#but many are and it’s healthy to point that out

[delicatefury]

Oh, honey, no.

Not only is that not true, but thinking like that is just not healthy. It also creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Look. I’m in my mid-thirties. I don’t think like that. I can’t think like that. The last time I thought like that I was in my early twenties and in the middle of the most severe depression of my life. My body basically started to shut down, it was that bad.

You know what helped get me out of it? My niece was born. Summer that year was gorgeous. I stumbled across a stream swarming with dragonflies while on a walk. I raised a bunny. I completed a 24-hour comic that I still quite like. My parents adopted a dog. I discovered so many new songs. Despite my brain being committed to being miserable, good things kept happening. And I began to expect them.

This year, over a decade later, I hatched chicks and every weekend I visit them at my parents’ farm. The peach trees I planted 3 years ago are bearing fruit. My dogs get compliments on our walks for how well-behaved and sweet they are. The baristas at the coffee shop know my name. That same niece is competing in the junior olympics. Today rain is falling and it smells like petrichor outside. The rain will help my roses bloom.

The problem is you’re thinking too large, too big, too grand in scope. Humans aren’t made to live like that. Very few can handle it. The rest of us? We can look for the good and fix the bad within arm’s reach. We can focus on making progress and goodness where we can see and touch it. So stop worrying about far off things all the time, whether the distance is in time or in space. Doing so will just keep you miserable and prevent you from seeing what’s in front of you.

You don’t think good things will happen? It’s happening right here and right now! Go outside, stand on the sidewalk, and look at the grass by your feet. Do you see the wood sorrel blooming? The clover? Around here we get henpin and deadnettle too. You can pick their flowers from the stem and if you see a drop at the end, that’s nectar! Have a taste, it’s sweet. If you sit and watch for a few minutes you’ll see honey bees! Moths! Butterflies! Stay quiet and a few minutes more you’ll hear birdsong. Such good things outside your door.

Even if you live by a busy road, even if you think you’re surrounded by concrete and ugliness, you’ll still see and hear these things. Take a walk and look, really look, at what’s around you. You’ll see evidence of children playing, of families. You’ll spot a stray cat or a wild bunny, squirrels, pigeons and doves. Crows and ravens. There’s a small plant growing in the crack of a wall. A bird taking a bath in a puddle.

Cats’ fur is still soft and their purrs are loud. Dog tails wag so hard with love and happiness they can sprain them!

You can expect good things. You should! But you need to recalibrate where you’re looking and refocus your expectations.

And I get that it can be hard to get to that point. But there’s a song lyric that’s been sticking with me a lot lately. “We keep doing these things not because they’re guaranteed to make us feel good. But because failing to do them? Guaranteed to make us feel bad.” (Good Morning Sunshine by the Narcissist Cookbook).

So. Stop watching the news. Get off line. They make their money in negativity. And start looking out your window. Start existing where you are. Maybe you won’t start expecting good things right away, but you’ll stop expecting things to always get worse.

[lila-lou]

✨Beyond his true fate - Part 5/14✨

Summary: Sequel to "His true fate".

(Jensen hasn't been happy for years. But it seems almost impossible for him to escape. After another nasty argument between him and his wife, he decides to visit his ´former´ best friend for his birthday. Back in Austin, an encounter awaits him that will turn his life completely upside down.)

Pairing: Jensen x Reader

Warnings: Language, age gap, tough topics

Word Count: 6354

A/N: English isn’t my first language, please be lenient. DISCLAIMER: Everything is purely fiction. I do not intend to attack or hurt anyone. The story is, of course, entirely made up and meant for entertainment purposes. I love them all.

The next morning, you woke up to the faint sound of clattering dishes and a string of quiet muttering coming from the kitchen. You blinked groggily, rubbing the sleep from your eyes, the warmth of the bed and the lingering scent of Jensen still wrapping around you.

Jensen was making breakfast.

That alone was surprising. He wasn’t exactly the “up early, cooking in the kitchen” type—not unless it was pouring a cup of coffee or heating up something easy. But the distinct smell of eggs, something slightly burnt, and… was that kale? made you push back the covers and climb out of bed.

You shuffled toward the kitchen, the sight before you instantly making you bite back a laugh.

Jensen stood at the stove, shirtless, his hair still messy from sleep, looking entirely out of his depth. He had a spatula in one hand, a pan of eggs in front of him, and a look of pure concentration on his face as he attempted to… salvage whatever disaster was currently happening.

On the counter, there was a smoothie that looked vaguely like baby food, a half-sliced avocado, a bowl of what was supposed to be oatmeal but had somehow turned into a thick, glue-like substance, and a plate of toast—one piece slightly burnt, one undercooked.

Jensen sighed heavily, rubbing his temple before flipping the eggs—too aggressively, because one of them immediately broke apart in the pan. “Shit”, he muttered under his breath.

You leaned against the doorway, crossing your arms. “This is quite the operation”.

Jensen startled slightly, turning to find you watching him with clear amusement. He huffed, flipping the spatula onto the counter before running a hand through his hair. “It was supposed to be a show of support”, he admitted, gesturing to the chaotic spread of food. “But, uh… it’s turning into a show of why I should just let you cook”.

You grinned, stepping closer. “I appreciate the effort”.

Jensen exhaled dramatically. “I was going for healthy. You know, good-for-the-baby type shit”. He waved toward the sad-looking smoothie. “But I think I accidentally made something that could be used as drywall paste”.

You peered into the cup, raising an eyebrow. “What’s in this?”.

Jensen sighed. “Spinach. Bananas. Chia seeds? Maybe too many chia seeds. Some almond milk. I think blueberries at one point. And… protein powder”.

You bit your lip, trying not to laugh. “So you just threw random healthy things in a blender?”.

“Essentially”. He sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck. “It tasted like ass, by the way. So you don’t have to drink it”.

Jensen watched as you bravely took a sip of the smoothie, his eyebrows lifting slightly in anticipation. At first, you just stood there, swallowing carefully, lips smacking as you tried to assess the taste.

Then your eyes widened.

You slapped a hand over your mouth.

Jensen barely had time to react before you bolted from the kitchen. “Shit”, he muttered, immediately following you.

By the time he reached the bathroom, you were already on your knees in front of the toilet, heaving. Jensen winced, his stomach twisting as he quickly crouched beside you, one hand gathering your hair while the other rested gently on your back.

“Okay, yeah”, he said, rubbing slow, soothing circles against your spine. “That’s definitely on me”.

You groaned, head still resting against the toilet seat. “Jensen, what the hell did you really put in that thing?” you croaked.

He winced. “Apparently, a lethal amount of chia seeds”.

You whimpered. “I think they expanded in my stomach and tried to kill me”.

Jensen let out a breathless chuckle, though he still looked concerned as he grabbed a washcloth, wetting it under the sink before pressing it to the back of your neck. “Alright, no more experimental health smoothies. I’ll stick to what I know”.

You breathed deeply, letting the cool fabric soothe your overheated skin. “Like what?”.

“Pancakes”, Jensen said immediately. “And coffee. That’s about it”.

You snorted, finally leaning back against him, exhaustion settling into your limbs. “Sounds like a better plan”.

Jensen kissed your temple, his arm curling around you. “You okay?”, he murmured, his lips brushing against your hair.

You nodded, exhaling slowly. “Yeah. Just remind me to never let you play nutritionist again”.

Jensen helped you up carefully, his hands steady as he guided you toward the sink. You were still a little weak from throwing up, but the worst of the nausea had passed. As you reached for your toothbrush, he lingered for a moment, watching you with a worried expression.

“I’m fine”, you assured him, though your voice was still a little hoarse.

Jensen exhaled through his nose, not entirely convinced but nodding anyway. “Alright. I’m gonna… try to salvage breakfast”, he said, backing toward the door.

You turned on the faucet, squeezing toothpaste onto your brush. “Please don’t poison me again”.

He smirked, pointing at you. “No promises”.

By the time you finished brushing your teeth and splashing cold water on your face, the lingering nausea had mostly faded. But when you stepped back into the kitchen, it was clear Jensen’s second attempt at breakfast wasn’t exactly going smoothly.

He stood at the stove, frowning down at the pan like it had personally offended him. The eggs were… well, they were barely holding together. Some pieces were too runny, others slightly overcooked.

“That bad, huh?”.

Jensen shot you a look. “I don’t wanna talk about it”.

You smirked, stepping closer. “Want me to take over?”.

“Nope”, he said immediately, flipping what was left of the eggs onto a plate. “I got this”.

You raised an eyebrow as he turned back to the stove and picked up another piece of toast from the toaster. He frowned when he saw how burnt it was, sighing dramatically before scraping at it with a butter knife.

