#it just took away a lot of what made the first 2 movies charming

[fortune-maiden]

I think the worst part about Return to Halloweentown is…. it’s still more enjoyable to watch than Halloweentown High

[plutoswritingplanet]

Vicarious (Homelander x Female!Reader) pt.2

a/n: at my young, spry age, writing a twitter thread felt like "how do you do fellow kids", y'all better appreciate the sacrifice, Cross-Posted on AO3

Warnings: General Creepy Behavior, Plus Sized Reader, my inability to write a press conference yeehaw

Summary: First time in front of the cameras, you try to embrace your new persona... For better or worse

Vicarious Masterlist

This isn't you. You're not here.

The face staring back at you from the mirror might have some resemblance, but the heavy, over the top makeup distorts your features in a way, that makes you almost unrecognizable. The moment you've signed that contract, someone took your soul straight out of your body, containing it in a box, far from your reach. Sometimes you can almost feel it, the real you, like a ghost passing through a room. The Smirnoff you've carefully crafted over the years. She's in the way you walk, shoulders hunched, like you're carrying the weight of the world on them. In the heavy feeling of cigarette smoke, settling into your lungs after a rough day.

In the shower, you can almost hear her as well. Your voice is off-key, low, and doesn't seem to remember half the words, but it's much more genuine than the chirpy, lobotomized tone they commanded you to talk in. Media training was pure hell. It only lasted an hour, as your schedule appeared to be pretty tight, but the way Ashley spoke to you, with an air of patronizing authority, made you grit your teeth at the mere memory.

This body, soft and pliable, stuffed crudely into a corset that dug itself into your skin, like it was trying to force you to fit a mold. Those exposed, fishnet clad legs, were not yours as well. They were surely someone else's. Yours were hidden under all those flowery long skirts you've gathered over the years, so proud of your thrifted collection, which is now gathering dust back home. That's where you left the box with your soul, stacked it away under flowy linens and music sheets from your lessons. 

You ponder over this feeling. This complete separation from your body. Perhaps this was your true superpower. And then your phone alarm goes off, and everything is shoved down, as your platform boots... No... Fireball's platform boots, carry you out of your room and down the corridor. 

Homelander is already waiting for you, his stature imposing, looming  over a crowd of backstage workers, as they clean off any imperfections before the press conference. His eyes snap towards you, the moment you step into the room, and you swallow thickly, remembering your last, admittedly, very fucking weird interaction. Ashley flashes past you, giving you a quick once over, seemingly satisfied with your look. It's hard to tell really, she always seems to find some flaw that needs to be corrected.

- Did you read the talking points? - she asks, her eyes flickering between you, and her tablet.

- Mhm... - too low, you think, adjusting the tone of your voice slightly.

There's a lot of people, more than what you're used to. Moving past the red-head, you sneak a peak behind the heavy curtain, separating you from the reporters chattering outside. What you see, does nothing to calm your nerves, as your eyes scan over a crowd of smart dressed people, the microphones, the cameras. 

Perhaps, just perhaps, you've bitten off more than you can chew. 

- Nervous? - a familiar voice says to your side, and you pull back, like you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar.

Homelander looks almost exactly how you remember, when you saw him the first time. When he tried to convince you, he's every bit the perfect person from his movies. There's a charming smile plastered on his face, and he holds himself with an air of heroic otherworldliness, not a trace of the creepy, leering supe you've come to know. Your eyebrows furrow, but you decide to play along. You're not alone here, there's constant buzzing of surveilence around you, after all.

- Very much, yeah - you admit, sincerely, throwing a cautious look towards the podium.

He laughs in a weirdly boyish manner. You imagine, this is how a Ken doll would laugh, if it was alive. His hand reaches up, grabbing your shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. His touch feels like needles on your skin, but you smile nonetheless. Cameras, remember the cameras. There are people all around you, and as such, someone is surely watching.

- Don't worry, you'll do great - he announces, then leans forward, until his face stops mere inches from your ear, making your body freeze up at the proximity - Don't even think about embarrassing me out there. No outbursts, no remarks, just keep on smiling and be the fucking mascot they hired you to be.

Okay, ouch. He leans back, his expression never changing from that same, bright smile. You blink up at him a couple of times. It's honestly impressing, how he keeps up the appearance of a perfect, selfless hero. 

- Fucking hell, okay...

This time, the squeeze is anything but comforting, and you can feel all of his fingers dig into the meat of your shoulder. 

- Language - he scolds you with a pointed finger, and to anyone standing on the outside, the gesture might seem endearing.

You know the truth however, and it takes a lot of strength out of you, not to flip him off. It seems he's taking the role of a mentor a bit too seriously. Or perhaps, he's just a patronizing asshole. As you watch his plastic smile, you're more and more inclined to believe the second option.

Still, there is something grounding in the way he holds you close, his hand steering you towards the curtain, and as it leaves your shoulder, you find yourself feeling conflicted. Especially now, since the announcer is saying your name to the sound of moderate applause, which intensifies as soon as the curtain moves to the side, exposing you, and Homelander to the hungry eyes of the reporters. 

You knees start to wobble, as you're suddenly confronted with the reality of the flashing cameras, the lights, the voices. Your heart beats out of your chest, anxiety slowly but surely overtaking your body, and not knowing any other alternative, your hand reaches out in a gesture bordering on desperation.

Homelander flinches, when your fingers grab onto the material of his glove. His eyes flicker towards you for just a moment, taking in the rapidity of your pulse, thrumming through your veins. The shortness of breath, as your nails bite into the custom made leather. Your eyes are locked onto the reporters, and your body seems to be stuck in an awkward pose, in-between steps. Out of all the things, that could frighten you in your, frankly, hopeless situation, crowds were an unexpected turn of events. 

So much for the strong, independent whatever. Homelander lets your hand linger for just a moment, if only to amuse himself further, before he steps forward to the podium, adjusting the microphone to his height. Your fingers curl around air, and you force your back to straighten. 

- Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for coming - his voice booms through the conference room, and he takes a small pause, letting the applause subside - As you've probably been informed, I'm here to announce a very special, new member of The Seven. She'll be joining the team on a temporary basis, as a replacement for Lamplighter.

Shit. You swallow thickly, and Homelander's smirk grows into something sharper at the sound, hidden from everyone else but himself. 

- I give you, Fireball!

He turns to you with a flourish, inviting you to step towards the podium. Your eyes flicker towards his, and he gives you a pointed look, that makes your heart sink to the floor. Here you are, presented to the wolves by a much worse monster. Deep breaths, remember that fated hour of media training. There's a role to play, after all.

This isn't you. You're not here. 

A bright, practiced smile floats onto your features, and finally you take a step forward, your hands curling into tight fists at your sides. You can feel the texture of your matte lipstic pull at your lips, the high-end eyeliner sticking the corners of your eyes together. The reporters clap politely, and you try to focus on a point above their heads, like they taught you in high school. The last time you've been in front of such a crowd, was when your friend roped you into taking part in a student reedition of Heathers. A fucking miserable affair.

 You're a little bit too quiet, for a little bit too long, and Homelander bristles out of the corner of your eye. You can see his chest expand, as he inhales deeply. Then, he moves in front of you, standing closer to the microphone, and intentionally or not, saving you from all the curious looks. You take a moment to gather your bearings, closing your eyes for just a second.

- Now, we have limited time for questions, so let's keep it simple - he announces, scanning the crowd of raised hands. - Gentleman in the back?

- Hi, John Douglas VNN. A question for Fireball?

Homelander turns to you with that same, plastic smile, and you nod, trying to convince yourself, more than him, that you're ready to speak. He moves aside, just enough to make a sliver of space for you in front of the microphone, and you step up with a sigh. 

- Hey, what's up? - there's a tremble to your voice, which you try to swallow down. 

- I think we're all surprised by you joining The Seven - the man comments with a smirk - Can you tell us some more about the recruitment process?

You take a deep breath, imagine your friend in front of you, and lean against the podium with a lazy smile. You're not here, after all. This isn't you.

- Well, a video of me, helping out during a house fire went viral, and soon enough Vaught has offered me a temporary partnership. - there's a playful tilt to your words, and you can already see all the comments pouring in - Besides, y'all have seen the contract.

There's a murmur of sheepish laughter rolling over the conference room, and you swallow thickly, trying to fight off the dryness in your throat.

- Here, at the front? - Homelander cuts in, leaning closer as he speaks to the microphone. 

Absent-mindedly, you note he smells very, almost obscenely expensive, and your nose crinkles slightly as you take a breath. 

- Mileena Johnson, News Nation - a woman in a tasteful costume stands up - Given this sudden interest from Vaught, is it safe to assume you're not used to all this?

She looks around the room, then back to you and mirrors your smile, flashing her perfectly white teeth. With a sardonic expression, you lean towards the microphone again, some unknown, mischievous note entering your voice.

- Oh, yeah! - you confirm - I'm a media virgin, through and through.

There's a strangled sound of multiple people laughing, some reporters clearly thrilled by the joke, others shaking their head disapprovingly. There's a large portion just staring at you, and you fight off the urge to cringe at your own words. Then, there's a small noise, somewhere next to you, and pushed by curiosity, you look over at Homelander. He looks conflicted between keeping up the smile, and stepping in, eventually opting to lean back, his eyes shifting between you and the reporters with a hint of curiosity hidden behind them. 

And then he moves, shifting ever so slightly behind you, his hand finding purchase on the lower part of your back, his fingertips drumming lightly against the zipper. Your back straightens like a guitar string, a shiver of something running up your spine. With his free hand, he points towards another reporter, who stands up and introduces himself politely. 

It's hard for you to focus.

- How, in your opinion, an addition of such a young Hero will affect the team?

Homelander's hand climbs higher, towards the edge of your corset. You can feel his gloved fingertips dance across the stitching. 

- I'll do everything in my power to help the Seven fight for peace - you answer, voice slightly choked up, but your expression remains impassive.

- That's right! - Homelander chimes in, suddenly much more animated - Such a young, fresh, addition will surely motivate us to push ourselves even harder.

Another reporter raises her hand, and you're starting to scream internally, as Homelander's gloved hand abandons your corset in favor of running up your bare skin. Your smile falters for just a second, as he grabs onto the back of your neck, squeezing a few times, before letting his hand rest under your hair. 

- Something for the tabloids? - the reporter announces - I have to say, the both of you look great together, and since Homelander's recent breakup with Queen Meave, we're wondering, what exactly is the relationship between the two of you?

Fuck, fuckitty fuck fuck fuck, your brain scrambles for a proper response. That was not included in the talking points. Although eventual shipping was expected, you were aware of the culture, you though it would take some time for the thing to sail away. Unfortunately, the reporter blinks expectantly, and the longer you stay silent, the worse the rumors will undoubtedly get. Out of the corner of your eye, you can already see Homelander lean towards the mic, and knowing deep in your bones, that whatever he says, will be humiliating, you lurch forwards. 

- We're coworkers. He's my mentor, I'm his student. Do with that, what y'all want.

- Right, is there a chance that a romance may bloom? - the reporter pushes further, adjusting her glasses on her nose.

- I met him yesterday, y'all - you comment with an exasperated sigh, and force yourself to ignore the way Homelander's finger tangles itself into the hair growing at the base of your skull.

The reporter laughs and sits down, and this time you can't stop the sigh of relief from escaping your lips. Another hand shoots up in the back of the room, and Homelander points to it over your shoulder. A man in his thirties stands up, and even blinded by the reflectors, you can see the cocky smirk on his face. 

- I've seen the video - he starts, a flippant tone entering his voice - And I couldn't help but wonder, how did Vaught even let someone so inexperienced into the Tower?

It's quiet, dozens of eyes flicker nervously between you and Homelander, and his hand stills at your back. You're not here. This isn't you. And so, lips pulled back into a mean bastardization of a bright smile, you lean heavily on the podium, letting it all, proverbially, hang out.

- I flashed the doorman.

You don't have to have a degree in media analysis to notice the sudden uptake in flashing lights. Homelander's hand falls from your back in a languid motion, the leather of his glove dragging itself down your spine, before he moves, and takes up the entirety of space in front of the podium.

- And on that - he pauses, and pretends to look back at you, too lazy to actually commit to the bit - thrilling note, I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Thank you all for coming. God bless you all!

You wave a half assed goodbye to all the gathered people, and before anyone can say anything else, you turn on your heel and walk back towards a very pissed-off-looking Ashley. The white light of her tablet is illuminating her scowl, and involuntarily, you groan. 

- What the fuck was that? - she asks, before you get one word out - Freezing up like an idiot? Making stupid fucking jokes? 

Homelander enters soon after you, his expression unreadable. He stands in the back, arms crossed in front of his chest, observing your interaction with Ashley. Seemingly pondering over something. His inaction, somehow, makes flames of irritation rise inside your gut, and you direct your anger towards the red-headed woman.

- Stillwell is going to have my fucking head - Ashley lamments, eyes locked onto her tablet - This will be horrible for your ratings, not to mention Homelander's.

With a roll of your eyes, you step closer, grabbing the hardware and consequently, forcing her to look up at you.

- Oh yeah? - there's a note of bravery entering your voice, and Homelander's eyebrow shoots upwards - Check fucking Twitter.

For just a second, Ashley hesitates, blinking at you owlishly. Then, she taps away at the tablet, her features illuminated with blue. Homelander's hashtag is trending, as expected, but you can see your given Hero name right under it. The third hashtag makes you smirk. Ashley starts reading out loud.

"Have y'all seen that interaction between #Homelander and #Fireball?" 

There's a video, couple seconds long, where you can see yourself, frozen with nerves backstage, Homelander leaning over your form. From afar, it looks comforting, cute even. You smirk. It cuts to the moment his hand sneaked up your back. Even to you, the gesture looks like a show of support, although you're sure some groups of people will run with the romance storyline.

"I have an anxiety disorder, and #Fireball is showing clear signs of an anxiety attack"

"No media training seen in the room #iconic"

"Aww, look at #Homelander comforting her, they're so cute together"

"Did we collectively forget what he said during that graduation speech?"

"Let's normalize people learning and growing"

"It's honestly heartwarming, seeing someone with mental health problems in The Seven, I finally feel represented"

"And can we talk about how #Homelander handled the situation? Truly, #AmericasGreatestHero"

"#MentalHealthKing"

It's quiet on set for a long moment, as both Ashley and Homelander seem to take in this one Twitter thread, among many similar ones. You, holding in laughter to the best of your abilities, wait patiently, until Ashley finally looks up at you.

- I know, why I'm here - you tell her, and something passes across her features.

She clears her throat, swiping on her tablet.

- You have training with Black Noir in an hour - she informs you, her voice back to that professional, emotionless tone - We'll get some footage of it out to the public, so try to behave. 

- Yes Ma'am - you smile, and once again, she gives you a strange look, before turning on her heels, and walking away, a satisfied lightness to her steps.

It's only you and Homelander left backstage, and as you turn to face him, he's already looking at you with an appraising gaze. Despite yourself, despite his borderline creepy behavior, and the threats, and the touches, you can't help, but smile. It starts off slow, a small smirk pulling at the corners of your mouth, but soon after that, all your teeth are on display. Because fuck it, you're proud of yourself, and for the first time since you've met him, Homelander doesn't look at you like you're a cut of meat on a bucther's rack. 

- That went so much better, than I expected - you breathe out, and he nods. 

- It sure was something - he says, leaning on a nearby pillar.

You bark a short laugh at his admission, the adrenaline from your first real encounter with the press, keeping you on a high you were not expecting. There's buzzing at the end of your fingertips, and you shake your hands, trying to dispell some of the energy. 

- Oh, I was ready to shit myself - you huff, shaking your head.

Homelander sucks on his teeth, his eyebrow shooting up.

- Language. - he reminds you, and you put up your hands in mock surrender.

It's easy, riding the wave of your newly found success. As such, you ignore the way his eyes glide all over your body, stopping rather obscenely at your chest. You pretend not to notice, the way his hands twitch at his sides, and you definitely don't see the tightness in his lower area. No, all of it doesn't matter, because you've proven your worth, not as much to Homelander, but to the company, and fuck, if it didn't feel good. 

Your enthusiasm turns to ashes in your mouth, as Homelander leans forward, invading your personal space like it wasn't yours to begin with. There's a glint of barely masked anger in his eyes, the blue of his irises getting swallowed by a dangerous, red sheen. Not enough to hurt anyone, but enough to let you know, you're on thin ice. Which confuses you beyond belief, because up until this point, you thought everything went peachy.

A gloved hand sneaks up, towards you chin, fingers digging into your flesh hard enough, you can imagine them chipping the bones underneath. 

- Next time - he seethes through gritted teeth - Keep your fucking mouth in check, or I'll find a better use for it.

Oh, that's new. Your soul leaves your body once again, the box locking it away with a click, that sounds like thunder in your ears. Homelander frowns, as if he can see the change happen right before his eyes. And perhaps, even through the fog of anger, he's perceptive enough. His posture falters slightly, as you take a step in his direction, or, more likely, Fireball does. 

- Why wait, I'm standing right here - the challenging note in your voice surprises both of you.

He blinks. You blink. And then, his face changes completely. The authoritarian expression of anger melts away into something you'd never expect. An almost childish sort of giddiness enters his eyes, and if you were yourself, not Fireball, you would've found the sparkling blue of his eyes enchanting. Terrifying, but impossible to look away. You should be thankful for this separation, it is surely saving your sanity. 

Before he can act out whatever his twisted, blonde mind conjured up, you slip past him like smoke out the window, your platform boots clicking against the floor. It doesn't matter, none of it matters. This isn't you after all. You're not here. 

It's long past her working hours, when Stillwelll finally has the time to sit down and unwind. Her phone screen reflects in the lenses of her reading glasses, a recognizable, Twitter-blue illuminating her features. Her eyes scan the site for a moment, and then, suddenly, her hand comes up to cover her mouth. 

There it is. A picture of her best project to date. You're standing awkwardly, shoulders tense, a sheen of sweat on your forehead mingling with a foundation, that's worth more than your entire wardrobe back home. Homelander's hand is holding you securely, fingers splayed at the skin of your back. And above the picture... "#MentalHealthKing" 

Stillwell laughs, quietly but sincerely. Who would've thought.

[all-alone-he-turns-to-stone]

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Dean Winchester Masterlist

Summary: When Dean has to work at a café to learn infos on a hunt, he thinks it's the worst. Until he meets her. At first, she's only kind of an annoying coworker. But an unfortunate event brings them closer, and Dean starts feeling things for her. If it's love, he doesn't know. But for the first time, he starts wondering how it would feel to have a normal life. A normal job. And a normal relationship. But first, he needs to get her revenge against that shitty boss.

Note: this happens in the begining of season one

Word Count: 9k

Pairing: Dean x F!Reader

Content Warning: Toxic work place, rude customer, humiliation, bullying, swearing

Squares: Humiliation for @hurtcomfort-bingo,/ Revenge for @jacklesversebingo

A/n: I'm gonna be honest, at first, I didn't want to post this fic. When I saw the attention the last few fics I took so much time to write got, it made me sad... But then I remembered how much fun I had with this one, so decided to post it in case someone else has the same fun reading it. ALSO! This was for @eevvvaa writing challenge! I picked the movie Crazy Stupid Love but actually used the quotes! They will be in bold in the text. Happy reading!

