#sis was ride or die from the moment Alex let her be

[cakebeam]

Thoughts on RNM 3x08 - In two parts. First part will be everything outside of Malex.

Hip-hip-hurray, Malex finally happened!

Now let’s cut to all the other sh*t.

First off I just want to say, this is going to be very much a downer about 3x08 (and season 3 as a whole) so if you’re still wanting to just ride the Malex kiss high- best to just pass on this.

Where to begin. How about with Liz Ortecho, the still currently demoted main character that’s barely been involved in the storylines this season because someone else has taken her place. The wishy-washy concern Liz is giving to her other friends (outside of Maria), giving no mention or care about Kyle, and she’s barely showing any concern about Max after finding out Jones is in his F*CKING BODY and his mind is probably trapped in there as well with him. It becomes really apparent when compared to her overwhelming concern for Maria. Like, they're not this close as friends. But here’s Liz trying to create a rescue serum for Maria, going above and beyond for Maria, talking to Maria about her issues when she’s in a coma- WHAT ABOUT MAX??? The guy she’s supposed to be in love with?? Why wasn’t she seen talking to him, even if it was to his hat or something? ANYTHING. Or Rosa, her sister she’s only had back for 2 years? Instead all of Liz’s concerns and care is being given to only Maria- her ultimate best friend apparently who she didn’t speak to at all for a whole f*cking decade and didn’t want to clue in about Rosa coming back from the dead… Yeah ok.

Then we have the science-y hogwash scene in the barn of Isobel and Rosa inquiring about if they will make it while being in the mind vortex and Liz says “according to evidence you will die”. LOL WHAT?! What evidence?! You have evidence on alien mind visiting relating to death? Bitch where?!?! I don’t even pay attention to the science of this show but that one was so stupid it caught my attention. And then the unbelievable full minute scene of Liz to revved up background music heating up some horseshoes so Maria’s temp stays up.. Wow. You brought a patient into a drafty barn with the door open and didn’t think to bring some hot water bottles? Or a non-electric heating pad? Or I don’t know, NOT use a barn? They could have used the Wild Pony, I mean literally anywhere else.

Let’s get to some unfavorable scenes shall we? Isobel and Rosa taking the time to prop up Maria and calling her brave for reliving her grandmother’s disturbing memories while waiting outside of the room where she’s injecting people was really not the moment to do so. Is Rosa ever brave for having to constantly hang out in a bar this season because everyone refuses to go anywhere else? Or Kyle for standing up to a racist, almost dying, and consistently helping this group at the stake of losing his job and is now comatose? Is anyone else ever allowed to be given some praise on this show? The writer’s had 7 episodes of every character being up Maria’s ass, maybe cool it for this one?

Then there’s Alex’s moment of talking about Omar. Oh sweet jesus. I honestly did not see them going down this route for his story on his leg. I mean, we are all aware of the horrors that the U.S. military does to innocent people overseas, if this is the story they wanted to give to Alex, it shouldn’t have been, “because the Taliban killed a little boy who was his friend and so he avenged him”. This is a made up story in a fantasy show, the writer’s didn’t need to feed the audience some military/saviorism bullsh*t. What happened to Alex being aware he was part of the problem when he was in the army? What about the burning villages? The people screaming? “That the evil is YOU”? What about all of that? Instead we’re gonna bring up the Taliban now??? No sis, that’s not it. I am really disappointed with the writer’s with this. Alex’s loss of his leg could have been 100 other situations, not this.

Extra bad bits:

Isobel’s very tone deaf line of, “can I force one on you?” in reference to getting Liz to drink some wine. The writer’s should have known why Iz saying this would be distasteful. Also, it’s just a gross saying, why write it at all?

Kyle is basically not spoken of at all in this episode. While he is in a coma (in some other barn apparently) and also been injected with god knows what. No one in the group seems to give a sh*t because Maria needs everyone’s attention all of the time. Un-f*cking-believable. 

This Maria worship of season 3, when her actions from last season still have not been criticized or condemned by the writer’s, shows me that the homophobic narratives of last season will not be addressed and that the messaging of this show has OK’d Alex’s mistreatment last season. And I am not here for it.

[makunga]

How does Alanna fit into canon👀

Okay, LONG POST HERE WE GO

Madagascar (Original)

Alanna is established as a buddie of the zoosters.

it is also established that by some twist of fate she can communicate with them

Alanna, at this point, is 20 and an intern at the zoo. She makes sure the animals are taken care of, monitors their habitats and spends time showcasing them to visitors.

For the most part, they just have an understanding that they’re buddies. 

Then Marty gets his Connecticut idea and they enlist the help of Lani to show them the way, or the way he might have taken.

Well, when things go to hell and the animals are about to be shipped off, Lani books it home and makes the extremely impulsive decision to stowaway in the crate that’s supposed to hold all of Melman’s placebo medical equipment.

So, when the crates go overboard, so does Lani, and she washes up after Gloria. It’s a shock, but it’s what they have to deal with now. 

Things go pretty normally, but the story would have a beat about the animals getting a little closer to and looking out for Alanna since she’s the least threatening out of the four. 

The lemurs are like “so when is this one going to go to die like the ones in the plane?” 

“Melman is dying, so some fucking respect.” 

Alanna is the first to join the “Fun Side.”

Nothing much afterward, she just kinda follows the majority of the group.

Escape 2 Africa

She’s 21 at this point

Alanna would trust the Fab Four with her life and she has a little dynamic with the penguins and Julien, but mostly she just wants to drink on the flight home.

Okay, so obviously the animals on the reserve don’t trust her askldjalskd

Alex and the others are vouching for her at the moment

“Lani’s practically helpless.”

“I wouldn’t say helpless, but yeah. I’m a danger to myself.”

Makunga especially calls her out and there’s that sass-fest.

She tries to warn Alex that a dance battle isn’t really the style around here, but he’s just convinced that this is what he’s meant to do and tells her to go find someone else to bug

Yeah we have that plot, but it doesn’t last long

Alanna gets exiled with Alex and his family bc Makunga is a Bitch™

She decides that she’s sticking with Alex and helps him head out to find water.

“I’d blend in, but I don’t exactly look like a tourist anymore.”

Again, the standard ending, but Alanna elists Marty’s help to build her a little hut to live in

Europe’s Most Wanted

Lani is 22

Alanna acts as the spy on the inside, helping the lemurs get into the control room.

When they bust out, Dubois makes a note that she isn’t after Alanna, but that’s going to change more and more as she fails to capture the zoosters with Lani’s interference.

So, when they hitch a ride with the circus, they make the story that Alanna was their ringmaster/owner and they recently lost everything they had.

Lani is not putting up with Vitaly’s shit, but they are about to become buddies.

Stefano is baby

OKAY I HAVE IN MY NOTES THAT SHE HAS A SCAR FROM ONE OF VITALY’S KNIFES, SO THAT’S SOMETHING?? 

She probably flinched a bit too hard and it hit her arm or something.

Lani takes up the facade of being the ringmaster, and tries to help out with some acts as well as working on her own flair and some good moves. She mostly lets the animals take the lead.

At one point, she finds Vitaly and says “teach me to throw knives.” And he does, reluctantly. I mean, she clearly wasn’t angry about the knife incident and wanted to really try with him so?? Oof he’s got a new friend.

Well, the actual circus finally comes around and Alanna presents the act and gets tf out of there, but Vitaly pulls her back in to vibe with him

They have a Moment™ when they’re revealed to never have been circus because what the fuck he showed you his knives and he actually cares about you sis

“I showed you my knives please respond” 

Yeah, Vee is really torn up about opening up to someone and having them betray him

Well, Lani is treated like any other missing person, and asked to join the Welcome Back ceremony since she kept them safe, i guess

Dubois has this bitch at gunpoint she is going to Die™

Then the circus comes to rescue them

She and Vitaly have another Moment™

So yee, that’s Alanna. As you can tell, she has a lot more to do in the third movie. I’m already attached to this character so expect more in the future alkjdslaksjd

[thealexkingsley]

‘Alexandra’ | Self Paragraph

Her alarm went off and was met with a loud groan as Alex rolled over, arm outstretched to hit the top of the clock. She couldn’t remember falling asleep, but from how her eyes stung she assumed that she hadn’t exactly had an early night. “Fuck--” she breathed out as she pushed the tattered blanket off her small frame, swinging her legs around and running her hands down her face before looking to the clock. 0715. 

Why was Alex up so early? Today was the day of her first meeting with her Father, of this ‘restorative justice’ programme. As soon as her brain clicked into gear and she realised what day it was, she was wide awake. Heart thrashing at her ribcage as she paced around her room in her underwear, running her hands through her hair. What the hell did she even do? What did she wear? What was she going to say to him? She’d been thinking about that last question ever since she spoke to the prison officer last week... What were the first words out of her mouth going to be? To the man that abused her her whole life, to the man that gave her all her scars, to the man that tried to kill her. Had he changed?

