#they chose to love me of their own volition

[immortaltale]

on others saying liverpool are favorites to win the league...

klopp: pep didn't say — i heard that, and saw it — [he] didn't say 'by the way, now liverpool are favorites'. somebody asked him and he said yes. and sarcasm and irony and stuff like this, obviously journalists don't take too well. i saw his eyes when he said it, so it's all fine.

#two old men are friends #he might be more of a pep defender than me una #btw no the interviewer didn't mention pep by name. klopp chose to bring him up #anyway why are you as a man looking into another man's eyes #also i would love to know if his staff just show him a bunch of pep presser clips or if he just watches them of his own volition?? #because this is not the first time he's mentioned them lmfao

[mutelunacy]

so judging by the fact that Delacroix was normal despite choosing to work for shodan can we agree that Diego was definitely a freak who was way into the whole fake religion thing for a guy who kept his brain entirely in tact. can we agree on that one.

#im aware they had different circumstances but. he was not forced to act like that. he talked about tokens of love on his own volition #im just saying #rambles #clearly the whole devotion thing was NOT necessary. he chose to do that. that was a choice he made. #and tbh? he just like me. fr

[jellybeanium124]

I'm beginning to start to just barely comprehend that my stomach may be entirely fucked and something might be going on here... or maybe I'm just extremely gluten and lactose intolerant, or the covid vaccine is fucking with me again... either way my stomach is fucked and now I may have to deal with that for the next 60 years. which I am super not looking forward to because I love food and eating.

#also being told to make a change to my diet will also wreck my mental health #I have made certain choices of my own volition #(some more of my own volition than others. if I want to live I have to avoid cashews and pistachios lol but anyways) #but if I go to a doctor and they give me a diet it is going to destroy my mental health #really love having to chose between my mental and physical health here thanks mom #I love my mom but boy did she make some mistakes :)

[angelltheninth]

Miguel O'Hara Bites You to Keep You Still Against Him

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Fem!Reader

Tags: nsfw, smut, cockwaming, biting, consensual paralysis, neck kissing, praise, scolding, bratty Reader

A/N: Feels like I haven't written anything for Miguel in a while.

He told you that he has more work to do and you have to stay still. And you could. For the first half an hour. Enjoying the fullness and the way his big cock pushed your tight pussy walls apart, making room for himself. But you didn't hear any moving, only calm breathing and the tapping of the keyboard on the desk. You really wished his moved to your body next.

He was famous for working late hours to make sure everyone's missions ran smoothly. It was admirable, yet for you, his girlfriend it was annoying. You told him he might as well figure out a way to marry his work since he likes it so much. That was when his hand wrapped around your wrist and pulled you close, his grunt sounding against your cheek.

You found yourself on his lap, his suit gone and your pants and underwear down your legs. You liked this compromise and took it a step further by actually pushing his cock inside of you. Miguel let out a shaky breath as your warm walls enveloped his throbbing cock.

"I didn't tell you to move yet." This would be a losing battle for him if you started moving more. "I have work to do love. Don't distract me." He warned only once. His fangs pressed against your neck, only pressed for now. He waited to see how you'd react.

You were still of your own volition. Miguel's work was important, that was a given. He had his priorities, that was admirable. But in this moment in which he chose to give you a hand you wanted the whole arm. Or in this case you really wanted to fuck.

You braced yourself on the edge of the desk and started moving up and down, just a few inches of his cock. That would have been distracting enough but there were also your moans, "Just for a little bit?"

"If I could have sex with you just for a little bit this wouldn't be an issue." Miguel pushed forward, trapping you between his body and the desk. "I still have an hour of work left at the least. I granted you this much, despite it being a distraction. And look at you, thinking you can do whatever you want and being a disobedient brat."

His scolding, low and commanding tone didn't help you calm down any.

Miguel tested out a few small bites first, eliciting little whimpers from you. "Stay still baby." You felt your body go still slowly, but until you felt fully numb he kept thrusting his cock in and out in small, shallow thrusts, providing you with just enough stimulation to get you through the next hour.

#spiderverse x reader #miguel o'hara x reader #marvel x reader #spiderman 2099 x reader #spiderverse imagine #miguel o'hara imagine #marvel imagine #spiderman 2099 imagine #spiderverse fanfic #miguel o'hara fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #spiderman 2099 fanfiction #spiderverse smut #miguel o'hara smut #marvel smut #spiderman 2099 smut #spiderverse x female reader #miguel o'hara x fem!reader #marvel x female reader #spiderman 2099 x female reader #spiderverse x you #miguel o'hara x you #marvel x you #spiderman 2099 x you #spiderverse #across the spiderverse #marvel #spiderman 2099 #miguel o'hara #x female reader

[kybercrystals94]

Just a few things in Season 3 Episode 5 that I can’t stop thinking about…

[spoilers below cut]

The way Crosshair treats Omega like a peer.

This is so different from the way Wrecker, Echo, Tech, but specifically Hunter, ever treated Omega. To them, she’s still the little girl they rescued off Kamino. They know they’ve trained her to be capable; however, it is hard to separate their guileless little sister from the little warrior she’s become both with their squad and during her captivity on Tantiss.

Crosshair never knew or cared about little Omega, the child who’d never seen dirt before.

He’s only ever known and cared about this Omega. The Omega that insisted on building a relationship with him in spite of his trying to push her away for her own good. The Omega who refused to leave him behind at risk to herself. The Omega who can hold her own alongside him during a firefight. The Omega who can fly ships, bribe, and swindle. Crosshair has only known this Omega. Why would he treat her as anything but capable? He will absolutely protect her and have her back, but he will not doubt her abilities.

That’s not to say that the others doubt her abilities. I think they absolutely know what Omega is capable of, but that innate desire to protect the little thing she was has not dissolved just because Omega has grown…which is so true of real life. It’s authentic, and it's difficult and messy. And I love that the show is tackling this.

I also love that Crosshair knows this too. “Don’t hold it against him. He’s only worried about you,” he gently advises.

Which leads me into how I viewed Hunter’s behavior in Episode 5…

He doesn’t trust Crosshair. Why would he? The last time they interacted, Crosshair tried to force them to join the Empire of his own volition. He tried to have Omega forcibly removed from their protection. He chose the Empire over them. And then, they find out that Crosshair became a prisoner of the Empire, and their attempt to rescue Crosshair from his own choices resulted in Tech’s death and Omega’s capture. On top of that, what exactly did Crosshair do to get on the Empire’s bad side? Hunter doesn’t know. And Crosshair isn’t volunteering the information.

I also saw a bit of jealousy on Hunter’s part (although he probably doesn’t recognize it). While we as viewers know that Omega is trying to support Crosshair with his emotional and physical trauma, as well as getting him to communicate with Hunter and Wrecker. On the outside, Omega and Crosshair are almost inseparable, Omega seeking out Crosshair’s companionship (the brother that initiated a lot of the Batch’s heartbreak) rather than the brothers who have taken care of her all along. Gotta admit, I’d be pretty hurt by that too. Again, not at all Omega’s intent or fault that he feels this way, but it would be confusing and hurtful nonetheless.

Crosshair also senses this jealousy. (“Oh, don’t pretend like this is all about me…You’re angry because she escaped with my help, not yours.”) What Hunter doesn’t know is that Crosshair has supported Omega and Hunter’s relationship, not undermined it.

I really appreciated how Crosshair - while hurt by Hunter’s mistrust - does his best to prove himself trustworthy again (although hidden behind typical Crosshair snark). He’s broken his brothers’ trust, and he knows it has to be earned back.

Wrecker runs to hug Hunter and Crosshair after they make it back safely.

Wrecker is the only one of the Batch (besides Crosshair, obviously) who has been on both sides of the chip. He understands Hunter’s perspective and trepidation towards Crosshair; however, he also understands the guilt and fear that comes after being under the chip’s influence and nearly killing your family. While he was also confused and hurt by Crosshiar’s actions after the chip, Wrecker trusts Omega’s judgment. If Omega feels that Crosshair has changed, then Wrecker is not going to question it.

But he’s not going to pressure Hunter to the same conclusion, and he’s been Hunter’s support system for so long–and obviously, Crosshair already has a support system in Omega. Wrecker is going to let Hunter take the time he needs to trust Crosshair on his own terms…and I love that!

I felt that when Wrecker saw them coming back, he could tell they had worked out some of their hard feelings toward one another…and he was thrilled! That hug was more than just happy they made it back safe from facing a monster, but that they are on the path to making amends. Their family is healing. Not healed. There’s still hurts and wounds to work through, but healing.

And the way he embraces his two sullen brothers, smooshing them together so that they are also hugging each other by association…made me smile so big!

The way Echo acts as mediator between Hunter and Crosshair. (Also…ECHO FINALLY SHOWS UP!!)

Omega and Wrecker have been struggling trying to support both brothers while they work through their issues, and then there’s Echo saying, “You can kill each other later…focus!” Echo gets it. He knows they need to work things out on their own terms, in their own time. But first…mission!

Also, I loved how civilly he treats Crosshair when they meet again. Crosshair is 100% ready to receive a negative reaction, and when Echo simply snarks back at him like the good ol’ days, Crosshair is visibly surprised. Even Omega looks happy to see the positive interaction.

When Omega expresses how she wishes she could have done more for the other clones on Tantiss, Echo tells her she did the right thing escaping and getting the information she could to him and Rex…he is such a good and encouraging older brother! I love him!

Special mention goes to Crosshair and Batcher being buddies! The way Crosshair pats and pets her when Batcher comes up to him after they rescue Hunter out of the snow. And then Batcher plops down beside him and Crosshair keeps petting her. My little heart!

#the bad batch #star wars #tbb hunter #tbb omega #tbb crosshair #tbb wrecker #tbb echo #tbb spoilers #the bad batch season 3 spoilers #episode 5 #the return #my thoughts on the character development

[literalite]

mistki's the land is inhospitable and so are we (2023)!! as edits featuring mine and some of my friends ocs 😁 had a lot of fun with this project... rough explainer of how/why each song corresponds to each character/s under the cut because i love symbolism and talking! sorry it is long

bug like an angel - sapphire

without spoiling too much of her story and arc... sapphire's life is not easy. she's hurt by people she cares for and who care for her, although inadvertently, and in turn hurts people who she cares for and who cared for her, also not by her own volition. it's kind of a terrible truth that you will harm and be harmed by the people you love, even when you and they truly don't want to. it's up to you how much you're willing to take and deal. you can't keep every promise you make and you can't right every wrong. but you have to keep trying anyway. that's sapphire's strength, and the core of her goodness and why i personally consider her one of my favourite ocs. i chose to depict bug like an angel in mitski's more positive interpretation here and in that light i think it works best for saph

buffalo replaced - heiya

well first and foremost the vibes of the song fits heiya perfectly fhgjk but also lyricism and tone... yep. quick breakdown of heiya's background since i doubt i'll ever be able to do it properly she's an interesting character for me because she like a lot of my other characters has lost. everything. she had a wife and a child and they were both killed and she had to leave her home again and again and unlike how some of my others would have taken this she has never flagged in her unwavering dedication to preserving hope. for herself for her people for the future etc etc. which is a very fucking difficult thing to do! the world changes faster than you can keep up with it sometimes but for heiya she will not let herself tire and be swept away in it all. people rely on her. she's a guiding star as much as she is a woman. she's a lover and a fighter and thats what buffalo replaced means to me! so

heaven - vinny and caleb

i feel like of all my oc couples so far they have like. the sweetest most kind of simply mutually trusting dare i say straight forward love. they just love each other so much and thats all. the world could end around them when theyre together and it'd be okay truly. also yeah vinny is ostensibly in heaven now bye angel i feel like this one was pretty self explanatory. me and who WHEN

i don't like my mind - sunny

he just like me fr (said in denji voice) anyways wow ha. unstoppable unending guilt due to past actions that haunt your every waking moment? throwing yourself into any and all distraction just to take your mind off it, filling your time with other shit so that past sin doesnt for once echo in your awful and hollow brain? this song is perfect for sunny honestly just that sentiment also the "please don't take this job from me".... sometimes the coping is worse. you can be proud of something because you can do it better than anyone else even if that thing is terrible

