#my mom is not on here because she has a complicated relationship with reading now and i don't know if i would make it worse

[coquelicoq]

christmas is so dangerous i'm always like who can i give murderbot to this year. but i've already given it to all the people i have reason to think would like it. so what does that leave me. my 14yo sister who only reads YA romance? my 16yo brother who thinks highly of the military? my 20yo sister whose reading tastes remain opaque to me? my stepmother who only reads nicolas sparks? my stepfather who doesn't read?

[thewertsearch]

Anonymous asked: just read through your entire liveblog and wow. what a place to catch up. do you have any predictions about what the postscratch versions of the guardians will be? what about the guardian versions of the kids?

So.

Mom Lalonde, Grandpa Harley, Nanna Egbert, and Bro Strider, reborn as the story's protagonists, and thrust into a Playerdom I never expected them to bear. The consequences of this reveal are likely to kick in on the very next page - and since that's a page I'm clicking on tonight, this is my last chance for some blind speculation.

There are an absolute mountain of angles I could potentially cover here, and it's impossible to address all the implications of this twist, so I'm just going to touch on a few key questions that Act 6 will need to answer sooner rather than later.

Without further ado, let's dive into our first question.

Who, exactly, is raising these kids?

The simplest solution, of course, would be a one-to-one exchange between each Player and their Guardian. That certainly seems to be the case for Jade and Grandpa, who have been directly swapped. This would imply that Rose raised Mom, Dave raised Bro, and John might have raised Nanna. (More on that later.)

Still, that's not the only possibility. There's no reason why Dave couldn't raise the adolescent Mom instead, for example, with Rose adopting the younger Bro in his stead. That particular configuration has a lot of character potential, actually, because Bro Lalonde would undoubtedly be an unholy terror, and Mom Strider might just be one of the coolest characters I've ever conceived of.

This aesthetic, with those shades? Come on.

...all that said, though, I'm fairly sure we are just getting a one-to-one swap. That's how it appears to have worked for the trolls, and the one post-Scratch Player with a confirmed Guardian already matches this pattern.

Plus, swapping the kids with their own parents is just so interesting, on a character level, as it'd add a whole new dimension of analysis to the fucked-up relationships between Bro & Dave, Mom & Rose, and Grandpa & Jade.

Seeing how they all treat each other, now that the roles have been reversed, would be incredibly illuminating, and might shed some light on the thought processes of the pre-Scratched Guardians, as they were raising their own respective charges.

Anyway - now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk about each individual family.

The Egberts

Astute readers will notice that I only mentioned the Guardian-Player parallels for three of our Players above - and that's because when it comes to the fourth, there's a slight complication.

Namely, Dad Egbert no longer exists.

This means that Nanna's home life can't parallel John's, because the man who raised John was never even born. It's possible, then, that John will simply raise Nanna himself, as her grandfather.

Honestly, that's the scenario I'm hoping for, here. Out of our four original Players, I think that John would be the best parent by far - he's sweet, resilient, and has a natural talent for nurturing the positive qualities of the people he loves. If a baby lands in his backyard, he's going to rise to the challenge, octogenarianism be damned.

...now, here's where I'd speculate a little about Nanna's personality, but she's the one post-Scratch Player I can't really get a bead on. We only ever interacted with her Spritesona, whose personality was obviously corrupted by the presence of the jester doll.

As a result, I don't really have a clue what Nanna will be like. The only thing I'm sure about, if John's the one raising her, is that she'll be loved.

The Striders

First of all, I have faith in Dave.

I think he's more or less guaranteed to be a better Guardian than his brother ever was. Granted, I don't think Dave would be particularly paternal, but I also think he'll be able to refrain from beating Bro's ass with a puppet, which is progress.

I think Dave would be a laissez-faire type of guardian, who allows the younger Bro a lot more agency and autonomy than other kids his age, but also struggles to be the adult in the room when his kid needs guidance. He's not going to be as traumatized as his younger self, but I bet it's still borderline impossible to have a serious conversation with him. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Kid Bro turned out to be the more mature of the pair.

In a nutshell, Dave was born to be a cool uncle, but was forced unwittingly into a parental role instead. He's doing his best.

Quite frankly, I'm very worried about Kid Bro.

If we assume that every Paradox Clone keeps the same Veil item as last time - and there's no reason why they wouldn't - then Bro will be coming down with Lil' Cal, the cursed puppet created by Gamzee's Chucklevoodoos.

I'm still convinced that long-term exposure to this abomination was the main reason Bro was so batshit insane, and while the younger Bro won't have been around it for quite as long, he'll still have thirteen years of an evil Juggalo's Rage miasma being beamed into his brain.

I think Kid Bro will be a little batshit, but not completely batshit. We'll see a child with the potential to become the deranged ventriloquist who tormented Dave, but one who can still be saved, if we can just get that hell puppet away from him.

Separated from Cal, I still think Bro will be a memelord, and I'm sure not all his interests came from the puppet. I think this guy was always destined to be a pretty bizarre dude - but with luck, this iteration of him will be a little more pleasant to be around.

The Lalondes

Rose... could go either way, honestly.

Just like Dave, I don't think she's the type who'd willingly choose to be a parent. Rose doesn't want a baby, she wants a library full of cursed tomes, a coven of witches to scheme with, and to live in an enormous gothic castle with her wife, Kanaya Maryam. Her ideal lifestyle couldn't handle a kid, and I think she's self-aware enough to know that, and adopt a hundred mutant kittens instead.

That said... if she had to raise a daughter, I think she'd try her best to do right by the girl. I think some part of her would absolutely resent the fact that she's a background character in someone else's life - especially if, like the Sufferer, she remembers being a Player - but she'd do everything she could to keep that resentment to herself.

Rose would be an alright mother. A little cold, maybe, and more than a little distant, but she'd still love her Roxy.

As for Roxy, I can only assume she's a gigantic fucking badass. Even among the Guardians, her barehanded combat feats were always astounding, and I think she and Kid Bro will be the primary combatants of their session.

I also think she'll be one of the most analytical, scientifically-minded Players we've ever seen. Her adult self was experimenting with Ectobiology even outside of Sburb, which suggests to me an intense curiosity about how all this shit works, which isn't present in most of our other heroes. Like Rose, she'll be a researcher, and maybe even a Seer - but while Rose searched for the truth via magic and mysticism, Roxy's research will be entirely scientific.

Honestly, the most exciting thing about finally meeting Roxy is the milestone it'll represent. I'll finally, finally have encountered every character I knew about prior to starting the comic.

The Harleys

Grandma Jade was still the Witch of Space, and was clearly aware of that fact.

This tells us that:

John, Rose and Dave also retained their Titles, even if they don't know it.

Grandma Jade was probably aware of Sburb and its secrets, especially if she was living near the Frog Temple.

Grandma Jade was the Witch of Space. She's gone.

...and I have a theory about what happened to her.

I think that when Grandpa was a baby, Jade travelled to Anachronism Island, just like her predecessor did - but this time around, it wasn't Bec who greeted her at the Temple.

No, I think Jade had a fatal encounter with the new First Guardian of Earth - a corrupted First Guardian, spliced with the same HONK code that created Scratch. Kid Grandpa clearly survived whatever happened next, and I think it's horribly plausible that the new First Guardian is a pseudo-Guardian to him, the same way Becquerel was to Jade.

In other words, this kid might be completely compromised, manipulated by English's servant since infancy. Let's not forget that he's the one who suggested making the bunny to Jade, which is the reason Jack was able to ascend in the first place...

...but someone suggested it to him, first.

Anyway, those are my high-level thoughts about the new timeline's key players. We'll be starting Act 6 in an hour or so, and I've got a feeling that we're about to see Nanna standing in a very familiar room.

After all, it just so happens that today...

[alsofoundinpeas]

A Gift of Belonging

Summary: Y/N often avoids family holidays due to her strained relationship with her family, who favors her brother. When Spencer Reid invites her to spend Christmas in New York with him and his mother, she discovers a new sense of warmth and belonging, making it the best holiday she’s ever had.

Requested fic!! 🥳: I was wondering if I could ask for a Spence and Y/N in which Christmas is approaching and Y/N usually spends it alone because she has a complicated relationship with her family that always favors her brother.

Maybe he has plans to go spend it with his mom and because they are in early times in their relationship he didn’t think to invite her, but once he finds out she’s alone, he takes her to meet his mom and they all have a really good time!

I was thinking something angsty, fluffy, and maybe smutty in the end? I don’t know, you’re the mastermind behind these beautiful creations, so whatever makes you feel inspired haha

CONTENT WARNINGS: 18+ MDNI!! This fic is intended for adult audiences. Very brief mention of alcohol. Strained relationship with family (repetitive I know). Oral (m!receiving), unprotected PinV sex (birth control is discussed beforehand but said conversation isn't actually in it), creampie (I wince every single time I type that). Fluffy holiday smut!!

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader/afab!reader

A/N: Reupload because I'm a bingus head and accidentally deleted when editing FORGIVE ME PLS!! I loved writing this request!! Huge thank you to @dalamjisung for the request. I hope you like it :') The song mentioned in the fic is December by Ariana Grande btw, but it's only mentioned because reader listens to it, it isn't mandatory for the fic. I have a few more requests lined up after this one, so as for right now my requests are closed until all of them get posted. As always, please tell me what you think! :) If you enjoy it, please like, reblog, and share it with your friends! <3 Thank you and I love you all!!! :) <3

Y/N sighed as she stared down at the text from her mom, re-reading it a few times before tossing her phone to the end of her bed with a frustrated groan.

Mom: Hey sweetie! Are you planning to come home for Christmas this weekend? If not, I completely understand. Honestly, I’m just happy your brother will at least be here. I think he’s bringing his new girlfriend, too, so that’s exciting! He’s always so good about making time for family. But again, no pressure if you’re too busy. I know you have a lot going on!

Her excuses were starting to wear thin, seeing as she had played the flu card for last year’s Christmas party and faked a work emergency to skip Thanksgiving. But the thought of attending her family’s Christmas only to spend the night listening to her brother's achievements, followed by the inevitable barrage of condescending questions about her life, was unbearable. Call her a Grinch or a Scrooge, but the holidays had become her least favorite time of year for this very reason.

Unfortunately, it didn’t even matter if it was a holiday or not. It never changed. Her family had always favored her brother, even when they were kids. She had a never-ending list of chores and rules, while he breezed through life with no curfew and no accountability. Any mistake he made seemed to fall on her, and heaven forbid she stayed out five minutes later than she was supposed to with her friends.

Despite their constant claims that there were 'no favorites,' it was painfully obvious who the real favorite was.

Y/N lay staring at the ceiling, weighing the pros and cons of skipping Christmas this year. On one hand, it would be nice to see her grandmother—the one person who had actually kept her promise of no favorites. But she could always visit her grandmother separately and avoid the hassle of sneaking away just to have a real conversation. On the other hand, her family was already used to being disappointed in her. What was one more excuse? She could always make it up next year.

After what felt like an agonizing eternity of indecision (though it was really only five minutes), she finally decided to skip Christmas again this year and stay home. Her family mostly gave money as gifts now that they were all adults, so she wouldn't be missing much—just a meal (takeout had never let her down) and some forced small talk with extended family (who never really seemed interested in her life anyway).

Y/N: Hey, mom! I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to miss this year too. There’s a bug going around at work and I’m worried I caught it :(

Her mom’s answer was immediate, and the guilt lifted from her shoulders as she rolled her eyes at the response.

Mom: Poor thing! You just have the worst luck when it comes to holidays huh? Your brother must have taken all the good immune system genes or something LOL!! That’s okay, dad and I will mail your gift and I’ll send you lots of pics. Hope you feel better soon!

After firing off a quick 'Thanks, love you!' Y/N rose from the bed, let out a sigh, and wandered to the kitchen for a bottle of wine.

She’d tried to convince herself that her parents' indifference no longer hurt, but what had dulled into a constant ache over the years flared into a sharp sting during the holidays. No one wanted to be alone at Christmas, but she knew she had to prioritize her peace of mind—and that meant avoiding an entire day spent deflecting passive-aggressive jabs while her brother soaked up all the attention.

The one person who could make her feel better was across the country, tied up with a case. She wasn’t upset with him—far from it. Y/N admired the work he did and the way he dedicated himself to saving people without ever getting the recognition he deserved. Still, it had been over a week since she’d last seen Spencer, and all she wanted was to curl up in his arms and hear him tell her that everything would be okay.

As if the universe had picked up on her tension, a knock at the door startled her, causing her to jump with a racing heart. She froze, eyes darting to the door, considering whether she should quietly move toward the knife block in case a dangerous stranger stood outside. It was barely 8:30, and she hadn’t been expecting anyone.

After a second round of knocks, relief washed over her as a familiar voice called "Y/N? Sweetheart?" She rushed to the door, unlocking it as quickly as she could and flinging it open to find an exhausted-looking Spencer standing on the other side.

“Spence!” Y/N cooed excitedly, wrapping her arms around him tightly before pulling him inside. “When did you get back? I thought you guys wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night?”

Not that she was complaining at all. She loved any time she could spend with Spencer. They’d only been dating for a little over two months, but she’d already fallen hopelessly in love with the sweet genius that she met when he accidentally stumbled into her while in line at their favorite coffee shop (she later found out it was no accident and that Morgan intentionally shoved him into her because Spencer was too afraid to make the first move).

“Technically we weren’t supposed to be, but we ended up getting a confession so it took way less time than we anticipated to finish the case. And with Christmas coming up this weekend, Gideon figured the sooner we got home the better,” Spencer explained with a small, tired grin as he slipped off his shoes and sat his satchel down. “I hope you don’t mind that I showed up, I just really missed you. I tried to call beforehand, but I thought maybe your phone was dead or something...” His eyes caught sight of the wine bottle on the island and paused, arching a brow before glancing back down at her. “Rough night?”

Y/N blew out an exasperated huff of air, nodding as they made their way over to her couch. She cuddled into his side immediately, relishing in the feeling of finally being able to do so. Spencer had been hesitant when they first started dating with physical touch, but once he pushed past the initial discomfort, he couldn’t get enough of her affection.

“Yeahhh. I had to tell my mom that I’m not making it home for Christmas again this year and it just… stressed me out a bit.”

Spencer’s face scrunched in confusion, looking down at her worriedly. “Oh, I’m sorry sweetheart. Are you not feeling good? Or what’s stopping you from going?”

Right. They hadn’t had the whole “I love my family from a distance because they act like brother is Saint Michael himself” talk yet. Y/N nibbled at her lower lip, fidgeting with her hands before sighing.

“I… um, it’s complicated. I just prefer not to see my family around the holidays because they’ve always had this weird favoritism for my brother and as I got older I just decided it wasn’t worth sacrificing my peace for.”

Spencer frowned, nodding in understanding before his face lit up with realization.

“Well, if you’d like, you could join me and my mom for Christmas? If you don’t want to be alone, that is. Not that I’m trying to pressure you into meeting her! I just planned to check her out of the sanitarium this weekend and bring her to New York City since she’s been doing better on her medication. I’m sure she’d love to meet you, and I, of course, love any time I get to spend with you—“ Spencer began, his words tumbling out nervously as his face flushed and his voice pitched higher.

Y/N’s heart skipped at the invitation, her face lighting up into a wide grin as she gently cupped his face, halting his nervous rambling. He met her gaze, and she smiled softly. "Spencer, I’d love to join you and your mom for Christmas—only if you’re really sure you’re okay with it."

Spencer had first mentioned his mother's illness on their third date, explaining himself after abruptly excusing himself to take a call from her nurse. It was also the night of their first kiss—he had started panicking, flustered and trying to explain his sudden exit, and Y/N thought he might cry. So, she kissed him to calm his nerves. Once he’d settled down, she reassured him that it was completely fine, that she understood how important his mother was to him, and that she’d love to learn more when he was ready to share.

That night, Spencer realized, without a doubt, that he was falling in love with her.

"It’s settled then," Spencer said with a grin, leaning forward to kiss her quickly. "I’m so excited to spend Christmas with my two favorite people. I was actually thinking we could get tickets to see The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center—"

Y/N listened intently, her heart swelling as she gazed at him with stars in her eyes, enchanted by his excitement as he shared the plans he’d made for the weekend. Although a little nervous, she couldn’t wait to share Christmas with him and his mom. They continued to plan the weekend, finalizing details between sleepy kisses and small yawns until they finally caved to their exhaustion and went to sleep.

The weekend arrived faster than she expected, and nervous excitement washed over Y/N as she waited for Spencer to pick her up from her apartment. She was packed and ready, excited to meet his mom and see New York City sparkling with Christmas decorations. For the first time in years, she felt something other than dread for the holiday, and she couldn’t be more grateful for her sweet boyfriend because of it.

Spencer had picked up his mom the day before, carefully explaining the plan to her during the drive home and making sure she felt well enough to go ahead with it. Diana was overjoyed at the idea of Y/N joining them for Christmas, assuring him she was feeling fine and could hardly wait to meet her.

For the first time in ages, Spencer felt like he had his mom back, her treatment progressing far better than he'd hoped. All it did was make him even more excited for the weekend ahead, his anxiety easing with each hour spent in the car on the way back to his apartment. It was comforting to open up to her about Y/N and to share what had been happening in his life beyond the letters he wasn’t sure she even remembered receiving.

The weekend turned out even better than Spencer had hoped. Diana and Y/N hit it off so well that Spencer found himself mostly on the sidelines of their conversations, but he didn’t mind in the slightest. It filled him with happiness to see his mom and the woman he was now certain was the love of his life getting along so effortlessly.

