldn't care less if hypnos cared about me or not. at least he cared enough to give me powers." you said, ready to sleep. this whole conversation was draining.
luke let out a groan. it's never been this hard for him to convince someone to join kronos' side, to pledge to him. manipulating had always come easy for him, because he did his best work in the dark. well, looks like he'll have to use another method then. he left you alone for now, looking back at the lump that was under his covers. he'll get you to join, one way or another.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
after you heard luke leave, you fell asleep again, hoping that when you woke up, luke's ship will be bombed and annabeth and percy save you. yeah that sounds like a good dream.
no, instead you get aphrodite gushing about how cute you and luke's interactions were. you sat, bored on a patch of grass, while aphrodite was already making plans for your love life.
"oh enemies to lovers would be so cute! two demigods on the opposite side of this war. what will they pick? love or victory? oh y/n, you've given me so much entertainment! i haven't had anything to look forward too for 500,000 years since odysseus fell in love. oh! but that wasn't why i came in your dream." aphrodite said. you perked up from the grass. now this was something worth listening to.
"why did you come here then? did my father give a warning? is camp okay?" you asked. aphrodite giggled.
"everything is fine... for now. your father wanted me to pass along a message that he was pleased with your response to luke's question and he wanted me to give you this." she said, handing you a box. you peeked into it and saw a headband?
"uhh what's with the headband?" you asked.
"it's to keep your head clear of any distractions that could tamper with your powers. he said that since you still are pretty new to this, these would help you have a more easier way to control who you want to sleep or not. also he felt bad for your concussion, so this'll help with that too. anyways, can't talk for much longer! ciao!" aphrodite said, whisking away. you blinked and looked down at the headband in your hands. nice.
when you woke up, you were still in luke's bed. he was standing on one side, as if he was watching you sleep. next to him was another boy in a chair, holding your hand.
"what's with the watch party?" you asked. "let go of my hand weirdo." you said, snatching your hand back. the kid in the chair looked pretty offended.
"weirdo? i am the handsomest man alive! don't associate me with that word, it disgusts me." he said, running his hand through his hair. you rolled your eyes. gosh this self-centered aphrodite kid was a prick. luke noticed you roll your eyes and tsked at you.
"what happened to not rolling your eyes again sleepy? they'll get stuck like that." he said, in a condescending voice. did he think you were a child?
"stop calling me that." you said, turning over so they couldn't see your face. a hand grabbed your shoulder and flipped you so you were facing the two boys again.
"kai, y/n, y/n kai. kai is a son of aphrodite if you couldn't tell already." luke said, introducing you two. your eyes narrowed, trying to look intimidating. kai tried not to laugh because of how cute you looked.
"aww if you're trying to scare me, it's not working cutie." he said, leaning back on his chair. luke cleared his throat, trying to get kai's attention. hmm i wonder what they're planning.
"oh! that's right! so y/n i have a few questions for you..." he started off. you started becoming even more unsure of what was about to happen. "so y/n tell me, how old are you?" "eighte-" you clamped your hands over your mouth to stop yourself from telling him. was he using charmspeak right now?
luke sat down next to you on the bed, lifting you up on his lap, pinning your hands to each side of you. now you couldn't stop yourself from talking if you wanted to. your habit of wiggling around to escape kicked in and luke gripped you even tighter.
"stop moving around before something happens." he gritted out. you paused, feeling something on your back. please let it just be his sword and not something else.
"anyways, y/n tell me what annabeth and percy were planning to do on the ship." kai said.
"hermes asked them save luke because he believes that luke still has some hope in him." you blurted out. luke squeezed your arm and you heard him clench his jaw.
"y/n tell me if you like luke." kai said, looking at luke with a grin.
you tried to resist as best as you could, shaking your head and keeping your mouth shut, but in the end, charmspeak always wins.
"he's kind of hot." you blurted out. kai let out a sharp laugh at this.
"ooh now you have your answer lukey. anyways we're done now, have fun guys but not too much fun!" kai said, standing up and closing the door behind him. he sent me a small wink before officially leaving. luke groaned and buried his face in the crook of your neck. you stiffened, uncomfortable to the feeling of someone's face there. you shivered, feeling him breath against your neck and it made you blush at how close you were to him.
"gods, you didn't know how long i wanted to hear that." he mumbled. his grip on you loosened and you could finally be free again.
