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makeste · 3 years

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BnHA 326: What’s up Kids, It’s Me, Your Old Pal Stain

Previously on BnHA: Ochako shamed the U.A. Clown Mob into letting Deku go back inside his own fucking school by giving them an hour-long speech about how not to be humongous dickheads. Kouta and Gigantic Fox Lady saved the manga by being the only ones brave enough to give Deku a hug. Shouto was all “man, all this togetherness sure does remind me of that promise you made that we would handle Touya together which you immediately bailed on, doesn’t it, Dad.” Aizawa was all, “for the one and a half people out there who thought that my losing an eye and a leg might actually make me less sexy, I’m very happy to prove you wrong.” All Might was all, “[standing outside the U.A. fortress alone in the rain talking to someone or something??].” Like seriously, what was up with that though.

Today on BnHA: All Might is all “here I am in Kamino having a belated mid-life crisis because Deku abandoned me and I’m a terrible mentor and everything sucks and I hate myself.” Stain is all, “don’t make me come over there and give you a ten page speech about why you’re still the goat while menacingly holding you at swordpoint the entire time” because idk if you knew this guys, but Stain is pretty crazy actually. Anyway so he does that, and then All Might gets all emotional, and then the lady from chapter 92 shows up and gives All Might’s statue an encouraging pep talk, and then Horikoshi is all “and it even stopped raining lol can you believe this shit I’m not even a little bit subtle,” and he really isn’t. But I still got emotional anyway, because seeing people reassure All Might that everything he’s struggled for his entire life hasn’t been in vain just got to me okay. Horikoshi knows I am weak to the All Might feels and he just goes for the jugular every time, that bastard.

lmao. “in the neverending downpour, All Might is...” yeah, thank you, glad we’re getting right to that then

“All Might is driving 95 mph in his busted ass car in the pouring rain, is what he’s doing.” huh

so basically a day or two after his adopted child refused to accept the handmade bento that he packed with love, my man is out here acting like he’s got nothing to live for anymore. this sure bodes well for certain prophecies on which the clock is still ominously ticking down

his fucking face though omg. is it weird that I’m kind of hoping more people ambush him just because I think it’d be funny to see them get their asses kicked like the last bunch

(ETA: or maybe he will just stand there openly not giving a fuck and basically daring them to stab him!! get it together please All Might.)

side note, “anti-hero supporters” is such a strange way of saying “people who hate heroes”, which I’m assuming is what they actually wanted to say?? this makes it sound like it’s a group that really loves antiheroes. “these Hannibal stans have been a real menace lately. time to go deal with them”

ha ha ha, fucking ouch

are you really gonna do it Horikoshi you bastard. are you really going to let that be the final encounter between the two characters whose relationship you once described as the vertical axis of the entire fucking story. are you really gonna?? huh??

huh

you’re telling me you were driving 112 mph and you still didn’t get there in time. you’re losing your touch old man. lol Todo’s ice is almost fully melted already, how late were you

(ETA: so apparently this is taking place after the end of chapter 325, meaning he went to U.A., hung out for a bit, saw the kids come back with his bedraggled half-dead protégé in tow, watched as they shamed the civilians into some long-overdue character development, and then was all “welp, time to go argue with the hero-hating faction or something because I’m feeling useless.” and Edge just let him go, just like that. though to be fair I have to imagine it’s pretty hard to say no to All Fucking Might.)

also belated lol at the fact that the kids were all “yeahhhhhhh we are definitely not gonna touch that thing, let’s just leave it here, he doesn’t need it anyway.” probably the right call to make since they couldn’t get a hazmat team on such short notice

fuck. ha ha ha fucking ouch part two

All Might please put that thing down before you get gangrene. also yeah, you dropped the ball, good for you to acknowledge it. nobody’s perfect and you did your best. but yeah you could have handled a lot of things completely differently. but I still love you

is Horikoshi really putting this flashback here. are you serious. what kind of fucking sadist

look, I swear I’m not one of those people that runs up and down the street shouting “DEATH FLAG!!” at every third panel lol. but this shit screamed Death Flag when we originally got it, and it’s screaming DEATH FLAG!!! even more now. like with the capital letters and exclamation marks and all. and that’s just a fact. I don’t like it but that’s how it is

ffkdjslk

“DID YOU READ THE SIGN??!” Horikoshi asks while zooming in maniacally because he thinks we’re blind or something. lol what

-- though actually, it only just occurred to me that this sign is actually written in English. I never really paid attention up until now and had been assuming it was written in Japanese and translated by the scanlators, but the writing here is clearly part of the original image. anyway so maybe that’s why he’s zooming in?? just to make sure everybody pays attention lol

okay fuck this

see, this is the whole problem right here. once again All Might is all on his own. Deku’s self-destructive angst spiral was fortunately brought to a grinding halt because he actually has support from his friends and family and teachers and classmates. but All Might never had that same kind of support, and it’s made all the difference between the two of them, and not in a good way. Katsuki wasn’t wrong when he said All Might and Deku were both cut from the same cloth. but now when it’s All Might’s turn to go all “I WALK A LONELY ROAD~~” once again, there’s nobody in sight

just, after forty plus years of him carrying this torch, I just wish someone would finally come along to let him know he doesn’t have to. all those things that he wanted to say to Deku are also things that he needs and deserves to hear himself. Aizawa was making a little progress there, but now he’s got his sad zombie cloud boyfriend situation to deal with, and we can’t expect him and his perfect hair to solve all our problems. someone else has gotta step up

oh my god

“you rang?” never mind I take it all back sob

omg why am I laughing. shit

this man truly has the best PR game in the series. we were truly convinced he was gonna suddenly become a good guy and defend All Might against the other villains or some nonsense. as if this wasn’t the same man who decided on a whim that Iida Tensei deserved to be paralyzed, and that his fifteen-year-old brother deserved to die for daring to be upset about it

lol even All Might is all “I genuinely never saw this coming” lmao

just want to say, for the record, I have always harbored a very sensible hatred toward Stain. feeling very vindicated right now. good job Past Me

adsfklwkfsdwgkj

ffffwefjslkg. ghsdlkg. dsfkkkslkjldwkjrg

STAIN: heard you talking shit old man

ME: smh that’s what I thought you’d say you dumb fucking Stain

STAIN: how dare you talk about All Might that way

ME: gljfljgk

(ETA: in hindsight I have no idea how I didn’t clue in sooner that he didn’t recognize him -- or, well, ~didn’t recognize~ him, to be more accurate lol. I think it was the whole “is that a slight against the heroes?” thing that threw me. Viz’s translation makes it much clearer that he’s offended on behalf of All Might specifically, not heroes in general. anyways.)

sob. so All Might is all “yeah I don’t blame you for not recognizing me in this sweet leather jacket”

good thing he still knows how to do this party trick

A+ reflexes on Stain’s part presumably pulling the sword back a few inches to keep this dumbass from impaling himself with his whole pufferfish routine. can you imagine if that was the gruesome death Nighteye foresaw. and he was just too embarrassed to say anything

lol anyways guess I was wrong about Stain everyone

way to fucking go, Past Me. you really biffed this one

oh wait

Stain sure is one wacky rollercoaster ride

oh fuck me lol I forgot how much I did not miss this

(ETA: “this here is the sacred ground where All Might gave up the last of his power and turned into a shriveled old man!! please ignore the part where I admit to knowing all about that, and yet pretend not to recognize said man when he’s standing two feet in front of me.”)

Past Me, I know we’ve had our ups and downs these past ninety seconds, but I’m really starting to think you were on to something. this dude has always been kind of insufferable. always acting like his high horse is a fucking giraffe when it’s actually a Shetland pony

dammit now he’s got All Might going off on a depressed monologue

oh my god my heart

shit

why the fuck does that hit so hard. he became a hero because he couldn’t bear to just sit back and let bad things happen to people who didn’t deserve it. I mean that’s basically the same as every hero ever, right? so why does it still hit so fucking hard every single time though. what is it about seeing someone so determined to stand up for other people and fight on their behalf. it just never loses its impact no matter how many times I see that determination mirrored in so many of my favorite characters

“I wanted to make the world a better place.” omg. but you did, though. like seriously, I feel like people are always dogging on him for not being 100% perfect, and fandom really doesn’t give him enough credit for everything he still managed to accomplish. this man came of age at a time when Japan was by all accounts a total shitshow, and singlehandedly managed to bring about an era of peace that lasted for four fucking decades. can you imagine having peace for that long?? that’s longer than I’ve been alive. shit

and he gave people hope. he inspired them and protected them and made them feel safe. and no, he couldn’t save everyone, because he’s only one fucking dude (and also because the whole time AFO was also out there desperately working to undermine him so that he could keep preaching his narrative of “heroes are bad actually”). but you know what he did do, is inspire multiple new generations of heroes who, if they can all manage to work together, will finally be able to accomplish everything he never could

so yeah. forty years of peace, and inspired the “that’s how we all became the greatest heroes” generation -- that’s a fucking win in my book. talk about having a net positive impact on the world. lol anyways now I’m all fired up and ready to fight anyone who tries to talk any shit about you, All Might

“but what if I talk shit about myself” okay listen up All Might I’m gonna need you to try just a little bit harder to work with me here okay. please calm down and stop blaming yourself for every single bad thing that’s ever happened in the world. do you remember that time Bakugou was blaming himself for Kamino, and you gave him a hug and told him it wasn’t his fault, and that he was only a boy, and that even though he was strong, even strong people can struggle with the burdens they place on themselves, and that you were sorry for not seeing that earlier? do you remember all of that? that’s what I want someone to tell you too, dammit. anyway please stop breaking my heart please and thanks

wtf

are you dead All Might

I don’t even have the slightest idea what’s happening lol

oh snap did he grab him so they could hide??

hold the fucking phone. don’t tell me this person in the background with the umbrella is here to actually do something decent??

oh my godddd

and here come the feels. oh boy. okay don’t mind me, I’m just gonna sit here sobbing over this fictional lady and her simple act of kindness in this weekly shounen manga that I care about way too much

FUCKING DAMMIT AND HERE’S A SECOND HELPING

DON’T MIND ME, I’M JUST GETTING DISPROPORTIONATELY EMOTIONAL OVER THIS WOMAN’S DETERMINATION TO HONOR A MAN WHO SACRIFICED EVERYTHING TO SAVE HER AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. I’M JUST HAVING SOME FEELS OVER HERE ABOUT HER HEARTFELT, DOESN’T-EVEN-KNOW-ANYONE-ELSE-IS-WATCHING FEELINGS OF GRATITUDE THAT COMPELLED HER TO COME OUT HERE AND MAKE THIS SMALL BUT POWERFUL GESTURE. I’M JUST OUT HERE GETTING ALL PROFOUNDLY WORKED UP ABOUT STATUE MAINTENANCE AND THE HUMAN RACE. NEVER MIND. JUST IGNORE ME AND CARRY ON

holy shit. I was not even remotely prepared. you can’t just do that to me. you can’t just leave all these death flags on my lawn and then suddenly shift gears to show me the best of humanity in a chapter where I was expecting the worst. that fucks a person up lol

