#[sorry not sorry i'm feeling rusty cause i haven't written in like a week so i'm shamelessly using your responses to get it flowing again

[doetic]

What Lingers - Dark!Edward Cullen x F!Reader (18+)

Plot: Edward Cullen doesn't know how to handle his crush on the new clerk at his favourite book store. Warnings: NSFW, Dark/yandere Edward, unhealthy obsessive thoughts, sexual thoughts (Edward descends into being a bit of a weirdo perv), Edward gets himself off Word count: 2436 Part 2 (coming soon, send in reqs/ideas!)

A/N: My first fic on this account! I haven't written in a while so I may be a little rusty, please bare with me! I didn't have much time to fully proofread this because I just wanted to get it out, so it may be a little awkward and have some mistakes, sorry! If you like this, feel free to send in requests for a part 2 (I'm thinking of writing it in in reader's pov?) or just any requests in general!

At first, Edward Cullen had thought he was dying. His throat had tightened more than he had thought possible, his mouth dried of all venom, he suddenly couldn't remember how to fake the motions of breathing, and despite knowing that it was impossible for his heart to do anything, he couldn't decide if his heart was being squeezed by some otherworldly force, or was kickstarted into a rapid beating that reverberated throughout his body and sounded in his ears like a drum. He quickly ran through his knowledge of vampiric bodies and health, but came up with nothing that could explain what was happening to him, nothing that could clarify why the mere sight of you had elicited such a visceral reaction from him.

Initially, you didn't seem like anyone particularly special. From your thoughts he discovered you were a writer, daydreaming about the draft you were working on as you were leaned against the wooden book store counter, head lazily rested upon your right hand while the left absently drew shapes onto the antique surface. Occasionally, the thought of your cat would interrupt your brainstorming daydream. A chubby orange tabby that was intelligent in all the wrong things and stupid in the rest, who seemed to cause you endless trouble. You were worried he had turned on the tap to drink from it again, an irksome habit he had that often ran up your water bill as he didn't know how to turn it off. None of your thoughts seemed to stick out to him as something of importance, but admittedly being present in your mind brought him a sense of peace he hadn't felt before. With shy hesitation he would even admit to himself that it somehow felt endearing.

Edward did have to give you credit, you certainly were beautiful by human standards. However, after spending decades around Rosalie and other vampires that had been blessed with an unnatural level of beauty made you seem more mundane to him than you would have appeared to a regular human. The more he thought about it though, the more he found he liked that about you. The pimple that lay just underneath your cheekbone, the natural reddish flush to your lips from a functioning circulatory system, the slight frizz to your hair, the rhythmic sound of air being pushed in and out of your body, and the oh so human eyes that looked up from the desk and met his. You were imperfect, flawed, starkly different from himself who had been biologically engineered to be irresistibly perfect from the first bite Carlisle inflicted upon him. You were intoxicating. Suddenly, Edward understood.

"Oh- Uhm- Sorry- Ah!" You jolted up, quickly shifting from your relaxed lean into a stiff, well postured, standing position as you tripped over your words. Edward could hear your heartbeat speed up. With your thoughts a current incoherent jumble, he was left to wondering if it was out of shock from his presence, or a flustered reaction to his appearance.

You cleared your throat, "Y/n. Hi. I work here now, just moved into town a week ago. Can I help you with anything?" A smile appeared on your face, but one that seemed to come from a place of general kindness (and a little embarrassment), rather than the normal customer service mask people put on. It was a scene Edward wished could wrap around his whole body, holding him tenderly in a sea of gentle warmth.

Thousands of replies appeared in his head, things he could say to charm you, things that could make you swoon, words that could make you laugh (a sound he was certain would be an imperfect crackling melody he would play on repeat in his mind), but when he opened his mouth, none of the above came out.

