#but i appreciate earth was clear on not disowning him

[socksandbuttons]

For the umpteenth time, Nexus wasn’t disowned! Earth herself said so! She NEVER disowned him.

yeah but nexus isnt gonna know that anon, thats the issue here

[madara-fate]

If Kishimoto really wants people to believe that Sasuke loves Sakura and that they have such a good marriage then he's doing a piss poor job at it. You don't see people arguing if Minato loved Kushina or not or if Dan loved Tsunade or not. You don't. The fact that there are so many people arguing whether Sasuke loves Sakura or not, and many people believing he doesn't is just proof that Kishimoto failed somewhere or else there wouldn't be this much controversy surrounding this matter. It's either Kishimoto implying Sasuke does not love her, either Kishimoto intending to portray his idea of a good realtionship/loving husband through SS and failing miserably. Sasuke did not look happy when he saw Sakura in Gaiden first time after 10 years of absence. He couldn't even bother to send a letter to her and Sarada to let them know he was alright and thinking about them during this period. And no, please don't come at me with that bullshit excuse that he didn't keep in contact because he wanted to keep the secrecy of his mission and did not want any private information to leak and that's why he was only keeping in contact with the Hokage or whatever. No one says that if he ever bothered to write them he had to go into details about his mission. He could've just told them he's alright, that he misses them and hopes they're fine and that would've been great too and wouldn't have compromised his mission in any way. The man has space time abilities for fuck's sake. He could've easily teleported to see them and then go back to his business. In my opinion Kishimoto wrote SS in this ambiguous way to appease both the SS haters and the SS shippers. He knew SS fans were going to be happy with whatever he threw at them even if it was the absolute bottom of the barrel and he knew the antis were gonna have a good time using Gaiden to further tear the ship apart. This man is either terrible at writing romance either a huge troll who enjoys pitying his readers against each other. Or maybe both. And I assure you, I don't even hate SS, despite what I have written so far, nor do I ship something else. And Sasuke is also my favorite character. I'm indifferent to this pairing and maybe that's why I can have a more objective opinion on it than its shippers or its haters since I'm not biased due to personal feelings of either distaste or love for it. SS can be seen in both a good and a bad light, but to be honest the balance is more inclined towards the bad light.

This is just more of the stuff that I've heard plenty of times before. I'll firstly preface this by saying that I'm very highly critical of Gaiden because it included pointless drama for the sake of pointless drama. It's execution was horrendous to say the least, but I'll always still appreciate the message that Kishi was trying to relay. However, I will always take issue with those who defend the notion that Sasuke doesn't love Sakura. Hence, the following.

You don't see people arguing if Minato loved Kushina or not or if Dan loved Tsunade or not. You don't. The fact that there are so many people arguing whether Sasuke loves Sakura or not, and many people believing he doesn't is just proof that Kishimoto failed somewhere or else there wouldn't be this much controversy surrounding this matter.

Minato wasn't drowning in hatred due to a supernatural phenomenon which cause him to push away love in favour of the darkness. Dan wasn't made to undertake a preposterously long mission while intending to keep everything about it confidential. Why on earth do people think they can just compare any random relationships to SS's and go "well look at this couple! Why couldn't SS have been more like them?". Well here's your answer - Because their situations were nothing alike. But why do people constantly believe that those relationships are the only models for what a loving relationship can be? The struggles that Sasuke and Sakura faced during Gaiden were not due to issues with each other, but rather, they were shown facing hurdles which they overcame together. They were perfectly happy with each other, and not once did their dedication to one another ever falter during Sasuke's mission. Just because the couple faced hard times does not mean their bond is any weaker. On the contrary, the fact they they faced those hard times together and came out of them just as strong if not stronger than before, is a testament to the strength of the relationship.

You wanna know what I don't see? I don't see people questioning Neji and Hinata's relationship despite Neji trying to kill her during the Chuunin Exams. I don't see people questioning Hiashi's feelings towards Hinata despite essentially disowning her because he deemed her to be a failure. I don't see people questioning Gaara being the Kazekage despite him previously being feared as a killing machine who slaughtered many innocent people, by the very same villagers who now respect him as their leader. I don't see people questioning why Kabuto was trusted to become the head of the Orphanage and taking care of the future of the village, despite being a notorious war criminal. No, but of course people will question SS right? Despite them just being another example of the same theme.

It's either Kishimoto implying Sasuke does not love her, either Kishimoto intending to portray his idea of a good relationship/loving husband through SS and failing miserably.

Kishi flat out said, that the love between the Uchiha family is the real deal. He's not implying anything, and if he truly failed at depicting this, then SS wouldn't have consistently proven to be the most popular canonised pairing for years following the manga's ending.

Sasuke did not look happy when he saw Sakura in Gaiden first time after 10 years of absence.

And you think that's indicative that he doesn't love her? Are you serious? The entire time, Sasuke was very clearly shown to be aggravated because people who weren't supposed to be at his and Naruto's secret meeting place kept showing up. He didn't look happy when first meeting Naruto either, despite not seeing him for just as long. So what? You think that means he doesn't care about Naruto either? He was aggravated that Sarada was there because she was supposed to be in the village safe from all this, he was annoyed with Naruto for allowing the kids to follow him in the first place, and yeah, he didn't jump for joy when seeing Sakura because again, she was meant to be watching over Sarada in the village. One of the biggest incentives for his secrecy was to keep Sarada safe, and everything that was happening then, was the opposite of that.

He couldn't even bother to send a letter to her and Sarada to let them know he was alright and thinking about them during this period. And no, please don't come at me with that bullshit excuse that he didn't keep in contact because he wanted to keep the secrecy of his mission and did not want any private information to leak and that's why he was only keeping in contact with the Hokage or whatever. No one says that if he ever bothered to write them he had to go into details about his mission. He could've just told them he's alright, that he misses them and hopes they're fine and that would've been great too and wouldn't have compromised his mission in any way.

You can call it a "bullshit excuse" all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that this is the reason that was given. But it's like people just refuse to acknowledge the fact that Sasuke admitted that he had made a big mistake, and refused to allow Sakura to apologise because he knew that he was the one at fault:

I mean what? Do people think that Sasuke has to be perfect or something? Is he not a human who makes mistakes just like everyone else? Sasuke knew that he took his secrecy too far, he hadn't anticipated the adverse affects his absence would have on Sarada, and he apologised for his mistake. Why? Because he cares, for goodness sake it's not hard to comprehend. I seriously would have never thought that people would actually question whether or not he loves his family. Why would Kishi promote a loveless marriage in his manga aimed at young boys? It just boggles the mind. If Sasuke didn't care about them, he wouldn't have thought he did anything wrong by his lack of contact with his daughter. I emphasise with his daughter because Sakura was still somewhat in contact with Sasuke as she was kept informed of what he was doing.

In my opinion Kishimoto wrote SS in this ambiguous way to appease both the SS haters and the SS shippers.

Why would Kishi care about appeasing the same fans who harassed him so badly following the manga's conclusion, that his editior had to respond in broken English and basically tell those entitled children that the story doesn't belong to them? I'll reiterate that there's nothing "ambiguous" about their relationship, nor is Kishi implying anything. Gaiden made it crystal clear, that the love between the Uchiha family is the real deal, there's nothing ambiguous about that statement, there's nothing ambiguous about Sasuke giving Sakura the forehead poke, and there's nothing ambiguous about Sasuke flat out clarifying that his heart is connected to Sakura's.

[gamerwoo]

[Tales from the Pack] Seungkwan: Void (Part Five)

Characters: Seungkwan x female reader

Genre/warnings: werewolf au, banshee au, fantasy, a little fluff but mostly angst, dead bodies

Word count: 3,014

Summary: Seungkwan can’t resist the urge to go searching for the banshee any longer, but his trip into the woods has him coming face-to-face with a strange girl who doesn’t seem to remember anything about where she came from or how she got where she is. The only things she knows are the things the voices she hears tell her. And that strange girl is you, his mate.

Previous | Next | Void Masterlist

As a werewolf, few things scared Seungkwan. Well, quite a few things did, but they were all revolved around werewolf hunters or something bad happening to the pack. He didn’t have a family to worry about since they immediately disowned him when they found out he was a werewolf. 

But Seungkwan had gained a new habit of sleeping lightly when he slept beside you at night because having you wander outside in the middle of the night alone scared him. He knew it was part of who you were and it was something you couldn’t control, but it was something he wanted to try to keep from happening. He was nervous something bad might happen to you, so whenever he felt you getting out of bed, he sat up and grabbed your wrist to keep you from leaving. 

Luckily, every time so far, you’d just been getting up on your own free will.

“I just want some water,” you’d tell him gently, not understanding the reason he was trying to keep you in bed. You thought maybe he was just a little clingy, but you liked that. You’d never had someone care for you like that -- at least that you could remember.

Truthfully, it wasn’t just you leaving in the middle of the night to wander about the woods that scared Seungkwan. He was also scared to see what you’d be like when you were in that state. Would he even be able to stop you? If not, he’d certainly go with you no matter what. He’d follow you to the ends of the earth.

But Seungkwan’s awful sleeping habits did wear him down, and the poor werewolf was exhausted some days. You were a restless sleeper on your own, always wanting to get up to get water or walk around the house a little because you couldn’t sleep and the voices were getting to you. He understood that hearing voices no one else could probably got to be a lot, especially when one was trying to sleep. But it meant he woke up multiple times a night and typically even stayed up with you just to make sure nothing happened while you were walking around the house listening to the whispers and communicating with them -- nighttime when the house was silent was the best time to hear them, anyway.

One morning, Seungkwan descended the stairs while you still slept upstairs. Unfortunately, the sunlight that streamed in through his window had become too much for him. He used to be able to sleep through it, but now that he had become a lighter sleeper, it was hard for him to sleep through. He was envious that you had no problem doing so.

“You look like shit,” Hansol stated, noting Seungkwan’s dark circles under his eyes as the older wolf dragged his feet into the kitchen.

“You really need to get more sleep,” Seokmin told him.

Seungkwan grimaced up at him as he took a seat at the table, “And when do you think I should do that? While doing chores during the day or at night when I have to follow _____ around to make sure she’s safe?”

“No need to be snappy...” he mumbled, quickly exiting the kitchen to get away from his brother’s negative energy.

“Why not have someone else watch her for a night?” Chan suggested with a shrug.

“Because I know for sure she’s safe with me,” Seungkwan said as he dropped his head down on the table and let his eyes close. “It’s not that I don’t trust any of you, but... Yeah, I don’t trust any of you.”

“What? Why?” Mingyu frowned, having gotten up early thanks to his daughter that he was holding with one arm.

“For starters, you almost got Wonwoo’s mate killed by the townspeople,” he reminded him without even lifting his head.

“That was one time!” the tall wolf huffed, his raise in tone making Jiwoo suddenly look at him instead of giggling at Hansol who was making faces at her. “And she’s fine!”

“What if...” Joshua began slowly after sipping silently from his cup in the corner of the kitchen, “you get Soonyoung to watch her for the night.”

Seungkwan lifted his head suddenly, giving the older boy a quizzical look, “Why?”

Joshua shrugged, “Because he’s out all night fucking people anyway. If he’s gonna be awake, may as well be awake and actually home so we’re not worrying about him all the time. And who else is gonna stay up all night?”

“Do you not hear yourself? He’s out getting laid all night! Why would I want him around her?”

“You can’t tell me you genuinely think Soonyoung would try to do that to your mate,” Chan chuckled. 

After a moment of silence, Seungkwan conceded and put his head back down with a groan, “Fine, I’ll ask him.”

“You deserve a night of rest, Kwannie,” Hansol reassured him with a smile that Seungkwan didn’t even see. “Things will be fine.”

-

The first thing Seungkwan thought would be best to do was make sure you were comfortable hanging out with the alpha for the night. You’d have to either sleep in Soonyoung’s room or sleep on the couch, and Seungkwan wanted to put your comfort above all else -- even before asking Soonyoung if he’d even do the favor.

When Seungkwan proposed the question of spending the night with the alpha, you frowned and cocked your head to one side, “Why am I spending the night with Soonyoung?”

“You don’t have to!” Seungkwan quickly reminded you. “I just-- Ah, how do I put this... _____, I... I’m worried about you wandering into the forest at night alone, so I do my best to protect you. So I don’t sleep very well at night so I can know if anything happens to you.”

The way your eyebrows slightly pulled together didn’t go unnoticed by Seungkwan. You didn’t like that you were the reason he wasn’t getting sleep, and especially that his lack of sleep was becoming such an issue that now you had to go sleep elsewhere just so he could get a good night’s rest. You felt like a burden, but of course you wouldn’t voice that.

“No, it’s nothing bad!” he reassured you, gathering your hands in his warm, calloused ones. “I swear, I’m fine. It’s nothing that’s your fault.”

“Okay...” you said softly.

“But if you’re not comfortable with it, you can sleep in my room just like always. I really won’t mind.”

You weren’t going to do that to him. You knew it was your fault he was staying up and you knew it was a bigger deal than he wanted you to believe. Besides, you didn’t necessarily feel uncomfortable spending the night around Soonyoung. You just weren’t as used to him as you were Seungkwan. But still, out of the three alphas, Soonyoung seemed the friendliest -- not that the other two weren’t but Seungcheol seemed too busy to really speak to, and Jihoon seemed to only have a soft spot for Yeji. Other than his mate, he seemed...a little cold, but maybe he was just awkward.

“I don’t mind,” you replied. “I’ll stay with Soonyoung.”

Seungkwan smiled warmly, but there was a hint of relief you could see. He was glad to finally sleep deeply tonight. You were happy for him as well, but you still felt something upsetting about it. He shouldn’t have to worry about sleeping well at night because of you.

“I’ll go speak with him,” he told you, kissing one of your hands before he got up to leave the room.

You had felt like a problem to some members of the pack because of how off-put they seemed by you, but now you felt like a problem to Seungkwan as well.

-

Sitting on the other couch in the living room, Soonyoung kept glancing over at you as you silently read a book, your legs stretched out on the empty couch. He wasn’t necessarily sure what to do to babysit you, and as the two of you sat in silence, he wasn’t sure why he let himself get roped into the situation anyway. You weren’t his mate, and sitting here was wasting time of his own. He wanted to be out in town, not sitting in a weird silence with a girl who may or may not make his ears bleed at any moment.

While some members of the pack -- like Mingyu and Danbi, Jeonghan, Jihoon, and a few others -- were wary of you and secretly thought you would bring bad things to the pack, Soonyoung wasn’t like that. He didn’t really think much of you being a banshee either way because he wasn’t 100% sure what that entailed, but he thought you were fine as a person. He went out of his way to talk to you and it was something you appreciated, but he had never been alone with you and he wasn’t completely comfortable with it. You were always with Seungkwan. Now it was just him in charge of you.

What was he supposed to do all night?

‘He’s watching you,’ you heard, a louder whisper than normal since the house was silent.

‘Is he afraid?’

‘No, just...unsure what to do.’

Once again, Soonyoung glanced over at you, only to jump slightly when he saw you already looking back at him. He cleared his throat, sitting forward in his seat with his elbows on his knees.

“Aren’t you tired?” he decided to ask.

You shrugged, “A little, but not enough to sleep. Do you want me to sleep?”

“No, no,” he quickly said, not wanting to come off as rude, “I just didn’t want... I-I don’t know. Are you hungry or anything?”

You didn’t want to bother him, so you planned on just politely declining.

‘It’s impossible to bother Soonyoung.’

‘I don’t think he wants to babysit me.’

‘He wants something to do.’

After a moment of silence that Soonyoung found a little odd but said nothing about, you timidly said, “Tea would be nice, thank you.”

He flashed you a bright smile before springing to his feet, “Got it. Minghao and Jia brought back some really nice stuff from China.”

As Soonyoung went to the kitchen to make your tea, you went back to pretending to read. The voice you heard most often since coming to the pack house had been extra active that night, and it was the reason you were being kept up. But you wouldn’t tell that to Soonyoung, he’d think it was weird.

Thankfully, the two of you weren’t the only ones awake so late at night. Joshua and Jeonghan had gone out simply just to rub it in Soonyoung’s face that he couldn’t. Joshua wasn’t one to like to go into town for fun too often considering everything that had happened with his previous mate, but he was nothing if not petty. So when Jeonghan brought up the offer, he couldn’t help but accept, smirking and throwing a, “have fun,” over his shoulder as he left Soonyoung with you in the living room.

The rest of the house, however, seemed silent. Others might’ve been awake in their rooms, but if they were talking, you didn’t hear it. You knew Soonyoung would be able to hear conversations, but if he did, he didn’t say anything about them. He did note at one point that Seungkwan’s snore was loud, though, so you knew he was at least fast asleep.

That made you happy.

Soonyoung returned with your drink after a few moment of trying to focus on your book. Other than the main voice you heard, there were softer whispers you could hear around -- none of them angry or hostile, though. They all seemed to look out for the pack in one way or another.

“So,” the alpha began as he sat back down on the other couch, “what’s the deal with you and Kwannie?”

You had gone back to your book after softly thanking the man for your tea, but you looked back up at his question, staring doe-eyed at him. Your innocent look made him want to chuckle because he knew the answer that was coming.

“What do you mean?” you wondered.

“You just spend so much time together,” he continued.

You shrugged, “He makes me feel safe. I think I know him the best out of everyone else so I just... I-I feel the most...c-comfortable around him.”

Soonyoung nodded slowly, deciding to not say anything else on that matter. If Seungkwan hadn’t said anything about being mates yet, it wasn’t Soonyoung’s place. However, it frustrated him to no end that the younger wolf didn’t say anything to you. How could someone know who their mate was and just keep their mouth shut? Soonyoung desperately wanted to find his, but he was still alone for however many years now.

Not too long after your short conversation, Jeonghan and Joshua returned home, stopping by the den to say their quick hellos and goodnights.

“Still up, huh?” Josh asked.

You nodded as one of the voices in your head seemed to buzz excitedly..

But shortly after the two males went to bed, you fell asleep on the couch with the book open on your chest. Soonyoung chuckled when he noticed and got up to cover you with a blanket before settling back onto his own sofa. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do to pass the time since he wasn’t sleepy just yet, but he was sure he’d figure something out eventually.

He had all night, after all.

-

“Soonyoung!”

The alpha jolted, eyes flying open as he sat up straight and looked around. His eyes saw Yeji, who seemed to have not slept yet, though she was in her pajamas. Her black ears on the top of her head twitched nervously as he green eyes narrowed at him, her tail swishing in annoyance behind her.

He only stared back at her, blinking the sleep from his eyes. He hadn’t recalled falling asleep but he knew he did now that he was awake.

“What?” he asked dumbly.

Yeji only looked in the direction of where you slept.

Or rather, were sleeping.

The couch was empty now with your blanket being tossed haphazardly aside from when you got up. You had silently left the living room before leaving the house, and Soonyoung could hear the wind blowing from the open front door. Jihoon and Yeji were the ones to suddenly zero in on the odd sound before they went down to investigate. Jihoon had gone back upstairs to wake up Seungkwan.

“Fuck...” the wolf groaned under his breath as he laid his head back and pressed a hand over his eyes.

-

Coming to was always a weird experience for you. It was like you’d always been awake but was never aware of it -- that was the best way you could describe it. You were looking down at a body that was no longer moving or breathing but you had no idea how long the person had been dead. You were only just now registering it was there, but it was like you had always been staring at it.

You didn’t remember how you got into the forest, but that’s where you were. Twigs and leaves were under your feet, your skin felt cold, but none of that bothered you either. It never did. 

-

The screaming made it easier to find you, but Seungkwan would be able to tell exactly where you were because of the pull. Jihoon didn’t necessarily have to wake up the tired wolf, but not only did he figure Seungkwan would want to know if something happened to you, but he knew Soonyoung deserved to get in trouble for not doing as he promised. He was supposed to protect you and make sure you didn’t leave the house, but that was exactly what he let happen.

Jihoon, of course, offered to go along with him. Soonyoung said he’d go with him, but Seungkwan told him to go fuck himself before taking off. Seungcheol went along and left Soonyoung in charge of the house and the pack, while both Wonwoo and Mingyu went as well -- Wonwoo offered since he knew a little bit about banshees, while Mingyu only tagged along because he wanted to see for himself what happened considering he was definitely wary of you.

And once the small group saw you standing over a dead body, he felt he was justified in his wariness.

“_____!” Seungkwan called out, pushing himself to run faster. He knew he would’ve been even faster in his wolf form, but he also knew it was probably better to find you as a human and bring you home.

Your head whipped around, looking wide-eyed at the group like you’d been caught red-handed -- and in a way, you felt you had. You knew being found by a body wasn’t good. You knew some of the pack was nervous of you. Not only that, but you weren’t completely sure of yourself, either. What if you did bring bad things like death to them?

Mingyu stopped farther away from you, looking at you with fear and almost anger. His eyes flickered between you and the body for a few times before he narrowed his eyes at you and then turned and ran back the way he came.

Wonwoo noticed and paused, turning to see his brother running away. He called after him but it was useless. He looked back to see a concerened Seungcheol, knowing exactly what he was going back to do. He was going to tell the pack exactly what he saw, and it wasn’t going to help your case -- not that the scene itself helped much. Neither alpha knew what to say, Seungkwan being the only one who seemed to be able to ignore the corpse at your feet so he could make sure you were okay.

Things were definitely looking very bad for you.

[deascheck]

Family is More than Blood

Summary: The reader and Winchester brothers bond as the brothers try to help the reader realize family is more than blood when a hunt goes wrong.

Pairings: none

Word Count: 4439

Warnings: angst, description of physical pain, death and fluff <33 !!!

A/N: Also, this is my absolute first SPN fic I ever wrote and am now getting around to posting it. I’ve fleshed it out and edited it since then, but still. Not bad for a first attempt at writing SPN, I think! Thank you to the wonderful @winchest09 for beta'ing once again!!

Well.. At least my day could not possibly get any worse, you thought. After getting a rip from your parents for choosing to stay with the Winchesters, all you felt like doing was curling up in bed with a bottle of whiskey and drinking away your newest painful memory. Correction, you didn’t get a rip. You had just been disowned. You frowned as you thought about your parents. I don’t need Mom or Dad… They don’t understand the life I want to live. How long has it been since they supported me? You rolled your eyes as they filled up with tears.

You’d been with the Winchester brothers for four months now, grabbing any case you could get your hands on. You weren’t sure how they viewed you, given the short time you’d been together, but you were confident in how you viewed them; badasses.

They had first run into you on a case, interrupting your attempt to fight a vengeful spirit on your own. To this day you argued that you would have won the fight. Whenever you said it though, Dean just scoffed and Sam would muss your hair with a small smile.

As you thought about the adventures you’d had with the brothers, trying hard to keep your mind off your parents, you heard a knock on your door.

Quickly, you wiped your eyes to make sure they were dry, and then answered in a strong voice, “Come in!” You bet yourself it would be Sam, since Dean tended to just barge in. Sure enough, Sam poked his head in. “Y/N? Hey, we’re about to sit and eat dinner. You coming?”

Sighing, you nodded and got up. As much as you loved the Winchesters, you didn’t feel like bringing them into your family drama quite yet. It seemed best to keep up appearances. Wandering into the kitchen, the smell of hamburgers hit your nose. You smiled, remembering that Dean had made it a rule: Hamburgers every Friday night if and when the three of you were at the bunker.

