#I mean you can do what you want forever but…at least have the decency to say you’re not feeling it you know

[glitterandmoondustofficial]

Feeling a bit down 🥺

Everyone I’ve spoken to that I enjoyed talking to has ghosted me. Makes me feel kinda…sad.

[frenziedfireworks]

Prefects Bathroom

Draco Malfoy x Reader

Summary : You couldn't help but want a bath in the prefects tub.. What happens when your rival finds you?

A/N : DAY ONE OF KINKTOBER !! I hope you enjoy :^)

CW : SMUT, 18+, Mean!Draco, Fem!Reader, dubcon, choking, degrading, orgasm denial

masterlist

You don’t know where the urge to bathe in the prefects tub came from but it was one you could not shake off. Day after day passed that you would think about it and finally the time came. You had enough of the thought bothering you. 

Your legs moved quickly as you avoided the prefects and made your way towards the bathroom. You had a few close run-ins but successfully made it. The room was exactly how you had imagined, and the water was already looking enticing. You turned on the soaps and began to strip, desperate to finally get respite. The bath was as good as your mind had convinced itself it would be. The water washed away at the aches and tensions in your muscles, your head leaning against the wall in bliss.

It wasn’t seconds later that the door opened and your heart stopped. You had forgotten to close the door.

You had forgotten to close the door?!

You pulled bubbles around you and tried to cover yourself as you met eyes with your intruder. Your heart stopped and no warmth within the bath could fill the cold void that hit you.

“What do we have here? Y/N out of bed and breaking the rules?” Malfoy sneered as he locked the door and moved just a bit closer. You could feel your blood boil and knew either way you were fucked. You had hated him since first year, finding his ego and arrogance to be over the top and disrespectful.

“Malfoy, do you have any manners? I’m nude. Give me some decency to at least get dressed please.” You growled out as his footsteps stopped and he smirked.

“Oh but dear, why should I do that? It’s not like you’re a human anyways. Little bug is begging for decency. Ha!” His eyes glared into yours awaiting what nasty retort you could make.

You were left in quite the conundrum. Your clothes were more than a few steps away and the bubbles weren’t going to last forever. On top of that, Malfoy was no gentleman and would definitely get a kick out of seeing you like this. So there was only one option left - get up and turn it on him.

You took a deep breath and slowly swam to the stairs, stepping out of the tub. You stared at Malfoy as his eyes widened and he took in your form. You came closer to him, your hand reaching out to barely brush his.

“Enjoying the show Malfoy? I’m sure you’ve never seen a woman before anyways.” You whispered and a groan left his lips. You laughed at his pathetic display and turned around to go grab your clothes. It was obvious that you had won the little battle, even if it was at the loss of your dignity.

At least you thought, until you felt his grip on your wrists and he turned you around.

“Of course I’ve seen women before. I’ve added up quite the list. I will enjoy adding your name to it.” Draco yanked you towards him and your eyes widened. Was he being serious? He seriously thinks you would let him have you?

“That’s priceless Malfoy. I would rather die than sleep with the likes of you.”

“Then you can die taking my cock.” Draco’s hand wandered up to your throat and tightened, his face dangerously close to yours. You felt dirty at the fact that you convulsed around nothing, his words lighting a flame throughout your body,

“This isn’t right.” You smacked at his chest and his grin only grew.

“Tell me to stop if you don’t fucking want it then.” Draco’s voice still held malice but it seemed more towards himself. You couldn’t help but stay silent as his hands continued down your chest. His finger danced around your nipple, his cold eyes watching exactly what made you writhe. He leaned in, breath mingling across your ear.

“I’m going to ruin you.”

It was as if something erupted in the both of you. Draco’s mouth was on yours in seconds, his hands roaming across your nude form. Your lips shaped into his as your hands threw his cloak on the ground, desperate to have him.

“Ah, now pretty girl wants me? Talked a big talk beforehand.” Draco cackled and you grimaced. He really knew how to push your buttons. Lucky for you, two could play at that game.

“You think I’m pretty?” 

The silence was deafening as Draco rolled his eyes and leaned away to lick a stripe down your neck.

“I’ll fuck the attitude right out of you.”

“Any day now then.” You tapped at his neck, granting you a harsh tug at your hair.

“Fucking brat.”

His fingers crawled down, resting right above where you needed him most. You knew better than to expect kindness from the man. You pulled at his hand and placed it on your cunt, much to his surprise.

“Naughty little slag.” Draco digit moved through your folds, taking its sweet time to gather your slick. You squirmed in pleasure, waiting as he teased your hole.

“You want me to finger fuck you darling?” Draco cooed against your ear and you nodded quickly. You were much too desperate to play this little game anymore, your body taking control of your mind.

“Hmm.. You’re lucky I’m feeling generous. Only for a little though.” Draco pushed his fingers into you, stretching you out. You gripped at his shoulders, small moans leaving your mouth as he began to pump in and out.

“D-Draco..” You whispered and he raised an eyebrow in mock confusion.

“Is something wrong dear?” His tone matched his force, the next pump deeper than the last. You couldn’t help but gasp and feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge. 

“Aw, are you about to cum?” Draco’s thumb moved down to your nub, stroking it with fervor. Your arms tightened around him as you drew up and then all at once it was gone. 

You would kill him.

“What the fuck Malfoy?!” You screeched and his wicked laughs filled the room.

“You didn’t think I’d let you cum on my fingers? You’re not that special darling. You can take my cock like the whore you are and that’s it.” Draco grabbed at your waist and didn’t wait to line himself up. 

“You fucker-”

“Oh yes, I am going to fuck you.” Draco retorted, shoveling his cock into your sopping hole. All you could do was grasp at the wall as he pushed you against it, basically smothering you into the stone.

His hand gripped at your throat as the other dug into your fleshy hip. It was sure to leave bruises tomorrow but you couldn’t be bothered to care. Not when his cock pummeled in and out of you at such a pace that it left you breathless.

“I-I fucking hate you. Walking around with this pretty ass and your attitude. Fucking finally get to teach you a lesson.” Draco’s grunts filled the room as his cock slammed further than you thought imaginable. You could only moan in response, your head feeling a bit dizzy from the lack of oxygen and pleasure.

“Fuck. Take it. Your pretty pussy was meant for me to ruin it. You hear me?” Draco continued to mumble nonsense as you clenched around him, rapidly approaching your orgasm. 

“Dra-co..”

“I know darling. I can feel you clenching me.. Fucking cum and make a mess like the slut you are.”

His lewd words broke the gates, sending you to your much awaited orgasm. Your eyes rolled back into your head as you felt him spill all over your ass.

Your breaths were the only thing filling the empty bathroom for the next few minutes until Draco adjusted himself and picked up his cloak.

“Don’t think I like you now because of this. Once a cocksleeve, always a cocksleeve.” He sneered as he handed you your clothes, slowly strutting out of the room. His words may have been cruel but you would celebrate one victory - at least he didn't turn you in.

[luminouslywriting]

Bob headcannon Faking being a man in the easy company then getting discoverd ,and maybe make slightly romantic

Hi hon! This one was super fun :) im steadily working through the requests but I’ve got a huge pile of them haha! Feel free to keep sending me requests though! I love them! More under the cut, cut for length, some light spice and mentions of the female body included, some are platonic and some are not:

Dick Winters:

-Listen, this man clocks it straightaway. He’s practically the leader of Easy Company in Toccoa and he just KNOWS 😂

-That being said, he’s also not gonna confront you about it unless problems arise or you being a woman becomes prevalent. He will, however, keep a closer eye on you and watch your back more. -Becomes your friend genuinely in the hopes that you’ll trust him enough to ask for help when you need it. -The least likely to make a move on you the entire time….but also the one who hides the fact that he has feelings so that you won’t get discovered. -And when you finally actually tell him and he’s not surprised?? He’s just glad that you have someone to talk to and that he can be there for you during all of this. -Probably comes to find you after the war and tells you how he feels

Lewis Nixon:

-Also knows since Toccoa. He’s the intelligence officer and he’s out here side-eying you from day one 👀

-Which means he’s not hovering but he definitely pays attention when you’re mentioned and keeps an eye on whatever you’re up to

-Probably offers you a drink at least once and that’s when information is shared and he’s just like, “yeah?? Tell me something I don’t know lol.” -Also offers to share a foxhole with you and makes sure that you don’t freeze to death. Is actually very soft on you. -Confides in you about his marriage problems and you tell him all about your life back home and what was going on. -Honestly?? It’s giving friends to lovers vibes later down the road. You two would reconnect after some years and fall in love.

Ronald Speirs:

-Finds out on D-Day when you two end up near one another and is not even in the slightest surprised. Because of course you’re here and not back home and suddenly everything makes much more sense. -But because he’s not in Easy, he’s not about to say anything. He does do his best to talk with you when the opportunity presents itself. -Probably actually worries about you during Bastogne and is relieved to be transferred over to Easy so that he can better keep an eye on you/protect you. -You two have a sweet conversation at the church and he promises that he’ll do his best to protect you and keep you from harm. -Honestly, he’s more impressed than anything else and has mad respect for you and what you’re doing. -Won’t admit any feelings until the end of the war though.

Buck Compton:

-Finds out by accident…..in a foxhole….during Bastogne

-It’s a whole mess honestly. There you are just trying to get some things done and he walks in on you and is just 🤯 shooketh tbh

-Treats you like a lady when it’s just the two of you and asks if you’ll share the foxhole so that he can better protect your decency/honor haha. -You two become good friends and he’s real worried about you but then he ends up going to the field hospital after Bill and Joe get hit. -So you write him faithfully the entire rest of the war and you help him get through a lot of his trauma and figure out his feelings. -He has a soft spot for you forever.

Carwood Lipton:

-You know that scene where he gets injured and it’s a whole panic because he’s worried he’s lost a certain appendage? Now imagine that in reverse. -The minute he realizes that you are not, in fact, a man, he’s speechless, befuddled, panicked, and in slight shock

-GIRL WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!? This poor man has a whole internal panic about it because clearly you need to talk with him and figure some things out. -He really wants to tell Winters about the entire thing but you convince him that it won’t happen again and that you’ve got this

-Big brother Lipton activated; he’s out here being a total helicopter parent and concerned af about your life decisions

-From this point on, you basically have someone at your side 24/7 and who literally adores you in the most platonic way.

Joe Liebgott:

-He accidentally finds out when he sneaks into the showers in Toccoa and finds you there (cue the Spider-Man meme haha)

-Immediately panics and closes his eyes and is just freaking out because why the hell is there a girl here??? -Wants to tell people but is actually very good at keeping the secret. Probably becomes a Lowkey guard-dog in order to better watch your back. The last thing anyone needs is the wrong sorta person finding out that you’re not a man. -Besties who slay with humor….and who have each other’s backs. -Is always willing to share food and blankets and supplies with you. He’s very sweet on you. -Absolutely wants to be with you after the war is over.

Donald Malarkey:

-Again, total accident that he finds out?? He goes to collect laundry after D-Day and finds you with some stained red clothing that you’re trying to clean. It’s an oof moment. -At first, the girl math is not mathing and he’s confused. -But he has sisters and automatically becomes a safe place for you to go to and someone who you can rely on or talk to. -He’s a great foxhole partner and someone easy to talk to. He wants to hear about why you wanted to be a paratrooper and is a great help with helping you act like a guy. -Relies on you a ton during Bastogne and afterwards….appreciates your support and values your friendship. -And yes, he has a tiny crush on you haha.

Eugene Roe:

-Figured it out pretty quickly, a la menstrual cycle 👀 but also isn’t getting paid enough to confront you about it?? -So if you come to him and talk to him about the issues, then you two will be good friends. He drinks respect women juice in plenty so there’s no problems there. -The bestie vibes are immaculate and he simply adores you. You might be the person to get him to talk most. -He’s always the one who patches you up or helps you with what you need. And when you offer to share your foxhole with him, he’s a little bit of a blushing mess. -Has had a crush on you for most of the time he’s known you and does have a few small pet names in French. -You two probably start a secret relationship and are engaged before you even get back to the states. And yes, everyone is baffled haha.

Bill Guarnere:

-Super in love from day 1 he found out you were a girl? A girl who can handle herself and keep up with the men? Now that’s impressive. -Also found out by accident and it’s because he saw the blood in your sheets and was *le gasp*

-Is very good at keeping the secret and tries to push you to keep going and encourages you to accomplish the things that are hard. -He’s a great support system and an even better guard dog haha. -Is super respectful and doesn’t make a single move on you….so babe, you gotta kiss him first in that snowy foxhole. -Write to him after he gets injured….you may just come out of the war with a husband haha.

Joe Toye:

-Finds out accidentally when trying to help you with an injury and immediately just feels guilty for being mean to you lol

-Honestly? This man will never breathe a word of your secret. He’s a great alibi for feminine issues and will back you up with whatever lies you need haha. -Is very sweet on you but also treats you like one of the guys?? He’s a weird mix of trying to help you feel like yourself and your alter-ego

-Always offers to share or help you with whatever you need

-Probably shares a foxhole with you and tried to keep spirits up in any way he can. -Fully intends to marry you if the both of you make it through the war.

George Luz:

-Cannot keep the secret for the life of him….or do you thought?? -He finds out accidentally once you guys get to Hagenau and you sneak out to the showers way later than everyone else 👀

-He’s the pikachu meme truly….just shocked and doesn’t know how to treat you then?? He’s going to need a learning curve to figure out how this works. -Is honestly a ride or die bestie for you at this point and wants to hear ALL the tea about how and why you did it. -Falls in love with you super easily and asks if you’ll write him when you get home

-Surprises you once you’re home and asks you out on a date :)

[illusioninfnty]

can i request rafe x fwb reader where reader finds out hes dating sofia and she goes to confront him that he didnt even have the decency to let her know their arrangement was over and he says "who said it was over?''

Thank you for the request anon! Just a quick note, I have not watched a single minute of Outer Banks lol. Because of this I didn’t add in any of the canon plot but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

Empty Words || Rafe Cameron x Reader

Your relationship with Rafe was complicated, to say the least.

You argued, you partied, you flirted, you fucked, and you fought in the most vicious ways. There were many times when you left him, told him you couldn’t do it anymore, but there was something about him that always had you crawling back.

Rafe always made you feel special, despite the casual status of your relationship. He was the best sex you’ve ever had, and you’ve slept with quite a number of people. He was more attentive than any other guy, making sure you came each and every time. Even if it was for his own ego, to say he could make you cum, you didn’t care as long as you got some pleasure out of it.

He could be chivalrous when he wanted to, something simple as holding doors for you and paying for your drinks to initially coming over for sex but ending up taking care of you when you were feeling under the weather.

