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savage-rhi · 5 months ago

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Duality

Chapter 6: The Escape I

Summary: Sawyer Kiddo has walked a razor's edge as a hacktivist for several years, driven by the loss of her family in the Raccoon City incident. Haunted by past choices and fueled with desire for vigilante justice, Sawyer's work takes an unexpected turn when she ventures to Spain and crosses paths with Luis Serra—a man with blood on his hands long thought to be dead. Together they unravel a web of corruption and face an impending bioterror threat, fighting not only monsters but also the darker elements of their humanity. As they delve deeper into each other's pasts and the conspiracy at large, Sawyer begins to sense something unsettling about Luis—something that might be even more dangerous than their mutual enemies.

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Sawyer walked in silence; her head held high while trying to note anything significant that stood out in case she managed to escape from her captors. The cold air from the vents above bit her skin, and the concrete floor echoed with each step. Whatever was left of the animal noises she had heard were long gone as the halls grew smaller and never-ending. That gave her some comfort, despite not knowing where she was being hauled off to--the farther away from BOWs, the better.

The trio passed several offices and a large door leading into a storage unit, where Sawyer spotted crates full of lab equipment marked with the Umbrella Corp logo. She flashed back to memories of Carmen and herself seeing the supply trucks rolling into Raccoon City with the same emblem when they were teens.

These must be decades old… she thought, furrowing her brow. How did Soldado get his hands on all this?

"Keep your eyes forward!" barked the stout henchman to her left, tightening his grip on her arms. “Nada de cosas divertidas…” (1)

Sawyer's thoughts snapped back to the present. Of course, she should've known better than to be given any courtesy from the two morons at her side.

"Care to translate? My Spanish is rusty as hell," she quipped, earning a sharp slap from the taller man.

“Cállate y sigue moviéndote!” (2)

She had no doubt he said something unpleasant.

As they continued, Sawyer focused on the men's murmured conversation, catching snippets of Spanish intermingled with broken English. Her mind was heavily focused on what they were up to as she struggled to capture every detail that slipped past their mouths. The taller one, whom she dubbed "Thick Neck" for his prominent Adam's apple, seemed uneasy.

"No me gusta esto. Why move her now?" he muttered, his eyes darting nervously around the corridor. (3)

"Beats the hell out of me," replied the shorter henchman, "Shorty” with a casual huff. "Algo sobre querer acabar con los hacktivistas con un arma bioorgánica. Sin testigos ni cadáveres. Tu sabes como va.” (4)

Thick Neck made a noise. “Si, pero ¿por qué tanta prisa? We could've locked her up until Soldado was ready with the others. Luego está el tipo Serra al que todo el mundo le está dando mucha importancia.” (5) (6)

"Who knows? They don't pay us to ask questions," Shorty sighed with a shrug.

Sawyer's blood went cold as she absorbed their words. She tried to piece together the fragments of information as her mind raced. Although she couldn't understand their Spanish well, the moment she heard hacktivists, she knew Samuel, Kari, and Mobley had to be here in this godforsaken place. That or they were already dead, and she was tip-toeing close to joining them. She kept her face blank and breathing steady, trying to remain collected to not draw attention to herself. Acting meek and dumb was crucial right now. Every word uttered by the two idiots was a potential clue to understanding why she was here and, more importantly, how she could get out.

"Oye, Americana!" (7)

"Yeah?" Sawyer retorted, suppressing a grimace at the situation. "I thought you wanted me to shut up."

"Trust us, we do." Thick Neck bitterly muttered, casting her a sidelong glare.

Sawyer quietly rolled her eyes. She pushed her anger down, reminding herself now wasn't the time to get too snarky.

"It seemed you and Serra hit it off in the basement," The stout man chuckled, a leer creeping into his voice. "Did you two discuss anything we should know?"

To say Sawyer resented the insinuation was an understatement. Nevertheless, she shrugged and answered. "Not really. He rambled about getting snatched off the street. Said his last name was Navarro, not Serra. Guy's got a screw loose if you ask me."

The two men exchanged a glance, skepticism clear in their eyes. Shorty leaned in closer, his breath hot and foul. "Are you sure? Because if you're holding out on us, carino , things could get a lot worse for you." (8)

Sawyer met his gaze and sighed, feigning innocence. "I'm telling you, he was talking nonsense. Something about getting mixed up with another guy or some shit. I barely understood half of it on account that he was speaking Spanish. I told you, mine's rusty."

She could see them weighing her words, deciding if they believed her. Beads of sweat trickled down her neck as Sawyer kept her expression neutral, hoping they'd buy the act.

“Ella no sabe nada sobre él. Dale un descanso.” Thick Neck muttered. (9)

Shorty curtly shot back. “Pero eso no significa que ella no sepa que él está tramando algo. Soldado y Álvarez dijeron que no lo subestimen. ¿Y por qué le diría a la mujer que se apellida Navarro?” (10)

While they seemed distracted, Sawyer quietly processed everything they'd discussed. They knew something about Luis--at least, something that had them on edge, enough to try to get something out of her about him, a man she barely knew. Then again, hearing the names being mixed up, perhaps Luis did get mistaken for another guy. In which case, it sounded like Shorty and Thick Neck were in deep shit with Soldado and whoever else was in charge here.

"Just one more question, American, did he--"

Suddenly, both men's walkies crackled to life, interrupting their conversation as all three halted. The abrupt noise made Sawyer jump as she heard the static, followed by panicked voices coming from the end of the lines. She couldn't make out the exact words, but the fear was unmistakable.

"Are you guys gonna answer that? Seems urgent." Sawyer sarcastically pointed out, swallowing afterward. She ignored the glares both men gave and watched as Shorty and Thick Neck exchanged a concerned look as their expressions hardened. She was surprised when Shortly let go of her, focusing on pulling out a Glock from the holster on his pants. With trembling hands, he began to load bullets into the firearm. Thick Neck took his walkie off his utility belt.

“¡¿Qué demonios está pasando?!" Thick Neck barked into the device, but there was no coherent response, just more frantic shouting and a few indistinct words about "something loose" and "containment breach."

Sawyer's pulse dropped. She realized this could be her chance—whatever was going on was big enough to distract her captors. All she had to do was wait for an opportunity to turn the situation to her advantage. She could do it. Just like she did at the Plaza.

The Plaza…

Goosebumps traversed her skin when she remembered what had become of the cop, how he mutated into that…thing. The corpse of the old police officer covered in flies staring at her in shock, and the screams of the civilians who had no idea what was going on. It all played in tangent with Carmen's pleas for mercy as the doctors sedated her, along with Sawyer's vivid imagination of what had become of Raccoon City based on survivor accounts she had personally heard.

She had second thoughts about escaping from Thick Neck and Shorty as fear cushioned itself at the forefront of her mind--almost too frozen to do anything.

"What the hell is going on?!" Shorty snapped at Thick Neck, the latter shaking his head as something fell with a loud clang. All three snapped their attention toward a pipe that fell from the ceiling about ten feet ahead, and with bated breath, Shorty continued. "We should return to the basement and wait for Soldado to say something. Surely he's-"

"Shh. Mantenerla baja." Thick Neck interrupted. By now, he had drawn out his own weapon, keeping it poised and at the ready as he took a few steps ahead of Shorty and Sawyer to investigate. His steps were meticulous and slow, his posture like that of a soldier who had seen his share of combat. (12)

Sawyer felt like a sitting duck standing next to Shorty. She wished there had been a safe way to steal one of the guns from the men.

Thick Neck cautiously approached the fallen pipe, his eyes scanning for any sign of tampering. As he reached down to inspect it, Sawyer strained to catch any clue, any indication that might hint at what was going on. But there was nothing—no sign that the pipe had been deliberately loosened or moved. It was just an ordinary piece of metal lying there, as if it had fallen on its own.

Thick Neck straightened, his face plastered with confusion as he walked back toward Sawyer and Shorty. Before he said anything, a low guttural growl echoed through the hallway, sending a chill down Sawyer's spine. The noise came from behind the trio, somewhere in the low light. She watched as Thick Neck's eyes widened, his grip tightening on the trigger of his gun.

"Let's get out of here…" He muttered to both Sawyer and Shorty, turning to lead the way.

Thick Neck was suddenly yanked off his feet.

He hit the ground with a heavy thud, a cry of surprise and pain escaping his lips.

Thick Neck was dragged backward across the floor, his fingers scrabbling desperately for a grip on the smooth surface, trying to find anything to help him escape. His screams echoed in the halls. From the shadows emerged a dark, hulking figure—the same creature from the Plaza. Its wide eyes gleamed with a twisted excitement as it screeched in victory, long saber fangs framing its hollowed face. Sawyer's jaw dropped as she took in the creature's form: skinny, thick arms, broad shoulders, a protruding rib cage, a skeletal waist, and thin but muscular digitigrade legs ending in sickle claws. This creature was built to run, to ambush—just like a cheetah.

The creature flipped Thick Neck onto his back with terrifying ease, its claws glinting in the dim light as it struck. In an instant, it began to gut him—the sounds of tearing flesh and Thick Neck's choked gasps filling the air. The Saber wasted no time, diving its head into the open cavity of Thick Neck's abdomen, pulling out his intestines. Its long tongue slurped against its lipless mouth as it swallowed the heavy lump that was Thick Neck's liver.

Shorty screamed every profanity in the Spanish tongue, and his face contorted in terror. He raised his gun and fired wildly at the creature, the bullets sparking off metal walls and the floor. The noise was piercingly loud, mixing with the chaos of the attack. The creature cried out and flinched, but showed no signs of backing down from its meal.

A second Saber—just as monstrous as the first—burst from a nearby vent. It moved with velocity as it clamped its powerful jaws around Shorty's head. His screaming was cut short in a sickening crunch, the force of the bite silencing him instantly.

Sawyer didn't wait to see more of the carnage. She turned and fled down the corridor, her heart pounding. As she ran, Sawyer snatched up the fallen pipe, gripping it tightly in her right hand. Behind her, she could hear the roars and the wet, slopping noises as the creatures finished off their prey--and then the unmistakable sound of claws clattering against the floor, giving chase.

Panic surged through Sawyer. Everything except the instinct to run, hide, and fight shut off in her head. She could sense the monster closing in, its breath hot and ragged on her heels. She could almost feel its slender arm reaching out to grab her. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape route.

Spotting a door slightly ajar, Sawyer made a sharp turn and burst into a large lab. The room was a maze of tables, equipment, and scattered tools—offering a chaotic landscape she could use to her advantage. Without hesitation, she shoved a heavy table over, creating an obstacle behind her, and kept running. As she sprinted, she knocked over chairs and smaller items, desperately trying to slow the creature down.

Glancing back, she saw the Saber barreling through the doorway and clambering over the overturned table. Its eyes locked onto her, a predatory gleam in them. Sawyer pushed on, and cried out; a desperate idea formed in her mind as she spotted another table near a doorway. She darted through, quickly ducking behind the doorframe, gripping the pipe like a baseball bat. Holding her breath, she positioned herself as the Saber charged mindlessly in her direction.

The timing had to be perfect.

As the creature rushed past the door, Sawyer swung the pipe. It connected with a mighty thud against the Saber's head. The beast uttered a loud cry, stumbling and collapsing onto its back. The moment of triumph was short-lived; with surprising speed, the Saber grabbed her left leg. She fell forward, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through her body as the creature's jaws snapped at her. The foul stench of its breath made her gag, and Sawyer screamed as a set of mandibles suddenly protruded from the Saber's cheeks.

A fire was lit underneath Sawyer. She kicked wildly at the BOW's face, each impact making the creature recoil. She managed to pull her leg free and scrambled to her feet. She swung the pipe again without thinking, driving it into the creature's right shoulder. The beast flung its head back, letting out a horrific scream as it momentarily staggered. Sawyer stepped back and took off running again, navigating through a maze of interconnected rooms, desperately searching for a way out. She stumbled into another area—a locker room with lab tables and scattered hiding places. She quickly realized she had hit a dead end.

Sawyer slammed the door behind her with no other options, plunging the room into near darkness as she quickly shut off most of the lights.

She sprinted toward the nearest cover, dropping into a low crouch, and used her momentum to slide across the slick floor. Sawyer skidded effortlessly and came to a halt underneath a table, laying herself flat and keeping her eyes fixed on the door. Her whole body quaked from exertion, and she tried to steady her breaths, forcing herself to remain as quiet as possible.

For several minutes, there was a deafening silence. A part of her dared hope she could move on. Then she heard it: faint, deliberate footsteps from the other side.

Clank.

Every muscle in Sawyer's body tensed.

Ka-chunk-ka-chunk-creeeeeeak.

