#and then when I said this my dad said I should talk to my priest about this WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN

[itsallwearecalledtodo]

why are people so resistant to taking a less harmful path? there are wasps starting to build a nest on our front porch and I suggested putting up a decoy nest only to be met with ridicule. even if it doesn’t work at least we tried? why kill something if you don’t have to? why is our first response to a possible inconvenience a path of destruction?

[satowooo]

" YOU'RE THE ONE I WANT IN PAPER RINGS. . ."

I like shiny things but I'll marry you with paper rings ft. gojo satoru, geto suguru, choso kamo, nanami kento.

contents. fluff, fluff, fluff, not proofread.

౨ৎ GOJO SATORU

“Shush, don't look!”

Satoru had been focused on folding a piece of paper for the past 30 minutes now, ever since you two sat on a table and planned to make paper flowers for the students to celebrate the year end. You just asked him about what he's doing, only to be replied with a scolding and him turning his back on you to hide the piece of paper. You could hear his small grunts and complaints every single time he messed up and redid it all over again, noticing him folding it in a different way from a paper flower and it was even cut smaller. It was the first time you had seen him struggling over a matter as small as folding papers, when he wasn't even having a hard time on the paper flowers earlier though, and Satoru seems to not be fond of not getting everything his way on an easier path either.

Since when did making paper rings become so difficult anyway?

“Okay. You don't want me to help with whatever that is?”

“No. Just stay put.”

You bite your lip to stop a chuckle, noticing the way his shoulders slumped when you heard him accidentally tore the paper, so you obeyed and looked away. He turned around again, leaning on the table to get another paper, and got to work. His slender fingers carefully folding and twisting, his eyes solely focused on it, with his brows furrowed in determination and even a small pout for the thousand of times he messed up and probably on the verge of giving up, if not because he was making a paper ring because wanted to please you.

It took him another good 15 minutes to do it right, a little wrinkled on one side but the heart on the ring was perfect. He scooted over to your side, and you finally looked at him.

He took your hand, and slipped the paper ring on your ring finger, making you gasp as you finally see the blue material fit you perfectly. “I did my best, baby.”

“Satoru!”

“I know it's not much, and I mean, I can probably give you a more expensive one with diamonds and shiny crystals but I just thought this one would mean more and much more endearing and I tried to make it after watching a video that I saw using my memory and I just think–” He stopped, blinking as he realised how much he had rambled. Satoru sighed, gazing at your hand, lifting it up to press a kiss on your knuckle, right next to the ring. “Do you like it?”

“Of course, I do!”

“Then should we call a priest right now?"

౨ৎ GETO SUGURU

It was originally Mimiko and Nanako’s ideas. The two girls lay on their stomach right by the floor with their feet swaying in the air, their homeworks long forgotten on either side of them. There were tons of papers around them, in different colours and shapes when Suguru caught them slacking around in their bedroom.

“Papa! Make a paper ring for Mama!” Mimiko suggested, patting the space between them so Suguru could join in the fun.

“Are you done with your homeworks, sweethearts?” He chuckled, taking his spot, laying flat on the stomach with his feet also high in the air like some teenage girls.

“Of course!” Nanako, who was obviously lying for the way she blushed and can't look Suguru straight on the face, as she pressed something on the origami that she made which was shaped in a frog, and it jumped towards his side.

Suguru couldn't help but be amazed, but also wanting to tease his girls. “Really? Can I see?” He said as he reached for their notebooks.

Mimiko was quick to act, slapping her dad’s big hands away with her small ones so he would drop it, then thrashing a bunch of paper in front of him instead. “Mama would like paper rings!”

And that's exactly how he found himself making one. With the help of his daughters, they instructed him on what to do for a good 15 minutes. He'd get confused sometimes every time they talked at the same time, instructions unclear when they talk about different things. But he got the hang of it, and it was perfect, as expected from Suguru.

Now, he's sitting on the bed, with his back pressed on the headboard, as he got you straddling his lap as you two talked about your day, while the two girls had gone to sleep.

“The girls were very enthusiastic today.” He said, his thumb caressing small circles on your inner thigh as he gazed at you. “They taught me how to make origami, and something else…”

“Hmm? What is it?” You replied, eyes filled with curiosity as you waited for him to continue.

You watched as he pulled something out from the bedside cabinet, a red paper shaped in a small circle. You couldn't see much because his hands were covering it a bit, but when he took your hand and wore it on your finger, you realised what it was.

“I made it, but it took all our efforts.” He whispered, watching as you gaped at the paper ring. “They're not the best teachers though.”

“It's beautiful…”

Suguru didn't expect the next thing you did. As you clutched on his shirt and immediately crashed your lips together, your hands coming to the back of his neck and deepening the kiss. Your lips dancing in harmony to the rhythm of your heartbeats.

He pulled away, breathless as he cups your cheek. “I'd ask you to marry me right now, but we'll save that for some other time.” He chuckled, pulling you in for another kiss.

౨ৎ CHOSO KAMO

It was a sweet gesture. Your boyfriend prepared all the materials needed and even borrowed his brother Yuji’s ipad so you could watch tutorials on YouTube. Ever since he saw you scrolling on your Instagram reels about making paper stars, flowers, little animals, hearts, and all other cute things, he was determined to do the activity with you. And he wanted to make sure that you'll enjoy it as much as he would.

“Let's make this one!” You scrolled onto a video, showing him a tutorial on how to make a scrapbook, which he agreed to.

You two worked on it right away, both of you busy while you cut some papers and draw on it, while he folds some others into shapes that would look good on the scrapbook. Once in a while, he would try to steal kisses on your lips every time he finishes one.

After a few minutes, you got up to go upstairs and print some pictures that you'd add on the book, leaving Choso alone with folding a new set of papers. This time, he made a mini bouquet, which was unexpectedly quite easy. And then last, the paper ring.

When you got back, you placed the printed papers on the table as you two got to work again. But your eyes caught the mini bouquet resting beside the others, and your eyes glinted.

“Choso! That's so cute! How did you make that?” You scooted closer to him, taking the mini bouquet in your hands, the paper tiny in your hands. “Are you putting this on the book?”

Choso blushed, nuzzling his face on your neck. “It's actually for you.” He muttered, his breath fanning on your skin that made you shiver. “They're small and cute, I thought you'd like it.”

You smiled, cupping his cheek so he could look at you. “Really?”

“Mhm. And I have another one too.”

He showed you the pink paper ring, and your eyes widened in shock. He was about to put in on your ring finger when you turned around, snatching something from underneath the table.

“Cho! I made you one too!”

Was it fate? But nevertheless, it got Choso blushing and almost kicking his feet as butterflies filled his stomach. His palms covering his mouth to probably stop him from reacting exaggeratedly while you slipped the paper ring in his finger. It was even the same colour as the one he made, and he swears his heart was about to burst.

౨ৎ NANAMI KENTO

How many times did you and Nanami get married this year? Three. Three times in a row. The first time was in a shrine, doing the Japanese traditional way of weddings, a wedding held privately with only your families. Second was at the church, with both your families and friends this time, with you wearing a beautiful white wedding dress as your husband awaits in the altar, looking as dashing as ever. And this might be the third.

“Honey, marry me.” He muttered, his feet tapping on the floor impatiently, watching you type on your laptop for a school document.

“We're already married, Kento?” You asked, glancing back at him once before you're back to rapidly tapping on your keyboard. The noise filled the air, together with Nanami’s sighed.

“I know. But you seem married to your laptop for the past few hours, honey.”

Nanami is not one to complain about this type of thing, in fact, he's a very understanding man that he wouldn't mind if you're stuck doing paperworks all day, unless you wouldn't be sparing him a glance, giving him a kiss, or a hug during the said day, and that would make him open up his concerns a bit. How many hours had passed anyway? Four long hours of torture for him, that he had convinced himself enough that he was the clingy one in the relationship and not you.

“Are you asking for my undivided attention, Kento?” You laughed, finally tearing your gaze away from your laptop as you spun your swivel chair at him.

He pulled the chair from underneath so you're closer to him, his right knee between your thighs as he leaned down to press his lips against yours. “Indeed. And I don't think I can live another second of you not talking to me for another hour, not even a kiss since this morning.”

“I'm sorry,” you giggled, kissing him one more time to show that you were truly apologetic. “Were you lonely?”

“A bit.” He sighed, caressing your cheeks, then pulled away as he leaned back on his chair. “You do look adorable when you're focused, honey, which I'm always pleased to see. But I have to give you something.”

He slid his swivel chair backward a bit, grabbed something on a nearby table and went back to your spot right away. He took your hands, sliding a white paper ring right next to your wedding ring. “I don't think you noticed me making this while you were busy.”

“Kento, how..?” Your eyes smiled with you, a testament of your appreciation and affection towards the man you love. You knew Nanami Kento had always been perfect, but he's even more perfect now that he took his time to make this for you.

He laced your fingers together with his, his heart warming up to the sight of you appreciating his small efforts. Kento loves it when you're happy, and would do anything to keep it that way for as long as he can.

“A few videos.” He shrugged, pulling your chair closer to him again. “Now, will you marry me?”

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Resubmitting because I think this got eaten by the inbox. Apologies if it was passed over intentionally!

🐝🐝🐝🐝 <- Bees of recognition!

WIBTA for moving out of my parents’ house?

I’ve [22NB] always had issues with my parents, and at this point in my life I am getting old enough (and exposed enough to outside ideas) that I think they may have been or are still somewhat mentally abusive. Regardless, I know and believe that they truly do love me and care about me very, very deeply. I know the way they treat me is flawed, but at their roots they genuinely care about me and believe they have good intentions.

Most recently, we’ve been talking about me wanting to move out. I will be graduating with my bachelor’s degree this semester and starting a one-year master’s degree program this fall. My parents have paid for my school expenses throughout my undergraduate degree. Regardless of whether I move out or stay with them, my parents will not be paying for my graduate degree. My partner [22M] of three and a half years is planning to propose to me soon and we are planning for me to move in with him this summer. I’ve done the math and extensively planned my budget to model my financial outlook. I am well within the range to safely give up my parents’ financial support and still have a significant “cushion” of savings built up. The model’s annual totals could be off by a few thousand dollars and still be safe and healthy for me to move out.

My parents are extremely opposed to this idea. I have talked about moving out before (as in over the past few years) and their main argument has always been that I wasn’t financially ready (they were correct at the time). This most recent discussion is different. They are incessant in telling me that if I do this, because my partner and I are not yet married, we will be “living in sin” and I should “consider the weight on your soul of throwing yourself away.” Dad especially argued it is his job to “use whatever I can to get you to make the right decision.” He said he will be looking into taking me off of their health insurance policy and that I would not be allowed to take any of my furniture that was previously promised to me for when I inevitably move out someday, and even insinuated I may not be able to take my clothes (essentially, any item they paid for). I did not tell them this, but even if he follows through on that, I am still financially able to move out. It would be significantly more difficult of course, but I could still do it safely. My mom seemed shocked and upset at him suggesting this so she may “talk him down” at some point, but it is unlikely to have an effect on the outcome. My parents follow a very traditional approach to the “family hierarchy,” in that Dad gets the final definitive vote on all family matters. His explanation he has repeated for years is he. “takes everyone’s thoughts and feelings into consideration, but [he gets] 51% of the vote.” Despite this, I highly suspect Dad was speaking before considering the impact of his “ideas” and it is unlikely he will follow through on them. Mom has mentioned that she and Dad want to meet with the local priest to discuss the situation. She says she hopes he can help Dad understand the balance between healthy guidance and severely damaging his relationship with me as parent and child.

I have tried to gently and calmly (but firmly) explain that I simply disagree that it is a morally incorrect decision to live together before marriage and that I don’t fully believe in the Catholic church. Dad almost completely ignored the statement saying, “Right, you can’t just throw your soul away. What if you move in and you’re living in sin, and something happens and you die? What then?” Mom just started crying. She was inconsolable until I walked my statement back to a matter of just “questioning” my faith rather than not aligning with Catholicism.

They offered to allow me to spend the night at my partner’s place once a week if I were to remain living with them through my graduate degree and/or until my partner and I are married, whichever comes latest. I asked if they were sure they would be comfortable with that situation. We have had arrangements similar to it before. Every time we have, it ended with them having grown resentful and that feeling festering until it exploded in a massive argument between all of us. They insisted it would be fine and that it was vastly preferable over me “fully committing to a life of sin.”

I still want to move out. For a whole host of other reasons too long for this already long submission, I feel it is not healthy for me to continue to stay with them longer than I already have. If I am financially unable to move out or it would otherwise be a bad idea logistically, I could handle another year. Staying longer would almost certainly affect my mental and emotional health but I understand you have to do what you have to do. I feel deeply, horribly guilty for wanting to do this despite their beliefs and advice. I feel like I would be hurting them so much and I don’t want to destroy our relationship.

So, WIBTA if I went against my parents’ wishes and moved out of their house to live with my partner?

[sugarsfics]

Eddie My Love

Trope: Virgin!Eddie x reader 

Warning: 18+ please, cussing, making out, kissing, some touching, use of y/n, talks of fighting, bullying and pda. 

Word count: 3.0k 

Summary: Eddie is laying in bed thinking about your relationship with the way it started, how it was and how it is going to move forward. 

A/N: PLEASE READ Hiiiii so this is based on my Virgin!Eddie headcannons here. So, this one shot goes from past to present the present is in bold and the past is not italicized, means it is their thoughts. Thank you and enjoy:) 

Ah Eddie thought dreamily he stared at you while you slept today was the day, he was going to ask you to be his wife. He caressed your cheek you made a little whimper sound a scooted closer to him then sighed of contentment. His heart fluttered and brought you closer, if that was even possible. He started to think about how he came to this point in his life how you chose him. 

Eddie was on “babysitting duty” at the arcade with the younger members of the Hellfire club, he would normally saw no to taking them anywhere, but you worked there. He has had the biggest crush on you since he moved to Hawkins in 6th grade. Your beauty took his breath away, you were the one who would pick him up after a fight, in 78’ you punch said bully. He would watch you from afar because he was already branded for the moment he stepped into the town. Every parent knew about his dad they all grimaced at the name Munson so when they heard he was moving back into town with his son the word got around quickly. Their kids would hear their conversations during play-dates or when going to the store with their moms so when role call came that warm Monday morning “Eddie Munson” all kids turn to see who see the face was they should avoid. Eddie was very observed when it came to lunch the kids would cover up the open spots he heard the whispers, it went like this for every school he went to, why did he think Hawkins would be different. 

