#Moose Fraternity

[dagneyrobertson]

Everything is moved but not every thing is in its place. She's got old bones and fresh paint our new apartment. The ceilings are of varied heights and my girl, who started life in a 1.5 floor Cape Cod, is enchanted by the angles.

We've taken a step further from our Great Lake and ended smack dab in the middle of several average sized lakes. In fact, our new town, which has half the population of our previous town, has a distinct summer resort vibe. We're only one block from our starter lake. But as with most prime real estate, we need to walk further for public access.

There's a Moose Lodge in town. The sign says it's "The Family Fraternity". I'm a believer since my niece met her third (and for all appearances) final husband there. I'm sure I'll walk over some Friday night and check it out.

Last night I caught up on three weeks' laundry. This place came at the rock bottom monthly rent of $1,450. (Believe me I looked. In this economy I'm winning.) There is nary a washer nor dryer, here. So we hauled about 150 pounds of dirty clothes, etc to the laundromat. But not the closest laundromat. Our town's only laundromat is rated 2 stars. My daughter is an educated consumer and found a 5 star facility only 14 minutes away.

I must say, the 5 stars are deserved. We pulled up to the strip mall and there it was nestled between a sit-down Mexican restaurant and an old school music store. Location, location, location.

Commercial washers hold 60 pounds of wash each and only take 20 minutes. They end their cycle by spinning fast enough for take-off so the dryers run at 8 minute intervals. We were in and out pretty quick especially considering the massive quantity of washing to be done.

After the girl's first trip to the car she came in all excited and insisted I step outside. "You're gonna like this." were her exact words. I was imagining free tacos, but it was even better. Next door, in the wood paneled music store, there were eight or nine geezers (I use the term affectionately) jamming on their guitars and bass. The windows rattled and the sidewalk was thumping. I do love some live music. What a fantastic surprise.

I refrained from going in with my two dollars cash and asking where the hat was but I still may call and see if this is a weekly or monthly event so I know when to schedule my laundry going forward. Dinner, chores and entertainment. What more could a girl want?

Love and tacos,

Dagney

[messinwitheddie]

[Over 10 Summerweens ago]

Nny "That's your plan?! Keep him trapped inside your mind?! That's a shit plan! You do understand that's a SHIT plan, right?"

Dipper "Until I come up with a way to destroy Bill for good, it's the only plan I have to work with."

Nny "How did you trap him inside your head in the first place?"

Dipper "It was a happy accident. Dib and I were playing with this interdimensional scope and he just slipped back in, BUT this time, I know how to keep Bill from fully taking over."

Nny "Dib doesn't know either?"

Dipper "NO! He doesn't need to know! No one else needs to know! The whole damn point is to keep Ill-bay Ipher-cay off everyone's minds! If no one brings him up, it's easier to keep him from jumping into someone else's head!"

Nny "And you believe staying doped out of your skull is keeping him trapped? Aren't you in college? How are you supposed to function like this? For how long?"

Dipper "As long as it takes. Whatever keeps him from terrorizing my family.."

Nny "I'm not exactly the best person to give out life advice, but speaking as someone who has dealt with my fair share of cosmic horrors, I'm telling you THIS is going to backfire. Worst case scenario, the horrors consume you and drive you to KILL anyone who is able or willing to help you. Unlike ME, YOU have a network of friends and family who can help you. You don't have to fight these battles alone like I did-"

Dipper "I'm trying to protect my friends and family. This is a demon we've fought before. Please trust my judgment."

Nny "Trust the judgment of a 19-year-old frat boy covered in pot leaf decals trying to trap a demon in his head with micro doses of LSD... yeah, no. NO-"

Dipper "Stop calling everyone who made it into uni a frat boy! I'm not in a fucking fraternity! And forgive me if I don't trust the judgment of a man who once choked a woman to death with the chord to his headphones because she flashed a dead tooth when she smiled at you."

Nny "It was off-putting!"

Dipper "Grunkle Stan thinks highly of you. I WANT to believe you actually WANT to be apart of this family and you wouldn't try to hurt any of us, but I'm not altogether convinced. You want to convince me?"

Nny *frustrated growl* "Goddamn you, Squee, I can't believe you made me care about any of this-- YES, sure!"

Dipper "Ok, GOOD! Then keep your mouth SHUT and your short neck OUT OF THIS. Will you PROMISE ME, for the sake of this family's safety and possibly all of humanity's safety you will never mention this to anyone in this shack EVER?"

Nny "Son of bitch... yes. YES. Yes, I promise."

Dipper "Thank you. Let's get back upstairs before someone realizes we're missing."

Nny "Yes, LETS. That portal thingy gives off big moose wall energy and it's turning my stomach."

(A continuation of this dialogue)

[sorchathered]

Sarah I apologize for this being so sudden, the frat boy shenanigans have struck again (lol).