And then there was the jealousy.

Rafe was a possessive man, no doubt about that. Despite his refusal to date you, keeping your relationship strictly as friends with benefits, the amount of times he got into fights with guys who flirted with you at parties or bars was astronomical. It would take more than both hands to count the amount of times you had to drag Rafe back to your house to clean up his bloody knuckles and pray that he doesn’t get arrested over something so stupid.

He felt like a jealous boyfriend, yet every time you would bring up making your relationship more serious, he would scoff in your face and say he doesn’t do that stuff.

You don’t think you’d ever truly understand him.

You stare at the text from Rafe that you just got, perplexed. You told him not to reach out to you again after yet another bar fight, what you want to be your last time being with him.

Key word: want.

The come over flashes in your face like a warning sign, and you don’t even know how to reply at this point. You hate the way you’re so close to doing just that, the magnetic pull he has on you working its magic.

But you’re so focused on the text to notice that you walk right into someone else.

“Fuck!” you hiss, rubbing your shoulder in the spot that made contact with the other girl. The impact causes your phone to drop out of your hand, and you bend to pick it up. “Sorry about that.”

“Oh my gosh!” You hear the girl call your name. A quick glance up has you staring into the face of Sarah Cameron, Rafe’s younger sister. “It’s been forever! How are you doing?”

Sarah is as upbeat as ever, and her infectious smile causes your mood to shift and you can’t help but smile back at her. “I’ve been well,” you reply gently.

She nods enthusiastically. Seeming to be in an even peppier mood than usual. “It sucks that I can’t see you as much anymore, but I’m glad that you finally got away from Rafe.” She pouts and rolls her eyes. “He was such a dick to you. I don’t know how someone so sweet like you could’ve ever been friends with him.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Got away?” You ask. You aren’t sure what she means by that. Besides, with the way he’s texting you, it doesn’t seem like he wants to be “away” from you.

“You didn’t hear? He’s, like, been official with Sofia for a bit. She posted on her Instagram and everything.”

You can feel your face heat up in anger over her words. You couldn’t believe you allowed yourself to be played like that. He had the fucking audacity to text you to come over, to embarrass you in public with his jealousy, all for him to have a girlfriend at the same time?

“Thanks, Sarah,” you say to the girl hurriedly. “I have to go. It was nice seeing you.”

You don’t wait to hear her reply before you storm off.

It doesn’t take long for you to reach the Cameron household. You’ve been there countless times before, and you also know that now is one of the few times when Rafe will be the only one home. You knock on the door, loud enough so that he can hear you.

He answers quicker than usual, probably expecting your presence as your answer to his text. His typical smirk is plastered to his face, and it makes you more pissed than horny as all of Sarah’s words come back to you.

“Took you long enough,” he starts, trailing his hand down to your ass. You push his arm off you, turning past him and crossing your arms. Your jaw is clenched and Rafe’s eyes are questioning now.

“What the fuck, Rafe?” You ask, your tone clipped. “I’m done. Done with you.”

He doesn’t even have the decency to respond, just staring down at you with intense eyes. “Goddammit!” You push against his chest, annoyed with his indifference. He grabs your wrists, restraining you in your place. “I’m not kidding. I’m seriously done, Rafe.” You fight against his hold to no avail.

“Don’t fucking do this,” he says, his words coming from deep in his throat. It’s a tone he rarely uses with you, one he saves for when he’s absolutely pissed. “What’s it this time? Someone got in your ear?”

“Sarah told me—”

“Fucking Sarah,” Rafe interrupts. “Always in my fucking business. Don’t listen to her, she just wants to piss me off.”

You roll your eyes, ignoring him and finishing your previous statement. “She told me you're with Sofia.”

You can feel his whole body still, and your heart drops at the now confirmed truth. It makes you even angrier—him acting like this, despite lying to your face and choosing to date another girl.

“That doesn’t mean shit,” he says through clenched teeth. His eyes are intense as he bores his gaze into you. “You’re my girl.”

Before, you’d swoon at his words, but now it makes you shudder in disgust.

“God, I can’t fucking believe you!” you scoff in his face. “You don’t even have the decency to end things with me before finally getting a girlfriend?”

Rafe is eerily silent. It unsettles you, and you fight to release yourself from our grip and finally leave him once and for all. 

But he doesn’t let you go. Rafe holds your wrist tightly, pushing forward into his house until he has you pressed against a wall. His free hand moves up towards your face. He ghosts it over your throat and you swallow harshly, your breathing shaky. He settles his hand around your jawline, squeezing it hard. You don’t dare to make a move.

His next words make your whole body run cold.

“Who said it was over?”

[bedsyandco]

and when daisy cancels on him friday night, and he sees that she went to quinn’s game instead with their group of friends, he decided to take trevor up on that offer.

Damn that was kinda mean of Daisy

she was planning on going to jack’s game, she really was. but then all her friends was going to quinn’s game, and he asked her to come and she just couldn’t say no.

she really didn’t think jack would be that upset about it and she could always try to go and watch another one of his games! but he was really upset . . .

he watched the stands for her the whole night. she could’ve at least texted him. and jack makes sure she knows he’s upset too. doesn’t smile at her in the hallways at school. doesn’t bother greeting her when she’s at their house to see quinn. just kinda seems very uninterested until daisy addresses it one day.

he was already in the kitchen when she came down from quinn’s room to grab a drink. and when jack sees her entering, he immediately moves to leave but she stops him before he can.

“can we talk for a sec?” daisy asks, a hand on jack’s arm to halt him and jack resists the urge to lean into her touch more, trying to remember why he was upset with her

“is there any point in talking when I can’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth,” jack snaps, and feels immediately bad for it when she flinches a little

“okay, I deserve that. jack I really am sorry,” daisy says and jack clenches his jaw slightly

“when you say you’re gonna do something, do it. and if you change your mind or something comes up at least have the decency to text someone and let them know,” jack mumbles leaning on the kitchen counter and daisy sighs, moving her hand up to his shoulder and jack gets funny feeling in his chest when her thumb moves back and forth across the fabric of his T-shirt.

“you’re right. what I did was really rude but I promise I didn’t do it on purpose. I wasn’t planning on going to quinn’s game but something came up and I really had to go to that game. and I totally forgot that I had promised you I would go to yours. which is my fault 100% and I’m really sorry I bailed on you and didn’t text, it totally slipped my mind. which isn’t an excuse, I know I messed up okay? and I really am sorry. And I’m also sorry it’s taken me like a week to apologize. to be fair you have ran away from me every time I’ve wanted to,” daisy says and jack huffs

“I wasn’t running away,” jack mumbles in protest but daisy just sends him a look

“the point is i’m sorry okay? I don’t want you to be mad at me,” daisy says and jack sends her a soft smile

“I’m not mad anymore dais. I honestly forgave you already. I just had a bad day and it’s making me more irritated than usual, sorry,” he admits a little shyly and daisy squeezes his shoulder gently

“s’okay, we all have bad days. anything you wanna talk about?” daisy asks and jack sighs

“not really, it’s just hockey stuff,” jack says and daisy knows he’s not gonna talk about it with her, but even if he did, she wouldn’t be able to relate so she probably wouldn’t be of much use anyway, but there was someone else who could help.

“you should talk to Quinny about it,” she says

“I don’t know, he has a lot going on too. I don’t wanna add more things to his plate,” jack says and daisy smiles, finding him endearing

“Quinn is such an older sibling. he loves taking care of other people, especially those he loves. I bet you he’d love being able to give you advice. and he just so happens to be pretty decent at it,” daisy says, and jack just nods, acknowledging he heard what she said, but not committing to doing it. which was fine. daisy wasn’t one to push, which was one of the things he loved about her. liked about her.

“so we’re good?” daisy asks one more time

“yeah dais, we’re good,” jack says and laughs softly when she kisses him on the cheek

“perfect. I know you’re about to make yourself a ham and cheese toastie, make me one? I’d love you forever,” she teases, and makes her way back up the stairs before jack could respond

if only it was that easy, he’d make her all the ham and cheese toasties she wants.

[kyyupidz]

WEIRDO???! (g/n reader x leona kingscholar) ★ love makes u do wacky stuff! ★ fluff with angst if u squint... really hard... ★ probably ooc and definitely badly written... srry leona lovers :(( !!

leona kingscholar is weird. 

for the last few weeks, you guys have been on amicable terms. more than that, you’ve been asked in the hallways by savanaclaw students if you guys are friends. and yet, you don’t know why he’s doing this. it just happened. and you want to believe so, so hard that this’ll last but you just.. 

is he really the kind of guy to just... do this?! 

there’s no way, right? it’s all some elaborate prank where you’re the helpless victim and he’s laughing at you under his breath because you’re so gullible. you think you can actually make friends with the housewarden of savanaclaw? yeah right. 

whenever he walks into a room, his presence takes up all the space and packs itself into the corners and leaves you breathless, gasping for air. you look at him and you can’t seem to stop staring, because the sunlight is bouncing off him in such a way that he looks like an art piece and you just don’t get it. why in twisted wonderland would he ever want to be friends with someone like you, when he exudes radiance and brilliance and sevens you sound like rook. 

what kind of guy just walks into your life like this?! 

you watch as leona scores another goal. you’d be surprised at his athleticism if you weren’t already used to his admittedly impressive trick shots. you’ve been visiting savanaclaw more often just to see his plays, and you have to admit, he’s good. there’s a sudden uproar of joy from the field and you expect leona to scoff at his teammates’ immaturity and just leave like he always does. 

instead, you’re surprised when he shoots a look your way. like he wants you to acknowledge how well he did. 

you blink. maybe you’re seeing things, but leona kingscholar? shooting a look like that your way?  

you were almost done convincing yourself you were delusional when leona walks up to you. you glance around, no way he’s actually walking towards you, right?  

he scoffs, “what are you looking around all stupid for? didn’t you learn any basic manners?” he crosses his arms and you gape at him.  

“...huh???” 

he grins, teeth as sharp as knives, sweat dripping off him. “come on. aren’t i better than anyone else on this seven-forsaken team?” 

ah. so he’s just here to boast. you grin back, laughter spilling out of you. you’d almost notice the fond twitch of leona’s ear and the way his expression almost seems to melt when he’s the subject of your attention if you weren’t so preoccupied giggling at him.  

“okay, kingscholar. mhm. you’re just so superior to everyone here. nobody in savanaclaw could even compare to you.” 

leona’s tail starts lazily swishing around against his better judgement. “glad to see you still have a brain and two eyes.” 

“you know, leona’s been awfully active lately,” ruggie hums absentmindedly, then gasps in mock surprise as he turns to you, “y’know, if he keeps this up, he might just pass school.”  

you roll your eyes, smiling. “really now? well, i’ll be sad when he leaves nrc forever.” 

ruggie nods, propping himself up on his hands. “i think it’s ‘cause of you. that he’s attending class, i mean, not feverishly trying to get himself out of this wretched college. though, i wouldn’t blame him if he gained motivation to succeed just because you were seriously pissing him off.” 

you punch him lightly on the shoulder. “no way. the latter is way more likely, a million times more likely, actually. you can’t seriously expect me to think the leona kingscholar is getting his attendence grade up just because he...” you gesture around with your hands, “you know.” 

you glance up as footsteps clack towards you. “talking about me behind my back?” leona sighs as he plops himself in the chair next to you, “expected more from you two. not that much more, but still. thought you guys would at least have common decency.” 

“hah!” you exhale, grinning wildly, “how bold of you to assume we were talking trash about you.”  

“you weren’t? don’t kid me.” he smirks at you as he leans on the desk, “everyone knows how jealous you are of me.”  

you pretend not to notice how ruggie is snickering behind you quietly.  

“what the fuck is wrong with you?” 

you shoot a glare at the lion beastman sitting next to you. “nothing,” you croak out, your voice actively going against your better wishes. “just caught a cough, that’s all. why’d you have to word it like that?” 

leona scoffs, leaning back in his chair. without even looking at you, he digs something out of his pocket and slides it across to you. 

you almost think he threw a piece of trash at you when you look closer and realize it looks suspiciously like candy. 

and then you look even closer and recognize the bright, neon yellow on the wrapper. 

“...wow. who knew leona kingscholar had it in him to toss a pitiful student such as i a cough drop.” you grin at him as you gratefully pop it in your mouth. you hate honey lemon, but you find the taste bearable when somebody else gave it to you out of the kindness of their heart. 

well, as much kindness as leona can muster, at least. 

“shut up. i just remembered i had it.” 

you laugh, the same laugh leona has had imprinted into his mind for every night he found he couldn’t sleep.  

leona doesn’t look at you. he doesn’t really know what he might say if he does. 

“wait- so you just tossed me some old and musty cough drop and expected that to make me feel better?” 

“where’d all that gratefulness you originally had go?” 

“i was grateful, until i realized this probably expired years ago!” 

“ah, so you admit you’re a little indebted towards me.” 

“don’t change the subject, kingscholar!” 

“...leona.” 

“..leona!” 

leona turns to look at you, and what you’re pretty sure was pure rage immediately dissipates. 

“...what?” he murmurs, turning back away. you give him another hard shake, and he groans. you briefly recognize that his front braids are untied, and you briefly think about how when he’s like this, he’s almost cute, but then you shake him harder to perish the thought. 

“leona, wake up! seriously, have you just been napping this whole time? i was waiting for you in class and you just never showed up!” 

you were waiting for him? actually waiting for him? leona chokes out a laugh, muffled by the stuffing of the pillow. “should’ve just continued your day without me. leave me alone.” you huff at the pure audacity of this man as he falls back into silence. 

“continue my day without you? where do you get the gall? after i got used to talking to you before class starts and laughing at you whenever trein calls on you because you’re half-asleep and you look like an idiot? no way. get up!” you severly underestimate his weight when you try pulling him out of bed and you almost get the wind knocked out of you. you tug again and you can hear him mumble.  

you have half a mind to pull at his ears when he pulls himself up, looking at you under his mess of hair. 

“you’re really annoying, you know that?” 

you grin, “mhm. okay, get up. i’m not doing flight class without you.” 

“...you’re really lucky that i like you.” 

and you feel your knees almost give in. 

“obviously,” you scoff, even though you feel like you’re about to evaporate into nothingness with how hot everything is suddenly getting, “who wouldn’t like me?” 

leona laughs, curt and short, “mhm.” 

he doesn’t even know why you care about him right now. he doesn’t even know why he cares that you care. and yet, something in him swells, explodes at the thought that you were thinking about him. that for once, somebody was waiting for him. somebody wanted to be with him. 