OH ARE WE STILL GOING

my heart. you see that, All Might. your legacy is so much more powerful and meaningful than you think

...has. has Stain actually been giving All Might a pep talk this entire time

I give up lol. this dude is a fucking enigma

YAYYY

it may just be a metaphor panel, but I’ll take it lol. I missed them. nice to see the traffic light trio front and off-center. I know the whole “this is the story of how we all became the greatest heroes” thing had left some questioning whether certain characters would continue to play a central role in the narrative, and hopefully this will help to ease those concerns just a bit

anyway, so idk if it’s getting a bit chilly down there in hell, but damned if Stain didn’t just give an actual decent fucking speech

I have to say, earlier when I was whining about All Might not having a support squad, I really was not expecting Stain to be the one to come over and pat his head and reassure him that he made the world a better place

-- okay LISTEN

YOU CAN’T JUST COME INTO MY HOUSE AND HIT ME WITH THOSE ALL MIGHT TEARS AGAIN GODDAMMIT THIS ISN’T FAIR. my god. first 317 and now this

holy fucking shit

“I’m just gonna pretend like I haven’t been stalking him for two days and didn’t see the entire Deku bentogate thing go down, and then I’ll give him the whole big speech that I rehearsed, and then I’ll turn around and be all ‘BUT IF YOU’RE A TRUE HERO’, and then I’ll toss him the super-secret AFO wifi password that I stole from Tartarus. god I’m such a badass. fucking give myself chills”

so basically what you’re telling me is that this whole time my “what’s up kids” characterization of Stain from this shitpost has actually been 100% accurate. just want to make sure I’m understanding this right. okay then

“and then I’ll dramatically spin around and be all NOW COME KILL ME BITCH”

it must be so much fun to write Stain. drawing this coked-out maniac who talks like a chatbot that was trained to speak by reading Alan Moore monologues. that must be a trip

anyway so All Might is still crying, the awesome lady from chapter 92 is admiring her handiwork totally oblivious to the batshit insanity going on fifty meters to her right, and it’s finally stopped raining lol

“THE RAIN WAS A METAPHOR YOU SEE” yes, yes, we got it lol. thanks for that Horikoshi. don’t think we needed any help putting the pieces together on that one but I appreciate the effort

so that’s the end! and as I mentioned in another post, I had the count off by one chapter, but next week should be cliffhanger week! so break out your U.A. Traitor bingo cards, friends and fiends. either that or something else happens that I’m completely not expecting at all. which, based on my success rate with Stain predictions, I’d say is more than likely lol

mmm but anyway, so now that the Hug Deku 2021 campaign has finally come to an end, what’s it gonna take to get a hug for my struggling bento-preparing jacket-rocking world-weary death-flag-waving husband who is the worthiest man to ever live and deserves the fucking world, goddammit

#bnha 326 #all might #yagi toshinori #stain (bnha)#bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #bnha manga spoilers #makeste reads bnha

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wasjust-a-fangirl-here · 3 years

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Blind-Sided. (Part 1)

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Summary: This fic just follows the first episode, but Dean has a daughter, you.

Word Count: 7,098.

Fandom: Supernatural.

Warnings: Swearing, etc.

Pairings: Dean X Daughter!Reader, Sam X Niece!Reader.

Note: I did not proof-read this.. Here’s the first part to Blind-Sided. I have no idea where this was going, I just wanted to write something. I didn’t know what to do with this first part, but here it is and I might do another part maybe, differently, of course.

Here’s the Prologue to this.

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"So, what are you gonna do? You just gonna live some normal, apple pie-life? Is that it?" Dean questioned, walking behind the impala.

"No, not normal. Safe." Sam answered, following behind Dean. "And that's why you ran away." Dean said, scoffing.

Sam huffed, "I was just going to college. It was dad who said' if I was going to go, I should stay gone. And that's what I'm doing." Sam says, looking at Dean.

"Yeah, well, dad's in real trouble right now. If he's not dead already, I can feel it." Dean said, "I can't do this alone." He added, looking back at Sam.

"Yes, you can." Sam says quietly, "yeah, well, I don't want to." Dean says, looking away from Sam.

Before Sam can reply, he hears a small voice asking; "is everything okay, dad?" They both turned to look at you, seeing you lean out the window, tiredly rubbing your eyes.

Dean smiled at you, "yeah, bug, go back to sleep." Dean says to you, hearing a small 'okay' from you, he turned back to Sam.

"So, 'dad' huh?" Sam asked, a small smile on his lips. Dean scoffed, "shut up, bitch." He retorts, hearing Sam laugh, he smiled again.

"Alright, jerk." Sam says, "what was he hunting?" He asked, Dean turned to open the trunk, letting out a small 'alright' "Let's see, where the hell did I put that thing?" Dean talked to himself, looking through the trunk.

"So, when dad left, why didn't you go with him?" Sam asked, leaning against the car. "I was working my own gig, this voodoo thing, down in New Orleans." Dean replied.

"Dad let you go on a hunting trip by yourself?" Sam mockingly asked, Dean looked at him. "I'm 26, dude." Dean says defensively.

Dean grabbed a folder, taking out the papers, "alright, here we go." He says, standing straight. "So, dad was checking out this two-lane blacktop just outside of Jericho, California.

About a month ago, this guy. They had found his car, but he had vanished, completely MIA." Dean says, starting to explain what their father was hunting, handing Sam some papers.

Sam looked at the papers Dean handed him, "so maybe he was kidnapped." He suggested, looking up from the papers.

"Yeah, well, here's another in April, another one in December '04, '03, '98, '92, ten of them in the past twenty years.

All men, all same five-mile stretch of road." Dean says, putting the papers back into the folder. "It started happening more and more, so, dad went to go dig around.

That was about three weeks ago, and I haven't heard from hi since. Which is bad enough." Dean added, grabbing a recorder.

"And then I get this voicemail yesterday." Dean said, pressing play, both he and Sam listening to the recording. "You know there's E.V.P. on that?" Sam asked, looking at Dean.

Dean grinned, "not bad, Sammy. Kinda like riding a bike, isn't it?" Sam looked down, shaking his head. "All right, so, I slowed the message down and ran it through a gold-wave, took out the hiss and this is what I got." Dean says, pressing play again.

"I can never go home." A woman says on the recording. Dean looked at Sam, pausing the recorder. "Never go home." Sam repeated, thinking about the recording.

Dean stood up, closing the trunk of his car, "you know, in almost two years, I never bothered you or asked you for a thing." Dean says in a matter-of-factly tone, turning to sit on the car, looking at Sam.

Sam sighs, "all right, I'll go. I'll help you find him." Sam says, "but I have to get back first-thing Monday. Just wait here." He added, turning to go pack a few things.

Before he can walk away, "what's first-thing Monday?" Dean asked, Sam turned back around, "I have this... I have an interview." Sam answers, "what, a job interview? Skip it." Dean says, shrugging his shoulders.

Sam scoffed, he knew Dean wouldn't understand. "It's a law school interview, and it's my whole future on a plate." Sam said, frowning at Dean.

"Law school?" Dean asked, smiling at Sam. "So, we got a deal or not?" Sam asked, Dean stayed quiet. Sam took that as a yes and left to go pack.

Dean got into his car, sighing. "So, that's uncle Sam, huh?" You asked once he sat down. Dean turned to look at you, "I thought you went back to sleep." He says, seeing you shrug your shoulders.

"I tried, but I couldn't sleep." You say, moving closer to the front of the car. "He sounded upset, is he not coming?" You asked, Dean noticed that you were worried.

"He's coming, but only for a few days." Dean answered, frowning a little. "Can we listen to AC/DC while we wait?" You asked, sitting back against your seat.

Dean grinned widely, going through his collection, putting in the cassette, Highway To Hell starts playing.

Dean looked at you through the mirror, seeing you smile. Dean smiled, he knew this was one of your favorite songs by AC/DC.

You were badly singing along to another song, you laughed, watching your dad drumming along to the beat against the steering wheel. Dean turned to you, smiling.

The song ended and Walk All Over You started playing, Dean heard you sighing, seeing you lean forward and resting your head against the back of the front seat.

Halfway through the song, Dean noticed you were watching Sam with curious eyes.

Dean turned down the music, starting the car and started to drive away from the building.

Nobody spoke, you broke the some-what silence; "hi." Dean heard you say softly to Sam. Dean saw from the corner of his eye, Sam turning to you in surprise.

"Hi, what's your name?" Sam asked politely. Dean looked in mirror, seeing you smile, "Y/n." You replied, holding your hand out to shake his.

Sam smiled, taking your hand and shook it, "nice to meet you." You both say at the same time, making you laugh. Dean smiled, he loved to hear you laugh.

"Daddy said you'd be tall, and smart, and that's why you're at college." Dean heard you say, Sam laughed, "yeah. Yeah, I am." He said, turning in his seat to look at you.

"What else did he tell you?" Sam asked curiously. Dean listened to you tell Sam all the things you can, until you were starting to fall asleep.

As soon as you fell asleep, Sam turned back forward, glancing at Dean.

Dean looked at you through the mirror again, seeing you wrapped in your blanket. Sam also looking at you again, once he knew you were fully asleep, he looked at Dean.

"Who's who her mother? How old is she?" Sam asked, Dean sighed, his jaw clenching and unclenching a few times. "Remember Mia?" Dean asked, glancing at Sam.

"Yeah, her parents were killed by, what was it? Vampires? Yeah, vampires." Sam says, nodding his head. "Yeah." Dean says, "that's who her mother is?" Sam asked again.

"Yeah, and to answer your other question; she's five, about to turn six soon." Dean said, smiling at Sam. "Where is she?" Sam asked quietly, "Mia, she called me. Told me to go to her as fast as I can.

And I did. What I wasn't expecting was to find her bleeding out and little Y/n confused, but still trying to her mom." Dean said, gripping the steering wheel and loosening his grip.

"She died, but asked me to look after our daughter. I wasn't sure at first, but once I had a good look at her, I knew. She was, is, my daughter." Dean added, Sam turned to look at you.

