#brotherly cemetery

[snakeredbirdbatkatana]

So I was thinking Jason kills he is one of the few members who are constantly breaking Bruce's code and if I had an older sibling or younger who is just constantly getting away with murder.

Who you gonna call Jason fucking Todd.

Dick gets a little too pissed off one night and kills a human trafficker. Hey little wing need a bit of a favor. Nevermind one night after too many nightmares calls him up and tells him all about Blockbuster. Jason's kill count is up by one and he's damn proud.

Now Tim can hide his own bodies he doesn't need help but it makes for good brotherly bonding. Soon they have a whole secret cemetery filled with League assassins. And if one night Tim decides as a show of good faith to gift a duffle bag with a clowns head that's no one's business.

Damian on the other hand doesn't even try like the annoying little brother he is drops heads at Jason's safe house. Will just even text him coordinates and tell him good luck. How he hides from Bruce, Jason has no idea. He even on occasion will kill people Jason was looking for and will bring them like a proud cat presenting a mouse.

None of the other bat kids ever do it Cass refuses to kill and sticks to it Duke keeps his options open but never needs his help.

On one hand he finds it annoying but in the deepest parts of him his brothers trust him enough with their dirty secrets, they lay their shame and anger at his door.

They trust him to guard their back and he never thought he would have that. So the next time a stupid bird calls he grabs his guns, then his shovels and walks out the door.

[sunshine-on-marz]

This is absolutely terrible I’m sorry

Sam Winchester x reader

Nightmare comfort

Tw: mention of death, nightmares, crying

“Can you come home” your voice shook as you spoke quietly into the phone. To say Sam was worried was beyond an understatement. Dean and Sam had just finished a case about an hour away, they were planning to sleep the night at the motel considering they weren’t able to get back to the motel from the cemetery until nearly 1 am. But now it’s just past 3 and a Sam is practically yanking Dean out of bed. “I’m on my way honey, what’s wrong?” He says softly, voice laced with worry as he tucks the phone between his shoulder and ear to better be able to grab all of his stuff from the motel room. You mumble something about a nightmare and dying, but you’re nearly hysterical at just trying to recall the event your mind conjured up. Sam just quietly shushes you through the phone “hey, sh sh, it’s ok, it’s ok, you’re ok.” He says softly “I’m on my way y/n, I’ll be there soon, I promise” he coos. Nearly the entire car ride is silent, aside from your cries echoing from Sam’s phone speakers and Dean’s occasional “it’s alright kid, we’re almost there”. Sam couldn’t speak. He hated hearing you cry and he hated it even more when he couldn’t make it better.

You started hunting with the Winchesters when you were nine. Your parents worked closely with John, so when they died it wasn’t a question in anyone’s mind who you’d go with. For decades Sam has done everything in his power to fix any problem in your life that he could. (As did Dean but it was far more brotherly than anything Sam and you have going on.) So now, hearing you cry with no way to make you feel better, it wasn’t his favorite position to be in.

Sam didn’t speak until they pulled up to the bunker.

“We’re outside y/n, I’ll be there in just a second” he says quietly. He wasn’t lying either, you barely had time to say okay and hang up the phone before Sam was walking into your room. “Hi sweetheart” he says softly, and then you’re in tears again. He quickly wraps you in his arms. “Hey, sh sh sh, I’m here, what’s wrong? What happened?” He asks, gently carding a a hand through your hair. “Was it a nightmare?” He asks softly, you nod. “What was it about?” He asks, his voice barely a whisper this time. “You.” Your answer is short and shaky, and the way your voice breaks rips Sam apart, so he pulls you into his chest. “Did I hurt you? In your dream?” He mumbles into your hair, you shake your head against his chest then pull away no more than an inch. “You died” you say, eyes glassy with unshed tears. Sam sighs. “Oh I’m so sorry” he wipes a stray tear from your cheek and kisses the top of your head. “I’m here now, I’m ok. I’m sorry we didn’t come home earlier.” You shake your head “don’t be. You’re home right now”. Sam smiles at your response “just guess I am, huh?”. And you nod. “I love you y/n, I really do” Sam says as he lays down with you on his chest. “I love you too Sam”

[silverofthunder]

☆ downfall ☆

Papa Emeritus IV x GN Reader || 🔞

summary: ”I need more time.”

content: 2.6k words, mystery (kind of), drama, fantasy, romance, angst, hurt/comfort

♡♡ part 1 ♡♡ part 2 ♡♡ part 3 ♡♡ part 4 ♡♡ part 5 ♡♡

Finally reached this point of the story. This wasn't that easy to write but well, sometimes things go different way. I love how this story is challenging me even thought this has been pretty easy to write on most parts. Enjoy!

It had been a while since you two had spend some time at the cemetery. Everything had started from there so it was only natural to return there. The coldness of the night was biting but you were so comfortable sitting on the large tombstone, sketching in your notebook. Copia was lying beside you, his head resting on your lap and you used his upper arm as a stand for your notebook. He wasn’t asleep, obviously, just enjoying the quietness like you.

Lately you had been having moments like this more frequently, where there was silence between you, and you had usually been writing or sketching while Copia was just close to you. It didn’t feel like you needed to talk, just sharing the space, the night was enough. You were glad that Copia didn’t need to spend all of his nights alone anymore. Of course he had his brothers but it wasn’t the same. The Emeritus brothers were quite a gang now that you had gotten to know them better and you knew how… chaotic it might get if they would spend too much time with each other.

You smiled and shook your head at the thought of the brothers arguing with each other. Especially Terzo and Copia seemed to clash the most, though it was still obvious that they cared about one another greatly. Being the eldest ones, Primo and Secondo were probably the voices of reason and did they best to keep things civil. Copia adored Primo and they seemed to have the closest brotherly bond. It was sweet, seeing the two always being so kind to each other, speaking of the other warmly.

Copia and Secondo seemed to share the most mysterious bonds you had ever seen. There was respect and all but you hadn’t seen them showing much affection towards each other. Well, it wasn’t really that odd as Secondo certainly was someone who seemed to be less open about his feelings. His stoicness was sometimes intimidating and he wasn’t really talkative in general but it didn’t mean that he didn’t care about his brothers.

”Penny for you thoughts.” Copia’s voice brought you back on earth. You chuckled quietly, slipping your notebook and pen into your coat’s pocket, threading your fingers into Copia’s hair.

”I was just thinking about you and your brothers and how things are between you.”

Copia shifted, turning his head so he could look up at you. In the dim light of your phone’s flashlight Copia seemed a bit… tired but you didn’ t think more of it and just smiled down at him.

”Well, they can be a pain in the ass but we’re as great we can be,” Copia said with a small smile on his lips.

”Good.”

The silence returned between you quickly as neither of you seemed to want to continue the conversation and you lifted your head to gaze into the distance. The coldness was really starting to get into you and you needed to move soon, otherwise you would freeze on the spot. A thought crossed your mind and you pondered for a moment if you dared to suggest it.

”Could we play a bit?” you eventually asked. ”I really need to move or I’ll freeze to death.”

Copia moved into a sitting position, raising his brow.

”Play?”

”Yeah, it’s silly but…” you paused for a moment, turning to look at Copia, ”could you maybe chase me, like you were hunting?”

Copia blinked like he was trying to figure out if he had heard right. You waited, eyes scanning Copia’s face closely. This time he had no paints on and there were indeed lines on his face, clearly a sign of tiredness. A small knot of worry formed within you but you decided to leave it be for now.

”Sure, if that’s what you want,” Copia finally responded, offering you a smile. You stood up immediately, your feet feeling a little numb so you had to rub them for a moment and do some little jumps. Copia looked at you amused, standing then up, too.

”Let’s have some fun,” you smirked and started to walk backwards, further away from Copia. Soon you turned your back on him and ran, the excitement bubbling inside you.

Copia took his time to circle you, moving fast and with elegance, before grabbing you from behind and swirling you around to steal a quick kiss from you. You laughed as he disappeared soon after and continued running.

The next moment he appeared in front of you, fangs bared and you smiled as he wrapped his arms around you, lifting you up and spinning around. When your feet met the ground again, Copia was gone in the blink of an eye, now lurking somewhere in the darkness. Watching, following your every move as your feet carried you around the cemetery.

Eventually you started to feel out of breath and you decided to head back to the tombstone. You passed a large tree and unfortunately your other leg got stuck to something and you lost your balance, falling to the ground. Cursing you moved into a sitting position, your ankle stinging and when you took a look at it, there was a big scratch marring the skin. You touched it carefully, bringing your fingers then closer to your face.

Blood. There was a tiny bit of blood on the tip of your fingers.

You barely had time to blink before Copia was there and the next thing you felt was a sharp pain, something burning you from inside out and you screamed. Tears gathered to your eyes as you realized that Copia was holding your leg, his fangs sunk into your skin, the look in his eyes predatoric as he sucked your blood. The burning pain was soon fading and you stared at Copia completely frozen.

Tears fell down to your cheeks, and at the same time you were numb but also shattering from within. You had no idea of how much time had passed but somewhere at the back of your mind you knew that this couldn’t continue. You had to make Copia stop.

”Please…” you said. ”Stop.”

Copia didn’t seem to register your words, his hold of your leg just tightening and now the dread was slowly creeping into you, for the first time in Copia’s presence. You sucked in a shaky breath.

”Stop!” you now shouted, pained, and gave a little kick to Copia with your other leg. That seemed to break him out of his trance, his eyes widening in shock as he backed away fast, going to lean against the nearest tree. You stood up fast, eyes still glued to him, seeing how he was shaking. He didn’t look at you anymore and soon he turned and disappeared into the night without a word.

You stood there staring at into nothingness for a what felt like a small eternity. It was hard to think straight but eventually your instincts told you to leave so you did go to pick up your phone and walked home as fast you could. At home you took a care of the scratch and bite marks, tears burning your eyes the whole time, heart feeling heavy in your chest.

When you finally got to the bed, you curled up under the blanket, hugging a pillow, hoping it would offer you at least a bit of comfort you so desperately needed then.

After that night you didn’t see Copia anymore. You tried to continue your life as normally as you could, going to work and using your free time sketching and writing. You avoided moving anywhere near Hunter’s Moon or any other place where you and Copia had spend time together. It had been so hard to get your head around the fact that Copia had bitten you – it still hurt. Not physically, the marks on your ankle were already healed, but emotionally.

You had trusted Copia not to hurt you and yet he had ended up doing so. Of course you had known the risk but you still had believed it wouldn’t happen without a warning. It had been some weeks by now, yet the pain in your heart didn’t seem to lessen. You did your best to keep yourself busy but when you were home, ready to get some sleep, everything just became harder. There were nights that you had barely slept, your mind and heart trying to make a sense of it all. You were tired and yearning for some comfort. Any kind would do now if you were honest.

Copia wasn’t the only one you had not seen. You had expected that at some point one of his brothers would come to you but so far there had been no sight of them. Until one evening when you had just reached your apartment door and were fishing your keys out of your pocket.

”How have you been?” You were startled by Terzo’s voice, your heart jumping in your chest as you turned around to face him. He looked genuinely concerned and you let out a sigh.

”I’ve been better,” you answered folding your arms in front of you. ”You probably know what happened.”

Terzo nodded. ”I’m sorry.” You shrugged. ”Not your fault.”

”No, but we’re all the same, nonetheless,” Terzo said and you knew what he meant. ”Of course, none of us wanted that to happen. Not like that.”

”Well, it happened and it can’t be undone,” you said, probably sounding a bit frustrated. Terzo took a few steps closer to you, and you allowed that, though the uneasiness was prickling under your skin. Terzo probably sensed that as his brows furrowed slightly.

”You’re not the only one hurt. Copia…” Terzo started to explain, a hint of sadness in his eyes. ”He is not doing well. He has barely been feeding ever since the… accident. He has been saying that he can’t ever see you again but I think that he needs to see you.”

A thought of Copia not feeding properly made your heart hurt like someone was squeezing it tightly. However, you didn’t know if you were sure you wanted to see Copia yet. At some point you probably had to see him but now…

”I don’t think I’m ready to see him yet.”

Your words seemed to only make Terzo more sad but there was also understanding evident in his gaze.

”I know that this is the worst possible situation to you but… I’m afraid that if this goes on for too long, something bad happens. Copia is known for taking things heavily and beating himself up. If he does stop feeding…”

Terzo didn’t finish his sentence and you could guess why. You clenched your fists and jaw, willing away the horrible thought from your mind.

”I need more time,” you spoke quietly, now taking a step towards Terzo. He gave you a small smile, nodding, his shoulders slugging. It wasn’t nice to see him like that, and a moment later you opened your arms, motioning Terzo to come closer. He looked surprised, hesitant a little but then he came to you and let you close him in an embrace.

You let out a long sigh as Terzo clung to you tightly and it didn’t take long before you could feel yourself relaxing into the hug. You didn’t know which one of you needed more comfort but it didn’t matter.

”I’m so sorry,” Terzo apologized again and you just patted his back gently.

”Everything will be alright,” you said even though there really was no guarantee that would happen. Of course you hoped things could be fixed somehow. It was most likely that Copia wouldn’t come to you, so you would have to eventually go to see him.

Inhaling deep and then letting the air slowly out, you closed your eyes, tightening your hold of Terzo. Right now he was the closest that knew a fraction of the pain you were going through. After what had happened, being so close to a vampire should have felt more frightening but the earlier uneasiness had now faded, replaced by the compassion.

When Terzo finally pulled away, he smiled at you warmly, his eyes holding a glimmer of hope.

”You know that Copia is completely smitten with you?”

You shrugged, a small smile rising to your lips, not really knowing what to say to that.

”Okay, now it’s time for you to go,” you said, trying to pretend to be annoyed but you knew it was a weak attempt. Terzo grinned at you and you shook your head.

”Time,” you said, patting your chest and with a one last nod to you Terzo turned around and left, leaving you standing there with all emotions swirling inside you.

”I went to Hunter’s Moon on Saturday.”

Olivia’s words made you almost choke on your coffee and you tried to hid it by moving your hand fast before your mouth. She gave you a confused look but a wide smile rose soon back to her lips.

”It was an interesting place,” she said, leaning back on the chair. ”Have you been there?”

You swallowed, setting your coffee mug on the table.

”Uh, yeah,” you answered.

”Who knew there are vampires walking among us? Had the pleasure to meet a few. Brothers, I guess,” she explained and seemed oddly calm. You raised your brows, your curiosity now awakened.

