𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞-𝐬𝐢𝐱
𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛
╚═══════════════╝
H E R
I managed to tolerate life at Hilltop until Judith's arrival due to what I was told would be a planned fight in Alexandria which wasn't even what pushed me over the edge. It was a note pinned to the lining of her small coat that undid me. It was from Carl, stating that his father would not allow him to live away from Alexandria. That he promised to stay safe during what he said was an 'All Out War.'
"You can't leave." Enid implored. "We'll figure something out."
"This is me figuring something out." I told her, putting together the meager contents of my pack. Since my stay at Hilltop wasn't planned, I had only brought some basic necessities. The last several days I had been borrowing clothes from Enid's drawer. Remembering that, I shrugged off her flannel and handed it to her.
She pushed it back towards me. "No. You're being ridiculous. Tell me, what were the results from the doctor?"
I paused, turning my face and focusing hard on my backpack that sat basically empty on the kitchen table.
"Tell me."
Tucking my hair behind my ear, I shrugged unprovoked. "It's whatever it was he said it might be but I already figured that so-"
"Eleanor!"
"My health is shitty, okay? It's been shitty since I got sick at the prison and it's been even more shitty since Glenn had to restart my heart. But, like, I don't know, somehow I just won't die. It's kind of been my quirk."
"This isn't funny, dumbass. Oh, my God. I can't even look at you right now."
"E, stop, it's no big deal."
"Nothing is ever a big deal to you. You just brush it all off because deep down you're scared but you can't admit it, not even to yourself." Enid's ability to call me out never ceased to impress me. How she noticed things, saw through my transparencies. Perhaps that's how we had grown so close in such a short amount of time. Labeling her as a friend was dangerous, as always, but we were at the point where I had no choice.
"Honestly, Enid. I'm okay. He loaded me up with pills and vitamins and shit, I'm not worried at all."
Enid scoffed. "Right, the only thing you're worried about is Carl."
The immediate hurt I felt at her assumption was nothing compared to the hopelessness that doused me as I had no defense because it was true. Still she had crossed the line with that and from the look on her face she knew it. She stepped back, preparing for an outburst. But I was not forged in fire, I did not have rebutting words on the tip of my tongue. I was not my strong willed and well spoken Carl. I fell short with no excuses, no explanations.
She sensed my withdrawal, my shame. "Look, you're safer here. I don't want you taking any chances and I sure as Hell know Carl wouldn't want you to, either. Especially for him."
"Well, what did he tell you when he found out his dad wanted him to stay in Alexandria?"
Enid stiffened. She had withheld the information since her return and we both knew it.
"Enid, I know you know. Tell me what he said. What did he want to do?"
"He said he wasn't sure, okay? He said he was scared. Made it sound like, I don't know, he was gonna sneak over here in the middle of the night and didn't give a shit if his dad was gonna rain hell about it."
I shook my head vigorously, picking up my pack. "Not happening."
Enid blocked my path. "And this is not happening either. You're not heading to Alexandria on your own. That's a worse idea than his. You feel and look like shit, like you're on death's doorstep-"
"-Wow, thanks-"
"-Just quoting Maggie. And do you realize there's a war going on?"
"One Maggie is leading!" I insisted, unable to be angry with her and instead pleading with her to understand. Suddenly, an idea presented itself. I stood a little straighter, knowing it was a solid one. "And I'm not going on my own, okay? They have to bring back Judith somehow."
Enid sighed heavily, dropping into a chair and resting her head in her hands, rubbing the palms against her eyes as if warding off a bright light. "This is all such shit."
"Things are gonna be shit no matter where I'm at." I took the chair beside her as quickly as my bloated, sluggish body would allow. "Enid, I'm going to Alexandria. Not today, but within the week. When everything is cleared up."
"For what? Him? Is that seriously the only reason you'll risk your life? Risk the baby? We have a doctor. We have food. Clothes. All Alexandria has is Carl Grimes."
And that's all that matters. My immediate response was tucked under my tongue, replaced instead with a much better one. "I'm going to Alexandria to tell Rick and Michonne. Once they know they'll let him come here." The idea came to me as I said it, but sounded well thought out enough that Enid took a moment to ponder.
"But what if they don't let him, huh? What then?"
