#a vet that keeps having fix gunshots in humans

[real-evil-genius]

You'll live but you probably won't be happy about it.

So the other night I had a dream about humans being the dedicated medic species for The intergalactic Union

I brought it up to my friend / found family sister and she pointed out that what if culturally humans are the only ones who really domesticate/tame animals, which would make them uniquely skilled with dealing with the health and safety of creatures that have vastly different biology from them, maybe on other planets medical professionals are only versed in the single type of biology that they need to treat of the people of their planet, meanwhile humans are fucked up and weird and we like poking and prodding and petting things that we shouldn't so we're just really good at navigating foreign biology and making sure everything is where it should be

[mskinkykitty]

The Beginning Chapter 1

Pairing- Bucky/Winter Soldier x Mutant Reader

A Winter Soldier/Reader Alternate Timeline Fan-fic. This is book 1 of my series, The Spring Soldier. Takes place after Captain America: The First Avenger but before the Avengers.

A/N: So, I started this fic in 2017, so when reading, please keep that in mind. It’s still not complete, but I’m working on wrapping it up!

Summary:

The reader is a mutant, who has been hiding her abilities since they manifested, she’s never told anyone, not even her parents. She was too afraid they would turn on her or register her and she’d be taken away. She’s a veterinarian living alone on her farm. Both her parents are dead, having left the farm to her. She lives in a small rural town outside New York City.

One night, she hears gun shots and assumes it’s poachers she knows she won’t find anything if she goes out during the night and also risks the poachers turning on her, so she waits til morning, to see if she can find the potentially injured animal. She goes into the barn, having followed her cat and finds an unconscious and injured Winter Soldier. Having a soft spot for injured strays, she decides she’s going to help him until he wakes.

When he does finally wake, everything changes and her secret is exposed. She never expected her life to go in such a drastic direction, but, now that she’s on this path, she’s determined to travel it with him.

First Meetings

She had heard the gunshots and the dogs late last night, which she assumed were from poachers.  She knew there was no point in going out to find them, so, instead, she got up early to find the animal that more than likely got away.  Hopefully she'd be able to find it and nurse it back to health, before releasing it.  Worst case scenario, the animal had gotten away and been so wounded, it had died during the night, she hoped that wasn't the case.

While walking to her barn, her cat walked up to her, weaving between her legs.  He always greeted her whenever she came outside.  He was another animal she had rescued, he had been hit by a car and she found him on her way home one evening. She brought him back, fixed him up and he hasn't left since.

Who is she, you ask, her name is ___ ___, a veterinarian living in the rural area near Long Island, New York.  She had a private practice on her farm there, she saw a few animals at her home, more often than not, she made house calls for the animals that were too large to be brought in.  It was something she loved and had wanted to do her entire life.  When her Father died from a heart attack, she moved back in to help her mother who had had a stroke a few months before.  Her mother's health quickly began to decline and she died a few months later.  Now, it was just her, alone on her farm and she wouldn't have it any other way.  Of course, that didn't stop some of the local busy bodies in town, from trying their hardest to set her up with their sons and nephews.  They just couldn't understand how such a young woman would be happy living alone without a man to help her.

Of course, there were other reasons as to why she preferred to stay single.  She was what they called, a mutant.  She was one of the lucky ones, though, her mutant power wasn't obvious, so as far as anyone knew, she was a normal human. She had even kept the secret from her parents, she knew that if they found out, they'd send her to one of the mutant camps to have her “cured”.  She rather liked her power, it allowed her a lot of freedom.  She was one of the mutants blessed with the gift of wings, but her wings weren't like the others.  They weren't always exposed, she was able to absorb them into her body, the downfall to that, the mass of her wings had to go somewhere, so it would be distributed through her body as excess fat cells, which made her a little on the hefty side.  There were many nights, when she couldn't sleep, on those nights, she would just fly around instead.  She would fly to clear her head, to help her stop thinking about how her life hadn't gone the way she had thought.

Like now, here she was, out in the snow, getting ready to find the animal some poachers had been hunting last night.  She followed her cat, who she had named, Lucky, not the most original, but he was lucky she had come across him, otherwise he wouldn't be here to greet her every time she came outside.

“Hey, Lucky, you're awfully affectionate this morning.” She smiled, bending down to pick him up.  He nuzzled against her face, always happy to see her, he let out a small meow, then squirmed out of her arms and ran into the barn.

“What's wrong, Lucky?  You're usually a little more affectionate than that.” She asked, following the black and white cat into the barn.

When she opened the door, Lucky was standing there, waiting for her, he let out another cry and ran further into the barn, towards the back door.

“Lucky, what are you doing?” She asked, continuing to follow her cat.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw where Lucky had stopped.  He was sitting on the lap of a man.  A very injured man.

“Oh, shit!  Mister, hey mister!  Are you ok?” She asked running over and kneeling next to the man who had managed to sit himself in the chair she left by the back door. She quickly grabbed his left arm to feel for a pulse, but it was cold and very firm.  She pulled the glove off, gasping at the metal that was shinning back at her.  Remembering she needed to know if he was still alive or not, she decided not to take the chance his other arm was also metal, she felt for a pulse on his neck.  She found it. Faint, but it was there.

“I think we've found another Lucky.” She smiled down at her cat, who was still sitting in the man's lap.

“He doesn't look light.  How am I going to  get him into the house?” She asked, moving his hair out of his face, so she could get a better look at him.

“Handsome.  Shit, I bet he's who the dogs were looking for last night.  Whoever was looking for you, I sure hope you're the good guy.” She sighed, kneeling with her back towards him, pulling his arms over her shoulders, so she could carry him on her back.

It took all of her strength, but she managed to stand up with him on her back.  Slowly, she made it into her house and to her bedroom on the first floor.  Normally she would have given the guest one of the bedrooms on the second floor, but she knew she wouldn't be able to carry him all the way up the stairs.

Once she got the stranger situated in her bed, she took a minute to look him over.  He was covered in blood, she assumed most of it was his.  She went to her office where she kept all her veterinary supplies, grabbed a few things and headed back to her patient.  She lay everything out on her dresser, the IV, needles, gloves, scissors, cotton swabs, iodine, and various other things she would use to clean him up.  She was prepared to give him stitches, but once she got his shirt cut open and off, she found no open wounds, a few scratches and bruises, but nothing too serious.

“Wow, you really are one lucky guy. Got away with just a few scrapes and bruises.” She then looked at his metal arm and took it in her hand.

“I wonder if you were running from whoever did this to you?  Don't worry, mister, you're safe from whoever wants to hurt you, here.  What kind of monsters did this to a person?

” She sighed, gently placing his metal arm back on the bed so she could begin cleaning the few open wounds he did have.

It didn't take her long to clean him up and get him all set up with an IV, she figured he was dehydrated and since she wasn't sure how long he would be out, she didn't want to take the chance of his recovery not going as fast as it could because he wasn't getting the nutrients his body needed.

Now that he was fully treated, she began to take off his shoes.  While she was looking up at him, she noticed a hole in his pants, it was wet, with what she assumed, was blood.  Looking up at Lucky, who was laying on the man's chest, watching her, she sighed and  asked, “How did I not think to look at his legs for injuries.  Mister, I'm really sorry about this, I'm not trying to be a perv or anything.”

She got up and grabbed the scissors that she had set on the night stand next to the bed, then back to the bottom of his pants and began to cut them off.  Lucky let out a little meow to remind her that he was watching.

“I know, don't worry, I'm not going to do anything.  Damn, this is embarrassing!” She replied, thankful the man was out cold and couldn't see the inevitable blush that was forming.  Sure, she had studied some human anatomy in school, but never on an actual person.  There was a reason she became a vet instead of a doctor, besides trying to keep her mutant ability a secret, the thought of having to deal with naked people, made her extremely uncomfortable.  More specifically, having to deal with partially naked men telling her about their ailments.  Nope, animals would be much easier to deal with, no chance of embarrassment there, and no judgmental thoughts to worry about.

Once she finally managed to cut his pants away, that's where she saw it, there was a bullet hole in his leg.  Sliding her hand under his leg, she felt for an exit wound, she didn't feel anything, which meant the bullet was still inside.

“Looks like I'm gonna have to dig that out.  Lucky, don't let Lucky 2 get up.” She said deciding to give the stranger some kind of name.  Running back to her office to get some foresnips to try and dig the bullet out.  She wasn't gone long, Lucky was still lying on the man's chest, continuing to watch her.

“You know, we really should call him something other than mister or Lucky 2, how about we just call him Luke until he wakes up to tell us his real name?” She asked Lucky as she began to dig inside the wound for the bullet, Lucky just replied with a soft meow.  As she was digging in his leg, he began to groan and squirm, she looked up, seeing the look of pain on his face, she felt bad, but there was nothing she could do about the pain.  She could feel the bullet and didn't want to go back to the office to find the local anesthetic she had.  It would take to long to wait for it to kick in, not to mention, she almost had the bullet out.  He began to fidget his leg more, so she had to put part of her weight on it to finish pulling the bullet out.

“I'm really sorry, Luke, but the bullet is almost out.  Just bear with me a little longer.” She grunted as she finally pulled the bullet out of the wound.

“There!  Got it, now, let's stitch that bad boy closed.” She said, placing the bullet on a towel she had lying next to her on the floor.  Once the bullet was out, Luke had calmed down and stopped moving, his breathing was slightly labored, but he seemed to be calming down.  Looking back at the wound, she had a thought.  “You know, maybe I should numb this first.  Don't want to risk him waking up and freaking out on me.” So again, she got up and went find the cream of local anesthetic, she hoped it would numb the area just enough so she could get the stitches in without him squirming all over the place.  If she was going to do the stitches right, she wanted him to be as still as possible.

“Ok, almost done!” She smiled at Lucky, who had jumped back on Luke's chest, he had jumped off when Luke started squirming while the bullet was being removed.

___ rubbed a fair amount of the cream into Luke's leg around the wound once she got it cleaned up and added a cauterizing agent so it would stop bleeding.  She gave it about five minutes, before she started stitching the wound closed.  Once closed, she wrapped his leg to prevent any infection from getting into it.  She stood up and looked at her handy work, she was quite impressed with herself, especially considering she'd never done any kind of procedure on a human before.  Then, realizing the man was half naked, she blushed again and turned away.

“Right, we need to get you some pants.  I think I still have some of my dad's old sweats upstairs. They should fit well enough.  Be right back, Lucky.” she said, leaving the room and making her way upstairs to her parents old room.

After their deaths a few years ago, she had decided to leave their room the way it was.  She just couldn't bring herself to change it.  Even though they were gone and she knew they were never coming back, it still brought comfort to her, knowing their room was still there, just as they had left it.

She stood in the doorway a few minutes, after opening the door, to look at the room.  It had been a few months since she had last felt the need to enter.  On the nights when she would have really bad nightmares, she would come in here and sleep.  The room still smelled like her parents and she found it comforting when she would have nightmares, it was like they were still here, helping her.

She took a deep breath and walking into the room, straight to the dresser.  She didn't have to look for long, since she knew where her father kept all his clothes.  She used to help her mother put laundry away when she was still too small to help with the outside chores.  Once she had a pair in her hand, she closed the drawer and walked to the door.  She stopped and turned around, taking one last look before she closed the door and made her way back downstairs.

“You know, Lucky, maybe I should finally get around to changing mom and dad's bedroom.  I've always wanted a library and I think mom and dad would like it if I turned their room into a library.  What do you think?” She asked as she walked back into the room, looking at her cat, he just gave her a slow blink in response.

“Yea, you're right, maybe once spring rolls around, then we can consider turning it into a library.” She chuckled, as she struggled to put the pants on Luke.  “Man, you're heavier than you look!” she grunted as she finally got them up to his waist.  The she stood up and took a step back, looking over her work, smiling.

“That should do it for now.  I'll be back in a few hours to check on you again.” She said, as she threw a blanket over him, covering Lucky, who didn't mind at all.  He'd crawl out from underneath when he was ready.  Now that he was all cleaned up and tucked in, she cleaned up the mess she had made, with everything in the bowl she brought in, she took one final look at the man, before shutting the door, leaving enough of a crack so Lucky could come and go as he pleased.

  The next couple of days were quiet, she went about her daily routine, checking on Luke every few hours, changing his bandages as needed and cleaning up the mess from when he would urinate in his sleep.  Now she was really wishing she had learned about catheters in school, but you usually didn't use them for animals, so she saw no need to keep any on hand.  She made a note, that the next time she ordered supplies, she would definitely be ordering catheters.  She doubted she would ever use them, but she'd rather have them on hand anyway.

  It was early evening on the fourth day after she found Luke in her barn.  She had come home from a particularly messy job and just finished her shower.  Now that she was all clean, she made a fire, since it had started to snow and it was her main source of heat in the house.  Once she had the fire going, she decided to cook dinner.  She was reheating left over spaghetti.  She had her favorite mix tape playing while she cooked, singing and dancing along with it.  Completely oblivious to the movements that were happening in her bedroom.

Luke had woken up.  He blinked a few times and looked around the room.  This was definitely not a HYDRA installation.  He sat up and cringed when he felt the pinch in his arm and pain in his leg.  He looked at his arm first, seeing the IV, he quickly pulled it out.  Though it didn't look like HYDRA, he wouldn't put it passed them to put him in a setting like this to test him, make sure he was loyal.  He winced as he moved his leg, feeling the pain from the bullet he remembered being shot with.  Even though he had been injected with the super soldier serum, it didn't do to much in helping him heal faster.  It helped a little, but not as much as he would have liked.