They had packed in every Christmas activity they could think of: admiring the lights, sipping hot cocoa, watching The Nutcracker... anything that felt festive was crossed off the list. By the end of the weekend, Diana was almost pleading with Spencer to make Y/N her daughter-in-law on the drive back to the sanitarium. Spencer could only laugh nervously, promising to do his best to make it happen.

Once Y/N got home, she knew she had to find a way to thank Spencer—not only for giving her the best Christmas of her life but also for being the most amazing boyfriend she could ever have hoped for. He was going to come back to her place tomorrow so they could exchange their gifts for each other, so whatever she did, she had to do it then before he inevitably got called in for another case. The real question was: how could she possibly show him just how grateful she was?

With a sigh, Y/N turned on her playlist and settled onto the couch, trying to brainstorm ideas. It felt like the harder she thought, the less her brain worked. After agonizing over ideas for nearly fifteen minutes, Y/N was at her wit's end, ready to settle for a card and a lengthy essay to express her gratitude, when the lyrics of the song playing suddenly grabbed her attention.

Merry Christmas, here I am, boy

I'm the present and you know it, here I am, boy

She sat up suddenly, a victorious grin spreading across her face as the perfect idea popped into her head. She and Spencer had yet to make it past second base, not for lack of desire, but because the opportunity never seemed to align—each time they got close, his phone would ring or something would interrupt, stopping them in their tracks. Tomorrow would be the perfect opportunity to finally take that next step and for her to show her appreciation for the sweet genius.

There was a perfect dark red satin lingerie set at a nearby boutique that would bring her vision to life, but it closed in just thirty minutes. Y/N threw on some clothes, making sure she looked presentable, then grabbed her keys and purse and rushed out of the apartment.

The cashier shot her a glare as she approached the counter, and Y/N internally groaned. She already felt like an asshole for being there so late, but she did still have fourteen minutes to spare before they actually closed. The guilt vanished when she met the cashier’s icy stare, and she grabbed her purchase with a mumbled thanks before she hurried out of the store. Sue her for wanting to look sexy for her boyfriend on Christmas.

The next day seemed to drag on, with Y/N anticipating the surprise she had planned for Spencer.

She cleaned the apartment until it was spotless, setting the perfect mood with scattered scented candles and dimming the lights. The room was softly illuminated by her Christmas tree—one she had convinced Spencer to help decorate at the start of the month—and a few strands of lights she had strung up. All of the presents were ready and waiting to be unwrapped.

Now all she was waiting on was Spencer himself.

Three firm knocks echoed at the door, marking his arrival—right on the dot at 5:00. As punctual as ever. Y/N opened the door with a thrilled smile, eagerly tugging him inside.

"Woah, hey! Hello to you too, sweetheart," Spencer chuckles loudly, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’ve been looking forward to this all day, so excuse my enthusiasm,” Y/N said with a soft laugh. “Dinner’s ready if you’re hungry. We can do presents first and then eat, or eat and then unwrap them—whatever you prefer. I honestly could do either, it doesn't matter to me and of course, you're the guest so—”

Spencer grinned as she nervously rambled, her hands gesturing wildly as she listed off options. It was oddly comforting to him that she got just as nervous around him as he did around her. Even though she had quickly become the person he felt most at ease with, a part of him still felt those nerves—after all, she was the most incredible woman he’d ever met, and the thought of messing things up and losing her terrified him.

“How about we eat first and then open presents? Is that okay with you?” Spencer suggested, offering a small smile.

The tension in Y/N's body eased as she returned the smile, nodding in agreement. "That sounds perfect."

Dinner passed with casual conversation, both Y/N and Spencer chatting between bites about everything from the new book she was reading to the latest research paper Spencer had discovered and found fascinating. They ate more quickly than usual, both eager to exchange the gifts they had carefully picked out for each other. It wasn’t long before they were done, clearing the table and loading the dishes into the sink before heading into the living room.

The two of them sat together in front of the tree, feeling as giddy as a couple of kids as they finally began to exchange presents.

Spencer slowly unwrapped his first gift, his eyes softening as he revealed the delicate, intricately designed watch she'd chosen for him—a gift that held both practical value and deep sentimental meaning. He glanced up at her, a shy but sincere smile spreading across his face, and she felt the warmth in his gaze. “This is… perfect, Y/N,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you. I’ll wear it every day, I promise."

“Always, Spence. I’m so glad you love it,” Y/N murmured, her eyes filled with affection as she watched him. She recalled how devastated he’d been when his previous watch had broken a few weeks ago. Though hers wasn’t as extravagant as his old one, it meant far more to him—because it came from her.

Y/N cherished every gift he gave her: a whimsical coffee mug to add to her collection, a journal with a playful inscription from him that made her laugh—promising she'd have a place to rant about her family when he wasn’t around to listen, a couple of books from her wishlist, and, lastly, her absolute favorite: a delicate locket on a thin chain, holding the first picture they’d ever taken together.

Once all the gifts were unwrapped, Y/N smiled and stood up, holding her hand out to Spencer. He looked at her in confusion but took her hand without hesitation, allowing her to lead him to the couch.

“Keep your eyes closed and stay right here. Your final gift is in my room,” Y/N instructed, a mischievous smile curling at her lips. As soon as his eyes were shut, she darted down the hallway to her room, stifling a soft giggle at the surprise she was about to unveil.

When she came back, she positioned herself between his legs, leaning in close to whisper in his ear, “Alright, Spence… you can open your eyes now.”

Spencer opened his eyes, nearly choking as he took in the sight in front of him. Y/N was standing there in a beautiful lingerie set, the bra designed so that it was a bow that he could untie to reveal her... Just like a present.

“Holly shit,” Spencer breathed, and Y/N couldn’t help but laugh at the rare curse slipping from his lips. Spencer hardly ever swore, so hearing it from him spoke volumes about how much he liked what he saw.

"So I take it you like it?" Y/N arched a brow, resting her arms on his shoulders.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Spencer stammered, looking up with wide eyes as Y/N climbed into his lap.

Y/N settled into his lap with a coy grin, reveling in the feeling of his hands coming up to grip her waist. She leaned in, brushing her nose lightly against his before softly grazing her lips across his.

"I wanted to show you my appreciation..." Y/N whispered, placing a brief but tender kiss on his lips before trailing kisses along his jawline. "...for giving me the best Christmas ever."

Spencer blinked hazily, her words taking a second to process in his mind as the sensation of her lips now sucking a mark into his skin became the center of his focus. His grip on her waist tightened imperceptibly as his fingers flexed against her warm skin. He swallowed hard before finally mustering up an answer.

"Y-you don't have to thank me, baby. All I ever want to do is make you the happiest you've ever been—"

Spencer's words came out as a squeak as she rocked her hips once against the erection now straining in his slacks. His head fell back onto the couch with a soft thump, a quiet whimper slipping from his lips at the friction. The scent of her perfume enveloped him, a fragrant haze that clouded his thoughts and left him feeling lightheaded, as if he were drowning in its sweetness.

The intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine, the sight of his dilated pupils stirring more in her than she was willing to admit. Y/N smirked, repeating the motion to hear the soft noise fall from his lips once more. She lifted a finger to his lips, shushing him before she moved to kneel between his legs.

"I want to, Spence. Please?"

Spencer nodded so vigorously it almost looked painful, his wide eyes locked on hers in stunned disbelief. He couldn't believe this was real... that he not only had her to begin with but that she was on her knees begging to make him feel good. The breath rushed from his body as her fingers trailed up his thighs to the button of his slacks, popping it open while she kept her hungry gaze on his.

His body trembled in anticipation as Y/N dragged the fabric down his legs, tugging them off once they reached his feet and casting them off to the side. He whined as she leaned forward to mouth over his aching cock through the thin fabric of his boxers, his fingers twitching from where they rested beside himself. His breath hitched in his throat as she dragged her nails down the inside of his thighs, a smug grin on her face as she watched him dig his nails into his palms.

Y/N decided she'd teased him enough, placing a kiss on his hipbone before swiftly removing his boxers. Spencer's hips lifted from the couch, jerking toward her mouth instinctively as she wasted no time in leaning forward to lick a thick stripe up the side of him before taking his swollen head between her lips.

"Oh—" Spencer gasped, his eyes struggling to stay open as he watched her begin to swallow his length. "Oh my God, Y/N—"

Y/N smirked around her mouthful, taking him as far into her throat as she could before wrapping a hand around what couldn't fit. She began to bob her head slowly, easing him into the sensation. The feeling of him—hot and hard and filling her mouth so perfectly—had her squeezing her thighs together as she began to move more vigorously.

Spencer writhed beneath her as her mouth and hand began to work in tandem, his eyes fluttering shut despite his efforts to watch her every move so he could burn the sight into his memory for later use. His hips bucked up when she took him into the back of her throat, a guttural groan falling from his open mouth at the gag that emitted from her from the motion. His eyes shot open as he began spewing out apologies, but his words died in his throat as she pulled off of him to shake her head vehemently.

"Do it again," Y/N croaked, taking him back into her mouth and reaching up to guide his hands to her head.

Spencer whimpered pitifully, exhaling sharply before tentatively repeating the motion. His heart nearly fell out of his ass when Y/N moaned around him, encouraging him to keep going. His hips thrust rapidly into her mouth, his eyes squeezed shut now as moan after moan spilled from his lips.

"I-I'm close— sweetheart, please," Spencer groaned, lights flashing behind his eyes as she all but sucked the soul from his body. "Can I— Can I fuck you? Please? Wanna make you feel good, too."

Y/N moaned loudly around him at that, pulling off of him with a slick 'pop' before nodding vigorously. She was drenched, the sounds Spencer made having turned her on more than most men had in the past with their entire bodies. She hurriedly climbed into his lap, not even bothering to take her panties off and instead pulling the fabric to the side as she lined him up at her entrance.

They'd previously agreed that since they were both clean and she was on birth control they'd skip using a condom. They just never had the chance to actually get on with it... until now, anyway.

The sight of her swollen lips and watery eyes had Spencer captivated as his hands automatically found their home on her thighs, rubbing gently as she eased herself down onto him. If someone had told him six months ago that he'd ever be lucky enough to experience this—having the most beautiful woman he'd ever met as his, riding his cock like she was made for it—he would have laughed in their face. But now, all he could do was sit back and watch her in awe as she took every last inch of him into her core, speechless as he marveled at the sight. His brows pinched together as her walls enveloped him, his mouth gaping open as she bottomed out with a loud moan.

Y/N's head tipped back as a moan wrenched its way from her throat, her hips moving in small circles as she adjusted to the stretch of him inside of her pussy. She had never felt so desperate for someone before, but she wasn't surprised. It was Spencer—the man she admired more than anyone. The man who treated her like she was everything, simply for being herself. The man who reminded her every day that she was worth more than she’d ever believed.

Neither one of them was going to last long, a realization they both came to as she lifted her hips and dropped them down into his lap as she began to ride his cock. But that was okay. They had all night to make each other feel good.

“How does that feel, sweet boy? Hm?” Y/N panted, falling forward to rest her face in the crook of his neck as she rocked against him with frantic, needy movements.

All Spencer could do was whine loudly as he clung to her, planting his feet on the ground and moving his hands to cradle her back as he began to rut up into her. He was borderline delirious with pleasure, the feeling of her walls clenching around him driving him mad with the need to make her fall apart in his arms. The movement served to drive him repeatedly into her G-spot, the both of them crying out and latching to each other as Y/N trembled above him.

"So good," Spencer finally grunted, moving his hands up to hastily unwrap the bow restricting his access to her breasts. His lips latched onto her right nipple, sucking and nibbling as his hand came up to pinch her neglected bud. "You're so fucking perfect, sweetheart." He mumbled against her skin, laving over the pert bud and groaning.

Y/N cried out, her hands tangling into his hair as she rode him harder. It was almost feral the way they moved together, needing each other in a way words couldn't describe. The couch creaked beneath their movements, but she couldn't care less. She only cared about making the man underneath her feel the best he ever had.

Her walls began to clench around him as she whimpered into his shoulder, signaling her impending climax. Spencer slid a hand down from her breast to instead rub at her clit, lifting his head to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. It only took a few circles of his skilled fingers before Y/N was chanting his name into his mouth like a prayer, her eyes squeezed shut as she came hard around him. Spencer's orgasm was almost simultaneous with hers, the sensation of her walls squeezing his cock triggering his climax almost violently as he pumped into her with soft sobs.

Their chests heaved as they slumped against each other, caressing each other with gentle touches as they caught their breath. Once Y/N could sit up, she lifted off of his softening cock with trembling legs, a giggle spilling from her lips as he whined in discontent. She placed a lingering kiss on his lips, effectively shushing him before she stood from the couch to go get a rag.

When she came back, Spencer reached for her with needy hands, wanting to feel her against him once more. They tended to each other with soft murmurs of praise and gentle kisses, their love unspoken but evident in every touch and gesture. Once they were cleaned (and Spencer had all but shoved her toward the bathroom so she could pee to avoid getting a UTI), they stumbled into her bedroom and into her bed.

It was in Spencer's arms, as he drifted off to sleep, that Y/N finally understood just how special the holidays could be—made all the more meaningful by the sweet genius she was fortunate enough to call hers.

REMINDER: I do NOT give permission for my work to be re-uploaded to any other platforms (c.ai, Tiktok, ao3, etc.) under any circumstances. If you'd like to translate my work, then please ask me before doing so. I know it sounds whiny, but I (as well as many other fanfic writers) spend so much time on these and it's genuinely not okay to take credit for work that isn't yours. It's insulting and completely unnecessary. If I do see my work uploaded anywhere without explicit permission, I WILL say something.

[deliciousangelfestival]

The Christmas Shift | Bucky 🎄

Character: Bucky Barnes x Female! Reader

Prompt : We're doing a poor job hiding our relationship troubles at this family event. 

Part 1 : Holly Jolly Charade

Main Masterlist || If you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee on Ko-fi 🙏🏻

By the way, I publish my book Arrogant Ex-Husband on Kindle. 👉 Now available on e-Kindle Amazon! << here's the link.

Thank you to everyone who has read this chapter. Leave a comment and Reblog, please. I'd love to hear your thoughts. ❤️

It’s two days before Christmas, and you decided to go back home.

Your hand moved slowly to close the apartment door. It felt like you were forgetting something. Last year, he would always double-check the door before locking it.

This Christmas could be the last one, you thought, sighing.

You were headed to your parent's home for Christmas this time—mainly because your annoying aunt Teresa wouldn’t be there. On the ride, it was usually just you and Bucky, who started as a fake couple but ended up in a real marriage.

But it seemed like the honeymoon phase was over. You and Bucky had just had a big argument, which led him to stay at a hotel for a few days. That’s why you were here alone.

Your mom, Robin, greeted you with a hug. “Did the company lock you up?” she asked with a smile. “I’m glad you’re here before the storm.” She helped you take off your coat. “Bucky’s already here.”

You widened your eyes in surprise. He’s here?

“He’s got a much more relaxed schedule than you,” she added casually.

After Bucky resigned from the company, he invested in drone cameras and outdoor equipment. Since his hobby was photography, it seemed like the perfect fit. He made a good decision and gained a lot of profit. His work was successful, but his schedule was much more laid-back than yours.

As you walked into the living room, you saw Bucky talking to your dad and your cousins. He noticed you and made his way over to you, offering a side hug.

“What are you doing here?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’d rather be here than with my dad, who’s with his third wife, and my mom, who’s with her new boyfriend,” he whispered, his lips brushing your forehead.

You and Bucky were in the room, sitting on opposite sides of the bed. The distance between you both felt greater than it ever had before. The usual closeness you shared during Christmas wasn’t there. Both of you acted like everything was fine, but your parents noticed.

Robin, sensing the tension, quietly led you to the master bedroom. “What’s going on? It feels like there’s a wall between you two.”

You sighed, your hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of your sweater. “It’s…,” you hesitated, struggling to find the right words. “We…” You usually had the confidence to speak up at the company, but talking about your relationship with Bucky made your stomach knot.

On the other side of the house, your father was talking to Bucky in the living room. “Did you make a mistake with my daughter?”

Bucky looked at him, surprised. “How did you know?”

“Son, I’ve been married for 35 years. I would know. So, you did something,” your father said firmly, though not unkindly.

Bucky sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. “She wants a baby. I’m not ready.”

Your father’s brow furrowed. “Why’s that?”

Bucky’s voice softened, and his eyes looked distant. “Because I’m afraid. I don’t think I’ll be a good father. Look at my parents. You saw them at the wedding.”

Your father nodded, understanding the depth of his concerns. “Well… it’s complicated. But you’re you, not your father.” He placed his hand on Bucky's shoulder. “You're a good man for acknowledging your doubts. It's not a shame, son. Everyone feels nervous about being a parent.”

Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Robin sat across from you, her hand resting gently on yours. “Listen, I know things aren’t easy right now, but you and Bucky can make it. There will be challenges ahead, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end. You’ve built something real together, and that counts for a lot.”

You looked at her, searching for the reassurance you needed. Robin gave you a small, encouraging smile. “You’ve both come this far. You’ll find a way through this too. Just remember, love isn’t perfect—it’s about sticking together, even when it’s hard.”

Later that evening, you finally found the courage to talk to Bucky. He was sitting on the couch, his arms crossed as he stared out the window. You walked up to him, and without saying a word, he pulled you into a tight embrace.

“I’m ready,” Bucky whispered into your hair, his voice low but steady. “I’m in it. If you’re in it.”