"Then I come back here." That almost felt like a lie but I knew there was a chance it wouldn't be. I so badly desired to continue my life with Carl in Alexandria, not amongst the strangers and odd ways of Hilltop. Then guilt lined my chest as I realized that with my leave, Enid would be here alone. "Do you want to go back to Alexandria with me?"
"No, I couldn't. I need to be here for when Maggie comes back." She pressed her lips together, thinning them. "Alexandria never felt like home to me anyway."
However, it felt like home to me. The closest thing to home since I had lost my family, due to the fact that I had gained a new one. And the people that I had grown to love were at that moment, or at least very soon, up against one of the most terrible and ruthless villains we had come across. I was disgusted with myself for not joining the fight. For being a useless member of society. If Maggie could lead a battle in her so-called 'Delicate State' then I could do something as well. While I did not wallow in vengeance of death and destruction for my enemies, I did have a moral obligation to lend myself to where I was needed, even if it meant putting my life on the line to end others. But Enid reached across the table and gripped my hand, worry evident on her face, and I was sheathed in melancholy with a heavy heart. I was not my own person. I had Carl, Enid, and my lovely little parasite that I had to survive for. My days of slinging a smoking shotgun were on a hold.
"You know how much you matter, El?" Enid asked me with such sad eyes, a shade of hollow spring green. I realized Enid was just another person with a target on her back. And that was my fault. "I know how you are. You're afraid to care, but you do anyways. Look at you. You're in love with Carl Grimes but you're won't even tell him... You think it makes things easier but that's bullshit. Ron never told me he loved me, maybe because I never said it either. And I didn't because I was scared. The people I loved always disappointed me or they died. But when he... When Ron died... Do you know how much it hurt me? Do you know how much I regret not telling him? He wasn't perfect. He was an asshole sometimes. But I loved him for who he was, what he was. I cried myself to sleep for weeks."
"Enid-"
"-No, you need to listen to me. Start taking shit seriously, because it's going to hurt whether you do or you don't. But at least you get to take advantage of it, experience it. That way you won't regret anything." Her warm hand wrapped around my cold, boney one. "You're my sister. I love you, Eleanor. I hope someday you gain enough braincells to say it back."
And with that, I would keep myself safe, not at my own expense but instead for those who needed me alive.
x-x-x-x-x-x
Imagine you've known someone going on a maybe a couple years and not once have you had one single joyous reunion. Every single long awaited greeting has been marred by the horrors that took place during your time apart. And imagine, though you have trouble admitting it, you truly love this person and wish that the moment you stepped into their arms it was all because you were finally together and not with the added cause of subsiding fear.
And there he was.
He stood on the catwalk, his silhouette etched against the afternoon light, a portrait of rugged determination. His features, though weathered and scarred by hardship, held an undeniable allure. His jawline, chiseled and resolute, spoke of strength and resolve, while his lips, full and firm, betrayed a hint of vulnerability beneath his tough exterior. His hair, a tangle of dark curls, framed his face in a wild halo, adding to his untamed charm. But it was his eye that captivated me most, piercing and intense, like chipped ice that could melt with the warmth of his rare smile. Despite his efforts to appear intimidating, there was a softness to him, a gentleness that belied his rough exterior, even at the distance I saw him from. He was flawed, yet undeniably captivating, a contradiction I couldn't help but be drawn to.
To sum up everything that's been stated, the look on Carl's face when he saw me step out of the truck... How his eye lit up, crinkling so admirably, his hat flying off his head and dropping to the ground as he rushed over to greet me. It was all worth the wait, all the meetings that were far below stellar, to have his sinewy arms wrapped tight around my frame. He lifted me as though I were weightless, giving me a thorough spin as he laughed under his husky breath. "Eleanor Maude, Eleanor Maude." He was saying into my hair. "What the hell are you doing here, El?"
I thought about what Enid said, to take advantage of these feelings and experience them. I felt the words swell in my chest, the boy filling me with absolute warmth. You know, maybe I could just say it. Maybe-
"And Jude?" Carl cut off my thoughts, surprised with seeing his sister, still holding me aloft.
"You couldn't come to the party, so I brought the party to you." I smiled at him as he set me down, sturdy in my boots, gesturing to the toddler still buckled into her seat.
"I just didn't realize you all would be back so soon." He was smiling, looking so pleasantly relieved.
