#( cas ward — headcanon )

[clairenatural]

standing by my angel!cas endgame truth while also kicking my feet and giggling writing cute domestic human!cas post-canon fics. a woman can do both

[bugwolfsstuff]

I love going through my notes because i find whole new rare pairs and crackships

Like I have one headcanon in it where Leo met Castor (canon son of Dionysus, died in BoTL) in a psych ward and neither knew the other was a demigod (well Leo didnt know HE was a demigod at that point)

Like damn I really just wrote that

And honestly im keeping it. Its the new Caleo now. Castor would have been a lot less toxic than Calypso (plus the age gap would of been around 2 years if we assume Leo is 16)

[poisonpicked]

new fallou.t muses tag drop

[threefuckencrowsinaleatherjacket]

Sm I hope they explore more in spn (I’m only on szn 5 so idk what’s coming) is hunters in other countries and the monsters that are common there. Like, yeah we see monsters from tons of cultures but it’s mostly Christianity centric (except for that one American gods-y ep in mids5). Like do hunters in the Middle East use evil eyes instead of pentagrams? Do others use red string/red bindings to tie up monsters? What small charms ward off evil everywhere else? I just think it would be such a cool concept and also if anyone knows any fics like this pls lmk

[imaginesandbandfiction]

Triad Part 10 — Putting in the Work

A Cazriel x Reader Headcanon

Series Masterlist

A/N: This POV switching is either incredibly hot or completely unhinged, you be the judge.

Warnings: Forgive me father, for I have sinned. A lot. Smut, anal sex, crossdressing (just a little bit, as a treat), long distance sex, unprotected sex (they’re faeries. i think they take a potion for that or something), edging, slight daddy kink and dom/sub vibes

Click here to be added to the taglist so you never miss an update!

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows and happily ever afters, but you learn how to supplement each other’s magic through the bond and the boys learn to separate Az and Cas from Azriel and Cassian. Out on a mission? That’s Azriel and Cassian. But at home, or in the safety of a private, warded tent? Az and Cas start to spill their softness onto each other.

Trust and vulnerability are built in the bedroom first. It’s the easiest (and most fun) way to let your guards down, to let each other in.

Slowly but surely, that comfort starts to seep out into everyday life. It’s subtle, at first. Reassuring hand squeezes, soft smiles, quick pecks on cheeks, foreheads, lips; seeing your mates open up to each other makes the bond (and your heart) swell with love.

The first time Az calls Cas baby outside of the bedroom, you practically disintegrate.

Somewhere along the line, the edges blur a little bit. Cas will pull Az into his lap when they’re in Rhys’s office debriefing after a mission, needing to feel the beat of his mate’s heartbeat against his hand as proof that he’s still alive, or Az will send the cool, calming presence of his shadows to give Cas extra strength on the battlefield.

And tucked away in the relative privacy of a safe house, well…

“Cassian,” Az’s low growl slips through the crack beneath the door into the bathroom where Cas stands in front of the sink brushing his teeth. He pushes the door open and, toothbrush dangling out of one corner of his mouth, pokes his head out.

His face twitches with amusement at the sight of his mate’s narrowed eyes and furrowed brow; the dark brown sweater that usually pulls taught across Az’s chest sags, hanging loose in the shoulders. Cas’s face disappears for a second so he can spit his mouthful of toothpaste into the sink and then he stalks into the bedroom, crossing the distance between him and Az in long, lazy steps.

“You ruined my favorite sweater,” Az grumbles, swatting at the arms trying to snake their way around his waist.

“Sorry, baby, I couldn’t help it,” Cas responds, sending a flash of burning red magic towards his mate, tugging him back into Cas’s chest. “I missed you, and it just smelled so good…” Cas buries his face in Az’s hair, breathing that scent in.

“We’re supposed to be packing, you know,” Az murmurs, letting his body sink against the broad chest behind him. He’s in no hurry to leave, though he probably should be.

Cas trails his lips up until they’re hovering above Az’s ear.

“I know, I know. I’m worried about Y/N, too.” Cas pauses to clear his thickening throat. “I’ll finish packing—why don’t you take her down to the cafe for coffee and bring us back breakfast?” He ducks down to suck on Az’s earlobe, relishing in the way the supple flesh gives way to his teeth.

“You sure?”

“Yeah—go spend some time with our girl, make sure she feels special before we leave.”

While Cas finishes packing, Az takes you on a short walk to the nearest cafe, stopping at a flower cart to buy you a bouquet of beautiful red roses accented by baby’s breath and the most gorgeous, deep blue thistles.

When you return, Cas is seated at the kitchen table, the bags all packed and set next to the front door. The sight of them makes your stomach tighten and your mates feel a flutter of sadness tickling the bond.

Az starts setting out the food and you climb into Cas’s lap, straddling him with your flowers still cradled in your arm. His strong arms wrap around your waist, holding you steady, and you bury your face in the crook of his neck.

“Aw, did Azzie buy you some pretty flowers, baby?” he asks, running a hand up your back to thread his fingers in your hair.

“Yeah,” you mumble. “They’re red and blue to remind me of you while you’re gone.”

—

On the first morning of their mission, Az wakes up to the sound of Cassian’s grunting and heavy breathing outside the little cabin they’re staying in. He peeks out the window to see his mate running through his morning training exercises and lets a smile take over his face at the familiar sight of tanned muscles straining under pressure.

Unfortunately, Az has to get going. He can’t linger, so he trudges over to his bag and digs out some clothes. Black pants, loose-fitting white tunic, a slim-fitting Illyrian leather vest, socks and… underwear. He can’t find any underwear. Just as he’s about to stomp outside and chew out Cas for forgetting to pack such an essential article of clothing, he remembers the pocket sewn onto the front of the bag. Unzipping it reveals a brightly-colored mess of silky, lacy underthings. Your underthings.

Frustration gives way to amusement as Az’s lips curl up into a smirk. He’s a man of opportunity, so he takes the challenge presented to him. Two can play at this game. He pulls out the pair he knows Cassian loves the most and layers his clothes over them, heading outside to drop a kiss on Cas’s lips before he leaves for the day.

—

It’s late. Too late, Cassian thinks as he twirls the glass in his hand, the deep red goblin-made wine swirling against the inside. Taking a long sip, he lets the alcohol sink in, dulling his worries so you and Az don’t feel them through the bond.

He drains the liquid and gets up for a refill, settling himself back into the armchair in front of the roaring fireplace. When his cup is nearly empty again, the old, wooden door creaks open and cool shadows stream in, brushing against Cas’s skin.

Azriel toes off his boots, leaving them on the mat next to the door, and grabs the half-empty bottle of wine off the kitchen counter before crossing the room to stand in front of Cas’s chair.

Cas eyes the bottle and tugs on Az’s free hand, pulling him closer.

“Rough day?” he asks, burying his face in Az’s chest.

“You could say that,” Az says, scowling a bit as he takes a swig straight from the mouth of the bottle.

