#sometimes i wake up in cold sweat and think cas is man love is snake. is cas the forbidden fruit or is he eve who eats it? discuss

[virginwhoredichotomy]

the garden of eden with the fall of man by peter paul rubens and jan brueghel the elder, 1615. / selected poems 1965 - 1975 by margaret atwood / supernatural 4x22 / @maybecowboycore

[wantstoflyafraidtofall]

Domestic Destiel short | 874words | ao3

It was one of those nights where sleep never came, when the rain pattered softly down on the roof drawing jagged rivulets on the windows. Dean gently pulled back the covers so as to not wake the man sleeping in the warm bed next to him and slipped out of their room.

The floorboards creaked as he made his way through the house and out the back door. He didn’t know why but he loved the rain, just standing and watching it fall, the small drops forming up high before rocketing to the ground and bursting against the earth. Maybe it reminded him of his old life, how all you could do was go down and down and down before you ended your time with some big bang, or it could be how the water is bringing new life, and the sounds bring a certain sort of calm that Dean has only been able to experience here with Cas.

He stood there like that, staring out from under the awning and gazing at the delicate hints of dawn beginning to spread its way across the sky. The tight feeling in his chest began to fade away like a smudge of dirt washed away in the rain falling in the dusty grey morning. 

(continues under the cut)

His mind drifted to the pile of papers and books on the table and the man who placed them there. Once Chuck had been defeated and Jack became the new god, they managed to save Cas from the empty, effectively rendering him human, but that didn’t bother either of them. They left Sam and Eileen to run the bunker as a safe house for hunters and moved to a small house up in Sioux Falls to be by Claire and the girls.

Cas had encouraged Dean to find a job and Dean, knowing Jody was still working at the station with Donna, made the choice to join the department. He already has the necessary training from years of… experience, and with the girls good words, he made it in easy. 

Castiel, on the other hand, started taking online college courses to become a librarian of all things. Dean thought that years of sleepless nights buried nose first into old books of lore would have crossed that job off the list but it turns out that Cas never minded reading, just that the intended purpose of the knowledge gained was to fight and not to learn.

He jumped out of his skin when he felt the touch of warm arms snaking around his waist. Cas pressed a soft kiss to the back of Dean’s neck.

“Heya, Cas. Whatcha doin’ up?” Dean asks quietly.

“I got cold.”

Dean chuckled. Turns out, Cas is like an octopus when it comes to snuggling. Dean would wake up with Cas completely sprawled on top of him, drawn to Dean’s body heat.

“Sorry, honey, I couldn’t sleep.”

“Mmm come back and we can watch a show then.” Cas whispered against the shell of Dean’s ear.

They were rocking gently side to side, swaying to some silent song hidden in the steady beat of the rain. The world was quiet here, calm and fuzzy at the edges. An ex-angel and broken hunter holding each other in a house they call their own.

No longer were guns hidden under the pillow when they slept, no longer did they spend every waking hour planning out how they would survive the next day. Dean had something he had only had in his childhood dreams and Cas found, after millennials of searching, where he belongs.

Sometimes, the irony of it all makes Dean laugh, telling Chuck, wherever he was, to suck a dick because he had been beaten by a ragtag team of humans and a broken angel of his own creation. Thinking about how he used to be so ready to die one day, give up his life to save another because he found no value in himself, fills him with a bittersweet feeling.

After so many years of therapy, Dean still does wake up in a cold sweat or screaming Cas’s name, but now he’s not alone. He has his husband and his friends which he knows that he deserves because he has worked so hard to get them. Mia Vallens, the shifter therapist, was who Dean owed a big thanks for that.

Cas tugged Dean’s hand and they padded back to their bed, tucking themselves under the covers. Dean pulled up netflix on his laptop, letting Cas who was now curled into his side, sticking his cold feet between Dean’s legs, scroll through and pick a show.