”Do you happen to remember their names?” you inquired and the way Olivia’s eyes seemed to brighten told you that she was glad that you had asked more.

”I think the other was Terzo. A very charming one, I must say,” Olivia grinned and you chuckled, perfectly understanding the description. ”I don’t remember if I caught the other’s name. The bartender, the bald guy, a vampire I mean.”

”Ah, he’s Secondo,” you told, smiling. ”Not as scary as he seems.”

Olivia laughed a little, quirking her brows.

”Sounds like you know them.”

You took a good sip of your coffee, using a moment to think how much you should share with Olivia. She already knew about vampires existence and it didn’t seem to faze her much so it wouldn’t probably hurt to tell her more.

”Well, I could say that I know them a little better than some others.”

Olivia hummed, seeming to sink into her own thoughts and you waited, having finished your coffee by the time she slammed her hand against the table, leaning closer to you.

”Wait… The guy you’ve been seeing. Did you meet him at the Hunter’s Moon? You said that I didn’t want to know how you two met. Are you dating a vampire?”

Shit. She figured it out quickly. Not that she was stupid but still, maybe a part of you had hoped she wouldn’t realize that. And now you were wondering if you should tell her about Copia. You still hadn’t seen him after the bite insident, so the things were still unclear between you. Just as you were about to open your mouth to answer Olivia, your boss entered the room and you knew your break was over. When you took a quick glance at the clock, you realized that you had actually spend a few extra minutes on break.

You and Olivia stood up, and you quickly went to rince your coffee mug before following Olivia to the store’s customer service side.

”Well, are you dating a vampire?” She leaned closer to you and you sighed.

”Yes,” you admitted and she let out a small, happy squeal, quietly clapping her hands. You rolled your eyes, finding her enthusiasm annoyingly amusing.

”Gosh, I have so many questions to you,” she said excitedly and you wanted to slap yourself. Of course she would have questions. Questions you weren’t sure if you wanted to answer. At least to some specific ones.

”Well, no time for them now as there seems to be customers waiting,” you stated, pointing at one customer. Olivia groaned unnecessarily dramatic and you couldn’t help but grin at her. It seemed that maybe you two might actually get along pretty well.

taglist: @nijiru

[peacesmith]

CEMETERY GIRL (BOY).

SYNOPSIS — Juuri died, and Kano is visibly upset. Erron on the other hand can’t stand seeing Kano so moody. So he gives him an idea, bring Juuri back to life.

GENRE — uhhh, idk, kind of angst, kind of gore, 🤷‍♂️

CHARACTERS — MK11 Kano, Juuri Nomura (OC), Erron Black, Kabal (mentioned)

PAIRING — Juuno (Juuri x Kano)

CONTENT WARNING — slight (and i mean very slight) gore, just a mention of a gunshot wound really but nothing actually gory, Kano kisses a dead body 🧍‍♂️, just dead people I guess

NOTES — hi ICP fans, I was listening to Cemetery Girl earlier and I’ve been wanting to do something like this with them so here you go.

Juuri was dead.

There was no doubt, he was one-hundred percent dead. Shot in the head actually, a gruesome way to go out. At least he died heroically. To some people.

The Black Dragon held a short, albeit sweet, funeral for him. They had to keep moving anyways.

Everybody took it seriously, Juuri was an important asset. Although nobody took it as hard as the leader himself took it.

Visibly, he was more grouchy. Snappy even. Almost never seen not without a beer. The members had to be cautious around Kano unless they wanted to be like Frank (Poor Frank, caught him at the wrong place at the wrong time. Now he lost an eye).

The only people who were guaranteed safety was Erron and Kabal. Which, weren’t too far away from losing an eye either. Yet they still tried to comfort their leader.

Sitting on one of the couches, he takes another swing of his beer before slamming it  on the table. It was actually his and Juuri’s favorite couch. Given that they were always seen sitting there together.

The gunslinger couldn’t stand seeing him brooding all day. So, he cautiously approached Kano.

“Boss.”

Kano grunts, not bothering to look at him. This causes Erron to squint his eyes.

“Are you still upset over Juuri?” He couldn’t blame him. Although they came from different backgrounds, him and the swordsman had a brotherly relationship.

Kano then grunts again, taking another sip of his beer. Erron sighs.

“Well… have you done anything to grieve? Properly?”

This time he doesn’t make a sound, which gives the other male all the answers he needs. It was a bad idea, no, horrible even, but he couldn’t stand seeing him like this anymore.

He sits next to him, a dangerous move at that. Tapping his thigh before speaking.

“Have you tried bringing him back from the dead?”

Now this sparks an interest. Kano turns to him, he tried not to show it, but he was interested.

Erron continues, “I mean, it sounds impossible, but honestly anything is possible at this point.”

Kano only stares at him, but the gears in his brain was turning at his point.

“Maybe you could talk to one of those magic dudes you know. Ah, but that sounds like a stupid idea right?”

He turns towards him, only to see him gone. Erron lets out a huff. Hopefully that gets him to stop being so grouchy all the time.

Kano on the other hand was already making his way to where his beloved was buried. Shovel in hand as he drags it across the dirt.

Admittedly at first he thought it was stupid, he really did! But the thought of seeing his beloved, even one more time, made him almost giddy.

“Oh hell.” He mutters. It’s almost as if his hands had a mind of its own. Next thing he knew, he was digging up Juuri’s coffin. Not caring if he got dirt on his pants. He stopped caring a while ago actually.

The shovel hits the top of his coffin. He takes in a breath before jumping down. Opening the lid of the box, the smell of death hitting him like never before. But he ignored it as he stared down at the body below him.

There he was, Juuri, in all of his dead glory.

Still beautiful as ever, just slightly dirty and a hole in his head. Other than that, he was still as lovely as ever. This causes Kano to smile.

“Come on luv, let’s get you out of here.”

Kano leans down to pick him up, grunting a bit. Dead weight, forgot all about that. Juuri was slightly heavier than before, but that didn’t matter. It felt good to have him in his arms.

He felt at peace again, because his love was right there. He couldn’t help but give him a kiss.

Juuri’s head falls back in response to his kiss. The Aussie chuckles. “You leanin’ away from my kisses luv? You haven’t changed a bit.”

Kano then gives him another kiss. This time he doesn’t move. Yet his dead eyes seemed to stare through Kano rather than at him.

He hums and adjusts to where he’s carrying him like a bride. No struggling, no groaning or mumbling, it made him smile. Sure, he enjoyed the back and forth between him and Juuri. But sometimes he appreciated when he wouldn’t say a thing a just complied. Too bad it won’t last forever once he brings him back from the dead.

No if’s, he will bring him back from the dead. He can’t just have his babe being a brainless corpse forever! He’d probably be missing a few memories sure, but they can just create new ones anyways! And then they could get married, if Juuri really wanted to. To Kano they were already married, just without the ring.

He couldn’t wait. He’d be happy once again. Welp, time to bring him home.

[walker-extended-universe]

(Don't) Jump

Relationship(s): Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester & Cordell Walker, Cordell Walker & Sam Winchester, Adam Milligan & Cordell Walker, Lucifer & Michael

Tags/Warnings: Episode: S05E22 Swan Song, Stopping the Apocalypse, Self-Sacrifice, Desperation, Grief/Mourning, Angst, Hurt No Comfort

Summary: Gabriel senses the oncoming apocalypse and decides to quit being a coward. He brings Cordell along with him.

Part 5 of Henry Winchester 'Verse

Written for @angstober Day 21- Can't Save Everyone

Taglist: @theladywyn, @ihavepointysticks, @klaatu51, @itsjessiegirl1, @neptunium134

-------

It’s happening.

Cordell’s hands paused over the keyboard of his laptop. “What’s happening?”

The prizefight. Our brothers fighting over the planet, over paradise. It’s coming soon. I can feel it.

Cordell sighed. He’d known this day would come, but he’d foolishly hoped Sam and Dean would do something about it before it became a problem. “What do we do? Start prepping for the end?”

I can’t believe I’m suggesting this but… There might be another way.

“What? Like we go there and try to talk them out of it?”

It’s worth a try. Maybe it’s time we quit running from all this family stuff.

Cordell shook his head. “Do you really think that will work? That we can just stop the apocalypse if we ask nicely? I thought everyone up in Heaven and down in Hell wanted this….” He wasn’t sure what was left of their brotherly bonds would be enough to stop the will of cosmic forces.

We have to try, don’t we?

He wasn’t wrong about that. “Okay. Just- Let me tell Emily first. Just in case.” Just in case they didn’t come back. Just in case something went wrong. Just in case Gabriel was wrong about everything. They needed to be ready.

—-------

Lucifer and Michael stood in Stull Cemetery, ready for the final showdown. Neither of them truly wanted to do this- they were brothers, after all- but they had no choice. It was the way the story was written. It was fate, plain and simple.

Fate did not involve Dean Winchester rolling up to the site of the battle blasting his rock and roll. Nor did it involve their wayward brother Gabriel appearing in the nick of time.

“It’s been some time, little brother,” Michael greeted.

“I thought I killed you,” said Lucifer.

“Gabriel?! Why the fuck are you wearing my brother?!” demanded Dean.

Gabriel sighed. “Okay, in order. One, I’ve been a lot of places, Michael. Made lots of interesting friends too. Two, Lucifer, you are not the only person who’s taught me tricks. I’ve evolved since you left. And three, I’m wearing him because I needed a place to hide and he consented to it. Now, let’s talk Apocalypse. Or, rather, why we shouldn’t be doing this whole mess.”

Michael scoffed. “Gabriel, with all due respect, you abandoned Heaven eons ago. You don’t have a right to try interfering now. You lost that ability when you ran away.”

“And if you try to argue that you’re doing this to save human lives, let me remind you that you tried to kill me not too long ago,” Lucifer hissed. “How could you value these disgusting creatures over your own brother?”

“See, this is why I left Heaven; you asshats never let me talk,” Gabriel grumbled. “Alright, I admit I haven’t exactly been the most responsible archangel. I’ll own that. I’m an asshole. I’m lazy. I’m a coward. I run away from my problems and get my kick out of punishing people that I think deserve it based on my own metrics.”

“At least he admits it,” Dean muttered.

“Shut it, Winchester, adults are talking. Now, where was I? Oh, right. Now, I know I’m not the most responsible being in the universe but you know who’s even worse about that? God. He’s the one that fucked off ages ago and left you to run Heaven on your own. And you still want to play along with his little story when He’s not even around to watch it go down? Come on, Lucy, you’ve gotta hate that plan more than I do.”

“He will come back when we bring Paradise,” Michael said, ever the practical one.

“You say that like I’d let you win,” Lucifer snarked. “And who’s to say He would? Father stopped caring about us as soon as He made the humans. And I’m not doing this to play into His plan; I just want the earth restored to what it was before these monkeys wrecked it.”

“Again with this sympathy for the Devil crap,” Dean muttered. 

“Shut up!” all three archangels commanded.

“The point remains, Gabriel,” Michael continued, “You really have no room to speak on this. All the pieces were put in motion eons ago. This is just the way it has to happen. No one can do anything to change that.”

“That doesn’t really line up with the whole ‘free will’ thing, now does it?” Dean snarked.

“That’s enough out of you!” Lucifer rounded on Dean.

It was easy to forget how strong Lucifer was. It had been so long since any other angel had seen him at his full strength, even his closest brothers had forgotten. Even now that he’d been out of the Cage and found his true vessel, he wasn’t all that intimidating to the ones who knew him best.

How easy it was to forget how brightly his grace shone when he was full of righteous anger. Even Gabriel had to shield his eyes. Even Michael had to step back. He truly was the Morningstar.

Cordell screamed at Gabriel to do something, anything to protect his brother. But, despite his insistence on coming here, Gabriel couldn’t. He couldn’t move against Lucifer. Never could.

He was, in the end, still a coward. Always would be when it came to his brothers. Some things never changed.

So Lucifer beat Dean near to a pulp. Gabriel did nothing to stop him. Michael did nothing to stop him.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Sam did something to stop him.

Gabriel noticed Lucifer’s grace dimming first as Sam fought his way to the surface. Sam stopped the beating and reached into his pocket for the key. The key to the Cage.

“Don’t worry, Dean. I’ve got him.”

The Cage opened with a roar and the wind picked up as it tried to suck Lucifer back in. Just as Sam was ready to fall in, Michael ran forward to stop him. If Gabriel didn’t know any better, he might say Michael was worried for Lucifer.

Cordell reached for his brothers; Adam was the only one he could grab. Gabriel watched in horror as both his brothers fell into the pit and Cordell cried out for Sam.

Then, just like that, the door to the Cage closed and the ground sealed up as if nothing was ever there.

Cordell stood, staring at the spot where his brother once stood. Sam- his brother, his twin, his other half- was gone. In Hell. He felt frozen in his grief, barely even registering Gabriel’s voice in his head.

He knew he had to talk to Dean. He knew he needed to figure out what to do about Adam. He knew he needed to call his family. But he also needed to grieve.

“Sam,” he whispered, tears silently falling down his face.

He felt a presence next to him; he didn’t even need to look to know his older brother was there, staring at the ground and thinking the same things he was. He wanted to reach out, comfort Dean. But he didn’t know how. Even if there wasn’t this gap between them, sowed by anger and abandonment, what does one even say in this situation.

Eventually, the silence got to be too much to bear. “Dean-”

“I’m fine,” his brother said robotically. “Why don’t you just go? Go home to your wife and that apple pie life of yours? You don’t need to be here.”

The words cut him deeper than any knife could hope to. But Cordell couldn’t argue. “I’m sorry,” was all he could say before walking away.

A small distance away, he saw his half-brother, no longer commandeered by Michael, speaking to a dark-haired figure (An angel, Castiel, Gabriel supplied) before the other disappeared in a flash. Adam looked at the ground, dejected. Alone.

Cordell sighed and made his way over. “Do you have anywhere to go? I can give you a lift.”

Adam shook his head. “I used to. But then I died.” He laughed bitterly. “I shouldn’t even be here. I only agreed to this crap because the angels promised they’d bring my mom back. But…” He threw his hands up. “Guess that’s not happening.”

Cordell nodded. “Why don’t you come home with me for now? We’ve got a spare bed for you until you figure out what you want to do. If that’s okay with you.”

“I guess I don’t have that many other options, do I?” Adam scoffed. “Where’s home anyway?”

