#according to the shit i pulled out of my ass the humans in alien society are more dextrous and quick moving

[shakingparadigm]

my ALNST oc/sona, solei!! they know both too much and too little at the same time.

is your senior year at highschool getting too boring? fear not! a game of whodunnit is now underway!

ok but seriously, they were really fun to make! my idea for them is pretty unpolished (fuck it we ball) but hey we're all here for fun so what's the harm in it

[welcometomybraincomics]

Mask, mistake, monster, secret and torture for the OC ask thing with Guillotine

Mask: Does Guillotine wear a mask? Yes! Mostly physical and only bc Vaporwave doesn't want him exploding or fucking up his face even further. Guillotine may be perfectly happy wearing his scars as a badge of honor, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't follow safety procedures!!! Knowing this, Vaporwave made Guillotine's mask for him so Guillotine can't go about making protests bc he's too touched, lol.

Underneath his mask, his face is pretty damaged. He's got a few busted optics and most of the plating on the lower half of his face is missing, leaving the internal mechanisms of his face exposed. Because of this, he usually has to waterfall his energon, but sometimes he'll keep the mask on to create suction and slurp his drinks through an obnoxiously large and twisty swirly straw. Every time he pulls it out, it becomes more elaborate.

Everyone knows what's underneath the mask and, sure it's pretty gruesome, but every Stationer has some pretty heavy damage somewhere on their person, Guillotine's damages are just the most obvious bc he's one of 3 mecha whose native plating won't take to welds for some reason. The running theory is that they're made of a substance that needs specialized care. Unfortunately, whatever care information was on the Stationers' original ships was lost to the void and solar storms.

Mistake: My favorite version of Guillotine, the one who's goofy as hell, doesn't get into a whole lot of trouble 'cause he's pretty good at covering his ass, Doesn't have any very interesting mistakes to speak of, so I will pick another one!

There is one universe where things go really badly for Guillotine and Vaporwave and that is the one I will be talking about: Unnamed universe where things go to shit. His worst mistake in this universe? Getting caught.

This universe lives in a weird amalgam of different continuities that've never really settled in my mind, so what he actually gets caught for is a bit up in the air. He kills people, he sells weapons, and he's a Decepticon who was in Autobot territory. Whichever he's being hunted for, he got caught bc he got too comfortable. He got into a routine and he got used to not being found out. He didn't mean to, but he started leaving a small trail that let the authorities begin sussing him out until one day he opened his front door and found the jig was up. Because he got caught, he and his Autobot lover, Vaporwave, have to go on the run with their very young kids, Blastwave and Beatdown.

There's not really any way to fix breaking the law and then running from the police, especially in a time when leniency isn't expected, but Guillotine and Vaporwave do eventually find a safe place to settle down and raise Blastwave and Beatdown. He still beats himself up over depriving his kids of a safe and stable early childhood, but he's glad they were able to find a place where he and Vaporwave don't have to look over their shoulders all the time. He only wishes they could've found it without the stress of running for their lives.

Monster: According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, there are many definitions of monstrous.

Is he extremely large? Yes! Hilariously so! He's nearly the size of a shuttle and no one has any idea why.

Is he particularly ugly or vicious? Not really. Scaring is pretty normal among the Stations so there's significantly less stigmatization about it (in this way, he's not abnormal either) and while he's dangerous, he's not vicious.

Is he monster like in quality or appearance?

By human standards, yes.

He's got 6 eyes*, at least 3 claws, and a disregard for other people's lives that's pretty concerning, but multiple eyes aren't that weird when you've got alien neighbors and at least 1/4 of the Stations have mismatched servos at this point, so he's not really all that strange.

Anything that appears monstrous has mostly been normalized by Stations society, and while he's large, threatening looking, and creepy, he's mostly just that: creepy. Station 5 has done a pretty good job of keeping people out of his workshop, which means his death toll is actually pretty low and just leaves him as the creepy guy who collects corpses and constantly makes insane shit like tentacle monsters that feed on fear (as a remedy for nightmares. "If it feeds on your fears, you'll be less scared, and as it grows, it'll be able to defend you from your fears :DDD").

Anything that makes him monstrous, he is severely unaware of unless someone points it out to his face and he's confident enough in himself that he doesn't consider it anything to be worried about. Before the Stations, he actually leaned into his perceived monstrosity and used it as an excuse to experiment with more interesting ways to kill people. Currently though, he's just a veeeery creepy cinnamon roll.

Secret: One secret he never wants anyone else to know about him? Well, he's actually a pretty open guy, so it's not much. He doesn't realize there's much in his life that needs hiding, so he accidentally traumatizes a lot of people, lol

One thing he never wants ANYONE to know???? He hides candy in old wounds. Fully healed, perfectly sanitary wounds!!!! There's nothing wrong with it OK?!?!!??!?

They're the kind of wounds that heal perfectly fine, but there just wasn't enough material to make everything nice and filled in and flush with everything else.

He wants to hide the fact that he hides shit in old wounds from Vaporwave bc Vaporwave is always Concerned™ for Guillotine's health and he knows Vaporwave will freak out.

Why is he hiding candy???? Well, Guillotine has a sweet tooth. Unfortunately, Vaporwave also has a sweet tooth and bad impulse control to boot. Usually when 2 people like the same thing they can bond over it, and they do! But.... there is a limited supply of candy and if Guillotine is not there to share with, Vaporwave's poor impulse control takes over and he eats it all on his own.

Why does he not want anyone else knowing about his stash? Possessiveness mostly. If they know about his candy stash, they're want some, but nay! It's his!!!