The heat of the flame was enough to ground her out of a spiral of questions as she lit a cigarette. She wanted a joint, but she knew there was no way they’d let her in stinking of weed. Fuck-- could they drug test her? She should have asked that... Or shouldn’t have, because then they’d know... All these thoughts kept gonig around and around her head as she smoked, then in the shower, as she was getting dressed and as she was leaving her room. “Alex, can we talk?” The voice of her roommate echoed through her as she picked up her keys and stuffed them into her leather jacket pocket. 

“Er, sure-- just not right now, Meaghan, alright? I have somewhere I need to be, it’s important,” she replied as she opened the door.

“A job interview?” 

“No-- no, I... It’s just something personal, I’ll be back by 3,” Alex said before walking out and down the hall, pressing the elevator key which didn’t light up. “Fuckin’ thing,” she muttered as she hit it a few times, the elevator finally clicking into action. Sure, she could have taken the stairs, they were probably a hell of a ton safer but fuck she lived on the 14th floor. Even going down, that was a lot of stairs and fuck exercise. The next thing she knew she was on the bus, travelling to the East River bridge where she then got off and got onto private transport across and onto Rikers Island. 

The next few minutes were a blur, there were two or three men and women in blue uniforms asking her a bunch of questions she couldn’t remember even straight after they’d asked them. Then, one of them defintely patted her down and searched through all her pockets, she was sure of that. But, all she could focus on was the door infront of her. The big, heavy grey metal door that she knew seperated her from her Father. Her eyes didn’t move from it the moment the officer who talked her through how it was going to go said that he was behind it. Then, the same officer pushed his key into the hole and she felt this whole wave of regret and fear. She was sure she went white as a sheet because she had to push her nails into her palms to keep herself from passing the fuck out. 

“You ready, kid?” The old man who had his key in the door said, a look of concern on his face. Did he know this was a stupid decision too? Fuck... Fuck!

“Y-- Yeah... And I’m not a kid,” she muttered, furrowing her brow as she took a step forward and he opened the door.

There he was. 

Alex had gone over so many things she wanted to scream at him, so many things she wanted to yell in his face knowing she had the protection of the prison staff. But, now he was sat at the desk in front of her, hands cuffed to the metal bar in the middle... Every line she’d rehearsed in her head was gone. She couldn’t think of anything. He didn’t look much different to the last time she’d seen him over four years ago, the only thing she noticed was a scar that ran across his eye and one that cut through his top lip. Was that Nicola? 

There must have been a significant pause and silence because one of the guards coughed to break up the quiet and then told her that she could sit down. “Er-- right... S-sure...” She muttered before hesitently walking up and sitting down at the desk. Her lips parted again to say something, but then closed again. She could hear the sound of her heart, she could feel her stomach turning over and over again. “... Dad...” Alex finally managed, feeling a tear roll out of the corner of her eye. What the fuck? She quickly wiped it away and sniffed up. 

“Alexandra, I didn’t realise you had left home. When they said I was--”

“Alex.” She snapped. “My name is Alex...” 

Jackson’s jaw clenched as she interupted him, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat as he thickly swallowed and rose his eyebrows. “No, your name is Alexandra-- I should know, I did name you after all.” 

“Please... Just fucking call me Alex, you know I hate my-- you know I hate you calling me that,” she bit back, hand curling into a fist in her lap, tongue sliding over her lips as she glanced between the officers and then back to her Father. “And aren’t you the one supposed to be making up for everything?” 

“Making up for what? Raising you? Giving you a roof over yours and George’s head?” 

“Don’t you fucking say his name!” She shouted, hand slamming down on the desk as she felt her eyes water, the tears breaking out of the corners of her eyes as she heard him laugh. He was laughing. “The fuck you laughing at?” 

“You,” he chuckled as he leant back in his chair, raising his eyebrows at his daughter and sniffing up. “You’re just as pathetic as you’ve always been...” 

“You have no idea who I am-- you had no idea who any of us were, you were so pre-fucking-occupied with selling drugs and getting high!” 

“And it looks like my traits have passed on a generation,” Jackson smirked as she dropped his chair back onto four legs, leaning across the table which prompted the officers to all take a step in. “Look at that white knuckle fist, Alexandra. I know that look in your eyes-- you have my anger in you, don’t you? Are you angry? Are you? Hit me-- go on, do it, it’ll make you feel so much better, they won’t do anything, they fucking hate me,” Jackson laughed as he turned his head as if to offer it for a smack. 

Alex could feel the red curtain drawing down, she could feel her chest rising and falling as her nails drew blood into the center of her palms. “I’m not!” She yelled, pushing her chair back so fast it flew backwards and hit the wall. “I’m fucking nothing like you! She was right-- you are a fucking monster.”.

"A monster?” He laughed, clapping his hands on the desk a few times. “Who said that? Mommy? Are you talking to ghosts, Alexandra?” 

“Fuck you,” she spat into his face. “I wish she’d fucking killed you, but I suppose you rotting in a prison cell makes a close second.” One of the officers had stepped in next to Alex, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t fucking touch me, I want to leave. This is over... Send him back to Chicago.”.

“Killed me? Oh-- Oh, now hang on a minute,” he raised his hand as much as he could, eyebrows both raising at the same time as he pointed to the scar on his face. “You mean Nicola fucking Slone, don’t you? You know her?” 

“I want to leave.” 

“Alexandra, c’mon now, this is finally getting interesting... How do you know her?” 

“MY NAME IS FUCKING ALEX!” She yells throwing herself forward towards her Father but is caught by the officer before her fist could so much as touch him who then carries her out kicking and screaming. “I HOPE YOU FUCKING DIE! YOU RUINED OUR FUCKING LIVES!” It wasn’t until the grey metal door slammed closed and the silence of the holding room hit her like a slap across the face that she realised it was over. She tried to get control of her breathing again as the officer spoke to her. She didn’t quite make out everything he was saying, something about how that was usually how most first sessions went, about how it was healthy to get everything out, about trying it again next month... 

“No-- No, just send him back, please, I don’t--” 

“Just give it a month... Give it another go...” 

Alex couldn’t think straight, everything was so fucking loud it was deafening. “I want to leave.”. Then, it felt like she blinked and she was back on the bus headed back to Brooklyn, back to Kingsboro. Her head was like a whirlwind, thoughts going around and around, the image of him laughing. Laughing at her. You have my anger in you. That was repeating over and over all her other thoughts. She didn’t. She wasn’t like him-- she was nothing like her Father. 

The bus ride was well over an hour, but it seemed to fly by within five seconds and it wasn’t until she suddenly snapped back into reality and realised she had missed her stop that she jumped up and ran down to the driver. “I’m really sorry-- I-- my stop was back there, please-- can I jump off? We’re in traffic,” she pleaded to which the bus driver just groaned, rolled his eyes and opened the doors. “Thank you--” she breathed out before jumping off and turning to walk back the way they’d just came from back to her apartment block. 

She called the elevator in the lobby and felt this overwhelming need to get so fucking high she just forgot about the rest of the day, about everything. Fuck him. Fuck that. Fuck everything. Alex felt her eyes close as she leant back against the back of the elevator as it carried her slowly up the complex. She was sure she drifted off into some kind of micronap because she jumped back into conciousness when the doors pinged. “Fuck--” Alex groaned to herself as she dragging her feet out onto the corridor and down it. She narrowed her eyes a little when she saw her big satchal on the doorstep. “The fuck Meaghan?” She muttered to herself as she pulled her keys out and tried to push the front door key in but couldn’t. Then, she realised that the locks had been changed. “What the hell?” 

Alex knocked at the door, sighing heavily as she pinched the bridge of her nose. This was the last fucking thing she needed. “Meaghan!” She shouted as she slammed her fist against the door, shaking the wood. “Meaghan!” She kept going until finally the door opened. “Dude-- what the fuck?” 

“Alex, I tried to tell you earlier... Listen, I can’t do this anymore, I can’t keep paying your cut. I have a new roommate now, actually, it’s-- my boyfriend has moved in,” 

“Boyfriend? I thought you were gay-- wait, that...” Alex shook her head as she held her arms out. “Where am I supposed to go? I have nowhere to fucking go, Meg!” 

“You need to find somewhere, I’m tired... It’s been four years of this, Alex. Every single month I have to chase you and I’m fucking tired-- I can’t do it anymore...” 

“I’ll-- I’ll change! Please-- don’t fucking kick me out... Meaghan...” 

