#hell yeah to those creators they’ve got some insane drive

[pebblezone]

Idk how welcome home has overrun literally all of my social media but I guess I welcome it

[butwhatifidothis]

So if it is MEANT to be a villain route...Why are the villanous actions NEVER ADDRESSED by ANY of the characters outside of "Huh. I wonder if there was a better way to do this."

Why did they have Rhea go insane and torch a city? Why make potray Rhea as a villain when you could potray her as the hero whos genuinely trying to do good? Why have a majority of the characters still be able to be recruited regardless of if it makes sense? Why have the ending narration mostly be possible? WHY have Edelgard succeed and somehow turn her tyranny into a society that "ensures a free and independent society fot all."

If it's REALLY a villain route, why is there not a single character ending mentioning things like rebellions and conflict? Hell, the ending narration shows not a hint of villainy and potrays its ending as heroic.

"Embracing her newfound power, Edelgard could at last set about destroying Fódlan's entrenched system of nobility and rebuild a world free from the tyranny of Crests and status."

Again, if it was TRULY meant to be the villain route, it would have been POTRAYED as such. Instead of a villain route, we got "A route where one of the villains is made the protagonist and her views and villainous actions are never questioned OR addressed and outside of the conquest and starting the war, everyone is mostly happy."

Alright so this is going to seem like a nonserious answer, but I'm 100% serious when posting this image as part of a genuine answer to this question:

On CF, your actions are never addressed because of ignorance. On the surface, your actions seem like they've helped Fodlan, but as soon as the player looks any deeper it starts to become evident that something isn't right.

If Edelgard made a free and independent society for all, why are the people spied on in Hubert's ending with Dorothea? Why are rebellions secretly being put down in his ending with Shamir? That's not free, in a general sense or from specifically tyranny. That's a direct contradiction from two of the characters that can only be played on CF, and this is only found on CF.

Rhea is portrayed as a villain because she is Nabatean, and Edelgard hates Nabateans, and you are playing a route that emphasizes her ideals - which include wiping out all of the inhuman, bestial, vile, cruel Nabateans that have been plaguing humanity’s world. Rhea goes insane on CF because unlike all of the other routes, where the player and the lord never go out of their way to trample and spit on their enemies' trauma, that's what you are doing the entire time you play CF to Rhea - for months once Byleth returns, and that’s being extremely generous and not counting the entire war. You help drive Rhea and the other Nabateans away from their homes when taking over Garreg Mach - like Nemesis did to Rhea after the Red Canyon Massacre! You're helping someone try to kill off the rest of her people - like Nemesis did at Zanado! You're trying to kill Rhea with the Sword of the Creator, her mother's mutilated corpse - like Nemesis did! You're doing so with the descendent of Wilheim - spitting on the legacy of the one human Rhea could trust during the War of Heroes! You're literally recreating the single worst moment of Rhea's life, all so that you can help the one who views her as less than human.

Portraying Rhea as "the hero who's genuinely trying to do good" goes against Edelgard's viewpoint of all Nabateans being evil, and you're never meant to question Edelgard or make her change her beliefs. You as the player are actively discouraged from talking back to Edelgard, as she will noticeably get upset whenever you do - many times you will even lose support points with her, and this is especially bad for specifically Edelgard because you have to get to a certain support level with her to enter her route, with you having less chapters to do so because she won't talk to you until after Byleth achieves the Sword of the Creator in Chapter 4.

Look at how Rhea, Dimitri, and Claude are portrayed on CF. Rhea and Dimitri are demonized, while Claude is given some leeway from Edelgard. Now notice who of the three of them always speak their minds over Edelgard's villainy to her face, and which of the three of them bends to Edelgard's view of them as the bad guy. Dimitri and Rhea never allow themselves to bend to Edelgard - they call her out and call her actions evil. Claude, on the other hand, will remove himself from Fodlan and then afterwards make himself out to be a bad guy whom Edelgard managed to take down. He puffs up her ego, and he gets to live, while the two that don't must die. Edelgard is the one always out for the kill, and only by submitting to her is anyone allowed to live - which, I don’t think needs to be said, isn’t very heroic of her.