-I should've touched on it earlier, but it must be known that in 1985, Thomas Rainwater helped lead the "great tee-pee" wars against the Alpha Betas. The boys literally bought four pallets of toilet paper from Costco and used it to tee-pee the Alpha Beta house. It was also his idea to get the guys in full war paint and do the Tusken Raider yells

-The guys woke up one winter morning to find a bison.......a fucking BISON......grazing in their front yard. They promptly turned and went back in the house

-Royal found a pair of dachshunds, a male and a female, in a box on the sidewalk one day. He took'em back after nobody had claimed them and they officially became the "frat dogs". The male was named Buster and the female became "Weezy". John got the idea to name her both after the mom from The Jeffersons and because she had a slight wheeze whenever she coughed. They were the best house mascots EVER so imagine their surprise when Royal looked at their spot under the stairs one morning and saw that Weezy had puppies

-These guys have seen all the original Star Wars movies. They had the same collection of VHS tapes and those were ones that they almost wore out. They know The Empire Strikes Back line for line

-If you're familiar with "Revenge Of The Nerds", the Delta Taus in this era had their own version of Ogre. This guy though? This guy's name was "Tank", a refrigerator sized manimal native to the great state of Maine. His son "Moose" ended up joining the Delta Taus when Rhett Abbott, Kayce Dutton and Bob Floyd were all a part of it. Like father, like son

-The guys had their own version of the Bene Gesserit "Litany Against Fear". They called it "The Litany For Beer", recited by every Delta Tau before a rager

-The guys were still very much at war with the Alpha Betas who seriously were more trouble than they were worth. John, Royal, Wayne and Thomas decided they had to do something after those assholes tore up the flower beds that they had helped their art history professor plant after she moved into her house. One of their neighbors who lived off campus was a very, very salty Vietnam vet who basically taught them everything they needed to know. He helped them rig up a giant hole, rope and net snares (nothing that would hurt'em of course) and a whole bunch of other stuff. The professor gave the entire Delta Tau fraternity straight As for the entire semester

Girl I’m dyingggg, a freaking bison?! I want to be apart of this universe so bad I can’t even tell you how much I cackle over these stories!!

[lemonisherelol]

Heard about oc x canon? You’re in luck because I’m shipping Johnny worthington with my oc Ecstasy Night! (And a peak redesign of him!!)

I’d like to answer some questions btw!

"Is Ecstasy a boy or girl?" Ecstasy is a boy, well transmasculine!

"Can Ecstasy roar?" Yes and no, well due to his vocals it can actually damage his voice, he usually say “baa” (inherited his mom’s genes) and he doesn’t prefer to roar.

"What is Ecstasy’s real name and why is he called Ecstasy?" His real name was Emmy before he changed it to Ecstasy, but however that’s a nickname, his actual name is now Elijah. And the reason why he was called Ecstasy was because he took those at a young age (around 16.) He randomly thought it was candy so he ate it, he’s dumb but also didn’t know lol- He just called himself that because of the scent and how it tasted.

"How did the two meet?" Johnny and Ecstasy actually met each other during a party. Well, these two never interacted until Ecstasy was picked on, Johnny walks over to help him out, eventually these two became close but not friends. Johnny didn’t find Ecstasy scary, but rather different…usually he thought of monsters who aren’t good enough or even fit to join a fraternity that’s better or good enough, Johnny thought Ecstasy was interesting! The two only realized during the scare games, these two actually have feelings for each other and might have a chance to get together but however due to Johnny’s behavior towards the Oozma Kappa, Ecstasy cut off contacts with Johnny for not giving him a proper reasoning why Ecstasy was the only one Johnny liked/spared. Of course Johnny didn’t want to admit it, but he actually did love Ecstasy. After the scare games, these two talked alone and well…it wasn’t easy for the two just to get together, Ecstasy cried into Johnny’s arms. (It’s still a wip which I’m trying to write their dynamic more.) And then, these two eventually got together, so there lol.

Lastly, "What kind of monster is Ecstasy?" Actually, hes supposed to be a presentation of a sheep/goat, in his concept he was supposed to be a moose or a snake, (possibly with wings.) And since I redesigned him, he’s supposed to be a sheep/goat which is what I said. (His parents are a sheep and a goat.)

I also did drew Johnny and Ecstasy’s kids! Jimmy and Smokey! (Jimmy is the oldest while Smokey is the youngest!)

[racecargraveyard]

2022 Ross Chastain #1 Moose Fraternity Martinsville Raced Version "Hail Melon" Checkers or Wreckers RCCA Elite. Custom wall made by me. The coolest car of this series so far.

[jonfarreporter]

Kiwanis, Art & Magic and artisans; the ideal ingredients for “A Fiesta Fundraiser!”

This coming weekend of June 7, the Scottish Rite Masonic Center will be the place for Art Fiesta - “Experience The Magic of Art” a fundraiser sponsored by the Kiwanis of Sacramento.

The two-day event will be featuring art of multiple media paintings, pottery, glass, photography, jewelry, and more.

This will be the 67th Suburban Art Fiesta coordinated by the Kiwanis of Sacramento.

In today’s 21st Century of high tech innovations, climate change, economic challenges and a sense of uncertainty amid a seemingly dystopian mood, Kiwanis International seeks to build community.

Similar to fraternal organizations and civic groups, like the Elks, Moose, Rotary and such, the goal of the Kiwanis has always been about serving the community.

Whether it’s about helping other community groups pull together for a common purpose or providing scholarships, the Kiwanis of Sacramento have been working with the community for 100 years, since 1925.