There's also the fact that if anyone else knows about his wound stash, word will eventually make it back to Vaporwave. Guillotine might not know why stuff he does keeps getting passed around the rumor mill, but he knows it does, and if Vaporwave ever figures out he's hiding shit in his wounds... 😬

Torture: Guillotine has never been tortured in his memory. Most of his injuries come from accidents and the initial kerfuffle that led to the Stations even happening. Before everyone lost their memories, however, Guillotine has definitely been tortured, especially by Autobots trying to get revenge for friends that Guillotine killed. He was a pretty cruel and brutal guy back then and still harbors many scars from that time.

Would Guillotine ever torture? Not intentionally! He loves weapons (having and creating them), dangerous creatures (having and creating them), and collecting dead bodies (just having), but when faced with violence, he tends to freeze up because he over thinks or fumbles because his millennia of ingrained fighting instincts don't account for the mobility limitations his injuries give him.

That doesn't mean he wouldn't cause someone enough pain for them to consider it torture, but Guillotine isn't really the type to try torture for information or punishment (what's what the government is for!**) and Guillotine's obsession revolves around dying and death, not the pain leading up to that. He's not interested in pain for pain's sake. If he wants you dead, he'll do something relatively quick and messy so he can play around with your blood and corpse without you struggling against him.

*4 of his eyes are broken and remain broken bc he's gotten used to just having 2 optics. They weren't repaired initially bc the Stations didn't have enough Cybertronian medical knowledge to mess about with something that connects directly to the brain module, but by the time the technolgy had developed, Guillotine had gotten used to just having 2 eyes and he doesn't remember having much more than that anyway since he only had 3 eyes post eeby deeby and his 3rd eye shorted out closely after. He's seen other mecha deal with the disorientation of getting more eyes and decided not to bother with it.

**The Stations policies for criminals are.... pretty violating and mind breaking tbh They're at a point where they can keep everyone alive now, so if you're part of their population and you're deemed too dangerous to remain free... well, there are quite a few horrifying things that can happen when your society is trying to preserve as much of their history as possible and don't really hold anything but the continuation of the species and its sparse collection of knowledge of it's own biology and history sacred.

[queenxxxsupreme]

Oversight

A/N: I stan Steve dating a hot head and I don’t know why. I also don’t know where the hell this idea came from but I’m not sure that it’s going anywhere either🤷‍♀️💁‍♀️

Warnings: aggressive reader, cursing

Word Count: 1.9k

Summary: The Avengers discuss the Accords. You try not to put your head through a wall every time you hear the word Accord.

Note: This takes place in Civil War when everyone is at that meeting discussing/debating the Accords. I did change quite a bit in this scene but I think I like it :)

“Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have.” 

Steve was just sort of listening to Rhodey and Sam argue. He was too busy reading what felt like a book in his hands. It was the Accords, something that would regulate the team and any other enhanced person on the planet. He didn’t like what he was seeing. Ross had mentioned earlier that every enhanced person in the world would have to register and be evaluated based on their abilities. He even threw out the idea that enhanced persons would have to wear some sort of identification so everyone around them knew who they were.

The Captain’s brows drew together more and more as he read the Accords. None of it was sitting right with him. 

“So let’s say we agree to this thing.” Sam shrugged his shoulders. “How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?”

“117 countries want to sign this, Sam. 117, and you’re just like-,” Rhodey trailed off as his attention was pulled away from the Falcon. 

Out in the hallway, agents were looking in the same direction, their attention taken away from their work to cautiously watch someone move through the hall.

“What’s going on?” Rhodey muttered. He took a few steps towards the glass wall. His concern dropped as soon as he saw you. 

“Shit.” Sam cursed, turning to look at Steve. “Cap! She’s here!” 

Steve immediately looked away from the papers in his hands and turned his chair around. Sam pointed in the direction of you. The Captain stood to his feet as he watched you talk to a few agents who had stepped in your way. Talk was the nice way of saying you were giving them a piece of your mind. Not many people dared to cut you off. You were a force to be reckoned with. 

Steve had hoped you’d stay away like he asked. He didn’t want you getting in trouble, which you did quite often. You were enhanced with inhuman strength and senses, and an incredibly short temper. Steve wasn’t ashamed to admit that you’d beat him in an arm wrestle one or twice. 

It was a well known fact that the Captain America was romantically involved with the human embodiment of anger issues. Bruce Banner had nothing on you. He was usually peaceful and calm and collected, only sometimes letting his anger get the best of him. You, however, had trouble controlling your anger. It was a side effect to your abilities, or at least that’s what you said. 

“She’s going to get herself arrested.” Tony thought out loud. He was lounging in a chair, his hand previously covering his eyes as he listened to Rhodey and Sam argue.

“She knows how serious this is.” Steve shook his head, not taking his eyes away from you. You gestured to something behind you that Steve couldn’t see. Even through the glass walls, he could hear you shouting at the poor agent who was put in charge of making sure no unauthorized personnel interrupted the Avengers and their debate. “She wouldn’t do anything....”

He trailed off as an agent moved behind you. He put his hand on your arm, a huge mistake. You grabbed the lapel of his suit jacket and his wrist and slammed him against the wall with enough force to rattle the glass. 

“Shit!” Rhodey winced. You released the man and stepped back as he slumped to the floor. You held your hands up to show you weren’t going to do anything to the agent pointing a gun at you. 

Steve shifted in his spot. He didn’t like the weapon being aimed at you. You saw his movement out of the corner of your eyes. You turned your head and met his gaze. Your intense and cold glare softened at the sight of him. Without worrying about the agent holding a gun to you, you moved towards the door of the room.

“I thought I told you lay low for a little while.” Steve met you half way, his hand slipping around your waist. 

“I’m not sitting around on my ass while this shit happens.” You shook your head, your hands finding his biceps. “Are you okay?”