I've had my fair share of complaints over the characters that can be recruited over to CF, but even with those complaints... look at how those characters behave on CF. None of them are Felix levels of negative character development, but they all act noticeably worse on CF vs how they are on the other routes. To name some notable examples: Ignatz goes from wanting to paint Garreg Mach as it stood five years before to preserve its beauty to wanting to paint the violent downfall of the Alliance, Lysithea wants to abandon House Ordelia, which is in direct contrast to her core character motivation, Ingrid is willing to throw away her lifelong dream of being a knight of Faerghus, which she herself says is her spitting on her dead betrothed’s dreams, Leonie works with Jeralt’s killers, etc. etc.. And mind, CF is the route that locks out the most units - there's the obvious ones like Dedue and Gilbert who were already route exclusive, but then there's Seteth and Flayn, Catherine, Cyril, and Hilda. CF is the only route to have even non-exclusive units be completely unavailable no matter what.

Edelgard doesn't make a society that is "free," like I said above - having a secret police monitor the people's actions, or is ready to put down anyone who tries to rise up against her, is literally the opposite of free. Edelgard can and will ban plays she doesn't like - not free. Edelgard only allows state-sanctioned religion, if she does allow it - not free.

CF is a route that wants to make the player believe the lie that you're not the villain, because you are playing from the perspective of someone who herself doesn't think she's the villain, but like. Look at what you're doing. You're invading two countries for the express, explicit purpose of taking them over and making them your own. You're working with someone who's been trying to reunite Fodlan back under Adrestia as early as the prologue when she tried to have Dimitri and Claude assassinated. You're helping TWS. Your Imperial presence makes Church people flee - which, given that Edelgard wants Rhea and those involved with the Church dead, I don't blame them. You're working with someone who is starving her people so that she can carry on with her war.

CF lies to the player - Edelgard lies, constantly. She says she's willing to let Rhea live, but literally the scene before she says she seeks to fuckin' Exodia Rhea. She lies about Arianrhod. She lies - or is flat-out wrong, which isn't much better - about the Church hoarding wealth and about the Church splitting up the Empire. She lies about not knowing about TWS pre-ts. She helps spread the lie of Duscur being the ones who killed Lambert. She lied about not knowing where Flayn was when she was kidnapped. She lies to her people by making them believe she’s making the orders during the war, not Byleth. There's a student who doubts all of what Edelgard says right before the timeskip happens and who isn't sure about his decision to stay, and then there’s a man who calls Edelgard “a tricksy one” on the last explore section for lying about attacking the Kingdom capitol. She’s wrong about the history of Nemesis and Seiros, calling Nemesis killing all of Rhea’s family a “simple dispute.” She lies to her people about an entire war against a group who just a little bit ago were her allies. Lies and ignorance are staple points to CF as a route, it’s baked into it, so the idea of the CF going “oh no you totally are the good guys” literally as the city burns down around the players doesn’t come from nowhere.

And like... the ending narration “shows not a hint of villainy?” Um.

Her stepping on the flags of the Alliance and Church? Her recreating a painting of Napoleon - that little known imperialist - down to the hand of justice? Her denouncing gods constantly and then being ushered in by a statue with heavy resemblance to Nike, Goddess of victory? Hubert plotting away from the sight of the rejoicing people? Yeah, there’s a lot of hints to villainy.

Again, CF isn’t “portrayed” as a villain route because it’s you falling for the lies of Edelgard. You have a wool over your eyes. You accept everything Edelgard says as fact, even when she actively contradicts herself - sometimes as radically as in back-to-back scenes. You view yourself as a savior to humanity, even when you plunge it into darkness. You don’t think you’re the villain, so your actions aren’t going to be put in an explicitly villainous light - at least, not by anyone on your side.

