ᖭི༏ᖫྀ 🌿🏹

━ CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN ...
' the path, part. 2 '

THE COLD BIT THROUGH HER CLOTHES THE MOMENT SHE STEPPED OUTSIDE, THE THIN JACKET SHE THREW OVER HERSELF DOING LITTLE TO STOP the wind from crawling down her spine. Everything felt muted—quiet in a way that wasn't peaceful, but expectant. Like something was about to snap.

(Y/N) hadn't spoken much the last few days. She'd barely slept. What sleep did come was broken, jagged. She was fraying, and she knew it—snapping at anyone who tried to reason with her, crying too often to pretend she was strong anymore.

The grief was a dull blade being dragged across her soul, and the only way to stop it was to find the people who had done this.

Dina walked beside her in silence, their boots crunching over the brittle frost lining the wooden porch. The chill had dyed both their cheeks pink, but (Y/N) barely noticed.

   Her jaw was tight, breath puffing visibly in the cold air, arms crossed tightly against her chest like she was trying to hold herself together.

She hadn't wanted to bring Dina at first, but Dina insisted. Said she wasn't about to let her go alone when she looked like she was about to detonate. (Y/N) hadn't argued.

They spotted Tommy near the edge of the paddock behind the stables, his broad back turned as he ran a hand over the side of one of the horses. He was bundled in his old coat, gloves covering his hands, every inch of him taut with that familiar weight he'd carried since the incident. Since Joel.

He didn't look up when they approached—not until (Y/N) spoke, her voice rough and too loud in the brittle air.

  "You know why I wanna talk, Tommy. I have a plan, and names. So why the fuck are we still here?"

Tommy stiffened. Slowly, he turned. His face was worn. Paler than usual. And haunted. There were deep lines under his eyes and in the corners of his mouth that hadn't been there before. It made him look older than he was. Grief had a way of hollowing people out in places no one could see.

He sat down on the bench inside the cow paddock, and eyed the young woman warily, "(Y/N)... you shouldn't be out here." His voice was soft, parental like that made her face scrunch, "You should be resting right now. And even so, I gotta think about this plan of yours."

"Think about what?" She snapped, stepping closer. Her fists were clenched at her sides, "I don't care what shape I'm in, Tommy. I know who did it. Let's find them and get these guys. And don't give me that 'it ain't that simple' crap, because it is that simple."

Tommy exhaled, shaking his head as he glanced to Dina, then back to her, "Even if I agree to this, you're not in any shape to go after anyone. Not to mention the town is still recovering just like how you are."

Dina tried to intervene, but (Y/N) was quicker and spoke over her loudly, "That's not your choice," She scowled, stepping close enough now that only the table separated them, "They nearly killed Joel, Tommy. They almost killed Ellie. And I watched all of it. I—" Her voice broke, rage twisting into something more raw, "I watched them beat him within an inch of his life, and I couldn't do anything."

Tommy's jaw clenched, emotion flickering behind his eyes. He looked away, unable to stand the words and expression on her face. She reminded him more and more of Joel, and he knew why the two were so good for each other. He always saw that.

She wasn't done however, "If it had been you, Joel would be halfway to Seattle before the sun came up. You don't get to keep me caged while they're out there breathing."

"He'd be halfway to Seattle to save my life." He snapped back, but there was no force behind it, his eyes focused on the animals in front of them, "But when we lost people, no. It would just break him like it was his fault. I saw that time and time again. I'm not keeping you caged either, kid." His voice grew tight, "I'm keeping you alive. Something he would want."

She laughed bitterly, a sound that didn't carry any humor, "I don't feel alive. How do you expect me to feel that way?" She clenched her jaw, bottom lip starting to quiver, "This isn't about being rational or healing or whatever else people keep telling me to do. This is about justice. Or revenge. I don't care what you call it."

Tommy finally looked at her, something heavy and dark sitting in his eyes, "Don't talk to me like I didn't know him. He was my brother." His words trailed out, creating a tense silence between them two.

(Y/N) flinched. It felt like a slap to the face hearing what he said. But that soon turned into rage again, and her face scrunched up staring down at Tommy with wide, fierce eyes, "Then you should be the first to agree with me that this needs to be done."

