#and realizes why her dad and girlfriend like keeping theirs tucked away most of the time

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

hmm... in a "Charlie gets wings" scenario, which sparks more joy...

the idea of Charlie very awkwardly unfolding a pair of gold angel wings that almost perfectly match Adam's (the ones her mom would have had if Lilith hadn't gone all demon) except they have only one stripe (like Vaggie's) and Vaggie is gleefully assuring her gf that she wears them SO MUCH BETTER than Adam ever did

OR, Charlie deliberately giving herself a pair of dragon-like wings, to match with Razzle (and the fallen Dazzle), setting herself completely apart from angelic dad bc she's hellborn and proud of it

XD charlie getting the gold ones and being all "nooo.... nnnoooooooo i don't want those... icky, icky associations... let's just trade them out ok???"

and THEN making herself the demon wings like aaahhhh yessss MUCH better o^w^o

(vaggie waking up next morning to find Charlie not in bed but something overhead SNORES, and it's her girlfriend, her gf has become a sleepy demon-winged cocoon snuggle blob, hanging upside down from their bed canopy by her demon tail, crashing on top of vaggie with a yelp the moment vaggie tries tentatively poking her gf awake with one of her own feathery wings) (it Tickled)

[ladyreapermc]

Fic: Rules of Engagement Chapter 2

Summary: Henry and Em have been friends for almost ten years and involved in a casual affair for just as long. The rules were simple: no romantic attachment and their friends and family couldn’t know. Easy enough to do right? However, when new complications emerge, Henry and Em will need to navigate this relationship of theirs, if they can even call it that.  Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 04  | Chapter 5  | Chapter 06

Pairing: Henry Cavill x OFC (Emeline)

Wordcount: 4,5K

Warnings: some fluff and a tiny bit of angst

Author’s notes: I want to thank all the comments I got on the first chapter. I didn’t expect this series to get so much recognition. Thank you! Here’s chapter 02. I do hope you all enjoy it and once again I would love to read your feedback.

Chapter 02 - What are the odds?

As soon as Henry stepped out the car in front of the church, he couldn’t help but let his gaze wander, looking for Em. It was almost second nature to him by now, whenever he would meet their friends, his eyes instinctively looked for her.

This time they landed on Todd first, standing outside and holding his baby girl Sophie in his arms. Henry could already feel the smile tugging on his lips as he made his way over, adjusting his button-down and blazer in the process. Last time he had seen the girl, she had just been born, only a week before he had to travel and start shooting The Witcher, but Todd and Clara made sure to keep him updated with pictures of his future goddaughter.

“My God, mate! you’re huge!” Todd commented voice full of awe and Henry chuckled, too distracted by the baby in his friend’s arms.

There was a huge pink bow on top of her brown curly hair and her eyes were bright blue and staring at Henry as he made a couple of silly faces until he got a bubbly giggle.

“What are they doing to you?”

“You don’t want to know. Sorry, I’m late. My flight was delayed.”

“You’re not all that late. Em had wardrobe trouble and Clara is giving her a hand,” Todd said, chuckling as Henry offered his hands up to the toddler, and to his surprise, Sophie actually reached for him, asking to be taken and Henry smirked. “She’s 6 months and already under your charms,” Todd clicked his tongue, handing over the girl.

It was no secret that Henry loved children and children loved Henry. Not only that, but he was also actually good with them. Maybe it was all the nephews and nieces, maybe it was just his natural gift, but kids tended to be in his best behavior with him.

Someone’s got a booboo? Call uncle Henry to kiss it better. Crying fit over a stolen toy or a no? Uncle Henry will hold them until they feel better. Don’t want to sleep? Uncle Henry will tell stories and even do all the voices. Sugar high and need to tire them out? Uncle Henry is on the job with a good dose of Kal…

Henry truly didn’t mind being only a call away for his family and friends. Being the last-minute babysitter whenever he was in town and having a chance of spoiling them rotten. He loved being Uncle Henry but he just couldn’t wait for the day he would be the dad.

First, he needed to find a good partner but so far, his relationships had crashed and burned, some more epically than others. And Henry wasn’t getting any younger. He would hate to be one of those fathers that had their first kid in their fifties, but he was slowly approaching his forties and had yet to meet the woman he wanted to have that kind of commitment with.

Shaking himself out of those thoughts that would lead nowhere, Henry followed Todd to a sideway entrance of the church so they could go in without making much of a fuss. It seemed almost fate that just as they stepped inside, a small hidden door opened and both Clara and Em stepped out.

For a second, Henry just stared, because Em looked so beautiful in that form-fitting soft pink dress, her dark hair falling in elegant waves over her shoulders. He didn’t even notice the sigh he let out or the small snort that came from Todd.

Henry wasn’t in the habit of lying to himself, but he made an exception when it came to this because Em might be the only woman he ever really felt like he could have a long-term relationship with. They just clicked in every aspect.

She was funny and goofy, unafraid of giving him hell whenever he was getting a big head. She could be almost brutally honest at times, but Henry had become quite good at calling her out on it with just one look. Em never failed to make him laugh, and he knew that, aside from Clara, he was the only that got her to completely loosen up. And, of course, he couldn’t forget, that the sex was amazing.

Henry was still dreaming about their last encounter last month, the feel of her without any barriers, and how much trust she laid on him to even suggest such a thing. He loved her even more for it and if only she would stop being so stubborn and accept that she loved him too and that they were perfect together, Henry wouldn’t have this problem. Because he knew Em wanted kids too.

They had this conversation one drunken night about a year ago. She had just broken up with her latest boyfriend, for reasons he couldn’t remember, and came over with a bottle of bourbon ready to drown her sorrows.