This post showcases the difference between non-recruited characters fighting non-CF!Byleth vs CF!Byleth. Characters are mostly saddened by having to fight Byleth in the former, while they are mostly betrayed on CF. Byleth is very clearly seen as being wrong for having sided with Edelgard on CF by the non-recruited characters - Edelgard’s actions may not be directly criticized (save for by Dimitri and a few others), but it makes no sense for these characters to be this shocked and betrayed by Byleth siding with her if her actions were so good. Leonie deadass calls you a traitor to Jeralt, Ingrid says that you are not fit to rule Fodlan specifically for siding with Edelgard and the Empire after all she and they have done, and Dimitri questions you as to why you chose Edelgard and her “savage, bloody path,” just to name a few notable examples. You, as the player, are being criticized for siding with Edelgard. You say that the villainous actions are “NEVER ADDRESSED by ANY of the characters,” but what else are these reactions but characters addressing your villainous actions?

And like... “a route where one of the villains is the protagonist” bro that’s a villain route. Like. I’m not trying to be mean, but I am genuinely confused as to what you were trying to get at here.

Like. In a vacuum? I might can get the idea of CF not being a villain route a little better, were it the only route available (though even that is a very big stretch). But you have three whole other routes where there’s no conquest, there’s no working with TWS, there’s no using Demonic Beasts, there’s no killing/exiling the remaining (immediately known) Nabateans, there’s no continuous and long-standing lies that never get outed, the lords never stay flat out wrong about the events of the game, non-recruited characters aren’t shooting Byleth up the ass with accusations of being a traitorous lemming who’d follow Edelgard off a cliff... and they achieve peace. Those endings, with Dimitri Claude and “Rhea” (SS ain’t really her route even though it should’ve been but ye), lack the following in any of their endings:

Censorship

Spying on the people

Constantly putting down rebels in secret

State-sanctioned religion

(mind, this last one is in direct contradiction to CF’s ending narration that says that Church is destroyed)

None of this happens on AM, VW, and SS. They all have peaceful endings. They all have Fodlan see the light of dawn, and that is never contradicted in their endings. CF is the only route to have all of these things happen in it - I think that’s enough for it to be considered a villain route lol

[themoonandotherslikeit]

I Think We Have Been Here Before

Two college grad students meet, and find out that they’ve been having the same dreams about a pair of brothers in an old Impala. After trying to ignore their strange pull they realize that nothing ends, not really, and sometimes you can miss someone that you haven’t met yet.

Created for @samwinchesterbingo

Square Filled: Soulmates!

Rating: T for language

Pairing: Sam/Dean (but not Wincest really if that makes sense)

Tags/Warnings: AU Soulamtes, language, major character death, angst

Word Count: 3991

Creator’s Note: I’ve always been interested in the concept that Sam and Dean are soulmates in an unromantic non sexual kind of way. Hopefully this comes across well :) enjoy!

Becca

The name Sam echoed in her head at all hours of the day. Becca had these dreams... she was riding in a car. The windows were down. She would turn to the side and see a man, his scruff on his cheeks pristinely shaved, but sometimes the growth came back before he could get to the bathroom. Music played, Metallica, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, and sometimes something a little less expected. Things were easy, but even in her dreams they weren’t always easy. 

Sometimes she would wake up in tears, still feeling his arms wrapped around her, weeping into her neck as blood seeped from her stomach. 

She tried to not think about the dreams. She tried to not think about this person she’s never met. This person that she misses so deeply that it hurts her. 

“Bec, you good?” Her roommate, Asia, asked. 

Becca looked up from the bathroom sink, that was threatening to overflow. She shut off the water and glanced at Asia in the mirror. “I’m fine.” She said weakly. What was she supposed to say? She gripped the cross necklace that hung from her neck that usually gave her peace. Things had been escalating, and she was trying to remember it all. She walked out the front door, grabbing her backpack on her way out. 