“you don’t need me,” he thinks. “you could be with anybody else in the world, you could’ve been laughing and spending time with ace, running around with ruggie, and here you are with me.” 

leona wants to breathe you in like air, drink you in like water. he wants to remember every part of you, he wants to kiss your hair and your eyes and your cheeks and your lips and be content that you’re just here with him. that you chose him over everybody else.  

leona kingscholar wants you. 

“you should be glad, you know that?” he says, “really glad.” 

note: wahhh!! first post!!! hai twst fandom!!! please dont immediately kill me!!!!!!!!!!!! on a real note tho dont expect too much from me if u genuinely like my work....... this might be my only post ever on tumblr dot com!!!!!!

[aetherbladedstick]

Either 20 or 93 with 20/93 because kriedbanajad forever

HEHEHEEEE THIS WAS AMAZINNNGGG ok so i went with 20 - Press Conference (from Chess the Musical Original Concept Album (but must be the original (black album cover) if you intend to listen - the version from the "Chess in concert" is way less fun bc the tempo is vastly slower.)) [also for the record 93 was I See Fire but a cover] and i think i love this. there is an amazing line in this song that is SO igor and would go great in a DRAMATIC igor contract fic imo but as it is the vibes worked very well (imo) for kreidbanejad. i hope you like it! under the cut etc etc

There's something outrageous about having to do press conferences. They're kind of awful at all times, but they're particularly awful now - in the middle of losing and rumors and all kinds of shitty fucking things that people want to dig into Mika about. The press wants a story. Mika wants to live in relative fucking peace.

Rangers management is only happy to facilitate one of those, and it's not Mika's goddamn peace.

He's kind of sick of it all - the hounding questions, the incessant reports that they're going to take Chris from him, the nonstop queries about his slump. He wants to go home, though if pressed - hah. - he probably wouldn't be able to define what 'home' means.

He wants to live in a world where he skates with Chris every night, and nobody asks him if he thinks he's past his prime, or if he thinks he's being paid more than he's worth. He wants to go home - home being not fucking here, right now.

The media has always been full of assholes, but this particular year seems worse than all the rest. Maybe it's because his tolerance has gone down - after all, he got used to a world where even Rangers beat wasn't allowed in the locker room - but maybe it's because the world seems to be staring down his throat, scrutinizing his every move. He feels, sometimes, like he's in a fucking shark tank, even when he's not reading the news.

So it's peaceful when he gets to sit next to Chris, at least, for this ridiculous interrogation. He avoids calling on the men he knows don't like him - and who, for the record, he barely likes in return. He mostly avoids commenting on trades, and mostly avoids commenting on loss, and tries not to scream, "You weren't even this fucking critical of Quinner," mostly because he knows it's inappropriate.

They're going to twist anything he says anyway, so when he retreats to a room where only Sam and the Rangers are allowed, it feels like peace. He talks to Sam about how he tried baking cinnamon buns to bring in, but they didn't make it past Chris, and Sam laughs, and Sam leaves, because Sam, at least, has some decency.

Chris leaves early - lucky fucker, though Mika knows he's not - and Mika stays late, biking and lifting and trying not to scream. He lets the pounding 5/8 rhythm in his head keep him going, and he tries not to yell his frustrations to the world, and when he finally emerges from his music-fueled lifting session, he drives home.

Home smells like meatballs and pasta and apple pie, because Chris Kreider loves him too much. (Kreids would say there's no such thing. Mika would say that Kreids is probably the most attentive boyfriend on the planet, and he'd go viral on TikTok for half of the bullshit he does for Mika. Krieds would say it's not bullshit. They've had this discussion.)

Also, Kreids has apparently blocked all the news websites from their internet in the last 4 hours, and laughs at Mika when he discovers it. Mika is reminded of how Chris can justify throwing a five hundred dollar iPad to protect his peace, and feels that perhaps, this is only just slightly left of being utterly absurd behavior.

Chris Kreider, sometimes, is so fucking lucky Mika loves him. (Kreids would say he is always so fucking lucky that Mika Zibanejad chose him, out of everyone in the world, but then again, Kreids is a giant sap, so. There's that.)

[papermusings]

Saudade - L.M.H x Reader Teaser

⋆˙⟡♡✧˖°

pairing: lee know x reader

genre: fluff, angst, friends to lovers, soulmates(?)

Saudade - the feelings of melancholy, longing or nostalgia

Note: hello, welcome to my soul basically translated out in fanfiction.

A lot of this is based on my own experiences. Not all of it but some of it is. So feel free to judge me if you want I don't really mind. I've come to terms with it.

Anyways, enjoy my word-vomit. Please give feedback as this is the first writing piece I've done in years. I am rusty. I'm basically posting this teaser so I can get y'all to pester me about finishing this and keep myself accountable about finishing it (like actually i need someone to kick me in the ass to finish this)

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

Maybe it was time to accept that you were destined to be perpetually single.

Because if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be scrawled across your apartment floor with your best friend, 6 bottles of soju in, trying to drink your anger and drown your sorrows away about being dumped by your ex through text. Asshole didn’t even have the decency to do it in person.

“I’m going to be single forever!” you shout as if you were putting a curse on yourself. Or rather, maybe just accepting the fact there was one placed on you already. Damn, you wonder if you had wronged someone in a past life for your love life to turn out like this. 

“Maybe I really am destined to be alone.”

Another failed relationship to add to the books.

Fuck. A text message. Really?

All he said was it’s not you, it’s me. What bullshit. If he planned on breaking up with you over text, he could have at least had the decency to come up with a better reason than the garbage he spewed in that text message of his like a coward.

That makes it what…the seventh break-up? At this point you’ve honestly kind of lost track.

You really thought Jun was going to be the one, you know? He was supposed to be your lifetime person

“Oh c’mon kitten, don’t say that.” your best friend chuckles, running a sympathetic hand down your back, “You have me. You’ll never be alone.”

It’s not as if you believed that by the time you were in your early 20s that you HAD to have found a partner that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. That was more your mom’s thing. She had always believed in soulmates and all the things that came along with it. A hopeless romantic.

Was it too much to ask for just a stable relationship?

“I know that. But you know what I mean.”

He chuckled again, offering you another shot of soju, “Maybe you just have a couple more seasons and reasons to go through before you find your forever person. Your other forever person that is.”

“Shut up. I knew telling you about that was a bad idea.” You say before aptly giving him the middle finger.

There was this saying your mother always used to tell you growing up – there are three types of people that will come into your life: some are a season, others are going to be a reason, and only one of them will be for a lifetime.

As a kid, you didn’t put too much thought into it. At that age, people were just people to you. 

Your mother, ever the hopeless romantic, always envisioned that there would be that one person out there in the world that was meant for her darling child.

She knew even if you never told her, your greatest fear was being abandoned and having to go through life alone. So she wanted there to be at least one person who would be with you forever. 

“So where does Jun sit then? Was he a season, or was he a reason?”

“I think he was just a season.”

[noxsoulmate]

💞 Of Lizards, Love & Laundry 💞

🦎 Carlos Reyes and the Journey of Becoming a Lizard Papa 🦎

Ship: Tarlos | Fandom: 911 Lone Star Author: noxsoulmate | Artist: paxdracona Read on ao3 | View art on ao3

Chapters: 1-3/9 | Word Count: 4309 | Rating: Mature | Warnings/Tags: canon compliant, Lou II is the Houdini of Lizards, how Lou II makes his Papa love him, a story told in 7+2 parts, Carlos is so done, but TK knows how to condition his man, sex and spicy food, bribery, fluff, domestic fluff, fluff and smut, fluff and humor, Carlos loves TK, so he puts up with the reptile in their loft, until he starts to love the little monster as well

Inspired by @paxdracona's amazing art

Created for the @911reversebang

Summary:

“TK, your lizard got out. Again.”

Lou II might just be the Houdini of lizards, an escape artist par excellence – but he’s also TK’s emotional support lizard, so how could Carlos not start to like the little monster? It certainly has nothing to do with TK’s ways of bribery or attempts at conditioning him, and more with the fact that Lou II is just… growing on him. Even if that means loads and loads of extra laundry.

OR: Carlos Reyes and the Journey of Becoming a Lizard Papa, told in 7+2 parts

🦎 Read on ao3 🦎

💞 and please leave lots of love on the wonderful art on ao3 💞

I cannot thank @paxdracona enough for this wonderful collaboration 🥰 It started out as a simple "okay, I think I have enough ideas to make this a short 5+1 fic" and then became so much more, thanks to cute Bearded Dragon videos, funny Insta posts, lots of talking and laughing and plotting, and just the generally amazing art Pax created for every little snippet I sent her way. Pax, this was a delight and I would collaborate with you again each and every single time 🦎 (also, we should both adopt a beardie now...)

Sneak peek and more art under the cut:

one

Carlos will forever deny the high-pitched scream that leaves him the moment he opens the drawer to pull out a fresh pair of socks. What he won’t deny though, is the fact that his soul definitely left his body in that moment. 

He can already hear footsteps running towards the bedroom, his fiancé’s worried, “Babe?!?” echoing around the loft – and still, he can’t stop himself from putting his emotions into one frustrated yell of, “TK!!”

“I’m here, I’m here,” TK calls back, skidding to a halt in the doorway, using the door frame to stop his sprint. “What happened? What? Are you hurt?!”

Carlos tries not to explode at him, he truly does, so he simply glares at him with all the rage he feels and points to the drawer, pressing out through clenched teeth, “Your monster got free.”

TK, in all honesty, seems to light up as he steps over to the dresser and reaches into the drawer. “Oh, hey baby, hi. There you are. Hi.”

Something about that comment strikes Carlos as odd and he sucks in a deep breath, frustration rising, when he realizes what it is. “You knew he was out?”

At least TK has the decency to look sheepish while cradling the little monster to his chest. “He might’ve gotten away while I cleaned his terrarium earlier today.”

Carlos lets that information sink in for a moment, remembering how overly excited TK greeted him about half an hour ago when Carlos got home from his shift. How he seemed slightly breathless and waved it away as just being done with some workout but still had declined to share the shower with Carlos, claiming some tidying up he wanted to do.

That lying little… 

“And you didn’t tell me?” Carlos accuses to which TK almost reflexively replies, “I didn’t want you to freak out.”

“TK!”

And, yeah, that argument sounds eerily familiar.

Carlos pinches the bridge of his nose, trying not to think about the fact that he walked around the loft – mainly the bathroom and bedroom – naked while this little monster was running around. Or, worse yet, getting all his germs over Carlos’ clothes.

He points a finger at TK, giving him his strongest Officer Reyes glare. “It’s your turn to do the laundry and every single one of my socks will be in that machine, do you hear me?”

“Of course,” TK promises right away. “I’ll just… wash everything in that dresser, okay?”

💞🦎 Continue on ao3 🦎💞

Noxy’s Tagging List:

@detective-giggles, @sgirl18, @firstprince-history-huh, @beautifulhigh, @rangergurlgleek1211, @shadesofdeviant, @actuallysara, @carlos-in-glasses, @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut, @welcometololaland, @wtfuckevenknows, @lightningboltreader, @meditating-honey-badger, @just-inside-her, @alidravana, @morganaspendragonss, @bonheur-cafe, @heartstringsduet, @ravens-words, @lire-casander, @otter-love-asl, @ramblingdisaster73, @first-kanaphan, @xtltokio, @buckybarnesalways, @mangacat201, @catanisspicy, @lemonlyman-dotcom

[cosmicanamnesis]

he tastes like chocolate pt. 11 (end)

[part 1] [part 10] [read on ao3]

December 31st, 3 hours to midnight

“Oh, come on!”

Erica had beaten not just Dustin, but almost everyone else at the party at Mario Kart at least once, and Dustin was tired of it. In a huff, he passed his controller off to Grant and made a beeline to the kitchen to break out the harder stuff.

As he wrestled the bottle of vodka out from underneath four bags of pizza rolls - thanks Jeff - Steve came around him and leaned against the counter, arms crossed, looking at him expectantly.

“You want some?” Dustin asked, shutting the freezer door.

“What are you and Robin playing at here?” 

“Uh, Robin’s playing Mario Kart,” Dustin tried to play dumb as he pulled a jug of lemonade out of the fridge. “And I’m playing Let’s See How Drunk Dustin Can Get Before Midnight. I’ll make you a drink too if you want, since you didn’t drive here.”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Dustin,” Steve sighed. Dustin just shrugged and continued to work around him, pulling the biggest cup he could find out of the cabinet. “You and Robin coordinated something, didn’t you?”

“No idea what you’re talking about, dude.” Dustin eyeballed an amount of vodka that was definitely more than standard into his glass. “Last chance if you want me to make you a drink.”

“Ugh, fine. Yes please.” 

Dustin shot him a confused glance as he grabbed another cup. “Since when do you have manners?”

“Whatever. Quit meddling with my love life. Both of you.”

“What love life? OW!” Steve at least had the decency to wait for Dustin to put the vodka down before smacking the back of his head. “The hell was that for?”

“For you’re a smartass and I’m being serious. Now what did you say to Eddie?”

“Uh… What did he say I said?”

“Oh, no, I’m not falling for that. He covered your ass, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Look, just…” Dustin sighed, and topped off both glasses with lemonade, handing one to Steve. “Please don’t set fireworks off in my bed, okay? Robin tried to convince me it was an empty threat but I am getting some distinctly pyrotechnical vibes off you right now.”

“Damn it, Dustin, you told him?”

“Told who what?” Max joined them in the kitchen, bag of cheetos in hand. “Don’t put that away yet, I want some.” She gestured at the jug of lemonade still in Dustin’s hand. As if she hadn’t interrupted anything, she moved around them casually, grabbing her own glass out of the cabinet to make herself a drink.

"I… may have told Eddie, um… about Steve," Dustin stuttered as Steve stared him down.

"Did he really need to be told?" Max laughed. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steve huffed.

"Please, Steve. Eddie is neither blind nor stupid. I would hope he wouldn't need Dustin to tell him about your frankly very obvious crush."

"Is it that obvious?"

Dustin and Max looked at each other then back at Steve, nodding. 

“For what it’s worth,” Max continued. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Eddie’s so in love with you even my mother knows.”

“Wait, how does your mom know?” Dustin asked. Max took a sip of her drink, winced, and poured a little more lemonade in. Apparently she and Dustin had similar disregard for the hangovers they would have in the morning.

“We live in the trailer park, dude. Eddie’s my neighbor… Kind of. His uncle tells my mom and… Oh, what’s his name… Marvin?” Max stared off to the side for a long moment, thinking. Finally she smiled and snapped her fingers. “No, Murray! Wayne tells them everything about Eddie and that includes his crush on Steve.”