You were still asleep, Sam stared at you, noticing you had some of Dean's features. Sam smiled softly, he knew once you opened your eyes, they'd be a little like your mom's, if he remembered correctly.

Sam turned back forward in his seat, sighing.

About five hours into driving nonstop, you were still asleep.

Sam looked at you again, chuckling and shaking his hand. "Is she always asleep when you drive?" Sam asked, Dean glanced at him, smiling. "Yeah, I think she loves the sound of the engine." Dean answered.

Half an hour later, you woke up, as Dean parked at a gas station. Dean got out of the car, you following besides him. "What are you doing?" Dean asked, looking down at you.

"I have to use the bathroom." You answered, looking up at him, both of you walking inside, you, heading straight for the bathroom.

Dean shook his head, grabbing a few things to buy, also grabbing what he knew you liked. Dean walked up to the counter, seeing you walking over to him. After Dean paid for the stuff, he handed you some of the stuff.

Both of you walked outside, you going towards the car and going inside, while Dean went to fill up the car with gas.

"Hey, you want breakfast?" Dean asked, holding up a bag of chips and a bottle of soda in one hand and candy in the other. Sam scoffed, "no, thanks." He answered, going through Dean's cassette tapes.

"Besides, how'd you pay for all that stuff? You and dad still running credit card scams?" Sam asked, "yeah, well, hunting ain't exactly a pro-ball career." Dean answered.

"Besides, all we do is apply. It's not our fault they send us the cards." He added, going over to the drivers side once he was done.

Sam chuckled, shaking his head, "yeah, and what names did you write on the application this time?" Sam asked, closing the door, box of cassette tapes on his lap.

"Uh, Burt Aframian, and his son Hector." Dean said, tossing the stuff he had in his hands on the seat, starting the car. "Scored two cards out of the deal." He added, smiling at Sam.

"Sounds about right." Sam admitted, nodding his head. "I swear man, you gotta update your cassette tape collection." Sam said, still going through the box of tapes.

"Why?" Dean questioned, "well, for one; they're cassette tapes, and two; Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Metallica? It's the greatest hits of mullet rock." Sam answers, throwing a cassette tape back into the box.

"House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake-hole." Dean stated, grabbing one of the tapes and put it in. "You know, 'Sammy' is a chubby twelve-year old. It's Sam, okay?" Sam says, as Back In Black started playing.

Dean heard you laugh, he smiled at Sam. "Sorry, I can't hear you, the music's too loud." Dean says, turning up the music and drove away from the gas station.

Sam got off the phone, hanging up. "All right, so, there's no one matching dad at the hospital or morgue. So that's something." Sam said, Dean glanced at him, nodding.

"Check it out." Dean says, seeing police cars and officers on a bridge. Dean parked away from them and looked in the glove compartment. "Alright, sweetheart. You know what to do." Dean says to you.

"Stay hidden, and don't make any noise." Dean heard you say monotonously, he turned to look at you, seeing a comic book in your hands and sitting at the far right in the shadow.

Sam turned to look at you, wondering just how used to this you are. "Let's go." Dean says to Sam, he followed Dean, going out the door and walking towards the abandon car, he assumed.

"Spotless. It's almost too clean." Dean and Sam heard someone say, "so, this kid, Troy. He's dating your daughter, isn't he?" A man asked, "yeah." Another replied, "how's Amy doing?" He asked again.

"She's putting up missing posters downtown." He answered, "you fellas had another one like this just last month, didn't you?" Dean asked, "and who are you?" The same person asked, looking at Dean and Sam.

"Federal marshals." Dean answered, showing him his fake badge. "You two are a little young for marshals, aren't you?" He questioned skeptically, "ha, thanks. That's awfully kind of you.

You did have another one just like this, correct?" Dean asked again, walking closer to the car. "Yeah, that's right. About a mile up the road. There's been others before that." He answered.

"So, this victim. You knew him?" Sam asked him, he nodded his head. "Town like this, everybody knows everybody." He answers, "any connection between the victims, besides that they're all men?" Dean asked, walking around the car, hands behind his back.

"No, not as far as we can tell." He answered, "so, what's the theory?" Sam asked, walking towards Dean. "Honestly? We don't know. Serial murder? Kidnapping ring?" He answered.

"Well, that is exactly the kind of crack police work I'd expect out of you guys." Dean commented, Sam stomped on Dean's foot, forcing a smile at the police officer.

"Thank you for your time." Sam said to him, "gentlemen." He added, walking away, Dean following behind him and hitting Sam behind his head.

"Ow." Sam said, turning to Dean. "What was that for?" Sam asked, "why you gotta step on my foot?" Dean asked, "why do you gotta talk to police like that?" Sam retorted, Dean looked at him.

"Come on. They don't really know what's going on. We're all alone on this. I mean, if we're going to find dad, we gotta get to the bottom of this thing ourselves." Dean said, Sam looked over Dean's shoulder, clearing his throat.

Dean turned around, seeing the sheriff and two FBI agents. "Can I help you boys?" The sheriff asked, "no, sir. We were just leaving." Dean answered, "Agent Mulder. Agent Scully." Dean said as the two FBI agents walked past them.

Dean and Sam walked past the sheriff and towards the impala.

Dean turned to looked at you, seeing that you were asleep again.

He and Sam got out of the car and saw a girl hanging up a missing poster. "I'll bet you that's her." Dean says, "yeah." Sam said, both of them walking towards her.

"You must be Amy." Dean says to her, "yeah." She answers, "yeah, Troy told us about you. We're his uncles. I'm Dean and this is Sammy." Dean said, pointing to Sam.

"He never mentioned you to me." Amy says, glancing at them and starting to walk again. "Well, that's Troy, I guess. We're not around much, we're up in Modesto." Dean says, walking besides her.

"So, we're looking for him too and we're kinda asking around." Sam said, standing in front of her, another girl walked over to them. "Hey, are you okay?" She asked Amy, "yeah." Amy answered her.

"You mind if we ask you a couple questions?" Sam asked them, "sure." Amy said, all of them walking towards a restaurant. "I was on the phone with Troy. He was driving home.

He said he would call me right back. And, uh... he never did." Amy explained, the four of them sitting in a booth. "He didn't say anything strange? Or out of the ordinary?" Sam asks, "no." Amy replied, "nothing I can remember." She added, shaking her head.

Sam looked at her, "I like your necklace." He said, nodding at it. Amy looked down, grabbing the pendant into her hand, smiling. "Troy gave it to me. Mostly to scare my parents,

with all that devil stuff." She says, breathing out a laugh. Sam smiled, looking down at the cup in his hands and looking back at her. "Actually, it means just the opposite.

A pentagram is protection against evil." Sam explains, "really powerful. I mean, if you believe in that kind of thing." He added, "okay. Thank you, unsolved Mysteries." Dean said, patting Sam's shoulder.

"Here's the deal, ladies. The way Troy disappeared... something's not right. So, if you've heard anything..." Dean said, seeing them look at each other.

"What is it?" Dean asked, "well, it's just... I mean, with all these guys going missing, people talk." Amy's friend says, looking between him and Sam. "What do they talk about?" Sam and Dean questioned at the same time.

Amy's friend glanced at her, looking back at them. "It's kind of this local legend. This one girl, she got murdered out on Centennial, like, decades ago. Well, supposedly, she's still out there.

She hitchhikes, and whoever picks her up, well, they disappear forever." She explains to them. Sam and Dean looked at each other.

You were still asleep when they went back to the car.

Dean and Sam decided to go to the local library to search for some more answers, leaving you in the car again.

Dean was typing on the computer, 'no results found' Dean read, his brows furrowed, typing again, 'no results found' showing again. "Let me try." Sam says, his hand going towards the keyboard.

Dean swatted his hand away, "I got it." He says, typing again. Sam sighed, pushing Dean's chair away. "Dude! You're such a control freak." He said, hitting Sam.

"So, angry spirits are born out of violent deaths, right?" Sam asks, typing on the keyboard. "Yeah," Dean answered, looking at the computer screen. "But maybe it's not murder." Sam said, typing in 'Suicide' instead of 'Murder'.

'1 result found' it showed, Sam clicked on it, Dean's eyebrows rose, glancing at Sam and then back at the screen.

"This was 1981. Constance Welch, 24 years old, jumps off Sylvania Bridge. Drowns in the river." Sam read aloud, "does it say why she did it?" Dean asks, "yeah." Sam answers.

"Why?" Dean asks again, "an hour before they found her, she calls 911. Her two little kids are in the bathtub, she leaves them alone for a minute and when she comes back, they aren't breathing.

Both die." Sam read again, "hmm." Dean says, "'our babies were gone and Constance just couldn't bear it.' Said husband Joseph Welch." Sam finished, "that bridge look familiar to you?" Dean asked, pointing at the picture with a pen.

It was dark when Dean and Sam went back to the car, they saw that you were awake, waiting for them.

He and Sam decided to go back to the bridge, Dean parked and looked at you. "Stay in the car, okay?" He asked, you nodded your head, leaning against the car door.

Both he and Sam got out of the car and walked in the middle of the bridge. "So, this is where Constance took the swan dive." Dean said, leaning over, looking at the running water below.

"You think dad would have been here?" Sam asked, looking at Dean. "Well, he's chasing the same story and we're chasing him." Dean answered, walking and looking around.

"Okay, so now what?" Sam asked, following behind Dean. "Now we keep digging till we find him. Might take a while." Dean replied, Sam stopped walking, sighing. "Dean. I told you. I gotta get back by..."

"By Monday. Right. The interview." Dean interrupted, turning to look at Sam. "Yeah," Sam says, "yeah. I forgot." He added, "you're really serious about this, aren't you?

You think you're just gonna become some lawyer? Marry your girl?" Dean questioned, "maybe. Why not?" Sam answers, "does Jessica know the truth about you? I mean, does she know about the things you've done?" Dean asked again.

"No. And she's not ever going to know." Sam says, stepping closer to Dean. "Well, that's healthy." Dean says, "you can pretend all you want, Sammy. But sooner or later

you're gonna have to face up to who you really are." he added, turning to walk again. "And who's that?" Sam asked, following Dean. "You're one of us." Dean answered simply.

"No, I'm not like you. This is not going to be my life." Sam says, walking in front of Dean, both of them stopping. "You have a responsibility." Dean stated, "to dad? And his crusade?

If it weren't for pictures, I wouldn't even know what mom looks like." Sam says, "and what difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, mom's gone and she isn't coming back.

I mean, even Y/n won't know who her grandmother is, other than you and dad telling her who she is and the pictured you guys show her." He added, Dean grabbed Sam and pushed him against the bridge.