She worried that if she told anyone that they’d think she was insane. Maybe she was insane. Her apartment was close to campus, within walking distance. The fall semester had started, and everything was colorful. Guys threw a football in the grass and everyone was studying outside. She scanned the grounds to find a place to park it. 

She jogged to her favorite tree and lowered herself to a seated position. She pulled her notebook out of her bag and clicked her pen a few times before scribbling on the page. 

All I felt was pain, it was quick, but he was there to catch me. He always was. He cradled me against his chest, like I somehow knew he’d been doing my whole life. He would protect me against all else. I knew he would. “Hey, look at me. It’s not even that bad. It’s not even that bad, all right? Sammy?”

“Whatcha writing?” 

Becca slowly raised her head to find a guy sitting in the tree above her. What the fuck?

“Uh, nothing.” 

He squinted, and smiled widely. “Yeah, sure looks like nothing.” 

“Do you mind?”

“Do you? I was kind of here first.” He smiled charmingly. “I’m Nate.” 

“Good for you.” Becca said smoothly. 

“And you are?”

“Not interested.” She said, closing her notebook. He would have to wait. 

“Wow, ice queen.” Nate snorted swinging himself out of the tree like a monkey. 

His feet hit the ground right next to where Becca sat and he lowered himself next to her. Her heart rate picked up a bit with him so close. She held the notebook against her chest protectively. 

“Business or pleasure?” He asked, eyeing the notebook.

“I...” I want to tell him. “It’s a dream journal.” 

“Ohh, any naughty dreams.” His eyebrows wiggled.

“Gross, no.” She stood up quickly, wiping the dirt and leaves off her jeans. 

“Hey, I’m just kidding.” Nate said, scrambling up to his feet. 

“Well, it’s not funny.” Becca said, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. 

“You looked kind of peaceful writing, studious.” He commented. 

“So you thought you’d shoot that horse in the face?”

His eyes widened, he looked surprised. She smiled at him. His green eyes felt so familiar. They were kind, behind the sarcasm, and flirty front. 

“Well, I should go.” She said, backing up. 

“Class?” He offered. 

“Work, actually.” She said slowly.

“Where do you work?” He asked, his steps keeping up with her stride.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “The bar on 4th.” 

“Bartender?”

“Mhm.”

“Maybe I’ll come by for a drink.” He flashed a white smile, which looked really nice against his tanned skin. 

“Maybe I’ll see you there.” She smirked a bit before turning on her heels. “Bye!”

“Wait!” He called, taken off guard by her quick escape. “What’s your name?”

Nate

I am fucking Looney Tunes. Nate kept getting flashes of a face. A tall guy with long, shaggy hair. It was weird. It started out as vague dreams, but the longer it went on the more clear they got. They were even coming around in the day. 

He was leaning against the tree, his legs hanging down as he daydreamed, again. 

He was driving this car, blasting music. “Dude you’re going to be deaf by the time you’re forty.” 

“Hey, if I live that long I will deal with the repercussions.” Nate said, drumming on the steering wheel. His words weren’t his own. 

The guy next to Nate rolled his eyes and Nate smiled to himself. He didn’t know who the man was, but he knew he was important. Somehow Nate knew that he loved him. 

He was pulled out of the memory from the sound of someone settling in at the bottom of the tree below him. She was pretty, her dirty blonde hair was down, flowing freely, and she was scribbling in a notebook. His heart raced just looking at her. Fuck, am I getting sick? He pressed his hand to his chest, trying to ease the pounding that was moving from his chest into his temples. 

She was rude, and standoffish. She wasn’t interested in him, but somehow he found myself walking. She said she worked at the bar on 4th, and before he knew it he was standing in front of the red glowing neon sign. Nate pushed my way in and walked straight to the bar. 

Her back was to him, and he took a second to look her over. To take her in. She had curves to fill out her jeans, but she was obviously fit from the curve of her bicep. She reached up to get to the top shelf, but she was too short. He grinned at the sight. 