It opened the door.

It opened the fucking door.

The creature moved cautiously inside, inhaling deep as if savoring the scent of its prey. Its talons clicked softly against the floor, each step gentle and calculating.

It was close, too close.

Sawyer bit her lip, stifling a gasp as the Saber's shadow passed over her hiding spot. The dim light barely outlined the room, but she could see the BOW's form moving methodically, its head ducking into nooks and crannies. To add insult to injury, Sawyer heard the creature rip out the pipe from its shoulder and threw it across the room--snarls conveying disappointment that the noise didn't draw her out. She prayed it wouldn't find her, knowing she couldn't outrun it again. The only thing Sawyer had going for her was that damn pipe, and even that seemed a flimsy defense against a monstrous predator in the grand scheme of things. Her knuckles turned white as the creature continued its little game of hide and seek.

Her eyes darted to a glass beaker near her hand. With a slight shake in her fingers, Sawyer grasped it. Adjusting her position under the table, Sawyer flung the beaker toward the door. It shattered against the far wall, and the Saber's head snapped toward the sound, using its powerful limbs to propel it forward. As it followed its predatory instincts, Sawyer slipped from under the table and darted towards a row of lockers lining the opposite wall. She squeezed into an empty one, quietly closing the door behind her. The metal interior felt cold, like a coffin.

Peering through the narrow slits of the door, she could see the Saber prowling the room after it fiddled around with the glass. Its posture was tense as it sniffed the air, clearly pissed off that it hadn't found her. The creature's large skinless eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of movement.

"Plaga Type E is uniquely attracted to carbon dioxide. The very breath you exhale draws it in."

Soldado's voice returned to haunt Sawyer---she realized too late that she hadn't controlled her breathing. Panicking, she covered her nose and mouth, holding her breath.

The Saber's head snapped toward the lockers, nostrils flaring. It took two steps forward, then ducked out of sight.

Sawyer's eyes widened, her pulse skyrocketing. She could only see a narrow slice of the room through the locker, making it impossible to track the Saber's movements once it crouched.

Suddenly, the Saber's head rose into view---right in front of her locker.

It knew she was there.

Everything seemed to freeze as Sawyer and the Saber locked eyes in a silent, horrifying stare down. The creature's orbs gleamed with sick anticipation, its breath fogging the metal. She felt her breath quickening, a mix of terror and disbelief washing over her. The locker felt unbearably small, the walls closing in on her.

The door swung open, and Sawyer let out a blood-curdling scream.

Bang.

The monster fell to the ground, and Sawyer watched as the life drained from its eyes. The creature's final moments were a grotesque dance, its muscles contracting and releasing in erratic spasms as blood pooled from its wounds. A final puff of air escaped its body before it stilled.

She was too much in shock to register what had happened, except that--by some miracle--she was alive.

Sawyer's body shook uncontrollably, her legs weak beneath her. She felt light-headed and disoriented. The lights suddenly flicked on, and she blinked several times, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness as her left arm came up to shield her face. Her gaze shifted ahead as a familiar voice called out.

"Onyx!"

In a million years, Sawyer never thought she'd be so happy to see Kari.

Surprise washed over her as she limped over the carcass, eyes welling with tears. Kari rushed to meet her, latching her gun onto her belt before she rested her hands on Sawyer's shoulders to steady her.

"Are you okay?" Kari's voice was firm but caring. Her eyes scanned Sawyer for any signs of injury. "You're not infected, right?"

Sawyer shook her head, her voice shaky. "No, no, I'm fine. Just…scared. I think…my soul was about to leave my ass. I almost…god, it almost got me."

Kari scoffed, nodding as she squeezed Sawyer's shoulders before letting go. "I see your humor's still intact. You don't know how relieved I am to have found you."

Sawyer took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "Where… where did you come from? What the fuck is going on?"

"Slow down, one thing at a time." Kari glanced around the room before gesturing for Sawyer to follow. She led them into a smaller lab, then down another set of hallways to a cramped storage unit. Kari quickly drew another handgun from her belt, loaded it with bullets, and shoved it into Sawyer's quivering hands.

"To answer your questions," Kari began, rummaging through a pouch tied around her waist. "We're in an old Umbrella lab. They call it Unit D. I found out while I was being kept hostage on the top floor. This place is three stories—the top level is above ground, the other two are below. We're on the second level right now."

"Are we outside Madrid?" Sawyer coughed, feeling the exhaustion from running catching up with her.

"Yeah, somewhere up north in the woods. Not sure how far," Kari replied, taking a deep breath as she fished out more bullets. Without hesitation, she shoved them into Sawyer's pants pocket, noting her dazed expression. "Looks like Soldado took over after Umbrella fell. He's been using it for black market operations, maybe even continuing their research. It's perfect—isolated, off-grid, and loaded with equipment nobody's watching."

Sawyer sighed, shaking her head. "How did you even find me? This place is a damn maze."

"Got lucky," Kari said matter-of-factly. "Heard screams, found the remains of your friends , killed a BOW chewing on one, then tracked the other ugly. Didn't realize it was you getting chased until I took it down in the locker room."

"No shit…" Sawyer's expression hardened as she listened, grabbing the rest of the bullets from Kari. She still had a million questions. "What happened at the Plaza? How did you guys get caught?"

"I was hoping you could tell me that." Kari's brows knitted in a fierce glare. "What happened between you and Soldado?"

"The young guy—" Sawyer exhaled sharply, still catching her breath. "He sold us out, tipped off Soldado, and killed the other cop. I heard you guys getting picked off over the network before Soldado tried to shove a damn bug up my nose. I barely escaped, ended up in an alley, then got tranquilized."

"I'll be damned," Kari said, her face darkening as she exhaled slowly--piecing together the plot. "So, the rookie gave away our locations, and Soldado's men moved in fast. They rounded us up before we even knew what hit us."

"Yeah, that's what it sounds like. So, what happened to you up there?" Sawyer gestured towards the ceiling, indicating her reference to level one, which Kari had mentioned.

"I was knocked out cold at the Plaza," Kari said, her voice shaky. "When I came to, I was in an office. They tried to interrogate me, but then alarms blared, and BOWs poured in left and right. They tore through everyone—scientists, Soldado's goons—didn't stand a chance."

Sawyer grimaced. "So, all of Soldado's people are dead?"

"That's what I gather," Kari said, shivering as she recalled the gruesome details. "It's been a madhouse. I grabbed a gun in the chaos and started looking for you, Spector, and Atom."

"Have you seen the others?" Sawyer's voice was tight with worry.

Kari hesitated before nodding. "I saw Mobley briefly on my way down. He looked terrified and then just ran like he was leaving us for dead. A bloody coward."

Sawyer clenched her fists. As much as she wanted to lash out, Mobley wasn't her primary concern. Her eyes pleaded with Kari's. "And Samuel, have you seen him?"

Kari shook her head. "No sign of him. We need to get out of here, Onyx. There's an exit on the first floor—I saw it myself. We can't stay here much longer. Before I found you, there was an announcement—this place is going to self-destruct."

"What? Self-destruct? When?!"

"I don't know," Kari said earnestly. "But we can't take any chances. Have you seen Soldado or any survivors?"

Sawyer hesitated, thinking of Luis, when a pack of canine-like beasts, Dires--emerged from behind several crates. She could barely make out all their details, but the creatures reminded Sawyer of movie werewolves, but on meth. Their eyes held a feral intelligence as they spread out, coordinating in a lethal formation around the two women.

Kari and Sawyer exchanged a brief, tense look before moving in opposite directions to avoid the Dires that charged for them in the middle. Kari aimed her gun toward a large crate precariously perched on a nearby stack. Her shots were precise, shattering the crate and sending it crashing down to crush several Dires beneath it. The debris created a temporary barrier, separating Sawyer from Kari and the rest of the pack.

"Go, I'll catch up! Get to the first level! Head for Toledo, no matter what!" Kari shouted over the commotion. "I'll hold them off!"

"I can't just leave you!"

"Onyx, go now!"

Sawyer hesitated, torn between helping Kari and following her directive. When Kari shot a Dire charging toward her, Sawyer finally turned and ran. Her legs felt on fire as she retraced her steps through the labyrinthine paths the Saber had led her through.

Several minutes later, Sawyer soon found herself running past the grisly remains of Shorty and Thick Neck, their bodies ravaged by the earlier attack. She stopped to catch her breath, turning her head to look at what was left. As much as she could care less about them, she didn't have the heart to wish such a brutal death on anyone. The thought of being disemboweled alive made her stomach twist, and it took all her willpower not to throw up.

Rebus, that better not be happening to you back there...

Whatever pittance of energy she had left disappeared as the sound of running footsteps and heavy breathing reached her ears.

Sawyer's pulse throbbed as she drew the gun Kari had given her, almost forgetting to take the safety off. The gun shook in her hands as she tried to steady her fingers, her chest heaving as she glared toward the noise.

"Whoa, easy with the pistola, I come in peace!" (13)

"Luis?"

"In the flesh!" Two Legs grinned, raising his hands in surrender before slowly lowering them, mirroring Sawyer's actions with the gun.

A wave of relief washed over her, and she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding back, eyes at her feet. "Oh, thank god…"

"Eh, I'm not that great, but I'll take it," Two Legs quipped with a half-hearted smile. He stepped toward her, his right hand hesitating mid-air, as if wanting to touch her but unsure why. His expression flickered between confusion and something softer--almost vulnerable--before he briefly dropped his hand and looked away. Then, meeting her eyes, he added, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you in one piece!"

"I almost wasn't just a bit ago," Sawyer glanced around, ensuring they were safe. She noticed the concern in his eyes but focused on the blood dripping from his hands. "What happened there? Did you get hurt?"

"What?" Two Legs looked surprised, then glanced at his palms and chuckled. "No, it's not mine. You should see what happened to the guy though, your fella--the bioterrorist. I found his body."

"Holy shit, he's dead," Sawyer gasped, primarily to herself. "Did you see what got him?"

"Well," Two Legs glanced at the corpse of the Saber, not far from the remains of the two humans. Something unreadable crossed his eyes before they stiffened with contempt. "It wasn't one of these...creeps skulking around. Some bald guy, pretty sure he shot him."

"Mobley…"

"Friend of yours?"

"Only by association," Sawyer muttered bitterly. The picture wasn't clear, but it was becoming evident to Sawyer that something nefarious was happening with Mobley. She wouldn't be surprised if he was in on this charade the entire time and bit off more than he could chew.

"I hate to interrupt your thoughts," Two Legs cleared his throat, concern evident in his voice. "Did you find your other friends?"

Sawyer nodded, gesturing towards the hallway she had come from. "One of them is back there. She said there's an exit on the first floor."

"Shouldn't we help her?" Two Legs asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

"No, she's got it covered." Sawyer's response felt wrong, but she pushed the thought aside. "She said there's an exit on the first level."

"I wouldn't go that way," Two Legs cautioned, shaking his head. He noticed Sawyer's questioning look and exhaled, steadying himself. "There's security footage where I found Soldado's body. That's how I knew you were here—I saw you on the cameras and the creatures sneaking up on you. On the way over, I found the staircase and elevators leading to the first level. There were too many monsters; I could hear them through the vents. I doubt you have enough bullets to handle a swarm, let alone however many are up top."

Sawyer blinked, the weight of his words sinking in. He had been watching her, tracking her movements--and, from the sound of it--had even planned to help her. She didn't know what to feel about Luis overall, but gratitude came to mind.

"Shit and this place is going to self-destruct on top of it…" Sawyer muttered, trying to process everything.

"I know," Two Legs replied. "I saw that too in the office. I think your pal Mobley activated a protocol to flood the lab with BOWs before destroying the place. There was a timer."

"How much longer do we have since you last saw it?"

Two Legs bit the inside of his cheek, glancing around anxiously. "Probably thirty minutes left, give or take. It took me a while to get here."

"Fuck!" Sawyer exclaimed. She shook her head in defeat. "This place is gonna blow to kingdom come, and we have no fucking way out?!"

"Actually, we do!" Two Legs forced a smile, though his heart wasn't in it. "There's a waste hatch. Right here, on level two! I'm pretty sure it leads out to a water source!"

"How do you know?" Sawyer stared at him, her eyes a mix of skepticism and hope.

"I could smell it when I found the tunnel," he replied, wrinkling his nose at the memory. "It's gross, but it's our best shot."

Sawyer bit her lip. Doubt crept in, just as it had when the Sabers attacked and when she left Kari to fend for herself, making her second-guess every decision that led her here. She glanced behind her, almost hoping Samuel would pop up behind her and Luis.

"You okay?"

Sawyer let out a breath as she faced him. "I can't just leave him."

