#just makes me wanna grab people's sleeves and be like: look at the mythology! and the badass portrayal of ladies! and the dedication

[ravencromwell]

there were so many times, searching for a line, verse, or chorus, when I felt like I was “banging my head against a wall,” and I used to describe it like that.

....

The head-banging attitude was: the line was “wrong, wrong, wrong . . .” until it was “right.” As if the right thing was the only one that mattered.

But looking back on these old drafts and even the orphans, I see that writing is more like gardening. You’re raking around in the dirt, pulling up weeds. Flowers you love and find beautiful die on you. But not for nothing; they go back into the soil, and they nourish it. It’s the act of raking that prepares the ground, and it’s the seeds of those dead beautiful flowers that replant themselves in it and eventually come up right. The “right” thing could not exist without the “wrong” ones.

--Working On A Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown

[suckmysupernatural]

I Got You - Chapter 1

Word Count: ~1300

Pairing: Professor!Dean x Reader

Warnings: alcoholism, shitty boyfriend

Summary: Y/N is used to dealing with her drunk boyfriend, Brandon. That is, until returning to college after a five year sabbatical. Y/N decides to take a fun history class and she ends up meeting Dean, or rather Professor Dean. 

A/N: I am so stoked to share my first series!! Thank you to @emptycanvasposts for betaing every chapter. Tune in the next couple days, I’ll be posting all 9 chapters within the week. Happy Reading!

Series Masterlist

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

You couldn’t help but be nervous. It had been over five years since you stepped foot on a college campus. 24 doesn’t seem that old to restart your education, but everyone around you looked fresh-faced, and it made you feel old, tired. But, you weren’t going to let anything stop you this time around. You were going to get your degree, get a great job, just like you had always planned. 

You had survived two classes already that day, English Literature and Statistics, and now it was time for your history class. You were excited about this class, unlike the other three that you were taking. It wasn’t some basic U.S. History bullshit. Walking into the classroom, coffee in hand, you survey the room. 

There were about 25 chairs, desks arranged in a semicircle facing a whiteboard. There was a small table in front of it, clearly for the teacher. There were about 13 students already in seats when you walked in, choosing to sit at the edge of the table. You liked being up close; it helped you focus and not have the temptation to look at your phone. 

By the time class began, about 20 of the 25 seats were filled, and there was no sign of a teacher. A couple of minutes passed as people started to chat with others next to them. The door swung open and a man sauntered into the room. 

He must’ve been your age, maybe a few years older. He was incredibly handsome, with a strong jaw and emerald eyes. He wore dark jeans and a grey henley with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. A pair of square-framed glasses tucked into the collar of his shirt. In one hand he held a laptop and in the other a cup of coffee. At first, you figured he must be another student. That was, of course, until he set his things down on the front table and faced the class. 

“Evening, class. Welcome to Mythologies and Monsters. I am your professor, Dean Winchester. You all can call me Dean. I am way too young for anything else,” the class let out a small chuckle at his joke, “I trust that you have all looked over the syllabus, if not I suggest you do so before the next class. Today, we will just make introductions, say a little about ourselves. The class is a small one, and we are stuck together for 16 weeks. Might as well make some friends.”

Dean pointed at the person across the circle from you, letting them go first. Once it had gotten to your turn, you knew that you were the oldest in the room, the second being 19. It wasn’t upsetting, but something to make a note of. 

“Hi, I’m Y/N. I am 24, and this is my first semester back at college for five years. I am a Creative Writing Major, with a minor in History. I decided to take this course because I like writing science fiction, so learning about different mythologies can help my writing in the future. That’s about it,” you smile at the rest of the class. Dean nodded before finishing up.

“As I said before, I’m Dean. I am 27, an Aquarius. Um… what else… well, this is my favorite course to teach. I would rather talk about monsters and gods than the founding fathers. I am a pretty easy grader, so lucky you guys. Just show up, chat, get an A.” Dean coughed, standing from his seat on the table. “Well, that was fun. It’s the first day, so get outta here. I will see you all on Wednesday.” 

Before you could get up, you felt your phone buzz. 

Hey babe. Won’t be home for dinner, work stuff. Sorry.

You sighed; this was so typical of Brandon. At this point, you didn’t know if he was actually at work or out with his buddies. All you knew was that he stayed out late most nights, and you hadn’t gotten laid in five weeks. 

“You alright, Y/N?” a voice bringing your eyes away from the disappointing message. You looked up to see Dean. 

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. See you Wednesday,” you smile, grabbing your things. He simply nods, smiling back at you. Damn, that smile was intoxicating. You couldn’t think that way for many reasons. You were in a committed relationship, and he was your professor.  You quickly left, making your way to the student parking. 

Making dinner seemed pointless, as it was just you tonight, so you grabbed a burger and some fries. It always sucked, going home to an empty apartment. You and Brandon had lived together for about two years now, but most of the time, it was as if you were alone. 

You made your way up the stairs to the fourth floor where you lived. If you were going to have greasy fast food, you might as well forgo the elevator. You got to your apartment, opening the door to be met with darkness. Of course, he wouldn’t leave a light on. Not like you had asked him a million times already. 

You spent the evening on your couch, eating not only the take-out but also a pint of ice cream. Binge-watching your favorite show, you ended up passing out on the couch. 

It was around 2 AM when you woke up to knocking on your door. Shuffling your way over, you looked through the peephole to see Brandon. Opening the door, he stumbled his way in, reeking of tequila. 

“Ugh… seriously, Brandon?” you roll your eyes. This wasn’t the first time this had happened, but it annoyed you that he couldn’t even get the key in the door. 

“Oh, whatever… buzzkill,” Brandon slurred before making his way to the couch, passing out almost immediately. You rolled your eyes again. You always frustrated yourself on nights like tonight. Why were you with him? Why wouldn’t you just walk away? You were too afraid to admit the truth to yourself; you were afraid of being alone. 

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

Wednesday came quickly, and you once again found yourself walking to Myths and Monsters. You stopped at the coffee cart; exhaustion showed clearly under your eyes. You had spent most of the night before arguing with Brandon. He had come home wasted, yet again, this time trying to get you into bed. You had been so furious, saying that he needed alcohol to fuck you. The fight went on for hours. You got in line, trying to fight a yawn. 

 “Long night?” you turned around, seeing your professor had just gotten in line behind you. 

“Yeah, you could say that,” you replied with a small smile on your face. 

“I can’t do evening classes without a cup of coffee. I’ll start drifting off half-way through the lecture,” Dean chuckled at himself, “you the same?”

“Yeah, caffeine is my acceptable drug of choice,” you nodded, “Let me guess, you drink your coffee black?” 

“How’d you know?” Dean cocked his head. 

“You seem like the type, although I bet you sneak a frappe every once and a while,” you laugh.

“Shhhh… don’t tell anyone,” he winked, “what about you? Latte mochaccino-whatever?”

You let out a laugh. “No. Just two creams, three sugars.” He simply nodded, and before you knew it, he had moved in front of you. 

“Coffee black, and another with two creams and three sugars,” Dean said to the barista. Your eyes widened, not even realizing the line was down to you. Dean turned back to you, two steaming coffees in his hands.

“You sneaky son of a bitch,” you say in disbelief, taking the coffee Dean offered you.

“Well, I am a professor, we tend to be pretty smart,” Dean chuckled, taking a sip of his drink, “let’s go, don’t wanna be late.”

You both headed into the classroom, where you took your seat. Dean put his things on the table again, facing the class. 

“Evening people. Today we are gonna talk about the Aztecs…” 

[excuseme-howdareyou]

Day 7: Nightmares | Time Travel | Mythology AU

........

"Bruce?" 

Dick's voice was tiny and quiet and barely more than a whisper. Still, Bruce rolled over in his bed and blinked sleepily at the small boy standing in his doorway. His blanket was wrapped around his shoulders, making the short preteen appear even smaller buried underneath the mass of fabric, and the nervous look on his face made Bruce's throat feel tight. 

Sitting up, Bruce rubbed the sleep from his eyes and chanced a glance at the clock. 4:27AM. "What is it, chum?" he asked.

Dick pulled the blanket tighter around himself. "I can't sleep," he admitted quietly. 

Not entirely unexpected. The Manor was still new to him; it was a far cry from the circus and no doubt-

"I... I had a nightmare."

-and oh.

Bruce swung his feet over the edge of the bed and beckoned Dick to come closer with his arm spread out in gesture for a hug. The 12 year old needed no other initiative and launched himself across the room. He was almost a teenager, but Bruce was still able to easily pick the lad up and settle him into a tight embrace. Gangly elbows and knobby knees curled up and Dick was almost lost in the swatch of blanket, but Bruce held onto him -blanket and all- with as much tightness as he dared. 

It had been two months since the death of the Graysons, one since coming here to the Manor. He did not have to ask to know what the nightmare was about. 

One little hand squirmed out of the blankets to grasp tightly onto the sleeve of Bruce's nightshirt. He did not let go after that and Bruce did not try to stop him. 

After all, Dick needed to be able to hold onto him to make sure he didn't fall too.

...........

The first time Bruce caught Jason in the middle of the night, he was standing on the kitchen counter in his bare feet, trying to reach the container of cocoa sitting on the top shelf. He was also cursing up a storm under his breath. ("Who the hell puts stuff up this high? Stupid tall people.")

"Late night snack, Jaylad?" Bruce asked with a smile and leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb. 

Jason nearly fell off the counter in his surprise. "Bruce!" he whirled around, his hold on the cupboard door the only thing keeping him balanced in his haste," I was uhhh..." His eyes darted around the room nervously. Then his shoulders drooped in defeat. "Please don't tell Alfie I was standing on the counter."

Bruce couldn't help but grin. "It'll be our secret," he promised," Though I've learned it really is impossible to hide anything from Alfred. The man knows everything."

He and Jason had a running theory that Alfred could read their thoughts.

(It still hasn't been disproven, by the way.)

Recognizing that Jason still hadn't gotten his cocoa, Bruce walked forward and with his immense height easily reached up and grabbed the tin container. He handed it to a sheepish Jason, who jumped off the counter. 

"So," Bruce continued by getting two mugs out of the cupboard as well," Had a craving for hot chocolate?"

Jason had the container on the kitchen island and pried the lid off. "No, I uhh..." he frowned, even as he reached in and grabbed the measuring spoon inside," Couldn't sleep, ya know? Figured a hot drink might help."

The smile slid off Bruce's face. He knew what 'couldn't sleep' meant. 

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked. 

Jason looked like he was about to blurt out his thoughts, but then changed his mind as he dumped a spoonful of cocoa mix into each of the mugs. "Nothin' to talk about," he muttered sourly. 

Bruce knew from experience it was best not to press. 

Doesn't mean he wasn't going to stay in this kitchen for an hour, drinking hot chocolate with his son. And when Jason toddled off back to bed, he seemed... calmer, more at ease. And when he yawned, wide and tired and Bruce caught a glimpse of that chipped canine tooth, he couldn't help but tussle that head of messy hair. 

"Hey!" Jason protested.

"Goodnight, Jaylad," Bruce leaned down and pecked his lips on Jason's forehead," I'll be here in the morning when you wake up."

Judging by the smile on the boy's face, it was the right thing to say.

...............

Tim wouldn't tell Bruce when he had a nightmare. But he had certain tells that if someone looked, they could tell he was having a restless night. 

It took Bruce an embarrasingly long time before he noticed it. He wanted to blame it on the fact that Tim lived across the street at his own house and so Bruce didn't see him after patrol was over. But even from the front steps of the Manor, it would've been obvious to see. And so it was actually Selina who brought it to his attention, one of her 'visits' to the Manor to see if she could rouse Bruce into a game of manor-tag. (Only this time she marched straight up to him and whacked him over the face with a sofa pillow)

"Go look outside your front window, you dense idiot," she frowned at him, then left for the night. 

And that's how Bruce found out that Tim climbs up onto his roof whenever he can't sleep. How long he's been doing it, he doesn't really know and Tim wasn't telling. But Bruce could recognize that look in his eyes; the empty stare as Tim sat on the peak of his roof and gazed -almost longingly- at the driveway leading away from his house. 

He didn't make a sound when Bruce sat down next to him, just glanced up then went back to staring at the road. Bruce wondered what he saw there. Or if... he was daydreaming about something he wished he saw there. 

"Nightmare?" he asked. 

"No more than usual," came Tim's reply and wasn't that just a stab in Bruce's heart?

"Wanna talk about it?" 