He pressed play on The Queen's Gambit, a show Cas had convinced Dean to watch with him although it wasn’t too hard to do, as long as he’s with Cas, he’s happy. It’s hard to be anything other than with Cas. 

If Dean could go back and tell himself that it’s all going to be ok, that the things he thought were meant for other people he could have too, he would. He would give himself a hug, tell himself it’s alright and not to be so hard on himself.

It’s one of those mornings where Dean’s heart hurts in a good way.

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[themoonandotherslikeit]

What the Rain Can’t Wash Away- Chapter 9

*FINAL PIECE IN THE LOOK IN HER EYES TRILOGY*

Sixteen years after Lucifer rose, and Dean lost his wife he finds himself with a teenager, a Nephilim, an angel, and his brother living out a Full House rerun with some seriously dark undertones. How will he be able to raise his daughter, fight monsters, and deal with the loss of the love of his life? Sometimes moving on is the hardest part, but with the Winchester’s there’s always something harder around the corner. Isn’t there?

Chapter Nine, Never Let Me Go

Ava 

I kissed him. Of fucking course I did.

Dean

I couldn’t breathe when she looked at me like that. “You. You fucking idiot. It’s always been you.”

A thousand times over. A thousand lifetimes. A thousand dreams, waking up in a cold sweat. It was her. It was always her.

Ava

It was urgent, and I felt him give way to me. I took the fabric of his flannel in my hands, and I pushed it back. He wiggled his arms out, his mouth never leaving mine. He sucked and bit on my bottom lip insistently. He only pulled back to reach behind his head, and he pulled his shirt over his head. I didn’t get a good look at him before he pulled his mouth back to mine, tangling his fingers in my hair.

Dean 

My fingers snaked under her sweatshirt. I’d never done drugs, well not anything serious, but for the first time I thought I understood addiction. I didn’t think I could pull away from her if I tried, and that scared the shit out of me. I’d spent the last sixteen years, and the almost thirty before that, learning how to just be me. Sammy was the exception to that rule, and then it was Eleanor. I tried to keep everyone at a distance for a reason.

There was no distance between Ava and I then, and I didn’t want there to be. She was right, we had enough distance already. We found our way back to each other time and time again. She found me through time and space, and fuck that has to count for something, right?

Ava

Dean’s hands explored my stomach, my back, the space under my breasts. I pulled back a bit, my lips leaving his. I watched his bottom lip poke out, like a child, and it made my stomach flip. I lifted my hands, and his pout quickly transformed into a huge grin as he peeled my shirt off of me and tossed it aside.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he said roughly, breathlessly, before pulling my face back to his.

I ran my fingers along his back. He had scars that I hadn’t felt before, and it broke my heart. Our lips moved together. Time didn’t stop for him like it did for me. Everything changed in a blink. He was Dean. He was still my Dean, but there was more. He had a lifetime of pain and change without me. I wouldn’t let him live a second alone again.

I rested my hands on his chest and pushed him down slowly. I hovered over him. I leaned down and kissed him again. He ran his fingers down my back, taking my bra clasp in one hand, letting it loose. I shimmied out of it, tossing it aside. He leaned up, pressing his chest against mine. We were skin to skin and it made the hair on the back of my neck rise.

We were always good at that. Sex. It felt like a familiar song that that was played over and over again. It never quite got old. I could listen to it forever, and I planned to. His hand pressed flatly to his back and he flipped me over. I gasped in surprise as I looked up at him. He was smiling down at me. He always looked so fucking proud of himself. I loved that look.

 He leaned down and left open mouth kisses down my neck, my collar bone, leaving purple pucker marks between my breasts. My heart fluttered as he kissed down my stomach and along my pant line. “Dean,” I murmured looking down at him.

He smirked up at me, hooking his thumbs in the waistband of my pants. I lifted my hips slightly to allow him to shimmy me out of them. He ran his hands down my stomach and along my thighs. I opened my eyes to look at him, because the kissing had stopped.