Even years later, finally senior year, you were a sight for sore eyes “Would you stop being a creep” Erica said “I am not being a-a creep” Eddie said with a voice crack “You always stare at her whenever we are here just go talk to her” “What I can’t just go an-” “Y/N-“ Erica screamed but was quick silenced by Eddie’s hand “Could you not” Eddie whispered she smacked his hand away “Could you not cover my mouth again” an idea popped in her head “Well since you don’t want to talk to her I will just let Josh do the talk” “Josh who is Josh” Eddie asked in a panic “Oh you know Josh Grover he lives across the street from me and would always be outside or ask my mom if he needed any yard work done conventionally would come out when y/n was babysitting me so I think he got an eye for her” she smirked “Please don’t I-I want to talk to her b-but I just can’t” “Why not” “I just can’t” “Come one it’s not that hard to talk to her” “Maybe not for you but me fuck I can’t even get out one word without stuttering and who’s want to date a stuttering freak” he sadly said. The first time he talked to you is when you punched David Green in the face for fighting with Eddie, he couldn’t even say thank you he just sound like a baby learning their “T’s” and he ran away. He was pulled out of his memory when he heard Erica yell “Y/N!!!!”  Eddie did what he does best, he ran. 

If he is being honest with himself your next interaction was a blur, all he remembers was seeing you at the store, then Erica pushing him into you and somehow left with your number. He called you the moment he got home. He thanks whatever god that was on his side that day because not only did he get your number he got a date for the coming Friday. That was the slowest week of his life, every day went longer than the next and didn’t get him started on the day of the date it felt like time was going backwards. But at last, 4:00 came around when he started getting ready, he ran out the door at 4:45, his van roared to life and Judas Priest blasted through his speaker, and he was on his way to you. You both met at the town diner, Eddie insisted on picking you up but you lived passed the diner and didn’t want him the back track, he knew Wayne wouldn’t have approved but he followed your request. He pulled in the parking lot of the diner he didn’t see your car yet, so he double checked myself in his mirror he fluffed his hair, readjusted his pins, he was looking at his teeth when he heard a knock on the window he jumped and was met with your face. He stepped out of the car “h-hey um how long have you been standing there?” he asked “Long enough” you answered with a giggle he faces turn red. You touch his cheek “Don’t be embarrassed it was cute” you told him his whole body grew hot to your touch when you took your hand off to start walking to the door he stood frozen he hover over where your hand was he could still feel the warm softness “Are you coming” you asked breaking him from his haze “Yes coming” Eddie cringe at the memory of how he acted he looked down at your sleepy body how did she stay with that dork he thought. 

You must of really like that dork since you both went on more dates after. On the fourth date, that one was his favorites, you invited him over to your house. He swore he fell in love when you opened the door, you had an apron on your hair up in a bun with a smudge on your cheek “Hey Eddie come on in” he followed you in he looked like one of those cartoons characters floating following your scent with heart eyes. He brought him into your living room “Here sit give me a minute to freshen up” “Ok” he said watching you disappear into the hallway. He looked around and smiled at your baby pictures along the fireplace. About a minute later you came about “Hey sorry about that you ready” he jaw dropped you had a beautiful red dress on “Close your mouth before you catch flies” you said giving him a wink, he shook his head getting out of the trance you put him in “Sorry I-I- It's just that you look so beautiful” “Come on” you laughed “let's eat” He swear that he died at went to heaven after taking the first bite “Wow y/n oh my this is wow” you laughed at his reaction “Why thank you Eddie I tried my best” Dinner was amazing you were both talking about anything and everything you can think of. Once the plates were empty you grabbed them and took them to the kitchen “Wait let me help” Eddie said “No I got it you are guest just sat there and look pretty that shouldn’t be hard for you” you said in a flirtatious way with a wink. Eddie looked down to hide his obvious red face. Gosh my face must have been so red shot my face still gets red to this day when she flirts. You came out a minute later with a cake covered with strawberries “I hope you didn't mind the strawberries they are my favorite” “It looks beautiful y/n” you cut each a slice and served, Eddie took a bite “Gosh you are just a kitchen Goddess wow” this time you blushed “So Eddie I have something I want to tell you” “Yea tell my anything” he said with a mouth full of cake. You wipe the frosting from his cheek and said “Eddie I really really like you our dates have been amazing so I wanted to know if you wanted to be together like my boyfriend” Eddie’s world stopped you the girl of his dreams wants to be with him “Yes!” he cleared his throat “I mean yea yes would love that”  

The next campaign Eddie ran to Erica and gave her a hug. “Thank you Thank you THANK YOU” “Get off of me you nerd now what are you thanking me for” Erica said in her sassy tone “For pushing me literally into y/n we are together now like I am able to call her my girlfriend” he said excitedly “Well you are welcome” she said patting his back “But if you ever tell anyone that you hugged me I will ruin your life” 

Eddie was beyond excited, even with insults being through at him walking down the halls he had the biggest smile on his face. He finally has a girlfriend; you were his first girlfriend let alone the first girl to talk to him willingly. Eddie was at his locker when he saw you, somehow his smile gotten times bigger you walked up to him and gave him a hug “Hi” you mumbled into his chest, but Eddie was stiff his hand were straight to his side. “Eddie is everything ok” “You hugged me” “Yea sorry I will ask next time I just thought-” “I have never been hugged by a girl before I was just surprised" “Oh” you giggled “Do you want to try again” “Please” he said quickly you wrapped your arms around his waist and he whispered “What do I do now” you whispered “Put your arms around me” he placed his arms around your lower back “I-is this ok” he asked “Yes” after the confirmation Eddie melted into you. Hugging you was now his favorite thing to do. Unfortunately, the bell rang meaning Eddie had to end the hug. “Can I walk you to class? That is what boyfriends do right?” Eddie asked, “Yes you can” You both walked shoulder to shoulder to class you wanted to grab his hand but after the hug he needs time to get used to affection you thought. Eddie had the same thought but a little differently he wanted to grab your hand, but you were in a crowded hallway. Would you want to hold hands with him? In-front of all these people? But you just hugged him? It would be ok right? This time Eddie took the initiative “y/n?” he asked “Yes” “Can I hold your hand” “I thought you never asked” your hand intertwined perfectly like to piece of a puzzle. Your smile matched walking down the hall. 

It has been two months since you and Eddie started dating you have yet to kiss not that Eddie didn’t want to kiss you because God did he want to, but he was scared because you would be his first and he and no clue what to do. It was Saturday and you were at the trailer with him when you brought it up “Eddie?” “Yes princess” “We have been dating for two months already and we haven't kissed do you not want to kiss me?” Eddie’s eye widen “No No I mean yes I mean” he lets out a sigh “I never kissed anyone before and I’m scared to do it wrong” “Oh well don’t worry I could teach you” his ears start turning red “Really” he said shyly “Yes if you want me to” “Yes” he said eagerly “Can we do it now please” he asked. You sat up straight and he mirrored “Ok” you moved closer “Just follow me ok” he nodded. You grabbed his face and brought him closer “I’m going to kiss you now” he gulped and nodded when you pucker your lips, he puckered your lips met and Boom! Firework! You pulled away and Eddie chased after your lips “Wow” “You say that a lot” you giggled “Well because you are so wow” “Can we do it again please” he asked. You pulled his face to yours and kissed Eddie eagerly and opened his mouth, but he opened too big and ended up swallowing your lips. “Oh, my I’m sorry” “Its ok we are practicing did you want to go furthermore tongue?” “Please” he breathed out “Ok let's start” After many bites and awkward lip eating he finally got the hang of kissing and making out. Now look at me I’m a pro he says kissing your sleeping body  

After that teaching, Eddie cannot keep his lips off you. He uses his big brown eyes you love and a “Please” like how you can say no. His leg starts to shake with your lips meet his it’s the cutest thing. 

Over time Eddie got used to the whole dating thing. When you guys first cuddled in it was awkward you laid on his chest and his hands hovered over your body “Do you need help pretty boy” you asked. He blushed at his new nickname and nodded you place his hands where you wanted “Is this ok?” You asked if he couldn’t form words, too many emotions flowing through his body he nodded. During the cuddle his hand accidentally slipped and touched your booty he said sorry almost a thousand times, you had to grab his face and tell him that it was ok. After that he is a cuddle bug whenever his hands go lower, he always asks if its ok.  

“No way” Gareth said “Yep my babe is smoking” Eddie said. He was currently bragging to his friends about how hot your body is. I did this knowing damn well I had yet to see her body let alone see her in a bathing suit I kept my eyes closed while she was changing up till our 4th year of dating. Eddie felt your hands wrap around his waist, the hellfire members laughed watching their big and scary DM melt in a puddle over the slightest touch. “So, y/n are you coming to our gig tonight” Jeff asked “Yes I finally was able to get off work” you said Eddie was beyond excited to have you at his gig. He had been preparing for weeks with the perfect song. The boys were setting up, while Eddie kept on looking at the door “Man relax she is going to be here” Matt said “I know but-” Eddie didn’t get to finish he sentence because you just walked in the door he jumped off the stage running towards you “WHIPPED” Jeff screamed at Eddie he flipped them off before hugging you “Hi baby” he said into your hair “Hey my pretty boy rockstar” Eddie face obviously red already. “I um saved you a spot” he said rubbing the back of his neck “Aw that’s so sweet” “Let me take you” he said grabbing your hand he leads you to a table right front and center “Here you are M’lady” he says in an accent bowing down “Why thank you” he returns back to the stage with a smile on his face, the boys look at him with a knowing look “Shut up” Eddie says before they could say anything. About 10 minutes later their show starts. They begin to play a familiar tune then Eddie voice comes in “You got me runnin baby You give me somethin’ way beyond revenue” My Kinda Lover by Billy Squier one of your favorite songs. The beginning was going get then he looked at you, you looked so pretty sitting there is mind wonder he ended up messing up a few chords he had to look away before anyone noticed. Every time he looked at you either his voice squeaked, or his guitar did. Fuck that was embarrassing he thought but you never said anything you only looked at him with love in your eyes telling him he did amazing every single time. 

One day at lunch you were walking up to their table, Eddie was in a middle of one of his passionate speeches hyping the boys up for the campaign, when you notice there was no seat and Eddie’s lap looked inviting you have been dating for 6 months and been doing a lot of things so what's the harm. So, you sat in his lap, the moment your scent filled his nose and your bottom hit his lap all thoughts left his brain and were filled with you. He started to stutter in his speech the hellfire members smirk as the master was crumbling right in front of their eyes. Out of all the members Dustin was in love with your guy's relationships and Erica but she would never admit it.  

As the one-year mark was approaching Eddie was way more comfortable touching you, he stopped asking to hold your hand but sometimes asks out of habit. Eddie never wants to leave your side he always has a body part touching you.  

Now on your one-year anniversary you had a sleepover at your place. You had snacks galore with all your guy's favorite movies you even bought matching pajamas. The amazing night ended with you and Eddie cuddled up, limbs tangled together in your own love bubble. That was Eddie’s best sleep ever. He woke up early and was able to watch you peacefully sleep protected in his arms. What Eddie didn’t plan for was the night after, he was tossing and turning cuddling into his pillows and blankets, but nothing felt like you. Eddie looks at the clock the time read 1:37 “Fuck it” he put on his shoes and drove to your house. You were woken by Eddie falling through your window “Oh my god Eddie what are you doing” you whisper screamed “I can’t sleep” he said sheepishly. He looked tired and somehow still the cutest thing ever “Come on” you said opening your blanket he happily took off his shoes and jumped in bed with you. He cuddled into you with a sigh “So much better” within 3 minutes baby boy was out like a light.  

Eddie was brought back to reality, feeling you move. “Good morning love” he said kissing your forehead “Good Morning pretty boy” he still blushes at the nick name “Come on get up with got things to do” “I don’t remember planning anything” you told him. He smirks “Hm welp just get ready” “Well what should I wear” “Anything” he kissed your lips “You always look beautiful” he continued. He walked into the kitchen giving you privacy he pulled out the ring in his pocket and admired it “Yep she's the one” he whispered, he heard the door open and quickly hid the ring “You ready” you asked “Always” he said taking your hand leading you out the house knowing when you come back thing will be different for the good.

Tag list: @venuslayla23-blog @thefreak0fhawkinshigh

[peachiemilkytea]

Lockdown

Pt 1 , Pt 2

Summary: After the Department of Temporal Phenomena had released tapes instructing everybody to go into isolation in 1992. You sit alone at home sitting in loneliness and misery. But the unknown threat roams suspiciously close to you.

Paring: Alt!Gabriel x you

Warnings: paranoia, depression, isolation, religious themes, break-in, descriptions of injuries, use of Y/N, etc

WC: 3K

─── ˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚───

The tv plays with bright colors that can burn anybody's eyes. Figures of people in swimsuits with piña colada's and margaritas in their hands walked around. Sounds of annoying voices yelling at something pointless was the only thing filling up the silence in the house. I sit on my sofa with the remote in my hand, watching whatever came on the tv. This time it was some reality tv from other states.

Ever since the outbreak, Mandela county has gone on lockdown. The government released these tapes of alternates. Phenomenal creatures that come into peoples homes and use their mind against them. My dad always said it was the devils work. There's been cases about it in the news of people going missing and alternate reports. It's hard to sleep without a night light on. I can only imagine the police department being flooded with calls. There isn't much to do about the alternates since nobody knows how to get rid of them. The most recent tape the government handed out was the M.A.D tape. If you're M.A.D then you're too late.

It been lonely being in isolation, I had to pick up my high school dipolma through the parking lot's roundabout. I still have the yearbooks, prom pictures, folders of graded worksheets, and Polaroid pictures of what friends I had. It wasn't easy making friends in high school when your the priest's daughter. With everyone's mothers going to the church your dad owns to go on their knees and pray for God. Now I'm by myself. Sitting at home, watching girls fight over the guy in a tropical paradise.

Everyday is the same. Nothing ever changes. I feel like I'm sitting here waiting for my turn to die next. That scares me so much. Things never change on the outside, but I have changed internally. I am so lonely. I haven't talked to another person in months. Let alone been outside. Grocery shopping trips don't count. Sometimes I think I'm mute with how quiet I am. There's nobody there to talk to. I don't have my friends anymore. Everyday I wake up and stay in bed for seven hours. My teeth are becoming yellow cause I can't find the strength to take care of myself anymore. Every night, I stay up for hours tossing and turning. Every little thing makes me upset. If I drop a spoon and it gets dirty I break down in tears. I don't feel like myself anymore.

On the clock, It was ten thirty. Maybe I should eat. I did skip lunch. I didn't have the motivation to get up and make something. The fridge was too far away. It takes too much energy to make any food. Though I'll starve. I guess I'll have to get up. That's going to take awhile to do, it's so hard to move my body when I have no motivation to get up. come on come on come on.