“I’m sorry Alex... Really, I am...” 

Then the door closed in her face and Alex kicked it. “Fuck!” She yelled, turning around a few times on the spot as she pulled at her hair. “Fuck! You’re a fucking bitch, Meaghan! You were way better when I thought you were fuckin’ gay!” Alex bent down and picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder as she walked back down the corridor, a door at the end opening and an old lady stepping out. 

“Would you please stop shouting, young lady, my son is trying to sleep!” She hush-shouted in that little old lady fragile voice.

Alex rolled her eyes. “Tell your son to suck my fuckin’ dick,” she made a motion to her croch with both her hands as she passed her to which the lady gasped and slammed the door shut. Alex hit the elevator call button, and yeah, she guessed it! “This-- FUCKING PLACE!” She punched the button really hard and winced as she felt her knuckle crack, bringing her hand into her chest as she rolled her eyes and entered the stairwell, jogging down the stairs and then out the fire escape and onto the streets of South Kingsboro.

Where the fuck does she go now?

[zoeykaytesmom]

What Is Life?

Description: I am taking my OC from A03, and putting her and Rafael Barba in a different universe of how they meet. I’m new to posting on here so it might take me a little bit to figure this out lol. The title comes from a George Harrison song; it’ll make more sense the longer the story goes.

@xemopeachx @sweetsummertime99 @lyssa1385 @tropes-and-tales @esparza-army @jramirezblogs @thatesparzacrush

September 1989

“Ma why do we have to switch schools for our Freshman year?” Anthony Rossetti Jr, or Tony as he was called, practically whined while his mother, Stella fixed breakfast.

“Stop whining, Junior,” his twin sister, Elizabeth or Izzy, said as she came in the kitchen, holding her blue and white plaid tie. “Ma a little help?”

“You two are going to have to learn to tie these yourselves,” Stella laughed as she took the tie from her daughter.

Stella Rossetti had accepted a position as the guidance counselor at a Catholic school in the South Bronx, after spending many years teaching high school English at a public school in their Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst.

“And to answer your question, Junior, the schools in this neighborhood are getting worse. Plus, since I work there, your dad and I don’t have to pay tuition. Also, you two have basically went to school with the same people all your lives and it wouldn’t hurt you to make some new friends.”

“Isn’t that what college is for?” Tony asked with a mouth full of eggs.

“Could you be anymore disgusting?”

“Come on, sis, you like seafood.”

“Junior, stop being gross,” their father said as he came in for breakfast.

FDNY Lieutenant Anthony Rossetti Sr. had come in from his shift around 6 am. He wanted to see his kids off to their first day of their freshman year and to wish his wife of 17 years luck on her first day of her new position.

“Come on, kids. Hurry up and finish your breakfast. We don’t want to be late,” Stella told her twins.

“God, we’re gonna look like such nerd riding to school with our Mom,” Tony muttered. “Well, you more than me, sis.”

Izzy had braces and Tony had teased her non-stop since she got them in the summer.

“Leave your sister alone, Junior,” Anthony instructed his namesake as he loaded his plates with the scrambled eggs and bacon his wife had made.

*****

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Izzy said after she bumped into a guy, whose locker was next to hers, causing her books to fall into the floor.

“It’s okay,” he told her with a kind tone. “Hey, weren’t you in my 4th period AP Biology class?”

“Uh…yeah,” she sort of stammered as she looked into the guys green eyes. “Izzy…”

“Rossetti. I remember. You’re the daughter of our new guidance counselor.”

“That’s me,” she sort of chuckled as she took a book from his hand.

“I’m Rafael. Rafael Barba.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Rafael.”

“You, too,” he smiled as he helped her to her feet.

“Hey, Ra-ffi.”

“Hey, Eddie, Alex. This is Izzy Rossetti.”

“Hi,” she said as she sort of waved at them.

“Rossetti? Uh-oh. You’re the counselor’s daughter,” Eddie teased.

“Yeah, that’s me,” she repeated.

“Well, welcome to Monsignor Scanlan High School,” Alex said with smarmy smile that Izzy uncomfortable.

“So, what’s your next class?” Rafael asked her.

“Uh, lunch, actually.”

“Us too. You want to join us?”

“Maybe another time, Rafael. I need to find my brother.”

“I’m gonna hold you to it,” he smiled.

“It was nice to meet you guys,” she told Alex and Eddie before heading to the cafeteria.

“That girl is hot,” Eddie told Rafael.

“I don’t know about the braces,” Alex mentioned.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Rafi. You don’t want that amount of metal near your dick if she’s giving you head.”

“Seriously, man?!”

“I’m just saying. I mean, yeah, she is hot but those braces are scary.”

“I think they’re cute,” Rafael added.

“Uh-oh. Our boy has a crush,” Eddie laughed.

“Come on. I’m hungry,” Rafael told them as they headed to the cafeteria.

********************

“Baby girl why are you eating lunch in my office?” Stella asked her daughter.

“I don’t fit in here, Ma.”

“It’s been a half a day. Have you met anyone?”

“Well…I met a guy,” Izzy said with a small smile.

“Really? Is he cute?”

“Unbelievably so, Mom. His name is Rafael Barba.”

“Barba…Barba? I wonder if he’s Lucia’s son?”

“Who?”

“You remember Lucia Barba. She taught with me at PS 128.”

“Sort of,” Izzy shrugged as she picked at the cheeseburger she had got from the cafeteria.

“What happened to my daughter that didn’t meet a stranger?”

“I don’t know.”

“She’s still there,” Stella chuckled as she took a bite of her own cheeseburger.

“Why are me and Tony on different schedules?”

“Because I thought it would be best. You two have been joined at the hip since before you were born. You need to make new friends, meet new people.”

“I guess.”

The first bell rang, signaling to the 11:30 lunchers that they had 10 minutes to get to their 6th period class.

“I gotta go, Ma. Thanks for letting me have lunch with you.”

“Of course, baby girl. I know this is different from public school but you’re gonna do great.”

“Thanks.”

Izzy headed to her AP American History class.

“Ah, yes, Miss Rossetti. There is an empty desk next to Mr. Barba. Rafael, raise your hand so Elizabeth can find her desk.”

“It’s Izzy,” she told her teacher as she made her way to the desk next to Rafael.

She opened her book to the page Mr. Cervantes had said and was doing her best to concentrate but her attention was mainly on Rafael. He had his hand up to answer any question that was asked.

“Miss Rossetti?”

“Huh?”

“What started World War I?”

“The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand from Austria,” she answered without missing a beat.

“Just making sure you were paying attention to something other than Mr. Barba.”

Some of the kids in the class giggled as she wanted to die in her seat.

***********

“Don’t let Cervantes get under your skin,” Rafael told her as they walked out of class.

“I was just amazed at your knowledge,” she lied.

“I like to read,” he shrugged as they walked down the hall. “Speaking of…did I see a copy of ‘Less Than Zero’ in your hand earlier?”

“You did. Bret Easton Ellis is one of my favorite authors.”

“I saw the movie…”

“Oh no. The movie and the book are so different. Julian, Robert Downey Jr’s character, doesn’t die in the book.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“Have you ever read anything by Kurt Vonnegut?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

“You should. ‘Slaughterhouse Five’ is really good. I think you’d like it.”

“Well, I might have to check it out.”

“So, my friend Alex thinks you’re hot.”

“Yeah?” She asked, even though she didn’t want Alex to be one of the three to think she was hot.

“Yeah. You think you might be interested…”

“Not really. I mean, no offense but I have basketball try-outs next week and honestly, he doesn’t seem like my type.”

“I understand,” Rafael chuckled. “So, you’re an athlete, huh?”

“I’ve been playing basketball since I was 10. You?”

“The only thing I play is Chess…and Nintendo.”

“I could give you a run for your money.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’ve beat Super Mario Brothers 1 & 2 several times.”

He laughed at her joke.

“I could probably kick your ass at Chess, too, though.”

“Challenge accepted, Rossetti,” he told her with a smirk.

*********

“Hey, you’re Izzy, right?” A girl with brown hair asked as she opened the other locker next to Izzy’s.

“Uh, yeah.”

“Erin Harris. We have History together.”

“Right, yeah. You sit in the back.”

“So Mr. Cervantes will leave me alone. How do you like it here so far?”

“It’s been a week,” Izzy shrugged. “It’s not so bad, I guess. I’ve just been used to public school all my life.”

“I know the feeling. My parents made me transfer here to the junior high last year because I kept ‘getting in trouble’,” Erin laughed.

“I see.”

“I’m not that bad. Honestly. Just hung around with the wrong crowd. Dying my hair pink was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“Wow.”

“So, uh, you like Rafael?”