It was a cool spring night and they lied in his garden watching the night sky and passing the bottle back and forth, complaining about life and love and everything in between. Kal lodged between them, snoring loudly and making them both fall in a fit of giggles every once in a while.

“Ok, confession time…” Em said, turning sideways to look at him. The way she squinted her eyes to see him made Henry laugh. “I miss the kingstache.” She traced the smooth skin of his upper lip and Henry grinned wide.

“You?” he asked in disbelief. “The one that mocked me the most? That called it a porn mustache?”

“Yes, alright?” she pouted at him knocking against Kal, alcohol impairing her coordination. The dog looked up startled and confused before slipping away from between them. “I miss it. It felt good, especially…”

“Especially what?” Henry asked, turning sideways too and now they were so close he could smell the whiskey in her breath; their noses almost bumping against one another.

“The feel of it whenever you were eating me out,” Em confessed, lip tucked between her teeth as they stared at each other. “And only you could rock a mustache like that, ok?”

“I love how honest you get when we put some alcohol in you,” he chuckled, pressing a kiss to her lips.

It was supposed to be just a soft peck but Em fisted his hoodie, holding him still while she explored his mouth in a sloppy kiss and Henry felt his body responding to it. The heat spreading, the stirring in his trousers but he pulled away and gave her a stern look.

“We shouldn’t. we’re drunk and nursing breakups…” he warned but she cut him off with another kiss. This one lasted longer, especially as she pressed her entire body against his, one hand coming to scratch his scalp just like Henry loved it and he moaned into the kiss.

“That’s why it’s perfect,” she mumbled. “We can fuck it out of our systems and move on… I don’t want the next guy to be a rebound.”

“Oh, but I can be? That’s lovely.” He arched an eyebrow, hurt and offended. She sat up and rolled her eyes.

“Like I wasn’t a rebound after most of your girlfriends, Hen? You know what? Forget it. I’m leaving.” Em got up in unsteady feet and Henry was by her side in a flash, helping to keep her upright. She could never hold her liquor all that well.

“You’re too drunk. Just stay here. I can get the guest room ready if you’re that pissed at me.”

“I’m not…” she sighed, resting again his chest, but looking away from him. “I really thought Alex was…”

“Really? I always knew he was a wanker.”

Henry felt the warm huff of her laugh against the exposed skin of his throat before she finally looked up at him, chin resting on his sternum, her big and warm brown eyes glassy, lids lowered, her cheeks flushed from alcohol. It was a beautiful sight and he loved how much shorter Em was; how she fitted in his embrace like she belonged there. Henry pushed the thought aside as he guided her inside and up the stairs.

“He was jealous of you, you know?” she flopped on the bed and let Henry take off her jeans, sweater, and bra. “I think he guessed that we have sex on occasion.”

Henry only hummed in reply, picking up one of his old shirts and helping her to put it on. It fit her almost like a dress, hanging almost at her knees, the neckline loose and slipping over her shoulder. He shouldn’t think it was this cute, but he couldn’t help himself. He bent closer, kissing her softly and Em sighed against his lips.

“I’m gonna grab some aspirin for you, please don’t hurl on my floor.”

She gave him a clumsy punch on the shoulder that Henry barely felt, and he chuckled all the way to the kitchen. He wished he could tell Em that he was glad Alex wasn’t the one and that he would like her to see Henry might be. They’ve been doing this for 8 years now and it was probably the longest relationship he had with anyone. If you could call periodically hooking up with a good friend a relationship.

He got back to the room and Em was already asleep, head buried on his pillow and Henry felt bad for waking her up but if she didn’t take anything right now, it would be worst in the morning. For both of them. He shook her lightly and she blinked blearily at him, but still accepting the pill he put in her hand and the sip of water he offered.

“Thanks, Hen. I love you,” she slurred, and Henry chuckled, setting the glass aside while he took off his clothes.

Em would always blurt that out when she was this drunk and it always warmed his heart, giving him hope until the bright light of the day came and he realized that no matter how many times she would say it, Em would still fight this pull between them.

“You’re welcome, love.”

He crawled in bed with her and Em immediately settled against him, tugging on his arm until Henry was spooning her, holding her tight. She was such a cuddler and he loved it. He loved to fall asleep with his nose buried in her head, inhaling the scent of sugar and spice that clung to her. He loved the feel of her warm skin and the soft snores that she never admitted she let out or the way she clung to his hand until she fell asleep.

It was sweet torture to have her like this, knowing that when morning came, Em would be out the door, both of them going their separate ways. But at least for those blissful hours, in the darkness of the night, Henry could pretend otherwise.  

For a while, there was only silence and Henry thought she had fallen asleep again. He was almost drifting off himself when she spoke again.

“You will be the perfect partner for some lucky lady out there,” she whispered, her voice surprisingly coherent considering how drunk she was. “And a great dad.”

“Thanks, Em,” Henry smiled and kissed her temple.

“I’m terrified of having kids,” Em confessed quietly, turning in his arms so they could look at each other in the darkness. “I mean, I didn’t have the greatest role model for a family.”

Henry pushed some hairs away from her face, looking at the big doe eyes staring at him with a glimmer of wetness. He knew her mom left when she was very young and her dad was… well, interesting.

“Do you want to?” he asked, thumb caressing her jaw. “Have kids, I mean?” she nodded, a flitting smile sneaking into her face.

“Yeah, two,” she said softly. “Because I hated being an only child. Good thing I had Clara. How about you?”

“I always thought at least three,” he replied, smiling too. “I want my house full, just like I had growing up.”

“At least?” she cocked an eyebrow at him, and Henry chuckled and shrugged. “I guess that sounds good too, maybe a little chaotic… I mean, how would that work with you and your wife working full time?”

