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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 1 day ago

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i've realized recently that the source of my frustration with malleus (and i do like him) comes from the story not acknowledging the responsibility he has for his own level of isolation. it's like that story of a dog sitting in a cage although it's finally been opened, not leaving because the cage is all he knows (which is prominent in other stories as well; trauma shapes us. i those stories tho we are shown explicitly that the actions of the characters are wrong: riddle shouldn't be emulating his mother, idia should try to go on living despite the loss). with malleus though we have the story explain to us that his cage is a super special one, which is why he can't get out (which is also true for jamil-kalim, for instance, but they are both encouraged to process their cirumstances emotionally, even if they can't change them practically). and like. that's not entirely true? obviously malleus is under a lot of stress due to having to monitor his emotions and his royal status, but it's not the whole issue (at least imo). throughout the majority of vignettes and early main story content he actively engages in anti-socializing behavior (disappearing on people, not taking them seriously enough, not putting in enough effort into understanding them), so then seeing him be so upset not to be invited... feels strange? why is he expecting others to recognize his loneliness and keep reaching out to him when he isn't reciprocal?

and in itself i don't think it's a problem either. i do think this kind of behavior is typical for some people and i partially empathize with it as well. the problem is that the story treats him as being right instead of showing how his trauma impacted his way of thinking, leading to him making the wrong choices. clearly recognizing since childhood that you are a danger to others while also being brought up as "the chosen one", the only living relative of the ancient and powerful family, has some impact on the conceptualization of the world and others in it as different from you, weaker, not to be trusted and sometimes not to be understood. malleus has a very good reason to think of others as below him: in magical strength they are. it explains his thinking, but it shouldn't excuse it.

so i really wish there was at least some story bit showing malleus actively reaching out (how idia's ceremonial robes shows his attempts and how his mode of thinking prevents him from successfully connecting with others despite his efforts) and failing to do so successfully due to his own mechanisms rather than the comedic "woe is me" bit it often evolves into. i feel like his inability to understand technology (particularly the phone: complex, multi-purpose, neither durable nor stationary) can be seen as the metaphor for him not understanding people: rather than appreciate the things it allows him to do, malleus constantly bemoans how fragile and therefore useless it is, even though we know he can use technical appliances as long as they are straightforward enough and can take care of his gao-gao kun as long as he cares to see it as important enough, given to him by his (almost) equal. and so i wish the story highlighted that it's his responsibility, not the phone's to figure it out.

being "the chosen one" is difficult and isolating, but at a certain point you HAVE to try to leave the cage on your own. you can't be staring out the window longingly for the rest of your life.

sorry for jumbled sentences; i struggle to word this thought better, but i wanted to share it with you regardless, because i find that you are neither needlessly negative nor forgivingly positive in your outlook on the treatment of the characters in twst.

[This ask sort of goes along with my “Why I don’t like Lilia anymore” response!]

Thank you for your feedback and expressing your (very detailed) thoughts ^^ I've previously expressed similar frustrations with Malleus doing little to help his own situation.

I understand that Malleus has had a lonely upbringing (and honestly his behavior has been largely enabled by his caretakers and handlers), which would come to socially stunt him. His immense power and frightening reputation certainly doesn't help his situation either. Malleus being twisted from THE Maleficent explains the running "joke" of him always being left out of group gatherings. A lot of this is learned helplessness. Learned helplessness can quickly devolve into willful ignorance. It eventually gets to a point where it feels unrealistic and grating. This is especially because the narrative tends to frame Malleus's loneliness as purely the fault of others and their inability to understand him... even though I think it makes complete sense that others would not like him??

These people have no understanding of who Malleus is (beyond the name and title) or of his background. From their perspective, all they see is someone who constantly ghosts them, dismisses them, and doesn't reach out to connect despite their own multiple attempts to do so. They email him, send letters, visit him, conduct group searches, etc. all in an effort to fetch him. "What are we supposed to do," Azul questions, "begin every meeting by searching for Malleus? This is HIS problem."

Malleus gets defensive and deflects when Lilia calls him out for using excuses for not being at dorm leader meetings. "Are you questioning my intentions? You of all people? Humans often fear us creatures of the night. Many avoid our company out of sheer fright. It was you and Grandmother who taught me that. And you were both right. It's not my fault I don't attend such gatherings. The humans who fear me for no good reason are to blame." Though Lilia chastises Malleus for this way of thinking, the narrative will ironically go on to almost weaponize Malleus's loneliness as a means of making everyone else around him look as though they're lacking empathy when Malleus shares a fair bit of the responsibility for continuing to not respect his peers' time. Why are his peers not granted the same amount of leniency as Malleus is? It seems grossly unfair. It's always Malleus's classmates who are putting forth the emotional effort and labor to contact him, but almost never the other way around. The onus is, for some reason, always on them and never on him 😭 even when he must be aware this is a repeated issue??

On the rare occasion where Malleus is proactive, he turns others off by making arrogant comments and/or refusing to truly take the human perspective to heart. Malleus is putting forth little to no effort to resolve his own social conflicts with others, which only further perpetuates the problems and misunderstandings. I'm not saying that this is easy or that it should be easy for him, but the fact of the matter is that Malleus is granted several opportunities to engage with his peers, yet he squanders most of them, even when he is provided advice + wisdom from Lilia and corrections from his classmates.

Those that shun Malleus are frequently treated as though they are in the wrong for their perspective, and that’s so frustrating. The game never outright says “X is a bad person for being afraid of Malleus or getting upset at him for showing up late!” But it’s pretty clear how Twst wants us to perceive them from how often they explain away or justify every instance of Malleus failing to socialize. He has a messed up sense of time, everyone is so scared of him, he doesn’t want to break invitation etiquette, etc. These all feel concocted to make us feel bad for Malleus and want to take his side. I really dislike that so much of his appeal rides on these “woe is me” tactics.

Not once does the narrative suggest that others are correct for feeling anything negative towards him or even slighted by the inconveniences he causes. It’s in Malleus’s favor, forever painting him as “just misunderstood”. Malleus is frequently depicted as a victim of circumstances, and presented as someone we (the players) should pity and want to uplift because "no one else sees him like we do". He is left stunted and his loneliness is retooled to be a "moe" trait to the players, or used as a punchline to a joke. I honestly think this is the main issue with Malleus's character writing: he's not ALLOWED to seriously be held accountable for anything he says or does because 1) his character development has to be held off on until book 7 and 2) he has to be kept as the player’s “special friend”, therefore few of his other classmates can change him or get to know him intimately. And Malleus’s Very Real Issues are often relegated to a “haha isn’t he so cute and pouty?” or “oh no, he’s ANGY” moment in order to endear him to the player. His writing constantly feels like it is struggling to balance actually making sense and making him silly just for the sake of appeasing the audience. This is endlessly frustrating, and not even the only instance where Twst does this. (Another example is how Silver’s legitimate health condition is marketed as part of his appeal.)

One moment that really rubbed me the wrong way was at the end of book 7, when Lilia… apologized to Malleus for not realizing Malleus was lonely???? I was so shocked when Lilia dropped that line. It shouldn’t be anyone else’s responsibility to read Malleus’s mind, especially when be fails to properly communicate his thoughts. Maybe Lilia feels responsible for him, or maybe the point is that Malleus struggles to convey his emotions in a clear and concise manner (as his post-OB backstory shows us). However, when this moments comes after years and years of Malleus not taking accountability for his words and actions, it really does feel like an affirmation that Malleus is never in the wrong (even when senators aren’t hovering to literally tell him he did nothing wrong); it’s actually everyone else around him that’s responsible for not paying enough attention to his wants and needs. That… feels so incredibly off to me 😭 All characters should be allowed to make mistakes—but when the universe acts as though the mistakes Malleus makes aren’t actually mistakes, it’s basically the same as absolving him of them without asking that he put forth the same amount of effort to reflect and improve as an individual.

The irony is that there are loud Malleus fans on the English-speaking side of the fandom that will defend his actions by blaming those around him 💀 literally by deflecting and pointing fingers at the senators, at Lilia, even saying the other OB boys are “worse” than Malleus just so he can come out of book 7 “clean” and having done no wrong. (That last point particularly unnerves me because it lacks empathy for the others in the cast and minimizes their experiences. How would you feel if someone was talking down your trauma and saying you’re “worse” than another traumatized person??? Not good, I bet. We shouldn’t be saying person A’s trauma is somehow worth more or less than person B’s.) This is another way in which Malleus is enabled and encouraged to never change, because few people (whether in-universe or in the fandom) call him out for his “oopsies” and make him self reflect and grow.

I find your technology comparison interesting 🤔 It suggests that, given the right scenario, Malleus can learn to socialize with others, just like he can learn to play with a virtual pet. The issue is… what WILL it take to get him to that point?? He has already been granted many chances, has a handful of open-minded classmates or those that are not scared of him (Ace, Deuce, Jade, Floyd, Kalim, Rook, Cater, even Rollo), and Lilia there to help him out—but none of these have proven to be significantly useful to Malleus’s social growth. The end of book 7 seems to imply that nearly losing Lilia and literally having a part of him cut off is what it will take to get him to see the other side?? That feels so unnecessarily extreme and implies even showing Malleus some simple way to understand engaging with humans wouldn’t have helped him?? We needed to scare him into actually valuing putting forth all this effort into better understand other races??? Am I to understand that Malleus did not view connecting with others (50% of which is in his hands) as an important responsibility until he literally almost brought about a cataclysm and nearly permanently killed a loved one?? I… don’t think that’s intended, but that’s partially what I’m walking away with 💀

“[…] it’s his responsibility, not the phone's, to figure it out.” This point makes me think of when Malleus fries his phone with lightning, thereby making it impossible for him to receive text messages. In that case, he’s the one that damaged his phone. The fact that he did not get the intended message isn’t the phone’s fault when he was the one that shot lightning at it. Therefore, it is also Malleus’s job to repair said phone so it can work again. This should also be true of his connections… and I’m REALLY hoping this is what book 8 may cover.

#disney twst #disney twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland #Malleus Draconia #Malleus Draconia critical #notes from the writing raven #feedback for the writing raven #Lilia Vanrouge #Silver #book 7 spoilers #book 7 chapter 13 part 2 spoilers #Maleficent #Yuu #Malleus dorm uniforrm vignette spoilers #Azul Ashengrotto

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uneducated-author · 2 days ago

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I was playing with the idea of HuaLian having a child in my head, partially because I adore Wangxian as parents, and somehow, I really can't imagine it.

Like, this is NOT an attack on anyone who writes/draws/headcanons Hualian children, just some of my own thoughts.

Wangxian really are immediately set up by the narrative as caring parents, or at the very least responsible adults who act as guardians for kids. We have Wei Wuxian repeatedly teasing, but guiding the Gusu Lan juniors, and even his POV makes clear just how much he prioritises the protection of these kids. And while Lan Wangji appears cold and intolerant of excitability in the flashbacks, we see his as a calm, reassuring and trusted source, one of his first appearances being to respond to a signal flare. Throughout the story we see them excel in managing the Juniors, care for children in their vicinity and also reflect on their own ideas of family dynamics and how children are incorporated into that.