“I’m so looking forward to this,” said Caryl Brandes of Caryl B Personal Care Products.

Traveling the two-hour drive up to Sacramento from Marin County, this will be her third time participating in such an event at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center.

With the fundraiser’s theme of art & magic, Brandes will be among the many vendors providing unique and one-of-a-kind merchandise.

For more than a decade, Brandes has established a presence at local craft fairs, maker’s markets and holiday festival events.

Her Caryl B line of personal care products has grown in its outreach and customer base, (not only due to online sales) yet because of her commitment to high quality and exceptional customer service.

Utilizing essential oils and other quality ingredients like Shea Butter, Brandes makes ‘small-batch’ soaps, lotions, creams and bath salts.

Coordinating small batches maintains quality control and ensures excellence in every aspect.

“Experience luxury and nourishment with our best selling Hand Cream with Shea Butter,” exclaimed Brandes.

“Infused with the customer favorite scent of Gardenia, noted Brandes, this cream will leave your hands feeling soft and hydrated.”

Regardless of economic conditions, according to trade publications like Fortune Business Insights, Grand View Research and others, skin care and the personal care market has been resilient. Some estimates have pointed to over $370 billion dollars spent in 2024 and it’s anticipated to continue grow in sales.

The reason for this as RetailNext explains is… “Amidst economic uncertainties and daily stressors… individuals seek solace and self-expression through beauty rituals.”

Little moments of a daily regimen provides some stability. This is especially so when stress and anxiety is high. This is why as Brandes says…

“Treat yourself to a moment of gentle indulgence with every use.”

With more than a dozen fragrances and varieties to select from (including unscented) Brandes’ Caryl B products aim to please with an understated and nurturing elegance.

Art Fiesta - “Experience The Magic of Art” opens at 10:00 AM on June 7 at The Scottish Rite Masonic Center located at 6151 H Street in the historic part of Sacramento. Admission is Free as well as Free parking.

Open until 4 PM, the two-day event continues until Sunday, June 8, opening at 10:00 AM and concludes at 3:00 PM.

All proceeds from the event go to helping youth and families in need in the Sacramento area community. For more info visit the Scottish Rite Masonic Center website.

[dgf2099]

The Driver Suit Blog-Paint Sheme Grades-March 1, 2025

By David G. Firestone Corey LaJoie #01 AirMedCare Network Ford Mustang-I love this scheme as it reminds me of the old Mark Martin early 1990’s Valvoline scheme. A Ross Chastain #1 Moose Fraternity Chevy Camaro-Same scheme as last year, same A grade. Austin Cindric #2 Menards/Delta Ford Mustang-A smooth look with a great color scheme will always earn an A. Austin Dillon #3 Get Bioethanol Chevy…

[lboogie1906]

Carl “Moose” Eller (January 25, 1942) is a former football player who was a defensive end in the NFL (1964-79). He was born in Winston-Salem and played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

As a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, he helped lead the Golden Gophers to a Rose Bowl victory. He became a full-time, two-way player as a junior and senior and was voted All-America both years. The Gophers were National Champions as well as Big Ten champions. He was the runner-up for the Outland Trophy. The Carl Eller Award is given to the University of Minnesota’s Defensive Player of the Year. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

He joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity via the Mu Chapter while at the University of Minnesota. He graduated from Metropolitan State University with a BS in human services.

He was selected to play in six Pro Bowls (1968–71, 73, and 74). After being traded with an eighth-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks, he played his final season in 1979 with the Seattle Seahawks, where he ran his career total to 225 games. He only missed three games and started 209 out of the 225 he played.

As a licensed drug and alcohol counselor, he founded a group of substance-abuse clinics in the Twin Cities called Triumph Life Centers. He went on to work for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, addressing issues of health disparities between white people and people of color.

In 2000, he was named to the Vikings’ 40th Anniversary Team, and in 2010, he was named to the Vikings’ 50th Anniversary Team. In 2003, he was named to the Professional Football Researchers Association Hall of Very Good in the association’s inaugural HOVG class.

He served as president of the NFL Retired Players Association. He joined the Halberd Corporation as a consultant. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha

[ask-lucans-ocs]

Can we get more info on Bell and Hutch that Eldritch left out???? :o

Bell is baby and precious.

He's a failed experiment from SWARM, having grown wings, antlers, and a feline jaw and teeth instead of what Elias has (foresight). As Eld said, he was quite literally dumped in the trash, and found by Pumpkin, who he definitely sees as his mother bird.

Bell has age regression, so he very much acts younger than he is (he's 30). His team doesn't seem to mind, he's only a nuisance when he's hungry or preening. He's a snack thief and snack hoarder. Hutch has to regularly replace snacks because of this little gremlin. You won't believe how often his wings moult.

He can be quite the sweetheart though. Not only does he have feline traits, but also corvid traits. He likes to gift his team shiny trinkets whenever he finds them. It's usually stolen from another teammate but it's the thought that counts!

He has beef against Dill (Hutch's bird) but when they team up against Hutch to annoy him, they're a match made in hell.

Be wary of this little dude, he will chew on your bones.

Just ask anyone who went after Hutch when he was around.