“M’fine.” He answered quietly, nodding his head.

“So nice of you to finally join us, agent.” Tony leaned forward in his chair.

“I wouldn’t miss this shit show for the world.” You gave him a little grin. You two were close friends, not as close as you were Natasha, of course. But you respected and admired the Iron Man. “What’s got you feeling like we need a babysitter, big guy?”

“Oh I don’t know. Maybe just thinking about how much destruction we cause on a day to day freaking basis.” He stood from his chair and moved towards the little kitchen. 

“To be a hundred percent fair, Stark, most of that is Y/N.”

You turned your head to look at Sam, throwing your hands in the air as you stepped away from Steve.

“Thought you were on my side, Sammy.”

“It’s oversight, Y/N” Rhodey said. “Not babysitting.”

“Same thing.”

“It would be amazing if you could take this one thing serious, Y/N.” 

“I am taking it serious, Rhodes.” You snapped at him. You put your index finger against your chest. “I’m the fucking enhanced person they want to put a Goddamned tracking chip in, not you. That’s not oversight. That’s psychotic.”

“You haven’t even looked at the Accords yet, Y/N.” Vision said.

“Oh, but I have.” You tightly smiled as you moved to sit on the arm of the chair Steve sat in.

“How?” 

Your eyes very briefly met Natasha’s. Okay, maybe you didn’t read the Accords yourself but Natasha had and she told you everything. You looked back to Vision for a second. Your gaze flickered to Tony. He was staring down at the counter, his fists pressed against the marble. 

“I think the whole keeping track of enhanced people is a little much.” Rhodey admitted, nodding his head. Before he could say anything, Steve spoke.

“I saw the same thing in Germany.” He turned his head to look at Rhodey. “Nazis made the Jewish people wear the Star of David on their chest. It’s a label, a branding mark.”

“A target.” You added, shaking your head. “If the wrong people get ahold of the list of enhanced people, who knows what they’d do.”

“You’re being dramatic, Y/N.”

“The hell I am, Vision!” You shot to your feet. Everyone around you jumped except for Steve. He watched you carefully. “There’s already groups targeting inhumans. They’re just a small fraction of the enhanced people who have to register-,”

“That's Charles Spencer, by the way.” Tony cut you off, pointing to a hologram above his phone. “He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia.”

Silence fell around the room. Wanda inhaled softly, her eyes falling to her hands. You noticed this.

“He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass.” Tony paused to put a pill in his mouth then used coffee to take it. He leaned against the counter, shaking his head softly for a moment. Then he started to move around the counter so he was closer to everyone else. “There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys.”

“Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up.” Steve shook his head.

“Who said we're giving up?”

“We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames.”

“I'm sorry. Steve.” Rhodey shook his head. “That - that is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA.”

“What the hell do you know about SHIELD or the Council, Rhodes?” You folded your arms across your chest. 

“Can we have her leave?” Rhodey looked to Tony. “She just wants to start a fight.”

“Hell yeah, I do.”

“And that’s what they want, Y/N. Do you not understand that?”

“I understand perfectly fine, Colonel. And am willing to fight tooth and nail to make sure those Accords aren’t passed.” You pointed to the papers Steve held. “Do you want to know what I did when I first joined SHIELD?”

“I wanna know who the hell let you join in the first place.” He muttered.

“Nick Fury did.” You smiled proudly but it didn’t last long. “Being enhanced, Fury thought I’d make a good bridge between the enhanced and the rest of SHIELD. That was ages ago, before inhumans were even heard of, before we knew there were aliens or other worlds. But there were still gifted people, they were just few and far between. I’ve seen parents kick children out for being different. I’ve seen what society does to people like me. And I’m not about to let Mr. Thundershit or whatever call out every single enhanced person like they’re some illness everyone should stay away from.” 

Silence followed your words. Everyone looked to someone else in the room, unsure of what to say. Natasha shook her head, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. 

“Maybe Tony's right.”

Everyone was surprised by the Widow’s words but she continued, her eyes finding Steve. 

“If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off-,”

“Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?” Sam cut her off. 

“I'm just.... I'm reading the terrain. We have made.... some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back.”

“Fuck the public.” You shook your head. You briskly crossed the room, deciding that you needed fresh air before you went postal. “And fuck those Accords!”

***

Steve found you in a stairwell, leaning against the banister with your head hung. 

“You okay?”

You lifted your head and met his gaze, offering him a small nod.

“I’m fine. Just didn’t want to lose my grip back there.”

He moved to stand next to you, his hand finding the small of your back. He leaned down to kiss the side of your head.

“We’ll get through this.”

“It’s not us I’m worried about, Steve.” You shook your head, standing to your full height as you rubbed your palms together. “It’s-It’s not anyone upstairs or-or even you that I’m worried about.” You admitted quietly. “It’s the kids who are going to die because of those Accords. Putting a logo on them to announce to the whole world that they’re different, that they’re special-,” 

“I know.” Steve cut you off, his hand rubbing your back. He knew you had lost your brother when you were young because he was gifted. Bad people found out about it and came for him. “I won’t let this happen.”

“There’s no stopping it, Steve.” You whispered. “Everyone in there sides with signing.”

“Not Wanda and Sam.”

“Us against the entire fucking world.” You rolled your eyes at the thought. You bit your bottom lip, your eyes finding his. “This is going to end the Avengers.”

He said nothing but held your gaze, locking his jaw as he rubbed your back.

Taglist: @jennylovelyheart @lookalivefrosty​ @ilovesupersoldiers​

[angelofthequeers]

That Red Skirt

Disclaimer: I don’t own SPN.

