casualdarings
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He doesn’t know why he does it, says, “Let me,” and gestures for her to turn around. He thinks she’ll wave him off, tell him not to worry, that she can do it herself.
But she doesn’t.
She turns around so her back is to him, and he takes a step closer, reaching up to grab onto her braid, slowly sliding the hair tie off.
He puts it on his wrist, next to the one he already has on, and the plait almost falls apart on its own, but he can’t help putting his hands in her hair, undoing the braid and running his fingers through the strands gently.
“There you go,” he says quietly once her hair is loose around her shoulders.
She sighs and leans into him, her back against his chest, and tilts her head to rest on his shoulder.
Bookmarked by casualdarings
20 Apr 2026
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Life has occasioned to kick Jack Abbot in the teeth more times than he can count. More times than he has fingers, more times than the five toes he lost or the five toes he still has. He keeps this in mind when Samira Mohan emails him asking permission to submit the article they co-authored two summers ago, Efficacy and Complications of Intracardiac Pigtail Catheterization in the Emergency Room Setting, to present at a conference in Philadelphia.
He has not seen her for almost two years. It took six months for him to get her new phone number, and another six months after that to convince her that he really meant it when he said that he wanted to keep in touch.
Bookmarked by casualdarings
19 Apr 2026
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Next of Kin by ketchupchipsaregross
Fandoms: The Last of Us (TV), The Last of Us (Video Games)
07 Jun 2025
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“Wow,” Ellie breathed, her face turned up to the triceratops skeleton, “It’s super big.”
“His name is Cliff,” Tess read off from the plaque, “He’s 65 million years old.”
“That’s not as old as sharks,” She said.
“Not quite,” She agreed, “But it’s still cool.”
Ellie nodded, still transfixed, “Super mega cool.”
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(gender equality dictates that sometimes Tess has to be the semi-unwilling foster parent)Bookmarked by casualdarings
16 Apr 2026
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littlest digit, you've got the world by the handle by ketchupchipsaregross for Bumblepony
Fandoms: The Last of Us (TV), The Last of Us (Video Games)
03 Oct 2024
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“There’s my baby,” Sarah bent to scoop Ellie up. She smushed her cheek with a kiss that had Ellie trying to push her face away, “Did Dad say Happy Birthday yet?” She gave him a pointed look and he turned back to the stove, dunking the next piece of bread in the egg mixture and setting it in the pan.
“No,” Ellie said, though he was pretty sure it was just to hear her own voice.
“How could he?” Sarah gasped. She flipped Ellie around and held her out to him. Ellie’s legs kicked in the open air, “Dad, say happy birthday.”
Joel rolled his eyes but wiped his hands on a kitchen towel before accepting her and dotting kisses all over her face. Her cheeks were sticky from the banana she’d already eaten, “Happy birthday, baby girl.”
(or ellie turns one surrounded by family)
Series
- Part 1 of Bitty Ellie, she's living her best life
Bookmarked by casualdarings
16 Apr 2026
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the sun’s probably shining in wyoming by marchflower for Arien
Fandoms: The Last of Us (Video Games), The Last of Us (TV)
27 Aug 2024
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“I think I fucked this one up today,” she admits, and Joel sighs, tips his head back. Shame unspools like a ribbon of clotted silk in his stomach.
“Reckon neither of us are winnin’ any awards for today,” he says. Tess’s hand tightens over his. His throat feels sharp and hot, clogged up with all the shame from all the things he can’t fix, all the things he’s gotta to sit back and watch his girls shoulder on their own: injuries and heartbreak and the unmitigated woes of growing up, the fierce and terrible pain of motherhood.
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Tess lives. She and Joel build a life in Jackson. A day in each season over the course of a year.
Inspired by this prompt, submitted by Arien: “Tess lives, and they all make it to Jackson together.”
Fulfills the prompt “Changing Seasons” for the Good Things Happen Bingo Challenge.
Series
- Part 2 of Good Things Happen Bingo
- Language:
- English
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Bookmarked by casualdarings
16 Apr 2026