Cas hums, knowing that if Az wants to talk about it, they’ll get there eventually. For now, he’s content to settle Az in his lap, letting the Shadowsinger use him as a chair. Az leans back, wings settling against Cas’s broad chest. His head fits perfectly perched atop Cas’s shoulder. The General’s hair is falling out of its messy topknot and Az twists the stray locks in his fingers as Cas works loosening the ties that lace up the back of Az’s vest until he can slip his hands under the soft tunic beneath the leather. Az’s lips tighten to prevent the smile from breaking on his face as Cas explores the expanse of skin now available to him.

The Lord of Bloodshed takes his time, trailing his fingertips lightly up and around the base of Az’s wings. Slowly, he moves further down, halting when he feels a rough patch situated just below the dips on Az’s lower back.

Cassian doesn’t attempt to hide his shit-eating grin. Instead, he lets it split him open and tucks his chin over one of Az’s shoulders, pushing the tunic up higher so he can get a good look at the panties peeking out from the tops of Az’s trousers. Red silk, trimmed with matching lace—Cas’s favorites.

“Did you like the surprise I packed for you, baby?” Cas asks, nudging Az up with one thigh so he can slip those pants down. Az complies readily, malleable under Cas’s touch, and it melts the General’s heart. He was worried that Az would be upset or embarrassed; the few other times they’ve been alone together have been rougher. Growling and fighting for dominance as their bullheaded Illyrian genes kicked in.

Not this time, though. This time, Az nods against Cas’s shoulder as the other male cups his hands beneath Az. The panties are cheekier on you, the soft flesh of your ass spills out the sides in such a beautiful way, but they hug Az’s pert, muscular cheeks perfectly, too.

Hey, princess, I have something to show you. Are you alone? Cas asks, opening up the bond to reach out to the third member of their Triad.

You’re back home, soaking in the tub after a grueling day of work. The clinic has been overloaded with refugees from Under the Mountain, mostly women and children, mostly victims of the tensions rising within the Court of Nightmares. That’s why you aren’t with your mates—Rhys couldn’t justify pulling you away from Madja to tag along on a routine, three-day reconnaissance mission.

You shift in the tub, lifting your hips and running a hand down your stomach, sending the image through to your mates. Excitement flares up between the three of you, and your effort is rewarded with a peek through Cassian’s eyes. The sight of Azriel on display in a pair of your panties sends heat to your core and you squirm, tucking your fingers down to graze against your clit.

Enjoying the view? Cas asks, chucking to himself as he feels your arousal pulsating down the bond. You answer with another image, this time one of your finger circling your hole, distorted by the water.

Az feels his skin heating up and turns slightly to bury his face in Cas’s hair.

“Aw, baby,” Cas coos, clutching Az closer. “Feeling shy?”

“No,” Az grumbles. “‘M just tired.” It’s true; Cas can feel Az’s weight pressing down on him as the Shadowsinger lets all the tension release from his body.

“That’s okay. I’ll take care of you, Azzie. You just gotta sit there and look pretty while we put on a show for our girl. Think you can do that for me?”

Cas bumps his nose against Az’s, then presses their lips together when the other male nods his assent. While Az is distracted, Cas tugs his vest all the way off and unbuttons his tunic, letting both fall to the floor. Then he helps Az clamber off his lap, swallowing his mate’s disgruntled huff as he maneuvers them both into a standing position so he can push Az’s pants all the way down. He has to pull away to shed his own clothes, which he does in record time, and then he settles back into the chair.

He takes a moment to appreciate the view in front of him; Az’s cock bulges, straining the thin fabric encasing it. Cas hooks his fingers into the lacy waistband, rubbing his thumb over the small bow that rests just above the wet spot where Az’s tip rests trapped against his lower stomach.

Through the bond, you can see everything, and the sight of Az tucked into a pair of your panties has you dipping two fingers into the wet heat of your pussy.

Cas moves his thumb lower, pressing against the wet spot and coaxing a needy whine from Az.

“C’mere, baby,” Cas murmurs, “sit on my lap again.” Azriel obeys, turning around and lowering his ass until it rests against Cas’s bare cock. Reaching one hand down, Cas adjusts himself so his cock is pressed between the Shadowsinger’s thighs. He grabs Az’s waist and guides him into rocking back and forth, feeling the soft silk rubbing against his own rock-hard length. “That’s it, good boy, already so wet for me, aren’t you?”

Az whimpers, grinding down in search of more friction, and your walls tighten around your fingers.

Cas lets one of his hands drop down to palm Az’s clothed cock, feeling the fabric dampen even more beneath his touch. With the other, he slips beneath the silk to trace one finger around Az’s rim, slowly coaxing him open.

By this point Az is oozing precum, so it’s easy for Cassian to slide forward and collect some with his fingers, using it to help ease first one, then two, then three inside. Az squirms in Cas’s lap as his body opens up to accommodate the intrusion.

What do you think, sweetheart? Cas asks you through the bond. You think he’s ready for me?

Yes, you say, your mental voice just as breathy as it would be if you were speaking out loud. Yes, he’s ready.

Cas senses your impending orgasm and waits, curling his fingers inside Az to make him whine.

Wait, love, he coos at you. Your hand stills, obeying his orders even from halfway across Prythian, but you can’t stop your thighs from quivering with the force of holding back the waves of pleasure building up inside you.

He knows what he’s doing and relishes in the satisfaction of being able to pull you back from the edge with just two words. Making sure the link is wide open so you can see it all, he uses two fingers to pull the panties aside and spread Az open.

Why don’t you go get one of your toys, princess, Cas tells you as he sinks his cock into your shared mate. Chest heaving, you push yourself up and clamber out of the tub on shaky legs. You swipe a towel off the rack on your way back into the bedroom and toss it down before you collapse into the plush mattress. Reaching over to the nightstand, you dig around in the drawer until your hand wraps around the smooth, flesh-like material.

You give Cas a glimpse through your eyes at the dildo as you slide it between your aching lips.

Good girl, he tells you, grunting as he picks up his pace, snapping his hips to fuck up into Az in deep, punishing strokes. Back in Velaris, you increase the speed of your hand, trying to match his.

Cas’s magic is soaring, bubbling up within him as he absorbs the raw, desperate need flowing into him from his mates. He tightens his grip on Az’s hips with one hand, nails biting into the Shadowsinger’s flesh just above the hem of his panties. The other slips around front to slide down Az’s abs and settles with a flat palm pressing against the soaking, silk-covered bulge.

“Fuck, you’re both so wet for me, aren’t you?” He moans, squeezing Az’s length. Az bucks up, grinding against Cas’s touch in sloppy, desperate circles.

“Please, Cas, I need to—“ Az whines, moving one foot up to the edge of the chair to use as leverage, to get into the exact right position where he can feel Cas’s dickpressing against his prostate and Cas’s hand pressing against his cock, the delicious friction of damp fabric against sensitive skin…

Please, Cassie, you echo, shoving the dildo up until it bottoms out, your thumb pressing against your clit in just the right way…

Cas is close to bursting, but he pushes through the desire tugging all of the blood away from his head and into his cock. He pushes through the red hot flames circling his groin from the inside out enough to snarl, “Cum for me,” offering sweet release to his mates. The loves of his life.