Usually, this situation would have upset him. After all, he was stuck here 8 hours per day, 5 days per week and always finished too late to go to the nearest bar afterwards. It also wasn’t the best first real job to have, as it was lame, boring, and always the same thing. But working at a café also had its advantages.

Like the beautiful barista that he had the chance to see on his first day. She was leaving, as she was only working mornings, and he was working evenings, but Dean couldn’t detach his eyes from her. Beautiful body, hair immaculate even after 8 hours of wearing a net, skin tanned to perfection.

“Oh great, another one.”

That wasn’t the girl he was talking about. No, the girl that just spoke was Y/n. At first glance, she looked like the manager. With the most seniority in here, she knew how things were done and how to do them quickly. But she was no boss. To make her agree to be his trainer and show him the basics, the real boss had to insist a lot. He didn’t know all the details, though, but she ended up accepting.

It was for a hunt. Otherwise, Dean would never be here. Sam said there was something weird in the neighborhood, and that the best way to discover what was going on was to talk with the community. And the best place to have conversations with people that didn’t want to talk with the police was of course at the local café. All the rumors and crispy details of the town were floating in there. The reason why it wasn’t Sam doing the whole barista thing was as simple as upsetting.

“Dean, you have all the charm. People- ladies- will open up to you like blooming flowers in the spring.”

Ugh.

Back to the present, Dean ignored Y/n’s comment and tilted his head to the side, still eyeing the morning employee that was leaving. “What do I have to do to get on the morning shift?” 

A groan of annoyance resonated behind him. His smile fell. He was stuck with her for a while, as they were both working evening shifts.

Alone together.

-

There were 60 seconds in one minute. And 60 minutes in one hour. A shift lasted 8 hours here. That was way too many seconds to spend doing nothing but wait to leave.

All that was in his head was the hot chick he kept seeing since he started working here. After only bumping into her these past 2 weeks, Dean finally decided to ask her on a date. And since he was Dean Winchester, no one could tell him no. And the same day, after his shift, he would meet her in front of the pizza place that was two blocks away.

And he couldn’t stop looking at the clock, head in his hand, hoping that staring at it would make the time go faster.

“I asked for a hot caramel latte with almond milk and no foam, what the hell is this?!”

It was near the end. In 15 minutes, the shop would be closed and then it was cleaning time. Weeping the floor, throwing away the remaining food that was not sold, washing the dishes, etc. That was always his favorite part, because even if Y/n was a pain in the ass as his supervisor, she was chill and allowed him to choose the radio station while they cleaned and he could leave once his part was done.

At first, the voice didn’t alert him, and Dean kept on making himself busy with cleaning tables that didn’t need it. But then, something broke, the sound heavy of meaning, and he was on alert. Every fiber of his body was on and he turned to the source of the sound.

Right at the counter, there was a man with his back to him. Without seeing his face, Dean knew he was angry. Pissed, even. At his feet, a broken cup, porcelain in pieces covered the floor soaked in coffee. Two steps allowed Dean to know what the man was looking at, and when he saw her…

He immediately rushed without thinking.

“I’m gonna ask you to leave, sir,” Dean put his hand on the customer’s shoulder, which made him jump. The man turned to him and aggressively stepped back. 

“Don’t touch me,” the man hissed. “You’re working here, huh?” He looked up and down at Dean, noticing the apron of the café he was wearing. “Must be the manager here. Well, your employee here is worthless, you should be careful who you hire, for fuck sake!”

At that, Dean couldn’t help but wince. That was unnecessary rude to say. He glanced at Y/n again and felt his heartbeat with pain. Her head was down, probably to hide tears. That was probably not the first time she had to serve asshole customers, but it was the first time Dean noticed it. Working in customer service was not easy at all, you had to be strong to endure all of that everyday.

He only knew Y/n for about two weeks, but he already knew a lot about her. She was calm. Kind. She cared about doing her job right. Yeah, she was a bit bossy and used every opportunity to send subtle little insults towards Dean just enough to annoy him, like how he couldn’t even do a coffee, in this economy? But it was never mean and he liked that side of her that didn’t let people step on her toes. But right now, in front of that man? She was small. She wanted to hide. It wasn’t the Y/n he knew.

“I’m not the boss,” Dean answered finally, placing his gaze back on the man. “But we’re closed, so I’m gonna ask you to leave.”

The rude customer was the last one in the café, so it wasn’t like he was breaking any rules. And he was Dean Winchester. He made the rules.

Red seemed to eat at the man’s face so much he was angry. “Not before I get what I fucking paid for!” He started yelling. Dean didn’t mind being screamed at, he was used to it with his dad, how sad it sounded. But when the man turned to Y/n to yell at her, Dean couldn’t hold himself back. “You useless cunt!”

“I said, out!” Dean grabbed the customer by the neck and quickly sent him backwards. His legs met the table right behind him, but it wasn’t enough to make him understand. The man lunged forward in an attempt to hit Dean, but he didn’t know.

Dean was waiting for it.

The fist missed, and the man stumbled into the void and collapsed on the floor like a clown. 

“This isn’t over,” the man growled and got up. Sure he would strike again, Dean was ready to fight. But this time, the fist didn’t miss. The pain came later, a few seconds after the hunter realized he got hit in the face. Fortunately for his ego, Dean managed to stay on his feet and not fall pathetically on the floor. 

He reached for the wound.

It was right near his left eye, it would bruise for sure.

With deadly flames in his green eyes, he looked at his target.

“Oh, you’re dead.” 

The rest happened quickly.

Dean decided he wouldn’t hold back anymore. As his head throbbed with ache and anger, he was about to hit with everything he got. But at the last moment, something interrupted him. A body, warm, soft, encircling his own, stopped him from moving.

“Please stop…”

Her voice woke him up completely. Shaking, she put herself between the two men to stop the fight even if she was scared.

The man took the opportunity to run away, the bell chiming behind him as the door closed violently.

A long silence followed the departure of the aggressive customer. A couple of seconds passed, then minutes, before she realized there was no silence actually. Things were happening around her, words were spoken, and the only person besides her was running around locking doors and closing blinds, cursing every word he could think of at the moment.

Her hearing was nothing but a shrill sound, almost painful, like she was deaf. It took another minute and him calling her name for her to come back to the present.

"You okay? He didn't hurt you?" Dean was kneeling in front of her. She finally noticed she was sitting down on a chair. Shaking her head, she tapped her hands in her face to finish waking herself up from her slumber.

"You're hurt and you ask me if I'm okay?" She stood up as she spoke, Dean doing the same. Then she seemed to disappear in the backstore to come back with a bag of frozen vegetables they used for the soup. "Sit down," she instructed. 

Dean would have been impressed by her capacity to focus after such an event, especially with how she was a couple of seconds ago, but he knew better. She wouldn't meet his gaze, her head was down, and when he glanced at her hands, it was to see them shake.

"Y/n-" 

"Oh, come on, sit down, your masculinity won't suffer too much, I just want to check," she rolled her eyes and almost pushed him to the chair. Dean let himself be moved around with a smirk. That was the Y/n he knew. "There, it's not that bad, huh?" 

"It's no big deal," he tried to convince her, after all, as a hunter, he got hurt more than once before and healed perfectly fine. But when he saw her, he understood. And he let himself be checked by her only for her. To reassure her it was nothing, it was fine, it would bruise into a black eye and nothing else.

"Okay, it's not that bad," she sighed in relief as she said that.

"Told you," Dean snickered with a smile. "Ouch!"

The frozen bag was now on his bruise and Y/n was turning her back to him. His first instinct was to ask her if she was okay, check on her, after all, she seemed pretty shaken up, but he knew she needed time, that was all.

"We should call the police," Dean ended up saying. Usually, he would never propose that, but the customer was human. A monster in some sort, but completely human, so the police could take care of it.

"No!" She turned harshly towards Dean, surprising him.

"Why not?" 

Pacing back and forth, Y/n seemed to get lost in her thoughts. "It's not necessary, I doubt the customer will come back, and it would put the cafe in a bad spot, we would lose customers and…"

Again, Dean knew. Y/n was a good employee, she loved doing her job right, but she hated the place, hated the menu and the disgusting coffee served here, and hated the management. But they were the ones giving her her salary at the end of the month, so she couldn't disappoint them.

"I can deal with the boss," Dean said, standing up, the bag still on his eye.

In front of him, Y/n sadly shook her head. "It won't be necessary." She pointed at one corner of the cafe. Then another. "There's cameras around, and he loves to watch. Loves to tell us everything we do wrong. He probably already knows it happened. We'll see tomorrow, I guess," she sighed. Then, like a thought crossed through her head, she lifted her head completely and crossed gaze with Dean. "Your date! You're gonna be late!"

Dean wanted to laugh. So badly. Of course, he talked to her about it. Kristina, their coworker from the morning shift and Dean's date, was waiting for him. But after what happened, it completely got out of his head. Smiling, he shook his head and placed the bag of defrosting vegetables on the table beside him.

"I'll call her, say something came up. She'll understand."

Y/n cringed, biting her lips and frowning. "I don't think she cares enough to understand. But you're cute and sexy so maybe she'll forgive your ass."

Immediately after saying those words, Y/n became a puddle of embarrassment. Her body flushed with the realization of what she just admitted.

"Really?" Dean would not let that go. "You think I'm the perfect combination of sexy and cute ?"

"Shut up," she murmured between her teeth, grabbing the nearest thing, the cloth he was using to clean the tables, to throw it at him. "Get out of here your shift is over."

"Yeah," Dean surprised himself by what he said next. "But I won't let you walk back home alone. Consider me your cute and sexy bodyguard," he laughed at her reaction, but it was nothing compared to the sound leaving his mouth when he received another cloth on the head. "Hey, this one was wet"

"Oops!" 

-

The next day started pretty badly. After a complicated night with barely any sleep and lots of nightmares, Y/n got up early to get ready. Even if her shift started at 3pm, she knew the phone would ring and the ruthless voice of her boss would order her to come in to talk.

About what happened.

It was not even noon when it happened. She was at her third coffee, so she had energy even if she felt dead inside. Since she was already dressed, all she had to do was grab her stuff and head to the cafe. Like usual, she had to walk since she didn't have enough savings to buy a car.

The weather was quite nice, compared to how gloomy she was feeling. It was warm and sunny outside. Y/n barely made a step out, locking her door, that a loud engine startled her. The sun was reflecting strongly on the hood, blinding her as she walked with caution towards it, and for a moment she thought maybe it was the customer that found her and came to finish what he started. Fortunately she recognized the car quickly, as it was the same car that drove her home last night.

A 67 chevy impala.

It was even more beautiful than when she saw it yesterday.

The drive to the cafe was quiet, apart from the chichats. How are you? Do you feel better? So, did he call you too? Usually, Y/n would have commented on something random just to annoy Dean, but when he turned his head towards her at a red light to ask her a question, she saw the bruise around his eyes, reminding her of the night before and how everything was her fault. If only she hadn't messed up the order…

Once parked in front of the cafe, Dean stopped the engine to turn to Y/n. "Hey," he said in a calm and steady voice. "Whatever happens there, it was neither our fault."

"I appreciate it, Dean, but it was. I was in charge, even though I told the boss more than once that I didn't want to be, so what happens on my shift is my fault." Without leaving him time to answer, she opened the door and left the car to enter the cafe.

The moment she stepped inside, a loud silence echoed around her. Every employee stopped chatting to stare at her, the customers mimicking their actions, wondering what was so much more interesting than getting their order right and fast. 

Y/n hated that. The attention. The eyes on her. The silence. Her body started shaking, both with anger and humiliation, the tears almost painful to hold back. But then, as she was about to step towards the boss' office, a warmth settled on her shoulder, stopping the tremors at once. And a voice she was starting to grow fond of whispered near her ear.

"Ignore them. They don't matter right now."

With Dean, she felt safe. Strong. Like she could do everything and never feel afraid anymore. That was until they were sitting in the office in front of the boss.

“Y/n, I am wildly disappointed with you. What you did was beyond unprofessional, and I can’t believe I have to do this. You’re suspended.”

It was nothing less than what she expected from her boss. Since working there, she had done everything to stay in his good graces, sometimes doing other people's jobs to compensate. Everything to keep the restaurant clean and to continue serving fresh food every day. It wasn't Kristina who would write down expiration dates on perishable products, or place the new arrival of breads behind the ones already there to prevent the oldest ones from remaining at the bottom of the shelf, covered in mold. If this place passed the health inspection every year, it was thanks to Y/n’s efforts, efforts that no one had ever noticed or considered.

It was probably better that way.

Head bowed, Y/n took a harsh breath and opened her mouth to apologize and admit her boss was right. However, the words could not come out of her mouth fast enough, because someone else was already speaking.

“This is bullshit,” Dean exclaimed. A quick glance in his direction, and Y/n could see his hands forming fists on his thighs. “Y/n did everything perfectly, it’s not her fault if customers don’t respect anything, not even themselves!”

“Dean, I think you're new here,” the boss replied with a calmness that didn't mean anything good. Y/n tried to draw Dean's attention to her to signal him to shut up, that it was nothing, that she could survive a week suspended, but the young man paid her no mind. And one look at his face showed her the same anger she had seen in him the previous evening, when he had decided to defend himself against the customer. “I watched the surveillance cameras carefully. Your reactions with this client, although undoubtedly intended to be heroic, were completely unacceptable. The next time you make a mistake, you will suffer the same fate as Y/n. For now, take your day, see you on Monday, Dean.”

"That's all?!" This time, Dean stood up as he spoke. “Y/n gets suspended, and I only get a warning and a day off? What the f-”

“Thank you,” Y/n quickly cut him off, grabbing his arm firmly to silence him. Strangely, like the day before, her intervention seemed to calm Dean down very quickly. “See you next week.”

As she was about to leave, her hand still holding Dean's wrist to drag him out of the office, a voice called out to her.

"Two weeks. See you in two weeks.”

It took a lot of control for her to say nothing. The inside of her cheek hurt from how hard she bit it, dragging Dean out of the office and then out of the restaurant. It was only once outside, far from prying ears and vulture eyes, that she was finally able to breathe.

“FUCKING BULLSHIT! FUCK YOU!” Suddenly came out of her mouth. If Dean still had any anger at that moment, it suddenly vanished when he heard so many curses coming out with so much anger from the usually calm Y/n. “Oh. It feels better."

Having never seen her like this, it took several seconds for Dean to compose himself. Large green eyes were fixed on her, wide, shocked, even, until a good hit on the arm woke him up completely. "Ouch!" He rubbed his arm as if it hurt even though her fist had barely tickled him.

“What the fuck was that, seriously?! Talk to the boss like that? You’re born stupid or you’re just too dumb to think, fuck, Dean!”

Still as surprised and shocked, Dean didn't respond immediately. Y/n was angry. More, even. Beyond pissed. Which was completely normal under the circumstances, except Y/n wasn't normally angry. She could get upset, complain about the system, the management, the customers, or how she was the only one doing all the little things that made the café special and comfortable, but she was never angry.

“I couldn’t let him talk to you that way, I just couldn’t,” Dean explained calmly. It was quite rare for him to be the calm one in a heated argument. But in this case, he knew he had to keep his own rage to himself, she didn't need more anger. She needed to speak, to expel this emotion out of her like a demon that needed to be exorcized.

“Well, that was fucking stupid,” she pointed at him, her gaze meeting his. This surprised him again. Y/n was shy, although she was a good leader, and he noticed she had trouble looking people in the eye for several seconds. She always ended up looking away, and he knew it wasn't because she was dishonest, but rather that she was afraid of the judgment in the eyes of others. So that she was yelling at him while staring right at him… That surprised Dean again and made him speechless.

For a few seconds, he forgot that he was being told off by a girl for defending her, and lost himself in the contemplation of her magnificent orbs. Since he had known her, he had never really seen them, or bothered to look at them.

And her eyes were beautiful, even filled with anger.

Probably noticing the eye contact was getting considerably long, Y/n finally broke the almost trance-like effect to gaze elsewhere.

“Have you had it long?”

She was still not looking at him. "What?"

“The uncontrollable need to save the damsel in distress.” The corner of her lips lifted up in a smirk.

“I-” He couldn’t tell her that this was actually his life. Saving the woman and the orphan, killing the monsters, it was so ingrained in his life that it was part of him.

“Come on,” she muttered, still not meeting his gaze, gesturing to him to follow her.

"Come on… Where?" It was the longest conversation he'd had with her, and it was only because she was angry, he remembered. He was here for a hunt, he had to learn more about the people of the town. Concentration and focus were required, but yet... This side of Y/n, her confidence, how she wasn't afraid to yell at him like that, when she was normally so gentle...

He liked that side of her. Not that he disliked the rest, it was just-

“I think you have tonight off, and I, well, the next two weeks.” Starting to walk towards the impala, she then stopped and turned her head just enough to look over her shoulder at him. “I’m going to help you rediscover your manhood. Do you have any idea where you could have lost it?”

A big smile stretched Dean's lips. This was the Y/n he knew. “Probably over there,” he pointed to the horizon. “Near the pizzeria. You hungry?”

-

The pizza was the most delicious thing that had passed Y/n's lips in a long time. Very greasy and dripping with cheese, the junk food was simply good after such a catastrophic day. And sharing this moment with his colleague, accomplice, even, and perhaps friend- if he wanted to- was the icing on the cake.

Her heart always beat a beat and a half faster when he was near her. And although she tried not to like him, not to get attached to what was clearly a bad boy who preferred girls like Kristina, who just hung out with her because he had free time… She simply couldn't deny it anymore. What her heart desired was starting to win over what reason screamed at her.

Don't fall in love.

And yet, as that evening at the pizzeria after her suspension turned into an almost daily routine, her heart prevailed. The crush she immediately had for the young man with emerald eyes and cheeks covered in a milky way of little freckles was slowly transforming into something deeper.

A week had passed since her suspension, it was Saturday again, and as usual, Y/n and Dean found themselves at the pizzeria. The owner himself now came to take their order, even though he already knew what the two wanted since they always ordered the same thing. Everything was going exactly as usual, Dean recounting his day at work, how slowly everything was going downhill without her.

“I worked with a new guy, and son of a bitch, I’ve never seen someone take their time so much. It’s like he did it on purpose,” Dean sipped his drink. Y/n’s gaze followed the movement of the Adam’s apple rising and falling as he swallowed. She was barely concentrating on what he was saying. “We had two complaints that the sandwich bread had mold, but the person in the kitchen didn't get in trouble for it. It’s like the boss knows that no matter the wait time, the quality of the food, or the attitude of the employees, the cafe will always make money since it’s the only one in town,” Dean let out a little laugh which only spread the butterflies in Y/n’s stomach. “Let me tell you that over the past week, some regulars have stopped coming. Oh, and many have asked where you’ve been.”

“It’s not surprising,” she finally answered after a few seconds of silence where only the chewing of Dean devouring his pizza could be heard. On the table, near the windows, the dessert was already there, two slices of pie that the owner had reserved for them knowing they were coming. Her gaze fell on the dessert as she spoke although she really wanted to look him in the eyes. Admiring the perfect color of his orbs, admiring how everything was perfect about him. It was so difficult. “What’s surprising is that the health inspection hasn’t closed this place yet.”

These words hung in the air for a moment, accompanied by silence. Finally glancing over at Dean, she found that he had stopped eating mid-bite, staring blankly at her. It was almost as if Y/n could see the gears moving in his mind.

“Yet.” That was all he said next, taking the time to finish his bite before continuing. "I have an idea."