"Bubby! Hi, bubby!" Judith waved both hands, bouncing excitedly as I went to release her from the straps that held her back from her brother. "We home!"
"Hi, baby." Carl greeted his sister.
"Present for you!" Then Judith produced the small gift I had procured for her brother and allowed her to hold during the ride. Carl's favorite—a bottle of Five Hour Energy.
The boy's eye lit up, turning to me. "Oh, my God. No way. Where did you get this?"
I shrugged, bashful.
Carl took the bottle from Judith, with a humored smirk flashing across his lips. "Fine, keep your secrets."
"Sing? Now?" Judith cut in with her demand. "Sing?!"
"We sang all the way here." I informed him, remembering how much of a nuisance it was to the rest in the vehicle but it kept the toddler occupied and that's what mattered as she was not fond of car rides.
Judith nodded as Carl took her into his arms, sliding her onto his hip and letting his free hand find mine. The rough, callous surface was so familiar and calming, I eased against his touch despite it being so public. "We sang!" She shrilled, mouth close to his ear. Fortunately, Carl had a high tolerance for his sister and didn't seem all too annoyed.
"Let's hear it." He said as we began making our way to the house.
"Alright. One... Two... Three..." I led us in and let Judith take over, her sweet, little voice crooning the lyrics broken and lispy. Barely audible, but still true to the tune.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..." She paused a moment before gaining a small amount of courage to continue, suddenly embarrassed despite screeching the words earlier. "You make me happy..." She stopped, burying her face into Carl's flannel.
I was about to tell her that she didn't have to finish when someone continued for her.
"...When skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you." His voice was low and, like most of his qualities, admirable. His former cheerful expression was replaced with a harder, more thoughtful one. "So don't take my sunshine away."
"Good, bubby!" Judith cheered him, clapping her hands.
We made it onto the porch and he set Judith down, letting her skip back and forth between us as we leaned against the railing. She grabbed my hand and used my lone pinky to twirl around on. She didn't care that it was the one that was missing fingers, just like she didn't care about Carl's face. She loved us just the way we were, she couldn't remember us how we were before anyways. Same goes with the world as it is. This beaten down chunk of smoking earth we dwelled upon was the only home she would ever know.
I had this overwhelming feeling, a rush of warmth flooding my head and my senses, because suddenly I was in Carl's arms with his lips brushing against mine in a soft hello. I realized I was the one who initiated it, which was an extremely odd thing for me to do, especially on the porch where anyone could see. But I let myself linger, nuzzling into him. His hand lifted, caressing my shoulder blade with gentle fingers, trailing them along my spine.
"What was that for?" Carl questioned breathlessly once we pulled away.
I could only really shrug in response. Gazing up to meet his careful watch. His features had completely softened, making my heart hammer against my ribs, wanting to be close to him. "I'm just happy." I can not remember the last time I had felt this way, I wanted to cling to it. To let this little golden moment of joy continue.
"Look, El. I need to talk to you."
"About?" Anxiety set in. God, why couldn't I have one, just one, nice reunion with this boy.
"The fight."
I picked at some of the white paint that was starting to peel away from the wood. "Well, you're alive aren't you?"
"Sasha didn't make it."
I shut my eyes tight, thinking of the woman who took care of me from my time at Woodbury and had always been a warm hand on my back when I needed her. I had been so caught up with everything that I couldn't even presently remember the last thing I had said to her. "Did he do it?"
"We don't know. Whatever happened I don't think she was in any pain. The only mark on her body was the bullet that put her down."
Tears welled in my eyes despite my efforts to hold them back, a silent testament to the overwhelming grief that threatened to consume me. It felt as though I was trapped in a never-ending cycle of loss and despair, each new tragedy serving as a painful reminder of my own mortality.
I couldn't shake the feeling that I was cursed, doomed to watch helplessly as those I cared about were torn away from me one by one. The weight of their absence pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket, threatening to smother me in its suffocating embrace.
I closed my eyes, willing the tears to stop, but they continued to flow unabated, each one a silent testament to the pain that consumed me. Who would be next to fall victim to the cruel hand of fate? And why couldn't it have been me instead?