“Austin, Texas.” Cordell clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on. We’ll grab some burgers on the way.”

“Yes, please. I’m fucking starving.”

Cordell chuckled and led him away. Then, he remembered Gabriel had flown them there. “Gabe-”

Relax, Cowboy. I’m on it.

[nightingale2004]

Belladonna Addams information series pt.2

Her relationships with her family

Her relationship with her father, Gomez, is similar to his relationship with her sister Wednesday. She loves him but doesn't like his overbearing hugs and displays of affection (especially in public), but she only allows him to embrace her by grabbing each others arms and leaning on each other's forehead (but only for a few seconds/a minute is when she's feeling generous or in a good mood.) He also taught her how to fence, both Bella and Wednesday's Saber strokes were essays in perfection along with how to swim with sharks and filet a rattlesnake, of course, among other skills. He also made sure both his girls were independent and made sure that even if love did find a way into his girls' hearts, that it wouldn't change who they were and they wouldn't change who they were for love. He also made sure to educate his girls on their heritage and history of not just their culture but all cultures' history.

Bella's relationship with her mother is a close mother-daughter relationship. Morticia taught her how to hold herself up as not just a woman but also a Mexican woman. Morticia also taught her about makeup and such and how to be true to herself in a world of men that aren't like Gomez (which is shameful) Morticia also makes sure Bella understands what it means to be an addams woman and a leader, especially to her siblings. She also taught her about makeup, fashion, and gardening (mostly for potions, spells and rituals.)

Her relationship with Wednesday is typical normal sister stuff, they've tried to behead, shoot, and bury alive each other for years as games they would play as children. They even would would go to the cemetery grounds for seances. Now it feels more hostile for Bella and she doesn't understand why. At first they loved trying to kill and compete against each other but then it became less fun, more competitive and it started 1 year after Belladonna was announced as a witch. Even though Wednesday grew distant with Bella, Belladonna would often try to speak with Wednesday but it ended with silence and not the good kind, but they do often agree on a few things and some of those are seances, tormenting Pugsley, and eliminating those that threaten them and their family. Bella also loves reading her sister's novels and would often compliment her work since she's the first one to read them, like she is with Pugsley, will not hesitate to kill those that threaten her sister and they duet when Wednesday is playing cello and Bella is playing violin.

Bella's relationship with Pugsley is typical protective older sister (similar with Wednesday) whoever torments their brother that isn't her or Wednesday or anyone that wasn't an addams, has to deal with her especially if they even look at him the wrong way or think about laying a finger on him. She also loves to torment him and play games with him, especially with his favorite toy (explosives). She also enjoys fishing with him since they get a lot of dead fish for dinner.

Bella's relationship with grandmama is very close. Grandmama has taught her how to cheat without getting caught, bluff, and has given her gifts of the darkest of spells, rarest ingredients, and new weapons from her travels. She even gives her advice on how to get away with murder, among other things of course. Basic life skills

Bella's relationship with her uncle fester is casual. She enjoys his wacky sense of humor and often enjoys seeing him and her father do brotherly things around the family. She enjoys learning new martial art technique and she enjoys his classic shocking hand shake since it perks her right up. She also likes to hear about his tales of travel and where he is banned from (which is a lot of places) she also, like her sister, will not hesitate to tell the authorities about her uncle for the reward money.

Her relationship with Lurch is normal. She respects him and thanks him for his service to her family and considers him family as well. And she makes sure to remind him how important he is to her family. She even enjoys him playing piano and has learned how to play by Lurch teaching her.

Her relationship with Thing is normal as well. She enjoys his company and his advice for skin and hand skin care. She enjoys the daily chess and fence match they have together. She also enjoys the daily dose of gossip he can give her about anything and everything both at home and Nevermore. She also thanks him for turning the page on her music sheets for both violin and piano.

(Her parents also unknowingly put a lot of pressure on Belladonna to be perfect as a sister, as an addams and as a daughter.)

(All I got for her relationships with her family. Sorry for it being loooong but enjoy)

@ateliefloresdaprimavera

[hedgewitchgarden]

Archaeologists have uncovered Greek full-colour portraits of mummies – the first to be found in 115 years – the Egyptian government has announced.

Researchers found the two full portraits of Egyptian mummies and fragments of others at the Gerza excavation site in Fayoum, making these artworks the first of their kind to be discovered in over 115 years.

English archaeologist Flinders Petrie was the last to find similar artwork when he discovered 146 mummy portraits at a Roman cemetery in 1911, Artnet News reports.

The findings are from a dig site located amid the ruins of the ancient city of Philadelphia, which according to the Austrian Archeological Institute, lies in the northeastern corner of Fayoum, approximately 75 miles southwest of modern-day Cairo.

The team investigating the Gerza archaeological site in Fayoum also uncovered a funerary building, records written on papyrus, pottery, and coffins dating from the Ptolemaic period, which spans from 305 B.C. to 30 B.C., through the Roman era, which lasted from 30 B.C. to 390 A.D.

The government has said these finds give fascinating insights into the social, economic, and religious conditions of the people living in Philadelphia (which meant, in ancient Greek, "City of Brotherly Love") nearly 2000 years ago.

The collection of paintings, known as the Fayoum portraits, portrays some of the wealthiest people that existed in these ancient communities. The Philadelphia settlement was home to Greeks and Egyptians over the 600-year period.

Basem Gehad, the head of the Ancient Philadelphia Excavation project, which led the latest dig, wrote in an email to Artnet News that "no one really knows the context of these portraits," but added, "Now, we can know certainly where they came from, and find more."

In addition to these finds, archaeologists also revealed a rare terracotta statue of the goddess Isis Aphrodite inside a wooden coffin, per Artnet.

Gehad told the news outlet the statue "reflects the influence of Greeks on Egyptian art as a result of [the] new community living there."

A statement from the Egyptian government explains that pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309–246 B.C.) established Philadelphia as an agricultural village meant to secure further food resources for his empire.

Researchers have been digging at the site since 2016, according to the government.

[ao3feed-danganronpa]

the graveyard

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/CV47fcE

by tea0W0stache

The cemetery was cold. He should've brought a jacket.

It was well past any visiting hours - one in the morning to be exact. That was fine. He didn't sleep much lately.

Besides, it was a Sunday.

No one worked on Sundays anyway.

Words: 927, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Dangan Ronpa Series

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Major Character Death

Categories: Gen

Characters: Oowada Mondo, Owada Daiya, Ishimaru Takaaki

Relationships: Owada Daiya & Owada Mondo, Ishimaru Kiyotaka & Ishimaru Takaaki, Ishimaru Takaaki & Owada Daiya

Additional Tags: Graphic Description of Corpses, Kinda?, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Magic, Character Death, Temporary Character Death, Brotherly Love, Spooky

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/CV47fcE

[eolewyn1010]

Dragging Frankenstein - Chapter 24

Book's about to roll to a close, but Victor will not just take that without pissing me off first. Here goes.

Victor waxing prosaic about his thirst for vengeance when he never showed so many signs of even loving Elizabeth in the first place isn’t quite the narrative climax I hoped for, but oh well.

“my country, which, when I was happy and beloved, was dear to me, now, in my adversity, became hateful” – sure, blame the country, I guess.

“I provided myself with a sum of money [I like to think that Ernest only gave him the money so Victor would fucking leave him alone, since he’s not the most brotherly support in difficult times], together with a few jewels which had belonged to my mother” – hmm? No, of course he can do that. Those were his mother’s jewels; he can take them. I’m not hatefully imagining wringing his neck, in memory of his-basically-adopted-sister who got killed for getting caught with some of that jewelry. No, sir.

Oh, for fuck’s sake – he doesn’t even mention her on the cemetery! William, Elizabeth, and his father, but no word of Justine! I guess as a convict, she wouldn’t be buried in sacred ground, but he doesn’t even include her in his “spirits of the departed”! Asshole!

…wait, he doesn’t mention Henry either?? Did the little shitstain not even bring his best friend’s corpse home to be buried where his family lives? Ugh.

There was a tumblr post sometime, lauding the German “Friedhof” over the English word “cemetery”, because it contains the German word for peace. I had to think of that when Victor vowed vengeance there. It’s a place of peace; his family are out of reach of everything earthly, and yet he brings thoughts of murder there, and deludes himself into thinking the spirits of his dead approve. Remembering everything they EVER said to him about wishing him happiness, I disagree. Good riddance.

The Creature mocking Victor didn’t make me feel anything, which is a good sign that I’m through with this book. All that’s left are two assholes being assholes to each other. What a shitshow.

As is her wont, Shelley delves into a last bit of travel guide, speckled with Victor’s everlasting self-pity and the occasional racism and class conceit, calling countries around the world “barbarian” and the people who live there “peasants”. Charming.

Unsurprisingly, he manages to hit this count on his way out – I SO PRIVILEGED: 18

For “gain[ing] the villagers’ friendship” with money. Although I am surprised that the little twit manages to hunt and fish for himself. Late signs of self-reliance! Will wonders never cease.

“then with what ecstasy shall I join my Elizabeth and my departed friends, who even now prepare for me the reward of my tedious toil and horrible pilgrimage!” – what. Victor, must you be Like That again on the last few pages of your speech? With the religious imagery again! This is NOT a pilgrimage. You are not out for a cause of conviction. “calling on Heaven to support me” …in indulging in your lust for vengeance?? You are a gross little person who thinks for no reason whatsoever that he deserves any kind of reward in the afterlife. *whacks him with a Bible* If you refer to this, at least read it!

“My courage and perseverance” …ugh, make him stooooop.

Wow, it’s really shocking that traveling on a frozen ocean turns out to be Not Safe™ and that the ice can crack when the weather turns. Are you shocked? I’m shocked.

And yet, Victor with his obsession with considering himself a saintly figure and everything around him a sign from on high – *retches* – fails to conclude that his success is not meant to be.

And then. He honestly has the fucking balls. To tell Walton to fulfill his vengeance if Victor dies. *laughs incredulously* Really?? You have to make others suffer for your idiocy and obsessions even beyond your death? Loathsome creature. IT’S ALL ABOUT ME: 38

“No, I am not so selfish.” Sure, buddy.

“I will hover near and direct the steel aright.” So, Victor thinks he will be some kind of lingering spirit with the power to dish out his own idea of justice beyond the perishing of his mortal shell. Cool, cool. The God fantasy has reached its ultimate conclusion, hasn’t it?

[wanderlustandtethers]

(I was reworking bookmarks on my trusty dusty old laptop and was reminded once again that I have this account still)

Two and a half years later I can report that getting 1Password & Authy, taking inventory of all known accounts / logins out in the wild, and tightening everything up / closing things out, was worthwhile. Around this same time I also got a bunch of airtags for the household - keys, wallets, bikes... started a journal x index card system for myself, and kinda made a few bajillion-point-turns in life since.

Probably no surprise but I am AuDHD, my frontal lobe is finally ready, and I'm just kind of forever living as a katamari collecting coping tools / skills / self-accommodations accordingly because what works one day / situation / scenario may never work again and I have to keep trying. These efforts were the start of a critical trajectory shift.

I'm still here.

We* now live in the city of brotherly love, the west part, almost two years now. I'm 42. E's a tween. I'm finishing up a paralegal studies & eDiscovery program this year. I was doing stenography (with aim for CART services and maybe some depositions) before lockdown and beyond, but I burned out and pivoted, to nutshell. Might return to it when my brain can categorize it as a hobby-realm thing. It got to be a bit too consuming when I was putting myself on a timeline to finish and it kept telescoping out (it's like learning a musical instrument AND a new language in one thing... and I couldn't predict or plan the intersection of meeting the speed x accuracy requirements).

I am now post-three foot surgeries in the last 2 years. I ride a bike everywhere and hang out in parks, cemeteries and historical gardens (and sometimes the community garden behind E's school [oh I had also homeschooled for ~2 years? That was never the plan but it all fell together with lockdown x my long covid]). Cocoon.

We get a lot of sunlight in our home and have a lot more space and increasingly long stretches of nervous system regulation. We go fishing and kayaking sometimes at one of our favorite places to be in the city, but at a baseline we're always on bike/s together for everything. There's public transit here too but... not as fun.

Anyway, good changes, I'm glad to still be here to experience it.

*P's back and forth to/from NYC for his work. He's got a business partner and LLC and half a year after we moved, they landed a lease on warehouse space to provide storage in addition to their other art services. So there's that! He is usually here weekends and some extended ones like into the wee hours of a Wednesday, or, starting late on a Thursday etc.

<3

Hi

I’m amidst a larger personal project of retrieving passwords, changing passwords, closing accounts, getting 2FA and better password management and so after some layers of digging and resetting some things, I unearthed the email address this was attached to.

I just looked through my drafts and there is so much journaling and vivid recollections of specific days, many of which now feel like a blur. I’ve added to my running list on this project to copy/paste those things out and save them elsewhere. 

How are you?

[searuss8]

[cherry-flavoured-thot]

Could you do hc of Milo and Raihan falling/dating Allisters older GN!sibling? (That specializes in ghost and dark types)

Milo:

-Milo gives off brotherly energy, so he probably meets Allister and is like, little brother. But then he meets Allister's older sibling, looks at them and is like, love of my life. Allister does mention his sibling fondly to Milo before he meets them, he just wasn't expecting to be hit with love at first sight.

-Allister is living his best life when Milo and his older sibling, because now he has two people he can hide behind to avoid conversation. Also he likes Wooloo, he will tag along sometimes to go to Milo's farm just to pet them.

-Anyways cute idea, Milo who is lowkey terrified of spooky places like cemeteries, but because his s/o likes them and even asks him to hang out at one for a date. Who goes anyways despite being absolutely terrified the entire time.

-But refuses to admit it. His s/o will be like what's wrong and he will swear up and down nothing is wrong. Then one of their Pokémon think it'd be funny to jumpscare him. He shrieks. S/o is just rubbing his back to comfort him while making their Pokémon apologise for scaring him.

Raihan:

-Raihan, who is an avid consumer of goth s/o memes. Sees a picture of Allister and his older sibling on his timeline, and is immediately looking for their @ and to know if their dms are open. (He doesn't realise that's Allister's older sibling lmao)

-He realises when they start dating that they are Allister's older sibling because his s/o talks about needing to stay home and look after Allister because he's sick. Then it clicks.

