#like when he threatened to blow up a truck because it was in the way of getting ben a smoothie

[msnihilist]

Kevin: I'd kill for you.

Ben: I know, Kevin.

Kevin: Please ask me to kill for you.

Ben: No, Kevin.

[m0nnypie]

DATING BAKUGOU KATSUKI

BEFORE DATING:

- Your relationship was basically: fights and fights. But that was because you thought he was an arrogant and spoiled brat, while he thought you were weak and didn't like you for being friends with Deku.

- It was like, him threatening to blow you up, and you kicking his ass whenever he yelled in your ear. You guys would usually always call each other names, and compete over silly things (be it grades or practice).

- But things changed after the war (well, not exactly). You guys stopped fighting as much, and you started spending more time together. He kind of realized that it was better to stop wasting his time on petty fights after he'd basically died in the war. But it's not like you guys got clingy or loving or anything.

- Your relationship went from: I hate you and fuck you, to: You're my friend, but fuck you. It wasn't in the first year that he developed feelings for you, it actually took a while.

- He began to notice your efforts to become a hero. And that you were not weak as he seemed to say. It was little things that changed his perception of you. You were someone extremely intelligent, strong, funny and loyal.

- It was in the second year, on a day when you were both responsible for the purchase, that everything changed for him. When one of the fans you had won over made a joke to you and you laughed, his world stopped. The way you laughed, how tears always came out of your eyes when you laughed, or you trying to cover your mouth to stop the laughter from coming out, because your laugh sounded like an animal dying of suffocation. All of this hit him like a truck.

- It's obvious that at first he denied it in every way. But when he noticed (Kirishima told him) the small changes in his behavior around you, like he doesn't yell when he's next to you, he doesn't curse at you as much as before, or when he doesn't like the drink he got at lunch, he gives it to you because he knows you like it. He hated thinking that he liked you, but not because he thought you were bad or anything like that. It was because he wanted to focus on becoming a hero now, not dating.

- And in the end, he decided to put it in the back of his mind. He never told you, and he never did anything to let you know. Him liking you didn't change his goal.

- Until graduation. As a way to celebrate everyone who graduated, you decided to have a prom (he thought it was boring and wanted to skip it, but everyone stopped him).

WHEN HE CONFESSED:

- Kiri insisted a lot that he ask you to the prom, but it didn't work. He said that it was ridiculous and there was no reason to ask you.

- The redhead also tried to talk to you, saying that it would be nice if you invited Bakugou. But you just looked at him with an expressionless face, and said no. Kiri hated how stubborn the you two could be.

- Anyway, the only ones without a partner were Bakugou and Mineta. Even Monoma had a partner! At least that's what Monoma had said. But of course he shut up when he saw Monoma's partner, You.

- He could feel the anger building inside him. But he knew that if he freaked out in front of everyone, he would have to explain why. So he spent most of the party glaring at you and Monoma angrily.

- When it was time to dance, he couldn't take it anymore. Your arms were around that bastard's neck, and his arms were around your waist. And before Kirishima could think of stopping him, everyone just saw a blond man leave the room angrily while slamming the door.

- As soon as he got outside, he saw that it was raining. And god, how he hated rain. But honestly? He was so angry, that he decided to simply ignore the rain, and started walking to who knows where, in the rain. Meanwhile, you looked at him, wondering if you should go after him in this rain or not. It didn't take long for you to run to him and scream his name.

- He even looked back to see who it was, but as soon as he saw you he only picked up the pace. But he underestimated your speed, because seconds later you had caught up with him and stopped in front of him.

"WHAT THE FUCK? Why the fuck did you just leave the party???"

He could only feel anger, what the hell! Why couldn't you understand?

"WHY? ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? DON'T PLAY STUPID!"

"What the fuck Bakugou? What the fuck are you talking about???"

"THE FACT YOU WENT TO THIS SHITTY PARTY WITH MONOMA!"

Your eyes widened when he said it. Was he serious?? That whole scene because of jealousy??

Then you started laughing, which made him frown. You looked at him with the most serious face you could, you didn't want to lose control because the blond was an idiot.

"Seriously? And why do you care? From what I remember, you told Kiri that it was ridiculous for him to think about you inviting me, and that there was no reason to invite me! Why do you care so much? Hm?" You started to laugh, trying to hide the urge to cry, how could Bakugou be so stupid?

Shit. He wanted so badly to tell you that he liked you. But he didn't, he just stood there staring at you, without saying a single word.

"Okay... I get it, I'm going, if you'll excuse me..." You walked past him, wanting to leave as quickly as possible. But then he grabbed your wrist, staring at you. This made you nervous.

"I..." His voice lowered so much that anyone who heard it would doubt it was Bakugou. The words got stuck in his throat, but he knew he had to say it now, or he would never get the chance. A part deep down asked what if you didn't like him? While the proud part of him just said that you were just one of many, he would get over it. "I like you."

If anyone saw him, they would think he was lying. Because looking at him, he seemed calm and like he didn't even care about you. But you knew him well enough. And so before he let go of you, and regretted having confessed, you kissed him. It was a hot kiss, even though your teeth chattered a few times.

You stared at each other for a few seconds before deciding that it would be best to go home. The conversation was a little awkward at first, but you finally talked about how you two felt.

- The next day, Kirishima was already asking what had happened (he knew because Uraraka had peeked through the window at you two). He kept teasing Bakugou the whole time, saying that he was finally dating. Until he got blown up in the face, of course. But deep down, even if he didn't admit it to everyone, he was relieved that you were finally together.

WHEN U TWO ARE DATING:

- Since you had already graduated, you decided to live together (He insisted, a little). In the first 2 months, you fought a lot. About towels on the bed, the toilet seat left open, unwashed dishes. But then, you talked and things got better.

- He's not exactly a touching boyfriend, but it's not like he'll refuse you whenever you want. For example, when you're in the bedroom watching movies, he'll turn on the air conditioning and let you cuddle with him.

- He also loves cooking for you. First, it's his way of showing you that he loves you, and second, he likes to brag that he's a better cook than you.

- One of your habits is that when one of you is on patrol, you send a message to see how the other is doing. Even if it's just a thumbs up, or a photo, or a stupid meme that makes him laugh, for some reason. You developed this habit because of what happened in the war, and because one time you ended up in the hospital on one of your patrols, and you didn't respond to any of his messages.

- Honestly, sometimes you hate sleeping with him. Because he never stays still. You sleep normally, and then when you wake up he has his foot in your face. That's why you usually hug his waist, or vice versa. Because that way, he moves less (he pushed you out of bed once, so you made him sleep on the couch for a week).

- His mom loves you! Honestly, if it were possible, she would trade Katsuki for you. When she officially met you as his girlfriend, she congratulated you and treated you really well. She really likes how good you are for Katsuki, even if he doesn't admit it. She's also always filling Katsuki's head with how amazing you are and everything. He knows this, and he even finds it funny, because he knows she does this so he never thinks about giving up on you, but it's not like he's going to give up.

- He also shows how much he loves you through actions and gifts. Whether it’s getting you a glass of water or buying you something he saw that reminds him of you.

- He's always protecting you, whether he's walking on the sidewalk with the cars or when you're on patrol together, and the first thing he does is always check to see if you're okay.

- A good memory you have is when you were pretending to sleep on the couch while watching TV. And he simply carried you to the bed, covered you with the blanket and kissed your forehead while saying goodnight.

- And when he decided to propose to you, after 4 years of dating. The first person to know was his mother (and she was thrilled, she kissed his cheeks and cried saying how much her son had grown). He was a little afraid that you would say no, but as soon as he felt your arms around his neck, while you spread kisses on his face, and said yes several times. His worries went away.

- Of all his achievements, he's most proud of two. When he finally achieved the title of Hero #2, and the day he finally married you.

- After a lot of talking, you two had your first time together. Not that he would admit it, but he was nervous, especially because the most he had ever done was a kiss here and there, in that little circle of challenges his friends made him participate in. He hated being nervous because he was a virgin, while you already had some experience or another (in my head he would be a virgin, and would only masturbate at most twice a year, since he didn't care much about it). But after the night was over, he wanted to do it again whenever he had free time.

- And it's obvious that with that, sex came as a way to resolve fights. There was no reason, but he really liked to fuck you, especially on all fours, where he could reach your ass.

- He also loves getting a blowjob in the morning, he sees it as a treat to face the difficult day that is coming. And he makes you suck him when he gets back from work too.

- But don't worry, he also sucks you whenever you want. And he's great at it, you have no idea. He drives you crazy whenever his face is between your legs, and of course, sometimes he convinces you to ride his face.

- And of course, when he finally opened his agency, that became your new fucking place.

[dark-fics-4-you]

okay first off, i love you and your works so so much, seriously i wait for you to post new stuff😭 second off id loveee to see some dark rafe as a boyfriend headcanons; i know you'd do an incredible job<3

thank you so much for the kind words!! <33 love youuu 🥰

dark!bf!Rafe Cameron Headcanons

warnings: smut, coercion, dubcon, manipulation, location tracking, jealousy, violence, drinking and drug use, overstimulation

dark!bf!Rafe would spoil the everloving hell out of you at the start of your relationship. When you were with him, he refused to let you pay for anything "i just want to treat you like the princess you are, baby." This included food, clothes, lingerie, jewelry, and even a brand new iphone when you accidentally shattered the screen of your old one.

little did you know, your boyfriend had set up your phone before he gifted it to you, making sure that your location would be visible to him at all times, and that he would be able to see anything that you texted to anyone.

Rafe always wanted you to spend all of your free time with him. he would constantly show up at your house to pick you up for surprise dates, taking you out shopping or to an expensive restaurant of your choosing.

Anytime you questioned how he always knew that you were free when he came by, he always had an answer, accompanied by a sheepish grin, “i guess i just know you that well, y/n/n.”

Rafe hated the fact that you had guy friends, mood instantly souring anytime you mentioned wanting to hang out with them. It was hard enough for him to tolerate you hanging out with your girl friends, but Rafe felt especially protective of you around your male friends.

After seeing you talking with one of them at a party, much too enthusiastically for Rafe's taste, your boyfriend waited till he could talk to your friend alone before he threatened to break his nose if he ever saw him talking to you again.

The next day, when you sat on the couch gazing at the hurtful text from your friend that said he wanted nothing to do with you anymore, your boyfriend rubbed circles in your back as you cried into his chest, hiding the triumphant grin that tugged at the corner of his lips. "it'll be okay baby, I'm here to support you, and I'm not going anywhere."

You and Rafe didn’t get into arguments a lot, but when you did they were ugly screaming matches, baseless allegations of cheating berated at you as you sobbed, trying to calm your boyfriend down.

The arguments always ended the same way though. With you laying face down, ass in the air, head pushed into the pillow as your boyfriend took out his frustrations on you, not stopping until you had came around him five times

Afterwards, he held you in bed, kissing you tenderly and whispering into your skin, “i’m sorry y/n, you know how jealous i get, it’s only because i love you so much” and like the trusting, naive girl you were, you believed him wholeheartedly

Rafe was always super handsy in public, even if you voiced discomfort, never one to shy away from public sex as a way to tell every guy in the Outer Banks that you were his girl

Fingers wandering under your short skirts at house parties, a smack on your ass when you bent over at the golf course in front of his friends, fucking in his truck with the windows open before picking up weed and blow from Barry

You didn’t particularly like Rafe’s coke use, and had tried to bring it up to him many times, but he always knew what to say to turn the sympathy back towards him, “you know i’ve been having a hard time with my dad, princess. i feel like you and coke are the only thing that can calm me down. i just need it a little longer and then i’ll quit, i promise.”

Every party the two of you went to was an opportunity for him to show you off, and he had a habit of never letting you leave his side, arm firm around your waist, always stealing kisses and nipping at your neck to remind everyone who you belonged to, glaring at any guy who looked at you funny.

Rafe would pour you drink after drink, offering you hits off his blunts and pressuring you to do lines of blow in between. He loved how you always got more touchy with him when you were drunk. Not only that, but you allowed him to get more handsy in public than if you had been sober, “relax, it’s a crowded party, y/n/n, everyone’s hooking up.”

Rafe always loved to push your boundaries, testing the waters of what he could get away with

He would wrap an arm around you, supporting you as you drunkenly stumbled into the nearest unoccupied bedroom, before gently helping peel off your clothes as he kissed you, silencing your worries about leaving your friends behind, “i can’t think about anything else but you right now y/n. you don’t get what you do to me.”

Desire clouded your mind with his every caress, and before you could think it over, your ‘no’ had turned into ‘just the tip’ at his suggestion

And yet, every time, you found yourself in the same position, thighs shaking as you came around his cock, moans muffled by the ringed hand at your throat, “mm there’s my girl. felt like you needed that.”

His favorite punishment for you whenever you pissed him off by getting too close with his friends or acting like a brat was overstimulation.

Rafe caught you off guard every time, delving between your thighs with a playful smirk. He kissed and nipped at the tender flesh of your inner thighs before he would eat you out, slowly pushing his fingers into your dripping pussy.

After the first orgasm, you were already a panting mess. But you were surprised when he didn’t stop, quickly pushing you over the edge again, large hands firmly clamped around your quaking legs.

By the third, you realized what he was doing, already so overstimulated that you were begging him to stop, tears streaming down your face as he lapped at your sensitive clit. The pleasure building inside you at every thrust of his fingers had you coming again and again

No amount of tears or apologies could ever stop him, “you wanted to act like a slut, so don’t be surprised when i treat you like one, sweetheart.”

Rafe was only satisfied after you sagged against the bed after your seventh orgasm, finally allowing you to catch your breath as he peppered gentle kisses all over your body and face, whispering praises and telling you how much he adored you. “my perfect y/n. i never want to let you go.”

[itsstrange]

Shattered

Fandom: Yellowstone

Relationship: Rip Wheeler x Brother-Reader

A/N: Okay. First Off, Just Wanna Say I SINCERELY APPRECIATE ALL THE FREAKING LOVE & SUPPORT That Ya’ll Are Giving To The Promise Like… Ya’ll Are Insanely Giving Me Whiplash From The Amount of Love You Guys Are Giving It. So, From The Bottom of My Heart. I REALLY Appreciate It & Love You Guys Fr Fr! 😭🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

Secondly, Because You Are Constantly Blowing up My Previous Wheeler Fic, I Decided To Jot Down Another Quick One For Ya’ll!! It’s Different, but It’s Still Rip ☺️

Another Thing, This Was a Little Rushed. I’ve Been Semi Having This Idea Of a Brother x Rip Fic, So I Quickly Wrote It Down. Another Thing, I Was Completely Buzz While Writing This One (Still Am) So I Hope This Makes Sense Because It Did In My Head. 🫠

Finally, yes I know it’s another Military Reader Fic but I can’t help it. I feel like it suits with Rip 🫠

Anyways! Enjoy This Slight Heartbreak! 🫶

Summary: Former Army Sergeant (Y/n) Wheeler and his older brother Rip Wheeler have been clashing throats for days.

Word Count: 1.6k

Warnings: (No?) Angst, Hurt Reader, Hurt Rip, Protective Rip, Brother Love, Mention of Blood, Mention of PTSD, Mention of Physical Violence, Younger Brother Reader, Reader Is Brother Of Rip, Slight Heart Break.

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ENJOY 🥀

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Former Army Sergeant (Y/n) Wheeler and his older brother Rip Wheeler have been clashing throats for days now. Everyone knew at the Dutton Ranch that both brothers were vigorously the same. Rip was the foreman, the leader, of the ranch workers, the leader of the branded cowboys. Where (Y/n) was one of the branded cowboys. He followed Rip, looked after him just like Rip looks after him whenever things got dangerous. (Y/n) never minded it. Following his brother, following his orders, he always has since he was a kid, he had major respect for his older brother. Both brothers loved each other immensely, they both went through hell growing up, they only had each other now. And they both knew that they’d both risk their lives if it meant saving the other in whatever situation.

No one truly knows their story besides John Dutton and Lloyd. The story where Rip had saved (Y/n) from getting murdered by the hands of their stepfather, saved (Y/n) the trauma of watching him end the life of their stepfather in order to escape. (Y/n) obviously knew what Rip had done to protect them and till this day he not once viewed his older brother differently.

Despite every ranch worker on the Dutton ranch who showed strong loyalty, respect and slightly feared Rip for his fearless, brutal, serious, angry persona, (Y/n) was the one who did not fear his brother. They were brothers of course he wouldn’t, they understood each other better than anyone else.

However, these last few days their relationship has been on edge. Ever since Rip had benched him and forced him to hang back from a mission that involved.. murder, then again when they had to send a threatening message. Twice he had benched him and because of that their relationship has been rocky. Rip only did it because he knew his little brother was not okay, mentally wise. He had just been honorably discharged from the Army after serving for nearly 20 years and Rip knew (Y/n) was not the same.

Yet, (Y/n) didn’t see it that way.

Instead, he felt disrespected. Felt as if he was being treated like a broken man, a child instead of the strong, fierce man he truly was. He fought in wars, killed men to protect his country, but now that he was home, he felt as if he wasn’t receiving the respect he should be receiving. Especially from his older brother. Rip’s opinion was the only one that (Y/n) truly cared for. Was the only one he needed in his life. But lately, it hasn’t been what he’s hoped to be.

The tension only escalated and simmered between them as Rip once again was putting (Y/n) on the sidelines. They were supposed to wreck a rival ranchers truck as a message to not mess with John Dutton’s land, after they had poisoned a good amount of his cattle, but Rip once again didn’t want (Y/n) involved, he didn’t want him getting triggered by violence. Not that Rip has ever claimed the why in his sudden choice of isolating (Y/n) from missions.

“I don’t give a shit! You’re staying here and mending the cattle till we get back,” Rip demands, pointing a long finger at (Y/n) who argued with his orders,

Rip then turns his attention to the others that stood by.

“As for everyone we’re leaving at midnight! Anyone else got a fucking problem with that?!” Rip barks, his blue eyes challenging the cowboys,

Lloyd, Jimmy, Ryan, Colby, Tator shook their heads. Their eyes avoiding the wrathful man. They all knew very well to not even bother in arguing with Rip, unless they wanted their spinal cord snapped. Especially when he’s in a raged mood.

“Jimmy. Help (Y/n) get the cattle ready,” Rip demands once again before turning to walk away, yet, his entire body freezes at (Y/n’s) voice,

“No,” His brother had said. Loud and clear. The tension grew thicker, causing the other cowboys to look between them with worried, nervous looks,

Everyone knew at the ranch that if one went up against the foreman— Rip, for whatever reason, it meant they were challenging their— his leadership, and right about now, that’s exactly what (Y/n) was doing.

