#who invited ketch?

[holylulusworld]

Designed by pain (1)

Summary: Broken hearts are hard to put back together. 8 years ago, Dean lost something he didn’t even know he had in the first place. Will he get a second chance?

Pairing: former AU!Dean Winchester x fem!Reader; Arthur Ketch x fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, language, implied break-up, time jumps, strong reader, Dean being a douche (implied), unplanned pregnancy

A/N: This was an alternative idea for the first chapter of my Bucky story: Monster-in-law masterlist. I decided to use it for a story with Dean.

Designed by pain masterlist

Designed by pain (Prologue)

One night of passion, a life-long responsibility. The words you wrote echo in your mind. It’s only a few days since you left Dean and the house, but you are already falling apart. 

You spent the better part of the drive back to your shared home being scared of the future. 

Having a baby so soon into your relationship wasn’t in your plans. Neither was it to raise the child alone. Even though you know, there is no way you’ll not love the life growing inside your body.

“Fuck, what do I do now?” You slam the door shut behind you and immediately sink to your knees. You choke out a sob and hide your face in the palms of your hands. 

Six days and Dean didn’t even try to call you, nor did he come home. 

He’s over you already, and Lisa will take your place. Maybe it never was your place. You were only a placeholder until she came back into the picture.

You grit your teeth and huff. “Fuck you, Dean Winchester.” Something breaks inside of you, and you don’t know if it’s a bad thing. 

The part of you loving Dean unconditionally already starts to fade, and the bitch in the back of your mind taking over whenever you got hurt wins the upper hand.

You straighten your back and look at the woman in the mirror staring back at you. You smirk and put your hands on your hips. “I guess this means we are going to leave and start all over again. Don’t worry little bean,” you lovingly run your hand over your belly, “we are going to fucking rock this…”

One last step and your new life can begin. This is it, the point of no return. Your life with Dean is over, and you are not even sorry anymore.

You gave him time and space to realize what he was about to lose. In the end, you and his baby weren’t important enough to him to even try to talk things out.

Even if he didn’t want to be in a relationship with you any longer, he could’ve at least tried to be a father to his child.

Now you will be a father and mother to the bean growing in your belly. You’re strong and won’t back down, or cry over spilled milk.

If you look back at this moment in a few years, you will clap your hands and cheer for yourself. You’re stronger than Dean or anyone else gave you credit for. Everyone believed you’re only the cheerful and soft girl who loves to bake cookies and dreams of marrying the man you love.

A week ago, you were this person. 

Today you are someone else. An Amazon, who will take her life in her hands and move on from a man who never loved her…

The takeoff is both exciting and terrifying. You are flying to another country, to live on another continent. Your old life will be in the past, and you can only think about the future from now on. 

Holding your old plushie in your hands, squeezing it tightly you take deep breaths. “In and out,” you tell yourself to calm your nerves. Flying always makes you nervous. This didn’t change.

“How do you like first class, Miss Y/L/N,” your new boss asks. He paid for a first-class ticket so you could talk about your new position and the house he rented for you.

“Thank you for inviting me,” you give him a quick smile. Arthur Ketch is a very polite and charming man, but you cannot appreciate him at the moment. 

“I have to thank you for accepting our job offer,” he says and dips his head to watch you nervously run your hand over your belly. “How far are you?”

“Oh—” heat creeps into your cheeks. You should’ve told him that you were pregnant before accepting his company’s offer. “I…I should’ve told you.”

“Most of our employees are mothers and fathers, Y/N. We are a family-friendly company with family-friendly work conditions. And the boss likes you, and your reputation.” He smirks now and leans closer to look at your belly.

“Do you think he’ll like that I didn’t tell them about my pregnancy? I didn’t do it on purpose. I got to know about my pregnancy only a few days ago, and I didn’t intend to accept the job offer at that time.”

“You know that I’m the boss, right?” Ketch grins. 

“You are the boss now?” Your eyes round. “Since when?”

He shrugs. “I was the one behind the job offer. Robert Singer talked highly about you when we last met. From that moment on, I wanted you to work for us. If I told you back then that I was the CEO of the BMOL you would’ve never accepted our offer.”

“So, you tricked me,” you chuckle. “Lately all men seem to lie to me.” You sigh deeply. “Sorry, that was inappropriate. I didn’t want to…” You sniff. “Sorry.”

“You accepted my job offer because of a bad break-up I assume,” he pats your hand. “It’s alright, Y/N. London is the perfect place to start over. I will show you the town, and help you settle in. If you need help, I’ll be there. We care for our employees.”

“Is that a British thing?” You quirk a brow.

“It’s an Arthur Ketch thing,” he replies. “If you ask me, he’s a fool for letting you go. Sorry. Now I was the one saying inappropriate things, Y/N. You can punch me if you want to.”

“No, you’re right,” you hastily reply. “I gave him a choice, but he just gave up on us after meeting his ex-girlfriend again. The job offer was tempting, but I couldn’t imagine leaving the man I love. He made things so much easier for me. I got a new job and a new life. Maybe I should thank him for being the douche he is.”

“You deserve better,” Ketch softly says. “I know that we barely know each other, but believe me, he’s not worth a single tear. A gentleman should never make a woman cry or hurt her. Especially the one carrying his child.”

You give Ketch a sad smile. You’re embarrassed how easily he saw right through you. It wasn’t your intention to talk about your pregnancy and broken heart with your new boss.

“Y/N don’t worry. Everything we talked about today won’t leave this airplane,” he pats your hand. “If you need a friend, I’ll be there…”

Part 2

[tigerspite]

2 and 27 for Eramis and Siriks, 7 and 42 for Wethraks

2. How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’?

Eramis is very tight with who she calls a friend. Her friendship has to be earned. She doesn't immediately hit it off with anyone, rather they have to prove themselves worth her time. And she has to decide whether she wants to keep you around and whether you're worth it to her. Once you're her friend, you're pretty much set from there on out, but she will definitely use you as part of a network and the friendship is secondary.

Siriks I think is similar but he just doesn't move a lot of people past acquaintance level. He's a busy guy. No time for close friends. Lots of people he knows vaguely, very few who are on a deeper level. Ketch comes first.

27. What’s the worst gift they ever received? How did they respond?

Eramis's experience at the Stake House, and the hosing down she received prior to that, was the worst 'gift' she was ever given. Even if she wanted it in part. She just kind of put up with both of those and didn't enjoy either experience.

Siriks has been given many gifts from Taniks that haven't been entirely helpful nor useful. Mainly they're kind of taking the piss or generally inflammatory. Probably the worst gifts he received by extension were the toys on the grave of Eramis and Taniks's hatchlings each year. Those were a real kick in the teeth, considering how sour their relationship was following their deaths and Eramis's imprisonment.

7. What would you (mun) yell in the middle of a crowd to find them? What would their best friend and/or romantic partner yell?

Nobody needs to yell. Wethraks is the tallest guy in a crowd. Just look up.

42. If invited to a TED Talk, what topic would they present on? What would the title of their presentation be?

He read enough life coaching and self help books that I feel he could give one of those types of TEDTalks no problem. He doesn't necessarily believe in what he's saying, but it doesn't matter. He just kept a lot of that information in his head.

Alternatively, an infamous talk about why the entire Kell and House system is a sham and exactly who started it and why it exists. He is summarily executed and or has to go into witness protection following this one.

Thank you!

[aurea-fide]

the boogeyman arrives

The pyrmaid gleams in the distance from where he stood on his ketch, his primary arms crossed against his chest. His good eyes stare at the distance thinking about the invite and wonders if he should of not accepted it. But a distant part of him knew that he should go. It’s not often an eliksni is invited to these events - one such as himself no less. 

Did they know of his legends? Did they know of the rumors? 

Jorvek gives a rasp through his teeth. He wonders sometimes. Feeling movement on his shoulder, his eyes shift to glance at his ghost who appears. “Stay, close.” 

[ Righty-o. You going to speak or am I translating tonight? ]

The baronkell thinks about it for a moment. His throat aches and he is tired. Whirlwind born as he was, sometimes he rather not talk much. He thinks about it then waves a hand. “Just, stay on stand by.” Getting an agreed hum from his ghost, Jorvek shifts to order the crew to dock his ketch not far away and to cloak it up. And once that was settled, he nods to Patch who transmats them to the doors. 

He stands there for a moment, adjusting his armor as he does so. It’s light gear and it doesnt look like armor but thats the way he enjoys it. He wore his house colors with pride now - black with a hint of lightening blue along the edges and some worn aged gold. But despite those are his house colors, the armor is a very old familiar style that older residences will recognize. What can he say? He enjoys his old 4th gear, the gear that struck fear in many. And it was who he is, and always will be. Despite being a baron-kell now, he was still the 4th. And whirlwind born. His cloak was warmer then most cloaks, rich black with their lightening symbol on the back of it. Why his house insisted on arc as being their symbol he didn't know. But he wasn’t going to stop them. 

He swaps out for his lighter mask and breathes through his teeth before nodding to Patch to curl up. Together, they walk inside, Patch giving the required information to the attendant before they make their ways into the crowds. 

Jorvek is slow as he moves to look unthreatening. Which probably didn’t work that well but he wasn’t here to cause any problems. He was here to learn, trade old stories in exchange for information. And maybe make an alliance or two. 

[theunboundwriter]

Find the Word Tag

Thank you for the tag @toribookworm22 !!

My words are: Bell, Hold, Kind(ness), Ground(ed), and Silence(d)

Bell:

From The Strawberry Killer             She left the diner, the bell ringing to announce her departure. The night sky stretched overhead, turning orange and pink as the minutes went by. The few stars that still lingered blinked at her, the sky filled with mischievous eyes. Her boots crunched in the gravel parking lot, and she put on her sunglasses before climbing into her car. And with that, Dianne pulled back onto the forever-winding road, leaving the darkness behind.

Hold:

From The Prices We Pay             Dane yanked her head once again, trying to silence her, but still she continued. “I thought I loved you. I really, really, did. But now that I think about it, I don’t think it was you. I fell in love with your potential to be what I thought I needed at the time.”             She laughed now, an ugly sound in these dire circumstances. She was forced to her knees, wincing at the sensation that sent to the wound on her stomach. Dane stood over her, his hand still tangled in her brown hair. “I’m almost glad this happened,” she said, holding his gaze. “It’s shown me your true colors. Saved me from the worst mistake of my life. And I’ve been alive for a long time, Dane. It’s hard to be labeled as the worst in the life of someone who’s been around for centuries. To think, I’ve been kissing a pretentious prick all this time.”

Kind:

From The Sea is in Her Blood             The buzz of the chatter of people echoed around us, drowning out any other sound that may be heard. The man leaned forwards, closer to me, his breath rancid and hot on my face. He lowered his voice, "Ye know how fast talk travels, 'specially on the waters, but they say he killed his lover, then his crew, and to be honest with ye, if I hadn't seen 'em with me own two eyes, I'd say he was just a tale."             After another puff of smoke escaped his lips, the man sighed, "I ain't never met a man who'd turn on his own crew, killin' them in cold blood. He must be all kinds of evil to do something so wretched. "There be guesses, as to how he died. I'd heard that after recruiting a new crew they had a mutiny. Others say he danced with Jack Ketch or got his throat cut like he'd been doing all those years. Givin' him a taste of his own medicine if ye ask me."

Ground:

From The Prices We Pay             She heard the heavy sound of something hitting the floor, and realization hit almost as fast as the heart-wrenching pain in the pit of her chest.             Kendyleigh fell to the ground, knees hitting hard and tears already beginning to fall from her eyes. Her face contorted in the most severe sorrow she had ever felt, and she clutched the fallen form of the eight-year-old in her arms. She gently touched where the arrow had entered his abdomen, hand coming back the ugliest shade of red she had ever seen.

Silence:

From The Sea is in Her Blood             Red winced as he tightened his grip on his injury, fresh blood dripping between his fingers and spilling onto the deck. “It’s alright,” he muttered. “It was an accident.”             The captain made his way to his quarters, everyone watching him go in silence. “Someone clean that up,” he called over his shoulder, causing all eyes to fall on the trail of blood he left behind. 