You bit your lip, trying not to laugh.

Jensen glanced up, narrowing his eyes. “I see you judging me”.

“I would never”.

He snorted, shaking his head as he handed you a plate with what could generously be called scrambled eggs and toast. “Here. Ackles’ special”.

You took it with a grateful smile, sitting down at the table. Jensen joined you, resting his chin in his hand as he watched you take a careful bite.

It wasn’t terrible. Not great either. But Jensen was trying, and that meant everything.

A little while later, just as you were starting to truly relax, the front door swung open without a knock.

“Still drowning in whiskey, or did you finally hear from—”, Jared’s voice cut off mid-sentence as he stepped inside, only to find himself staring at the sight in front of him.

You were stretched out in the middle of the living room, your growing belly carefully nestled in a nursing pillow for support. Dressed only in a pair of shorts and a sports bra, you were visibly enjoying the rare moment of comfort. Meanwhile, Jensen was kneeling behind you, his large hands pressing into the muscles of your lower back, brows furrowed in intense concentration.

It was clear he was trying. Trying hard. Probably too hard.

Jared blinked. “What the hell did I just walk into?”.

Jensen glanced up, his fingers still pressing into your back. He barely even looked embarrassed. “A pregnancy massage”, he said flatly. “Saw a video on it”.

You hummed, shifting slightly as you melted further into his touch. “He’s actually pretty good at it”.

Jared raised an eyebrow, stepping closer, his arms crossing over his chest. “Yeah? What brought this on?”.

Jensen exhaled sharply, focusing on the tension in your lower back. “Trying to help”.

Jared’s lips twitched like he was fighting back a laugh. “Trying to help”, he repeated, his voice laced with amusement. His gaze flicked over the scene in front of him—the way Jensen was carefully kneading your muscles, the way he was practically hovering over you like a protective shadow. “So, what, you’re just throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks now?”.

Jensen shot him a dry look. “You got a better idea?”.

Jared smirked, plopping down onto the couch. “Nope. Just enjoying the show”.

You chuckled softly, tilting your head toward Jared. “He’s been like this all day”.

“Overcompensating?”, Jared teased.

“Hard”, you murmured, closing your eyes as Jensen worked out another knot in your back.

Jensen grumbled under his breath, his fingers pausing just for a second. “I can stop if you’re gonna join him in teasing me”.

Your eyes shot open, and you immediately grabbed his wrist before he could pull away. “No, no, no”, you rushed out, shaking your head. “Carry on, please”.

Jared laughed, throwing himself onto the couch like he owned the place. “Man, you really got her trained”.

Jensen smirked, resuming his slow, careful massage. “I like to think of it as ‘earning back my place’”.

Jared scoffed. “Yeah, well, keep it up. You’re on thin ice, buddy”.

You rolled your eyes at their banter, but there was an ease in the room now, something light that hadn’t been there in so long. Jared stretched out on the couch, tossing a decorative pillow under his head.

“I’m glad you’re back, (Y/N)”, he said, his voice softer now.

You turned your head to look at him, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. Jared wasn’t just teasing anymore—he meant it.

Your chest tightened slightly, but you gave him a small smile. “Me too”.

Jensen’s hands stilled for just a second before he exhaled, pressing a lingering kiss to your bare shoulder. You felt him relax a little more against you, like hearing you say that settled something deep inside him.

Jared clapped his hands suddenly, breaking the moment. “Alright, now that we’re all good and settled, let’s get down to business”.

Jensen frowned. “What business?”.

Jared grinned, a little too mischievous for Jensen’s liking. “Baby shower”.

Jensen immediately stiffened behind you.

You, however, perked up instantly, your eyes lighting up. “Really?”.

Jensen groaned, already knowing there was no way out of this now.

Jared smirked, winking at you. “Told you she’d love it”.

Jensen dropped his forehead against your back, grumbling, “I walked right into that one”.

You sat up quickly, eyes wide with excitement. “Wait, you’re serious?”.

Jared grinned. “Dead serious”.

Jensen, however, barely gave you time to fully sit up before he was already reaching for your sweater, pulling it back over your head in one swift motion. “Alright, let’s just get you dressed before we start planning an entire event while half-naked”, he muttered, grumbling under his breath as he adjusted the fabric around your shoulders.

Jared snorted from the couch, shaking his head. “Man, you really are on edge”.

Jensen shot him a glare. “She’s pregnant”.

Jared raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I noticed”.

You rolled your eyes, tugging your sweater into place as you turned back to Jared. “Okay, back to the important part—baby shower”.

Jared smirked, throwing his hands behind his head. “Gen’s been planning one for dyas. We were just waiting for you to, you know, actually come home”.

Your heart swelled at that. “Wait, really?”.

Jensen groaned, clearly realizing he was now officially outnumbered. “Of course she has”.

Jared ignored him, nodding at you. “Yeah. She’s been making lists, picking themes, debating over cake flavors—it’s a whole thing”.

You practically beamed. “That’s amazing”.

Jensen sighed, rubbing his face. “Help me”.

Jared clapped his hands together. “Alright, now that we have (Y/N) on board, let’s talk details”.

You turned to Jensen, grinning. “You know you have no choice now, right?”.

Jensen exhaled slowly, looking at you, at the way your excitement was practically radiating off you. And even though he’d rather be doing literally anything else, he found himself smirking just a little. “Yeah”, he muttered, shaking his head. “I know”.

A while later, Jensen sighed as he watched you disappear down the hall toward the bathroom, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he muttered, “I swear, she pees more than she does anything else these days”.

Jared chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned back into the couch. But then, his expression shifted, turning a little more serious as he glanced over at his best friend. “You’re planning on making it official now?”.

Jensen dropped down onto the couch next to Jared with a quiet huff. He ran a hand through his hair, already knowing exactly what Jared meant.

“Which part?”, Jensen asked, rubbing his palms together. “The relationship? The baby?”.

Jared raised an eyebrow. “Both”.

Jensen exhaled sharply, leaning back, resting his head against the couch. His hands draped loosely over his stomach as he stared at the ceiling for a moment, deep in thought.

Jared let the silence stretch before nudging him lightly with his foot. “Dude, come on”.

Jensen sighed heavily, his fingers rubbing against his temples. “They’ll pick her apart, man”, he muttered. “More so now, since the divorce is only just official”.

Jared frowned, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You really think that’s what’s stopping you?”.

Jensen exhaled, shaking his head. “No, it’s not just that what’s stopping me. It’s just… it’s a lot. And I know how brutal they can be. The media, the fans who think they know everything”. He ran a hand over his face. “Hell, you’ve seen it firsthand”.

Jared nodded slowly. “Yeah, I have. But, Jensen, do you really think (Y/N) doesn’t know that, too? She’s already been dragged into your life, your mess, your world. She’s still here”.

Jensen’s jaw clenched. “I know”.

Jared tilted his head slightly. “So what’s the real reason you haven’t made it official yet?”.

Jensen stayed quiet for a long moment, his chest rising and falling with steady, measured breaths. “I don’t want her to regret it”, he admitted, his voice quieter now. “Any of it”.

Jared’s expression softened. “You think she would?”.

“I don’t know”, Jensen muttered. “I don’t think she would now. But later? When the storm really hits? When she’s sleep-deprived with a newborn and the media’s still running headlines about how she ‘broke up a family’? When she’s getting hate for something she had no part in?”. He shook his head. “I don’t want her to look at me one day and wonder if it was worth it”.

Jared exhaled, shaking his head slightly. “Okay, but have you actually talked to her about this? Or are you just deciding for her?”.

Jensen’s jaw tensed, his fingers drumming against his thigh. “We never really talked about it”, he admitted. “Not like that”.

Jared shot him a pointed look. “Dude”.

Jensen sighed, leaning back against the couch. “I know, okay? I know I should. But I just… I don’t want to push her”.

Jared scoffed. “Push her? Jensen, she’s carrying your baby. You’re literally in this together, whether you make it public or not. She deserves to have a say in how it happens”.

Jensen closed his eyes for a moment, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. “I just—what if she doesn’t want to deal with it? What if she’s already overwhelmed enough as it is?”.

Jared tilted his head, watching him closely. “Or what if she’s waiting for you to make it clear that you’re all in?”.

Jensen swallowed hard, his chest tightening at the thought.

Jared smirked slightly. “Look, man. I’m not saying you need to go and propose tomorrow. But if you don’t make it clear where you stand, she’s gonna think you’re hesitating for all the wrong reasons”.

Jensen let out a slow breath, his fingers tapping restlessly against his knee. He knew Jared was right. And maybe, deep down, he had been using the media and the fans as an excuse—because the truth was, the fear wasn’t just about them.