Speaking of.

Hutch is a former Shadow Company soldier. He had a fiancee and kid at the time, and had a strong toxic bond with Raines (one of the higher ups) (Hutch is kinda not monogamous, his fiancee was fine with it as long as they got to approve of the relationship.)

He was friends with Cotton (Moose's bio daughter, Ratchets fraternal twin) and was the reason she escaped somewhat unharmed during the Las Almas mission.

He was left to die after being tortured by Raines and being in the basement when the building blew up, for simply refusing to shoot civilians. He was found by SH8 but it took a long while for him to be recruited.

He found out his fiancee and child had been promptly killed by Raines, and thus, started Hutch's merciless hunt for any Shadow Company soldier he deemed a threat. Graves and Raines were very high on that list.

He was sought out by Stevie, a hit hitman contractor, who had his own personal beef against SH8 and had a short relationship together before staying friends (with benefits ;) )

Of course shit went wrong for him though. Getting stabbed AGAIN by Raines. Being bitten by a werewolf. Just find a 4 leaf clover already man. That was just before he was recruited to SH8, where he became Bell's handler. He doesn't mind the guy, treats him like a little brother, though Bell will say he sees Hutch as more of a dad.

He and Dusty argue quite a bit. I mean, Hutch doesn't care much for his own safety so he's usually only there to seek medical attention, if he remembers. Whether there's a FWB going on with these two, well, idk.

But there's definitely one going on between him and Pumpkin!

He feels he owes her his actual existence for saving his ass on multiple occasions and basically taking him in. God could come down and prove Pumpkin wrong and he'd argue with them to prove Pumpkin is right. He's loyal to her, though before SH8, she did annoy the ever living fuck out of him for intruding on his hitman missions. But hey, she gave him a bird.

But yeah, those are my sh8 fellas and I fuckin adore Elds ocs, Pumpkin and Dusty. Such chaotic people. You should ask them more about those two some day. It's been a while.

[conchapman]

As Older Lodges Shrink, One Newcomer is On the Attack

NATICK, Mass.  This town, like many others across America, was once home to a veritable menagerie of fraternal orders–Lions, Moose, Elks, and the Loyal Order of the Buffalo Heads.  “Those were the days,” says 84-year-old Samuel Pondalfi, who once belonged to the International Order of Friendly Sons of the Raccoons and the American Legion.  “You could go from lodge to lodge to lodge, one beer…

[whitepolaris]

Separated Together: Roslyn Historical Cemeteries

It's not really Cicely, Alaska: it just played it on TV. The town of Roslyn, in Kittitas County, is perhaps best known as its quirky alter ego in the 1990s television program: Northern Exposure. In real life, it's a quiet small town in the Cascade Mountains. Downtown buildings still evoke the nineteenth century, while some area homes are pure Norman Rockwell, complete with white picket fences. The population has remained steady, in the nine hundreds, for years.

In fact, here the dead outnumber the living 5 to 1.

This is because the town, founded in 1886, has kept generations of its deceased close to home. Specifically, they're in the forested hills along Pennsylvania Avenue, on a fifteen-acre expanse comprising twenty-six separate but contiguous cemeteries. Collectively, they're referred to as the Roslyn Historical Cemeteries.

By walking the grounds, there are two things you quickly realize about Roslyn's past. First, its coal-mining industry attracted a multinational, multiethnic mix of workers. Poles, Italians, Slovakians, and other nationalities were well represented, as were African Americans-all sharing the town in relative peace. Secondly, folks here loved organizing themselves into fraternal organizations: Along with the Masons, Odd Fellows, Moose, and Eagles, lesser known societies like the Red Men and Sokol had lodges in Roslyn.

These groups and nationalities all have dedicated cemetery space. Veterans have a place of honor right in front, in what resembles a mini-Arlington. Then there are general-purpose burial grounds like the Old and New City cemeteries. The Old City Cemetery is the most antique, with its family plots fenced in to keep out foraging animals.

Roslyn suffered its greatest disaster on May 10, 1892, when a mine explosion killed forty-five workers. The memory of this tragedy is literally etched in stone throughout the cemeteries on the grave markers of some of those killed.

Though the grounds are mostly well kept, many of the graves, particularly those corresponding to defunct lodges, are showing their age. This contributes to the "long ago and far away" aura permeating Roslyn in general and the cemeteries in particular.

[vulpixen]

Adding all the next gen kids here:

Warden's Kids:

Rose, Duncan and Theodore (Joan Cousland, Alistair, and Ser Gilmore’s kids) - 9:31, 9:33. Theodore is biologically Ser Gilmore’s son. 

River and Juno (Misha, Faelan and Zevran's kids) - 9:31. The two are Dalish twins. 

Andrea and Amaia (Verroth Brosca, Sinda Aeducan Leliana's daughter) - 9:32. The girls are birthday twins. 

Anders 2 (Dante Amell and Limerick Surana’s son) - 9:31. Dante was pregnant (he’s a transman) at the time towards the end of the Blight. Anders 2 being a brother to Kieran.  

Julian Caron (son of Arianne Caron and Nathaniel Howe) - 9:20. Julian was adopted as a baby by Arianne during a Grey Warden mission in Orlais where she would raise him as her son and bring him with her to Fereldan full time on her decision.  