Spawned from this thread. I already made a post for @some-angelic-flowers and @gabrielsbackbitches, but then I figured why not write them a fic? I also thought that @i-miss-balthazar might appreciate a tag as well!

Summary: When Jack realises on a shopping trip that he’s non-binary, leading to a confrontation with a stranger who can’t mind their own business, Dean starts to have a few realisations of his own. And his angel is there to save the day and provide answers and comfort as Dean ends up knee-deep in working out stuff he’s repressed to be John Winchester’s Perfect Son. Sam’s just a little shit but then, when isn’t he? At least the overgrown moose is accepting as well.

AO3 link here

It’s not that Dean’s ashamed exactly. Sure, he doesn’t go around telling people that he likes doing “womanly things”, as John called them whenever young Dean dared to bring them up. It’s clear as day to people who actually know him that he likes cooking and looking after his home and taking care of others – all “womanly things” according to John – but he doesn’t exactly like to parade it around.

At first, it was because John expected him to be the perfect son; “If I wanted a daughter then I would’ve had one,” had been his exact words on many an occasion, until Dean had learned to hide it all under layers of exaggerated manliness. That’s not to say that Dean’s not manly at all…just not to enough of a degree for John’s liking. Hell, probably not to enough of a degree for most men’s liking, judging by all the ‘guy humour’ he’s heard about women “belonging in the kitchen” and “taking care of the breadwinner”.

So he likes to indulge in taking care of people and his home without the need for violence. Sue him. He doesn’t think he’s too ashamed of it anymore, but he just doesn’t see any conversation to slide this information into, or just any people who he’d feel safe enough to tell. Sam and Cas wouldn’t give a fuck for sure – their appreciation of his cooking makes that blatantly clear, although he could do without Sam’s occasional comments about knowing how to do the perfect load of laundry despite having relied on laundromats all his life – but that still involves having a conversation about it. And if there’s one ‘manly’ thing that Dean’s good at, it’s avoiding talking about his feelings.

Actually, that’s probably more from years of trauma and childhood neglect. But whatever.

Dean has always thought that this inner conflict would come to a head in a bar somewhere. A finished case, a bit too much beer, he’d get hit on by some creepy asshole who thinks he’s “pretty” with his “princess lips” and “candy apple eyes” – because apparently even when he’s pushing forty, he’s still pretty enough to get hit on by creeps – and then drama would ensue when he says no. A homophobic slur here, an insinuation about being a girl there, finished with either a nice bar fight or storming off, then Sam’s following attempt at a conversation. According to Charlie years ago, it’s a popular trope in gay fanfiction and usually ends up in hot sex between the two guys, with a lesson about accepting yourself and blah blah whatever.

But no, Dean’s apparently too good for fanfiction tropes, because his moment of epiphany is still dramatic but much less macho manly bar fight. He’s out shopping with Jack one afternoon, since they’re in dire need of food supplies due to being down to a tablespoon of shitty instant coffee, a few slices of mouldy bread, a pack of nearly-expired bacon, and condiments that will probably only make that mouldy bread even worse. Thank god the hunters from the other world are gone now, out inhabiting the other Men of Letters chapter houses around the country so that they’ve got a web across the US. It might be horrible of Dean to feel this way but really, a home invasion was the last thing conducive to recovering from Michael’s possession.

So, anyway. He and Jack have filled the cart with food and are now preparing to brave the clothing department of Walmart, only because Dean had decided that it might be nice for Jack to have more than a few shirts and pairs of jeans for himself. He makes a beeline for the men’s jeans and picks out the first pair he finds in Jack’s size.

“Simple but decent when it comes to hunting,” Dean says, turning to show Jack. “About as tough as you can get for this price – the fuck did you go, kid?”

Jack’s nowhere to be found. Heart starting to race, Dean dumps the jeans and heads off in search of the human naphil, because Cas is going to have his ass for days if he loses their kid. He’s still not adjusted to being with Cas, especially with a kid between them (and between Sam too, but he’s firmly not involved in this Dean and Cas equation), but apparently letting a homicidal archangel possess you while the love of your life pleads for you to not make such a dumbass move is catalyst enough to really get things rolling.

In any case, he knows for sure that he’s going to be in the shithouse if he loses Jack, so he navigates the clothing department with all the grace of a giant tortoise whose shell is made of fraud-funded food. Jack’s nowhere in the men’s department, so Dean checks the kid’s department in case he’s started having a ‘one-year-old in the body of a twenty-year-old’ crisis, but he’s not there either.

“Dean!”

Dean whirls at the sound of Jack’s voice calling his name. He locates Jack in the women’s department, standing next to a rack of discount skirts, and he struggles on over.

“They’re so pretty!” Jack says in awe, running his hand over a white, flowy skirt that looks to be about mid-thigh length.

“Don’t run off on me like that!” Dean snaps, mostly to avoid having to crush the light in Jack’s eyes as he pulls out a long red split skirt to examine it. “Cas would fuckin’ kill me if I lost you. You know how much of a passive aggressive dick he can be.”

The lady at the rack nearby tuts, which Dean assumes is at his foul language. He shoots her a winning smile, but she just tuts again and looks away, so he shrugs and turns back to Jack.

“I’m sorry, Dean,” Jack says, his mouth drooping as he puts the red skirt back. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. I just went looking for stuff I’d like, and I found this section and – Dean, look at how pretty these skirts are!”

“They’re for chicks, Jack,” Dean says, painfully aware that Cas is probably going to kill him for instilling human gender roles in their son who’s pretty much a toddler with adult intelligence.

“But why?” Jack says and runs his hand over the white skirt again. “Why do humans insist on assigning gender to pieces of cloth?”