Tim shook his head. 

"Okay."

A few minutes passed before Bruce noticed that Tim was starting to droop. Whatever nightmares plagued him, exhaustion was still catching up to him. Without a word, Bruce reached over and tugged the teenager over into his side with one arm wrapped around his shoulders. Surprised but not fighting it, Tim tilted his head until it rested on Bruce's shoulder and yawned. 

"Whenever you're ready, we'll head back to the Manor," Bruce told him. 

Tim blinked up at him in confusion. "Really?" he asked," But I thought I had to be here in case Ms. Nefzger came early tomorrow?"

Ms. Nefzger, the housekeeper that only shows up every three days. Bruce felt a sweep of guilt that that was the reason why Tim was staying in this large house by himself; to keep up the ruse. "If it happens, then I'll deal with it," he said instead," Tonight, Alfred's got the guest room ready for you, then tomorrow you can chose which room you want for your own."

The smile Tim gave him reminded him so much of another boy with dark hair and blue eyes. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, Tim. I really mean it."

..................

It was the small parade of animals down the hall that garnered his attention. 

First it was the damn turkey, leading the way with a ruffle of feathers. Then the click clack of Titus' claws on the hardwood floor, the sound preceeding the sight of his large head appearing. Through his open door way, Bruce then saw the shadow of his youngest son, right at Titus' side and holding Alfred the Cat in his arms, as the menagerie paraded past. 

Equal parts curious and concerned, Bruce rose from bed to follow after him. He supposed he was lucky that Batcow wasn't part of the proceedings. 

"Damian?"

Damian and his pets stopped. "Father?" Damian turned around, surprised to see Bruce standing right behind him. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, noting that his son was still in his pajamas and slippers," Is everything okay?"

Damian opened his mouth, hesitated as if he wasn't sure what he wanted to say. Then, with a scowl, he announced," Just doing a patrol of the house, Father."

It didn't take a genius to realize that probably wasn't what he was really doing. "Mmhmm," Bruce couldn't help but smile fondly at him, then guessed," Couldn't sleep?"

Somehow not expecting his bluff to be called, Damian froze at the implication that he'd been found out so soon. "I..." he blinked," Maybe?" He held unnaturally still, as if half expecting to be sent straight back to bed.

Bruce was enough of an old hat at this by now. "Yeah, me too sometimes," he reassured him. He reached out and laid one hand on his son's shoulder, wanting to give him a hug but not wanting to disturb the cat in his arms. "What can I do to help?" he asked. 

Damian stared at him in equal parts awe and confusion. "Umm," he fumbled for words," Well, sometimes... Richard would sit and watch Animal Planet with me?"

"You got it," Bruce smiled and gave his shoulder a squeeze before straightening up," Shall we get a snack first? How's hot chocolate sound?"

................

They were halfway through the 'Ice Worlds' episode of 'Planet Earth' when they were joined by a third person. "Rough night?" Jason whispered as he leaned over the back of the couch and saw Damian fast asleep snuggled between his father and Titus. Bruce had to tilt his head back to get a look at his second oldest and wondered when he'd come in. 

"He couldn't sleep," Bruce answered back just as quietly, not wanting to wake Damian," Everything alright? What are you doing still up?"

"I'm a grown man, Bruce, I don't need a bedtime," Jason scowled at him, but it didn't last long as Tim appeared at his side and lightly slapped him on the back of his head. 

"Stop getting so offended over everything," Tim scolded him, then turned to Bruce," He just finished his stakeout and came to harass me for my case notes."

Yeah, that sounded like Jason. 

Just then, Jason noticed the duo of cocoa mugs on the coffee table. "Hey, you had hot chocolate without me?" he pouted. 

Holding back a chuckle, Bruce told him," It's still in the same place as always, Jay." Then he couldn't help but grin," Need any help reaching it?"

The word Jason signed back at him would not be polite to repeat out loud. "Make me a cup too!" Tim whisper-shouted at his retreating back. 

"Ooh, I thought I heard David Attenborough," and all of a sudden there was Dick on the other end of the couch, munching on a granola bar he probably had stashed away in a pocket somewhere. (At this point, Bruce was over questioning where he came from)

"Just don't wake your brother," he whispered and got a pantomimed 'lips-locked' from his eldest. It was all in vain though, for as soon as Jason returned -with two cups of hot steaming cocoa- he shooed Titus off the couch so he could take his spot. The dog's movement woke Damian, who blinked sleepily at the troupe all around him. Finally, his eyes landed on Jason, who'd taken Titus' spot. 

"Todd," he grumbled, and the drawling way he spoke it told them he was only half awake. 

Jason smiled at him," Heya Baby Bat," then gestured at him with his open arm. A moment later, Damian leaned over in the opposite direction of Bruce and was soon fast asleep on Jason's shoulder. Bruce wanted to be jealous that Jason stole his cuddling time with Damian, but couldn't deny how adorable it was. 

(Dick thought the same thing, cooing at Jason and tried to hug his other arm, only to have Jason whisper-shout at him," Hey, don't spill my cocoa!")

A small form curled up on Bruce's other side and he looked down to see messy dark hair and sweet dark eyes. "Movie night?" Cass blinked up at him. 'Wasn't she at Barbara's tonight?' Bruce wondered, but gave up trying to guess. He was all too happy to wrap his arms around her shoulders (except where Tim was apparently using her as a pillow, cuddled up and sipping on his cocoa) and hold his only daughter tight. 

"Yeah, family movie night," Bruce whispered back. 

[deejadabbles]

Too Many Gems ( Atem x Reader x Yugi Soulmate AU)

Summary: The soulmate AU where everyone is born with gems on their wrists symbolizing themselves and their soulmates. So, what does it possibly mean, that you were born with two soulmate gems?

A.N. Yet another fic I posted on my AO3 awhile ago, but I’m making a second part to this and figured it’d be nice to share it here on tumblr. I know soulmate AUs aren't really in vogue anymore, but I've always liked them and this particular prompt inspired me a lot! Hope it appeals to at least someone else out there <3

***

Opinions on Soulmate Gems varied from culture to culture, and nowadays, due to the connectivity of the internet and social media, opinions even more often varied from person to person.

There was one side of the spectrum, where someone would dedicate their whole life to ‘reading’ Soulmate Gems. Those who said they could predict the personality of your future soulmate, what they looked like, even in some cases, when you’d meet them.

On the other side, you had those who thought it all ridiculous hogwash- superstitious quackery. They said the gems were a simple genetic marker, no more consequential to your lover or future than the color of your eyes or hair.

Then, still more -a majority it seemed- fell somewhere in the middle. Looking up theory blogs online on what the colors of your Gems could mean, but ultimately just sitting back and waiting for when their match crossed their paths.

It was that third reasoning, that laidback, uncommitted medium, that left you without answers on your predicament for years. The first two decades of your life was nothing but questions, judgments and unwanted attention.

“What’s wrong with your Gems?”

“Oh, wow. You have extra? That’s...uh...cool.”

“Gems on both arms, a symbol of great fortune, be thankful, my dear.”

Why were things different with your Soulmate Gems?

Your parent’s tried their best to give you a satisfactory answer, but they were one of those people who fell in the middle when it came to the superstition and belief in the strange jewels planted in the inside of one’s forearms. They only told you what most people would say about them: “The Gem on top, the one closest to your wrist, represented your soulmate. The one below it represented you. Their colors, shapes, cuts and shine quality were as unique as the qualities that make up a person’s face, and when you found someone who had matching gems only in reserved order on their arm, well, you just found your partner for life.”

The abnormality that came with you, was that you didn’t have gems solely on the left arm, where they were supposed to be. You didn’t even have the same gems on both arms. The two closest to your wrists were different, and under them both were the gems that were meant to represent you.

The one on the left, the only one you should have to symbolize your soulmate, was a gorgeous purple color somewhere between lilac petals and amethyst stone. Its shape was oval and the cuts to it had rounded edges, as if they had been buffered away to make its whole appearance more soft.

The one on your right arm was both a contrast and compliment to the first. Its color was a deep red that spoke of regality and strength, in the shape a triangle, though its cut made the shape more like a squat pyramid. Both had a brilliant shine quality, bright, with a glittering sparkle that you could stare at for hours.

You weren’t the only one who had two sets, it was not unheard of, but you still never got a straight answer as to what it meant! One side of the spectrum said it symbolized that you were one of the few who was gifted with the choice of two soulmates, destined for a romance worthy of Greek mythology. And still the other side said it was like a dog who had two different eye colors, a simple genetic mutation, nothing to worry about, move on.

The lack of answers was bad enough, but what really made your life…harder, was everything else that came with your extra Gems.

One’s first year of school was always awkward, but having something so visible that was so odd. Well…

“What’s wrong with your Gems?”

The first of the three girls crowding around your desk looked as though she was about to pull your right arm across the table for a better look. Still, you think you’d have preferred that over the strange sneers the other two were giving you.

“How are you supposed to find your Soulmate if you got that many?!”

Why was the second girl’s voice so…accusatory? As if it were a crime to have them on your other arm?

The third girl laughed. “She’s a freak if you ask me. Why would anyone want a soulmate who looks so weird?”

The other two laughed along with her, and you felt a swell of shame rise in your chest as you withdrew your arms from their sights and tucked them as close to your body as you could. You sniffled when you heard a couple other students sitting at the desks nearby join their laughter. No one felt the need to say anything to counter the remarks. Not even something as simple as: “At least your Gems are pretty!” Nothing.

High school was easier for a while, because by then you had filled your wardrobe with almost nothing but long sleeved shirts and jackets as far as tops were concerned. No one could mock you or ask invasive questions if they didn’t see what prompted them.

But then, there was Luka.

He was sweet. He smiled brightly when you two got paired for a class project. He was funny too, always cracking a joke between the studious moments. Not to mention he was cute, the way he blushed at your smile made you feel special.

He was sweet, and not everyone waited around for a Gem match, heck, not everyone even married a match.

“I know it may seem corny or stupid, but, you always wear jackets to school, so it’s got me really curious.”

A whole month of sweet, simple teenage dating passed before he asked.

“I just wanna see what your Gems look like, I bet they’re just as pretty as you.”

His smile and wink made you believe that for a minute, so, you caved.

“Oh, wow. You have extra? That’s...uh...cool.”

He was sweet, and you gave him plenty of credit for trying. Trying to pretend the almost startling mismatch in your Gem sets didn’t bother him, that he was okay with dating you despite the difference.

It didn’t last long before said mismatch started to feel like a barrier between you two, this impossible threshold that could never be crossed. He was sweet, but you could only handle his fake smile and awkward avoidances for a couple weeks.

Adulthood looked promising. You told yourself that as you matured, so would those around you. Besides, it’s not as if everyone isolated you, you had friends, good ones. Your extra Gems didn’t prohibit you from getting a job, or having a normal daily life. Those few negative instances cut you deep, but things could only get better with time, right?

Well, the thing that truly made you jaded in the whole ‘soulmate’ department came at age nineteen.

A warm summer day and a nice walk through town on your day off. You hadn’t expected to be stopped by an older lady, sitting in front of her apartment with a fan to cool herself. She looked familiar, though you couldn’t place her face.

“My dear, I sense such distress in you. Tell me, are you having troubles in regards to your soulmate?”

At first, you wanted to brush the woman off, why was she asking such strange things of a total stranger? Then her next words made you falter.

“I can give you answers. Answers that have eluded you your whole life, my dear. Give me a moment, and I’ll tell you all you need to know.”

Well, what was the harm in talking to a sweet old lady? She ushered you inside her home, the place obviously set up to receive guests often. Oh, she was one of those Gem Readers, someone who claimed that they knew the ‘language’ of the Soulmate Gems inside out. Well, you were opened minded enough to at least hear her out.

“Oh my my, I knew I sensed something different about you. Gems on both arms, a symbol of great fortune, be thankful, my dear.”

Her words sent excitement through you, maybe there was something to Gem Reading. But, the proverbial hammer fell quickly enough.

“Hm, it would take time to properly discern everything, you’d have to come back for several sessions, but, I can already tell that both of your soulmates are waiting for you.” She brushed wrinkled fingers over the shining specimens. “So very very special.”

You can’t believe you had almost handed over fifty dollars for the first ‘session’, before those last four words tripped something in your memory. The supermarket, not more than two weeks ago. It had been a particularly hot day, and you had rolled your sleeves up while shopping. Then an older lady came up to you and…

“You planned this?!” You didn’t mean to shout, but damn it you had almost fallen for her scheme. “You saw my Gems before today, and I walk down this street all the time, you didn’t sense anything from me, you were just trying to exploit my- my- abnormality!”