________________________________________________

Hawke's Kids:

Malcolm and Dante 2 (Abigail Hawke and Anders' kids) - 9:32 and 9:33.  

Trevor and Tanya (Estelle Hawke and Varric's son and daughter) - 9:20, 9:33. Trevor was the unintended lovechild of Varric and Bianca and through circumstances, ended up in the care of Estelle Hawke and became her son.

Garrett and Marian (Damian Hawke and Fenris' kids) - 9:35. Damian Hawke is a transman who birthed the fraternal twins. Toriel and Moose Laidir, vicariously through Isabela and Merrill they adopted.

_____________________________________________________

Inquisitor's kids:

Brock Cadash, Marcus and Magnus Eisley (sons of Nico Cadash and Dorian Pavus) - 9:35. Marcus and Magnus were adopted by Nico and Dorian and were born in the same year as Brock. Brock was the result of a one-night stand and the birth mother gave full custody to Nico.  

Revan, Lunas Lavellan and Leska Cadash-Lavellan (son of Lorna Lavellan and Solas, and daughter of Lorna and Sasha Cadash) - 9:31, 9:42 for Lunas and Leska. Revan is from Lorna's first love she fancied and who was an explorer. But the father died to illness after his last delve, leaving Lorna devastated, but Lorna kept strong to raise her son. Revan would be six in the beginning of Inquisition. He acts like he's smarter than anyone and takes him time to warm up to newer people as he finds it hard to form attachments. Lunas was the result between Lorna and Solas, while Leska was the result from Lorna and Sasha.

Hallani, Assan, Ironbark, and Scarlet Dragon (children of Iron Bull and Liam Lavellan) - 9:36 and 9:42 respectively. Scarlet and her half siblings being half qunari and half elf. Hallani was from a previous marriage between Liam and his former husband, losing him in an accident involving having fallen off a cliff.  

Valkyrie, Anthony, and Kurt (daughter and twin sons of Ivan Trevelyan and Cassandra Pentaghast) - 9:35, 9:43. Valkyrie was from an affair between Ivan and a templar he was infatuated with, but she ended up giving their daughter to the Trevelyans and not being associated with them as the relationship didn’t work out. Ivan does see Valkyrie when he did visit his family.  Anthony and Kurt are twins Ivan has with Cassandra.

Ryder, and Nerissa (twin son and daughter of Iris Trevelyan and Cullen Rutherford) - 9:42. Iris and Cullen married after the twins were born.  

Sherni, Shani and Lydia (twin daughters and singleton daughter of Rasha Adaar and Thom Rainer) - 9:34, 9:42. Rasha Adaar had a girlfriend she loved that resulted in having their twin girls. Rasha would end up losing her girlfriend when she was killed during a job. Lydia was born after the great battle and Thom married Rasha soon after, becoming the dad who stepped up for Sherni and Shani.

In having thought back to Dragon Age, over the years I have been crafting an au where all seven origin Wardens were recruited by Duncan and survived the Joining and would become the Heroes of Fereldan they were meant to be. Plus, the optional Orlesian Grey Warden from Awakening who would assist them in that continuation. Its changed a lot over the years and I think I’m finally satisfied with it. 

And for Dragon Age 2, all three classes Hawke can be existing, but with a twist! One of them is human and the other two are an elf and dwarf who were adopted into the family who become the Champions of Kirkwall they’ll be known as. 

Finally, Dragon Age Inquisition. All six potential Inquisitors survived the catastrophe, but only four of them bear the shared mark within their respective hands, and the other two becoming companions to them. All this existing within the same au saga! Here is what I have so far and I may add more to it. May or may not be a fic using all this, but I wanted to share my own ideas.

Keep reading

[nascarwallpapers]

2022 NASCAR Cup Series: Ross Chastain, #1 Moose Fraternity Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing. Download full resolution & extras on Patreon.

[aibari]

safe returns

a @destielsecretsanta2020 gift for @misha-moose-dean-burger-lover

notes: this fic is set after the s15 finale. there’s a bit of canon-typical grief at  the start, but this is a fix-it fic :)

read on ao3

Afterwards, the world knits itself back together slowly, like broken bones healing. People come back to their loved ones, but not all at once, filing in gradually. Dean guesses they've had a long way to go. Wherever the hell they went, when Chuck had punted them out of existence.

So it's a slow and gradual thing, and it sucks. He catches himself out constantly, thinking that maybe -

And then Sam will give him a concerned look, so understanding and careful it makes him feel like he's been skinned alive.

And he knows by now what that feels like.

Anyway, the point is that while people are still coming back, he can't quite let go of the thought that Cas might, too. Even if he's in the Empty. Even if it's dumb as hell to think that it could ever -

So. The thought sits in his chest like a tumor metastasizing, like a rusty fishhook, like a birdcage. Hope is a thing with feathers, or however the fuck that saying goes.

He can't think about it for too long. If he does, he starts needing a drink, starts to feel his jaw lock up. Can't touch it, or he'll slice his fingers open.