"Machiavelli." Edward wanted to disintegrate into the floor. He was supposed to start off with a smooth line to make you want to talk to him more, not the first author to appear in his head. Who even randomly thinks of Machiavelli anyways? "Sorry, I'm Edward Cullen. My family was the newest ones in town until a week ago I suppose. I'm looking for anything you might have by Machiavelli." He recovered, playing it safe but still flashing you a dazzling smile that always seemed to charm those who saw it.

You looked away from him. He tried not to clench his fists in frustration. He decided that he enjoyed when you looked at him, he liked looking at the many flecks of different hues and shades that made up your irises. So sweetly imperfect.

"Machiavelli..." You pondered, a finger pressing itself into the plush, slightly chapped surface of your lips. You were running through the layout of the store in your mind, trying to remember where it would be located. Edward felt a little bad for wasting your time, he knew the book store's layout in and out. He didn't actually ever come here to buy anything (although he did so quite often to ensure it would stay in business), but rather the usually empty store was a haven for him where he could pretend to be human again while escaping the constant barrage of other beings private thoughts.

"Okay! I think I remember where it would be, follow me!" You looked back at him with a smile. You didn't have to tell him twice, he would stay on your tail as long as you would let him (and perhaps even longer after that, if he was being honest with himself), your presence being a strawberry scented sirens song that he couldn't seem to want to pull himself away from.

"Of course, lead the way," Edward spoke with a slight grin, finding the words ironic. In reality it was him, the covert apex predator of the animal kingdom, who would be herding you like a sheep wherever he wished.

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

As he stared at your phone number in his hands, the sheet of paper growing softer and more fragile while he toyed with it, Edward Cullen tried to decide that he hated you. It wasn't your fault at all, you had been nothing but perfectly pleasant and kind to him while he was in your presence, but instead it was his own.

You were kind, sweet, caring, imperfect. Those traits flowed through your veins, they even wafted in the air around you, pulling people close to you. After his first slip up with his words, everything between you two went exactly as he wished it would, and your feelings of curiosity towards him combined with the innately biological pull to his honeypot of inhuman beauty led to him getting your phone number. Everything went perfectly in his favour, and that was the problem.

Out of his family it was Rosalie who resented humans the most, and Jasper who kept the most distance from them, but even though he didn't fall at the extreme end of the spectrum, Edward wasn't a big fan of them either. He looked down on them as weaker life forms, sheep disgustingly careless around wolves, a sentiment he was smart enough to know came from a place of jealousy and sorrow, but still not something he harbored enough strength to get over and befriend one... that was until he saw you.

You made him selfish. His hand trembled as the ten endearingly messily inked numbered stared back at him tauntingly. You made him selfish and he hated you and he had to stop being around you. Something about you, your simplicity, your messiness, every imperfect mannerism that overflowed with life drew him in. Edward couldn't deny his nature when you clouded his senses with envy and awe. It was like the scorpion and the frog, Hades and Persephone. He was a hunter designed to lure you into false security before inevitably striking. He knew he couldn't be pure around you, you were a lamb and himself a lion, not a domesticated dog and cat. Biology and the food chain would triumph over his wishes soon enough, he would be an idiot to not know it.

But even so, a voice in his mind nagged at him, making him weak at the knees with bliss at the thought of giving into it. Hadn't he earned the right to be a little selfish? Aside from his rebellious stage, Edward had been so so perfect, a word he grew more sick of by the day. A word that seemed to wrap itself around his throat and tighten oh so slowly as time went on, now an unbearable pressure he was sure could snap his neck. You were everything he wasn't, everything he needed, you were ambrosia while he was on his deathbed. Could he really be faulted for just a sip?

Of course he didn't mean that literally. Although he knew that being close to you would surely end up with his lips stained crimson with blood and sin, there were ways around it. A junkie always finds a way.

Edward Cullen entered your number into his phone, staring at the blank space for him to type in a message for what felt like an eternity before turning it off completely. It wouldn't be the same to communicate digitally. He wanted you in person, laid bare in front of him, your thoughts not even kept private. He wanted to worship you softly, to expose himself to you fully, for his need and adoration for all that you are as an imperfect, truly human, life filled being. And as his thoughts delved deeper into all that you were, his thoughts took on a double meaning.