the deal - wolfgang munch by @gunthermunch

Wolfgang Amadeus Munch. umm this will make more sense later on but it still kind of makes sense now i think. he doesn't want to be himself he keeps . leaving and moving and running away from his own memories his own self in reaction to others. if he could pawn it all off he would. if he could be better in an instant without having to feel every agonising second of change he would! but thats not how the world works. or is it. read munch by gunthermunch thats an order

when memories snow - lilian

i feel the older you get the more your past kind of swells up and trails behind you... at least for lilian that is shes very linked to the different versions of the girl/young woman she used to be. for her its a double edged blade, a lot of her own strength is drawn from who she was and what happened to her throughout her life. they haunt her but she's haunting it back in her own way

my love mine all mine - saige, bellona, ari

stares you down okay so usage of this song very much almost verges into spoiler territory but uhm. uhm. starts twitching basically the whole dynamic here is . sometimes when you love you will sacrifice. and while that is usually a good thing sometimes it is not but sometimes it still is. sometimes you pay your dues for love and sometimes someone else has to pay for your love as well. and whether that is worth it to them remains to be seen. but it's all about love still. whether that's a worthy cause is up to you i suppose

the frost - yoshiki and hikaru from hikaru ga shida natsu

fun fact (or not so fun fact since i had it listed as such) this slot was originally meant to be taken up by a gojo/geto edit and while it still works for them frighteningly well i swerved to do another black and white haired doomed gay pairing gfhjkl; i really recommend yall to read hikaru ga shinda natsu/the summer that hikaru died because honestly it speaks for itself! it's SO good i love it so bad

star - ari and luca by @anjitrait

wow these two did not deserve the horrors the narrative (me) slammed down onto their heads. they're kind of the most married of all time to me but like of course under pressure even the strongest most loving of bonds will warp. they've been together for roughly a decade and a half now. they know and love each other as totally as you could possibly imagine. despite it all i am yours, no matter. are we picking up what i'm putting down chat

i'm your man - nayef and sióar by @lucidicer

after the album dropped like at least 3 people swung into my dms with a ?this you?? about this song which. i mean the fucking dogs that start barking halfway through the song. are you kidding me. but anyways sioyef and devotion. sioyef and putting yourself in your lover's hands and looking to them like they are a god. this is super self explanatory. you know

i love me after you - redacted and ophelia

HM.... all i'll say here is that sometimes the homoerotic tension filled high school friendship where both parties have something very wrong with them but in totally different directions can be. scarring. bad. sometimes love just isn't enough when you don't know what you're meant to do with it and when you've lived in survival mode all your life. but that once the dust clears you can scrape yourself off the ground get up keep going and that isn't gonna be the end for you there. or for love, even. sometimes shit just ain't meant to be and thats ok

#ts4 #urghhgh idek how many hours this is cumulatively. dont wanna #ts4 edit #seph.txt #p

[mrs-monaghan]

there’s so much misinfo going round atm, see lots of people saying that after jk enlists with jm and does the boot camp he can apply for some special ???something and will leave separately where he is stationed or that just because jk / jm are enlisting on same day, they only will do basic training together then go to separate places ? and that they only chose the enlisting together option because it meant they could make sure they were out in time for june ?

ik it’s a bit hard to follow maybe with different sources and not real confirmation but do you know if any of it is true? my understanding was that they did the “enlisting together” scheme thing, (ie. it’s a purposeful application, they knew they were choosing this way) which meant they’ll at least be in same living quarters etc the whole time until they’re out ?

sorry for long Q! it’s ok if you dk it was just confusing D; thank you!

Hi anon. 😳 I am terrible when it comes to the serious stuff and have the attention span of a toddler when such topics arise. My mind registers them as boring and so I don't retain the in4. But my friends delved deep into this so I will gather as much as I can and do my best to explain the sitch

Let me start by correcting the biggest misinformation of them all. Thanks to fucking Mina with her fake subs and reaching conclusions, the vermin are confusing "Special Task Force" with "Special Forces"

JK said he wanted to join special forces. Well and good

But thats not what V is doing. V applied for Special Task Force which, while not easy (he said in the live its why he enlisted there, to challenge himself) its nothing compared to special forces. Special forces is HARD CORE. Its no joke. It's for those who actually want to go to war and proper fight for their country. Not for those fulfilling a mandatory duty... One they wouldn't do if they had the choice. Special forces, those people actually wanna be there. And if u know JK then u shouldn't be surprised that he would say something like this. Of course our dare devil bunny would enjoy joining something as risky as special forces.

But guess what? No one stopped him. He still could have gone there if he really wanted to. Just like in Winter package. No one told him to give up zip lining for beer tasting. He did that off his own volition since Jimin was going beer tasting. JK's happiness is where Jimin is. Period. (Suga's presence played a big part but we don't talk about Yoonmin)

(Edit: the whole thing takes almost 8 years to complete which again, is not something JK would actually do if he wanted to still stay a member of BTS. And of course satellite Jeon would again, never do it)

Jikook wanted to use the buddy system and they applied where Jin is on purpose because since the location is so risky, (front lines) not alot of people apply to serve there. So the chances of them being accepted were pretty high. I already talked a bit about that here.

Coldest and most dangerous. But before we panic, Jikook love snow so... thats good. But also;

2 things to note before we continue; 1) Tattoos are a none factor on why Jikook applied together or why JK couldn't be with V. They had 0 to do with that. And 2) All members and where they ended up it was their decision

So, here is a Korean explaining

They shall not be separated. They will train together and continue to serve together

One body. Shiet.

Nice. Even the breaks they will take together. Basically spend every minute together for those 18 months y'all.

They had to pass 3 rounds. Applying wasn't all. They had rounds to pass before getting accepted. So as we can see this was a whole ass process. They really worked hard on this to make it happen.

Apparently there is a show you can watch that explains the buddy system. Its 8 episodes, its called real man

The holding hands thing is legit 🤣🤣🤣

Jikook shouldn't have an issue then 🤭

Anon, people are in denial and the other half are trying to explain this away. If Jikook only went in together just so they could come out at the same time then they could have done what Vmon did. Apply separately at the same time.

This is one tough pill to swallow for antis. It's like the biggest fuck u Jikook could have ever done but at the same time I really don't think they factored anyone else but themselves when they made this decision.

18 months is no small amount of time so let's call a spade a spade; Jikook couldn't be apart that long. Fax 💯 JK wanted to be there for Jimin, Jimin wanted to be there for JK, of course. Them in the same place looking out for each other is all I as a fan who loves them can ask for. But at the same time, they needed this.

Anon, they will be together 24/7 for the entire duration of their time there.

Yes. Sleeping in the same quarters. It wouldn't make sense for companionship if they were separating the recruits who applied together. To be companions. Of each other.

The buddy system is there to help friends cope with this difficult mandatory thing that the government insists on doing to their young men. It's there to help them cope in any way possible. I imagine mostly mentally. So why would they train them together then separate them? ❓❓❓

It is said that you should make sure the person you apply with, is a person u get along with super well because for the next 18 months you will be together every moment of everyday. It's krazy to imagine that JK wouldn't rather do this with his actual boyfriend V, instead. Krazy. 🤯

Anygays, no need to worry my good people, Jimin and JK have got each other's back. All that's left is to wait for them and pray for them. May they always hold hands 🤭

Tihihihihihihi

#jikook military #satellite Jikook #ask shaz #bts ask #jikook #kookmin #minkook #jimin and jungkook #park jimin #jeon jungkook #jimin #jungkook #bts #jikook is real #If jikook isn't real then neither I'm I #Taekook is not real #the shade

[doctorbitchcrxft]

Bugs | Supernatural Series Rewrite | Dean Winchester x Reader

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader (Eventual)

Warnings: BUGS lol, canon violence, canon gore

Word Count: 7012

Series Rewrite Masterlist

You and Dean decided that after your last job, you deserved a break. You went to a bar to play that eight-ball game you’d talked about back in Ankeny. The two of you were pretty evenly matched; you had to admit. He would win a game, then you would win a game, and that pattern continued for quite a bit. Then you’d swapped to nine-ball. The two of you walked away from the pool tables and found a table when you’d grown tired of playing with each other.

“I’ll admit, you’re pretty good, Winchester,” you told him.

“You too, sweetheart,” he responded, chuckling. 

“You’re never gonna stop calling me that, are you?” you asked.

“Nope.”

You pretended to be annoyed and rolled your eyes. “You suck.”

“You, too.”

You playfully glared at him. 

“You hustle?” he asked you.

“Duh,” you responded, taking a swig of your beer. 

He chuckled. “How ‘bout it? I’m low on cash after I paid off that morgue tech.”

“Hey, you did that on your own volition,” you joked back. “Nobody forced you to pay him off. And maybe you lost even more cash after you lost that poker game to me yesterday.”

He glared back at you. “I’ll get you next time.”

“Sure. So who’re you hustlin’?” you asked.

He scanned the room for a moment. “Them.” He subtly nodded in the direction of a group of guys who looked around your and Dean’s age. They seemed kind of douchey, and you’d love to watch Dean kick their asses if you were being honest. 

“Eight or nine ball?” you asked him.

“Nine.”

“Ooh, good luck,” you told him.

“I won’t need it,” he answered arrogantly and began heading over to the group. 

Your newfound friendship with Dean was slightly difficult for you due to your unbelievable attraction to him. The more you got to know him the more you began to like him for more than just his beautiful face. But you knew neither of you had the time for anything more than friendship, especially considering you knew you’d be hitting the road as soon as they found their dad. You chose not to focus on the finite amount of time you had with the Winchester boys and just enjoy it while it lasted. 

As much as you tried to push the thought away, you couldn’t deny that watching him hustle pool made you even more attracted to him. 

“Cute,” you told Dean sarcastically when he walked back over to your table waving a wad of cash in the air. “But I betcha I can get us double the money.” You snatched his money out of his hands. 

“Hey!” he said. “I earned that.”

“And I’ll earn it back,” you smirked over your shoulder. 

He quirked a brow at you as you “drunkenly” walked away, watching you head over to a pool table surrounded by another group of young guys. 

You wore a black tank top that showed off your cleavage, and stuck Dean’s money in the top of your bra while you sauntered over to the pool table. A tall blonde guy holding a cue stick was surrounded by his frat-boy posse hollering about how good the blonde guy played. 

“Fifty dollars to play!” One of the boys yelled.

“I’ll play,” you piped up, looking down at the table set for nine-ball.

You pulled some cash out of the top of your bra and placed it on the rim of the pool table. 

“Uh, sweetheart,” the blond began, “That’s only twenty.”

“Oh, sorry,” you snorted out a laugh, putting thirty dollars on the table. 

“She’s hammered, dude,” one of the blond’s friends told him.

The blond waved him off, still looking over you. He handed you a pool cue with a smirk. 

“You break.”

You fumbled with the cue before lining up your shot. After you hit the cue ball, you allowed the wooden stick to slip clumsily out of your hands. The balls flew all over the table in different directions because you had struck them so hard. However, you had not managed to pocket a single one. 

The blond lined up his shot. Managing to keep the dopey look on your face, you mentally smirked at his amateur hand bridge. This guy would be easy to beat. With his friends cheering him on, he pocketed the yellow one-ball but missed the shot he took at the nine-ball. The nine-ball was in the perfect position for you to win on your next two shots, but you were not going for the big bucks just yet.

“Your turn, baby,” the blond told you. 

You resisted the urge to cringe at the nickname. You had never liked being called “baby.”

Instead, you gave him a wide smile, walking up to the cue ball. You went to aim for the four-ball, but the blond stopped you. 

“What are you doing?”

“Aiming for the pretty purple ball,” you replied innocently. “Am I doing something wrong?”

“You have to aim for the two-ball. You ever even played before?” he asked jokingly.

“No,” you smiled.

He was not expecting that answer to his jest, his face dropping out of the smile. “Then why are you playing for money?”

“I thought you were cute and wanted to play with you.” 

The blond smirked down at you. 

Before he could respond, you said, “C’mon! I wanna keep playing. This is fun.” You lined up and hit the two ball, knocking it only a little bit closer to the pocket than the blond had gotten it. 

He ended up sinking the two-ball and then the nine-ball after that, his friends cheering for him. He took the money off the table. “Maybe next time.”

“Ooh, can we play again? Please?” you whined. 

He looked around at his friends. They all shrugged. 