"what do you mean? we've only interacted twice in camp at most." you said. luke let out a small laugh.
"maybe you thought we've only interacted twice, but i've been watching you for awhile now. i think it was ever since you got claimed by your dad. i was jealous at how fast you were claimed and noticed how you weren't like other hypnos kids, always asleep in their cabins, and instead helped around camp." he said. you blushed, almost embarrassed at how long he had been noticing you.
"why didn't you say anything earlier? why wait till you left camp?" you asked.
"mainly because if i had been with you before i left, i don't think you would've came with me. having you here gives me easier access without having to come to you." he said. you hummed. yeah i totally wouldn't join this fan club.
"so what now? what are we?" you asked.
"well, i was hoping you would want to be my girlfriend, but if it's too fast, we don't have to rush it." he said.
"as much as i would love to be your girlfriend, i don't want to be forced to join kronos because i'm dating you." you said. luke turned you around in his lap and now you were both facing each other.
"i can't even force you to join kronos, it's all on your own free will. but if that's what gets you to stay here, i'll take it." he said. you grinned, giving him a small peck on the cheek.
"you missed." he said, tapping to his lips. you rolled your eyes, before giving him another peck on the lips. he pulled you both down so you were lying on the bed again and he drowned you in kisses. you giggled at the feeling of his lips everywhere on your face as you straddled him.
warnings ⟶ stepcest, non-con, use of “sis” frequently, vague mention of blood.
syn. ⟶ you think you’re stronger than your stepbrother. naturally, he has to test that.
or
mean stepbro!luke who cums in you to prove a point.
“you think you can hold me down for more than 5 seconds? you’re scrawny, luke!” you waved him off and cackled into the living room, luke followed quickly behind. “you think i can’t hold you down for 5 seconds?” he looks dumbfounded, “really?”
“you’re 10 pounds soaking wet, luke. you couldn’t if you tried,” it’s hilarious to you! it started when you walked into his room to find him scrolling his phone, only to slip out a slick comment, “i’m stronger than you.” you teased him all the time, sure, but this is different. this comment had real bite, not a one-off you only said to see the annoyed look on his face.
“you’re not stronger than me. in—in what world are you stronger than me?” he sat up, hands loosening around his phone before chucking it behind him. “this world.” you said it with no hesitation, almost like it was natural. like you really believed it. that bothered him.
he walked behind you knowing that smug look was plastered across your face, “are you serious?” his hands was planted on your shoulder before turning you around.
“dead serious. i know you can’t.”
he scoffs out of pure astonishment. he doesn’t believe you. not in a complacent, not-being-able-to-accept-it way, but because he’s so much bigger than you.
he looks over your body, taking you in. it’s only when he looks over your tits he feels his cock stiffening. he knows you know it’s not true. what he doesn’t know, he’s completely oblivious to this, is that you want him to show you he’s stronger. he thinks you’re being annoying, how you are normally.
“how much you wanna bet i can—” he scans the room for an idea, something simple. “put you in a headlock and pin you onto the couch?”
“think you can? i’ll wash your clothes for as long as you want,” you take a step closer. “i can do it easily,” he steps closer, crouching down to your face.
“deal.” you both shake on it.
“okay, i’m ready.” you took the time to fake-prep yourself, cracking your knuckles and keeping your hair back like those’d change the outcome. you knew he’d get you.
he laughs and shakes his head, “‘kay, sis.” that last word, his nickname for you, had some venom. his cock twitched a bit at it.
you try to maneuver your way around him, only for him to wrap his thick biceps around your neck, his hand resting on your forehead. your cunt fluttered as you smelled the faint musk of his cologne on him. “can’t talk now, can ya?” his laugh was real, not like the ones you fake. you tap his arms after a while, as you start to become light-hearded, the taps get frantic after a while. “relax, i’m not gonna kill you!” this was hilarious, the way he shut you up that fast.
he loosens his arm around your throat and gets you to lie on your stomach on the couch, you’re heaving. “f-fuck, luke!”
he doesn’t waste a second, crawling on top of you and pinning you down underneath his frame. he didn’t even break a sweat. “what’s that, sis? outta breath? couldn’t hear ya,” your shorts rode up high on your ass, and he just happened to press his bulge against it. you tried to speak but couldn’t, you can barely breathe after him restricting your breathing.
but you do push your ass up against his cock, making it seem like an accident. like you’re just squirming but, oops, sorry, bro! and it wasn’t planned but you both just started rocking back and forth? like, you’re more subtle, but he’s rutting his cock against your ass. those boxers he’s wearing are wetting at the tent forming, you’re getting to him.