-Raihan loves their aesthetic, but would appreciate if when they are together if their ghost type Pokémon would stop appearing as questionable apparitions when he and his s/o take photos together.

-Raihan, who takes Allister back home one night for his s/o. Only for Allister to say in the quietest of voices. "Don't hurt them." And not elaborate, Raihan felt chills running up his spine until he promised he wouldn't.

[ikaroux]

You are my gift.

Synopsis: Diluc has a special place in your heart. You both have known each other since you were children, and even though you were separated for three long years, the affection you have for each other is still the same.

Style: f!reader, romance, love, anniversary, childhood friend.

Alert: NSFW (18+) I remind minors to avoid reading this kind of content.

Characters: Diluc.

Note: It's been a while since I posted anything, sorry! Since it was Diluc's birthday, I wanted to write something for him, this character I love so much. I found his message so adorable, of course I'm going to have dinner with him!

I'm recovering from the covid, even if I still have some remains like cough and tiredness, I will try to get back to writing little by little!

Have a good read.

Masterlist

Happy birthday my dear Diluc.

Leaning against the window, your gaze wandering to the sky, you wondered what Diluc was doing right now. You hadn't seen him for several days, his work taking up most of his time.

You and Diluc were longtime friends, at least from his point of view. You'd always had a crush on him, but you didn't let it show for fear of destroying the bond between you. You were close, very close. Diluc always treated you with gentleness and courtesy, like a sister, you thought… it was probably better than nothing?

A desperate sigh escaped you as your gaze turned to the small box you had carefully sealed with a ribbon earlier in the day. Today was Diluc's birthday… It was not a festive day for him. His father had died on his eighteenth birthday, his brotherly relationship with Kaeya had been shattered on the same day, as well as his faith and future in the Knights of Favonius.

You grasped the gift package in your hand, caressing the red ribbon tied around it. You brought it to your lips, closing your eyes to picture the face of the man you loved so much. Where was he right now? You wanted to see him, hear him, hold him. Was he replaying past events? A small part of you hoped that he was thinking of you, that he wanted you close to him for this day that was entirely dedicated to him. But it was probably prideful of you to think that way. Diluc may have had a special place in your heart, but that wasn't how he saw you. He had never shown any sign of being attracted to you.

You were too blind.

Not seeing all the signals he was sending you.

All the little touches he was offering you.

You were the only one he looked at. The only one he cherished.

You didn't trust yourself. You thought you were insignificant next to him.

How wrong you were.

You were his treasure. The one who kept him balanced in a constantly dark world.

The sound of flapping wings brought you out of your sad thoughts. Your eyes turned to the window, where a familiar eagle was perched. The one that never left Diluc.

A message was entangled in one of its legs, carefully tied with a string. You carefully untangled it and read it, a smile already on your face as you knew who it was from. As you unfolded it, you could see the delicate handwriting of Diluc, so familiar to you. He always wrote letters to you with the utmost care. You were so used to his pen that you were sure you could tell if a letter was from him without him signing it.

Your eyes roamed over the few words he had eagerly written to you.

"Y/n, meet me at the cemetery. Diluc."

Your fingers had tightened around the paper, crumpling it. Diluc was at his father's grave, alone. The thought pinched your heart. Without thinking, you rushed to your front door, quickly taking a vest with you before stepping out and slamming the door behind you, forgetting about Diluc's gift and his eagle.

You ran through the streets of Mondstadt, narrowly avoiding walkers and stumbling several times on the steps leading to the cathedral. Your heart was beating wildly in your chest. You didn't know exactly what you were feeling at that moment. Was it fear? Anguish? Sadness? Or maybe just the overwhelming need to be with him? By the time you asked yourself all these questions, you had already reached the backyard of the Favonius church, where the Mondstadt cemetery was. You quickly spotted him, standing in front of a grave, his long black coat adorning his back and his familiar red hair.

Diluc.

As you caught your breath, you took the time to admire his figure. In his hand he held a bouquet of lamp grass flowers, the ones his father loved so much. Diluc looked silently at the grave, his eyes clouded with memories. He didn't seem to notice you or his eagle, which had probably left your apartment through the window you had left open in your haste. When the eagle let out a shrill cry to signal its presence to its master, Diluc finally turned his gaze from the grave to the animal he cherished so much. He gently held out his forearm for it to rest on.

"I see that you have conveyed my message well. Do you think she will come? This isn't exactly the ideal place for a date…" - Diluc's voice was soft, barely noticeable. Yet that didn't stop you from hearing it. You smiled as you noticed his relaxed, peaceful expression. With a lighter heart, you tried to approach him without making a sound, which allowed you to delicately steal the bouquet from his hands, surprising him at the same time. His eyes, at first wild with anger, quickly softened at the sight of you. A warm smile lit up his features as he let his bird take flight.

"Thank you for coming y/n."

"It's nothing. I'm glad you invited me to spend this time with you. I'm sorry, I was in such a rush to get to you that I didn't think to buy flowers for your father."

"Don't worry, I don't think he'll be offended." - His gaze was turned to his father's grave. The sadness had disappeared to make way for serenity. After a moment, he looked at you again. The ardor of his gaze made you blush despite yourself. Softly, his hand came to slide along your arm until your wrist, seizing delicately this one before going down to the bouquet of flowers that you had taken to him a little earlier. His gaze had not left the movement of his hand on your skin and a slight blush began to appear on his cheeks. He finally took the bouquet from your hands, taking a few lamp grass to offer them to you. Silence reigned between the two of you, only the sound of the wind beating the leaves of the trees kept you in reality. You wanted to tell him. To confess everything to him.

Diluc, I love you. I have always loved you.

But your lips remained sealed, this was not the time or place to think about that. So instead, you turned to the grave of Crepus Ragnvindr, breaking the visual link with Diluc. You knelt before the grave, silent, before placing the few flowers Diluc had given you. Diluc, in turn, placed his bouquet. You didn't dare look at him, you didn't want him to see the feelings you were expressing. It was suffocating, painful. But wasn't it better to suffer than to lose the friendship that bound you together? You took a moment to breathe before standing up and turning your gaze back to him. His eyes remained fixed on you, so penetrating and warm. You didn't know why the tears were coming to your eyes. Perhaps it was because of that moment of silence at his father's grave? Or maybe it was the thought that Diluc would never be yours?

Diluc's gloved thumb brushed against your tear-dampened cheek. His concerned look made you wish you had held them back.

"Would you mind accompanying me back to my place? I have something for you."

"For me? What's the occasion?"

"It's your birthday, silly. How can you forget something so important?"

"It's not that important."

"It is to me!" - The twinkle in his eyes made you smile. You finally took his hand to guide him home. Although the walk was silent the whole way, the hand squeezing yours made you feel pleasantly good. You weren't used to Diluc showing affection, let alone in public. Yet it was he who was squeezing your hand in his, hard enough to make you feel his warmth, but not hard enough to hurt you. His thumb was constantly playing with your fingers, sometimes tenderly caressing the back of your hand. You didn't know if it was intentional on his part, but you couldn't deny that it felt good. When you finally reached the landing of your apartment, you invited him into your home. This was not the first time he had come. How many times had you welcomed him into your home, wounded by mages from the abyss or exhausted by the workload he had imposed on himself. You had stopped counting, what mattered to you was that he felt at home here. This was difficult at first, knowing his upbringing as well as his nobility of spirit. Diluc was a gentleman, entering your home as he pleased was inconceivable to him, even with so many years of friendship. "I cannot invade your space as I wish. Understand that I'm still a man, Y/n." he had told you the first time you had offered to stay at your house for the night. You never really understood what he meant, or rather, you didn't want to understand. Today, everything had become easier for him. You had always made him feel comfortable, so much so that now he was able to sit on your couch without waiting for your consent. You always had something for him in reserve, in case he decided to come to your house unexpectedly. So he was not surprised when you served him a glass of grape juice and a tray of fruit.

Diluc watched you running around the apartment, finding it adorable that you wanted to please him every time he came over. He couldn't take his eyes off you, thinking about the promise he had made earlier at his father's grave. He wanted to confess his feelings to you. His affection for you had been eating away at him for years, he couldn't stand the childhood friend relationship he had with you. As a child, you considered him as a brother. You probably still do. But Diluc had always seen you as a young girl, gradually growing into the beautiful woman you are today. He burned with love for you. The three years he spent away from Mondstadt made him realize how important you were in his life. He loved you, he always loved you. He hoped that perhaps the feeling was mutual. His eyes turned to the palm of his hand. He could still feel the warmth of your skin there. Diluc closed his eyes, clenching his fist firmly against his thigh. His heart was pounding. He was afraid. Afraid of losing you by admitting his feelings to you.

"Diluc?"

Diluc gasped, quickly opening his eyes and bringing them back to you. You presented him with a small gift box sealed with a ribbon. Diluc looked at it for a long moment before carefully grasping it.

"Happy birthday, Diluc. I hope you like it." - You sat beside him, admiring his every expression.

"You shouldn't have spent your moras on me."

"Don't play dumb, open it!"

Diluc could see the excitement in your eyes and he felt his lips stretch into a wide smile. More than anything else, he loved seeing you laugh, smile. He loved to see you happy, even for such small things. With you, his birthdays had become more bearable. Less painful. Slowly, he tugged on the ribbon's knot, sliding it along the package until it lay on his thighs. When he lifted the lid, he found two chess-like objects inside, one made of white ivory and the other of black. A king and queen in the shape of an owl and an owl.

"These are collectible pieces. I hope you like them." - Diluc didn't answer you, his eyes continuing to admire the detailed workmanship of each piece. You knew of his love for birds and his penchant for chess, and you thought there was nothing better to give him as a birthday present, even if it cost you a month's salary. Only his silence made you doubt. Didn't he like it?

"y/n, they're beautiful. From the quality, I imagine the price of these pieces must have been quite exorbitant… You shouldn't have…"

"Diluc, it's my money, I do what I want with it. If I decide to spend it on you, I will." - You tell him proudly.

"Why are you always so stubborn?" - He answers with a sigh. - "Thanks, I'll take care of it."

Diluc carefully placed the chess pieces back into their box before turning to you. He took your hands in his, slowly bringing them close to his lips. Your cheeks turned incredibly red as your eyes followed his every move. There was a heavy silence between you two. Diluc's eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to think about something. His lips pursed, he gripped your hands a little tighter in his before looking into yours.

"y/n, I have something important to tell you, I would like you to listen to me without interrupting." - You slowly nodded your head, apprehensive about what he was about to tell you. "I know that you and I have known each other since childhood. I've watched you grow up, becoming more and more beautiful, more and more desirable to men. I have seen you become a woman. I know very well that you have always seen me as a brother, but I… I have always looked at you y/n. I love you, I have always loved you. I can't stand this distance imposed by fear, apprehension. I do not ask you to love me in return. I simply want you to realize that in my eyes, you are neither a sister, nor a childhood friend…" - Diluc lifted your face that you had lowered to hide your blush. His warm gaze brought tears to your eyes again. His thumb wiped them away before his lips brushed yours. It was sweet, loving, just as you had both imagined. Seeing that you didn't reject him, Diluc pressed his kiss a little more, his hand coming to rest on the back of your neck to keep you where you are. Your lips performed a more and more sensual waltz, exploring each other's limits. Encouraged by your little moans, Diluc was the first to try an opening with his tongue. Too stunned by your kiss, you didn't feel yourself tipping over onto the couch, Diluc above you continuing to kiss you as if it were the last time he would do so. Your hands came to lose themselves in his hair, savoring its softness.

Please make it all real.

Your arms tightened around Diluc as your mind prayed. It couldn't be real, could it? Diluc lying on top of you, your lips desperately searching for each other. Your legs wrapped around his hips as he pressed himself a little closer to you. You needed to melt into each other. You had been looking for each other for so long, each thinking you were living a one-way love. When Diluc felt his lower abdomen become incredibly sore, he stopped kissing you and looked into your eyes, darkened by lust.

"y/n… Tell me I can go further… I don't want to force you, or push you around. Tell me to stop, and I will." - His look was desperate, as was yours.

"Please prove to me that this is not all a dream." - Diluc breathed in, his hand coming to grasp yours to intertwine his fingers. His lips merged with you again in a passionate kiss while his free hand was busy undoing your clothes. It wasn't long before she managed to strip you completely, stepping back to admire your naked body.

"You're beautiful…"- In turn, you straightened up to help him remove his clothes. As soon as his muscular torso was exposed to you, your hungry hands came to explore it, languidly caressing his abs, waist, chest and arms. Diluc was simply perfect, just as you had imagined… He patiently let you discover him before attacking his pants, enjoying the softness of your hands on his skin. His eyes did not leave you of the glance, hypnotized by your movements sometimes hesitant, but exploratory. He would sometimes take your wrist to bring your hand to an area you had not yet claimed. He was patient, incredibly patient. But you weren't. Diluc grunted in surprise when he felt your hands undo the waistband of his pants, then pull at the fabric of his underwear to free his already incredibly hardened member. He was big, perhaps too big for you, and that scared you a little.

"Ah-Di-Diluc I don't know if I could…"

"Shh… Let me prepare you properly. Trust me, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you y/n"

You gently nodded, obediently letting Diluc lay you back on the couch. He finished removing his clothes before positioning himself over you. His hair strands came to tickle your face and as your eyes gazed at each other with consuming passion, your hand came to caress his strands, adjusting them behind his ear. Diluc leaned into your hand, closing his eyes for a moment to savor the intimate touch.

"I love you Diluc." - He instantly opened his eyes to look at you. You could read all the love he had for you in them, his warm smile made your heart beat faster. Diluc buried his face in the crook of your neck, placing passionate kisses on it. His hands explored your body. The sound of his palm smoothing your skin filled your ears, warming your waist before moving up to your chest, sensually massaging your breasts. His fingers warmed the hardened tips of your nipples chilled by the cold air of the living room. You could feel his hips rubbing against you as his member brushed against your entrance in a slow back and forth motion. Diluc relished the taste of your skin, licking and sucking on every inch he could reach. When his lips found the hardened tip of your nipple, he decided to occupy his hands differently. One spread your leg further apart, while the other tended to your lower region, caressing your entrance already coated with your natural lubricant. Diluc grunted softly against you as his fingers touched your sensitive nerve. You were already squirming underneath him, begging him to penetrate you with his fingers. Your lover pulls back, a charming smile on his lips as he watches your face. He finally stops torturing you, slowly burying his middle finger inside you. It was soft and smooth to the touch, and Diluc couldn't help but tremble as he thinks about what it will be like when he enters you. He began a slow back and forth motion, seeking out the places that made you moan his name. As soon as he felt you trembling under his touch, he knew he had found your G-spot. Gradually, he added a finger with the first and then a third, opening you up enough for him. You couldn't take it anymore, your legs were shaking, you needed to feel him inside you, against you. You wanted to kiss him while he made you his, you wanted to be one with him. An unknown warmth was rising in your lower abdomen, forcing your hands to come and clasp around your lover's arms. Diluc could feel it, too, and he sped up his hand movements to bring you the release your body so eagerly craved. He leaned into you, joining his lips to yours, as you came on his fingers that continued their languid back and forth until you calmed down.