His green eyes were wet along the edges and his mouth was slightly open. “Dean?” I propped myself up on my elbows to get a better look at him. He sucked his bottom lip in. I reached up and touched his cheek. “Babe,” I exhaled. “What’s wrong?”

He smiled, his lips still pressed together, as a tear rolled down his cheek. “I just can’t believe you’re here.”

“Believe it,” I whispered, wiping his tear. “And I’m not going anywhere.” I leaned up and pressed my lips to his again desperately. “Be with me.”

“Okay,” he whispered against my mouth, but it didn’t stop the flow of tears. I could still taste them in my mouth. I could feel his muscles tighten around me as he pulled me closer.

I kissed him slowly. We didn’t need to rush. We had all of the time in the world. We were together, universe be damned.

Dean

About 12 years ago

“Daddy watch me!” Eleanor said from the top of the slide. She was four years old with two bouncy pigtails, and her two front teeth missing.

“I’m watching Princess! You got it!” I shouted back to her.

“Still kind of weird seeing you like this,” Sam admitted, taking a swing of his water bottle. Cas sat at the end of the slide to catch Nel at the bottom.

“Like what? Relaxed?” I laughed dryly, giving Nel a thumbs up.

“Yeah, maybe. As a Dad. You’re doing well.”

“Thanks.” I raised an eyebrow at Sam. I didn’t need his approval, but I liked it anyway. “We fight monsters, man, and this is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Sam laughed lightly. “That’s an understatement.”

“I never thought this would be our life, Sammy. That little girl... fuck I can’t even explain how much I love her.”

“I know what you mean,” Sam said quietly.

Eleanor was our Kryptonite. There was no doubt about it. The littlest Winchester was adorable and eternally optimistic. Not to mention that shit eating grin that I knew she got from me.

I watched Castiel lift her up. “Good job Eleanor! You are an excellent flier!”

 “Cassiel I am flapping my angel wings like you!”

My heart squeezed. I wished Ave could see her.

“What’s on your mind?” Sam asked, bumping me with his shoulder.

“Life,” I admitted quietly. “It’s hard to think about all the shit we have lost, though, when everything is this sweet.”

Sam nodded knowingly. “I get what you mean. I knew the moment I first saw her that nothing would ever be the same again.”

“The idea of her changed everything,” I admitted quietly. “But I never really thought I’d get to see her grow up, man, ya know?” 

“And here you are. That’s a fucking win.”

I looked at Cas spin Nel around, her giggling uncontrollably. “Yeah, it is.” I stood up and jogged to Cas. “I’m here to save you!”

“Daddy!” She giggled, reaching for me.

I plucked her from Cas’ arms and held her against me. Her chubby arms wrapped around my arms, and I snuggled into her hair. “Did you have fun with Cas?”

“He is silly,” she said pulling back. She put her hands on either said of my face and smiled widely before placing a large kiss on my nose.

“He is,” I agreed. “I think it’s about nap time, don’t you?” 

“No!” She whined. “It’s ice cweam time!”

 “Okay, okay. Fair enough. Ice cream and then nap.”

 She huffed, but nodded in agreement. “Fine, but you nap, too.”

“You got it, kid.”

She rested her head on my shoulder, and I thought she wouldn’t make it to ice cream. She was exhausted. “I wove you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Princess.”

It used to be hard to say, before Ave I never did. Not to Sammy or Dad or anyone. Once I said it, though, it was like a flood gate. I told the truth, and I’d be damned if my daughter grew up not knowing that I loved her. Not knowing that she was my everything, because she was.

Ava

Present

 I could hear Deans heartbeat against my ear. I couldn’t stop kissing his skin.

“I’m so fucking tired,” he said with a breathless laugh.

“Me too.” I laughed against the damp skin above his tattoo. I looked up at him. We made love for hours, making good on our promises to memorize each other again. “Dean?” I whispered, looking up at him. “We don’t know what this is. We don’t know how much time we have. What if there are consequences to me being back?”