You took all of the money out of your bra, including fifty dollars of your own to compensate for the fifty you just lost. You did promise Dean you would double the amount he had earned, after all. 

The blond laughed nervously. “Uh, that’s a lot more than fifty dollars.”

“Is it?” you pretended you were surprised. “Oh, well. We’ll just play for whatever this is, then.”

One of the blond’s friends, a brunet, was already counting the money. “This is three-hundred dollars, man.”

“Look, you’re really drunk. That’s a lot of money,” the blond said. “Let’s just stop.”

“No,” you begged, “please? It’ll be fine!”

He finally conceded, collecting a total of three hundred dollars between himself and his friends. 

On the break, he hit the one-ball and the five-ball ended up falling into the left side pocket. However, on the shot he took at the nine-ball, he missed. 

You hit the two-ball, sank it, and clapped excitedly. You aimed for the three-ball next, hitting it between the right side and back pockets. The ball hit the wall and stopped only two inches off of it, giving the blond no shot at sinking it on his next turn. 

He ended up pushing the three-ball and the cue ball into the perfect position for you to hit the red ball into the hole. Once you sank the three-ball, you lined up the cue behind the cue ball and hit the nine-ball into one of the pockets. Blondie and his friends stood there slack-jawed. 

“I won!” you cheered, giggling. You gave Blondie a kiss on the cheek when you took your money. 

You walked back over to Dean with your hips swishing confidently. Smirking, you held up your winnings. 

He took them from your hands, counting the money. “Damn. I’m impressed.”

You feigned shock. “Dean Winchester? Impressed by something I did?”

“Can it, (Y/N).”

You walked outside of the bar with Dean at your side. You waved the money in your hand back and forth triumphantly as you approached the Impala that Sam sat atop flipping through newspapers. He looked disapproving. “Y’know, we could get day jobs once in a while.”

"Hunting's our day job,” you countered. 

“Yeah, and the pay is crap,” Dean added. 

“Amen.”

“Yeah, but hustling pool? Credit card scams? It's not the most honest thing in the world, guys,” the younger brother argued.

“Well, let's see, honest—” Dean began, and you held out one hand palm-up for “honest,” “—Fun and easy,” he finished.

You held out the other hand, representing a scale, tipping it to the side of “fun and easy.” 

“It's no contest,” you shrugged. 

“Besides, we're good at it. It's what we were raised to do,” Dean added.

Sam was still not convinced. “Yeah, well, how we were raised was jacked.”

“Yeah, says you,” sassed Dean. “We got a new gig or what?”

“Maybe. Oasis Plains, Oklahoma— not far from here. A gas company employee, Dustin Burwash, supposedly died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob.”

“Gesundheit,” you commented.

“Human mad cow disease.” Sam shot you a playful glare. 

“Mad cow. Wasn't that on Oprah?” Dean asked.

“You watch Oprah?” you responded.

The older brother looked embarrassed and couldn’t think of anything to say. He decided to change the subject. “So this guy eats a bad burger. Why is it our kind of thing?”

“Mad cow disease causes massive brain degeneration. It takes months, even years, for the damage to appear. But this guy, Dustin? Sounds like his brain disintegrated in about an hour. Maybe less,” Sam stated.

You nodded slowly. “Oh-kay, that is weird.”

“Yeah. Now, it could be a disease. Or it could be somethin' much nastier,” Sam told you.

“Alright. Oklahoma,” Dean said, beginning to get in the car. You and Sam followed suit. “Man. Work, work, work,” the older Winchester sighed. “No time to spend my money.”

“You mean our money,” you said, handing him three hundred. You kept the other three. 

“Right.” He put the money in his wallet and began driving off. 

***

Dean had driven you to the gas and power company the deceased had worked at. You approached a man with shaggy hair and a scruffy chin who you had learned from another employee was the man who discovered Dustin’s dead body.

“Travis Weaver?” Sam called.

“Yeah, that's right.” The man turned to you.

“Are you the Travis who worked with Uncle Dusty?” Dean asked.

“Dustin never mentioned nephews. Or a niece,” he responded.

“Really? Well, he sure mentioned you. He said you were the greatest.”

You nodded, affirming Dean’s lie.

Travis smiled sadly. “Oh, he did? Huh.”

“I hate to ask you, but… what exactly happened out there?” you asked.

“I'm not sure. He fell in a sinkhole, I went to the truck to get some rope, and, uh... by the time I got back…” he trailed off, face contorting in discomfort.

“What did you see?” Dean questioned.

Travis shook his head. “Nothin'. Just Dustin.”

“No wounds or anything?” Sam chimed in.

“Well, he was bleeding... from his eyes and his ears, his nose. But that's it.”

“So you think it could be this whole mad cow thing?” Dean asked.

“I don't know. That's what the doctors are sayin'.”

“I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel right to me,” you added. “Uncle Dusty just never acted like that to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if it was, he would’ve acted like he had dementia, a loss of motor control, you ever notice anything like that?” you asked.

“No. No way. But then again, if it wasn't some disease, what the hell was it?” 

“That's a good question,” Dean responded.

“You know, can you tell us where this happened?” Sam asked.

Travis nodded. He instructed Dean the path to follow in order to find the scene of the incident. Surrounding the sinkhole he had fallen in was police tape, but the neighborhood it was in seemed mostly uninhabited except for a few construction workers milling about.

“Huh.” Dean looked down into the hole. “What do you think?”

“I don't know. But if that guy, Travis, was right, it happened pretty damn fast,” Sam responded.

You ducked under the tape and looked down into the hole with a flashlight. 

“So, what? Some sort of creature chewed on his brain?” Dean’s face scrunched up in confusion. 

You shook your head. “No, there'd be an entry wound. Sounds like this thing worked from the inside.”

“Looks like there's only room for one,” Dean commented. “Hate to say it, sweetheart, you’re gonna have to get down there.”

You flinched back. “What? No. We have no idea what’s down there.”

He picked up a nearby coil of rope. “Alright, I'll go if you're scared. You scared?”

“No. Dick.” Your stubbornness would not let you back down despite the genuine fear clawing at your throat. When you were younger, your father would often starve you to ensure you could fit into small spaces such as the hole you were about to journey down. You had no doubt you would’ve grown taller than 5’6” had he not done this. Even still, you mustered your courage. “I'm going.”

“I said I'd go,” Dean argued.

“I'm going,” you pressed, taking the end of the rope from him. You tied it around your waist. “Don’t drop me.”

“I won’t.”

“Sam, don’t let him drop me.”

Sam chuckled.

“What?” Dean sounded offended. “You don’t trust me?”

“Nope,” you smiled, clambering down into the hole. It took a moment for your eyes to adjust, but when they did, you were surprised by what you’d found.

Dean drove, and Sam was examining the dead beetle you’d found in the sinkhole. Some bugs you could handle, but beetles were not one you could spend prolonged periods of time looking at. 

“So you found some beetles. In a hole, in the ground. That's shocking, (Y/N),” Dean quipped.

You shook your head. “Dude, no. There were no tunnels, no tracks, nothing. No evidence of any other creature down there.”

“You know,” Sam added, “some beetles do eat meat. Now, it's usually dead meat, but…”

“How many did you find down there?” Dean asked you.

“Ten.”

“It'd take a whole lot more than that to eat out some dude's brain, Sam.”

“Well, maybe there were more,” his brother argued.

“I don't know, it sounds like a stretch to me,” Dean responded.

“Well, we need more information on the area, the neighborhood. Whether something like this has ever happened before,” you added. A sign advertising an open house decorated with red balloons caught your eye.

Sam was looking back at you. “What?”

“There.” You pointed to the sign. 

You passed another that read, “Models Open. New Buyers' BBQ Today!"

“I'm kinda hungry for a little barbeque, how 'bout you?” Dean remarked.

Sam gave him a look.

“What, we can't talk to the locals?”

You snickered. “And the free food's got nothin' to do with it?”

“Of course not. I'm a professional.”

His brother rolled his eyes. “Right.”

Dean pulled over and the three of you got out of the car to walk toward the open house.

“Growin' up in a place like this would freak me out,” Dean remarked.

“Ditto,” you said.

“Why?” Sam looked at the two of you like you were crazy. 

“Manicured lawns, ‘How was your day, honey?’ I'd blow my brains out,” Dean chuckled.

“White picket fence,” you sing-songed, “private school, stay-at-home moms with three snotty children— no thanks.”

“There's nothing wrong with ‘normal,’ “ Sam rebutted.

“I'd take our family over normal any day,” the older Winchester said. He approached the house and knocked on the door. 

A man in a steamed collared shirt opened the door. “Welcome,” he said.

“This the barbeque?” Dean asked.

“Yeah, not the best weather,” he replied, referencing the gray sky, “but... I'm Larry Pike, the developer here. And you are... ?”

“Dean. This is Sam and (Y/N).” He shook Larry’s hand.

“Sam, Dean, (Y/N), good to meet you. So, you three are interested in Oasis Plains?”

“Yes, sir,” the older brother responded.

“Let me just say—” You had no idea where Larry was going with this— “we accept homeowners of any race, religion, color, or... sexual orientation.”

You realized what he was trying to say. “They’re brothers. I’m just a friend.”

Larry nodded and seemed slightly embarrassed.

“Our father is getting on in years,” Sam explained, “and we're just lookin' for a place for him.”

Larry laughed awkwardly “Great, great. Well, seniors are welcome, too. Come on in.” He guided you to the backyard where dozens of people were chatting and eating. “Eighteen months ago, I was walking this valley with my survey team. There was nothing here but scrub brush and squirrels. And you know what, we built such a nice place to live that I actually bought into it myself. This is our house. We're the first family in Oasis Plains.” He brought you over to a woman around his age. “This is my wife, Joanie.”

“Hi there,” she smiled.

Larry introduced the three of you to her before saying, “Tell them how much you love the place, honey. And lie if you have to because I need to sell some houses.”

She laughed. “Right.”

This painfully fake interaction you were having reeked of Middle America. It was making you sick. 

Larry left you alone with Joanie who said, “Don't let his salesman routine scare you. This really is a great place to live.”

A very energetic woman with bright, Ariel-red hair pulled back in a tight bun approached your group. “Hi, I'm Lynda Bloome, head of sales,” she grinned.

“And Lynda was second to move in,” Joanie went on. “She's a very noisy neighbor, though.”

Even Lynda’s laugh was obnoxious. “She's kidding, of course. I take it you three are interested in becoming homeowners.”

Before any of you could answer, she said, “Well, let me just say that we accept homeowners of any race, religion, color, or... sexual orientation.”

Dean chuckled. “Right. Um... I'm gonna go talk to Larry.” Dean began walking away. “Okay, honeys?” He smacked you on your ass as he left.

You nearly yelped in surprise. The rest of your interaction with Lynda became very awkward. You were barely interested in what she was saying about the various features of the home. “Who can say "no" to a steam shower? I use mine everyday.”

You nodded, forcing a smile. “Sounds great.”

Sam noticed something just beyond her, saying, “Excuse me,” and pushing her out of the way. What he had picked up off the picnic table was a large tarantula. You noticed a snickering boy with shaggy brown hair a few feet behind where Lynda had been standing. 

Sam walked over to the boy. “Is this yours?”

The boy took the spider from him. “You gonna tell my dad?”

“I don't know. Who's your dad?”

The teen scoffed. “Yeah, Larry usually skips me in the family introductions.”

You sucked air in through your teeth. “Ouch. First name basis with your dad— sounds pretty grim.”

“Well, I'm not exactly brochure material,” the kid remarked.

“Well, hang in there. It gets better, all right? I promise,” Sam said.

The kid didn’t seem convinced. “When?”

You heard Larry call the name, “Matthew!” You turned to see the older man and Dean walking toward you.

“I am so sorry about my son and his... pet.”

‘Clearly there’s some issues there.’

You shook your head. “No big.”

“Excuse us.” Larry’s face was set and hardened, pulling his son away from you and the boys.

“Remind you of somebody?” Sam asked his brother. He was gesturing toward the arguing father and son. “Dad?”

“Dad never treated us like that,” Dean argued.

“Well, Dad never treated you like that. You were perfect. He was all over my case. You don't remember?”

“Well, maybe he had to raise his voice, but sometimes, you were out of line.”