“I could figure that much,” she laughed as she took her drink, anything to occupy her hands and look normal in his presence. Luckily he couldn't hear her heart thumping against her ribcage.

“We're going to avenge you,” he pointed ahead, at her, and that was enough for her eyes to move from his finger to his eyes. She managed to hold his gaze for several long seconds which seemed to her like hours of torture. "You'll see."

"See what? Oh, how cute,” a voice broke the bubble Y/n and Dean were in. She hadn't heard that voice in a week, and it had been the best thing her suspension had given her, except for all the time she'd spent with Dean since.

“Kristina,” Y/n muttered under her breath, her eyes immediately going to her pizza. A weight seemed to settle on her chest, pressing down hard with its gigantic pressure.

“Hey,” Dean greeted her, and the pressure thumped harder against her heart. “How you doing, Kristina?”

His tone was kind. Friendly. Sweet. Just like he was with Y/n. But with a bonus, he was flirty.

Obviously.

She was not special.

“Oh, I'm doing well, much better,” she laughed. “Especially since Y/n isn’t at the café anymore. No one is ordering us around anymore, right, Dean?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Y/n could see movement. Raising her head just enough to have her in her sight without looking directly at her, she could see her hand on Dean's shoulder. Besides, she wasn't alone. Two other girls from the cafe were standing with her. Without looking at them, Y/n knew. She felt their gaze on her, burning, like vultures around prey.

“I actually liked working with Y/n,” Dean replied as calmly as ever. His words created a spark of hope in Y/n who this time looked directly at Dean. “It’s not as fun without her,” he continued.

“Oh,” Kristina laughed, and her two henchmen followed suit. “I know you want to stay in her good graces by saying all this,” she leaned towards him to whisper in his ear, but made no effort to lower her voice. “But you don’t need to. I think she's going to get fired. The customer came back to file a complaint against her.”

"What?" Dean leaned back slightly to get a better look at Kristina. Now he had his face so close to hers that only one movement was necessary to kiss her. And he had a perfect view into her cleavage. “But…” He turned his head towards the girl sitting in front of him, obviously not understanding why she was being fired and not him.

“You don’t have to lick her boots anymore,” Kristina put a hand on her hip. “I know she’s in love with you, but at this point, it’s pity, right? Spending time with her… Poor little thing. No friends. No boyfriend. Only feelings for those who don’t love her. Just like last time, always falling for the new guy.”

Her face was burning. Y/n was seething, with anger, with sadness, with humiliation. And the worst, the worst was Dean's expression. His gaze, which he constantly fixed on her, seeking to meet her gaze, wanting so much for her to grant him one look, was now stuck in emptiness. And a look of pure confusion made him frown.

Dean refused to look at her anymore.

It was too much.

“Ew, friends to friends,” Kristina added, as if the stabs she had already thrown didn’t hurt enough already. “Ew.”

Standing abruptly, Y/n slammed her hands on the table. Head bowed, her hair cascaded in front of her face, trying as best as they could to hide the tears that welled up in her eyes and inevitably rolled down her cheeks. A ton of insults raced through her mind, but they all got stuck in her throat with this lump growing and growing, until finally, the tears flowed.

One.

Two.

One fell silently onto the table. The other, on her plate, right next to the barely eaten slice of pizza.

Before the third tear fell, Y/n was already out of the restaurant and walking as quickly as she could towards her house. The tears continued to flow without her being able to stop them, but she remained silent. If she could control one thing tonight, it would be her voice. No sound would come out of her mouth until she was alone, at home, in her bed. Only there, she would let herself scream all this pain into her pillow.

No one tried to catch her.

-

“Good news,” Sam announced before his brother had even closed the door. “Get this. There was no monster from the beginning. It was actually kids who created the whole thing to attract attention. You don’t have to play barista anymore.”

"Oh." 

Looking up from his laptop, Sam fixed his gaze on Dean. The door closed slowly and he took off his coat just as slowly and placed it on his bed. The motel was shabby, like all the others, and usually, Dean would never place his precious leather coat on those blankets which he called "the most disgusting object the universe has known." He'd cleaned the covers several times to be sure, but the comforter had kept this unnatural color, so he still didn't trust it.

“Dean.”

“I'm going to take a shower,” his brother grumbled as he headed towards the bathroom, completely ignoring what Sam had just said.

“Okay, but-” the door slammed. “Okay.”

Sam waited for Dean to finish his shower for almost an hour. The only reason Dean Winchester would take such a long shower would be the fantastic water pressure, but having used this bathroom for over 3 weeks, Sam knew that really wasn't the case.

Finally, Dean came out.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Sam closed his laptop to put his full attention on his brother. The latter sat at the end of his bed, dressed with fresh clothes, his towel on his shoulder to catch the droplets falling from his hair.

“Have you ever dreamed of a normal life?” Dean answered his question with another question. At this, Sam rolled his eyes.

“I had a normal life before, remember? Before you picked me up to find Dad?”

Dean made a sound that was a mix of a sigh of guilt and a grunt of frustration, probably directed at himself. "I know but…"

“I can't believe it,” Sam stood up at the revelation. “You like working there.”

“Nah,” Dean slapped the air like he was chasing away the stupid idea. “Actually, yeah, but not anymore. Working in customer service is horrible.”

“I feel like there's a but,” Sam went to sit next to his brother on the bed.

“But,” Dean took a deep breath. "There is a girl."

Sam sighed. Obviously it was about a girl. “Have you slept with her yet? Because if you want to stay here for a one night stand, I swear-”

“She’s in love with me.”

Sam turned his whole body towards his brother, his eyes wide. "Oh."

"Oh."

“Do you like her back?”

At this question, Dean's face disappeared under his large hands. “I don’t know,” his voice sounded muffled by his palms.

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

"I don't know!" Dean exclaimed, removing his hands at the same time. It was his turn to avoid looking at someone, staring at the void instead. “I don’t know what it is to love. How to love. If it’s love. It was never explained to me, you know, it wasn’t dad who would tell me how to know if I love someone.”

A silence followed his words, but not for long.

“With Jess…” Sam began slowly, as if the words he was about to say were poisonous snakes that could bite him at any moment. “It was simple. I felt good with her. She felt good with me. And together, we were good.”

“Okay,” Dean listened intently, as if the answers he was looking for were on his brother's lips.

“Do you like spending time with her?” He then asked.

Dean didn't even think for a second. "Oh yeah."

“When you're not with her, what do you do? You think about her, right?”

This time, Dean took a moment before answering. “Well, I worked at the cafe, so obviously I was thinking about her, since she wasn’t there but she used to. And then, when I finished work, I would go see her and we would order food or go to the pizzeria.”

“Okay, and then?”

"And then what?" Dean finally looked his brother in the eye. He still had questions, still doubts, confusion, but that was completely normal. A soft, understanding smile stretched Sam's lips.

“What are you thinking about right now?”

“Oh, how I want to punch that shitty boss in the face,” Dean clenched his fist to mimic his words. “I never hit women, but that girl, Kristina, humiliated Y/n terribly earlier. And I reacted too late, she was gone and-”

He stopped speaking suddenly, as if enlightenment had finally reached his mind.

"And?"

“I have to join Y/n, apologize, I-”

“Dean.”

Stopping just as he was getting up and putting his coat back on, the green eyed man turned to his brother.

“If you're in love, I can't tell you, Dean. But I can confirm that you like her. But for tonight, let her breathe, these feelings are new for the both of you.”

At these words, Dean collapsed on the bed. “Oh, you’re probably right. I don't want to rush her, you know, she's so shy, but at the same time, so... Fierce. She's the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. And I let her down.”

To that, Sam didn't know what to answer. He knew that feeling, the one of having abandoned the person you love. That's how he felt ever since he lost Jess.

“I'm sure you'll figure out how to make amends,” Sam placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Actually… I think I already know,” Dean turned his head towards him, green eyes meeting amber ones. Green eyes sparkling with a new resolution, probably very wicked. “And you, my dear brother, will be able to help me.”

-

Turned out, losing another employee during the busiest time of the year was a sufficient reason to terminate a suspension preemptively. And although, clearly, this did not seem to make certain employees happy and even less the boss who hated coming back on his decisions, Y/n was able to return to work after barely a week of forced leave. And also, strangely, the customer’s complaint seemed to have vanished from existence. Or maybe it was another lie that Kristina came up with to hurt Y/n.

And what a surprise when she arrived and saw the place.

It was depressing. Everything was messy and upside down, unopened boxes that needed to be refrigerated were lying around everywhere, and other products that needed to stay at room temperature, like syrups, ended up in the freezer. No rotation had been made, and it was with sadness that she had to note all the food they lost and throw everything away. It took her a long time, long enough for someone she despised to come and tell her how to do her job.

"What are you doing? Customers are waiting! Have you forgotten how to work?”

After making this more than derogatory comment, Kristina returned to her favorite position, the one that required the least effort.

Her heart was heavy. Filled and at the same time, empty. Since the last time with Dean at the pizzeria, she hadn't received any news. No call. No text. No, her heart wasn't big with heaviness, it was broken. Split. And now that she had returned to the café, she learned he no longer worked there.

Good for him, she thought as she put away one last box before heading towards the front of the café to deal with the customers. At least he was out of this hell. It was maybe better that way.

“Sorry for the wait, what can I get you?” The usual words were so ingrained in her that they came out of her mouth as soon as she was behind the cash register, without even looking at the customer.

“I would like you to give me the chance to talk to you,” a familiar voice said in front of her. That voice, low, hoarse, and so perfect. She had started to get used to hearing it almost every day. But this time, it forged yet another crack on her heart.

“Dean,” even saying his name was painful. The pain of a lost friendship and crushed hope. The pain of a humiliated moment, a bad memory where he had sat there in silence while she was being crushed as an inactive witness.

“Y/n. There’s no word to express how sorry I am for-”

An apology, of course, wasn't exactly what she wanted, but it was more than she had expected. He was there, in the flesh, in front of her. So, for once and although it was difficult because looking at him would hurt her even more, Y/n raised her head and stared into his sad gaze. Ready and open to hear what he had to say.

There was a sadness almost identical to her own in his beautiful green eyes. Guilt, regrets, he seemed sincere-

“Dean! I thought you had left the ship,” Kristina suddenly entered Y/n’s bubble, who didn’t waste a moment to move to the side. It wasn't unknown that Y/n didn't like being touched or having someone in her bubble, and Kristina knew it, so she did it on purpose. All the time.

“Excuse me, but I was talking with Y/n,” Dean replied in a neutral voice, almost annoyed, even.

“Oh, sure, you want to feel better about last time, but you don't have to,” Kristina continued, crossing her arms over her large chest.

Dean rolled his eyes and shifted his attention to Y/n. “I’m serious, Y/n. Come with me, I need to talk to you. And they don’t deserve you.”

Y/n's mouth opened, then closed, tears welling up in her eyes at an uncontrollable speed.

“Seriously, Dean, don’t you see how pathe-”

“Kristina, shut the fuck up. You’re bothering us.”

This really didn't please the girl who made an offended sound, threw an unimportant insult, and left without another word.

Once finally alone again, Dean was ready. Ready to tell the beautiful barista in front of him everything that was on his heart, even if he didn't really know exactly what it was himself. He had some in the past, girlfriends, one night stands, crushes on the most beautiful and popular girls in school, but that wasn't the same thing. He felt an attachment to Y/n, a different feeling that he couldn't describe. If it was love, he didn't know. But he knew he didn't want to lose her.

“It's a little too late to come to my defense,” her voice said instead of his. Taken by surprise, Dean's mouth opened then closed, like a fish looking flabbergasted. “Although I really enjoyed seeing someone tell her to fuck off for once,” the shadow of a smile drew on her face for a second, but quickly faded away. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have a lot of work-”

“Wait,” Dean found his voice just in time.

“I don’t have time, Dean,” Y/n turned her back on him, giving him one last eye contact above her shoulder. Her eyes were filled with sadness and seeing her like that physically hurt him.

“On the contrary,” Dean insisted, a smile tugging at his lips as he knew the plan was going like clockwork. “You will soon have plenty of time.”

Seeing the obvious confusion spread across her face, Dean jerked his head towards the boss's office. This caught the attention of not only Y/n but also the other employees, because at the same time, voices were heard coming from that direction. Loud voices, displeased, and then the door opened.

“I am very disappointed with the state of this place. It's deplorable. I’m afraid I won't change my mind, the café is going to close.”

“Wait,” the boss looked tiny behind the person who had just spoken. Like the weight of reality was finally falling on his shoulders. Stomping him to the ground like a pest, just how he had always treated his employees. "You can’t, you don’t have the right!"

“I have all the rights, I am a health inspector, and this place is completely unsanitary.”

Witnessing the whole scene in the front row, like she was in the cinema, Y/n was jubilant. Finally. Finally this place was recognized as being good for trash. Finally, the boss got what he deserved. Finally, things seemed to come full circle and it was all over.

The health inspector subsequently introduced himself to the employees. He looked very young for this job, early twenties, probably, long hair parted in the middle of his forehead and hazel eyes, but regardless, he had done his job properly so Y/n didn’t care about the details.

“This place is going to close. But don't worry, you are entitled to unemployment compensation. Time to find something better for you,” the inspector finished his speech with a wink. If Y/n wasn't so excited by the idea of ​​being rid of this miserable job, she would have been sure that the wink was aimed at her personally.

A laugh brought her attention back to Dean who was still in front of her. As the health inspector informed the customers present of the situation and put a note in the door to say the café was permanently closed, Dean was giggling.

“You did this,” Y/n finally understood.

“Told you we would get you revenge. Now, can you please come with me and listen to me? I need to talk to you.”

“After what you did for me, lunch is on me,” Y/n laughed as well, took off her apron which she threw behind her, and left the café without a glance behind her.

-

“Listen. So uhm, how can I say this, so uhm… God, I’m so bad at chick flicks and emotional stuff.”

The two had been sitting at the pizzeria for about an hour and a half pizzas. The same place as usual, with the same order, but this time everything was different. It was not simply out of friendship that they came to share a meal, there was more. Hidden feelings, others clearly visible but which had not yet been addressed, and frustration mixed with regrets.

Dean had been trying for two slices of pizza now to say something, but would immediately turn red the moment he tried to open up emotionally. And Y/n couldn't even blame him, seeing the efforts he made for her, what he did at the cafe, for her, and now he was trying so hard to explain and make it up to her… He could say absolutely nothing and she would be satisfied.

“Take your time,” Y/n mentioned between mouthfuls, leaving all her attention on the young man in front of her who still made her heart beat so quickly. Of course, he had made mistakes, and to forgive him just because he had the best revenge for her was pretty stupid, but oh well. Love makes you stupid, right? “It’s not like someone is waiting for me.”

“It’s just,” Dean sighed and ran his hands over his face. Y/n's gaze stayed on the ring on his finger, a ring she had already noticed before. “Not easy to say this. I mean, not to you, but like, talking about my stuff like this. But there’s one thing I know I have to say, and here it is,” he finally seemed to find his bearings, beautiful green eyes anchoring into hers, his red cheeks creating a nice color contrast. "I'm sorry. Sorry for not saying anything when Kristina was there being a bitch. I guess I was taken up by surprise with what she said, but that’s no excuse.”

“Dean, it’s fine,” Y/n shook her head and closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, she knew exactly what she wanted to say to him. She took a big breath, words and sentences forming quickly in her mind. And it all came out of her mouth as quickly. “I am not ashamed to like you. Not at all. Because you are nice. Pretty. Hella sexy. And I feel comfortable whenever I’m with you. And I like spending time with you, and always wanna spend more. I won’t be ashamed to think all those things about you, because they are true, and they only make you a better person.” Pausing her words, Y/n forced herself to keep her gaze on Dean's again. She noticed that since those words had come out of her mouth, it was easier to hold his gaze. “You don’t have to have the same feelings, I understand. You don’t have to reciprocate or answer my confession, I can already see how bad it is for you to express feelings,” she laughed briefly at his scowling expression. “What I’m trying to say is… Yes. I like you a lot. And if you only like me as a friend, well, I’ll take that. It might hurt, but it would hurt more to not have you around anymore.”

Phew. It was hard to say, but once everything was out, Y/n felt better, lighter even. A heavy weight was finally leaving her heart, but there was still a little left. That was pressing. And tightening with the question… What will his answer be?

Dean took a brief moment to think before answering. Everything had gone silent, neither of them were eating, and both were probably holding their breaths.

“I've only known you for a short time,” Dean finally broke the silence, and the breath left Y/n's lungs which burned as it passed. She could feel the “but” coming. “But…” And there you go. “I really appreciate your company. A lot. I don’t know if it’s the same thing you feel, or if it’s love, but for the first time in a long, long time, I don’t want to leave this town. And I want to continue spending time with you.” Hope was reborn in Y/n, a wave of indescribable emotions suddenly invading her. “I'm going to have to leave, eventually, for work, but... I really want to take a break and try. I don’t know if I can do it, have a normal life, be with you, and just quit my job, so… I can’t promise you anything. I will probably leave eventually, I have so much stuff to do and…”

“You know,” Y/n continued when she saw him struggling with his words, hope now so strong in her body that she was almost vibrating. It wasn't a confession of love, but it was even better. This attachment Dean felt for her was worth even more than any cheesy love confession from the romantic movies or books she loved to delve into. “I no longer really have any ties to this city. No more jobs. If… We realize that things are working between us, and that you need to leave, nothing stops me from coming with you.” Realizing that it was probably too direct since they weren't even together, Y/n quickly adjusted her mind. “But those are just random ifs and thoughts,” she hurriedly took a bite of her pizza, just to make her stop talking.

“Y/n,” raising her head, she looked back at Dean. The latter had a big smile on his face and shook his head, clearly amused by her words. “If I told you what I did for work, you would never believe me. And when you”ll see it with your eyes and will be forced to believe me, you’re going to want to run away from me.”

“You’re a secret agent then?” Y/n hurriedly said, her mouth still full of pizza, her eyes wide. “Wow. Impressive.” She laughed, and Dean nervously laughed with her. If only it was that, it would be so much easier. “It really reminds me of my uncle.”

“Your uncle was a secret agent?” Dean asked, amused by the change of subject and how she was easily taking everything he said to her.

She was really the right one. Maybe she wouldn't run away after all.

“No, actually. When I was young, I often spent time at his house, but my parents stopped visiting him. They said he had lost his mind. But I loved these stories of ghosts and werewolves, he always told me he hunted them, saving people, like a secret agent of the supernatural,” a big smile stretched her lips at this thought, past memories flooding back into her head. It was so long ago, but she kept good memories of her uncle. Expecting the same reaction from Dean, Y/n only met a shocked face, frozen in a position that didn't suit him at all. Eyes wide, mouth parted, his skin white like he actually saw a ghost. She waved her hand in front of his face. “Earth to Dean?”

“Y/n, what’s your last name again?”

Taken aback by the sudden question, she blinked once and then twice. “Uhm, I don’t think I’ve ever told you. It’s Singer, why?”

A long silence answered her questions and her face dropped a little bit. Why did it matter?

“Your uncle… What's his name?”

“Dean, I haven’t seen my uncle in almost 15 years you know-”

“Y/n.”

“Robert. It’s Robert. But I always called him…”

“Bobby.”

It was her turn to have her eyes widen. “Yeah…?”

“I think you and I have more in common than I thought. And you really need to meet my brother,” he immediately stood up and threw two 20 bills on the table. Standing up in turn, confusion filled her entire expression.