“Well… That explains some things,” Steve muttered.

“Yeah. My mom’s got ten bucks on him suffering in silence about it forever.” Raucous noise erupted from the rest of the party in the living room, suggesting another victory for Erica. "I think that means it's my turn next. You two idiots have fun." Max took a long drink and grabbed her cheetos again, heading back to the living room.

"Y'know what this is like?" Steve asked once Max was out of earshot. "That one play you guys dragged me to."

"What?"

"Y'know, where they hate each other and then their friends try to set them up?"

"Please tell me you're not talking about Much Ado About Nothing."

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Okay, key difference here, Shakespeare," Dustin said incredulously. "You two don't hate each other. In fact, you're so in love with each other it's not even funny. At the risk of being eaten by a tarrasque, let me assure you that Eddie is trying so hard to make you like him."

"What's a tarrasque?"

"Not the point, Steve! Jesus…" Dustin shook his head and downed about half his drink in one go. He leaned back against the counter, staring at nothing for a while. 

"You guys really think he likes me?" Steve glanced back to the living room, watching Eddie sitting cross legged on the floor, leaning side to side with his tongue pressed to his upper lip in unwavering focus. God he was adorable.

"Think? No, Steve, I don't think he likes you. I know he does. We all know he does. Pretty sure at this point the neighbor’s stupid cat knows! And if you tell him I told you, I'm gonna set fireworks off in your bed."

It wasn't that Steve didn't believe them. He did. But it had been so long since he tried to make a move on anyone, he wasn't sure how to proceed, and for that matter Eddie wasn't like anyone he'd ever dated before.

How different could it possibly be, though? Flirting was flirting.

December 31st, 2 hours to midnight

It wasn't as scary with two beers and the concoction Dustin had named the Lazy Man’s Lemon Drop in his system. Turned out, with a little booze, the Harrington Charm came back to him as naturally as riding a bike, which was also something he hadn’t done in years but probably wouldn’t be aided with vodka.

It was easy, really. He stuck close to Eddie as much as he could, found excuses to touch him, even shared a cigarette with him to Robin’s disgust as the party started slowly migrating out into the garage. Oddly enough, packing almost twenty people into one floor of the house and giving them all alcohol made the living room unbearably hot very quickly.

They probably should’ve seen that one coming.

As the boys leaned against the side of Eddie’s van in the driveway, passing a cigarette back and forth, Nancy and Barb stepped out into the open garage.

“Hey Steve!” Nancy called, quickly tying her hair up in a haphazard ponytail. “Come shotgun a beer with me!”

“The hell-? Why?” Steve yelled back.

“For old time’s sake,” Nancy shrugged, smiling wide. She took the beers from Barb and held one out to Steve, beckoning him over. He looked at Eddie and laughed, passing the cigarette back to him.

“I don’t even know if I can do this anymore, Nance,” he laughed, leaving Eddie back by the van as he took the beer from her.

“Me either. Just figured I’d help you out,” Nancy replied, lowering her voice. She pulled a couple butter knives from her back pocket and handed one to Steve.

“What do you mean, help me out?”

“I know how you flirt, Steve, you’re not very subtle. Besides, this impressed me.”

“In high school! I can’t believe this,” Steve laughed, making direct eye contact with Barb. “I’m getting wingman-ed by my fucking ex-girlfriend.”

“Want me to hold your glasses?” Barb asked, holding her hand out. Oh yeah. No one was teasing him about them, he almost forgot he was wearing them. He blinked hard a few times to clear his vision, carefully passing the glasses off to Barb.

"Can we get a drum roll?" Nancy called to Gareth, sitting behind his drums talking to Will. He rolled his eyes, but obliged as Steve and Nancy lined up their cans. Steve looked back at Eddie, shooting him a look that said pray for me as Eddie hid a smile behind his hand.

By some miracle, they could both still shotgun a beer. The small crowd around them answered them with laughter and scattered applause as their empty cans fell to the ground

"Oh my god that's so much harder than I remember it being," Steve huffed, trying to catch his breath. Nancy doubled over, coughing or laughing or maybe both. "Oh, why did I let you talk me into that? Evil. You're evil."

Steve turned to look at Eddie again, still leaning against the van, giggling behind his hair. The only thing Steve could think to do was bow.

December 31st, 1 hour to midnight

Up and down the street, parties were in full swing. More than once, the boys’ neighbor across the street, an old woman with an aggressive outdoor cat and a permanent scowl, peered out her front window to glare at anyone who looked like they might be having fun.

“Keep it down out there!” she yelled, letting her cat out for the night.

“Isn’t it past your bedtime, you old hag?” Dustin yelled back. Eddie, sensing the opportunity to piss off the entire neighborhood, cranked the volume on his amp all the way up and strummed something discordant, making sure she could see him while he did it.

“Cranky old bitch,” Max muttered to no one in particular. Everyone was outside now, and all the alcohol and snacks with them, milling about the front yard and the driveway as the band did their final checks. The idea was simple: don’t stop playing until midnight. A cooler full of bottles of cheap champagne sat ready and waiting on the porch next to a giant pile of firecrackers. 

Jonathan was snapping pictures left and right of the band and the guests, but mostly different combinations of the boys and Max spelling dirty words with sparklers.

Once Corroded Coffin really got started, their party started attracting the neighbors to the yard.

Steve didn’t notice. Steve was sitting in the back of Eddie’s van with El, a blanket wrapped around the both of them, watching the band with rapt attention. Well, watching Eddie at least. Mostly watching his hands as he played, and his hair whipping wildly around his face as he danced and sang.

It was mesmerizing.

He was an incredibly skilled guitarist and he performed like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Steve could feel his heart practically beating out of his chest in time with the music. One song blended seamlessly into the next, a mix of covers and their own music. Suddenly Steve found himself becoming a metal fan, or at least a Corroded Coffin fan. Maybe just a fan of their frontman. Eh. Same difference.

As the show went on and the crowd started yelling requests from the lawn, Steve decided something. If Eddie liked him as much as everyone said he did, then it was foolproof.

He was gonna kiss Eddie at midnight.

December 31st, 10 minutes to midnight

Eddie knew he was hamming it up a bit more than the venue called for, but if there was one thing he loved it was working a crowd. He hadn’t expected the entire street to congregate in the boys’ front yard, but you wouldn’t hear him complaining, especially since his favorite audience member was front and god damn center, and couldn’t take his eyes off Eddie.

Well, not center so much as slightly off to the side, but definitely front. Steve and El in the back of the van were closer to the band than anyone. And it was hard not to be constantly looking over at them. El was curled up on the floor of the van, smiling wide with her head resting on Steve’s lap. She was definitely hogging the blanket but Steve didn’t seem to notice or mind. Getting to see how bonded Steve was to these kids he’d apparently known forever gave Eddie visions of a future he never thought he’d get to have. Soft and domestic and… Get it together, dude, you’re playing a show.

“Anybody got the time?” he said into the microphone as they played the outro to one of their own originals, voice now a little hoarse. Singing for an hour will do that to a person. 

“11:51!” a stranger in the crowd replied.

Perfect.

“Friends, you’ve all been a wonderful audience tonight, I hope you’ve enjoyed the show. I’d like to give special shoutouts to Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Mike for loaning us their garage,” he pointed to his friends in the crowd and paused to relish in the whooping and hollering for a moment before continuing. “To my boys, my band, especially Jeff and his six bags of pizza rolls!” Another pause, and Jeff dipped into a bow, one arm spread wide, the other keeping his guitar from sliding off over his head. “And to Mrs. McAdams across the street, rot in hell you joyless fucking harpy!”

Riotous applause and laughter broke out as Eddie began the next song. And, if he timed it right, the last song.

The beginning of Master of Puppets was fairly iconic, and the band picked up on it right away. So did Steve. Out of the corner of his eye, Eddie could see Steve perk up. It spurred Eddie on that much more, and this time he let himself pay a little more attention to Steve and El than the rest of the crowd.

Will stood by the door back into the house, diligently checking his watch as they played. 

December 31st, 1 minute to midnight

At 11:59, Will waved at El. That was their cue. Quickly, El sat up, pulling Steve along with her again as she hopped out of the van and towards the champagne on the porch. This was it. Steve steeled his nerves as he ran with her, trying not to chicken out of the plan.

They met the rest of the guys at the porch, diligently unwrapping and passing around firecrackers and pulling the foil off the bottles of champagne.

10 seconds to midnight

Just as the song was ending, someone in the crowd yelled 10. Eddie decided to cut the song off about eight bars early.

9 seconds to midnight

“Thank you everybody!” Eddie yelled, quickly and carefully ditching his guitar. As El, Steve, and the rest were all on the porch, the band had to take an extra second to put their instruments up, except for Gareth who set his sticks down and ran to the front of the van to find the box of cheap lighters they brought.

8 seconds to midnight

“Okay, who's got fireworks?” Gareth asked, milling through the crowd, passing lighters out to anyone who needed them.

Steve caught Eddie’s eye from across the crowd and waved him over.

7 seconds to midnight

“If you don’t know how to open a champagne bottle, pass it to someone who does! Jesus,” Dustin yelled over the countdown.

Eddie pushed through the crowd as fast as he could. He told Lucas to make sure to save him a Roman candle and by god he was going to get it.

6 seconds

“You know how to open champagne?” Steve asked once Eddie made it up to the porch.

“No,” Eddie answered honestly, shaking his head. Steve laughed.

5 seconds

“Nance!” Steve yelled. She wasn’t far, but the crowd in the yard drowned out most other noise. Nancy came up behind Steve and tapped him on the arm. He held a bottle out to her. “Last one, you wanna do the honors?”

4

“Sure,” she shrugged and took the bottle, running down the yard to the sidewalk where a vanguard of strangers who knew how to open champagne was lining up, hoping not to hit anything.

“Lucas, you got my fireworks?” Eddie asked, leaning in close to Lucas.

3

“Yeah dude, here, hurry up!” Lucas passed the tube to him quickly, almost fumbling it in his hurry. “You’ll have to find Gareth for a lighter though.”

“Thanks man, you’re the best!”

2

“Wait, Eddie!” Steve caught Eddie’s shoulder before he could walk too far away. Eddie spun, smiling at Steve with such childlike glee that Steve almost wanted to give up on the plan and let him have his fun making things explode.

1

“Yeah?”

Shit. Okay. Now or never.

January 1st, midnight

“Happy New Year!” cheered the crowd, and a cacophony of popping corks and firecrackers erupted all around them.

It wasn’t as romantic as Steve had hoped for, but given all the hustle and noise, it probably went as well as it possibly could. 

He stepped up close to Eddie and wrapped his hand around the back of his head, threading his fingers into the man’s wild curls. Eddie’s smile faltered just for a second as he realized what was happening.

He didn’t stop it. He let Steve pull him in close, watching intently as Steve’s gaze flicked all around Eddie’s face and landed on his lips. And he whined, just a little bit, when Steve finally, finally kissed him, but the noise got lost in the crowd.

It wasn’t a soft kiss by any means, or slow, or sweet. But when Steve pulled back and looked for a reaction, Eddie couldn’t help but giggle. He bit his lip and bounced in place a few times, and if Steve looked at him like he was crazy, it didn’t matter, because maybe he was, and Steve was laughing too. Maybe they were both crazy.

All around them, couples were sharing their own New Year’s kisses, oblivious to Steve and Eddie until Eddie bounded away, nicked a lighter from Gareth and lit his Roman candle, pointing it at the sky triumphantly yelling “Steve Harrington kissed me!” loud enough that folks at the end of the block probably heard.

“Fuckin’ FINALLY!” came from two separate voices behind Steve and he turned to find Robin and Dustin above everyone else on the porch, high fiving. 

“Oh, fuck you guys,” Steve laughed.

“Hey Max!” Dustin yelled down to where Max and Lucas were lighting sparklers by the fistful.

“Yeah?” 

“Anybody have money on Steve making the first move?”

“Actually now that you mention it, I think Murray’s weird Russian boyfriend had that bet!”

“Well, tell your mom she owes him ten bucks!”

Max gave him a thumbs up and went back to focusing on not burning herself with her sparkler bouquet.

Laughing, Nancy walked back up the yard, champagne in hand, and grabbed a styrofoam cup out of a bag on the porch.

"So did you kiss him or did he kiss you?" she yelled, pouring Steve a cup of shitty champagne. They watched as Eddie bounced around in the street, somehow still managing to not launch fireworks directly at anyone.

"I kissed him!" Steve answered, sipping his drink. Nancy took a swig right from the bottle and smiled.

"He's been talking about you for months!"

"So I've heard!"

"Well, I'm glad one of you finally had some sense!"

"Oh, yeah, thanks Nance, really uh… Really feeling the love!"

"Anytime!"

Once Eddie's Roman candle emptied, he bounded back up the yard to Steve.

"So, uh, we should probably… Talk, right?" he said, tugging his hair into his face. "I mean, unless you wanna just keep grabbing me and kissing me, I'd be okay with that too."

"C'mon," Steve laughed, taking Eddie's hand to lead him back into the house through the garage. "Nancy, keep an eye on everybody!"

"Will do!"

"We're not children, Steve!" Dustin complained as they walked away.

Eddie's hand was warm in Steve's. In fact, Steve could feel the heat radiating off of Eddie despite how cold it was. Steve was freezing, and in that moment wanted nothing more than to wrap himself in Eddie's arms and forget the weather, the holiday, the party raging on out in the street.

There was no one left in the house when the pair ducked inside. In the kitchen, Steve dropped Eddie's hand and turned to face him. After the show he had just put on, it was a bit of a shock to see him look almost shy. His head was down and he was looking at Steve through his bangs, hands shoved in his back pockets, shifting his weight from side to side like he couldn’t stop moving. He was still smiling.

“So,” Steve said, leaning back against the counter, acting way more nonchalant than he really felt. 

“So…” Eddie repeated.

A moment passed in silence. Then another.

Then they burst out laughing.

They laughed until they were breathless, distance between them shrinking to nearly nothing. Eddie pushed his hands into Steve’s hair and Steve balled his fists in Eddie’s shirt, leaning their foreheads together while they caught their breath.

“I want to kiss you again,” Steve breathed.

“I think I’m gonna die if you don’t-” The last of Eddie’s laughter died in his throat as Steve tugged him closer and captured his mouth, both still smiling through the kiss.