Sam scoffed. “Right. Right, like when I said I'd rather play soccer than learn bowhunting.”

“Bowhunting's an important skill,” Dean replied. You agreed with him, but chose to say out of the brotherly debate.

“Whatever. How was your tour?” Sam asked.

Dean turned on the sarcasm. “Oh, it was excellent. I'm ready to buy. So you might be onto somethin'. Looks like Dustin Burwash wasn't the first strange death around here.”

“What happened?” you questioned.

“About a year ago, before they broke ground, one of Larry's surveyors dropped dead while on the job. Get this severe allergic reaction to bee stings.”

You nodded. “More bugs.”

***

Later that evening, Sam was driving you and Dean through the neighborhood. You put your head on Dean’s shoulder over the back of the front seat as he flipped through his father’s journal. He had looked at you strangely and tensed up when you’d first rested your head on him, but you just shrugged in response. To your surprise, he allowed you to stay there.

“You know, I've heard of killer bees, but killer beetles?” Dean shook his head. “What is it that could make different bugs attack?”

“Well, hauntings sometimes include bug manifestations,” Sam replied.

“Yeah, but I didn't see any evidence of ghost activity,” the older brother said, referring to his house tour.

“Me neither,” you added.

“Maybe they're being controlled somehow. You know, by something or someone,” Dean stated.

“You mean, like Willard?” Sam chuckled.

“Yeah, bugs instead of rats.”

“There are cases of psychic connections between people and animals - elementals, telepaths,” Sam continued.

“Yeah, that whole Lassie thing,” you commented. You were thoughtful for a moment. “Larry's kid— he's got bugs for pets.”

“Matt?” Sam seemed unconvinced. “He did try to scare the realtor with a tarantula.”

“You think he's our Willard?”

“I don't know. Anything's possible, I guess.”

Something caught Dean’s attention. “Ooh, hey. Pull over here.”

Your head perked up. 

Sam pulled into the empty driveway of one of the Oasis Plains homes. “What are we doing here?”

Dean got out of the car and began pulling the garage door up and open. “It's too late to talk to anybody else.”

Sam scoffed. “We're gonna squat in an empty house?”

“I wanna try the steam shower. Come on,” his brother responded simply.

Sam didn’t move. 

“Come on!” Dean urged.

Sam rolled his eyes but complied and pulled into the driveway. Dean closed it behind him.

To your surprise, the home was fully furnished. You assumed it was for staging house tours. You and the boys were thankful to find three beds within the home, avoiding the awkward task of deciding who was going to have to sleep with who. And for the first time in quite a while, you slept incredibly well on the soft mattress and plush pillows.

***

The next morning, you found Sam remaking the bed he had slept in down the hall from yours. He had the police scanner quietly droning on in the background.

“How’d you sleep?” you asked, yawning.

“How do you think,” he replied dryly.

“That’s what I was worried about.”

Sam sighed.

“Dude, we gotta get you right,” you told him. “You’re gonna end up really hurt.”

Before he could respond, the static of the police scanner coming alight with conversation caught your attention. Male voices spoke back and forth about a death that happened in what you recognized as the Oasis Plains area.

“You finish cleaning up; I’ll get Dean,” you told Sam, who nodded. Dean had been serious about indulging in the steam shower. He’d been in the guest bathroom since you woke up that morning.

“You ever comin' out of there?” you called through the door.

“What?” he responded.

You could still hear the water running. “A call came in on the scanner.”

“Hold on.”

“Someone was found dead three blocks from here. Come on.”

The door opened a bit to reveal Dean and his towel-wrapped head. Steam poured out into the hallway. “This shower is awesome,” he smiled.

You laughed in response. “Come on.” You walked away to finish helping Sam gather your things and hide the fact that someone had been here. 

When you arrived at the crime scene, a body bag was being wheeled out on a stretcher. You found out from a visibly upset Larry that the realtor, Lynda Bloome, had been the one to pass away. The three of you discovered about a dozen dead spiders underneath a towel near where the outline of her body had been mapped out, and decided to pay Matt a visit. 

It took a few hours, but you discovered where Matt went to school and followed his bus route. You watched when he got off the bus.

“Isn't his house that way?” Dean pointed in the opposite direction of where Matt was walking. 

You nodded. “Yup. So where’s he goin’?”

The three of you began following the teenager from a bit of a distance. Unfortunately for you, he headed into the woods. 

“Seriously, kid?” you muttered. “Always the fucking woods.”

Dean chuckled at your discomfort. 

“Shut up, asshole,” you quipped.

Sam approached Matt first. “Hey, Matt. Remember me?”

“What are you doin' out here?” he asked, surprised.

“Well, we wanna talk to you,” Dean responded.

“You're not here to buy a house, are you?”

You shook your head.

“W-wait. You're not serial killers?” Matt began backing away from you.

“No. I think you’re safe,” you smiled.

“So, Matt... you sure know a lot about insects,” Sam began.

“So?” he shrugged.

“Did you hear what happened to Lynda, the realtor?” Dean asked.

“I hear she died this morning,” Matt responded.

“Mm, that's right. Spider bites.”

“Matt... you tried to scare her with a spider.” Sam’s tone was accusatory without being harsh.

“Wait. You think I had something to do with that?”

“You tell us,” you responded.

Matt scoffed humorlessly. “That tarantula was a joke. Anyway, that wouldn't explain the bee attack or the gas company guy.”

“You know about those?” Now you were the one being accusatory.

“There is somethin' going on here. I don't know what... but something's happening with the insects. Let me show you something.” Matt shouldered his bag and led you deeper into the woods. You hoped he knew where the hell he was going and how the hell to get back.

“So, if you knew about all this bug stuff, why not tell your dad? Maybe he could clear everybody out,” Sam suggested.

“Believe me, I've tried. But, uh, Larry doesn't listen to me.”

“Why not?”

“Mostly? He's too disappointed in his freak son.”

Sam scoffed. “I hear you.”

Dean seemed surprised. “You do?”

Sam gave him a look before turning back to Matt. “Matt, how old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“Well, don't sweat it, because in two years, something great's gonna happen.”

“What?”

“College. You'll be able to get out of that house and away from your dad.”

Dean was upset. “What kind of advice is that? Kid should stick with his family.”

Sam sighed and glared at his brother. 

You tried to break the tension. “How much further, Matt?”

You knew Matt felt awkward, too. “We're close.”

Sam glared at Dean once more before continuing walking. Moments later, you reached a large clearing. As you’d been approaching, the sound of insects buzzing had gotten louder and louder. Hundreds of them flew about the clearing. 

“I've been keeping track of insect populations. It's, um, part of an AP science class,” the teen explained.

“You two are like peas in a pod,” Dean remarked.

Sam ignored him. “What's been happening?”

“A lot. I mean, from bees to earthworms, beetles... you name it. It's like they're congregating here,” Matt went on. 

“Why?” Dean’s brows knitted together. 

“I don't know,” he responded.

You caught sight of a dark, bumpy patch of grass a few feet away. “What’s that?”

Matt looked at you and seemed curious as well. He led you once more over to the pile. Your skin began to crawl at the sight of hundreds of wriggling earthworms. Dean accidently stepped on a pile of them and it sank into the ground. You pulled him back by the arm to avoid him falling, too. You let him go, and he crouched to the ground. He used a stick to poke around. He then dropped the stick and stuck his hand straight into the hole. When his hand came back up, he was holding a human skull covered in dirt and worms.

“Gnarley,” you said. 

***

Sam suggested bringing the remains to the department of anthropology at a local university. “So, a bunch of skeletons in an unmarked grave,” he said as you approached the building.

“Maybe it is a haunting,” you added. “Pissed off spirits? Unfinished business?”

“Yeah, maybe. Question is, why bugs? And why now?”

The older brother quipped, “That's two questions.”

Sam ignored him. 

Dean continued. “Yeah, so with that kid back there... why'd you tell him to just ditch his family like that?”

“Just, uh... I know what the kid's goin' through,” his brother shrugged.

“How 'bout tellin' him to respect his old man, how's that for advice?” Dean’s tone was sharp.

“Dean, come on.” Sam stopped walking, and you and Dean followed suit. “This isn't about his old man. You think I didn't respect Dad. That's what this is about.”

“Just forget it, all right? Sorry I brought it up.” Dean shook his head. 

“I respected him. But no matter what I did, it was never good enough.”

“So what are you sayin'? That Dad was disappointed in you?”

“Was? Is. Always has been,” Sam bit back.

“Why would you think that?”

“Because I didn't wanna bowhunt or hustle pool— because I wanted to go to school and live my life, which, to our whacked-out family, made me the freak.”

“Yeah, you were kind of like the blonde chick in The Munsters,” Dean grunted.

“Dean, you know what most dads are when their kids score a full ride? Proud. Most dads don't toss their kids out of the house.”

You were accustomed to their normal sibling spats, but this was different.

Dean kept pushing. “I remember that fight. In fact, I seem to recall a few choice phrases comin' out of your mouth.”

“You know, truth is, when we finally do find Dad... I don't know if he's even gonna wanna see me.” The brunet sounded sad.

“Sam, Dad was never disappointed in you. Never. He was scared.”

“What are you talkin' about?”

“He was afraid of what could've happened to you if he wasn't around. But even when you two weren't talkin'... he used to swing by Stanford whenever he could.”

Sam’s smirk faded.

“Keep an eye on you. Make sure you were safe,” Dean finished.

“What?” Sam’s puppy dog eyes were back.

“Yeah.”

“Why didn't you tell me any of that?” the younger brother asked.

“Well, it's a two-way street, dude. You could've picked up the phone.”

Sam stared at him sadly.

“Come on, we're gonna be late for our appointment,” Dean grumbled. 

***

The professor you’d gone to see at the college informed you of a Euchee tribe outside of Sapulpa that the bones Dean had found might have belonged to. The three of you now headed over to a diner one of the local Native Americans had directed you to. He had told you how to find Joe White tree, a bit of a patriarch of their group.

You found him playing cards at his table in the diner.

“Joe White Tree?” Sam asked.

The man nodded.

“We'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's all right.”

Dean continued for his brother, saying, “We're students from the university—”

The man cut him off. “No, you're not. You're lying.”

Dean seemed taken aback. “Well, truth is—”

“You know who starts sentence with ‘truth is’? Liars,” Joe responded.

Dean looked at you and Sam strangely. 

“Have you heard of Oasis Plains?” you asked. “It's a housing development near the Atoka Valley.”

“I like her,” Joe told Dean. “She's not a liar.”

You smiled. 

Joe turned back to you. “I know the area.”

“What can you tell us about the history there?”

“Why do you wanna know?”

You considered for a moment. “Something bad is happening in Oasis Plains. I think it may have something to do with a Native American grave we found there.”

“I'll tell you what my grandfather told me, what his grandfather told him,” Joe began. “Two hundred years ago, a band of my ancestors lived in that valley. One day, the American cavalry came to relocate them. They were resistant, the cavalry impatient. As my grandfather put it, on the night the moon and the sun share the sky as equals, the cavalry first raided our village. They murdered, raped. The next day, the cavalry came again, and the next, and the next. And on the sixth night, the cavalry came one last time. And by the time the sun rose, every man, woman, and child still in the village was dead. They say on the sixth night, as the chief of the village lay dying, he whispered to the heavens that no white man would ever tarnish this land again. Nature would rise up and protect the valley. And it would bring as many days of misery and death to the white man as the cavalry had brought upon his people.”

“Insects. Sounds like nature to me. Six days,” Dean stated.

“And on the night of the sixth day, none would survive,” Joe finished his story.

Sam and Dean exchanged a worried look with you. 

“Thank you, sir,” you said. 

Joe nodded at you before you and the boys headed off. 

“When did the gas company man die?” Sam asked after you had made it outside.

“Uh, let's see, we got here Tuesday, so, Friday the twentieth,” Dean responded.

“March twentieth?” You thought for a moment. “That's the spring equinox.”

“The night the sun and the moon share the sky as equals,” Sam finished. “So, every year about this time, anybody in Oasis Plains is in danger. Larry built this neighborhood on cursed land.”

“And on the sixth night— that's tonight,” Dean finished.

“If we don't do something, Larry's family will be dead by sunrise. So how do we break the curse?” 

“You don't break a curse. You get out of its way. We've gotta get those people out now,” Dean said sharply. 