"Listen, I'm not sayin' you shouldn't do this." His voice cracked, and he swallowed the lump in his throat, "But if we're gonna put a posse together, we gotta do it right, which means taking it to Maria. I'm not gonna let you throw yourself into hell, not like this without doing it right."

"I am in hell," She whispered tightly, eyes glistening, "Every day since that night, I've been in it. I wake up and I see him. I see Ellie's blood on the floor. I hear myself screaming. And I remember how it felt to be dragged away while he was still calling out. Joel is barely hanging on. Ellie's scarred and limping. And I can't close my eyes without hearing him scream. I was supposed to protect them, Tommy. And I failed."

Tommy looked away, his eyes reddening. His shoulders sank under the weight of it all. He knew how she felt all too well, he's been there for every screaming episode she has had, he shared that pain with her.

    He found his voice eventually, "Maria is gonna want a council meeting, open it up to the town. Everyone who wants to get heard gets heard."

She blinked the angry tears away, swallowing down the ache rising in her throat, "I'm going," She said suddenly, making Tommy raise up from the seat with a frown.

  "I'm going," She repeated, firmer this time, "You can either help me prepare, or I'll do it alone. You seriously think the people of this town will help right now? They won't, not if they've got their own families to look after, Tommy."

Tommy exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his face, "Just give me time to talk with Maria, and the council." He tells her, placing the gloves in his pants back pocket before his exhausted gaze landed on her, "After that, you'll have your answer."

"I'll wait," She muttered firmly, and nodded her head in agreement, as she fiddled with the dog tag under her jacket -- something that brought her comfort after what happened, "But not a day longer."

He looked at her for a long moment—his eyes tired, sunken, but filled with something she couldn't quite place. And then, slowly, his arms opened, "Come here," He said again, softer this time.

She didn't move at first. She stood frozen, every muscle tense. But then she stepped forward. And when his arms wrapped around her, she broke.

(Y/N) collapsed into his chest with a choked sob, her hands gripping the back of his coat like a lifeline. He held her tight, like a brother should, like Joel would've wanted. If anything ever happened to him, Joel made Tommy promise to be there for his girls. And he was doing just that.

She shook against him, the weeks of agony spilling out in gasps and muffled cries. Her heart thudded against his, frantic, and he held her like she was the only thing keeping him together too, "I miss him," She gasped, fingers digging into his back. "I miss him so much it hurts."

"I know darlin'," Tommy whispered, eyes closed, his own throat tight, "Me too."

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THE DAY OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HAD ARRIVED, AND MOST OF THE TOWN'S PEOPLE WERE INSIDE THE HALL . Most of the time it was boring, and the stuff being said wasn't needed to be said nor did some have any importance to the current issue the town was facing. The room was quiet, but the atmosphere was tense as ever as each person spoke.

Currently, someone was speaking about whatever issue they wanted to address to the council, and it almost sent (Y/N) into a nap from how boring it was, but Dina kept pinching her side so she wouldn't drift off before her time to speak.

Her hair was loose so it framed her face more, and her fringe was all over the place also, but that was probably from her fingers running through it all the time. She wore one of Joel's flannel's and had a black tank shirt underneath, his watch on her wrist like usual now.

"Kill me, kill me, kill me..." She muttered rapidly under her breath at the zombie like speech still happening, and Dina snorted to herself hearing the comment, both of them sat together in the rows of people on chairs.

It was Tommy who stopped the male from his ranting, "Scott, I'm sorry, but we gotta keep you on target here." His voice was loud from his spot next to Maria, saying what the council and everyone else in the room thought.

"But it's an open meeting. The bylaws say that--"

"Maybe we should stick to what everyone else came here to discuss." Maria swiftly interrupted the male, tone sharp like how her eyes were trained on Scott, her annoyance rising also with how off track the male was speaking.

"I don't really have an opinion on the Seattle thing." Scott now became a bit sheepish, his eyes avoiding the (H/C) haired girl in the crowd who shot him a scowling look, everyone fearful of the walking time bomb of emotions.

Maria had a tight lipped smile on, and nodded her head at the blonde male, "Thank you." She says just as he went to sit back down, "So, that was Scott." She crossed his name off the list, and read off who was next, "Next is Rachel."