Dean grinned at you as you sat down, happy with having a night off. You gave him your best smile back, hoping he didn’t notice you were off rhythm tonight.

“Hey Y/N! Haven’t seen you all afternoon. You been hiding?” Dean looked at you inquisitively as he took a massive bite of his burger, rolling his eyes in ecstasy.

You gave a small chuckle. “I think I’m allowed to hide from you two terrors every once in a while with what I put up with from you.”

As Dean’s chest swelled with indignity, you winked quickly at Sam. When Dean was happy, it was easy to tease him.

Sam gave you a quick smile back, though he seemed a little distracted.

Crap. He can tell. He’s studying me! Do better, Y/N. Get the banter going! Your inner panic began. Sam had always been able to pick up on how you were feeling, no matter how well you hid it. Even from day one, he had read you like a book.

You spent the rest of dinner working on making the two of them laugh, embracing the warmth their laughter brought you. You knew you’d have to hold on tight to this happy feeling once you were on your own for the night. The nighttime was always when any unhappiness you were harboring hit you the hardest.

As you stood up and started clearing the table, you missed a non-verbal exchange between the brothers.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah, Dean?”

“We’re gonna to head to the bar in town.”

You didn’t pause in your cleaning as you rolled your eyes. “Good for you.”

“No, we’re ALL going, ya moron. Stop cleaning and get ready! We leave in 10!”

Turning around from the sink, you narrowed your eyes as you studied him. “Why? I’ve got dinner to clean up and a good book waiting in my room.”

This time, it was Sam who answered with a big grin. “Why? Cause it’s high time you learn how to compete with us at pool. And you’re gonna need more alcohol than we have to deal with Dean’s cockiness.” He laughed at Dean as he walked around the table to grab your shoulders and guide you out the kitchen door.

“Sammmmm,” you complain. “I don’t want to have to do the dishes later! You’ve seen the mess Dean makes when he cooks!”

Sam bent down to put his mouth close to your ear. “I have seen the messes he makes. But I’ve also seen you hide when you’re hurting. So we’re going out to give you some fun memories to battle your bad ones with.”

Your eyes filled with tears at his thoughtfulness. You stopped resisting him and turned around to give him a giant hug. Being significantly shorter than him, if you wanted a comfort hug, you had to jump and wrap your arms around his neck. Sam caught you and wrapped his arms around your waist, holding you tight as your feet dangled off the ground several inches. You buried your face into the crook of his neck, squeezing your arms gently to let him know that you appreciated what he was doing. Sam’s arms squeezed back.

After a couple minutes like that, he lifted his cheek from your head and started to walk, straddling a bit to avoid hitting your legs as he walked. You laughed and started to struggle. “You big teddy bear – put me down! I can walk!”

As Sam laughed too, you could feel it rumble deep in his chest. He said, “So? I need my workout for the day! I’ll carry you to your room, m’lady.”

Appeased, you stopped struggling until what he said hit you. Indignant, you exclaimed, “Workout? I’m a workout to you? I am NOT that heavy!” Sam laughed at your outrage and then grunted as your struggling resumed.

“Ok! Ok! I’ll put you down. But only if you promise to be ready in a couple minutes!” Sam looked at you, more solemn now. “We’re serious about giving you some good memories, Y/N. You are a part of our family, and we want you to be as happy as you can be in the life we live.”

As Sam put you down, you gave him a quick peck on his cheek as a thank you, and ran into your room. It wasn’t hard to decide what to wear since you had all of two non flannel/jean outfits. Grabbing your white, high-waisted short shorts, you pulled them on as you ran into your bathroom, rummaging through the mess of clothing, make-up, and toiletries on your counter. Your fingers found your eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss, and you immediately separated them by placing them on a tshirt as you pulled your crop top on. It was one of your favorite tops, and you loved to wear it when you got the chance. But you’d been so busy with the Winchesters, you hadn’t gotten to dress up since before you became a hunter.

Despite the lack of practice, you dolled up quite nicely within 10 minutes. You fluffed your hair as you walked to your door, hoping that you looked ok. Opening your door, you yelled for Sam and Dean, “Guys! I’m ready, let’s go!”

You walked down the hall towards the garage, suddenly impatient. You opened the garage door and saw that the boys weren’t there yet. You gasped. I actually beat them? How on earth did I beat two men in getting ready for a night out? Smiling smugly, you leaned against Baby, crossing your ankles and your arms as you waited. This was a day for the history books.

Sam and Dean walked through the door in button down shirts and jeans. You huffed softly, wishing they’d change it up occasionally. Talking quietly, they didn’t see you until they got close to the car. Glancing forward, Dean spotted you first and stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw hanging slightly. Sam, in the middle of a sentence, stopped when he saw Dean fall back. Confused, he looked around and saw you leaning against the car. His eyebrows go up slightly and his eyes roamed down and up your body slowly. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, yet flattered, you flipped your hair as you opened the rear passenger door.

Sending a quick look in their direction, you teased, “If you boys don’t hurry up, the bar is going to be closed by the time we even get out of this garage.”

They quickly shook out of their stupor and climbed in the car. Clearly they had not seen you dressed up enough. Dean started Baby up and the three of you headed out.

The drive to the bar was not very long, and before you knew it, Dean was pulling into a parking spot. You got out, and headed inside with the brothers. As you walked in, you noticed they each flanked you. You realized they were feeling protective, and you couldn’t help but loop your arms through theirs in a burst of rare affection for the two of them. Looking up, you caught them exchanging happy smiles over your head. This was going to be a fun night, you thought to yourself.

The three of you reached the bar, and while you and Sam sat down, Dean ordered three whiskeys. One thing that you knew the boys liked about you was that you could drink like they did. The bartender brought you your drinks, and you all took a big gulp from your glasses, wincing slightly at the burn that trailed down your throats.

“Ok, Y/N.” Dean looked at you seriously as he put his glass down. “This is the plan. We’re going to get drunk, and then I’m going to teach you how to play pool with the big boys. Because you, my dear, are sadly lacking in your pool skills.” He smiled a big smile, letting you know he was teasing.

You leaned in, and said right in his face, “Challenge accepted, Winchester. Bring it on!” You laughed at the surprised look on his face and turned to Sam. Raising your glass, you gave him a nod and a wink and downed the rest of your drink.

As the three of you ordered another round, you noticed something caught in the napkin dispenser. You moved closer to inspect it, and as you did, your face paled. It was a hex bag. Pulling a napkin out of the dispenser, you used it to grab the bag and bring it to you. You turned around and sat down again, wishing to God you hadn’t seen anything. All you wanted was to get wasted and make some good memories with Sam and Dean to counter the awful ones of your parents. But you were never one to back down from a hunt. And maybe you’d get to release some pent up emotions by beating up this damn witch.

Sam noticed the napkin in your hand and asked, “Hey Y/N, what’s in the napkin?”

You groaned and pulled it below the counter before you opened it up. Their eyes widened as they saw you reveal a hex bag. Sighing, you said, “Boys, we have a witch in our territory. We’ve got work to do.”

Dean hung his head and sighed. “Why tonight?” he asked, frustrated. “This stupid witch couldn’t have waited for us to get ONE NIGHT off?” He grabbed his second drink and downed it in three gulps. He growled, “Let’s go finish this mother fucker.”

You slid off your seat and headed to the door when your head started spinning. Unable to stay upright, you crashed into Sam, who caught you. “Y/N? Y/N what’s going on? What’s wrong?” His concerned eyes swam above you as you tried to focus on what he was saying.

“Sam.. ‘M so dizzy.. Why…” You left it at that, feeling more than dizzy. Your stomach turned, and you turned your head just in time as you vomited violently all over the floor. You felt fear threaten to overwhelm you as you saw blood on the floor.

Dean grabbed your head when you finished and shook you gently to get your attention. “Y/N! You gotta talk to us! What’s wrong?” His deep voice was slightly husky with his urgency.

You met his eyes and moaned, “So dizzy.. and my stomach!” You clutched your stomach as pain shot through it, draining you.

Sam’s arms tightened around you as you went limp, the strength quickly leaving your body. He hoisted you up bridal style and said to Dean, “Dude, what happened to the hex bag?”

Dean’s eyes widened in understanding, and he quickly checked your pockets. As he patted through them, he apologetically said, “Sorry Y/N, I promise you I’m not trying to feel you up.” Dean found it and tucked the hex bag into his shirt’s front pocket, handling it with a bandana, before heading for the car. Sam was hot on his heels with you in his arms.

When they reached Baby, Dean helped Sam get you into the back seat before they opened up the hex bag. They mumbled in confusion as they realized it must have been made for you. Its location originally seemed a coincidence. But the fact that once you held the hex bag and then got sick solidified their theory. The witch knew you and wanted you to suffer.

Dean worked on destroying the bag while Sam patted a wet rag along your face, trying to help the best he can. Your eyelids fluttered weakly as you turned your head to look at him. The bag may have been gone, but you were still weak from whatever the bag inflicted on you. As you felt the rag on your face, your feverish thought process picked up. This isn’t over… If I’m sick, Sam and Dean are distracted. It would have been too easy to just destroy the hex bag. Trap... Y/N, get your act together and warn them! You forced your eyes fully open and looked at Sam. He met your eyes in surprise, seeing a fear and determination in yours. You forced yourself to put full sentences together, and say, “Sam. This is too easy. It’s a trap- you two need to arm up. I think the witch is here.” As you finished, you heard two thumps. Sam leaned back and looked towards the sound.

“Dean! Y/N, Dean’s down!” As the reality of your situation fully set in, your adrenaline started to kick in.

Good to know that I can practically be on my deathbed and my adrenaline will bring me back, you thought wryly. You stayed low and slid out of the car, carefully watching the surrounding lot. Sam grabbed Dean and pulled him over to you. He had a lump on his head, but his pulse was steady. What the hell? How did he get knocked out? Friggin witch must be here…

Sam motioned for you to lie down and roll under the car. You rolled under the car and waited a few seconds, knowing the witch must be close. As you got ready to emerge from the other side, you heard an angry, rough, female voice utter three words in latin, and then you heard another two thuds.

Shit. She must have gotten Sam. What the hell does she want? Is she one of those psychos that plays with her victims before she kills them? Your stomach turned uncomfortably as your imagination ran away with you, disgusting images flashing before your eyes. Yo. Dude. Gotta focus, you told yourself. Sam and Dean need me.. With that thought you rolled out and sprang to your feet, ready to fight.

For the first time in your short hunting career, you were grateful that you had faced so many witches. Being a quick learner, you knew a spell or two yourself. As you located the witch, you yelled, “Obmutesce!”

Roughly, you knew you were removing her ability to speak. You saw her work her mouth in surprise and frustration, and you grinned. The spell worked. Grabbing a knife and a gun from your bag in the back seat, you faced her. As she tried to get around the spell, you took a second to study her. She had dark brown hair, dark eyes, and a long, albeit pretty face. She was a little taller than you, and clearly had some class. Her wardrobe just screamed ‘snobby rich girl’.

As the two of you locked eyes, hers went black. Immediately your mind went into panic mode. She’s a demon witch? A witch demon? I’m screwed! Sam and Dean need to wake up! Shit!

Your face remained hard and confident as you called out, “Ya know, you may be the spawn of hell, but without the ability to speak, there’s really jack shit you can do to me without having to fight me.” You forced yourself to give a big predatory grin that you learned from Dean. “And well, I’ve got two weapons here that will kill you.” You hold up the gun and the knife tauntingly. Thankfully, you’d stolen the demon killing knife from Dean after the last hunt, and had stuck it in your bag- intending to be the one to kill the next demon the three of you faced.

The witch raised a hand, looking smug, and flicked her wrist. Your weapons yanked out of your hands and went flying. Your jaw went slack. Ok, she’s a demon who isn’t afraid to use her demon powers. Bluffing, failed. Plan B. Attack? You grimaced as you realized you’d have to charge her. This is one fight I’m probably going to be feeling for a week... You groaned mentally and went to attack her.

If it was a fight she wanted, it was a fight she’d get. Thanks to your parents, you’d always been able to defend yourself. You knew aikido, karate, and boxing. You’d beaten both Sam and Dean in several training fights.

The minute you got close, she snapped her fingers and you found yourself flying through the air, crashing onto a car’s windshield a few yards away. Ahhh...That one hurt. Freaking bitch. Who does she think she is? You growled at her, “What? Afraid you can’t take me in a fair fight? Is that why you’re hiding behind your stupid demon powers?” You approached her again, taking your eyes off her for a split second to check on Sam and Dean. They were both still and unmoving.

That made you even angrier, and you attacked again. This time the witch let you get even closer before she waved her hand and sent you flying again. You contacted a car’s driver door, the impact jarring every bone in your body. You prayed to yourself, Come on Sam, come on Dean... I don’t know how to exorcise her! Wake up! I’m only going to be able to take this for so long... Even just two hits in and you could feel your body giving. You were sure you have a couple cracked ribs, and maybe a mild concussion. Cars were hard, unforgiving objects.

As you walked towards the witch again, warily, you noticed Dean stirring. Perfect. Time to help wake him up. Throwing caution to the wind, you charged her at top speed and full volume, knowing you wouldn’t get even close at that rate. Sure enough, she grinned maniacally as you got closer, before sending you off through the air once again. This time, you get knocked against a light post.

As you hit the post, and then the ground, you felt a searing pain in your knee and your shoulder. Eyes welling, you looked down and saw your kneecap was not at the front of your knee. Despite the rising urgency of the situation, you couldn’t help but think how gross it was. You couldn’t look at the disfigured limb without feeling weak and began to taste bile in your throat. Your shoulder was just about in the same situation. You could feel it out of its socket.

Looking up, you saw the witch making her way to you. As you watched her approach, you wished you could talk to her and find out why she had such an interest in you. Despite your pain-addled brain going haywire, you managed to organize your thoughts enough to try to identify your attacker. Do I know her? We haven’t faced her before.. or she’d be dead. Is it the demon that knows me? Which demon is it?

You started getting desperate, realizing you were completely helpless against a freaking demon. She stopped in front of you and crouched down to your level, staring at you closely. Your voice filled with pain, you ask, “Who are you? What do you want with us?”

As you asked, you heard the sound of flesh being torn, and you saw the demon-killing knife protrude from her chest. You looked up in shock, and you saw Dean pulling his knife from the witch’s body. His hard battle face changed into one of deep concern as he looked at you.

“Y/N! Man, you are messed up... What hurts?”

You responded softly, trying hard not to cry. “My shoulder and knee... I think they’re dislocated. My ribs feel cracked, and my head hurts like nobody’s business.” You looked at him helplessly.

Dean’s face battled between sympathy for you and anger at the witch. His sympathy won, and he said, “Here, let’s get you up.” He wrapped his arm around your waist and helped haul you to your feet, mindful of your dislocated knee and shoulder.

Now that Dean was awake and here, and the witch/demon/enemy was dead, you started going into shock. You began to tremble, and Dean saw you starting to deteriorate. He quickly said, “Oh no you don’t,” and slapped your face gently. “We still have some work to do, sweetheart. Don’t worry, Sammy and I will take care of you.”

Startled into calm, you look at him. The words started tumbling out of your mouth, “Dean, it was a witch possessed by a demon. I didn’t know who she was, and I muted her, so I couldn’t find out after that. She never let me get close. She just kept tossing me around like she was freaking Goliath, and oh my God, Dean, I hurt so bad...” At this point you couldn’t handle it, and the tears started to cascade down your cheeks, leaving you breathless as you lost control.

Dean brought you as close to his chest as he could without hurting you, and shushed you softly. “Shhh, Y/N it’s ok.. Shh. You did great, kid. You did great. The bitch is dead now- there’s nothing to worry about. Hey, you’re ok. Shh...”

He held you for several minutes, allowing you to cry your stress, fear, pain, and anger out. As you finished, despite the massive amount of pain you were in, you relished the moment of getting to snuggle with Dean; it happened so rarely that you’d take it, regardless of the circumstance.

Once you had quieted down, Dean helped you over to where Sam was, who was slowly waking up. He sat up slowly and put his hand to his head, groaning softly. As he looked around, he saw you and Dean. Immediately he was on his feet and hovering anxiously when you told him not to touch your right side. Dean helped you perch on the side of Baby’s backseat while you discussed how best to get you home.

Sam looked at you guiltily and said, “Y/N, I can put your shoulder and knee back into place, but it’s gonna hurt a lot. And you’ll probably be in even more pain once they’re back. Do you want to do this now?”

You looked at him wearily, with your tear-stained face. “Sam, I’m in more pain than I’ve been in my life, quite honestly. So since my pain record has been set tonight, it doesn’t matter to me how high it gets as long as I can get fixed quickly.”

Dean stepped in at this point, and explained, “Y/N, he’s just asking because we can take you to a hospital and have them do it while you’re on pain meds. You’ll be a lot more comfortable, but they might not let you go home tonight. If we do it, it’ll be a helluva lot more uncomfortable, but you’ll be home, and we can take care of you there.”

You attempted a smile. “It’s a no-brainer, boys... Help me out. And take me home? Please?”

Needless to say, your level of pain went from overwhelming to excruciating when they reset your knee and shoulder. But you were grateful the boys could get you right again. Dean was driving and Sam was helping prop you up in a comfortable position in the back seat.

You reflected as you were lulled into a half-asleep state. Ha... And here I was thinking today couldn’t get any worse. My parents disowned me, I don’t get to get drunk because I got attacked by a demon-witch, and then I’m almost killed because I can’t protect myself, Sam, or Dean. What a fantastic fucking day.

Sam’s voice brought you to a more conscious state. “Y/N? Hey, sweetheart. Sorry, I know you’re falling asleep. I just wanted to tell you I know you’re probably beating yourself up, and you’re probably thinking about how much today sucked. Which,” he paused to smile briefly, “would be fair. However, I want you to know that you were incredibly brave today. Not many new hunters would be willing to face such an intimidating challenge alone.” He bent his head around sideways to look at you and see what you were thinking about. “Seriously, Y/N. Dean and I are proud to call you our sister and fellow hunter. Family is more than just blood.”

You smiled up at him as you felt sleep starting to take over you. “Sam, there’s no one I would rather have as my brothers. Thank you for taking me in. I love you guys.”

You continue thinking as you fight sleep. The bunker, living with my boys, that’s my home. They’re my family. Sam and Dean are the only two who matter in my life. I choose my family...

Sam smoothed your hair gently as you nodded off. “It’s us who are grateful, Y/N. You are the sister we never had.”

[pitter-pattering-ink]

They call us “Angels”

1.

She has no name but is known by all in her village. She is the woman who weaves baskets faster than anyone else. She is the the one who knows exactly when to pick berries to get the perfect ripeness. She is the mother of a boy who refuses to paint with the other children because the texture of paint against his hands doesn’t feel right. She is the creator of the first paintbrush.

She is my first human, my first assignment as a protector. I guard her from all I can and hope I do well. When she grows ill I hold her hand while she begins to nod off. Her son is in the other room- she did not want him to see her like this. I will look after him too.

In her sleep, she smiles, lacing her fingers through my own. To have a body is still foreign to me, but I manage to squeeze back. She should not be able to feel this. I don’t let go.

-

Our task is simple. Protect the humans. Let them grow. Do whatever we can as to not stall their progress.

And goodness, do they make progress.

2.

He is the first to learn how the scraping of flint and steal can cause sparks to fly. I watch as he grows- he’s a curious one, this one. Many times I lead animals away from where he sits, always too distracted to notice. He has many names, for the grunts and murmurs  of vocal chords are still adjusting, and sound is something they are still trying to find the boundaries of. “Ma” seems to be his favorite. When he figures out how to turn sparks to fire I put myself between him and the flames to keep him from being burnt. They don’t leave marks in the same way they would him.

Everything is fast after that. Suddenly things can be cooked. Meat is much more edible than before. Suddenly water is safe to drink without the risk of disease. Suddenly warmth can be found in places other than the curves of another person. He hands it to everyone he knows and they take it with clumsy footing, no doubt leaving singed earth along their path. We will worry about it later; they learn quicker than anything we have seen in a long, long time.

-

They won’t stop growing. There are so many- we are in the millions but it is only a matter of time before they surpass even that. There are many other species that grow at similar paces. But none of them take so much time to mature. None of them have so much to learn- none of them have all that and more.

We were not built to worry. We do, however, wonder.

3.

They tell stories. Nothing has ever done this before.

Then again, I imagine nothing has ever been this lonely either.

I am assigned a boy named Jack. He is born on a ship, the moistness of wood replacing the soft of grass while the world moves beneath him. When night falls and the waves grow rocky everyone gathers in the middle of the deck, taking turns weaving tales under the stars. They discover religion. They discover us.

We have a name, now. Angels. We have never had a name before- nature never referred to us with anything close to that. It feels foreign against my tongue, yet it’s surprisingly fitting. We grow into our new labels.

Jack slips and nearly falls off deck, but I am there to keep him steady. His mother thanks me for my efforts. Calls it a blessing from the gods. I am no god, but I appreciate the sentiment. She tells him, “Be more careful next time. These waves will only grow more rough.”. She tells him, “The sea is no kind beast. She will balance us above the dangers below but she is not to be held responsible for anything- or anyone- who sinks further.”. She tells him, a bit teary up, “I may be the captain of this ship, but not even I could save you from waters like this.”

He learns how to stay standing when the wood beneath his feet refuses to still. We listen to stories together.

The children’s favorites are the ones told by his mother. She leans against a cane and speaks of adventures she has had, run ins with other pirates, loves she has cherished and betrayals she is still bitter from. Most of them, I’m sure, aren’t half true. Jack does not seem to mind.

Eventually she grows too old to run the ship. He takes her place, leaning against her- his- cane and telling tall tails of danger, run ins he has had with other men his age. Men who he had a fondness for and those expected better of. Most of them, I know, aren’t true in the slightest. The children do not seem to mind and the crew are not the type to ruin a good story.

He dies in his thirties after a particularly rough storm. As careful as he was, nature does not hold back or those who are weary. I keep the pressure off his lungs for as long as I can. I try to make every gulp of water taste sweet and calming. It takes everything in me to make his death peaceful.

But some people are simply not ready. He trashes till he can’t. Panic only clears when his vision darkens.

His body is never found. The crew mourn him like they mourned his mother. They keep the cane in their honor.

-

They won’t stop dying. They pass from the tiniest things, always so quick, always before we can do anything to help. Sometimes we can’t, even given the time. Sickness is everywhere now. People are dying in the streets. We can’t do anything to heal them. The best we can do is prolong the inevitable- that, however, is much too painful a death to seem like a blessing.

They call it the plague. They call it a punishment from god. Our names go from ‘angels’ to ‘demons’ very, very quickly.

We are only able to bless things that already exist. You cannot eat a cake when you have no ingredients. The doctors don’t know how to fix this- they are not yet advanced enough to deal with something this big. We can only sit and watch, horrified, as those we have been sworn to protect die by our feet. I am assigned more people than I can count. Their names become a blur. By the time it’s all over, humanity has changed. They have lost so many. We have lost so many.

For a while, each miracle leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

4.

The most stressful assignments, although also very amusing, are the ones who need to be protected from themselves.

His name has been passed down from generation to generation, yet he much prefers to go by Eric. I help him breathe through his corsets and let time pass faster when he’s forced into a face full of make-up. On the few occasions he steals pants from his brother’s room I make sure his footsteps are quiet, because such things are life or death in times like these.