Hua Cheng and Xie Lian don't really emulate that sort of energy. We see Xie Lian alternately a guardian or teacher to Ban Yue & Lan Qianqiu, but that feels more like a reflection of his caring personality rather than a reflection of his wish to be a parent. Xie Lian certainly has affection for children, and prioritises their safety and wellbeing, but in the same way you prioritise children when evacuating, you know? That these humans are more helpless and require aid and care. We see him mourning children and the loss of innocence and crime against young ones who couldn't understand the horrors that killed them, but there never really seems to be some longing to actually raise or have a child.

In fact with Gu Zi being sort of kidnapped by Qi Rong, the kid kind of... Feels forgotten? It's not that Xie Lian doesn't care for the child, or that he isn't concerned for his well being, but it never feels like a priority for him to protect Gu Zi or take him away from Qi Rong. To his credit, when Gu Zi is with him, he does take good care of him and acts affectionate towards him, but even when he notes Gu Zi's mistreatment, there never fully seems to be followup through the narrative? Of course Xie Lian is busy with other stuff, it would be an unfair expectation for him to actually be launching rescue missions at the same time, but the lack of focus feels somewhat out of character and intentionally dismissive.

Same with Lang Ying honestly. Again, Xie Lian is affectionate and kind and a good guardian to the child, but their relationship never truly seems a focus and even the tragic ending of his story feels quickly skipped over. As a reader I never fully felt confident that their relationship was something super strong or important, and it certainly doesn't truly feel parental.

My point ISN'T that Xie Lian is neglectful or cruel towards children, he is NOT. He is very caring and affectionate towards children, but it never seems like he's actually interested in raising or nurturing them of his own volition. When a child is in his care, it feels like his point of view is 'well, there's nobody else that will help, so I will' which is accurate to his general character and philosophy.

There's a fair argument to be made that Xie Lian feels unstable in his own life, and knows that he could not provide a child with a healthy environment to grow, but honestly the same is true of Wei Wuxian, but his relationship with children feels much more sincere and longing.

Hua Cheng, honestly, feels overfocused on Xie Lian. LWJ is seen repeatedly taking his role as teacher and guardian seriously but Hua Cheng generally either is seen fawning over Xie Lian or handling the affairs of Ghosts/running his gambling den. Again, of course he's not outright cruel to children, but beyond the general 'Gege thinks that children should be protected and therefore the children in my realm will not be hurt' there's never any focus on his character with children. I also think that, given his distaste for his younger form, and the fact that he intentionally doesn't truly speak of his own childhood, he is viciously aware of how horrible it is to be a child in a household that does not want to, and is unwilling to replicate that environment. Of course if Xie Lian wanted a child he would do everything in his power to be a good father, but again, it never feels that he truly longs for a child.

(I really want to write a story where Xie Lian asks Hua Cheng if he thinks that a child would be welcome, and for the first time, Hua Cheng hesitates over granting Xie Lian's implied request, because he's self aware enough to know that he would not truly be able to love the child, and he knows that a child can tell when they're unloved, and wouldn't want to put Xie Lian through that. Cue detangling the trauma around generational abuse and not passing down the treatment you had to heal from and Hua Cheng treating E Ming kindly. Whether or not they wind up with a kid is undecided.)

Basically, I kind of firmly like HuaLian in the fun uncles category. They're comfortable and kind with children, will always adore the opportunity to babysit, but they're comfortable enough to be certain that having children is not what they want, and respect that children should have parents that want them. HuaLian facing the woman in her thirties treatment of 'But surely you'll change your mind in time? You two are so happy, you ought to have children, nothing fulfills you like children'.

Yeah, this is too long a tangent that I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with, but I like Hualian as a confident couple that reminds people that they do Not Need child to 'complete' or 'fulfill' their family, and fully content in their own company.

#mdzs #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wei ying #lan zhan #wangxian #hua cheng #xie lian #hualian #tgcf #heaven official's blessing

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the-whole-thing-through · 2 days ago

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I know this is kinda just a joke, but actually, I really want to ask ppl who say that killing Foggy was the right decision and that the show had to make a bold move, and that it's "realistic" and that Matt Murdock is a character defined by pain and loss and tragedy....how would you end the story? Like seriously, what do you think would be a satisfactory ending for this new Daredevil series? Because it WILL end, but the characters won't, they will remain.

I've said this ad nauseam on reddit, but the way that the OG series ended at season 3, with that last remaining shot of Nelson, Murdock and Page together, was, to me, the BEST possible ending for that show and for these characters. An absolute masterpiece. God, just thinking about it gives me a warm glow in my chest. Despite being canceled in its prime, with more stories to tell, they managed to deliver to the audience literally the most satisfactory ending that was possible. NM&P. All three together. All three looking forward to a bright future together. Finally united in honesty, understanding, and trust. Mutual love and affection. Each three with their roles and their parts to play: the vigilante, the lawyer and the investigator. Each of equal importance to one another, nobody considered less important to the narrative.

I appreciate the way that the creators chose to end the show with the Matt/Karen romance open ended and ambiguous, although I know many shippers disagree with me. Not only would it have felt unearned to have Matt and Karen shown as explicitly together in that last moment, it also would have retracted from the overarching theme and message of the show, which is what we see in the last shot: it's Nelson, Murdock, and Page. They had to be apart in order to realize that all three of them are better working together. The golden trio. The holy trinity. Having the ending be Matt/Karen oh and Foggy, like he's an afterthought or a third wheel, was clearly something that they were trying to avoid, and they were right to do so. The OG showrunner and writers NEVER disrespected Foggy or treated him as a joke or "just" the comics relief. He was a main character with his own love interest, his own plot line, his own family and friends and support system. And he is VITAL to the overall dynamic, and to Matt's happiness. Which brings me to my main point.

Matt cannot be happy without Foggy, period. If Foggy is permanently dead, then the ending for DDBA is already torched. Whatever it is, it can't ever REALLY be satisfactory. To the people who say that it's "realistic" I mean, yeah, maybe. But is it satisfactory? If the show ends, and Matt is back to just being Daredevil, exactly as he was in the beginning, but no Foggy, it's an obvious downgrade to what we had before, no? I have no idea why the writers of DDBA want to torch their own projected ending in such a fashion. It's like aspiring that your assignment will get, at best, a C+ instead of an A.

I'm sure many ppl will be happy no matter what if their fav ship ends up working out, but even then, it's STILL only a glass half full situation. If the show ends with just Murdock and Page, but no Nelson, something is still going to be missing, and that something is Foggy Nelson. I don't for a second believe that either Matt OR Karen will ever truly be completely happy after Foggy's death. People discount Karen and Foggy's relationship, but he was her best friend, her surrogate brother, who supported her after Matt's "death." Who immediately stepped up to be her lawyer and confidant after she told him about killing Wesley. Who never once judged her or made her feel less than.

Asking for the audience to be ok with some sort of projected "Happily Ever After" ending without the beating heart of Daredevil is an insane ask, truly, and I honestly don't think that those who are unconcerned about Foggy's death, or who think that the show did it "right" have given any thought to just HOW this story can possibly end. Thinking that Matt would ever be truly ok again after losing Foggy, or that he could ever have a happy ending, just fundamentally gets Matt's character, and the entire show of Daredevil, wrong. Daredevil is not the story of a man who loses everything and perseveres despite it all. Its the story of a man who perseveres despite it all, BECAUSE he still has something left to lose. Karen and Foggy are the heart and soul of Daredevil, and the heart and soul of Matt's world. Take out one, and the entire thing topples like a house of cards. If the new show runner doesn't understand this (and it's seeming more and more like he just doesn't get Matt at all) then I give up. Just toss the entire thing in the trash at that point.

marvel saw these scenes and said "what if we make everyone miserable?"

#daredevil #daredevil born again #ddba spoilers #foggy nelson #matt murdock #karen page #nelson murdock and page #mattfoggy #karedevil

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tac-the-unseen · 12 hours ago

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Hey can you write some actually traumatized Simon Riley x reader Headcannons?

It kind of annoys me that so many people just sexualize him without addressing the actual trauma he went through for two years and beyond.

So I guess I'm really just asking for a non- hypersexual Simon x reader XD

Non-hypersexual Simon Riley x Reader

CW: Trauma

•It would take years for Simon to let you get close to him

•And it would have to be you to ask him out because he sure as shit won't ask first

•When you guys do start dating he wants to go over boundaries immediately

•He doesn't want to set you up for failure so he wouldn't even consider a relationship until you've had this talk

•It’s a really hard talk for him to start and go through but he does it because he has to. He doesn't want you to accidentally trigger him or for you to get your feelings hurt

•He really does like you, and that's why he pushes through

•The first thing he tells you is that he is in no way, shape, or form ready for a sexual relationship

•He explains that he doesn't know how long it will take for him to be ready, but it will be at least a few months

•Simon understands if that's a deal breaker for you, in this world he knows that sex is more Important in relationships then most people would like to admit

•When you assure him that it's more then fine and you're willing to wait he lets out a very shaky breath neither of you know he owes holding in

•He goes through more boundaries with you with much cooler nerves

-PDA to a minimum (an old therapist was killed because Simon was her patient. He's not letting someone who actually cares about be murder because you wanted to hold hands)

-Make your presence known before you touch him, especially from behind (this is man who has seen war, if you run up and hug him without warning you will be thrown to the ground)

-Don’t pressure him to tell you ‘stories’ (with two years of torture, years in the military, and an abusive childhood there is so much he isn't willing to tell you or anyone)

-Don't talk about intimate details with others (If he wanted to tell them, he would do it himself.)

-He will leave if anybody starts talking politics (even if it's stuff he agrees with, he’s not going to waste his time like that. He has to talk about that at work all the time and he will not do it at home.)

•It takes a while for him to feel comfortable sleeping in the same bed with someone else

•He's paranoid. He stays awake thinking that someone might try and attack you two in your sleep

•Simon has to sleep with at LEAST a knife in his pocket to be able to soothe himself long enough to catch a few zzz

•Night terrors are a common occurrence

•There are several nights where you wake up to find yourself alone in bed

•Simon will pace around the house, making sure blinds are closed, doors are locked, and no one is in the house. Even then he will sit on a chair, armed, and simply wait for something that's not so unlikely to come.

•Asks you to limit and delete some of your social media posts. No one should know where you live other than close family and friends. He will scroll through all of your accounts and tell you why they may or may not be security risks.

•Simon does have social media accounts. they are just burner accounts he uses to keep up to date with the news and big events.

•Simon knows that what he's doing can be seen as controlling and he understands if your family and friends don’t like him, but he’s terrified someone will gather all this information and kill you because you couldn't be safe online.

•Asks if you’re willing to sign up for self defence classes and if you’d be willing to let him teach you basic and more advanced skills.

•Will show you where exactly to stab someone so that they can’t scream

•Pressure points and how to use them to your advantage

•He will show you how to use a gun,knife, Brass knuckles, and (if he can find somewhere that will let him) bombs

•Will tell 141 about you and they also look out for

Thanks for reading

#x reader #simon riley x you #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley #ghost modern warfare #ghost cod #ghost mw2 #modern warefare ii #fanfic #fanfiction #writer

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missredherring · 17 hours ago

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Set Up

Javi Gutiérrez x Harry Castillo

Rating: M

Word Count: 1.1k

Contents: kissing, frottage.

Summary: Matchmaker AU. What are the odds a matchmaker sets you up with a former hook up? Asking for a friend.

A/N: I loved the parallels in the gifs and this idea quickly followed. Thanks to @perotovar for their encouragement.

Not beta read.