As he tried to get up, he heard a meow, looking down next to his feet, there sat a black and white tabby. They starred at each other for a minute, before the cat got up and rubbed up against his legs.  He smiled at the action and wondered what kind of HYDRA agent would have a cat as a pet.  Then he noticed music coming from the other side of the cracked door.  He slowly got up and did his best to limp over to the door, upon opening it, he was hit with something he wasn't sure if he had ever smelt before.  Just what kind of HYDRA agent was this?  They had a cat, listening to music and cooked their own food?  His curiosity getting the better of him, he slowly and as quietly as he could, crept to where the music was coming from.

He was shocked when he saw her.  She was definitely not an agent he had ever seen before.  She was short in stature, with long (h/c) hair and a little on the chunky side. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt with shorts that came to mid-thigh and she was dancing and singing along to her music while she cooked.  This was definitely not the normal behavior of a HYDRA agent, not to mention she would be considered unfit as an agent and would never be allowed in the field.  Her guard was down and she was alone, this also went against all HYDRA protocol.  Then he remembered how he had gotten injured.  He had disobeyed a direct order during a mission and managed to get away.  He remembered running through the forest and being chased, but the memory starts to get fuzzy after he was shot.

Though he doubted she was  HYDRA, he couldn't be to sure and felt it best to keep his guard up.  Lost in thought, he quickly looked up when she screamed and he heard glass shattering. His presence clearly startled her.  Did she expect him to stay in bed after he woke up?

  ___ was definitely not expecting her patient to be up so soon.  She thought he would have been out a few more days, so when she turned around and saw him standing in the doorway to her kitchen, she couldn't help but scream and drop her bowl of spaghetti, jumping back as the hot sauce hit her legs.  She fell when her foot landed on a sharp piece of ceramic, falling on the food and shattered ceramic, getting a few more cuts as she tried to get up.  He cautiously walked over to her and offered her his flesh hand.  She looked up at it, then him and smiled.

“Sorry, you startled me.  You'd been asleep for so long, I was beginning to think you weren't ever going to wake up.” She said, scooting back so her back hit the cabinet behind her.  Once she had her uninjured foot stable and not on any sharp ceramic pieces, she took his hand and let him help her stand up.

“Thank you.” She said as she adjusted the weight on her good foot and placed booth hands on the counter behind her to help stabilize her.  “How are you feeling?” she asked before limping over to her fridge and digging out the broom she kept in the space between the fridge and the wall.  All Luke did was watch her, still certain this was a ruse to get him to drop his guard.

She stopped and looked at him, waiting for an answer, but all he did was stare back at her.

“You look better, that's for sure.” She still smiled as she hobbled back over the mess she had made, stopping to get something from under the sink, he tensed and was ready to attack, thinking she was getting a weapon of some kind, he relaxed a little when he saw her grab a dust pan and a towel.

“How's your leg?  I did the best I could getting the bullet out and did a decent job on the stitches. You'll have a scar, but something tells me you don't really mind scars.” she said as she looked at his left shoulder, where metal met skin.  He, too, looked at his bare shoulder, then back at her, wondering why she wasn't fazed by it at all.  She had bent down and was picking up the large pieces of the ceramic bowl she had dropped.

“You can sit down, you know.  I'll have this cleaned up in just a minute, then I can set up a bowl for you.  I hope you like spaghetti.” She said, not even bothering to look up at him as she continued to clean up her mess.  She did find it odd at how quiet he was.  If she was in his shoes, she'd be asking all kinds of questions about where she was and who he was and what happened.  She just figured he was still a little confused and disoriented from being unconscious for so long.  She was sure he'd talk when he was ready.

She smiled a little when she heard the chair move and give a small creak when weight was added to it.

“My name's ___, by the way.”

He just looked at her quizzically and his brows furrowed.  Was she expecting him to tell her his name in return?

“I didn't know your name, so I've been calling you Luke.” She said, sitting on her haunches and looking up at him.

“Luke?” He said, it didn't sound or feel familiar, so he was sure that wasn't his name.  His concentration was broken by a small meow and something brushing up against his legs.

“And that's Lucky, he's the one who found you in my barn and he's been keeping watch over you while you slept.  Only left to go to the bathroom and eat, otherwise, he was in the room with you the whole time.  He doesn't usually take to strangers so quickly, but I'm glad he likes you.” She said with a small chuckle.

He groaned and clutched his head in pain, slamming his fist on the table as images of people quickly flashed in his mind, it was as if they were screaming to be remembered.  ___ looked up at him, startled by the loud noise. Seeing the distress he was in, she quickly got up, forgetting about the pain in her own foot, and ran over to him, kneeling next to him. Her hand on one shoulder, while the other one ran through his hair, getting it out of his face so she could get a better look at him, trying to see if there was a wound she had missed that might be causing him pain now.  She didn't see anything.

“Luke, are you ok?  What's wrong?” She asked, her hand quickly moving down the side of his face, over his cheek and under his jaw, lifting it up to look at her.

Once the pain had gone and the images had stopped, he opened his eyes and looked straight into hers.  They were full of nothing but concern.  Not a look he was accustomed to seeing.

“I don't remember my name, but I know that's not it.”  He opened his eyes when he heard her let out a small chuckle, the look of concern was gone and was replaced with a smile.  Again, not something he was used to seeing on the people he worked for.

“I figured as much, but sadly, it's gonna have to do until you remember yours.  Are you hungry?” she asked, standing up and limping over to the stove.

That's when he noticed the trail of blood her foot was leaving.

“You're bleeding.” He said, looking up at her.  He watched as she turned to look at him, then at the floor, seeing the blood she left as she stepped.

“I guess I am.  Well, let me make you a bowl, then I'll go patch my foot up and join you.” she said, returning to her original task of getting him something to eat.  Once she set it down in front of him, she sat down as well, clearly forgetting about her foot again.

“It's been a few days since you've had anything solid in you.  Make sure you eat slow, so you don't throw it up right away.  You're stomach needs to get used to having solids in it.  If this is too much for you to handle, I have some soup that I could heat up instead.  I probably should have tried that first.” she mumbled the last part more to herself than to him.

He looked at her, still smiling at him. He was a little weary of the fact that she wasn't eating anything. It made him think she had put something in his food.  Even though he watched everything she had done, and didn't see her add anything, he couldn't be too sure.  She was a stranger and for all he knew, she wanted to kill him.

“Is it too hot?  Should I heat up the soup instead?” She asked, worried as to why he wasn't eating.

She went to get up, but he stopped her by grabbing her wrist, looking at the contact, she sat back down and looked at him, that look of concern gracing her features once again.

“Why are you being so nice and helping me?” he asked, his grip on her wrist tightening, she winced at the increase in pressure.

“I don't know.” She replied, trying to pull her wrist out of his grasp, only causing him to hold it tighter.

“Did they order you to help me?  Is this some kind of test?” He asked his voice harsher, his grip tightening still.

His eyes never left hers.  He watched as they began to water.  Watched for any indication she was HYDRA, that this was a test of loyalty, a test to see how he would react if he thought he wasn't being monitored, if he thought he had truly succeeded in escaping them. He watched as panic took over her features, as she struggled to free herself.

“Ow, you're hurting me!  Let go!” She said, her voice laced with the first signs of panic and the look on her face quickly changing to that of fear.  He watched as she tried to pry his hand off her wrist, but she was no match for his strength.

“Who are you working for!” He demanded as he practically yelled at her.

She could feel the panic as it began to bubble up to the surface.  She knew that if she let it take over, she wouldn't be able to keep her wings hidden.  The last thing she wanted to do was expose her secret to him, but the tighter his grip got and the angrier he looked, the harder and harder it was to keep the overwhelming feeling of panic under control.  Then, when he yelled at her, demanding to know who she worked for, she lost it.

“I SAID, LET GO!” She screamed as wings exploded from her back.

Luke was bowled over and pushed across the floor by the wind that her wings created as they burst forth from her back, hitting the wall behind him.  Eyes wide, he looked up to see the girl standing in front of him, her shirt barely hanging on to her shoulders, her shorts in tatters on the floor.  She was panting and her eyes conveyed nothing but fear and panic as she crossed her arms over her chest, cradling the wrist he had been holding and also preventing her shirt from completely falling off and exposing all of her to the stranger laying on her kitchen floor.

That's when he knew.  He knew there was no way she was a HYDRA agent.  If she was, he would have heard about her, he would have gone on missions with her.  He would know if HYDRA had an angel on their side.

Luke never took his eyes off her as he eased himself up into a sitting position.  Leaning against the wall, letting it support him as he tried to process what had just happened. He let his eyes wander up and down, noticing how her appearance had changed.  She was slimmer now, her face still held that look of panic and fear.  He had seen that look many times in people before he killed them.  She was afraid for her life.

“I'm sorry.” Luke said as he finally moved to stand up.  Once he was stable, he went to take a step towards her, but she only limped back.

“I thought you were trying to hurt me.” He said as he bent over and set the chair he had been sitting in, up right, then sat in it.  Trying his best to show her that he wasn't going to hurt her.

“Why would I fix you up, just to try to hurt you later?” she asked, after a few minutes of silence and once she was sure he wasn't going to try and hurt her again.

“Because that's the kind of thing the people I work for would do.” He answered, letting out a heavy sigh as he did.

“The people you work for are messed up.” She scoffed as she took a few hesitant steps towards one of the chairs sitting at the table.

“I know.  It's ok, you can sit down. I'm not going to hurt you.” he said as he looked down at his metal arm.  He really hated that arm.

“Are the people you work for the one's who gave you that arm?” she asked, finally sitting down in the chair.  Luke just nodded.

“Are they also the one's who shot you?  And the reason I found you passed out in my barn?” She asked, pulling the shirt up on her shoulder, as it had slid down a little when she walked to her chair.

Again, he just nodded.

“The people you work for really suck!” she huffed.

He couldn't help but give a small smile at her words, the smile quickly disappeared as he realized they would be looking for him.  Which meant, she wasn't safe and if HYDRA found out about her and her ability, they would stop at nothing to have her.

“I should go, you're not safe if I stay.” He said with a scowl as he stood up.

“What!  No, you can't go!  You're not fully healed.” She almost yelled as she did her best to run towards him and grab his arm.

“It doesn't matter, as long as I'm here, you won't be safe.” he said, not bothering to turn around and look at her.

“I don't care who you work for! You're not leaving here until you're fully healed.  Besides, I'm sure they would have found you and captured you by now if they were still looking for you.” She said, stepping so she was now in front of him and giving him a small smile as she blocked his way to the backdoor in her kitchen.

He really did want to stay. He couldn't remember anyone ever having been this caring towards him. It made him feel almost human.

“Come on, at least stay until that wound on your leg closes up.  Then, once it's all better, you can leave if you want.  Besides, it's snowing outside.  How far do you think you're going to get, dressed like that.” She smirked, looking down at his sweatpants and bare feet.

He looked down, realizing she was right and sighed.

“You're right.”

“I know.  Now come on, sit back down at the table and I'll heat your dinner back up.” She said, grabbing his hand and turning him so he was now facing the kitchen.  He had almost forgot that she was hurt until he saw her limp to the table and grab the bowl she had made for him, then quickly looking away as it dawned on him that her backside was completely exposed, parts hidden because of her wings. He was fascinated by her wings, they were almost as long as she was tall and they reminded him of a Raven, the color a deep, glistening onyx. He wanted to touch them and see if they were as soft as they looked.

“Your foot.”  He said, remembering her limp and forcing himself to not focus on her wings, as he was still standing there, now staring at the floor.

“Hmm, oh yea.” she said as she looked down to see how she was favoring the injured one.

“Guess I forgot with all the excitement.  But, hey, at least it's stopped bleeding.” She joked as she walked to the microwave and put his bowl in.

“You should go take care of it.  I can heat my dinner.” Luke said as he walked to where she was standing, he wasn't quite sure how to address her shredded clothing, Trying not to get to close, as her wings were a little intimidating.

“No, it's fine.  What kind of host would I be, if I let you heat your own food?” she chuckled, then gasped and stood rigid as she felt a hand run across the edge her wing.

“They're beautiful.” Luke whispered, not able to contain his desire to touch them. Then, noticing her stiff reaction, he quickly removing his hand. “Sorry, I didn't mean to...”

“No, it's ok, it just surprised me, is all.  No one's ever touched them, let alone seen them. You can touch them, again, you know, if you'd want to.” She said, almost in a whisper, relieved he couldn't see the heat that was spreading across her face. She opened the microwave door and gave his food a few stirs, before placing it back in the microwave for another minute.

“How did you get them?” Luke asked, allowing his flesh hand to reach back up and run along the edge, then over her soft feathers, he couldn't help but stare as he did. He didn't see that she had placed her hands on the counter, supporting herself as she went weak in the knees. She appreciated how gentle his touch was. Wanting him to touch more, she let her wings expand as much as they could in the kitchen. Understanding what she was asking, he brought his metallic hand up and ran it along the arm of her other wing, she hung her head forward as she let out a low moan. The sensation wasn't sexual in nature at all, it felt more like when someone lightly massaged aching muscles.