 “We will deal with them together.” He pushed my hair behind my ear.

 “I want to meet her,” I said suddenly. I didn’t realize the ache I had in my chest for our daughter. The absence I felt for the childhood I missed. “Do you think she wants to meet me?”

Dean sat up a bit and I followed his lead, looking at him nervously. “Ava Winchester of course she wants to meet you. I’m sure she’s bursting at the seams. I’ve been selfish... I should’ve introduced you already.”

“Hey, don’t do that,” I said, touching his cheek. “We needed this... us. Now when I look at our daughter I’ll know that everything is right in the world.” I smiled widely my tears welling up. “What should I know? What is she like?”

His eyes flickered away from mine. He was looking past me, so  I turned to follow his gaze to see a pair of blue green eyes staring in through the crack in the door in the darkness. “Why don’t you ask her?”

“I’m sorry!” Eleanor squealed shutting the door.

My heart was pounding, and I looked at Dean, trying to refrain from smacking him for not locking the door. He shrugged with a smile.

“Eleanor wait!” I called After her, struggling into my sweatshirt and pants. I pushed out into the hallway to find her leaning against the wall nervously.

We stared at each other in the darkness of the hallway. Everything we wanted to say floated between us. I opened my mouth and nothing came out.

“I’m sorry I stormed in on you two.” Her voice was quiet, and somehow just as I expected it to sound.

“Don’t be sorry,” I said finally. “We were just talking about you.”

She sucked in her breath and wrapped her arms around herself.

“Do you... do you want to go somewhere? To talk?”

Her eyes met mine and she nodded. “I’d like that.”

She showed me where the kitchen was. “This place is like a maze.”

“You get used to it,” she said carefully before flicking on the light. I turned to look at her, and my breath was knocked out of my chest. My daughter. She was so beautiful with her sleepy aqua eyes and her fathers pout. Her hair was down and messy, and she wore one of Deans band T-shirt’s. It looked huge on her. “What?”

“I’m sorry you just..” I felt tears well up in my eyes, and I pressed my hand to my chest, as if to keep it from crumbling under my fingers. “You’re so big.”

Eleanor sucked in her breath again, a tear rolling down her own cheek as she closed the space between us, wrapping her arms tightly around my middle.

“Don’t cry,” I said, as my own tears covered my cheeks. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly.

“You first.” She laughed a bit, sniffling.

She pulled back a little, but we stayed in our embrace. “You’re so beautiful, Nel.”

“You are too. You look so young.” She touched my cheeks. “I bet Dads freaking out.”

“Just a little,”  I admitted quietly. “Sorry I was here for a few hours and already scarred you.”

 “It was less scarring than I thought. He’s been unhappy for so long. All I want is for him to be happy.”

My heart warmed as I watched her. She was poised, and she carried herself unlike any sixteen year old I’d ever met. “That’s all I’ve wanted, too.” I took her hand in mine. “He did a good job raising you. I can tell.”

“He’s the best. I couldn’t have asked for a better Dad.”

“Tell me everything. I want to know it all,” I said suddenly.

She nodded, letting go of my hand. “Okay, but I’m getting a snack.”

“Deal.”

She walked into the pantry and pulled out a party sized bag of Lays Dill Pickle potato chips and I smiled widely. “You like pickle chips?”

“I do,” she said, her cheeks growing pinker by the second. “Dad thinks they’re gross.”

“I loved pickles when I was pregnant with you,” I said softly. “Couldn’t stop eating them.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” I lowered myself into a chair at the table and she sat next to me. 

“I love them, too. They’re sour and delicious.” Eleanor pulled a chip out of the bag and ate it, before offering the bag to me.

I pulled out one and plopped it into my mouth. She was right. They were so sour. My lips puckered and I felt chills. “Oh my god those are intense.” I laughed and she met my laughter in response. “Other than pickle chips, what else do you like?”