You held him tighter, your heart feeling lighter. “We’re doing a poor job hiding our relationship troubles at this family event.” You chuckled softly, pulling back just enough to look up at him.

He smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair from your face. “Yeah, but we’ll figure it out. Together.”

And the next Christmas, both of you came home—this time, with a beautiful, giggling baby girl in your arms. Bucky and you became the best parents this baby girl ever had.

Taglist:

@thezombieprostitute

@mostlymarvelgirl

@scott-loki-barnes

@kjah97

@jeremyrennermakesmesmile

[ralibo14]

TPN Brainrots part 1:

Another TPN manga panel redraw, but this time everyone goes down with me (because it's sad).

Also part one of my 'wonderful' tpn theories and head canons. It'll be long😅. There will be manga spoilers so please, read at your own risk😊.

First character I go through is... Ray.

He is one of the most complicated characters I ever saw (all tpn characters are, tbh). I always thought that people who have photographic memory are so lucky. Ray showed me that it's both a blessing and the curse.

Like in the picture above. You can clearly see that the first 2 kid waving at his direction. It's strange to know that there was a time when the Trio were one of the young kids and not the older ones. My first head canon is that Ray tried to save more kids, not just Emma and Norman when he was younger. When the blond haired boy leaves (first panel) he looks like he is about to cry (also the Trio is around 4 or 6) but when the other kids get 'adopted' Ray keeps his head low most of the frames (I'm convinced that when the second kid left he was already working as Isabella's spy.)

Ray coloration explained:

Purple eyes are self explanatory to me. I started draw him with purple eyes as soon as I found out he is Isabella's son. Purple in the hair and freckles? Well... I'm still very, very convinced that Leslie didn't die (at least not when he left the House). I always think about his situation, like what Norman got into with Lambda. The Ratri-clan is big but they need outsiders, to be soldiers, scientists, etc. And since girls from the Houses can only become Sisters and Moms... maybe some boys can become scientists and soldiers. (I can't believe I'm writing this but think about Andrew🤢... he was 100% not Ratri yet he could become an adult). So by this logic I believe Leslie could grow up too and (because I'm a sucker for happiness) he met Isabella again at some point.

Ray turning away:

On the second frame he is not looking at the girl who is leaving, but to the opposite direction. Why? Notice something else? Yes, Norman is missing too. Gilda has her winter jumper on so I figure Norman got sick again. Ray priorities his friends safety over everything else.

Also notice how Emma and Norman slowly get into the middle of the frame while Mom/Isabella get out of it? Pretty strong metaphor. It's the perfect example of 'Blood related family ≠ real family'. And while I'm a RayEmma shipper (obviously aged up version) I would never forget about Norman. He is as important to Ray as Emma. This Trio sticks together no matter what.

(older manga colouring ⬇️)

Now onto the hearth breaking stuff:

Ray's relationship with Isabella:

This deleted scene with Ray and Ayshe lives rent free in my head. Like there are two people with similar family situations and the one who lived int the middle of nowhere with a demon parent thinks positively about their parent, while the other, who grew up in a comfortable home like space with a human parent, thinks the opposite.

"But to me, she was always a monster"– Ray.

Like ufff... This sentence hits real hard. And it's low-key true from Ray perspective. He studied and read all the books in the House, not because he was interested, but because he had to. Norman is a genius, Emma learns real fast, Ray does everything he can to always get max points on his tests. But he also secretly planning his friends excape. Collects scraps of technology to build the device which makes them able to excape, plans his own 💀 carefully, so no one else will get hurt and on a top of that he is 'spying' for Isabella. Sacrifices people he wanted to protect. I can't imagine that inside panic when he didn't get max scores to that one test. I'm sure he was happy because Norman and Emma got their regular scores, but deep down he felt like he failed.

My head canon here is that Ray always gets nightmares if he is alone or in an unsafe place. And 'thanks' to his perfect memory his nightmares build up from actual memories (like we see that in the Seven Wall Arc). Also he doesn't get sick often but when he does... it's like a memory fuelled fever dream, with hallucinations and etc.

Ray's healing journey starts after the Jailbreak Arc. As soon as Mom is not around anymore, he ever so slowly starts to let down his guard and starts to show more and more emotions. His relationship with Yuugo/Mister is like a greatest archivment in his case. The playful, sarcastic 'arguments' and the way he openly said his opinion on things in front of Yuugo and Lucas. Shows how much he changed and opened up.

Isabella on the other hand... her change of heart and feelings were a mistery almost to the very end. To be honest I hated her most of the time, until the Back to Grace Field Arc. (Older manga colouring again⬇️😅)

Two things in this page which are very important.

1: Ray's guard is up again in no time, when he sees Isabella, while her emotionless mask is cracking. This is the first time we get a little inside of how she really feels about Ray.

2: Flashback of the two most important things that connects them. The song and the way they were forced to sacrifice others to stay alive.

The lullaby is very important, because it's calming and feels very intimate (like a normal parent-child relationship should be).

You also can't convince me otherwise that Ray didn't hummed this lullaby at least once in the B06-32 shelter to help the youngest kids fall asleep.

And now... onto the last picture. Their goodbye.

Saddest part ever! Never forgiving for this decision.

Ray and Isabella were never allowed to talk even two short sentences with each other without any consequences. In the House they had to play their assigned roles. Then they didn't see each other for almost 2 years. Finally they had to save half of the team from getting unalived... And they moment they would have time the last twist happens... leaving us with a sad ending.

Epilogue and Human World Arc...does little to compensate. Although I can't get over the fact that Yuugo's, Conny's and Isabella's 'ghosts' helped Ray found Emma in the Human World.

Speaking of finding Emma. My last head canon for Ray is the following;

When they found out that Emma lost all of her memories from the Demon World. Ray couldn't help himself but whisper a "I wish this happened to me". And everyone looks at him with an understanding smile thinking he blames himself for this... But in reality he really just selfishly thought (only for seconds) that he could forget everything happened on the other side.

Okay. That's all. Sorry for the supper long post and I'm forever thankful if you read through my brainrots 🥰😘. Also let me know if I should cover more characters like this. I'll obviously do Emma and Norman but if there any other characters you want to see please let me know🥰🤩💖.

[copperboom82]

Home Sweet Home

Pairing: Dean Winchester x OFC (female)

Word Count: 9,439

Prompt: Broken promises

Title credit: Home Sweeet Home by Mötley Crüe

Summary: Still navigating the transition from friends to something more, Dean and Katrina's relationship faces a new hurdle after Dean and Sam find the Men of Letters Bunker - distance. How will they cope? Will Dean's birthday be the impetus they need to reconnect?

Set mid-season 8. Set in the Long Winding Roads collection (masterlist here), but can absolutely be read on its own.

AN: Hello! This is my third submission for @jacklesversebingo and my contribution to celebrate Dean's birthday.

Warnings: Contains smut, 18+ only. Minors DNI. Other than that? Uhh not sure - I guess there's some angst? Not a ton. Has a happy ending. Established relationship. If I missed anything, feel free to let me know.

Credit/Link: Divider by cafekitsune and can be found here!

Dean Winchester had no illusions about what he was. He’d grown up thinking that his life had been changed forever when the yellow-eyed-demon had killed his mother and ruined the only home he’d ever known at four years old. Now, as an adult, he knew that his fate had been inevitable. Between his mom’s family, the great plans that had been preordained for him and Sam – even if they had managed to subvert expectations – and now, most recently, the revelation about the legacy his father was…

No, Dean knew by this point in his life that Team Free Will or not, hunting had always been his path. As sure as he was that, whenever his time came, he’d die bloody with a gun in his hand. 

It was a life he had largely embraced, at least most of the time. That moment – him standing by his dad at sixteen, watching a monster burn while Sam waited in the car – was still seared into his brain. In his best times, Dean remembered it as the moment the pieces had really fallen into place for him, everything clicking and feeling… right. At his lowest, it was a moment in his past he questioned, wondering if it had truly felt right, or if he’d psyched himself into feeling that way because it was what he’d needed to do, to survive if nothing else.

It was in those low moments he let himself wonder if he’d have enjoyed a ���normal” life… wonder what it might have been like and try to picture it. Until Lisa and Ben.

After Lisa and Ben, Dean had made himself a promise. No more wondering. No more longing. No more questioning. It was too dangerous – for him and for everyone around him.

You’re not a person, Bobby had told him on that last case, in his very Bobby way, when Dean had been spinning out despite the vow he’d made. You’re a hunter, meaning you’re whatever the job you’re doing today. Now, you get a case of the Anne Sextons, something’s gonna come up behind you and rip your fool head off. Now, you find your reasons to get back in the game.

It wasn’t long after that Dean found his new way of coping with the lows - mentally repeating Frank’s advice and trying to take it to heart instead of indulging the wistful part of his brain.

Decide to be fine till the end of the week. Make yourself smile because you're alive and that's your job. Then do it again the next week… I call it being professional. Do it right, with a smile, or don’t do it.

That shit had stuck with him in a way Dean hadn’t expected. Frank had Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, but damn if it hadn’t been what he’d need to hear. And damn if it hadn’t helped him stick to his promise.

Katrina Black, of course, was somewhat of a complication.

It was midday when Dean found himself calling up her number, juggling three coffees in his other hand as he moved the phone to his ear and listened to it ring.

“You better not be calling for the reason I think you’re calling,” she answered, and Dean was torn between smirking at the quip and frowning, knowing he was about to disappoint her.

“C’mon sweetheart, don’t be like that.”

Katrina Black had been a royal pain in his ass at first – an unwanted, unwelcome addition to his found family when he stepped back into hunting that only reminded him of that year. The year that belonged in someone else’s life, that had been some weird mix of wonderful and excruciating that, to this day, Dean couldn’t wholly make sense of. But she’d grown on him, quickly, and soon enough, he’d gone from being driven crazy by her to being crazy about her.

“Don’t pull that sweetheart crap with me, Winchester.”

Dean sighed, bracing himself for the conversation to come, and began explaining the latest to her.

It’d been a few months since they’d gotten together. Dean had done his best to keep his distance – they both had… but in the end, he hadn’t been able to keep pretending. Not after Purgatory. Not after losing Cas, again. Not after spending so much time thinking he’d never see her again. Not after realizing how much he’d regretted those self-imposed boundaries they’d created when they’d taken for granted they’d have a tomorrow.

Overall, it had been going well. She’d been scared. Hell, he had been too. But it had been for nothing. Once the truth was out there, their cards on the table, the two of them had fallen together without missing a step. Somehow, they’d managed to find the excitement and heat of something new, while getting to take solace in a relationship that felt as comfortable and familiar as a well-worn flannel. The fact that she was in the life? That she understood what his life was? Dean couldn’t have asked for more. He could be with her without breaking that promise he’d made to himself. Kat already knew that he couldn’t give her normal, just like Dean knew she couldn’t give it to him either.

It was great. It was the best of both worlds.

Until his grandfather came crashing through the closet door and Dean found his world sort of turned on its head… yet again.

“I’m sorry, you’re stuck dealing with what?”

Dean huffed out a humorless laugh and turned the keys in the ignition, leaning back into the bench seat as the Impala rumbled to life.

“Nazi necromancers,” he repeated. There was a beat of silence and then he heard Katrina sigh into the phone.

“You couldn’t make that up if you tried,” she said, and that time, Dean really did laugh. The disappointment underlying her voice made the guilt in his gut churn, but he tried to push that down.

“Trust me, Kat. Considering the weekend we had planned? This is the last thing I want to be dealin’ with.”

Henry Winchester jumping through time to magically appear in his and Sam’s motel room had revealed a lot of information and introduced all kinds of new… things… into their life – Abbadon, Knights of Hell, Men of Letters…

Of those things, the Men of Letters bunker and the key that went with it had been the biggest find. Initially, Dean had been in awe… still was, if he were being honest. But as the weeks drew on, the newness of it was wearing thin, and Dean was starting to see the downsides. Chiefly one downside:

The bunker, wonderful as it was, was located over six hours away from Katrina’s house. And unlike him and Sam, Katrina couldn’t just pick up and disappear. Not indefinitely, anyway.

It had been weeks since they’d seen each other – longer, if he didn’t count the hour or two he’d taken to say goodbye as he and Sam had packed their stuff to head to Lebanon and check things out… and he really didn’t.

At this point, Dean had started to lose track of how many times their plans had gotten derailed, but he thought this was at least the fifth. It wasn’t all on him – Katrina had been on the other side of this same call at least twice – but that didn’t make it any easier.

Part of him thought it might not have been so hard if he hadn’t been so used to seeing her all the time. Outside of Purgatory, she’d been a near constant presence in his life for years, even before they’d decided to try this whole relationship thing a shot. Then there was the voice in his head that nagged at him, reminding him that the distance had been hard with Lisa too, but nothing like this. He hadn’t found himself constantly thrumming with a need that he just couldn’t satisfy.

Of course, Dean was still trying to convince himself he was fine. That it was no big deal. Even if the situation was slowly driving him insane.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“Don’t do that,” she admonished, though there was no real heat in her voice. “Don’t promise. That’s what you did last time. That’s what we keep doing.”

It was true, but that only made it harder to swallow. The fact that she wasn’t angry somehow made it worse too. Dean could have handled angry… but the quiet disappointment… the understanding in her voice, laced with a wistfulness he related to all too well… it was threatening to undo him.

“Kat –“

“It’s fine, Dean. Really. I get it… you know that.”

This thing between him and Kat had felt so natural, had fit so easily into his day-to-day, that Dean hadn’t realized until recently how comfortable he’d been getting. That despite the promise he’d made himself, when he hadn’t been paying attention, somewhere in his subconscious he had started wanting at least some part of normal again.

He missed her. But it wasn’t just the obvious stuff he missed. It was the little things he hadn’t realized how much he cared about. It was hearing about her day when she wasn’t working a case and she got home from work, or helping her do the dishes before they went to bed. He missed their bickering, whether it was over the music on the radio or which cereal to buy at the grocery store. Hell, he missed listening to her and Sam nerd out over old lore and whatever books they’d been reading.

“Yeah, I do. I’m still sorry. How’s about I swing back your way when we wrap up? Should hopefully only be a coupla days.”

He knew the answer before he’d asked, and her disappointed sigh only confirmed it.

“We’re shorthanded next week and I’m pulling doubles almost every day. Maybe the week after.”

“Yeah, alright,” he agreed, unable to hide his own disappointment, and the silence hung between them.

“You and Sam alright out there? I could probably come help.”

But as much as he wanted to see her, Dean knew it would be a waste. They were practically on the other side of the country, and to fly would cost her money she didn’t have, to drive would be too much time, and all for a situation he and Sam could manage without her. 

“Nah, don’t worry about it. Sammy and I got this one covered. Though if you’ve ever heard of something called the Thule Society, I’m all ears.”

She hadn’t, of course, though Dean wouldn’t be surprised if he heard from her by the end of the day with some information he and Sam had failed to dig up. A minute later, he found himself reluctantly hanging up the phone and navigating back onto the road, heading back to Sam and their golem sized nazi problem. The only thing he could hope was that next week would be better. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It was around the same time the following week that Dean found himself picking up his own phone, this time on the receiving end of a very similar call.

“Don’t tell me,” he started and this time he heard Kat let out a frustrated sigh.

“Jenna was in a car accident… she’s fine, but I gotta go out and help get everything taken care of.”

Dean felt his stomach drop as he automatically sat up straighter in his seat. Jenna was Katrina’s younger sister - finishing her last year of college and the reason Kat worked as hard as she did.

“Jesus. What happened? You sure she’s alright?”

“Yeah. She’ll need a day or two in the hospital, but the kid’s tough, she’ll be fine. There was a deer. She swerved… rolled the car…”

They’d known each other long enough that Dean could hear through the gruff, almost dismissive tone Katrina was putting on. He was sure that Jenna was in fact fine, but he was equally sure that his girlfriend was rattled anyway.

“Kat, let me come help. You don’t need to handle this on your own. That’s stupid.”

In the background he could hear Kat moving around… drawers being opened, things being moved, but she paused, and Dean could easily envision her standing in the middle of her room, phone to her ear with that stubborn look on her face.

“I… no, really, Dean. I’ve got it. You don’t need to rush out there too. I’ve gotta deal with insurance and the car -“

“You tellin’ me I can’t help with a car?” he asked, and that at least earned him a snort of laughter.

“Sounds like it’s totaled,” Katrina admitted, “and we both know the thing wasn’t worth much to begin with. But if you wanna help me find her a new one when she’s outta there I��ll take you up on that.”

There was no arguing Jenna’s car probably wasn’t worth salvaging - Dean had been trying to convince her and Katrina to let him help them find her something else since before he and Kat had started dating.

“Consider it done,” he promised. “But seriously, Kat. Let me meet you at the hospital or something.”

Katrina took a deep breath and Dean frowned. That fierce independence he loved so much also drove him batshit sometimes.

“Thanks, but you stay put. I’m sure you and Sam got your hands full, anyway, and I can handle this. But I promise I’ll call if I need you? How’s that? And next weekend, I’m all yours.”

It wasn’t much, but for Katrina it was progress and Dean knew it was the best he was going to get for the moment. 

“Only if that’s a real promise,” he told her, just as Sam was walking into the room. Katrina laughed, and he was happy to hear it sounded genuine. 

“It is, really. And I’m sorry about this. I… I miss you. And I know this has been hard.”

Hard was an understatement, but there was no part of him that didn’t understand.

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Take care of what you need to, I’m not going anywhere.”

When they hung up a minute later Sam was giving him a knowing look, tinged with sympathy.