He took my chin in his palm, gently turning my face towards his. "I had to kill some people. I didn't want to... But... El, I'm sorry." His eye didn't leave mine, while the words weighed heavy he always had a way of telling it like it was. He released my face, breathing out deeply as he bit his lip. Guilt. "I'm so sorry."
"It was them or you." I whispered, letting my hand ghost over his back, feeling his sweat through his flannel. Then I did something normally I wouldn't be to keen on doing in public, I wrapped my arm around him and set my head on his shoulder as we looked out over Alexandria. "I would choose you. Every time. Over anybody."
Okay, good job. You're talking about feelings. This is a good start.
"I also smoked one of those cigarettes. Remember the truck you showed me? I've been going there every day and after the fight... I tried one out." His face twisted as he extended out his hand before us, a small burn in the shape of a perfect circle was now present on the web of skin between his thumb and pointer finger. "Accidentally tried to put it out on my hand like I've seen Daryl do, guess I deserved it since I'm such a dumbass."
"Wow, first the Five Hour Energies, now cigarettes? What's next? Crack cocaine?" I tried jesting but he still seemed so beat down. "I really shouldn't leave you alone."
"You shouldn't." He agreed, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I was in the woods earlier with my dad, we were just grabbing what we could and split up. I came across this guy asking for help. I had my gun on him, I wasn't gonna shoot or anything but he quoted something, it was like 'My mercy prevails over my wrath.' But my dad showed up and shot at him, scared him off..." Carl's arm came up around me as he spoke. "He said he could've been a Savior but if he wasn't then he hopes he survives. We could've helped the guy. Hope doesn't do shit for us right now."
"What are you saying?" I asked.
Before Carl could answer, Judith appeared at our legs with his hat in her hands. "It purple." She held it up proudly.
"That's brown, sweetheart."
"Damn it!" She shouted, causing me to share a mutual 'That's on you' glance with her brother.
"Come on, Judy." I urged, taking the accessory and setting it on Carl's raven colored curls. "Let's go see Daddy-"
"You can't." Carl interjected, adjusting the hat. "He left just before you guys got here."
"Where are them?" Judith pestered, gripping the bottom of his over-shirt, nearly hanging from it.
"Daddy went bye-bye." Carl said, lifting her up into his arms. She clung to him, suddenly terribly upset. "Don't worry, Daddy will come back. Daddy always comes back."
I stared at him, letting out an amused scoff. "Who's in charge, then?"
A ghost of a smile crossed his chapped lips. "Me."
x-x-x-x-x-x
There was something incredibly soothing about not having to sleep alone that night.
"Did you have many nightmares while I was gone?" I asked, my voice soft in the dark. I played idly with his hand, avoiding the burn that still caused him pain. Pushing back his cuticles to neaten the appearance of his nails, despite his great annoyance to it, he allowed me to do so.
"Yeah." He replied in the same hushed manner. "But I was okay once I woke up and knew you were safe at Hilltop."
"Huh?"
"The nightmares are usually about losing you. And the baby." He stared at the ceiling, silhouetting himself against the dark room. I watched his plump lips move as he spoke, his voice almost breathless. "I can't imagine anything worse."
I tucked my face into the pillow. "Well, I'm here now... Or, I guess, we're here now." Ugh. At least referring to the damn baby was getting easier.
"What did the doctor say?" I could tell he'd been waiting to ask, that he was afraid of the answer.
I tried not to stiffen, or portray that anything was wrong. "That it was what he thought it was. That one thing. I can't even remember the name of it." I lied, trying to put him at ease. "It's not even that big of a deal. Trust me. I mean, I wouldn't have come back if it were." Truthfully, I was not worried so I wasn't exactly fibbing. Plus, I was taking all the medication necessary and even the doctor didn't seem apprehensive so there was no point in making Carl anxious. "You know what he said? I'm about four months along. That's almost halfway."
"Shit." Carl responded, the last half had enough surprise in it to make the former less worrisome. "We still need to tell my dad. Just—Shit, really?Halfway through—"
"—We are not telling your dad." I immediately argued. "Not anytime soon, at least, okay? He is, like, the last person I want to tell."
"You can't hide it forever."
"I mean, I can sure try."
He smiled a little. "El, you know, when I held you earlier... You were heavy."
"Oh, my God. You did not just say that." I sat up, feigning offense.