So instead of thinking about it, he joins a pie eating competition. Goes on a series of hunts with Sam that all resolve easy. Drinks beer and sleeps in motels and eats greasy diner food, and it's familiar in a way that's both familiar and deeply fucking depressing if he lets himself think about it. He's forty-one, he's helped defeat God, and he's still doing this shit? Does he even know how to be anything else? Does he have it in him?

Six months after the end of Chuck, the stream of people showing back up slows to a trickle and then dries up. Dean takes his fragile hope and buries it as deep as it will go.

So it goes.

-

He dreams about Cas, which is business as usual. Dreams with Cas used to mean something, and maybe that something was covert fraternization and angel politics, most of the time, but it was Cas. Now it's just trauma. Dean sits on their bench, and Cas sits next to him, and Cas says:

Because you cared, I cared.

And Dean says:

Don’t do this, Cas.

And then he starts to choke, words and letters pushing up against the back of his throat like yesterday's dinner.

Cas is still talking, words fading in and out like a radio with bad reception, and his hand rests heavy on Dean's arm, and he says:

"Dean."

And then Dean wakes up, gasping, staring up at the water-stained motel room ceiling.

The handprint on his shoulder burns.

He stumbles into the bathroom to splash water on his face and then stands there, hands clutching the edges of the sink, staring blankly at his own reflection.

There's a pull in his chest, tethered somewhere under his ribs.

He takes a deep breath, and then another.

Then he wakes up Sam, who groans and then squints at him in the half-dark of the room. The light of the neon sign outside paints a violet streak across his cheek.

“Dean, what -?” Sam says. “What’s going on, what time is it?”

“Don’t worry your sweet little head about it, Sammy,” Dean says. “Just got a little something to take care of, so I’m heading out.”

Sam frowns at him. “What do you mean, out?”

“What are you, some kind of detective?”

“Dean,” Sam says, with the kind of heavy, long-suffering bitchiness that means he’s gonna get passive aggressive about it.

Dean doesn’t have that kind of time. “I’m going to Minnesota and I’m gonna have to go there alone.”

Sam opens his mouth to say something.

“Don’t say anything, Sam,” Dean grits out.

“I wasn’t gonna,” Sam says, like a liar. 

Dean rolls his eyes at him and starts packing. It takes about a minute; it’s not like any of them ever really unpack.

There’s a joke in there, somewhere, Dean thinks, jaw clenching despite himself.

“Dean,” Sam says from behind him. Dean freezes in the middle of stuffing a t-shirt into the bag, unable to turn around and look at him.

“What,” he asks, stiff like set concrete.

“Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid,” Sam says, like he has his own ideas about where Dean is going. “Promise me, alright?”

“Sure,” Dean says. It’s a like, but he’s pretty sure they both know it.

It’s not like he even knows where he’s going, exactly.

He doesn’t even know what he’s going there for. He just knows that he has to.

He finishes packing and they say their goodbyes. Sam bitches about it when he takes the impala, but Eileen will be coming up later in the day to discuss some kind of hunt developments. Sam will be fine.

Whether or not Dean will be fine might be a different question.

He’ll figure it out.

-

He takes the I-35 up through Illinois and Iowa, barely stopping to take a piss. The burn of the handprint has settled into something gentler, but it still throbs in a telltale heart rhythm. He thinks about Cas, at the end, standing tall and telling Dean that he loved him.

It makes his jaw go tight.

He turns up the music. It’s Creedence, and he sings along as hard as he can stand, white-knuckling the wheel.

“That’s real healthy,” he murmurs to himself in the space between songs, but it does help to have something in the car that isn’t his own thoughts, his own fuck-ups and messes.

The closer he gets to Minnesota, the stronger the pull gets.

He’s playing with fire, not doing the research and going in solo like this. Whatever’s pulling at him could be freaking anything.

But it won’t be.

He knows that for sure, even if he doesn’t know exactly what it is.

He just has a feeling.

-

After he crosses state lines the final time, rolling on into Minnesota, he stops at a diner for dinner. He gets a burger and fries, and by this point he is so full of whatever thing is pulling him forward it’s hard to stop moving. His ribcage feels like it’s full of bees.

He keeps thinking about Cas.

“This is you, isn’t it,” he murmurs. “Whatever’s happening here. It’s about you.”

No-one answers him, but he’s used to that by now.

He can fill a silence like nobody’s business, so he launches into a rambling review of the music on the regional radio station, (bland enough to give Wonderbread a run for its money,) the scenery (cold and snowy), and the present company (non-existent; please, Cas, come back to me).

The waitress keeps looking at him funny. When he goes to leave, she won’t let him pay. For a second, he thinks she might be interested, but then she gives him a soft, sad look and tells him about how her partner had taken months longer than her to come back, and that she understands what he’s going through, that he shouldn’t give up hope, and then he has to go.

-

He sits in the parking lot for a while, hands on the steering wheel, wishing he’d paid more attention to the mindfulness kick Sam’s been on for the past month.

He can’t stop thinking about the look on Cas’ face, right before -

Fuck.

If he were in any other car, he’d be punching the dashboard.

He turns up the music again instead, and wipes his face, and gets back to driving.

So it goes.