I slowly get up from the couch, my legs feel like they can't hold my body up. Walking to the kitchen, I don't know what to make. A Tv dinner will do. I grabbed a Tv dinner with lasagna. I pull down the foil halfway, then put it inside the microwave. I get this uncomfortable feeling, but I don't know where it's coming from. I look around to find nothing. It feels like something is staring at me. I shrug it off and put the tv dinner inside the microwave. Hearing beeping coming from it. I'm getting kinda nervous now. It feels like something is off. I stared at the microwave hoping it would heat up faster. Waiting for it makes time feel slower.

There's tapping outside the window. It felt like it was all around me. I looked around, checking the windows. Nothing was there. I didn't see anything tapping. It could be a tree branch. Living next to the woods makes it hard to see things at night. Since there's no street lights it's pitch black. I go back to the microwave.. but the tapping got louder. It was coming from in front of me. The microwave beeped. I quickly pulled out my food and grabbed a fork out of the drawer. Fast walking out of the kitchen and back to the living room.

The relief soon flooding me, what was all that about? It would be stupid if I tried to investagate it. I don't want to get killed. I slowly ate my food listening to the pitchy voices coming from the screen. The guy didn't even look cute... he kind of looks like a monkey. Wiping the red sauce away from the corner of my mouth with my thumb. I didn't really have much of an appetite. Watching the waterfall come down into a lake as the girls danced around in their bikini's hoping to catch the attention of the guy. One of them went to go talk to him in private which made the others mad. One of them went crazy over it. Seeing all this water makes me need to pee.

I encourage myself to get up again, slowly lifting my limbs off of the couch. Walking down the dim lit hall, I feel better if all the lights are on but it's too much effort to go find the light switch. I open the door to the bathroom.

----

The light floods the hallway when I open the door. Closing it with a click. As I'm walking away, a window near the bathroom is open. That's werid.. I could've sworn I've closed all of them. I pull the window down, clicking the lock at the top. what if something happened? Something could have come through that window. Am I in danger? Maybe I'm being too paranoid, everything is okay. It's my house.

I walked back to my living room, plopping down on my couch. This is getting boring, I grabbed the remote and changed the channel. hmm, horror? The last thing I need is to have my paranoia questioning everything. No. Action? Every super hero movie is all the same. No. Bible prayer session? ummm No. I already did that today. Oh! Sunday night's comedy! I could use a good laugh right now.

The Tv showed a guy with a microphone making jokes to an audience. I even pitched in a few laughs. He was creative. A few different comedians came out after every commercial break. I liked the lady who complained about her husband.  Her sarcasm was funny.

Huh? That's weird. The TV is flickering with a bunch of static coming from it. Maybe it's the wifi router? I got up to check behind the tv. Restarting it a couple of times, the static wasn't going away. If it's not the connection it must be the power. I need to check the circuit breaker. I grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen drawers, going to the basment door in the hallway. The basement is always scary. It is silent and dark down there.

I take a deep breath feeling fresh air come through me. I got this, it's just a quick trip. I open the door to be greated with pitch black. I don't want to do this... The flashlight clicks as it turns on. Every step I go down creaks. I'm afraid it might break from under me. Where is the circuit breaker? Oh, it's in front of me. I look at the switches and buttons. Maybe it will reset itself if I turn it off and back on again. I click the switch turning it off, then sliding it to the other side to turn it back on again. I hope that worked. Now to go back upstairs.

The basement door slammed close. Heavy muffled footsteps echoed through the basement. There's somebody in my house. I stiffened. What do I do? My anxiety pumped through my veins,  adrenaline went through my bones. Sweat made my hair stick to my forehead. I need to call the police and hide. I sneaked back upstairs. I don't know where the threat is.

I ran towards the hall closet, nimble enough to make little to no noise. I don't feel safe anymore. If I get up to my room and lock myself in there I should be safe, right? There's a phone by my bedside. The footsteps get louder, they come closer. I put a hand over my mouth to control my breathing. Please leave me alone.

A alternate, pitch black with a deformed human body walks slowly up to the closet door. It looks around. Don't open the door. Please don't open the door. It stays there for a minute, till it slowly walks away and into the kitchen. I quitely keep my steps light, with a flashlight sturdy in my hands. If I need to attack I will, but I'm afraid of getting close to it. I reach the top of the stairs. I'm almost there, my door is at the end of the hallway.

ĥ̷̛̻̹̓̍̔̍å̷̢̻̫͕̬̟̭̽̔͐̿̔́̈͘͜͜͠s̷̙̪̉͌̍̒̓̆̌̈j̸̱͇͕̫̣̄͐̍͒̏c̷̢͖̗̘̳̜̙̀̾̈́̋͑͊̉̾̈́̚ͅm̶̢͈͔̑͑́͊̅k̶̨̦̯̩̖͓̅̏̓̔́̌̓͠f̵̡̟̭͚̮̮̜̺̂͝ͅͅo̴͙̎̑͑ë̴̫́̋̔̈̌̆͊̚p̸̤͚̻͛ẁ̸̳̟̝̝̰͔̩w̶̰̣͓̌̅e̷͈̩̝̺͈̎̏̊͂̉̎͆͆͜

Oh no. Turning my head over my shoulder. The thing was staring right at me. Without thinking, I ran. The air in my lungs became tight and light. The creature ran after me with inhuman speeds. It's stomps were enough to shake the whole house. My heart pumps out of my chest. My legs burn. I go into my room and slam the door in it's face. Locking the door immediately. It bangs and screams at the door. oh my god oh my god what did the government broadcast say? T.H.I.N.K.? I can't remember the principals!

I grab the ends of my dresser and push it in front of the door, grabbing whatever I could find and put it in front of my door. I yanked the phone off of the reciever and dialed 911.

"Hello? emergency services, how may we help you?"

"There's somebody in my house, it doesn't look human. Please help me. My name is (Y/n) (L/n), I live on Osprey street."

"I'm sorry, we do not get invovled with alternate cases. Please be safe and make it out alive." The emergency responder hung up the phone. What am I supposed to do now?!  I put the phone back down on the receiver. Then it started speaking to me through the door. It speaks of all my trauma, all my failures and embarassing moments that I didn't want to remember. I covered my ears and hid in my closet. It's watching me through the door.

"Come to Your refuge with joy for You shelter me against the attack of the devil. Protect me, O Lord, from the craftiness of the enemy, and save me from his evil plots. Cover me with Your presence when I feel weak so that he will flee from my presence. Amen." I feel myself whispered under my breath, clasping my hands togethers. Shutting my eyes. I let out my intentions into each and every word.

"Protect me, O'Lord. Protect me, O' Lord. Protect me, O'Lord. Protect me O'Lord!"

----

The sun shined through the built in blinds on my closet door. How long has it been? The early morning? Ugh... That alternate still might be at my door. I haven't shut my eyes all night. There's muffled whispers of deceiption. I need to get out of here.

I open the door, my rooms scattered with mess. It looks like a natural disater happened in here. There are murmurs of manipulation getting louder. I'll be okay if I jump out the window. Then I need to run like hell. It's quick so I need to be quiet. I tip toe to my window sill. I gently open it and hang my legs out of it. Taking a deep breath, I jump.

The bushes crushed my fall, but my feet weren't placed right. I think I sprained my ankle. It hurts so much. It hurts with every movement. I need to get out of here. I need to go to the police. That's the only safe place I think off. I get up slowly. Sprinting down the side walk, my ankle hurts with every step. My hair flows behind me, my lungs gasp for air. There's tension in every bone in my body. I run, I run, I run. No matter how tired I get. I can't stop running. Please, please. I need to get there. I don't want to die.

There's people looking at me weridly from their cars, people walking down the sidewalks look at me fearful. I'm almost there. In the distance, I see the sign, Mandela County police deparment. I feel my body giving up on me. Air has become suffocating. I can't stop now I've come too far. I can't go back to my house. Everything is watching me. I run, I run, I run. Police officers eye me down in front of the building. I stop in front of the place. My legs give out from under me, it burns when I breath. My ribs cramp up and I feel it coming back up through my throat. I swallow the vomit back down.

A few officers come to my side, pressing their palms on my shoulders. Asking me questions I can't make out. The world has become blurry. The two police officers help me up and inside the building. I don't know where their taking me. It's too hard to see. I'm sitting on something soft. I blink a couple of times to focus my vision. Getting used to the light in the room.

"Hello? Miss? Can you hear me?"

"Ruth, she has a sprained ankle."

The officer looked at my ankle, moving it from side to side. It hurt so much. I wasn't even focused on the pain until now. He gently holds it. I wince with every touch. I can tell he's looking up at me worriedly.

"Wha.. what?" They loooked at me surprised but relieved. The other officer, Ruth I think. Left to go behind the desk, pulling out a first aid kit. She threw it to the other officer. He caught it and started working on my leg.

"Are you okay?" Ruth asks coming back with a notepad  and pencil. Her eyes showed so much. It was comforting. The gentleness of everything felt safe. Like I was no longer being watched.

"Barely.." I mumbled, my throat hoarse from running for my life back there. My lips felt so chapped, licking them might make them worse but it's a natural instinct.

"What happened?" The other officer tending to my ankle asked.

"I called earlier, something broke into my house. I barricaded myself in my room and hid in my closet till morning. I thought it would go away but it didn't. So I jumped out of my window and ran all the way here." I explained. They turned pale and tensed up.  Ruth reached for her gun.

"Ruth no." The other officer reached up and grabbed her arm.

"Thatcher, she could be one. She needs to be stablized." Ruth said sternly pointing her gun at me. I tensed up and gasped. Sweat went down the side of my face.

"She's not. Her injuries are heavy, if she was an alternate she would be able to heal them. She came here looking like hell." Thatcher tried to convince her. Oh, so that is his name.

"She could be faking all of that if she was an alternate, for all we know she's already dead and an alternate could be using her body." Ruth said, her trigger getting steady. Thatcher put his hand up saying "wait." He holds his hand up to me slowly, I move back afraid at what he's going to do next. His hand gets closer to me, I shut eyes looking away. My heart beats out of my chest. His fingers touch my pulse.

"she has a heartbeat, alternates don't have heartbeats." Thatcher confirms. I open one eye looking around. Ruth lowers her gun. I open both my eyes, blinking a couple of times to adjust to the room again.

"So everything you said is true?" Ruth asks gently. I nod slowly. I'm scared to say anything.

"Start from the beginning." Ruth ordered, pulling out her notepad and pencil again. Writting what I said before. Oh dear God protect me.

"I was at home making food, but something was tapping on my window. It was coming from in front of me. I thought it was a tree branch and I was freaking myself out. I spent some time eating and hanging around. Till I had to go to the bathroom. When I came out of there, the window was wide open. It was closed before I went to the bathroom. Then the tv was getting all staticky, it wasn't from the wifi router so I checked the circuit breaker in the basement. But when I reset the breaker, somebody slammed the basement door shut. I heard footsteps walking around my house. The nearest and safest phone was in my room, I sneaked back upstairs but it chased after me. I barricaded myself in my room and called the police but nobody came." I explained more of the story, stuttering and shaking. Flashbacks appeared in my mind, every fearful moment.

"And that's when you waited for it to leave but when it wouldn't you jumped out of your window and ran all the way here." Thatcher completed the story. I nodded profusely.

"You ran all the way here with a sprained ankle?" Ruth asked, I nodded again confirming that.

"I couldn't feel the pain cause of my adrenaline." I added on. Though it's splinted and wrapped up, it stll hurts like hell.

"You should stay here for awhile, to make sure the alternate in your house has left." Thatcher said getting up of the ground helping my leg up onto the couch. It felt better now that it was laying at an angle. He opened the mini fridge in the office and pulled out an ice pack, he gently put it on my ankle. I winced a bit at the sudden change in tempature.

"In the evening, officer Thatcher and I will escourt you to your house, We'll do a clean out search. You'll get home safely." Ruth said reassuringly, putting her hand on her hip with a smile.

"Thank you so much." I grinned at her, I can finally relax. I assume this is a shared office since there's two desks. They returned to their spots. I laid my head on the couch looking up the ceiling. It's okay now, you're safe. I tell myself,  I can get some sleep in. It's all going to be okay. My eyes flutter shut.

----

... mm ...hmmmggg... mmmggg...

"Hey, (Y/n) it's time to wake up." The nudging on my shoulder got more apparent. I slowly open my eyes, feeling groggily. I rub the sleep from my eyes. Oh, It's officer Thatcher. I sit up slowly.

"How long was I out for?" I asked. I look back down at my ankle. It looks kind of better. Less swollen, still hurts though.

"For about seven hours, you needed it though. Ruth and I are going to take you back home and check your house." Thatcher informed. I leaned over and took the icepack off. He held out his hand and I took it. Slowly getting up. I winced, the weight on my ankle was too much. I held my leg up like a hurt dog would hold up it's paw.

"Ready to go?" Ruth asked in the doorway holding her stuff. I nodded smiling softly. I don't want to go back home, but I can't stay at the police station forever. I dread going back. I don't think I feel safe there anymore. I limp to the car with Ruth helping me, she holds me up by my waist. I must be living every kid's dream, I get in the police car.

The sun goes down making all kinds of pinks, oranges, and yellows. It was hard to see from the barred up backseat window, but still enjoyable. The radio  played softly, some kind of 90's punk rock. It must be the radio station that Thatcher likes. The poles of streetlights pass by quickly, homes that are locked up are filled with light, There's few cars on the road of people coming home from work. It feels so.. human. That's reassuring to me. It reminds me in a way that I survived. I see my house in the distance.

"Is this it?" Ruth asks, looking at me in the review mirror. I nodded staring back at her. I don't want to go back. There's nothing awaiting me there but an alternate. She parked nearby my  driveway.

"Stay here, if we don't come back then drive back to the police station." Thatcher instructed. I nodded again looking up at him doe eyed. I gave him my house keys. They both got out of the car, I watched as they enter the house.

I waited for a few good minutes in the car. My anxiety rised higher and higher with every second they were in there. My leg bounced profuesly as bit my nails. I'm slowly losing control over myself. Soon enough I see Ruth coming out with Thatcher, she knocks on my door. I sloppily get out with a little help from her. Thatcher gave me back my house keys.

"The cost is clear, there's no alternate. But we can see you put up a good fight." Thatcher said looked at me grinning.

"You did one hell of a job with that bedroom door." Ruth snickered and helped me into my front door. The silence speaks volumes, I don't want to be here anymore.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay." Ruth says patting my shoulder gently. She helps me into the couch.

"We fixed up the bedroom a little to cut you some slack. If you ever need anything call us, and use the code word Delta. It's to know that you're the real you." Thatcher said smiling comfortingly. I feel a little better knowing I have a plan for next time. But I dread those words, next time. Like it won't end after this.