Edward had never done this before. He knew he was repressed, he was a religious boy from a much more conservative time that had long passed, and he was fine with that. But, he deserved to be selfish. He had never truly indulged himself, who could blame him for what he was about to do? Especially when it was your fault, you were making him imperfect as well.

His porcelain hand brought the now fragile sheet of paper to his nose, and as he breathed deeply he deluded himself into believing a trace of your aura still lingered on it. His hand hesitantly trailed down to his crotch, his fingers lightly touching the bulge through the fabric of his khakis. The foreign sensation made him let out a small whine that he quickly stifled by biting his lip. He was home alone, his family gone to visit the Denali's for a few days during the schools spring break, but it wasn't because he feared being heard that he stopped himself from making noise, but rather a nagging feeling of shame that faded more and more into the background as he slowly rubbed his bulge harder and faster.

He wondered if God was watching him as he undid his pants, pulling down his boxer-briefs with a hesitancy that seemed to flow away the more he melted into the nagging desire to indulge. If he was being watched, Edward decided God had no right to be angry. It was he who decided to put the most tempting creature in the world right where Edward would meet her, he should have known this would happen. Edward wasn't to blame, he was doing what any person would have done in his situation, and what was life anyways without indulgence?

With another deep inhale, Edward grew more confident. Using his leaking tip as lubricant, he began to quickly stroke his length. There was no point in taking things slowly, he had spent his whole life pent up and teased, why would he do it to himself?

Edward thought of what you would do to him. Your deep pink tongue licking from his balls to his tip, your utterly indecent and irresistible eyes, oh so filled with life, gazing up at him tenderly. The thought made him let out a small groan he couldn't stifle in time. Edward thought of how your skin would feel under his touch, smooth and warm with the occasional blemish. He wanted to slowly run his hand up your bare thigh, watching you squirm with need as he showed you just a fraction of what his life was like.

His hand moved faster and faster and he thought of earlier that day, the way you stumbled upon your words when you first saw him. He decided he would coax you into talking during intimacy, wanting to see how you tripped and fumbled the words of praise for him that would flow out of your mouth as he showed you that drinking blood wasn't the only thing his mouth was good for. He would be a bit clumsy in the beginning, but that would be okay for you, wouldn't it? You don't demand perfection, you're soaked in the opposite, and that is perfect to him.

One more inhale had his brain melt, his hand speeding up as much as he can take as he wonders if he'll be your first too. Surely he will be. If this experience taught him anything, it would be that you were made for him, and as he had never felt this pull to anyone else before, he was inclined to believe he was made for you too. He let out a growl as he thought about someone else laying a hand on you, deciding he should just claim you when the opportunity arises, painting your skin with his-

His loud moans turned to heavy pants, not from lack of air that he doesn't need, but from the intensity of what he had just done. The white liquid flowed down his tip and fist, and a sense of freedom rushed over him. He wasn't bad for this, he was doing what anyone else would do. You were rubbing off on him after just one interaction, making him oh so perfectly imperfect.

He grabbed a tissue from the box that had been placed on the table beside his couch for show, and wiped himself off, tossing the soiled tissue into the trash. His eyes went to his phone, which he turned on with a soft click. He felt better about everything, about himself, about you. What was life without indulgence?

Hello, It's Edward Cullen from the book store. Would you like to get coffee together soon?

He smiled to himself after typing out and sending his message, his hand bringing the piece of paper to his nose one last time, craving your essence, not wanting to miss even a hint of what lingers.

[thebabysittertm]

ㅤBilly was absolutely right about exactly what question Steve was asking - did he need more to be safe for others? The thing was that right then, Steve also wouldn't have been upset if Billy had answered that he wanted more, and that was part of the danger of the bite for him. He fell into that comfort and relaxation, the pleasure of it, far too easily, especially now that he'd gotten used to it and just let it happen. He probably should have made it a point to fight Billy on it more, but his own lycanthropy was teaching him to let go when it was a losing battle and enduring would be the least painful route.