She stammered and faltered, making poor half excuse after poor half excuse. She was a bad liar, or at least, bad when she got caught in her lies. You stowed your cash back in your bag and when she made a grab for your arm as you turned to leave. You ended up toppling her trinket-laden table over before storming out with your fists white and teeth clenched.

That was the final nail. You had endured all the questions, all the judgment, all the unwanted attention for years, but, in a small way, you had always held hope that everything would be fine eventually. That you would find your answers, your soulmate, and it would all be worth it. That you could find your match and they’d be perfect for you, and you for them. You could be by each other’s sides and finally stick a middle finger up at the world because damn it, if one set of matching Gems meant you were soulmates, two sets meant that no one could question your match, right? Right?

You didn’t bother yourself with such things anymore. You moved on. Tired and disillusioned, that was all you felt you could do. Life was still fine. You had friends, wonderful friends who accepted you and your predicament without judgment. You had your career, and your day to day life was just fine. When a friend here or a coworker there met their matches, you were even happy for them. Things were just fine.

~***~

Long sleeves still being practically mandatory if you wanted any peace while out was a particular curse during the summer. You cursed the heat of the day as you walked the streets of Domino City. You were already itching to roll your sleeves up, the thin fabric not actually helping cool your body. “This won’t take long so just deal with it,” you told yourself. “Besides, I’m sure this game shop has air conditioning.”

You were currently not a resident of Domino, rather a visitor who was seriously thinking of taking a promotion at work that would move you here. One of your best friends from high school was attending a university here and was all too happy to talk the place up while you visited her. But today, she had asked a favor of you.

“Pretty please pick up his gift from the game store!” she had pleaded, referring to her boyfriend who was having a birthday soon. “I got called in for the late shift and don’t have time, besides, I think you’ll really like the store! It’s cute, and you can add it to one of the perks of moving here!”

So here you were, following the directions on your phone to this “Kame Game Shop” place. You nearly passed it completely if it hadn’t been for the little ding on your phone telling that you were here. It was indeed cute, small, but cute. A little classic bell even rung overhead when you opened the door, how sweet.

“Hello! Welcome to Kame Game, if you need anything just let me know!”

The chipper voice immediately drew your attention to the front counter. The young man behind it was greeting you the cutest smile as he opened up a display box of Duel Monster cards. Okay, not just his smile was cute, though you may just have to put him under handsome instead of simply adorable. Stylish too, his lilac colored long sleeved button-up and purple vest complimented his large, sweet eyes wonderfully.

Realizing that you hadn’t answered him yet, you cleared your throat. “Actually, I’m here to pick up something, a special order for Jen?”

“Oh, that’s right! She called me a bit ago and said her friend would be picking up the decks.” He walked over to the cash register and opened up a couple of drawers as you approached the counter. “Here ya go, three custom-built decks!”

He slid a box across the glass top over to you, and inside were three stacks of Duel Monster cards neatly placed. “She got him cards? And here I thought he owned cases and cases of these,” you mused with a giggle.

“Well, these are kind of special. She built them herself based on decks he’s always wanted and liked. We just had to order the individual cards for her.” The young man waited a beat, while you looked over the descriptions of the top cards, then asked, “Do you play?”

“No, not really. Always seemed interesting, but I never liked the idea of running into those jerk, elite gamer types.”

He let out a chuckle that made you blush a bit for some reason. “I can relate to that. It’s okay to be passionate about the game, but most don’t realize the best part is just having fun.”

“I wouldn’t mind playing if it was someone like you.” The words came out before you even knew you wanted to say them. You were glad you were still facing the cards, maybe the increasing redness of your face would go unnoticed.

Even just out of the corner of your eye, you saw him perk up. “Really? Well, I have some decks laying around, and today’s been pretty slow business-wise, if you’d like to play.” When a second passed and you didn’t answer or look up, he quickly added, “Only if you want to, of course, you don’t have to.”

“Actually,” you straightened up and looked at him with a smile of your own, “I’d like that.”

At that, he was smiling again. Okay, you would definitely have to put him in the handsome category, especially with the way his eyes seemed to sparkle. He held his hand out to you, “I’m Yugi, by the way.”

As it turns out, Yugi was not only a wonderful opponent but a wonderful teacher as well. There was still some aspects of the game you were fuzzy on, and he answered all your questions with delight, that smile of his never wavering. He was good at the game too, and beat you easily each time, but it never made you feel discouraged or…well, beaten at all really. Though it was bringing out a more playful competitive side to you.

“Alright, Yugi, it’s on now! I’ve gotten the hang of my strategy so I’m totally taking you down this time!” To accentuate your claim you even rolled up your sleeves, clapping your hands together in excitement.

He chuckled, “Oh yeah? Well, don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a beginner! I want both of us…to…” His voice trailed off as his eyes landed on your forearms. Your now exposed forearms.

You sighed inwardly, he didn’t have to make his staring that obvious. His lips were slightly parted in shock, eyes wide in surprise. Well, better address it head-on.

“Weird right? The percentage of people with multiples Soulmate Gems is pretty low, but, here I am.” You waved your arms in what you’d hope would be a cute motion, but it only seemed awkward in the silence. You opened your mouth to say something else, but suddenly, Yugi seemed to regain himself.

“Oh! Oh man, I’m sorry for staring but I just- Well I mean-” he let out a shaky breath “I can’t believe it!”

“Hey, it’s not that weird,” your tone was lightly scolding, honestly you were about two minutes away from leaving.

“No- no! That’s not what I meant!” He put his hands up, looking a bit panicked at your defensiveness. “It’s just that you’re-!” Apparently at a loss and looking more ecstatic by the moment, he forgot words entirely and settled for action.

That action, was to roll up the sleeves of his button-up with hasty, shaking hands- and reveal his Gems to you. His multiple Gems.

“We’ve finally found you!” Yugi sounded near tears with how happy he was, but your attention was too focused on both of his arms.

On his left wrist, was a triangular shaped Gem of a rich red. Below it, the one that represented Yugi was a rounded, soft looking purple Gem. Those, and the one on his right wrist, the one that matched your personal Gem perfectly, were all jewels you knew too well.

You were too stunned to do, well, much of anything, besides cover your mouth with your hand. Yugi took your state into consideration, because he let you take it all in, to hang in the shock for a moment, but not too long. He covered the hand that was still on the counter with his own, a joyful tear actually escaping his eye.

“We’ve been waiting for so long, I can’t believe you’re finally here.”

“W- We?” you managed to choke out.

His eyes widened again, as if remembering something, “Right, there’s someone I want you to meet. Someone you need to meet.” He bit his lip as he looked over at the wall clock. “Do you mind waiting here?”

Not for the first time since meeting Yugi you found words pouring from your mouth before you even knew to say them. “Of course.”

Apparently the shop doubled as a home, because Yugi quickly ushered you to an unmistakably residential part of the building. As you sat down on the couch he seemed a bit scatterbrained, looking about the room and casting glances back to the store.

“Uh, I still have to watch the shop, can you wait here for a bit?”

“Oh, uh, yeah that’s fine.”

Yugi’s smile was back in place and he reached down to give your hands a gentle squeeze, his eyes raking over your Gems again as he said, “I know you probably have a lot of question, but I promise we’ll talk soon, we just need someone else here too.”

For a moment he looked as though he wanted to do something else before parting, maybe he wanted to hug you or give you a kiss on the cheek. But if he did he must have decided the act was too fast too soon, because he did part without any of that, leaving you alone in his living room.

You let out a shaky breath in his absence, still trying to wrap your mind around all of this. Yugi was your soulmate. Or at least, that was the only thing you could assume given your matching sets. But, what of the red pyramid Gem? You had heard from several soulmate theorists that it meant you had the pick of two soulmates, while still others said it was just an aberration that meant when you found your match, it was undoubtedly your match because you had more than two Gems to compare.

As you sat in the quiet, alone in your thoughts, your fingers curled into fists on top of your lap. A moment later you found yourself hastily pulling your sleeves back down to your wrists, finding comfort in the cover. Things were still so uncertain. Yugi however, Yugi seemed to have answers. Maybe this other person he wanted you to meet was some expert on soulmates and gave him answers long ago. In spite of that, you felt oddly...panicked. You had spent so long with so many people who imposed their opinions on you, both positive and negative. Hadn’t you been content with the idea of never meeting your match? Of resigning yourself to never getting a definite answer? Yes? No? Maybe?!

You rose to your feet, you needed air, you needed to clear your mind. There was a back door between the living room and kitchen. You’d just step out for a minute, Yugi wouldn’t mind, you’d come back soon, you just need to-

The door you had just grabbed the handle of opened from the other side and the wood smacked you hard on the forehead. You didn’t fall to the ground, thankfully, but you did stumble back, rubbing your head and hissing in pain.

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?”

The voice that called out to you was deep, almost innately husky even when just apologizing. You looked up, and your breath, as well as words, seemed to catch in your throat.

The man before you placed a hand on your shoulder, looking concerned as his eyes looked over your face for signs of injury. He was tan, with eyes and hair that looked similar to Yugi’s, though there were hints of red in both. He was wearing a simple light tan tee-shirt, with several necklaces to style it up. One pendant was an eye symbol of some sort, another bearing hieroglyphs and the third being an ankh. Was he Egyptian? Well, he obviously liked jewelry, because to compliment his necklaces he was wearing gold metal bands that covered almost all of both his forearms.

Yugi, you had first thought cute, then handsome a moment later. This man was the opposite. The word handsome hit one in the face like a hammer when laying eyes on him. From the serious shape of his ruby eyes to the more sharp features of his face. But then, when looking closer, some things spoke of a gentler nature, things that said his smile and laugh made him look sweet and soft for a moment.

Oh, you had been staring. Staring way too long because he was now looking at you with a confused kind of concern. “Yeah, I’m fine, you just startled me is all.”

The corner of his lip lifted into something between a smile and a smirk. “Sorry about that. Are you a friend of Yugi’s?” he asked as he shut the door behind him and made for the kitchen counter to set down the takeout bags he was carrying.

“Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that. He’s still watching the store and apparently there’s someone he wants me to meet.”

The man looked a bit confused for a moment but seemed to brush it off quickly.  He turned to face you fully again, leaning back against the kitchen counter. “Well, allow me to introduce myself, I’m Atem.” He held his hand out for you to shake.

You did and offered your own name in return. “So do you live here with Yugi or something?” you asked, indicating the food he had brought.

“Well, Yugi and I do live together, but we have our own apartment. Right now we’re simply watching over the house and store while his Grandfather is away.”

With a quiet ‘oh’ as your only response silence was sure to settle between you two. For some reason you didn’t want that to happen, you wanted to know more about him, just as you did Yugi. Before you could think of anything, and thankfully before silence settled, Atem spoke.

“So, did Yugi say who he wanted to introduce you too?”

“No, he was actually pretty vague, but I assume it’s someone who knows something about Soulmate Gems.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Really, Soulmate Gems you say?”

“Well, I think so. While we were talking we discovered that we have the same…abnormality?” Since your words were even unsure to yourself, to make him understand you pulled your sleeves back. “See? We both have too many Gems.”

Later, much much later, you would think yourself quite stupid for not having made the connection sooner, but, realization dawned on you when he looked down at your arms- and had the same reaction as Yugi. His eyes went wide, his lips slightly parted, unable to speak or take his eyes off you.

Silence did fall then, and your mind finally started to connect the dots as the door to the game shop opened again.

“Atem, there you are! Did you leave your phone here again? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you!”

Yugi paused his advanced into the room when he saw you and Atem standing not far apart, with your Gems bared to him. He gave an awkward but pleased laugh as he stepped beside Atem and met your eyes.

“This is who I wanted you to meet. He…well…” Yugi looked to Atem for help in explaining and, much like Yugi had, Atem chose action over words.

The man turned towards the counter and started removing his wristbands. He paused for only a moment before facing you again. The red triangle whose cut looked so much like a pyramid was present on both his arms, and above them, on his wrists, were the Gems of you and Yugi.

Although your mind had been connecting everything even before that, the visual, physical evidence still sent waves of…something through your core. Shock? Relief? Hope? Happiness? Maybe it was all that in one, but whether it was all that or more it made your knees buckle as a sob broke through. Later you might feel stupid, who fell to the ground in tears when meeting their soulmates? Plural. You had two soulmates, and they were each other’s as well. Why hadn’t that been the obvious answer?