His eyes were fixed on you as you caught your breath. Diluc slowly withdrew his fingers from you before standing up to look for something in his coat pocket.

"Diluc?" - When he found it, he quickly returned to you to show you what he held in his hand. A condom. - "Oh… So you had planned this?" - You say with a little tease. You suspected that no, it wasn't Diluc's style, but nevertheless, it caused an indecent blush on his cheeks.

"It wasn't me, it was that weasel Kaeya who slipped it into my pocket when I passed him at the cemetery. By the time I realized it, he was already away from me, yelling at me that it was a special gift…" - You laughed at Diluc's embarrassed expression. You knew he was probably inwardly calling his brother every name he knew.

"That's a pretty good gift idea." - You whispered to him as your hands grasped his face and gently brought it to your lips. Diluc relented, panting into your kiss. Reluctantly, he pulled away from you, hastily opening the condom to slide it down his member. Diluc came back to you, grabbing your thigh and placing it in the crook of his arm. You could feel him positioning himself at your entrance, barely entering before he leaned into you, his lips brushing against yours.

"Tell me if this hurts…" - He whispered to you as he began to sink in. He was tall, and much wider than you could accommodate inside you. Your nails dug into his shoulders as a sharp pain washed over you as Diluc penetrated you. His face was covered in sweat, his expression frozen. You were so tight around him that he couldn't stop soft grunts of pleasure from coming out of his throat each time he pushed a little deeper into you. Your first orgasm made the penetration easier and less painful than you had anticipated, and as soon as Diluc reached the bottom, he dropped onto you, panting heavily as his body shook with pleasure. "Finally… You're finally mine… I've wanted you for so long, y/n." - His words made you clench around him, causing him to moan with pleasure once again. Diluc straightened up on his forearm so he could place languid kisses on your lips. Your legs wrapped around his hips as your hands gripped his hair and smoothed his sweaty back. Diluc's hips began to move of their own accord, slowly penetrating you as his lips continued their sensual dance with you. Having him inside you was like a dream come true. He was so well designed for you, filling you perfectly. His sex was divinely touching that spot deep inside you that made you moan with pleasure every time he rocked his hips. You and Diluc continued to kiss for a long time, his languid movements continuing to make you see the stars. Gradually, his undulations began to accelerate, becoming harder as he did so. His hips slammed against you, making the sounds of your lovemaking echo through the room. Diluc pulled away from your lips, gritting his teeth to keep from moaning openly. His eyes remained focused on the expressions of well-being you were making, as you moaned with happiness. He never thought he would hear you scream his name with such ardor and passion. His hands came to plant themselves in the skin of your hips as he straightened up to better penetrate you. This new angle was perfect, allowing Diluc to take his entire member inside you. His strokes became harder and faster. He could feel your walls closing in around him as you moved closer to release. Feeling himself close to the edge, Diluc couldn't hold his voice any longer, moaning praise and your name over and over until your orgasm trapped him in a vice of pure pleasure. Diluc continued to pound you until he himself reached his end.

He collapsed gently onto you, his hips continuing to make small circular movements. His lips sought yours, begging for your attention. Your hands on his cheeks, you pulled him to you, eager for his lips. Your kiss was delicate, slower and savory. Now that you had claimed each other, you could live in the moment. Diluc stopped moving, but he didn't separate himself from you. He was still hard inside you, and you wondered if this was something common to all men. Finally, he pulled his lips away, looking at you with his red eyes. His forehead pressed against yours.

"You are my greatest gift…" - He whispered to you, moved.

"I love you Diluc. Happy birthday." - You answered him, just as moved as he was. He kissed you again in response, his hips slowly moving back and forth.

His birthday had taken on a more savory flavor.

You were the most precious gift he had ever received.

[zepskies]

No worries, girl! I'm so glad you got the chance to review this chapter as well. Thank you so much!! 🥰💕

I love the unspoken brotherly communication they have!

I feel like that's a hallmark of their relationship -- the way Sam and Dean can communicate wordlessly because they know each other so well.

'Stull Storage' I like the little nod to the show here. Sounds kind of creepy and the perfect name for something tied somehow to the case

It sounded creepy to me too! That's why I decided to pull from "Stull Cemetery."

Wait... what?! The company she works for is connected to the case!! This isn't good. I have to say it wouldn't surprise me to find out Nick was somehow connected to it all, though.

Not good at all... 😬 You'll see how it all connects in a couple of chapters...

Urgh!! He is so disgusting!! I can't wait for him to be dealt with.

Ugh, I know. Nick will be dealt with, believe me. 😠

Oh George, he doesn't sound too good here. I'm guessing that his health is going to become an issue 😔

Yes it will, unfortunately...

The crash!! I'm definitely pleased I didn't have to wait to find out what happened here. That preview had me worried about this bit.

Hahaa the benefit of being busy! You can zip right through. 😘

It really was Dean to the rescue. It must feel so reassuring to know he is on his way (and is organising the rest of the rescue efforts).

From the beginning of this AU I knew I wanted to have a rescue scene like this. Love me some protective Dean swooping in. ❤️

Oh, thank goodness! I actually breathed a sigh of relief at this bit (although I can't help but feel he's not out of the woods).

We shall see...

“You need to take it easy, okay? Need to,” Dean said, in a quiet but firm tone he didn’t often use with you. He reached for the slip of paper the doctor gave you, now stuffed in your purse. “Everything’s gonna get taken care of. You just relax here, and I’m going to go fill out your prescription.” I love this bit, the gentle but firm way he is looking out for her (and George).

This was probably my favorite moment to write. Mostly because the reader is a character who isn't used to having the support she doesn't realize she needs. Dean is also one to take care of himself, whereas the reader is a very caring person.

How they learn to depend on one another will be a key theme in this story.

Thank you for shouting out those last couple of lines as well!! The "Finally" line was probably my actual favorite to write. I think you can guess as to what he means by that, but it'll become more clear in Part 10. 💓

You're making me nervous with the preview for the next chapter. Why do I get the feeling there is going to be some not so good news about Grandpa George?

I cannot confirm nor deny your suspicions, but there will be angst in the next chapter. ❤️‍🩹😅

Stay tuned!! 😂

Smoke Eater - Part 10

Pairing: Firefighter!Dean Winchester x F. Reader 

Summary: Dean Winchester is the cocky, but well-respected Lieutenant at Firehouse 25. He leads by example, but he’s also known to break a few hearts. He’s starting to crave something he’s never had, though. Something stable. Something real. 

That’s when he meets you, on a truly terrible day, trapped in a rickety old elevator.   

🔥Series Masterlist

Word Count: 6,300 Tags/Warnings: **Sexual harassment, angst, perilous situations, hurt/comfort

Part 10: “Toil and Trouble”

After visiting his father, Dean spent the rest of his day unsettled. He couldn’t put his finger on why, exactly, but he had a gut feeling that John knew more than he was saying.

He understood that his dad was looking out for him, trying to protect him, but Dean had a problem.

He didn’t like being left in the dark.

You were working later than usual that afternoon, so he had more than one reason to invite Sam and Cas out for a drink. They met at the Roadhouse and sat in their usual corner. Unfortunately, they were getting drinks and a show.

Jo stormed out of the back room behind the bar with her mother hot on her heels.

“You stop right there, Joanna Beth—”

“Mom, you’re not going to talk me out of it! I’m taking the damn test and I’m going to get in and I’m going to the Police Academy!”

“And all the money I shelled out for you to go to college, to get your degree, something I never got, by the way.”

“I know. And I’m grateful for that, but I did the college thing for you and Dad,” Jo said.“I don’t want to go into business. I never did.”

“No, because owning your own business ain’t respectable,” Ellen said, with all due sarcasm as she crossed her arms. “Never mind that I thought I could leave this place to you someday. Never mind that you’d rather be walking these streets with a gun than take care of the last thing your father left us.”

Jo finally stopped at that. She turned on her heel and withered slightly.

“That’s not what I’m saying,” she said. “I just don’t want to serve at a bar my whole life, Mom. I want to help people.”

Ellen’s brows shot up at that. She leaned back on her heels, as if she’d been delt a blow. Dean looked over and saw the guilt that set over Jo’s features, but neither Harvelle woman backed down.

“So you don’t want to end up like me,” said Ellen, clicking her tongue. “Okay. That’s fine.”

“Mom, that’s not what I meant,” Jo tried, but her mother waved her off.

“No,” Ellen’s voice came out sharp as she went for a hand towel. “You do what you want, Jo. You’re grown, I suppose.”

She wiped down a few droplets by Cas’s hand before whipping the damp towel over her shoulder. And she walked down the line to continue serving her customers, leaving Jo standing at the other end, disheartened.

Sam and Dean shared a glance with each other, then with Cas, though they tried to keep their heads down and their noses out of the family business. Frankly, they were relieved when Jo left the bar.

Still, Dean couldn’t help but glance up at Ellen when she came back their way. He opened his mouth, but she beat him to it.

“Don’t you ask me if I’m okay, Dean Winchester,” she said. Her voice was quieter, tired, but it still cut like a whip.

He bobbed his head and looked down at his beer. “Yes, ma’am.”

But after a moment, his eyes raised to find Ellen’s face.

“You want another?” she asked, pointing to his drink. It was still half full, but Dean nodded with a smile, just to help her out. She seemed to want to distract herself with work. He was liable to do the same thing when he was stressed. 

She nodded with a slight smile. After she left to go grab it for him, he raised his brows and looked over at his brother and his friend, whistling lowly.

“And we thought our family had issues,” Sam remarked. Dean huffed at that.

“Speaking of.” Dean turned to Cas on his left. “Dad told me you guys are making headway on this crime boss-turned-arsonist.”

Cas met him with a shrewd brow raise. “What did John tell you?”

Dean frowned, his brows knitting together. “I hate it when you do that.”

“What?”

“Cover his ass,” Dean replied. He lowered his voice to ask, “Have you figured out what’s connecting all the vics? What ties them to Azazel, besides the brand marks?”

Cas sighed, running a hand over his face. Meanwhile, Sam watched the exchange with tight lips.

“Dean, you know I can’t tell you that,” said Cas.

“Hey, this guy’s starting fires in my neck of the woods. I can help,” Dean said.

“We’re already working with Arson—”

“Oh yeah. Sounds like Dad’s party line.”

“Dean,” Sam interjected, but Dean shook his head stubbornly.

“No, Sam. This isn’t just about fires, or some random nut job offing people,” Dean said. He tried his best to keep his voice quiet, despite the frustration coursing through his blood. “This is about Mom, no matter how much you wish it wasn’t.”

The brothers stared at each other for a moment, their silence charged with unspoken confrontation.

Eventually, Sam relented with a shallow breath through his nose. He turned to Cas, as did Dean. With the weight of both Winchesters on him, Cas finally had to sigh as well. He set down his whiskey on the countertop.

“Jerry Stillwell, the CPA,” he began. “We traced a secondary bank account in his name. It showed several ‘consultant invoices,’ for tens of thousands of dollars. The payments were wired from a company called Edlund Emporium.”

“Okay,” Sam nodded. “What does it lead back to?” 

“By all accounts, it’s just a wholesaler of antiques,” Cas explained. “But we believe it might be a shadow company for a larger enterprise. Drug runners are known to hide their product within secret compartments in furniture, in the frames behind paintings, etcetera.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen Narcos,” Dean quipped.

“Who owns the Emporium?” Sam asked.

“We don’t know yet,” Cas admitted. “Its records are proving difficult to trace. However, the one relevant thing we were able to retrieve from Stillwell’s home files was an old audit of Edlund Emporium from 1996. It showed some old statements of the company using a storage facility downtown: Stull Storage.”

Stull Storage. Dean’s head tilted in thought. Why did that name sound familiar?

Cas noted his recognition with another nod.

“That particular storage facility was also linked to a money laundering scheme. You’re thinking of Paul Richardson, the father of two, who was killed in last month’s fire,” said Cas. “Well, as it turns out, he was a defense attorney who failed to get his client acquitted for that case. His client was a known drug runner, decades ago. And he actually pushed product for Azazel.”

“How do you know that?” Dean asked.

Cas sighed. “Your father remembered him from his time in Narcotics.”

Shit, Dean thought. He looked over at his brother, and by now, Sam’s gears were turning at Mach speed.

“Who owns Stull Storage then?” Sam asked. 

“A company called Savage & Co.,” Cas said. He looked over more pointedly at Dean, whose eyes widened in realization. 

“My girlfriend’s company?”

You hated having to work late. Not because of the working, but because the office was much quieter after 5:00 p.m. Too quiet.

Your desk phone rang, making you jolt in your seat. Once you saw the extension calling, you exhaled loudly and resigned yourself to answering the phone.

“Yes?”

“Come up to my office for a sec. I wanna discuss something with you,” said Nick.

And that. You really hated that.

Your eyes closed as you took in a breath.

“I’m working on an upsell for the Greenway account. Can we meet in the morning?” you asked.

“This is important,” he insisted.

You held in a sigh, but you agreed and hung up. You steeled yourself and took your phone with you as you decided to take the elevator up to the 30th floor. At least if it got stuck, it would get you out of this impromptu meeting with your boss.

Unfortunately for you, Betsy ran like clockwork. You were at Nick’s office within minutes—the penthouse suite of the building. Lavishly furnished, complete with a full leather couch set and coffee table for entertaining corporate big wigs, a large desk for Nick to pretend to work, and a fully stocked bar, where he did most of his “actual” work.

An expensive looking set of gold clubs were leaned against the wall, next to the bar. You knew it was his pride and joy, and he often brought it up in conversation when he was “networking.”