The giddiness of it all morphed into three months worth of insatiable need and suddenly Eddie understood what it felt like to be a firecracker. Steve slipped his hands up under Eddie’s shirt, fingertips skirting gently over his skin leaving white-hot glittering trails everywhere he touched, and Eddie felt his heart pop and spark with every brush of their lips and slide of Steve’s tongue. He felt a little bit like he might explode.

As far as Steve was concerned, he was dead and this was heaven. The boots Eddie had worn for the concert made him just a bit taller than Steve, enough for it to be easy for him to lazily wrap his arms around Steve’s neck. He’d spent three months hoping for the chance to feel Eddie against him like this, and other than the fact that it was happening in Dustin’s kitchen, the real thing lived up to the dream and more.

“Oh, ew you guys, get a room!” 

Neither of them had heard the garage door open, but they broke apart quickly as Mike walked past them to the bathroom, holding a hand up by his face, blocking the pair from his sight.

“You offering yours?” Eddie yelled after him, expectedly met with an exaggerated gag and a slamming door. Eddie rolled his eyes and rested his forehead back against Steve’s as they both laughed quietly. “Your face is so red,” Eddie teased.

“So’s yours!” Steve retorted. “I’ve been drinking Dustin’s stupid vodka war crimes all night, what’s your excuse?”

“I just spent the last five minutes kissing the hottest guy I’ve ever met.”

“Oh, well,” Steve nodded. “That’s a pretty good reason… Wanna do it again?”

They heard Mike leave the bathroom and watched as he walked back outside, still holding a hand up to block his view.

“Don’t go in there!” Mike yelled as he crossed back into the garage. “Steve and Eddie are defiling the kitchen!”

“You’ll never get it clean!” Eddie chased after him and leaned out the door to make sure he got the last word in, leaving Steve cackling behind him.

“Shut the door, you’re letting the cold in,” Steve laughed.

Eddie came back inside, shutting the door behind him, and crossed the kitchen back to Steve. “You sound like my uncle,” he said, putting his arms back up on Steve’s shoulders. “And here I was gonna kiss you some more.”

“I do believe I was the one kissing you, asshole.”

“Wow, maybe I was wrong. Maybe you are a mean girl.”

“Eat me… Oh, don’t look at me like that, you know what I meant.”

“I do,” Eddie smirked. “But also, y’know, if you’re offering…”

“Depends. You gonna be weird about sharing a bed again?”

Eddie threw his head back laughing. “Oh, never again, I regretted it immediately the first time.”

“So… are we…?” 

“Yeah, I mean, if you wanna be. I wanna be.”

“I do… I really, really do.”

Eddie looked like he wanted to kiss Steve again but he never got the chance as Gareth poked his head in from the garage.

“Eddie!” he yelled. “Quit being gross and come help us pack up!”

“Yeah, give me a sec,” Eddie turned slightly to glance back at him without letting go of Steve. 

Gareth just huffed and rolled his eyes, muttering something Eddie couldn’t quite make out but he was sure it was something along the lines of god damn lazy motherfucker never helps reload the van after a gig. 

“You want me to come help?” Steve asked. Eddie sighed, smiling at him warmly, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Guess he might as well, y’know, go act like he’s in the band or something.

“Sweet of you, Stevie, but no. We got this. You just stand there and look pretty.”

Steve crossed his arms as Eddie stepped away from him, immediately missing the warmth. “‘S what I do best,” he joked. Eddie rolled his eyes, trying not to smile, and stepped out into the garage.

January 1st, morning

As it was, anyone too inebriated to go home spent the night in a blanket nest in the boys’ living room, Steve and Eddie included. After blasting through the breakfast of champions that included three full pots of coffee, two packs of bacon, and the last bag of pizza rolls, everyone who didn’t live there or wasn’t dating someone who did started to head out. The band made sure all of their instruments were secure in the back of Eddie’s van and driving duties were passed along to Jeff. 

Steve hugged Robin goodbye after assuring her, repeatedly, that he wasn’t abandoning her for Eddie and he would be back at the apartment later that day, they just needed to get the bike back to Eddie’s weird neighbors and wait for Jeff and Grant to come back with the van.

Steve didn’t know why he didn’t expect Murray to be outside smoking when they got back, but there he was, standing on his porch in slippers and a bathrobe just as he had been the other day. He smiled at Eddie as he passed the borrowed helmets up to him but didn’t say anything. That was… Almost more unsettling than his regular cryptic commentary. It didn’t help that he just kept staring at them as Eddie dug his keys out to let them into the trailer.

“Hey Murray!” Steve yelled, doing the only thing he could think to do to break the weird tension. Eddie looked back at him confused. “I think you guys all owe Alexei some money! He won your stupid bet! I kissed him first!”

“Bet? Steve, what- what fucking bet? You guys had a bet??” Eddie raised his voice as he spoke, the mission of getting into the house as quickly as possible all but forgotten and Murray cackled across the way. “YOU GUYS HAD A BET??”

“Congratulations, boys!” Murray laughed and stubbed his cigarette out.

“How’d you know they had a bet?” Eddie finally opened the door so they could get out of the cold. 

“Oh, Max’s mom got in on it I guess.”

“Susan.”

March 12th

"You have GOT to be kidding me-"

"Eddie, please, it's not that ser-"

"Not that-? Like HELL it’s not that serious!"

"Eds, come on, I'm at work, can't this wait?"

"No! No, Steven, it cannot wait! You just said, OUT LOUD- Y'know what? I'm texting the guys."

"Oh lord… Don’t you have anything else to do right now?"

“Not for twenty minutes, I’m on my lunch break.”

i need you guys to help me settle an argument

Garebear: With who?

steve

Microwave: oh god, whats he doing now?

this man. just looked me in the eyes. and with FULL CONFIDENCE said that brennan lee mulligan is a better dm than matt mercer

Dustpan: I mean, not to add fuel to the fire but… I'm with Steve on this one.

of course you are you little traitor

JIF: Hold up

JIF: Absolutely not

JIF: Brennan's good but he's not THAT good

THANK you

Leia: what was steve's argument?

that brennan is "more entertaining to watch"

literally said critical role was boring

Dustpan: well yeah, Brennan's a comedian. that's literally his whole job.

Wildred: I think he just likes Emily Axford lol

EVERYONE LIKES EMILY AXFORD

Garebear: Tru

Garebear: But

Garebear: I raise you all: Marisha Ray

Garebear: Anyway he's wrong

Grandalf: Well I kinda see where hes coming from Ed. I wont say hes right because they are two very different DMs and they have such wildly different play styles you basically cant compare them

JIF: Dude that's Matt's WIFE be respectful

Leia: damn you got grant to say something in the gc

Garebear: Who are you and what did you do with my bassist

explain

Grandalf: Well it makes sense that Steve would like Brennan more. Like Dustin said he is a comedian and hes entertaining to watch even if you dont know very much about the game. You dont have to know what a stealth check is to know that the box of doom means its important

Microwave: and. he really doesnt know anything.

Grandalf: But Matt and Critical Role as a series are harder to get into and really enjoy without a decent working knowledge of the game. Part of the appeal of the show is Matts skill with the medium and thats totally lost if you dont know D&D

JIF: Grant's got OPINIONS today

Grandalf: And even the way the shows are set up makes Dimension 20 way easier to get into. Theres like 500 hours of Campaign 1 alone. Its intimidating. D20 episodes are shorter and theres way less of them

Grandalf: (End rant)

Wildred: Wow

Garebear: That was really well put, man

Grandalf: And anyway Aabria Iyengar is the actual correct answer

Dustpan: god damn it I knew there was a catch

none of you are any help at all yknow that?

Garebear: I vote dump him. He lacks culture

Dustpan: absolutely do not dump him. Robin and I will never hear the end of it.

… So it was going well.

--------------

aaaaaaa this has been a blast to write thank u everyone for following along! sorry this last chapter took so long to go up, i'm not gonna lie i've been procrastinating editing it nd working on other stuff instead lol

tagging: @original-cypher @avacrebs @dangdirtydemons @rainydays35 @changenamelater @phantypurple @alienace @renaissan-vvitch @krazyperson @steddiereid @kittsu-makes-glass @i-must-potato @jaywhohasthegay @henderdads @mightbeasleep @straight4joekeery @sharingisntkaren @micheledawn1975 @thehumblefigtree @goodolefashionedloverboi @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @potentialheartofdarkness @dreammetheworld08 @steveisabicon @biatcgh @alittlegreyfish @r0binscript @estrellami-1 @shitnshit @little-gae-shit

[martellspear]

This is a rant in its purest form.

It is just so convenient and dishonest to erase Rhaegar’s fault to what happened to Elia. And, as I will assume that Lyanna went willingly here, hers too. You can ship whatever you want, as gross as it is, that’s your problem, but it is ridiculous to turn your face away from what these two caused.

Tywin gave the order, but what caused the circumstances for that to be possible? I understand that if you’re a RL enjoyer you probably crafted your own version of the facts, but everything leads to Rhaegar’s obsession with the prophecy. He thought he would be the savior, then his children. Then, he didn’t want to push another pregnancy on Elia, meaning, from the context, he didn’t want her to die. He didn’t hate her as some make it seem, and if he did, that would be the last person I’d personally pair up with a character I say I like. If you hate one of the sweetest people to ever set foot on that hellhole that is Westeros, maybe the problem is you idk.

Tywin is to blame, of course, so is the Mountain. However, to say Rhaegar had nothing to do with it? PLEASE.

He is guilty not only for his family’s death but for Rickard and Brandon’s too. There were at least ten other routes they could’ve taken with this, love or not, but when their stans make up excuses for them, it just makes them seem beyond stupid. What do you mean they had no idea of what doing what they did would cause?

Also, while I am at it, wtf do you mean it’s wrong to call out prejudice against the dornish in Westeros? More than that, how can you say that when we have evidence and more evidence of how much these characters suffer in the hands of the court in spite of how high their station is? At least be honest. Like what you like but have the decency to recognize what is wrong with it.

The thing is, the second Elia, Rhaenys, Aegon, Rickard and Brandon’s deaths are acknowledged as a direct consequence and not casualties of war, it stops being a romantic love story and it becomes the story of two selfish people drowning in their own hypocrisy. “I want to save the realm” x dooming it and his family, bringing war and despair; and “I can’t be with someone who does not respect me as a wife” x running away with a married man and father of two. If those deaths are recognized, their perfect characters are no longer perfect nor victims of the circumstances inflicted upon them; they’re the catalyst of disaster instead.

Also, it will never fail to make me laugh that some believe a second marriage would happen and Rhaegar would still get to be king. The Faith is not allowing it, much less would the Martell simply accept this. But imagine a scenario where Elia and her babies still die, so do Lyanna’s father and brother.

How do you go on with a relationship like that knowing that it was you and your partner that caused all of this to happen? Benjen and Ned? What do they think of their sister, who appears to simply not care about what happened to their family? Rhaegar has only Viserys and Dany now, what does he tell them? Dragonstone will be forever haunted by the memory of Elia and Rhaenys to him; imagine him walking around the Red Keep and accidentally finding one of Aegon’s toys? And now all he has is a baby that’s not what he expected, there is no silver haired Visenya.

How long until another war breaks? The Baratheons are insulted, the Martells are insulted, the king is the Mad King’s son and was reckless enough to start a war, he can’t be trusted, and the Targaryens don’t have dragons anymore.

Anyway, I just wanted to get it off my system, I am not even sure this is coherent because my thoughts just kept popping up as I wrote.

[phoenix-downer]

Where I Belong Chapter 3

Fog and Sleep: ~3170 words. After Sora disappears, Kairi spends a year asleep so her heart can be searched for clues. When she awakens, she trains with Aqua until she’s ready for her first mission: a visit to Olympus Coliseum with Donald and Goofy to follow their best lead they have on finding a dead person. 

Story Info: Sora/Kairi. Starts during the end of KH3/during ReMind and moves into KH4. Kairi POV. Angst, Romance, Fluff.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Kairi was home now. Her world tour with Sora was over, and his time on this world was almost through. They were sitting on the paopu tree as if nothing had happened since the last time they’d sat here and shared the fruit that had altered their destinies.

She wished they could go back to that moment and redo everything that had happened at the Keyblade Graveyard, but they couldn’t. 

He was smiling at her with this radiant, serene look on his face, like he couldn’t be happier than to spend his final moments with her. This sunset was one of the most beautiful ones she’d ever seen on Destiny Islands, and yet his focus was completely on her, like he thought she was the most beautiful sight he could possibly see.  

She was trying really hard to keep it together. Trying to be brave. Trying not to cry. She didn’t want his last memory of her to be of her sobbing her eyes out. She wanted their parting to be a happy one. Or if not happy, then at least bittersweet.

He tilted his head and sighed. The way he was looking at her…was he gonna try to kiss her? He had that same look in his eyes as before.

But instead he gently squeezed her hand. “I love you,” he said, the words simple but spoken with all his heart. Spoken so softly only she could hear, but with the full force of his confidence behind them. Her eyes widened and her lips parted, then she smiled bigger than ever, a tear rolling down her cheek. 

To hear the confirmation in his own words, in his precious voice, made her so happy she could sing; to know it was because he was about to die made her feel like weeping. 

Instead she did neither, just smiled a pained, bittersweet smile as he faded away before her very eyes, hoping he’d understand what she didn’t have the words to say. It all happened so quickly, and all too soon he’d vanished like he’d never even been there.

Sora was gone. He was really, truly gone, and the universe felt so hollow and empty without him. 

Even though Kairi had had plenty of time to prepare for it, his disappearance still felt like someone had torn her heart out and ripped it into shreds. She slumped and curled in on herself once she no longer had to be brave for him. The sun was gone like it had taken him and all the light in the universe along with it, and a cold wind tore at the leaves of the paopu tree, whipping them back and forth.

The others tried to comfort her, but she barely registered their presence. Nothing could change the fact that Sora was gone. No amount of nice words or warm hugs made any difference.

She cried and cried and cried until she couldn’t cry anymore, then came the numbness like a fog. Everything was pointless, just like Hercules said. Life apart from the person she loved most felt empty. 

And like a fool she hadn’t told him she loved him too. He’d told her he loved her as they’d sat on the paopu tree together, and all she could do was smile and cry. He’d wanted to kiss her, too, she just knew he had, but he’d run out of time and chose to tell her he loved her instead. And she didn’t even have the decency to return the favor. 

Now she’d never be able to tell him she loved him. If only she’d done so before he’d disappeared.

A part of her hadn’t wanted to tell him, because then it would mean he was gone forever. That she had nothing else to say to him. This way, she had to find him again to tell him what he deserved to hear. 

Or maybe he was gone forever without any confirmation she loved him. 