Yugi and Atem called out your name as they joined you on the floor, Yugi taking your hand, Atem placing his on your arms, both looking beyond concerned. At least Yugi looked close to tears as well, Atem’s hands also shook, maybe they felt this as much as you.

“I- I’m sorry, I just-” a sniffle broke your words as you tried to regain yourself, “I just spent so long not knowing. I was told I was a freak, that I was special, and everything in between. I- I just, I’m just so…so…”

You didn’t need to finish. Both of them pulled you in, wrapping their arms around you in the most wonderful hug you could have ever imagined. Atem was running fingers through your hair, saying that it was okay, that you didn’t need to explain it to them. Yugi’s hands rubbed soothing circles up and down your back, murmuring agreements, assuring that you didn’t have to apologize for being overwhelmed.

“We’re together now, everything’s going to be okay now.”

Kneeling there with them, words from some time ago, from an opportunistic old woman came floating back. “I can already tell that both of your soulmates are waiting for you.” Who knew part of her scheme had been right? You might owe her an apology.

Time passed but it didn’t matter, tears and shaking had settled by the time all of you were finally ready to break from the hug. Yugi gave a watery smile as he brushed his fingers over your cheek. Atem was practically beaming as he cupped your hand in his and moved to stand, pulling you with him.

“We have a lot of catching up to do,” Yugi said as he rose as well.

“It’s a good thing I bought extra takeout,” Atem chuckled as they led you to the kitchen table. “Shall we consider this our first date together?”

You couldn’t help but laugh, a warm, happy, hopeful laugh. “I’d really really like that.”

[thorne93]

Unforeseen Chasm (Part 2)

Prompt: Two sisters fall for men that are absolute enemies. The love they have could tear all of them apart, or it could bring them together.

Word Count: 3284

Warnings: Language,

Note: This is by far the longest thing I’ve ever written (including my novels). It’s a collaboration with the amazing @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo. It started as a funny “What if…?” and it evolved and got huge. This took two years to write. We are both proud and happy and we hope you enjoy it. It follows from Thor 1 to Endgame in the MCU. Some of the timelines may be off in order to fit certain people, and some characters may show up earlier or in different ways than they have in the movie. But for the most part, it follows the MCU. It also has a bit of crossover with some other Marvel characters throughout the story.

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

Once you dropped the man known a Thor off at the hospital, you all returned to your research trying to figure out just what the hell that was last night. What was the light? What was that funnel? What kind of tornado appears like that out of nowhere? 

“Jane,” you said, looking at the pictures, “does something seem off to you here?” you asked, holding a photo up. 

“Yeah… Where’s Ursa Minor?” she asked.

“My thoughts exactly. We better show Selvig.”

And so you did. You showed him all the oddities from last night, when Darcy noticed that Thor was actually inside the weird event. A few photos were taken and a silhouette of a man was inside of the cloud, that man had to be Thor, and he would have all the answers you needed. 

The four of you went back to the hospital, only to find that he'd broken out of his restraints. Feeling defeated, you went back to the car, where Jane hit him again with her car. He had come out of nowhere and she backed into him. 

“Jane, are you just determined to kill our only evidence?” you asked in a slightly irritated tone as you got out of the car.

“I’m not doing this on purpose!” she snapped back. 

You knelt beside him and examined him. “Are you okay?” you asked softly. 

He looked up at you and gave a slight frown. “Yes, I’m quite alright.”

“Good,” you kindly said. “Would you mind coming with us? We… want to talk to you,” you said, glancing to Jane who nodded, affirming your request. 

“As you wish.” 

With that, you and Erik helped him up, got him in the camper, and got him back to the lab.

All of you introduced yourselves while Jane got him some clothes he could wear instead of the hospital gown he was in. He went to change and you stared at him, not because he was muscular and attractive. You stared at him because of that familiar feeling you got when you were around him, and for some strange reason, you felt… better when you were near him. You felt energized, stronger, like you could take on the world. 

And although he seemed… not quite right, something was just too coincidental that his name was Thor and he knew of a Bifrost. Unless he was just entirely loony, and decided to take on that persona, he looked the part of Thor, and knew at least a few key things about a world in which it looked like he belonged. 

“This mortal form has grown weak. I need sustenance,” he suddenly said and you jumped up. 

“I could make you some food,” you offered. 

“What? No. He can eat some PopTarts,” Jane countered. “We need you to tell us what happened last night,” she instructed as Thor walked towards the kitchen. 

“Jane, please. Give him a few minutes. You’ve run him over twice and clearly he’s still a little dazed,” you pleaded.

“Fine, but I want answers,” she informed firmly before sitting down with the other two at the breakfast table. 

You walked over to the cabinet and pulled down some pop tarts and handed them to him. “Sorry about her, she can get a little… passionate when it comes to her work,” you said quietly as your eyes drifted to her. 

“What is this?” he asked, taking the box.

“Oh,” you said, laughing. “These are pop tarts. A breakfast food. Do they not have them where you’re from?” you asked, noting his accent. 

“No,” he informed.

“Ah, well all you do is--” you popped open the box, pulled out a silver package, ripped it open, and handed him a piece “--open the box, open the sleeve, and eat.”

He looked at it for a moment before shoving nearly the whole thing in his mouth. “I like this. This is good. More!” With that, he yanked the box from you, making you laugh. 

“Have them all if you want.”

After he downed the entire box, he informed you all he was still hungry so you went to a diner down the street. The entire time you sat there, all you could try and think of was where you’d seen him before, other than in the mythology books -- which, that couldn’t be real. Thor seemed to be intrigued by you too because he seemed to steal a couple of curious glances your way as well. 

As soon as Thor seemed to finally be full, he heard about the “satellite” wreckage that landed fifty miles west of town. Once he heard of it, he seemed hellbent on getting it. 

“It’s not what they say it is,” Thor insisted. 

“Well what is it?” you inquired.

“It’s Mjolnir, and it belongs to me. If you take me there right now, I will tell you all the answers you seek,” he promised and your heart swelled. 

“Jane!” you said, turning to her in joy. “Let’s go!”

“Can I have a word with you two?” Erik requested and you glanced back to Thor before walking a few feet away. “Please don’t do this.”

“Do what? Take him to see some wreckage? He’s promising us answers, Erik,” you stated, pleading. You couldn’t explain it, but Thor seemed sincere and kind, and all you wanted to do was help him. You didn’t get any sort of odd feelings from him.

“Do you hear yourself? Do you hear him? Thor? Bifrost? Mjolnir? It’s all stories, all tales I was told as a child. That’s all they are, are tales. He’s delusional and he’s dangerous.”

“We’re just giving him a lift to a crater site,” you insisted.

“Jane,” Selvig started, turning to her, trying to reason with her. “Please. Don’t. I don’t like the idea of this.”

Jane gave him a torn look before glancing at you with apology in her face. 

“Jane, no...No! Come on!” you pleaded but she just gave you a sympathetic look before telling Thor she couldn’t take him. 

“Then this is where we say goodbye,” he said before bowing, saying goodbye to you all and kissing Jane’s hand. His eyes lingered on you for a moment when he told you goodbye, but then started to walk off, but something about him retreating made you feel… sad, almost... homesick.

Just as you all began walking away, a truck with Jane’s equipment stopped right in front of you all. 

“Uh, Jane--”

“What?! Hey! That’s mine!” she shouted before the two of you took off running towards the lab. “What the hell is going on here?” Jane demanded as you stood beside her.

“Ms. Foster, I’m Agent Coulson, with SHIELD,” a man in a black suit stated and you recognized him. You’d seen him once before… hanging around Stark’s tower. 

“Is that supposed to mean something to me? You can’t do this!” Jane shouted as she tried desperately to grab at the things that were being taken.”

“Jane. Jane. This is a lot more serious than you realize. Let it go,” Selvig advised in a cautious voice, making your eyes scan the man and the other men in suits working diligently to clear all the work from the last several weeks. 

How could they do this? How could some company or government program just waltz into a private scientific lab and seize any data they see fit? Which reminded you… there was a recorder in your pocket from last night, a recorder in which you used all the time to take notes out loud to transcribe later for Jane. You thought better when you spoke. You subtly felt it to make sure it was still there, then rested your hand inside your jeans to keep it secure in your hand. 

“Let it go? Let it go? This is my life!”

“We’re here investigating a security threat. We need to appropriate your records and all your atmospheric data,” Coulson informed.

“By ‘appropriate’ do you mean ‘steal’?” Jane asked as she followed the men to a van where they were loading the last bit of your things. 

“How can you do this?” you asked in an oddly calm voice, sadness tinging every word as you looked at the man in the suit. 

“Here. This should more than compensate you for your trouble,” he tried, handing Jane a check. 

“I can’t just buy replacements at RadioShack! I made most of this equipment myself!”

“Then I’m sure you can do it again.”

“And I’m sure I can sue you for violating my constitutional rights!” Jane yelled. 

“I’m sorry, Ms. Foster, but we’re the good guys.”

“So are we! I’m on the verge of understanding something extraordinary. And everything I know about this phenomenon is either in this lab or in this book and you can’t just take this with--”

At that, another man in a suit grabbed Jane’s prized journal and tossed it in the van and closed the doors.

“Hey!” she said and you held her back. 

“Jane,” you tried. 

“Thank you for your cooperation,” he said before disappearing around the side of the van, making you feel hollow. Weeks of research. Weeks of work. Hours upon hours of math -- gone. How could the world be so cruel? At this point you weren’t sure what to do. The ethical thing would be to stay with Jane and help her rebuild her research, but you needed funding. Maybe some labs back in NYC would have an opening. Maybe Tony would take pity on you and -- 

Your phone began ringing and you stepped away to answer it. 

“Hey, Shannon, could we talk later? I’m kind of in the middle of something…”

“Yeah, so am I,” she said with a knowing tone. “It’s called being in your city, well, town. You can’t call this a city.”

Your eyes lit up and some form of warmth refilled your body. Between saying goodbye to the strange Thor and losing your work, you needed something like this. You looked out of the wide windows of the lab into the streets of the town, expecting to see Shannon just standing there.

“You are? Where?” 

“I’m on my way back into town, actually,” she corrected. “Wanna get some coffee?”

“Of course,” you said. “Meet me at Izzy’s Diner.”

You grabbed your purse and told the three researchers you’d be back. You left the lab like your heels were on fire and skated into the diner. You ordered a coffee and a plate of toast. About ten minutes later, Shannon emerged and a giant grin grew on your face. Within an instant you jumped up and wrapped her in a tight embrace, really needing your best friend. 

“So what the hell are you doing here?’ you asked quickly, and excitedly, with a dash of strong curiosity. 

“Did you hear about that satellite crash? About fifty miles west?” she asked, leaning forward on her arms.

“Yeah, kinda,” you said. 

“It’s not a satellite. But anyway, Tony wanted me to investigate. Grab some readings off of it, so we can study it. I got there early this morning got my data, and then the SHIELD goons showed up, so I hightailed it. I pretended I was a tourist. Tony gave me this nifty watch that lets you read from a distance of 100 feet." She went to show you the tool but you shook your head and lowered her hand.

"That's great, but...SHIELD showed up and took all of our data."

"All of it?" she asked, shocked.

"Every bit. Just now. We saw them load it and haul it away," you noted, the sorrow in your voice not hidden as your eyes dropped to your plate.

Shannon sank back in her chair. "That's a bummer. I was going to ask you if you had anything I could bring Tony. I knew you were working in that area. I was hoping you had swiped some info."

"I've got something small but... not here," you said, glancing around.

"Right." She nodded.

"So how is Tony?" you wondered, wanting to get your mind off the bad events.

"He's... you know... Tony," she said with a laugh, that made you want to return the laugh.

"So he's still a stubborn, egotistical, asshole, genius?" you inquired.

"Bingo."

"And has that asshole-genius asked you out yet?" you asked with a quirk of your eyebrow.

"What? No," she responded, blushing, covering part of her face with her hand as if Tony were in the room now and could hear. "We aren't like that, okay? He doesn't like me like that."

You let out a loud, short laugh. "Oh my god, Shannon. You can bullshit Stark all you want, but me? No. You know damned well that I know how you feel about him."

"Yeah, well that doesn't change the fact that he doesn't like me," she quipped in a whisper.

"It does, because I know he does."

"Oh, and where is your proof?" she asked with a playful mocking face. "Hmm? Please, paint me a picture of how Tony Stark wants to be with his lab assistant."