“Trina cancel on you again?” he asked while Dean dropped the phone onto the table and leaned back in his chair. His packed bag sat mocking him atop the table in the war room, just visible from the corner of his eye.

“Yeah.”

There was a part of him - a big part - that was saying go anyway, regardless of what Katrina had said. She’d give him shit, but she wouldn’t actually be pissed, and it wouldn’t be hard for him to figure out where Jenna was and surprise her. It wasn’t exactly the reunion either of them had been picturing, and he knew she truly didn’t need him there… but Dean sort of figured it wasn’t just about pure need. Since he’d met her, Katrina had been there for him without question… had managed to make him feel, even if it was only in small moments, like the weight of the world wasn’t on his shoulders, and his alone. He wanted to be able to do that for her, even if it was just being a warm body she could hold at night and lending a sympathetic ear. 

Before he could put his thoughts into action, however, Sam was nodding and putting the laptop down on the table.

“That sucks, man. Probably for the best though. Check this out.”

And a few minutes later, Dean was reluctantly repacking his bag to head to Omaha instead of Boulder and heading for the Impala with Sam in tow instead of by himself. Duty called, and he and Kat would have to try again next week. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Of course, the next weekend was just as much of a bust as the string of weekends behind it had been, and so Katrina found herself forming a new plan and dialing a different Winchester than the one she normally called on these days. 

“Hey Trina!” Sam answered on the third ring, his voice bright if not a bit surprised. That made her stomach twist just a bit with guilt. “How’s Je-”

“Jenna’s fine,” she cut him off, “but I’ve only got a minute and I need your help. You alone?”

As much tension as there’d been between Sam and Dean since Dean’s return from Purgatory, she and Sam had been having their own issues even longer… since those days immediately after taking out Dick Roman had kicked Dean and Cas into Purgatory in the first place. It wasn’t something they talked about, and they had an unspoken agreement to keep those issues between them and not involve Dean. And for the most part it was… fine. They still got along. There was just that underlying tension… the ever-present risk that one of them would say the wrong thing, or accidentally jab at one of the scabs left from those arguments they’d had while Dean was gone. 

Still, tension or not, Sam was family, and Katrina knew she could count on him, just like he could still count on her. And as they talked, Katrina made a mental note that maybe when she eventually got to Lebanon, it was time for the two of them to have a conversation about it. They’d both been putting it off, neither of them looking forward to the inevitable confrontation and the memory of their last one still unpleasantly vivid, but it had been long enough. Letting it continue to fester wasn’t doing anyone any good. 

For the moment, however, Katrina explained her plan, or the basics of it, anyway - that she’d taken off a couple days of work for Dean’s birthday, that she hadn’t told him, and that she was hoping Sam would help her pull it off both by making sure he and Dean actually stayed at this super secret bunker of theirs instead of seeking out any more last minute cases - as he’d been so prone to doing lately. And, of course, she’d need his help actually finding the bunker too, since she hadn’t been there yet. For half a second, she debated sharing more, but decided it wasn’t necessary. There was part of her that worried the second part of her plan was colossally stupid, but the wheels were already in motion, and if it was, she didn’t need to hear it more than once. The rejection from Dean would be enough. 

“Trina, you know birthdays aren’t exactly Dean’s thing, right?” Sam ventured carefully after he agreed to help, and even though he couldn’t see her, Katrina rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, but c’mon. It’s not like I’m talking about throwing him a party or anything. I just wanna see him. And every time we’ve tried to make a plan since you two moved out there, something’s gone wrong… so I figured I’d try surprising him. And his birthday seemed like as good an excuse as any.”

“Well, trust me,” Sam chuckled, “He’ll be glad to see you. There’s no disputing that. He’s been pretty miserable.” 

And there was a sort of wistful quality to his voice that made Katrina wonder if he was thinking of Amelia. That subject, however, was a gateway to ones she didn’t have time to broach right then and there. She’d ask him how he was doing with all of that after they talked. 

“He’s not the only one,” Katrina admitted instead. 

“You guys are really serious about giving this a shot, huh,” Sam mused and Katrina chewed on her bottom lip, nervously fiddling with the bottom button of her sweater.

“Yeah, Sam. It’s… I… I know that it’s a little crazy, but -”

“You don’t have to justify it to me, Treen. It was a long time coming with you two, and I’m happy for you guys.”

“Thanks, Sam,” she said, touched by the sincerity in his voice. There wasn’t more time for conversation after that, though - her break was up and she could already see through the glass door that she was needed.

Two days later, Katrina was relieved to be in her Jeep, a case of beer, a cherry pie, and her packed bag in the seat behind her with what she hoped would make for a decent birthday gift tucked inside it. True to his word, Sam had kept in touch with her and had avoided getting him and Dean sucked into any new cases, and Dean was still none the wiser that she was coming. All that was left was the six hour drive… which, with the radio going, was no problem for Katrina. She’d done a lot more for a lot less. 

It was early evening by the time she pulled up to a nondescript, abandoned looking building, but the Impala parked outside and Sam’s tall form standing to the side of the gravel roadway let her know she was in the right spot. He was pulling her into a bear hug, one that she gladly returned, before her car door had even closed. It was so cold outside the comfort of her car that her breath hung in the air in front of her, and she regretted leaving her coat on the passenger seat inside.

“You made it!” Sam was saying as he pulled her in.

“Did you doubt me?” she scoffed, and Sam laughed.

“Sorry, I should have known better,” and as he pulled away, he was raising his hands in mock surrender. “‘S not like you’ve had to cancel a whole bunch lately, or anything. How was the drive?”

Katrina gave an affectionate roll of her eyes and shrugged, all the while trying not to shiver. Sam, seeming to notice, was already moving to the rear driver’s side door.

“Easy,” she answered. “No traffic. The fact that it’s a random-ass Saturday in January probably helped. How’s everything here?” 

“Fine.” Sam went to grab everything from the backseat, but Katrina took the bag and the pie, refusing to not help with something. “Dean’s been in his room for the past hour or so, doing God knows what, so have fun with that. But come on, let’s get you inside. You look like you’re freezing.”

Katrina followed him inside without complaint, though when they finally walked through the heavy metal door, her jaw dropped of its own accord. 

In the weeks they’d spent apart, Dean had told her plenty about the defunct Men of Letters bunker that he and Sam had gained access to, but she realized in that moment that it was unlikely any amount of talking could have prepared her for the reality. Sam led her down the wrought iron staircase and her eyes were darting everywhere, taking in the table with the map sitting center stage of the room they were heading for, the radios and phones lining the walls, and most impressively, the beautiful library visible beyond that first room - filled with books, and artefacts, sturdy wooden tables and comfortable looking chairs… it was a hell of a lot nicer than her house, and surprisingly immaculate, considering how long it had been abandoned.

“Damn,” she breathed out as they came to the bottom, her eyes still flitting around in amazement. “It’s like you guys found the fucking batcave.”

Sam snorted and put the beer on the table.

“Dean said the same thing.”

Katrina distractedly placed the pie on top of the box and made a face.

“Yeah, well he wasn’t wrong. This place have a garage? I’ll bet they left all kinds of cool shit in there if this is the entryway.” 

“We’re still sort of figuring everything out,” Sam admitted. “Obviously that’s the entrance the key works for, and you can see the library from here - I’ve already found a ton of lore I bet you’d be interested in… I can show you later. And there’s a kitchen, through there, and then a bunch of bedrooms down that way. Dean’s room 11.”

For a moment she’d been so caught up in awe of her new surroundings that she’d almost forgotten why she was there, but with the mention of Dean’s room, she found herself suddenly itching, desperate to see him after the weeks apart. From the look on his face, Sam already expected as much, and as soon as they made eye contact he nodded towards the hallway he’d indicated.

“Go ahead. I’ll catch up with you guys later. Pizza sound good for dinner?”

Katrina wrapped him in another quick hug, before readjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder and heading towards the bedrooms.

“You’re the best, Sam!” she called back. The sound of his chuckling faded the further away she got, her eyes scanning the numbers on the doors as she went, looking for 11. By the time she found it, she could hear her heart beating in her ears and took a breath to steady herself.

She wasn’t nervous - that would be stupid, they’d been together for months, talked damn near every day… but there was some sort of anxiety bubbling in her chest she couldn’t totally ignore. Pushing past it, though, Katrina knocked on the door and waited with bated breath, trying and failing not to chew on her lip.

“Whaddya want, Sam? I’m in the middle of something.” 

The corners of Katrina’s mouth threatened to twitch up into a smile.

“Not Sam,” she called back. There was a pause, and then a flurry of movement on the other side of the door, and only seconds later, it was swinging open to reveal Dean - wearing a familiar, blue flannel, his eyes wide with surprise as he looked down at her. 

“Kat?” Any concern she had fell away as Dean’s disbelief faded and a large grin formed on his face in its place - a grin she couldn’t have stopped herself from returning if she wanted to. “What are you - how did you -”

“Happy birthday,” she said in way of an answer, a sly, somewhat shy smile in place. Dean blinked back at her for a fraction of a second before hauling her into his arms, her bag falling to the ground with a resounding thud next to them. 

“Fuck, it’s good to see you. How did you -“ 

“Sam,” she answered into his shoulder, holding just as tightly to him as he was to her. “I didn’t want to disappoint you if something went wrong again. Figured we’d broken enough promises to each other. Hopefully it’s a good surprise?” 

She felt more than heard Dean’s chuckle. “The best.” 

And then he was kissing her with an intensity that never failed to take her breath away, even after all these months. Katrina felt her head spin, but gave as good as she got, molding her lips to his, reveling in the solid warmth of his body as they pressed against each other, and letting the smell of him invade her senses while the weeks of distance slowly faded away, leaving just them, there in that moment.

“How long are you here for you?” he asked against her lips, seemingly unwilling to pull away. Katrina got it - she wasn’t willing to either.

“Few days. I took some time off work.”

A grin split across Dean’s face, but before she could say anything, Dean pulled her into the air and she let out a surprised squeal instead. Her legs wrapped around him instinctively and his arms likewise found their way around her thighs, even as he gently kicked her bag just inside the door.

“No shit -” he started saying, already pushing the door closed.

“Dean! What are you doing?” she laughed, holding tight around his neck, even as he carried her further into the room. It wasn’t much, but she could see that Dean had already started to put his own touches on the space. Familiar weapons were hung in places of pride on the wall. Records and photos were placed with care atop the dresser. She had just enough time to notice that he’d set a photo of them on his nightstand, stood up against the lamp, before he playfully tossed her onto the bed and climbed in after her. It was one Bobby had taken, in those early days, before what they were now had even seemed like a remote possibility - but they looked happy, nonetheless, Dean’s arm slung around her shoulder, hers around his waist, and bright smiles on their faces that had belied what they were each going through at the time. 

“Unwrapping my birthday gift,” he teased. Katrina snorted, though her mind drifted briefly to the folder tucked safely in her bag - the real gift. Dimly, she hoped Dean would be similarly enthusiastic when she showed it to him.

“Brought beer and pie too,” she told him, and Dean groaned.

“Have I told you lately that you’re fucking perfect?” he asked, his mouth blazing a trail of fire down her neck. Katrina bit her lip, tilting her head to give him better access while her grip on him tightened. 

“Not in the past twenty four hours.”

Dean hmphfed but then his lips were on hers again and she was too caught up in the sensation to worry about anything else. He’d quickly become like a drug to her, as cliché as it was, and it had been far too long since she’d had a fix. 

“Gotta change that then,” he murmured.

They moved back deeper onto the bed, Dean pushing what sounded like a magazine onto the floor as they went and kicking off his shoes. She did the same, glad she’d opted for flats instead of her usual boots, and hitched a leg over his hip, pulling him in even closer. Dean’s tongue dipped past the seam of her lips, tasting her and exploring her mouth as if it had been months instead of weeks they’d been apart. Katrina couldn’t blame him - it had felt like months, and this felt like coming home. 

Her hands moved to his shoulders, eagerly pushing off the blue flannel shirt, and when she went for the hem of his t-shirt before he’d even fully gotten his arm out of the overshirt, he sat back on his heels, chuckling down at her but taking the hint.

“Eager, are we? Thought I was supposed to be doing the unwrapping here, sweetheart.” 

Katrina huffed and rolled her eyes, but her mouth twitched into a smirk anyway, and there was no real heat behind it. 

“Then maybe you should get on with it -” she began, but the rest of the taunt died on her lips as he pulled the shirt over his head and her mouth went dry at the expanse of skin and muscle he revealed. Noticing her distraction, Dean smirked back at her, even as his hands found their way to the bottom of her own shirt, sliding under and running reverently up her sides as he leaned back down. 

“Patience is a virtue,” he teased back, ducking his head to nip at her earlobe before continuing on, his warm breath ghosting over her ear and sending shivers down her spine. “Not that you and I are exactly known for our virtue.” 

The next thing she knew, he was pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it to the side. He unhooked her bra with practiced ease, and she sucked in a breath as the cool air hit her heated skin.

“Hell no,” she agreed, and Dean chuckled, his hands coming up to cup her, thumbs brushing over her nipples and pinching, making her breath hitch further. Despite having done this countless times by then, Katrina still found herself squirming self-consciously under his gaze, even as his eyes darkened with lust and she could see the evidence of his arousal tenting the front of his jeans.

“Dean,” she half-moaned, half-whined, and he ducked his head, kissing her quickly but deeply before beginning to move down her body.

“God, Kat, you’re beautiful. Missed you so much, baby.” 

“Missed you too,” she gasped just as he replaced one of his hands with his mouth, licking and suckling and doing all the things he knew drove her crazy. Her leg tightened around him and she ground up while her fingers raked through his hair, pulling lightly while holding him close at the same time. His now free hand continued its journey south, tracing along the waistband of her jeans before his fingers began working around the button. Katrina shifted to make the angle easier and he popped it open with ease, dragging the zipper down immediately. He started to move down her body, trailing kisses as he went, but realizing his intention, Katrina squeezed with her thighs and reached out, rolling them before Dean could even realize what she was up to. Of course, once he did, he looked up at her in confusion.

“Kat?” 

But she was already shimmying out of her jeans and underwear, careful to keep her place on top of him, and as she kicked them both to the floor her hands were already going for his belt, undressing him with the same speed. It didn’t take him long to catch on, and Dean lifted his hips to help her. Her mouth watered at the sight of him completely bare beneath her, cock hard, leaking, and begging for her attention. He was reaching for her though, and Katrina let him pull her back into his arms, relishing the skin-to-skin contact and meeting him in another desperate, messy kiss.

Both their hands were everywhere - groping, touching, holding - and then one of Dean’s was slipping between her legs and she gasped as his fingers parted her folds, circling her clit and playing with her entrance, a low noise coming from his throat.

“Shit, you’re so wet. Need you, Kat. ‘S been too damn long.”

Katrina rocked against him, feeling his length pressing against the inside of her thigh, and moaned her agreement. Then, in the space of a second, Dean was lining himself up, thrusting up and sliding home with ease, and they both let out twin groans as they came together. Katrina sat up, her head falling back in pleasure and her hands braced against his chest. The stretch of having him inside her again after such a long absence was delicious, the feeling of fullness something she’d missed, and the reunion soothing an ache that had been festering. Dean gripped at her hips, hard, and ground against her, giving them both a chance to adjust. 

“Fuck, Dean,” she breathed. Dean began to shift just a bit beneath her, giving small, shallow thrusts that were more rocking than anything. 

“I know, sweetheart. Fuck you feel so good,” he answered, his own voice strained. Katrina bit her lip and began to move, needing more, and as soon as she did, Dean’s grip became impossibly tighter and he began thrusting in earnest. 

The air filled with the sounds of their labored breathing, the slap of skin on skin, the wet sounds from where they were joined, and strings of bitten off curses and moans of each others’ name. There was nothing sweet or tame about their coupling. Every movement was filled with a raw need and desperation, every touch seeking to reclaim the time they’d lost. Dean sat up, throwing an arm around Katrina’s waist and burying his face in her breasts, mouthing at one nipple than the other while she gasped and moaned at both the feel of his mouth and the change in the angle. 

When he eventually fell back to the bed, panting and bringing a hand between their bodies, circling her clit with his thumb and his eyes locked on her chest, Katrina leaned back, bracing her hands behind her on his thighs for added leverage while she continued to move her hips. 

And eventually, as the haze of their initial reunion began to clear and her energy started flagging just a bit too much, Katrina slowed her movements, leaning forward again to brace herself once more against his chest. Their tongues were still tangled together when she reluctantly pulled off him, and Dean broke away, confusion clouding his eyes, but Katrina didn’t wait for him to ask the obvious question before she began pressing open mouthed kisses down his neck and then lower. Dean caught on quickly, swearing under his breath and threading fingers through her hair as she peppered his chest with kisses, her nails raking over his abs, until she was finally face to face with his cock, still coated and glistening with her own arousal. 

“Kat, you don’t have to - fuck.” 

His hips jerked of their own accord as she ignored him and gripped him at the base, licking a broad stripe up the underside of his cock before swirling her tongue around the head and swallowing him down. The smell of sex hung heavy, she could taste herself more than she could Dean at first, and it was sticky and messy - but all of it only spurred her on, especially as the sounds of Dean’s pleasure reached her ears. She hollowed her cheeks and sucked hard, alternating between quick, short bobs of her head and long, deep ones where she relaxed her throat, constantly working to take more of him into her mouth. Her one hand worked at what she couldn’t fit while her other came up to massage his balls, and Dean panted above her. His fingers tightened in her hair, and she could tell it was taking a lot of restraint for him to keep control. 