Izzy was a little taken aback by Erin’s blunt question. “Wha-what do you mean?”

“I sit behind you and see the way you stare at him during class.”

“I mean…he’s cute,” she shrugged.

“Well, he’s in love with Yelina Ortiz so, don’t get your hopes up.”

“Who’s she?”

“Come on. She has the same lunch we do. I’ll show her to you.”

After Izzy and Erin sat down with their diet cokes and nachos they had gotten from the a la carte table, Erin pointed out Yelina to Izzy. She was tall, long dark hair, and very beautiful dark skin. Izzy gave up any hope of dating Rafael in that instance. She saw the way he practically fawned over her; Alex did, too, though.

“Are they dating?”

“No. That’s the thing. He follows her everywhere but she only dates older guys.”

“How do you know this?”

“It was like that last year in eighth grade even. It’s kinda sad cause he’s a very nice guy. Really sweet.”

Just then, across the lunch room, Rafael looked up to see Izzy looking at him. He sort of smiled, causing her to blush and look back to Erin.

“He’s coming over here.”

“No, he’s not.”

“If you’re gonna make the basketball team, shouldn’t you be eating better?” Rafael teased as he took a seat at their table. “Hey, Erin.”

“What’s up?”

“It doesn’t hurt to cheat once in a while,” Izzy giggled. “Hey! Don’t you have your own lunch?”

“I already ate it,” he smiled as he popped the cheese drenched chip in his mouth.

Izzy couldn’t help but laugh at the cheese that had dripped onto his chin.

“What?”

“You got…you…here,” she told him as she wiped his chin.

“Oops,” he laughed. Erin nudged Izzy and discreetly motioned toward Yelina, who was burning a hole through Izzy at that very moment.

“I think you’re…uh…friend is getting a little jealous.”

“She’ll be fine,” Rafael told her as he continued to sit with Erin and Izzy for the remainder of lunch before their history class.

The three of them walked down the hall after lunch to their class. Erin took the desk directly behind Izzy instead of her normal seat in the very back.

“You’re in my seat, Erin,” Bradley Walker told her.

“Now it’s mine. There’s a few other empty ones.”

“Ugh, whatever.”

********************

“You’re not going to the winter formal?”

“No, Ma,” Izzy answered as they worked on dinner one night in November.

“Why not. We could get you a beautiful dress, get your hair done…”

“No one’s asked me,” she shrugged.

“I thought Alex Munoz asked you. That’s what your brother said.”

“I can’t stand Alex, Ma. And he didn’t ask me. He told me I was gonna go with him more or less. I don’t need someone making decisions for me.”

“He was probably just playing around.”

“Still…there is nothing attractive about him whatsoever.”

“Well, you and Erin could always go with each other. Surely guys would ask you to dance.”

“Maybe.”

“Do you know this girl your brother is taking?”

“Heather? A little, not well though. She seems nice enough.”

“How’s my two favorite girls?” Anthony asked as he kissed his wife on the cheek.

“Good. How’d you sleep?”

“Decent enough. Uh, Izz, there’s someone in the living room to see you.”

“Me? Who?”

“That boy that hangs out with your brother.”

“That could be anybody, Pop.”

“I can’t keep all his friend’s straight. Just go see. I can finish helping your mother.”

“Okay.”

She opened the kitchen door and found Rafael, still in his school uniform.

“Hey, Raf,” she smiled. “My dad did tell you Tony was…”

“Yeah, I know. I came to see you, actually.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You know the winter formal is in a few weeks?”

“I’m aware,” she laughed.

“Your brother said you didn’t have a date and I was wondering if you’d like to come with me?”

“Uh…uh…”

“It’s just a ‘yes’ or ‘no’,” he said with a smirk.

“I just thought maybe you’d go with Yelina.”

“Yelina?” He laughed. “Please. She wouldn’t go to the dance with a nerd like me.”

“You’re not a nerd,” she told him as she tilted her head. “And yes, I’d like to go with you.”

“Are you saying that out of pity or because you really want to go with me?”

“I’d really like to go with you.”

“Then it’s a date. I’ll see you school at tomorrow.”

“Rafael what brings you by?” Stella asked after she came out of the kitchen.

“I…uh…I just asked your daughter if she’d like to escort me to the winter formal.”

“Is that right? And what did you say, Elizabeth Machelle?”

“Well, of course, she said ‘yes’, Mrs. Rossetti.”

“Jeez, Rafael,” Izzy said as she rolled her eyes.

“Well, I am finishing up manicotti that my son asked for but he can’t keep himself at home so you’re more than welcome to stay for dinner.”

“I should probably get home.”

“Nonsense. I’ll call your mom.”

“Oh, okay. Sure, thanks.”

Stella called Lucia who said it was fine if Rafael stayed for dinner and Anthony said he would make sure he got home instead of taking the subway back to the Bronx.

********************

Izzy had found a simple, strapless black mid-length dress with sequins but not too flashy at all.

Rafael showed up in a black 3-piece suit with a red tie. Izzy was impressed to say the least. She had only seen him in his school uniform, other than the few times he had come over on the weekends in jeans and t-shirts.

“You look beautiful,” he smiled at his date when she came down stairs. Her blond hair was done in ringlets which had given her a headache as they were being done but a couple of Advil later, she was fine and ready to go.

“Thanks, Raf. You look…pretty good, too.”

“And we all know, I look great,” Tony laughed.

“Okay, Tony. Where’s your date?”

“We’re picking her up on the way, Dad. Thanks again for getting us the car.”

“Well, I thought it was better than you guys taking a cab or the subway.”

“Yeah, thanks, Mr. Rossetti.”

“Not a problem, Rafael. I want my daughter home by 11.”

“Yes, sir.”

“If there’s one hair on her head out of place…”

“Dad!!!”

“I’m just kidding, princess. You guys have fun.”

They let Stella take a few pictures before they left. They sat in the town car, Rafael’s legs bouncing as he nervously ran his hands on his knees.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine, Izz,” he smiled to which Tony just sort of laughed, earning a nudge in his ribs from his sister.

***************

They finally arrived at the “Winter Wonderland” formal dance. It was basically a prom for the Freshman and Sophomores.

“There you are!!” Erin exclaimed when she saw Izzy walk in with Rafael.

“I told you I’d be here,” Izzy laughed at her now best friend.

“You look amazing. Doesn’t she, Rafael?”

“Yes, Erin. I already told her she looked great.”

“Come on, let’s dance.”

“Erin…”

“It’s okay, cariño. Go have fun. I’ll get us something to drink,” Rafael told her. She didn’t know what “cariño” meant but it didn’t sound bad.

Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” blasted over the speakers as Izzy and Erin danced while they laughed and sang along.

She noticed Rafael sitting at a table with Eddie and Alex as he watched her.

Erin had actually went to the dance with Eddie so they went to sit with their dates.

Soon Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Enough” started playing.

“Dance with me, Raf?”

“I don’t really like to dance.”

“Come on. It’ll be fun,” Izzy told him.

“What the hell?” He shrugged as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. She didn’t understand why he didn’t like to dance because the boy sure knew how to move. Robert Palmer’s “Simply Irresistible” came on next so the two of them continued to dance.

“How about a break? Some food maybe?”

“Uh, sure, Raf,” Izzy agreed as she was working up an appetite after dancing.

After a few snacks and a couple more glasses of punch, Erin grabbed Izzy as The Romantics “Talking in Your Sleep” started playing.

“So, uh, what’s up with you and Rossetti?” Alex asked.

“We’re friends,” Rafael told them. “She didn’t have a date and neither did I so I asked her…”

“Rafi?”

“Uh…hey, Yelina.”

“Your date seems to be more into her best friend than you.”

“She’s just having fun,” he shrugged. “We’re just friends. It’s not like she has to be by my side the whole time.”

“Hey, Yelina, you want to dance?” Alex asked.

“No thanks, Alex. My date is getting us something to drink,” she said as she motioned to the Senior that she had been dating, Riley Watkins.

Izzy noticed Yelina and immediately grabbed Erin and headed back to the table. She promptly took her seat next to Rafael, pushing Yelina out of the way with her butt.

“Izzy. I wondered why you were leaving this poor guy all alone,” Yelina snarked.

“Hey, Raf, you want to join me for another dance?” She asked as Billy Idol’s “Hot in the City” started playing.

“You bet,” he smiled.

They continued to dance. They were even warned by one of the teachers that was chaperoning that they were a little too close. Izzy wanted to make a move on him so bad.

“You know, I really like the red and green rubber bands you have on your braces,” he told her as they danced to Journey’s “Open Arms”.

“Uh, thanks,” she said as she felt her face get hot. She was so glad it was dark enough that he couldn’t see her blush.