"Thank you so much for everything." I said trying to sound okay. My shoulders don't let down their guard.

They both bid me goodbye, I sit in a quiet house full of loneliness. I don't want to be here. It feels different without people here. I'm not going to bed tonight.

[scoobydoodean]

Oh boy oh boy… so many thoughts on this. Some of which I’ve already talked about… a few things though:

Sam is happy to call Dean a hypocrite, and that’s a very normal, “signs point here” every 1/2 mile reading of season 2 if you’re on a rewatch and hear Dean say “What’s dead should stay dead” in 2.04 and 2.08 knowing he’s going to make a demon deal to bring Sam back in 2.22, and then if that isn’t enough for you to catch on, Azazel and Bobby make this reading very plain in 2.22. The person whose own hypocrisy is allowed to fly under the radar (as usual) is Sam. Sam who was happy to tell Dean more than once this season that Dean was morally/duty-bound to execute his little brother “because dad said so” and “you promised me when I guilted you into trying to console me with lies while I was drunk”. Sam who never spent a single millisecond the whole season thinking about the darkness he was asking Dean to immerse himself in by regurgitating John’s order for Dean to be responsible for the entire course of Sam’s life and off his own brother if needed. It’s even reasonable to conclude the reason Dean came back “twisted and broken”, was only partly because of how he was brought back. It was also (arguably more-so—based on context from Croatoan) the weight of the words “save Sam or kill him”, that ripped Dean apart from the inside out, made him tired and terrified and ready to die in a jarring turn right after the high of 2.01 where he was desperate to live and was an active participant in coordinating with Sam to save himself—we’re a far far cry from that now in 3.01 but Sam doesn’t actually consider why despite “I'm tired, Sam. I'm tired of this job, this life . . . this weight on my shoulders, man. I'm tired of it” blinking like a neon sign in 2.09 just hours before Dean finally told Sam what John asked of him as a dying wish.

As an aside, this squabble started with Sam wanting to take Dean to a hoodoo priest—another faith healing, just like the one that took someone’s life from them in 1.12 in exchange for Dean’s health—the first moment where Dean feels “I’m not supposed to be here and because I am someone else isn’t” and is left to carry that around—a major catalyst for Dean’s actions in 2.22.

[julietasgf]

OMG I SAW THE STRABO FIC AND LET OUT THE MOST EXCITED FERAL SCREECH Strabo's father being so cruel to a child, ok I can see why Strabo turned out the way he is because goddamn, no child deserves to hear those things. Did Strabo's father and mother even love each other because the way the father talks about Strabo's ma is just so???? "dreadful personality", " pure hatred, pure fury", "scary"...does this man even love his wife and son?? And his pa slapping him so hard HIS BABY TOOTH FLEW OUT😭 turns out there is an even worse father than strabo omg I knew you said you imagined the pa to remarry soon after Strabo's ma died, but damn that was really fast. 8 months after the first wife dies, he remarries? How did he even find someone new that fast and get them to marry him when he's such a mean and bitter man? THE PART ABOUT A PRIEST CURSING STRABO AND HIS FUTURE OFFSPRING, SEJANUS YOU NEVER STOOD A CHANCE, YOU WERE DOOMED FROM THE START, but ok why is a priest cursing a 6 year old? I get being angry about a kid shooting an offering to the gods but again, he's just a kid, there's usually more leeway around children I'm crying at Strabo saying he was gonna protect the house but said nothing about protecting his stepmom, and he wonders why Sejanus is so mouthy lol, like buddy he inherited his mouthiness from you! Strabo saying he was a lonely child had me going awww until he was like, actually I like it this way, boy loved his peace and quiet lol, but him being too bossy and too boring to other children his age is just so on brand for him lmao Ouch to him being forced to care for siblings he has no desire to care for, especially since being caring absolutely does not come naturally to him. Does he resent his brothers? I can kinda see why if he does because parentification sucks and you should let children be children, not force them to care for other children. It just sucks all around because the twins don't have their actual parents caring for them and Strabo is forced to grow up even faster... omg the twins being named Remus and Romulus...please don't tell me this Romulus kills this Remus, like what happens in the myth...I need at least these Plinth siblings to be happy after what Strabo put them through😭 The twins looking just like Strabo except for their eyes!! If the twins' future kids look just like them too, I hope Strabo gets a mini heart attack whenever he sees their faces around D2 (or on the screen for the 25th games...) I also noticed that the twins called their father "dad" while Strabo refers to him as "Pa", was that intentional and is there a deeper meaning to that? But please not the parents punishing Strabo for making mistakes with the twins when they aren't even around to care for their own kids.... The twins calling Strabo "Bo" is so cute but ofc the man doesn't appreciate it (I have another nickname for Strabo that also starts with a B, but this one isn't kid-friendly) Strabo telling the twins to go upstairs to hide while he fends off the debt collector is convincing me more that he truly does care about the twins, he's just hiding it deep down under how tired and resentful he is of having to care for kids when he's still a kid himself (even if he doesn't act like one), unless I'm reading it wrong and he truly is just apathetic towards the twins and just doesn't wanna get in trouble with his father and stepmom for not properly defending the twins? But the twins saying they wanna be just like him when they grow up...my heart, and no you actually do not wanna be like Strabo, trust me

HELLO ANON HOW ARE YOU DOING? hope you're doing fine!! :)) (as always, I'm going to answer everything in one post 😭)

there were some themes that I really wanted to work with this fic, besides the generational trauma and the idea of cycles. one of them is how collectivist cultures have their pros and cons, and one of the cons is that usually, you're highly disencouraged to have something against your parents. they could've been assholes to you, and still, there'll always be someone asking "oh but they're your parents, they're family", because family is extremely important and something you have to endure no matter what. and I say that because I look at my parents' parents and they were the worst, and still, my parents still talk to them, keep them around, go to family gatherings and stuff. and it's not something isolated, it just... happens a lot, sadly, and it makes even harder to break the cycle

his pa was a dick. strabo doesn't think badly of him. he's better than him, but he still think his pa did some stuff right ("I went through it when I was your age and I am totally okay" no babe, you're not, seek therapy <3)

to me, strabo's parents were the classical kind that were reckless, had kids and now have to marry because of social stuff. then boom, unhappy marriage, traumatized kid. if I had to bet, it was a woman who got widowed too young, and now is desperate for another marriage (again, social stuff, misogyny, etc etc).

sejanus is doomed not even from the time he's born, he's doomed WAAAAAY before (you can take this in a more supernatural way, with the faith of the mountains being 100% real and influencing his tragic life, or just in the fact that he was just simply doomed bc of his bloodline; his ma had horrible parents, his pa had horrible parents, it's a cycle that comes long before him. his ma got her life destroyed by a too ambitious man. isn't really a surprise when his life is also destroyed). the priest was so wrong for thisKSKSKSKSKS 😭 but in his defense, it's for sure not the first time strabo shoots in one of the offerings, poor guy was probably at his limit atp

strabo is WILD, he'll just say anything (before he learned how to keep quiet and speak the right things at the right times). I just think it's so funny the idea of sejanus getting so much of his temper after strabo (he's mouthy, he's stubborn, he'll just say whatever is on his mind without thinking twice), so that's why strabo is so sure he can fix sejanus bc he was once like that 😭 (spoiler: he can't fix sejanus)

I feel like he's torn regarding the twins; he raised these kids since they were babies, he does have a soft spot for them, but also... he does resent them. it's not fair that they even got a mother, while strabo has himself and nobody else (his father doesn't really count), while having to take care of them. it's like when you know these ppl aren't to blame for the bad thing that happened, but still, they're the one you find yourself feeling angry about. NAHH I put their names bc they're twins (and plus, they were birthed by a woman, but raised by a wolf, I thought it suited well), but these two are very much happy in D2 <3 I really want them to have a happy life (until the first quarter quell welp

oh FOR SURE strabo saw the twins around D2 sometime; probably he moved to a place far away from the center to avoid this, but it's impossible to not see them around at least once. and he recognizes these faces, just like him, except kinder (and when he sees green eyes for the first quarter quell? oh, boy. he already knows. green eyes are not common in D2, you know. how would there be another explanation?). but noooo this was just me being a bit tired and not paying my whole attention when writing, I accidently let it pass, I'm so sorry 😭 PLS this makes me so mad, like, these are YOUR children, YOU should be raising them, not another child

I CACKLED he doesn't deserve being called bo, it's such a cute nickname 😔 I do think he cares about the twins, in his own way!! when he starts working and getting money from the store, he buys them new clothes, for example. he's bitter, he's resentful, but he DOES care about them. it's just that he's too angry to actually show it, or to even recognize it. hopefully the twins are VERY different from him; they grow up to be kind people, actually.

bro I'm always impressed at how many people actually do that (I mean, starting a store/factory and just being the worst at it). some ppl do that with the mindset with not wanting to work to someone anymore, which I think it's fair to some point, but usually they don't prepare theirselves to do it and run it, and it ends in disaster. yesssss I tried to include some parallels to coriolanus in this, and this is one of them!! (the big difference is that coriolanus pretty much did that his whole life, strabo LEARNED how to do this, how to hide the bad person he is inside and his feelings and smile and say whatever ppl want to hear).

ngl I do feel a bit bad for him, but in the same way I felt bad for coriolanus reading tbosas: I understand why you're like this and I don't think you deserved to go through this, but still, my anger towards you and what you've done to the people around you is much bigger than my symphathy. abt him naming sejanus after his father, it's exactly what I said early on: it's irrational, it's ilogical, but it's too much common (plus, since the factory did start with his father, I think that as it grew bigger and he got richer, he feels like he owe something to his father; this is also his way to say sort of thank you, trading legacy for legacy)

his stepmother wanting the factory gave me the same vibes of when an old relative dies and now all the relatives are fighting for a piece of land, but when you actually see the piece of land it's CLEARLY not worth it, and everyone is just being so dumb ☠️ I think it's more because of the sense of owning it. like, okay, strabo is working on it, but it's not hers. it's not something on her name. it's not something she can pass down to her kids. is it irrational? of course! but I also think she thought that he was going to leave them one time or another, bc of how much they fight and how explosive he is, so either she gets the factory now to make sure it won't happen or just loses it all at once. I think she underestimated him regarding the twins; I really don't think he would leave them in other occasion. regardless, it WAS a stupid decision.

THEY WERE JUST BABIESSSSSS JUST EIGHT YEARS OLD, FFS!!! (also, the fact that when strabo's relationship with his son gets 100% strained is when sejanus is also eight 😀 I'm not okay)

he definitely thought she was silly for it and probably mocked it once, but vesta takes her faith too seriously, and when he made a joke about it she gave him a glare that was enough for him to shut up and know to not joke about this (also, I think he does respect her to some extent, as for example letting her keep her little space in their house in memory of D2; I think he would think it's stupid, but wouldn't mind as long as she doesn't try to make him pray for the mountains). okay so, I think they were well-established merchants, but in the same way there are merchants in D12, yk; they aren't in the urban center, like strabo, and mostly sell stuff in the east end. they are better off compared to the other ppl in east end, but still, low-middle class at best, and they for sure never starved. I imagine them owning something like a bodega! so, one day, strabo sits down with her dad, and is like "would you like.... to form an alliance?" okay, not like this, but he did convince the man to use his cash reserves to invest in an expasion of his factory with the promise that it would benefit both the families. I think I didn't express myself well, I'm so sorry for the confusion!!! 😭

that man got four daughters, I'm just so sure he kept trying to get a son until he noticed it just wouldn't happen, and then got bitter over it. oh, absolutely he does buy into gender roles, just in a different way; he's the type of guy to go like "I wouldn't fight a girl" at the same time he's too indifferent to care about it regarding too important stuff ("you have two hands? you can shoot.") I do think he would be kinder to the twins if they were girls (and this also applies to sejanus; he would be kinder to him, too).

if I'm not wrong, they met when he was 20, and I think she was 18 (she was finishing school, as she was actually able to finish it). okay, so, I'm not from the usa (cries in international system of units), so I searched up to turn cm into ft, hope it's right 😭 but I think strabo to be around 6'0" (1,83m) and vesta around 5'6" (1,68m); of course she's not that short, but I hc people in D2 to be usually tall, so comparing to the average D2 person, she's short lol (also, it's just so funny to me the hc that sejanus was a small kid in D2, and then he got to the capitol and comparing to the others he was the tallest on their class)

(your asks definitely aren't overwhelming my inbox!!! I get so happy receiving them actually :(((( no need to be sorry, I thank you)

I HAD SO MUCH FUN WRITING THIS bc I was writing the way he thought and laughing at it because that man really thought a girl would travel from the other side of D2 just to poison him. alright, mate. sure. (I really think he's very alike coriolanus regarding this, thinking that everyone is against him or plotting against him 😭) if I have the silliest little opportunity, I will always include wlw in my works (let's go lesbians!!! let's go!!!), so I was giggling and kicking my feet when I got the opportunity to include her sister having a gf <3 I think most of her sisters were able to break the cycle and be happy, either by being alone, or dating better people, but... well... the cycle kept cycling regarding poor vesta.

nothing can actually make me think that it wasn't vesta who made the first move, I just know she was head over heels on the first minute 😭 strabo really pulling a coriolanus, like "omg I hate poor people" babe look in the mirror. because he isn't even rich atp, he's just slightly better than her financially.

her standards are really too low because she fell in love with a guy because he treated her well, oh boy, if only she knew he would ruin her life. and again strabo pulling a coriolanus (in the same way he spent half the book being like "I hate district ppl" just to then fall for a district girl 😭). I think they married around 23, so they spent like... around 3 years dating.

anon I'm so happy you enjoyed, and I have to thank YOU because your asks motivated me writing <33 and next chapter let's go with the daddy issues and plus more generational trauma and plus playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes

IT KINDA IS THE SAME MINDSET WITH SEJANUS, I imagine sejanus crying about having to go to shooting lessons and strabo being like "I did it when I was much younger than you". I think he goes with the kind of thought that's like "I'm not going to repeat the same mistakes, but I'll keep doing what I think that was right", but the point is: he did think his pa was right by being so stern to him, by treating him almost like a soldier. so, yeah. he DOES keep repeating the same mistakes, just in another form. KSKSKSKSKSKS the thought of one of the twins charging strabo the triple the price is just so funny oh my god 😭 they DO deserve some sort of revenge, but I think karma does enough for him. oh boy, imagine strabo seeing these kids running around during the rebellion, and being happy and so full of energy, and he looks at sejanus and he looks so sad, so lonely, and it's nobody's but strabo's fault. yeah. that's the problem with his karma, it affected much more ppl than just him :( NOBODY convinces me that someone didn't leak some of the votes of the first quarter quell. the pain, the betrayal, the destruction of the sense of community; of course that if your neighbour needs to protect their own kid by voting in yours, they WILL do it. and even if your kid doesn't get reaped... it's still so fucked up. I don't think I would be able to live in society anymore after that

the fact that he does have abilities with kids and is still able to fuck things up with sejanus is something else. OH MY GOD THIS IS HEARTBREAKING. he really never stood a chance, did he? 😭 not being able to bond with his maternal cousins bc of age, not being able to bond with his paternal cousins bc of his father's strained relationship with his uncles. KSKSKSKSKS strabo getting physical pain the first time he gets home to find sejanus playing with stuffed animals, and he asks what is sejanus doing, and sejanus goes like "I'm playing doctor pa :)", and strabo thinks it's just a phase. it isn't. and sejanus gets older, and strabo tries to coaxe him into another profession, ANY OTHER PROFESSION, REALLY, ANYTHING ELSE, teacher?? engineer?? lawyer?? baker?? veterinarian?? but nothing works and now he's sure this is destiny getting back at him 😭

anon, again thank you for sending me your thoughts, they make me very happy <33 take care!!