“not gonna talk anymore? but you had so much to say, didn’t you?”
he hooked his finger around the waistband of your tiny shorts, the ones you wore whenever you both were home alone together. “you don’t need these anymore, right?”
“they could get home any second, luke, i—”
“but you wanted this, sis. that’s why you…” he yanks your shorts down to your thighs, “came into my room teasing me. you knew you wanted this. i’m not stupid.”
a hard smack lands on your ass, making you cry out stupidly. he laughs. not so strong now, hm?
he pulls his cock out, pursing his lips for some spit. he doesn’t want it to hurt that much. your feet thrash and kick in all directions as he pushes in, one hand on your waist while the other’s thumb gets the tip inside of you. “tighter than i imagined,” he sucks in air through his teeth.
“luke,” your eyes involuntarily widened at the burning feeling of him stretching you like that. “fuck, it hurts!” you try to tap him, but why would he care?
“thought i was scrawny?”
he bottoms out inside of you, pulling out to see a tinge of crimson around the base of him. “don’t tell me you’re a virgin! wouldn’t have known with you walking around like that.” you wince. his thrusts are fast but controlled and consistent, like he knows what he wants.
you fight it to no avail. you’re not stronger, in fact, you’re weak. so weak underneath him. and the way you have no choice but to wrap around his cock and take it proves it.
his thick cock is leaking pre into you, but he needs more. he needs you to know you’re not strong enough. his groans get more intense and whiny when he feels that warm feeling building in his balls, they get all tense and twitchy. “nothing to say, sis?”
you’re a whimpering mess beneath him, all of your moans coming out in short, breathy gasps and your thighs trembling. it’s too much. he fucks into you faster when you cum, your tight, constricting walls only make him want to cum more. that hand on your waist, the one holding you in place, bruises your skin as it digs into you.
“you—can’t cum n’ me, luke!” you shake your head crazily. if he finishes inside of you and, god forbid, gets you pregnant, your life is over.
he can’t care. “says who? mom? dad? you?”
you let your head fall onto the couch when you realize he won’t listen to you, sobbing as your orgasm washes over you because of that spongey spot he keeps hitting.
“t-take it, s-sis,” his heavy balls twitch and tighten as he cums ropes into you, hot and thick splurts of his spend just covering your walls. what really gets you is the way he doesn’t pull out. no, he fucks his babies into you. he doesn’t want you pregnant, he’ll make sure you won’t be, he just wants you to know how easily he’s done this. how easily he can ruin you. that fast.
when he pulls out, a string of cum connects from your hole to his cock.
₊˚⊹ ᰔ Luke (Walking Dead Game Season 2) x Original Character (Oc)
₊˚⊹ ᰔ Chapter One "When The Sun Greets The Dawn"
₊˚⊹ ᰔ Summary ~ Since the outbreak began, Odette Harlow has lived with the constant feeling that the clock is ticking- that time is slipping away before she's had the chance to do anything more than just survive. After being separated from the last remaining member of her original group, she's forced to start over among strangers, each carrying struggles of their own.
But as the possibility of something more than just survival begins to emerge, Odette finds herself at a crossroads. She can keep her walls up, clinging to the hardened instincts that have kept her alive or open herself up risking loss, pain, and heartbreak for the chance to truly live again.
<---------------⟡⋆⟡--------------->
"Troubles gonna come to you
One of these days, and it won't be long
You'll look for me, but, baby I'll be gone
This is all I got to say to you, woman
Your time is gonna come." - Your Time Is Gonna Come, Led Zeppelin
September 20th, 2003 - Virginia
The sharp piercing noise of beeping screamed into Odette's ear from the red house phone pushed against her ear. She sighed pushing the phone onto her shoulder, moving her blonde wavy hair out of the way. She rubbed her eyes, her face still stained with makeup from the long day before. Her ring filled fingers danced across the number pad as she retyped in her mothers number, counting each number in her head. Then she paused before pressing the call button.
An engine rumbled outside, Odette’s blue eyes flickered towards the window which showcased the University's parking lot. A truck was reversing, its bed filled up with boxes. Then it braked, before cutting towards the dorm's parking lot exit. It veered off, disappearing in the distance.