No, she couldn’t think like that. Sora deserved better. She’d find him, she had to. And so she volunteered to go to sleep so they could search her heart and memories for any clues as to his whereabouts. 

An entire year like this passed till at last they found a lead. But Riku and Riku alone went after Sora. She was scared she’d mess things up again. Afraid she’d be a burden and get Riku killed too. And Riku had concerns of his own about her going with him. 

But that didn’t mean she had to passively wait at home. No, she had to get stronger, faster. So she asked to train with Master Aqua. She needed to be better than ever if she wanted to have a shot at helping Sora.

And so the months passed until finally, Master Aqua thought she was ready for a mission. So here she was on the Gummi Ship with Donald and Goofy, accompanying them as they followed their best lead on finding a dead person. The ship whirled and whizzed through the stars, dodging asteroids and battling Heartless ships and collecting treasures.

Donald was driving, which normally would’ve been Sora’s job. Another reminder that he was no longer with them. She and Goofy were on the other two seats flanking the driver’s seat, and she wondered about all the times Sora had ridden in the ship with them. What kinds of jokes they’d told, what they’d talked about. If he’d ever confessed anything about her or—

“Sora took ya to Herc’s world before, right Kairi?” Goofy asked, trying to make small talk with her. She knew she was a bit of a stick in the mud these days, and Goofy’s little moments of kindness cheered her up in spite of herself. 

“That’s right,” she replied. “We went before he…disappeared.” She didn’t have the heart to say Sora was dead. She just didn’t. 

“I bet it was nice,” Donald said, chiming in. He was carefully maneuvering the ship past a crystalline rock formation, and Kairi sighed and wished she could share this moment with Sora. He’d have some comment to make about its shape, about the way the pink rock shone and sparkled.

“It was,” she said. “It was really nice.” Tears threatened to well up in her eyes again. It had already been a year and a half since he’d disappeared, and yet the pain still felt so fresh sometimes.

Goofy gave her a knowing look. “I’m sorry we’re not goin’ back under better circumstances.” 

“It’s okay. I’m just glad I can be useful for once.” 

Donald and Goofy exchanged glances. “Kairi…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to sugarcoat things,” she said, smiling ruefully. “It’s my fault Sora isn’t here. If I had been strong enough, I wouldn’t have gotten kidnapped, and if I hadn’t gotten kidnapped, Xehanort wouldn’t have been able to strike me down, and if Xehanort hadn’t struck me down, Sora wouldn’t have had to—” 

“Waaak!” Donald cried, popping out of the driver’s seat and startling her. “Enough of that, it’s not true.”

Goofy nodded. “It’s not. Don’t blame yourself for the things Xehanort did.”

She sighed deeply. Hadn’t she told Sora the exact same thing? Why was she so much harder on herself than she was on everyone else? 

Don’t hate yourself, Kairi, she urged as she fiddled with her necklace. Sora didn’t. Doesn’t. 

“Besides,” Donald continued, “you’ve been training! You’ve gotten a lot stronger.” 

“Ya have!” Goofy nodded. “Aqua’s real proud of ya, a-hyuck.” 

“I hope I live up to her faith in me,” Kairi said quietly. She’d let everyone down before. She didn’t want to do it again. And Aqua had poured so much into her training. She couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing her.

“And you know who else has faith in you?” Goofy asked. 

“Who?” 

“We do!” Donald crowed, and Kairi couldn’t help but smile a little. Donald and Goofy were always so encouraging, so uplifting. No wonder Sora enjoyed traveling with them so much. 

“And of course there’s one other person who has faith in ya too,” Goofy said.

“You mean Sora?”

Donald and Goofy nodded. Kairi knew that was true, or at least it had been true. But she and Sora had been separated for a year and a half now. Wherever he was, did he still believe she would find him, or had he given up hope? She felt like Psyche wandering the ends of the earth and for what? Sora was still hidden away from her.

“I just want to see him again, you know?” she mumbled, fiddling with her necklace. “Just one more time…” One more time so she could tell him what she needed to tell him. That was all she asked.

“I’m sure he wants to see you too.” Goofy smiled, and she felt a little less lonely, a little less hopeless. 

“And he will when we find him and bring him home,” Donald promised. “The first thing he’ll want to do is give you a big old hug.”

Kairi nodded. That was what they were here for. They all just wanted to find him and bring him home. 

After a rocky descent (quite literally considering how close they came to hitting Mount Olympus a few times), Donald parked the Gummi Ship in a lush green meadow outside of Thebes that was full of wildflowers. The ship sputtered as its engines shut down, and Donald and Goofy popped out of their seats.

“Sorry for asking, Donald, but why don’t we just park the ship at the Coliseum?” Kairi asked as they gathered their things and got ready to disembark. That would mean they’d get to their goal (Hercules) a lot faster, but instead Donald had chosen to park in the middle of nowhere.

“The world order!” Donald said, holding a finger up. “The people here aren’t anywhere close to this level of technology, so we gotta hide the ship!” 

“Donald’s right,” Goofy said as he grabbed a few extra potions from the ship’s stores and tucked them into his baggy pockets. “We gotta hide the existence of other worlds from most folks, so we hafta sneak around a little, and sometimes that means parkin’ the Gummi Ship in odd places.”

“Ohhhh, okay, gotcha,” Kairi replied. That made sense. When she and Sora had gone on their world tour, he hadn’t held back on using the Power of Waking since he had nothing left to lose, and that meant they got to pop in and out of worlds at their leisure. With the Gummi Ship things were different though. 

“I’m guessin’ Sora didn’t explain this to ya?” Goofy asked, and Kairi shook her head. 

Donald sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. “Figures. He never was very good at sticking to the rules. Kept getting confused too and thought I was talking about a world border…” 

Kairi giggled into her hand. “That sounds like him.” Man, she missed his dorky self. He’d never been super booksmart, but he made up for it in just how good he was at reading people. He was really good at learning how his enemies fought and using their tactics against them, too. Maybe the teachers at school just didn’t know how to play to his strengths.

Goofy scratched his head. “Hmmm, I don’t know that he was confused about the concept, just how you said it.”

“WAAAAK!” Donald protested, quacking loudly and indignantly. Kairi burst into laughter and Goofy covered his mouth with his hands as he giggled. Donald scowled at them both, fuming, which just made them laugh even harder until he finally relented and joined in their revelry. 

When they’d laughed themselves out, Goofy asked if she was ready to go.

“Oh! I just need to grab one more thing.” Her new pink and black coat that the fairies had given her. It was knee-length and paired nicely with her black boots. She put the coat on over her white blouse and black skirt with plaid ruffles, then glanced at her reflection. The passage of time was visible in her appearance: her hair was longer again and she’d gotten taller. Curvier. She was never going to be some leggy, statuesque supermodel, but she wanted to look nice and well put-together. For her own sake, of course, but also because…

If she found Sora, she wanted him to think she was beautiful. She understood why Psyche had looked in that box with Persephone’s beauty in it despite being warned not to. A year and a half away from Sora…what if he’d met someone else? Someone prettier and funnier and cuter? What if he’d rather be with that person instead of her?

“Ready?” Goofy asked again, interrupting her thoughts. This time she nodded. There was no point in torturing herself over things she didn’t have the answer to. All that mattered was finding Sora. The rest could come later, because it was time to go to the Coliseum.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You want to go back to the Underworld?” Hercules asked, eyeing their group quizzically. They were at the Coliseum at long last, and he’d just finished a round of training with Phil and Pegasus. Their little group was hanging out in the atrium by the entrance, and a bunch of trophies and awards lined the walls.

Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all nodded.

“Are you crazy?” Phil demanded. “Most people never want to set foot in there even when they’re dead, let alone when they’re alive!”  

“Well, Sora’s dead, so we figured that might be a good place to search for clues,” Goofy explained. 

“Trust me, we’ve already looked,” Hercules said, his head drooping. “Pegasus, Meg, Phil, and I spent days searching as soon as we heard the news.” 

Pegasus nodded, his head drooping too. Kairi gently stroked his forehead, and he whinnied softly. It seemed like just yesterday she and Sora had had their exciting flight on his back.

“Did you talk to Hades?” Donald asked. 

Hercules started and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, um, he doesn’t like me very much. I ruined his plans for world domination, so…” 

“A-ha!” Donald cried. “So you haven’t talked to the one person who could help!” 

“I tried talking to him, trust me!” Hercules protested. “But you know how he is. He said, ‘You think I’m gonna help my greatest enemy find the little runt who keeps putting a damper on my plans?’ And then he doused his own hair, laughed at his own joke, and disappeared with a puff of smoke. I haven’t been able to find him since. And Meg doesn’t want to work with him again, she was his prisoner for years.”

“That’s okay,” Kairi hurriedly said, waving her hands. “I don’t want Meg to be stuck with him again, and you’ve done all you can to help.” She turned to Donald and Goofy. “That means it’s up to us to find him and talk to him.” 

Goofy scratched his cheek. “I don’t know that he likes us much either,” he said, frowning, “but gawrsh, it’d be worth a shot if he could help us find Sora.” 

Donald chuckled nervously. “I know he doesn’t like us, but I would do anything to find Sora.”

“Me too,” she said. “Besides, he’s never met me, at least I don’t think he has. Maybe he’ll be curious enough that he’ll give me a chance.”

“Kairi, be careful,” Hercules warned. “The kinds of deals Hades makes…they’re always for his benefit and no one else’s. I only got the better end of the deal because he didn’t count on my godhood being restored after I saved Meg.” 

Phil stomped over to her. “Three words, Freckle-Face: Don’t be a schmuck!”

Donald and Goofy tilted their heads and counted the words to see if they matched up with what Phil had said. They did not, which made Donald cackle under his breath and Goofy plaster his hands over his mouth to keep from laughing.

Kairi rested her hand over her heart. “I’ll be careful, I promise. I’m no goddess, but I do have powers beyond what most people have. That might be enough to entice Hades…and keep me safe.”

“Powers? What kind of powers?” Hercules asked, tilting his head. 

“She turned Sora from a Heartless into a human again!” Donald crowed. 

Goofy nodded vigorously. “And she stopped him from dyin’, too.” 

Hercules gave her another look. “Wow, seriously? Now that is impressive, Kairi. Are you sure you’re not a goddess of some kind?”

She waved her hands in front of her. “No no, not at all, I’m just a regular girl. I just so happen to have a Keyblade thanks to my friend Riku, and then I—”

Goofy cupped a hand around his mouth and dropped his voice to a loud whisper. “Kairi here is a Princess of Heart, and her light’s helpin’ hold the worlds together.” 

Donald nodded and also dropped his voice to the best approximation of a whisper he could manage. “We think that her heart of pure light combined with her feelings for Sora gives her powers beyond what a normal Princess of Heart has.” 

Hercules’s face lit up. “A-ha! The power of love. Never underestimate how strong that is, Kairi. It saved my life, and it saved Meg’s too.” 

“You called?” Meg said. She was lounging against the doorway, a half-smile on her face. They all greeted her and caught her up about what was happening, about what they were planning.

“Ugh, sorry you have to deal with the devil,” Meg said, shuddering as a look of pure disgust crossed her face. “I’d offer to help, but I never want to see that snake oil salesman’s ugly mug again.” She looked right at Kairi, her gaze unflinching. “Hercules is right, you’ll need to be careful about what kinds of deals you make with Hades. Under no circumstances should you exchange your freedom or your life for power from him.” 

“Got it,” Donald and Goofy said, but Kairi said nothing.

“I know it’ll be tempting to offer your soul in exchange for Sora’s,” Meg continued, and Kairi fidgeted because it was like Meg was seeing right through her and the possible plan she’d cooked up, “but trust me, there are always strings attached to his little deals. You’ll wind up a puppet and a pawn, and Sora’s soul won’t be worth whatever he offers you.” 

Kairi hesitated for a moment, then finally said, “Understood.” So her original plan was a no go. That didn’t mean she couldn’t think of something else. 

Meg looked to Hercules. “Well, Wonderboy? We might not be able to go with them, but we can take them to the entrance, don’t you think?” 

“We can do that much for sure, and we’ll stand guard at the entrance until you return.” 

“If you scream IX-I-I, we’ll know to come running,” Phil said, and Pegasus nodded.

“Thank you,” Kairi said, grateful for the help of their friends. Donald and Goofy thanked them too, and with that, their group set off for the Underworld.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Thank you all for reading! I really enjoyed writing the Kairi, Donald, and Goofy friendship moments in this chapter. See you next week! 

[khodorkovskaya]

From now on.... men can go their own way.

Fuck men, we can all have better times with our friends anyway.

If a man sends a half arsed message or a shitty one, then shame on him for being an absolute dick head. He can fuck off. Honestly it only shows their own worth so they might feel hard done to or like theyve done nothing wrong at the end of the day, but in all honesty it's just a true reflection if them and their morals and standards. It says a lot more about them than it ever will about any of us hurt girlies.

It takes nothing to be kind, kindness is free

Friends are forever and always

yess let's gooooo

speaking of messages and how it reflects guys' morals, i wanna tell you something else really frustrating about my ex. so you know how i said that he was really bad at replying to messages, didn't care about my social media and stuff?

side note just to explain why him being on social media was so important to me: i have a food reviews account and it's a hobby of mine, it's v silly and i used to make little videos of me trying different foods. it was a whole thing and i always got a lot of comments from my friends about it. but my ex never cared! and i get it, not everyone has instagram. but i was really passionate about this food blog and put a lot of effort into the silly little videos i used to make. and id often be like "did you see my new video?" and he would sigh and roll his eyes. and then sometimes id show him my videos and he would be so annoyed. he literally had no respect! and yeah, it was all very silly and stupid, i never claimed that this food reviews blog was like deep and artistic or whatever. but it was important to me!!! he could've at least pretended that he cares, you know what i mean?

another side note: i grew up on social media so im very used to chatting to my friends all the time and posting instagram stories as i go along my day and stuff. and a part of social media culture is sending memes and funny/cute photos to people to show affection, right? like we always send things to each other like "haha this made me think of you". again, it's stupid, but it's a thing people do. and i would sometimes send him cute photos of kittens or bunnies or whatever like "hey, this is us <3" and again, he didn't care. and he never made an effort to maybe think like "huh, this is important to her, this is how she shows affection, maybe i should be a little more considerate instead of dismissing her stupid cat pictures". like it's the bare minimum!

anyway, whatever.

so back to what i wanted to say. when i left him, he suddenly started being active on social media and he would reply to my messages instantly. all of a sudden he started sending me cute photos of animals and even photos of foods to try like "hey, this would be neat for your food reviews blog". like he immediately did a 180!!! turns out showing basic human decency and basic respect towards my hobbies and communication style wasn't that hard after all, huh?

so naive little me was like "ohh maybe we could get back together". so i invite him to the cinema to test the waters, yknow. and after the movie we had a talk. and he was like "yeah, look at how much effort i put into trying to get you back these past couple of weeks". and that's when it hit me. showing interest in my hobbies is an "effort"? enjoying talking to me is an "effort"? and the way he showed that "effort" was by simply liking my instagram posts and replying to my messages in less than 24 hours. the tremendous "effort" he was talking about would take him 2 seconds of his time. and that was already more than enough and too much for him???

so yeah, the amount of effort a guy is willing to put into communicating with you really says a lot. replying to your text is too hard? double-tapping a meme you sent him is too hard? sitting through a minute long video of you is too hard? well fuck that! as you said, kindness is free. respect is free. caring for your significant other and making an effort is free! and if that's too hard? well fuck that!