The said woman stood up next, and carried her crying child in her arms against her hip, "Yeah, Joel meant so much to many of us, as did Ellie." She began to speak, but handed her child over to her husband so the crowd could hear her better.

(Y/N) groaned to herself annoyed, leg bouncing up and down rapidly as she sinks further into her seat, watching Rachel stand up on the couch at the back of the room like she owned the place.

"But they weren't the only one. I lost my sister that day. A lot of people in here buried family." Rachel continued her speech, which caused Dina to place a hand on (Y/N)'s arm to calm her down seeing clench in her jaw, "And now, you wanna send, what, you're saying 16 of our best? Well, while they're gone, who's gonna be on the wall if the Raiders come? A wall that's barely mended. And none of you up there can promises us all 16 will come back. So, my heart is with you, (Y/N) and Tommy. We are too hurt, and it is too soon."

The Williams girl had to bite her tongue from yelling something, or causing a scene. She knew it wouldn't get her anywhere if she did, and the warning glance from Tommy up front made her stand down also. Rachel's words got her thinking, but it still wasn't going to stop her. Nothing would.

Rachel sat back down when it was Carlisle's turn, and the same thing happened again. No one wanted to help, and she knew it would turn out that way. She knew not many would be on the same page as her, and she couldn't blame them for that, but it didn't stop the rage she felt hearing the crap Carlisle was saying.

"Forgive and be forgiven. No grudges. No revenge." Were some of Carlisle's words, and it gained an eye roll from (Y/N), who dug her nails into her palms to control her emotions, "And I'm not even a Christian. I've always seen the wisdom in that. That's what separates us from the Raiders and the murderers. Our capacity for mercy."

My mercy prevails over my wrath, she thought to herself. That was something she went by also, something she truly believed in, but not this time. Not when it had to do with Ellie and Joel, the two most important people to her. That saying meant nothing to her.

It shocked her when Seth suddenly spoke up from cross her in his chair, "Those sons of bitches don't deserve our mercy."

His words caused the crowd to begin murmuring, as (Y/N) tilted her head back towards him and shared a look with Dina, who was just as surprised as she was. Out of everyone, they both least expected him to say something on the matter.

"Well, of course they don't deserve it. That's what makes it mercy--"

"Well, to hell with that. And to hell with you for saying that, Carlisle." Seth spoke over the male loudly, and stood up with his walking cane in hand, as Maria tried to stop him but Seth didn't care, "What the hell are we talking about here? Boo-hoo, it's not fair. What, we gotta forgive everybody when they show up and piss in our eye? They came into our house. They took two, not just one of ours. My God, somebody shoots your brother, you wanna take the locks of your doors? Grow up!"

No one said a thing as his speech continued, and (Y/N) didn't hide her smirk as she watched the male impressed standing up to everyone. She was glad someone was trying to talk some sense into the town's people, because if she did, someone was going to end up in the hospital most likely and it wouldn't be her.

"You idiots, they'll come back. They'll come back because we didn't make 'em pay! And when they come back, they'll be laughing." His eyes trailed over everyone in the room, until he landed on the council and his voice dropped from his yelling, "And you'll all deserve it. Bunch of goddamn victims."

Maria watched as Seth back down, and then scanned the murmuring crowd before her. Her fingers tapped the wood once, then again, before her voice rang out clear over the silence, "Our next speaker... (Y/N)."

Heads turned as she stood up. Dina, seated beside her, reached up and gave her hand a soft squeeze. (Y/N) didn't look down. She just nodded, jaw tight, heart hammering in her chest like a war drum.

She didn't feel fear. Not anymore. Just rage. And grief.

She stepped down the aisle with purpose, every bootstep echoing loud against the hardwood. As she reached the front, Tommy gave her a single head nod of reassurance. (Y/N) stood before everyone, steadying herself. All eyes were on her, but she didn't care.

She drew a breath, sharp and cold, and began to speak, "I'm not here to win anyone over." Her voice was raw but steady. Commanding. Unflinching, "I'm not here to ask for permission. And I'm not here to beg for your help."

Her (E/C) eyes scanned the crowd—faces of friends, strangers, even people she'd experienced birthdays with. Some looked concerned. Some uncertain. A few wouldn't meet her eyes. She didn't care.