"The way he looks at you," you said point blank, your tone making it clear it was obvious to everyone. "The fact that he made you lead lab director."

"That's qualifications, Y/N."

"He could've put you on bigger projects. Projects that don't take place inside Stark Tower? Projects that are all over the globe? but what does he do? He sticks you in the same floor, the same main room he works in."

"We are not discussing this," she said firmly, her cheeks getting redder.

"Why not?! He's into you! You should just ask him!"

"I'm not going to ask my boss if he's harboring feelings for me!" she whisper-shouted.

You rolled your eyes and crossed your arms.

"Well if you won't be reasonable, then maybe you'll listen to something crazy."

You launched into how you met Thor and everything he was saying, and you how believed he was telling the truth.

"Wait, let me get this straight. Jane runs over a guy with the research van, and you think he's some Norse God reborn?"

You shook your head. "No, I think he is the Thor. I think he is very old and very powerful."

"What makes you think that? He probably read the same books you did in college but he took them a little too far," she noted.

"No, I'm telling you, Shannon. He talks about this like it's his home. He talks so comfortably about it as if I were to say 'Hand me your phone' or 'Get in the car.'"

"Okay so he's been crazy a long time. Since when do you defy logic and reason?" she challenged, wondering why you were believing a man who was probably insane.

To be honest, you knew how it sounded. You'd been dwelling on it all day since he said his name was Thor last night. But there were too many coincidences for this not to be something weird.

"Since Newton was called crazy, since Einstein was ridiculed, since Copernicus was railroaded."

Shannon started to roll her eyes but you pressed on.

"Come on, you have to admit, it's pretty weird that the night he shows up in the middle of the desert, some weird 'thing' crashed nearby. You saw it, did it look like a hammer?"

She seemed to stall, which meant you were right.

"Well... yeah, but that doesn't mean--"

"Aha! See? I'm telling you... This is the real deal."

"I think you studied that crap too much that you forgot what's real and not real," she muttered.

"Shannon, science is always telling us to broaden our minds, our thinking, our understanding. We've all agreed that it would be wildly arrogant to assume we're alone in the cosmos, why is this any different?"

“Because it’s insane,” she stressed. “You’re talking about magic and realms and teleportation devices.”

“Yes, but thirty years ago nearly all of Tony's inventions would've been called impossible. And now look where he is! Look where science has brought us.”

“Okay, and what if what you’re saying is true? What are you going to do?” she pressed. “You gonna tell everyone? You gonna ask him to take you back with him?"

A small sparkle twinkled in your eye before Shannon began going, "No. Oh no. I know that look. No! Are you mad?"

"Possibly," you said, tilting your head to the side. "But what do I have to lose? I just lost all of my most recent work, he didn't threaten me. The least I can do is ask!"

"Y/N! Y/N!" she shouted as you got up from the table, throwing some cash down and making your way outside. "This is crazy. You don't even know where to find him!"

"Can't be hard in a population of five," you muttered, looking around for him on the street. "I need a car. Dammit. Give me your car," you instructed. "We'll take him.”

“I’m not so sure I want some homeless crazy dude in my car,” she stated as the two of you walked down mainstreet. 

“Please? We’re just taking him to that hammer. He said earlier he would tell us information. This way we both get what we want. I can see if he’s telling the truth and you get more data for your boy toy.” You flashed a cheeky grin and began walking again.

“He is not my b-- Ugh! Fine. Only because I love you and I want to prove to you that Norse Mythology is just that -- myth. Something made up for children or for primitive beings with primitive gods.”

“I don’t care what your reasons are so long as you take us,” you said with a smile. Just as you said that, you found Thor inside a pet store. It seemed easy to find him, almost like… Almost like he was a beacon to you. Without even seeing him, you were drawn to him. 

You texted Jane and told her where you were going and she said she wanted to take you all, to come along. So, instead of taking the fancy ass car Tony bought Shannon, you took the broken down camper. Jane and Thor sat up front, chatting a bit while you and Shannon caught up some more. You introduced the two of them and set off. 

Eventually, talk turned to Thor and his life. 

“You’re brave to do this, you all are,” he noted.

“I’m just trying to find answers,” you stated honestly. 

“Yes, it seems we all are. But you three maidens seem to be rather clever in this realm. Much like my friends back home,” he said with a fond smile. 

“Maidens? Realm?” Jane asked, her voice saturated with amusement and confusion.

“You think me strange?” 

“Yeah, I do.”

“Good strange or bad strange?”

“I’m not quite sure yet… I’m sorry but, who are you? Really?” Jane pressed. 

“You’ll see soon enough.”

“You promised us answers,” she reminded.

“What you seek, it’s a bridge,” he started. 

“Like an Einstein Rosen bridge?” she asked, excitement in her voice, meanwhile you began to tingle all over. 

“More like a rainbow bridge.”

“A rainbow bridge… like… Like in Asgard?” you questioned.

Thor turned around to try to face you better from his position in the passenger seat. “Yes, exactly. I thought Midgardians didn’t know anything about us.”

“I… I studied your… culture.”

“She means,” Shannon started, “that she studied mythology that happens to sound like where you came from but I’m sure it’s just a coincidence,” she said with a pointed look. 

You gave her a look back, before the four of you settled in for the rest of the drive. 

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

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[twodaysintojune]

Rahab

Supernatural, Debriel, Warnings-Fluff

Created for Round 4 of the @debrielcc Debriel Creations Challenge Prompt: Mythology, Theme: Chaos and Order

One Shots Masterlist, Long Stories Masterlist

Find me at AO3

Dean groaned after he almost missed the steps into the kitchen, he went forward to the cupboard to get a sippy cup and fill it with lukewarm tea. Hopefully Sam and Cas would be back soon with the medicine now that their hunt was over, it had been two days already and he was unable to leave the bunker just like that.

“How’s the runt doing?”

Dean glared at Gabriel who was drinking a milkshake while browsing mindlessly his phone. He didn’t have to say a thing for the archangel to catch his train of thought.

“I’m sorry Dean-o, we’ve talked about this, natural defenses. She has to get over it by herself. Besides it’s just the flu.”

Gabriel also wanted to say something about the fact that Dean had forbidden him from getting anywhere near his child last time they had met but he didn’t want to start a discussion again.

“Well you could still help a little, seeing that you don’t need sleep like I do!”

Gabriel looked at Dean surprised and stood, moving towards Dean he grabbed the sippy cup from his hand and began his way towards the bedroom. There was no way he was going to let this chance slip away. Walls that once had held armory and lore books now covered in stars and plushies and coloring books. A currently empty toddler crib resting aside Dean’s bed. He knocked softly to interrupt the toddler’s half dozed attention over the tv. Immediately the child slightly improved her position in the middle of the oversized bed over the pillows and motioned her arms towards the archangel with a shine in her eyes that had not been there before.

“Gabriel!”

“Hey there Marie! How’s my favorite Winchester doing?”

The girl giggled when the archangel threw himself at her and blew a raspberry on her cheek and playfully pushed him aside. Despite being upset at Gabriel, Dean smirked at the display of affection.

“I’m sick.”

Gabriel magicked a couple of pillows and moved into the bed with her. He passed another pillow to Dean who literally dumped himself over it, laying down and most likely falling asleep almost immediately at the other side of the bed.

“I know, your dad told me. How are you feeling?”

“I hate being sick!”

“Really?”

“I’m hot but I can’t take out the sheet. Dad told me it was bad. And I want Bunny but it’s too hot!”

“So that’s why Bunny is at your bed?”

The girl nodded seriously while Gabriel helped her straight up to drink her tea.

“What are you looking at?”

The girl shrugged. She was starting to get upset once more, now that the novelty of Gabriel visiting was gone and her body was reminding her of the awful uncomfortability of general sickness.

“You don’t like that show?”

“I wanna sleep but I can’t.”

Oh, so that’s why Dean had been in such a bad mood. Gabriel turned off the tv and lowered the light.

“How about I tell you a story?”

“Is it a princess story? I know all princess stories. I want another kind of story.”

“Oh? Well then how about a Sea Monster story?”

The toddler’s eyes sparkled.

“Are Sea Monsters Real?”

“They are in this story. You want to hear it?”

Marie thought for a second and then nodded at Gabriel. The archangel beamed at her and moved her carefully to lay over his chest.

“Long, long ago, there were huge monsters lurking in the sea...”

“What is lurking?”

“Lurking is like when you try to jump scare your dad in the middle of the night.” The child giggled. “So, these monsters were not really good or bad but they were big, way too big to be able to live with humans and so to keep the order of the world, it was commanded that they lived in the depths of the ocean.”

Gabriel moved his hand away from Marie’s line of sight for a moment and produced a plushie sea snake, similar to the Chinese traditional image of a dragon, he began to move it in a swimming fashion towards her. Marie squealed in delight watching the plush in front of her.

“One of them, unhappy with having to stay in the depths of the ocean tried to get away from the law that kept it down there and summoned a terrible being of Chaos to help it, a Leviathan. And the Leviathan told the monster: ‘If you let me in your body, I’ll take you to the world of the humans.’ And the monster said yes and the Leviathan went in but it was a terrible mistake.”

“Why?”

“Because Leviathans are evil. They like to eat and destroy everything and respect nothing. And this Leviathan was no different. Once it was inside the monster, the Leviathan took over its body and raised to the upper levels of the sea.”

Magically, the plushie snake turned so dark in the dimmed light of the room that you could only see it’s white teeth in the middle of its head. Marie gasped in horror.

“The Leviathan ate everything it found on it’s path and when there was no fish dumb enough to get close to it, the Leviathan moved to the shore and found a city filled with humans and began to destroy their ships and eat the people in it!” Gabriel made the plushie ‘eat’ some of Marie’s toys scattered over the bed “And when the ships were not enough, the Leviathan tried to destroy the city itself!”

Gabriel grabbed a pillow that apparently represented the city and tried to attack it with the plushie when Marie placed her hands between both.

“No!”

“This is wrong, isn’t it?”

“We have to help the city!”

“What can we do to help the city?”

Marie thought for a moment, she liked the plushie but it was bad to let it destroy an entire city. The problem was that the monster was not supposed to be in the city at all. Her frown impressively reminded Gabriel of the man sleeping by their side. He smiled fondly and caressed her hair full of love.

“We have to send the monster back.”

“How?”

This time Marie was unable to come up with a way. Gabriel realized this and took over the story once more.

“Back in the day, when monsters showed up, people who fought the monsters showed up too.”

Gabriel appeared a plushie Gabriel in the hand opposite to the sea monster. Marie gasped, she snatched it from his hands and looked at the tiny version of the archangel in awe.

“It’s you!”

“Haha, yeah, it’s me.”

Marie stared at it for a second.

“This is wrong.”

Gabriel looked at her puzzled.

“This one doesn’t have wings.”

Gabriel looked at her stunned. She was able to see his wings? Adding to his surprise, Dean grunted a laugh.

“I knew she could see your wings.”

“You’re awake?”

“Not really.”

Gabriel snorted but still felt his chest clutching for a moment. Naturally Dean was not gonna be able to sleep much knowing that the trickster was taking care of his child. To put wings on the plushie, he made Marie cover her eyes and when she opened them, voilá! There were golden wings on plushie Gabriel’s back. She was delighted with it.

“So, it’s time to fight the sea monster. Are you ready?”

Marie gave him a grave nod and the battle began. Gabriel attacked her with sea monster tickles, until she was laughing so hard he had to give her a rest. Moment that she took advantage of to attack with her plush version of Gabriel. After a heady confrontation between the plushies of chaos and order, Marie won and brought down Gabriel’s sea monster.

“Now the Leviathan is defeated, Gabriel has to send him back to the depths of the ocean.”

Gabriel motioned at the plushie Marie was holding. She took the hint and pushed the sea monster off the bed while Gabriel made the noises of a defeated monster falling into the depths of the abyss. Both Gabriel and Marie cheered.

“That was awesome.” snored Dean, by their side.

Gabriel and Marie shared glances and giggled at Dean’s half asleep state. Footsteps shuffled outside the door and a knock came before Sam stepped in the room. He was surprised to see Gabriel in there but had enough tact to not comment a thing about it.

“Hey Marie, I brought the medicine, you should be able to sleep well with this.”

The girl drank the overly syrupy and sweet concoction from the plastic spoon and drowned it with more tea making odd faces. Minutes later, when the medicine was starting to kick in and Gabriel tried to move away from the bed, Marie held his sleeve yawning.