It was about him. It was about whether he was capable of being everything you and the baby needed him to be.

Before he could say anything else, the sound of soft footsteps made them both look up.

You walked back into the room, stretching as you moved toward them. “What are you two talking about?”.

Jensen and Jared exchanged a quick glance before Jared smirked. “Oh, just giving your man some much-needed wisdom”.

You raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “That sounds dangerous”.

Jensen let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “You have no idea”.

But as you settled back onto the couch beside him, Jensen felt the weight of the conversation still hanging over him.

He needed to talk to you. Really talk to you. Because Jared was right. It wasn’t just about the media, or the fans, or even his past. It was about proving to you that he was all in.

Jensen hesitated for only a second before reaching for your hand, intertwining your fingers with his. His grip was warm, steady, grounding. Without a word, he lifted your hand and pressed a lingering kiss against your knuckles, his lips soft and deliberate.

Heat rushed to your cheeks, your heart fluttering at the small but intimate gesture. You bit your lip, glancing away briefly, only for Jared to groan dramatically.

“Alright, alright, we get it”, Jared teased, rolling his eyes with a grin. “You’re in your lovesick phase again”.

Jensen shot him a smirk, but he didn’t let go of your hand. Instead, his thumb traced slow circles against your skin, like he wasn’t ready to stop touching you just yet.

Jared leaned back against the couch, stretching out. “Anyway, about this baby shower”, he said, shifting gears. “What should Gen consider? Theme? Colors? I need something to bring back to her before she drives me insane”.

You hummed thoughtfully, tilting your head. “Maybe I should just invite her over someday”, you mused. “I mean, she only really knows me from seeing me a few times—and, well, from me breaking down in your house a few weeks ago”.

You weren’t even thinking when you said it—it was just a fact, something that had happened, something you had lived through.

But for Jensen? He was the reason for that.

You felt it immediately—the way Jensen’s fingers twitched in yours, the way his whole body tensed beside you. His guilt was palpable, thickening the air between you. But before he could let it consume him, before he could spiral into another wave of self-loathing, you squeezed his hand.

“Don’t”, you whispered, your voice gentle but firm.

He turned to look at you, his green eyes heavy with regret, but you met them with a half-sad, half-soft smile. The kind that said, I know. But we’re here now.

Both of you knew that healing wasn’t instant. That there were still cracks to mend, still moments that would sting. But holding onto a grudge wouldn’t change the past. Wouldn’t make either of you any happier.

Jensen swallowed, nodding slightly, his grip tightening around yours, as if grounding himself in the warmth of your touch.

You took a slow breath before turning back to Jared, shifting the conversation, bringing back the lightness. “You and Gen free tonight?”.

Jared quirked a brow, glancing between the two of you. “I can call the babysitter”, he said cautiously, sensing the shift in energy but rolling with it. “Why?”.

You smiled, leaning slightly into Jensen. “What do you think about a BBQ?”.

Jared’s expression instantly brightened. “Now that”, he said, pointing at you, “is the best idea you’ve had all day”.

Jensen finally exhaled, shaking his head as a small smirk tugged at his lips. “You just want free food”.

Jared grinned. “Damn right, I do”.

Jensen’s body slowly started to relax, the weight of his guilt easing a bit as he listened to you and Jared throw out ideas, debating marinades, side dishes, and whether or not Jared would get banned from handling the grill after last summer’s accident with the lighter fluid.

Jensen smirked, shaking his head as he squeezed your hand once more before pressing another soft kiss to your knuckles. It was a simple touch, but one filled with unspoken gratitude—for you, for Jared, for this tiny slice of normalcy.

“Well”, Jensen finally said, standing up with a stretch. “Guess I better go dig the grill out of the garage”.

Jared snorted. “Yeah, that thing’s probably buried under half your life’s worth of junk”.

Jensen shot him a dry look. “If you’re just here to criticize my storage methods, I can point you toward the door”.

Jared grinned. “Oh no, I’m definitely staying. Someone has to make sure you don’t burn the house down”.

Jensen rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, and you bit back a laugh as you watched them slip back into their usual banter. It felt good. It felt normal. And right now, normal was exactly what you needed.

As Jensen disappeared into the garage, Jared turned to you, his teasing smirk softening into something more genuine. “You okay?”.

You exhaled, running a hand over your belly before nodding. “Yeah”, you admitted, smiling just a little. “I think I am”.

You leaned against the kitchen counter, watching through the window as Jensen wrestled with the grill, muttering under his breath as he yanked at it, trying to free it from the clutter in the garage. His brows were furrowed, his jaw tight with determination. You bit back a smile. Even after everything, he was still him—stubborn, persistent, and entirely incapable of admitting when an inanimate object was winning against him.

Behind you, Jared had already made himself at home, rummaging through the fridge with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times before. He grabbed two beers, popping the caps off with one smooth motion.

As he set one on the counter for Jensen, he glanced at you, his expression shifting. More serious now. “You know he’s crazy about you, right?”.

You turned to look at him, his words catching you off guard. “Jared—”.

“I mean it”, he cut in gently, leaning back against the fridge, beer dangling from his fingers. “I know he’s an idiot. Trust me, I know. And yeah, he handled things like a complete dumbass. But that man? He’s all in, (Y/N). Has been. Probably from the start”.

Your throat tightened slightly, your gaze drifting back toward the window, where Jensen had finally managed to get the grill loose. He let out a triumphant ha! before promptly stumbling back a step.

You shook your head fondly. “Yeah”, you murmured. “I know”.

Jared hummed, taking a sip of his beer. “Just making sure”.

Jensen finally walked back inside, shaking his head as he spotted Jared already making himself comfortable with a beer in hand. He exhaled dramatically, dragging a hand down his face. “I leave you alone for five minutes”, he muttered, his voice full of mock disappointment.

Jared just grinned, lifting his beer in a mock toast. “You know me”.

Jensen huffed but let it go, stepping up behind you without hesitation. His hands found your waist naturally, pulling you back against him as he pressed a soft kiss to the side of your head. The casual intimacy of it made your stomach flutter.

Jared, however, wasn’t paying attention to that—he was eyeing the fridge again. “You got enough food here, or do we need to make a store run?”, he asked, already mentally planning the meal.

You scrunched your nose, glancing at the fridge. “Probably not”, you admitted. “I wasn’t exactly planning for a BBQ when I got groceries”.

Jared clapped his hands together. “Alright. I’ll handle it. You two lovebirds stay here and… do whatever it is you’re doing”.

Jensen smirked against your hair. “You just want to be alone in the store so you can sneak more beer into the cart”.

Jared pointed at him. “That too”. Then he grabbed his keys, tossing a smirk over his shoulder as he made his way to the door. “Alright, I’ll be back soon. Try not to burn the house down before then”.

Jensen rolled his eyes but didn’t bother responding as Jared left, the door clicking shut behind him.

With Jared gone, the house settled into a comfortable quiet. Jensen didn’t move away from you—in fact, if anything, he held you a little closer, his arms resting securely around your waist. His hands—large, warm, familiar—splayed gently over your belly, still careful, still just slightly hesitant, like he was adjusting to the reality of it all in real time.

His thumbs brushed over the fabric of your shirt, barely there, like he was committing the feeling to memory. “How you feeling?”, he asked quietly.

His voice was softer now, more thoughtful, like he wasn’t just asking to ask—but because he really wanted to know.

You exhaled slowly, resting your hands lightly over his. “Tired”, you admitted. “But… okay”.

Jensen hummed, nodding slightly against you. His palm brushed over your belly again, the movement slow, deliberate. It was still kinda small but visible now, especially under the tight top you were wearing.

He stared down at it, swallowing hard. “You’re really showing now”, he murmured, almost like he was speaking more to himself than to you.

You turned slightly, glancing at him. “Is that weird?”.

Jensen hesitated for a moment, his fingers flexing lightly against your stomach. Then, he shook his head. “No”, he murmured. “Not weird”.

He let out a quiet chuckle, the sound low, almost in disbelief. “Just… real”.

You turned fully in his arms then, looking up at him, searching his face. “Yeah”, you whispered.

Jensen’s arms tightened around you, fully, completely, like he was afraid to let go. You could feel the deep rise and fall of his chest, the way his breath shuddered slightly as he exhaled, like he was letting go of something that had been weighing him down for too damn long.

Then, his voice—low, rough, full of something raw and unshaken. “I’m all in, (Y/N)”, he whispered against your hair. “I promise”.

Before you could even respond, his hands slid down to your waist, gripping just firm enough to lift you onto the kitchen counter in one fluid motion. You gasped softly, your hands instinctively finding his shoulders as he settled between your legs, his presence warm, steady, grounding.