“Dean, that’s way too much for two pizzas- Dean?” But she couldn't add more, and the confusion turned into this small, pleasant flame in the middle of her chest when Dean's hand met hers. “Okay, but you’re going to have to explain it to me because I don’t understand anything.”

“You'll understand,” Dean's smile was indescribable because it was so big. But that smile was hiding something else. Secrets that his beautiful lips had surely sealed away for far too long. “Let’s go,” he walked outside, said goodbye to the restaurant owner, and led her to his car. But once inside, he stopped before starting the engine, frozen yet again as another realization hit him.

“What? Something's wrong?”

“You… uhm… might recognize my brother, actually.”

“Why, was he a customer at the café?” Y/n laughed, fastening her seat belt. This whole thing was so sudden, so random, she just wanted to burst laughing. She felt good even if she didn’t quite understand everything that was happening.

“It was the health inspector,” he finally started the car and backed out of the parking lot and onto the road in one smooth, sexy motion.

“Oh. Wait, he’s a health inspector?”

“Not… Really?”

“Dean.”

Silence.

“Dean, did you fake the inspection?”

“Not really?”

“Dean!”

“Please. I’ll explain everything once we arrive. Do you trust me?”

For a second, Dean took his eyes off the road and looked into hers, and she held the gaze for the entire second and saw nothing but honesty. Then, he turned his head and broke eye contact, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see his right hand raised slightly towards her, waiting to be picked up.

“Yeah,” she finally said, gently placing her hand in his. It was warm. Comfortable. And how he squeezed, tenderly but also firmly, showed worry about losing her. “It might be crazy and stupid, but I trust you, Dean Winchester.”

Forever taglist: @nitnat6245 @eevvvaa​​ @wickedinspirations​@fictional-affairs @awkward-and-indecisive​​ @peachyaliien @katbratsupernaturalwhore

Supernatural Tag List: @peachyaliien @sexyvixen7 @stixnstripesworld @charred-angelwings @treat-winchesterswith-kindness​ @lyarr24 @fiftyshadesgrl @this-is-me19

Dean Winchester Tag List: @akshi8278​​ @kazsrm67​​​ @wtrpxrks @deanwanddamons @thoughts-and-funnies​​​ @charred-angelwings @jensendreamland​ @deanswaywardgirl​​​ @happyt0exist @waynes-multiverse​​​ @djs8891 @mimaria420 @this-is-me1​​​ @syrma-sensei

[the-banana-0verlord]

I’m wishing (Rook Hunt X Reader)

Note: Gn reader, Movie Au. Don’t worry Vil, you’ll be the hero of your own story soon(I hate how I made him so villainous TvT) Thank you to my friend @simping-myjob for the ideas!

***

You hummed lightly as you wiped the garden’s rock floor. The aching in your back had became almost unnoticeable after all these years of labor. Ever since your mother died, it had been your daily life.

“ Wanna know a secret? Promise not to tell? We are standing by a wishing well Make a wish into the well That's all you have to do And if you hear it echoing Your wish will soon come true ”

You sang to the critters who usually followed you around. You reached the well, and played with the effect it gave your voice.

“ I'm wishing (I'm wishing) For the one I love To find me (to find me) Today (today) I'm hoping (I'm hoping) And I'm dreaming of The nice things (the nice things) He'll say (he'll say) Ah-hahahaha (ah-hahahaha) Ah-hahahaha (ah-hahahaha) Ah-hahahaha (ah-hahahaha) Ah-hahahahahahaha I'm wishing (I'm wishing) For the one I love To find me (to find me) Today ”

Not so far, a man back from the hunt on his white horse had gotten his attention caught by an angelic voice. Surely, the user of the voice was as beautiful as the melody itself! He just had to find out who it was.

Climbing the castle was as easy as 1 2 3. On the other side, he found his assumption hasn’t been wrong.

You were hunched back on the well, singing to your heart’s content. He popped by you, joining the song.

“ Today Now that I've found you Hear what I have to say One song I have but one song One song Only for you ”

You stopped, backing away from the stranger.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He tried to appease you.

But unconvinced, you ran to your balcony. From behind the curtains, you observed the strange man. He was continuing the song, serenading you from below. Charmed, you slowly pushed the curtains back and sang with him.

“ One heart Tenderly beating Ever entreating Constant and true One love That has possessed me One love Thrilling me through One song My heart keeps singing Of one love Only for you ”

From the adjacent window, you saw your stepfather, Vil, look at you both with poison in his eyes. Frightened, you raced back to your chambers.

***

“You must Kill the person who surpassed me in beauty and bring me their heart in this box.”

Rook was receiving his orders from the King. Although he already knew the answer, having experienced it firsthand, he dared to ask:

“May I demand who is this person, Roi du Poison?

-My stepchild. Now go, and do not deceive me.”

Rook left the throne room, his own heart pounding in his chest. How could he ever bring himself to eliminate such ethereal beauty? There was only one thing left to do.

***

Your cape floated behind you as you skipped through the woods. Squirrels, mice and birds followed your footsteps as you danced. They froze as the sound of a twig breaking came from your left.

“Be not afraid, Beauté, for I come in peace.”

You relaxed as the sight of a familiar face.

“But there is still danger. You see, Roi du Poison has sent me to kill you and take your heart. But how can I manage this when you already have mine?”

He took both your hands and approached his face to yours.

“Run away with me, Beauté. Together we will discover the wonders of the world!

-Oh, that sounds lovely. But may I know your name first, dear hunter of mine?

-It’s Rook Hunt, Beauté.”

He carried you bridal style to his horse. It began galloping into the unknown forest.

***

After a day of walking, you stumbled upon a small cottage. It was horribly dirty, and no one seemed to be home, so you the two of you made it your goal to restore it’s splendor.

When the sun was setting, the owners of the house came back. They were seven little men, by the name of Epel, Sebek, Deuce, Kalim, Silver, Jack and Ace. After a lot of begging, they allowed you to stay. You spent the night dancing and singing, Ace making a fool of himself, causing everyone around to laugh.

Three days later, when the men went to the mine and Rook to hunt, you were left alone to take care of the house. An old man presented himself to the door.

“Why hello, young gent, he spoke in a trembling voice. I am a merchant from far away, will you buy one of my apples?

-They look rather juicy. They will be perfect for the pies I’m making!”

Suddenly, the birds began attacking the poor old man. You quickly ran out of the cottage and chased them away.

“Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves! He did nothing wrong!

-Oh, my old heart. Please bring me inside so I can rest.

-Of course, come!”

You helped him sit on a chair and brought a cup of water.

“I am so sorry, you apologised. They don’t normally act like this.

-It’s not a problem. As a thank you, I want you to take this apple. But be aware! It is not a normal one. Oh no. This is an apple that can make all of your dreams come true with one. Single. Bite.

-Really?

-Yes, yes! Try it!”

Taking the fruit from his hand, you slowly took it to your mouth and closed it, revealing the unnatural pearl white flesh under the bright red skin. Immediately, your body went limp and you fell to the ground, lifeless.

***

Meanwhile, the critters had gone to fetch Rook and the seven men. The hunter’s footsteps echoed through the trees, because he knew what was going on. The King had found his Bien-aimé, and he had to reach you before he could. When he arrived, the King, who had taken the form of a repulsing old man, was trying to run off by the mountains.

But he did not care, the only thing he needed right now was to see you. He slammed the door open, gasping as he noticed your body on the floor. He took you in his arms, crying about the loss of his Dearest. He took his lips to yours and gave you a last kiss.

Under his astonished sight, your eyes fluttered open.

“Why are you crying, my Love? you cupped his face in your hands.

-Because I love you, Beauté.”

He smiled and kissed you again.

***

When the men came back, you learned that the King had met his demise. You were relieved he wouldn’t be a threat anymore.

You both stayed at the cottage, where you founded a family and lived happily ever after.

***

Have a good day/night!

[clowncalvary]

Reading All of Garfield (Up Until This Point) The 1979 Post

I've already made the first post and so I must continue to march on, even though I do not think that I thought this through before I started this Journey. There are a LOT of Garfield comics. I hope to see more of Lyman this year. Check Out The Garfrield Archives To Read Yourself!

Oh boy, now I have had to look up two different things just for understanding a Garfield comic. I did NOT know that Gucci was this old. I'm going to be honest when I say I thought that Gucci was a 2010s invention. Turns out it is over 100 years old and I am a fool that does not pay enough attention to a fashion brand. Side note that everyone already probably knows, but Gucci does not make a scratching post, but if they did it would be roughly 1,000 dollars. Wtf, Jon.

YOU PUT HIM IN THE SWEATER, JON!! I love that Jon's mother canonically made Garfield a sweater. I'm assuming that Jon is an only child and she is throwing her all into her only grandkid. Also, good job, Lyman! You made it one more year!

Garfield and me think alike. When I was a small child I also would have eaten a mailman if I had caught them.

Well, he did say take a bite to be fair.

I'm sorry, does he eat Lyman and absorb his powers later on?

I imagine that this is what I looked like to my mother when she asked why the hammer was missing.

LYMAN SPOTTED!! I was getting worried a moment there!! When will this man be eaten? When will his essence become part of Jon?

How did the cat convince Lyman to go along with this joke? Or did he come up with it independently?

OHOHO, THEY BROUGHT IT BACK FOR 1979?! HELL YEAH, BABY!

I have to assume that Garfield took this as a threat. Sidenote I do love this poem actually, Jon should take that up as a side hobby!

While we appreciate Garfield's talent right here, I'm not sure that Jon is buying that he has a Garfield shaped pot. Btw a lot of garfield pot planters do exist, so really perhaps he was too early to get away with this.

I already thought this comic was funny, but getting the added context of where "I have a bridge to sell you" comes from is so good. I really encourage everyone to please check out the story.

I am exhausted, my brain is trying to eat away at my conciousness, and yet this comic has brought a smile to my face. Do the charms of Garfield ever have an end?

YES, THAT IS EXACTLY HOW IT SHOULD BE!! I love that you know this means Jon threw her out, not Garfield.

This was like a jumpscare in a horror movie. But particularly the one that occurs when something innoculous is going on; friends are talking on a bed, not even about the plot and in the corner of screen you can see a clawed hand slowly reaching up from the side of the bed. The music has not changed, the tone of the conversation has not changed, but the implications are there. And you are helpless to do anything to change the inevitable.

My moirail has actually answered this one for me before! Because it came up about a violin strung with catgut. Turns out it is made from the walls of intestines of animal, but mostly sheep and cattle! No kitties were harmed for this racket! Also, Lyman, dude, that is such a weird question to ask, my guess is that he knows nothing about tennis and he panicked.

ANOTHER CLASSIC FROM GARFIELD AND FRIENDS! I may be tired, but not too tired to laugh so audibly that I have frightened my own cats.

Curse Tumblr's 30 image limit, I'm starting to think that I'm going to have to make a part 2 to this post. Also, there is a similiar series of strips in the cartoon where Nermal comes up to Garfield and a bunch of people arrive to save him. But they leave Garfield up there. Jon eventually comes and gets him with a ladder and at first it is cute until Jon admits that he's been watching Garfield stuck in the tree all evening. Garfield appropriately takes out the ladder and leaves Jon in the tree for the night.

Liz is a fantastic doctor just for the shit she has to put up with. Also, it has been a month since we have last seen Lyman, we usually seen him at least once a month. Where is my special boy?

OH THANK GOD, THERE HE IS! OUR SPECIAL BOY IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL, JUST WENT I HAD GIVEN UP HOPE! IT WAS AUGUST THAT PULLED THROUGH FOR US!

W-wet nursing???? Garfield, do you know what that word means? Because either you do and I am horrified, or you don't and I am worried.

Unfortunately Jon does not meet the quality that Liz is looking for: silent.

It had been two months, I was beginning to lose hope. Lyman is finally seen again at the end of October, but he doesn't have a speaking line. Fortunately he does have his own chair at least? (P.S. They thankfully made up for this tragedy by featuring him in a few more comics after this one! Via La Lyman!!)

You know that Garfield saw Odie playing on the piano and decided that he couldn't be a one dog band.

Listen, Jon, totally valid, but also consider this: do you really want the chicken back now? It has cat spit all over it, it belongs to the cat,,,,

Now this is an excellent way to round out the year! We have all the successful elements, Garfield inflicting bodily harm, Jon showing off a perfect talent, and Lyman is here!!

[rhythm-catsandwine]

Rain and Ice

Tw; mentions of death

Klars

Master list

Rain pelted the window almost like the rhythm of drums. They had a few well-needed free days. So when the phone rang. Kirk let out a Humm groan hybrid and covered his head with the blanket they shared. Only a few gray curls lay exposed across the pillow.  Black-painted fingers took the phone from the nightstand and tossed it to his husband. 

"Morning." It was James. After a few minutes of conversation, a foot kicked him in the leg nearly sending him off the edge to the floor. "I gotta go someone woke up grumpy... Kirk stop kicking me!" The phone was put back in its home. "Hungry?" 

"No."

"You feeling okay?"

"No." 

Light panic set in. "Are you sick?" 

"No just cold." Kirk was almost always cold on rainy days that could turn to snow. He was cold to the bone. The only remedy was blankets, a scary movie, and most importantly Lars keeping the worst of the cold away.

"Coffee?"

"Please."

Lars returned to find the other man still completely covered. "I got your coffee. And snacks and a few of your favorite movies. " when he got no response he knew what he had to do. He knew where his Kirki was ticklish. Soon the room was full of laughter. 

"Lars! Lars! Stopp pl please." Kirk kicked him again. This time making contact with this hip. 

"Hey watch the aim!" He handed Kirk the mug of coffee and then fixed his hair. 

“Why do you do that? Mess with my hair?”

“I’m fixing it.” The drumming of rain turned to icy clicks. “Fock. So much for meeting James and Rob tomorrow. “

“Come back to bed. I’m cold.”

“You’re always cold.” Lars crawled over kirk and pulled a blanket around them.

You could have walked around you know. And you’re warm.” Kirk clicked the ring on his finger against the black holding delicious black coffee and chocolate. He hummed as their bodies were pressed together.“You know I never thought we’d grow old together. I love waking up next to you. Did I ever tell you your eyes are really pretty?”

“No, you haven’t told me every day since March  of 86.” Lars stole the liquid gold in a cup and laughed at the face Kirk made. “I love your faces. And why should we stop sharing food?”

Then they were kissing, not sure who kissed who first. Lips were swollen when they finally pulled apart. 

“Kirk.”

“Yeah.”

"When did you know? "

"Remember when i got really sick? Stuff coming out of both ends.  And you stayed with me. Kept me warm. Made me drink water.   A lot of water. So much water. All the water.  I couldn't eat. Then when I could eat. You walked 2 miles through the snow to the nearest place that was vegetarian. Then you had to warm it back up in the microwave and surprised me with hot cocoa."

"I nearly froze my lucky charms off." 

"Your DANish not IRIsh."

"My golden nuggets. Fruity pebbles. Golden apples. Candy corns. Danish delights. Lemon drops. Banana split. Beach balls." A hand over his mouth silenced him. 

"Ewww don't lick my hand. " Kirk held his stomach as the laughter finally died. 

"You like it when I lick you everywhere else though. " Lars rubbed his thumb over Kirk's cheeks taking the tears with them. 

“Your turn.”

“When I came back to our room in that shit hotel” “You were curled up on the floor, at the foot of the bed. Something reminded you of Cliff and crying your eyes out. Grief was hurting me too. But what hurt more was seeing you hurting.” The room seemed to grow cold as the weather outside.

“Can we lay down? Cuddle for a bit?” Those green eyes he loved so much gave the answer. 

[judelijah]

This is going to be a somewhat chaotic PJOseries review so bare with me

I might do edits to add some of my observations I missed so... Yeah. Prepare for that. And it will def be spoilery

Okay I just watched the first two episodes of @percyseries and this is actually a fresh take and a great adaptation that is of its own just like The Lightning Thief Musical. Most of the decisions of changes they made actually make sense for a show adaptation.

Anyway possible spoilers alert ahead so

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Ep 1 : I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher

Off to a good start. I love how they opened this with flashbacks when Percy was young and how he's struggling with ADHD.

Anyway like I said first and foremost, this isn't really a word by word (word for word? grammatically correct me, anyone, if I were wrong) adaptation. So there will be conversations which I've memorized from the book that will completely get cut, but will be replaced by lines that do not really stray away that much from the essence of the scenes.

Walker embodies Percy Jackson if he were to be born a Gen Z ( well I always considered Percy as a Milennial reading the book as I grew up so ). Obviously, he's still got that charm from his previous movies he starred in. No wonder at all why Uncle Rick entrusted him this role.

Tbh, I only had an issue with Mrs. Dodd's facial appearance. It looked like the CGI on her was unfinished. But the way she strut towards Percy while transforming into a Fury is *chef's kiss*

Even if it's unintentional messaging, I love how it's viewed that these people are also just so unaware and inattentive with their surroundings. (yeah the Mist does all that, Yada Yada but it kinda gave a spotlight on the perspective of an ADHD how they can also be frustrated when people around them don't notice what they see)

And I definitely think that they need to bring back the actor who played Nancy and cast her as Rachel in Season 3. I mean, no one would even notice she's the same actor as Nancy only appeared a brief amount of time.

Sally telling Percy that he's a Half-Blood was so unexpected but it made sense during that scene. The poor kid is going through an existential crisis. She's gotta give her son a break.

Also, I kinda see how that is the very reason why the minotaur found them as soon as he can, if it's still canon in here that the more a demigod know about their connection to Greek mythological stuff, the more monsters they attract and can sense them, and will come for them!

I dunno if it's just me, but the scene when the Minotaur was supposed to be chasing them kinda didn't leave an impression on me that there is some sort of danger looming? I guess part of that is because Pasiphae's son looked too cute? But the scene when Percy went for a bullride is definitely one heck of a heroic moment!

Ep 2 : I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom

Mr. D is... a troll. Lol. No. I mean, I def laughed when he played Percy like that. If Jason actually watched Stanley Tucci's take on this role in the Sea of Monsters movie, I think he's actually the continuation of that. It is nothing that I expected from Dionysus reading the book but I can love this take tho.

Chiron is too kind in here. I guess it's the actor's nature emanating in this role. I kinda expected him to be also somehow stern and disappointed at times, and not too cheerful. But with that said, he's definitely the camp director you'd be visiting much so making him more approachable along those reasoning made him a perfect fit!

Tbh, kinda missing a lot of Annabeth content since her role in introducing the camp to Percy has been filled mostly by Luke.

I guess we can see more of her in the episodes that follow which is why they took that direction. I mean, I def agree that we gotta give some more screen time to Luke.

Clarisse and her siblings are ... Probably how Gen Z bullies would act right now, I guess?

And focusing on Grover's whereabouts actually is the cherry I love from this show.

I definitely want the Capture the Flag to occur at night just like in the books (which is also one of the many complaints I have with the movies tbfh), because I feel the scene when Percy was claimed would've been more "atmospheric" with the glowing trident hovering above his head in the dark surroundings... but I guess there are some issues behind the camera that that will be a very tricky so I guess I'll just let this pass.