“Okay, for one, you’re human to everyone else, so you might wanna tone down on that alien talk,” Dean mutters. He shoots a look at the lady out of the corner of his eye, who’s so thoroughly invested in the table of T-shirts that it’s obvious she’s eavesdropping. “It…just is, okay? Guys wore skirts ages ago, now they don’t. Shit changes.”

This coming from the guy who likes to wear pink panties makes it incredibly hypocritical. He knows that. But there’s a difference between a sexy kink and just outright wearing women’s clothing every day, and Jack doesn’t seem to be getting it. Dean’s just going to conveniently ignore how the fact that he likes wearing panties is waving its hands to get his attention, like there’s a ground-breaking revelation to be had if he examines it further.

“I don’t understand,” Jack says. “If it’s comfortable then why not wear it?”

“Because you’re not a chick. You’re a guy.”

Jack just frowns as though these are foreign words. “But how do I know that I’m a guy?” he says. “I met someone when I was off training my powers who told me that when he was born, everyone assumed he was a girl because of his body, but he wasn’t a girl. How do I know that that’s not me?” 

“Do you feel like you’re a girl?” Dean’s too sober right now. And he’s totally not equipped to handle a conversation like this. Cas is better suited, what with his utter disregard for human gender roles.

“I don’t know!” Jack clutches the skirt, no doubt to stave off the distress spreading across his face. “I like things that people call “womanly”. I like cooking with you and caring for other people just like you do. I like feeling pretty sometimes. I don’t like people thinking that I have to be tough and “manly” and not interact with my emotions just because I was born with a certain set of genitals.”

The woman nearby outright winces, so Dean turns to her with a fake smile plastered on his face.

“Is there a problem, ma’am?” he says. She dithers, like she’s torn between speaking her mind and admitting that she was eavesdropping on another person’s conversation.

“No,” she finally says.

“Good.” Dean turns back to Jack. “Look, kid, I can’t help you there.”

“But you like things that society designates as “womanly”,” Jack says. “Yet you’re comfortable in your masculinity.”

Dean sighs and draws Jack away from the nosy woman. Jack brings the white skirt with him, and Dean’s seriously thinking that he’s going to have to buy the damn thing just to shut Jack up.

“I just don’t understand,” Jack insists.

“Look, kid, I don’t either,” Dean says. “And any time I tried anything, my dad kicked my ass for it. I…don’t want that to happen to you.”

“I appreciate your concern, Dean,” Jack says with that soft little smile of his. “But you and Sam have taught me how to take care of myself. I might only be human now, but I’m sure I can handle negative opinions if I’m not hurting anyone. And I know that you wouldn’t “kick my ass for it”.”

For a moment, Dean sees himself in Jack; his younger self, so fresh and idealistic, unaware of just how horrible a place the world was. He’s got one vague memory from before Mary’s death of her painting his nails for him because he’d seen the bottle of blue polish and wanted to “look pretty like Mommy”, only to result in one of the worst fights between John and Mary about “turning their son gay” while Dean huddled in bed crying.

In that moment, he vows that Jack will never know that pain. He’s never going to be that parent that forces a tonne of bullshit on his kid because everyone else thinks he should. He’s already raising the one-year-old grown-up son of Satan in a hunter life with his angel boyfriend, so there’s literally nothing about this that’s normal in any way. No way is he going to squash that light in Jack’s eyes that John had squashed out of his.

“Fine, whatever,” Dean says. “Get the skirt if you want.”

Jack’s face lights up, and he throws his arms around Dean while thanking him over and over again. Dean pats him on the back, praying that the kid doesn’t suffocate him to death, and thankfully he’s given back control of his lungs after just a few more moments.

“Tsk.” It’s so quiet and barely there, but Dean’s trained ears pick up the reproach from the woman who totally hadn’t started inspecting the next table over just to stay within hearing range.

“You know, it’s rude to listen in on conversations you’re not part of,” Dean says with the most passive aggressive smile he can muster.

“And it’s wrong how you’re raising that son of yours,” the woman retorts. “Especially with your…boyfriend.”

Ah, so she’s one of those ones. Dean’s fake smile just widens. “Well, I don’t see it as any of your business, sweetheart.”

“You’re sending your child to Hell by encouraging him to live in sin!” the woman says. “How can you say it’s not any of my business when I’m concerned for the poor thing?”

“Dean and Cas have always taught me that I’ll never go to Hell if I’m a good person,” Jack says straight to the woman’s face. Ah, Dean’s so proud. “And I don’t see how wanting to wear a skirt makes me a bad person.”

“You gay and transgender people are wrong in the eyes of the Lord,” the woman says. Jack frowns.

“God doesn’t care about that.”

“Just back up,” Dean says. “You can’t argue with crazies like her.”

“She’s insulting you and Cas,” Jack says. “And me. I can’t just let her hate other people when she’s wrong!”

“You’ll never be able to prove it to her,” Dean says. “Trust me, kid, you could have God himself pop in and tell her she’s wrong and she’ll still insist that she’s right and he’s just “pandering” or whatever. They don’t actually give a shit about God. They just use that bullshit so they can act like they got a real reason to hate others rather than having to admit that they’re just assholes.”

“You people sicken me,” the woman spits.

“At least we’re here minding our own business and not going around scaring people into believing our fairy tale,” Dean says. He marches over to the skirt rack and, looking the woman straight in the eye, grabs the red skirt that Jack had also been eyeing. “And you know what? My son can have all the skirts he wants. Hell, I’ll even paint his nails for him. ‘Cause I wasn’t allowed to be pretty as a kid, so Jack’s gonna be the prettiest fuckin’ guy around. You capiche?”

The woman looks like Dean had whipped his dick out and started pissing right in front of her, but Jack looks like Dean had personally hung the stars just for him. Dean drapes the skirt in the cart and nudges Jack.