[juszar2]

Nothing....?( I like to show flaws... It is convo for Rot... Like bait). You just cannot believe the illness and low life people who exist in the world. I am a homosexual Rot enemy's fantasy. You won't believe who is following your life. It asked to hide and pretend to be me. To be someone's life long fantasy and they get aggrieved and sick and display it. I don't want to be a homosexual's fantasy and it uses a low life liability to act out its life long fantasy as me... Would offer its body. This type of sick is new to me but professionals seeing this explain how it is clinical and mental illness. Vile

And so he said... Nothing? No dancing ever. Does he take you to dinner often? Has he taken you to see the National landmarks that you like? Does he take you to experience nature like you enjoy? Travel in the world?

None of the above. Hides in life. Does not step forward as a leader. I was saying nobody would ever understand how it feels to know that you wasted so much. God gave you and extra portion of all things and you wasted it. Fear of wasting my intellect and ability forces me to pursue endeavors. I teach the same... Considering someone else's feelings and protecting that has allowed me to live life on their low level terms. Their cowardice, their low standards and thinking there was decency and nobility and personhood made me do that. God made me an amicable type of person though with a hidden David and Joshua spirit. An Arabic really clam and casual curly man bun husky beard stethoscope cannot believe my life. He asked me when I'd be available. I said to do what,... and he said life. I want to say to him and I have in a sorta way... But what horror will you bring? He's not a coward , believes in achieving, respects my effort, is a leader, has a bed... And a place of his own to put it. Does not f with Rot. That is first, is offended by Rot and knows how detrimental to even let them make your acquaintance. And he knows that he is cool, you can't tell him, but he knows why he is cool and it is character, family is important and dignity is his religion. And still... Being a stethoscope is common for those our age in that geographical location, so that ain't it. But that he does not or at least has not met someone like me is really interesting. And again.... I digress.

It's really interesting to know that I was not meant to stay here. Second mistake. First was to accept the requests of a toilet paper. God gave me so much and I put it in a toilet. And it is not erasable, nor can I get a year back. I could be consulting my man about best strategy to ensure the success of the final great person yet beginning to pursue it. The more that is shown of what he is, the more disgusting and I cannot believe I wasted it all. Only someone with dignity and any tenacity any class and care could understand what I mean. I'm not haughty nor. Too much pride... And.... I never took a photo for years of my life. Modest and humble forever until really recent years. But I have lived this life being me and I know what I experienced daily. I also know possibility and I am clear on how I failed myself. I would have Not had to even know him then... There would be nothing that the Rot could use in my life. They wouldn't even know where I went in life. So sad and such waste and those who cautioned against it know well what I lost by accepting. I like to erase errors completely, as much as I try to just avoid errors all together. I really made an uncleanable mess by getting involved with this trash. He would lie about his ethnicity... I have to take that in. How did I not know that something really bad would be down the road.

What is wild is that the Rot as they were what they call "setting up" or simping my life, they had the community whom I don't even know watching or keeping up. They were talking about what the toilet paper said he was going to do to my life. Wild, as if I were a celebrity and I believe this attention was just too much for him. It made him relevant in a way that he must have deep inside wanted to be. I try to understand from a perspective as someone receiving attention daily for life, and not interested in it...so he is not used to that I guess. Colluding was and identity for him even if being a low life. It was like oh the Rot, cause they know its Rot, the Rot is harming that beautiful kind smart and dignified woman that was a figure in community employment. Now they have thrown her on a pedestal, a homosexual enemy from childhood said it wanted to be appreciated and noticed too, it could try and simp the toilet to get into my life and be relevant too. Seriously aggrieved. That homosexual kept saying and posting that it wanted some "shine". So I guess it never shined either other than to look like what it has displayed. They were literally commenting on me as I am a private person. Told them all what they got this toilet to participate in and folks just watching me like I'm celeb. Watching my life, still likely I'm sure. I have to be away for privacy. Wild. It's like a fan and a hater at the same time. It is sick. This low life ass wipe serving as Judas.

[offmychest-official]

You made me feel like I wasn't worth anyone's time or attention and I'm never going to be. Because of you I'm now ashamed to text my friends, what if they're annoyed at me too. I don't know if I can ever trust someone enough to date them again. What if they, too, are just obsessed with me for a little while and then stop wanting me when I get uninteresting and start having needs. I can't believe you made me promise I wouldn't do that you. And then you did the exact thing to me.

I'll never get into a new long distance friendship or relationship again. I'll never trust any partner's parents again or feel safe when parents are discussed. I'll never plan for a Forever with someone again because they'll just leave me when they find something else to do or they're bored now. I know I was very verbally mean to you there at the end but honestly I think you deserved at least 75% of it. I told you secrets I've never told anyone and your only takeaway was that you had enough of me and didn't want to talk anymore.

You didn't even have the decency to break up with me. I had to do it so that in your head you could say Well she left me so it's not my fault. I hope you marry some boring cis white girl and your parents love her. And she won't have a complicated gender that you have to water down to make it palatable for other people.

And you know what? I apologized TO YOU for my meanness. And yes I admit it, I had a lot of things to apologize for. One some level I did understand your situation and nothing is ever an excuse for the rude stuff I said. But you never said sorry to me for how it ended. Because you just don't care. You're not even sorry.

I don't think I can ever forgive you. I tried to be friends but I can't. But I can't give up my other lovely friends for you either so I can't ghost you entirely. I wish I could.

.

[bi-bard]

Therapy - Winchester Brothers Imagine (Supernatural)

Title: Therapy

Pairing: Winchester Brothers X Child!Reader (18)

Word Count: 4,688 words

Warning(s): arguing, crying, mentions of torture/abandonment/major character death

Summary: (Season 13, Episode 4) The brothers and (Y/n) decide to bring Jack along for their first hunt. It ends up digging into wounds that had been ignored.

Author's Note: Might be the last season 13 imagine for a while. I think I'm heading to season 7 next.

Find more of this OC here!

Hey! I did a rewrite of the ending of Supernatural. It took a really long time to complete, so it would mean a lot to me if you check it out. Here’s a link! (it’s on my personal account)

--------------------------------

I didn't realize how hard it was going to be for me to get back into hunting when I got back.

Sam was trying to be nice and help me, but Dean and I kept bumping heads. It was rough. He just had this wall up to me. He hadn't apologized for the British Men of Letters thing. He refused. Acted like he could ignore it and I'd magically wake up and forgive him.

I wouldn't.

He betrayed me.

He turned his back on me and wasn't even brave enough to admit what he had done.

He just let all of it sit there and fester.

And I wouldn't let him back in unless he showed some form of remorse.

I walked into the map room just as Sam came in with coffee and breakfast. I grinned and nodded at him. Dean was sitting at the head of the table, looking over some article on his laptop.

"Hey," Sam said. "How you feeling?"

Dean stayed silent. I glared at the back of his head for a moment before forcing a grin for Sam's sake.

"I managed to accidentally get Jack to watch Star Wars," I said.

He chuckled, "Accidentally?"

"They walked in while I was watching Clone Wars," I explained. "I said it was easier for them to watch it themself. So… they're on an adventure."

Sam nodded before looking at his brother. I saw his smile falter a little bit.

"What you working on," Sam asked.

"Dead guy in Madison," Dean said bluntly. "Police say it was a home invasion, but neighbor claims that she saw the vic's dead wife leave the crime scene."

"Let's check it out," Sam replied as he made it down the stairs. He handed me one of the coffees.

"What, you ready to ditch Damien," I glared at Dean's nickname. He could at least have the decency to wait until I wasn't around. "What do you wanna do? Leave them in a ring of holy oil with some Netflix and a frozen pizza?"

"Ha," Sam spoke up before I could. "No. Actually, I thought we'd bring them along."

"Are you sure about that," I asked. "We still don't know much about their power yet. Might be risky."

"Yeah, hell no," Dean added. I rolled my eyes. Not what I said, but go off, jackass. "What, 'Adventures in Babysitting' the Antichrist?"

"Not the Antichrist," I corrected. "Kid's sitting in bed watching Jedi fights."

"Yeah, whatever, I still say no, thank you."

"Dean, we can't hide Jack forever," Sam argued. "And just keeping them cooped up here isn't working."

"Yeah, it is, actually," Dean said. "Wanna know why? Because as long they're here, then they aren't out there doing God knows what. So what, does this mean that your plan to bring Mom back isn't working? 'Cause I'll say it again: Mom's dead, Sam. Lucifer ripped her heart out. Now the sooner you can wrap your head around that, the sooner we can all move on."

I felt sick to my stomach. When did Dean start to sound so much like his dad? Was that a new thing or had I just been willingly ignoring it?

"So, you're saying you want to move on, from Mom," Sam asked.

"Right now, I wanna kill some dead guy's dead wife."

"Dean, that isn't what this is about," Sam sighed. "Jack needs to get out. They need to get some air. We all do. They're a good kid. Just give them a chance, please. For me."

That got Dean to finally agree.

I was quick to get my bag packed. Sam offered to grab Jack. I made it to the garage before either of them. Dean was waiting there too.

I looked at the floor, quickly getting in the backseat without saying a word. I only heard Dean sigh.

I only looked up again when the car door opened. Jack got into the seat next to me. I grinned at them. Sam and Dean were mumbling to each other.

"First hunt," I muttered, nudging them with my elbow. "Are you excited?"

"A little bit," they nodded. "Kind of scared."

"That's normal," I promised. "Hunting isn't a fun activity."

"But it can help people."

"Yeah."

The drive to Madison was quiet. Almost suffocating. If the bunker was tense, putting it into the impala almost turned the damn thing into a solid.

As we pulled up to the victim's house, Jack was digging through the fake IDs that Sam and Dean had made through the years.

"I thought lying was wrong," Jack commented. I bit my lip.

"All right," Dean ignored him. "Here we go. Victim: Wes Bailey. His wife, Erica, died six months ago. Heart thing, out of the blue. Question is why'd she come back from the dead and knife his ass?"

"People come back," Jack asked.

"When people pass, and their soul can't move on-"

"They're called ghosts," Dean cut Sam off. "And hanging around makes them go looney tunes. Uh... they go crazy."

"Since when do ghosts kill someone and then walk out the front door," Sam asked.

"Maybe it's a revenant," Dean suggested.

"What's a revenant," Jack muttered to me.

"More like a zombie," I shrugged.

"There's our witness," Dean pointed.

"Okay, we're gonna talk to the witness, check out the crime scene," Sam explained.

"You two stay," Dean leaned down to look through the window. I rolled my eyes.

"You two aren't getting along still," Jack noted.

"It'll pass," I said as I opened my laptop.

Like I did each time they brought it up. Did I believe it? I don't know. Did I think it helped keep Jack from blaming themself? I don't really know that either.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm looking through articles," I replied. "Any information we can find that is connected to this case, the better."

"Then, we should check the crime scene."

"Well, the boys are going- Jack?"

They got out of the car before I could stop them. I tucked my laptop away and follow them into the house.

Jack had stopped right next to a bloodstain. They reached out to touch it.

"No, no, no," I grabbed their arm. "No touching blood."

As we stood up straight, Sam and Dean walked in.

"I told you to wait in the car," Dean snapped. "The hell are you doing?"

"We're trying to help out," Jack explained. "(Y/n) said the more information we can get, the better."

"I was talking about news articles and related cases," I clarified, so the brothers didn't turn this on me.

"How is this helping out," Dean asked.

Sam held a hand up to his brother, "Dean. Thank you, Jack. Did you guys find anything?"

"Nothing new-"

"This," Jack pointed down at the bloodstain.

"We were only in here for a minute," I said.

I walked to a countertop while Sam talked about the EMF reader. I found a calendar with appointments marked off.

"Guys," I said when the EMF reader didn't work. "He was seeing a grief counselor."

"Is that important," Jack asked.

"The counselor would have all of the details on their life. Could be the culprit."

"How about we check the wife's grave to see if it's a revenant," Sam suggested. "If it's not, we'll give the counselor a visit."

We all agreed.

After seeing the body still in the coffin, we were on to the next theory. Dean burned the wife's body as a precaution and then we left.

The next morning, we got reports of another murder. Once again, Jack and I were told to wait in the car.

"Let's actually just wait here this time," I muttered.

Sam and Dean were only at the scene for a few minutes. They asked a few questions, checked for EMF, and then got back in the car.

We stopped at the police department. Sam ran in to grab a file while the rest of us waited outside. Dean sent Jack to grab him some food, making me roll my eyes again. Still, I bit my tongue. It wasn't worth it.

"Where's Jack," Sam asked as he walked out. I pointed to the food truck Dean had sent him to. "Dean."

"It's a food run," Dean explained.

"They aren't our intern," Sam said, seemingly exhausted with Dean's behavior. "I asked you to keep an eye on them."

"I can see them."

I scoffed before I could stop myself. I felt Dean's glare shooting into the side of my head.

"Jack keeps staring at me," Dean complained.

"Because they want you to like them," I spoke up. "Accept them."

"You know what, whatever," Sam held out the file. "Take a look at this."

"What is it," I asked as Dean looked at the file.

"It's a grief journal," Sam said. "Your theory about the counselor seems to be fitting pretty well."

"It was the same counselor," I asked.

"Mia Vallens."

I nodded.

"Shrinks. Snake oil for the mind."

"Or, y'know, licensed professionals that know healthy coping mechanisms," I corrected Dean. I read a few too many psychology books when I was staying with Bobby.

Jack walked over before Dean could respond to me. Sam handed me one of the drinks. I grinned and nodded as a silent thank you.

"So, say this Hannibal chuck is a medium, right," Dean said. "Pisses off a spirit. A ghost shows up, notches a kill, and takes off."

"What if it's a shifter," I offered. "Less complicated. She sees their life stories. We have no EMF."