ㅤWould he have been pissed if Billy had kept going just because he wanted to? Debatable, and certainly dependent on how far Billy had gone. If it had felt like taking advantage, he'd have something to say about it, but it was all foggy enough that as long as Billy didn't go overboard and was kind to him in the process, he'd have waved it off. Having the excuse of the bite making everything feel warm and floaty and good made it easier to just lean into what felt nice.

ㅤThe honesty wasn't unexpected, but it wasn't exactly expected, either, because open communication hadn't ever really been how they operated, especially Billy, who always seemed to be holding his cards close lest someone else get an upper hand. If Steve had been in his right mind, he might not have known what to do with the honesty, like it might actually be a trick somehow, or blow up in his face, but Steve was in his wrong mind (as Billy had put it), and that made it surprisingly easy to to just go right along with the simple request.

ㅤReally, staying a little right where he was didn't seem like a big deal. He was warm and Billy was a little warmer (with Steve's blood), and it made sense that Billy would want to share in some warmth and the sense of Steve being alive right there. What Billy hadn't put together yet and Steve (again) thought he must have noticed was that Steve was warmer than other humans because he wasn't human anymore and werewolves apparently ran hot. If Billy wanted body heat, Steve had it to offer.

ㅤHe adjusted for comfort as Billy tugged him in closer without waiting for him to actually agree, not that he was putting up a fuss, either, and they ended up pretty wrapped up in each other by the time they'd both finished slotting in against bodies that had been at war a year before and wrapping arms up where they fit best to hold on. "Yeah, I'll stay," he agreed softly, not that there had been a question right then. All that seemed appropriate in the moment was a nice nap, curled up nice and warm and not alone, for once. The siren song of companionship had slid into the back of his mind without him realizing it as Billy didn't bully-flirt with him this time.

ㅤMaybe there was something to that 'nice and sweet' thing, after all.

　Does he need more? No. Billy would be able to suffice just fine with what he had and his normal hunting of easy-to-catch animals around. He would be no risk to anyone around him. Does he want more? Yes. It's so easy to cross that line of greed and selfishness but this was a rare and unique opportunity that was rewarding in its own way. He cannot piss Steve off 'cause he maybe took further liberties when Steve wasn't able to fully fight him off 'cause his mind was so cloudy with what Billy was doing to him. Tempting to bite him again but he already knows what Steve is like in his right mind. He also really likes Steve in his wrong mind too.

He would like to keep Steve there. And he's already formulating any plan to convince the other to not go just yet. If only charming him worked like it did with everyone else. The consequences of being caught would probably diminish any trust they might have built 'cause Billy hasn't killed him yet and besides being overbearing and pushy, he's been relatively good mannered all things considered.

"I don't need any more." He says, "But I want to convince you to stay a little. You're warm." As if that was the only reason. There were many. None of which Billy wished to divulge to Steve. He's regretting not taking his time. Something he would ensure he did later on to draw this out a little longer so Steve would be there longer, the euphoria the other offered prolonged minutes more.

"Warm, soft, and alive," Billy adds to the list. He might add he smells good too but he wasn't sure that would be taken as a compliment. Aside from that, he's pretty too. Far-fetched and had a different vibe from when Billy had been obsessed as a human to giving Steve a hard time 'cause he had no other way to interact with him. Billy still opted to metaphorically tug Steve's pigtails here and there. He was probably morally obligated to be a lot nicer to Steve after sharing his blood with Billy, right? "Stay right here." And he tugs him closer not quite waiting on his answer, leaving little room for refusal, and closing his own arms around Steve's body with a small sigh. He'd like to blame it on the endorphins but it was probably more to do with Billy than any chemical response to having Steve close.