"Leave who?"

"Samuel—I can't leave him here in this place."

"But we need to--"

"Luis, I need to find him. You gotta help me find Sam. I need you to help me find him."

Two Legs' expression was torn. The instinct to flee and ensure his preys survival clashed with the realization that this Samuel meant a lot to her—more than her other companions. He couldn't help but wonder why. The urge to grab her by the hand and force compliance crossed his mind, more than once.

"Look at me," Two Legs sighed and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, meeting her eyes. "Let's get to the hatch first and make sure you're safe, hmm? If we have time, we'll go back for your friend. I promise. But we have to go, now."

"Okay," Sawyer muttered, her reluctance clear. Nevertheless, she knew she had no choice but to work with Luis once again.

“Confía en mí, remember?” Two Legs nodded, giving her a soft smile before gesturing with his head. "C'mon, we can't keep standing here!" (14)

Together, they started to run, ignoring the blaring alarm systems around them. As Sawyer followed Two Legs--with him leading the way toward the hatch--she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Notes:

1. Nada de cosas divertidas…= No funny business / no fun stuff 2. Cállate y sigue moviéndote! = Shut up and keep moving! 3. No me gusta esto = I don't like this 4. Algo sobre querer acabar con los hacktivistas con un arma bioorgánica. Sin testigos ni cadáveres. Tu sabes como va. = Something about wanting to take down hacktivists with a bio-organic weapon. No witnesses or bodies. You know how it goes. 5. Si, pero ¿por qué tanta prisa? = Yes, but why such a rush? 6. Luego está el tipo Serra al que todo el mundo le está dando mucha importancia. = Then there's the Serra guy that everyone is giving a lot of importance to. 7. Oye, Americana! = Hey, American (female) 8. Cariño = Sweetheart 9. Ella no sabe nada sobre él. Dale un descanso. = She doesn't know anything about him. Give it a rest. 10. Pero eso no significa que ella no sepa que él está tramando algo. Soldado y Álvarez dijeron que no lo subestimen. ¿Y por qué le diría a la mujer que se apellida Navarro? = But that doesn't mean she doesn't know he's up to something. Soldado and Álvarez said not to underestimate him. And why would he tell the woman that his last name is Navarro? 11. ¡¿Qué demonios está pasando?! = What the hell is going on? 12. Mantenerla Baja = Keep it down / keep it low 13. Pistola = gun 14. Confía en mí = Trust me

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g1rlr0b1n · 2 years ago

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Does anyone else ever think about how Damian might have had a semblance of a normal childhood if Dick had just like chosen not to relinquish guardianship of him? Because, I think about it a lot actually.

Like I know why he did but what if he didn't? Like what if Dick and Barbara raised him together? Like what then? Sure, it would be awkward because your bio-dad would also technically be your granddad and your father would also be your brother, but overall I think it would have been better for Damian.

I'm sure there are fics about this, drop them in the comments for me, will ya?

#He would get all the hugs and positive feedback from two not emotionally constipated parents #Lets not pretend Bruce is actually raising him anyway #Maybe in this timeline Bruce stayed dead or just decided parenting wasnt for him so now they are raising Tim and Cass too #Tim and Cass would get all the affection too #Damian trying to explain his family: My father sucked and being a dad so now hes my grandfather #Damian: my brother and sister are still my brother and sister though #Damian: Except for my brother Jason. Hes now my uncle #Jason: Thats uncle brother Jason to you twirp #Anyone trying to comprehend it: What in the sweet home Alabama?!#Dick and Babs could do it as a romantic couple or even just platonically #he could be like that kid whose parents are divorced #but they live together because they still love each other they just arent in love anymore #Babs: Hey kiddo its just you and me tonight dad has a hot date #Damian: Tt gross #If it doesnt exist maybe I have to write it!#batfamily #dick grayson #barbara gordon #damian wayne #bruce wayne #tim drake #jason todd #cassandra cain #I tagged them because I mentioned them in the tags

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spiral-wizard · 11 months ago

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my cousin has two 11 year old twin daughters and they are the coolest kids alive. they love dragons and warriorcats and stuff like that... i have a lil group chat with them where they send me stuff they're drawing and it's so awesome. yesterday one of them sent me a whole ass book she is writing, it's over 150 pages and i'm so stoked to read it!! leaders of tomorrow!!!!!!!

#i love giving them very specific feedback and asking questions about their characters and stuff #if more ppl had engaged with my art/stories in that way when i was that age i'd probably be a published author/illustrator by now #at this rate these kiddos will have bestsellers out in no time i know it!!!!

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pretty-purpple · 2 years ago

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FEEDBACK FOR PEACH ☎️

I LOVE UR READING SM, everything resonated, I even wrote everything you said down because it was so so accurate and it was something i needed to hear!! very friendly and cute vibes all the way lmfao <3

Thank you so much , i appreciate this lovely feedback <3 , your reading was also very detailed and i can already see it happening. I am glad that my vibes were good hehe , you are also cute , kiddo 🗿❤️! i loved working with you <333

#Star #Kiddo #Feedback #Asks

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youaresimplylovely · 7 months ago

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𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 .ᐟ

୨ৎ 𝗌𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌: 𝖺 𝗀𝗅𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗒 ୨ৎ 𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌: 𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗂𝗌 𝗑 𝗆𝗈𝗆!𝗐𝗂𝖿𝖾!𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 ୨ৎ 𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌: 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿, 𝖼𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗄 ୨ৎ 𝖺/𝗇: 𝗂 𝗁𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗇𝗈�� 𝗂 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇'𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝖺𝖺𝖺

𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗼 taglist form feedback form masterlist

itsyn_norris

liked by oscarpiastri, carlossainz55, and 3,098,280 others

itsyn_norris daddy came home early today!! 🥺🧡

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oscarpiastri YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA GRAB A WATER.

landonorris I HAVE A WIFE AND KIDS. oscarpiastri how dare you leave me and our football game 💔

ln4 daddy norris coming in 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

itsyn_norris <33

carlossainz55 i gotta give it to you man, you skipped our football game for this. So proud of you, miss this little kiddos!!

landonorris #husbandoftheyear

landonorris WHO NEEDS FOOTBALL WHEN I HAVE MY BABIES AND MY BABY MAMA 😍😍

itsyn_norris shut up i love you landonorris I LOVE YOU MORE

landonorris

liked by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc, and 5,085,294 others

landonorris just kids having kids <3

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itsyn_norris credits to the girl who threw the water on 3rd pic 😋

landonorris just so you know woman, i still love you georgerussel63 credits to the guy who gave the idea 😎 alex_albon credits to the guy who took the picture 😂 landonorris i hate all of you. (except my beautiful beautiful wife who looks sexy af)

maxverstappen1 first picture is so unhinged hahahaha

itsyn_norris it's called true love maxie landonorris true

f1 awww! the norris family traveling together, see you next race 👋

oscarpiastri posted on his story!

viewed by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc, and 2,036,579 others

[caption: he does not look like a father.]

landonorris

liked by oscarpiastri, alex_albon, and 2,978,189 others

landonorris LF babysitter

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itsyn_norris second pic was uncalled for 😐

landonorris 😘😘

oscarpiastri me me me 😊

landonorris no. itsyn_norris BABE THE KIDS LOVE HIM. landonorris but i don't. oscarpiastri !?!?!?! landonorris YOU FED MY KID A RAW EGG. oscarpiastri WE WERE IN JAPAN AND RAW EGGS ARE SAFE TO EAT THERE. landonorris out.

mclaren the team aka minions are ready sir 😇

maxverstappen1 ahem

landonorris the kids do love you maxverstappen1 of course they do, why wouldn't they 😶

charles_leclerc uncle charlie is open and available!?!?! so is Leo!?!?!

itsyn_norris YES landonorris YOU'RE HIRED charles_leclerc losers @maxverstappen1 @oscarpiastri

#f1 #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 fanfic #formula 1 au #f1 blurb #f1 smau #f1 grid x reader #lando norris x reader #lando norris #lando norris smau #lando norris x you #lando norris fluff

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you-have-a-metal-arm · 4 months ago

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‘Til The End of The Line

Pairing: Bucky x Avenger!Reader

Word Count: 1.7k

Warnings: Mentions of blood, shooting and getting hurt

Summary: You get injured in a mission, and Bucky cannot bear to see you in such state.

Author's Note: Please do not copy or translate my work. English is not my first language, so please understand grammar or spelling mistakes.

I am so sorry for being gone (school’s been killing me)

I appreciate every feedback! Thank you for reading, enjoy!

“Ready to kick some ass, kiddo?” Steve’s voice was calm, almost soothing, but you could hear the adrenaline beneath his words as the two of you adjusted your parachutes. The jet engines hummed around you, a subtle reminder of the mission ahead.

You grinned, giving your suit one last check and tightening your grip on the gun in your hand. “Yeah, I’m gonna beat the shit out of them.”

Steve smiled, not bothering to correct your language. With him, you were always an exception.

Moments later, the wind was whipping against your face as you both jumped from the jet, splitting off into the night sky. Steve took the left wing—the more dangerous side—leaving you the right. Tony had assured you it was safer, but as you slid through the narrow gap in the door, the freezing cold hit you like a wall. The air inside was frigid, bitterly reminding you of Bucky’s stories about the winters he hated so much.

“As far as I can see, it’s clear here. How’s the situation there?” Steve’s voice crackled through the comms, full of concern. You knew he cared for you deeply, saw you as the daughter he never had, and would have taken a bullet to ensure your safety.

“It’s clear here too, Cap,” you replied, trying to ease his worry.

“Let’s stick to the plan: I’ll draw out the agents while you head straight to the operations room and grab their file IV data.”

“Copy that. Be safe, Cap—and I mean it. If you need help, just call me.”

“I will, kiddo. Be safe yourself. And promise to call me if you need anything.”

“I promise. Let’s fucking go.”

You raced through the deserted corridors of the right wing, a dagger in one hand and a fully loaded gun tucked into your suit for emergencies. The cold air bit at your skin, the silence amplifying every footstep. Suddenly, a loud, thunderous noise echoed behind you. Instinctively, you thought it was Steve, but it wasn’t. The sound was coming from your side of the building.

Before you could react, you were ambushed by over twenty armed agents.

On the other side of the wing, Steve was facing his own battle. He tossed a grenade down a hallway, expecting a swarm of enemies, but only three agents rushed at him. Something was wrong. There should have been more.

“Shit,” you hissed into the comms, struggling against the overwhelming odds. Steve heard the panic in your voice, but he couldn’t respond—one of the agents had him in a chokehold. His grip tightened on the comms as he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire, followed by a loud thud that made his blood run cold.

“Kiddo, you okay?” Steve managed to gasp out, but all he got in return was a pained groan.

“I’ll get to you in less than a minute, I promise,” he said, desperation creeping into his voice. He could hear your labored breathing through the comms, and it was tearing him apart.

“Steve…” Your voice was faint, each word a struggle.

“Hmm?” he replied, trying to sound reassuring despite the dread clawing at his chest.

“Are the comms… still being recorded?”

Steve’s heart sank. He knew what you were doing, and he hated it. “Yes, kiddo, if there weren’t any changes to the plans, it’s on record.”

You exhaled shakily, the breath catching in your throat. There was only one person you needed to reach out to. “Buck…”

As soon as Steve heard the name, he knew the weight of what you were about to say. Even after four years of being together, Bucky’s name still brought shivers to your spine, thick with emotion.

“If by any chance you get to listen to this, Buck—”

“Y/N, kiddo, no, you’re not dying. I won’t let that happen.”

“You don’t know that…” Your voice was helpless, a reflection of your dwindling strength.

“Just stay there. I’m on my way. Please, don’t give up on us.”

But a part of Steve knew this might be your last moment. It was an instinct, a gut-wrenching feeling that he couldn’t shake. So he didn’t stop you from saying what you needed to.

“If you get a chance to listen to this…” You fought to keep your eyes open, tears mingling with the blood on the cold metal floor. Your mind flashed with the future you had imagined—a life with Bucky, growing old together, watching your children grow up. “In another life, we might—maybe we could have grown old together.”

Steve’s heart clenched as your voice wavered. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, but he knew there was nothing he could do except listen.

“I wish I could have given you babies,” you continued, your voice cracking with emotion. “Watched them grow in our backyard… I’m sorry that I can’t be the one to give you that life.”

Your vision blurred as sleepiness started to consume you. You fought against it with everything you had, but the darkness was closing in. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry that this is how it ends for us… I’m really sorry.”

“And if this is how it really ends… Promise me you’ll find someone else to love, to open up to. Find someone else… Call someone else ‘doll.’ And don’t grieve too much.”