-

He stops at a motel by the interstate and stumbles out the morning after to a bright winter’s day. The sky is blue enough that he has to squint against it; the snow crunches under his boots. With every breath, the cold air knifes down his throat.

He follows the pull of his invisible line.

-

The forest is quiet. The snow muffles all sound but the crunch of his boots, which reverberate like gunshots. Dean makes a quick mental inventory of Minnesota monsters. He’s unprepared for most of them; if any of them show up, or if this is a trap, he’ll be up shit creek. He’d probably deserve it, too, coming here like this.

He walks for hours, pulled forward, chest sweetly aching and handprint throbbing to the beat of his own heart.

By the time he reaches the field, he’s almost lost track of time.

It’s just a large, empty space. If it hadn’t been covered in snow in the middle of winter, it’d make a sweet concert space.

There’s no-one else here, but -

(something in his chest wrenches)

-then there is.

A man in a trenchcoat stumbles into the clearing, and Dean knows him. He knows him, with a bright and certain rush of heat that leaves him breathless.

“Cas!” he yells, and hears the answering, “Dean!” and then he’s running and laughing and tearing up at the same time. He’s a mess, but he can’t help it, couldn’t stop it if he tried. They meet in the middle and it’s like a scene from Love freaking Actually, hugging each other tightly and spinning each other around. Cas smells like petrichor and ozone and day-old sweat. The stitching on his coat is rough and reassuring under Dean’s fingers. He never wants to let him go.

“Thank you,” Cas says, serious as a freshly dug grave, “for meeting me.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, buddy,” Dean says. Then he leans back a little to look Cas properly in the eye. “Cas,” he says. “Earlier. I said the wrong thing.”

Cas gives him an expectant look. His hands are fisting into Dean’s coat. “What did you want to say, Dean?”

The way he says his name makes Dean shudder. He swallows thickly. “I. Back when you - I said don’t do this, but what I should have said was - me too, Cas.”

Cas tilts his head slightly to the side, like he’s confused by something. Dean had almost forgotten what shade of blue they were.

“What?” Dean asks, as softly as he can, which isn’t much. He’s not good at this. Not with Cas. Not yet, but hopefully - if he dares to hope - hopefully soon.

“You don’t have to humor me, Dean,” Cas says, stiffer than a freaking fridge magnet in a freezer. “I know I’m not what you -”

And Dean can’t stand hearing him finish that sentence, can’t stand not having them be on the same page.

“Alright, fuck this,” he says, and pulls Cas down into a kiss.

[ellewritesathing]

Serpent Heart

Summary: Being Sabrina’s fraternal twin had its upsides but lately the downsides were starting to get to you. You’d made a plan to deal with it, and the only question now was if you were going to let Caliban get in the way.

Masterlist

Word-count: 1.6k+

A/N: hey guys so this is a little different from my usual fluffy clay boi but @hecatemacbeth7 requested this eight years ago and they’ve been so patient with me so i thought i’d post this today and then the next part of Faking It next week 💕 (also let me know if you want this to be a series?i don’t think i’m as good at angst as i am fluff but ya girl can try)

One of your earliest memories from after your parents died was listening in on a conversation between your aunts and one of their guests. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence - you and Sabrina would slip into one of your hiding spots and stay quiet until everyone left - but this time was different. This time their guest was a seer.

She saw right through the two of you.

Luckily, she was much more benevolent than the other guests your aunts brought around. She laughed at your efforts to squirm away and asked if she could give you each a reading. Hilda wasn’t so sure if that was a good idea but Zelda encouraged any and all dabbling in witchcraft.

All she had to do was touch Sabrina’s cheek to tell her that her strong (though sometimes unfounded) sense of right and wrong would get her into trouble and that she would go through many trials before achieving greatness. She was a cat, blessed with nine lives and cursed with curiosity.

One little touch was all it took for her to tell you that you were a snake. You’d grow cold in the shadow of someone close to you before striking out on your own. Ambitious and cunning, you would always find your way into the sunlight.

The others forgot about that afternoon in a few weeks, too busy with other responsibilities or new obsessions, but you never forgot.

Almost ten years later and her words echoed through every step you took and every word you spoke. Would things have been different if you’d never met the seer? Maybe not, but maybe you’d feel differently about the plan that started forming when you went to Hell.

It all started when Lilith’s right to rule was challenged and Sabina - always quick to act, not so quick to think - made her claim to the throne. The same throne that would have been yours if you were born seven minutes earlier. The same throne that Caliban would later challenge her for.

Caliban was a tricky thing to understand. If you were a seer, maybe you'd know whether or not to trust him.

He wanted the throne, that much was clear, but he seemed to have taken an interest in Sabrina - then again, everyone took an interest in Sabrina. Harvey took an interest in her, Nick took an interest in her, and now Caliban had. It wasn’t that you were short of admirers, but that the only ones you took an interest in always preferred Sabrina.

And it’s not like you blamed them. Despite the way it may seem, you loved Sabrina. She understood you in a way that no one else did, even if she didn’t understand everything, and she loved you just the same. She was your other half, your better half.

That’s why you never put up a fight when it came to her; because at the end of the day, you cared about her happiness more than your own. You’d help her rule if she beat Caliban, and you’d figure out some harebrained scheme if she lost. It’s just the way that things were when it came to the two of you.