He watches through your eyes as your pussy flutters around the dark pink toy, can feel wet heat filling the fabric beneath his hand as Az releases into those Cauldron-damned panties.

The General bows his head to his mates, hair cascading over one shoulder as he pulls Az flush to his chest. The Shadowsinger sighs and it’s the sweetest goddamn thing Cas has ever heard.

He explodes. The force of his magic pulsing down the bond sends aftershocks straight to your core and you whimper, slowing but not stopping your thrusts.

Azriel sinks back against Cassian, boneless and spent, content to wait in the tight embrace of his mate until Cas’s thrusts slow to a stop.

It takes a while for Cas to come back after that. He just clings to Az, rests his head, chin hooked over one lean shoulder. You lay in bed, toy slipping out of your slickened hole, and muster enough energy to send a bit of shimmering, deep purple magic his way.

Cas feels it settle into his veins, and his breathing slows. He feels warm and sated and sticky but in a good way. Blinking eyes take in the sight of those panties, stained a shade darker than they’d been when Cassian saw them there, folded up in the laundry like that. Taunting him with the promise of shadows wrapped in red silk, tanned thighs trimmed with lace. Practically begging to be taken.

You owe me a new pair, Azzie. They can feel you pouting through the bond. Az chokes, sputtering against Cas until you put him out of his misery and coo, you look so pretty in those. I want you to keep them.

Smirking against Az’s shoulder, Cas sends a chuckle down the bond.

I’ll buy you a whole new drawerful, darling. He pauses and nips at the skin beneath his lip, picturing his mates wrapped up in new lingerie like pretty little gifts from his former self. One for each of you, if you want.

—

Slowly, you feel your magic boiling hotter, even when you aren’t all physically together. Between work and the constant back and forth of scouting missions, of political visits, late nights spent pacing by the fire just waiting for that burning to stop, for them to get home safe…

In between the uncertainties of a brewing insurrection, you and your mates grow closer than ever.

Taglist: @wallacewillow0773638@hnyclover@anutellaa@morelovemorepeacemoretattoo-blog@queerqueenlynn@brujitafantomatico@nickishadow139@starcrossedsan@dustyinkpages @moonyscherry @nickishadow139 @daisy94788 @liquormoneysex

[littlebumblebeesstuff]

Supernatural - Agere Headcanons

Requested by @bunnybeeblog

Here you go! I added in some Sam & Dean as well- I hope you like!

Dean

- Dean is definitely an enabler. You want candy? You get candy. You want pie? He will make you pie. You want burgers- you get it.

- While Dean is the enabler, he does have rules. When on trips or walking around you always have to hold his or Sammy's hand. You are not allowed to touch the knives, guns- anything sharp.

- He loves to carry you on his hip while you are still sleepy. Your head on his shoulder as he gets you a snack/ ready for bed

- Has the best fashion sense. All the cutest outfits AND you get to wear his t-shirts

- As much as he loves looking after baby regressors, he is terrified that you would be too vulnerable. Due to his own high energy he is great for toddler regressors.

- Loves to take you to diners and get you milkshakes and whatever you want from the kiddies menu.

- He will always have a paci or two on him... it has caused a few awkward moments when they fall out of his pocket during a fight.

- He has nightmares about loosing you and always has to snuggle you close and feel you in his arms to calm down again

- SNUGGLE KING

Sam & Dean

- I feel like Sam and Dean would be joint cgs! because they are constantly together

- Sammy is the strict (not too strict) one. He tries to do a bedtime but it is super difficult for them to manage while on the road/hunting

- He is also the one who will dish out 90% of punishments. Naughty step/chair. No tv time. No candy etc.

- They are both brilliant for toddler regressors.

- If they weren't hunters they would love to look after a baby

- Snuggles as much as possible. On Sam's lap while Dean drives baby while your songs play

- Cas will sometimes look after you and is often confused but loves your innocence.

- All your toys, stuffies, little gear etc has sigils/wards/protection sown/etched/branded onto it

- Weekends with Uncle Bobby!

[420technoblazeit]

Abt the jealousy of Cas, I don't think Cas is jealous of Crowley for who he is . because I do think he thinks he's better than him, but in a relationship yea I can see jealousy and possessiveness I mean he did sear deans skin and carved into his ribcage. If they did get together literally all of body will be marked.

So either it's one month with Crowley then the other month with him

But also I just can see Cas just waiting. Until he becomes the priority. And until then let's dean do his own thing and Cas does his.

i mean i agree that cas isnt jealous of crowley for who he is and you can have your own headcanons. cas is certainly a character who has a lot of pride especially in the earlier seasons but i think a lot of that is gone by the time the later seasons come around. i'd argue even after season 6 he has significantly less pride, though i guess you could argue season 8 cas still has a bit of it. i just dont think that there's canon basis for him being a very jealous person when we've already seen a situation where dean chose crowley over cas (the demon dean summer) and cas didn't seem to hold any grudge with crowley over it

remember that we do see a conversation between sam and cas in 10x01 about dean running away, and while sam seems to think that there's a demon running around in dean's body cas understands that dean himself made the choice to run away. sam seems to think that crowley might have forced dean to leave but cas dismisses that almost immediately and instead brings up whether or not dean's too far gone as a demon. there's a focus here on dean leaving being dean's choice

also here's a scene from 10x03 from when crowley first meets up with cas again and discusses curing dean. if cas, like sam, didn't understand just how much dean meant to crowley he would've left it at that thinking that crowley was just using dean as a guard dog. but he makes sure to point out here that dean might be too far gone because he knows that for crowley to have stuck with dean for that entire summer he must care about what happens to him

even much later in the season cas again asks crowley for help in curing dean, even after sam has tried to kill him, and i think it's because cas is maybe the only person who actually gets it. who understands what it's like to be an immortal being in love with a human as reckless and self-destructive as dean. and to sacrifice so much for him and not ask for anything in return. he knew that even with nothing in return crowley would help in getting rid of the mark because he knows how much it's hurting dean

and about the carved ribcage and handprint thing if we're being honest the whole possessive branding thing is like. entirely fanon. to my knowledge the show never explicitly mentions that as being a possessive thing, the fandom just thought it'd be cute to make it into that. we know that the warding's main function is to hide sam and dean from angels and that the handprint is a byproduct of cas dragging dean out of hell. it is by no means proof that cas is actually possessive of dean or would be upset about him being with someone else

idk i just think pretending that cas and crowley's relationship could ever boil down to just ohhhhh cas is jealous of crowley's thing with dean significantly flattens their relationship and gets rid of the most interesting thing about it, which is that basically the only thing they can ever agree on is loving dean. that's unironically their common ground in a significant number of issues. theyre an angel and a demon to begin with so theyre already about as different as you can get but when you really look at the core of who they are, theyre both beings who are too emotional and human for their own good and you can always see that best in how they interact with dean

[soft-pine]

People on that father poll are also now saying Dean "walked out on" Ben and I'm going insane because no he did not. Their lives were literally threatened so he left because of that!!