"Don't talk about her like that." Dean says, looking at Sam. Dean let go of him, walking away from Sam. Dean saw a woman standing on the railing of the bridge.

"Sam." Dean says, not looking away from the woman as she looked at the both of them and then jumped off the bridge. They both ran towards her, leaning over and seeing nothing.

"Where'd she go?" Dean asked, "I don't know." Sam says, as the engine of Dean's car started and the lights turned on. Dean looked towards his car, Sam doing the same thing.

"What the?" Dean says, "who's driving your car? Does Y/n know how to start the car? Did you leave the keys?" Sam asks, Dean pulled out his keys from his pocket.

"No." Dean answered, holding up the keys. Sam looked at the keys in Dean's hand and back at the car as it started to drive towards them, they both heard you scream as it drove.

Dean and Sam ran away from the car, jumping off the bridge. It stopped driving as they jumped off. Sam, even though he jumped off, he grabbed onto the bridge. Sam climbed and sat on the edge, looking down at the running water below.

"Dean! Dean!" Sam yelled, seeing Dean crawling out of the water and lying down on his back. "What?" Dean yelled back, Sam smiled. "Hey, are you alright?" Sam asked.

"I'm super." Dean says, laying there for a while. Sam laughed, going over the rails and saw you standing just outside the car. Sam walked over to you, "hey, are you okay?" He asked, putting a hand on your shoulder.

Sam saw you jump in surprise, but relaxed once you saw it was him. "Where's my dad?" You asked, looking up at him. "He's down by the water, he's coming." Sam answered, as you climbed onto the hood of the car.

"Did the ghost do that to the car?" You asked, looking at Sam. "Yeah," Sam replied, standing next to you. It was five minutes before Sam heard Dean walking over to the both of you.

"Y/n, thank god." Dean says, Sam looked at you, seeing your nose scrunching. "Are you okay?" Dean asks, walking closer to you, but you hid behind Sam. "Yeah, I'm okay." You say from behind Sam.

Sam laughed, "what are you doing, bug?" Dean asked, trying to look at you. "You stink." You say, again, from behind Sam, peaking at your dad, smiling. You jumped down from the car, going back inside, Sam walking besides you.

Dean shook his head, going to look over his car, opening the hood of it. "Car all right?" Sam asked, walking over to Dean, as he closed it. "Yeah. Whatever she did to it, seems all right now." Dean answers, standing in front of the car, Sam nodded his head.

"That Constance chick, what a bitch!" Dean yelled, "well, she doesn't want us digging around, that's for sure." Sam says, he and Dean sitting on the hood of the car.

"So, where's the trail go from here, genius?" Sam asked, Dean threw his hands up, shrugging. Sam, finally noticing the stench coming off of Dean, looking at him.

"Y/n's right, you smell like a toilet." Sam said, looking at Dean. Dean looked down at himself, he did smell.

Dean found a motel as the sun came up. You stayed in the car while he and Sam went to go check in.

"One room, please." Dean says, the man grabbed the credit card Dean put on the counter. "You guys having a reunion or somethin'?" He asked, looking up from the card and then at him and Sam.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, "that other guy, Burt Aframian. He came and bought out a room for the whole month." He answered, Dean nodded his head, looking at Sam.

Both of them walked out and headed towards the room their dad paid for, after asking which room it was.

Sam picked the lock, while Dean stood behind him, looking around. Sam opened the door, walking inside, looking behind himself and saw Dean still standing there. Sam grabbed Dean's jacket and pulled him inside.

Sam closed the door once Dean was inside, still holding onto him. They both looked around the room, "whoa." Sam said, Dean walked over to a lamp and turned it on.

Dean grabbed a hamburger that was on the nightstand and smelt it, he groaned, putting it back on the nightstand. "I don't think he's been here for a couple of days, at least." Dean says, looking at Sam.

Sam was crouching down, looking at the salt around the bed. "Salt. Cat's eye shells. He was worried. Trying to keep something from coming in." Sam says, standing up, looking at Dean.

Dean walked over to the wall, looking at the papers their dad hung up. "What do you got here?" Sam asked, walking over to Dean. "Centennial Highway victims." Dean answers, still looking at the papers.

"I don't get it. They're different men, different jobs, ages, ethnicities... there's always a connection, right? What do these guys have in common?" Dean asked, as Sam walked over to the other side of the room.

Sam turned on another lamp, "huh. Dad figured it out." Sam said, staring at the papers. Dean looked at him, "what do you mean?" He asked, "he found the same article we did.

Constance Welch. She's a 'Woman In White'." Sam answers, looking at Dean, while he looked back at the wall in front of him. "You sly dogs. Alright, so, if we're dealing with a 'Woman In White', dad would have

found the corpse and destroyed it." Dean says, looking back at Sam. Sam looked at the papers in front of him, "she might have another weakness." He said, nodding his head.

"No, dad would wanna make sure. He'd dig her up. Does it say where she's buried?" Dean says, walking over to Sam, standing by him. "No. Not that I can tell. If I were dad, though, I'd go ask her husband.

If he's still alive." Sam says, "hmm." Dean said, "alright. Why don't you go see if you can find an address and get Y/n from the Car. I'm gonna get cleaned up." Dean says, "hey, Dean. What I said earlier, about mom and dad, I'm sorry..." Sam starts to say, but Dean held up a hand to stop him.

"No chick flick moments." Dean interrupts, Sam laughed, "all right, jerk." Sam says, nodding his head. "Bitch." Dean replied, heading into the bathroom.

Sam chuckled, walking towards a mirror and grabbing a picture of his dad, Dean and him, smiling at it.

Sam went out the door, to go get you and Dean's bag so he can change into different clothes.

Sam and you walked into the room, Sam saw you head straight for the bed and immediately going to sleep.

Sam laughed, walking towards the bathroom and putting Dean's bag inside by the door, closing it and walking back towards the bed, sitting down.

As Sam was listening to his voicemail, Dean walked out of the bathroom. "Hey, man, I'm starving. I'm gonna grab a little something to eat at that diner and also grab Y/n something to eat as well." Dean says, grabbing his jacket.

"You want anything?" Dean asked, "no," Sam answered, looking at Dean. "Aframian's buying." Dean said, standing by the door. "Uh-uh." Sam said, Dean looked at you and walked out the door.

Putting on his jacket, Dean looked to his right, seeing the cops from yesterday and the guy from check-in, pointing at Dean.

Dean turned, grabbing his phone out of his pocket, calling Sam. "What?" Sam answered, "dude, five-o. Take off." Dean says, "what about you?" Sam asked, "uh, they kind of spotted me.

Go find dad." Dean said, hanging up the phone. Dean turned around, looking at the cops. "Problem, officers?" Dean asked, smiling at them. "Where's your partner?" One of them asked, crossing his arms.

"Partner, what... What Partner?" Dean asked, stalling them.

Sam woke you up, looking out the window as a police officer walked over to the room.

"Come on, sweetheart." Sam says, both of you heading into the bathroom and out the window.

Both Sam and you walked around and headed straight for the impala. Sam opened the door for you and closed it once you were inside. Sam went over to the drivers side and started the car, driving away.

"Where's my dad?" Sam heard you ask tiredly, "uh, about that. It might be a while before we see him again." Sam answers, looking at you through the mirror.

"Can we go somewhere and eat?" You asked again, "I'm hungry." You added, "Yeah, sure." Sam says, going to the diner that Dean was supposed to go to.

Sam parked, both of you getting out the car and walked into the diner. Both of you walked towards an empty booth, a waitress walked over to you guys and handed both of you menus.

"Hi, what's your name cutie?" She asks, smiling at you. Sam saw you smiling nervously at her, "Y/n." You answer, looking at Sam and back at her. The waitress looked at Sam.

"She yours?" She asked, "oh, no. No, she's my niece." Sam says, "hey, uncle Sam. Can we order now?" You asked, Sam looked at you. "Yeah, sweetheart." Sam says, "what do you want?" He asked, you smiled.

"French toast, please?" You asked politely, looking up at the waitress. She nodded her head, looking at Sam. "Same for me." Sam says, grabbing the menu from you and handing both of them to the waitress.

"Okay, you want anything to drink?" She asked, grabbing the menus. "Apple juice, please?" Sam hears you say, "water for me, thanks." Sam said to her, "alright." The waitress said, walking away.

After you both ate, Sam and you were driving around town. Sam was asking around for Joseph Welch.

Sam parked, once he found out where Joseph Welch lived. Sam turned to look at you, seeing you laying down and reading another comic book.

Sam got out of the car and headed straight for the door, knocking on it. A man answered the door, "hi, uh, are you Joseph Welch?" Sam asked, "yeah." He answered, walking out the door.

"Did this guy, come over and ask you a few questions?" Sam questioned, both of them walking, Sam handed him a picture. "Yeah. He was older, but that's him." Joseph says, handing back the picture.

"Came by here three or four days ago. Said he was a reporter." He added, "that's right. We're working on a story together." Sam said, nodding at him. "Well, I don't know what the hell kind of story you're working on.

The questions he asked me." Joseph says, looking at Sam. "About your late wife, Constance." Sam says, "he asked me where she was buried." Joseph says, "and where is that again?" Sam asked.

"What, I gotta go through this twice?" He asked, "it's fact-checking." Sam says, "if you don't mind." He added.

"In a plot behind my old place, over on Breckenridge." Joseph says, "and why did you move?" Sam continued to ask, "I'm not gonna live in the house my children died." Joseph admitted, he stopped walking, looking at Sam.

Sam stopped walking as well, looking back at Joseph. "Mr. Welch, did you ever marry again?" Sam asks, "no, way. Constance, she was the love of my life." Joseph replied, shaking his head.

"Prettiest woman I ever know." He added, "so, you had a happy marriage?" Sam asked, nodding his head. "Definitely." Joseph answered hesitantly, Sam sighed. "Well, that should do it.

Thanks for your time." Sam says, walking towards Dean's car. Sam looked at the keys in his hands in thought, looking up. "Mr. Welch, you ever hear of a 'Woman In White'?" Sam asked, looking over at Joseph.

Joseph turned to look at Sam. "A what?" Joseph asked, "a 'Woman In White'. Or sometimes 'Weeping Woman'?" Sam repeated, "it's a ghost story. Well, it's more of a phenomenon, really.

Um, they're spirits. They've been sighted for hundreds of years. Dozens of places: In Hawaii, Mexico, lately, in Arizona, Indiana. All these are different women, you understand, but all share the same story." Sam explains, walking over to Joseph.