"I'm here to tell you what was taken from me. From all of us." Her voice caught only slightly. She swallowed the ache.

"Joel Miller. The man who helped build this town. Who protected it with his bare hands. Who gave everything to people who didn't even know how to thank him for it." Her jaw clenched, "He's lying in a hospital bed—broken. Beaten. And still fighting for his life."

She heard a few murmurs ripple through the crowd. She continued, "My sister, Ellie—she bled out next to him. She was a heartbeat away from never waking up. A kid. A kid, who's survived more than most of you ever will. And someone decided that she didn't deserve to live."

(Y/N)'s fists trembled against the wood. She let the silence linger before leaning in slightly, "This wasn't an accident. This wasn't just some raid. They didn't come here for supplies or shelter. They came for blood. And they left like cowards. They hunted Joel down like a dog. They did it in front of me. They made me watch."

Her voice cracked on that last word—but she didn't stop, "They wanted him to suffer. They wanted to take everything from him."

A silence settled again. Thick. Suffocating.

She could feel the crowd shifting. Whispers growing behind cupped hands. But still, no one spoke. Not yet.

"So, I don't care if any of you think it's 'not the Jackson way.' I don't care if you think it's dangerous, or messy, or if it might bring more violence down on our heads." She raised her chin, "They drew first blood. And you don't get to walk away after doing what they did."

(Y/N)'s voice lowered, laced with something colder now—steel beneath the sorrow, "I'm going after them. I'm going to hunt them down. One by one. And I will not stop until every single one of them are dead."

A few gasps rippled through the crowd. Maria, and Tommy, still sat behind her, said nothing—but both their eyes were fixed sharply on (Y/N), his arms crossed unlike how Maria's were placed on the table.

(Y/N) paused, her breath hitching in her throat, "I know some of you think revenge is pointless. That it won't bring Joel back. Or fix what's broken. Maybe you're right."

She looked down for a second, fingers curling around her exposed dog tag. Her voice dropped, soft—but still unwavering, "But I can't sit here and do nothing. I can't look Joel in the eye if he wakes up and tell him we let them go. I can't face Ellie and pretend justice was ever going to find them on its own. It won't."

She lifted her gaze once more. Unapologetic. Fierce, "So if you want to help, good. I could use people who still have fire in their veins. But if not?" She let the words hang, then nodded slowly, "Then get the fuck out of my way."

Silence. For a few heartbeats, the only sound was the quiet flickering of the fire. Until more murmurs. A few stunned faces. But a flicker of movement near the front—a man slowly stood, nodding once. Then another. Then two more by the back wall.

Tommy remained in his seat beside Maria who he shared a look with, his jaw tight, expression unreadable. But his eyes—his eyes burned with pride and pain.

"The council will now vote on the proposal to send a party of 16 citizens to Seattle." Maria spoke in her authority tone once (Y/N) had finished, the young woman walking back to her seat and sat back down, "to find the people who put two of our people on their death beds and execute them."

(Y/N) sat back in her chair beside Dina, arms crossed tightly over her chest, teeth digging into the inside of her cheek. Her jaw was locked to keep herself from shaking.

Her eyes flicked up toward the long table at the front—eleven council members seated in a row, all of them older, cautious, careful. Cowards, she thought.

When the voting was done, it was time to read out the votes. Annabeth was the one who had to do this, and began unfolding the papers one by one, "Yes. No. Yes. No. No. Yes. No. No--"

She didn't need to know the rest of the answers, she knew enough that her proposal wasn't going to be backed by everyone on the council. The only one's on her side were Tommy, Maria, and Jesse, that's it.

"The vote is eight to three. The proposal is rejected."

She didn't feel her breath leave her lungs. She didn't even feel her heartbeat anymore. Just numbness. A deep, growing void expanding beneath her sternum.

  (Y/N) stood. She didn't say anything. She didn't yell. She didn't scream, even though the pressure in her throat begged her to. The worried eyes of Tommy followed her figure as she moved to walk out of the room silently, Dina right behind her.

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THE LOW HUM OF THE OLD LANTERN HANGING FROM THE CEILING FILLED THE GARAGE WITH A SOFT GLOW, CASTING SHADOWS over the scattered gear and weapons strewn across the bed. (Y/N) sat cross-legged on the mattress, her fingers working silently and steadily over Joel's handgun.