That was the 20th car in the past hour she saw leaving. Now usually she wouldn’t be counting because it was common for the parking lot to always be bustling. But every car had the same atypical thing about them, all of them were filled to the brim with boxes of belongings. Belongings you don’t usually take for a weekend trip home.
She rubbed her temples, a headache penetrating from the back of her head. Not only did she feel so totally out of the loop on what the hell was going on around here. She also felt so hungover from all the drinking they did up at Maxine’s vacation house in the middle of the woods that so inconveniently had no wifi or cable. It was supposed to be just a weekend getaway but now it felt like they were gone for months with the way things were going on around here. She figured something was up when they were driving on the way back to the university. She noticed it when day dreaming out the window that the other side of the highway was jammed with traffic. Cars seemingly in a rush to get out of the city and surrounding suburbs. She commented on it but it seemed like the rest of her friends were too distracted trying to regain some lost sleep from the night before.
She rolled her head facing away from the window as she rang her mom’s number again. She silently prayed the call would go through but the effort was in vain because all she got back was more beeping. She was getting tired of hearing that sound over and over again. She cursed under her breath slamming the phone down on the pad. “Ugh!”
“No answer?” The sudden voice jolted her, and she snapped her head towards the open door. Her older brother Mason leaned against it, crossing his arms as he watched her. The silver cross chain he always wore dangling on his neck, glinting in the sunlight. She always noticed that first about him. It was a gift from their mother a very long time ago. Odette had a matching one, but she never deemed herself very religious so she rarely wore it unless to please their mom. She ran a hand over her face, “No! I can’t even get the call to go through. It's like all the lines are filled or something,”
She huffed for a moment trying to calm herself, “But there’s no one even here so I’m not sure.” He moved forward from the door’s frame towards where Odette was standing. He towered over her by a few inches. He glanced outside, pursing his lips together as he whistled lowly. “You’re not kidding, where is everyone?”
She shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know! Maxine went to our RA’s room but.. but she wasn’t even there. Isn’t there like an obligation that you have to stay at the university or have someone cover for the day?” Odette complained as her face wrinkled in worry. Mason shook his head, his identically dirty blonde curls falling in front of his face. “Somethin’ is up.”
“Really? Shit! Don’t think I noticed that.” She seethed in a sarcastic tone of voice, waving her hands around. Mason rolled his eyes at her, “Chill with the attitude.”
Odette crossed her arms, dropping her eyes to the floor as she frowned. Irritation began to coil in her chest but she decided against arguing with him. It wouldn’t change anything anyway. It wouldn’t change the fact that it felt like everyone knew something important that they had no clue of.
“I’m sorry. I’m just really worried. Mom could be trying to reach us right now and we’d have no idea. It’s not like we could just run home real quick and ask her either!” Odette’s voice cracked at the edges. The words spewed from her mouth, anxiety getting the best of her.
Her chest tightened and her breath came shallow as her heart pounded in her ribs. “Hey, hey.” Mason reached out to place a grounding hand on her shoulder. He turned her towards him, their eyes meeting as she knit her brows together.
“Odee, everything is fine. If something was up, she’d already be here. Remember that one time last year when I got sick with the flu? She drove all the way across state lines just to be here for me.” He explained as he kept steady eye contact with her. His voice was soft and calm, it soothed Odette as she let her arms drop to her sides. Deep down though, she knew that he was saying all this because she was his little sister. He felt like he had the obligation of being the older sibling to bury the worry alone. Everything could be awful right now and he would still assure her that it’s ‘not that bad.’
She pushed that feeling away though and decided to trust his word. “Let’s just stay put until we find out what’s up. Does that sound good?” She nodded, finally letting some of the tension leave her body.
“I’ll keep trying her. Will you help Richie with the TV?” He picked up the house phone and pressed it to his ear. She raised an eyebrow at him, “Me? I don’t know anything about TVs or electricity and all that stuff. Kind of why I went into nursing and not a trade.”
A light chuckle escaped him, “Yeah, well, neither does he and you’re helluvah lot smarter than him.” He was trying to steer her thoughts somewhere else, and slowly, it was working. “So read the manual or something. You’ll figure it out.”