“I would take some time off, of course…” Henry said, lying on his back, one arm around her, the other bent beneath his head. “I’m doing pretty well financially, and I could afford to spend some time off-screen or maybe take smaller roles, local productions…”

“You really thought this out, huh?” Em asked head tilted his way and Henry nodded. He lost count how many times he envisioned this scenario, the only thing that usually changed was the face he pictured for the woman in his life. “You would turn the guest room into a nursery?”

“At first, yeah, but I definitely would want a bigger place,” he said, drawing patterns on her arm. “A little farther away from the city, with a nice kitchen and a big master bedroom. A garden so Kal can run around and the kids could have a playground, maybe even a treehouse…”

“That sounds nice, I’d like that,” she mumbled, her eyes fluttering close, her breath evening out. With one last smile, Henry kissed her brow and let himself drift off too.

That conversation had stayed with him for way longer than it should. Em didn’t remember any of it of course, but Henry did because it seeded something in his heart that he had to work hard to ignore whenever they were together.

Henry guessed it could be seen as a small blessing that their hookups weren’t happened all that often anymore, even if they were both single. He also couldn’t help but notice that when they did end up together, Em seemed to fight the pull that existed between them until she finally relented and fell in bed with him. It made him wonder what changed. Why she felt like they couldn’t have this anymore.

“Henry! You’re here!” Clara greeted him with a kiss on the cheek before she looked down at her daughter comfortably settled on his arms. “And you already charmed Sophie, I see.” She looked at Todd with a grin. “You owe me a tenner.”

Todd rolled his eyes, taking the girl from Henry so they could walk into the church with their daughter, while Henry and Em took their places at the altar, side by side and he gave her a sideways glance to have a better look at her.

“You look nice.”

“You too,” she smiled at him. Her soft, glossy lips looked so tempting that Henry had to discreetly shift his stance to adjust himself.

“What was wrong with your dress?” His gaze lingered on the generous neckline that gave a very nice view of her cleavage. “Looks really good. Especially your tits. They look bigger somehow.”

“Henry!” Em hissed sharply with a glare, but he could see she was fighting off a smile. “But you might actually be right because I busted a seam under my arm and Clara had to sew it back together.”

Before Henry could comment on anything else, the ceremony started and they returned to their best behavior. Todd and Clara brought Sophie forward, handing the girl to Henry and Em so she could be baptized and they were named her godparents.

It was hardly a surprise for them that the couple had invited them, especially because Henry had Todd as a fifth brother and he knew Em viewed Clara as a sister, but they were both honored by the invitation.

Once the ceremony was over, everyone started to head to Todd and Clara’s place for the celebration. Henry was about to ask Em for a ride since he had taken a taxi but froze when he saw her heading to a car with a guy he didn’t know.

“Hey Todd,” he caught his friend who was on his way to say goodbye to a few guests that wouldn’t be able to make to the party. “Who’s that?”

“That’s Jack,” Todd said, following Henry’s gaze, catching sight of Em chatting with the blonde man. “He’s a friend of Clara’s. He and Em met a couple of months ago.”

“They’re dating?” Henry asked with a frown and uncomfortable burn in his stomach, like acid reflux. He had to swallow hard against the urge to puke.

“I don’t know,” Todd shrugged. “But they seemed to have hit off pretty well.”

As if on cue, Em’s laugh rang loud and bright as Jack held the door open so she could slide inside, and Henry had to clench his jaw to stop himself from cursing. From the look on Todd’s face, his friend noticed.

“Need a ride?” he asked, pulling Henry’s attention back him. “My brother is heading off right now.”

“Yes, thanks.”

Henry tried to push the thoughts of Em and the Jack bloke aside, pay at least a little bit of attention to whatever Todd’s brother was droning on and on, but it seemed to be an impossible task. Fortunately, the younger man didn’t seem to need his interaction to make conversation, so Henry just hummed occasionally, looking out the window. He wondered why Em didn’t mention Jack at all last time they saw each other.

Sure, it was a quick visit, but they did talk a lot before they ended up in bed together. It would have been nice to know in advance that she was dating. Was she dating? Em didn’t strike him as the kind of woman that would hook up with someone else if she was seeing another but maybe that was why she was so reluctant to sleep with him last few times?

Before Henry could reach any conclusion, they arrived and he thanked Todd’s brother for the ride before letting his gaze wander through the small gathering of people, locating Em. She was unsurprisingly surveying the cake and pastries since her bakery provided every single treat offered at this party.

Henry didn’t taste anything yet, but he knew they were delicious. Em had a unique talent for baking and it was no wonder her store was becoming more and more popular. He knew part of it was her perfectionism. Even though her team worked with her for years now and knew exactly how she would plan tables and displays, she still needed to survey everything, making sure it was up to her standards.

He took a step in her direction, but before he could go any further, Clara called his name and caught his arm in a soft but firm grip, giving the guest she was talking to a small smile of apology before tugging him to the side.

“Just the man I wanted to see,” she smiled and for a relatively small woman, she could be very intimidating. It was something to do with her piercing blue eyes that always seemed to see right through him. “Have you met Jack?”

“Not really,” he replied in surprise and confusion. Sometimes it felt like Clara could read his mind or something.

“Let me introduce you to him, then,” Clara said, pulling him along and Henry didn’t have in him to protest. He was after all curious about the man. “And please, be nice and make an effort to like him.”

“What does it matter if I like him or not?”

Clara turned to face Henry, her eyes narrowed as she stared him down, and weirdly enough, Henry felt like shrinking into himself at the weight of her stare. No wonder she was such an amazing prosecutor. That one stare was enough to make him want to confess all his crimes.

“So, you don’t know?”

“Know what?” Henry asked. This was one of the most cryptic conversations he had ever had, and he had to do interviews about DCEU without giving any spoilers. Clara heaved a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest.

“You’re Em’s judge.”

“Sorry, I’m what?”