Divider by @saradika-graphics.

Javi takes a deep pull of wine and barely tastes it before he swallows. It's not how he was taught one should enjoy wine, but enjoying isn't his goal right now. Maybe he should've gotten something stronger if he really wanted to dull some of the nerves twisting in his stomach.

He's dressed nicely in a fancy restaurant whose waiting list goes out years rather than weeks or months. That he made this reservation a couple of days ago is a testament to the power of an old family name like his, but it makes him feel like even more of a failure.

It'd been a secret wish to find a partner organically. A chance encounter set up by fate where interest sparked with a moment of eye contact, a brush of the hand, an exchange of shy smiles. He knows real life is nothing like the idyllic movies he adores, but the small hope clings to his heartstrings and pulls at the worst times. Besides, when was the last time he's spent enough time in a coffee shop to have a proper meet-cute?

He'd thought Gabriela was the one for a few sweet months of heated kisses and whispered daydreams of a better future out from the thumb of his family. In the end he couldn't bare to trap her in his golden cage just because he was lonely and desperate for companionship. She understood better than he did that his family would never approve of them together.

The pressure to marry and marry well only increased after Lucas' failed coup d'état. The family needed to repair its reputation and present a stable, powerful image to the rest of the world. What better way to do that than with a wedding?

Javi's orders were clear: marry soon or they'd marry him off themselves by the end of the year and he would have no say in the union.

He understands. It's the least he can do to repay the wealth and power that's let him live such a carefree and privileged life, but that hope swings like a pendulum in his chest and he wants one last chance to find love for himself. That's happened before, right? There are a fair few movies that have the protagonists finding true love with the threat of an arranged marriage hanging overhead. Of course they also portray those marriages as a soul-crushing union that's a fate worse than death. He doesn't want to crush anyone or be crushed himself.

Hope swings away and he had to admit that maybe his family isn't wrong about the arrangement idea. So he negotiated one last chance to find a partner for himself and reached out to Nic for advice. His friend (his friend Nic Cage) had offered up the name of a New York-based matchmaker who he swore was one of the best. Some of the successful Hollywood couples? Her doing.

It was a strange experience to trust a total stranger to match him up with another stranger based on a form he filled out, but Javi is the kind of person who wants to trust other people, no matter how many times life delighted in proving him wrong.

Harry C.

He hadn't wanted to see pictures, charmed by the idea of a true blind date, but maybe that had been a mistake. The matchmaker had assured him they matched on the important things and now it was up to them to see if there was any potential in person. He hoped this whole thing wouldn't turn into a disappointment his family would see as another failure.

Javi reaches for his glass again but redirects to the water instead.

His phone vibrates from where he'd placed it next to the table setting. The phone going off during the date would be rude, wouldn't it? He turns the sound off before checking the message. It was from the matchmaker:

"I hope you have a wonderful time with Harry. Of course, if you're not feeling it let me know and I'll get you out of there!"

The emojis depicting a person running away makes him smile. He replies with a thank you and the fingers crossed emoji.

He starts to put the phone back on the table, but should he put it in a pocket instead? Would the phone on the table signal that he wasn't wiling to give his date his full attention? Should he have left his phone at home? No, meeting a stranger in a city he was only passingly familiar with was too naive even for him.

"Javier?" a voice asks as shined leather shoes come into his line of sight just beyond the table.

Javi finishes the movement of slipping his phone into his pocket and stands to greet his date.

"Please, call me 'Javi.'"

"Javi," Harry confirms and doesn't hesitate when Javi takes his outstretched hand and uses it to pull him in for a quick embrace. He lets Javi guide his face to the left and right for two presses of smooth skin against his cheeks. It's over in seconds, leaving Harry with a lingering sense of warmth and a pleasant, familiar cologne.

"Ah, please, have a seat," Javi says, gesturing to the empty seat opposite of him before sitting back down at the table.

It's a nice restaurant with packed tables spaced far enough apart for privacy in low lighting. It would be easy to forget about the city outside when all you can hear is the quiet hum of conversations and the occasional clink of silverware.

With his prize in his sights, Harry's patience feels boundless as he watches Javi finally settle in his seat and look him in the eyes for the first time that night.

Belt buckles rattle and the hiss of zippers are echoed in exhalations as ruddy cocks are freed from pants.

The recognition is slow but steady as Javi studies his face, his eyes darting from feature to feature before landing on his lips when Harry can't hold back his smile.

Harry could spit, but the other man takes his hand and licks along his palm and fingers instead, grunting when Harry uses it to press and hold their dicks together while he kisses him again and again, dizzy with the taste of alcohol and wedding cake.

"I finally get to know your name and of all people a matchmaker is the one to give it to me. What do you think the odds of that are, Javi?"

Seeing Javi's face among the candidates had been a shock. Harry had never expected to see the man he'd hooked up with at his brother's wedding again, but there he was, smiling at the camera wide enough to bring out the laugh lines around his mouth and eyes, just as he had when they'd locked eyes across the room at the reception.

"Small," Javi croaks, taking what can only be described as a 'swig' from his wine glass. "but apparently not impossible."

#javi gutiérrez x harry castillo #javi gutiérrez #harry castillo #pedro pascal character fanfiction

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hwnglx · 2 days ago

Text

bts as fathers

based on tarot. i do not know these idols personally. energies are always changing. what i say is NOT straight fact. pls take it with a grain of salt!

note; i didn't continue with the second question for every member, since the answer was understandable on the first and they didn't feel entirely comfortable with me diving deeper. pls remember that this reading, is not me making any carved in stone predictions; but it's solely the energy i pick up on, at this specific point in time. enjoy the read ♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈

seokjin

would he like to become a father?

seokjin seems quite intimidated by fatherhood. i can see the main thing holding him back, being his own insecurities, and fear of the responsibility, he sees as huge. currently, seokjin doesn't see himself as someone who's capable of carrying that “burden”, since he does recognize the amount of work it requires to raise a child. it can be a lot to deal with, very tiring, and obviously you never really get a break. he's worried about not being able to give his kids what they deserve.

what would he be like as a father?

in all honestly, he'd be a great father. seokjin's ability to light up every situation he's in, would also make itself visible when it comes to filling his kid's life with genuine happiness.

a lot of joy, i keep hearing children laughing. the type of father who'd sit down the sandbox himself and squeeze his long legs into that tiny space, just to play with his kids, and entertain their little imaginations, like building a sand castle. he'd genuinely value them feeling seen, and acknowledged.

i can also see him becoming the type of father who's very protective, probably more prone to getting worried easily. a father who wants to make sure his children grow up confidently; knowing their worth and their value.

additionally, he could want to teach his kids the importance of standing up for themselves. not being afraid of speaking up when it's necessary. i keep hearing his (lovingly nagging) voice in my head. he would give them verbal lessons, that are more on the gentle and playful side but effective enough, and encourage them in that manner.

i can see seokjin wanting to go against the more traditional ways of upbringing, and allowing his kids more freedom. i really don't see him being this extremely strict father, who slams his iron fist on the table, but moreso as someone who thinks it's important to focus on providing his children with a happy and stable childhood, and family life. fulfilling their wishes, not being so restrictive or stern. he doesn't want his kids to lie to him, or have to rebel and sneak out. he'd want his children to be honest and upright.

i can feel him wanting to lead by example, and be a rolemodel his children can look up to; a father they're proud of. this could be the reason he has a lot of insecurities in this regard. seokjin wants to be the best father he can be for his kids, and might feel he isn't really there yet. he feels he's too immature and not wise enough yet, to be a good enough example.

yoongi

would he like to become a father?

i don't really see yoongi being interested in having kids. he's someone who can be immensely independent, and focused on himself first and foremost. like all i see in the spread is him. (several impulsive knights) i don't see yoongi liking the thought of having to stay put and limiting himself in his freedom. he likes being a free spirit who can just live on his own terms, according to what he himself wants to do, in whatever moment. (i also often get this feeling it's quite understandable in his eyes, he seems to carry this mindset of “it's my life, of course i'll spend it the way i want to”)

the thought of having children seems to cause worries and anxiety in him. it stresses him out, and i feel him preferring to avoid the topic, so i won't dive in much further.

hobi

would he like to become a father?

hobi's thoughts seem a little conflicting here. his energy felt lighter in regards to this topic before, he could've done a lot of reflecting and serious pondering on it ever since.

what i'm strongly feeling, is that hobi believes he'd definitely have to step up to the plate responsibly; he'd have to man up, and mature. his thoughts seem to consist of a lot of.. “am i really there already?”

he thinks that he'd have to put his toxic habits and more selfishly driven desires behind for the sake of his kids.

there's this feeling of.. “my life won't be just about me anymore.” hobi believes becoming a father would require him to tap into the more humble, grounded and selfless side of him, that is fully focused on providing for someone else.

he's also aware there's still a lot of things he'd have to heal, confront and actively work on when it comes to himself.

what would he be like as a father?

hobi feels like it's a given for him to take on the role of the strong and dependable provider, who gives his family a sense of stability; the one his children can comfortably lean on.

there is this worry in terms of him perhaps not having built a financial ground that's reliable enough yet, in his eyes. not only for himself, but if hobi was to ever have children, that'd be incredibly important to him. i keep getting this feeling of.. “i need to lay the necessary groundwork, so that my family can have it easy.”

i can also see hobi as a father, who'd be very supportive when it comes to his children's goals and ambitions. the type who's glad to guide his kids into the direction they want to go down, push and encourage them in a way where they feel confident in their abilities. i do think he'd be quite good at finding this balance between being strict enough for them to take him seriously, but also focus on uplifting them.

namjoon

would he like to become a father?

it's interesting, because the moon has made an appearance for almost everyone from the hyung line till now. the card can be about things being hidden, deception, confusion, insecurity, uncertainty, fear, anxiety. the topic of having kids is understandably of more complex nature.

namjoon also seems to feel a level of intimidation at the thought of having kids. it's understandably a concept unfamiliar to him, which can be scary. however, considering the following two of wands; this is like him contemplating on taking a step out of the dark.

i can see namjoon feeling ready if he feels like his life, his surroundings, his mindset, and basically everything possibly affecting his children, is calm, balanced, and in harmony. he wants to welcome them into a pleasant environment.

interestingly, though a sense of reluctance and fear is definitely present, he does seem to think that, once it's the right time, he'll approach fatherhood in an open-minded and ever-learning manner. he knows he won't be perfect from the beginning, but there's a part of him that wants to humbly learn as he progresses.

note; this is a passing thought i keep having, but i could picture namjoon adopting children.

what would he be like as a father?

he'd be quite broad-minded, in a way where he wouldn't be a rigid father who puts intense restrictions on his kids. namjoon would put a lot of importance into raising his children as independent and self-sufficient individuals, who are wise and content with what they have. he wants them to know how to count and appreciate their blessings.

i don't see him wanting to spoil them too much, or have them grow up in this extremely privileged nepo baby “oh i'm a famous celebrity's kid” manner.

namjoon would be more of a father who lets his kids run free, rather than intruding and strictly lecturing them constantly. he'd be a parent who thinks it's important to let his children fall sometimes, so they can gather their own know-how of how to get back up.

though he wouldn't want them to be depending on him for everything, he'd still be an existence of emotional understanding for his children. especially when it comes to communicating; namjoon would want his kids to feel safe enough to open up to him, without fear of judgment or the need to hide parts of themselves. he wants to feel like a gentle and intuitive parent figure who's naturally attuned to his kids' needs, compassionate, and understands their point of view.