“Work on the cattle. (Y/n),” Rip demands with a dark, low, cold tone. His blue eyes laced with fury and irritation as he turns to look at his little brother,

(Y/n) challenged him. His own (E/c) eyes, laced with irritation and boiling rage held his brother’s darken gaze. His hands clenching at his sides. “Make me,”

And that’s how it started. That’s how both brothers fought for dominance. Fierce punches were exchanged between Rip and (Y/n). The other cowboys and ranch workers stood by and watched with nervous, horrified looks. The Wheeler brothers always argued with each other yes, but not once did they ever harm each other. Lloyd, the eldest of the cowboys, felt a brutal pang in his chest as he watched the brothers fight each other. He’s known them since they were kids, watched them grow up to be the men they are today, and it pained him that their strong relationship was now stained by a heated disagreement.

Lloyd understood why Rip was coddling his brother, he truly did. Lloyd himself was worried for the younger Wheeler, he knew he was mentally struggling from ptsd but he also understood where (Y/n) was coming from. Lloyd knew (Y/n) just wanted to be treated the same as everyone else, treated like he isn’t fragile and waiting to break.

From the years Lloyd had known (Y/n) and Rip, the old man knew just knew how fierce both men can be and they’ve proved it various times in various ways. So it was understandable why (Y/n) felt a certain way towards his older brother, why he felt so.. misunderstood. But again, in Lloyd’s opinion. He was secretly siding with Rip. He agreed with the foreman, (Y/n) truly needed help.

As both brothers continued exchanging powerful punches, the cowboys and other ranch workers continued standing by. Their eyes glued at the scene unfolding before them. They weren’t allowed to intervene, a rule everyone knew about until one of them finally submitted. Whoever remained standing was now considered the new foreman of the ranch.

After what seemed like forever, both brothers were covered in blood. Their faces bruised and battered as they continue to land blow after blow. However, (Y/n) slightly being more skilled in hand to hand combat, due to his years in the military, landed a hefty strike to Rip’s jaw, sending his older brother to the ground. All the cowboys watched in shock, horror as (Y/n) immediately mounted his brother. He gripped Rip’s jacket as leverage as he landed more brutal blows to his face, his vision clouded with dark rage as he kept landing punch after punch. Ryan and Lloyd took a slight step forward in fear that (Y/n) might kill his own brother from how he pummeled Rip to the ground.

Although, their steps come to a stop when the younger Wheeler lands one last, brutal, skull crushing punch against Rip’s jaw. Snapping his head to the side, blood coating the dirt from the powerful strike. They both panted heavily as they try gathering their breaths. Rip on the floor, blood sliding down his mouth, while (Y/n) remained mounted on top of him, his own breathing matching his brother’s. But after a minute, (Y/n) spits a glob of blood on the ground near Rip’s head before standing to hover above him.

The sun behind (Y/n’s) frame casts a shadow down on Rip.

“This is the last time you bench me.” (Y/n) demands with a dark tone, his eyes hooded with rage, a dark clouded glaze as he stares down at Rip,

Rip, still on the ground, stares up at his younger brother. His blue eyes filled with rage, humiliation, betrayal, frustration, sadness, hurt. He never wanted this to happen.

“Keep the title. I don’t want it,” Was the last thing (Y/n) said before walking away,

Leaving Rip alone on the ground. Leaving him with a distaste of humiliation. Not only did (Y/n) just defeated him in a brutal physical fight, but he also stripped Rip from his authority only to throw it back at him with disrespect. Lloyd, Ryan, Colby, Jimmy, everyone watched with pure shock. They couldn’t believe at what just unfolded.

With cautious steps, Lloyd walks over to Rip who slowly began rising from the ground. Faint wheezes can be heard from the man as he leans back on his heels. His blue eyes, that are usually filled with anger were now filled with heartbreak, tears threatened to spill, but he was too goddamn stubborn to let them fall. So instead, he just spat on the ground, coating its light brown dirt with striking red blood before reaching for his hat that had fallen sometime in between the fight and rose to his feet with the help of Lloyd.

With slow movements, Rip turns to watch his younger brother storm away. His heart shattering more as he watched his baby brother that he protected for years—and will continue protecting— walk away from him. Rip wasn’t angry at him, not by any means, he was just worried for him.

Little did (Y/n) know that this fight was merely the beginning. Their bond, twisted and bloody, would take time to heal, but beneath the chaos, the love remained—an unspoken truth that would guide them back to each other when the wounds eventually closed. For despite their struggles, they would always be brothers, bound by blood and shared memories of hell they had both survived, ready to face the darkness that loomed ahead.

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-> I Know I Know, This Was Different. But At Least I Gave Ya’ll Another Rip Story! 🫠🫶

-> Another, I Know I Said The Boys Was Next, But.. This One Came To Mind and Was Finished In Under.. 20 Minutes so.. You’re Welcome? 🙃

-> But Yes, The Boys Fic Is Still Next While I Finish The Reacher x Reader Fic.

-> So Stay Tuned For That!! Make Sure To Turn On Post Notifications🔔!! For More Updates!!

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[wellofdean]

Thinking more about this gifset from ep 12x09, The Future, and just want to say a thing about what the word 'subtext' means, because it sometimes feels like what people think it means and what it actually means are not aligned.

So, as a starting point, subtext is defined as "the implied meaning or underlying message of a narrative that is not stated directly. It is the unexpressed thought, feeling, or emotional throughline that lies beneath the text."

The scene in the gifset linked above rife with subtext, and it's really very obvious. But first, there are several layers to the text. There's the visual: Sam looking concerned, Dean working on Cas's truck. There's also the context of the other events in the episode. In brief: Cas returns to the bunker after being out of touch for so long that Dean was worried, and angry with him; Cas tried to return the mixtape Dean gave him and Dean refused to accept it; Cas tells Dean he feels like he just keeps failing and Dean stresses that they need to work together; Cas 'plays him' and steals the Colt from under his pillow; Dean threatens to 'kick his feathered ass' but notably does not follow through. Right before this scene Dean throws Cas the keys to the Impala like it's a totally automatic for him to do (it's not!), only to have Kelly drive off with his Baby, and with Cas.

Here's the transcript:

Sam: How did this happen? Dean: ( Scoffs ) What? The lying? The Heaven plan? Or the fact that I'm working on this stupid truck? Sam: No, I mean, what's wrong with Cas? Dean: Well, he hasn't exactly had a banner year. I mean, think about it. Between Lucifer... (huffs out a breath) ...killing Billie, Ramiel, everything's been blowing up in his face... And he's so desperate for a win right now, he can't even see straight. Go ahead and give it a try. (Engine starts)

So the text of this scene is a combination of what we see, the context in the episode, the wider context of the show and relationships, and the lines.

Here are some examples of the subtext in this scene:

Dean has given some thought to how Cas is feeling.

Dean understands that people make questionable decisions when they are feeling down and defeated.

Dean has been there, and done that.

Dean sympathizes and empathizes with Cas.

Dean's frustrated, but Cas is still family to him.

Dean cares about Cas and wants to help him.

Sam does not quite know what to make of Cas's behavior.

Sam knows that Dean will know better than he does what is motivating Cas to do what he is doing.

Dean is emotionally closer to Cas than Sam is.

Sam relies on Dean's reaction to Cas's recent actions to know how to react himself.

Dean wants Sam to understand and sympathize with Cas, and not judge him too harshly.

There is much more one could add to this, but nothing I've said above is the least bit controversial; it's nothing more than a basic understanding of the content of the text, and it is very clearly communicated. Understanding these things in this scene is not rocket science, and everything I mentioned above is indisputably there as unspoken but clear emotional throughline in the text.

Subtext is not a mysterious puzzle, or a ghost floating around in a text that is invented out of the audience's desires, it is the actual emotional force and content of it. Ernest Hemingway is a long way from being my favourite writer, but he was, nevertheless, a heavyweight champion of subtext. He called it the 'iceberg theory,' or 'theory of omission': the text (words themselves) present only a small part of what is happening in it, but it is important to note that subtext is part of the text like the unseen part of an iceberg is part of an iceberg. A text without subtext would be very boring indeed, and would leave nothing for our minds to do when we process it. It's difficult to imagine any narrative text that doesn't have it.

I think that a lot of the time we say things like: I want Destiel to be explicit, not 'just subtext', but look at what is communicated via subtext above! Virtually everything that's important about the scene! Subtext is not imaginary thing the reader adds, it is part of the intent of the text, and Destiel is more explicit than this in the text in a lot of ways because it is the bones the text is hanging on -- it may not be spoken, but it is part of the structure of the text, and that's because of things like the way Ruby and Sam's story parallels Dean and Cas in season 4, or the way Dean's entire motivation in purgatory is Cas, and when he gets back from purgatory, he can think of little else, or the way Cas very obviously parallels Colette in the MOC arc and there is no Abel, or the entire widower arc, or the fact that main emotional arc of season 15 is Cas and Dean's break up, reconciliation, Cas's confession and finally Dean's despair and willingness to just die in the final episode. There's a lot of that that simply doesn't make any sense without Destiel as a structural element in the narrative.

There are so many ways in which the whole story is BUILT AROUND the assumption that Cas is Dean's strongest bond and partner, and around how important Cas is to Dean's emotional life, which is why I think it's often more accurate to say that Destiel is CONTEXT, because it's actually the reason why we understand the subtext of so many scenes and arcs in the story.

The fact that Cas loves Dean is not subtext, it is explicitly stated, and the fact that Dean loves Cas is not explictly stated, but it is present in the text at so many levels, that to call it 'just' subtext or imagine that it is some kind of unacknowledged, unavowed ghost in the narrative is not accurate. There is no way to understand a thing like Dean's devastated face at Castiel's pyre, or why Castiel leaving in season 15 feels like a divorce without it. Destiel is the emotional force of it, and moreover, it's the part of the iceberg you can't see because it's underwater, but it is fucking there, and IT WILL FUCK YOU UP.

[arathejedi394]

snippet from these days act 3 scene 5

Bucky’s loath to wake Steve up when they get to his parents’ house, but Tony’s gets there first. He elbows Steve and shouts: “We’re here!” before running after Becca, as she had jumped out before Bucky even got the engine off.

Steve sits up with a jolt and blinks heavily. He reaches up to rub his eyes and Bucky wants to take another picture, because Steve is fucking adorable.

(“I told you!” Sarah’s ghost grumbles.)

“We’re here?” Steve mumbles.

“Yeah,” Bucky says. He cuts the engine, then pops open his door. “You head on in, I’ll bring in your stuff.”

“I can get it,” Steve says.

“I got it,” Bucky replies.

Steve drops his hands and levels a finger on Bucky, glaring at him. “Do not treat me like an invalid just ‘cause you knocked me up,” he threatens.

Bucky raises his hand in surrender. “Alright, damn,” he mutters. “Get your own shit, then.”

Steve gives a firm nod and slips out of the truck. Bucky follows him, walking to the back and joining Becca and Tony in pulling their bags out from under the tarp. Bucky puts his stuff on the ground and while everyone else heads inside, he fixes the tarp over the bed of his truck to keep the snow out.

Then he heads inside, putting his bags down by the door and stomping a little on the front mat to get the snow off his boots.

“Jamesy!” he hears a weak voice yelling.

(The ghost of Sarah perks up. “Elspeth Barnes!” she shouts.)

Bucky straightens up and grimaces. Steve, the only one still in the vestibule with him, makes eye contact with him and starts laughing silently.

“Shuddup,” Bucky snaps immediately.

“I’m calling your kid Jamesy,” Steve hisses, then just walks out and leaves Bucky standing there dumbstruck, wondering if that meant Steve wanted to keep the baby after all.

“Jamesy!” his nana calls again, hobbling into the doorway of the vestibule with her four-pronged cane, and Bucky is shaken from his reverie. “Come and gimme a kiss, champ!”

“Hi, Nan,” Bucky says, shrugging off his coat. Nana raises a frail arm and Bucky walks up to give her a careful hug and a kiss on the cheek. “How are you?”

“Wonderful!” Nana answers, grabbing his cheek and pinching it with surprising strength for a ninety-three-year-old woman; Bucky winces. “Now that I’ve seen my favorite grandson!”

Bucky sighs. “I’m your only grandson, Nana.”

“I know,” Nana chuckles.

(“He got Steve pregnant!” Sarah’s ghost hisses to her. “They’re in love, they should get married, and they should tell each other they love each other so I can stop haunting your grandson!”)

“Ma, don’t you be hoggin’ my child!” Bucky’s mother calls from inside the house. “An’ get in here ‘fore you catch a cold!”

Nana nods and mumbles under her breath, something about impatient Irish women for some reason Bucky’s unaware of, as she starts shuffling to turn around. 

(“I know you can hear me!” Sarah’s ghost shouts, chasing after her.)

Bucky grabs his bags and waits for her to hobble out of the doorway before following. He spots Steve’s stuff by the stairs and snags it on his way up to his room. Shouldering his way in, he sees that there’s already a blow-up mattress stashed on the floor, made and everything. Bucky puts the bags down, glances around the room, then tugs Steve’s blanket from his suitcase and he puts it on his bed. He’ll take the air mattress, obviously.

“Bucky, come say hello!” his ma yells then and Bucky flips off the light as he leaves.

He makes his way down the stairs and wanders into the kitchen, where his family is gathered around the massive, rough wooden table his dad built when his ma was pregnant with Betty. Aunt Muriel’s sitting at the head of the table with Georgie on her knee, Courtney and Janice cooing over Georgie clumsily reading a recipe aloud. Uncle Jack’s standing by the stove with Bucky’s dad and the both of them are sipping hot buttered rum. Betty and Nana are helping Vinny with a puzzle of Christmas presents beneath a tree. Tony’s already doing his engineer thing to the puzzle and Becca’s smugly sipping a cup of hot buttered rum standing next to Benny, who looks mad about being left out.

“You sure you don’t want any rum, Steve?” Bucky’s ma asks just as he walks in.

“Nah,” Steve answers with a shrug; he’s between Betty and Janice, helping out with the puzzle, too. “Thank you, though.”

Bucky makes eye contact with him, then breaks it almost immediately and sits down at the table. “Hey, Aunt Muriel.”

“Hey, James,” Aunt Muriel answers. “You wanna say hi to your uncle, Georgie? Say hi!”

“Hi, Unca Bugsy!” Georgie giggles, waving both of his hands at Bucky.

“Hey, kiddo,” Bucky replies, reaching over and ruffling Georgie’s hair. “You reading something there?”

“Yeah!” Georgie says proudly.

“Good for you, buddy,” Bucky tells him.

“Bucky, you want rum?” Ma asks him.

Bucky glances at Steve. Steve makes a Don’t look at me! face and Bucky hastily doesn’t look at him.

“Sure,” he says.

His ma squints at him as she hands him a mug of buttered rum. Bucky quickly slides down the bench to join the puzzle building.

“Oh, hey, Buckaroo,” Tony then says and Bucky’s startled by this brand new nickname. “How is your ghost these days?”

“I’m not haunted!” Bucky snaps. 

His grandmother chuckles. Bucky looks at her, now spooked.

“Nana,” he hisses at her. “I’m not haunted, am I?”

“Don’t you worry, Jamesy,” Nana says, patting his hand. “The only spirit looking after you is your guardian angel.”

Bucky sits back and shrugs, figuring a guardian angel’s not so bad. He just hopes they don’t watch him have sex.

(“I don’t,” Sarah’s ghost huffs. “Especially considering how frequently it’s my son you’re having sex with, James Bu–fucking–chanan Barnes!”)

Nana coughs suddenly. Bucky frowns at her but she waves him off.

“What’s the picture!” Vinny shouts.

“It’s presents, see?” Betty says.

“Presents!” Vinny yells. “I see! Can I open a present now?”

“No, you have to wait until Christmas,” Betty reminds him.

“When’s Christmas gonna get here?” Vinny asks dejectedly.

Bucky snorts. Steve catches his eye, smiles a little, then looks away. Bucky fixes his gaze on the puzzle and tries not to feel hopeful.

“Christmas is two days away,” Betty says to Vinny. “Today’s Monday. Do you remember what the days of the week are?”

“Monday, Tuesday, Wed-nes-day,” Vinny recites. “Christmas is on Wed-nes-day!”

“Wednesday,” Betty corrects.

“But it’s not spelled like that,” Vinny says, frowning.

“No, it’s not,” Betty laughs.

“Isn’t he adorable?” Nana coos, reaching over and pinching Vinny’s cheek; Vinny squeaks and tries to duck, but Nana pinches his cheek anyway. “I’m so lucky to have great-grandchildren.”

Bucky props his chin up on his fist, his gaze drifting back to Steve.

“Steve, dear,” Nana then says, “when are you due?”

Bucky’s chin falls off his fist as his elbow slips from the table; he stares in horror at his grandmother. The chatter in the room dies down. Steve’s lips part and he blinks several times while Bucky’s grandmother continues to smile sweetly at him.

(“THANK YOU!” Sarah’s ghost bursts out. “Now tell your grandson I’m haunting his freakishly tall ass until he tells my son he loves him! I literally have no other choice!”)

“Pardon?” Steve says roughly.

“Your baby,” Nana says simply. “When is it due?”

“I –” Steve says, his face white and his voice stammering. “I’m not pregnant, Missus Barnes,” he claims in a very unsure voice.

“Nonsense,” Nana answers. “I may be old, but my nose is still as sharp as it was when I was your age. And call me Nana, I’ll have no Missus Barnes nonsense from you, dear!”

Steve blinks, his lips parted.

[raffe156]

Breakaway state Part 1

Pairing - Price X Female OC “Tank”

Summary - The 141 is formed, Price and Tank can't get their shit together, bad timing, things go pop and we all hate the Dr.

A/N - Shorter but wanted to get something out, this arch is gonna hit hard (at least I hope)

Warnings - Angst. Language, Age gap Price (39) reader (25) Violence, Weapons war/fighting stuff basically injury, pregnancy mentions, medical stuff

I really appreciate all the recent feedback and asks! Please keep em coming! It only spurs me on haha 

Tags:  @irnbru32 @shuttlelauncher81  @mildlyhopeless @mentallynot-here​ @deadbranch @soapyghost @fluffysmiko @bangirl134 @mortallyscrumptiousmilkshake @boomtowngirl

If I've missed anyone, please let me know ​

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Call of duty characters - Only Tank, Luke, Dredd and Mckinley

Masterlist link here

_______________________________________

Kyle had belled your phone out for 2 days straight, but you didn’t know what to say to him. What could you say to him? You eventually had to answer him when his last voicemail threatened a call to your mum. Low blow Kyle.