“Em’s judge. For a man’s character. If you don’t like a man she’s seeing or interested in, she’ll dump their arse like a hot potato. You never noticed?”

“No! Clara, that’s… insane! I have no saying in who Em dates.” Henry huffed an awkward breath as he watched his friend. She could not be serious, but from the way she was looking at him, he knew she met every word.

“We both know you don’t have to say anything.” Clara rolled her eyes at him. “Honestly, I’m surprised that Alex lasted as long as he did considering your face turned sour everything time he was around. It was like you had shit stuck under your nose. But regardless if you believe it or not, could you make an effort with Jack? I really think he could be great for Em.”

“Fine!” Henry sighed just wanting to get out of this conversation. “But not right now. I haven’t eaten in six hours and I’m starting to get dizzy.”

“Thank you!” She flashed him a bright smile. “Head to the kitchen and grab something. Brunch will still be a while.” She came to her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek before walking away before Henry could even process what was happening.

Henry stood there for a few moments like gaping fish, still trying to wrap his head around the entire conversation but giving up because when it came to Clara, she was lightyears ahead of them on some things. He might as well do what he was told and get a snack before he passed out.

To Henry’s surprise, when he got to the kitchen, he found Em at the sink, finishing up a sandwich that she handed him as soon as he stepped closer.

“What’s this?”

“Toasted wheat bread, no crust, turkey slices, and that tasteless cheese you actually like. Honey mustard, but no mayo,” she said, leaning against the counter and giving him a smile when Henry’s stomach rumbled. “I figured you didn’t have time to grab a bite to eat at the airport...”

“I didn’t. Thanks,” he grinned at her, taking a bite and groaning loudly, making Em chuckle.

“Settle down, Cavill. It’s not that good,” she joked, popping a piece of turkey on her mouth, but grimacing. “Urgh, this taste like cardboard.”

“You’re ok?” he frowned at Em.

“Yeah, just feeling a little queasy all morning,” she replied. “But I have to eat something or my blood sugar gonna plummet.”

Abandoning his sandwich for a second, Henry moved closer to her, resting the back of his hand against her forehead and then neck, frowning lightly.

“You are a little hot.”

“Thanks,” she flashed him a cheeky smile that made Henry chuckle.

“You know what I mean.” He cupped her cheek and it was a testament of how bad she much be feeling if Em was actually letting her guard down and allowing this small intimate moment in a place anyone could walk in on them. “You might be coming down with something.”

“Fuck! I hope not. This is one of my busiest months,” she let out a long exhale, and maybe it was just Henry’s wishful thinking, but he thought Em might have stepped closer, almost leaning into him and all he wanted was to take her in his arms and hold her.

“Am I interrupting?” Clara cleared his throat, making them both jump and turn to stare at her guiltily as she looked at them with a knowing smirk.

Henry wondered why she seemed to be everywhere. He knew it was this sort of gift every great hostess had but it could be very annoying when all he wanted was some privacy with Em.

“No,” Em recovered first, stepping away from Henry. “I’m just not feeling well, and Henry was checking up on me.”

Clara just hummed, coming closer and mimicking Henry’s actions, her brow drawing into a frown.

“I don’t think you have a fever, but you’re a little hot. Maybe it’s just that time of the month?” she asked, giving Henry a sideways glance.

“No, I had my period…” Em trailed off with a thoughtful frown as if she couldn’t exactly recall and Clara chuckled.

“You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d joke you’re pregnant,” Clara teased with a smile. “I mean, the bloating and nausea and all that? Anyway, just lie down for a while. You’re probably just overworked.”

Once again, Clara was gone like a quick whirlwind, leaving Henry and Em to stare at each other in shock. He knew his eyes were wide and he was stunned into silence. Em just looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“No!” she snapped once Henry recovered enough to try to say something. “Don’t even think it, Henry. It was once and I have an IUD. It can’t be.”

“You’re right,” he agreed quickly, but his heart was still thundering in his chest, his hands sweaty and he could barely breathe, terror and excitement mingled together in his chest, but he didn’t dare to voice it. Not when Em looked like she was about to throw up.

“Clara’s right. I’m just tired,” she sounded like she was trying to convince herself, not Henry. “I just need a good night of sleep. That’s all. So, we’re not gonna talk about this, because it’s impossible. What are the odds of actually happening?”

Less than 1 percent, Henry found out later, once he was at home and couldn’t sleep, still thinking about the entire thing. He googled it to calm his nerves, surprised by the hint of disappointment he felt at learning it was next to impossible. It wasn’t enough to stop him from thinking and wondering, though.

Enough so that when he heard the sound of his doorbell, Henry nearly jumped out of his skin. It was a noise he practically had forgotten about since Kal would always announce newcomers way before they could ring it. But Kal was back in Budapest. It didn’t make sense to bring him over when Henry would only be staying a day.

Henry glanced at his clock, frowning at the late hour as he made his way downstairs and pulled his door open. Em pushed her way inside, her face tearstained and a mask of fury as she threw something his way. Henry caught by reflex, before staring at her in confusion.

“I hate you, Cavill! I fucking hate you!” she declared, sniffling and hugging herself.

“Em, what…?” he didn’t get to finish his question, because she gestured at the object he was still holding. Henry finally looked down, eyes widening when he realized it was a pregnancy test. One of those pharmacy types and it was positive.

“I did five of them. All positive,” she said, rubbing her face dry and glaring at him. “Damn you and your fucking Superman sperm!”

Henry stared at her wordless, still clinging to the white stick in his hand.

“What are we gonna do?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t know how.

chapter 01                                     x(tbc)x                                           chapter 03

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if your url is crossedout, tumblr didn’t let me tag you.