[leewritesstuff]

Lose You To Love Me |Tom Holland x Reader

Paring: Tom Holland x Reader

Summary: Losing someone hurts, but knowing that things get better, feels fine. You were dating Tom but feels as if you guys were slowly drifting away

Song: Lose You To Love Me

Masterlist

This is my first Tom Holland works, it's a little rusty since I haven't written something that isn't anime for a while.

You promised the world and I fell for it I put you first and you adored it Set fires to my forest And you let it burn Sang off-key in my chorus 'Cause it wasn't yours

Having an on-and-off relationship was difficult. Especially when the relationship was a secret. You wanted to come out and be public but Tom didn't. The excuses were 'They will attack you' or 'I'm just not ready' but to see him posing for pictures with other models and celebrities made you feel as if you were a secret as if he was a shame.

Moving from the kitchen to sit in the living room couches, you played with his hair, feeling his soft curls between your fingers.

"Tom do you think we could go to that new cafe that opens up down the straight? I hear that they sell amazing cupca-" Without looking up from his phone, he replies with "I would love to but I don't want anyone spotting us" "Well that's fine if they do, don't you think it's time that they know?" "I just want us to keep some stuff to ourselves, ya know?" Letting out a sigh, you leaned your body off of his, grabbed the remote to turn on the tv.

I saw the signs and I ignored it Rose-colored glasses all distorted Set fire to my purpose And I let it burn You got off on the hurtin' When it wasn't yours, yeah

"Who the fuck is her huh?! Is that why you can't hang out? Or why you're always so late? You never have time to spend with me, heck you don't even say sorry for missing out on our planned dates!" "For fucking sake Y/N! Not everything is about you! I told you I was running late because I was at a party for work! You of all people are supposed to know that!" "I wouldn't be feeling this way if people weren't taking pictures of you and that model! Friends don't act that way! You don't see me acting that way with Harrison!"

"I swear it's like you're my fucking mother. I'm a grown-ass man, I can do whatever the hell I want! Stop bitching every fucking time!"

You looked at him in shock, still trying to register the words he used on you. Some fans have been speculating that you and Tom were dating but that was quickly debunked when a few pictures of Tom and another model were 'rumored' to be dating.

At first the rumors didn't bother you. It was for an upcoming movie, but after a while of countless photos of them together, it started to make you feel a type of way, jealously, insecure.

You didn't exactly notice that your relationship was falling apart, only feeling the distance. You nodded your head at him, "Alright"

He watched you, anger from the fight filling up his veins. He was tired of having the same fight with you every time a picture of him and a girl gets posted.

He walked over to you and grabbed your hands, holding them tightly, "Look, I'm not cheating okay? You know how the paps get when they see something like a good story. I love you, and only you okay? You just have to trust me"

You leaned into his touch, hugging him back. Still not feeling secure but decides to ignore it.

He never did say sorry to those planned dates.

We'd always go into it blindly I needed to lose you to find me This dancing was killing me softly I needed to hate you to love me, yeah

After the incident that happens two weeks ago, nothing was the same. The relationship started getting more toxic, one of you would be yelling at the other or mentally abusing eachotherTom started coming home late and was spending more time outside than with you. He wasn't even home for your anniversary, instead, he chose to go to a pub. You tried to get Harrison to speak to him, but he would always come back at you, yelling at you for dragging his friend into his.

So you decided to go to the pub he was in.

You called up your best friend and got yourself ready. You didn't expect the pub to be so filled, but then again clubbing was never really your thing. Music blazing, the smell of alcohol in the air. bodies rolling on each other. Your friend asks you if you were fine then heads straight to the dance floor.

You head to the bar and asked the bartender for a drink. After receiving your drink you sat on one of the stools and drink it, looking around to see if your boyfriend was around.

Finishing the drink and not seeing him, you were starting to feel bad for doubting him, getting ready to leave, you got up but when you do, you saw someone who looks like Tom grinding into a blonde girl.Confusion written on your face. You walk up closer to get a good look, surprised, shock, and anger running through your veins.