His green eyes, full of something so fierce and real, locked onto yours. He wasn’t hesitant anymore. There was no doubt, no uncertainty. Just Jensen, standing in front of you, looking at you like you were the most important thing in his world.

Your heart pounded as he reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear before trailing his fingers down, tracing along your jaw, your throat, finally resting against your belly. He inhaled deeply, his thumb brushing softly over the curve there.

“This… you”, he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. “I want all of it”.

Tears pricked your eyes, your fingers tightening slightly in his shirt. “You have it”, you whispered back. “You always have”.

Jensen swallowed hard, his forehead dipping to rest against yours. His hands, still warm and steady, cradled your hips as he exhaled slowly, absorbing your words, letting them sink deep into his bones.

Neither of you spoke for a long moment. You didn’t need to.

Jensen’s thumbs traced slow, deliberate circles against your thighs, his touch warm and grounding. His lips moved against yours in a way that felt almost reverent—deep, unhurried, like he was memorizing the shape of your mouth, the way you tasted, the way you sighed softly into him.

It wasn’t rushed.

It wasn’t desperate.

It was something deeper—something that made your chest ache and your fingers tighten in his shirt. Like he was still making up for every second he lost. Like he was trying to show you, with every brush of his lips, with every slow shift of his hands over your skin, that he was here now. That he wasn’t going anywhere.

Jensen exhaled against your mouth, his breath warm, slightly uneven. His hands slipped up, curving over your hips, fingers pressing just enough to pull you closer, to anchor you to him completely.

Your knees tightened around his waist instinctively, drawing him in. His body, solid and steady, pressed between your legs, and you felt him sigh against you, his forehead briefly resting against yours.

“You feel so damn good”, he murmured, his voice rough, his hands sliding up your sides, mapping every curve, every soft dip of your body.

You swallowed hard, your fingers sliding into his hair, nails scratching lightly against his scalp. “Jensen…”.

His lips brushed yours again, softer this time, but no less consuming. “I missed this”, he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “Missed you”.

You nodded, your forehead pressing against his, your chest tight. “I know”.

Jensen pulled back slightly, just enough to look at you, his green eyes searching yours, filled with something so raw it nearly stole your breath. His thumbs swept across your skin again, his grip tightening like he needed to make sure you were real.

“I love you”, he murmured, like he needed to say it, like he needed you to feel it.

You inhaled sharply, your heart pounding. “I love you too”.

And then his lips were on yours again, slow and deep, like a promise.

A while later, you stood at the kitchen counter, slicing tomatoes as Gen mixed a bowl of salad dressing, the two of you chatting easily. It was nice, the kind of effortless conversation that came with someone who had been in your world for a while, but just outside of it enough to feel new.

Every now and then, you could hear laughter from outside—Jared and Jensen at the grill, probably making fun of each other’s skills. But what surprised you the most was how often Jensen found his way back inside.

The first time, he brushed by you under the guise of grabbing something from the fridge, his hand smoothing over the small of your back, fingers lingering just a second too long. The second time, he leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to your temple, mumbling something about checking on the drinks before disappearing again.

By the third time, Gen was staring at you with a knowing look.

“You know he was never like this with Danneel”, she said, raising an eyebrow as she sliced the bread.

You blinked, heat rising to your cheeks. “What do you mean?”.

Gen smirked, glancing toward the door Jensen had just walked back through. He came straight to you, his fingers curling around your waist as he pressed a kiss against the curve of your shoulder, completely unfazed by the fact that you weren’t alone.

“I forgot the tongs”, he mumbled against your skin before pulling away. His hands lingered at your hips for just a second before he finally turned, heading for the drawer he needed.

Gen’s eyebrows shot up. “That”, she said, nodding toward Jensen. “That is what I mean”.

You felt warmth spread through your chest, watching as Jensen rummaged through the drawers. He wasn’t even thinking about it—his touches, his kisses, the way he gravitated toward you without a second thought. It was just natural.

Gen tilted her head. “He’s happy”, she said softly. “Really happy”.

You swallowed, your fingers tightening around the knife in your hand. “I hope so”.

Gen smiled, nudging you lightly. “Oh, trust me. He is”.

Jensen finally found what he was looking for, shooting you a wink before heading back outside. You exhaled, shaking your head.

Gen laughed. “Yeah, he’s a goner”.

The evening had settled into a warm, comfortable rhythm. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting soft golden hues over the backyard. The air smelled like grilled meat and fresh herbs, the table filled with half-eaten plates, laughter, and easy conversation.

Jared, in true Jared fashion, was in the middle of another dad joke. “Alright, so have you guys thought about baby names? ‘Cause I’m just saying—Jaretta has a nice ring to it”.

You groaned, shaking your head while Gen smacked his arm. “Absolutely not”.

Jared grinned. “Fine, fine".

Gen ignored her husband and turned to you, a more serious, softer curiosity in her expression. “How far along are you now?”.

To everyone’s surprise, it wasn’t you who answered.

“Twenty-two weeks”, Jensen said smoothly, barely missing a beat.

The table went quiet for half a second, a flicker of surprise passing between Jared and Gen.

You turned to look at him, a small warmth blooming in your chest. His green eyes were steady, his hand resting on your thigh under the table, thumb idly brushing against your skin.

Gen smiled knowingly. “That’s over halfway”.

Jensen nodded, exhaling. “Yeah”.

You could hear something in his voice—something different. The weight of it, the acceptance, maybe even… pride.

Jared smirked. “Look at you, Mr. Baby Countdown”.

Jensen shot him a look. “Shut up”.

Gen tilted her head slightly, her voice gentle. “Are you feeling the baby move yet?”.

You hesitated, your fingers idly running over the condensation on your glass. Then, you shook your head, exhaling slowly. “Not really”, you admitted, your voice quieter now. “I mean, I felt little flutters a few days ago, but… nothing lately”.

Jensen’s grip on your thigh tightened slightly under the table.

Gen’s brows furrowed. “That’s normal, though, right? First pregnancy and all?”.

You gave a small shrug, but there was no denying the slight sadness in your expression. “Yeah. That’s what the doctor says. But I thought by now I’d be feeling more. I don’t know. Maybe I just expected it to be different”.

Jared, who had been mid-sip of his beer, immediately set it down, straightening. “Wait, so you haven’t felt any kicks yet?”.

You shook your head again, your lips pressing together.

Jared frowned like this was personally offensive. “Well, that’s no fun”. Gen shot him a look, but he ignored it. Instead, he turned toward you, an idea clearly forming in his mind. “Alright, let’s wake this baby up”.

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Jesus”.

Jared grinned. “No, I’m serious! I did this with Gen when she was pregnant with our first. Just a little encouragement—some music, some belly rubs. I’m great with babies”.

Gen groaned. “Jared”.

“What?”, Jared huffed. “This kid is my future best friend, and they’re sleeping through dinner? Unacceptable”.

You couldn’t help but laugh a little, even though the disappointment still sat heavy in your chest. “I don’t think it works like that”.

Jared ignored you completely. “Move over”, he said, already getting up from his chair like he was actually about to come around the table and start poking at your belly.

Jensen lifted a hand, shaking his head. “Dude, sit down”.

Jared shot him a glare. “I just wanna feel!”.

Jensen sighed, rubbing his temple.

You let out a soft chuckle, watching the two of them bicker. It didn’t erase your disappointment entirely, but somehow, it made you feel a little lighter.

Gen reached over, squeezing your hand gently. “Hey”, she said softly. “It’ll happen. And when it does, it’ll be amazing”.

You swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded. “Yeah”, you murmured. “I hope so”.

Jensen glanced at you then, his gaze lingering. He didn’t say anything, but his hand slid from your thigh to your stomach, resting there lightly, like he was willing it to happen too.

Later that night, after Jared and Gen had left and the backyard was cleaned up, you and Jensen climbed into bed. The air between you was warm, familiar, yet still holding the weight of everything you had talked about over dinner. The baby shower was planned, the next few weeks set in motion, but the biggest moment was happening tomorrow—the appointment where you’d finally find out the gender.

Jensen lay on his side, propped up slightly on his elbow, watching as you absentmindedly traced small circles over your belly. Your mind was clearly somewhere else, deep in thought.

After a long pause, he finally asked, his voice quiet, hesitant, “Can I come?”.

You blinked, turning your head to look at him. “To the appointment?”.

He nodded. “Yeah. If you want me there”.

You searched his face, trying to read between the lines. His green eyes were steady, and this time, there was no hesitation, no fear—just quiet sincerity. “Of course, I want you there”, you murmured, the corner of your mouth tugging up into a small smile. “I didn’t think you’d ask”.