“Hello?”

“Care to explain yourself?”

“What?”

“What do you mean what? Why did you leave? What the hell happened Tank?”

“Nothing Kyle, I just needed to head home early”

“Bullshit! I wake up Price looks like shit and I know he didn’t drink that much and your gone?Never seen Price look like that….he looked done in…what happened Tank?”

Price looked done in? He caused this, he made the call to stop whatever this was! You could feel your skin prickling now, you were getting angry.

“Kyle honestly nothing happened”

“Why are you lying to me? Was it to do with that Luke guy? Seen Price talking to him the morning you left, he didn’t look happy, he seemed a bit off with him in the pub too”

Oh god what had he said to Luke? You felt sick.

“Do you know what they were talking about?”

“Nahh couldn’t hear them…so it was to do with Luke?”

“No…well yeh Price took the funnies, saying he doesn’t know how it will work with me and him..”

“You and who? PRICE!? What?”

Shit.

“Noooo me and Luke! He doesn’t know how it will work between me and him, Luke thinks PRice is a Truck driver and I work in Logistics at the depot”

“Ohh right…oh I get what you mean now, thought you meant you and Price…”

You could hear the insinuation in his voice, Kyle wasn’t daft, but he played along for your sake.

“Anyway Ill see you soon…”

“Oh ok, il see you at base yeh?”

“Yeh, Thanks Kyle by the way don’t threaten me with calls to my mum you forget I have your mum’s number too”

“I wouldn’t have to make threats if you answers your dam phone! But you should call my mum she likes you better than me.”

********

It had been 2 weeks since the weekend away an 1 week at base. You had to get it together as your little squad of three now had two new members and the base was flooded with rookies from other teams. You recognised Simon or Ghost as he went by from years back when you were still a rookie yourself that and the obvious skull mask he wore. Johnny or ‘Soap’, however was a new face to you, not a bad looking one at that but you had a feeling he knew he was good-looking. He had watched you walk in with Kyle as if weighing you up and down. You could feel his eyes on you.

You had seen little of Price mainly because you were avoiding him. But that morning you had a training exercise an easy smash and grab two teams. You and a hand full of rookies had been paired with Ghost. Soap and Kyle the same.

Price shuffled a few papers about giving a quick glance round the room avoiding your line of sight. Kyle gave you a quick look he knew something still wasn’t right.

“Today is just a simple training exercise, so we can get a feel for each other's skill set see where we are at etc. A smash an grab job I’m sure your all familiar, so let’s not waste any time and gear up any questions?” He made his way out the door, not waiting for anyone to ask any.

You all exchanged looks an followed to the gear room.

*******

Ghost helped you with your tact vest, checking you over.

“All sorted kid” He slapped you on the back, nearly throwing your forward. You half smiled at Kyle, who was holding in a laugh, but then you noticed his eyes flick to something behind you and his expression changed. He rolled his eyes, that wasn’t like Kyle? You turned around. You wish you hadn’t instantly. Why? Why was she here? Why had he let her come here? Price was stood with Dr O’Brian, Helen. Was he taking the piss?

He had his hand on her cheek, giving her that eye-crinkling smile that would make any woman weak.

“John…enough Ill see you later tonight for dinner”

“No worries love, I'll see you then”

He placed a kiss on her other cheek, making her blush.

“Stop it you!” She faked a slap to his chest. The Rookies all burst out into wolf whistles and cheering. You stood still, your mouth dry, heart racing, anger crawling over your body, your jaw set tight, blood rushing in your ears, were you going red? Fuck.

Ghost brought you back down to earth.

“Tank? Are you ready?”

“Ye….yes…Yes Lieutenant!” You barked, taking him by surprise. You couldn’t look at Kyle, but you knew he was looking at you. You wanted the ground to swallow you whole.

The Training session started, but your mind was a storm cloud. He really hadn’t waited long had he? Bet she was round the next day! He probably didn’t even mean what he had said “It didn’t mean anything,it was a one-time thing!” One time thing my arse! Dickhead! You were raging, Soaps rookies didn’t stand a chance against you. They were simply in your way, God knows where Kyle was. Ghost was egging you on in your ear he was impressed, he hadn’t expected anything less from you however, he knew what you were capable of. You ploughed through them taking each room by storm your rookies struggling to keep up. As you came to the target room you headed in taking out two more rookies instructing yours to grab the main target.

“Slow down Tank, your getting too cocksure of yourself” Price had tuned into your channel. His voice an even tone.

Fuck you, you thought.

“With all due respect Captain, I know what I’m doing done enough smash an grabs to last me a lifetime”, you almost spat down the line, you caught a rookie looking at you as if you had gone mad.

No reply back. Just silence. Good. you thought that shut him up.

As you made sure the rookies had done their part, you made for the open window of the training house it was a 2 story abseil down. Easy you had done it hundreds of times. You wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. You motioned to go first attaching yourself to the line, but as you got about 8ft from the ground the line came away causing you to plummet the rest of the drop. The white-hot pain flooded your system. The wind knocked out of you you tried to claw your way onto your front, but your right shoulder wouldn’t support you, in fact it wouldn’t even move, you glanced over only to see it hanging down level with your chest, it had been dislocated. The pain was blinding, Ghost voice was in an out of your ear.

“Tank? What the fuck happened? Did you check the line before going down it?”

The line? The Line? As if you hadn’t checked the line, Price was going to love this. Fuck.

Kyle came into view as you felt yourself being scooped up from the floor mats.

“Kyle, slowly put her arm across her waist…eyes on me love” Ghost manoeuvred you so Kyle could do as instructed, as he did you let out a gut-churning scream. You would of rather taken a bullet again than this.

“Fuck sake Kyle!!!” You could feel the slight sting of tears. How pathetic you must of looked, cradled up crying in your Leuitants arms. Through your blurry vision, you spotted Price looking almost worried, but it must of been for only a split second as when your tears fell, clearing your sight he went back to looking pissed off. It took everything in Price not to take over you were in pain, he should be the one carrying you, consoling you not Ghost, but he had to take a backseat.

“Take her to see Dr.O’Brian…” He motioned Ghost to follow him.

No anything but that, you would rather Ghost try to pop it back in, shit you would rather be shot than see her, but you were in too much pain to even speak and as Ghost carried you to the med bay you wished you had just checked the line.

*********

“Oh deary me…what’s the matter with you?” Dr. O’Brian was rolling her eyes at you like you had scrapped your knee not pulled your shoulder out of its socket completely. Ghost answered for you like it was an actual question.

“Fell out a window, well abseiled down without checking the rig line…shoulders gone POP!” He even made a hand gesture.

“What you like? Not the first time you haven’t checked the rig, is it? John told me he always has to check your strapped in right” She glanced over at Price who was standing at the foot of the cot arms folded face stern. She was still talking to you like a child, you hated her sing-song voice. John told her? You wondered what else John had told her? Or better yet what he hadn’t told her…

“Anywho going to have to ask you a few routine questions before I can administer any strong pain relief I'm afraid, Keep on the gas and air while I do then we can give you the strong stuff”

You glupped on the air, taking it deep into your lungs and nodded.

“Okie dokie…On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being low 10 being extreme how would you rate your pain?”

You flared your nostrils was she being serious? Ghost answered for you again.

“Im gonna says she at a 10 Doc”

“Very well, are you taking any other medications?”

You shook your head.

“Any antidepressants or other pain relief?”

You took another deep drag of the gas and air shaking you head again.

“Any allergies?”

“Surely this in on file, Helen?” Price sighed he knew this was being dragged out, but he didnt know for who’s benefit.

“Let me check…. oh yeh it is, ok last few questions Tank…Are you Sexually active?” The room went silent, had she really just asked that? The bitch. You quickly glanced over at Price, who was looking at the ground. She had clocked it.

“Yes” you mumbled teeth clenched around the mouthpiece.

“Ok when was the last time you had sex?” Her face was like stone now, she was fishing for something, and you knew exactly what. So fuck it you thought, you’ll bite. You pretended to count in your head. Prices ear pricked up.

“A few weeks ago, maybe 3….” you took another big gulp of air as her eyes flashed she was doing the math in her head. She knew you were at Prices 3 weeks ago. Plenty of opportunities for you and him to go at it.

Price looked at you he knew you didn't mean him, so amused you meant Luke. Which was also not true. He looked slightly affected. Good. Let him think about that. Helen was writing down some notes on your chart, probably SLAG in big red letters!

“Ok last question, any chance you could be pregnant? Need to know before we give decide on what to give you” She had scrunched her face up into a fake smile, it was hideous.

“Nope, not pregnant, so can we get my shoulder popped back in and get me some strong pain relief?” You were getting lightheaded on the gas and air now and it was becoming harder to control your temper.

“Ok If you're sure you're not pregnant, we can give you some morphine, but you're going to have to go to the adjoining base as we don't have the supplies to pop it back in.”

Your eyes widened. She really was playing you now. Even Price was looking at her in disbelief.

“Fuckin hell Doc! All that an she still has to wait for transfer? Fuck that ere I'll pop it back in myself! Price hold her legs down” Ghost moved round to your shoulder as Helen jumped up.

“DON'T YOU DARE! I won't allow that! Not in my med bay you can drag her out and pop it back in elsewhere, but not in here!”

She had stepped in front of Ghost but had her eyes on Price, he was dead if he touched you. You and Ghost exchanged looks nodding in agreement. He stepped around her, leaning forward for you to place your good arm over his shoulder.

“Easy does it love, I'll carry you over my shoulder so you can dangle your arm, might be more comfortable, I'll get this popped back in no time.”

You took one last big drag of the gas and air, it had taken full effect now, you were still in pain, but your mind was swimming as Ghost lifted you over his shoulder, the tight grip of his huge hand on your inner thigh sent a shiver up your spine. He would destroy you, the guy was a mountain, but the thought still did laps in your brain. You let out a little giggle.

“You good love?” Ghost patted your backside with his other hand. It sent a shock through your system causing another chuckle you felt tipsy.

“Ready when you are L.T.” you were still giggling to yourself. O’Brian was in utter shock. Price was pinching the bright of his nose.

“Ghost, put her down…your not popping anything back in, she's going to the main wing, I'll call for transport…” He hadn’t even looked up. He couldn’t, seeing Ghost handling you like that wound him up, but he would never admit that.

“Noooooo fuck that Ghost don't you dare put me down, I want you…no in fact I demand you to pop it back in, let's do this battlefield style!” You were getting giddy now the gas and air making you a bit loopy. Ghost chuckled, patting your backside again. He could see the anger in Price’s eyes, he was still his Captain.

“Easy Love, think we are going to have to listen to the Captain on this one, but if we are ever out on the job and it happens again I’ll gladly sort you out” His words caused a little flurry in your stomach. What the hell?

“You can wait outside, take the Gas and air with you…” Helen was fuming she slammed the canister into Price.

“Wont she be better off lay down Helen while we wait?” Price was looking at her confused. She whipped her head back round.

“John she can lay, hang, sit, god she can even dangle from anywhere else other than in here I don't care…get the transport called for her to go to the other base” she handed him your tact vest an walked off. You were still on Ghost's shoulder, but could see him looking after her his brow furrowed, his lips slightly downturned. You felt a pang of guilt, deep down you still cared for him and your being here was making things difficult for both of you. You would never be able to go back to normal as it wasn’t even normal to begin with.

*******

“I'll see you when your back love” Ghost gave your leg a quick squeeze as they loaded you into the truck.

You knew he wouldn’t, you weren't coming back. It was a shame, Kyle would be fine…eventually, but you needed a change, you couldn't keep this up. You looked to Price, your eyes only meeting for a second, but it was enough, enough to cement your decision. You had both been kidding yourselves thinking this would work you were only hurting each other so you had to be the one to cut the rope that had you both hanging.

Price watched as they hooked you up to an IV, he had so many things he had wanted to say to you, one of them being sorry.

He decided he was going to have a talk with you when you got back, he wanted you to be happy he really did, but his pride had been hurt that night he saw you with Luke and he had turned to Helen to try and get you out of his head, but it had only buried you deeper.

There had been some truth in your words ‘how would it work between you and him?’ He reminded himself he was 15 years older and maybe you were better of with Luke he was closer in age to you at 32 and Helen to him at 38, but he didn't want to accept that and you needed to talk properly. Speaking of Helen he had seen a different side to her today and it didn't sit right with him, but maybe that was because of her attitude towards you. He couldn't help it, no matter how much you appeared to hate him he still wanted you by his side…it was where you belonged. As the van pulled away, he made his plan and you made yours.

*******

“Well I look forward to you joining us Tank, Squad 8 needs someone with your skill set and Dredd has told me your one of the best”

“Thank you Sir, I look forward to meeting the rest of the squad, it will be nice to work with Dredd again me and her go way back”

“I must say it was a surprise your transfer request coming across my desk? Straight from the top didnt even need approving from Price? Im sure the 141 will be losing a valuable asset…which im more than happy to take” Captain Mckinley winked as he reached over his desk to shake your hand.

“You sure Price won't miss you?”

“No…I'm sure he’ll manage Sir”

[wrestlingisfake]

Full Gear preview

Jon Moxley vs. Orange Cassidy - This is Moxley's first defense of the AEW men's world title since he won it on October 12. For the past couple of months, Mox has been at war with everything AEW stands for, which basically means every week he pulls up in a truck with his squad and they beat up a bunch of wrestlers. Orange, who is famously too cool to get worked up about anything, tried to stay out of it. Then on October 23, Mox's faction attacked Cassidy's old friend Chuck Taylor, so it's on now.

Officially this is not a no-disqualification match, but I expect it to turn ugly real quick. Mox is looking to show that guys like Cassidy aren't hungry and vicious enough to hang with him, and he'll fight dirty to prove it. All his goons--Marina Shafir, Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, and Orange's former friend Wheeler Yuta--are bound to interfere. However, Cassidy has insisted his own allies stay out of the fight. I assume his game plan is to take a hellacious beating and keep getting back up. I just don't think that's a very good idea.

Moxley's title reign is clearly a long-term direction and the centerpiece of AEW's storytelling for the foreseeable future. They're building him up to set up the question of who will find a way to knock him down and claim the promotion's top prize. But with a story like that, you can't blow it off with the very first title match. Cassidy is not the guy to save everyone from Moxley. Rather, he's the guy who's going to get clobbered to death to make us wonder: if he can't do it, who can? So yeah, get ready to watch Orange get mugged.

Mercedes Mone vs. Kris Statlander - Mone's AEW TBS championship is on the line; her STRONG women's title is not. Two months ago, when Statlander was feuding with Willow Nightingale, I figured Willow would win the feud since the women's champions are all heels and they need to heat up a babyface challenger. Instead Stat won the feud, and just kind of lowkey turned face for no reason except to chase Mone. I'm not sure what they were thinking with that.

The general vibe of this feud is that Mercedes is pulling out all of her usual heel tricks, but none of them are working. In particular, her big heater Kamille has been especially useless in neutralizing Kris, to the point that there's tension within that alliance. I suppose the story could lead to the foregone conclusion, and Statlander could steamroll over Mone. But I think it's far more likely that Mercedes is being backed into a corner until she produces a new trick, like maybe another henchwoman or something. I'd bet on the champ to retain.

Jack Perry vs. Daniel Garcia - Perry defends the AEW TNT championship. Garcia has been chasing him for about a month now. That chase is partly about the gold (or, uh, cast iron, or whatever that belt is made of). But it's also about Garcia's devotion to AEW, and his disgust that Perry and the rest of the Elite have done nothing about Jon Moxley's team attacking everybody. Danny thinks Jack's "scapegoat" act is a load of crap. Jack keeps insisting Danny will never live up to his potential until he, like Jack, lets go of his simplistic good-versus-evil morality.

It feels like Garcia has gotten the better of Jack in every single one of their encounters. Hell, the go-home promo involved Danny kidnapping Jack, tying him to a chair, and threatening to beat him to death with a crowbar. It's satisfying, since Jack is a prick and he's usually one step ahead of the babyfaces. And yet, it seems too easy. I think it's about time for Perry to drop this belt, and for Garcia to win a title. But something tells me Jack is going to get his heat back here, like maybe Danny will start to do a sick spot, and hesitate long enough to lose the match. I'm pick Perry to retain, reluctantly.

MJF vs. Roderick Strong - MJF turned babyface last year because he befriended Adam Cole. Roddy turned heel because he couldn't convince Cole that Max wasn't really a good friend. Then Cole turned heel on MJF, to align with Roddy in the Undisputed Kingdom. Then Max turned heel in July, so when Cole returned from injury the entire Undisputed Kingdom had to turn face to keep the storyline going. So now Roddy wants revenge on Max for...uh...I have no idea why.

The real destination here is MJF vs. Cole, but it's too soon to go directly to that. So this match is surely about Max antagonizing Cole by doing something really terrible to his friend. I don't know what MJF will do to Roddy, but I figure he'll start by defeating him.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ricochet - This is for the AEW international title. Takeshita won the belt from Will Ospreay, but it was a three-way match with Ricochet, who wasn't pinned, so now he wants a one-on-one match. This should be good, although I'm not fond of the lazy storytelling of using a three-way match to pivot from one feud to another. Ricochet should probably win this belt at some point but they've got something good here with Takeshita, I would keep it on him for a while longer.

Swerve Strickland vs. Bobby Lashley - Lashley is a 20-year veteran best known for his two runs in WWE, although there's a ten-year gap between those runs where he mainly did MMA and wrestled for TNA and stuff. Arguably the strongest gimmick Lashley ever had was being the top guy in the Hurt Business faction in 2020-2022, so now he's bringing it back as the Hurt Syndicate. They tried to recruit Swerve, but he turned them down, so now they're gonna hurt him.

Lashley pretty much has to win, but I think they should do something to protect Swerve. I suppose MVP and Shelton Benjamin could interfere, but what would really go down smooth is to reveal a new member of the Hurt Syndicate. MVP has been handing out business cards for weeks, and it'd be nice if someone actually answered his invitation.

Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher - These two were best friends until Fletcher turned on Ospreay last month, costing him the international title. The loose end that holds my attention is Fletcher's former tag team partner Mark Davis, who just recently returned from an injury and has sided with Ospreay against Fletcher. I keep thinking they're setting up Davis to do his own turn, and this would be the time and place to do it. On paper it seems like Will should win, but I gotta think he in real life he really wants to help his buddy get over, so I'm picking Kyle to win.