Tagging (with no pressure): @minutiaewriter , @harinawa , and @dogmomwrites

Also tagging The Sea is in Her Blood Taglist as an invitation to participate as well! (ask to be added or removed)

@fearofahumanplanet @marinesocks @parttimeghost @houndsofcorduff

Your words are: Blink, Time, Light, Tree, and Hand

[8dpromo]

Oded Nir - Indoor Life (Suntree Records)

8DPromo · Oded Nir - Indoor Life (Suntree Records)

Almost five years after the success of his acclaimed LP, Rooftop Conversations, the immensely talented bassist and multi-instrumentalist Oded Nir returns with a captivating and dreamlike new album. Indoor Life is a sonic exploration, seamlessly blending elements of jazz, trip-hop, funk, soul, and downtempo gems. The result is a transformative musical journey that invites listeners into realms of self-reflection and dreams. Highlighting this album are extraordinary collaborations with Grammy award-winning Jamiroquai's legendary drummer, Derrick McKenzie. Together with Oded, McKenzie co-wrote and produced the mesmerizing track "Alive," featuring the soulful vocals of his daughter, Jenner McKenzie. Derrick's production prowess also shines on "Late Bloomer," a disco-infused easy-listening tune, and "Hot Mess," where his live, powerful drums take center stage. Adding to the supergroup dynamic is Matt Johnson, another member of Jamiroquai, who lends his keyboard magic to Oded's funky track "Hot Mess." Tel Aviv-based vocalist Meital De Razon graces the soulful and romantic "Come Back," while India-born vocalist Sandhya Sanjana contributes to the meditative early morning track "Sunrise." The late Paris/Amsterdam DJ producer Benjamin Ellery lends his French spoken word voice to "Film Noir," infusing the track with a trip-hop allure. Local Amsterdam musician and Oded's band member Thijs Van Den Geest collaborates on the fantastic "Sababa Dub," a smoothly rolling groove. The title track, "Indoor Life," evokes feelings of nostalgia and love. At the same time, the album concludes with a re-edited 2023 version of Oded's 2011 hit "Into Your Heart," featuring Dutch vocalist Gia Mellish. Indoor Life has already seen the release of five singles, earning acclaim from FM radio stations worldwide and securing placements in major Spotify playlists. Prepare to be transported by the enchanting sounds of Oded Nir's Indoor Life album.

Enne (Electunes) – “A really good album. Gonna play some of these for sure.” Michael Fossati (Spirit of House web zine) – “Truly glorious and eclectic.” Sandro Bianchi (Ibiza Sonica) – “This album is a gem.” Aja Allsop (Ketch A Vibe Radio Show) – “An outstanding project!” Michael Moebus (Back To Funk Radio Show) – “Nice bass work & funk-leaning sensibility.” Jon Wesley (Music Goes On Radio Show) – “This is an outstanding LP. Excellent music and production. I’ll enjoy playing all of these tunes.”

Available Now From: Traxsource, Juno Download, Beatport, And Spotify.

[sarah-dipitous]

Hellsite Nostalgia Tour 2023 Day 304

Exodus/Arachnids in the UK

“Exodus”

Plot Description: In apocalypse world, several family reunions yield varying results. Sam and Dean attempt to plan a mass escape through the rift

Would I Survive the First Five Minutes??: No one died

I know this is has always been about family drama but they turned it up a notch

I love how many times Sam says he’ll handle someone and then he doesn’t….this time about Lucifer

Poor Jack ☹️

I don’t like how Lucifer is looking at Mary——she’s not gonna go back with the boys?

Oh no….oh! Right! The entire premise of this episode…Sam was agreeing with Mary’s decision, but only partially. He still wants her back home but in order to get that, they have to make this world…not the apocalypse, but they’re gonna regroup in our world

Why would Cas leave Jack with Lucifer?! Like, let them talk, sure, Jack deserves to know about this half of his genetics…but keep them supervised!

Why is this plan so bad? Why does Bobby think that?

There’s an audio used on tiktok about how much hotter some men get when their whole life falls apart. I still hate Ketch, but…it’s not untrue about him

There’s an evil Castiel here?!

Oh, they’re gonna be doing practically the same thing. Cas getting info from the guy who set up Charlie and Ketch, and evil Cas doing the same but worse TO Charlie and Ketch

“I’ve known you since the stars were made” is such a good line, you’d think it was from Good Omens between the ineffable husbands, but it’s Gabriel telling Lucifer that he (L) can’t change and is incapable of love and empathy

Damn, Gabe. A little harsh.

What is this voice, Misha? It almost sounds German?

Watching Cas kill evil Cas sure was something. That’s a new poll, would you kill your clone?

Charlie and Ketch got rescued…AND everyone decided to go through the rift? What’s a gonna go wrong?! This is the penultimate episode of the season. Things are going to smoothly

This is unexpectedly sage and decent advice Lucifer is giving to Jack…

Roro strengthening the rift 💖

Of COURSE once it’s down to just a few, Michael shows up

Is Gabriel dead for good now?! Nooooo

Well, at least Michael and Lucifer are locked away in apocalypse world…….for now

SOMEONE CHECK ON JACK!!!! Y’all are celebrating too much and he’s just lost his uncle and dad (the second one only sort of) and didn’t even kill his other uncle, like he promised he would do

Yeah, I kind of figured Lucifer would propose a team up with Michael. This can’t go well

“Arachnids in the UK”

Plot Description: something is very wrong with the spiders in Sheffield. The Doctor and friends investigate

This man who seems to be a stand in for the US president is VERY obviously a very certain recent one, and after last episode, I just don’t know that England needs to be saying so much about the US’s history and politics when they’re no better

The dance the Doctor does every time they want to invite a new companion is so funny. They have to make it seem like they’re lonely enough to like some company but not enough that they’re desperate for it. Though Thirteen immediately being down for tea at Yaz’s is a nice change from past iterations

Doc, you could get a sofa for the TARDIS. You don’t have to do small talk like this

Ohhhhhhhhh Yaz’s mom was the woman that dude fired

Oh Graham…no, it’s HARD going back to a place you shared with someone you recently lost

I know they’re trying to make the webs ominous, but it’s not working. Well, ok. That’s TOO many cobwebs. It’s still not scary

When that same thing happened to Frodo, it was a lot scarier. That spider might not be Shelob size, but it’s way bigger than your average Australian one

Oooo, what’s Ryan’s beef with his dad?

I thought for a moment the hotel owner (who no longer seems to actually be the president but is still very reminiscent of said former president) was involved in the spider thing, and maybe he still is, just funding more than hands on

If the spiders weren’t fucking huge, no one would care

LIVING for Ryan doing shadow puppets while the Doctor and this scientist discuss the abnormal behaviors the spiders have been exhibiting

I have had it with these morherfucking spiders in this motherfucking town

No. No. Absolutely not. Why is it GIGANTIC?! That’s…WAY bigger than the other ones

This dude is so fucking pathetic, and not in the good way

I am now way too aware of anything that’s remotely tickling me. Megumi doesn’t help

He’s not president but he’s planning on running for president

That dude should not have a gun…

We already knew he was a terrible and sleazy businessman, but metaphorically washing his hands by saying he just signs the contracts…I wanna punch him

Yaz’s dad is gonna be so funny when they get out of this

I cannot wait for this episode to be over. I can deal with regular sized spiders, but this is……it’s too many and they’re too big

I love when they choose to go with the Doctor. It’s always such a heartwarming scene

[ketchtwotwo]

E5- An Unsolicited Invitation

Gesraks sat silently cursing the Ghost, Lynel, as he stared through the bars of a small iron cage. Gesraks did not know that Light-bearer ships even possessed a prison. When the ghost had ‘transmatted’ him aboard the vessel, Gesraks had materialized inside the steel trap. While Gesraks still had his weapon, he assumed that firing inside the ship would cause more trouble than his confinement. Gesraks was sure the ghost had considered that when he put him here.

Gesraks could see through to the cockpit, where the Light-bearer was speaking to his ghost. He could not hear what was being said, but it appeared that the Light-bearer was quite agitated. The fact that the ship had not turned back towards the Ketch suggested to Gesraks that Lynel was honoring the deal they had made, which would explain the Light-bearer’s displeasure.

After some time, the Light-bearer, or Guardian, as Lynel called him, exited the cockpit and stood before Gesraks. An uncomfortable amount of time passed as the guardian watched Gesraks, stoic as a statue. Finally, the guardian spoke, “Lynel says you’re called Gesraks.”

“I am,” Gesraks replied. “Captain Gesraks of House of Stars. Or I was, before the war.”

“The war? What war?” The Guardian was looking for information. Otherwise, he would not be speaking so freely to Eliksni. “I’m not familiar with House of Stars being at Twilight Gap.”

“I do not know of this Gap,” Gesraks explained. “We had war on our Ketch after Emeski-kel’s sacrifice. Two captains fought. To be new Kell. I did not fight. I safeguarded those who wished for peace...” Gesraks paused to see if the Guardian cared to hear his personal story or if he was just looking for more information about the state of the Ketch itself. After a pause, Gesraks took the opportunity to get some information of his own. “Why were you there, Light-bearer? And with so many? Our Ketch surely posed no threat to your City as it drifted through space.”

“I’ll ask the questions, Gesraks.” The guardian snapped. It would seem Gesraks would not be getting answers after all. Perhaps Lynel would be more apt to indulge his questions. “You stole our ships--”

“To save my people.” Gesraks cut in.

“As you say. You stole them for your people. Leaving five guardians and their ghosts to die on your Ketch.” The guardian accused.

“That... is true. But I understand that your guardians can survive such scenarios. I assumed that your ghosts could do the same.” Gesraks eyed Lynel, who floated just behind the guardian, hoping to entice him to speak on Gesraks’s behalf.

“Well, that... is true enough.” The guardian admitted. “I’m going to be honest with you, Gesraks. You’ve put me in a rather difficult position. The Vanguard is not pleased that I abandoned a mission. Even less so with five other guardians being stranded in space.”

“I do not presume to understand what this Vanguard is. But if it is any consolation, I intended to return your ships to Lynel once we found safe harbor. I am not looking to hurt anyone, Guardian or otherwise. We simply wished to survive.” The guardian turned back to Lynel, then back to Gesraks. He reached out and unlocked the cage. Gesraks tentatively crawled out and rose to his feet. He loomed above the guardian by more than a foot, and yet he still felt like the smallest person in the room. The guardian unclasped his helmet, removing it to reveal a young-looking human with dark skin. His hair was kept short, and his eyes seemed to possess a kindness that Gesraks had not observed through his personality.

“Gesraks,” the guardian began, “my name is Miles and I believe we could help one other.” The guardian, Miles, held his hand out in some form of gesture of good will. Gesraks mirrored the move, hoping to not cause offense, and Miles took Gesraks hand and shook it. Gesraks couldn’t pervent his head from tilting, telegraphing his confusion at the ritual. Miles chuckled, “it’s called a handshake, Gesraks. It is meant to show respect!”

Lynel released a sigh of relief. “I’m glad that’s over.”  Lynel floated over to Gesraks. “Let’s have a look at that arm then.” Lynel floated down towards it and emitted a soft light at the would Ameski had caused with a line rifle. The light felt warm, and the wound began to tingle. Much to his surprise, Gesraks looked at his arm as the hole began to close. “We have a lock on where your people landed,” Lynel said as he worked. “We should be there in no time.”

“In the meantime, Gesraks, you and I are going to have to talk with Zavala.” Miles motioned towards the cockpit. “It’s going to be a tight squeeze, but there’s a holoprojector up front.”

Gesraks stared in wonder as a blue, bald-headed man flickered into existence before him. “Miles, what did the prisoner have to say?” The man, Zavala, Gesraks persumed, hadn’t looked up to notice Gesraks crouching just behind Miles.

“Ask him yourself, Commander. This is Gesraks.” Zavala looked up, first looking puzzled, then trying to surpress his surprise to little avail. Gesraks nodded a hello.

“What is the meaning of this?” Zavala demanded.

“Commander Zavala,” Gesraks began. “My name is Gesraks. I mean your guardian no harm. I am seeking refuge, nothing more. Unfortunately, I had to commandeer his comrades’ ships, which I intend to return.”

“See that you do.” Zavala seemed to be of few words. Direct. Gesraks felt as thought he could like this man, once knowing him. “My fireteam was sent to investigate a Ketch, your’s, I assume, and recover any usable goods found within. We were not aware the Ketch was still operational.”

“You were correct,” Gesraks confirmed. “Our Ketch had been adrift without power for many days. Without your contacting the Ketch, all my people would have surely perished.”

“Miles tells me that you claim the House of Stars,” Zavala investigated. “That is not a house we are familiar with.”

“I am not surprised, Commander Zavala.” Gesraks was eager to tell Emeski-kel’s House’s story. “Our House was formed to find a new home for Eliksni to survive, without ether dependency. We are primarily scouts, with very few warriors. Emeski-kel did not seek war, did not wish to pillage. She wished to find a home where we could assimilate and cohabitate.”

“You’ll forgive my disbelief,” Zavala said flatly. “That is not the kind of Fallen we have seen.”

“And you will have to forgive me,” Gesraks rebutted, “you are not the type of Light-bearers I have seen.”

Zavala’s stoic image cracked a wry smile. “Fair point, Gesraks. We do not know one another. That’s something that can be reconciled. Miles, gather Gesraks’s people. We will dispense a shuttle to the discussed coordinates. Bring those ‘Eliksni’ to me. I would like to meet with them. Perhaps we could work out an arrangement of sorts.”

“Understood, Commander,” the image of the blue man flickered away. “Well, Gesraks, it looks like you’re going to Earth.”