Just now, the sun was setting through the large windows overlooking his desk. The view was quite picturesque; the only thing that marred it was Nick Savage himself. He smiled and beckoned you into the room when he noticed you. You left the door open when you entered.

He got up from his desk and gestured over to the lounge area. He hinted at you taking a seat beside him on the same couch, but you sat on the opposite one, leaving the coffee table between you. His smile lessened a pinch. But he got up, as if he was just remembering something. He made his way to the bar.

“Want a drink?” he asked you over his shoulder.

“No, thank you,” you flatly replied. “Nick, I told Mr. Greenway that I would have that paperwork into processing by end-of-day today.”

“Yep, you are working hard,” Nick nodded. “Miss Busy Bee.”

He filled a tumbler three quarters of the way with bourbon and took it back with him to the couch where you sat. You crossed your legs and subtly shifted backwards. It left a foot or so of distance in between.  

“That’s what I like about you,” he continued. “You do what it takes to get the job done.”

“I take my work seriously,” you said, in a pointed tone.

Nick inclined his head.

“You sure do. And you’re doing very well. In just a few years, you’ve racked up more accounts and upsells under your belt than anyone else on the team right now. Even Josh,” he said. “In fact, I’m considering you two as my top candidates for the Senior Sales Manager position. Adam’s leaving us for another company next month.”

That compliment surprised you, as well as the potential promotion. You’d heard that Adam Milligan was interviewing with other companies, but you hadn’t known that he was leaving. You blinked, nodding slowly.

“Thank you,” you said. “I appreciate the consideration…and I would look forward to the opportunity to grow in the company.” 

Nick smiled. “Good! And while I believe in you, I just need to know that you’d be willing to do what it takes in this new role.”

That had a subtle alarm trembling up your spine.

“How so?” you asked. “Like you said, I think my margins speak for themselves, along with my ability to manage projects. I think that’ll translate well with managing the team.”

“But you’ve never managed people,” Nick pointed out. He leaned an arm on the back of the couch, his fingers drawing near to your arm. “Tell you what. I want to keep chatting about this, but I’m getting hungry. Why don’t I order some dinner, and we’ll keep pow-wowing.”

“Actually,” you said, leaning away from his hand. “I have plans this evening.”

He raised a brow. “Oh, yeah? What’re you up to?”

You didn’t feel you had to give him any details about your personal life, let alone that you didn’t actually have plans tonight (except for watching The Princess Bride with George. It was your favorite movie to watch together).

“I’m having dinner with my boyfriend,” you answered with a tight smile.

Your womanly pride hated that you had to use Dean as an excuse, but maybe then your boss would get the hint.

Nick’s lips thinned a bit as he leaned back in his seat. “Hmm, didn’t know you had one of those.”

“You met him,” you replied, arching a brow. “He’s a firefighter, remember?”

Nick nodded, though he made a non-committal sound.

“All right, well, I should go actually. He’s picking me up,” you said.

Though when you moved to stand, Nick’s hand wrapped around your wrist. His eyes met yours meaningfully, edged with interest as he eyed you.

“You sure you can’t stick around?” he asked.

His hold was firm enough to scare you, a subtle gasp catching in your throat when your eyes flicked up to his in warning. You instinctively jerked your hand back.

“Don’t touch me,” you said, even as you hated the slight tremor in your voice. “I’m warning you, Nick. I will go to HR. I don’t care how many lawyers you threaten me with. I’m not interested.”

Nick’s head tilted as he watched you with a frown.

“I hope you think hard, sweetheart.” He relaxed against the couch with arrogance, and it was beginning to make you sick. He crossed his arms as you stood and began to storm out of the office. All the while, his words followed you.

“Think about where you want to end up in this company, and who’s gonna get you there.”

You still had work to do, but you weren’t taking any chances. After you made it back to your office, you grabbed your work laptop and left for home. You had to take several calming breaths as you got into your car and turned the key into the ignition, but your hands still shook.

Then the car spluttered, refusing to start. You blinked, tried it again.

Still, the engine struggled and the dashboard shook.

Damn it, damn it! Don’t do this to me, you silently begged. You knew you should’ve had Dean look the old car over weeks ago. He’d offered more than once, but you kept forgetting. You bit your lip.

“Please,” you whispered. You just wanted to get the hell out of here. You glanced up and around the parking lot to make sure it was still empty, that no one was approaching.

After another painfully long moment of puttering, the car finally grumbled to life. A relieved breath rushed out of your body, and you began to peel out of the parking lot. 

I can’t take much more of this, you thought as you drove home.

You also thought about calling Andréa. She still didn’t know all the details about what you were dealing with at the office. In fact, she knew little more than Dean.

And you really wanted to tell Dean. He had a way of calming your nerves and reassuring you when you felt out of sorts…and making you feel safe.

But you also knew how both your best friend and your boyfriend would react. Andréa would force you to go to HR, and then it would undoubtedly get messy. She could even get fired, if Nick was petty about it (and he usually was). You couldn’t afford to lose your job either.

Whereas Dean…

God, he’ll be so pissed, you thought. You had seen just a flash of his jealous side before, with Gordon. And that was one of his friends.

This would be infinitely worse.

Dean was protective. It was literally in his job description, but it was also just who he was as a person, you’d come to find. While you loved that about him, you also couldn’t have him storming your office building to wring Nick’s neck.

You needed your job. And even though you had updated your resume, with how hard you’d been working, you hadn’t had time to start scouring the online job boards…

You blew out a long breath. Your eyes were beginning to burn with frustrated tears. You sniffed and wiped under your eyes in vain.

Damn it, what the hell am I gonna do?

The question burned through your mind over and over, even when you got home. Your grandfather looked up from the show he was watching in the living room when you came in.

“Hey there, stranger,” he said. “Workin’ late?”

“Yeah,” you replied dully. You dumped your purse and workbag on the dining table and continued into the kitchen, not seeing how George frowned.

He slowly got up, wincing and at his aching joints and stifling a wet cough. He paused for a moment as a bout of nausea threatened to bowl him over.

When it passed, after a moment, he straightened. And he followed you into the kitchen, where you were peering into a near empty fridge.

“We barely have anything here,” you said with a sigh. “Okay, guess I’m going to the store. I can pick up something for dinner on the way home.”

“I’ll go with you,” George said. “I’ve been cooped up here all day.”

You shook your head without looking back at him, still making a mental note of everything you needed to buy.

“I heard you coughing. It doesn’t sound like your asthma,” you said, letting out a breath. Add a dash of worry for your grandfather’s health to spruce up your evening.

George sighed.

“Honey,” he tried. You were already shaking your head as you closed the fridge and turned to him with a frown.

“That primary doctor’s an idiot,” you said. “I’m calling your oncologist tomorrow morning.”

 You went to grab your phone to set a reminder for yourself, but George stopped you with a hand on your arm.

“Would you stop?” he barked. “Just stop it!”

You blinked wide, and both literally and figurately, you took a step back. He wasn’t one to raise his voice, even when you were a child. But your earlier frustrations already had you on edge, and frankly, this was the last thing you needed.

“What?” you snapped back. “Clearly you need to see the doctor, and I’m not going to let you dismiss whatever it is you’re hiding and don’t want to tell me about! I’m sick of it.”

“Let me?” he said. “That right there is our problem. I’m not a goddamn kid. Damn well ain’t your kid or your responsibility. And I’m sick of you treating me like I already got one foot in the grave!”

You flinched as if he’d physically hurt you. Your eyes inevitably flooded with tears.

George relented when he saw it. He leaned a hand on the kitchen counter to steady himself.

“Look, hun. I’m 82. Every day, I take a stack of pills that sometimes make me feel worse than the damn cancer did. I got no illusions, and I do appreciate everything you do for me,” he said. “But you’re not my caretaker. You’re not my nurse. You’re my granddaughter.”

He grasped your hand with a warm squeeze. You sniffed and shook your head.

“I understand what you’re saying. And maybe…okay, I know I can be overbearing sometimes. But there’s a reality here that you don’t want to face,” you began. Though it was hard, you met his eyes.

“I’m not just your granddaughter,” you said. “I haven’t been since Grandma died. Because I’ve had to be more. Because you’re the only family I have, and I’ll make that choice every time.”

You let go of his hand and took up your purse, wiping at your eyes.

“But if you really want to come to the store, let’s go,” you said.

George stared back at you at a loss. Deep down, he knew there was a good deal of truth in your words, but he still felt like you weren’t quite hearing him.

Still, he followed you to the car.

You got into the driver’s seat of your Camry and briefly closed your eyes in a silent prayer. Then you turned the key in the ignition. The car turned on, to your surprise and relief.

You started the short drive out of your suburban neighborhood and down to the nearest grocery store. It was only 20 minutes away, and traffic wasn’t bad, but somehow the drive seemed to take an eternity on the two-way street. There was grass and forest on the passenger side, and the rest of the city approaching on the other. 

Unbidden, your mind kept drifting back to this afternoon in Nick’s office. His words were like tendrils of black, oily ink coiling through your mind.

“I hope you think hard, sweetheart.”

Your hand tightened on the steering wheel, your teeth clenching. You could picture his lazy, arrogant smirk as he leaned back into the couch.

“Think about where you want to end up in this company, and who’s gonna get you there.”

You wanted to take one of his precious golf clubs and take a few swings at the man’s head.

“Something wrong with the car?” George asked.

“What?” you asked, flinching in your seat. But you realized then what he was saying. Your car was shaking, like it was about to stall. What the hell?

None of the service lights on the car were on, but this was a warning sign you couldn’t ignore.

George looked up as you approached a curve. “Slow down!”

Your gaze lifted just in time to see how an SUV from the opposite lane of oncoming traffic was drifting too far into your lane, on the curve. You corrected quickly with a jerk of the steering wheel, but your car jolted and stuck on the wheels’ position, and you couldn’t force it straight again.

It sent the car veering off the road and onto the grass, then tumbling down the hill into a sharp decline. You didn’t see the tree until you were feeling the impact of it hitting the front of the car, and nothing more.

You blinked awake, slowly. The side of your face felt numb as you manage to raise it from the airbag. Blood dripped down your nose over your lips, which you only realized after tasting copper on your tongue. You raised a trembling hand to your mouth and wiped some of it away.

Sucking in a breath, you turned your head. Fuck, that hurt.

“Grandpa? …Grandpa!”

George was still unconscious, though he didn’t look like he was bleeding. His airbag thankfully deployed as well. You looked around for your phone…if you remembered right, it had been in your purse. You looked over, and you saw it by his feet.

Though you were held back by your seatbelt and the airbag, and your whole body felt stiff and aching, you reached over and grabbed the purse’s strap. From there you pulled it towards you, with pained grunts, and whimpers, and shallow breaths.

When you were able to fish out your cell, your blood-stained thumb shook while swiping through your contacts.

You knew you should call 911 first, but your instincts took hold. There was only one person you could call. Your eyes began to burn the longer the line rang. By the time it finally connected, the first tears welled up.

“Hey, baby. Good timing,” Dean answered. He sounded tired. “Was just thinking about calling you.”

Your heart had traveled up into your throat to hear his voice. But now, it was hard to get your tongue to unstick from the roof of your mouth.

“Dean,” you managed, though your throat became clogged with emotion. Your tears blurred your vision and finally slid down your cheeks.

You tried to push at your seatbelt; it felt like it was cutting your circulation across your chest. But that proved to be a mistake, as the tight fabric just pressed into the bruising you already felt forming against your skin. You couldn’t contain a small whimper.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. His tone was more alert now, changed with the distress he likely heard in your voice.

You took in a shuddering breath as more tears rolled down your face.

“I need help.”

Dean had already been home from the bar when you called. But when he heard your voice, full of pain, your plea for help—it was like a stone dropping into his stomach.

“What happened? Where are you?” he asked. Already he was off the couch and looking for his wallet and keys. Sam was crashing at Eileen’s tonight. Dean would have to call him later. He locked the apartment and hastened down the stairs.

You were eventually able to tell him that your car had swerved after locking up on you. That you’d crashed into a ditch, against a tree.

“Grandpa’s with me. He still hasn’t woken up,” you said through tears. “I can’t move—”

“Don’t!” Dean interrupted, another lance of panic running through him. But he gentled, hearing your soft crying. “Don’t move. It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m comin’ to get you. Did you call 911?”

“No…not yet,” you admitted with a sniff.

He nodded to himself. “All right. I’m gonna call this in, make sure they’re on the way.”

“Don’t hang up, please,” you begged.

Dean was torn. He wanted to comfort you, but he knew he needed to get the fire department there as soon as possible.

“I won’t, I promise. Just hold on while I make the call,” he said as he climbed into his car. “I’m going to get the team out to you, okay?”

You sniffled again, but you finally agreed. Dean put you on hold while he called 911. All the while he was driving out of his neighborhood and onto the main road. He gave them his badge number to make sure they knew who he was, and that his girlfriend and her grandfather needed help on 32nd Street and Parker.

After he hung up with the operator, he got back on the line with you and kept you company while he drove. He gave you reassuring words, tried to keep you calm with a few wise cracks to lighten you up. Some of them you seemed to appreciate (others you didn’t).

When he pulled up to the right location, he didn’t see your car at first. That is, until he pulled over to the side of the road. He saw the edge of your bumper just over the slope, and then the rest of your Camry in the ditch. The hood was crumpled like an accordion into a tree, but at least it wasn’t smoking too bad (or on fire).

His heart clenched, but he forced himself to act—with the same fight or flight response he had to overpower with every call he responded to on the job.

Dean climbed out of his car and quickly grabbed the steel Halligan he kept in the trunk. It was essentially a more professional crowbar.

Then he jogged down into the ditch.

He went to the driver’s side first. He saw your tear-streaked face through the window, could hear your muffled voice call his name. He tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

“Can you unlock it?” he asked.

“I tried earlier,” you said. “It won’t open.”

Dean nodded. “Okay, no problem. Lean back.” 

You obliged him, and once he was sure you were ready, Dean used the Halligan to pry the door open. He could’ve busted open the window, but this was safer.

Once the door was cracked open enough, he pushed it the rest of the way so he could get to you. He punctured through the air bag with the sharp end of the Halligan and pushed it down to deflate it a bit. It allowed you to grab onto his arm, and he reached for you, cupping your cheek and wiping at your tears with his thumb.

“Dean…”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you,” he said, when you tearfully squeezed his arm. He noticed the drying blood around your nose and stained down your blouse. You were still dressed for work.