Prediction for that Ep 3 Preview

With the scene when Sally, and younger Percy talked about how not all who look like heroes are actually heroes, the same goes with monsters, whilst looking at the statue of his namesake holding Medusa's head;

Why do I think that Aunty Em wouldn't be viewed as antagonistic here? I mean, judging from the preview of the next ep, I kinda sense a vibe that she'll willingly offer her head to Percy and somehow tell a different tale from the story that we know about the gorgons?

This is just me, I'll definitely discard this once I'm proven wrong by the show (or not) but even so, I think that is actually a change I can accept also to further the message of

"Not those who look like monsters are amonsters"

Conclusion

Obviously there are complete changes they've done; from the casting alone, and also some specific conceptual description from the books that were somehow intentionally decided that they'd do the opposite, for instance: like what I've mentioned above, playing capture at day instead of night, Chiron's a black stallion from the waist down instead of white, Mr D not looking like a hubbub (erm cherub), Smelly Gabe not being that quite bald, and the fandom's issue with the hair and all that, those things considered that are superficial that even if you completely stray away from it, there won't be that much change at all...but like what I've also said, this is a fresh take and an adaptation that stands on its own just like The Lightning Thief Musical.

Tbh, if you're watching this show without having read the book at all, I'll say this that this is very distinguishable from it, judging by the two episodes alone. It is faithful with the essence but there are details that are only physically manifested from the book which they absolutely turn a 360. You can absolutely say that you're not required to read the series before watching this at all, but I will aso advise that you read it to know what I mean.

Also I can say that at times, I can also pick up some cinematic vibes similar with the hated Peter Johnson movies by most of the fandom, and I can't also help but cry over cartons of spilled milk with those movies are, because they definitely had the potential to be great, but it had all gone into waste!

Those movies could've been what this series is if only they honored the books faithfully beforehand. Such a waste for fans like me who have to wait for this day before getting this kind of adaptation but hey! What's important is now, and RIGHT NOW THANK di Immortales THAT uncle Rick is very much involved!

[aevyk-ing]

Rambling about the Ghibli movies I’ve seen

1. Howl’s Moving Castle

This was my first ever Ghibli movie! And I loved it and I still love it. It was like this amazing discovery and I was hooked on the animation, the character design and the story. There were funny moments, thoughtful moments and even scary ones. I remember thinking Calcifer was hilarious and I watched it dubbed in Spanish and Howl’s voice is the same as Castle/Nathan Fillion, but the VA does a great job. It’s one of my favorites, probably the most.

2. From up on Poppy Hill

Watched it in English and I’ll probably rewatch it that way just for Anton Yelchin. It was yet another surprise. Has a good tone and music and the story is okay until the weird SPOILER “are they siblings?” part END SPOILER. Yep, I get it was because of the war and all that. Anyway, it’s on my top list. Also, I ended up expecting a kiss or hug or something but then I read Ghibli doesn’t portray relationships that way... and I’m okay with that. 

3. The Secret World of Arriety

This movie was so pretty! Well, all of them are pretty, but I really liked the production design in this one. And my first time watching a Ghibli movie in Japanese (Your Name was my first movie in Japanese and I had rewatched Howl’s... with subs before, but you know). It feels like a fairytale and it has great music. 

4. Spirited Away

I guess this is some sort of Alice in Wonderland Ghibli version. And, oh, my, is it bonkers. Lots of creativity here with the character designs, the story is great but it had a lot of WTH moments and I really wanted them to reunite after all that.

5. Kiki’s Delivery Service

This one was a little boring. It looked promising, I love witches and the premise is interesting, but it dragged a little, the boy is so annoying and my favorite character is the cat, so... 

6. Ponyo

The Little Mermaid, Ghibli version (btw, I got nothing against retelling fairytales, because they do it in such a creative way). This was the opposite: weird start, got me hooked. Ponyo is a delightful character. Between my favorites.

7. Princess Mononoke

Loved the idea and the beginning, got weirder and weirder. I get it could be a product of its time, but the story would benefit from a little more work. Although I liked the spirits design and it obviously inspired the creators of ATLA, especially in the creature design for Korra.

8. Castle in the Sky

Another product of its time in terms of pacing and the strange obsession of grown men towards a little girl. It was... nice. Reminded me a lot of Atlantis, so I guess Disney took some notes. The design of the city was good and the lore interesting. And the boy got me chuckling in the action scenes, doing all that barefoot. 

9. My Neighbor Totoro

Talking about cute. This movie is so simple and yet so good. The tiny Totoro has to be my favorite Ghibli creature and it has a lot of charm. 

10. Whisper of the Heart

While I usually hate those kind of endings (love has had me waiting enough), it made me feel hopeful instead of sad. Another movie with a slow pace but a really long scene is just following a cat, so of course it was going to get on the top of my list. Is quite relatable as a writer and I sure hoped I’ve had (or had now) that support from my parents. The scenes of the book look great and even though I already knew what was going to happen from 5 minutes in, I didn’t even care. 

[theaceofskulls]

Oh boy... some thoughts on Red Vs Blue now that the announcement of the final season is here.

This series was probably one of my favorites. Hell for a bit there one of the more popular posts I had was a starter guide for people getting into it. It's not a long series but I knew that people had a limited amount of time and with every season being a full 90 minutes to 2 hours long, asking someone to catch up on 10 movies worth of stuff to get to the current arcs was an ask.

I was a fan of the series before Rooster Teeth got into making RWBY. Hell, I was a fan of the series before I got into Rooster Teeth in general.

In fact I like to say that RvB set my expectations for RWBY and is part of the reason I was able to enjoy the series as much as I have. So it's got me feeling all sorts of things to watch this come up as the finale announcement while RWBY's ultimate fate is currently up in the air, especially thinking back on how RvB really started without all of the corporate nonsense and way worse that everything surrounding Rooster Teeth is wrapped up in.

Anyways, if you haven't caught on, this is going to be rambling so I'll apologize here and put a readmore so that everyone else can just move past

RvB shows its age. From the fact that the best way to start it is something I'll put plenty of advisory warnings on when I share it with newcomers to the fact that it still rolls with machinima. There's a charm to that though. It's like watching a webcomic that you've fallen into. The start is rough but it finds a footing that no one else can really claim to be anything similar to.

That said, "rough" is a word that I feel eventually haunted the series for me.

Anyone who looks over my tag of it can see I'm a huge fan of the show and weathered almost every change it went through and oh boy does this show go through changes. It's fair to say that one of the biggest exodus of fans was after Season 5 when it looked like it ended for the first time when Season 6 took the series in a more serious route continuing off of the drama from 5 (and the mini series around that time). In fact, almost every transition saw people dip off and it's understandable even if most of them felt great in the long run once the new arcs were allowed to get rolling.

But I'll admit that eventually, I was one of those fans, and I wasn't alone from what I've experienced.

Season 13 had a monumental ending. Actually one of the more emotional pieces of media I've seen and that's not something I say lightly. It had a spectacular examination of storytelling and managed to find a solid endpoint to a character arc that wrecked me. I still tear up whenever I rewatch it.

Season 14 was a great cooldown by going with some more experimental media that disconnected itself from the stakes and acted as a good bonus, and I was willing to see more from the series.

However despite my willingness to meet this show with each of its new arcs in their own ways, the next couple seasons threw me and a lot of fans off. Something was definitely wrong and it wasn't just the change to the status quo or the new framing, it definitely began to spin wheels and to lose direction in a way that other arcs hadn't.

I got midway through season 16 before I just stopped checking in without realizing it. I kept up with the company though I rarely looked into anything other than RWBY or Gen:LOCK as the company began to shift away towards something different.

I've talked with other fans about this at various points whose experiences match my own. Anyone who made it to the Chorus arc of Seasons 11-13 all tend to agree that the show definitely managed to weather every arc change except the last two/three (depending on if you view season 15->16 as its own shift).

I compare this heavily to the fact that most people got through 15 and partway into 16 than the fact that most people who bounced off Season 6, 9, or 11 did so a few episodes in.

And almost everyone has an identical story: We all tried RvB Zero.

A lot has been said about it but this is my rambling post and if you're this far you're probably willing to read my take.

I went in welcoming the change of cast, the animation style, and the fact that it would probably be rougher to start. But I hate to say this: it was extremely poorly written and poorly delivered. Characters and plots were collections of tropes that couldn't hold the action scenes at the core of the show together. "Reveals" were things I assumed would be subversions and the show spent no time getting us invested in the characters because it was given a ridiculously short runtime so the twists landed with no emotional weight.

I know the creator has to deal with constant criticism of the show and is defensive of it so I have no wish to add to that pile but even approaching the season on its own merits I was unable to engage with it and felt like I was burying the series there.

Then came all the Rooster Teeth scandals. Crunch was a rumor but was then confirmed. Everything regarding the animation team (the other two big items were unrelated to RvB and RWBY but did put a damper on me engaging with the company the way it had always presented itself via the personalities it showcased). I drifted away from them until the latest season of RWBY (which itself premiered on a service that continues to deal with union related scandals). Regardless I'd sort of made my peace with RvB.

So then comes the announcement of the final season written by Burnie, whose retirement seems to have been in part one of the big reasons I drifted away from both the series and the company (it's notable that when I was a fan, the podcasts with him tended to be the highlights). I'm not here to put any of the founders on a pedestal after all of the dirty laundry that's come out about some of them, but it's reignited interest in this series at the least.

Added to that the soft retcon of everything after season 13, it seems a sort of acknowledgement that the series did lose its touch.

This post was meant to help me process the feelings I've had since hearing this announcement and record my experience with the show and I can't say for sure that I've sorted things completely as much as it feels like I understand where I stand with this.

I want it to be good. I want it to be a send off the series deserves. It's sad to watch something you've followed for almost 20 years be laid to rest and it's the closing of the chapter of "amateur art" as one of the last big machinima series comes to close.

If RWBY continues, its almost certainly going to be done by a separate studio, and while I've heard people are enjoying the new podcast formats I don't really enjoy general podcasts as much as specific interest ones these days.

All in all, this feels like closing a chapter on not just a series but the studio itself as Rooster Teeth has changed its logo to remove the "cock bite", changed its cast to remove most of the "old guard", and now lays to rest its longest running series. It's been obvious this has been coming for the better half of a decade now, but it's still the moment to me where a book is being closed. And it's bittersweet in its own way.

[imonthemoonitsmadeofcheese]

This is from an ongoing, long, first-draft, Destiny 2 fanfiction thing I have on Ao3 which isn't finished yet (It has an ending planned out, I'm just still writing and posting it - it will be completed eventually - I'm about 2/3 of the way done).

This story, like most of what I write, is yet another battle-couple style adventure involving the Drifter (a charming ruthless rogue) and Eris Morn (a three-eyed badass witch) although it's certainly the most violent and horror-themed thing I've posted on Ao3 to date (my regular stuff tends to be much more fluffy).

These excerpts involve the death of Martini. He is the first to fall victim to an Egregore (evil fungus)-hybridized Ahamkara (shape shifting wish dragon) which is directing a large amount of Scorn (zombie space crabs) and Wrathborn (enraged Geiger-esque space insects), in what was once an asteroid mining colony (Eris, the Drifter, and friends are there to try to rescue what remains of the colonists).

For those familiar with the story, I am including one section at the end that is not yet posted on Ao3. :)

Content warnings for: violence, gun violence, body horror, gore, involuntary glossectomy (removal of tongue), involuntary enucleation (removal of eye), claustrophobia, cleithrophobia, phagophobia, being dissolved by evil fungus, shape shifting stolen identity, blood, perforation by tendrils, inspiration taken from the first and second Alien movies, and general moist wet goopy nastiness

Martini’s small maintenance tunnel shook as Screebs exploded above him, the first few triggering the next, causing a shockwave of Dark Ether and glowing viscera. On his datapad screen he watched several bots go offline and several more darted off down hallways with Scorn in hot pursuit.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, allowing himself a small quiet laugh.

The edges of his datapad began blinking red again.

He frowned and tapped gently on it, trying to figure out what was still coming at him. The Screeb explosions had knocked out all the cameras and sensors in the area he was in.

The blinking sped up. He turned the screen off and began quietly sliding along the tunnel. He had no idea which direction was good but with how fast the datapad was blinking, anywhere was better than here.

A screech of metal was the only warning he had before the floor plate above him was ripped away and Martini found himself looking up into the metal-riveted faceplate of a Scorn Abomination.

.

Martini scrambled on all fours through the tunnel. Ahead was another room. There would be a wall between the two rooms up above him that would slow the thing down. If he could just…

He scrambled backwards as another floor panel was ripped off above him and a huge fist slammed down inches from his face.

He shot the fist with his sidearm. The silencer made his weapon seem even more ineffectual. Dark Ether splashed against Martini’s faceplate. The fist withdrew and Martini scurried back as the massive arm thrust into the opening and tried to grab him.

He shot that too. Small holes opened up in the Abomination’s skin. It didn’t flinch. It probably couldn’t even feel pain.

He needed something that would shoot a lot more bullets, preferably larger ones.

Martini looked behind him to where his auto rifle lay under another open grating. He started crawling toward it as fast as he could. The thudding footsteps of the monstrosity above him kept pace with him, its shadow darkening the spots where the flat metal floor plating transitioned to grating and back again.

Martini stuck the muzzle of his sidearm through one of the grates and fired several shots upwards, prompting a roar and a thud as a fist slammed down, knocking the pistol out of his hands.

Well, it noticed that.

He scuttled toward the auto rifle, ripping open the knees of his suit in his scramble to get there on all fours before the thing lumbering above him.

Martini could see the gun in more detail as he got closer and time seemed to slow down. The rifle sat in a rectangle of light as he scrambled along and the thing above him lumbered after him. The heavy metal floor tiles were the only thing between him and the giant grasping hands which Martini was certain would be the last thing he would feel if they caught him.

Just as Martini got close enough to reach for the weapon a two-toed chain-wrapped foot slammed down, crumpling the gun barrel and crushing the magazine.

.

The sound of breaking glass filled Martini's ears as his helmet was punctured by three long nails.

He dangled awkwardly, suspended by the claws in his faceplate, his feet kicking ineffectually in the air as the Abomination shook him and roared in triumph at having finally secured its prize.

Martini flinched as the monster's second hand gripped him by the shoulder just before his helmet was ripped off and flung aside. He wondered if the Abomination had the cognition to know that it had just removed a helmet or if the intent had been decapitation. Probably decapitation.

This was it, wasn't it? Martini had stared death in the face before. He knew what it looked like. No wild-eyed snarky pirate queen to save him this time around. Hadn't been that bad of a run, all things considered. Shitty ending though.

Martini sailed through the air and his vision went white when he impacted the wall. He heard the crunch of bones breaking and his body fell into a heap on the floor with his legs splayed out in front of him.

He felt more than he heard the stomping of the Abomination coming across the room toward him. The floor vibrated with each footfall.

Martini's universe shrunk. Sounds were muted. Lots of pain. It was hard to think. There was something wet and thick in Martini's mouth. He opened his lips and something soft fell out from between them with a wet plop. Weirdly his mouth still felt full. It was full of liquid. Like he'd taken a big gulp of warm water, only thicker.

If his mouth was open, how was it full?

As his vision came into focus Martini looked down at the floor in front of him to see what had fallen out of his mouth. Red and soft, like a worm. Crescent-shaped. So much blood. The soft red thing shuddered with each step as the Abomination came closer.

Martini stared at the strange wet thing. It was so out of place on the hard metal floor. His mouth was slack. He tried to close it but his lips couldn't quite touch. As the chain-wrapped monstrosity reached him, he realized he should probably not be there. He tried to roll to the side but discovered he was unable to do so. The lower part of his body was not responding to him at all.

Martini wanted to scream. That's what someone should do in this situation, right? But he couldn't. It came out as a gurgle. His mouth was full of fluid but also strangely empty. Oh. That's what it was on the floor. It was the end of his tongue. That explained all the blood coming out of his mouth like a small waterfall.

Martini stared at his own tongue, stupefied by pain. He was very annoyed with it. It should not have left him. It was part of him and should not be separate. It felt like such an insult to see it there outside of where it should be, unattached. Wrong.

Oh man, Olive would be so pissed.

Martini tried to reach out and pick up his tongue with the intent of putting it back in his mouth but he could only manage to paw at it slightly with unresponsive fingers before a huge clawed hand wrapped around one of his ankles and began to drag him along the floor.

No. It was pulling him away. Not this. He wanted his tongue. It was wrong to leave it.

His hands grasped ineffectually at the smooth floor, his fingertips pulling the streaks of his own blood into uneven smears as he managed a soft sad moan.

Martini lost consciousness again as he was pulled along first into one room and then another, his blood snaking back out behind him in a long wet brushstroke, writing the story of where he had been in sanguine calligraphy.

.

In a haze of pain, Martini recognized the ground he was being dragged over had stopped being as hard. It was wet and squishy with lumpy bits.

His unfocused eyes saw blue-green glows all around him. Why wasn't he dead yet? Disappointing. First losing the tongue and now still not dead. What else was he going to fuck up? Olive would be pissed.

Olive… Oliver… Olive…

The fuck you doing over there without your tongue? Come back to bed, Martin, that's an order.

He could feel Oliver's hands pulling him into a sitting position.

Simultaneously the best and worst lover he'd ever had, that jackass.

First mate my ass. Martini answered him in his mind. We're pirates. Ain't nothing superior about your office… officer.

Martini tried to smile but blood kept pouring out of his mouth. Fuck. Olive had always loved his tongue. All those kisses. All the times he pulled Martini's hair and decided exactly where his lips and tongue would go.

Martini whimpered. Everything hurt. Everything around him was wet and slimy and filled with glittering sparkles. He wanted Olive to hold him again. He wanted to sink into those sea-green eyes and rakish smile again. Why wasn't he dead yet? Olive was waiting. It was cold.

Martini's eyes focused on the figure in front of him. It wasn't Oliver so Martini didn't care. He looked away.

Small hands gripped the sides of his head and forced him to look back.

"Hello," the small child Martini didn't recognize said to him in its small-child voice.

Martini's mouth opened and closed. More blood poured out. He blinked slowly. He just wanted to go back to bed with Olive. Why was this child keeping him awake? He didn't even have a tongue to tell the kid to fuck off.

The child smiled a too-wide smile with unkind eyes.

"You want this?" It asked, it's voice shifting somewhat.

It held out an open hand in front of Martini's eyes. A lump of red flesh lay in the small human palm.

Martini blinked. It was his tongue. The child had brought him back his tongue! He tried to smile and nod but all that came out was a gurgle and some bubbles in the blood.

"That is what you wish for most right now, isn't it? You want this? You wish you had… this."

Martini tried to move his arms to reach for his tongue but his arms wouldn't move. They were caught in something soft and writhing.

Slowly, with great effort, Martini managed to nod. Olive would be happy he had found his tongue before the end. What a lovely child to bring it to him.

"You want it very much, don't you? Tell me. Is this what you wish?"

Martini coughed and splattered both himself and the child in front of him with blood.

"Ysssss," he managed to say.

The child's eyes glowed brightly with the same colour as the pulsating cysts surrounding them on the floors, the ceiling, the walls.

"Then you shall have it, O Trespasser, Mine."

A small hand held the piece of Martini's tongue in front of his lips. He opened his mouth and let the small cool fingers slip inside. The soft worm-like flesh felt congealed and rubbery.

In front of Martini the child began to change. Its head grew slightly bigger. Its fingers elongated. Its eyes shifted from blue to brown. Its face bones began to warp and change. Its hair lightened and shortened. Its clothing shimmered. Within a few moments Martini was staring at a mirror image of himself crouched in front of him.