When he hit the back of her throat and she swallowed around him, Dean lost the battle. Katrina gagged slightly and she heard his head fall back against the bed, the grip he had on her tightening for just a moment.

“Shit, Kat, I’m so -”

“Don’t be,” she assured him, pulling off just enough to glance up and catch his eye, deliberately licking along his length when she had his attention without looking away. “I’m good, I can take it.” 

And then she was swallowing him down again, moaning around him, knowing the vibrations would drive him wild, and this time Dean let himself go, still being careful but giving into his instincts and thrusting shallowly. Katrina let him, keeping her throat relaxed, taking care to breathe through her nose and reveling in the weight of him on her tongue. The stream of moans and expletives falling from his mouth picked up, and Katrina continued massaging him, gripping at his hip with her other hand. 

“Oh, God, sweetheart you’re so - fuck, that feels so good. You’re amazing, taking me so good like that. Fuck, fuck -” 

She could tell he was close - his thrusts growing more erratic, thighs trembling, the subtle swell of him and the tightening of his balls - but before he let himself fall off the edge, Dean pulled her off him, the obscene pop echoing through the room as he hauled her back up the bed. 

He rolled them, covering his body with hers, face barely an inch from hers, both their chests heaving with exertion as he pinned her hands on either side of her head against the bed. His green eyes were dark with arousal. She knew she must have looked wrecked - her face a mess of saliva and their combined arousal - but Dean kissed her deeply anyway, seemingly uncaring of where her mouth had just been, and in fact moaning into her at the taste. 

“Why’d you stop me?” she panted when he broke it off, and Dean smiled, kissing her again.

“Because I’m not done enjoying my gift,,” he murmured, mouthing at her neck. Katrina could feel the tip of his cock nudging against her entrance, and she shifted, aching to be filled again. Dean, noticing her squirming, obliged, and thrust in easily, his forehead falling against her shoulder as he bottomed out. “Fuck, Kat.” 

“Oh God, Dean! Move,” she begged. 

He let out a breathless chuckle, but began thrusting, slower than before but deep, and Katrina lost herself in the feeling of his cock dragging along her walls. However, when she went to wrap her legs around him, desperate to be closer and her hands still pinned under Dean’s, he abruptly pulled away, sitting back on his heels. The quick shift had barely registered before he was manhandling her onto her stomach, pulling her back to him by her hips while he maneuvered onto his knees behind her. 

Dean wasted no time thrusting in again, this time setting a punishing pace. Katrina cursed, eyes rolling back into her head while her hands twisted in the sheets and she rutted back against him, needing everything he could give her. 

“Shit, you’re taking me so good, you’re so tight, baby. ‘M close. You gonna come for me?” 

Beyond words at that point, Katrina nodded into the bed, though she suspected it hardly mattered anyway. Dean’s arm wound around her, holding her tight while his fingers began playing with her clit at a relentless pace. His other hand moved up her body, groping at her breasts and rolling her nipple between his thumb and his index finger. 

The combination of it all had her hurtling towards her own release at an alarming rate and before she knew she was letting out a near-scream of ‘fuck, Dean!’ and her whole body was spasming with the force of her orgasm. Dean’s movements didn’t let up in the least, drawing it out, his own groans growing in intensity and his thrusts becoming more erratic and impossibly harder. Then he was following her with a shout of his own and spilling deep inside her, his one hand dropping from her breast to brace against the bed as he half-collapsed against her. 

They stayed frozen like that for a moment, both their hearts racing, no sound in the room aside from their heavy breathing until Dean slowly withdrew from her, collapsing onto his back and pulling her with him, letting her sprawl over his chest. They were both slicked in sweat, but Katrina didn’t care, nestling into him, basking in the afterglow but nowhere near ready to be away from him again - and she guessed from the grip he kept on her, that Dean felt similarly. 

“Best birthday present ever,” he murmured, pressing a tender kiss to the top of her head, and Katrina laughed breathlessly.

“Glad you enjoyed it, old man,” she teased. Dean immediately pinched her side, playfully, and she squirmed.

“You better watch it with the old man crap, Kat. I’m only five years older than you,” he pointed out. Katrina just smiled back, craning her neck to brush her lips against his. As she settled back against his chest, her fingers came up to absentmindedly trace at the anti-possession tattoo over his heart. She could feel it beating under his skin, heart rate slowly returning to normal but not quite there yet, reminding her that he was there with her, alive and well. 

“Mhmm, yeah. Whatever you say, babe. Seriously though - happy birthday, Dean. I love you.”

His arms tightened around her, his own fingers idly tracing patterns on her upper arm.

“Love you too, sweetheart. Having you here really is the best thing I could have asked for. This long-distance thing is for the birds.” 

She let out a half-hearted chuckle, though there was no humor in it - she couldn’t have agreed more with his sentiment. Her only hope was that he felt as strongly about it as she did.

“I’ve missed you too,” she told him, her voice gentling while she tilted her head up to meet his eyes. “These past few weeks have been awful.” 

“Yeah, they have,” he agreed, nodding. “But we’re here now. How long did you say you could stay again?”

It was the perfect opening to share the folder in her bag with him, but the thought of laying her cards on the table still made butterflies swarm her stomach and so she stayed put, telling herself that the moment was just too perfect to disrupt by moving.

“A few days,” Katrina answered, repeating what she’d told him before. “I took the week off from work, so my schedule’s… flexible.” 

A grin split across Dean’s face, and he settled back further into the pillows. “Awesome! We are not leaving this room for at least twenty-four hours.” 

“Oh no?” she snorted. “What about for food? Sam said he would go pick up some pizza. And don’t forget, I brought beer and pie.” 

Dean pulled a contemplative look before rolling his eyes dramatically, throwing his free hand up into the air. 

“Fine, you got me there. I guess we can emerge for food, but then it’s right back here. And we’re bringing the beer and pie with us.” 

Katrina laughed, feeling lighter than she had in weeks.

“Whatever you say, birthday boy,” she teased, stretching languidly, brushing a kiss to his stubbled jaw as she did. She winced only slightly as the way her muscles protested. “Maybe we could get a shower first, though.” 

Unsurprisingly, Dean’s ears seemed to perk up, his green eyes already darkening with renewed interest. 

“Now there’s an idea. Been a while since we tried shower sex. Got plenty of space for it here, though. What’d you say?”

Katrina rolled her eyes fondly, but that didn’t change the fact that a little while later she was following him into the attached bathroom. True to his word, there was plenty of space for both of them, and she wasn’t sure how long they took, but she knew if they’d been anywhere else they’d have definitely run out of hot water.

By the time they finally made it back out to the kitchen, Dean taking his time to point out things about his new home as they went, Sam already had three pizza boxes stacked on the counter, paper plates and napkins next to them. He was looking at something on his laptop, but as they entered he arched an eyebrow in their direction, an amused smirk playing across his face.

“About time. Was starting to wonder if you’d forgotten about food.”

“Never,” Dean declared, immediately grabbing a slice. Katrina gave a small shake of her head, following after him.

“Thanks for picking up dinner, Sam,” she said, shooting the younger Winchester an appreciative look.

“No problem,” Sam replied. “Figured you guys would work up an appetite.” 

Katrina was long used to both his and Dean’s teasing, but she felt her cheeks flush slightly anyway, even as Dean grinned unabashedly and handed her a plate. 

“Damn right we did. Now, where’s the beer?” 

The three of them settled in around the table, eating, drinking, and catching up. Despite the initial teasing, Same tactfully avoided any further mention of their activities, and instead spent some time filling Katrina in on some of the interesting things they’d uncovered in the bunker so far. 

“I still can’t get over this whole thing,” Katrina marveled, looking around and then playfully nudging Dean’s arm. “You owe me a tour. This place is incredible.” 

Mouth full, Dean nodded and waved a hand at her as if to say yeah, yeah. When she went to shove him he ducked, clearly holding back laughter as he ruffled her hair and pulled her closer. Sam, long since accustomed to their antics, ignored them.

“Right?” he agreed enthusiastically. “The amount of knowledge here… it’s unreal. And we’ve barely scratched the surface.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean cut in, finally swallowing and rolling his eyes good-naturedly, “it’s nerd heaven. Still say this place has the best water pressure of anywhere we’ve ever stayed before.” Katrina shook her head, laughing.

“Uh hu, so you’ve said. So, c’mon, what else have I missed? It’s been weird, not having you guys around all the time, I feel so out of the loop.” 

From there they launched into a recap of the past few weeks, filling in all the details she and Dean hadn’t had time for in the phone calls they’d made. Katrina listened with rapt attention as they told her about the Nazi necromancers and Aaron and his golem, before in turn filling them in her own life - the few cases she’d worked solo, how Jenna was doing, the latest drama at work. None of it was nearly as dramatic as what the boys had encountered, but they seemed equally interested, and Katrina dared to hope they’d missed her as much as she’d missed them. 

As the night wore on, despite Dean’s claims that they’d be going straight back to his room, it was Sam that excused himself first. She and Dean lingered a little while longer, talking quietly, stealing the occasional kiss, and going back for seconds on the pie. Finally, it was Dean’s stifled yawn that signaled it was time for them to turn in as well. 

It was as they got ready for bed that Katrina found herself hovering over her bag, her stomach aflutter with nerves again as she froze in place after her hand brushed against the folder she’d brought with her. It could wait till the morning, but there was part of her that wanted to get it over with… and there was the fact that she had intended it to be a sort of birthday gift, despite the fact that she’d been increasingly second guessing herself as the inevitable moment she’d need to tell Dean about it drew nearer. 

Of course, Dean clocked her reaction immediately, and shot her a concerned look from where he was already climbing into bed.

“You okay?” he asked. 

Katrina took a deep breath. It was now or never. And she may have been nervous, but she’d be damned if she was going to chicken out. 

“Yeah, I’m good,” she promised, straightening up and quickly shucking off her jeans as intended before swapping her shirt for the one she’d gone to pull out of her bag. “I, uh, I just… I actually do have something for you. For your birthday. Kind of.” 

Dean raised his eyebrow, curiosity piqued, even if she was trying to cover how unbelievably nervous she was.

“Oh yeah? I thought you were my gift. I wasn’t kidding earlier when I said this was already the best birthday ever.” 

Katrina let out a soft huff. “Yeah, well… hopefully this makes it a little better.” And without any further delay, she grabbed the folder and crossed the space between them, stopping a foot or two away but within arm’s reach, clutching the papers against her chest and willing herself to stay steady. Dean eyed it carefully, seeming to pick up on the fact that she was nervous now, and she could practically see the gears turning in his brain.

“”I’m sure I’ll love whatever it is you’ve got there,” he said carefully. “C’mon Kat, what’s going on?”

Katrina took another deep breath, bracing herself. 

“So, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. About us and this whole… long-distance thing we’ve been trying. And… I agree with you. It’s total crap. And I don’t want to do it anymore.” 

Dean had tensed slightly while she’d been talking, but then his face fell, and before he could say anything, Katrina hurried on.

“The distance, I mean. I don’t… I don’t want to be away from you anymore. Or not more than we need to be, anyway. So I… I’ve been applying for jobs… out here in Lebanon.” 

Dean’s eyes widened in surprise and Katrina felt like her heart was going to beat out of her fucking chest, but she bit her lip and held out the folder for him to take anyway. He accepted it, still looking stunned, and wasted no time flipping it open.

Inside was a copy of the one job offer she had already received, as well as a list of the interviews she had scheduled the rest of the week - the other reason she’d taken the time off from work. Behind the list were all the details of each position she had an interview for, and she watched as Dean’s eyes skimmed over it all, his expression unreadable. Despite her best intentions, she couldn’t help but fidget as the silence stretched on.

“I know it’s a big step,” she started rambling, “and I don’t want to pressure you or anything. I mean, obviously, I’d find my own place to live - I wouldn’t expect to move in here or anything. And if this isn’t what you want, or you’re not comfortable, or whatever, I don’t have to do it at all. I just thought -”

“Katrina,” Dean interrupted, finally looking up from the folder. “Breathe, sweetheart.” 

Her mouth snapped shut, and she wrung her hands anxiously, waiting and bracing herself for his reaction. A slow smile spread across Dean’s face, his eyes drifting back to the folder.

“This is amazing,” he said softly, and Katrina blinked in surprise.

“Really? You’re not… freaked out by it?” 

Dean snorted, tossing the folder aside. He then reached for her hand, tugging her back towards the bed.

“Are you kidding?” he asked. “This is fucking awesome. I can’t believe you’d be willing to do this for me.”

“For us,” she corrected gently, allowing herself to be pulled onto the bed. “I… look, I know you don’t do the whole chick-flick thing, and I don’t really either, but life is too short, especially ours. I love you, and I want to be with you, whatever that looks like. I’m all in Dean, I always have been.” 

Dean reached out without hesitation and cupped her face, pulling her into a deep kiss that she quickly melted into, relief washing over her. When they finally broke apart, Dean rested his forehead against hers, his thumb running over her cheekbone as he looked her carefully in the eye.

“Me too, Kat. But sweetheart, are you sure? This is a lot - too much - to ask from you.”

Katrina wet her lips, eyeing him nervously but nodding nonetheless. “I’m sure,” she promised, meaning it, before reluctantly letting some of the darker stuff that had been festering finally bubble up. “If I’m being honest… it’s not like I’ve really got a whole lot tying me to South Dakota anymore. My mom’s gone, Bobby’s gone, Jenna’s been away at school and she’s graduating, but who knows where she’ll land. I’ve got, what? My work? At a crap job I only took to take care of someone that’s not here anymore? A house that’s just filled with a bunch of crap memories and metaphorical ghosts? It was different when you and Sam were staying there… but it just… it feels so empty anymore. But really, if this isn’t what you want, it’s not like I can’t figure something else out. And like I said, I’ll get my own place, I’m not -”

But Dean cut her off with another kiss, this one just as deep as the last, his fingers moving to thread through her hair. And by the time they broke apart, they were both slightly breathless and Dean was wearing an expression she’d rarely seen.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I want this, I want you. And if you’re moving out here, you’re moving in with me. With us. This place… Kat, baby, it’s amazing, but it’s not home without you here.”

Katrina felt uncharacteristic tears prick at her eyes, and she quickly blinked them back, swallowing hard.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to crowd you, or for you to feel obli-”

“I’m positive,” Dean interjected. “I love you, Kat. More than anything. You and Sam, you two’re my whole world. I want you here with me. For as long as you’ll have me. Please.” 

“I love you too,” Katrina whispered. “So much.” 

They kissed again, softer this time but no less passionate. When they finally pulled apart, Dean was grinning from ear to ear.

"Best. Birthday. Ever," he declared, repeating himself from earlier. Katrina laughed, joy bubbling up inside her, replacing her earlier anxiety entirely. 

"I'm glad you approve. Now come on, old man. Let's get some sleep. We can start figuring everything out tomorrow."

Dean grumbled good-naturedly at the 'old man' comment but allowed Katrina to pull him under the covers. They curled up together, Katrina's head on Dean's chest and his arms wrapped securely around her.

And as she drifted off to sleep, Katrina couldn't keep the smile off her face. For the first time in weeks, everything felt right in the world. She was exactly where she was meant to be - in Dean's arms, in their home. And she couldn't wait to see what the future held for them.

[once-upon-an-animation]

So over the past few weeks, I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a retelling of the OG series from Annabeth’s perspective.

I’m interested in doing this because though I loved the PJO when I was a child, as I grow older, I find myself craving more nuance from the stories and the characters than what’s already there on the page. I thought hopefully the show would fulfill me, but uhh….amazing character depth is not one of the things I’d call the show’s biggest strong suits, at least not for Annabeth.

Now, I’m aware of the “Daughter of Wisdom” series on AO3, a fanfic series that does the exact same thing. I read that fic years ago and enjoyed it; I thought at the time that the fic was well done. However, I have a lot of ideas for scenes and details that I don’t think really showed up in that fic series, and so I find myself craving to create the POV for Annabeth and certain aspects of CHB that I’ve always wanted to see. I also wanted to spend more time emphasizing emotions and growth for Annabeth in a fic like this, and actually have her challenge and address her pride, sort of like a “I’m overcoming my biggest flaw” journey. I want to write this series from a sympathetic yet honest perspective about Annabeth’s life and her traits…including the traits that are not so pretty.

And so I want input from y’all on what you think would be worth including in a fic like this, and if there’s anything from the OG books that I should change, twist, replace, remove, deepen, or add something new. Here’s a list I already have going:

- emphasis on Annabeth’s relationship with Chiron and how it develops

- more emphasis on Annabeth’s relationship with Grover and how they get along when Percy isn’t there. Do they talk about Percy? And what do they think of each other? Does Grover feel intimidated by Annabeth, or feel like maybe she’s not proud of him because he let her down with the Cyclops incident and Thalia getting killed? Maybe at the end of the quest in TLT, before Percy gets back from Olympus, Annabeth reassures Grover that he’s a great protector and that she doesn’t resent him at all.

- Annabeth’s view of Luke and how/why it becomes complicated; how Annabeth reconciles the objectively bad things Luke has done with her desire for his redemption

- an emphasis on Annabeth and Thalia’s relationship after Thalia returns. How has it changed, Thalia remarking on Annabeth’s growth and teasing her about her crush on Percy, Annabeth helping Thalia cope with the loss of Luke to the “dark side” and also helping Thalia cope with how much the world has changed in 5 years and how Thalia now feels so out of place, Thalia helping Annabeth cope with continuous family struggles

- an emphasis on Annabeth’s relationship with other Athena children. Do they like each other? Hate each other? Are they competitive, all vying for their mom’s attention? Do they share some of Annabeth’s struggles; were their mortal parents also unimpressed about receiving a child they didn’t plan for?