[jaykaycreates]

Thoriks

Some time ago i believe i teased that there would be a fourth honorary member of the Circuit Breakers and here she is!

other members- Aaliyah, Chimera-2, Zaro

When she was with the Devil splicers, she had a hand in augmenting other eliksni, even some against their will , for their fight. Over time she grew to hate herself for what she did in desperation, in fear. Once the Young wolf and other guardians took out the leadership, she took it as a chance to run and put herself in a self opposed exile. She soon found an old and partially damaged heavy shank, not much of a fighter herself, she repaired it the best she could. He was functional and together they helped each other in the wilds of earth.

A long time later she heard about Eramis’s house being formed on Europa and decided it might be time to try being with others again, she caught a ride on a ketch, but she could already tell she wasn’t going to belong by how everyone avoided or threatened her. On Europa she wasnt given a chance to join the house, her SIVA augments were deemed to dangerous to be around and she was left out in the frozen wasteland, with no supplies or way home, she resigned herself to death. Until she heard an open radio transmission from Mithrax and the new house of light.

In the house of light, she was treated better and even allowed to become a splicer, this time for good, But she could still see others avoiding her and hear their whispers of worry around her. She was better off in the new house but she still felt alone. Until a hunter started to visit the Eliksni quarters. The hunter was the only person in a long time who didnt look away from her SIVA scars and treated her with kindness. Over time the Hunter would visit her frequently for splicer advice or even just to hang out. They became close enough that Thoriks was invited back to the Hunters camp to help her friend who was affected by the VEX. Thorixs has grown a fondness for the Hunter, Aaliyah, but doesn’t want to ruin their friendship and the person who has been kindest to her.

Reblogs are read and appreciated <3

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[feirceangel]

Imagine | First Encounter (Arthur Ketch)

Imagine meeting Ketch for the first time.

A/n - This is based on season 12. Hope you enjoy :)

Word Count: 888

~

The Impala's engine rumbles soothingly as Dean drives along the highway. Sam rides shotgun, a typical occurrence, while you and Cas get the backseat.

You don't really mind sitting in the back, you actually enjoy it most of the time. There's enough space for you to lay down when Cas isn't in the vehicle, and even with him there's still plenty of room.

Everyone sits in silence, each thinking different thoughts concerning different things. You're thoughts are obviously centered on the current situation concerning the devil possessing the president of the United States. A very unfortunate situation that should be stopped as soon as possible, in your opinion.

Head tilted towards the window, you look out at the landscape that rushes by. You sigh over the sound of Baby's engine.

"Are you alright, Y/n?" Cas asks, looking to you with his typical head tilt.

You shake your head, "I'm fine Cas."

He leaves it at that and faces forward again. You do the same and catch the gleam of red and blue lights reflected on the mirrors.

"Dean, are you speeding again?" You ask, annoyed at the inconvenience.

"No, I'm not," he retorts, and slows down the car as the vehicle goes ahead of us. It's not a typical police car, which rings a few alarm bells in your head.

"Let's just get this over with," Sam exhales, clearly feeling as annoyed as you are.

Dean nods as he pulls over, "You two stay."

Rolling your eyes at his demand, you cross your arms and wait with Cas in the vehicle. You watch Sam and Dean flash their fake badges and then watch as the men pull out guns.

Cursing, you get out of the car and stand next to your brothers. Cas follows suit, irritated at this whole situation. You stand with your hands visible, wary of the guns pointed your way.

Faintly, you hear jazz music, as another car arrives. Everyone's heads turn slowly to the newcomer, yours included. Sam, Dean, and Cas look as confused as you feel.

The car stops a safe distance away, and the door opens slowly. A fancy, brown-shoed foot is the first thing to emerge from the sweet car.

The next thing to appear is some form of gun, causing you and your brothers to react instantaneously.

You, Sam, and Dean all leap behind the Impala and crouch down with your hands over your heads. Cas just stays where he stands.

The explosion creates a large sound, mixing with the jazz music and your groans. Cas turns to look at the stranger with a puzzled expression.

The man walks over the debris, casually kicking away a fallen gun. You struggle to see him over Sam and Dean's figures, still crouched behind Baby.

"You, Angel, wipe their memories," he commands, in what you recognize as a British accent.

Cas squints in his direction and cocks his head to the side as Sam and Dean slowly rise to their feet. You hear a grunt as the British man kicks a fallen officer across the face.

"U.S. Government plates. Elite Dog-Catcher Level... Someone special wants you," he comments, coming to a halt in front of Sam, Dean, and Cas. You slowly stand up, cautious of this stranger.

His gaze flies to you in an instant, locking with yours.

"Who's hydrant have you lads been tinkling on, hmm?" He continues, returning his gaze to your brothers and the angel.

"I'm sorry, who the hell are you?" Dean asks the question on everyone's mind.

You notice British man's tattoo on his hand, a simple cross that adds to his sophistication in a way.

"Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? Arthur Ketch, British Men of Letters."

Staring at him, you are afraid to look away. He looks quite handsome, and his accent adds to his charm.

"Wow, who invited James Bond to the party?" You chuckle, wiping some debris off your pants.

Dean glares at Arthur, "So what? Mick sent you to look after us?"

"In a sense, yes. I've been cleaning up your messes for quite some time now."

"Stalking us?" Sam adds, and you remember his run-in with the British Men of Letters. You hadn't been there, but Sam told you about it.

"This is the jerk that tortured you?" You ask Sam, fingers wrapping around your hunting knife.

"No, I've never seen him before."

Arthur nods, "Ah, yes, Lady Bevell went a bit rouge. She's being disciplined as we speak."

Dean and Sam nod, and you stare at Ketch, still fascinated. He meets your gaze with a smirk, "And who might you be?"

Your brothers glower at him. They've done everything they can to protect you, which includes keeping you a secret. No one really knows that you exist because being a Winchester is dangerous, and your brothers want to keep you safe.

"That's not your concern," Dean states.

Ketch raises his eyebrow, "Come now, Dean, where are your manners?"

Dean grits his teeth, and Sam takes a defensive stance. Cas also glares at Arthur, while you look out from behind all three of them.

"Guys, relax." You say, pushing them out of your way. Arthur's eyes travel over your form, not an unwelcome experience.

"I'm Y/n. Winchester."

His eyes alight with curiosity, "Winchester? There are no records of a Winchester sister."

"Yeah, well, we keep it a secret for the most part." You smirk.

He smiles, "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Y/n."

[holylulusworld]

The girl on the bridge (4) - The funeral

Title: The girl on the bridge (4) - The funeral

Summary: You lost your child and life becomes too heavy to keep ongoing. That’s when you meet your guardian angel. 

Pairing: Firefighter!Dean Winchester x fem!Reader

Characters: Sam Winchester, Arthur Ketch, Rowena MacLeod, Fergus MacLeod

Word Count: 1,8 k

Rating: Mature

Warnings: angst, language, suicidal thoughts, mentions attempted suicide, mentions of child’s death, a funeral, mentions almost drowning, loss of a loved one, implied relationship break-up, fluff

Square Filled for @spndeanbingo​: Fire Fighter!AU

Square Filled for @spnaubingo​: Ketch

2021 SPN AU BINGO masterlist 

2021 SPN Dean Bingo masterlist

A/N: Please head the trigger warnings for this story! Take care of yourself. I mention suicide and other triggers.

The girl on the bridge masterlist 

  Previously on the girl on the bridge…

I found fate on that old bridge and will be damned to let it slip through my fingers…

Now, Dean’s PoV

“Slow down, sweetheart,” I wrap my arm around Y/N’s waistline when she tries to walk toward the bathroom. “The doctor said you need to take it slow. You almost drowned not two days ago.”

“I-I never thanked you,” she sniffles. Y/N doesn’t look at me when she breaks down once again. She hides her face in my chest, crying bitterly. “Abby would be so disappointed in me. How could I do such a stupid thing? Who will remember her when I’m not around any longer?”

“How about we go for a little walk and get some fresh air?” she nods against me but claws at my shirt. “Are you hungry?”

“No, I had breakfast already,” Y/N whispers, sniffling silently. “It was awful.”

“I know,” I laugh, and Y/N looks up at me to crack a smile. She just looks at me with teary eyes, almost as if she wants to find out what to do next. “How do you feel today? Do you need me to call the doctor or a nurse?”

“I’m fine, I think,” she still holds my gaze. Her hand slowly moves toward my face to stroke my cheek. “You saved me, Dean. You’re a hero. Never forget you risked your life to save a stranger.”

“You tried to save Abby too, Y/N,” I lean in her gentle touch, even close my eyes for a moment to forget my father and Ben are still dead and that the girl touching me is as broken as I am. “You almost got yourself killed to save her.”

“It was no use,” she presses a soft kiss to my chin, sighing when I don’t pull away. “Ketch, he tried to stay with me, but I felt the rift between us grow wider every day. No matter how hard we tried, we just couldn’t save what we had. Abby’s death changed everything, and we lost our love.”

I wish I could take the pain away, could save Y/N from the nightmares and the guilt eating her up. “Sometimes grief brings people together and sometimes; they fall out of love.”

“Arthur is not a bad man, but he made it even harder for me to move on. God, how can you move on after you lost your child?” Y/N whispers. “Arthur, he didn’t show his emotions. Not even during Abigail’s funeral did he hold my hand. I broke down and he just walked away and let my friends take care of me after we arrived back at home.”

“Sounds like an asshole to me,” I grit out. “I know he lost his beloved daughter, but you were the woman he was supposed to love. If you love a woman, you don’t leave her alone. Especially not on your daughter’s funeral.”

“It was my fault,” her voice cracks when I cup her face to force her to look up at me. “Dean, I should’ve listened to Abby. If only I listened to her. She wanted to get the cat and ran onto the street.”

“Sweetheart, Arthur was her father. He could’ve taken care of his daughter too. What kind of father invites his boss to his daughter’s birthday party? Stop blaming yourself, Y/N,” I try to make her see it wasn’t her fault.

“Says the man blaming himself for Ben’s death,” she fires back, grinning when I give her a dirty look. “Your father decided to enter the school. He was an experienced firefighter, still, he was careless.”

“Y/N—” I try to argue with the girl in front of me, but she shakes her head and I know, she will give me hell if I don’t agree with her. “He was an experienced firefighter, but he was worried about his son and—”

“He did the same thing you did, Dean. Yes, it was stupid of you to run into a burning building without your equipment, but you wanted to save Ben. You didn’t know he was already dead. Your father did the same to save you, Dean,” she stands on tiptoes to press her soft lips to the corner of my mouth. 

“Sweetheart,” I sigh, enjoying her taste on my lips. “It’s still my fault he died. John Winchester could still be alive if only I didn’t lose my mind that day.”

“How about you appreciate he gave his life to save yours? Your father was a good man, just like you,” fuck, she won’t give in. That girl can make me feel like a scolded boy and a hero at the same time. “I wasn’t there that day, but to me, you are a hero. No matter if you saved the boy or not. At least you tried, and that is more most of the people would’ve done.”

“Same goes for you, Y/N,” I press my lips to her forehead, hoping I don’t cross a line when I wrap my arms around her trembling from. “We both need to find a way to move one. But before we can do so, we should talk about what happened…”

“I-I want to begin,” she sniffs, hiding her face in my chest again. 

Almost one year ago, Abigail’s funeral, Reader’s PoV…

“Arthur?” I can barely walk with my crutches, but I’m determined to attend Abigail’s funeral. “Where are you?”

“Sorry, he already went downstairs, Darling,” Arthur’s uncle gives me an apologetic smile. “Let me help you, Y/N.”

“Why did he go downstairs without telling me so? I wanted him to help me carry Abby’s favorite plushie. I want them to put it in her—” I choke on the words, remembering my little girl doesn’t sleep in her bed. Now she’s sleeping in a coffin, and I will never see her smile again.

“You see,” Fergus clears his throat, glancing at the plushie I stuffed under my arm. “Arthur doesn’t want you to put the plushie in her coffin,” he drops his eyes, shaking his head slightly. “He’s grieving, Darling. Arthur just can’t show his emotions.”

“He doesn’t want me to put it in her coffin. But she loved it! She loved it and can’t sleep without it!” I cry, sounding like a madwoman. I know, deep down in my heart Abigail doesn’t need the plushie but I want her to have it. It’s the last thing I can do for her.”

“How about you keep it and put it next to her picture?” Fergus helps me put the plushie away before he wraps one arm around my waistline to guide me down the stairs. “Everything is going to be alright, Y/N.”

“No, it won’t,” I whimper. “But thank you for trying to make me feel better, Fergus. I appreciate you try to be there for me.”

“Arthur should be there for you, Y/N. He just can’t right now—”

Rain runs down my face, washes the tears off my cheeks. 

I stand next to Fergus and Rowena. Is it odd I feel rejected by the man I love? He refused to stand next to me during the funeral, and I felt like he stabbed my heart.

Rowena holds my hand while Fergus runs one hand up and down my back. I’m close to breaking down when the preacher ends his speech. I whimper my daughter’s name, hand reaching out for Arthur, but he shakes his head, whispering Abby’s name.

“I can’t, Y/N,” Arthur chokes out, looking at me. There is so much sadness in his eyes when he takes the rose out of my hands. “Let me do this. You should go back to the car. Your leg and ribs, you need to recover first.”