“C’mon, kid. You still need some good, strong clothes for hu – uh, work.” He wheels their cart back to the men’s section, leaving the woman stewing and Jack bounding along beside him, and he feels in his bones that he’s made the right decision as a parent.

***

For the next few weeks, Dean can’t shake off Jack’s words from their shopping trip. Every time he cooks, he finds himself examining his actions under a microscope, dissecting how much he enjoys cooking for his family and exactly how he feels about it. He does the same thing when tidying the bunker, even going so far as to dust the top of the bookshelves and use some new, tropical-scented shit in their laundry that quickly earns Sam’s seal of approval. And fussing over Sam after the guy had been stabbed by a rabid vampire on their hunt has him spaced out for the rest of the night as he reflects on just how much he mother-hens his brother.

It doesn’t take long for Cas to notice. But then, Cas always notices. However, he doesn’t bring it up until about a month after the Shopping Trip, as the incident has now been dubbed.

“What’s wrong, Dean?” Cas’ voice is thick with the sleep he doesn’t need but enjoys when he can cuddle with Dean all night. “You’ve been quiet for weeks now.”

Dean doesn’t say anything at first, instead running his fingers down Cas’ bare chest and stomach and feeling the muscles spasm under his touch. He can’t help but marvel that, for all his holy angelness, Cas is still so incredibly human in many ways, the biggest way being how he chose to willingly tie himself to a human in the way he’s with Dean.

“Is it about Jack’s skirts?” Cas says into the silence. “You’ve been quiet since then. But I think you were fantastic to buy him those skirts. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him so happy than when he came to show me how they look on him. The red skirt especially suits him.”

“How do I know that I’m a dude if I like chick things?” The question comes out so softly that human ears would have missed it. But Cas doesn’t have human ears.

“Is it really that important that you know?” Cas says. He sighs and shakes his head. “My apologies. That was insensitive of me to say. I just don’t understand humans and their insistence on assigning themselves boxes and roles based on physical characteristics.”

“Look, I know you can like some chick things and still be a dude,” Dean says. “Just like I know chicks who are into cars and other “guy shit” and they’re still girls. But…I dunno. It feels like I’m missing something when I say that.”

“How so?” Cas says.

“Just…somethin’ Jack said about how you know you’re one or the other.”

“It’s not necessarily that simple, Dean. There’s so much more than just one or the other.”

Okay, that makes Dean blink. He’s had some vague knowledge that this exists – how could he not, when assholes everywhere are raising up a stink about “snowflakes” or whatever -  but to actually have an angel of the Lord tell him that there’s more than just guy and girl makes his head spin.

“This may not be of any help, since I’m an angel,” Cas says, “but I’m not a man. You see me as such, since my body appears that way, and I’m utterly indifferent to what people call me so my pronouns don’t bother me. I’m not a woman either. I don’t even know if I am anything.”

“That’s literally no help at all,” Dean says. “Thanks, you just confused me more.”

“Eat me,” Cas mutters. Dean snorts at that, because he can always count on Cas to unintentionally lighten the mood. “Talk to me, Dean. Walk me through your thoughts. I don’t know exactly what to say right now.”

“My thoughts are a fuckin’ mess,” Dean says. “Mostly ‘cause this is shit I’ve been shutting down since I was a kid ‘cause you know Dad would kick my ass if I tried. I remember when I was four and my mom painted my nails ‘cause I wanted to be pretty and Dad pitched a huge fit.”

“You were a child,” Cas says. “Children have no concept of gender roles until they’re taught, whether directly or through emulation.”

“I like a lot of “chick” stuff,” Dean says, tightening his hold on Cas like the angel can protect him from his inner crisis. “I like cooking. And I get that a lotta famous chefs are guys but…this is different. It feels more...domestic. I like keeping the bunker tidy ‘cause…it’s home, y’know? I’ve never…had a home before Baby. I just…like things to be nice. I like looking after others. I like listening to Taylor Swift and I’m kinda getting into Ariana Grande.”

The words are spilling out of him like an avalanche as he bares his soul for the first time ever to possibly the only person who would never judge him. As much as he loves Sam, his little brother’s also grown up under the reign of John Winchester, and Sam might be a softer and more emotional guy but he’s still got a lot of shit of his own.

“Sometimes I get sick of bein’ tough and strong and manly,” Dean babbles, burying his face in the crook of Cas’ neck as the deep stuff starts to uncontrollably emerge from years of lock and key. His eyes begin to sting and his lungs are working overtime at this point, but the fingers that start to card through his hair provide a point of sensation that successfully helps keep it under control. “Sometimes I…I wanna be pretty. Like Jack does. I don’t wanna wear a skirt or anything but…I wanna be that four-year-old kid who wanted to wear nail polish like his mom and dress up with her and try to wear her heels but trip and fall flat on his face while she laughs. I wanna be that guy who knows how to braid his younger brother’s hair ‘cause he won’t get a fuckin’ haircut. I wanna wear those flower crowns that Jack makes without feeling like I’m a sissy or somethin’.”

Cas hums, still stroking Dean’s hair. “You can still be a man and enjoy those things.”

“That’s the thing,” Dean says rather bitterly. “That doesn’t feel totally right either. Like…I don’t feel like bein’ a guy fits if I do that stuff. Like if I let myself enjoy that stuff then…not that I don’t deserve to be a guy, but more like…” He fumbles for the right words, wishing he could just let out a long groan and have Cas understand from that, because that’s really the best way he can describe himself. “More like calling myself a guy doesn’t fully describe myself ‘cause…I’m kinda not. But I ain’t a chick either and it feels wrong calling myself that too. If that makes sense?”