Jensen exhaled, his shoulders relaxing as he reached over, brushing his fingers gently against your stomach. “I didn’t think I’d want to”, he admitted softly. “But I do”.

Your heart swelled at his words, at the way his hand lingered over your belly, at the quiet vulnerability in his voice. You covered his hand with yours, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Then you’re coming”.

Jensen smiled, something deep and relieved flickering in his eyes. He leaned over, pressing a slow, lingering kiss against your forehead before whispering, “I can’t wait”.

———————————

A/N: Please let me know what you think.🥰

-

Taglist: @blackcherrywhiskey @baby19sthings @suckitands33 @spnfamily-j2 @lyarr24 @deans-baby-momma @reignsboy19 @kawaii-arfid-memes @mekkencspony @lovziy @artemys-ackles @fitxgrld @libby99hb @lovelyvirtualperson @a-lil-pr1ncess @nancymcl @the-last-ry @spndeanwinchesterlvr @hobby27 @themarebarroww @kr804573 @impala67rollingthroughtown @deans-queen @deadlymistletoe @selfdestructionandrhum @utyblyn @winchesterwild78 @jackles010378 @chirazsstuff @foxyjwls007 @smoothdogsgirl @woooonau @whimsyfinny @freyabear @laaadygisbooornex3 @quietgirll75 @perpetualabsurdity @pughsexual @berryblues46 @deanwinchestersgirl8734 @kr804573 @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @barnes70stark @roseblue373 @shanimallina87 @ascarriel @deanwinchesters67impala @thebiggerbear @quietgirll75 @barnes70stark @kellyls04 @spxideyver @ralilda @americanvenom13 @ozwriterchick @lmg14

[musette22]

One common thing people who support Steve's endgame ending claim is that Steve was always miserable in the future. He never adjusted or felt at home in the future, so of course when he got the chance to go back to the past he took it.

However the only proof of this is at the start of catws (and that deleted avengers scene). Yes he was feeling lost and adrift but he didn't stay that way. He made friends with Sam and Natasha and Wanda and Thor and he got Bucky back. He found a purpose and became confident in who he was and what he believed in. Steve may have moments of feeling sad, but if you think he stayed that way for 12+ years you're not giving him enough credit.

And the claim that he was always miserable isn't true either. He joked with his friends on several occasions, and I mentioned how much better he was when he became nomad. And sorry to steggy or staron shippers, but Bucky made Steve happier than anyone else did. Look at the museum footage of them, or them looking at each other in infinity war. He was happy without Peggy.

Also I think fans forget the scene in catws where Sam asks him if he misses the past. And what does Steve say in response? He lists things he likes about the future and makes a point of not romanticising the past. It's especially important that he was talking to a black man while saying this. We rightly talk about how awful Bucky would feel about Steve leaving to live a life without him, but also imagine being Sam and hearing that your friend wants to go life in a time when someone like you had less rights than you do now.

And you know the line about shared life experience? It applies to Bucky of course but in endgame you could also apply it in a non romantic way. Because you say Steve was out of place in the future? Well in endgame he was surrounded by people in the same situation. Countless people were forced to adjust to a time they didn't know. Steve is uniquely qualified to bond with these people. And choosing to go back to the past puts him right back where he was when he first went to the future. He again has to adjust to a time he's not familiar with.

Funny how in order to justify his ending you have to ignore what his story has previously shown us.

THANK YOU! This is so very true, all of it. Completely agree, you make so many excellent points.

Of course Steve felt lost and adrift at first: he was. He was all alone in a foreign time, he lost everyone, he had ptsd because of the war he fought in and everything that had happened to him etc. etc. It would've been strange if he hadn't been depressed in those first years.

But you're right, he was already making significant steps towards being more settled in the new century by the time Bucky returned, and then when he did, I would argue he became a sort of anchor for Steve in the new time. And from that moment on, Steve really started to belong, and realize that he didn't want to go back, but forward. Like, Nomad Steve was NOT dreaming about going back to the 40s, there is no way. That man belonged right where he was, with Bucky by his side, and he knew it.

Home. And he did not mean bloody 1945.

(Gif credit @/dailystevegifs from this gifset)

Also, can I just say that Steve never seemed particularly happy or settled in the 30s/40s? Yes, he had his mother and he had Bucky, and yes, it was "his" time and Brooklyn and I'm sure he came to miss it once he couldn't go back to it anymore, but he was often sick and he was poor and he was frustrated with the world around him and his own body's limitations, and he always wanted sometimes else, something more.

And sure, one could argue that he finally found his calling once he was given the serum and became Cap (and got a healthy body that fit his spirit), but we know he was still miserable at first, as a dancing monkey. I do think the period of time after he'd rescued Bucky, when the Howling Commandos worked closely together for a few years, must've been a special time for Steve, which he will have missed later on for sure. But it was still wartime. Wartime, and being in a war zone, is miserable, and far from a dream life for Steve. So like... what exactly was he supposedly longing for in the past so much that it would've been impossible for him to ever settle in the present? The thing he most clearly missed from his past was Bucky, and he got him back.

So yeah, I think Steve was just fine where he was eventually, and he would have never, ever thrown everything he’d built, the life that had become his, and everyone he'd come to care about and who cared about him, casually out of the window in order to go back to a past he never gave any indication of actively wanting to go back to.

Funny how in order to justify his ending you have to ignore what his story previously showed us.

Exactly that. That's precisely what Endgame did: it ignored Steve's previous story and his character development over several movies in order to shoehorn in the heteronormative ending the studio execs apparently demanded. Spineless, inane bullshit, if you ask me.

[potatodemon-beesensible]

Heh, yeah this is somewhat relatable. Like… I have some ways of coping with things I learned from my mom. And… I don’t necessarily hate that I have them. But if someone compares me to her it feels like I’m getting smacked in the face. I am a very… very different person to her.

Also, I have a similar face to my mom and I look like a more masc version of her when she was younger. If someone were to point this out, it would also feel like getting slapped.

Actually it is interesting… I have developed as a person more than she has in 40 years of life. It feels like a lotta my habits started out the same as hers but then I built on top of those in a way she’s incapable of due to her narcissism. A good example of this is fawning, I used to fawn in response to stress or pushback just like her. Appeal to the other person and tear out parts of yourself to appease them until you’re an empty shell. Nowadays I’m so averse to sucking up to people the best they’re getting is malicious compliance if they’re not outright told to piss off.

Well… that’s a bad example actually. That’s not me growing as a person that’s just another trauma response. I should specify more. Anytime I tell someone to piss off it’s a conscious choice outside of some very rare occasions. I have the strong urge to do so but I don’t HAVE to act on it. I have aspects of me other than my trauma, and it’s all healthy and cool. Of course my trauma is a part of me, but so is y’know… me. I’m like a plant that was all wilted and drowning before someone actually appreciated and took care of me. Now I get to y’know… live. It feels like my mom had that opportunity at many, many points in her life. But once she was comfortable she took the opportunity to settle back into her old ways and start pushing the person who genuinely appreciated her. She’s not really… capable of anything else. If she can get away with something, she’ll do it. If something provides her an excuse or cover for her actions, she’ll claw and grasp at it like a lifeline.

disliking your father for personality traits you have yourself but keep firmly repressed

[fafodill]

What are your Snip (Snape ship) nos?

Alright.

I'd hate reading:

James -> EW. Ew ew ew. I find this man disgusting and the idea of Severus and him together makes my skin crrrawl. Incredibly toxic but without any fun stuff or character development in store like with Sirius. James had no excuse for being the way he was and that makes him 1000000% worse imo. I ship him with maggots.

Dumbledore -> Incredibly toxic too. He disregarded Severus's safety and well-being so much as a student and then young adult that I can never imagine him as being healthy for him ever. EVER.

Lily -> Sorry, very sorry Snily lovers, I respect you but like the other two, she treated him so poorly and I think he deserves so much better and also, while I think he may have been attracted to her at some point (because teenagers) to me she mostly was his attachment figure and the feeling clearly wasn't mutual. Also I'm not into one-sided love stories (I have my real life for that lolz).

I don't want to read:

Harry -> I don't like the old student/professor dynamic and Harry embodies too many of his triggers. I prefer them in a Severitus setup.

Draco -> Feels straight up like incest to me. He's like his second dad (not shaming people who read incest, it's just not my thing for Sev).

Him with a student in general.

Peter -> I mean I see why this would be a crackship that could work but ew.

Me rattling my brain for things I wouldn't like and didn't really even consider before now:

Slughorn -> Ew.

The Carrows.