“I can’t leave, not without saying goodbye, Arthur,” he huffs but holds out his arm when Rowena whispers something in his ear. “Please.”

“Let’s say goodbye together then…”

Everything after this moment was a blur.

I don’t remember what I said or if I placed a rose onto Abby’s coffin. All I know is that I’m in the backseat of Fergus's car. I feel Arthur’s hand rub circles into my back while I cry into his chest.

“You need to calm, Y/N,” he tries to soothe me, but I can’t hear him. “Y/N, breathe with me, Darling. I know you can do it…”

Now, Dean’s PoV,… 

“That sounds awful, sweetheart,” Y/N still leans her head against my chest. She told me about her daughter’s funeral, and I don’t know what to say. “He should’ve been there for you.”

“He lost his daughter. I understood he couldn’t care about me. I was only Abigail’s stepmom but loved her like she was my own,” she whispers sadly. “The only thing I will never forgive is that he said I wasn’t Abby’s mom before he left me.”

“Sonofabitch,” I curse, and Y/N chuckles. She looks up at me, laughing when I exclaim her ex-fiancé was a fucking asshole for telling Y/N so. “He didn’t deserve you.”

“Arthur lost his daughter. That’s the worst thing ever happening to a person. I don’t blame him for leaving me. I just can’t forget the things he said before he closed the door.”

I don’t ask about Arthur again. For today I let Y/N hold tight onto me and just listen to everything she wants to talk about.

“He shouldn’t have blamed you, Y/N.”

“How’s the girl?” my brother sits next to me on my car’s hood. Y/N fell asleep an hour ago and I allowed myself to leave the hospital room to get fresh air and a coffee.

“Better, I think,” what else can I tell my brother? Y/N told me about her daughter’s funeral, and I can’t break her trust in me. “The doctor said she can go home by tomorrow.”

“I was looking for you,” Sam licks his lips, and I know he will ask me a question I don’t want to answer. “I was worried, Dean. Bobby said you want to quit.”

“I needed a few weeks off,” I lie, glancing at the coffee in my hands. “I don’t know what to do yet.”

“Dean, don’t lie to me,” damn my smart little brother; he can see right through my lie. “I know you blame yourself for dad’s death but—” he chokes on his words, jumping off my car. “How could you even consider leaving me too? You are the only family I got left!” he yells. “How could you?”

“Sammy,” I sniff, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. “I’m sorry,” there is no use in lying to Sam. He already knows I wanted to kill myself the night I met Y/N. “I didn’t see the light at the end of a long and dark tunnel but now…”

“You found the girl and think everything is going to be alright?” he huffs. “Dean, you need help. Both of you.”

“We help each other,” I protest. I went to a supportive group, even tried therapy but the only thing giving me new hope is the girl on the bridge.

Y/N, my ray of hope…

>> Part 5

Tags in reblog.

[castiellesbian]

other people who are invited to the wedding

(this is about the people not discussed a lot, so don’t come @ me with “where’s Kevin” or whatever)

Those who actually come

Jesse & Cesar, who are pretty sure they were only invited because they’re the only gay couple Dean knows

Garth & his family :)

Linda obv

Kelly!!

Max & Stacy (who are invited by Jack, and in this timeline they’re all friends shut up)

Krissy

Aaron & his golem obv

Pamela

Becky (in this version they’ve made amends, but also you KNOW Becky wouldn’t pass up a ship going canon)

the chill angels like Samandriel and Hannah

Those who “couldn’t make it”

Max & Alicia (they’re actually busy)

Amara, who is NOT busy but has 0 interest

Metatron, who Cas invited mostly because of the whole “find a wife and make babies” thing and wants to rub it in Metatron’s face, but also because they’re kind of on better terms so he feels like they should ask? thankfully Metatron rejects the invitation

Adam/Michael (though Adam appreciated being thought of at least)

Those who flat-out ignored the invite

Bela for obvious reasons

Billie for also obvious reasons

Those who weren’t invited but crashed anyway

Gabriel (they would have invited him but they thought he was dead)

Ketch, who knows that there will be milfs

Belphegor

Those who weren’t invited because they don’t exist

Donatello

[flamencodiva]

A Different League 1 - Walls

Description: Y/N never experienced the life of luxury. Being the daughter of a hunter never gave her that experience. But what happens when she finds a job working for one of the most prestigious hunting companies in the world?

Word Count: 1960

Beta: @wonder-cole

Warnings: Language, Violence, Angst, Fluff, Smut, Slow Burn (yes, that's a warning), Rivals to Idiots, Idiots to Lovers, Lovers to Idiots.

Main Masterlist 

Series Masterlist

<< Prologue 

Code Red! Code Red!’

The red lights and alarm sounded throughout the building.

‘Level 10 monster detected.’

Y/N Y/L/N made her way through the hall towards the locker rooms to suit up. As usual, she was part of the ground team, which did all the messy work when hunting monsters for Hunter Corp.

Marching down the hallway, she made her way to the briefing room, grabbing the folder handed to her and reading it right away.

“Think this is the one?” Benny asked, standing by her with his folder.

Y/N shrugged her shoulders, “don’t know. Maybe it is. But according to the data recon has gathered, not likely. If it’s a level ten, then--”

“It’s most likely an Alpha monster,” Ketch interrupted. “Y/N, darling, when are you going to take me up on that offer to wine and dine you?” he asked, trying to flirt with the huntress.

“When hell freezes over, Arthur,” she sighed, “I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, my focus is on work, not my--”

“Libido,” Benny and Ketch echoed with matching smiles.

“We know, Cher,” Benny chuckled, “then again I did see you eyeing--”

“You say it, and I hog tie you and castrate you,” Y/N growled, “I lived on a ranch for a good amount of years while dad was taking care of a pack. Don’t think I won’t do it, Benjamin.”

Benny lifted his hands in surrender and chuckled, walking toward his seat on the conference table. Other squad leaders filtered in as they were ready to talk about the Level 10 monster that had appeared. This included the two sons of the CEO, the eldest of the two, Dean, taking a seat next to Y/N.

“Units 1 and 2, you will take the lead on this, “ John Winchester said as he walked into the room, taking a seat at the head of the table. “These two units will oversee operations and capture. I will repeat that,” he said, looking at each unit leader in turn, “capture the target. Our goal is to learn as much as we can before eradicating their species.”

“Do we have the special equipment that I had made for occasions like this?” Y/N asked as she flipped through the different pages, analyzing the data collected. “Do we also know what kind of Alpha we’re dealing with?”

“As of right now, we just know it’s an Alpha. I’m waiting on relay team Gamma to get back with the complete analysis,” John announced, impressed with his top hunter. “But I do want my best teams there in case something goes wrong.”

Y/N simply hummed as she let her mind process the strategy the boss set up. Her boss wasn’t wrong. Her squad, along with Snob, as she liked to call Dean, would be a formidable force. That is if he wasn’t trying to talk about his exploits on a private jet.

No matter where they were, he always had some way of interjecting how nice it is to have money and experience things. Y/N has never had the pleasure of doing. Sure she had the money to do those things now, but she never saw the big deal. It only spurred her annoyance at Snob when he would try to make conversation with her. They had nothing in common, yet he continued to try to talk to her while she ignored him.

After the meeting ended, Y/N made her way back to her room. She was the only one of the squad leaders not to have a place of her own. It was something that didn’t go unnoticed by the other leaders, especially John. Y/N would brush off the comments of her not having a place to unwind away from work. In all honesty, she didn’t know what else to do. She grew up hunting, and she figured living in the facility would give her faster reaction time to save more lives.

As she packed her things, she could feel a pair of eyes on her.

“What do you want?” she called out, never facing the person who stood at her doorway.

“I was wondering--”

“No, Dean. I will not go to whatever fancy place you want to take me to,” she sighed, moving around her room to collect what she would think she would need.

“I’m not, Ketch,” Dean grumbled, “And I know for a fact that you barely leave the compound. You don’t even have your own place.”

“Why do you care, Snob,” she hissed at him. “To someone like you, I’m just a worker. Why do you care that I live in the compound?”

“If this is about the gala, I already apologized,” Dean whined, “What more do you want from me?”

“To let me do my job,” Y/N huffed, slinging her bag over her shoulder and pushing past him, “and right now, my job is to make sure we know what we are dealing with before we go in blind and kill good hunters on a hunch.”

“The recon team--”

“Has been wrong before,” she pointed out, “Your brother has been wrong before and at my expense!”

“Samuel would never-” Dean began.

“He has, and he did, Dean,” she argued. “That scar on my back was not because I thought it would be fun to ignore that there was another Rugaru.”

She glared at him, “It was because I was told by your brother that there was only one when there were, in fact, three of them.”

Dean stayed silent as she walked away from him and towards the garage. Never in his life had a woman angered and enamored him before. The minute he had laid eyes on Y/N three years ago at the gala, he could feel his heart pound in his chest. His insecurities had gotten the better of him, and he had to play the millionaire asshole. When she didn’t bow down to his charm, he was intrigued.

After a year of training, moving up the ranks, and being her partner, Dean learned that Y/N was all business. Not like any of the girls he ever dated or bedded. Y/N had a drive, but what it was, she wouldn’t say. Y/N began to distance herself more from him for every case they had, only communicating if it had to do with the hunt and to turn down his invitations.

Dean made it to his dorm with a deep sigh and began packing his things, hoping he could try to break through the walls Y/N built with this hunt.

Looking at her watch, Y/N wondered where Charlie was? Usually, Charlie would be her research partner on cases like these. Well, Charlie is always her choice as a research partner. The woman was a genius when it came to technology and making her way into security footage to search for monsters.

Y/N didn’t notice as Charlie walked up behind her. Most of Y/N’s attention was on the recon folder. She was trying to assess what the team had found.

“You know,” Charlie said as she approached Y/N, “You’re really taking this not thinking with your libido thing a bit too far.”

“I am focused on my work,” Y/N replied, never taking her eyes off the file. “I have a feeling we’re dealing with a Shifter-Alpha.”

“What gives you that idea?” Charlie asked as she sat down next to Y/N.

“It’s the fact that in every house reported, Mom and Dad are dead,” Y/N pointed out as she pushed the folder towards Charlie. “But the baby goes missing,” she pointed to the details in every story.

“Huh,” Charlie let out, tilting her head to the side as she looked over the notes, “I guess that means we’re heading out early?”

“No,” Y/N sighed, “going to talk to John first.”

“Really?” Charlie gasped, “you’re usually gung-ho about going when you have a hunch like this?”

“Okay, I’m a hunter, not suicidal,” Y/N drawled.

It didn’t take long for Y/N to point out the details in the story and voice her suspicions to John. Of course, when John agreed with her suspicions, he organized all quad leaders and put his plan in motion. Nearing the next house that Alpha would attack, Dean and Y/N placed themselves in charge of moving in to capture the monster.

‘Leader 1,’ came Dean’s voice through the walkie-talkie, ‘we have movement inside the house. I repeat, we have movement inside the house.’

“Copy that, Leader 2,” she responded before taking a breath, “Red-Recon, Red-Recon, what do we have on the video feed?”

‘Can’t I have a cooler nickname?’ Charlie whined through the intercom, ‘like Red Hawk!’

Y/N rolled her eyes, letting out a chuckle before responding, “Okay, Red Hawk, can you just tell me what the video feed shows?”

‘You were right, Leader 1,’ Charlie confirmed, ‘glowing eyes in the feed. We’re dealing with a nest of shifters. We also are seeing a large nursery through the micro-cam footage.’

“Shit,” Y/N cursed, “we might need to abort and come up with--”

‘You are going to do nothing of the sort, Leader 1,’ Samuel’s voice came through, ‘we’re here to do a job. We will kill every last one of them if we have to.’

“Samuel, there are kids in there. No matter what the species, kids are kids!” Y/N argued.

‘That’s Recon-Leader to you, Leader 1,’ he barked.

‘Recon-leader,’ Dean’s voice came through, ‘I agree with Leader 1. We are only here for the Alpha. We need this to be a quick and clean operation.’

“I don’t need your help, Leader 2,” Y/N growled. “If Recon-Leader wants us to go through the paperwork explaining why the squads changed Leader Prime’s plan, he can do it himself.”

‘What are we going to do, Leaders 1 and 2?’

Y/N closed her eyes, knowing full well the consequences of her actions, “we are going to go as planned, capture the Alpha, take down as many shifters as you can.”

‘Y/N,’ Dean called over the com, ‘I think your instincts were--’

“I’ll deal with the fucking consequences,” she called back, “we move on my mark.”

To say the operation was easy was a big fat fucking lie. Just as Y/N predicted, getting to the Alpha with all the other Shifters in their way was a challenge. So much so that they had to call Squads 3 and 4 for backup. It took longer than it should have for the team to capture the Alpha, and that was after Y/N was full of bruises and deep scratches. The nursery with the children was empty when they searched it. Some Shifters made it out with the abrupt change in plans, while others were killed trying to let them escape.

Once Y/N was patched up, she prepared herself for the yelling she knew John would give her. Even if they got the Alpha, the method they used almost cost the lives of good hunters. Y/N had made sure to try and save as many hunters from death as she could.