Adam Page vs. Jay White - This is a rematch from October 12, where White beat Page. There isn't much of a reason for Page to keep feuding with White except that Page's heel gimmick is that he can't let anything go. So I'm not sure how this can get settled without turning into a dollar-store version of the Page vs. Swerve Strickland feud. I suppose Hangman could just win this time, but why didn't they just do that the first time? I'm not sure what the goal is here, so I guess I'll have to watch the match to find out.

Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen vs. Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd vs. Malakai Black & Brody King vs. Max Caster & Anthony Bowens - This is a four-way match, with Kassidy and Quen defending the AEW tag team title. Each team gets a corner, but only two men can legally be in the ring at any time. The legal men can tag anyone in any corner. The first man to score a fall on any opponent will win the match and the title for his team.

I'm excited for the Outrunners (Floyd and Magnum) to get this spot after months of working their way up from the bottom. I'm interested to see how this match factors into the ongoing tension between Caster and Bowens. And just about anything with Black and King in it is bound to be good. Anyone could win this match and I'd be fine with it. But Private Party just won the tag title three weeks ago, after years of not quite reaching the brass ring. It's simply too soon for Zay and Quen to drop the belts. My guess is they'll pin one of the Outrunners, although you can't rule out Bowens or Caster getting rolled up to add to their frustrations.

AJ Befumo vs. QT Marshall - This is scheduled for the pre-show. If I remember right, QT left AEW but then quietly returned in a backstage role, leaving him free to wrestle elsewhere. I assume he's in the ring tonight because they can count on him to take good care of Befumo, who used to be an indie wrestler 20 years ago.

Befumo is one of "the Costco guys," and I am under the impression that the guest timekeeper will be "the Rizzler." I don't know who the fuck these people are. I assume this is sort of like when Wrestlemania 2 proudly featured such meme-worthy guest stars as the "Where's the Beef?" lady and the "Where's Herb?" guy. Anyway, I accept this match is not for me and I'll probably just skip it.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Anna Jay - Another pre-show match. Anna had been feuding with AEW women's world champion Mariah May, but now she's out of title contention. Purrazzo has been setting up sort of a mafia gimmick with Taya Valkyrie, and I suppose she's annoyed Anna didn't accept their offer to help her in Mariah feud. I'm pretty sure Deonna's in this match mainly because the show is in her home state, so she should probably win.

Buddy Matthews vs. Dante Martin vs. Komander vs. The Beast Mortos - This is a four-way match on the pre-show; the first man to score a fall on any opponent will win. Doesn't seem to be any story here; it's just four guys who can run around and do cool flips. Works for me. I'd like to see any of these four get their hand raised, but I get the feeling Buddy is the one they'd want to push.

[thedogofwar]

intro. ╲ 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬.

NAME: Garrett James Russell

AGE: 45

BIRTHDAY: 08.22.1977

TIME IN TONOPAH VALLEY: 1 Year

OCCUPATION: Gun-for-Hire, Boxer

GANG AFFILIATION: None

NEIGHBORHOOD: Webster Village

FACECLAIM: Jon Bernthal

BASICS

GENDER/PRONOUNS: Cis Male | He/Him

SEXUALITY: Bicurious

ETHNICITY: White

HAIR COLOR: Dark Brown

EYE COLOR: Brown

HEIGHT: 5'11

HOMETOWN: Brooklyn, New York

RESIDENCE: Webster Village

EDUCATION: High School

LANGUAGES: English, conversational Arabic

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Divorced

CHILDREN: Just one he's never met 

STATS

PERSONALITY TYPE: ENTJ

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral

POSITIVE TRAITS: Adaptable, Discerning, Self-Disclipined, Decisive, Resourceful, Confident, Reliable

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Short-Tempered, Stubborn, Critical, Vengeful, Aggressive, Violent

MENTAL HEALTH: Anger, PTSD, Acute Insomnia

HEADCANONS

Garrett's first love is boxing and he was about to go pro prior to enlistment. Now worn down both physically and mentally, Garrett primarily uses boxing as a way to blow off steam and keep fit.

He has a 2-year old blue pit named Boomer who he found abandoned along the side of a highway whose ribs were showing, looking like he hadn't eaten for weeks. He rescued him and immediately adopted him, the pair inseparable since.

He can be abrasive/brash at times, but despite his gruff exterior his heart's in the right place...usually.

He's incredibly disciplined. He keeps his place neat and tidy, wakes up at 5am religiously, and works out daily. All leftover from his time in the Marines.

He legally carries and hits up the range regularly. He also has a larger arsenal of weapons he trains with regularly.

Drives a black F150 pickup truck.

Clothing style is rugged. Think combat boots and bomber jackets. Sweats & hoodies when he's working out or opting for something comfier.

He does have several scars and bullet wounds from combat. Fun fact, his nose has been broken 17 times.

WANTED CONNECTIONS FAMILIAL

EX-WIFE: If Garrett’s ex-wife makes a re-appearance in his life, it’s because his kid is looking for him. Given they married young when Garrett was around 23/24 there's a good chance his ex doesn't even know he's still alive. The relationship would be hot/cold. Suggested FC Angela Sarafyan (or any other FC 40+). Suggested age 40+.

HIS DAD: Though it’s more than likely this old fuck is dead in a ditch somewhere, Garrett has yet to find anything confirming this; note if this connection is filled, it will be very toxic given their history. Suggested FC would be Robert De Niro.

PLATONIC

VETS: Anyone whose character is a Veteran and either served alongside Garrett or he's met at the VA.

COACHES: Can be current or past trainers that Garrett has worked with.

FIGHTERS: Anyone Garrett's met during his time boxing. Fighters he's fought in the ring, fighters he's trained alongside, or fighters he's competing against.

RIDE OR DIE: Garrett's go-to, his closest friend & confidant. Bonus points if they served together.

ALLIES

THE UNLIKELY SIDEKICK: This person was in the wrong place, wrong time during a job that Garrett begrudgingly let tag along. This individual might've proved useful in ways Garrett hadn't predicted, such as helping him stake out his target, or being his getaway driver etc.

THE ACTUAL SIDEKICK: More than likely an individual Garrett served with who he trusts with his life to have his back. He will occasionally reach out to them for more support on a job.

THE NURSE: Given the amount of brawls and violent altercations Garrett's been in, having someone with extensive medical knowledge to treat superficial non-life-threatening wounds is a no-brainer. Could also lean romantic.

ENEMIES

BAD BLOOD: People he's gotten in bar fights with, people he might owe a debt to, someone with a vendetta, etc.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: They were on Garrett's hit list or they were an accomplice to his target. He spared them and let them live, but now, they owe him one.

SEVERED TIES: Someone Garrett once considered a friend that betrayed him or perhaps set him up and ratted him out to law enforcement the moment things went south. Garrett swore if he ever saw them again he'd get even.

ROMANTIC

FOOL'S GOLD: Garrett might've used this person to get closer to a target, and pretended to be someone he isn't in order to do so. They dated for a short stint, possibly even slept together, but the moment Garrett got what he wanted out of them, he'd gone ghost.

SHIPS IN THE NIGHT: The relationship that neither of them were ready for, that ended abruptly, as quickly as it had began, with the promise to remain friends. Now that some time has passed, they've reconnected, and the hint of a spark is still there.

BITTER PILL: Anyone Garrett might've wronged or used, that still has a bone to pick with him. They may or may not be attempting to sabotage any current relationship he's in, or just make him miserable in general.

THE HOOKUPS: These are the casual flings and the one night stands, no strings attached.

[paintsplantspaws]

Blue Flames Chapter 3

Reg whipped around at the speed of light and Backed up protective of me. Weird truck.A armored truck was speeding through our main street to the longhouse. It jousted like a fish out of water Crashing several parked cars on the way. It finally flopped to its side in defeat. Smoke Billowed out in massive clouds. A couple fires started nearby. Two people in orange were spotted leaving the Truck. One pulled away from the other and ran. The other soon followed slowly after glancing behind them.

Reggie bolted towards the people in orange. He yelled over his shoulder that he was going after them and stay i should "stay back" because the truck was "gonna blow". "Pfft whatever I not 5." i thought as i rolled my eyes. "Stay away from the exploding Thing ,got it." i shout back. I jogged around to behind it. I heard a voice cry out "Can anyone hear me?" as i approached i realized it was a man. "Need some help here! " he shouted desperately. He was stuck under the back door.

I called for my bro."Uh.. Reggie? Guy needs some help." I looked at the vehicle it read army on the side. "What the hell is the military doing here?" i though out loud. I lifted the door and he squirmed out. He was wearing orange as well. He was bald and tan with a few tattoos. "Holy smokes dude." I helped him to his feet and he thanked me saying he though he was gonna die."Hey you alright?" asked Reggie with concern. The orange clad man widen his eyes in anger.

My Resucee then punched my and turned me to face my bro, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Hey let him go!" he demanded and whipped out his pistol. Reggie went full cop and told him to put his hands where he could see them. However it was useless. "I dot wanna hurt nobody. I just wanna get gone 'fore she gets here." he started shakily in the most southwestern way possible. "Reg Threaten to shoot him. The man stuck out his hand and it smoke and embers swirled around it. I could feel the warmth coming from his arm. I tried to grab his arm. Instead all i got was smoke but not like the normal kind.

It was like a capsule of embers and smoke held together by an invisible force. Almost as soon as i grabbed it my mind flickered with many images and then it all went black. I was face down on the ground when my eyes shot open. my whole body tingled as i got to my feet. I called out to Reg but no response. There was more destruction around me. More cars turned and there were many flames licking the ground. i realized to had to find him.

I took a pace forward and my body felt as it had became nothing but air for a split second and then back to normal. "What the hell was that? I don't What the hell?!" I began to panic. it happened again as i cleared a car on its side. I had no clue what was going on. My heartbeat was going up quickly. I almost went of the cliff. Then i Turned i could hear my brother on the other side of a fallen pine tree. "Reg? Reg, I really need you!" i shouted in terror.

I stepped closer to the tree and then i no clipped right through them as if i was air. I could fell the needles on the pine. I did it again and again. Then that jerk pushed a car into my brother. "NO!" i screamed in agony I couldn't lose my last family member. Mom and Dad had passed away when i was 15. Reggie and I were left behind.I dashed over to him. "Reg you OK?" "Delsin? what was that?" "I got to get that car off you." his feet were lodged between a fallen tree and the car. "I got to get you out!" . "Yeah Yeah Okay just just help Me Push!" Reggie gasped. I pushed and I felt those powers activate. "No! No! No!" I scream though clenched teeth. I proceeded to fall back as the car went flying.

"I can't stop man. I can't stop it! Reggie, I cant stop it , man!" i trembled. he wrapped me in a hug from behind and attempted to comfort me. Freaking out.

"I'm one of them! Man I'm one of them!" I panicked. "No. NO! No, you are MY brother, Alright? You are my Brother." "Okay" "Thing Thing with you is gonna pass. I promise and well fix it. Alight you with me? You with me?" he cupped my face. " Okay Okay" i responded. "We gotta get out of here. There is a Bio-terrorist, we gotta stop him before he gets to rest of the tribe." " Alight."

"Okay." He looked me dead in the eyes. "I need you, I need you right now. " OK i responded and got to our feet. I followed him to the cannery .

[the-firebird69]

You know what this is and they want more than just better wages they want to take the equipment away so they're trying to cause chaos and they want people to walk across the picket line and they want to take the equipment and I didn't want to take some of it they really can't and he knows it but he's wondering what the hell is going to happen these people are in the way they don't do s*** it always saying stuff and they managed to lose it all so we're wondering what to do about it and thinking about it and her son says they go across the pick line but then we're going to be in The fray and they're building cars they're still building the s***** version and we don't want this s***** version but we need the equipment so it's sort of knows how it goes he's drawing a blank is working on an orange and his wife is yelling at him he says I know you you know I can't hear you no he says I'm both he says I'm trying to think of it it's occupying time I hear an owl and now I can't think at all so they communicate. . Now the picketing during the day and not allowing the factory to operate. The factory is basically shut down and they keep trying to move trucks in to take it away. We heard one time they said we're going to blow anybody away who tries to take this equipment and we actually only equipment and they always threaten our son but this time they were threatening him very loudly and was stupid stuff and he says yeah well so they did a lot but he says anyways I heard about it so they're not going to get the equipment and we know he responds like that and he responds that way every time so he says, when's biting leaves just start clearing them out and with police and we said okay and I'm sure Brian would be happy so we're out there clearing them out we can't tell who we are and they came back and we cleared them out and they came back we cleared them out and finally if someone said stop doing that and it was not bja. So we kept doing it and they keep losing people and they're higher-ups but they're not that high but they know what tons of stuff is and bja just drove by and a lot of truck so and he's not really allowed up there yeah he's around I think it's him and he thinks it's him and he's driving a piece of s*** truck looking for junk because he's an idiot we have to be here but that guy's asking for it isn't asking for it all week and we're going after him to make a long story short it's still going on now the police keep coming in clearing them out and they deserve it they're getting hit beat up and hauled off and then they go away. And yeah the trumpsters and they have no right to the plant so we're looking for the ring leaders now. Well it's going on trucks are going in and out and trains and they're hauling out stuff and about half of it's out so that's how effective does Trump guy is.

-we made progress today we are at 87% factories reinstated after covid-19 and there were not as many people as are where back then right now there's less a lot less but they need necessities because they've gone scarce and they were not producing them and it's going to be plenty pretty soon but now there's not and seven forget that son gets a lot of toilet paper I mean you guys are stupid.

Along with the 85 87 sorry percent recovery we have about 26% new factories up and running in the perimeter brand new new equipment. And about 20% of all of those are automobile assembly factories only 2% of those are for the new mini. But that's a hefty percentage and only 0.5% is Megan Merkel but that's a hefty percentage out of those vehicles there are 20 other manufacturers all 20 of those amount to about 0.75% bring it to 1.25% are built by morlock and 0.75% by us we are just ahead of Meghan Markle so now she's going to go ahead and open more factories. She's steaming and steaming mad and these things are selling like hotcakes it's ridiculous it's hilarious it's a lot of fun and yes there are three models that gobbling up market share

-the ebike thing is a Little bit of heaven and it is madness there's so many there's probably 900,000 e-bikes for every town there's just a ton of these damn things that BG said he thinks he messed up. My son says there's nothing you can do because people need the stuff and right now this there's no way out of it they can't help but but try and get something to travel in and it happens to be handy and it happens to be something they need and it is the only thing they can do is try and get it to work so that's what's going on there and there are a few more things happening but we want to be sure that we have things covered here. That sounds posting today our son's posting today and daughter was huge and in impact. There's a lot of people who are reading it online and it took a long time for some to load it and the video and they're very excited they see how it works and it looks simple and tons of people are buying it it is a huge huge business the numbers are staggering you can hear about it and they're going to have regulations and they won't be followed but that's what it is that's what it is

-the electric motorcycle has taken off again a second burst. To begin pumping out a lot today they made about 5 trillion frames but they got that many orders again and they're setting up tonight. They're going to make another 5 trillion as orders are constantly coming in and they're probably a wave of a lot more than that. I was a simple trick one is we have to be there the second is we make our own so we don't have to buy theirs but we take theirs and the third is when people order them and their phones are jammed we start on jamming them and take their orders same company atmosphere can we send out just as many so you're going to see an increase of 5 trillion tomorrow to and that'll be a total 10 trillion and Thursday will be probably 20 trillion and Friday 70 trillion and then coming Monday 200 trillion and then Wednesday 500 trillion I mean the numbers are going to be huge and it's because of combat and they use them against clones they ride up with them people fall over and they pull the battery out and they assemble a bomb right there in the field it's not efficient but it's supposed to be deception and it's just really gross we don't use those bikes because they're contaminated and they're no good we recycle now those ones have to be incinerated they're irradiated most often that's what they're using a lot of them for and we want them to the public and we're going to put them there and blame them and the same goes for the mini and the same is going for the e-bikes not really so if they want to get around on cuz they're wimps.

-the Bradley GT 1 and that's the Dodge neon any version and it's smaller and our son's son and daughter's son same person and wife not related to our son and daughter but is our daughter that's what we call everybody they are building these with a partner and he is going gangbusters and loves the car it's really fast and it's designed like his father and mother designed it it's a bit faster and he saw their design and he made his little better so there's going to be some competition between them and he says I don't know why and that's true and he wants his son and the partners and he wants to be involved a little to start a racing team and they're going to go and do that we have our own race tracks and we'll start our own circuit if we have to but we can get going on those tracks and get there train big time and make time necessarily require there's other things happening but there is a massive evacuation here and it is gigantic and it's going to go on all day and all night and all day and all night tomorrow more shortly

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zues Hera

[denimbex1986]

'Christopher Nolan is no stranger to blowing things up. From Inception’s snowy alpine fortress to Tenet’s airport collision, he’s always been one to create as many thrilling moments as possible through in-camera effects. But no one explosion could ever be as crucial to a Nolan film as Oppenheimer’s landmark Trinity Test - a faithful recreation of the world’s first-ever successful atomic bomb detonation.

But, for a director with a long-held passion for practical effects, it was actually one of the rare occasions from his previous films where he embraced CGI methods that made it clear to him that Oppenheimer’s cinematic centrepiece would have to be created without the use of computer graphics.

“At the end of Dark Knight Rises, there's a nuclear explosion, the point of which is very, very different from the explosion we knew we had to portray in the real-life Trinity test”, says Nolan. “So we used computer graphics to do the explosion in Dark Knight Rises. But, strange to say, in that sequence, it was the release of tension. It was actually put further away and made to feel safe.”

“But when I came to Oppenheimer and I thought, okay, how do we portray the Trinity test? That first atomic device being detonated. That's not going to work because computer graphics, they're extremely versatile, and the detail that can be achieved and the variety of imagery that can be achieved is obviously unparalleled. But the results tend to feel a little anodyne, a little safe. It's very difficult to have computer graphics convey threat, which is why they have to be used very carefully in horror movies, for example. It's difficult to make CG threatening.”

“So I first showed the script to Andrew Jackson, my visual effects supervisor, and said, I don't think that tool's going to work for us. So let's see if we can produce all of these effects using analog methods, from the very first imaginings that Oppenheimer has of the quantum world, of atoms, and how they would be interacting with strong force between them. Waves, particles, the duality of that.”

It's difficult to make CG threatening. “ The scene set prior to the detonation in the vast New Mexico desert is one filled with tension. Each member of the cast is on top of their game displaying a range of excitement, fear, and dread. It’s a breadth of emotion that needed to be carefully balanced by Nolan and reflected in the blast itself. So many of his previous stunts and set pieces were designed in order to thrill and entertain the audience, turning their world upside down like a semi-truck flipping over in downtown Gotham.