The three of you got in the car and sped away.

***

Dean drove while he spoke with Larry on the phone. “Yes, Mr. Pike, there's a mainline gas leak in your neighborhood… Well, it's fairly extensive. I don't want to alarm you, but we need your family out of the vicinity for at least twelve hours or so, just to be safe… Travis Weaver. I work for Oklahoma Gas and Power… Uh…” He panicked and quickly hung up.

Sam gestured for the phone. He learned from Matt that his backyard was crawling with cockroaches. He urged him to get his family out of the house, and Dean told him he needed to, under no circumstances, tell his father the truth about what was happening. 

When you arrived at the Pike residence, Larry rushed out of the house. “Get off my property before I call the cops.”

“Mr. Pike, listen,” Sam urged.

“Dad, they're just tryin' to help,” Matt pleaded from the doorway.

“Get in the house!” Larry ordered.

Matt addressed you and the boys. “I'm sorry. I told him the truth.”

“We had a plan, Matt, what happened to the plan?” Dean grunted through his teeth.

“Look, it's 12:00 AM. They are coming any minute now. You need to leave now, before it's too late,” you told Larry.

“Yeah, you mean before the biblical swarm,” he replied humorlessly.

“Larry, what do you think really happened to that realtor, huh? And the gas company guy? You don't think somethin' weird's goin' on here?” Dean questioned.

“Look, I don't know who you are, but you're crazy. You come near my boy or my family again, and we're gonna have a problem,” Larry told you.

“Well, I hate to be a downer, but we've got a problem right now,” the older brother responded.

“Dad, they're right, okay? We're in danger.” 

“Matt, get inside! Now!”

Matt stepped further out onto the porch. “No! Why won't you listen to me?!”

“Because this is crazy! It doesn't make any sense!” Larry yelled back.

“Look, this land is cursed! People have died here. Now, are you gonna really take that risk with your family?”

“Wait!” you shushed the group.

Everyone went silent.

“You hear it?”

From a distance away, there was a faint buzzing that got louder and louder rapidly.

“What the hell?” Larry muttered. 

The fluorescent bug light on the porch began overheating; killing several bugs at a time. The buzzing got even louder. Millions of bugs blanketed the sky, heading straight to you.

“Oh my God.” Your breath quickened. “Everybody in the house, now!”

You and Dean held up the rear of the group, and you felt his hand on your back guiding you inside. You locked the door behind Dean.

“Okay, is there anybody else in the neighborhood?” Sam asked Larry.

“No, it's just us.”

Joanie entered the room. “Honey, what's happening? What's that noise?”

“Call 911,” Larry instructed her. “Joanie!”

She seemed caught off-guard. “Okay.” She picked up the phone and began to dial. 

“I need towels,” Dean told Larry.

“Uh, in the closet.”

Sam and Matt went upstairs while you and Dean packed the base of the front door with the towels you found.

“Phones are dead,” Joanie informed you.

“They must have chewed through the phone lines.” Dean shook his head as the lights went out.

“And the power lines,” you grumbled.

Larry tried his cell phone only to get no signal.

“You won't get one. They're blanketing the house.” Dean looked towards the windows that were beginning to darken from the thousands of bugs collecting on them.

“So what do we do now?” Larry asked.

Sam had come back downstairs with Matt. “We try to outlast it. Hopefully, the curse will end at sunrise.”

“Hopefully?” Larry’s eyebrows raised in shock.

You looked to Dean. “You have your zippo lighter?” 

He seemed to catch on to what you were suggesting and nodded. The two of you broke off to the kitchen and found bug spray under one of the cabinets.

Joanie seemed unimpressed when you returned with the can.

“Just trust us,” you told her.

A creaking sound from the fireplace caught your attention.

“What is that?” Matt’s voice was higher pitched than normal.

“The flue,” Sam answered.

“Alright, I think everybody needs to get upstairs,” Dean ordered.

Suddenly, thousands of bugs poured into the living room from the fireplace, swarming all around you. Dean used his zippo to light the can of bug spray. “Alright, everybody upstairs! Now! Go, go, go!”

You covered your ears and ran upstairs to the attic with Sam and Dean close by you. You could hear bugs thumping against the attic hatch door; trying desperately to get in. There was only a few moments reprieve before you heard gnawing above you.

“Oh, God, what's that?” Joanie cried.

“Something's eating through the wood,” Dean replied.

“Termites,” Matt added.

Dean ordered the family to get back from the spot where sawdust was beginning to descend and bits of moonlight were coming through. Moments later, bugs began to fill the room through the chewed in spot. You and the boys frantically tried to patch the hole, swatting bugs away from you like a madwoman. You were able to shove a board of wood with another under it to hold it up, but that only worked for a second. Two other holes were chewed through the roof, raining bugs down on you. You covered your ear with one hand and swatted bugs away with the other. You and the boys backed up into the Pikes, who were huddled in the corner. Dean tried his best to light the bugs up, but nothing was working. Then, miraculously, the sun began to rise. Thankfully, all of the bugs began to fly out of the holes they’d chewed through the roof. You watched through the same holes as they flew up toward the sun. You breathed a sigh of relief. 

***

The next morning, you and the boys were about to head out of town but stopped by the Pike residence on the way. You approached the moving van that Larry was loading boxes into.

“What, no goodbye?” Dean joked.

“Good timing. Another hour and we'd have been gone,” Larry answered. He shook your hand.

“For good?” you asked.

“Yeah. The development's been put on hold while the government investigates those bones you found. But I'm gonna make damn sure no one lives here again,” Larry explained.

“You don't seem too upset about it.”

“Well, this has been the biggest financial disaster of my career, but…” He looked over to Matt, who was carrying a box in the garage. “...somehow, I really don't care.”

You smiled at him.

Sam walked over to Matt, who was throwing away all of his insect paraphernalia. You looked on fondly as the two smiled and laughed. You bid Larry goodbye and went over to the car with Dean. Seconds later, Sam joined you.

“I wanna find Dad,” the brunet said.

“Yeah, me too,” Dean nodded.

“Yeah, but I just... I want to apologize to him.”

“For what?”

“All the things I said to him. He was just doin' the best he could.”

“Well, don't worry, we'll find him. And then you'll apologize. And then within five minutes, you guys will be at each other's throats.”

You laughed. “I wanna find him, too.”

The boys looked at you strangely.

“I wanna kick his ass to hell and back for leaving you two alone.”

Dean shook his head. “I’m sure he had his reasons.”

“Well, whatever they are, they aren’t good enough,” you quipped. “And I wanna thank him. If it weren’t for him, I never would’ve met you two.”

Sam smiled at you fondly at y0u. Dean had a look on his face you couldn’t quite read.

“I thought we agreed on no chick flick moments, (Y/N),” Dean remarked. “C’mon, let’s hit the road.”

Series Rewrite Taglist: @polireader @brightlilith @atcamillanorrman @jrizzelle @insomnia-bookworm @procrastination20 @mrs-liebgott @djs8891 @tiggytaylor @staple-your-mouth @iloveshawn @jesstherebel @rach5ive @strawberrykiwisdogog @bruhidkjustwannaread @mxltifxnd0m @sunshine-on-marz @big-ol-boat @mgchaser @capncrankle @davina-clairee @chervbs @thepocketverse @simpingdeadcharacters @elqsiian

#dean winchester x reader #dean winchester x y/n #dean winchester x you #dean x reader #dean x y/n #dean x you #dean winchester #supernatural #spn #supernatural series rewrite #spn series rewrite

[carlyraejepsans]

Do you think frisk is wary of sans after the dead where you stand thing as much as i love the idea of them being friends i really do think what sans said may have effects on how frisk views him afterwards

oh don't get me wrong, it definitely leaves them rattled. actually, i think the dead where you stand speech was a fundamental turning point for their relationship. especially once it becomes clear that sans knows they can control time.

when sans threatens that he would have killed you, it doesn't ring like undyne promising to do the same (a challenge to be overcome) or asgore's fate if you want to cross the barrier (a moral conundrum to be resolved). it rings like stopping to tie your shoe at a road crossing and seeing a car barrel past a few inches from your face, with the quiet realization that it's by pure chance if you're not a red smear on the asphalt.

except it's NOT chance either. because that scene is sans letting you know that he put his weapon down at your feet long before you even knew it was there. he CHOSE to put it down. so take care of yourself kid.

it's that tacit understanding that the man in front of you knows exactly what bullshit you're on and is choosing to trust you anyway. maybe not of his own volition (or that too, though you don't know this yet. i can see sans telling frisk the same secrets he let on during his fight, later on in their friendship on the surface), but you know what YOU'RE capable of. so it's a big fucking deal.

and when you become his friend, and he trolls you using your own powers and gives you the key to his workshop, he has no reason to do it. no promise forcing him. no duty. no plot requirement. just a man—a friend—going "here's my story. it's been over for a while now, but you still deserve the chance to know it. i trust you with it."

so yes, they would be stupid and ridiculous and do dumb kid and uncle shit... AND they would be terrified of one another. but also... i think it's because of that dichotomy that there would be such a profoundly reciprocal sense of respect between them. not in spite of one another, but because of one another.

#i am a bit sleepy so my bad if it's unreadable #answered asks #undertale #sans #frisk #entry log

[equestriagirl16]

You reject Neige’s offer to transfer to RSA~🌹

“Please Y/N, you’d fit in so well at RSA!” Neige’s familair voice rang throughout the courtyard you were trotting through after another day of classes. Your friend from across the way once again, despite his best intentions, absolutely insisted that you transferred to RSA here and now. For what you figured to be the 100th time.

“Neige I already told you-”

“I know I know, but you don’t get it Y/N! NRC isn’t a place for someone like you. Your heart and soul are way too pure, you’d have so many friends and a warm welcome waiting for you at RSA. You just have to let me take you there!”

Unbeknownst to you both a few of your said NRC friends may or may not have been purposefully eavesdropping on your conversation ever since they caught wind that the little do-gooder stopped by. Secretly they feared your answer, they knew that they didn’t give you the easiest time here. Perhaps someone as kind as you would find a better place at RSA, and maybe they should try to accept that rather than fight it for your own benefit.

“No Neige! I’ve told you before and I’ll only tell you one more time. Night Raven College is my home! I don’t care how annoying or villainous anyone here may seem, they’re my friends and whether you recognize it or not they love me just as much as I love them. This is where I wound up, and I chose along time ago that this is where I belong. That’s the end of it!”

The dark haired boy was taken aback by your harshness, but stood still in an understanding silence.

“Look, you and everyone at RSA are my friends too but I already have a place right here. That doesn’t mean I can’t visit more of my favorite people in all the Wonderland from time to time though alright?”

“Ok Y/N you win no more pushing, but if you ever change your mind you know who to call.”

“Heh, don’t hold your breathe pretty boy.”

The two of you walked off and continued your random banter all the way to your dorm. How little did you know the impression you left on your friends hiding in plain sight after hearing your answer.

YELLING SCREAMING ROLLING ON THE GROUND KICKING THE AIR SWANGIN THEIR FEET GIGGLING LIKE A SCHOOL GIRL- Hell yeah that’s right!!!! Y/N isn’t going anywhere with that RSA nerd cause 🎶we are family~🎶 *cue celebratory breakdance*🕺🕺🕺. Very excited, very happy, goes and brags about it to everyone who wasn’t there and either revels in the shared joy or tries to rub in that “They stayed because of me obviously.”😎

- ACE & DUECE(they were totally spying on you together), Cater, KALIM, Ruggie, Floyd

Controlled chaos, like just vibrates in place and maybe does one fist bump in the air and a silent “YES” for good measure. Just very happy you want to stay with them by your own volition, they must be doing something right if you consider NRC your home! They would ensure you’ll continue to feel that way, and let the rest of their friends know too so hopefully they can keep up the great work as well. Mission accomplished.😌

- Trey, Jack, Ortho(the lil bestie), AZUL, RIDDLE, EPEL, Silver, Jade, Rook, Malleus, Lilia

*Casually throws aside large rock* Of course, he knew you’d choose them all along(was actually wildly insecure about your decision, and ready to MAIM-). It’s not like he was already mapping out an elaborate plan to send a search party after you and you drag you back to NRC cause he does not know how he’d live and/or function without your very presence hahaha that’s insane(*rapidly presses backspace in the group chat*). Just takes a much needed deep breath and relishes in your choice. If he felt like you still might be inclined to change your mind in the future he’d shape up his act, just a little, and only for you.