The darkness was overwhelming now. You felt it pulling you under, felt the life draining from your body as blood poured from your wounds. “You deserve to be happy… And the past doesn’t—doesn’t define you.”

Your last words were barely a whisper. “I… Love you, Buck. And I’m sorry I couldn’t say that more often.”

And then… silence. The darkness consumed you, and Steve heard nothing but the empty static of the comms. He refused to believe it, refused to accept that you were gone. He sprinted through the hallways, throwing open every door until he found you, lying motionless on the floor, your suit stained crimson with blood.

He scooped you up as if you weighed nothing, his legs pumping with every ounce of energy he had left. The jet’s engines hummed steadily, but inside the cabin, chaos reigned. Steve knelt beside you, his hands trembling as he assessed your injuries. The bullets had done their damage—one near your heart, another through your stomach, and the last through your left arm. Blood pooled beneath you, soaking through your suit.

“Kiddo, hang in there, please,” Steve murmured, his voice tight with fear. He grabbed the medical kit from the overhead compartment, spilling its contents across the floor. His hands worked quickly, tearing open a pack of gauze and pressing it firmly against the wounds. The bleeding was relentless, and he knew he needed to act fast to save your life.

You were pale, your breathing shallow and irregular. It was a miracle you were still breathing at all. Steve knew he had to stabilize you before they landed, or you wouldn’t make it. His mind raced through the limited medical training he had received—enough to get through emergencies, but nothing like this.

He fumbled with an IV kit, his hands shaking as he tried to insert the needle into your arm. Your veins were fragile, but after what felt like an eternity, he got it in. He attached a bag of saline solution, knowing it was only a temporary measure.

“Stay with me, kiddo. Buck won’t be so happy about this,” Steve whispered, his voice trembling. Your pulse was faint, but still there. He applied more pressure to the wound, checking if you were breathing again. It was labored, but there were no signs of a collapsed lung, thank God.

He grabbed the portable oxygen mask and gently placed it over your mouth and nose, adjusting the flow to give you the support you desperately needed. Your chest rose and fell slightly more steadily—a small victory amid the chaos.

With one hand still applying pressure to the wound, Steve fumbled with the jet’s communications system. “Friday, please check if the team is ready for immediate surgery.”

“Yes, sir. Mr. Stark has everything prepared, and Dr. Cho is on standby.”

“Can you connect me directly to Tony?”

“Connecting now, sir.”

“Cap, how is she?” Tony’s voice crackled through, tense with concern.

“I think I stabilized her. We’re landing in three minutes, max. Thank God this jet has autopilot, or else… she wouldn’t have made it.”

Tony was silent for a moment. It wasn’t the time for pride or self-congratulation. He was kicking himself for not being more cautious, for not having medics onboard, for underestimating the mission. You were the youngest, the brightest member of the Avengers, and he couldn’t bear to lose you.

Steve checked the wound again. The bleeding had slowed, but it hadn’t stopped. He packed the wound with more gauze, securing it tightly. You needed a blood transfusion, surgery—everything he couldn’t provide here. All he could do was keep you stable until they landed.

“Tony, do me one favor,” Steve said, his voice thick as he wiped the blood from your cheeks. “Please… Don’t let Bucky see her like this. He won’t be able to handle it.”

But Tony’s response was firm. “Sorry, Cap. James already knows. He’s waiting at the airbase. And he has the right to see her.”

Steve nodded, though his heart ached at the thought. “Okay, Tony, thanks… We’re almost there.”

The jet descended, the lights of the airbase coming into view. Steve cradled you close, whispering words of comfort that he wasn’t sure you could hear. “We’re going to make it, kiddo. Just hold on a little longer.”

As the jet landed, the hatch opened to reveal Tony, Dr. Cho, and Bucky. Bucky’s face was ashen, his eyes wide with fear as he took in the sight of you. Steve gently handed you over to Dr. Cho and her team, who rushed you to the medical bay. Bucky stood frozen, staring at the blood that covered Steve’s hands and suit.

“She’s alive, Buck,” Steve said softly, his voice raw with exhaustion. “But she needs you now more than ever. Don’t lose hope.”

Bucky nodded, swallowing hard. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t think beyond the sight of you lying there so still. He followed the team as they wheeled you into surgery, praying with everything he had left that you would survive this.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

THERE’S GOING TO BE A PART 2 by Sunday

Part 2 is up y’all

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starmieknight · 5 days ago

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Omg i love 17 again Stan! I wonder if Ford tried to Ask him how on earth that happened and if Ford would treat him like a small kiddo (protective big brother style). And how would Stan feel about it?

I think… it could go two ways.

One, Ford turns into the most protective big brother ever and is always making sure he returns the effort and dedication Stan put into getting him back. It’s all rainbows and sunshine.

Two… it’s another opportunity for a Stan Twins misunderstanding. Ford thinks he’s showing how much he cares when he tells Stan they’ll find a way to fix this. Stan is only hearing his own insecurities being voiced by his brother. Mainly that there’s something inherently “wrong” with him that needs to be fixed. He just wouldn’t be able to accept that Ford actually cares about him and wants to help him with his deaging situation since it seems to be affecting his mind and has definitely affected his life and relationships. Stan feels like he just found another way to mess things up and has left Ford to figure out how to clean it up. And when all of that finally bubbles to the surface and overflows, Ford is left feeling like the scum of the earth because his brother doesn’t seem to believe that he actually loves him and wants to help. And they’ll be stuck in that feedback loop until they actually start communicating better and learning to trust each other again. And THEN they get to have that brotherly relationship again. And it’s all rainbows and sunshine 🌈 ☀️

#stan pines #ford pines #grunkle stan #grunkle ford #stanley pines #stanford pines #gravity falls #17 again au #eh art #stars align #answer #astros-cottoncloud #sorry this took so long to answer! I’ve been meaning to get to it but I wanted to think about how it could go

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winterrrnight · 9 months ago

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babe I just had the best idea for a rafe concept it pains me

Okay so imagine like reader is at work (somewhere idk where) and she just gets so overwhelmed but her and rafes relationship is still new so she doesn't call him because she doesn't wanna bother him....😭

I'm probably not the first person to think of this but it ON MY MINDDDD

literally dropped everything to write this!!!! this reader is way too me coded and I cannot :’) thank you so so much for the req vee 🥹💗 you asked for a concept… I wrote a fic…. :D I hope you like this vee <3

down for you

PAIRING: soft!rafe cameron x gn!reader

SUMMARY: rafe wants you to be able to rely on him for anything and everything.

WARNINGS: the reader is a preschool teacher and quite self dependent; lots of fluff; cute nicknames; lovesick rafe (my fav fr); minimal swearing

EDITH SPEAKS: this request speaks volumes to me 🥹 this is way too me coded, and I just had to write it, I hope you all like this! the ending is maybe a bit abrupt tho :( please like and reblog if you liked reading <3 feedback is always appreciated 🍹

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I should leave, I haven't yet, but when you smile, I just forget

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

You can swear this day can't get any worse. You’ve been on your feet basically the entire day, always rushing from your students here to there. You love the little kiddos with your entire heart, but today, for some reason, they are being an extra pain in the ass. They aren’t as cooperative as you’d prefer; you don’t know what’s gotten into them, they are like little energy packets constantly running around.

Due to some teacher duties you aren’t even able to sit down for your lunch break, taking away the only 15 minutes you have to yourself. And it just gets progressively worse when you finally leave the school to go back to your place and your car has a slashed tire, and today had to be the day when you don’t have a spare tire in your trunk.

It’s been over 6 hours since you left your house this morning, and it’s just Tuesday, but it’s feeling like the longest, most excruciating week ever. You’re now leaning against your car door, letting out a deep exhale as you lean your head back, feeling a headache creep into your brain and pulse harshly. You’re tired, hungry, absolutely exhausted… and all you want are the warm hugs of your boyfriend.

Your boyfriend.

Rafe is quite a new addition in your life, both of you being together for a mere month. He’s been so loving to you, always protective and just genuinely taking great care of you.

You pull out your phone and find his contact, but before you can dial him, your thumb hovers over his name in sudden realization – he’s always at work at this time.

You begin to contemplate your initial decision of asking him to come here to help you out, and then ultimately decide against it, realizing he’s probably very busy at work, and would only be heavily distracted if you call him.

So, just like how you always do it, you decide to take matters into your own hands.

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

It’s nearing 6 pm when you finally get to reach your place. You had to make calls to get yourself a mechanic to get your car fixed, who took his sweet sweet time to come to you. You’re now completely exhausted, wanting nothing more than just to plop on your bed and sleep till your heart desires. You can hear your stomach grumble since you never had the chance to eat the lunch you missed out on, but you make it a problem for later, deciding to just take a nap first.

As you drive into your driveway, you recognise Rafe’s black Range Rover already parked, with him standing next to it, leaning back against the hood of his car as he’s looking intently at his phone. As he catches the sound of your car driving, he instantly looks up, watching your car enter the driveway.

Before you can properly park and get out, Rafe rushes to you, opening the door for you.

“Oh my god where have you been?” He asks you, his voice laced with concern. “I tried calling you and texting you, you always come back home by late afternoon,”

You step out of the car and Rafe shuts the door, a hand quickly landing at the small of your back as you both walk to the porch of your house. He can see you’re really tired; droopy eyes, heavy steps, deep sighs; he knows something happened.

“Yeah my phone died,” you mutter as you unlock the main door of your house, both of you stepping inside. “I just… today was kind of a heavy day, nothing much honestly,” you shrug as you toss your keys in the dish and remove your coat and shoes.

“What happened?” Rafe asks, still really concerned for you as he watches you take off your cost and hang it on the coat rack. As you’re done, you face him with a small smile on your face.

“Nothing much, really,” you say softly, gently cupping his cheek with a hand and tenderly caressing his skin. “Don’t worry, yeah?” You mumble, taking your hand off his cheek as you make your way to the kitchen.

Rafe stays on your heels, following you and monitoring every single move of yours – your padding till the fridge, opening it, getting a bottle of water, unscrewing it and drinking from it.

“You look so exhausted, I can see it in your eyes,” he comments. “Your hair is all messy, your clothes are dirty; it’s clearly not nothing. Come on, tell me, what happened,”

His voice is stern, but not in an angry way; but in an apprehensive way. He moves his hand to your face, gently brushing your hair as he fixes some of the unruly strands.

As you finish drinking your water; drinking almost all of it in one go, you keep your bottle aside and let out a sigh, turning to look at him. “It was just one of those… heavy days, but it’s over now yeah? I’m now home,” you say softly.

“But just tell me what happened,” Rafe’s voice now drops to a whisper as he moves closer to you, continuing to weave his fingers through your hair.

You close your eyes for a moment, delving into the relaxing feeling of Rafe’s fingers softly combing through your hair, but also realizing he’s going to keep pressing for you to tell him what happened.

“The kids were a bit uncooperative today,” you say with a soft chuckle. “And then we have this event coming up at school, so I was busy for my entire lunch break preparing for it. And then my car had a flat tire and I didn’t have a spare so I had to get a mechanic, which took most of the time. But besides that, nothing much happened,” you say with a small shrug.

“Besides all that?” Rafe mutters incredulously. “That’s already a lot, baby, why didn’t you call me when you found out about your flat tire? I would’ve come; or sent someone to get you, we would’ve had lunch in my office, and I would have had someone take care of the tire and bring your car back too.” There’s a small frown on his face and he now holds your face in both his hands, gently skimming your cheeks with his thumbs.

You look up in his soft, baby blue eyes. “I did think of calling you but-”

“But?”

“But I thought…” you take a deep breath, your eye contact with him faltering. “you’ll be busy, and I didn’t want to be a burden to you, really, I was able to get it all fixed just fine,”

You can hear Rafe tsk; his tongue clicking against his teeth as he softly shakes his head. “I’m never busy for you okay? My work does not ever get more importance than you, okay? It never does, and it never will, especially when you’re in trouble and need help,”

He gently grips your chin and tips your head back just a bit, making you look at him. His eyes are softened, the blue even more warmer than usual.

“I know you prefer to do things on your own,” he whispers, “but you have to realise that you really don’t need to do each thing on your own, especially now that I’m around. I won’t mind, really, and besides, I would love to show everyone off at work that I am the boyfriend of the most beautiful person on this damn planet yeah?”

You can’t help but chuckle softly at his words as you keep looking in his eyes.

“So, promise me, next time you need any sorts of help, want me to do something for you, or just want me to be there, you don’t think twice about calling me up okay?” He says softly, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

He can see the reluctancy in your eyes, but you eventually give in and nod.

“Okay, promise,” you murmur, smiling as you wrap your arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. He gladly hugs you back, snuggling his face in your neck as he gently rubs your back.