Oppenheimer called for a different type of effect. One more akin to a moment of tragedy from something like There Will Be Blood than the heroic action of Top Gun: Maverick. It’s meant to be a horrifying moment that leaves theatres solemnly quiet as opposed to whooping with glee.

“Well, it's useful that you use the word horrific in the same breath as entertainment, which seems contradictory”, Nolan explains. “And of course, it's a little uncomfortable talking about the word entertainment in regard to something so serious. But horror is a valid genre in cinema, the same way as drama, romance, comedy, or anything else. Movies can be anything. And when we speak of entertainment in movies, we're not necessarily talking about fun, laughter, and happy things. We're talking about engagement. We're talking about being riveted by a very tense and dramatic story. And possibly appalled, possibly horrified.”

“That's engagement and that is the stuff of entertainment”, states Nolan. “And so for me, everything about Oppenheimer's story was about engagement. Everything is about being in his head and using the IMAX format, which we've used for action in the past, we knew it would give us the vast desert, the weather coming in, the storms, the Trinity test itself, with its beauty and horror in equal measure. That contradictory impulse. And it's there in the story structure as well, the build and the Trinity test, and then what comes after. This is a film about consequences. And we want it to be unsettling.”

The Manhattan Project was one of great secrecy at the height of World War Two. It’s surprising, then, that so much archival footage of the events exists. This was a luxury that Nolan happily took advantage of, pouring over the available films to grasp an accurate sense of what Los Alamos looked like at its bustling peak.

Being true to life is one thing, however, and something Nolan values highly, but that also needs to be balanced with making sure it's still a cinematic spectacle to behold."

"It was incumbent on us to be guided by, and not contradict, the documented reality, but to be expressive of it in our own way. “ “It's a tricky balance with something as well documented as the Trinity test”, says Nolan. “It's very inside baseball as they say, but for filmmakers to look at the cameras they developed, the way they shot those tests. It's really remarkable, brilliant stuff. Shooting at frame rates far beyond what we can do now. All kinds of incredible technology, but archival footage is inherently distancing. We needed to be in the texture of the film with all of the imagery we created. So it was incumbent on us to be guided by, and not contradict, the documented reality, but to be expressive of it in our own way.”

"I think it was fortunate for us that the bulk of the documentation of the Trinity Test is in black and white. So at the very least, by bringing color to it, we're being forced to make it our own. And a lot of what we did, in both the shooting, and then, in particular, in the editing of the sequence is really based on firsthand accounts. It's more about what people said about it than what the photographs or the film of it said.”

One thing that couldn’t be legitimately reproduced was, obviously, the atomic blast itself. Multiple techniques were experimented with by Nolan’s special effects team led by Scott Fisher and Andrew Jackson to recreate the sparking flashes and fiery flurries of the explosion. Ping-pong balls were smashed together, paint was hurled across walls, and luminous magnesium solutions were developed.

By filming these events super-close up at variable frame rates they combined with Director of Photography Hoyte Van Hoytema’s sweeping IMAX cinematography to create in-camera effects that fill the screen with a power that such a monumental event demands.

“Some of what we were shooting was main unit. Some of it was being shot with Andrew Jackson, our visual effects unit”, explains Nolan. “And so we were seeing it in pieces. And I do remember one particular set of dailies that we watched that these guys had shot, that really captured a feeling of immensity.”

"We try and grow that thread to its ultimate release, this kind of vibrating energy that follows through the whole film. “ “Scott Fisher's work on the special effects, combining magnesium flares with gasoline, and black powder explosions, and things. There were some extraordinary things to look at just to eye. But watching the dailies, you were seeing it develop with my editing brain on, and then with Jen Lame, the editor in the edit suite, you just start visualizing combinations, and experimenting with combinations of imagery to give the feeling of what this must have felt like to watch this. And what that gave me in the edit suite was this thread, this connecting set of analog techniques that confuse scale, from the particle world of quantum mechanics, to the vast universe, astrophysics, et cetera, and all the points in between.”

“We try and grow that thread to its ultimate release, this kind of vibrating energy that follows through the whole film, to its ultimate release in this incredibly destructive event”, Nolan continues. “And so some of what they did was absolutely tiny and magnified, sort of miniature, as it were, or even beyond that really, microscopic. And some of it was absolutely vast and required intense concentration on set.”

“We were out there in the desert of New Mexico, just like the scientists of the Manhattan Project. We built the bunkers, we built the tower. We're out there at night preparing for these very large-scale explosive events that have to be conducted safely and with great care. So there's a tension, there's an anticipation in what we are doing as filmmakers that I think helps the actors, helps everybody understand, gain some small understanding of what must it have been like to be there that night, that early morning at the Trinity test.”

The end results are there for all to see. The moment the Trinity Test explosion lights up the screen is a stunning example of practical effects work. A worthy rendering of one of history’s most pivotal events, the scene never once forgets to take its eyes off of the people responsible for it - with Cillian Murphy’s face one that mirrors most who’ll watch it, one of awe, in the very literal definition of the word.

“There was a definite feeling of what we are seeing is both beautiful and dangerous, in equal measure”, states Nolan. “And that's what we had asked for. So we always knew that the sequence would be a collage rather than one iconic shot. If there is an iconic shot, I think it's the profile of Oppenheimer seeing it.”

“And I think part of the unsettling quality of the film is due to, you do feel engaged, you do feel you understand Oppenheimer, you're on that journey with him. You're not judging him. And so when you're then made to feel differently about things or question things you've already seen, it is a little uncomfortable. It's a little unsettling. And I'm hoping that the film leaves people with sort of an uneasy feeling.”

Oppenheimer will be released in cinemas from July 21st.'

[zepskies]

Yeeeep, it's definitely the longest chapter yet! And it will be the longest chapter in the story. The rest are 6K or shorter. 😮‍💨

God it really must suck for him to know that he only gets girls in bed because he pays for it in money or promotions or jewelry or whatever… no one actually wants him for his personality. That’s gotta be a low blow. I bet he drives one of those dumb trucks with the HUGE wheels or some souped up luxury car with no muffler to piss everyone off around him and when either of those cars pass you, you know the driver is compensating for their small penis.

Yep, that's the kind of guy we're dealing with. He's the slimiest of slime, and only his money can attract any kind of companionship.

Physical touch, physical touch, physical touch. Now every time I read something in this story with physical touch I can’t help but think I crossed your mind at least a little bit when writing it 😂😂😂 even if that is self-centered of me 😬

Ahaha not when I was writing it initially, because I've written these chapters weeks in advance, but sometimes when I was doing final edits for sure! 😂

I would totally have my arm looped around his while his hand was in his pocket and be holding his bicep with the other. There would be no way I wasn’t clinging to this man while walking at night

I don't blame you one bit! loll The reader's just feeling a bit off-kilter with him at the moment, else she'd probably be more affectionate.

Ughhhhh I want him just to move in with her already but I do appreciate that this is very much like a real relationship and not fanfic-y or movie-esque in the way that what you want to happen always happens and things in the relationship happen way faster than they ever would/could IRL

Yeah, with all the shit they're going through in this story, I tried to keep things like this as "real" as possible for believability. But she does technically end up moving in at the end of the chapter!! lol

Literally until just now I’d forgotten that Sam was a lawyer and he’s who she was referring to when she said she new a good lawyer to Nick 😂

Oh yep!! She was referring to Sam lol.

Obsessively worrying about other people is sweet but not very healthy, Dean

Ehh it's less obsessive and more like trauma. He was very rattled by what happened at the party, and he's very worried about her safety and feeling helpless as far as what he can do in the situation, so it's weighing heavily on his mind.

It’s good for him to get out of his mind though! He shouldn’t fixate so much on it!! Sometimes getting out of your head can help clear your perspectives or give you new ideas when you think about he problem later

Because of the intensity of his job and the focus it demands, he has learned to "turn things off" except for the job at hand.

Makes me think of Johnny in the outsiders 😭😭😭😭

Oh I haven't seen the Outsiders!

They seem to get grumpy with each other way faster than they used to and I know they’re stressed about other things and their relationship but still, this should be a safe space and concern should be validated and thanked to an extent

They're going through a lot right now, very stressed on both sides, with resentment on Dean's part. He's grumpy and lashing out a bit, and she knows he's upset, which is putting her off kilter as well.

That’s not like him, somethings off. I know he doesn’t agree with her and doesn’t like the situation but Dean doesn’t make his girl cry and then leave her standing there alone. Not my Dean. Something else is wrong.

Everyone has their breaking point, and Dean isn't perfect. He's not acting like himself, you're right, because the situation at large is stressing him out a lot. But he regrets leaving like that pretty quickly and does apologize. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

Dean’s hand rubbed up and down your back. You eventually had to look away and sigh. You pressed closer to his side, and he wrapped his good arm around your shoulders.

That’s my Dean.

Yep, he got a wakeup call when her life was threatened in a different way!

But Dean, you’ve been through her family’s stuff too…

It's the classic Dean syndrome of him thinking the people close to him getting hurt is always his fault somehow.

“Thank you for always being there for me,” you said. He couldn’t see your smile, but somehow, he knew it was there. But he could also hear you sniffle, and feel your body tremble with tears.

I feel like they’re starting to get back to their old selves a little bit. It’s still heavy and there’s some tension there, but at least they seem to be halfway-united again.

You'd be right about that! In the next chapter they do some much-needed reconnecting and get back on the same page. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Smoke Eater - Part 14

Pairing: Firefighter!Dean Winchester x F. Reader 

Summary: Dean Winchester is the cocky, but well-respected Lieutenant at Firehouse 25. He leads by example, but he’s also known to break a few hearts. He’s starting to crave something he’s never had, though. Something stable. Something real. 

That’s when he meets you, on a truly terrible day, trapped in a rickety old elevator.   

AN: Welcome back! Get ready for some more detective work, a pinch of Jo drama, another fire, and the reader finally meets John Winchester...

🔥Series Masterlist

Word Count: 7,500 Tags/Warnings: Angst, fire hazards, threats, and hurt/comfort.

Part 14: “Message in a Bottle”

A week before Christmas, John Winchester left his house for work before the sun had even risen in the sky. It was still dim when he stepped out onto his porch, which is why he didn’t see it at first.

He heard the clink when his boot kicked at something metallic.

He glanced down and found a small badge lying on the ground. He bent to pick it up, and on further inspection, it was a fire department’s badge. A replica, probably, because it had Dean’s number on it: 20579.

The badge was also splattered with blood.

Later at his office, John handed it over to his partner for his inspection.

“It’s actually paint,” John said. “Forensics looked it over. No prints, of course.”

“That’s a shame,” Cas said. His tone was mild, but his face was as grave as John’s as he considered the crimson-stained badge. They stood together in the bullpen of the 84th Precinct.

“And I got this little present a few days ago,” John admitted quietly. He grabbed a folder off his desk and showed Cas its contents: a picture of Sam leaving the courthouse while talking on his cell, climbing into his car. Someone was watching his sons.

“I already have a police detail on him,” John said, heaving a sigh. “I requested approval for Dean’s this morning.”

Cas’s frown was deepening, along with his furrowed brows. “We may need to ask for backup on this.” 

John shook his head. “Rufus won’t give it to us.”

Their esteemed Lieutenant thought John was on a vendetta with a ghost, stirring up a conflict of his own making. He only approved a temporary police detail for Sam, with the condition that John stopped what he was doing, let the Fire Department handle the serial arsonist, and let this blow over.   

But Rufus should’ve known better than that by now. This was personal, and John wouldn’t tolerate these yellow-bellied threats to his family.

“Azazel’s applying pressure, hitting your weak spots,” Cas said, perhaps pointing out the obvious.

“So let’s hit him back, goddamn it,” John growled. He threw down the folder back onto his desk.

“How?” Cas asked. “We still don’t know who Azazel is.”

The other man thought hard, rubbing a hand over his mouth, and feeling the overgrown stubble. He didn’t remember the last time he’d shaved.

“How’s your progress on questioning Savage & Co.?” he asked.

“Stalled. Nick Savage has lawyered up,” said Cas.

His face slackened from frustration to realization. He didn’t seem happy about his next idea, but it looked like he had one.

“Though now that I think of it, we may be able to apply some pressure of our own,” he said.

John raised a brow and crossed his arms. “How’s that?”

“Dean’s girlfriend works there, if you remember,” Cas said. “Something happened this past weekend at her company Christmas party.”

John nodded, despite his frown. He was set to meet you in a week, but it looked like they might need to question you before then. What a pleasant first meeting that was going to be.

But if you had anything on Savage, on the company, or even better, if you were willing to wear a wire, that could be the break they needed to get some headway on this case. They could squeeze Savage for any information he might have on Azazel—like his real identity.

“Tell me,” John said.

You returned to work on Monday with steel in your veins (and a taser in your purse).

You had about an hour of peace in your office, catching up on your emails and calls. Then there was a knock on your door before it pushed open without your consent.

Damn it, should’ve locked it. Your lips pursed when Nick Savage came in.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” you said firmly. Already you were opening a drawer in your desk, reaching into your purse.

“It’s my goddamn office,” Nick replied lazily. But he crossed his arms and stopped just behind the spare chair that sat in front of your desk. It gave you a good few feet of distance.

You stared back at the man with hidden satisfaction through your disdain. It seemed Dean’s threats got to him.

“Just thought I’d let you know that Josh’s been promoted to Senior Sales Manager,” Nick said. He checked his watch absently.

Your teeth clicked in irritation, but you let it pass. He was just trying to get a rise out of you, and you no longer gave a fuck about this company anyway. What you told Dean before was the truth: you were now here just to collect a paycheck, until you could find a new job.

“Good. He’s been working hard, kissing your ass,” you said with a fake smile. “Now if you don’t mind, I have a lot of work to do.”

Nick made the mistake of taking a half-step forward. Your hand subtly clenched on the weapon in your purse, but you tried your best to seem relaxed. In control of yourself. This was your office that you’d occupied for three years.

This was your space, and this man didn’t control you.

“Take one step forward, and I will quit today,” you threatened. And then you bluffed.

“I’ll call Mr. Greenway,” you said. “In fact, he offered me a job last month. Then I’ll make a few more calls, and I’ll take all of my accounts with me. I’ll kill your fucking sales team and leave Josh to continue sucking your lackluster tequila dick.”

Nick stared back at you with thinly veiled shock. You’d always been “no nonsense,” but you’d never spoken to him like that before. He smirked.

This was why he liked you. And hated you.

“All right,” Nick said. He didn’t come any closer, but he did rest his hands on the back of the chair. “How about I buy out your friend Greenway. His whole damn company. And then I’ll blacklist you with every other company that calls for a reference. Even the ones that don’t call.”

Your eyes widened incredulously. He had the gall to wink at you, boiling your blood.

“I’ll fucking sue you,” you said, hating the slight tremor in your voice.

Nick rolled his eyes. “This again? Please.”

You couldn’t help it. Your temper snapped, and you pushed away from your desk to stand up. You gripped the edge of it to steady yourself. You quirked a humorless smile.

“As it happens, I know a damn good lawyer,” you countered. “He puts murderers in jail every day. I doubt he’d struggle too much with a corporate asshole. And I’ll remind you, Dean’s father is a police officer. I’m sure he’d like nothing better than to lock you up after I report you for what you did. And I will.”

Nick scoffed at that, his eyes narrowing.

“If you take it there, I’ll have every resource at my disposal to make your life a living hell. I’ll drag this out for years. Until you’ve got nothing but your boyfriend’s charity to keep you from living in a fucking box.”

You were seething, trying to stay in control. He knew it too, and he smirked at you. He pushed away from the chair and started to leave.

But then, he tossed you a smug look over his shoulder.

“Just remember,” he said. “You could’ve just spread those legs for me.”

It took everything you had within you not to hurl a stainless steel stapler at the back of his retreating head.

“A double please, Ellen. Dry, lots of olives,” you requested.

After a ridiculously long day at work, you were now trying to let go of your frustrations at the Roadhouse, while you still had the money to drink. You rubbed through the ache in your temples.

“Long day, hun?” Ellen asked you. Her eyes were sympathetic as she made you the martini you ordered. You gave her an attempt at a smile.

“Long life,” you muttered.

“Hmm. Asshole boss?” she surmised.

You met her gaze with a note of suspicion. “Did Dean tell you…”

You knew he’d told his brother about what happened at the Christmas party. And you had a feeling he’d told Cas as well, to try and see what you could do from a law enforcement standpoint. The first step was filing a report. Now you knew, however, that you couldn’t. Not if you wanted your life to remain in one piece.

“Nothing, hun,” Ellen shook her head. “You’ve just got that look. I reckon every woman in the world has worn that face. Usually because of a man.”

You sighed and chuckled at the same time. It loosened some of the tightness in your shoulders.

“Yeah, well. This one’s a rat bastard in human clothing,” you replied.

“Ooh, sounds like my old biology professor,” Jo chimed in. She was drying out some newly clean glasses behind the counter along with Ellen. “He had a reputation for scoping out freshman girls.”

You made a gagging sound as you reached for the delectable martini glass Ellen slid your way.

“Men are disgusting,” you said. Jo snorted.

“99.8% of them, yeah,” she said. But her gaze drew towards the door when Dean Winchester came in. And she added, “A few of ‘em are all right.”

Was it just you, or was there a softer look in her blue eyes when she noticed Dean?

You were soon distracted though, giving your boyfriend a smile to try and cover up how exhausted you were, in every sense of the word. He greeted you with a warm hand along your lower back. He dropped a kiss to your forehead.

“Waiting long?” he asked.

“No, just a few minutes,” you shook your head. You laid a hand on his thigh when he took a seat next to you at the bar. “How was your shift?”

This week he was on three 12-hour shifts instead of his usual 24-hour shifts, which meant you got more of him in the evening. 

“Fine. Just a couple of accidents to clear off the road, nothing major,” he replied. He ordered a beer from Ellen and gave Jo a smile. He was surprised to see mother and daughter working civilly together under one roof, after the scene he saw last week.

“How’s the studying going?” he asked Jo, once Ellen was out of earshot to serve further down the line. He turned to you and filled you in. “Jo’s gearin’ up to hit the Police Academy.”

“Oh wow, that’s great!” you remarked.

Jo glanced over at her mom, but then she smiled, looking back at you and Dean. She focused on him.

“The test is in a few weeks,” she said. “I think I’m ready, but I don’t know…”

“You’ll be fine,” Dean said, with easy conviction. “You’re stubborn enough to know it’s what you want. So I got no doubts about you.”

Jo’s smile was warm, with a hint of shy and gratefulness. You smiled at Jo encouragingly, but inside, you had a familiar unease churning inside your gut.

Dean then turned to you with expectant brows. His fingers brushed a strand of hair away from your cheek, curling it behind your ear.