[percywinchester27]

Tic Tac Toe (Part-13)

Word count: 4.9k-ish

Pairing: Sam X Reader

Warnings: Angst, Feels, Fluff! 

Series Summary: The reader shifts into a new city after being offered a dream job by a big firm. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect after an ugly break-up with a douche-bag Ex. But things turn out not as dreamy as she’d want them to be and the only thing that keeps her smiling is a totally coincidental game of Tic Tac Toe.

A/N: Okay I LOVE this chapter. For so many reasons!! I hope you guys do too :)

Please leave some feedback? It’s what keeps me going. LOVE Y’all!

Beta: The forever awesome @sdavid09 and my darling @vougebandit. You guys rock!!

Catch up: Part 1, Tic Tac Toe Masterlist

As you closed your eyes, scooting as close as possible to Sam without touching him in that tiny bed, you vowed that tomorrow, you'd make it up to him, because he was worth so much more than the trivial accusations. He was the best and you promised yourself that you'd do everything to show him exactly that...

Reader's POV:

You opened your eyes, feeling the chill settle in every part of your body. The room was light, so you guessed it was morning already, but it wasn't light enough to be too late. How you wished that you had woken up like yesterday, innocently nestled in Sam's arms, but he was still sleeping ramrod straight on his back, away from you. The only contact was where your hand rested on his stomach as you slept on your side facing him.

His face didn't look as serene as you'd come to expect, but the creases on his forehead weren't too pronounced either. They were sublime and it made you feel horrible. The corners of your eyes pricked and you gulped, willing yourself to be stronger. This was your screw up so you didn't get to play the victim here.

Carefully, you scooted closer to Sam on the ridiculously small bed. He'd had to sleep on the extreme edge to achieve the feat of not touching you at all. Was he that upset? Was he that mad? It made you hesitate, but then you made up your mind and pushed your hand farther, wrapping it around his waist and snuggling close to him.

Sam stilled underneath you, and you immediately closed your eyes, groaning sleepily.

You could feel Sam draw in a deep breath, before his hand settle over your head, hesitantly. It lingered there for a fraction of a second and then he removed it. You could hear his small sigh.

"Is there any chance you'd consider forgiving me?" You asked in a small voice.

Sam gently disentangled his torso from your limbs, and propped himself up on his elbows. "Y/N?"

Timidly, you peeked up at him. His eyes were confused but clear like the morning sky. There was no anger or resentment there.

"Why would I be angry with you?"

"Because of last night?" You looked down. It would have been better if Sam was angry, because you couldn't offer an explanation when he wasn't asking for one.

"You mean for pretending to be asleep when I came in, and then walking out on me in the dead of the night?"

"Yes that." You hung your head.

Sam put a finger underneath your chin and lifted it up. You looked up to see that he was smiling a small smile. You launched into an explanation still.

"I just… I am so sorry…"

"Shhhh…." He put a finger to your lips. "Why are you saying sorry?"

"Because," you started slowly, "Because I think I hurt you."

"No you did not," Sam said firmly. "Last night, I asked you to wait up for me, and then when I figured out that you were pretending to sleep, and later when you walked out, I was afraid that maybe I pushed you too soon."

Oh god! Sam was making this about himself, when it wasn't.

He continued. "I know it's been just a week, and you're right, it is too soon. I should have realized that you must still be not ready… after what happened with your Ex."

You simply stared at him. All that time you'd spent worrying that Sam would be angry with you, he'd been beating himself up and feeling guilty about something that had nothing to do with yesterday. But like hell you were going to tell him the truth. It was better to let him feel guilty about this than telling him what happened last evening. You didn't want to cause a fight between Sam and John.

"Why didn't you talk to me last night? Why didn't you stop me from going away?" You asked.

"I-I wanted to. But I was scared that if I stopped you, I'd just push you further away," he said, running his fingers through his hair.

"No, Sam!" You said finally, not able to keep it in. "It's not you. You can never push me, you are not that person. I just wasn't in a good space and I didn't want to drag you with me. I was so scared that I'd hurt you in the process."

You expected Sam to refute your apology, but he seemed deep in thought.

"I thought you had decided to go sleep in the guest room actually, and I couldn't sleep so I took a walk downstairs to the pier, to clear my head, and I saw you there, sitting with Dean."

You stilled. "What?"

"Yeah," he said. "The two of you were talking, so I turned and walked back up. Put out clothes for you and then went to sleep."

"But I thought you couldn't sleep," you pointed out.

"Yeah I had been over thinking before, but then I saw you with Dean and that relaxed me a little. I figured Dean would make everything alright," he shrugged, making you smile.

"He's kind of awesome, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he gets it from me," Sam smirked.

"Shut up!" You giggled, and he laughed with you, the sound echoing off the tiny cluttered walls. You couldn't help yourself. You slowly leaned forward, making your intentions perfectly clear and captured his lips in yours, kissing him slowly, but deeply.

Sam's hand reflexively came up to brush the hair out of your face, as he closed his eyes, the other hand clutching at the exposed skin of your lower back where the plaid had ridden up. You moaned into his mouth when you felt his skin come in contact with yours and your hands tugged at the hem of his T-shirt.

Sam's hands immediately cuffed your wrists, tucking them at your side, as he pulled away. You gave him a confused look, and he shook his head.

"Not like this, Y/N. Not because you feel like you have to, and certainly not because you think it's your job to make up for what happened yesterday. We'll do it only because we want to."

You wanted to tell him that he was wrong. That you were doing this because you wanted to, but he was right. Even though most of you wanted to do this, had wanted to do this since the minute you set eyes on him, there was a part of you that felt guilty about last night. Taking this next step because of any reason apart from love would be unfair to Sam, unfair to both of you.

You sighed and rolled over, but Sam's hand shot out to grip you before you completely fell over.