“I’m.. I’m dating someone,” she said carefully.

“Claire? Your Dad told me.” I said with a smile. “What is she like?”

I watched her body relax at my words. She must’ve been worried that I wouldn’t accept her. “She... she’s so great, Mom.”

Mom. My heart squeezed. It was easy, it was all so easy. It never had been easy for Dean and I. Maybe our chance was in that moment. Maybe it was finally here.

“She’s so pretty, and she’s had a really tough life. You know Cas, right?” I nodded. “She is his vessels daughter. Jimmy. Jimmy is gone now and has been for a long time, but when she got into some trouble Cas brought her in. I fell in love with her instantly.”

“You love her,” I breathed. “And she loves you?”

“She does. It’s easy. Effortless.”

“Being with the person you love should be.”

“Is that... is that how it is with Dad?”

I nodded. “The universe hasn’t always been on our side... but we loved each other. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better love.” I touched her arm gently. “He said she’s a hunter.”

“She is.”

“That isn’t what I wanted for you,” I admitted quietly. “It’s a hard life to love someone who is always leaving. Who is always in danger.” I thought of all of the wounds I dressed for Sam and Dean. All the nights I spent wondering, especially when I was pregnant. All the times we lost each other.

“I know that.” She met my eyes. “I’ve watched Dad go my whole life. Every day is like the last day, and it hurts, but I appreciate every moment.” She leaned in seriously. “But if we weren’t a family of hunters.... then I wouldn’t be here with you right now.”

I nodded and pulled her into a hug. “You’re right. I wouldn’t change anything about your Dad. You can’t help who you love, Nel. I know that better than anyone, but just be careful with your heart. You only get one.”

“Dad always says if it hurts that means its real.”

“He’s smart,” I said, pushing her hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry, Nel.” I pressed my lips together.

“Sorry for what?”

“For dying. For leaving you. I was supposed to be here.”

Eleanor laughed quietly. “You’re made for each other, you know that?”

“What?”

“You and Dad.” She shook her head. “You can’t apologize for something you have no control over. Plus, the past doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we are together now. We are a family.”

“She’s right, you know,” Dean said from the doorway. His arms were crossed and he leaned against the doorframe. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“No you aren’t,” Nel said with a wide grin.

“You’re right.” He walked toward us. He wore a pair of sweats and an AC/DC t-shirt. “I’m a selfish asshole, and I wanted my girls.”

I stood up, unable to stop myself, and I wrapped a single arm around him. Eleanor followed my lead and hugged him from the other side. The three of us folded into each other like it was always supposed to be.

“Nel?”

“Yeah Dad?”

“Thank you,” he breathed.

Even if it was just for a second, everything was perfect.

—————

Chapter Ten, Michael

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[kazosa]

Secrets - SoA: Chapter 9

Summary: Reader has lived in a life full of secrets. When her father dies unexpectedly and sends her on a trip all over the country, she finds out just how much like her father she really is. The end of her trip brings her to Charming, CA where she finally gets some big pieces of her family puzzle put back in place and form new relationships with the people there. Chapter 9: shopping and a certain, avoided email. Warnings: language, it’s FLUFFY again A/N: If it wasn’t clear before, this takes place after the events of the final episode, SPOILERS! Italics are for Chibs and his inner thoughts. Bold is for the reader’s inner thoughts. Word Count: 2500 Tags: @telford-ortiz-teller  @sam-samcro  @tstieff  @yourcroweater  @kacilove26  @hiddlelove  @evilsorceress  @reallynigga21  @suz-123  @between-shades-of-winchester  @caitcrook  @i-was-made-of-nutella  @charlottecl    not all of the tags are working, strikethroughs didn’t work, sorry, I tried!!