In the end, Sabrina got all the glory and you did all the work. Sabrina was the beautiful assistant that everyone looked at while you conned them out of their hard-earned cash. They all thought Sabrina was the magician anyway, so maybe it was time for you to debut your solo act.

So you let Caliban and Sabrina battle it out in Hell knowing all the while that you’d take the throne from whichever one of them won. Obviously, it would be easier if Sabrina won but you could handle Caliban, even if he had the hordes of hell behind him. After all, what was a demon to a Morningstar? A boy made of clay to an angel?

That kind of reasoning was why you didn’t mind when Caliban started following you around. He never spoke to you anyway; all he did was watch and keep his distance. You let him look at you all he liked because he didn’t realize that you were looking right back. He was curious. You learned all his little tricks in the week or so that he spent following you, and then you set a trap.

You went about your day just like it was any other, but went to the woods after rehearsals for the musical. Caliban didn’t come out of the shadows as soon as you expected, so you started drawing out other things to keep busy. You’d done it dozens of times before, and the whisps were always the first to come out.

They froze everything they touched in the already-cold forest, but you didn’t mind the cold. They danced across your skin and soon you were dancing and singing along with them. The sun went down while you had your fun, and Caliban came out with the moon. Pretending not to notice, you spiraled into him during one of your turns.

“Mind if I cut in?” Caliban asked, holding out a hand to steady you.

“That depends,” you said with a smile. You used your hand to open up his palm. “Do you know how to dance?”

“I’m not opposed to learning from a pretty little thing like yourself,” Caliban said.

Either he was a quick study or someone had already taught him. You didn’t mind either way. It was better than having him stepping on your toes, plus it felt nice to have his hand in yours and on your waist. The way he looked at you also sent some very annoying butterflies in your stomach into a flurry.

When the rest of the stars started coming out and the whisps were fading, you asked, “So are we going to keep dancing until the sun comes up or are you going to tell me why you’ve been spying on me?”

Caliban smiled and stared into the trees as he thought. All he said was, “You’re more difficult to understand than your sister and your friends.”

“How so?”

“Your friends are all very human with very human concerns. Sabrina included.” Caliban looked down at you and stopped moving. “But not you. You understand Hell, you don’t fear it.” He lifted a hand to your face and moved some hair from the side, watching where his skin made contact with yours before settling back on your eyes. “Tell me, Morningstar, is there anything you fear?”

Caliban started leaning in and your breath hitched. He smiled before pressing his lips to yours, and for a second you smiled too. For a second, you let him kiss you and hold you close. Once that second was over, you remembered that he was a manipulative demon who was using you to get the Throne.

You bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood and pushed him away. Caliban fell to the ground at the same time that the metallic taste flooded your mouth. You spat it out and knelt next to Caliban to keep him in the dirt with an icy hand. The cold radiated out from your fingertips and across his chest, but he didn’t fight it.

“You want to know why I’m not afraid of anything in Hell?” you asked, pushing down a little bit harder. “I'm not afraid because I’m the one they should be afraid of.”

The ice was snaking up Caliban’s neck but all he did was stare at your hand. “So you know a few tricks," he said. "I don’t think Hell is going to be very afraid of an ice princess.”

“They will be.”

You used your other hand to push some curls from his forehead.

“You’re willing to cross your sister in order to do it?”

“If I have to,” you said. He was silent for a few seconds so you continued, “Sabrina gets everything, have you noticed that? I never used to mind when, but now I want more.”

“And what is that you want?” Caliban asked.

“Earth.” You pushed down just a touch harder on his chest and watched the ice spread across the rest of his body. “You and Sabrina can fight it out in Hell - I’ll pick up the pieces of whoever’s left - but Earth is mine.”

Caliban was unusually quiet as he thought it over, realization spreading over his face as he did. Giving up your claim to the throne, helping Sabrina with the challenges, all the so-called secret trips to Hell … it all dawned on him at the moment it took you to freeze him to that spot on the forest floor.

“I could help you,” Caliban said in a quick voice. “We could make an alliance; I become King of Hell and you can do whatever you please here on Earth.” He looked back down at your hand on his chest for a moment before looking into your eyes again. “Or I could tell your friends about this clever plan of yours.”

“And who would believe you?” you asked. “It would be just like you, Caliban, to turn sisters against one another. You’d do anything for the throne, right?”

Caliban clenched his jaw and moved to break out of the ice that encased his body. His only problem was that he underestimated you, but that was everyone’s first problem. The ice was too strong for him to break it.

You leaned down with a smile on his face. “I’ll come back for you once this all over,” you said, ignoring him when he asked what you were doing. You pressed your lips to his and kissed him while the frost spread over his face. Pulling away, you gave a sad smile to his frozen form. “One day.”

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[mourning-again-in-america]

Such a shame that there was such decline in American fraternal lodges...there could have been such work on the distinctions between a Moose Lodger and an Elk Lodger.

there's a lot of work in 20th century continental philosophy on the ontology of one's membership in a group and i hope that all will be looked back upon as a bizarre fixation of that time in history. or be forgotten entirely i suppose, but thats likely throwing out some valuable bathwater.