"Hey," he whispered softly, his face coming to nuzzle your neck. "I love you!"

"I love you too," you smiled, wondering for the umpteenth time how in the name of everything that is holy did you get so lucky?

"C'mon handsome," you slapped his back lightly, "We need to be up and about. I'll hit the showers first."

The breakfast was an awkward affair. You tried to be perfectly polite to both John and Mary, but that also made you awfully formal. John seemed to be a little surprised, and Mary seemed on edge, but it was good that Sam hadn't really seen you interact with his parents much to note the difference.

He did seem bemused at the lack of conversation though, but you had decided to hold your own in front of John. Sure the company was his, but right now, he was your boyfriend's dad and whatever image he might be harboring of you wasn't true, so you weren't going to steal looks, no. You were going to raise that chin and walk around with dignity. John Winchester could suck it.

The weirdest thing was, as formal as you were with John, Sam was even more so. Their conversation mostly revolved around the big employee shift from the head office to one in Lawrence and from Lawrence to unit 3. It seemed even more prescribed than office meetings. You tried to pay complete attention to your conversation with Mary, but snippets could still be overheard from theirs.

You gathered that there was supposed to be some big send off party in the evening for all the staff moving around. That, and the fact that January was going to be one hell of a month because of all the management changes. You didn't know whether you were excited for it, or already tired at the prospect.

It was only when Mary had disappeared into the kitchen to get more eggs that you really paid attention. It seemed that Sam was refusing to be at the party.

Later, when the two of you were out shopping, you brought it up with him.

"Why do you not want to go that party?"

"So you heard that huh?" He asked, his eyes not giving away anything.

"Yeah, I caught bits and parts," you shrugged. "So why do you not want to go?"

Sam considered for a minute, before slowly saying, "It's a campfire. I-I thought maybe you wouldn't want to go."

"Why wouldn't I?" You smirked. "Don't you want to show off your new girlfriend?"

All the worry dissipated from Sam's eyes. "Of course I want to."

The two of you spent the morning getting you some clothes. A couple tank tops and pajama shorts. That would suffice till you went to your mom's place for New Year. Despite the jokes you'd made with Dean, you paid for your own clothes.

That afternoon, Sam took you to a small but very comfortable bistro. He did all those things you knew he would, like pulling chairs, opening doors, asking you to pick what you wanted to eat instead of just picking it for you, but it still surprised you. Mark was a dick, and you shouldn't even be thinking of comparing Sam to him, but Sam's gentlemanly instincts took you by surprise anyway.

"Are you gonna tell me which embarrassing stories Dean told you about me last night?" Sam asked. His tone was light, but you could sense that he was curious.

"Just one," you winked. "Something about a failed math test."

Sam chuckled. "Of course he had to tell that!"

"He came there looking for you actually," you told him. "Thought he'd find you there. Guess, he wasn't wrong after all, was he?"

"No he wasn't." Sam smiled.

The rest of the conversation flowed easily, but you couldn't help but wonder whether Sam had something on his mind. You wanted to ask him, but you also knew that if he was ready to share, he'd do it himself. When it was time to leave and both you and Sam were in the car, he looked you deep in the eyes.

"Do you really want to go the campfire?" He asked earnestly.

"Do you?" You countered.

In that one second, he slipped. You could see through him, that he was hesitating taking you there, and for the life of you, you couldn't fathom why.

"Look, if you don't wanna go, we don't have to," you told him. "It doesn't matter whether I want to or not, because I want to spend the evening with you."

He gave you a long searching look, before you saw the resolve form in his eyes. "You want to go, so we are going."

"But-"

"Don't worry about it, okay?"

Sam's POV:

The night was very chilly, and Sam was worried about the fact that Y/N didn't have a coat. The afternoon had been relatively warm and during all the shopping it hadn't occurred to either of them to buy a coat.

Sam smiled to himself as he shrugged out of his own coat and offered it to Y/N. "Here," he said. "It's getting cold."

She grinned slyly up at him and Sam could have kissed her then and there.

"Don't go thinking you can keep this one too," he reminded her. "You already have one of mine."

"I plan to do no such thing, Sir," she looked up at him through her long lashes, making his heart skip a beat. She was doing it on purpose and that warmed his panicked heart a bit as they walked towards the backyard of the house where a huge campfire had been set up.

Sam could feel his pulse quicken the moment he saw the roaring fire. It seemed to meet the sky as the flames consumed the fuel, reducing it to red hot embers. He didn't realise he'd stopped walking till Y/N tugged at his arm.

"Sam?" She asked softly.

He resumed walking, knowing how this must look to her and he hated himself for not being completely able to assuage her insecurities. He could guess what she was thinking, that he was embarrassed to show her off in front of his staff, as if such a belief could even exist. Truth be told, Sam felt proud to be walking next to her. She was kind and charming and so very brave, and that was why he was reluctant to come to the campfire, especially with her.

She was brave, and he wasn't.

He knew he should have told her the moment she first asked, but he could also see the excitement in her eyes at the mention of the gathering. And so he didn't. He didn't tell her how excruciatingly scared he was of fire, and of having her anywhere near fire.

Scenes from the night before's nightmare flashed across his vision. The burning house, the restraining hands and the dying scream… Y/N's scream. Sam had to fight the urge to tightly grasp Y/N's hand and drag her as far away from the scene before him as possible. Hide her from his own cruel fate, but he knew his thoughts were selfish, just like his fears. He held Y/N just a little tighter.

A slap on his back pulled Sam away from his thoughts.

"Long time, no see, son!"

Sam turned around to see Bobby, and he could help the smile that spread across his lips.

"Bobby!" He exclaimed and hugged the old man. "How've you been doing?"

"Good, good! Just missing the good old days, ya know," he said, turning towards Y/N. "You must be Y/N Y/L/N, right? Jo's told us so much about you, and how talented you are."