jimin

would he like to become a father?

so, jimin is one of the members who reads as more fond of the idea. he does see fatherhood as something he would like for his life, and might even imagine himself in that role a lot. however, he feels uncertain about whether he'll be able to to actually translate his wishes into reality. (12h mars)

jimin's energy is very.. “these are the things i wish for, and these are the things i believe i can do.” in his eyes, there's a gap between the two; meaning, he struggles believing he can actually live up to what he himself wishes he could be.

he's so immensely critical of himself, can often have the tendency to acknowledge his downfalls, before his strengths. jimin could get worried he'll end up projecting his insecurities onto his children, not being able to provide them with the emotional fulfillment they deserve. he believes there's deeply rooted, inner issues and traumas, he'd need to actively confront and heal. he doesn't see himself as a father who'd have much to offer.

what would he be like as a father?

this is actually very sweet. i can see jimin being a father who puts true work and effort into establishing a close connection to his children.

there's this immense desire in him to display his affection towards them, in a way where they feel sincerely and wholeheartedly loved. he'd literally pour out his heart.

i keep getting the sense that this man carries a wounded inner child in him. he feels like he's healing it by caring for other children. i keep being drawn to the world “love”.. that's what might've been lacking for jimin when he was younger, so he can feel the need to make other children feel loved.

i also keep feeling the need to say “genuinely, truly, sincerely” like, his love isn't fake, it's not a pretense and it's not shallow. it's not performance-based either. a parent's love is pure, and that's what he would want his children to know. he'd love them unconditionally, with all their imperfections and mistakes.

jimin would for sure be a father who's immensely protective, but in a gentle and almost motherly type of way. he feels this desire to shield his children from all the dark in the world, and would probably prefer just tucking them into this little cacoon by his side, where they're safe and sheltered.

taehyung

would he like to become a father?

so, taehyung is clear on fatherhood being something that'd be a major change in his life. he believes it'd require him to step out of his comfort zone, and rebuild his lifestyle, his attitude, his approach, in a manner that provides his child with the best possible circumstances to grow up in. despite the initial shock fatherhood could result in (it's a little bit of this.. “oh wow my life will completely change now”), i can also see taehyung feeling uplifted, and in high spirits about it.

an insight that's coming through strongly for him, is that he'd be very adamant on protecting his children from the media, gossip, etc. he would not want his kid to be the talk of the town, have unnecessary eyes watching and everyone voicing their opinion on them. he does read as someone who wants to separate his professional and private life; doesn't want one to disrupt the other.

taehyung wouldn't want his fatherhood to get tangled in his public image, and the fact that he's a celebrity whose private life is much more interesting to the public, to pose as an inconvenience to his family, fatherhood and his children.

ideally, he'd find a way to balance his efforts in both areas. do his best as artistically, while also fulfilling his role as a father, and providing his children everything they'd be in need of.

what would he be like as a father?

i see taehyung thriving in the role. with all the cap energy, fatherhood is likely to come naturally to him. again, i keep getting it, the protective side in him would be strong. he'd be firm on shielding his kids from negative influence; the type of parent who's careful and selective over who he allows to be around his kids. he could get very “don't talk to my child like that.”

don't know why but i also keep seeing him say that to his members too lmaoo, like i could imagine him telling a member holding his baby “okay it's enough you held him for too long already” or something ㅜ

taehyung is likely to be more of the stricter father, who's very clear on the lessons he wants to teach his kids. he wouldn't be a parent who'd be easy to convince, or talked into allowing them to do something. his energy here is more authoritarian, in a “i said no, that means no. end of discussion.” way.

his energy reminds me of my stepfather, who was a capricorn. he had these exact rules i had to follow; like bed time at 7 pm. i remember him stressing me out badly, because he was so unmoving, i could cause riots, he'd just let me be annoyed but still firmly go through with what he said. in the end i learnt a lot from him.

i do see potential for taehyung to be the type of father who bickers a lot with his children though; he could have a lot of disagreements.

i can sense his main intention being to equip his children with thick skin.. encouraging them in a way that gives them strength, letting them discover their own power through embracing their strengths, building up their confidence.

lastly, there is a part of taehyung that could connect with the imaginative, emotional world of his children.

he might not always express love in overly affectionate ways, but it would come through in the little things: playing silly games with them, nurturing their creative spirit, encouraging them to dream freely. his children could talk about the most silly and whimsical things to him, and he'd entertain it, in a way that makes them feel seen and valid. there's a part of taehyung that wants to preserve their inner naivety and innocence, while also helping them develop into strong and self-assured individuals.

jungkook

would he like to become a father?

so, jk immediately came in with the energy of.. “if i meet the right person, who'd make me want to have a child, i would.”

however, i have to say, he is someone who can feel most comfortable when working, and is most familiar with himself in work-mode. the concept of becoming a father is something that feels very.. strange (?) to him.

tbh, nearly every time i read for jungkook, his childhood comes to mind. while reading this time, i got reminded of him being a capricorn rising; and it made things click for me.

all the virgo energy, plus having a cap ascendant, can make jungkook a person who's not only self-critical and hardworking by nature, but also someone who encountered the weight of responsibility at a very young age. he can search for joy in the more simple things in life as he gets older, and as he finds more comfort in letting loose, because he's already been introduced to the serious adult world so early on.

in my spread, the page of pentacles (representing a younger jk as a virgo sun) fell out next to the six of cups (card of childhood, nostalgia) which made it look like the hardworking student is curiously gazing at these two kids, who are happily playing next to him. it seems like a world unfamiliar to him.

the awkwardness that i'm getting here makes sense. if someone's inner child was neglected and left emotionally unfulfilled for years; it's hard to the blame the person for not really knowing how to emotionally nurture another child. how do you expect someone to teach a child something, when it's something they've never been taught themselves?

i don't see jungkook necessarily rejecting fatherhood, as much as i see it potentially stirring up unresolved inner issues and self-doubt within him, that he doesn't seem too comfortable confronting as of right now.

i currently see him more emotionally distant from the idea of fatherhood. not because he doesn’t care, but because, he doesn’t believe he’s yet capable of offering the emotional maturity it requires.

mtl “best” father in my eyes

#1 taehyung

#2 seokjin

#3 jimin

#4 namjoon

#5 hobi (surprisingly)

#6 jungkook

#7 yoongi (he could honestly be great, i just didn't get an ounce of insight into potential fatherhood..)

seokjin and taehyung are quite close imo, i just see taehyung feeling more comfortable and confident in the role.

#kpop tarot #bts tarot #jimin makes me want to cry

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cherry-holmes · 16 hours ago

Text

From Salt, Iron, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮: A Supernatural Series

Part 8: Heat of the Moment

MAIN MASTERLIST

Summary: If the Impala could talk…

SERIES MASTERLIST

Previous chapter

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Fem!Reader

Word count: +7.1K

Warnings: I prefer to not give details to prevent spoilers. You’re on your own, kids.😉

A/N:🫣

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For the next three months, your life with the Winchesters and Castiel had settled into something that felt truly belonging.

And the family just kept growing around, when you finally met Bobby. He welcomed you into his house and the family business. He gave advices, lectured you on everything he knew, and gave you the confidence to reach for him whenever you need something.

Sammy was patient, endlessly. He would sit with you at the library for hours, explaining how the world had changed since your time: technology, laws, gender roles and equality, and modern slang. He was the one who taught you how to use a laptop, though he sometimes had to hide his laughter when you got frustrated and poked the screen like it might obey you faster.

Castiel, though, became something else entirely. A best friend. Maybe because, in his own way, he was just as out of place as you were. He didn't judge when you marveled at microwaves or stared too long at the flashing lights of a city skyline. He answered every one of your endless questions without growing tired, or if he did, he never showed it.

Sometimes, you and Cas would just sit together in silence, sharing a kind of wordless understanding that didn't need to be explained. He was your anchor on the days when the world felt too loud, too fast, too unfamiliar.

And Dean... he was something different.

He took it upon himself to introduce you to 'the important stuff.' Rock music: Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Metallica, Bon Jovi. Movies: Star Wars, Die Hard, Back to the Future. You name it. He was there, more than excited and willing to show the new world to you.

Late nights would find you both sprawled on the worn motel beds or the bunker couch, Dean grinning like a kid as he watched your reactions.

"You've never seen this? Oh, sweetheart, we're fixing that right now," he'd say, popping in a VHS tape or queuing up something on an DVD player.

And you soon discovered that you also had your own stuff to share.

One day, Sam found you curled into the far corner of the bunker's library sofa, knees drawn up beneath you, entirely absorbed in the worn pages of Pride and Prejudice. The copy had a cracked spine and yellowing edges, but you cradled it like treasure.

Sam's voice interrupted the silence, warm with surprise. "Didn't know we had that one in here."

You looked up, startled, but smiled. "I used to read this by candlelight... I never thought I'd hold it again."

Sam's brow quirked. "You know it's a movie now, right?"

Your eyes widened. "A movie?"

He chuckled. "Several, actually. There's the BBC miniseries and the 2005 version."

You blinked. "People still know this story? They watch it?"

"Yeah," Sam said, amused. "It's kind of a big deal."

And it was the end of Dean Winchester's movies era.

That night, Dean was sprawled across the bunker couch, TV remote in one hand, a beer in the other, deciding if he wanted you to see Lethal Weapon or Terminator when you bounced into the room, clutching the DVD case Sam had handed you.

"Dean," you said brightly, "we're watching Pride and Prejudice tonight."

Dean froze. "We're what now?"

You held up the case with the same reverence he reserved for classic rock vinyl. "It's a book I love. Sam told me it's a film now. Will you watch it with me?"

He looked at you, hopeful, radiant, practically glowing with excitement.

Dean groaned dramatically. "Fine. But unless there's a car chase, I'm gonna need extra pie for this."

You sat beside him, barely breathing as the film unfolded. His initial jokes dissolved somewhere around the proposal scene, and he started commenting about the movie like he was getting really interested in the story.

You glanced at him with a triumphant grin.

Later, as the credits rolled, he leaned back with a long exhale. "So... when Darcy said, 'You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you'—that was smooth. I might use that."

You laughed, giving him a playful shove.

Dean nudged you with his shoulder. "Hey, don't look at me like that. If I'm gonna suffer through 19th-century foreplay, it might as well be with you."

Your laughter softened into something warmer as you rested your head on his shoulder.

"I'm glad you liked it."

He tilted his head, voice low. "Yeah... me too."

He was close. Always close: an arm thrown casually around the back of the couch, a shoulder brushing yours when you laughed too hard, a hand steadying you when the crowd of a new town felt overwhelming.

You didn't stay behind, either. After the incident with the creature by the motel pool, you had insisted on joining them on more hunts as an active member, and to your surprise, they had agreed.

Maybe it was your bravery. Maybe it was the fact that you refused to be treated like something fragile.

But little by little, you became part of the team.

You trained harder with Sam and Dean, practiced with Castiel, learned everything you could about the monsters that haunted the modern world.

At first they gave you easier tasks: research, backup, lookout. But it wasn't long before you were right there in the thick of it: salt rounds loaded, blade steady in your hand, heart pounding in rhythm with theirs.

The adrenaline, the fear, the victories—saving people and hunting things... it bonded you even tighter to them.