His family is rich and he is tired. They throw parties of plenty, and I hold his tongue when he’s pressured into dancing with the other men there. He steps on their toes and I laugh. Eric is all too ready to rebel in ways that girls his age get disowned for. I let the small things through, smiling at his internal dialog, filled with sass and curses and things that would make his father turn purple. Nothing too big. Never what he really yearns for.

A boy lets go of his hand and gives a terse smile, excusing himself to the food table. We watch him limp away. Eric grins.

He dies young. With a tongue that sharp, it was to be expected. He is caught kissing a woman with undamaged shoes while they both are wearing pants. It was the only time I let him. Witches, they call them. I do my best to save them both, but it’s useless. Heels are not meant for running.

They are buried in unmarked graves. It’s the only blessing I can give.

-

They recover their numbers quickly. It seems no matter what, they always bounce back in a relatively short amount of time.  It’s amazing. It’s terrifying. We get assigned more than one person at a time.

5.

My first household is a family of three. It’s a mother, a daughter, and a child that’s somewhere in-between. Mostly I look over the children- their mother works from home and is much less prone to mistakes than them. And goodness, are they reckless. Their names are Rose and Julian. Rose is a night owl and I have to make sure on more than one occasion that she doesn’t spill mugs of hot coffee on herself. It’s a brutal task, especially when she refuses to sleep when she should. I urge her to drink colder drinks. She refuses.

She is stubbed toes and dropped papers, noise when it should be quiet. She is clumsy. A long, long time ago, this would have been a dangerous trait to have. But things have changed. This world was built by people like her. She will be okay.

Julian is young but they are not stupid. They know more about the ways of the body than any human I have watched over before, bookshelves filled to the brim with pages upon pages filled with the morbid details of what makes humans blood flesh and bone. They flap their hands when they’re frustrated and chew on whatever they can get their hands on. This world was not made for them. I hope it will be rebuilt by the time they’re old enough to live in it.

They are experiments gone wrong and the urge to learn more, even when it becomes less than safe. I bless their hands to stay uncut while experimenting on a dead frog, holding knives that are much too sharp for someone their age. I don’t stop their mom from waking up to scold them. I do make sure they get to keep the frog.

I grow more connected to these children than anyone else I have ever looked after. Jack would have liked them- he would have told them so many stories. I’m with them while they take their driver’s test, pressing their feet down with just enough pressure on the gas petal for smooth sailing. Rose refuses alcohol for the first time and I am there to make sure she doesn’t give into peer pressure. Julian studies for a medical degree, studies how to make this world better for people like them. They don’t need much help on their tests, but I’m still there to lead their pencil on particularly hard questions.

They move out but they stay connected. I watch them bring new people into their lives, watch as their create families of their own. Over the years they change, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. But they are always kind. They are always Rose and Julian.

I’m not as foolish to say I forget how they died. However I don’t like to think about it, so that’s as close to forgetting as I’ll get.

They were good.

I was not built to miss people. Yet they still linger.

-

Our task was simple. Protect the humans. Let them grow. Do whatever we could do as to not stall their progress.

There were many we could not save, and even those that we did were still doomed to the same end. Fate has it’s limits- you can only bend it so much. We were already testing it’s patience by simply existing. And that was fine. Death is normal, death is natural.

But these humans- these humans are different. They create and they are kind to a fault and there is nothing else like that. We did not expect to learn from them. We did not expect for this to hurt.

We did not expect to care.

5.

There’s a woman who lives to be 94. She is one of the lucky few to make it so far. She has grandchildren of plenty and their parents are happy. We all call her Nana. I watched over them for generations, the longest I have for any family before. In her last moments she prays. She tells me I did a good job.

Her grandson dies at age seventeen because I am busy helping his brother clean up glass. I do not pray- such things are better left to those who have faith. But I do hope she forgives me.

13.

I try my best to keep them safe. But this family, this family is not meant to last. There is always something wrong, always something broken, always something that needs to be blessed. It wears me out in ways I have not experienced for centuries. I can’t- I can’t help them all.

In the end there is only one left. She cannot bear to be alone.

No miracle can help someone who does not want to be helped.

21.

The sweetest boy I’ve ever protected is in a family full of rotten people. He is the best thing in that house. I give blessing after blessing, miracle after miracle, and he lives to be happy. He finds a husband and a wife- I bless them too. When he dies it’s a shock even to me. The world seems to dim. I protect his spouses and everyone else he cared about. It’s the first time I come dangerously close to grieving. He would not have liked that.

56.

While the family sleeps, their cat nuzzles into the couch and gives me a slow blink. I always end up sitting with it for the next hour. I cannot touch it, but it seems to appreciate my presence anyway. I miracle it mice to catch.

73.

They are sisters- there is nobody left but them. How reckless they are, spray cans routinely clanging against the cement while they take off from the police. They laugh while they run, and it would be sweet if it weren’t so dangerous. They get caught, once, because I feel they need to know just how serious this is.

The cop lets them off with a warning but also makes the one with darker skin lay on the floor while the other stands.

I do not let them get caught again.

When they pass I make sure their graffiti stays up, soon surrounded by many similar pieces by people like themselves. My next assigned family passes it on the way to the subway and I have to pause for a moment. I come very close to smiling. It would have made them happy.

?

We love them,

?

We grieve them,

?

We miss them.

-

We are angels. We are guardians of humans, protectors of families. We are the small miracles, the big blessings, and we play a balancing act with death just for them. Because they are growing and they are evolving. Because they love in ways we did not know were possible and they love us in ways that can only be described as ‘human’.

They have taught us so much. They have taught us to feel.

There is nothing we would not do for them. Challenging fate is just one of our many favors.

We are angels, and they are human. They are learning and so are we. Because of them we know love. We would not trade them for the world.

-

Our task is simple. Protect the humans. Let them grow. Do whatever we can as to not tall their progress.

And my goodness, do they grow.

But to our shock, so do we.

-

[stupouid]

Unity (ATLA boys x reader) Chapter 2

Chapter 1| Chapter 2

A/N: this one has lots of cute sokka moments for Y/N!!!!! you go girl!!

I kind of edited this so yeah<3

Warning: like 3 curse words

Word count: over 3k words lelele

ask any questions in my askbox!

Chapter 2

The Swamp Meeting Sokka and Katara, formally, was… interesting, for Y/N. When Katara saw Aang walking towards the two siblings with Y/N, her first instinct was to freeze her, not even acknowledging the way Aang wasn’t even troubled by Y/N’s presence.

“Katara!” Aang shouted, as he unfreezed the ice that entrapped Y/N. “This is Y/N. She’s King Bumi’s granddaughter, and more importantly, she’s a friend. She defied Princess Azula, Zuko’s sister, to save me. If it wasn’t for her King Bumi and I would probably be fried.”

“I don’t believe you.” Sokka stated. “If you were really King Bumi’s granddaughter, we would have met you weeks ago, the last time we were here.”

“It’s a long story, but I can assure you I’m no threat. I’m not a fire bender or an earth bender, I’m already considered a traitor to the fire nation, and I left my sword and my throwing knives back home. The only way I could possibly hurt you is by chi-blocking, and I’m not even as good as Ty Lee!”

“Hold on. Why’d you say earth or fire bender? And why do we have matching necklaces?” Sokka questioned.

“She’ll tell us while we’re on Appa. Now come on, I have an earthbending teacher to find. Y/N, you wouldn’t happen to know any great earthbending teachers, right?”

“No, I don’t, but I’m tired. And your sky bison is so cute!”

Y/N told Sokka, Katara, and Aang the whole story. How her mother was the princess of Omashu and how she traveled the whole world and had many suitors from different nations (Y/N's mother had multiple water tribe suitors and her favorite had given her a necklace similar to Sokka’s, hence as to why they match), how Y/N's mother had Y/N with a fire nation noblemen which led to Y/M/N being disowned by her family, how Y/N grew up in the fire nation and how Y/N moved to Omashu after her mother’s death, and how Y/N was too scared to set foot anywhere near the royal palace. 

It was a lot for the watertribe siblings to take in, but they sympathized with her as they both lost a mother as well. Ultimately, they decided she wasn’t a threat to them and would help them out when navigating the fire nation and Ba Sing Se, as the girl traveled to many places due to her father and mother’s high status.Katara may have trusted Y/N right away, but Sokka was still suspicious of the girl, and most likely jealous too. 

Sokka certainly didn’t appreciate the fact that Y/N was a better warrior than him even though he was older than her, and he was jealous because of the way she had with a sword. 

Days passed and the four teens were flying over a large forested area, covered with a blanket of fog. Aang was in some sort of trance and Y/N was eyeing the swamp suspiciously, while Sokka sharpened his machete and Katara studied some scroll.

“Hey, you taking us down for a reason?” Sokka questioned. There was no reply from Aang, and Y/N didn’t bother to answer Sokka. The swamp was too… ominous. 

“Aang, why are we going down?”Aang must have snapped out of his trance because he then said, “What? I didn’t even notice.”

“Are you noticing now?” The watertribe boy retorted. Noticing Sokka’s harsh attitude, Katara moved up to the front of the saddle, and said, “Is something wrong?”

“This is going to sound really weird,” Aang started, “but I think the swamp is calling to me.”

Y/N interjected with, “I feel it too. I can hear some sort of… ringing, I guess. It’s weird and I don’t like it.”

Sokka ignored what Y/N said and targeted his next question to Aang. “Well, is it telling you where we can get something to eat? I’m starving!” At this, Y/N rolled her eyes. In the short time that she knew Sokka, she had pinned down three of his personality traits to be talking about food, girls, and his boomerang. Disgusting. 

Y/N tuned out the rest of the conversation until she heard Sokka scream, “You better throw in an extra yip! We gotta move!” And that was when Y/N saw the tornado.

Y/N had never liked tornadoes. She also wasn’t fond of lightning. As Y/N was panicking, she saw Sokka fly off Appa’s saddle. She instinctively reached out for his hand and he grabbed on to it. Y/N saw the look of panic on his face, since Y/N was the person who would decide if he would live or die. She could either let him go here and risk Katara freezing her to death, or bring Sokka back onto the saddle and have him owe his entire life to her. The princess went with the latter. 

As Y/N helped Sokka onto the saddle, Aang created an air shield around Appa. However, Aang was struggling with keeping it intact, and eventually the shield broke and Appa and the rest of the team fell into the swamp. Fortunately, Y/N fell right next to Aang, so he bended the air to give them a soft landing. 

Aang stood straight up and looked around, asking, “Where’s Appa and Momo?” When he didn’t find them right away, he shouted, “APPA! MOMO!” Y/N was laying on a tree root and had no intention of moving until Sokka appeared right before her with a huge-ass grin on his face.

“What? Did ya’ get too tired Princess?” Sokka teased. Y/N's face turned red, totally not from Sokka calling her princess. Her face turned red because he was teasing. Yup.

Fuming, Y/N replied with, “Funny, because I was the one who saved you. Now you owe me your life.” Y/N stood up and brushed off the dirt from her clothes. Sokka was left speechless by the girl, because everything she said was factual. 

Soon the four of them were united and Sokka suggested they start a fire. Aang and Sokka argued while Katara noticed that Y/N was just in the background. Walking over to Y/N, Katara said, “Hey. Are you, uh, okay?”

“What?” Y/N replied, “Oh no, I’m fine. Really. I’m just not a big fan of this place.”

“Oh, okay. Just… let me know if you need anything, yeah?” Y/N simply just nodded in response to Katara. The four kids had dinner and then went to sleep, huddled against each other for warmth. Or more like Katara and Aang were huddled together in the middle, and Sokka and Y/N were on the outside. Suddenly, Sokka screamed, and the rest of the three teens woke up, only to be dragged away by some vines. Y/N tried her best to get out of the vines, but with no weapon (it was with Sokka) or no bending, she was stuck. 

“Guys? GUYS!” she screamed, but no luck. Y/N kept wiggling inside of the vines until they randomly let go.Stepping out of the cage of vines, Y/N was met with a figure. Y/N could tell that the figure was most likely female, so she called out, “Hey lady! Could you uhh… help me find my friends?”The lady didn’t respond, so Y/N started walking towards the woman. Y/N was just about 5 feet away from the mysterious woman until she turned around, and Y/N was met with the face of...her mother.  

“Mom?” Y/N asked, with tears coming to her eyes.“Mom, is that really you?” The mysterious woman just nodded, and Y/N ran over to her, tears streaming down her s/c skin. “Mom!”

“Y/N,” the lady started, “I want you to know that… that the heart wants what it wants. The person you end up with may not be the person you expected. The person you may end up with may have crossed you many times before. But just know that they’re with you for a good reason, and that they love you for you. The person you end up with is an amazing warrior with an intelligent mind.” Y/N didn’t know what else to say. She wasn’t even thinking about love yet, she was only fourteen for spirit’s sake! Nonetheless, Y/N accepted her mother’s advice with a thank you. The young girl was about to embrace her mother when her image started shimmering.

“Mom? Mom!” Y/N called out. 

“Y/N! I love you so, so much! Don’t forget what I said!” Screamed Y/N’s mother, and then she disappeared into the night. Y/N stood there, processing what her mother had told her. Why was it important that she know who she would end up with? She had expected her mother to apologize for not telling her the whole truth, or some information on a powerful earthbender so she could help Aang with his search. 

Y/N shook her head and her h/c hair framed her face. The girl started walking, not sure of where she was going, until she came upon a large clearing. (in reality some vines pushed her until she reached said clearing.) She found a tree root and sat on it, thinking about whatever the hell her mother had just said, until Sokka appeared, along with Katara and Aang.

“What do you guys think you’re doing!?” Sokka shouted, as he put away his machete. “I’ve been looking all over for you!” 

Katara, obviously agitated, replied with, “Well, I’ve been wandering around looking for you! And you, Y/N, where were you?”

Y/N was about to speak, but Aang cut her off with, “I was chasing some girl.” Y/N couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“What girl?” Katara asked. Y/N couldn’t tell if she was jealous or just plain confused.

“I don’t know. I heard some girl laughing and I saw a girl in a fancy dress.” Aang replied.

“Well there must be a tea party here and we didn’t get our invitations!” Sokka screamed sarcastically. Y/N giggled. Who knew Sokka could actually be funny? “What are you laughing at, Y/N?” said the watertribe boy.

“Nothing!” the h/c haired girl replied. “Nope, nothing at all.”

“I thought I saw mom.” Katara stated. 

“Oh. I thought I saw my mother too.” Y/N uttered. Sokka frowned as he noticed Y/N didn’t seem too happy about it. 

“Really? Did your mother say anything to you? I tried to reach out to my mom but she disappeared before she could tell me anything!” Katara blurted.

“She talked to me about the person I be with in the future. She said they were a skilled warrior who was very intelligent. I don’t know anyone like that though. Except some people in the fire nation, but based on how things are going, that’s a no. But she also said that the person I end up with is not someone I would expect.” Sokka mulled over her words.

“You don’t know anyone like that? What about me? I’m intelligent! And I’m the best warrior in the Southern Water Tribe!” Sokka exclaimed. Hearing Sokka’s words made Y/N blush, but also made her laugh.

“Well, I’m sorry that you were so offended by my mother. I’ll admit, you’re smart, but you could work on your skills with a sword.” Y/N breathed. 

The two kept bickering until Sokka said, “Look, we were all just scared and hungry and our minds were playing tricks on us. That's why we all saw things out here.” 

Katara looked surprised. “You saw something too?” 

Sokka looked away, obviously thinking about what he was going to say next.“I saw… I saw Yue. But that doesn’t prove anything! Look, I think about her all the time, and you and Y/N saw your moms, who you guys probably miss a lot.” 

Y/N knew who Yue was. Despite constantly bickering, there were some times where Sokka and Y/N had deep conversations, conversations Sokka was too scared to have with Katara. They talked about Y/N's past, and how Yue’s death deeply affected Sokka. 

“What about me? I didn't know the girl I saw. And all our visions led us right here.” Aang started walking around, thinking deeply, trying to connect the dots.

“Okay ... so where's here? The middle of the swamp?” Katara questioned.

Y/n cut in. “I think… I think this is the heart of the swamp. It has to be the center. I think it was calling us.”

“It's just a tree. It can't call anyone. For the last time, there's nothing after us and there's nothing magical happening here.” As soon as Sokka said that, a huge seaweed monster appeared before them. 

Sokka screamed and ran straight to Y/N, wrapping his arms around her, while Y/N just stood there trying to understand what the hell had just appeared right in front of them. The monster started attacking the four friends, so they all split up. 

The monster got to Sokka first, picking him up and swinging him around like an infant would with a toy. Aang bended the air to chop off one the arm that was holding Sokka, only to become the next target for the seaweed creature. 

After Sokka was free from the creature’s grasp, Y/N helped the tan boy tear up some of the vines, as he gave her back her sword just seconds ago. Things were going smoothly until Sokka was swiped from the ground, (yes, again) but Y/N chopped off the arm that was holding him. 

Katara was using her water to slice another arm of the creature but the holes the water bender created kept on growing back. Aang was running around trying to lose the vines that were reaching out towards him. Sokka was randomly sucked into the chest of the creature while Y/N was trying her best to reach for his hand. 

Katara froze and then unfroze Sokka, allowing him to get out of the seaweed monster's chest. 

“There’s someone in there!” Sokka shouted to Katara. “He’s bending the vines!” Katara looked over to Y/N and the both nodded, signalling they were about to do something badass.

Katara ran to the left of the monsters body and sliced the monster’s head on using her water bending while Y/N hacked away at the right side of the monster’s body using her sword. The seaweed head of the creature slid off the body, and the man inside the seaweed was exposed. 

Aang shouted, “Why did you call me here if you wanted to kill us!?”

The man inside the monster said, “Wait! I didn’t call you here.” The man was wearing nothing but a loincloth covering his, you know, and a leaf hat on top of his head. 

Almost instinctively Sokka covered Y/N's eyes. Annoyed, she put his hand down and said, “I’m only a year younger than you. I don’t need your protection. I’m mature and I can defend myself just fine. I don’t need you.”

“Whatever. How am I gonna be a warrior if I have no one to protect?” Sokka started. 

“You can protect your sister-”

“The last time I tried to do that, she found the Avatar. Plus, she’s a bender. And the last princess I had to save turned into the moon. You may not be a princess yet, but I’m going to protect you. Think of it as my... redemption.”

At this point Y/N’s face was extremely red. 

“Well I think your redemption is a whole lot of bull. I’m not just some replacement for Yue, Sokka.” Y/N scoffed and started walking towards where the water benders were.Sokka reached for Y/N’s wrist tugged on it, pulling the s/c girl to him. Y/N couldn’t help but think of what happened with Zuko before she left. 

“I didn’t mean it that way, you idiot. You aren’t a replacement of Yue for me. We may fight a lot, but I care about you, Y/N.” 

Y/N thought about his words. She gave him a smile and said, “I guess,” then started walking towards Katara and Aang, who were following the weird swamp man. 

“So, who are you then?” She heard Katara say. The strange man started bending vines out of the way to create a path. 

“I protect the swamp from folks that want to hurt it, like this fella with his big knife.” 

Embarrassed, Sokka put away his weapon, but then said, “See, completely reasonable. Not a monster, just a regular guy defending his home. Nothing mystical about it.”

The strange man, who’s name turned out to be Huu, laughed. “Oh the swamp is a mystical place all right. It's sacred. I reached enlightenment right here under the banyan-grove tree. I heard it calling me, just like you did.” He sat down on the said tree. 

Sokka elbowed Y/N in the stomach and said, “Sure you did. It seems real chatty.” Y/N couldn’t help but giggle and Sokka looked over to the younger girl with a look of confidence on his face. 

“See, this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles,” Huu started. “Branches spread and sink, take root, and spread some more. One big, living organism. Just like the entire world.” Y/N was amazed. She looked around, her face filled with awe of the place. 

The princess didn’t bother to listen to the rest of their conversation, and rejoined the group when she saw they were all sitting down. 

“In the swamp, we see visions of people we've lost, people we loved, folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to them. Time is an illusion and so is death.” Confusion washed over Y/N’s face. Was death really an illusion? Sokka noticed Y/N’s troubled looks and placed an arm on her shoulder, feeling pride in the way she relaxed against his touch. 

“But what about my vision? It was someone I had never met.” Aang questioned. 

“You're the Avatar. You tell me.” replied Huu. Aang mumbled something about how time was an illusion but Y/N didn’t pay attention. 

She was daydreaming about who-knows-what until she heard Aang shout “Come on! We’ve got to hurry!” 

The rest of the teens followed him through the swamp until he led them to Appa and Momo. There was a fight about the creatures, but eventually, Aang had his precious animals back.

Time passed quickly, and suddenly it was night time, and the GAang and the swamp benders were huddled around a fire. Y/N had complained about being too cold despite the swamp being normally warm and Sokka had wrapped his coat around Y/N’s shoulders. 

“How you like that possum chicken?” A swamp bender named Due asked. 

Sokka responded with,“Tastes just like arctic hen.” He shoveled another spoonful of soup into his mouth, then swallowed. “So why were you guys so interested in eating Appa? You've got plenty of those big things wandering around.” 

Sokka pointed at the catgator right next to the swamp benders. Due looked shocked. 

“You want me to eat old Slim? He's like a member of the family!” Due then grabbed a fish from wherever and tossed it towards the catgator. The catgator catched it and Sokka laughed. Y/N couldn’t help but smile when she heard him chuckle, it was like music to her ears. 

“Nice Slim!” Sokka cheered. He then threw a bug at Slim, but the catgator just growled. Y/N giggled.

“Catgators don’t eat bugs, Sokka.” The girl said. Sokka turned his head towards Y/N.

“And how do I know that you’re right, Princess?” Sokka inquired as he poked Y/N’s sides. By now Y/N was giggling like crazy and Sokka looked at the girl like she was the only person on Earth. 

“The girl is right! Bugs are people food!” Due laughed. 

“Where'd you say you was from?” another swamp bender named Tho, asked. 

Katara responded with, “My brother and I are from the South Pole. Y/N was born in the Earth Kingdom Omashu, but lived in the Fire Nation Capital for most of her life. And Aang is from the Southern Air Temple!” 

“Didn't know there was waterbenders anywhere but here.” Tho breathed. “They got a nice swamp there, do they?” Y/N giggled at his statement. According to her mother, Sokka, and Katara, there were zero swamps in the northern or southern water tribes.  

“No, it's all ice and snow.” Katara corrected. 

“Hmm. No wonder you left.” Y/N found this strangely funny for some reason, and she placed her face onto Sokka’s shoulder to stifle her laughs. The watertribe boy’s face turned crimson red, as he had never experienced something like this, not even with Suki or Yue. 

Sokka cleared his throat, and to Katara, he said, “Well, I hope you realize now that nothing strange was going on here. Just a bunch of greasy people living in a swamp.” This made Y/N laugh even harder and Sokka felt extremely confident. 

“What about the visions?” Katara countered.

“I told you, we were hungry. I'm eating a giant bug!” Tears were coming out of Y/N’s eyes, Sokka was acting incredibly stupid. And the way he ate the bug’s abdomen was disturbing and hilarious at the same time. Sokka placed his arm around Y/N in an attempt to be smooth. Y/N, just thinking it was a friendly gesture, allowed it. 

“But what about when the tree showed me where Appa and Momo were?” Aang added. 

Y/N had calmed down a few moments before and was currently sitting straight up, no longer leaning on Sokka, much to his dismay.