Y/N gave him a genuine smile. "Likewise Mr. Singer. It's good to finally meet you."

Sam could see Ellen just beyond the burning stack, deep in conversation with Jo and Dean, who seemed to be sweating bullets. Sam knew it had nothing to do with the campfire and Dean's nervousness over the proposal made him smile.

Sam thought it was great that Jo was choosing to stay back in Lawrence after the shift, but he had to admit, as happy as he was for his brother, he was going to miss having her around. They made their way towards her and Jo hugged Y/N hard.

"This is my mom, Ellen," she introduced Ellen, "and my cousin Castiel."

"It's Cas," Cas shook hands with Y/N before pulling Sam into a hug. "It's great to see you Sam."

"Same, Cas," Sam smiled. He then turned to Y/N. "Cas is also an associate with the firm, Y/N."

"And my best friend," Dean piped in. He still looked pale and Sam had to control his grin.

He watched closely as Dean stepped forward and pulled Y/N into a brief hug. She too willingly wrapped her hands around his waist and whispered something in his ear and then both of them laughed. It was a private moment and Sam let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Up until this point he hadn't realized how important it was to him for Y/N to like Dean and Dean to like her back. They were the two most important people to him now. And seeing them like this made him feel relieved.

Sam watched Y/N disentangle from Dean and converse politely with Cas and Ellen and he couldn't help but feel like the luckiest guy in the world. She was doing so much for him, meeting his family, adjusting to his life especially after what had happened at the office.

He owed her the truth. She deserved to know why he didn't want her to come to the campfire.

Sam bowed his head so it was close to her ear and whispered. "Wanna get out of here?"

She gave him a questioning look which changed into a resigned one. "Sure," she smiled.

He took her hand and guided her towards the back porch. From there, the view of the campfire was clearly visible, but it was far away from eavesdropping ears. Sam led her to the creaky swing and sat down on in, pulling her besides him. She sat willingly enough, her hair swirling around her face. Sam took the stolen moment to himself as he tucked it back in its place.

"We shouldn't have come here, if you didn't want to-"

"be seen with you?" He completed, leaving her dumbstruck.

"Well yeah," she shrugged, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes.

"You really thought that was the reason, didn't you?" Sam looked at her, while she wrangled her fingers in her lap.

"You remember the other night? When I called you at 3 in the morning?"

Y/N looked up and nodded, but it was clear that this was the last thing she had expected him to say. "Yeah, I remember."

"I obviously didn't call you only because I wanted to hear your voice," he laughed mirthlessly, but she was still listening very attentively.

"I- I have trouble sleeping, Y/N. I think you know this, but when I was just an intern at WAA, my house burned down to ground. My then girlfriend, Jessica, she died in that fire." Sam looked up to see your face, expecting god knows what, but instead he found a look of utter compassion there.

"I'm sorry, Sam… I knew that, but I didn't bring it up with you because I knew you would tell me about it when you were ready."

Sam nodded. He gulped once before speaking. "I reached there in time, you know. They told me the fire had been raging on for a couple hours now and that there was no chance that she could be alive. So they didn't let me go in. I struggled and yanked against the arms holding me back, but they wouldn't give up. They didn't give up till I gave up. And you know what? She was alive in there. Somehow she was still alive. We heard her scream that one last dying scream. If only I hadn't listened to them, there was a chance that I could have saved her."

Y/N looked alarmed. "Sam… If you are trying to say that what happened to Jessica was your fault-"

"But wasn't it?" Sam countered, his voice raising off his own accord. "It was Y/N! I should never have given up. But the truth is, it's all my fault, because I was too damn scared to go into that fire."

"Sam what are you saying?" She asked in a low voice.

He took a deep breath to compose himself, before speaking again. "When I was 6 months old, my nursery caught fire." If Y/N had looked alarmed before, she was looking horrified now. Sam continued, "I of course don't remember any of it, but I have a scar on my back from where my skin was burned. I would have died… but mom… she saved me. She pulled me into her arms and took the worst of it upon herself."

"Jesus Christ, Sam," she whispered, horror struck. "How did the two of you survive?"

"Dad pulled her out," Sam said, his voice starting to break a little. "He pulled her out, and Dean saved me from the fire. Her burns weren't intensive, mostly just superficial, but she took a hit to her head because of a beam. There was severe concussion and that landed her in coma. She was there for 4 years."

"4 years?" Y/N was appalled.

"Yeah," Sam sighed. "That and years of therapy after that to get her completely on her feet like she is now. Dean practically raised me. He's been more of a parent to me that either of them actually. I owe just about everything I achieved in my life to him." It was true, and Sam was proud to admit it. Dean was there every time Sam had needed him, as a brother, as a parent and a best friend.

"What about John?"

Sam scoffed. "Every time he saw me, it reminded him of what had happened to his happy family, I guess. He drowned himself in work when mom was in the hospital… Guess he and I are not that different after all, are we?"

Her hands came to cup his face and Sam was shocked to see the tears swimming in her eyes. "Don't say that, Sam. You are a person of your own, and you are very brave."

Sam wanted to believe her, but he couldn't because that was a lie, and she needed to know that. She needed to see him for who he really was.

"Am I, Y/N?" He asked, looking away. "So I was scared of fire, so I was afraid of what had happened to mom, but that didn't give me the right to give up on my girlfriend. She could have been saved, and it's all my damn fault!"

"No Sam, it isn't. For god's sake stop saying it. You didn't give up on her. You would have given up only if you knew she was alive and you had purposely chosen to ignore that. Instead you fought for her even when everyone was convinced she was dead. The fact that she hadn't been, isn't your fault. And who knows, even if you had gone in there to rescue her, there's no saying if she would have made it or not."