“Y/N!” she heard as she walked out of the medical tent.

Rolling her eyes, she turned away from Dean, who was jogging towards her.

“Thanks, Jess,” she called to the doctor on staff that stitched her up.

“Damn it, Y/N. Please wait!” Dean called out to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I talked to Samuel and--”

“Save it, Snob,” Y/N growled. “I am going to head to my room in the hotel and write up the report. Don’t worry about Douchebag. I will take all the heat on this.”

“Why do you do that?” Dean growled, “Why can’t you let me tell Dad about--”

“Leader Prime,” Y/N barked, “when we are on the job, you address him by his title.”

Dean let out an audible groan, “can you take the stick out of your ass for just one fucking minute!”

Y/N turned to glare at him, “what could you possibly say to me? That you’re going to use your privilege to get Daddy not to punish me because your brother was being an ass? Please spare me. I’m used to this. You and Samuel get away with everything while the rest of us have to struggle!”

“You are such a bitch, Y/L/N. No wonder people don’t want to hang around you,” Dean spat, his eyes widening at the realization of what he said. “Y/N I’m--”

“At least people don’t hang around me for my money,” she spat, “leave me alone. Why are you even talking to me, Snob? We have nothing in common, you live in an ivory tower, and I live in the mud. You stay with your people, and I’ll stay with mine.”

Dean watched her walk away, unsure what to say or how to fix what he did. He hated himself for the way things went down. Dean should have talked to Samuel about his behavior, but Samuel was just as stubborn and headstrong as their father. Dean knew he could only do one thing, and that was talking to his father about what happened, whether Y/N liked it or not.

Dean stayed silent as he contemplated how to fix things with Y/N.ht--’

“I don’t care what Samuel says. The operation could have gone smoother if he had just listened to Y/N. You can’t fire her--”

‘Calm down, son. No one is getting fired. Especially not my best hunter,’ John interrupted. ‘Now, calmly, tell me what happened.’

Dean began at the beginning, telling his father all about how there were more Shifters than just the Alpha and how Y/N wanted to re-adjust the plan to lessen any casualties. As Dean continued to recount the tale, he never noticed Samuel walking in. The younger brother crossed his arms, scowling at his older brother.

“Yes, sir,” Dean said before hanging up the phone.

“You called, Dad?” Samuel let out, making Dean jump.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that, Samuel,” He scolded.

“Don’t, Dean,” Samuel huffed, “You called to tattle on me? You know as well as I do that you should be Leader 1 no matter what a stupid test said all those years ago.”

“Is that what this is about? Is that why you have this grudge against Y/N?” Dean asked, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

“She is nothing but a--”

“Don’t say it, Samuel,” Dean growled.

“A second-rate hunter with no class,” Samuel continued, towering over his older brother. “You need to forget about her, Dean, and learn to take her position from her.” he let out a huff, “besides, she dresses in nothing but second-hand clothing. Does she even know what designer clothing is? Does she even care about the clothes that she wears and how she presents herself?”

“Samuel, her choice in clothing doesn’t mean she is incapable of being a good Leader. Besides, what she wears is her business. And what good would taking the position from her by force do? How would being Leader 1 make me any more capable of running the company?” Dean crossed his arms, staring right into his brother’s eyes.

“For one, it would show Dad that you have the skills to lead,” Samuel huffed. “Y/N couldn’t even stand up to me after what I said. She could have tried harder to go over my head. She has no leadership skills.”

“No leadership skills?” Dean said, his voice rising in anger. “You call putting her life on the line to make sure no one dies, poor leadership skills?” Dean shook his head, giving his brother a disappointed look. “Do you realize that she didn’t go over your head because she feels you would use nepotism to get away with it?”

Samuel tilted his head in confusion, “what? Since when? I--”

“Dad spoils us, Samuel. You know he does, but it’s different in hunting and our lives, and Y/N doesn’t know that. She already thinks we’re pompous snobs.”

“So?” Samuel chuckled, “I love that we live a life of luxury. Someone like her is never going to understand us. Besides, why are you trying to get her approval?”

“I am not looking for her approval, but I am trying to establish a civil working relationship,” Dean said, turning away from Samuel.

“You had had eyes on her since the ball all those years ago,” Samuel chuckled, “‘if you want her that badly, woo her and leave her. Or you could take Bela Talbot on her offer.”

“Bela?” Dean shook his head in disgust, “she is nothing but a low-grade black market dealer. “

“One who has had her eyes on you for a while,” Samuel said, smiling slyly at his brother. “You don’t have to make a business deal with the woman, just bed her and be done with her. She also knows her way around good scotch. Let’s not forget that Bela also has better fashion sense than Y/N. ”

Dean contemplated the thought of having Bela in his bed. Bela had more than shown she wanted to lay with him, wanting to have Dean pleasure her in the ways he was taught. Shaking his head, Dean sat on the couch of the double room suite he shared with Samuel.

“I’d rather fuck a porcupine than Bela, Samuel,” Dean sighed, leaning back to place his hands over his face.

“Then at least go find a sweet lounge fly and bring her up to have your way with her,” Samuel said as he walked over to his bedroom, “I mean, we should put the skills Dad had us learn for a reason, right?”

Dean stayed silent as he contemplated how to fix things with Y/N.

Chapter 2

Tags in the Reblog

[mittensmorgul]

Re: your recent post about the finale being a giant excuse for a cast party, I've been saying this to people for months. The more I hear about it, the more it sounds like it was an episode designed to say goodbye to the actual TV show SPN, rather than an episode designed around what makes narrative sense for the characters or in-universe plot/themes. The characters have no association with Kansas, only the crew and audience do. The Heaven scene apparently was an open invitation to all (1/2)

(2/3 now) previous crew members, whether it made sense for them to be in Heaven or not (Rachel Miner said she would be there, so I guess demons can be in Heaven now?). IDK if you ever saw Nashville but they pulled the same thing in the finale. Some of the characters were singing on stage and then were joined by all the previous characters who'd died - a huge WTF moment initially - before the audience realised that they'd smashed the 4th wall entirely and it was meant to be the actors themselves.

(3/3) Then the creator and crew got up onstage to say their thank yous before the cameras swung around to reveal the camera operators etc. It was VERY WEIRD, but then again, nobody had the emotional investment in Nashville as they do in SPN so everyone just shrugged and went with it. Given that we had the bridge scene in 15x20 though, I do now think that they were trying something similar, except they thought it through horribly. Anyway, it makes it MUCH easier to dismiss 15x20 entirely.

Hello there! And yeah, ever since (I think it was) Jensen first said that 15.19 would work like a “season finale” while 15.20 would function as a “series finale” I’ve been prepared to think of 15.20 as its own entity, you know? He was pretty emphatic about the concept, and it had me seriously wondering why for the better part of a year. In conjunction with the story he told (repeatedly) of how difficult it was for him to wrap his head around the finale. And then there was that shot on the bridge with the entire crew, and it was like... why?! I mean, I get they wanted to honor the crew in some way but that just felt ~weird and jarring~ after that whole episode’s weirdness.

And now we’ve had confirmation about some aspects of the original intended ending, with a massive party at the Roadhouse in Heaven, with characters we have to assume were ~not originally~ in heaven. Much as I love Rachel Miner, I seriously doubt Meg would’ve been in Heaven-- unless it was the human she had originally possessed and not The Demon Known As Meg. And Ketch? I guess murdering Eileen that one time wasn’t a big enough strike against him to have earned Heaven redemption after his help in s15? But then if Eileen was also there? AWKWARD.... like... the random assortment of faces would’ve ranged from narratively meaningless to outright insulting, you know?

And it kind of goes with the theory I’d adopted shortly after the finale aired, that that particular finale only made sense in the Mockumentary!verse. Because the rest of the episode required to get us to that Heaven Roadhouse Party Concert Ending just... didn’t make sense with the show *we* have been watching for years. But maybe one universe over where the characters in the Mockumentary were actually real, maybe this ending made sense for their show. The contrivance of Dean with a dog fit pretty well with Mockumentary!Jensen walking around set with a dog, and Sam with a wig was spot on with Mockumentary!Jared and his wig on fire like... in the most hilariously awful way, some of the narrative choices fit those characters.

And honestly, my heart hurts for people who haven’t been able to let go of 15.20 as a part of canon, for folks who have been too hurt by it to engage with something that brought them happiness and validation for years. I’m not suggesting that this is The Full Truth here, but that seeing this episode this way might help let it go if it’s only causing them pain. There’s perfectly valid and legitimate arguments to be made that 15.20 isn’t actually a part of canon, so if seeing it this way or accepting this headcanon helps anyone in any way to let go and be able to engage with the rest of canon and fandom again, then it’s worth making this suggestion.

Again, not saying this is in any way a factual statement of how this episode was conceived and came to be, but hooooboy, it sure would explain a lot if it was...

I just don’t want people taking this theory and presenting it as What Actually Happened in any official capacity, because for all we know this is entirely off base with reality. But heck... apply it liberally for personal salvation if it helps, you know?

[sasuhinasno1fan]

No relationship is all sunshine, but two people can share one umbrella and survive the storms together- Adrien AUGrest Day 3

Doing this event again and even though there are less prompts, still might only be able to do a few. Still hope you like this though, it a Descendants AU, with Adrien as Rapunzel and Eugene’s son and Luka and Juleka as Captain Hook’s kids, but they were looked after by their mom cause Arnaka is amazing. Umbrella

Adrien wasn’t sure if it was his anger that made him blind to the weather outside. He had a good reason; it was like most of the council didn’t even care about those from the Isle. Most of his classmates thought they were hooligans who deserved to live there. No one deserved to live in complete poverty, with no running water or access to food. That fact that it had been allowed to go on for 20 years and for those heroes who started out from humble beginnings to not care? It filled him with rage he didn’t know he had.

Did he want Mother Gothel anywhere near his mom? No, of course not? She kidnapped her and locked her in a tower and tried to kill his father, not to mention abandon his Aunt Cassandra. But if she had a child, then that child deserved to live life not suffering for food. He didn’t know how many of the villains had changed and cared about their children now, but from what he got from the new VKs attending their school now, there weren’t many. The number of heroes who wanted things to change were so few it was taking so much to even get the council to listen to him.

Maybe dating a VK made things harder but he wouldn’t change that for the world. Maybe he got his type from his mom, rugged guys who had hearts of gold. Though, Luka was nowhere near as vain as his dad could be when he got into one of his moods.

He stared at the rain, thinking about how unfair everything was and how his home was full of hypocrites when he heard a welcome voice.

“Stuck in the rain kitty cat?”

Luka, son of one Captain James Hook, was nothing like his father. He had a mild temper, was a mother duck and didn’t hate the people of Auradon on principal. He said it was because of Anastasia, Cinderella’s step sister, talking about all the good things Cinderella did for her. Adrien just thought Luka had a kind heart to not judge before he met people. Adrien made himself available as a friend when the VKs came to Auradon and Luka just accepted it without judgement. They’d talked and interacted the longest and what had first been a simple flirting to keep the more overzealous girls at bay, turned into giving him baked goods as a thank you then an invite to explore the Enchanted Woods and teaching Luka how to swim better in the Lake and then…the kiss. It just happened, Luka somehow more nervous to swim in a lake than shark infested sea water and holding on to the edge of the stone gazebo, Adrien calming him down, them staring at each other and it just, happening. Adrien felt fireworks and he knew.

Not that anything after had been easy. Telling people turned out to be the worst idea ever. None of his Auradon friends wanted him with Luka, thinking the pirate had spelled him. The VKs that didn’t trust Adrien thought he was only with him for publicity. It was hard and difficult and Luka was so worth it, but he questioned if they were making the right choice. His parents assured him he was.

“When you met someone, you know can change your whole world, it doesn’t matter what anyone else says. You need to listen with your heart.” His mom said.

“Besides, no relationship is all sunshine, but two people can share one umbrella and survive the storms together. that’s what your grandparents told us after we wondered if we could still get married after the whole debacle with your Aunt Cassandra.” His dad explained.

If his parents, who’d been two totally different people made it work, than he could do it with Luka. and so far, despite the storm they faced with judgement, they kept each other warm through it all.

“Hi my jolly sailor.” Adrien loved how Luka looked in his black coat, the snake wrapped around the Jolly Roger living on its back.

“You look upset.” Luka said sympathetically. He always seemed to understand how Adrien was feeling, even without saying anything.

“Meeting didn’t go well. How they can spout about being heroes yet turn their backs on people in need, I’ll never understand. Plus this rain isn’t helping.” Adrien said pouting at it.

“I like the rain.” Luka said.

“But it’s always cloudy on the Isle.”

“Yes. The barrier doesn’t make the weather the greatest but I don’t know. Maybe it was because mom is always with us, but when the rain would turn into a storm and rock the boat, she’d have me and Jules lay with her on a hammock and we’d feel the boat rock back and forth. Even hearing dad yell at the other pirates to secure the boat didn’t bother me. It just felt really relaxing. Honestly, the rocking boat has been the thing I’ve been missing the most.”