Odette doubted that she’d be able to get some sort of connection for the TV but it wouldn’t hurt to try. It was better than just pacing around and waiting for an answer. She strolled towards the door leading into the living room but before leaving she turned back to Mason.
“Let me know if you get anyone on the line, ‘kay?” Mason took two fingers to his forehead and swatted them away saluting her. Odette stepped into the hallway, her bare feet making the old dorm floor creak. Afternoon light poured into the living room through the blinds, pale yellow streaks casting an orange glow in the room. Maxine laid sprawled on the couch, her brown skin illuminated by the glow.
Her black hair was messily draped over the side of a pillow she rested on as she watched Richie fidget with the back of the TV. She rolled her head back, her dark brown chestnut irises finding themselves landing on Odette. Her face lit up happily.
“Odee! Any luck with the phone?” She asked while she pushed herself upright. She flipped her hair behind her shoulders except for a stray strand which drooped in her face. Odette found the state of her amusing like this whole thing didn’t bother her one bit. That’s just the type of person Maxine is.
“No, Mason said he’ll try for a bit. He told me I should come help Richie.” Richie’s ears perked up, his shaggy black hair falling in front of his eyes. “Nah, I got it. You can just sit-“ He’s cut off by the annoying noise of TV static. Maxine snorts into her hand as she watches his face drop in embarrassment.
“Sure, I’m sure you got it.” The sarcasm in her tone seeped through her words. She took a stance next to him, eyes scanning over the back. Various wires were unplugged and they all laid limp on the floor. How the hell did he mess this up so badly?
“Richie, seriously, how did you manage to do this?” She bent down on the floor picking up a wire and waving it around. He looked clueless, “Cut me some slack. I think I'm contact high from Cameron smoking in the car on the way back from Maxine’s cabin.”
“Aw, what? You sound like you had the fun car. Everyone slept in Andies.” She pouted, the dimples on her cheeks prominently showing. “You could’ve slept too if you didn’t drink that energy drink before we left.” Odette chimed in poking fun at Maxine.
“I had one left, I didn’t wanna waste it!” Odette’s hand wrapped around the handle of the TV cabinet. She pulled it open, hands gliding over the numerous papers til they landed on the manual. She pulled it out, flipping through the pages until she landed on a diagram of the back of the TV, “Aha!”. One moment she was examining it, the next she was staring at her empty hand.
“Hey!” She exclaimed in surprise as Richie turned his back towards her as he held the manual next to the TV. He started plugging in all the wires not waiting for whatever Odette had to say. She moved towards his side watching him place the wrong wire in the wrong plug hole. When she reached out to fix it, he stopped her by extending his arm out. “Ladies, ladies, hands to yourself. Jeez.” he said, waving her out of the way. She raised her eyebrow, planting both hands on her hips. “I’m literally nowhere near you.” Maxine spoke up behind the two of them looking equally as unamused as Odette.
“And I came out to help you,” She nudged him out of the way and wrapped her fingers around the wire he had just plugged in. “Not watch you mess up our TV even more.” She pointed towards the pamphlet and the two began correctly redoing all the cords.
“Odee! I’ve been thinking we should seriously get a new TV,” Maxine said, exasperation slipping into her voice. Ours is soo ancient and I hate having to get it fixed all the time.” Odette mentally groaned but didn’t turn towards her. Instead she called out over her shoulder.
“Maxine, I have a crisp fifteen in my wallet.. Can’t you ask Andie and Myla to pitch in?” Normally, Odette would soften her words when shutting something down. Even when they weren’t inherently mean, she still felt a pang of guilt.
“Well-“ Maxine was cut off by the hum of static. “The TV’s working!” Odette and Richie stood back, grainy pictures played on the screen but the words were crackling. Maxine reached out, bunching her hand with the fabric of Odette’s shirt. She gently pulled her back onto the sofa, taking up the empty space beside her.
“Richie, fix the sound!” Maxine barked as the two sat close to each other trying to distinguish what was on the screen. “Alright, alright, give me a second.” He swatted his hands then averted his gaze back trying to figure out what’s wrong.
Odette was getting impatient, the newsguy seemed worried- no terrified- but he was still just staring at the screen and talking into the mic. “C’mon!” She whined eagerly. “Fuck guys, I’m trying here!” He spun a button on the back of the tv adjusting it. Slowly, the voice became clearer until every syllable was clean.