“That’s Avatar stuff,” Y/N started. “That doesn’t count.” Y/N fixed her h/c, h/l, and then asked Huu, “How did you make that tornado that sucked us down? It was pretty freaking awesome.”

Huu looked confused. “I can't do anything like that. I just bend the water in the plants.” 

Sokka stood up, then announced, “Well, no accounting for weather. Still, there's absolutely nothing mysterious about the swamp. I’m also tired, so I’m gonna go set up our sleeping bags. Y/N? Care to assist this handsome young fellow?” He held out an arm for Y/N to grab onto. With nothing else to do, Y/N took his arm and stood up. 

“I’m not sure that the term ‘handsome young fellow’ is suitable for you, but I’m tired, so why not?” The two started walking towards Appa, on their way to get their supplies. 

taglist: @emberislandplayers​ @eridanuswave​ @fandomobsessedlife​ @hopefuloperaangelnerd​

[boasamishipper]

all the top gun Kids™️

i have decided to answer this for all of my top gun faves, i apologize in advance if this is not what you meant lol

maverick mitchell

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite | Someone Please Give Him A Hug

listen you already know i love maverick mitchell but i Really Really Love Maverick Mitchell with all my heart and i HATE that people refuse to see him for the three-dimensional character that he is (and that tom played him as). he’s determined and confident and has every right to be, he’s a badass pilot, but i love his character arc about learning how to be a team player. i LOVE his relationship with goose and carole and baby!bradley (and ice, in any capacity) and i am so ready for said relationships to Destroy me in the sequel. (also when mav is Sad i am Sad, and it looks like he has had even more to be sad about btwn tg1 and tg2. what happened to you mav. what did they do to you. mcq if u do not give this man a happy ending a hug and some therapy i swear to GOD-)

iceman kazansky

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive (i refuse to consider otherwise) | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

the fact that ice is as much of an ensemble darkhorse / breakout character has everything to do with val kilmer (whom i also love) being a fantastic actor, bc lets be real the script did not give him a lot to work with here. i love his hair and his face and his very pretty eyes (whose color i can STILL not discern after many rewatches) and his absolutely warranted confidence in himself (and as a pilot). i love that he isn’t afraid to call mav out for being unsafe (srsly, he is the Only Sane Man in this entire movie) but appreciates mav’s outside the box / ‘dangerous’ thinking as his wingman. he’s got a big heart (as evidenced by the 'i’m sorry about goose’ scene) behind those ice cold walls, and i cannot WAIT to see how his relationship with mav has grown by the time the sequel is finally released. give me respected admiral iceman kazansky or give me death. if they kill ice off i AM disowning canon mcq, do you hear me.

goose bradshaw

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite | rip cinnamon roll too good for this world

i love goose SO FUCKING MUCH, every bit of him, from the not-at-all-regulation mustache to the bad jokes to the country-fried southern vibe to the singing and piano-playing to how much he respects and cares about mav (and how much mav respects and cares about him in return). his relationship with carole is my favorite thing on this entire earth, followed closely by his relationship with mav and also his relationship with ice. (like ice really respects goose and vice versa, and they clearly knew each other pre-canon, and one of the few times ice smiles genuinely in the movie is at goose - i really wish canon gave us more goose&ice, there’s so much to analyze there.) his death scene makes me tear up every time.

carole bradshaw

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite | ray of sunshine too good for this world

carole is the BEST. actual ray of sunshine in human form and also a fashion icon. i adore her optimism and kindness, even in literally the worst times, and i especially love how much she adores goose and mav. forever bitter that they didn’t recast meg ryan to play her in the sequel though i’m sure jean louisa kelly will do a good job bringing carole to the big screen. (NOT a fan of the fact that it looks like she and mav and bradley by extension haven’t spoken in a long time and i Demand an explanation, even if it’s angsty.)

bradley bradshaw / rooster

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

last we saw bradley he was a little kid who clearly worshipped his dad and by the time the top gun 2 trailer rolled around, he’s the spitting image of his father, serious and determined to make a name for himself (with possible authority issues like young!mav, given he’s still a lieutenant in his late thirties).  i am very excited to meet him, and i’m also super excited to see his relationships with phoenix and the other pilots, and with jean louisa kelly’s carole bradshaw. (if bradley is playing great balls of fire on the piano in that one clip in the trailer i am going to just. straight up drop dead.) 

speaking of the trailers it’s clear bradley holds a serious grudge towards mav - “my dad believed in you, i’m not gonna make the same mistake” GOD. what happened btwn mav and bradley? what happened to their relationship?? (who taught him to blame mav for his dad’s death bc i hope to god it wasn’t carole - i’m leaning toward jon hamm’s character bc he seems like an asshole who does not like mav, or maybe even mav just refusing to correct bradley’s assumption bc he blames himself too.) anyway, PLEASE tell me bradley realizes he’s being an asshole by blaming mav for his dad’s death and works on repairing their relationship (and works through his own grief as well).

phoenix

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

one of the people i am most excited to meet in the sequel! i don’t know anything about her besides the info from a 2017 casting call describing her as a “fierce pilot, gifted leader, kind of a loner, eager to prove herself, who falls for bradley aka rooster,” but that is enough to make me Very Excited to meet her - ESPECIALLY if the bradley/phoenix is going to be set up like icemav, which i have a strong suspicion it’s going to be, complete with height difference. (phoenix: *does anything*, bradley: top me top me top me.) also, a potential mav&phoenix father/daughter relationship????? Sign Me The Fuck Up. this movie is just going to end with me in tears and with custody of seven or eight new children.

fritz

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

listen apparently he is just a cryptid because we only know his name and i THOUGHT he was gonna be a main character since he was one of the first to get named, but we have only seen him on the periphery of some scenes in the trailers, even after all this time, so now i kinda doubt it. but he is played by the gorgeous manny jacinto and he and bradley sat near each other once so i am assuming they are friends in some way, and also my headcanon of him as amy santiago trapped in the body of jason mendoza has made me love him very much. pls don’t kill him, canon. also pls @ manny and mcq and kosinski give me SOMETHING to work with here lmao. 

hangman

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

look. i know mcq and co are probably going to set up hangman vs rooster to be like mav vs ice, enemies/rivals to friends, but honestly, i’m not all that here for it??? i do like that from his callsign alone, hangman is probably going to be a darker version of ice (less kind, more focused on the job, maybe more like charlie than like ice if that makes any sense at all) and his rivalry with bradley is already clearly a lot more heated than mav’s ever was with ice. anyway, glen powell is an excellent actor, so let’s hope he makes hangman a 3d character in his own right and not just an iceman expy. 

payback, fanboy, and bob

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

i’m already lowkey shipping payback/fanboy and i love bob for looking like a dorky 21st century radar o’reilly, but honestly, not super on the edge of my seat to meet these guys. i do want to know whose WSO bob is - my guess is phoenix’s since they were sitting next to each other at one point, but he could also be hangman’s - and my worry is that since he’s the only named WSO right now, they could very well Pull A Goose and kill him off in a training accident. (i hope not since i don’t want a complete canon redux, but it would definitely be angsty.)

put a fictional character in my ask box and i’ll rate them accordingly

[skyking91-archive]

contract || sky & mat

Discord thread featuring: Sky & @mathieuberinut

When: September 23, 2020

Where: Mat’s manager’s office

Mentions: @samuelburton

Description: Sky signs a contract agreeing to be Mat’s fake girlfriend to help keep him in the closet

Trigger Warnings: some internalize homophobia maybe????? 

Mathieu

Mat didn’t really want to do this but he knew his management was right. Ever since his name became known, he hadn’t once been connected with some girl who the tabloids could say he was dating. It was starting to look a little suspicious, especially after the photos that came out last week. He wasn’t on a date with that actor, they were just hanging around as friends but the internet went crazy. His management were clear that if he wanted to stay in the closet, something needed to be done about it. And if it could act as publicity for upcoming movie, even better. Chasity suggested a girl called Sky when he talked to her and, after giving the name to his people, they made quick work on setting up a meeting. He walked in five minutes late and sat down, trying to get an impression on what Sky was like.

Sky.

Since Sky was pretty much set on giving up prostitution and escorting so that she could get back together with Sam, she needed to find a job. The theater wasn't enough to keep her loft and lifestyle, and even if she was going to work at Jaycee's studio she knew that still wouldn't be enough. Sky knew she was superficial and cared a little bit too much about material things, but could you blame the girl? She grew up with nothing. And now that she had something, she didn't want to let that go. When Chas had told her about this job opportunity with her up and coming actor brother, she figured that it would be a perfect compromised for Sam. He didn't seem too thrilled about it, but she knew that he liked it a whole lot better than her escorting. And she was career orientated; he knew that she wasn't going to give up her work so easily. This dude though was already getting on her nerves because he was so late. Sky was never late. She always kept her appointments and she and found it fucking rude that he was even five minutes late. Sky looked at the skinny man who sat down in front of her, and sized him up. She was supposed to be dating him? Jesus. "Sky King." She said, holing out her hand across the table for the actor to shake.

Mathieu

Mat could already tell that this was going to be a long meeting. Not necesarily because they had a lot to say, but more because he didn't do very well with strangers and so this was bound to feel like an eternity. In hindsight, Mat really wished he asked his sister to introduce them before giving her number to his management and leaving them to take care of everything. After all, he was the one who was going to have to date her...sort of. He gave her a smile that he wasn't sure even reached his eyes and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you." Not really, but he wasn't about to say that. He needed to at least try to make a good impression considering how much time they were going to have to spend together. "Mathieu Berinut but you can just call me Mat." He looked around in curiosity, then turned back to Sky. "Have they told you what would be expected of you already?"

Sky.

Sky had met a handful of famous people in her life; living in Kingsboro made that pretty easy. Some of them were down to earth, whereas others tended to be real pricks. This guy seemed somewhere in the middle, but only time could tell what he was really like. And Sky was sure that she would get to know this man very well. "Pleasure." She nodded. Sky was such a goof ball and knew how to have fun, but in settings like this she was very classy and professional. Chas knew that, which was probably one of the reasons she suggested Sky for this job. "Not much. Just that I'd be going to a lot fo appearances with you. And that I'd obviously have to keep my own relationship on the down-low. I've been someone's fake girlfriend before. A friend..." Eevee was still a sore topic for her and it looked like she didn't need to be her fake girlfriend anymore since she couldn't even remember her to begin with and seemed all buddy-buddy with her parents now. "So I'm pretty good at this. What else should I know?" She asked, raising her brow.

Mathieu

Mat felt pretty bad when she mentioned her own relationship. Chas hadn’t told him that Sky was seeing someone and he really didn’t want to be the cause of any relationship troubles but then he reminded himself that she agreed. His management made an offer and then it was up to Sky to decide whether it was something she was willing to do, he didn’t force her. “That’s pretty much it, yeah. Appearances, premieres...that sort of thing. And obviously some social media posts to show that we’re hanging out”, he explained. At her question, Mat couldn’t help tense up a little. Considering she was doing this, he knew that Sky needed to be told the whole truth but it still made him freeze. “Uh...you should probably know why I’m doing this in the first place. Apart from publicity there’s also the fact that I’m...bi. Obviously that’s not common knowledge though and I don’t want it to be. So you’ll also have to sign a non-disclosure agreement to make sure that doesn’t leave this room.”

Sky.

“Sound.” Sky wasn’t opposed to posting about Mat on social media. She’d rather post about her own boyfriend, but she recognized that this gig was going to be really good for her own career. She loves being at Bullskits, but she didn’t want to be on off Broadway her whole life. She furrowed her brows at his next words, grabbing on of her braids and twisting it around in her finger. Sky was bi too, but never once felt the need to hide who she was. Not in her adult life at least. She pressed her lips together, debating on saying what she really wanted to say and fearing she’d come off too judge mental. She leaned over the table slightly and cocked her head. “You’re paying me all this money because you don’t want to come out?” Of course Sky knew there were plenty of reasons people didn’t want to come out, and the poor man probably had some serious trauma with it. She sat back in her seat and took a deep breath. “But that’s fine. I won’t tell anyone. I’ll sign.” She told him flatly.

Mathieu

Mat narrowed his eyes, not appreciating being called out like this. It was easy to judge him for doing this rather than coming out but no one knew about what he went through. His sister told their parents that she was dating a girl and they lost it. They completely disowned her and wouldn’t listen to reason, even when she kept trying to tell them that she liked boys too. If that wasn’t traumatic enough, then there was also the little detail that he went for a career where his personal life stopped being private. He was seen in a few photos with another guy and people went crazy. Mat wasn’t ready to face the judgement associated with coming out, and he doubted he ever would. “Sure, I’m paying you all this money to help me look good in the public eye and get me some publicity for my next movie not to pass comments about what I choose to do with my own life.” He was going to have a long word with Chasity about the people she suggested for a fake girlfriend. “Good. I don’t think I need to tell you what would happen if you were to break it after signing.”

Sky.

Well that shut the actress up real fast. She still thought he was a fucking prick but it was his choice if he wanted to come out the closer or not. Sky was gorgeous, good in front of cameras and crowds, classy, fashionable, and always knew the right thing to say. She was actually perfect for this job and the zeros on the contract in front of her made this impossible to turn down for whatever reason. She finally let out one big deep breath and attempted not to roll her eyes at his pretentious comment. “Fine.” She agreed, nodding. “Where do I sign?” Holding her hand out for him to give her a pen.

Mathieu

Mat hoped that at least his sister was right in saying that Sky was the best to act as his fake girlfriend. So far, he was not very impressed with what he was seeing but it was more because of her attitude than because of her skill. It’s not like he had much of an opportunity to see her in action. He picked up the contract left to him by his management and found the last page, where Sky’s signature was required and he handed her both the contract and a pen. “Here you go. Is there anything I need to know about you before you sign?”

Sky.

Sky knew she was going to be good at this job. She was a natural at it and had been arm candy for men for years. She has to admit, the idea of being in the public eye was a little daunting. But Sky had dreams of her own; singing, acting and dancing on stage — she would most likely be a natural in front of the cameras and during interviews. This was going to be such an amazing opportunity when it came to her career, and all the money sheas being offered made it possible to afford the luxurious lifestyle she was living while working as a high end escort. This was a no brainer. “Nope. Let’s do this.” She said, picking up the pen and signing on the dotted line.

Mathieu

Mat knew that he should probably warn her of what being in the public eye meant. Any sort of private life went out of the window and pretending they were together meant that they couldn’t be seen dating anyone else. This wouldn’t be much of a problem for him but he wasn’t sure he could say the same about Sky. Going through it all would be endless though and Mat wanted to spare himself more judgement about his coming out or lack of it. Management could go through all the “rules” with her. He watched as she signed the contract then took the pen from her and did the same on the other side. “Well...I guess we’re dating now.”

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Αιώνια αγάπη (DT AU), pt. 13

13: Love is the death of duty

Summary: Three testimonies, two mistakes, one sentence. Find out the punishment Hermes faces as three most important women of his life take the stand.

Warnings: angst

Word count: 3.4k

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Special thanks to @godlydolans for being in the story as Yashi Singh!

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Αιώνια αγάπη (DT Modern Greek god/frat! AU) MASTERLIST    

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Overwhelmed, lost and very much prepared to do whatever it takes to protect her children, Y/N steps forth, pushing both her babies behind her as she breaks eye contact with the gods she knew and loved and looks wildly at the ones she didn't but could easily guess who they were.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" Hecate chuckled, her laugh echoing as she fell back into a chair, not even bothering with courtesies. After all, why should she? She wasn't avenged for her death and pulling her soul out of the Underworld for the purposes of burying her ex husband was the only thing she cared about.

Hera didn't hesitate, walking toward Y/N as her eyes tried to take a better look at her grandchildren. It's been too long since she had a chance to see a youngling, let alone ones who are her own blood.

Y/N stepped back, each of her hands pressed against her kid's backs as she pushed them closer to her.

Like a lioness backed into a corner, Hera thought.

"I can tell why my sons fell in love with you now. You're absolutely ethereal. For a human, of course." The backhanded compliment forced Y/N to bare her teeth, faking a smile without the need to cover up the fake part, making it clear she doesn't appreciate the goddess coming any closer.

"I'd very much like if you'd stop walking, Your...heavenliness?" Y/N paused, unsure how to properly address the goddess without insulting her and putting her children in more danger than they already are. She couldn't afford to slip up now.

"Hera is fine, dear. However, I'm afraid you can't take the kids with you when you're on the stand. Someone's going to have to take care of them and as their grandmother I am willing to give you a blood oath that no harm shall befall either of your little ones." Hera spoke plainly, stating not only she cares but she would go as far as to make the unbreakable vow to protect them. The vow no god made in history thus far, one that conditions her death should she fail to uphold her promise.

"Like you protected Apollo and Hermes?" Y/N remarks, watching a flicker of hurt and surprise pass on Hera's face as Y/N's words aimed to hurt the goddess and it seemed as if she succeeded.

Glancing back at a helpless Hermes, Y/N gulped loudly as her heart ached for him.

What could have possessed him to do the crime he did? What crime did he commit at all? He spoke of vengeance, but never did she believe he'd go through with it. He's always been unpredictable and she can't deny she loved that about him, but right now, in this particular moment, she held it against him for his unpredictability put her children at risk.

Did he even know about the kids? Did either of them?

"I swear to you on my life, you can trust mother with them." Apollo speaks up, attracting Y/N's attention, feeling his own heart stop once her troubled eyes meet his with ease, the trust she has in him still shining through when she nods reluctantly, letting up on the four year olds holding onto her legs.

Hesitant still, Y/N watches as her mischievous babies waddled slowly over to their grandmother, looking up at her as if she's the most peculiar person they've ever seen.

And in a way she is. Her hair is molten gold, a leaf crown woven into the locks that broke sun-rays to rainbows. She did look like something out of a fairytale, inhuman even to the ones who don't know any better. And her kids didn't know any better.

"Shall we begin? While most of us are immortal, some don't have the commodity of waiting forever." Zeus huffed, glancing at Y/N and her offspring with underlying disgust he could hardly cover up.

"Wait! Don't I get a single moment with Apollo and Hermes first?" Y/N questions, the panic cracking her voice so blatantly no one could miss the desperation behind it.

"So they can temper with your true feelings? I think not. My sons have done enough damage to you as it is." Zeus states, showing Y/N that it's time to take her seat.

Eyes brimming with tears chained themselves to where the only two men she ever loved stood, each of them facing a horror of impending doom. Apollo wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Y/N and the kids, just for one moment. Hermes wished for Y/N and the kids to return to Earth and forget about all of this more than anything because if him being with her meant she'd die for his sins, he'd rather not even see her let alone touch her.

But all Y/N could see is how different they seem. They didn't have that light aura around them, rather a gloomy one. Each of them dressed in warrior clothes didn't lessen the weight on her heart either, adding onto the worry she couldn't shed.

What if she says something that ends up being their doom? What if she causes them to die? After everything that's happened, the years of loneliness she's suffered in as a single mother while the future she hoped for disintegrated, she still wanted them to be happy. The only comfort she found in the hell she's felt inside her soul is that both of her guys were alive and together. She didn't break their brotherly bond and they were back home with their loved ones.

She never thought they'd fuck up everything. At least not in her lifetime.

Reluctant and on edge, Y/N sits down right between Yashi and Hecate, each of them representing the past evils Hermes did and each of them more than willing to bury him should they wish so. Hecate most of all.

Hecate played with her long black locks, the purple ends flashing every once in a while as she leaned closer to Y/N and talked in hushed tones.

"You really had me fooled."

Y/N turned to her, giving her a sideways glance before her eyes returned to her children and Hera who crouched beside them, charming them with a little light show at the palm of her hand.

"I'm actually kind of proud of you. It's my blood that allowed you to do so."

"You left me no choice." Y/N responds harshly, sending a quick glare in her direction before turning her attention to Apollo and Hermes, each of them quiet and lost in thought as it seemed.

"You had a choice, you just made the wrong one. You think with your heart and not your head and I tried to show you that listening to your heart will only help you wind up dead. It killed me in the end - not Hermes, but you."

"I would like to call Yashi Singh to testify first." Zeus interrupts the small exchange between Hecate and Y/N, showing Yashi where to stand as she glided across the marble floor, her hair flowing freely at the back. It's a sort of visual joy of the heavens. It's confidence and strength, natural and pretty just as her stance.

"Now, my dear. Would you mind telling me Hermes' greatest crime against your heart?" Zeus tried to keep his voice light, purring at her as if manipulating the woman to speak the most rotten, horrific deeds she could think of.

Yashi lifts her chin up ever so slightly, her lips set in a firm line as her hands clasp together at her midsection.

"Hermes had no trouble lying to get close to me. He hadn't even bat an eye when he took my maidenhood under false pretenses. After all he had done, I was lucky enough to find someone else to cradle my broken heart. My story did have a happy ending, but Hermes showed no mercy toward my future. If he had his way, I'd have ended up alone and disgraced, disowned by my family. Thanks to Athena, I was lucky enough to have time to form a plan and get rid of him and his brother." Sparing Hermes a single glance, Yashi raised both eyebrows at the once so loved god before she smirked. Apollo looked toward Athena who shied away from his eyes, clearly ashamed she worked against him before. He wanted to know why she did it in the first place, but he already assumed why. Zeus forced her, told her it's her duty to do what she can to protect her loyal servants. She didn't have a bloodline like many others for she remained a virgin, but those who served her, worshiped her? Those were her loyal subjects and she protected them vigorously whenever she could.

"I think he committed the same crime hundreds if not thousands of times and that's just his crimes of breaking hearts and draining once hopeful souls. I'm certain he's done much worse in his time. I do believe he deserves the harshest punishment of all."

"Thank you, child. You make take your seat and Y/N can take your place now." Zeus states with a feigned smile, making Y/N's skin crawl as she realized it was her turn to stand and tell the truth. She had no choice. Not if she wanted her kids to remain alive because she was sure Zeus would harm them otherwise.

Passing by Hera, she finds the goddess wrap her fingers around her arm, stopping her for a single moment to utter a few wise words.

"You're pure of heart and your word means more than anything they say. Keep that in mind."

Gulping loudly, Y/N found herself tempted to run toward Hermes and Apollo, ask them to rise up and fight Zeus and end this torture, but Hera is right. She is pure of heart. She can use that against them.

"What is the greatest crime my son has committed?" Zeus smirks, knowing Hermes was completely off the rails the entire time he knew Y/N and he expected her to be the most significant nail in his son's coffin.

"He loved me." Plain and simple, Y/N turns sideways, her eyes finding his as if they've been dying for a single glance, for the love he could offer just by looking at her.

"Hermes is anything but perfect, but he's also done what is necessary. He's always done the right thing, even when the rest of us couldn't understand it just yet and even if it's the hardest possible thing he could have done in the world. Hermes' biggest crime against me is that he loved me just as much if not more than I love him." Emphasizing the present tense, proclaiming her love for the infamous god, she turned back to Zeus defiantly.

"He burned down the Kappa house and most of your belongings. He lied to you. He impregnated you -" Zeus began, each fact spoken louder and louder as he counted until Y/N interjected, stopping him from bashing Hermes any longer.