[layce2015]

Supernatural (Dean Winchester x Female!Reader)

Max Miller

Masterlist

In the morning, Max leads the boys and I in his house, the boys were in their priest outfits and I was back in my nun outfit. "My Mom's resting, she's pretty wrecked." Max said to us. "Of course." Dean said as we walk into the living room.

"All these people kept coming with like, casseroles? I finally had to tell them all to go away. You know cause nothing says I'm sorry like a tuna casserole." Max says as he gestures towards the row of casseroles in the kitchen.

We smile at Max, who smiles back at us. Then be gestures to the lounge and we all take seats. There is a moment kf silence, then Sam sighs.

"How you holding up?" Sam asked, softly. "Ok." Max replied. "You're dad and your uncle were close." I said and Max shrugs. "Yeah I guess. I mean, they were brothers. They used to hang out all the time when I was little." He replies.

"But not lately much?" Sam asked. "No, it's not that. It's just....we used to be neighbors when I was a kid, and we lived across town in this house. Uncle Roger lived next door, so he was over all the time." Max replied and I couldn't help but feel that he was hiding something.

"Right. So how was it in that house when you were a kid?" I asked him. "It was fine. Why?" He asked me, in slight fear. "All good memories? Do you remember anything unusual? Something involving your father and your uncle maybe?" Dean asked and Max shakes his head.

"What do ya....why do you ask?" He asked.

"Just a question." Dean said. "No, there was nothing. We were totally normal. Happy." He said and I raise an eyebrow at this. "Good. That's good. Well you must be exhausted. We should take off." Dean said as he looks over at me and Sam.

"Right." I said and Sam turns to Max.

"Thanks." He said.

"Yeah." Max mutters and we leave the house.

"No one's family is totally normal and happy. See when he was talking about his old house?" Dean asked once we walked down the street and towards the Impala. "He sounded scared." Sam said. "Yeah Max isn't telling us everything. I say we go find the old neighbourhood, find out what life was really like for the Millers." I suggested and Dean nods. "Couldn't have said it better myself." He said and we get in the Impala.

After changing back to our normal clothes, Sam, Dean and i stand on the footpath of the another suburban neighborhood, talking to a man in his front yard. "Have you lived in the neighborhood very long?" Sam asked the man. "Yeah, almost 20 years now. It's nice and quiet. Why, you looking to buy?" The man asked. "No, no, actually, we were wondering if you might recall a family that used to live right across the street I believe." I said to him.

"Yeah, the Millers. They had a little boy called Max." Dean said. "Yeah I remember. The brother had the place next door. So uh, what's this about, is that poor kid ok?" The man asked.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked as we give the man curious look. "Well in my life I've never seen a child treated like that. I mean I'd hear Mr Miller yelling and throwing things clear across the street, he was a mean drunk. He used to beat the tar outta Max. Bruises. Broke his arm two times that I know of." The man replied and my jaw drops slightly at this.

"This was going on regularly?" I asked him. "Practically every day. In fact that thug brother of his was just as likely to take a swing at the boy but the worst part was the stepmother. She'd just stand there, checked out, not lifting a finger to protect him. I must have called the police seven or eight times. Never did any good." The man said.

"Now you said step-mother." Dean said, curiously.

"I think his real mother died. Some sorta...accident. Car accident I think." The man said then I place my hand to my head, grimacing.

"Are you two ok there?" The man asked and I look over and see Sam was doing the same as me. "Uh, yeah." We winced. "Thanks for your time." Dean said and he tries to lead Sam and I away. "Yeah, thank you." Sam said as I give a nod and we start to walk away. "God." I groaned as I look up and felt like the world was spinning.

Suddenly, I see Ms Miller is chopping vegetable with a large knife in the kitchen. "I don't know what you mean by that. You know I never did anything!" She said as she lays her knife down. Then I see Max standing in front of her, angry. "That's right. You didn't do anything." He said, through tears, and the knife starts to rattle on the chopping board.

"You didn't stop them, not once." He growls and the knife lifts into the air. "How did you..." Ms Miller said as she backs up to the wall and the knife moves forward to hold her against the wall.

"Max! please!" She cries as the knife twists in front of her face, coming close enough to her eyeball to pierce the tear in her eye and it runs down her cheek. She gasps. "For every time you stood there and watched. Pretending it wasn't happening." Max said, tears in his voice. "I'm sorry." She cries.

"No you're not. You just don't wanna die." Max said.

Mrs Miller gasps and cries then the knife slices right through her eye and out the back of her head.

I gasped as I was brought back into reality then I look over at Dean just as Sam raises his head too. "Max is doing it. Everything we've been seeing." I said to Dean. "You sure about this?" Dean asked and I nod. "Yeah, I saw him." I said. "Me too." Sam said and we get into the car and drive to the Millers.

"How's he pulling it off?" Dean asked. "I don't know, like telekinesis?" Sam said. "What so he's psychic, a spoon bender?" Dean asked. "I didn't even realize it but this whole time, he was there." Sam said and I nod.

"Yeah, same here. He was outside the garage when his Dad died, he was in the apartment when his Uncle died. These visions, this whole time -- Sam and I weren't connecting to the Millers, we were connecting to Max!" I exclaimed.

"The thing is I don't get why, man. I guess -- because we're so alike?" Sam said. "What are you talking about. The dude's nothing like you two." Dean said. "Well. The three of us have psychic abilities, we..." I said as I think.

"You what? (Y/n), Max is a monster, he's already killed two people, now he's gunning for a third." Dean said. "Well, with what he went through, the beatings, to want revenge on those people? I'm sorry, man, I hate to say it, but it's not that insane." Sam said. "Yeah but it doesn't justify murdering your entire family!" Dean exclaims.

"Dean..." I said, exasperated, as we pull up to Max's house. "He's no different from anything else we've hunted, all right? We gotta end him." Dean said.

"We're not going to kill Max." Sam shouts.

"Then what? Hand him over to the cops and say Lock him up officer; he kills with the power of his mind." Dean said. "No way. Forget it." Sam grumbles as Dean turns off the engine.

"Sam..."

"Dean. He's a person. We can talk to him." I said as I place a hand in his shoulder. He looks over at me when Sam says. "Hey, promise me you'll follow our lead on this one."

Dean sits there for a moment then sighs. "All right, fine. But I'm not letting him hurt anybody else." He said and he removes his Taurus pistol from the glove compartment, glaring at me and Sam then opens the door.

We run up to the house and burst through the front door to see Max and his mom standing in the kitchen, similar to what Sam and I saw. "Fathers? Sister?" Ms Miller said, confused, while Max looks at us in shock. "What are you doing here?" He asked us.

"Aahh, sorry to interrupt." Dean said, apologetically. "Max, can we, uh, can we talk to you outside for just one second?" Sam asked him. "About what?" Max asked, suspicious. "It's....it's private. We wouldn't want to bother your mother with it." I said and Sam looks over at Ms Miller.

"We won't be long at all though, I promise." He assures as Max looks at her then back at us.

"Ok." He said.

"Great." Sam and I said.

We turn for the door and Max starts to follow. But as Dean grabs the doorknob, the knob, suddenly, is pulled from his hand and the door slams shut, as does the wooden window blinds all around the room. "You're not priests and a nun!" Max yells as we turn and Dean draws his gun but Max uses his power to pull it away, sliding it across the floor to where he can pick it up. He hold's it on us.

"Max, what's happening?" Ms Miller asked, frightened. "Shut up." Max growls. "What are you doing?" She asked. Using his power, Max flings her backwards and she hits her head on the kitchen bench and falls to the ground unconscious. "I said shut up!" He yells.

"Max calm down." Sam said to him, calmly. "Who are you?" Max asked, angrily. "We just wanna talk." I said. "Yeah right, that's why you bought this!" He said as he indicates with the gun.

"That was a mistake all right? So was lying about who we were. But no more lying Max ok? Just please, just hear us out." I said. "About what?" Max asked.

"(Y/n) and I saw you do it. We saw you kill your Dad and your Uncle before it happened." Sam said and Max looks at us.

"What?" He asked. "We were having visions, Max. About you." I told him. "You're crazy." Max said.

"So what, you weren't gonna launch a knife at your stepmom?" Sam asked as he taps his eye. "Right here? Is it that hard to believe Max, look what you can do. Max, (y/n) and I were drawn here all right? I think we're here to help you." Sam said and Max begins to cry. "No one can help me."

"Let us try. We'll just talk, me, you and Sam. We'll get Dean and Alice out of here." I said to Max. "Uh-huh. No way." Dean said and the chandelier begins to shake. "Nobody leaves this house!" Max screams. "And nobody has to, all right? They'll just...they'll just go upstairs." Sam said.

"Sam, I'm not leaving you and (y/n) alone with him." Dean growls and I turn to him. "Yes you are." I said, firmly, to Dean then I turn to Max. "Look, Max. You're in charge here, all right, we all know that. No one's going to do anything that you don't want to do but we're talking five minutes here." I said.

"(Y/n)! Sam!" Dean yells as Max looks back at his stepmother. "Five minutes." He said and the chandelier stops shaking. "Go." Max orders Dean and he moves to pick up Ms Miller and they head upstairs.

Max stares at a letter opener as it raises on its point and begins twirling slowly while Sam and I sit across from him in the living room. "Look, we can't begin to understand what you went through." Sam said to him. "That's right you can't." Max spat.

"Max, this has to stop." I said to him. "It will, after my stepmother --" Max starts to say but I shake my head. "No. You need to let her go." I said. "Why?" He asked.

"Did she beat you?" asked Sam. "No, but she never tried to save me. She's a part of it too." replied Max. "What they did, to you, what they all did to you growing up, they deserve to be punished..." I said and Max looks at me. "Growing up? Try last week." He said and he gets up and lifts his shirt. His chest and side had a mass of bruises and a long cut on his side.

I gasped and placed a hand over my mouth as Max lowers his shirt. "My dad still hit me. Just in places people wouldn't see it. Old habits die hard I guess." He grumbles and he sits back down. "I'm sorry." Sam and I said, softly.

"When I first found out I could move things it was a gift. My whole life I was helpless but now I had this. So last week Dad gets drunk. The first time in a long time. And he beats me to hell, first time in a long time. And then I knew what I had to do." Max explains

"Why didn't you just leave?" Sam asked him. "It wasn't about getting away. Just knowing they would still be out there. It was about...not being afraid. When my Dad used to look at me, there was hate in his eyes. Do you guys know what that feels like?" Max asked as he looks back at us. "No." Sam and I replied in unison.

"He blamed me for everything. For his job, for his life, for my Mom's death." Max said and I raised an eyebrow. "Why would he blame you for your Mom's death?" I asked him. "Because she died in my nursery, while I was asleep in my crib. As if that makes it my fault." Max replied and Sam and I share a look then we look back to Max.

"She died in your nursery?" Sam asked, shocked. "There was a fire. And he'd get drunk and babble on like she died in some insane way. He said that she burned up. Pinned to the ceiling!" Max said and my jaw drops slightly.

"Listen to me, Max. What your Dad said, about what happened to your Mom. It's real." I said to him.

"What?" Max asked, confused. "It happened to my Mom too, exactly the same. My nursery, my crib, my Dad saw her on the ceiling." Sam said and I nod. "Same here. My mom was killed in my nursery and my dad saw her." I said.

"Your Dads must have been as drunk as mine." Max said and we shake our heads. "No, no. It's the same thing, Max. The same thing killed our mothers." I said. "That's impossible." Max said.

"This must be why we were having visions during the day. Why they're getting more intense. Cause the three of us must be connected in some way. Your abilities, they started 6-7 months ago right, out of the blue?" Sam asked and Max looks at him, shocked again.

"How'd you know that?" He asked. "Cause that's when our abilities started, Max. Yours seem to be much further along but still, this has to mean something right? I mean for some reason, the three of us...we were chosen." I said.

"For what?" Max asked.

"We don't know. But us and Dean, my brother, we're hunting for your Mom's killer. We can find answers, answers that can help us. But you gotta let us go, Max. You gotta let your stepmother go." Sam said to him.

Max thinks for a moment then he starts to shake his head. "No. What they did to me. I still have nightmares. I'm so scared all the time, like I'm just waiting for that next beating. I'm so sick of being scared all the time, I just want this to be over!" He exclaims in tears.

"It won't. Don't you get it? The nightmares won't end, Max. Not like this. It's just, more pain. And it makes you as bad as them. Max, you don't have to go through all this by yourself." I said to him. "I'm sorry." Max said then he uses his powers to fling Sam and I backwards into the hall closest and slam the door. 

Then I could see through the blinds and see him use his power to put a large bookcase in front of the door. "No. Max!" Sam and I scream as we bang on the door then I felt a searing pain go through my head again.

Ms Miller was sitting on the bed while Dean was crouched beside her, holding a facecloth to her bleeding forehead. The door creaks open on its own and Max walks in. Dean rises and moves purposefully toward Max as the door closes behind him.

Max sends Dean flying and he crashes into the wall. "Max!" Ms Miller shouts as Max raises Dean's pistol, his hand shaking. "Son of a..." Dean grumbles as he rises but freezes when he sees the gun. But he begins to walk toward Max.

He stops when Max lets go of the gun, leaving it floating in mid air. It cocks, then turns to point at Ms Miller. Dean steps in its way. "Stay back. This is not about you." Max warns him.

"You wanna kill her you gotta go through me first." Dean said, firmly. "Ok." Max said and the gun fires. Blood splatters over the wall as Dean has a bullethole in the middle of his forehead, his eyes blank. He wavers and crashes heavily to the ground. 