"Either way, we can't go in as F.B.I.," Sam added.

"Alright, we have to go in as something else," Dean shrugged.

We ended up waltzing into a family therapy appointment. Pretty clever idea on Sam's part. Dean was grumpy. Jack was just kind of following along like a lost puppy. As we made it to the counselor's steps, I touched Jack's arm.

"It's gonna be fine," I promised quietly. "Follow Sam's lead. It'll all work out."

Jack nodded and stuck by my side.

Dean and Sam tried to talk to the receptionist, but the counselor stepped downstairs and looked at us.

"You lost someone recently," she asked.

"No-"

"My mother," Jack cut Dean off.

"Our mother," Sam corrected. "We're having a difficult time."

She invited us to her office to talk after introducing herself to all of us.

"Your mother, she passed quite suddenly," she asked as we all walked in.

It was a plain room. Gray walls with white furniture. The only pieces of color seemed to come from the books and statues on her shelves. Sam and Dean sat on the couch, Jack sat in one of the armchairs, and I sat in another. She took one chair that could easily see the rest of us.

"Uh, yeah," Sam said.

"Most of my clients are the same way," she explained. "No warning, no goodbye, no closure."

"Pretty much the same for us," Sam continued. "So, how does this usually work? With your patients?"

"Usually, they just start talking about the person they're lost."

"Oh, well, Mom was great and now she's dead," Dean snapped. "What's the deal with catharsis?"

"I'm sorry?"

"We were wondering what that is," Sam tried to save the discussion. "A past patient of yours referred us, she's a family friend."

"I don't talk about my patients," she explained. "And they aren't supposed to talk about me."

"Of course, but your process-"

"My program is a range of things," she cut Sam off. "Talk therapy, meditation. You ever journal?"

"Our dad did," Sam answered.

"I did," I said. "I fell off recently."

I ignored Dean and Sam's shocked looks.

"Dean," she nodded to him. "You journal?"

"Ever since I was a little girl."

I bit back an urge to snap at him. What the fuck was that about?

"You think this shrink stuff is a load of crap," she said. "Am I right?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Then why are you here?"

"Because we all agreed we'd give it a shot," Sam jumped in. I would beg him to let Dean sit in the hot seat a little bit longer. "Right?"

We all nodded.

"My brother hasn't been processing his grief," Sam explained.

"Really," Dean asked. "No, I'm good, actually. With death, closure, whole frickin' bottle of Jack."

"Are you," Sam looked at him.

"Yeah. Because I know that Mom's dead, and I know that she's not coming back."

I suddenly found a spot on the floor to stare at. I didn't want to be involved in another discussion about Mary fucking Winchester. She was the wrench thrown into my life. I could empathize with Sam and Dean, but I couldn't keep being reminded of her. Of all that she did.

"Okay, I hear what you're saying," Sam said. "I just wish..."

"You wish he'd be more open to therapy," Mia tried to complete his sentence.

"Sure. Exactly."

"Alright, this is a safe place, right, Doc," Dean asked. "Okay. My brother's delusional."

"Dean," Sam said.

"You said you wanted to give this a shot, right? Here we go. He won't even admit that Mom's dead. Won't even admit it. If he admits it, then it's real."

"Stop," Sam muttered.

"If it's real, then he has to deal with it. And he can't handle that."

"Right, because this is so easy for you, huh?"

"No, it's not easy."

"Yeah, but at least you had a relationship with Mom. Who did she always call? Who did she look to for everything? You had something with her that I never had. And now I'm supposed to accept that I never will have it?"

Sam stood up and stormed out of the room.

"(Y/n)," I almost jumped when she said my name. "How have you been dealing with this?"

"I... Well... I didn't have a great relationship with her when she passed," I said, feeling Dean stare me down. "She... She sided with some people who were really, really bad to me. She got Sam and Dean to go along with her. I left to stay with a friend. She passed while I was gone."

"You feel like there's something there that never reached potential?"

"I wanted to trust her," I blinked away the tears in my eyes. "She couldn't hold up her end of that."

"And Sam and Dean," she continued. "How has this strain affected your relationship with them?"

"Sam apologized as soon as he saw me again," I explained. "Kept saying that I deserved better. Dean... Dean hasn't said much."

"(Y/n) won't grieve because it's easier to see Mom as a villain."

"I never said that-"

"That's why you're still holding a grudge," he cut me off. "You want someone else to blame for you running away from your family."

"She wasn't my family. Family doesn't do that."

"Family doesn't run. They stick together. Thought you'd know better."

It sounded so much like John. Every ounce of it. There was no way he didn't hear it.

"Okay, John," I stood up, watching his jaw clench at the name I called him. "I'm done. I am so done."

I walked out of the room and met Sam near the water dispenser.

He saw me and immediately pulled me into a hug.

"I want to go home," I muttered.

"I know," he replied. "Just gotta get this job done."

I nodded, hugging him a little tighter. I stepped back slowly. He handed me a little disposable cup of water. I chuckled, thanking him quietly.

I took a sip just as Sam's attention latched onto the sign blocking off the stairs. I looked over at it before glancing at the receptionist's desk. He was gone.

I dropped the cup in the trash before walking over. Sam followed close behind me.

When I didn't spot anyone by the stairs, I climbed over the sign and slowly started walking up. I stopped a few steps from the top. There was blood on the banister.

I hit Sam's shoulder and pointed over at it.

He nodded at me, and we both grabbed our guns.

The upstairs was empty. The first door we checked led to a small bathroom. There was blood on the shower curtain.

As Sam turned on the light, I grabbed the edge of the material. After a deep breath, I whipped it open.

There was skin in the bottom of the bathtub. A lot of it.

"Shifter," I muttered as Sam walked over. "I knew she had something to do with this."

"You have a radar for shifter cases," Sam said as he used something to pick up a piece of skin. "Seem to catch onto them really fast."

"Thanks, it's the personal trauma," I mumbled before turning around to start running back to the room Dean and Jack were sitting in.

We froze outside the door for a moment before heading in with guns drawn.

"She's a shape-shifter," Sam said.

"No, no," Mia held her hands up and backed away toward the wall.

Dean pulled out his gun as he stood up and moved next to Sam. Jack stepped behind me.

"We found hair and teeth," Sam explained. "You must've shed your skin just a couple of hours ago."

"And here I just thought she was annoying," Dean muttered.

"What's going on," Jack asked.

"Doc's a monster," Dean replied. "She killed her patients."

"No," she repeated. "No, no. I am what you say, but I have never killed anyone."

"Then what are you doing here," Sam asked.

"I'm helping people. My patients. I shift into the person they've lost so that they could see them one last time, so that they can say goodbye."

"Well, Wes Bailey, Gloria Simon," Dean listed. "They're both dead."

"What?"

"Gloria was killed by her son, or at least someone who looked like him," he continued.

"Three nights ago, Wes was killed by somebody who looked like his dead wife," Sam added.

Mia seemed stunned. Completely caught off-guard.

"Wanna tell us how you're innocent again," Dean asked.

"Okay, um," she took a deep breath. "I have an alibi for Wes. I volunteer at the women's shelter downtown. I was there that night. You can call them."

There was a moment of silence.

"I know you guys are hunters," she said. "But please, I am telling you the truth."

Dean stepped out to call the women's shelter and check her story. It was only a minute that he walked back in and said that it checked out. I lowered my arm.

"Well, if you're not doing this, then who is," Sam asked.

Mia was silent for a moment, "Oh, God. I think I know."

She walked over to a metal drawer and pulled out a small box. She held out a photo of some guy.

"His name's Buddy," she said. Dean snagged the picture from her. "When we got together, I was young and stupid. He's a shifter, like me. The only one I'd ever met other than my mother. But he liked to hurt people."

"Did he hurt you," Jack asked. The first time I had heard them speak up since we walked in the door.

Mia nodded, now avoiding eye contact, "I left. Changed my face, my name. Buddy wouldn't just kill people. He'd ruin their lives. He said he liked to see the look on their faces when they realized they had nothing left. What I'm doing here... I know it can't make up for what... what he... what we did, but I'm trying."

"If it's him, he's targeting your patients," I looked at Sam and Dean. "He had to get in here somehow. He couldn't know enough about these people otherwise."

"Who else has access to your office," Sam asked her. "Your notes, your appointments?"

"Patients and staff are in here all day," she replied.

"If you had to pick one," Dean pushed.

"Uh... Tom, my assistant," she said.

"I'll check it out," Dean muttered.

"I'll come with," Jack offered. Dean almost stopped them, but Sam cleared his throat.

"Fine. Whatever," he muttered before he and Jack left.

"Do you have security cameras," I asked after they had left.

Mia nodded and walked us to a computer set up.

As we started going through the footage, Dean called. Tom had been cleared. All we could do now was hope that we managed to spot someone's eyes flash in the camera.

"So... tell me," Sam tried to make conversation while we looked. "How exactly does this work with your patients? You show up as their dead relatives, and they think what?"

"Honestly, they don't really care," she replied. "They chalk it up to hypnotism, a lucid dream. They explain it away because at the end of the day they get to say goodbye."

"And that works," he continued.

"People... we're hardwired to want closure," she shrugged. "You never got a chance to say goodbye either, did you?"

"There," I said, cutting Sam off before he had to respond. I pointed at the man we had passed on the way in. Sam rewound the footage. "Flicker."

"Who's that," Sam asked.

"That's John Dristoll," Mia explained. "I only started seeing him a few weeks ago."

"We need to track him down," I said. "Do you have an address?"

She nodded, going to grab a file. She handed it to us as we walked out the door.

We found the address pretty fast. The guy hadn't been too far from her office, probably hoping it would help him keep an eye on her.

I tucked a silver dollar into my hand as we got out of Mia's car and started heading up toward the house.

"The door's open," I said, jogging over to it.

"(Y/n), wait," Sam followed me. "He could still be inside."

"And leave the door open?"

"Ever heard of a trap?"

I paused, "Good point."

I pulled my gun out and walked inside. Sam followed close behind me.

Nothing.

There was no sign of anyone there at all.

We drove back to the office in silence. As we walked in, we both looked at each other. It was faint and wasn't clear, but we had heard someone yell.

I pulled my gun out again.

Sam took the lead, heading towards the office.

"Sam! We're in here!"

I grabbed Sam's arm as he put the gun away, "Dean would come out here. Or tell us why he couldn't. He wouldn't say something so basic."

He paused before nodding and holding his arm up again.

As we pushed the door open, Buddy- who had been pretending to be Dean- was thrown into the far wall. Sam pulled me to the side as a bullet went into the door next to us.

Buddy started standing up. Sam fired a quick shot at him as I started heading over to Jack and Dean.

"Are you okay," I asked Jack, touching their arm. They nodded. They didn't seem seriously hurt, just exhausted.

I nodded back and grinned at them.

I looked at Dean, "Hey, Dean."

I grabbed the sides of his face so I could look at him. I patted his cheek a few times. He blinked at me as he adjusted to his surroundings.

"There he is," I said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got hit in the head really hard."

"Don't be a dick," I replied.

Sam tossed me the keys to the handcuffs. I undid them as fast as I could. I jumped a little when Dean pulled me into a hug. I slowly hugged him back. It was nice.

I stood up a few moments later, helping Dean off the floor. As Dean and Sam spoke with Mia about what to do with Buddy's body, I grabbed Jack.

We stepped outside the room for a minute.

"How are you feeling," I asked.

"Tired," they replied. "I... I used my powers though. They worked."

"I know," I nodded. "I'm proud of you."

"Mia... She took the form of my mom," they continued. "She let me say goodbye to her. Talk to her."

"How was that," I was already grinning.

"It was nice. Really nice."

I hugged Jack, closing my eyes for a moment. They deserved that. I was happy for them.

We made the drive back to the bunker that night.

After putting my bag away, I went into the kitchen. Water and sleep were the top of my priority list at the moment.

Dean was standing at the fridge when I walked in.

I almost turned around.

"Kid," he said before I had a chance. I looked at him as he closed the fridge door. "Can we talk?"

I felt a pit in my stomach.

"Please?"

I nodded.

He motioned over at the table.

"What happened at Mia's... that wasn't okay," he started. "I shut you down and I'm sorry-"

"You don't think that's why I'm upset, do you?"

"Well, I didn't think it was the only thing-"

"Dean, I couldn't care less about that damn therapy appointment," I said. "I care about everything before it."

He looked down.

"You keep trying to avoid it," I let out a sigh. "Nothing's going to change if you can't take some accountability for what happened. You worked with an organization that tried to kill me. You would've rather watched me leave than fought back against them. And then, I come back, and you don't say anything to me. You shut me out. Won't talk about what happened. You are upset with me for being upset about what Mary did to me. I can't win here, Dean."

He looked at me again.

"I want to trust you, but... I can't trust someone who won't even admit he did anything wrong."

I wiped my eyes, barely having noticed that I had started crying.

"I just want to know that you get it," I muttered. "I want the Dean who raised me back. I... I want my dad back."

"I am right here," he promised, leaning forward. I shook my head. "I... I know I messed up. And I should've talked to you and I should've apologized. Hell, I shouldn't have let you leave in the first place."

It was the first time in weeks that I felt like I was seeing a genuine part of him.

"Until you called me by my dad's name, I didn't fully realize what I had been doing," he continued. "I... I betrayed you. And I tried to claim it was for the greater good. I shouldn't have given a shit about that. Because you're my kid. You should've come first. No matter what. And I am so sorry."

Dean reached over and touched my arm.

"I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what hoop you want me to jump through. I just need the chance. I will do anything to prove that I am sorry and that I am on your side. I'm right here, kid. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you behind again."

I placed my hand over his.

"Okay?"

I nodded, trying to stop my crying.

"Come here."

Dean stood up and pulled me out of my spot. He hugged me tightly. I closed my eyes and hugged him back.

"Come on," he said after a minute as he stepped back. He grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the kitchen and into the library.

"What are you doing," I asked.

He stopped next to the table and held a knife out to me.

"What?"

"Sam and I carved our initials into this table," he pointed down at the carved "SW" and "DW". "It's your turn."

I grinned and took the knife from him.

I froze for a moment. I was contemplating what I should be carving. After a minute, I grinned and started carving.

I stepped back a minute later, setting the knife on the table.

"Three letters," Dean pointed out.

I nodded, pointing at each letter as I said what they meant, "(Y/n) (Y/l/n)... Winchester."

Dean froze for a minute before smiling and pulling me into another hug. I hugged him back.

"Love you, kid."

"Love you too, Dean."

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Masterlist (Includes links to All Writing Challenges)

What I Write For

Some Original Characters