"With all due respect, both of your sons did that and I don't see Apollo tried for that. It's the most ridiculous medical miracle, but they both did and I don't hold them leaving against them. It is my heart that caused that and I alone am to blame for loving them both too much. The very heart that is pure, which means if I do not hold any hate for him, no reason exists for either of you to. Hermes is a good soul and you should release him." Out of breath, Y/N found herself on fire with her nerves sparking up as every moment passed she felt herself grow stronger, more sure of herself. Without waiting for Zeus to speak and send her on her way, Y/N crossed the short distance between the stand and where Hermes was held on his knees with his brother a step behind him.

She threw herself at the god, wrapping her arms around him so tightly if he were human his ribs would crack under the pressure. She longed for a touch of his skin, but all she found was a long black cape under her fingertips, and gold plates right under her arms instead of his shoulders.

"Return to your seat, Y/N Y/L/N." Zeus ordered sternly, but she rebelled long enough to stand and grip Apollo who came closer, hugging over Hermes who felt his soul tear itself up only to be made new again with the pounding of his heart being so deafening.

"Are they mine?" Apollo whispered in her ear, frantic at the possibility of having an answer.

"Valerie is." She managed to respond before one of the guards rudely grabbed her by the arm and ripped her away from Apollo with a ruthless tug, causing her to stifle a pained groan.

"DON'T FUCKING PUT YOUR HANDS ON HER!" Hermes jolted, his voice echoing the hall as he watched the guard drag her back to the stand and release her from his hold.

Apollo gritted his teeth, not only because he was so fucking confused about what she meant, but also because he wanted nothing more than to rip into the guard and take his life with his own two hands. He'd choke the life out of him, snap him like a twig before throwing him into the Underworld, allowing Hermes to decide on the best form of torture for him.

"I believe I asked you to return to your seat. If not, I'm more than happy to show you what happens when someone disobeys a god." Zeus quipped, his lips curling to the left as he formed a half smile and his forehead no longer creased as his wicked implications came to life and Y/N quickly nodded, doing as she's told. She knew the threat was against her children, you didn't have to be a mind reader to see that.

Crashing in her seat, she could hardly breathe as she heaved with a fury of untold confessions to her favorite gods and hateful words at Zeus and all those who liked to play with human lives.

"Maybe you should. There are two of those snot monsters." Poseidon speaks up, rubbing his chin devilishly as a wicked grin spread across his lips.

Y/N's eyes widen, her hands gripping the chair she's in as she lunged forward to jump and protest, but Hecate outstretched her arm instinctively in front of her, stopping Y/N from doing something rash that she couldn't take back.

"Or perhaps I could tell my story and you can stop being such an ass? Have your forgotten Hera made an unbreakable vow?" Hecate raised her left eyebrow, standing up with ease as she challenged one of the supreme gods no one dared to second guess before. She waltzed toward the stand, keeping her gaze set on Poseidon who looked to be seething already.

"Or you can just return to the Underworld where you're supposed to be rotting! Perhaps you could be taught a lesson or two as Sisyphus is?" Poseidon snickered, placing his hands on his hips.

"Perhaps spend a few nights pleasuring me and I'll forget about all of this?" He offered, finding Hecate more than irritated.

"Maybe I'll bring back Medusa and have her do it for me? I'm sure she'd like to look you in the eye at least once." Hecate remarks and Y/N finally realizes this is all just a distraction for them to let go of the idea of even looking at her kids.

Hecate is...protecting her?

"Either way, I have a few to say to Hermes." She glances over her shoulder at her once consort, narrowing her eyes at him.

"He cheated on me, lied to me, abandoned me and then some. After all, he tried to kill me too. He just couldn't do the job right. Makes me think he didn't really want me dead, rather a way to exercise his demons on someone. Whatever. I don't really care what happens to him anymore, but if it's up to me, let him live the rest of his mortal life on Earth. Take away Underworld and watch him suffer for it while he's living a mundane life with Y/N and the brats she bore."

Without realizing it, in her first attempt of kindness in centuries, Hecate made a mistake.

"He tried to kill you?" Poseidon interrupts, watching her closely.

"Zeus, my brother, where did you bring Hecate here from?" The question alone unsettles both Hermes and Apollo, who is already well prepared for disaster.

"What are you trying to say?" Zeus frowns, realizing he had more trouble bringing the goddess to Mount Olympus than Y/N from Earth.

"I think Hecate here is dead. Just a shadow of her former self." Poseidon looks back to the goddess who lifts her head up high, strolling toward him with all the confidence in the world.

"You had to reassemble her soul from Tartarus to have her shadow here, didn't you? Poseidon keeps prodding, now making Y/N nervous. She still didn't know for sure, but she was pretty certain Ethan...Hermes is on trial for Hades' death. He was the only one missing in the hall and that's the only despicable thing Hermes wanted to do once he returned home. If Poseidon gets a whiff of what happened to Hecate, then what would happen to her?

"Who killed you, Hecate?" Zeus grabbed her by the shoulders roughly, shaking her violently as a rag doll while his rage filled voice chilled everyone around him to the bone.

Thunder rolled in, electricity sparking around the hall in unpredictable spots and once Y/N saw Hera cover her kids with her body, she knew they were safe and it helped her lessen the burden of her soul.

"Y/N did." Poseidon concludes, chuckling so loudly, so maniacally that his beauty truly didn't matter anymore. His rotten soul shocked more than his good looks, forcing Y/N to remind herself to breathe because the way this is going, she's in deep shit and she knows it.

Hecate turns to Y/N helplessly shouting: "RUN", but where? How? She's a human with everyone she loves trapped there as well. There's no where to run, especially not when two guards form by her side out of thin air, dragging her forth and pushing her down on her knees besides Hermes.

"Mommy!" Two tiny, terrified voices rippled through a sudden onset of hushed voices and small fights that erupted between the other gods.

But Y/N could barely hear anything after her kids screamed. She watched them trash against Hera as they fought to get to her side. She sensed Hermes lean toward her and his breath tickle her neck.

She didn't hear him whisper a promise that he wouldn't let this happen.

She didn't see nor hear Apollo being restrained just behind her as five guards struggled to hold him down. Apollo felt like a caged beast, breaking through anyone who tried to stop him from protecting Y/N and Hermes. He couldn't bear what would happen if he didn't. His duty as a god of Mount Olympus is to protect the gods and do what he must in order to serve his father for an eternity.

What is eternity without Y/N's gentle touch? What is eternity compared to his brother's love? Nothing at all. The love he bears for Y/N, for Hermes...for that little girl Y/N told him is his and possibly the boy as well? That love is the death of duty he swore to ever since he became aware of his existence.

He tried to reach Y/N, but she seemed frozen in her spot, her eyes laid upon her children in the far right as Zeus came closer, all the way until he stopped in front of her and the son he could barely call his anymore.

The next thing Y/N heard was what sealed her fate.

"Taking a life is an unspeakable crime. To take a gods eternity? It. Is. Unforgivable. You are both sentenced to die."

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Tags: @mutuallynotmutual @lanadeldolans @xalayx @accalialionheart @gia-kerks @historyheart  @heyits-claire @daddygraysonsbitch @fallinginlove-16  @lanadeldolans @beautifulfound @thearachna-kid  @dinnerwiththedolans  @graydolan12 @justanotherfangurl272 @dxlansfxck  @godlydolans @flowery-dolan @dominatedolans @buckysjuicyplums @ethanhes @dolandolll @dolanstwintuesday

[crushedbyhyperbole]

Beyond Broken - Chapter Two

Have you read chapter one?

Warnings:  There’s mild homophobia from a secondary character, and implied repercussions by that same character.  Really he’s just old and set in his ways.

For more chapters see my Thor Odinson Mobile Masterlist

The Lonely Man

On Saturday Jess ran the emergency dental clinic until two o’clock when Sadie came in to replace her. She made it to David’s a little after three, taking a detour along the costal road by Ocean Beach Park.  The previous night had really stuck in her head, like the spark of connection with another equally tortured soul.  It was absurd and she knew it, but she found herself driving passes around the block anyway, searching.  It was a futile venture.

William Sr. was full of smiles when he answered the door.

“There she is!”  He beamed brightly.  “My favourite girl.”  His hug was firm and sincere.

“Ahh, Bill,” Jess chuckled, “not so loud or Daisy will get jealous.”

He winked at her with a cheeky grin and waved a hand at her as if to say ‘nonsense’.

“How’re you keeping? I hear you’re still looking after my David.  He really loves your company, you know.  You keep him sane, and me, if truth be told.  He’d be in the house every night moping around getting under my feet if he didn’t meet you almost every evening.  And you know I appreciate you helping out with the dog an all.”  Bill didn’t wait for a reply but pottered eagerly into the kitchen.  “Coffee, tea?”

“Coffee, please.”  She’d need it after the horrific night sleep she got the night before.  “I’m doing ok, thanks for asking.  David an I really keep each other sane.  He keeps me occupied so I don’t think about things too much.”

Bill’s eyes darkened as if a shadow had passes over his face momentarily.  Jess knew it was still hard for him.  It was hard for them all.

“He tells me you’re still enjoying your Sunday night meet.”

Bill only smiled by way of a reply.

“Sugar?  Or are you still sweet enough?”

“Sweet enough.”  She winked.

Daisy came running in at that moment and jumped up at her legs, laddering her tights and smearing mud up her shins.  Luckily the knee-length pencil skirt she wore was spared the muddy make-over.

“Oh you stupid dog, leave the girl alone!”  Bill bent, strained to pick her up.  “Davey boy, come get this dog back in the utility room, she’s getting mud all over the place.”

“No harm done.  I can live without the tights.”

“Hi!” David enthused, breathless, wearing a toothy gurn and wide eyes in place of a smile.  He grabbed Daisy and took her back to get her cleaned. “We’ve just been down to the old stream.”  He called from the other room.  “All the rain has turned it into a river and a lot of the land has flooded.”

“Surprised they haven’t concreted that over to make a car park yet.”  Bill scoffed, handing her a steaming cup.

“Thanks.”  She sipped and sat with William Sr. as he resumed his afternoon TV session.

Watching the news was unbearable.  People were still talking about Disintegration Day.  This new D-Day had surpassed the world war II D-Day by quite a significant factor.  Each city in America, and around the world probably, was erecting monuments, naming all those lost in what they were now calling The Infinity War.  She didn’t pretend to know what that meant but it didn’t change the harsh reality of the outcome.  We had lost but not without trying, apparently.  The scale of this attack was far greater than that on New York and The Avengers had been powerless to stop it.

Jess knew very little about who and what The Avengers were, besides work talk and her talks with David. There had been public out-cry, people slating the group for their failure, calling for them to be brought to justice for bringing this war here to earth.  What had become clear in the following weeks was that this Infinity War had been universal.  Half of all life in the whole universe had been wiped out. How can a small group of people such as they fight a war that large on so many fronts?  It was impossible.

Just leave them alone.  Jess thought each time she heard the criticism.  They’re people too.  They’ve lost loved ones just the same as us.

“You ready to go?” David smiled down at her.  How long had he been there?

“Yeah, sorry.”  She shook herself free of the stupor that had gripped her, taking a long swig of her cooled coffee.  “You sure you’re not up for a late lunch, Bill?”

David shot her a daggered look.

“Nuh-uh.”  He grunted without taking his eyes off the TV.  “I’m not one for these trendy wine bars and fancy restaurants.  You go enjoy yourselves.”

She chuckled, if only he knew how few trendy wine bars and fancy restaurants there were left.

“Why did you insist on inviting him?”  David pouted from the passenger seat.  His feminine side was really showing through more and more lately.  Silas was the likely catalyst for this development.

“He’s got feelings.  And inviting him at least shows we care. Besides, he never accepts.”

She pulled away down the cluttered street.

All but the big towns and cities were becoming more and more run down as time went on.  There were fewer sanitation workers now, hell, there were fewer of every kind of worker, but the same number of streets.  The Stark Foundation’s Disaster Relief Initiative had been put into place two  months ago, where the homeless and unemployed were all suddenly employed and homed thanks to vacancies and empty homes created by D-Day.  It was taking a while, but humanity was gradually getting itself back on its feet.  Things would never be the same but that didn’t mean it had to be all bad.

Jess’s dinner plans with David were mostly a ruse, just as the dog walking was, and virtually everything else in David’s life.  They grabbed something quick in an uptown bar before David shot off to meet his lover.

“I don’t know why you don’t tell Bill that you’re gay.”  She’d said to him once, a few months back.

“Because he’ll disown me and it’ll probably kill him.”  He’d replied, swiping through grinder on his phone.

“Has he said as much?”

“Yeah.”  David had stopped scrolling and turned his phone to her to reveal a sultry looking man with dark chest hair and a shaved head. “What do you think?”

“Too cliché.”  She’d sipped her cocktail and rolled her eyes. “What were his exact words?”

“To quote…”  David had dropped his phone into his pocket and stared at her with an irritated glare.  “’When are you going to get a girlfriend, huh?  Double-you-Jay started dating Jess before he was your age.  I swear, boy, you better not turn out to be one of them fairies or I’ll skin you alive and disown you.’  He also added ‘you’ll send me and your mother to an early grave, damned boy.’”

Jess had accepted that, yes, maybe William Sr. was a bit of a homophobe.  It had been a long time since she’d heard the old man refer to his eldest son as double-you-jay (W.J. for William Junior).  Bill got over that phase when she and Will got engaged. Maybe he didn’t think of him as a man until he was on his way towards marriage.

So that put Jess squarely in the realms of helping David lie to his father and covering up for him while he went and got laid.  It did make her wonder what kind of relationship it was, and would it last if the people in it could only see each other a few hours a day in clandestine meetings of sordid debauchery?  And they were debauched, David had told her as much.

Whatever works for them.  He’s happy.  Let it go.

At 7pm she found herself back on the boardwalk at Ocean Beach Park instead of back at the practice catching up on paperwork.  Heels and a skirt that limited your leg movements were not things one should wear for negotiating uneven terrain; she stumbled a few times on her way down to the waterfront.  The clouds weren’t all that dense yet, some of them looked more white than grey, which was a change.

She leaned against the railing by marker twelve, it really was a beautiful spot. The regal trees and grassy expanse of the park at her back, dissected by well worn footpaths and clusters of flowering shrubs, clean pale sands stretching along in front of the silvery-wood deck of the boardwalk, and beyond, the deep Prussian blue expanse of the Atlantic mantled by tempestuous skies, all perfectly framed by minimum human clutter.

“No dog today?”  A deep voice scared her into an undignified squeak.

Clutching her chest, gasping, she whipped around to face the man.  

“I apologise, if I scared you.”  The lonely man held his hands up in mock surrender.

“No, it’s ok.  Well, I mean, you did, but it’s ok.”  She panted a little, leaning forward to catch her breath again.

There was more light than when she’d previously seen him.  His hood was down revealing dark-blonde hair that was short at the sides and longer on top, a neatly trimmed beard and the most perfect teeth she’d seen in quite a while.  His smile faded quickly as he searched her face with concern, one crystal clear, almost iridescent, blue eye and one hazel eye scanning her reaction.

Heterochromia.  That was rare.

“Once again, I apologise.” He lowered his gaze and began to turn away.  “I shall leave you be.”

“No!”  She lurched forward with her hand outstretched to stop him. “This is kind of your spot anyway, I’m just squatting here.”  She rolled her hand in a beckoning motion.  “Please.  Stay.”

“Very kind of you.”

His accent was strange, English maybe but she wasn’t quite sure.  He leaned on the railing at just over arm’s length from her, respecting the unspoken boundaries that strangers should about personal space.

They stood a while, looking out across the water.  It was comfortable, she didn’t feel awkward until she suddenly remembered his question.

“No dog.”  She said, nodding embarrassingly, giggling a little at how stupid she sounded.

The lonely man dipped his head forward, a smile playing on his lips.

“She’s an energetic one. I trust your gentleman friend is doing his duty this evening otherwise you will have a rampant puppy to contend with tonight.”  He rumbled a short chortle at his internal imagery.

“He has.”   David was family, not a ‘gentleman friend’.

She continued to look out across the water, feeling the chill of the metal railings bite into her forearms through her white chiffon blouse.  It had been a mild day up until now, but with the light fading and the wind beginning to pick up she wished she’d brought her jacket from the car. Her sweater vest only did so much and, honestly, she hadn’t intended to stay so long.

“It doesn’t look as though it’ll storm so hard tonight, the air feels a bit lighter.”  She glanced to her right to see him nodding.  “Will you miss the rain?”

He looked at her then, with a pained look, mouth and brows set into a solemn expression.

“There are other things than rain to cleanse the spirit.”  His tone was almost sagely.  He offered her a thin-lipped smile.

“I suppose you’re right.” Jess had almost forgotten the cold by then.  Her mind was quiet.

They stood in the failing light until ten o’clock rolled around.  The lonely man was the first to break their mutual silence.

“I suppose I should let you go.”  He rumbled quietly.  “Shouldn’t keep you here any longer with my captivating presence.”  He flashed her a brilliant smile and she couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

“I’m not exactly handcuffed to the railings here.”  She laughed. A light feeling she thought she’d lost bubbled up delicately in her chest.  For the first time in ten months she felt like she might be able to find herself again, if only she could let herself feel something other than agonising loss.  “But I should go.  I’m the designated driver.”  She raised her eyebrows and sighed.

“I hope your gentleman friend doesn’t keep you waiting again this evening.”  The lonely man called after her.

“Me too.  It was nice to meet you.”  She waved from the start of the trail that would take her to her car.

“Likewise.”

[a-jynx]

Letters for Winter

Summary: With his daughter on the way, Sam Drake decides to express his love and gratitude towards both his growing daughter and wife, Y/N, through sweet letters.

Pairing(s): Sam Drake x reader, Sam Drake x Winter (daughter)

Warnings: Literally none besides tooth-rotting fluff :’) well, there’s implied sex, but moving past that!

Notes: This was a fic I’ve been thinking about for a while, but it’s loosely based around the song Dear Winter by AJR, it’s a really cute song and I honestly think Sam would do this for his daughter :’) Get some snacks and drinks ~ it’s a long one 💖

Enjoy! Feedback is appreciated!

- - - - - - - -

A Week Before the Birth:

“Sam! Sammy, come on, I really need your- what’re you doing?” You round the corner into your husband’s office, your hand rubbing small yet soothing circles on your 8-month pregnant belly as Sam turned to look at you, a sheepish grin on his handsome features.

“Oh! Uh, well, I decided that I want to... Well, I want to make something for Winter for when she gets older.” Sam shrugged, holding up a small notebook and an ink pen. You nodded, pursing your lips as you waddled in closer, standing behind Sam’s chair as you gently massaged his tensed shoulders. Carefully leaning down, being mindful of you bump, you pressed a loving kiss against his temple before leaning closer to his ear.

“You’re going to be such a good daddy to our little girl.” You whispered, pressing a small and quick kiss to his ear as his lips tugged into a grin. Setting down his new found project, he reached up with one hand and grasped yours, squeezing it tightly before bringing it down and round, allowing him to press a chaste kiss to the inside of your wrist. “And you’re already such a good momma.” He grinned, turning in his seat and pressing another kiss to your hand as you rubbed your thumb over his stubbled cheek.

“Now,” he pressed another few feathery kisses to your palm, making you giggle as he waved you off. “I’ll join you for a movie night once I finish at least this first one, promise.” Sam grinned before turning back to his desk, flipping open the small notebook as you moved towards the door, you glanced back and grinned before shaking your head and leaving him to his own devices.

Dear Winter I hope you like your name... It’s strange but unique! Your aunt Elena came up with it, and she was more than thrilled to know that we chose it. And besides, Winter is a bad-ass name! I know that when you start school, it’s going to be terrifying - for both you and me - but I hope you know that no one should make fun of you, and if they do, you’ve got your momma and me to help you. So, if anyone tries to hurt your feelings, or bully you into doing something, or just pure peer pressure, just know that they’ll be upset when you discover something amazing... They’ll regret it all because you’re going to be a bad-ass, just like your mom. And I know it’s early, God, it’s too early but I hope you talk to girls, or boys, or whoever it turns out that you like because I want you to be happy. I wasn’t when I acted out -- being the player around town -- it’s not a smart move, but I’m thankful I met your mother because she changed everything. That’s why I’m so thankful for her... That’s why I’m happy that I found her.

You’ll be born in a few weeks, you’ll be here in my arms and... I’m excited to meet you on this earth.

I’ll see you soon, my dear.

Few Days Before the Birth:

The smooth ballpoint pen thumped with rhythm against the kitchen tables’ edge, the ticking mixed within the smooth music that danced through the air with the savory aroma that wafted through the air, filling the house with a heavenly scent and sound. Sam glanced up from his letters’ edge, grinning as he watched you sway to the carefully tuned beat, your sleep deprived self seemed to have a sudden burst of energy.

“Well, well, I guess Winter is having a good day,” he grinned as you spun on your heel, grinning ear-to-ear as you nodded, before turning around once more and flicking off the burner below the pasta before moving back towards him with a beaming smile.

“Yeah, it’s surprising, honestly! She didn’t keep me up as late with her backflips and rock climbing acts.” You smirked as Sam’s cheek caught a tint of pink. Grinning still, you pulled back one of the chairs and settled beside him, leaning over and pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before glancing at the paper -- empty.

“Can’t think of anything to write?” You hummed as he grunted, setting the notebook on the table and tossing the pen onto the open book before leaning back, allowing your hands to wander over his chest, them carefully moving up and rubbing the small knots that worked their ways into his shoulders and neck.

“Mmm, no. I... Nothing’s really coming to me.” Sam murmured, his lips barely falling apart as you hummed again, glancing up as his eyes fluttered close while you moved further North; your fingers tangling into his curly locks as you gently scratched and massaged at his scalp.

“Baby, you’ll think of something, I know you will,” you whisper, leaning forward and capturing his lips against your own with a sweet, passionate kiss. Your lips moving together as he leaned forward, following as you slowly leaned back, feeling one of his calloused hands scrap deliciously against your thigh as you slowly pulled back, nibbling on your bottom lip again as you smiled at him. “You finish the letter while I finish dinner, then we’ll continue this.” You waved a finger between the two of you with a wink before moving away from your pouting husband.

Turning back towards the book, Sam huffed as he tapped his index finger against his cheekbone, staring down at the blank paper that seemed to taunt him. Inhaling deeply, he cleared his throat before grabbing the pen and chewing on the end before pressing it to the paper, deciding what he needed to write.

Dear Winter Relationships are... Scary. That’s the best word I can think of; they’re scary. Especially when you try to give one your all and you end up on the losing spectrum. However, some relationships are worth it. The heartache and breaks you go through until you find the one; the one that you’ll end up sharing the rest of your life with. I always found myself falling into the bad end of the spectrum, but that’s until I found or met your mother. I was scared, Winter. I’m not gonna lie to you, but I was always scared I would never be a good man or father figure until I met your mom... She changed my thought process about our future -- about my future. She helped me stay the same while also helping me change. She was my reason to step up and be a man, she was my reason to settle down and build something, she was my reason, and now, I’m adding you to the list. I had always felt that there wasn’t anyone for me but... Then, your momma came along.

We have a few more days until you arrive... I can’t find the words to explain how thrilled I am to see you, to hold you, and keep you safe...

I’ll see you soon, my dear.

Few Days After the Birth:

After Winter’s birth, and after arriving home from the hospital, you usually stayed in the living room or your room from the exhaustion, and of course, Sam didn’t hold it against you. He’d turn off the baby monitor and would stay in his office, the room across from Winter’s and whenever she began to scream and cry, he would rush to check-up on her, making sure that you were still fast asleep. He hasn’t written any letters in a few days, with Winter keeping him and yourself on your toes, he never found the time too; until tonight.