“It does,” Cas says and kisses the top of Dean’s head. “I think an appropriate allegory in this case would be nationality. You humans have assigned a label to each other based on where you were born, and you act in different ways according to this label that you were forcibly given. And I’ve noticed how if someone moves to another country, they often face derision for not having been born there like everyone else, especially if they don’t look like the majority or their culture drastically differs from the place to which they move.”

That makes sense. How many times has Dean heard jokes about American stereotypes? Or shitty comments about people based purely on ideas that other people have about where they were born and lived?

“Nationality isn’t anything tangible. It’s more of a feeling and a mutual culture based on shared experiences. And there aren’t just two nationalities or two experiences. There are so many more; some are similar to each other and some are totally different.”

“Nice soapbox,” Dean quips to hide how his head is spinning at this wealth of information. Does that mean that he can just…be neither? That he can let himself be pretty when he wants to while also being the cool tough guy he usually is, and…he can still be Dean? He doesn’t have to be a guy or a girl?

“It’s a very individual experience,” Cas says. “Mine is completely different to yours or Jack’s. That’s why it’s difficult for me to really find the right words for you.”

“Blame Jack,” Dean says. “He’s too pure for his own good. He’s corrupted me.”

“Dean,” Cas chastises. “Don’t talk about our son like that or I won’t sleep with you for a week.”

“You won’t last a week without my dick but sure,” Dean retorts. “So, like…do I have to call myself something since I’m not either? Tell the whole world? Start wearing spandex and dye my hair blue or something?” He looks up just in time to catch the biggest eyeroll Cas has ever given him, so he snickers and nips at Cas’ throat. He refrains from marking Cas up, knowing that if he does then Cas’ animalistic side will come out and he’ll get dicked six ways to Sunday. And while he normally wouldn’t ever turn down some good, hot sex with Cas, he’s also in the middle of an important conversation for which he wants a resolution.

Okay, wow, he’s been talking to Sam too much if he’s choosing a conversation about his feelings over hot angel sex. But it’s worth it, considering that he can feel the chains of another layer of John Winchester’s Perfect Son loosening from around him.

“You don’t “have” to do anything,” Cas says. “You’re still the same Dean Winchester I fell in love with.”

“Hey, whoa, whoa, don’t you dare bring that word up,” Dean protests, but he feels about ten times lighter with Cas’ affirmation that he doesn’t have to do anything different and can just keep doing his own thing while knowing this new thing about himself.

“Oh, shut up, Dean.” Cas immediately contradicts his annoyed tone by kissing Dean’s head again, so Dean decides to lean up and catch Cas’ lips in a proper kiss. Cas hums and cups Dean’s face and their kiss is slow and deep, with small nips and tongues swiping across mouths without dipping inside.

“No but seriously, is there a word for it?” Dean says breathlessly when they separate. “That bitch at Walmart said “transgender” but I don’t feel like that’s me. Others like me might but…not me. I’m still cool with this totally hot body and with people thinking I’m a guy just to make shit easier on everyone, ‘cause I at least know I’m…not.” It feels weird as fuck to say that out loud but also oh so freeing.

“Some might call you egotistical,” Cas mumbles. “It would be totally valid of you to call yourself that if you want, but I understand why you feel it doesn’t apply to you. I’ve heard the term non-binary before, when I was at a homeless shelter as a human and I met someone who referred to themselves as such. After I confronted a bigot and said that I’m utterly indifferent to my own gender, the other person confided in me and non-binary was the term they used. You could try that and research further from there.”

“But…I don’t have to if I don’t want to?” Dean says. Don’t get him wrong, having an actual word that encapsulates him is just…wow. Holy shit. He’s real, he’s allowed to exist, and there are others who are not only like him but also open enough about their identities that other people can find this information and realise shit about themselves too. But he’s literally only just started coming to terms with shit he’s locked deep for the past few decades, so he’s not yet sure if he’s ready to start labelling himself and being so open about it until he’s had more time to work through it.

“Of course not,” Cas says. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Just because Jack feels comfortable enough to wear skirts doesn’t mean that you ever have to as well. I told you, it’s highly individual.”

“Jack’s non-binary too?” Dean says. “I mean, I ain’t surprised, but…”

“We had a conversation. He told me that you said he should come to me, since you weren’t equipped to talk about it. He also said that he didn’t mind if I told you and Sam, so I won’t ever tell anyone else about you unless you allow me to do so. That would be rude and horrible and downright violent if the wrong person learned that when you didn’t want them to.”

Okay, that’s another weight off Dean’s shoulders. “Like tellin’ others that I’m bi, right? It’s for me to tell.”

“Precisely. And I’m very proud that you felt comfortable enough to tell Sam, Jack, and Mary.”

“I had a crisis back in Purgatory when I was lookin' for you.” Dean kisses Cas’ shoulder and snuggles under his chin. “Then I had years after that to deal with it and work through Dad’s shit. But this is just…new. I think I need a bit more time.”

“You have all the time in the world, Dean.”

They lapse into a comfortable silence, and Dean starts to doze off at the feel of Cas stroking his hair despite having only woken up half an hour ago. But then something occurs to him, and it sets a cold pit of anxiety off in his stomach at the thought of voicing it out loud but…he also kind of wants to say it, if he’s still digging shit up from deep. And Cas won’t judge. This is the same guy who approves of their son wearing skirts.

“Cas?” Dean says. Cas hums in acknowledgement. “I…I just…shit, this is embarrassing.”

“If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to,” Cas says.

“No, I do wanna tell you. I just…bear with me, okay?” Dean pushes himself up into a sitting position so that he can look Cas right in the eye, and what he sees there helps loosen his shoulders ever so slightly. He takes a deep breath and blurts out, “Ilikewearingpanties.”