He reached for my shoulder, pulling me back towards him. "I mean, you're not exactly showing you just look-"
"What? Like I'm getting fat?"
"No! No." He quickly covered. "Just gaining weight in a... Healthy way."
I scoffed. "Nice save. The last thing I feel right now is healthy. I look like shit today."
"That's not true." He countered, as if he was about to say something very sweet and loving. "You look like shit everyday.
Despite my best efforts to suppress it, a laugh bubbled up from deep within me, breaking through the heavy atmosphere like a ray of sunshine piercing the clouds. It was absurd, really, how even in the darkest of moments, Carl had a knack for lifting my spirits.
Our dynamic had always been laced with a healthy dose of banter and teasing, a shield we used to ward off the more vulnerable emotions lurking just beneath the surface. It was easier to hide behind sarcasm and jests than to delve into the murky waters of sentimentality and affection.
Rolling my eyes, I tucked myself closer to him. "Then we both agree that you're the pretty one."
"Pretty?" He echoed the word with distaste. "Which side of my face?"
"Both sides."
He pulled his face away from the pillow, sitting up on an elbow to lean over me. "You want to know what I thought the first time I saw you?"
"'Jesus Christ, they just let anyone in here'?"
The corner of his mouth perked up at my mimicry of his past self, revealing a charming dimple, as he lightly shook his head. "That you were this little deer caught in the headlights, all I could see was your eyes and your eyes saw me. My little heart almost fell out of my chest, I forgot what words were, I forgot how to breathe."
"Yet you glared and walked away." I teased, feeling once more like we were the young children he spoke of. Who poked fun and chided as a charade of just simply wanting to speak and be close to one another. How simple our relationship had been then, if only they could see us now. What would they think?
"What's a thirteen year old boy to do? It wasn't like I would walk up and introduce myself."
I rolled my eyes. "I mean, you could have. You just didn't want to."
His face flushed slightly. "You made me nervous."
I laughed once more. "Is that why you barely wanted to be around me?"
"No, the exact opposite. I wanted to be around you. I wanted to be alone with you."
"Ugh. Have you always been such a horn-dog? I'm surprised you didn't get me pregnant sooner."
"Right? Imagine if I did, though. And the baby were already here. She would sleep right here with us-"
"He."
"He." Carl repeated to appease me. "And my dad and Michonne would already know, already have beaten the shit out of me-"
"-They would not beat the shit out of you."
Carl shrugged. "Oh, come on. You know they definitely would, but in the world where that's already happened and you would have already gone through popping him out and wouldn't feel like a bag of bricks anymore. He would be right here, in my arms. God. I remember how it felt to hold Judith for the first time. Can you even imagine how it's gonna feel to hold our own baby?"
No. I couldn't. I was afraid to. But here Carl was. Fantasizing about our future with the baby. Excited. Hopeful. How the next few months would feel like forever to wait, just to hold his son. How Carl deserved to be a father. He deserved to have a life. He deserved to be loved fiercely and admired devotedly by a child in his image.
I could see Carl holding the small blue eyed boy close to him. Handing down the legendary hat. Two of a kind, birds of a feather.
But not myself. I could not see a baby in my arms. The idea horrified me.
"I can't imagine it." I whispered. "I don't want to. Let's not talk about this anymore."
"El..."
Raising my gaze to meet his, I found his countenance unexpectedly tender and unguarded, a fleeting glimpse into the depths of vulnerability that resided within him. A smile graced the edges of his lips, radiating warmth as he gently brushed aside a stray lock of hair that had fallen across my face. His gesture held a silent reverence, as if he marveled at the mere notion of having me within his reach.
"We're going to be alright, El." His fingers traced down my jaw, to the pendant of the necklace nestled between my collarbones, a gentle gesture. "You believe me?"
"Like I have another option?" I reached up to meet my hands to his.
"I missed you." He whispered, his voice deep and wondrous. How the way he spoke, said simple things, could make me sigh into submission. "I love you, you're my girl, you know that?"
That knowledge resonated within me, an undeniable truth that had woven its way into the fabric of my being. I belonged to him, in a way that transcended mere words or labels. It felt as though I had always been his, bound to him from the instant our gazes locked, ensnared by an invisible thread of fate. From the first light of dawn to the fading whispers of night, Carl occupied every corner of my thoughts. Even in the sanctuary of my dreams, his presence lingered.