With Winter fast asleep in her small mobile next to Sam’s desk, he pursed his lips as he ran a hand through his unruly curls. He doesn’t know what to write... Hell, he didn’t know if he should write. Stealing a glance at his tiny daughter, he couldn’t fight back the large smile that pulled at his lips as he stared at her sleeping form, her hands curled tightly into fists while the small puffs of air passed from her parted lips; he could only think of her and you... Inhaling deeply, Sam turned from the small baby and picked up his pen, holding the book firmly against the desk, he began to write.

Dear Winter I hope you like these letters. They’re small, but they hold a lot of love, I promise. I hope that you’ll keep these stupid sheets of paper, even as the ink smears and deforms over the years, I hope you keep them close to your heart. Winter, I hope you know that I love you. I will love you ‘till I die, and even past then I will always love you, however, there will be times where we fight and argue. Your mother and I go through that, even with how much we love each other, a relationship will have its bumps and bruises. Even, father and daughter ones. There will be times where you’ll scream at me that I’m parenting you wrong, or times where you get frustrated because you’ll believe I’m hovering... I just want you to know that I’ll never hate you. I’ll never disown you. I’ll never not love you. There will never be a single second in my life where I do not love you, my little girl. Your daddy loves you, your momma loves you, your dimwit uncle Nate loves you, your smarty-pants aunt Elena loves you, your grumpy grandpa Sully loves you -- everyone adores you, and there will never be a single moment in time where we every thinks negatively about you. Hah, oh, how I can’t wait for me, your uncle, and grandpa Sully to teach you how to curse... Of - Of course, you’ll have to ask your mom for sure. Heh.

You’re asleep now, but you’ll wake up crying or screaming until I pick you up from your crib and hold you against my chest, murmuring whatever comes to mind to help calm you... You seem to like my voice. God, how I’ll miss that...

I’ll see you later, my dear.

The Teenage Years:

A few years have passed and Winter is a young 17-year-old, working her way through high school and getting into college. Sam hasn’t touched the pen or notebook in what feels like years... He hasn’t wanted to miss a single moment of his daughter’s life by writing down everything that pops up into his head. But, with the adult years gaining on his little girl, Sam can’t help but want to suddenly scribble down every last bleeding thought he has about his little girl’s future.

“Dad! Have you seen my catcher’s glove?! Uncle Nate moved it again!” Winter shouted from upstairs as Sam stepped out of his office, grinning as Winter came racing down the hallway, almost barreling him over.

“Woah! Easy tiger, you could kill someone with that speed,” Sam teased as she shook her head, turning on her heel and walking back towards the stairs as you slowly came up, holding the mitt in your hand with a smug look. Sam held up a hand and jutted his index towards you, causing Winter to spin around and gasp as she grabbed at it, repeatedly mumbling ‘thank you’s,’

“I told you it was by the back door,” you lightly scolded as she sheepishly grinned, showing off her father’s looks before rising to her tiptoes and planting a kiss to your cheek. “Next time, I’ll be sure to listen, momma.” Winter grinned before racing downstairs to meet up with Nate, Elena, and their little girl Cassie for a small game of baseball.

“Yeah. Sure you will.” You mumbled to yourself, shaking your head as Sam appeared next to you, wrapping an arm around your waist and hugging you close as you two moved slowly down the stairs.

“She seems to always think her parents are wrong, why is that?” Sam teased as you huffed, reaching over and smacking his chest. “Because she’s a teenager. We - mainly you - were the exact same way. Even now you are!” You retorted causing Sam to snort as you reached up, pressing a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth and moving away from him. “Don’t forget to write that new letter like you said you would, Samuel!” You called over your shoulder as you headed for the back door, grinning to yourself as you watched Winter practically tackle Nate to the sand, Elena and Cassie off to the side were leaned over laughing.

“Right, gotta write the letter.” Sam ticked as he reached around, scratching the back of his neck as he glanced back upstairs. Sighing, he quickly moved back up and gathered the tucked away notebook and pen before heading out back to watch the rest of his family play. Inhaling the salty sea air, Sam settled into the bench swing as you ran around, yanking Winter up from the sand as a scream of laughter caused Sam to chuckle before chewing on his lip, glancing down at the page and sighing carefully, a tender grin on his lips.

Dear Winter You’re getting closer to being a young adult... 17 years you’ve been alive and I can’t help but want to cry at the beautiful, intelligent, kind, funny, caring woman you’ve turned out to be. You have more adventures ahead of you, I know you do because you’re a Drake. And we Drakes seek our fortunes... But, please, don’t move too far away? Don’t get upset or mad when I text you to ask about your day... I’m not hovering or trying to be clingy but... I just want to hear about your day. Get to know what’s going on when I’m no longer around you, or able to keep you close to home, because I know you’ll travel and you’ll travel to distant lands, ones that I haven’t even seen. But, will we still hang out and talk? Even when I’m no longer in charge...? Or, will you be too old to say hi to your old man..? But, pushing all the mushy feelings aside, I just want you to know that I’ll hover and I’ll cling to know about you, to hear from you and see you because you’re one of my reasons, baby girl. You’re my reason, Winter.

“Dad! Daddy, help me!” Winter suddenly cried, causing Sam to snap his attention away from his writing, his features showing worry. They quickly broke into a large grin as he saw you sprinting after her, a small pale of cool seawater sloshing around as you both ran towards him. Sam stood as Winter jumped onto the porch, her arms circling his waist as she dodged to either side that you weren’t aiming for.

Your hair stuck to your face as you shook your head, droplets flying everywhere as Sam held up his arms, attempting to keep his face dry, yet he failed... Miserably. “Oh, no! Don’t run to your dad now, you did this to yourself, baby girl!” You grinned before throwing the water onto both of them, Sam gasping as his body tensed while a high pitched squeal left Winter’s lips as she shook her body around, attempting to remove some water like a dog would.

“Oh ho, that’s it! Get over here, momma!” Sam yelled as you turned and ran, jumping from the porch and running towards your brother-in-law for help, yet Nate turned and ran at the first sign of Sam sprinting towards him, with you yelling for help. Winter watched with a large grin, a few breathy laughs passing her lips as she turned, glancing down at the notebook that rested on the bench swing where her dad had been sitting.

“Dear Winter..? Me?” She whispered, gently grabbing the book and being mindful of her slightly dripping locks, she grabbed the page and scanned over her father’s scribbled words. Her heart pounding as her lips turned upwards into a large grin. You’re my reason, Winter. The words rung in her head, each syllable being her father’s cheery tone -- she couldn’t fight back the tears that worked up in her dark hazel eyes. Carefully Winter placed the book back on the seat, wiping at her eyes as she stood slowly from the swing, swallowing at the lump growing in her throat.

“Baby girl?” Sam’s voice spoke up from behind her, causing her to spin and grin sheepishly at her father, who now wore a face of concern, he moved closer, grabbing her wrists and checking her over for any injuries sighed as he tilted her chin up, sadly smiling at her. “Hey, hey, what’s with the waterworks?”

“I... It’s nothing bad, I promise, dad.” She grinned, shaking her head as he leaned over, pressing his lips against her crown as he turned on his heel, pulling her tight against his side, they walked off the porch and back towards you and the rest of the family, watching as the sun slowly began to set. “If it’s nothing that bad then why are you crying?

“I just... I don’t know, guess I just want to know about your day?” Winter smiled as Sam slowed his walk, turning and looking at his daughter with such adoration clouding his eyes he couldn’t help that his own tears began to build upon his waterline. “Uh... Uh, of course,” he cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly with a smile. “Mine was... Amazing. How was your’s baby?”

“Absolutely amazing.”

Into the Adult Years:

Three years have passed, Winter’s 20-years-old, and has taken flight into college, leaving Sam, you, Nate, Elena, and 9-year-old Cassie behind. It’s felt like years -- decades have passed since anyone has seen Winter, however, with her being busy with her new internship and her work towards her college degree, it’s understandable.

Sam sighed, mumbling to himself while the unlit cigarette clung to his wet lips, his hands tangled within his unruly brown curls as he stared down at that stupid notebook and pen -- nothing was coming to him. Nothing was making him want to write to her - for her. Nothing. Scoffing angrily, Sam shoved himself away from the desk before quickly moving downstairs, slamming the backdoor shut behind him as he quickly lit the cigarette, feeling his anxiety and anger slowly mold together to attempt and push him over the edge.

You stood inside, staring sadly at your husband as he sat with his head in his hands and a thin smoke trail moving towards the tin overhang. Sighing, you turned on your heel and moved upstairs, pushing open his office door and settling in the large swivel chair. Staring down at the notebook, you chewed on your lip and grinned, plucking the pen from it’s resting spot and began to scribble down your thoughts as your husband would.

Dear Winter Hi, baby girl... It’s Momma! So, your father is having an episode as I write this to you and to say I’m worried is putting it lightly. This won’t be the best letter as I haven’t been the one writing to you since -- err, even before you were born. Anyway, I’m going to keep this short and sweet, okay? Okay. Baby, you need to come and see your dad! I know, I know you’re busy with everything but... I also know that your winter break is coming up and it would be a sweet surprise for your father! So, text me when you get this because we’re not writing back and forth like we’re in the old times, haha. I love you, my treasure!

I’ll see you soon, my dear.

Signing the end of the letter, you grinned while pulling out your phone and taking a quick picture before deciding to print the photo, thankfully in good quality, and send it to Winter by mail. It would take a few days, maybe weeks for her to get it but with her winter break being a month away that would be enough time, right?

A few days passed and Sam’s episode hasn’t let up. He’s been moping around, not really knowing what to do with himself. However, you could barely fight back your smile -- Winter and you had gotten into contact and planned her whole two weeks of staying here, her boss had given her extra time since she could always email anything back or such, in case of an emergency.

“Y/N, honey, what’re you doing?” Sam called you from the living room as you moved around the kitchen, your cooking music practically blaring from your speaker as you mouthed the words, dancing to the beat as you seasoned the homemade sauce for your chicken masala.

“Babe, don’t you remember? Nate, Elena, and Cassie are coming over for dinner tonight!” You called over the music, biting at your bottom lip as you gave yourself a mental pat on the back for a smooth lie. Stirring the sauce once more, a loud knock came from the front causing you to turn and sigh. “Sammy, babe, can you please get the door!”

“Their family! They know they can just walk in,” Sam called back, yet you could hear him getting off the couch with a low grunt as you bit your bottom lip, only to scoff as you smiled.

“Baby, no offense, but last time Nate tried doing that you about shot him.” You teased as he snorted, running a hand through his hair as another loud knock came making you giggle as he rolled his eyes, slightly jogging across the hall and grabbing the handle.

“Yeah, yeah, y’ know Nate, you could just open the door-” Sam growled, his short temper showing through as you clicked off the stove quickly moving closer as you held a hand over your mouth as Winter smiled at you, only to turn towards her father and smirk.

“Yeah, but just walking in seems kind of rude, and then again, I wouldn’t want to be shot at either.” She grinned as Sam snapped open his eyes, his mouth falling open as he suddenly lunged forward, stepping out into the sunsets’ raze, his arms wrapped tightly around your daughter’s waist as he lifted her into the air, spinning as loud laughter came from the pair.

You stood back, leaning against the doorway with a knowing grin as Sam sat Winter back on the porch, keeping his arms wrapped tightly around her as she wrapped her own around his neck, grinning as a few tears fell from her and his eyes.

“Oh... Oh my God! Oh, my fucking God, what’re you doing here?” Sam grinned, breathlessly laughing as he held her at arm's length, doing a once over before dragging her back into his chest. You couldn’t help but gently laugh, wiping away the few tears that sprung from your own eyes.

“Heh, well, momma mentioned that you needed a bit of Winter.” She smirked, wrapping an arm around Sam’s waist as he spun towards you, his eyes wide and filled with tears as he came rushing towards you, doing the same hug and spin he had done with Winter seconds ago.

“God, I love you! God, I love you so, so much.” Sam peppered kisses across your face as you giggled, grabbing the sides of his face and pressing a loving kiss against his lips as Winter cleared her throat, causing you and Sam to turn towards her.

“Well? We’ve got two weeks, what’s the first thing on the ‘Welcoming Winter Home’ list?” She grinned as you moved away from Sam, who moved towards her, pressing kisses against her cheeks as she snorted, swatting at her father as you turned around, brandishing the pot of the Indian dish she had been gushing about months ago.

“Oh my God! You actually made the dish!” She squealed, moving around the island and pressing a kiss to your cheek as she grabbed some plates and forks, setting them out as Sam arched a brow, smirking. “What? It’s food that MOM made! Homemade, you’re insane if you don’t think I’m about to eat!” She gushed as a small blush rushed across your cheeks, making Sam chuckle as he moved around the other side of the island, standing at your side and pressing another kiss to your cheek.

“Thank you for this...”

A Few Months Later:

You groaned to yourself, already feeling the cool air from your bedroom move around you as you reached out, attempting to find Sam’s body and snuggle closer for his warmth, yet... You only found cold sheets.

Slowly sitting up on your elbow, you used your free hand and ran your hand through your tangled locks, sighing as you looked around. The sunlight was peering in from the window, it barely dusting over the bed as you slowly shifted onto your back with a low grunt. Where’s Sam at?

Your thoughts were quickly answered by the commotion coming from your kitchen, including the small yelps and the few scolds that follow the noise. Furrowing your brows, you sat upright and gently pushed your covers from your body, leaving you in Sam’s large shirt and a pair of boy short underwear. Scratching the back of your head, you carefully tugged open your bedroom door, stepping out into the cool hallway and following the sound downstairs. Only to stop a few steps from the floor as a small gasp left your lips.

“Momma! Merda, you weren’t supposed to get out of bed!” Winter pouted as Sam appeared from around the corner, a breakfast tray in hand a few splatters of pancake batter covering his sleep shirt. He sheepishly lifted the bamboo tray before turning and sitting it on the counter, reaching over and tugging an also pancake batter covered Winter to his side.

“What... What is all of this?” You whisper, taking a few steps forward as your husband and daughter meet you halfway, only for you to stop as Winter reaches out, a neatly folded piece of paper in hand. Furrowing your brows once more, you carefully picked up the paper and began to unfold it, glancing up at your family before glancing back down, only to throw a hand over your mouth with a small gasp.

Dear Momma You spent night and day making sure I was okay. Whether it be something small as if I had a bad dream to making sure I always kept up with my math homework. You took it upon yourself, just as dad did, to make sure I was safe, happy, and healthy... Now, look at me! Turning 21 in a matter of weeks... You did well. I love you, Momma. From your treasure, Winter.

Dear Honey Oh, God where do I start..? Thank you. That’s the only thing I can say right now, is thank you. You’re going to yell at me later for this, because I know you hate when I praise you for stuff like this but, I want to thank you for always being there for me, even when I fuck up. Thank you for being the one to take me home when I’ve had one too many shots. Thank you for letting me stay in my head for hours, or days at a time, only to still be there when I come out of the daze. Thank you for taking my adventures and my addiction to treasure hunting seriously. Thank you for coming on those adventures with me, as well as, you seemed to always make them more fun. Thank you for helping me see that I was fit to be a husband, and to be a father. Thank you for allowing me to change myself in ways I believed that was near impossible. Thank you for giving me our daughter, Winter Louise Drake. Thank you for being Winter’s mom. Thank you for being my wife. Thank you for being you. I know you’re going to hate me for this later, but... Thank you for being the best and most exciting adventure for me. Thank you for being my greatest fortune.

I love you, my adventure.

Your tears slid down your cheeks, your bottom lip trembling as you slowly looked up at your sheepishly yet caring grinning family. Stepping forward, you grabbed both of their necks, squeezing them as you stooped down, pressing a long and loving kiss to Winter’s cheek before stepping up on your tiptoes to press the same to Sam’s.

Gently laughing, you pulled away, keeping a hand on both of their cheeks as you allowed the tears to flow down your face. You couldn’t hold them back, and you couldn’t hold back the smile. Shaking your head, you stroked both of their cheeks and reached up, planting a wet and salty kiss to Sam’s lips before pressing another kiss onto Winter’s nose and cheeks, causing her to giggle.

“I love you both, so so much... I just... What is all of this for?” You whispered, your voice cracking as they both chuckled.

“Well, it’s a thank you, of course! Momma, I know I was hard to raise and I know it’s even harder to raise dad,” Winter began, only to have Sam cut in, jutting a finger towards your daughter.

“Hey! I’ll still ground you-”

“Dad, I’m turning 21 in a few weeks, no you can’t.” Winter scoffs as you roll your eyes, taking a step towards your daughter as Sam moves away, clapping his hands together and rubbing them with a gleam in his eye.

“Ooh~ which reminds me, we need to learn how to take a shot!” He pointed towards the ceiling as Winter shouted a ‘yes!’ Yet, you arched a brow and pursed your lips, pulling one of your meaner mom faces.

“Samuel.” You slightly threatened, lowering your voice as you had with Winter when she was younger. Sam popped open one of his eyes, slowly opening the other before reaching around and scratching back of his neck with an awkward grin.

“Oh... Uh, well, you might want to ask your mother first, of course.” He sheepishly grins, moving towards you and pressing a long, and loving kiss against your lips as Winter grinned, quickly covering her eyes like she had when she was smaller. You and Sam couldn’t fight back a laughing fit.

Later, you all met up with Nate, Elena, and Cassie, deciding that you didn’t want to wash dishes, you all went out to eat as Sam explained that it was a thank you to you for everything you’ve done for them in their lifetime, to which Elena and Nate agreed that you deserved a thanks. Once, you arrived back home, you couldn’t fight off the sandman any longer, falling asleep on the couch and leaning against Sam’s shoulder as Winter glanced away from the movie, giggling as Sam gently stroked your hair, tugging gently at the knots.

“Hey, dad,”

“Hmm?”

“How’d you hook mom, anyway..?” Winter asked, leaning against the arm of the couch with a look of adoration in her eyes as Sam grinned, shaking his head gently before turning back and arching a brow.

“Would you believe me if I said because of my dashing looks?” Sam chuckled as Winter leaned over, smacking his shoulder as he deflected it, grinning before sticking his tongue out at her, to which she did the same. Sam slowly looked down at your sleeping figure, watching as you gently smiled in your dream haze, curling further into him as he sighed, happily and lovingly.

“I have no honest clue, Winter, but... My God, I’m just so happy that I found your mom.”

- - - - - - - -

The End! :’)

- - - - - - - -

O. M. G - this fic had to have been the longest, yet sweetest fic I’ve written in a very, very long time! To be honest, I had a little more than half of this done yesterday buuut my computer restarted and we all know how Tumblr is! So, this is the product of me drinking 2 glasses of water, 1 DP, and staying up till 2 am. Jesus. Anyway, hope you all enjoy!

Requests and tags are open! Just send an Ask!

Sam Drake/Uncharted Tags: @jodiereedus22, @littlemoonlightt, @clearlywayward95, @animallover4000, @kelsey-sheena, @kindablackenedsuperhero, @verytiredkate, @lordfloof, @cloudydayvibes, @aaudialeth, @aliceriddell-aka-zephyr, @paintingcrimsons, @fagen, @fanficsihaveenjoyed, @trappeddaydreams, @miss-puregotti, @ffofuxaa, @timaaaeus, @sophieelisabeth04, @slooshen, @kittykat1468​, @holylulusworld, @reachagalaxy, @unchartedterritoria, @myommarie, @kerripamyupamyu, @rougeshadowkat, @icespinosaur,  @fandoms-pizza-wifi-ym13, @abookomaniac, @skylermarx, @lonelypenguinsworld, @ghoulshadowz, @smiley-jojo, @antmnwasp,

[melalot]

Confused

archive of our own link

8 Years Old

Lance was having recess outside in the school playground when he saw a group of kids circling around this boy. He noticed how all the students were quiet and very tuned interested in what one of his classmates had to say. He had never seen so many kids listen to someone this way, not even the teachers. Curiosity got the best of him so he trotted his way over to see what was grasping everyone's attention.

When he got close enough to hear the boy said, "And they told me they were gay!" Lance thought to himself. Gay? What does that mean?

Luckily enough another kid seemed to have the same question as him. "What is that? What does gay mean?"

The boy who was sharing this new word look at his classmate and began to explain.

"It's when two boys date, like a girl and a boy, do. But my mom told me it wasn't normal and that it wasn't okay."

Everyone's eyes went wide, they had never heard about two boys dating. Lance had never heard of this either, he doesn't even think much of dating, he's 8.

Before the conversation could continue the teachers started calling out to the students meaning that recess was over and instruction time was going to continue.

As Lance started getting in alphabet order to line up for class, he couldn't help but think about what he just heard.

It isn't natural the boy had said. It's not okay, the boy had continued.

And Lance thought to himself, why is it not?

xxxxxxxx

12 Years Old

Lance was in 6th grade now. While all the other kids went to a regular middle school, he went to attend the Galaxy Garrison. It was a school for those that wanted to be part of the space program.

Lance had always dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot and flying a space ship to Mars.

He got lucky enough to get into the Garrison, but even though it was a school to prepare you to go up into space, you still had to take the same curriculum you would normally take in a typical middle school.

And honestly, Lance appreciated that. He needed a sense of being normal. He needed work that wouldn’t be the same thing constantly and that it wouldn’t bore him. He also needed that sense to fit in with the outside world, and know more than just about space, he wanted to know how to live in the real world and real struggles.

Thinking about struggles, Lance remembered about his crush on Jenny. She was this girl in his grade with blonde hair and green eyes, she had small freckles plastered across her face and she just had the cutest laugh. Lance had gotten small crushes on other girls over the years, but those were ones that went away after a week. Lance had a crush on Jenny since the day he had laid eyes on her, and it hasn’t stopped.

Lance had tried using what his brother Marco had taught him about flirting. He even picked up some of his lines, and he didn’t think they were bad if he said so himself. But this new transition of puberty had started to take a toll on him.

A few weeks back, Lance was at the beach with some of his friends from the Garrison because they decided to head out there before the cold season came. And something about seeing his friends shirtless had really taken Lance aback. He started to stare, but once he realized he was staring, he tried to keep it cool. Just something about seeing them without a shirt sparked something in Lance that he didn’t know was possible. He blames puberty affecting a hormonal behavior onto him.

Now Lance had sort of the same experience in the locker room. He would try not to look at other guys and became rather uncomfortable and dreaded the days they had to change in the locker room. Lance was so scared of someone catching him stare, so Lance had found a solution which was to often stare at the ground and at his own shoes instead of paying attention to the others.

As he was about to finish tying the knot, he felt someone slide onto his bench on the left. He stopped the movement of his fingers and looked up to see who it was. It was a guy named Tim from his math class. They had talked a couple of times but not much, they usually had minimal conversations when training since they only knew each other in that class.

He tried for a smile. “Hey Tim, what’s up?”

Tim smiled, but his smile started to become rather uncomfortable.

“Hey Lance, I just wanted to ask you about something.”

“Sure, what is it?”

Tim’s head faced forward and he pointed at a boy with black hair and pale skin, though Lance could only see him from the back and couldn’t really tell who it was.

“Doesn’t it make you kind of uncomfortable?”

Lance was confused. “What would?”

