do you have thoughts on marlitch (marlon x mitch)👀👀👀
RARE PAIR RARE PAIR ALERT YESSS they have never crossed my mind until recently I've seen some good edits of them but this is lowkey goated especially with mitch being so butthurt he died that it can be turned into tragic yoai I love it
also they're both violent and angry LOL but yes this pair is so cute I will have to draw fanart one day trust
heyyy!! love ur workk!! so i got a request for uuu💕 can i request a marlon fic with a medic reader who does know how to use a gun (or any other weapon, u choose) and marlon teaches them. TYY💕
hiya love!! thank you for requesting <33
sorry that it's taken so long for me to get around to this, but i'm just now getting back into writing again, so i hope you can enjoy!! ♡⸜(ˆᗜˆ˵ )⸝♡
summary: Marlon helps you face one of your fears by teaching you how to shoot.
w/c: 2.2k
(a/n: sorry for disappearing for so long guys 😭 there's been so much stuff going on over the past couple of months that i haven't been able to keep up with at all, but i'm hoping to be able to write and upload more often now!! <3))
requested ✅
The courtyard of Ericson’s was quiet. It wasnt the familiar, apocalyptic sense of quiet you’d gotten used to, but the strange silence that always seemed to settle just before sunset — the state where the endless blue began to give way to an inky black. Somewhere from the dorms, laughter echoed, but out here, there was a true sense of peace, despite the ever-lingering threat of the world outside.
But the peace didn’t last long. It never did.
Footsteps approaching from behind snapped you out of your thoughts and back into reality. Turning around, your eyes landed on Marlon, a mere few feet away with an uncharacteristically nervous smile on his face. You knew that face; it was the very same one he made when he was trying to be confident but couldn’t quite stop the way his fingers twitched at his sides.
“Hey, angel,” he greeted, rubbing the back of his neck. “You, um, ready?”
You blinked, confusion flooding your face and making your brows furrow. “Ready for what, exactly?” As far as you were aware, any runs and hunts were done for today.
That was when he lifted the gun holstered at his side. It was small and dented from repeated use, and even well-loved. However, that word — ‘well-loved’ — was definitely not what came to mind when you saw the piece of metal; it was something more along the lines of ‘danger’ and ‘death.’ The miniature weapon filled you with nothing but dread.
You felt the blood drain from your face, heart skipping a beat before picking up the pace.
“Marlon.”
Your boyfriend couldn’t help the small grimace that formed at the way you said his name. “I know, I know.” He lifted both hands in a surrender-like gesture before continuing, “But just hear me out, okay?”
You, on the other hand, didn’t want to. Never before had you used a gun — you’d never had to, not with Marlon by your side anyway. So, you shook your head, eyes widening at the thought of having to use something so small yet so easily capable of taking a life. “No, Mar. I’m the medic. I patch people up, I help them. I don’t,” you gestured vaguely at the gun, “do that.”
“I know, baby.” He stepped closer, voice softening. “But you’re important to the group — to me. And if something happens while you’re alone…” Marlon paused, jaw clenching as he thought of his next words. He knew what he wanted to say: he didn’t want you to die. But that word, the weight it carried behind it, was not something he was going to use. Not with you. “I just wanna make sure you’re safe.” The last sentence came out quiet, quieter than most had ever heard Marlon, like admitting how much he cared was dangerous in itself.
One of his hands extended towards you, patiently waiting for you to wrap your fingers in his.
You sighed, his concern melting your resistance much faster than you anticipated. How could you deny your boyfriend when he just wanted the best for you? “Fine.” Despite your reluctance, you still grabbed his calloused hand, fingers intertwining. “But if I shoot myself in the foot, it’s your fault.”
A grin finally broke through his worry. “Deal.” Obviously, he’d never allow that to happen, though. And you knew that.
Hand-in-hand, he led you to the far side of the schoolyard, where the worn-down target board was attached to a tree, piney aroma filling the air. The short distance there, you’d noticed the way he walked much closer than usual, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles, eyes flicking to you every few seconds like he was checking in without asking.
Marlon was good at that sort of thing — making sure you were okay without using any words. He always did it, even all those times you didn’t notice. Like the first time you were all truly alone, no adults around. Seeing the fear in your eyes, hearing the quiver in your voice, was the very thing that made him step up that day, that made him the leader he is today. Or like the time he came back injured from a supply run gone wrong. He didn’t even take notice of the fact that his entire arm was covered in blood — the only thing he saw was you, your eyes wide in panic, the very same panic that you tried so hard to hide. But you couldn’t hide. Not from Marlon. The whole time you were taking care of him, he made sure to reassure you he was fine, that it didn’t even hurt, to soothe some of your worry. In the end, he ended up grabbing your face and pressing his lips against yours as a last resort to relaxing you.
Now, standing in front of the target board, he felt your heart beating erratically through the hand he had wrapped around your wrist.
“Hey,” he murmured, turning so he was fully facing you. His grip loosened, thumb brushing over the inside of your wrist where your pulse fluttered beneath his skin. “It’s okay. We don’t have to rush this. Or do it at all today, if you don’t want to.”
You swallowed, eyes flicking between the target and the gun at his side. The air here felt weirdly heavy, but you knew it was probably just your nerves telling you to run while you could. “I said I’d try,” you replied softly. “Just—promise you won’t laugh at me.”
That earned you a quiet huff of disbelief. “I would never.” His expression softened further, something earnest and protective settling into his features. “I promise. I’ll be right here the whole time.”
He unholstered the gun slowly, deliberately, making sure every movement was calm and predictable. When he held it out, he didn’t push it into your hands. He simply waited, letting you decide when, if, you were ready. Your fingers hovered for a second before curling around the grip. Though you didn’t see, Marlon’s lips curled up in a proud smile — his girl was finally facing one of her fears.