“Seriously?” She asked when she finally turned around. She crossed her arms with annoyance. “You actually came.”

“I’ve always wanted to check this place out.” He said casually. 

“I’m sure.” She said with an eye roll. 

He squinted, to read her name tag in the low light of the bar. “Becca, huh?”

“He can read!” She said with fake cheer, causing Nate’s stomach to flip. 

“Yeah... I like to read.” He said, feeling some weird dejavu that he couldn’t quite shake off. 

“Can I get you a beer or are you just going to loiter?” 

“Yeah, sure. Give me a beer.” 

She nodded and grabbed one out of the fridge. She cracked open the top and handed him an El Sol. He raised an eyebrow. “How’d you know this is my favorite?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t.” Her green eyes flickered from his back down to the bar top. She suddenly seemed really interested in a spot on the counter. 

“Is it.. should I have not come?” Nate asked, suddenly self conscious. Why did I come here? Doesn’t seem like she really wants to see me. 

“I... I don’t know.” Becca admitted, leaning forward. “Just not used to guys trying so hard.” She smiled a bit. 

“I’m not used to trying this hard either.” He grinned, making pink rise on her cheeks. “It may sound weird, but I just kind of felt like I had to come here. When I saw you I knew I had to talk to you.” 

“That is kind of weird.” She agreed. Becca went back to washing the counter, and Nate continued to watch her. He hopped up after a few minutes and put some money in the Juke Box. 

I was a little too tall, could’ve used a few pounds. Tight paints points hardly renown. She was a black haired beauty with big dark eyes... 

Becca looked up, meeting eyes with Nate. 

“Dean, I can explain what was going on...”

“No, no, no. No.” Dean said with a laugh, cranking on the radio. 

“Don't Night Moves me.” He groaned at his brothers choice of music. 

“Shh. Just let it wash over you.” Dean grinned at him from the side. He’d caught his brother with a half naked girl in the back seat that morning, and he had to give him shit. Of course he did.

“Let...”

“Just take it in.” Dean grinned, mouthing the lyrics.

I was a little to tall, could’ve used a few pounds. Tight Pants point hardly reknown. She was a black-haired beauty with big dark eyes

“This is ridiculous.”

“One of the greatest rock writers of all time, Samuel.”

“It’s Sam.” He groaned before rolling his eyes and belting, “Out in the back seat of my brother’s ’67 Chevy.”

Dean laughed. 

Sam grinned back at him. “Yeah, you started this. You started this.”

“Here we go. Come on now.”

The two looked at each other with a grin and sang off key, but together. “Workin' on our night moves...”

“Everything okay here?” The manager asked, interrupting their moment. Nate shook himself out of the very vivid day dream, just to see Becca’s eyes seemingly glazed over as well.

“Uh, yeah, Mark it’s fine.” She said forcing a smile, but her eyes never left Nate’s. The manager raised an eyebrow, but quickly walked away to deal with some other bar related issue. 

“Sorry,” Becca said, sheepishly. “I guess I kind of... zoned out.” 

“Me too.” Nate said, barely able to articulate. Things felt straight up weird. He couldn’t  place it, but more than anything he knew that he was there in that car. Something told him that so was she. 

Becca 

There was something going on inside of Becca. Saying it out loud would be insane and she knew it, but she was in that car. She was singing, but it wasn’t her voice. “It’s Sam.” Those words came from her own mouth. She reached up and touched her bottom lip, like she had been kissed. What the hell is going on? 

“Weird.” She offered, avoiding Nate’s eyes, suddenly. He was making her nervous. All of it seemed like too much. Too real. She could feel the road under her as if they had been plucked from the car. They. She shook her head. Nope that’s bat shit crazy. Do you want to be committed? 

She pressed her lips together. “You know, I’m suddenly not feeling very good.” She offered a weak smile. “Beers on the house.” She pulled off her apron and pushed out from behind the bar. She swung open the back door and went into the alleyway, immediately bending over and vomiting. She felt flushed, holding her knees 

“Becca! Wait! Are you.. oh shit.” Nate commented. 