DE in general apart from Lucius or Regulus (except maybe an oc? but again this might end badly)(this being said I'd be curious about Barty Crouch Jr.)

Umbridge (tho I would read it diagonally out of curiosity).

His father/mother (but I would totally read it diagonally too).

[irvine--kinneas]

completely agree.

wanted to add my own 2 cents on the topic too, cause i've been on foodstamps myself and another aspect of it is sometimes all you can afford is shitty food that makes you feel worse but fills you up for a while, or something that is "healthy" but you don't enjoy it at all, not to mention the expectation of hardware to cook said food.

also for diabetics, for example, sometimes you NEED sugar to not crash or bring yourself back from a crash, right? not being allowed to buy sweets not only makes quality of life worse in terms of not enjoying your life, but you still need sugar for the most part! and in cases like someone crashing cause they're diabetic, it can be for emergencies. it's medicine then, and the little bag of peppermint candies i got for MYSELF to ENJOY has saved my mom from being at such low blood sugar that she couldn't get up and get it herself.

but i didn't get it for that reason specifically! i got it cause I like peppermint candy and it made me happy! but that little thing wasn't something I could've gotten with foodstamps! if it was covered by foodstamps, we could have a candy we enjoy together and if that happened, she would have something to get out of her crashed state that she actually liked, and not my peppermint candy that she just didn't mind.

not being able to get sweets doesn't help ANYONE in that regard. who cares if you NEED it? makes you happier in the long run

---

also, slightly related, this also makes me think of how one of my friends, instead of listening properly to how i would like games to be more affordable so i didn't have to weigh so many options on my already limited income, was basically like "just don't buy it if you can't afford it, it's not like you have to buy it."

the point is i wanna buy it! these games look fun and I wanna have fun with my friends! i shouldn't be prevented from just having basic fun because i don't have as much money as anybody else. 60 dollars for a game or hundreds of dollars for computer parts or a computer that can even run a poorly optimized game or a console for said game hurts way more for someone poor like me than someone well off. they can afford it. for me that could be food or some other necessity. that could go towards electricity!

when the cost is that great, you really don't get to have much fun. you don't get to live your life to the fullest.

you don't get to go have outings

you really don't get to do anything for fun

and if you can't go anywhere you might want to play games on your computer, especially if you have friends that play those games too

and if you need support for ANY of it you really do get treated like you're trying to game the system the moment you try to enjoy a single moment of your life.

there are so many barriers to do anything when you're poor and people just don't get it :(

I think poor people deserve to buy luxuries for themselves

[namism]

he's been plotting on you for months (eustass kid)

➳ warnings: cheating, kid is toxic, everything is toxic nsfw (afab reader, photos with consent), dead dove: do not eat

In the many years you've known Eustass Kid, you've come to the conclusion that he's persistent. And through his persistence, whether for the fun of irking you to the core or gaining intel on your relationship with Trafalgar Law, he's learned how easy it is to rile you up.

That's why he's been at it in your DM's since this morning. It started with a simple greeting, which you ignored, but then came another message, and another, and another. Kid hadn't told you what he was annoying you for, but when it got to a point, your fingers betrayed your brain as you hastily sent a response, a cold question of "What the fuck do you want?" which he, ever so predictably, replied to in the speed of light.

That led to your conversation now, as well as the dilemma that befalls you: in the many years you've known Kid, apart from his stubbornness that comes in a package deal with his persistence, you've come to the conclusion that he's into you and possibly even more than that. Kid never kept it a secret that he'd been plotting on you for months on end. In fact, his intentions had always been clear, his objectives as loud as the thumping in your chest whenever he tries anything remotely flirtatious.

He gets in your nerves. That's for sure. And he drives you crazy, which is even truer. The initial consensus with your heart, brain, and conscience was to ghost Kid until he completely fucks off because he isn't (and will never be) good for you, but you eventually find out that he's kinda cool: you know that he likes metal. You know that he's in a band. He has a chick in his arms every two business days and he can pop a bottle of beer open with his teeth. But on the flip side, he has a childish attraction for pirates and was named after a Scottish privateer. He eats homemade cabbage rolls and unexpectedly maintains a healthy diet. Also, his favorite flowers are tulips. Red ones, like his hair.

None of that erases the fact that Kid was and had always been annoying, but none of it is false either. Kid has much more personality than anybody else you've met. Unfortunately, he's just fucking cocky. And he's smitten enough to flash his dick if you ask for it.

Agreeing is your first mistake. Your relationship with Law as of late is in turmoil as a result of a disagreement with his priorities—between you and his job, it seems he has a favorite, so you've spent the last few weeks eating a soulless dinner alone. You don't live together, but Law has always made time to drop by on the way home from the hospital to accompany you eat. Now, everything seems like a fever dream.

Your relationship is almost over. You feel its end at your fingertips. And it's for sure over once Kid sends a bunch of photos with his dick out—huge, trimmed, eight but almost nine inches long—and you feel your mouth water. Your pussy is in a similar state. You squirm in your panties. Your relationship is over.

You spend the next few minutes ogling at Kid on your phone. He was generous tonight, having sent you more than one to ogle at and play your pussy with. But then again, he's always been generous with you. He gives what you ask for. He's always had his eyes on you, always, unlike Law.

A tall man like Kid is expected to have a huge dick, and he does. He's pink and hard in all his photos, his dick slapped against his stomach over a happy trail that leads to a chiseled chest. He's in front of a wall-mounted mirror in one, then laid back on his bed in the other. He's hot. He's always been hot, but your heart was with Law the entire time. As big as Law was, you have to admit that Kid was even bigger, and suddenly, you wonder how it feels to sit on his cock. To ride him. To let him make a mess of your pussy. You wonder how often he fucks other women in his bed and the chances that you would be the next, but when you slip your fingers into your pussy and touch yourself to the thought of him, you have your answer. You will be the next. You will be.

[cricky-butspicy]

We got to hear about how the slashers would treat preg reader (tho i wouldnt mind hearin more) but how about the creatures? We know they want kits, gotta repopulate the species n all but how will they act?

This may be spoilers seeing as I’m still going back and forth about pregnancy in the fic or not later on, but we’ll see! For now, I’ll give you a brief overview!

And a little more about Attie and Sol with pregnant reader just because <3

Creatures get very protective of their mates when they are pregnant. They have the mentality that if they aren’t around, their mate is not safe and will be endangered, and that any outside source is now a danger. This means many people who are normally fine are seen as threats and might get a little warning from them to back off. Lots of pheromones get released throughout your pregnancy from them, and the biggest one is a warning to be careful with you or pay the price. So, you basically have two very large service dogs with you at all times they are able to be close, either Sun or Moon depending on the time of day. They want you in the woods with them by their side with how they can't and don't really want to leave the woods. The farthest they go is your home if you let them inside. Otherwise, they pace around outside your house when you are inside, and when you are gone they pace around the tree lines closest to where you are. It's nerve wracking for them to not have you close right next to them. They think you and their kit are in constant danger, even when nothing is happening.

Resting is a must. Creature growth and creation takes a lot of energy and work, so you are going to need to eat a lot and rest a lot. They may not be able to feed you a lot, they are going to have to hope you can go into town and get yourself lots of foods and snacks to have besides what Sun gathers for you to eat seeing as most of the time, their meat is unappealing, but they can make you rest. Whether it be in your own bed or in their nest, they don't care. You just need to lay down and stay put. If you let them in your house, the one out will lay on the bed with you over your legs and lap and make loud purring noises.

As I said with Soleil and Atlas, they still very much want you during your pregnancy. Creature Sun and Moon do not. Sex is not something that happens with creatures during pregnancy; it's universal. They are too concerned with the baby and your health to want such things from you or have such cravings. They go into a parental type mode from the start. Creature sex is too rough and careless to do while pregnant. If you get the wants, it's going to kind of be a "too bad, so sad," situation with them. They don't want you taking care of yourself either because it uses up energy. You need that energy for the baby. Lay still and let it pass. It sucks.

They adore seeing signs of a healthy, happy kit, and they often check you over and see how that little one is doing inside of you. They check yours and the baby's blood and how it circulating and working all day long, and their eyes are constantly on your stomach watching over it for any changes and sniffing out how you are doing. They both like to hold your stomach and make noises at it, but they differ in a way. Moon will sing and make/mimic musical noises to the baby while Sun talks and coos to the baby things of knowledge and silly little things like:

"Sun is talking with you. Your non-bearer "papa" Sun! Sun will protect you. Sun will love you. Give you many things. Feed you many foods. Precious kit! Your bearer loves you and cares for you! Moon, too! Non-bearer Moon "papa," too!"