She'd cleaned it three times already, but the motion calmed her—or, at least, kept her thoughts from spiraling too far into the ache that pressed against her ribs.

The pack at the foot of the bed was filled—extra rations, ammo, spare clothing, medical supplies Dina had listed out for her two days ago when the plan first started forming. Everything was ready.

Everything except her.

She paused, the cloth frozen against the cold metal of the gun. Her thumb traced along the familiar worn grip, her chest tightening.

A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts.

(Y/N)'s brow furrowed. It was nearly midnight. No one should've been up, let alone knocking. She quickly slipped the weapon under her belt and approached the door with measured steps.

She opened it—and froze. Her mouth parted slightly in shock, "Ellie?"

There she was—her sister—wrapped in her patched-up winter coat, a satchel over her shoulder, backpack strapped tight against her frame. Bandages peeked out from beneath her sleeves, and a large one was plastered over her forehead.

    She looked pale, thinner than usual, but steady... resolute. Right behind her stood Dina, similarly packed and quiet.

"Wha—what the hell are you doing?" (Y/N) whispered, eyes flicking between them, "You shouldn't be up. Ellie, you're still healing. You're—"

"I'm fine," Ellie cut in, firm, though her voice still rasped with exhaustion, "Healing, yeah. But I'm fine."

(Y/N) shook her head, stepping out into the doorway, "No. No way. You're not coming. And Dina, I—"

"We're not asking for your permission," Dina stated calmly but firmly, and raised her brows up knowingly, "You're not doing this alone. Not in the state you're in."

"I'm fine," The older woman echoed, almost defensively and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the door hinge frowning.

    "No," Ellie said softly, stepping forward. "You're not."

(Y/N) blinked, and her breath hitched. She looked down, her jaw tight, but didn't speak.

Ellie continued, "They hurt Joel. They hurt us. You're not the only one who lost something that day, or who wants to make it right. So I'm coming. We always do things together. That's what you always said. Nothing should change that now."

Dina stepped in again, her voice lower, gentle, "You're strong, (Y/N), but that strength comes from leaning on people too. Let us come with you. Let us help carry this weight also."

(Y/N) inhaled slowly, her chest tight. The tears didn't fall—but her eyes burned, "I don't want to lose either of you," She admitted, voice hoarse, cracking under the heaviness of the moment.

Ellie's face softened, and she gently took her sister trembling hand in her gloved hand, giving it a squeeze, "You won't. We're not stupid. We'll be smart. Careful. But we're doing this with you. No one's letting you go down this road by yourself."

A long pause stretched between the three of them in the quiet garage, only the sound of wind rattling the windowpanes and the soft creaking of the building around them.

Then finally—(Y/N) nodded, "Okay," she breathed, defeat and love mingling in her voice, "Okay."

Dina offered a small, warm smile and stepped forward beside Ellie to squeeze her arm, "We leave at three a.m. Meet us by the old east gate. I've got the route mapped out. And.... you still have time."

"Time for what?" The older Williams girl asked, even though the answer was already forming in the back of her mind.

"To go see him."

The name wasn't spoken. It didn't have to be. (Y/N) stiffened, her breath catching in her throat. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. They all knew she hadn't gone yet. Hadn't been able to.

Ellie leaned in and pressed a quick, firm kiss to her cheek, then slung her pack higher on her shoulder, "We'll meet you there," She said, turning toward the door.

Dina followed, but not before glancing back once more, "Don't be late," She added gently. Then they disappeared into the cold night, boots crunching softly on frost-covered ground.

(Y/N) stood still in the doorway for a long moment, letting the silence settle around her. Then, with a shuddering breath, she turned back inside, grabbed her coat, and reached for the one place she'd been avoiding since the beginning.

Joel's hospital room. And this time, she was going to face it.

Her boots crunched softly beneath her, the cold wind biting at her cheeks. The world felt frozen—held in a delicate, suffocating stillness that mirrored the weight in her chest.

She clutched the front of her coat tighter with one hand, the other brushing against the cold metal of Joel's old handgun at her hip. Her breath fogged in the air, a rhythmic puff with every step as the clinic came into view—the building half-lit and silent.