- Annabeth’s relationship with other kids at camp: namely Clarisse, Silena, Beckendorf, and the Stoll Brothers (no, I don’t ship Connabeth, btw). But I also want to flesh out Katie Gardner and Pollux/Castor too.

- a proper resolution to Annabeth’s family drama that yes, recognizes how Frederick had a baby sprung on him that he didnt consent to, and how Mrs. Chase had no idea how to take care of a kid with special needs, but a resolution that also validates Annabeth’s feelings and highlights the ways in which Mr. and Mrs. Chase messed up and failed her with their poor choices.

- a new interpretation of Luke’s “did you love me”question

- An on-page apology from Annabeth to Rachel

- Annabeth’s relationship with her little brothers and how they might still try to love each other in context of their family drama, and not repeat the sins of their parents (breaking generational curses!)

- more emphasis on Annabeth and Athena’s relationship, and how Annabeth evolves from thinking her mother is this image of perfection, to realizing that Athena is just as faulty as the other gods and goddesses, and that Annabeth has a strength over Athena in that Annabeth has a bigger sense of humanity, and can change and adapt when she’s not doing something well. Annabeth can evolve in ways Athena cannot.

Anything else?

[musicalmoritz]

Idk if anyone has asked for these headcanons before, but ok. Do you have any headcanons about the Yugi family and what the twins' relationship was like back then and with their parents?

Am I finally answering this? I think I am

First off I wanna say I am sooooo sorry that I took so long to get around to this one, as I’ve said before I’m not rly an expert on all the Yugi lore (like I’ve read the Red House arc but I was primarily focused on Kou and Katakuri lol) and I was a bit worried abt mischaracterizing them. But it’s not uncommon for my headcanons to stretch canon, that’s part of what makes headcanons fun. So walk with me here and we’re gonna get silly (actually it will probably be angsty bcuz it’s the Yugis but walk with me nonetheless)

• Starting from the very beginning, I imagine the twins were born prematurely which eventually led to Amane’s health issues

• Tsukasa was able to tough it out but Amane never quite recovered, he came out with more complications and had to be taken into special care immediately

• For children aged 0-2 with chronic health problems, you’re supposed to give them the max amount of attention and reassurance, namely with physical contact

• I like to think this is what led to the twins being so physically affectionate with each other and with their other friends later on. Amane’s parents absolutely smothered him with affection to help him thrive and they naturally did the same with Tsukasa to ensure he stayed healthy, and so he wouldn’t feel left out

• Therefore the twins grew up viewing physical touch as the ultimate way to express love, it’s their love language

• That scene during their third birthday when Tsukasa asks Amane if he loves him was the first time Amane ever told Tsukasa he loves him, he thought it was obvious so it never crossed his mind to say it out loud. Later on, Tsukasa’s need for direct reassurance gave Amane issues with verbally expressing his feelings. It’s much easier for him to show than tell, and his feelings towards Tsukasa became very complicated after The Incident™️, so putting his thoughts into words became a struggle. I am a firm believer in the autistic Amane headcanon so I think that plays a role here, along with him abruptly having to hide his deeper feelings once Tsukasa came back. Even if he were able to verbalize his feelings, it wouldn’t be appropriate to since the situation was so complex and he wasn’t rly decisive on whether this new thing was his brother or not

• I’ve seen the headcanon that their parents were high school sweethearts and I absolutely love that, I also see them as a girlboss x malewife ship (I know I slander that trope a lot but in this case I mean it in a Gomez and Morticia Addams way)

• Amane gets his autism from their father and Tsukasa gets his adhd from their mother

• Their mom would make them homemade donuts a lot which is why they’re Amane’s favorite food

• They never had any proper pets but they did have several yard cats. Unfortunately most of them turned into sacrifices for the entity ://

• Their household became very tense when Tsukasa returned. Their mother began to struggle with mental illness and would lash out a lot, scolding Tsukasa for very basic things (like if she even thought he was looking at her weird she would yell at him)

• Their father tried to make up for this by devoting extra time to bonding with Tsukasa, unfortunately he also had an off-feeling about the whole situation but he tried to push it aside and focus on being a good dad (which caused a lot of arguments between him and Mama Yugi)

• This led to Amane being somewhat ignored, which was an abrupt change as he was the one who used to get all the attention with his illness. His parents would take him out every now and then to do things without Tsukasa but that just made him feel awkward, and most of the time at home the only person to pay him any attention was his brother

• He grew up to be a massive introvert because of this combined with his autism already making it hard to connect with his peers. While Tsukasa gained a lot of popularity for his loud personality, Amane easily fell into the background. He didn’t mind it all that much but it made him very lonely

• They stopped having family dinners around the time the twins hit age 5, after that they only had them for birthdays and holidays and they were very tense and uncomfortable. Amane would always ask to be excused early

• The twins would share a bed a lot up to age three because Tsukasa was very clingy, ofc they couldn’t do it all the time tho bcuz of Amane’s sickness. After Tsukasa came back though, Amane became scared to share a room with him. He would never turn him away, but he’d stay up all night watching Tsukasa to detect any unusual behavior

• As the years went on, Amane’s paranoia became less convenient. He eventually had to give in and just sleep whenever his brother wanted to stay over. Subconsciously, he began to view Tsukasa’s presence as a comfort, and when he became a supernatural he was unable to sleep without his brother in the same building. Seeing as supernaturals don’t need sleep, this went on for decades until Tsukasa returned. Their reunion was terrifying, but Amane slept like a abt that night

• They shared their whole lives together, it would be impossible for Amane not to have some attachment to Tsukasa. But he knows something hasn’t been right with his brother since he came back. Because of this, he feels guilty every time he catches himself laughing too freely at one of Tsukasa’s jokes or stacking up extra pillows for their sleepovers. His love for Tsukasa feels like a betrayal to the brother he lost all those years ago

• With their parents so dysfunctional, it was only natural that the twins clung to each other. They tried to get out of the house a lot to avoid their tense home life, going to festivals and movies (unfortunately Tsukasa and movie theaters do not pair well together)

• I know their dynamic is far from sunshine and roses but on a lighter note, I imagine their more casual moments to look similar to the dynamic of Dipper and Mabel from Gravity Falls

• Amane: Tsukasa, do you believe in ghosts?

Tsukasa: I believe you’re a huge dork

• Like Amane being very serious and academic while Tsukasa tries to cling to their childhood. Amane just wants to get out of that house but Tsukasa is there to make sure he doesn’t rush the growing up process

• Now picture them with the Peanut Butter & Jelly Halloween costumes

• Yk that little thing Tsukasa does where he tackles Amane with a hug every time he sees him?? Yeah he definitely did that in the hallways at school. It was mortifying for poor Amane

• They strike me as one of those families where the parents have very intense front seat arguments every time they drive while the kids sit in the backseat like 🧍🏻🧍🏻

• Their parents were always very cautious of Amane overexerting himself or getting sick again so they wouldn’t let him go on school field trips or play outside a lot. Tsukasa, however, did NOT hold the same conviction and would regularly drag Amane into dangerous situations. It was kind of nice for Amane to have someone that didn’t treat him like he was made of glass all the time

• The twins never talked abt girls or anything like that growing up bcuz Tsukasa wasn’t rly interested in romance, so when he realized Hanako had smth going on with Nene there was a moment where he pulled him aside to have the very serious “I thought you were gay??” talk

• Tsukasa knew all of Amane’s secret hiding spots at their house and vice versa

• Amane preferred sport related games like soccer and baseball but Tsukasa liked to play with dolls so he could make up really convoluted backstories for them

• Sometimes they would play chef where Tsukasa would make the most disgusting food combinations he could think of and force Amane to eat it

• One of their fonder family memories is when Papa Yugi convinced Mama Yugi to take the twins to a carnival. They all had a blast tho Mama Yugi was a bit on edge. Tsukasa got on a sugar high and dragged Amane onto a rollercoaster

Okay I think this is all I’ve got for now, I know these were mainly abt the twins so I’m sorry if you wanted more for the parents😓 They give me rancid vibes idk how to explain it. At least they're hot tho. Thank you for the ask btw these were fun to make!! :D

[myfairkatiecat]

Thinking about getting into kotlc. What specifically do you like and find recommendable about it?

Keeper of the Lost Cities is my all time favorite book series. It's not the objectively best story I've ever read, but it's my favorite. Here are a few reasons you should ABSOLUTELY read KOTLC:

Fantastic adoption plot. The process of Grady and Edaline adopting Sophie and the complicated way Sophie grows to see them as parental figures, the ups and downs, the way it takes years for her to decide to adress one of them as mom or dad, the way those moments are portrayed as special... it really clicks, especially as someone from a foster family.

The main character is super realistic and well developed. She undergoes a lot of non-linear character development. She has strong beliefs that sometimes conflict with what she's expected to stand for. Her journey from book one to book nine with how she learns to be a leader, stand up for herself, and do what she thinks is right all the time is super well portrayed.

The characters and their relationships are very well developed and complex. Yes, certain things are made very clear through the narration because Shannon is in fact writing for kids, but after books one and two a lot of the kids series feel vanishes almost entirely. I mean, no, it's still charming and silly most of the time, but it doesn't feel as young, especially as the characters grow older and a lot of darker and more complicated issues begin to arise.

The portrayal of the dystopia is fascinating. KOTLC is not in the dystopian genre for a reason. The Lost Cities are not presented as a dystopia at all. That just... comes out slowly. Sophie goes there and is told that everything about the world is perfect, and since everything is sparkling and glittering, it must be, right? She has a few early thoughts about how certain things seem wrong, and those thoughts continue to grow as the problems with the Lost cities become clearer and clearer. Their government and social systems are very messed up, and Sophie only sees the surface of it because she's usually interacting with the nobility, but the reason for both rebellions formed is fixing those exact societal issues.

The good guys and bad guys want a lot of the same things. There's a focus in KOTLC on doing the right thing, not just achieving the right goal. Which sometimes means characters mess that up! (cough keefe sencen cough) But again, all this stuff is explored in a super accessible way, because it's a middle grade series. It feels like reading something deeply interesting with good messages without having to take a lot of time to wrap your head around what those messages are.

The characters are incredibly well-developed. Their backgrounds and history explain most of their personality and actions in amazing ways. I'm thinking specifically of Sophie, Keefe, Tam, Linh, Fitz, and Dex right now, but I'm sure there are more examples (and I hope it gets explored more with Marella in the future, tbh. We know about her childhood--how does that impact her personality?) It makes it very interesting to rotate these elves around in your head.

There are multi-book arcs, many huge reveals are foreshadowed from the beginning. The books open lots and lots of mystery boxes--there are tons of questions being asked ALWAYS--but in the end, they get answered (some more satisfying than others), really portraying just how much can happen even in a short time frame for these kids. Honestly, the whole three-years-over-nine-books thing feels PERFECT to me. Unlike Harry Potter, each book isn't a school year. Unlike Percy Jackson, each book isn't a summer vacation. All of these things happen one after the other, saturating the characters lives, and I think it's very interesting.

The adults have some crazy lore going on. It's pretty fun to try to piece all of that stuff together because Sophie doesn't take a lot of interest in it.

Everything about KOTLC is interesting to me. I'm not going to say there's no issues with it ever (please followers do not come in my ask box and start telling me there are issues with KOTLC idk why it's so controversial to say that Shannon did a really good job with character and plot complexity) but I hugely recommend giving it a read. Let me know if you read it and what you think!

[bouncybongfairy]

Bodega Dreams Part 2

Miles Morales x Fem Reader

Summary: After finding out that not only is Miles is The Prowler but that you are also pregnant. You now must navigate how to repair the trust lost in your relationship.

Word Count: 3k+

(This story has a character who is getting an abortion. If that offends you: Block me.)

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

When you woke up the next morning, Miles still wasn't home. You didn't bother going out of the room to see if he was there because you didn't want to face his mom. You didn't really want to see Miles, either. Thinking about sorting all the emotions of the situation made you want to pass out. You wish you could say differently, but you didn't contemplate whether to tell Miles about the pregnancy. Deep down, you knew he had a right to know, even though it's your choice to do what's best for your body. If you didn't tell him, you had to live with the fact that you'd be keeping something so big from him. He didn't tell you about being The Prowler for the same reason. Having a child with someone is such a spiritual and intense experience and did you really want that with someone who kept such monumental secrets from you? This whole ordeal really cemented the insecurity she had about being so emotionally dependent on Miles. Even if you decide to leave, where would you go? Were you supposed to live with your dad in his prison cell or maybe at your mother's grave? You haven't even graduated highschool yet. 

You get out of bed and walk over to the bathroom and look in the mirror. Your face was swollen and your hair was going every which way. You decide to hop in the shower, doing nothing more than sitting in the hot water. It did make you feel a bit better, until you heard Miles gently knocking on the door. 

"Y|N?" he asked as you cut the water off. 

"I'm here," you said flatly.

"We need to talk," he said, you actually almost chuckled.

"What is there to talk about? You want me to accept that you're The Prowler which you've been hiding from me for God knows how long. You seem to be okay with literally murdering innocent people for whatever excuse or mission you're clearly willing to stick to no matter what. So what is there really to talk about Miles?" You spit the words out like venom. 

"I told you I was wrong for that. I figured the less you knew the less danger you'd be in. I didn't want you to be constantly worried about such complicated things," He said. 

"That's bullshit," you said, wrapping a towel around yourself and walking into the bedroom. 

"How am I protecting you from such a violent and vicious world bullshit?" he asked. 

"What did you think was going to happen when I found out? Did you really think you were going to go years without telling me? We are in a relationship that I thought was an open book, I didn't realize you were ripping out pages as I was reading. Don't fucking sit there and try to act like you were protecting me from knowledge because we both know knowledge isn't something that anyone needs to be protected from. You were protecting your own image you wanted me to have of you. It's really off putting that you're trying to make it seem like you had to lie to me to protect me. Like that's actually weird as fuck," you said throwing on a tee shirt and biker shorts. 

"Okay. I hear you and I understand that this hurt you," he said, getting less defensive.

"It's not that it hurt my feelings. Well I mean yeah it did but my trust in you is just gone. I just need time to clear my head, I love you but this is just such a fucked up situation," you said throwing on a pair of shoes and grabbing your purse. 

"Does your mom know?" you asked?

"Where are you-"

"Does. Your. Mom. Know?" You asked again which was followed by a heavy silence. 

"Oh that's rich, you protecting her too?" you asked rhetorically.

"What time are you gonna be home?" he asked, following you from the bedroom to the living room. 

"I just need to run down and get a couple things from the store. I love you," you said, giving him a kiss on the cheek before heading out the door. 

You have never been so relieved to smell the rotting garbage on the curb in your life. You didn't want to be in the house right now. You reach into your bag to pull out your pen but when you remembered your situation. You threw it back into your bag in frustration and walked to your favorite deli and ordered a cold sub and a diet coke. You haven't eaten anything after vomiting your brains out last night. Your body was past empty at this point. After you left you hopped on the subway and made your way down to the cemetery, buying a bouquet of flowers from a street vendor. 

You felt stupid for getting ready so fast because it was 60 degrees and you were in some damn biker shorts. You wanted to go see your moms grave, it just made you feel calm and at peace. You missed her in times like this, she died when you were about 12. You were grateful for the childhood memories but in your teenage years you needed her. Sometimes you think your dad wouldn't have spiraled if she didn't pass, as awful as the sounds. It's nobody's fault but that almost makes it worse, accepting that it was just her fate was harder than blaming someone. 

Once she got to the cemetery she pulled some weeds away from her grave stone. She used her napkins from the deli to wipe away some of the debris from the stone. After that, you laid your jacket on the ground and started to eat your food. You are a spiritual person, so you didn't feel like you needed to relay the last 24 hours to her verbally. You feel as though she watches over you and knows what's going on as it happens. You set your sandwich down and let out a big sigh. 

"This is just a fucked up mess huh?" you asked rhetorically washing your food down with your soft drink.

You spent the time at the cemetery self reflecting on what you were going to do. It was your decision to be with Miles even if he is The Prowler. You understood that this could put you in danger, enemies who wanted to hurt you just to get to Miles. That was a choice you could make but a baby can't help the life they are brought into. Would it really be moral for you to put your child in a situation where they could be killed or used as ransom or whatever? Even if you didn't consider his alter ego, you were both barely 18. You wanted to go to college, have a career, travel and experience everything life has to offer with Miles. Not to mention the clone, your brain really couldn't even process that; it literally gave you a migraine. You wiped a few tears from your face and stood up. You pack your things up and make your way out of the graveyard and stop at the store before heading back to the apartment. 

When you walked in, Miles was sitting on the couch. He jumped up once he heard the door open, practically running to you. 

"How are you?" he asked you, running his hands down your arms. 

"We need to talk," you sighed walking back into the bedroom.

"Yeah, of course," he said following you. 

"First, I want to say that I understand why you didn't tell me. I think it was stupid but I do get why you thought it would protect me. I'm extremely hurt that.. you wouldn't tell me such an important part of your life. I'm not saying that I completely forgive you and want to move on but, there is something that- I'm pregnant. I feel kinda like everything that happened last night really opened my eyes to how many things you have to consider when having a baby. I don't think we should have this baby especially with everything we have going on," you said with tears pooling in your eyes. Miles covered his hands with his face and ran them down his cheeks slowly.

"Holy shit," he said standing up, starting to pace. 

"I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but you will respect my decision." you said, he shook his head in agreement. 