IF YOU WISH TO BE TAGGED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN SOME WAY. ASK BOX IS SAFEST WAY, BUT I DO TRY TO LOOK AT ALL COMMENTS AND REBLOGS. COMMENTS WELCOME AND APPRECIATED! Secrets Masterlist

The next day, it was your turn to wake up to cussing. The words were coming out in a flurry of what you were sure were Gaelic expletives.

“Wha’ do ya mean ya havena got anyone?! It’s colder than a witch’s tit in here. What kind of shite business are ye runnin’?!” There was a long pause before, “Yes,” he enunciated, “put me on the damn list.”

His thumb mashed the ‘end’ button and he threw the phone at the nearest chair. It bounced off the cushion and skittered to a stop somewhere on the wood floor. You noticed he was wearing his lounge pants again and a t-shirt instead of just his underwear and wife-beater as he strode back into the bedroom from the living room. He didn’t see you lying awake watching him.

Normally, you only slept with a sheet over you, sometimes a blanket. Now, you were covered with a sheet, blanket and a heavier blanket on top. You assumed Chibs had covered you, realizing why he had done so as soon as you flung the covers back and immediately replaced them due to the cold.

“Fucking hell Chibs, what happened?!” you asked.

Climbing back in bed with you, he pulled you close to him.

“Ahh,” he said, “are ye always so warm, m’aingeal?”

“Yes,” you snuggled into him, “What’s going on?”

He did that Scottish growl you liked.

“Goddamned furnace took a shit,” he said.

You were amused at how pissed he was and how he wasn’t seeing the obvious benefits.

You kissed the corner of his mouth, “Babe…” kiss, “we could…” sucking his lip into your mouth, “spend all day…” deep, sensual kiss, “in bed…”

You were sitting in your usual, lumpy, uncomfortable as all hell armchair, reading emails from Jack and it reminded you of the letter your dad had written for Chibs. It made you wonder what was in it, but you wouldn’t open it without him, it wasn’t yours to open.

It was cold in the apartment, but you were used to way colder temperatures than the one you were experiencing. You tried, not very hard, to not snicker at Chibs buried under a heavy blanket, sitting in his p.o.s. chair.

“Comfy,” you didn’t try too hard to keep the amusement out of your voice.

“Christ, I’m freezing my balls off,” he said, tucking himself in more.

“Why don’t you have a couch” you paused a beat, “or better chairs?”

“You don’t like these?” he asked, his face only just visible above the ridiculous heap of blanket.

You gave him a look that said, “Really?”

He sighed, “Yeah, I know. I thought they’d be okay. I have no idea,” he looked all around at the mismatched furniture and apartment, “what…goes. Never needed a couch.”

“If you had a couch, I could sit with you and keep you warm,” you were being sincere, but he raised an eyebrow at you. With a little smirk, “That, too.”

“Shit,” he threw off the blanket, “let’s go get one. At least the truck has heat.”

You and Chibs ended up making a day of it. The stores in Stockton didn’t have anything worth looking at, so you went on to Oakland. He took you out to lunch before finally finding a store that had a good variety of furniture and a large selection.

He was at a loss. Everything looked the same. The only differences he saw were in size. He had no idea what to pick. They were all just a mass of cushions and color. He raised his hands out to his sides, overwhelmed with options.

“Christ, lass. I don’t know. Wha’ do you like?” he asked her.

They’d been in the store almost an hour already. (Y|N) was testing them all for “comfort and durability,” she’d said. Never in a million years did he think he would be picking out furniture with anyone. It made his heart ache a little knowing she probably wouldn’t be around to enjoy the couch with him. He almost didn’t want to get one now.

People were giving them dirty looks as they passed by. There was one woman in particular who couldn’t stop staring, an evil look plastered on her face. He returned the favor as she passed. (Y|N) was blissfully unaware. She came up to him smiling, her poor cheek bruised a purple color. Her arm snaked through his to wrap around his waist. Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he held her gently so he didn’t hurt her ribs.

“I’m sorry I’m taking so long. Do you like any of these?” she asked, looking up at him.