The screen flashed to another reporter, this one was standing outside in front of a hospital looking very shaken. Odette leaned forward intensely, squinting her eyes as she watched.
“I’m here in downtown Chesapeake tonight standing right outside General Hospital and there’s some sort of military blockade out here.” The woman spoke into the microphone as she stepped out of the way to show the blockade. There was a metal fence surrounding the hospital and multiple military vehicles. Military personnel guarded the entrance and all of their arms were filled with heavy guns. What was going on?
The camera cut back to the newswoman. This time, her eyes trained on something off screen. They saw a blur of movement in the frame, the woman's eyes widening and her mouth taking the shape of an ‘O’. Odette blinked, unsure what was happening in the scene. Then two frail grey toned hands grabbed onto the newswoman. The old sickly woman threw herself onto the reporter like she was going to engulf her in a hug. But then the sickly woman bared her teeth, her white milky eyes trained on the newswoman's bare neck. She lunged her head forward, her sharp teeth sinking into the reporter's tanned skin. No! What-
The sound started cutting out- the reporter wailing as the crazy woman chewed on her flesh. Spurts of crimson red rapidly drenched the two in blood. The camera started to shake then whoever was holding it dropped it onto the floor. Then it was cut out and then the screen flickered to static once again. Odette’s mouth started to salivate, she slapped her hand onto her lips trying to choke it down. Maxine shrieked next to her, tears bubbling at the edges of her eyes. The floor board beneath them groaned, “What? What’s up- what’s wrong?’ Mason stuttered, obviously distressed and more so puzzled by the sudden reaction of Maxine. “Oh. Oh God, man!” Richie curled his fingers in his hair. Odette’s pulse quickened, she swung her legs off the couch. Her face drained of any color, she didn’t know what to think- or how even to explain the atrocities she just saw. Instead she wrapped her arms around Mason and collapsed sobbing into his shirt. He patted her head slowly, then pushed her back enough to see her face. ”Odee! Odee, hey, what’s wrong?”
←—-------------⟡⋆⟡—------------>
Late Summer Afternoon, 2005. North Carolina
The old car bumped and swayed as Odette navigated the rough beaten road. The sun sat high in the sky, its rays beating on the pavement making it squiggle from the late summer heat. Rocks popped under the tires, the suspensions groaning with every dip. The road they were taking felt endless. They had no destination in mind when they first started driving. All they knew was that they had to keep moving no matter what. Staying in one place for too long always brought unwanted trouble. Odette drove with one hand on the steering wheel, her other hand propped against the side of her face as droplets of sweat beaded on her forehead.
A gas station came into view, the brakes squeaked as she pulled off the road into the lot. There were no roamers from what she could see from the outside. She turned to her right, nudging Andie with her elbow.
“C’mon,” Andie’s eyes fluttered open, she yawned loudly as she unbuckled herself. Odette leaned forward towards the ignition and carefully untangled the wires to the car. The engine rumbled then became quiet. Odette swung the car door open and stepped out, stretching her legs . The scorching sun blinded her as she opened the backseat of the car. She pulled out a siphon as Andie locked her almond shaped eyes on the girl.
“You should go into the gas station, maybe there’s some food.” Odette suggested, Andie reached into her back pocket pulling out a switchblade. “I was planning on doing that anyway.” She called back as wandered towards the entrance.
Odette’s shoulders fell as she set her sights on a nearby abandoned SUV. These days, their conversations were limited to telling each other what to do and usually that sparked arguments. To combat that, Odette tried to stay as quiet as she could. It was easier said than done when the only other person you have as company seems to hate your guts.
Odette sucked the siphon in the first car- nothing- then the next- nothing- and then third- finally something. She always considered 3 her lucky number, she cheered silently. She wrapped her lips around the siphon and sucked. The pungent fumes of gasoline made her gag. She retreated, a little too late as the liquid poured out- all over her fucking shirt. She quickly corrected her mistake, shoving it into the top of the gasoline can.
The hunger that had made her feel queasy and empty was now replaced with a sick, heavy feeling. She felt the urge to puke but it wasn’t like anything was going to come up.
“Fuck! I hate doing this..” She mumbled under her breath as the can filled up a significant amount. Then it ran dry, but it was more than enough and for that Odette was grateful.
Maybe this was a turn around for them. But then again, Odette thought that about every time a good little thing happened to them. It was like a ritual to keep her sane. In a way, it was the universe telling her to keep on moving.