Great. 

“Nothing to see here.” She said, waiving him off dismissively. 

“No need to be a hero.” He grunted, walking to her. He gathered her hair in his hands, letting her vomit, get it all out. “You’re not pregnant are you?” He joked, lamely.

“No.” She snorted, wiping her mouth with the back of her hands. 

“Good.” He said, supporting her by her elbow. “‘Mere.” 

She let him lead her down the alley way, and out to the street. They lowered themselves to a seated position on a bench. “Feelin any better?” Nate asked her gently.

No. “I... yeah. I guess.” 

“Can I ask you something?”

Her eyes flickered up to his. The large, full moon was reflecting in his green iris. “Anything.” She murmured, and somehow she knew that she did mean anything. 

“When you zoned out earlier... did you.... uh. Shit this is going to sound crazy.”

“It’s okay.” She said, sitting up a little straighter. “You can tell me.” 

“Fine.” Nate said, forcing a smile. “Did you, uh, see anything?” 

“Like what?” Becca asked, carefully.

“I sound like a fucking loon.” He complained before letting out a rush of air. “But... I don’t know. Like a car?”

Becca sat up even straighter. “I... yeah. Yeah I think I did.” 

“I know it sounds... wait, really?” Nate turned to look at her intensely. She found she couldn’t focus with his eyes on her like that. She nervously pushed her hair behind her ear. 

“Yeah. The moment the juke box started playing it was like...”

“Like you were transported somewhere else?”

“Yeah.” She said eagerly. “Exactly like that.” 

They searched each others faces for answers. “It’s happened before.” He admitted.

“For me too.” 

“I always see the same guy with me. He’s some... some tall guy, and I don’t know I’m not me.” Nate said slowly.

“I think... I think I see that, too. I think they’re brothers.” Becca said gently, not admitting that she felt like she was Sam when she was in these memories. It didn’t make any sense. It wasn’t logical. She was just herself, but there was more to it. Even if she couldn’t admit it to herself, she knew it deep down. 

“Yeah, before I heard them say that... I knew they had some kind of bond. That’s fucking bananas, isn’t it?”

Becca laughed humorlessly. “About fifteen minutes ago I would’ve said yeah, but now... I don’t know. I thought I was going crazy! But if you’re seeing them too...”  

“What do you think this means?” Nate asked quietly. 

“I wish I knew.” Becca said, lacing her fingers with Nate. She didn’t know why she did it. She didn’t know this boy, but there was something about him. Something safe. “Maybe we could go to the library and do some research?”

“To research what?” He laughed, looking down at their combined fingers, beginning to feel calm.

“Just seems like the thing to do.” Becca said quietly. What she didn’t say is that it’s what Sam always did in her dreams. There’s no problem that couldn’t be solved with a book. 

“Alright, fuck it. Let’s go.” Nate said standing up. 

They didn’t release hands as they walked down the road to the library on campus. They only released when they each settled down in a chair. Becca began typing diligently, but Nate couldn’t focus. He couldn’t stop looking at her. She was a stranger, but yet she was so familiar. He just couldn’t place it. 

“Get this.” She said, squinting at the screen. “It’s said that soulmates can have the same dreams. That’s crazy isn’t it?” She asked, turning toward him. 

“Maybe not so much.” Nate said, meeting her eyes. He glanced at his own screen, clicking a link. “I... I don’t want to sound any crazier than I already do, but I feel like I know you Bec.” 

“Bec.” She said cooly. “Yeah... I get that too, Nathan.” She eyed him.

“Right. Not on nickname bases yet?”

“I just thought I’d try it out. I don’t really mind.” 

“Samuel.” “It’s Sam.”

She pursed her lips. “I don’t think... the big one liked nicknames. I think he felt like he was being demoted somehow.” 

Nate smiled. “Yeah, he liked teasing Sammy, but that’s what brothers do.” 