“Not your mom?”

“Well, we video chat with her whenever Fairy Godmother can arrange it and speak for ages after that, so it’s not too bad. But yeah, the boat rocking always made me fall asleep easier.”

Adrien didn’t know how he didn’t realise the dark circles under Luka’s eyes. Now that he knew they seemed to stand out more against his eyeliner. Part of him felt guilty that Luka seemed to always be there, even when the night got late if Adrien asked to see him. He opened his mouth to ask when Luka started to pull his jacket off.

“Didn’t bring an umbrella. I was waiting here when it started up, so we’ll have to run fast. I suggest holding on to your bag tight, ok?” Luka said, lifting his jacket so it was over their heads and stepped close to him. “Ready?”

Adrien nodded. While Luka was more open than the rest of the VKs, he would still clam up if Adrien pushed too hard. So he’d have to plan a little.

                                           _________________

“Ok, step up. Oh, sorry!” Adrien said, tilting the umbrella back so Luka wouldn’t get wet again. It was still raining later in the week, which was perfect for what Adrien had planned.

“Kitty, what are we doing?” Luka asked, still obediently covering his eyes with a gloved hand. His hair was starting to curl slightly from the rain.

“You’ll see.” He brought them to the middle, letting Luka stay close so they were both under the umbrella. “Ok, open your eyes.”

Luka did as he as told, looking around at the rather old school yacht they were standing on. The sails were tied up and the seating on the deck were covered to protect them from the rain, but the elegant lines of the 33m VIP ketch still stood out in the greyness of the rain.

“Where are we?”

“On the Flynn Rider, my parents’ yacht. My dad sailed around when he was pretty young so he chooses this one and named it after the name he went by when he met my mom for the first time. It was from a story book he read when he lived in the orphanage. He says if he never read the stories, he would never have met mom later. You said you like sleeping on a rocking boat in the rain. It doesn’t shake that much but it’s still pretty ok. No hammock but you can still feel the rocking on my loft bed. Is this, ok?”

Luka took the umbrella from Adrien to free Adrien up to be pulled closer and kissed him. “You certainly always surprise me kitty. It’s prefect, thank you. you up for cuddling with this pirate?”

“Always.”

[supernaturallyobsessedchic]

Emergency! Part 5

Part 5 – Rattlesnake

Summary: A rollover crash has multiple squads responding to rescue, clean up and investigate the cause. During clean up Dean is bitten by a rattlesnake. An earthquake strikes, being the largest L.A has ever experienced since the 90’s. And the reader, was out shopping when it happened, trapping her under debris. Jack’s father is at Rampart for an operation, staff, and squad 51 learn of how toxic of a Father Lucifer is.

Warnings: Scary Situations, Suspense, implied Smut, Fluff, Brief toxic parent angst, long one full of suspense and action!

Word Count: 4,233

Square: Girls Night (There is a girls night in here, and I’m using it to fill my square for @supernatural-jackles Tell me a story bingo)

Bingo Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Mobile Masterlist

a/n: this takes place a year or so after Virus. This story is going to be a long one.

~

“Would it be a miracle that people were actually careful and safe?” Gabe says, walking into the stations kitchen.

“One could only dream.” Cas says.

“Who’s turn is it for making lunch?”

“It’s either the father or the son.” Michael says.

“It’s my turn for lunch nimrod.” Dean says, playfully getting Gabe in  playful chock hold while rubbing his knocks on his head.

Gabe struggles to get out of the Winchester’s grip.

Dean let go with little protest.

“He’s the one that did the father and son crack.” Gabe whined.

“Yeah but Dean knows not to mess with me.”

“You are just as bad as Sam with the pranks.”

“How is little bro by the way?” Gabe asks.

“He’s good, won his first case at a firm downtown. Can’t remember the name of it. And he and Jess are actually getting married by the end of this year.”

“Oh it’s about time that kid popped the question.” Michael says.

“Yeah, he and Jess are coming down for Thanksgiving, they’ll meet Y/N…”

“Have you ever met Y/N’s family yet?”

“She doesn’t talk about her family much. I don’t push her if she’s not comfortable with it.”

The stations alarm goes off.

“Station 51, rollover accident…” The dispatcher giving the location as the station jumped into action.

 They got to the location, on the winding dirt road in the mountains outside of LA. Seeing the car that rolled over the guard rail and down the slope.

“What do we got?” John asked the other station that responded.

The captain wearing a big white 20 on his helmet.

“Rollover, driver’s unconscious and we don’t know his condition.”

“I’ll send my paramedics on it.”

Dean and Cas getting their supplies and rushing to the car.

They recorded his vitals on their notepads.

“Cas go relay it to Rampart, I’ll stay here with him.”

“Got it.”

 “Rampart squad 51. Rampart this is squad five one.”

Bobby happened to be by the radio.

“Go ahead 51.”

“Rampart, we have a rollover accident, the victim is trapped in the car. Vitals are, BP 120 over 79, pulse rate 78. Pupils dilated and sluggish.”

“Can you get the victim out without using the jaws?”

“Negative Rampart, driver side door is jammed.”

“Then start an IV, just have some normal saline to keep him hydrated. Can’t risk a head injury going unnoticed. Follow protocol, and we’ll be waiting for you.”

“10-4 Rampart.”

 A little over a half hour passed and they managed to get the victim out of the car and in an ambulance and is on the way to the hospital.

Cas and Dean were packing up the squad.

“Shit, forgot the drug box by the car, I’ll be right back.” Dean says.

“’kay.”

Dean jogged down the hill to the car to pick up the drug box when he heard a rattle.

His heart sank.

Where was it?

It wasn’t until he saw the danger noodle jump at the moment he picked up the drug box, biting down on his arm. Then latching on.

Dean managed to calmly grab the snake by the head, forcing it’s mouth open. Getting it to release him and he threw the snake far.

He grabbed his radio.

“Station 51, it’s Dean. I just got bit by a rattlesnake.”

He quickly worked his belt off his waist to make himself a tourniquet.

“Gabe, Kevin, get down there now!” John ordered.

They hurried down the hill to Dean’s aid.

 Earlier that day…

“Alright that’s the last of them.” Y/N says to herself as she got all settled in Dean’s house.

They had just recently took things to the next level and she has moved in with him. She was off work taking the time to finish settling in. But Dean’s 24 hour shift just started, so Dean was away at work, saving people.

“Now, a girls night…er, day.” She says, knowing who to call to hang out with for the day.

She pulls out her phone, calling up a few girls she knows and knows they’re off.

“Hey Donna, you up for a girls night?”

“Oh hell ya girlfriend, who’s all gonna be there?”

“Well, you, me, Rowena the overnight RN, Jody. I want to invite Charlie, a friend of Dean’s but I think she’s working.”

“Girl, I can’t wait! You want me to meet you at your place or Dean’s?”

“I just finished moving in with Dean, I’m at Dean’s. You can meet me at Dean’s.” She explained.

“Oh, ho-ho-ho, girl, we need to catch up!”

The girl was full of energy and Y/N could feel it through the phone.

“Yes we do, see you here in a few, and I’ll call the others.” She says, hanging up.

 The doorbell rang hours later calling the girls. She opens the door.

“Hi!” Donna cheers, holding two cases of beer.

“You know how to party, Charlie’s off today she’s on her way with some wine as well.” Y/N says letting her in. Closing the door behind her.

“Oh, I like her already.”

“Jody got caught up with a Drunk Driver and won’t make it. But Rowena is coming so it’s just us four.”

“Still a good girls night, so what else are we doing tonight?”

“Probably catch up a bit, binge some Netflix shows. The Witcher season 2 is coming out soon and I want to rewatch that.”

“Oh, Geralt can hunt me down any day.”

“You do realize the man is hundreds of years old?”

“Yeah, but Henry Cavil isn’t.” she winks.

Y/N rolls her eyes with a giggle.

The doorbell rang shortly after revealing Rowena. And moments later, Charlie.

 “You two are so going to get married.” Donna says, downing her second bottle of beer.

“He really is, really sweet, kind and the perfect kind of guy for me. He knows my schedule. And I know his. We both were scared the hours of our work would mess things up. But with how many times the man gets hurt on the job while I’m working I am always assuming he’s purposely getting hurt just so he can see me at work.”

Charlie giggling. “I see that being a thing he does.”

Rowena sipping away at the red wine Charlie brought.

“Ro, how are things with you girl?” Y/N asked.

“Oh, you know. Saving people, taking names…”

“She’s in love.” Donna deadpans.

Rowena rolls her eyes with a  smirk.

Y/N gasps. “What’s his name?”

“His name is Arthur Ketch, he the neurologist up on Fourth Floor. He works under Singer.”

“Oh I know of him, I mean, Bobby is planning on retiring and isn’t Ketch supposed to take his place?”

Rowena nods with a hum. Still having a playful smirk on her face.

“Oh you are so in love with him.” Y/N says with a smile.

“He may have taken me out on a date a few days ago and we have another date tomorrow night.”

“Ro, I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you sweetie, and I’m happy for you and Dean, don’t let that one go darling.”

“I don’t see that happening, just as long he stays safe on a job. I’m worried of him getting seriously hurt on the job. I mean that virus a year ago, that really scared me. I thought I was gonna lose him.”

The girls nod, understanding.

“Anyone up for some hot guys and monsters!” Donna says, entering the room with a glass generously full of red wine.

“Girl, you’re gonna regret the headache the next day.”

“I’m off work tomorrow, so if I get a migraine I’m good!” she says chuckling.

The girls rolling their eyes at their friend.

“Rowena, would you be able to drive her home?”

“Yes, she’s at least on the way home for me.”

“Thank you, last thing I want is to give poor Jody another drunk to worry about.”

“At least I’m the fun kind of drunk.” Donna says, getting the Witcher on Y/N’s TV screen.

 “Ro, drive safe!”

“Will do sweetie, have a good rest of your night!” Rowena says, escorting a silly drunk Donna to her car.

“I’ll drive her car home tomorrow.” Y/N offers.

“Will do darling, goodnight!”

“Night!”

“Y/N that was the most fun I’ve had, never thought of you to be the nerdy type.”

“Oh, I’m a nerd in disguise if anything.” Y/N winks.

“Ugh, why are you straight!”

“Not sure.”

Y/N’s pocket happens to vibrate at that moment.

“Hello?”

“Y/N?” Hearing Dr. Kline’s voice on the other end.

“What’s up Jack?”

“It’s Dean, he’s been bit by a rattlesnake, he’s on his way in on the top of Engine 51.”

“I’m on my way.” Y/N says, not hesitating grabbing her keys to her car. Hanging up the phone quickly from him.

“I’m going with you sweetie.” Charlie says, following y/n to her car.

Turning the keys she turns on her emergency flashers and speeds her way to Rampart hospital.

 “Engine 51, what are the patients vitals?” Jack asks.

Dean, takes his own pulse, his own blood pressure. All while Cas drove the squad ahead of the engine.

“Pulse rate, 95. O2 Sat, 98, Respiration 18, BP 120 over 65.”

“Dispatch relay to Engine 51 to start IV using Ringers Lactate.” Jack asks.

“Engine 51, Rampart advises start IV using Ringers Lactate.”

“10-4” Gabe says over the radio.

Dean having heard the radio begins the process to start an IV.

 “There goes Engine 51!” Charlie shouts, while Y/N sat at the red light. Seeing the engine tear through the intersection.

Her light happened to turn green for her.

“Hold on.” Y/N says. As she starts pressing on the gas pedal slowly pushing it to the floor. Her tires squealing.

 Gabe looked up hearing tires. Looking over the edge, he sees a familiar car.

“Oh shit, his girl is right behind us.” He says.

Dean chuckled. “And I’m the worry wort.”

“Engine 51, Rampart is requesting an update.”

“Relay to Rampart, patient is starting to experience numbness around the mouth, and he’s drowsy.” Dean says on the radio.

“Engine 51 you’re breaking up, please repeat.”

John grabbed the radio.

“Relay to Rampart, Patient is started to experience numbness around the mouth and he’s drowsy.”

“Roger that.” Dispatch says.

 “Venom sounded like it hit a vein.” Jack says.

“Y/N’s gonna be so worried.” Meg says. Standing next to Bobby and Jack at the nurses station.

 The squad, the engine pulled into the emergency entrance. Y/N pulled into the parking lot near the emergency entrance, finding a spot quickly. She quickly parked it, turned off the car. Jumping out, locking the car. Charlie staying close to her.

 Meg stayed by the door, waiting for Y/N and Charlie.

“How’s he doing so far?” Y/N asked.

“We started a skin test with the antivenom. Hopefully he doesn’t have a reaction, that way we can start treatment right away.” Jack says.

“How long do we have to wait?” Y/N asked.

“20 Minutes.”

Y/N and the rest of the members of station 51 nodded, understanding.

“Let’s go wait guys.” Charlie suggested.

Everyone left the room, trying to keep their hopes high despite their shoulders slumped.