“And how was your day?” he asked. His tone was quieter, laced with double meaning.

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Jo moving on to another waiting customer with a small sigh.

You met Dean’s gaze and you nodded. “It was fine.”

His brows rose a touch higher. “Very convincing. You took the taser with you, right?”

You sighed and had to smile a little. His concern warmed you, made you feel protected, even though you’d had to do that part yourself today. You soothed a hand over his chest, between the open panels of his plaid shirt.

“Yes, I did. I’m okay, baby. We’re at a standstill,” you said. And you reminded him, “I can handle myself, you know.”

Dean nodded, sighing through his nose. His hand rubbed up and down your back, whether to comfort you or himself, you didn’t know. Your fingers curled into his shirt, and you smiled up at him, just before you tugged him down for a kiss.

It was slow and sweet, until you became a bit more than sweet, grazing his bottom lip with your teeth. His hand came up to cup the back of your head as he accepted the warmth of your kiss.

You knew that you couldn’t tell Dean what happened this morning in your office. He’d likely go for the Halligan in his trunk and beat Nick Savage within an inch of his life.

While the idea appealed to you for several reasons, you didn’t want to be the reason Dean lost his badge, or ended up in jail.

So over a couple of drinks, you distracted him by having a healthy debate over what you two were going to have for dinner later: sushi or pizza.

You ultimately won with sushi. (Or maybe he let you win. Either way, you were getting salmon rolls tonight.)

Still, you had that uneasy feeling when you and Dean left the bar. You wondered how the hell it had taken you this long to notice the starry look of longing in Jo’s eyes.

You fell into step with Dean as you two headed for the sushi restaurant down the street. It was already dark out, but even on a Tuesday night, the streets and sidewalks of downtown were busy.

“Can I ask you something…potentially uncomfy?” you said.

Dean’s head turned to you, with a raised brow.

“Uncomfy?”

You let out a breath, and you could see it on the December chill in the air. Your hands were tucked into your pockets, and so were Dean’s in his.

“Did you and Jo ever have a thing?” you asked.

Dean blinked, but then his lips pressed together. “What makes you say that?”

You sent him a suspicious look. You’ve known him long enough to know when he’s hedging.

“Just please, answer the question,” you said.

He blew out a breath. After a moment, he nodded.

“Yeah, for a few weeks,” he admitted.

You sighed. That sure explained a hell of a lot. And really, with his track record, you couldn’t be surprised.

“You dated her, or you hooked up with her?” you clarified. Dean shot you a look.

“Dated,” he said, rubbing a hand over his mouth.

Your brows furrowed. “When?”

He’d told you that he’d been in one relationship before, briefly…

“About a few months before I met you,” he said at last. But he saw the incredulous, almost upset look on your face. “Obviously it didn’t work out.” 

“You couldn’t have told me that earlier?” you asked. Your hands slipped out of your pockets to gesture at him. “How did it end?”

The man sighed, looking up at the sky.

“Come on, Dean,” you prodded.

“All right,” he placated with a hand. “It didn’t end great, put it that way.”

You couldn’t help a frustrated huff. You crossed your arms and kept walking beside him down the street, albeit in silence.

Dean glanced at you in slight exasperation. He was with you now. Why did it matter to you so much?

“She still has feelings for you,” you said, though you still weren’t looking at him.

“How do you figure?” he asked. But if he was honest, even he knew the truth.

“Because I could see her eyeing you like a honey glazed ham,” you snipped. At that, he let out an incredulous chuckle. 

“Are you jealous?” he teased.

You stopped walking and looked up at him, frowning. “Do you want me to be?”

Dean stopped as well. He sobered, realizing you weren’t in the mood for jokes. You’d been through a lot recently, and he knew then that you didn’t need this kind of stress on top of everything else. He drew closer and gently grasped your arms.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. Though he thought to himself, I’ll talk to Jo if I have to.

You sighed in frustration, but he soothed his hands up and down your arms. His touch plied you, along with his smile.

“Hey,” Dean said, dipping his chin so he could catch your eyes. “You should know how I feel about you by now.”

You sighed and nodded in agreement. He wasn’t satisfied.

“Hey,” he said, squeezing your arms and earning your eyes on him. It took him a moment, letting out a breath, but he was honest.

“I love you," he reminded. "And if that damn elevator hadn’t broke down on you, I’d still be missing something.”

…Damn it, you thought, even as a blushing smile grew across your face. Dean Winchester was too smooth for his own good.

But you also saw the sincerity in his eyes. You couldn’t help but be warmed by his words, down to your toes.

“There she is. All right,” he said with a grin. He nodded in satisfaction and gathered you into his arms. “My soft girl again.” 

Your smile deepened, but you still pinched his side, making him flinch and laugh. You held him back and looked up at his handsome face. He still looked amused and his eyes were warm. You leaned up on your toes for a kiss that lingered on wind-chilled lips.

“I love you,” you whispered back, against his lips.

His smile against yours was your answer.

Two hours and two salmon rolls later, Dean drove you home. You had taken an Uber to the Roadhouse, which reminded him that he needed to make another trip to Singer Salvage.

He’d been scoping out potential cars to fix up for you. He’d even recruited Bobby’s help to find something good, something with strong bones. Dean could do the rest.

Even after he watched you get inside your house safely, he let out a subtle breath before he peeled away. He wished you were coming home with him tonight. More often, he was feeling your absence when you weren’t in his bed. But it also reassured him, that he knew you were safe with him and Sam at their apartment.

He later found his brother eating leftover chicken parmesan at the kitchen counter.

“Why’re you eating standing up?” Dean asked, tossing his keys onto the counter. He reached into the fridge for a beer. “You look like Big Bird if he wore a suit.”

Sam sent him a dry look. “I don’t know. Force of habit.”

He barely had time in his day for an uninterrupted coffee, let alone a meal. When Dean wasn’t here, Sam fell back onto his work habits. He took his plate and actually went to the table.

“You eat already?” he asked. Dean nodded and said he’d eaten with you.

“Oh yeah? How’s she doing?” Sam asked.

Dean sighed and sank down heavily onto the chair opposite his brother. He rubbed at his forehead.

“She’s okay, considering,” he replied. But he knew you hadn’t told him the whole story about how your day went at work. Whether you were trying to spare him, or protect him, or yourself, it still drove him up the wall. Knowing Nick Savage was still your boss, and he was there, an ever-present threat just a few floors above you in that building…

It made Dean’s skin crawl. It had his teeth grinding and coiled his spine tight with repressed rage. And worry.

He met his brother’s eyes. Sam had been watching him, hiding his wariness.

“What can we do about him?” Dean asked. He knew he didn’t have to explain who he was talking about.

Sam started to shake his head, but Dean wouldn’t have it.

“I mean it, Sam. Because I almost…” His hand and forearm clenched and unclenched on the table. He could almost feel the way his arm had pressed into Nick’s throat, slowly but surely crushing his trachea. Just a couple of minutes more, and Dean could’ve done it. In that moment, he saw it so clearly.

It was the first time he’d ever wanted to take a man’s life.

“I know,” Sam said. His brows furrowed in sympathy. “But you did the right thing.”

Dean’s lips pursed as his hand once again fisted on the table.

“If I hadn’t been there,” he said. “If I had been just a few minutes off…”

These were the what ifs that kept plaguing his mind, ever since the party. Sometimes, it added to the catalogue of waking nightmares that wouldn’t let him sleep.

“And now she’s gotta go back there, every day, where that animal is just waiting for an opportunity,” Dean gritted out. Then his fist dropped more heavily onto the table, rattling Sam’s silverware.

Sam held the table steady and looked at his brother, calm but firm.

“You can’t touch Savage,” he said. “Don’t even go near him. Whatever you do, he’ll use it against you, and potentially against her. Unfortunately, she’s got the best plan right now.”

Dean looked up at him with angry eyes.

“Wait him out,” Sam said, “until he makes a mistake he can’t easily cover up. In the meantime, she’ll find a new job and get the hell out of there.”

Dean forced a sharp breath through his nose. He leaned back in his chair and tapped his fist more calmly on the table.

“I don’t have to like it,” he said.

Sam nodded in agreement. “No, you don’t.”

The fire was wild. It was eating up the four-story apartment building in a full blaze. The Truck 79 team was geared up outside of it, with Chief Singer already calling out instructions along with Dean.

Benny and the Rescue Squad were already on the roof, rappelling down to get the ones trapped on the top floors out through the windows. Dean was on the ground. He had Gordon, Jack, and a few others behind him. Meg and Chuck were on standby, waiting for the firefighters to pull out any residents still trapped inside.

Dean had to wonder if he was walking into another arson, like the Richardson fire. Against his will, he thought of that day. He thought about everything his father had told him about that arson, about Azazel and his mom’s death. He thought about you, working for a man who was potentially tied to Azazel.

“Winchester,” Gordon tapped him on the arm. “You good?”

Dean glanced over at him, then nodded.

“Yeah. Let’s rock and roll.”

When Dean was at work, he couldn’t let the outside world into his mind. All he could let himself focus on was the scene ahead after he put his mask on.

Inside the first floor of the building was like entering a living furnace. It was hot as shit, and layers of smoke choked the room. The mask was the only reason Dean could see, let alone breathe.

He turned to Jack. “All right, take it room by room. Stay close. We don’t got a lot of time.”

Jack nodded his agreement, and Dean split his team. A few of the others took the first floor on his orders. Dean, Gordon, and Jack would take the old stairs to clear the second floor.

Fuck. This whole place is just wood and plaster, Dean thought, shaking his head. These old buildings were all the same. Easy to build, easy to knock down. And usually they weren’t up to code, often thanks to cheap property owners.

He got apartment 201 open with his Halligan. The shoebox studio was smokey as all hell, but it was clear of any tenants. Gordon moved on ahead quickly, but Dean’s brows furrowed as he listened to the unsteady creaking of the floorboards. He moved more carefully forward.

Until he felt the warmth under his boots, saw the orange glow underneath a thin patch of flooring.    

“Walker, wait!” Dean called, at the same time he held Jack back.

He reached out, just as the wood floor splintered and broke underneath Gordon. His eyes flashed wide just before he fell.

Dean dove for him. His Halligan clattered away, but he managed to grab onto the man’s sleeve before he disappeared. Gordon grabbed onto Dean’s arm and nearly pulled him down too. Luckily, he managed to grab onto the splintered edge with his other glove-covered hand. He gritted his teeth at the strain of the other man hanging off his shoulder, but he didn’t dare let go.

Jack grabbed Dean’s belt to keep him from sliding further down. It let him grab onto Gordon with both hands. The men panted for breath; Dean had a better vantage point to see that the middle of the ground floor below was engulfed in flames. The glow of it flared in the corner of Gordon’s eyes. He could feel the heat making both of them sweat.

The wood flooring under Dean creaked ominously, but before anyone could move, it broke further. He almost lost his grip on Gordon as his torso hung over the edge. He managed to get a new stronghold under the other man’s arm, and Jack did his best to keep Dean from falling by pinning his legs down. Jack was strong, but he was still a smaller man than Dean.  

“Jack, call for backup!” Dean gritted out. Jack nodded behind him and radioed in for help.

Gordon stared up at Dean with wide, but resigned eyes. “The floor’s gonna cave before you can pull me up.”

Dean stared down at him, even as lines of sweat poured down his forehead from within his mask. They both knew that if that happened, Dean would be pulled along for the ride down, maybe even Jack too. Dean gave a sharp shake of his head.

“Just hold on. Backup’s comin’,” he said. All his strength was going into keeping a firm grip on the man’s arm and jacket. He called to Jack over his shoulder. “Can you get next to me and grab him?”

To his credit, Jack tried. But the jagged edges of the floor around Dean were unsteady, creaking and groaning under Jack’s added weight, a bit too much.

“Stop, stop!” Dean shouted, halting Jack’s movements.

Gordon licked his dry lips and blinked sweat out of his eyes. “This might be the part where you let go, Winchester.”

Dean took exactly a beat to process his shock. Then he glared down at the man.

“Shut the hell up, Walker. You don’t let go, you hear me?” he barked. “Jack, grab the back of my jacket and my belt.”

Jack followed the order, and a combination of him pulling Dean up and Dean straining every muscle he had to heft up Gordon slowly, painfully, brought them back up and over the ledge.

Jack had an easier time then of helping Dean pull Gordon the rest of the way out of the hole.

And the rest of their Truck crew came to help them onto their feet, before the fire consumed the rest of the second floor.

Once Dean was out of the building, he took off his mask and breathed in cooler air on his face. He made a beeline for the fire truck. In the back was a cooler, and grabbed a bottle of water to dump over his overheated head and face while he caught his breath. Gordon and Jack were following suit, and the men stared and one another. All of their faces said the same thing.

We made it. We’re alive. That was almost fucked.

Gordon’s gaze met Dean’s, sobering further. For a moment, he looked like he was searching for words.

“How’s your shoulder?” he asked eventually.

Dean nodded, rotating his right arm. He was going to feel that bitch tomorrow.

“Fine,” he said. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Gordon nodded. Another hesitation, followed by an honest gaze. “Thanks, Lieutenant.”

Dean’s face broke into a smile, wry but also genuine. “Yeah, thank me by layin’ off the burgers.”

He swatted the other man’s stomach and went for three more waters. He handed two of them to Jack and Gordon. One was smiling, while the other just smirked and shook his head.

“You callin’ me hefty?” Gordon remarked. “I’m averaging 6% body fat, man.”

Dean scoffed. “Yeah, right. What’re you, the Rock? That’s why you almost sunk.”

He dropped his fist into the air and made an exploding sound. Jack was wide-eyed, but Gordon just chuckled. They started making their way to the front of the truck to start packing up their gear. The Truck and Rescue teams had done what they could, and all the residents that made it out of the building were being seen to by the paramedics.

“I’d rather be weighed down by muscle than all them Little Debbie’s you’ve been putting away at the station,” Gordon shot back. “Cheap cake is not your friend.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “All right, that’s just uncalled for.”

“Dean,” Chief Singer called, beckoning him over with a hand. His free hand wore a glove as he held something steaming.

Dean nodded at his men and joined Bobby outside his department-issued SUV. Dean’s gaze focused on the bottle-shaped object in Bobby’s hand. There was a small digital box attached to the front, with wires wrapped around. The entire device was now blackened, but the smell of chemicals was unmistakable.

“Molotov cocktail?” Dean quipped, but his face was as grave as Bobby’s. The Chief nodded.

“Lafitte pulled this out of the fourth floor,” he said. “Looks like the same kind of incendiary device Arson found at the Richardson fire.” 

That night, you made dinner for Dean at your house. He was forced to explain what happened at the apartment building, and why he had his arm pinned to his side like a chicken wing. You made him sit down and relax, all while you tried to hide your worry and relief that he was mostly all right.

Later in the living room, you sat on your knees beside him on the couch and lifted the bag of ice from his shoulder. You peered at it in concern, gently rubbing your hand over the joint and surrounding muscle. Dean sighed through his nose as your gentle touch was both soothing and painful.

“Are you sure you should do another shift tomorrow?” you asked, replacing the ice. He shot you a glance.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“Right,” you said dryly. “That’s why you can barely move this arm.”

Dean rolled his eyes and made his point by raising his right arm, slowly, but easily back down.

“I’ll be up and running by tomorrow. Just need a good night’s sleep.”

“Dean, are you sure? You seem to be in a lot of pain,” you asked.

He tried to hold in his annoyance. “I think I’d know if I’m fine.”

“You forget, I know all too well what downplaying looks like,” you countered, giving him a chiding look. Dean didn’t appreciate it. He didn’t need you to mother him.

“This is my job, all right,” he said.

You gave him a steady look. Your hand moved up his shoulder to rest along the back of his neck. Your fingers slipped into his hair.

“I know that. But I’m allowed to worry,” you said. Your brows furrowed. “Please don’t get upset at me for that.”

Dean let out a breath. He relaxed against the couch and met your gaze. He knew he had no right to ask you not to worry about him.

“Yeah, okay,” he said.

To you, he still seemed a bit annoyed. You nodded and continued to gently sift your fingers through his hair. You had to wonder if his resentment was coming from a different place.

“Are you still mad at me for going back to work?” you tested.

Dean breathed out deeper this time, but he didn’t answer.

Bingo, you thought with a frown.

“Dean—”

“All I want is for you to be safe,” he said. His voice was harder as his face tightened up. His hand gestured in frustration. “This whole thing…that fucking douchebag…it’s killing me. Fucking killing me. And you know that.”

Your eyes softened, and you unconsciously bit your lip.

“Ditto,” you tried to joke. It landed flat, because your boyfriend was deadly serious.

He looked away from you with pursed lips and a frustrated shake of his head. You sidled closer to him and tried to soothe, with a hand on his chest.

“Look, I’m trying to find a new job, but it takes time,” you said.

“You could quit. You could quit right now,” Dean replied hotly.

You sighed; you couldn’t believe you had to remind him about this. “I can’t, Dean. I have bills to pay, just like you do. You think I like this situation any more than you? I’m the one who’s had to deal with this for months!” 

“I know that!” Dean snapped back. “Or should I say, now I do.”

He pulled away from your touch and pushed off the couch, onto his feet. You looked up with your mouth agape as he left the room. You got up and followed after him.

“You’re leaving?” you asked in shock. You watched him grab his keys and his wallet from the kitchen counter.

“I’ve got a long shift tomorrow and I gotta sleep,” Dean said, rather gruffly.

You followed him all the way to the door, where you grabbed onto his wrist. He stopped in the doorway, glancing back at you over his shoulder.

“Dean, please,” you implored. “Don’t go like this.”

After a beat, he seemed to soften. Just enough to lean over and press a brief kiss to the side of your head.

“I gotta go.”

He left you in the doorway with tears swimming in your eyes, and he pretended not to notice them.

When Dean woke up the next morning, his shoulder still ached, and he still felt guilty. He rubbed the offending join and tried to slowly roll the stiffness out of his arm. Fuck.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes next. They blearily took in the digital numbers on his alarm clock: 5:00 a.m.

He slid out of bed and got ready for work. He definitely wanted to check in with Arson about the device that likely started that fire, and he knew his dad would need to be brought in on it. It would give Dean a reason to press John for an update on his investigation.

By 6:00, he was finishing his coffee, about ready to head over to the station. He could hear the pipes running, meaning Sam was in the shower.

Dean was startled only slightly by his phone vibrating in his pocket. His brows furrowed, but he fished it out and found your name crossing the screen, along with a smiling picture of you. He sighed.