“I guess I was just born with them.” her voice light and airy after letting a few minutes of silence pass, before answering him, allowing herself to enjoy the sensation of his touch. It was a completely new experience, hands gently caressing her wings, she had no idea they would be so sensitive.

“What do you mean?” he asked, reluctantly pulling his hands away and letting them fall back to his sides. It took a moment for her to realize that he had removed his hands. Once she did, she took a few deep breaths, clearing her throat as she focused her attention back on heating up his food.

“I'm what they call a mutant.  Mutant abilities don't usually manifest themselves until puberty.  So, I didn't know until I was about fourteen.  Um, can we talk about something else?  I'm not very comfortable talking about them.  Like I said, you're kind of the only person who's ever seen them.” she couldn't help but feel embarrassed at the pseudo-affectionate moment they had just shared

The microwave beeped, signaling it's job was done.  ___ took out the bowl and stirred it a few more times, then turned to hand the bowl to Luke.

“It should be hot enough, if not, just pop it back in the microwave for another minute or so.  I have to go take care of my foot.” she said, avoiding making eye contact with him, her voice still very quiet.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry.” He said, taking the bowl from her.

“It's ok.  Like I said, I've just never talked to anyone about it.” she turned to leave, but then stopped and added, “If you'd like something to drink, there's cups in the cupboard next to the fridge.  I'll be back in a minute.” Then she limped out the door and headed to what he assumed was the bathroom.  He watched her go, realizing her shirt had been shredded by the exposure of her wings.  He also noticed the scars on her back, he assumed those were from when she drew out her wings and he couldn't help but wonder if the process was painful or not.  Coming out of his thoughts, he stirred the contents of the bowl a few times, then set it down on the table before getting a cup and filling it with water.  He felt bad for asking about such a sensitive subject, but he couldn't help himself.

  Luke was washing his bowl and cup when she came back into the room.  He noticed that her wings were gone, her mood seemed to be brighter and she was fully dressed.

“How was it?” she asked, sitting at the table across from where he had been, acting as if nothing had happened.

“Good, thank you.” he answered as he walked back to the table and sat down.

“I'm sorry about earlier.” She said, looking down at her hands that she played with nervously.

“It's ok, I'm the one that should be apologizing.” he said, watching her fidget.

“Let's just say we're both sorry and leave it at that.” She replied with a nervous smile, hoping he would drop the issue and they could talk about something else.

She was relieved when he nodded in agreement and let out a heavy sigh.

“So, where are you from?” She asked, trying her best at making small talk.

“I don't remember.” he replied, looking to the side.

“Then how do you remember who you work for?”

He let out a heavy sigh, deciding to take the chance and trust her.  If she really was a HYDRA agent, the worst that would happen is he would be beaten and wiped before being put back in the cryo-freeze.

“Before you found me.  The people I work for, after my missions are complete, freeze me until I'm needed for another mission.  I have no idea who I was before or how old I am.  They have a way of erasing my memories after every mission before I'm put back to sleep.”

___ listened in horror as he told her of the things he's remembered doing and the people he works for.  She listened as he told her about the events that led up to her finding him.  Once he was done talking he looked up to see her hand covering her mouth and tears falling down  her chubby cheeks.

He was surprised by her reaction.  The sorrow that was written across her face was not the look he was expecting to see when he looked at her.  He expected to see disgust and disdain, not sorrow and sympathy.

“Oh Luke, that's absolutely horrible! No wonder you ran away.” She said, reaching her hand across the table and resting it on top of his flesh hand.

“I want you to know, you are welcome to stay here as long as you want.  I will keep you as safe as I can, for as long as I can.” She gave him a gentle smile as she looked up at him.

“Thank you, but like I said before, they'll be looking for me, if they aren't already.  If they find me here with you and they find out about your wings, they will take you.”

“Why don't you let me worry about that.  Like I said, you can stay here as long as you want.  I mean, I could use some help with some of the outside chores.” Her smile got a little bigger as she sat back in her chair.  He couldn't help but give her a small smile back.  The chance to do some normal tasks was very appealing and he couldn't help but smile at the thought of feeling somewhat like a normal human being.

[kn1ghthawk]

Good Dogs and Bad people

He couldn't go home, not back to sanctuary hills, not yet. He was already under the powerlines of the raiders camp and from up on the hill he could see some sort of building surrounding a power line. It was a sign of something being built after the bombs, a sign of life, not death. Picking down the hill assent hard and he soon found himself in a familiar army shuffle for only a few second before he felt something horrible grab him by the chest and made him go down in a tumble into the dirt. He fumbled and punched himself with a stim right in the chest, but it didn't help, it wasn't a wound. It hadn't burned like this since anchorage, hypothermia, the cryotanks. Fuck. Not counting the fucking roaches chewing down to the bone, a skeleton takes about ten years. And however long it took them to grow that big he was on ice for at least a year without people watching for problems after the others left, he only popped out from malfunction. He could have died on ice so some frostbite in the lungs is better than dead. No running until a real doctor gets a look, if there even is one. Finally crawling back to his feet, he walked to the building on the horizon. Just before the farm itself he saw something wonderful, a melon, he hadn't realized how hungry he was until he was already on his knees and bashing it open on the vine. A hand scooped up the pink pulp and crammed it into his face just as he heard the cocking of a gun. “I know they're good, but we don't take kindly to thieves. You damn well better have some caps for helping yourself without asking.” With a hard gulp, he pointed to the bag with his sopping wet hand and stayed looking at the wall of what was becoming obvious to be a ramshackle farmhouse. There was a rustle of fabric and a zipping sound followed by a retching cough. “Goddamn you, you killed... raiders? Wait, those raiders up north a spell? You, did us a favor taking them out. Oh hell, have the melon, on me! Just tell my dad you bought it. Actually, go talk to my dad anyways, he might have another job for you if you don’t mind killing these bastards.” The sound of a metal clicking, but no gunshot, hopefully meant the hammer went down smoothly as a young woman circled around into view. Vic took the peace for the chance to dig back in, making a proper slopping mess of his face as he ate a few good pounds of warm watery mash before sitting back and coming up for air. By then a man named Abernathy came around the corner and a few words were exchanged and Vic was lead through the house to the roof where he could make out an all too familiar satellite dish to the east. He knew Olivia, it was where he was stationed for six months when he came back from overseas, a cushier position as he was being discharged with honnors. He could sit and listen for Chinese broadcasts while they sent the nested boy to the front on rotation. The straight path from here to there had him passing across the red rocket, a place he had just gotten a mechanic job from leaving the army completely. They were happy to get a vet like him on the board for the sweet government bonus. It seemed like a good place to get himself situated on the way to do something dirty. It was one thing to stop the torture of the animal and fighting in self defense, but this wasn't his daughter, this wasn't Nora, this was being a killer for cash. Could he bring himself to do it? Stopping off at the rocket ended up being one of the best decisions he ever made, not only did he find a wonderful dog in need of someone, he managed to clear out the ugliest fucking things he had ever seen. Well ugly cause they looked like crawling tubes of that same blistered blubbery flesh the cow and the guy looked like. They were like some kind of giant rat with two full sets of teeth he did NOT want to let them get too close and clearing out the cave underneath rewarded him in some good but disturbing ways. He took the better part of a whole day clearing out everything from everywhere he had the strength to do so. There was enough of the machine shop and tools left for him to to what he needed to tidy up and tear apart any of the raiders gear and keep what he needed. He had two of the 10 mm pistols, 2 batons, a shotgun, and three homemade guns out of pipe and boards. He took the best parts of the three to make one and the bits he used with the other full ten to improve just one of them. He now had a pitiful rifle and his better ten in a holster on his right leg armor sewn directly into the leather plate.

It reminded him of the lead-lined leather training armor the army used, to get soldiers used to uncomfortable heavy weight and constraints of movement. Real combat armor wasn't as bad as the leathers, but the idea was to make it overly difficult so the real thing seemed so much lighter and maneuverable that the solider benefited more in the field. But as the pip boys Geiger started clicking, he might want some lead lining sooner than later. He didn't even remember when he passed out at the office desk, but the fact he woke up still here helped cement the insanity of the situation. He was going to go kill the bastards who killed a little girl who stood up to them, yes, bastards, children of unmarried mothers, sons of bitches and whores, dehumanize them. They aren't real people, its easier to kill if they aren't real people. * Keeping northeast was easy, passing across concord on the right from the hill, something to sweep back around to later. The closer they got to the dish, he took a moment to stop and pull out the rifle to start with seeing if he could get a better assessment with the scope and maybe drop a few with pot-shots. It ended up not being needed as those same ugly rats were already attacking the few scouts outside. The bad news is they were already alert and fighting, the good news is that it wasn't a human enemy so they were not looking for someone in blue suit taking them out. The one up high was the only one he had to concern himself with as the other apparently threw a grenade too close and took himself out with the ugly beast. He hit her in the leg which managed to make her loose her balance and fell down the stairs, gravity broke her neck for him. He waited a few minutes to see if backup would be coming, but nothing new emerged. Either they didn't hear in the bunker, or explosions were so common that it wasn't warranted. He seriously hoped the former for the sake of people, otherwise, what was the point of living without humanity? Slipping inside it was just like how he remembered it, except for the obvious disarray that seemed to ruin everything without maintenance. The check-in desk was still operational, on a hunch, he tried his old access but was denied, he had to hope for an easy win but that didn't seem to be the plan. He heard voices to the left so he started there, Spotting one through the window with a dog on the walkway. If his dog's prowess proved anything, the dogs were more dangerous than the people who could get a good shot off if the dogs had them busy. So he took a breath to apologize to the canine and took them out with the first shot. While the owner was still sweeping, he shot them in the shoulder and send them back into some rusted railing that gave way to let them fall below. Now they were on full alert which was going to make this a lot more painful. He moved for the bathroom quickly after switching to pistol, knowing only one entrance would limit their choices but rounding the corner put him face-to face with another shotgun. The distance was too far away for effect as they blasted buckshot harmlessly, he returned fire with the more accurate weapon and put three in the chest. Apparently he wasn't the only one with the same idea as someone came running out of the bathroom with a tire iron. Since they were running, he shot them in the leg to make them stagger and let the momentum do his job for him as they crumpled against the wall with a sickening pop against the pipes.

With the sounds of  gunfire now obvious from up high, he would have to fall back and try from around and below, perhaps even taking on any few people sent to circle behind his position. His suspicion proved fruitful as his crouched position on the stairs put him right at head level for another raider, the belts holding the cloth hood help keep it a monstrosity as the pistol pops and he moves on, now finally hearing voices of alert. He moved down to the hallways to the locker room and just barely managed to get to cover from the counter top as he saw a barrel of a mini gun bobbing through the doorway. He took a breath and changed his magazine as his pet started to snarl with hackles raised. “Just a fucking dog?” He heard a woman's voice and popped up to empty his fresh set before she could spin up the heavy weapon in defense. As soon as it was spent, he dropped the empty clip and slammed the half spent back in to take on anyone left which happened to be a screaming raider with a rifle he was more focused on using like a spear with the fixed bayonet. The dog leapt, biting into the rifle which added too much weight for him to keep the attack and exposed him to two shots that made him fall next. Fire flashed up Vics side as he took a hit to the hip, spinning him around to see a raider who had come behind him, most likely circling around the generator while he was busy with the other two. He only got one more shot before the gun ran dry. The dog gave him the precious second for Vic to pull out the rifle and fire off a wild shot into the belly, then a second and a third before they fell. He was hit and the dog was hit, but they were both alive. NO more noises, no more shouting or gunfire. Six against one and he felt he was finally finished. He fell back against the counter and took out another stimpack, putting it in near the wound to aid in pushing the round back out and one more for the dog as well, even if it was a bad graze, he didn't want to risk infection. While he tried to catch his breath to let the shock come an go, the dog licking his hand idly before it found a teddy bear to play with. When the bear was flung about, an army helmet came off its chin that banged against the locker that made Vic roll off the counter to hit the deck, only to look up at a panting companion who seemed to wonder what the human found down there. “Bad dog.” Was all he said before getting to his knees and rubbing the dogs ears. He started to do as he had done before, stripping down all the weapons and armor of the raiders while reloading his guns, coming up and down the walkways and remembering how it used to look. The odd thing was not finding the locket on anyone, an easily pocketed keepsake. That lead to going through every drawer in the the desk and cupboard with growing frustration. Had he been sent on a suicide mission or just sent out to kill some random people? It was then that he realized he hadn't checked the fuel storage, which brought him to a door in mid attempt of being picked. This brought him back before it all went to hell, a locked door is how him and nora had met. His dad had been a locksmith that fixed clocks on the side, they often fought about taking up the family business but he still knew how to twist a tumbler. It is what let him open the door for a lovely brunet stuck out in the rain and got his foot in the door for a date. The problem was the screwdriver being used to hold down the barrel was a Phillips and not a flat-head. Opening the toolbox revealed the hidden locket. Mission accomplished, but curiosity had the better of him as he tried his luck to see what was left in the locked room. There was oil on the floor and in the air, not to mention the squelching hiss of not just one of those damn roaches but it was glowing all on its own in the dark. He fired off a pot shot that hit it but sparked the vapor in the air into an intense firestorm for a few seconds as various things hiss, popped and exploded. But from out of the flames came a roach as big as a card table, seeming unfazed by the fire. Panic set in as he fired three, then three more, then the rest and it still closed the distance to bite his ankle. He could feel the cut and the blood filling his boot as he went to the bayoneted rifle leveled at him earlier and stabbed down hard, again and again as it screeched and fluttered, managing to get the blade between the wings with its shell out of the way and split it down the back. Nauseating muck exploded out the back like a boot the size of a Buick had been dropped on it as it lost the ability to move and bled out. Idle twitching was all that was left as he fell back on his ass and took to treating the wound, the boot would work as a shoe for the walk home, but it needed a patch badly, same for the armor that saved him from loosing the foot entirely. He could limp, but he couldn't run, not that he could before coming down here anyways. He used the tire iron to make an L-brace and tied it off with a harness of belts to keep his ankle straight while searching the rest of the room, he found one last solider had locked himself in to wait it all out, but he didn't seem to count on the fumes doing him in. At least they had the whole keyring for opening upstairs. 