- LEONA, Jamil, VIL, JADE & FLOYD, Malleus, Lilia, Rook

WAAAAAHAHAHAHAHABA JSOSOSKAMKSLDOXOSIWGQUIAIAJAJA-oh, you’re staying? THANK THE SEVEN! Was so fucking upset we’re talking sad boi hours, depression mode on, preparing the emo music for the walk home. Had no confidence in the fact that you would deny the offer either because he knew he could do better, or you just DESERVED way better. But the fact that you were so adamant about staying literally just resurrected him from the sever cardiac arrest due to the sudden heart break. Such a drama queen, but only cause he cares about you so much!(maybe a lil too much, do I sniff a crutch?🤨)

IDIA, Sebek, MALLEUS, KALIM, Floyd

#twisted wonderland #yes malleus would indeed go through it #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #twisted wonderland headcanons #twisted wonderland imagines #night raven college #royal sword academy #twst neige #heartslabyul #savanaclaw #scarabia #octavinelle #pomefiore #ignyhide #diasmonia #camiposts

[scarybabe]

I was reading your most recent ask discussing the toxicity of some members towards people who started skinny but chose to get fat.

I find it interesting that a community that claims acceptance of all body types becomes toxic when one chooses to change that body type. I definitely think that fatphobia is a large part of the equation there, and this could easily be tested by seeing if people who have been thin their whole lives react as negatively to someone who consciously chose to loose weight. At the same time, I've seen (anectodally, so take with a grain of salt) toxicity from the FA community whenever one of their favorite models decides to lose weight of their own volition. Do you have any idea why that might be? I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

I think that people only like change when that change corresponds with their personal tastes, and disapprove when the change is making us less attractive to them.

When I was petite & known for my inflations and stuffings, I definitely caught heat from a big share of my content consumers because changing my appearance so much diminished my ability to give the crazy before and afters i made myself known for. And at some point in the future whenever I lose weight after hitting my 300+ lb goal, I know people will be upset because they either wanted to see me even bigger or expected me to stay the same size forever.

My point is that people’s tastes and preferences are all over the place and unless you stay exactly the same forever, you’ll always disappoint somebody.

People often forget with weight gain models especially that there is a human connected to all the sexy body fat that y’all adore. You should always put the well-being of the human first, and if someone wants to gain/lose weight for their own happiness or well being you shouldn’t interrogate them or shame them for doing what they need to feel good in their skin.

I also think honesty and transparency is huge - I’ve been very open about my weight gain being a semi temporary thing from the BEGINNING and everyone knows they’ll be getting pregnancy content from me someday in the semi near future❣️ and as great as I usually feel at my current size, not being genetically predisposed to carrying this amount of weight has given me some lower back pains from gaining so fast - basically I know I will have a better experience being pregnant if I’m strong and fit (I’ll remain fat don’t worry, just not quite as fat). I basically plan on lifting weights and eating intuitively until my body finds the size it’s happiest at and I don’t care what the number is as long as I feel capable and strong ❤️ it could mean even just losing like 30 lbs lmao - I’m not concerned with being petite ever again, just losing the back pain and gaining muscle.

All that to say that setting expectations also affects people’s reaction to someone changing their size as well - knowing and expecting it will still make some people upset sure, but at least it won’t be because they feel “lead on”. And to go even further - just because I like to share a lot about my planned body transformation trajectory doesn’t mean that a content creator is required to disclose their personal health status & plans outside of what they choose to share and nobody is entitled to that. By sharing as much as I do, I don’t want to set a precedent for expecting THAT MUCH from everyone - just be thankful to have creators who do let you in on our personal lives and for those of us that don’t, respect their boundaries.

[itsgrimeytime]

Magnolia in May (Part Eleven) || Rick Grimes (TWD) x Greene!f!reader Regency AU

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

Taglist: @loliakeoghan23 @belaballs @curlycarley

AVAILABLE ON AO3

Inspiration (in honor of Speak Now Taylor's Version): Enchanted by Taylor Swift.

Summary: Your town was small, not the smallest you knew, but anyone of high fortune was the gossip of the week. Predictably, Richard Grimes was a thing of whispers -rumors of a search for marriage among the grassy hills. You weren't one to buy into town gossip, but something about him... just seemed a little too intriguing.

TWS: infidelity, child abandonment, heartbreak, mentioned family dissolution, anti-Lori, anti-Shane, death of a family member, and betrayal.

[[ A/N: hey besties, I am working on other series too!! I'm just very inspired with this one right now, but don't worry!!! The Nurse, and the neighbor one I'm workshopping are still in the works! anyways, hop aboard the dialogue train my friends! Let's get to talking :))) actually insanely dialogue heavy on god (sorry if thats not your vibe) and thanks for reading lovelies !!! ]]

"Judith... She's-" he moved through them slowly -as if it hurt, "-She's not mine."

"You-" you echoed, finding your voice lost, "-You mean to say-"

"The affair-" Mr. Grimes started, "-extended beyond what I knew. Both in the length of time and extent, I came to realize."

"Yet, you-" you started, debating truly on what the right thing to say here was -somehow urged to ask questions, "-you care for her."

"Yes, I-" he exhaled, "-when Lori told me she was expectin', she told me of the full circumstance. I had to make quick decisions -despite feelings I... I realized a much lesser man would refuse to house a pregnant woman."

"You housed her, did she... was Judith borne of your estate?"

"In Atlanta," he clarified, "-I housed her for the full term, she chose to leave of her own volition. It was... She-"

"Loved him," you finished -familiar with that portion yourself, "-I... She told me so, upon my first independent visit of the estate."

"Right," Mr. Grimes hummed -something rather sad in his tone, but you found the same remembering such a night, "-Lori... Lori decided upon Judith's birth that she was to stay with me. That she'd live a life as our child and not one of an affair."

"And you agreed."

"I won't say I didn't think twice 'bout it," he confided, and you felt quite special to even be hearing all this, "-I believe... If Judith hadn't been at play, I believe I would've been much angrier. To me, this was a matter of a child's life first, and a matter of infidelity second. I just wished for her to have a good life and any sort of circumstance with Shane in her life... She'd be ostracized. I believe both he and Lori knew that well."

"So, they-" you began, trekking your words carefully, "-they gave her up. And you... you raise her as your own."

"Yes, it's odd, I-" Mr. Grimes started -he seemed to be a little on edge, perhaps awaiting your reaction, "-I found the bitterness faded away. It was less like I was holdin' somethin' 'at showed a betrayal and more of I was holdin' someone made of two people I cared dearly for."

"You are truly selfless," you complimented -rather amazed by such circumstances, "-to do such a thing. I... I imagine the decision was not easy, but I've... I've seen you with Judith. You truly care for her, love her even, despite what she represents to you personally."

"The only bitterness I hold with her now is that of the abandonment," he echoed, something rather solemn in his eyes, "-Judith was never intended to know she was her mother, only in passin', but Carl..."

"He lost a mother," you finished - something distant tone as you were reminded of your own ache in your chest, "-It's not something you're supposed to handle well.

The Headmistress was something entirely different, sure she was maternal to you and your sisters but... She was not your mother. All you remembered of her now were portraits, fuzzy memories, and the stories your father told. He said that she looked the most like Beth -big doe eyes, but she had the resilience to match Maggie and a certainty to match your own.

Father always said he'd see her in each one of you every day, a shining memory of something he wished to truly never forget. You hoped he wouldn't, you'd wanted to know everything-

"Your mother, she-"

"Died of illness when I was nearly 10," you answered -a bit curtly, but you were sure he understood, "-Beth was not yet 1, too little to remember much, but Maggie and I... We remember sometimes. We used to compile little bits and pieces and tell Father and he'd tell us the full story. You feel as though you should remember more when someone is gone but... but you do not."

"Do you..." he questioned, "-do you believe he'll remember her, truly?"

You paused, glancing out the window where they still played -although, Judith looked quite tired of it now, and you tried to put yourself in his shoes. They fit quite well, you noticed. Just add a tiny little brunette by his side and you'd say the circumstance was identical in ways. But in other ways... it wasn't. Lori could see him, she just didn't wish to. Her visits weren't prone to impossibility, just... just shame. Who would not run to the ends of the earth for their children? Not fight through the pain just to get to them, the little triumphs of it all.

You supposed some wouldn't.

"I'm not an expert, but-" you echoed -a rather bitter sort of taste bubbling up your throat, almost metallic, "-I will say he will most likely wish to, in certain ways. I... I can never see my mother again, that is not by her choice, but rather by the earth's. He's soon to understand that his mother was at quite an impasse but still... still had a choice-"

Mr. Grimes silently connected his hand with yours -rubbing his thumb along the back of your palm, soothing.

"-and she didn't choose him. Even with you asserting the marriage be ended, she still... had a choice. To visit often, be involved, or- or not. And based on her arrival to the state, I'd garner to say she's not involved."

"Would he..." he fumbled out, "-Would he be bitter? I kno' it's unusual to wish well on such betrayal but-"

"Mr. Grimes," you turned to him, voice steady, "-you have made your decision to allow the grievances on your side. It is up to Carl how he addresses them in his own life, and you must understand that independence. I know that you wish such positive influence for the mother of your children, which you are a good man for, it doesn't have to excuse the behavior for him."

"I jus'-"

"Carl hurt in his own way, as I'm sure you know-" you continued, a lowered calm tone, "-it is up to him to decide how he deals with it. If he wishes to hate his mother for the rest of his life, so be it. It's dreadful to say but Lori made the decision fully knowing such consequences could arise. If she wishes it fixed, she must do so herself."

He sighed, a deep sort of rattling one -a resignation deep in the tone as if he knew it was coming, "I kno', I just- I suppose I want better for Carl and took it upon myself to try and make it better."

"An honorable cause," you echoed -clasping your connected hands with your own, comforting, "-Mr. Grimes, if you treat Carl anything like Judith then he is well cared for. I'm positive you do everything in your power to care for them."

"Ms. Greene," he spoke -looking at you at that sort of way that made your heart flip in your stomach, "-I... Thank you."

"You should know by now, it is not needed."

"I kno'," he spoke, rather softly, "-I wish to. Ms. Greene, I don't know how to properly portray to ya that anythin' I do for you is not out of obligation. I'm rather pleased to do it just because it's for you."

"Is that not what I was implying?" You spoke, rather bashfully, "-I... Mr. Grimes, I don't need to be thanked for anything I do for you, I... I am pleased to do so myself."

"Right, yes," he continued -intently, "-but I want to. I want... Ms. Greene, I summoned you today to clear some things up, as you 'ave learned. All a bit personal, but you must understand my intentions-"

"To explain your actions?" you questioned.

"No," he started, before correcting, "-well, yes but no. I... Ms. Greene, the scenario I told you... Judith, her arrival to this world, the truth of it is something I've sworn to secrecy. Something that only is knowledge of the parties involved and some of my most trusted staff-"

"I understand, truly," you echoed -urging to soothe what you believed to be worry, "-Mr. Grimes, you will not hear me speak of such a matter to anyone."

"While I appreciate 'at notion, I-" He seemed a bit lost in his wording, almost perhaps embarrassed, "-it's not what I intended for you to understand-"

"And I'm supposed to know these such intentions? I believed you were presenting your side to something that wasn't quite whole for me."

"Ms. Greene," Mr. Grimes huffed out, maybe a touch frustrated at his own lack of cohesion, "-that is a part of why I've summoned ya today, a surly part, sure but merely a part."

You paused, a little at a loss, "What are you implying, sir?"

"There's-" he paused, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers, "-Judith's tale is one I would hardly let off the estate, somethin' so jeopardizing needs to be properly policed. I've made sure to keep it 'at way, not even tellin' my complete staff, only those I trust the most. And yet, despite it all, I sit 'ere and find myself tellin' you."

"Well-"

"Ms. Greene," he urged with a playful sort of smile -the type you always saw in his banter, "-as much as I'm delighted to hear ya speak, as I am with anythin' you do, will you let me 'ave a moment?"

You flushed a bright sort of crimson, it was a rather polite way of saying 'shut up' -maybe even complimenting, "Of course, speak at your will."