Part of him hesitated. If you were calling just to try and convince him to call out of work, he was going to get worked up again. And he’d rather not have anything disturb his first cup of coffee of the day.

Still, he answered. “Hey.”

“Dean, did you come into the house last night?” you asked.

He didn’t like the wary, almost scared tone of your voice.

“No.” His brows furrowed. “Why?”

“Look at the text I just sent you.”

He put you on speaker so he could check his messages. Sure enough, he found a picture from you. It was of a glass bottle-shaped object on your nightstand. There was a black box attached, but its digital screen was blank. Dean’s breath caught in his lungs as his eyes widened. His heart dropped into his stomach.

“Dean, what is this thing?” you asked. Your voice was shakier, more worried. “It looks like a bomb. And it smells awful, like chemicals.”

“Don’t touch it,” he said quickly. “Get out of the house…better yet, wait for me at your neighbor’s place. I’m coming over right now.”

And I’m calling Dad.

Dean tried his best to calm you while the police and the Arson Department swept your entire house for devices, fingerprints, and any other evidence on who broke in.

You had a hand over your mouth by the front door as you watched them turn over cushions, move tables and shelves, ruck through cabinets. Your entire life turned inside out.

Dean’s hand rubbed up and down your back. You eventually had to look away and sigh. You pressed closer to his side, and he wrapped his good arm around your shoulders.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he said quietly, and kissed the top of your head. Inside, he was furious. Mostly at himself.

If anything had happened to you last night, after he left…he would’ve never forgiven himself.

So it was a welcome distraction when John and Cas’s police car finally pulled into the driveway. Dean led you outside, away from the chaos happening in your house.

“Hey, Dad,” he said, with a nod at Cas. Both men nodded back.

“Son,” John greeted, His brown eyes turned to you next. He offered you a hand. “Good to finally meet you, despite the circumstances.”

You blinked up at him and curled a stray strand of hair behind your ear, a bit nervously.

“Oh, it’s…it’s great to meet you, Mr. Winchester,” you said, sticking out your hand and shaking his.

A smile flickered across Dean’s lips. He realized then that this was the first time you were meeting his father. You were adorably nervous.

A reserved smile tugged at his father’s lips as well.

“John’s just fine.”

You smiled back, with a bit of a blush tinging your cheeks.

“Now, can you tell me what happened here?” John asked you, not unkindly.

Dean’s good humor faded away as he explained about the device left on your nightstand. He filled them in about the fire he’d responded to yesterday as well.

“What the hell is happening, Dad?” he demanded to know.

John let out a breath and nodded, swiping a hand through his dark hair.

“It’s another one of Azazel’s signatures,” he said, lowering his voice so only the four of them could hear. “It’s a message.”

“To who?” Dean asked.

“To me,” John said. “Warning me to back off the case…there’ve been other threats. I’ve finally got a police detail on Sam, and I just got approval for you. I’ll add her to the list.”

John glanced at you. Your eyes widened in confusion as you tried to hold in your fear.

“Who the hell is Azazel?” You turned to Dean. “Is this…does this have something to do with your mom’s killer?”

John’s brows shot up at his son. “You told her?”

“You’re over here talking about him too,” Dean retorted. He gathered you closer and met his father with steely eyes, to mask how his gut was churning with worry.

“You need to get this guy,” Dean said, almost through gritted teeth. “Get him now.”

John agreed with a nod.

Once again, you covered a trembling hand over your mouth. Dean squeezed your side a bit to earn your attention.

“I want you to come stay with me,” he said. His tone was boding no argument, not that you would. You nodded and fairly melted against him. Your head rested against his chest.

“Dean, this is insane,” you whispered.

He nodded and pressed a kiss to your forehead. “I know. I’m sorry…I’m so fucking sorry about this.”

You looked up at him, your brows furrowing. “It’s not your fault.”

Dean met your gaze, but he couldn’t quite believe you. He was the one who kept pushing his dad for answers, to let him in on this. This was his family’s bullshit, not yours. You didn’t deserve to get dragged into it too.

The spell between you two was broken by Cas, awkwardly clearing his throat.

“We do need to ask you some questions,” he said. “About Nick Savage.”

You frowned. You peeled yourself away from Dean enough to face the detectives.

“What does he have to do with this?” you asked.

“His company is linked to a money laundering scheme, which ultimately leads back to Azazel,” Cas explained. “But we’re having trouble getting through his wall of lawyers.”

You scoffed. “Not surprising.”

However, it did worry you that Nick was possibly doing business with a criminal. Not that that should surprise you either. 

“What do you want to know?” you asked.

“Well, first of all, would you be willing to file a police report,” Cas said, more gently, “regarding your assault at his home.”

Your eyes widened. Your mouth fell open slightly before you looked over at Dean. His face tightened, along with his hand on the curve of your waist.

“Why do you need me to do that?” you asked Cas.

“It’ll give us the leverage we need to dig deeper into his business,” John said. “Knock loose any shady dealings. We could get him to cough up what he knows about Azazel.”

You wanted to help, but at the same time, you were reluctant to mire yourself deeper in this. Dean saw your reservations, and he could guess why.

“Won’t that just paint a bigger target on her back?” he asked.

“We’re gonna protect her,” John promised. His eyes went from Dean, back to you. “But we need your help. This could be the break we need to get to Azazel. To find out who this bastard is.”

John could see your indecision. “All you need to do is fill out the report. Maybe get up in court to testify.”

You tightened up at that. “Testify?”

“If it gets that far,” John nodded.

“I don’t think so,” you shook your head. “That man can make my life hell without a serial killer’s help.”

You looked to Dean for support.

In the beginning, he had all but begged you to do what his father and Cas were asking. But now, this was just too much. He pressed you more securely to his side.

“Dean?” his father prodded.

“You heard her,” Dean said. “It’s her choice.”

You sighed and held onto the back of his shirt gratefully. The detectives shared a look, with John’s brows furrowing. He regarded you with a gruff, slightly strained look.

“Listen, don’t you want Savage in a cold hard cell?” he asked. “You could put him there.”

“Dad, she said no. Lay off,” Dean’s tone sharpened. Unfortunately, he knew how stubborn the man could be.

“Dean, I’m trying to nail this guy, but I’m missing pieces,” John said. “Right now, I can’t do it without her.”

“Well, figure it out,” Dean snapped.

John frowned in near disbelief. "Excuse me?"

“Look, I know where your priorities are, but mine is making sure she’s safe," said Dean. "If you can’t handle that, then we’ve got a problem!”

The strength of his retort took everyone by surprise, but no one more so than John. He hid it well behind a deepening frown.

He glanced between you and his son. You were looking up at Dean with unshed tears in your red-rimmed eyes, grateful, and holding on tight to his shirt. He still held you to him. His entire frame was tight and angry.

And John knew that he would react the same way, if he were Dean. He also knew then that he was pushing too hard.

So he sighed, and pulled out a card from his wallet. He handed it to you.

“I’m sure you’ve got Cas’s number already, but here’s mine,” said John. “Call me if you change your mind.”

“I’m sorry for invading,” you told Sam that night. He was helping you and Dean bring in your suitcases. You were pretty much moving into their apartment, indefinitely.

“You’re not,” Sam said, shaking his head. “We’re happy to have you here.”

You gave him a tired, thankful smile. “I appreciate that, thanks.”

“We’ll get to have an in-house chef,” Dean chimed in, earning more amused look from you.

“Need I remind you that I’m not an actual chef?” you said. You set down your smaller suitcase, full of shoes and toiletries, to grasp the front of his shirt. You leaned up on your toes and met him with a kiss. It was sweet, but it was also tender. His arms came around your lower back and pulled you flush against him.

He parted from you gently, afterwards pressing his forehead against yours. He let out a brief sigh through his nose.

“I’m sorry, about how I left last night,” he said.

You shook your head, despite the tears that wanted to burn in your eyes. You wanted to tell him, It’s fine. I’m fine.

But you couldn’t lie to him.

“You came back when I needed you,” you said instead. “Thanks for letting me stay here.”

You felt his fingers tangle in your hair, his hand resting along the back of your neck. It was familiar, and soothing.

“This isn’t exactly how I wanted you to move in,” he admitted. You chuckled wryly.

“Really,” he said. “…I was thinking of asking you. But not ‘til, you know, down the line.”

You softened at that. You raised up on your toes and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Then you circled your arms around his neck and hugged him close. He held you back just as tightly.

“Thank you for always being there for me,” you said. He couldn’t see your smile, but somehow, he knew it was there. But he could also hear you sniffle, and feel your body tremble with tears.

“You’re safe here,” Dean said softer into your ear. “Nothing’s getting to you, all right?”

 You nodded, pressing your face into his neck. He continued to say and do whatever he felt he had to in order to reassure you that night, and make you feel safe.

All the while, he was trying to reassure himself.

AN: *burrr* That tension, huh? What did you think of her finally finding out about Jo's lingering feelings, plus a bit of Dean's resentment, him and Gordon coming to an understanding, and the reader meeting John for the first time! 😮‍💨😮‍💨

Good news though. Next time, we'll take a huge break from all this drama and have a nice fluffy Christmas special. (Plus a healthy dose of spice. ❤️‍🔥)

Next Time:

You hadn’t undressed yet from your jeans and sweater, but you crawled across the bed to come up behind him and drop a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“How’s your slugging arm?” you asked.

Dean quirked a smile at you over his shoulder. “Just fine.”

“Dean,” you said. Your tone was gentle, but warning. No downplaying.

You pressed your lips against the side of his head and soothed your hand along his shoulder and down his arm. Still, he was resistant.

“I’m fine, sweetheart,” he said.

You hummed. “Okay. I guess you don’t need a massage then.”

He paused. His head tilted just so, once again turning to you over his shoulder. You spied the edge of his piqued interest, his grin.

“Well, if you’re offering…”

Dean Winchester Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Series Tag List (Part 1):

@hobby27 @kazsrm67 @letheatheodore @agothwithheavysetmakeup @jacklesbrainworms @foxyjwls007 @wincastifer @iamsapphine @simpforbuckyb

@vanillawhiskeyflavoredkisses @roseblue373 @this-is-me19 @emily-winchester @spnexploration @deans-spinster-witch @deans-baby-momma @iprobablyshipit91

@melancholictearz @nic-kolas @katherineann814 @sleepyqueerenergy @wayward-lost-and-never-found @thewritersaddictions @just-levyy @samanddeaninatrenchcoat @deanwanddamons @antisocialcorrupt @lacilou @adoringanakin @theonlymaninthesky @teehxk @midnightmadwoman @brianochka @branj19

@agalliasi @venicesem @chriszgirl92 @lyarr24 @ladysparkles78 @solariklees @xsophianicolex @deansbbyx @candy-coated-misery0731 @curlycarley @sarahgracej @bagpussjocken @ultrahviolentart @chernayawidow @beskarfilms @mimaria420

[ksbbb]

You call it madness, but I call it love (thiam)

Liam blinks a few times as he frowns at the text from Theo, trying not to feel disappointed or angry about the chimera bailing on their thanksgiving plans. It’s not that he expected Theo to come anyway, and it’s not that he is disappointed by the fact he doesn’t get to see Theo today, but he’s annoyed that he felt the need to text. He could have called. He thought they were a bit closer than that.

“Is your friend coming?” His mother smiles at him, the aroma of his mother’s pies hitting his nose, and if he wasn’t so mad, he’d be hungry.

“No. He decided he had plans.” He rolls his eyes, contemplating what plans Theo could possibly have that don’t involve him, and he’s not upset. He’s merely aggravated to know how Theo has friends that he doesn’t know about, because why hasn’t he been introduced? 

“Oh, that’s nice. I’m sorry sweetheart.” His mother pats his shoulder and he shrugs casually, flopping onto the couch, and heaving a sigh. He flips through his phone to see Mason and Corey smiling back at him. Their yearly holiday picture always looks better each year and here he is, annoyed that a rude chimera is blowing him off. He really needs to get a grip.

Wait, no he doesn’t need to get a grip. Theo bailed on him and he completely pretended he forgot that he had plans prior to Liam asking. Theo never forgets anything and he’s always bothering Liam about every appointment or project that’s coming up in his life. Somehow he forgot he said he was coming to thanksgiving? It’s Liam’s first thanksgiving home since he left for college and he doesn’t get to not come and enjoy it with him. Because…well just because.

He grabs the keys off the counter, grabbing an entire pie from his mother along the way, and quickly slides out the back door, wondering if he can’t catch Theo in his apartment before he leaves to hang out with other people. Without him and without even so much as asking if Liam would like to join, and he wouldn’t join, but he wants the option to be able to.  

His mother sighs and shakes her head at him as he closes the door, already knowing where he's going and why. That’s another thing. His mother adores Theo and it’s rude that he is bailing on her too. He opens his car door and before he can rip his hair out, he takes a deep breath, doing his best to not tear out the steering wheel while he heads over to Theo’s apartment. 

The road is void of all traffic and he gets there quickly, but not quick enough to keep himself from snarling as he continues contemplating why Theo is hanging around people he has never heard of. He doesn’t have to know who they are, but he wants to know. They could be using Theo for all he knows and yes, the chimera can take care of himself but he doesn’t need to. He could just allow Liam to help him out every once in a while. Instead of threatening to rip his head off, if he so much as asks if he wants help writing a resume or help opening a door.

Pulling up into the parking lot he sees Theo sitting in the driver seat of his truck, his music playing, and the windows aren’t even up. It’s probably the coldest day of the year right now and Theo is outside with no coat just hanging out in his truck. Liam sighs and slams the door of his car and heads over to the truck. 

Theo takes one look at Liam and rolls up his window, and it causes an intense rage to boil over, and it’s taking everything in him to not rip the door handle off but he refrains from it. His mother wouldn’t appreciate any fights breaking out between them today, but Liam can’t help but want to shake Theo and ask what’s he doing, and why he’s sitting in the cold, or why he isn’t on Liam’s couch with a cup of coffee. Smiling that infuriating smirk, something Liam hates and loves at the same time, but only when Theo is smirking at him. 

He opens the back door and sits down, scanning the truck for any random person that Theo might be hiding, and he is satisfied when he finds nothing but an angry chimera looking back at him. His eyes flash back and forth a few times at Liam, until he sees the pie in his hand, and he snatches it from him, while still glaring at him. 

“What do you want? This is private property Liam.” Theo sneers at him, studying the pie and placing it on his passenger seat. The music is still on and Liam frowns, inserting himself into the front passenger seat, careful not to sit on the pie, and annoyed at himself for not sitting there in the first place. He’s been in this seat countless times before. Even if someone was in the truck, it’s Liam’s seat. 

“I want to know what plans you have and why I’m not invited?” Liam huffs out, placing the pie on the backseat and feeling his fangs side over his tongue. The scent of blood fills the truck.

“You’re incredibly nosey Dunbar.” Theo leans back in his seat, amusement lining his face, and Liam would be too if it wasn’t for the fact Theo doesn’t appear to be going anywhere at all. He’s just not going. Not coming to be with…him.

“I don’t appreciate being bailed on. I’m taking the pie back.” Liam growls out, folding his arms across his chest, and staring out the window. Theo grabs the pie and places it at his feet, his eyebrows raised as Liam does his best to remain angry, but it’s difficult because Theo doesn’t look angry at all. He’s still his snarky self, but also sad. His eyes showing hints of pain that Liam doesn’t like and wants to make go away, to disappear entirely while Theo annoys him with his arrogant attitude. 

“I wasn’t bailing.” Theo defends himself, tapping his foot on the floor while Liam gives him a pointed look, and he’s still deciding if he’s taking the pie back. He takes his phone out and shoots his mother a text that he will be late and leans slightly closer to Theo, watching as he struggles to remain silent. “I don’t like today. It’s one I normally sleep through. Happy? I didn’t want to hurt your feelings and say that I didn’t want to come. Your family is all about eating together and holidays. It makes me sick.” Theo shrugs, tensing up as Liam shifts a little closer.

“You don’t have to come to everything I invite you to but why is today such a bad day? You’re scowling more than you normally do.” Liam teases, a smile forming on his lips as he does his best to lighten the mood.

“I’m not a holiday person. My family was kind of…weird when it came to spending time together. The first holiday where I didn’t sleep through it, I was given my sister's heart. It kind of hurt and it kind of killed the joy everyone goes on and one about. Stop….I don’t want pity.” Theo shoves him back towards the door, and shifts away from Liam as he turns back towards the window.

“I’m not pitying you.” Liam whispers, a deep ache building inside of him as he observes the chimera shutting down again, and he wants to reach out, wants....needs to touch him, to let him know he’s here, but he doesn’t want to push him away even more. “I want to help. Can you let me help?” He pleads with Theo, hoping desperately that this isn’t something he pushes him away on, or threatens to rip his head off, or do anything other than let Liam help. Make it better. Even if he can only just be here. In this moment. Be with Theo. 

“There isn’t anything you can do. Just be you. Be Liam.” Theo says his name almost in a whisper, hesitating as the words tumble off his lips, and Liam can only stay frozen to his seat, not ready to move, but not ready to leave. 

“Then just be Theo.” Liam doesn’t breathe as Theo stares back at him, his eyes studying him, and he’s not sure what that’s supposed to even mean, but it’s enough for Theo to smile. A real smile. A smile that reaches his eyes, making Liam’s heart pound and flutter, and reminding him why he’s here. The inevitable realization that anywhere Theo is Liam wants to be. He could be sitting in this truck or dying beside him. It doesn’t matter as long as Theo is next to him.

“You’re not taking the pie.” The chimera smirks at him, smugness radiating off him as Liam opens his mouth to argue, but quickly closes it when he knows Theo is right. 

“You’re not sitting here all night. We don’t have to go back to my house but you aren’t spending tonight alone. “ Liam leans closer again, paying attention to see if Theo tries to move away, or tenses up again, but he only nods in agreement. 

Liam carefully moves closer, almost halfway across the middle console, keeping his eyes on Theo and his body language for any sign of panic, or nervousness at being so close. He aches to touch Theo, to convince him to let himself have this, and to let Liam reach out to him. He can’t risk Theo closing off again, but he might die at that thought of not being able to fix this. 

Theo catches his eye, tilting his head slowly to the side, unmoving, and Liam doesn’t breathe, doesn’t flinch, letting himself slowly reach out to him.  He slowly moves his hand, letting it slowly reach Theo as he places it next to his, brushing softly along his skin, noticing the goosebumps and a small shiver coming off Theo. He flinches, and Liam almost pulls away until he feels Theo lean into the touch. 