Especially to Dean.

You didn't sleep together at the bunker, it would have been too much, maybe, to cross that invisible line there. But during hunting trips, as the motels usually had only two beds, it became natural for you to share one of them.

At first, Sam felt like the most awkward third wheel, and insisted on take his own room. But neither you or Dean seemed to make it look like a serious thing. So you both will just justify it saying there was no need to waste money resources on a second room, and Sam wouldn't push anymore.

Dean would kick off his boots and fall onto the mattress with a groan, then look over at you with a smirk and say, "C'mon, deer, I don't bite."

The first few times you stayed stiff and awkward on the edge of the bed, afraid of getting too close. But Dean never pressed, never teased, he just offered his quiet presence, and somehow that was enough.

As time passed, you grew comfortable. You stopped worrying about the way your arm brushed his when you shifted at night. Stopped pulling away when you woke up with your legs tangled loosely under the covers. Stopped pretending you didn't notice the way your heart sped up when he was near.

There was tension, of course. But Dean never pushed. Never crossed a line. And somehow, that made it worse: made you ache for him even more.

You didn't know exactly when it happened, maybe it was one night when he stayed up until dawn patching up a cut on your forehead, hands trembling slightly; maybe it was the way he remembered you liked your coffee sweet and loaded with cream in the morning.

But somewhere between the laughter, the long looks, the soft silences... You realized you were falling for Dean Winchester.

Or maybe it was there from the beginning. Even before that very first kiss.

And even though the thought scared you, it also felt like the most natural thing in the world.

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"Oh my goodness," you laughed, your face lighting up with amusement as you clicked through your own laptop.

Of course, you had your own now. The Winchesters had bought it for you after you accidentally stumbled upon downloaded porn on Dean's. Sam was really pissed at him.

"Dean, you've got to see this!"

He looked up from where he was cleaning one of his knives, arching a brow. "What now? Another animal video you think might change my life?"

You turned the screen toward him with a grin. "Nope. Almost better. A pie convention two towns over this weekend. Apparently it's like, the 'pie event of the year'? There's a cherry pie competition, a blindfold taste test... It's like Disneyland made of pies."

Dean stood up so fast he nearly knocked over the salt canister on the table. "You're not messing with me?"

"Would I lie about pie?" you teased, and his grin stretched wide, boyish and awed.

"We're going. You and me. Sam can handle things here, he won't appreciate it."

Right on cue, Sam strolled into the room, coffee in hand, and Dean spun toward him. "Hey, Sammy. Claire and I are taking a little road trip. Couple days. Important business."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, pie?"

Dean didn't even bother denying it. He just smiled and shrugged in a funny way.

Sam rolled his eyes, but there was something fond in the way he glanced between the two of you. "Fine. I was planning on heading out with Charlie and Cas anyway. They roped me into some kind of lore convention... don't ask. Just don't die in a pie-eating accident."

Dean clapped him on the shoulder. "No promises."

You caught Sam's gaze as he turned to leave, and he gave you the tiniest smirk and wink before disappearing down the hall.

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Next weekend, the pie convention turned out to be everything Dean dreamed of and more. Booths stretched for blocks, each one offering free samples, contests, and flavors that had Dean acting like a kid at Christmas. You trailed behind him, your fingers sticky with berry filling, laughing as he tried (and failed) to talk a judge into giving him an extra slice of bourbon pecan. So he stole it from him, anyway.

By the end of the day, you both collapsed into the Impala parked just off a quiet country road. The sun was setting behind the trees, golden light spilling through the windshield, painting the car in a soft, amber glow. Dean handed you a beer, and you took a sip, still not convinced of the taste.

"I'm not sayin' it was the best day of my life," he said, eyes closed. "But if I die tomorrow, I'll go with a smile."

You laughed, turning in your seat to face him. "You really love pie that much, didn't you?"

He cracked one eye open and smiled at you. "I love anything that makes me forget the crap for a while."

There was a long pause then, not awkward, just quiet. The kind of silence that let you feel things you didn't know how to name yet.

Dean rubbed a hand over his face, suddenly more serious. "Y'know... back there. All those people. Families, couples, kids..." He glanced at you. "Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like them. Normal. If I hadn't grown up the way I did."

You tilted your head slightly, sensing the heaviness behind his words.

"My dad... he trained us to hunt before we even knew how to live. And I... I did things. Made choices that stick with me." He let out a shaky breath. "It's hard not to think I've screwed everything up."

You didn't say anything, just let your fingers gently brush the back of his hand resting between you. He didn't pull away.

You knew some things about their past: their family, the hell they'd been through. Dean was the one who told you, bit by bit. Glimpses of what they had done, what they had survived. The people that had lost. It was hard not to cry when you saw the hurt, the pain, and sometimes even fear in his eyes.

It made you want to free him from all of it... to lift the weight off his shoulders and make him feel safe. Cared for. Loved.

After a while, he looked down at your touch, then back up, his voice quieter. "Don't you ever want to know more about where you come from? About who you were before all this?"

You hesitated, eyes flicking to the windshield, watching the fading light turn to dusk.

"I used to," you said softly, that British accent sending shivers down his spine. "But it frightens me. What if I find out I was someone I wouldn't even like? What if I came from a world that wouldn't let me return here?"

Dean looked at you, listening intently, his breath caught in his throat.

"If I'm here now, it's for a reason," you continued. "And I don't want to waste time chasing shadows when I have a real life now. With Sam, with Castiel, and..." your voice faltered for a second, but you met his gaze steadily, "with you."

Dean didn't say anything at first, just stared, something unreadable in his eyes. Then he let out a quiet, breathless laugh; not mocking, just overwhelmed.

"You're something else, deer," he murmured.

And maybe it were the stars beginning to blink into the night sky above, or just the mere heat of the moment, but you felt the urgent desire to kiss him.

Dean's eyes were still on you, something soft and stunned flickering behind the green of them. For a moment, neither of you spoke. Just the low hum of cicadas around you, the distant rustle of trees in the night.

You swallowed hard.

"I mean it," you said, voice quiet but certain. "This... all of this. It matters to me."

Dean gave a small nod, but his expression was unreadable. Maybe he didn't know what to say. Maybe he didn't believe it, not really. That someone like you could want someone like him.

So you kissed him. To proof that for you he was worth of love as much as anyone else.

You weren't even sure what possessed you. Maybe it was the moonlight, or the pie, or just the way he looked at you like you were the one thing he didn't want to break. Your lips brushed his, tentative at first, barely more than a breath. But he didn't pull away.

He stilled.

And then he kissed you back.

Slow, warm, reverent... not like the rushed, careless kisses you'd seen in films. Not like the ones full of teeth and tongue that made you hide your face behind a pillow when they played on motel televisions. This was just different.

But still, your thoughts wandered to those scenes. The ones where the characters ended up tangled in bedsheets, breathless. You remembered the way Dean's jaw would tense slightly when those parts came on, how he'd glance over at you to see if you were watching. You always were.

So am I doing this right? Was it supposed to feel like this... like my whole body was trembling, but not out of fear, but something raw and primitive?

You didn't know, but you wanted to.

You pulled back slightly, breath hitching, your hand resting against his chest. "Dean..." you whispered, nerves tightening your throat. "I... I don't really know how this works. I've never..."

Dean's eyes widened a fraction, and you felt him tense beneath your hand. But not in a bad way, more like he was trying very hard to stay still. Just like you.

You cleared your throat. "But I... I want to."

He blinked at you, processing that. "You mean...?" His voice cracked just a little, and for the first time, Dean Winchester looked genuinely nervous.

You nodded, cheeks flushed. "I trust you."

Dean exhaled, slow and careful, and then gently squeezed your hand. "Okay. Then we're gonna take it slow. Real slow, alright?"

You nodded again, heart pounding.

He looked around, then jerked a thumb toward the back seat. "Gimme a sec."

You watched as Dean opened the back door, and started rearranging the Impala's interior with almost military precision. He took off his jacket, folded it into a pillow, pulled a blanket from the trunk, then ducked back inside to make sure the door locks were set.

When he was done, he opened the door for you like it was the most natural thing in the world. No pressure, just patience. Just Dean.

And before he could say more, you reached for him. Your hand curled into the collar of his flannel, tugging gently, and then your mouth found his.

It was clumsy at first, more instinct than anything, but it was yours. Hungry in a way that surprised even you.

Dean froze for a heartbeat, caught off guard, then responded with a low sound in his throat that sent a rush through your body. His hands came to your waist, steadying, anchoring.

You broke the kiss just enough to whisper, "I want this, Dean. I want it with you."

That was all it took.

He helped you into the backseat carefully, never taking his eyes off yours, and shut the door behind him. You settled back against the makeshift bedding, nerves fluttering wildly in your belly. He joined you, hovering above, and you welcomed him between your thighs.

It was overwhelming in the best of the ways: his breath against your face, his fingers brushing your temple like a question. And you answered by reaching up to guide him down to you.

Dean kissed you again, slower this time. His lips moved gently against yours, coaxing rather than taking, and the warmth of him poured over you like sunlight after a long storm. His hand cradled the side of your face, thumb brushing your cheek in a touch so tender it made your chest ache.

You clung to him, not just from inexperience or nerves, but because it felt like the only place you wanted to be. His weight above you was grounding, protective, and arousing way.

"Tell me if anything feels wrong," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper against your skin. "We stop the second you want to, I swear."

You nodded, your breath shaky, your fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. "I trust you, Dean."

Dean lowered his head to kiss your neck, his pelvis already pressing yours into the seat. Your hand slipped beneath his shirt, caressing the warm skin underneath.

He groaned softly against your skin, the sound rumbling through your chest as his lips traced a slow path along your throat. Your fingers explored the curve of his ribs, the rise and fall of his breath under your touch grounding you more than anything else ever had.

Then he straightened up, managing to pull off his shirt.

You sat up slightly, breath catching in your throat as your eyes traced the lines of his body: the muscles beneath his skin, the constellation of old scars scattered across his arms and torso. Each mark told a story, and though you didn't know them all, you wanted to.

Your gaze lingered on the tattoo over his chest, the black anti-possession symbol, bold against his skin. Your fingers brushed it gently, the warmth of his slightly tanned skin beneath your touch. A few freckles dusted his shoulders, unexpected and endearing.

Dean leaned in and started with your boots, crouching low in the cramped space of the Impala's backseat. He unlaced them slowly, then slid them off one by one, his touch warm and steady.

Next, his fingers moved to the hem of your shirt, peeling it up gently, lifting it over your head, careful not to startle or rush you. When your skin met the cool air, you shivered, and he immediately reached your arms, caressing. His hands paused, reverent, before moving to the button of your pants.

He undid the button, then the zipper, moving slowly, giving you every chance to stop him. But you didn't. The fabric slid down your hips, tugging carefully until the pants pooled at your ankles, then helped you shift to pull them free.

And there you were, semi-naked beneath Dean Winchester. Trapped in his car while he just looked at you with a quiet awe in his expression that made you feel more beautiful than you ever had before.

He guided you onto your back again with a soft kiss. His hands didn't waste time, caressing your exposed skin, tracing a delicate path along your shoulders, down your breasts, your ribcage, and over your hips.

"Tell me something, baby," his voice was a soft, warm whisper. "Have you ever touched yourself?"

"Touch myself?" you asked shyly, like you weren't sure what he meant—but deep down you had an idea. You flushed, like you'd just been caught in the act.