He looked around and took what he needed before deciding it was time to reunite the family. As a cruel joke, he put the mini-gun on one of the locker doors with all the other weapons and used it as a sled to drag the weapon over hill and dale to the farm. If he was in full health he could have shouldered it, but he really didn't want to put that strain on his ankle until he had time to patch it up proper. He made it back to the rocket and stopped there for the night, unloading the weapons and breaking them down when he noticed something, The rifle he killed the big bug with had a series of scratches carved into its side with what he guessed were names:

Rad: III III III Blood: III Bloat: III III III Sting: I Mire: III On the other side of it carved into the wood was the words “dies bugs die”. Not a motto he could fault really, after his experiences so far with just one kind of ugly-bugly. Still, there was something in the quality of the wood and the way it was kept until now made it noticeably more sturdy so he spent part of the night taking apart all of the previous rifle bits to set up this newest rifle with the greatest pieces so far and a few simple adjustments he was capable of at the moment. It reminded him of his time recovering from his first flash wounds, he had been with his fellows on the front lines when someone from the treeline hurled a core into the encampment and someone shot it in midair. He only had time to assume the fetal position behind a steel shipping crate. The fission fire gave him third degrees across the side of his face and all of his right arm that had the nylon fibers melted onto his skin like napalm met a candle wax. While he was in recovery, he had optioned to use his recovery time to get schooled and make himself a better mechanic before being redeployed. He ended up in something of a M.A.S.H. Meets motor pool. As a first degree mechanic, it was his job to run 10 feet behind the real commandos in armored infantry and fix them if they fell, swapping out one limb set for another if it got damaged or destroyed. He even rigged a few high powered magnets to his own chassis to magnetize the frame so his tools stuck on the surface in easy reach. Any parts broken or bent he would ship back behind the front lines and request a new one. Now he is where all those parts went to, the limbs and bits would arrive in a truckload, they would spend hours knocking the pieces back into serviceable repair and ship them back out again to whoever made the requisition for new pieces. Not every part made it back to its first owner or battalion. But if the stars aligned, he would take any custom paint or tucked in photos and put it in the order going back out that way to try and get any sort of lucky charm where it needed to be. If there were no power armor bits to work on, laughable as that was, he would lend a hand to the gun nuts. Mostly the work was to strip broken modules down to base bits and fill crates with small mods like stocks or scopes for the soldiers to fit for themselves. It was good work that let him learn more practical applications and effective recycling that he got to use now of all places to pick apart old broken boards with bars belted to it into something far more effective. * He got some good rest and in the night the Shepard even brought him a second tire iron to make a splint on both sides of the repaired boot. He still needed a doc for the limp, but he would walk for the day. On the way back to the farm, he found out what blood and bloat stood for on the rifle. Clearly the mosquitoes the size of motorcycles and the fat flies that squirted wiggling thorny maggots were not going to be the other bugs he would meet. He made it to the farm just before sunset with the good news that the day ended with justice done. Now he had, maybe not friends yet, but people who knew him for a good deed. He gave over the raider leaders heavy weapon to the father so he could defend their farm more easily, just leveling that cannon would make the next raider think twice. The mother was willing to trade some things and explained to him the caps system this new world used. Since they all had a set number of crimps and were no longer being made, it gave the idea of a limited number of hard to reproduce items. If the paint was too damaged or a hole shot through one or cut in half, they were made worthless by anyone else. Everyone was mostly back to the barter system more than carrying bags of lightweight caps or coins. “Well what do you do with any of the old paper money in registers or on dead people?” “Same thing you would do with a good piece of cotton: Save it for the outhouse and wash it off for next time.”

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Patient D.W.

Request: Do you think you could do a Dean x reader fic where the boys are wanted and dean gets seriously injured, so instead of a hospital they show up the at an emergency vet clinic where the reader is the only veterinarian there and she refuses to not call the cops until she finds out more.

Pairing: Dean x vet!reader

Word Count: 1,600ish

Warnings: life threatening injuires

“Okay, Mr. Snuggles,” you said to the tired kitten you put back in his cage after doing another check on him. “You get some rest and in the morning you can go home to your mom and dad.”

“Lady, we need help,” suddenly said a man in the back of the vet clinic, your eyes instantly drawn to the alarm on the wall. It was well past midnight and you were the only one around in the emergency clinic. At least you were supposed to be. You’d been trained that this might happen. Gunshot wounds, stabbing victims...they’d come to you to avoid the hospital and then things would go bad. “Hey Doc! My brother’s injured.”

You spun around quickly, a large man holding another half conscious one up, his face and chest bloody.

“Go to a hospital if he needs medical assistance,” you said. “I can call you an ambulance if-”

“Help him. Please,” said the man, pulling the other one over to an open door and setting him on operating table you used for large dogs, big enough to fit a grown man for the most part. 

“I said-”

“We can’t. The police are...please just stop the bleeding,” said the man, shaggy brown hair matted down with dried blood. “He’s going to die if you don’t help him.”

“Are you wanted?” you asked.

“Technically yes. But it’s a long story I don’t have-”

“Make time,” you said, the man scrunching up his face.

His lips flapped a mile a minute, his story so far out there you thought he should write a book if he ever got off whatever drugs he was on.

“A werewolf attacked him and threw him across a room and out a second story window...and then attacked him again is what you’re saying,” you said.

“It’s insane but it’s the truth,” said the man, glancing back at the one of the table, not even bothering to try and keep his eyes open anymore. “Come on Dean, stay awake.”

“Tryin’ Sammy,” he mumbled, poking open one eye to look at you. 

“I don’t know how to fix people. I’m an animal doctor,” you said.

“Well...think of him as a really big dog that got hit by a car,” said Sammy.

“I need your help,” you said, pointing behind him at a box of gloves on a shelf, the man turning his back as he plucked some out. You kneed him in the back, the man falling down long enough for you to shove him towards the corner and into the large crate there, locking the door behind him.

“No, no, no, please! Don’t call the cops!” said Sammy, shaking the door but he wasn’t getting out of there anytime soon.

“He needs medical attention,” you said, going to the wall phone, the man on the table grunting.

“If you’re gonna call, let him go,” said Dean. “Let Sam go at least. Please.”

Everything screamed not to trust these two, that they were insane, on drugs...not to mention you really did need another pair of hands to help Dean.

“Either one of you tries anything, I call the cops,” you said, undoing the crate. “Put on some gloves. I hope you know how to stitch, big guy.”

“Hey,” said Sam, answering the door to a creepy motel room the next night. You stepped inside to see Dean bare from the waist up, bandages covering his body, his eyes shut. “He’s resting.”

“I need to check him,” you said. Sam caught your arm, poking his head outside before closing up tight. “You do realize I’m putting my neck on the line to help your brother. I didn’t call the cops.”

“We don’t know you is all,” said Sam, letting you head over to Dean. You saw the light layer of sweat on his skin up close, cursing when you pulled a chair over. “What?”

“He has an infection,” you said, Sam shaking his head.

“I know how to look for an infection. None of his wounds look bad,” said Sam.

“You brought a bloody and injured man into an emergency vet clinic full of sick animals where he could have picked up any kind of disease in his weakened immune state,” you said. Dean flashed open his eyes, unclenching his fist when you grabbed a rubber band and tied it around his bicep. “I need to test his blood and run it so he can get the right medicine.”

“Okay then do it,” said Sam.

“Even once I know what disease it is, where are you going to get the medicine?” you asked.

“You figure out what the infection is, let me worry about the medicine.”

You had a cool washcloth on Dean’s forehead, Sam leaving to go get the medicine he claimed. 

“Rip off a pharmacy is more like it,” you mumbled, Dean stirring awake, taking a long swallow. You helped him take a few big gulps of water from his glass, Dean smiling when he finished.

“Thanks,” he said quietly. “Sorry for dragging you into this.”

“I looked you and your brother up during the day. You guys are wanted for some pretty messed up stuff. A lot of grave desecrations I saw,” you said.

“It’s how you kill a ghost,” said Dean. 

“Oh, so you kill werewolves and ghosts?” you asked.

“A bunch of other stuff too but yup,” said Dean. “You think we’re nuts.”

“The logical part of my brain says yes. The other part has no idea how you got claw scratches like that from anything other than a wild animal,” you said.

“Welcome to crazy town, doc,” said Dean.

“You know I’m a vet, right?” you said.

“Saved my ass. A doc’s a doc to me,” said Dean. “What’d you say I have again?”

“Cat scratch fever,” you said.

“But I didn’t get scratched by a cat...or been anywhere near a cat,” he said.

“Yes but a kitten with the bacteria was in the operating room just before you showed up. If any of his spit was on the table when you decided to start rolling around with open wounds on it...” you said. “You’ll be fine. We just have to stop it before it gets bad. You need to be as healthy as possible to help these other injuries heal. If your body wasn’t so busy trying to fight off everything else, you’d probably get over it on your own.”

“What if we didn’t treat it?” asked Dean.

“You could get a severe neurological disorder for starters,” you said.

“Glad we’re treating it then,” said Dean.

“Are you in any pain?” you asked.

“Besides where the werewolf tried to rip my guts out or the fact I got shoved out a window yesterday, I’m perfect,” said Dean with a smile.

“Be serious,” you said.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I’ll just lay low a few days and then I’ll be good as new. Right doc?”

“Let’s hope so.”

One Week Later

“Ow,” whined Dean when you pulled out a few of the stitches on his back.

“Don’t be a baby,” you said, Dean wincing again when you pulled on the thread. “I haven’t sewn human skin in a long time, cut me some slack.”

“Doc was an actual doc at one point?” he asked.

“I like animals better than people. Animals don’t come into your clinic in the middle of the night with warrants for their arrest,” you said, pulling out the last stitch, the skin healing nicely.

“Yet you still come by every day to check on me,” he said with a smile. “You like me or something doc?”

“Calling the police at this point is bound to cause more harm than good,” you said.

“Plus Sammy and me fight monsters and you’re still freaked by that,” said Dean.

“You and your brother ran into an abnormally large coyote is all,” you said.

“In the middle of an office building...” said Dean.

“I agree to disagree,” you said, knowing the marks on Dean’s body were from something much larger and the break in at the building they told you about was too strange to ignore.

But monsters weren’t real until you saw one so as far as you were concerned, Dean just had unfortunate luck and a creative imagination.

“You’re all set. Call me if you think the fever is coming back and get to a hospital next time dummy. You lost a lot of blood,” you said.

“Will do, doc,” he said, leaning over and kissing you. “If I’m ever in town again, I’ll look you up. We’ll grab a drink, have some fun. Sound like a plan?”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re crazy?” you asked, Dean humming as he slid his shirt back over his head.

“See you around, sweetheart.”

@baconlover001 @emilymorgan1994 @jensenackesl @captainemwinchester @imissyoualittlemoreeveryday @xfanqirlinq @anokhi07 @akshi8278 @fandom--shipper @xxwinchester-22xx

@zeusmyster @atc74 @aingealcethlenn @pillow223 @alilianamendez @dancingalone21 @smoothdogsgirl @docharleythegeekqueen @jaelami @roxyspearing @kickasscas67 @gallifreyansass @untitled39887 @charliebradbury1104 @quiddy-writes @arryn-nyxx @poukothenerd @feelmyroarrrr @mrsbatesmotel53 @idalinette @evyiione @jayankles @samisimportant @maddieburcham1 @demonic-meatball @hey-um-misha @flufy07 @its-not-a-tulpa @whit85-blog @mrswhozeewhatsis @extreme-supernatural-lover @spn-ficfanatic @starry-chaos @blushingdean

[dailypluz]

Top 10 best pets - The first pets - how to prepare? 

The first pets - how to prepare? 

When deciding on pets, it is worth considering whether we are sure we are ready to accept new family members. Owning your pet is associated with great responsibility, requires commitment and dedication to the pet's daily attention. Before making a decision to adopt or buy a farm animal, it's important to ask yourself some important questions:

- What will you do with your pet during the holidays, picnics or other situations when you want to leave? 

- Who will take care of the animal during your absence? 

- Do you consider that an animal can damage furniture or other surfaces in an apartment/house?

- Can you afford to keep the animal?