A thrill flutters through him as he keeps his hand next to Theo, and it’s not much, not really anything at all, but it’s exactly everything and more. He doesn’t dare move in fear of ruining this moment, or it being perceived he’s had enough. Enough of Theo, or enough of his touch, and it sounds comical when he thinks about it. About having enough of Theo or anything that involves the chimera. He could never have enough or ever be tired of him. He sounds like a middle schooler again, but anything with the chimera makes his mind unbalanced and his emotions all over the place. 

Maybe this is what his mother meant when she said he would know when he found his person. Theo is his person. Or his chimera. He won’t ruin this moment. He could….he finally moves, letting his hand graze Theo’s cheek, and move along his jaw, his entire body vibrating with excitement at finally being here. Finally.

The sharp intake of Theo’s breath causes him to suck in his own breath, and he waits. Waits for Theo to push him away, or let him in.  He begs the universe for Theo to let him in. He can’t handle being shut out again, but he would still follow the smug chimera around everywhere to just see him look at Liam like this again.

Like he’s everything and more. Please please please—- he wants to beg, but he remains silent, on the verge of breaking into thousands of little pieces as he waits for Theo to give him a sign, or some signal that this is okay. That he’s not misreading their relationship entirely. 

Liam is almost sitting on Theo at this point and he can hardly believe he’s gotten himself here, to this moment in time.  It’s almost killing him not to move any closer, but he waits. He’s been waiting since the elevator during the supernatural war, and he’s fairly certain he won’t die from want, but he very well might explode in a moment.

Theo places his hand on Liam’s, lacing his fingers through his, and maybe it’s the smile on Theo’s lips, or the gentle rain starting to pelt the window, that creates a fog around him and lets him feel certain of what the chimera is thinking, but he lurches forward. 

The moment his lips crash into Theo he lets out a small whine, and finally he can let himself relax, and he places his hand along Theo’s waist. His breathing comes out ragged as he has to breathe in air every minute or so. He clutches at Theo’s side, and little whimpers leave his lips as he deepens the kiss, sliding his fingertips along Theo’s jaw.

Please please please he can’t help but think, his entire mind and senses overwhelmed with Theo. He can feel and hear his own heart pounding in his chest. Theo’s own heart is beating rapidly in his chest and he wants to calm him down, but he’s also too gone to even do anything other than kiss the chimera. 

The heat of Theo’s skin touch’s his hand and Liam sighs at the contact, unable to form any coherent thought other than Theo.  

Theo shifts underneath him and as he pulls away briefly to catch his breath, all he sees is Theo looking back at him. 

@waterloou 💙

[mana-jjk]

Curse! Yuuta AU

Ft. Inuokko ofc

Where Yuuta is hit by the truck instead of Rika!

• He didn’t die immediately, and that’s probably what screwed everything up. Because if he died immediately, he wouldn’t have had the time to be so scared. Instead of a hard blow and a bright light, he could feel everything. He could feel Rika holding him, begging him to hold on - and so he did.

• Yuuta was a little different in how he wasn’t mindless, he was extremely aware of everything that was happening and the power he had. The problem was that he’s always felt everything in a different way - maybe a little too intently. So when he was angry, scared, upset, or even happy, someone ended up getting hurt.

• He couldn’t help the way he reacted when Rika’s grandmother had gotten so close to Rika. All he could hear was danger, and the rest was red. With all things considered, Rika took being an orphan again pretty well. But in some ways they did end up bringing out the best of the worst in each other.

• See the thing is Rika didn’t have cursed energy, but Yuuta had a way of making the rules bend. From the day she held his corpse, it was pretty easy to see his spirit as well. With that, seeing other spirits was effortless thanks to Yuuta.

• They were discovered when Yuuta had accidentally lashed out at the care workers in their orphanage. He never meant to hurt people that badly, but sometimes the people, especially the care workers, truly deserved it. It wasn’t like anyone would miss them anyway. When you fuck around, you find out.

• The issue with Yuuta was that he was a little too human and inhuman at the same time. No one is really sure why Gojo insisted on keeping him alive when many theorized him to be quickly getting stronger than even the strongest sorcerer, but questions weren’t really of importance to said sorcerer.

• What’s more is that Rika had absolutely no cursed ability, everything about her and her ability was due to how much ability Yuuta absolutely radiated. She wasn’t cursed, anyone could see that, she just had a very attached spirit, a smart one too. He could go and come as he pleased, but where else was he supposed to go? Who else would understand him? Especially when he didn’t exactly look approachable. So she wasn’t needed on missions, as long as Yuuta went.

• The missions went as expected, he didn’t want to hurt anyone until something made him or someone he cared about threatened. For a cursed spirit, he had an unusually high level of empathy for others, or more that he got easily attached.

• Maki was a bit difficult to win over, but above all else she respected strength and usefulness. If nothing else, Yuuta was useful and even a bit easy to manipulate. So the fact that he acted so unnervingly human sometimes probably helped her forget he was the very thing she was dedicating her life to killing.

• Panda on the other hand was probably the easiest to bond with. In a way they were very similar, connected by shared goals and a similar origin that tended to disconnect with other people. Not quite human, not quite curse, but filled with a purpose that most people lacked.

• Toge was as unpredictable as one might expect. It was a bit funny for everyone else to watch a sometimes 8 feet tall curse cower from his resting bitch face. He didn’t really have to do anything, Yuuta’s imagination did all the work. But he was also the kindest, and in a way the most understanding. Not many understood how it felt to hurt others no matter what you did or how hard you tried. It’s hard to reconcile with the fact that your creation was with every intention of the universe to be a weapon for whoever you were unfortunate enough to left with. Sometimes Toge let him hold the watering can in the garden, and helped his claws gently tip it to bring life for once. There was a shared understanding of knowing what it was like to bleed for others, but also in knowing that their blood was on your hands first.

• When Geto invaded the school, it was a shared understanding that they would be dying for a curse. Maki was the first to go down and Rika was unfortunate enough to get caught in the crossfire, Toge and Panda were quick to follow despite their efforts. So when Yuuta came and saw everyone he had ever cared about ‘dead’ or dying, he lost it.

• The battle was brutal as Yuuta had put every bit of his soul into absolutely eradicating the man intent on consuming him for his power. Naturally, when you fuck around, you find out to never piss off a bisexual curse with a found family dynamic going for him.

• In Disney-esq. fashion, everyone survived to live another day and Yuuta ascended. Not to Heaven or hell or wherever the LGBT+’s go (I’m the LGBT+ don’t cancel me fjdjdjsh) but just kinda went back to his human form. His crazy ass monster characteristics remained on call for when he’s especially crazy af but for the most part, he looked like a totally normal teenage boy.

• With that said, Rika was technically released since he no longer needed a tether or an anchor to his humanity because of his new lil found family. But, she decided to stay considered she spent the last 5 years being surround and a little traumatized by curses. She’s currently being trained by Ijichi to become a manager because hey this 15 year old girl is kind of terrifying!

• It was a little threatened on to the council to allow Yuuta to not only live but stay after that. They forced him to take a binding vow not to join the curse spirit side and called it a day because hey this 15 year old curse is kind of terrifying too!

• He does still go to train with Miguel and his existence is kind of an open secret that everyone knows. Spirits try to kill the traitor and get blasted right into the afterlife, sorcerers try to eliminate the threat and immediately find the found family trying to murder them, humans don’t really know why but they feel very uneasy about him.

• It’s a common feeling, among nearly everyone that his eyes are unsettling. Usually, they end up giving his status away, if you look too long, the void stares back.

• Technically he doesn’t need food, since y’know, he’s dead. But he’s gone so long without having human contact that he always attends the ‘family dinners.’ Which, again technically is just because Toge is the only one who is capable of cooking and everyone would die without him around, but everyone secretly likes it. Yuuta always ends up eating too because Toge looks at him expectantly.

• Mr. Man has also not slept since he’s died, he doesn’t need to but he can. The thing about him though, when he sleeps he doesn’t dream. Instead, he goes to a void of space that makes him think he’s finally died for good this time. He always wakes up, but even more than that he’s afraid for the day he doesn’t.

• He spends his time mastering weapons, copying techniques, becoming fluent in sign language, and creating atrocities unfit for any human being in the kitchen. They’ve tried to ban him but he’s so genuine he is an actual danger to their health. Poor Rika, who also is incapable in the kitchen, spent years subject to the poison before having actual food. Everyone thinks Toge invented food.

• No one tells the first years that Yuuta is a curse, it’s kind of a game to see who can figure it out. Megumi grew up with it so he’s not in the running, to Yuuta’s absolute devastation all of his animals hate him lol.

• Yuuji and Nobara haven’t figured it out yet, they just thinks he creepy xoxo we love the lack of critical thinking skills.

Might write for this in the future! Keep an eye out on AO3 and feel free to reach out if you want to talk about it as well! (๑ÒωÓ๑)

[tenswrld]

old enough to understand

mark lee x reader, childhood friends to lovers, fluff

summary: now that you’re older, you seem to finally understand how mark makes you feel

a/n: came up with this at 2am while listening to my mark lee dedicated playlist and pluto projector came on and u already know that one part made me emotional also do u like my doodles i made on the photo ^^

growing up, you were surrounded by the concept of love. you witnessed it with your parents, when you got your first pet, and even when you took your first bite into your favorite fruit.

when you first met mark lee at the age of 6, you didn’t think that the word love would apply to him. at least, not in the way that you knew it. 

“no! it’s mine, i don’t want to give you any!” the young boy yelled.

“you can just go get more! i just want some watermelon!” you screamed back.

“go get some yourself!”

angry, you stomped away towards the table of adults. “mrs. lee, mark won’t give me a piece of his watermelon.”

the older woman laughed softly before getting up and leading you to the table of fruit. “forgive him, watermelon is his favorite. i’ll be sure to make sure he shares next time, okay?”

while you ate your own fruit alone in the grass, mark came up to you scratching his neck awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. “i’m sorry for being rude...i just really like watermelon...”

you narrowed your eyes at him before bursting into a fit of giggles, offering your own watermelon out to him. “it’s okay, mark, i like watermelon too. i understand.” he took the piece that you held out to him and took a seat next to you.

when you first met mark, you didn’t think anything of him except for that he was the dorky boy next door who seemed to reserve the concept of love for his favorite fruit.

in middle school, you and mark seemed to clash heads more often than not, and you found it hard to stick around him. desperate to seem cool in front of the new friends that he made, mark steered away from you and teased you whenever he saw you in the halls. you almost despised him in your middle school years, but no matter how much teasing he did mark always waited for you outside of the school gates and walked you home safely. 

though he was still unsure of the role you had in his life, mark knew that he wanted to keep you around.

in high school, your parents fantasized about the idea of the two of you dating, but you and mark always recoiled at the thought. friend groups and social status set you and mark even further apart and before you knew it you became a messenger to girls who wanted mark to call their own. when you got your first boyfriend in sophomore year, mark tried to warn you that the guy was no good, but like always you never listened to him. when he broke your heart, you expected mark to scold you and tell you he told you so, but he provided you comfort in his arms instead.

though he didn’t love you then, mark vowed that he would never let your heart get broken again.

when it came time for you and mark to go off to college, you found yourself a lot more upset than you had initially thought you would be. you were excited to go off and find yourself elsewhere, but something about not having the silly, brown haired boy by your side 24/7 felt strange. granted, you two weren’t as close as your six year old self thought you would be, but you found that you and mark held a special type of bond that you feared you wouldn’t find anywhere else. 

you still hadn’t figured out your love for mark lee, but you knew that leaving him was one of the hardest things you’ve ever had to do.

“just...promise to call often, okay?” you told him as you walked with him to his car, a box of his things in your arms.

mark’s lips curled up into a smug smile. “why? gonna miss me that much?” 

you rolled your eyes. “you’re making me regret saying that. you’ll be lucky if i don’t block you after this, idiot.”

mark laughed loudly and you found yourself smiling softly at the sound. you placed the box in his truck before you both turned to each other. “i’ll text you everyday and call when i can. don’t worry, you can’t get rid of me that easily. you’ll probably be hearing about my uncontrollable gas everyday so if that’s not what you’re looking for then...”

you laughed and shoved his shoulder, mumbling for him to shut up. “it’s gonna be weird without you, i think.”

mark shrugged. “yeah, well, we’ll see each other again. just think about it like that time where you got so mad at me for blowing up your house in minecraft that you ignored me for a week!”

mark expected you to laugh but became concerned when he saw your lip quivering and your eyes threatening to spill tears. “y/n? sorry, is that, like, a sensitive memory?”

when you suddenly wrapped your arms around his torso and mumbled a soft ‘i’ll miss you’ into his chest, mark cursed at himself for being the first one to fall in love.

___

“isn’t it like 4am for you? you should go to bed,” you scolded him half heartedly. you sat at your vanity on facetime with a sleepy mark as you did your nightly skincare routine.

mark groaned through the phone and shook his head. “but i wanna talk to you,” he whined groggily. “i miss you.”

your cheeks heat up and you smiled shyly. “i miss you too, mark.”

mark blinked slowly with a tired look, his hair all messed up and his face in need of a shave. he watched you silently as you rubbed your moisturizer into your skin, smiling at the sight. “...you’re really pretty you know that?”

you froze and chuckled nervously, keeping yourself busy with your moisturizer so you didn’t have to see the way mark was looking at you. “you’re talking nonsense again.”

he grumbled, “i’m not talking any nonsense. you’re so pretty, y/n, i miss seeing your face. i hate facetime and my shit wifi.”

“you’re rambling, marky, go to bed,” you ushered him, this time grabbing your phone to look at him.

he smiled fondly at you. “i like it when you call me marky.”

“okay, i’ll call you it more if you go to bed.” 

mark huffed and complied, bidding you one last goodbye. “fine. i miss you so much, y/n, call me tomorrow.”

“okay, i will.”

“promise?” mark asked softly, peeking open one eye to look at you.

“i promise, you big baby.”

“okay, goodnight. love you,” mark mumbled softly into his pillow, already half asleep.

your breath hitched in your throat at his words. you two hardly ever said that phrase to each other but you began to realize that nowadays mark seemed to say it quite often. before, you’d probably make a face in disgust at the cheesiness, but now it only made your stomach sick with butterflies.

“yeah, love you too, marky. sleep tight.” 

already fast asleep, mark stayed silent. your thumb hovered over the ‘end call’ button, but you waited a few more seconds just to look at how peaceful mark looked. you could see the sky turning from a dark black to a paler blue from his window, making you frown since the boy had stayed up so late. before you could look at him any longer, you ended the call and sat back in your chair.

loving mark lee had always seemed impossible to you, but now you realized that it was the one thing that you wanted to do for the rest of your life.

___

you spent a lot of time thinking about your feelings for mark while you were away and most of it was you being in denial. you thought that maybe it was just because you weren’t used to being so far away from him, but deep down you knew otherwise. your friends had tried setting you up on blind dates, yet no one seemed to fill in the gap that you felt you had in your heart.

after you finished your first year of college, your mother began to pester you about having a boyfriend for you to bring home for the holidays. yet no matter how many guys you thought about, your mind would always bring you back to mark.

it was now christmas time and your family and mark’s family were going to have a small get together, meaning that you and mark would get to spend time with each other in person again. you weren’t sure if you should tackle mark at the sight of him, but you figured he would do the same to you anyway.

“y/n, sweetheart! my gosh, it’s been so long! you’ve grown up so well,” mark’s mother cooed as she gave you a warm hug.

you chuckled and returned her hug, replying with, “thank you, mrs. lee. it’s nice to see you again.”

she playfully nudged your shoulder. “any boyfriend yet?”

you laughed awkwardly and shook your head, looking away. “oh, um, no...not yet.”

she beamed. “mark will be happy to hear that.” she said it so fast that you almost didn’t catch it. “he’s out back waiting for you. i told him i’d tell him when you got here, but it’ll be a nice surprise for him,” she winked.

you thanked her briefly before making your way to the backyard excitedly. you thought that you’d be more nervous facing the boy you loved but, frankly, all you wanted to do was finally tell him that you loved him.

when you opened the door mark immediately turned his head, expecting to see his mom, but his facial expression completely changed when he saw you. he ran up to you with the brightest smile on his face and engulfed you into his arms. you laughed joyously into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you as close to his chest as humanly possible.

“you have no idea how long i’ve been waiting to do that,” he mumbled into your hair.

you smiled against his shoulder before pulling away to look at him. the two of you held eye contact for what felt like an eternity before mark finally returned his arms back to his side.

“even though we call everyday, it feels like i’m meeting you for the first time all over again,” mark said with a light laugh.

“i hope i lived up to your expectations, then,” you joked.

mark smiled fondly at you before brushing snow out of your hair. “definitely above expectations.”

you blushed at his comment but thanked the cold weather for hiding your rosy cheeks. before you could make more small talk, mark burst out into another sentence.

“y/n, i have to get this off of my chest before i explode,” he blurted.

your eyes widened and you nodded your head. “oh, um, okay, what is it?”

he gripped at his hair and turned around, beginning to whine. “oh my god, i’m gonna sound like the biggest idiot on earth. please don’t hate me after this.”

“...what did you do, mark?”

“i didn’t do anything! well...” he faced you again with a sigh and grabbed your hands taking you by surprise. “y/n, i’m in love with you. and i know you probably just see me as that stupid annoying boy your mom forced you to be friends with but i’ve loved you for over a year and it’s driving me crazy and i-”

“mark!” you interrupted him, placing a hand over his mouth. he looked at you with wide eyes while you smiled at him, practically glowing with happiness. you removed your hand from over his mouth and he sighed again.

“just reject me so i can go cry in my room.” mark shut his eyes and prepared himself for rejection but it never came.

“i love you too, mark.”

mark opened one at to stare at you suspiciously. “...really? like, seriously?”

you chuckled. “yes, really. for a few months now.”

“wait, you’re not pranking me or anything, right?” mark asked with a small laugh.

you glared at him. “mark...”

“i’m sorry, i’m just really surprised!” mark opened his mouth to say something but then gasped and dug into his back pocket to grab something.

when he pulled out a small piece of mistletoe you seemed to fall in love with the brunette boy all over again. he grabbed one of your hands and gently pulled you closer to him, using the other hand to hold the mistletoe over your guys’ heads. 

“i brought this just in case. i know that you’ve always fantasized about a moment like this so...” he said sheepishly. “kiss me?”

you laughed and brushed his hair out of his eyes before cupping his cheeks and placing a soft kiss on his lips. you felt him smile into the kiss, making you laugh and pull away.

“been waiting for that one too, huh?” you teased.

mark waved the mistletoe above the two of you and shook his head. “less talking and more kissing please...”

it took you over 10 years for you to realize that you loved mark lee but, if you had to, you would do it all over again in a heartbeat.