She started to fill up the main car with the gas. Andie snuck up behind her, “Two cans of beans.” She shoved them into her backpack. Her eyes scanned up and down Odette and for a moment. Odette was positive she was gonna make her the butt of some passive aggressive joke. But then Andie did something that surprised the girl- and worse made her feel guilty. She reached into her bag and threw a blue shirt her way.
“Happy birthday.”
←—-------------⟡⋆⟡—------------>
The cracked mirror in the gas station bathroom barely showed Odette’s reflection. Instead it broke the girls face up into dozens of different little pieces, like a not so fun kaleidoscope.
Odette ran her hands up both sides of her waist, almost connecting her long fingers to each other in the middle. If the circumstances were different. If Odette was not feeling like she was on the verge of dying from starvation, she probably would’ve found her appearance endearing. If it was the old world and not this one, she would’ve smiled at herself in the mirror.
She didn’t, in fact her face wrinkled in disgust. She held the shirt out Andie had given her. A washed out pale blue blouse which was too short to feel comfortable and far too revealing across the chest. First, she tugged on the white tank top underneath, then slipped the blouse over her shoulders. The tank top helped cover her midriff and her chest which made her feel more secure in a sense.
She reached towards the scrunchie holding up her hair in a ponytail and released it letting her dirty blonde waves fall freely. She held the scrunchie in her hand, the leaf green color was overshadowed by stains of dark red. It used to be Maxine’s favorite scrunchie. It used to be. She ran her fingers through it untangling the knots with care then re-put it up a little higher giving a sort of waterfall effect. Her hair was a lot longer now, she’s been wanting to trim it but without any scissors it wasn’t a doable thing. The humidity was making it look crazy and frizzy but this made it look somewhat not as bad. She relooked at herself in the mirror feeling slightly better. That was much better.
She finally left the bathroom and returned around the front to where Andie was standing. Sunglasses perched her slim nose as she leaned against the side of the car.
“Did you rob this from a Hollister or something?” An effort to make Andie smile which was a complete failure because she ended up just completely ignoring what Odette said.
Odette tried not to think too much into the way Andie’s face contorted into annoyance. Or how she immediately got into the car propping her legs up and dozing off. She retracted to the exposed wires, retangling the way they were before. The way Mason taught her. The way Mason taught her. She frowned.
←—-------------⟡⋆⟡—------------>
“Would you stop smoking with all the windows up?” Rain drops pattered against the windshield. Smoke fogged up the car, the smell making Odette feel icky and reminding her of times she did not want to remember. Times from before the outbreak, her teenage years with Mason. He used to smoke all the time. A nasty habit which Odette hated. She couldn’t count all the times he made her stand outside with him as he puffed away because he didn’t want the stench lingering in the car and their mother finding out.
“Fine. Didn’t know there were still rules.” Andie leaned forward, met Odette’s eyes as she intentionally smushed the lit part of her cigarette into Odette’s half draken water. The ashes spread out in the water turning it a murky light brown.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Really, was that necessary?” Odette’s face morphed into a scowl. Irritation wrinkled on her forehead. “You told me to put it out. I put it out.” Andie said in a matter-of-fact voice.
“Outside the window, not in my water bottle! Common sense, Andie.” Odette retorted, “Don’t you have common sense ? It’s raining outside.” Andie flatly stated crossing her arms.
“You’re right. That’s my fault, I should’ve known,” she paused before she could insult Andie by calling her a bitch. She knew something worse she could do. She took a hand off the steering wheel and picked up the open water bottle with ashes swimming in it. Andie had no idea what was coming at her.
She lurched it forward splashing it all Andie, “THE FUCK!” She breathed heavily feeling it splatter all over herself. Wet spots formed on her top and her black hair dripped with water. She cursed under her breath, her chest pounding with rage. Odette smugly grinned in her direction.
“You’re a fucking cunt, did you know that? HUH?” She hissed through her teeth, flaring eyes trained on Odette. “Are you really any better ?” Odette countered, meeting her striking stare. Andie’s balled up her fists in her lap.