“So…” you speak up, and he hums back in response, both of you still hugging.

“I’ll take up on that offer right now. I’ll go and shower, and you make something for me to eat yeah?”

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊˎ-

TAGLIST: @runningfrom2am @saccharinesammie @maybankslover @totalswag @madelynie @chenslucy @ietss @elle-mp3 @viawritesstuff @wallsdreams @lunalitva @sadfury @shores-kayla @jamesbuckybarneswify @xxxlaura @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles @callsignwidow @starkowswife @drewstarkeyswifehoe @jjchaer @f4ll-for-you @wearemadeofstardust0 @drewsmusee @rafegirly @addriaenne @leighbronk @rafesdrew @bejeweledreverie @raf3sgff @aerangi @drewstarkey1bae @moneymaybank @spideysimpossiblegirl @the-tortured-poets-depxrtment @rafesgiirl @theoraekenslover @fals3-g0d @personalfavsthatarerandom @b1mb0slvt

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drei-mrssvechii · 2 months ago

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cookie time! | andrei svechnikov

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pairing: dad!andrei svechnikov x reader

warnings: mentions of andrei's injury, the canes doing not so well, kids.

word count: 690 words

a/n: ok so i wrote this around last year when svech got injured for playoffs and i'm just posting it now lololol. but anyway! i felt like this was such a cute concept and needed to write it, so here it is! hope you enjoy it, i'm always open to feedback, requests, etc, etc.

“how much time till you can return to skating, dada?” your little girl, sofiya, asked as andrei tucked her into bed.

“that’s quite a long time, sunshine,” he replied. she pouted; there was nothing she loved more than going to games and supporting her daddy in her little svech jersey.

though andrei’s injury kept him off the ice, there wasn’t much anyone could do to stop him from visiting the rink, and sofiya would gladly follow him everywhere—she was such a daddy’s girl, after all.

so you’d still attend some games, but ever since svech was out, losing had become a constant, and frustration was clearly building within the team. especially for andrei, who couldn’t help but feel guilty for not being able to play.

the mood wasn’t the best, but when it came to sofiya, he would always put on a smile. it wasn’t often that they got to spend so much time together, so she loved having him home to attend her tea parties, tuck her into bed, and take her to school. as much as she adored it, though, she knew her dad missed being on the ice, and sofiya didn’t like seeing him hurt and sad. so one morning, just as she heard andrei leaving for therapy, she went downstairs with what she thought was the perfect plan to cheer him up.

you were in the kitchen, tidying up from breakfast. it was still early, so you planned to get a bit more sleep, assuming your little girl wouldn’t be up until later—or so you thought, until you heard her quick footsteps on the stairs.

“morning, love. what are you doing up so early?” you asked, watching as she entered the kitchen and grabbed a stool to stand next to you.

“can we make chocolate chip cookies?” she asked, leaving a kiss on your cheek.

“cookies? it’s too early for those, baby,” you said, though knowing chocolate chip cookies were her all-time favorite.

“i know, mom, but cookies make me happy. i bet they’ll make dada happy, too!” she said, explaining her plan with such conviction that you couldn’t help but smile.

it was so sweet how she was thinking of ways to cheer up her dad. so, you quickly gave in, gathered all the ingredients, and handed her a small apron.

she started by cracking the eggs (with a tiny bit of shell making it into the bowl), then you helped her measure the flour, and sofiya poured in what seemed like way too many chocolate chips. the kitchen turned into a delightful mess: flour dusted the counters, little chocolate fingerprints decorated the cabinets, and sofiya sneaked a few chocolate chips every chance she got.

“daddy’s gonna love this!” she said, her eyes shining with excitement.

but just as the first batch of cookies went into the oven, you heard the door open earlier than expected, and sofiya’s face fell.

“oh no, mom! he’s here too soon. it’s all ruined,” she muttered, disappointed.

andrei stepped into the kitchen, chuckling as he took in the scene—flour everywhere, cookie dough on the counters, and sofiya’s pouty face.

“sunshine, what’s all this?” he asked, his eyes softening as he looked at her.

“i wanted to surprise you,” she murmured. “make you happy like you make me happy.”

his face brightened, and he pulled her into a warm hug. “well, you sure did, kiddo. this is the best surprise i could ask for.”

sofiya smiled brightly, inviting him to join her. together, the three of you continued baking. as andrei helped sofiya clean up the counters, you caught his eye, sharing a warm smile. moments like these were rare but so precious.

as the cookies finished baking, andrei had an idea. “hey, sweetheart, how about we take these cookies to practice and share them with the team?”

sofiya’s eyes lit up in excitement. “yes! they’ll be so happy. i miss uncle jarvy,” she said with a little pout.

“he sure misses you too, baby.”

and with a plate of freshly baked cookies in hand, the three of you headed to the rink, just as morning skate wrapped up.

taglist: @sydnikov @cammie1634 @honeygarfield @svechnikov3737 @this-is-ally-and-im-confused @barzyandhughesbaby @tinyhockey @boeswhore @owenpowerstapejob @kailyn-writes @stars-canucks @ssebastianaho @beauvertime @barzyblogbabe @hockey-racing-fubol @1-800-iluvhockey | join here!

#carolina hurricanes #andrei svechnikov #hockey imagine #nhl imagine #hockey #nhl imagines #nhl fic #nhl canes #fic #imagine #nhl fluff #nhl blurb #hockey fic #andrei svechnikov x reader #nhl writing #nhl x reader #nhl fanfiction

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haikyu-mp4 · 9 months ago

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Two jobs

word count; 1262 – singlemom!reader

Even though your 10-year-old son had started to become less of a cuddly kid and more of a stubborn tween, there is one ritual he never complained about. Namely, going to Onigiri Miya every Monday after finishing his homework.

By now, both of you were good friends with the owner, Miya Osamu. Some friends might call what you had a crush but you’d always deny it. There was no use getting your hopes up for dating when your whole life revolved around your son. Expecting someone to take on an extra job would simply set you up for disappointment.

Osamu knew you both well enough by now to have had a couple of conversations with your son about his growing volleyball obsession. There were pictures hung up in the restaurant of Osamu with his twin brother, who just so happened to be a setter on your son’s favourite team recently, the MSBY Black Jackals. Your son was ecstatic when he found out about Osamu’s common interest and quickly grew somewhat attached to the owner of the restaurant, so you did as well. Maybe you didn’t just go there once a week anymore.

However, Osamu hadn’t dared to ask for your number yet, so this surprise to your son became a surprise for you as well. When you and your son entered the restaurant, your eyes immediately found Osamu to give him a wave, but your son’s wide eyes were on his blonde twin who was leaning on the wall by the cashier and clearly waiting for something. Or someone. Let’s just say Osamu called in a favour.

Your son let out a loud dramatic gasp before running over to the athlete, trying to act cool while greeting Atsumu.

“S/n, you could at least greet Osamu before moving on.” you chuckled softly and ruffled his hair, even though you knew Osamu probably understood. You bowed to Atsumu and introduced yourself before smiling at Osamu again with sparkling eyes because you realised Osamu did this for your son. Your dear son who was now talking Atsumu’s ears off. “Thank you,” you said, not too loudly so you wouldn’t disturb the kids’ volleyball talk. Osamu nodded his head, neck flushing from the soft look on your face before turning around and heading for the kitchen.

“I’ll get your usual going,” he said cheerfully.

You looked at his back for a few seconds with a warm heart before turning to his twin. Atsumu was already looking at you, amused by the lovey-dovey action happening right in front of his eyes. You put a hand on your son’s shoulder. “Miya is probably here to enjoy his food too, kiddo,” you said, hoping your son wouldn’t be embarrassed for his excitement but trying to make him more aware.

“No worries at all, it’s good to get some feedback from the experts every now and then,” Atsumu said, fully into the role as he winked at your son. The boy chuckled, grinning up at you in glee. Core memory, maybe. “And please, call me Atsumu,” he said, which he directed more at you.

You three kept talking for a couple of minutes until Osamu finally came back with your food on a tray. His brother found it funny how you two awkwardly blushed around each other, trying to act like normal despite the obvious attraction. It was hilarious. Osamu closed the restaurant as you had come in quite late today and the last customer just left, so he could sit down with the three of you while you ate. However, it was mostly your son talking, trying his best to eat at the same time as he had Atsumu putty in his hands. Meanwhile, you and Osamu kept whispering to each other and mixed it with quiet chuckles, mostly about how adorable your son was.

Atsumu saw his opportunity. After this day, he could be cordially crowned the best brother ever, as he sacrificed more of his time with a few simple words after your son finished his last bite of onigiri. “Why don’t you join me for practice tomorrow, I’ll show you some tricks,” he suggested, enjoying the absolute thrill on the kid’s face. Your son turned to you, hands tightly knit together to beg.

“Please please please, mom. Can I? It’s been my absolute biggest dream since like forever.” he said dramatically. You’re definitely familiar with all his big dreams that seemed to change each time he wanted something. You took a moment to look at Atsumu for confirmation that he was sure, then at Osamu to see if he agreed with it and then you turned your eyes back to your son, pinching his chubby cheek.

“We can’t turn down such an amazing offer, I think it sounds great,” you said, and it only took a second for your son to burst from his chair to hug you around your neck and chant his thank yous. “Go thank Atsumu and Osamu as well, love.”

When you were about to leave, Atsumu picked up your son and showed him some more pictures further into the restaurant, winking at Osamu as his signal. Osamu took a deep breath before getting your attention by loosely holding your hand. “Hey, y/n.” He clutched onto all his courage and for once took his brother’s advice. “Would you like to go out with me while Atsumu takes care of s/n tomorrow?” he asked, observing your face for a reaction. You were blinking in disbelief before smiling again.

“Just us? Like a…” you cleared your throat, not sure if you could meet his eyes so you interlaced your fingers with his instead. “Like a date?” You would have to be stupid to not realise the chemistry between you and Osamu, but you never wanted to make a move because he might have decided already that he doesn’t want to be involved in your son’s life like that. So hearing him finally ask was thrilling and you wondered if he might be able to hear your heartbeat if he focused enough and Atsumu stopped talking so loudly.

“Like a date. If you want it to be.”

“I would love to.”

Osamu prepared the best date ever and the two of you easily went from nervous chuckles to engaged conversations. In order for you to relax as much as possible, he had already given Atsumu all the information and threats he needed to take responsibility for your son. In between your conversations, Osamu would check his phone and show you some pictures Atsumu sent to prove that your son was both safe and enjoying himself.

Atsumu certainly had to remind himself he was being a good brother when your son’s favourite player was revealed to be Bokuto, who had a field day with his young fan.

After you finished the perfect first date and shared a couple of first kisses, the both of you went to get your son and he was happily telling both of you about his experience with the professional volleyball players as you exited the gym. Now that must have been a core memory.

Atsumu gave his farewells before leaving, glancing over his shoulder at how you and Osamu each held one of your son’s hands as Osamu followed you back to your apartment. He could totally be the cool uncle, but your son would have to switch favourites first.

And now, after many more dates and with a diamond ring on your finger, Osamu is proud to say he has two jobs and loves both of them.

masterlist ║ PART 2

#miya osamu #osamu x reader #haikyu #haikyuu #osamu #miya #miya x reader #haikyu x reader #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu fluff #hq x reader #hq #fanfiction #miya atsumu #msby atsumu #miya osamu x you #haikyuu x you #haikyu fluff #miya osamu x reader

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kiddotarot · 3 months ago

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YOUR OWN LOVE STORY - Exchange

In this game i am going to tell your love story with your future spouse in a stroy with moodboard.

○ Send me your juno and groom chart ( both).

○ please don't Dm only send ask.

○ please be patience because its going to take time.

○ be polite.

○ if you want a private answer just mention it .

For tarot readers -

○ send me the same then we can match the length.

Non tarot readers-

○ ship me with any charater you want with moodboard.

Enjoy...

GAME WILL BE CLOSE WHEN I THINK I HAVE ENOUGH PARTICIPATES

Closed

#tarot tumblr #tarotcommunity #vedic astrology #astro notes #vedic astrology observations #astrology #tarot reading #astrology community #astrology observations #kiddo feedback #daily tarot #love astrology #asteroid groom #astro observations #astro community #pac tarot #tarotblr

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eddiemunsonistheloml · 4 months ago

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Reader ranking her nicknames (that Eddie gave her)

Masterlist

Taglist

Based on the tiktok filter where you rank different nicknames

Part 2 for this but it doesn’t matter what order you read in

☆ Paring(s): Eddie Munson x Reader

☆ Words: 449

☆ Warnings: (18+) no smut but mentions of sex, reader is mentioned to be younger than Eddie but age is not specified, reader is referred to as “pretty girl” and “Mrs” but other than that there is no pronouns, (lmk if I need to add any other warnings)

1. Sweetheart

A classic yet you love it so much. Eddie calls you lots of different names but this has to be your favourite one. He loves watching how you still blush when he calls you “sweetheart”. He sometimes likes to joke that he was talking to his guitar not you because you’re both his sweethearts.