I strongly dislike the choice to wipe their memories (and it doesn't even make sense in canon-they would be safer if they remembered how to ward off demons) but Dean did not leave to get some milk and not come back or whatever they've made up in their heads

One of those moments where I'm confused how these people identify as fans if they can't even remember basic events in the show

yeah that's wild though i get why people would frame it that way.... personally i think what dean asked cas for was to erase him from their lives completely so no one would ever know to target them again but that's just my headcanon which i feel like makes a fuller picture. but yeah i mean people who are committed to seeing him as bad are gonna see that in everything ? :/

[mapsofnonexistentplaces]

Thuyết for character ask game also hi bro we are women

favorite thing about them

WHERE DO I BEGIN i think the whole microscope and morse motif is soooo fucking good. uhhh i like her fixation with strange buildings. i like her whole backstage arc about feeling conflicted about harming peixin via the visions but not really being able to do anything about it because of míra and also cas to an extent.... its fine its cool

least favorite thing about them

i say this wholly in jest and it mostly sticks in my mind as being really funny because of your reaction to me mentioning it for the first time. anyway yeah the vague idea i had of just like. oh yeah maybe this character stanley designs could be like some kind of slav/eastern european in general WRONG she is french now

favorite line

first ones that came to mind. smiles serenely

brOTP

the things we've discussed about like. her and isel talking are forever lodged in my brain. like yeah had she not only talked to him once before dying im sure they wouldve gotten along wouldve loved inspecting each other about the stupidest shit. isels paintings and her buildings orbiting around each other inspiring each other.... its niceys to me....

i also think the connections she has with cas and lusine are sweet. like "yeah the only person whos in the exact same situation im in who actually is more capable of protecting me than myself" and "person who requires a lot of stimulation and attention to recover (overseen by guy who hardly gets the chance to talk about asinine archaic tech and architecture and music etc etc.)" smiles

OTP

SIGH you hear about incomprehensible yaoi. yeah. her and olzhas. theyre both sick in the head they love each other but will never say it outright and one of them will die before anything happens. yuuuup. its all fine and good

special mention to thuyết and cas though. the original yaoi

nOTP

i dont know theres many bad examples.... uhhhh mentioning thuyết and míra because theyd be terrible for each other but i do think the idea of thuyết having like a momentary crush on míra that very quickly gets pulverised is pretty funny

random headcanon

hmm i think her classic pet cat. name of marteau. was just like a tortoiseshell that was completely brown save for having a gray head. so that it looks like a hammer. i should draw that hah ive had that idea in mind for ages

unpopular opinion

shouldve lived or something

song i associate with them

have spent the past few minutes listening to this which. yuuuup. her and olzhas song to me. sighs serenely

favorite picture of them

its classic.

[theravenskeeper4]

More headcanons about the Winchester's because I feel like it :

°Dean has amazing reflexes and walks really quietly to the point it freaks his family out. It's not intentionally done, but a side effect of being a hunter, and living with John .

°Sam learned how to knit while they were stuck in the psych ward. He doesn't tell people this fact often because in the past people just made fun of him

°Cas has become more human after losing part of his grace.

°they have a celebration for killing Lucifer every year to help Sam recover

°Dean struggles with chronic paranoia. Not because of the fact that he is a hunter, but because he knows that his paranoia is probably right.

°Sam doesn't allow his children to touch guns/weapons, while Dean has given Jack lessons and takes him to the range when he is old enough with Cas .(I am a jack truther. He lives on in my mind and gets a normal childhood, deal with it)

°Dean has a collection of stupid boxers/socks/ties

°bobby becomes a trickster spirit/demon after death (I'm also a Bobby truther. He gets to grow old damnit), and protects women, children, and especially hunters.

°Sam's guilty pleasure fast food is Chinese food.

°Dean is addicted to caffeine, do I need to explain that?

°Cas spins yarn by hand to relax

[readinginthereadyroom]

it’s the third man (spn 6x03) and cas is back. and he’s accidentally revealed some important angel information. about souls. about claims. about dean.

cas says, when a claim is laid on a living soul, it leaves a mark, a brand. and dean does this thing. an almost imperceptable shift of his left arm. where up until a year ago, he had a handprint burned into his skin. cas’ hand print.

factor in cas’ recent comment about sharing a more profound bond with dean (as compared to sam) and we can interpret that to mean cas laid a claim to dean’s soul when he held him tight and raised him from perdition in lazarus rising (spn 4x01).

only, it seems as tho that claim is written on the soul. not on the body. which also means cas went a little overboard. gripped dean’s soul a bit too tight. left a mark on his physical self. because when dean winchester was saved, castiel angel of the lord wasl also saved—because he started to fall.

and it also means that the claim is still there. according to TPTB dean was healed of the handprint in swan song (spn 5x22) because it’s notably missing in later eps. but since it’s actually a soul mark. and a soul mark will tell you the name of angel who made the claim...

well then. cas wrote his name on dean’s soul.

probably in enochian. so even tho the handprint is gone, the claim isn’t. but also. what if the claim. the signature. is a handprint? soul’s are bright white orb-like lights. and maybe dean’s has a small blue spot of grace on his. in the shape of a hand. always facing to the left.

[lost-in-purgaytory]

So Sam and Dean have this huge bunker to themselves, all these empty lonely rooms, tons of research and artifacts, and a bunch of allies (human and supernatural alike), and the Winchester name holds a lot of weight in hunting circles.

So my question is why. WHY did this not live up to it's potential?

Sam always enjoyed the research side of things more than being in the field. He could have revolutionalized hunting! There could have been a bonafide hunter's network with the bunker as a base of operations. Kind of like HunterCorp in that alternate world! I mean, why not, right? If freaking John 'one-track-mind' Winchester could do it in that alternate world, then Sam could sure as hell do it with all the bunker's resources!

It would be so much easier to find and delagate hunting jobs, and provide shelter for passing hunters, fill up some of those empty rooms.

Charlie could create a research database, and make the archives digital. No more sifting through books for hours to find a solution.

They could convert a part of the bunker into a bar like Harvelle's!!! Omg!!!!

Imagine the sense of family and community in the bunker. The sheer joy of that!!

Imagine how many more lives could be saved once things become more efficient.

Have multiple possible cases and don't know which are legit? Send out some scouts! Need someone in Tennessee to check out a vamp nest but your only friend in the area ditched their burner phone and you don't know how to contact them? Problem of the past with all these new connections and a permemant HQ!

There is seriously endless potential to this Bunkerverse. They could turn it into a means of income, and open up a chain of motels across the country that are reinforced and warded and will look the other way when guests walk in covered in blood.

Sam could take a step back from hunting, and work behind the scenes. He could have a family. Eileen could move into the bunker. Eileen is a boss babe and experienced hunter. She would be instrumental, I bet she has great ideas for how to streamline hunting.