"Boy, I don't care much for nonsense." Joseph says, turning to walk away. "See, when they were alive, their husbands were unfaithful to them. And these woman, basically suffering from temporary insanity, murdered their children.

Then, once they realized what they had done, they took their own lives. So now their spirits are cursed, walking back roads, waterways. And if they find an unfaithful man, they kill him.

And that man is never seen again." Sam added, "you think... that has something to do with Constance, you smart-ass?" Joseph asked angrily, "you tell me." Sam says, "I mean, maybe.. Maybe I made some mistakes

But no matter what I did, Constance, she never would have killed her own children. Now, you get the hell outta here. And you don't come back." Joseph said, looking at Sam, before walking away.

Sam sighed, watching him walk away. Sam got into the car and drove away, calling the police station and faking a call.

A few hours of driving around, Sam headed towards Breckenridge.

Sam answered his phone, "fake 911 phone call, Sammy? I don't know, that's pretty illegal." Sam heard Dean say, "you're welcome." Sam says, smiling. "Listen, we gotta talk." Dean says.

"Tell me about it. So the husband was unfaithful. We are dealing with a 'Woman In White', and she's buried behind her old house, so that would have been dad's next stop..." Sam says, "Sammy, would shut up for a second?" Dean asked, interrupting him.

"I can't figure out why he hasn't destroyed the corpse yet." Sam added, "that's what I'm trying to tell you. He's gone. Dad left Jericho." Dean said, "what? How do you know that?" Sam asked, glancing at you in the mirror.

"I've got his journal." Dean answered, "he doesn't go anywhere without that thing." Sam says, focusing back and forth from the road and the side of the road.

"Yeah, well, he did this time." Dean says, "what's it say?" Sam questioned, "ah, that same old ex-Marine crap, when he wants to let us know where he's going." Dean replied.

"Coordinates. Where to?" Sam asked again, "I'm not sure yet." Dean answers, "I don't understand. I mean, what could be so important that dad would just skip out in the middle of a job?

Dean, what the hell is going on?" Sam asked, "whoa!" He gasped, stepping on the brakes and dropping the phone. "Sam? Sam, are you guys okay? Sam!" Dean yells on the phone.

The car stopped, Sam looked at the road in front of him, breathing heavily. "Uh. Uncle Sam?" Sam heard you ask, he turned to look at you.

Sam saw you looking at a woman sitting next to you, she looked at you and then at Sam. "Take me home." Was all she said, Sam and you didn't respond to her for a while.

"Take me home." She repeated firmly, "no." Sam says, looking at her through the mirror. She squinted her eyes at him, locking the doors and started to drive the car.

Sam tried to open the doors and windows, then he tried to get control of the steering wheel, but it was no use. Sam sighed, sitting back against his seat.

The car parked outside an abandoned house, "don't do this." Sam says, looking at her through the mirror again. "I can never go home." She says, despair in her voice, looking at the house.

"You're scared to go home." Sam says, turning to look at her, but she was gone when he turned around, looking at where she was sitting and then at you.

Sam turned back forward, looking out the door and then at the passenger side, seeing her again. She was moving closer to Sam and placing herself on his lap.

"Hold me, I'm so cold." She said, "you can't kill me. I'm not unfaithful." Sam says, "I've never been." He added, closing his eyes, trying to move away from her touch.

She leaned towards his ear, "you will be. Just hold me." She says, before kissing him. She sat up and disappeared. Sam looked around, seeing you had your eyes covered, sitting on the seat with your back against the door.

Sam screamed in pain, unzipping his sweater and looked at his chest, seeing her fingers in his chest as she reappeared, disfigured. Sam screamed in pain, while you screamed in fear.

You both heard gun shots and glass breaking, Sam looked out the broken window, seeing Dean aiming his gun at the window still. Dean shot again, Sam sat up, "I'm taking you home." Sam said, driving the car straight into the house.

Dean's eyes widen seeing the car go straight into the house and heard you stop screaming. "Sam!" Dean yelled, Sam stopped the car. "Sam?" Dean asked, "here." Sam answers, groaning in pain.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked, walking towards your door, seeing you leaning against the seat, unconscious. "Hey, bug, are you okay?" Dean asked as he opened the door looking over you.

You had a cut on your right side of your forehead, other than that, you were fine, unconscious, but fine as Dean can tell. Dean lied you down, leaving you in the car.

"Sam are you okay?" Dean asked, going out the car and going to the front passenger side to help Sam out. "Yeah, I'm fine. I think, is she okay?" Sam answered, looking at you and then at Dean who opened the door, "can you move?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. Help me." Sam replied, Dean helped him out of the car. "There you go." Dean said, both of them standing by the car, seeing Constance holding a picture frame.

She looked up from the frame, looking at the both of them angrily, throwing the picture frame down and pushing a dresser in front of them, they both groaned, trying to push the dresser away from them.

The lights flickered and Constance looked towards the stairs, water was coming down. She went over by the bottom of the stairs, seeing her children. "You've come home to us, mommy." They both say, going by her side and hugging her.

Constance screamed, the three of them dissolving into a puddle.

Dean and Sam watched their interaction, before looking at each other and finally pushing the dresser down and away from them. Both of them walking over to where Constance and her kids were not ten seconds ago.

"So this is where she drowned her kids." Dean says, sighing. "That's why she could never go home." Sam said, "she was too scared to face 'em." He added, smiling at Dean.

"Found her weak spot. Nice work, Sammy." Dean says, patting Sam on his chest, Sam laughed in pain, "yeah, I wish I could say the same for you." Sam says looking at Dean. "What were you thinking, shooting Casper in the face, you freak?" Sam asks, Dean turned to look at him.

"Hey. Saved your ass." Dean says. pointing at Sam. Dean bent down, inspecting his car. "And I'll tell you another thing; if you screwed up my car, I'll kill you." Dean stated, looking at Sam.

Dean drove, AC/DC's Highway To Hell was playing. Sam was looking at a map, trying to find where the coordinates lead to.

"Okay, here's where dad went. It's called Black Water Ridge, Colorado." Sam says, Dean nodded his head. "Sounds charming. How far?" Dean asked, glancing at the map.

"About 600 miles." Sam answered, "if we shag ass, we can make it by morning." Dean said hopefully, looking at Sam. Sam looked up from the map and then at Dean.

"Dean, I..." Sam says, "you're not going." Dean says, "the interview's in, like ten hours. I gotta be there." Sam stated, Dean sighs quietly, nodding his head. "Yeah. Yeah, whatever. I'll take you home." Dean said, focusing back on the road.

After hours of driving, Dean parked in front of Sam's building. Sam got out, leaning against the open window. "You'll call me if you find him?" He asked, Dean nodded his head.

"Maybe I can meet up with you later, huh?" Sam asks, smiling. "Yeah, all right." Dean replies, "bye, uncle Sammy." Sam turned to look at you, "bye, sweetheart." He says, smiling at you.

Sam stood up straight, walking towards his building. Dean started the car, "Sam." Dean says, looking out the window. Sam turned and looked at Dean, "you know, we made one hell of a team back there." Dean said, "yeah." Sam replied.

Dean looked away and started driving. Sam watched the car, sighing.

Dean drove around the building, wanting to check on Sam, he looked at you after parking the car again. "Stay here, alright?" Dean said, "okay." You say as Dean got out of the car and ran up towards Sam's apartment.

Dean kicked the door open, "Sam!" Dean yelled, running towards the bedroom. Dean saw Sam laying on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, while the room was on fire. Dean looked up, seeing Sam's girlfriend on the ceiling.

"Sam! Sam!" Dean yelled at him, "Jess!" Sam yells, Dean walked over to him and pulled him up from the bed, pushing Sam out the door. "No! No, Jess!" Sam yells over Dean's shoulder, looking at the ceiling.

"We gotta get out!" Dean yells, still pushing Sam out the door, while he kept yelling for his girlfriend.

Sam stood behind the impala, the trunk open, while firefighters put out the fire. Dean walked over to him.

Dean looked at Sam, "hey, are you okay?" He asked, Sam nodded his head, throwing a gun back into the trunk.

"We've got work to do." Sam said, closing the trunk and walked towards the passenger side. Dean got in and drove away.

You guys stayed there for a few days longer before Dean decided to check out the coordinates their dad left behind for him.

Tag List: @snobunns

#Supernatural Imagine #Supernatural Fanfiction #Dean Winchester X Daughter!Reader #Sam Winchester X Niece!Reader #Blind-Sided Part 1 #another part?? lmk pls #my fanfic writing

219 notes · View notes

icypantherwrites · 6 years

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Fundraiser Fic List and Statistics

I would like to thank everyone once more for their support of my friend and special shoutouts and love to the individuals who purchased fanfiction commissions from me through my fundraiser and helped me raise over $300 that went straight to my friend. Thank you!

I have officially finished all of the purchased fundraiser commissions so thought it’d be fun to do a little by the numbers post along with links to all of the fics. For the record I am now taking fic commissions due to the furthered interest (you guys ♥) and you can find details here if you want to commission your own.

The full fic list will be below the keep reading tab as it got a little long. ^^; All right. Here we go.

Total number of fics: 13

Total number of words written: 95,713

Start date of first published fic: March 11, 2018

Finish date of thirteenth published fic: April 10, 2018

Longest fic: So Much to Offer* (10,361 words)

Shortest fic: Poison (2,876 words)

Lance as main/second main character: 13/13 (yup ;p)

Hunk appearances as main/second main: 5/13

Pidge appearances as main/second main: 2/13

Shiro appearances as main/second main: 1/13**

Keith/Coran/Allura appearances as main/second main: 0/13**

*In the Name of Love is technically the longest but that is because I went and added a second chapter. Commissioned wise it is not the longest one.

**I give Keith two third spots though for his roles in Smile and The Price of Peace, Coran one third spot for Smile and Shiro one third spot for Passing Grade. Allura sadly got passed over for all of these cept for a small role in The Price of Peace. So sorry, hun. I love you though ♥

Most Popular Fics -- Top Two

(deigned by a combination of hits, comments, kudos and bookmarks)

1. The runaway winner was The Cost of Winning with 2,601 hits, 37 comment threads, 356 kudos and 78 bookmarks. This one featured Lance and Pidge captured and forced to fight in the arena. Lots of platonic Plance and some BAMF moments for both. (it has a sequel too for the aftermath which would appreciate some love ♥!)

2. The runner-up was Sounds of Darkness with 1,841 hits, 32 comment threads, 282 kudos and 70 bookmarks. More Langst abound featuring sensory deprivation but some soft and warm platonic Shance to make you not want to sob in a corner by the end all while making sure you can hear yourself crying.