“Sleep here.”

“I’m sorry little runt, I don’t think your dad’s gonna be too happy about it.”

“He will be, he likes you. I like you.”

Gabriel blushed with the earnest comment of the child and moved back into the blanket. Maybe he was being silly taking the child’s invitation but sharing a bed with Dean at least once and see him wake up the next day had always been in his bucket list and hell if he was not gonna take the chance now that he could.

“Are you sure he’s not gonna kick me out later?” He asked the girl in a conspiratorial hush.

“Won’t. Now shut up and sleep. Both of you.” Grumbled Dean, getting into the sheets himself and pulling the little girl into his arms.

Marie giggled, she finally had her dads together. Maybe for adults things were always more complicated but surely sleeping like this made them a family. Right? She yawned once more but there was something still bothering her.

“Gabriel?”

The archangel switched off the lamps.

“Yeah runt?”

“What was the name of the monster?”

“Rahab”

Dean grunted in that final ‘goddamnit please just let me sleep’ tone all parents eventually learn while dealing with their children. Gabriel turned to look at him surprised. Dean immediately felt Gabriel’s gaze on him.

“How do you know?”

“I remember an angel telling me that same story once.”

Gabriel’s chest clenched, he also remembered telling that story once to a six year old feverish child whose father had been out on a hunt when the fever had hit him along with his little brother.

Looking at these two humans finally drifting to dreamland, Gabriel leaned over and kissed Dean and Marie’s foreheads, careful enough not to wake them up and tucking them neatly into the blankets wondering if this time he could actually be a decent guardian angel and look after their dreams.

[reblogthiscrapkay]

What Got Better In Hadestown on Broadway (And What Got Worse)

So I saw Hadestown in London last December and I just saw it in New York last weekend (I’m not crazy rich; my boyfriend lives in London and I live a fairly reasonable drive from New York). Here is my hopefully somewhat concise breakdown of what has changed.

For my overly long analysis of Hadestown in London, click here.

For my concise list analysis of Hadestown in London, click here.

For my favorite essay on Hades’ politics, click here.

Good Changes:

1. Hermes’ role has been reinstated. In the original Hermes very much was the intermediary between the humans and the gods and was especially friendly with Orpheus and Persephone. In London he was weirdly distrant from everyone, standing in the corner the whole time and being very detatched. Now he’s more like Orpheus’ mentor and is very clearly a friend of Persephone in addition to his role as narrator (oh, and he’s no longer an unreliable narrator too).

2. More mythology stuff. In the beginning Hermes gives a bit more mythology stuff to the beginning. I don’t like how he straight up explains the myth of Hades and Persephone (Epic I existed for this reason, guys) but I like the background about Orpheus’ mom. Persephone’s mom gets more shout outs too.

3. Overall the first act is tighter. They didn’t change much from London but everything feels smoother somehow. One of my favorite examples of this is “All I’ve Ever Known.” I hated the choreography in London but they really fixed it. Now it’s much simplier and follows a very logical progression. When Eurydice first sings, “Now I wanna hold you” she does so while gripping his arms as if she’s fighting the desire because she’s still unsure. By the music breakdown they do the simulated sex thing (although it felt less weird than in London), showing her accepting her feelings, and the last verse involves her sitting up from the floor as if she can’t sleep because she’s genuinely afraid he may leave her. It’s beautiful.

4. The costumes are more cohesive. I said that I liked the human costumes in London as clothes but they drove me nuts because they were so anachronistic with the gods costumes. Now they’re all looking more “vaguely early 20th century.” I love how Eurydice’s costume looks like she literally bought a nightgown and a vest from a thrift shop. Also, minor details but I think they added wings to Hermes’ suit (didn’t notice before if they did) and Hades’ nylon sleeve wall tattoo doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would. Although Hades’ hair is slightly different and it’s not better.

5. More humor. They’ve added in some humor and it mostly all works. There’s a moment when Hermes says to Orpheus, “Don’t come on too strong” and he responds with, “Come home with me!” Persephone before singng “Our Lady of the Underground” drunkenly stumbs out and shouts “Step into MY office.” Also after two lines of “Epic III” Hades interrupts with, “Oh, it’s about me” which made everyone laugh.

6. The Fates. I think I forget about them a lot but I was startled by how much they KILLED it in this show.

7. They brought back most of the original New York musicians. I just thought this was cute. When Persephone is naming them in “Our Lady of the Underground” I was shook.

8. Amber Gray grabs her boob. To explain, in London “Our Lady of The Underground” was performed with the workers and they raid her bag. Now it’s just her onstage, singing moreso to us. They clearly have it set up so that the chorus parts should be sung by the audience, and there was just enough audience who knew the lines to make it happen (this will probably improve over time). Instead of having her bag and wine bottles, she just has a flask on a string which she puts in her bra at the beginning of the song. At the line “I’ve got the wind right here in a jar” she grabs her boob where the flask is. Overall, I don’t know if this staging is an improvement, but this moment amused me.

Bad Things:

A lot of the bad things can be broken down by the phrase, “Why does she love him.” Also unfortunately, the bad things had really profund consequences.

1. Orpheus is an idiot now. He is a deer in headlights the whole dang show. I’ve thought it over and even with the lines that seemingly make him look stupid, if they were simply acted more sincerely and less awkwardly there wouldn’t be a problem. Because he is so dumb now, it makes no sense why Eurydice falls for him aside from the fact that he’s vaguely magic. The guy sitting to my right HATED him and blamed Reeve. I don’t know who’s responsible for this change but it really undermines the quality of the show and all the decent things I said about Reeve in London.

2. Hades is meaner. In London Hades and Persephone’s relationship was easily one of the strongest parts of the show. Now what used to be a lot of genuine sadness on Hades’ part seems to have turned into anger. “The girl means nothing to me” used to be a line that kind of hurt but it was said a bit too maliciously here. They’ve also added in other bits where they snip at each other and it makes me uncomfortable. Persephone is now present when Orpheus shows up in Hadestown and tries to speak for him and Hades tells her to be quiet. He also, very condescendingly, tells her, “Oh, go have another drink” before “How Long.” If this line had been said sadly, this would have read so differently. Persephone snips back at him in “Epic III” when she demands that he let Orpheus finish. They also cut the bit where Persephone is present when you find out the Eurydice didn’t sleep with Hades and her crying when Hades takes Eurydice to his office is WAY more subtle. They also cut her verse in “Chant II” which really affects their relationship. I didn’t even cry at any of their parts and I usually cry at all of them. I am worried.

3. Lots of the songs in Act II has been shortened. I thought something like this might happen but I’m still sad about it. First they came for “Promises.” Now they also cut down “Chant II” (Persephone doesn’t even have a part in it anymore, why), “His Kiss, The Riot” “If It’s True” “Epic III” and “Way Down Hadestown II” and “Doubt Comes In” felt shorter too but I could be wrong. “Lover’s Desire” didn’t even sound like the same song which majorly messed me up because that song usually makes me bawl like a baby. Also, all the “Epic” s are now the same song over and over. I hate this because the “Epic”s before showed this nice progression of Orpheus writing about the gods in general to realizing that he needs to tell the story of their love. Now he realizes this in “Chant I” but at least they made it seem like he realized this on his own and didn’t tell Eurydice so her leaving has gone back to being a reasonable solution. In London she seemed like she didn’t care he was trying to fix the world, but now she doesn’t know about it.

4. They still haven’t really integrated the worker subplot. And they probably won’t. I think you’d have to pry this out of someone’s cold dead hands at this point, which sucks because it still feels like a hastily slapped on “We have been left behind by the system” concept. Perhaps even worse, Persephone is now frequently positioned on the side of the workers instead of being an intermediary between them and Hades, which further weakens her relationship with Hades. Hades isn’t supposed to be the bad guy! Doubt is!

So anyway, Anais Mitchell walked past me during intermission and my friend Alex was like, “Are you going to talk to her” and I, a person who can’t ever talk to people if I think I may be bothering them, said, “Hell no, What would I even say.” “Just ‘thank you for the show.’” “I would definitely fuck up and say ‘Thank you for the show but please stop messing with it.’”

The joke later became me sidling up to her and saying, “One socialist to another, how much corporate nonsense is making you change things that didn’t need fixing.” I don’t think that would go over well though.

Anyway, they gave me a flower before I left and the shows not locked in until April 16th so I can dream for the next few days that they might fix it.

[dont-offend-the-bees]

DGHDA Drabble #2

So basically we’re all fixated on Dirk’s arms in the new set pics yeah? Good. So long as we’re all on the same page.

So because you guys keep making me wanna write stupid irrelevant stuff here’s a dead short lil drabble about Todd being a thirsty bitch and having a minor heart attack when he sees Dirk’s lovely arms. I wrote this in like 20mins to get it out of my head. Enjoy.

“Do you see anyone?”

“No,” Dirk peered through the window over the back of his seat, expression hopeful. “Haven’t for about ten miles or so.”

Todd resisted the urge to sigh in relief- he didn’t want to get too complacent. “Good. We’re gonna need to stop for gas.”

“We’ll be alright if we’re quick,” Dirk sat back comfortably in his seat, beaming at Todd. “Excellent rescue efforts, Todd- went off practically without a hitch!”

Todd could definitely remember one or two hitches, but Dirk was out and that was the main thing. And so were the other Rowdies- although they were currently driving with Amanda and Farah in a different direction, in the hope of throwing off the pursuit. They’d all rendezvous in three days at the safe house Farah had fixed up for them. In the meantime they’d just have to be careful to keep looking over their shoulders.

They happened across a rest stop three miles down the road, and Todd pulled up to the pump. He got out of the car and started filling up the tank without even being asked- maybe Dirk was right, maybe he was fucking programmed to assist. Although where he came from people just called it ‘being helpful’.

“Lovely day!” Dirk said from somewhere on the other side of the car. “Wonderful day to be free- although I suppose any day would be a wonderful day to be free. God, it is scorching. Don’t get temperatures like this in England. Just as well, I suppose, not many places fitted with air conditioning. If we got a heatwave like this an awful lot of people would spontaneously combust. I had a case like that once, actually- did I ever tell you about the Hobgoblin? The arsonist, not the mythological creature. Or the ale.”

“Or the Spiderman villain?” Todd chuckled, glancing up. “Rings a bell, but…”

He trailed off, blinking dazedly at the sight that greeted him across the car roof.

Dirk was standing right in the sunlight, face upturned as it warmed his face, probably for the first time since he’d been captured. His fingers were working at the buttons on his jumpsuit, popping them open one by one until he reached his waist, where he stopped to shrug his arms out of the sleeves and holy shit. Okay, okay so he’d been working out or something. No big deal. It was just a little extra muscle mass. Little extra definition. Just plain old muscles, working under his skin as he tied the jumpsuit around his waist. And as he reached up to wipe the sweat and grime from his brow and left his hair a little ruffled in the process. And as he arched his back and stretched both surprisingly toned arms over his head, making his vest pop up just a little and reveal a sliver of equally surprisingly toned midriff.

And okay maybe Todd’s mouth had gone a little dry.

Dirk caught him staring and cocked his head inquisitively. “Todd?”

“Hm?” Todd attempted to sound nonchalant. It came out as more of a squeak.

“Everything alright? You seem a tad distracted.”

“Yeah, yeah, just…” he cleared his throat. Still dry. “Just kinda thirsty,” ain’t that the fucking truth. He reached into his pocket for his wallet, tossing it to Dirk over the car. “Hey, uh, how ‘bout you go grab us some supplies? Got a long drive ahead of us.”

“Okay,” Dirk said cheerfully, even as he fumbled the catch. He wandered over to the store, giving Todd an eyeful of his back and shoulders and those arms as he went. A good eyeful.

Todd groaned, leaning his forehead against the top of the car with a light thud.

Yeah, it was going to be a very long drive.

[donttouchthegoo]

The Reunion

Nicole entered the Homestead feeling exhausted from an intense day with Wynonna, Dolls, and Doc. It had only been a few weeks since she had been recruited into the Black Badge Division, and between patrolling shifts for P.P.D. and B.B.D., she felt like she was about to collapse. Waverly was recovering from touching the black goo, and was assigned to look into the creature that attempted to enter Purgatory when Willa crossed the line. Since coming into contact with its remains, she obtained certain powers that she was attempting to control, which was exhausting for her as well.

Nicole placed her jacket and Stetson on the kitchen table.

“Waves?” she called.