And think about it! This is the only way Dean would ever retire and settle down. Deans whole philosphy is "if I don't save these people, no one will," he can't stop until the world is safe. If he knows that other hunters are on the case, he can rest easy. Serve drinks at the bunker bar, work on baby, maybe go on the occasional hunt for the hell of it. He can freaking settle down with Cas now that the two of them arent obligated to sacrifice their lives for each other every goddamn 10 minutes.

If the world is ending for the millionth time, they have an ARMY at their disposal.

All our favorite characters could be together. They can have a real home. If the show was really dedicated to it's message of 'family don't end in blood,' then Bunkerverse would have been the true ending. All the potential was BUILDING to Bunkerverse and instesd we got a half-assed ending. Bunkerverse truthers unite!

Reblog with your thoughts on Bunkerverse, I want to expand this headcanon ending!

[mittensmorgul]

I just gotta say this, and I don’t want to put it on anyone’s post specifically, because I assume a lot of people are engaging with statements like this from a place of “this is a nice headcanon,” or “this is a funny bit of crack,” or “this would make interesting fic fodder,” but I also think a lot of people truly believe it’s canon and it’s... disturbing to me that assumption seems to be elevating to wide acceptance. So here:

Cas was not the “inventor of free will.” He was not the ~only~ character who actually had free will. If that was the case, Dean wouldn’t have spent all of s15 having a personal breakdown over his own identity and how much of it was even real, if he hadn’t actually possessed free will himself. ALL humans do. NO angels are supposed to.

Except Cas grew his own free will, BECAUSE HE LEARNED FROM OBSERVING DEAN EXERCISE HIS FREE WILL.

All angels had the ability to rebel (or a lot of them did, anyway). But even those who did rebel faced punishment and reprogramming. Think: Anna. After she was recaptured and punished and tortured back into submission, then set loose to lure Sam and Dean to a place and time where Michael could put on a little piece of Performance Art for Dean, who he was otherwise unable to locate in time and space because of the warding Cas put on his ribs. She had the free will rubbed out by reprogramming.

(we’re not even gonna talk about Gabriel, as an archangel who had more power than most other angels, and who was also a reflection of that aspect of God who enjoyed hiding away on Earth playing Chuck and messing with people’s lives more directly... as above, so below, and that was Gabriel’s role to play)

Most angels, when given free will, don’t have the first idea what to do with it and just want to go back to Heaven and routine and being told what to do. The few who wanted to explore Earth and Humanity were rounded up and executed for that crime. All except Cas. And boy did they try to use him or control him or even kill him for a good long time...

Chuck tried to use him for his own narrative purposes over and over again, but Cas refused to fall back in line once he knew the bigger picture-- sort of like Billie the Reaper elevated to Death, when she saw the bigger picture she was forever changed by it, and her goals shifted to bigger picture things (still mad Chuck still manipulated her into a big bad and pointed her at Cas and Dean again in 15.18, and she was never redeemed for that...).

But the point is Cas did not ~invent~ free will. He was not the sole character in Supernatural to possess free will. He was the sole ANGEL to fully understand it and choose something other than following heaven’s orders (or be killed for it). He chose his family. He chose Dean. He chose humanity.

This was a core element of his character arc, this battle within himself between duty to angels and heaven and his love of humanity (and Dean... that is canon). The fact he was not ultimately given a choice to make in the end other than dying like every other angel to attempt to embrace free will is one of the most sickening proofs to me that Chuck won in the end. 

But his own experiences AS A LITERAL HUMAN and possessing a vessel that was entirely his own body probably helped him come to terms with who he was and what he would have chosen to be if he ever felt able to make a choice entirely for himself, without the fate of the universe (or Dean’s own life) resting on it. He didn’t invent free will, he learned it by loving Dean “Free Will and Humanity” Winchester.

[imaginesandbandfiction]

Triad Part 10 — Reunion Part

A Cazriel x Reader Headcanon

Series Masterlist

A/N: This POV switching is either incredibly hot or completely unhinged, you be the judge. I’ve decided (discovered) that Az has a bit of a daddy kink and loves to be called baby. Please enjoy, ig?

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Warnings: Forgive me father, for I have sinned. A lot. Smut, anal sex, crossdressing (just a little bit, as a treat, but you might want to skip it if you’re sensitive to this sort of material), long distance sex, unprotected sex (they’re faeries. i think they take a potion for that or something), edging, slight daddy kink and dom/sub vibes

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows and happily ever afters, but you learn how to supplement each other’s magic through the bond and the boys learn to separate Az and Cas from Azriel and Cassian. Out on a mission? That’s Azriel and Cassian. But at home, or in the safety of a private, warded tent? Az and Cas start to spill their softness onto each other. 

Trust and vulnerability are built in the bedroom first. It’s the easiest (and most fun) way to let your guards down, to let each other in. 

Slowly but surely, that comfort starts to seep out into everyday life. It’s subtle, at first. Reassuring hand squeezes, soft smiles, quick pecks on cheeks, foreheads, lips; seeing your mates open up to each other makes the bond (and your heart) swell with love. 

The first time Az calls Cas baby outside of the bedroom, you practically disintegrate. 

Somewhere along the line, the edges blur a little bit. Cas will pull Az into his lap when they’re in Rhys’s office debriefing after a mission, needing to feel the beat of his mate’s heartbeat against his hand as proof that he’s still alive, or Az will send the cool, calming presence of his shadows to give Cas extra strength on the battlefield. 

And tucked away in the relative privacy of a safe house, well…

“Cassian,” Az’s low growl slips through the crack beneath the door into the bathroom where Cas stands in front of the sink brushing his teeth. He pushes the door open and, toothbrush dangling out of one corner of his mouth, pokes his head out. 

His face twitches with amusement at the sight of his mate’s narrowed eyes and furrowed brow; the dark brown sweater that usually pulls taught across Az’s chest sags, hanging loose in the shoulders. Cas’s face disappears for a second so he can spit his mouthful of toothpaste into the sink and then he stalks into the bedroom, crossing the distance between him and Az in long, lazy steps. 

“You ruined my favorite sweater,” Az grumbles, swatting at the arms trying to snake their way around his waist. 

“Sorry, baby, I couldn’t help it,” Cas responds, sending a flash of burning red magic towards his mate, tugging him back into Cas’s chest. “I missed you, and it just smelled so good…” Cas buries his face in Az’s hair, breathing that scent in. 

“We’re supposed to be packing, you know,” Az murmurs, letting his body sink against the broad chest behind him. He’s in no hurry to leave, though he probably should be. 

Cas trails his lips up until they’re hovering above Az’s ear.

“I know, I know. I’m worried about Y/N, too.” Cas pauses to clear his thickening throat. “I’ll finish packing—why don’t you take her down to the cafe for coffee and bring us back breakfast?” He ducks down to suck on Az’s earlobe, relishing in the way the supple flesh gives way to his teeth. 

“You sure?” 