The most popular pets

Dogs and cats are constant companions of our lives, no one is surprised by their presence. Pets teach us responsibility, care and are great playmates. It is important to remember that pets are living beings who have their feelings and needs. Among the most popular pets, in addition to the dog and cat, there are:

fish - are a beautiful decoration in an aquarium, when choosing fish, pay attention to their appearance and activity. The aquarium should be selected for the number of fish, equipped with an air filter and an automatic feeder.

rabbit - on average he lives 6-8 years, he needs freedom and daily walks around the apartment. It requires special care because it is susceptible to illness. It is recommended for children over 8 years of age.

hamster - lives 2-3 years, shows high activity, especially at night. The hamster requires cage, fresh treats and grains, pure hay, and access to water.

guinea pig - lives 7-9 years on average, is a shy and distrustful animal. It requires walking outside the cage and taming it can take up to several months.

chinchilla - lives on average 15 years, does not like to be held on hands and is not recommended for young children. I need a lot of exercise, a proper diet, and a large frame.

turtle - in good conditions it can survive up to 150 years, quickly recognizes its owner. Due to the low activity, it can easily get bored of a child, does not require large financial outlays, can not eat up to 2 weeks.

Coward Ferret - lives 6-10 years, likes fun, movement, and the company of people. She is an intelligent animal, learns new things quickly, it is difficult to forbid or prohibit her.

papużka wavy - live on average 7-9 years, it must be replaced daily food and water. It can imitate human speech and other sounds. Make sure you have enough space to fly.

Corn snake - lives on average 20 years, has a mild disposition, is non-venomous, and easy to breed. It reaches sizes from 130 to 180 cm, does not exceed 1 kg.

Before choosing your pet, make sure you have the right amount of space in your apartment and the right amount of time to care for it.

Pets - 7 advantages of having them

Owning a pet means a number of duties, expenses, and sacrifices. But for some reason, millions of people around the world are choosing to have little friends. Why is it worth There are plenty of reasons! We will quote the ones we think are the most important:

A great life companion - the animal accompanies us in everyday life. Thanks to him/him we don't feel lonely. We feel a bond with someone and a permanent presence. This is very important!

Animals release stress - pets are loved and affectionate. Sometimes it is enough to look at them to feel better immediately. They help relieve stress, so as soon as you feel nervous, angry or very worried - it's worth staying with our pets.

Animals heal - literally! This thesis may seem exaggerated, but many studies show that pet owners are simply healthier. Dogs, cats, parrots, etc. have the ability ... to lower blood pressure (see section 2), but also make happiness hormones arise in us

Animals play to tears - it is often said that people who have pets do not need a TV. There is something to it. Pets can be watched almost endlessly - how they sleep, how they play, how they follow us and look into our eyes, e.g. due to their excessive appetite. They are often the heroes of extremely funny situations that are worth capturing, e.g. in the form of a short video.

Domestic animals encourage activity - this applies primarily to dogs with whom you have to go out not only for physiological purposes but also for movement that is necessary for proper functioning. And that means that we also have to move ourselves, because we have no way out, do we? :)

Animals make us more responsible - a quadruped or other small one is 100% dependent on us. We must take care of it - give balanced food, take to the doctor not only when he feels unwell, but also preventively - for tests, etc. For example, in the case of a cat breed, we must take other measures to make our animal feel good and develop healthy. This involves spending time and large financial expenses. It is a great responsibility exercise for us, which we will definitely manage to do. Because love moves mountains!

Animals provide entertainment - in many ways! And above all, many dogs, cats etc. are happy to play (they even need it), especially with their favorite man. And such common harce is really a piece of good entertainment! In addition, they often require a lot of physical activity from us, which is another plus!

A dog, domestic cat, or maybe a rabbit?

It is widely known that a man's best friend is a dog. Increasingly, however, our home cat also comes to our homes, rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, aquarium fish, turtle or parakeets. Regardless of the decision on the breed pet, you need to remember one thing - Pets require dedication of time, attention and financial resources. The decision to adopt or buy a pet should never be taken lightly. Pets should not be offered as a gift. Before you decide to have a quadruped, you should consider all the pros and cons. Dogs require daily walks. Cats must have access to a clean litter box. All animals require care when we go on vacation or plan a longer absence from home.

How to care for pets?

Pies

If you dream of having a dog, be sure to think about some important things:

Are you patient enough and are not afraid of working with an animal? 

How many hours will the dog be home alone? How much time are you able to devote to him? A pet needs a minimum of 3 walks a day, preferably at fixed times. 

A dog for a child is a dog for a parent - if a small dog is the children's greatest desire, remember that an adult takes full responsibility for the dog and its safety.

Allergies among the household members - make sure that no household member suffers from any allergies to the animal's hair or hair. 

Kot

Remember that cats love to scratch furniture - especially upholstered beds, armchairs and sofas. Even suitable scratchers are sometimes not as attractive to them as your favorite chairs.

Make sure that no household member is allergic to cat hair. Unfortunately, this is one of the most popular allergens among people.

If you live on the ground floor, it is worth protecting the windows and balcony with special nets so that the animal does not go outside. However, if your pet will go outside, you will learn about how to properly take care of your pet in our GPS article for a cat - a  safe animal on a walk .

Regardless of which pets you choose, keep in mind that his presence will change a lot in your life. A four-legged friend gives a lot of joy and happiness, but also requires attention, walks, or visits to the vet. 

How to prepare for pets?

Pets need to adapt the apartment or house accordingly:

Secure all possible harmful products in your home (chemicals, cables).

Roll up rugs and rugs before your puppy learns cleanliness. Purchase of sleepers for puppies, mats for learning cleanliness. The domestic cat does not require much preparation - just show him the place where the litter box stands.

Take care of the layette: two bowls - for water and food. Buy a bed and first toys. Teethers, latex toys are best suited for puppies. You will learn more about gadgets for your pet in our article - The most interesting dog toys.

If you have a dog, a collar and leash will be useful. You can learn more about this type of pet product from our article Dog collar with GPS for animals.

Find out if the animal had its first vaccinations and deworming. Remember the health book.

Prepare your loved ones for a new family member, make children aware that this is a live animal, and should be handled with care.

Check how to properly organize pet care in case you need to leave for longer.

Safe pet, or how to care for pets

When deciding to have pets, you must also remember to take care of its comfort and safety. Both a dog and a domestic cat should have their own lair and toys, and spending your time stroking and walking is essential. To make sure that you always have your friend under your watchful eye, you should definitely think about the GPS locator. This small device combined with a dedicated application is the perfect solution for all four-legged owners. You can conveniently check where your dog or cat is on your phone. You will set individual security zones on your smartphone, you will be notified immediately if you leave them. You can learn more about how to save a dog or cat from disappearance in our article.

Do pets need a GPS locator?

By all means, pets need a GPS locator! You never know if you won't be scared away by a gunshot when you walk with your dog, or if you run too far in search of adventure. If your domestic cat likes to go out the window and walk around, the Safe Family GPS transmitter will also be an invaluable help in locating your pet. What's more, the locator sends an SOS signal. If someone finds you lost, just press one button and the notification will immediately appear on your phone. The device is resistant to shocks and splashes. GPS for a pet is lightweight and will not cause a problem for your pet. Our device will definitely work out when you decide to go on vacation in the company of your pet. Learn more about how invaluable help during the�� holidays  can be GPS for a dog.

Pets - care

Regardless of the breed of dog, cat or other animal, certain hygiene rules must be observed. This will help us with the right accessories, which we will easily get in every major store, not just a pet store. Pets and their health depend on how we take care of them ourselves. So it's worth going to the vet to check in from time to time, whether to go to a dedicated salon and treat the dog to a bath. If your pet is small, of course you can easily bathe him at home. Both large and small animals require proper care. Of course, not all of them like it. Dogs most often play in the mud, and cats with cut claws immediately feel like scratching furniture. However, it's good if your pets are clean as much as possible. And you will also take care of this at home. Necessary accessories are brushes for brushing, animal shampoos, and in winter time smaller dogs should be equipped with special cups and ... shoes! Frost can say a lot of damage to dog's paws. 

Cosmetics and proper animal care are not everything

It is also important what we feed our pet. It is worth giving him the right food because it guarantees better health and well-being of our dog or cat. Pets should always have access to clean, cold water and dry food. We should also remember about additions, such as special bones or crisps, which will help in removing tartar. If you have a cat, be sure to give him dry food, which will eliminate fluff accumulated in the stomach. Once in a while, it is definitely worth serving a bit of raw meat to your pet. Not only will it be a feast for his palate, but also a great way to clean the mouth of stone. 

Pets - does the breed and size of a pet matter?

As is well known, some dog or cat breeds are considered more or less suitable for keeping at home. Certainly, in a small apartment, we may have a problem with a large-sized pet. This is especially true for dogs that need a larger, open space for proper functioning. For older people or young children, small breeds will certainly be more suitable dogs, with a gentle character. However, if we decide on a specific dog or cat and we have concerns about whether he will get used to it and whether he will have problems acclimatizing in our home, we can always contact the appropriate behaviorist. Of course, working with a pet requires patience and time, but it can bring really sensational results. Let's not forget that all pets require care and the right approach. 

Pleasure, but also the duty, or how to care for a pet

Going out for walks regardless of the weather. The need to organize care when we can not take care of the pet ourselves. Help in case of illness and visits to veterinarians. When we have pets at home, there is no shortage of duties. Before buying or adopting a new household member, make sure that we can guarantee proper care and the right gadgets. Let's talk to our family members and let them know about our plans. Let's not make a hasty decision, but let's also remember that a quadruped's love can make up for everything!

[timetogoawaynow]

#SoYoureAnEmpath SL with @MelzWithABite and @AWanderlustCur

Alexei: -Things had been pretty normal lately, and it was a good thing I worked six or seven days a week. I just kind of went down to the shop early and went up when everyone was gone. Staying sober was hard. Some days I felt like I was going out of my mind, some nights I wanted a hit so bad I sat on the bathroom floor bargaining with myself all night till the sun came up and I had a purpose. Having a place like this, the apartment helped, a paycheck helped more, and with a few things like dishes and real food, things almost felt normal. It’d been a long day already, and it was getting close to five, when we’d close, and I was in the back bay sweeping up, when I felt the mood of the place shift in a big way. I looked up, and around, not seeing anything, I sat the broom against the wall and walked into the main garage, and some guy was yelling, bitching about something I had no idea about, but when he bowed up to Melz, I barked out- Hey! -I knew the alpha didn’t need me to  take care of her, but in the same sense, I wasn’t raised to just sit back and let someone act like an asshole without doing something about it. The man turned to me, hatred rolling off of him in waves, I guess I surprised him, and in a second, he pulled a 9mm from his back and pointed it right at me, turning his head, keeping one eye on Melz and the gun pointed at me. “Stay the fuck back! This ain’t none of your business!” I didn’t even look at Melz, my mind made up- I’m not moving, man, but I gotta tell you, that gun? It’s a bad idea. I’m sure if we could all calm down a bit, we could talk about this. -I focused on the man, trying to feel if his mood was changing, calming myself too, when I saw it. He blinked, shook his head, and it seemed like he was fighting against something. “Shut your mouth! Nobody…” He took a breath, then shook his head again, his voice more even. “Nobody asked you. Alright?”-

Melz:

*It felt almost odd to fall into a regular routine, but I was glad to. We were still on high alert and had set a regular patrol schedule, but nothing. The garage was working at maximum efficiency with a full staff for the first time since I'd bought it from Bray. Alexei really was an asset, and I was starting to feel bad that I didn't pay him for all of the hours he was putting in, but I was letting him love above the shop for free. At least he'd said thank you for allowing it. I wasn't worried about blowback from another pack being pissed that I was harboring their reject. Not after that same pack had been on my territory without me knowing for years. I'd beat myself up enough for not being aware of it, until I remembered that I hadn't been alpha for the entire duration. My worthless ex husband had been, and like so many aspects, he'd failed in that duty too. I tried not to dwell on any of it too much. We were where we were as a pack, and it was my job to figure out where we were headed. I just hoped it wasn't to war, because that would suck. I'd been spending extra hours in the office going through the financial statements Austen had given me access to, and cross referencing what I could about the “business" side of pack law from Zoey’s grandfather’s books. I'd had a hunch that money was usually involved when pack members lived on other territories, and I was right. Since no such arrangement had been made with me, or my ex at any point, we had the right to claim a significant amount of reparations from Austen’s father because of the businesses her and her brother ran here. I was hoping that the amount owed would be my bargaining chip to get Austen out of the ridiculous marriage contract. I didn't care what her dad would have to face with that other pack. That wasn't my problem.