“Gimme a sec!” Waverly answered.

She entered the dining room holding an envelope, excitement in her eyes.

“What is that?” Nicole asked, reaching for it.

“An invitation to my high school reunion!” she responded with glee, “it seems like only yesterday I was cheering on the Purgatory Devils, now here I am, kicking actual devil ass.” She winked.

“That you are.” Nicole smirked and took the envelope and opened it to reveal a formal invitation. While reading, she asked, “So…a cheerleader, huh?”

“Did you suspect anything different?” Waverly asked, putting a hand on her hip and a fist in the air dramatically.

“…Nope,” Nicole chuckled as she placed the invitation on the table and wrapped her arms around the girl. She looked lovingly into her eyes, relieved to finally be home. She placed their foreheads together and sighed in unison. Waverly hummed as they swayed back and forth, both enjoying their rare moment alone together.

“Wanna be my plus one, Officer Haughtstuff?” Waverly asked, a hopeful look in her eye. Nicole rubbed the back of her neck with her hand and gave her an uneasy smile.

“Uh…I don’t really do high schools, you know?”

“Whaaaat?” Waverly put her hands together in a pleading motion, “C’mon, I bet I can change your mind!”

In a flash, Waverly Earp was running upstairs. The sound of boxes hitting the floor, closet doors slamming, and frustrated grunts ensued.

“UGH, where is it?” She screamed frustratingly from the second floor.

“Wave?” Nicole asked, curious.

She could hear frustrated grunts, then suddenly a few articles of clothing flew down the stairs. I’m just going to let her do…whatever it is she is doing, thought Nicole. She wandered over to the desk and peaked at Waverly’s research. She spotted her adorable handwritten notes, stacked between piles of mythological books. Lifting the heavy volumes, she managed to slide out a page from Waverly’s research. It read:

Legion—a group of demons; New Testament, Jesus performs exorcism and discovers man is possessed by a multitude of demons who call themselves ‘Legion’. Legion feeds off of negative emotion, such as anger or jealousy.

She shuddered and thought a multitude of demons? This situation was becoming more complex by the minute. She thought back to an early memory of when the two of them first met. Waverly, soaked in beer, acting like an adorable puppy, and Nicole’s cheeks grew warm while reminiscing.

She was looking at some old photographs when Waverly’s voice came from behind her. “Oh officerrrrr…” she tempted, in a sing-song voice. Nicole turned around abruptly.

“Wave, what were yo—“ Nicole lost her words mid-sentence. Waverly stood in front of her wearing a high school cheerleading uniform, white and teal, with shorts that didn’t leave too much to the imagination.

“—Holy shit.” Nicole said. Waverly gave her a suggestive smile and sauntered over to the stereo. She pressed play on her phone and “Burnin’ Up” by Distant Cousins began to play through the speakers. She walked in a predatory manner towards Nicole.

“I bet I could change your mind about coming with me to the reunion…” she whispered, her hips swaying and pounding to the beat. She held two shiny pom-poms in her hands and performed what Nicole figured was an earlier routine. Nicole’s eyes grew wide, her heart fluttering. You will surely be the death of me, Waverly Earp, she thought. Waverly turned to face Nicole and ended with a big finish, dropping her ass to the ground.

“You like what you see, Officer?”

She then lightly pushed Nicole into the chair behind her and straddled her hips, reaching over the table to grab the Stetson, placing it on her head. Nicole moved her hands to Waverly’s hips but Waverly grabbed them and said, “Ah, only if you agree to be my plus one…” she teased. Nicole groaned and gave her a hesitant smile. Though, it was a small price to pay, for Waverly was nowhere near done with her performance.

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

Nicole had to work a patrol shift before the reunion, and didn’t have time to change. So she met Waverly at Purgatory High, in her uniform. She spotted Waverly leaning against her Jeep, and walked over to greet her.

“Hey babe,” Nicole said, as she went in for a kiss.

“Wait…” Waverly hesitated, “So, all of these people here are mostly idiots… and I’m not sure if I want them knowing about us…”

Nicole stepped back and rolled up her sleeves, looking slightly frustrated.

“Then why am I your plus one, Wave?” she asked.

“Because I want you here with me…” Waverly responded, looking apologetic. Nicole couldn’t refuse her pleading eyes.

“Alright, alright,” Nicole started, “no PDA, got it.”

Waverly gave her a small smile and grabbed her hand quickly to squeeze it, then let go and beckoned her to follow her into the school. The inside of the commons area was decorated in light blue and gray paint, a cartoon devil emblem on the wall above the entrance to their small gymnasium. Waverly motioned Nicole over as they walked into the cafeteria where the reunion was being held. Nicole looked around at the people there (around fifty or sixty), and saw a couple of people she knew through her policing. A guy she had recently pulled over for doing 180 mph slowly walked up to her. His name was Paul.

“Hey there, Officer!” he said in a friendly manner. “I’ve been meaning to apologize for speeding a couple of weeks ago; I swear it won’t happen again!” He gave her a grin. Nicole crossed her arms and smirked.

“It better not,” she said with an authoritative tone and a smile to let him know she was being friendly; he returned it and looked to Waverly.

“So did you two come together, I suppose?” he asked. Nicole sniggered at the double innuendo which earned her an elbow in the ribs from Waverly. Paul was confused.

“Yeah, Officer Haught is a good friend of mine.” Waverly said, wrapping her arm around Nicole.

“Oh nice!” he replied, “Let me go grab you ladies some drinks, I’ll be right back!” He walked away towards the beverages. Waverly shot Nicole a confused look.

“I don’t know what his deal is; he wasn’t that perky in school.”

“He’s probably just trying to get on my good side, Waves.”

“Hmph.” Waverly crossed her arms, with a guarded stare.

Chrissy Nedley skipped over to Waverly and Nicole. “Hey Waves!” she started, “Oh! Deputy Haught, what’re you doing here? Waverly, are you coming out or something?” Chrissy witnessed the altercation between Champ and Nicole at Bobo Del Rey’s poison fiasco, so she knew Waverly and Nicole were together.

“No! Well, not yet. Not right now.” Waverly babbled. With that, Nicole turned around and meandered over to the trophy case. A particular cheer trophy caught her eye: ‘REGIONAL CHEERLEADING CHAMPIONS—2012’ She smiled to herself, knowing that her pocket-sized bombshell of a girlfriend probably led them to that victory. Suddenly Paul approached her:

“I got you some punch, is that cool?” he asked. Nicole nodded. “So, you got a first name, Officer?”

“Yes, but let’s stick with Officer or ma’am for now, that cool?”

“Ah man, I brought you punch? Can I get a first name in exchange?”

Nicole was catching onto his flirtatious game and was making her best attempt to put an end to it. He touched her arm playfully so she took a step back. “C’moonnn, if you don’t tell me your name I’m just gonna call you Haughtie.” He smirked. Instantly, Waverly took a step between them and punched her finger into his chest.

“What are you doing?” she asked, pressing forward to create space between him and Nicole.

“What the hell, Earp? I’m just talking to her. Why don’t you tell me your friend’s first name, so we can get to know each other a little better.” He winked and continued, “I have to admit, I’ve had my eye on you for a while, Haught. You definitely live up to your last name, know what I’m sayin’?” Nicole felt her cheeks grow warm, not with flattery, but with annoyance. She started to speak when Waverly stepped in.

She grabbed him by the collar, “She’s taken,” she growled, her voice lowered an octave.

“Waverly!” Nicole gently grabbed her hands and stood in front of her; Paul staggered back, into a nearby table.

“What the fuck?” He said, fearful. “Are you gay or something? Jesus Christ…” He walked towards the door, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Waverly wasn’t following him. Nicole looked into her eyes with worry. Waverly’s eyes flashed from brown to black rapidly. Nicole had no idea what to do, but remembered the notes from Waverly’s desk. Anger and jealousy…Nicole thought. A lightbulb went off.

“Waverly—Waves, remember that time your sister shot me?” Okay, not a good way to start. “Well, uh, I mean before she shot me? Wynonna couldn’t risk giving up Peacemaker, so you confessed that you loved me?” Waverly’s eyes faltered, yet continued. She didn’t speak, just stared unblinking into the abyss. Nicole was becoming frantic, and unsure. She didn’t know how to handle the situation, she had only just learned about the supernatural events of Purgatory a couple of weeks ago. She hesitated, and then continued. “You said you loved me, and I knew that even if Willa shot me, everything would be alright.” Waverly’s body became predatory, a darkness overcoming her. “Waves, I’ve been meaning to tell you that I love you!”

Waverly’s eyes instantly turned from black to a soft brown. “What?” She huffed.

“I love you, Waverly Earp.”

Waverly instantly walked towards her and grabbed her by the back of the head into an adoring kiss. Nicole felt the stares of the people around her and pulled back. Smiling, Waverly looked at her former classmates and said simply, “I’m gay, bitches.”

Fin.

[i-heart-fantasy]

The Song of Avalon

This is an original story of mine that has inspiration from mythologies and some literature. 

Pronunciation Guide:

Uaithne: Whe-neh

Dagda: Da-da

 Song I: Beginning Verse

 The cloudless sky spread across above the sprawling meadows.

A young man with green eyes and long, brown hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a sliver-and-green cloak with a black glove on his right hand, a large purse, and carrying a wooden staff was walking along a dirt path.

“Hear it beyond the wind

Hear it through the sky

Rippling through the ocean

Rustling from the grass

 Through the body

In the mind

Into your soul

Your very being”

 The young man’s voice carried like a songbird’s song.

         He reached the top of the hill, where he could see a small town with a ravaged farm that was next to large forest.

 Inside the town bar, there was chattering all around. The young man was sitting at the corner seat of the bar’s counter, with his staff leaning against the wall.

The young bartender, who had brown eyes and short brown hair, with a stubble on his chin, and was cleaning a glass, stared at him curiously.

“Judging by your attire, you’re a druid, aren’t you?” the bartender asked, scooting closer.

“Yes, I am,” the young man answered, chuckling while patting his staff, and then leaning towards the bartender with his chin against a hand.

“I thought druids lived in the big cities and capitals. What’s one like you doing out here?”

“While it’s true that druids stay in cities. I tend to travel. I like to help out small towns like this one.”

“Oh, wow! That’s so nice of you!”

“Thanks. Incidentally, on my way into town, I saw that the farm’s crops were destroyed. Has anything happened to have caused that?”

“Well, we’ve been going through a bit of a drought lately...”

“I see… But a drought couldn’t have caused the damage I saw. It looked like an abnormally large creature had torn through the crops with its teeth and claws.”

“Well, actually…”

The bartender’s eyes shifted nervously.

“Was I right that it was an animal?”

“Y—yes,” the bartender stammered. “And the crops aren’t the only thing that have been damaged. There’s a meadow in the nearby forest that the kids play in, but for the past week they’ve been unable to without getting attacked by a wolf.”

“A wolf?”

“A very large black wolf with golden eyes. It came to the forest a week ago. It won’t let anyone pass the meadow.”

“Hmmm…”

The young man stared at the wall, thinking. He got up and grabbed his staff before starting to walk away.

“Wh—what’re you doing?”

“I’m going to see if I can deal with your wolf problem,” the young man said, looking back at the bartender.

“Excuse me, I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”

The young man turned to look and saw, an older man with short, curly red hair and green eyes that seemed to have flames in them wearing a hat sitting at a table.

“We’d really appreciate your help,” he said, tilting his hat. “Mind telling us your name, kiddo?”

“I guess,” said the young man, rubbing the back of his head. “My name is Uaithne Dagda.”

“Uaithne Dagda? That’s an interesting name, kid.”

“I suppose.”

Uaithne started walking out of the bar.

“Good luck with that wolf. You’re gonna need it.”

 The forest was silent as Uaithne walked along a path. He could hear the crunching of leaves as he made his way towards the meadow.

The meadow was circular in shape, surrounded by the forest. There was a large rock at the end of the direction Uaithne was facing.

Uaithne walked cautiously towards it, looking around his surroundings. He stopped in the middle of the meadow, listening to the rustling of the trees.

Suddenly, he jumped back into the air as something slammed the spot he had been standing. Uaithne backflipped into the air and landing on the ground, he saw a very large black wolf with golden eyes crouching and growling at him.

“You didn’t waste any time in attacking me, huh?” Uaithne said, observing the wolf. “Based on what I was told, I bet you’re trying to protect something, right?”

The wolf swiped at him, Uaithne dodged and jumped off a tree, flipping in the air and striking the wolf with a spell.