I come back to myself, gasping and holding my head as I hear Sam gasping in a panic. "No. NOOO!!!" We screamed when, suddenly, the bookcase in front of the closet doors blasts away and the doors burst open. Sam and I freeze at this then we stare at each other. "Did we...?" Sam asked and I shrug. "I don't know. But we have to hurry." I said and we run out of the closet and up the stairs.

We burst through the door and see Max has the gun floating in front of Dean, we just made it in time. "No don't!" I screamed. "Don't! Please. Please. Max. Max. We can help you. All right." Sam said. "But this, what you're doing. It's not the solution. It's not gonna fix anything." I said as Max looks at us.

He was shaking and sweating as tears were in his eyes. He stares at us, in anguished. Suddenly he relaxes a little and his face clears, I began to think that maybe we done it.

"You're right." Max said and Sam and I smile at him. But Max turns away from us, as the gun swings to point at Max. And just like that, he shoots himself in the head. "NO!!" Sam and I shouted, in fear, then I placed my hands over my mouth and began to cry just as Sam pulls me into an embrace.

"Max attacked me. He threatened me with a gun." Ms Miller said to the cop, sometime later. "And these three?" The cop asked as he gestures towards me and the boys. "They're...family friends. I called them soon as Max arrived, I was scared. They tried to stop him. They fought for the gun." Ms Miller replied. 

"Where did Max get the gun?" The cop asked and the boys and I exchange looks, worried that she would slip up. But she begins to cry and look up at the ceiling. "I don't know. He showed up with it and..." then she begins to break down.

"It's all right Ms Miller." The cop assured her as she sobs. "I've lost everyone." She cries then the cop turns to us. "We'll give you a call if we have any further questions." He said. "Thanks officer." Dean said then he pats mine and Sam's arm. "Come on." He said and we start to walk out of the house.

"If we'd just said something else. Gotten through to him somehow." I said, depressed, as we walk down the path to the Impala. "Ah, don't do that." Dean said. "Do what?" Sam and I asked. "Torture yourself. It wouldn't have mattered what you guys said, Max was too far gone." Dean replied.

"When I think about how he looked at us man, right before. I shoulda done something." Sam said.

"Yeah, me too." I aaid.

"Come on guys, both of you risked your lives. I mean yeah, maybe if we had gotten there 20 years earlier." Dean said as Sam and I moved to one side of the Impala and Dean was on the other.

"Well I'll tell you one thing. We're lucky we had Dad." Sam said and Dean looks at Sam, astounded and a little pleased. "Well I never thought I'd hear you say that." He said.

"Well, it could of gone a whole other way after Mom. A little more tequila and a little less demon hunting and we woulda had Max's childhood. All things considered, we turned out ok. Thanks to him." Sam said and Dean nods. "Yeah, I'm grateful for my dad as well. All things considered." I said as I glanced back at the Miller house.

That night, we were packing up out stuff in the trunk of the Impala which was backed up to the door of the motel, and I go in the boys former room. "Guys  I've been thinking." I said. "Well that's never a good thing." Dean said and I rolled my eyes. "Oh, ha, ha. I'm serious. I've been thinking, this demon, whatever it is. Why would it kill our Moms, and Jessica, and Max's mother, you know? What does it want?" I asked.

"I have no idea." Dean said as Sam shrugs. "Well, you think, maybe, it was after us? After Max or Sam or me?" I asked.

"Why would you think that?" Dean asked me.

"I mean, either telekinesis or premonitions, all three of us had abilities, you know? Maybe he was, he was after us for some reason." I said.

"(Y/n). If it had wanted you or Sam, it would've just taken both of you. Ok? This is not your fault, and its not Sam's, it's not about you two." Dean said.

"Then what is it about?" Sam asked. "It's about that damn thing that did this to our family. The thing that we're gonna find, the thing that we're gonna kill. And that's all." Dean said, firmly. "Actually there's uh...there's something else too." I said, nervously. "Ah jeez what?" Dean mutters.

"When Max left us in that closet, with that big cabinet against the door...one of us moved it and the other bursts the door opened or both of us might've done it. Kinda like Max." I said. Dean pauses at this then starts to gather up his clothes. "Oh. Right." He said, softly. "Yeah." Sam and I said.

Then Dean picks up a spoon and holds it up. "Bend this." He said and I scoff at this. "We can't just turn it on and off, Dean." Sam said, frustrated. "Well how'd you guys do it?" Dean asked. "I don't know, we can't control it." Sam exclaims.

"We just....we saw you die and it just came out of us, like a, like a punch. You know like...a freak adrenaline thing." I explained as best as I could. "Yeah well I'm sure it won't happen again." Dean said. "Yeah, maybe." I said, unsure.

"Aren't you worried, man? Aren't you worried (y/n) and I could turn into Max or something?" Sam asked. "Nope. No way. You know why?" Dean said.

"No. Why?" We asked him.

"Cause you guys got one advantage Max didn't have." Dean replied. "Dad? Because Dad's not here, Dean." Sam said, exasperated. "No. Me." Dean said, smirking. "You?" I chuckled. "Yeah, as long as I'm around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you two." Dean said and I stare at him as a small smile forms on my face.

Dean smiles back then slings his bag over his shoulder. "Oh, by the way, spoon boy. There is no spoon. It is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself." I recite and Dean chuckles at my reference as I wink at him.

"Now then. I know what we need to do about your premonitions. I know where we have to go." Dean said. "Where?" Sam asked as I stare at Dean. "Vegas." He replied, deadpanned, then he grins at us. Sam tilts his head, looks away and walks out the door to the car as I shake my head and follow him.

"What? Come on, guys. Craps tables. We'd clean up!" Dean said as he follows us and closes the door.

[theoddcatlady]

Mr. Ferguson

I think the whole street breathed a sigh of relief when we saw the EMTs take a body bag out of the Ferguson house. I was only about ten or eleven at the time and it’s been a while so some details of my childhood are lost to time, but I can’t forget Mr. Ferguson.

There was never a Mrs. Ferguson in the picture, as far as I know. He lived in the house on the corner, the one with the bright yellow shutters and the gorgeous garden out back. The garden didn’t make up for the rotten old bastard he was. I wondered once if he was nicer when he was younger, when he didn’t have to walk with a cane and could actually get around without help, but my dad set me straight on that one. Mr. Ferguson had always been a terrible person and the neighbor from hell.

All day long, Mr. Ferguson would sit on his front porch in his rocking hair, grasping onto his black cane as he stared out on the street. If someone walking their dog even got close to his yard, he’d start spewing threats about what he’d do if the dog took a shit on his lawn. If a kid put even a toe on his property, he’d get up from that chair and start shouting more terrible things. I learned my first cuss words from Mr. Ferguson, he didn’t censor his language even among the smallest of ears. And he wasn’t all talk. One of my friend’s dogs wandered into the Ferguson yard, just sniffing around as beagles do, and Mr. Ferguson beat that dog bloody. The poor thing had anxiety for the rest of its life and if you so much as passed the Ferguson house with it the dog would lose its mind.

Other than him, our neighborhood was a friendly place. Summers were full of cook outs and pool parties, winters had Secret Santa gift exchanges and someone was always willing to help shovel out your driveway. You’d never be hard pressed to find a babysitter on short notice, odds are your friend had a teenage daughter willing to make a few bucks to make sure the kids were on bed in time.

But not Mr. Ferguson. People did try to bring him in on the fun sometimes. He’d scoff and tell them to leave him alone in no uncertain terms. Mom said he just wanted to be miserable. I didn’t understand how someone could want that and well, I still don’t.

One hot summer morning though, his caretaker came in to do a check and found him in his garden, dead as a door nail. Probably a stroke or a heart attack.

My mom made us go to the funeral. I don’t know why, she probably hated Mr. Ferguson the most and we were like one of five people that went. One of those people was the priest. At least it was short, the priest just said a few words about how we should treasure our lives and be good to others and then Mr. Ferguson was chucked into the ground.

That was that… or so I thought.

The accidents started happening just a week later.

I was at my friend Michael’s house, we were playing board games when we heard the crash. It was so loud it shook the house and Michael dropped his soda. Root beer spilled onto the carpet as we tried to figure out what that sound was for a second.

Then we heard his dad screaming bloody murder.

Forgetting completely about the spilled soda, we ran out to the garage where he’d been working on changing the oil in the car.

Michael’s dad was pinned by the car against the garage door, face white as a sheet as his head lolled to the side. I saw blood splattered against the off gray color of the metal and I puked while Michael ran inside to call 911.

It was luck that he survived. He never walked again and health issues plagued him for the rest of his life, but for a guy crushed by a car that’s probably best case scenario.

It was an accident, sure, but a weird one. The car just suddenly launched forward as Michael’s dad stood in front of it. But there was no one in the garage with him. So yeah. It was just an accident.

But accidents started happening more and more often.

The next one was at the final pool party of the season. We were all at the Benson house because they’d just gotten a brand new hot tub. There was probably like twelve kids running around, the sun was shining, the barbecue was sizzling. I had just gotten out of the pool to grab a lemonade and was chatting with Annie when I heard the pop.

Mrs. Benson and her friends had been relaxing in the hot tub, making jokes and laughing until the pop. Their bodies suddenly went rigid before they began rapidly jerking about and twitching. Mr. Benson shouted if she was all right and I heard this gurgled yell before Mrs. Benson went under.

The kids stampeded out of the pool and I smelled something burning before I realized that the hot tub was on fire.

Mrs. Benson and her sister ended up dying on the way to the hospital. The other woman ended up surviving but not without some serious electrical burns. Electrocution via hot tub. Just an accident. But there was one more accident we all missed until we returned to the pool to see a little body floating at the top. Three year old Maggie had fallen in during the chaos and drowned.

Mr. Benson moved away after that. Losing both his wife and youngest child in that house just killed something inside of him. But after he moved away, we all saw it happen.

His backyard became overgrown by plants. Not over a few weeks, like what happens when a house is uninhabited and there’s no one to mow the lawn. The very day after they’d left that house the backyard was now filled with dandelions, daffodils, lilies. and all sorts of flowers that shouldn’t naturally appear in the late summer.

It was like a garden.

Accidents happen, sure. But not like this. Not when a guy who’s been working home improvement his entire life ends up toppling from a ladder and breaking his spine. Not when a mom trips and falls face first into the open dishwasher and ends up getting impaled on a knife. Not when a toddler was left alone for just a few seconds and ends up nearly drowning in the bathtub.

Dogs ran into the road and ended up getting hit by cars. Kids fell from their bunk beds and cracked their heads like eggshells on their dressers. Teenagers got into fatal car wrecks. It was a mess.

Two other families ended up leaving our neighborhood and their yards had the same fate as the Benson’s- completely grown over. A morbid beauty.

Fall came and the yards grew brown but the gardens seemed to be even greener. The whispers started about a ghost. A ghost that was such a miserable old bastard in life and was now a nasty poltergeist in death.

Mr. Ferguson had never left our neighborhood.

It all came to a head when a tree was struck by lightning and a large tree limb crashed into our living room. I’d just tripped while picking up my things and suddenly the roof caved in above me. I was lucky I was on the ground. If I’d been standing, well, I’d probably not be telling you this story.

Two nights later my mom woke me up. She looked grim.

“Come on. We’re going to see Mr. Ferguson.”

When we walked out of the house, I saw everyone on our street was out. Everyone had this same grim look on their face. The deaths, the mutilation, it’d forever tarnished our street and we’d all had enough. We walked down the street, I saw several guys walk into Mr. Ferguson’s house with mallets and chainsaws, but we kept going with a few of the others. I saw that several of the adults were carrying shovels and containers of lighter fluid.

We walked into the graveyard and my mom led them right to Mr. Ferguson’s grave. She took a deep breath.

“… Start digging.”

It was the frantic endeavors of people who believed they were cursed. Dirt flew in the air and nearly pelted me in the head a few times. I hid behind my mom, who just stood there stone faced.

Even now the accidents weren’t over. A man tripped in the hole and his leg snapped like a twig. He wailed as he was dragged away by a few others before they got right back to digging. Someone else got smacked the face with a shovel and blood coursed down his face from his nose as he just kept on digging.

Finally the coffin was reached, the lid cracked open. Mr. Ferguson’s body laid inside. He didn’t even look dead, it was like he was just taking a nap.

Then they started pouring the lighter fluid in. It covered the corpse’s skin, his clothes. They probably added more than necessary. My mom struck the match and threw it in, shielding me from the sudden burst of flames.

I didn’t get to see the body, but I swore I heard that old man’s yelling as his body burned.

It was over after all that. The gardens were all dead by morning. The accidents stopped. And although we’d lost so many of our friends over the past year, we recovered. New neighbors moved in. We welcomed them into our fold. One or two asked about the property on the corner, the one that looked like a tornado hit it, and we’d just say it was vandals. They stopped asking. We never talked about what we did to Mr. Ferguson’s body. And soon we just stopped thinking about it.

I grew up on that street. Even now I only live a few blocks away. And for so long I wondered why our family was practically the only one untouched by the tragedy. We never got hurt, even when the tree branch came crashing into our living room.

I think I found out the answer. See, my mom passed away a few months ago from breast cancer and I’ve been going through her things. She’s always been such a good, kind woman and it was great seeing pictures of her helping plant the garden behind the church and teaching at the local school.

But in the bottom of the box, hidden under dozens of other albums, was a picture from when she married my dad. Unlike the family picture with the groom, all it was was my mom and an older man. I didn’t recognize him until I flipped the picture over.

On the back was written ‘Pauline Walters (P. Ferguson) and The Father of the Bride.’

[nessieseadreams]

Twst characters as things I did as a child

I had no idea what my first post should be so here is some crack hcs ig you can call them based on things I did when I was idk 13 and below :)

yuu (malleus is the person in question) - became close friends with someone who developed a crush on them. mf was hugging, holding hands and patting their back and all they thought was “oh wow what a good friend,” cause they’re fucking oblivious to flirting cause they’re aroace.

riddle - forced himself to like girls before realising he too was aroace

Trey - was the priest in the playground for a guy who wanted to marry his carrot

Cater - vents in his notes app and forgets, so when he goes back into it he gets flashbacks

Deuce - started sobbing after someone made a joke about him not having a dad (it was a rough day)

Ace - called someone a wanker and riddle had to make him apologise to the kid

Leona - mother admitted he was “an accident” but was still loved and somehow interpreted that as her admitting she hated him

Ruggie - stole a pack of gum and thought he would go to jail only for no one to notice. that’s how his theivary started

Jack - father thought his obsession with a werewolf show was demonic and banned him from watching it

Floyd - punched someone when they said his drawing looked like baymax

Jade - walked (or swam…fuck idk) around the school playground and talked to himself cause he had no friends

Azul - made an entire obstacle course in primary school and made people pay him in seaweed (leaves) and it got so bad the teachers had to tell him to stop cause there was no seaweed left around the school (all the trees didn’t have leaves)

Kalim - hid in a huge shopping centre when he and his family were on holiday in a different country and got half of it closed to search for him. he just wanted to play hide and seek :(

Jamil - got told “d-d-dora…d-d-deported,” and just laughed in confusion.

vil - keeps away from mario kart cause he knows if he plays it he would become way too fucking competitive and curse out all the children playing it and scare them.