He missed me. He loved me. I was his.
I want to love you back. I just don't know how.
I tried though, I pressed a kiss against his cheek.
"Aw, come on." He pouted, which earned him a peck on the nose. "You're teasing me. That's just cruel."
"And you left me at Hilltop with all those weirdos. That's cruel."
"You survived." He reached up in an attempt to meet our lips but I dodged it. "Hey, you're here with me now. Let's enjoy our few moments together before Judith crawls in with us or something."
"Let's enjoy our few moments before your dad and Michonne find out and you won't be allowed in a ten foot radius of me." I countered, holding a hand up in defense. "Or you know, beat the shit out of you."
He groaned. "I know we have to tell them but maybe we should wait until this whole war dies down."
"What do you think of it?" I found myself asking.
"Of what?" His singular shown eyebrow pulled inward to meet the one hidden beneath the bandage.
"The 'war.'"
Carl pursed his lips, looking away. "I'm sick of unnecessary death. Of my dad being on edge constantly. No one else really has to die, you know? The world is shitty enough already, why do we have to be shitty to each other? Shouldn't we help one another? Trust is hard, I get that. But not everyone has to be an enemy. If we could all just work together we could have a real shot at, I don't know, something."
Oh, that boy. So thoughtful and inquisitive. I could see them why he had changed his mind about killing Negan. Once the curtain lifted, his vision cleared, and he thought with the future in mind, not vengeance. Carl Grimes had a big heart, one he kept well caged within his ribs, but sometimes it leaked out. It was not uncommon for him to extend a helping hand out to those close to him, but to have strangers in mind, even enemies... Maybe I was becoming the hardened one because the thought of outsiders made me wary, nearly hostile.
How our roles truly had reversed.
"Have you talked to your dad?"
"He's too wrapped up. I know how he feels. About vengeance and all. But an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
I smiled at him, surprised at his quoting. "I think Ghandi said that."
"Jesus Christ could have said it for all I care; it's true. It took me a long time to realize it but I'm glad I did." He shook his head. "God, I keep thinking about that guy in the woods. He was just hungry and all alone. If that were me I'd hope someone would come along and help me. Not shoot at my feet."
"Be glad it's not you." I wrapped my arms around him, bringing him against me tightly. After a moment I realized I was talking to the heroic, morally obligated, good guy Carl Grimes. "You're not going back out there after some stranger are you?"
He hummed his response, closing his eyes and feigning sleep. "Sorry, I can't talk anymore until you give me a kiss."
I reached up, coddling his jaw and finally met my lips to his. He lifted his hand to the back of my head, deepening the kiss in that soft, lingering way of his. I savored every second of his gentle touch, his plump pout and wandering fingers. All too soon, I pulled away, having some restraint. "Well?"
"Too tired. Ask again later." He gripped me, pulling me sturdily against his chest, flashing me a smile of pearly teeth and dimples. "One more kiss for good dreams."
I gave in, of course I did. A simple, deft kiss that held more meaning behind it than I could ever admit.
And when I turned away, in the dark, I heard Carl whisper my name: "El?"
"Yes." I answered.
"Do you still pray at night?"
"Every night." I told him.
He was quiet for a moment.
"What?" I questioned, because I felt like he had more to say.
"...Can you pray for us?" He asked finally, shifting against the sheets. "That we'll... be okay?"
I knew what it meant for him to ask this of me, given that he had always made it clear that he thought faith to be baseless and idiotic. Maybe a small part of him believed after all, even if he was doing it sparingly and through me. It made me smile a little.
"I've always prayed for that." I told him. "Always."
≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪
hi no i did not proof read i've slept exactly three hours in two days sooooo suck my ass
also i start drivers ed next week wish me luck
also probs gonna get back with my ex sooooo suck my ass over that too
update: we're back together lol
update: we're engaged lol
update: we got married lol
update: had a baby lol
love all my little hoe readers y'all are my cinnamon apples
xoxo
ur bitch
ed-boi
ps next chapter is the last one (not counting epilogue..... yeeeets to the sun)
edit: thanks ai, i know u try and that's what matters but lowkey #notmyel love to see them happy tho :) for now :)
(this one is prob my fav ai image EVER)