2. Pretty girl

Like Eddie you are a sucker for praise. Whenever you call him “pretty boy” he almost always responds by calling you “pretty girl”. He always insists that you’re pretty than him.

3. Sunshine

Eddie always says that you are the light of his life and as cheesy as it sounds it’s true. He thinks that you’re the best thing that has ever happened to him (which might be true). Eddie loves how kind and bright you can be just like the sun.

4. Angel

Like the last one he calls you angel because you can be the sweetest person to him. Honestly you think it’s a little funny because most people still think he’s a devil worshiper but in reality he worships you- his Angel.

5. Baby

It’s simple but cute. It’s not your favourite name ever but you still love it like all of your other nicknames. He sometimes uses it to tease you about how you’re younger than him.

6. Doll

He usually calls you doll in the bedroom iykyk. Like almost all of the other nicknames he teases you with it. (Idrk what else to write for this one)

7. Killer

“Easy killer” is a phrase he says a lot when you’re mad. Whenever someone is making fun of Eddie you can get a little protective..

8. Kid/kiddo

He likes to tease you about being younger than him. You secretly love when he makes fun of you like that but you could never tell that him that because he’s way too cocky.

9. Babe

A classic. Like Eddie you like more creative names so “babe” isn’t your favourite name that he’s called you. He uses it more when you’re in public so he doesn’t embarrass you too much (he always ends up embarrassing you though).

10. Your name

He almost never ever calls you by your real name, sometimes he uses a shorter version of your name but hardly ever your actual name. The only time he does is when he’s mad at you so you don’t like when he calls you by your name because it makes you think that he’s made at you.

Bonus: Mrs. (Eddie) Munson

He likes to joke that you’re basically his wife already so why wait to call you “Mrs. Munson”. He also calls you “Mrs. Eddie Munson” just as often.

reblogs and feedback are greatly appreciated <3

#eddie munson x fem reader #eddie munson x reader smut #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic

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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 4 months ago

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Bitter Sweet Symphony 1

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Thor

Summary: you meet a god in real life but he's not the saviour you think.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

You catch Joanie by her knapsack before she can disappear into the crowd. Your heart lurches as you just picture her tiny stature getting lost in the New York crush. You pull her back to you.

“Joan, take me hand,” you demand shakily.

“Sorry, I thought I saw...” she begins then shakes her head. The cat ears on her hat wiggle. She grabs your hand with her small one and you squeeze. “Nothing. I’m just excited.”

“You know mom would kill me if I lost you,” you draw her out of the way of another pedestrian. The man in his suit doesn’t spare you a single thought as he charges by.

“Ha, I’m not going to get lost,” she insists.

You grumble but don’t voice your anxiety. She’s young and it’s all so big and loud to her. She’s still to young to be scared. You admire your half-sister for that but it also fills you with dread.

“I did!” She squeals and jumps in her pink high tops. “I saw him, I saw him.”

She points and her hand bounces off the hip of a woman strutting by. You apologise and once more redirect your sister. You squint and search in the direction she pointed. Yellow taxis honk as they roll by and jay walkers dodge between them.

“Thor!” Your sister hollers and hops up again, waving her hand.

That’s when you see him. You don’t know how you missed him. There’s so much going on that all the buildings and bodies blend together. For as long as you’ve been in the city, you’re still not used to the chaos of it all.

“Thor?” You echo her.

“Duh! God of Thunder! He hangs out with Iron Man.”

“Right,” you shepherd her back before she can get underfoot. “You know what mom says about talking to strangers.”

“He’s not a stranger, he’s a hero.” She argues.

“Maybe but I’m sure he’s just trying to live his life. He doesn’t look like he’s hero-ing right now, kiddo,” you chide.

“But...” her face falls. “But we don’t have heroes at home! What if I never see another one again? I just wanna say hi.”

“I know, Joan, but I...” you pause and glance back. There are others clustering around the tall man. He smiles and welcomes them as he greets them all graciously. You just hate to be in others way. You should have considered that before you moved to one of the most overcrowded places on earth. “Alright, but we’re going to go down and cross at the walk, right?”

She harrumphs and agrees begrudgingly, “right.”

You take her down the sidewalk, clamped onto her as you steer her around the New Yorkers trapped in the tunnel vision of their own existence. You get to the corner and wait and cross with a cluster. You glance down the pavement as Joanie squirms.

“Oh no, I think he’s gone,” she whines.

You look desperately ahead and grimace. You hope you didn’t ruin it for her. You drag her along, hoping that long blonde hair will pop up again. It doesn’t. You get to the exact place you spotted him. He’s not there.

“I’m so sorry, Joanie. I just wanted to be safe.” You turn to her, your chest dropping. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine...” she drones and hangs her head.

You stumble as a man knocks into your hip. You try to make yourself smaller but it’s hard to dodge anyone on the sidewalk even without a little extra cushion. You peer around and your eyes catch on the hanging sign of a bakery.

“How about a treat instead? You love cupcakes, right?” You coax her.

“Mm, I guess,” she shrugs.

Her disappointment stings. You feel horrid. You know she’s going to hold onto this.

“Come on, let’s get out of this,” you pull her to the bakery door.

As you enter, you sigh. You’re happy to be free of the city crawl. You look up at the menu above the counter. You’ve never been in here before. It’s a nice place and the desserts look immaculate. They’re also expensive.

“Look they have a unicorn--” You begin and Joanie rips her hand away as she wiggles.

“He’s here!” She cries out. “It’s Thor.”

Her voice carries across the space and you cringe and you look over to find the man, or god, in question. His blue eyes round as he bites into a cupcake piled with icing. The sugary topping marks his nose as he pulls it away and gulps. He gives a goofy smile.

“Joanie,” you whisper, “he’s just trying to enjoy his food.”

“Little one!” He waves before you can deter her. “You know me.”

Joanie giggles and squeals and skips over before you can stop her. You trail after her reluctantly as she hops up to his table, “your Thor, king of Asgard, God of Thunder!” She jitters. “I know you!”

He booms with laughter and wipes the icing from his beard and nose. His cupcake is forgotten on a small saucer. “An honour to meet you...”

“Joanie!” She nearly hollers. “My name is Joanie.”

“Ah, a beautiful name,” he praises and his eyes wander over you as you hover behind her. “And this lady, your mother?”

“Sister!” Joanie replies before you can and gives your name.

You try to smile as he grins at you and his eyes seem to sparkle. You wonder if that’s a god thing. Your cheeks are hot as his gaze bores into you.

“Are you here for the cupcakes? They are delicious. I recommend the confetti.” He puts his attention back to Joanie. “Would you like to join me?”

“Oh, sir, thanks, that’s so kind but we’ll just be getting ours to go--”

“But--” Joanie begins to whine and you lay your hand on her shoulder.

“If you don’t mind. She’s a big fan.”

“Not at all,” he assures you. “Allow me to treat you. What are we having?”

He stands and you shrink as he towers over you. There aren’t many who can make you feel small. You can’t help but take a step back and herd Joanie with you.

“Um...” you look over, “it’s really—I don’t mind. I can’t get ours. We’ve already bothered--”

“I must insist. As a king, I prize courtesy above all. Please sit and allow me to bring you some sweets.”

“I want the unicorn!” Joanie demands before you can stop her. You give Thor and apologetic look. He only seems amused by her awe.

“That’s very generous of you, what do we say, Joanie?” You say.

“Please and thank you,” she chirps.

“Yes, thank you, Thor. I’m fine with something simple. Vanilla is good for me.” You move Joanie away from him, “come on, let’s sit down. We’ve done a lot of walking.”

#thor #dark thor #dark!thor #thor x reader #series #drabble #bitter sweet symphony #au #mcu #marvel #avengers

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whimsyfinny · 3 months ago

Text

He’s a Winchester

Chapter 4

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader

Summary: It's been a long time since (Y/n) and Dean's paths have crossed. Last time they saw each other it was ‘98 and they were young and living in the moment. Nine years down the Line, their paths cross again, but (Y/n)s longest kept secret is about to become Deans reality.

Slow burn (ish), mom!reader

Warnings: language, alcohol, lots of feelings, Dean becoming a DILF

Chapter Word Count: 6338

MDNI 18+

A/N: annnnd I feel like we can get that ball rolling! Sorry guys, this should have been posted last night but my kid is sick again (germy little fuckers) so I'll post it now! Let me know if you like Deans POV and if you want more of it! Also do we prefer longer or shorter chapters? Lemme know. As always, it's only proof read by moi and my currently highly cold&flu medicated brain, so let me know of any errors. Also feedback is greatly appreciated!

A/N2: GUYS IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING but PLEEEEASE provide your age if you want to be added to the taglist and it isn’t in your blog. This story is tame now but it’s gonna get spicy, and my blog is strictly 18+. So pleeeeease save be a very long job and help a gal out.

Photos from Pinterest

New Readers Start Here: Chapter 1

Previous Chapter: Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Ice-cream went down a treat and the boys were loving every minute spent in each others presence. We were currently sitting in the window booth at the dessert parlour, my second coffee now clutched between my palms as both Levi and I listened to Dean intently. He was telling us some crazy story from his travels, and I couldn't help but smile as Levi hung off every word, urging Dean to become more animated in his narration. The crisp ring of a phone suddenly cut through the air between us and it took Dean a moment to realise it was his. After retrieving it from his jacket pocket, his eyes widened when he saw the caller ID. He mouthed ‘sorry’ to both of us as he answered the phone.

“Sammy!” he exclaimed before chewing his lip. He turned away and toward the window slightly so he didn't speak over us. Whilst Dean was preoccupied, I took the time to turn to Levi, warmth blooming across my chest at the smile that hadn't left his face.

“Hey there trouble, how are you doing?” I reached over to place my hand over his, tracing my thumb over his knuckles.

“This is the best day ever!” he said, his voice practically bouncing with joy and excitement as he glanced at his Dean, still on the phone. “Mom, I have a dad!”

I laughed softly, giving his hand a final squeeze before letting go.

“Yes you do!”

“And he’s cool!”

I laughed again. “Very cool!”

We chatted for a few minutes whilst Dean wrapped up his conversation with his brother - Levi trying desperately to contain his enthusiasm every time his dad was mentioned. It didn’t take long for Dean to hang up the phone and turn back to face us, giving Levis’ hair a ruffle as he looked down at him.

“Hey kiddo, that was your uncle Sammy on the phone,” he shifted his gaze to mine for a moment before turning back to his son, “I’ve sorta left him hanging all afternoon, so I’m going to need to spend a few hours with him, ok?” Levi pouted, which triggered Deans’ expression to soften. He looked back at me with almost pleading eyes. “If it’s ok with your mom, I could come around later? Bring a movie and popcorn?”

Dean had barely finished speaking when Levi beamed at me and I laughed at his electric excitement. If he smiled any wider I feared he’d actually hurt himself.

“Of course, that’s fine with me.”

The boys high-fived before I gave Dean a light hearted warning look.

“But the film has to be age appropriate. Absolutely no slasher films.”

Dean held his hands up in mock defence.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said with a slight smirk on his lips

With that, he said his goodbyes with a pat on Levis’ shoulder and the squeeze of my hand before slipping out of the booth and out of the parlour.

Deans POV

“You have a son?!”

Sam looked just as shocked as I had felt less than twelve hours ago, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

“Yeah,” I grinned at him, “crazy, huh?”

Sam opened and closed his mouth a few times, almost getting words out before changing his mind at the last minute in favour of a different sentence.

“Dean… You’re a dad,” he smiled in disbelief, looking over at me.

“Yeah,” I said again, feeling that goofy-ass grin reappear on my face, “it’s awesome. He’s awesome. I can’t wait for you to meet him, Sammy. He's so fucking cool.”

“I bet he is.”

We sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, my mind creating and then recreating hundreds of new scenarios I’d never thought I’d ever imagine. That I never thought I’d even get the chance to experience. I’m a hunter. I live a wild, dangerous, unpredictable life. But I have a son. A reason to live; to take care and caution for.

“Hey Dean…” Sams’ soft voice derailed my train of thought.

“Hmm?”