Her heart thundered in her ears the closer she got.

The door creaked softly as she pushed it open, and the smell of antiseptic and faint lavender—Maria's doing, probably—greeted her. A nurse sat at the front desk, but didn't speak, only offered her a gentle nod of recognition. They knew where she was going. Everyone did.

The hall leading to Joel's room felt endless.

Each step echoed in the sterile space, her mind flooded with memories: Joel's laughter in the kitchen, his hands in the soil of the garden out back, the warmth of his arms wrapped around her waist on cold mornings. And now... this.

She stopped outside his room, her hand hovering over the handle. Her chest rose and fell with the weight of the moment, and she finally pushed the door open.

Dim lighting filled the space—soft and golden from the lamp in the corner. The bed was in the center, lined with machines that beeped in steady intervals. The man lying there barely resembled the Joel she remembered from that night—the last night.

Bruises marred the side of his face, and his beard had grown uneven and unkempt. His hand, once calloused and steady, lay limp by his side, wrapped in gauze. Wires disappeared under his hospital gown, the machines keeping track of every flicker of life inside him.

He looked... small. Too still. Too quiet.

Her throat tightened. "Hey, my love." She whispered, stepping closer, trying to keep her voice steady.

The soft beep of the heart monitor was the only reply.

She sank slowly into the chair beside the bed and stared at him. She didn't know how long she sat like that—watching the subtle rise and fall of his chest, drinking in every detail of him as though she were afraid he'd slip away the moment she blinked.

Eventually, she reached beneath her coat and pulled the dog tag necklace from around her neck.

The metal was warm from her skin. Her fingers trembled as she held it in her hands, tracing the engraved faded letters— the very one's he was trying to fix for her. He'd worn it for years when he grabbed it back when he saved her from the Fireflies. He never said why, not outright, but she knew. And now, she needed to give it back.

She stood and leaned over him, her breath catching.

With careful fingers, she lifted his head slightly, fingers tangling in his curly locks and slid the chain around his neck. The dog tag settled against his chest with a soft clink, and she smoothed the sheet gently over it.

"There," She whispered, brushing her knuckles against his cheek, " I have a part of you, and you have a part of me. It's yours. Always was."

She stepped back and glanced down at her own wrist—his broken watch secured tightly with its worn leather strap. The glass was cracked, but she knew why. She'd never take it off, not until she found the people who did this.

Her hand hovered over his chest for a long moment, then pressed down gently, right over where the dog tag lay, "I'm going after them," She murmured, tears pricking the corners of her eyes, "No matter what it takes. I'm gonna make them pay for what they did to you... to Ellie."

Her voice shook, but she forced herself to keep going, "I wish I could stay. I wish I didn't have to do this... but you know I have to. You know I need to."

Joel didn't move. Didn't speak. But she imagined he heard her—somewhere deep inside, she felt it.

She brushed her lips gently over his forehead, her tears spilling freely now down her cheeks, "You come back to me, alright? You wake up. You fight... just like you always told me to."

Her hand found his, limp and lifeless in her palm. She gave it a squeeze, just one, before letting it go. Sniffling, she stepped back toward the door and wiped her face with her sleeve. She paused once more, her hand on the handle, then turned back to him one final time.

"I love you, Joel." She said softly, voice barely above a whisper, "I'll be back, I promise."

And then she left—back into the night, into the cold, with the weight of her vow heavy in her heart and the broken watch feeling heavier against her wrist.

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❪ ✏️ ❫ 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 : 5102
─►☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE :
hello gang im sorry for the lack of updates, it was my bday yesterday so i decided not to write but i still managed to write something once that was over for you all. i also realised i didn't want my fic to be finished at the same time as the tv show because then i will miss that and my fic all together and i don't want that, at least now yet 💔

as you all can see pookie joel is in fact alive but not exactly in the best shape right now but don't worry i have stuff planned that i think you all will love very much when i write it. also heads up, this fic is gonna get pretty dark soon with the path of revenge y/n is on.... yeah she's gonna go through it fr

also the gorgeous new and updated banner is made by my girl eternityei <33 ugh its so stunning i could cry like it basically shows y/n's look also throughout this season and the next 😩

anywayss you all know the drill, vote,
comment, ect as it does help me to stay motivated <33💋