Going_North_cal

Hadley turned from the campfire, glancing towards the treeline for a second. She did a double-take, noticing a flash of blond peeking out from behind one of the trees.

“Hadley?” Everett asked, turning towards her.

Chills crept up Hadley’s spine as she turned towards Everett.

Except she found herself looking at Jaeger.

She turned back to the forest. Turner crept out from behind the tree.

“Really?” He asked, sounding so broken, “You still chose him? After what he did to me?”

“No..” Hadley whispered, her breathing speeding up, “No, it’s not him.”

She turned back to Jaeger. “Hadley,” He said, a grim smile on his face, “He was in my way. You must understand, I did it for you, of course.”

“No, you didn’t, you wanted the throne,” She said, and she turned to look back at Turner.

He was suddenly right in front of her. She jumped back, landing on her bottom.

“Look what he did to me!” Turner shouted, gesturing to his chest, his white tunic slowly growing more red with blood that spread outward from the center.

Hadley screamed.

People slowly came into view around her. Those she’d killed, in exchange for info on Jaeger from Ludwig.

They whispered. Insults, questions, but most simply stared. They glared at her.

Stared into her soul, drawing forth such guilt, Hadley found it difficult to think of anything else.

It threatened to consume her.

She couldn’t breathe. She screamed again, scrambling back further. Jaeger stood, walking over to her.

“Get away from me!” She screamed, swatting at him.

“You can’t escape me,” He said, “I’ll always be near you.”

Then he faded, replaced by a very concerned looking Everett. Everyone else around her faded as well. Everett grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her. His hands were tense, tight.

“Hadley!” He shouted, “Snap out of it!”

“Everett,” She said, voice breaking, “Everett.”

She began to cry, breathing heavily.

Everett took her into his arms as she sobbed.

“Whatever you saw,” He said softly, “It wasn’t real. Whoever was there, they aren’t there. I won’t let them ever come near you.”

Hadley just cried into his shoulder.

“I let him die,” She whispered, “I watched him die.”

“Who?”

“Turner,” She said, her voice muffled by Everett’s shirt, “I watched him die, witnessed his murder. Why must he haunt me?”

“It’s all in your head, Hadley,” Everett said, his arms tightening slightly.

Hadley made a noncommittal sound of agreement.

Everett held her. Her breathing slowed.

Everett didn’t let go.

Not for a while.

When he finally did, he looked at Hadley, studying her face.

“Doing a bit better?” He asked, brushing some of her hair out of her face.

She nodded. “I’m sorry,” She mumbled.

“Don’t be,” Everett said, giving her another hug, “It happens.”

Hadley took a deep, shaky breath, allowing herself to, for the moment, feel loved.

Everett looked over his shoulder at Hadley, pressing a finger to his lips.

He turned forward, and slowly crept across the forest floor. He crept up behind a fallen tree trunk, and looked over it.

Hadley crept up next to him, peeking over as well.

“What’re we looking at?” She loudly whispered, a mischievous smile dancing across her face.

Everett clapped a hand over her mouth instinctively. “Do you not know what,” He said, then made the shush motion with his finger again, “Means?”

Hadley shook her head. Everett frowned. Hadley raised an eyebrow. Everett made the motion again, more emphatically, then peeked back over the log, removing his hand from over Hadley’s mouth. 

“But seriously,” Hadley said, “What’re we looking at?”

Everett pointed. “That.”

Hadley squinted. The moonlight wasn’t as bright as she’d like it to be: The canopy above was rather thick, but she could faintly make out a large silhouette, a few yards away.

“Know what that is?” Everett asked, leaning a bit closer. Hadley became acutely aware of the light warmth coming off his skin.

“No…” She said.

“That’s the biggest buck I’ve ever seen,” He said, eyes alight with wonder.

“Are we gonna kill it?” Hadley asked.

Everett looked at her and blinked.

“...No?” She asked.

Everett turned back to looking at the silhouette. “How can you see that far?” Hadley asked, “It’s so dark out.”

“I’ve got good night vision,” Everett said simply.

Hadley frowned. “It is a very pretty silhouette,” She said.

Everett grinned.

“Yes,” He said, “It is.”

He sat back against the log, facing the way they’d come, and sighed, looking up at the canopy.

Hadley sat next to him.

“Something on your mind?” She asked simply, looking at him with wide eyes.

Everett turned to look at her. “Do you ever not read emotions so well?”

Hadley grinned, “Yes,” She said, “Occasionally.”

Everett looked at her for a second.

“You’re lying,” He said softly, “I can tell.”

“Oh, can you?” Hadley asked.

Everett just looked at her.

Hadley felt red slowly creeping up into her cheeks.

“What’re you looking at me like that for?” She asked.

“Just admiring another pretty silhouette,” He said quietly, and rather quickly. It was glaringly obvious he was incredibly nervous.

The red in Hadley’s cheeks blazed to crimson.

She was suddenly both very aware of all the little details in Everett’s face, as well being very grateful that little light was getting through the thick canopy above them.

“Was there… a reason you brought us out here?” She asked.

“Yes,” Everett said, eyes darting down to her lips and then back up again, “I just have a simple question.”

Hadley raised an eyebrow, her heart rate reaching a nervous crescendo.
“And it is…” She said, gesturing with her hand for him to continue.

“Do you have feelings for anybody?”

Hadley blinked, slightly taken aback. Slowly, she said, “Yes…”

“Is it… me?” Everett asked, a small grin spreading across his face, his wheat colored eyes gleaming in the subtle moonlight.

By the stars, he was cute.

“No…” Hadley said, eyes darting to the side.

Everett grinned wider, and leaned in a bit.

“You’re lying,” He whispered, “I can tell.” Then he pressed his lips to Hadley’s, only for a second, before backing away slightly.

Hadley blinked, then grabbed Everett by the shirt, dragging him into another kiss.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, as if he would never let go.

She fell into him, not ever wanting to break off this kiss.

But, as a human, she had to breathe. Air was rather important.

So, it broke off.

“That was… absolutely adorable,” Hadley said, “You dork.”

Everett laughed, peeking over the trunk. “He’s looking our way,” He said.

“And you’re not looking my way,” Hadley said, pulling him down into another kiss.

Everett leaned closer into this kiss, hands roaming down to Hadley’s hips, dragging her closer, as if she was still too far. Hadley held his face, kissing him deeply.

They broke off, looking at each other.

“You’re prettier than any buck,” Everett said, and Hadley realized how she’d longed to hear words like those from him.

“We’d better get back,” She whispered, “Wouldn’t want to get in trouble too much.”

“We’ll still have to keep up appearances,” Everett said, “You’ll still have to be an… enemy.”

“You’ll know I don’t mean it,” She said, looking at him, “Not one bit.”

With that, they stood, and walked back towards camp.

IMG_5573.mov

okay this movie was a wild, wild ride, and absolutely incredible i loved every damn second it was so good.

the music, the animation, the voice acting, the story, it was all amazing.

i can’t even- oh my gosh it was awesome.

everything with gwen and miles is adorable, that shoulder touch scene was just “awwww.”

miles getting sent to the wrong universe at the end… didn’t see that coming at all.

im just “YES.”