Not-Martini tilted its head sideways with a smirk and reached down to pick up something on the ground.

The piece of tongue inside of Martini's mouth began to swell and writhe on its own.

The thing that looked like, but was not, Martini held a dripping and glowing tendril up to Martini's nose. It was as thick as a finger and seemed to reach out on its own like one.

Not-Martini cradled Martini's head in one hand while gently pushing the tendril against his nostril with the other.

Martini's eyes fluttered and he whimpered at the strange sensation from the protrusion but he couldn't move. His severed tongue twisted around in his mouth getting larger and larger. The fungal growths began to swell and envelop his limbs.

The tendril slid deeper. Martini was tired. So tired. And he missed Oliver.

Hey beautiful, get your ass back here in these covers before I go out there and drag you to bed myself. I didn't save your pretty face from being blown across a wall to sleep in a cold bed by myself. C'mere.

The tendril pushed even deeper and there was a brief moment of pain overwhelming everything else, followed by numbness.

With a sigh Martini felt Oliver's hands pulling him back, holding him close. For a vicious murderer that man sure could cuddle. It was like coming home. Everything within Martini relaxed as he felt himself drifting off to sleep, safe in his lover's arms again.

The sound of submachine gun fire in the next room brought him back to reality. A very specific submachine gun. Modified for speed and ridiculous stability. Wielded by a maniac who had ordered him not to die.

Martini jerked. Not-Martini smiled.

The thing that looked just like him placed a hand on his face and pushed Martini back into a glowing cyst which had grown behind his head. Martini tried to fight back but he couldn't. He felt thick mucus envelop his face as his swollen tongue filled his mouth completely.

.

The metal walls of the corridor leading up to the room in front of Miri had been damaged in some sort of explosion in the past, leaving bits of twisted metal and bare rock. The floor and the one intact wall was covered in the Egregore fungus Eris and the Drifter had warned about.

Miri rounded the corner with her submachine gun ready and swallowed hard. A Scorn Abomination was facing away from her, fixated on a hole in the wall, its massive shoulders heaving. The bloody trail she had been following went through the hole into another glowing mess of Egregore.

The Abomination did not seem to notice her. Miri could see its blue-grey skin splattered with blood as electricity crackled over it. Its over-muscled shoulders completely blocked her from aiming at its head. One of its hands was dripping red from its three claws onto the floor.

Miri fought to keep herself from shaking in cold fury as her eyes zeroed in on the drops of Martini's blood falling to the floor. Martini was hers and this thing had taken him from her. Without making a sound, she took careful aim at the Abomination's back.

She emptied a full clip into it before it was able to turn around.

The Abomination roared and a bolt of electricity shot out from one hand. Miri jumped to the side while reloading and then began stepping sideways, one leg in front of the other while continuing to fire. Her arm was rock steady. Her eyes were snake-like and cold. The gun muzzle stayed stable. Every one of her bullets hit with a wet thwacking sound audible in addition to the angry buzz of her gun. She dodged another bolt of arc energy, emptying another full clip into the hulking monstrosity in front of her.

The Abomination took a step back as its skin absorbed more bullets. It had considerably more holes in it than before, most of which had turned its chest into a ragged seeping crater. Its face was obscured by a metal helmet. After absorbing another clip of bullets to seemingly no effect, the Abomination charged at Miri, arms wide and swinging together to grapple her.

With cool precision she rolled to the side, stood, reloaded, and continued to fire.

Six full clips and the monstrosity began to stagger as it tottered across the room after her. Miri kept ahead of it, slipping out of the way, asp-quick, as it swung at her, still firing. Seven clips and it slid to its knees. Part way through the eighth clip, wisps of Dark Ether slid up from behind the mask and the monster fell still.

Miri waited a moment, reloaded a fresh clip into her submachine gun and began to walk through the hole in the wall.

"Mi-Miri?" A face that looked exactly like Martini's looked up at her from the ground. His leg was shredded. The back of his head was a mess of blood. One of his arms was crumpled at an odd angle.

Miri's snarling face split into a wide grin. "You fucking asshole. I told you you weren't allowed to die."

"Yes ma'am." The mouth that looked just like Martini's mouth said in a voice that sounded just like Martini's voice.

Beside him, a large mound of Egregore shuddered and moaned.

Miri trained her gun on it. It made soft squishing sounds and undulated in a way that was disturbingly human-like, as though it were reaching for them.

Miri crouched down, grabbed the person who looked just like Martini by the collar and dragged him back, away from the fungal secretions.

Inside the glowing pustule which had enveloped his head, Martini tried to speak but his tongue had swollen up many times its size. He could only moan softly again as tendrils worked deeper inside of him, perforating his lungs, digging through his ears, penetrating his spine.

"I didn't know fungus could make noise." Miri said.

"I think... it was trying to... feed me to it," Not-Martini said through smashed and bloody lips.

"Ugh," Miri shuddered. "Let's get you out of here, dumbass."

Martini heard the warmth and relief in Miri's voice, so close and yet too far for him to reach. He tried to scream at her, to tell her that it was not him, that he was here. That she had looked right at him. That she was not safe. But all that came out was a gurgle.

The large pile of fungus shuddered and made an almost sobbing sound as they moved away.

.

[There's quite a few scenes between these sections but they do not involve Martini.]

.

Eris cocked her head to the side as she approached the oddly shaped fungal protrusion. It was human-sized and had an almost humanoid shape. She held her Ahamkara bone a few inches away from it to examine it.

It shuddered and moaned.

Eris frowned.

Egregore did not moan. Something within Egregore, however...

Eris dug the edge of the blade affixed at right angles to the tip of her Night Terror sword several inches into the fungal mass and then slid it in a long arc, creating a flap of fungal material. It oozed dark purple ichor from the cut.

With a flick of her wrist, she turned the sword over, using the flat of the blade like a spatula, flipping the layer of concentrated mycelial filaments back over itself to reveal what was inside.

A human eye. Glassy with pain.

The pupil in the eye shrank and it focused on Eris, then it widened in what might have been... recognition?

The mound of fungus shifted and moaned again.

Eris had just begun using her sword to slice off more sections of fungus when the trapped and partially digested human began shuddering violently.

Its eye looked from Eris to the side behind her. From Eris, to the side, and back again to Eris. Then to the side again. Then back to Eris.

Eris snarled and spun, her glowing orb frosting over.

.

[There's a fight scene in the middle here, but it does not involve Martini so we're skipping that.]

.

Eris clutched the Drifter's trembling ghost to her chest protectively while she scanned her surroundings. She briefly looked for, and failed to find, Loud Lullaby in among the Scorn corpses and Egregore. The hand canon was gone.

Her Ahamkara bone lost its frosty exterior and she sent it hovering over the ground attempting to seek her weapon while she knelt next to the lump of Egregore with the exposed eye and began to cut more of the human within free.

At least, she attempted to do so.

"Hmmm…"

Eris ran the edge of a knife along the area where the fungal tendrils seemed to join with the now blue-green surface of a human jaw. She slowly spread the cut apart with the flat of her blade. Mycelial fibers extended from both sides of the cut.

She placed the Drifter's ghost in her lap and peeled back the fungus covering the side of the victim's face with both hands, hoping to reveal their other eye.

With a sickening plop, a clear jelly-like sphere detached from the blue-green face.  It stuck to the flap of fungus she had been trying to remove, leaving a round cavity where the eyeball had once been.  It reminded Eris of one of the Drifter's pickled onions.

The remaining human eye looked over at the fungal mass Eris had pulled off of it and then back to Eris. The half-digested body shuddered and made a soft whimpering sound.

Eris stopped trying to free it and instead focused on removing the obstruction from what had once been a person's mouth.

Human lips on one side faded to translucent ooze on the other. Eris dug her knife blade in and sawed out the large bulbous fungal protrusion between the lips, digging deep with the point of her blade in a circular, conical incision. The section came out with a wet squelch and she dropped it onto the ground.

The lips, which had been painfully stretched open, closed. The eye blinked slowly. The corner of the mouth which still looked human gave her a small, pained smile. The mouth moved in what seemed like possible words, but Eris could not make out anything intelligible.

"I'm sorry," Eris said quietly. "There is not enough left for me to excise."

She reached out a gloved hand and gently touched the small bit of human skin left under the eye.

The mouth closed and gave her a second, sad half-smile.

"Martini." Eris finally recognized him, saying his name quietly. The smile widened.

The Drifter's ghost stirred in her lap and flew up and down the tunnel.

"There is one last thing I can give you, if you wish it."

The eye looked almost hopeful.

Eris slid her hand into a pocket and pulled out one of the Drifter's thermite grenades. She held it in her hands and lifted it up to eye-level so Martini could see it.

"Vengeance."

The eye brightened in what looked almost like happiness. Martini's lips smiled even wider and he opened his mouth once more.

Eris removed the pin preventing the button in the centre of the disk from accidentally being depressed and reverently placed it within what was left of Martini's mouth.

The Drifter's ghost flew back to Eris beeping rapidly.

"Farewell, friend," Eris intoned, caressing the small bit of remaining human skin once more before standing. "I will remember you."

The Drifter's ghost flew ahead of her down the tunnel in the opposite direction from where it had come from, still beeping. Eris nodded solemnly. The eye blinked again, the mouth continued smiling, grateful.

Eris Morn walked quickly down the passage away from Martini. Behind her, she could hear the sounds of oncoming Scorn.

The Scorn became louder as they picked up her scent, no longer attempting to hide the scraping and scurrying of their limbs. Eris continued moving brusquely forward, not looking back. She held her hand out for the Drifter's ghost and then clutched the small drone close to her armoured chest when it came to her. She sent her Ahamkara bone ahead.

Shortly after Eris rounded the next corner, the ground shook and a searing blast turned everything in her vision a brilliant yellow-white. Charred chunks of Egregore and half-melted Scorn limbs splattered against the wall behind her.

.

Thank you for reading and extra thanks to @xenascribbles for the opportunity to share it with you.

If, by chance, the rest of this story intrigues you (including all the bits with the other characters that I left out of these excerpts since Martini is not the only one having adventures), it can be found here on Ao3.

Xena’s Share Day

this one is for my lovely horror writers :) show me something scary. make me shiver and cringe! i wanna be unsettled!

*this is a horror prompt, so there may be difficult subjects included in shared snippets. read at your own discretion.

[tubbietommo]

February Kdrama wrap-up

No one asked for this, but I wanted to do this for a while now so I finally decided to kinda keep up with what I've been watching and writing a lil thing about each thing <33 I binge-watched a lot this month so keep that in mind lmao. Also keep in mind I absolutely hate giving scores, cause I overthink it ALWAYS, but I'm trying to still do it.

Rookie Cops 7/10 I don't really have too much to say about this one actually. Like I absolutely loved the friendship between the characters, but I gotta say I didn't care much for the romance part. Definitely really loved the female lead in this one, but I also wanted to see more of her hacker friend, cause I feel like they just kinda brushed over the fact that she was good at that? I just wanted to see more of her character.

Suspicious partner 8.5/10. The start of this serie was so strong, like I was hooked on it straight away, which doesn't always happen. It's funny, charming and in my opinion an easy watch. But I definitely do think it is a little too long. I lost a little interest during the middle part of it. But in the last few episodes I was totally back and hooked. Also I know the last episode is a little unnecessary, but I honestly enjoyed just having a fun feel good funny last episode. The chemistry between the two main characters is actually unreal, like watching some of the bts clips you would think that was part of a whole new kdrama lmao. Also loved the amount of yelling Ji Chang Wook had to do. It brought so much humor with it. Wouldn't be surprised if I watch this serie again in the future.

Because this is my first life 7.5/10 Not gonna lie, I started watching this one because I thought the cat was so pretty and cute (netflix knows what kind of pictures they gotta use to pull me in). But dear oh dear, I felt kinda called out in some parts during this drama about the way I view love. It's definitely a slow-paced story and it needed those two other story lines from the female lead's friends to keep me coming back, which is in my opinion a good thing. Cause all three viewed love in a different way and had different experiences with love/falling in love. But if it didn't have those other two perspectives I don't know if I would've enjoyed it as much.

Decision to Leave (movie) 7/10 I probably should give this one two different scores, cause the cinematography is just beautiful and a 10/10. I think just for that you should watch it imo. But it took me 2 times to watch it to understand the story a bit better and get more into it. Maybe it's also my own fault, cause I really hyped up this movie and wanted to absolutely LOVE this movie. But that didn't really happen lmao. The two main characters definitely had a lot of chemistry, but I just sat there the whole time thinking how toxic both of them are, so I didn't really enjoy their romance (I accepted it more the 2nd time I watched than the first time though lmao).

Man in Love (movie) 7/10 Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. The main character was very likable, which is maybe kinda strange considering what he does for a living lol, but I was rooting for him the whole time. Will I remember this movie in like a month? Probably not. Was I entertained? Yes. I think that's the best way to describe how I felt about this movie. However I do have to say, the last scene that was between the girlfriend and the father was very beautiful. Told myself I didn't want to cry during this movie, but it happened during the very last scene. Thanks for that.

Train To Busan (movie) 9/10 People are telling me I'm giving this one a too high of a rating BUT I DO NOT CARE ALRIGHT!? If you can make me watch a zombie movie with full interest from start to finish you made yourself a damn good movie. There was literally not a single moment in the movie that I felt bored and I think it's mostly because it was really focused on the emotions of the characters instead of 'oh my god scary zombie jumpscare' (thank god lmao). I'm trying not to spoil anything, but that scene with his shadow on the train and going down (if you know you know) SO BEAUTIFUL. Or when the kid cried and screamed because of her dad. oh my god... I LITERALLY BAWLED MY EYES OUT. All characters in the group I felt quite attached to, loved the character development, GONG YOO PLAYS THE MAIN LEAD, what else do you want?

[wandathewriter]

Shy and Fiery

Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: Wanda finds you in a peculiar moment, you decide to invite her in

Warnings: smut, explicit language, strap-on, fingering, oral sex, Wanda using her power in a sexual way (thank you very much), Reader is a womanizer

A/N: this is my first post ever on tumblr so i hope this isn't a complete desaster. also, italic means thoughts. this may or may not get a part 2 (and 3) so let me know what you guys think.

As you had an immense amount of training during the last few weeks, you didn’t have time for your famous nights out.

Everyone thought maybe Tony or Bucky were the ones who would get all the girls they wanted, but, actually, it was you. The team always made fun of you for it, after Tony’s parties when everyone was way too much wasted and telling theirs “first time they heard a ‘no thanks’” or “the most humiliating ‘no’ they got” and all you did was laugh since those things didn’t happen to you.

As if it were truly your fault that girls would laugh at your jokes and flush as you got closer pretending to not hear them because of the loud music in the room. What could you do? You had a charm, you used it. That’s logical. Everyone did it, the only difference was that you always succeed.

They just envy you, whatever.

And you were sure Sam and Bucky disliked you a little because of it. But, again, it was not your fault that they always wanted to bet which one would get a girl’s number first when you never even bet with them. You would be already smiling and making your way to a beautiful woman across the room while they were still deciding which girl they would have more chance to succeed. It did not surprise you that they didn’t get a lot of them.

Your last time had been a while ago, after the last mission where you got a cut on your eyebrow that only did you good on your night out.

After this, you and Steve got in an intensive training routine and all you wanted on your weekends was sleep, eat junky food, sleep some more, train again, and so on.

Now you were bored because apparently Steve didn’t like to train for a month straight without any rest and demanded you both took a week of. Also, he had a date tonight and didn’t want to get there all beaten up by you. Because you were also this good at fights.

It is Wednesday, anyway, and you don’t like going to pubs and clubs on weekdays because the chance of someone recognizing you is bigger. You’re not interested in any kind of media right now, no books, movies or tv shows for you. It is still afternoon, so most of the team has something to do and you are almost sure you are home alone.

That’s how you end up masturbating naked on your bed.

You appreciate your job but it’s not the same. Not even with the multiple images going on and on in your head and your hand on your clit and a dildo deep inside of you. You like kissing, touching, licking other women, something you can’t get on your own.

You hear steps outside your room and a knock on your door, but you’re almost, almost there, approaching, almost coming, beating the feeling of something missing, you can’t stop now…

“Y/N?” your eyes shot open when you’re called. You know who that is. “Are you in there or are you out?”

You are both, actually. You laugh at your own joke as you throw the dildo on the bed and get up, running to open the door.

“Hey! What are you doi… ah!” Wanda’s words are lost, and you don’t know if it’s because one of your boobs is showing, even if you’re hiding your body behind the door, or if it’s because images of you just moments ago are going through your mind really, really loud.

She looks down and then up again, meeting your eyes for mere seconds before looking away. Her cheeks flushed in a really intense pink and her mouth kept open. The boobs, then. She’s cute.

“I’m masturbating, Wanda, would you like to come in?”

She looks at you surprised, but her eyes soon become lost and you’re sure she’s seeing all that’s going on inside your head. It’s not about you anymore, but about what you could do.

Her whole neck becomes pink too, so you think about other pink parts of her and she lets a “oh god” scape as you think about your tongue.

“Yes…” she finally answers, but her eyes are still out of focus, she’s still lost inside your mind.

“You sure?” you smirk and think about the absence of any of those thoughts that would happen if she said no. She blinks her way out of your head, her green eyes almost taken full by the dilated pupils look straight at yours and you are sure she’s yours before she even says anything.

“Yeah, I would like to come in”.

So, you grab her arm and close the door behind you, locking it even though no one will appear.

You’re kissing her and taking her to bed before she gets shy as she sees you’re already fully naked. She lets you push her and helps you take off her clothes. She lays on the bed and pulls you with her. She holds you in place with her legs on your hips and her cold feet on your butt.

You’re kissing her mouth, biting her lips, sucking her tongue, scratching all the way down to the hard, pink nipples, pinching them, sinking your hips against her panties, taking out of her all the moans she’s giving you and the ones she tries to hide.

You make your way kissing her jaw and biting the skin of her neck until your lips are sucking her ear lobe and you’re whispering, “do not hold your moans from me, my love”. She immediately grunts and the small hair on her neck bristle.

You move your hands down tracing her belly button with the tip of your fingers, scratching her abs, taking her panties off. You bite her left nipple at the same time you touch her clit. She cries out your name and you can feel you are dripping. This is what you were missing.

The soft skin of a woman against yours, the sweet taste as you kiss her, the moans, groans, screams, the smell of sweat, perfume and sex, the lick soaking your fingers as you get deep inside of them…

“oh god, I want that, please” she begs inside your mind while her mouth lets out a low, dragged grown and you realize she’s seeing your thoughts again. You laugh against her chest.

But you don’t play games, if she wants something, you give it to her.

You sink one finger easily, two more, after, because the feeling is sensational. You know it is for her too because she screams your name out loud again. You curve them inside hitting soft flesh and higher groans as that good pain start on your pulse and you insist quicker, harder, pressing her clit with your thumb, kissing her down, down, down the inside of her thighs, tasting her but not she feeling you.

She’s so close. All you had to do was…

“Please, Y/N, please”

Her fingers get lost in your hair and you have no choice but do what you both expect the most.

You start licking all her pussy. She screams in and out of your head. You suck her clit. You push your fingers deep inside of her, you can hear the wet noise that comes with your mouth and hand working so hard.

She pulls your hair and pressures your head, so you lick, lick, lick, suck, kiss and lick once again.