The thing is, is that Sun and Moon can connect with the baby when they hold both sides of your stomach and wiggle the ball on the end of their tail around in circles to summon up the magic to do so. It's a sort of mind connection rather than hearing through ears or through your stomach, but they can only do this past a certain point in the kits development. So, the baby will hear this in someway. Whether they truly understand it or not is up in the air, but they hear every word in their head.

Carrying you is essential. Whether you ride on their backs or they pick you up and cradle you, they want you off your feet. It's another thing for having you save energy. Most bearing creatures will lay in one spot for almost their entire pregnancy and sleep, only getting up to bathe every once in a while or get water with their mate. Their mate brings them food and makes sure they are comfortable and still well. They become extremely vulnerable because they lose most of their energy and magical abilities while pregnant. It's a popular time for those trying to capture creatures to snatch them up.

You will get tired and exhausted and very round. Creature kits are big! Even if you happen to have a human child in the lottery of what you'll have with a creature, they will still be a big kid.

Creatures are highly affectionate with their mates during this time as well. Lots of nuzzles and bumps and nips and your "kisses." Sun is cleaning you very often to keep you in your "best shape." They are especially cuddly when one or the other is out unlike how a pair of mates can be. When it's a set of mates, they get the enjoyment of getting a break to rest with you while the other patrols and then they switch. Usually with pairs, it's the non-bearing mate patrolling outside or around where you are resting constantly unless the bearing mate needs to get up and leave (then the non-bearing is following closely and protecting.) Sun and Moon feel very lucky to get chances to snuggle up to you and hold you.

Overall, very protective and cuddly! They were made to keep up a strong population, so they are not bad at being good mates when you are pregnant. They definitely step it up to take care of you in the ways they can. (They might bribe Fievel if they see him to get you things they can't that might help. Might.)

-

Some more little bits about Soleil and Atlas with a pregnant reader!

Soleil will sometimes rest with his head on your lap (thighs) and his face looking at your belly so that his nose touches it. Atlas holds your stomach while you sleep. Soleil more often lifts your belly to get some of the weight off of you while Atlas is the one to rub your feet seeing as Soleil HATES feet. (listen, Atlas doesn't usually prefer them most of the time either, but if you need your feet rubbed, he isn't going to tell you no. That's just rude, Soleil.) Depending on whose baby it is, that will be the one holding your hand or helping you along with a hand on your lower back in public while the other keeps an eye out for any trouble or creeps if they are both out with you. If it's just one, they take the spot of both. Atlas is the one to do most of the actual work during your pregnancies like taking you to appointments, helping you with things, and doing housework while Soleil is mostly just affectionate with you and loving on you and your belly outside of work. It sometimes pisses Atlas off a little bit, but he gets his time to be affectionate with you, too, so he lets it go. Soleil does take care of your needs when you need it in the moment, so it give him more of a pass in Attie's mind. If one needs to go and leave you at home, they kiss both you and your tummy goodbye. (They really never leave you home alone or let you go out alone during it. Too many "accidents" or "dangers" can happen to you. They won't allow it.)

They think people flirt with you more often when you are pregnant than when you are not, so they get a little more defensive, you have to remind them some people just need to talk to you, and that some women just get excited seeing someone pregnant. (They aren't flirting with you, they are just asking about the baby. Atlas, stop acting like a dog foaming at the mouth ready to attack.)

They loosen up at home with you and really like loving on you and making sure you're comfortable. And they talk up the wazoo about the baby and what they think they will be like. (Soleil insists on having the gender be revealed at the birth, so he places playful bets on what he thinks the baby will be.) Soleil also constantly comes to you with name contenders. One thing he and Atlas agreed on with their kids is that they won't have a say in the other person's child's name. So, Atlas names his child with you and Soleil names his child with you.

[canisbrutus]

ahhh abhhhh can toudo wade/tom Please

hi mutual. i havent forgotten you. anyway heres one of natures best brotps. we love to see it.

How it Started:

so as i've said, tom is one of the latest additions to the bully clique, having relocated into bullworth in his freshman year instead of growing up alongside wade and trent and co.

much like how we've seen happen to jimmy, the bullies and Wade especially thought it was a good idea to jump his ass.

they thought wrong.

with some moves he learned from his older brother tommy kicked wade's ass to the point where he went 'Damn you oughta roll with us'

tom could hold his own against smaller threats sure but he couldn't stand against say, a jock or a greaser even.

and so wade decided to take him under his wing and teach him the slimiest, dirty fighting tricks.

and in turn tom had started feeling comfortable opening up to him. and seeking reassurance for his own masculinity.

minor spoiler: tom's trans too.

How it's Going:

after the initial rumble, wade quickly grew to be one of tom's best friends- one that'd justify him to the end while keepin shit real.

one that would never put down any of his violent outbursts- hell he'd even be the first to back him up.

and eventually, one tom could trust completely.

granted tom never opened up about his gender, mind you, but for the most part? wade would gas him up for damn near everything.

a number of times his reassurance would come in the form of tom's own strength. yeah the above meme is relevant.

typically, and most casually, they'd just bonk their foreheads. other times? wade would insist on getting his nose busted up. again.

toxic masculinity is inescapable, tragically, especially when you're tryin to prove your worth in one of the toughest crowds around.

come to think of it wade is oddly protective of his scrawnier friends in general.

but that isnt to say their roles were set in stone. hell, sometimes tom let wade crash at him and his brother's place when he wanted to get away from home for awhile.

as with the rest of the bullies, they'd bonded like brothers in arms.

tom was included with their blood oath. pack oath. however you wanna call it.

and as such........ whatever happened in the trenches stayed in the trenches. lol.

(granted, it was probably just 'kissin practice' or whatever)

these two are absolutely horrid when it's lunchtime btw. can and will eat gurney out of house and home.

many a hotdog has disappeared under their watch.

movie night is also terrible with em. wade will laugh at the fake gore while tom picks the shitass plots apart.

but all in all, wade was a very solid guy in tom's life. #bros, but given the time period and wretched location they couldn't really flourish as anything more than good friends.

that and wade is one stubborn idiotic bastard that would rather go to prison than have a remotely healthy romance.

his sexism and tom's fear of being outed put him off from getting too close, probably.

pity. maybe in the future and after a lot of therapy.

reblog this post to spawn 1000 spiders in wade martin's mattress.

[writing masterpost]

[undead-moth]

I know I've been on about this for a while now and I'm being a hater but you're telling me SydCarmy was "always meant to be platonic" even though there are two seasons of writing making use of tried-and-true explicitly romantic tropes, themes and writing signals, and SydLuca is going to be romantic because...he was nice to her on screen for a few minutes?

I don't even care if people ship SydLuca, or if they just prefer it, but you can't honestly tell me that you believe Carmy was always meant to be a friend but Luca is an obvious love interest.

Just because Syd and Carmy haven't kissed or confessed their love to each other doesn't mean that isn't very obviously the direction this show is going. The Bear has already shown you who is endgame. It has shown you every episode of the show so far.

Honestly I really don't think The Bear fanbase understands this show or cares about these characters or the story being told here, which is unfortunate because this show is shockingly well-written in comparison to most shows right now, and we should be so grateful for it but all we're doing is complaining that the writers led us on by not making a ship canon fast enough. It's just. Sad.

[sometimesoliloquy]

This is so true. And Let's look at this even closer in the larger context of the show and it's major players, both "hero" and "villain" alike. Because even if it were the case that Nick ONLY ever does ANYTHING good for June (which, you could debate all day over the s2 Jezebels letters and whether that was strictly for June or more "noble" reasons--honestly I don't know why it can't be both--but the reason he became an Eye is made extremely clear and there was no June around, no selfish reasons to be seen). But EVEN IF it were the case, we should also remember:

Lawrence is shown as Eleanor (with a healthy side does of regret having mainly also to do with her) being his absolute and ultimate motivation. Even after her death, "I have to clean up my mess for Eleanor" is a JLaw track played on repeat.

Aunt Lydia only finally "sees the light" because of her love for (and probably guilt over) Janine (this after horribly abusing her for years I may add, cutting out her eye and then sending her off time and again to be raped, physically and emotionally harmed).

Serena's entire raison d'être is to have a baby of her own (apparently it doesn't much matter which one since she transfers her single-minded obsession from Nicole to Noah once she finds out she's pregnant). We've seen that she would sacrifice anyone and anything to have a child. She does mostly really really horrible things for this. Of course in the end she does one "good" thing in giving up the plane location, only when June plays on her fear of Wharton being a bad father and example for Noah (such a great sacrifice, really, to give up the husband you met 2 weeks ago who you were literally running out on the night before after 1 hour of marriage!). I'm guessing everything she does from here on out is also going to be for Noah.