“Would it be okay if I…” he asked as he moved in closer to her, making her heart skip a beat.

“Can I cut in?” Yelina had the audacity to ask.

Izzy knew Rafael was in love with her and actually let her.

She went to the bathroom with Erin following close behind.

“What the hell was that?”

���What?”

“You let Yelina dance with him? Are you crazy?!”

“What was I gonna say?”

“How about, ‘fuck no! He’s here with me,’?”

“We’re just friends.”

“He was about to kiss you.”

“No, he wasn’t.”

“Are you that fucking oblivious?!”

“Erin…”

“Her date left. She’s here alone now. She’s trying to swoop in on your guy.”

“He’s not my guy.”

“I’m just trying to help you, here.”

“I’m fine, Erin. Really.”

Rafael had went looking for Izzy after sharing half a dance with Yelina and found her coming from the bathroom of their school’s gym.

“Hey, you want another dance?”

“Actually, I think I’d like to go home.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m getting tired. Erin has been wearing me out,” she lied.

“Oh. Okay. Do you want me to find Tony and Heather?”

“They still have an hour before curfew. I can catch a cab.”

“No, you can’t. You came with me and I’m going to make sure you get home safely.”

“I’ve got her,” Erin said with a glare.

“Erin I can get her home. It’s fine.”

“I’m going with you then.”

“Whatever.”

************

Erin told Eddie she was ready to leave so he decided he’d go, too, even though she told him he didn’t have to.

Tony told his twin that he had enough money to get a cab for him and Heather and for her to take the car their dad had gotten for them.

The ride to Bensonhurst was a quiet one. Once the driver pulled up to Izzy’s house, she and Erin got out but Rafael insisted on walking Izzy to the door.

“I had a good time tonight with you.”

“Yeah, me too,” she smiled.

Erin leaned against the porch wall with her arms crossed, her eyes shooting daggers into Rafael.

“Erin can you give us a minute?”

“Uh no,” Erin replied to Rafael.

“Here’s my key, Erin. Just go up to my room.”

“If you say so, Izz,” she scoffed as she took the key chain from her best friend and unlocked the door.

“So, I guess I’ll see you Monday?”

“Yeah, Rafael,” Izzy nodded.

“Thanks for coming with me tonight.”

“I had a good time.”

“I’m glad. Well, I guess I should be going.”

“Okay.”

He started to move closer to her but the kiss landed on her cheek instead of her lips like she had hoped.

They said one last good-bye before she went inside.

[taylorj8771]

The retirement fic ive been working on for more than a year…

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10

If there's one thing Sidney has always wanted but never allowed himself to have, it's children. It's not that the possibility has never come up — he had a few close calls in his younger years — but he's never let himself plan for it. Let himself actively want it.

Sidney wakes up on the first day of his retirement — forty-one years old with aching joints and half a head of gray hair — and all he can think is that the room just slightly down the hall from his would be perfect for a nursery. He shakes himself of the thought and crawls out of bed with a moan, ready to get started on his day.

For once, there's no plan. There's no place he has to be or anything he has to do. Retirement hadn't seemed as daunting a thing while he was still playing, but the lack of a routine for his day makes him feel uncomfortable. He forces himself to move through the motions of getting out of bed anyway. He showers first, then brushes his teeth before heading down to his kitchen.

He wonders if he should modify his usual breakfast of four eggs, three pieces of toast with avocado spread across, and a protein shake. It's been his go-to for almost two decades. He cracks only three eggs, only prepares two pieces of toast, and skips the shake, and when he's sitting down at his kitchen table he has to remind himself that this routine is okay to change.

He thinks about Tanger as he cuts into the eggs, about his choice to quit at thirty years-old instead of "riding til they die" like they planned to do together. Alex is a teenager now and Kris has gotten to do nothing but watch him grow up back home in Montreal from the moment he made his choice.

Sidney forces himself to focus on his breakfast.

---

The second day of Sidney's retirement is even more restless than the first. He's marked today off as a workout day, two days removed from locker clean-out after an upsetting first round playoff exit. He needs to remind himself over and over that he made this choice, his contract ended and he told the team to move on, and he's not allowed to change his mind as he slides the weights onto the bench press.

Later, he shakes through leg-presses with weights lighter than he's used in years and tries not to cry.

---

The third day of Sidney's retirement starts with a phone call from his mother. She wants to make sure he's doing okay and see if he wants any help packing his things to make the move back to Cole Harbour. He's thought about selling his Pittsburgh home a number of times and heading back to Canada for good. It leaves something uncomfortable lingering in his chest every time. She still thinks Sidney coming home is a done deal and he hates to break her heart.

He calls Taylor once he's finally gotten off the line, still laying in bed with the spring sun streaming through the curtains. There's a toddler screaming in the background when she answers with her familiar, "'Ello?"

"Hey, Tay."

"Oh, Sid. Hey, bro. What's up?" He can hear dishes clanging in the background and the soothing voice of Taylor's husband trying to calm their daughter.

"You have a few? I hate to interrupt."

The kitchen noise fades significantly as she moves into another room and then there's the faint sound of cartoons. "That's not true, you love to call at the worst times."

"It's never intentional. Is everything okay?"

Taylor sighs, "Jaime has a new tooth coming in but you know how she hates the teething rings so it's a no-win. I'm just glad I have plans today so I can get away from it for a while." There's a soft "that's not nice" in the background and Sidney knows his nephew's voice.

"Let Chris know I said hi and that I love him," Sidney says, clutching the phone tighter to his ear.

"I tell all my minions you say that after you call, Squid. So, what's up?"

"Is that Uncle Sid? Can I talk to him?"

"Did you finish your homework? We'll call him back after school and you can talk to him then, okay?"

"Thanks for asking if I had plans today," Sidney says.

"You're retired now.” She laughs, “You don't have anything planned."

Sidney's silence must let her know she's hit a nerve because the background noise is completely gone now. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Of course. I'm just–"

"Mom was bugging you again?"

Sidney sighs deeply, "Yeah. How'd you know?"

He can hear the smirk in her voice when she says, "Mother's intuition." Her pitch changes, reassuring, the way it's been every time he's called her since he decided this would be his last year. "Why don't you come home, Sid? At least for the summer. I know you're struggling with this but having the summer off is no different than any other year. It might help you figure out the next step."

"I don't need to figure out the next step, Taylor. You know this was planned, I don't know why it's hitting me so hard now that it's here.

“The next step from coming home for the summer is always one month off and then back to training. There's no training this year."

"Who says? Why not try to run a marathon?"

He laughs bitterly at that.

"I know why it's hitting you so hard and you do, too. You should still be playing and you would be if that jackass of a coach had any idea how to hockey. I mean—"

Sidney cuts her off with a sharp, "Taylor."

"Sorry. I just wanted you to have another shot at it."

"I know."

"Woo," she blows out, a puff of air pushing against the phone's mic. "Okay, so, something helpful. Maybe you shouldn't treat this summer different than any other. It's always done you good to just come home and let yourself just relax for a little while. Deal with the retirement part of things when it's time for the season to start up again."

It's the sincerity in her voice that gets through to him, making him long for home in a way he hasn't felt in a long while. "Can I take the boys camping next month?"

"Only after the school year ends. But definitely. Dmitri's been asking about you. Followed the series like you used to watch playoffs."

"Yeah? I'm sorry I couldn't win it once they were old enough to remember."

"They have pictures and lord knows we have enough videos of them with the Cup. They just miss you."

"I miss them, too." Sidney pushes the covers down to his waist and swings one leg out over the top of them. "Alright. I guess I'll look into flights. It's just for the summer, right?"

"Right. Nothing is different about this off-season than any of your other twenty."

"Twenty-four."

"Excuse me, nothing is different about this one than any of your other twenty-four off-seasons."

"Kiss those kids for me."

"You know it. Love you, bro."

Sidney smiles, "Love you, too, sis."

Sidney spends the rest of his day dragging his feet around the house. He responds to the happy retirement texts he's been getting for the past few days, schedules his weekly FaceTime chat with the Fleury children, and eventually books himself a flight home to Cole Harbour. Before he knows it, it’s dark out and he's tucking himself back into bed.

[peachwizard]

Giving Up

Request:  Hi! Can you a sis fic based kind of like 11x12 in which the reader is staying with Jody, Claire and Alex because she screwed up a few hunts and when Sam and Dean come they see she is sad because she doesn’t have many friends and gave up hunting because Dean told her she was bad at it? Just basically really fluffy and angsty. Maybe she ends up saving Sam and Dean? I know it’s kinda long but I hope you take it into account :)) @newyorkrebel

A/N: As always, sorry for being dead to the world. I literally have hardly any free time and the free time I do have I don’t have the inspiration to write. Would love your feedback if you have any to give! Thanks guys I appreciate you for sticking with me even though I’m not a frequent writer. 