Fics that Need More Love -- Bottom Two

(deigned by a combination of hits, comments, kudos and bookmarks)

There is not enough Hunk love in this fandom. Please. Give my ray of sunshine more of it. He deserves all of the happiness... even if both of these involve him in pain. Whoops.

12. Please know that If the World Should Freeze was one of my favorites because it features the best relationship there is in VLD, platonic Hance ♥ The boys find themselves in an icy wasteland with a happy serving of Hunk!whump. Yesss. Rang in with 517 hits, 19 comment threads, 92 kudos and 14 bookmarks.

13. The other Hunk!whump fic of Strength of Your Word rounds out the bottom here.This is another adventure between him and Lance involving some less than savory weasel aliens and a jewel that everyone wants to get their paws, er, hands on. Totaled in at 483 hits, 22 comment threads, 86 kudos and 13 bookmarks.

And that rounds out the stat lines! You can find all thirteen fics below to peruse at your leisure. Please do be sure to leave a comment on them if you read and enjoyed; I really appreciate them ♥ Thank you and enjoy!

Tumblr Poll!

Last thing before you head off. These stats were all compiled via AO3 (which has taken over as my main platform) but I’d love to hear from the Tumblr audience for an informal poll rather than data stats. Which fic of the thirteen was your favorite? Feel free to comment below or send it via an ask! If majority was my favorite fic of the set I’ll do a little something ♥

Fic List

Posted in order of publish date, oldest first.

Poison

Summary: Lance is fine. Or, at least he keeps telling himself that. He’s most definitely not a victim of the unknown disease with no cure sweeping through the city. Nope. But now he’s coughing up blood? Maybe… maybe he isn’t so fine after all. / “H-Hunk,” he whispered. “I… I think I’m s-sick.” Hunk let out a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh. “Yeah, Lance. You are.“ Alternate universe, Langst

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

xxx

The Cost of Winning

This fic will have a sequel follow-up focusing on a recovery arc. Date TBD. Story is complete as is though.

Summary: “The Blue and Green Paladins serve no purpose to the Empire,“ the Galran commander smirked at his bound captives. “And as such you have no use except as arena fodder.” He chuckled. “Give us a good show before you die.” / Lance is determined to protect Pidge and save her from the arena. She will not die here. Over his dead body. Hopefully it’s not quite that literal of a promise.

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

xxx

In the Name of Love

Summary: Lance just wanted to buy a flower. Instead he's now the newest victim of a serial killer who has no plans to release him until he has served his purpose. Lance may be a Paladin but he's got a higher calling in life now. And it starts with his death. / "Do not try and resist again," his captor warned, "You will not like the consequences." Lance's voice cracked. "Like being eaten?"

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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Passing Grade

Summary: If Lance stayed in the shower long enough maybe the water would wash everything away. Maybe it would make him forget unwanted hands and the scratchy couch. Maybe… A sob tore through his throat. No. There was no forgetting. But he did have to paste on a smile and try to because no one could find out. Otherwise it was all over. AU - College

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.Net

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Faces of Home

Summary: There were murmured, familiar voices when Lance awoke that quieted almost immediately when he blinked open his eyes. “Easy, easy,” someone soothed as he tried to sit up. Someone familiar. Lance gasped. “Mamá?” Because somehow… somehow he was home. / Lance is injured in a fight against the Galra and wakes to find himself in the care of his family. But… how did he wind up back on Earth? Something wasn’t quite right…

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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Sounds of Darkness

Summary: Lance couldn’t see. Or hear. Or move. The silent darkness was all encompassing and it was pressing in; choking him, drowning him, blinding him. He screamed but it was swallowed whole into the void of nothingness. Lance trembled, pain shaking his limbs, and faintly wondered if he’d even made a sound at all.

Read it on: Ao3 Fanfiction.net

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Smile

Summary: Lance glanced at the mirror. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as he was remembering. Like, the first glance had freaked him out but it really wasn’t that noticeable. He worried his lip in indecision before finally making his way over to the mirror. He had to know. Just… just a peek. Without further ado Lance gave a tentative smile. And despair crashed down once more.

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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Nothing to Be Afraid Of

Summary: Hunk will admit it. He’s afraid of many things and being captured by the Galra alongside Lance ranks at the top. But it’s the Galra who should be afraid. After all, they just unleashed a brilliant engineer and a quick-witted sharpshooter in their base. Better watch out. – “Uh, Hunk, what are you doing?” “Making bombs,” Hunk replied cheerfully. “Oh, okay- bombs?” Lance squeaked.

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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So Much to Offer

Summary: “I suppose though I should see what we’re working with, hm?” the slaver mused. “A pretty face is only part of the package after all.” His dark eyes met Lance’s and he shivered at the absolute depravity that stared back at him. “Let’s see what you have to offer.” / While trying to save his dying team, Lance is captured and sold into the slave trade. Time is running out… for everyone.

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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If the World Should Freeze

Summary: "Lance, st-stop," Hunk moaned, stumbling and splattering crimson upon the snow. "I c-can't…" The rest of his words trailed off as dark spots danced in his vision. "No!" Lance dug his hands into Hunk's vest as though that could keep him upright. "Don't you dare. Keep moving!" / Hunk and Lance are stranded in an icy wasteland but the cold is quickly becoming the least of their problems. Because the huge, hungry creature chasing them? Yeah. They're in trouble.

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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The Price of Peace

Summary: (Sequel to The Cost of Winning) They may have escaped the arena but things back home are far from all right. Keith is struggling. Shiro is hiding. Lance is suffering violent flashbacks and she’s having nightmares too. It’s wrong. It’s all wrong. Pidge hates it. She wants her space family back. Not this broken version of them. It looks like she’s just going to have to fix it. And Lance is going to help.

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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Strength of Your Word

Summary: “Open his mouth,” Hunk heard the order and Lance’s chokes turned to a low moan. “Let’s make him smile nice and red,” came the hiss. And Hunk? He’s had enough. / Lance saves Hunk. Hunk saves Lance. Rinse and repeat. It’s what they do. So when a simple mission turns deadly these two are going to have each other’s backs. No matter the consequences.

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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Disjointed Soul

Summary: Lance falls victim to a Soul Leecher, a dark spirit that is drawn to disjointed souls to steal them for itself. The Paladins must go into Lance’s very soul to save him, uncovering truths about themselves and Lance in the process. Time is of the essence before Lance is lost forever. Good thing they have such helpful soul guides.

—

“Hi there baby Lance,” Hunk greeted.

“Ohwah,” Lance burbled back. “¡Ohwah!”

“Ohwah?” Pidge repeated.

“I think he’s saying ”hola,’“ Hunk grinned. "You know, "hello” in Spanish. Hola, baby Lance.“

”¡Ohwah! ¡Ohwah!“

Read it on: AO3 Fanfiction.net

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cheekybluefox · 7 years

Text

160 Prompt List

1. Why are we at a strip club? 2. I’m sorry, you said what to your teacher? 3. Am I dead? 4. Its always been you. You and always you. 5. Stay with me. 6. How about we put the gun down, and we talk about this? 7. I came here to kick ass and chew gum, and I’m all out of gum.. 8. Whatever it is, I didn’t do it. 9. Am I supposed to be impressed? 10. Don’t tempt me. 11. Is that mine? 12. I can’t do this anymore. 13. Go to hell. - Already been there, but thanks for the invite. 14. Look at me. 15. Where did you get that? 16. Here, take my hand. Everything is going to be fine. Just hold onto me and keep moving. 17. You don’t need to protect me. 18. I had a nightmare about you, and I just needed to make sure you were okay. 19. I told you not to fall in love with me. 20. You know it’s okay to cry, right? 21. I just want to be left alone right now. 22. Those things you said last night, did you mean it? 23. Promise me you come back, just..I need you to promise me. 24. I could tell it was your favorite book by all the notes in the margin. 25. Where do you think you’re going? 26. Despite what you may think, I can look after myself. 27. Just please, be my best friend right now and not the person they I confessed my love to. 28. Well, if you insist. 29. I can’t believe you don’t like Disney films. 30. You’re lucky you’re so cute. 31. Sometimes I really dislike you. 32. Hold my hand, we need to make this look convincing. 33. I’m like 20% sure this plan will work There’s like an 80% chance that it could end in violence and Gore, but this plan is solid, I swear. 34. If I die, I’m coming back to haunt you. 35. If you don’t want to talk about it then just say so; but do not say you are fine, when you so obviously are not. 36. I made cupcakes because I know you like them. 37. My parents asked me about you again. 38. Wait, this is your handwriting? This chicken scratch? 39. I didn’t know you could play. 40. Things don’t always turn out the way you want them to. 41. You two sure you aren’t married? 42. You can’t sit on the sidelines all your life. 43. You deserve so much better. So much more. 44. You haven’t each touched your food, what's going on baby girl? 45. Stay the night. Please. 46. Please pretend to be my boyfriend/girlfriend. I’ll owe you big time. 47. Its midnight. What do you want? 48. You’re strangely comfortable. 49. Don’t fuck with mama bear. 50. I just need you here. 51. How long have you been standing there? 52. Is that what you call an apology? 53.I’ve loved you since I laid my eyes on you. The very moment, I first saw you, and I…oh, fuck it! 54. Just hold me. 55. Can I hold your hand? 56. I just don’t know how to look forward anymore. 57. She’s still alive, she has to be. 58. Get that pretty little butt over here. 59. Is there a special reason as to why you’re wearing my shirt? 60. You’re cute when you’re angry. 61. I didn’t realise I needed your permission. 62. I’m not jealous. 63. Forever is a long time. 64. This is seriously sketchy. 65. I lost the baby. 66. Rude! 67. Let’s blow this joint. 68. Oh, bite me. 69. I haven’t slept in four days. 70. Stop being such a baby. 71. Hey, calm down, its okay. They cant hurt you anymore. 72. I’m too sober for this shit. 73. You can’t banish me! It's my bed too! 74. Good thing I didn’t ask your opinion. 75. Its six in the morning, you’re not drinking vodka. 76. You work for me. You’re my slave. 77. The kids! They ambushed me! 78. You may have to buy my silence. 79. There’s a herd of them. 80. You smell like wet dog. 81. Just smile, for me. Please? I really need to see your smile right now. 82. Just show me what’s behind your back. 83. Take one more step in that direction, and I’ll murder you. 84. I’m proud of you. I’m proud of us. 85. Everyone deserves a second chance. 86. Please don’t cry, I can’t stand to see you cry. 87. You can’t keep pretending that it didn’t happen, cause guess what? It did! 88. I think I’m falling in love with you and it scares the shit out of me. 89. Its cold, take my coat. 90. I’m such a fool for not seeing this earlier. 91. I’m not blind, I’ve seen the way you look at her. 92. Never let them die, they’re the soap opera of my life. 93. Could you just, IDK, stop murdering people for shits and giggles? - Did you just say IDK in a verbal conversation? 94. Sleep in your car if you don’t want the sofa. 95. We bet on it. You lost. Now you have to do it. 96. Let’s get wasted, and go piss on his grave. 97. This is all your fault. - I hope so. 98. Did you just agree with me? No, you said it now, no take backs. 99. Stop doing that thing with your face, its making want to vomit. 100. You’re a psychopath. - I prefer creative. 101. You look… - Beautiful, gorgeous, like a Goddess walking upon the earth. Yes, I know. Now let’s move on. 102. I know, all you want is to go home but you know what? I want to go to Mars. Know what though? It’s never going to happen. Accept it. 103. Nope, can’t go to hell. Satan has a restraining order against me. 104. Get over it. Pussy. 105. It’s three in morning. - yes. Why are you here? - I live here. No, on the floor. With me. 106. I don’t hate you, but if you were on fire and I had water I’d drink it and piss on the ground. 107. You’re judging me. - Yea, its a hobby of mine. 108. FBI! OPEN THE DOOR! -But its so much more fun when you break it down. 109. I’d rather be pecked to death by a flock of woodpeckers. 110. How drunk are you on a scale of one to ten? - Yes. 111. Are you stalking me? - Not in a creepy way. 112. Focus on me. 113. Please don’t waste your tears on him. 114. Ice cream is a good start. 115. Did you just slap me? 116. All is fair in love and war, darling. 117. My vote is on the lemon cakes. 118. Get your dirty ass boots off my nice, clean sheets. 119. I like night time. It's quiet. I can think. 120. Look, there goes my last fuck to give. 121. Why are you walking around naked? 122. Stare at the stars all you want, but you won't find the answer to your problems up there. The real world is down here. 123. I underestimated you. - Classic mistake. 124. How did you manage to get frosting on the lampshade? 125. What’s the worst that could happen? - Famous last words. 126. You want it? Beg. 127. Yes, I heard you. I just don’t care. 128. Eat a bag of dicks. Dick. 129. You’re special to me. 130. If we get caught I’m blaming you. 131. Do not try me right now. 132. You give the best hugs. 133. I swear you love your hair more then me sometimes. 134. Tell me a secret. 135. Shut up or I’ll choke you. - I could be into that. 136. Let’s start with the real questions, tits or ass? 137. You make me nervous. 138. Don’t give me that look. 139. Maybe I did? So what! I don’t have to run everything by you! 140. Tell anyone and I’ll kill you, chop up your body and sell the parts. 141. That’s not your name. 142. Oh, well done. What do you want? A gold star? 143. You like sunflowers right? 144. You game? 145. Just get in the fucking blanket fort. 146. Sorry isn’t gunna help you when I’m kicking your ass. 147. Were you born a dick? Or do you go put of your way to be one? 148. Break her heart and I’ll break your face. 149. Well that was unsettling. 150. Only I can touch you. 151. Don’t tell me to shut up. You shut up. 152. Your mother/father would be so proud. 153. You stole his wallet? - I prefer borrowing without permission. 154. You going to kiss me or what? 155. Die quietly will you? 156. You’re my one. 157. You want it? Come and get it. 158. Why are you wearing Mickey mouse ears? 159. Lock the door next time. 160. Have kids, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.