“Yeah—go spend some time with our girl, make sure she feels special before we leave.”

While Cas finishes packing, Az takes you on a short walk to the nearest cafe, stopping at a flower cart to buy you a bouquet of beautiful red roses accented by baby’s breath and the most gorgeous, deep blue thistles. 

When you return, Cas is seated at the kitchen table, the bags all packed and set next to the front door. The sight of them makes your stomach tighten and your mates feel a flutter of sadness tickling the bond. 

Az starts setting out the food and you climb into Cas’s lap, straddling him with your flowers still cradled in your arm. His strong arms wrap around your waist, holding you steady, and you bury your face in the crook of his neck. 

“Aw, did Azzie buy you some pretty flowers, baby?” he asks, running a hand up your back to thread his fingers in your hair. 

“Yeah,” you mumble. “They’re red and blue to remind me of you while you’re gone.”

—

The first morning of their mission, Az wakes up to the sound of Cassian’s grunting and heavy breathing outside the little cabin they’re staying in. He peeks out the window to see his mate running through his morning training exercises and lets a smile take over his face at the familiar sight of tanned muscles straining under pressure. 

Unfortunately, Az has to get going. He can’t linger, so he trudges over to his bag and digs out some clothes. Black pants, loose-fitting white tunic, a slim-fitting Illyrian leather vest, socks and… underwear. He can’t find any underwear. Just as he’s about to stomp outside and chew out Cas for forgetting to pack such an essential article of clothing, he remembers the pocket sewn onto the front of the bag. Unzipping it reveals a brightly-colored mess of silky, lacy underthings. Your underthings. 

Frustration gives way to amusement as Az’s lips curl up into a smirk. He’s a man of opportunity, so he takes the challenge presented to him. Two can play at this game. He pulls out the pair he knows Cassian loves the most and layers his clothes over them, heading outside to drop a kiss on Cas’s lips before he leaves for the day. 

—

It’s late. Too late, Cassian thinks as he twirls the glass in his hand, the deep red Fae wine swirling against the inside. Taking a long sip, he lets the alcohol sink in, dulling his worries so you and Az don’t feel them through the bond. 

He drains the liquid and gets up for a refill, settling himself back into the armchair in front of the roaring fireplace. When his cup is nearly empty again, the old, wooden door creaks open and cool shadows stream in, brushing against Cas’s skin. 

Azriel toes off his boots, leaving them on the mat next to the door, and grabs the half-empty bottle of wine off the kitchen counter before crossing the room to stand in front of Cas’s chair. 

Cas eyes the bottle and tugs on Az’s free hand, pulling him closer. 

“Rough day?” he asks, burying his face in Az’s chest. 

“You could say that,” Az says, scowling a bit as he takes a swig straight from the mouth of the bottle. 

Cas hums, knowing that if Az wants to talk about it, they’ll get there eventually. For now, he’s content to settle Az in his lap, letting the Shadowsinger use him as a chair. Az leans back, wings settling against Cas’s broad chest. His head fits perfectly perched atop Cas’s shoulder. The General’s hair is falling out of its messy topknot and Az twists the stray locks in his fingers as Cas works loosening the ties that lace up the back of Az’s vest until he can slip his hands under the soft tunic beneath the leather. Az’s lips tighten to prevent the smile from breaking on his face as Cas explores the expanse of skin now available to him. 

The Lord of Bloodshed takes his time, trailing his fingertips lightly up and around the base of Az’s wings. Slowly, he moves further down, halting when he feels a rough patch situated just below the dips on Az’s lower back. 

Cassian doesn’t attempt to hide his shit-eating grin. Instead, he lets it split him open and tucks his chin over one of Az’s shoulders, pushing the tunic up higher so he can get a good look at the panties peeking out from the tops of Az’s trousers. Red silk, trimmed with matching lace—Cas’s favorites. 

“Did you like the surprise I packed for you, baby?” Cas asks, nudging Az up with one thigh so he can slip those pants down. Az complies readily, malleable under Cas’s touch, and it melts the General’s heart. He was worried that Az would be upset or embarrassed; the few other times they’ve been alone together have been rougher. Growling and fighting for dominance as their bullheaded Illyrian genes kicked in. 

Not this time, though. This time, Az nods against Cas’s shoulder as the other male cups his hands beneath Az. The panties are cheekier on you, the soft flesh of your ass spills out the sides in such a beautiful way, but they hug Az’s pert, muscular cheeks perfectly, too. 

Hey, princess, I have something to show you. Are you alone? Cas asks, opening up the bond to reach out to the third member of their Triad. 

You’re back home, soaking in the tub after a grueling day of work. The clinic has been overloaded with refugees from Under the Mountain, mostly women and children, mostly victims of the tensions rising within the Court of Nightmares. That’s why you aren’t with your mates—Rhys couldn’t justify pulling you away from Madja to tag along on a routine, three-day reconnaissance mission. 

You shift in the tub, lifting your hips and running a hand down your stomach, sending the image through to your mates. Excitement flares up between the three of you, and your effort is rewarded with a peek through Cassian’s eyes. The sight of Azriel on display in a pair of your panties sends heat to your core and you squirm, tucking your fingers down to graze against your clit. 

Enjoying the view? Cas asks, chucking to himself as he feels your arousal pulsating down the bond. You answer with another image, this time one of your finger circling your hole, distorted by the water. 

Az feels his skin heating up and turns slightly to bury his face in Cas’s hair. 

“Aw, baby,” Cas coos, clutching Az closer. “Feeling shy?” 

“No,” Az grumbles. “‘M just tired.” It’s true; Cas can feel Az’s weight pressing down on him as the Shadowsinger lets all the tension release from his body. 

“That’s okay. I’ll take care of you, Azzie. You just gotta sit there and look pretty while we put on a show for our girl. Think you can do that for me?” 

Cas bumps his nose against Az’s, then presses their lips together when the other male nods his assent. While Az is distracted, Cas tugs his vest all the way off and unbuttons his tunic, letting both fall to the floor. Then he helps Az clamber off his lap, swallowing his mate’s disgruntled huff as he maneuvers them both into a standing position so he can push Az’s pants all the way down. He has to pull away to shed his own clothes, which he does in record time, and then he settles back into the chair. 

He takes a moment to appreciate the view in front of him; Az’s cock bulges, straining the thin fabric encasing it. Cas hooks his fingers into the lacy waistband, rubbing his thumb over the small bow that rests just above the wet spot where Az’s tip rests trapped against his stomach. 

Through the bond, you can see everything, and the sight of Az tucked into a pair of your panties has you dipping two fingers into the wet heat of pussy.   

Cas moves his thumb lower, pressing against the wet spot and coaxing a needy whine from Az. 

“C’mere, baby,” Cas murmurs, “sit on my lap again.” Azriel obeys, turning around and lowering his ass until it rests against Cas’s bare cock. Reaching one hand down, Cas adjusts himself so his cock is pressed between the Shadowsinger’s thighs. He grabs Az’s waist and guides him into rocking back and forth, feeling the soft silk rubbing against his own rock-hard length. “That’s it, good boy, already so wet for me, aren’t you?” 