He really hadn’t noticed how long they had been in the store, he just liked being with her, even if it was furniture shopping. Doing normal things, for a change, was…nice. He genuinely enjoyed her company.

“I don’t mind, love,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I will like whatever you pick. I trust ye. Not to rush ye, lass, but it would be okay if…”

The wretched old bag was back with the manager and giving him the evil eye again.

He suddenly tensed under your hands. His gaze was fixed on something behind you, his eyes like cold steel and just as forgiving. You tucked yourself into his side so you could turn to see what was bothering him. His arm slid protectively down your back. When you turned your head, you were met with the manager looking directly at you.

“Ma’am, may I speak to you in private?” he asked.

You could tell he was trying to be discreet, but his eyes kept flicking up to Chibs. His behavior immediately put you on edge.

“No. Whatever you say to me, I’ll just tell him anyway. We don’t have secrets,” you told him.

The manager, Brad, his nametag said, shifted from foot to foot.

“Ma’am, are you okay? Do you need help?” he asked.

The woman that had been standing behind the manager spoke up.

“Of course, she’s not okay! Look at her face! He’s one of those filthy biker men that run around here. Honey, you deserve better than that.” She pointed a finger at Chibs, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

You heard Brad say, “Mrs. Krijcek, that’s not helpful!”

“Excuse me, just a moment,” you said before Brad could continue.

The ice pack had helped a lot, the swelling was almost gone, but you knew how you looked. The cut above your eye, the bruised cheek and swelling. It looked like Chibs was the one that had done it to you. Brad was just trying to help, but Mrs. Krijcek was being what the Sons called a “gash.” She couldn’t stop shooting daggers out of her eyes at Chibs. Turning to look up at him, his gaze was shifting from the manager to the old woman, then around the store, especially the doors.

“Chibs,” you said.

“Hmm?” he was still scanning the store.

You reached up your hand to his jaw, so tense under your hand, “Filip?” He slowly turned his gaze to meet yours and you felt a little tension leave his body, his handsome face softening.

“Ready to go?” you asked him.

His head dipped down, his forehead resting on yours, “Aye, love. Let’s get out of here before one of us does something stupid.”

He took your hand and wanted you to walk away with him. Planting your feet to make him stop, “I gotta say one more thing.”

You stood in front of Mrs. Krijcek. “Look lady, that sweet man would never lay a finger on me in anger,” You indicated your cheek, “This came from some nasty gash that thought it was okay to talk shit about me and my old man. She got a broken nose for her mouthiness. If you think I deserve someone better than this man, then you clearly don’t know him and should keep your judgmental mouth shut.”

Chibs pulled you to him, giving you a quick kiss. His arm went around your shoulders and you put yours around his waist as you started to make your way out of the store.

It was hard to stand back and keep his mouth shut when (Y|N) was talking to the manager shit and the old woman. He was so mad he was almost sweating. He was distracting himself by looking around the store and at the doors to see if the manager shit had called the cops. But then, she did something he wasn’t used to anymore, she stuck up for him and she called him her ‘old man’. He’d needed to take a couple deep breaths to hold back the tears that threatened to form. He was falling for her hard and he knew it. He couldn’t have picked anyone better suited to him. She just had this way about her that no matter what he felt at home with her.

He pulled her to him, holding her face in his hands as he kissed her. He draped his arm around her shoulders and he felt her arm go around his back to feel her hand rest on his hip and walked out of the store with the woman he loved.

On the way back, you had Chibs stop at one of those big discount retailers and bought a fairly nice futon. It wasn’t especially pretty, or horribly uncomfortable like those god-forsaken armchairs. All you needed it to do was let you sit next to your old man and keep him warm while you watched TV with him under that ridiculously large blanket.