The metal was much colder than you expected, heavier too. It made your stomach twist in a way you didn’t think you’d ever felt before. This was the exact opposite of what you were used to; you were supposed to be the one to save lives, not take them. The sudden realisation caused your breath to hitch. Just for a second. But enough for your boyfriend to realise.
“It’s okay, angel,” he reassured you gently. “First thing, safety’s on.” He reached around your hands, careful not to startle you, and clicked it into place. “This right here means it won’t fire, no matter what. You’re in control.”
You nodded, breathing out slowly.
Marlon stepped behind you then, close enough that you could feel his warmth, familiar and grounding, at your back. His hands guided yours, adjusting your grip with patient precision. “Two hands,” he explained. “Dominant hand here, other one supporting.”
Your shoulders were tense, practically up around your ears. “Relax,” he whispered, voice right by your ear. “Pretend you’re stitching someone up. Steady hands. Slow breathing.”
You let out a shaky laugh at his words. “No pressure, huh?”
“Hey,” he said, turning you to face him as he placed one hand on your shoulder, the other reaching out to brush some loose strands from your face. The heat of his hand compared to the chill of your skin sent a shiver down your spine. “You’ve handled worse. I’ve seen you keep people alive with nothing but thread and stubbornness.”
That helped a little.
He allowed his hand to linger a moment longer before turning back. He guided your stance next, gently shifting your feet. “Lean forward just a bit. Guns kick back. If you’re stiff, it’ll knock you around.”
You followed his lead, heart still racing but no longer feeling like you were about to spiral.
“Alright,” he said quietly. “I’m gonna take the safety off, angel. You tell me if you want to stop. At any point.
You hesitated, then nodded. “Okay.”
The click sounded loud in the quiet courtyard.
Marlon didn’t let go of you. One hand stayed over yours, the other resting lightly at your waist, grounding you in the chaos of your mind. “Line up the sights,” he instructed. “Front sight right in the middle of the target. Don’t think about hitting it. Just focus on breathing.”
You did just as he said, taking a deep breath in, then softly exhaling. With a small movement, your hand moved, lining up the sight with the middle of the target. Marlon’s hand never let go of yours. “That’s it, angel. You’re doing great.”
Those words of affirmation, though small, were enough to instil at least a small sense of confidence in you. “What’s next?” Your head turned slightly, taking a peek at Marlon’s expression. “Do I just shoot?”
You almost couldn’t believe those words had come out of your mouth — but you had gotten so far already, you didn’t think backing out was an option. Although your boyfriend had made it very clear that it was.
With a short nod, Marlon responded, “Exactly.” His grip on your hand tightened, a comforting gesture, before letting go. Everything that happened now was all up to you. “Remember, just a small squeeze. That’s all you need.” He took a step back, watching with a steady gaze as you hesitated before the target.
The longer you thought about it, the more your mind became a mess. You couldn’t do it. You couldn’t fire. This wasn’t what you were meant for — you knew that, Marlon knew that, everyone knew that. You patched people up, you nursed them back to health. You didn’t… kill. It wasn’t who you were.
Just as you were about to back out, Marlon spoke up, “Hey, if you can’t do it, then that’s okay. This isn’t ab—”
His voice was cut off by a deafening bang cracking through the air.
Your eyes scrunched shut, startled by the sound.
When you opened your eyes, Marlon was there, turning you around so fast you barely had time to react before you were pressed against his chest. “Hey—hey,” he murmured, one arm wrapping around your shoulders, the other cradling the back of your head. “You’re okay. You did amazing.”
Your heart was pounding, and your ears were ringing so loud that you barely processed the words of the boy right in front of you. It hadn’t even fully hit you that you had been the one to pull the trigger. “I—” Your voice shook in a way you couldn’t control. You hated it. It made you feel weak, even when you knew no one else felt that way. “I didn’t mean to—”
“I know,” he said softly, rocking you just a little, still holding you close to his chest. “That’s exactly how it’s supposed to feel the first time.”
You buried your face into his jacket, breathing him in like an anchor. The familiar scent of worn leather and faint pine almost instantly took over your senses. After a moment, the tension began to bleed out of you but Marlon’s arms remained wrapped around you.
“Did I even hit it?” you asked quietly, daring to lift your head up and glance at his expression.
Marlon glanced over your head at the board. There was a mark, low and off to the side, but unmistakable. “You did,” he said, a proud grin tugging at his lips. “That’s my girl.”
He tilted your chin up gently so you had to look at him. You searched his face, seeing nothing but pride there — no disappointment, or frustration as you had expected. Not that Marlon ever would be, but your insecurities had a way of making you feel small.
His thumb brushed under your eye, tender as ever. “I’m so proud of you.” The corners of his eyes crinkled.
You laughed breathlessly, immediately flustered. “But I barely did anything…”
At that, your boyfriend’s brows furrowed. “You faced one of your fears today, angel, and that makes you so much braver than you could imagine.”
You opened your mouth, ready to rebut, but before you had the chance, Marlon pressed his lips against yours. It was the kind of kiss that made time stop. In that moment, nothing moved but your mouths, nothing existed but the warmth between you. Anchoring yourself even more to him, your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him impossibly close. His hand had moved from the back of your head to cup your jaw, pulling you in like he just couldn’t get enough. Because he couldn’t.
Until the time to pull away came. Both of you were left breathless, your foreheads still touching as your intoxicating taste lingered on Marlon’s lips.
“As you were saying…?” Marlon asked, a sly smile on his lips.
He knew you had long forgotten what you were going to say.