Az whimpers, grinding down in search of more friction, and your walls tighten around your fingers. 

Cas lets one of his hands drop down to palm Az’s clothed cock, feeling the fabric dampen even more beneath his touch. With the other, he slips beneath the silk to trace one finger around Az’s rim, slowly coaxing him open. 

By this point Az is oozing precum, so it’s easy for Cassian to slide forward and collect some with his fingers, using it to help ease first one, then two, then three inside. Az squirms in Cas’s lap as his body opens up to accommodate the intrusion. 

What do you think, sweetheart? Cas asks you through the bond. You think he’s ready for me?

Yes, you say, mental voice just as breathy as it would be if you were speaking out loud. Yes, he’s ready. 

Cas senses your impending orgasm and waits, curling his fingers inside Az to make him whine. 

Wait, love, he coos at you. Your hand stills, obeying his orders even from halfway across Prythian, but you can’t stop your thighs from quivering with the force of holding back the waves of pleasure building up inside you. 

He knows what he’s doing and relishes in the satisfaction of being able to pull you back from the edge with just two words. Making sure the link is wide open so you can see it all, he uses two fingers to pull the panties aside and spread Az open. 

Why don’t you go get one of your toys, princess, Cas tells you as he sinks his cock into your shared mate. Chest heaving, you push yourself up and clamber out of the tub on shaky legs. You swipe a towel off the rack on your way back into the bedroom and toss it down before you collapse into the plush mattress. Reaching over to the nightstand, you dig around in the drawer until your hand wraps around the smooth, flesh-like material. 

You give Cas a glimpse through your eyes at the dildo as you slide it between your aching lips. 

Good girl, he tells you, grunting as he picks up his pace, snapping his hips to fuck up into Az in deep, punishing strokes. Back in Velaris, you increase the speed of your hand, trying to match his. 

Cas’s magic is soaring, bubbling up within him as he absorbs the raw, desperate need flowing into him from his mates. He tightens his grip on Az’s hips with one hand, nails biting into the Shadowsinger’s flesh just above the hem of his panties. The other slips around front to slide down Az’s abs and settles with a flat palm pressing against the soaking silk-covered bulge. 

“Fuck, you’re both so wet for me, aren’t you?” He moans, squeezing Az’s length. Az bucks up, grinding against Cas’s touch in sloppy, desperate circles. 

“Please, Cas, I need to—“ Az whines, moving one foot up to the edge of the chair to use as leverage, to get into the exact right position where he can feel Cas pressing against his prostate and Cas pressing against his cock, the delicious friction of damp fabric against sensitive skin… 

Please, Cassie, you echo, shoving the dildo up until it bottoms out, your thumb pressing against your clit in just the right way… 

Cas is close to bursting, but he pushes through the desire tugging all of the blood away from his head and into his cock. He pushes through the red hot flames circling his groin from the inside out enough to snarl, “Cum for me,” offering sweet release to his mates. The loves of his life. 

He watches through your eyes as your pussy flutters around the dark pink toy, can feel wet heat filling the fabric beneath his hand as Az releases into those Cauldron-damned panties.

The General bows his head to his mates, hair cascading over one shoulder as he pulls Az flush to his chest. The Shadowsinger sighs; and it’s the sweetest goddamn thing Cas has ever heard. 

He explodes. The force of his magic pulsing down the bond sends aftershocks straight to your core and you whimper, slowing but not stopping your thrusts. 

Azriel sinks back against Cassian, boneless and spent, content to wait in the tight embrace of his mate until Cas’s thrusts slow to a stop. 

It takes a while for Cas to come back after that. He just clings to Az, rests his head, chin hooked over one lean shoulder. You lay in bed, toy slipping out of your slickened hole, and muster enough energy to send a bit of shimmering, deep purple magic his way. 

Cas feels it settle into his veins, and his breathing slows. He feels warm and sated and sticky but in a good way. Blinking eyes take in the sight of those panties, stained a shade darker than they’d been when Cassian saw them there, folded up in the laundry like that. Taunting him with the promise of shadows wrapped in red silk, tanned thighs trimmed with lace. Practically begging to be taken. 

You owe me a new pair, Azzie. They can feel you pouting through the bond. Az chokes, sputtering against Cas until you put him out of his misery and coo, you look so pretty in those. I want you to keep them. 

Smirking against Az’s shoulder, Cas sends a chuckle down the bond.  I’ll buy you a whole new drawerful, darling. He pauses and nips at the skin beneath his lip, picturing his mates wrapped up in new lingerie like pretty little gifts from his former self. One for each of you, if you want.

Taglist: @wallacewillow0773638 @hnyclover @anutellaa@morelovemorepeacemoretattoo-blog@queerqueenlynn@brujitafantomatico@nickishadow139@starcrossedsan@dustyinkpages @amberlynn98 @liquormoneysex @moonyscherry @shadowinthedarkknight @daisy94788

[stitchandani]

If hunahunka pecked Zeke when he was already in love with Lilo, would it have no affect?

Doverstar

YES, ZELO QUESTION BABY Get ready for some HunkaHunka science. I actually wondered if this question would come up after I wrote all that last night. I love you people :D HunkaHunka's peck would still have an affect on Zeke, even though he's in love with Lilo. The affect it would have would be to loosen his tongue - he suddenly wouldn't be hiding or suppressing the fact that he likes her. He'd do the whole "I think I love you" thing and follow her around and all, but I headcanon that Hunka's abilities change when you're already in love with the person you first saw after being pecked, and I'll explain how... [you'll get a doodle out of this if you keep reading]

Because your brain is already producing dopamine and oxytocin when you're around the person you fancy, HunkaHunka's powers work differently after you've been pecked. See, Hunka's peck usually appears to induce those chemicals and heightens them when you've been pecked, and then you look at just a...random person. David's brain didn't produce those chemicals toward that one random lady [the first girl he saw after being pecked in Hunka's episode] before he got pecked. It produced them naturally when he was around Nani, because he's in love with her. But after HunkaHunka pecks him, and he sees Random Girl™, David's brain started producing fake, unsafely-high amounts of those chemicals that caused intense focus on only her. (The chemicals are produced in the extreme, to the point where you clearly cannot function past intense focus on the object of your fakey-love, i.e. Keoni being unable to decide for himself what he wants or register his own feelings past what Lilo tells him to do/feel after being pecked. Not the usual affect oxytocin or dopamine, which is exciting but not initially addictive, has on a person who is actually in love with someone. HunkaHunka's peck obviously makes it so that you're dependent on those chemicals and can only focus on whatever the person you're in fakey-love with wants/needs/says.) Now, Zeke is already in love with Lilo at this time. His brain is already producing the usual oxytocin (the "love hormone") and dopamine (chemicals in your brain that have to do with feelings of pleasure and then of being rewarded) just by hanging out with her. If HunkaHunka pecked him, therefore, Zeke wouldn't have had sudden and random chemicals pouring into his brain that weren't there before, the appearance of which might've caused that no-independence, do-whatever-you-want trance Keoni got into after being pecked. Z's brain is already used to those things around Lilo. Instead, if Hunka pecked him, those already-present brain responses would've sped up and gotten heightened, and that would've looked different for Zeke than "Do you want me to follow you? Do you want me to stay here? Do you want me to be okay? Do you want me to win?". Instead, Zeke would've stopped fighting his feelings, would've stopped hiding his feelings (feelings that were already there!) and just said whatever he was thinking about Lilo. Which...