"But-"

"No buts Sam," She said firmly. "The sooner you accept that it wasn't your fault, the easier this will be. And she would have wanted you to have your peace of mind. Don't you think?"

He didn't look up. Truth was, he didn't want to look into her beautiful eyes, because there would be empathy there, something he didn't think he deserved.

He felt the swing move as she stepped down and came to stand in between his legs.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that, I truly am, but I'm not going to let you be scared of fire forever."

"You don't understand," Sam shouted, looking at her wildly. "More than the fire, I am scared of you being near it, Y/N. That night, the nightmare wasn't about Jess burning, it was about you."

It happened so fast that Sam didn't have time to catch his breath, but suddenly she wasn't standing between his legs, she was climbing up his lap. Her fingers fisted in his hair as her mouth met his. There was hunger and desperation as if to prove a point to him, and as Sam pulled her against his chest, he understood it. Instead of telling him, she was trying to show it to him. She was trying to tell him that she wasn't going anywhere, that she wasn't leaving him.

She pulled back, to catch her breath, and Sam couldn't help but chase her lips, wanting to revel in the comfort she was providing, but she held her own, staring into his eyes with the passion of the burning sun.

"C'mon," she murmured, tugging at his hand, as she climbed down from his lap.

"Where are we going?" Sam asked, his voice hoarse.

She kissed their entwined hand before leading him on. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life," he said, without skipping a beat.

"Then come…"

Reader's POV:

You wanted to scream at something, at someone about how unfair it was that Sam was the one to suffer.

You looked at him once as you led him on. His white shirt was wrinkled and the top button was undone. His tie was hanging loosely and his soft, smooth hair was disheveled. To anyone who would look upon the two of you now, would have a completely different idea about what you had been up to, but one look at Sam and that idea would fall apart.

He looked scared. Scared and lost, like a small boy. You knew from every hint his body was giving that he didn't want to be here, that he didn't want you to be here, but you still dragged him towards the roaring flames.

When you were 10 feet away, Sam stopped. He looked you dead in the eyes and shook his head, pleading you to not go nearer. His eyes were terrified and beseeching. But instead, you shrugged out of his coat and tied it around your waist as you walked back towards him. The night was still cold, and the brilliant fire was a source of warmth and comfort.

You slid your arm around his waist, placing a soft kiss on his chest, and gently urged him forwards.

"You trust me," you reminded him. "I'm not going anywhere."

You could feel him take a deep, shaky breath as he stared into the fire and took the next couple of steps with you.

You stepped ahead and pulled both his hands forward, rolling the sleeves of his shirt till his elbows and lifted his hands along with yours so that the palms were facing the fire and once again stepped in front of him, so that you were shielding his body with yours.

"It's alright to feel the warmth," you told him, kissing his shoulder. "It's not going to hurt me, or you… I'm not gonna let that happen."

You could feel a lot of eyes on you. Employees, Sam's friends and family. Out of the corner of your eyes, you could see Dean smiling too, but the shaking hands within yours were more important right now.

You didn't know how long you stood like that, but at last the shaking stopped, Sam's pounding heart behind you, picked a more steady rhythm and you turned to look at him. He was still staring into the fire, but the expression on his face was calmer. Suddenly he looked down and offered you a small relieved smile. You were sure that your answering smile was huge.

The two of you spent the rest of the evening huddled on the ground on the same spot, not too close to the fire, but not too far either, quietly cheering for them as Dean dropped down on one knee and proposed to Jo, who sank down next to him and breathed her yes.

You softly kissed Sam, celebrating your own little victory along with theirs. When Dean and Jo came around after meeting everyone, Dean hugged both Sam and you a little harder. His hold lingered as he hugged and then surprised you by kissing you on the forehead. His eyes were shinning when he pulled back.

Sam was still quiet when you walked up to your room later that night, relinquishing his hold on you, only when he had to change. You took the bathroom and changed into you new tank top and pajama shorts. By the time you stepped out, Sam was already in bed, staring up at the fan. You slipped in between the covers besides him, snuggling up to him without a second thought.

You were proud of what he had achieved today, and the fact that he had trusted you with it. So much, that it made you want to cry.

"I sleep better with you around, you know," he said, still not taking his eyes off the fan. "That first night when you fell asleep on the sofa next to me, I didn't even realize that it was already morning. I hadn't slept that well in years."

"Well, I am glad to be of service," you muttered through a thick throat. Now was not the time to cry. "I love you, Sam."

He looked at you with shy eyes and did something you'd never have expected. He ducked his head and hid face in the hollow beneath your neck, hiding as much of him as he could manage in your arms. "I love you too, Y/N, more than I can put in words."

You hugged him a little closer, as the tears finally made their way, falling over the bridge of your nose and seeping into his hair while you made efforts to roll your eyes so Sam wouldn't know. Was it possible to love someone so much that it seemed like your heart was about to burst? Because it seemed like yours was about to. You wanted to protect Sam at all costs and it was a ridiculous notion because a man of his stature, both physically and logically did not require protection. He was powerful in his own world, but in your hands he seemed to fall apart, and that scared you. It truly scared you that you held such power over him.

So it took you a while to get your emotions under control, and manage to croak a reply. "So don't… don't put it into words."

But Sam was already asleep, breathing softly into your hair. You brushed it out of his face, and kissed his forehead once. The last thought as you closed your eyes was a promise that as long as you were around, you would never let such insane fear cross his mind, even if it was the last damn thing you did.

A/N 2: THANKS GUYS! Last time I asked for love, and y’all poured it on me. I can’t possibly tell you how thankful I am. It was a very very hard time for me. I am mostly through it, but that support meant the world! PLEASE do consider leaving some feedback this time too :) It adds years to my life! Y’all are the fucking BEST!

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