Becca closed her eyes. This is too fucking Twilight Zone. 

“Hey, you good?”

“What? Oh yeah.” Her eyes flew open, landing on his hand. “I’m good. I’m great.” 

“Sure sellin it.” He chuckled and turned back to his screen. “What do you think about it?”

“About what?”

“The whole soulmate shtick?”

“I think... I think I don’t have any better explanation.” 

Nate stretched his arms above his head, waiting for the satisfying crack, but instead his hands shot straight into the chest of some older guy. “Um, sorry, dude.” 

The brunette man looked tired. He wore an outdated trench coat, with a cheap suit underneath. “It’s fine.” The man smiled. He looked upset. 

“Right, well.” Nate cleared his throat. “Better get back to studying, ya know?”

Becca looked nervous, and reached for his hand. He took it instinctively. 

“I don’t have time for pleasantries.” The man said, lowly. “I need to talk to you both.” 

“No thanks.” Nate said, protectively. “We don’t want whatever you’re selling in that weird ass coat.” 

The man groaned outwardly. “Why must you always comment on the coat?”

“Listen, buddy.” Nate said, rising. “I’ve never met you before. I think you must have me confused...” 

The man reached out his two index fingers on both hands, and pressed them to Becca and Nates foreheads, sending them into a quick, and peaceful sleep. 

Both 

Sam looked at his brother, his hands in the sudsy water, doing the dishes. “Did you see them at dinner, the way they looked at each other? They just seemed happy, you know? It doesn’t feel fair to get all this and have to throw it away, and I know we have to. But it just feels like, you know… Once we send dad back… it’s none of this ever happened. He just goes back to being dad.”

Dean glanced at Sam, as he mindlessly dried a plate. “You saying you wish things would be different?”

“Don’t you? Can you imagine dad in the past, knowing then what he knows now? I… I think it would be nice.” Sam said weakly, peeling his eyes away from Deans. 

Dean shrugged. “Yeah. I used to think that, too. But, uh… I mean, look, we’ve been through some tough times. There’s no denying that.”

Sam licked his dry lips. “Yeah.”

“And for the longest time, I blamed dad. I mean, hell, I blamed mom, too, you know? I was angry. But say we could send dad back knowing everything. Why stop there? Why not send him even further back and let some other poor sons of bitches save the world? But here’s the problem. Who does that make us? Would we be better off? Well, maybe. But I gotta be honest, man. I don’t know who that Dean Winchester is. And I’m good with who I am. I’m good with who you are. ‘Cause our lives, they’re ours. And maybe I’m just too damn old to want to change that.”

Becca’s eyes opened first, with a flutter. She could still feel the warm water on her hands. She could feel the wounds on her face, the ache in her temple. She could still feel Dean’s gaze as he described their lives. How he described the impossibilities of starting all over. Her heart ached at the idea. The idea that the boys probably died in the grips of each other, doing what they thought was right. Her heart broke knowing that they probably never got a day of rest. That the memory she saw, the ones she’d been seeing, were one of a kind. 

She turned to her side, she was laying next to Nate who was still passed out. She rested her palm on his chest, right above his heart. 

“I’m sorry.” The man from the library said quietly, I just... I recognized you two. I had to talk to you. It isn’t protocol, but seeing that you found each other... it was too tempting. 

Something came over Becca suddenly. 

“Cas is that really you?” Dean asked, his eyes wide under the light of the night sky. 

Sam shook his head. “No. You’re... you’re dead.” He was desperate. His heart was aching. He wanted to reach out and hug his friend, but he couldn’t, not until he had all the answers.

“Yeah, I was.” Castiel said carefully. “But then I.. annoyed an ancient cosmic being so much that he sent me back.” 

“I don’t even know what to say.” Sam said, dumbfounded.

“I do.” Dean said, rushing Castiel, pulling him into a hug. “Welcome home, Pal.” 

“Castiel.” Becca breathed, before she realized what she was doing.