“Dean-o, hey,” said George from the passenger side. He was awake, but his eyes were half-lidded.

“Hey, George,” Dean nodded with a smile, to hide his concern. “How’re you doin’ over there?”

“Okay,” George tried, but it ended on a wet cough.

“Check on him. Please,” you asked. Dean nodded, but first, he leaned in a pressed a kiss to your forehead, letting out a subtle breath of relief. You closed your eyes, and a couple more tears slipped down. You squeezed his hand gratefully.

“Stay put for me,” he said. You hummed in agreement. And by now he could hear the sirens of an ambulance nearby.

Good, he thought, especially when he went over to the passenger side and wrenched the door open. He leaned George back in his seat, away from the airbag, and measured his pulse at his clammy wrist. It was a bit too fast for Dean’s liking.

“I’m good, right?” George asked. He was pale and sweating.  

“That’s right. You’re gonna be hittin’ the roller disco in no time,” Dean said. George smiled in amusement, letting out a huff.

Dean smirked, then gave you a reassuring look. “The paramedic’s coming now. Just keep taking even breaths for me.”

A couple of minutes later, two paramedics came with a board and a neck brace to carry someone out. Dean recognized them from the shift opposite to his: Ed and Harry. They were a couple of chuckle brothers, but they did their job well. Dean instructed them to get George out first, and he helped them do it.

“We’re going to get to you next, ma’am,” Ed told you.

“Is he okay?” you asked. Worry for your grandfather was steeped in your watery eyes.

“They’re taking him up to the ambulance now. Another one’s coming for you,” Dean said. He was on his way back over to your side of the car, but he hurried when he saw you trying to get out. Apparently you’d managed to unclip your seatbelt when he wasn’t looking.

“Whoa, hey! What’re you doing?” Dean said. You gave him a small heart attack when you nearly fell out of the car on your shaky legs. He guided you back to sit, but you were adamant about getting out.

“I don’t want to wait,” you said sternly, though the effect was hampered by the way your voice also trembled.

“Okay, okay. I gotcha,” Dean nodded, but he urged you to let him help. He was careful in how he slipped his arms behind your back and under your knees. “Any sharp pain? In your neck, anywhere else?”

Truthfully, your neck did hurt. But it wasn’t that bad, you reasoned. The rest was just aches and bruises you were sure you would have later. You rested against his chest.

“I’m okay,” you said. Your arm curled around his shoulder while your free hand laid against his chest. “Thank you.”

Dean sighed and pressed another kiss to your hair, and then your forehead before he made his way up the slope with you in his arms. Once he got back onto the road, he spoke to Donna Hanscum, the police officer who’d arrived at the scene. She worked in the same precinct as his father and Jody.

You briefly explained what happened to cause the crash—the SUV drifting and your car locking up out of your control. Donna took notes all the while. Dean then let her know that he was taking you to the hospital.

“She really should wait for the ambulance,” Donna said, though her eyes were kind, taking in your tear-streaked face and the way you clung to Dean. She might have to visit you later for a more detailed statement, but she knew an honest mistake when she saw one.

“Eh, I’m saving them a trip,” Dean said. “That’s gas and labor cuttin’ costs right there.”

Donna shook her head, despite a smile.

“All right, Dean. Just go.” She gave you one last look of sympathy. “Feel better, hun. Looks like you’re in good hands.”

You nodded with a small smile. Letting out a breath, you closed your eyes and relaxed against Dean.

Dean stayed with you in the Emergency Department while a nurse cleaned the blood from your face, took your vitals, and tested your vision and hearing.

Your blood pressure was high, but that was to be expected. All else fell into the realm of normal, considering. Though when the nurse checked your neck, you grimaced a little when she slowly turned your head from side to side.

“Hmm. Scale of 1 to 10 on the pain?” she asked.

You glanced at Dean, who raised his brows at you expectantly. That look said, Tell the truth.

“I don’t know…4,” you replied.

The nurse gave you a knowing glance. “You can be honest. Is it a 4, or more like a 6?”

You bit your lip. “Okay, a 5.”

“All right. That’s understandable,” she said. The nurse then grabbed a brace to set around your neck. “The doctor will be in shortly to check you out, but likely she’ll prescribe you something short-term for the pain.”

You sighed in annoyance. “How long will that take? I need to see my grandfather.”

“Want me to check on him again?” Dean asked. Now that the nurse was done, he came over to where you were sitting on the edge of the examining bed to rest a hand on your back.

He’d made sure George was stable and comfortable in his own room. The ED doctor had ordered blood tests, among other things, since he was a former cancer patient. But also because he had a fever and an elevated blood pressure that didn’t seem to just be related to the crash. He was now sleeping while the hospital ran the rest of their tests.

You turned to Dean with red-rimmed, tear-filled eyes. “I want to see him.” 

Dean slipped an arm around you and tucked you against him more securely.

“You will, sweetheart. You just need to get checked out first,” he said. He was worried about you. You seemed all right, but he didn’t like your tendency to forget about yourself. Sometimes, you were a bit too much like him.

You sighed in defeat (for now). But after a moment, your small voice broke through the quiet.

“I should’ve let you look at the car,” you said.

Dean glanced down at you and caught the guilt written across your face. His brows knit together as his heart clenched again.

“Don’t do that,” he said with a sigh. “It’s not your fault.”

“My car, my goddamn fault,” you said through tears.

“Stop, baby,” Dean said. He held you closer, laying a kiss on the top of your head while you tried to stifle your tears.

He waited with you until the doctor finally arrived to examine you. She spotted the same things as the nurse, and prescribed you an anti-inflammatory pain killer, as well as rest. And of course, if your pain worsened, you were to come back to the ED.

After the doctor left, Dean agreed to walk you down to your grandfather’s hospital room. George was awake, though he seemed groggy with the pain medication they had him on through the IV. He greeted you and Dean with an attempt at a smile.

“Hey there, sweetheart,” he said. His hand turned over to welcome yours, and he squeezed, seeing the tears in your eyes. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, sniffling. “I’m good. How’re you feeling?”

Your gaze drifted to his chart, to the medications and fluids they had him on, what tests were listed…

George’s hand tugged on yours, pulling your attention back to him.

“They’ve got it in hand. Don’t you worry about me,” he said.

You flickered at a smile, as you both knew that wasn’t in the cards. In fact, you’d barely been sitting down on the edge of his bed for a couple of minutes before you were asking if the recline of his bed was comfortable. If he needed more water, or another blanket.

George responded negatively to most of your questions, though he shot Dean an imploring look over your head. The other man nodded and gently grasped your shoulders.

Dean could see why you were blustering around—so you wouldn’t crack from anxiety and exhaustion. But he needed to stop you before you hurt yourself. (Not to mention, before you drove George crazy.)

“Hey, come ‘ere a sec,” said Dean. He guided you into a nearby chair and soothed a hand over your hair. He kneeled down next to you and grabbed your hand. You let out a breath and held onto him back. 

“You need to take it easy, okay? Need to,” Dean said, in a quiet but firm tone he didn’t often use with you. He reached for the slip of paper the doctor gave you, now stuffed in your purse. “Everything’s gonna get taken care of. You just relax here, and I’m going to go fill out your prescription.”

Dean waited for you to meet his eyes; he was only satisfied when you nodded in acceptance. He gave you a smile, and you couldn’t help but smile back.

He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to your lips. It was comfort and relief, for both of you.

You held him there for a moment with a hand on his cheek. Your fingers traced across his brow, and down his jawline. If it were even possible, after everything he’d done today, you were never more grateful for him than in this moment.

George watched the little scene from his bed with a soft smile.

Finally, he thought. And it meant many things.

After Dean reluctantly pulled away, he promised he’d be back soon. He then left to take your prescription to the closest pharmacy, also fishing out his phone to call Sam and let him know what was going on at the hospital.

Dean had a feeling you all were going to be here for a while.

AN: *exhales* Okay. 😅 A lot going on in this chapter. Another piece of the puzzle, more of why Nick needs his ass handed to him, and a dramatic save. Let me know what you thought!

And please forgive me for where we're going next...

Next Time:

Dean held your face, brushing the tears away with his thumbs.

“Hey, I’m here, all right? Just let me help you,” he said. “You can lean on me when you need to.”

“I haven’t had that in a long time,” you admitted. “Part of me doesn’t know how to lean.”

“I get that,” Dean said. But you both knew that there was a long and difficult road ahead. He knew he didn’t have to remind you of it. “Whatever you need, you just tell me, okay? If nothing else, I’ve got a strong pair of shoulders.”

Somehow, you smiled. You pressed your forehead against his chest and inhaled deeply, to steady yourself.

“That you do, Lieutenant.”

Dean Winchester Masterlist

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[s0ftness]

| M i d n i g h t T r e a t |

SUMMARY: Lani rouses from her bed in the middle of the night for a glass of water, but what she finds in the kitchen is better than any midnight treat.

Alternate Title: Lucifer is Touch Starved and has a Breeding Kink

FANDOM: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!

PAIRING: Lucifer x MC, Lucifer x OFC

WARNINGS: NSFW, 18+ ONLY.  

WORD COUNT: 3.3k+

OTHER TAGS: Budding Love, Mutual Pining, Domestic, Brotherly Love, Belphie forgot to do the dishes again, Lucifer Is A Good Brother, Midnight graveyard strolls, Demon Sex, Cemetery sex, Semi-Public Sex, Touch-Starved, is this how demon babies are made, Vaginal Sex, Wall Sex, Standing up sex, Sex on what might be a tomb, Breeding Kink, Shameless Smut, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, no beta we die like

(See end of work for more notes.)

Also, find this on AO3! 

The muffled sound of slippered feet, gliding across the polished floor of the House of Lamentation, ceased abruptly when interrupted by some faint noise originating from the kitchen area. Lani’s sleep-muddled mind vaguely recognized the faint tune of a song first heard long ago. Rubbing lazily at one eye with a loose fist, the woman silently made her way over to investigate. She soon realized she’d caught an oblivious Lucifer humming hoarsely to himself while cleaning up the kitchen. 

Said task had been assigned to Belphie that night, at least according to the ever-rotating chore schedule Lucifer had come up with; yet another measure designed to teach his younger brothers a thing or two, even if that was merely cleaning up after themselves. Though it was clear that night the schedule hadn’t been followed, most likely due to the sleepy nature of the purple-eyed demon.

As the eldest, more often than not, Lucifer had to step up to the role of caretaker, and Lani found her lips curling into a fond smile on their own accord. She now stood flush against the frame of the arched entrance of the kitchen. Keeping most of her body behind her and out of sight, she let her cheek rest against the cool wall while watching the raven-haired demon move freely about.

He wasn’t wearing a jacket like he usually did, and she spied what she assumed his go-to leather gloves to be, tucked into the back pocket of his well-fitting pants. His shirt was the colour of spiced wine, its long sleeves neatly rolled up to his strong forearms. With one else around, his shoulders seemed broader in their relaxed state, though she could almost see sculpted muscles moving under his tailored clothes with every movement. The fabric strained slightly around Lucifer’s biceps, and Lani’s gaze moved without shame, wasting no time to admire the star of her fantasies in a way she seldom had the luxury to.

A clean, dry cloth was rubbed against a freshly washed plate, while Lani focused on the demon’s strong hands and long, slender fingers. Those which she definitely had not thought about before, in the darkness of her quarters, during the seemingly endless nights when slumber avoided her like the plague.

“Is there something you need?” a low voice asked, snapping the woman right out of her thoughts, and sending her skittering backwards in a feeble attempt to hide. “Or are you content enough ogling me from where you are?”

Lucifer teased her, and her heart pounded against her ribcage so loudly she was sure he could hear it all the way to the sink, from where he hadn’t moved or even looked away from.

“I think you’re smarter than trying to pretend you’re not here. You have been for a while, I sensed you as soon as you left your bedroom.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and let her head fall back against the wall behind her. Of course, he knew she was there. She’d been an idiot.

“Hm,” Lucifer let a soft sound when she continued to refuse showing herself, and Lani instantly pushed away the treacherous thought of him sounding disappointed.

It took her longer than she’d ever admit to muster up enough courage to finally step into the room. The dim light overhead seemed to cast an accusing, mocking shadow over her. She swallowed hard and squared her shoulders, schooling her expression into what she desperately hoped looked like sleepy disinterest.

“I came for water but heard you singing. I didn’t dare interrupt, you seemed to be enjoying yourself,” she finally spoke.

One of Lucifer’s eyebrows arched in apparent surprise, one side of his mouth curling slowly. “Is that so. Well, I hope the show wasn’t too unpleasant.”

“Not at all!” she cut in far too quickly. “I mean. It was a lovely tune, but what surprised me most was that I recognized it. I wasn’t aware you enjoyed… well, I suppose I never thought we’d have similar tastes.”

Agate orbs cut right through her, then. And she felt rooted to the spot from the sheer intensity of his gaze.

“What would make you think that?”

She rolled back and forth on the balls of her feet as she hummed thoughtfully, both her hands now clasped behind her back. “I don’t know. I’m just a fragile human, and you’re… you.”

Lucifer flinched inwardly at what she called herself. At what he had referred to her as, before.

Before he had gotten to know her at all.

“I think you’d be surprised,” he spoke after a long beat.

“I am,” she chirped with a smile so easy and bright it almost hurt.

He huffed out a quiet laugh, letting his head fall forward, leaning his weight on the palm now resting against the sink.

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly; head tilted a little to the side. She looked like a confused puppy then, but Lucifer knew better than to say so out loud and risk angering the woman standing before him. Forcing down another chuckle, he gave his head a shake to clear his mind and turned to face her fully.

“As am I.”

Her confusion grew and her frown deepened. His thumb was gently rubbing it before his brain could catch up, vanishing the wrinkles from her forehead and trading them for those eyes he seldom stopped thinking about, eyes so big he could get lost in them.

“Pardon me,” his touch was gone as quickly as it had come, and somewhere deep inside her chest, Lani mourned the loss. “It’s rather late, I’m not acting like myself.”

She agreed. “No, you’re not. But I like it.”

It was his turn to freeze in surprise, and she had the audacity to smirk triumphantly when she noticed. Without another word, she moved past him to fill a cup with water. After a few long gulps that gave him unobstructed view of her naked throat, he found his mouth dry like the desert. To his seemingly never-ending surprise, Lani stepped forward again and raised the cup to his mouth in silent offering.