“How do you know (Y/n) is telling the truth? That this kid is definitely yours, and she’s not just messing with your head? I don’t mean to sound horrible Dean, but your taste in women can be-”

“(Y/n) can be trusted,” I cut him off, his words souring my mood slightly. I know he’s only looking out for me, but he’s always the first to question when something seems too good to be true. “You sure?”

“Yeah…” I held his gaze for a few seconds before sighing, deciding to explain further when his stare didn't let up. “We were together for almost a year. She was different. She never judged, or got angry when I was a mess after a hunt. She knows what I - what we - do for a living, and she never freaked out over it, or tried to break things off. She would just say, ‘ok, just stay safe out there’, and carry on,” I paused, the memories of our time together replaying in my mind like an old movie. I could see Sam nodding at my words, listening. So I continued. “(Y/n) had just turned eighteen when we met. I took her to prom,” I smiled at the memory, remembering the tremble in my hands as I’d driven to her parents house to pick her up. I’d never felt so nervous around a girl before, desperately trying to get a grip on my nerves the whole drive there.

“Prom?” Sam smirked, a twinkle in his eye, “You took her to prom?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“How have I never heard about this? Did dad know?”

I chewed my bottom lip, feeling the embarrassment heat my skin a little.

“Yeah, dad knew. He never met her, but he still teased me for weeks. You never knew because I never brought her ‘round, and you were determined to get into Stanford. I stayed away a lot back then, trying to work some cases on my own, to get some more experience. But… (Y/n) turned out to be a huge distraction,” we both laughed, the sound light and easy as it filled the car. I reached into my jacket and pulled out my wallet, flicking through the various cards and slips of paper until I pulled out an old, folded photograph. I passed it to Sam and he eyed it before taking it carefully and unfolded it, smoothing out the creases before studying the image. The slight furrow between his brows quickly disappeared as he looked down, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“Well I’ll be damned, you really did go to prom.”

He looked it over for a few more moments, taking in every detail before passing it back to me. It had been a while since I’d looked at the image, finding it hard in the past to look at (Y/n)s face and remember that I’d left her behind. But now… now I could stare at this photo all day and feel nothing but warmth. I looked down at the decade old picture, seeing the candid moment captured in time. She had her arms draped over my shoulders, her face in a contented smile as I leant in for a kiss. Her lipstick was slightly smudged and my jacket was nowhere to be seen - small signs of a night enjoyed. I remember her friend snapping the picture before running off with a giggle, passing the developed image to (Y/n) a few weeks later. It was only a few days after that I told her I was leaving, and she’d gifted it to me with a sad smile and lingering kiss. I never normally found goodbyes difficult as they were part of the job. I'd gotten used to them. But saying goodbye to her had been one of the hardest things I'd ever had to do. The promise of staying in touch didn't last as long as we’d both hoped - dad somehow commondering my phone and returning it to factory settings without telling me. I guess it was around that time she found out she was pregnant.

The wince struck my face like a bolt of lightning, guilt and regret hitting like ice in my chest. The years she'd spent raising our kid on her own, working at the local garage in between school runs, Motocross trips and simple survival - it had me feeling nauseous. I should have been there. I've missed so much of Levi's life - of a life I could've had with (Y/n), as a family. My family. I mean fuck, I missed the birth of my son - I never got to hold him as a baby. I made him wait eight years for a hug. I made (Y/n) wait even longer, leaving her with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Crossing my arms over the steering wheel, I buried my head between them, praying that the tight knot in the pit of my stomach would disappear.

“You ok man?” Sam asked, twisting further in his seat to face me, the well-maintained leather creaking under his weight. I raised my head.

“Yeah… and no. I feel so, so good, like I'm on top of the fucking world, but…”

“But?”

“Do you think she hates me? Resents me? For falling off the face of the earth and making her do all of this alone?”

Sam smiled, a small laugh on his breath as he leant back against the passenger side door.

“Are you serious?”

I shot him an incredulous look.

“Dude…” he started, “(Y/n) doesn't hate you. She will obviously have feelings on the matter, but I think what she's feeling right now is relief, knowing that you're here now.”

I took a deep breath.

“Do you really think so?”

“Dean, I don't think things would have gone as smoothly as you described if she held any animosity towards you. She let you take Levi for ice-cream straight after meeting him. I think that's a good sign.”

I smiled, remembering my afternoon.

“Yeah, she's letting me go over to theirs tonight for a movie.”

“I don't think she'd be letting you into her house if she hated you. I mean, in the thirty seconds I'd met her earlier, she was all kind smiles and soft edges. Definitely not giving off ‘mean vibes’. Plus…” Sam smirked slightly, drumming his fingers on the back of the seat.

“Plus?” I raised an eyebrow, turning towards him.

“There's a chance she feels the same way you feel about her. That hug you shared said a lot.”

I scoffed slightly, finding his words ludicrous.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Dude, you've kept her picture in your wallet for nearly a decade. She was the only long relationship that I've ever known you to have, and you're worried if she hates you.”

“And?”

“When have you ever given a shit about anyone's opinion but mine and dad's?”

His words stopped my racing mind in its tracks, making me think for a moment. My heart suddenly picked up speed, finding it hard to ignore the truth in Sam's words.

“I mean, we were great back then, but she's a totally different person now. She had to grow up fast - there's no way she's gonna put up with my shit now,” I gnawed on my bottom lip, turning to look out of the front windscreen at all of the other parked cars. “I mean, what about hunting? We have jobs to do, I can't just bail on people - bail on you. (Y/n) Doesn't need that sort of chaos in her life, not now that she's got Levi. And I won't bring the hunters life anywhere near him. Fuck, Sammy, what am I going to do? I can't stick around, but I can't leave. FUCK.”

“Dean.”

“Why does this have to be so complicated?”

“Dean.”

“I'm going to end up ruining their lives and-”

“DEAN.”

“What?!”

“Just shut up. Do you hear yourself? You're overthinking shit that doesn't matter right now.”

His abrupt words ceased the hurricane in my brain, slowing both my thoughts and my rapid pulse. I even released the steering wheel from my white-knuckled grip. I replied to him, my voice slower and less panicked.

“But it's important, I need to figure it out.”

“It is. And you can - with (Y/n). You don't have to figure all of this out by yourself, Dean. You can make those decisions together. You guys are a team now, so you can't go off and decide these things on your own.”

I found myself nodding slowly, letting his words sink in. Taking a deep breath I leant back in my seat and ran my hands through my hair before dragging them over my face. I thought for a moment; calmer, quieter thoughts this time as I mulled over what Sam had said. He was right. I needed to talk to (Y/n) before making any decisions. Any stupid decisions that I know she would prevent me from making - like she used to. I huffed out a long held breath, twisting in my seat to face my younger - wiser - brother.

“Yeah, you're right. Look, I'm sorry for freakin’ out, I don't mean to… it's just- this is crazy. I mean Sam, I have a kid. ME. Of all people.”

Sam's eyes softened, his puppy-dog glimmer returning with a small smile.

“It's so crazy. I mean I never thought I'd get to be an uncle! But Dean… this is something good. All the shit we've seen, that we've dealt with and put up with - you especially - you deserve this. Embrace the shit out of this.”

I returned his smile in kind, a warm, fuzzy feeling I wasn't used to filling every fibre in my body.

“Yeah, I will.”

(Y/n)’s POV

Evening was drawing in, the sun starting to set as it neared 6:30 pm. Levi was busy tidying his room as I cleaned the kitchen, the small room bathed in a pink and orange glow. The sunset was calming as night slowly crept closer, the feeling of fall crisp in the air as the sun started to lower in the sky. As I dried the final dish from dinner and returned it to the cupboard I heard a rap at the door. I'd barely acknowledged it when Levi's footsteps came thundering down the stairs.

“Dad's here!” his giddy exclamation bouncing off the walls and bringing a smile to my lips.

“Well, go and let him in then!”

He practically leapt over to the door and unlocked it, swinging it open just as I stepped around the corner. There Dean stood with a happy smile and clean shirt, leaning lazily on the doorframe. His eyes lit up as soon as he spotted Levi.

“Hey there kiddo!” Dean ruffled his sons hair.

“Hey dad! What movie are we watching?”

Dean laughed.

“Why don't you let me come in first, huh? I need to say ‘hi’ to your mom.”

At the mention of me his eyes flicked up to meet mine, the sudden connection catching me off guard as his grin twitched upwards slightly.

Levi stepped back and let Dean in. It was a very rare occurrence for us to have a man in the house, and I couldn't stop the small flutter in my chest at the sight of Dean standing in my small living room. He dominated the space, his rugged exterior a little out of place in our domestic setting. Levi shuffled off to sit on the couch whilst Dean took a few slow steps over to me, his long legs swallowing the distance.

“Hey,” his voice was low and soft, his smile not leaving his lips.

“Hey,” I smiled back, pulling my soft cardigan around me. I took a step back into the kitchen, Dean following suit. “Coffee?”

“Coffee sounds great,” the grocery bag he'd been carrying was placed on the kitchen counter as I filled the coffee machine with water. Watching out of the corner of my eye, Dean observed his surroundings, looking at where we lived - where his son grew up.

“Nice house,” the low softness of his voice was still present.

“Thanks - I'll give you the grand tour later if you like?” I turned the machine on and spun to face him, and I watched as he leant comfortably against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Yeah,” he said, “I'd like that.”

There was a pause in the conversation as we took a moment to look at each other. Really look, as it felt like the whirlwind afternoon we’d had took away our ability to really see each other. I'd been aware of his unchanging fashion and his handsome face, yet I'd forgotten about the soft sun-kissed freckles that dotted his nose, now fading as fall dawned and the sun weakened. I let myself reminisce over those forest-green eyes, how the swirls of jade and golden hazel had entranced me all those years ago. Given the chance, they'd succeed again. His hair was the same soft brown, memories of combing my fingers through those short strands as he slept quickly resurfacing. And those lips. I daren't look at them for the fear of staring too long and getting caught, yet the thought of that plushness against my own mouth had my own lips tingling. I tried my best to hold his gaze and when my eyes slipped to his mouth for a split second, I knew he'd seen it.

He reached out and took my hand, his rough palms gliding gently over my soft skin and squeezing gently.

“I know I said it earlier, but it's really good to see you, (Y/n).” Deans voice stayed low, but it harboured a gravelly undertone that told me that maybe, just maybe he wanted to say something else - something more. When he didn't, I squeezed his hand back, fighting the instinct to lace my fingers with his like I used to. Like when we used to lay under the stars in the field behind my parents house and talk for hours about everything and nothing all at once. Like when he'd lay me down in the backseat of his car and make love to me in the ethereal glow of the moonlight.

“You too Dean,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. With a final smile I released his hand, my own instantly feeling cold. The bubble of warmth and familiarity surrounding us slowly dissolved, Dean eventually clearing his throat and standing up straight. He looked at me again, this time without the nostalgia in his eyes.

“Hey uh… I don't suppose you'd be ok with Sammy coming by? It's just he really wants to meet Levi and I feel bad for ditching him earlier for hours. Plus he-”

“Dean it's more than ok,” I chuckled at his pleading and his desperation for justification. “Sam is more than welcome to join us tonight.”

A tension that I hadn't noticed before was quickly released from his shoulders.

“Are you really sure? I feel like-”

“Dean?”

“Yeah?”

“Be quiet. I would love for Sam to meet Levi.”

He grinned a little at my quiet assertiveness, looking down at his boots.

“Ok, well thanks again though sweetheart. He would've suffered a fun packed night of research and cheap beer in the motel room otherwise,” his teeth flashed with his humorous grin. I returned it before a thought crossed my mind, my eyebrows knitting together.

“Wait, are you guys staying in that seedy motel across town? The one where the janitor looks like a serial killer?”

“Yeah, to be honest it's not the worst place we've stayed in. The Dahmer look-alike creeps me the hell out though.”

I pondered for a moment, taking a lot less time than I should've before opening my mouth.

“Do you… do you guys want to stay here? I mean I have a couch and a spare camp bed. It's not much but at least you won't get murdered in your sleep. Plus I have unlimited coffee and bacon for breakfast.”

I almost cringed as the words left my mouth, kicking myself for practically trying to convince him to stay. Dean looked a little stunned at the proposal, taking slightly longer than I would've hoped to make a decision. I could've smacked myself. “I'm sorry, that's probably the last thing you want, being surrounded by boring domestic life when you have a job to do. Don't worry about it, forget I said any-”

“That would be nice.”

“Wait, what?”

“It would be nice to stay here. With both of you. I'd like that.”

The relief exited my body in a poorly concealed exhale.

“Do you need to run it past Sam first?”

He shook his head.

“Nah, to be honest I think Dahmer 2.0 freaked him out the most, he'll be happy to get away.”

