Pedro Pascal Imagines

Tarnish pt2

You worked the last bit of hay into the hanger in the stall, pushing and pulling to make sure there was enough sticking through the horses could get ahold of it. This was your last stall before heading on to the pigs, a hay hook in hand. Shimmer and her mother neighed happily when they noticed their new supply of food. You gave the two of them a gentle pat, running your fingers over their fur.

"We have company!" Maria hollered from outside the barn. You huffed out a sigh, running your fingers through the mares tail. It wasn't always your favorite when they let newbies into the commune, it was always a big deal. The residents hushed whispers of gossip as they followed the new ones around like weirdos. It added unneeded stress when having to teach new people how to be farm hands, the only responsibility you never wanted to share.

"Be out in a second!" You watched your footing as you walked out of the stall, locking it up behind you. You just traded wool you recently sheared for these boots, the last thing you wanted was to ruin them stepping in horse shit.

The hay hook clicked against your leg as you walked, the metal dinging against the spurs of your boots. That's the one nice thing about this community. Your southerner pride as a born and raised Texan was celebrated here, and no one was too highbrow to indulge in a little country outfitting.

"This is our resident farm hand. The one job we place someone in charge of. She's got more than twenty years of experience. Our livestock is extremely important to the survival of our commune, so we need top of the line care for our animals." You heard her introduction as you walked from the barn, eyes kept on the snowy ground. You had turned around without looking up, closing and locking the barn door behind you.

"Sheep, horses, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, a few resident barn cats, and our patrol dogs. She's in charge of it all." You looked up to Maria who had a proud smile on her face.

"Here's our guests," She started.

Before she could even utter the name of her first introduction the world stopped. The cold winter air made your lungs freeze up and your ears begin to ring. The hay hook fell from your hand, making a noise when it fell against the ice frozen underneath the freshly fallen snow.

"Oh my god." The words were barely above a whisper, shock seizing your vocal cords. Your eyes immediately pricking with tears when your gaze fell over him.

A man you hadn't seen in almost fifteen years.

He took s few steps forward before you dashed to him, colliding your bodies in an embrace.

"Oh my god." You both cried, Joel choking back a cough as he tried not to sob.

"Oh my god. You're alive. Joel. Oh my god." Your world was spinning with shock, anxiety, sadness, and happiness all at the same time.

"Hey hey, you're alright. I'm here baby." His hands roamed around your back quickly, looking for a place to grab on. A place to hold to know that you were real. You let out broken sobs into his shoulder as he held the back of your head.

"Joel." You cried again breathlessly.

He swayed with you softly, sniffling. You didn't want to pull apart, the fear that once you let go of him he would disappear into thin air.

"You're alright baby." He pressed a kiss to the side of your head. You finally pulled apart, getting a good look at his face. His beard had began to pepper, grays running through his mustache matching his hair. It's golden brown turned to a dusty color, grays taking over most of his locks. It still looked as soft as it did twenty years ago.

You lifted your hands to his face, holding on to his cheeks. His eyes closed softly, a single tear slipping down.

"I thought I'd lost you. I thought Id never find you again. I searched for months. I promise I looked for you and I never gave up." His voice was quiet, he struggled to get a fresh breath in to his choked up lungs.