Characters: Sister!Reader, Dean, Sam, Claire (mentioned), Alex (mentioned), Jody, John (mentioned)

Warnings: swearing, angst, violence, arguing, self doubt/harsh words about self to self?, Dean being mean, fluff, mention of death but no dying.. I think that’s it, as always let me know if I missed anything

Tagging: @winchesters-favorite-girl @mycuddlycorner @percussiongirl2017 @wonderange @leenasleena-blog @tolaughistolove  If you wanna be added/removed let me know!

You were laying in bed with your headphones on, blocking out the world, listening to your favorite song that helped you forget how much your life sucked right now. You were thankful that Claire wasn’t in the room you both shared and both frequented, since you had a somewhat similar outlook on life. Pushed away and abandoned by those you cared about most, and hating your life. You had one difference, and that was that you no longer wanted to hunt, whereas Claire wanted to hunt more than anything, in fact, that’s where she was right now, investigating for a possible hunt. You figured that Claire only wanted to hunt because no one told her she sucked at it. She was a good hunter for sure, and you thought you were, but according to your brothers, who you loved more than anything, you were no good.

You had just finished a hunt, four ghosts were all haunting a recently renovated hotel, and all three of you left with a fair share of scratches, cuts, and bruises. Although you were fine, all of the people were not. One person, the hotel manager, a really nice but ignorant young man, was killed in your final battle to salt and burn the ghosts.

They all were buried in the back of the hotel, and he came out to yell at you for digging up their nice new garden. You tried to save him, but not every ending was a happy one. It wouldn’t have been so bad, people die on the job all the time, you can’t get attached, except that Dean was yelling at you and blaming you for it. For as often as he told you not to get attached, he was a bit of a hypocrite.

You, of course, were not going to sit there and take your moron older brother yelling at you for no reason, so you started fighting back. You and Dean were almost exactly alike, just as stubborn and hotheaded as the other. You went back and forth all the time, just shouting nonsense at each other until Sam broke it up and you both calmed down and apologized to each other on the long ride back to the bunker, however, this time was different.

Instead of you being cut off by Sam’s insistence to shut up because you were giving him a headache, you were cut off by Dean’s harsh words, you could hear them over and over again in your head every moment of the day since he said them, “Yeah well we would never have the problem of people dying or us ever screwing up a case if Y/N didn’t suck and wasn’t such a goddamn terrible hunter! You make the Winchester name a disappointment.”

After that the three of you were silent on the car ride back to the bunker, you waited for the boys to pass out, packed a bag, wrote a note, and high tailed it out to Jody’s. Maybe if you couldn’t hunt you could be better at normal life. Or at least that’s what you thought. Being with Jody for a few months now, you had attended a normal high school and literally had no friends. You were just some freak girl that came in the middle of the year and had a weird liking for flannel, even when it was too hot to wear.

It also didn’t help that you had the IQ of a squirrel. You may have gotten Sammy’s puppy dog eyes and bitch face, but you most certainly did not get his brain. Every class you took you were horrible in, it was a good thing you were home schooled by Sam and didn’t go to actual school before this, because you definitely would have failed out.

You heard the door open and close and voices that were not what you were used to hearing, so you took out your headphones and looked down the stairs, only to hear and get a glimpse of your two older brothers. All you could manage to think was that it had been months and they only came to see you now. They tried calling and texting you and Jody, but you would never answer and refused to talk when Jody tried to make you. You figured if they really wanted you they would come get you, and you figured out soon enough that they did not really want you. You figured that Sam agreed with what Dean said, and they both thought you were a bad hunter.

Upon further listening, you realized they didn’t actually come to see you. There was a hunt nearby and were asking if Jody and Claire would come help. JODY and CLAIRE. They didn’t even want to talk to you, they didn’t want your help on any hunts, they really just didn’t want you at all. You went back to your room and locked the door, you didn’t want to hear anymore of the conversation.

You stayed locked in your room the first two days the boys were around except to sneak down to grab some food when you got hungry. They would come and knock on the door occasionally and you would give them the silent treatment as they tried to talk to you through the door. You didn’t want to hear their pathetic excuses, so when you started to feel like you just might go open it, you put your headphones in to drown out their voices.

The third night you heard your brothers go out back to check whatever they supposedly had heard, then you heard Jody shouting their names and rushing out after them. That couldn’t be good. From overhearing their conversations downstairs the past three days, you knew that they were hunting werewolves. Well at least they were, it seemed that now the werewolves were hunting them.

You reached under your bed where you kept your duffel filled with all of your weapons, including the gun your dad bought for you, and the silver knife from Dean. You loaded the gun with silver bullets and strapped the knife to your thigh and ran down the stairs as quickly, but as quietly as you could.

Through the open back door you could see your brothers and Jody on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs in front of the werewolves. From what you could see and hear, it was probably about six or seven of them. You were definitely going to die taking them on alone, but you weren’t going to sit by while your big brothers and the only woman you had ever known as a mother get massacred.

You stepped out into the open and shot the two standing in front of the open doorway, one right after the other. They clearly didn’t realize that anyone else was home or involved. When the third came rushing through the door, you shot him too. When four more came rushing at you, you panicked.

Y/N, why do you suck at hunting? Why are you a failure at the one thing that you should know how to do? Why are you such a disappointment to the Winchester name? Was all that was flooding through your head. In your hesitation, they were much closer. Oh yeah, you were gonna die. You shut down the thoughts in your head, adrenaline came rushing into your system, your basic instincts to survive took hold, you told that voice that sounded remarkably like Dean to shut the fuck up, and you managed to shoot and kill a fourth before the other three advanced on you.

You grabbed your knife and prepared for a bloody fight. You knew you were fighting, harder than you ever had. These werewolves were almost twice your size and had superhuman strength. You could feel yourself getting bruised, broken, and cut, but you kept going because you knew otherwise you would die.

You finally looked around at the bloodshed in front of you. The three werewolves lied dead in front of you just as you heard Dean, Sam, and Jody all rush in. They must have tied them together pretty well if they all just escaped now, your brothers were known for being able to get themselves out of sticky situations, but this time it appears that it could have been too late.

Suddenly, you realized all the blood over you, from head to toe. You weren’t sure what belonged to you and what belonged to the werewolves. Dean made a beeline for you and grabbed your face with both of his hands, checking to see if you were alright. He then started looking down your body for any serious injuries, and when he found none he immediately grabbed you and held you close to his body, one arm wrapped around your back and the other holding your head to the crook of his neck.

“Oh god. Sweetheart, are you alright? Taking on seven werewolves alone? Are you insane? Holy shit. You’re okay. You’re okay...” he started mumbling over and over to himself. When he pulled back you could see the tears in his eyes, which is what made you break down and pull him back into a hug. “Shhh. It’s alright. I’m here. Sammy’s here. We’re here. I’m so sorry. You did so good. You are a hell of a hunter, Y/N/N. I didn’t mean any of it, I’m so sorry.”

When you finally calmed yourself down enough you looked up at him, “I couldn’t let them kill you guys. I love you. I’m sorry I suck at hunting, Dean, and I always make everyone die.”

“Oh honey, that’s not true. You just saved all of us. You don’t suck at hunting. I was just angry and then couldn’t find the words to apologize. You are one damn good hunter. I couldn’t have killed all those werewolves myself when I was your age. I love you so much, sweetheart.”

You both rambled back and forth until Sam could tell everything was fine and then reached in and grabbed you from Dean for a hug.

“Hey, Sammy,” you smiled at him.

“Hey, Y/N. We’ve missed you.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I thought you guys just didn’t want me anymore because I thought that you thought that I was a bad hunter... You never even tried to get me from Jody’s.”

“No way. You are just as good as any Winchester. We just figured that maybe with Jody you could get out of the life. That’s why we didn’t come take you back. We’re sorry. We went about it all the wrong way. We want you back with us, at least if that’s what you want.”

“Of course that’s what I want. I’ve missed you two morons like crazy.”

“Let’s get going then. Go get your stuff.”

You let Sam go and rushed up the stairs to get all your stuff from your room. While you were gone, Jody spoke to Sam and Dean, “If I ever hear that you two say anything like that again to your little sister, I am driving myself over to that bunker and letting you idiots have it. Am I understood?”

They both looked at her with caution in their eyes and nodded their heads, “Yes ma’am.”

[queercapwriting]

Road Trip in Space Dad’s Car

“Since they're driving J'onn's special car, how about Kara taking Alex on a tour of the solar system to cheer her up?” from @crimson-archangel

“You know,” Kara says after an hour goes by in silence. After Alex refuses to do anything but stare broodily at the road in a way that reminds her uncannily of Oliver Queen. “This isn’t just a car.”