He nodded, ever so slightly turning in the couch to fully face you, and taking his free hand to clasp the amalgamation you'd just previously added onto. You'd assumed it looked rather odd from an outside perspective, but still, somehow the touch grounded you to the moment -commanded you to attention. Mr. Grimes had always had such an odd effect on you after all, what was one more?

"Ms. Greene," he spoke in that sort of fond way that you often imagined narrators to be when you read -all wistful and happy, "-you rightfully delight me, and I initially, I... wished you to know about Judith to explain my circumstances. But now I find there's something bigger than that. I- I'm..."

He fell a little silent, seeming to try and gather his words -you waited, patiently.

"How did you say it?" He questioned, and you were to answer 'what' but realized he was speaking to himself, rhetorically, "-'I've fallen in love with you. Most completely'."

Something in you stilled, was he... was he truly-

"It's hard to describe, but I-" Mr. Grimes continued, hardly letting you reel yourself back in from such an admittance, "-I find a part of myself tellin' you such things, as Judith's unfortunate beginnin', because I... I want you here. It's not a lack of trust, you just-"

He paused for a moment, before unclasping your hands and using the pads of his fingers to guide your eyes back to his. The press of his thumb against your chin brought you back to the moment that you supposed you drifted to. Something in your stomach fluttered.

"-belong here with me. And maybe it's rather selfish to instill such ideas upon you, but I... I haven't been selfish enough I believe. Nor have I been clear enough."

"Mr. Grimes-" you tried to urge him away, from such a tone.

"Ms. Greene," he responded in the same tone, fingertips still on the edge of your skin, "-there is no letter this time, no coy jabs that flow seamlessly with the banter, and no heartbreakin'."

"You don't-"

He didn't respond, only adjusted slightly to fully face you -blue eyes with their ever-familiar twinkle, and hand now cradling your cheek. It was a rather tender sort of movement that sent such a familiar buzz down your spine -warmth, but also held your gaze on his.

"Y/N, I-" he breathed out and you felt it fan across your skin, "-I love you, far more than I think I could ever fully grasp. And I wish to court you, properly as I kno' ya deserve-"

"Mr. Grimes..." you whispered, slightly weepy and a little in tone but there was no bite -you felt as if you weren't really there.

He merely only moved his hands to wipe away such tears -pads of his thumbs brushing against your skin (it nearly made you want to cry even more), "-and when things go well, as I know they should. I shall ask for your hand, with a lot more bravado than perhaps now but I suppose I 'ave time to perfect it."

"You..." you echoed, voice shaky and tears a bit distant from you now, but you still felt quite vulnerable, "-You... You love me, despite the... despite the letters and the nonsense and my family and my Headmistress-"

"Ms. Greene," he hummed, "-I've never been more certain of anythin' in my life."

"But-"

"And there was no choice," he interrupted, brushing his fingers over your hair -assumedly smoothing it into place, "-you spoke of... last time, I 'chose' you. That's not what had ever gone through my mind."

"Surely, you must have considered it," you whispered out -a sort of weepy tone trailing every word, "-for societal standards, at the very least. You... When Lori appeared upon your doorstep, you cannot tell me the thought did not cross your mind."

"A long time ago," Mr. Grimes spoke, a distant sort of bitterness flaring up in his tone, "-I came to terms with what Lori had done and why. When she arrived on my doorstep that evenin', I housed her as the mother of my children, not as... not as my estranged wife. If you'd asked me years ago, I suppose I might've done so. But now? With you? Ms. Greene, there was no choice."

"I..."

"Upon her arrival, the first thing I did was write that letter, detailing the cancelation-" he hummed, rubbing his thumb along your cheekbone, "-she was on my estate for the first time since Judith's birth, and all I could think about was you."

"Mr. Grimes-"

"I love you," he urged and something in you softened -something molten and warm swirling in your stomach, "-Ms. Greene, you are somethin' I'd never believe I'd get after Lori. You must understand how precious 'at makes you to me."

You were nearly speechless, only one thing floating in your mind, "I love you too. I... I suppose, I just never believed that you could love me so."

"And 'at is why I know I have been far too coy, in my affections for you," he hummed -fond and soft, as if it was only the two of you in the world. Or rather, if all he wished to pay attention to was you. Perhaps it was.

"As if I wasn't," you laughed, a little in astonishment at your current situation -he loved you, "-I haven't been too forthcoming myself, Mr. Grimes."

"I believe I have it in myself to forgive you for such misfortunes," he retorted, all smiley again and you felt a rush of fondness, admiration, love-

You smiled, a little tight from tears but still genuine -exaggerating playfully, "I'm rather honored to have such mercy, sir."

He chuckled, just a touch, bright laughter bubbling up in your chest (love, love, love-), seeming to absorb the moment -eyes flickering all over your face in a silence you found oddly comfortable. It was as if there was no need to speak, being in his presence was enough. Content.

"Does your residence 'ave any plans for dinner?"

"No," you spoke, playfully annoyed but the crimson on your cheeks told their own story, "-why? Are you so impatient to speak to my Father that you could only wait mere hours?"

"Possibly," Mr. Grimes echoed, biting back such a smile himself, "-my chef is terrific, very talented in a wide range of dishes. I'd venture she could cook for anyone."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Yes," he revealed, smile slipping across his lips, "-and a question. Do you have a favorite dish?"

"Oh, please," you laughed, "-I do not require such treatment, Mr. Grimes."

He chuckled -a rather telling sort of look in his eyes, "It's an innocent question-"

"Sure," you spoke with a certain tilt in your tone, "-and I suppose the berry basket was an innocent gift, then?"

"Alright, fine-" he urged, perhaps a little embarrassed -the familiar pink rising along his cheekbones, "-would you honor me with at least your favorite dessert?"

"Are you truly so eager to impress me?" You laughed, a bit in disbelief.

"Please you," he corrected, "-I happen to like when you're smilin', and would like to have a hand in helpin' such a feeling come to."

"Oh, Mr. Grimes," you echoed, a grin spreading across your lips -happiness a sort of electricity rattling your bones, "-you don't need a dessert to do such a thing."

#rick grimes #its griming time #stuff n' thangs #rick grimes x reader #rick grimes x y/n #rick grimes x you #rick grimes x y/n fanfiction #twd #twd rick #rick grimes fanfiction #rick grimes oneshot #magnolia in may

[lustrous-dawn]

Thanks~

This wasn't calculated I swear. I definitely was not expecting the responses I received over the course of days...

I'm a writer. I am supposed to be fancy and such with the wonders that are English. But honestly, I couldn't cultivate a response to all the love and encouragement I received on Monday and Tuesday. From the bottom of my heart, truly, thank you. You made this little writer feel joyous with her work again. I really can't thank y'all enough.

Maybe I am creative. Maybe I am this good person you guys believe me to be. Well I strive to be. I only do what is expected. Treat others with respect and kindness as I except to be.

That is all I aim to do while I share my work with you guys. I hope you guys do stick around for what I have planned. I don't think it's much but I truly try.

The scarf there is my representation that I have seen around lately. The AroAce one. Not many believe in it but... I like the colors and I think it fits me so I chose it of my own volition.

#Ooc #Writer at Large #Out of Scrolls #Check Alt text for credit. #Hisuian Typhlosion #Pride Month #Asexual #Aromantic #AroAce

[frvnkcastles]

TOGETHER AS ONE ➵ F. CASTLE

Summary: After the events of season 2, all Frank needs is some care and a hug, so you tend to his wounds and hold him tight.

Warnings: Canon-typical violence, description of physical trauma

Word count: 1k

Author’s note: I am really blown away by the attention my two other fics received and I’m definitely more inclined to keep posting here now :) I think I will post more PTSD-related works but for now, here’s this short-ish one about Frank receiving some love.

Ps. I’m totally up for receiving Frank requests!

The bathroom reeked of coppery blood and you wondered when exactly you had developed a stomach strong enough to avoid gagging at the smell, when exactly you had become immune to the horrors displayed all over your lover’s body. Well, physically, at least. Emotionally… you weren’t quite sure you’d ever get used to this.

You were both silent apart from pained grunts and huffs from Frank when you helped peel off his sweater, no longer black with all the dirt and blood it had gathered — barely even in one piece, with slashes all over his arms and back. You were seated behind him on the bathroom floor, gently tugging on the fabric until it was tossed near the door and you could assess the damage done to him.

You choked up, tried to swallow the lump in your throat while your shaky hands ghosted over the dozens of cuts, stabs and swelling bruises across his shoulders and back. You dreaded to even imagine his chest, but for now, you focused on what you could see. You so badly wanted to suggest a hospital, but considering he had barely managed to break out of one just days ago, you chose to say nothing. Some of the stitches that he had been equipped with still remained on the gashed skin, but for the most part, he had ripped open everything.

”Can hear you overthinkin’”, Frank murmured, his raspy voice filling the bathroom, and you tore your gaze away from the old scars mingling with what would surely turn into new ones. You looked at the back of his head, how he was hanging it low, almost like he was ashamed.

”I’m glad you’re here with me”, you whispered, not realizing just how close to losing him you had been. He didn’t say anything, but reached over his shoulder with one hand to grasp yours and squeeze it tightly.

You took in a deep breath and turned to reach for a handtowel before switching on the showerhead as lightly as you could, just enough to trickle water down Frank’s muscled, torn back. The droplets trailing down his spine quickly turned red, and you made sure to carefully press the towel against them before they could slide down the waistband of his jeans.

You cleaned him up, gentle and dedicated to not causing him any more pain, and he sat quietly, letting you take care of him. He wasn’t usually so good at accepting it, but after everything he had been through, he was just so goddamn tired. And after all, if there was anyone he trusted to look after him, it was you.

Evening turned into midnight quickly as you moved to step two: stitching the worst gashes up. His back looked like a piece of cross-stitch by the time you were done, and maybe, in a few days, you’d be able to joke about it. You did the same for his arms, and eventually, crawled around him so you could make sure his chest was okay, too. You could feel his eyes on you, burning through you as he watched you do your thing.

”Gotten good”, he noted quietly, licking his lips. ”’M sorry”, he added, wishing that you could have learned to stitch from your own volition and not because he kept coming home beaten to a pulp.

”Don’t apologize”, you were quick to cut him off, giving him a warm, genuine smile as you placed a hand on the back of his head and met his gaze. ”You look after me, I look after you. That’s just how this works, baby”, you promised, and unable to respond in any way, utterly amazed and grateful for everything that you were, Frank simply looked into your eyes until you asked him to move.

His jeans came off next, and with the heavy atmosphere, there was no sly comment or joke, only complete solemnity as he undressed in front of you. There was a nasty wound on the back of his thigh, and you didn’t think twice to disinfect it and do the same for everything else he couldn’t reach himself. Hell, even if he could have, he was entirely sucked out of all energy. Knowing him, he would have neglected the cuts for as long as he could.

Eventually, you climbed off of the floor, not quite meeting his height as you stood in front of him and placed a hand on his broad chest. ”All fixed up”, you smiled before nodding towards the bedroom, ”want me to get you something comfy to put on?”

Shaking his head, Frank took your hand and swallowed. ”Nah, just wanna get in bed. That alright?” he whispered, and unsure how you’d ever be able to reject him when he sounded so fragile, you simply nodded.

You led him into the bedroom and after switching your bloodied t-shirt into one of Frank’s old ones, you got under the covers and let the man twice your size get on top of you, his head resting on your belly and his arms around you. You wrapped yours around him, too, and gently caressed his hair, smoothing the unruly curls out and rubbing his scalp with your fingertips.

You didn’t realize he was crying until the tears came in contact with the revealed skin from under your tee, the exhaustion finally wearing him down. After facing off with Billy, evading the police time and time again, saying goodbye to Amy… he was just happy to be in bed with you, free to breathe and sleep.

His quiet cries got you to tear up, too, and you leaned down to press a kiss on the top of his head. ”I love you, Frank”, you whispered, ”you’ve earned your rest, okay?”

The squish he gave your sides was enough to decipher a thank you and an I love you all at once, and you smiled weakly.

”Dunno what I’d do without you”, he admitted.

You chuckled softly. ”Lucky for you, you’ll never have to find out”, you promised, continuing your gentle touches on his hair. ”I’m with you as long as you want me”, you added, and now, it was Frank’s turn to chuckle.