You watched as he grinds his hips into her, feeling her up with his hands. It made you sick. Disgusted. What made you feel even sicker was when he turned her around and held a full make-out session with her. Feeling the tears flow from your eyes, you left and tried to find your friend.

You explained to her what happen and even in her drunken state, she tried to comfort you, you both left and head home.

So much for being the only one.

To love, love, yeah To love, love, yeah To love, yeah I needed to hate you to love me, yeah

For days you felt like shit, for days you ignored his calls, for days you hated him.

You couldn't stand seeing his face, seeing how he was trying to pretend as if ntohing ever happened. It hurt you to know that he was playing his pretend role as if he was acting about how he feels about you. He tried calling but his calls were always ignored.

Tom felt as if you were slowly slipping away from him. He didn't know what he had done wrong. He thought everything was going well. He tried calling one more time, then gave up, deciding to give you your space.

To love, love, yeah To love, love, yeah To love, yeah I needed to lose you to love me

Saying hello was always easy but saying goodbye was the hardest thing to do.Trying to shove all your clothes into the suitcase, shoving his hands off so your shoulder. You watch him, feeling no emotions, just blank. Empty. Nothing.

"I never thought, you of all people would cheat on me." "What do you mean? I never-" "Oh don't lie Thomas, I saw you, a few weeks ago when you were at the club. , If our relationship wasn't good why couldn't you have said anything? I spent days, weeks trying to get you to talk to me but no. I'm not even surprised, I mean they say actors lie about their true feelings, I guess I missed the warnings huh?"

Tom watched you in shock, not expecting you to call him out on that. He didn't plan for this to happen, it was supposed to be a one-time thing but the thrill and excitement he got made him feel something. He didn't mean to hurt you, but he did. And that was something that he could never take back.

"I'm sorry.." You let out a laugh, this whole situation was funny, "Now you're sorry, for what? For missing out on dates? Coming home late? Ignoring me? Oh wait is it because you got caught cheating on me with some bimbo right?"

"Don't call her that!"

"Ha, you even protect her... I thought you were different, but I guess I was wrong"

And now the chapter is closed and done To love, love, yeah To love, love, yeah To love, yeah

Months passed, four to be exact and you have been doing better after moving out of Tom's you were able to afford an apartment for yourself which you then rented out half to your friend. You got promoted from your job and now you're working for more money.

Standing in line, to order your favorite cup of drink, someone bounced into you, knocking their drink on you.

"Watch it you asshole!" "Y/N?"

You look up and notice Tom standing in front of you, holding two cups of coffee.

"Hey, how have you been?" "I've been good, have a few acting roles coming up for a new movie. How about you? I remember you were working for a fashion store"

"I became manager, the pay is nice. If I keep it up they might move me to another firm that pays higher"

He nodded his head at you, feeling a bit proud of you," Well I'm in town for a bit, I won't be leaving until next month"

"Nice" Que the awkwardness

"Hey look, I'm sorry for how things turned out, I didn't mean for it to happen. I was kind of hoping that we could probably talk like we used to, or go to dinner or-"

"Look, Tom, no hard feelings but I'm over that. I have a life now, you started this and you can't make me forget all the pain that you caused me. I'm over that, I'm done crying and you should too."

He nodded his head, trying to hide the disappointment he's feeling, he tried to put on a smile to play it off but you know better, "Well I hope to see you again"

Grabbing your cup of coffee from the cashier, you paid her and face time. You said something which made his smile dropped as he watched you walk out.

"And now it's goodbye, it's goodbye for us"

[equisetumspn]

I decided that 15x20 never happened and wanted to give it a go at some kind of fix it. I haven't written any kind of fiction in a million years,so I'm a bit rusty.

Coda for 15x19 with a fluffy ending.

When Chuck lost his powers to Jack, they left him where he had fallen to the ground. Neither Dean nor Sam could find it in them to care about the crumpled pile of a man who used to be God. Not after everything he’d done to them, not after all the years he’d spent toying with them for his own amusement. Dean turned immediately and started to walk towards the Impala, Sam waited for Jack to catch up before they followed him.