While in the store, Chibs got the idea to call Rat to gather some prospects to haul the big box up to the apartment and put it together. An hour later, after much swearing and smoke breaks, you and Chibs were sitting in a proper living room watching Game of Thrones and Chibs was huddled under the massive blanket. The repair tech for the furnace still hadn’t been by, but Rat had enough sense to bring over a space heater to take the chill out of the air.

You needed to finish going over the reports Jack had sent before you’d gone on your shopping excursion and it reminded you of the letter again. Turning on the computer, you bought up the original email that had held all of the files. The one from your dad to Chibs was the only one left.

“Chibs,” you waited for a response. Putting your hand over his, “Filip.” His head turned away from the TV to look at you. “There’s still this letter from my dad…”

He hadn’t forgotten. He wasn’t sure he wanted to read the last words from his friend. He didn’t want to put the lass through any more pain, and he sure as shit didn’t want her to see him get emotional over it, either.

“I’ll sit with you, if ya want,” she said softly. “I don’t have to read it, I can just be here.”

“Aye, lass,” he said. “I’d like tha’.”

She handed over the laptop and leaned into him as she brought up the file. Her pretty eyes had the shadow of sadness in them when she looked up at him. She gave him a couple of quick kisses before throwing back the blanket, disappearing into the bedroom. He was staring at the file. He couldn’t bring himself to open it just yet.

(Y|N) came back with a roll of toilet paper and took back her spot next to him. She didn’t say anything, she just put the roll in a spot between them and nestled into him.

His hand hovered over the touch pad before he moved his hand away and came to rest on your blanket covered knee. You double-tapped on the file and the text came into view immediately.      Chibs,           If you’re reading this, it means I’m gone. I want you to know, I’m glad Jax handed the club to you. There’s no one better suited to it than you and I know you’ll do everything in your power to keep the club on the right track. You have my full confidence, brother. Jack will make sure my girl has no worries taking care of the business and she’ll get you through the audit. She’s fully certified in the state of California. Jack will have no problems running things in her absence.           If you’re reading this, it also means that my plan worked and my girl is there with you. Debbie and I kept it all from her. If my girl is there with you, tell her everything. She deserves to know. Jack and I are getting some info together so she can read it when she’s ready, too. Don’t hold back, brother. She may be my pretty princess, but she’s way tougher than she looks. She’s incredibly smart and her brain is very sharp. Whatever you do, don’t lie to her, she’ll know and she deserves better after what Debbie and I did, even if it was to protect her. I’ve just got this one last secret to keep.           I want you to look after her, Chibs, make sure she’s okay. Take care of my little girl. At the very least, I want you two to be friends. I couldn’t pick a better man to look after her.           Tell my pretty princess I love her. It was my honor knowing you, Chibs.           Bud

“Well, I like ye well enough,” he said nudging you, no doubt trying to make you smile.

“Yeah, I think we might be friends,” you pulled the blanket back. Maybe you were reading too much into things, but you got the distinct impression your dad had been playing matchmaker with his little plan. You looked up at the ceiling and a silent ‘thank you’ to your dad. Despite his annoyingly consistent correctness, you were grateful for the now, not-so-fateful meeting you had with Chibs. You took away the laptop, shut it down and set it aside as well.

Taking care of (Y|N) would be easy…if she let him. Nothing was ever certain. She still needed to go back to Iowa to take care of her business and to work things out with Debbie. It was just a matter of whether or not she would come back. He thought she would…he hoped she would. Things were moving at light-speed for them, but he knew he cared for her a great deal. He was sure he was in love with her. Her being with him made him feel alive again and the thought of her leaving sent a sharp pain to his heart when he thought about it.

When she took away the computer, he wondered what she was doing. She looked like she had a plan running around inside that head of hers. He sat there waiting to see what was going to happen. She pulled back the blanket then straddled his lap leaving no question as to what was going to happen.

She ground her hips into him, drawing a moan as her mouth came down to meet his. The heat of her body pressed against him took away any chill he may have had. After a few moments, she said, “And to think, we almost didn’t get a couch today.”