"I'm so sorry that I put you through last night especially knowing, you know. I respect your decision of course but you also have to respect my feelings about it," he said, getting on his knees in front of you. You were sitting on the bed, he rested his elbows on your knees and looked up at you as he spoke. 

"Well what are your feelings about it?" you asked.

"I love you so obviously the thought of raising a child with you intrigues me. I want to be able to have a future and a family with you but like you said it's your decision," he said

"Even if I decided to keep it, would that really work? You're.. The Prowler. I can make the decision to stay with you even though I know I'm at risk. I can't bring an innocent child into that," you said, taking his face into your hands.

"I know," he said rubbing his hands, "Tomorrow, I want to take you down to the warehouse. To show you everything i've been up to. I don't want to hide anything from you anymore," he said standing up and sitting next to you on the bed. 

"Is it safe?" you asked. 

"It's safe when the lion is the one who is inviting you into the den right?" he asked.

"Not unless the lion wants a little snack," you joked back.

"I might be feeling hungry by then," he said making you laugh, this was the first time you smiled at each other since the entire ordeal. 

~

You meant what you said about how you couldn't forgive and forget everything he kept from you. It did make you feel better that he was wanting to open up more and show you what he's been up to. This is the first step to healing the relationship in your opinion. You're just trying to take things day by day, stressing out constantly would just make everything worse. Once you woke up in the morning you started getting ready to go with Miles to work. Then after you were going to planned parenthood to set up an appointment. You expressed to Miles how you were a bit nervous because of everything you've seen about the protestors who harass people who come in and out. He reassured you that he wouldn't allow anyone to do so.  You both were in the car pulling up to the warehouse, Uncle Aaron allowed Miles to take his truck for the day to run errands.

The building was dull from the outside, it didn't look abandoned but not necessarily occupied either. There were no cars in sight and trash littered the ground, stray dogs fighting over who knows what. There was a line of tents that ran along one of the fence lines. Once you got into the building you were a bit confused because it appeared to be completely empty. He led you to the corner of the large room and let go of your hand. He pushed a broken refrigerator about five feet from its original placement, revealing a set of stairs. Once you were downstairs your eyes widened; it was like you stepped into a whole new world. 

Tables that were packed to the brim with technology and weapons that looked like they came from the pits of world war three. Not only just machinery but what appeared to be a lab, different test tubes filled with different colored liquids among other things. Open duffle bags of money, more money you'd ever seen in real life. You were pretty taken back with everything you were seeing. 

"What is it that you do exactly?" you asked, running your fingers along one of the tables. 

"We're essentially body guards for our boss Kingpin. If he has a problem with someone then that person has a problem with The Prowler," he said, grabbing your hand. 

"So you promise me you're not just killing for fun?" you asked, turning to face him. 

"I would never purposefully end someone's life for shits and giggles. Ever." he said. 

"Are you happy doing all this?" you asked.

"I am, I feel like I really do help keep people safe. The people that Kingpin sicks us on can be some of the most vile people you could imagine. Not only that, I try to give back to the community. You know Mrs. Rodchester who lives on 112th? Ever since her husband died, her entire social security goes towards her rent. The other day Uncle Arron and I were able to stock her entire fridge and buy her things like toilet paper etc. There's a man in our building whose wife died, leaving him with 4 kids under 15. We took them back to school shopping and were able to pay for a gravestone. I know we can cause harm but I don't know I really try to be as good as I can," he said.

"Thank you for taking me here and showing me more about what you do. I feel alot better about this entire thing," you said, pulling him into a hug. 

"Me too," he said. 

You were both on your way to the clinic, you were a bit sad but deep down you knew this was the best decision for your situation. Miles had taken some money from one of the bags and stopped at Mcdonalds. When you pulled into the parking lot you were taken back by how outlandish the protesters were. Holding signs with fetuses and bible verses under them. Yelling and trying to talk to every car that exited, trying to show fliers through the car windows. Thou shall not judge though right? You felt bad from women who didn't have a choice being told their evil for something they can't help. Like women with ectopic pregnancies or rape victims who may not necessarily want an abortion but need to for their health. 

After walking into the lobby you only waited about an hour before getting your appointment set up. It was a week from now and you were feeling relieved that it was being taken care of. You read online that a lot of girls have guilt even if they wanted to go through with it. You however didn't feel this way, you were confident that you were making the right choice for yourself, Miles and your pregnancy. He was being so supportive, he held your hand the entire time and kept telling you: I support you no matter what. As you guys were walking out of the clinic, you were shocked at the hell that broke loose while you were inside. Police cars were everywhere, and three protesters were in handcuffs, you laughed when you saw them. That smile quickly faded once you saw a young woman covered in blood. Apparently one of the protesters threw a bucket of pig's blood on a woman walking back to her car. 

"I wasn't even getting an fucking abortion I came here to pick up my damn birth control!" she practically screamed as an officer comforted her, wiping some of the blood off her face. Once you got back to the car, tears started to flow down your face.

"What's wrong?" Miles asked. 

"Maybe it's just hormones but I feel so bad for that girl. What if that was me I just- people can be so cruel," you said showing a handful of slightly cold fries into your mouth. 

"Yeah pro-life until it's the life of the woman of the fetus," he said, putting the car into drive and making your way home. You were exhausted once you got home, you let your body flop onto the couch. Rio was making spaghetti which you were excited for. She put vegetables in it like mushrooms and zucchini which you really liked. 

"Where have you guys been, I feel like I haven't seen you either in a couple days," she said, wiping her hands on your jeans, pulling Miles into a hug. You could barely keep your eyes open so you excuse yourself and go lay down. Miles followed you explaining that he had to go meet up with Uncle Aaron to handle some business. You don't really remember what you said because as soon as your head hit the pillow you were out. 

~

"Come on Mami, come eat," Rio said as she sat on the bed rubbing your arm up and down to wake you up. You slowly got up, feeling like a bear coming out of hibernation. You walked out and there was already a plate ready for you.

"Thank you so much, it smells so good," you said sitting down. 

"Of course," she paused before continuing, "so, I found this in the bathroom," she said holding up your pregnancy test, you could physically feel the blood draining from your face. 

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you I was-" you started before Rio interrupted you. 

"Don't apologize, you are loved and supported here and I want you to know that I support you. No matter what you decide. Does Miles know?" she asked, sitting down next to you, putting her hand on your knee. 

"Yes he knows, he came with me to planned parenthood. I'm not going to keep the baby, I just don't think our relationship or either of our mental states could handle a baby. I'm not ready," you said, starting to cry for the thousandth time today. 

"You know only Jef and I know this but before Miles I had an abortion. He just got accepted into the police academy and I wasn't even halfway done with nursing school. Not only that, I had such bad morning sickness that I lost 15 pounds. I couldn't eat, sleep or focus; I couldn't get anything done, nothing. My point in telling you this, I want you to know that life can move forwards even as big of an obstacle as this is okay?" she asked and you pulled her into a hug. She laughed and wrapped her arms around you tightly. 

"Thank you for everything," you said. 

"My bonus daughter," she said, pulling away and holding your face in her hands. She then turned on the T.V as you both started to eat. 

"I am currently reporting live from a planned parenthood in Harlem, New York. Three protesters died after an assault of a woman who was doused in blood after picking up a prescription. Police have indicated that The Prowler is tied to this case due to the debris left on the scene and the nature of the attack. Heather Morretti reporting with Channel 101 News." The women spoke loudly through the speaker. 

"Serves them right," Rio said, getting up to grab a drink. You sat there dumbfounded and confused. You immediately get up and run to the bathroom, throwing up everything you ate today.

Authors Note:

Thank you for reading, I was feeling a bit insecure about my writing before posting the first part to this story. I'm so happy to see that people enjoy my work and it makes me feel proud to cover a topic that many women feel they can't talk about without getting attacked. Abortion is health care and as @kickbacknxtdoor said when someone has so many things on their plate, a baby truly can be out of the question and that isn't something to be ashamed of. Again, abortion is health care that every person should have entailment to. If that triggers you, tough tatas.

@sosongstrawberry

@isabelcor3

[emotelizardrambling]

Idea started after reading this post

I love their take, but I thought it would be even more interesting if SugarBoo was close friends with one boy and actually had a bit of a grudge or a more frenemies relationship with the other.

So here is what I came up with so far:

I have a vastly over complicated backstory for my BitterSweet OC, but I am trying to stick to what is relevant. Fair warning, though, It is still pretty long.

SB's mom ran away with them, from their wealthy (but emotionally abusive) father, when they were about 4 or 5. The two ended up in the town where BitterSweet takes place.

SB immediately hit it off with Seth. The two became best friends and were practically joined at the hip for the next 9(ish) years. There was only one major thing they ever seemed to disagree on. Alphonse.

At first, the trio got along alright even if SB was sometimes pretty overwhelmed by Alphonse's energy. As Seth grew closer to Al, however, SB started to realize they were jealous. They tried to just distance themself from the two a little, but Al decided he liked SB right away and would not leave SB alone.

When they started trying to ignore him, he did what way too many little boys do when their first crush doesn't pay attention to them. He started teasing them.

[Note: I can't really see Alphonse becoming a real bully to SB. I could see him teasing them about little things just to get them riled up, though, and I can imagine that, occasionally, a young Al might go a little too far and actually hurt SB's feelings. At which point Seth would tell him off, and Al would do something cute to apologize, and the two would go back to their strange little rivalry.]

By middle school you had Seth with a huge crush on Al but confused as to why he and SB can't seem to get along, SB with a huge crush on Seth but knowing he has a crush on Al who is kindof an ass to them, and Al who had a huge crush on SB but is stuck squarely in the frenemy zone.

Before that mess can be sorted out, though, SB's father found them and their mother and allowed (forced) them to come back to him.

Al and Seth had no idea what happened for months until SB managed send them a letter (through Al's parents) explaining how sorry she was that she never got to sag goodbye and that she hadn't wanted to leave. Not wanting her father to find out about Seth (or Alphonse) or for their friends to see how "Sarah Beth" had to look and behave under their father's thumb, that was the only contact the friends had for a very long time.

After becoming an adult, SB managed to convince (blackmail) their father to leave them alone and made their own way in the world. (With a very solid safety net of hush money.)

They moved to the city, and eventually moved in with a long-term romantic partner, before finally running into Seth again.

Turns out they had been living in the same city for months, but now Seth was just tying up loose ends before he moved back to their hometown to be with Alphonse.

[Note: In this universe, Derek got hit by a truck before ever meeting Seth's mom, and Seth and Al never actually joined the gang. Instead, both worked odd jobs and worked for a long time at a nightclub. Because Seth didn't need to freak out (as much) when Al had to move back to their hometown, the two are still together.]

SB was pretty devastated to hear Al's parents had passed away. SB had always liked the couple, and they always kept Al from poking fun at SB when they were around.

SB and Seth got coffee, caught up, and exchanged contact info. They started regularly texting and chatting online, gradually reforming their long missed friendship.

This would go on for months until Al picked up the shop's landline just before he closed for the night, only to hear SB crying on the other end.

That's where I need to end this post. Sorry about the (sort of) cliffhanger. I actually already wrote a chapter or so of what happens after this, but it needs editing, and all this would kind of be needed for context anyway, so I decided to put it out into the Tumblrverse.

[mageofseven]

Hi there! I love your blog; I found it in 2022 and fell in love with your writing, and was disappointed to see you weren’t active anymore. I stumbled across you again when a mutual reblogged one of your more recent fics, and I’m so happy to see you’re back (and indeed alive)!

If it’s possible, could I request headcanons or a scenario (whichever you prefer) for poly!mc (who is dating all 7 brothers. And the dateables if you feel like it) announcing they’re pregnant, but bc they’ve been sleeping with all of the boys, they have no clue who the father is? I totally understand if you don’t want to write this.

Haha, yes I am alive. I had to leave for multiple reasons; one being the most common reason: life, man 😅

Still, thank you so much for checking out my stories even when I was away! It's always good to hear that people get enjoyment out of the things I write.

Also, another Nonnie recently requested some poly!MC where they date the brothers so I think they'll be happy to read this too~

I think I will add the unDatables to this as well because I've developed an extra strong love for them lately 🥰💕

•▪︎▪︎◇°●♡●°◇▪︎▪︎•

How MC Found Out:

MC discovered she was pregnant through Simeon.

Angels have a special the ability to sense life (or in this case, pre-life) and this man had been sensing something different within the human for a few weeks now.

When he discovered that the blurry feeling attached to MC was a baby though, he didn't know how to bring it up.

He didn't know how his Feather would feel about her condition, but assumed that if she wanted a child, she would have brought up with at least one of the men that she loved so dearly.

The angel could just sense that this would be hard on her

And he was right.

MC cried into his embrace, scared of how the other men would react.

No matter how much she thought about it, the human couldn't pinpoint which man could be the father. I mean, it's not like she writes down in a notebook every time she sleeps with one of them.

And what if the one who is the father doesn't want their baby? Or what if the others are upset because its not theirs? Or...what if none of them wanted to be with her now that she'll be a mom?

He reminded her that the other men were good people who loved her just as dearly as he did.

MC had to tell the others and Simeon was going to support her every step of the way.

With Simeon's help, she gathered all of the men at HoL and tearful announced that she was pregnant, that someone in this room was going to a father.

Lucifer:

The only emotion he let show on his face was shock

But there was so much more swirling around in his chest.

The idea that this child could be his truly scared him.

I mean, he's already a father...and a terrible one at that, he felt.

He did not want this baby to be his; he did not want a second child to risk hurting.

Still, if this child was his then he wouldn't abandon them; abandon MC.

Regardless of whose child they are, Lucifer was going to be there for his Love no matter what.

Summary? This man is scared shitless and doesn't want the child, but is ready and willing to support MC.

Mammon:

"What??"

Unlike Lucifer, he is obviously upset.

I mean, MC is freakin' pregnant.

And that means either he's gonna be a dad and has to get his shit together

Or one of the others, even one of his own brothers, knocked up his Human and honestly, he's not okay with that.

Yeah, he knows this poly relationship thing means he has to share his girlfriend but he did not sign up for one of his brothers to knock up MC.

Honestly has no fucking clue what he wants.

I mean, yeah, he's always kinda wanted a kid, but not now.

One look at the tears flowing down his girlfriend's cheeks though was all he needed to toss all of that that complicated shit aside and promising her that she doesn't gotta worry because The Great Mammon is gonna be here for her no matter what.

Summary: Scared, confused, but has MC's back just like always.

Leviathan:

Levi.exe has stopped working

Which, in fairness, happens a lot because of this women

But it's not funny this time!

Like Mammon, he's both terrified of it being his kid and not being his kid.

Unlike Mammon though, the third brother isn't sure he could handle it if the baby turns out not to be his.

Honestly, he's not too sure what he'd do if the baby's not his.

Hell, he's not sure what he'll do if it is.

This man just wants to hide away in his room indefinitely.

Summary: PANICKING, doesn't think he wants the kid, just wants to hide away.

Satan:

This is one of the last things the wrath demon wants to hear, but he also acknowledges that this was bound to happen at some point.

I mean, he's not exactly found of children.

Even if this child isn't his, the man still has the issue of his Kitten becoming a mom and essentially making him a step dad.

As much as he hates the idea, he acknowledges that this is the best alternative.

Leaving MC over this is not even an idea that the fourth brother is humoring

But he'd also rather that the child not be of his flesh and blood.

Has decided to never let MC hear such thoughts from him though.

Summary: logical but adverse, does not want the child to be his, but will stay by his Kitten's side no matter what.

Asmodeus:

Immediately runs up to his Dolly to hug her

And kisses her tears away.

Promises her that everything will be okay and this is a happy thing!

Plus, he'll be by her side through it all, no matter what!

Tries to get the other men in the room to speak up too and tell her everything is fine

Because hello! Crying MC over here! Get your priorities in order!

Summary: Worried about MC, will be happy regardless of whether the child is his or not, and is fiercely supportive.

Beelzebub:

Boy's brain is buffering

Like he was so confused at first about why his Muffin was so upset.

Like, there's gonna be a baby here in HoL! How can that not be a happy thing?

Then he remembered how his twin dislikes kids and realized that he doesn't know how the other men feel about them.

Suddenly becomes very upset for MC and walks up to give her a big hug

But is very mindful about how tight he hugs her because he understands that his Muffin is basically a walking plus one right now so he needs to be gentle.

Tells her that he's here for her and her baby no matter what.

Yes, Beely would love it if the baby was his own, but will still love this child if it's not because it's his Muffin's.

Summary: Confusion melts into concern, wants the baby to be his but will love it even if its not, agrees with Asmo that MC is the priority and wants everyone to be on the same page.

Belphegor:

"You gotta be kidding me."

Believes this is one of the worst things to happen to him

And is now becoming paranoid that maybe he's the one who fucked up.

I mean, they always used protection, but those runes aren't foolproof.

All it could have took was his hand to be just slightly sloppy when drawing the rune below her navel beforehand for the whole thing to be faulty

And the sloth demon didn't always check his work, so to speak.

Does not, under any circumstances, want this kid to be his.

Hell, he doesn't want this kid to exist at all.

But that's not his decision and he knows this.

He felt like things were going so good and now its ruined.

Still...the man was still indebted to her. He killed his Human once before and it was the worst mistake of his life.

He can't take it back; that's why aims to just make her happy

So this man isn't going anywhere, no matter how miserable he gets.

Summary: angry at himself and paranoid, does not want the child at all, but is going no where while his Human needs him.

Diavolo:

The prince's initial feeling was excitement.

I mean, MC's pregnant! He could be a dad!

And honestly, this man would love nothing more than to have a child with his Queen.