 As the night came to a close, and he didn’t have a reaction to the antivenom skin test and he has been laying, sound asleep in his room as the antivenom worked it’s magic on him.

Y/N laid in his bed with him, curled into his side. Her head on his chest, listening to the calming rhythm of Dean’s heartbeat.

Dean began to stir awake, feeling a warmth at his side. Waking up a bit more he sees his favorite girl in his life laying at his side.

His arm came up around her, holding her close. Placing a loving sweet kiss atop her head as he fell back asleep, letting the rest and medicine work it’s magic on him.

 The next day…

Y/N arrived on time to the hospital to pick up Dean, filling out his discharge papers another patient was being brought in.

“Who’s that?” Dean asks.

“Jack’s dad, he never talks about him.”

“Why is that?”

Jack happened behind them.

“I was adopted, he gave me up when I was, like 5.”

“Jackie, son how are you?” the man asks from the bed.

“You don’t call me son.”

“Since when can a father—”

“You may be my father by blood. But not a true father.”

“What did you expect me to hold your hand? Kiss your booboo’s when you got hurt like some sort of pansy?”

“Oh now I see why.” Dean mutters in Y/N’s ear.

“How long is he gonna be here anyway?” Jack asks the medics that brought him in.

“His cardiologist what’s him to have a pacemaker in today. So he’s gonna be here for a bit.”

Jack groans under his breath.

“I’ll hand him over to someone else?”

“Why do you suck ass?” His father asks.

“Okay, listen here dude.” Y/N steps in.

“Y/N, please—” Jack says.

“No, you can either treat the staff of Rampart emergency with respect or we can and will kick you out for your hostility.” She says.

He shrunk in his bed.

“Will you be on your best behavior or will I have to send you to a different hospital?” she asks.

“I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“Good. And if I hear your antagonizing him, or any more of our staff we will transfer you. And you won’t be welcome here again.”

“Understood.”

“Good.” She says, storming out of the hospital.

“Don’t piss her off, can anyone remind of that?” Dean asks jokingly as he follows her out.

 Later on that day…

“Dean, babe, I’m gonna go do some arrands really quick.”

“Alright be safe sweetheart.”

She goes to the living room, where he sat watching Netflix, giving him a quick kiss on his lips. But Dean quickly places a hand on her cheek deepening the kiss. Clearly wanting more.

“Babe, maybe tonight. But I need to head out to stay ahead of traffic.”

“Fine, drive safe baby.”

“Always do!”

“Says the crazy girlfriend chasing a fire engine!”

“I’m not that crazy!” She laughed.

Dean chuckled as he heard her laugh, closing the door behind her.

 She pushed her cart around Target getting not only food, but some cute lingerie for that night. Even grabbing Dean something from Spencer’s for them to try in bed later.

She felt the ground tremble slightly. The hairs on her arms stood up on end.

“No not now.” She mutters.

Without warning, the ground shook violently, taking her and other shoppers to the floor. The power going out, items being thrown on the floor. The lights swinging wildly, ceiling tiles falling. They were having a bad earthquake. And she was smacked in the middle of LA, in a multilevel mall.

Meanwhile Dean back at home had just turned off the oven having cooked himself some pizza for lunch after noticing Y/N having ate already.

He heart he windows vibrate, feeling the ground tremble slightly. He stood in the kitchen still yet alert.

When the ground gave way again to another violent shake, but only enough to cause their dishes to fall off the countertop, the cupboard doors swinging open and closed. The TV rocking back and forth on the stand. Dean dived to the table to get under it, and wait it out.

Meanwhile back at Target, screaming shoppers can be heard throughout more than just Target.

Once the shaking had calmed down, she knew they had to get out immediately.

She quickly pulled out her phone. Seeing the alert had gone off.

An 7.5 earthquake.

“How big was that?” someone asks.

“I don’t know but that was big!” someone else shouts.

“My phone says 7.5, it was big enough.” Y/N shouts.

“Oh god, we’re dead!”

“Okay, Okay, don’t panic, we just have to get out of here before the aftershocks kick in.” Y/N suggests.

“Where can we go, we’re on the top floor!”

“At one part of the mall this is the ground floor, we just have to find another one of the exits. Avoid the escalators, we have to get out before the floor collapses on us.” She explains.

“I’m with her.”

“Oh my god! Someone help me!”

Bring on the victims. She thought.

“I’m a nurse, what’s wrong!” Y/N shouts.

“It’s my husband, he’s bleeding!”

She ran to the panicked woman.

“Where at?” she asks.

“His leg, a shard of glass from the wine cut him.”

She examines his leg.

“Do you have a belt sir?”

He nods.

“Let’s get it off of you and make a tourniquet.” She says.

Y/N helps him get his belt off and works on tying it above the cut on his leg. Not too tight but tight enough.

“Okay, do you got him?” she asks the man’s wife.

“Yes, but where---”

“I came in from the ground level entrance, it’s a ways north, we just go this way.” She pointed out.

“You make it sound so easy, how are you so calm?”

“I’m an emergency nurse at Rampart.”

“You’re so amazing, thank you, thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome, now lets get out of here.”

“Alright everyone, you can follow me, the ground level entrance is this way.” Y/N shouts.

And she began leading the herd.

“Do you hear that?” Someone asked in the Food quart.

“Oh shit, they didn’t turn off the gas.” Y/N muttered.

“GET AWAY FROM THE FOOD QUART!” She shouts.

Just as the people ran in a panic out of the doors near the food quart leading to one of the parking lots out on the ground level, an explosion of fire broke out in a couple of the restaurants in the food quart.

“We’re dead!” a number of people shouted.

“We’ll get out of this, just stay calm and follow me!” Y/N encouraged. As she and everyone behind her, around her, all shielded themselves from the fire.

 Dean, in his car sped his way to station 51.

“It’s all hands on deck, there’s fires everywhere.” John says as Dean entered the station.

“Y/N’s at the mall.”

“Which one?”

“The one off of Center Pointe.”

“Shit, that’s one of our calls. Get suited up, and lets go.”

As the alarm goes off in the station, Dean hurries to the squad, grabbing his fireman’s bottoms and coat.

“I got your boots and mine, lets go!” Cas says, getting in the passenger.

Dean not wasting anytime, turns on the squad and follows the engine out of the station, speeding towards the shopping center.

 “Are we there yet?” a little girl asks.

“Almost there sweetheart, we just have to---”

“Wait!” someone pulls Y/N back.

Y/N grabbing the man’s arm noticing a drop.

“The floor caved in…shit, that’s what I was worried about.”

“Oh, now what!?”

She looked around, finding another way through the store down below.

“Look there’s an exit down there.”

“But it leads to the underground parking.”

“Still it’s a way out, just wait here then, there’s an incline here, I’ll just climb down and see how far the exit is from the underground parking.” Y/N says, determined to get these people out and out alive.

Sliding down the concrete ramp, she jogs through the store, climbing through a fissure in the wall, seeing the garage not perfect but from where she was there was a path closest to the building leading out to daylight.

She hurries back to the scared people.

“There’s a straightforward path outside from here, come on, if we hurry---”

The ground began to shake, throwing her off balance.

“Oh no it’s an aftershock!” someone shouted.

 The engine managed to get to the shopping mall, seeing a fire in one section. Coming to a stop they can feel the aftershocks.

“Shit, we have to hurry, Dean, Cas, find a way in. Kevin, Michael, find us some water!” John ordered.

Dean taking the squad closer to the building, scoping out a way in.

“We could try there.” Cas suggested.

“It doesn’t look too structurally sound Cas.”

“It’s holding up so far.”

“True. Okay, but lets find a plan B.”

“And C.”

“And D.”

 “I hear sirens!” Someone shouted.

“Come on, the opening is still here!” Y/N shouted.

“Go on baby, mommy and daddy are right behind you.” A pair of parent said to the small girl.

She slid down the concrete ramp, looking scared and timid but Y/N stood by close until her parents met up with her.

“Okay, keep it going, we’re almost out of here!” Y/N encouraged.

It seemed to be going smoothly, everyone was starting to rush down the ram and running outside, frantically.

 “Dean look!” Cas shouted as Dean made a loop around the Mall.

“That’s a good sign, okay, let’s help them.” Dean says, bring the squad to a stop.

“Engine 51, this is squad 51, Cap, there’s an couple of entrances above ground that are stable, but we found one by the underground parking, a large number of survivors are coming out.”

“Copy that.” John says.

“Anyone hurt!” Cas asked as he got out.

A number of people saying their fine, scared. A select few coming forward with injuries of cuts.

“Good job miss on making that tourniquet.” Dean commented.

“Oh, I didn’t do that, a nice lady, a nurse from Rampart did it.”

Dean’s heart dropped. Y/N was in there.

“Did you see her?” Dean asked. Unable to hide the panic look in his face.

“We ran right past her, she led us out that way.”

“Atta girl, Cas you got them?” Dean asked.

“I got them, go.” Cas says as he attends to the couple.

Dean got to the opening and he could see a familiar figure in the dark dusty parking lot.

“Y/N!”

“Dean!” she shouts, turning to find him in the opening.

People still trinkling out. Dean helping them out the best he could.

“You hurt!”

“No, I’m fine, just help them!”

What started as a light tremble got slightly stronger, another aftershock.

“Oh fuck, Y/N hurry up!” Dean shouted.

Y/N hurried the people out. And just as she was making her way to Dean she heard a puppy barking. Stopping her dead in her tracks. She began to search for it.

A puppy scurried out from under a car with a limp, barking fearfully.

“It’s okay baby, I got you.” She says, hurrying to the scared puppy. Looking at it’s paw. Seeing a shard of glass in one of it’s paw pads.

“Poor thing, I got you.” She says.

She heard a crack in the concrete. All of a sudden the ceiling looking closer and feeling a lot closer. She fell on her rear, the ceiling seemed like it didn’t want to stop.

No. she prayed.

The after shock stopping just as soon as it started, the ceiling stopped.

“Y/N! Please say something!”

“I’m okay!” she shouts.

The concrete already sounding unstable, she hurries, crawling on all fours with the puppy in her hand, she even brings her feet into the crawling.

Like a domino effect, the ceiling begins to collapse.

A little girl stopped by one of the cars, scared, crying. Not stopping, she grabs the girl by the arm, and continues to crawl.

“Run guys, run!” Dean chants.

“Keep going sweetie, keep running!” Y/N tells the little girl.

The girl being the first out, dives into Dean’s arms.

“I gotchu sweetheart!” Dean tells her.

Y/N making a dive out, landing on her back with the pupping in her chest as the parking lot collapses behind her in a cloud of dust.

Y/N got up, still holding the puppy, trembling in her arms, licking her graciously on her neck. As if it was thanking her for saving her.

Dean stood by the squad, consoling the child, sees Y/N walking with a puppy in her arms. Panting from the adrenaline. Hurries to her, engulfs her in his arms.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“I’m fine.”

“You go to Target and you come back with a puppy.” He smirks.

“I couldn’t resist, he was cute!” Y/N giggles.

“So far, everyone’s okay, in one piece, little girl’s back with her parents.” Dean informs her.

“That’s good.”

“Is it me or does danger just seem to find us?”

“Something.”

 The next day…

“Come here Tremor!” Y/N coaxes.

The Basset Hound Puppy running over, his ears flopping in the wind. Making Y/N giggle.

“Good boy!”

“I’m home!” Dean shouts from the house.

“Go get daddy boy!” she encourages. The puppy making a mad dash for Dean. Only to trip on his ears in the run. Earning a laugh from Dean and Y/N.

“It’s okay buddy, I gotchya!” Dean says, meeting the puppy halfway, and picking him up.

The puppy showering Dean in licks.

“Been good for mommy.”

“Still working on potty training, he peed in the house, that’s why I opened it up.”

“Eh, it’s a learning progress for the little dude.”

“Yeah, so, how was work today?”

“Oh, same old. Rescued a cat from a tree, saved a heart attack victim. The usual.” Dean jokes.

Y/N giggling. Giving him a kiss on the lips. Only for him to deepen it, the puppy getting jealous and licking both of them.

“Okay, Tremor, we get it.” Dean goes.

“And I owe someone some sexy fun time tonight.” Y/N says playfully as she heads back inside.

“Yes you do.” Dean says. Following her at her heels.

~

A/N: How did you like it? I’m so glad my block is gone and I was able to cook this up. Let me know how you liked it! Feedback is always appreciated! :3

Dean Girls:

@pandazombie69, @luci-in-trenchcoats, @supernatural-jackles, @becs-bunker, @jayankles, @jeaniespiehs20, @mlovesstories, @winchesters-favorite-girl, @flamencodiva, @megzdoodle, @lyarr24, @akshi8278, @anotherspnfanfic​

~

Copying and reposting someone else’s content is plagiarism and illegal. This work is property of supernaturallyobsessedchic. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. These works contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of these works may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher. An electronic reference link to the original posted work may be provided for purposes of promotion or assistance of publication by the readers discretion, if proper credits are given to the author in the re-post. 4/6/2021

[zmediaoutlet]

in support of Texas relief, @merle-p donated $45, and requested Sam/Mick. Thank you for donating!

to get your own personalized fic, please see this post.