Hi guys! So I love writing. So I thought I’d try this. I’ll be posting things I’ve thought of myself but I would also love to write things for you guys too. These are the fandom’s I’m happy to write for : - Harry Potter - Game of Thrones - X men - Avengers - Criminal minds - Guardians of the galaxy - Star wars - The hobbit - Lord of the rings. - Once upon a time (s1 - s3A) - Teen Wolf (s1 & s2) - Walking dead ( I watched s1 - s3, then s6 & s7) - Naruto

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lyannas · 7 years

Photo

A Thousand Silhouettes - Part Three

Summary: The last thing Brandon Stark remembered was darkness, and it was darkness he woke to.

Brandon Stark survives King’s Landing with scars both physical and emotional. The world as he knew it has changed, and at the center of it all is a bastard boy with his mother’s eyes.

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Gen Fandoms: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin Relationships: Brandon Stark & Lyanna Stark, Brandon Stark & Ned Stark, Jon Snow & Brandon Stark Tags: Brandon Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Uncle-Nephew Relationship, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, (just in case), Platonic Relationships, Family Dynamics Chapters: 3/4

Read at AO3, or read here:

XX.

The hunting lodge was Brandon’s paradise. It was a single story cabin on the edge of the wolfswood, made up of four rooms, a kitchen, and a standalone shed behind it. There were no long corridors, only two servants, and best of all, no noise.

Well, no noise until Jon was weaned and the wetnurse took her leave.

Jon had hardly cried in his presence before, but it seemed now that he cried all the time. He cried when he was hungry, cried when he had soiled himself, cried when he was tired, cried when he refused to sleep. Brandon would stay up, rocking the boy in his arms until he himself nearly cried from the agonizing headaches the boy’s screams brought on. He fed him soft foods from his own hands, irrationally fearful that utensils would hurt his soft gums-- and after his experience with a teething, irritable Jon, Brandon decided he would rather do with cleaning his hands half a hundred times a day than accidentally knocking a spoon into his tender gums or sensitive milk teeth.

For the first 92 days, Brandon was sure he had made a mistake. What did he know of raising children, really? Being an older brother was nothing like being a father-- he never spent any nights sitting in front of one of his sibling’s beds too busy worrying over them to go to sleep. He had never had to wake in the middle of the night to rock them back to sleep. Yet here he was, short on sleep, more agitated than usual, eyesight foggier than ever, wondering if he should trade Jon for a quiet hunting lodge.

XXI.

When Jon comes running to him after skinning his knee, when he curls into his side as he sleeps, when he sits on his lap whilst sucking his thumb, when he giggles as he blew raspberries onto his stomach, when his small hands run over the short hairs of his beard, when he calls him “nuncle” and presses wet kisses to his face-- those were the sweet moments that made up for the hard ones. They made up for them a hundred times over.

XXII.

“Nuncle,” Jon called to him, tugging at his hand. “Nuncle, look.”

Brandon’s eyes followed his nephew’s finger to a spot near the woods. There was not much to see; at that distance, everything was blurry and indistinguishable to him, but Jon didn’t understand his uncle’s limitations.

“What is it, Jon?” Brandon kneeled down to his level.

“Dog,” the boy answered. He edged a little closer to his uncle. “Big.”

Brandon squinted, hoping to perhaps catch a glimpse of something dark and moving amongst the trees, but to no avail. He rose to his feet and picked him up.

“What color is it?”

Jon considered his answer. “Black.” His little fist bunched up the back of Brandon’s shirt. His eyes were wide and scoping.

“Don’t be frightened,” Brandon reassured him. “The dog’s all the way over there, and you’re right here, with me.” Still, his nephew’s fist did not relax. “You want to scare off the dog? Roar at it, like a bear. Come now, roar!”

Brandon demonstrated, roaring as loudly as he could toward the direction of the trees. His nephew responded with giggles that rocked his whole body.

“What are you laughing at?” Brandon inquired with a smile. “Roar!”

Brandon roared again, after which Jon mimicked him, throwing both arms up as he yelled something between a roar and a shout. He fell into a fit of giggles immediately after, one that required Brandon to brace his body to keep him from tumbling out of his arms.

“Is the dog gone?” Brandon asked him when his laughs subsided. “Bye-bye, dog?”

“Bye-bye,” Jon repeated, grinning from ear to ear. The two sit on the porch until the smell of dinner wafted from inside the cabin. Brandon kissed his temple and brought him inside.

XXIII.

Brandon visits Winterfell often, as promised. If he went more than a fortnight without making the hour-long journey, Ned would show up at his door instead. Ned’s sullen glares and why-didn’t-you-visits grew tiring after the first few times, thus Brandon made sure to make the journey to Winterfell before it came to that.

Jon had seen two namedays and was at an age where he stopped crying and started speaking his desires, however simple that speech was. The change had made Jon a boy who was rather calm and sweet for his age, as opposed to his cousin Robb, who, despite his newfound speech, still screamed his demands.

They rode for Winterfell with Jon’s little fists gripping the reins, dwarfed by Brandon’s larger hands that covered them. He asked after every edifice that passed and called out the names of the animals he spotted along the way. He had inquired after every soul in the winter town by the time they reached the gates to Winterfell. Brandon hopped off their horse by the stables, and beckoned for Jon to slide off the saddle he had shared with his uncle and into his arms. He carried him inside, where he found Ned and Catelyn in Ned’s solar.

The two paused their conversation upon their entry. Brandon nodded in greeting and put Jon down on his feet.

“Greet your lord father,” Brandon commanded the boy gently, mouth barely able to form the words that made up the necessary lie. Jon clutched his pant leg, hiding behind him. “You were talking my ear off the whole way here, and now you’re playing at being shy? Come now, you saw him just the other day. Jon.”

The sterner tone urged Jon out from behind him. “Hello, father,” he said shyly. Brandon did this best to ignore how the muscles of Catelyn’s jaw shifted beneath her skin.

“Hello, Jon,” Ned returned warmly, walking around the desk to scoop him up in his arms. “Robb has been asking after you ever since you left. Shall we go see Robb?”

Jon nodded, and the two exited the solar together, leaving Brandon and Catelyn alone. Catelyn does not meet his eye, but her annoyance rolls off her in waves.

“You disapprove,” Brandon commented as he idly rubbed his scars.

“It is not my place to approve or disapprove. My husband may do with his bastard as he wishes,” she replied cooly.

“Even love him?”

Her jaw sets. “Even that.”

Brandon chuckled to himself. “Thank your gods you did not marry me, Lady Stark, for I would love him just as much, and our children far less.”

It was an unkind truth, but a truth all the same.

XXIV.

His housemaid snored. Not big, rattling snores, but it was a soft, consistent snore that grated on Brandon’s still sensitive ears. She was lucky she was warm and had lovely tits, else he might have kicked her out of his bed so he could get a full night’s sleep.

Instead, he got up from his bed and pulled on a pair of trousers, moving through the familiar darkness as his hands guided him through the small house. Brandon was half blind in daytime, but damn near fully blind at night. It was touches and textures that led him into Jon’s bedroom.