You know she’s coming; you can feel her tight around your fingers and her pussy getting wetter and wetter. You want to tell her to look at you as she comes, but when you open your eyes you see her hands holding tight on the sheets and boobs, you get confuse for a second since you still feel her holding your head until you see red.

Then all you can see is red light, fire, and smoke. It’s all over the room, around you both, it’s holding your head and when you realize it, it’s spreading to your shoulders, the warm feeling, down your spine and between your legs. Warm, soft and precise just like you assume her hand would be.

She’s using her magic on you and it is so goddam sexy of her to do so. You come as you hear her laughing and moaning inside your head.

You are not ashamed of doing so, barely being touched before exploding in a full wave of pleasure. You groan when the magic in your pussy mimics the moves you’re doing on her. Or you thought so.

You need a moment to understand that she’s actually projecting her pleasure on you, so all you feel and hear, and touch is her. Her orgasm in long, intense, hits both of you hard. She pulls you to her mind physically and literally, sucking your tongue to taste herself on your lips, showing you all of what you could possibly want to see of her, felling her heart beating fast both in your mind and in your hand.

She doesn’t need a moment to recover. Her hands, the physically ones, grabs your ass and push your hip down so both your pussies are touching. You don’t need any hint to start moving, sliding your clit against her, but she doesn’t let go of you and sinks her nails hard on your skin.

You are breathless and moaning together, incapable of kissing and just letting your lips touch. It’s all about the touch. The sound. The smell. She’s moaning inside your head again, her hands touch all you back, almost like a hug, putting you closer so your boobs are pressed against hers and your face is hidden in the crock of her neck. She moans again, now directly on your ear, licking all the skin she can reach.

You sit on her precisely, getting distant just enough to look properly at her. She’s still pretty pink, but definitely not shy anymore. Her skin is shining with sweat; it has red marks all over her neck, chest and abs, small scratches from your nails and bites. She’s so beautiful with her head on your pillow, her dark hair messy and spread against the white sheet, her body naked and perfectly shaped. She looks wild.

“You look wild”. She tells you. “You always look wild” she says out loud.

She’s showing images of you, memories she has of seeing you train, drinking in pubs, dancing in clubs, and then all the thoughts she had about you two. That takes you by surprise, seeing all of her imagination about you together, here, on your bedroom, or on hers, or at the kitchen, or the training room, or at some party, in the bathroom.

It’s too much for you, your hips fail but the red light is right there making you slide again. You feel it coming, rising from your pussy to your whole body. Wanda is biting her lips, pulling you for a kiss, then biting your lips hard as she comes again with you.

You fall besides her on the mattress and feels the pain immediately on your lower back. “shit!” you grab the forgotten dildo and throws it on the floor, tired, closing your eyes in hope of catching your breath. You did not expect it to be so good. Wanda was amazing, better than everything you could have imagined, still blinded by the foolish shy persona you thought she had. Maybe she was shy, didn’t everybody say the shy one is the fiery in private or something like that? Then you remember she could read your mind and look at her preparing to apologize.

She was looking at you laying on her side, head resting on her hand, her right arm across her belly. She look like a painting, really, and you were not a fan of cliches. She had the same amount of curiosity and seriousness showing on her face. You hold your breath, but she only asks:

“Do you have a strap on?”

You don’t know if she’s shy or not, but she’s full of surprises. “I do”.

“Put it on” She’s not asking. “I want to ride you”.

Dear lord, you thought, this woman will be the end of me.

You go and come from your closet in a minute, certain of the toy’s location and how to put it easily. Wanda is sitting on the bed now, expecting you one more time. She barely lets you be comfortable again before she’s throwing one leg over you and sitting on your cock. You both moans together and she’s not even projecting her pleasure on you again.

She raises her hips and let it falls quickly. Your hands grab her thighs since she doesn’t need help finding her rhythm, her boobs going up and down as she’s jumping on your lap. You lay your head on your pillow enjoying the view. Right now, this is not about you anymore. Wanda rides you as she pleads, eyes locked on yours, mouth open and moaning loud, hands grabbing your boobs as if it would give her any stability.

She’s going hard and fast, barely going up and down, swallowing all its size, rolling her hip, marking half-moons with her nails on your skin. Maybe she’s shy, maybe she’s not, but she is definitely fiery. Her hair is falling on her shoulders, some strands stuck in her mouth, the waves moving with her and framing her face. Her lips are swollen and dark red, her blood running hot on her cheeks, she looks flawless right now.

She’s going so fast, so fast, that it doesn’t take much for another orgasm. She yells your name, grabs your hands, and falls over you, panting on your ear, sliding her nose your neck. She’s still rolling slowly; her whole body is shaking against yours.

“If I tell you that I am shy, will you please stop thinking about it?” Oh boy, she was listening, “I’m always listening”. She looks at you smiling, but you don’t know if is because of you or of you.

“Sorry” you kiss her. Her kiss is really good. She is really good. “God, this was the best sex of my life!”

Instead of any “did I get on your top 10 fucks?” jokes, that you hear a lot after sex with strangers, Wanda just agrees with you “It was, but I can’t feel my legs anymore”.

“That’s not a problem” you smile “you can stay here as long as you want”.

“Good” its all she says before getting off of your toy and laying down besides you. It takes just enough for you to take of the straps before falling asleep with her.

[nxtsnw]

you are staring at me again

n.a.: I found this adorable prompt, ik it will be short but i hope u will like it anyway,, It's almost 3am here lmao, gnight<3

genre: fluff, comfort

warning: no one

characters: baji, yuzuha, chifuyu, kokonoi

BAJI KEISUKE

The end of summer arrived, the hot weather was starting to decrease, but the sun continued to shine in the sky, while you and baji were locked in his house to study before coming back to school.

He had some things to understand, and he asked you for help; so you found yourself studying at his home that morning.

It had been a few hours since you started, and the boy, despite having been distracted for three-quarters of the time, already seemed at the limit of him.

So you agreed to take a break after that last exercise. As soon as you raised your eyes from the exercise, smiling and ready to show the resolution of the problem proudly, you caught him staring at you. Suddenly it seemed that the room had raised the temperature and not a little.

"Baji, you are staring at me again, aren't you?"

"No, I wasn't-" he replied immediately, looking away.

You barely had time to notice the blush rising on his cheeks and his smile popping up spontaneously.

"I'm going to the kitchen to get something to eat. Wait for me here," he told you again, and then leave the room and go downstairs.

"MUM, I SWEAR, SHE WAS SO PRETTY" was the last thing you heard before he went back into the room.

“You know y/n, we were lucky, my mother made us lunch! -and he smiled-but why are you all red? "

YUZUHA SHIBA

Walking holding her hand, on a chilly spring day, it feels like a dream, am I wrong? The scent of freshly blossomed flowers and the song of birds in the background made the atmosphere even more magical.

You were both happy, no worries at all, and after a long time you were finally able to hang out together. At first Yuzuha's shy, but after she gets to know you she opens up a lot more. She loves listening to you and talking with you. That day she was wearing a long skirt with light pink flowers, a white puff sleeve top, her hair was pulled up in two braids, and she had a light trickle of makeup to top it all off.

She was really beautiful. That day she was a little more anxious too, but you were completely lost looking at her.

Once, she had already caught you staring at her, and after she pointed it out to you (as a joke) you were blushing so much, and she had taken you by the hand as if nothing had happened.

Despite that, she remained too beautiful to admire, she had such a pure and lovely charm.

"Uhm y/n you are staring at me, again?" she asked you before bursting out laughing, and damn it, her laugh was pleasing too. You shyly nodded.

So she, blushing, stopped suddenly without letting go of your hand, and she gave you a quick kiss on your cheek. Before walking back as nothing had happened.

KOKONOI HAJIME

It was late at night, but sleep hadn't reached either of you yet. Indeed, you were full of energy, and going to bed was the last place in your head. You were stretched out on the sofa while a boring movie was on the Tv. You both weren't sure what to do until Koko thought of something.

A few meters from your house had just opened a swimming pool.

"let's go to the swimming pool?"

"What? it's late, and then everything is closed at is now" you replied.

But, even though it was 2 am, let's just say he had the right contacts to have it open just for the two of you.

"Pff, do you think there's something money can't do?"

"Yes, but-"

“Sshh, I know I know. let me do it, you get ready that soon we will go"

You went to your room, took a bathing suit and a towel so you were ready. As soon as you got off, he was waiting for you, smiling with that mocking smile of his, ready to brag about having managed to get the pool open.

"Hey pretty, stop staring at me, and let's go," he told you.

So you went out and headed for the pool. Indeed all the lights were on, and a guardian came to open it.

Koko didn't hesitate to enter, taking off his white shirt and throwing himself into the pool. His wet hair, his slightly red eyes, and his smile were the first thing you noticed when he emerged.

"You are staring at me again, aren't you?" he asked you before sticking his tongue out to make fun of you even more.

"C'mon, come here, the water is great!" he added.

CHIFUYU MATSUNO

The scent of strawberries, butter, and chocolate invaded the whole house; the cookies were almost ready. You had just finished making hot tea, and you had just decided on what movie you would see. You two wanted to see something new but "Howl's Moving Castle" was, for the umpteenth time, your final choice.

This tradition of yours consisted in finding yourself on Friday at the house of one of the two, and spending the afternoon watching anime or movies and eating junk. So you also did that day. You were all set up perfectly, and the movie had begun. (Occasionally someone else would join, but that time it was just the two of you.)

"FUYU YOUR STRAWBERRY COOKIES ARE SO GOOD," you said turning to him, but only to notice that he was already looking at you.

The boy immediately looked away and stammered a few words as thanks for the compliments.

After that little moment, you went on as if nothing had happened, watching the film and commenting on it as usual.

"We still have time, would you like to watch another movie?" he proposed

"sure," you answered opening Netflix looking for something else.

"What do you think about this?" you asked. No reply.

So you hesitated and asked, again no answer. You changed movies and asked the same question for the third time. You then turned to him; he was already looking at you, but not in a creepy way, on the contrary, he had such serene eyes and a lovely smile on his face.

"Fuyu, you are staring at me again," you said knowing that it would make him blush.

"I- I didn't mean, sorry, this movie is perfect,"

And nothing, for the second time in a day you have seen "Howl's, Moving Castle"...

[subrenaspade]

Deuce Spade x Reader (A Holiday of New Steps) Pt. 3

Art is not mine!! Except the house layout. (It was rushed so its nothing fancy, just to help give the reader the idea of the layout.)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 (You are here)

A little background about the MC in my story so you're not all too lost. The MC used to suffer from androphobia (A fear of men), that has to do with some past trauma That I might go into more detail about later on if I decide to continue this story. The MC is also a Orphan losing her father at four, then her mother at fourteen, so there will be mention of family. The MC spent all her time in foster care, due to her mother being an orphan herself and her fathers family disowning him.

Warning: suggestive situations, cursing, Maybe some angst (That's all I can think of right now).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The train came to a stop and Deuce made sure I was off the train first. I looked around to see the train dropped us off into a big city area. I looked around in awe. This was the first time I was in a city in this world, and like everything here, it looked normal yet different. Since this was a place representing the Queen of hearts there were still plenty of red, white, and black, yet still looking really modern.

“From here it's about a twenty minute walk to my home.” Deuce said, looking around to make sure we had all of our stuff. I nodded.

“Okay.” I confirmed. He smiled as he reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers as he started to guide me towards his home. 

The area was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a really run down area, like in movies. It was a residential area that seemed really nice, lots of children playing, no bar windows. The way Deuced talked I assumed he had come from a really rough area and I would have to be on my guard the whole time. It was an odd area for a delinquent to have grown up at. 

I felt his hand tighten around mine. I looked over at him to see him smiling at me. He tilted his head. 

“Are you okay?” He asked. I nodded.

“Yes, your neighborhood is just really nice.” I complimented. He blushed a little, smile going wider. It was almost like he was walking on sunshine and rainbows. I let a little giggle leave my lips as I leaned into his side a bit more, taking some of his body heat. We came to a halt in front of a cute house it wasnt something big or extravagant, but it had a nice and warm charm to it. 

“This is my home.” Deuce presented. I smiled at his proud statement. It was such a humble home, something I hadn't had for many, many years. Closest thing to a home or safe place I have is Ramshackle.

 I started to think of times my father and mother would play outside with me, Mostly my father since my mother was still in college and my father had issues finding a job so he was a stay at home husband, cleaned, cooked, and took care of me. It changed when he passed away, though my mother had graduated with her Doctorate. We did move to an apartment complex when my father passed away at four, so I really don't remember the house itself. 

(Picture below is the first floor layout)

A tug pulled me out of my daydream. Deuce walked up to the door, turning the knob. He sighed when it turned and opened. He walked in, pulling me in with him, closing it behind him. “Mom! You need to lock the door when it's just you in the house!!” He called out. We heard something drop to the ground and someone rushing to the hall. We saw a woman who was a little shorter than me poke her head from around the corner. Her clear blue eyes lit up as her long black hair swayed in a ponytail. Her face brightened upon seeing us in her doorway. 

Mrs. Spade rushed towards Deuce giving him a huge hug. Deuce sighed but smiled as he returned the gesture. She pulled back cupping Deuces face.

“Look at you! Did you grow again?” She asked adoringly. Deuce smiled however his cheeks turned red when he met my fond gaze. This seemed to snap Mrs. Spade out of her fussing over her son as she turned to look at me. Her smile only grew as she threw herself at me. I yelped as I wrapped my arms around her in turn. “I was so happy when I heard my son finally confessed to you! I was so sure you would have been the one to confess!” She cheered as she hugged me like one of my own. I smiled as I let the surprised tension leave my arms. 

A few months before Deuce and I started dating I met her and the other families/ guardians during the parent visit week (Though it had only lasted two days). After that Crowley thought it was a great opportunity to get me a mother role model and choose the mothers of my close friends in my grade. (The first year group). It was a trick, don't worry though, I made sure to use A LOT of Crowley's money for tricking me into a car with a bag over my head and dumping me in the middle of a village I didn't know. 

“Its really good to see you again Mrs. Spade.” I smiled at her. She let out a gasp and a pout, shaking her head at me.

“Tsk, Tsk. From this day forth you will call me mom or mother. Even if you weren't dating my son. I already consider you family my dear.” I felt my body jolt in shock at the notion of calling someone else's mother, mom. She smiled at me and leaned closer to me, making me blush with how flustered and off guard she had made me. “Now, try that again!” She suggested. Deuce took note of my flabbergasted state and started to scold her, however I swallowed my nerves and looked down shyly.

“I-Its really good too see y-you, m-mom.” I stuttered out quietly but enough for them both to hear me. I heard her squeal as she brought me into her arms again. 

“I always wanted a daughter! Who would have thought that my son would have brought me such a cute one!” She said as she stroked my hair. I smiled at her sweet and kind personality. I saw Deuce blushing up a storm at his mother calling me her daughter. I smiled at him, making him give me a smile in return. Mrs. Spade pulled back smiling brightly at me. “Now! Let me show you to your room!” She exclaimed. I jumped holding the small red box in my hands up.

“Before that, this is for you. A really good friend of ours made this for us.” I said. She looked at the box with sparkling eyes and gently took it from my hands. She opened it only to find a strawberry orange tart in it. She smiled widely, Deuce leaning over her to look at it.

“Oh! Trey was working on this last night.” Deuce said, looking at me. I smiled at the thought. Trey was really mother material. 

“Oh! He was that young fellow with the glasses from the same dorm as you, right Honey?” Mrs. Spade asked. Deuce smiled as he nodded. “What a sweet young man he is. Ill go place this in the kitchen and we can have it after dinner tonight. Deuce will you show her to her room. After that we will sit in the living room for a bit till your grandma gets here.” She turned to start walking down the hallway, but stopped giving Deuce a scolding look. “(Name) will be staying in the guest room…” She stated sternly. Deuce Flushed red but opened his mouth to protest.

“S-She can stay in my room!” He tried to reason but she held her hand up making him stop.

“I may be excited to have her here and I may be your mother, but I must protect her from wolves like you, my dear boy.” She said, walking off not listening to any  back talk. I tilted my head. Wolf? I didn't really see him as such, more like a rabbit since he was fast on his feet. I giggled at the disappointed look on his face. He sighed looking dejected as he took my hand to lead me up the steps to the second floor. 

(Picture below is the second floor layout)

“So the room right  across is my room, the other side is the laundry room/ Bathroom. That room next to mine is my moms.” He reached for the door knob of the last room opening it. “And this is where you will be sleeping..” He muttered disappointedly. I giggled, walking it and placing my suitcase on the bed. I jumped at two strong arms wrapped around my waist. I sighed as I leaned into the chest of my moping boyfriend. 

“There isn't any need to be so disappointed.” I said looking back at him. He pouted his lips moving into my neck to nuzzle into me.

 I giggled as I shifted myself around to face him, nuzzling into his neck in return. I relished in his sweet scent. I felt him lightly kiss my neck, making me giggle at the ticklish feeling. His arms tightened around me as he moved to lightly nibble my neck. “Deuce~!” I whined into his shoulder. I felt him smile as his name left my lips. He pulled back, smiling down at me. He leaned forward, placing a kiss to my forehead. I raised a eyebrow at him for not giving me a proper kiss. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down to place a gentle kiss on his lips. I let him go after a peck to bask in his sweet blush. He groaned as he pulled us both down onto the bed, holding me against his chest.

“Your cuteness should be illegal.” He muttered as he nuzzled into my head. I raised myself a little to look at him properly.

“That should be my line.” I counter. He snorted at my comment as if it was a joke though I was 100% serious. He pulled my head down, making me rest on his chest. We laid there for a few minutes enjoying each other's warmth. He gently stroked my head and back, making me sigh in content.

The lack of sleep and the stress of introducing myself as deuce's girlfriend to his mother must have hit me all at once. His heartbeat was my lullaby and his body heated my own personal blanket. I nuzzled a little more into his chest as I felt my eyes start to get heavy. I felt Deuce kiss my head. 