“Pardon?” Cas’ forehead creases.

“I. Like. Wearing Panties. This one chick, Rhonda Hurley…she made me wear them once. And I liked it. But that’s not even…look, it wouldn’t be so bad if it was just a kink, ‘cause loads of dudes – normal dudes – they like wearing women’s underwear too. But only during sex, ‘cause that can be hot.”

“You’re not abnormal for not being a “normal man”,” Cas says. “I know there’s a term to refer to people who aren’t transgender, but I can’t quite recall it.”

“That’s not the point,” Dean says. “I just…nail polish and feeling pretty are one thing, okay? But actually liking pretty, lacy underwear outside of sex, where nearly anything goes…Jesus, Cas, if anything was gonna make me suspect I’m not fully a guy, that’s it. I even…” His voice drops to a whisper as he confesses something to Cas for which John would have probably broken his ribs. “I even like the thought of wearing a bra. Not ‘cause I need it, but ‘cause I wanna see if it’d make me look nice. And not “goddamn Dean you look so sexy and I wanna fuck you in those girly clothes” nice like other guys would think but…y’know, “Dean you look so soft and happy” nice.” His shoulders slump, and he looks down at his fidgeting fingers. “I just wanna be not-tough for once. I just wanna be pretty without feeling ashamed or like I’m a girl when I’m not. Or that I have to be more like a guy when I'm not exactly that either.”

“I’m not sure I see how women’s lingerie is much more of a deal breaker than other feminine things,” Cas says. “And although I understand why you do so, I wish you wouldn’t attach such shame to it.”

“Yeah, why do you think I felt okay telling you?” Dean mutters. Cas’ eyes crinkle and, with a small smile, he sits up so that he can lean in and kiss Dean softly.

“I’m honoured that you trust me enough to confide in me, even if I don’t understand your social taboos.”

“Again, why d’you think I told you? Sam wouldn’t make fun of me but…he’s also human. He also grew up in this shithole society. He wouldn’t get it like you do.”

Cas’ eyes soften even more, and he gives Dean another kiss. “Maybe you could wear some of this clothing in a non-sexual situation with just the two of us,” he says. “No one else. Or if you would feel more comfortable without me, you could do it yourself.”

“Trust me, dude, I’d be a tonne comfier with you there so I don’t end up spiralling and shit,” Dean says with a dark little laugh. “Just ‘cause I realised all this shit now doesn’t mean I’m cool with it or anything.”

“Like I said, you have plenty of time. Use however much of it you need to become more comfortable with yourself. And you’ll always have my support, Dean. And Sam, Jack, and Mary’s, when you feel that you can tell them.”

A wide smile of relief splits Dean’s face and he pushes Cas to lie back down, then drapes himself on top of the angel. “You’re the best, man. You’re a literal angel.”

“I know. I have the halo to prove it,” Cas deadpans. The fact that Cas has finally grasped things like sarcasm after years of fraternising with humans is possibly the funniest thing Dean’s encountered all day, and it takes a humongous effort to just snicker rather than descend into a fit of laughter.

“I’ve changed my mind,” he says, pushing Cas’ chin back to start kissing down his throat. “You’re the biggest asshole around.”

“You –” Cas cuts himself off with a hiss when Dean nips at the skin over his pulse point, sucking to ensure that he leaves a dark bruise behind. “Dean, you know this – that this erodes my self-control –”

Dean gives him a shit-eating grin. “Good.” He bites again, only to blink as the world around him shifts and blurs when Cas grabs him by the hips and bodily throws him back on the bed, then straddles his hips, blue eyes blown black.

“If one thing about you never changes, it’s how infuriating you are,” Cas growls.

“Yeah, but you like me anyway,” Dean says, grin widening. Cas rolls his eyes.

“Sometimes, I wonder why.”

“Hey.” Dean runs his fingers down Cas’s stomach and dips a finger below the waistband of his white boxers. “Less talking, more kissing.”

***

“Dean, you look like you’re gonna puke,” Sam says when Dean corners him after breakfast the next day. “What’s wrong?”

Dean swallows, takes a deep breath, then decides to just go for it. He doesn’t want to have to spend ages hiding something like this from his brother when he can have another person supporting him, especially after everything he and Sam have been through. “I’m not a guy, okay?”

“Uh…what?” Sam frowns. “You’re…uh, wow, that is big. Are you –”

“I’m not a girl either,” Dean rushes to say. “I’m…neither. And kinda both. But mostly just neither. Cas calls it non-binary but I dunno what to call myself yet. If I even wanna call myself anything at all.”

“Huh,” Sam says. “You know, I always knew you were bi, but I never even suspected you weren’t cis.”

“Cis?”

“Not trans.”

“Oh, is that what it’s called? Cas couldn’t remember.” Dean blinks and points at Sam. “Wait, you know about this shit?”

“Of course I do,” Sam says. “The internet exists. And I thought I might not be a cis guy at one point, so I went researching, but I’m pretty sure I am. I did learn a lot, though. I know I don’t really care about gender when I’m into someone, but I have to be close to them to like them like that. That's why I'm so close to everyone I sleep with or get together with. I just never told you because you had your own stuff to deal with.”

“Fuckin’ nerd,” Dean mutters. Sam doesn’t even bitchface him this time, so Dean’s expecting some speech about how happy he is that Dean trusts him enough to confide him and whatever.

“Does that mean you’ll finally braid my hair for me?” Sam says with a smile so innocent that it’s dripping with guilt. Dean rolls his eyes and flips his brother off, then promptly regrets it when the moose turns all touchy-feely and pulls him into a hug.

“Fuck off, bitch,” Dean says into Sam’s plaid shirt.

“In your dreams, jerk.”