The boy slept peacefully in his bed; all he could hear was Jon’s soft breathing, a comforting sound that he’d grown to love ever since they lived in this house together. Brandon found the edge of the bed and sat upon it. He gently nudged Jon to the far side of the bed.

“Nuncle,” Jon whined sleepily as he moved over to make room.

“Hush, I’ve gotten less sleep than you,” Brandon grumbled as he pulled the covers over the both of them.

Jon only sighed with the countenance of an old man. When he fell back asleep and his soft, lulling breaths returned, Brandon slipped quickly and easily into slumber.

XXV.

Jon is five when Brandon teaches him to ride a horse. Brandon shared the saddle with him, as they had done before half a hundred times, hands covering his little fists as he showed him how to grip the reins and coax the horse into a trot. His nephew was a quick learner with a sharp mind; it takes only a few turns around the yard before he was leading the horse without his uncle’s help.

“I should have put you on a horse an age ago!” Brandon exclaimed, delighted at the boy’s quick progress. “Look, Jon, you’re doing it all by yourself.”

“I am?” His nephew asked, eyes wide as he briefly diverted his gaze up into Brandon’s face.

“Yes, you are. Shall I get off so you may ride the horse alone?”

“Does Robb ride by himself?”

Brandon grinned. “I’m certain he doesn’t. You’re more like me-- a natural rider. Did you know I started riding when I was even younger than you?” The boy shook his head. “Yes, and your moth--” Brandon caught himself. “Your aunt Lyanna was even earlier. I taught her to ride when I was only a little older than you.”

Jon made a face that meant he was doing some maths in his head. “But you were small,” the boy said.

“Yes, I was, and I was already a better rider than half the men.”

His memory picked at him, nostalgia bled into sorrow, and once again he was thinking of Lyanna. She would approve of her son learning to ride at an early age. In fact, she would surely haunt him if he had allowed Jon to go another year without learning to ride a horse.

“Here, pull back on the reins and make the horse stop,” Brandon instructed. Jon obeyed. “I’m getting off, and you’ll go a few more turns on your own, aye?”

Brandon jumped down from the saddle. His nephew turned his face to look at him in wide-eyed astonishment, reins held tight in his small fists.

“Be brave. I’ll be walking right next to you,” he assured him. The words were enough for fear to give way to trust, and Jon gave a little “hy-ah” before he stirred his horse to walk again.

XXVI.

War arrived again. The Greyjoys had made some noise in Lannisport and brought the might of the Seven Kingdoms upon them.

Brandon had entertained the idea of joining the fight for a while. It would have pleased him to throw some krakens back into the sea, but he was reminded kindly by Ned that a warrior who could not see clearly past 30 paces was useless to everyone.

Instead, Brandon took up Ned’s mantle in Winterfell while his brother fought the king’s war. This meant tending to the troops and lords that passed through and sending enough hunting parties to keep stores stocked, but mostly it meant watching his nephews and niece play together.

He spent more time with Catelyn too, who often sat across from him in the den as she embroidered or sewed. It almost felt like they were wed, and he the Lord of Winterfell, as it was once meant to be. Granted, they hardly spoke to each other and there was a swell to her middle that she did not care to explain to him, but perhaps that was as it was meant to be too.

XXVII.

The boys were asleep on the floor, tangled up in each other, while Sansa sat on his lap, curled up against his chest as her bright blue eyes opened and closed, fighting sleep. The night was so peaceful, and the den so warm, that Brandon had closed his eyes too.

Then suddenly, Catelyn wept. Her sobs were likely meant to be quiet and soft, but they woke Brandon anyways.

He rubbed his eyes. “What is it?” He asked her groggily.

Her eyes flickered to his in surprise. “Nothing,” she insisted hastily, wiping away at the tears on her fair face.

Brandon stared at her through heavy-lidded eyes, absentmindedly rubbing circles on Sansa’s back the way that Jon liked it at her age. “He’ll be home soon,” he said in a low voice. “It’s nearly over. The Greyjoys are retreating, the war is won, and Ned’s just cleaning up the coast, tossing whatever krakens that wash up on shore back into the sea.”

Catelyn nodded as she wept. Even weeping she is graceful and pretty.

“He may even be home in time for that,” he added, and gestured to her round belly.

Catelyn nodded again. “I want him to be,” she sniffled.

It was Brandon’s turn to nod.

XXVIII.

Eddard Stark returned to Winterfell, and Arya Stark followed after a single day.

Brandon had never seen Ned so delirious with joy. He had carried his daughter all over the castle for days before Brandon had a chance to hold her himself.

“It’s Lyanna,” he murmured, fingers trembling as he brushed the soft wisps of dark hair. “Gods be good, Ned, it’s her.”

“I know,” Ned answered with a somber smile. “I know.”

XXIX.

While caught up in Ned’s return and Arya’s birth, Brandon almost neglected to notice another new addition to Winterfell.

“Tell me your name,” Brandon commanded of the dark-haired boy when he found him petting a horse in the stables. He knew his name already, knew his reason for being here, but he could not let himself go unknown. It was the Stark in him, still clinging to fondness of Winterfell, that required him to know who its new lodger was.

“Theon Greyjoy,” the boy answered tremulously.

“How old are you?”

“Ten.”

“Do you understand why you’re here?”

Theon lowered his eyes but did not answer.

“I asked you a question.”

“I understand why."

“Do you know who I am?”

Theon shook his head.

“I’m Brandon Stark. I’m Lord Stark’s older brother.”

“But you are not Lord Stark?”

“I am not. Be glad of this, for my brother’s heart is kinder than mine.”

The boy lowered his eyes again.

Brandon supposed he should pity the boy; he had been torn away from his home so he could be held as a glorified hostage of the crown. It was necessary, of course, as all actions taken in politics and war were deemed necessary.

“You will mind yourself under Lord Stark’s care.” Or rather, your father should mind himself.

“Yes, my lord.”

“I’m no lord, boy. ‘Brandon’ will do.”

XXX.

Jon took his lessons with Maester Luwin, who after instructing Robb in Winterfell, rode to their cabin to deliver the very same lessons.

Brandon, who had been glad to put such lessons behind him, did not sit with them as the maester explained maths and history to his young nephew. It was usually a restless couple of hours, as Jon was his only worthwhile company at the cabin. As they studied, he sat on the porch steps, taking a whetstone to his already-sharp sword.

He continued in this until the maester’s approaching footsteps bid him to stop. Brandon rose to greet the old man, who smiled sagely at him in greeting.

“He does well in his lessons,” the maester informed him. “Bright boy. He is not so fond of maths and writing, but he spares his attention for history. He spares more attention on the whole when he doesn’t take these lessons with his half-brother. I’m glad on the days that I see him here and not in Winterfell.”

Brandon warmed at image of his two nephews distracting each other when the good-natured maester wasn’t looking. “He’s smart, unlike me. He’s always asking me questions about those kings and lords you tell him about, but I tell him to save them for you.”

The maester chuckled. “I’ll be on my way. I hope to come by tomorrow as well.”

“Thank you, maester.”

Brandon saw the maester off before returning indoors, where Jon still sat at the kitchen table, books strewn in front of him. He looked bored and slumped in his seat, but upon seeing his uncle return, he straightened and lit up. “You sharpened your sword,” his nephew remarked suddenly. “But you said you were going to let me do it!”

“I had to do something while you and the maester sat in here,” Brandon returned with shrug and smile. He sheathed the sword and placed it on the table between them.

“Maybe you should sit with us and learn something,” Jon mumbled sullenly. For a boy of seven he could be remarkably mouthy, but that was most likely a consequence of Brandon’s lenient child-rearing.

“It’s more a torment for me than for you-- without you I’ve got nothing to do.”

Jon sighed. “You can train, or go riding, or make a new cloak like you promised.”

“Those things are more fun with you.”

Jon sighed again, and Brandon ruffled his hair. Jon half-heartedly pushed his hand away. He was wearing that sullen, serious expression he usually wore when he was in deep thought. Brandon knew to wait patiently until a question was formed.

“Uncle,” Jon began, his eyes focused on his finger as it idly traced patterns in the leather sheath. “What’s a bastard?”

Brandon supposed he ought to have known the question would be coming. He had never said it to Jon, and surely Ned never did either, but he knew the word was eventually going to introduce itself to his nephew. “A bastard is a child born from people who are not married,” Brandon explained.

“Like Lady Catelyn and father?”

“Yes, they’re married, so their children are trueborn.”

“Robb and me have the same father,” Jon noted. “We’re brothers.”

A lie was a lie, and Brandon hated lies-- but he also learned to hold his tongue, even when it wanted to speak the truth. “Yes. But your mothers are different.”

“So I’m a bastard, but Robb isn’t?”

“He’s a Stark. You’re a Snow.” That much, Brandon supposed, would always be true. His nephew was a bastard no matter who he said his parents were.

Jon grew silent again, making that same thoughtful expression as before. “Who is my mother?”

Despite his better senses, despite the fact that he knew he would be asked the question one day, Brandon’s mouth went dry. He wanted so sorely to answer his nephew with the truth-- of who his mother was, even who his father was, why he was here, why he mattered, why Brandon loved him despite it all.

But he couldn’t. Not now, when he wouldn’t understand why or how or the importance of keeping it a secret.

“I don’t know who your mother was, Jon,” Brandon answered quietly, hoping that lowering his volume would soften the pain of the lie. The burden of this secret felt heavier now than it ever had been before.

Jon appeared crestfallen at this response. He lowered his eyes back to the sheathed sword and gave a sigh that aged him beyond his seven years.

A rush of affection swelled inside his chest, and Brandon found himself taking hold of his nephew’s chin to raise his face. “Stark or Snow, it makes no difference to me. We share the same blood, you and I. We share that, and so much more.”

We share fates. We share a home. We share a life.

Jon Snow pulled his face away as tears welled up in his eyes, and for a devastating second Brandon thinks he’s said something to upset him. His nephew suddenly rose to his feet, then rushed to embrace Brandon, cheek pressed to his uncle’s broad chest.

Brandon returned the embrace, his nose buried in Jon’s soft hair. In a moment that spanned a lifetime, Brandon tried to imagine this with a son of his own, or with Robb, with Sansa or Arya, but nothing felt as sweet, as right as this. It had been a hard and hurting path the gods had set him on, but it seemed to him that they had led him into something kind.

“Alright, Jon?” Brandon murmured into the boy’s hair. He nodded in response, tickling Brandon’s nose. “Good, because I think I’ve another sword in the shed that needs sharpening.”

Jon grinned when he pulled away from his uncle, and ran to take a head start.

#a thousand silhouettes #brandon stark #jon snow #fic #gotfic #asoiaf

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