It took all of about half an hour for Dean to jump back in the car, drive across town to the motel, pack their things and drive back home. When he knocked on the door a second time, he had Sam on his heels looking a mixture of elated to be here and really don't want to intrude. Levi was ecstatic to discover he had an uncle as well as a dad, and I was almost grateful for the attention to be directed away from myself for once. It's always been me and him against the world, but being a single mom to a pocket tornado was hard fucking work, and it was a breath of fresh air to be able to sit down on my own couch and drink my coffee in peace.

Dean had insisted on watching Mothra Vs Godzilla despite Levi's hesitation to watch such an old film. Dean won him over eventually with promises of ‘pop culture enlightenment’ and he now sat sandwiched between his two new favourite people - dad and uncle Sammy. The amber glow from the sunset slowly faded to indigo shadows, the only light now in the living room was from the TV and a few scented candles dotted around us. Around an hour into the film I looked over and saw Levi's head resting on Deans shoulder, eyes closed and chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths. Dean happened to glance up and our eyes locked, an adoring smile on Deans’ face as he looked between me and his soundly sleeping son. So as not to wake him, I pointed to Levi then pointed to the stairs, gesturing to Dean to carry him up to his room. He caught on to what I was asking of him and he manoeuvred his large arms under Levis shoulders and legs, lifting him with an ease I was slightly envious of. Levi was tall, much like his father and uncle, and with being tall came the title ‘big for his age’. He’d reached that point now where I was unable to lift him more than a few centimetres off the floor, and the thought sent an unusual pang of emotion through my chest. Which emotion, I wasn’t sure… Perhaps it was longing? Longing for the clock to rewind back to when he was just a few years old and I could still carry him everywhere on my hip. Maybe it was dread, knowing that he’s growing up so fast and I feel as though the last nine years have passed by in a blur, despite the fact that I’ve barely been able to keep my head above water. Or maybe, just maybe, it was simply the sight of a man such as Dean Winchester looking down at his own child in his arms with such a look of total, unfaltering adoration that my heart was swelling beyond its usual capacity for such affection.

I stood with Dean and headed up the stairs in front of him, leading the way. There were only three doors to choose from once you reached the top of the stairs; my room, the bathroom, and Levis room. And Levis room wasn’t hard to miss, with its poster of ‘types of classic cars’ pinned to his door along with a makeshift name sign that we made together when he was around five. I pushed the handle and opened the door, slipping in first so I could throw the covers back on his bed. It was a swift ordeal after Dean laid him on the soft mattress and I tucked the covers around him. We both left the room and I closed the door quietly behind me, both of us heading back downstairs quickly so as to not risk waking the sleeping kid.

“Well, that is much easier with two people,” I said with a chuckle on my breath as I descended the last few stairs. Before I gave Dean a chance to say anything in response, I stepped into the kitchen, not wanting his reply to make that heavy pang appear in my chest again. “Beer?” I asked, opening the fridge and retrieving a cold bottle.

“Absolutely,” he stepped over to me with his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans, a lazy smile on his lips. I handed him two bottles, knowing he’d give one to Sam. Who, of which, was still sitting on the couch watching the movie.

“So,” I started, looking up at Dean as we slowly made our way back to the living room, “how do you boys normally spend your evenings?” I tried my best to hide my almost playful smirk behind a swig of my beer.

“Now ain’t that a question,” his expression mirrored mine as we both slumped down onto the couch again, much closer together this time now that Levi was counting sheep. Dean handed his brother a beer, barely looking at him as his eyes never left mine. “Oh, you know, the usual,” he started, leaning back against the plush cushions, one arm slung over the back rest and tauntingly close to my shoulders.

“Oh? Feel free to enlighten me.”

“Well, it’s normally spent working on a case, so… researching lore, or on the road, or burning shit that I really hate having to burn. Maybe we’ll go out for drinks, but uh, that’s a rare occurrence.”

I laughed a dry laugh, raising my bottle.

“Amen to that, I’ve not been out for drinks in ages. Not proper ones, at least.”

Dean looked away from me and down at his bottle.

“Huh...”

“What?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Nothing, just… I would’ve thought you’d be going on dates and getting taken out for a good time. Like, a lot. ”

I couldn’t help but scoff at his comment.

“Dates these days are few and far between. And good dates are practically non-existent,” I paused, debating giving Dean the gory details before my mouth started working of its own accord. “I got taken out the other day by a guy who drinks kale smoothies and lives in boat shoes… tried to convince me that the church he belongs to is totally not a cult. I mean, he paid membership fees. And signed an NDA. Who does that?”

Dean held my gaze, as though searching for something that he didn’t even know he was searching for.

“You chose to see a guy like that? Dear God, your taste has changed,” his words were meant to be humorous but there was a subtle bite to them. Or maybe I'd imagined it?

I shook my head.

“No way, he was definitely not my type. It was a blind date, and if it wasn’t a blind date, it wouldn’t have happened.”

We both took a swig of our beer.

“I’m surprised,” he said suddenly, “I would’ve thought a girl like you would’ve been swept off her feet by now.”

“Oh, I was,” my words spilled out before I could stop them, “but that was nine years ago and I’m pretty sure he’s moved on.”

It took a breath of silence between us and a pitiful smile from me for Dean to catch on to what I’d said, his eyes widening slightly. He didn’t get much opportunity to reply, however, as Sam stood quickly. I’d almost forgotten he was there, but I'm glad he was as it drew Deans attention away from the red heat rising to my cheeks.

“Hey, uhhh, I’m just going to run to the car and grab our stuff,” he said, jabbing his thumb towards the front door. “(Y/n), when I come back in would it be ok if I used your dinner table to do some research?”

I nodded before speaking again.

“Yeah of course, be my guest. But isn’t it a little late to start doing all that work?”

He flashed a small, almost knowing smile to both myself and Dean.

“Not for us it isn’t. Plus I just… I just really like lore.”

Dean practically spat his beer back into his bottle.

“Really?” he asked his brother with a quizzical expression, “that’s the excuse you’re going for?”

Sam shrugged.

“No excuse. I’m just dedicated to uhhhh, to learning about… ghosts. It’s a real passion.”

“Aw geez,” Dean shook his head.

“Am I missing something here?” I spoke up finally, shooting them both questioning looks.

“Nope, just my little brother is being an idiot.”

Sam just shrugged, oozing with amusement before leaving out the front door to the car.

I blinked away the confusion, however my face must've given away the fact that I still had no clue what had just occurred between the two brothers, because Dean came to my rescue.

“Don't overthink it sweetheart, Sam's just being a pain in my ass.”

“I don't think I'm ever going to understand the secret handshake language you guys have. I feel like you have to be part of the ‘Winchester Boy Scouts’ to get the handbook for that one.”

Dean laughed, the sound pleasant and carefree as he drained the last few drops of beer from his bottle.

“Sam's definitely more of a boy scout than I am.”

“Whatever you say, Winchester.”

He leant forward and placed his empty bottle on the coffee table before turning in his seat so he faced me more.

“So, apart from childcare and Scientology weirdos, what else have you been up to?”

I couldn't stop the amusement from taking over my face at Dean's question.

“You know, you seem very interested in my life for someone who probably forgot I even existed until this morning.”

Deans expression fell slightly and he looked away, like I’d struck a nerve. When he looked up again, there was something simmering in his gaze, and I wasn't sure if it was pain, regret, guilt, or something else entirely. When he spoke, his voice was thick and low.

“I never forgot about you. Not once.”

My breath caught in my throat and my heart stumbled. When I opened my mouth to say, me neither, he carried on before I could get the words out.

“I tried calling in on you once.”

“You- you did?”

He nodded, slowly.

“I was near your parents' place about three years ago and I stopped by, hoping to see you again. Get your phone number and maybe stay in touch - properly this time. But when I got there, your parents didn't look happy to see me,” an almost pained laugh spilled from his throat. “Now I get why.”

I reached out, placing my hand reassuringly on his arm. My own emotions started to spiral. Slowly at first, a combination of pure relief that Dean never forgot. He even remembered where my parents lived, which coloured me very impressed. The other emotion, which was now growing in the pit of my stomach, bubbling and burning was anger. Rage. My parents knew that Dean was Levi's father the moment I fell pregnant, and it was no secret that they held a strong dislike for him, yet I never pinned them petty enough to let their animosity towards him interfere with the chance to set things right. For their grandson to know his father, and maybe, just maybe, act like the family they so desperately wanted their daughter to have. The saddest part was that, even though I was undeniably furious with them, I wasn't surprised.

“Dean, I'm so sorry, they never told-”

“Don't apologise for them, (Y/n). I knew from the moment I saw you today that they never passed on the message.”

My reply was quiet, the hot fury quickly simmering down to cold disbelief towards my own family.

“You're right, they didn't.”

“They told me that you'd moved on. That you had a good job and a husband, and that… and that you resented me for leaving.”

“Fuck. Dean, none of that is true. I have a mediocre job at best, I'm certainly not married - never have been and probably never will. And Dean,” I moved my hand from his arm and slipped it into his warm palm, “I do not resent you.” I offered him a reassuring smile which he returned, tension quickly leaving his shoulders. Squeezing his hand, I continued, “If anything, I should say thank you.”

“Why would you thank me?” He looked puzzled.

“Because you've taken this surprisingly well for a man of your… calibre.”

He looked as though he didn't know whether insulted or flattered.

“Of my calibre?” He repeated, learning back slightly.

“Well, yeah. In just shy of twelve hours you found out you had a son with someone you've not spoken to in almost a decade, you met your son, took him from Motocross straight to get ice-cream, then brought a movie and popcorn around that very same evening. For someone with an entire armoury in the trunk of their car, I didn't expect… I didn't expect this… I didn't expect you.”

“Didn't expect me?”

I smiled, that warmth appearing in my chest again.

“You're a natural father, Dean. You've made everything easy today, and I'm grateful. So fucking grateful, because over the years I've spent near enough every night laying awake, imaging Levi finally meeting you. And I braced myself for every reaction - every scenario - that you could've thrown our way. So, thank you. I mean it. And thank you for believing me.”

“Believing you?”

“Yeah, for believing me when I said he was yours. I think most guys would've demanded a paternity test, especially after all this time,” I couldn't stop myself from picking the sleeve of my cardigan, anxiety creeping in at the thought that he still might ask for one. However, Dean simply shook his head.

“I trust you, (Y/n). I know you're not the sort of person to lie about things like that, so I believe you. Plus…” his eyes shone with something akin to pride, “ you can't tell me that he's not mine. That's a Winchester attitude through and through.”

We shared a laugh. A light, easy laugh that had me looking at him in that overly familiar way. In the same way that would make my heart skip beats in my chest. I simultaneously felt like I knew him like I used to - that we still had that connection, that bond that made it so easy to be around each other. To feel for each other. On the other hand, we’d spent so much time apart, living completely different lives and getting by in such different ways. He'd had adventures, experiences that I would probably never be able to comprehend, and through all of that I'd been here; living in a two bedroom house in a quiet cul-de-sac in a town far too similar to Stars Hollow than I'd like to admit. I went to work, did school runs, went grocery shopping and grabbed coffee with my best friend in the same fucking café practically every day. And last I remembered, Dean was balls deep in credit card fraud. I wanted to make this work so fucking desperately that it almost hurt. I wanted Levi to have his dad around, to have those experiences boys thrive off with their fathers. I don't expect Dean and I will ever live under the same roof or even be together again, but I'm pretty damn sure that we can be friends, and that is something that would rock Levi's world.

The sound of the door opening and closing startled me from my thoughts as Sam let himself back into the house, sliding the locks and chains into place before turning to face us. He carried two duffle bags, dropping one beside the couch and taking one with him to the table, placing it down carefully so as not to make too much noise. He unzipped it and pulled out a laptop and a small stack of books, holding them up for us to see, like a prize.

“I just… fucking love ghosts,” his tone was unconvincing yet he grinned like he knew something we didn't before taking a seat and getting to work. Dean and I shared a look before erupting into laughter, trying painstakingly hard to keep quiet.

“Is your brother from a different planet? Wait no, scratch that, you're both equally as strange as each other. Earthlings or not, you're certainly cut from the same cloth.”

Dean feigned hurt with a hand on his chest yet the grin never left his lips. He muttered a few things about Sam picking his moments before standing from the couch, jabbing his thumb towards the kitchen green eyes on mine.

“Another beer?”

I felt my grin stretch further across my face, my heart doing a little dance at the way he looked down at me, like he just wanted to sit and talk about everything and nothing all at once - just like we used to. I nodded, trying not to let the way the soft glow from the candles in the room made him look like ‘a night well spent’.

“Yeah, I'd love another beer.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 5

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