You Ask A Lot Of Goddamn Questions.

❝ you ask a lot of goddamn questions. ❞

last of us (show) starters

★ — He knows he's annoying him ( it's not difficult to tell ), knows that's Michael's way of telling him to shut the hell up without directly saying it. Most kids would listen, maybe even feel intimidated into apologizing before falling hush. Gregory isn't most kids.

Instead, he breathes a half - laugh, glancing over at the man with a smile that's not quite shit - eating but isn't anything sheepish either.

"Yeah, I do!"

Said perfectly pleasantly, as if he isn't intentionally pushing buttons. It might be smarter to not antagonize one of the only people ( if not the only real person ) looking out for him, but he can't help it.

" But you're kinda avoiding a lot of them."

❝ you have no idea what loss is. ❞ hey :)

last of us (show) starters

★ — ".... are you fucking serious?!"

A hissed whisper that slips out under his breath before Gregory can stop himself. He half expected it to set Michael off again, but the room remains eerily silent for the few seconds as the tension settles between them.

It feels like a slap in the face. Like Gregory can't breathe — like he's suddenly back in the mall where he was bit ( where this all began ) and his world is crumbling around him but he's expected to stand up and keep going like nothing is wrong. His feelings don't matter, what he wants doesn't matter, but he matters, he matters, he matters, this will all be worth something in the end and there is no choice.

"There's not a single person left who cares about me! You're all I fucking have!"

His voice raises to a shout, unable to keep the tremble out of it. Eyes are wide, filled with disbelief and hurt and glossy with the tears he refuses to let fall. He won't cry, he won't cry, not here, not in front of him, not right now. Instead, Gregory steps forward and shoves Michael as hard as he can manage. A small outlet for all the anger he feels bubbling beneath the surface.

"Don't you dare tell me I'd be safer with someone else, because we both know I'd just be more scared!"

an atom’s way of looking at itself,

its own way of making people disappear. With the lights out, it’s less dangerous— I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

— Shelley Puhak, from "portrait of the twentieth century as a plagiarist: a cento," Harbinger

@bravevolunteer asked: ‘ boo ’ for a scared starter 💀💀 / * mini starter call

★ — Gregory can't breathe. There's debris and smoke clouding his lungs despite how rapidly his panic causes them to inflate, every inhale leaving him gasping for another. It hurts, and that only makes him more scared. His limbs are trembling ; adrenaline has allowed him to push himself to his limits throughout the night, but now that they've stepped foot outside the building itself it seems as though its finally starting to fail him. There's nothing but fear left in its wake, something thats eaten its way into his very core.

There was never time to be afraid, but he was so fucking afraid.

They're safe now, the three of them — Gregory, Freddy, and Michael, just outside the pizzaplex. The building itself hasn't fully collapsed into the sinkhole, though it's certainly not safe to venture too far in. The fire must be slowly spreading, as it can't quite be seen through the front doors.

"Th-there — there was something — the basement, Michael."

Because Michael hadn't seen. It had been only Gregory and Freddy down there. He shakes his head, the motion almost violent in the way it jerks his whole frame as his arms move to wrap around himself almost protectively. There's tears pricking in the corners of his eyes. God, he can't breathe.

"S-something was down th-there, it — it tried to take Freddy, I — I think it's — y'know, the others — they aren't normally. But it ... it looked l-like a rabbit suit, but not — not like Vanny."

❝ i’m trying to keep you alive. ❞

last of us (show) starters

★ — Gregory's expression scrunches up almost instantaneously, disguising the way he rolls his eyes as a quick glance around their surroundings. It's not that he's not appreciative ; the night guard ( supposed night guard, at least, gegroy's still not sure on that one ) had earned his ( tentative ) trust for the time being. But ——.

"I'm not helpless, y'know. I was doing just fine before I found you."

He'd been hunted, chased, and just a few seconds too late to make it safely outside the pizzaplex, but still! It had been mostly fine, especially with Freddy around.

"You can't just stick me in a corner and expect me to stay until morning. I can help with — whatever it is you're doing here."