I'd just shut down my laptop for the day when the bell over the door rang. Lifting my head, I groaned internally when I saw who it was. This customer had been a bane of my existence in the short time I'd dealt with him when we fixed his truck. I guess he'd gotten the bill. The entire time Lyric and Bray had been working on not only replacing the axle, but doing the body work, they'd been doing it wrong according to him. He seemed like one of these guys that just loved to complain and make others miserable right along with him. The fact that he launched into a tirade as soon as he opened the door didn't help.* Sir, if you'll just calm down, I can go over the charges with you. I assure you that the prices were standard. The truck needed a lot of work. *Hands braced on the desk where I stood, I was grinding my teeth as he shouted over me, when Alexei came in. Annoyance turned to fear when the moron pulled a gun, my mouth going dry. Chances were that we'd both be fast enough to dodge a bullet, but did we really want to take that gamble? I know I didn't. Eyes darting between the two, my pulse raced, and then I felt it. As Alexei talked, staring him down, the mounting tension in the air began to dissipate almost instantly. I saw the man's shoulders slump slightly as my eyes narrowed in Alexei’s direction briefly. Very curious. Not for the first time I suspected that there was more to him than meets the eye.* I've just hit the silent alarm button. *I hadn't, but he didn't need to know that.* Is this really how you want to go down? Over a mechanic bill? C’mon, buddy, think about your family. *It was a shot in the dark, but hopefully as his anger subsided, he'd at least hear something we were saying.*

Alexei: -It was as if the man snapped out of whatever had come over him, and his eyes got wide when Melz informed him of the button. He began to panic, yell again, and I reached over and put a hand on his arm, and he swayed. I tried to catch him, help him stand up, and when he was finally okay on his own, he looked at me and I nodded, sighing.- Come on, now. Let me walk you out to your truck. Here, give me that. -I took the gun, and he didn’t have a problem with that, it seemed, and I held it out, letting Mel take it.- Tomorrow, you can come by and someone will give you back your gun and go over the bill with you. It’s going to be fine. Honestly. Believe me. -He nodded, and I turned him toward the door, and we walked out, side by side, and when he got to his truck, he turned to me and nodded. “I’m sorry ‘bout all that. I don’t...I don’t know what came over me.” I just nodded, patting him on the back.- We all do stupid shit sometimes. Just relax and go home to your family. It’ll all get sorted out. But you can’t do that again or these nice people won’t be so nice next time, understand? -He nodded, got in his truck, and I stood outside for a long moment and watched him drive off, hands in my pockets, just to make sure he wasn’t going to come and try to barrel through the side of the building. It was odd, how quickly he just turned off his anger. But I was glad he did, and for a minute, I let the adrenaline roll over me, reaching up and raking my fingers through my hair and blowing out a long breath. After a few minutes, when my shit was a little more together, I turned and walked back in and straight to the office- You okay? Is there anything I can do? Help you with? That was intense, man. And weird. Do you know that guy? -I pointed out to the door, then stuffed my hands back in my pockets, looking around.- Let’s hope he’s not as hostile tomorrow when he comes back, you know?

Melz -

*When Alexei reached out for the guy, I swear, my heart stopped. Gunshot wounds were messy and I really didn't want to clean up all that blood. The tension continued to dissipate in the room and seemed to drain from the asshole completely as Alexei laid his hand on me. Then it hit me. Or at least, my wolf seemed to hit me over the head with the information. He was an Omega wolf. The emotional core of a pack that was notoriously vetted out in the past as seemingly weak, when in reality, he was the complete opposite. This would make so much more sense if this was the case. Humans can have higher levels of empathy, but can't do much with just the feelings. The Omega wolf however, can sense emotional levels and help to regulate them, balancing the emotional wellbeing of the pack he's connected to. Stifling this gift or trying to eradicate it could be detrimental. Case in point.

I stood stock still, surrender hands up until he handed me the gun. Setting it on the counter before me as he talked the guy down, I was trying to remain nonthreatening now that his weapon was within reach, while keeping my breathing level. My shoulders slumped as he ushered the guy outside, relief almost weakening my knees. Bracing my hands on the counter, I let my head hang between my shoulders, cracking my neck before lifting my head once more as Alexei came back inside.* He's just a pain in the ass customer. Was breathing down Lyric and Bray’s neck the entire time they worked on the truck. Of course he'd still have a problem. Let's hope he's too embarrassed to come back and just send the damn payment. *Meeting Alexei’s eyes, I arched a brow, pegging him with a knowing stare.* So we going to talk about what you did or just pretend you didn't use some Omega juju on that dude?

Alexei: -She was obviously more traumatized than I thought with the things she was spouting, and I just shrugged, leaning back against the wall- He sounds like a prick. If he comes back tomorrow, I’ll be surprised too. But maybe he’s a better man than both of us think. -tilting my head, I stare for a moment and consider her question, and I hesitated, not wanting to get in another argument about my pack or about...anything really. Maybe it was better if we didn’t talk much. I seemed to rub her the wrong way- I’m not familiar with Omega juju, and I didn’t do anything. I just tried to calm the guy down, and it worked. -the more that term, omega, rolled around in my head, it kind of got under my skin- I’m a fuck up, for sure, but I don’t think I’m the weakest of my pack. We don’t even acknowledge an Omega, anyways, so I’d have no way of knowing. But...anyways, lemme just get back to work. Holler if you need me. -I knew I probably had a huge chip on my shoulder, and even though I could feel her sincerity, sense no jest or joke, no ridicule or malice, it just still caught in my chest. I turned slowly, getting my words right in my head. Maybe she thought I was worthless. Maybe I was. Maybe I was an Omega, the last, the weakest, but I mattered. And just as I was about to speak, I just closed my mouth, nodding respectfully- Can I do anything else for you? You still look a little shaken. Candy? I have some chocolate in my backpack. That might help. Adrenaline is a bitch.

Melz: You really are something else. *Snorting, I pushed my fingers through my hair, my head shaking. If I was smart I'd just let him go. Self destructive closed off asshole or not, he wasn't my pack, wasn't my problem and would be gone in a year. So what the fuck was my issue with trying to help the hopeless? Oh, right. Emotional masochist without the ability to let people be their own worst enemy. But at least I owned what my issues were. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I rolled my eyes as annoyance washed away any residual fear from the irrate customer.* An Omega wolf is far from the weakest in a pack. But what would I know, right? I'm sure your alpha would sooner sacrifice his pack than acknowledge a female alpha who might actual know something he doesn't, let alone acknowledge all necessary ranks in order to have a health pack. But hey, you go right on follow his misogynistic ways. Been working really well for you so far. *Done with my rant, I turned my back to him, annoyed at myself for letting him annoy me again after a week of calm. Moving back to my desk, I reached into the bottom drawer and pulled out one of our old pack texts from Zoey’s grandfather that I'd been reading through. It was about old pack law and structure and while I didn't think it was an overly interesting read, it did talk about the omega rank. Turning back, I slapped it on the counter, drawing his attention back to me.* If you're ever interested in learning more than you think you know, you might want to give that a read. Assuming you can read. *Okay, that was petty. Grimacing at my own tone, I closed my eyes briefly, reigning in my temper that seemed far too close to the surface too often these days.* I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult your intelligence. My temper fucking sucks lately. I'm still working through my own shit on top of the mountain of pack issues I came back to. *Blowing out another sigh,  rolled my head on my neck.* Anyway, you can borrow this if you want.

Alexei: -I was used to her blowups by now, her abruptness no longer stung, it was just a fact. She was mad, maybe at me, maybe at something more than me, but I tried this time not to take it personal. I could feel her emotions close to the surface, but that wasn’t my business, and she wasn't my alpha. Not that I could do anything about it. I mean, I didn’t think I could. I just let her talk, letting it roll off my back while I thought through a few things and with the slap of the book on the table. The book was old, and I couldn’t help reaching for it as soon as I saw it. Old things were kind of my thing, maybe that’s something Austen and I had in common: a respect for what had been. I ran my hand over the front, leaned down and smelled it, and underneath the scent of the garage, some other scents, the parchment sat, the ink, and I grinned a bit, almost petting it again.- Thanks. I’ll give it a read. And...you’re right. My uncle is a dipshit and probably did a lot of shit wrong. But your people love you. That says a lot. Not everyone cares for my uncle, maybe not even half. So...that says something too. -I nodded, looking down at the book. Maybe it was time to start telling someone the truth.- When I was a kid, I’d cry at a drop of the hat. I rushed to anger. I was a mess. They wrote me off early. Do you think...was there a reason for that? Sometimes, I still feel people. Not sometimes… -I sighed, running my fingers through my hair- All the time. Everyone. It’s worse the closer I am, and I can never get it to stop. The only peace I get is if I’m alone. Like at night, here at the shop. Or fucked up. -I let my fingers drift languidly off the side of the cool book- Is that what an Omega is?

Melz: *I could only shake my head as he gave me his impression of my pack. Loved me? I highly doubted that after my latest escapade. Loyalty, yes. We had that for each other in spades, but it was mutual necessity. I had a lot of work to do to repair those bonds, if I could, but there was issue after issue that kept cropping up to be dealt with first.* My pack is different. It's hard to explain, but we're just a bunch of misfits and rejects on our own that decided to stick it out together. Not a model pack by far. *Brow furrowing as he spoke about his childhood, I bit the inside of my bottom lip, the bite of pain helping me keep my composure. I would not soften to him, but how could I not feel for a young pup dismissed by his pack? It was wrong and part of the reason so many packs fell apart. I visible winced when he talked about how he could feel everything. I felt enough as an Alpha, I could only imagine the hell that that increased sensitivity must be like.* I don't know exactly...My birth pack had an Omega. *A wistful smile graced my features as the memories came tumbling back.* All of us pups loved her. She was great. When she died, her apprentice was still really young, at eighteen only two years older than me, she was barely trained when the rebellion took root. She was the first one murdered in the attempted coup. *Frowning, my heart hurt as old memories I hadn't acknowledged in years, pushed to the surface. It had been a long time since I'd let myself remember those we'd lost so long ago.* Any pack I've been a part of since hasn't had one, which is probably why they fell apart...although, I guess having an Omega isn't exactly a fail safe, is it? *Tilting my head, I was basically talking out loud to myself at this point before I brought my eyes back to his lifting a shoulder.* Anyway...maybe you can find something in there to help.

Alexei: -I listened both to her words and her emotions, and it touched me to hear her talk about her birth pack. I had to work hard to keep my eyes from misting, and when she was done, I rubbed my chest with the heel of my hand, trying to push away the emotions that were hanging after her story. It was reassuring, though, that she wasn’t all ire and annoyance. There was something tender about her, though I bet it took a while to get there, time and work, but I could tell her emotions ran deep. It was interesting. She was more than interesting. So, I...went out on a limb. I had about $30 bucks left over from my last paycheck, just enough to buy a few meals.- I will. Definitely. Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get something to eat. I’ll go pick it up, and we can talk more about this Omega. And stuff. I’m sure there’s a lot of things you guys do different than we did. -I chuffed a laugh, leaning against the door jam- You’d probably get a good laugh out of some of the shit we were required to do. Like, we still had to officially call on the alpha, hold court, and we bowed every time we addressed him in any setting. It’s wack. Always seemed really pretentious to me. Obviously. -chuckling a bit, I looked up hopefully. Only one way to know if I had even a sliver of a chance to be more than a shop bitch, so I took it. Never had any self-preservation anyways- So, burgers? Burritos? I’ll even spring for a chocolate shake if you want.

Melz:

*My brow furrowed in concern as I watched him react to what I'd said. I could tell he felt something acutely, just from what I'd been saying. He had to be extremely sensitive to emotions, and I was sure had never learned healthy coping strategies. It explained so much of why he'd turned to alcohol and god knows what else to numb himself out. The mention of food had my stomach growling audibly as I rolled my eyes at myself.* Guess there's no use denying I'm hungry. Yeah, I'll grab a bite with you, but do you mind if we head out? I really don't want to hang around here just now. *Wrinkling my nose, my gaze darted toward the window and the direction the man had sped off in.* My treat. There's an awesome bodega a few blocks over. Best tacos in town. And I think I've earned a margarita tonight. *Laughing, I shook my head as I ducked to a lower drawer to retrieve my purse from inside.* Yeah, your cousin tried that bowing crap with me. I about fell over. I'm sure she was appalled. *Tilting my head in thought, I locked the back door, then rounded to counter.* Maybe that's why she cried? *Shrugging as I let the thought go, I glanced back towards the garage.* Were you finished back there?