Tim cleared his throat and looked around awkwardly, “You know…He’s gay and he is in the boys locker room, doesn’t it make you think he might try something?”

Oh my God.

Oh my god.

Lance couldn’t believe he was hearing this. As Lance grew older he had been more exposed to gay people and LGBT+ people in general. He had heard about kids not being accepted just because of who they loved, kids committing suicide, and kids being disowned by their families and rejected by others. He also heard about them being bullied.

Now he can’t believe he was experiencing it directly.

He wanted to tell the kid he is wrong for thinking that, and that he should mind his own business. But he felt like something was preventing him, and he didn’t know what. So instead he just looked at the boy and back at Tim.

“Nah, chill dude, just mind your own business and ignore him and nothing will happen.”

Lance finished tying his shoes and rushed over to the track field, he didn’t want to deal with this bullshit.

xxxxxxxx

13-14 Years Old

Lance had to complete and assignment for English class and it was an argumentative essay. He had to pick topics that would affect many people. So his teacher wanted them to tell her their topics today, or they could submit it in a note. Lance was in his dorm room and started searching for topics on the internet that he could use for his essay.

It was when he came across the LGBT+ section that something started to draw him in.

He looked to both sides of his room and the hallway to make sure no one was around. Once it was clear that no one would catch him, he clicked on the heading.

Doing this made Lance think back to the times he would watch YouTube videos of LGBT+ people. He liked learning about what they were going through and wanted to have somewhat of an understanding of what they go through so that maybe one day if someone needed it. He would have some sort of knowledge of what to expect.

But doing this also reminded Lance of how he would have multiple tabs open to switch tabs in case one of his parents or siblings saw his screen. Since his family mainly knew Spanish, they couldn’t really read what he was doing. But seeing something on a screen they probably would.

Lance hated that he felt like he was doing something wrong, and he was ashamed of it. It’s not that Lance was afraid of his family seeing this. He knew his family was perfectly accepting of everyone. But he couldn’t help but be scared about those few family members that seemed uncomfortable of the idea. He also didn’t want to give them the wrong idea that their son could be gay when he wasn’t.

Thinking back on this made Lance realize that maybe he shouldn’t do his topic on LGBT+ rights. So he exited the page and looked for a different topic.

xxxxxxx

Space

Over the course of the past few months, things had gone crazy.

To start off, Lance had gotten stuck in space with this blue lion along with Hunk, Pidge, Keith, and Shiro.

Then he saw an alien warship and wormholed to another planet, light years away from Earth.

After that, he met these 2 aliens on a castle ship, and he found out about this whole galactic war that could affect the whole universe.

And to say the least, after now being back on Earth after 5 years of not seeing his family or his home planet. He felt relief.

Well until other problems came up.

The war was over and they had defeated Haggar. The Garrison decided to cover them up with money since they fought and risked their lives to protect Earth.

But now Lance has personal problems.

You see, Lance is a very flirty guy. He had lots of crushes back in the Garrison like Jenny who he got over after a year and many other girls. And on space he flirted with aliens from left to right, being suave was his thing.

But being isolated in space made Lance realize a lot of things. One of them being that he is capable of having heart-wrenching feelings.

Lance knew he was a romantic guy, it was in his blood, but after so many years of flirting with girls and being rejected, he really didn’t think it would get anywhere. Plus they weren’t any major feelings either, so he decided to just keep up the act.

Until he met Princess Allura. Nobody could deny she was beautiful. Her crystal blue and purple eyes were so mesmerizing and her white poofy long hair was gorgeous. And above all she was a Princess that fought day and night in this war.

At first Lance just flirted with her because she was pretty. But then it got serious.

When he saw who Allura was in the inside he was drawn to who she was as a person. Lance started to fall hard.

He thought multiple times that maybe he should tell Allura about his feelings, but he always decided against it. That she probably wouldn’t take him seriously.

Allura found out anyway. The mice snitched. But Allura did not choose Lance in the end. She was after Lotor, and honestly, after a while, Lance realized that was who she was meant to be with, especially after he cleared up his past. They were made for each other.

Moving on was a process, but he managed to get through it. But Lance couldn’t help but think that something played a factor in making the process easier to get by.

Keith.

It was weird for Lance to think that Keith had a role in him moving on faster, but ever since Keith had come back to the team, Lance was taken upon the task of being his right hand and co-leader. So being focused on his missions helped a lot.

Or was it the missions?

Lance was in denial. And he knew it.

Even when Lance was moping over Allura, he had started to realize many things, and it wasn’t until Keith came back that he realized them.

Back when Lance was still a cadet at the Garrison, he had made up this rivalry with Keith. Keith didn’t really know Lance, and Lance knew that Keith never noticed him. But Lance was destined to score higher and to be better than the best pilot in his class.

So he made up this indirect rivalry, that he would talk about endlessly with Hunk. He even swore that he hated Keith.

But then Keith got booted from the Garrison. And honestly, it made Lance upset, but he tried not to show it. He doesn’t exactly know why he was upset, Keith was his rival, the one he swore he hated. He should have been happy that he took Keith’s spot now.

But lucky enough for him he got the chance when they rescued Shiro, and that is when Lance had made it obvious to Keith that he hated him.

Over time in space, Lance tried to let go out the act. He realized it was childish and that maybe instead he should try being Keith’s friend. If there was one thing about Lance it was this feeling he had about comforting others when they need it, and that’s what Lance did when Keith was distraught and stressed about Shiro disappearing.

When Shiro came back, Lance had noticed the one paladin too many issues and decided to talk about it with Keith because he was the current leader.

Or maybe it was because he saw Keith as a friend.

He shrugged it off.

Lance can admit that Keith is not the best person to talk to when you’re feeling down. But Lance still walked out of that room with a surge of emotions.

“And Lance. Leave the math, too Pidge.”

He couldn’t help but smile. Now Lance thought he could do this, he could be Keith’s friend.

But Keith left.

And reflecting on it now, Lance was devastated. He felt a void within him without Keith being there, without someone he can make fun of, without someone he can pick a fight with.

And Lance didn’t want to admit to himself, but he missed Keith.

Seeing Keith again after so many months boosted Lance’s mood, and he felt like he could be himself at the speed of a tick.

Keith rejecting his hug, made Lance sadder then it should have. And when Lance had some time to reflect on all that was happening. He started to question himself.

Do I like Keith?

No, I don’t. I’m straight, I like girls, and have only liked girls all my life.

But what if you do? A voice at the back of his mind said.

And Lance hated it, he started to cry. Ever since he was a kid there was this annoying voice that told Lance he was in denial about his feelings for guys. And no matter how many times Lance told that voice to shut up and assured himself that he only liked girls, it only came back that much faster, making it much harder to escape from it. And here it was again. Haunting him. And Lance didn’t know what to do this time. Could he really be into guys? Could he be into two polar opposite people at the same time?

Lance couldn’t think.

xxxxxxxx

Present

After thinking it through, Lance decided he should talk to Shiro. Taking it into account that the real Shiro was back, Lance knew Shiro might know somewhat of what he was going through.

He knew Shiro has a fiancé back on Earth named Adam. It was no secret in the Garrison that the record-breaking Takashi Shirogane was in love with a man.

So Lance knocked on Shiro’s door, taking in a deep breath. I can do this.

The door opened and Shiro’s eyes went wide in surprise.

“Lance? What brings you here?”

Lance gave him a nervous smile. “Hey Shiro, I hope you’re doing good. I was wondering if we can talk?”

Shiro rose his eyebrows up in surprise but directed Lance over to the couch of his office. Shiro set down some water for the both of them and made himself comfortable on the seat in front of Lance.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

Anxiety started to kick in and his nerves were alarmed. Lance couldn’t believe he was doing this.

“Shiro I-“ Lance stared at the floor, not wanting to meet Shiro’s eyes.

C’mon Lance, just say it, spit it out.

Say you like guys.

But he couldn’t.

A tear started spilling out of Lance’s eye and his throat was closed up. He felt a weight of emotions on his chest that he wanted to leave but they just couldn’t.

“Woah! Lance! Buddy!” Shiro rushed over to Lance’s side and placed his left arm on Lance’s shoulder and rubbed it. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Did something happen?”

He couldn’t take it anymore.

“Shiro, what if…What if I like guys?”

More tears started to fall.

It took a few seconds before Shiro processed this new information, but then he finally found a way to put it into words.

“Is this new for you Lance?”

He nodded.

“Are you scared of your feelings?”

Water started filling up his eyes again, but he tried to hold them back and nodded.

“Do you have a problem with people of the same gender liking each other?”

“No!” Lance sobbed. “I-I don’t really know, I’ve always been accepting of others and I believed in equal rights for everyone and that gays should be happy! And I-I don’t know why…Why I’m so scared of these feelings when it comes to me having them. I’ve always liked girls, only girls, I grew up around people that weren’t accepting of it, even though my own family was accepting of it, I’ve been terrified my whole life, Shiro!”

Shiro tried to speak but Lance cut him off, the words kept vomiting out of his mouth.

“I started looking back on my past life, to see if there were any clues leading up to me feeling this way, and there were so many. I’ve been in denial my whole life because I’ve been so scared of what people would think of me. And I know its stupid and that I shouldn’t give a fuck, but I can’t help but think how uncomfortable others would be around me and I can’t help knowing I’m making someone feel that way because of who I like. This annoying voice in the back of my head keeps haunting me Shiro and I want it to stop! Please! How do I make it stop Shiro? How do I stop being so scared? How do I stop being so scared of my own feelings? I tried everything Shiro, I tried being straight, I tried flirting with girls, I-I made dumb rivalries up. God just, please. What if I go to hell for this?”

Lance couldn’t say any more, he had let it all out. He thinks he even let out about his crush on Keith but he doesn’t care, his feelings are out and he doesn’t know if he feels relieved or scared.

Once Lance settled down Shiro started to talk.

“Listen, Lance. I know this is hard, and not everyone is going to be accepting of this. And everyone accepts themselves at their own time. But you Lance? You’re really strong for keeping this in for so long. You’ve been in denial your whole life, there is no secret about it. But your ways of coping with it weren’t smart. You’ve been supportive and accepting of everyone else, its time you do the same for yourself. You should have just let yourself feel.”

Let yourself feel.

Those words rang in Lance’s head, and he didn’t think he could cry anymore but here he was, breaking down into tears. He hugged Shiro and sobbed on his shoulder. He apologized for being such a mess, but Shiro only supported him.

And suddenly, Lance remembered why he considered Shiro his hero back at the Garrison. He was openly gay and a record-breaking pilot. He was always so brave and owned who he was every single day. And every time Lance had strived to be just like that.

It was only now that Lance found out exactly why he wanted to be like that, and he sobbed even harder.

When Lance stopped crying, he drank some of the water Shiro had given him and tried to clam down.

He looked at Shiro and smiled. He made a good choice talking to Shiro.

“So Lance.”

“Yeah?”

A smirk was forming on Shiro’s face. “So what is this rivalry you made up with someone?”

And Lance couldn’t help but laugh. He began talking about Keith. He felt himself get lighter and lighter as he let this out.

But Lance finally understood now, even if it would take him some time, he knew what he had to do now.

Let yourself feel.

[heyscience]

I figured I'd send you a message here in case you didn't see the other one: I'd love to learn more about your ocs. Kya especially. Do you have pictures? Does she have siblings? How many? Did any of them write to get after she was sent to the Circle? How does/did she feel about Solas? Vivienne? Fiona? Dorian?

AAAAAARRGHGJWIFUSHF THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SENDING ME THIS!

I am so, SO chuffed that you want to know more about my OCs, especially Kya! Out of all my OCs I’ve probably put the most effort into Kya’s characterisation. For sexy I just picked the purple options and Toby is more or less a self-insert character, because I was so confused for the entirety of my first Inquisition playthrough that I just fell back on ‘well, what would I do in this situation?’ Hence, most of Toby’s personality is based on just how McShitty I am at playing video games.

Thanks so much also to @ponylamp for reading about my OCs!! I’m so happy to find another person who went from loathing Cullen to loving him, it’s such a whiplash. I love that you like Kya as well, like holy fuck I am SO CHUFFED!

I have been INCREDIBLY LUCKY to have received a few asks about my OC’s, so I’ve got links to info about sexy and Toby below, BUT I WROTE A LOT ABOUT KYA COS BY FUCK I AM SO HAPPY YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HER.

Again, apologies for the length of this, I AM JUST VERY EXCITED.

sexy Hawke

My wonderful friend @captain101, who introduced me to Dragon Age, sent me an ask about “Which OC is Most Likely To Do [insert outrageous thing]” and I made myself giggle thinking about how sexy Hawke would do EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE THINGS. I wrote about it here.

I can’t take screenshots on my PS3 unfortunately so ages ago I looked up some actors I could use as references for my OCs, purely because I Need Them.

It was really hard to find a reference for sexy Hawke because Hollywood is racist. For the game I tried to make her look like Korra from Legend of Korra, and the way she ended up looking I headcanon her as being the Earth equivalent of having Polynesian heritage. New Zealand actor Keisha Castle-Hughes was the closest reference I could find (fun fact: when she was 13 she was the youngest actor to ever be nominated for an academy award).

Tobias Lavellan

I got an excellent ask about my OCs’ quirks from @themagescollective and because I think Toby has the most interesting quirks, I wrote about it here. This includes stuff like the story behind her human man’s name, her utter failure in becoming a clan hunter, her dracolisk mount named Steven and penchant for drunken sleepovers in her giant Skyhold quarters.

I imagine her as looking almost exactly like Ashly Burch, right down to the haircut (except she’s got the undercut thing and braid at the side).

Kya Trevelyan

@dickorpoe is a beautiful human who asked me about Kya’s past, which I wrote about here. The TL;DR version is that Kya has an Orlesian father who (I don’t think I mentioned) is generally warm and affectionate but has a hair-trigger temper, her mother, who is the head of the household and carries the Trevelyan name, is a fierce political operator who is well-respected in the local Chantry power hierarchy, and Kya has two siblings, a younger sister Madelyn and younger brother Antoine.

I AM SO EXCITED TO EXPAND ON HER STORY LIKE HOLY SHIT.

First, my actor reference for her is Archie Panjabi. I greatly admire her ability to have both the most terrifying death stare on the gotdang planet and also the cutest smile in forever. Kya looks just like this except she has the same haircut as Krem.

Kya was sent to the Ostwick Circle when her magic began to manifest at the age of 11. She wasn’t disowned by her family, but she was treated like the family embarrassment ever since. She was a talented student who caught the attention of Senior Enchanter Lydia who then became her mentor. Being a member of the nobility granted Kya certain privileges, so she was granted leave to attend important social gatherings organised by her mother, which were mainly geared towards the political machinations of her mother’s Chantry ambitions. Kya would be introduced as a gifted student of the Ostwick Circle, personally favoured by the Senior Enchanter, and then quickly passed over in favour of talking up her younger siblings.

Kya is closest to her sister Madelyn. There’s only a year gap between them so they were very close as kids. Madelyn often wrote to Kya after she was taken to the Circle, to check up on her and fill her in on family gossip. Madelyn wrote less and less over the years; she was under mounting pressure from their parents to distance herself from Kya. Madelyn was expected to carry on the family legacy in Kya’s stead as the eldest non-mage in the family. When she did write Madelyn sounded strained, and eventually, towards the end of Kya’s time in the Circle, she broke contact completely.

It was a turbulent time for Kya. Her family distanced themselves even further when she became more vocal about her radical anti-Chantry politics (a particular source of shame for her mother). Kya had been working for a number of years on a secret vendetta against Senior Enchanter Lydia, born of a betrayal she suffered at her mentor’s hands at the age of 14. When the Circle rebelled Kya used the ensuing chaos to orchestrate Lydia’s murder by playing to the resentments of one of her former students. It was the perfect crime - Kya was able to get her revenge without consequence.

A year later Kya went to the Conclave with a purpose: to extricate Chantry control over the affairs of mages and abolish the Templar Order. Her opinion of her Inquisition colleagues are a direct reflection of whether she sees them helping or hindering this goal.

Solas

Kya can’t fathom his motivations. She’s wary of this strange apostate who says he showed up at the destroyed Temple of Sacred Ashes simply for curiosity's sake. She values his knowledge and expertise on the fade, but she keeps a very close eye on him. She feels uneasy around people she can’t read.

Vivienne

As you might expect, Kya hates Vivienne. She recognises the value of having her as an ally to the Inquisition, but she hates her politics and holds an instant grudge against her when Viv mentions she was good friends with Lydia. I imagine their exchange on the topic goes something like this:

Vivienne: Did you know Lydia was killed by one of her former students when the Ostwick Circle rebelled?

Kya: Yes. I watched. (walks away)

Fiona

Kya pretty much fawned over Fiona when she led the mage rebellion, but that changed when she sold the rebel mages to Tevinter. Kya has very little respect left for her and treats her with disdain. She is disgusted with Fiona but remains vigilant because Fiona used to hold a lot of sway with the mages, so she could end up being a formidable political rival. Kya does everything she can to further ruin her reputation.

Dorian

Kya wants freedom for mages but she doesn’t want it to be anything like Tevinter. She treats Dorian with suspicion from the outset but gives him every opportunity to prove himself and show that he genuinely cares about improving his homeland. Meeting Dorian’s father clears all doubt from her mind and she sees his true value in helping them bring down the Venatori and wrangle change in Tevinter from within. He becomes one of her most trusted allies.

Good LAWD I am so sorry for all the writing (and giant pictures)!! Thank you so, so, so much if you’ve read all this. I really appreciate it and please, if you ever want prompts and questions about your OCs just let me know because I LOVE EXCHANGING STORIES ABOUT OUR DRAGON AGE OCs ISN’T IT THE COOLEST I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

You’re great xx

[i-may-have-a-point]

The Choice: Chapter 3

For the rest of the morning Sloan has April and I monitoring his post-ops, including our burn victim.  Between running labs, checking incisions for infection, and keeping charts updated, we don’t have much time to talk.  I finally get a couple of minutes free, so I lean my head in to the patient’s room where I last saw her, but instead of April, it’s Dr. Sloan standing next to the patient’s bed.

He sees me standing in the doorway and stops writing, “Need something Avery?”

“No, sir.  Actually, I was looking for Dr. Kepner.”

Sloan grins at me proudly, “I bet you are!”

I shake my head and sigh.  “Nevermind.  If you see her will you just let her know I went to lunch?”

“You can tell her yourself.  She just went to lunch.  You’ll probably see her down there.”  He turns his attention back to the chart and I turn to leave.  I don’t get very far before I hear him yell, “Tell her I said hi, Avery!”

I laugh to myself, a part of me knowing that Sloan is right.  I am trying to spend time with April.  Being around her is a nice change from the residents I am used to working with.  All they care about is getting ahead – getting the best surgeries, getting recognition.  And it’s not like she isn’t interested in those things, too.  She’s good.  She’s very good.  But she’s a great surgeon and still treats people like human beings.  She doesn’t cut them open and walk away.  She has been in our burn victim’s room at least five times this morning just to check on her husband and see how he is doing.  I have never seen a doctor who cares so much.  We could use more doctors like her around here.

I grab a sandwich, an apple, and a drink from the food line and look for a place to sit.  I spot April across the room sitting alone.  She is reading something, but I can’t tell what it is from here.  I head toward her table, but stop when I hear Meredith’s voice call my name, “Jackson!”  Crap.  I completely forgot about eating lunch with them.

April looks up at me when she hears Meredith yell my name and gives me a small smile and a wave.  I hate to see her sitting alone, and it takes everything in me to turn and go sit with Meredith, Cristina, and Alex.  I drop my tray on the table and take the seat next to Alex.  I look back at April again, hoping I didn’t hurt her feelings, but she is looking down at her salad and not at me.

“Earth to Avery!”  Cristina throws a grape at my forehead, and it bounces off and lands on the table.

Annoyed, I ask her, “What?”

“Why are you staring at Kepner with sad puppy dog eyes?  Hasn’t she annoyed you enough today?”  She asks biting into a carrot.

“Uh, no.  And she’s not annoying.  Stop calling her that.  Just because she isn’t ruthless doesn’t mean she’s annoying.  I just think it’s crappy that we didn’t even invite her to sit with us.  I mean, she’s new here.  We’ve all been the new person before.  It sucks.”  I open my water and take a drink.

Meredith chimes in, “Yeah, it sucked, but nobody held our hand and nobody is going to hold hers.”

“Oh, no one held your hand?  You’re Meredith Grey.  Your mom was a legend here.  They practically rolled out a red carpet for your arrival.  You got to scrub in on a surgery our first day as interns while the rest of us watched from the gallery. Tell me again how no one held your hand.”  I can tell by the looks on their faces they are surprised by my response, but I don’t care.  I’m tired of them acting so superior to everyone all the time.

“You’re one to talk Avery.  Your mom walks through the door and the doctors all cower in fear.  You could have any surgery you want if you just used your name to get it.  And I don’t know why you don’t.  Jesus, if I were an Avery I would own this hospital.”  Alex reminds me of his opinion of my being an Avery all the time.  And he may be right about everyone being afraid of my mom, but I’m not her.  And I’m not using my name to get ahead.  I want people to think I’m a good surgeon because I actually am one.

I open my mouth to tell them that, but I’m interrupted by Meredith, her face suddenly lighting up with excitement, “Oh, speaking of your mom.  I spoke to her last night.  She told me to remind you that you need to get your tux for the Harper-Avery Gala.  It’s only two weeks away, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.  I’ve been going to those things my whole life.  I don’t need a reminder of what to wear.”  I know I’m being rude at this point, but talking about my mother and the gala gets old. Sometimes I think if my name wasn’t Avery I’d be sitting alone at lunch like April is now.

“Oh, I heard that the head of the Cardio-thoracic program at Brigham is going to be there.  Is that true?”  Cristina asks me.  Of course, she would see the gala as an opportunity to further her career.

“Uh, yeah.  He’s a friend of the family.”  I tell her.  I rub my hand over my face and glance back over my shoulder to see April still sitting at her table.

“A friend of the family?  Of course, he is.  Of course.  Jesus, Avery.  You know, I don’t understand you.  You don’t even appreciate what you have.  You act all annoyed when anyone brings up your family, and you don’t even get what a gift that is.  You could have a job at any hospital in the country, but instead you’re here choosing a mediocre specialty and hiding from your legacy.  Stop feeling sorry for yourself and live up to your name.”  Cristina says all of this so matter-of-factly, like she isn’t being incredibly judgmental, instead she is just stating common knowledge.

“You know what? Screw you guys.”  I push my chair back hard enough for it to fall over and storm out of the cafeteria.

I head to the tunnels on the bottom floor of the hospital, hoping no one is there.  I just need a minute alone to get their comments out of my head.  Luckily the hall is clear, and I sit on one of the empty gurneys along the wall and lean my head back against the cool cement, appreciating the silence.  I hate that I let their comments bother me so much.  I just get tired of hearing how I’m not living up to my name all the time.  What the hell does that even mean anyway?  It’s my name.  Don’t I get to set the standard for what an Avery does?  Why is it already decided for me?

My thoughts are broken by the sound of quiet footsteps, and I open my eyes.  April is walking toward me, but her eyes are on the ground and she seems deep in thought.  When she gets to the gurneys, she looks up and is visibly startled to see me sitting there.

“Oh.  I-I’m sorry.  I didn’t think anyone would be down here.  I’ll leave you alone.”  she looks apologetic and turns to leave.