The wolf jumped up at him, and Uaithne whacked it with his staff, before falling against another tree and heading towards two others.

The wolf finally struck Uaithne, clawing him and his clothes as he jumped off the next tree.

“Tch…!”

Uaithne slammed onto the ground, and the wolf pinned him down. Uaithne glared at it, before wiping the blood from his face.

“…I wanted to avoid using some of my power, but it looks like I have no choice.”

Uaithne breathed deeply, and then he stuck out his staff towards the wolf, making it send out a bright light.

The wolf howled from being blinded, letting go of Uaithne and shaking its head.

Uaithne held his staff with both hands, and a dark aura stated appearing around him. A blast of light erupted, and from it Uaithne jumped high into the air, his hair black and eyes red, and his staff a red scythe while being held high in the air.

As he descended, the ghost of black wings appeared behind Uaithne.

He slammed his scythe into the ground, causing a giant spell circle to form underneath the wolf. Chains came out of the different trees he had jumped from, wrapping around the wolf and trapping it in place.

The wolf howled in despair, trying desperately to get free.

Uaithne stepped in front of it, his appearance and staff back to normal.

“You must have thought I was jumping trees at random, right?” he said. “I was putting in place the spells I’d need to chain you. I knew I couldn’t win against an animal of your size, so I figured making you stop in place was the next best thing.”

He gazed at the wolf sadly.

“I wasn’t going to, but I’m afraid that letting you live is a hazard. You’ve caused too much damage to the town’s crops and residents. I don’t know what you’re trying to protect, but whatever it is, it’s probably better off without you.”

Uaithne changed his appearance with the dark aura and held his scythe up high, as it grew.

“I’m really sorry. …Goodbye.”

The scythe was swung down.

“Stop!!!”

A young woman with green eyes and long, white hair, wearing leaves as a shoulder-less dress, jumped in front of the wolf.

The scythe stopped before her head.

“…Who are you?” Uaithne asked, changing back. “Are you what the wolf was protecting?”

“My name is Lif,” the young woman said, hugging the wolf’s head. “This is Fenrir. He’s only trying to keep others from finding me.”

There was a flash of light, and the wolf changed into a young man with black skin, hair, tail and golden eyes. He was wearing what looked to be somewhat-noble attire consisting of a purple vest over a long-sleeved shirt, blue pants, and black shoes. He stepped in front of Lif, holding out his left arm, blocking her off.

“…You’re a shapeshifter,” Uaithne said, staring at Fenrir in surprise.

“Yes,” replied Fenrir, glaring. “You’re discovered us, so are you going to kill us?”

Uaithne stared at them.

“…No,” he said. “The two of you seem to have been hiding, so to me that’s no reason for you to die.”

“Thank you so much!” Lif said, bowing.

“Lif!” Fenrir said. “You’re just going to accept that?! A minute ago, this human was prepared to kill me!”

“Fenrir, did you do something to the town?” asked Lif.

“Huh? We—well, I did destroy the crops…”

“Why would you do that?!”

“I thought if I did it, they’d stop going into the forest!”

“…That’s a pretty stupid reason,” said Uaithne.

“Shut up! No one asked you, human!”

Lif hit Fenrir on the head.

“Ow! What was that for?!”

“You should apologize!”

“What? No way! They’d probably just run me out of town!”

“For what you did, you deserve it!”

“Lif!”

Uaithne watched the exchange in disturbance. He coughed, getting their attention.

“So, um, why did you accept my words so quickly?” he asked. “Especially because I almost killed your friend there.”

“It’s simple,” Lif replied, playing with her hair. “You don’t seem like a bad person. I could tell.”

“Lif, that isn’t simple, it’s stupid,” Fenrir said, holding a hand to his forehead. “You don’t know him. You can’t judge people based on intuition!”

“Really? But that’s how I’ve always observed people.”

“You’re too trusting, Lif. One of these days, you’re going to get into trouble, and I won’t be there to help you!”

“But you’ve always rescued me, Fenrir. At first, I thought you were scary, but now I know that you’re actually a big softie.”

“What?! Don’t say that aloud! You idiot! Now that human knows my true nature!”

Lif giggled at Fenrir’s embarrassed face. Fenrir huffed and turned away from them, crossing his arms.

“I’m not a softie all the time…”

Lif laughed and hugged him from behind.

“What’re you doing?! Don’t hug me out of nowhere!”

Uaithne chuckled at the sight.

“What’re you laughing at?!” Fenrir growled, turning and glaring at Uaithne.

“Nothing,” Uaithne said, smirking.

“That doesn’t look like nothing to me!”

“Anyway, what are you doing here?” Uaithne asked, looking at Lif. “Because your friend here caused trouble, I can only assume you’re on the run from something or someone.”

Lif looked away nervously.

“Lif, you don’t owe this guy an explanation,” said Fenrir, putting a hand on Lif’s shoulder.

“I know, but I still wanna tell him,” Lif said, turning towards Uaithne. “It may seem hard to believe, but I am actually not human. I’m a kind of nymph, of the Apple Tree race it is called ‘Epimeliad’. My clan is from a branch that had descended from Greece over a millennium ago. We were guarded from the outside world by a spell that had shrouded and protected our land for ages, but...”

She gulped nervously.

“A week ago, that spell was broken. A human army came in and started wreaking havoc... My memory of what happened is hazy.  Fenrir had told me that he defected from the army that had attacked us, he brought me to safety outside of my forest village.”

She looked at the ground sadly.

“...I don’t know what happened to my clan, but I can only assume the worst...”

“I’m so sorry that happened to you,” said Uaithne, staring at her sadly. “At least you were saved from it all.”

“Yes,” Lif said, smiling. “I’m really grateful to Fenrir for saving my life.”

“So… what are you going to do now?” Uaithne asked, tilting his head curiously.

“I’m not sure… I’d like to know why we were attacked, if possible”

“Do you remember hearing or seeing anything that could give you a clue as who would have attacked your village or where to go for answers?”

Lif paused.

“I think I heard a name that the soldiers were shouting their loyalty to... It was something with a ‘A’... Ai-something ...Was it ‘Aietes’...?”

“...Did you just say ‘Aietes?’” Uaithne asked. A shocked expression came across his face.

“Yes.” said Lif, confused. “Why? Do you know him?”

“...I guess you could say that...,” murmured Uaithne dismissively, staring at the trees.

“Really?!” Lif cried out. While running up to him and grabbing firmly onto his clothes. “Can you take us to where he is? I must know why he attacked my clan!”

Fenrir sighed at Lif’s reaction.

“Lif, even if he did know how to get there, I don’t think he would just agree to it—”

“I’ll do it.”

Fenrir and Lif blinked at Uaithne’s blunt statement. They both responded together.

“Huh?”

“I will take you there,” said Uaithne, extending his hand out in front of him. “However, the kingdom that Aietes rules, Colchis, is far from this country. It will take a while for us to get there. Do you still want to go there, despite the long distance?”

“Yes, I want to go!” said Lif, shaking Uaithne slightly.

Fenrir sighed.

“Well, if Lif wants to go, then I have no choice but to follow her,” he muttered, running a hand through his black hair.

“Thank you, Fenrir!” Lif exclaimed, letting go of Uaithne and hugging Fenrir.

“Ugh!” cried out Fenrir, aghast. “Get off of me!”

“Alright,” said Uaithne. “We’d best get going now. It will be a long journey ahead of us.”

“Okay!” said Lif, nodding.

“Someone’s enthusiastic...” muttered Fenrir.

 The night sky was full of stars. The moon was full and bright. The group was standing in front of the damaged field of crops.

“Why are we here?” Fenrir asked, annoyed, his tail swishing back and forth nervously. “Didn’t you want us to hurry?”

“Well yes, but before we leave, I wanted to remedy the damage a certain shapeshifting wolf had caused,” said Uaithne pointedly, smiling with his eyes closed.

“Uff...!” Fenrir gasped, reacting as though he had been completely knocked over.

Uaithne knelt silently on the ground, placing his staff against the ravaged dirt and closing his eyes as he began to sing.

“Feel the song of healing

Course through you

Every piece of sadness

Every piece of sin

 Thrown into the wind

Drifting away

Into oblivion

Into nothingness

 Cleansing you

Free of your own darkness

       There’s nothing left but

Love for everyone and the world”

The ground beneath Uaithne started glowing and the light spread across the entire field of damaged crops. The ground began to heal itself, and the crops started sprouting into full bloom until they were tall above the ground.

“Wow!” Lif gasped, in awe. “It’s so pretty!”

“Incredible...” murmured Fenrir, his tail straight up on end.

Uaithne collapsed on the ground, panting.

“Are you okay?!” Lif cried out, panicking.

“...Yes,” answered Uaithne, grunting. “It takes me a little bit of time to recover from using that spell.”

“Spell?” said Fenrir, tilting his head and waving his tail. “That wasn’t just a song?”

“No. It was a spell that has been passed down in my family for generations. It was created by the god Dagda.”

“Wow!” Lif said, impressed. “What is it called?”

Uaithne hesitated.

“It’s called… ‘The Song of Avalon’.”

“‘Avalon’?” said Fenrir, scoffing. “Isn’t that the English word for heaven? Why would that name be used for a spell by an Irish god?”

“I don’t know,” said Uaithne, bluntly. “That is just the spells’ name. I’m pretty sure it’s just a coincidence.”

“It’s a really pretty song,” said Lif. “It’s so soothing, it makes me feel like I’m one with the earth.”

“Is that so? Since I’m the one casting it, I guess I don’t really feel it.”

Fenrir stared at Uaithne suspiciously.

“Anyway, I did what I wanted to do here,” Uaithne said, stretching. “We can sleep outside for the night.”

“What?!” gasped Fenrir, eyes wide. “Why aren’t we sleeping in an inn?”

“I prefer to sleep in nature.”

“I slept outside all the time back home,” said Lif, sighing and looking at the sky. “It’s so nice to be outside surrounded by the earth.”

Uaithne stared at Lif in surprise. Fenrir stared at Uaithne suspiciously.

 The next morning, the travelers walked along a winding path in the hills far past the village.

“I can’t wait to see all the places we will travel along on the way!” said Lif, excited, jumping into the air.

“I hope this journey doesn’t take too long...” muttered Fenrir.

“Who knows?” Uaithne said, smirking. “It might take until next spring.”

“Oh, I hope not!” said Fenrir, exasperated, his tail lashing. “I have things to do!”

“Like what?” said Uaithne, cheekily, staring at Fenrir. “Chase sheep?”

“I don’t chase sheep!”

Fenrir slumped, his ears flat against his head and his tail lashing.

“Only for food...”

“Well, I hope you’re not a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

“I could say the same thing to you, human!” Fenrir said, angrily, pointing at Uaithne.

“‘Human’? Can’t you say my name like Lif does?”

“Never! Over my dead body!”

“Stop it, you two!” said Lif, giggling, grabbing onto Uaithne’s arm.

         Uaithne looked at her, surprised at her actions.

 On the top of a hill at the edge of a forest that is overlooking the path the group was traveling on, there was a pair of people watching them from a distance. One of these people was the man with the hat that Uaithne had seen in the village bar. He was leaning against a tree his face somewhat hidden in the shadows. Next to him in the shadows, standing behind the brush was a feminine figure dressed in red armor.

         “Would you look at that,” the man said, smirking. “They acted just like you predicted they would.”

“...Indeed.” She said.

The figure shifted her stance.

“I heard you saw him at the bar,” she said, accusingly. “Did you show him your true form?”

“Of course not. I have enough sense that I know when not to reveal myself. I even changed my voice, so he won’t recognize even if we meet again.”

“Good. I was worried you would do something stupid like telling him your name.”

“You wound me, madam! But don’t put too much faith in me. I might do something stupid next time~.”

“...You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I am. It beats being bored.”

He stared down at Uaithne.                                    

“Still... Uaithne Dagda. Is he truly the one to save the world? That prophecy is only for your gods—it doesn’t concern mine.”

“You forget, sir, that I’m one of those gods you mentioned.”

“As am I.  Being a god from my own land. I just can’t believe that this kid—who clearly he doesn’t understand his own powers—is the one who’s going to save the world.”

“Either way, he’s going to affect all the different gods, not just the ones from here.”

“Is that so? Well, in that case, I can’t wait for him to arrive on my home turf~.”

“Whether he lives up to the prophecy is his choice... After all, he’s going to die by my hand either way on his twentieth birthday next year.”