"Yeah," he purred. "You know, when you're in your room, alone, and you get that feeling right here." One of his hands caressed the soft flesh of your tummy, just above the hem of your panties. "Like you're feeling now. Have you ever tried to ease it, baby?"

"I might have," you confess in a whisper. You had, maybe. In your bed, when the thought of Dean was too loud, too overwhelming to ignore. You'd tried to soothe the instinct.

"Then show me."

Dean took your hand in his, guiding both into your cotton panties. You let out a gasp, a sound of surprise and pleasure, as he pressed your whole palm against your core.

"Move your fingers, sweetheart. Show me what feels good."

Your breath caught in your throat as you began to move, slow and uncertain at first. Dean stayed close, his palm pressed against the back of your hand, mirroring every motion, feeling every hesitant stroke.

"That's it," he murmured, his voice low and full of heat. "Nice and slow. Let me feel you, baby."

Your fingers explored with timid curiosity, guided by instinct and the memory of lonely nights. But this time, it felt different. This time, Dean was watching. Feeling you. Breathing with you. Encouraging you.

His hand never left yours, he followed each movement, memorizing the rhythm of your touch, the little shifts that made your breath catch.

"You like it right there," he said, more statement than question. He could feel it in the way your hand paused, circled, lingered. "Show me everything, sweetheart. I wanna learn what gets you off."

He tightened his fingers just slightly, applying the gentlest pressure behind yours, enough to remind you he was right there.

"Feels better when I'm here, doesn't it?" he whispered.

You nodded, barely able to form words. "Y-Yeah..."

Dean's smile was slow, wicked, and full of adoration. "Then take more. Go deeper. You know what your body wants, baby. Don't be shy."

You obeyed, breath hitching again as the sensation intensified. Dean kissed your shoulder, his touch reverent, worshipful.

"That's my girl," he murmured. "So damn beautiful when you're like this."

You moved with a little more confidence now, spurred by his praise and presence. The heat between your legs was pulsing, building, and the knowledge that Dean could feel every tremor, every stutter in your motion, only made it burn hotter.

"You gonna come for me, baby?" he whispered. "Wanna feel you fall apart in my hands."

You felt his fingers taking the lead, thicker and rougher, parting your wet folds with ease, quickly finding al the perfect spots that he just learned, making your whole body tremble under his touch, utterly at his mercy. Your sticky fingers clenched into the muscles of his arm, seeking for relief.

Soft circles, and up and down, teasing your entrance like a menace. But he didn't push farther yet. No, he wanted you dripping, begging, ready for him first.

After a few more movements, you finally came undone with a soft cry. You felt your honey dripping thick out of you, and your whole body trembling beneath his.

He kissed your neck and collarbone, his fingers still working you—softer now, but still making you squirm beneath him, your hips shifting, chasing his touch.

"...Dean... more..." you moaned right into his ear, and you felt his still-clothed pelvis brush against the bare skin of your thigh, seeking friction, seeking release.

So your hands moved downward, searching for the buckle of his belt. Your fingers worked quickly, and you felt his body shift, helping you along, letting you work him open.

Dean's breath catched the moment he felt your delicate, tentative hand find him inside his boxers. He never left his place there, though.

You were amused by the expression on his face: his eyes fluttering shut, jaw tensing, and body surrendering over you.

He hardened in your hand, thick and warm, and the reaction made you even wetter around his fingers.

"Holy shit... deer," he groaned, low and rough under his breath.

Your hand started moving on his length— clumsy, inexperienced — but he seemed to like it. A lot. He started moving his fingers again, sinking both of you into a mess of hands, moans, and whispered names.

After a few minutes, he looked up at you, breathless. "Wait..." he growled. "If you keep going, I'm..." He couldn't even finish the sentence, the mere thought made him shudder.

"You what?" you asked, the almost innocent tone in your voice making him twitch in your palm.

"Oh, sweetheart," he groaned, "you're gonna be the death of me."

A shaky breath escaped your lips at the unexpected sight of Dean bringing his slick-coated fingers to his mouth, savoring your taste.

"You taste so sweet, baby," he whispered. "If I had more space, I swear I'd eat your pussy out right here."

You didn't quite understand what he meant, but God, you wanted to find out right now.

He made room to work on his own jeans, pushing them down along with his boxers. And once he was completely naked in front of you, the sight made your face flush an impossible shade of red.

You couldn't help but look away. You thought about his size... which definitely left your mouth dry.

For the first time that night, real nervousness settled in. Reality hit you, mixing with anticipation and desire. You wanted to feel him, but the thought of what it might be like to have him inside you made your stomach twist with nerves.

He noticed your wide eyes and gave you a soft, crooked grin. One hand reached up to gently brush your hair behind your ear. "You okay?" he asked, voice low and tender.

You nodded, even though your heart was pounding. "I just... I've never done this before."

His expression softened even more. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of you," he promised.

Then he leaned down and kissed you gently, while his hands slid under your back to work the clasp of your bra.

His green eyes darkened the moment he saw your breasts for the first time. One of his broad hands cupped one, squeezing gently, his thumb tracing slow circles over your delicate nipple. You moaned, feeling heat pool between your legs, your thighs instinctively pressing together.

"You're so damn beautiful, deer," he whispered, warm and sincere. "Fuck, you're more perfect than I imagined..."

Then his hands moved to the last piece of clothing still on you. You lifted your hips, letting him slip your panties down and off, leaving you completely bare beneath him.

Dean sat back for a moment, just looking at you, jaw slightly clenched like he was trying to hold himself together. Then he reached over to the glove box, flipped it open, and pulled out a small foil packet.

You blinked. "What's that?"

He paused, smirking a little. "A condom."

"...A what?"

Dean's brows shot up, amused. "You've never seen one of these?"

You shook your head slowly, eyes fixed on the tiny package like it might bite.

His grin widened as he tore it open. "Damn, sweetheart, you really are from another time."

You flushed, but the way he looked at you, warm and patient, made it hard to feel embarrassed. He held it up like he was giving a lesson. "This goes on me. It, uh... keeps things safe. And clean. You know, in case of babies, diseases, apocalypse-related mishaps..."

Your eyes widened even more. "Oh. That's... practical."

Dean laughed softly, low in his throat. "Very."

You watched, curious and fascinated, as he rolled the condom on. Once he was done, he looked at you again, his smile softer now.

"I didn't know there were tools involved," you breathed, heart pounding.

He kissed your temple, chuckling. "There's a lot I want to teach you. But tonight? Just this. Just us."

Your nod was soft but sure. Dean leaned over you, supporting his weight on one forearm as his other hand slid carefully down your side.

His lips found yours, slow and deep, and he whispered against them, "Listen, this might hurt just a little. I can't help it, but I promise it'll feel good soon after. Just tell me if you want me to stop, okay?"

You whispered a shaky "Okay," and wrapped your arms around him, grounding yourself in the steady beat of his heart against your chest.

Then, with a patience you hadn't expected, and a tenderness that nearly broke you, he began to guide himself against you.

You felt his tip brushing against your core, drawing soft whimpers from your lips, especially when he took his time to caress your most sensitive spot.

Your body responded instinctively, already stretching around him, a reaction born purely from need.

"Dean..." you breathed, almost desperately. You didn't even know exactly what you were asking for, just that you needed something, anything, to ease the ache burning inside you.

"I know, babygirl," he murmured gently. "I'm just making sure you're ready for me."

And then, after a few more heartbeats, you felt him shift, lining himself up at your entrance, and slowly begin to push into you. You gasped, fingers clutching at his shoulders as a deep stretch filled you, unfamiliar and overwhelming. It didn't exactly hurt, but it wasn't easy, either. Your body trembled beneath his, adjusting to him inch by inch.

Dean kissed your jaw, your cheek, your lips, whispering praises in between: "You're doing so good... I've got you... just a little more..."

Finally, he was fully inside, still and patient, his forehead resting gently against yours.

"You okay?" he asked again, his voice strained now, clearly holding back for your sake.

You nodded, breath shaky. "Yeah. Just... don't move yet."

He smiled faintly, brushing your hair back. "Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere."

It didn't take long for him to start feeling you moving your hips. Timidly at first, just a small shift, testing how your body responded to the fullness.

Dean froze, groaning softly into the crook of your neck. "Fuck, sweetheart..."

The sound of his voice sent a spark straight through your spine. Encouraged, you shifted again, a little more this time, and his hands immediately found your waist, steadying you with a reverence that made your chest tighten.

Slowly, carefully, he pulled back just slightly and eased forward again, watching your face the entire time.

"God, you feel incredible," he whispered, kissing your temple. "So damn perfect around me..."

His hands gripped your hips, guiding your rhythm, matching your pace with slow, deliberate thrusts. It was overwhelming: his body, his heat, the way his mouth found yours between soft curses and whispered praises. The way he held you, like you were something precious.

"Dean... Dean..." You couldn't do anything else but say his name like a prayer, especially as he teased your limits, pushing harder, deeper into you.

The sound of skin against skin, moans, and whimpers from both of you soon hushed even the rain tapping on the roof of the Impala. Every improper, filthy sound you made only encouraged him to take you rougher... yet he still held back, still careful, still trying not to hurt or scare you.

Dean was also trying to keep himself from finishing too soon. You didn't know it, but he hadn't been with anyone in months. Sure, the need had been there, but his mind always betrayed him, because if it wasn't you, he didn't want it. It wouldn't make sense to be with someone else while thinking of you.

And now that he had you, it only confirmed that he didn't need anyone else.

"It feels so good," you breathed out, voice trembling. "Dean... please! Don't stop..."

Dean buried his face in the crook of your neck, his breath hot and ragged against your skin. His movements grew more intense, more desperate, until you could feel every tremble in his body.

His mouth traveled to your breasts, taking one of your nipples, his tongue tracing soft circles around it, his mouth leaving sucking marks on your soft flesh. Marking you as his. Your own breath hitched, the pleasure building to a crescendo that made your fingers dig into his back.

"C'mon, deer, cum for me," he groaned, feeling your pussy clench harder around his cock. "Feels so good, baby..."

You clung to him as the waves crested, your body tensed, then unraveled all at once, a soft cry escaping your lips as your world seemed to splinter in the most beautiful way.

Dean wasn't far behind. You felt him still, groaning your name like it was the only word he knew, holding you so close it was hard to tell where he ended and you began. His whole body shuddered against yours before he finally collapsed, breathing hard, his forehead pressing gently to yours.

For a long moment, there was nothing but the sound of your breaths and the distant patter of rain against the Impala's roof.

Then, softly, he smiled. "You okay?"

You nodded, still dazed, your voice a whisper. "I've never felt anything like that."

"Me neither, baby." Dean kissed you slowly, tenderly, like a promise. "You did amazing."

For a long, long time, he had wanted you. You were the one who lived in his deepest dreams, the one he whispered about in the solitude of his bedroom. Having you beneath him felt like the most natural, meant-to-be, thing in the universe.

And for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, he realized he might actually be feeling something.

Not a whim, not just a fleeting attraction, or a desperate lifeboat he clung to just to keep from drowning in his own misery.

No, this was real, and raw, and pure.

For the first time in his life, he knew that if you asked him to, he'd leave everything behind just to be with you.

He kissed you again, slow and sweet. "I'm not letting you go, deer."

"I'm not going anywhere, Dean," you promised back.