“So, now what? What do we do?” Sam asked.

“We get them back. Everybody who Chuck poofed away, we bring them back. Eileen, Garth, Charlie, Donna, Jody and the girls, everybody else who disappeared. Jack?”

“I’ll try” Jack snapped his fingers several times, the scrunched up expression on his face showing how hard he concentrated on channelling his new powers. Dean heard a happy bark coming from the backseat.

“Hey, buddy, I missed you” he said and pulled the dog into his arms, burying his face in Miracle’s fur. A faint buzzing and a sharp intake of breath made him look up. Sam had pulled his phone from his pocket typing rapidly.

“Eileen is back! She’s okay. Thank you, Jack” Sam said without looking up from the phone still typing.

“That’s great Sammy. She coming to meet you or are we gonna go pick her up on the way back to the bunker? Cause I guess you wanna see her?”

“Yeah I. Let’s, uh let’s go get her.”

When he saw Sam’s long arms wrap around Eileen, the joy and relief radiating out of Sam made Dean smile. It was the first time since Cas had been taken by the Empty that he had been able to smile, it was small and filled with pain, but it was still a smile. He was happy for his brother but seeing him reunite with Eileen just made him ache for Cas even more. He closed his eyes and sighed as Cas’ words echoed in his mind, he wondered if there would ever come a day where he wouldn’t hear them all day and dream about them all night. He sighed again.

“What are you thinking about, Dean?” Jack had moved into the front seat of the Impala, Miracle on his lap, so that Sam and Eileen could sit next to each other in the back.

“Cas.”

“Yeah, me too. We’ll get him out. Somehow.” Jack said as Sam and Eileen climbed into the car, signing to each other.

Four days later, Dean could barely keep his eyes open as he forced himself to turn to the next page. He felt like he had searched every single book in the bunker’s library. He’d had help by the others, but Sam and Eileen had at least taken breaks. They’d gone to bed, they’d cooked in the kitchen, and they’d reminded him to eat. Hell, even Jack had taken breaks to go on walks with Miracle.

“Dean, come on, you need to sleep.”

“I’ve slept.”

“Three hours in that chair doesn’t count, besides you need to shower. You stink. And you need to drink something other than coffee. Go rest for a while.”

“Fine.” Dean grabbed the sandwich Sam had brought him and took a bite of it on the way to the shower. “But you better wake me up when I’ve had my four hours.”

Dean was dreaming of blue eyes being swallowed by black goo when Jack came storming into his room.

“Dean! Dean! We think that maybe” he didn’t have time to say more because Dean had already left the room, running to the library.

“What the hell, Sam! You were supposed to wake me up two hours ago!” Dean barked. “And what is that?” he pointed to a stone slab in Eileen’s hand.

“It’s a record of the Empty. We found it down with the other stuff we have left from Metatron.”

“Metatron! That big bag of dicks!”

“Yeah, well, at least he was good at jutting down information. Chuck must have asked him to collect all he knew about the Empty.”

“Jack, you can read it, right?”

“Yes. We think that we can use it to open a portal into the Empty if we combine it with an old spell we found in one of Rowena’s books.”

“Awesome, anyone else of our old friends needed for this? Let’s just do it.”

“Dean, from what we’ve understood, only one person can go in after him. And it can’t be Jack because we need his powers to keep the portal open.”

“I was already planning on being the one doing it. It… it has to be me, Sam.”

“Okay, I figured you’d say that. It needs to be done in a place that is significant to you, significant to Cas.”

Dean closed his eyes. A place that was significant to him and Cas? They’d been through so much together. Heaven. Hell. Purgatory. There was one place his mind kept coming back to…

“The barn.”

“Sorry?”

“The barn where me and Bobby summoned Cas after he rescued me from hell.”

When the portal slowly opened, Dean turned around for one last look before he stepped into the Empty. He saw Sam, looking tense with his arm around Eileen, and Jack, flexing his hand to open the portal more so Dean could step through it. The last thing he saw was one of the old sigils Bobby had painted before they’d first met Cas and he’d introduced himself as an Angel of the Lord.