“I love you….” He murmured quietly. He also sounded tired. I let myself get pulled into the warm embrace of sleep, not before muttering a sleepy I love you too in return. 

~~~~( On Mrs. Spades side of things)~~~~

“They are taking a while…” She muttered as she started up the stairs. She felt a bubble of worry in her chest since she technically sent them both to a bedroom. She saw the guest room’s door wide open and peeked in, ready to kick Deuce's ass if he was doing anything to his sweet girlfriend.

She froze at the sight. The two love birds had fallen asleep. It was such an innocent thing that made her heart swell at the cuteness. She quietly walked in, taking (Names) suitcase off the bed and grabbing a blanket from the closet to place over the two. She smiled at the two one last time before leaving (Keeping the door open for obvious reasons). 

“Such a fine young lady, my dear boy got himself.” She said proudly as she walked down the stairs.

I hope you enjoyed this small chapter. 

[harrysgoldenline]

When In Italy Part 3

Part 1 | Part 2

He remembered your order.

It was all you could think about after you sat down, a waitress coming quickly to your table and he gave you a look, asking you if that’s what you wanted. You gave a small nod and you refrained from commenting on it, not wanting to stroke his already enlarged ego you are sure has only gotten big since you have seen him last based on… well everything.

The waitress thanked you both, taking your menus and leaving the two of you alone, giving one another an awkward smile before you looked down at your hands, now regretting pretending to not know what to order in order to hide behind your menu a bit more.

“So…” Harry began, fingers drumming onto the table, “how have you been?”

You let out an airy laugh, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow before leaning back in the woven dining chair, warm Italian sun hitting your face as you looked out at the view and back to him, not even sure what to say. You, obviously, were not doing great and he was.

You open your mouth to start to answer but stop when the waitress comes back, placing the cool, water glasses in front of you and they quickly become interesting as you watch the condensation drop down from the glass onto the table.

“Y/n…” Harry began, looking up at you and sighing when your eyes met, “Can you talk to me? I just want to see what you’ve been up to.”

“What about you?” You counter, heart pounding against your chest, “I feel like you’re the one who needs to check in and share some updates more than anyone else, don’t you think?”

“I guess I deserve that.” He chuckled, taking a sip of water and looking at you over the glass causing you to scoff.

“I’m glad you think it’s funny.” you glare, crossing your arms over your chest, trying to calm your pounding heart, “really makes the whole situation better.”

“Okay, you’re right, I’m sorry,” He nodded, holding his hands up in defense, “but I didn’t know you were going to be there, I would have never brought her if I would have known that, obviously and I’m sorry it happened this way but I’m glad I saw you, I’m glad to see you.”

“Who is she?”

He looked surprised by your question, not expecting you to rip the band-aid off in the way that you did. But, you knew him. Better than anyone you’ve ever known in your life and you couldn’t understand why he was beating around the bush like this so much. You also needed this for yourself, not wanting to fall for his famous charm, looking into those beautiful, jade eyes you knew you would be done for.

It’s the reason your sitting across from at this table at all, not being able to resist his smile, his sot, caring voice as he asked you to see him, having no idea what you would be getting into all, you said yes without any hesitation and you decided in that moment, watching as he went around the clear high priority topic with ease.

“Her name is Olivia.” He sighed, “she’s the director of the movie I’m going to be in and…”

“You’re together?”

He didn’t answer, looking at his hands.

You nodded, taking his silence as the clear answer and you bit your bottom lip hard, tasting blood as your teeth sunk into the flesh, hoping the pain would stop the tears that were stinging your eyes. You could feel your hands shake and you let out a sigh, standing up from the table and running your hands over your skirt, frustrated he didn’t even have the nerve to come out and simply say it.

“I-I’m going to go,” You began to ramble, looking down at the water glass and you dug through your bag, looking for money to pay for your meal and tip the waitress, even though it wasn’t yet served to you, eyes burning as you did your best to keep in your tears.

“Please stay.” He whispered and you shook your head rapidly, pulling out your wallet and looking for a big enough bill, “Okay, let me just drive you back, put your wallet away this is on me.I asked you to come.” He added, pulling out his wallet and laying down a more than generous amount.

“No, please.” You whispered, stepping back as you stepped closer to you, “just, stay. Take my food with you. I’m gonna book a flight home and you guys can have the house to yourselves by tomorrow night.”

“Y/n-”

“Goodbye, Harry.”

You ignored his calls of your name, walking down the pavestone as you made your way through the quaint town, passing the many boutiques and gelato shops you two went through a dozen times.You also did your best to ignore the longing look of pity as you passed by the strangers, thankful your italian wasn’t as good as his, that way you didn’t have to also hear what they were saying about you.

You wandered your way through the beautiful village, wishing it brought you the same amount of joy as it always did, but not it just left you a bitter taste in your mouth, reaching for your phone and calling for a cab, looking up flights the second the car pulled up.

***

Your eyes fluttered open at the sound of your alarm, heart wrenching at the realization that all of this was real and you fist rubbed your swollen eyes, sniffling as you sat up and the details all came back to you.

“He found someone else already.” you had sobbed into the phone to your best friend, clutching at your chest as your back was against the front door. “He already moved on, y/bff/n and he brought her here and-and… I-I got a flight home and I just don’t know what to do.”

You were beginning to hyperventilate, mind being unable to wrap around the fact that he had moved on so quickly, the man you thought you were going to marry, being together for years, had already moved on to someone else.

Your best friend had done her best to calm you, begging you to let them fly there to help get your things together, to at least meet you at a connecting flight so you weren’t flying home completely alone, but you didn’t allow it, knowing how much trouble they would get into with their boss.

“I’ll be there to pick you up.” they told you, after a long pause, their heart was breaking at the sound of your cries, “You’re gonna make it through this, y/n. I know you are.”

You weakly stumbled out of bed, walking straight to the closet and, once again, pulling your bags out and throwing them onto the bed, throwing your all clothes into a messy pile and zipping up the bag, pushing it into the hallway after quickly changed into a clean outfit, slipping on a pair of sneakers as you got ready for your flight home.

Forcing yourself to brush your teeth and run a comb through your hair was harder than you had ever imagined, hating to have to look at your reflection as the face of her was being compared side by side in your mind. You hated yourself more for wishing that Harry tried a little harder, wishing that he had ran after you and tried to at least explain more, extend the olive branch so to speak, even though it would never fully heal your wounds.

Your anxious mind wouldn’t stop reliving your morning with Harry and you couldn’t help but have regrets, wondering if you overreacted, wondering what would have happened if you stayed for the rest of the meal.

Could you ever be friends?

Pushing yourself away from the counter you hoped that the thoughts would subside, wishing you knew the answers but knowing you never would. You shuffled your way into the living room, curling up on the couch as you waited for the car to come pick you up and take you to the airport, not having the energy to reach to pick up the remote so you sat in silence.

Although it felt like minutes, an hour soon passed and you heard the knock at the door and you forced yourself up, grabbing your suitcase and wheeling it behind you as you opened the door, being greeted by the driver who took your suitcase from you and loaded it into the car as you followed behind, finding your place in the backseat.

The time went faster than you thought it would, the drive to the airports, the security line, flights, layovers, all of it. The next thing you knew you were walking down the steps of the airport, seeing the face of your best friend and running towards them, dropping your suitcase in the process as they quickly took you in their arms, holding you as tight as they could.

“I got you.” They whispered, rubbing your back as your tears sunk into the fabric of the fabric covering their shoulder, “I’m so, so sorry, sweetheart. You’re gonna be okay, I promise.”

“How do you know?” you horsley whispered, “my heart hurts so much.”

“I know, I know.” They whispered back, pulling back and looking you into the eyes, giving you a smile and wiping away your tears, “It’s going to be okay, I promise. You are an incredible human being, y/n, you are so unbelievably strong andI know that you can do this and I’m going to be there for you every single step of the way, okay?. ”

And they were.

Being there for you every single step of the way for the next two weeks since you got back from your trip and even moved into your apartment with you for a few days at first as you adjusted. Holding you every single time that you cried, always checking in and making sure that you were taking care of yourself and always being there for you to talk about everything, even though you weren’t quite ready yet, they were there for you when you were going to be and you couldn’t have been more thankful for that.

Now, after a couple weeks of healing, after your plummet on your journey of healing post break up, you felt like you were back on your way up. You started leaving your apartment more again and y/bff/n even got you to go out with them and a couple of friends one night.

Actually starting to feel better and even starting to feel a lot more like yourself.

Your phone buzzed and you quickly took a look down at it, seeing a text from y/bff/n

Be there soon! i can't wait to try out this new coffee place!

You smiled and sent back your quick reply, letting her know you were going to head downstairs touching up your makeup quickly as you looked at yourself in the mirror and smiled back at your reflection, seeing the glow and fullness starting to come back to your face, the circles under your eyes slowly disappearing more and more everyday.

Grabbing your purse off the kitchen counter and sliding on your shoes you got ready to leave your apartment, heading out the door and locking the door behind you, jiggling the handle to endure it was locked before turning on your heel to head out. You go to reach for the elevator button, but it dings as it announces its arrival and you step out of the way, allowing whatever neighbor to have a clear path to their apartment. Instead, you're met with a pair of familiar green eyes.

“Harry?”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading! Comments/feedback is always encouraged and that way I can let you know when the next part is up!!

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[starryevermore]

head in the clouds ✧ steve rogers

angst city™ library | send in a request (consult request faqs first)

request/prompts: right cut to the chase. I’m leaving tumblr but have 5 prompts which I want you to have cause I trust you and love your writing skills and you may like them Cause they can be angsty or fluff. So here, don’t have to use them but yeah here: 1) “I thought we were friends? And you dis that!” 2) “I DID IT! OK? ITS DONE!” 3) “I thought you were the one, but you weren’t and they were yours” 4) “why did you hurt them?” 5) “what does that have to do with anything…actually no ignore that” - bye bye 👋

pairing: steve rogers x fem!reader

summary: any daydream would be better than your reality. 

word count: 2,465

warnings?: angst city™ bitch, not proofread

note: i changed some of the prompts slightly to fit the story; also, you’ve probably left tumblr by now but i hope you’re doing well!! 

Your mother always told you that your head in the clouds, that you were always a million miles away from the real world. It was charming in your youth, or at least that’s what you gathered. Back then, people would remark that they wished they had the same carefree life that your naïveté would allow. When people told you the same thing now, it was always said with what sounded like they had a bitter taste in their mouth, like they were spitting out something rancid. You always wondered why. Why it was such a bad thing for an adult to not spend every waking moment in the agony of reality? 

But now...Now, you realized why it was such a bad thing. Because maybe if you weren’t lost in a daydream, you could’ve seen it coming. You could’ve been prepared. You could’ve stopped your heart from breaking. Maybe none of this could have never happened. 

You thought you were in love with Steve Rogers. Maybe you were. It was hard to know what your feelings are now. At least, it was hard to know what your feelings are for him now. Ever since he took your heart and broke it to pieces, everything related to him was clouded in hatred. You couldn’t think about him without wanting to hunt him down and yell and scream and fight because he just made your blood fucking boil. Maybe you were in love with him. Maybe that’s why he could still make you feel so strongly, even after everything that had happened. 

Steve had come into your life exactly when you needed him to. You had just moved to New York and had gotten a job, working at the Avengers Compound. Nothing big, not an agent or a scientist or anything like that. You were a secretary, and a damn good one at that. You don’t work for the Avengers unless you excel at what you do, even if it’s a position that most people would consider beneath them. 

You didn’t make a lot of friends at work, not that there were a lot of people you could’ve befriended. People walked around in cliques. And you were the new kid on the block, and that wasn’t something that was super well-liked. At least, not among the people that you’d met in your first few months of working at the Compound. But Steve...He was different. 

He always smiled at you when he walked past your desk. Sometimes he brought you coffee, a muffin if he was feeling really generous. He’d make small talk, take your recommendations for movies and TV shows. After he finished one, he’d always come back and tell you everything he loved about it—even if he hated it. Always found something nice to say. 

Sam Wilson swung by your desk one time, after Steve had come by, acting like a giggling teenage girl at a sleepover talking about her newest crush—saying things like Steve liked you, that Steve always talked about you, that Steve had been planning to ask you out for weeks. You refused to believe it, thinking that Sam was making things seem like it was more than it was. No one had ever really liked you like that before, not in the way Sam was describing at least. It seemed like it was just a joke, so that’s how you treated it, laughing at Sam’s antics, denying that Steve could feel anything more than friendship for you. 

Maybe you were more starstruck than anything. A man like Steve Rogers could never love someone like you. 

(And oh, how right you were.)

But before you could be proved either right or wrong, Steve disappeared. The Avengers were confronted with signing the Sokovia Accords and have the government oversee the team or retire. Steve opposed the Accords and, after his childhood friend Bucky was accused of bombing a UN conference being held to ratify the Accords. After that, he went rogue. And...well, that was all you knew and were allowed to know. The exact details of it weren’t something you were privy to. 

You thought you’d never see him again. That’s what you expected. He was a wanted man, but he was also a smart man. He wouldn’t come back to talk to anyone from his life before. 

Steve, though, loved to surprise you, it seemed. Whether it be coffee and muffins or him sitting on your couch months after falling off the face of the Earth. 

“What the fuck?” you said, your eyes widening as you saw him on your couch. He was the same, but different. His hair was longer now, darker. He’d grown a beard. The way he carried himself was different now. Like he had more demons weighing him down. “You need to get out of here.”

“Y/N—”

“No, don’t. You need to go. I-I can’t have a criminal in my home,” you said. 

Steve rose to his feet, holding up his hands. “I just wanna talk. Please. There’s so much I didn’t get to tell you before—”

“—before you ran off and disappeared? Jesus, Steve, I thought we were at least close enough for you to tell me bye before you left. You know how I had to find out you’d left? The fucking police came knocking on my door, asking if I’d seen you or had heard from you. And I was so fucking confused, because they wouldn’t explain why they needed to know, and then Mr. Stark called, and he said that you, you—”

“Please, Y/N. I can explain everything.”

“I thought we were friends, Steve! And then you did, did that! Acted like I was nothing to you!”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Everyone has a choice.”

“It was Bucky. I needed to make sure he wasn’t killed, because I knew he hadn’t done what they were accusing him of. And it kept getting worse and worse until I hit the point of no return.”

“And yet you still found it in to call Sharon and ask her for help. Why did she get a call and not me?”

“She could help—”

“But how hard could it have been to let me know that you were running off? If Sharon was worth the risk, why wasn’t I?”

“What do you want me to say? I did it, okay? It’s done! I can’t change the past, Y/N. But I can tell you that I’m sorry for the way I did things. You deserved more than how I treated you.” Steve sighed, rubbing his face. “I’m sorry. I really am. Everything that happened...It was so fast. One minute I was at Peggy’s funeral, the next I was dropping my shield. Look, I would do things differently now. We were friends and...I liked you. I really did. I still do.”

God, you hated the way he could make you feel. Because you liked hearing that he liked you. You really, really did. It wasn’t often that someone liked you. Especially not someone like Steve. But, you couldn’t stop yourself from saying, “What does that have to do with anything?” You paused. “Actually, no. Ignore that.”

“No, I’m not going to ignore it.” Steve stepped closer to you. When you didn’t move away, he took another step. Then another. Then another, until he was standing so close your chests were touching. “I can’t ignore things anymore. I’ve lost so much because I couldn’t, I wouldn’t, do anything. I’m not going to make that mistake again. Life’s too short.”

You shook your head, looking away from him. “So, what would you propose? Assuming I even...liked you back, this couldn’t work. You’re on the run, Steve.”

“When you’re with the right person, you make it work. I think you’re the right person, Y/N. I wanna make this work. I will, if you’ll let me.”

And, god, you really, really wanted to. So, you asked, “Do you promise that you won’t just forget about me?”

“You’re unforgettable. I promise.”

“Then...then, let’s try,” you said. 

It worked, the relationship did, in its own way. You didn’t get to see Steve often. But you often got texts from him, all from different phone numbers every time. Sometimes you got to talk to him on the phone. Every so often, you would find a ticket to a plane that would take you to a small town, where Steve had booked an AirBNB for some cabin nestled in the woods just for the two of you. Those times were times that you treasured above all else. 

Sometimes, you still dreamed about waking up in his arms. How he’d already be awake, smiling at you. When he’d realize you were awake, he’d press kisses all around your face, before finally kissing you softly. “Good morning, honey bunny,” he’d always say. “I hope your dreams were as sweet as you are.”

On days like that, you got to pretend that you were a normal couple. Wake up together, make breakfast together. Talk about everything and nothing. His hopes, your dreams. Sometimes, you’d ask him about what kind of future he wanted. 

“Things would be normal,” Steve would say. “I wouldn’t be on the run. Bucky would be free. We’d have a nice house somewhere. Maybe a kid or two. I’d get to wake up every morning and know that you love me as much as I love you. I’d get to grow old with you. Live a happy life. Everything would be okay. No more fights, just you and me against the world.”

“That’s a nice dream,” you’d say. 

“One day, I’ll make it a reality.”

Steve also left your life exactly when you needed him to. At least, that’s what you tell yourself to feel better about it all. 

The Snap, the Blip, whatever you wanted to call it...It didn’t spare you. One second you were at your desk at the Avengers Compound. The next? The entire building was in ruins. A battle had raged mere yards away. Lives lost, all to save half the universe. 

Steve took you in his arms when he saw you were alive. He held you tightly, tighter than he ever had before. For five years he mourned you. For him, you had been gone. He didn’t know if he would ever see you again. But now that you were back...You weren’t sure. It seemed like something was wrong. 

And something was. Days later, at Mr. Stark’s funeral, Steve left to return the Infinity Stones to their rightful places. Apparently, in your absence, time travel was made possible. You wished it wasn’t. You wished it was something that remained a daydream, something you would only consider in hypotheticals. Because that was better than the reality.

Steve left, but he didn’t come back. Not in the same way. 

Sam talked to him first, then came over to you, saying that Steve wanted to talk to you. You didn’t want to go, but it seemed like your feet had a mind of their own. 

You sat on the other end of the bench that he was on, looking out at the water. You couldn’t look at him. It hurt to see him like that. To know that he lived out your future without you. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. 

“You say that like it means something.”

“It does,” he said. “Really, truly, from the bottom of my heart, I didn’t want it to be like this. But...”

“Why did you do it? I think you owe me that, instead of phony apologies.”

Steve looked at you. You still wouldn’t look at him. “I saw Peggy, and suddenly...I don’t know. I could picture everything we could have had together.”

“And that was better than the picture you had with me?”

“I thought you were gone.”

“But you were working to undo it all, weren’t you?”

“I had no idea if it would work. But, if it didn’t...I thought that maybe—”

You stood up, turning to walk away. “I can’t do this. I thought you were the one, Steve. But I was wrong. You weren’t mine. You were hers. Peggy was the only one you ever wanted. I just...I just regret that I didn’t realize it sooner. I’m sorry. I-I gotta go.”

“Y/N, please—”

“Don’t. I don’t want to hear it, Steve. Not anymore.”

You passed Bucky as you were walking away. You missed the way he looked at you, almost like he pitied you. Almost like he was more upset that Steve hurt you, instead of how Steve hurt him. He walked towards Steve as you walked away. 

He stood a few feet behind Steve, waiting for a moment. Then, he asked, “Why did you hurt her? You knew she was back, and you still left.”

Steve didn’t answer right away. “I knew she deserved better than me.”

“You’re right,” Bucky said. “But don’t you think you owed it to her? To at least tell her, like how you told me? She woke up five years in the future to her entire life in shambles, and the one rock she had decided to up and leave. I thought you loved her.”

“When you love someone, you let them go,” Steve said. 

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” Bucky shook his head. “Whatever. I used to think the world of you, Steve. Of everyone who’s let me down...I never expected you to do the same.”

Before Steve could say anything, Bucky was walking away. He found you just as you were about to get a ride. 

“Hey,” he said. 

You turned, trying to hide your teary eyes. “Hey.”

“We don’t know each other, not really. I’m Bucky,” he said. 

“Look, if Steve sent you—”

“He didn’t. I came on my own,” he said. “I just wanted to say, if you ever need anything, someone to talk to, literally anything, you can come to me. I know a thing or two about a life being turned upside down.”

You smiled, but it didn’t reach your eyes. “I appreciate it but...I can’t. Not after, you know.”

“The offer still stands.”

“Thank you, but...I don’t know. I need to ground myself, and I can’t do that with someone who was so close to him.” You looked away. “I lived too long with my head in the clouds. Now I gotta face reality.”

Your mother always told you that your head in the clouds, that you were always a million miles away from the real world. But now you were too old for that. That carefree life, it wasn’t yours anymore. Now, you had no choice but to face your every waking moment in the agony of reality.