Rook - secretly burned the tops of his fingers cause he liked the feeling

Epel - ate an entire shrek lipbalm cause it was apple flavoured and he fucking loves apple flavoured stuff. then got sick right after

Idia - got told off for wearing cat ears to school

idia again - screamed bloody murder when his favourite character died in an anime and then sobbed louder when it turned out the character reincarnated, his brother rushed up the stairs thinking he was dying

Sebek - saw his teacher from years ago after a long time and yelled “OH MY GOD YOU HAVE GREY HAIR,” the minute he saw her.

Silver - helped a kid once because he felt bad for them since they were lost but now continuously runs away from them cause they KEEP ON FUCKING FOLLOWING HIM EVERYWHERE AND HE CANT TELL THEM TO STOP BECAUSE HIS VOICE IS TOO FUCKING QUIET

Lila - grew up witnessing horror and seeing gruesome shit (playing resident evil at 5 and watching pewdiepie play corpse party) and now has a weird fascination of horror and gore.

Malleus - constantly gets told ‘are you okay?’ or ‘are you tired?’ no bitch that’s his resting face, asshole

[homo-ousios]

Btw any trans Catholics out there, everyone’s situation is different so be safe and careful, but i want you to know it’s at least possible to have a good experience coming out

I was terrified to visit my old parish this summer because it’s the small-town South, and those people have known me since I was 13. They saw me get confirmed. I taught Sunday school there. The ladies from the Friday morning mass sewed my wedding veil.

They didn’t bat an eye. I came to the picnic for the Haiti mission and was hugged and kissed and called by my right name. The co-director told me they were all proud of me. My dad introduced me to the new priest as his son. (My dad who is himself a member of the clergy. And I just found out that he uses my right name and gender even when I’m not around, even just in the family.)

It hasn’t been uniformly effortless. I had to have one or two difficult conversations. My traddie friends are a question mark. They don’t get it, but they love me. They may or may not come around, but they haven’t cut me off.

The point is, the stereotype about Catholics being a horde of benighted bigots or whatever is just that, a stereotype. Sometimes it will be true, often not, almost always it’s more complicated than that.

I hope that you can have as good a time with transition as I did. If you are wanting to stay in the church and are wondering whether you can, here’s at least one guy who’s doing that and is happy and accepted. If you hate the church for what it has done and said about people like us, and you want to leave, then you absolutely should - it’s not wrong or bad, go get your happiness and be free! If you have no idea what your relationship to religion is going to be moving forward, you can talk to me or vent or whatever. It’s a lot to work through, but community eases all those pains. There are a lot of catholic queers out there, and we should be looking out for each other.

Anyway I love you all, and happy feast of Christ the King this week :)

[boots-with-the-fur-club]

Chapter 7 of the reincarnation fic!! I’m adding the title as hashtag for it in case anyone wants to use it.

@daboyau

@rottmnt-background-screenshots

“It’s honestly….embarrassing, how I was before.” Aoi smiles softly, awkwardly.

“It’s not embarrassing, you just needed help!” Tora insists.

“I didn’t even wash my own clothes. I think she sprayed me down with a hose once.”

“I did what I had to.”

“It….it was bad. She had to feed me at first. Tora noticed whenever I needed something, mainly because she was basically stuck to my side. I was angry on the inside at the beginning. I thought I wasn’t worth all this effort. I just wanted to be alone and forgotten, but she wouldn’t let me be.”

“I was born into this world all alone, I wasn’t about to let anyone else feel that way.”

“Wait….what do you mean?” Kosuke questions.

“My dad died in the war and my mom was sick when she was pregnant with me. The people who ran the temple came to help, but she left the world before I entered it.”

“That’s awful….”

“Yeah, it’s not the nicest way to start off life. The priests at the temple never talked about it as a bad thing though and I agree with them.”

“How could that possibly not be a bad thing? You had no one.” Tomo insists.

“That’s not true! Even if it was though, if I hadn’t been raised the temple, I wouldn’t have met Aoi! He wouldn’t have gotten better, we wouldn’t have left together, and that means you’d both be dead right now.”

Tomo tenses up at those implications.

“But how did he get better? And why did you leave? Those priests sounded way nicer than ours were.” Kosuke comments.

“When I found out why Tora was doing things for me, I realized that I could have a purpose again. I decided that I’d pay her back for everything she did by being the best big brother ever. That included leaving with her when things changed at the temple. The new priests thought there were too many of us and tried to separate everyone to new places.” Aoi explains.

“….I’m sorry. I kept assuming things about you. Both of you….” Tomo sighs.

“There’s no hard feelings from me. I probably should have told you about it before, honestly.”

“If….we’re telling everything about ourselves…..then you should know, I’m considered to be….cursed.” Kosuke pipes up.

Tora looks over at him.

“Cursed? What are you talking about?”

“Kosuke, you don’t want to tell them if you’re not ready.”

“It’s okay, Tomo. I am ready. There was a really bad storm one day in my village….my house got struck by lightning. It caught on fire and I was the only one who made it out….everyone assumed I was cursed. I had to be sent to a temple far away from my village and they still….blamed me. I was shunned by basically everyone there until Tomo arrived. They thought if they even touched me that they could catch the curse. Tomo was the only one who helped protect me. Eventually it got so bad we left, though.“

“That’s what you meant when you told me those things in the woods when we went to go get Aoi’s medicine.”

Kosuke nods.

“I didn’t want to say what really happened at first. Even though you said what you did to me back then, I was….worried. After hearing your stories, it made me think….either we’re all cursed, or none of us are.“

“Wow, kenzoku was even more fitting than I thought when I first met you both.” Aoi states.

“I didn’t imagine it would be so literal either.” Tomo mutters.

Tora holds onto Kosuke’s arm.

“If you’re all the people I’m cursed with for this life, and whatever lives after, it’s the best curse I could have asked for.”

Kosuke looks down at her and tears up heavily.

“Yeah. I don’t mind being cursed this way either.”

Tomo’s breathing hitches slightly.

Aoi pats his shoulder.

“This is why I wanted the weapons, you know? That’s how I was taught. There’s only so much you can protect without one.”

“There’s no way around it….”

“If I had any better ideas I’d be doing them, honest.”

“I believe you. Maybe….maybe it’ll be different this time….I need it to be.”

“Take it slow, Tomo. Work your way back up to a sword. You’re pretty good with a bō anyways.”

Tomo takes a breath.

“Haru would be mad at me for not using it after all the work we put into it, wouldn’t she?”

“I can’t speak for her, but from what you said, I don’t think she’d ever be mad at you. Not really.”

“….Thank you.”

“Any time.”

“Now I have something to hit you with when you do dumb things.”

Aoi makes a concerned face.

Kosuke and Tora laugh.

The dream ends as the turtles wake up from their nap.

Raph was holding onto Mikey’s arm. Mikey immediately took a selfie using his free hand to keep a photo as evidence.

Leo shot straight up.

“Did you guys see that?“

“See what? What happened!? I didn’t get to see!” April looks around at them.

Donnie sits up next.

“We just unlocked the rest of the tragic origin stories of our past lives.”

“Aw man, that doesn’t sound any better at all. Sorry guys.”

“No, you did great April. That….actually helped.”

“Tora had such a sad story though! Imagine being born and your whole family is gone the moment you’re alive.”

“You’re missing the point Miguel. She didn’t lose the only family she had, she just hadn’t met them yet.” Leo stands up and pats his head.

Mikey smiles.

“Now you’re thinking like Dr. Positive! Raph, can you let go now?”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah, sorry.” He let’s go of him.

“So…..what are your guys’ plans about this whole situation? Splinter probably won’t ease up any time soon and I can’t be here all the time to help.” April comments.

“How about we plan for you to come over on days you aren’t busy with college stuff? On the other days we can try to work it out ourselves.”

“Alright….if you’re sure. If it’s an emergency just tell me and I’ll come running.”

“Was there any doubt of that in the first place?” Leo smirks.

“There better not have been.” They fist bump.

April eventually makes her way home.

As time passes, the dreams and memories only keep coming. There didn’t seem to be anymore ones as intense as they had been seeing before so far.

The frequency of the memories did start causing some changes, though.

Leo’s mixing up of names became a lot more common. It also spread to the others.

It was slightly weird at first, but now they use the different names interchangeably.

Speaking in Japanese came in afterwards. It wasn’t all the time, but it was fairly often.

Splinter was incredibly surprised when he was walking by Donnie’s lab and heard him shout the kind of words that would have gotten him smacked with a sandal when he was a kid.

Once he noticed that, he quickly started to notice all the other new, odd behaviors too.

Sometimes when Raph was half asleep he’d ask Mikey for help reaching a top shelf. Mikey, also usually half asleep, would do it without thinking and pat his head.

When April would visit, he noticed that Donnie was the first to see her. That wasn’t weird in itself since they had always been close. What was slightly weird was they were acting like Donnie and Leo did when they were younger.

They’d stand somewhere making gestures as if they were having a full on conversation without speaking a word. Donnie also would leave the lair if he just felt something was off with her.

The bō training was especially a shock as April preferred her bat.

When it came to Leo’s behavior, it was more of a happy surprise.

He asked Donnie for a new heat lamp since the last one was destroyed by Shredder in the old lair.

He would bathe in the artificial sun a lot more than he did before on top of some extra comfy blankets, courtesy of Raph.

The only concerning part was when he’d wake up from a nap and ask where Tora was before he got a hold of himself and went to go find Raph.

Splinter knew it was time to talk about everything, and there was one sure fire way to get everyone to listen.

“Boys! Pizza!” He called out as a small stack of it was on the table.

It doesn’t take long for all of them to rush in.

“Awesome! What’s the occasion, pops?” Raph asks as he opens up the top box.

“No occasion….I just wanted to talk.”

“Oh no, this is a pizza food trap! Everyone run while you still can!” Donnie warns.

“No no no! This isn’t one of those! You are not in trouble!”

“You only ever get us pizza for three reasons. Either we’re in trouble, you need us to do something, or you’re….apologizing?” Leo’s eyes widen.

“Yes….I am apologizing. Banning you from working through your memories through ninpo didn’t save you from them. I shouldn’t have taken away a process you could have used to deal with it. It’s made you not tell me about what you’ve learned. I don’t want to be cut off from you like that.”

“We’re sorry too dad, we thought you’d get mad if we talked about it! I promise that it hasn’t been as bad since then. There’s been a lot of good memories!” Mikey smiles.

Splinter takes a seat at the table.

“Why don’t you tell me about them now?”

After plates of pizza are served, the others sit down as well and start telling Splinter everything they learned. They had to change the facts about how they found out about Haru as to not get in trouble, but everything else was talked about.

They filled him in that their past lives had trained with their weapons for a while and were fairly skilled according to the last memory they saw.

Seven years had passed through dreams and secrete sessions with April, meaning Aoi and Tomo were 17, Kosuke was 16, and Tora was 15.

The same ages the turtles were now.

Thanks to the weapons and their training, they went from picking up random work at farms to lower level bodyguard and samurai jobs.

Splinter rubs his beard in thought.

“Your past lives have done so much at such young ages.”

“There is somethin that’s been bothering me about what we’ve been seeing though.”

“What is it, Red?”

“They’re supposed to be mystic warriors, but we still have no idea how they actually got their mystic powers.”

“There’s a good chance that they just haven’t discovered them yet. If they were the first to use it, then it might take some time. You might be able to ask them to show you through ninpo.”

Leo crosses his arms.

“Those guys do not like talking to us. I don’t know if it’s because the mystic stuff is old or not, but they haven’t tried.”

“Maybe they can hear us but can’t show themselves yet for some reason?” Mikey glances at everyone.

“Whatever the explanation is, if they can hear you, then they may listen as well.” Splinter continues.

“The oh so iconic saying the same thing with different words to make advice sound like a riddle.” Donnie deadpans.

Splinter smacks his arm lightly with his tail.

Donnie grips his arm in surprise.

“Kuso!”

“Purple! Watch your mouth!”

“Sorry, father….”

“This is why me knowing Spanish comes in handy. Vamanos! Let’s get to the ninpo room and figure out the mystic stuff!” Leo hops off his seat.

Everyone follows after him.

“I missed this room! The pillows are so comfy.” Mikey sighs happily as he sits down.

“You guys ready?” Raph looks around while everyone else takes their seat.

Donnie and Leo nod at him.

Raph and Splinter follow suit.

They do as they secretly have been doing all along and hope for the right memory to come up.

[mayisgoingnuts]

EAT UP💪💪

Elaine nodded, “that's a great idea! I mean, it's what you've always done anyway.” She shrugged. Rai chuckled, “I get scared, if I end up talking to them I start crying. Then they feel bad and it doesn't go anywhere.” “No no I get your reasoning! Makes sense to me.” “Should I send a text now? Or write a letter and give it to them later?” Elaine thought for a moment, “I mean, it's really up to you. I'd send a text right now but-” before she could finish her sentence Rai pulled out her phone and started to write a message. Elaine sighed, shaking her head slightly. The two sat in silence as Rai typed the paragraph. After a few minutes she showed Elaine what it said. Elaine took the phone and began to read, when she finished she gave it back and gave her a thumbs up. “It's really mature. I mean, I can't even write like that.” Rai stared at the phone for a moment, then hit send. As soon as it was sent she sat it down on a nearby desk. “I'll look at the response later. Come on, I think I'm good enough to continue walking.” The two then left Elaine's room, dropping off the now empty bowl in the sink.

They walked until dark, they talked and laughed the entire time. Rai even bought some snow cones for them! While they were walking Rai began to complain about someone in their band. “I don't understand. She has a shower, she has a washer, why not use them?!” She groaned in frustration. “You don't understand how bad it is to be next to her while marching AND while just sitting down playing! She's a senior and she can't even play her damn instrument properly-” she stopped when the two kids she babysits run up, they were yelling. Their yelling caused Elaine to drop her snow cone. “Miss Rai! Miss Rai!” The two cried, “are you going to watch us tomorrow?” The one in the skeleton costume asked, “We want to color!” The one in the Pumpkin costume started after. Rai froze, she looked down at Elaine, who was staring at the snowcone she dropped. “I..I'm sorry guys. But I'm busy tomorrow.” She felt bad for lying, but she wanted to spend time with her lover. The two kids became incredibly sad, causing Rai to cave. “Well..maybe I can find the time to-” “YAYY!” The two kids cheered before running off, almost knocking her down. Elaine sighed, “you need to get better at telling people no.” Rai gave her a look, “You're one to talk.” She mumbled, handing over her snowcone for Elaime to have.