“You’re having memories?” Cas pressed.

“I... I don’t know what’s going on.” Becca admitted, in tears. “I’m a grad student. I... I don’t believe in all of this..”

“It’s alright.” Cas said gently. “I just...”

“What’s happening?” Becca asked intently. 

Nate groaned next to her. 

“Hey.” She murmured as he started to stir. 

“What the...”  

“I think... I think we know him.” Becca said, eyeing the angel in front of them.

Nate squinted. “Yeah I think you might be right.” He said up all the way, rubbing his head. “So get to talkin, stalker boy.” 

“I’m not a...” Castiel sighed and shook his head. “I recognized your aura. Your souls energy.” He said slowly, eyeing Nate. “I’d recognize you anywhere.”

“Weird.” 

“Dean and I share a more profound bond.” 

“I’m not sure it is.” Becca said. It was like she turned her dreams on high. She was getting constant flashes. “Castiel.” She said quietly. “What is going on here?”

“It is said that when two souls make a significant imprint on the world, on each other, that in every life they will find each other again. I.. I don’t know why you have left heaven, but I am happy to see that you have found each other again.”

“Heaven..” Becca murmured, her heart breaking. She was right. 

“What is he sayin?” Nate asked, looking irritated. 

“I think... I think he’s saying..” 

“You’ve been reincarnated.” Cas said simply.

Becca swallowed. “So Sam and Dean...” 

“They were a past life of yours. The one where I met you. Where I was your friend.” He turned to Nate. “Your best friend.” 

“Hm.” Nate grunted.

“You wear a different face, Dean.” Cas said with a kind, nostalgic smile. “But you are still the same.” 

“Dean.” Nate said slowly. “Like from the dreams?”

“I don’t think they’re dreams.” Becca said, moving her hand off of Nates leg. “I think they’re memories.” She felt sick. She stood up and began to pace. “So if he’s Dean... then I’m.. oh god.” 

It all rushed over Nate instantly and he stood up too. “Sam.” He breathed. “Of course.” 

Becca turned, shaking her head. “Nope. I can’t do this.”

Nate grabbed her hand. “Hey... just.. it’s okay.” They both turned to Castiel.

“Soul mates are complicated.” He said quietly. “You both died countless times, in each other’s arms. That leaves an imprint. In this past life you were siblings, but I’ve never seen anyone connected so strongly.”

Becca busted into tears, Nate supporting her as she lost it. “How did they die... how did we.. Cas...”

“It was a hunt.” Cas said weakly. “It was an accident... it was tragic.” He admitted sadly. “It was a long time ago.” 

Becca gripped Nates shirt, and he wrapped his arms around her. “I’ve got you.” 

She knew he did, because she could see him a thousand times over, holding her in the same way. Holding Sam. She could see his face, bloodied and broken under her fist. 

“And if we die, we will do that together too.” 

“I believe in us!”

“I’ve looked up to you my whole life.” 

She held her head and just cried. She mourned for the loss of who she used to be. She mourned for Dean. Her eyes fluttered open and she caught those same green eyes full of concern, looking right back at her. Fuck. She thought, touching his cheek. “Guess it isn’t our first time around is it?”

“Guess not.” Nate said quietly. 

“I am sorry if this was too much.” Cas said, weakly. “I just saw you and I couldn’t... I couldn’t not.” 

“We understand.” Becca said, regaining her sea legs. She stood up and walked to him, wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you.” She breathed. “I had no idea I could miss someone I never met, but I think I missed you, Cas. I think I missed both of you.” She said releasing her hug, turning to meet Nate’s eyes. They were different than his, but somehow exactly the same. He gave her a cheesy sideways smile, the same that she’d seen a million times before, before she woke up, before the sun touched the horizon. 

“Hey, no chick flick moments.” Nate complained.. 

Becca smiled a bit, before murmuring. “Jerk.” 

Nate grinned without missing a beat. “Bitch.”