“Yes, I know, you went to save Mars in it,” Alex tosses up her hands, and Kara bites her tongue to ignore the resentfulness in her tone, to ignore the callousness in her regret.

“What I meant,” she’s careful to keep her voice gentle and somewhat light, “is that we could use it as... you know... more than a car.”

That gets Alex’s attention.

It gets her attention and it gets her to lower her sunglasses and stare at her little sister with something that might be a small, almost imperceptible flame of life in her eyes.

“No way. We can’t. J’onn would kill us.”

“J’onn loves us,” Kara corrects as she pulls over.

“That doesn’t mean he won’t literally murder us,” Alex argues, but her wheels are already spinning.

“We wouldn’t take it out past the Kuiper Belt, and we won’t get a scratch on it,” Kara singsongs.

Alex scoffs. “Yeah, okay, you’d better let me drive if you don’t wanna run into some asteroid or something. Although, sounds nice right about -- “

“Alex.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, no gallows humor.” 

She’s grateful that Kara doesn’t argue that going through a breakup isn’t like being about to die. Because that’s sure what it feels like.

She would know.

She’s been about to die before.

Recently.

And that time, she’d known Maggie was coming for her.

This time...

Maggie.

She forces herself back to the present, to Kara’s burning, pleading eyes.

“I taught you that pout, you are not allowed to deploy that pout on me,” Alex warns, but there’s not enough life in her voice to put any conviction into it.

“You wanna drive? You’ve flown my pod more recently than I have. Drive,” Kara grins, hopping out of the driver’s seat and practically skipping to the passenger’s side.

“Kara, we can’t. Are you serious?”

“Have I ever not been serious?”

Alex furrows her brow like she’s trying to do calculus while fighting off an eight foot superstrength alien. “Is that a trick question?”

“Alex. Are we going or aren’t we?”

“That’s definitely a trick question.”

Kara points to the controls Alex needs to send the car into space ship mode, and Alex’s eyes definitely have some life in them now.

When Winn’s photo comes up on Kara’s phone, she ignores it the first time.

She picks it up the second.

“Winn, this isn’t a good -- “

“Kara, you don’t happen, by any chance, to be taking J’onn’s very precious, very irreplaceable space ship convertible with the most unexpected collection of music possible on an interplanetary joy ride to cheer your sister up, are you?”

Alex glances sidelong at Kara, who bites her lip and shrugs.

“You wouldn’t be calling if you didn’t know the answer, would you?” she asks as the ship ascends and Alex all but bounces in her seat.

“Um, yeah, Kara, the thing is, uh... do you... do you really think that’s a good idea? Because I’m gonna be the one within extreme disapproval range if you guys -- “

“We won’t get vaporized and we won’t start any wars and we don’t scratch the paint, I promise, Winn. We’ll be back soon. Alex needs it.”

“I need it, Winn!” Alex calls, and they’re not sure if it’s her voice or Kara’s pout, somehow effective through the phone, that makes him grin and tell them he gets to come with them next time.

The first real smile that tugs at Alex’s face in days comes as soon as they leave the atmosphere.

As soon as she turns and watches the Earth become a living marble of life and death and everything she’s ever known.

When she rescued Kara in her pod, she was too focused to take in the beauty. Now, Kara takes the controls and lets Alex bask in the soft light of her home planet.

Alex takes the wheel back eventually, wordlessly, navigating them through the asteroid belt smugly. Traversing the entire Red Spot of Jupiter -- “do you know it can fit at least thirty-eight Earths in it, Kar?” she says in a voice that sounds almost worshipful -- and crying at the rocky rings of Saturn.

Kara starts blasting J’onn’s Brittney collection somewhere near Neptune, and for a moment, it feels sacrilegious to Alex.

But then, it feels... right. 

A Kryptonian and a human, bringing their teenage years across the solar system they both now call home.

“I love you, sis,” Alex holds her hand as they turn back, as promised, at the start of the Kuiper Belt.

“I love you, Alex,” Kara promises, and Alex’s smile lasts all the way back to Earth.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 31 December 2018

Quick Bits:

Action Comics #1006 pushes forward more of the ongoing plot of the corruption that has infested Metropolis from the top down. Brian Michael Bendis is definitely playing a long game with his Superman stories, but it doesn’t necessarily feel as decompressed as something like say his Daredevil which I only found enjoyable in the collections. I’m still getting a John Byrne-era Intergang vibe from this arc, which is welcome. Gorgeous art again from Ryan Sook and Brad Anderson.

| Published by DC Comics

Animosity #18 concludes the “Power” arc from Marguerite Bennett, Rafael de Latorre, Elton Thomasi, Rob Schwager, and Marshall Dillon. This issue features one hell of a reckoning, deserved, that also shows how twisted people and their behaviour can become in this kind of dramatic change of the status quo.

| Published by AfterShock

Archie #701 continues with the “Archie Forever” soft relaunch and I’m really liking what Nick Spencer, Marguerite Sauvage, and Jack Morelli are doing with it. It’s more serious than the previous “New Riverdale” initiative with Mark Waid, but it’s finding more of a balance as a teen drama rather than the harder edge of something like Riverdale. It’s also really damn good. The mystery of Reggie’s father’s disappearance is compelling, there’s some nice character work with the gang, and Sauvage’s art is gorgeous.

| Published by Archie Comics

Archie 1941 #4 continues to explore the real human cost of war, both at home and on the front, taking an interesting look at sacrifice. The art from Peter Krause and Kelly Fitzpatrick continues to shine.

| Published by Archie Comics

Batgirl #30 begins the “Old Enemies” arc and it drills down on one theme that Mairghread Scott has been exceptionally good at writing, politics. The conflict between Batgirl, the police, the politicians, and the people is a powderkeg just waiting to explode. Great art from Paul Pelletier, Norm Rapmund, and Jordie Bellaire.

| Published by DC Comics

BPRD: The Devil You Know #12 continues to let the dominoes fall, showing the connections and intersections of all of the Hellboy stories since Seed of Destruction. This issue feels like the quiet moments before the end, with beautiful haunting artwork from Laurence Campbell and Dave Stewart.

| Published by Dark Horse

Champions #1 kicks off the new, larger era from Jim Zub, Steven Cummings, Marcio Menyz, Erick Arciniega, and Clayton Cowles focus on a broader team solving problems around the world. But there’s a catch, something hinky seems to be going on that we’re not quite sure of. It’s a good start, probably more in line with what Mark Waid left before Jim Zub started in the last volume, but with the more personal voice and problems that Zub was developing already.

| Published by Marvel

Coda #8 hurts. Everything falls apart, everyone is betrayed, and we all die a little inside as people try to force positions that aren’t natural. Wow is this a punch to the heart. Si Spurrier, Matías Bergara, Michael Doig, and Jim Campbell deliver what is quite possibly the best issue to date. And damn is that art phenomenal.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Crowded #6 concludes the first arc with a confrontation with Trotter and, boy, is it a doozy. Christopher Sebela, Ro Stein, Ted Brandt, Tríona Farrell, and Cardinal Rae have just packed this series with action, excitement, and interesting characters with the mystery hanging over our heads still as to exactly what Charlie even did to get the bounty on her head.

| Published by Image

Detective Comics #995 continues “Mythology” and its full court press on Bruce and his family from Peter Tomasi, Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, David Baron, and Rob Leigh. It’s pretty dark, and reminds me a bit of the feel of “Hush”, “Knightfall”, and what Tom King has been building lately in the Batman title itself, but it’s good.

| Published by DC Comics

The Empty Man #3 takes an even bloodier and more violent turn as the Whisper Oracles make a full-on assault on the Kerrys’ neighbourhood as they believe they’re ushering in the next stage of the Empty Man’s wishes. This is disturbing and horrifying, but incredibly entertaining. Great work from Cullen Bunn, Jesús Hervás, Niko Guardia, and Ed Dukeshire.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

The Flash #61 continues the “Force Quest” adventure, but I’m kind of getting tired of it. I like the exploration of the new forces, I like the new characters and situations that the Flash and Iris are getting into over the course of their globe-trotting, but I’m not getting a lot of substance. It seems like the Flash is off to a new location as quickly as he arrives and there’s not a lot of actual in-depth exploration and investigation of the new ideas. That may, indeed, be part of the point, with the Flash coming up empty, but it feels like we’re getting a lot of being zipped around.

| Published by DC Comics

Giant Days #46 gives Susan a case investigating the thefts from Esther’s shop. The noir Sin City-esque sequences while she’s on the case are a wonderful use of the medium, really building the atmosphere and putting you in the right headspace for the story.