...Lilo's just trying to sneak around school, catch Hunka, flick on the sprinkler system - get the job done. If Z got pecked, she wouldn't think anything of the lovey-dovey things he's spitting out. She wouldn't believe he meant any of them, she'd just think it was HunkaHunka's love bite that's making him say all that, get annoyed (this girl has had her fill of HunkaHunka's handiwork) and find the nearest source of water she can to shut him up. But yeah, it would definitely have an affect on Zeke. ...And he'd be SO embarassed. :D

[e350tb]

Call of Duty Vanguard: Quick Thoughts

So I played the campaign (and a smattering of multiplayer and zombies), and here are my thoughts.

TL;DR: It’s good, I like it! Which I imagine is what Activision wants me to think so I forget about the Cosby Suite... oops!

Campaign

So if I’m rating Vanguard for historical accuracy, it’s a solid C+. There’s a lot here that’s going to upset the rivet counters; StG-44s in Bougainville in 1943 being a particularly jarring one. Some of the geometry is off (I don’t think Tobruk looks quite like that). There are Stukas with the wrong gun combinations. But ultimately, it passes. Just don’t use it to do your history homework.

The main gist of the plot is an ensemble piece; there are four ‘special’ soldiers (a Brit, a Russian, an American and an Australian), and they’ve come together for a secret mission at the end of WWII, a bit like the Avengers. Through this bridging device, we see why these four got handpicked by the SOE for the mission, allowing us to visit the various fronts of the war. It does flirt with a trope I honestly hate - this idea of ‘exceptional’ people being responsible for winning the war, like claiming the Russian character was solely responsible for inspiring the Soviets to win at Stalingrad, but this is all said through the narration of one of the characters, so I can just chalk it up as hyperbole.

In a way, this is a lot like Battlefield’s war stories, but a little more interlinked. You have a paratrooper story on D-Day, a sniper story in Stalingrad, a pilot story at Midway and Bougainville, and an infantryman story at Tobruk and El Alamein. Some of them are a bit tropey (yes, we apparently have to have a pompous idiot British officer in the Australian story, it’s the Law), but ultimately they all have character and I don’t regret playing them. My personal favourite is the D-Day one though; it just feels more focused, taking place over a single morning.

Call of Duty campaigns tend to be good at one thing, and that’s having charismatic main characters. Vanguard’s no exception; the main characters are well acted, and the animation looks quite good; yet in many ways it’s one of the villains that really sticks with me. The Gestapo officer Richter, whose interrogations serve as a major part of the framing device, is actually quite fun to watch; he’s despicable, but he’s also out of the loop with his superiors plans (and is also in Berlin in April 1945, not a healthy place to be a Nazi), and watching him slowly lose his smarmy SS officer charm as he realises just how bad his situation is honestly delightful. As for the main characters, I think my favourite is Kingsley, but they’re all fun.

There is a bit at the end, and spoiler warning, that I feel like I should mention, because I think it might ruffle the four people who like Call of Duty for the canon storyline. Skip to the next section if you don’t want spoilers.

At the end of the game, there’s a bit where the characters find a trove of Nazi files, which seems to be setting up the multiplayer and Warzone storyline. And there’s one reference there that I really like, and one that I really don’t. The first is ‘Project Nova,’ which is the chemical weapons program seen in the Black Ops games - I love that little canon connection, and it fits, because it implies that Allied special forces are going to go after it - remember the British Commandos turning up in the Project Nova mission of Black Ops 1? What I don’t like is the reference, a second later, to Project Aether - Nazi Zombies. I get that Call of Duty seems to want everything to be one canon now, but Zombies doesn’t work with the main story. Like, you can’t have whatever super serious techno thriller story that Infinity Ward’s cooking up for Modern Warfare 2 II, and then also have the oogabooga scary zombos. It just doesn’t make tonal sense!

But it’s not the worst thing. I personally headcanon it as being one of Himmler’s stupid occult things that the SS spent money and resources on, and that in the ‘main’ canon it came to nothing. Oh well, you know?

Multiplayer

It’s Call of Duty. You know what to expect. If you want realism, you’re not getting it. But I still have some things to say.

Weapons customisation - everyone has something to say about it, and how you can create horrifying frankenstein’s monsters with the gunsmith. I think that’s hilarious. Other people despise it. But as for weapons, there are some choices I really like; both real, standard issue weapons that don’t get a lot of screen time and bizarre prototypes that never made it into active service. The Owen Gun, Australia’s homegrown SMG, comes to mind, as does the AS-44, a weird assault rifle prototype that ended up being stillborn because the designer died. (I knew so little about it that I thought it was an AK-47 prototype, so I guess I learned something from this game.)

Like Modern Warfare and Black Ops Cold War, Vanguard uses an Operator system; sort of like heroes, but they don’t have powers. What they do have is their own skins, finishing moves, quips and so on, and you can actually grind these out with a seperate level, which I quite like. I mean, they’ll inevitably sell us more of them, but it’s still good to have.

Some of the Operators I really like; all four of the campaign characters are there, and there’s also Daniel, a Japanese-American member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, who I think alongside Kingsley is my favourite of the lot. There’s a few Axis defectors - a German soldier, a Japanese officer and a German intelligence officer turned resistance fighter - and a few Allied partisans. But there’s one that stands out, and unfortunately not in a good way.

Specifically, it’s the Indian operator, who is explicitly mentioned as being a member of the Indian National Army, with no mention of defection or anything like that. This is a big problem, because the Indian National Army was a Japanese-organised formation that fought for the Axis Powers, and there is fundamentally no way a serving member of the Axis armies would be allowed to join an Allied Special Forces unit. I think Sledgehammer saw the INA, saw ‘anti-colonial organisation’, and forgot that they were basically puppets for another colonial empire. It’s... jarring.

And honestly, the character would work if there were traditional Axis and Allied teams - but there aren’t. And we all know why there aren’t. We all know why there are almost enough Axis deserters to form a hypothetical Axis team. We all know why Sledgehammer would rather have a confusing ‘Team A and Team B’ situation instead of letting people play as the Axis.

It rhymes with Blanuary Blix.

Zombies

Not much to say about it just now, it’s a bit bare-bones. Still fun, and a good way to grind in a less stressful enviroment than multiplayer, but if it’s going to last, it needs more content and it needs it ASAP. The story seems good, but it has to actually start before I can judge that.

So yeah, Vanguard. Pretty good! I like it.