He understands why MC is upset and is very vocal with comfort, telling her that she'll get through this, that they will all get through this.

Another man that would be okay with the child not being his.

Don't get him wrong; he wants that child to be his so badly

But will also be accepting if it turns out that they're not.

If the child is not his, he will still be good them to them and his Queen

But also plans on asking MC in the future if she could give him one of his own.

Please MC, make this man a Daddy 🥺

Summary: Excited and tries to help the situation, really wants the baby to be his, stands by his Queen no matter what.

Barbatos:

Pursed his lips at the news, but ultimately says nothing.

Is pained just by seeing his Dear's tears, but hesitates to step forward and comfort her because of the other men already doing so.

This situation was one of the reasons why he wasn't too pleased about this poly relationship.

The butler didn't necessarily mind sharing his girlfriend with the other men

Nor did he mind that her baby might have been conceived with one of the other men.

What he did mind, however, was just how spread thin she seemed some days.

MC put so much effort in keeping the peace and trying to keep things fair for the men, even when it became mentally exhausting

So for her to be made afraid of the very reactions of the men who could have been the one to have brought her into this situation?

Grows a bit of resentment towards some of the others.

Barb couldn't hold much sympathy for them while knowing all that MC has done for them.

Will stick by her and her child no matter what.

Hopes that this child is not his, but only because his power to see into the future is genetic and when you lack the skill to control it, it can be mentally torturous.

Barb would never wish such a thing on a child hence why he'd prefer it to not be of his blood.

Summary: Concerned for MC and resentful of the men who are making this worse for her, does not want the child to be his because of a genetic issue, but is prepared to take care of MC and the child.

Solomon:

Frowned upon hearing this announcement.

It wasn't because of the pregnancy though.

In truth, the sorcerer was more or less ambivalent about children.

I mean, he did well enough with them and got along well with Luke

But its never exactly been a priority to have his own.

Honestly, Soli didn't even mind the idea of his little Minx carrying the baby of another man; I mean, they all agreed to share her and things like this happen sometimes.

What bothered him was how upset she was.

Told his little Minx that there was nothing to be afraid of.

There's this saying that it takes a village to raise a child and in truth, MC had quite the village in front of her.

Things will work out; it will just take some time.

Summary: Concerned for MC, does not care if the child is his or not, prepared to weather through this storm with his little Minx.

Simeon:

Kept an arm around her while she broke the news to the others.

The angel wished he could take her suffering away, but could only stand with her as she cried.

Has never stopped supporting her since the moment he sensed her pregnancy and will continue to support her.

These other men, many of whom he'd consider a friend, surely will understand.

The situation is difficult, yes, but MC needs them all now more than ever.

Does not truly stop to consider if this child is his or not.

Angels generally don't procreate. Then again, that is because the method of doing so is forbidden in the Celestial realm.

Yes, he and MC have a pretty active bedroom life

And yes, he has just as much of a chance of being the father as the other men

But such thoughts have not even occurred to him yet because he's been so focused on MC and her feelings.

Still, if the child does end up being his, he will love it dearly.

If the child ends up not being his, he will still love it dearly.

This child is his Feather's after all so he will make sure they grow up safe and loved.

Summary: Solely focused on MC's wellbeing, hasn't realized the fact that he himself could be this child's father, will fervently support the woman during this hard time.

[sendme-2hell]

The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore - Kim Fu

Summary: A group of young girls at sleepaway camp get stranded in the woods by themselves in Canada (sound familiar?). The narrative alternates between what happened in the woods, and a vignette from each girl in their adult life.

Yellowjackets connection: This book is so spiritually similar to Yellowjackets it’s wild. The way that we see what happened in the woods and flash forward to the adults and how it affected them. The way that it's partially about the viciousness that comes out when girls are left alone. The way that hierarchies break down in the woods. I find myself thinking about this book while watching Yellowjackets.

Is it queer?: only a very little with one character in her adult life

My Brilliant Friend - Elena Ferrante

Summary: Elena and Lila are two intelligent girls growing up in poverty in 1950’s Naples. They have an obsessive and competitive relationship. Elena is able to get an education when Lila is not, and their paths diverge here. The entire four-part book series follows their relationship and distinct lives into late adulthood.

Yellowjackets Connection: My Brilliant Friend is about a lot more than just female friendship, class differences foremost. But obsessive homoerotic female friendships and their complications are front and center. The Neapolitan series follows Elena and Lila as they grow into adults and have their own children, so it shows young women and the adults they grow into. Also has themes of trauma, unreliable narrators, patriarchy, jealousy, ambitious women. 

If you follow my tumblr you know I will connect anything to MBF but Yellowjackets writers did it for me in the show. They literally said Shauna/Jackie = Elena/Lila. If you don’t remember, this is when adult Shauna has dinner with Jackie’s mom who says she’s reading MBF and that the girls in the book remind her so much of Shauna and Jackie. She meant it as an insult to Shauna but it really is a great comparison. Especially since Lila and Elena def had something vaguely fruity going on (but also for other, spoilery reasons). Elena Ferrante is pretty much the go-to when it comes to writing about complicated female friendships so it is not a surprise that they reference it in the show. If you are obsessed with the Shauna/Jackie “friendship” this book series is for you! 

Is it queer? if you consider Jackie and Shauna’s relationship to be queer then yes. There is a lot of subtext and in the later books a little more than subtext. 

Cat’s Eye - Margaret Atwood

Summary: A painter returns to where she grew up and memories that she blocked out of a traumatic childhood friendship resurface.

Yellowjackets connection: Women thinking about their traumatic friendships! And how these affected them going forward in life. The girls in this are a little younger than Yellowjackets girls but I think it is still a foundational text about traumatic female friendships and unreliable narrators. I am absolutely a Margaret Atwood apologist so don’t come for me (or do. I love messages in my inbox)

Is it queer?: no ):

Big Swiss - Jen Beagin

Summary: Greta is a transcriber for a sex therapist where she learns all sorts of intimate details of his clients. She becomes obsessed with a client and even starts a sexual relationship with her! She does not disclose her prior knowledge of this woman so things get messy. 

Fun fact for Killing Eve fans: It is going to be made into a series starring Jodie Comer!

Yellowjackets connection: This is the only book on this list that doesn’t really flash between old and young versions of a character (a bit at the end). Yet I think it deserves to be on this list because messy queer women and obsession and mental illness. Also now that I am thinking about it actually the main character does think about her childhood in the woods a bit...

Is it queer?: The main relationship is between two women and they have a lot of sex. So, yes!

Trust Exercise - Susan Choi

Summary: Don’t want to spoil any of the big reveals but it’s vaguely about highschool  theatre kids and their unhealthy dynamic with their abusive theatre teacher. Trigger warnings for statutory rape and general predatory behavior.

Yellowjackets connection: The reason I put this on my list is because it is about women in high school going through trauma and their adult selves dealing with it. It is about the stories they tell themselves to cope. It is about unreliable narrators. It is about narrative and truth and figuring out what actually happened. The book will not tell you directly, you have to discover it yourself (or read a review that explains it).

Is it queer? no ):

[xx-midnight-candy-goblin-xx]

Jackson's Diary Headcanons

Because I saw someone else post theirs so now I wanna post mine :P But also some of these things are just canon lol

Jackson: Transmasc, He/him, maybe bipolar?? bisexual preference to femmes (i'm totally not projecting onto him), helps Carol bake sometimes, reads the newspaper like an old man (got the habit from Frank), secretly likes gossiping with Ronald on occasion, spends most of his weekends doing homework or reading comics, zodiac is Taurus,

Exer: Genderfluid, unlabeled (canon) with a preference to boys, autistic, music is LIFE, literally cannot do chores unless music is playing, would listen to Fallout Boy and Imagine Dragons, from Jamaica

Pamela: cis she/her, bisexual, has an undercut because her hair is more manageable that way, had a crush on Brenda at some point, sometimes gets Spanish and English grammar mixed up, her parents have English as a second language so she and Marco have to translate for them sometimes, Dia de los Muertos goes hard 🔥, visits family in Mexico whenever she can (Marco usually takes her because of complications with her parents not being American citizens), knows some traditional dances that her mom taught her, would read the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series,

David: bisexual (canon) no preference, cis he/him (canon), ADHD, randomly really good at swimming, still steals Exer's sweaters often, would listen to Canon Gray (is it gray or grey?? also hello kitty I know I just summoned you here by saying "conan"), knows how to sew, has small flecks of gray in his eyes, is of German and Irish heritage

Brenda: unlabeled , she/it because yes, models Jolie's clothes, had a crush on Pamela at some point, EXTREMELY good at basically every sport in the history of ever, if "looks like a cinnamon roll could kill you" was a person, ADHD, would listen to Chappell Roan, is of German and Irish heritage,

Ronald: queer, ace (canon), all pronouns and neopronouns but prefers he/she, looks like he could kill you but is a cinnamon roll, treats Jackson like a brother, writes to his mother and sister(s) in Russia often, she absolutely amazing with kids and animals, has the patience of a god, has weekly gossip sessions with nearly all of her friends

Ken: *cracks knuckles*, he/they/it, pansexual, autistic and ADHD, totally has a thing for redheads, sensory issues. thought he was gay for a solid two years before realizing he was pan, they love reading fantasy, favorite animal is a dragon because why wouldn't it be?, fluent in Japanese but only knows how to read Hiragana and Katakana, not Kanji though, loves drawing hates painting, love/hate relationship with pottery, may or may not have the tiniest crush on Jackson, questioned if they had a crush on Jolie (they didn't), would marry Jolie for tax purposes though, has good grades because of pressure from his parents (his grades in ELA and S.S. could be much better though), has MANY inside jokes with its siblings, would listen to Imagine Dragons and AViVA, knows some Eisa dances (Search "mirukumunari" on YouTube, it's one of my favorite Eisa dances), would read Wings of Fire as an elementary school student,

Jolie: demigirl she/they, sapphic, would listen to Girl in Red, loves being crafty, WILL BECOME FAMOUS FOR HER CLOTHING DESIGNS BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER GENIUS WOMAN OF COLOR TO BE FORGOTTEN TO TIME AND DESPAIR, became/will become a big advocate for queer rights and poc rights, took over the cafe once her mom died/retired, Brenda and Ken model clothes for her often, also Jamaican (or from the Bahamas? hmmmmm), very neat and organized and has a calendar that has the rest of her senior year planned out to nearly the exact minute of everything, models her own clothes as well, does photography as a hobby

Timothy: Transmasc he/him (canon), dyed his hair red, writes/draws comic books (Jackson proof reads them like the nerd he is), babysits often, chills in the library at school whenever he can, knows American Sign Language and how to read lips (might be canon?), would've read Warrior Cats, can hold basic conversations in Russian

I might edit this later idk

[marumafan]

Hello, I just have a few not-so-quick questions.

First, was the novel never written with a proper plot from the beginning? Did Sensei change their mind a lot during the writing process? I heard the later novels are really dark, but in the first one, they mentioned that their main focus was humor with a touch of emotional moments. If that’s true, wouldn’t there be a lot of plot holes?

Also, I’m trying to read the novel now, but Sensei’s writing style is really hard to follow, especially in the translated version. There are many parts where the wording feels unnecessarily complicated. Because of this, the translator had to include a lot of footnotes at the end of the novel just to explain what Sensei meant, which really disrupts the reading experience and makes it far less smooth. So, I really want to know if it’s worth spending my time reading this.

Ah, yes, a side question—did the relationship between Wolfram and his mother improve as the story went on? I’m really curious to know if Yuuri’s impression of their dynamic as a “silly mother and son” ever developed into something deeper. Whether it got better or worse doesn’t matter—I’d just like to see some kind of growth. If not, I think I’ll feel quite disappointed.

Btw, if you have time, could you summarize how the relationships within the royal family change as the story goes on too? I’d love to see how their characters and bonds grow beyond Yuuri’s first impressions of them. I don’t mind being spoiled.

Thank you very much.

I'll delete this answer in a few days if there's no interest... as the questions seem to be... particular. Edit(days later): I apparently think that 11 likes is enough interest to let this stay, it stays. I hope you're all having a wonderful day. PLOT 1) Yes, she changed her mind a lot. Up until the 3rd novel she didn't know the story would be picked up by the publisher or if it was going to be a one off/ two off. Then with novel 5 on she started this whole 'forbidden boxes' thing. She wanted to kill Conrad, fans threw a hissy fit and didn't let her. She made the grand reveal about Yuuri in novel 8-no spoilers-. In 9 she started a new arc- unsure if she was prepping the end, or if because the novels started to take years instead of months to be released she conjured it during those years, but along the way she prepped an ending (Yuuri dreaming the events of the novel), but then her editor GEG didn't let her end the novel like that by novel 13 . Then she tried to kill (CHARACTER), and again fans threw a hissy fit, he had to be revived . Here's another -> Gwen's arm She does forget a lot and in the 'encyclopedia' for example, she asks us to pretend the 'plot-hole' is not there because 'sensei forgets'. Her forgetfulness is addressed often when things don't make sense, especially in interviews and such. STYLE AND TRANSLATION 2) I like the writing style, so I can't help here. This is a matter of opinion. As for translations, for decades the fandom didn't have these novels available and so many fans couldn't access them. All the many translators that helped with the translations did some SOLID work of love, unrewarded. Nowadays, you have AI. Gemini, ChatGPT, etc. If you don't like the translation, buy the novels and throw them at one of these AI. You'll get fairly accurate translations from them (good luck with the cultural points and the puns.) CHERIE AND WOLF 3) I don't understand this question. Wolf and his mom seem to be all right. Cherie loves all her sons, but has a soft spot for the youngest, because he looks like her . He has strange feelings for her, on the one hand he loves his mom - as do all the brothers- and accept her as the airhead she is. On the other hand, there are probably a lot of things he disapproves of of her - ... he seems uncomfortable with her many suitors in general and the harem she had. But if this is a relationship dynamic that interests you , you can read the novels and find out. The relationship is not strained... but they're not besties.

[eggman91]

So feel free to delete this but I got this idea from this comic called “Miss Kitty and her Bodyguards” where a young child humanoid cat is the hero’s to a mafia group and is raised by the bodyguards who are protecting her. It’s a pretty good read so I suggest you give it a chance but anyway back to my request.

I was think of Atlas having a daughter before he died (you can choose if she was born before Atlas met Mitzi or if the daughter is their biological child) and she’s raised by the Lackadaisy crew.

Thank you for your time.

Nah fam it fine and anon I like this idea

I’m going with the idea atlas had this child before he met Mitzi she would be like around Ivy age so I’m gonna just write their relationships because yeah also apologies this might be lazy

-atlas (your dad die lol)

you and your dad well, complicated you know he love you in his own way but he was a mix of distance and stoic probably because of all the booze empire, but he did pay for all your school and toys and stuff but still his death was hard but he did try to teach you some skills of his

(I feel like atlas, wouldn’t care about gender as long as you knew how to shoot a gun and run a business so he would’v try to teach both genders)

-Mitzi (your mom got it going on)

she just mom well you haven’t called her mom in a long time. Just Mitzi but when you first met she spoiled you alittle you never met your actual mom and well she became your strongest mother figure (one reason she liked you is she didn’t have to have a pregnancy to ruin her figure and especially if you’re like a girl )

but yeah but after atlas death you was one of her rock (well once she didn’t really use a lot but still) you learn lot of charisma from her even learning to play the ukulele

-Ivy (your “little” sister)

your sister from another mother and Father both of you grew up in the speakeasy. It was a little over there, so she was like your little sister, but little by little bit but you guys are thick is thieves and still are (if it male some people say you should dated, but that would’ve been weird) you’re a little overprotective of her but she a clever girl…

(if girl she would probably get you in to the more fashion sense buying clothes, for the both of you making me wear these flapper outfits and if boy the same but she get this pinstripe suits)

-viktor (uncle with big divorce, energy)

I’m just gonna do it again it’s the same with the IV but like there’s two IVs now you see the both of you like his metaphor children but to you he like your tall gruff slav uncle Ivy have a definite has a better relationship with him I guess but you understand him a bit

(like Ivy you learn some mechanical stuff from him )

-Mordecai ( estranged brother with big divorce energy)

well he like your older brother kind of he was more busy with Atlas (honestly made you a little jealous) but it was a OK acquaintance, but you did share a nice appreciation of crossword puzzles, to be honest you weren’t really close to him but he seems like he was an OK guy a serious weird OK guy your dad liked

but then he left after your dad death you don’t really have much feelings on him. Yeah, you were bit sad that he left but he kneecapped Viktor that oathbreaker

(he probably try to pass some more refined, intelligent words to you. Most of them went over your head, but some stuck)

-zib (your mess of a uncle and …..your mom ex)

oh boy this mess of a cat at he didn’t talk to you and try to ignore you didn’t know why but after you and Ivy shenanigans he open up a little more and more now he’s just zib you did play ukulele for the band from time to time when you was older he was just zib

then boom you found out he was your mom ex and your dad cucked him hard which was fucked up (he did teach you how to bum a cigarette )

-rocky and freckle

They’re both relatively new Rocky been here for a year and freckle only for a short while (also dating Ivy ) to be honest, you don’t mind honest….. anyway you rocky freckle and Ivy are the club main rumrunner now you know rocky better then freckle and freckles, a bit weird at least rocky is honest weird but freckle he has something in him those eyes when he get a gun

you sometime play with Rocky he with the violin you with the ukulele

(Sidenote rocky x Atlas daughter you alway thought rocky was cute in his own manic way he was one of your rock when Atlas died you cry on his shoulder and well you wouldn’t mind to date him )