Alexei: -I followed her, hands in my pockets listening with a grin, and I had to laugh as I pictured Austen bowing to Melz and in front of Lyric. Crazy girl.- Yeah, I was just puttering around. Little bit of sweeping I’ll finish when I get back. And dude, that’s all she’s ever known. It’s crazy. And don’t worry about the crying. She cries at the drop of a hat, that one. Lord help Lyric if he ever gets her pregnant. -I grinned as we walked out to Melz car, and I walked around it and nodded, appreciating the beauty- This is a sweet ride. Wouldn’t mind a test drive one day, you know, if you could part with your baby for a cruise around the block. -I laughed, knowing full well she’s never let me drive her car.- Let’s walk. It’s nice. -I looked down, trying not to be too embarrassed about my attire. Some days I got pissed that my clothes, my Armani, all my Timberlands, were just sitting back home and I couldn’t even touch them. But it was what it was. I’d deal. I didn’t even have a smartphone, just the crappy flip phone I bought for emergencies. I took a deep breath and nodded- Tacos. Life in a tortilla. I can’t wait. But lemme get the meal. You buy the booze, deal? -I looked her in the eyes, smiling. Just lemme have this one, I tried to say.- Back in Alabama, the Mexican food sucked ass. Great soul food, great bbq, but anything else? Nope. But here, oh god, it’s awesome. I’m such a fan. -I kept pace with her, looking around, stealing glances. She was gorgeous, easy on the eyes. Strong, too. It was an irresistible combination-

Melz:

*Well, look at that? He did have a sweet side. Nodding as we left the garage, I laughed when he complimented my car. He was right, she was a beauty. I loved that car but…* This car is the only good thing that's come from an ex husband. *Snorting, I shook my head, heels clicking on the pavement as we headed in the direction of the restaurant.* Don't jinx it. I'm sure Lyric will have her knocked up in no time. It's kind of his thing.*Grinning, I glanced sideways, gauging his reaction.* So there is something agreeable about you. Tacos are life. We might just get along after all. *Smirking as we rounded the corner, I could only shake my head.* Now that's a crying shame. I could never live without good Mexican close by. One of the perks of this place is there's a lot of variety because of the tourism. I used to run an Italian restaurant and upscale bar at the end of the main drag. Business was always good. *Nice rambling, Alpha. I'd bet the next mortgage he couldn't care less, so stop doing that thing where you have to fill the silence with small talk.*

Alexei: Dude! Italian?! I make the best, hands down the best, chicken parmigiana. Oh god, you’d die. It’s so good. -grins, getting a few steps ahead of her, turning to face her and walking backwards- It’s all in the herbs you use to season the breading. And the marinara of course. But...it’s to die for. You should… -I forgot for a minute that I wasn’t at home, didn’t have my own place anymore, and was generally broke all the time, but I switched flawlessly. Almost- I should give you the recipe. You’d like it. -I went to turn back around, slickly, and lost my balance, tripping a little before finding my feet again and laughing it off and running my fingers through my hair- And you expect me to be surprised that they’re gonna marry and have pups? Ah...she’s an alpha’s daughter. It’s like they breed them to do that. And Austen is, like, quintessential wifeing material. It’s really quite sad. You know, Austen is crazy smart. She doesn’t see it, being a little airheaded, but the woman is a mathematical savant. -I hold the door of the bodega open for Melz, grinning, enjoying what she felt- Why did you close the restaurant? And this ex? I feel some hostility but relief. I bet there’s a big, juicy story there, and, sorry, but I’m such a sucker for good stories. -I grinned, dramatically swinging my hand out for her to enter- After you, my lady.

Melz: *Okay, who was this and what did he do with the brooding loner that sulked around my garage all day? He was really enthusiastic, it seemed, when it came to a topic he enjoyed, it was a nice turn from how our previous interactions had gone. If he could behave, so could I. Laughing when he tripped over nothing, I grinned apologetically when he righted himself. Okay, so I couldn't help laugh when some tripped. It was a terrible habit. My brows rose in surprise when he talked about his cousin with an almost fondness that I hadn't gotten from either of them before, but what did I know?* Having someone with math skills can always be an asset. Maybe once we get everything settled, she can take over the books at the garage. I freaking hate that part. I don't know what the deal is with them. Lyric hasn't shown interested in anyone, then he meets her and is engaged in a week? I dunno. Crazy kids. *Laughing again as we enter the bodega, I cast a play glare in his direction as we found a small booth in the corner.* Careful reading my emotions, pup. You might drown in the crazy in my mind. But yeah, the old restaurant burned down and my ex...well, he either died in the fire or shifted and went feral and took off. *Brow furrowed as those memories surfaced, it was equally disturbing that I didn't feel anything in relation to that loss.* The car was from the husband before that. *Wincing, I pulled the menu in front of my face, hiding my blush of embarrassment.* So yeah, two failed marriages, and a third engagement that broke off before we took the plunge.

Alexei: -I listened intently, not caring that she called me pup, and when they brought the chips and salsa, I dug in, a little hungry from no lunch today. Why was she embarrassed? I could feel it. But it wasn’t just embarrassment, it was remorse, regret, and hurt. It was a horrible set of emotions. I tried not to let it stick, pushing it off, and moved on. We’d see if it would work as it lingered around us.- I can’t beat that, but I’ve had some relationship drama too. My highschool girlfriend got pregnant, or so I thought, but totally took me for a ride. My parents flipped the fuck out, and I was kinda more bummed out than pissed when she told me she was lying. Her momma and mine made sure to know for sure for sure. -I shrugged, taking a big bite of salsa and a few chips, grinning. It was hot. My favorite.- Then, later, I had this chick who asked /me/ to marry /her./ I said no because, well, she was totally a freak in the sheets but completely insane in real life. She, to this day, still probably stalks me if she can find me. I don’t have Facebook or anything, and somehow I get these late at night, breathy calls and I know it’s her. -grinning, I sit back, rubbing my face- Nope. That’s not all. The last one, my dad tried that shit Austen’s dad tried, setting me up with some neighboring pack alpha’s niece, and she had a stick so far up her ass that I swear she was gonna pass out before we sat down for dinner. God. We had zero in common, but we had to keep going out. Sad thing was, I think she had someone that she had feelings for because, once, I tried to kiss her, and she asked me not to, even saying please, then burst into tears. I told my dad no. He was super pissed, of course, and called me a pathetic loser--again, but I wasn’t gonna put that girl through that. Damn. -I shrugged, and when the waiter came, I ordered water, and some queso, and yawned, mussing my hair- Dating is so fucking hard. You women feel a million things all at once. Like now, I know you’re curious about something, surprised, kinda something like that too aaaaall while you’ve got this embarrassment complex about your marriages. Men? They’re easy. Like...one maaaaybe two things at a time. Like pissed off man earlier. He was, well, angry. And that’s it.

Melz:

*Someone had turned this guy’s chatty switch on. Since we'd sat down, I'd heard more out of his mouth than the weeks we'd been working together. I was glad he'd finally decided to open up, even if I wondered if this was the drain off of the adrenaline from the earlier incident. Either way, it was nice to have some more insight into his home pack, facts that I could file away for my meeting with his former alpha. Apparently selling of female weres to wolves they hadn't chosen was common practice in that pack, something I would absolutely be addressing. Smiling as he told his stories, the only pause coming when I ordered some guacamole and a margarita to start, still glancing down at the menu to decide on the rest of the meal.* That's a pretty big generalization. I've known men who were as emotional as women. And women who were as cut and dry as men. I don't know how you handle all of it. Oh wait…*Smirking, I dipped a chip into the salsa and took a bite.* Hopefully there's something in that book...I can't believe no one in your pack even acknowledged your gift. They did you a disservice, Alexei. Being exiled might be the best thing they ever did for you.

Alexei: -I nodded in agreement, as simple as it sounded, but I still disagreed. It was different in the head and emotions than it was to the outside observer. But I didn’t think the details what I did was much interest. Or maybe I just didn’t like talking about it. Who knew. When her margarita came, I could smell the alcohol this close, and it made my teeth ache. I wanted it that much. It had been a few weeks since my last drink, my last smoke, or my last hit. Some nights I didn’t sleep. Some mornings I woke up trembling. But right now it seemed like I started back at the beginning. So I shoved queso and chips in my mouth and kept talking, looking away from the glass- I don’t know if they did it on purpose. I’ve never heard anything about what you’re claiming. Maybe my pack didn’t believe in the gift, just saw weakness. That’s what I think. And maybe it’ll turn out that this was a good thing. -I wanted to lament how difficult it was, whine basically, but I’d learned that she didn’t take well to that, so I kept it to myself. Instead, I made good on my promise.- Our pack is large, mostly male. I don’t know if it’s the water or what, but there are very few females born to our pack. My uncle, if I’m honest, uses the pack as an enterprise. Everyone contributes monetarily. Most work at pack owned businesses. The young ones go to school for careers the pack needs. If the apocalypse happened, my uncle’s pack would have all the necessities and then some. We meet every full moon, celebrate on the harvest moon, have the old blood and bonding ceremonies on the blood moon and the eclipses. The meeting house is from an abandoned turn of the era TB hospital. Like...over 100 rooms, training facilities, everything you could want. We have weapons, a large cafeteria and kitchen, and even a few choppers. It’s a modern day upscale commune. I’m not lying. -I drank my water, sitting back, and picking up the menu- And you’re not the first pack he’s encroached on. Not by a long shot. Just some alphas don’t realize it yet.

Melz:

*Score one for the insensitive alpha. The look he gave my margarita when it was delivered had me cringing. I wasn't sure what his issues were, I had suspected some sort of addiction, but I wasn't sure. Now I knew, and I had carelessly put the equal of a fattened doe right in front of his wolf.* Shit. I'm so sorry. *The first gulp of the margarita had me hissing from the citrus burn even as I shivered at how good it was. In three more gulps it was gone and I was rinsing down the taste with water as I set the empty glass at the edge of the table, far from him, all the while listening in fascination as he spilled the details of his pack willingly. It had been so long since I'd had contact with a pack that ran like a military, it put a lump in my stomach. If I was going up against this guy, he'd swallow our pack whole. Fuck. Maybe my plan wasn't going to be so successful after all. I needed more leverage than I had. He had no real reason to honor the demands I planned on making, and by the time I hunted down anyone that cared about his infringement, or would come to our aide, he could wipe us out. The more he spoke, the more thankful I was that he'd come to my territory. I doubted Austen would give me all of this information, even if it was to help her. Her loyalty and love of pack wouldn't allow it. Not that I could blame her. I sat silently for a moment, trying to digest everything he'd said when the waitress approached.* I'll have the surf and turf fajitas with refried beans. *I was paying this bill whether Alexei liked it or not, so I ordered what I wanted. It was the least I could do since I'd dangled a drink in front of him. Once we'd ordered and the waitress left with the empty glass, I folded my arms on the table and leaned forward.* So what you're telling me is that if I try to go up against your father in Austen’s defense, he's going to flatten us? Fuck. I'm going to need anything you can think of or know that might help up. *Wincing as I realized what I was asking of him, I looked up pleadingly.* Look, I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I'm willing to offer you any protection I can in exchange. A place in my pack...whatever you want. *I loathed begging with every fiber of my being, but desperate times....*

Alexei: Hey, no...just… -The margarita was gone before I could even tell her it was fine, so I just let it go, ordering my beef fajita quesadillas. I was going to find some way to pay my way. There was a bitter aftertaste to her words, her request of me, and I couldn’t imagine what it would take for her to ask me that. I almost felt bad for what I said to have made her feel like my pack--former pack--was the nazi’s or something, but...we sort of were. But this thing with Austen was going to be a piece of cake. She just didn’t know Beverly James yet. I smiled, leaning both arms on the table and leaned forward, shrugging a bit. I wanted to make some really sleezy joke about how I’d love to take her up on the whatever I wanted thing, but I didn’t know how much leeway I had, so I played it safe.- Nah, that’s not what I’m saying at all. Lemme tell you about Austen’s mom. Aunt Bev, Beverly James, is a very successful RN. Like...big wig at a hospital successful. She didn’t just stay home and pop out pups. I’m sure you noticed Austen is biracial. So is Beverly. She’s had to work very hard in Alabama to make her bones. She loves her sons something fierce, but Austen? That’s her mini-me. Some people see Austen as this little girl, this...spoiled princess. I mean she is, totally spoiled, but like I said, she’s wicked smart and piss her off? Nah, man. It’s not her temper. It’s her calculated revenge. Even as a kid. Anyways, I digress. -I stopped as the lady put our food down in front of us, and I passed her a ten covertly for another margarita for the lady. She grinned at me and I winked back, tearing off one of my quesadillas- Aunt Bev probably doesn’t know Unk has been doing this shady shit with the businesses. And if she meets Lyric, sees how stupid happy Austen is, she’ll make your case for you. But yeah, like before, if you try to go up against my uncle with what you have, he’ll laugh his ass off. -I took a bite and then dipped the rest in the cheese, smiling just a bit.- I’ll give you her number. She loves me, but she won’t go against the order of the pack.