Luke makes it very clear (stating many times) that he is working with Mayday to fight for Hannah (not humanity, Hannah). And he didn't even do that much for many years, not until his daughter started approaching her teen years and the reality of her being married off in Gilead became a more tangible fear.

And June. Oh, June. As has been drilled into us over and over again, June's love for Hannah--and getting Hannah back--is her single-minded motivation. June would literally sacrifice anyone (and indeed has) for Hannah. Many have already died because of June's quest for her first daughter and likely more will.

So when people say that "Nick only ever acts because of his love for June" (I would also have to add their daughter in there as I think should be obvious), it's like... Ok, so your point is that he is like every single other major character in the show, all of whom are motivated more by love for their own dear ones than for the abstract concept of a greater cause or humanity itself?

It drives me nuts when Anti-Nick people say he only helped June because he loved her —like that’s a flaw or a reason to be killed off?? Be serious.

Oh selfless ones — how many of you are risking your life for strangers?

The truth is: love is the most real reason people change. Most won’t bend, adapt, or take a bullet for just anyone—but they will for someone they love.

Which is also why that plane scene may drive me insane forever. It's AU level insanity. If that’s my guy on that tarmac, I don’t care what it takes—I’m getting his ass off that plane. Whether I die or not. And that's not even factoring in the baby daddy of it all. There is just no universe where June does that.

[toasty130]

Agreed! I mean, a redemption arc isn't a bad one, but Gene's actions were a bit more complicated, and I feel like no one really takes them seriously?

There's two examples of romance related things that can be very harmful because of the younger audience Mystreet had. Like Gene and Aphmau, people to this day still ship them, I can see why, it'd your typical enemy to lovers, or bully with a heart of gold. The thing is, Gene was a senior in highschool, and Aphmau was a freshmen. Gene obviously had bad intentions, but those never are really taken seriously, and to an audience who are consuming that, they won't take that seriously...and if they don't take seriously, they can find themselves in an even worse situation.

Along with Aphmau and Aaron, I know nothing inherently bad happened in canon between this two, they didn't even start dating until they were adults. I've actually grown to like the pairing, because for the most part, they be healthy. I don't like their pairing in Phoenix Drop High though, because yet again, the age gap. The age gap in adulthood, not too bad, but in highschool, bad. Especially because Aphmau is honestly really babied in both canon and outside of canon. To an audience, they will consume this, and could find themselves in a situation like it, and that is extremely dangerous, because not everyone is like Aaron (Sorry, I had to point this out).

Characters in Mystreet either have a story, or no story at all. Which makes me extremely sad. I mean, Aphmau is the main character, her mom was very controlling, and her dad was out of the picture, she's very kind, and likes to be there for people, even when it hurts her. That's a lot to work with. Aaron, his parents weren't Hardly there at all, his sister, was more of a guardian, but like a lot of people, left too. His family is also controlling, and he has all the lycan stuff! Garroth and Zane, they got the Ro'meave stuff, and Zane feels a lot of reinstatement toward Garroth, and Garroth doesn't realize that until later. Katelyn has mommy issues, and a lot of anger to work on. Kawaii~Chan(I prefer Nana)wants to make herself stand out more, because she couldn't stand out amongst her siblings...so many other examples, then they have characters like Laurance, who was not only stripped of his core personality in MCD, but was also, stripped from the narrative entirely. I know some of that has to do with some of the behind the scenes stuff, but his character shouldn't have to be massacred because of it

I could talk about Mystreet Laurence for days, but also not at all, because there isn't much to talk about, besides his behavior in season 1, which annoys me.

There's the thing, I also don't blame Jessica or Jason for this. Neither of them planned to make Mystreet a more in-depth story, If they had, I'd like to believe everyone would of have gotten storylines that are interesting. Aphmau rewriters, have the luxury of knowing the full story(almost, season 7 is still approaching) so they can go deeper with theming, characters, and lore. Hopefully season 7, will expand on plot points, and characters, but it might be difficult, because it's the last season of Mystreet, the last season of anything should be for wrapped up plotlines, not making new ones.

It's also refreshing talking to someone about Aphmau stuff, I don't talk about it a lot.

I like Mystreet as much as the next person, I was a MCD person, and I'll always be a MCD person...with that being said, from time to time, I think about the comparisons for characters between the two properties...you know the usual, like the Mystreet Laurance and MCD Laurance, or sometimes Garroth, or even Katelyn...this rambling session isn't about them though, it's about Dante.

By far, Dante is one of my favorites in MCD. At first glance, he can be forgettable. He's not apart of the Aphmau love triangle, nor is he apart every adventure in season 2, but when you get the whole picture of MCD, he's character is amazing.

I mean, there's so much to him. His personality, his morals, his history...his family. Dante is a character that is easily expandable.

By far, one of the most important things about Dante, is his loyalty. This man, stayed 15 years in the same place because his Lord told him to, no matter how many offers for him to leave came up, he didn't, and that is extremely compelling.

With that said, it's time for Mystreet Dante...anyways! Dante in Mystreet (+ Phoenix Drop High) is quite different. First off, Dante in Mystreet is extremely flirty, to the point he's creepy and disrespectful. In Phoenix Drop High(mostly effecting Mystreet later on), Dante taught Travis creepy behaviors, such as touching others without their permission. Of course, this is all played for humor, Dante in Mystreet is all played for humor...even when his behaviors are far from it.

To add to this behavior, it's very obvious from the first episode of Mystreet, that Dante is supposed to be seen in a more love interest route, a route that Mystreet Aphmau realistically, doesn't chose. I find this odd, comparably, in MCD, Dante views Aphmau as a sister, and I'd like to believe Aphmau views Dante as brother, or at least as someone who is family...this really makes me wonder, why did Jessica, in Season 1 of Mystreet, put Dante in a love interest light? When she makes it very clear In MCD, that Dante doesn't view Aphmau in that way.

Another thing about Dante, that reloves around love, is his relationships, romantic relationships that is. In season 1 of Phoenix Drop, Dante not only dates Kawaii~Chan, but Nicole(An obvious reference to MCD). In MCD, The Kawaii~Chan and Nicole situation is taken as a situation that is sad and complicated. I'm not exactly sure on times, but Dante does Date Nicole for awhile, before she must go back to Scaleswind, and if I remember correctly, Nicole does ask Dante to go with her, but he refuses, because of his commitment to Phoenix Drop. After Nicole gets to Scaleswind, she finds she is with child, but then there's Kawaii~Chan. During the 15 year time skip, Kawaii~Chan travels a bit before settling back in Phoenix Drop. Dante and Kawaii~Chan only date after Dante and Nicole breakup...but eventually, Nicole comes for a visit. When Nicole visits, Kawaii~Chan is three months pregnant, while Nicole is also obviously pregnant. There is a very important thing to this situation, Dante doesn't know he is the father of Nicole's child. So for years after, Dante, lives unaware, until the child (Or Dimitri) sneaks away from Nicole, but after that gets sorted out, Dante steps up, he takes responsibility for Dimitri.

Now, none of that happens in Phoenix Drop High. It's just Dante dating Nicole and Kawaii~Chan at the same time. Of course, Dante deals with consequences of being a jerk to these two girls, because if I remember correctly, they dump him. I just can't help but think about it, since the two situations are very different in the priorities, one, doesn't make anyone a villain, it was a situation of major miscommunication, and as soon as every communicated, the situation turned into taking care of everyone and becoming a family. While in Phoenix Drop High, the situation is there to paint Dante as a major jerk, rightfully so, because he shouldn't be dating two people at the same time, but I just can't help but notice the two situations...and how they paint everyone in it.

There is only a few redeeming qualities of Mystreet Dante. He is funny sometimes, like in Dante and Travis the show. The changes between MCD Dante and Mystreet Dante, just makes me think about why...why did they change him so drastically? Was it just fit a trope, was it something deeper, or was it nothing at all, and I'm just thinking too deep?

(If I get any facts about MCD Dante wrong, please tell me, I haven't watched MCD in awhile)

[darabeatha]

I F.UCKING LOVE MEN IN SUITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[callixton]

i don't know like. maybe i am actually just really repressed and emotionally guarded and this will change at some point in my life or maybe this is just how i am and will be but i simply cannot imagine the appeal of being in a romantic relationship. why would u want that. how is it better than having good friends and getting laid regularly

[whitehartlane]

funny how much ppl hate city and spurs that the entire football world is dunking on city right now without giving any credit to spurs when the last time their team beat city away at the etihad was never. possibly in another timeline if i’m being gracious

[yesloulou]

you have not met a hater until you ask my cat how he feels about tiki cat luau