It was dark. So very dark. Dean tried to hold his hand in front of his face, but he could not see anything, he could just sense that it was there. He had always hated that feeling. Dean pressed the button on his flashlight but it did not turn on. Neither did his phone. He supposed that things generating light didn’t work in the Empty. He pocketed his phone and threw the useless flashlight to the side. It made a weird, clanky sound when it landed. Almost like he was in an endless cavern, he thought.

“Cas?” Dean’s voice echoed and then he heard nothing at all. It was like the darkness surrounding him consumed all light and all sounds. With nothing but his intuition to guide him he picked a direction and started to walk.

Dean walked. It felt like he had walked for a week. Or it could be twenty minutes. It was hard to tell when he couldn’t rely on his senses.

Dean kept walking.

And walking.

Right as he started to fear that he would be stuck here forever, doomed to walk in the dark of the Empty for the rest of eternity, he sensed something different. It wasn’t like he could see anything, or hear anything, but everything just seemed a little bit less… compact. He picked up his speed. When the air around him went from pitch black to the deepest of grays, he started to run. He ran until he almost tripped over something on the ground. No, not something. Someone.

“Cas! Cas! Hey, Cas! Come on!”

“He can’t hear you.”

Dean turned around without letting go of Cas. “Meg.”

“I’m still not Meg. I was supposed to fall asleep when he got here. Castiel’s here and I’m not asleep. He’s the one sleeping, it’s not fair! I’m so tired!” she whined.

Dean looked down at Cas, he really did look like he was sleeping. Sleeping peacefully. Maybe he should just let him be? Dean shook that thought away as soon as it appeared, no damn it! He was going to be selfish for once in his life. There had to be a way… What if…

“Meg?” She glowered at him. “Sorry, sorry, didn’t mean to call you that. If I could help you to fall asleep, would you let us go then?”

“You’d help me? Why?”

“Because I know how much it sucks not being able to sleep. Everyone deserves to sleep.”

She looked like she was considering what he had said.

“He can’t leave as an angel” she said after a long pause. “His grace has to stay here.”

Dean didn’t hesitate. “Deal.” He pulled off his jacket and his flannel, folding them into a square and putting them on the ground. “You need a pillow if you’re gonna sleep.”

Meg-who-didn’t-want-to-be-called-Meg slowly got down and put her head on the improvised pillow. Dean looked at her and then at Cas and then at Meg again, before he bent down over Cas and carefully removed his trench coat. He put it over Meg, tucking her in.

“There. You need a blanket too. Nice and comfy, right?”

Meg nodded, actually looking comfortable.

“Now close your eyes.”

Meg closed her eyes.

“Concentrate on your breathing. In and out. Nice and slow. In and out.”

Meg’s breathing slowed down.

“Good. There you go. Just like that. In and out. In and out…” Dean’s voice turned into a quiet whisper.

“Dean?”

“Cas! Cas, you’re awake!”

“Yes, Dean. What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to grip you tight and raise you from mmmph” before he could get the rest of the sentence out, Cas had put his hands around his neck and dragged Dean towards him and pulled him into a kiss. Dean was barely aware of the darkness disappearing around them, but all of a sudden, he was back on the dusty floor of the barn. He still didn’t stop kissing Cas. There was a noise in the background of Jack closing the portal. He still didn’t stop kissing Cas. He heard Sam clear his throat somewhere close by. He still didn’t stop kissing Cas. He faintly heard Sam say to the others that maybe they should wait by the car. He still didn’t stop kissing Cas. The footsteps from Sam, Eileen, and Jack grew fainter. He still didn’t stop kissing Cas. He didn’t know if he’d ever be able to stop kissing Cas now that he finally had started to kiss him. Eventually, they had to breathe. Dean leaned his forehead against Cas’.

“I love you too, angel. Of course I love you too.”