«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»

The sun was already high when you stirred, warm light pouring in through the fogged-up windows of the Impala. The air around you was heavy with the scent of wet earth, leather, and lingering sex. You couldn't tell where you ended and he began, limbs tangled in the sweetest kind of chaos.

You blinked, the world slowly coming into focus, and that's when you realized three things in quick succession:

1. You were still naked.

2. Dean was still naked.

3. Someone was knocking on the window.

A loud, authoritative knock.

Dean groaned, half-asleep, and shifted against you under the thin blanket. "Five more minutes," he muttered against the top of your head.

"Dean," you hissed, your heart sprinting, trapped between the seat and his body, "Someone's at the window!"

"What!?" he sat up too fast, the blanket slipping off his shoulder.

Then came the knock again, louder this time, followed by a voice: "Sir? Ma'am? Step out of the vehicle. Now."

Dean swore under his breath. "Oh, son of a bitch."

You scrambled to clutch the blanket around you, and Dean fumbled to cover both of you with the rest of it, twisting around to squint through the window. Sure enough: a very unimpressed-looking sheriff, mirrored sunglasses and all, stood outside with a notepad in one hand and what looked like a ticket book in the other.

"Oh God," you whispered. "Dean... what do we do?"

"I got it. I got this," he said, trying (and failing) to sound confident. He rolled the window down two centimeters. "Morning, officer."

The man stared, jaw tight. "Morning. We got a call from the farm owner. Said he found your car fogged up and occupied. You do realize you're trespassing, right?"

Dean cleared his throat. "Right. Yeah. Look, uh... there's a very romantic explanation for this."

The officer looked pointedly at the crumpled clothes in the front seat and your sock stuck to the gearshift.

Dean winced. "Okay. Not a great explanation. But I swear, we're consenting adults. Nobody's in danger here."

"You're also naked in public," the officer said flatly. "Which puts us in indecent exposure territory."

"Okay, okay... technically, we're in a car..."

"You're not helping," you whispered.

Eventually, the officer gave five awkward minutes to "dress and compose yourselves" standing with his back turned. Dean struggled to get his jeans on while still inside the cramped backseat. You accidentally elbowed him in the ribs trying to find your bra. And your dignity.

"Romantic night under the stars, huh?" he muttered, wincing.

"Romantic until the part where we get arrested."

Once (mostly) clothed, you were herded into the back of a patrol car like a couple of teenagers caught skipping curfew. You just wanted to cry, humiliation creeping up your whole being.

At the station, Dean was allowed one call. Of course, he dialed Sam.

"Yeah?" Sam answered, groggy.

"I need you to come to the county sheriff's office."

Pause. "What did you do?"

"It's not... okay, yes, technically it's public indecency, but..."

"Oh my God," Sam groaned.

"Also, bring bail money. And pants. Mine have a strange stain on it."

"Dean, I don't wanna know..."

By the time Sam arrived, looking smug and far too well-rested, you and Dean were sitting in plastic chairs, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

"So," Sam said, barely suppressing a grin, "Romantic getaway, huh?"

Dean glared at him. "Shut up and pay the damn fine."

Sam turned to you. "You okay?"

You buried your face in your hands. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Fair."

As Sam paid the bail and the receptionist handed over a brown paper bag with your boots inside, Dean leaned toward you with a sheepish smile.

«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»

The door to the bunker groaned open as you and Dean stepped in, both red-faced, tired, and still vaguely humiliated from the morning's events. Sam followed behind, biting his tongue to keep from laughing out loud for the hundredth time.

Castiel looked up from the map table as you entered. He tilted his head, his brows furrowing at the sight of you two slinking in like teenagers caught sneaking in after curfew.

You passed him by, unable to even look him –or Sam, or Dean– to the face, and go sit down in a chair. Castiel sat across from you, watching you with intense curiosity as you shifted on the hard wooden chair, trying not to wince. "Claire, are you injured?"

Instinctively, your eyes turned to Dean, who somehow seemed to read your mind: you were sore. His gaze softened, a silent apology in his eyes. Cheeks burning, you quickly shifted your gaze to the table.

"No, Cas. Just my dignity."

"What happened?" Castiel asked, his voice low and steady, like the head of a household demanding the truth from his daughter.

Sam, already sipping coffee and waiting for the explosion, said casually, "They were caught... romancing in the back of the Impala. By the police."

Castiel's gaze snapped to you. "You were compromised in a vehicle?"

You sank lower into your chair. "It's not..."

"I trusted him," Castiel said solemnly, pointing a very slow, accusatory finger at Dean. "I left you alone for one evening and this is the result?"

Dean held up both hands. "Whoa, okay. Let's not go full Puritan ghost here."

"She's from 1815, Dean. That is practically the Regency era. Have you any idea what this would do to her dowry?"

You choked. "I don't even have a bank account, Cas."

"And now your reputation is in ruins," he added gravely, looking mildly offended on your behalf.

Dean, trying not to lost control of the situation, ran a hand down his face. "Cas, I didn't seduce a nun. I took Claire stargazing and then... things happened."

Castiel turned to you, eyes softened but authority still on them. "Did he declare his intentions? Did he offer marriage, or at the very least a respectful courtship letter?"

Dean choked on his own saliva the moment the word "marriage" reached his ears.

"I don't think people write letters anymore," you mumbled.

Castiel's jaw tightened. "They should."

"Cas," Sam said, nearly wheezing, "You're reacting like she was ruined in the middle of a ball."

"She was ruined in a Chevrolet, Sam!"

"Okay, that's it. It's enough, dude," Dean replied.

But Castiel wasn't done. He stepped in front of you and placed a hand on your shoulder. "If you are with child..."

"CASTIEL!" The three of you shouted at unison.

He blinked. "Then I shall smite him accordingly."

"No one is smiting anyone, Castiel," you intervened, somewhere between a nervous laughter and wishing the floor would swallow you whole.

Dean stood up. "Listen, Cas, I really appreciate your concern about my girl, believe me, I do."

Your cheeks burned and your heart flipped at the expression he used to refer to you: my girl.

"But this is the 21st century, and she's a grown, consenting woman. We don't need divine supervision every time we get a little close. So, now I'm going to take a shower, and when I come back, everyone's going to pretend this never happened."

Castiel tilted his head, visibly processing the statement.

Sam cleared his throat and stood as well. "Alright, I think that's our cue. C'mon, Cas. Let's give them a little privacy."

Reluctantly, Castiel nodded. "Very well. But if she is harmed..."

"She won't be," Dean cut in gently, but firmly. "Ever."

The angel gave Dean one last glare before walking out of the room in a swirl of dramatic disapproval. Sam snorted, giving the both of you a knowing smile before following Cas to the kitchen.

Dean turned back to you, that cocky little smirk softening as he approached.

"Except you, sweetheart," he murmured low, only for you to hear. "I want you to remember everything."

Dean brushed his knuckles gently along your arm. "So... shower?" he offered, a glint in his eye that made your stomach flutter.

You nodded, smiling, heart thudding when his fingers laced with yours. He led you to the bathroom, and the door clicked shut behind you.

NEXT PART

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chuelectrico20 · 21 hours ago

Text

Another Movie Tails analysis

Yes, another one because I think his writing is interesting. This time it's about his relation to the Wachowski family now far warning it's more with Sonic and Knuckles but I got little tidbits with Tom and Maddie that I think are important.

Firstly it's important to establish that game Tails and movie Tails are different characters and that comes down to their introduction, movie Tails is way more independent and self-reliant. From the get-go, Tails is living on his own (likely away from his village no parents in sight or ever mentioned), and all his gear compared to his game counterparts' introduction mech and transportation is heavily weapon and defense-based(boomerang, ray gun, anti-gravity thing) so it's safe to say he doesn't hesitate to defend himself and how leaving his planet was an easy choice. Add to that Tails compared to Knuckles and Sonic had a choice to leave home, nothing like losing family or friends since everyone in his village thought of him as a freak, and if we go by the novel and Drone Home bits of dialog he was likely abandoned by his family. These are bits that I already went over in this thread about movie Tail Insecurities and why the way he acts in these films so read that if you want. The main takeaway now is what that means with his interactions with his family and I do mean family while Tails in his mind would hesitate to call anyone family because of how he perceives himself no doubt in anyone minds that they love the little guy as their brother and their kid.

Let's start with Sonic, iconic duo we know. Again though movie Sonic and Tails don't have that same type of bond like game Sonic and Tails, moreso game Sonic acts both as a guardian/brother/mentor towards Tails being that Sonic helped Tails by inspiring him to become better and practically raising him throughout their interactions to where now Sonic can crash over at Tails place whenever, a real special unbreakable bond. Movie Sonic is more childish and less of a guardian and more of a big brother who just wants to have fun with his bro more than anything and Tails gladly accepts this (as shown in Drone Home). Tails can come of more mature than Sonic and gets more annoyed by Sonics antics but as shown throughout movie 3 he understands that's just how Sonic is, Tails admires Sonic no doubt about it, them being so different compared to other aliens like them makes them get along and even if they can easily get on each other's nerves more easily compared to their game counterparts they still have one another back when it matters. Sonic loves having Tails around, Tails is basically the reason why Knuckles and Sonic get along, how Sonic survives his reencounter with Eggman, why Sonic starts realizing he has alot more growing up to do, he's the catalyst for so much and more importantly how Sonic realizes he has a family now.

"I'm really glad you're here Tails."

"I'm glad I'm here too Sonic."

Tails and Knuckles I'm really happy also get to have a relationship that's individual from Sonic. Knuckles actually shows a lot of respect towards Tails even after getting run over by him likewise Tails recognizes Knuckles as a powerful warrior known throughout the galaxy that plane scene between actually says alot on how Knuckles and Tails are willing to get along with anyone so long if they have the sane goal in mind and even then Tails is still hesitate with Knuckles (for obvious reasons lol) though their teamwork shines through in that final act of movie 2 even getting to team up to specifically distract Eggman. Afterwards they both get along extremely well, at the baseball end scene where Knuckles carries Tails on his shoulder, in Drone Home with Knuckles being so direct in calling Tails monolog sad, or movie nights where it's established how often Knuckles gets scared and automatically grabs Sonic and Tails hands out of fear (little detail with Tails already eyeing Knuckles hand even before he grabs it) no doubt they're comfortable around each other. The biggest show of their relationship is definitely when Knuckles comes to Tails defense after Sonic in an emotional state tells off Tails after trying to comfort him. It shows that Tails is just a kid at the end of the day even if he's mature for his age and Knuckles emotional maturity being the oldest of the 3 and the most experienced.

"Ha ha! He does look like a Pokémon! Pika~ pika~!"

The Team in general is important to Tails throughout movie 3. He’s the one that goes along with the name Team Sonic, the one that reprimands Sonic for going off on his own, the one that explains his dynamic with Stone as the gadget guy and the one that desperately tries to hold on to it after Sonic tells him off stating, "I thought the three of us were a team? I thought that’s what made us special?" Though after their argument and everything settles Tails and Knuckles save Sonic and when all three of them are together in the fields it shows how much they all truly care for each other. I think specifically Tails in that scene shows how much of a little kid he is, he’s so so small in Knuckles arms, he’s the closest to look like he’s about to cry at Sonic’s apology and the motion from both Sonic and Knuckles to bring it in without saying a word, yeah he’s found his home.

"How about, just Team."