(read on AO3)

This hotel really is a tip. Mick takes the keycard up with him—American quirk—and shakes his head at the identical thin carpets, the shoddy elevator, the spotting on the mirror, the bed with its awful polyester duvet. No, not a duvet—a thin bedspread, with a vile leaf-and-flowers pattern that wouldn't do for wallpaper of even the saddest pensioner. He leaves his bag on the cheap luggage rack and tosses his keycard onto the desk and looks at the bed, rubbing his hand over his mouth.

He orders dinner from what passes for room service. He doesn't know what the Winchesters are doing—probably dipping away to some diner, from the profile work Lady Bevell had provided—but they don't call for him, either way. A chicken marsala of decent quality, sticky rice, overcooked broccoli. He eats it efficiently with his mobile playing a midnight stream of the BBC World Service, sitting at the table with the lamps lit. He looks out the window, its view of overcrowded trees and the parking lot and the road, and he does see the Chevrolet pull back in, bulky and too-big and too-loud and too-American, and he smiles at it even if he shouldn't, and passes the napkin over his mouth, and sits back in his chair, to think.

Work of a moment to set up the typewriter. A quick twist of the ink-ribbon and a murmur of Farsi and he sends his report back home. Casefiles distributed to local hunter, he types, and pauses. Tests of loyalty continue, he types, more slowly, and doesn't have much to add. His reports are terse as a matter of course but he isn't often given to dissembling. Not, at least, before the massacre at the headquarters. He unclenches his jaw and tears the sheet of paper out of the typewriter. That's more than enough.

Quiet, since the alpha vampire was destroyed. Ketch has been doing his own work, directed by both Mick and by the old men on orders Mick isn't given to know, and he's been allowed replacement assistance at headquarters but it isn't as it was. The Kendricks-trained goons they sent are more of Ketch's ilk than his and he doesn't know them. Mary Winchester has been distant. It's only Sam Winchester, really, that Mick knows at all in this country, and Sam is…

Mick sits watching the trees in the moonlight, for a few minutes longer, and then goes to the minibar in the suite's kitchenette. Not much to inspire, there. He calls down to room service, again, and makes an order, and then goes to the ensuite and washes his face, and swishes the marsala-flavor out with mouthwash, and then looks at himself, his suit somewhat rumpled and no tie and his eyes—he looks away from his eyes, and thinks, well. If it goes wrong, it will hardly be the first time something has gone wrong.

The suites are all on the same floor. Dean's in 703, Mick's in 706, and Sam's down at the far end of the hall, 712, the hall ending with a great picture window looking out onto the moonlit woods, and Mick pauses in front of that last door, watching out for a moment. Not yet nine o'clock. Plenty of time to turn around and try for a different night.

The elevator dings, halfway down the hall. Mick's mouth hitches, without him meaning it to, and he knocks at Sam's door. A moment, while Mick stands placid in full view of the peephole, and then a muffled rattle while the chain is disengaged, and then the deadbolt and then the door opening by a foot, Sam standing in the gap and giving Mick a look like he's not to be trusted. "Yeah?" he says, not exactly unfriendly but not welcoming, either.

Mick smiles, as friendly as Sam isn't. "I wondered if we might have a talk, you and I," he says.

"It's late," Sam says, which it clearly isn't. His brow tightens. "Something about the job?"

"Something like that," Mick says, and at that moment the girl arrives with the room service cart, looking confused. "Ah," he says, and gestures. "Please come in, miss, Mr. Winchester was just waiting for his order," and Sam blinks at the girl and then gives Mick a look that would melt steel, but luckily Mick is not steel. He opens the door wider and Mick sees he's in bare feet, his jacket removed, the most informal he's been in Mick's presence since he was being tortured—and Mick follows the room service cart into the suite and Sam's too polite or too circumspect or too self-controlled to stop him.

The room's dim, illuminated only by the bedside lamp, and the girl's uncertain. "Where would you like it, sir?" she says, and Mick gestures at the table under the window, and Sam's silent while she unloads the bucket, the two glasses set down with gentle clicks.

Sam smiles at her as she leaves—very fake, it drops off the second her back's turned—and waits until the door closes behind her to say, "What the hell, Mick. Champagne?"

Mick shrugs, pulling the bottle out of the silver bucket. "Not a good one, if that helps," he says. Appropriately cold, at least. He starts working the wire cage, ignoring the look he's getting. "I thought it might be appropriate, that's all. Inauguration of a new stage in our partnership."

"Our partnership," Sam echoes, with unflattering skepticism. The cork pops smoothly and Mick smiles at Sam, eyebrows high, and gets at least a sigh, an eyeroll, a shake of head. Slight exasperation—how he looks, sometimes, at his brother. Mick pours while Sam watches, saying, "If it's about our partnership, then I should invite Dean over."

Mick watches the bubbles rise in the second flute and licks his lips. That was a particular sort of tone, from Sam. "I thought we might discuss some things privately, you and I," he says, and turns to hold out one of the glasses. "Dean, I think, isn't yet my biggest fan. Though I'd like that to change."

"Champagne probably wouldn't do it," Sam says. He's giving Mick another look. Assessing. Mick tips his head and can't tell if he's been found wanting. A beat, before Sam walks over and takes the glass. "Maybe if you brought whiskey."

Damn Ketch. Mick shakes his head and extends his own glass as a toast—but Sam's already moving away, sitting in the chair on the opposite side of the table, looking out the window. His hair's tucked behind his ear, lamplight on his cheek and moonlight on his brow. Like a sculpture. Mick sits opposite him and sips the champagne and it's—sugary, light. "This really isn't ideal," he says.

Sam glances at him, and then down at his glass. He takes a sip and makes a face. "Sweet."

Mick licks his lips and gambles. "Truth be told, I like the cheap stuff better," he says, and—yes, Sam looks up at him and it's with slight surprise. An opening. Mick shrugs. "I wasn't always top Kendricks material. Had to learn to drink like my betters."

Sam huffs air through his nose. "Sounds familiar," he says. Mick raises his eyebrows and Sam half-smiles, his head tipping. "At Stanford I think I was the only one who actually liked Hamburger Helper without the hamburger."

Not a reference Mick gets, but he gets the sentiment. "To not being posh," he says, lifting his glass again, and Sam snorts but nods, and takes a drink, and Mick watches his throat move as he swallows, the way his hand's delicate on the flute. The size of him.

"I wanted to thank you, too," Mick says. He sets his glass down. "I didn't really get the chance, before." A frown, Sam not understanding. Is it genuine? Mick clears his throat. "For—killing the alpha vampire. I would've died if you weren't there."

Surprise—god, it was genuine. Mick's out of practice, being around people who aren't hiding ten different agendas up their tweed sleeves. "You're probably right," Sam says, after a second. His mouth lifts at one corner. A dimple. "No offense. But I didn't do it for you."

"Oh, thanks," Mick says, leaning back, and Sam actually laughs a little, says: "I meant, that's the point, of being a hunter. You kill the bad thing and save whoever you can. That's what makes the whole thing worth it."

He shrugs, sips at his champagne again. Makes another face but seems to be getting used to it. Mick taps his thumb on the table, watching him. "I'm getting that," Mick says. "I think. It was always… very academic, before. Clean research, without the messiness of the real world."

Sam's eyelashes sweep low. "Sounds easier," he says, with a queer twist to his voice that makes Mick wonder.

He's not going to uncover everything there is to know about Winchester the Younger tonight, however. He makes a note, puts it to the side, and instead tops up their glasses, reaching over the table to fill Sam's without Sam much helping. "Mick," Sam says, sighing protest, though Mick notices he doesn't actually pull away.

"Once the bottle's opened you have to finish it," Mick says, easy, "it'll go flat, otherwise," and he lifts his glass in a little toast and drains it in a few frothy swallows—Sam sighs, and takes a gulp too—and then Mick gets up, comes around the table, and sits on the edge, a little too much in Sam's space to be mistaken for casual.

Sam blinks at him. His mouth's still damp a little from the champagne. "What's up?" he says. Almost warning.

"I said I wanted to thank you," Mick says. He reaches down—Sam's legs long enough that his knee's close—so Mick puts two fingers there, very lightly, feeling the twitch of reaction. Still, Sam doesn't completely pull away. "I can provide other benefits than not-very-good champagne."

Sam's chin tips up and he looks at Mick very steadily. "You're serious," he says, after a few seconds. Mick lifts a shoulder. Sam's eyes tighten, minutely, at the corners. "What's with the British Letters and using sex to infiltrate the enemy? That something they teach at Kendricks, too?"

Mick swallows. It is, but Sam's not to know that, unless—he'd wondered, if Lady Bevell had, but he hadn't been part of her debriefing. "Not the enemy," he says, forestalling the thought. "And not using. And not infiltration, either, and not even, really, the British Letters, here." He takes a breath and gives Sam a little smile, feeling unaccountably like he's at the edge of a cliff without belays to hold him. "Just Mick. Michael, if you like. Expressing my gratitude and wondering how I can show it."

"Most people just do beer and pizza," Sam says, still with those tight searching eyes.

Mick doesn't move his fingers, where they're still just brushing the warm denim. "Never much liked pizza," he says, which he knows is stupid as soon as it comes out of his mouth, but Sam hasn't moved—isn't moving, still as a watching tiger in square uncomfortable chair. He chances it, spreading his hand flat on the lean muscle of Sam's thigh. It flexes underneath his palm and he breathes out, slowly. "You're ridiculously attractive. You know that, I trust."

"Thanks," Sam says, after a moment. He grips Mick's wrist, tight but not bruising, and Mick swallows again, meeting Sam's eyes and trying to look honest. He's out of practice with that, too. Sam looks at him, and at his mouth, and Mick thinks for a second—yes—but then Sam detaches Mick's hand from his leg, firmly, and pushes it back against Mick's chest. His fingers are briefly hot through Mick's shirt. "But I don't accept payment," Sam says, with a quick hard press for emphasis before he lets Mick go. "Especially not—" he starts, and shakes his head instead of finishing. He pushes his chair back and stands, turning to the window. He pushes a hand through his hair and it falls messily right back into place. He blocks out the moonlight. He's so oversized—in everything—smarts and skill and beauty. Mick wants to touch him again immediately and doesn't.

"My mistake," Mick says. He bites the inside of his lip very hard, until it hurts more than he can stand, and lets it go, and waits for the throb the grow and swell and pass, and in all that time Sam doesn't speak. He stands up, fixing his cuff, at pitches his voice to lightness. "At least you enjoyed my champagne."

"I wouldn't go that far," Sam says, not precisely light but not cruel, either, and Mick turns to go—and is caught, by the wrist again, while Sam says: "Wait."

He's being looked at, again, and before he can decide what expression Sam's wearing he's pulled forward and he's being kissed. His hand flexes in Sam's grip and with the other he touches Sam's stomach, surprised. Sam's hand on his jaw, controlling, and his mouth—firm, not giving anything up, but good, too—not a hint of uncertainty, not dithering about. Mick breathes in through his nose and enjoys it. A man's kiss, he thinks, hard and uncompromising. He tips his head back, letting Sam guide him, and parts his lips, and there's Sam's tongue—for a second, a hot brief flash that jolts his gut—and then Sam pulls back, a centimeter, breathing against him. Mick strokes a thumb over the waist of his jeans where his belt is weighing them down, and Sam ducks his head, breathes against Mick's jaw for a second, and then steps back entirely, letting Mick go.

There's a warm throb in Mick's wrist. Sam gripped him very tightly, for a moment there. "That was unexpected," he says, after a moment. His lower lip is damp and he very much wants to lick it, but resists the impulse.

Sam has no such compunction, apparently. He licks his mouth and stretches his jaw, too, resettling. Mick's put in mind again of a tiger, looking at willing prey, and his cock flexes in his trousers. "Just wondering," Sam says, casual.

Mick's startled into a grin. "You absolute prick," he says, and Sam smiles back at him. A little smug. "And how was it?"

A lifted shoulder, like nothing. "Maybe we can stay here again when we're done with this job," Sam says. Then, a little more serious: "We can talk. If it's just Mick, and not anything else."

Mick runs his tongue over the sore spot inside his lip. "I'm looking forward to it," he says, and Sam nods. He steps back and Sam lets him go, and Mick hooks the bottle of champagne out of the bucket, dripping ice-water onto the carpet. "But I'm taking this." Sam snorts. "And I hope you don't mind if I have a furious wank over this in about ten minutes."

An eyeroll. "TMI," he says, the bastard, and Mick sighs at him and exits with what dignity he has, and when the door's closed behind him he stands in the overly bright hall with the bottle still dripping cold against his trousers and breathes out. He licks his lips and gets a taste of champagne.

After the case is done, he thinks, and can't imagine for a moment what might go in that space. It's a strange uncertainty. For the first time in his life, something unplanned and uncalculated-for, something the Letters haven't decided for him. Something just for him. He flexes his hand, still feeling the echo of Sam on his wrist. After the case. He really is looking forward to it.