| Published by Boom Entertainment / BOOM! Box

Immortal Hulk #11 begins Hulk’s journey through Hell (or wherever they really are) beyond the Green Door and everything waxes a little philosophical. Even Puck and Creel left at the opening. This feels like a turning point in the story and Al Ewing, Joe Bennett, Ruy José, Paul Mounts, and Cory Petit continue to make this incredibly compelling. 

| Published by Marvel

Infinity Wars: Infinity #1 is weird. It’s kind of an epilogue to the Infinity Wars event, it’s also kind of a prologue for whatever comes next, teasing things more than giving any kind of really concrete story.

| Published by Marvel

Jughead: The Hunger #11 concludes the Franken-Moose arc with some hints as to what Milton was doing with his resurrection experiments and a revelation about Jughead’s blood. It’s suspect, of course, but it’s an interesting development. Joe Eisma’s designs for the various patchwork men is very impressive.

| Published by Archie Comics / Archie’s Madhouse Presents

Justice League Odyssey #4 continues the investigation of the Ghost Sector as the team transports some refugees off to one of the Machine Worlds where Cyborg is worshipped as a god. Like the other planets, things don’t really go to plan. It’s interesting as to how many losses Joshua Williamson seems to keep throwing at the characters (even if not being devastating as such). It definitely is leading to a world in conflict. Also, Darkseid finds a familiar face.

| Published by DC Comics

Killmonger #3 gets even more interesting as Fisk burns King and his crew, sending them all scrambling as they’re attacked by Bullseye. There’s another twist in the tale from Bryan Hill that really needs to be witnessed. The art from Juan Ferreyra is just next level. Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

| Published by Marvel

Low #20 is confusing. Part of that is intentional as Stel gets tossed about from situation to situation of losing and finding her children for reasons that aren’t entirely clear at first. The other part of it is that it’s been a year and a half since the last issue, and even with the recap, it’s still a bit of “who are these people?” and “what the hell is going on?”. Absolutely bloody gorgeous artwork from Greg Tocchini and Dave McCaig, though. I really need to go back an re-read the rest of the series though to get a better appreciation for the story.

| Published by Image / Giant Generator

Man Without Fear #1 from Jed MacKay, Danilo S. Beyruth, Andres Mossa, and Clayton Cowles picks up from where “The Death of Daredevil” left off, but you needn’t have read that to understand this (though I still highly recommend reading the last run of the Daredevil series). It’s more explicit and abstract in Matt’s journey for survival, while also focusing here on the impact this is having on Foggy. It’s very good and looks like it’s going to serve as to a bridge to what comes next in “Know Fear”.

| Published by Marvel

Marvel Knights #5 circles back around to Matthew Rosenberg and Niko Henrichon as T’Challa storms Fisk’s tower and we get more surprising revelations for the cliffhanger to this penultimate issue. There’s a lot of action, beautifully realized by Henrichon (with colour assists from Laurent Grossat), but I think the thing I like most about this is how they handle the Hulk. His presence through the series, and this issue, has been mostly implied, much like how he was portrayed during Bruce Jones and John Romita Jr.’s tenure on the Marvel Knights volume of The Incredible Hulk. It’s a very nice touch that enhances the tribute that this series is meant to be. 

| Published by Marvel

Olivia Twist #4 is the end to what has been a rather strange and loose adaptation of Dickens’ Oliver Twist in the future from Darin Strauss, Adam Dalva, Emma Vieceli, Lee Loughridge, and Sal Cipriano. It definitely goes off in unexpected directions and is all the better for it.

| Published by Dark Horse / Berger Books

Rainbow Brite #3 continues to be a fun adventure as Wisp tests out the extent of her powers. It’s a shame that this series is ending with its fifth issue as this is a solid all ages fantasy from Jeremy Whitley, Brittney Williams, Valentina Pinto, and Taylor Esposito.

| Published by Dynamite

Scarlet #5 is an interesting conclusion to this mini, getting Scarlet out of Portland and a revelation as to what’s been going on outside of the city. It doesn’t really feel like an end, though. Just a stopping point for this chapter. I definitely hope there’s more somewhere down the line as Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, and Joshua Reed have made this as entertaining a ride as the first volume.

| Published by DC Comics / Jinxworld

The Silencer #12 is one of the few of DC’s “New Age of Heroes” titles left standing and, even though it too may not be much longer for the world based on the story’s direction, it’s pretty easy to see why. It’s a good action thriller, with some interesting intrigue in regards to Talia al Ghul’s Leviathan organization, and some great art.

| Published by DC Comics

Star Wars: Age of Republic - Obi-Wan Kenobi #1 is the latest one-shot spotlighting the Star Wars characters throughout the ages, with this one providing a tale of Obi-Wan during his period with Anakin as his padawan, from Jody Houser, Cory Smith, Wilton Santos, Walden Wong, Java Tartaglia, and Travis Lanham. It’s not a bad little tale of acceptance and understanding in perceived difficult situations.

| Published by Marvel

Stranger Things #4 concludes this mini from Jody Houser, Stefano Martino, Keith Champagne, Lauren Affe, and Nate Piekos, spotlighting what happened to Will Byers while he was trapped in the Upside Down and serves as a bridge to the second season of the Netflix series. The art from Martino, Champagne, and Affe is wonderful as always and I love how Houser brings it back around to the fantasy and D&D themes that permeate the show. Also, a great nod to one of the primary influences in the library sequence.

| Published by Dark Horse

Strangers in Paradise XXV #9...man. Terry Moore is a master at changing the tone and premise of his stories at the drop of a hat. You start out as an action thriller, then you blink, and suddenly you’re in a biblical end of days scenario. Damn that’s some good stuff.

| Published by Abstract Studio

Titans #32 presents the origin of Mother Blood and a change to the Red since the breaking of the Source Wall from Dan Abnett, Clayton Henry, Marcelo Maiolo, and Dave Sharpe. It’s an interesting excursion giving hints as to the next direction for the series. Plus, a possible name drop for Primal Force, which would be an interesting return.

| Published by DC Comics

Tony Stark: Iron Man #7 continues “Stark Realities” as all hell breaks loose within Tony’s virtual world as The Controller takes..um...control. Great twists and turns here, with some interesting character developments for Amanda, Jocasta, and Friday.

| Published by Marvel

The Whispering Dark #3 blurs the lines of reality further as we’re given no reason to believe that the hallucinations aren’t real or that any of “reality” isn’t a hallucination. It’s great. Gorgeous artwork from Tomás Aira.

| Published by Dark Horse

Winter Soldier #2 is possibly even better than the first issue, as we get a flashback for who RJ was and then a confrontation between him and Bucky. The artwork from Rod Reis is gorgeous, presenting interesting layouts and colour choices flipping between the past and the action in the present. Though, there is definitely a twinge of suspicion at what RJ’s goal actually is.

| Published by Marvel

Wonder Woman #61 makes “The Just War” a little more interesting as a confused, reborn Aphrodite is brought into the mix, unsure whether or not she still wants to be the goddess of love. The mythological aspect that G. Willow Wilson is playing with in this story is interesting after the abandonment of Olympus and what’s been going on in Justice League Dark. It definitely feels like there’s something bigger going on than just the war. The line art chores are handled by Xermanico, who has a style not unlike Cary Nord’s, but somewhat cleaner, leaning somewhat towards Stuart Immonen and Terry Dodson. It looks good, but what really pushes this issue over the top is the colour work from Romulo Fajardo Jr. The colours just look stunning here.

| Published by DC Comics

Other Highlights: Bloodborne #8, Books of Magic #3, Conan the Barbarian #1, Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #3, Gasolina #14, Halo: Lone Wolf #1, Hex Wives #3, Invader Zim #38, Old Lady Harley #3, Princeless: Find Yourself #3, Project Superpowers #5, Redneck #18, Rick & Morty #45, Runaways #17, Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #3, The Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion #4, Unnatural #6

Recommended Collections: Black Hammer - Volume 3: Age of Doom Part 1, BPRD: Hell on Earth - Volume 4, The Conan Reader, Death of the Inhumans, The Girl Who Married a Skull & Other African Stories - Volume 1, Iron Fist, Jim Henson’s Power of the Dark Crystal - Volume 1, Jinx, The Mighty Crusaders - Volume 1, Pestilence - Volume 2: A Story of Satan, Powers - Book 2, Spider-Geddon: Edge of Spider-Geddon, Tony Stark: Iron Man - Volume 1: Self Made Man, Witchfinder - Volume 5: Gates of Heaven

d. emerson eddy works hard for his monkey. So hard for his monkey. And he’s going to treat it right.