“Wait!”  I say, and she turns back to look at me.  “Don’t go.  Come sit with me.”  I surprise myself by a little by asking her to stay.  I came here to be alone, but now that she is here, I don’t want her to leave.

She looks at me apprehensively.  “Are you sure?  I mean, it’s fine.  I can go.  It’s just – well, you seemed angry when you left the cafeteria, so I thought you might want to be alone.”

I didn’t realize she saw my outburst, and now I’m a little embarrassed that she did.  “Uh, yeah. Yeah, I was mad.  My friends can be, uh, difficult.”

She raises her eyebrows and states the obvious, “They don’t seem like very good friends if they upset you that much.”  She walks over to the gurney I am sitting on and lifts herself up on to it, scooting back against the wall next to me.  “You wanna talk about it?”

I sigh.  I finally get time to talk to her alone, and we’re talking about my family issues.  This is not exactly how I wanted this to go.  “They were just giving me crap about being an Avery and living up to my name.  I just get tired of hearing it all the time.  I get it enough from my mom.  I don’t need it from them, too.  And now I have to worry about this stupid Harper Avery Gala cause the hospital is hosting it this year and all the doctors are required to go.  So, all anyone wants to talk to me about is what to wear and who is going to be there.  If it were up to me, I would skip the whole thing all together.”

“So, why don’t you?” she asks.

A laugh a little at the idea.  “You haven’t met my mother.  I would be disowned.  I would have to go into the witness protection program to escape her wrath if I didn’t show up.  It’s fine, really.  I’ve been going to these for as long as I can remember.  I’ve learned how to be an acceptable enough Avery for a few hours.”

She looks like she feels sorry for me.  “Wow, Jackson.  I had no idea.  I’m sorry.  I saw the flier for the gala on my lunch table, and I thought it sounded like fun, but I guess it must be different from your perspective.  You can’t even enjoy yourself because you’re under the spotlight the whole time.  That must be awful.”

For a moment, I just stare at her and don’t respond.  I don’t really know how.  I’ve never told anyone how I feel about the Harper Avery Gala without them telling me I should stop complaining and appreciate what I have.  This is the first time someone has actually listened and tried to understand how I feel.  I am overwhelmed with warmth for her and how she can be so understanding of someone she barely knows.  I must be staring a bit too long, because she breaks the silence by apologizing.

“I’m sorry.  I probably shouldn’t have said anything.  I don’t even know anything about this gala or whatever it is.”  I can tell she’s nervous because her words are coming out rushed and she’s talking with her hands.

“Will you stop apologizing?  You have nothing to be sorry for.  I’m just not used to people seeing my point of view, so I didn’t know what to say.  Besides, you’ll find out what the gala is all about soon enough.”

She clearly has no idea what I mean.  “What are you talking about?” she asks.

I can tell by the confusion on her face that she really doesn’t know.  I guess that makes sense.  It’s only her second day, and most people are ignoring her, so I doubt anyone took the time to tell her.  “The gala is in Seattle this year, and Seattle Grace is one of the financial donors, so all of the doctors here are required to attend.  So, that means you, too.  Looks like you’ll get a front row seat to all things Avery.”

Her eyes widen, but her smile tells me she is excited about the idea of attending the gala.  “Really?  Are you sure they mean all the doctors and not just, like, the ones who have been here?”

“All the doctors.  I’m sure.  It’s kind of my thing, right?  I can have a say in who is invited, and you definitely are.  Besides, it will be nice to have someone there who isn’t only being nice to me because of my last name.”  I lean over and bump her shoulder playfully with mine and she giggles., before turning to look at me and saying quietly, “Well, I have to admit, I am excited about the idea of getting to know more about all things Avery.”

For the second time, she has left me speechless.  In this dimly lit hallway, the brightness of her skin stands out, and as I explore her face, my gaze falls on her mouth and the way her pink lips look in contrast to her light skin.  I don’t expect to feel this way, but all I can think about is kissing her.  I lean in just a bit, as I am not sure what she is thinking, and my eyes flicker from her mouth up to her eyes to check for hesitation.  She leans in as well, and the only thing I can think is that I have never wanted to kiss anyone more that I want to kiss her right now.

The moment is ruined by my phone vibrating loudly in my pocket.  We both sit up quickly at the realization of what was about to happen, and I clear my throat and pull my phone from my pocket.  I sigh deeply and mutter, “Yeah, that’s just what I needed right now.”

“Is something wrong?” she asks.

“No.  My mother is just reminding me about the dinner I have scheduled with her and Meredith tomorrow night.”  Once the words are out of my mouth I instantly regret them, and I wish I could take them back.  I don’t know how to explain this thing with Meredith, but I do know I don’t want her thinking it is more than what it is, whatever that may be.

I see her face fall but she quickly hides it before scooting forward on the gurney and hopping down on to the floor.  “Oh,” she says, “Well, I should probably go check on our patients.  I was waiting on some blood work for the guy in three anyway.  Thanks for letting me hide out with you for a little while.  I’ll see you later.”  And with that, she turns and heads back down the hall.  I watch her walk away, thinking that I may be the biggest idiot alive.

When I walk into my apartment after work, I instantly notice things are different.  There are no dishes in the sink, Alex’s clothes that were thrown over the back of the couch this morning are gone, and the trash has been taken out.

I call out, “Karev?”  He must be here because the lights are on and there is music playing from somewhere, but he doesn’t answer.  I walk down the hallway, yelling his name again, and stop when I see him in the bathroom scrubbing the toilet.  This is a sight I have never seen before, and I grab my phone from my pocket.

He looks over at me, clearly annoyed, “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m taking a picture of this.  It may never happen again, and I want to have proof that Alex Karev does, in fact, know how to clean a toilet.” I laugh and take a couple pictures before he throws a towel at me.

“Shut-up, Avery.  This thing is disgusting, by the way.” He says as he continues to scrub.

“Uh, yeah, I know.  I’m the one who always ends up cleaning it.  What are you doing anyway?  Did you lose a bet or something?  You did the dishes, took out the trash, and picked up you dirty laundry?  Who are you?”  I’m racking my brain to come up with an explanation for his sudden need to not live in a pig-sty, but I’ve got nothing.

“I invited Reed over tonight.”  He mumbles.

I did not see this coming.  Alex doesn’t usually invite girls to our place.  He just finds an on-call room and then avoids them around the hospital for a couple months.  “Really?” I ask.  “So, what, she didn’t like the on-call room?”

He stands up, satisfied with his work, and begins gathering the cleaning supplies.  “I didn’t take her to the on-call room.  I mean, I thought about it, but I didn’t.  I don’t know. She seems cool.”  He walks past me, carrying the supplies back to the laundry room, but I don’t let him get away with just that little bit of information.

“I have known you for five years, and this is only the second time you’ve brought someone back here.  So, you have a thing for her or something?” Alex had his heart broken by a girl a few years back and ever since then, he has only been interested in women long enough to get in their pants.

“Dude, shut-up.” He calls over his shoulder.  “Oh, and she’s bringing Kepner!

I stop walking.  “Wait, what?”

“Yeah, she asked if she could bring her and I didn’t want to say no, so I’m gonna need you to distract her.  I know, I owe you.”  He looks at me like he thinks I am going to say no, but I don’t even consider it.  April is on her way to my house.  Right now.  I start looking around, mentally accessing if Alex cleaned well enough.

He looks at me like I’m crazy, and asks, “What are you doing?”

“Well, if they are both coming, I want to make sure this place is actually clean.”  I grab a stack of Sports Illustrated magazines off the coffee table and stuff them in a drawer in the kitchen.

Alex is standing by the kitchen counter, smirking at me.

“What?”  I ask him

“Nothing,” he says, shaking his head.  “It just seems like you aren’t going to mind having to distract Kepner all that much.”

Of course he is right, but I’m not telling him that.  “Or I know that you haven’t cleaned a house in years, so I want to make sure it’s actually clean.”

He starts to say something smart back to me, but there is a knock at the door, and he doesn’t get the chance.

“Well, looks like it’s too late for an inspection.”  He walks past me, patting me on the back just a little too hard, and goes to open the door.

“Hey!  You found it.  Guess my directions didn’t suck.” He says to Reed as she steps into the living room with April right behind her.

“No, they sucked,” she tells him, “I’m just smart.”  They banter back and forth, but I don’t hear the rest of what they say.  I’m too distracted by April.  I have never seen her out of her scrubs, and now I see what Sloan was talking about.  She does have a great body.  She’s wearing skinny jeans that are tight enough to show off her curves and a form-fitting purple top.  Her hair falls in loose curls down her back, and it’s not until she walks over to me and says, “Hi Jackson,” that I realize I must have been staring.

I blink a couple times and clear my throat, trying to appear relaxed, but now that she is standing right in front of me I can’t help but look her up and down again.  “Hey.  You look nice.”

Her cheeks flush and she runs her hands over her stomach and looks down at her outfit.  “Oh. Thanks.  I hope it’s okay that I came.  Sorry if it’s weird.  I don’t really think Reed wanted to come alone.”

“No, it’s not weird at all.  In fact, I’m glad you’re here.”  I tell her.

She looks up at me a bit surprised by what I said, “You are?”

“Yeah, I mean, who wants to be alone with those two?”  I nod my head toward Alex and Reed who are having a beer chugging contest in the kitchen.  April puts her hand over her mouth and laughs adorably which catches their attention.

Alex finishes off his beer and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.  “What?  You guys want a beer?”

I don’t even know if April drinks so I look at her and raise my eyebrows as if to ask, and she shrugs and says, “Sure.”

I grab beers for both of us out of the fridge, twist the tops off, and hand one to her.  

Reed is already well into her second drink when she places a hand on Alex's chest and leans in close to his face to seductively ask, "So, are you going to give me a tour?"

It's pretty clear she means more by that statement, and he looks surprised at first, but then quickly agrees.  "Yeah, yeah, of course, I am," before they head down the hallway to his room.  

I look over at April, and by the look on her face she is thinking the same thing I am.  "Well, that didn't take long." I say.

Laughing, she agrees.  "Right?"  

I realize that April and I are alone for the first time.  I shift my feet uncomfortably before gesturing to the couch.  "Do you want to sit?"

"Sure." she says and she sits down pulling one of the throw pillows that came with the couch into her lap.  I sit next to her, but not too close.  I don't want her to think I expect anything from her or that I had the same plans as Alex. Her fingers find the zipper on the seam of the pillow and she fiddles with it.  "So, how long have you lived with Alex?"

"We moved in here a couple months after we started intern year.  I know it sounds stupid, but I was trying not to live off of my family's money.  So, when Alex said he was looking for a roommate, I took him up on it.  What about you?  You and Reed live together, right?"  

She stops playing with the zipper and turns to face me tucking one leg underneath her.  "We do.  I guess it sort of happened the same way for us.  We both needed a roommate, and honestly I think she is one of the few people who doesn't find me annoying, so it just kind of worked out."  

"I don't think you are annoying.  Why would you say that?"

She looks at me like she thinks I am just trying to make her feel better.  "Jackson, you don't have to act like everyone at Seattle Grace isn't already saying it.  I hear them.  I know what people think about me.  And really, it's fine.  I'm used to it."  She shrugs as if it doesn't bother her, but I can see in her eyes that it really does.

"April, whoever is saying that obviously doesn't really know you."  She rolls her eyes.  "I mean it.  You are not annoying.  Just the opposite actually.  Lately you are one of the few people I can stand to be around."

"Really?  Why?  What about your friends - Alex and Meredith and Cristina? You spend a lot of time with them, right?"

I sigh, "Yeah, but it's not the same.  Sometimes I think they are only my friends because I'm an Avery.  You barely even knew me, but you actually took the time to listen to what I was saying.  You let me vent and didn't judge me.  Every time I even try to talk to one of them, they tell me that I have "rich boy" problems and to suck it up.  But you didn't do that.  No one has ever just listened to me before, but you did.  Thank you for that."

She smiles and says, "Jackson, you don't have to thank me for listening to you.  Everyone deserves that, and I'm so sorry you haven't had that before.  Just know that I will always listen, okay?  If you ever need to talk about something, I'll listen.  I mean, I know you probably have other people you would rather talk to, like your girlfriend, but I -"

"Woah," I cut her off, "What are you talking about?  I don't have a girlfriend."

She narrows her eyes in confusion, "Um, Meredith Grey?  She's your girlfriend, right?"

Ugh.  This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.  "No.  Meredith Grey is not my girlfriend.  Why did you think she was?"

I can tell she is thinking, and she hesitates, but then finally responds.  "Um, I must have been confused.  Sorry."

"Confused about what?"  I ask her, "Did she say something to you?"

"Well...kind of."  She looks almost nervous, as if she doesn't know if she should be saying any of this, but I can't let this go without hearing the whole story.

"What do you mean, kind of?"

She shifts on the couch, visibly uncomfortable with the conversation.  "Jackson, it's really not a big deal.  I don't want to create any problems with you and your friends.  We can really just drop it.  I must have been confused."

"April, you and I both know you weren't confused.  When did she tell you this?

"Today in the cafeteria.  After you left.  I saw you leave and I could tell you were upset, so I stood up to come check on you.  But before I left, she came up to me and told me to leave you alone because you were with her and that someone like you would never be interested in me anyway.  I told her that I was just worried about you, and she told me that it wasn't my place to be worried about you.  So, I decided not to look for you.  But I found you anyway.  In the tunnels.  I swear I wasn't looking for you.  I don't even know what made me go down there.  I just thought it would be a good place to sit and think, and then, there you were.  Doing the same thing."  Her eyes are full of worry, as if she thinks I won't believe or would be mad at her, and I feel an overwhelming need to reassure her.  I slip my hand under her hand that is resting on the pillow and squeeze it gently.  

"First of all, do not listen to Meredith.  Her and my mother have been trying to push a relationship between the two of us for years because of some insane idea that we should be together since we both come from surgical families.  I am not now, nor have I ever been, interested in Meredith Grey.  And second?  The best thing that happened to me today was you finding me in those tunnels.  I was happy you were there...and I'm happy you are here now."  I look in her eyes, hoping she believes what I am saying.

She smiles shyly and bites her bottom lip, "You are?"

"Absolutely," I tell her.  I lean in, needing to kiss her, but I pause just before our lips meet to silently ask if she wants the same thing.  I find the answer I need in her eyes, and I lose all hesitation.  I kiss her, and it feels as if I have been kissing her all my life.  Like this is the person I am supposed to be kissing always.  I move my hand to her neck to pull her in closer, and toss the pillow she is holding on to the floor with my other hand.  She places her hands against my chest and then slides then up to my shoulders.  She begins to run her nails lightly along the back of my neck, and the sensation drives me crazy.  I move my hand behind her head and into her hair as I slowly lay her back on the couch.  I try to hold myself up as much as possible to keep my body weight off of her, and then I realize that, somehow, I am positioned between her legs.  I pull back to look down at her and ask, "Is this okay?"  

For a moment, I think she might say no, but she nods silently and guides my mouth back to hers.  I slide my hand under the bottom of her shirt and lightly trace the side of her waist with my fingertips.  She shivers, and I laugh.  "Ticklish?"  I say in between kissing down her jawline to her neck.  Her answer comes out iin a breathy whisper, "Yes."  I decide that I want to find where her other sensitive areas are, but before I can, we hear screaming that makes us both stop what we are doing and stare at each other with wide eyes.

"Yes!  Yes! Right there, Alex!  Oh, God!"  

I drop my forehead to her shoulder.  "You've got to be kidding me," I say.  

April laughs and rubs my back.  "Yeah.  Reed is...loud.  Not my favorite part of being her roommate."  

I am unable to block out the sounds coming from Alex's room, so I sit up and run my hand over my hair with a sigh. I look down at April and can't help but think she looks incredible laying on my couch, and I can't do anything about it.  "I'm going to kill Karev."

[sunshinequeer]

I think my mom is finally starting to get that I need help (like I have add or depression) and I'm just?? So happy that she's finally making an effort to understand! Do you have any headcanons about the amis' parents?

That’s wonderful!! I’m so happy that you’re getting help and your mom is making an effort that is so fantastic and I really hope the best for you in getting better!!!

Enjolras and his parents don’t in any way get along. He comes from a rich family who never accepted him as their son and always tried to force him to be something he isn’t.His mom would force him to wear dresses and be more “like a lady.”His dad constantly told him to just be happy with what he had and ignore those less fortunate because they weren’t the family’s problem.A bitter, angry evening ended up with Enjolras shaving his head, stealing his dad’s best suit, making the speech of a lifetime about deserving a good life and being a good person not just for him but for everyone through thick tears, and leaving.So Enjolras doesn’t talk to his parents much, they ended up disowning him and he’s never been happier.

Courfeyrac is very close to his mother who raised him on her own. He spends every Sunday at her house where they drink tea and gossip and she shows him nail techniques and trends on his nails that he copies onto her, she’ll go into work the next day bragging about her son and showing everyone she works with what he did on her nails. She brags about him all the time to everyone about everything. She’s so proud of him for doing what he does, she loves his friends, she loves Combeferre. She taught him everything she learned, has always been honest and open with him, and loves him like he is her sun. In turn Courfeyrac shines bright and devotes his life to making her proud. You’ll never meet someone with a better relationship with a parent than Courfeyrac and his maman.

Combeferre is also very close to his mom but tends to have stiff uncomfortable conversations with his father who loves him of course but was always hard on him and never quite understood how Combeferre thought. On the other hand Ferre very clearly got his brain and wanting to learn from his mom the conversations they have are incredible and very often impossible to follow. He’ll have animated, interesting, amazing, quick conversations over dinner with his mom that carry well into the night, and quiet subdued coffee with his dad in the morning. He loves them both and they love him.

Jehan never met their father and their mother died when they were very young so they were raised by their witchy old aunt who they absolutely adore and model themself after. She raised them with nothing but love and acceptance taught them everything she knew and Jehan swears she’s an immortal being sent to earth to make everything better and brighter. They often still stay there, her yellow kitchen, the plants and crystals everywhere, her old cat Wheezy, and everything about that place makes is the ultimate source of comfort, inspiration, and joy as is the woman who raised them.

Grantaire had a very rough childhood. His parents were abusive and he doesn’t much like to discuss it. Him and his mom packed up and left his dad when he was a kid, just for them to go back and for both his parents to become very cruel, selfish, destructive people. He ran away when he was 14 and the last he heard his father died and his mother left for somewhere no one knows. He spends a lot of time with Jehan’s aunt though, he likes her a lot. He won’t admit it but she’s very much a mother to him.

Joly grew up with just his dad who was very distant and drawn into himself. Joly recalls how happy the man was, how full of life, how very dad-like he was until his mother died. After that the house was cold and empty, his dad was still very supportive and still loved him but he was also cold and empty. Joly acted out all throughout his teenage years not quite understanding what his dad was going through and was convinced he didn’t care. He didn’t understand until after his accident when his dad saved him and it became very clear. He goes home very frequently to cook with his dad and can see his eyes get brighter and his shoulders get straighter. Joly ended up taking the role of a parent but he’s not upset about it, he loves his dad, and will always be there to take care of him.

Bossuet has very overprotective parents, three of them. He’s been getting hurt and getting into terrible situations his entire life and they just can’t seem to trust he’ll be okay. He’s far away from them but they send monthly care packages with photos, the fire free candles his mom always used growing up, tons of letters, snacks, and a brand new first aid kit. His father especially will go the extra mile and used to call him every single day until his mother got him to calm down, now he just calls once or twice a week. Bossuet always appreciates them and although sometimes felt suffocated by them, he’ll smile every time he gets a package or a phone call and tries to visit them as often as he can.

Feuilly is an orphan. They grew up in foster care, some were good, some weren’t, they moved around too much to feel any bond with teachers or librarians or anybody. To them they never much needed parents they did a damn fine job raising themself and it was fine. They didn’t realize how much they wanted a parent figure until, like Grantaire, they found Jehan and their aunt. They loved her and treated her like a mother but was still dead set they didn’t need a mom or dad. But they finally found loving parents when they met Bahorel. His parents became Feuilly’s long before the idea of them legitimately becoming their in laws ever was thought of.

Bahorel has the biggest rowdiest most loving and caring family you could imagine. His parents have been in love since they were teenagers and decades later are still so fond of each other it used to make Bahorel retch. He grew up with them dancing in the kitchen, cuddling together with him and his siblings on the couch watching movies, and being the ultimate idea of true love. He swears they’re the best parents in the universe, they’re trusting, supportive, and he’s never gotten in trouble for anything as long as he was honest about it. Bahorel says the love his parents have for each other and the love they have for their children is blinding, if you look at them too long it’s like staring at the sun. He’s right too.

[goodxgonexbad-blog]

“Huh. You want to know my side? That’s the first considering once people hear Zacks’s side of the story they don’t want to hear it from me.” She’d remarked before giving a little laugh.

“Fine. If you’re so interested I’ll tell. Knowing Zack he’ll be gone awhile.” She’d say before clearing her throat.

“Zack probably never told how easy he had it. Mother loved him more while neglecting and abusing me. He was the favorite...I had my dad he was the only one that cared about me but now I have no idea where he went....” She had to take a break after mentioning her dad. Once she got her composure she continued.

“We got to Earth and this guy with lavender hair attacked Zack. I was going to jump in but Zack said no he got it. The lavender haired guy then says his name was Trunks and he was looking for strong warriors to join the Time Patrollers. Of course right off the bat, Zack was choosen. When I wanted to tag along they told me I wouldn’t be able to handle it. That I was too weak. They didn’t even give me a chance and they told me to go train in Toki city...I trained with Vegeta for some time but he made me feel like shit all the time...Yet here was Zack getting all this praise. I lived in his shadow- No one even knew my name. They constantly referred to me as “Zack’s sister” and I grew tired of it.”

There was a pause.

“After I finished my mentorship with Vegeta I tried to look for something else to occupy my time with. I wanted to find someone who would appreciate me and my power. And then I saw them. The Ginyu Force. I took their test, passed and hung around them. They appreciated me like no one else had. They were fun, spontaneous and my first friends. Zack got mad when he saw me wearing their outfit and instead of asking me why, he immediately attacked me for it saying that I should drop them and stay out of the way. He wanted me to keep living in his shadow....I couldn’t take it anymore. I yelled at him and stormed off. I went right back to the Ginyu Force and continued to hang around them....then. Frieza approached me. The man who destroyed my planet and killed my people had apparently taken interest in me because Ginyu kept talking about me to him. At first I didn’t want to train with Frieza...I was in a relationship with a Saiyan man named Brax but...that relationship was one sided and toxic. He tossed me to the side for an Earthling girl. An Earthling! So I took up Frieza’s offer and he treated me worst than Vegeta. Constantly making me feel like I’m scum and bringing up the destruction of our home planet like it were a joke. I did grow stronger though. And in the middle of our spar Zack found me and tried to challenge me. We had a stalemate and before either of us could do anything I was taken away from the scene and so was he. My siblings all disowned me and left me. They took Zack’s side. Everyone did. No one cared about what had happened to me- No one bothered to ask why!”

The Saiyaness sounded upset as she explained her story but soon bursted out into a hysterical laugh. “Zack and the Time Patorllers are one of the biggest reasons why I am like this and yet I’m the bad guy!? They want to rid the world of evil and yet they created the monster that is me!”

The Saiyaness soon queit down her laughter and slouched back against the tree, a smirk still plastered on her face. “Not all heros are good people.”