Melz: *Hearing that Austen had an ally at home helped. What rankled was the way he immediately dismissed my plan although he had no idea what it was. I didn't see anything as our food was delivered, assembling a shrimp and steak fajita and eating the whole thing as I worked really hard to keep my temper in check.* So there is someone with half a brain in that pack? Great. I can't wait to talk to her. It's nice of you to so thoroughly dismiss my plan even though you have no clue what it is. Being underestimated is always such a turn on. *It stung that he dismissed me, not just because I'd had a lot of faith in it working, but because the more I poured through the numbers, the more I wanted what we were owed. Each member of my pack had had next to nothing for so long...we'd only recently become financially stable enough as a pack to be able to take a breath. If we could acquire even more of a cushion, we could assure that the pups were taken care of no matter what happened. It wasn't just about Austen any more to me, although she was the crux of the plan. When the next margarita was delivered, I let the low growl rumble my chest as the waitress departed.* Don't do that again. Suit yourself. You relapse, it's on you. *With that, I lifted the glass and took another gulp. I wasn't going to let good booze go to waste.*

Alexei: -I blinked, sitting back, and when she flipped on me, just like that, it stung. Just...I couldn’t catch a fucking break. I felt it off her, this haughtiness, like she had to protect herself, like she was just heading back to that same closed off place as before.- I didn’t dismiss your plan. Hell, I don’t even know your plan. None of you, Lyric or Bray, have even said more than a dozen words to me at all, much less graced me with that information. I was agreeing with you. You made the statement. I rephrased it. And I wasn’t trying to turn you on. I was trying to find some way you could maybe see me as a decent person and not trash dumped on your territory. Yeah, I have good hearing and your boys talk. You know what, I’m not my uncle. And I’m not the enemy. And thanks for the tip about the relapse. You know, us junkies are always looking to blame someone else for our shit. Excuse me for a minute. -I didn’t want to argue, but I just didn’t want to sit through a meal and have to watch my every word. I needed a break, just for a second, so I slid out of the booth and walked to the restroom. I knew everyone had their shit, but maybe it was just better to keep my head down and my mouth shut, like I’d been doing. I hated this closed off feeling from her, even more so now that I’d felt how good she felt, what it was like when she wasn’t so...angry. Damn that alpha. Damn her for getting under my skin. Why did I care so fucking much? I hit the men’s room door hard, walking in and going to the sink. I took my time washing my hands, splashing some water on my face, and blew it a few breaths. I forgot how hard this was without something to dull it. I could do this. When I walked back out and slid into the booth, I didn’t quite know what to say, so I ate, putting the ball in her court-

Melz: *I snapped and he snapped back. I shouldn't have expected otherwise, and I didn't just...yeah. Being told that an alpha who was becoming a bigger and bigger threat in my mind was going to laugh in my face was a punch in the gut. Here I was trying to help someone I didn't know and had no connection to, for one of my pack, because that's what a good alpha does, and the more he talked the more doubts I had in what I'd been planning. Then he went on about how he'd been treated, which was again, my fault. No one  in my pack was going to be overly welcoming or chummy to an outsider, that's just not who we were. We'd all been so broken, we were cynical and jaded on a good day. Closed off was an understatement. But I'd set the tone on how I treated him, so they'd follow my lead and not gone out of their way… I wasn't at all surprised when he got up. Elbows on the table, I held my head in my hands, stabbed my fingers into my hair and tried to breathe through my tumultuous emotions. The tears welled and fell before I could stop them. No wonder my wolf had taken hold for so long. My internal guilt knew that I'd let her, at least at first. Because feeling sucked. Caring was exhausting, and for those months in the wild, I hadn't. What surprised me was when he sat back down, I thought he'd left. I didn't want to face him again. Didn't want him to know I'd cried, but being what he was, I was sure he already knew or at least could feel my weaknesses. It wasn't like I had a choice. I was the alpha. My whole life was have to. Forcing my eyes up, I looked across the table.* Look, I'm sorry they've been treating you that way. I'll talk to them. Didn't really seem you had any interest in being chatty. *Blowing out a shaky breath, I lifted the margarita and drained it, looking forward to the bottle of wine I knew I'd be getting well acquainted with once I got home.*

Alexei: No, don’t. They’ll either come around or they won’t. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. -I sighed too, scrubbing my face- I’m sorry. It’s difficult, the emotions, when I don’t have something to numb things. I shouldn’t have snapped like that. -I could feel her exhaustion, and her resignation, and pain. Just...hurt. So it wasn’t me she was fighting. That made more sense. I didn’t want to pry, not my place, but maybe one day I’d understand. Maybe not. It wasn’t looking too good, but then again I was too stubborn for my own good. Instead of making things awkward, I reached over and stole a shrimp, popping it in my mouth- Listen. Come run with me. It’ll take you out of your head, and it’ll feel good. I’ll even turn around when you shift if you don’t want me to see you naked. -I grinned a little, hoping that went over as funny- There’s this stream behind the shop, with some little perch, and I like to play with them. I don’t know if they’re playing back, but it’s fun. Then… -I stole some guacamole next, keeping an eye on her, talking with my mouth full.- There’s always squirrels, and one time, I spent a good hour barking at a turtle. Shifting and running has been the only way I’ve stayed sane lately. I bet it’d help you too. And running with someone else is so much better than by yourself. -I raised a brow at her, waiting and trying to keep the mood light.- And since you’re springing for dinner, can we get some fried ice cream? That stuff is crazy good. I’ll even give you a bite.

Melz: *A few more breaths had me pulling myself together, barely. Another sigh as I pushed peppers and onions around with my fork, I knew what he was trying to do, but my mood hung heavy on my shoulders. Snorting when he mentioned not seeing me naked, I wish I could just switch easily to jovial kidding around, but I couldn't. The tequila hadn't helped it. Shaking my head, I pushed my plate in his direction, I was done eating.* I can definitely split an ice cream, but I can't go running with you. *Tears welled again and my heart broke under the weight of the helplessness.* It's too dangerous. I can't let her take over again or she'll never let me back. *Chin trembling, I let my eyes drop, the ultimate sign of giving up for an alpha. I just...I couldn't fakethe bravo any more. Not tonight.*

Alexei: -The hopelessness that began to seep into my chest broke my heart. I wanted to...do something, say something that would help, but the emotions stole my words. Sometimes, growing up, all I had was my wolf, and I couldn’t imagine not being able to shift. But it was more than that. I searched it out this time, tried to explain it, and in a way it blossomed before me. Resignation. Fear. Other thing I couldn’t figure out. And then I knew what to do. I flagged that pretty little waitress down, and she beamed at me, but she had nothing at all that I wanted. Not even a little- Yeah, hi. Can I get a fried ice cream? Two spoons. -I nodded when she seemed to not get it, turning back to Melz.- I can help. That...thing I did with the angry guy. I can do that. With your wolf. -I reached out, tentatively at first, then crooked my finger and lifted her chin so that her eyes met mine.- Let me help. I can figure it out. -I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and tired to tell if I was making a difference.- Please. I can feel it. I don’t know what made you feel like that, but one thing I do know about life is that everything gets better. You never know how long it’ll take, but you can bank on things changing. Sometimes it just takes a little help. Let me try.

Melz: *Oh he was good...I don't know if he was outwardly /doing/ anything, or if it was just the tone of his voice...the gentleness in his eyes, but something had some of what was roiling inside of me, draining away. Looking into his eyes that, I just realized, we're really beautiful, I believed him. I shouldn't, I knew better than to blindly trust anyone, but it was as if the truth behind his words was seeping into me too, so much so the my wolf lifted her head curiously, yet calm in my mind. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly. I had no way of knowing if what he was thinking would work, but what I did know was that I had to try something and I didn't know of any other options. I knew what would happen if I didn't find a balance with my wolf. This wasn't the first time I've been that close to the edge. I didn't think I'd get a third chance at coming back. Kyle hadn't. We'd been at war with each other so many times over the years, maybe I could finally...Shaking my head, I couldn't get ahead of myself, wouldn't get my hopes up, but I could try. One step at a time. Lifting my eyes to his once more, I let him see it all. I'd apologize for the toll my emotions took on him later, but I needed him to understand if he could.* You have to make sure I come back. Don't lose me. *The last was spoken in a whisper as my eyes closed briefly, my head turned toward the inside of the booth as the waitress dropped off our dessert.*

Alexei: -I clutched my chest with my hand as a barrage of emotions poured over me. I couldn’t contain the sob that built in my throat, pouring out, low and deep as tears spilled from my eyes. I swallowed hard, trying to keep it in, control it, but every second I looked in her eyes, every second I let her words ring in my ear, it threatened to swallow me whole. She lived with this every day? All the time? How? It took me several long moments to just be able to breathe. I ached. I knew I’d ache long after we talked and long into the night, but I knew it was worth it. There was no more hiding now, only words to define feelings, but that would come with time. It seemed like such a small thing when I had all this. When the waitress came and dropped off our ice cream, I reached up and wiped my eyes, scrubbed my face, and rubbed the center of my chest to try to assuage the pain there that was still sharp. I didn’t know if I could help, if what I was could bring her any comfort, but I knew I had to try. My mother taught me that sometimes, faith was a game changer when it looked as if nothing else could help. I nodded, clearing my throat, reaching out again and slipping my hand into Melz‘s hand tried to push a hopeful calm into us both, picturing it wrapping us in a warm blanket.- No matter what it takes, I’ll make sure you come back. I swear it. -I looked at her, waiting for her to turn my way again. I could lighten the mood with some ice cream talk, make her smile, but it seemed like it wouldn’t do this moment justice to just flip to something else.- Thank you. I think it’ll be better, work better, now that I know. I like that better than hiding. -I picked up a spoon and took a huge bite of the fried goodness, groaning and closing my eyes-

Melz: *All I could do for several moments was breathe. I had to get my shirt together. I hadn't broken like this since I'd returned and I didn't like it. At all. I had just started mentally berating myself for crying, showing weakness in front of a stranger, no less, when the wave of calm that wrapped around me had my shoulders slumping. Shit, that was better than any high. Another breath that was less shaky than the last and I lifted my eyes to his, my own popping wider when I saw tears swimming there.* Oh god, I am so sorry. You must think I'm just as bad as any other narcissistic alpha, laying all my issues on you like that. I didn't mean to…*Shaking my head, I picked up a spoon and shoved a scoop of ice cream into my mouth, more to shut myself up than anything else. I think we needed the quiet as we finished our dessert, and when the waitress approached with the black bill fold from behind Alexei, I already had my debit card in hand so that as so as she neared the table, I sprung up and handed it to her, sending her away before she could aim another of her smiles at him and pretend I wasn't even there. Yes, I'd noticed and I didn't like it. Maybe I needed a new taco joint. The first hint of a smile twitched my lips as I say back down, breaking off a piece of fried dough bowl.*

Alexei: -When the waitress was shooed away, I didn’t even raise an eyebrow. I was kind of tired of it too. And it was interesting because I felt a little bit of something...and grinned too. I took another bite, leaning close so I could speak lower, more intimate- You’re the first person I’ve told about the feelings. Like, really told. My parents never listened, told me I was trying to get attention. You learn early on the things that people care to hear. So I never mentioned it again. -I shrugged, chuckling a bit- But it comes in handy. Not how you’d think, either. In the bedroom, it’s not easy to make sense of anything but arousal. Like...I feel intensity of emotions, but not for that...if that makes sense. But for lying? Hell yeah. Human lie detector. I mean, most of us can tell from the physical changes, but I can feel it in their emotions. So it helps with our kind. -I held up my spoon, keeping the topic light- You know what sucks? Feeling arousal from your parents. Or...puberty? Man, I sported a woody 24/7. It was horrible. Even worse? Teachers and hot moms turned on by me. -makes a wrenching face- But if some good can come out of it, I want to try. I can duplicate what I did before...and just a second ago. I think. It’s weird I’ve never done it before. Or maybe I have? So...Omegas do that for the whole pack? That’s crazy. And Unk’s pack is a mess, too. He’s an ass. There’s always someone stirring up shit. Mostly why he tries to get his kids married off and away. Pack coups are brutal. Unk’s first wife was murdered. Unk got challenged. When he beat the guy, the guy’s brother didn’t take it well. He slit her throat as she was putting groceries in the car. I mean, Unk killed the guy, publicly, but...Brent, Ezra, Silas, and Bohdi, man. They were young. Like...5, 6, and 7? That sucks. When Unk remarried and Aunt Bev had Austen, holy fuck was he protective. I don’t know why I spilled all that.

Melz: *Digging into the ice cream, the sugar making me feel better, I arched a skeptical brow when he brought up how exactly he deals with and feels arousal. Snorting a laugh, I could only shake my head as he spilled about his experiences. Talk about the awkward stage in the extreme. I tried diligently not to think about what it might be like sleep with someone who could read you and respond in kind in the bedroom...and was mostly successful. Kind of. Wished I had another drink anyway. He was back to rambling mode it seemed as I ate my portion of the dessert, spilling way more information and history about his pack than I had even asked for as if he were thinking through certain connections out loud that made more sense now that he could identify what he was. Looking apologetic, I grimaced, lifting a shoulder.* I wish I remembered more of the details about how my birth pack’s omega operated. Hopefully that book will have the answers and maybe even some guidance on how to work with your gift more than the fumbling in the dark you've been doing anyway. *Setting down my spoon, I leaned back against the booth with a sigh, still digesting both the meal and the information.* So Austen is from the Alpha’s second marriage? I wonder if there's anything to that, that I can use? *Now I was the one wondering aloud, my brain searching for something of formal pack law that might help. I was at a disadvantage because, since I didn't run my pack that way, my knowledge was cursory and not as in depth as it should be. That would change. The knowledge, at least. There was no way I'd be going up against this alpha unprepared.*

Alexei: Nah, alphas remarry all the time Some alphas even still keep multiple mates. They wanna pup sons so they screw half the pack. It’s stupid. You know, I wish I could see what packs are like other places. I swear, it can’t be as fucked up everywhere as it is back home [I pushed the last few bites of the ice cream toward Melz, pretty full, but also a little nervous for our run later. But excited too. I wouldn’t let my fear get the best of me, though, because my wolf was ready to play. I could tell. One thing we were taught in our pack was a healthy relationship with our wolf. We shifted often, learned to shift quickly, and encouraged to spend time as our wolf and our human side. We were taught not to fear our wolf. We let it close, even as we made our way through day to day life, and it was a way of life to be were. I watched Melz carefully, and the more I thought about it, the more I knew I could help. Even without my gift, I could teach her what I was taught.- I’ll tell you what you can use, though, is that pack law states that we should follow the “laws of the land.” -I air-quoted it purposely- The law of the land has a lot to say about arranged marriage, personal freedom and such. I mean, it’s not a lot, but it’s a start. Also, if you can get Lyric to knock Austen up, that’ll pretty much lock in the deal and the other wolf won’t want her. Then, all you have to do is confront him about the encroachment. All you gotta do is find it in pack law. It’s there. You can do it. -When the waitress came back with the bill, handed it to Melz with a sneer, I shook my my head and laughed.- Come on. Let’s run. I’m feeling the need for speed.