”Sweetheart, I ain’t ever lettin’ you go.”

#frank castle #frank castle fanfiction #frank castle x reader #the punisher #the punisher x reader

[alagaesia-headcanons]

*rubs my grubby little hands together* alright here we go~ stick with me for a minute, this Does come around to murtagh and eragon's relationship i promise

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I find it ironic that the circumstances of Murtagh’s life that went so awry- his capture by the Empire, his and Thorn’s enslavement using their true names, and them being forced to fight against the Varden- can paint him in a particularly selfish light. Eragon’s perspective reveals some of this, like the way he calls Murtagh’s oaths to Galbatorix a betrayal, one that favors his own wellbeing over Eragon and the Varden, or how he feels like Murtagh takes satisfaction in his new power and in lashing out at the world. And the fact that these things can be seen as self-serving specifically is ironic because it directly contradicts the actual quality of his character. Every time we see Murtagh acting of his own volition, over and over it proves that, more than anything, he is deeply devoted to the people he cares about- to a self sacrificing extent- and that he has an innate desire to help others.

Repeatedly, Murtagh puts protecting his loved ones above his own safety, and that’s true even in the act Eragon calls a betrayal. When they talk in Uru’baen, Murtagh admits to Nasuada that he willingly chose to swear loyalty to Galbatorix, but also reveals that he only did so after Thorn hatched. Murtagh himself had already suffered savage torture without relenting, yet solely for the sake of Thorn, to keep his hatchling partner from suffering as well, only then does Murtagh swear loyalty. And this is a self sacrifice. This undermines what he tried to make of his life before being recaptured- striking back against the Empire, aiding Eragon and Saphira, and proving his good will to the Varden. He had to give up all these things about himself and submit to slavery under a man he loathes, but Murtagh was willing to do that to protect Thorn.

And yet, while still trapped so hopelessly under Galbatorix’s thumb, Murtagh also goes out of his way to help Nasuada too. He convinces the king to capture her in the first place, instead of simply killing her, and whether or not this was his place, it demonstrates how he genuinely doesn’t want her to be harmed. He goes out of his way to help Nasuada by healing her pain, warning her about illusions, and promising to help her escape. And he makes good on that. From what he tells Eragon in their last duel, he had a plan to free her the next day. Murtagh goes to great lengths that put him at great risk. Galbatorix could have just as well discovered his interference and then nothing would have saved him from violent punishment. Freeing her would have guaranteed that. There’s nothing for him to gain, yet he still does these things for Nasuada time and time again.

The care Murtagh gives to Thorn and Nasuada proves that his selfless protectiveness toward his loved ones is a persistent part of his nature, but it’s never more clear than it is in his relationship with Eragon in the first book.

In Inheritance, Murtagh tells Nasuada that his initial motivation for going out to track the Ra’zac was to hurt the Empire and to prove himself as more than his father’s son. Nevertheless, from the time that he saved Eragon from the Ra’zac onwards, he demonstrates a desire to help that goes beyond a personal gain. On the contrary, I feel like his constant willingness to help while he personally strives to be recognized as his own person indicates that his helpfulness is a genuine part of his nature that shapes his desires and actions. And that nature shows itself repeatedly. Murtagh rescues Eragon a second time when he’s captured in Gil’ead, planning with Saphira and sneaking his way in to free him. When Eragon later thanks him for it, his response is, “‘I’m just glad I could help. It...’ Murtagh faltered and rubbed his face.”

After going to great lengths and knowingly risking his life to free Eragon from Gil’ead, Murtagh's instinctual response to his gratitude is that he simply wanted to help his friend. And this comes up again. When they fight in the Hadarac Desert, Eragon tells Murtagh he never had to travel with him or rescue him. “‘I haven’t forced you to do anything.’” Murtagh’s response is always funny to me because he’s irritable, afraid, and angry and so he’s deliberately trying to be mean and act like he doesn’t care about Eragon, and yet his reply is, “‘Oh, not openly, no. What else could I do but help you with the Ra’zac? And then later, at Gil’ead, how could I have left with a clear conscience? The problem with you...is that you’re so totally helpless that you force everyone to take care of you!’”

It does nothing except prove how much he cares about Eragon and wants to help him! “‘What else could I do but help you with the Ra’zac?’” is especially funny because the glaringly obvious answer is to just. not help. But then that makes it clear that Murtagh so genuinely and inherently believes he should help that he doesn’t see not helping as a real option. And even though he phrases it insultingly in his frustration, what he ultimately says about Gil’ead is that he couldn’t have made himself abandon Eragon when he couldn’t defend himself. He would have felt too guilty because he considers saving him the right thing to do.

I feel like a large part of this springs from Murtagh’s core morality and desire to do good, but there is also an element rooted in his relationship with Eragon specifically. They get along; Murtagh likes him and he trusts him and that matters when the help he gives him puts him at such risk. Murtagh is self sacrificing in the way he protects and looks after Eragon. Sneaking in to Gil’ead to rescue him could have cost him his life- Eragon himself acknowledges that when he thanks him for it.  And the risks he takes for him aren’t just overblown or inconsequential. When Murtagh enters Gil’ead beforehand, in Eragon’s stead, to find out the Varden’s location, he’s recognized and has to flee. When he stays with Eragon as they run from the Urgal army, it forces him to the Varden where he’s imprisoned.

And yet those repercussions don’t undermine Murtagh’s devotion to Eragon. Even when they reach the Varden, the one place Murtagh did not want to go and will rob him of his freedom, his heartfelt care for Eragon doesn’t falter. After Eragon’s mind is searched by one of the Twins who then tries to do the same to Murtagh, they have this exchange:

“‘Eragon has been declared trustworthy, so you cannot threaten to kill him to influence me. Since you can’t do that, nothing you say or do will convince me to open my mind.’ Sneering, the bald man cocked what would have been an eyebrow, if he had any. ‘What of your own life? I can still threaten that.’ ‘It won’t do any good,’ said Murtagh stonily and with such conviction that it was impossible to doubt his word.”

Murtagh’s statement is striking to me because the blatant, undeniable meaning behind it is that, if they’d tried to test Murtagh first and threatened to kill Eragon if he didn’t comply, he would have done it. Murtagh would have let the Twin examine his mind to save Eragon’s life. And the privacy and sanctity of his mind is of paramount importance to him. He says as much to Ajihad when he also tries to convince him to be examined. He declares as much right here! Murtagh explicitly states that protecting Eragon’s life is the singular thing that could make him yield. He would give up his own life before exposing his mind. This has even more gravity for Murtagh specifically. He’s self sacrificing, but not reckless in the same way several of the other main characters are. He’s not one to toss his life aside; he fights hard to survive. So his willingness to die to guard his mind hammers home how important that is to him.

Because of that, even though such a situation never came to pass, Murtagh’s admission that he would give that up to protect Eragon’s life is the most salient proof of his devotion to me. And that’s considering he also fights the Ra’zac and infiltrates Gil’ead for him! I honestly don’t have another word for it- Murtagh holds a truly profound devotion to Eragon that is built upon his desire to help others and to fervently protect the people he cares for. These aspects are so integral to him that they determine his most significant choices.

#eragon #inheritance cycle #murtagh #eragon shadeslayer #nasuada #ic thorn #ic analysis #i was gonna tie this into the 'eragon wouldnt have buried murtagh' idea bc its kinda connected but i ran out of steam. maybe later #he messes up but murtagh is still such an earnestly good person #and theres a sad irony that his luckless life made him seem like the exact opposite #and eragon just means So Much to him... #that dialogue from murtagh about if they could have threatened eragon always KILLS me holy shit #ive always been tempted to write a fic where they Do test murtagh first and threaten eragon and murtagh relents to save him...

[eoieopda]

Jade, I’m so sad…. Can you write Jin fluff? Maybe what happens after the birthday dinner drabble where Jin tells reader how he feels?

eeeeeeek! i love this idea 🥹 for context, anon is referring to this drabble!

It was quiet in your apartment that morning. That is, neither of you was speaking; which made the tiny, ambient noises seem so much louder by comparison. Things you never would’ve noticed under any other circumstance. Little symphonies.

Rustling - the fabric of his sweatpants gripped in his fist while his knee bounced of its own volition. Whirring - the cogs in his brain grinding over whatever thought was making him so anxious. Crunching - the toast you chewed slowly and thoughtfully while you watched him with one eyebrow quirked.

You finished your toast; he said nothing. You kept your gaze trained on him as you swept crumbs to form a mountain, then folded it up between the confines of your napkin; still, he said nothing. This was the first silence you’d ever encountered that didn’t feel easy, you realized. You often sat together while you paid attention to other things, merely basking in each other’s company, but this wasn’t that.

There was some unidentifiable stress underscoring that morning’s breakfast. For once, he was vibrating on a frequency you couldn’t pick up.

Every move you made was done with an abundance of caution, impossibly slow like the syrup dripping from his unattended fork. One wrong move, and you feared you’d startle him. Instead of minding the bit of pancake dangling - untouched - from the utensil stalled near his mouth, he was staring down at the granite of your kitchen island.

If not for his eyes bouncing subtly back and forth - like he was trying to disarm a bomb, and couldn’t decide which wire to cut - you would’ve thought he’d gone catatonic. Slipped into his screensaver mode, checked out in that adorable, certifiably Seokjin way. Even like this, you couldn’t help but admire how handsome he was.

Perhaps it was wrong - certainly not something a friend-slash-roommate would do - but you often got lost in looking at him. Your eyes would linger a little too long on his proportions, get tired before they could run from one edge of his wide shoulders to the other. You were easily distracted by the veins and taut muscles of his forearms when he did something simple, like hand you a hand-crafted lunch box as you headed out for work.

Put simply, Seokjin was beautiful. Like a living, breathing work of art, walking around your apartment in cartoonishly large, pastel hoodies, and snoring through your movie nights. Your most-prized fixture, one you hoped to keep in every home you ended up in.

You lifted your glass off the counter carefully and raised it to your lips, all without peeling your eyes off of him. There was an odd warmth cascading over you that you didn’t want to acknowledge, so you did the only thing you could think of: you tried to douse it with pear juice.

He chose to speak - shout, more like - at the exact moment you tipped your head back to take a giant swig. Somehow, you must have heard him wrong - there was no way he said what you thought he said.

But if your ears didn’t deceive you and he really just yelled “I love you,” then the response he received to his blurted declaration was a mist of pear juice, spraying over his unsuspecting face.

You sputtered and coughed as your hand flew up to catch the sticky liquid dribbling down your chin.

“Come again?” You choked, because you couldn’t have been correct. That was not the kind of thing your friend-slash-roommate would ever say, no matter how badly you wanted him to.

His eyes were screwed shut for a moment as he wiped his cheekbone free of your mess. When they cracked open again, his scrunched-up nose relaxed, too.

“So, what just happened was that I told you that I loved you, and then you spit on me,” he blinked slowly, like he was struggling to process this turn of events in the same way you were.

“I’m so sorry!” You groaned as you hid your face behind your hands. Your cheeks were undoubtedly beet red; and acknowledging how badly you must have been blushing would absolutely make it all worse.

His unexpected, raucous laughter prompted you to peak through your fingers at him. Beaming, his whole face crinkled to accommodate the bemused grin spreading wildly, “If I knew I was going to be sitting in the splash zone, I would’ve worn a poncho.”

Again, you groaned, sinking so low on your stool that you all but crumpled onto the countertop. Your twinged-pink ear burned against your upper arm as you regarded him sideways, “Would it help at all to know that I love you, too?”

“Hmmm,” he mused as he tapped his chin, “Maybe. Say it one more time, just to be sure.”

You sat up straighter in your seat. Elbow against granite, you propped your chin up on the heel of your hand. It was purposeful when you repeated yourself; a dreamy sigh with an undeniable weight to it, “I love you, too.”

#jade speaks #anon #jade’s requests #jade’s drabbles #bts #bts drabble #bts imagine #bts scenarios #kim seokjin #ksj #seokjin #bts jin #bts seokjin #seokjin drabble #seokjin imagine #seokjin scenarios #seokjin fluff #bts fluff #jin imagine #jin drabble #jin scenario #jin fluff #jin x you #jin x y/n #jin x reader #bts x y/n #bts x you #bts x reader #bangtan