The pads of his fingertips brushed hers and he bent slightly to take a drink despite refusing to grab the cup himself. The action brought intense heat to Lani’s face, her wide eyes blinking repeatedly in astonishment.

It seemed neither of them was acting like their usual selves.

Typically, Lani would feel him much more distant. Almost as if he were always inside an invisible cage, separating him from the rest, even his brothers. But tonight there was no cage, and she felt so utterly surrounded by his presence it was nearly overwhelming.

She noticed his lips moved, he was speaking to her, but she couldn't make out the words when all she could hear was her pounding heart.

He took one step toward her and she instinctively stepped back, hating herself as soon as she did, but refused to let herself truly believe hurt flashed across his eyes when she dodged him.

“Are you certain you feel all right? It looks like you could use some fresh air. Come, the last thing we want is for you to get sick.”

His voice was so clear then, despite its low volume as he spoke against the shell of her ear. A full-bodied shiver shook her then, and she nodded so enthusiastically she was certain her brain hit her skull a couple times.

“Yes! That sounds like a great idea! All I need is some fresh air and –”

One large hand wrapped around her bicep then and led her in a straight line to and past the front door, until they were both walking slowly along a pebbled path outside their house. No. The house. The House of Lamentation. Not their house.

That sounded… stupid.

Almost like… No.

It sounded stupid.

With the way the night was unfolding, Lani guessed she shouldn’t be so surprised by the familiar way Lucifer treated her. They had known each other for a long time now, but somehow it still felt like they had never had an actual conversation before.

The chill night air did turn out to be a great idea, for Lani felt instantly more awake and less tangled in a web of dangerous thoughts and feelings she’d tried to convince herself didn’t exist in the first place.

Conversation came easily, surprisingly. Or unsurprisingly, rather.

Lucifer was sharp as a whip and charming in a way only he could be.

It was far too easy to forget about the whole “demon thing”, and just listen to his voice tell her short anecdotes and chime in with her own thoughts every now and then. That was a whole feat all on its own. Lani spent far too much time in her own head and was often content to simply watch the world pass her by, instead of acting like an active part of it. She second-guessed herself often, and if she felt bold enough to share her thoughts and opinions every once in a while, she most certainly spent the following night wide awake, replaying said conversations in her mind over and over, cringing at every word she’d spoken.

“I really admire how much you love your brothers,” she confessed before realizing the weight of the words she’d kept inside for a bit now. “Sometimes it’s almost like you’re their parent instead of just an older brother. Always picking up after them, making sure they don’t get in trouble. And man! There’s six of them, can’t possibly be easy at all!” she laughed heartily and glanced up at the onyx sky. “It makes me wonder how you manage to make time for yourself at all. Especially since you’re always so diligent with your work at RAD and with Diavolo, it’s just… Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day to do all I have to do, and it’s like you… It’s like you carry the world on your shoulders like Atlas, but you’re so strong it doesn’t even show! You always look so put together and… I don’t know. I’m kind of envious, I guess.”

She chuckled lowly before noticing that during her ramble, Lucifer had stopped dead in his tracks and was staring at her with something so indescribable, she feared the intensity would crush her.

“Shit,” she mumbled. “Shit. Shit, I’m so sorry. I said something I shouldn’t have, didn’t I?” she ran back to where he stood and fought the overbearing urge to grab his hands in hers and beg for forgiveness. “Lucifer, I’m sorry, I just talk without thinking and…” she trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Lucifer gazed down at his shoes for a second, the tip of his tongue peeking out to wet his now unbearably dry lips. “Stop.”

Lani swallowed and froze, almost like he’d given her a pact order.

He shook his head once again before leaning it all the way back, eyes squeezed shut.

What was it about this woman that made him loose his footing like an absolute fool?

She winced but said nothing, her gaze scanning his every moment while every second went by unnaturally slow.

“Do you really believe all that?”

“Huh?” she twisted her neck like a little owl, once again confused and oblivious. “I do. That’s why I said it, but I’m very sorry if I offended you.”

He made a low sound, almost like a chuckle, and gazed at her incredulously.

“What?” she huffed in annoyance, her palm colliding against his solid chest in a feeble attempt to shove him.

The nerve of her, Lucifer thought to himself with a smile.

This seemed to annoy her even more, because she got both her feet steady beneath her and looked like she was prepared to shove against him again. Only her footing wasn’t as solid as she’d thought, because Lucifer caught her hands in one of his effortlessly and pulled her forward, trapping her arms between them, and causing her to stumble and collide with his body, her entire frame engulfed by his.

“Do I really look that old to you, to be the father of those idiots?” he nearly growled, pleased, like a tiger with its prey between its claws. “The cheek of you, Lin. I should punish you for that.”

“Whaaa–!”

Her eyes grew wide and round like saucers and she would’ve flailed about in pure embarrassment if he hadn’t such a firm grip on her. “That is so not what I said! Is that’s really what you got from all that – Are you – Of course not! You’re… You are old! You’re super old and you know it, you’re toying with me! You know that doesn’t matter because you are so handsome it’s unfair, you don’t even care about your age! I only meant to say I think you would make a great father someday!”

“…Really?”

The knot in Lani’s throat would not go away, no matter how hard she swallowed. Not when he looked at her like that, with his pupils blown so wide only a thin ring of crimson remained. Not when he looked at her like he wanted to eat her alive.

The pair of arms around her tightened, snaking around her silhouette, almost like she was being enveloped in iron, rendering her nearly motionless.

“R-really.”

“You called me handsome.”

“I did. Don’t act all smug about it like you didn’t know it already,” Lani huffed in defeat and settled for avoiding his gaze at all costs. The warmth from before was back in full rage, not limiting itself to her face, but spreading from her chest to every corner and fingertip, until she felt she might overheat and combust.

“You consider me handsome,” he stated as if correcting himself.

Lani grumbled and struggled to no avail, and settled to keeping her gaze locked on one the undone buttons of his collar, desperately trying to compose herself and not let her eyes wander over the exposed skin of his collarbone and neck.

“I’d be an idiot not to,” she tried to justify herself. “Are you satisfied now, oh great Avatar of Pride?”

“Oh, no. Not even close.”

Gulp.

Defying all logic, when Lucifer’s cool and smooth lips pressed against hers, she felt like she’d swallowed a fireball and her gasps only fed it more oxygen to grow. Both his hands were now cradling her head with a delicacy he wasn’t aware he possessed, afraid to feel her crumble beneath his fingertips, to have turn into smoke and slip from his grasp like she did in his dreams every morning he woke to an empty bed.

Lani’s brain was out of commission, then. She threw both arms around his neck and returned his kiss with wild abandon. A pleased growl rumbled in the depths of his chest, one hand moving up to knot in her hair while the other dropped to grab a handful of her backside, causing her to moan out loud.

He wasted no time to taste the inside of her mouth, caressing her soft tongue and exploring every inch. They stumbled blindly until her back was pressed against a tall piece of marble. They had apparently wandered into the cemetery, and Lucifer wasted no time to seize the opportunity to hoist her up against the wall to wrap her legs around his waist.

No longer unsure of her every move, Lani leaped at the opportunity to experience wide awake what she had dreamed about longer than she’d ever admit. Lucifer’s hair was soft, and she couldn’t stop touching it, tousling it and making a mess of it while he kissed her like a man starved, a mix of tongue, lips and teeth, nipping and tugging at her soft mouth, the one he often spent hours fantasizing about.

It didn’t take long for layers of clothing to be shed. She’d all but ripped the buttons of his shirt open, his trousers barely yanked halfway down his thighs while he pawed at her breasts after piercing through the thin fabric of her sleep clothes with his claws, leaving them to fall to the ground in shreds.

Lucifer used whatever what was left of his self-control to stop himself long enough to look Lani straight in the eye, one arm holding her up by her bottom while he gripped himself with his opposite hand, pressed flush against her, but not quite yet. Not without her full consent.

“Fuck’s sake, Lucifer, please, please, f-fuck me already!” she whined, then wept in relief when she felt her body nearly split in half when he sheathed himself with one rough thrust. She wailed and flailed in his embrace, overwhelmed by feeling so incredibly full she might explode. But then he rolled his hips back, and she swore she could cry at the loss.

“You make such pretty noises for me, my love,” he purred against her ear merely a split second before ramming himself back inside her, setting a punishing pace he could not fully control when their bodies seemed to act on their own accord, so attuned to one another, so in need of each other.

Tears of absolute bliss rolled down Lani’s flushed cheeks, but she fought with everything she had to keep her eyes open, not daring to miss a second of her wildest fantasies coming true. “O-oh… Oh! You have no idea how long I’ve – fuck!”

“I do, love, I do,” he assured her before claiming her mouth in yet another searing kiss. “Can you imagine? When I fill you to the brim, could you imagine my seed taking root inside you? Your belly growing round and ripe with my child? I – I, ahh, fuck, so feel so good… So good. My sweet Lin. You have no idea of what you do to me.”

Lani screamed then, pushed off the edge of the precipice by his words alone.

“…Sometimes it’s almost like you’re their parent instead of just an older brother. Always picking up after them, making sure they don’t get in trouble…”

“…I only meant to say I think you would make a great father someday!”

Lucifer held her tightly, kept her caged between the marble wall and his chest, her face pressed against the curve of his neck while she whimpered and mewled and he fucked her all through her first orgasm and into the second. Lani felt like all her nerve endings were exposed, like she was a live wire crackling with electricity. Her teeth sunk into the softness of his neck, nearly piercing the skin and made his knees buckle. The mere sound of their coupling was downright pornographic. The wet sounds and her juices coating her thighs and trickling down his was, at best, lewd.

Unwilling to let go of the sweet woman who’d had yanked him around with an invisible leash even she was unaware of, Lucifer took her apart piece by piece only to put her back together and repeat the process all over again. Her thighs were shaking so hard she was having a hard time not slipping down his body, so he eased her to her feet and flipped her around so her back was flush against him, ripping a scream from her worthy of a Banshee. With one hand wrapped around her throat, he held her upright while the rhythm of his hips refused to falter. The shamelessly loud slapping of her bottom against his skin merely egging him on. Lani was certain she’d wake with bruises, the sharp angles of his hips digging into her skin without mercy but couldn’t find it in herself to care one bit.

Somewhen in the heat of the moment, the demon had released his true form. His large black wings arched inwards to cradle her like the extensions of him they were. She rubbed her cheek against the unbelievable softness of his feathers while one of her arms reached behind her head to grab firmly onto one of his horns.

Lucifer shouted his release, but didn’t dare relent until Lani was a weeping, slobbering mess, unable to wring yet another climax from her exhausted body. His human was unable to stay awake for long after that and he smiled proudly to himself.

He fixed himself up as best he could with one hand, unwilling to release her from his hold even as she slept peacefully against his strong wings. With them, he enveloped her and covered her modesty as best he could, for her clothes laid beyond salvation on the ground, marking the spot where two halves of a soul had finally became one.

A/N: This is my first time writing for this fandom and it's shamelessly self indulgent so I'm quite nervous but I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did writing it because it's my first fic in a very, very long time.

Feedback is always encouraged and appreciated :)

Thank you for reading! x

[waywarddays]

The whole “it’s brotherly love” “it’s platonic” argument that’s used to dismiss JJpope as a ship is flawed. And can easily be debunked by comparing JJ and Pope’s dynamic with the other Pogues outside of each other. For instance, JJ literally goes out of his way to be in close contact with Pope no matter what. Whether that be him sitting next to him, standing next to him, being faced to face, affectionate, etc. Now I know the argument can be made that JJ’s love language is physical touch and that of course he’d want to be close to people he considered his family; I mean he’s also close with John B. However, in any instance involving physical touch between JJ and Pope, JJ always leans more into Pope’s touch. And even lingers a bit.

For instance, when John B and Pope are BOTH praising JJ for planting the false key. We see John B AND Pope in close contact. However, the difference is that JJ and Pope are practically joined by the shoulder and are at some point JJ is holding Pope’s hand but he isn’t holding John B’s hand.

When he does the handshake with Pope during the bonfire scene in season 2, we see that they prolong the handshake. To the point where they’re just holding hands. And as they’re doing the handshake the two of them make direct eye contact with each other the entire time. Not once breaking eye contact. Whereas when JJ does the handshake with another person from the group, ie: Kiara the handshake is normal. Very quick, kinda swift and the entire time the both of them are more focused on the actual handshake then making eye contact with each other.

Throughout season 1 and a little bit of season 2 we see moments where Pope is either distressed or anxious. And in those scenes we usually see that JJ is the main one who calms him down or makes him less anxious through physical touch. In Season 1 Episode 4, when Pope hugs JJ and tells him that he’s going to turn himself in; almost as soon as JJ places his hands on Pope, he becomes less tense. And again, when Pope is worried about his future after walking out on his interview, JJ puts both of his hands on Pope’s shoulder. He relaxes a bit, although he’s still obviously worried, he’s able to calm down. It can also be noted that JJ talks to Pope in a soft tone and that when Kiara speaks to him, he raises his tone just a little bit. Which I think shows how different the dynamic is between JJ and Kiara in comparison to him and Pope. In season 2, this is somewhat reversed because we see Pope trying to approach/get JJ’s attention by speaking in a softer tone to him out of everyone else in the group.

Unlike the rest of the pogues, we see JJ constantly making intense eye contact with Pope, staring at his lips. In addition, making sexual innuendos and asking Kiara how Pope is in bed. I know a lot of people don’t count the last scene as a JJPope scene since it was improvised. But the scene where JJ makes a sexual innuendo, along with the other scene at the cemetery where Pope’s pants get ripped off and JJ’s like “Nice dude, it's like a small tootsie roll” most definitely count. Once again, comparing JJ’s relationship with John B (which is more of a bromance) to his relationship Pope. These are not the type of interactions you’d have with your brother and if so, that isn’t normal.

Side note: Aside from that one girl that JJ made out with in season 1 episode 1, Pope is the only other person that JJ’s canonically kissed throughout the show so far. Pope’s also the only person that JJ has said “I Love You” to as well (ignore the last sentence, I’m probably wrong).

Can’t believe I forgot this scene^

Notice how in this scene, as Pope presses his face into JJ’s neck that JJ leans towards Pope’s touch. Allowing them to get even closer. Someone on OBX twitter also pointed out that Pope has both his arms around JJ in this scene. There’s nothing platonic or ‘brotherly’ about this scene.