Tom and Maddie get a section together because sadly Tails has the least amount of on screen interactions with them (Tails spin off Tails spin off Tails spin off please) but the dialogue in reference to Tails helps in understanding their relation to one another. The Wachowski’s obviously view the kids as their children as stated in movie 2, Knuckles spin off, and movie 3. Specifically in the Knuckles spin off when Knuckles is grounded after basically turning their living room into an arena Tails points out how Knuckles throne was made at of "our car" which is just a really sweet detail of how at home Tails feels. Then in movie 3 in the infiltration scene they’re the ones that follow Tails plan the most without pushback unlike the other two silly scene but they really trust Tails and his ideas. Before that the scene at the race Tom mentions his brothers and healthy sibling rivalry again showing how much they consider all of them their children and the comparison in Tom wanting to instill good values for all of them. And final tidbit in the German dub of Sonic movie 3 Tails calls Tom daddy in the final group hug scene aghhhhhh my heart.

I think movie Tails is seriously under appreciated and all too dismissed by many because of his standing next to the other characters with their moments but I hope again you see Tails is interesting in his own right maybe not with flashy or grandiose moments like the others but his smaller actions that move the plot of these stories and effects on other characters again movie 2 wouldn’t happen at all if not for Tails I just think he’s great and I know his family think he’s great too, and hopefully he also feels loved despite his insecurities.

#sonic movie #sonic movie 3 #sonic cinematic universe #tails the fox #tails wachowski #sonic wachowski #knuckles the echidna #knuckles wachowski #tom wachowski #maddie wachowski #sonic the hedghog movie #sonic movie 2 #sonic movie universe #movie tails #movie sonic #movie knuckles #analysis #movie analysis

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the-ultimate-romanian · 1 day ago

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Yeahhh you’re wrong on so many things (I’ve literally had to put my phone down, stare into space and think “what is this man even on about”) and I’m here to tell you why as a psychology student AND someone who has reading comprehension far beyond 4th grade and knows the game (unlike you apparently):

1. ‘Repetitive actions are a way of keeping active rather than just idle’ which is why so many autistic people do it since most neurotypical people prefer to sit idle while waiting/not doing anything.

“Other androids won’t move much” which is why Connor’s repetitive actions makes him different. According to the National Autistic Society ‘being autistic means you may feel things and react to them differently to non-autistic people…and use repeated movements or actions to calm yourself or express joy’ since other androids don’t use repetitive movements like Connor does that makes him different from those other androids. So your point further proves Geo’s (the og poster) theory, so thanks for that!

2. Don’t you think that Connor lying to Hank could hinder the investigation? I’d say that the information about Markus’ model number and relation to Kamala would’ve been important to the investigation. So Connor shouldn’t have lied to Hank — especially since he was programmed to do everything he could to stop the ‘deviant’ problem, yet he didn’t? The fact that he hasn’t told Hank about potential crucial information just because there is a potential relation between him and Markus just shows that he was thinking about himself, straying from his orders of helping with the investigation which means that he’s displaying signs of deviancy (which later in your post, you’ve claimed that there wasn’t any). Ngl I’m scratching my head and struggling to figure out what was the point of this point?

3. “He smiles to Hank as a sign of respect” I can tell you’ve never been in a professional setting (aka a job) because, I, as someone who has worked in professional settings, including an university, don’t gently smile at people like I may want to be part of their family under the premise that I’m being ‘polite’. Also Connor smiling in that moment — even though it wasn’t necessary — just proves that Connor is slowly straying from his programming, acting differently than he should, thus proving further that he is behaving similarly to a neurodivergent person like Geo was claiming in her first post.

4. The thing is, he isn’t supposed to feel things, including fear. In Chloe’s short, she claimed that she will never have what humans have, a soul — which according to some philosophers, it’s what helps us feel in general and why we are us (that’s where the phrase ‘do you have no soul?’ came from when people are talking to someone who just performed a negative act), thus Connor — and deviants in general— feeling fear is so important, because they weren’t designed to do that. However the fact that Connor feels fear just further pushes the idea that he’s meant to deviate from the start, further pushes the idea that he’s straying from his programming and becoming different, thus further supporting Geo’s idea. Again I really struggled to understand what you meant by this point, like what are you trying to prove? Geo never claimed that he didn’t feel Simon’s fear, but even in a machine Connor play through, the fact that he still feels it even when he technically shouldn’t, is so important.

5. While by definition, you would technically be right, there’s a small problem. Connor was meant to deviate. Amanda says it herself that he was designed to do so.

Thus when Connor decides to not deviate and instead he remains a machine, he actually deviated from his original programming just because there isn’t an actual visualisation of him doing so, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It actually makes sense why there isn’t a direct visual representation of him deviating. And that’s because he didn’t disobey the order he had then of ‘Stoping Markus’ but he did break free & gain free will from his programming since he didn’t deviate, however he chose to continue being obedient to Amanda and CyberLife. The fact that he even has a choice to deviate directly unlike the other 2 protagonists who deviated as a result of going against their orders, is very telling of the fact that at that moment he actually had free will.

This is further emphasised when you start thinking about how many times Connor can go against orders without breaking the wall, from small things like him not staying in the car when Hank told him so, to him not killing the Tracis even tho he was supposed to.

6. There is no proof of that??? Amanda literally says to a Deviant Connor (in the ending where all Jericho leaders die and Connor has to give a speech alone) “Everything went according to plan”and when Connor asked her what plan she replied with “You becoming deviant, the success of the uprising” and “We’ve engineered an Android revolution”. That was not a plan B, that was Plan A. A plan B would’ve been needed if Connor never deviated.

7. Connor isn’t like all the other androids, comparing him to them would be unfair. He was specifically designed to deal with the deviancy problem, so he’s going to be programmed differently. The game literally puts an emphasis on the fact that he is an RK800 prototype, aka there’s not many like him out there. And NOWHERE did Geo ever claim that all Connors were supposed to deviate, so idfk where you got that. Maybe you should work on your reading comprehension skills, I know they are hard for some people, you being a prime example!

‘There is nothing extra in Connor…’ actually there is! Here’s some examples : “The Connor model includes a physical simulation software based on the analysis of elements of the crime scene. He can thus reconstruct past events by cross-checking the evidence at his disposal. It is also the first model to offer the analysis of biological evidence in real time, by direct sampling and ingestion of samples. “ “Unlike previous police android models, it is designed to take an active part in investigations.” — RK800 Wiki page

“Connor has the ability to scan and analyze a scene and recreate events that took place in a reconstruction…His ability to reconstruct a sequence of events is both hyper-advanced and entirely unique to him.” “Connor can analyze biological evidence (such as blood samples) in real time by putting them on his tongue to "taste" them. He can identify blood types, DNA (including identifying a specific human), drugs, sample age, and probably more. The same applies to android blood, where he can determine the model and serial number.” “Connor is able to reconstruct events and crimes from the gathered data using a physical simulation software[1]. With it, Connor's cutting-edge processors simulate the most probable version of events leading to the picture of evidence he has just discovered and analyzed, with every element playing a part in his cognitive simulation.” “Connor is trained to act at par with a real-life negotiator; he is one of the first non-human negotiators in service of Detroit city. He can also present facts and tell lies without inducing intense emotion, which is shown by his non-changing LED light.” “Unlike previous police androids who are forbidden from using violence or bearing weapons[1] in accordance with the American Androids Act, Connor is capable of unarmed combat and of handling weapons.” — Connor’s Wiki Page

8. Well no! Because Connor was built differently (quite literally) since he is a prototype, he’s slightly different than the other androids. Just because he can be a deviant from the start it doesn’t mean that other androids such as Kara can be. We have seen earlier models (Kara for example) deviating years after their release date and disobey their orders. Yet Connor can disobey orders without needing to obey. Strange isn’t it?

9. Just because he was designed as male doesn’t mean he can’t identify as something different. It’s kinda part of the game… the plot is literally about androids gaining free will and choosing to live how they want, straying from their programming and that includes gender and sexuality. If Geo wants to head canon (ie something that is canon to her) that Connor’s a gender, it rather fits into game canon, since post canon Connor may realise that he himself doesn’t feel like what he was designed to be.

10. “The main point of the game is showing how androids are capable of intelligence” that part isn’t actually true (or at least you worded this weirdly). Why? Because the game itself tells you that androids are intelligent, it doesn’t need to show you that, there’s no point. Besides that I’d say you are kinda right on this one. However the thing is, there is no point in saying this? Geo never claimed that the main point of the game wasn’t to show that androids are capable of feelings. The only thing she said in this post was that, Connor has humanity regardless of the path you take as him, she never said that other androids don’t have it.

But even your points further prove Geo’s point if you use more than 6 brain cells to think about it. Neurodivergence is a natural part of humanity since neurodivergence affects the way we feel and react to things. It has always existed and has always been a part of why we behave the way we do — regardless of whether one is neurotypical or neurodivergent. And if the whole point of the game is to show that androids can feel, react and behave like humans, that they have humanity, then surely they must have some sort of neurodivergence. The creators wouldn’t go through all that trouble to make the characters behave so closely to humans but miss an entire population of people (around 15% to 20% of people who show signs of neurodivergence according to Northwestern Medicine), because then it wouldn’t be an accurate portrayal of people, of humanity, or on your words, ‘“a new race” capable of evolving itself’.

Overall, your reply lacks an understanding of what Geo said — due to your poor reading comprehension’s apparently — lack of understanding fandom culture which you have been interacting with (the fact that you got heated up about someone having fun analysing their favourite character tells me a lot about you as a character) and lacks an understanding of the source material beyond the little blurb you get on the back of a physical copy, especially since you got so many things wrong about the game or its characters. If this was a school essay I’d fail you before I even read point 4 because clearly you haven’t done the assigned reading.

TL:DR: Stop talking shit about other’s people reading comprehension when you clearly lack it, and stop talking about games you apparently know little about.

it is so important to me that, no matter what path you take with connor, you cannot avoid him having humanity. him indulging in self-soothing, repetitive actions such as his coin tricks or rubbing his hands together, him lying to hank after seeing markus' speech and being visibly moved, him gently smiling upon seeing hank emerge from his room in the clothes he picked out for him — a sign of a want for a domestic life with him, perhaps? — hell he can even feel fear when he connects to simon, even though you may be going through with this in a machine playthrough.

in some ways, i find machine connor more deviant than deviant connor himself — because of the repression. as amanda says, it was planned from the beginning that he become deviant. it is extremely unlikely this is erased in the machine playthrough. him 'remaining' a machine is just repression of his true self.

...and not to make this post even more self-indulgent and insane, but fuuuck the autistic headcanon for him ties into this PERFECTLY. him 'remaining' a machine is masking — he is still a deviant (autistic), but hiding it to be accepted by amanda and cyberlife — while becoming a deviant means allowing himself to break free of what is expected of him (neurotypicalness) and unmasks, be loved for who he truly is.

i made another post about him being autistic here, so feel free to check that out for reasoning for the headcanon, but i cannot imagine a universe in which connor isn't autistic and doesm't have deviant tendencies. sure, he can be cruel, or a badass, or selfish, as a machine, but all of that still gives him humanity — to be able to feel, and hurt his fellow man. and his (partial or entire) lack of empathy is still a trait of autism, which can be paralelled with deviancy.

idk man i have many thoughts about connor dbh. the autistic agender aromantic asexual android ever. to me.

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