The two continued their walk deep into the night. “I don't understand, why do you go to church? You're not religious.” Elaine questioned, Rai just shrugged in response. “I dunno. It's fun?” It wasn't fun. Elaine knew that, she had been before. “No it isn't- wait..is it the priest?” She sounded mad, Rai feared that. “Gregor? What's wrong with him?” Rai tried avoiding the question, but Elaine wasn't letting that happen. Elaine stopped walking, now she stood with her hands on her hips and stared at Rai. “Railyn, what is he doing to you? Is he hurting you? You have to tell me!” “He isn't doing anything to me, he's nice Ei he isn't a bad guy!” “How do you know? He could be horrible! He could be pretending!” Rai was becoming incredibly fearful by now. Scared something might come between them. “Ei I trust him, isn't that good enough?” “No it isn't! I want an actual reason for why you care so much-” “Because he cares about me!” Rai yelled, she never yelled. At least not at Elaine. “He cares about me! More than my dad did..you know what he did to me- I told you what he did! Not many people know because I don't trust them! But he knows, he knows because I told him- because I trust him- because-” Rai stopped, tears fell out her eyes. She crossed her arms and looked down. “Nevermind.” She mumbled, Elaine felt a little bad now. The two sat in silence before the two kids walked up again, but with the priest this time. “We are sorry Miss Rai..” they said in unison, she quickly dried her tears and crouched down to talk to them. “Sorry for what? You didn't do anything.” “We were bothering you, it was mean of us..” the one in the skeleton costume said. “We should've left you alone..you don't have to watch us-” she quickly cut off the other kid. “Nonsense! I don't mind watching you two. It's the best part of my day. The two got all giddy, until the priest stopped in. “No, they need to learn. It may be fun watching them, but it's also fun to have some alone time.” She stood up to face him. She had a small smile, which he gladly returned. Elaine only glared with suspicion at him. “Come now children, we still have more people to apologize to.” He called to the two younger kids, they nodded and started walking. She was shocked that they weren't running like normal. The priest put a hand on Rai's shoulder, they exchanged a small smile before he walked off. Rai and Elaine hadn't said a word to each other.

Idk if this counts as a cliffhanger but I love Rai and Gregor so much THEY HAVE MY WHOLE HEART💔💔,(this is kinda based on something happening between me and a friend ig?? I'll elaborate if you want/NF)

-🍂

OOOOO FOUND FAMILYY,, DEVOURING THE STORY RWAAHHH

[batb1mb0]

Since I’m seeing a lot of people write about their religious upbringing and Ghost…I guess it’s finally my turn. I don’t know if I should but warnings but I’ll put them here anyway.

TW: talk of religion (obviously), family member death, minor talking about masturbation acts, religious trauma, gaslighting, toxic relationship with family

TL:DR: I loose my grandmother and start questioning my faith. Later on my friend shows me the band Ghost and I thought I could finally like something that I relate to.

This all started in 2014 when I was just a freshman in high school. I was 14 at the time about to turn 15, living the best of my life that I possibly could for a 14 year old. I was learning how social media worked, I was playing flash games, I had a great connection with my family. Life was great. The only down side was my grandmother, who I was very close to, was very very sick. She had been sick for three years before this whole moment in time. I got a text one day in December. I still remember the date and time of that message; December 17th, 2014 at 2:45 pm. I see that my mom had texted me and said that both her and dad are in the high school lobby waiting to pick me up. I found this weird since I didn’t need two family members to pick me up. So I thought nothing of it.

When I got downstairs, that was when I heard the news that made me loose my cool. My parents informed me that afternoon that my grandmother had just passed that afternoon and they were signing me out of school a week early due to funeral planning and other things like that. The moment I heard that news, I broke down in tears and fell to my knees. I loved my grandmother. She was like a second mother to me and now I had just heard the news that she was no longer with us. This was the start of my spiral into depression. And it didn’t help that I tried to live in denial for the most part of it.

So with this major death in the family, I was really starting to question my religion. I was brought up Catholic in a very religious family. We always went to church every Saturday evening, I was practically brain washed into thinking this is the only religion you can be. I understand that some other Catholic upbringing stories are not like this but the way mine is, it was more like a cult the more I think about it (I’ll make a separate post talking about that). I really was thinking if god was all good and loving, then why couldn’t he fix and heal my grandmother. I was told to always pray to god if I needed help but it was clear he wasn’t listening to me in those moments. So I decided to drop Catholicism as a whole. The only problem was, my high school was Catholic and I had to get through three years of pretending to be Catholic.

Jump to my senior year of high school. I was 17 at the time so I am still a minor. My high school was offering this religious retreat called kiros. Basically it was a religious retreat to grow your relationship with god or find him again. It was for four days and three nights and I look back to it…it sucked. If you didn’t think religion can be a cult, this was surely the nail in that coffin. We were given the same shirt and the same colored bandanna. The only way to tell us apart were the pants we wore. And we had to wear that shirt the whole time. But this is only scraping the surface of this whole retreat.

The one night I am haunted by is the night we had to do confessions. Now already I don’t like telling a stranger my imperfections, what made them think I would tell a holy man my imperfections. Well…I don’t know how but it worked. I was put into a small room with the priest, he got me to calm down and I still curse myself each day for remembering the interaction so well. The way I had admitted to self exploration in the bedroom, the way I was crying out of sheer EMBARRASSMENT! I wasn’t being healed. Though the priest thought I was being healed and finally accepting god into my heart and that’s why I was crying. No. I was bawling my eyes out due to the embarrassment I felt that I just told this man, who is a stranger and old enough to be my dad, what I had done to myself. It was that I finally was seeing how scary this religion truly is…how far gone you can easily be if you are not careful. I should say any religion is that way. But my experience was truly traumatic and I was given nothing in return. I gave until I could not give no more.

Jump to me in college, these next five years flew by quickly. I was finally with people I could call friends. A close friend of mine showed me their tarot cards, and I was fully clicking with it. Better than my TWELVE YEARS of Catholicism did for me. Of course when I was getting into tarot and the starts of paganism I hid it from my parents. Mainly my mother since I knew she would disapprove of it. And I was right. When I was 22 and I told her I am now pagan, she never gave me a second glance. Just an eye roll and thinking I’m trying to get out of going to church with her. No. This is something I made on my own. And this was around the time a friend I met at work was telling me about Ghost. I had Mary on a Cross playing since it was a song I was hearing all over Tiktok and I just liked the tune of it. So they told me a little about the band and showed me a few more of their songs that I was instantly clicking with. Year Zero and Cirice really got to hold onto me and given my past, it shows why Cirice really has a hold on me.

Even today, I am finding so many friends in this community who have some variety or religious trauma or just use the music to escape. I’ll say this, I’m glad I was introduced to it. It helps me when I am in my dark hours and when I feel like the world is crashing down on me. It is a temporary escape while I still live with my parents for the time being. However my happiness always has to come to an abrupt end. Present day me, did recently receive a letter that high school me did write. Everything was fine until I read one line of the letter…a line that nearly sent me over the edge when I read it…

“Hopefully you are still Catholic, if not pray to god and help yourself to get back into his love”

Even going to as far as to attached a picture of the letter to show I am not making any of this up…But yeah…thanks to the wonderful people who have been with me all through this little obsession, you guys mean the world to me…it’s true. If you do have ghost…you really do have everything

-Chloe

Below is the actual letter…

[heystephen]

hey ebd anon! to be honest i knew she was wacky from the first day i met her because she started yelling (at the top of her lungs) in an attempt to win a dumb argument

i was weirded out for a hot minute there until i realized she has narcissistic traits much like my dad does, and she's very similar to my grandma (dad's mom) too.

just as an example, my grandma made me swear i would never share this info with anyone until i die: she sat me down one day and told me my other grandma (mom's mom) is a whore. mind you both of these women were in their 70s at the time. but yeah apparently she was a whore because she started dating for a brief period in her 50s after becoming a widow. my best friend's boyfriend tragically passed away last year, and this woman had the audacity to tell me she wanted to set up my friend with someone not even a month after the funeral because "she's young, she's not gonna be alone forever". this is a woman who went to book a church and priest for me to get married on a date that works for her. then somehow found the phone number and called my mil and told her "the church is handled" so i got a call - while on vacation and not in the process of planning a wedding btw - from my mil who said "handle your grandmother" and hung up on me. i had no idea what had been happening, or even that the two knew each other because the families hadn't met yet. and i was on vacation. out of the country. this woman booked a church with just my name?! like am i marrying myself or something?! nope, she just wanted it to be that date because she heard her other son might be in town that day too.

anyway, given the similar traits she shares with my mil, they have sort of become very close friends since i got married. no one knows what they talk about, but they're on the phone for hours and both lie about who they've been talking with (i've caught them in these lies myself). my mil is very chatty especially after a drink or two (it's an issue) so she spills most things to my sister in law, except anything to do with my grandma. then my sil shares all the gossip with me, which is how i learned the woman thinks im a witch out to get her. i have noticed my mil has picked up some language patterns from my grandma, and some beliefs too, which is how i know they're very close these days. aside from the comments ive heard from my mil about my grandma (moms mom) being a whore (that sounds familiar doesnt it?) and then also my cousin because she dared to wear something tight that looks good on her. yeah.

meanwhile, my "whore" grandma and cousin are women i actually really look up to because they're incredibly strong. hell, my grandma was the first person to teach me about feminism when i was in elementary. she was having coffee while i was visiting her and she told me i should never feel afraid of the partner i choose in life and that we should both be equal in both similarities and in differences. it was her simple way of saying the ideal relationship is when both parties respect each other even in arguments and disagreements. and my cousin left the country at 18, as soon as she could get a passport, so she could make a better life for herself than what she had in her hometown. she found a job, accommodation and lived through god knows what (i know small bits) to make it out of this country.

anyway, my mil is convinced her sister in law is a witch and a whore and she's told me all about her. allegedly, she's seen the witchcraft books this woman owns. my first thought upon hearing that was "how did you ever find them oh innocent soul that can do no wrong without snooping" and then i learned she went snooping. so i know she's gone through my shit in the last few months we've been living together but i got nothing to offer so 🤷🏻‍♀️. oh and the witchcraft books turned out to be some eastern healing books. she told me this herself going off about "this eye" and "special points on the body" and whatever else is in books like that im not too familiar.

sorry for the long ask scout, i tried to summarize as much as possible, and now im sending loving bites to both you and ebd anon <3

.... maybe the bites are witchcraft 😂😂😂

there is So much lore to unpack from all of this i feel like im going to be ruminating on this for days

[scare-ard--sleigh]

okay so i need to talk about the yacht. let's talk about the yacht.

the name st. peter comes from joseph's father, the previous owner who joseph simply describes as a "fire and brimstone" type. it's interesting to me that this is the only time any of the dads talk about their parents in any capacity (as far as i remember???) but. back to the yacht.

st. peter is the leader of the 12 apostles and represents absolution and excommunication, "often represented holding the keys to heaven and hell" as stated by google. he was a boatman, but i think the name holds a higher significance given that joseph directly referenced, uh, hell and didn't just say "pete was all about that boating 😌" joseph doesn't talk about hell very often (which is probably good since he's dealing with youth) so it feels....weighty, for him to say this.

as i've learned since diving headfirst into processing my religion-related adolescent trauma for lack of a better word; absolution is forgiveness (specifically from a priest??) and excommunication is the act of excluding someone from participating in the sacraments of the church. and obviously these concepts are tied to heaven and hell.

there are parallels to be drawn from that. joseph's good ending is the one in which he has been forgiven (presumably) by mary. joseph's bad ending is the one which implies that you don't see one another anymore in any capacity, leaving both joseph and dadsona "excommunicated" in their own ways.

the heaven/hell dichotomy is also central when it comes to joseph's character motivations. i have another post drafted dissecting what he says in the bad ending about not being able to divorce because of the community--i choose to believe that he's not bullshitting and he is actually terrified. and i think the reconciliation ending is also telling of a similar thing; joseph being caught between what he wants and what he thinks is right and ultimately trying to make the "Good" (capital-G) or "Right" or "Just" call. it's fitting that joseph being "excommunicated" both by having to live on the boat AND by the boat running out of gas away from civilization is when he's not making the virtuous choice. and it's fitting that once he returns from that--once he is "absolved"--he focuses more deeply on continuing to do what's right. even in the bad ending, he's trying to have it both ways and make everyone happy, his idea of right is just a little fucked up.

but there's also the fact of the yacht itself--by being st. peter, it's a bit of a liminal space between that dichotomy. joseph alludes to being the relationship-equivalent of excommunicated from his home. dadsona comes into this attracted to joseph--a man that they know they should NOT be into--but joseph's assuring that he wants this too, which is a forgiveness. this is the 2nd time we see liminal space with him: joseph in date 2 appears to have a penchant for escapism but ultimately his happy place--his margarita zone--isn't a grand altar to joy, it's a Liminal Space Happy Place to not think about anything, including the joys of life. (and honestly, margaritaville as described in the song is fucking bleak at best. like slightly worse than purgatory.)

sigh. god this is so fucking sad. onward.

joseph's father naming the yacht st. peter narrows down the question of his upbringing a bit. i still don't think joseph's catholic, but i think there's a decent chance that his parents were (i do need to do more research on this; religious research is so fucking difficult unless you know Exactly what you're looking for, so bear with me.)

there's also the matter of joseph's ownership of the yacht. i feel like the presence of said yacht makes people think that he's from a ton of money (trust fund-esque type thing, i was fooled too) BUT--he got this yacht from his dad and it's from at least the 60s lmao!! and it only appears to be one-room below deck and then most of what we see on the upper deck?? not exactly something you'd see on dynasty.

we don't know if joseph's parents are still alive; i have this distinct feeling that joseph inherited the yacht, or his father is so old he can't use it anymore (which i'm sure would only add to joseph's stress) so it was given to him. either way, it's a yacht that he didn't pay for.

this is another instance of joseph valuing appearances, which we see firsthand somehow in almost every interaction we have with him, but it's corroborated by mary (the "he's good at pretending to be happy" comment at the bake sale) and robert (him telling dadsona that joseph isn't the man he seems right before getting on the yacht.) i don't think ultimately this is a bad thing, especially since being a community pillar is like 50% appearances and that's his livelihood. the yacht is a manifestation of this, as from the outside it's big and impressive but on the inside it's full of broken pieces (the radio), mess (joseph's room), vices (the detective novels, the wine), and it's running on empty.