“You know-“ Odette cut her off harshly, “Shut up, Andie.” Andie became quiet but not for long as she thought of every little annoyance that was bubbling up inside of her. They pushed to the surface with force. “You’re so selfish, Odette. You only ever care about yourself and what YOU want.” She inhaled quickly, continuing, “ ‘Andie, don’t smoke around me! Andie, don’t do this- don’t do that! Andie, we can’t join another group because I don’t want to! I, I, I, I!” She vented, unloading all her frustrations onto Odette.
“So that’s what this is really about? Because I told you we shouldn’t go out searching for other people? You think I’m being selfish? I’m looking out for us! We stumble upon the wrong people at the wrong time and it’s over for us!” Odette explained in a feverish frenzy. She couldn’t believe how immature Andie was being.
Andie paused and thought of something that would really get under Odette’s skin. Something that would make her skin fucking crawl. “I wish Maxine was here and not you! Hell, I’d take Richie over you! Fucking MYLA over you!” She snapped, pure anger lacing her voice. Odette froze, her freckled face turning pale. She craned her neck to Andie, completely focused on her- ignoring the road ahead of them. She was speechless. A million words running through her mind but none coming close to what she was feeling.
She was pulled out of her daze as the car shook violently and slid. For a split second, the tires weren't even touching the road. They were just skimming against the slick surface. The steering wheel went loose in Odette’s hands. Rain hammered on the windshield, wipers becoming useless. Andie yelled something incoherent. The once clear road became a gray blur. Odette frantically spun the steering wheel left then right. Water pooled in the potholes on the road. The car wobbled then the traction snapped back in place straightening itself out. Odette exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. The silence in the car rang in the two’s ears.
“Why are you the one driving?” Andie bursted out, “You failed your fucking driving test twice!”
“It’s called hydroplaning! It happens.”
“It happens when you’re going too fast in a storm!” Odette breathily laughed at Andie. “I’m too busy arguing with you! That’s all you do! You’re either sleeping or smoking or stirring up some nonsense! You’re too fucking lazy to drive! I’m sick of it. I’m sick of YOU.” Odette poured out everything at once, her feelings colliding in a chaotic rush. Odette’s words tumbled out, a jumble of tangled emotions.
The car dipped into a pothole then flew up. Odette blinked, the engine whined. The headlights turned into glowing streaks. The back end fishtailed making their stomachs drop. A shape stumbled into view, looking like someone waving towards them. The lights hit them. Enough for Odette to understand what it really was. Empty eyes. Jaw hanging loose. Rotting hands reaching out.
The body hit the hood with a sickening bone crackling thud. The windshield exploded into a spiderweb of fractures as the roamers head smashed against it. Dark red gore smeared against the glass. Odette floored the brakes but it did nothing more than make the car slide: Andie’s hands wrapped around the steering wheel. She yanked it right, Odette fought the control and yanked it left. “Get your hands off the-!”
The tired screeched, the steering jerked to the right then locked ruining the axle with teared flesh. Metal shrieked. The car barely skidded past a light pole. The world tilted as the car flew over the curb.
Glass and debris exploded upwards towards them. Seatbelts locked in place, both of their bodies flying forward against them. Everything went silent, there was no more yelling, no more arguing. Just pure silence. It echoed in Odette’s ears, a feeling of warmth leaked down her face. Dust floated around her, the sunlight peeking from the rainy clouds poured in from every window. She inhaled, her lungs aching and crying with every expansion. Then she exhaled, and color drained from everything around her. Her eyes rolled back, a rainbow of colors danced behind her eyelids. The weight of everything pulled her down, her head sagged against the steering wheel with a thud.
<------------------⟡⋆⟡----------->
The Chapters Masterlist ' Your Time Is Gonna Come Masterlist '
My first ever oc/canon fic! I've had this fic in my drafts for a hot minute and immersed myself into Odette's story. I genuinely love this OC and hope you find yourself doing the same while reading this. For some backstory, Odette Harlow was 21 when the outbreak started and 23 as of current canon time. Also this fic starts off a few months prior to season 2 and eventually catches up to ep 1. cant wait for her to meet luke.. chap 2 should be out in a week or so! Thanks so much for reading! :)
hey chatty, so like it has been FOREVER since i’ve last posted or written anything but should I come back to writing again?? My writing has improved trust!! I would write for some hockey guys (Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Collin Graf, Beckett Sennecke, Matt Rempe etc etc) and like some show/movie characters (THG, PJO, Holes, Mighty Ducks, Sandlot, HP, Yellowjackets, etc etc) Lemme know!!
